Archive for category: Military Devotions

“In my Father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that you may also be where I am.”
John 14:2,3 EHV

Military Devotion – May 31, 2020

Devotion based on John 14:2,3

See series: Military Devotions

The United States Air Force already claims the words “Aim High” as its motto. We acknowledge that but point out that other groups also find meaning in these words. Christians are one of them.

After all, the Christian life aims not at the grave—but beyond the sky.

A recent writer suggests a way to face death peacefully during a pandemic. In short, he says, “Accept the idea that we are nothing.”

He tells us, “We are negligible instances, inhabiting a random, unremarkable backwater of the universe, basking for an instant or two in the light of a dying star.”

He thinks that one day we will only be a strange figure in a family photo. “Soon enough we’ll diminish into uncertainty and then we’ll be entirely unknown, a blip in an uninteresting record in an unexamined file somewhere in a never-visited archive. It will be as if we had never been.”¹

“As if we had never been…”

A voice within wants to call out: “That’s not true! My life has meaning! I am not nothing.” We think of the great things that people have accomplished. “Surely, that counts for something!”

But does it? Centuries ago, someone wrote, “The paths of glory lead but to the grave.” Isn’t that so?

What about the words, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”? Aren’t they true?

If even our Creator calls us mere dust, where else are we headed, but to the grave? Isn’t that where the molecules of our body will become part of the fabric of the universe, in which our planet is just a speck?

Looks like it.

But looks can be deceiving. In this case, they are! We need to look in through the eyes of our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier God.

Our life ends, not at the grave, but beyond the sky. We are heaven-bound.

We are to aim high.

That’s not always easy to do. Fears, doubts, and worries pull us down. We can think of hundreds of reasons why we should not expect to survive the grave—and each of them may be valid.

There is only one reason to expect that we will be lifted to glory: the promise of God. And that reason overrules everything else!

It’s not a sales pitch. They’re not empty words to make us feel better for a little while. The promise is backed by blood! Holy, precious blood.

The disciples saw Jesus lift off from the earth. They knew he would be coming back for them.

In a Communion hymn, we sing to our Lord, “Remember that I am but dust.” “Help me when doubts assail me.” We need that help.

We are not among the unknown. Our Redeemer calls us by name. He will give that help.

That poet who wrote that our paths lead but to the grave? He understood life does not end there. He knew the path continues on to bring the Christian to what he called “the bosom of his Father and his God.”²

He knew the ascended Jesus leads us to heaven. We know that too.

We will aim high.

Prayer: Lift up our eyes, Lord Jesus, that we may be reminded of your promise and await your return with hope and joy. Point our hearts ahead and above to your heavenly mansions. Amen.

¹ In an article by The School of Life
² “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” by Thomas Gray.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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.

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
Ecclesiastes 1:2

Military Devotion – May 17, 2020

Devotion based on Ecclesiastes 1:2

See series: Military Devotions

He was rich in wealth and wisdom. He had no equal. And yet, when we take a closer look at his life, we may end up saying: “Poor Solomon.”

“Solomon” means peace. But for much of his life, no peace could he find. We would not want to be like him.

Oh, we would like some of that wealth, and it would be nice to be honored like him. But we would hate to be as miserable as he came to be.

If we ask, “How could he be so unhappy with all that he had?” he answers in the book of the Bible called “Ecclesiastes.”

The opening words are striking: “Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless!” How did he come to that sad conclusion?

He was bored: “What has been will be again, what has been done,” he wrote, “will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” (1:9)

He discovered wisdom did not bring happiness. He reports: “With much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.” (1:18)

So, he undertook great projects. He built houses, planted trees, bought livestock, and piled up gold and silver. “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure.” (2:10)

The result? “I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.” (2:18)

He came to the conclusion: “A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work.” (2:24)

So, the king who has it all is no better off than a common laborer.

Then, he shared some words of wisdom: “To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness….”

Happiness, he learned, is a gift from God. It is not something we can make for ourselves.

And then a warning: “…but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God.” (2:26)

This, he would tell us, is truly a meaningless life.

His words may surprise us. We don’t expect this from the son of the great King David and the builder of the great temple in Jerusalem. Had he not impressed even the Queen of Sheba?

Yet, much of his life was empty. There may have been peace throughout his kingdom during those years, but no peace was found in his heart and soul. Poor Solomon!

But there is more to his story. It turns out, one of his descendants was the very Prince of peace.

Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God and son of Mary, from the line of David and Solomon, was the answer to Solomon’s emptiness—and ours.

What is the greatest thing the great King Solomon accomplished in life? Wrong question!

Rather, “What is the greatest thing God accomplished through Solomon?”

The answer must be: “God used Solomon, with all of his strengths and weaknesses, with all of his wealth and wisdom—God used the man with the name, “Peace” to bring the Prince of peace to the earth.

Rest in peace, Solomon! You now share in the endless wealth, power, and glory of your Savior.

One day, because of your distant Son, we will too.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, your death and resurrection give us peace of heart, mind, and soul. Accept our words of thanksgiving and our labors of love. Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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.

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
Mark 4:39

Military Devotion – May 3, 2020

Devotion based on Mark 4:39

See series: Military Devotions

Words spoken once to wind and waves come now to storm-tossed souls: “Be still!”

It wasn’t a suggestion to those forces of nature. It was a command.

Wind and waves recognized that voice. It was their master. Instantly, they obeyed.

So, should we. Not out of fear. Out of trust. Those words bring blessed assurance.

Nature on a rampage can shatter one’s peace of mind. It certainly did for those disciples caught in a storm on the Sea of Galilee. We are told it was a “furious squall.” Waves began breaking over the boat. They were in danger of being swamped. And Jesus was sleeping!

“Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

Maybe we would have asked the same. Maybe we have already done so in the past, when troubles washed over our lives.

Wrong question! Bad question. It springs from doubt, not faith.

We don’t know exactly what the disciples expected Jesus to do, but they did want him to do something. They knew he could work miracles. They had seen his words had power.

To a leper, Jesus had said: “Be clean!” and he was (Mark 1:41). To a paralytic, Jesus had said: “Get up, take your mat and go home” and he did (Mark 2:11). To the man with a shriveled hand, Jesus had said: “Stretch out your hand.” And it was completely restored (Mark 3:5).

Maybe more astonishingly, when an evil spirit asked, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” Jesus said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!”

And he did! We hear: “The demon shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek” (Mark 1:24-26).

The disciples had seen the evidence; had heard the cry of the demon; and had witnessed the power behind the words of Jesus of Nazareth.

They knew the Holy One of God was with them. He was sleeping in their boat!

So, why the panic?

They knew what he could do. They were not sure what he would do.

And we are in the same boat.

We have seen the evidence identifying Jesus as the Son of God and Savior of the world. We have read the testimonies of people who have seen the risen Jesus with their own eyes. We have heard Jesus say, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).

That’s the kind of disciple we are. The Holy Spirit has worked the miracle of faith in our hearts. With the apostle Peter, we say to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!” (Matthew 16:16).

And yet—and yet—we sometimes find ourselves wondering, “Don’t you care about us?”

Like those disciples in the boat, we sometimes expect that if Jesus did care about us, he would act quickly to help us. When he does not, we are tempted to wonder, “Is he sleeping? Doesn’t he care?”

Shame on those disciples! Shame on us. How dare we doubt him! Holy words ring in our ears: “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10).

He never promised to keep us untouched by a storm. He has not promised to keep a virus from attacking our body. He surely has never said we would never die.

He has promised to make certain that we are safe in his hands no matter what. Finally, he will bring us back from death. He will land us safely on heaven’s shore.

The nail prints in his hands testify to the certainty of that.

When he bids us “Be quiet! Don’t be afraid!” our soul recognizes the voice of the all-powerful, loving Lord.

And we can know: “All is well!”

Prayer:
Be still, my soul; the Lord is on your side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to your God to order and provide;
In every change he faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; your best, your heavenly friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end. Amen.
(Christian Worship 415:1)

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him, but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.”
Luke 24:19-21

Military Devotion – April 19, 2020

Devotion based on Luke 24:19-21

See series: Military Devotions

“Well, what did you expect?” The question was aimed at a disappointed youngster on an Easter morning.

The blank look and the shrugged shoulders said, “I don’t know.” But what he really wanted to say was: “I expected more!”

I know what the boy was thinking because I’m the one who was asked that question a while ago—well, maybe more than a while ago.

Christmas had made quite an impression: the decorations, the cookies, and the presents—lots of presents.

Easter had a similar buildup: a special meal was planned, extra church services held, holiday cards exchanged—and my sister had said there would be a surprise on Easter morning.

Some surprise. Some hardboiled eggs, a chocolate bunny, and a handful of jellybeans!

I expected more from Easter.

I wasn’t the only one.

On Easter evening, two followers of Jesus were walking the road to Emmaus, talking about the unexpected events of the day. When Jesus joined them, unrecognized, they revealed their disappointment.

Actually, they were disappointed in him.

“He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people,” they explained to this “stranger.” Then, referring to the authorities, they reported: “they crucified him….”

What a letdown!

This they did not expect. Instead, they said, “we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:19-21).

But he did! He did pay the ransom for the fallen human race! What more could they want?

They wanted him to redeem Israel in the way they were expecting him to do it. Their expectations for Easter were far different than God’s expectations.

How sad.

But how common.

And how current!

The disappointed youngster who grew up still needs to guard against being disappointed in God’s plans. His expectations still often run down a different path from those of his heavenly Father.

On some days, he expects life to be easier than it often is: less stress, more money—and no deadly virus.

On other days, he is surprised that problems have been solved; threats averted; and fears deflated—through none of his doing.

He is learning not to second-guess how his God is going to work all things out for his good.

He is learning to take a very hard look at what the first Easter means for him and those he loves.

He is learning to expect much more from the Lord God than he could ever dream of.

He is waiting to talk with those two fellows from Emmaus.

He is expecting to do that on a perfect Easter-like day.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, your resurrection from the dead has proven that we will live forever. Keep the vision of Easter before our spiritual eyes that we may always cling to the certainty of life eternal when the day of our death comes. Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, dearest Jesus, unto thee. Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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.

When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
Matthew 27:54

Military Devotion – April 10, 2020

Devotion based on Matthew 27:54

See series: Military Devotions

The evidence was in. The verdict was obvious. “God must die!”

Not in the chambers of the Sanhedrin was the decision made. Not in the courtroom of the Roman governor. And surely, not on the streets of Jerusalem.

The verdict was delivered in the vault of heaven before time began. The Holy One, himself, decreed: “God must die!”

Our puny minds cannot penetrate the mystery of the Godhead. We cannot wrap our heads around the concept of eternity. All we can do is look in with wonder as events unfold.

We are permitted to look in at Christmas Eve through the eyes of shepherds who were keeping watch over their flocks by night. On Good Friday, we look through the eyes of a squad of soldiers who were keeping watch over an execution. The shepherds saw a vision of glory. The soldiers saw only gore.

Rome was the superpower of the time. On the day when darkness came at noon, some of her troops were stationed in the pitiful province of Judea.

At least four of them, with a centurion in charge, were ordered to carry out three executions.

They had no idea how far up the chain-of-command the order had originated.

Humans wanted the man, Jesus of Nazareth, killed. They did not recognize that Jesus was also God, even though this was his claim.

Actually, that is the one charge that stuck. Before Pilate, the Jews insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God” (John 19:7).

In fact, he was the Son of God.

He had said: “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?” (John 14:9,10)

Jesus is God! Scripture reveals that. We confess that: “We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God…God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father” (Nicene Creed).

In fact, he was also human.

This we confess with the words: “For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully human” ( Nicene Creed).

Otherwise, there was no hope for us. “As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one’” (Romans 3:10). We sin. The penalty is clear: “For the wages of sin is death…”

So, it was decided: “God must die!”

The Second Person of the Trinity would become human. He would die to meet the demands of justice. We hear: “For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering” (Romans 8:3).

Thus, the follow-up announcement: “…but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

His death for our life. It’s the Great Exchange.

Roman soldiers saw it happen. The centurion knew what he saw: “Surely he was the Son of God!” The sentence was carried out.

“God must die!”

And he did.

Prayer:
Christ, the Life of all the living, Christ, the Death of death, our foe.
Who thyself for me once giving to the darkest depths of woe—
Through thy sufferings, death, and merit I eternal life inherit.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be,
Dearest Jesus unto thee. Amen.
(Christian Worship 114:1)

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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.

Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, “Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” At first, his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.
John 12:14-16

Military Devotion – April 5, 2020

Devotion based on John 12:14-16

See series: Military Devotions

They did not understand. The crowds, the rulers, his enemies, and his friends—they didn’t comprehend all that was happening on the day of the palm-branch parade.

They probably did expect this ride of Jesus into Jerusalem was something special. Maybe now he would make his move to claim the throne of Israel. His followers hoped that. The Jewish leaders feared that. The Romans were not sure what to think.

As that Sunday came to a close, people were still not certain what it all meant. It reminds us of the words about his birth, “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.”

Many from Galilee considered him a hero. Crowds of people all across Israel had seen his miracles and heard his teachings. Word had spread that he had raised Lazarus from the dead. Expectations were running high. His mere appearance sparked a joyous uproar. The triumphant entry into Jerusalem seemed to be a spontaneous event.

It was not.

It had been planned in heaven long ago. It had been foretold with clear words. The apostle John could quote the words: “See, your king comes to you…” (Zechariah 9:9).

The disciples did not think of those words on Palm Sunday. On that glorious day, they never suspected that Good Friday was down the road.

Only after, only after Jesus had risen from the dead, did they realize they had played a part in fulfilling an ancient prophecy with a history-changing event.

Only after Easter did they see how the pieces of God’s plan of salvation fit together.

They came to understand that Jesus would not be an earthly king; they would not sit next to him as he ruled from Jerusalem. But on Palm Sunday, Golgotha and an empty grave had never entered their minds.

It makes us wonder what all we don’t understand about the happenings in our lives.

We, too, live in days of confusion and change. Hopes and fears now mix together. As the disciples did back then, we believe that the hand of God is in what we now see. But our picture is still blurred, and the ending uncertain.

Has Scripture told us that days like these were coming?

Probably in greater detail than we realize. We do know Jesus warned about terrible times. The word, pandemic, fits into that picture.

But not the word worry. We are specifically told not to worry.

The Bible’s words, “Fear not!” to God’s people were not given as an invitation, but as a reassuring directive. Think of a drill instructor saying: “You will stand at attention!” Then think of these words: “You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday” (Psalm 91:5,6).

We have heard the words. We resolve not to fear.

The disciples eventually came to understand the confusing days of Holy Week. Holy Writ had told of this. They just hadn’t recognized it while it was happening.

Clarity came after—only after all this had taken place. Only then were they able to see the loving hand of God behind such distressing events.

One day we, too, will clearly understand how events in our lives also fit into a perfect plan. After our God shows us, we will be amazed to see how blessed we have been all along.

But only after.

We can wait without fear until then, can’t we?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, your ride into Jerusalem to the cries of “Hosanna!” fills us with joy. We smile to see you hailed as a king. It pains us to think of what will happen to you by the end of the week. But it thrills us to know that the next Sunday is coming. Keep us safe in the hollow of your nail-pierced hands as we pass through the days of our lives. Remind us that after all this is over, we will understand, thank, and praise you in Easter joy. Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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.

“Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”
Isaiah 45:22 KJV

Military Devotion – March 22, 2020

Devotion based on Isaiah 45:22 KJV

See series: Military Devotions

“Stop the World, I Want to Get Off” is the title of an earlier musical that many can now relate to. A celebrity recently said, “They’re canceling meetings, canceling trips, and canceling sports—maybe we should just cancel 2020.”

Well, 2020 might be canceled. The Lord God just might decide this is the year in which the world will end.

While it is too soon to tell if he will push the STOP button on all earthly life during this year, it certainly seems that he has already pressed the PAUSE button.

We are accustomed to seeing world events stream by with few interruptions. We have been shown a disaster here and a calamity there. But unless we were directly involved, after a brief glance, our attention went back to the flow of events that are part of normal life.

Not this time! A pandemic is not normal.

When we press the pause button on a video, everything stops. We are left to look at the one picture left on the screen. Today, the world’s screen is displaying the face of God to all who would see it.

This new virus has given pause to millions. They are confused. They are worried. What good is a strong economy and a good job if one will soon die? What kind of world are we now living in if American stores are running out of face masks and toilet paper?

Could it be that the health pandemic is causing human panic? It might be.

People are looking to medicine for answers and to governments for help. They are no longer confident they are in control of their lives. They see no answers within, so they conclude deliverance must come from without. Hope must lie somewhere out there!

It does. It always has. Every good thing has always come from the One who dwells in the beyond. No virus rose from the rich soil of Eden. No animal carried disease. The first humans could embrace without risk. They had the Lord God to thank for that.

When human hands brought the sin virus into paradise earth, it spread over the whole planet and on to generations yet unborn.

This virus carried the seed of death. It spawned a host of viruses, including ones now labeled corona.

Humans would have been as doomed and damned as were the rebellious angels if God had not inserted a stop loss into the system. His love would break the downward spiral. His Son would provide the cure. His Spirit would fight further infection. The whole human race would not be lost. Health care for the soul was offered free to all: true universal coverage.

It still is.

The Savior God continues to call out, “Look unto me and be saved, all ends of the earth!”

Before this spreading disaster hit, many of us had been too busy; too independent; and too sure of ourselves to give thought to heaven.

But now, an unseen hand has pushed the pause button. Maybe now we will look up. Maybe now we will take the time to see how little we can control life or prevent death.

Maybe, just maybe, more of us will pause to look more closely at the world’s only hope.

Perhaps more of us will stop our rebelling long enough to see that the Innocent One came from heaven to die here so that we might live forever with him there.

“I am God, and there is none else.” he warns.

We pray that the Lord God will kill the killing virus. He can, of course. He already knows when to allow the warning picture to fade from the big screen. He’s just waiting for the right time.

Until then, he will keep his finger on the pause button—waiting for the world to look to him to be saved.

Prayer: Gracious God, healer of bodies and souls, we pray that you remember us in mercy and soon stay your hand of affliction over this world. Until then, we place ourselves into your loving hands and pray that the threat of death from a virus will cause many to look to you for life from heaven. Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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.

While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.
Luke 5:12,13

Military Devotion – March 8, 2020

Devotion based on Luke 5:12,13

See series: Military Devotions

It has been said that some of the bravest words a person can say are: “Thy will be done!” The point is made—and it’s a legitimate one—that this places the speaker at the mercy of someone else. Who would want to do this?

If the “thy” refers to our Savior God, we answer: “We do! We do this every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer.”

That’s a good answer, but we need to consider more fully what this means.

Leprosy is a horrible disease, even today with our modern equipment and medicine. It is painful. It is disfiguring. And it is contagious. We wish it upon no one, and we pray that everyone so afflicted would be healed.

Saint Luke was a doctor. Of all the gospel writers, he gives the most detail about the sick and hurting who came before Jesus. He tells us this was a serious case. The man was covered with leprosy. He was desperate in his search for help. He fell with his face to the ground. He begged to be healed.

We understand. We probably would do the same. But when he pleaded for help, we are surprised at his words. He did not demand. He didn’t bargain. He left it up to Jesus: “Lord, if you are willing…”

This is faith in action. This is strong faith. If we had asked him, “Do you think Jesus might be able to heal you?” his answer would have been: “Of course he can!” It wasn’t a question of power. He knew that Jesus had the power to do this, and more. The question was: “Did Jesus want to do this?”

Well, why wouldn’t he? If he had the power to relieve this suffering, as a loving God, why would he not do it? The answer is: “Because he is a loving God.”

The child lies in a hospital with a tube in her nose and a needle in her arm. She is afraid. She is hurting. She calls out: “Mommy, take these things off, and let me go home!” What will a loving mother do? She will do what she knows is best for her child—even if her little one does not understand. She will keep her beloved child in that hospital bed.

We know that Jesus wants our sins to be forgiven. We know that he wants our faith to be strong. We know that he wants us in heaven. About such things, there are no “ifs.” But for everything else in life, for the physical and temporal, for the release of pain and the enjoyment of good days—for those things we pray: “If you are willing…”

Of course, he could give us all that we ask for! He would be willing to touch us even if we had leprosy. That’s why we are willing to trust him when he says, “No.” He will always, and only, do what is best for us. After all, he does love us.

He did prove that once and for all, didn’t he?

Remember Golgotha?

Prayer: God of grace and mercy, into your hands, we commend ourselves and all whom we love. Your power is matched by your love. Help us to trust you when we do not understand your ways. Help us to become convinced of your absolute power so that we can rest assured that when your will is done, it is for our good. In the name of the loving Savior, we pray. Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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.

So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel—because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
Genesis 11:8,9

Military Devotion – February 23, 2020

Devotion based on Genesis 11:8,9

See series: Military Devotions

Some people feel that the Lord God is a dictator. They say he dictates how humans are to live; he sets limits to what people can do, and he was not elected to his position. There is no court of appeal for his decisions. He overpowers any attempt to challenge his authority.

They feel the incident at a place called Babel gives evidence of his dictatorial ways.

Following a devastating flood by which he ended the lives of probably millions of people and changed the landscape of the entire planet, he commanded the descendants of the survivors to spread out to repopulate the earth.

They had their own plan. They decided they should stick together. They started to build a tower high enough to serve as a landmark that could be seen from far off. By staying in sight of the tower, they would stay close to one another. What could God do about it?

He could do whatever he wanted to do. He could dictate what would happen.

He could have sent a hurricane-force wind to blow that tower over. But they probably would have rebuilt it.

He could have wiped these people out with a Noah-type flood. But he had promised never to do that again.

Instead, he chose a plan that kept everyone alive, yet carried out his will. There would be no regrouping, no resurgence, no rebellion. The tower would just never be finished.

He would scatter them by turning their language into gibberish.

Sometimes deployed troops learn what that is like. In a marketplace, or even in a meeting, when people are speaking a language we cannot understand, it sounds like nonsense. Body motions may help us find a direction or show that we are hungry, but little else. We would need an interpreter.

No interpreter was at Babel. It was mass confusion. So, there could be no joint effort. The tower had to be abandoned. The Lord God forced them to carry out his plan. Was this being a dictator?

The label doesn’t seem to fit. His power is never used in disregard of his subjects.

He stopped the building of the tower for the good of the human race. It was a case of tough love.

That unlimited power of his brings his people confidence and joy. Blessings flow from that power. He can control weather. He can control disease. He can control the Powers of Darkness. He has power over death and hell. Under his control, we are protected.

On the Pentecost following the ascension of Jesus to heaven, the confusion at Babel was reversed. Everyone there heard the good news of salvation in their native language.

And now, we have heard it in our native language.

Has he dictated that those who believe in him will live with him in glory? We love him for that.

Let others call their Creator a dictator. We won’t.

We call him Father.

Prayer: Good and gracious God, you have given the human race the gift of language. We praise and thank you that you have used your powerful gift to tell us of your undying love for us. Enable us to use clear language to tell others of this love. Instead of that tower of old, allow us to “Lift high the cross” that others may gather with us to scatter your Word far and wide. Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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.

Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
Psalm 130:1,2

Military Devotion – February 9, 2020

Devotion based on Psalm 130:1,2

See series: Military Devotions

Through his Word, the Holy Spirit confronts us, corrects us, sometimes confuses us—and comforts us.

He tends to turn our way of thinking upside down. Jesus points to a small child as a great one. Saint Paul tells us when he is weak, then he is strong. We even are told that those who mourn are blessed.

Psalm 130 is a lament. We might say the person was down in the dumps. He said he was in the depths.

Perhaps it will help us to think of an empty well or cistern. A person who falls into such a thing has no way to climb out. He’s stuck there. All he can see are the walls that hold him in and an opening above that is empty. All he can do is call out for help.

He will call and call—and then call louder.

That’s what the psalmist was doing.

But the call was not going out to friends or family. The only one who could see the depth of his need, the only one able to rescue him was the Lord his God.

He was not in physical danger. Sin had trapped him. Guilt was smothering him.

He laments, “If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?”

He knew the answer, and so do we: No one!

Many are the things in life that can get us down. Failure and frustration seem to be part of life.

Many are the things in life that present us with peril. Nothing, however, matches the risk of facing the Holy One who sees every sin and delivers crushing justice.

The pit of hell is deep. No human ever has, or ever will escape from it. The day will come when demons will not be able to leave.

The thought of that can lead to despair. The demonic whispers from those depths say: “This is what you deserve.” It claims, “There is no way out. Your sin damns you, just as it did us.”

“O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.”

Mercy is our only hope. We have no other ground to stand on. Everything else lands us in the depths.

But there was the sound of hope in the voice of the one writing this psalm. He continued, “But with you there is forgiveness; therefore, you are feared” (verse 4).

This fear was one of respect and confidence. “I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope” (verse 5). He adds, “My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning” (verse 6).

We pay attention to these words. We will remember them the next time we are down in the dumps. If the Lord can pull us from the deathtrap of hell, what other danger would he not be able to deliver us from?

One last word of encouragement: “Put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love” (verse 7).

Sometimes we need to be in the depths before we remember to look up. When we do, we find God’s unfailing love.

That’s the upside of being down.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please listen when we call for help. We have sung the words, “When all things seem against us to drive us to despair, we know one gate is open, one ear will hear our prayer.” Lead us to believe those words and call out our prayers in faith and hope. Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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.

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
Psalm 42:5

Military Devotion – January 26, 2020

Devotion based on Psalm 91:11

See series: Military Devotions

Some say that those missiles sent in the night to attack installations where American troops were dwelling show the improved precision of Iranian technology.

Some say that the Iranians—and thus the Americans—were just lucky.

Another possibility should not be overlooked:

Angels abiding.

On a famous night years ago, some shepherds were abiding in fields in the Middle East keeping watch over their flocks. When the sky lit up, they became afraid. Sore afraid.

But it wasn’t an attack. It was a squad of angels. They, too, were keeping watch. They also were abiding over those fields.

Never doubt that angels were abiding over the fields of Iraq when missiles recently lit up that sky. Angels are also able to guide missiles.

We normally react to what we see, feel, or hear. That works well for many phases of our life. But there is another plane of existence that is not detected by our senses. Most often, we call it the spiritual.

A part of us is aware that there is something more than what we see or hear. Sometimes it is described as a feeling that something is out there. That something is often feared.

Religion is based upon a belief that something humans cannot see is able to affect lives. This implies power beyond human ability. It grows from the natural knowledge of God. Power, wisdom, and wonder are reflected in what God created. Guilt comes from a conscience that calls out warnings that the unseen power is not pleased.

Thus, the instinctive reaction to the spiritual world is one of fear. This is followed by a desire to get that unseen power to be on our side.

Idolatry grows from fear of the unknown. It is shaped by human minds to reflect what humans imagine that power to be like: what it demands and what help it can offer.

Idolatry, in every form, is manufactured by mankind. But each form follows a pattern drawn up in the spirit world by powers of darkness. It is a demonic pattern. It is built upon lies.

But truth also comes from the spiritual world. The source is the Holy One who does not lie. Perfect wisdom, absolute power, and judgment are part of his being.

He is to be feared.

But he also is to be trusted—and loved.

At times, he has given miraculous signs of his presence. Yet, the greatest evidence came when he took on human flesh and lived among us. We know him as Jesus of Nazareth. He came as the fulfillment of the promise of rescue from powers of darkness.

His arrival was announced by spirits under his command. Those spirits are called angels.

Humans have seldom caught a glimpse of these heavenly beings, though they constantly watch over those who put their trust in the Holy One.

Most times, we only have the Lord’s word that those angels guard and keep us. Sometimes we question that because things do not work out the way we wish.

Sometimes his people are hurt. Sometimes they are killed.

This is not failure. This is according to plan—God’s plan—a perfect plan, always for our good. One day we will understand why spirit-warriors were sometimes used in ways we would not choose. Until then, we thank our God for his shield of protection.

May there always be with us, angels abiding!

Prayer: I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have graciously kept me this day; and I pray you to forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let your holy angel be with me, that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
John 1:1-5

Military Devotion – January 12, 2020

Devotion based on John 1:1-5

See series: Military Devotions

A famous hymn asks: “Can we to souls benighted the lamp of life deny?”

We don’t hear the word “benighted” very often. It does, however, seem to capture the picture of Saint John’s words. Although the life that Jesus brought now shines into the world that had been shuttered in spiritual darkness, “the darkness has not understood it.” Those people remain in the dark.

They are benighted.

It pains us to say this includes Americans. We see many groping for answers and stumbling over truth.

That hymn reminds us, “In vain with lavish kindness, the gifts of God are strown.”

We look at the blessings that have been scattered upon our homeland, and we admit God has lavished us with kindness. Often in vain.

Sadly, many of the benighted are our neighbors.

But some troops sent to faraway places have seen an even darker picture.

What are we to think when we see large masses of people gather to worship a god who cannot help them because he does not exist?

What does it mean when we see truck drivers stop on the side of the road, pull out their mats, and prostrate themselves in answer to the call to prayer sounded from a nearby tower?

Would we stop our travel to pray in public to the LORD Almighty? Where does their boldness of faith come from?

What is the source of their zeal? What makes so many of them so serious about their religion? Is this not the Prince of Darkness flexing his muscle?

Why are we so often so shy about our faith? How can we be timid about showing that we serve the living Creator and the only source of Life?

The question remains, “Can we to souls benighted the lamp of life deny?”

It isn’t as if there is any doubt that Jesus is the Son of God and promised Savior of the world. The apostle Peter points out: “And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19).

That word demands our attention. It tells us, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you” (Isaiah 60:1).

Perhaps we once sang the words, “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.” Maybe we overlooked the meaning of those words.

Our God hasn’t. It cost the life of his Son to make it possible for us to be lights in the world.

The apostle Paul makes it clear to us: “You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness” (1 Thessalonians 5:5).

We do not belong to the darkness. We walk in the light of heavenly glory. We reflect that light.

We should not; we dare not; we will not deny that light to souls benighted.

So help us God!

Prayer: Lord of glory and light of the world, we marvel at the wonders of your plan pf salvation. We know we would still be part of the darkness if the Holy Spirit had not brought the light of the gospel into our hearts. Keep us from the powers of spiritual darkness. Use us as lights in the darkened and dying world. Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
Romans 16:20

Military Devotion – December 29, 2019

Devotion based on Romans 16:20

See series: Military Devotions

With thoughts of Christmas trimmings soon coming down, the question is, “What lies ahead?”

Since we cannot see into the future, we might assume the answer must be, “We don’t know.”

That assumption is wrong. It forgets that our God does know. It overlooks the fact that he has revealed some future events to us.

We can walk across the threshold of a new year with the knowledge that God will crush Satan under our feet.

Really?

We might not expect that. We may even doubt that. We could more easily believe that he will be with us in the new year. Though difficult at times, we can even expect that he will make everything work out for our good.

But crush Satan under our feet?

It reminds us of the way God spoke to Satan when the devil was in the form of a snake in the Garden of Eden. “He will crush your head” was the prophecy. The Promised One effectively did that when he defeated the devil and paid the price for our crimes against heaven.

The death-grip of the evil one has been broken. But he still is dangerous. We have learned that a rattlesnake can still bite after its head has been cut off. Satan is still deadly, even though he has been conquered.

We have learned that by sad experience.

Too often, he has bested us in the match of wills. So easily, he has tricked us. We have seen how he has coiled around the souls of some who once were free of his grip. Martin Luther was right when he wrote, “The old evil foe now means deadly woe….”
That was most certainly true in the 1500s. It is just as true today.

When Luther wrote, “On earth is not his equal….” he was warning us not to try to take him down by ourselves.

“But for us fights the valiant one whom God himself elected.”

Notice that the Bible passage does not say, “You will soon crush Satan….” We cannot do that.

The God of peace can.

The war for our souls will still rage in the coming year. We will remain in harm’s way. We will need to fight against powers that strive to drag us into the pit of hell.

But we will not be alone. With the Son of God fighting for us, there is no doubt about the outcome.

“From victory unto victory, his army shall he lead….” That’s a certain truth.

Those who follow him share in his victories. Battle after battle, time after time, the Lord of glory smashes those who oppose him. Time after time, we overcome.

Until the time when time will stop for us. Until the day dawns that will last forever.

Until then, the promise will be kept.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under our feet.

Really!

Prayer: Lord of time and space, we try to peer into the future, but see only a reflection of the past looking back at us. We can guess and hope. You can declare with absolute certainty. With respect and deference, and invited by Jesus, we boldly ask, “Be our battle buddy in the coming year.” Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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.

The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.
Isaiah 11:6

Military Devotion – December 15, 2019

Devotion based on Isaiah 11:6

See series: Military Devotions

Only in our dreams, we would think, only in dreams will we see a wolf living peacefully with a lamb. And a leopard lying down with a goat? Or a calf with a lion? And a small child in the middle of all this?

Only in our dreams!

Except. Except—might this not have been possible in the Garden of Eden? Could it not be this way today if sin and death had not invaded this creation? Is this not a picture of peace on earth?

It is.

King David spoke of the valley of the shadow of death. We know that valley. We have seen the tombstones. We have gone to the funerals. There is death in this valley.

Isaiah shows us the same valley. But something has changed. The Prince of peace now rules it.

He shows us peace in the valley.

We know what wolves will do to lambs. We can picture lions and leopards ripping apart their prey. Blood splatter marks those scenes.

Panic would grip our hearts at seeing a little child there. There is no hope for that lamb or goat or calf. There would be no hope for a child.

The point is, there is no hope for a creation ravaged by the powers of darkness. Even worse is the aftermath of war waged against the Creator of creation.

No wonder peace does not blanket the earth! Those who are at war with God can never find peace. Never can they escape death. The Holy Spirit explains it this way: “Now, the way the sinful flesh thinks results in death, but the way the spirit thinks results in life and peace” (Romans 8:6 EHV).

Angels issued a declaration of peace over fields of Bethlehem. They pointed to a little child as the basis of this reconciliation.

They were right.

Centuries earlier, with pointed words of prophecy Isaiah declared: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

The Prince of peace brought peace to the valley. It came, however, at a price. The Lord of life needed to walk through the valley of death in place of those who deserved it.

He did. It cost his life, but he won peace. Then, he gave it to us.

Listen to his words: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

There we have it! Nothing here to fear.

There is peace in the valley—for you and for me.

Prayer: Son of God, Savior of the world, and Prince of peace, as we begin to ponder your birth into this world of sin and death, we thank you for coming. We thank you for peace in the valley. It makes us want to celebrate. Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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.

O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endures forever.
Psalm 107:1

Military Devotion – December 1, 2019

Devotion based on Psalm 107:1

See series: Military Devotions

Doesn’t everyone know that God is good? They should. Yet, some refuse to believe it. Sometimes even we might be tempted to doubt it.

How can that be? How could a child of God be tempted to doubt the goodness of God?

Easily!

Satan is very powerful. Sinful flesh is very weak. And we were born as enemies of the Lord God.

Some might ask how God can be good if he allows unborn babies to be killed by the hundreds of thousands. How can he let thousands of people starve to death?

Isn’t all of that bad?

A Special Forces captain wrote a book called “God is not here!” to vent his confusion and frustration over a tour in Iraq.

Sometimes God might seem to be M.I.A. in the battle against what is bad. Sometimes he seems to be a deserter.

That is not good.

It raises questions. It makes us wonder: “Maybe he never is there. Never was there! Maybe he’s nothing more than a Santa Claus figure.”

Maybe, Satan is spinning out disinformation!

The problem is not with the Creator and Redeemer. It is with us humans. We like to pretend we are God. We prefer to determine good and bad the same way we like to decide upon right and wrong. We tend to decide according to what makes sense to us—and what is to our advantage. We want to make the final call.

Our attempts to play God are dismal and deadly failures.

We are not all-knowing. We are not all-powerful. We are not holy. We are not good.

He is.

Better than that: “his mercy endures forever.”

Without his mercy, we would have to face the consequences of the bad we do. Without his mercy, we would never have any good thing happen in our life.

The enemy wants to blind us to this.

Without the mercy of God, humans would have no life, no food, no shelter—and surely, no fun.

We tend to forget that. Instead, we view these gifts as entitlements—even as inalienable rights.

We are so wrong.

We do not deserve any good thing. We deserve only the bad. The very bad.

We have rebelled against him. We deserve what the rebellious angels got. We deserve abandonment by God. We deserve the dungeons of hell.

Demons must admit in anguish, “No, God definitely is not here!”

The apostle Paul wrote: “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit…” (Titus 3:5).

He promised a Savior. He came. He brought us to faith.

God is merciful to us.

God is good.

We pray the words we have sung before:
Now thank we all our God With hearts and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done, In whom his world rejoices,
Who from our mother’s arms Has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love And still is ours today. Amen.
(Christian Worship 610:1)

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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.