RSS

John 10:22-33

21 Apr

22 It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication. 23 He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The people surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

25 Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name. 26 But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”

31 Once again the people picked up stones to kill him. 32 Jesus said, “At my Father’s direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?”

33 They replied, “We’re stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God.”

John 10:22-33

Dear God, I had a couple of thoughts when I read this passage this morning.

First, if I don’t buy into John’s thesis in John 1–In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…” then the rest of the book makes Jesus sound like a lunatic with a God-complex. But if I believe those words, then I’m in on every outlandish thing he says and does like here.

Second, verse 24 makes it sound like they are eagerly hoping he will say yes so they can follow him, but it turns out that at least some of them are actually trying to trap him so they can stone him for blasphemy. They were more interested in confirming their bias and responding out of their hate than they were seeking your insight into who Jesus was and what that meant for them. But some were open to who he was.

 41 And many followed him. “John didn’t perform miraculous signs,” they remarked to one another, “but everything he said about this man has come true.” 42 And many who were there believed in Jesus.

Nicodemus comes to mind as a Pharisee who approached Jesus with an open, inquisitive mind in chapter 3, meekly tries to defend Jesus in chapter 7, and then cares for his dead body after the crucifixion in chapter 19. He was more interested in your truth that confirming his own biases.

Father, I don’t even know where to start when it comes to recognizing my own biases and rejecting the bad ones. I am a fool who has trouble telling the difference between wisdom and idiocy in my own thoughts much less the thoughts of others. Holy Spirit, I ask that you whisper to me in your still, soft voice. Give me eyes to see what you want me to see. Give me ears to hear. Help me to be your blessing in this world. And help me to worship you well.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on April 21, 2026 in John

 

Tags: , , , ,

1 Corinthians 15:51-53

20 Apr

But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.

1 Corinthians 15:51-53

Dear God, this happens to be the passage of the day from Bible Gateway, and it is appropriate because it is the anniversary of the death of a young man I never knew, but whose life and his family overlaps with ours in a weird tangential way. I’m not going to get into that right now. You know the story. I just want to take this time to pray for this family who lost their son 13 years ago. The horror. The anguish. The pain of the loss. Yesterday was the anniversary of a day in our family’s history that, in the words of my wife, ripped the fabric of our family. Today is the anniversary of another tragedy that ripped the fabric of another family. And then there is another friend whose son died three years ago this last Saturday. I thought it was a few days from now, but I just looked up his obituary and I had missed it. For his parents, its been incredibly painful, and I know there marriage struggles. I’m impressed the first couple has remained married. Honestly, I’m impressed by wife and I have remained married through our tragedy. There is always so much blame to go around in times like this, including blaming ourselves. And all three of the situations I’m talking about were preventable. The outcomes could have changed had better decisions been made–maybe by everyone. The tragedy is felt and internalized. The despair is palpable.

But then verse like this remind me how small this life is. Paul lets us in on “a wonderful secret.” There is hope in a life that is redeemed after this earth passes away. The new earth is waiting, and it has work for us to do. There’s no room for selfishness or foolishness there. I cannot bring those things with me. And I’ll gladly leave them behind for the opportunity to be made whole and exist in your presence forever. Loving my family. Loving my friends. Loving my enemies. Loving well.

Father, I pray that the two couples I’m thinking of who lost their sons too young will feel your healing and comfort today. I’m reminded of the couple whose adult son was healed from his blindness by Jesus. Everyone, including the disciples, wanted to blame them. But they were not to blame. Jesus said so. I pray that you would break down the acts of us blaming others or ourselves. Comfort them today. Raise up people in their lives who will love on them and give them your sense of caring and compassion. Help them to turn loose of the “what might’ve beens” and embrace the years they had with them. When we have sons and daughters we can’t help but have dreams for them. Each of them. I pray that you will somehow today, impart dreams for their sons that they cannot even fathom on this side of death. Unite them togethe as couples comfort them through each other. Save this one marriage that is on the brink.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on April 20, 2026 in 1 Corinthians

 

Luke 24:13-34

19 Apr

13 That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. 16 But God kept them from recognizing him.

17 He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”

They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. 18 Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”

19 “What things?” Jesus asked.

“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. 20 But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21 We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.

22 “Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. 23 They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! 24 Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”

25 Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. 26 Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” 27 Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

28 By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, 29 but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. 30 As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. 31 Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!

32 They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” 33 And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, 34 who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.”

