Tag Archive for: military-devotion

Military Devotion – Do Not Be Afraid – March 15, 2024

Military Devotion – Do Not Be Afraid – March 15, 2024




Based on Isaiah 43:1-7

God never promised us that our lives would be free from events that would move us to be afraid. When life’s difficulties frighten us and we feel overwhelmed, like standing in a raging river that threatens to sweep us away and drown us, your God says, “Do not be afraid.” And he backs it up with promises that give us every reason to believe him when he says, “Do not be afraid.”



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

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


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Military Devotion – Undeserved Gifts – March 8, 2024

Military Devotion – The Foolishness of Church – March 8, 2024




Based on Ephesians 2:1-10

When you feel guilt over something you’ve done or something good left undone, what do you do to address that guilt? There are a lot of religions who offer many ways to pacify that guilt, but don’t seem to really satisfy the nagging question, “Where do I stand with God?” Today, the apostle Paul answers the questions regarding our sin and guilt and our relationship with our God by showing us that it has nothing to do with us and everything to do with God.



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

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


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Military Devotion – The Foolishness of Church – March 1, 2024

Military Devotion – The Foolishness of Church – March 1, 2024




1 Corinthians 1:18-25

When you go to church on Sunday morning, what do you hope happens there? Are you looking for something more than the same repetitious message to address the stressors in your life? The apostle Paul shares with us that this same repetitious message of Christ crucified is actually power and wisdom for our life.



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

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


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Military Devotion – Are you searching for something? – February 23, 2024

Military Devotion – Are you searching for something? – February 23, 2024




Based on Romans 5:1

Are you searching for something? I’m not talking about your keys or that e-mail which contains important information your CO needed yesterday. I’m talking about truth, love, peace, all of it… have you found it yet? Jesus shares with us today where we find true peace and love.



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

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


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Military Devotion – Battle in the Wilderness – February 16, 2024

Military Devotion – Battle in the Wilderness – February 16, 2024




Based on Mark 1:12-15

Have you ever spent time in “the box,” also known as the National Training Center? It is a rugged desolate wilderness, a place of testing for battle. Jesus also went into a wilderness for a time of testing, to endure the testing of temptation that you and I endure every day—and he did it all for you.



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

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


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Military Devotion – Seeing Clearly – February 9, 2024

Military Devotion – Seeing Clearly – February 9, 2024




Wouldn’t it be nice to stand on top of a mountain and clearly see into your future? There
is someone who has done that, both for himself and for you, and he says, “It’s going to
be ok.” Take a moment to read Mark 9:2-9 today.



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

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


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Military Devotion – We Are At War – February 2, 2024

Military Devotion – We Are At War – February 2, 2024




Based on 1 Peter 5:6-11

An Iraq air base, housing US troops is attacked by Iranian linked militants – and U.S. military personnel are injured. One my friends is on that base. Two Navy SEALS are declared dead after a mission to stop Iranian weapons off the coast of Somalia. I have friends who worked with those SEALS. U.S. troops in Syria have been attacked almost 100 times since October 2023. I know some of those troops in Syria. Naval sailors and aviators engage in targeted strikes while patrolling the waters of the Red Sea.

We are at war.



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

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


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Military Devotion – The Chain of Command Begins and Ends with Jesus – January 26, 2024

Military Devotion – The Chain of Command Begins and Ends with Jesus – January 26, 2024




Based on Mark 1:21-28

If you had an issue or a problem in your company, flotilla, brigade, platoon, would you take it straight to the Commander in Chief? No. That would be improper protocol.

But with Jesus, you may go straight up the chain of command and speak directly to the Commander in Chief, because he is Jesus, your Savior.



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

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


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Military Devotion – Your Calling: Part 2 – January 19, 2024

Military Devotion – Your Calling: Part 2 – January 19, 2024




Based on 2 Corinthians 5:14

You are called to be saved, and because you are called to be saved, the King calls you to be his ambassador, to speak for him and to live for him. How do you live that way? What might that look like in your life?



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

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


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Military Devotion – Your Calling – January 12, 2024

Military Devotion – Your Calling – January 12, 2024




Based on 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

“I am called. I am saved, because God told me so.”



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

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


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Military Devotion – A New Year Means There is Time for Everything – January 5, 2024

Military Devotion – A New Year Means There is Time for Everything – January 5, 2024




Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill
and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time
to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent
and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.



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

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


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Christmas Peace – December 29, 2023

Christmas Peace – December 29, 2023




Based on Luke 2:1-20

What is your favorite Christmas song? That might be hard to lock down, because for some of you, you might not have one, in fact, by this time in late December you might be sick of the endless Christmas jingles on TV, in the store, at the mall, at your parent’s house where they’ve been playing Christmas tunes since Thanksgiving. On the other hand, you might that individual who has kept the Christmas playlist going since Thanksgiving. What’s your favorite Christmas song?



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

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


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Rejoice, O Favored Ones! – December 22, 2023

Rejoice, O Favored Ones! – December 22, 2023




Based on Luke 1:26-38

There are conversations you remember, conversations that changed your life.



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

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


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Freedom for the Captives – December 15, 2023

Freedom for the Captives – December 15, 2023




Based on Isaiah 61:1-2

“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to comfort all who mourn and provide for those who grieve.”



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

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


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Prepared for Everything – December 8, 2023

Prepared for Everything – December 8, 2023




Based on 2 Peter 3:8

How do you prepare for something that hasn’t happened, but you have been told that it will happen eventually? Your military training prepares you for those moments in whatever MOS or position of leadership you find yourself. In the same way, Jesus prepares us for the most significant event in life by telling us exactly what will happen and how he plans to get us through it.



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

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


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Save Us – December 1, 2023

Save Us – December 1, 2023




Based on Mark 11:1-10

To whom do you look for rescue when situations in life become difficult? Our King, Jesus, gives us every reason to blurt out a confident “Hosanna!” in any and every situation of life.



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

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


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On the Edge of Nevermore – November 24, 2023

On the Edge of Nevermore – November 24, 2023


Remember your Creator
before the silver cord is snapped,
and the golden bowl is broken,
before the jar is shattered by the spring,
and the waterwheel is broken by the well,
and the dust goes back into the ground—just as it was before,
and the spirit goes back to God who gave it.
Ecclesiastes 12:6,7




Military Devotion – November 24, 2023

Devotion based on Ecclesiastes 12:6,7

See series: Military Devotions

Life is lived on the edge of time. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is not here. We cannot go back in time to relive even a moment. We cannot jump ahead for even a second. We live only from breath to breath—until we breathe no more.

An old song tells the story of a life being counted down. It begins, “My grandfather’s clock was too large for the shelf, so it sat ninety years on the floor.” It ends,

“Ninety years without slumbering
His life seconds numbering
It stopped short, never to go again
When the old man died.”

For him, time stopped, never to go again. Everything he had done, everything he had planned, everything he held in his grasp—nevermore!

He had lived his entire life from one tick of the clock to another. When he was young, he probably gave no thought to the possibility he might not live to the next tick of time. Hopefully, that changed. Hopefully, he heeded the words of King Solomon.

If only he remembered his Creator before he stepped across the threshold of nevermore!

