“You withdrew all Your fury; You turned away from Your burning anger.  Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your indignation toward us to cease.”  (Psalm 85:3-4)

The Lord did not create us to destroy us. He created us for relationship. Yet, in creating us for relationship, he cannot tolerate the sin that rules in our hearts. His burning anger is turned away by His grace and mercy. Come to the Lord and meet the One who made you and walk humbly with Your God. He will restore you to be whom He created you to be that you may walk with Him forever.

Lord, I know the struggle that is in my heart. Lead me, O Lord, to walk in the way of humility that You may work on my heart and transform it with Your goodness and mercy. Lead me in the way You know I need to go that I may be in Your presence always and live in the way You have established from the beginning. Keep Your wrath buried in the grace and mercy You have given me.

Lord Jesus, the One who makes possible the reconciliation You have granted by grace, lead me in the only way of truth and life that in You I may grow in Your likeness. Help me now and always to see Your goodness and mercy and walk with You, my Lord and my God. Keep me close to You that I may know fully Your grace and mercy and walk in a way pleasing to the Father. Amen.

IS JESUS AMAZED AT YOU?
Devotional for July 8, 2018 based upon Mark 6: 1-13

If you were to ask people about their favorite hymn, how many do you think would say, “Amazing Grace”? I have a feeling more people would say that hymn than any other hymn. We all identify with the words of John Newton – “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found; was blind but now I see.”

Many times during my years in ministry I officiated at a graveside service where the family arranged for someone to play bagpipes. They always played “Amazing Grace.”

Charles Wesley wrote a hymn about God’s amazing love, “And Can It Be That I Should Gain.” The chorus goes like this – “Amazing love, how can it be that Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”

Yes, God’s grace and love are amazing. May we never stop being amazed by them.

But did you know that the Bible tells of times when Jesus was amazed? Our Gospel lesson for this coming Sunday is among them. In Mark 6: 5 it says that Jesus could do no deed of power in His hometown of Nazareth, except that He did lay His lands on a few sick people and cure them. And then it says in verse 6, “He was amazed at their unbelief.”

How much better is the situation in Luke 7 when Jesus was on His way to the home of a centurion, who had a slave whom he valued highly who was close to death. The centurion sent some friends to Jesus to tell Jesus that He did not need to actually come to and enter into the centurion’s house. (I have a feeling that the centurion was wanting to be sensitive to Jewish purification laws and did not want Jesus to have to defile Himself by coming into the centurion’s house.) Rather he knew that all Jesus would need to do would be to “speak the word, and let my servant be healed.” (verse 7) The centurion related to this personally by saying that just as people obeyed his orders, so he knew that whatever or whoever was causing his servant’s terminal illness would obey Jesus’ orders. Luke tells us, “When Jesus heard this He was amazed at him and said, ‘Not even in Israel have I found such faith.’” (verse 9)

May we always be amazed by God’s grace and love. May we never get so used to them that we stop being amazed by them. And may Jesus be amazed by our faith rather than by our lack of faith.

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

“O Lord, You showed favor to Your land; You restored the captivity of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of Your people; You covered all their sin.” (Psalm 85:1-2)

Are you worried about times, seasons and events? The Lord who knows all things has told us there are seasons and events and that all of them fulfill His purpose. Come into the Lord and know His goodness is with us each and every day. Amidst even the most difficult time. There are blessings. All sins are covered b y the blood of Christ. Come into His presence and live in the blessing of the Lord.

Lord, You know all things. When the time came for release, the children of Jacob grumbled, but You loved them anyway. When we grumble, You love us anyway. I tend to see things from the moment, but You see them as they are from eternity. Guide me O Lord to know that only in You is there hope. Only in You can I know that no matter what happens here, You have a purpose.

Lord Jesus, You have come as our hope and You have provided for the covering of all sin. Lead me in the way of salvation that I would now and always walk in Your goodness. Help me see that in You my captivity is over. Help me see that though I wander in this age, You are with me and will lead me, providing all that is needed. Lead me in the way You know I need to go. Amen.

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, how blessed is the man who trusts in You!” (Psalm 84:11-12)

The source of all things is the Lord through whom all things have been made. He is the light shining in the darkness. Through the One who created all things we have our life and our being. Come into His presence and dwell securely in Him. Know that He is the One through whom you have your being and in Him alone is your peace. How blessed you are if you dwell with the Lord.

Lord God, grant that I would hold fast to the truth You have revealed once for all. Guide me, O Lord, in the way I should go that I would forever walk in Your ways. Grant that I be as one blessed because I dwell in Your house. Guide me all the days of my life to walk in the light of Your countenance doing those things which are pleasing in Your sight, for You alone are God.

Lord Jesus, You have come that I may dwell in the light of Your presence and walk in the grace You have purchased. Lead me, O Lord, in Your way of truth that I would become as You have shown me. You have promised to be with me always and how blessed I am knowing that You are right beside me, ahead of me and leading the way. You are the Savior of the world and in You I trust. Amen.

“Behold our shield, O God, and look upon the face of Your anointed. For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” (Psalm 84:9-10)

Look to Christ, our shield, and see what He has accomplished on behalf of those who love You. Standing in Your presence is better than anything this world could ever offer. There is nothing on earth greater than You, for You created all things. Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth which You have established that no wickedness would take root in my house. You are God and there is no other.

Lord, the wicked all around me tempt me and seek to lead me astray. Keep my heart in Your presence and help me to think on the goodness of your mercy and the truth of Your Word. Your Word abides forever and Your ways are good and true. Help me to not waver from the faith You have given me that I would dwell in Your house now and forever. You are my God.

Thomas said of You, Jesus, “My Lord and my God.” Help me see through the clouds of this world and the wickedness that is all around me to know the simple truth that in You alone can I trust. You have accomplished all that needs to be done that I would dwell in the house You have prepared for all who love You. You are my strength and my shield and in You alone can I and do I trust. Amen.