Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour "Fortuitous Preservation" Monday, March 10, 2014

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour "Fortuitous Preservation" Monday, March 10, 2014
Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place -- the Most High, who is my refuge -- no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.--Psalm 91:9-12
Dragnet's Sergeant Joe Friday used to say, "Just the facts. Just the facts." 
Indeed, that's the way most police officers look at things. Since they often have to justify their actions in court, they work hard at not allowing emotions and personal opinion to influence them.
I share that observation to emphasize some remarks that were recently made by Dayton's Sergeant Michael Pauley. Reflecting on a recent crime, Sergeant Pauley said to the news, "There was obviously some kind of intervention involved in this incident because he probably should not be here."
The "he" Sergeant Pauley was talking about is 49-year-old Rickey Wagoner, an Ohio bus driver.
Mr. Wagoner's bus was having some trouble and ended up dying. He managed to pull the vehicle to the side of the road and began to try and fix the problem. That was when a gang of toughs walked up to him, shot him twice in the heart, once in the leg, and stabbed him in the arm.
Yup, Mr. Wagoner shouldn't be here. But he is.
That's because those two bullets intended for his heart never made it. They were stopped cold by a pocket Bible Mr. Wagoner was carrying. Although the leg shot and the stab wound called for his hospitalization, there is every expectation that Mr. Wagoner is going to survive.
An obvious case of divine intervention? Absolutely!
Most of you are probably saying: "Yup, the Lord sure is smiling on that Ohio bus driver."
I agree. But I also think the Lord's intervention is not reserved for Mr. Wagoner. It is for all of us as well.
Unfortunately, most of us don't see the many examples of that intervention.
We never think of the cancer cells which never multiplied or the car accident which never happened. Parents don't often say prayers giving thanks for birth defects, which didn't materialize and most of us don't acknowledge God's hand when we don't get the flu.
Truth is, every day the Lord protects us from uncounted accidents, plagues, pestilence, unfortunate circumstances, and disastrous situations. Our guardian angels must be putting in some serious overtime as they try to keep us safe.
We shouldn't be surprised. The Lord who gave His only Son to win our forgiveness and salvation isn't likely to stop with that eternity-changing act of compassion and care. No, God's love and blessings continue on each day. Five centuries ago, Luther summed it up by saying the Lord gives us all we need "to support this body and life." Oh, the great reformer also told us that in response, we should "thank and praise, serve and obey Him."
And that, my friends, are the facts.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks You have not only saved my soul, but You are continuously protecting my physical self as well. May I give thanks for all Your blessings, both seen and unseen. In the Savior's Name, I ask it. Amen. 
In Christ I remain His servant and yours, 
Pastor Ken Klaus 
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Through the Bible in a Year
Today Read:
Numbers 1:1 Yahweh[a] spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, every male, one by one; 3 from twenty years old and upward, all who are able to go out to war in Israel. You and Aaron shall number them by their divisions. 4 With you there shall be a man of every tribe; everyone head of his fathers’ house. 5 These are the names of the men who shall stand with you:
Of Reuben: Elizur the son of Shedeur.
6 Of Simeon: Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
7 Of Judah: Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
8 Of Issachar: Nethanel the son of Zuar.
9 Of Zebulun: Eliab the son of Helon.
10 Of the children of Joseph:
Of Ephraim: Elishama the son of Ammihud.
Of Manasseh: Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
11 Of Benjamin: Abidan the son of Gideoni.
12 Of Dan: Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
13 Of Asher: Pagiel the son of Ochran.
14 Of Gad: Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
15 Of Naphtali: Ahira the son of Enan.”
16 These are those who were called of the congregation, the princes of the tribes of their fathers; they were the heads of the thousands of Israel. 17 Moses and Aaron took these men who are mentioned by name. 18 They assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month; and they declared their ancestry by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, one by one. 19 As Yahweh commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.
20 The children of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, one by one, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 21 those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Reuben, were forty-six thousand five hundred.
22 Of the children of Simeon, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, those who were numbered of it, according to the number of the names, one by one, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 23 those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.
24 Of the children of Gad, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 25 those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Gad, were forty-five thousand six hundred fifty.
26 Of the children of Judah, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 27 those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Judah, were seventy-four thousand six hundred.
28 Of the children of Issachar, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 29 those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty-four thousand four hundred.
30 Of the children of Zebulun, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 31 those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty-seven thousand four hundred. 32 Of the children of Joseph, of the children of Ephraim, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 33 those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand five hundred.
34 Of the children of Manasseh, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 35 those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty-two thousand two hundred.
36 Of the children of Benjamin, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 37 those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty-five thousand four hundred.
38 Of the children of Dan, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 39 those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Dan, were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.
40 Of the children of Asher, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 41 those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Asher, were forty-one thousand five hundred.
42 Of the children of Naphtali, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 43 those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty-three thousand four hundred.
44 These are those who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: they were each one for his fathers’ house. 45 So all those who were numbered of the children of Israel by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war in Israel; 46 even all those who were numbered were six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty. 47 But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. 48 For Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 49 “Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, neither shall you take a census of them among the children of Israel; 50 but appoint the Levites over the Tabernacle of the Testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle, and all its furnishings; and they shall take care of it, and shall encamp around it. 51 When the tabernacle is to move, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall set it up. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death. 52 The children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, according to their divisions. 53 But the Levites shall encamp around the Tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be responsible for the Tabernacle of the Testimony.”
