Reflections

August 5, 2026 Today's Reading: Acts 28:1-15 Daily Lectionary: Acts 28:1-15 “After we were brought safely through…” (Acts 28:1a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It had been three long years since Paul had been arrested by a Jewish mob in Jerusalem and thrown before the High Priest Ananias. The Jews had made a plot to kill him, but that plot had been foiled, and he was skirted away to Caesarea to be...

August 4, 2026 Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:6-13 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 18:10-30 ; Acts 27:27-44 “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Paul is p...

August 3, 2026 Today's Reading: 2 Samuel 22:26-34 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 17:48-18:9 ; Acts 27:9-26 “For you are my lamp, O Lord, and my God lightens my darkness. For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. This God–his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.” (2 Samuel 22:29-31) In the Name + of Jesu...

August 2, 2026 Today's Reading: Luke 16:1-9 (10-13) Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 17:20-47 ; Acts 26:24-27:8 “[Jesus said,] ‘The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness.’” (Luke 16:8a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We want to make this parable about us— about us being the actor, about us being the active player; we want the Law to be the lens through which we view it. But, goodness,...

August 1, 2026 Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 9 - Psalm 54:1-3, 7 ; antiphon: Psalm 54:4-5 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 17:1-19 ; Acts 26:1-23 “For he has delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.” (Psalm 54:7) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. A Christian has enemies. From the moment when you were baptized, you became God’s child and Christ’s brother. But yo...

July 31, 2026 Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1-23 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 16:1-23; Acts 25:13-27 “Whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.” (1 Samuel 16:23) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Martin Luther once observed that God’s gift of music was second only to Hi...

July 30, 2026 Today's Reading: Catechism: The Sacrament of Holy Baptism- Third Part Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 15:10-35 ; Acts 24:24-25:12 “How can water do such great things? Certainly not just water, but the Word of God in and with the water does these things, along with the faith which trusts this Word of God in the water. For without God’s Word the water is plain water and no Baptism. But with...

July 29, 2026 Today's Reading: Acts 24:1-23 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 14:47-15:9 ; Acts 24:1-23 “So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.” (Acts 24:16) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. There Paul stood, a prisoner before the Roman governor Felix. Jewish opponents stood spewing all kinds of false charges against Paul, all nasty things about his supposed guilt. The Ro...

July 28, 2026 Today's Reading: Acts 20:27-38 or Romans 8:12-17 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 13:1-18 ; Acts 23:12-35 “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Romans 8:15) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Were your ancestors slaves? Believe it or not, everyone should say yes. It doesn’t m...

July 27, 2026 Today's Reading: Jeremiah 23:16-29 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 12:1-25; Acts 22:30-23:11 “I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied.” (Jeremiah 23:21) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Years ago, a man began attending my home church. He was enthusiastic, appreciated the Word that was preached, and it seemed like he was a potential new member....

July 26, 2026 Today's Reading: Matthew 7:15-23 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 10:1-27 ; Acts 22:17-29 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. A wolf that looks like a sheep is deceitful. He passes himself off as if he were just like everyone else in the flock. Yet beneath that woolly coat lies a pred...

July 25, 2026 Today's Reading:   Mark 10:35-45 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 9:1-27; Acts 21:37-22:16 “but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.’” (Mark 10:40)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.    The sons of thunder don’t know what they’re asking for. “Let us sit, one at your right hand, and one at your left, in your glory.” I gu...

July 24, 2026 Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 8 - Psalm 48:1, 3, 11, 14; antiphon: Psalm 48:9-10 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 8:1-22; Acts 21:15-36 “As your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is filled with righteousness.” (Psalm 48:10) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  “Praise” gets met with hesitancy too much in our little pocket of Lutheranism. Yesterd...

July 23, 2026 Today's Reading: Catechism: The Sacrament of Holy Baptism - 2 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 6:19-7:17 ; Acts 19:23-21:14; Acts 19:1-22 What benefits does Baptism give? It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare. Which are these words and promises of God? Christ our Lord say...

July 22, 2026 Today's Reading: John 20:1-2, 10-18 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 5:1-6:3, 10-16; Acts 18:1-11, 23-28 “They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’” (John 20:13) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Folks have spilled a lot of ink over Mary Magdalene’s chastity. Especially since the scriptures don’...

July 21, 2026 Today's Reading: Romans 6:19-23 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 4:1-22 ; Acts 17:1-34 ; Acts 16:23-40 “ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Calling the faithful “slaves of God” in the year of our Lord 2025 feels uncomfortable. It feels like it needs a lot of context for what it isn’t...

July 20, 2026 Today's Reading: Genesis 2:7-17 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 3:1-21 ; Acts 16:1-22 “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. There's this Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, where if you eat it, you die in the Garden of Eden. And that kinda feels messed...

July 19, 2026 Today's Reading: Mark 8:1-9 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 2:18-36 ; Acts 15:22-41 “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat.” (Mark 8:2) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Sometimes it’s hard to reconcile Jesus' compassion in wanting to feed the 4,000 with the three days it took Him to actually do it. For every one of the voiceless...

July 18, 2026 Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 7 - Psalm 47:3, 6-8 ; antiphon: Psalm 47:1-2 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 1:21-2:17; Galatians 6:1-18 “God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.” (Psalm 47:8) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. What does it mean that God reigns over the nations? Does it mean He seeks power over all to control the people of the world? Or is it a declaratio...

July 17, 2026 Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 1:1-20 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 1:1-20 ; Galatians 5:1-26 “Then Eli answered, ‘Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.’” (1 Samuel 1:17) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Hannah’s prayer is for a child - and not even for a child she will keep and raise, but one she will give to the Lord for His service. She is burdened...

July 16, 2026 Today's Reading: Catechism: The Sacrament of Holy Baptism - 1 Daily Lectionary: Judges 16:4-30; Judges 17:1-21:25 ; Galatians 4:12-31 “Baptism is not simply water, but it is the water included in God's command, and combined with God’s Word.” (Luther’s Small Catechism) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Water is necessary for life. Water helps plants grow, so all living creatures have some...

July 15, 2026 Today's Reading: Galatians 3:23-4:11 Daily Lectionary: Judges 15:1-16:3 ; Galatians 3:23-4:11 “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” (Gal...

July 14, 2026 Today's Reading: Romans 6:(1-2) 3-11 Daily Lectionary: Judges 14:1-20 ; Galatians 3:1-22 “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1–2) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. St. Paul is responding to a general vibe of “Well, if all sin is forgiven, then I can do whatever I want.” His “by no m...

July 13, 2026 Today's Reading: Exodus 20:1-17 Daily Lectionary: Judges 13:1-25; Ruth 1:1-4:22 ; Galatians 2:1-21  “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” (Exodus 20:2) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Lord tells His people Who He is and what He has done for them. He brought them out of Egypt, which included preserving them from the plagues,...

July 12, 2026 Today's Reading: Matthew 5:(17-19) 20-26 Daily Lectionary: Judges 7:1-23 ; Judges 7:24-12:15 ; Galatians 1:1-24 “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus is clear: He did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. And He is doubly clear that...