But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:13

Christ Alone

I vividly remember not being included. It happened several times. Whether I was in elementary school, middle school, high school, college, or even now as an adult (also known as an “old guy”), I can still describe many instances where I was on the outside looking in. Do you know what that’s like?

Maybe you’re the person who’s always included, always on top, always winning, always admired, always with more friends than you know what to do with. Maybe you’re the person who sets down your phone and, when you pick it back up a few minutes later, you have several notifications and new followers. Or, maybe you’re like the vast majority (by that I mean probably 99.9999% of people) who haven’t been included in every way.

You know what? God experienced that too. On the cross, Jesus felt abandoned. “Why have you forsaken me?” he cried. Here’s the answer: The Father let his Son die for the sins of his people so that we never know what it feels like to be excluded. Jesus spent his life including those who were excluded, loving the unloved, and searching for those who strayed.

One time, Jesus defended a woman who was about to be stoned to death for her sin. Another time, he stood up for a lady who had a record of sexual sin. He even made a man who was a thief and a cheater to be one of his disciples! And these are just the tip of the iceberg of how far God will go to include us.

When we say that we are saved by Jesus Christ alone, we recognize that Jesus is the only one who could save us. More than just by his example, God carried out all of his saving work in Christ alone. And since he sought you out, included you in God’s family, and brought you into the inner circle of his family, then you are loved. You are included. You are close to God now and forever.

Prayer: Lord, I have to admit that I hate the idea of being far from anyone and anything that is good and wonderful. Thank you for bringing me close to you through Jesus Christ my Savior. Amen.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:10,17

Scripture Alone

Two kids start arguing on the bus. The argument is over some current issue on the news. They go back and forth about what is right and wrong. And how can you tell who wins? Is it the person who is louder or meaner? Is it the person who wins over the others who are watching?

Determining right and wrong in our society today is hard. It’s especially challenging to stick to the truth of God’s Word in a world that denies that there is absolute truth, much less, that the Bible is true.

But God’s Word is up to the challenge. And it does more than just help us win an argument. It’s the very power of God to combat evil and to protect us against the lies of this perishing world and the evil one—the devil. How so? Consider two examples.

Let’s say that there are friends at your school who think differently than you do about substances, sex, porn, or how to view the government. Those are all big and challenging topics. Now imagine if you were left to discern what’s true just according to your friends. You value them. But they don’t know everything. But God does. And in holy word he uses his mighty power to show us the way. Most importantly, his Word shows us our Savior when we lose our way!

Or consider what many people think about death and eternity. Imagine if you had to just pick the best opinion as to what to believe about life after death. How terrifying. But that’s not so for us as Christians. We have God’s mighty power in his Word. Jesus won eternal life through the cross and the empty tomb! There’s nothing better than that—nothing more powerful than that! And since God owns eternity, then he owns the truth. Furthermore, he gives the Bible—the eternal truth—as armor for us. Not just for an argument, but for eternity.

Prayer: Lord God, keep me in your Word and protect me through is for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
1 Thessalonians 5:1,2,4,5

Don’t be Surprised!

In sports there is nothing like a last second score to win the game. Fans live for it! Players dream about it! Those moments infuse sports with a sense of purpose and anticipation.

Now, imagine sports with no game clock. Do you think the players would give maximum effort to win? Probably not. Offenses would take their sweet time. After all, what’s the rush? No sense in teams playing defense. What’s the point? Teams have plenty of the time to score later. Would fans even watch the game? Doubt it. What a snooze fest! In fact, with no game clock, even players could take naps.

Just as sports with no countdown would be pointless, people who live life with no countdown lack purpose. God said, “Time is counting down until I am come back! You just don’t know when the buzzer will sound.” Does the countdown until Christ comes back fill you with happy anticipation… or not? Is this where we must admit we haven’t given it much thought? Are we so busy living today that we have no time to consider this no guarantee of a tomorrow?

Often, we live in the dark, forgetting that time is counting down until God comes again. The apostle Paul’s encouragement in 1 Thessalonians 5 is a wake-up call for Christians. Wake up and see that you are not living in darkness! You live in the light of Christ. That means we will not be surprised by Christ’s second coming. Instead, we get busy getting ready for it!

