Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Dreamer
Lord, Your words are waters living
When my thirsting spirit pleads.
Lord, Your words are bread life-giving;
on Your words my spirit feeds.
Lord, Your words will be my light
Through death's cold and dreary night;
Yes, they are my sword prevailing
And my cup of joy unfailing!
(LSB 589:2, Public Domain)
Read Genesis 36-37
I see an interesting devotional thought in The Lutheran Study Bible (TLSB) concerning dreams. It says, "You will have many dreams during your life. Be careful about interpreting them. In Genesis, God used dreams especially to reveal His will. But today, we have God's will recorded in the Bible for us. While interpreting the Book of Genesis, Luther noted, 'I, too, at times have dreams that move me somewhat, but I despise them and have come to this understanding with my Lord God that I will believe Moses and the prophets.'" (p. 74).
So, let us not make too much of dreams. For if we want to know for sure what God is telling us, we don't rely on dreams, or try to listen for his voice, or try to consult some sort of medium, but rather, we consult the Bible. Not that God can't speak in a dream or into our ears, but our hope, our expectations, and our certainties come from the inspired, revealed Word of God, the Bible.
But God did speak through Joseph's dreams. His brothers sarcastically call him a "Dreamer," or, rather literally, "Master of Dreams." But these dreams reveal an event far in the future, an outcome that the brothers would never have imagined, and would never believe though it was just told to them plainly. In the end, they will bow down to Joseph.
But nothing seems less likely than that at the end of our reading. Joseph is a slave. Jacob (Israel) believes he is dead. The brothers are rid of the master of dreams.
But as we begin this whole Joseph story, I must skip to the end. I skip to 13 chapters later in Genesis and share the words of Joseph to his brothers, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20).
We so often want to know why God allows what he allows, does what he does, and says what he says. But we cannot see 1 second into the future. Therefore, when we are in the midst of a period of trial we desperately call out to God "Why?". Joseph may have wondered "why" for years and years and years.
But the point is this: eventually, God proves there was a reason. In fact, he was able to use even the wickedness of the brothers for good. He was able to overcome sin, and actually provide for the lives of thousands (millions?) of people through Joseph.
Now, there is no denying that these were terrible actions of the brothers. Terrible! But it is God's goodness that brings out of it food for nations, healing for a family, and blessings for a young man sold as a slave. God is powerful. God is good.
Ask Yourself:
What hardships have I suffered because of the sin of family members? Friends? Coworkers? Or just because of "circumstances"?
I still fail to see good coming from what events in my life?
How does the end of the Joseph story bring me peace?
Pray:
As I pray, dear Jesus, hear me;
Let Your words in me take root.
May Your Spirit e'er be near me
That I bear abundant fruit.
May I daily sing Your praise,
From my heart glad anthems raise,
Till my highest praise is given
In the endless joy of heaven.
(LSB 589:4, Public Domain)
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
God's Will and Blessing
Read Genesis 27-28
We might contemplate too much the nature of Rebekah and Jacob's sin. Did they sin in their deception? Almost certainly. But interestingly enough, the outcome was God's Will. (Not that the end justifies the means--God would have provided a better way for Jacob to receive the blessing).
But not dwelling on the sin and deception too much, we know that it was God's will for Jacob to receive the Messianic blessing rather than Esau. Rebekah had been told by God in the previous chapter, "The older shall serve the younger." We also hear elsewhere (In Malachi 1 and Romans 9) that God loved Jacob, and (by grace alone) chose that he should be the ancestor of the Messiah.
Through Jacob would be born the Advent King. Jacob, who would be renamed Israel, would be a multitude. And through him the earth would be blessed. This blessing of all families on earth is fulfilled in Christ. Jesus is the King. We are part of his multitude by faith.
This interesting occurrence of the younger receiving the blessing is repeated. Amazingly enough, Jacob will bless his grandsons and will intentionally cross his right arm over to the younger, and his left to the older. Again the younger will receive the promise. (We'll see this in Genesis 48).
This just verifies that the promise comes by the grace of God, by his choice. It is not by works, not by being a certain race, not by being the eldest or by any other way of "earning" it. It is by God's grace. The promise continues. The Advent King approaches. Come, Lord Jesus!
Ask Yourself:
Do I try to dictate how God should bless me?
Do I resort to deception to accomplish what I believe is God's will?
