Archive for category: Military Devotions

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
1 Thessalonians 4:13

Most every night, after tucking her children into bed, she would leave them with the words, “Go to sleep now.”

Maybe it was just a habit. She knew often they would talk and giggle after she left. More than once she had to return to say, “Go to sleep” and emphasize the word, “now!”

She wasn’t angry when she said it. She just knew that they would need that encouragement.

They needed to sleep. It was good for them to sleep.

But this night was different. Her child was restless. A fever was raging. Little could be done to help. The doctor had warned that nothing more could be done to save that small life.

Enough nights had been spent in hospital rooms with noise in the halls and equipment beeping. The doctors finally agreed that the best place for the little one to die was at home in his own bed.

So, now he lay there. His stuffed bunny rabbit was under the sheet with him. It was hard to look at him without crying, but they couldn’t do that. That would frighten him.

Mother and father decided they would not lie to him. They would not tell him that soon he would be better. Instead, they spoke the truth in love. They told him he would be away from them for a little while—only a little while. He was going to heaven. They would meet him there.

They told him why.

They reminded him of Jesus. They told again about the first Christmas. They described his miracles and his love. They explained to him that one time Jesus had left his mother and friends for a little while, also.

“Jesus died,” they explained, “and those who loved him were sad.” “But on Easter morning Jesus woke up and later went to heaven. And so will all those who have Jesus as a friend.”

“Heaven is a beautiful place,” they said, “a happy place.” “Grandpa is already there. He will be so happy to see you. You will be so happy to see him.”

“No one is sick in heaven. There are no hospitals. No one needs painful treatments.

Heaven is a happy place for all of God’s children, and they will live happily ever after.”

They could tell the pain was growing worse. The medicine was no longer as effective. So they began to sing him a song. “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” He began to join them with the words, “Little ones to him belong, they are weak, but he is strong…”

He made it as far as, “Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!” before his voice faltered, and his breathing grew faint.

It was a painful time for the parents. Grief flowed out from them along with their tears.

But it was not terrible. They knew this was not the end, just an interlude. For a little while they would not see their son. And, again in a little while, they would see him—whole, healthy, and happy.

Easter is proof of that.

So, one last time the mother could tell her child, “Go to sleep now” and then added the words, “See you in heaven.”

Because of Easter, she could say that. Because of Easter, we can say that.

And we do.

“See you in heaven!”

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you will wipe away the tears from the eyes of all who gather around you. We marvel at the meaning of Easter. Because you rose, we, too shall rise from our graves. Allow your people who still dwell this side of glory to face death without fear. We pick up the words of the trusting mother. We say, “See you in heaven, Jesus! See you in heaven.” Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Cape Coral, Florida.

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

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Isaiah 53:4

The season of Lent is known for its sadness. Much of its traditional music was written in the minor key. It creates a melancholy sound. It is fitting for a season of sorrows.

Some wonder why we subject ourselves to such a sentiment. Why has the liturgical Christian Church chosen to spend 40 days pondering that which causes grief? Think of the days before Christmas, when we already begin to celebrate the coming of the good tidings of great joy.

Should not the days before Easter be filled with the anticipated happiness over the words, “He is risen!”?

The Bible does not dictate how we should approach any holiday. But Christians from of old have chosen to spend the days before Easter looking through the lens of Good Friday.

Our Christian forefathers designated this time as a season of sorrows. We may follow them, knowing the sorrow of Lent does not dilute the joy of the empty grave. It enhances it.

To understand the victory over sin, death, and the devil, we must consider the battle that was fought to achieve it. The young teenager may give little thought, with less appreciation, for what American Forces did at Iwo Jima or Fallujah. However, those who were there, and those who look in closely at what happened there, come away with amazed and grateful hearts.

Those who look in at what happened in a garden called Gethsemane and a hill called Golgotha do the same. But they must bow their heads in sorrow before they can lift them in joy.

As a gift from the Holy Spirit, Isaiah was able to look in at those scenes some 700 years before Jesus sweat blood in prayer and dripped blood in pain. He set forth the reason for the sorrows of this season: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”

This is personal. This talks about us. These were our griefs. They were our sorrows. What happened to Jesus was because of us.

How can we not feel sorry about that?

He was struck with a whip, stuck with thorns, pierced with nails—and then a spear. He was, indeed, stricken.

He was hit with rods, with spit, and then, with a death sentence. He was, indeed, smitten.

He endured torture of body and anguish of heart. He suffered the hellish pangs of abandonment by his Father. He was, indeed, afflicted.

That has to affect us. The prophet tells more of what he saw: “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief….”

But worse than what we see through these words, is what we did: “And we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not” (Isaiah 53:3).

There we have it. Though he suffered all this for us, there have been times—many times—when we ignored him. When others laughed at him, despised him, we—too often—stayed silent.

Sometimes we actually became ashamed of him.

For that, we are now ashamed. We feel sorry for what Jesus had to go through. We feel sorry for what we have done.

It is the season of sorrows.

But Easter is coming!

