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Based on Matthew 3:13-17

Baptismal Identity

In November 2024, a young high school graduate shipped off to boot camp, full of promise, and excited to serve in our nation’s military. This was his dream. In mid-December, just a few weeks ago, a family member emailed me saying, “My grandson is being medically discharged. You can remove him from your mailing list.” My heart broke. I said a quick prayer, texted the young man and asked him, “I heard what happened. This must be hard for you. How can I pray for you today?”

I’m guessing that you have faced disappointments like this. You planned the mission, anticipated every possible deviation, but when it came time to execute the mission was called off, or it went horribly wrong. You were on track to achieve rank, but it didn’t happen. You set goals for your squadron but fell far short. You entered a marriage that was to be for life, but it hasn’t. Maybe you were expecting a child who was to fill your house with joy, but that child is no longer with you.

When the unexpected derails life, it’s hard to see yourself as you once were. When you’re no longer carrying out that vocation, or when you’ve failed horribly at that vocation, or have had a series of unfortunate events that no longer allow you to carry out that vocation, you might be asking yourself, “Who am I? What’s my purpose anymore if I am not what I used to be?”

My friends, Christ Jesus came to give you identity and purpose and meaning and worth.

When he was about 30 years old Jesus went to the Jordan River to be baptized by the prophet John. John knew Jesus was the Son of God, so he tried to stop Jesus. “But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, ‘Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then John consented” (Matthew 3:14-15).

Jesus had no sin. He was completely righteous in his living. The righteous thing his Father sent him to do was to completely identify with our sin, our failures, our brokenness, our disappointments. And at his baptism, he became them, took them upon himself as if they were his own. Since Jesus has completely identified himself with your sin he has given you his righteousness – his right living – as if it were your own.

His gift comes to you through the hearing of these words. His gift comes to you through the waters of your baptism. In your baptism he puts his name on you, calls you his brother, his sister, sons and daughters of the Father, heirs of a resurrection from the dead and eternal life in heaven. In your baptism he gives you his righteous life which covers over your failures. He gives you his righteous life so that you might know you are not a failure but forgiven, redeemed and restored.

Whatever disappointments, failures, heartaches, regrettable decisions you’ve made in your life, take them to Jesus. Take them to the waters of your baptism and wash them clean. See yourself the way your God sees you; baptized, forgiven, brother or sister of Jesus, dressed in the robe of Christ’s righteousness forever. And then go and live that baptismal life. Every morning wake up and say, “I am a baptized child of God. I will live that way today.” Every evening before you lay your head on your pillow say, “Despite what happened today, I am still a baptized child of God, forgiven by my Father in heaven, because he loves me.”

That’s who you are and who you will be because Jesus says so in your baptism.

Prayer:

Father in heaven, at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan, you proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit. Keep us who are baptized into Christ faithful in our calling as your children, and make us heirs with him of everlasting life. As we remember in our prayers those who are deployed, keep them faithful to their marriages, pure in their thoughts and intentions. Keep them content and may they find joy in their work. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

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Based on John 1:1-14

The Hidden Glory of God

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14).

The Word—Jesus is the Word. In eternity God spoke, and the world came into being. God spoke and there was light. When the darkness of sin invaded the light, God spoke again and made promises to scatter the darkness. The Word, God from eternity, begotten of the Father, so interconnected with the Father, would take on human flesh. He would be present, not omnipresent as he was before, but confined to space and time.

The Word became flesh. Jesus assumed the true nature of a human being and lived among his creatures. Men like John the apostle spent a considerable amount of time with him and were able to examine and listen, to scrutinize and confirm: “Yes, this one is like us! He gets tired and hungry and needs water, he cries and he laughs, and he is truly human.” And yet, John says, “We have seen his glory.”

John watched with amazement as the Word revealed the thoughts and attitudes of the hearts of men. He watched the Word walk on water. He watched him heal the sick and raise the dead. The Word himself was subjected to death—they snuffed out the light of life—but he came back from the dead.

Although Jesus was God from eternity and embodied the fullness of the deity, and although John said, “We have seen his glory,” the Word hid his glory. The Word became flesh, not in a palace among kings and princes, but in a lowly place where animals ate and slept. The Word became flesh, not to flaunt his power through words that thunder from heaven, but in the quiet whisper of good news: “You are forgiven!”

At Christmastime we might be tempted to look for something more from Jesus—some sort of financial miracle to get us out of a money mess, some sort of grace bomb that will restore all our broken relationships, some sort of heart and mind transplant that will remove all these relentless inappropriate thoughts and desires.

The Word became flesh and still hides his glory. He hides his grandeur in a gentle word of grace and truth spoken to you: “I forgive you all your sins.” He hides his greatness in simple water where you are reassured: “Yes, you are my child.” He hides in simple bread and wine: “This is my body, this is my blood, given for you for the pardon of all your transgressions.” Grace and truth for you.

