Reflections

September 29, 2023 Today's Reading: Matthew 18:1-11 Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 29:1-24 , Philippians 3:1-21 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:10) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When I was younger (like, during the 1900s), there was this movie that came out called Angel...

September 28, 2023 Today's Reading: Revelation 12:7-12 Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 9:1-13, 10:18-29 , Philippians 2:12-30 And they conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.”(Revelation 12:11) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When was the last time you read the book of Revelation? I teach Religion at a Lutheran High School,...

September 27, 2023 Today's Reading: Luther’s Small Catechism, T he Lord’s Prayer: Seventh Petition Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 6:1-23 , Philippians 1:21-2:11 The Lord will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. (Psalm 121:7-8) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. As we’ve walked together through the Lord’s P...

September 26, 2023 Today's Reading: Philippians 1:12-14, 19-30 Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 5:9-27 , Philippians 1:1-20 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Paul’s faith amazes me. I wish I could say that I’d have his attitude if I found myself in his circumstances in the book of Philippians, but I don’t have that kind of confidence in myse...

September 25, 2023 Today's Reading: Isaiah 55:6-9 Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 4:38-5:8 , Ephesians 6:1-24 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. (Isaiah 55:8) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever sought a second opinion? Usually, that’s something that happens in a medical context. A doctor might suspect a particular illness or recommend a co...

September 24, 2023 Today's Reading: Matthew 20:1-16 Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 4:8-22, 32-37 , Ephesians 5:15-33 “So the last will be first, and the first last.” (Matthew 20:16) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This parable of Jesus, sometimes called the “Laborers in the Vineyard,” can be misapplied in two ways. The first is addressed in the parable itself. For longtime Christians, the actions of the...

September 23, 2023 Today's Reading: Introit to Pentecost 17: Psalm 116:12-1 3; antiphon Psalm 116:17 Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 2:19-25, 4:1-17 , Ephesians 4:25-5:14 What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits to me? (Psalm 116:12) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “How can I ever thank you?” Think of a time in your life when someone gave you some undeserved kindness. Maybe it was a gift you r...

September 22, 2023 Today's Reading: Ezekiel 2:8-3:11 (OT for St. Matthew) Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 2:1-18 , Ephesians 4:1-24 And He said to me, ‘Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them." (Ezekiel 3:4) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. How do you feel about public speaking? A hasty search on “the Google”  informed me that 77% of people have some level of anxiety about spe...

September 21, 2023 Today's Reading: Matthew 9:9-13 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 19:1-21 , Ephesians 3:1-21 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and He said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he rose and followed Him.” (Matthew 9:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus came for sinners...God be praised! That means that He came for you and for me. And He came for Ma...

September 20, 2023 Today's Reading: Luther’s Small Catechism, The Lord’s Prayer: Sixth Petition Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 18:20-40 , Ephesians 2:1-22 “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the wo...

September 19, 2023 Today's Reading: Romans 14:1-12 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 18:1-19 , Ephesians 1:1-23 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. (Romans 14:7-8) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In 1 Corinthians 6 and 7, Paul says, “You were bou...

September 18, 2023 Today's Reading: Genesis 50:15-21 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 16:29-17:24 , 2 Corinthians 9:1-15 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Genesis 50:20) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Do you remember the account of Joseph? I think Joseph’s life is one that most of us remember pre...

September 17, 2023 Today's Reading: Matthew 18:21-35 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 12:20-13:5, 33-34 , 2 Corinthians 8:1-24 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.” (Matthew 18:23) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Many of our readers are students, so the next thing I write may not be as applicable to you as the rest of the devotion–I hop...

September 16, 2023 Today's Reading: Introit to Pentecost 16: Psalm 143:1-2 ; antiphon: Psalm 143:9 Deliver me from my enemies, O Yahweh! I have fled to you for refuge! (Psalm 143:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In Psalm 143, David is praying for refuge from his enemies and rest. Whether he is thinking of Saul, or the other sons of Solomon, or any number of other enemies, he is being pursued, and...

September 15, 2023 Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 6:1-18 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 11:1-26 , 2 Corinthians 6:1-18 Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “Do not receive the grace of God in vain,” which means to receive God’s grace to no purpose, for emptiness, or as if it were worthless. Paul’s exhortation to the Cor...

September 14, 2023 Today's Reading: John 12:20-33 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 9:1-9, 10:1-13 , 2 Corinthians 5:1-21 " Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. (John 12:31-33) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “Sir, we wish to...

September 13, 2023 Today's Reading: Luther’s Small Catechism, the Lord's prayer: Fifth Petition Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 8:22-30, 46-63 , 2 Corinthians 4:1-18 So we too will sincerely forgive and gladly do good to those who sin against us (SC, LP, Explanation to the Fifth Petition) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Forgiveness is at the heart of the Christian Faith. No forgiveness, no Christianity. I...

September 12, 2023 Today's Reading: Romans 13:1-10 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 7:51-8:21 , 2 Corinthians 3:1-18 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law (Romans 13:10) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We do not often think of our obedience to governing authorities (or any authorities, for that matter) in terms of love. What does obeying the law of the land have to d...

September 11, 2023 Today's Reading: Ezekiel 33:1-10 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 5:1-18 , 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:17 How then can we live? (Ezekiel 33:10) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When we observe the nature of the world, the sins of people against us, and our sins against others, it is easy to become pessimistic and cynical. We can identify all sorts of problems in the world, but we do not seem to...

September 10, 2023 Today's Reading: Matthew 18:1-20 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 3:1-15 , 2 Corinthians 1:1-22 “For where two or three are gathered in My Name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:20) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Where is Jesus? He says, “Where two or three are gathered in My Name, there am I among them.” Notice the three parts of that: two or three gathered; in My Name; and there am...

September 9, 2023 Today's Reading: Introit to Pentecost 15: Psalm 92:1-4 , antiphon Psalm 92:5s Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 2:1-27 , 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 How great are Your works, O Yahweh! Very deep are Your thoughts! (Psalm 92:5) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Here’s a clue to the theme for each Sunday’s Divine Service: trace the thread from the antiphon of the Introit (the first and last verse of...

September 8, 2023 Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:14-31 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 1:1-4, 15-35 , 1 Corinthians 12:14-31 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it (1 Corinthians 12:27) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God puts the Church together as He chooses. There is a command here not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought ( Romans 12:3 ), as if the Body of Christ wo...

September 7, 2023 Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:1-13 Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 12:1-25 , 1 Corinthians 12:1-13 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed (1 Corinthians 12:1-13) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Corinthians have  a lot of questions. Apparently, they had asked Paul to teach them about “spiritual” things. The word “gifts” is actually not in 12:...

September 6, 2023 Today's Reading: Luther’s Small Catechism, the Lord's Prayer: Fourth Petition Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 11:1-27 , 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 We pray in this petition that God would lead us to…receive our daily bread with thanksgiving. (SC, LP, 4th Petition) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God gives daily bread to everyone, even to the evil. This is the sort of God He is. Daily bread i...

September 5, 2023 Today's Reading: Romans 11:33-12:8 Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 7:19-29 , 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:16 Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (Romans 12:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Verbs matter. In Romans 12:2, there is one active verb (“present”) and two passive verbs (“be conformed” and “be transformed”). And then...