Love and Care

Devotion by: Nick Nicolai

Psalm 80
¹Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock!
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth
² before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh.
Stir up your might,
and come to save us!
³Restore us, O God;
let your face shine, that we may be saved.
⁴O Lord God of hosts,
how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
⁵You have fed them with the bread of tears,
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
⁶You make us the scorn of our neighbours;
our enemies laugh among themselves.
⁷Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved.
⁸You brought a vine out of Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.
⁹You cleared the ground for it;
it took deep root and filled the land.
¹⁰The mountains were covered with its shade,
the mighty cedars with its branches;
¹¹it sent out its branches to the sea,
and its shoots to the River.
¹²Why then have you broken down its walls,
so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
¹³The boar from the forest ravages it,
and all that move in the field feed on it.
¹⁴Turn again, O God of hosts;
look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine,
¹⁵ the stock that your right hand planted.
¹⁶They have burned it with fire, they have cut it down;
may they perish at the rebuke of your countenance.
¹⁷But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand,
the one whom you made strong for yourself.
¹⁸Then we will never turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call on your name.
¹⁹Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved.

This seems to me to be a plea of forgiveness to God to restore Israel and its chosen people. Just before I sat down to write this, I was sitting in a room with two Israeli engineers, going over the flight plan for a test flight. My airplane is manufactured in Israel but final assembly & finish work is done here in the US. As my fellow pilot, also a Christian, and I got to know these engineers better we began to discuss religion—Judaism and Christianity. The were amazed with our Bible knowledge, especially of the old testament. I was amazed at their reluctance to accept Christ as The Messiah. I guess it shouldn’t surprise me. Even in the Psalmist’s writings for today, the Jews were unwilling to totally submit to God’s will. They were complaining of their trials and tribulations and were asking to be restored. Today they are still waiting on their Messiah. They are still the source of contention to their neighbors. We truly are blessed that we are the seed of Judah. We are forgiven and have been restored our OUR rightful kingship. We are the vine brought out of Egypt.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, Bless us this holiday season as we prepare for a celebration of life—your life. Especially your birth and resurrection. Help us to not turn away. Help us to use this season as an opportunity to grow the vine. Amen.

Don't Compare

Devotion by: Scott Wainner

Matthew 11:16-19
¹⁶ ‘But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market-places and calling to one another,
¹⁷“We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not mourn.”
¹⁸For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon”; ¹⁹the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.’

Jesus is making a point to the people of the nation that we can justify any action we want through rationalization. In the absence of a divine truth, we can declare every action, word spoken, or thought as morally right. However, the divine truth does exist in the Word of God provided to us such that we may have a framework to live a life of integrity and moral righteousness He expects us to learn and live by that law. Only by the power of the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness given through Jesus Christ can we hope to live by His Word.

Prayer: May God grant us the wisdom to discern His will, the strength to live by His law, and the love to share with others. Through Him all things are possible. Amen.

Re-Joy-ce

Devotion by: Michelle Hawkins

Psalm 145
¹I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name for ever and ever.
⁹The Lord is good to all,
and his compassion is over all that he has made.
¹⁰All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
and all your faithful shall bless you.
¹¹They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom,
and tell of your power,
¹²to make known to all people your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendour of your kingdom.
¹³Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
The Lord is faithful in all his words,
and gracious in all his deeds.

What a difference a year makes!. If you had told me a year ago that I would be going to a new church, reading my first bible, going to a weekly bible study, and teaching Sunday School, I would have thought you were crazy! Yet here I am, looking at how much my life has changed in the last nine months. Last year I would have told you I had a better chance of winning the lottery than being so involved in a new church. In my opinion, I have won the lottery. God has changed my life in so many ways.

I had surgery a couple of months ago and witnessed the compassion of God’s people firsthand. The members of my new church showed our family such support in so many ways. Each said it was a privilege to be able to help, because as God’s people we support each other. During this time, I knew God was working in my life. He was showing his compassion and love through His people. I learned very quickly I had to accept the help, and be grateful.

We’ve all been told God loves us. But have I really thought about that? I love my children so incredibly much, but God loves them even more. I teach my children to have good manners and to say “please” and “thank you.” Do I tell them as often to be thankful to God for all he has given us? For my children, they noticed the support we received and my oldest son said repeatedly how nice it was that so many people from our new church helped us. What a wonderful way for them to see God’s love for us!

During this season of giving, it is important for us to remember to give to others in need. To show others God’s love for us through our lives and our deeds. It’s through our actions as Christians that we show others how faithful God is to all of us He has made.

Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for working in my life. During the times I have struggled, I knew you wouldn’t send me more than I could handle. And when it did get to be too much, you sent your people to help me. Thank you for showing me your love through my new church family. I know you are with me in times of sickness and in health. I thank you for being so faithful and loving. Amen.

Creator

Devotion by: Joni White

Isaiah 40:25-31
²⁵To whom then will you compare me,
or who is my equal? says the Holy One.
²⁶Lift up your eyes on high and see:
Who created these?
He who brings out their host and numbers them,
calling them all by name;
because he is great in strength,
mighty in power,
not one is missing.
²⁷Why do you say, O Jacob,
and speak, O Israel,
‘My way is hidden from the Lord,
and my right is disregarded by my God’?
²⁸Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
²⁹He gives power to the faint,
and strengthens the powerless.
³⁰Even youths will faint and be weary,
and the young will fall exhausted;
³¹but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint.