Do I look forward to Jesus' second coming? Can I honestly pray "Come, Lord Jesus!" If I struggle with that why?
Pray:
Redeemer, come and open wide
My heart to Thee; here, Lord, abide!
O enter with Thy grace divine;
Thy face of mercy on me shine.
Thy Holy Spirit guide us on
Until our glorious goal is won.
Eternal praise and fame
We offer to Thy name.
(LSB 341:5, Public Domain)
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
We might contemplate too much the nature of Rebekah and Jacob's sin. Did they sin in their deception? Almost certainly. But interestingly enough, the outcome was God's Will. (Not that the end justifies the means--God would have provided a better way for Jacob to receive the blessing).
But not dwelling on the sin and deception too much, we know that it was God's will for Jacob to receive the Messianic blessing rather than Esau. Rebekah had been told by God in the previous chapter, "The older shall serve the younger." We also hear elsewhere (In Malachi 1 and Romans 9) that God loved Jacob, and (by grace alone) chose that he should be the ancestor of the Messiah.
Through Jacob would be born the Advent King. Jacob, who would be renamed Israel, would be a multitude. And through him the earth would be blessed. This blessing of all families on earth is fulfilled in Christ. Jesus is the King. We are part of his multitude by faith.
This interesting occurrence of the younger receiving the blessing is repeated. Amazingly enough, Jacob will bless his grandsons and will intentionally cross his right arm over to the younger, and his left to the older. Again the younger will receive the promise. (We'll see this in Genesis 48).
This just verifies that the promise comes by the grace of God, by his choice. It is not by works, not by being a certain race, not by being the eldest or by any other way of "earning" it. It is by God's grace. The promise continues. The Advent King approaches. Come, Lord Jesus!
Ask Yourself:
Do I try to dictate how God should bless me?
Do I resort to deception to accomplish what I believe is God's will?
Do I look forward to Jesus' second coming? Can I honestly pray "Come, Lord Jesus!" If I struggle with that why?
Pray:
Redeemer, come and open wide
My heart to Thee; here, Lord, abide!
O enter with Thy grace divine;
Thy face of mercy on me shine.
Thy Holy Spirit guide us on
Until our glorious goal is won.
Eternal praise and fame
We offer to Thy name.
(LSB 341:5, Public Domain)
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
I Love it When a Plan Comes Together!
Read Genesis 23-24
There are so many things in this account for which we could give God praise: the faith of Abraham's servant, his trusting prayer, that God answered even while the servant was still speaking, that Rebekah was beautiful inside just as she was outside, that she was ready to serve and do the Lord's will, that her family was willing to let her go because they recognized the hand of the Lord, and probably much more! It is an incredible account.
What a contrast this account is when compared to the waiting and the struggles that Abraham and Sarah had to endure. There are times when, like Abraham and Sarah, we might wonder how long we must suffer and how much we must endure until God's plans begin to move us to a different place in life where we can find relief, even happiness and rejoicing. But then there are also times in our lives when we get an answer from God much sooner than we would have imagined, and it is a gracious answer that is cause for much rejoicing!
Oh, if only all of life were like that! The servant goes, he prays, God sends Rebekah, the deal is arranged, she comes with him, she meets Isaac, he loves her, and they live happily ever after! Well, not happily ever after, actually. There are troubles ahead.
But I think sometimes in our own lives our joy is tempered by "real life." Let it not be so! Though we all know troubles are ahead of us, instead of letting those troubles hamper our joy now, let's allow the joy now to overflow within us, and let it encourage us and inspire use even throughout the times of troubles.
Yes, maybe later Rebekah will be encouraged when her sons give her grief to remember how earlier God graciously answered prayer and gave her a husband to love and care for her. Maybe she will remember that God directed her ways and in such an incredible way provided for her.
May we also give thanks to God in times of joy, and not let that joy be squashed by fear and worry. God is good. And sometimes his plans come together in an instant. May joy over his gracious work give us peace and comfort in times of waiting.
Ask Yourself:
What were some times in my life when prayers were answered instantly, and God's gracious hand was clearly visible?
What were some times in my life when I wondered if God was at work at all?
How can I use my stories of God's answered prayers in my life to encourage another who is struggling, waiting, hurting?
Pray:
Lord, Thee I love with all my heart;
I pray Thee, ne'er from me depart, With tender mercy cheer me.