This good encouragement motivates us to take advantage of every opportunity to worship and praise God, spend time in his Word, and celebrate his Sacraments. This moves us to go and proclaim the gospel to those who don’t know the forgiveness Christ gives. This compels us to serve God by serving our neighbor!

While living as “children of the light” provides good encouragement, even better, it is good news. As children of the day—that is, God’s children—the good news is that God will not judge you based on the darkness of your sins. Instead, when God returns to judge, he will judge you on the basis of what Christ did for you on the cross. There God’s Son didn’t play games. Jesus won the battle and gave you the victory over sin, the death, and the devil.

Do you want to live your life with more purpose and greater anticipation? Count down the days until you eternally experience the blessed victory that is yours in Christ, and, until then, make all your days count for God’s glory and praise.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, while our thinking is often selfishly consumed with our present circumstances, forgive us, and keep us mindful of your future return. By the good news of your Gospel, move us to live in your love and in the freedom of your forgiveness and not fear all our days until we are with you forever in heaven. Amen.

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-7

God’s Desire for Your Sexual Desires

Everything God created is good.
God created you. God created sex.
So, sex and your sexual desires are good gifts from God.

Does the idea that “sex is good” sound strange to you? You are not alone.

Our culture is hypersexualized, and sexual sins have been normalized. Most often, what we see and hear about concerning sex is not good. After all, sexual desire is what leads to sexual sin: lustful thoughts, pornography, and inappropriate relationships before marriage and outside of marriage.

So, what’s a Christian to do? How are you to think about sex and your sexual desires when our sex-obsessed culture leads us to view these as bad things and not good gifts from God?

God’s desire for your sexual desires is that you avoid all the badness and experience all his goodness by controlling your body’s desires in a way that is holy and honorable. That means when you date, you don’t sexualize your desires as “passionate lusts,” instead you realize your desires have a holy place—in marriage! And then, as you enjoy marriage as a gift of God’s love and the holy place for sexual desires to be satisfied, God sanctifies you (sanctified means made holy). In other words, when we enjoy sex the way God created it to be, we also enjoy life the way God created us to be: pure and holy!

But what if your past sexual experiences have been bad, and not good? What if you’ve sinned sexually? What if sexual brokenness has made you feel less whole and even less holy? Whether your past is marked with promiscuity or purity, this truth is for you: “Christ loved [you] and gave himself up for [you] to make [you] holy, cleansing [you] by the washing with water through the word” (Ephesians 5:25–26).
God knows we struggle with his command to “avoid sexual immorality.” Therefore, this very same God “gives you his Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 4:8) to assure you and comfort you with the good news that you are washed pure and made holy in Christ Jesus.

This is who God created you to be. Live how God created you to live!

Prayer: Dear Lord, especially when sexual temptations enter our life, remind us that our sexual desires are not bad, but they are from you and can be controlled in a way that is holy. By your Holy Spirit empower us to live pure lives in Christ that give honor to you in all we do. Amen.

In this series we’ll look at some of the struggles that we have that we endure silently, secretly. We struggle secretly and alone. What does God’s Word say to us in our darkness and trouble?

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:14-16

Secret Sin

There is an important distinction between guilt and shame. Guilt is when you feel bad about something you did. Shame is when you feel bad about who you are.

It can happen in life that an unaddressed guilt over something you are doing turns into general shame about who you are. You feel so bad about the guilt that you have let it become part of who you are. Perhaps you have a secret sin that would bring shame if people were to find out about it.

It is not a good feeling to live with guilt. It is even worse to live with shame. God does not want either to have control over you.

Whether you know it or not, guilt and shame have the power to control your life. The longer you hide them, the stronger they become. So when guilt begins its work on your conscience, and when shame begins to take hold of your identity, pause to think about the significance of what Jesus did for you.

He was already punished for the guilt you are feeling. He already made it so that your identity has nothing to do with your sin. Who you are was determined by his victory over sin and death. You are God’s loved child.

You will not fully appreciate that as long as your sin is an unconfessed secret. Secret sins give birth to guilt, and guilt gives birth to shame. The longer you let it grow, the stronger it will become. But you have One who is stronger than any guilt or shame you can experience. His name is Jesus, and he is armed with enough mercy and grace to overcome what you have been hiding.