Grandfather clocks were not part of life in Solomon’s day, so he used other illustrations. Each one pictured the sudden loss of something special. In each case, something is broken and cannot be repaired.

Nevermore can it be used.

A silver chord is snapped. A golden bowl is broken. A jar to hold water is shattered. And a wheel to bring up water from a well no longer works.

That which was treasured, that which was important, that which was needed in life is no more. They are gone from life.

And then, one day life is gone.

As important as we humans are, as much as we might accomplish in life, as much as we might claim as our own, in the end, we have nothing and are nothing but dust.

The Creator told the first human the blunt truth. “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19).

The descendants of Adam need to remember that. We need to remember we are the creation of the holy, almighty God. We need to remember that our sin has condemned us to death. Our bodies will return to dirt.

But that is not the end of our life.

There is a life after this life. We need to remember that.

We need to remember that we will face our Creator. He is the one who decrees how long we will live on this earth. He is the one who issues the command “Nevermore!” to all that is part of this life.

But we also need to remember that he has announced death has been conquered for us. The psalmist shouts out, “I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done” (Psalm 118:17). How can he say that?

He can say that, and so can we, because that is what the Creator and Savior God has said. Jesus has declared, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25).

This changes things!

We need not worry about the clock of our life coming to a stop. We need not be concerned that everything in this earthly life will pass away. We need not fear when our soul separates from our body.

Nevermore will we need the essentials and joys of this present existence. We can be glad to get rid of all the trappings of this life. We can say, “Good riddance!” We don’t need them.

The best that we have found in this life does not compare with that which awaits the heirs of glory.

Listen to this assurance of faith. “Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11 KJV).

Forget nevermore.

We live on the edge of a glorious evermore!



Prayer:
Eternal Father, strong to save, remind us of the shortness of this earthly life. Remind us of your victory over death. Remind us again and again that fullness of joy awaits your people for evermore. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • Why do we live as if time will go on forever?
  • Why do we believe that the good life is one filled with things that will pass away?
  • Why do we so easily forget that for God’s people death has been changed into the door to life for evermore?


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

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


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The Help of the Hopeless – November 17, 2023

The Help of the Hopeless – November 17, 2023


“Do not let Hezekiah mislead you when he says, ‘The LORD will deliver us.’ Has the god of any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they rescued Samaria from my hand? Who of all the gods of these countries has been able to save his land from me? How then can the LORD deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”
Isaiah 36:18-20




Military Devotion – November 17, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 36:18-20

See series: Military Devotions

Sometimes it seems there is no hope because it seems there is no help.

It might be a violent storm. It might be a vicious disease. Or, as it once was for Israel, it could be an overpowering enemy. Whatever form it may take, desperate situations call for desperate help.

It is then terrifying to realize the help may not be there.

The list of seemingly unstoppable armies that appear on the pages of history is a long one. Napoleon led one of those. So did a fellow by the name of Hannibal, with his elephants. Likewise, a Rommel, with his tanks. But the name that struck terror into the hearts of Israelites at the time of King Hezekiah was an Assyrian named, Sennacherib.

A later poet described his style of waging war with the words, “The Assyrian came down like a wolf on a fold.”

They came down from modern Syria and overran everything. Destruction, pain, and death followed. “Unstoppable” was the word that seemed to fit best.

When they came to the edge of Jerusalem, Sennacherib sent a field commander to demand the surrender of the city. He pointed out the situation was hopeless because the Israelites were helpless—just like many cities before them.

It was not an empty boast. City after city had already fallen before this superpower. Jerusalem knew this. The ten northern tribes of Israel had been overpowered, with many casualties. Survivors had been rounded up and marched into captivity. So thorough was the defeat of those ten tribes that they vanished without a trace. They became the famous lost tribes of Israel.

Only Judah and little Benjamin were left.

Sennacherib knew the Israelites well enough to realize they would not be counting on an ally to deliver them, nor would they boast of the strength of their army. Israel’s final answer would be, “Our help is in the name of the Lord!” It was a matter of faith in their God.

So, he attacked their God.

This was a sound military strategy. The chances for victory or defeat are not determined only by weaponry or leadership. Morale is a major factor. High morale has given victory to small numbers with limited resources. Low morale invites desertion and surrender.

Those who believe they have no help often have no hope. Crush morale and you do not have to risk defeat.

Sennacherib was not the only one to know this.

Karl Marx, the father of Communism, once famously remarked, “Religion is the opium of the people.” He meant it offered people a false sense of security and well-being.

We would object to that! Our religion does not do that. Our faith is built upon the Rock of ages. How could Karl Marx think that way? After all, he grew up in the land of the Reformation. Germany boasted it was Martin Luther’s homeland. Statues of him dotted the landscape. How could Karl Marx say religion offered a false sense of security?

Because it can be true. Sadly, this is true of all false religions.

The religions of the people of Arpad and Hamath offered empty promises. Idols have no power. Man-made religion is fake religion. Those who placed their hope in these so-called gods were left helpless.

Would it not be the same for those who placed their hope in the LORD? Sennacherib was sure of it.

Hezekiah did not believe that. History does not reveal that. Instead, we learn:
“Then the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men 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” (Isaiah 37:36).

The Assyrians could have come with a million troops. They could have brought armored tanks onto that ancient battlefield. It still would not have done them any good.

The angel of the Lord isn’t afraid of human weapons. Nuclear bombs cannot stop him. The protector of Israel was the Lord God Almighty. Almighty is a limitless word.

The gates of hell could not withstand him. The grip of death could not hold him.

The situation of Israel was not hopeless because she was not helpless. She sang out, “Our help is in the name of the Lord.” And it was.

So is ours.

We are not hopeless. We are not helpless.

The Lord of hosts is with us! The God of Jacob is our refuge.



Prayer:
Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever and love me, I pray.” Amen.
(from Christian Worship 340:3)



Points to ponder:

  • Is not the God of our fathers the Lord of our far-flung battle line—lest we forget?
  • Must we not pray, “Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet—lest we forget”?
  • Must we not pray, “Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet. Lest we forget—lest we forget!”?


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

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


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The Last Jump – November 10, 2023

The Last Jump – November 10, 2023


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




Military Devotion – November 10, 2023

Devotion based on John 14:2,3

See series: Military Devotions

“The Lord willing and Jesus tarries, I hope to see you all at the next reunion. If not, I’ll see you at the last jump. I know you will not freeze at the door.”

These are the words of Sgt. Skinny Sisk, a veteran of Easy Company, to his Band of Brothers. Years after WWII, the thoughts of these warriors sometimes went back to parachuting into danger. But as their numbers decreased, they thought more about what they called, the last jump.

We understand why they would use that phrase to describe dying. Like jumping out of an airplane into the dark night, those at the door of death cannot see what is out there. The leap from earthly life can be frightening. If it were an option, many would refuse.

It isn’t an option—unless Jesus returns with saints and angels before then. That’s what the sergeant was referring to with the words, “The Lord willing and Jesus tarries.” To tarry is to wait a while longer.

All of us have to expect that the end of the world will not take place before it is our time to leave this world.