Luke 24:13-34

Dear God, this was the gospel reading this morning in church. It’s my wife’s favorite Bible story. I really like it as a good one, but my favorite remains Joseph and Nicodemus caring for Jesus’s body after the crucifixion. That would be an interesting conversation starter with someone I know is a Christian: “What’s your favorite Bible story?” Or, “Who is your favorite Bible character?” I guess it makes sense that my favorite Bible stories are aligned with my favorite characters. My top three are Joseph, Jesus’s earthly father, Nicodemus, and Jonathan. The story for Joseph is the opening of Matthew before he gets his angel visit. He was the kind of man who would cover and care for Mary before the angel told him it was okay and she was telling the truth. For Nicodemus, he cared for Jesus and jeopardized his career and standing in the communit before the resurrection. And for Jonathan, I love the last meeting in the woods between him and David where he pledges to David that he will abdicate his throne and serve him one day. All three men were willing to cost themselves everything for what they believed in. For Joseph, it was his compassion and integrity. For Nicodemus, his love for Jesus and his anger towards Caiaphas and crew. And for Jonathan, his humility in accepting that David would be your king over himself.

But I digress. Today, we are looking at these two disciples (man and wife?) who are going home to their hometown and trying to make sense of the world around them. They are confused. Disappointed. Sad. Maybe even disillusioned.

I think about the Christian podcasts I listen to. Slow Theology says something like, “Simple faith for chaotic times.” The Russell Moore Podcast says, “We look for sign posts in a strange time.” He used to say “confusing times.” I always roll my eyes at the idea that we think these are the strangest, most chaotic, or the most confusing times because I think everyone feels that way about whatever moment they are in. We look back on the 80s and 90s and simpler times, but we felt like they were crazy. In the 80s, we looked back on the 50s and felt like those were the simpler times, but the people living through them didn’t feel that way. No, we almost never know what is happening around us. What is going on, even right in front of our faces.

So now, as I sit here typing out this prayer, how confused do I feel? I would anser that by saying that I feel about the average amount of confused. I mean, as I write this, things are a mess in the Middle East, they are a mess in Ukraine. They are weird in Asia and South America. Africa is a constant mess. Closer to home, there are problems in my community that I don’t know how to fix. And even closer to home, there are parts of my personal life that break my heart. And I don’t necessarily feel like I have you to “open the scriptures” to me, but I find in all of these stories the idea that you are here to comfort and guide me throuhg this minfield of disappointment and sorrow.

Father, your name is great. You are the greatest. You are above all of your creation. I am here to worship youI pray that, in the midst of the curent chaos and confusion, you would use the pain of this time for your kingdom to come and your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give all we need to survive the day. I pray the same for the Iranians and Ukrainians. Give me what I need today, and help me to lean into my dependence upon you. Forgive me for the sefishness in my heart that I pursue and consider pursuing. Help those parts of me to die. And lead me away from the things that tempt me. Deliver me, from evil.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on April 19, 2026 in Luke

 

Tags: , , , , ,

Romans 13:6-7

18 Apr

6 Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.

Romans 13:6-7

Dear God, it feels like this is the verse of the day Bible Gateway intended to run on the 15th and not today. My first thought was that it’s just not that hard to pay taxes and I don’t understand why so many people cheat on their taxes, but the truth is that it can be hard to spend that money and watch it just go away. Harder still to see what the government does with it sometimes. My wife came up with a thing years ago that she just thinks of our federal taxes being used to pay for national parks. I liked that and I’ve been thinking of it that way ever since.

Tax week is a special annual marker for me every year. Years ago, I had the worst week of my life during tax week, and it was totally unrelated to taxes. I just remember that April 15 was a critical day in my history. That weeks ended up being tragic for a lot of people. The vibrations of it are still felt more than 10 years later.

I was watching a video recently where three guys were talking about the TV show Ted Lasso, which you know I love. They talked about a character named Zava who had a four-episode arc. They were talking about how Zava seemed like a wasted character, but I pointed out in a comment that Zava’s presence moved another character, Jamie, to the next level in his development. He was the catalyst for movement.

I think of that because it seems like that week all those years ago was certainly a pivotal moment in a lot of lives. I haven’t yet found the redemption in it. I still see nother but bad things that came from it. Well, I can’t say that. What happened on the 15th spurred me into an action that might have saved someone’s life four days later. What did saving that life do? Well, it saved someone precious to me. There’s still a lot of pain there. There’s still broken relationship there. On paper, the fallout from it still looks terrible for a lot of people. How will it be redeemed? Will it be redeemed?

