“The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.”
1 Kings 19:11,12

God Is on Your Side

Daily Devotion – July 2, 2022

Devotion based on 1 Kings 19:11,12

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It was oh so discouraging. The big success, which was anticipated, well, it just didn’t happen. Things looked hopeless. The work had been in vain. It was awful.

Felt that way before? Most of us have, sometime along the way. Well, you’re in good company. Elijah felt that way and told God so. As a result, God said to his prophet, “Come over here, Elijah. I want to show you some things.”

Then came the wind! And the earthquake! And the fire! But the Lord wasn’t in them.

The Lord revealed himself as a gentle whisper. It was a reminder to Elijah that our God is the God of faithful love. That our God works in ways which are often quiet, often different than what we’d expect. It was a reminder that God loves to forgive us and wrap his arms around us.

Every time you hear his Word, God is doing that for you. He’s reminding you that he loves you, that your sins are forgiven, he’s on your side. No matter how challenging life might look, if the faithful, loving God is on your side, you will be okay.

Prayer:
O faithful Lord, remind me of your love, that the things of this world might not discourage me unduly, but that I might focus on the eternal blessings which are mine because of your love. Amen.

He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
Luke 9:59,60

Jesus Wants Top Billing

Daily Devotion – June 30, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 9:59,60

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When actors begin their careers, they don’t generally get the lead part after one audition. Instead, they endure years of playing insignificant roles before their big break. Most never get one. For every actor you can name, there are thousands whose names you’ll never know. It’s difficult—almost impossible—to get top billing. Most don’t ever see their name in bold letters over everyone else’s on the movie poster or theater marquee. That’s only reserved for the very best.

When Jesus walked the earth, plenty of people were willing to follow him, but only to a certain point. St. Luke tells us in his gospel that there were large crowds traveling with Jesus (14:25), but they only wanted him to play the part of a movie extra in their lives. Yes, he could be a part of their lives but not the essential part. They weren’t ready to give him top billing, the starring role.

But Jesus isn’t interested in having disciples who are only willing to give him an insignificant role in their life story. He wants us to give him top billing. When he saw that large crowd following him, he told them in no uncertain terms what he expects. “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Lk 14:26,27).

Of course, Jesus doesn’t really want us to hate anyone, any more than he wanted to keep his would-be disciple in Luke 9 from attending his father’s funeral. But Jesus does want us to understand this: nothing in our lives can outrank him and his saving Word. He must have top billing because he and his Word alone grant us the certain hope of everlasting life. That’s what Jesus has won for you and for all people, and he doesn’t want you to trade it for anything.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help me to give you and your Word top billing in my life. Amen.

As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
Luke 9:57,58

Jesus Calls Us to Be All In

Daily Devotion – June 29, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 9:57,58

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Once upon a time, I had grade school friends who were very important to me. We would ride bikes together, play hours of ball, go to the movies, and sleepover at one another’s homes. At times, my life revolved around them. They were that important.

And now they’re gone. We didn’t have a falling out. We just grew apart. We went to different schools and moved away from our hometown. At one time, we were so committed to one another, but no more. And that’s okay. God didn’t insist that we be committed to one another for the rest of our lives.

But it’s different when it comes to my wife. She and I have been friends for almost 25 years now and married for about 20 years. Unlike the relationships I had with my schoolmates, my wife and I made promises to one another before God. We promised to be faithful to one another as long as we both shall live. In other words, God has called us to be all in. It can’t be halfway or even 99 percent. It requires 100 percent commitment because being married to a sinner is hard. Just ask my wife how hard it is!

When Jesus once had a man say to him, “I will follow you wherever you go,” he seemed to be expressing 100 percent commitment to the Savior. What music to Jesus’ ears! But Jesus wanted this man to realize what following him meant. “Foxes have dens and birds have nests,” he replied, “but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” In other words, following Jesus in this world is no walk in the park; it’s a challenge. Yes, it’s an all-in proposition that requires us to deny ourselves and take up cross and follow him (Mark 8:34).

