GOD PAUSE DAILY DEVOTIONS from The Lutheran Seminary of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Wednesday, 11 February 2015 - Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:3 If there is anything hidden about our message, it is hidden only to someone who is lost.
4 The god who rules this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers. They cannot see the light, which is the good news about our glorious Christ, who shows what God is like. 5 We are not preaching about ourselves. Our message is that Jesus Christ is Lord. He also sent us to be your servants. 6 The Scriptures say, “God commanded light to shine in the dark.” Now God is shining in our hearts to let you know that his glory is seen in Jesus Christ.(Contemporary English Bible)
"For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake."
For Paul, everything focuses on Christ. Nowadays, cameras focus automatically. But in old cameras of yesteryear, you would twist the lens to bring the picture into focus. The picture was always better when it was crisp and clear.
As Christians, we focus on Christ and his sacrificial love for all humanity. He gives the gift of himself to other people in need. In Christ, we are given the crisp and clear picture of what it means to give of ourselves to others.
Yet the sacrificial love of Christ remains a theological concept from the past, unless that love is daily reborn into each one of us, and we learn to love as Christ loves. Intentionally focusing on Christ inspires us to love more fully, so we can truly learn to give and live.
Jesus, please work your miracle in our hearts and habits so that we love others more fully like Christ loved. Amen.
Ed Markquart
Retired Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Des Moines, Wash.
Master of Divinity , 1968
2 Corinthians 4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
5 For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake.
6 For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.(New Revised Standard Version)
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GOD PAUSE DAILY DEVOTIONS from The Lutheran Seminary of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Tuesday, 10 February 2015 - Scripture: Psalm 50: The Acceptable Sacrifice
A Psalm of Asaph.
1 The mighty one, God the Lord,
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines forth.
3 Our God comes and does not keep silence,
before him is a devouring fire,
and a mighty tempest all around him.
4 He calls to the heavens above
and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
5 “Gather to me my faithful ones,
who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
6 The heavens declare his righteousness,
for God himself is judge.Selah(Contemporary English Bible)
It is Wednesday night. I just returned from driving the "homeless van" for our church. I pick up ten homeless men from a shelter in downtown Seattle. The men stay overnight at the church—mattress, bathroom, breakfast provided. I ask myself, "What does Psalm 50 say to these guys?"
I go home and my wife immediately informs me that a dear friend, age 70, who has MS, telephoned and reported that she will be bedridden for six to nine months because of bed sores. Bedridden? For six to nine months? How can she deal with this? What does the Lord God have to say to her in her deepest despair?
"Our God comes and does not keep silence."
No matter who you are or where you are in life, you are never alone. The Lord God keeps on coming to you, to be by your side, to live inside of you, to strengthen you, forever.
Prayer: Jesus, please come to us at all times of our lives and share your guiding wisdom. Amen.
Ed Markquart
Retired Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Des Moines, Wash.
Master of Divinity , 1968
Psalm 50:1 The mighty one, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.
3 Our God comes and does not keep silence, before him is a devouring fire, and a mighty tempest all around him.
4 He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
5 "Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!"
6 The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge. (Selah)(New Revised Standard Version)
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1 Now the Lord was going to take Elijah up to heaven in a windstorm, and Elijah and Elisha were leaving Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, because the Lord has sent me to Bethel.”
But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you live, I won’t leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
3 The group of prophets from Bethel came out to Elisha. These prophets said to Elisha, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?”
Elisha said, “Yes, I know. Don’t talk about it!”
4 Elijah said, “Elisha, stay here, because the Lord has sent me to Jericho.”
But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you live, I won’t leave you.” So they went to Jericho.
5 The group of prophets from Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?”
He said, “Yes, I know. Don’t talk about it!”
6 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, because the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.”
But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you live, I won’t leave you.” So both of them went on together. 7 Fifty members from the group of prophets also went along, but they stood at a distance. Both Elijah and Elisha stood beside the Jordan River. 8 Elijah then took his coat, rolled it up, and hit the water. Then the water was divided in two! Both of them crossed over on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “What do you want me to do for you before I’m taken away from you?”
Elisha said, “Let me have twice your spirit.”
10 Elijah said, “You’ve made a difficult request. If you can see me when I’m taken from you, then it will be yours. If you don’t see me, it won’t happen.”
11 They were walking along, talking, when suddenly a fiery chariot and fiery horses appeared and separated the two of them. Then Elijah went to heaven in a windstorm.
12 Elisha was watching, and he cried out, “Oh, my father, my father! Israel’s chariots and its riders!” When he could no longer see him, Elisha took hold of his clothes and ripped them in two.[Common English Bible]
"Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit."
That is our prayer ... our daily prayer ... our persistent prayer ... that the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit of Elijah and Elisha would live fully in each of us. None of us want a "little bit" of that Spirit, a "little bit" of the power of Jesus' love, a "little bit" of God's gentle compassion for all people, a "little bit" of Elijah/Elisha's spiritual energy.
Our human problem, so it seems to me, is to have a "little bit" of God's power of compassion, when we need a whole lot of God's inner gentle love for those who are suffering around us—with dementia, multiple sclerosis, the list goes on and on. We need a double portion of Christ's selfless love for those who are hurting.
Our best inheritance is not monetary wealth or good genes, but the sensitivity of genuine compassion for others.
Jesus, fill us with a double portion of your Spirit and energize us with your sacrificial compassion. Amen.
Ed Markquart
Retired Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Des Moines, Wash.
2 Kings 2:Elijah Ascends to Heaven
1 Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 The company of prophets[a] who were in Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent.”
4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here; for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 The company of prophets[b] who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know; be silent.”
6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the company of prophets[c] also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground.
9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.” 10 He responded, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.” 11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. 12 Elisha kept watching and crying out, “Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.[Footnotes:
2 Kings 2:3 Heb sons of the prophets
2 Kings 2:5 Heb sons of the prophets
2 Kings 2:7 Heb sons of the prophets] (New Revised Standard Version)
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GOD PAUSE DAILY DEVOTIONS from The Lutheran Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Sunday, 8 February 2015"I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say" ELW 332
1. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Come unto me and rest;
lay down, O weary one, lay down
your head upon my breast."
I came to Jesus as I was,
so weary, worn, and sad;
I found in him a resting-place,
and he has made me glad.
2. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Behold, I freely give
the living water, thirsty one;
stoop down and drink and live."
I came to Jesus, and I drank
of that life-giving stream;
my thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
and now I live in him.
3. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"I am this dark world's light;
look unto me, your morn shall rise,
and all your day be bright."
I looked to Jesus, and I found
in him my star, my sun;
and in that light of life I'll walk
till trav'ling days are done.
This lovely melody by Thomas Tallis is so enchanting that Ralph Vaughn Williams set it to a beautiful symphonic setting. Here, however, we have a hymn of three stanzas that establishes a biblical dialogue in which Jesus calls us and we find rest in him.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
Call: You who are weary, lay down your head upon my breast.(Matthew 11:28)
Response: I came to Jesus, and he has made me glad.
Call: Behold, I freely give the living water, thirsty one (John 4:14)
Response: I came to Jesus and I drank, and now I live in him.
Call: I am this dark world's light, look unto me (John 8:12)
Response: I looked to Jesus, and I found in him my star, my sun.
Prayer: O Lord, when the voice of Jesus calls, let us respond, for he is our rest and living water and the light that shines in the darkness. Amen.
Robert Brusic
Seminary Pastor Emeritus, Luther Seminary
Bachelor of Divinity, Harvard Divinity School , 1964
1. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Come unto me and rest;
lay down, O weary one, lay down
your head upon my breast."
I came to Jesus as I was,
so weary, worn, and sad;
I found in him a resting-place,
and he has made me glad.
2. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Behold, I freely give
the living water, thirsty one;
stoop down and drink and live."
I came to Jesus, and I drank
of that life-giving stream;
my thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
and now I live in him.
3. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"I am this dark world's light;
look unto me, your morn shall rise,
and all your day be bright."
I looked to Jesus, and I found
in him my star, my sun;
and in that light of life I'll walk
till trav'ling days are done.
This lovely melody by Thomas Tallis is so enchanting that Ralph Vaughn Williams set it to a beautiful symphonic setting. Here, however, we have a hymn of three stanzas that establishes a biblical dialogue in which Jesus calls us and we find rest in him.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
Call: You who are weary, lay down your head upon my breast.(Matthew 11:28)
Response: I came to Jesus, and he has made me glad.
Call: Behold, I freely give the living water, thirsty one (John 4:14)
Response: I came to Jesus and I drank, and now I live in him.
Call: I am this dark world's light, look unto me (John 8:12)
Response: I looked to Jesus, and I found in him my star, my sun.
Prayer: O Lord, when the voice of Jesus calls, let us respond, for he is our rest and living water and the light that shines in the darkness. Amen.
Robert Brusic
Seminary Pastor Emeritus, Luther Seminary
Bachelor of Divinity, Harvard Divinity School , 1964
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