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Psalm 85:8-13

Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,

    for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;

    but let them not turn back to folly.

Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,

    that glory may dwell in our land. 

Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;

    righteousness and peace kiss each other.

Faithfulness springs up from the ground,

    and righteousness looks down from the sky.

Yes, the Lord will give what is good,

    and our land will yield its increase.

Righteousness will go before him

    and make his footsteps a way.

In our culture, we don’t normally use a kiss as a form of greeting.  We shake hands.  Yet, we are not unaware of the kiss used as a greeting in other cultures.  A kiss a shows love, trust, and acceptance. A kiss is fitting.  When in this scripture selection we read “righteousness and peace kiss each other” we know what it means!  There could be no better way to express such a joyful meeting.

When Judas betrayed Jesus, He used a kiss.  The nature of the act of Jesus’ betrayal by Judas was highlighted by this kiss.  The use of the kiss even caused Jesus to remark about Judas’s action.  Judas was using his friendship with Jesus to hand Jesus over to the mob.  This well describes sin for what it is, a betrayal of the Lord.

Still Jesus continued after Judas betrayed Him.  He was faithful to His calling and He died for the sins of the world.  Amazing as it is, God came knowing our sinful nature and was willing to offer us salvation through faith in Jesus.  

If you would see the union of righteousness and peace, look no further than the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  Then, confessing your sins, know that you have a Savior.  He came for you and brings you back into fellowship with Him in eternal life.

Let us pray,

Help me Lord in the midst of this life to repent of my sins and trust in you.  I thank you for your salvation and confess that in you, righteousness and peace kiss.  May I be found faithful in your forever.  AMEN

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen.

2 Corinthians 12: 1-10

I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— 6 though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,[a] a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

In the realm of personal improvement, individuals are often counseled to focus on their strengths.  A person gets more benefit from improving a strength area.  Areas of weakness usually remain weaknesses, no matter how much effort is put into them.  In fact, focusing on weaknesses just makes you weaker.

St. Paul struggled with what he called a “thorn in the flesh.”  We can only guess about what that “thorn” was.  He writes clearly about how much he struggled with this weakness and begged God to remove it from him. 

However, God didn’t remove the weakness, but instead, through that “thorn in the flesh” caused St. Paul to focus on his true strength, which was faith in God.  This was so effective that St. Paul talked of boasting in his weakness, confessing “For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Jesus in coming into the world took on the weakness of our human flesh.  This reality was brought into sharp focus when He offered Himself on the cross for the life of the world.  Through Jesus weakness, the power of sin, death, and devil are broken.  Through faith in Jesus the power of God is for our salvation.

When you think of your true strength, you may think of various qualities or talents.  But, your true strength is the same as St. Paul’s.  It is your faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  And it is true also for you, that when you are weak, then your faith will shine the brightest and reveal that you are, through Christ, truly strong.

Let us pray

Thank you Lord for all that you do to sustain me throughout life.  I especially praise you for your mighty deliverance from sin and all evil.  Help me this day to remain strong in you.  Sustain me in all trials and enable me to serve you faithfully.  In your name I pray.  AMEN

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen.

Ezekiel 2: 1-5

Ezekiel’s Call

2 And he said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.” 2 And as he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. 4 The descendants also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ 5 And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them.

How do you measure success?  If you are in business, it would be by meeting a sales goal.  In farming, it would be by having an abundant harvest.  You get the idea.  Even in church we do the same thing.  We measure our church as successful if it has many members.  This isn’t a bad thing.  It is good to have many people in church.  But, numbers aren’t the only thing.  

Ezekiel was called to be a prophet, but oddly enough, it seems that numbers were not what God wanted this prophet to be concerned about.  In fact, God said that the people would not likely listen at all!  He was sending this prophet to a ministry that would be marked by failure, if it was judged by the numbers. 

But, that wasn’t God’s point in sending this prophet.  God sent Ezekiel because He is merciful and just.  He sent His prophet to preach God’s Word, to show the people their sin, and to call them to repentance.  At the very least, the people would know that a prophet had been among them.

God’s faithfulness continued and was ultimately fulfilled in His Son.  Jesus’ death on the cross was judged the ultimate failure of His ministry by the world, yet, through that cross God worked victory over sin, death, and devil. God offers this gift freely to all who believe in Jesus.  

At the end, even the roman centurion who was guarding Jesus exclaimed that truly Jesus was the son of God.  May God grant us faith to hold fast to Jesus our Savior, for in Him we see all the preaching of the prophets of God fulfilled. 

Let us pray

I thank you Lord for your mercy in sending your faithful prophets who point us to Jesus.  I also thank you for faithful pastors who continue to preach your word in my congregation.  Help your servants not to be discouraged when it seems no one will listen.  Instead, remind them of their calling to preach faithfully, and grant them perseverance as they trust in you for the outcome of their work.  May people know that you have been among them whenever your word is proclaimed.  In Jesus name.  AMEN

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen.

Psalm 123 

To you I lift up my eyes,

O you who are enthroned in the heavens!

Behold, as the eyes of servants

look to the hand of their master,

as the eyes of a maidservant

to the hand of her mistress,

so our eyes look to the Lord our God,

till he has mercy upon us.

Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,

for we have had more than enough of contempt.

Our soul has had more than enough

of the scorn of those who are at ease,

of the contempt of the proud.

Being a believer brings with it the contempt of the world.  It is becoming increasingly common to hear ridicule directed towards those who express faith in God and for those who pray.  Here, in Psalm 123, God’s people pray for strength.

This psalm was to be sung as people went to the temple.  They carried with them many concerns and the memory of much abuse for following the Lord faithfully.  But, rather than turning in on themselves, God directs them to turn towards Him. He is the one who is “enthroned in the heavens.”  God is the one who hears our prayers.

God is the one who came in Jesus to deal with all of the opposition of the world, even our own sins, and take them away forever.  Through Jesus we have God’s answer to all conflicts and the evil of mankind.  

If anyone could have said “I’ve had more than enough of this” that one was Jesus. Yet, He faithfully continued in His saving work until not one thing remained undone for our salvation.  This is the Lord who will strengthen us also to accomplish all things He has given us to do.  And in the end, He is the one who will welcome us into His eternal kingdom.

Let us pray,

Help me Lord when the challenges of life as a Christian seem large and oppressive.  You have overcome all things, even death for my salvation.  Grant me your strength to do your will.  In your name I pray, AMEN.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen.

Mark 5:21-43

Jesus Heals Jairus’s Daughter

21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. 22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet 23 and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” 24 And he went with him…

35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. 43 And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Who wouldn’t do anything to help his child.  One of the rulers of the synagogue was such a man.  He even went to Jesus and asked for help, even if others would have thought that such a religious man could have prayed himself.  

So the man went, but it was too late.  His daughter died.  Everyone was in shock and completely broken in grief.  When Jesus said that the girl was only sleeping, they ridiculed Him.  Jesus put them all outside, except for Peter, James, John, and the girl’s parents.  With a simple command Jesus awakened the girl from the dead. Everyone was amazed.

Jesus charged them to tell no one, because this miracle of mercy for a suffering family was an extra blessing from the Lord.  Ultimately, through His death on the cross and resurrection Jesus’ ministry would offer the resurrection of all mankind!  May God grant us faith in Jesus so that confessing our sins and trusting in Him we can look forward to the day when He awakens each of us to eternal life.

Let us pray

Lord help me to trust in you at all times.  Especially be with parents who are concerned for their children.  Help us all to remember your power to save and the gift of life that you will certainly give to all who trust in you.  In your name I pray, Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen.

Lamentations 3:31-33

For the Lord will not

cast off forever,

but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion

according to the abundance of his steadfast love;

for he does not afflict from his heart

or grieve the children of men.

Often, when contemplating our misfortunes, we are faced with the idea that God is actually allowing us to suffer.  This makes sense.  I remember reading a quote that was attributed to Martin Luther, that went something like this, “The law is our daily and familiar companion.”  That means that we are often aware of our faults and live our lives expecting God’s wrath.  Therefore, when we think about it, we kind of expect God will send trouble our way.  We know we deserve it.

This is proper, for we truly are sinners.  In fact, those who have no sense of guilt or deserving God’s wrath “deceive themselves” as the scriptures describe it.  Also, some of the most relationally troubled persons think that everyone else is the problem and they alone are right.  So, what about our misfortune?  What about our suffering?  Is God just tormenting us?

