Jesus Opens Minds

Daily Prayer for Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Scripture. Luke 24:44-45

44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 

Have you noticed how much energy it takes to learn something new?  Sometimes we think that physical work is the most strenuous.  Physical labor is hard work!  But, so also is mental work!  You can tell this by how much human beings AVOID having to think!  Thinking about new places, relationships, skills and ideas are routinely avoided because mentally they are hard work. As we age, it seems this becomes more true.

Children have an abundance of energy.  They often can’t sit still! Kids jump up and down even while just waiting in line.  They enjoy moving!  This also is evident in their busy minds.  Children are often the most curious and find learning new things to be a game!  They have plenty of energy.

So, what about learning new things spiritually?  Could a person ever be too old and too tired to learn new spiritual things?  The answer is yes!  In fact, the answer is that there isn’t a person alive, young or old, who has the energy to understand the infinite Love of God.  But due to the infinite Love of God, we are not left on our own.  God helps us.

The Holy Spirit grants us His strength and opens our minds through the Holy Scriptures.  What does that mean? An open mind is more than just knowing the words and content of the various passages.  God give His people UNDERSTANDING.  

From the gift of understanding we come to know that God is Love, that He sent His Son Jesus into the world.  We understand that Jesus died on the cross to pay the debt of our sin.  We believe the news that Jesus rose from the dead, victorious over our sin and death.  We joyfully anticipate the fact that as Jesus is risen from the dead, so shall we rise to live with Him on the last day.  In other words, through the means of the Holy Scriptures, we understand and believe with all our hearts that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior.  Alleluia!

God gives us the understanding of all these events, and shows us that they were in place from the very beginning.  Our future is the fulfillment of His faithful love in the past.  This is our supreme comfort in all the challenges and changes of any age in which we live.

LET US PRAY

I thank you Lord God for your faithful love in caring for me from the very beginning.  O Holy Spirit, grant me your strength to daily grow in faith and understanding through the Holy Scriptures.  I pray especially for all pastors today.  Help them as they prepare to teach your Word and share your Gospel.  I ask this in your Name.  AMEN

Do you have anything to eat?

Daily Prayer for Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Scripture Luke 24: 38-42

38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them.

My mother passed away a number of years ago.  She was a woman of sincere faith.  Because of her life of faith and her confession, we know that she is with our Savior.  Joyfully, we will meet again at the resurrection.  In the mean time, we are left with many wonderful memories of her loving care for our family.  These memories guide our present care for each other.  Her good example is bearing fruit for future generations.

On good example that she practiced was hospitality.  She was never rattled if someone else came along for dinner.  In fact, while growing up, we had a round kitchen table, and an oval dining room table because her philosophy was that you could always fit in another person at a round table… and we often did!

She would also have a nearly full meal “ready to go” whenever we would show up when traveling, often in the middle of the night.  We would sometimes feel that we couldn’t eat late at night.  But, that wasn’t really true.  Many wonderful late night meals were enjoyed as we reconnected after times of being away from home.

Living people need food.  While our bodies can store energy for a time, our hunger reminds us that we are alive!  This is a fact that we meet in this gospel reading.

The disciples were still reeling as they struggled to absorb the fact that Jesus, who died on the cross, was now risen from the dead and right in front of them.  It would have been easier for them if Jesus had been a ghost!  But, Jesus was obviously risen from the dead.  He showed them His body, His wounds, and they heard His voice and knew that Jesus really stood right with them in the room.

It was vitally important that the disciples knew that Jesus was physically alive.  If Jesus had not risen from the dead, then their sins would not be forgiven.  If Jesus had not risen from the dead, then death itself would still stand as the eternal future of all humanity.  So, Jesus helped them by reminding them of their responsibility as hosts.  He asked them “Hey, do you have anything to eat?”

Jesus made a simple request for common hospitality.  It seems the disciples “woke up” and got busy.  They gave Jesus a piece of broiled fish and Jesus ate it in front of them.  Yes, Jesus is truly risen from the dead, He is physically alive.  He accepted the disciples hospitality! He ate the fish!  Sins are forgiven and death is overcome! Alleluia!

Your Savior Jesus is physically alive to this day and you will see Him at the resurrection. You will see all His saints in light and join in the heavenly banquet of eternal life.  In the mean time, we celebrate the banquet of life in the hospitality that we offer to others for His sake.

Let us pray

I thank you Lord for helping me throughout my life to appreciate the reality of your resurrection.  I look forward to the eternal feast of life that you have promised to me and all who believe.  I thank you for your safe keeping of all the saints who have gone before me.  Remind me of the opportunities that you have given to me to practice hospitality and care for others. In your name.  AMEN

Startled and Frightened

Daily Prayer for Monday, April 19, 2021

Scripture. Luke 24: 36-37

36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. 

Easter should be a shock.

There really is nothing like it.  The story of a great leader who dies at the hands of enemies is common.  But, the next part is unheard of!  There is only one who lives again.  There is only one who not only HAS risen, but who IS risen… who IS alive… never to die again.  That one is the Lord Jesus.

The accounts of Jesus’ resurrection in the Bible contain the variety that one would expect of eye witnesses.  In the account from Luke, we see that Jesus appearance reminds us that a true experience of Easter should be a shock!

This shock, however, isn’t due to Jesus being an apparition, a ghostly vision, that isn’t real.  Instead, the accounts reveal that Jesus is real – that’s the shock.  Jesus’ resurrection is the shock that must give way to the new reality, namely, that in Jesus God has power over death itself.

This is the life that we live in now in the weeks following Easter Sunday.  Jesus death on the cross shows us that our sins did not overpower God’s Love.  Jesus offered the perfect sacrifice for all our sins on the cross.  In His resurrection from the grave, Jesus shows that the consequence of sin, which is death, has also been overcome.  

If the resurrection is a shock for us to comprehend, so also should be our Lord’s forgiveness.  As Christ is risen from the dead, so are our sins forgiven and our lives restored in Him.  The joy of the Lord is real for those who trust in Jesus as their Savior. The Shock of Easter is that now, even now, we have joy!  

Let us pray,

I thank you Lord Jesus for the startlingly joyful news that you have given to me in the Gospel.  Help me to continue to view your resurrection with joy and never to grow dull in my appreciation of this great miracle.  As you have forgiven me and given me eternal life, help me to forgive all who sin against me and joyfully point all to your victory and never ending life.  In your name I pray, AMEN