Monday, October 1, 2018

The God Pause Daily Devotion from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Tuesday, October 2, 2018 - Psalm 8


The God Pause Daily Devotion from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Tuesday, October 2, 2018 - Psalm 8
Psalm 8:
1 (0) For the leader. On the gittit. A psalm of David:
2 (1) Adonai! Our Lord! How glorious
is your name throughout the earth!
The fame of your majesty
spreads even above the heavens!
3 (2) From the mouths of babies and infants at the breast
you established strength because of your foes,
in order that you might silence
the enemy and the avenger
4 (3) When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and stars that you set in place —
5 (4) what are mere mortals, that you concern yourself with them;
humans, that you watch over them with such care?
6 (5) You made him but little lower than the angels,
you crowned him with glory and honor,
7 (6) you had him rule what your hands made,
you put everything under his feet —
8 (7) sheep and oxen, all of them,
also the animals in the wilds,
9 (8) the birds in the air, the fish in the sea,
whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
10 (9) Adonai! Our Lord! How glorious
is your name throughout the earth!
(Complete Jewish Complete).
Note regarding Friday's devotion: Thank you to those who alerted us that "God Pause" did not go out last Friday. Our apologies for the error and any inconvenience it caused. The devotion is now available here. Thank you for your loyalty as subscribers to "God Pause."
It is one thing to be surrounded by beauty and gift; it is another to recognize it and speak it. I shall never forget trekking into a deep valley of the Black Hills with my own campus pastor and our leadership team at night. We lay on blankets to watch the Milky Way rise over the ridge. Pastor Dick Borrud rehearsed a list of astonishing statistics about the numbers and distances of stars in the galaxy--and then he closed worship reciting this psalm. When I consider your heavens, who am I that you care for me?
One Easter morning in our church, the echoes of the trumpet and tympani in "Jesus Christ Has Risen Today" were barely fading when the voice of a child said, "Wow!" Before we claim dominion--which means responsibility as much as power--in the world, we do well to hear how this psalm humbles us--with the wonders of the heavens, the voices of children and the power of God, who holds us all.
God, humble us that our power be the power of trust, awe and love. Amen.
Paul Rohde, '82
Campus Pastor, Augustana University, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Psalm 8:
1 O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established;
4 what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?
5 Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet,
7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
(New Revised Standard Version).
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The God Pause Daily Devotion from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Friday, September 28, 2018 - Mark 9:38-50
Mark 9:
38 Yochanan said to him, “Rabbi, we saw a man expelling demons in your name; and because he wasn’t one of us, we told him to stop.” 39 But Yeshua said, “Don’t stop him, because no one who works a miracle in my name will soon after be able to say something bad about me. 40 For whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Indeed, whoever gives you even a cup of water to drink because you come in the name of the Messiah — yes! I tell you that he will certainly not lose his reward.
42 “Whoever ensnares one of these little ones who trust me — it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and be thrown in the sea. 43 If your hand makes you sin, cut it off! Better that you should be maimed but obtain eternal life, rather than keep both hands and go to Gei-Hinnom, to unquenchable fire! 44 [Mark 9:44 Some manuscripts include identical verses 9:44, 46: where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. (Isaiah 66:24)] 45 And if your foot makes you sin, cut it off! Better that you should be lame but obtain eternal life, rather than keep both feet and be thrown into Gei-Hinnom! 46[Mark 9:46 Some manuscripts include identical verses 9:44, 46: where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. (Isaiah 66:24)] 47 And if your eye makes you sin, pluck it out! Better that you should be one-eyed but enter the Kingdom of God, rather than keep both eyes and be thrown into Gei-Hinnom,
48 where their worm does not die,
and the fire is not quenched.[Mark 9:48 Isaiah 66:24]
49 Indeed, everyone is going to be salted with fire. 50 Salt is excellent, but if it loses its saltiness, how will you season it? So have salt in yourselves — that is, be at peace with each other.”
(Complete Jewish Bible).
As a former English teacher, I love literary devices such as personification, metaphors and similes. These devices can communicate beautiful images and connections to familiar items to help us better understand a point being made. The Bible is full of literary devices. Jesus often uses them in his teaching. However, sometimes these devices become stumbling blocks to our understanding of Jesus' point.
The bulk of this week's gospel reading is a fine example. Jesus uses common agricultural images--losing a hand, a foot or an eye--to help people understand what is at stake if people do not believe in him. These images worked well in Jesus' time and for portions of our world today. Yet, we may wonder how Jesus' examples might be updated to best connect with our neighbors, for them to know and understand Jesus' teachings. How can we clearly communicate the life-giving power of Jesus?
Lord, who made the Word into flesh, your words and promises stand the test of time. As we continue to preach, teach and witness, may we find the words and examples to best connect with your followers, just as Jesus did so long ago. Amen.
René L. Mehlberg, '18
Pastor, Trinity Lutheran Church, Laporte, Minn.
Mark 9:
38 John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us."
39 But Jesus said, "Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.
40 Whoever is not against us is for us.
41 For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.
42 "If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea.
43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.
44*
45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell.
46*
47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell,
48 where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.
49 "For everyone will be salted with fire.
50 Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."
*Verses 44 and 46, which are identical to verse 48, are lacking in the best ancient manuscripts. (NRSV footnote)
(New Revised Standard Version).
The Luther Seminary
2481 Como Avenue
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
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