You know the answer is no.  But, it is important not to base our understanding on a false sense of our own righteousness.  We do often cause our own misery and we must admit to that.  The point is, however, that this isn’t where God’s heart is.  The scriptures show us that God is not filled with hatred for us and does not “afflict from the heart.”  Rather, God’s desire is that we repent and turn to Him with all our hearts, and be saved!  

For this very reason God sent His Son, our Lord Jesus, to bear our sins upon the cross.  Rather than leave us in an eternally hopeless condition apart from Him, in Jesus’ victory over death and grave God gives us a solution to all our suffering, worries and pain.  He gives us the resurrection from the dead and the life everlasting.

As difficult as times of misfortune are for us to bear, God is gracious.  Our times of trial will end because God’s heart isn’t to afflict us.  God is love.  In the mean time, God calls us to repent of our sin, believe in Jesus, and turn to Him.  In Jesus, God’s greatest gift is eternal life.

Let us pray,

I thank you Lord for your great love for me.  Help me during the most difficult times to remember your steadfast love.  If I am struggling with guilt, remind me of my Savior Jesus, His forgiveness of all my sins, and my eternal life in Him.  I thank you for your mercy towards me and ask for faith to sustain me in all trials.  In Jesus name I pray, AMEN.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen.

Lamentations 3:22-33

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

“therefore I will hope in him.”

The Lord is good to those who wait for him,

to the soul who seeks him.

It is good that one should wait quietly

for the salvation of the Lord.

Waiting for the salvation of the Lord has a purpose.  While we are waiting, this purpose is hard to perceive.  Especially, if we are waiting in great distress, we can’t imagine any good purpose in waiting.  Yet, since God has allowed waiting throughout the history of God’s people, and God is gracious and merciful, we can trust that God will sustain our faith when we must wait for His salvation. 

One blessing that comes to mind from my experience in waiting is a contemplation on God’s nature.  It is easy to be tempted to doubt the things that we know by faith about God.  How do we deal with this during times of waiting?  God’s Word gives us direction.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

From a contemplation on God’s nature, to a remembrance of God’s gifts, God’s Word directs our thinking.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

“therefore I will hope in him.”

The Lord is good to those who wait for him,

to the soul who seeks him.

It is good that one should wait quietly

for the salvation of the Lord.

And, when it comes to faithful waiting, who would not remember Jesus.  He endured the pain of the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.  After the faithful waiting in the tomb, He rose from the dead.  As Christ is risen, so shall we rise with Him to life everlasting.  It is indeed good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.  For in the Lord is eternal life.

Let us pray,

I thank you Lord for the faithful witness of your Word.  Help me to remember you, your mercy, grace and love.  May the the perfect life, death, and resurrection of my Savior Jesus sustain me in all trials and point me to your eternal kingdom.  In your name I pray.  AMEN.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen.

Psalm 30: 10-12

Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me!

    O Lord, be my helper!”

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;

    you have loosed my sackcloth

    and clothed me with gladness, 

that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.

    O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

What would you like to have on your headstone?  That may seem like a dark topic, but it doesn’t have to be.  Many years ago, when walking through a cemetery where many of my family members were buried, I noticed that they had put Bible passages on their headstones.  It was uplifting to know that I was receiving little sermons and gifts from my loved ones.  And, it was a joy to remember that I will see them again at the resurrection.  

Often when it comes to a headstone, loved ones make the choice for us.  If you go into a secular cemetery you will see headstones bearing images of what that person liked to do.  But, if you think about it, you might like to leave something for others who never even knew you.  This is where a Bible passage is wonderful.

A dear family friend of ours used part of this passage for His headstone.  The translation he used stated “You turned my wailing into dancing…”. The text here uses the word mourning.  But you get the idea.  God brings us a great joy that overturns all the sorrows of life.  It is a wondrous surprise of perfect joy!

This particular friend, in his final years couldn’t stand up straight and could hardly walk.  He was faithfully in church every week until he literally couldn’t move.  He loved to hear about Jesus, His death and resurrection, and that His Lord did this all for Him.  He knew that He would live with His Savior forever.  

How do I picture Him in paradise as He awaits the resurrection of all?  No longer bent with pain, with worn back and joints.  No longer wearied by pain and suffering.  No longer burdened by anything in this sinful world.  I picture Him in the words of this Psalm.  His sorrows are turned into more than just joy… He is dancing… wonderfully dancing… restored as shall all who trust in the Lord Jesus be.  God grant this to us all. 

