Reflections

Daily Lectionary: Genesis 24:32-52, 61-67; Mark 8:1-21   "And this day I came to the well and said, ‘O Lord God of my master Abraham, if You will now prosper the way in which I go, behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass that when the virgin comes out to draw water, and I say to her, "Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink."'" (Genesis 24:42-43)   In the N...

Daily Lectionary: Genesis 24:1-31; Mark 7:24-37   And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers in his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then, looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." (Mark 7:33-34)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. "Ephphatha. Be opened." This is what happens when Jesus, the Word made flesh, speaks. Jesus' Word ope...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Fifth Commandment Daily Lectionary: Genesis 22:1-19; Mark 7:1-23   You shall not murder. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not hurt or harm our neighbor in his body, but help and support him in every physical need. ( Small Catechism: Fifth Commandment)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Last week when we read about the Fourth Commandment...

Today's Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-7 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 21:1-21; Mark 6:35-56   For this is the will of God, your sanctification. (1 Thessalonians 4:3a)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Sanctification is the word of the day from Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians. Sanctification means "to make holy." If you look at church history, you'll notice that a lot of ink has been spilled about...

Today's Reading: Genesis 32:22-32 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 18:1-15; Mark 6:14-34   And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed." (Genesis 32:28)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. No one likes losing. It doesn't matter if it's a job, a ballgame, a barroom brawl or Monopoly. You see, we follow the principle that...

Today's Reading: Matthew 15:21-28 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 16:1-9, 15-17:22; Mark 6:1-13     "Yes it is, Lord," she said. "Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." (Matthew 15:27)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. She is desperate. She has no one to turn to. Her daughter is deeply oppressed by a demon. The woman is at the end of her rope. Jesus is all she has left. She hea...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Second Sunday in Lent             (Psalm 25: 1-2a, 7-8, 11; antiphon: v. 6, 2b, 22) Daily Lectionary: Genesis 15:1-21; Mark 5:21-43   Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Let not my enemies exult over me. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles. (From the Introit for the Second Sunday in Lent)   In the Name + o...

Daily Lectionary: Genesis 13:1-18; Mark 5:1-20   The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever." (Genesis 13:14-15)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Yesterday we heard how God called Abram. Today we hear how God gives to Abram. Even though Lo...

Daily Lectionary: Genesis 11:27-12:20; Mark 4:21-41   The Lord had said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you." (Genesis 12:1)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God is the God who calls. In the beginning God called out, "Let there be light," and there was light. God called Noah and saved his family in the ark. God called Israel out of Eg...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Fourth Commandment Daily Lectionary: Genesis 8:13-9:17; Mark 4:1-20   Honor your father and mother. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not despise or anger our parents and other authorities, but honor them, serve and obey them, love and cherish them. ( Small Catechism: Fourth Commandment)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When it comes t...

Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 6:1-10 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 7:11-8:12; Mark 3:20-35   Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When is the day of our salvation? Was it when Jesus died on the Cross and rose again? Was it the day of your Baptism into Jesus' death and resurrection? Is it when you hear God's Word and...

Today's Reading: Genesis 3:1-21 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 6:1-7:5; Mark 3:1-19   Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them. (Genesis 1:21)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. What's the first sacrifice in the Bible? Is it when Noah steps out of the ark onto the dry land of the new creation? Is it the animals or offerings of the field that Cain and Abel brought to th...

Today's Reading: Matthew 4:1-11 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 4:1-26; Mark 2:18-28   Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4:1)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus is tempted three times. Tempted to turn stones into bread instead of relying upon the sustenance of God the Father's Word. Tempted to throw Himself down to His death instead of dying...

Today's Reading: Introit for the First Sunday in Lent             (Psalm 91:1-2, 9-10, 13; antiphon: v. 15a, c, 16) Daily Lectionary: Genesis 3:1-24; Mark 2:1-17   I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." (From the Introit for the First Sunday in Lent)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Tomorrow, on the First Sunday in Lent, many Lutheran churches will sing Martin...

Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 2:4-25; Mark 1:29-45   For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:20)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Even though the season of Lent has just begun, think back to Christmas. Imagine sitting around in a circle with family or friends at a Christmas white el...

Today's Reading: Joel 2:12-19 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 1:20-2:3; Mark 1:14-28   "Now, therefore," says the Lord, "Turn to me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." (Joel 2:12)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Repentance is one of the watch words of the Lenten season. "Turn to Me," says the Lord. In other words, repent. Repentance means to turn away from sin and return...

Today's Reading: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 1:1-9; Mark 1:1-13   "Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting." (Matthew 6:16)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It's not hard to imagine what the social media accounts of the  Pharisees would have looked like if Twitter or F...

Today's Reading:   1 Corinthians 13:1-13 Daily Lectionary: Job 32:1-22; John 10:1-21 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:7) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Love is all these things. Patient. Kind. All-bearing. It's almost a little intimidating. Because I'm not these things. I'm out at "patient." I'm not the embodiment of love. God is lo...

Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1-13 Daily Lectionary: Job 31:1-12, 33-40; John 9:24-41 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. (1 Samuel 16:13) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Lord rejected Saul from being king over Israel. He tells Samuel to stop mourni...

Today's Reading: Luke 18:31-43 Daily Lectionary: Job 30:16-31; John 9:1-23 And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" (Luke 18:39) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The crowd is so offended that someone would actually need something from the Jesus who just promised to be crucified and rise from the dead to save si...

Today's Reading:   Introit for Quinquagesima (Psalm 31:1, 5, 9, 16; antiphon: vs.2b-3) Daily Lectionary: Job 21:1-21; John 8:39-59   In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! (From the Introit for Quinquagesima) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. If God is our rock of refuge, we are refugees. It's a humbling word. It isn't just that God is our sec...

Daily Lectionary: Job 20:1-23, 29; John 8:21-38 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin." (John 8:34) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Words of slavery are always the most optimistic. When there's no escape, you don't have to waste time hoping for something realistic. Addicts say things like, "I'm fine. It's okay. I have a plan,"  all the while l...

Today's Reading:   Acts 1:15-26 Daily Lectionary: Job 19:1-12, 21-27; John 8:1-20 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said. . .  (Acts 1:15) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever thought about going to seminary? I don't think they introduce the topic by talking about Judas in the pamphlets. That's how Matthias is introduced, thoug...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Third Commandment Daily Lectionary: Job 18:1-21; John 7:32-53 Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy. ( Small Catechism:  Third Commandment) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God wasn't tired after making everything. The Sabbath isn't a chance to parrot God's catching His breath. The focus on abstaining from work on the Sabbath Day misses the point. The point of...

Today's Reading:   2 Corinthians 11:19-12:9 Daily Lectionary: Job 17:1-16; John 7:14-31 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. Paul needs to work on the art of the humble brag. This stuf...