Earth has no pleasure I would share.
Yea, heav'n itself were void and bare If Thou, Lord, wert not near me.
And should my heart for sorrow break,
My trust in Thee can nothing shake.
Thou art the portion I have sought;
Thy precious blood my soul has bought.
Lord Jesus Christ, my God and Lord, my God and Lord,
Forsake me not! I trust Thy Word.
(LSB 708:1, Public Domain)
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
There are so many things in this account for which we could give God praise: the faith of Abraham's servant, his trusting prayer, that God answered even while the servant was still speaking, that Rebekah was beautiful inside just as she was outside, that she was ready to serve and do the Lord's will, that her family was willing to let her go because they recognized the hand of the Lord, and probably much more! It is an incredible account.
What a contrast this account is when compared to the waiting and the struggles that Abraham and Sarah had to endure. There are times when, like Abraham and Sarah, we might wonder how long we must suffer and how much we must endure until God's plans begin to move us to a different place in life where we can find relief, even happiness and rejoicing. But then there are also times in our lives when we get an answer from God much sooner than we would have imagined, and it is a gracious answer that is cause for much rejoicing!
Oh, if only all of life were like that! The servant goes, he prays, God sends Rebekah, the deal is arranged, she comes with him, she meets Isaac, he loves her, and they live happily ever after! Well, not happily ever after, actually. There are troubles ahead.
But I think sometimes in our own lives our joy is tempered by "real life." Let it not be so! Though we all know troubles are ahead of us, instead of letting those troubles hamper our joy now, let's allow the joy now to overflow within us, and let it encourage us and inspire use even throughout the times of troubles.
Yes, maybe later Rebekah will be encouraged when her sons give her grief to remember how earlier God graciously answered prayer and gave her a husband to love and care for her. Maybe she will remember that God directed her ways and in such an incredible way provided for her.
May we also give thanks to God in times of joy, and not let that joy be squashed by fear and worry. God is good. And sometimes his plans come together in an instant. May joy over his gracious work give us peace and comfort in times of waiting.
Ask Yourself:
What were some times in my life when prayers were answered instantly, and God's gracious hand was clearly visible?
What were some times in my life when I wondered if God was at work at all?
How can I use my stories of God's answered prayers in my life to encourage another who is struggling, waiting, hurting?
Pray:
Lord, Thee I love with all my heart;
I pray Thee, ne'er from me depart, With tender mercy cheer me.
Earth has no pleasure I would share.
Yea, heav'n itself were void and bare If Thou, Lord, wert not near me.
And should my heart for sorrow break,
My trust in Thee can nothing shake.
Thou art the portion I have sought;
Thy precious blood my soul has bought.
Lord Jesus Christ, my God and Lord, my God and Lord,
Forsake me not! I trust Thy Word.
(LSB 708:1, Public Domain)
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Ram of God
Read Genesis 22
God tested Abraham. We've heard a lot about the testing of God. We know that if we are going through a hard time, God can strengthen us to endure. In fact, that may sometimes be the reason for the testing - to strengthen our faith. But that isn't the only reason. God "tempts" no one, but he does "test" us that we might be strengthened, or be a powerful witness, or to work out some other greater good in our life.
But today I don't want to focus so much on the testing, but rather on the sacrifice. It is very interesting to me that the Angel of the Lord (who is the Lord Himself) calls Isaac Abraham's only son. We know that he indeed is not his only son, as we would consider the situation. Has God forgotten about Ishmael? Now that Ishmael has been sent away is he considered no longer to be Abraham's child? Did not God promise that because he was Abraham's son Ishmael would be a multitude as well? Yes God did promise that. And, no, God has not forgotten Ishmael.
But Isaac is the only son of the salvation promise. He is the heir, not just to Abraham's possessions, but heir of the promise of the Messiah. And now, the big test is that Abraham would have to trust that somehow God would be able to keep His promise even if Isaac were killed.
Hebrews 11:17-19 praises Abraham's faith, and also explains for us what is going on in this strange story. It says, "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, 'Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.' He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back."
Yes, Abraham's faith was great. But we see even more. We see that a mere human sacrifice would not be enough to save mankind. Abraham's only son wasn't a good enough payment. It would take God's only Son.
