Tag Archive for: military-devotion

Worthy of Rescue – November 7, 2025

/in ,

Watch the Devotion

Based on Romans 5:6-8

Worthy of Rescue

It is the highest award for bravery that can be given to an individual in the United States. The deed must be proven by incontestable evidence of at least two eyewitnesses; it must be so outstanding that it clearly distinguishes the recipient’s gallantry above and beyond the call of duty from lesser forms of bravery; it must involve the risk of his or her life.

Since 1862, 297 US Marines have been awarded the Medal of Honor. One of the most recent Marines is Sgt. Dakota Louis Meyer. In 2009, during the war in Afghanistan, Meyer spent six hours traversing in and out of an active combat zone to rescue 36 trapped men and recover the bodies of 4 US service members fallen in an ambush by Taliban fighters. Why did he do it? Meyer said, “That’s what you do for a brother. You don’t leave anyone behind.”

Are you someone who is worth rescuing? Would someone risk his or her life to save yours? There may be some days you do not feel worthy, perhaps because of actions not taken in combat, things you did in training or on deployment. Perhaps to this day you still question orders you were given by command because they violated your moral code, but you carried them out anyway—and this bothers you. Why would someone risk his or her life to save yours?

Someone did deem you worthy. Someone did think you were worth risking his life for. In fact, he put himself in harm’s way and died to save your life.

The apostle Paul in Romans 5:6-8 wrote, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

No matter how you feel about your self-worth, know that Jesus laid down his life for you because he loves you. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, engaged in conflict against an opposing force, and he died so that you might live. Live now with the peace of knowing God loves you. You are worth his Son’s life. You are priceless in his sight.

There’s an application for you that I see depicted on the Navy Medal of Honor. There you see Minerva, the Roman goddess of warfare, holding in her hand a shield with which she repels serpents held by the crouching figure Discord. Because Jesus laid down his life for you, because God loves you, any strife or discord, any chaos, any questions or doubts, are repelled by Jesus’ actions for you. Yes, you are worthy of rescue.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, how can we thank you for your great sacrifice for us? Help us to live our lives confidently, knowing that because you died and live again, we may live at peace with ourselves and with you. As our United States Marine Corps celebrates its 250th anniversary this week, we ask you to protect our Marines who fight our country’s battles in the air, on land, and on the sea. Raise up faithful officers and enlisted who will fight for right and freedom to keep our nation safe. Amen.

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.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Our Motto – October 31, 2025

/in ,

Watch the Devotion

Semper Fidelis, De Oppresso Liber, Pro Deo et Patria, Semper Paratus

Our Motto

Mottos matter. In the military, mottos—often in Latin—name a unit’s values and mission and give the reason for its existence: Semper Fidelis, De Oppresso Liber, Pro Deo et Patria, Semper Paratus. “This we’ll defend” or “So that others may live.”

The Lutheran church has mottos too, and we usually mention them on this day—October 31—the day we celebrate the Reformation. Sola gratia, sola fide, sola Scriptura, sola Christus, soli Deo gloria. These are not performance slogans. They are not to-do lists. They name who we are by God’s action: a people chosen by grace alone, kept by faith alone, grounded in Scripture alone, which witnesses to Christ alone, and living for the glory of God alone.

These confessional Lutheran mottos focus on your identity. When you serve in a specific branch or squadron, that motto under which you march often becomes part of your vocabulary. When it becomes a natural, almost automatic, part of your speech, you begin to live under that banner. When you transfer to another squadron or after you separate from active-duty service, that motto changes or even fades.

Your identity in Christ never changes. It never fades. And like a military motto, this Lutheran motto reminds you that you belong to something bigger: the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the church eternal—and she shall never perish.

So, the next time you hear a branch or battalion motto, pause. Give thanks for the formed purpose and existence of that branch or battalion. Then remember the larger motto into which you are baptized: You belong to Christ, by his grace alone, through faith alone, in Scripture alone, which points to Christ alone for your salvation, all to the glory of God alone.

That identity does not cancel your duty to service; it simply reorders it. You serve as one who is served—saved by grace, kept by faith, forgiven, and freed to love.

Prayer:

Almighty God and Father, we give you thanks for those who serve and for the mottos that bind units together in purpose. Remind us daily, by your Word and sacraments, that we are claimed by sola gratia and held by sola fide, that Christ alone is our boast. Strengthen and guard those in harm’s way, comfort the weary, and keep us united in the holy Christian church. To you, who rescued us and reigns forever, be all praise and glory. Amen.

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.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Freedom – October 24, 2025

/in ,

Watch the Devotion

Based on John 8:31-36

Freedom

When you ask a Marine, soldier, sailor, airman, Coastie, or Guardian what “freedom” means, you’ll hear answers about rights, choices, and sacrifices. Freedom in our country is cherished—the ability to choose where to live, what to believe, how to worship, and how to serve. Those of you who have served or are serving took an oath to defend those freedoms. Yet, even with those rights, there’s a deeper freedom Jesus wants to talk about—a freedom that no government can give and no enemy can take away.

Most people think freedom means “I get to do what I want.” I’ve met a lot of active duty war fighters who live that when they first leave home—on leave or liberty—no rules, no parents telling them what to do. But that kind of freedom quickly becomes its own prison. What we want to do often isn’t good for us or for others. We hurt people, we hurt ourselves, and we break God’s commands. Jesus tells us this hard truth: “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin” (John 8:34). The more we chase our own way, the tighter sin’s grip becomes.

But Jesus reveals the secret to true freedom: “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). The “teaching” Jesus speaks of is both God’s law and his gospel. The law shows the boundaries God lovingly sets to protect the good gifts he’s given—things like sex, money, alcohol, and relationships. Step outside those boundaries, and that freedom turns into slavery again.

The truth that sets us free is the good news that Jesus never crossed those lines. He perfectly obeyed his Father’s will, lived within every boundary, and then offered himself for every time we didn’t. His death and resurrection broke sin’s hold on us and declared us forgiven and free.

Now we’re truly free—not to do whatever we want, but free to live as God intended. Free from guilt, free from having to earn his favor, free to enjoy the good things he’s given within the safety of his design. “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for setting me free from the guilt and slavery of sin. Help me to hold firmly to your Word and walk in the freedom that you won for me. Let my life reflect your truth and protect the good gifts you’ve given. Amen.

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.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Sparring with God – October 17, 2025

/in ,

Watch the Devotion

Based on Genesis 32:22-30

Sparring with God

One of the stories my wife loves to tell is of a certain Thanksgiving celebration at our home. Our brother-in-law convinced me and another brother-in-law to go on a four-mile run. When we returned, he asked, “Do you guys want me to teach you some combatives?” Keep in mind, he wears a Ranger tab on his US Army uniform. I ended up on my back most of the time, wind knocked out of me, and at times seeing blackness descend over my eyes, needing to tap out. But I learned a lesson: Never give up, even when your opponent is stronger than you.

There is a story about a wrestling match in the Bible. A man named Jacob had been estranged from his twin brother. Jacob had deceitfully stolen his brother Esau’s inheritance. Esau made his intentions clear. He would murder his brother after their father died.

Fast forward 20 years . . . both brothers are married with multiple kids and large estates. Jacob is traveling back home with his entourage when a scout informs Jacob, “Your brother Esau is going to meet us. He has 400 men with him.” Jacob was in great fear and distress and prayed, “Lord, save me! I am afraid! You made promises to me to bring me back to my homeland and to prosper me.”

There he was alone in the dark with his thoughts heavy on his heart, praying to God, when suddenly out of the shadows a man grabbed him and wrestled him to the ground. They sparred throughout the night. You can imagine the sweat, the grappling for an advantage, the grunts, and the muscles straining to gain an advantage. They wrestled until the sun’s rays began to streak over the horizon. The man saw he could not overpower Jacob, so he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it so that Jacob was at a great disadvantage. But Jacob wrapped himself around the man, who finally conceded and said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak” (Genesis 32:26). Jacob refused, in spite of his hip, and said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me” (verse 26).

In this mysterious story, God manifests himself in human form and allows a human being to overpower him in a sparring match. Jacob wrestled with God not only physically but also spiritually in his prayers and would not let God go unless he did what he promised to Jacob.

I know that you have wrestled in prayer, in the darkness, for God’s promised blessings to you. Continue to spar with God. Wrestle with him. Like Jacob, hold onto him and remind him of the things he has promised you in his Word. God delights to be caught in his promises.

Unsure of what he’s promised you? The Lord’s Prayer is a great place to start. Use Martin Luther’s catechism and pray that prayer using the explanations to remind your Father what he promises you. “Give me my daily bread! Forgive my sins! Deliver me from evil! Guard and keep me from temptation!” Hold him to those promises. Ask for wisdom. He promises it! He will give help in trouble, comfort in grief, guidance when you feel lost, strength when you are weak.

Spar with God. Hold onto him and do not let go, for he loves to be caught in his promises.

Prayer:

Lord God, give me strength and willingness to say with your Son, “Not my will, but yours be done.” Make me cheerful and trusting to bear whatever you let happen to me. From your hand I am willing to take the good and the bad, the joy and the sorrow. Keep me from sin, gracious Father, and comfort me with your kind Word. Amen.

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.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Fair Winds and Following Seas – October 10, 2025

/in ,

Watch the Devotion

Based on Genesis 8:15-22

Fair Winds and Following Seas

To my friends in the Navy, happy birthday! This October 13th you will celebrate 250 years as a branch in our nation’s military!

Speaking of the Navy reminds me of the world’s first sailor; at least he’s the first recorded sailor. He was neither a commander nor a captain, not even an ensign. He was a civilian, just a passenger along for the ride. No one was steering his ship. No one maintained and executed a navigational course for the cruise. He just floated up for a year and ten days and then floated back down again.

God had looked down on the earth and his heart was grieved. He saw the wickedness, depravity, and violence and needed to do something. In love he sent a flood and rainfall this world has never seen. Everything with the breath of life in it died, except for those on the ship. Everything and everyone on it survived. Was it because of the construction of that ship? No. The Lord had made a promise. His undeserved love and generosity preserved Noah and his wife and their three sons and their wives and all the animals with them on that ark.

God also promised to throw a life raft to humankind. His name was Jesus. He traced his ancestry back to Noah and his son Shem.

And what was Noah’s reaction after 375 days cooped up in a massive barge with all those animals and his family? The first thing he did was show genuine gratitude and thanksgiving to God. He offered an animal sacrifice to say thank you.

Martin Luther, the 16th-century reformer, made a connection between your baptism and this ship in the flood. At your baptism you were placed in the safety of the ark of the holy Christian church. God could rightly say to you, “Fair winds and following seas!” Even though the ark of the Church is rocked by storms, winds, and floods—wicked people who attack the words and works of Jesus, wars, controversies, and false teachings—that ship . . . she will never perish. God has promised it.

And one day for you and me this ark will dock at the port of heaven. You will say to the officer of the deck, “Request permission to go ashore.” He will respond, “Bravo Zulu. Well done, good and faithful servant. Come and enjoy all that your captain has prepared for you.”

While we wait for that day when we disembark upon the shores of heaven, we hear God’s promise that he made to that first “sailor” and his family: never again to curse the ground with a worldwide catastrophic flood. His rainbow in the sky is a picture of that promise. Remember that promise every time you see his rainbow.

He also promised this: “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease” (Genesis 8:22).

Your Creator God promises to provide all you need as long as you live. Live in confidence as you sail on, confident in God’s providence for you.

Prayer:

Eternal Father, strong to save, whose arm hath bound the restless wave, who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep its own appointed limits keep: O hear us when we cry to thee for those in peril on the sea. Amen. (Christian Worship: Hymnal 805 v. 1)

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.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

We Have Done Our Duty – October 3, 2025

/in ,

Watch the Devotion

Based on Luke 17:5,6,10

We Have Done Our Duty

By the time you read this devotion, a war fighter will have redeployed back to the United States. For six months she faithfully served in her AFSC, receiving commendations and the respect of her squadron. When she was switched from night shift to day shift, both groups of coworkers said, “Something is different about her.” She is the kind of gal who brings joy, faithfully serves the needs of others, and finds ways to work with those who are difficult to work with. During her deployment she was also a faithful spouse and mother.

That’s difficult, isn’t it? How do you faithfully serve in the vocations of wife and mother when you’re halfway around the world, ten time zones away?

This is life in our nation’s military. You struggle to be faithful servants in each of the vocations to which God has called you: a married war fighter; a war fighter with kiddos; a single war fighter; your vocation as a member of a church, as a citizen, as a good neighbor, as a friend—it can be overwhelming at times, especially when you’re halfway around the world.

In Luke chapter 17 Jesus spoke to his disciples about their vocations and how to carry them out. After listening to Jesus, they were so overwhelmed that they cried out to him, “Increase our faith!” (verse 5). Jesus replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you” (verse 6).

Your ability to carry out your vocation does not depend on your strength, your management of time, your talents, or even your love for other people. Your ability to effectively carry out your orders to serve others depends on your faith. Notice that Jesus doesn’t point to the strength of your faith. He points to its object. Faith’s object—the thing that it clings to, holds on to, rests upon—is Christ. Faith rests in his forgiveness when we fail miserably in our vocations. Faith finds its strength in Christ’s righteousness for us when we are weak or lazy in our vocations. Faith trusts that Christ will do what he promises when we look to him for faith to move mountains. The mountains in this case are to carry out our duty in whatever vocation God has called us to serve others.

Finally, Jesus says, “When you have done everything you were told to do, [you] should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty’ ” (verse 10). We humbly serve him who in perfect humility served us. With all the strength he provides, let us carry out his orders to serve in faith and duty.

Prayer:

Almighty God, in your bountiful goodness, keep us safe from every evil of body and soul. Make us ready, with cheerful hearts, to do whatever pleases you. As veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom pause to remember the beginning of that campaign on October 6, 2001, we know that this war changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of war fighters and their families. For those who bear on their bodies the scars of combat, and for those who carry in their minds and souls the traumas of war, we call upon your compassion and mercy to provide healing, patience, and forgiveness. Our faith trusts you to do this, for this is the kind of God you are for us. Amen.

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.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email