Daily Devotion for December 31, 2005

Miracles

 

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the
stronghold of my life; of whom should I be afraid? Psalm 27:1-3

 

The remembrance of the birth of Christ is a celebration of a miracle that took place over 2000 years ago. That we function today is a miracle. Life is a miracle. Each day of each year is filled with untold miracles.

 

The mission of Lutheran Church Charities is a miracle; through our churches it feeds the poor, shelters the homeless, gives comfort to the ill and dispossessed. The varied members of all the churches transform miracles into daily reality.

 

On this day, five days after Christmas, countless people around the world are preparing for tomorrow - the observance of the end of this year and the beginning of a new year. How different this celebration will be from the jubilation proclaimed a week earlier, yet how similar. We will thank God for the miracles we experienced in 2005; we will ask for and expect more miracles throughout 2006. That is not a bad thing. Psalm 23 offers the promise of miracles
to believers for all the new years to come—we shall not want, we will be comforted, there is no need to fear evil.

 

With all the events that happened in our lives both collectively and personally in 2005, we can surely say once more, “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” It was a year of miracles. What new miracles and opportunities to make miracles take place will the coming year hold for us? Do we still believe in miracles?

 

Prayer
Lord, make me mindful of the joy of sharing the miracle of Christmas and the gift of eternal life with those around me. Help me be your hands and feet to those who are lonely and in need.  Work through me!  Amen

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 30, 2005

The Right Time

 

Let us love one another. 2 John 5:5

 

How many calendars do you keep? A large one on the wall, a portable one, some manual, some electronic? How many schedules do you mesh besides work, school, sports, monthly payments, and annual check-ups?

 

Right now, as another December 25 becomes a memory, we are called to balance conflicting calendars in our heads and in our hearts. We are challenged to grow the spirit of Christmas within ourselves while the world marches on to New Year’s, ski trips, and post-season sales.

 

Each year what I want to hold on to is that air of freedom that invades even the most secular Christmas celebration—the freedom to love one another. At Christmas we are released from the world’s restraints as we give freely, promote kindness, embrace the neglected, take joy in chores, and delight in sharing. Christmas is clearly a great time to love others and to let them love us.

 

And that’s the point: it’s not a time; it’s not a square on the calendar. Christmas happened so we would know how to approach life, the Way to love one another.

 

Prayer
Lord, help me keep the message of Christmas in my heart always.  Amen

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 29, 2005

Holy Innocents

 

In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you," says the LORD your Redeemer…..
All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be your children's peace.  Isaiah 54:8, 13

 

In gazing at the Christ Child, I am reminded that in Mark 10 we are to strive for a childlike faith in God. Not a childish faith but a childlike faith.  There is a big difference.  Jesus is telling us in Mark 10 that we must have a childlike faith to enter the kingdom of God. Children have a simple, uncomplicated faith in those whom they trust. Adults have generally been “educated” out of that childlike faith. We have faith in those institutions, people, things, and yes, even God, if we still trust them. Over the years, we lose trust in people and things that disappoint and betray us. It gets harder and harder to trust.

 

But trusting God is something we can do without question if we realize that he loves us completely and only has good things in store for us, not just in heaven but here and now. We must let go of the substitutes that we try to stuff into that space inside us that is reserved for God alone. We are made with that emptiness that longs to be filled; we have to trust him to fill it. Isaiah 54 tells us that our redeeming God will have compassion on us with everlasting kindness; his unfailing love for us will not be shaken nor his covenant of peace be removed.

 

Trusting God then becomes a childlike, simple, uncomplicated, and complete faith in him, a faith that is there regardless of the circumstances, helping us to love God and our neighbor.

 

Prayer
As Martin Luther once prayed in his popular Christmas hymn, "Oh, dearest Jesus, holy Child, Prepare a bed, soft undefiled Within my heart, made clean and new, A quiet chamber kept for you"  Amen

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 28, 2005

It’s about a Covenant

Take courage, my children, cry to God,
   and he will deliver you from the power and hand of the enemy.
For I have put my hope in the Everlasting to save you,
   and joy has come to me from the Holy One,
because of the mercy that will soon come to you
   from your everlasting saviour.* Baruch 4:21-22,

 

Christmas speaks to the promise and everlasting covenant of God that comes to us in the Christ Child!  We live because of that Covenant!

 

In Baruch, we read, “God will deliver us from the power and the hands of the enemy. God will bring you everlasting joy with your salvation.”