This Christmas, marvel at the Word made flesh, who hid his glory, who hides his glory even now, so that you might receive the greatest gifts: grace and truth today, tomorrow, and for eternity, where you will behold him in all his glory.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, during these days of the Christmas season, reassure us that you became flesh so that you might give us your grace and truth. Reassure those who serve in our nation’s military that although they may be far from their loved ones this Christmas, you continue to dwell among your people. Comfort family members and friends who miss their service member with your abiding presence. Renew in us the desire to read, study, and pray on your Word of truth daily so we never forget why you were born—to save us. In your name we pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

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Based on Isaiah 35:3-4

Do Not Be Afraid

I’m certain you’ve heard it at least once the past couple of weeks and will continue to hear it until December 25th if not until January 1st—that old-time classic, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”

But I know that’s not always true. The holiday season can lend itself to more tension in the family. Tighter budgets as families plan for Christmas gifting and Christmas travel create financial strain. There can be stress from family gatherings. Increased alcohol consumption can create a volatile environment. That’s when military families see a rise in domestic abuse.

Unfortunately for some, or maybe for you or someone you know, there could be emotional manipulation, physical or sexual violence, financial deprivation, intimidation, or deliberate isolation preventing you from gathering with family, cutting off emotional support.

If this is you, I want you to know a few things. First, you do not deserve to be subjected to abuse. It is not okay. Second, this world is a broken place, filled with people who are so broken by sin they do awful things to each other. I am sorry that this is happening to you.

You may feel powerless and alone, but you are not. You do not have to be afraid. If you are a victim of abuse, your knees may be weak and wobbly, afraid to walk into a pastor’s or chaplain’s office. Your hands may tremble, afraid to pick up the phone and call, with a heart that is so afraid you don’t know what to do or what to think.

Listen to the words of your Savior God through the prophet Isaiah: “Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you’ ” (Isaiah 35:3-4).

Please do not misunderstand God when he says to you, “Be strong, do not fear.” He is not saying, “Chin up! Just be stronger, pray harder, believe more, and you’ll get through this!” When God makes this statement, “Be strong, do not fear,” he gives you the power to do just that.

Your God gives power by bringing a message of hope and life for you. Your God is the God who saves the broken, and that salvation is yours today, tomorrow, and forever. Through Jesus you are right with God. You have an identity in him. You are his child. You are loved by him. And I don’t know why this is happening to you right now, but he knows and he has done something about it. He redeemed all things, including you and your situation, when he became the victim of abuse on the cross.

He also wants you to know that he is the God of justice. His justice will come. God will hold abusers accountable.

This promise from God is meant to strengthen your feeble hands and weak knees, to give confidence to your fearful heart to take the next steps. He will be your power when you feel you have no power to move forward. He will be your presence when you feel alone.

While you wait for his justice, it does not mean staying in an unsafe situation. God provides earthly help and shelter through the people he places around you—pastors, chaplains, commanders, police officers, family advocates, judges, lawyers, family members, and friends.

Be strong. Do not be afraid. Your God comes to save you.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, you know brokenness. You know abuse. You were once broken and abused. You endured it all by your death on the cross and were raised again to give us the hope of life in that place of perfect peace. Empower victims of abuse to get help. Help us to become faithful advocates and safe spaces for victims of abuse. Open our ears to listen, our arms to hold, our mouths to speak your words of comfort and love. In your name we ask it. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

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Based on Philippians 1:3-6

Thank You

Since this is Thanksgiving weekend, I want to pause and reflect on the past year. The mission of WELS Ministry to the Military is to make Word and sacrament available to our actively serving military members and their families. To carry out this mission, the Wisconsin Synod provides financial support for 25 percent of our operating expenses. The other 75 percent comes from generous gifts from you. This past year WELS Ministry to the Military received $154,000 in gifts. Thank you!

Your generosity and the work we do together as a synod reminds me of the apostle Paul’s words to the Christians in Philippi: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:3-6).

Because of your generosity this past year, I was able to travel to 10 duty stations (including one aircraft carrier and 3 duty stations overseas), 16 congregations, 3 high schools, and 2 grade schools. This included a trip to Okinawa this past January where we led a retreat for service members who came from Guam, Japan, South Korea, and Okinawa.

Because of your generosity, our office mailed 130 Spiritual Deployment Kits to service members around the world, not to mention a number of hymnals, catechisms, and devotion books. Thanks to you, 135 new referrals came in through our website.

We were able to train seven Distinctive Religious Group Leaders to lead Bible study and worship in places we can’t be. Five more are being trained right now.

I want to say thank you to our European chaplain, Rob Weiss, and his wife, Rachel, for their faithful, dedicated service all over Europe: Spain, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and Poland.

