Faith, Hope, and Love Devotionals

Faith can heal our wounds if we believe and recognize that God’s love is in us. Jesus came to the world not only to fulfill what Prophets had prophesied, but also to reconnect our faith and love with God and to present himself in us. Therefore, the church brings us together as Christians, to worship, and journey to the cross, and that is the way “we journey to the Cross-as the church for the sake of the World”.  Sometimes, we as Christians misunderstood our calls; some Christians think that, the call to take up your cross and follow Jesus Christ might be a call to get a good job, a good family, and good friends. It is not that way; Jesus said, “Take up your cross and follow me” this means, to accept the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. We cannot be able to be good followers of Jesus Christ if we don’t have faith and if Jesus Christ is not present in our faiths.


Rev. John Gok Badeng
Nile Lutheran, Omaha


We get to Hope!

Hope – I think that is what so many people are yearning to feel after these months of experiencing the pandemic, each in our own way.  
Hope – what does scripture have to share with you today that touches your heart and reminds you of the true hope you have in God?  The following are some scripture verses that I have been praying to remind me of that hope:

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which was given to us.  –Romans 5:5

Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.  –Romans 12:12

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  –Romans 15:13

Do you recognize how God is caring for you now?

My prayer for all of you is to feel God’s love and hope pouring into each of your hearts, a deep knowing that you are not alone.  May this be a time for you to look for God’s presence in ways that you have missed during these difficult months. May you see beacons of light and hope that God has blessed you with during this time.  

For me, I am thankful for the time of slowing down. I’ve realized how my busyness has blinded me to important things that I hadn’t made the priority they should have been.  I’m thankful that technology has allowed me to worship virtually with my congregation, and made a space where we can meet together online, savoring the relationships that are important to us.  
In closing, may you each rest in that Mighty Fortress that is your God.

Shirley Knight, Certified Spiritual Director
Assistant Director of Seeking the Spirit Within
(Read the entire Devotional at this link)


Paul writes in his letter to the church in Ephesus (5:8-14) that we now live in the divine light that is Jesus Christ.  We come out of the darkness of sin to live in the forgiveness of our Lord.  Rather than do what is evil we are to follow Christ’s example and do good.  We are to conduct our lives in ways that reflect the light of Christ.  This is what is pleasing to God.

Light is the primary image in the text.  With light we can see.  With Christ as our light, we ask for light to be brought into the darkness of our hearts.  We are to turn from the darkness of evil, which becomes exposed when we see and admit our sin.  Then the healing light of Christ can reveal what needs to be cleansed leading to a transformation in Christ.

Paul then encourages us to live as children of light.  It is as if we are a crystal that the light and love of God shines on us as blessings, but also shines through so others may see our good works and give glory to God.

I want to encourage and challenge us to live as children of the light.  How might we let the love of God shine in and through us?  Perhaps a smile or kind word.  Give to a charity.  Visit someone who is lonely.  Help a neighbor in need.  Read and share a devotion.

Live as children of light.  Remember the love of God shown in Jesus who lived among us.  Share that love with one another.  We will surely brighten someone’s day with the light.

Rev. Ken Miller
St. Paul Lutheran, Auburn

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

First Lutheran of Lincoln - a Bit of History

Image
  First Lutheran Church of Lincoln began its life in 1870 as Swedish settlers founded a church in the newly established capital of Nebraska. Though we often assume early founders were heroic pastors, First was mostly a lay movement in its first 30 years, served by a shifting array of preachers who travelled among congregations struggling to establish themselves on the prairie. First Lutheran Swedish Church consisted mostly of new immigrants, many of them young Swedish women brought over as domestics to serve in the houses of the growing town. This early open outreach and service remained a mark of First's ministry, situated as it was in a small structure at 13th and K Street near the heart of the growing town. However, the development of First Lutheran didn't really accelerate until the turn to a new century, when a larger building with a pipe organ was established; the focus on the pipe organ in the expense of building a new structure reveals another long term orientation of t
Read more

Stories from Across the Synod

Image
 Three Rural Churches Doing Worship in a New Way   In response to the pandemic, the three congregations of Sonrise Parish (St. John’s, Eustis; American, Cozad; and St. John’s, Cozad) moved to video-only worship beginning on March 18, 2020.  Three months later, as warmer weather had arrived, the churches decided to do outdoor Word and Sacrament at each site on a weekly rotating basis, beginning at Eustis on June 14.  A weekly virtual brief worship recording was also continued!  The city street, parking lots, and grassy areas became the places to gather in lawn chairs or in cars in a physically-distanced manner.  A low-power FM transmitter broadcasted to those who wanted to stay in their vehicles.   A music group with percussion, guitar, horns, vocalists (and sometimes keyboard) led the services.  For sixteen weeks through the end of September the outdoor services continued, with attendance ranging from 50-60 to as high as over 100.  Two confirmations and one baptism were also done outdo
Read more

Proclaim the Good News

Image
 By Bishop Brian Maas When Jesus sent out the twelve, the first task they were given was to “proclaim the good news.” He gave many other instructions, including advice to “shake off the dust from your feet” if a community wouldn’t receive it. Not everybody will hear the good news as a good thing. The kingdom of heaven is disruptive. Throughout the pandemic, the church has done a pretty good job of going out to proclaim the good news—or at least going out beyond the building’s walls, livestreaming worship and other events, literally to the ends of the earth. Now things are beginning to change. Congregations are beginning to gather again in person, and they’re noticing something. The numbers in the pews now are smaller than they were before pandemic. And there’s a bit of anxiety and a lot of uncertainty about it.  That makes it all the more likely we’ll hear objection to the good news or its proclamation. We’ll hear calls to end online outreach and to ensure an appealing message. History
Read more