Reflections

Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 6:1-23; Philippians 1:21-2:11  Then Elisha prayed and said, "O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see." So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (2 Kings 6:17)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In Isaiah 6, the prophet is given a vision of heaven's throne room. The six-wi...

Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 5:9-27; Philippians 1:1-20  For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The answer: No. Nei . Nope. Nada. Nein . No way J...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Lord's Prayer, Conclusion Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 4:48-5:8; Ephesians 6:1-24  For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen. What does this mean? This means that I should be certain that these petitions are pleasing to our Father in heaven, and are heard by Him; for He Himself has commanded us to pray in this way and has promised t...

Today's Reading:   2 Corinthians 3:4-11 Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 4:8-22, 32-37; Ephesians 5:15-33  For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:6b)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The letter kills. What letter? Maybe the letter "t," because it looks like a sword standing on end? No! The letter of the Law. If you try to justify yourself before God based only on your ability to...

Today's Reading:   Isaiah 29:17-24 Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 2:19-25; 4:1-7; Ephesians 4:25-5:14  Is it not yet a very little while until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest? (Isaiah 29:17) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. With the fall into sin, the world was turned upside down. The lush garden of the Lord was turned into a wilderness o...

Today's Reading: Mark 7:31-37 Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 2:1-18; Ephesians 4:1-24  And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." (Mark 7:34)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus sighed. You know this sigh. It's the one you might make when you can't believe what you are dealing with. Part frustration. Part sadness. Mix in some disappointment and anger and yo...

Today's Reading:   Introit for the 12th Sunday after Trinity  (Psalm 70:2b, 4a, 5b; antiphon: v.1-2a) Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 19:1-21; Ephesians 3:1-21  Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me! (From the Introit for the 12th Sunday after Trinity)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The words of our text are familiar words. They begin both Matins and Vespers. They are the praye...

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 18:20-40; Ephesians 2:1-22  And Hannah prayed and said, "My heart exults in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation." (1 Samuel 2:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I once heard a pastor say that God answers prayer in four ways: "Yes," "No," "Let's do it my way," "You've got to be kidding me!" Paul writes, "...

Today's Reading:   1 Corinthians 15:1-10 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 18:1-19; Ephesians 1:1-23  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Paul makes it very simple. T...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Lord's Prayer, Seventh Petition Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 16:29-17:24; 2 Corinthians 9:1-15  But deliver us from evil. What does this mean? We pray in this petition, in summary, that our Father in heaven would rescue us from every evil of body and soul, possessions and reputation, and finally, when our last hour comes, give us a blessed end, and graciously take u...

Today's Reading:   Genesis 4:1-15 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 12:20-13:5, 33-34; 2 Corinthians 8:1-24  And the Lord said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground." (Genesis 4:10) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Lord says to Cain, "What have you done?" It echoes what the Lord said to Adam and Eve, "Where are you?" (Genesis 3:9) We all have Cain in us....

Today's Reading: Mark 6:14-29 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 11:42-12:19; 2 Corinthians 7:1-16  When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly. (Mark 6:20b)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. John the Baptist was not out to win friends. He was sent by God to call people to confess and repent of their sins, to change their sinful ways, and return to the Lord God and His way.  Your...

Today's Reading: Luke 18:9-14 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 11:1-26; 2 Corinthians 6:1-18 "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" (Luke 18:13b)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. You there! Do you think you are basically a good person who does good things when given the opportunity? Do you talk about yourself and your accomplishments every chance you get? Are there more selfies on your phone than pictures of...

Today's Reading: Introit for the 11th Sunday after Trinity           (Psalm 68:1, 3, 7a, 10b, 19; antiphon: v.5b, 6a, 35b) Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 9:1-9; 10:1-13; 2 Corinthians 5:1-21   O God, when you went out before your people, in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy. Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. (From the Introit for the 11th Sunday after Pent...

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 8:22-30, 46-63; 2 Corinthians 4:1-18 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. (2 Corinthians 4:8-10) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When Christianity is dep...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:   Lord's Prayer, Sixth Petition Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 7:51-8:21; 2 Corinthians 3:1-18  Lead us not into temptation. ( Small Catechism:  Lord's Prayer)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. After "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us," God teaches us to pray, "lead us not into temptation." I wonder if it's to remind us that Christian...

Today's Reading:   Luke 22: 24-30 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 5:1-16; 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:17  "But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves." (Luke 22:26) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. St. Bartholomew is my favorite apostle. He's the Charlie Brown of the blessed Twelve. He's the kid who never fits in. He has one of the best lines i...

Today's Reading:   Romans 9:30-10:4 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 3:1-15; 2 Corinthians 1:1-22   But that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. (Romans 9:31-32a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. There is nothing wrong with trying to do your best. It is what is expected...

Today's Reading: Jeremiah 8:4-12 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 2:1-27; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13   "Even the stork in the heavens knows her times, and the turtledove, swallow, and crane keep the time of their coming, but my people know not the rules of the Lord." (Jeremiah 8:7) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. A bird has more sense than you do! That is the message God used to invite His people to return to H...

Today's Reading: Luke 19:41-48 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 1:1-4, 15-35; 1 Corinthians 12:14-31   And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes." (Luke 19:41-42) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Interesting, isn't it? Jerusalem contains the word "peace" (salem) in i...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity           (Psalm 55:1, 4-5, 16; antiphon: v.16a, 17b, 18a, 22a) Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 12:1-25; 1 Corinthians 12:1-13   I call to God, and he hears my voice; He redeems my soul in safety. (From the Introit for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Object fixation is when a kid rides his bike into the tree he do...

Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 11:1-27; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:26) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. You can take communion wrong. It's not just that it's rude to party in front of starving people. To eat or drink unworthily is to be guilty before Jesus, who will judge the living and the...

Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:6-13 Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 7:18-20; 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:16  Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. (1 Corinthians 10:12) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The apostle Paul was a super-religious guy in his previous life. We also know him as Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee of Pharisees. He had his religious life all neatly packaged up,...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Lord's Prayer, Fifth Petition Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 7:1-17; 1 Corinthians 9:24-10:22  Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. ( Small Catechism:  Lord's Prayer)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This is one sentence we wish was two separate things. Having my forgiveness and my willingness to forgive others linked together is a da...

Today's Reading: 2 Samuel 22:26-34 Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 6:1-19; 1 Corinthians 9:1-23  He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and sets me secure on the heights. (2 Samuel 22:34) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Really, David? Your elderly feet like the feet of a deer? You couldn't even protect your old self from the Philistines and had to be told by your soldiers to just stay home and not get...