John the Baptist called Jesus the "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." He might as well have called him the Ram of God (a male sheep, right?). Isaac was not sacrificed. But a ram caught in the thicket by its horns was offered up by Abraham. And so Jesus would allow himself to be caught, stretched out upon the altar of the cross, even pierced for us. He died that our sins might be forgiven. He was killed that we might have life.
So just as Abraham received Isaac back from the dead in a figurative way, Isaac will also be brought back from the dead in a literal way. So also will Abraham. So will you and I, through faith in the Ram of God. Thanks be to God!
Ask Yourself:
What have been some of the most difficult times of testing for me?
What tests am I enduring now - be they physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual?
God promises to strengthen me! How will looking to Christ, the Ram of God, help me today?
Pray:
We pray from the liturgy today. Right before we commune we sign the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God). We pray that today as well:
O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us. O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us. O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, grant us Thy peace. Amen.
Study with me on Monday,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
God tested Abraham. We've heard a lot about the testing of God. We know that if we are going through a hard time, God can strengthen us to endure. In fact, that may sometimes be the reason for the testing - to strengthen our faith. But that isn't the only reason. God "tempts" no one, but he does "test" us that we might be strengthened, or be a powerful witness, or to work out some other greater good in our life.
But today I don't want to focus so much on the testing, but rather on the sacrifice. It is very interesting to me that the Angel of the Lord (who is the Lord Himself) calls Isaac Abraham's only son. We know that he indeed is not his only son, as we would consider the situation. Has God forgotten about Ishmael? Now that Ishmael has been sent away is he considered no longer to be Abraham's child? Did not God promise that because he was Abraham's son Ishmael would be a multitude as well? Yes God did promise that. And, no, God has not forgotten Ishmael.
But Isaac is the only son of the salvation promise. He is the heir, not just to Abraham's possessions, but heir of the promise of the Messiah. And now, the big test is that Abraham would have to trust that somehow God would be able to keep His promise even if Isaac were killed.
Hebrews 11:17-19 praises Abraham's faith, and also explains for us what is going on in this strange story. It says, "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, 'Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.' He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back."
Yes, Abraham's faith was great. But we see even more. We see that a mere human sacrifice would not be enough to save mankind. Abraham's only son wasn't a good enough payment. It would take God's only Son.
John the Baptist called Jesus the "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." He might as well have called him the Ram of God (a male sheep, right?). Isaac was not sacrificed. But a ram caught in the thicket by its horns was offered up by Abraham. And so Jesus would allow himself to be caught, stretched out upon the altar of the cross, even pierced for us. He died that our sins might be forgiven. He was killed that we might have life.
So just as Abraham received Isaac back from the dead in a figurative way, Isaac will also be brought back from the dead in a literal way. So also will Abraham. So will you and I, through faith in the Ram of God. Thanks be to God!
Ask Yourself:
What have been some of the most difficult times of testing for me?
What tests am I enduring now - be they physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual?
God promises to strengthen me! How will looking to Christ, the Ram of God, help me today?
Pray:
We pray from the liturgy today. Right before we commune we sign the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God). We pray that today as well:
O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us. O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us. O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, grant us Thy peace. Amen.
Study with me on Monday,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Friday, November 11, 2011
The Last Laugh
Read Genesis 20-21
When God told Abraham he would have a son, he laughed (17:17). When Sarah heard of it later, she laughed too (18:12).
They had so little trust for God! Oh, I do not judge harshly the Abraham and Sarah, wonderful examples of faith! They are praised in Hebrews 11 for how they lived by faith! They went where God told them to go, and the trusted.
But still, our human faith is always a weak and frail faith. We can almost hear Jesus scolding the disciples, "Oh, you of little faith!"
Perhaps not in disbelief, but at least in a weak faith, Abraham and Sarah laughed when they heard God's plans. But who is laughing now?
God provided a son, from Abraham's body, and from Sarah's body. Their own, biological offspring. Not an adopted servant. Not Abraham's offspring with the servant woman. The actual, real, biological son of the old couple. Isaac is named, "He laughs." The expression goes: "If you want to make God laugh, just tell him your plans."
God's plans prevail, and humans are left surprised. We believers (though we have but little faith) receive God's gracious surprises with great joy. A laugh of skepticism is turned to a surprised and exuberant giggle. God's plans are beyond our predicting, beyond our understanding, and beyond our ability to bring it about.
