Lutheran Hours Collections
Another Round of it Comes!
August 20, 2008
"Getting Along"
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within and defile the man.
Mark 7:21-23 (KJV)
Can't we all just get along? Good question. Tough answer. As you know, the Olympic Games are in full swing. As you also know, this event is supposed to be a time of peace, harmony, fellowship, encouragement, and a whole lot of positive and wonderful things which most people like to think accurately describe humanity. As the song says, "It ain't necessarily so."
With threats having come in from terrorist organizations, China has increased police protection and tightened security check points. It has published pamphlets giving directions to tourists on how they should behave and trained tens of thousands of volunteers on what they should and shouldn't do in the presence of guests. In preparation for the festival, China has confined political demonstrations to a few designated locations and then only with state permission. It has decided not to allow statements about religion, the display of flags from countries which are not participating in the Olympics, and large signs cheering for one country or another. It seems that just getting along just doesn't come naturally to us.
Indeed, we have to work pretty hard just to get along even for a few days. This is one of the reasons why our heavenly Father sent His Son into this world. Yes, Jesus came to save us from sin, death, and devil, but He also came to save us from ourselves, from that evil which resides in us. "What evil?" you ask. Jesus gives a partial list in the text of today's Daily Devotion. Jesus tells us our hearts contain evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, envy, blasphemy, and pride. These are all sins from which we cannot save ourselves.
This is precisely why Jesus came to be one of us. If we were to be saved, if the price of our punishment was to be paid, someone had to live a perfect life. That someone was the Savior. He alone has borne our sins and carried our sorrows. Now, because of what He has done, believers are forgiven and saved. Because of Jesus' perfect life we will, eventually, be taken to a place where we won't have to work hard to "get along." In heaven, there shall be perfect peace, perfect praise, and perfect harmony as we come together in thanks to our perfect Lord.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, receive my thanks for living Your life so I might have eternal life in Your perfect paradise. In Your Name. Amen.
August 19, 2008
"Under Our Noses"
When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished," and He bowed His head and gave up the spirit.
John 19:30
Feeling you are probably getting inundated by news of the Olympics (and the future U.S. elections), I generally have steered away from making such items the total focus of the Daily Devotions. Even so, I would like to tell you about John Steven Aquari of Tanzania. John ran the marathon in the 1968 games in Mexico City. John ran the marathon, but he did not win it. In fact, a bad fall early in the race guaranteed that John would be the last man to finish.
Indeed, John limped into the stadium hours after the rest of the runners had finished and left. Speaking for all the world, a reporter asked John, "You are badly injured. Why didn't you quit? Why didn't you give up?" John didn't hesitate in answering. He said, "My country did not send me seven thousand miles to start this race. My country sent me to finish." It was a good answer.
It's one that reminded me of others who had been committed to finishing the job entrusted to them. Look at the Savior as He hung upon the cross. He had, in the 33 years of His life suffered the jealousy of kings, the hatred of those He had come to save, the temptations of Satan, and the desertion, denial, and betrayal of His closest friends. Even so, Jesus had been sent to save us. No matter what the sinful world dished out, He remained committed to finishing the job He had been given. On the cross, before He dies, in victory He proclaims: "It is finished."
Years later, St. Paul, having been saved by Jesus' gracious sacrifice, said much the same thing. Having survived shipwreck and stoning, jailing and rejection, Paul had continued to proclaim the Christ everywhere he went. Before he was executed, he wrote to Timothy and made a statement that summed up his life. He said: "I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me" (2 Timothy 4:7b-5a).
To finish the race. It is my prayer that each of us reading these Daily Devotions might also say, "I am committed to finishing my appointed race." Your race might be long or short; it might be easy or hard. No matter, by the Holy Spirit, in Jesus, finish your race.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, I stand in awe of Your dedication to saving me. It was a hard race, but You finished it. Now, because of what You have done, I am saved. May I, by the Holy Spirit's power, run my race to completion and receive the crown of life. In Your Name. Amen.
August 18, 2008
"A Bad Sinner"
For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.
Romans 7:19
Schadenfreude. Schadenfreude is a good German word. Roughly, it means taking pleasure over someone else's misfortune. A good example of schadenfreude would be when you are passed by a speeding driver and, four miles down the road, you see him pulled over by a cop and getting a ticket. What you feel is schadenfreude.
I should also say schadenfreude is not an especially Christian virtue. Just a short time ago, the Minneapolis Star Tribune carried an article that showed me for the nasty-hearted villain I am.
The story came out of Lebanon, Indiana. It was there, in Lebanon's Oak Hill Cemetery, that 36-year-old Katherine Gunther sort of stuck herself. Normally a person sticking herself would make me feel bad, but there is a rest of the story.
Katherine is a witch, a follower of Wicca. She, with her coven, was in the cemetery after hours. Using candles, incense, and a sword they were performing a ceremony to give thanks for a recent run of good luck. When they reached a certain spot in the service, Katherine was supposed to stick the sword into the ground. She missed the ground and stuck the sword into her foot. This, I imagine, immediately ended the service of thanksgiving for good luck.