Prayer: We pray for forgiveness, Lord! We pray for mercy. But most of all, we pray that we may never forget what you did for us. You are the one who changes all our sorrows into joy. Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Cape Coral, Florida.

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

If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
Matthew 24:22

Being short causes mixed emotions. Not being short of stature, but having only a short time before being rotated from a dangerous place back to the States.

Often, such people feel pulled in two directions: excited to think about going home, but worried that something bad might happen before then. Many become superstitious, not willing to even talk about it lest they jinx themselves. They tend to spend those last days worried about what might happen—because they know bad things can happen.

They wish their time in the distant and dangerous place would be cut short.

When we stop to think about it, the Bible tells us that the life of a Christian on this planet is similar. We are away from our heavenly home. We are in enemy territory. This is a dangerous place. We can spot some of the threats, but the deadliest of our enemies are invisible.

The danger is not just that we might lose our earthly life with its disappointments and dangers, but our eternal life with its joys and glory.

The fellow had just retired. He was looking forward to those golden years. Then, one day he walked out of a doctor’s office with the news he had only months to live. His expected time on earth had been cut short.

While he was a Christian, and knew that he would be transitioning to the ideal PCS (permanent change of station), he was not filled with excitement. In fact, there was a fair amount of dread in his heart. He had difficulty wrapping his head around the fact that he was now short.

If we ask, “Who decided this?”, all the evidence points back to the Lord. This child of God would not live one second beyond the time his Creator has chosen, nor die one spilt-second before the time his Redeemer had planned for him.

We can either blame God for determining our lifespan, or we can thank him.

Better to thank him.

The Bible informs us that not only does the Lord God know how long our deployment on planet earth will last, he also knows how long earth will last—because he controls it.

Jesus told his disciples that the date for the destruction of this universe (we might call it, D-Day) has been moved up. Everything and everyone this side of heaven, is now short.

This is not punishment. This was done, not in anger, but in love. When God cuts short the lifetime of one who loves him, or the existence of the entire universe, he acts out of mercy.

He has told us what those last days will be like: “wars and rumors of wars; famines and earthquakes; people of God hated by all nations; false prophets deceiving many; love of most growing cold; and the gospel preached in the whole world” (cf. Mark 13).

Someone might argue that life on this planet has been this way for a long, long time. That’s true. Christians were warned many centuries ago that the signs of the end could be seen—and it did not happen then.

But the condition of the world has only grown worse. It will become so bad that God will need to step in to stop it.

It’s a wonderful thing that the Maker and Redeemer of the world has the power to shorten time!

It takes the worry out of being short.

Prayer: Lord of our life and God of our salvation, it is good to be reminded that time is in your hands. Guide and guard us as we walk the pathways of our lifetime. Uphold and uplift us as our short time on this planet grows shorter still. Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Cape Coral, Florida.

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

You must give me the firstborn of your sons.
Exodus 22:29

The child born first to parents is always special. Others who follow may be just as much loved, but none can take the place of the firstborn. Historically, this was the designated heir. In some families, it meant the child would inherit a throne.

The firstborn was prized. Its death was a special loss. Thus, it catches our attention when God points his finger at those firstborns and makes a demand that may startle us: “You must give me the firstborn of your sons.”

The Old Testament Law abounds with God’s demands of offerings—not from leftovers, but of the best. It’s not that he needed them. He reminds us, “For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills” (Psalm 5:10).

The need is ours. Humans need ways to show that they fear, love, and trust in the Lord above all things. Freely giving up something valuable is a way to show faithfulness and appreciation. It’s an act of worship.

Demands for wheat or a goat or lamb are one thing. God could provide more of these. But what about this? “You must give me the firstborn of your sons.”

Some foreign idols were said to demand human sacrifices. Was the God of Israel like them? Did he thirst for human blood? He did not. He does not.

Yet, there are life and death consequences to how we react to his demands. Through Moses, he once told a defiant Pharaoh: “This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son, and I told you, ‘Let my son go, so he may worship me. But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son’ ” (Exodus 4:22-23).

“I will kill your firstborn son…” That should have made Pharaoh tremble. He did not. He brushed it off until the night of the Passover. Then, “Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead (Exodus 12:30).

God spared the firstborns of Israel that night—not because they were better, but because they were redeemed.

Consider the command: “The first offspring of every womb belongs to me, including all the firstborn males of your livestock, whether from herd or flock. Redeem the firstborn donkey with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem all your firstborn sons” (Exodus 34:19,20).

Even a firstborn donkey needed to be redeemed—otherwise its neck was to be broken. Redemption is serious business.

To redeem means to gain something in exchange for payment.

Israel was not to forget this. Throughout Old Testament times, a substitute sacrifice could be made. But in the end, a payment in human blood would be required to redeem humans. Not just firstborn sons were on that death list, but everyone who had descended from the first guilty parents back at Eden. Our own names showed up there. We needed to be redeemed.

Golgotha shows the payment being made.

