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‘Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Matthew 20:15,16

Enviable Generosity

Daily Devotion – September 28, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 20:15,16

See series: Devotions

Fairness is instilled in us very early on in our lives. Observe small children dividing candy or the last piece of cake, and you will see them exercise precision in a way they never do unless fairness is involved. Emotions run high on the playground when someone cheats, and a group of children walk away crying, “That’s not fair!” Even as adults, the problems that really raise our blood pressure are almost always related to issues of fairness.

So, it would be easy to understand why someone might become frustrated with God’s way of dealing with people. We naturally think he ought to love people as a reward for good behavior. And those who do things like obey his commands and listen to his word ought to be treated better by God. Certainly, those who have done more deserve more—right?

But then we see God forgiving the sins of people who spent most of their lives ignoring him and disobeying what he commands. We can feel it’s unfair, especially after we have spent our lives following him and striving to obey what he commands.

Instead of being envious of God’s generosity to others, we do well to rejoice in it, to celebrate that this is the kind of God we have! One who is this generous to sinners, even sinners like us. When we see God generously forgiving others, we can be thankful he shows that same generosity and goodness to us.

God grant that we celebrate, not envy, his generosity.

Prayer:
Saving Lord, you are merciful to all. Give to me a spirit that is thankful that you have forgiven all sins and promise salvation to all. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
Romans 9:14-16

God’s Mercy

Daily Devotion – September 27, 2023

Devotion based on Romans 9:14-16

See series: Devotions

We’re all pretty good at excusing our own behavior and judging the behavior of others. For example, we may think it’s reasonable to take a few extra breaks at work; after all, we deserve it. However, we look at the coworker just a few spaces down and think they take too long at lunch and are lazy. Or we might speed a little and break a few traffic laws and think that’s no big deal. However, we are certain the guy who just passed us needs to get pulled over by the police. Or, we are rude or cruel to some of the people around us but are deeply offended when someone is rude or cruel to us.

Simply put, we want our mistakes and sins to be unjustly overlooked, but something should really be done about our neighbors’ mistakes and sins. When it comes to the sins of others, we want justice.

The truth is that all people deserve God’s just punishment for their sin—you and I included. But, thankfully, our God is merciful. His compassion led him to become one of us in the person of Jesus Christ so that he could live the perfect life we didn’t live and die the death we deserved. For his sake and his alone, God has had mercy on us. As the apostle Paul wrote in our Bible reading today, “It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy” (Romans 9:16).

Rather than depending on something I have done or not done, God is merciful to me because that is his way. It is simply who he is and what he does, and therefore, I am included in those whom God loves because it is his merciful and compassionate way.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, make me to better know that it is not my will or actions, but your mercy and compassion by which I am saved. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry.
Jonah 3:10–4:1

Justice or Something More?

Daily Devotion – September 26, 2023

Devotion based on Jonah 3:10–4:1

See series: Devotions

God is supposed to be a God of justice—right?

It’s no wonder Jonah called God out on the carpet like he did. The people of Nineveh were truly evil. They had made a name for themselves in violence and bloodshed so that much of the ancient world was disturbed and anxious. Even women and children were not spared from their violence.

Wasn’t Jonah right that they deserved to receive at least a portion of the violence from God that they so freely meted out to those less fortunate? That would be justice, after all.

So Jonah was angry when Nineveh repented and was not destroyed.

Yet we see something in Jonah that we see in all our hearts. Jonah didn’t want justice; he wanted destruction. The difference between Jonah and the Ninevites was not that the Ninevites loved violence, and Jonah loved peace. No, Jonah had his own version of violence and destruction, which is why he sat on his hilltop waiting for Nineveh to be destroyed. In fact, it seems that if Jonah had the same army and strength as Nineveh, he might have taken justice into his own hands. The only difference between Jonah and the people of Nineveh was that Jonah didn’t have a powerful army at his disposal.

God gave something better than justice to both the Ninevites and Jonah; he gave mercy. He sent the people of Nineveh a prophet to tell them to repent. God spared Nineveh from the fate they deserved. He caused the great fish to spit Jonah back up on the dry land instead of letting him drown. Even as Jonah sat on the hilltop, God sent a message instead of judgment to Jonah. While we might content ourselves with justice in this situation, God had something more for all involved.

We have a God who is more than just; he is merciful.

Prayer:
Father, help me to see beyond my own pettiness to your great mercy. Make me trust that your will is where justice and mercy meet. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

[Jesus said] “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. . . “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’ “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. . . “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you.’”
Matthew 20:1,8-11,13,14

A Generous God

Daily Devotion – September 25, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 20:1,8-11,13,14

See series: Devotions

A good story can change the way you see something or someone. Jesus’ story about the landowner and the workers he hires does just that.

Jesus didn’t tell this simple story so that we could learn something about economics or ancient farming practices. Jesus told it so it would change the way we look at the abundance of God’s grace.

In Jesus’ story, those who worked a full day received a full day’s wage. And those who worked less than a full day also received a full day’s wage. The reward was the same, regardless of time or amount of work.

It is a story that offends our sensibilities of what is fair but also changes how we see God. It teaches us that he has a higher goal than fairness. We are confronted with the beautiful truth that God’s love for us is not based on what we have done but on his generosity.

What a relief to know that our God is this generous! Take comfort in this truth and celebrate it today!

Prayer:
Father, allow me to see and appreciate the abundance of your grace. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.
Jonah 3:10

The Threat of Destruction

Daily Devotion – September 24, 2023

Devotion based on Jonah 3:10

See series: Devotions

It’s terrifying to face the threat of destruction and death from the almighty, holy, one true God. The people of Nineveh faced this. They believed God was serious about his threat against them. They grasped the fact that they had fallen under the judgment of God because of their sinfulness. Even with their great military prowess, they could not defend themselves against God. So they turned to him and sought his mercy to be spared from destruction.

And what good news we read next! “God had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.” The heart of God overflows with compassion toward people. “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live” (Ezekiel 33:11).

Mindful of our sinfulness, we confess that we have failed to live according to God’s holy will. For this reason, we deserve death and destruction for our offenses against God. We acknowledge that we have no ability on our own to free ourselves from God’s just punishment. Our only hope is that he would have mercy on us.

The good news is that he does! “Because of the LORD‘s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail” (Lamentations 3:22). In love and compassion for us, God laid the guilt of our sin on his Son, Jesus, and punished him in our place. He freed us from eternal death and destruction in hell. Through Jesus, we have peace with God. His favor rests on us, and by faith in our Savior, we live in the joy of the salvation that he accomplished for us.

Prayer:
We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.
May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept. His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said. But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.”
Genesis 50:15-21

Forgiveness

Daily Devotion – September 23, 2023

Devotion based on Genesis 50:15-21

See series: Devotions

Joseph’s brothers were afraid. They had done terrible things to Joseph; now Joseph was a powerful ruling official in Egypt. The lives of the brothers were in his hands. They were afraid!

The brothers’ problem was the fear of not being forgiven for what they had done to Joseph. They had sold their brother into slavery.

Like those men, we sometimes fear the repercussions of confessing what we have done wrong. But lying about our situation does not help at all. The person who cheated on their spouse, the worker who misappropriated funds, or the student who cheated on a test gains nothing positive by lying about it. Instead, though difficult, there is great benefit in confessing and asking for forgiveness.

Joseph said to his brothers, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?” God’s forgiveness dismisses fear. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross takes away all our sins—even those that are horrific. Followers of Christ dismiss fear because God freely forgives them. In response, as God does for them, they forgive the sin of others.

Forgiveness offered in love is the most powerful agent of change the world has ever seen. Joseph forgave because he knew God is a God of forgiveness. We forgive because we are forgiven by God through Jesus.

So then, don’t be afraid.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, may your gracious forgiveness of all my sins through Jesus lead me to forgive others as I have been forgiven. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

[Jesus said] “The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt, and let him go. But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.”
Matthew 18:27-30

Get Past the Grudge

Daily Devotion – September 22, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 18:27-30

See series: Devotions

A recent survey indicated the number one reason people stop going to church is that they hold a grudge. They disagree with something someone said or did and can’t bring themselves to resolve the problem, so they simply stay away from it.

In a parable told by Jesus, a servant who had a massive debt canceled goes out and finds a second servant who owes a much smaller debt to him. Instead of resolving it, the first servant holds it against the second servant and has the person thrown into prison, where it is difficult to resolve anything.

Can you see the relationship between the two situations?

God forgives people for every sin against him. He sent his son Jesus into the world to pay the debt for every sin. Jesus suffered hell and set people free from the guilt of sin and from the fear of death.

But those same forgiven people decide to hold everyone around them accountable for every sin and every grievance, large or small. They nurse grudges rather than forgiving people, who often don’t even realize what they have done.

Then the servants who forget their own forgiveness stay away from church, where the power of forgiveness in Word and sacrament could give them the strength to forgive the people who have grieved them. It’s not a good situation.

Get past the grudge. Forgive the other person. Rejoin the Christian assembly. Stay connected to Jesus! Live in forgiveness.

Prayer:
How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

[Jesus said] “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt, and let him go.”
Matthew 18:23-27

Debts

Daily Devotion – September 21, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 18:23-27

See series: Devotions

Matthew, the apostle and evangelist, knew all about debts. Before he became a disciple of Jesus, he had been a tax collector—responsible for collecting money from people in Israel on behalf of the occupying Roman government. He would have kept track of income and debts for people from all levels of society and would have been aware of how people got into trouble with difficulty paying off their debts.

Matthew must have been fascinated by Jesus telling the story of the servant of a king who had a huge debt. The debt was millions of days’ worth of wages, an impossible sum. Matthew knew what happened to people who accumulated such massive debts. Everything they had, everything dear to them, even their families, would have been sold or enlisted to pay off the debt. Matthew may even have seen such scenarios play out in real life.

Imagine Matthew’s surprise when someone in the story with ultimate authority, a king and master, takes pity on the man with the debt and simply cancels it. A king could do that, but it was probably a rare event.

As Matthew got to know Jesus, he would have realized that the story was about him and about each one of us. Our debt to God is unpayable because of the things we have done wrong, and the good things we have neglected to do. He should send us to hell. Instead, because of the payment that Jesus made for us on the cross, God takes pity on us, cancels our debt, and promises us heaven.

Prayer:
Lord God, thank you for taking pity on us, canceling our debt to you, and setting us free in Jesus. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32

Where You Get the Strength

Daily Devotion – September 20, 2023

Devotion based on Ephesians 4:32

See series: Devotions

My dad had to say it to me and my siblings so often that he ended up abbreviating it. “ABK!” he would call out to the back seats of the station wagon. “ABK!” he would yell upstairs where our bedrooms were. “ABK!” he would say in the backyard while sitting in his lawn chair near the grill and watching us play.

“ABK” stood for Always Be Kind.

We knew Christians were supposed to be kind. We had heard the Bible verse, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” But it was so hard! Siblings were so annoying and obnoxious! And whatever it was, they did it on purpose!

It’s difficult for adults to be kind and compassionate as well. Being unkind seems to come naturally. To be honest, it’s easy to prove that other people don’t deserve our kindness. Unkindness seems to come just as naturally to them as it does to me.

Where will I ever get the strength to forgive unkind people?

The strength will come from realizing that God has forgiven me even when I don’t deserve it. I will get the strength from seeing how Christ treated me even when I was a sinner. My own forgiveness from a kind and compassionate God will give me the strength to be kind and compassionate as well.

There is a hint in the Lord’s Prayer. “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” When I call on God to forgive my sins, I am called to do the same for all those unkind people around me.

Prayer:
“Forgive our sins as we forgive,” you taught us, Lord, to pray, but you alone can grant us grace to live the words we say. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.