Let Us Pray,

Lord I thank you for the faithful witness of those who have gone before us in the faith.  I thank you for their witness while in this life, and for their witness in death.  I thank you for the Bible verses carved in stone and preaching in cemeteries.  May your Word bear healing witness to all who suffer sorrow or pain. Grant them faith in you that they too may dance!  In Jesus name.  AMEN

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen.

Psalm 30

I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up

and have not let my foes rejoice over me.

O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,

and you have healed me.

O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;

you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,

and give thanks to his holy name.

For his anger is but for a moment,

and his favor is for a lifetime.

Weeping may tarry for the night,

but joy comes with the morning.

If you have had a really rough day, you know that it only gets worse as you get more tired.  Then, rather than being able to set  the matter aside for a moment, it is common for people to keep trying to work things out, miserably dwelling on the problem.  You have probably heard someone talk about being “up all night” with worry or upset feelings.  This is what I mean.  When we are tired, we just can’t let go.  You have probably experienced this yourself.

However, you have probably also noticed that, if you do manage to get some sleep, things are better.  The problems, though they may still remain, don’t seem as big. The text is talking about this feeling when it says “weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this happened for all problems? Sadly some problems don’t go away just by getting a good night of sleep, but thankfully, God is merciful and loving.  For the greatest problems, even our Sin and death, God has sent His Son Jesus.  Jesus died on the cross and when He was laid in the tomb, He provided the rest we could never have accomplished.  He buried our sins, and forgives our debt.  He raises us from slavery to sinful thoughts, actions, and attitudes. He sets us free.  

Those who confess their sins and trust in Jesus receive the rest for their soul that is more than any physical rest.  It is the rest that the Psalmist extols in this psalm, the rejoicing of being redeemed and restored by God’s Grace.

Let us pray,

Help me Lord, in the midst of a difficult day, to turn to you. As I confess my sins, forgive me for Jesus’ sake, and grant me the divine rest of the faith.  Thus restored, help me to live in the pattern that you have shown in your Word and Your Son.  In His Name I pray, AMEN.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen.

Lamentations 3:31-33

For the Lord will not

cast off forever,

but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion

according to the abundance of his steadfast love;

for he does not afflict from his heart

or grieve the children of men.

Often, when contemplating our misfortunes, we are faced with the idea that God is actually allowing us to suffer.  This makes sense.  I remember reading a quote that was attributed to Martin Luther, that went something like this, “The law is our daily and familiar companion.”  That means that we are often aware of our faults and live our lives expecting God’s wrath.  Therefore, when we think about it, we kind of expect God will send trouble our way.  We know we deserve it.

This is proper, for we truly are sinners.  In fact, those who have no sense of guilt or deserving God’s wrath “deceive themselves” as the scriptures describe it.  Also, some of the most relationally troubled persons think that everyone else is the problem and they alone are right.  So, what about our misfortune?  What about our suffering?  Is God just tormenting us?

You know the answer is no.  But, it is important not to base our understanding on a false sense of our own righteousness.  We do often cause our own misery and we must admit to that.  The point is, however, that this isn’t where God’s heart is.  The scriptures show us that God is not filled with hatred for us and does not “afflict from the heart.”  Rather, God’s desire is that we repent and turn to Him with all our hearts, and be saved!  

For this very reason God sent His Son, our Lord Jesus, to bear our sins upon the cross.  Rather than leave us in an eternally hopeless condition apart from Him, in Jesus’ victory over death and grave God gives us a solution to all our suffering, worries and pain.  He gives us the resurrection from the dead and the life everlasting.

As difficult as times of misfortune are for us to bear, God is gracious.  Our times of trial will end because God’s heart isn’t to afflict us.  God is love.  In the mean time, God calls us to repent of our sin, believe in Jesus, and turn to Him.  In Jesus, God’s greatest gift is eternal life.

Let us pray,

I thank you Lord for your great love for me.  Help me during the most difficult times to remember your steadfast love.  If I am struggling with guilt, remind me of my Savior Jesus, His forgiveness of all my sins, and my eternal life in Him.  I thank you for your mercy towards me and ask for faith to sustain me in all trials.  In Jesus name I pray, AMEN.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen.