Month: September 2024

Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Isaiah 35:4-6

Welcome Changes

Daily Devotion – September 8, 2024

Devotion based on Isaiah 35:4-6


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Have you ever met one of those people who can brighten up every room they enter? If the conversation is dull, they liven it up. If everyone is gloomy, they bring cheer. If the mood is tense, they replace it with calm. Such welcome changes! Their arrival makes you want to shout for joy!

The scene Isaiah describes in his prophecy is not that much different. Only Isaiah is not describing a friend who will come to brighten up a room, he is describing our God who “will come to save you.” And what welcome changes this Savior brings! Isaiah prophesied that at our Savior’s arrival, he would open the eyes of the blind; he would unstop the ears of the deaf; he would make the lame leap like a deer; he would cause the mute tongue to shout for joy. When Jesus, our Savior, appeared in this world, he did just that. His miracles made so many shouts for joy.

But in reality, such miracles only served as a taste of a greater joy. Our Savior did not just come to save a few select individuals from their physical problems. He came to save the entire world from our spiritual problem—our spiritual problem of sin. We were spiritually crippled by our wickedness, but Jesus has healed us through the perfect life and innocent death that he accomplished in our place. Because of what he did, we will one day see our God face to face and walk in his holy presence forever.

What welcome changes the Savior brings. Your God has come to save you. Shout for joy!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, fill my heart with shouts of joy as I ponder the depth of your love for me and all people. Amen.

[Jesus replied] “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the human traditions.”
Mark 7:8

Don’t Let Go!

Daily Devotion – September 7, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 7:8


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“Don’t let go of the ‘Matchless Mine.” These were Horace Tabor’s dying words to his wife. Unfortunately, she took those words to heart and died a penniless recluse.

“Don’t let go of the traditions of the past.” These were the teachings of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law in Jesus’ day. For those who put their trust in those traditions, they lost the comfort of God’s Word and the promise of the Savior.

“Don’t let go of the commands of God.” These are the words of a loving Savior. Jesus wants me to know and understand the blessing of following those commands, as well as the danger of letting go of them.

“Don’t let go.” It is an exhortation we need to hear regularly. There are many competing messages in the world which vie for our attention. “Follow your heart.” “Trust your instincts.” “Rely on your understanding.” All are appealing. All sound reasonable. All are deceptions of the devil and lead to death.

“Don’t let go.” In the commands of God we have the true guide for life. And Jesus reminds us, “his commands are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). We are led by Jesus and his great love for us to follow God’s commands. For in his faithfulness as our Savior, Jesus fulfilled every requirement God set before us. And in his great love, Jesus went to the cross to suffer the punishment that we deserved for failing to live up to God’s holy will expressed in his commands. The salvation that Jesus accomplished is our comforting assurance that, nothing will ever separate us from the love of God.

“Don’t let go.” This is Jesus’ desire for our lives. Even though there are many appealing paths and philosophies we could follow, nothing will ever offer the certainty or the peace of following by faith in Jesus what God commands. So, don’t let go!

Prayer:
O gracious Lord, your Word gives life, and it is my life. Keep me faithful to studying your Word and following your commands. In the end, keep me from letting go of those truths you have brought into my life. Amen.

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Deuteronomy 4:9

A Heart That Remembers

Daily Devotion – September 6, 2024

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 4:9


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“Don’t forget!” A child needs to be reminded to do his chores because he easily forgets. But he doesn’t forget that his parents promised to buy him a treat next time the ice cream truck comes by. We’re more eager to remember the things we want and quicker to forget things that seem like chores.

God was telling his people not to forget what their eyes have seen and not let them fade from their hearts. What had they seen? They had seen God rescue them from Egypt, and he was about to bring them into the Promised Land. Don’t forget! And don’t just know it; take it to heart! Years later, God would deliver us and all people in a greater way. He sent his Son, Jesus, to save us and the world from sin. Though we did not see Jesus die in our place and though we did not see his empty tomb as a sign of a promise kept, God grants us faith to know and believe that he did! He makes those blessings of salvation personally ours in baptism—what Jesus did, he did for you!

Don’t forget! Don’t forget how much your Savior loves you. Don’t forget all that he’s done for you. Don’t forget his Word that guides you through life. Don’t forget. How could we? When we grow to love and depend on something so vital, how could we forget. The more we listen to our Savior’s words, the more we appreciate what he has done. It’s not a chore. It’s a relief! We remember and take to heart Jesus and his Word. The Spirit is at work in the Word to give us a heart that truly remembers and personally takes to heart all that our Savior has done. God grants us hearts to cling to his promises as we walk through this life on our way to heaven, the Promised Land.

Prayer:
Lord, strengthen my faith to remember and take to heart all that you have done and equip me to teach the next generation. Amen.

Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him?
Deuteronomy 4:6,7

A Heart That Beams With Joy

Daily Devotion – September 5, 2024

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 4:6,7


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When you ask an engineer how his machine works, he lights up and is eager to share his knowledge and expertise. When a child learns something new, she can’t wait to share what she knows. We don’t want to hide what we are passionate about. We are eager to share knowledge of what we believe is important.

As God’s people, past and present, live their lives, their hearts beam with joy, eager to share what we know to be true and eternally important. Following Jesus and his commands is not about a rigorous religious life trying to appease a harsh god. We don’t serve out of fear. We live in the freedom of sins forgiven! Our joy comes from what God has done for us. Jesus drew near to humanity when he became truly human. He made known to us the true God and his salvation. He rescued us from sin by his life, death, and resurrection and made us his holy people. He is not distant. He is real, and he is near.

Our passion is to live for the one who lived and died and rose for us! As we walk in God’s ways and follow him with a joyful heart, we are letting the knowledge of Jesus and his salvation shine to the world around us. The lives we live are not so that people will praise us. We live so that we and others may praise our God and Savior. We don’t wish to blend into the world. We want to let our speech and lives reflect our faith that God has saved us and that he is with us. We want to eagerly answer those who wonder who God is and how he works. We want to share the joy of knowing Jesus.

Prayer:
Lord, fill my heart with the joy that comes from your salvation that I may serve and follow you. Amen.

Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the LORD, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.
Deuteronomy 4:1,2

A Heart That Trusts

Daily Devotion – September 4, 2024

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 4:1,2


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I like to cook, but I don’t always like to follow recipes. Sometimes, I leave out a key ingredient or substitute a more common one. Other times, I add a twist. Sometimes it works. Sometimes, it’s a disaster.

Adding our own flavor and interpretation to God’s Word, substituting an idea that’s more common today, taking away things we find unappetizing, or adding our own twist to make it more palatable is a recipe for disaster. Taking away something can take away the comfort we have in Jesus! Adding something can add a burden of guilt and uncertainty.

That’s why God’s Word comes with a warning—do not add or subtract. That would be a recipe for disaster. He gives this warning because he wants what’s best for us. “Just trust me!” God says. Trust the words that God has spoken. Trust that he knows what is best for us because he designed and created us to live as his children. Trust that he knows how best to bless and meet our spiritual needs because he became human, walked in our shoes, and then died to save us. Trust his royal decree that declares us forgiven and made holy because of Jesus.

Rather than being cooks in the kitchen trying to concoct our own philosophies and teachings, God invites us to feast on his every word. He invites us to sit at his table and feeds us all that our souls need. He feeds us free of charge because Jesus has picked up the tab. We savor every morsel of God’s Word because it nourishes our souls and satisfies us like nothing else. We follow him with a heart that trusts every word that he speaks.

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for the price you paid and giving me an endless serving of your grace. Amen.

Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
Romans 10:4

A Heart Transformed

Daily Devotion – September 3, 2024

Devotion based on Romans 10:4


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We all set goals in life. We might set goals in stages to make them more realistic. We want to transform our health and habits. We want to grow in our abilities. Yet, we struggle to meet the goals that we set for ourselves. How much more have we struggled to meet the goals God has set?

The goal of God’s law is summed up in this way: Love the Lord and love your neighbor. God’s law set the bar as high as it can go—perfection! Be perfect and follow God’s law of love perfectly. God sets the goal he wants us to aim for, but we’ve missed the mark. God’s goal is for us to live righteous and perfect lives, free from sin, but we haven’t. That’s the law.

Here’s the gospel, the good news: Jesus Christ has met God’s righteous goal as our Savior and substitute! Jesus met the goal that we never could. Jesus hit the mark that we’ve so often missed. Jesus loved the Lord with all his heart. As true God and also true man, he placed himself under his own law and did what his Father asked him to do—to keep the law perfectly and then to die for us who haven’t perfectly kept it. In this, Jesus met the goal of the law and loved God and us. Perfectly.

This good news transforms our hearts. In Jesus, we are finally declared righteous (right with God). It’s as though we’d never sinned because Jesus kept the law and died in our place. Our hearts are transformed, so we no longer have to hide from God in fear. Instead, we can run to him in confidence, knowing that he loves and accepts us through faith in his Son.

We follow Jesus not because he’s like some life coach who helps us set more realistic goals and achieve them. He doesn’t simply show us the way. We follow him because he is the way, the truth, and the life. We follow him with a heart transformed by his love.

Prayer:
Lord, continue to transform my heart with your gospel so that I may follow you eagerly from the heart. Amen.

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works.
Romans 9:30-32

A Restless Heart

Daily Devotion – September 2, 2024

Devotion based on Romans 9:30-32


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Two children carry out the same chores around the house. They abide by the same rules and curfews. For one child, it’s grueling. From his perspective, it sucks the joy out of life. He can’t wait to move out, but meanwhile, he grins and bears it and does what is expected. The other child enjoys the blessings of a safe home, three square meals, and loving parents. He keeps the same rules, but it doesn’t seem to be a burden. He sees it as a reasonable expectation and a blessing to have parents that care that much.

They keep the same rules, but they have very different attitudes. This illustration really describes Christians just before and after becoming Christians. Before they became a child of God, they knew to some extent the basic rules—don’t murder, don’t steal, be kind, speak positively. However, apart from Jesus, these seem more of a burden than a blessing. Even now, at times, their hearts trend back to a natural way of thinking. If they think it depends on their work of keeping the rules to be right with God (that’s what righteousness means), then it becomes a burden too heavy to carry. Their hearts become restless and ragged. How can they ever know if they’ve done enough? How can they ever do enough? They can’t, but Jesus, our Savior, has!

God, our Father, has forgiven their sins and made them his children not because of their works but because of his great love. This changes everything. God lifted the burden too heavy for any of us to carry. He declared us righteous (right with him) by grace, through faith, and not by works. It’s this love that gives people a new perspective. They follow their Savior from the heart because they see that they are loved and provided for by a gracious God. Their hearts find rest in him!

Prayer:
Lord, my heart was restless until I found my rest in your loving forgiveness. Amen.

Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you. . . Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”
Deuteronomy 4:1,2,6

Too Strict?

Daily Devotion – September 1, 2024

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 4:1,2,6


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“Your parents sure are strict.” I remember hearing this often as a child. My parents had simple rules: If they told me to do something, I should do it. If they told me not to do something, then I shouldn’t. Looking back, I don’t know if I’d classify them as strict. I think my parents simply had expectations.

Yet, I was resentful of those expectations sometimes. My parents’ expectations seemed to limit my fun. It was hard for me as a child to see that my parents always had my best interests in mind. It was hard to see the wisdom in their expectations.

We’re tempted to look at God’s laws that way sometimes, aren’t we? We are tempted to subtract those parts that are unpopular or counter cultural. Satan whispers in our ears, “God is restricting your freedom with all these laws!” Except, just the opposite is true.

In our Bible reading for today, we read, “Follow them so that you may live.” Except we can’t follow them perfectly! That’s why God sent his Son, Jesus, to keep all his commands perfectly for us. He came so we can have life, life to the full. Just sit back and think for a minute: When has God ever done anything that wasn’t ultimately for your good? Every command God gives us, even the ones that are unpopular for many, are for our good. Following those commands doesn’t restrict our freedom, it shows our wisdom. Following all of God’s commands is a way to say “thank you” to God for all his blessings.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me life by offering the life of your Son, Jesus, in my place. Help me live according to all of your commands which I know are for my good. Amen.