The God Pause Daily Devotional for Wednesday, 7 March 2018 - The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Ephesians 2:1-10
Ephesians 2:1 You used to be dead because of your sins and acts of disobedience. 2 You walked in the ways of the ‘olam hazeh and obeyed the Ruler of the Powers of the Air, who is still at work among the disobedient. 3 Indeed, we all once lived this way — we followed the passions of our old nature and obeyed the wishes of our old nature and our own thoughts. In our natural condition we were headed for God’s wrath, just like everyone else.
Yesterday, the psalmist reminded us of God's goodness
and steadfast love. In today's reading we hear one of
the most focused recitals of God's rich grace and mercy
in the whole of scriptures. In fact the writer essentially
says that "Rich in Mercy and Love" is God's other name
(4). Then come four key assertions about that mercy
and love. We were dead but now God has made us alive
together with Christ (5). We have been saved by grace
through faith (5, 8). This salvation does not depend on
us; it is a gift from God (8). And, finally, we are God's
poetry--a better capture of the original Greek than
"workmanship"--in which God's creative hand is at work
in writing the good works that now can mark our life
stories (10).
On this, our Lenten journey, we need not travel blindly
or without a sense of the ending. In the cross and
resurrection, in rich mercy and love, God has already
prepared for us a finish line that is already transforming
each step along the way.
God of mercy and love, make us ever thankful that by your
grace you have brought us from death to life, and that our
lives are now bound together with our risen Lord Jesus
Christ. Continue to create in us the good works that are
the signs of your salvation. Amen.
James L. Boyce, '72
Professor Emeritus of New Testament and Greek, Luther Seminary
Ephesians 2:1 You were dead through the trespasses and sins
2 in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient.
3 All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us
5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ --by grace you have been saved--
6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God--
9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast.
10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. (New Revised Standard Version)
***
The God Pause Daily Devotional for Tuesday, 6 March 2018 - The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22
4 But God is so rich in mercy and loves us with such intense love 5 that, even when we were dead because of our acts of disobedience, he brought us to life along with the Messiah — it is by grace that you have been delivered. 6 That is, God raised us up with the Messiah Yeshua and seated us with him in heaven, 7 in order to exhibit in the ages to come how infinitely rich is his grace, how great is his kindness toward us who are united with the Messiah Yeshua. 8 For you have been delivered by grace through trusting, and even this is not your accomplishment but God’s gift. 9 You were not delivered by your own actions; therefore no one should boast. 10 For we are of God’s making, created in union with the Messiah Yeshua for a life of good actions already prepared by God for us to do. (Complete Jewish Bible)
***Yesterday, the psalmist reminded us of God's goodness
and steadfast love. In today's reading we hear one of
the most focused recitals of God's rich grace and mercy
in the whole of scriptures. In fact the writer essentially
says that "Rich in Mercy and Love" is God's other name
(4). Then come four key assertions about that mercy
and love. We were dead but now God has made us alive
together with Christ (5). We have been saved by grace
through faith (5, 8). This salvation does not depend on
us; it is a gift from God (8). And, finally, we are God's
poetry--a better capture of the original Greek than
"workmanship"--in which God's creative hand is at work
in writing the good works that now can mark our life
stories (10).
On this, our Lenten journey, we need not travel blindly
or without a sense of the ending. In the cross and
resurrection, in rich mercy and love, God has already
prepared for us a finish line that is already transforming
each step along the way.
God of mercy and love, make us ever thankful that by your
grace you have brought us from death to life, and that our
lives are now bound together with our risen Lord Jesus
Christ. Continue to create in us the good works that are
the signs of your salvation. Amen.
James L. Boyce, '72
Professor Emeritus of New Testament and Greek, Luther Seminary
Ephesians 2:1 You were dead through the trespasses and sins
2 in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient.
3 All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us
5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ --by grace you have been saved--
6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God--
9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast.
10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. (New Revised Standard Version)
***
The God Pause Daily Devotional for Tuesday, 6 March 2018 - The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22
Psalm 107:1
"O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast
love endures forever." As a youngster child I used to
resent--dare I say even hate--these words. In our home
no one left the table before we had prayed those words
of thanksgiving together. In later years I am thankful that
those oft-repeated words are a kind of mantra--almost
unconsciously drawn upon at just the right time to
remind me in a more contemporary version that "God is
good; all the time!"
It is clear, then, that the psalmist's intention has met
success. At least five times (1, 8, 15, 21, 31) we hear the
call to thankfulness for God's steadfast love. And right
alongside (6, 13, 19, 28) stands the recital of the "proof in
the pudding" so to speak: "they cried to the Lord, and he
saved them in their distress." Not a bad double mantra
for us too, on this our Lenten journey: Give thanks to the
Lord for his steadfast love endures forever; when we cry
in distress, the Lord will deliver us.
God of steadfast love, give us the right words to chant
on our daily journey, that they may remind us of your
goodness and mercy, and that you will be present to
deliver us in any distress. Amen.
James L. Boyce, '72
Professor Emeritus of New Testament and Greek, Luther Seminary
Psalm 107:1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those he redeemed from trouble
3 and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south...
17 Some were sick through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities endured affliction;
18 they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.
19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress;
20 he sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from destruction.
21 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind.
22 And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices, and tell of his deeds with songs of joy. (New Revised Standard Version)
Give thanks to Adonai; for he is good,
for his grace continues forever.
2 Let those redeemed by Adonai say it,
those he redeemed from the power of the foe.
3 He gathered them from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the sea.
, 17 There were foolish people who suffered affliction
because of their crimes and sins;
18 they couldn’t stand to eat anything;
they were near the gates of death.
19 In their trouble they cried to Adonai,
and he rescued them from their distress;
20 he sent his word and healed them,
he delivered them from destruction.
21 Let them give thanks to Adonai for his grace,
for his wonders bestowed on humanity!
22 Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving
and proclaim his great deeds with songs of joy. (Complete Jewish Bible)
***"O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast
love endures forever." As a youngster child I used to
resent--dare I say even hate--these words. In our home
no one left the table before we had prayed those words
of thanksgiving together. In later years I am thankful that
those oft-repeated words are a kind of mantra--almost
unconsciously drawn upon at just the right time to
remind me in a more contemporary version that "God is
good; all the time!"
It is clear, then, that the psalmist's intention has met
success. At least five times (1, 8, 15, 21, 31) we hear the
call to thankfulness for God's steadfast love. And right
alongside (6, 13, 19, 28) stands the recital of the "proof in
the pudding" so to speak: "they cried to the Lord, and he
saved them in their distress." Not a bad double mantra
for us too, on this our Lenten journey: Give thanks to the
Lord for his steadfast love endures forever; when we cry
in distress, the Lord will deliver us.
God of steadfast love, give us the right words to chant
on our daily journey, that they may remind us of your
goodness and mercy, and that you will be present to
deliver us in any distress. Amen.
James L. Boyce, '72
Professor Emeritus of New Testament and Greek, Luther Seminary
Psalm 107:1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those he redeemed from trouble
3 and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south...
17 Some were sick through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities endured affliction;
18 they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.
19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress;
20 he sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from destruction.
21 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind.
22 And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices, and tell of his deeds with songs of joy. (New Revised Standard Version)
***
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