Devotion for Monday, January 30

So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. 

Today's troubles are enough for today. (Matthew 6)

Anxiety. Worry. Anger. Frustration. Uncertainty. Fear. Misunderstanding. 

It seems that we all are feeling one or more of these all the time for a variety of reasons. Maybe it is your health, or the health of a loved one.  Maybe you are experiencing underemployment and financial issues.  Maybe you are concerned about your children.  Maybe you are just sick and tired of all the politics.  

My prayer for you is that you will find solace in your faith and your prayers.  Seek the Lord's sustaining grace.  Embrace the Lord's promise of strength.  And in doing so, you may find that your worries and anxieties will fade away, if only for a brief, but blessed, time.

#God'sGotThis

Amen

Devotion for Friday, January 27

O Lord, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me (Psalm 22)

From an early age, I was assured by my parents that I could "always pray to the Lord." Even though I couldn't see Jesus, he was "in my heart" and available for my concerns and to offer my support at all times.

So, I began praying all the time.  At first, about seemingly insignificant issues (i.e. for my team to win, to get a good grade, to achieve some personal desire, etc.).  As I have grown older and wiser (hopefully) and more faithful (certainly) I have continued to pray and seek the Lord's support, comfort, and peace pretty much all the time.  It is a daily, if not hourly, if not minute by minute exercise.  Because as my parents told me so long ago Jesus is not far off, but right beside me whenever I need it and wherever I am.   

This is your assurance too. Amen.

Devotion for Monday, January 23

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, 

O Lord, my rock and my redeemer (Psalm 19)

My wife quotes this verse from the Psalms at the beginning of her sermons. I know other pastors who do the same.  I've even done it from time to time myself.

While this is the predominate way that I have become familiar with this verse, I have come to see that it is more than simply a sermon starter.  It can inform our entire lives and I believe it could build some bridges in our world.

Words matter, yes.  But notice that what is in our hearts matters too.  To be sure, I believe that a change of heart can change words.  And as you embrace your discipleship and do the work of repentance and change your words, I believe that your heart can change.

It is really a dual way of growing closer to living as God would have you live.  Change of behavior, no matter how difficult, can melt the frustrations of the heart.  And as you pray for your heart to be changed more toward the way of Christ, our words will more often than not become pleasing to God.

I pray to have my heart changed every day, beyond my fears and struggles and pains.  So many times this has changed my behavior and my words toward others.  And as my words and behaviors change, I experience a better way of living and it then begins to soften my heart.  

I pray that we all will take the time to pursue discipleship and peace in this way.  May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to God.  Amen.

Devotion for Thursday, January 19

I grew up with a mother who was a Republican and a father who was a Democrat.  They would joke that they would cancel each other out at the ballot box therefore they would kiss before they voted and kiss afterwards.  

When we turned 18, my sister and I aligned with the opposite gender parent officially when we went to register.  Why?  Because my mom took me to register and my dad took my sister to register.  It was their way of keeping our family even up.  

I am not sure if they did this intentionally.  But by doing so, my sister and I grew up with a healthy respect for both parties.  Democrats couldn't be THAT bad, Dad was one.  Republicans couldn't be THAT bad, because Mom was one.  While my sister and I have formulated our own political opinions over the years, I do find it interesting that both my sister and I have voted both Republican and Democrat over the years, sometimes even in the same year.   

At the heart of our family life back then of course was our faith life.  Regular worship attendance, serving others, praying each day, finding solace and support in the community of faith.  These realities continue to shape my life and, truly, shape my political leanings as much as anything. These commitments to our faith in Christ is what allowed my parents, sister, and I to live harmoniously within the same family, even with different political opinions, etc.   

My prayer is that the "family of faith" can do the same in the coming years.  

Blessings,

Pastor Dave

Devotion for Wednesday, January 18

Pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5)

As we head into the inauguration of President Trump on Friday, I am reminded of a couple of situations from my past.

When I began my ministry, Bill Clinton was president.  I would, regularly,  pray for him during my prayers during worship on Sunday.  Since I was the regular one who prayed, I would include prayers for the nation and the president.

