Saturday, February 15, 2025

Just Another Ordinary Day: Coals to Cross to Commissioned

138:8   The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;

                        your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.

                        Do not forsake the work of your hands.

            “What’s my purpose in this life?” Youth and young adults ask this question. So do most older and old people. 

“I’m so old. Why does God still have me around?” I’ve heard this from older Christians many times in my ministry as well.

God indeed has a purpose for you. He created you and brought you into His Creation.

Look at Isaiah in this week’s Old Testament lesson. It was just another ordinary day; ordinary, that is, until Yhwh brought him to his knees. Sin and God’s holiness don’t mix. They can’t. However, Yhwh solved Isaiah’s sin-problem with a coal from His altar:

Isaiah 6:7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

Notice, and notice very well, the present tense in verse 7. God’s reality for forgiveness and Isaiah’s restoration trumped the reality of Isiah’s guilt and sin. This was YHWH’s initiative. HE took the highroad by coming down to Isaiah, and not the other way around. After his restoration and assurance, God commissioned Isaiah to be His prophet.

Peter and the fishermen with him were confronted by God in the person of Christ Jesus. They, too, were brought low only to be lifted up by Jesus:

Luke 5:10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”

The Christian too is fully restored, and thus you and I have “purpose” here on this side of eternity. I’ve met many-a-Christian who worries and wrings her hands fretting about not knowing why she’s here. I’ve met many-a-Christian who prays and prays and then prays some more trying to figure out how he will be a “purpose” for God.

It’s not our purpose for God, but rather God’s purpose for “me.” This is how David ends this wonderful little Psalm. He knows that there’s more to come in his life on this side of eternity. David also knows that GOD is the One who will direct him in his daily life.

Dr. Leslie Allen says this in his commentary:

Yahweh is praised as one whose wont it is to deliver him from affliction and to restore him to fullness of life. Such protection and vindication are a pattern he has experienced time and time again. For the positive sense of God’s outstretched hand, one may compare Prov 31:20.

      The psalmist is personally qualified to sing the motto of the thanksgiving service (Jer 33:11) concerning the constancy of divine grace. Yet he dare not take it for granted: it must ever be balanced by constant submission. So his final word is a prayer that, just as he has known God’s molding hand upon his life thus far, he may continue to encounter God’s gracious presence (cf. Job 10:3, 8–12; Eph 2:10; 1 Pet 4:19).[1]

            God molded you from sinner to saint with the coals of the cross. From the cross comes the cooling waters of Baptism from the Savior’s side, who has washed away all of your sins. God has already been using you for His purpose and continues to do so—even if you don’t realize it.

         God is carrying out for and through you HIS purpose.

784 Take My Life and Let It Be

1      Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

5     Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine;
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6     Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store;
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Text: Public domain

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[1] Allen, Leslie C. Psalms 101–150. WBC 21. Accordance electronic edition, version 2.7. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983. 315.

Friday, February 14, 2025

Just Another Ordinary Day: With the Future in Sight

138:7               Though I walk in the midst of trouble,

                        you preserve my life;

             you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,

                        and your right hand delivers me.

            David trusts Yhwh and knows that His promises are sure. David looks toward the future when all God’s promises will finally be fulfilled. Until that day, however, David knows that he still exists and lives in the midst of trouble. And so do we as we live out our lives in Christ in a fallen and broken world.

            David made a confession to Yhwh;

Though I walk in the midst of trouble,

                        you preserve my life;

             you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,

                        and your right hand delivers me.

            God is not only the creator of life, but He also preserves your life. We confess this in the First Article of the Apostles’ Creed;

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

What does this mean?

I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them.

He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all I have. He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life.

He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil.

All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him.

This is most certainly true.[1]

            Like David look to the certain future of God’s promises, which brought him strength in this life, so too the Christian. We know that Jesus is returning on the Last Day. That’s a “for certain” certainty. Until that Day God in Christ Jesus remains with you today.

411 I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light

2     I want to see the brightness of God.
I want to look at Jesus.
Clear Sun of Righteousness, shine on my path,
And show me the way to the Father. Refrain

ref  In Him there is no darkness at all.
The night and the day are both alike.
The Lamb is the light of the city of God.
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.

3     I’m looking for the coming of Christ.
I want to be with Jesus.
When we have run with patience the race,
We shall know the joy of Jesus. Refrain

Text: © 1970, 1975 Celebration. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000694

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[1] Luther, Martin. Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation – 2017 Edition (p. 133).

Thursday, February 13, 2025
Just Another Ordinary Day: Is Jesus A Bowling Buddy or God?
 
Psalm 138:6   For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly,
                        but the haughty he knows from afar.
 
            There are times in the Christian’s life when we can get really quite comfortable with Jesus. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. However, the Christian in his comfortableness dare not lose sight that Jesus is really God—the loving, merciful, compassionate God—but God, nonetheless.
            The excerpts below are from Ancient Church bishops and scholars.
 