When I read that story, I laughed. If I had been there, I would have been concerned and sympathetic, but I wasn't there. And before I could help myself, I laughed. Schadenfreude. Now please, don't write to me and say, "Pastor, that was wrong. You shouldn't have laughed." I know that. It was improper, and it was unchristian.
I was improper and inappropriate, and I feel sorrow for what I did. All of this goes to show that Paul wasn't unique when he talked about not doing the good that he should and continuing to do the bad that he shouldn't. The truth is, if my heart can laugh at someone who stabs themselves in the foot with a sword, I am in need of a Savior.
Every day I sin much and every day I am in need of the forgiveness that comes only through the Savior's sacrifice and resurrection. Understand, I wouldn't have told you all of this, if I didn't think you were almost as bad as I am. You may not have laughed at the sword-in-the-foot incident, but each of us have our moments, our sinful moments, moments when we need a Savior. Thank the Lord we have the Savior in the person of Jesus.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, why You should bother about a sinner such as me is a great mystery. I do not understand, but I shall praise You for the great grace I have received through the Savior's substitution. For forgiveness and today, I thank You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
August 13, 2008
"Like A Mom"
As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
Isaiah 66:13
Fanta Lingani is a mother - - a mother who lives in the African country of Burkina Faso. Last week the Washington Post told her story. It told of how Fanta had risen at 4 a.m., then walked two hours so she might earn $1.20 sweeping sidewalks. With that money she bought food and spent another two hours cooking a meal of corn mush, seasoned with tree leaves, dried fish, and wood ashes.
The article told how Fanta Lingani first gave her husband a bowl of the food and then she made a distribution to her older children. Lastly, Fanta took a bowl of the bland stew for herself. She ate two mouthfuls of the mush and then she gave the rest to her children who were still hungry. She probably said she was full. She wasn't. With food prices having doubled and the family's income staying the same, those two mouthfuls would be Fanta's only meal until the next day.
Fanta Lingani is a mother. She's a mother who does what needs to be done for her children's benefit, welfare, and livelihood. The prophet Isaiah once described God as providing comfort like a mother. The text for today's devotion says, "As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you." Like a mother, the Lord saw our sin and realized what it would do to us. Like Fanta Lingani, God did what was necessary so we, His children, might live. So we might live is why Jesus was born in Bethlehem. So we might live is the cause to which He dedicated His life. So we might live is why Jesus allowed Himself to be arrested, beaten, tried, and crucified.
To assure us we will live forever is why He rose from the dead and showed Himself to a lost and starving world. Because of Jesus' love, all who believe on Him as Savior and Redeemer are saved.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, for having done all that was necessary for my salvation, my undying appreciation. For doing what I could not, for making the gracious sacrifice of Your Son, I owe You everything, including this day, which I live to Your glory. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
July 22, 2008
"Neither A Borrower Nor . . ."
. . . do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
Matthew 5:42b
Here's a quick quiz: Is the passage "Thou shalt neither a borrower nor a lender be" found in the Old or the New Testament? Give yourself an extra point if you can name the book where that passage is found.
Sorry. That was unfair. It was unfair because the passage isn't in the Bible at all. On the other hand, it does point to the text of today's devotion where Jesus comments on the matter of giving and borrowing: "Give to the one who begs from you and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you."
I wonder how those words apply to Thomas Pilaar of Denver, Colorado. You see Thomas has a habit of going to libraries and checking out books, hundreds of books and DVDs. Unfortunately, Thomas has not developed the habit of returning the things he has borrowed. The Denver Public Library estimates Thomas owes them about $35,000. The Douglas Library fared better with Thomas racking up a mere $11,000 in overdue books and DVDs.
Under normal circumstances, Thomas might have returned these items and thrown himself on the mercy of the court. That action was made impossible because Thomas, having borrowed these items from these libraries, promptly went out and sold them. I guess this turns his borrowing into thieving. Still, I wonder what God would expect me to do if Thomas showed up and asked me to lend him some of my rare books.
Would Jesus expect me to loan those books to Thomas? Would He want me to offer all of them? With no strings attached? Without any kind of security? And, as long as I'm wondering, I wonder if the Lord ever feels we do the same kind of thing to Him?
We are sinners - - sinners who have no way of redeeming ourselves and who seldom repay our debts. As sinners we come to Him begging for forgiveness. And this forgiveness, because of Jesus' sacrifice and intercession, is given over and over again as we commit the same or similar sins. We are beggars, pitiful thieves; we should be turned away or tossed out entirely.
But God doesn't turn us away; He doesn't throw us out. Because we are redeemed members of His household, He keeps forgiving, and loving, and doing for us what we would not do for someone else.
This is why it's good He's God and we're not.
THE PRAYER: Dear heavenly Father, for Your patience, Your grace, and above all, for giving Your Son as my Savior, I sing Your praises. Send Your Holy Spirit so this day I may, in the things I do, avoid sin and show my thanks. In Jesus' Name, I ask it. Amen.