Father, here’s the thing. I don’t have to know that it will be redeemed. It is what it is. Life happened. Maybe I made mistakes. Maybe others made mistakes. But you know how much I still hurt and how much others hurt. I will bring that hurt to you and ask that you comfort me. I ask that you will raise up voices in the lives of the others impacted by the events of that week that I’m referencing and comfort and guide them. Make this pain count, please. At some point, please make this pain count. Oh, and help the government have the wisdom and discernment to use our taxes well.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on April 18, 2026 in Romans

 

Tags: , , , ,

1 Corinthians 1:18-23

17 Apr

18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
    and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”

20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. 22 It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. 23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.

1 Corinthians 1:18-23

Dear God, I really like verses 22 and 23 where Paul talks about your “foolishness” from the perspective of the Jewish people of the day and the Greeks. The idea that Jewish worshippers of you would see it as offensive that you/Jesus were crucified makes sense. How could you possibly be killed? Humiliated? Suffer such a defeat? Then, for the Greeks, it would just make no philosophical sense.

I remember a young Christian woman I knew was dating a devout Muslim. Remarkably, the longer they dated the closer they got to the religions of their childhood. She was ulitmately baptized in a Baptist church while they were dating. She remarked that Christianity was the only religion that leaned on your mercy. For her boyfriend, that was nonsense. Just accepting your mercy through Jesus was too easy.

As for me, I wantt o sit here and judge others for being so foolish, but I know I can be such a fool too. I get ideas in my head about you or what you think of things that are totally wrong. I think of verse 20 above that talks about the philosophers, scholars, and brilliant debaters. Yes, I like to think of myself as thoughtful and intelligent. As having great insights. But the truth is that I am a fool. Any insights or wisdom I get comes from you. It comes from times like this, reading what you recorded for us through scripture and then asking the Holy Spirit to speak to me through it. And to give me ears to hear.

Father, let that be my prayer today. Let me be about being humble in the face of the people I talk with. Help me to listen and learn from others. My inclindation is to try to be impressive. Now that’s foolishness! Help me to be intentionally humble because the truth is that I am a fool and nothing without you. Help me to grow a little more of your fruit today so others might be drawn to you. I have three specific appoitnments today and a lot of letters to write. Help me to be a blessing to all.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on April 17, 2026 in 1 Corinthians

 

Tags: , , , ,

Romans 13:8-10

16 Apr

8 Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.

Romans 13:8-10

Dear God, our small group last night was talking about the idols we can make out of our devoutness. It is easy to make piety my idol. It’s easy to even make doing these prayer journals my idol. But if we focus on these things–going to church every time the door is open, spending our daily time in prayer or praying so many minutes a day, listening to only Christian music, etc., but have not love for our neighbors in need then we are a loud, clanging gong (1 Corinthians 13).

But it does start with legitimate worship of you because if I’m not submitting myself to you, worshipping you, asking for forgiveness for the things I do that grieve you, and then accepting that forgiveness in a loving relationship with you, then I will not be able to extend forgiveness to others, and I won’t know how to love them because I won’t really understand how much you love me.

Father, I know you are love because the closer I get to you and the more I turn loose of my worldly idols the more I feel love. The less selfish I become. Speaking of love for others, I have a friend who has to be nervous about a doctor appointment they have today. Help them through this process. Guide them. Guide the doctor. Father, have mercy. Jesus, have mercy. Holy spirit, have mercy.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on April 16, 2026 in Romans

 

Tags: , , , ,

Romans 10:1-13

15 Apr

10 Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. 2 I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. 3 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. 4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.

5 For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. 6 But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth). 7 And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” 8 In fact, it says,

“The message is very close at hand;
    it is on your lips and in your heart.”

And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 10:1-13

Dear God, the verses of the day for Bible Gateway are 9 and 10. Having grown up Baptist, these were part of the three passages of Romans I was taught to lead someone to Jesus: Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, and Romans 10:9-10. We all sin. The wages of sin is death, but salvation is a free gift from you through Jesus. And then this ipart about believing in Jesus and confessing I need him.

I don’t know how long it was before I read these verses in context. And I’m not saying they were misapplied when I was young. I think they can stand on their own. But It’s important to see what Paul saying here. He’s speaking to Jews in Roman and trying to convince them that Jesus is your son and the Messiah. So he goes back to the beginning for them: the law and Moses.

I like the phrase the translators used here in verse 2: misdirected zeal. I see a lot of misdirected zeal lately. Most of it centered around politics. I see Christians who are zealous about supporting or opposing different liberal or conservative things. I think Satan must just be loving this. I’ve seen people defend bad things they want to defend because of their pride, biases, and prejudices. At the same time, I’ve seen others attack good things because of their pride, biases and prejudices. And I’ve done the same. I’m willing to give someone whose side I’ve chosen the benefit of the doubt when they do something bad, and I’m reluctant to give credit to someone I’ve chosen as an enemy when they do something I think is good. I’m as bad as anyone.

