Reflections

August 30, 2026 Today's Reading: Luke 10:23-37 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 12:20-13:5, 33-34; 1 Kings 14:1-16:28; 2 Corinthians 8:1-24 “But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” (Luke 10:29) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It shouldn’t take a man half-dead and lying beside the road to show someone that he is self-righteous. Since self-righteousness does not fear, l...

August 29, 2026 Today's Reading: Mark 6:14-29 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 11:42-12:19; 2 Corinthians 7:1-16 “King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some said, ‘John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.’ But others said, ‘He is Elijah.’ And others said, ‘He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.’ But when Herod h...

August 28, 2026 Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 13 - Psalm 74:1-2, 19b, 21b; antiphon: Psalm 74:20a, 21a, 22a, 23a Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 11:1-26; 2 Corinthians 6:1-18 Have regard for the covenant, [O Lord]; let not the downtrodden turn back in shame. Arise, O God, defend your cause; do not forget the clamor of your foes. (Psalm 74:20a, 21a, 22a, 23a) O God, why do you cast us off forever?...

August 27, 2026 Today's Reading: Catechism: What is the Sacrament of the Altar? Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 9:1-9; 10:1-13; 2 Corinthians 5:1-21 It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself for us Christians to eat and to drink. (Luther’s Small Catechism- Sacrament of the Altar) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. What is the Sacrament of th...

August 26, 2026 Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:4-11 or Romans 10:9-17 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 8:22-30, 46-63; 2 Corinthians 4:1-18 “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Eve...

August 25, 2026 Today's Reading: Isaiah 29:17-24 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 7:51-8:21; 2 Corinthians 3:1-18 “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? In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see. The meek shall obtain fresh j...

August 24, 2026 Today's Reading: Luke 22:24-30 or John 1:43-51 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 5:1-18; 1 Kings 6:1-7:50; 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:17 “A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the...

August 23, 2026 Today's Reading: Mark 7:31-37 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 3:1-15; 1 Kings 3:16-4:34; 2 Corinthians 1:1-22 “ And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha,’ that is, ‘Be opened.’ And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainl...

August 22, 2026 Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 12 - Psalm 70:2b, 4a, 5b ; antiphon: Psalm 70:1-2a Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 2:1-27 ; 1 Corinthians 14:1-16:24 ; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 “You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay!” (Psalm 70:5) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  Psalm 70 expresses a prayer that every believer in God has prayed: “Help!” “Make haste, O God, to deliver me!...

August 21, 2026 Today's Reading: 1 Kings 1:1-4, 15-35 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 1:1-4, 15-35 ; 1 Corinthians 12:14-31 “The Young woman was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king…” (1 Kings 4:4) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We read some very weird things in the Bible; the story of Abishag is one of them.  At this time, King David was old and advanced in years. He is described as bedrid...

August 20, 2026 Today's Reading:   Catechism: What sins should we confess? Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 12:1-25 ; 2 Samuel 13:1-19:43 ; 1 Corinthians 12:1-13 “Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man!’” (2 Samuel 12:7a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Put yourself in Nathan’s shoes. How’d you like it if God sent you to confront the most powerful man in the nation to call him out for a sin –a man who was...

August 19, 2026 Today's Reading: 2 Samuel 11:1-27 Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 11:1-27; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 “But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.” (2 Samuel 11:27b) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. How could this happen? God said that David was a man after His own heart: David trusted God and was a model of faithfulness, honoring God in both word and deed. But in our passage today,...

August 18, 2026 Today's Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10 or 1 Corinthians 15:1-10 Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 7:18-29 ; 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:16 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God…” (Ephesians 2:8) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Lutherans love to say we are saved by grace through faith. But, as Luther would ask in his catechism, What does...

August 17, 2026 Today's Reading: Genesis 4:1-15 Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 7:1-17 ; 1 Corinthians 9:24-10:22 “sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, and you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7b) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Cain and Abel both presented offerings to the LORD. Abel brought his best; Cain did not. The LORD regarded Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s. Cain was shown up by his...

August 16, 2026 Today's Reading: Luke 18:9-14 Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 6:1-19 ; 1 Corinthians 9:1-23 “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Luke 18:13) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. One of the many problems with being a sinner is that we are turned in on ourselves, or self-centered. We tend to talk too much about ourselves and only think of our own problems and desires. As religiously serious peop...

August 15, 2026.  Today's Reading:   Luke 1:(39-45) 46-55 Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 5:1-25 ; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 “Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:45) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Lutherans honor Mary—not because she rules in heaven or manages our prayers—but because of what God did through her. Jesus’ humanity is re...

August 14, 2026 Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 11 - Psalm 68:1, 3, 7a, 10b, 19 ; antiphon: Psalm 68:5b, 6a, 35b Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 1:1-27; 1 Corinthians 7:25-40 “The righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy.” (Introit for Trinity 11) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In A.D. 390, the Emperor of the Eastern Empire of Rome, Theodosius, ordered s...

August 13, 2026 Today's Reading: Catechism: What is Confession? Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 31:1-13 ; 1 Corinthians 7:1-24 “…Our sins are forgiven before God in heaven.” (Small Catechism- Confession) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Lutheran Service Book says on page 292 (in red ink): “If you are not burdened with particular sins, do not trouble yourself or search for or invent other sins, thereby...

August 12, 2026 Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 28:3-25 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 28:3-25; 1 Samuel 29:1-30:31 ; 1 Corinthians 6:1-20 “The Lord has done to you as He spoke by me, for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David.’” (1 Samuel 28:17) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In 16 years of shepherding God’s kids, I’ve heard and seen almost everything. The most d...

August 11, 2026  Today's Reading: Romans 9:30-10:4 or 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 26:1-25; 1 Samuel 27:1-28:2 ; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” (Romans 10:4) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When I converted to Lutheranism in 2005, I was amazed by the clarity of confession and the certainty of the Lutherans I met...

August 10, 2026  Today's Reading: Jeremiah 8:4-12 or Jeremiah 7:1-11 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 25:23-44 ; 1 Corinthians 4:1-21 “I have paid attention and listened…” (Jeremiah 8:6a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When I was little, I learned to hammer nails into boards. Part of that process, unfortunately, included smashing my thumb with the hammer. The wise counsel of adults was to: “ Stop hitting...

August 9, 2026  Today's Reading: Luke 19:41-48 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 25:1-22 ; 1 Corinthians 3:1-23 “Would that you… had known on this day the things that make for peace!” (Luke 19:42) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus sees His beloved city and her people carrying on in great busyness and happiness in preparation for the Passover celebration… so why does Jesus weep? Why the turning over of...

August 8, 2026 Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 10 - Psalm 55:1, 4-5, 16 ; antiphon: Psalm 55:16a, 17b, 18a, 22a Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 24:1-22 ; 1 Corinthians 1:26-2:16 “Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!” (Psalm 55:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Lord desires that we call upon Him in the day of trouble. That is what we learn in the opening to...

August 7, 2026 Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 21:1-9 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 21:1-9 “So the priest gave him the holy bread, for there was no bread there but the bread of Presence…” (1 Samuel 21:6a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Holy things for unholy people. That’s what happens in our text for today. If you remember, David is on the run. Saul doesn’t like the man; he never has since that whole Golia...

August 6, 2026 Today's Reading: Catechism: The Sacrament of Holy Baptism - 4 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 20:1-23 ; Acts 28:16-31 “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:4) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Baptism isn’t a one-time thing. I mean, it is…. Af...