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Matthew 15:21-28 - Lectionary for Lent 2

3/5/2020

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3/5/20
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

“My child is severely oppressed.” Maybe we need to put this into a more current paradigm. My child is sick, discouraged, tormented, disoriented. You name it, the Scripture knows about the ways we can suffer. Perhaps the Canaanite woman’s daughter is under attack by spiritual forces. Perhaps the woman is misdiagnosing it. In the end, it doesn’t matter very much. The girl is suffering. Her mother is concerned for her well being. She is in fear that the girl’s life may be ended in one way or another. My child is in trouble. What will I do?

The answer of the disciples and then of Jesus is striking. “Go away, you Canaanite. We were only sent to heal the people of Israel.” While we can’t know what the actual nonverbal communication might have been, I’m going to suggest just one possibility. The disciples had told the woman to get lost. Jesus heard them doing that. He also knew, as did the woman, that she had come to see him, not his disciples. Maybe, just maybe, Jesus looked the woman in the eye, smiled a little, and told her again what the disciples had said. Maybe he winked at her. We don’t know. But what if she thought he was playing along with her against the idea of the disciples? There would be every reason for her to keep asking. There would be every reason for her to suggest that she should be cared for like the pet who is present at the master’s table. It is altogether possible that she is making a gentle dig at the disciples.

In the end, what we do know is that Jesus healed the woman’s daughter. Her prayer was heard and answered. She didn’t get lost, because God’s mercy was yet to be poured out on her and her family. She was in just the right place of healing.

Jesus shows himself to be the mighty God who heals all nations, not just those who are biologically related to Jacob, named Israel. Jesus cares for the outsiders, the Canaanites, those who have been separated from God’s promise by their own or their nations’ disobedience. Jesus loves and heals those who come to Him in faith. Even the crumbs from his table are enough to sustain all the nations of the world. He is that kind of master.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Romans 5:1-5 - Lectionary for Lent 2

3/4/2020

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3/4/20
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

It has happened many times, but I recall one time in particular when an elderly lady pressed me for an answer to a problem which was bothering her. In essence, her question was how I managed to be confident in my faith in Christ while she faced turmoil and doubt. Our reading from Romans 5 speaks to this issue. We are told that we have peace with God because we have been justified by faith. Knowing that Jesus has delivered us from sin and separation from God, we can stand before God and before the whole world in confidence. Our security comes from the completed work of Jesus, who lived a perfect life, died on our behalf, and rose as the victor over death. This is a security that nothing can overturn.

Rather than asking how the Christian can be secure and confident, it may be better to ask how the Christian can be lacking in security. After all, God has made his promises, which will not fail.

Our doubts do come to the surface, though, especially when we endure suffering. After all, it hurts! We don’t want to deal with suffering, disappointment, loss, and illness. What confidence can we find in the midst of those trials?

The apostle gives us great hope, though it doesn’t bypass suffering. Suffering leads to endurance. Endurance leads to character. Character leads to hope. Hope does not disappoint. But, sadly enough, there seems to be only one way to get to an enduring hope, and that is through suffering, endurance, and character. We never want to endure suffering. Building endurance is hard work. Character doesn’t appear overnight. But it is all part of the path. The Lord protects His people as they grow to maturity in Him. It isn’t easy. But it is still a matter of God’s promise. 

We stand in the promises of God. He will never let us down.

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Psalm 121 - Lectionary for Lent 2

3/3/2020

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3/3/20
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

Psalm 121:4 describes God as the one who never sleeps. He is always on duty watching over his people. This should be a great encouragement to us. We increasingly live in a world that tries to operate 24/7. In the interest of employee wellness some companies are telling their employees not to respond to emails at night and on the weekends. For those readers who are younger than 40, I will simply observe that I have a vivid recollection of a time when people left the office at the end of the work day and they would never, never, never be expected to interact with any of their work responsibilities until the start of the next work day, when they arrived at the office. It was very rare for people to be on call. 

We aren’t normally able to be on duty all the time. It’s difficult physically, mentally, and spiritually. It take a toll on our bodies and on our families. We just don’t do it very well. As humans we were created to have periods of work and periods of rest, and in general if our work is much more than about ⅔ of our waking hours, our productivity declines, our stress level increases, we become less healthy, and we eventually end up in trouble of some sort.

Who is on duty? Our Lord is on duty. He never sleeps. He never needs to put his feet up and lean back in his recliner. He remains ready to hear our prayers, to rejoice in our good, and to mourn in our suffering, no matter what. He is the Lord who doesn’t quit.

This is a matter of great comfort. We can rest. God is in charge. We can step back from our labors. God has appointed times of work and rest, and He will keep them in order. We do not need to be vigilant about everything all the time. The Lord raises up people ho will sound the alarm when we need to hear it. And he will give his people perfect peace and rest.

In a world that is frantic about seeming chaos, Psalm 121 reminds us that the Lord is utterly, completely in control.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Genesis 32:22-32 - Lectionary for Lent 2

3/2/2020

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3/2/20
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

Jacob was terrified, and rightly so. His older brother, Esau, had been robbed of his birthright by Jacob’s deception. Jacob had fled before, had become a wealthy man, also with an element of deception, and was now returning to his homeland. He heard that Esau was coming to meet him. Had Esau’s anger been growing all these years? Did Esau have a bunch of armed men with him? Would this be the end of Jacob? Jacob’s fear was well founded.

We notice that Jacob did what a man of deception and graft would naturally do. He sent gifts ahead of him, then he sent his servants ahead of him, then his family. Are these gifts for Esau? Are they meant to evoke Esau’s pity? Are they human shields? The answer to each question is affirmative. Yes, Jacob is even using his family to protect himself against the possible anger of his brother. 

This all ends in the night, when he is confronted by this “man” of verses 24 and following. What kind of a man is it? He wrestles with Jacob all night, never defeating him or being defeated. At last, the “man,” with a touch, takes Jacob’s hip out of joint. This would normally end the conflict instantly. But Jacob continues to wrestle. What manner of man is his opponent? After a while, Jacob asks for a blessing. He knows he is the recipient of a divine visitor, though he doesn’t understand facing God and living.

What is God’s response? He gives the blessing and tells Jacob that he, Jacob, has prevailed. Really? The God of all power, who was able to disjoint Jacob with a touch, could have ended the contest at any point, no fuss, no muss, it would be over. God has all the power needed to end any contest. But God didn’t do it. Why not? He wanted Jacob to prevail. He wanted Jacob to have a new name, Israel, indicating his striving and his overcoming.

Jacob, now Israel, after wrestling with God, is no longer afraid of his brother or of any of the trials life could bring him. He is a partaker of God’s power to strive and overcome. This is not because of Jacob’s ability. He could never have won the wrestling match himself. It is because of God’s gracious decree.

What happens to all the livestock, personnel, and family members Jacob sends ahead? They are received in forgiving love by Esau. They are not in danger from him. Nor is Jacob in danger. All is well. 

What do we fear? Are we afraid that God will not graciously remain in control of all our trials? He is the God who has appointed us to our place in this life. He is certainly able to bring those who trust in Him through it to the end. There’s no fear in God.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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    About Throwing Inkwells

    When Martin Luther was dealing with struggles in his life he once saw what appeared to be an angelic being. Not trusting that he was going to be informed by someone other than the God revealed in Scripture, he took the appearance to be untrustworthy and hurled his inkwell at it. The chipped place in the plaster wall is still visible at the Wartburg Castle, though apparently the ink stain on the wall has been refreshed periodically by the caretaker.

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