Thank you to the WELS pastors, teachers, and staff ministers who encourage and support our military service members, who show compassion and care to the family members when their service member is away from home. Thank you to all the grade schools, pastors’ and teachers’ conferences, and churches who adopted our ministry for their mission offering designation.

Thank you to the WELS pastors and lay leaders who serve as contacts at numerous duty stations around the country, especially those who take extra time to visit our young people during basic training. I’d like to highlight Hope in Irmo, S.C., for serving Fort Jackson; Immanuel in Waukegan, Ill., for serving Great Lakes; Our Savior in San Antonio, Texas, for serving Lackland Air Force Base; and Risen Savior in Chula Vista, Calif., for serving Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD).

At MCRD Pastor Paul Schulz leads the Lutheran service on Sunday mornings. This past year the Holy Spirit blessed Pastor Schulz’ efforts with an average Sunday worship attendance of 47 recruits, and he was privileged to baptize 25 Marine Corps recruits. Thank you to the congregations in the Colorado Springs area for adopting Air Force cadets at the Academy and being their home away from home.

Thank you to the Lutheran Military Support Group (LMSG) for their partnership. Because of their generosity, we led a Military Contact Pastor workshop near Hill Air Force Base in Layton, Utah, this past May. The LMSG also provided professional Christian counseling for active duty service members, veterans, and their dependents.

I am grateful for our working relationship with WELS Campus Ministry. They have been helpful in identifying high school graduates pursuing ROTC or the National Guard and referring them to our ministry.

Thank you to Michigan Lutheran Seminary who reached out to us, wanting to partner and provide a stable high school experience for high school-age students of our service members.

I am grateful to the members and staff at Reformation Lutheran Church and School here in San Diego, where my wife teaches and we are members. You have been a huge support for our family.

I want to say thank to the team that works behind the scenes to publish these devotions, for posting on our social media and website. You are so patient with me!

I want to thank my Military Services Committee family: Paul, Joel, Holly, Josh, Dave, Ryan, Rob, Rachel, and Dale. It is a joy working with you.

From me personally, I want to thank you for your small tokens of appreciation. The challenge coins, squadron caps and patches, letters, e-mails, and text messages—this is all so humbling and encouraging. And I am grateful for all of you every day for this partnership in the gospel. I ask that you continue to keep WELS Ministry to the Military in your prayers so that together we might reach more of our nation’s service members with Word and sacrament.

Have a happy Thanksgiving.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

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Based on Luke 21:10-28

Stand Firm

There has not been a generation of Americans who have lived their entire lives without their country being involved in a war or military conflict. Even during those rare stretches of relative peace, our US military was still engaged in smaller operations or “police actions.” To help me better understand our military history, one of my soldiers recommended this book: For the Common Defense: A Military History of the United States from 1607 to 2012, 3rd edition.

We pray for peace around the world and in our own country, because war is horrific. People die. Some war fighters who return home find themselves lost and misunderstood by civilians. Others are broken in body and mind. Some sadly lose their faith in God. One war fighter recently shared this with me: “The American civilian public is not ready for large-scale combat, for high numbers of casualties. We’ve not had to wrestle with that reality for decades. We’re not equipped to handle this right now. Please pray for peace.”

Jesus tells us there will be wars and uprisings. There will be earthquakes and famines and pestilence in various places, which means there will always be a need for a National Guard. Jesus also says there will be spiritual conflict. He says, “They will . . . persecute you” (Luke 21:12).

This week I asked a soldier, “How can I pray for you?” He texted back, “Pray that I continue to focus my mind and heart on what our Savior did for us and have the courage to comfortably share it with others.” The military culture—and our society—is not friendly to those who follow Jesus, and he tells us it will get worse for us.

How are we to handle this and not become overwhelmed with depression and anxiety?

After Jesus had shared with his disciples all the bad news about wars and persecutions and disasters, he said this: “Stand firm, and you will win life” (Luke 21:19). You will win.

Jesus won the victory over death and grave. You will win.

Jesus stood firm against the spiritual forces of evil. You will win.

Stand firm on that promise by reminding yourself of that promise every time you hear bad news.

And “when these things begin to take place” (Luke 21:28)—the frightening things that will happen when Jesus comes again—he says that heavenly bodies will be shaken, the dead will rise, and all will see him coming again in the clouds with his angels. Many will be terrified. But Jesus tells you, “Stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28).

Christ has redeemed all things. The curse of sin is undone because Christ became the curse for us. The grave is conquered because Jesus lives, never to die again. Paradise lost is restored when Christ creates a new heaven and a new earth for us.

Please understand that we live in the “already” and the “not yet.” But when these things begin to take place, stand firm and you will win life. Stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, in a world filled with conflict and fear, help us to stand firm in your victory. When wars rage around us and within us, steady our hearts with the promise of redemption. Give courage to those who serve our nation and strength to all who serve you. Lift our eyes from the chaos of this world to the hope of your coming kingdom. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.