I had a family who, during the Lewinsky scandal, was appalled that I would pray for Clinton.  They were of the more conservative persuasion, and they felt that instead of praying for him that I needed to bring attention to his failures of moral leadership and condemn his sin.  As it turned out, they eventually left the congregation.

In 2001, after George W. Bush was elected, I began praying regularly for him.  Another family, this time of the more progressive persuasion, were appalled that I would pray for a man who "cheated" to win the presidency and then who "lied" to get us into war.  They, too, eventually left the congregation.

While our laity prays regularly on Sundays at Bethel, I encourage them to pray for the President, regardless of who that person is.  I will pray for President Trump. I would have prayed from Hillary Clinton. I have prayed for President Obama.  I believe that it is incumbent upon the people of faith to pray for those in leadership.  

And if a particular president is not of your choosing or your liking?  What better way to deal with it than praying for them? 

Just saying.

Devotion for Monday, January 16 (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)

Enjoy these quotes about faith from Dr. King!

The end of life is not to be happy, nor to achieve pleasure and avoid pain, but to do the will of God, come what may.

When I took up the cross I recognized it's meaning. The cross is something that you bear, and ultimately, that you die on.

Devotion for Thursday, December 12

Honor the Lord with your wealth (Proverbs 3)

Is the Lord the Lord of your bank account?

Would someone looking at your checkbook be able to surmise that you are a Christian?

When people say to me "Pastor, don't be talking about money and religion, they don't mix" I laugh and say, "Well, tell this to the Bible, because Jesus and the Hebrew scriptures talk about how you are to spend your money in righteous ways all the time?"

Look, I am not asking you to give all your money away or to give exclusively to the congregation I serve.  What I am asking you to do is recognize that how you spend your money and how much of your money you spend on others does matter to your spiritual health.  

Generosity of time and talent is important, if not more important.  But generosity of wealth is important as well, because generosity in all things shapes our lives of faith toward a spirit of self-sacrifice and love of neighbor/others.  This matters in our life as sin is often understood as the self-turned-in-on-self.  Generosity helps us live as God would have us live.

Prayerfully consider how you are using your wealth to build up others, build up the kingdom, and return to God what God has first given you.

Peace,

Pastor Dave

Devotion for Wednesday, January 11

This morning I would like to share with you a devotion by Henri Nouwen, a well-known bestselling author and Roman Catholic priest.  He writes primarily about spirituality and discipleship.  

Trust is the basis of life. Without trust, no human being can live. Trapeze artists offer a beautiful image of this. Flyers have to trust their catchers.  They can do the most spectacular doubles, triples, or quadruples, but what finally makes their performances spectacular are the cathers who are there for them at the right in the right place.

Much of our lives is flying.  It is wonderful to fly in the air free as a bird.  Let's trust the Great Catcher!

I invite you to trust that God is with you amidst your aerobatic, if also, uncertain living.  Know that God will catch you and set you free again to pursue another risk into the world.  You can do so trusting that you will be caught again and again and again.

Blessings,
Pastor Dave

Devotion for Tuesday, January 10

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us (Ephesians 5)

Imitating those that we respect and value is something we learn from a young age.  I know that I would wear the jerseys of my favorite players and parrot the things those who I admire would say. 

As we grow we learn follow in the footsteps of those who we want to learn from so as to achieve our professional, personal, and spiritual hopes.  

As people of faith, we are ever-engaged in a spiritual apprenticeship, learning from those who imitate God so as to become imitators of God ourselves.  

Who are the "imitators of God" that you seek to imitate?  Who might be looking to you as an "imitator of God" for their lives?  Name them today and give thanks for them.

In the name of Jesus. Amen. 

Devotion for Monday, January 9

Therefore since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God (Romans 5:1)

Yesterday, I began my Adult Forum study of the Reformation by discussing the powerful theological change that Luther brought to Christianity.  The understanding that we are "made right" with God, not through our own works, but through our faith/trust in God was absolutely world-changing.