Mary’s firstborn son was killed on that center cross. Yet, that would not be payment enough were he not also God’s Son. He was. Speaking of Jesus, God the Father had announced, “This is my Son, whom I love…”

“This is my Son…,” and he sacrificed him.

When we are told, “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15), we begin to better understand the significance of the firstborn.

God the Father sacrificed his only Son, the firstborn over all creation.

Thus he redeemed us.

Prayer: Lord God of mercy and might, your ways are beyond our understanding and your love beyond even imagination. We know that every one of us, and everyone that we love, would stand condemned to death in the court of your divine justice. But you allow us to live. You spare us because we have been redeemed. You paid for our lives with the life of your Son. For this, we thank you always and forever. Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Cape Coral, Florida.

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

They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.
Hosea 8:7

A law of physics states: “For every action there will be an equal and opposite reaction.” Today, we might call that “blowback.”

Instead, the prophet Hosea used an illustration that people of all centuries could relate to. If you sow some seeds, you should expect a harvest. One seed of wheat into the ground—maybe fifty will grow out of it. However, one seed of a weed will give the same rate of return.

One must be careful about what one is sowing.

The prophet talks about sowing wind. If we use the picture of a dust up, we are on the right track. When one sows the wind, he is creating a disturbance. He is making trouble. We might say, he is asking for it. The words, reap the whirlwind, means he will get it.

A wind may be gentle or strong. A whirlwind is a tornado. Who wants that in return?

To illustrate the point with history, we might look at the land of the Lutheran Reformation, Germany. Two times during the last century it sowed militant winds. It invaded neighboring countries.

Two times within that century it reaped a whirlwind. It came out of WWI defeated and in debt. WWII blasted it with utter destruction.

Sow the wind. Reap the whirlwind.

There’s always a risk for a nation to go to war against another. The blowback might be brutal. To go to war against God guarantees return fire. It’s worse than getting hit with a tornado.

Just ask the angels who picked a fight with him.

Yet, this is what humans consistently try to do. It’s like taking on a nuclear power with a slingshot. Why do we even try?

Because that is human nature. We were born into this world as vowed enemies of the holy Creator and Judge. We instinctively reject his claim to rule over us. We want independence. And though we have seen how person after person, generation after generation, has gone down to the grave in defeat, we still scorn his offer of peace and vow to continue our fight.

The human race that sows the wind of rejecting God reaps the whirlwind of his rejection landing on their heads.

The talk of a whirlwind reminds us of another mighty wind. Saint Luke tells us about it with these words: “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:1).

This wind was not to destroy, but to bring life to many people—including us. This “wind from heaven” was the Holy Spirit who came to turn hatred and rebellion into love and faithfulness in the hearts of humans.

Many tried to stop him. Armies marched against the spread of his gospel. They were left in the dust of history.

You and I no longer wage war against the Lord God. The Holy Spirit has changed our hearts. We now answer the call to duty in service to the Lord of lords.

We no longer sow the wind. There will be no blowback with a whirlwind.

In the words of sailors, we instead have, fair winds and following seas.

Prayer: Eternal God and Commander of all, we hear your warning against waging war against you. We see from history the futility of this. We pour out our hearts in appreciation for giving us a new heart of faith that we might live in the gentle breezes of heaven. Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Cape Coral, Florida.

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

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.
Genesis 45:3

They were afraid of him when they thought him to be a stranger, terrified when they learned he was their brother. They knew that at his word, thousands bowed and obeyed. Now they were foreigners in his land and helpless before his power. He had kept their older brother as hostage when they faced him before. He demanded they bring him their youngest brother if they ever came back.

And, they had to come back. There was a famine, and their families would starve without his help. They had no choice but to do what he said and hope he would treat them with kindness.

But they were already afraid of him—this strange ruler in a strange land.

The words, “I am Joseph!” scared them speechless.

They expected he was dead. They had sold him into slavery when he was hardly more than a boy. They watched him being led away in bonds. That sight was burned into their memory. They had told their father a wild animal had killed him. They would never forget their dad’s cry of anguish. They would never outlive their guilt and regret.

Now they were face to face with him again. The tables had turned. They were at his mercy—no wonder they were terrified.

But it was good news that he was Joseph. He loved them in spite of their crime. He forgave them. And he would use his power to protect them.

In that foreign land, they would be able to point to the one with such great power and say: “That’s my brother!”

Would that we had a brother like that! Think of how good that would be! Think of what a blessing it would be to have someone like that watching out for us.

Good thing we already have someone like that! Jesus is greater than any pharaoh, any king—greater than anyone. And, he is indeed our brother.

We learn it had been planned this way already from eternity. “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers” (Romans 8:29).

We have a brother who is the all-powerful Son of God. That can be a scary thought.

Like those Judean brothers, we have treated our blood-relative rather shabbily. At times, we have turned our back on him; put our envy and greed above his desires; and with words and actions showed we cared little for him. We were willing to leave him behind if it was to our advantage. When challenged to acknowledge our relationship to him, at times we joined a Peter in saying, “I know not the man!”