So, my zeal for you gets misdirected. Maybe part of it is that we just don’t know how to lament anymore. I don’t want to feel powerless in the face of seeing things I don’t like. I want to be critical. I want to complain. Or when I see others attacking something I support, I want to be defensive. Social media and even blogging like I do with these prayers has given us this false sense of having a voice when, even if our opinion reaches 100 people, they are going to be people who are already in our algorithm and in agreement with us anyway. We’ll just be preaching to the choir and nothing will materially change in the world.

Father, that leaves me with the simplicity of believing in Jesus, following you, praying for conviction and self-awareness, and then praying for direction and you put dominoes in front of me that you want me to knock over. My little life can have a butterfly effect on the world. It can ripple through time. But I have no idea how that will happen. It might not be the talk I give. It might be the door I open for someone. So help me to be faithful in my worship of you, help me to weed the soil of my life and remove the cares of this world, lead me not into temptation, deliver me from evil, forgive me and help me to truly forgive, and show me what you need me to do at any given moment.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on April 15, 2026 in Romans

 

Tags: , , , ,

Matthew 7:13-14

14 Apr

13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

Matthew 7:13-14

Dear God, these two verses have been lingering in my head for a couple of years now. I did a couple of Sunday school lessons on the Sermon on the Mount a couple of years ago, and there were two things that really struck me beyond the basic content in Matthew 5 and 6. First, the summary of the whole thing in Matthew 7:12: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” And then these two verses. The gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

I’ve been trying to point some special people in my life to the road for a while now, and it frustrates me that they seemingly choose not to find it. I really wish they would look. I wish they would take me up on the challenge to find it. But I guess they have to be more motivated by pain before they will find it. What’s the quote? Something like, “Change only happens when remaining the same is more painful than the pain of changing.” I never learn or grow in easy times. It always takes struggle for me to move beyond my comfort zone and into a new place. You don’t cause the pain, but I pray that you will make it count.

Father, I’m going to be going over verses 13 and 14 tonight for a men’s Bible study I’m involved with. Help me to guide them. Help them to teach me in the process as well. Help us all to understand better what it looks like to find the narrow gateway and walk through it thoughtfully, intentionally, and determinedly.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on April 14, 2026 in Matthew

 

Tags: , , , , , ,

Romans 3:22-26

13 Apr

22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

Romans 3:22-26

Dear God, I was listening to a podcast on Saturday morning where the host discussed the theology of “substitutionary atonement.” Basically, the idea that Jesus death/sacrifice was a substitute for the death and separation from you we deserve because of our sin. The speaker, Skye Jethani, was saying that he wrote a book called What is Jesus was Serious about Justice, in which he talked about this. He confessed that he went into it hoping to poke holes in the idea of substitutionary atonement, but ended up having it confirmed to him even more. He was giving a brief answer to a question, so he didn’t go into it deeply, but he mentioned the Isaiah 53:4-6 as an example:

4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
    it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
    a punishment for his own sins!
5 But he was pierced for our rebellion,
    crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
    He was whipped so we could be healed.
6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
    the sins of us all.

I think this passage from Paul in Romans works as well, specifically in verses 24-25a:

24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.

One of the objections to substitutionary atonement I’ve heard before is that this is child abuse on your part. You punished your son. You mocked, beat, tortured, and brutally killed your son so give yourself some kind of appeasement for my sin. But Skye pointed out, and I agree, that you weren’t the one doing the mocking, beating, torturing, and killing. The plan that you and Jesus had–the plan Jesus talked to Moses and Elijah about in Luke 9:30-31:

30 Suddenly, two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared and began talking with Jesus. 31 They were glorious to see. And they were speaking about his exodus from this world, which was about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem.

It’s what Jesus was praying about in the Garden of Gethsemane the night of his arrest in Luke 22:41-44:

41 He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. 44 He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.

Jesus isn’t saying, “Father, don’t hurt me or kill me.” He is saying, “If there’s any other way, please pick that one.” But there wasn’t any other way. We walked away from you. We walk away from you in the present. We will walk away from you in the future. How are you to receive us again? Because Jesus, who never walked away from you, allowed himself to be taken away from you by the sin of the men of the time–the sin of us all.

Finally, Paul says something interesting here about how this atonement works for those who had lived previously in verses 25b-26:

This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

It is interesting that Paul depicts you, at least in this translation, as being the punisher of sin. I’ll admit I’m tempted to overlook that word because it doesn’t fit my thesis and points from before. There is a certain distastefulness for me when I see you as the punishing God. But when I see you as the father who lets the son go, that version of you makes more sense.