Yes, it’s difficult, but not impossible. And why? Because Jesus is 100 percent all in. Even when we’re unfaithful to him, he remains faithful to us. And that will never change. He’s promised to be our Savior-friend forever.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, empower me to be faithful to you by marveling at your faithfulness to me. Amen.

As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.
Luke 9:51

Determined to Save

Daily Devotion – June 27, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 9:51

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There are different ways to describe people who are deeply committed to their mission. Sometimes they are called pit bulls, or maybe it is said of them that they have a laser focus. They’re the type of self-starters who carry out their assigned duties with no holds barred, and give 110 percent. Or perhaps they are described as true believers and people who are willing to do anything to get the job done right and on time. The point of all these descriptions is simple and straightforward: these folks are not halfway committed to their cause, they are bound and determined. Nothing and no one is going to stop them.

We might not naturally picture Jesus that way, as someone stepping over anyone who gets in his way to fulfill his mission. It’s more likely that we picture him the way Christian artists have traditionally portrayed him, as a soft, gentle, good shepherd type who wouldn’t hurt a flea. But while it’s true that Jesus is the world’s ultra-gentle Good Shepherd, who carries his lambs close to his heart (Isaiah 40:11), he’s also the mightiest of warriors, a singular soldier in God’s salvation army. He has a mission, and he is bound a determined to fulfill it.

That’s how St. Luke pictures Jesus for us today, as a man who “resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” And why was he going there? To die for the sins of the entire world.

Being bound and determined to face your death is not at all natural for human beings, especially when it promises to include the kind of brutality that Jesus’ death entailed. But not only was Jesus willing to endure that kind of death, he was bound and determined to do so.

And why? Because of his unchanging and unconditional love for you and me and every sinner. Yes, Jesus is bound and determined to save us not because we’ve deserved it; but because we need him to do it so desperately.

And nothing will stop him from carrying out his saving mission perfectly.

Prayer:
Jesus, thank you for being so bound and determined to save me and all sinners. Lead me always to trust in your unfailing love and salvation. Amen.

As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.
Luke 9:51

Detours

Daily Devotion – June 26, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 9:51

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Rod was getting more anxious by the moment. He began to wonder if he was ever going to reach his final destination. The miles continued to mount after he followed the designated detour. As a result, he couldn’t rid himself of the feeling, “Am I going in the right direction?”

When the time came for Jesus to go to Jerusalem, there were many detours he could have taken. The disciples certainly wanted more time with him. There were more people to be healed and helped. There was even the very real temptation for Jesus to avoid his capture and crucifixion. Jesus refused to take any of these detours, and as Luke records, “He resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” Nothing could have kept him from accomplishing the work his Father set before him. There was never a doubt in his mind if he was going in the right direction.

Jesus’ refusal to even consider a detour is a cause for celebration in your life. Jesus not only came to your rescue but also walked the path you could never have walked. Because of his selfless love he now invites and makes it possible for you to walk on the path to heaven.

His path takes you past the detours of disillusionment, disobedience, and death. His path leads you safely past guilt, disappointment, and despair. Because Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem according to his Father’s will, you can now safely and confidently remain on a heavenward journey.

Certainly, your life will be filled with distractions and detours. It would be easy for you to stray. However, your Savior comes to the rescue. Not only does he bring you back to the right path, he also lovingly keeps you going in the right direction. It is because of what Jesus has done and continues to do that you can rejoice and say: “Wherever you lead, Lord, I will follow.”

Prayer: (Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal – 439):
Lord, take my hand and lead me along life’s way;
Direct, protect, and feed me from day to day.
Without your grace and favor I go astray;
So, take my hand, O Savior, and lead the way.

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
2 Timothy 1:9,10

Jesus Crushes Evil

Daily Devotion – June 24, 2022

Devotion based on 2 Timothy 1:9,10

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When you think about it, the Christian faith doesn’t make a lot of sense. Sin, which comes so naturally to every human being, is out of bounds? And the guilt of any sin is enough to earn a one-way ticket to the opposite of everything good? And despite our best efforts, we can’t scrub that guilt off? And the only way out of guilt and into peace is through the actions of a Jewish carpenter who lived under Roman occupation far away and long ago?