We should be ashamed. He should be ashamed of us. But like Joseph of old, he forgives. He offers the hand of fellowship and brotherhood. Listen to the words: “Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers” (Hebrews 2:11).

Like Isaac and Rueben and the rest, we sometimes are afraid of our brother. We fear he will treat us the way we deserve. We worry about that. We worry in the end he will turn on us.

Think of the times when the disciples were filled with terror at the glimpse of the power of Jesus. When he calmed the raging storm, or drove out demons, or raised the dead, or shone forth in his glory, they asked themselves, “Who is this?”
But they need not have feared when they were struck by their failure and his power. Nor should we.

With them, we can say, “This is Jesus.”

This is my brother.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, King of glory and righteous Judge of all the living, like Joseph’s brothers, we too carry guilty consciences and memories of betrayal. We, too, deserve only rejection and punishment. But you who are greater than a Joseph, you have not only forgiven us, you have given your holiness to cover our crimes against you. You were rejected, you were despised, you were killed that we might live with you as children of the heavenly Father. For this, we thank you always and forever. Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Cape Coral, Florida.

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

“For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
Luke 7:8

First, it is drilled into them. Then, it becomes part of everyday life. Within the ranks of the military, authority counts!

It makes no difference if the command is issued by someone two feet away or two thousand miles. Legitimate authority produces results. That’s true in the U.S. Armed Forces of today, and it was true in the Roman legions two millennia ago.

Jesus was a witness to it.

The soldier was a centurion. He commanded about 100 troops. That he was a Roman centurion, tells us he was part of an effective and polished military power. That he was in the land of Jesus, means he was deployed to one of the troubled backwaters of the Roman Empire.

Here he would pay a warrior’s tribute to his Superior Officer. Here, he showed the world what it means that Jesus of Nazareth is Lord.

His servant was on the verge of death. He sent local religious leaders to beg help from the well-known Jewish miracle worker in his AO, area of operations. Yet, when Jesus set off to provide that help, the centurion stopped him with the surprising words, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself….”

It’s not that he changed his mind. It’s not that he doubted Jesus could help. Actually, this soldier was so convinced that Jesus did have authority over life and death, that he knew Jesus would not have to be physically present to save the servant’s life.

His message was: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself…for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.” He explained how authority worked when he told a soldier, “Go” or “Come” or “Do this.”

Astonishing!

There must be more to the story, and there is. The people the centurion had sent to Jesus told him: “This man deserves to have you do this….” They explained why: “…because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.”

Amazing! He was a Gentile, not a Jew. At this time in history, Romans worshiped heathen gods—if they recognized any god at all. Moreover, Roman troops generally had little regard for the people who lived under their military fist.

This soldier was different!

This soldier loved these people and built a synagogue for them.

He knew about Jesus! He addressed him with the respectful title, “Lord.”

Since Jesus was using Capernaum as his home base after the citizens of Nazareth tried to kill him, it does not surprise us that this Roman officer knew about the one who stirred the crowds with his teaching and miracles. What does surprise us is what Jesus said about him: “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.”

This soldier had placed his faith in Jesus. It was proven valid. We hear, “Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well” (Luke 7:9,10).

The prophets had said that even Gentiles would come to bow down before the Messiah. What was often scoffed at was fulfilled, not only by the Wise Men, but by this soldier.

Not only by this soldier, but by us.

We believe him when he tells us our salvation is completed with the words from the cross, “It is finished.” We do not need to see him do it to believe it.

His words have the authority to make it so.

Prayer: Savior Jesus, too often we doubt your power and your love. Too often we want to see you act with our own eyes. We easily forget the words you spoke to doubting Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Holy Spirit, give us the faith of that Roman soldier. Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Cape Coral, Florida.

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

Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
Isaiah 53:1

In January of 1968, more than a quarter million North Vietnamese soldiers and 100,000 Viet Cong irregulars launched a massive attack on South Vietnam.

It was a sneak attack that came under the deception of a truce of peace during the celebration of the Vietnamese New Year. Hanoi expected it would trigger a popular uprising leading to the collapse of the South Vietnamese government. It did not.

After the initial shock, and the capture of a number of cities, the attack was beaten back. It became a major military defeat for North Vietnam.

But that’s not what many Americans believed. In the minds of some, including influential newscaster Walter Cronkite, this was proof that America was losing the war.

In the aftermath, many a person has asked, “Why was the report of an American victory not believed?

Perhaps it is because the typical human is inclined to believe what he wants to believe—regardless of the facts.

The significance of the Tet Offensive and America’s role in that war continues to be debated. But the refusal to accept an accurate report because of a bias goes back far before that attack.

The prophet Isaiah addressed that same question in 700 B.C. Saint John repeated it when he wrote about the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (John 12:38). And Saint Paul repeated it again when he wrote to the Christians in Rome (Romans 10:16).

The Christian Church of today raises the same question: “Who has believed our message?”

Isaiah had told the people of Israel that the coming Messiah would be accepted as King by Gentile nations:

“The LORD will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God” (Isaiah 52:10).

“Just as there were many who were appalled at him…so he will sprinkle many nations and kings will shut their mouths because of him (Isaiah 52:14,15).

There are the facts! History has confirmed them. We are living proof. Most of the people who accept the Messiah as their Lord, Savior, and King are Gentiles—not the physical descendants of Abraham or the people to whom God first revealed this message.

Sadly, a bias still appears in our day when the glory of the Messiah and his victory over sin, death and the devil is announced.

Once again, “Who believes our message?”

We do. To Isaiah’s question, “To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” we answer, “To us!” “To me!”

By the work of the Holy Spirit we have seen the glory of Jesus, the Messiah. We have witnessed his power through his Word. With our own eyes we have seen people of all races come to love him as their Savior.

To that question of Isaiah, “Who believes our message?” we joyfully and gratefully answer: “By the grace of God—I do!”

Prayer: Jesus, King of glory, and only Savior of mankind, it is purely by your power and mercy that we are not among the crowds that do not believe the report of the victory over sin and death that you won for us. Keep us safely within your grasp so that the sinful world, our sinful flesh, and princes of hell do not mislead us into unbelief. Help us point you out to the rest of the world with the words of the prophet: “Arise, shine, for your light has come!” Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Cape Coral, Florida.

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

A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.
Psalm 90:4

1,000 years ago Sweyn Forkbeard was crowned King of England. He didn’t last long. Few remember him now.

1,000 years ago the Holy Roman Empire was the superpower. Not many care about that now.

1,000 years ago it was believed that if a ship sailed too far west, it would drop off the edge of the world. Does anyone believe that now?

To us, 1,000 years is a long, long time. To the Lord God it’s like yesterday, or last night.

That helps us keep things in perspective as we turn the calendar to a new year. To some, the last 12 months might have sped by; to others, they may have dragged. It all depends upon what was happening in life. Happy days go fast. Hard days don’t.

We wonder what the next 12 months will bring. We hope it will be a happy new year. It’s hard for us to imagine what our life will be like 10 years from now. We give no thought to what it will be like on earth in 1,000 years. Who cares?

God does. He knows exactly what life on planet earth will be like every day in the future—and the exact day and minute it will end.

We set our clocks and turn our calendars, but we do not control our time. Thank God, he does!

We may wonder with worry. He doesn’t. Neither should we.

Moses wrote the words of Psalm 90 some 1,500 years before Jesus was born. They were true then, they are true now, 2,000 years after that birth.

Moses pleaded, “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days” (v.14).

The only way that prayer could be granted is if the eternal God would send his Son into the realm of time and space to rescue prisoners held captive by the Prince of Darkness and doomed to forever death.

When the message of his coming went out, those who clung to the hope waited and waited. The years appeared to drag on. Finally, the day for the Desire of nations to appear arrived—and the new calendar, labeled, “In the year of our Lord”, turned its first page.

In heaven, the time between the birth of Moses and the birth of Jesus was like a watch in the night. The time between the return of Jesus to heaven and the crowning of King Forkbeard—like a watch in the night.

Between this New Year’s Eve and the end of the world will be to him like a watch in the night—or like yesterday when it is passed.

The Lord is greater than time. He is the creator and controller of time.

The new year is in good hands. So are we.

Prayer: Eternal God, we come before you with limited understanding and often limited faith. We know that our life on this earth is also limited, but you entered into the dominion of time so that we might spend a timeless life with you in glory. For the blessings of the past year, we thank you.  For your blessing upon us in the new year, we pray with confidence in the name of Jesus, the ever-newborn King.  Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Cape Coral, Florida.

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

But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Galatians 4:4

We are in the season of counting down to Christmas. Merchants are counting down the shopping days. Youngsters are counting down until presents are opened. And some troops are counting down to when holiday leave begins.

Advent is an entire season of counting down. It reminds us that the first Christmas was waited for with great anticipation by those who longed for the coming of their Savior. It tells us that we are now counting down the days for him to come again.

This can be a disturbing thought. We are talking about our death, here. Or, we are speaking of the end of the world. The words of Moses might come to mind: “Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away” (Psalm 90:10).

An old song speaks of a clock that was bought on the day a baby was born and stayed with him throughout life. With the tick-tock, tick-tock of the clock in mind, the song goes on to state: “his life seconds numbering.”

It makes us wonder if our timepieces might be counting down the days, minutes, and seconds left in our life. They are!

This can be a frightening thought. A pilot watches his fuel gauges carefully because when fuel runs out, the flight will come to a disturbing end. Is it not the same when time runs out on a life?

Not for the Christian! Not for the one who was created to live forever, has been redeemed with holy blood, and has been promised a forever of bliss.

Those Old Testament believers were not counting down to a day of dread when the Messiah would appear. Neither should we.

Their eyes were not watching for the occasion when hope and joy drained down to empty. They looked for the time when their lives would overflow with joy. So should we.

God calls it, the fullness of time.

Many events needed to take place before it was the perfect time for the Son of God to arrive as a human. The plan began to unroll already in the Garden of Eden. An Abraham and a Joseph, a Moses and a Daniel had to appear to fulfill their roles. The captives needed to come back from the land of the Tigris and Euphrates. The temple needed to be rebuilt. Rome needed to come to power and deploy its troops in Jerusalem. Pontius Pilate needed to be installed as governor. Herod the Great needed to be established on his throne.

And a common language needed to be understood by people of many nations.

When all of this—and much more—was accomplished, the world was set to receive the King of kings, and his gospel was ready to reach to the ends of the earth.

Like a cup filled to the brim, the fullness of time had come.

So will it be when the Babe of Bethlehem returns. He will come on clouds of glory in the sight of everyone—when the time is perfect.

Before then, he will come to individual believers to take them to heaven—when the time is perfect.

We continue to count down till that perfect time for the return of Jesus. Not in dread! Rather, much the same way that little ones eagerly count down to Christmas.

We look for a sequel. We are waiting for Christmas II.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, eternal God, you brought us to life when you called us to become children of the heavenly Father. You allowed us to see Jesus as the Son of God who paid for our way into heaven. Stay with us now as we walk our path in life. Remind us of eternal truths, guide us with your loving hand. Lift up our eyes so that we might catch a glimpse of the wonders waiting for us when Jesus returns at the fullness of time. Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Cape Coral, Florida.

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

They are like sheep and are destined to die; death will be their shepherd.
Psalm 49:14

When we think about the word shepherd in the Bible, our thoughts might quickly go to the phrase, the Lord is my shepherd. Those words have comforted God’s people ever since the shepherd-boy David wrote them some thousand years before Jesus proclaimed himself as the Good Shepherd.

How strange then, to hear death called a shepherd! We must look at this more closely.

The psalm calls out a warning to those who boast of their riches and trust in their wealth. Those who think themselves so smart that they do not need God, need to learn the lesson of their frailty: “No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him—the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—that he should live on forever and not see decay” (Psalm 49:7,8).

What makes a person think that wisdom or wealth is insurance against death? Yet, how common it is to trust these things and strive to get these things as if life or death depended upon them!

Something leads such people. They surely follow something in the hope for happiness. They cannot see that they are being led to destruction in the same way that sheep follow a shepherd. They are being led by Death to death.

At this time of year, thoughts return to the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1944, and the destruction and death that followed on some islands in the Pacific. War is always horrible, but seldom has the world seen the willingness of soldiers to die by the thousands instead of surrendering.

Some 18,000 Japanese soldiers fought in the battle for Iwo Jima. Only 216 survived. The rest fought till they were killed or died by their own hand. On island after island, U.S. forces had to kill their enemy until almost none were left. Swarms of kamikaze pilots flung themselves against American ships.

What can account for this? They were like sheep being led to the slaughter. They were willing to die for their Emperor and the ambitions of their military leaders.

Their bravery is without question. Their fanaticism, however, is without merit. Death was their shepherd.

The bloody battles in the Pacific taught a lesson: Honor, zeal, and faithfulness become deadly when attached to lethal leadership.

Japanese leaders began the campaign of conquests to acquire land, power, and wealth. The Japanese people followed.

That thought makes us ask what we are following after in life?

We know that pursuing crime leads to a bad end. What about chasing after success, or popularity, or just plain fun?

The world is filled with candidates for leadership. Many are the ideas that want to lead us. Some potential leaders are feelings. Some are people. And some are deadly.

But not the Good Shepherd. Listen to Jesus: “I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:10,11).

There’s our answer!

When following Jesus, it is not death, but Life is our shepherd.

Prayer: Lord of Glory, who has bought us with your lifeblood as the price, we hear the warning against following after that which is deadly. Teach us your ways. Show us your will. Keep us in your fold. Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Cape Coral, Florida.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 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.
1 Chronicles 16:34

He was tired of it. Tired of the sand, tired of the smell—tired of the whole mess.

He was sick of it. Sick of the heat, sick of the people, sick of looking at sick-looking houses and wondering if someone inside was waiting to kill him.

It reminded him of the movie Groundhog Day. This deployment was hours of boredom, broken ever-so-often by moments of terror. Life had become one miserable day after another.

Then came Thanksgiving.

At first the thought depressed him. He thought of Thanksgivings past. He remembered the food, the fun, and football games watched with family.

None of that now. He didn’t want to think of Thanksgiving. It only made him think of what he was missing.

Then the phrase struck him: “What he was missing!”

It reminded him of what his grandmother had said years ago: “Don’t just be thankful for what you have, be also thankful for what you don’t have—for what is missing from your life.”

The words confused him then, but now he began to understand. He started to look at his life with fresh eyes. What was he missing?

Well, cancer, for one thing! He had no cancer. That’s what had taken his grandma away. He missed her, but was that something to be thankful for? Maybe he could give thanks that she did not have to suffer and now was in the glory of heaven.