Would you be honest with yourself today if you have been holding onto a secret sin? Confess it. Talk to Jesus about it, and trust that he will respond with mercy and grace. If you want, you can use a prayer like this:

Prayer: Dear Jesus, the reason you came to this world was to release me from sin’s consequences. I believe that you died and rose again to do that. Would you help me today to stop letting sin reign over me? Give me your forgiveness for my hidden sin. Give me strength to overcome it so that I can live in the peace that you want to give. Thank you also for surrounding me with friends and family who care and can help me too. Amen.

In this series we’ll look at some of the struggles that we have that we endure silently, secretly. We struggle secretly and alone. What does God’s Word say to us in our darkness and trouble?

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.
Psalm 46:1,2

Trauma

One day, some people told Jesus about a traumatic event where many people were killed. Jesus went on to bring up another tragic event—a tower fell, and eighteen people died as a result.

Most of the time, we think that traumatic events are things we hear about from the news. But in reality, the most traumatic things you go through are things that most people will not even know about.

Sometimes parents get divorced. It sounds like such a small thing until it happens to your parents. You might wonder if you did something wrong that led to their separation. It can be traumatic to watch your parents’ marriage come to an end.

Sometimes friends that you thought were with you forever end up leaving you. Again, it sounds like such a small thing until it happens to you. In their absence you start to wonder if there is any way you could ever have a friend like that again.

There are many traumatic things that can unfold in a person’s life. Things that make it seem like your entire world is falling apart and you are powerless to stop it.

When that happens, look up to the One that never changes. Life will throw all sorts of unexpected traumas in your direction, but you have a refuge that goes with you wherever you are. No matter the trouble you are in, help is always present.

Either you are in a time of trouble right now, or trouble is waiting for you ahead. Keep in your heart the powerful truth behind Psalm 46:1,2. God is your refuge. He is your strength. Therefore you will not fear, even if your entire world seems to fall apart.

Prayer: Dear Father, only you know the degree of the troubles that face me. Only you know the troubles that lie ahead. Guide me to see that you are my safe place that will always go with me wherever I go. Amen.

In this series we’ll look at some of the struggles that we have that we endure silently, secretly. We struggle secretly and alone. What does God’s Word say to us in our darkness and trouble?

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13

Addiction

Nobody wakes up in the morning and decides to become addicted to something. But for every addiction, there was one day when it all started.

It always starts small. One vape. One drink. One pill. One video. If someone saw it happen that first time, they would probably say it was not that big of a deal. But it becomes a big deal when you keep going back to it.

Is there something that has taken control of your life? It could be something that, up to this point, has been small. Or maybe you are wrestling with something that has become bigger than you ever thought it would. You feel awful about it. You feel ashamed. You feel alone. Whatever you are addicted to controls you.

Wherever you are at, there is hope.

Your Father in heaven does not want you to be controlled by anything. He wants you to be free. God is not waiting for you to overcome addiction so he can start loving you again. He loves you right now, and he is with you right here. He wants to show you how the thing you keep longing for will never fulfill you the way that he can. He wants to get you out of it.

If you find yourself being controlled by an addiction, would you take a positive step today? Start by confessing your weakness to God. Ask for his strength in overcoming this temptation. If you can, confide in someone you trust and ask them to pray with you.

Right now, the resurrection power of Jesus is alive in you by faith. Enjoy the freedom that he alone can give.

Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, you love me so much that you sent Jesus to give me freedom from sin and death. Help me recognize the things in this life that can imprison me in emptiness and loneliness. When temptation confronts me, provide a way out so that I can enjoy the peace and security that you alone can give. Amen.

This series tackles selections from the book of Proverbs that provide godly wisdom in the areas of relationships, discipline, words, anger, and more.

Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
Proverbs 17:14

Let It Go

The average age of a US dam is 57 years. What happens at the end of a dam’s life? They break. The cracks in the infrastructure spread. Water starts pouring out by ounces, then gallons, then tons. If the engineers are unaware of the cracks and a heavy rainfall builds up water behind the dam, the consequences can be deadly. Water can destroy everything in its path.

Proverbs 17:14 tells us that’s how anger works. As Christians, God uses our love as a dam to protect others from harm. But anger eats away at our love like a crack in the dam. We remember what they said to us. We constantly think about what they did. Uncontrolled anger can lead to greater things, like plotting revenge. Our angry hearts too easily lash out with harsh words and actions. That’s when the dam breaks. The effects of sin pour out into our lives and the lives of others. Anger ruins so much. It can sweep away relationships and destroy love.

That should have happened to us. The dam of God’s love should rightly have been destroyed by our sin. We should have been swept away forever. But God wouldn’t let that happen! He kept his love steadfast and firm by sending his Son Jesus. God didn’t punish us. In his holy anger he punished Jesus for our sin. Jesus stood in the gap and protected us from being swept away. Jesus made sure we would always be safe in his forgiveness. Because of him, God’s anger ceased. He dropped the matter and declares there is no dispute between him and us.

So what does that lead us to do? Drop it! Drop your anger because God dropped his anger on Jesus. When you are hurt by others, remember how God forgave you. When you want to lash out, remember how God doesn’t lash out at you. When you plan your revenge, remember how God planned and carried out your salvation. God’s love for us builds up a dam of love in our hearts. Let’s protect others with that love!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for not sweeping me way in your anger. Thank you for sending Jesus and protecting me in his love forever. Help me to love others as you have loved me. Take away my anger, increase the peace in my heart, and let your love flow from me in everything I do. Amen.

This series tackles selections from the book of Proverbs that provide godly wisdom in the areas of relationships, discipline, words, anger, and more.

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.
Proverbs 10:11-12

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.
Proverbs 15:1,4

The Power of Your Words

Modern medicine and medical equipment are powerful! An antibiotic can kill off a virus. A respirator can keep failing lungs breathing. A shock from a defibrillator can jumpstart a flatlined heart. When there are so many things can hurt us, we praise God for giving doctors technology that can bring us life.

In Proverbs 10 and 15, God explains how our words have the power to give life. But you know they also have the power to do serious damage. Have you been hurt by someone else’s words? Has someone made fun of the way you look or dress and it just crushed you? Have you ever been made fun of in front of your friends and you burned with anger only to then melt in tears? Has anyone ever seen you have a bad day and rubbed it in by telling you how great their life is going right now? You may remember those moments for a long time.

We can remember the pain we’ve cause others with our words too. We’ve said things that tear up friendships, crush someone’s confidence, and break their heart. Our words have caused serious damage.

So God wants you to remember his words always give life. God breathed life into you when you were baptized, when you first heard his voice and believed. His words of forgiveness cover up every one of your sins. Jesus’ words on the cross “IT IS FINISHED!” took away any and all tension between you and God. God’s words of love keep your soul secure in peace. Like drinking from a water fountain, the Word of God nourishes us so we can love the people God has put in our lives.

And how should we love them? With our words! Like that technology doctors use to give people life, your words can restore the lives of others. For the person you’ve hurt, tell them you’re sorry and you love them. For the friend who feels alone, tell them you’re here for them. For the person who feels guilty, tell them Jesus has forgiven all their sin and loves them more than they could ever imagine. These are the power of words! Let’s use them to give life!

Prayer: Dear Lord, just as you used your words to give and sustain my life, help me to use my words to give life to others. Use my mouth as a fountain of life to restore, encourage, and love my friends and family. Amen.

My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them.
Proverbs 1:10

Run! Stay Away!

Hang tough! That is much easier said than done. You live in a world where your faith is constantly under attack. You work in a setting where your coworkers are badgering you to fall into sin. Sometimes you only have one option—to hold on tight to God’s Word and promises as you are being tempted.

Other times you can just run away from it! If you find yourself in a situation where you are being tempted to sin, run! Run as fast as you can the other direction! If you find yourself at the lunch table or in the break room with friends that are enticing you to sin, eat somewhere else. Stay away. The goal is to entice you with lies and half-truths with the hopes that your faith will be killed.

Hang tough! Hold on tight to Jesus’ promises. No one can take God’s promises to you away. Through those tough times Jesus holds on to you tightly. He willingly ran into the fires of hell for you. He marched to a cross where he died for those times where we were too easily enticed into sin. Too often, you might find yourself enticed and intrigued by sin. Every one of those sins has been paid for by your Savior who holds you safely in the palm of his hands.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, by your death and resurrection, you have given me the power to hang tough in the midst of temptations. While I am tempted, cover me with your protecting hand and strengthen me to flee from those who entice me to sin. Amen.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Proverbs 1:7

Beginning of wisdom

Well, you almost made it! This unique school year is almost over. For some of you it was a struggle not to be able to eat lunch with friends. For others of you it was heartbreaking that your sports season was canceled. For some it was a struggle to transition from pajama pants back to real clothes as in person learning resumed. This school year could probably best be classified as a struggle. Teachers struggled. Administration struggled. Parents struggled. You struggled.

It’s only the beginning. Life in this sinful world is a constant struggle. Sadly, the struggles will only amplify as you get older. The devil ramps up his attacks on you. He will encourage you to engage in the foolishness of the sinful world around you. He will do all he can to get you to despise wisdom and discipline.

Sadly, it has worked. Think of the times you have fallen into the lies of the devil. How many times did you willingly do something you knew was foolish in the last week? How many times did you fall into foolish peer pressure? It’s probably not that hard to remember how many times you let your Lord down this week.

It’s only the beginning. Sit in the shadow of the empty tomb and marvel at what your Lord and Savior has done for you. You have a Savior who lived and died to take all of your foolish sins away. You have a Savior who rose from the dead to assure you that heaven is your home.

That doesn’t mean that this life won’t be a struggle. It doesn’t mean that high school will be a breeze for you. It does mean that eternal life is yours and that will never end!

Prayer: Dear Lord Heavenly Father, I thank and praise you for sending your Son, Jesus, to win my salvation. Please empower me to let the light of my faith shine as I live in this sinful world. Amen.

The May series is for the times we may hit rock bottom as we experience seasons of fear and weariness, despair and depression, pain and loss … all of them due to sin. Yet God never leaves or abandons us. He pursues and seeks us in our dark moments.

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
Ephesians 5:15-16

Rock bottom… What now? Make the most of the moments

Can people tell you are a Christian? Think about that for a moment. If they didn’t know already, would the people you come in contact with in life be able to tell you confess faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, trusting in him for salvation and for guiding you throughout this life on earth? It’s a humbling question to ask, isn’t it? It’s also one that sometimes leads us to an answer of “Yikes, I’m not sure.”

The apostle Paul writes not only to the church in Ephesus, but also to each of us, as he gives much needed encouragement to our lives as God’s children, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (vv. 15-16). We’re not always careful how we live, are we? Jesus is very easy to take for granted. Being “wise” is something that doesn’t come naturally for adults, let alone teenagers living in an increasingly cruel and sin-filled world. “Making the most of every opportunity” is often replaced with letting most opportunities to praise our God’s name slip through the cracks or go unutilized.

Bad stuff happens, dear young friends. It’s a fact of life in this sinful world. As God’s dearly loved children, though, we have different tools to use when dealing with these bad things. The God who loved us enough to send his Son to die for us is not then going to abandon us in life to deal with things ourselves. He is with us. His means of grace strengthen us. He not only motivates, but equips us to “(make) the most of every opportunity” when things are going well, or when we seem to hit rock bottom. Each day is a day to praise our holy God and to worship him. Each day is another chance to boldly live our faith in the One who saves us and calls us his own.

Prayer: Lord God, what a blessing you are in my life—in good times and in bad. You have guided me; You have blessed me; You have kept me in your tender care. Watch over my life, O Lord. Keep me always close to you and your Word that I might be strengthened in faith to make the most of every opportunity. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The May series is for the times we may hit rock bottom as we experience seasons of fear and weariness, despair and depression, pain and loss … all of them due to sin. Yet God never leaves or abandons us. He pursues and seeks us in our dark moments.

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.
John 9:1-3

Rock Bottom … Why Them?

We live in a world that tries to convince us, “You get what you deserve.” Teachers will say it to students. Coaches will yell it at players. Bosses will try to convince employees of the same. You can understand the statement in some aspects of life. But not when it comes to sin and grace.

Jesus was constantly teaching lessons that his disciples—and we—need to learn well in our lives as Christians on earth. Our reading today serves as an opportunity to do just that. Seeing a blind man, the disciples mistakenly thought that there must have been a reason in either his life or in the lives of his family that caused this blindness to befall him. We can easily fall into the same trap, thinking to ourselves, “You get what you deserve.”

Thank our gracious God that we don’t. Jesus would go on to heal the blind man from his affliction, not because he deserved it, but because of Christ’s love for him. That’s how he treats us in life! We know who we are. We know how we’ve failed God and shown ourselves to be unworthy of his love. We know that if it’s true that “You get what you deserve,” we are in a world of trouble. Faith in Jesus, though, understands and cherishes that we don’t get what we deserve. Instead, we are recipients of God’s love—love revealed to us in his Son Jesus today, tomorrow, and for all eternity. Everything that happens in life is “so that the works of God might be displayed” (v. 3). What a blessing!

Prayer: Almighty God, we are not the only people who struggle in life. All have sinned against you and need the comfort that you alone can give. Be with all who are struggling, dear Lord. Help me be a friend to those around me and someone others feel they can come to for help. All to give you glory. All for your Son’s sake. Amen.

On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The Lord has spoken. In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”
Isaiah 25:7-9

Death swallowed

Nine thousand, six hundred seventy-two. According to one study in Great Britain, that’s how many ailments and injuries the average person can expect during a lifetime.

The study even broke down the numbers according to ailment. The average person can expect approximately 860 headaches, 780 sore backs, 470 upset stomachs, 230 paper cuts, 150 blisters, 78 nose bleeds, 3 hospital stays, and 2 surgeries in a 78-year lifetime. And that’s just the average person!

Is it any wonder why death is always on the back of our minds?

Our hurting bodies constantly remind us that something is wrong. Our fluctuating health constantly teaches us that death lingers near. Our grieving hearts verify for us death’s daunting power. Death is, as the prophet Isaiah called it, the sheet that covers all people.

But death doesn’t have the final say on the matter of life. The Lord has spoken too about the end of death! Death isn’t the most powerful voice in the back of our minds or in the middle of the cemetery. Resurrected life is!

Long before Jesus’ body was placed in the tomb, Isaiah foretold the outcome. Death would be swallowed up in victory!

Long before you cry your last tear in the midst of death, Jesus’ resurrection has assured you of the outcome. He will wipe every tear away!

Long before you have your last paper cut, blister, nosebleed, surgery, or taken your last breath, you know who made the outcome of eternal life and victory possible. Surely this is our God! Let us rejoice and be glad in him!

Prayer: Jesus, when I grieve, comfort me. When I’m sick, provide healing and peace. When I’m afraid of death, assure me that you have swallowed it up in victory. Amen.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5

Scars that heal

Every scar has a story.

The scar on the athlete’s knee tells of the torn ligament and the lost season. The scar on the child’s chin tells of the hard fall when learning to ride a bike. Do you remember the stories behind your scars?

Over 700 years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah wrote about the scars the suffering Savior would receive. We cringe as the nails drew innocent blood from Jesus’ hands and feet on a cross. We sigh as the spear pierced his lifeless body. Do you remember the story behind Jesus’ scars?

Jesus’ scars tell the seriousness of sin. Our holy God demands that sin be punished, and the punishment deserved for our sin is death. But Jesus’ scars also tell the seriousness of God’s peace. Jesus willingly and lovingly took the punishment in our place. He got what we deserved. In exchange, he gives us what we didn’t deserve—his forgiveness and peace.

Every scar has a story.

But not all scars are visible. Thomas, one of Jesus’ disciples, was scarred with doubt. He wouldn’t believe Jesus had risen unless he saw the scars and touched them. Jesus appeared and removed all doubt. Jesus’ scars brought Thomas what Isaiah had prophesied long ago—healing peace. They still do!

Do you have any “invisible scars?” Are you scarred by grief? Have you been hurt by a friend or bullied by an enemy? Do you have deep pains inside from some heavy burden? Then, remember Isaiah’s words. Look upon Jesus’ scars. Find healing and peace in Jesus!

Prayer: Jesus, heal my wounds physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Help me to find healing and peace in your wounds and your great love for me. Amen.