The old rule of the paratroopers was, “Put your hands outside the doorframe before you jump!” A frightened soldier bracing himself against the inside of the doorframe was not easily removed. With hands outside, only a nudge would send him on his way.

A refusal to jump brought shame and often dismissal. The Band of Brothers shouted encouragement to one another before each jump. Sgt. Sisk was now doing it before their “last jump.”

We understand why. After the war, he went through a hard transition to civilian life. He told his former commanding officer that his new career became an attempt to drink away the truckload of the enemy that he killed in Holland.

The drinking did not succeed. But his little niece did. He said, “She told me Jesus loved me and she loved me. God would forgive me for all the men I kept trying to kill all over again.”

Four years after the war, the soldier became an ordained minister. His new career was to offer to others the forgiveness that Jesus paid for; and to remove the fear of that last jump.

By faith in Jesus as his Savior, this member of the Band of Brothers became our brother. His words—“I’ll see you at the last jump. I know you will not freeze at the door.”—mean something to us.

We expect to see him in heaven. We know, like him, we need not fear death.

There is a difference between leaving an aircraft and leaving the world we have been living in. Our departure from this life is not a jump into the dark unknown. Jesus has already described the landing zone. Peace, safety, and joy—all that is waiting for us.

Sorrow, pain, and fear—none of that will be there.

“I am going there to prepare a place for you,” Jesus announced before he left for heaven.

Who better to prepare an LZ?

We note that when Jesus left this earth he did not jump down and out but was lifted up and away. So will we. From earth, up to glory!

Yet, the thought of that jump may still frighten us at times. Much remains unknown. We might wonder how we will react.

Let the fear be gone! Jesus is not just going to command us to jump. He is not telling us, “I’ll see you on the other side.” He says, “I will come back to take you with me.”

When the door opens for us to leave this life, we will see the smiling face of Jesus—our brother.

And we will smile.

“I know that you will not freeze at the door.”

Thanks for your encouragement, Sgt. Sisk!



Prayer:
Jesus, the idea of dying tends to frighten us. We have been trained in your Word and disciplined in life. But we must admit that at times we wish we did not need to leave the universe we have always lived in. We know it is not perfect here, but it is familiar. Keep reminding us that heaven is our true home. Assure us again that there we will find peace and joy beyond our imagination. Keep inviting us to follow you. Keep assuring us that you will always be with us—especially when we stand at the door stepping into life eternal. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • When we travel to new places now, we might call the trips “adventures.” Is the trip to heaven not an adventure?
  • Like jumping out of an airplane, is the thought of death scary at times because we are not sure we will land safely?
  • Aren’t the arms of Jesus better than any parachute?


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

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


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Terrible Terror – November 3, 2023

Terrible Terror – November 3, 2023


We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there was only terror.
Jeremiah 8:15




Military Devotion – November 3, 2023

Devotion based on Jeremiah 8:15

See series: Military Devotions

The Greatest Generation did not hear the word “terrorist” very often. They did, however, become acquainted with terror. Every generation has.

Even during the times when a nation was at peace, such as Israel during the reign of Solomon, individual people still faced terror.

Terror has many faces. It can show itself in many places. It may threaten us with a bomb or a cancer cell. However, when we use the word “terrorist” today, we are most likely thinking of a person who intends to do grave harm to others. Whatever form terror takes, living with it is terrible.

But no terror is as terrible as the terror that the omnipotent God brings upon a people.

Jeremiah is labeled, “The Weeping Prophet.” A book of the Bible is called, “The Lamentations of Jeremiah.” He had much to lament. The Lord revealed to him the terrible times he would bring to his people, Israel.

The Lord warned many would fall before an invading enemy: “They will not be gathered up or buried, but will be like refuse lying on the ground.” There would be survivors, but many would be taken as prisoners to a foreign land: “Wherever I banish them, all the survivors of this evil nation will prefer death to life, declares the LORD Almighty” (Jeremiah 8:2).

When people wish they were dead, their lives are terrible.

Thus, the lament: “We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there was only terror.”

No hope for peace. No time to heal. Only terror. That’s a terrible time.

We need to understand why this happened. We need to ask if this could happen to our nation—to us.

It could.

Let’s take look at ancient Israel. The Lord had showered his blessings upon those people. With an abundance of crops and strong defense, other nations looked upon Israel with envy. The greatest blessing was the presence of the Word of God in its midst.

His Law mirrored his will. His promises brightened their future. The history of Israel was a record of his powerful faithfulness. They were living in the land “flowing with milk and honey.”

What went wrong?

The people. The people went wrong.

They turned away from his paths; discarded his Word; and came up with their own answers for the meaning of life, and their own sources of joy in life.

They rejected the Lord—and then, he rejected them.

Terrible!

But there was hope. Through the same prophet, Jeremiah, the Lord God told them, “I am with you and will save you, declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 30:11).

Then he added: “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:34).

Almost unbelievable, isn’t it? Did he really do this for Israel of old? He did.

Would he make such forgiveness possible for us? Jesus did.

There are times in the lives of people and nations when it seems the sun is shining. Those are the days of hope and confidence.

Sometimes, overconfidence. Sometimes, false confidence.

It’s when the sky turns dark and thunder roars that we are more inclined to realize how vulnerable we are. How helpless we stand before powers that can destroy.

The holy God is one such power. He laughs at those who threaten him. He weeps for those who reject him.

We must stand in amazement to see how he used that awesome power, not to crush us, but to destroy the terrible death grip of sin.

We win! We live!

And prayers of thanksgiving fly up to our Savior.

The Lord God? He is the answer to all that is terrible.



Prayer:
Holy and merciful God, you are our guard and our friend. We know the times are perilous. We admit our failures, our sins. But with Israel of old, we look to you for forgiveness. Keep us from all things terrible. Deliver us from all evil. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • Does it seem that the world has become more dangerous? Isn’t that what Jesus told us to expect?
  • Does it seem that our nation has taken a sharp turn away from God? What might lead us to that conclusion?
  • What convinces us that the Creator and Savior God is in control?


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

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


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The Good That I Would – October 27, 2023

The Good That I Would – October 27, 2023


For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Romans 7:19 (KJV)




Military Devotion – October 27, 2023

Devotion based on Romans 7:19 (KJV)

See series: Military Devotions

An old saying declares, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” That might infer that actually following through on those good intentions could lead a person to heaven. In 1517, it surely did mean that to most people.

The idea that someone could earn the way to heaven by doing good works was firmly entrenched in the minds of most people at that time. It is the natural religion of mankind.

The Reformation brought back the good news that salvation is a free gift from God, paid for with the blood of Christ. That’s what the apostle Paul had preached and believed. But that did not mean he was not bothered by good intentions gone astray.

Sin is obvious to the person who compares his life to what God expects. The child of God laments the black marks against his record. He knows the sin is paid for, but he is also aware that it is dangerous. It can lead him away from his Savior. And sin is shameful. To be a follower of the Savior is to reject the works of Satan.

Sin is something to fight against.

But the battle is not only against the powers of darkness and the pressure of a sinful world. The enemy is not just out there; it is in here—inside the perimeter of our personal lives.

The enemy is inside the wire!