Father, I struggle with so much when it comes to eternity and you. Will all souls live forever? Honestly, I hope the ones that are separated from you won’t. Is the only way to spend eternity with you through saying the magic words: “I need Jesus sacrifice to cover my sins, I repent of my sins and ask you to forgive me, and I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior”? Maybe, but that leaves an awful lot of people on the wrong side of the cut line even though they weren’t any worse in life than I am. Do certain sins condemn someone more than others? Was Hitler confirmed Lutheran at one point? Does that grace cover his evil? There is no way for me to know the answer to these questions on this side of life. What I do know is that I am here to worship you today. I want to be your tool in this world. I want to glorify you in all things. And I want to introduce others to the God I know so that they might know you now and join me in worshipping you for all eternity.

I pray this ignorant and feeble prayer in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on April 13, 2026 in Luke, Romans

 

Tags: , , , , ,

Psalm 118

12 Apr

Psalm 118

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
    His faithful love endures forever.

2 Let all Israel repeat:
    “His faithful love endures forever.”
3 Let Aaron’s descendants, the priests, repeat:
    “His faithful love endures forever.”
4 Let all who fear the Lord repeat:
    “His faithful love endures forever.”

5 In my distress I prayed to the Lord,
    and the Lord answered me and set me free.
6 The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear.
    What can mere people do to me?
7 Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me.
    I will look in triumph at those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to trust in people.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to trust in princes.

10 Though hostile nations surrounded me,
    I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.
11 Yes, they surrounded and attacked me,
    but I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.
12 They swarmed around me like bees;
    they blazed against me like a crackling fire.
    But I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.
13 My enemies did their best to kill me,
    but the Lord rescued me.
14 The Lord is my strength and my song;
    he has given me victory.
15 Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly.
    The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things!
16 The strong right arm of the Lord is raised in triumph.
    The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things!
17 I will not die; instead, I will live
    to tell what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord has punished me severely,
    but he did not let me die.

19 Open for me the gates where the righteous enter,
    and I will go in and thank the Lord.
20 These gates lead to the presence of the Lord,
    and the godly enter there.
21 I thank you for answering my prayer
    and giving me victory!

22 The stone that the builders rejected
    has now become the cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord’s doing,
    and it is wonderful to see.
24 This is the day the Lord has made.
    We will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Please, Lord, please save us.
    Please, Lord, please give us success.
26 Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
    We bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God, shining upon us.
    Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise you!
    You are my God, and I will exalt you!

29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
    His faithful love endures forever.

Dear God, someone shared Psalm118:24 with me today. I was having trouble figuring out what scripture to meditate on earlier today, so I decided to read this whole psalm. Of course, it’s a good one. A classic. But I decided to focus on verse 22. “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” Verse 23 follows it and is good as well: “This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.” I don’t know if David wrote this psalm or not. It’s not labeled as such, but it seems like it could be his voice.

Of course, verse 26 echoes the words shouted at Jesus during the triumphal entry beginning Passion week: “Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” The Messiah. David’s heir.

I can see how some nations around the world right now, even though they are not Christian or even Jewish, but they do harken back to the God of Abraham, would feel like verses 10-18 fit them right now:

10 Though hostile nations surrounded me,
    I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.
11 Yes, they surrounded and attacked me,
    but I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.
12 They swarmed around me like bees;
    they blazed against me like a crackling fire.
    But I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.
13 My enemies did their best to kill me,
    but the Lord rescued me.
14 The Lord is my strength and my song;
    he has given me victory.
15 Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly.
    The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things!
16 The strong right arm of the Lord is raised in triumph.
    The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things!
17 I will not die; instead, I will live
    to tell what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord has punished me severely,
    but he did not let me die.

We can all use verses to justify our positions and support what we want them to support. I can sin and find a verse to support what I’ve done. But I can also find encouragement when others have sinned against me. It’s tricky to know when I am the sinner, when I have been sinned against, or when both are true.

Father, right now, I know the parts of this psalm that aretrue, above all else, are the parts that acknowledge who you are. 1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever…28 You are my God, and I will praise you! You are my God, and I will exalt you! 29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Give me eyes to see my sin. And yes, I do see my sin, and I am sorry for that. I regret it. It makes my heart heavy. Please forgive me. Show me your path forward. Help me to take the forgiveness I feel from you and offer it to others–even those who have wronged me the most. I will give you thanks, for your are good. Your faithful love endures forever. You are my God, and I will praise you. You are my God, and I will exalt you!

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on April 12, 2026 in Psalms

 

Tags: , , , , ,

← Older posts
Newer posts →