Ultimately, humans are surprised at how God provides salvation and rescue to sinners, even those "of little faith." He allows his only Son to be killed that we might have life! The Devil cackled with joy at the Fall of man. But who is laughing now?
God has plans for you. He has saved you in the most surprising way possible! Rejoice! Laugh! Sing! And trust. Though you do not know what God is doing in your life right now, God is at work. He has his plans. God will have the last laugh.
I had a very serious conversation with a woman this week who was offered palliative care by doctors because the medicine was no longer helping her heart. I gave her council, and encouragement from Scripture about her salvation in Jesus and her heavenly home. She stopped the medicine. She said her goodbyes to family. And she waited...and waited...and she...got better! In fact, she went home from the hospital the next day! All we could do was laugh in surprise and joy. Family and doctors were baffled! But God has his plans.
In your life it might not look that dramatic. But God has plans for you, plans that will surprise you, plans that will bless you. Be strong in the Lord. Be patient. Wait for the Lord. And get ready to laugh.
Pray:
"Gracious God, thank You for intervening in our lives in Your promised Offspring, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen." (TLSB p. 46)
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
When God told Abraham he would have a son, he laughed (17:17). When Sarah heard of it later, she laughed too (18:12).
They had so little trust for God! Oh, I do not judge harshly the Abraham and Sarah, wonderful examples of faith! They are praised in Hebrews 11 for how they lived by faith! They went where God told them to go, and the trusted.
But still, our human faith is always a weak and frail faith. We can almost hear Jesus scolding the disciples, "Oh, you of little faith!"
Perhaps not in disbelief, but at least in a weak faith, Abraham and Sarah laughed when they heard God's plans. But who is laughing now?
God provided a son, from Abraham's body, and from Sarah's body. Their own, biological offspring. Not an adopted servant. Not Abraham's offspring with the servant woman. The actual, real, biological son of the old couple. Isaac is named, "He laughs." The expression goes: "If you want to make God laugh, just tell him your plans."
God's plans prevail, and humans are left surprised. We believers (though we have but little faith) receive God's gracious surprises with great joy. A laugh of skepticism is turned to a surprised and exuberant giggle. God's plans are beyond our predicting, beyond our understanding, and beyond our ability to bring it about.
Ultimately, humans are surprised at how God provides salvation and rescue to sinners, even those "of little faith." He allows his only Son to be killed that we might have life! The Devil cackled with joy at the Fall of man. But who is laughing now?
God has plans for you. He has saved you in the most surprising way possible! Rejoice! Laugh! Sing! And trust. Though you do not know what God is doing in your life right now, God is at work. He has his plans. God will have the last laugh.
I had a very serious conversation with a woman this week who was offered palliative care by doctors because the medicine was no longer helping her heart. I gave her council, and encouragement from Scripture about her salvation in Jesus and her heavenly home. She stopped the medicine. She said her goodbyes to family. And she waited...and waited...and she...got better! In fact, she went home from the hospital the next day! All we could do was laugh in surprise and joy. Family and doctors were baffled! But God has his plans.
In your life it might not look that dramatic. But God has plans for you, plans that will surprise you, plans that will bless you. Be strong in the Lord. Be patient. Wait for the Lord. And get ready to laugh.
Pray:
"Gracious God, thank You for intervening in our lives in Your promised Offspring, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen." (TLSB p. 46)
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Friday, November 4, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Garments of Skins
Did you know that people aren't perfect, and that includes me? Also, things people create (like web-based blogging services) are not perfect either? If anything should fail to post for one reason or another, I would like to tell you all now that the reading plan we are following is in The Lutheran Study Bible. It begins on p. lix in the introductory material. It breaks it down to a chapter or two or three every day and completes the whole Bible in 2 years and 3 days. Pretty simple, huh? So even if there is a post failure, you can pull out your study Bible and read anyway. Don't have a Lutheran Study Bible? Check it out here.
Now, on to our daily reading:
Read Genesis 3
How different things were now after the Fall! Oh, that they had never disobeyed God! Great birth pains, thorns and thistles, labor, toil, and sweat, and in the end a return to dust. Death is now the end of life. Not a natural "part of life" as some might say, but a cruel, harsh destruction of life. Death was not part of God's creation. Death is a corruption of it.
In sin, humanity is cursed. And all creation with it.