54 Thus the children of Israel did. According to all that Yahweh commanded Moses, so they did.
2:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2 “The children of Israel shall encamp every man by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ houses: at a distance from the Tent of Meeting shall they encamp around it.”
3 Those who encamp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the standard of the camp of Judah, according to their divisions: and the prince of the children of Judah shall be Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 4 His division, and those who were numbered of them, were seventy-four thousand six hundred.
5 Those who encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar: and the prince of the children of Issachar shall be Nethanel the son of Zuar. 6 His division, and those who were numbered of it, were fifty-four thousand four hundred.
7 The tribe of Zebulun: and the prince of the children of Zebulun shall be Eliab the son of Helon. 8 His division, and those who were numbered of it, were fifty-seven thousand four hundred.
9 All who were numbered of the camp of Judah were one hundred eighty-six thousand four hundred, according to their divisions. They shall set out first.
10 “On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their divisions. The prince of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur. 11 His division, and those who were numbered of it, were forty-six thousand five hundred.
12 “Those who encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon. The prince of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 13 His division, and those who were numbered of them, were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.
14 “The tribe of Gad: and the prince of the children of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of Reuel. 15 His division, and those who were numbered of them, were forty-five thousand six hundred fifty.
16 “All who were numbered of the camp of Reuben were one hundred fifty-one thousand four hundred fifty, according to their armies. They shall set out second.
17 “Then the Tent of Meeting shall set out, with the camp of the Levites in the middle of the camps. As they encamp, so shall they set out, every man in his place, by their standards.
18 “On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their divisions: and the prince of the children of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud. 19 His division, and those who were numbered of them, were forty thousand five hundred.
20 “Next to him shall be the tribe of Manasseh: and the prince of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 21 His division, and those who were numbered of them, were thirty-two thousand two hundred.
22 “The tribe of Benjamin: and the prince of the children of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni. 23 His army, and those who were numbered of them, were thirty-five thousand four hundred.
24 “All who were numbered of the camp of Ephraim were one hundred eight thousand one hundred, according to their divisions. They shall set out third.
25 “On the north side shall be the standard of the camp of Dan according to their divisions: and the prince of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 His division, and those who were numbered of them, were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.
27 “Those who encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher: and the prince of the children of Asher shall be Pagiel the son of Ochran. 28 His division, and those who were numbered of them, were forty-one thousand and five hundred.
29 “The tribe of Naphtali: and the prince of the children of Naphtali shall be Ahira the son of Enan. 30 His division, and those who were numbered of them, were fifty-three thousand four hundred.
31 “All who were numbered of the camp of Dan were one hundred fifty-seven thousand six hundred. They shall set out last by their standards.”
32 These are those who were numbered of the children of Israel by their fathers’ houses. All who were numbered of the camps according to their armies were six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty. 33 But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel; as Yahweh commanded Moses.
34 Thus the children of Israel did. According to all that Yahweh commanded Moses, so they encamped by their standards, and so they set out, everyone by their families, according to their fathers’ houses.
Footnotes:
a. Numbers 1:1 “Yahweh” is God’s proper Name, sometimes rendered “LORD” (all caps) in other translations.
Mark 12:1 He began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the wine press, built a tower, rented it out to a farmer, and went into another country. 2 When it was time, he sent a servant to the farmer to get from the farmer his share of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 They took him, beat him, and sent him away empty. 4 Again, he sent another servant to them; and they threw stones at him, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. 5 Again he sent another; and they killed him; and many others, beating some, and killing some. 6 Therefore still having one, his beloved son, he sent him last to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those farmers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 They took him, killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. 9 What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the farmers, and will give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you even read this Scripture:
‘The stone which the builders rejected,
    the same was made the head of the corner.
11 This was from the Lord,
    it is marvelous in our eyes’?”[a]
12 They tried to seize him, but they feared the multitude; for they perceived that he spoke the parable against them. They left him, and went away. 13 They sent some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians to him, that they might trap him with words. 14 When they had come, they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and don’t defer to anyone; for you aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we give, or shall we not give?”
But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius, that I may see it.”
16 They brought it.
He said to them, “Whose is this image and inscription?”
They said to him, “Caesar’s.”
17 Jesus answered them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
They marveled greatly at him.
18 There came to him Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection. They asked him, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote to us, ‘If a man’s brother dies, and leaves a wife behind him, and leaves no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up offspring for his brother.’ 20 There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and dying left no offspring. 21 The second took her, and died, leaving no children behind him. The third likewise; 22 and the seven took her and left no children. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be of them? For the seven had her as a wife.”
24 Jesus answered them, “Isn’t this because you are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God? 25 For when they will rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 But about the dead, that they are raised; haven’t you read in the book of Moses, about the Bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’[b] ? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are therefore badly mistaken.”
Footnotes:
a. Mark 12:11 Psalm 118:22-23
b. Mark 12:26 Exodus 3:6
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