The Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour in Saint Louis, Missouri, United States [Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).] "A Hand to Hold" Thursday, August 4, 2016
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.[Psalm 23:6]
A few months ago, George Rodriguez suffered a stroke.
Then on July 5th George passed away. That is not unusual. All of us, someday, will leave this dark and sinful world. What is different about George's passing is that his wife of 58 years, Ora Lee, was by his side, holding his hand.
George and Ora Lee had met when he was employed at a San Antonio, Texas, butcher shop. They were married on June 1, 1958, and their union was blessed with three daughters. Those daughters gave of themselves and made it so their mother and father, even with dementia, never had to leave their old home. It must have been a great labor of love.
There is one other thing I should tell you about George and Ora Lee.
Ora Lee had predicted that she and her husband would die together. Although the family remembered the prophecy, they didn't put any stock in it. "That," they said amongst themselves, "is the kind of thing which happens only in the movies."
Make that, it's the kind of thing which usually happens only in the movies.
The truth is Ora Lee's glimpse into the future was right. She held her husband's hand when he died and then, three hours later, Ora Lee also gave up the ghost.
Did you ever wonder if when it is your time to go someone will be there holding your hand and providing comfort for you? If there is a person there, will that individual be an old friend or perhaps someone whom you love and who loves you?
I pray that will be the case.
Indeed, it will be the case if you acknowledge Jesus Christ as your Savior.
In his inspired Psalm, King David wrote that the Lord would provide goodness and mercy for him as long as he lived in this world. Then, when the time came, the Lord would take him by the hand and lead him through the shadows of death and bring him into a new home of everlasting peace, gladness, and great joy.
Now the wonderful thing is this: God's promise is not just for David. Because of what the Savior has done for humanity, forgiveness, life, hope and joy are given to all who are brought to faith.
Which, I believe, is a most comforting thing.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks that when my time comes to die, the Savior will be there. Because Jesus is always with me, may my life both now and in eternity be filled with gladness for sins forgiven and salvation won. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Today's Bible in a Year Reading: Psalms 123-125; 2 Thessalonians 3
Psalms 123:(0) A song of ascents:
(1) I raise my eyes to you,
whose throne is in heaven.
2 As a servant looks to the hand of his master,
or a slave-girl to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes turn to Adonai our God,
until he has mercy on us.
3 Have mercy on us, Adonai, have mercy;
for we have had our fill of contempt,
4 more than our fill of scorn from the complacent
and contempt from the arrogant.
124:(0) A song of ascents. By David:
(1) If Adonai hadn’t been for us —
let Isra’el repeat it —
2 If Adonai hadn’t been for us
when people rose to attack us,
3 then, when their anger blazed against us,
they would have swallowed us alive!
4 Then the water would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over us.
5 Yes, the raging water
would have swept right over us.
6 Blessed be Adonai, who did not leave us
to be a prey for their teeth!
7 We escaped like a bird from the hunter’s trap;
the trap is broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of Adonai,
the maker of heaven and earth.
125:(0) A song of ascents:
(1) Those who trust in Adonai
are like Mount Tziyon,
which cannot be moved
but remains forever.
2 Yerushalayim!
Mountains all around it!
Thus Adonai is around his people
henceforth and forever.
3 For the scepter of wickedness
will not rule the inheritance of the righteous,
so that the righteous will not themselves
turn their hands to evil.
4 Do good, Adonai, to the good,
to those upright in their hearts.
5 But as for those who turn aside
to their own crooked ways,
may Adonai turn them away,
along with those who do evil.
Shalom on Isra’el!
2 Thessalonians 3:1 Finally, brothers, pray for us that the Lord’s message may spread rapidly and receive honor, just as it did with you; 2 and that we may be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has trust. 3 But the Lord is worthy of trust; he will make you firm and guard you from the Evil One. 4 Yes, united with the Lord we are confident about you, that you are doing the things we are telling you to do, and that you will keep on doing them. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and the perseverance which the Messiah gives.
6 Now, in the name of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah we command you, brothers, to stay away from any brother who is leading a life of idleness, a life not in keeping with the tradition you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you must imitate us, that we were not idle when we were among you. 8 We did not accept anyone’s food without paying; on the contrary, we labored and toiled, day and night, working so as not to be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not that we hadn’t the right to be supported, but so that we could make ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: if someone won’t work, he shouldn’t eat! 11 We hear that some of you are leading a life of idleness — not busy working, just busybodies! 12 We command such people — and in union with the Lord Yeshua the Messiah we urge them — to settle down, get to work, and earn their own living. 13 And you brothers who are doing what is good, don’t slack off! 14 Furthermore, if anyone does not obey what we are saying in this letter, take note of him and have nothing to do with him, so that he will be ashamed. 15 But don’t consider him an enemy; on the contrary, confront him as a brother and try to help him change.
16 Now may the Lord of shalom himself give you shalom always in all ways. The Lord be with all of you.
17 The greeting in my own handwriting: From Sha’ul. This is the mark of genuineness in every letter, this is what my handwriting looks like.
18 The grace of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah be with you all.
-------CHANGE THEIR WORLD. CHANGE YOURS.
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.
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