Lutheran Hour Ministries - Canada

Always Welcome

Saturday, September 21, 2024

TEXT: Luke 15:21 - And the son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son."

Christ told this parable to show how God is waiting for you. A man had two sons. The younger turned out to be one of the "playboys" of Bible history, but one who finally came to his senses. First, he asked for his inheritance before he was entitled to it, and a pampering father gave it to him. Then, when he had his hands on the money, the prodigal son proceeded to get as far away from home influences as possible. With a swagger in his step and a brazenness in his whole bearing, he was ready to live it up. He'd licked the world, all right—but the world beat him within an inch of his life! His newfound freedom he turned into license; everything he owned he spent in riotous living. Then came the payoff—as it always does. Everything was gone: money, friends, love, self-confidence, and self-respect. There was not even food enough—only famine rations.

Desperation prompts serious reflection. How men—and women, too—will think of home when they are far away from it, or when they have scorned it! The prodigal son thought of the home to which he no longer had a title. He was sure his father would denounce him as a fool, and he would have every right to do so. But, at the end of the day, this was the son's only hope. He recognized his guilt. He was ready to confess. He said, "I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants'" (Luke 15:18-19). Now that would take courage.

But look what happened!

His father was waiting for him, exactly as he had been doing ever since his boy walked out of his life. The welcome mat had never been taken in. The father was waiting for his son, not in anger, but with gifts, many of them, but best of all—forgiveness. And the son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son." But the father said to his servants, "Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found" (Luke 15:21b-24a).

Some sinners, unwilling to recognize their guilt or too proud to accept God's generosity, will go through life to the throne of God's judgment with the burden of their sin. Others, like Martin Luther—their number is legion, and they are found in every truly Christian denomination—go home with the prodigal, finding God is waiting for them, and have peace both here and hereafter. The Heavenly Father is waiting for you. Seek Him in your repentance, clinging in faith to the forgiveness available to all through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

WE PRAY: Heavenly Father, thank You for welcoming us home. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

From "God Is Waiting for You," a sermon excerpt from Rev. Dr. Armin Oldsen, former Speaker of The Lutheran Hour

Reflection Questions:

What does it say about God that He would wait for us?

Do you know anyone who's lived like the prodigal son in Jesus' story?

What kind of lessons can we take from the father's love for his son?

All He Has To Say

Friday, September 20, 2024

This devotion pairs with this weekend’s Lutheran Hour sermon, which can be found at lhm.org.

TEXT: Genesis 28:15-16 - [And God said to Jacob] “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”

Jacob didn’t understand the full weight of the blessing, but he knew he wanted it, and would do anything to get it. He lied, schemed, and cheated for it, even invoked God’s Name, falsely, to get it. And he got what he wanted, at least he thought so. But what was the result? Esau, his brother, hated him and wanted to murder him. And his mother and father sent him away to live with his uncle in a neighboring country. And now Jacob has to walk 500 miles to get there—Jacob, the guy who preferred to stay indoors.

So, he sets out, running from his murderous brother, running from his disappointed father—running from God—unprepared for the journey ahead, with only a few provisions, from the sound of it—no sleeping bag or pillow, just the clothes on his back. But before he gets far, God comes down to meet Jacob, that lying, cheating, no good disappointment, because God has something to say. And when God comes downstairs to let Jacob have it, it’s not to tell him how much of a disappointment he was. It wasn’t to re-hash all his failures. It wasn’t to pile on guilt and shame. No, God came down simply to tell him that He loved him, because God has a promise for him—to bless him and be with him and care for him.

I was talking with a young woman about this Scripture passage recently. I’ll call her Terra. Terra is in graduate school. She’s under a lot of pressure—stressing about interviews and internships and job prospects. And sometimes she feels like she’s not enough. She’s worried she’ll be a disappointment. When Terra heard Jacob’s story, God’s Word to Jacob touched her. Terra and I talked about how God’s promise passed through Jacob to us, how it came down through Jacob’s greatest offspring, Jesus, who, turns out, is Himself God’s Word, God’s communication, what-God-has-to-say-to-us-in-the-flesh.

In Jesus, God came downstairs to be born in Jacob’s family, because He has something to say to you. Jesus says that He is the fulfillment of Jacob’s dream. In the Gospel of John 1:51, Jesus says that He is that heaven-sent stairway. And Jesus said that He would draw all people to Himself, by being lifted up on the cross (see John 12:32). And He rose from the dead so that God’s promise to Jacob could come down the stairs for you. Listen to what God has to say to you in Jesus: “Look, I will be with you. I will guard you in all the places you go. I will not leave you. I will do what I’ve promised you.”

WE PRAY: Dear Father, thank You for coming downstairs to make us part of Your household, forever. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler, Speaker for The Lutheran Hour.

Reflection Questions:

When have you worried that you wouldn’t be enough or have enough?

When was a time someone showed you unexpected or undeserved graciousness?

What journey or unknown path are you facing? What do you want to say to God about this?

Avoiding the Subject

Thursday, September 19, 2024

TEXT: Mark 9:31-37 - He [Jesus] was teaching His disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And when He is killed, after three days He will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask Him. And they came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And He sat down and called the twelve. And He said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” And He took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in My Name receives Me, and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”

This is a strange passage. Two times Jesus is trying to get His disciples to talk to Him, but they hold back and refuse!

The first time is understandable. Apparently the disciples heard Jesus’ words, decided He couldn’t possibly mean what it sounded like, and just … avoided asking Him anything, because they were afraid to hear more scary stuff. Maybe Jesus would say, “Yes, I really do mean I’m going to die!” So they kept silent.

The second time they refuse to answer, it’s because of embarrassment. Who wants to tell Jesus that you were arguing about who was the greatest? Not me!

We do this to Jesus too, don’t we? Have you never had something in your life you needed to pray about, but you didn’t—out of embarrassment, maybe, or because you were afraid you’d get an answer you didn’t want? And so you avoided the subject. But topics like that have a tendency to fester.

Maybe that’s why Jesus forces the discussion, the second time with His disciples. I don’t know if He was using His omniscience or just His sharp ears, but clearly He knows what the problem is, and He knows what they need to hear for their own wellbeing. And that’s true for our problems as well. If we can’t bring ourselves to open the subject, sooner or later He will—because He loves us. And He will see to it that we get the help we need, one way or another.

What a wonderful Lord and Savior we have, who cares for us so greatly that He notices even what we are not saying—and helps us! And no wonder, because He is the one who noticed us in the first place when we didn’t even belong to Him yet—when we were caught in sin, trapped by the power of evil, needing a rescuer. And so He became our Savior. He came into our world to give Himself as a ransom for our sake, to set us free to be children of God. His death means our everlasting life; and His resurrection means ongoing care and mercy for us. Because He understands—and cares for us.

WE PRAY: Lord, You know what I need to talk to You about. Please help me! Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Reflection Questions:

What kinds of things do people in general not want to talk about with God?

Why?

Are you avoiding one of these issues right now? If so, ask the Lord to help you bring it into the open.

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Building Others Up

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

TEXT: James 3:13-18 - Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

I think we’ve all sat in churches where one person is clearly in love with the sound of their own voice. They sing louder than anyone else; they pray 30-minute prayers in public, while the potluck gets cold; they always have something to say at any meeting, even when they don’t know anything about the topic. Such a person has a problem with pride and wanting to be first. James warns us about that kind of attitude, because it causes disorder in the church. Other people get angry and frustrated, and may express those feelings. Pretty soon there are factions and fighting.

I think we’ve all seen the opposite of that too—the person who sings, yes, but makes sure their voice is supporting all the other voices around them; the man who is quick to praise another leader in the church, the woman who gladly nominates someone else for an honorable position. These are the folks who speak up when their voices are needed, but not otherwise; and they listen when others aren’t sure or have questions. They replace the toilet paper in the church lavatory, and they find the mop when someone spills coffee. Without them, the church couldn’t function. They build up everyone else.

So which one are we going to be? Without the help of God, it’s always going to be the first person, because that’s what our natural sinful desires push us to be—someone seeking their own benefit. But if we allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in our hearts, we can became like the second group of people—humble, loving, quick to praise, slow to complain, always thinking of ways to build up the church in love. People like that are walking in the footsteps of Jesus, who laid aside His own glory and came “not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28b).

This is love—not that we love God, but that He loved us, so much that He lay down His life for us. And with the help of our resurrected Savior, we too can lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters—loving them, putting them and their welfare first, and being happy when anything good comes to them. May God help us with this!

WE PRAY: Dear Lord, live in me and help me to love my brothers and sisters! Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Reflection Questions:

Who do you know that cares for and builds up other people in your church?

What kinds of things do they do? Be as specific as you can.

What drives a person to do quiet acts of care behind the scenes?

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Lamb of God

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

TEXT: Jeremiah 11:18-20 - The Lord made it known to me and I knew; then you showed me their deeds. But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me they devised schemes, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more.” But, O Lord of hosts, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind, let me see Your vengeance upon them, for to You have I committed my cause. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah 11&version=ESV

Jeremiah is facing a conspiracy against his life—and it’s the men of his own hometown who are leading it. When God makes this clear to him, he feels betrayed. Of course he does! There are some things that are just too hard to believe, until they are proven—that someone you love is betraying you, that friends and neighbors are turning against you and actively trying to harm you. And when we do finally believe, we are torn trying to figure out what to do.

At that point, there are two choices: become a wolf, like the wolves who are trying to destroy you; and fight them with their own weapons. If they betray you, betray them! If they start rumors, start your own! If they lie and hate and harm, do the same right back to them!

Or there’s Jeremiah’s way—“O Lord of hosts, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind, let me see Your vengeance upon them, for to You have I committed my cause.”

Jeremiah is no wolf. He is devastated, but he will remain the gentle lamb he was previously, and let God handle the justice. He’s putting all his trust in God to deliver him.

But there’s still a bit of human bitterness in his line, “Let me see Your vengeance upon them.” It’s totally understandable; who can blame Jeremiah for wanting to see them get what they deserve? Not I. But there’s another way, and that is Jesus’ choice.

He too is a gentle Lamb led to the slaughter by the very people who should have worshipped Him—crucified by His own country’s religious leaders and by the Roman government which should have upheld God’s justice. But He does not call out for vengeance—instead, He says, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34b). He gives His life for His enemies, for those who have risen against Him—and that includes us, too, doesn’t it? Because it was our disobedience and rebellion against God that put Him there. And yet He loves us. And yet He goes willingly to lay down His life for us, to turn us into God’s own forgiven children—no longer betrayers, but faithful, loving, and filled with His Spirit. And when He rises from the dead, He gives us the life that lasts forever—at peace with God and each other.

This is the Lamb of God, who turns His enemies into those who love Him.

WE PRAY: Lord, thank You for what You have done for me. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Reflection Questions:

Have you ever been betrayed by someone you trusted? How did you feel?

What’s the problem with demanding vengeance on your enemies?

How does Jesus turn His enemies into people who love and follow Him?

No Other Name

Monday, September 16, 2024

TEXT: Psalm 54:1-2 - O God, save me by Your Name, and vindicate me by Your might. O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth.

The psalmist has an unusual plea: “Save me by Your Name.” How can God save by His Name? When the time came to save His people from slavery in Egypt, God revealed His sacred Name— “I AM”—to Moses (see Exodus 3:14). God is I AM, the One who exists, who is real, the only God. His holy Name expresses His eternal presence as the God “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8b). I AM is the God who saves His people, and He does so for the sake of His Name. Generations after the Exodus, God said to the Israelites in exile, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of My holy Name” (Ezekiel 36:22b). God also marks those who are His with His holy Name. He told the high priest Aaron and his sons to bless Israel with the benediction beginning with the familiar words, “The LORD bless you and keep you.” With these words, God said, “They put My Name upon the people of Israel and I will bless them” (see Numbers 6:24-27).

The psalmist’s plea is our prayer as well: “Save me by Your Name.” It is a prayer that has been answered. God the Son was born among us, true God and true Man, to save us. The Savior identified Himself with the sacred Name, saying, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58b). He was and is I AM, the God who saves, but we know Him by the Name we love, the Name of Jesus. His Name defines the purpose for which He came. His Name means “God saves,” because “He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21b). When Jesus died to save us, His Name was posted on the cross above His thorn-crowned head: “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Jesus the King died to save His people and was raised from death to reign in glory. His Name is now exalted as “the Name that is above every name, so that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow” (Philippians 2:9b-10a).

God puts His Name on us, claiming us as His sons and daughters as we are baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised that where two or three are gathered in His Name, He is present among us. He blesses our worship with His presence and then sends us out to proclaim repentance and forgiveness in His Name to all nations. It is good news that must be announced to the world because “there is no other Name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12b).

WE PRAY: Jesus, help me to live in a way that will bring honor to Your holy Name. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler.

Reflection Questions:

Does your name have special significance? Why were you given the name you have?

Why do you think God attaches special meaning to His Name? What is He trying to tell us by doing so?

Why is the Name of Jesus the Name above all names?

“Rise, Shine, You People”

Sunday, September 15, 2024

“Rise, shine, you people! Christ the Lord has entered Our human story; God in Him is centered. He comes to us, by death and sin surrounded, With grace unbounded.

“Come, celebrate, your banners high unfurling, Your songs and prayers against the darkness hurling. To all the world go out and tell the story Of Jesus’ glory.”

God fought and won battles for His people, often in unexpected and unusual ways. After the Israelites crossed the Red Sea on dry land, God released the sea and the returning waters drowned Pharaoh’s pursuing army. God caused the walls of Jericho to fall as the Israelites simply marched around the city. The Midianite army fled in fear at the sound of shouts and trumpets and the sight of torches in the hands of Gideon’s outnumbered band of warriors. The giant Philistine warrior Goliath was felled by a stone from a shepherd boy’s sling. King Jehoshaphat of Judah was so confident in the Lord’s salvation that he sent the choir into battle ahead of his army! The choir sang praise as God set an ambush for the enemy.

We live in this world “by death and sin surrounded.” Just as Israel alone could not defeat Egyptian chariots, a Midianite army or a Philistine giant, we could never on our own defeat the deadly foes of death, sin, and Satan. God won the battle for us, and in a most unexpected way. He sent His own Son, Jesus our Lord, to enter “our human story.” Jesus did not do battle with Satan in a display of power and blinding glory. He did not call down angelic armies to fight the enemy. Jesus conquered as a weak and helpless victim nailed to a cross. By His death and resurrection Jesus overcame the evil foe and tore the weapons of sin and death from the devil’s grasp. Through faith in Jesus, His victory is our victory. The Word of God for King Jehoshaphat of Judah is the Word for us too: “Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf” (2 Chronicles 20:17b).

Now through faith in Christ Jesus we are more than conquerors. We stand firm in faith against a world filled with hatred and unbelief, a world that needs to hear the Good News of salvation. For us, standing firm does not mean standing still. Standing firm in faith means moving forward and conquering, not through military might or angry arguments, but through our confession of faith and our works of love and service. In triumph and joy we storm the gates of hell with the Gospel, the story of Jesus, and hurl our “songs and prayers against the darkness.” It might even be a good idea to follow the example of King Jehoshaphat and send in the choir!

WE PRAY: Lord God, go before us in power as we share the Good News of salvation. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn, “Rise, Shine, You People” which is number 825 in the Lutheran Service Book.

Reflection Questions:

Do you have any favorite stories of battles fought and won? What are they?

How is it that through faith in Christ we are more than conquerors?

What are some weapons we have for doing battle in spiritual warfare? (See Ephesians 6:10-18.

Jesus in Our Hearts

Saturday, September 14, 2024

TEXT: Luke 24:30-35 - When He [Jesus] was at table with them, He took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him. And He vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the road, while He opened to us the Scriptures?” And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

This event in the Bible still amazes me. It's right after the resurrection of Jesus, and He starts making appearances to various disciples around Jerusalem. In this case, He comes beside two people walking on the road. They're downcast; they're disappointed; they're heartbroken concerning what happened to their Savior and Friend on Good Friday when He was crucified on the cross. Their sorrow was so all-encompassing that they couldn't—or maybe they wouldn't—recognize Jesus, even as He came alongside them.

Listen to what they said about His words to them: “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the road, while He opened to us the Scriptures?” That's a fire. That's a burning that you and I need in the midst of our struggles and griefs. When I thought about what fires us up and gets us going, most of the things that do that for us, they eventually fade away. People are fired up at sporting events, cheering for their team, but that fades quickly, even if they win. People are fired up for their hobbies and leisure. But even the burning in our hearts for those things will fade if there's not something more substantial in our lives. And of course there are all kinds of fires burning in our hearts that do us no good at all.

So here's a thought for today: there are fires that burn things up, they destroy. And there are fires that motivate and give joy. Think of the fire that devours a forest or one that levels a house; it leaves nothing behind. Or think of a nighttime campfire that draws you into its heat and glow and transforms the darkness to light, joy, and camaraderie. Pray today that you know the difference in your life between fires that destroy (I'm not talking about literal flames here; I'm talking about what burns in our hearts), and the godly fire that burns within, as God works in our hearts to love Him and serve others.

So, seek the fire that God Himself ignites. Immerse yourself in the Words of Jesus, the Words of God, in the Scripture. It's a godly fire. It's a glow that will draw you close to His love and grace, and empower your life right through death itself.

And then listen again to the ones who walked with the risen Savior on the road that day.

WE PRAY: Dear Lord Jesus, give us the fire of Your Holy Spirit. In Your Name we pray. Amen.

Based on "What Fires You Up?" a message from Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz, former Speaker of The Lutheran Hour

Reflection Questions:

When was the last time you were all fired up about something? Are you still enthused about it? Why or why not?

What does it mean to you that the disciples' hearts were burning within them when Jesus spoke to them?

What do you do to keep your faith life moving in the right direction, to keep Jesus front and center?

A Better Brother

Friday, September 13, 2024

This devotion pairs with this weekend’s Lutheran Hour sermon, which can be found at lhm.org.

TEXT: Genesis 27:30-41 - As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. He also prepared delicious food and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that you may bless me.” His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.” Then Isaac trembled very violently and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.” As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!” But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Behold, I have made him lord over you, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: “Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be, and away from the dew of heaven on high. By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you grow restless you shall break his yoke from your neck.” Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him.

The name Jacob means “heel-grabber,” trickster, deceiver, usurper. Wouldn’t it be great if all our siblings’ names were so transparent? “This is my brother, ‘Stinky.’ And my other brother, ‘Lego Thief.’ And my sister, ‘She-Who-Camps-Out-in-the-Bathroom.’” You could just introduce them and everyone would know what to expect.

That’s what Esau got in Jacob. The net result was a fracture in the family of God that would not be repaired until Esau got a better Brother in Jesus. “Jesus” means “Savior.” You can just say His Name and know what to expect.

Isaac warned Esau: a brother like Jacob will make you restless. You won’t be able to tolerate his lordship. With him in charge, nothing will go quite right. And one day you’ll throw off his yoke from your neck. But Jesus is better, a Brother we can truly look up to. He says, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart” (Matthew 11:28-29a).

Jesus, crucified and risen, ruling and returning, sends us back into the thick of it, to deal with substandard siblings, to love them for Christ’s sake. Are they still a piece of work? Is he still trying to trip you up? Does she still hog the bathroom? Probably. But look up and see the Brother who died to save them. Look past their faults. Take up His yoke. Learn from Him. Find rest for your soul.

WE PRAY: Dear Jesus, You came to be my Lord and my Brother. Thank You for a yoke that is easy and a burden that is light. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour.

Reflection Questions:

What comes to mind when you think of “sibling rivalry”? Any personal stories?

There’s lots of ways to say the Gospel, including, “Jesus came to be your brother.” How might that sound like “bad news” to someone?

Why is it meant to be good news? Does it strike you as such?