The Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries with Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker emeritus of The Lutheran Hour Ministries "Praying Wisely" for Wednesday, October 5, 2016

The Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries with Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker emeritus of The Lutheran Hour Ministries "Praying Wisely" for Wednesday, October 5, 2016

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"Praying Wisely"
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
(Jesus said) "Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."[Matthew 6:10]
"You can't please all the people all the time."
The truth of those words was brought home to me when I served a large rural congregation in a farming community. I loved those farmers -- still do. They know the Lord's gifts of rain, sun and warmth -- mixed in proper and timely proportions -- will bring about a harvest. Maybe that's why, when my farmers found their fields drying up under a depressing drought, they came to me and asked for a "rain prayer." Hailing from Chicago, the idea of a rain prayer was a new concept, but I told them, "I'll try."
The following Sunday, at both services I prayed for rain. Within 24 hours it rained.
Then, one rainy day, a non-farming fellow showed up in my office. This man, also a faithful member of my congregation, made his living in road construction, a job which in Minnesota is limited to the warm months of the year. With a sigh he unburdened his heart. He said, "Pastor, I know the farmers have been coming in asking for rain, and the Lord has been listening. I'm glad for that, but do you know, every time you pray for rain -- and it rains, I don't work."
I asked, "What do you want me to do? I don't think my farmers are going to like it if I give up rain prayers. They're going to like it even less when they find out you're the one who asked me to do so." The man leaned forward in his seat and, with utmost seriousness, shared: "I've been thinking about that, Pastor. I believe I've got a solution. Why don't you pray that it rains at night? If it rains at night, I still get to work and the farmers still get a crop. Everybody wins."
Which is why, the following month when a request came in for rain, the Lord was asked to send needy showers during the dark hours of the night. Once again, the Lord listened.
This is just one way of saying, although it sometimes is hard being a pastor, it's always hard being the Lord.
I often wonder to whom shall the Lord listen: the farmer who, because he needs a crop, prays for rain or the little boy who prays for sun because he has only one day to go fishing with his dad? Does God listen to the grandchild who fervently pleads that grandma, who has suffered a stroke, might get better or should He hear the heartfelt desire of that same grandmother who has told Him that she is ready to go to heaven?
It's hard being God.
Partly, that's because sinful people with selfish minds and sickened hearts do not trust Him. Take a look at Adam and Eve, who, having been given a perfect home, thought they could do better than the Lord.
Things haven't changed that much over the centuries.
This is why, with our limited wisdom it is right for us to pray, "Thy will be done." Not only did the Savior teach us to pray that way, common sense says it is far wiser to leave final decisions in the hands of our Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier. They, who have saved us, will continue to do what is right and best for us today and forever.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks that You not only listen to my prayers, You will always do what is right and best for Your children. This I give thanks for in Jesus' Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Today's Bible in a Year Reading: Isaiah 62-64; Romans 12
Isaiah 62:1 For Tziyon’s sake I will not be silent,

for Yerushalayim’s sake I will not rest,

until her vindication shines out brightly

and her salvation like a blazing torch.

2 The nations will see your vindication

and all kings your glory.

Then you will be called by a new name

which Adonai himself will pronounce.

3 You will be a glorious crown in the hand of Adonai,

a royal diadem held by your God.

4 You will no longer be spoken of as ‘Azuvah [Abandoned]

or your land be spoken of as ‘Sh’mamah [Desolate];

rather, you will be called Heftzi-Vah [My-Delight-Is-In-Her]

and your land Be‘ulah [Married].

For Adonai delights in you,

and your land will be married —

5 as a young man marries a young woman,

your sons will marry you;

as a bridegroom rejoices over the bride,

your God will rejoice over you.

6 I have posted watchmen

on your walls, Yerushalayim;

they will never fall silent,

neither by day nor by night.

You who call on Adonai,

give yourselves no rest;

7 and give him no rest till he restores Yerushalayim

and makes it a praise on earth.

8 Adonai has sworn by his right hand

and by his mighty arm:

“Never again will I give your grain

to your enemies as food;

nor will strangers drink your wine,

for which you worked so hard;

9 but those who harvest the grain will eat it

with praises to Adonai;

those who gathered the wine will drink it

in the courtyards of my sanctuary.”

10 Go on through, go on through the gates,

clear the way for the people!

Build up a highway, build it up!

Clear away the stones!

Raise a banner for the peoples!

11 Adonai has proclaimed to the end of the earth,

“Say to the daughter of Tziyon,

‘Here, your Salvation is coming!

Here, his reward is with him,

and his recompense is before him.’”

12 They will call them The Holy People,

The Redeemed of Adonai.

You will be called D’rushah [Sought-After],

‘Ir Lo Ne‘ezvah [City-No-Longer-Abandoned].

63:1 Who is this, coming from Edom,

from Botzrah with clothing stained crimson,

so magnificently dressed,

so stately in his great strength?

“It is I, who speak victoriously,

I, well able to save.”

2 Why is your apparel red,

your clothes like someone treading a winepress?

3 “I have trodden the winepress alone;

from the peoples, not one was with me.

So I trod them in my anger,

trampled them in my fury;

so their lifeblood spurted out on my clothing,

and I have stained all my garments;

4 for the day of vengeance that was in my heart

and my year of redemption have come.

5 I looked, but there was no one to help,

and I was appalled that no one upheld me.

Therefore my own arm brought me salvation,

and my own fury upheld me.