Of course, there is a place for our works.  They help us enact the work and purpose of the Lord in the lives and realities of the people of our world.  But in terms of what it means for you personally to have a relationship with the Lord, it is merely your faith/trust that saves not any good you may or may not do.

You can dare to love your neighbor, grant forgiveness, and serve the stranger simply because you know that it is done in the confidence of faith, that you are doing it not out of personal gain or in search of a heavenly reward.  Instead, you are acting lovingly, selflessly -- like the Lord -- because you are secure in your faith/trust of God's love for you.  This is the powerful and meaningful difference between "working to stay out of hell" and "living in the promise of heaven".

May your faith strengthen you toward selfless love and gracious living! Amen.

Devotion for Wednesday, January 4

God remembered Noah (Genesis 8:1)

In my devotional reading this morning, this brief sentence reminded me of the importance of God "remembering" in the Bible.

God remembers Noah, he remembers his covenant with Israel, he remembers his promises to the people and acts to fulfill and sustain said commitments.  This tells us that God does what God says.

There is value and life-giving hope in this.  Can you trust God? This is at the heart of our faith lives. The Bible is clear about this.  God "remembers" and fulfills His promises.  God never fails to complete what He says He will do.  As evidenced in actually becoming one of us in Jesus.

May you "remember" this day that our Lord will never forget you!

Devotion for Tuesday, January 3

From the Lord comes deliverance (Psalm 3:8)

I have begun the new year joining friends at Bethel in a commitment to read the entire Bible (in my case, yet again!) during 2017.  I am using the following book, the One Year Bible.

Several years ago, a study by the Willow Creek Association was done that suggested (I believe correctly) that the single most effective catalyst for spiritual growth is reading scripture regularly.  Having a discipline and plan to read through the Bible and avail yourself of the "living Word" is the fuel source for the Christian life.  

As Lutherans, we believe the Bible is inspired and authoritative for life and faith.  And the words of scripture will bring deliverance from those chains that desire to keep us bound.  The overarching message of the Bible is actually quite beautuful:  God has, is, and will always be invested fully and completely in the lives of the people of the world and God's purpose for bringing new life out of death is ever-present and the heart of God's compassion.  In a nutshell, God cares for you and is always working to bring you abundant life.  Period.

Even if reading through the Bible in a year seems a bit of a stretch for you, I invite you to read the Bible more.  Pick a book and read it through in one sitting.  Pick a section (Gospels, Prophets, Psalms,etc.) and read through over the course of a couple of months.  There are a ton of different Bible reading plans out there.  Find one that works for you and see if having scripture as a daily part of your life doesn't change your life.  I believe and know that it will.

Blessings,

PD

Devotion for Monday, January 2 (#ClaimtheName)

I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? 

I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert (Isaiah 43:19)

Many of us make new year resolutions, if only in the privacy of our thoughts.  Better health, better relationships, better grades, better professional acumen, etc.  

It is an appropriate time to do so as we begin anew with the coming of January 1.  The reality is that our lives of faith are, in a sense, always January 1.  In fact the work of the Lord is such that any given moment, day, experience, week is ripe for God's "new thing" in your life.

I love these words from Isaiah.  God is the actor. God has already brought forth the new thing in our lives if we only have eyes to see it, ears to hear it?  No matter the struggle, the difficulty, the uncertainty, God is already working to provide a path of courage and comfort and sustaining us amidst our parched times with hope, promise, and peace. 

This is the daily promise of your  baptism, where our Lord claimed you and named you as His own. As we begin 2017, my prayer is that you will embrace the name our Lord Jesus has given you in your baptism (Christian) but also embrace the name of Jesus and His inherent promise of hope for all aspects of your life.    

As a small way of doing so, I'm inviting you to consider using this hashtag in your tweets, your Facebook posts, perhaps even in your emails throughout the year.  Let's see if we can get it trending.  

#ClaimtheName

The following sermon from January 1 sets the tone for the year. I hope you will check it out!

My love and prayers are yours for a faith-filled and fabulous 2017!

Peace,

Pastor Dave