Reflections

July 16, 2024 Today's Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14 Daily Lectionary: Judges 16:4-30 ; Judges 17:1-21:25 ; Galatians 4:12-31 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him… (Ephesians 1:3-4) In the Nam...

July 15, 2024  Today's Reading: Amos 7:7-15 Daily Lectionary: Judges 15:1-16:3 ; Galatians 3:23-4:11 Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. But the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ (Amos 7:14-15) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I don’t envy...

July 14, 2024  Today's Reading: Mark 6:14-29 Daily Lectionary: Judges 14:1-20 ; Galatians 3:1-22 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” (Mark 6:16) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. While John the Baptist was the first figure to appear on the scene in St. Mark’s gospel (Mark 1:4), his ministry and witness were abruptly halted when Herod had him arrested. We woul...

July 13, 2024  Today's Reading: Introit for Pentecost 8 - Psalm 143:1-2, 8a; antiphon: Psalm 143:11 Daily Lectionary: Judges 13:1-25 ; Ruth 1:1-4:22 ; Galatians 2:1-21 Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness! (Psalm 143:1) In the Name + of Jesus, Amen. Someone once said, “We don’t pray so that God can hear us; we pray so that we...

July 12, 2024  Today's Reading: Galatians 1:1-24 Daily Lectionary: Judges 7:1-23 ; Judges 7:24-12:15 ; Galatians 1:1-24 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. (Galatians 1:6-7) In the Name + of Jesus....

July 11, 2024  Today's Reading: Catechism – What is Confession? Daily Lectionary: Judges 6:25-40 ; Acts 15:6-21 What is Confession? Confession has two parts. First that we confess our sins, and second, that we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven. In the Name + of Jesu...

July 10, 2024 Today’s Reading: Judges 6:1-24 Daily Lectionary: Judges 6:1-24 ; Acts 14:19-15:5 And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.” And the LORD said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” (Judges 6:15-16) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever...

July 9, 2024 Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 Daily Lectionary: Judges 4:1-24 ; Judges 5:1-31 ; Acts 14:1-18 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. You must accept the truth that y...

July 8, 2024  Today's Reading: Ezekiel 2:1-5 Daily Lectionary: Judges 3:7-31 ; Acts 13:42-52 And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. (Ezekiel 2:3) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We often consider Biblical figures like Ezekiel as “powerhouse” models of...

July 7, 2024  Today's Reading: Mark 6:1-13 Daily Lectionary: Judges 2:6-23 ; Acts 13:13-41 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. (Mark 6:3) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Being offended is a common occurrence these days. Talk about your favorite music, politician, sports tea...

July 6, 2024  Today's Reading: Introit for Pentecost 7 - Psalm 132:13-16; antiphon: Psalm 34:8 Daily Lectionary: Joshua 24:1-31 ; Judges 1:1-36 ; Acts 13:1-12 For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place: This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread. (Psalm 132:13-15)...

July 5, 2024  Today's Reading: Joshua 23:1-16 Daily Lectionary: Joshua 23:1-16 ; Acts 12:1-25 but you shall cling to the LORD your God just as you have done to this day. For the LORD has driven out before you great and strong nations. And as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to this day. (Joshua 23:8-9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. My father died 20 years ago, and I have a lot of...

July 4, 2024 Today's Reading: Catechism: The Sacrament of Holy Baptism – Fourth Daily Lectionary: Joshua 10:1-25 ; Joshua 10:28-22:34 ; Acts 11:19-30 What does such baptizing with water indicate? It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in rig...

July 3, 2024  Today's Reading: Joshua 8:1-28 Daily Lectionary: Joshua 8:1-28 ; Acts 11:1-18 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, his city, and his land. (Joshua 8:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. There are those Christians today who have no use f...

July 2, 2024 Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9, 13-15 Daily Lectionary: Joshua 7:1-26 ; Acts 10:34-48 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Everyone today desires equality, whether it is among races, creeds, sexual identities, or e...

July 1, 2024  Today's Reading: Lamentations 3:22-33   Daily Lectionary: Joshua 6:6-27 ; Acts 10:18-33 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Every day, we go through the motions of our daily routine– wake up, jog, make coffee, have breakfast, wash, rin...

June 30, 2024  Today's Reading: Mark 5:21-43 Daily Lectionary: Joshua 5:1-6:5 ; Acts 10:1-17 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. (Mark 5:25-26) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When you think of the Christian faith, blood is probably not the fi...

June 29, 2024  Today's Reading: Matthew 16:13-19 Daily Lectionary: Joshua 4:1-24 ; Acts 9:23-43 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. (Matt. 16:17) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Peter’s confession, Paul’s conversion and witness. Both serving as apostles proclaiming the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles...

June 28, 2024  Today's Reading: Introit for Pentecost 6 - Psalm 121:5-8; antiphon: Psalm 121:1-2 Daily Lectionary: Joshua 3:1-17 ; Acts 9:1-22 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. (Psalm 121:8) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When your enemies have surrounded you, where else could you look than to the hills? The psalmist presents this to open Psa...

June 27, 2024  Today's Reading: Catechism: The Sacrament of Holy Baptism - 3 Daily Lectionary: Joshua 2:1-24 ; Acts 8:26-40 Certainly not just water, but the Word of God in and with the water does these things… - Dr. Luther, SC, Baptism 3 In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Dr. Luther lays it all out so plainly: “For without God’s word the water is plain water and no Baptism. But with the word of God it...

June 26, 2024  Today's Reading: Job 38:1-11 Daily Lectionary: Joshua 1:1-18 ; Acts 8:1-25 Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. (Job 38:3) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Let’s face it: Job has been through a lot. However, God has heard enough. God Himself comes on the scene, so all must be well. Job’s problems are over. Not quite. While God allows the suffer...

June 25, 2024 Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 31:10-31 ; John 21:1-25 We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities… (2 Corinthians 6:3-4) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The day of salvation is not far off, but no...

June 24, 2024 Today's Reading: Luke 1:57-80 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 30:1-9, 18-33 ; John 20:19-31 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins” (Luke 1:76-77) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. John was special. I mean, being the cousin of the Messiah is...

June 23, 2024  Today's Reading: Mark 4:35-41 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 27:1-24 ; Proverbs 28:1-29:27 ; John 20:1-18 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus doesn’t have a smile on His face, and the disciples don’t seem like they have a handle on what just happened. Af...

June 22, 2024  Today's Reading: Introit for Pentecost 5 - Psalm 107:29-32; antiphon: Psalm 107:28 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 25:1-22 ; Proverbs 26:1-28 ; John 19:23-42 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. (Psalm 107:28) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Truly, as the Psalmist says, “Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His steadfast love en...