Devotionals
Tuesday, Feb. 16
We can serve In the 10th chapter of Mark we read, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served; but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Jesus chose remote Nazareth over the bustling city of Jerusalem. He chose his dad’s carpentry shop over a marble-columned palace.…
Read MoreMonday, February 15
Lifting my eyes to God our Father I will lift up my eyes to the hills from which cometh my help. My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2 I have always had a love affair with mountains. They make me feel as if I am closer to my father…
Read MoreSunday, February 14
Reflection: The Garden of Gethsemane — Digging our roots into God And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want. Matthew 26:39 The Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus fell on…
Read MoreSaturday, February 13
Reflection: The Wadi Qelt — Letting go of this world’s idols Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, com-mand…
Read MoreFriday, February 12
God’s gifts of faith, hope and love And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 When I was 10, the abbreviation “ALS” and the name “Lou Gehrig” were popular topics of conversation in my home. I didn’t know exactly what these terms meant, but…
Read MoreThursday, February 11
Walking the Lenten road with Jesus He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 (NIV) As we journey through this Lenten Season, we also journey through an election year. It…
Read MoreChristmas Eve Devotion
Love has come down Last year, a young man in our youth group experienced Christmas Eve for the first time. For the first time he heard choirs singing phrases like, “O Come Let Us Adore Him.” For the first time, he sat with a community of faith and found himself captivated by the story of…
Read MoreAdvent Devotional – December 23
‘The Lord is with you’ Please read Luke 1:26-35, 38 God’s story unfolded through Mary in a way that would change the world. God’s story with Mary began with a simple greeting that invited Mary to faith: “The Lord is with you.” Mary’s response, Mary’s story, began with fear and anxiety. Mary was shaken by…
Read MoreAdvent Devotional – December 22
More than a party The yearly celebration of Jesus’ birth has become a big, long-lasting party — which seems to start even before Advent. In the congregation where I preach the Word and preside at the sacraments, we had our congregational Christmas dinner on the first Saturday in December. But during this time of preparation,…
Read MoreAdvent Devotional – December 21
From pitch darkness to great light At 23, I had just completed my first year at our Lutheran Seminary in Philadelphia. I was hungry to experience ministry, and I wanted to explore a non-church setting. I accepted a 10-week assignment as resident chaplain for Valley Forge Boy Scout Camp in eastern Pennsylvania. Things went very…
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