What else was he missing? The list began to grow as he looked around. He was missing desolation and hunger. He was missing a life lived in the stench and poverty that these people had to endure. His life was lived without worry that a death squad would break into his family’s house.

He lived without the fear that Allah would punish him if he did not bow toward Mecca.

He remembered learning about the “Four Freedoms” speech that President Roosevelt gave when America was on the trailing edge of the Depression and moving toward the brink of war:

Freedom of speech. Freedom of worship. Freedom from want. Freedom from fear.

Loss of these freedoms was missing from his life.

Thank God for that!

But he knew his grandmother would be sure to point out other things missing from his life:

Fear of hopelessness. Fear of godlessness. Fear of meaninglessness. Fear of death.

Thank God for grandma! Thank God for all those who loved him; taught him; and prayed for him! Thank God for Jesus, for forgiveness, and salvation!

Life looked different now. The irritations remained, but so did the faith that God was with him.

He had been miserable, forgetful, and unthankful.

Then came thanksgiving—not just the day, but the words of thanksgiving flowing from his heart: O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endures forever.

We join in the words of the Thanksgiving hymn of our forefathers:

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.

Oh, may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
With ever-joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us
And keep us in his grace and guide us when perplexed
And free us from all ills in this world and the next. Amen.
(Christian Worship 610:1-2)

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Cape Coral, Florida.

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

Then the officers who were over the units of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—went to Moses and said to him, “Your servants have counted the soldiers under our command, and not one is missing.
Numbers 31:48

The Missing Man flyover never fails to lift eyes to the skies. It prompts sobering thoughts. Reminders of missing warriors often do that.

The historian reports: “Even in World War I the lesson was learned that any unit could endure severe losses if the vacant seats in the mess were occupied by the following morning. This was the “full-breakfast-table” policy, and it was one that the Royal Air Force pursued with religious intensity. But the American stations did not fill up so quickly. The VIII Bomber Command in those days simply didn’t have the men to bring in.”

Empty seats can disturb us. It was a major concern for America’s Mighty 8th that flew daylight bombing runs over Germany in WWII. In August of 1943, that command lost 88 heavy bombers and 900 men over a three-day period.

Then came Black Thursday, on which 60 planes and 600 men failed to return.

They had been attacking ball-bearing factories. Though seemingly insignificant, the German military depended upon ball-bearings for almost all of its war machinery. The attacks on places like Schweinfurt were critical. The question was, were they worth the cost?

The empty seats at the breakfast tables and the empty cots in the barracks were blows to the morale of the airmen who would take to the skies next. Bomber Command was not able to send replacements fast enough to eliminate the disturbing signs of losses.

But empty spots are the price of any war. They make us count the cost in human lives.

Reminders of the missing bring pain to those who fought alongside them. Civilians may wonder how it can be that the loss of someone the warrior knew for only a relatively short time can hurt so much. To grieve over a family member is understandable. But to mourn the death of someone known only briefly—and still do so 30 years later—is mystifying to them.

To feel sad over the death of someone the warrior never met, whose only connection was the uniform both wore—that’s even more puzzling!

But those who have donned the uniform to protect a nation know that the bond between warriors may be different from that of family members—but it may be even stronger.

Reminders of the missing—be that by names on a wall, pictures in an album, or the flash of memories old—reopen wounds. The sunlight of happiness dims. In come the dark clouds of loss.

Defenders of ancient Israel also knew how it felt to see signs of missing warriors. But in the last days of Moses, they were reminded that the Lord their God was in complete control of the body count. If it was his will, a major battle could be fought without the loss of even one of their lives.

The Midianites had been a threat to Israel ever since the march to the Promised Land. When the showdown came, the Lord called up 1,000 from each tribe of Israel—12,000 in all—to take on this dangerous enemy of impressive size.

The victory by Israel was more impressive, as was the plunder. But most impressive was this: not one Israelite soldier was missing afterward.

The Lord God had loved each of them. Each one would be ransomed by his Son. The mighty God would win the war against sin and death for each of them—and for all of us.

All those who trust in him will find themselves celebrating the victory in heaven.

And, as it was following Midian’s defeat, not one of his own—not even one—will be missing.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you have said that you would always be with us, be with us as we think of those special to us but who are now missing from earth. Let the thought of the missing man formation remind us that you once ascended into those skies to return to heaven. Comfort us with the assurance that none who put their faith in you here will there be missing there. Amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Cape Coral, Florida.

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

It may be that the LORD your God will hear the words of the field commander, whom his master, the king of Assyria, has sent to ridicule the living God, and that he will rebuke him for the words the LORD your God has heard.
Isaiah 37:4

Gathering intelligence is important for any military operation. The more one learns about the enemy with its strength and plans, the better. This is especially true if the enemy force outnumbers and out powers the defenders.

That’s the situation King Hezekiah was in when the massive army of the Assyrians assembled before the walls of Jerusalem. They came with high confidence and massive strength. They had invaded Israel from the north and already wiped out all the ten northern tribes. Then they crossed the border into Judah and quickly demolished the fortified cities in their path. Now their field commander was demanding the unconditional surrender of Jerusalem.