God created us in his own image--an image of never-ending strength and life without end. In spite of our sinful weaknesses, he fervently wants to have an intimate relationship with each of us by name.
In our Crossways class, we've been learning that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. God was with such a group of people 25 years ago, when Christ the King Lutheran was founded. I give thanks to God for creating this extraordinary church and congregation! This church family has opened my eyes to God's everyday miracles and his uncommon grace. It will be an honor to place my signature on our Living Charter document as we ordinary people begin our next 25 years as a congregation, created by our "everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth."

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You will not grow tired or weary, and your understanding no one can fathom. You give strength to the weary and increase the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Our hopes rest in you, LORD. We give thanks and praise to you in the name of your redeeming son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Cry Out

Devotion by: Nori Huckabay

Isaiah 40:1-11
⁴⁰Comfort, O comfort my people,
says your God.
²Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that she has served her term,
that her penalty is paid,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.
³A voice cries out:
‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
⁴Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
⁵Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’
⁶A voice says, ‘Cry out!’
And I said, ‘What shall I cry?’
All people are grass,
their constancy is like the flower of the field.
⁷The grass withers, the flower fades,
when the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
surely the people are grass.
⁸The grass withers, the flower fades;
but the word of our God will stand for ever.
⁹Get you up to a high mountain,
O Zion, herald of good tidings;
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,
lift it up, do not fear;
say to the cities of Judah,
‘Here is your God!’
¹⁰See, the Lord God comes with might,
and his arm rules for him;
his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.
¹¹He will feed his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms,
and carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead the mother sheep.

Even though things seem to be bleak, everything will be okay for those who trust in God. The Lord takes care of His own and wants His people to boldly proclaim His message of hope.

Prayer: Dear God, please comfort us during difficult times and help us to believe in your message of hope. Amen.

The Highway

Devotion by: Gale Bobzien

Isaiah 35:1-10
³⁵The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
like the crocus ²it shall blossom abundantly,
and rejoice with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
the majesty of our God.
³Strengthen the weak hands,
and make firm the feeble knees.
⁴Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
‘Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God.
He will come with vengeance,
with terrible recompense.
He will come and save you.’
⁵Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
⁶then the lame shall leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;
⁷the burning sand shall become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water;
the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp,
the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
⁸A highway shall be there,
and it shall be called the Holy Way;
the unclean shall not travel on it,
but it shall be for God’s people;
no traveller, not even fools, shall go astray.
⁹No lion shall be there,
nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;
they shall not be found there,
but the redeemed shall walk there.
¹⁰And the ransomed of the shall return,
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

As I write this devotion, I am preparing for three very different birthdays. My granddaughter Katelyn celebrates her 12th birthday November 22 (and Kyle turns seven in January). Youth, energy, and unbounded potential come to mind. Early in December I reach a major birthday milestone – one that ends in zero. Retirement planning, long term health care, and estate planning come to mind; two very different birthdays.
With this birthday in mind, the 35th chapter of Isaiah resonates with me, “Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees…” And there’s more, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer…” I like that image.

But that image would not be possible without that third birthday. The best was saved for last. This is the birthday for which each of us prepares this time of year as we look forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. I am awed each Christmas Season as I enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of Christmas and realize that all of this started 2000 years ago with one birth.

The prophet Isaiah goes on to tell us, “A highway shall be there…the redeemed shall walk there.” That’s us! That’s what this one birth, life, death, and resurrection did for us. These three birthdays often mark life’s highway: youth, maturity, and life eternal.

Prayer: Gracious and Merciful God, thank you for birthdays. May each birthday we celebrate bring us closer to the one whose birth we celebrate each Christmas. Lead us along the highway of the redeemed so we may have life everlasting. This we pray in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Lighting the Second Candle- - Confidence

Devotion by: Melanie Miller-Cvilikas

Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11
⁴constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, ⁵because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. ⁶I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. ⁸For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. ⁹And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight ¹⁰to help you to determine what is best, so that on the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, ¹¹having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

This letter to the Philippians is so positive, joyful, upbeat and encouraging people are surprised to learn that Paul wrote this letter from prison. Many people feel today as if their life circumstances leave them feeling as if they are in a prison. The stressors of our world are real and too numerous to list. Paul’s message remains relevant. The love of Christ Jesus knows no prison walls. We can be confident that Jesus can find us, hear us, protect us, speak for us and love us wherever we are. Stressful times can leave us feeling anxious and afraid, and can cloud our ability to make wise choices. Leaning on Christ will help us to “discern what is best and may be pure and blameless.” When we worry all we see are the circumstance and all others see in us is the stress. When we believe in God despite the circumstances, we see the glory of God.

Prayer: Dear Lord, we know you can see the big picture of our lives when we can’t seem to take the next baby step. Please fill us with your peace as you confidently orchestrate our life circumstances for we know you are doing this out of the deep love you have for each one of us. Amen.