 

In Galatians, St. Paul speaks of the promises made to Abraham and his offspring. With regard to the law, he says, “But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to it [the law], for in Christ Jesus
we are all children of God through faith.” Galatians 3:15-22

 

In the Gospel of Luke, we read the prophecy of John the Baptizer’s father, Zechariah, who said, “God has raised up a mighty savior for us and has remembered his holy covenant that he swore to Abraham, that we would be rescued from the hands of our enemies. You, child, will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins, and to guide their feet into the ways of peace.” Luke 1:67-80  This prophecy is not just about the birth of Christ, but about his life, death and glorious resurrection.

 

For this the psalmist says, “Let all things that God has created praise the Lord.” Psalms 148, 150
I feel that he envisions this being done with all the stops pulled out, with the sound of organ, trumpets, strings, harp, cymbals and timpani. If he were given a score of Handel’s magnificent work the “Messiah,” I am certain that he would quickly move past the opening aria, calling for comfort of his people, to the “Alleluia Chorus,” proclaiming Christ to be “King of Kings and Lord of Lords who shall reign forever, and ever and ever. Alleluia! Alleluia!”

 

It is this wonderful promise that brings us to this special point in our liturgical year when we once again celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus, our Savior.

 

Prayer
Heavenly Father, in this Christ Child that has come, who lives and reigns, may we find peace and comfort today and all days.  Amen

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 27, 2005

My Eyes Have Seen

 

Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:  "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." Luke 2:29-32

 

Why the Lord allows suffering, I do not know, but years ago, a preacher said something that stayed with me: that no matter what happens, this is still God’s world.

 

Joy. Peace. Happiness. They can be hard to find. Despair seems to be the only viable option for many people, especially after Christmas.

 

But don’t despair! Don’t lose your optimism, and don’t lose your hope. Joy, peace, and happiness can be yours by way of coming into the arms of a loving God who is steadfast, faithful, and always there to lift us up. And God’s power and love can be made manifest in even the simplest things: holding a door open for someone, helping a neighbor with his fence, dinner with family, visiting a friend in the hospital and just saying hello and giving someone a smile.

 

God transcends sadness, bitterness, anger, sorrow, and wrath. And with the Christmas gift of himself in the person of his son, Jesus, he transcended and overcame death itself. His love conquers all!

 

Prayer
Heavenly Father – my eyes have seen and my heart has felt the glory of your coming.  Help me reflect that reality in my life to others – and be an agent of Joy, Peace and Happiness in your name.  Amen

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 26, 2005

Stephen

 

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.  Acts 7:55 

 

“Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the feast of Stephen.” So begins an old, traditional Christmas song/carol. For years, nobody I knew could tell me anything about the feast of Stephen. I now know!  I discovered it on my own from Acts, without “Googling for it.”

 

Stephen scored two firsts in the infant church. He was the first deacon chosen to serve the people so the apostles could focus on preaching and prayer. Then, Stephen was the first Christian martyr. The day after Christmas is his feast day.

 

Now why would we want to celebrate the death of a martyr with a feast on the day after we celebrate the birth of Christ? Three reasons come quickly to mind. First: Coming on the heels of the birth of Christ, we are reminded that our lives are fleeting moments upon this earth. Our earthly lives will end. Our bodies will fail. What then? Second: We are reminded that Jesus was born to die. All of what the prophets, sages, and teachers said and did would go for absolutely nothing if Jesus did not go through the entire Holy Week drama of betrayal, death, and resurrection. Without his death and resurrection, there is no salvation. Third: In Stephen’s vision, which sealed his death sentence, he saw “the glory of God, and Jesus, standing at the right hand of the Father.” St. Thomas Aquinas, whose Summa Theologica still stands as one of the most compelling Christian statements ever written, had a similar vision, and stopped writing. “After seeing God’s glory in Jesus, nothing I could ever say was of any importance anymore.”

 

We celebrate the life and death of the first Christian martyr today because it is a call to a holy life that will take us to this life’s end with the vision of Jesus calling us forward. May nothing in life deter us from responding to that call. Celebrate the feast of Stephen, and live the life of service and vision.

 

Prayer
Heavenly father – help me to always be looking to you and to see your glory as I give my life to you in service.  Amen

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 25, 2005

No Room in the Inn

 

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?  Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter - when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?  Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.  Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. Isaiah 58:6-9 

 

It’s Christmas Day, the birthday of Jesus Christ. I pondered what I would write about this most important day. All that came to mind were the usual reflections of how in the hustle and bustle of preparing for Christmas we should take time to reflect on the true meaning of the birth of our Savior. Although we should never lose sight of what Christmas stands for, following such a horrendous loss as Katrina, I felt the usual thoughts didn’t quite fit. I keep thinking of how many people this Christmas do not have a home to celebrate Christmas in, down in the Gulf States and other places.  After struggling with what to say, it came down to this: the outpouring of love, generosity and compassion for these victims, following the worst storm in years, has been phenomenal. It has surpassed all expectations. People have donated time and money and opened their homes to help those who have nothing left.

 

There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared is doubled. This is what Jesus’ life has taught us—help those in need, minister to the poor, the sick, the homeless. This is stewardship; this is evangelism.

 

As your family gathers today to celebrate this wondrous event in our Christian lives, remember not only to thank God for giving us his precious Son, but thank him for the many blessings he has given you and you have shared with others, the things money can’t buy.

 

A blessed Christmas to one and all.

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 24, 2005

OUR LIGHT HAS COME

 

"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.  Isaiah 60:1 

 

Years ago I sent out an e-mail Christmas card; it was very simple in its design. It listed about fifty translations for the word “Son.” My thinking was this: Christ is the beginning, the middle, and the end of the story of Christmas, so why not just sum it all up in his name?

 

It was interesting to find out that in many languages, the word for “son” is “syn” (Czech, Polish, Slovak, Ukrainian) or even “sin” (Slovenian). There is a post-Tower of Babel irony in that.

 

In this season, we are called to transcend the Tower of Babel, to reunite with our fellow men and ourselves and accept our place as God’s beloved children. We do not need to build a tower to climb up to him anymore; he came down from heaven to be one of us. At Christmastime, we meditate upon the living God, emptying himself to be born human, a Son to eradicate sin.

 

On Christmas Eve, we recollect the story of that miracle.

 

In a few months, we will observe another miracle—our God loved us so much that he died for us and for our salvation upon a Roman cross.

 

Tonight, let us contemplate the miracle that he chose to take our form and walk among us. And that he walks with us every day and night, a gift that can never be taken away.

 

Prayer
Come Lord Jesus – into our hearts, into our homes, and make your dwelling here in our lives.  Amen

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 23, 2005

At the Center

 

At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you; I will rescue the lame and gather those who have been scattered. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they were put to shame.  Zephaniah 3:19 

 

Jesus’ birth is the advent, the beginning, of the hope and the salve to those who have hurts and wounds. The birth is the act of God that allows for the pain of the world (and the hard fact that none are truly worthy to come before the Lord) to be alleviated and eternal suffering abated. I don’t offer platitudes about the nature of disasters that befall God’s children, but if we think about what we hear about the infinite nature of God’s mind in Job and what we know from Christ’s teachings, we can rejoice that those who take their refuge in him are at the center of Christ. They are at the crossroads of the scriptures despite the fact that none truly can understand his mind or all that is his creation or all that is in his Word.

 

The hope of Advent clearly shines through the darkness, and illuminates the faces of all who struggle against the tragedies of the world, manmade and not. It illuminates both those caught up in the whirlwind and those reaching out to help; I bear witness to that light.

 

Prayer
Heavenly Father, let us take comfort in you and how you heal, and gather, and bring back those who are scattered.  Help me and restore me to be in your center.  Amen

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 22, 2005

BE STRONG

 

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14
 
I cannot but think that the tragedy that hurricane Katrina has caused is a sign that brings the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse to mind.

 

I could even say that the hurricane itself was the first horse, followed by the one that took away the peace in our nation. The refugees, our own citizens, have seen the third horseman, who took away their food and shelter. Back in Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Texas, the fourth horseman, death, has taken many.

 

Why is this tragedy happening? I ask myself, ‘Is God judging our nation?

 

“Be strong!” say the scriptures. Stop hating each other. This is a time of tragedy, and we need to turn to others and treat each other as Jesus would have us treat them.

 

God knows us inside and outside. He knows our thoughts and our actions, from the time of conception and our formation in the womb to the time of our last breath.

 

Here is the chance to be like sheep and follow the Shepherd, to have confidence in him who will guide us through the hurdles. God is our strength and our deliverance.

 

This is the time to go beyond a believing faith and more to one that follows Jesus and reach out to others with the Compassion of Christ.

 

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me be strong in you and to touch others with your compassion that comes to us in the Christ Child.  Amen

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 21, 2005

ADVENT – A TIME TO EXAMINE

 

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10

 

Psalm 51 is one of the richest psalms in the Bible.

 

Advent is a season of penitence, a time to examine ourselves and our relationship to God. This psalm (like each of us, a beloved child of God and a sinner) helps us to do that.

 

As we wait for the coming of the Messiah, this psalm links Jewish and Christian liturgies. “O Lord, open my lips, and let my mouth declare your praise” (vs. 15) is familiar to me, who grew up with Lutheran Liturgy “Oh Lord, open thou our lips. And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.” This same verse introduces the Amidah prayer in Jewish worship. So the psalmist speaks not only out of an ancient anguish, but also to us and for us. “Have mercy upon me, O God, as befits your faithfulness; in keeping with your abundant compassion, blot out my transgressions” (vs. 1). “Faithfulness” translates the Hebrew hesed, which is a word that describes relationship and expresses both attitude and action. God is so faithful that he will act; he will send his son to blot out our transgressions. The Psalmist pleads: “Do not cast me out of your presence, or take your holy spirit away from me” (vs. 11).

 

With the birth of Jesus, God comes to us in the flesh.  Let us be prepared.

 

Prayer
Help me today to examine myself and see myself for what I am, a sinner in need of a redeemer.  With your birth Jesus – I can now be a REDEEMED sinner.  Thank you, and let my mouth declare your praise!  Amen.

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 20, 2005

Coming Soon!

 

I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. Revelation 3:11-12

 

The church is ancient and wise and steadfastly holds the annual beginning of the church year, the season of Advent, as a time of awakening, repentance, and preparation for celebrating the nativity of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is forever the second person of the one, holy, blessed and glorious Trinity. For us and for our eternal salvation, God the Father, sent his only begotten son to take upon him our human flesh. This season of Advent provides us time to reflect that at his first coming, our Lord came in great humility, and provides the opportunity to prepare for his second coming in glory such as this world has never seen before.

 

In our verse from the Book of Revelation, mention is given of this second coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the Gospel according to Matthew also refers to the second coming as “the son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”  Matthew 24:30

 

One of my earliest childhood recollections is the impression of the season of Advent, and for years the sermons for the four Sundays in Advent concerned death, judgment, heaven, and hell. We could not place any ornaments on the tree or make any Christmas decorations until returning home after attending the Christmas Eve midnight service. The business world has vastly changed since those years, but even surrounded by the commercial decorations, let us personally endeavor to keep in ourselves this season of Advent as a time to prepare for celebrating the first coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, at
Christmas, and to be mindful of the second coming, and pray that we may so live in this life that when the chief shepherd shall appear, we may receive the crown of glory that fades not away.

 

Prayer
Heavenly Father, as we prepare to focus on your first coming in the flesh, help us remember that you will once again appear to take us to our eternal home!  Amen

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Year End Apeal - Lutheran Church Charities (Daily Devotion Subscriber)

 

Click Here To Donate Online to Lutheran Church Charities     Click Here To View LCC's Year End Report		Keeping our head above water just enough to see the Feet of Jesus walking on it. Dear Daily Devotion Subscriber, His Birth, His Life., His Kingdom... That is what we are about, everything else matters not! Once a year and ONLY once a year, Lutheran Church Charities does a year end appeal to help keep our doors open and cover our administrative costs. We only do this AFTER all our other Dollar In/Dollar Out appeals have been made. I am President of LCC, and I write the daily devotions as part of the ministry of Lutheran Church Charities. Although the devotions do not cost a tremendous amount of money, they still cost time and dollars for distribution and internet costs. We wait until the end of the year to ask for your help with our administrative costs because we do not want you to put us above the other worthwhile ministries that we support, Dollar per Dollar, or the other worthwhile ministries that further the Gospel of Jesus Christ that you may support. We place ourselves last and ask that you remember us. LCC is a ministry that seeks to Initiate, Develop, Promote, and Support Christian Human Care Ministry through Churches that build The Kingdom of God, in the name of God. All that we do seeks to... at the End of the Day, Build God's Kingdom by Changing People's Lives. To read more of what God has done through YOU and LCC, click here. If you would consider a year end gift to help us continue to do Dollar In /Dollar Out pass through giving, please click here. Please keep us in your prayers as we continue to try to be faithful with those ministries that God places in front of us each day. Thank you for your prayers and for considering financially supporting our ministry. In Him, Who at this time of the year shows His Compassion in that HE became Flesh and Dwelt Among Us in the Christ Child! Tim Hetzner Author - Daily Bible Devotions Lutheran Church Charities 333 West Lake Street Addison, IL 60101 www.LutheranChurchCharities.org TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org

Daily Devotion for December 19, 2005

ONCE A YEAR, and only ONCE A YEAR, Lutheran Church Charities does an Appeal to KEEP OUR HEAD ABOVE WATER ENOUGH TO SEE THE FEET OF JESUS WALKING ON IT.  You will be receiving an email today. Please consider giving us support for the various ministries that we Fund and the Relief Efforts we are doing.  Thank you for you prayers and support.

 

Tim Hetzner

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Give Thanks in all Circumstances

 

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

 

It’s been a stormy season—storms of nature, of lives, of the heart, and too often, of faith. Seeing and working with the destruction and devastation in the Gulf States, I’ve longed for the New Jerusalem in which “no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress. No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime” (Isaiah 65: 19-20). Frankly, I was hearing a lot of weeping and cries of distress. And, lives were hurting.

 

Like the psalmist, I cried for God to “restore our fortunes” so that “those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy” (Psalm 126: 4-5). Paul’s admonition to “rejoice always ... give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5: 16,18) gives one hope, but it’s hard at times.  Notice Paul doesn’t say give thanks for all circumstances, but rather IN ALL circumstances!

 

Turn to the Christ child. The humility, grace, and utter faith with which He faced his storms gives me the strength to face mine. What a gift we have this Christmas and each day in our lives.

 

Prayer
Heavenly Father, in all the circumstances that you place me in, let me give you thanks because of your coming into my life.  Amen

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 19, 2005

ONCE A YEAR, and only ONCE A YEAR, Lutheran Church Charities does an Appeal to KEEP OUR HEAD ABOVE WATER ENOUGH TO SEE THE FEET OF JESUS WALKING ON IT.  You will be receiving an email today. Please consider giving us support for the various ministries that we Fund and the Relief Efforts we are doing.  Thank you for you prayers and support.

 

Tim Hetzner

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Give Thanks in all Circumstances

 

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

 

It’s been a stormy season—storms of nature, of lives, of the heart, and too often, of faith. Seeing and working with the destruction and devastation in the Gulf States, I’ve longed for the New Jerusalem in which “no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress. No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime” (Isaiah 65: 19-20). Frankly, I was hearing a lot of weeping and cries of distress. And, lives were hurting.

 

Like the psalmist, I cried for God to “restore our fortunes” so that “those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy” (Psalm 126: 4-5). Paul’s admonition to “rejoice always ... give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5: 16,18) gives one hope, but it’s hard at times.  Notice Paul doesn’t say give thanks for all circumstances, but rather IN ALL circumstances!

 

Turn to the Christ child. The humility, grace, and utter faith with which He faced his storms gives me the strength to face mine. What a gift we have this Christmas and each day in our lives.

 

Prayer
Heavenly Father, in all the circumstances that you place me in, let me give you thanks because of your coming into my life.  Amen

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 16, 2005

Questions

 

Psalms 42 and 43
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.  Psalms 42:11 and Psalm 43:5

 

I ask a lot of questions. I wonder, both aloud and quietly, about the meaning of things. Usually, I want to know small things like what an author or a person may be trying to say. Or perhaps, the meaning of a dream. I wonder about big things too, like the meaning of life. As with most of us, I have made a few discoveries here and there—a few brushes with the sacredness and beauty of life.

 

I have also known a similar despair to that knitted within Psalms 42 and 43. You see, asking big questions sometimes leaves big holes where the answers go. With or without knowing God, that can be a dark place. The psalmist’s questions are heartbreaking. However, they are cloaked and submerged in faithful devotion to God, a devotion that acts as a life preserver in the sometimes choppy waters of faith. His pleas hint that hope is laced in the rhythm of God’s devotion to us, our devotion to God, and our questioning despair, a familiar structure, created in heaven for a purpose. We who came later know that this rhythm of devotion and despair is part of the best story ever told. We know its end was also a beginning.

 

I wonder about my own level of devotion to God in such times. The author’s great faithfulness and devotion seems unmatched. The hope here is wedged in between the writer’s yearning for God, for deliverance, and for the “pouring out of soul” in pleading questions. Maybe the hope I see in these Psalms is tied to the energy required in asking painful questions or in asking questions out of pain. Even without the end of the psalmist’s story, I know light is just beyond the horizon, if only because the writer is so sure of God’s promise and because his yearning is so obvious.

 

So, in this season of hope, what are your questions?

 

Prayer
Lord help me to come to you in All that I do.  Help me look to you and your word for the answers to the questions I ask.  Help me to see that truth is contained in a person, Namely the Christ Child Jesus.  Amen

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 15, 2005

Who’s House am I Getting Ready?

 

"Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?" Haggai 1:4

 

The Book of Haggai tells us that when the Jews returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian exile, there was famine and drought in the land. The people were consumed with daily cares and apathy, and their initial efforts to rebuild Solomon’s Temple came to a standstill. Then, Haggai rallied the people by “the Word of the Lord,” and the Second Temple was finally built.

 

In a different time, as the psalmist called on God for protection from his enemies, he cried, “O Lord, do not be far from me. Wake up! Bestir yourself for my defense” (Psalm 35:22-23).

 

So much about these readings reminds me of my own preoccupations and frequent neglect of God, even against my sometimes desperate calls to God for help. I call on God, but do I really listen and seek his reply? Am I too busy preparing for Christmas that I miss CHRIST in Christmas?  Am I spending more time getting the house ready for Christmas rather then preparing MY House, Myself for the Christ child?

 

In one of the saddest laments of the gospel, Jesus says, “How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings and you were not willing!” (Mathew 23:37). Jesus wants to gather us at his side, give us comfort, and relieve our cares, but we must be willing to listen and open our hearts in obedience to his call. Then, as we are told in Revelation (Revelation 2:18-29), those who remain faithful will fully live in Christ’s power and his presence in our daily lives.

 

Prayer
Lord, during this Advent season and throughout the coming year, give us hearts, minds, and ears to hear your call. Amen

 

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		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 14, 2005

Walking in Peace

 

Do not snatch the word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws. Psalm 119:43

 

This verse speaks (as well as all of Psalm 119) to us of the freedom and joy of obedience to the laws God gave to the Hebrews. Whether you use the Ten Commandments or the summary of the law as given to us by Jesus (Mark 12:29-31), it is the focus on and obedience to the law which sets us free. “I shall walk at liberty, for I have sought your precepts.”

 

How can that be? To give ourselves, our own wants and desires to God’s will seems like a big sacrifice. If God is so loving, how can He demand our love and obedience? How can we trust that taking His law into our hearts, minds, and spirits is going to do more for us than we can do for ourselves by our own efforts and man-made laws? It’s simple, we screw up each day – God does not.  He is a consistent God that gives us his precepts to walk in – it is there that we find peace, we find safety!

 

The psalmist knows that the Lord our God does love us and provides simple guidelines for our freedom so that we can know that love,  worship him, and prepare for the Good News of the Christ child who brings everlasting peace. “I find my delight in your commandments, which I love.”

 

Prayer
Heavenly Father – help me daily walk in your ways.  It is here that I find the Peace that comes in the Christ Child this Christmas.  Amen

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 13, 2005

Beginning and Ending

 

I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. Revelation 1:8

 

This passage is encouraging to me. It says that God is the beginning and the ending of everything. It says that despite all the war, poverty, and meanness in the world, God is the beginning and the endpoint and all will be made right. Meditating on this verse allows me to rest in the middle, without intimidation, in the sure knowledge of God’s love and perfection. This Advent season is a reminder to us that God’s love for humanity is so great that he chose to walk among us and set us free by releasing his resurrecting spirit upon the earth.

 

But there is much for us to do. There are still many of us who are hungry and thirsty, naked and cold, alone and afraid, sick and dying. Jesus, the Word made flesh, enters our lives in this Advent season to show us how to feed, clothe, comfort, and heal. His birth reminds us that we will find him right here, among the lonely and the suffering. Our part is to recognize Christ in the world—in everyone and everywhere. We participate with Christ in the redemption of the world when we recognize his presence in others.

 

It is so easy to get distracted from doing our part to usher in the Kingdom of God. We do this by our constant pointing out what they, over there, should be doing to right the wrongs in the world. Little is accomplished by this. But much is accomplished in the quiet recognition of the Christ in all of us, including our enemies. It may not seem very significant, but neither did the birth of a little child a long time ago.

 

Prayer
Jesus, help me to share your beginning with others so they can have an ending in you – eternity with you.  Amen

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 12, 2005

Which is the Greatest?

 

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"  Matthew 22:34-46

 

There is wonderful drama built up in the gospels when someone tries to trap Jesus in his words, yet we, the readers, know that the proud will be humbled. In this case, a lawyer tries to test Jesus by asking him what he thinks is the most important law. At first, it may seem a very weak attempt at trapping Jesus. Why not ask him his favorite color? Or what’s the best way to prepare bread? Couldn’t this just be seen as setting someone up for an objective answer?

 

But at this time Jesus was inching his way into the spiritual authorities’ places, and this lawyer thought he might weed him out. Let’s test Jesus; let’s show him that with all our laws and countless addendums, it’s impossible to pick the most important. And if he tries, I’ll have five more to counter when he answers, “Thou shalt not murder” or “Thou shalt not” something or other. I can’t wait for it!

 

Instead of answering as the lawyer expected, Jesus says: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.” And then Jesus adds his own addendum to this point: “And the second is like unto it, love your neighbor as yourself.” (Lev. 18:18) Jesus shocks him by putting together two laws that the Jews had never put together before!  One is like the other!

 

Silence followed. And a humbled lawyer pondered the law anew.

 

May we hear the Lord’s words in that same humbled spirit.

 

Prayer
To love you Father God is to love others with your love, and to do it with our whole being.  Help me do that consistently with others.  Amen

 

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		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 9, 2005

RENDER TO GOD

 

Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words.  Matthew 22:15

 

In the reading from Matthew, the Pharisees plotted to entrap Jesus  in what he said: “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.” They brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?”
“Caesar” they answered. Then he said to them, “Give therefore to Caesar that which Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed.

 

I love this story. This was no mealy-mouth Jesus, speaking in stories with obscure meanings. There are many layers of meaning that could be pulled from it, but the obvious meaning is beautiful. Jesus knows exactly what the Pharisees are trying to do, and he knows that if they can trick him, they will do him harm. He lets them know that he understands what they are trying to do, and that they have not fooled him even a little bit with their attempt at flattery. He calls them what they know themselves to be. Even at that, he catches them off guard by asking for a coin. Rulers in the ancient world always put their profile on the coin of the realm. Render this coin to Caesar when he taxes you; it has come from him, and you have benefited from Roman civilization. This has nothing to do with God. Render to God that which is from God: your heart, your mind, and your spirit. And most importantly, do not confuse the two.

 

Prayer
Heavenly Father, you created me, and you own me.  Help me release myself into your care – help me render myself to you.  Amen

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 8, 2005

Depressed

 

Today’s Readings
Psalm 22, Amos 5:1-17, Jude 1-16, Matthew 22:1-14

 

If I want to be depressed, I can read the newspaper. I usually feel uplifted when I read the Bible. But today’s readings are bleak, to say the least. It’s hard to find a glimmer of light. Psalm 22 is the psalm appointed for Good Friday, and it reflects the darkness of that day. The gospel reading from Matthew ends with the ominous words: “Many are called but few are chosen.” Amos laments the fall of Israel, and the faithlessness of God in failing to provide for Israel’s continued cohesion as a nation. In the New Testament reading, Jude warns of evil ones in the midst of believers. What are we to make of the almost unrelieved darkness of these passages?

 

As I read these readings, I found myself thinking that I must be missing something. Those who have constructed the lectionary to guide us in our readings (where I got the verses for today) have placed these four readings, two from the Old Testament and two from the New, together for this day intentionally. What had I missed?

Yet you are he that took me out of the womb,
And kept me safe upon my mother’s breast.

 

I have been entrusted to you ever since I was born;
You were my God when I was still in my mother’s womb.

 

Psalm 22 tells me that I have been entrusted to God; there is no safety other than in God. I know this and must admit I have to learn it over and over. Life can be a very disappointing business, and things do not always turn out the way I think they should. When the gospel suggests “many are called but few are chosen,” it would be easy to pull the covers over my head and give up. But on most days I try to put my trust in God, the only safety that I know.

 

Prayer
Heavenly Father, in darkness, in depression, there is always a light and a hope in you.  As I prepare for your coming, help me focus on that which can help me through.  Amen

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		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 7, 2005

A Sturdy Rock

 

This God—his way is perfect; the promise of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for those who take refuge in him. Psalm 18:30.

 

This year many of us had firsthand experience with evacuees from Hurricane Katrina. We saw the horrors of the pain and destruction left in the wake of the storm; we saw the heroes who participated in the rescue and relief efforts. We saw the difference that an open heart and a loving response can make to those who have known such loss and devastation. We opened our doors, and we went out among the families and individuals affected by the storm as we all looked to God for refuge, for solace, and for strength.

 

You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn. Psalm 18:36.

 

This verse reminds me of a time I was in Israel and was walking a narrow path on the Wadi Quilt.  I had come to a point in the path where there was no longer a path!  I had to put one foot on a rock several feet higher than the ground I was on in order to get to the other side of the path.  It was a scary moment!

 

The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation. Psalm 18:46.

 

It doesn’t take a catastrophic event to make us feel that we have lost our way, that our footing is unsure, that we can’t go on. There are those among us who face serious illness, or a troubled relationship, or a job loss, or financial struggles, or the deteriorating health of a loved one. Whatever the storm might be, the love of God as expressed through his people can restore hope and faith and the capacity for love.

 

As we use the season of Advent to prepare our hearts for his birth, let us also remember and celebrate that the Lord lives! He is our rock, and the God of our salvation.

 

Prayer
Jesus, you are my rock that I can rely on when my path is narrow.  Help me trust in you for what you are!  Amen

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 6, 2005

Which son am I?

 

…“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief… 2 Peter 3:1-10 and Matthew 21:23-32

 

2 Peter 3 warns us that in the last days, scoffers will come, following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” Then we are reassured that, “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” And again, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.”

 

Shall we be the scoffers, saying, “Come Lord Jesus, but not right now?” Shall we go complacently about our lives, not daring to share what we know of Christ with our neighbor, while the scriptures tell us clearly that Christ’s delay in coming is for the purpose of allowing time for the salvation of many? Will we then be to blame for our friend’s loss in the Day of Judgment?

 

Today’s lessons are addressed to persons of influence or position with authority in the church, known for their participation in service and worship and the ability to contribute. This includes every one of us, as we each have our sphere of influence and talents to offer for the Lord’s work. In each case we are called to serve one another in kindness and sincerity while remaining mindful of the consequences for those who misrepresent, or who decline to represent, the Lord. The gospel lesson ties it all together with the story of the man who asked his two sons to work in the fields. One says, “I will not,” but he does. The other says “Yes, Father,” but he did not go. Today, I must ask myself, which son am I?

 

Prayer
Heaven Father, help me to be the son you came for and the son you sent your son to redeem.  Amen

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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 5, 2005

Not a Time to be Alone

 

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.  John 10:10 

 

Advent is a season of preparation. We prepare for the birth of the Christ child as parents prepare for the birth of a baby. Parents prepare carefully for the birth of a child, knowing that this new life will effect profound changes within their relationship and within the community.

 

Are we behaving in a way that befits this gift and augments its arrival? Alternatively, are we ignoring this graciousness, doing as we please? In doing as we please, we are actually missing out. Behaving selfishly isolates us from others, so greed leads to loneliness. People already in pain hurt twice as much by being left alone. Nobody profits by this.

 

Communion is important for humans because sharing is important. Sharing increases our enjoyment and relieves pain and isolation. In Advent, we become mindful of our behaviors because our joy will be full when the baby arrives.

 

Jesus said, “I have come that you may have life, and have it more abundantly.”

 

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to always see that you created us to be a people in community, a people with purpose because of you.  Help me to share you and all that you have entrusted to me with others in need.  Amen

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for December 2, 2005

Advent Every Day

 

The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'  Matthew 25:40 

 

Advent comes from the Latin word for an “arrival” or a “coming.” Advent is that time we particularly focus on the Lord’s coming. Jesus Christ, our brother in our humanity and our God in his divinity is about to arrive. And he comes to us in different ways.

 

First, Jesus came to us at a specific point in history at Bethlehem about 2000 years ago. Each time we celebrate Christmas, he mystically comes to each of us again.

 

Second, the Lord, the Alpha and the Omega, will come in glory to judge the living and the dead at the Second Coming.

 

Third, the redeemer comes to us in grace. He comes to us in the Eucharist and in the Word of God proclaimed. He speaks to us in our consciences. He arrives in the person of the needy, the suffering, and the oppressed.

 

In late August of this year, a great natural disaster struck the Gulf Coast of the United States. This past week as I was down in the Gulf States, I was awed by the magnitude of the volunteer assistance and caring given to the Katrina hurricane victims. And I often heard Matthew 25:40—“Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” — in my consciousness.

 

I was told of a story about prison inmates in Louisiana who were freed after the hurricane based on their promise to lend assistance to those in need. Rather than flee, most chose to help rescue the stranded and helpless. One inmate reported a never before action of his (reaching out to aid) and the resulting never before experienced emotion (worthiness from helping an unknown someone). Christ had entered his heart.

 

Being in the Gulf States, I was once again made aware that Jesus arrives every day of the year, and I must always be ready to receive and welcome him.

 

Prayer
Heavenly Father – come into my heat this Advent season and always!  Help me to see you in the needs of others and to have your compassion flow through me to others.  Come now Lord Jesus.  Amen

 

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Want to learn more about the Bible Jesus used – The Old Testament – and the Bible Jesus taught?  Enroll today in Word Among Us – Cover to Cover study of the Bible starting in Genesis and going through Revelation including the inter - testamental period, using history and archeology and Biblical culture to make the text alive - taught by Tim Hetzner.
Class sites are across the USA. Click here for more information.

Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom