“Oh draw near to my soul and redeem it; ransom me because of my enemies! You know my reproach and my shame and my dishonor; all my adversaries are before You.” (Psalm 69:28-19)

The world pulls us in and our spirit laments at the wickedness that is within. Those who pull on us to join them are our enemies, for they who live a life going down into the pit pull others down with them. Sometimes we are they. Turn to the Lord that He may redeem you from going down into the pit and lift you up and away from those who do not know the Lord. Draw near to the Lord and He will draw near to you.

Lord, You know everything about me. You know where I have been and what I have thought. I need the redemption You offer and I need to be lifted up. Sometimes I need this more than once in a day. Let me not be caught up in the ways of this world, but grow in me a mind after Your heart that I would think as You would have me think and see as You give me sight to see.

Lord Jesus, You are the light that shines in the darkness. You have come that as many as are given the ability to see would be lifted up and away from the wickedness of this world. Guide me, O Lord, to see in You the only hope to overcome this world of wickedness. Lead me into the right way of thinking and acting that I may walk humbly with You, my Savior and Lord. Amen.

“Answer me, O Lord, for Your lovingkindness is good; according to the greatness of Your compassion, turn to me, and do not hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress; answer me quickly.” (Psalm 69:16-17)

It seems to us that the Lord is far off when it is us who are far from the Lord. We do not think He hears because we do not listen. When we blame the Lord, it is our fault, not His, for what we are blaming Him. Come into the presence of the Lord. Do not stand far off, but near, and know that the Lord is quick to answer and ever present in every time of need. Turn to the Lord and live.

Lord, I am distant and far off. I do stand away and expect You to come to me. You have come to me and then I backed away. Lead me, O Lord, according to Your grace to await You. You have asked that I follow You. Help me to follow, and lift me up from this pit that I may be one who walks with You. Lead me, O Lord, in the way of life and help me to follow You always.

Lord Jesus, You indeed have come to us, but then there is our part to receive You. Guide me, O Lord, according to Your goodness that I would live in the life You give by grace. Help me now and always not to stand off or far away, but simply to humbly submit and live the life You give. Guide me, O Lord, through this life of difficulty to see You always. Amen.

“Deliver me from the mire and do not let me sink; may I be delivered from my foes and from the deep waters. May the flood of water not overflow me nor the deep swallow me up, nor the pit shut its mouth on me.” (Psalm 69:14-15)

The swamp gets filled and it is dangerous to be there. In the mire of this world there are those who prey upon others. The world is filled with evil; and especially in our day we are told over and over again that it is not there. It is. Look to the Lord who is able to rescue. Look to the Lord who will keep you for being enveloped by the mire of this world. He has come to save.

Lord sometimes I am the evil person I lament; but all around me I see people calling evil good and good evil. I become confused and do not know where to turn. Help me, O Lord, to look to You, the One who knows me better than I know myself, and the only One who can rescue me from the pit. Lift me up, O Lord, that I would come into Your salvation and know Your goodness.

Lord Jesus, You are the Way, Truth and Life, and You have come to rescue all who turn to You from going down into the miry pit. Lead me this day by Your grace to go where You lead and be delivered according to the Father’s will. Help me now and always to be covered by Your grace and mercy that I would not be swallowed up by this world and its wickedness. Amen.

“Those who sit in the gate talk about me, and I am the song of the drunkards. But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord, at an acceptable time; O God, in the greatness of Your lovingkindness, Answer me with Your saving truth.” (Psalm 69:12-13)

Does it really matter when others speak of you words that are not true? Does it matter that lies are spoken when your heart is turned to the Lord? Do not be mistaken by the twists of the heart which seek acceptance in this world, but instead look to the Lord and seek His goodness and presence always. Seek the Lord and know His goodness and mercy all the days of your life.

Lord, I am influenced by what others think of me. I am fearful of their expectations and thoughts. Help me to remain sensitive, but not to the point where the truth of Your salvation is drowned out by the evil thoughts of others. Guide me, O Lord, according to Your goodness to walk in the ways You have established from old. Lead me through every valley of gossip to stand on the hilltop of truth.

Lord Jesus, You know the derision of those who hate You. You know what it is like to be talked about and lies spread against You. You know, yet graciously walked boldly in the will of the Father. By Your example, help me to walk with You now and always that I would not succumb to the derision of others, but stand boldly in the grace You freely give to those whom You call. Amen.

“They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”  (Isaiah 40:31)

It’s more than a statement about the future, although it’s at least the future—as our Lord promises, those who die with Him shall rise with Him into the bodily joy and freedom of His victory over death.  Yet even now, as Isaiah declares, faith (the resurrection pressing into “now”!) brings with it a virtue that we sometimes call endurance.

You see it in very human ways all the time: where a hope or dream motivates people, it can often inspire them to endure great physical distress until they reach their goal.  Perhaps you could simply call it grit: suffering produces grit in those who live by a hope greater than their own comfort.

This dynamic that we see in an everyday way comes to its finest expression in the Lord’s way.  He’s given us a great hope, the promise of a new life and new creation in Him, disclosing His friendship with us now and forever—indeed, Christians should never forget the startling promise that His Church will rule with Christ in the world to come.  Such promises are the Church’s grit, its youth and strength, its reason to endure and press forward in confidence.

LET US PRAY: Grant me strength, Lord, to endure patiently all that I may bear in this life, setting my eyes not on things that perish but on Your Word, which never fades.  Amen

Pastor Steven K. Gjerde

Zion, Wausau

“When I wept in my soul with fasting, it became my reproach. When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.” (Psalm 69:10-11

Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord – not that He won’t hear you – but that you might be able to hear Him. Come into the small still places and be rid of the noise of this world. Come and know that God is Sovereign and that all things are in His hands. Lament your sin and rejoice in the gift of your salvation. Come with honesty and tears before the Lord your God.

Lord, You know all that I have done. You have heard all that I have spoken. You know me; and though You have invited me to walk with You, I do not know You as I should. Bring me to the place where I am willing and able to do what needs to be done. Guide me in Your goodness and let me hear as You speak that I would hold fast to the truth You have revealed through Your Word.

Lord Jesus, You are the One who has come to lead the way of salvation. You make the way possible through the grace You purchased with Your blood. You are the truth revealed that we might walk in the light and no longer linger in the darkness of this world. Lead me through all the pain and suffering of this world to know that You are the One who has come that we might have life. Amen.

‘I have become estranged from my brothers and an alien to my mother’s sons. For zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.” (Psalm 69:8-9)

What is the passion of your life? What do you think about when you meditate? What motivates you to move and have your being? We can think religion a once-a-week thing, in which case, it is just one of the many things we do. Or we can realize that the Creator of all has invited us into His everlasting presence to stand before His majesty in awe and wonder.

Lord, I do get caught up in a world of my own making, which is imaginary and unreal. I can also see clearly that You have called me into reality. Lead me, O Lord, into the life You offer me that I would walk in those ways which are pleasing to You. Help me now and always to seek the Truth which You have revealed and live into the hope You promise those who believe.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for making the way possible to come into the Father’s eternal presence. Strip away those things that hinder me from living the life You give and the distractions that occupy my mind. Help me now and always to hold fast to You as You lead me where You know I need to go. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for sanctifying us one day at a time. Amen.

BOUNDARY CROSSINGS
Devotional for February 11, 2018
Based upon the First Reading for the Transfiguration of our Lord, 2 Kings 2: 1-12

The time was coming when God would be taking Elijah away. Soon Elisha will be left behind alone to do the work that the two of them had been doing together. There is a tone of real melancholy in these verses. The kind of melancholy that we also feel when we are about to say goodbye – perhaps for the final time – to someone whom we love very, very much.

Elijah and Elisha are walking along on their final journey together. They pass through three of the holiest shrines in Israel – Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho. At each of those places the older prophet says, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me on.” I think what he was saying was this. “Why don’t you remain here with these people? Wouldn’t staying with them help make our parting less painful?” But each time Elisha says, “As the Lord lives, and as you live, I will not leave you.” I really admire Elisha’s devotion. He knows that the parting will be soon. He does not know when or where it is going to happen. But he knows it is going to happen and it will be soon. And he wants to be there.

And so Elijah and Elisha come to the Jordan. It is time to cross over. Elijah takes his mantle and strikes the water. The waters part, and the two of them cross over on dry land. After crossing over, Elijah asks Elisha, “Is there one thing I can do for you before I am taken from you?” Elisha answers, “Yes, please let me inherit a double portion of your spirit.” “All the good that you have done, I want to be able to do twice as much.”

Now at first what Elisha is requesting seems very greedy. But it is not. Elisha is asking to become Elijah’s successor.

Parents, do you remember standing in the driveway and watching – kind of sadly – as son or daughter drives away in the family car for the first time alone? The keys are no longer in your possession. You have given them away. And along with the keys, you have given a double portion of your spirit.

Or what about the time when responsibility for the family business is passed on to the next generation? Son or daughter is given a double portion of the parents’ spirit. Or what about when daughter has her first baby? Or when son becomes a father for the first time? Parents become grandparents. The change affects everyone. It is never the same again. A double portion of the spirit has been given.

I remember how strange it felt the first time my conversation with my parents ended not with their praying for me, but instead with their asking me to pray for them. A double portion of the spirit had been given.

And Jesus tells us that He wants to give us a double portion of His spirit. In John 14 He said: “Those who believe in Me will do the same works that I have done. In fact, they will do greater works, because I am going to the Father.”