No wonder the apostle Paul was concerned.

He was disgusted with himself. He knew what the right thing, the good thing, was. He wanted to do it. But time and again, he had to admit, “The good that I would [do], I don’t do.”

That’s only half of the sad story. Not only was good left undone, but evil was carried out: “The evil I don’t want to do is what I end up doing.”

In anguish, he called out, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24).

Wretched, indeed!

How else does one describe the person who knows that his saving God, his loving God paid such a high price to free him from slavery to sin—and yet he keeps going back to sin?

Does he not know the danger? Does he not appreciate the rescue? Does he not want to remain a child of the heavenly Father?

He does know. He does appreciate it. He does love his Savior God. But the enemy inside the wire is smart and strong.

“Who can deliver me?” the apostle asked. Then went on to say: “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25).

There’s the answer! Jesus is the answer! Satan may tempt. Sin may control. But only for a while. And not in the end.

Looking at the final verdict, Saint Paul could say: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

We join him with those words. We, too, confess: “The good that I would, I do not…”

But there is more to say. We want to make that very clear.

“The good that I would but did not—that, Jesus did for me.”

The road to hell is closed to those following Jesus.

The road to heaven is paved with the perfection of the Savior God.

And that is the road upon which we are walking.



Prayer:
Jesus, you did it all for us. You continue to lead the way to heaven. We know we are weak. We admit that we stumble and fall at times. Pick us up when that happens. Give us the courage and strength we need to continue our spiritual fight. Lead us by your hand to our Fatherland. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • Why is it so hard to admit that we often fall short of our Father’s expectations?
  • Why is it so easy at times to believe Satan’s lie that our sins are too many to forgive?
  • Why is it so comforting to know that the road to hell is closed to those who claim the payment Jesus made for their sins?


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

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


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Summer has Ended – October 20, 2023

Summer has Ended – October 20, 2023


The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved.
Jeremiah 8:20




Military Devotion – October 20, 2023

Devotion based on Jeremiah 8:20

See series: Military Devotions

“Autumn leaves are now falling, red and yellow and brown.
Autumn leaves are now falling, see them tumbling down.”

With young schoolmates in Wisconsin, I used to sing this song about this time of year. The change of seasons cannot be missed in that part of the country. The falling leaves are a sure sign that summer has ended.

Those who cried out the words that Jeremiah here records had also seen the sure signs of the end of summer—and it frightened them.

They weren’t worrying about the coming of freezing temperatures and drifting snow. Their dread centered on the judgment of the Lord God.

They had thought they did not need him. They had grown confident in their own ability to face what life would throw at them. Besides, they had strong allies. But now destruction was galloping toward them on horseback. Vicious enemies had overrun their cities.

Now those people call out: “Why are we sitting here? Gather together! Let us flee to the fortified cities and perish there! For the LORD our God has doomed us to perish.” (Jeremiah 8:14).

More than one person and more than one nation have decided that the Holy One in heaven can be relegated to the sidelines. His warnings go unheeded. His invitations go unanswered. He is ignored.

It will not be left that way. Those people are facing dooming judgment.

Punishment inflicted by a fierce enemy has often been the response that the Lord chooses. Destruction, decimation, and death surge over those who reject him.

So it was with ancient Israel. It was painful to watch. We read the cry from the lips of Jeremiah, “Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for the slain of my people” (Jeremiah 9:1).

But what good does that do? Tears for the fallen come too late. Hope applies only to the living. Thank God, some did survive in Israel. It is they who lament, “The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved.” The cry of desperation begs for an answer. They have learned one lesson. They are helpless and hopeless without the Lord God.

Another lesson must be taught to them. The God of Israel is the hope of the hopeless. He will not reject those who call upon him for help.

All mankind needs to learn these lessons. The entire human race is facing the swift march of time. An entire lifetime may seem to pass as quickly as a child’s summer vacation. Tragic are those who look back at the end of the summer of their life and must lament, “and we are not saved.”

Jeremiah learned the lessons. He calls out: “Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise” (Jeremiah 17:14).

It is a lesson we all need to learn—before our summer ends.

It is a lesson to be learned—before the world’s summer ends.

It’s a lesson our Lord calls us to teach to others.

Those cries for help, those words of lament and fear as the reality of life and death and God sinks in—those words are called out even today. We have heard them. They come from corners of the world foreign to us, maybe even dangerous to us, but they are meant for us.

Sometimes we are surprised at where those cries for spiritual help come from. We have fought battles against some of the countries where these people live. We remember the attack on Pearl Harbor. We remember the fall of Saigon. We mark the graves of Americans who have died at the hands of those people. We remember the chants of “Death to America!”

But we also cannot forget the words of our Savior. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19,20).

We can’t do this? It’s too expensive? It’s too dangerous? “There is nothing I can do?”

He said, “Surely I am with you!” Isn’t that enough? Didn’t he die for those who are still living without him? Hasn’t he commanded us to spread that news of salvation?

Through the words of those asking for the gospel, we hear the Savior calling us to action. I hear the Savior calling! Today, we hear the Savior calling!

Don’t we?



Prayer:
Holy, Triune God, the swift passing of the seasons testifies that our days are numbered, and our time is short. We have no time to look for another Savior because there is only one. You have shown him to us. His name is Jesus. In his name, we call to you for the healing of spirit and rescue of life for us and everyone. Empower us to bring that message to others. We hear the Savior calling. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • The swift passing of time reminds us of the shortness of time allotted to us. Doesn’t it?
  • The search for answers to life and death opens the door for mission work. Doesn’t it?
  • In Jesus, we have the answers to the questions that plague others. Don’t we?


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

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


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Still Waters – October 13, 2023

Still Waters – October 13, 2023


He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul.
Psalm 23:2,3




Military Devotion – October 13, 2023

Devotion based on Psalm 23:2,3

See series: Military Devotions

My first congregation was at Norfolk, Virginia. That fall, a naval officer invited me to come aboard his ship for a meal with his captain and fellow officers. I felt honored.

But before the meal ended, someone came in to speak to the captain. When he left, the captain stood up and said, “Gentlemen.” Then left. Quickly, everyone else was gone (and I still hadn’t eaten my dessert).

When I asked my member, “What’s happening?” He answered with one word. “Hurricane.”

The fleet was heading out to sea. Why? To escape the path of the hurricane, he explained. Then he added, “Sometimes, the sea gets angry.”

Growing up near Green Bay, I knew the word, hurricane. But I had never felt the fury of such a storm. I had never seen raging waves. Now I have. Now I know why people lying in the path of such a storm become stressed.

Now, I have seen both angry seas and storm-tossed lives. The rhyme I learned as a second grader no longer fits well into my picture of life. We sang, “Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.”

Each of us probably has felt differently about that song at different times in our lives. Our reactions may have run from, “Yes!” to “Nonsense!”

Youth often crave excitement and adventure. If life can be pictured as floating on water, the young and inexperienced want waves tossing the boat and wind stinging the face. A raging river is preferred. Anything else seems boring. Life seems indestructible.

Maturity takes a different approach. Storms are to be avoided. Maturity has seen the destruction that the course of life can bring. It has felt the pain and counted the loss. Raging waters are not wanted. Better now to float gently down life’s stream. Life is fragile.