It didn’t make any more natural sense to Paul, Timothy, or any who followed Jesus because of them. This trust and the resultant holy living are supernatural—the work of the Holy Spirit. The Christian faith is something no one could have thought up on their own. So, the apostle Paul tells us, it was revealed from the Holy Spirit through the words of the Bible.

And what has been revealed? Grace given before your parents gave you a name, victory over death, a vibrant life that will never end. And all of this won for you and given to you by a hero named Jesus.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you have won. Your victory is my victory. Lead me in that new reality that I might live for you. Amen.

Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
2 Timothy 1:4,5

From Generation to Generation

Daily Devotion – June 21, 2022

Devotion based on 2 Timothy 1:4,5

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I remember visiting my grandparents every summer. They were farmers who lived in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. One reason I loved to visit was the copious amounts of ice cream my Grandma Eunice had hidden away for us. Another reason was the chance to ride big machines. But do you know what I remember, to this day, even more than push pops or tractors? I remember my Grandfather Lois read to us from his Bible after breakfast. He never read for very long, and it was never a big deal. But in those few minutes of reading, he modeled for the family what was important, and even a seasoned Christian regularly gets into God’s Word.

Young Pastor Timothy had models in his life too. A grandmother and mother who prioritized a relationship with the living God. Women who passed their faith down to their son and grandson. Their faith meant so much to them that they gave it to those they loved most. And look what God accomplished in that generational gift! How many more generations have come to faith because Lois and Eunice passed down their faith!

Maybe you never had that: a family that spent time in God’s Word—maybe you didn’t even go to church growing up. Maybe your family went to church, but that was the extent of “Jesus talk” during the week. That’s not easy, but you aren’t alone. God has a habit of calling the unlikely into his kingdom and making them family.

One final thought, consider this your calling to be a Lois or Eunice to the children in your life—to your kids, your grandkids, a niece or nephew, or the kids in your classroom. What you and I believe is too good to not pass on.

Prayer:
Dear Holy Spirit, thank you for giving me a family of faith, for those who have played spiritual mom and dad in my life. Keep them safe from harm and temptation. Give me opportunities to pass on what I believe to the next generation. Amen

“The LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
Numbers 6:26

Turn Towards

Daily Devotion – June 18, 2022

Devotion based on Numbers 6:26

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Dr. John Gottman and his wife, Dr. Julie Gottman, are researchers who have spent several decades studying marriage relationships. They have drawn many conclusions, and their conclusions make for powerful reading. Here is one conclusion. For years the conventional wisdom was that a way to deepen your marriage relationship was through a big romantic getaway—a trip to Paris or a Caribbean cruise. Not so, say the Gottmans. While a romantic getaway certainly has its place, the Gottmans have learned that a key to deepening a marriage relationship—or any relationship—lies in the countless moments you have, in their words, to “turn towards” each other.

Throughout the week, couples will give each other what the Gottmans call, “bids for connection.” These “bids for connection” almost always seem quite ordinary. For example, a spouse might say, “I had one crazy day today.” That, say the Gottmans, is a “bid for connection.” It is an opportunity for two spouses to “turn towards” each other in that moment and to share the details of what made the day so crazy.

This need for couples to “turn towards” each other is vital. In their exhaustive research, the Gottmans found that happily married couples turned towards each other two-and-one-half times more often than couples whose marriages ended in divorce.

All of which brings us to God’s attitude towards you and me.

The Lord has his face turned toward you. Not sometimes. Not frequently. The Lord has his face turned toward you always. With you in mind, he came to this earth and became one of us and lived a sinless life as our substitute—the life you and I have failed to live. With you in mind, he carried your wasted moments and mine to the cross and washed them all away.

And today, he continues to turn toward you. He turns toward you through every word of the Bible you read and hear, through every message from him you encounter. He turns toward you at this very moment, in this daily devotion. Spend this day in the comfort and assurance of knowing the Lord’s face is turned toward you.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when my face is downcast because of doubt or despair, remind me that your face is always turned toward me. Amen.