And so Elisha makes his bold, believing request for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. Elijah answers, “If you see me as I am being taken from you, then you will receive it.” Then all of a sudden a chariot of fire and horses of fire separate the two of them. Elijah is taken up by a whirlwind into heaven, and Elisha sees him no more.

There is a point beyond which Elisha cannot go. At least not yet. Like the signs at the airport that say, “Passengers only beyond this point.” The boundary crossing between life and death Elisha cannot cross – at least not yet. The chariot of fire and horses of fire did not come for him. They stop the disciple from being able to follow the master. He cannot cross over – at least not yet. But he can stand in awe and in wonder.

And we also have had times of great glory when we too have had to remain behind. Like when father escorts daughter down the aisle. He can only go so far before he gives her to another and then goes to stand beside her mother. After loving words of support and blessing, parents sit down and watch a transformation take place as God makes two into one. There is praise and rejoicing, but there is also a boundary crossing.

And what about the time of the death of one of God’s saints. If you have ever been present when one who believes in Jesus dies, then you know what a holy and special and privileged moment it is. A few days later we gather together to honor the loved one and to hear the words of the Good Shepherd, who has promised to guide us through the Valley of the Shadow. We hear of the one who has gone on before us to prepare a place for us. We hear words of comfort and committal. And, like Elisha, we stand in awe and in wonder. Someone we love has gone over the Jordan and has experienced a boundary crossing. Oh, the pain of separation. And yet also the joy of transformation. Oh, the grief. And yet also, oh, the glory.

Yes, there are times in our lives too when chariots and horses of fire keep us from following. And so with Elisha we cry. And, like Elisha, we see them no more.

We feel like Peter, James, and John, as they follow Jesus back down the mountain and on to Jerusalem, wondering what will happen to Him – and to them – once they get there.

And so back from the wilderness with Elisha we come, wearing the master’s mantle. Back down the mountain with Peter, James, and John we come, having experienced a glimpse of Christ’s glory. We feel lost and alone. We wonder what to do next. We wonder what will happen next. One thing we know for sure. It will not be the same.

And this knowledge that it will not be the same is what is being expressed in Elisha’s tearing his clothes, because once you tear your clothes, they will not be the same. Your clothes, once torn, will never go back to what they were before. Once you have experienced a boundary crossing, you will never go back to what you were before.

Our clothes are torn, but we have seen the Lord’s glory. We have received a double portion. We are wearing the master’s mantle. And so, like Elisha, we continue on because we know that a lot still needs to be done before that time when we, too, cross over, and we, too, are carried into the presence of Jesus by that chariot and those horses of fire.

Dennis D. Nelson
President of the Board and Director of Lutheran CORE

“May those who wait for You not be ashamed through me, O Lord God of hosts; may those who seek You not be dishonored through me, O God of Israel, because for Your sake I have borne reproach; dishonor has covered my face.”  (Psalm 69:6-7)

We are called as people of faith to be honorable for the sake of others who have faith. Yes, we are saved by grace through faith; but there is the obligation to cooperate with the Holy Spirit’s work that we may become like Christ in all things. For the sake of the Lord we are to be people above reproach and an example as the Spirit leads us to godly living. You are called into the presence of the Lord always.

Lord, You know the struggles I have when it comes to behavior, especially the inner thoughts and attitudes. Guide me by the power of the Holy Spirit to live according to Your Word always and uphold those things which are right and fitting at all times and in all places that I may indeed be an example of godly living for Your sake and for the sake of others. Help me in every time of need.

Lord Jesus, You have demonstrated that it is possible to live according to the law without sinning. Only by Your grace can anything be accomplished; and You know I need that grace. Help me by Your grace to seek the higher way of living that I may be guided by You to become like You in my daily living. Lead me, O Lord, to become an example for others in godliness. Amen.

“Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; those who would destroy me are powerful, being wrongfully my enemies; what I did not steal, I then have to restore. O God, it is You who knows my folly, and my wrongs are not hidden from You.” (Psalm 69:4-5)

Isn’t it amazing how many people find reasons to hate? This is the bane of sin in our world, looking for reasons to hate. And then they mask it to make their hatred seem reasonable. God is love and those who are in the Lord learn to love. This is a clear marker to see whether one is in the Lord, but do so for your own sake and not as a judgement of the other. Do not hate, but love.

Lord, I have the infection of hatred which is loose in the world. Keep me from the folly of this world which has an excuse for everything. Guide me in Your never-changing principles so that I hold fast to the truth that You are love and You command me to love my neighbors as myself. Bring me over the hurdles that get in the way of fulfilling Your commandments that I would love as You love.

Lord Jesus, in love You came to lead all who believe to become like You. Move me away from my notions of what love is to see in You the hope of every generation. Guide me as Your disciple to learn and grow as You would have me learn and grow. Help me now and always to hold fast to Your teachings and not overreact to this world of sinners bent on hating and not loving. Amen.