Each person’s life floats on its own riverbed. Some rivers are straight and smooth. Others have sharp bends and dangerous waterfalls. Those who have lived for quite a while seldom have floated only on the straight and smooth stretches of life. Many of them look back in amazement that they survived the rapids. They have seen the wrecks of other lives littering the shoreline. They have no desire to end up as flotsam.

They look for the still waters.

Going through rough times takes something out of a person. Stress and strain take their toll. The person who survives the whitewater of life often comes out on the other side winded and weak. He needs to catch his breath. He needs to clear his head.

He needs to restore his soul.

The Good Shepherd knows this. The Good Shepherd offers this. He repaints the picture.

Maturity may have a different view of life, but it does not control life. Plans and objectives will no longer be handed down through the chain of command once we return to civilian life. But whether we are on active duty or living as a civilian, there still is a Commander who does give orders and does have expectations.

He is there to lead, and we are here to follow.

There is a reason why Jesus calls himself a shepherd instead of a general. His eyes are focused not on completing a mission no matter what the cost, but upon his people, who have already cost him his life.

This famous psalm pictures the Christian, not floating on a river, but walking on solid ground, following the Savior to green pastures and still waters. It is a precious portrait.

The life of a warrior doesn’t seem to fit well into this picture. Even if war is already in the rearview mirror, the roar of battle may still echo in the mind. The blood-soaked bandages may still sit in the memory of the eyes. And the heart pierced by the loss of battle buddies may still show the holes.

Yet the Christian warrior, young or old, does belong in this pastoral setting. This is where the Lord has led him. This is now his home base.

The great war is over for those in service to Christ. The Prince of Peace reigns, leads, and protects as they walk the path toward glory. Angels guard the perimeter.

Only one major landing is left. The pounding of the surf onto the final shore may be frightening. But its threat is an illusion. The first step ashore will reveal, not another field of battle, but green pastures with still waters—and a soul at perfect peace.

We will know we are safe at home.



Prayer:
God of grace and glory, you have watched over us all life long. You saw dangers where we saw only fun. You steered us away from threats we never saw. You saw the goodness in that which seemed bad to us. You have led us to this day and this place. Keep us in your care. Feed us with heavenly food. Bring us home. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • Why might it not be wrong to seek adventure and excitement in life?
  • Why might it not be wrong to seriously seek peace and safety in life?
  • Why is the account of Jesus stilling the storm with the words to wind and waves, “Quiet! Be still!” so meaningful even if we are not near water?


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

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


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The Promise Keeper – October 6, 2023

The Promise Keeper – October 6, 2023


Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
Genesis 9:14,15




Military Devotion – October 6, 2023

Devotion based on Genesis 9:14,15

See series: Military Devotions

About the Lord God? He is as good as his word. And his word is truth. That is why whatever he says, be it about the past, present, or the future, is to be accepted as a certainty.

This is vitally important. Our very existence depends upon it. Our lives are in the hands of the Promise Keeper. We are at his mercy.

Good thing, mercy is what he promises us.

There is an old saying, “Promises are made to be broken.” We have learned there is some truth to that. Sometimes circumstances beyond human control prevent promises from being kept. But sometimes the promise-makers simply change their minds.

That’s why we can’t count on every promise. Unless! Unless it is made by the Lord God.

One of his greatest promises was to send someone to crush the rule of death and the devil and rescue humanity from the horrendous pit of deserved justice. The Holy One not only offered a chance of rescue, but he also guaranteed it would be for all people.

Adam and Eve heard that promise, but they did not see it fulfilled. Moses, Abraham, Joseph, and Daniel knew of the promise but did not see it fulfilled. For thousands of years, people waited for this rescue. More than one of them asked, “When is it coming? Why the delay?”

The questions are answered in the New Testament with the famous words “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.” That’s the beginning of the story of how the Lord God kept his promise to bring the light of life to a world living in spiritual darkness.

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). This the Son of God announced to the world.

Those who first heard and believed this were then shocked to see that the one who said he would bring life ended up dying.

Surely, they may have felt, their hope of eternal life died with him.

He was placed into a tomb. Some of his followers witnessed that.

He, who had promised life, had died. What else can be said?

The answer is with the words: “He is not here. He is risen!”

That’s what angels said. And holy angels do not lie.

But you and I were not there. We didn’t hear the angels speak. We did not see the resurrected Jesus walking and talking—then ascending on high. We have to take the Bible’s word for it. But that’s all right. After all, it is God the Holy Spirit speaking through those words. His words are true. Indeed, they are truth, itself.

But would it not be nice if one time we could see with our own eyes that the Holy One truly keeps his promises?

We can. We have. We have seen rainbows.

We are told that’s a simple law of nature at work as light rays are refracted. But who created that light? Who made the laws that nature follows? Is it not the same one who created weather? Who brings clouds and rain? If he did not will it, there would be no rain, no light, no refraction—and no rainbow.

“Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.”

That’s what he said. That’s what he promised. And that is what he has done—and keeps on doing.

We need build no arks. We need gather no animals into an ark. We need not fear that the waters will keep rising until the tops of mountains are covered.

Do we think such a flood would be impossible? So did a world of people in Noah’s day.

They may have laughed at him over the 120 years that he warned and he prepared. But he had heard the Lord promise disaster. “I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish” (Genesis 6:7). Then came that flood. Promise kept!

Noah had also heard the Lord say he was making a covenant with him and his family. The Lord promised them life.

They did live. Every living thing on that ark survived.

Promise kept.

He also promised to never again send a universal flood. What happened? Promise kept!

So, consider this promise. “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed” (1 Cor.15:51).

That’s not something to be doubted. The Lord has promised this. We must believe him.

He is the Promise Keeper.



Prayer:
Creator and Savior God, great is your power, fearful are your judgments, and certain are your promises. Cement our faith to your Word so nothing can separate us from you. Use us to bring the light of your faithful love to many others. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • What does Noah’s flood teach us about the Lord our God?
  • Is it possible that some of the people who drowned came to faith after the flood started?
  • Do events of nature, like rainfall, just follow natural laws, or are they carefully controlled by the Lord of the universe? Or is it both?


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

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


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Cross Before Crown – September 29, 2023

Cross Before Crown – September 29, 2023


Dear friends, do not be surprised by the fiery trial that is happening among you to test you, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead rejoice whenever you are sharing in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
1 Peter 4:12,13 (EHV)




Military Devotion – September 29, 2023

Devotion based on 1 Peter 4:12,13 (EHV)

See series: Military Devotions

A prison chaplain was heard to tell inmates, “When the praises go up, the blessings come down.” To many, “blessings” mean good things happening in life.

It only makes sense to expect that a child of a rich and powerful parent will receive privileged treatment. This is certainly true if the child is greatly loved by the parent.

So, it should not be surprising to learn that some children of the heavenly Father expect to live a privileged life. When it doesn’t look like that is happening, they quickly question if the love of their Father is real. Or maybe, they have done something wrong and are being punished.

This is a common misunderstanding about the love of God for his people and how he cares for them as they live their lives on earth.

The apostle Peter was writing to people who were not experiencing what most would consider a privileged life. Just the opposite! They were undergoing severe suffering simply because they were God’s people.

History tells us of these days under the Roman emperor Nero. He blamed Christians for starting a massive fire that raged for nine days and destroyed 71% of the city of Rome.

There is evidence that he sent his own men to start the fire so that the city could be rebuilt to reflect his glorious image.

This started the first great persecution of Christians and reached all regions of the Roman Empire. Christians were hunted down, imprisoned, and often tortured and executed.

Reports came out that Nero had Christians dipped in tar, tied to posts along the road, and then lit on fire so he could drive his chariot down a lighted road at night.

Talk about fiery trials!

Those people had to wonder why their saving God was allowing this to happen. If he was the almighty One, and if he truly loved them, he surely would not allow something like this. Would he?

By inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the apostle Peter tells them, “Yes!”—and it should not surprise them.

Nor should the trials and troubles in life surprise us. We might say, that’s what we signed up for when we accepted his invitation to follow him. Didn’t he make that clear when he said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)?

He did not say, “Pick up your basket of good times and easy life and follow me.” Just the opposite. “Pick up your cross” should tell us what to expect.

Even the most eager military recruiter would not promise a life of ease if a person signed up. There is such a thing as boot camp or basic training. There will be challenges. Both muscles and resolve will be tested. The end result? A better you. A person better able to face and overcome the threats that war will bring.

So it is in the army of Christ.

In fact, it is more than that. When we suffer for being followers of Jesus, as the first readers of Peter’s words did, we are actually sharing in the suffering of Christ.

That puts our trials and troubles in a completely different light. This results in getting something much better than a purple heart. This leads to a level of glory that we cannot even imagine now.

This puts us in the company of the heavenly angels. This enables us to one day bask in the glory of God.

Three disciples had a close encounter with that glory when they saw Jesus change his appearance on the Mount of Transfiguration. It was an awesome sight. Peter said, “Lord, it is good for us to be here” (Matthew 17:4). He wanted to preserve the moment.

Later, John wrote, “We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Jesus has promised, “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).

First the cross. Then, the crown!



Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you suffered for our sake, and we praise you for that. You tell us to expect trouble in our life because we belong to you, and we thank you for that warning. Give us power from on high when we are faced with trials so that we might overcome and win the victory. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • What good can God be doing by having us endure trials in life?
  • Should we expect that our lives may actually be threatened because of our faith?
  • What would we tell the Christian who sees troubles as God’s punishment?


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

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


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God Under Attack – September 22, 2023

God Under Attack – September 22, 2023


How long will the enemy mock you, O God? Will the foe revile your name forever? Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!
Psalm 74:10,11




Military Devotion – September 22, 2023

Devotion based on Psalm 74:10,11

See series: Military Devotions

In the end, the attacks against God’s church are not so much aimed at us as they are at him. We are not the greatest enemy against the powers of darkness. He is.

This has always been the case. The invasion of Israel by the Babylonians and the destruction of the temple reveal this.

It’s difficult for us to grasp the horror of that invasion. We would need to imagine America being overrun by an enemy that threw out all our laws, dragged vast numbers of citizens away as captives, and settled its own people into our war-torn communities.

Then it destroyed our places of worship to wipe out any trace of our religion!

The psalmist described what the invading Babylonians did to Solomon’s temple. “Your foes roared in the place where you met with us;” he told the LORD, “They set up their standards as signs. They behaved like men wielding axes to cut through a thicket of trees. They smashed all the carved paneling with their axes and hatchets” (vs.4-6).

In shock, he reported to the LORD in whose name the temple had been dedicated, “They burned your sanctuary to the ground, they defiled the dwelling place of your Name. They said in their hearts, ‘We will crush them completely!’ They burned every place where God was worshiped in the land.”

It seemed like the LORD had abandoned his people. “We are given no miraculous signs,” the psalmist laments. “No prophets are left, and none of us knows how long this will be” (vs. 7-9).

What are the people of God to think when they see him under attack—and he does not fight back? Has he lost his power? Does he no longer care if his name is defiled, and his people destroyed?

Did he not declare “I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols” (Isaiah 42:8).

So, the question arises in the psalm “How long will the enemy mock you, O God? Will the foe revile your name forever?” (v. 10)

It isn’t that the LORD is helpless. The psalmist knows better. So, his question now is, “Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?”

He begs the LORD, “Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!” (v.11).

To a certain degree, we may know how he felt. When we see his people victimized and his name ridiculed, we wonder why he lets that happen. It seems as if he is standing with his hands in his pockets while evil triumphs.

Like the psalmist, we acknowledge him as our King and the bringer of salvation. Like the psalmist, we must say to him, “The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon. It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter.”

Since that is true, since he is almighty, why doesn’t he show it?

We know he is Lord of all. We know that to reject him, much less defy him, brings horrendous consequences. In Psalm 2, we are told of his reaction to human threats. “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath.”

But he picks the time to act. He decides what his action will be. For besieged Israel, the day would come when the excited messenger would report, “Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground!” (Isaiah 21:9)

The day came when the LORD took his hand out of his pocket and overthrew the haughty Babylonian empire overnight.

Always, he is in control. Never does anything escape his notice. Never is his love to be doubted. Always is his faithfulness our shield.

Hasn’t he proven that with our rescue from death and damnation by the death of his Son?

And what happens to his people while they wait for him to deliver from evil? It is written: “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

Let us be among those who, in faith and hope, wait on the LORD to act in loving justice.

He surely will.

Just wait and see.



Prayer:
Eternal Father, strong to save, to you we commit ourselves and the world in which we live. Overlook our impatience when we question your decisions. Remind us that not only are your actions just, but you also strive to allow people time to turn to you in faith. You want none to perish. But neither will your kingdom perish. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • Why do we assume we are the focus of attacks when God is the primary target?
  • What good might God accomplish by delaying the judgment of his enemies?
  • What does the fall of empires teach us about human history?


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

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


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God is Greater – September 15, 2023

God is Greater – September 15, 2023


If our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
1 John 3:20




Military Devotion – September 15, 2023

Devotion based on 1 John 3:20

See series: Military Devotions

Sometimes, the easiest person to lie to is ourselves.

Too often we convince ourselves to believe things that deep down we know are not true. Usually, this is to escape facing truths that are unpleasant. We may decide we really don’t need to keep that dentist’s appointment. Or, an extra helping of ice cream doesn’t matter. And it won’t hurt to forget about exercising.

It’s just as easy to overlook our faults and minimize the seriousness of our failures. “Everybody does it!” “No one will notice!” “So what?”

With these excuses, we can try to justify everything from littering to stealing. There is hardly a limit to the lies we will tell ourselves to avoid guilty feelings.

But deep inside of us, there is a voice that calls out, “Liar!” We call that our conscience. It’s the law of God written in our hearts. It can be ignored. It can become weakened. But it has been placed there as a blessing.

We might compare it to a nerve in our jaw. If we did not get a toothache, we might never realize there was a problem with our tooth before it was too late.

If our conscience was not there to bother us, we might not know we were defying the law of God before it became too late. We need that warning written in our hearts. It helps us keep from lying to ourselves.

But what if our heart is lying to us?

In this setting, we aren’t talking about the muscle that pumps blood through our physical body. Instead, we are referring to the center and source of our whole inner life with its thinking, feeling, and wanting. We might describe it by saying, “This is who I am!”

The Bible’s first mention of our hearts carries these tragic words. “The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time” (Genesis 6:5).

That’s in contrast to what we learn about our Creator’s heart. “The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain” (v.6).

The pain in his heart was coupled with love so great that he was willing to pay the price to cover the evil in our hearts. When the Holy Spirit worked saving faith within us, he gave us what he had promised. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you” (Ezekiel 36:26).

Yet, on this side of heaven, the evil side of our nature remains with us. We are reminded, “The sinful mind is hostile to God” (Romans 8:6).

What action can be more hostile to God than trying to convince a child of God that he is separated from the love of God?

The warning is clear. Our natural heart, our sinful heart, can lie to us. It can falsely condemn us. The accusation comes from deep inside. It can strip away our joy. It can lead us to despair.

In his epistle, John warns against a fake faith, an empty faith. He tells us, “This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother” (1 John 3:10).

Those can be frightening words. Could we be a child of the devil instead of a child of God? Are we someone who “does not do what is right”? Of course! We know we sin.

Our heart can condemn us with these words if we let it. But that is not the final word.

Scripture declares, “Our God is greater than our hearts!”

He knows what’s in our souls. “He knows everything.”

That’s what the apostle Peter went back to. Yes, he had boasted that his faith was greater than that of any of the other disciples. Yes, he had claimed that he would die rather than deny Jesus was his Savior God.

And yes! Regarding Jesus, he did tell the servant girl, “I know not the man!” Then backed it up by cursing and swearing it was true.

But afterward, when face-to-face with the risen Jesus, he answered the question “Do you love me?” by saying, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you” (John 21:17).

God is greater than our fears. Greater than our weakness. Greater than an accusing heart. He sees the faith that is in our heart of hearts. His forgiveness is greater than our weakness.

Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me” (John 10:14).

Thus, we can say, “Be still, my soul! The Lord is on thy side!”



Prayer:
Hold me, O Lord, in the hollow of your hand. Cover my doubt always with your love. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • Why do we deny our need for forgiveness when it is offered as a gift?
  • Why are we sometimes more willing to believe a lie than a truth?
  • How has the loving God shown us his greater power?


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

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


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Darkness is My Friend – September 8, 2023

Darkness is My Friend – September 8, 2023


You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend.
Psalm 88:18




Military Devotion – September 8, 2023

Devotion based on Psalm 88:18

See series: Military Devotions

He sat in a chair not ten feet from his little son’s casket. But he would not look up.

People bent over to offer words of sympathy. But he would not look up.

Just days before, his eyes had sparkled as he held the child at a family gathering. Now, the light has gone away from his eyes. Only the darkness of grief was left. It would stay with him for a long time.

Shadows of that darkness were still there on the day he died.

It wasn’t that his faith had died. He still held fast to the promise of everlasting life for himself and the son he had brought to the baptismal font. But he spent the rest of his life as if never quite leaving the valley of the shadow of death.

He returned to work. He returned to the fellowship of friends and family. But he never returned to his old self. Darkness was now his closest friend.

The writer of Psalm 88 could have told him, “I know how you feel.”

Sorrow is often seen on the pages of Scripture. God does not deny that his people feel the depth of sorrow at times. Jesus wept over the death of his friend Lazarus, even as he wept over the people of Jerusalem who had rejected the rescue he offered.

“O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!” (2 Samuel 18:33) Those were the words of King David, grieving for his son.

Sometimes, we see grief mixed with confusion bordering upon anger—anger toward God as the question of “Why?” rings out. The psalmist points to the Lord as the cause of his dark grief. “You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths,” he complains.

He is in dire misery. Listen to his lament. “For my soul is full of trouble and my life draws near the grave.” He felt the Lord had forgotten him—worse, that he was, “cut off from your care” (Psalm 88:3-5). His world had fallen apart.

If we have not experienced such pain of heart, we might question how it could exist in a person who knows death has been conquered, in a soul that clings to the Lord of life while awaiting the day of resurrection.

But Jesus understands. He warned his followers. “I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices.” Then he said, “You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy” (John 16:20).

He never promised our lives would be carefree, never suggested that if only our faith was strong enough, we would live happily ever after—not until it is the ever after.

Psalm 88 is a dark psalm. But it begins with the bright beam of heavenly light, “O LORD, the God who saves me.” This message is repeated and stressed throughout Scripture. In another psalm, we hear from a grieving heart, “Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory” (Psalm 73:23,24).

In still another psalm, it is David who begins by calling out, “Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; listen to my cry”—and ends with this bold statement of confidence, “And I—in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness” (Psalm 17:14).

That’s the way it was for people who turned to the Savior God for endless joy in heaven and blessed assurance on earth. He never failed them. He never will.

He knows how it feels to lose a loved one to death. Scripture points us to the Father and the death of his Son. The hymn calls out, “Oh sorrow dread! God’s Son is dead!” Were there tears in heaven on that Friday? Is that the reason for the strange darkness that fell at midday? Is this not the answer to our pain and sorrow?

Grief need not be despair. Faith can sustain a heavy heart. Tears of sorrow can mix with tears of joy.

Something to remember when we see another one weighed down with grief. Something to recall when the dark clouds of sorrow move into our lives.

With the apostle Paul, we can yet boast, “Death, where is your sting? Grave, where is your victory?” With all the people of God, we can joyfully proclaim, “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

There is a light that penetrates even the deepest darkness. That grieving father who refused to look up now lives in that light. He has joined his precious son in the glory of God’s Son. The small casket is forgotten. Darkness is no longer his companion or friend.

Now, he can look up at his son and his Savior. Now, he would reassure us by declaring “What a friend we have in Jesus!”



Prayer:
Holy and gracious Lord God, keep our eyes fixed upon the glory that was won for us, the treasure that awaits us. Keep us in the grasp of Jesus, Friend of sinners. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • Why does it pain us to lose loved ones to death even though we know they have entered the bliss of heaven?
  • How can darkness invade our lives even if we are a child of the heavenly Father?
  • Why might Jesus have wept over the grave of Lazarus even though he knew Lazarus would walk out of that tomb in just a few minutes?


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

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


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The Fog of War – September 1, 2023

The Fog of War – September 1, 2023


Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
Mark 16:8




Military Devotion – September 1, 2023

Devotion based on Mark 16:8

See series: Military Devotions

We wonder how this could happen. What were they thinking? What was wrong with them?

Hadn’t they heard the angel say that Jesus had risen from the dead? Didn’t they realize that this was Easter—a day that would be greeted with joy by millions for thousands of years?

How could they? They had been knocked in the head by trauma. They were in a state of shock.

Just a week ago they had been part of a joyous parade celebrating the glory of Jesus. They had joined in the hosannas. They had watched their leader and teacher ride into the capital city as if he were a king. Many were expecting he would now set up his throne and rule on earth as the Messiah. The golden age was coming! They were sure of that. It was Sunday.