God Watches over the Humble[1]
 
THE LORD OBSERVES THE LOWLY. AUGUSTINE: Perhaps because [the psalm] said, “The Lord is sublime and observes lowly things,” you say to yourself, “Then he does not observe me.” What could be more unfortunate than you, if he does not observe you but ignores you? Observing indicates compassion; ignoring indicates contempt. But no doubt, because the Lord observes lowly things, you imagine you escape his notice, because you are not humble or lowly, you are high and mighty, you are proud. That is not the way to be missed by the eyes of God. I mean, just see what it says there: “The Lord is sublime.” Sublime indeed. How are you going to get to him? Will you look for a ladder? Look for the wood of humility,⁵ and you have already gotten to him. “The Lord is sublime, he observes lowly things, but high and mighty things” (do not imagine you escape notice, you that are so proud) “but high and mighty things he knows from afar.” He knows them, all right, but from afar. “Salvation is far from sinners.”⁶ SERMON 70A.2.
 
GOD SEES THE PROUD FROM AFAR. AUGUSTINE: We have heard, and it is clear; we had gone outside, we have been sent within. “O would that I had found,” you said, “some high and lonely mountain! For, I believe, because God is on high, he hears me from a high place.” Because you are on a mountain, do you think that you are near God and that you are heard quickly, as if shouting from nearby? He dwells on high, but “he looks on the lowly.” “The Lord is near.” To whom? Perhaps to the high? “To those who are contrite of heart.” It is a wondrous thing: he both lives on high and draws near to the lowly. “He looks on the lowly, but the high he knows from afar.” He sees the proud from afar; the higher they seem to themselves, so much of the less does he approach them. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 15.25.1.
 
LIFT UP YOUR HEARTS TO THE LORD. CAESARIUS OF ARLES: Today we are keeping the solemn festival of the ascension. If, therefore, we celebrate the Lord’s ascension in a manner that is right, holy, faithful, devout and pious, we must ascend with him and lift up our hearts. Now as we ascend, let us not be lifted up with pride or presume on our merits as if they were our own. For we ought indeed to lift up our hearts, but to the Lord alone. A heart lifted up but not to the Lord is called pride; a heart lifted up to the Lord is called a refuge. See, brethren, the great miracle. God is on high. You exalt yourself, and he flees from you; you humble yourself, and he descends to you. Why is this? Because “the Lord is exalted, yet the lowly he sees, and the proud he knows from afar.” He recognizes what is lowly from close at hand in order that he may raise it up; what is high, that is, what is proud, he knows from afar in order that he may bring it down. Christ truly arose from the dead in order to give us hope, because the person who dies rises again. He gave us assurance, so that we might not despair in dying and think our whole life ended in death. We were troubled about our very soul, but by rising from the dead he also gave us confidence in the resurrection of the body. SERMON 210.2.
 
729 I Am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus
5     I am trusting Thee for power;
    Thine can never fail.
Words which Thou Thyself shalt give me
    Must prevail.
 
6     I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus;
    Never let me fall.
I am trusting Thee forever
    And for all.
Text: Public domain


[1] Blaising, Craig A. and Carmen S. Hardin, eds., Psalms 51–150. ACCS 8. ICCS/Accordance electronic edition, version 2.6. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2007. 381-382.
 

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Just Another Ordinary Day: Light Brings Darkness to Darkness

Psalm 138:4    All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O

  LORD,

                        for they have heard the words of your mouth,

5          and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD,

                        for great is the glory of the LORD.

            Have you ever been in a very familiar room when it’s pitch-black in that room? Though it’s familiar, it’s still dark and the familiarity is all but gone. You move slowly through the room, maybe bumping your shin. You feel around in the air to make sure you don’t run into anything else while you’re also looking for the light switch, a flashlight, a candle, and match—ANYTHING to bring a little light into the room. RELIEF! A match was found.

            A little light dispels a bunch of darkness. A lot of light casts darkness into darkness.

            David is so thrilled with Yhwh’s help and promises that he simply can’t imagine he’s the only one to experience it. More need to hear about Yhwh and His awesomeness! David knew that, as Yhwh has acted in the past, so too there’s a whole lot more to come from Yhwh.

            Fast forward about 1000 years and we witness how Yhwh acted once again. God enfleshes all His glory in the Baby born in Bethlehem’s manger. The Light of God has come into the world, but this Light is still unknown to most people.

            Fast forward thirty-three more years to a cross on a hill. There God acts once again where Jesus exchanges His glory for our sins; where the Light of the world was extinguished for three days; where the King of all Creation wore, not a royal crown, but rather the crown for sinners.

            The world took notice on that first Easter morning when the Light of the world rose from the deepest darkness of the grave in all His majesty and glory, never to be extinguished again. Jesus called His first disciples to bring His light to those who seek God’s love in the darkness of this world.

            You have this Light. This Light has dispelled the darkness of sin and death in your life. The Light of Jesus has cast your darkness into darkness, never to concern you again.

            David saw a time when all the kings of the earth would know the LORD in the way He knew the LORD. David’s single life of praise was not enough for this most awesome God. Others just simply had to hear about Yhwh so that they too could know and experience Him in their lives.

            You have the Light of Christ indwelling in you so that you can share this hope and love with someone else; to praise Jesus along with you. Is there someone you know who is looking for a candle or match in their life?

411 I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light

1     I want to walk as a child of the light.
I want to follow Jesus.
God set the stars to give light to the world.
The star of my life is Jesus. Refrain

ref   In Him there is no darkness at all.
The night and the day are both alike.
The Lamb is the light of the city of God.
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.

Text: © 1970, 1975 Celebration. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000694