But, "the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them"(3:21). Their nakedness, which had once been a sign of perfection and glory, was now after the Fall a sign of shame, of guilt, and of a great need to be cared for. Now nakedness was a sign of their guilt, and dangerous (think of extreme heat and cold). But the Lord God cares. He provides. Death is a destruction of life, yes. But in the destruction and death of some animals (now a "natural" part of this fallen existence) God provides Adam and Eve humans better clothing than can be made from fig leaves.
About this, Luther comments: "Here Adam and Eve are dressed in garments by the Lord God Himself. Whenever they looked at their garments, these were to serve as a reminder to them to give thought to their wretched fall from supreme happiness into the utmost misfortune and trouble. Thus they were to be constantly afraid of sinning, to repent continually, and to sigh for the forgiveness of sins through the promised Seed. This is also why He clothed them, not in foliage or in cotton but in the skins of slain animals, for a sign that they are mortal and that they are living in certain death" (TLSB note, p. 20).
Though we too are living in certain death, we can rejoice that the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, was slain for us. He is the promised Seed, or offspring, of woman who would crush the serpent's head. Yes, he crushed the Devil in victory as He, Jesus, hung on the cross and rose from the dead. And the Devil's offspring, the Death and Hell that follow Sin, have been overcome as well. Thanks be to God for our victory in Christ!
Ask Yourself:
God not only promised a Savior but also cared for Adam and Eve's needs. What sin of yours needs to be confessed and forgiven today? Then, what needs to you have that you will ask God to meet today?
Pray:
How can I thank You, Lord,
For all your loving-kindness,
That You have patiently
Borne with me in my blindness!
When dead in many sins
And trespasses I lay,
I kindled, holy God,
Your anger ev'ry day.
It is Your work alone
That I am now converted;
O'er Satan's work in me
You have Your pow'r asserted.
Your mercy and Your grace
That rise afresh each morn
Have turned my stony heart
Into a heart newborn.
(LSB 703:1-2, Public Domain)
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Now, on to our daily reading:
Read Genesis 3
How different things were now after the Fall! Oh, that they had never disobeyed God! Great birth pains, thorns and thistles, labor, toil, and sweat, and in the end a return to dust. Death is now the end of life. Not a natural "part of life" as some might say, but a cruel, harsh destruction of life. Death was not part of God's creation. Death is a corruption of it.
In sin, humanity is cursed. And all creation with it.
But, "the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them"(3:21). Their nakedness, which had once been a sign of perfection and glory, was now after the Fall a sign of shame, of guilt, and of a great need to be cared for. Now nakedness was a sign of their guilt, and dangerous (think of extreme heat and cold). But the Lord God cares. He provides. Death is a destruction of life, yes. But in the destruction and death of some animals (now a "natural" part of this fallen existence) God provides Adam and Eve humans better clothing than can be made from fig leaves.
About this, Luther comments: "Here Adam and Eve are dressed in garments by the Lord God Himself. Whenever they looked at their garments, these were to serve as a reminder to them to give thought to their wretched fall from supreme happiness into the utmost misfortune and trouble. Thus they were to be constantly afraid of sinning, to repent continually, and to sigh for the forgiveness of sins through the promised Seed. This is also why He clothed them, not in foliage or in cotton but in the skins of slain animals, for a sign that they are mortal and that they are living in certain death" (TLSB note, p. 20).
Though we too are living in certain death, we can rejoice that the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, was slain for us. He is the promised Seed, or offspring, of woman who would crush the serpent's head. Yes, he crushed the Devil in victory as He, Jesus, hung on the cross and rose from the dead. And the Devil's offspring, the Death and Hell that follow Sin, have been overcome as well. Thanks be to God for our victory in Christ!
Ask Yourself:
God not only promised a Savior but also cared for Adam and Eve's needs. What sin of yours needs to be confessed and forgiven today? Then, what needs to you have that you will ask God to meet today?
Pray:
How can I thank You, Lord,
For all your loving-kindness,
That You have patiently
Borne with me in my blindness!
When dead in many sins
And trespasses I lay,
I kindled, holy God,
Your anger ev'ry day.
It is Your work alone
That I am now converted;
O'er Satan's work in me
You have Your pow'r asserted.
Your mercy and Your grace
That rise afresh each morn
Have turned my stony heart
Into a heart newborn.
(LSB 703:1-2, Public Domain)
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
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