By Friday, the sense of triumph had turned to terror.

These women had followed him from Galilee. They had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover with Jesus and his disciples. They were horrified to learn that he had been arrested on Thursday night and already sentenced to death by Friday morning.

They stood weeping near that cross as the darkness came at midday. They saw the blood. They heard his cries. They watched him die.

They stood there almost alone. Only John, of all the disciples, waited with them. Then, he left too. He had to take the mother of Jesus back to his own home. The rest of the former brave disciples were trembling behind locked doors.

It was these women who then walked with some strangers to the grave Jesus would be laid in. They touched his cold and bleeding body. They felt obligated to prepare him for burial. There was no one else to do it. It was their duty. It tore at their hearts.

Then the Sabbath sundown interrupted them. They had to wait for an entire day before they could complete their mission. Saturday was spent with heavy hearts, and the Sunday sunrise would bring them renewed pain. Once again, they had to handle the body of the one they had loved and believed in. Now he was the dead Jesus.

While heaven erupted in the hallelujahs of victory on that day, angels were deployed to let humans know what had happened. Death had been conquered. Life eternal for the citizens of earth had been won. We wonder if the angel hardly contained his excitement when he reported to the women, “He is not here. He is risen!”

Instead of breaking out in words of praise and joy, the women panicked. “Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.”

Warriors who have been faced with confusing, conflicting scenes have a name for it. They call it the fog of war.

Commanders who thought their troops were winning a battle later learned it was a devastating loss. Soldiers who were certain they were in a losing fight, later learned of their victory. Those who live in the fog of war cannot see clearly.

The problem is they only see a small part of the big picture. They draw conclusions from fragments that prove misleading. They need someone else, someone who knows the full story, to tell them what really is happening.

Shocked emotions give us fragmented intel. They focus on the horrible pieces and fail to show us the complete picture.

They repeat and repeat the painful as if that is all there is. It leaves us in our own fog of war.

The followers of Jesus spent the entire first Easter day in bewilderment and fear. When night fell, and the travelers who had seen Jesus on the way to Emmaus returned to Jerusalem, they were still trembling behind locked doors.

It wasn’t until Jesus passed right through those closed doors; it wasn’t until Jesus came to see them that they came to see what had actually happened.

He lifted the fog. He cleared their heads. He proved he was still with them, and the battle against sin, Satan, and death had been won.

A mind-shocking, soul-shaking experience can bring any person into the proverbial fog of war. It may feel weird, but it is not uncommon. Maybe we should even expect it.

Maybe our minds will be stuck in that fog for a long time. But our souls need not be.

In Word and sacrament Jesus comes to our souls, drives out fear, banishes trembling, and brings us the same message that he delivered on that Easter night: “Peace be with you!” (John 20:19).

That’s all we need.

If we are at peace with God, we need not fear the fog of war.



Prayer:
Jesus, still lead on till our rest is won;
and although the way be cheerless,
we will follow, calm and fearless.
Guide us by your hand to our fatherland. Amen.
(Christian Worship 842:1)



Points to ponder:

  • Besides the unexpected death of a loved one, what else might send shock waves through us?
  • How does the devil try to use those times to separate us from trust in the Lord?
  • Why is the fog of war not proof of the loss of saving faith?


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

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


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The House of Bread – August 25, 2023

The House of Bread – August 25, 2023


Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.
Ruth 1:16,17




Military Devotion – August 25, 2023

Devotion based on Ruth 1:16,17

See series: Military Devotions

As we turn the pages of Holy Writ past the turbulent and bloody times covered in the book of Judges, our attention is directed to a small town that had been known as Ephratha. It became better known as Bethlehem—which translated, is, the House of Bread.

Ironically, the day came when the House of Bread ran out of bread. There was a famine in the land.

At that point, our attention is drawn to a woman named Naomi. With her husband and two sons, she moved to the land of Moab to escape the famine. The Moabites, we may recall, had been the ancient enemies of Israel. Naomi and her family would find food in Moab, but they would live there as strangers in a strange land.

Yet, her sons found wives among the Moabites. One of them was named Orpah and the other Ruth.

Sadness clouded Naomi’s life when her husband died in that foreign land. The grief multiplied when both of her sons also died. Not surprisingly, she decided to go back to Bethlehem, which no longer suffered from famine.

But what about her daughters-in-law? Their family and friends were in Moab. They knew no one in Bethlehem. Worse, they would have expected to be treated as unwelcome immigrants from a country hostile to Israel.

Moab was the land of the dreaded Philistines. Yet, it wasn’t just their nationality that would offend Naomi’s friends and family. The religion of Moab was the despised worship of the heathen idol, Dagon. The Israelites would have remembered when the Philistines defeated their army in a battle that killed the sons of their high priest—and then dragged the holy ark of the covenant into the temple of Dagon as an offering to him.

That’s why the words of Ruth to Naomi are so striking. She refused Naomi’s invitation to remain with her people in Moab. Instead, she told her mother-in-law, “Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.”

And it was so! But there is much more to the story. And her story flows into our story.

Naomi returned to Bethlehem as a widow with a widowed daughter-in-law—and no means of self-support. But by the law of God, help for such people was available. When crops were harvested, the owner was not allowed to go back to get what was missed in the field. That was to be left for the poor people to gather.

That’s why Ruth was found working in the field owned by a man named Boaz. He was a distant relative of Naomi. Again, by the law of God, a man who died childless could have his line continued if his widow married a relative of his who was willing to give up his own claim to descendants. His children would be considered the dead man’s legacy.

Ruth was a poor Moabitess. Boaz was a prosperous landowner from a prestigious Israeli line. Not only did they fall in love—they were definitely meant for each other! The book of Ruth is a true love story. But why is it included in the inspired text of the Word of God?

Because it is a love story showing the love of God for us!

Ruth and Boaz gave Naomi a grandchild. We hear, “Then Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap and cared for him. The women living there said, ‘Naomi has a son.’ And they named him Obed.” Then comes the shocker. “He was the father of Jesse, the father of David” (Ruth 4:16,17).

King David’s grandmother was a Moabitess. Bethlehem became known as the City of David a thousand years before Jesus was born. In the prophecy later quoted to the wise men, Micah had written,

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times” (Micah 5:2).

Bethlehem, the House of Bread, site of the grave of Rachel, Jacob’s wife; home to Boaz and his wife, Ruth; birthplace of Jesse and his son, David, is also the birthplace of Jesus, the Son of God and Savior—who told us, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:48).

There’s a lesson to be learned from this. In a prophetic vision, Saint John saw those who were celebrating victory in heaven by singing,

“Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, King of the ages” (Revelation 15:3).

Never should we doubt what he promised! Ever should we count on his marvelous ways!

Only from him comes the Bread of Life.



Prayer:
Guide me, O thou great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak but thou art mighty, hold me with thy powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more. Amen.
(Christian Worship 93 331:1)



Points to ponder:

  • What does it mean for us that someone in the bloodline of Jesus was not a Jew?
  • How do we know that Naomi was not afraid to live her faith among non-believers?
  • What is the significance of Ruth’s words, “And there I shall be buried”?


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

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


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