He relayed the words of the Assyrian king, Sennacherib: “Do not let Hezekiah mislead you when he says, ‘The Lord will deliver us.’” He named off the string of his army’s victories and then asked: “Has the god of any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria?”

The demand ended with the boast, “How then can the Lord deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”

Hezekiah responded by going to the temple and sending some of his officials to deliver the news to the prophet Isaiah and ask for his prayers.

Hopeless against all odds, Hezekiah turned to the God of hope.

There was no need for God’s people to gather intelligence about the strength and movements of this enemy. The swaggering troops were encamped in plain and frightening view. They had announced the plans to kill those who resisted and take everyone else away as prisoners of war.

Hezekiah needed to know nothing more for himself. He had heard enough. He only hoped that the Lord God had also heard.

He had. He would teach Sennacherib and his army a lesson that the whole world could learn: No one, no power, and no army can defy the holy God without suffering severe consequences! He will deliver his people at the time and in the manner of his choosing.

Through his prophet, the Lord told Sennacherib, “But I know where you stay and when you come and go and how you rage against me. Because you rage against me and because your insolence has reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will make you return by the way you came” (Isaiah 37:28,29).

Not an empty threat.

Isaiah reports, “Then the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there” (Isaiah 37:36,37).

The Assyrian threat was over. Sennacherib never ventured out of his capital again—and then it got worse. One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his idol, his sons murdered him.

God hears. He hears those bragging of their own power. He hears the plans against his people. In war or peace, our intelligence gathering may be limited. His is not. He hears every whisper.

This does not mean that he will work a miracle to stop every threat. Later on, he allowed another heathen force to overrun this same city and lead many away as captives.

The lesson is that he is in control. One of his angels on our side is better than hundreds of thousands against us.

Believe it, we must. It is true.

Prayer: All-knowing Lord God, we are happy to learn that you hear the boasts of our enemies. Frustrate their plans. Send your angels to keep us safe—everywhere and always. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Cape Coral, Florida.

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

“Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain, and a path for the thunderstorm…?”
Job 38:25

Humans have long tried to replace the Creator with the created. They have bowed down to pieces of wood; sacrificed to pieces of stone; and cried out for help to the sun, the moon, and the stars—all in vain.

The scientific age is supposed to have done away with superstition. It has not. Horoscopes and good luck charms seem as popular as ever. If God does not occupy the throne in a person’s heart, something else will. Yet, any replacement for the Holy One will always be a fake. This remains true even if the substitute seems to operate with force uncontrollable.

Nature, at times, appears to have such force. When the forecast calls for threatening weather, we take appropriate action. We have seen damage caused by lightning and tornados. We know all about hurricanes. If we have not lived through them, we have seen the pictures.

An old commercial said, “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.” The ad may strike us as humorous, but a part of us knows that nature can be deadly. If it comes in the form of a rain shower, we might just stay indoors or get out that umbrella. If it comes as a hurricane, we may truly feel at its mercy.

When storms develop over an ocean, millions begin watching their projected paths. Estimates, guesstimates, and spaghetti models are followed closely. A shift in a high-pressure system, an increase in water temperature, or the appearance of wind shear can move the storm further away or bring it right on top of us. Some say this is Mother Nature at work.

Nature is indeed real. Mother Nature is not.

Nature is not a being. It has no control over itself. It does not hear us. It does not care about us. God does.

If we ask, “Who knows what path a storm will take? Who can control it?” the answer is simple: our Savior God. He brings storms into existence. He sets their limits. He sets their paths.

Our loving God rules all of nature for the benefit of those who place in him their faith and trust.
We would not be wrong to carry this truth over to all of the storms of life. Accident, sickness, failure, and heartache can be as devastating as roaring wind and pounding rain. The Maker of heaven and earth is in control of these storms, too.
We recall when a fierce storm at sea once caught the Son of God sleeping in a boat. His companions included seasoned sailors. When they looked at the height of the waves and heard the howl of the wind, they panicked. “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

He did. Even asleep, he was in control. Then he showed them to what degree he was in charge of nature: “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 4:38,39).

Children of the heavenly Father are not at the mercy of anything but his mercy. It is a level of compassion so high that it cannot be measured; so strong that it cannot be overcome.

Jesus had not come to earth merely to impress people by having wind and waves obey. His mission had a greater goal. He came to enable us to become children of his own Father. He bought our adoption with his lifeblood. He taught us who we really are when he taught us to pray, “Our Father, who art in heaven…” To him belong the kingdom, the power, and the glory.

We can say of ourselves, “God’s own child, I gladly say it! I was baptized into Christ.”

I know God is now my Father!

Nature is not my mother.

We can sing:
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.

Be still, my soul; your God will undertake to guide the future as he has the past.
Your hope, your confidence, let nothing shake; All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul; the wind and waves still know His voice who ruled them while he lived below. Amen.
(Christian Worship 415:1-2)

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Cape Coral, Florida.

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