6 In my anger I trod down the peoples,

made them drunk with my fury,

then poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”

7 I will recall the grace of Adonai

and the praises of Adonai,

because of all that Adonai has granted us

and his great goodness toward the house of Isra’el,

which he bestowed on them in keeping with his mercy,

in keeping with the greatness of his grace.

8 For he said, “They are indeed my people,

children who are not disloyal.”

So he became their Savior.

9 In all their troubles he was troubled;

then the Angel of His Presence saved them;

in his love and pity he redeemed them.

He had lifted them up and carried them

throughout the days of old.

10 However, they rebelled,

they grieved his Holy Spirit;

so he became their enemy

and himself fought against them.

11 But then his people remembered

the days of old, the days of Moshe:

“Where is he who brought them up from the sea

with the shepherds of his flock?

Where is he who put his Holy Spirit

right there among them,

12 who caused his glorious arm to go

at Moshe’s right hand?

He divided the water ahead of them,

to make himself an eternal name;

13 he led them through the deep

like a sure-footed horse through the desert;

14 like cattle going down into a valley

the Spirit of Adonai had them rest.

This is how you led your people,

to make yourself a glorious name.”

15 Look down from heaven; and see

from your holy, glorious dwelling.

Where are your zeal and your mighty deeds,

your inner concern and compassion?

Don’t hold back, 16 for you are our father.

Even if Avraham were not to know us,

and Isra’el were not to acknowledge us,

you, Adonai, are our father,

Our Redeemer of Old is your name.

17 Adonai, why do you let us wander from your ways

and harden our hearts, so that we do not fear you?

Return, for the sake of your servants,

the tribes who are your possession.

18 Your holy people held your sanctuary such a short time,

before our adversaries trampled it down.

19 For so long we have been like those you never ruled,

like those who were not called by your name!

(64:1) We wish you would tear open heaven and come down,

so the mountains would shake at your presence!

64:1 (2) It would be like fire kindling the brush,

and the fire then makes the water boil.

Then your enemies would know your name,

the nations would tremble before you!

2 (3) When you did tremendous things

that we were not expecting,

we wished that you would come down,

so that the mountains would shake at your presence!

3 (4) No one has ever heard,

no ear perceived, no eye seen,

any God but you.

You work for him who waits for you.

4 (5) You favored those who were glad to do justice,

those who remembered you in your ways.

When you were angry, we kept sinning;

but if we keep your ancient ways, we will be saved.

5 (6) All of us are like someone unclean,

all our righteous deeds like menstrual rags;

we wither, all of us, like leaves;

and our misdeeds blow us away like the wind.

6 (7) No one calls on your name

or bestirs himself to take hold of you,

for you have hidden your face from us

and caused our misdeeds to destroy us.

7 (8) But now, Adonai, you are our father;

we are the clay, you are our potter;

and we are all the work of your hands.

8 (9) Do not be so very angry, Adonai!

Don’t remember crime forever.

Look, please, we are all your people.

9 (10) Your holy cities have become a desert,

Tziyon a desert, Yerushalayim a ruin.

10 (11) Our holy, beautiful house,

where our ancestors used to praise you,

has been burned to the ground;

all we cherished has been ruined.

11 (12) Adonai, after all this,

will you still hold back?

Will you still stay silent

and punish us past endurance?

Romans 

12:1 I exhort you, therefore, brothers, in view of God’s mercies, to offer yourselves as a sacrifice, living and set apart for God. This will please him; it is the logical “Temple worship” for you. 2 In other words, do not let yourselves be conformed to the standards of the ‘olam hazeh. Instead, keep letting yourselves be transformed by the renewing of your minds; so that you will know what God wants and will agree that what he wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed. 3 For I am telling every single one of you, through the grace that has been given to me, not to have exaggerated ideas about your own importance. Instead, develop a sober estimate of yourself based on the standard which God has given to each of you, namely, trust. 4 For just as there are many parts that compose one body, but the parts don’t all have the same function; 5 so there are many of us, and in union with the Messiah we comprise one body, with each of us belonging to the others. 6 But we have gifts that differ and which are meant to be used according to the grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, use it to the extent of your trust; 7 if it is serving, use it to serve; if you are a teacher, use your gift in teaching; 8 if you are a counselor, use your gift to comfort and exhort; if you are someone who gives, do it simply and generously; if you are in a position of leadership, lead with diligence and zeal; if you are one who does acts of mercy, do them cheerfully.

9 Don’t let love be a mere outward show. Recoil from what is evil, and cling to what is good. 10 Love each other devotedly and with brotherly love; and set examples for each other in showing respect. 11 Don’t be lazy when hard work is needed, but serve the Lord with spiritual fervor. 12 Rejoice in your hope, be patient in your troubles, and continue steadfastly in prayer. 13 Share what you have with God’s people, and practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you — bless them, don’t curse them! 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be sensitive to each other’s needs — don’t think yourselves better than others, but make humble people your friends. Don’t be conceited. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but try to do what everyone regards as good. 18 If possible, and to the extent that it depends on you, live in peace with all people. 19 Never seek revenge, my friends; instead, leave that to God’s anger; for in the Tanakh it is written,

“Adonai says, ‘Vengeance is my responsibility; I will repay.’”[Romans 12:19 Deuteronomy 32:41]

20 On the contrary,

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

For by doing this, you will heap

fiery coals [of shame] on his head.”[Romans 12:20 Proverbs 25:21–22]

21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

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CHANGE THEIR WORLD. CHANGE YOURS. THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.
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