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Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour "A Great Faith, a Greater Savior" for Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Matthew 5:44 - (Jesus said) "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (KJV).
Over the years I have run into many people who think pastors and priests are always men of great faith. Now it is true that many who wear the cloth have a wondrous and wonderful relationship with their Lord. I have met and stood in awe of these preachers.
On the other hand, and I can only speak for myself here, I have also encountered laypeople whose faith makes mine appear miniscule in comparison. When we get to heaven I will count myself lucky if I can see their mansion with a large telescope.
In the list of people with great faiths, I would have to include many of the Christian Copts of Egypt.
This past Palm Sunday, when our children were waving palm fronds and shouting out their "Hallelujahs," the little ones of two Coptic congregations in Egypt were ducking for cover as suicide bombers destroyed churches, families, friendships, and futures.
The death count was 49. The wounded were numbered over 100.
Since those reports came out, I've been doing some soul-searching, trying to decide how I would react if that had been my church -- my family -- who had been blown up by fanatics of another religion, whose hearts were filled with hatred. Below is what I felt.
My very first emotion was a desire for revenge, you know, an eye for an eye, a life for a life. Thankfully, there were too many passages of Scripture which clearly condemned vengeance, and very quickly I was forced to abandon that point of view.
My second thought was if I can't have revenge, at least I can have justice. Unfortunately, the death of the innocent Savior and the persecution and murder of most of His disciples makes it clear: the scales of justice don't always get balanced during this life.
In contrast to what I felt was a Coptic woman, no, make that a new Coptic widow who has said, "I am praying for the perpetrators. I am asking the Lord to move them so they may reconsider what they are doing." Another Coptic lady said she has "already forgiven" those who had masterminded the murderous explosions.
I am moved and impressed? So are many others.
Reading about the carnage and hearing no call for revenge, one individual wrote, "Coptic Christians are made of steel." Well, maybe not steel, exactly, it's probably more like equal measures of faith, courage, and Christian commitment -- commitment to the Savior who gave His life for their redemption and salvation.As for me, all I can do is pray for these brothers and sisters, stand in awe of what the Holy Spirit is doing through them, and repeat the comment of the Savior who, having seen a centurion's witness, declared to the crowd that followed Him, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith" (Luke 7:9b).
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, guard and protect those who are being persecuted. If possible, turn the heart and hands of those who hate them, and let lives be lived in peace. This I ask in the Savior's Name. Amen.
Today's devotion is based on an article written on Good Friday by Jim Dally for Focus on the Family. The website where the parent article can be found is: jimdaly.focusonthefamily.com/cross-christ-makes-forgiveness-possible-palm-sunday-bombings/.
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: 1 Samuel 22; Psalms 56; Luke 22:1-231 Samuel 22:1 David left there and took refuge in the Cave of ‘Adulam. When his brothers and the rest of his father’s family heard of it, they went down to see him there. 2 Then all the people in distress, in debt or embittered began gathering around him, and he became their leader; there were about four hundred with him.
3 David went from there to Mitzpeh of Mo’av and said to the king of Mo’av, “Please let my father and mother come and stay with you until I know what God will do for me.” 4 He presented them to the king of Mo’av, and they lived with him as long as David remained in his stronghold. 5 But the prophet Gad said to David, “Don’t stay in the stronghold. Leave, and go to the land of Y’hudah.” So David left and went to the Forest of Heret.
6 Sha’ul heard that David and the men with him had been located. Sha’ul was sitting in Giv‘ah, under the tamarisk tree on the hill, with his spear in his hand and all his servants standing around him. 7 Sha’ul said to his servants standing around him, “Listen, you men of Binyamin! Is Yishai’s son going to give any of you fields and vineyards? Is he going to make you all commanders of thousands and hundreds? 8 Is this why you have all conspired against me, why none of you told me when my son went in league with Yishai’s son? None of you is concerned about me! Otherwise you would have told me that my son had incited my servant to become my enemy, as he is now.”
9 Then Do’eg the Edomi, who had been put in charge of Sha’ul’s servants, answered, “I saw Yishai’s son come to Nov, to Achimelekh the son of Achituv. 10 He consulted Adonai for him, gave him food and gave him the sword of Golyat the P’lishti.” 11 The king sent to summon Achimelekh the cohen the son of Achituv, along with all his father’s family, the cohanim in Nov; and all of them went to the king. 12 Sha’ul said, “Listen here, you son of Achituv!” He answered, “Here I am, my lord.” 13 Sha’ul said to him, “Why did you conspire against me, you and Yishai’s son? By giving him bread and a sword and consulting God for him, you helped him rebel against me and become my enemy, which he now is!” 14 Achimelekh answered the king, “Is there anyone among all your servants more trustworthy than David? He’s the king’s son-in-law, he carries out your every request, your household honors him. 15 I didn’t start consulting God for him just today. Heaven forbid! The king shouldn’t accuse me or my father’s family of anything! Your servant knows nothing at all about any of this!” 16 But the king said, “You must die, you and your father’s whole family.” 17 Then the king told the guards standing around him, “Go around, and kill the cohanim of Adonai, because they are siding with David, and because they knew he was escaping, yet they didn’t tell me.” But the king’s servants refused to lift their hands against the cohanim of Adonai. 18 So the king said to Do’eg, “You go around and kill the cohanim!” Do’eg the Edomi went around and fell on the cohanim; that day he killed eighty-five persons wearing linen ritual vests. 19 He also attacked Nov, the city of the cohanim, with the sword; he put to the sword both men and women, children and babies, cattle, donkeys and sheep.
20 One of the sons of Achimelekh the son of Achituv, named Avyatar, escaped and fled to join David. 21 Avyatar told David that Sha’ul had killed the cohanim of Adonai. 22 David said to Avyatar, “I knew it! That day, when Do’eg the Edomi was there, I knew he would tell Sha’ul. I caused the death of every person in your father’s family. 23 Stay with me; don’t be afraid; because the one who is seeking my life seeks yours too. You’ll be safe with me.”
Psalm 56:(0) For the leader. Set to “The Silent Dove in the Distance.” By David; a mikhtam, when the P’lishtim captured him in Gat:
2 (1) Show me favor, God;
for people are trampling me down —
all day they fight and press on me.
3 (2) Those who are lying in wait for me
would trample on me all day.
For those fighting against me are many.
Most High, 4 (3) when I am afraid,
I put my trust in you.
5 (4) In God — I praise his word —
in God I trust; I have no fear;
what can human power do to me?
6 (5) All day long they twist my words;
their only thought is to harm me.
7 (6) They gather together and hide themselves,
spying on my movements, hoping to kill me.
8 (7) Because of their crime, they cannot escape;
in anger, God, strike down the peoples.
9 (8) You have kept count of my wanderings;
store my tears in your water-skin —
aren’t they already recorded in your book?
10 (9) Then my enemies will turn back
on the day when I call;
this I know: that God is for me.
11 (10) In God — I praise his word —
in Adonai — I praise his word —
12 (11) in God I trust; I have no fear;
what can mere humans do to me?
13 (12) God, I have made vows to you;
I will fulfill them with thank offerings to you.
14 (13) For you rescued me from death,
you kept my feet from stumbling,
so that I can walk in God’s presence,
in the light of life.
Luke 22:1 But the festival of Matzah, known as Pesach, was approaching; 2 and the head cohanim and the Torah-teachers began trying to find some way to get rid of Yeshua, because they were afraid of the people.
3 At this point the Adversary went into Y’hudah from K’riot, who was one of the Twelve. 4 He approached the head cohanim and the Temple guard and discussed with them how he might turn Yeshua over to them. 5 They were pleased and offered to pay him money. 6 He agreed and began looking for a good opportunity to betray Yeshua without the people’s knowledge.
7 Then came the day of matzah, on which the Passover lamb had to be killed. 8 Yeshua sent Kefa and Yochanan, instructing them, “Go and prepare our Seder, so we can eat.” 9 They asked him, “Where do you want us to prepare it?” 10 He told them, “As you’re going into the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house he enters, 11 and say to its owner, ‘The Rabbi says to you, “Where is the guest room, where I am to eat the Pesach meal with my talmidim?” ’ 12 He will show you a large room upstairs already furnished; make the preparations there.” 13 They went and found things just as Yeshua had told them they would be, and they prepared for the Seder.
14 When the time came, Yeshua and the emissaries reclined at the table, 15 and he said to them, “I have really wanted so much to celebrate this Seder with you before I die! 16 For I tell you, it is certain that I will not celebrate it again until it is given its full meaning in the Kingdom of God.”
17 Then, taking a cup of wine, he made the b’rakhah and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you that from now on, I will not drink the ‘fruit of the vine’ until the Kingdom of God comes.” 19 Also, taking a piece of matzah, he made the b’rakhah, broke it, gave it to them and said, “This is my body, which is being given for you; do this in memory of me.” 20 He did the same with the cup after the meal, saying, “This cup is the New Covenant, ratified by my blood, which is being poured out for you.
21 “But look! The person who is betraying me is here at the table with me! 22 The Son of Man is going to his death according to God’s plan, but woe to that man by whom he is being betrayed!” 23 They began asking each other which of them could be about to do such a thing.-------
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CHANGE THEIR WORLD. CHANGE YOURS.
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.
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