“Turn to me, and be gracious to me; Oh grant Your strength to Your servant, and save the son of Your handmaid. Show me a sign for good, that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, because You, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me.” (Psalm 86:16-17)

When we come into the presence of the Lord, we are witnesses of His presence. Those who walk humbly with God are an accusation against those who do wickedness. The Lord is comfort itself and walks with those who are His. Be comforted by the Lord and know that His plans for you and for all who are in Him will work to good. He will teach You what is right and true.

Lord, this world is sometimes difficult and I do not know which way to turn. I meet the hatred others have for You and I am perplexed. Remind me constantly of Your Word and Your presence that I may hold fast to the truth You have given once for all. Lead me now and always, by holding fast to me, that I would walk with You in my thoughts and deeds, and with constant reminders of Your presence.

Lord Jesus, You walked this earth and You know how difficult it can be. Bring me to remember the truth of Your word that I may hold fast amidst the trials and tribulations that come my way, Lead me, O Lord, in the way I should go and help me not to veer from the path You have set before me. Lead me through the crowd of those who hate You and would lead me astray that I may be faithful to the calling You have given me. Amen.

“O God, arrogant men have risen up against me, and a band of violent men have sought my life, and they have not set You before them. But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.” (Psalm 85:14-15)

There are the strongmen of this world who seek for the lives of the faithful. There are those who for a time prosper at the expense of the lowly. Yet You, O Lord, are above all, and in Your mercy, You watch over all and keep things moving as they need to move. Help me, O Lord, to live humbly in Your presence and see in You the hope of every generation that I may abide in Your presence.

The Lord knows every hair on our head and nothing will come our way that He is not aware of. He is not far off as some think, but always present. Come into His presence and know His comfort. Yes, some things may happen that you do not understand, but He has promised that all things work together for good for those who love Him. Come and find your rest in Him.

Lord Jesus, You met some strongmen who took Your life, yet it was for the purpose of our salvation. Guide my mind to understand that You hold all things together and know all things that will happen. Lead me to simply trust in You always knowing that in You alone is the eternal hope of salvation. Guide me this day to humbly accept what I can and trust for all else knowing that I am in Your hands. Amen.

“I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and will glorify Your name forever. For Your lovingkindness toward me is great, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.” (Psalm 86:12-13)

The wages of sin is death. The Lord has come and is our Savior that we might be saved from being left in the pit. Come unto the Lord and know His goodness and mercy and walk humbly with Him in the way He would lead you. He has shown His love and mercy and gives His kindness to those who fear Him. Know the Lord and know the deliverance He promises.

Lord, I struggle in this life with those things that come along and get in the way. I see the difficulties all around me and do not understand things. You are there and I know that Your purpose and presence is over all things. Guide me to see more clearly the truth of Your love and mercy and to walk humbly in Your ways. Guide me, O Lord, according to Your purpose.

God in the flesh, You have come that all who are in You would have light and life. Guide me in the grace You have given that I may do what is pleasing to the Father. Help me, I pray, to simply do those things which are pleasing to You. Help me in every time of need that I would hold fast to the truth You have given me that I would praise You now and always for Your goodness. Amen.

“For You are great and do wondrous deeds; You alone are God. Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.” (Psalm 86:10-11)

Look through Scripture and what do you see? People rebel against God and do wickedness. Amidst this, the Lord gives mercy and grace and calls to those who hear His voice that they would come and live according to His will. He unites those who turn to Him that they may abide in His goodness and mercy all the days of their lives. He unites us with Him if we turn to Him.

Lord, it is hard to walk in truth in this world filled with lies. Many will promote all kinds of things that are wicked and evil. There are many temptations all around. Unite my heart with You that I may humbly but boldly stand in a world of lies and live according to Your goodness all the days of my life. Lead me, O Lord, and I will be led. Guide me, O Lord, and I will follow.

Only in You, Jesus, am I able to fulfill my heart’s desire which is to be united with You. Guide me today, Lord Jesus, in the way You have set before me. Help me overcome the obstacles that get in the way that I would now and forever live according to the riches of Your promises. Help me through all of the obstacles that come my way to live faithfully in the love You have given me. Amen.

“There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like Yours. All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and they shall glorify Your name.” (Psalm 86:8-9)

The world is impressed with what it invents and the things it imagines are powerful, but what are they compared to what You have created Lord? Heaven and earth are Yours, for You made them. The people wander in darkness, but You are light. You name is glorified because You are the author and finisher of life. Guide our hearts to praise You Whose work alone endures forever.

Lord God, though the world rejects You, You still give grace and mercy. You provide for the just and the unjust. Guide the hearts of those who are turned to You to live in the light of Your countenance that we may do Your works in the light of day and declare Your goodness. Let us not be forced to bow before You upon Your return, but to bow willingly now in humility and with thankfulness.

Lord Jesus, You have come into the world to share Your rich goodness and mercy with all who willingly turn to You. Guide me in Your grace this day that all I do would be a praise of You who has made eternity in glory possible. Lead me, O Lord, in the way You would have me go that I may now and always praise You for the goodness You have given amidst the evil of this world. Amen.

“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”  (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Imagine, the next time someone criticizes you, listening very calmly to the criticism and then saying: “You know, you just made me sound much better than I really am.”

Yes, it might be a rather cheeky thing to say—it could be used as just another form of self-defense—but that isn’t my point.  My point is really the opposite: the grace of Christ not only allows us to see the truth about our weaknesses, but it even allows us boast in them—and when we do so, it’s good for everyone.

Boasting in a weakness is different from accepting it.  Boasting in a weakness, for Christian believers, is abandoning the self to rejoice all the more in Jesus Christ.  It’s confessing honestly who we are, warts and all, in the confidence that such weaknesses are not the final or most important word.  A greater, kinder, and more forgiving word has been spoken for each one of us in the life of Jesus Christ.

So we can be honest about how weak we all are, even how bad we are.  Speaking with such honesty blesses our neighbors and allows them to be honest, too.  It “levels the field” and sets us all before the kindness of our Christ.

LET US PRAY: Lord, you know my weaknesses.  You know my sins.  I’m sorry you had to see and know all that.  Thank you for not forcing me to look at it every day.  Thank you for your beauty, your mercy, and your strength.  Thank you for being the better person who I cannot be, and thank you for being that person for me.  Give that consolation to all who struggle with weakness and sin.  Amen

Pastor Steven K. Gjerde

Zion, Wausau

“For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; and give heed to the voice of my supplications! In the day of my trouble I shall call upon You, for You will answer me.” (Psalm 86:5-8)

The Lord is gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He has sustained all throughout the ages, both the just and the unjust. See that the Lord provides for all of creation. Come to the Lord and know His goodness. See that He has provided all the grace needed that we may know He hears and answers. Come and know that Your God walks with you always.

Lord, in troubled times, when things are not going the way I desire or think they ought to go, You are there. Open my eyes to see that You are always present in every time of need; for You are present always. Lead me into a deeper relationship with You that I may abide in You as You abide in me knowing that in You is goodness and mercy. Lead me, O Lord, in righteousness.

Lord Jesus, You are God in the flesh who has fulfilled the prophecies and are the Savior. Come and lead those who hear Your voice in the ways of righteousness. Guide me, O Lord, to walk humbly with You now and always that I would know that in every time of trouble, You are there. Lift my eyes up to see You always and know that no matter the circumstance, You will lead me. Amen.

“Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to You I cry all day long. Make glad the soul of Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.” (Psalm 86:3-4)

In the midst of turmoil, when this life seems overwhelming, we often cry out to the Lord. Know that He is always present and not just in times of adversity. Make the Lord glad, for he longs for You as He wants You to live for Him. Come to the Lord in season as well as out of season and know the graciousness of the Lord. The Lord will make glad the hearts of those who turn to Him.

Lord, You are there and there are times in my life when I go blithely along my way without a thought of You. Guide my heart, O Lord, to include You in the whole of my life, for You are always there. Lead me in the goodness of Your grace that I would rejoice that You are my eternal companion. You are Lord and God and You have included me in Your family. How blessed a thought!

Lord Jesus, it for grace and mercy that You have come. You have come that all those who hear Your voice would come to You and rejoice in Your provision and presence. Lead me, O Lord, in the way You would have me go that I may walk in the grace You have made possible and live according to the will of the Father. In all things and at all times, lead me to look to You. Amen.

“Incline Your ear, O Lord, and answer me; for I am afflicted and needy. Preserve my soul, for I am a godly man; O You my God, save Your servant who trusts in You.” (Psalm 86:1-2)

Those who look to the Lord and seek to do what is pleasing in the Lord’s sight are the ones who have an ear and hear. Listen, for the Lord speaks and He has given You His word. Listen and you will know His counsel. Be guided by the Lord, for He is good and His love endures forever. He will save those who hear His voice and seek to walk in His ways. Come, listen and learn.

Lord, incline my ear to Your voice that I may hear when You speak. Guide me now and always in what You have already said. Keep me from the empty arguments and hollow words of this world. Lift me up into Your presence that I may joyfully abide with You knowing that You are abiding with me. Lead me, O Lord, in the way You would have me go and point my footsteps in the direction You are sending me.

Christ my Savior, You have said that Your sheep know Your voice. Speak to me today that I may hear. Remind me of the goodness of Your leading that I may follow. Shut out the conflicting noise of this world that I may understand the way of righteousness. Lead me on the narrow path that You have established by grace that I may walk humbly with You. Amen.

GO AND TELL JESUS
Devotional for July 15, 2018 based upon Mark 6: 14-29

The Gospel writer Matthew, in his account of the death of John the Baptist, adds an interesting detail that the Gospel writer Mark does not include in his account. Mark 6: 29 merely says that “when his (John the Baptist’s) disciples heard about it (John’s death), they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.” Matthew 14: 12 adds, “Then they went and told Jesus.”

There are times in our lives – when great sorrow comes or great tragedy strikes – when more than anything else we need to tell someone, and the one we most need to tell is Jesus.

One of my mother’s favorite songs asks,
“Does Jesus care when I’ve said goodbye to the dearest on earth to me.
When my sad heart aches till it nearly breaks
Is it anything to Him, does He see?”

And then comes the glad response,
“Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares.
His heart is touched by my grief.
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Savior cares.”

There are times in our lives when more than anything else that is what we need to know – that our Savior cares. Whatever grief I am feeling, whatever sorrow I am experiencing, whatever tragedy I am going through, I can know for sure that my Savior cares.

That was one of my mother’s favorite songs. A good friend of my parents sang it at the memorial service for each of them.

And that is what we all need to know – that our Savior cares. Like the disciples of John went and told Jesus about the death of His dear cousin and their dear leader and friend, so we all have things that we need to tell Jesus.

What is it that you need to tell Jesus today? Whatever it is, know for sure that He cares, He will listen, and He can help. He can give you the love and comfort that you need and the strength to see it through.

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