"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Friday, 12 August 2016 with Scripture Luke 12:49-56

"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Thursday, 11 August 2016 with Scripture Luke 12:49-56 
Luke 12:49 “I have come to set fire to the earth! And how I wish it were already kindled! 50 I have an immersion to undergo — how pressured I feel till it’s over! 51 Do you think that I have come to bring peace in the Land? Not peace, I tell you, but division! 52 For from now on, a household of five will be divided, three against two, two against three.
53 Father will be divided against son
and son against father,
mother against daughter
and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”[Luke 12:53 Micah 7:6]
54 Then to the crowds Yeshua said, “When you see a cloud-bank rising in the west, at once you say that a rainstorm is coming; 55 and when the wind is from the south, you say there will be a heat wave, and there is. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky — how is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?[Complete Jewish Bible
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Jesus' prophetic words often frighten us. What does he mean when he speaks about "fire?" What does he mean when he warns of "division?" We often shy away from his prophetic words because they call us to repentance and change. Perhaps not such fun topics for a Thursday devotion!
Yet if there's one word that many of us would like to experience in our lives it is reconciliation. No family is quite like the Brady Bunch. The popularity of TV shows like "Black-ish" and "Parenthood" demonstrate the pain, power and promise wrapped up in reconciliation. We want it, but we want it cheap and easy. Jesus makes the claim in our gospel reading that it will never be easy. In fact, reconciliation with God cost Jesus his life. We only need to look at the nail scarred hands and wonder. Where do you long for reconciliation? Do Jesus' prophetic words comfort because he will not let the status quo stand? 
Change me so I can be open to your healing work in the world. Amen.
Kevin ('07) and Amber ('10) Marten Bergeson
Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Aberdeen, S.D.
Luke 12:49 "I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
50 I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed!
51 Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!
52 From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three;
53 they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
54 He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, "It is going to rain'; and so it happens.
55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, "There will be scorching heat'; and it happens.
56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? [New Revised Standard Version]
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"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Friday, 12 August 2016 with Scripture Luke 12:49-56 
Luke 12:49 “I have come to set fire to the earth! And how I wish it were already kindled! 50 I have an immersion to undergo — how pressured I feel till it’s over! 51 Do you think that I have come to bring peace in the Land? Not peace, I tell you, but division! 52 For from now on, a household of five will be divided, three against two, two against three.
53 Father will be divided against son
and son against father,
mother against daughter
and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”[Luke 12:53 Micah 7:6]
54 Then to the crowds Yeshua said, “When you see a cloud-bank rising in the west, at once you say that a rainstorm is coming; 55 and when the wind is from the south, you say there will be a heat wave, and there is. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky — how is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?[Complete Jewish Bible
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Grandma Betty always said, "There's never enough time to do things right the first time, but there's always time to do it [try] again." So true. In farming communities, planting is always a mixture of guesswork, luck and weather. Everyone suddenly becomes a television meteorologist with quips and one-liners.
When you hear this gospel read this coming Sabbath in worship, what kinds of forecasts are you expecting in your life? Clear skies, money in the bank and summer vacation? Or is it storms of sadness? It is fascinating how we worry and wonder over the sky and never see our neighbor.
Jesus constantly said don't miss the beloved child of God that has been put right in front of you. We look at the sky, we look at the ground, but we can so easily miss the face of the person next door. When we look at our neighbor's face, we can see there too forecasts of joy, sorrow, fear or peace. Do we have the eyes to "interpret the present time?" 
Give us focus to love and serve our neighbors! Amen.
Kevin ('07) and Amber ('10) Marten Bergeson
Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Aberdeen, S.D.
Luke 12:49 "I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
50 I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed!
51 Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!
52 From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three;
53 they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
54 He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, "It is going to rain'; and so it happens.
55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, "There will be scorching heat'; and it happens.
56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? [New Revised Standard Version]

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