Category: News (Page 2 of 105)

I want to say that every parent has heard and experienced that emphatic “mine!” from their kids, but the truth is, I think most adults at one time or another has expressed this same sentiment (albeit usually more subtlety.

We like stuff; from when we first see it to the plan for acquiring it (and then, sadly, the all-too-quick plan to replace it)!

Today we see “the Ten Words” (more often referred to as “the Ten Commandments”). The last of these refers to “coveting” – the deep desire toa make something your own in whatever way you can. It is a blatant lack of contentment for what you have (what God has given and blessed you with).

It also fails to recognize the reality that nothing actually ever belongs to us! Everything is the Lord’s (including us)! We are merely His stewards.

When we realize that He has everything, that He wants (and has) us, that He has given us all that we need to support this body and life, that He has forgiven us and saved us for eternity; then it is an easy step to take to get to contentment! It comes from a deep gratitude recognized in our true reality. It is a joy that comes from what we have rather than despair in what we lack. It’s a fullness of spirit that comes from knowing we are His instead of the empty and endless futileness that comes from constant pursuit of things, status, or pleasure.

We – along with everything else – are the Lord’s! Praise Him for that! May we be content and joyous is the revelation that we need nothing other than Him, because, through Jesus, we have everything unto everlasting life!

Halleluia!

“O Lord, we are Yours! Fully and completely. Help us, when we are tempted and covet to be reminded that, as Your children, You have given us everything that matters – including forgiveness, mercy, grace, life, and salvation! Send us Your Spirit to be, not only content in everything, but joyful in You and all Your Gifts! Thank You for creating us, wanting us, saving us, providing for us, and desiring to be with us forever! In Jesus’ precious name; amen!”

Scripture

• Exodus 20:1-17
• Philippians 4:11-13
• 1 Timothy 6:6
• Psalm 24

“Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink” (Exodus 17:6).

Water is a basic necessity of life. Without it no one would last long.

And it doesn’t just provide life through drinking, it also is needed for cleansing and waste removal; and even for recreation.

So it is understandable why the Israelites are…testy…when they are living in the wilderness with no water – for themselves or their livestock.

So they revert back to their seemingly only playbook – complain about God and bemoan how good Egypt was.

Sigh.

After countless displays of His faithfulness to them, He is once again at the end of their displeasure and lack of trust.

So He provides a means of, literally, getting water from a Rock; providing water from the very Water of Life, the pre-incarnate Christ! If we go to Him for drink and believe in Him, “out of [our] heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38).

We are guaranteed of all this because blood and water flowed from His side on the cross. We see that it is through God’s Words and promise joined to water in our Baptism that we are united with Him; with His suffering, in His victory over sin, death, and the Devil; in His resurrection.

“Strike the Rock” was the command, and the result was the saving of the Israelites with the Living Water.

God saves us through the same Living Water, Jesus, through faith and baptism. God saves us from being struck down in death because He was struck as the Rock; struck before Pilate; struck on the Cross.

We are saved by the Living Water, Jesus! Drink Him in fully and, strengthened in Him, flow in that Water to drench others with Him; His Word, His love; His forgiveness; His life.

The Rock was struck! Through faith in Him, you and I are saved!

How amazing! Thank You, Lord!

“Gracious Father, thank You for providing Your Son, the Living Water to save Your people in the wilderness and saving us through the waters of Baptism. Grant us a continual thirst for Him so that we always seek, drink, live, and share Him in all our dealings with life and others. In His precious and life-giving name do we pray. Amen.”

Scripture

• Exodus 17:1-7
• 1 Corinthians 10:1-4
• John 7:37-38
• John 19:31-34
• Psalm 46

“Stop trying and start trusting.” That’s the truth God teaches his people in Exodus 14. And that’s the Gospel truth God teaches us as well.

People like to be independent. We like to chow the world and ourselves that we can do it and don’t need help. We want to show we can “pull ourselves up by our bootstraps.”

But the reality is, we can’t do everything by ourselves – and that’s good!

When you believe you need no one, you believe you are God.

The Israelites had “won.” Pharaoh had let them go and they were on the way to the Promised Land.

Then God told them to turn back just as He was hardening Pharaoh’s heart to pursue them and bring them back.

What?!

The people were understandably upset. Why was Moses leading them back; so they could “die in the wilderness?” They would rather have been left alone, so that they “may serve the Egyptians” instead of God.

What a terrible statement!

But Moses answers that they will see “the salvation of the Lord” today and that “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

What an amazing statement!

We know the story; the Israelites crossed over the sea on dry ground and the Lord destroyed the Pharaoh’s army in that sea.

God saved them!

Sometimes we get the mistaken impression that we must handle everything – including our salvation. We believe that we are the reliable ones in the couple of God and us. But the reality is, God is the only One who is reliable. Always!

This is manifested most fully in our salvation. Jesus fulfilled the Law; we couldn’t. Jesus lived perfectly in love; we wouldn’t. Jesus died; we didn’t.

Rather than bemoan when we realize we need God, we should rejoice; for in faith we see God waiting when we get to the end of ourselves.

It’s time to “stop trying and start trusting” that God’s got us and all our issues. He fights for us and we have only to be silent.

“Thank You, Lord!”

“O Lord, thank You for providing all our daily needs for body and life. Forgive us when we fail to trust You and try to do things ourselves. Help us to look to You, trust in You, and live in You for all things, through faith in Jesus. In His name we pray. Amen.”

Scripture

• Exodus 14:1-29
• Luke 18:27
• Psalm 46