WELS Military Devotions

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Based on Romans 8:28-39

Nothing Can Separate You Our daughter got married last month, and someone was missing at that wedding. Our son-in-law’s younger brother could not attend. He is currently in school, training to be a diver for the Navy, and of course, he had training that weekend. My brother-in-law who serves in the US Army had to report to his new duty station that weekend, and he missed the wedding celebration. That’s hard for a family and for the war fighter who signed up to give their entire life in service to their country.

Separation. This is a common theme I hear when I listen to war fighters who are deployed or in school. When I was in Korea and Okinawa in June, I asked our Soldiers and Marines, “What’s been the thing that you struggle with the most?” Separation. Missing out on weddings, birthdays, the birth of a child, anniversaries, funerals—one naval officer missed his son’s high school graduation in Japan this spring.

The other answer I receive is this: “We miss church. Yes, we can watch online, but it’s not the same. We miss being in person with our church family.”

There is another side of separation that I think applies here. As a war fighter, especially one who has experienced trauma or moral injury, symptoms of depression and anxiety can create a separation in the relationships you have; sometimes it’s a past tense “had.” That’s difficult.

As you think about all these types of separation, the Apostle Paul asks the question that we need to ask, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (Romans 8:35). Now, the Apostle Paul isn’t implying that your other relationships aren’t important. They are important. But isn’t the most important relationship that we can have with Christ, our Savior? When we experience deep separation from family, from major life events, from church family, it helps to know where we stand with him.

Paul answers the question for us: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38,39).

You will miss major life events. Your heart will ache because many miles and circumstances isolate you from others who love you. But there is no distance, no circumstance, no military order that can keep Christ from being present with you, nor can it keep him from loving you.

He is there with you right now as you listen to these words. He has promised it. He is with your loved ones and friends. He promises it. He loves them. He loves you. The proof is that he chose to be separated from God his Father on the cross so that you might never know separation from God.

When you feel that you are missing God’s presence in your life, pick up this book. Open up to Romans chapter 8 and read it out loud. And listen. God speaks to your heart. God makes his love known to you in Christ. God is present. Nothing can separate you from his love for you.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, when our war fighters and their families and friends are lonely, be present as you promise. Make your love known to them as they open your Word to hear you speak peace and love and forgiveness to them. Reunite all war fighters with their families in your good time. Keep them connected to you, the one who did not allow even death to come between you and your love for them. In your name I pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

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Based on Ephesians 1:4-6

You Are Chosen At the time of this recording, I first learned the names of the four US Soldiers who gave their lives in service to our country: Sgt. Michael Swinton, Sgt. Angel Rampersad, 1st Lt. Tyler Feehan, Pfc. Isabella Gonzales.

Combat, war, death, physical wounds, the unseen wounds of trauma and moral injury—these are all evidence of the presence of the devil at work in our world, and the influence of sin on the hearts of sinful people who want to kill and destroy.

During times like this, you wonder, and you ask God questions, “How am I to trust you when there is no guarantee that I will make it home from deployment in one piece or alive at all? How am I to trust you when I have prayed to come home, and we continue to be extended indefinitely? How am I to trust you when my loved one or friend is downrange and life is falling apart around me?”

When you wonder if God cares for you, when you question his love for you, when you believe Satan’s lie that God is not capable to provide or protect you. . .then ask, “What does God say in times like this?”

Listen to these truths from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves” (Ephesians 1:4-6).

Before God created the world, he decided in his heart that he would choose you to be saved. In time he made that election and calling certain at your baptism. Baptized in water and the Word, he adopted you into his family. You are his son or daughter, for now and for eternity. He did all of this in Christ, that is, because of what Jesus Christ has done for you. He was blameless and holy for you. He shed his blood for you. He loved you. And so, God chose you in Christ.

War and combat, injury of mind and soul, grief and sorrow, not even death can change this truth: You are chosen in Christ. Therefore, you are his son. You are his daughter. You are the object of his love, in life and in death.

Prayer:

Father, your thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are your ways our ways. In your wisdom you have allowed the terrors of war to strike the families of these four Soldiers who died in service to our country. Do not let their sacrifice be in vain. Comfort those who grieve with the sure promise of the resurrection from the dead. Send your holy angels to protect our war fighters while they are training and actively engaged in combat. Bring peace to this region of the world so that we may live in peace. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Colossians 3:1,2

Greater Wealth I read a recent news article that outlined the discussions between the Senate Armed Services Committee, House Appropriations Committee and Congress and how they are looking at a proposed tiered military pay raise. In my honest opinion I don’t think you are paid enough for what you do, especially knowing how food insecurity can be an issue especially among junior enlisted, barracks conditions, housing affordability, issues with BAH and BAS, costs with PCS moves and quality of life challenges. I know that Congress has been trying to address these issues. The current disagreement is whether pay increases should focus on those facing the greatest financial challenges—which are junior enlisted—or should be distributed evenly. I don’t know the answer.

What I do know is that a lot of you did not join our nation’s military to become wealthy. Some of you joined because you want to serve. Others joined for the ability to pay for continuing education later in life. Still others joined to learn skills in a vocation that would transition well into the civilian world. Even though you didn’t join the military to become wealthy, you can still fall into one of these two ditches when it comes to money and wealth. The one ditch is that you trust too much in your wealth, when you look to your wealth as your security. The other ditch is despair when it appears that you are not receiving your daily bread.

This is why Jesus gave us the Lord’s Prayer, specifically the fourth petition. When we pray, “Give us today our daily bread,” we trust our Father to do just that: Father, give us what you promise! And we will rest content with what he so graciously provides us. Part of that petition includes prayers for your government, which provides your housing and food, and so we pray for wisdom for our leaders.

Out of all the temptations Jesus warns us about, he focuses the most on wealth and money, because he knows what a trap the love of money can be for his people.

Today, he calls us to repent, and then to look to Christ who never fell into either ditch. He rested perfectly contented in his Father’s ability to provide. This is your true treasure, your true wealth: Christ Jesus. Earthly wealth comes and goes, but forgiveness—the cancellation of all your debt to God—the resurrection from the dead, life eternal, the strength to continue here on this earth until that day comes, that is priceless.

Listen to the Apostle Paul’s encouragement in Colossians 3:1,2, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ. . . set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Keep Christ in your hearts as your most prized possession.

Prayer:

Father, you provide all that we need for our bodies. Help us to trust you to do what you promise us. Move us to seek the greater treasures you pour out on us in your Word, our baptisms, your Holy Supper, so that we might obtain Christ, our greatest wealth. Provide for our service members so that they are never in want. Grant wisdom to our Congress and our president as they work on a budget that will adequately support all ranks of war fighters in our nation’s military. We trust in you, through Jesus. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on 1 Timothy 6:11-16

Fight the Good Fight What are you willing to fight for? When you signed the dotted line, you said to the country, “I am willing to fight for you, for justice, for freedom; I am willing to fight against all enemies foreign and domestic.” And I thank you for that.

Take that same willingness and apply it to your spiritual life. What are you willing to fight for? In a letter to another pastor the apostle Paul commands Timothy, “Fight the good fight of the faith.” The faith, the trust, and belief in the truth that Jesus Christ is God and man, the faith in the truth that he lived a righteous life, that he truly died, that he rose from the dead—the faith that he did this for you, so that you, by believing, by having faith in this truth, might “take hold of the eternal life” (1 Timothy 6:12).

How is your faith fight? Whether you perceive it or not, you are engaged in a fight, a wrestling match, combat if you will, every single day of your life. This fracas is against the lie from Satan that it is just not worth your time or effort, the lie that you can get after it later, the lie that it is not as important as all the other things you have going on in your life, as relationships, your wealth and finances, your physical health, what you do on leave or liberty. The truth is that all those things suffer when we don’t fight the good fight of the faith.

The apostle Paul reassures Pastor Timothy and you, where you and I have become apathetic or disinterested in our fight, Jesus fought the good fight for us. Paul points us to a skirmish that shows Jesus’ persistence. “While testifying before Pontius Pilate [Jesus] made the good confession” (1 Timothy 6:13).

My fellow fighters, when the battle is long, when you are weary, when you have lapsed, flee to Christ and see your failures pardoned in Christ’s persistent faith.

Then stand on your feet and get ready to “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11). Fight the good fight of the faith until Jesus appears and you may rest from your struggle.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, the fight for my faith in you is fierce and I am often weary. Sometimes I am lazy. Forgive me. Restore me by the strength of your forgiveness. Renew in me the desire to daily put on the armor of God so that I might fight against the lies of the devil with the truths you have taught me. Cause me to stand firm so that I might help others fight the good fight of the faith in you. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Isaiah 55:10-11

Sown and Planted When I visited the Republic of Korea last month, I met with Jim Brandt and his wife Kathy. They live in Thailand and are part of the Asia-Oceania Team. Part of their responsibilities are to plant house churches. Jim mentors and coaches over 700 groups who gather around Word and Sacrament in the Asia-Oceania region. That’s incredible! Over 700 groups of people who want to grow in the promises of Jesus and who are going out with those promises of Jesus.

It’s incredible because this is how God first planted faith in your heart. For some of you, it was at your baptism. Through water and his Word, the Holy Spirit planted the seed of faith in your heart so that you believe Jesus has saved you from death, from sin, from the devil, and has saved you for eternal life. For others, it was a friend, family member or stranger who shared the good news of Jesus with you. Through that Word the Holy Spirit planted the seed in your heart.

What does all of this have to do with WELS Ministry to the Military? Sometimes military members retire and stay in the area of their last duty station. That is true for at least one individual right here in the Republic of Korea. He will retire this year and remain here. He is already being trained through the Friends Network. He is already working with Great Light Lutheran Church in Seoul. He wants to sow the seed of the gospel among fellow US service members and the ROK Army Soldiers.

I am not saying that you need to up and move to Asia to do this work. God has put you right where you are for a very specific purpose. Plant the seed of the gospel wherever God has planted you. Whether that’s in the barracks, on base housing or off base/post housing, at the range, in the schoolhouse or downrange – grow in that life-giving and life-sustaining Word that has been planted in you. And then go. Go and plant the seed of the gospel and let God do the work.

Listen to God’s promise through Isaiah: “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for eater, so is my Word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11) .

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I pray for all our military service members and their families. You often plant them in unique settings where civilians cannot go. Send your Holy Spirit to them through your Word and Sacrament. Cause them to be firmly planted in your promises. Then make them faithful planters of your seed. Cause it to grow according to your good purpose. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Genesis 8:15-22

To my friends in the Navy, happy birthday! This October 13th you will celebrate 250 years as a branch in our nation’s military!

Speaking of the Navy reminds me of the world’s first sailor; at least he’s the first recorded sailor. He was neither a commander nor a captain, not even an ensign. He was a civilian, just a passenger along for the ride. No one was steering his ship. No one maintained and executed a navigational course for the cruise. He just floated up for a year and ten days and then floated back down again.

God had looked down on the earth and his heart was grieved. He saw the wickedness, depravity, and violence and needed to do something. In love he sent a flood and rainfall this world has never seen. Everything with the breath of life in it died, except for those on the ship. Everything and everyone on it survived. Was it because of the construction of that ship? No. The Lord had made a promise. His undeserved love and generosity preserved Noah and his wife and their three sons and their wives and all the animals with them on that ark.

God also promised to throw a life raft to humankind. His name was Jesus. He traced his ancestry back to Noah and his son Shem.

And what was Noah’s reaction after 375 days cooped up in a massive barge with all those animals and his family? The first thing he did was show genuine gratitude and thanksgiving to God. He offered an animal sacrifice to say thank you.

Martin Luther, the 16th-century reformer, made a connection between your baptism and this ship in the flood. At your baptism you were placed in the safety of the ark of the holy Christian church. God could rightly say to you, “Fair winds and following seas!” Even though the ark of the Church is rocked by storms, winds, and floods—wicked people who attack the words and works of Jesus, wars, controversies, and false teachings—that ship . . . she will never perish. God has promised it.

And one day for you and me this ark will dock at the port of heaven. You will say to the officer of the deck, “Request permission to go ashore.” He will respond, “Bravo Zulu. Well done, good and faithful servant. Come and enjoy all that your captain has prepared for you.”

While we wait for that day when we disembark upon the shores of heaven, we hear God’s promise that he made to that first “sailor” and his family: never again to curse the ground with a worldwide catastrophic flood. His rainbow in the sky is a picture of that promise. Remember that promise every time you see his rainbow.

He also promised this: “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease” (Genesis 8:22).

Your Creator God promises to provide all you need as long as you live. Live in confidence as you sail on, confident in God’s providence for you.

Prayer:

Eternal Father, strong to save, whose arm hath bound the restless wave, who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep its own appointed limits keep: O hear us when we cry to thee for those in peril on the sea. Amen. (Christian Worship: Hymnal 805 v. 1)

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Luke 17:5,6,10

By the time you read this devotion, a war fighter will have redeployed back to the United States. For six months she faithfully served in her AFSC, receiving commendations and the respect of her squadron. When she was switched from night shift to day shift, both groups of coworkers said, “Something is different about her.” She is the kind of gal who brings joy, faithfully serves the needs of others, and finds ways to work with those who are difficult to work with. During her deployment she was also a faithful spouse and mother.

That’s difficult, isn’t it? How do you faithfully serve in the vocations of wife and mother when you’re halfway around the world, ten time zones away?

This is life in our nation’s military. You struggle to be faithful servants in each of the vocations to which God has called you: a married war fighter; a war fighter with kiddos; a single war fighter; your vocation as a member of a church, as a citizen, as a good neighbor, as a friend—it can be overwhelming at times, especially when you’re halfway around the world.

In Luke chapter 17 Jesus spoke to his disciples about their vocations and how to carry them out. After listening to Jesus, they were so overwhelmed that they cried out to him, “Increase our faith!” (verse 5). Jesus replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you” (verse 6).

Your ability to carry out your vocation does not depend on your strength, your management of time, your talents, or even your love for other people. Your ability to effectively carry out your orders to serve others depends on your faith. Notice that Jesus doesn’t point to the strength of your faith. He points to its object. Faith’s object—the thing that it clings to, holds on to, rests upon—is Christ. Faith rests in his forgiveness when we fail miserably in our vocations. Faith finds its strength in Christ’s righteousness for us when we are weak or lazy in our vocations. Faith trusts that Christ will do what he promises when we look to him for faith to move mountains. The mountains in this case are to carry out our duty in whatever vocation God has called us to serve others.

Finally, Jesus says, “When you have done everything you were told to do, [you] should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty’ ” (verse 10). We humbly serve him who in perfect humility served us. With all the strength he provides, let us carry out his orders to serve in faith and duty.

Prayer:

Almighty God, in your bountiful goodness, keep us safe from every evil of body and soul. Make us ready, with cheerful hearts, to do whatever pleases you. As veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom pause to remember the beginning of that campaign on October 6, 2001, we know that this war changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of war fighters and their families. For those who bear on their bodies the scars of combat, and for those who carry in their minds and souls the traumas of war, we call upon your compassion and mercy to provide healing, patience, and forgiveness. Our faith trusts you to do this, for this is the kind of God you are for us. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Hebrews 13:1

One of the questions I often receive is this: “Chaplain Horn, since you have not served in our nation’s military, do you find it hard to relate to those who do?” It’s a fair question. Sometimes it is challenging to relate to experiences I’ve never had. Yet God has given me you to share your experiences and stories. God has given me experiences through you to help me better understand what you go through as you serve in our nation’s military. I’ve been privileged to spend time out on the range and in the field, in barracks, on ships, at VA hospitals, in military cemeteries, and at military ceremonies.

Through these experiences, I’ve observed the deep brotherhood and sisterhood among service members. This bond is forged through enduring hardships together, relying on each other, protecting one another, and building each other up—not just for the mission’s success but for the sake of the human beings God has placed in your life. This connection mirrors what the writer of Hebrews describes: “Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters (Hebrews 13:1).

Here, the family described isn’t limited to the military but extends to the family of Christ. We call each other brothers and sisters not out of formality but because Jesus himself calls us his brothers and sisters. He took on human flesh, suffered, was tempted, died, and rose again—all to make us part of his eternal family. Through him, we share in the blessings of forgiveness and unconditional love, even when we fall short in showing love and kindness.

When the writer to the Hebrews encourages us to “keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters,” it’s more than a suggestion; it’s a reflection of who Christ has made us to be. Through Holy Baptism, we are bound together in a connection stronger than any earthly bond, rooted in Christ’s eternal love.

As you reflect on the camaraderie within your military unit, let it remind you of the greater, eternal bond you share with your brother Jesus and with one another in Christ. Let us keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters until we join God’s eternal family in heaven. Amen.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for the eternal bond we share through Christ, a connection deeper than any earthly tie. Help us to love one another as true brothers and sisters, reflecting your unconditional grace. Today we lift up Gold Star Mothers, whose hearts bear the weight of profound loss. Comfort them with your peace, surround them with loving support, and remind them of the eternal family in Christ. Grant them strength, hope, and the assurance of your abiding presence. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on 1 Timothy 6:6-10

Happy birthday to my friends in the Air Force and Air National Guard! Integrity first, service above self, and excellence in all you do—with a grateful heart I say thank you for your service.

Last month in my daily brief e-mail from military.com, I learned that the national average for your BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) rose almost 5.5 percent this year. I also learned that most military pay increased 4.5 percent with junior enlisted receiving a 14.5 percent raise in their paycheck. I mention all of that to say how grateful I am that our Father in heaven has provided this for you.

I also share because I’ve been in many military homes, apartments, base or post housing, and barracks, and I have to say that you as members of our nation’s military live modestly. God the Father provides your daily bread—as he promises—and sometimes there are stages of life where finances seem not to be a worry at all for you. You don’t think twice about going out to eat with your family, or taking that awesome vacation, or going out with friends every weekend. But there are stages of life where finances seem to always be a little snug. You really have to watch how you spend your income.

It’s no secret that God the Father who gives you your daily bread through your vocation as a war fighter has something to say about your wealth. Through the apostle Paul, writing to a pastor named Timothy, he says to you and me: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:6-10).

“We will be content with that.” That is a difficult thing to do, isn’t it? Sometimes the devil takes that good thing that God gifts to you and turns it into this: “If I just had a little more, I’d be happier. I could afford a little nicer home in a nicer part of town or get a nicer car . . .” And the list goes on.

Or he takes you in a different direction. Because of the wealth God the Father showers on you, you may be tempted not to take to heart the fourth petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “Give us today our daily bread,” because there’s no need to lean on the Father for daily bread since you’re rolling in it.

And then on other hand, when you live modestly, or have to go without, when you’re on the financial struggle bus, the devil holds in front of your eyes all those people who have more than you. He shows you all that you could have, all that you could do if you had more. You’d be happy, at least happier, and not stressing so much about money.

God sends us these warnings about the love of money and addresses the attitude of our hearts toward money and wealth because he doesn’t want it to be the idol that we construct in our hearts. As Paul warns, it is so we do not “wander from the faith.” We will no longer look to our Father with thanksgiving, no longer look to him to provide, no longer look to him to be our Savior.

That’s why God talks about money so frequently in the Scriptures—so that we repent and tear down the idols we’ve erected in our hearts—so that we turn from them and turn to the one who “was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). That’s your Savior Jesus, your priceless treasure, the one thing needed, the one who is the Bread of Life, the one who left the riches and wealth of heaven to be born as a poor human being. He came to live with no idols in his heart, to live with full dependence on his Father for his daily bread. He lived with joyful thanksgiving in his heart toward his Father for his daily bread so that you might be forgiven. And you are forgiven by his perfect life lived for you! So that you might live content lives in Christ, knowing and trusting that in Christ you have all things. So that you might say, “Yes! Godliness with contentment is great gain. I am content because I am in Christ!”

Prayer:

O God, you have told us not to be anxious about what we need for this life. Move our hearts to seek you and your kingdom, that all good things may be given to us as well. Since 1947 the mission of our United States Air Force and Air National Guard is to fly, fight, and win. Through our Air Force and Air Guard you, O Lord, have kept watch from the heavens. You have allowed the power of our Air Force to strike fear in the hearts of our enemies—through this show of force you keep us safe. O Spirit, whom the Father sent to spread abroad the firmament, O wind of heaven, by your might save all who dare the eagle’s flight, and keep them by your watchful care from every peril in the air. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Luke 15:1-7

“He’s lost.” “They’re definitely lost.” “I think we’re lost.” These are words you don’t want to hear during land nav training. As a war fighter, you need to know exactly where you are at all times, for your own safety, for the safety of your battle buddies, and for the success of the mission. If you don’t know exactly where you are, you have the training to figure it out: “Okay, I see these land markers” or “I can look up at the stars, moon, and sun and figure out where I’m going.”

Not everybody has that skill set. I’m not just talking about orienteering or navigating across the ocean. Sometimes in life people feel lost and honestly don’t know where to go or where they’re headed. I believe that was true after 9/11. For Americans it was unbelievable. Many people in our country were lost—maybe you were among them. When a large-scale attack like that happens, we ask questions—not just of our government, “How did we miss this?”—but deeper questions: “Where was God? Why did he allow this to happen? Can he keep me safe from a future disaster?”

For many of you, this event changed the course of your life, your vocation, your career. You experienced things that human beings struggle to process: trauma, combat stress, failed marriages, failed relationships, addiction, fighting the demons within. At times you’ve had to admit, “I’m lost right now.” Or you know someone . . . and you can tell, or maybe you just know it: “They’re definitely lost.”

If that’s you, Jesus has words for you today. In Luke 15 he told a story about a shepherd who had one hundred sheep in his flock. After counting them he noticed one of the sheep was missing. He only counted 99 sheep. So he left the 99 in the open country and searched and searched until he found that lost sheep. And when he found that one lost sheep, he put it up over his shoulders and marched home. He called his neighbors and friends and said, “Rejoice with me! I have found my lost sheep!”

Jesus is that Good Shepherd. He knows that you are lost. He knows that others are lost. He is concerned. He doesn’t want any sheep to be lost to the wolves, to their depression, to the demons in their minds, to despair. And so he goes after you and the other lost sheep. He wants to bring them back home, back to families who love and forgive, back to church families who love and forgive, back to chaplains and pastors who will listen and love and announce forgiveness and peace and hope in Christ Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who cares for his lost sheep.

Jesus uses people like you and me to search for those lost sheep. When they hear the voice of their Good Shepherd, they can say, “I was lost, but now I’m found by Christ. Now I am found in Christ. Now I am safe with Christ.”

Jesus says that the angels in heaven rejoice when a lost sheep is brought back to his flock. Let’s give the angels an opportunity to rejoice.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, Good Shepherd of the sheep, keep a close eye on those who are lost. Send us to go and find them, to speak your words into their ears so that you might touch their hearts. Do as you promise; let none of those sheep whom the Father has given you be lost out of your loving grasp.

As our nation mourns and grieves those lost on 9/11 and those lost because of the war that followed, bring healing and comfort through your Word of promise. Protect our nation. Grant success to the missions of those whose vocation it is to keep us safe from the attacks of our enemies. In your name we pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Galatians 4:4-7

They really had nowhere to go. They were wandering through mountainous regions and wilderness areas. They had little to no food, little to no water, no shelter, no extra clothes. They were fleeing from the wrath of a dictator who wanted to wipe them from the face of this earth. This is 500,000 people we’re talking about. These are the Kurds that were fleeing from Saddam Hussein.

Then comes Operation Provide Comfort.

Humanitarian and military aid came to help these Kurds, and among those groups that came to help them were the 10th Group Special Forces, known as the Green Berets. The motto of the Green Berets is on a challenge coin that somebody had gifted to me. It says, “De oppresso liber.” It’s a Latin phrase that means “to free the oppressed.” That 10th Group Special Forces was credited with saving the lives of 500,000 Kurds from extinction.

De oppresso liber. Isn’t that what Jesus came to do? That’s the truth we hear in our reading today from Galatians chapter 4. This letter to the Galatians—that region is actually in modern-day Turkey, which really isn’t that far from where the oppressed were liberated.

Listen to the apostle Paul’s words. He says, “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’ So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir” (Galatians 4:4-7).

Like the Kurds in the early 1990s—with nowhere to go, feeling entrapped, feeling enslaved—maybe there are times you feel that way. Not because an evil dictator is trying to wipe you from the face of this earth, but because of Christmases past, or maybe because of past New Years, where you made an honest resolution to change not just bad habits in your life but sinful behaviors. Times that you wanted to change your attitude toward your family members, your spouse, your children, your own parents, your co-workers, your friends, or just the random person out in the community.

The times you wish you would have been Christ to somebody in a way that was meaningful to them, and you just failed to do that. All of that guilt has you in shackles, and you feel there’s nowhere to go because of that guilt.

Well, in comes Jesus with Operation Redemption. At the right time in history, God sent his Son to be born of a woman, to take on our human flesh. That means that he had to be born under the requirements of God’s laws and his commandments. But Jesus fulfilled all of those perfectly in his attitude and his actions and his words toward his family members, his siblings, his parents, his friends, even those enemies of his—those who oppressed him.

Jesus was perfect in everything he said to them, the way that he loved them, and the way that he forgave them. And by that perfect life he has redeemed you, which means that he has set you free from that guilt.

You are no longer slaves to your guilt. Take that guilt to Jesus, and know that he has set you free from it. He has set you free to be his sons and his daughters. He has adopted you into his family. You are sons and daughters of God, your Father in heaven and that by your baptism.

And because of that you have an inheritance. Paul says you are an heir, which means that you have an inheritance of heaven, where you are set free from guilt, from sin, from death, from slavery to all of those things forever and ever.

So now go live that way. Go live as free sons and daughters of your Father in heaven.

De oppresso liber. You are set free.

Prayer:Almighty God, you have filled us with the new light of the Word who became flesh and lived among us. Let the light of our faith shine in all that we do. Keep watch over those who serve in our nation’s Special Operations Forces, who carry out unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, direct action, counterterrorism and covert operations, and special reconnaissance to throw down the oppressors and to liberate the oppressed and to protect our nation. Help them to carry out their missions according to your will, so that we and the people around the world may live in peace and safety. In your name we pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Luke 2:41-52

Recently I made a trip to 29 Palms Marine Corps base to meet with some of our Wisconsin Synod members who live there, but also to meet with a military chaplain who is stationed there. He’s a Navy chaplain that serves the Marine Corps there. I had the opportunity to sit down and have breakfast with him and listen to his story.

He’s about 54 years old, and he’s only been in the Navy for two years. He had to get a waiver for that, but this wasn’t on his radar at all. He had been a teacher, he had been a pastor in the Missouri Synod, and then some of the Missouri Synod recruiters for the chaplaincy started talking to him, and he said, “You know what? I think this is something that I could do.” Just listening to his story, you can tell he is right where he needs to be.

What about you? Do you feel that you are right where you need to be? And have you always felt that way? Are you one of those people who knew from the time you were little or maybe in high school that you wanted to serve your country in our nation’s military?

Or maybe you’re someone who has always desired to serve in that honorable vocation of being a stay-at-home mom or dad while your spouse continues their military career.

Or are you someone who struggles with where you are right now, and you ask this question: Is this where I need to be right now? That is a question that I often get from our warfighters and from those who support them, and especially from the Marine recruits at MCRD in San Diego.

Now just imagine as a 12-year-old knowing exactly where you needed to be and what you needed to do with your life. That seems incredible, but that’s exactly what we see when we read Luke chapter 2. It contains the story of Mary and Joseph and their family as they travel to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. They offer sacrifices there in the temple and then head home to Nazareth, but Jesus remains and stays in the temple in Jerusalem.

As you read the story, you see that Jesus schools the religious teachers in the Old Testament Scriptures—the prophecies that point to him and his work, which are a clear roadmap of his life, his death, and even his resurrection.

Jesus allows his family to travel one day north toward Nazareth. Mary and Joseph do a frantic search, realizing that Jesus isn’t with them. They run back to Jerusalem, and after three days find their 12-year-old boy, not cowering in some alleyway, but in the temple, with a full understanding of where he needed to be.

He says to Mary his mother, “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49). He was, of course, speaking of his heavenly Father, begotten from eternity. And his house was that temple, which was a picture of God’s presence among his people.

But now God himself stood among his people in the flesh. That’s where he needed to be. And this temple was where sacrifices were brought and offered by the priest, which was a picture of what Jesus came to be—your High Priest, to bring that one sacrifice of himself for the sins of all people, for you and for me.

During this time between Christmas and New Year’s, it’s good for us to ponder these things just as Mary did and to marvel that a 12-year-old knew exactly where he needed to be. Not for his benefit, but for yours—knowing that this roadmap of his life that he saw in the Scriptures, his life and death and resurrection, would benefit you eternally.

That puts a proper perspective on your life right now here on this earth. Because maybe you don’t have life figured out. You’re not exactly sure this is where you want to be or what you want to do with your life.

On the other hand, maybe your life is like that chaplain at 29 Palms who is flourishing in his vocation. Maybe that’s you. Praise and thank God for that!

Either way, right now Jesus has you right where he needs you to be, and know that it’s going to be okay. Jesus has it all figured out for you. He has you where you need to be right now, and you are where you are right now to love and serve and respect those around you and to be a blessing to someone else.

Thank God that you are right where you need to be.

Prayer:Almighty God, in mercy you sent your one and only Son to take upon himself our human nature. By his gracious coming, deliver us from the corruption of our sin, and transform us into the likeness of his glory.

Tomorrow on December 28th, the Army Chaplain assistants, a Religious Affairs Specialist, celebrate their anniversary. Since the time of the Revolutionary War, soldiers of exceptional quality have served alongside our United States Army Chaplains, providing spiritual care and facilitating spiritual care, so that all might have the freedom to practice their religion, and caring for all. We thank you especially that through Religious Affairs Specialists, faithful Christians in our nation’s military have had the freedom to worship the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and without hindrance.

We pray that you continue to keep those doors open in our nation’s military so that your faithful people might continue to hear the good news of salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. In your name we pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Micah 5:2-5a

The morning I put together this devotion, I woke up to this news headline: Rebels seized the Syrian capital of Damascus. President al-Assad and his family flee to Russia. The prime minister of Syria has agreed to hand control of the government over to the rebel-led “Salvation Government.” That is somewhat ironic because this rebel group known as HTS is a designated terrorist organization.

This transfer of power comes after 13 years of civil war and 50 years of brutal rule by the Assad family. And it ends a war that has killed thousands and has displaced millions and has left an economy that has been hollowed out by global sanctions.

On top of it all, we still have more than 900 United States war fighters that are stationed in Syria, fighting alongside Kurdish-led forces.

But there’s more: 2.6 percent of the population in Syria is Christian, which accounts for just over 500,000 people in Syria who are Christian. And their future is uncertain because Al-Qaeda has urged the HTS rebels to turn against the crusaders. It’s a pejorative term for Christians.

I wonder how these Christians, our brothers and sisters in Christ in Syria, will be celebrating Christmas this year. What will their celebrations look like as they welcome Jesus coming in the flesh to be their Savior?

But this is how it has always been for God’s people. The prophet Micah lived about 700 years before Jesus took on human flesh. And maybe you know the passage I’m going to quote—maybe it’s very familiar to you. Or maybe it’s not. But this is one of those passages from Micah chapter 5 that you’ll hear read in church on Christmas Eve or at a children’s Christmas service. It’s the one that talks about Bethlehem being the place where the King would be born.

You may know this passage very well, but the verses that follow are ones that maybe you haven’t really heard before. Right after Micah points out the fact that the coming King will be born in Bethlehem, he says this: “He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be our peace when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses” (Micah 5:4,5a).

Did you catch that? Micah didn’t say if, but he said when the Assyrians march through our fortresses. The foreign army, the Assyrians who lived in modern-day Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and you guessed it, Syria, would come and attack the northern kingdom of Israel and completely destroy it. And they would march against the capital city of Jerusalem in the south.

But in spite of that, what does the coming King promise to do for his people? Even when enemies march through their fortified cities? He will stand and shepherd his flock, and he will be their peace.

You see, when God talks about peace, it doesn’t mean he is always going to bring peace between warring nations. It doesn’t mean you and I will always have a peaceful feeling. It doesn’t always mean that there’s going to be a peace even for God’s people in foreign countries, or even in this country.

What it does mean is that in spite of war and uncertainty and persecution for Christians, in spite of the war that may unfortunately rear its ugly head in your home as family members argue and fight, in spite of war that may separate you from family members this Christmas because they’re serving far away from you overseas, in spite of family members and friends who don’t share the same reason that you do when you celebrate Christmas and maybe have some choice words for you because of it—in spite of all of that, the King born in Bethlehem promises to be your strength. He promises to be your shepherd and promises that you will rest securely and that he will be your peace. This peace is knowing that Jesus is with you.

In spite of all of the things that are going on in the world and in spite of the things that are going on in your personal life, you have the peace of knowing that God will use his almighty strength and power to be your shepherd, to protect you and keep you safe.

You have the peace of knowing that Jesus came as the King in Bethlehem, and he came to die on a cross and to rise again from the dead so that you know that no matter what happens in this world or in your personal life, you have peace with God through the forgiveness of your sins. This means that God is at peace with you. And it means that you can be at peace with yourself and at peace with others.

You have the peace of knowing that there is an eternal peace in heaven, and it is yours. Yes, there is peace even in the middle of war. Jesus is that peace. He is your peace.

Prayer:Stir up your power, O Lord, and come. Take away the burden of our sins and make us ready for the celebration of your birth, that we may receive you in joy and serve you always. Shepherd your flock in Syria, those Christians who face uncertainty under a new government. Protect them. Be their peace as you promise. And shepherd your flock, we who by faith await your second coming, and be our peace.

O Lord, we ask that as our U.S. Space Force celebrates its fifth birthday today on December 20th, we ask that you be with those who protect us from the growing threat of near-peer competitors who seek to threaten our commerce, our financial and economic stability, and disrupt our infrastructure. Continue to raise up men and women who are wise and knowledgeable in this vocation so that we might live in peace. In your saving name we pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Zephaniah 3:14-17

Do you sing? And if so, where? I’m guessing at church. Or maybe you sing in the car when you’re riding solo and you crank the tunes and belt it out because number one, no one else is in the car, and number two, those songs just take you back.

Or maybe it’s when you’re in the car and the car is loaded full of kids, and you have your favorite tune from your high school days cued up. You’re ready to crank it and belt it out at the top of your lungs to embarrass your kiddos.

What about at a military ceremony formation? Do you sing there? For a change of responsibility or a promotion or a change of command or a graduation, and the band kicks in with that familiar military march, and you’re ready to belt it out with the gusto of a Marine at the birthday ball? Or maybe you quietly mumble along because it’s the 220th time that you’ve heard that march.

How many of you are familiar with the march “Always Ready, Always There!”?

I’m guessing that if you’re in the National Guard, maybe you are familiar with this march. And if you’re in the Guard, maybe you still haven’t heard of it because it’s fairly new. It’s only eight years old. “Always Ready, Always There!” is much younger than the National Guard, which celebrates its birthday today on December 13th.

When you listen to this march, it just makes you want to stand up and belt it out with gusto.

In our devotion today, the Lord God gives us as Christians good reasons to stand up and burst into song. Through his prophet Zephaniah, he encourages his people with these words: “Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem!” (Zephaniah 3:14). Those proper names Zion and Jerusalem are pictures that are used of all believers.

So what was the occasion that prompted the Lord to tell us to burst into song with the gusto of a Marine at the birthday ball? Well, he says this through his prophet in verse 15: “The LORD has taken away your punishment.” More festive than celebrating a birthday. More congratulatory than a promotion. More celebratory than a retirement is this declaration: Your sins are forgiven.

Zephaniah says there is no punishment waiting for you because you’ve sinned against your holy God. He’s saying to you that there is nothing evil that happens to you in this life because God is somehow using that evil to get back at you for the things that you’ve done. No, he’s taken it away forever. God doesn’t punish you. He punished his Son Jesus on the cross in your place. It’s done. It’s finished. That’s why God says to you and me, “Sing, shout aloud, be glad and rejoice with all your heart.”

But now in an interesting spin, the prophet Zephaniah then says this: “The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing” (verse 17).

Did you catch that? It says that God sings, and he sings because of you. And God’s song for you is prompted by the joy and happiness in his heart because your sin no longer separates you from him. He has this song of joy in his heart because he has won eternal life for you through his Son Jesus. He sings a song of joy and happiness because he has saved you forever, and he sings his song because he knows that you will spend eternity with him.

So, my friends, sing your glad songs to God for his saving work for you, and then listen as God sings his song because of you.

Prayer:Hear our prayers, Lord Jesus Christ, and come with the good news of your mighty deliverance. Drive the darkness from our hearts, and fill us with your light. Lord Jesus, protect the men and women who serve in our nation’s National Guard. Keep them faithful to the duties of their vocation as they serve us here at home in the States and around the world. Bless the efforts of the leadership to maintain a National Guard force that is ready to serve in times of strife or to help after natural disaster. I pray this in your name, Lord Jesus. Amen..

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Luke 3:1-6

December 7th, 1941, a day that continues to live on in infamy.

On that single day, 2,403 souls perished, and almost half of them in one battleship. If you ever have the chance to get to Hawaii, make sure you stop by Pearl Harbor and take the ferry out to the USS Arizona. When you get there, you’ll find it’s a very somber place. As you think about all the souls that perished there, as you stop to listen to the waves as they gently lap up against the memorial, you can both smell and see the oil that continues to float up to the surface from the Arizona. They call those “the black tears of the Arizona.”

All of this is a reminder of that awful day when lives were lost. As we think about tragic days like that, or 9/11, or the one-too-many violent shootings in our country, we turn to God and we ask, “Why?” What does this all mean?

Before Jesus publicly went out preaching and teaching in the region of Galilee and Jerusalem and through Judea, God sent John the Baptizer to prepare the hearts of the people for Jesus. And people went out to the wilderness around the Jordan River to hear John preach and teach and baptize. And they went out to John with their questions for God. And some of those questions were, “Why? What purpose does this serve?” John’s reply to them? “Repent.”

God doesn’t always give an answer to our questions of “Why?” God doesn’t need to, even though we think that he does. But God’s answer through John the Baptizer redirects our hearts and our minds so that we see what is really needed in our lives: not an answer from God, but for us to do an about-face, to repent.

John says to you and to me, “Repent!” Do an about-face, because that’s really what repentance means. Repentance in the original language of the Bible means to change your mind, to change your heart and your mind about your sin, to do an about-face in regard to your sin. To change your mind about the things that you do that violate God’s will for your life. To change your mind about those things that you fail to do, how you fail to joyfully and faithfully carry out God’s will for your life.

Do an about-face. That means to no longer find pleasure in sinning, to no longer find pleasure in the laziness to carry out God’s will for your life. To change your mind about those things so that you no longer think that simply by trying your hardest or doing your best to be a good person that somehow this will cause God to do an about-face toward you.

John says to you and to me, “Repent for the forgiveness of your sins.” Do an about-face and turn from your sin—but turn toward something, toward someone—to that person who has sunk into the depths of your sin, your guilt, your death, and your hell, and who has left it entombed in his grave forever.

Just as the Arizona in the waters of Pearl Harbor serve as a reminder of that awful day of death, so also the waters of your baptism serve as a reminder of that awful day of what Christ did for you: that he has drowned your sin, your death, and your hell. Let the waters of your baptism be that very real reminder of the promise that Christ has made you not just to drown your sins and your death with him on the cross, but also to raise you up to new life.

Repent, turn from your sin, turn to the cross, but then turn again. Do another about-face to go and live that life of forgiveness that Christ has earned for you.

And so when you consider the events of December 7th, 1941, or you consider the events of a 9/11 or whatever disaster comes to your mind, let it be a reminder to you and to me to do an about-face, to repent, so that when Christ calls us home to heaven, however he decides to call us home to heaven through death, you and I will go through life confident and unfearingly knowing that when we meet our Maker and see him face to face, he will welcome us home to heaven with a smile because of what Christ has done for us.

Prayer:Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the way for your only Son. By his coming give us strength in our conflicts and shed light on our path through the darkness of this world. We pray, Lord Jesus, that you would work through our nation’s Homeland Security and armed forces to protect our borders. Keep our citizens safe so that we might live in peace, faithfully carry out our individual vocations, and joyfully share your Word with others. In your name I pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Jude 20, 21

As I’ve listened to our war fighters, those who are both deployed and preparing to deploy, one of the things they’ve shared with me is that there’s a sort of pivot when it comes to battle planning—that training for battle and planning for battle looks a little bit different than it has in the past. We’ve seen this in the war between Russia and Ukraine, between Israel and Iran and the Houthi rebels in the Gulf of Oman with drone warfare.

This has changed the way we plan for battle. While our Marines and soldiers pound the ground, our Air Force and Navy and Space Force look to the skies. How do we deal with this new threat of drone attacks?

All this talk of war and preparing for war reminds us of Jesus’ words that in the end times there will be wars and rumors of wars. But he says this should not alarm us. He says instead to use these events as reminders to keep our eyes on the skies, not looking for incoming drone attacks, but looking to the skies for his salvation, for our salvation for eternal life. To look to the skies for Jesus to come with his angels and bring us to everlasting life, where there will be no more wars and no more killing and no more death, but only peace and to be with Jesus forever.

The way we keep our eyes on the skies is by keeping ourselves busy with those things that remind us of that great day that is to come. Our encouragement today is from the book of Jude, and I encourage you to read the entire book. It’s only 25 verses, but I want to focus on just two of the verses, verses 20 and 21. There Jude tells us, “Keep yourselves in God’s love” (verse 21).

You might ask the question, “Well, how can I keep myself in God’s love? Does God love me less at times? Are there things that I need to do so God might love me more?” Is that what Jude is saying when he tells us to keep yourselves in God’s love? Not at all. God loves you unconditionally, and that is seen in his Son on the cross.

But sometimes we forget that. So keep yourselves in God’s love, Jude tells us. And he tells us to do that by doing three things: by building, by praying, and by waiting.

First of all, he says, keep yourselves in God’s love “by building yourselves up in your most holy faith” (verse 20). You see, your enemy, the devil, loves to dive into your world just like an enemy drone would dive in from the skies so he might bring chaos into your life. And as you focus on that chaos, your eyes are distracted from Jesus’ love for you. So Jude says to build yourselves up in your most holy faith. How do we do that? Read the Word, listen to the Word, study the Word, sing the Word, share the Word, remember the Word. For it is in the Word that God reminds you again and again of his unconditional love for you in Christ Jesus.

Secondly, Jude says, keep yourselves in God’s love by “praying in the Holy Spirit” (verse 20). God speaks to you in his Word. Respond to him and talk to him in your prayers. Are you anxious about wars and rumors of wars? Then pray about it. Pray to him in confidence. Pray knowing that you pray to the King of kings and Lord of lords, the God, the Lord who loves you unconditionally, who will come again in the skies with his angels to bring you home to heaven, who loves to listen to your prayers and to act on your behalf in response to your prayers.

So keep yourselves in God’s love by building, by praying, and finally, by waiting. Jude writes, “Wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life” (verse 21). It often feels that this world is careening toward self-destruction, from the awful things that we as human beings do to each other to the destructive forces of natural disasters. It doesn’t feel like there’s much we can do to stop any of it.

So, Jude says, just wait. Wait for God’s love for you. Wait for that day when he comes from the skies in his love and mercy to bring you home to eternal life in heaven. Keep your eyes on the skies by building, by praying, and by waiting.

Prayer:Lord Jesus, we pray that you use your almighty power to bring an end to the conflicts around the world—between Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Iran and Hezbollah, to the countries in Africa, to Haiti, to the threats from China and North Korea.

But Lord, in your wisdom, we know that you have used nations and leaders in wars and conflicts to advance your kingdom of grace. And so in the midst of these conflicts, we pray, open doors for your people to bring the hope of Christ to those who are suffering the ravages of war.

And now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Daniel 12:1-3

I’m writing this devotion on November 5th. And since this devotion will be sent on November 15th, you probably voted in the recent election. And either you went in person or, like me and my wife, voted a couple weeks early. We received our ballots in the mail and dropped them off in a box in San Diego County.

So you know the outcome of the election already since it’s now November 15th. How do you feel about the outcome?

I was in Washington, D.C., a couple of weeks ago, and I asked a senior officer that same question about the election. I said, “Can I ask you a question? Don’t feel that you have to answer it.”

And he said, “No, I’m glad you asked it because, yes, I do pay attention to the election because of my job in counterintelligence and the assets that we have in near-peer competitor countries. We need to let them know what’s going on because this determines troop movement, and it determines where our people are because other countries react differently to different administrations in the White House.”

You know the outcome already. How do you feel about that?

You might have mixed emotions, depending on which side of the aisle you are on, depending on if you watch a lot of Fox News or CNN or MSNBC. Or maybe you try to stay in the middle and find a news agency that just reports the facts, which doesn’t lean one way or the other—but then that’s hard to find.

How have you reacted? This is what I do. The month before a major election, I read the book of Daniel, because it reminds me that God already knows the outcome. As you read the book of Daniel, you sit back in amazement and see how God moves and shakes and shapes nations to do his will. Daniel reminds me that no matter who is in charge—or who thinks they’re in charge—it is our God, the King of kings and Lord of lords. He uses his faithful people in his service in government to help carry out his will and serve faithfully in that vocation in the government.

Allow me to share the reading for this coming Sunday, Daniel chapter 12: “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever” (verses 1-3).

What God tells us in the book of Daniel is that things will be bad for God’s people. They’ve always been bad. Since the time of the Garden of Eden, there’s been animosity and enmity between God’s holy people and those who oppose God’s holy people.

And you’ve experienced this in your own family, among your friends, among the people that you work with, even in our government. There will always be people who oppose God’s will and God’s people.

But in the end, God knows the outcome. He tells us that in the end, the archangel Michael, the commander of the angel armies of heaven, will arise and protect his people. He will deliver us.

God’s got his angels watching over us and protecting us, no matter what happens in an election year. But here’s the other thing. It says, “There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then” (verse 1a). This shouldn’t alarm us when these things happen, because God has told us they will right in his Word.

But here’s the thing. God knows the outcome. He says, “At that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered” (verse 1b). That’s you, and that’s me. You know your name is written in God’s book because he has told you so, and you believe it, and you trust it. Because in the waters of your baptism, God has taken your name and has written it down in his family ledger.

It reminds me that a couple of generations ago, it was very popular to have a family Bible. And in the front of that Bible was the family tree. When a new infant was born, that name was written in the front of that family Bible and then passed on to the next generation. Your name was part of the family
tree.

God has done that for you, but in his book, in heaven, that is you. And everyone whose name is found written in that book will be delivered. And here’s what he says: “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life” (verse 2). That’s you. You already know the outcome of what’s going to happen to you. Your body will rise from the dead, and then he says that you will shine like the brightness of the heavens, like the stars forever and ever. You know the outcome.

You already know the outcome of the election as I sit here and write this devotion on November 5th. You already know the outcome with what’s going to happen to nations at the end of time. You already know the outcome of what’s going to happen to you. So rest in those promises. No matter how you feel about the outcome of this election, rest in those promises.

And my encouragement to you is to go back and read the book of Daniel this month. And if in reading the book of Daniel with all of the visions, you’re trying to figure out what it all means, then I encourage you to order the People’s Bible commentary on the book of Daniel from Northwestern Publishing House. Go to nph.net and search for the People’s Bible: Daniel.

Read Daniel this month, and rest in those promises that God knows the outcome.

Prayer:Lord and ruler of nations, you tell us not to trust in mortal princes but to place our faith in you. By your most holy and powerful Word, strengthen our resolve to do that more and more. Help us to be mindful, as your children, of your desire that we pay proper respect and honor to our nation’s newly elected officials because they draw their authority from you. Guide them with your eternal wisdom and use them for your holy purposes. In the name of Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on 2 Corinthians 8:1-9

It’s a story of startling generosity.

The apostle Paul had been traveling around what is modern-day Greece and Turkey, visiting the Christian churches there and presenting an opportunity for them to be generous. You see, the Christian churches back in Jerusalem were suffering, and these gifts were being gathered to help them in their physical needs.

The apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Christians in Corinth to encourage them to put their faith into practice and to practice the spiritual gift of giving. He wrote this: “And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us” (2 Corinthians 8:1-5).

How were these Christians able to be so generous, when by all human standards they were so poor?

Well, because they had put their trust in a heavenly Father who promises to provide daily bread. They put their trust in their Savior, Jesus, who promises that when his children seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, that all the things they need will be given to them as well.

So it is true for you and me that we have received generosity from God—startling generosity. God, who is so gracious as to forgive us for our stinginess and greed and selfishness. So we are people who know that we have been set free from these sinful attitudes of our heart. We’ve been set free to be generous to others.

I’ve witnessed this startling generosity in you, our active duty service members and their families, and in our veterans and their families, and in civilians who support ministry to the military.

Years ago when I served a church in Kentucky, I traveled once a month to Evansville, Indiana. I was the closest WELS pastor to a man who was a World War II veteran. Once a month, I brought him the Lord’s Supper and had a devotion and prayer. And every month, he slipped me a $100 bill and said, “Use this to pay for your rental car and for gas.”

I did this once a month for a year and a half. Then God called him home to heaven. About six months later, I received a letter in the mail with a check for several thousand dollars. It was from a church in Wisconsin. This man had officially been a member of this church in Wisconsin, and the letter said, “You probably don’t know this, but the man that you had been serving was very wealthy, and he left quite a substantial amount of money to our church and school. We’re actually going to be able to build a gymnasium for our grade school children. But we wanted to send a portion to you and your church to thank you for your generosity to this man.”

I recently traveled to the East Coast and spent some time with some members of a congregation there that’s full of veterans and active duty service members. Many of them are leaders in the congregation. One of them shared with me that they’ve been blessed with the gift of giving in that congregation—so much so that at the end of the year, they have extra money from offerings. And they don’t keep it for themselves. They look for a need in the churches in their area, and they give it to them. Or they’ve given to our WELS Christian Aid and Relief organization that is assisting with flooding relief efforts in the Carolinas.

Or I heard that the Organization of WELS Lutheran Seniors, or OWLS, has recently given $58,000 to support the European chaplain ministry, through which my counterpart, my brother in the ministry Chaplain Rob Weiss, travels to the military bases in Germany and Italy and Spain, serving our warfighters and their families with God’s Word and sacrament.

It’s through stories like the Lutheran Military Support Group. It was started nine years ago by veterans who saw a need to serve veterans and active duty members and their dependents. And one of the ways they raise funds for this is through their Ammo Can Campaign. If you reach out to them on their website, they’ll ship you an ammo can for free, and they ask that you put it out at Veterans Day weekend or Memorial Day weekend. The funds that they raise through that Ammo Can Campaign are used to host events like a spiritual retreat for Christian warriors and their battle buddies.

They also use that money to support my ministry, so I can travel around the United States and build up our pastors and our congregations as they seek to serve our military members and their families. They use those generous gifts to support the training of Lutheran pastors who serve near military installations.

How has God been generous to you? How might he use you to be generous to others to support their physical needs? And how might he use you to be generous to them so that their spiritual needs might also be met?

My encouragement to you today is this. Spend some time in God’s Word this weekend and read 2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9. And through prayer and prayerful consideration, ask God how he might use you to give with startling generosity.

Prayer:Almighty and ever-living God, you have given exceedingly great and precious promises to those who trust in you. Grant us so firmly to believe in your Son, Jesus, that our faith may never be found wanting.

This coming week, the United States Marine Corps will celebrate its 249th birthday. Lord Jesus, the Marine Corps has served to fight our country’s battles in the air, on land, and sea. Continue to raise up faithful men and women to serve in the Corps, so that we might enjoy the freedoms of our great nation and live our lives in peace and safety.

As our nation pauses this week on November 11th to honor our veterans, we thank you for raising up brave men and women who were willing to engage our enemies, who have provided humanitarian aid for those who suffer, who attentively protected our borders.

Bring healing to those veterans who still carry unseen scars of trauma through your lifegiving promises. Use us to show the love of Christ to them when days are difficult. I pray this all in your name, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on John 11:32-44

The airman watched as the aircraft lowered its ramp, and he peered in and saw the flag-draped boxes.

They huddled together and flinched as the volley of guns echoed over the hallowed ground, and the sound of the bugler playing “Taps” brought tears to nearly every eye. They stood there on that hallowed ground and saw nothing but white headstones.

She stared at the urn on the shelf because it stared back at her, and she was sad.

It’s that picture of your loved one or your loved ones who smile back at you in perpetuity, but it makes you sad because you know that you can’t talk to them anymore or hold them or hug them.

It’s the black metal that rubs against your wrist and you look down to see the names that are etched into that memory bracelet, and you realize with sobering reality that these are battle buddies that are no longer with us.

All of these are sobering reminders that at some time in the future, someone will stand over your grave and my grave and be sad. That they will stare at our pictures as we smile back at them, and they will be sad knowing that they can no longer speak to us, talk to us, hold us, or hug us. Someone once said that grief is the price that we pay for having loved so much on this earth.

But Jesus knows. And more than that he completely understands because he’s been there. He stood in a cemetery, and through his eyes he saw the effects of sin in the tear-stained faces of his friends and loved ones. He looked at the grave of his loved one, his dear friend Lazarus, and he wept because he was sad. He had felt the effects of sin’s consequences in his own life.

But he did something about it. With his robe he wiped the tears from his face. He cleared his throat and with the power of his voice, he told death and grave that today they would not win the victory. And by raising Lazarus from the grave, he gave his friends and us a preview of his own victory over death, so that they and we might believe that he is the resurrection and the life—and that by believing, we might live forever.

So it is true for you and for me and for all who have died trusting in him who is the resurrection and the life. The remains in that flag-draped box, the remains in that urn, the dry and dusty bones beneath those white headstones—they will hear his voice, and the grave and death will have no choice but to capitulate.

In the bugle call, the angels will not sing out “Taps” but will play “Reveille.” It’s time to wake up, never to sleep in death again, for Jesus has swallowed up death forever.

I pray that this is your comfort and your sure hope in your grief.

Prayer:Almighty God, you have knit your people together into one holy church, the body of Christ our Lord. Grant us grace to follow the example of the blessed saints who have gone before us, so that in lives of faith and willing service, we with them at last will inherit the inexpressible joys that you have prepared for those who love you.

Send your holy angels to guard and protect the men and women of our armed forces who are currently deployed to the Middle East, for those who are anxious as they wait and wonder. Calm their hearts with your presence and your promises. Bring peace to that region of the world so that our warfighters might return home safely and live their lives in peace. In your name, Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Psalm 4

How is God testing your patience and your faith today?

You might be saying to yourself, “How isn’t God testing my patience and my faith today?” So much so that you can’t even sleep at night. So much so that at night you cry out, “Answer me when I call to you. . . . Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.” Well, you’re not alone.

These cries for mercy and relief from distress are direct quotes from King David’s Psalm 4. When King David writes, “Give me relief from my distress,” literally he’s saying, “I’m in a tight spot. I’m in a narrow place. It feels like the walls and the ceiling are just slowly coming down and pressing in around me and making me feel that I’m crushed.”

So what is it that’s going on in your life right now? Or in the life of your family or parents or children or battle buddies or our nation? Maybe you’re thinking ahead to November 5th, and all of it makes you feel like the walls and the ceiling are just caving in on you, and you echo the words of King David and say, “Answer me, Lord. Give me relief from my distress. Give them relief from their distress. Have mercy on us and hear our prayer.”

And is there so much going on in your world right now that you look around and you ask, “Who can show us anything that’s good right now?” That’s exactly what people were asking King David in this psalm. In spite of all the distress in his life and in the lives of the people under his care and protection as king, he says this at the end of the psalm: “In peace I will lie down and sleep” (verse 8a).

How in the world could David be so confident? He says, “I will do this. In peace, I will lie down and sleep.” How can I have restful, peaceful sleep with all of this crying out for mercy and relief from distress?

Well, David answers that question by saying this in the psalm: “You alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety” (verse 8b). When we are asking who can show us any good, King David shows us the Lord.

And he tells us who the Lord is. In verse six, King David says he is the one who shines the light of his face on us. This is such a cool picture. In the Bible, when it talks about God shining his face on us or turning his face toward us, it’s a picture that God is showing favor on you. He smiles with approval on you. He keeps you and all the circumstances and situations in which you find yourself before his eyes. He knows about them. He knows about all of it.

And because of that, he is the God who is near to us, not distant. And because he shines the light of his face on us, that means that he blesses us in spite of our hardships and sometimes through our difficulties and hardships.

It means that because he turns his face to us, he not only hears and listens to our prayers but answers all of them according to his will. It means that he has mercy on us when we cry out for mercy. It means that he will give us relief from our distress because we cry out to him for relief from our distress. If not in this life, then in the life to come.

So my challenge to you this week is this: to read Psalm 4 out loud tonight before you go to bed. And not just tonight, but every night this week before you go to bed. And then, lay your head on your pillow in peace, knowing that the Lord is your God. In peace, knowing that the face of the Lord shines on you with all of its brilliant, glorious light. In peace, knowing that God not only listens but answers your prayers according to his mercy, that he does have mercy on you, that he will give you relief from your distress—if not in this life, then in the life to come.

Allow that peace to push out those walls and that ceiling that feel like they are crushing down around you. Let that peace surround you, and have a peaceful sleep tonight in the Lord.

Prayer:O God, the helper of all who call on you, have mercy on us and give us eyes of faith to see your Son, that we may follow him on the way that leads to eternal life. As we look ahead to the election of our governmental leaders in November, and as we look at all that feels as if it is crushing us, help us to know that peace that surrounds us and protects us, and grant us peaceful sleep. In your name we pray. Amen.

My friends, the Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on 1 Corinthians 9:19; Mark 10:45; Isaiah 53:12

Which freedoms are you willing to give up?

If one day your government came to you and said, “We are repealing these amendments to the Constitution and rewriting the Bill of Rights for the good of the Republic,” how would you react to that?

You’d probably protest a little bit and maybe not be so willing to sacrifice those freedoms, because as citizens of the United States of America, that would be a difficult thing to do. We would say, “Well, we have these freedoms, and these are our rights. They’re written down. This is what the founding fathers of our country fought for and what we continue to fight for.”

Which freedoms are you willing to sacrifice for the sake not of the Republic, but for someone else’s soul? That’s what the apostle Paul wants us to consider when we look at our reading in 1 Corinthians chapter 9. I encourage you to read the whole chapter. Paul says that he’s willing to give up something that in his eyes—and actually in our eyes—he rightly deserved. In fact, it was scriptural that the worker deserves his wages.

So for those who devote their full time to gospel ministry, to sharing the good news of Jesus and administering the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, God says they should be paid and supported by doing that.

But the apostle Paul said, “I’m willing to sacrifice that right and that freedom as a Christian if it means that I can win more people over for the gospel.” What the apostle Paul did was work a side hustle to support himself in addition to doing all the things that were required of an apostle and a pastor and a congregation.

He said, “I’m willing to be a slave to these people, to step in their sandals, to understand them better, so as not to put an obstacle in the way of them hearing the good news of Jesus.” Because people were walking through towns, proclaiming to be preachers or pastors, only to become wealthy from it. Paul said, “I don’t want to be that. I want to set this aside, even though I have the freedom to do it, so I can win more for the gospel.”

That’s a difficult thing to do—for us to set aside the freedoms and the rights that we have as Christians in order to walk in someone else’s shoes. And sometimes that means to get into the messiness of their lives just so we can show them the freedom and the hope that they have in Jesus.

So how was the apostle Paul able to do that? To say, “I am free, but I’m going to make myself a slave for all these people”?

It’s for the same reason that we will follow the apostle Paul’s example. You hear this from Jesus in Mark chapter 10: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (verse 45). And the prophet Isaiah said this over 700 years before Jesus was even born: “He poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12).

Jesus put himself in my shoes—actually in my flesh and bones—into my sin and my hell and my death. Into yours. Into our selfishness. For all the times we were unwilling to sacrifice for others, Jesus put himself in our shoes—not just so he could understand us better, but so he might set us free from our selfishness. To set us free from our sin and our death and our hell so we might be set free to be servants to all people.

Because Christ did this for me, I want to do this for other people. And I know that you do too. To do that, to better understand other people, that sometimes means being willing to meet them where they’re at. And sometimes that can be messy.

So my challenge to you this week is this. Take out a piece of paper and a pen or take out your phone and write this down in your notes. Think about all the people that you interact with on a daily basis—this is your community. Write down the names or the places where you interact with people during the week. After you do that, stop and think, How can I be present in their life? Which means maybe scheduling this time. That when you go to the gym, maybe you’re going to schedule an extra 15 minutes before and an extra 15 minutes after so you can be present in the lives of the people there that you interact with. Or when you walk your dog, maybe you schedule extra time to do that to be with those people and be persistent in those interactions.

Just ask them, “How are things going?” Just be prepared because the answer could be a little bit messy. But that’s okay. Be persistent in those messy conversations and in their messy lives and say, “Hey, I hear you. When can we get together for coffee? When can we have you over for dinner so I can hear more and we can be a support for you?”

This is what it might look like in your life—to be all things to all people, to selflessly sacrifice for them, to win as many as possible, so they might come to believe and trust in the One who sacrificed absolutely everything for them. So they might be free from their sin and their guilt just as we are. And so they might have all things just as we do in Christ Jesus. That’s selfless sacrifice.

Prayer:Lord Jesus, keep your household, the church, in continual godliness and set us free from all adversities, so that under your protection we may serve you with true devotion and holy deeds. Lord Jesus, several spouses have requested prayers for their service members who are deployed overseas. They ask that you de-escalate the situation in those regions of the world where we have U.S. troops deployed. Send your holy angels to protect our service members around the world. Reassure their spouses, their children, their parents, their family members and friends that you are present with them here in the States, present through your Word and sacrament to comfort and strengthen and to bring peace. We ask this in your name and that all be done according to your will. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Hebrews 4:12,13; 9:14

Have you seen the shoulder sleeve insignia of the U.S. Special Operations Command? It’s a dagger pointing upward, which represents the unconventional nature of special forces operations. The insignia also contains three lightning bolts. They represent the ability of special forces to strike rapidly by air, land, or sea.

What about the shoulder sleeve insignia of the 65th Medical Brigade? If you’ve seen it, you know that the sword is pointing downward. This indicates a military unit with a non-combatant posture because the Medical Brigade’s mission is to heal and preserve life at all costs.

I want you to think about those insignias as you read the words from the author to the Hebrews in chapter 4. As you do, ask yourself which one of these shoulder insignias represents the sword of God.

The author to the Hebrews writes, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:12,13).

Well, that’s a frightening picture the author paints! The Word of God, or the sword of God, pierces to the very depths of our soul, doesn’t it? And it’s not just any sword—it’s a double-edged sword, which means that as you drive it into the cavity of another human being, it penetrates down to the deepest part of their insides.

This is the sword of God. It penetrates deep inside our souls, and it opens up our insides and reveals all things. And there are some pretty dark places in there, aren’t there? I know, because I have those too. Those dark places that you wouldn’t want anybody to know about—the thoughts and desires of your heart. The things that you don’t talk to anybody else about, the stuff that nobody knows about, those impure desires that you might have for somebody else, especially of the opposite sex.

Maybe those thoughts and desires that you have are against other people. Maybe they are selfish desires and selfish thoughts. And God’s Word is clear. He demands pure thoughts and desires from us all the time, toward everybody and about all things.

So then we read about the same sword of God, this Word of God, in the same letter to the Hebrews. The author says in chapter 9, “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” (verse 14).

What the author says here is that Christ offered himself unblemished to God. And that means is if you were to take the sword of God and penetrate Christ and open him up for all to see and peer into the very depths of his soul, you would find purity and blamelessness and righteousness in all his thoughts toward everyone and in all his desires, even to those of the opposite sex. You would find purity even in his thoughts toward his enemies, even in his thoughts toward his family and friends who disappointed him so many times.

And by those pure thoughts and righteous desires, he cleanses our consciences. Your impure thoughts and desires are completely purified and washed and made righteous down to the very depths of your conscience. Now, that sounds like that non-combatant sword of the medical brigade, doesn’t it? A sword that heals and makes whole and gives life.

So we go back to that original question: Which shoulder insignia is represented in our Hebrews passages? The answer is yes—both of them. Because the sword of God functions in both ways and for good reason. It cuts us to our very core and cuts us to the heart, so we repent and then turn and feel the healing touch of that good news about Christ for us. So we then, as the writer says, may go and serve the living God with renewed desires and renewed thoughts and renewed hearts all because of the sword of God.

Prayer:O Holy Spirit, draw your sword and pierce our hearts so that our sins might be revealed and that we might repent. Draw your sword and pierce our hearts so that we might be healed by the cleansing blood of Jesus.

This week on October 13th, our U.S. Navy celebrates its 249th birthday. Since 1775, the United States Navy has protected America at sea, and so we pray, Lord, that you keep our sailors safe and faithful in their vocation as they defend freedom, preserve economic prosperity, and keep the seas open and free. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Revelation 12:7-12

I had a college classmate who dropped out of college to join the Navy SEALs. He served as a Tier 1 operator on the teams. One day I got the news that he had died, and it wasn’t in combat—he died stateside.

A pastor friend of mine happened to be serving his spiritual needs and providing spiritual care for him, and he was asked to conduct the funeral service. That pastor friend shared with me that he had never felt more safe than at that funeral service because this dead man’s brothers-in-arms, other Navy SEAL operators, lined the inside perimeter of that church. As I watched the livestream of the service I couldn’t see them, but you knew that they were there.

This is a picture of our special operations teams. They work in the shadows. They go behind enemy lines. We don’t always know where they are or what they’re doing, but we know that they are there, protecting us and our allies from real threats and dangers.

As Christians, we face an enemy who operates in the shadows. In Revelation 12:7-12 we witness this celestial battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil. The apostle John describes this cosmic battle where Michael, the archangel, the general of the armies of angels—the special forces of heaven—battle with Satan, the dragon, and his army of demons.

This picture that John paints for us in Revelation 12, this spiritual warfare, is not just a picture of what happened in the past. It’s also a picture of what is happening every single day.

The devil works in the shadows to afflict pain in your body so that you despair and no longer trust in God.

The devil works in the shadows to afflict pain in your mind so that you despair and no longer trust in your God.

The devil works in the shadows to afflict pain in your soul by accusing you of all the things that you have failed to do as a single person, as a husband or a wife, as a parent, as a service member in our nation’s military. And the devil does a really good job working in these shadows because he knows exactly how to target our weaknesses and point out our failures and attack our doubts and our fears, but we are not alone in this fight.

The special forces of heaven—even though we cannot see them—are operating on our behalf, and their job is to protect us and fight for us so we know we are not alone in the fight.

Not only do you have the special forces operating in the shadows, but you know the victory has already been won. In Revelation the apostle John saw the victory: “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb” (12:11). The blood of your commander-in-chief, Jesus Christ, was shed on the cross, and that’s what caused Satan’s defeat. He may try to accuse you just like a prosecutor in court, but his accusations against you fall to the floor of that courtroom. They are stricken from the court record because the blood of Christ covers over all your faults, all your failures, all your weaknesses. You have already triumphed over Satan through the blood of Christ Jesus.

And as this battle between good and evil continues to rage on, go into combat confident knowing that the victory is already yours in Christ Jesus. You are more than conquerors in Christ. And know that you are not alone in this fight. The special forces team of Michael and his angels continues to fight in the shadows to protect you. And in the end, they will act as spiritual pallbearers and escort our souls home to heaven to be with Jesus, where there will be no more battle, no more war—only peace.

So go in confidence and conviction today. For God’s mighty angel armies go with you. They fight for you, and they fight with you.

Prayer:Everlasting God, you have ordained and constituted in a wonderful order the ministries of both angels and mortals. Mercifully grant that as your holy angels always serve and worship you in heaven, so by your direction they may help and defend us here on earth. We pray this through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Mark 9:30-37

If you’re in a position of leadership, one of the required readings for you may be Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek.

I’ll just share a couple of things from the book. The author says that great leaders create a circle of safety in the workplace. They inspire trust. They inspire cooperation and peak performance among their team. Great leaders who put the team first or the needs of the team first can create a culture of success. And I’m sure that you’ve experienced that in your vocation as a warfighter.

And on the other hand, Simon Sinek says that bad leadership dehumanizes other people. Bad leadership sees others as a tool to fulfill some kind of specific purpose. Bad leadership promotes selfishness, and when bad leadership puts self first, others get hurt and the team suffers. And I’m sure that you’ve also experienced bad leadership in your vocation as a warfighter.

Today in our reading, Jesus’ disciples give him a great opportunity to teach them and us a lesson about pride and humility. In Mark chapter 9, Jesus had just finished telling his disciples that he was on his way to Jerusalem, where he would be betrayed, arrested, and crucified, and there he would die and be buried.

And as they’re walking along the road, what are the disciples talking about? Which among them was the greatest. This is what pride does: It exalts itself above even God. Pride doesn’t think of others first; it thinks only of self. Pride tries to conform others to my will.

Have you fallen to the sin of pride, as a leader of your squad or team or company or platoon? as a leader in your church or your community or even your home? You’re not alone. I have too.

And that’s why Jesus gathers us in a huddle with his friends, and he brings a little child in among us and says to us, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all” (Mark 9:35).

Humility means that I see others as those whom I can serve rather than use. Humility means that I see others as people—that when I serve them, I do not expect anything in return, even to the point of serving a little child and their needs without expecting anything in return, because I know that that little child can’t repay me for the things that I am doing to help meet their needs.

And the motivation to serve with humility, to put our pride to death, to be leaders who eat last—is Christ. Christ who was willing to go to Jerusalem to be arrested, to be crucified, and to die, and to die a death to our pride, to become our pride, actually, and to become our arrogance, to become our sin, so that we might become his humility and his service.

Humility, then, seeks forgiveness for the sin of pride. Humility looks to Christ for that forgiveness. And then, having been forgiven, humility seeks to put others first. Humility seeks to exalt God above self, actually, exalt God at the expense of self.

And that, Jesus says, is the mark of a great leader: one who serves. My friends, he will bless your servant leadership. He promises it.

Prayer:Mercifully grant, O God, that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts. For without your help, we are unable to please you. Help us to be Christ in the way we view others as those whom God has called us to serve. Today I ask for your blessing on those in leadership positions, especially those at the top, our admirals and generals. Grant them wisdom and knowledge, a heart for the troops under their command, so that they may carry out their duties as servant leaders, and so inspire many others to be faithful servants. In your name I pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Ephesians 6:10-18

If you are in a leadership position, one of the required readings for you may be The Art of War by Sun Tzu. One of the principles that this ancient Chinese military strategist suggests is this: “If you know your enemy and you know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not your enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

Even though Sun Tzu wrote in the 5th century B.C., these principles still apply today. Know your enemy. Know how your enemy plans. How he thinks. How he operates. And if you do, you are more likely to succeed as you plan and implement your missions against your enemy.

But Sun Tzu isn’t the only one who said this. God talked about knowing your enemy.

Sadly, for many Americans, the enemy often takes the form of a government that is “over there.” Or maybe it even takes the form of our government or the other political party or the moral degradation of our society.

But God is clear about identifying our true enemy. In Ephesians chapter 6, the apostle Paul writes this: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (verse 12). The devil, that fallen evil angel, has combined forces with the powers of sin and death and the sinful world. These are your enemy combatants. And as they plan their missions, they have you and me in mind. And what they want to do is to shake our trust in Jesus, so we do not trust him anymore and are separated from our God forever.

Know your enemy. But also know yourself. Any attempt to fight in this battle by relying on anyone or anything other than Christ—you will succumb in every battle. So know yourself. Know that you need Jesus and know that you need his power. And know and trust that he supplies it.

Paul uses military language here and uses the picture of an ancient Roman infantryman in his armor as a picture of the armor that Jesus supplies for you. Here is what Paul wrote: “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (verses 13-17).

Paul shows us that not only is it necessary to know our enemy and to know ourselves, but first and foremost, to know the truth. That belt of truth that’s buckled around your waist? Those are the truths of God’s Word for you. When we know that truth, we will stand against the devil’s lies.

When he accuses you of sin and guilt, know that you have the breastplate of righteousness covering you, that Kevlar body armor, which is Christ’s righteousness. That protects us against all sin and all guilt. It reminds us of the truth that we are righteous in God’s sight, for Christ’s righteousness covers us in our baptism.

And that shield of faith that Paul talks about? Faith’s object is always Christ, and that always stops the arrows of the enemy.

And finally, our head is guarded by the knowledge that we are saved by Christ and Christ alone.

Know your enemy, know yourself, know your God, and know that he will prepare you for war. For in him and through him, we win.

Prayer:Almighty God, you see that we have no power to defend ourselves. Guard and keep us both outwardly and inwardly from all adversities that may happen to the body and all evil that may assault and hurt the soul.

This week on September 18th, the Air Force and the Air National Guard celebrate their birthdays. Lord, I thank you for the men and women whose mission it is to fly, fight, and win. For those who take to the skies and those who support them, I ask you to guide them. Grant them wisdom and knowledge as they plan and carry out their missions and training. Send your holy angels to be with those who dare the eagle’s flight. In your name I pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Mark 7:31-37

If Jesus has all power, then why does he allow __________ to happen? I know the reason some of you joined our nation’s military is because of the terrorist attacks on 9/11.

It was a question people asked on that day, and it’s a question that people continue to ask, especially when missions go wrong, when someone is injured, when someone is killed in action or in training, or when trauma is experienced and continues to be relived.

If Jesus has all power, then why does he allow this to happen? I don’t know. He doesn’t always give us an answer.

In Mark chapter seven, we read about a man who is deaf and mute, and we could ask the same question about that man. Why did Jesus allow that to happen to him? In this case, we do have an answer: so that Jesus could display his power and show us who he is—that he is the Almighty God. He used his power to do something about it. He opened that man’s ears and loosened his tongue, and immediately the man began to speak plainly and intelligently and hear with crystal clarity.

The question we ask then is this: Why doesn’t God always show that power in our lives, with our tragedies and hardships and diseases and sicknesses and trauma? I don’t know. But what I do know is that he allowed tragedy and trauma and death and hell to come to him as he hung on the cross so that we might be set free from all of that. Sometimes he allows suffering as a witness to everyone around us to show them that God displays his power through our weakness, so others might know where the power in their weakness comes from—from God and his promises. Sometimes God allows suffering in our lives so that we are forced to go back to his promises and cling to him and him alone.

There are other times God uses his almighty power to stop tragedy, remove hardship, heal sickness, and heal minds, and when he does, we exclaim with the crowds who witnessed this deaf-mute man speaking and hearing, “He has done all things well.” (Mark 7:37).

Whatever Jesus chooses to do with his almighty power, he does it well. And he always has us in mind. He always has our benefit and our good in mind. And that is enough for us. So we will trust him. We will trust that he will do what is best for us.

Prayer:Lord Jesus, when we ask you questions and don’t always hear answers from you, or when we hear answers that we don’t like, move us to humbly return to your words in the Scriptures and to search them and to open our eyes and ears to see and hear them and to trust those promises. Point our eyes to that day when you will use your power to transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like your glorious body, free from trauma and disaster and disease, free to live with you forever in heaven.

Continue to comfort those who have lost family or friend in the events of 9/11. Comfort those who have lost family or friend or those who have lost limb or the stability of mind in many years of war following 9/11. Comfort them with assurance that you are much more powerful than death, more powerful than grief, more powerful than suffering. That there is our hope, our sure certainty of the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on various Scripture readings

One of the concerns that I often get from our warfighters, especially recruits and warfighters who are deployed, is this: “Chaplain, I like to read my Bible, but I don’t always understand what I’m reading.” “Chaplain, I’d like to read my Bible, but I just lose focus.” “Chaplain, I’d like to read my Bible, but I just don’t know where to start.”

All of these concerns are understandable. There are days when I read my Bible and there are things in there that I still don’t understand. There are times that if I don’t plan to read my Bible, it’s not going to get done. And finally, there are days that I just can’t focus.

If you could see my desk right now, you’d see that it’s filled with sticky notes and piles of mail. So first of all, what I’ve done recently is move my personal devotion space to a different location in my home so I’m not distracted by all of the sticky notes and piles of mail and my phone and my laptop.

Secondly, what I also do is journal while I’m reading Scripture. I write things down so that I stay focused on those thoughts and prayers that I would like to pray as I’m reading my Bible.

And thirdly, I have a self-study Bible that has all sorts of notes and cross-referencing so that it helps me understand what I’m reading. If you don’t have one of those, I recommend The Lutheran Study Bible. You can order that from Northwestern Publishing House.

But while you’re waiting for your new study Bible to arrive in the mail, here’s what Martin Luther taught when he was asked, “Dr. Martin, how do you read your Bible, and how do you pray?” What he shared has become known as “Luther’s four strands.” Think of a wreath that is made up of four strands. While you read your Bible, Luther said, ask these four questions.

The first strand is instruction. Look for any words or phrases where God may give you instruction about something. Now, as Christians, I know that we often look for those things like, How does God want me to live as a single person? or as a warfighter? or as a husband or wife? or as a mother or father? or as a citizen or good neighbor?

Those are good instructions to look for. But what I would suggest to you is to first look for this: How is God wanting to instruct me about Christ for me? In this passage, as I read it, how do I see Christ for me? How do I see him fulfill God’s law perfectly for me where I have failed? Where does he obey, where I have rebelled against God? Where do I see Christ loving perfectly and forgiving perfectly, where I have failed to do those things for my neighbor? If there’s something lacking, how does God show me that he has supplied this through Christ for me? So that’s the first strand—instruction. How is God instructing me?

The second strand is to read through the passage again and look for something to give thanks for. Is there something in this passage that makes me sit back and go, “Wow, thank you, God!”

The third strand is confession. As you read through the section of Scripture again, look for something that points out your sin. Where have I failed to love my neighbor? Where have I failed to forgive and to serve? Confess that sin and then go back up to that first strand and see Christ for you and forgiveness for you.

And finally, the fourth strand is prayer. Read through the passage one more time and be attentive to what in that passage might lead you to pray—whether it is intercession for someone else, praying for yourself, praying about what you have learned in the Scripture reading, or just praying and thanking God that he is with you as he promises as you study his Word.

So those are the four strands: 1. instruction, 2. thanks, 3. confession, and 4. prayer. My challenge to you is to put it into practice today. The readings for this coming Sunday are:

Deuteronomy 4:1,2,6-9
Romans 9:30–10:4
Mark 7:1-8,14,15,21-23
Psalm 119:129-139

Choose one of these readings, or all of them, and prayerfully work through them using the four strands from Martin Luther.

I would love to hear your thoughts about which passage you studied and what would God have you learn in that reading according to Luther’s four strands. But before you do all of that, just stop and pray and ask God that he would open your eyes so that you may see beautiful things in his Word.

Prayer:Almighty and everlasting God, give us an increase of faith and hope and love. And so that we might obtain what you promise, make us love what you command. Send your Holy Spirit to bless us, as you promise, as we read and study and pray on your Word.

Gracious heavenly Father, as our country pauses to contemplate the freedom to work and the employment opportunities that are available to us, may we never lose sight of the fact that it is only because of your grace and favor that we are able to work. We thank you, Lord, for the blessings of employment and work and vocation that we have had in the past and at the present. May all that we do at work give glory to you and your precious name. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, whom we love and serve. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on John 6:51-69

Last week we talked about MREs and the spiritual food that Jesus gives us, which are his promises. An MRE was given to me a few months ago. I was at an army post, and a soldier invited me to go out to gunnery with his battalion. He arranged that with legal and made it all good.

We were able to go out there for nighttime gunnery, which was amazing. I was given an MRE, which was going to be my food for the night. Unfortunately, we just never had time to break it open and cook it up and eat it because we were so busy with the mission. And by the time we got back to HQ at two in the morning, we were pretty hungry and no longer needed the MRE.

When you’re out in the field, sometimes an MRE is the only food that you get to eat. And sometimes that’s hard to accept because maybe you’re wishing for mango salsa fish tacos or a porterhouse steak medium rare or rare with a baked potato.

Sometimes there’s this temptation for us when it comes to our spiritual food. Maybe we wonder, is there something that’s maybe a little bit more tasty, a little bit more appetizing out there? There’s got to be other options out there, so the temptation is to try other spiritual foods. What that might look like is trying other churches. They might have a great young adult group or activities for families, but the preaching and the teaching lack substance.

Or maybe it looks like watching YouTube videos that are spiritual or religious, but the substance isn’t there because it doesn’t focus on Christ for you but rather is very self-centered even though it may sound Christian.

Jesus asked a big group of disciples about this one time after he had said this to them in John chapter 6: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever.” Now, after Jesus said that, there were some in his group that questioned the exclusivity of Jesus’ teaching. Could Jesus himself be the only living bread from heaven, the only way to get to God, the Father in heaven?

Jesus then turned to his 12 closest disciples and asked them about this, and this is how they responded: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

There may be times that an MRE is the only food that you get to eat. And it’s necessary to eat it because it’s the only sustenance that you will receive that day. When it comes to religion or spiritual growth, there are a lot of choices out there for you. There are so many options. But Jesus gives us the only Way, the only Truth, the only Life, the only bread—and those are his words of promise, as they are taught and preached in their truth and purity.

His promises are the only food that we really need. They alone give life. They alone give you the forgiveness of your sins. They give you identity. They give you strength and comfort and peace. They give you a resurrection from the dead, and they give you eternal hope. Eat that Bread of Life daily, and you will live. He promises it.

Prayer:Almighty God, whom to know is everlasting life, grant us to know your Son, Jesus, to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life, that we may boldly confess him to be the Christ and steadfastly walk in the way that leads to life eternal.

Recently a carrier group from our West Coast deployed to the Middle East. We ask that you send your holy angels to keep these sailors safe in body, mind, and soul. De-escalate the political and religious tensions in that area so that those whom you have called to be your own might live in peace and safety, and that human life might be preserved to the glory of your name. In your name we pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on John 6:35,48-50

What does an MRE give you? Well, it gives you a longing for home-cooked meals. But it also gives you sustenance until your tummy growls at you, and you are reminded that you need to eat again. But what do we eat when our souls and our hearts growl, reminding us of this aching hole that longs to be filled with the bread of forgiveness for that guilt?

Well, sometimes we fill it with foods that are unhealthy. When we feel guilty, we go to the spiritual grocery store, and sometimes we look at this aisle, and we sometimes punish our bodies by just working really, really hard in the gym. Or maybe we go to the other side of the grocery aisle, and we overindulge in substances, or we binge on inappropriate videos or engage in non-committed physical relationships—anything and everything that might help us forget about the guilt. And it works, for a little bit. But it never really satisfies that guilt, never fills that God-sized hole in our hearts and our minds and our souls.

So, my friends, I invite you to come and eat and drink
of Jesus. When your heart and your conscience growl with hunger for forgiveness, let an MRE remind you of the only food that gives life and forgiveness and spiritual health.

Here’s what Jesus says in John chapter 6: “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. . . . I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die” (verses 35,48-50).

Manna was that miraculous food that the Lord in his grace and mercy provided for the people of Israel for 40 years for two million people, but they all died. Jesus promises bread from heaven. But when we eat this bread—and he’s talking about his words and promises—we receive forgiveness of our sins. We receive pardon for our guilt.

So for all of that guilt that you feel, and the ways that you’ve tried to deal with it, go to the cross and see that Jesus is your guilt, and you are his innocence. He gives you a new life, free from guilt, right now. He promises it, just for you.

So how might you continue to eat this bread? Attend worship on Sunday mornings. Do it regularly. Make it your habit, whether that’s in person, or if you’re far away from your home church, then online. Receive your Lord’s body and blood for the forgiveness and pardon of your guilt. Read the Scriptures. Engage in daily devotional time, which you’re doing right now.

Invite a battle buddy to be just that for you—a battle buddy. Somebody to hold you accountable, and you hold them accountable to be faithful in eating this bread from heaven. Put a plan down on a calendar, but eat and drink with Jesus today and every day. Because you and I are going to feel guilty at times in our life, and we’re going to get hungry, and we’re going to get thirsty. But let Jesus’ words of forgiveness and pardon in peace truly satisfy that hunger today and every day.

Prayer:Gracious Father, your blessed Son came down from heaven to be the true bread that gives life to the world. Grant that Christ, the Bread of Life, may live in us and we in him. Today on August 16th we celebrate National Airborne Day, a day to honor the U.S. Airborne Forces. Lord Jesus, you are present everywhere, even in the sky as paratroopers train to envelop the enemy from above. Send your holy angels to keep them safe in training and in combat missions. Keep them brave and courageous so that by their dedication and fearless service our enemies might be destroyed, and we may live in peace. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on 1 Corinthians 10:13

“God won’t give you more than you can handle.” Maybe someone has said this to you when you were on the “struggle bus” of life. Maybe you said these words to someone who was on the struggle bus. Where does that phrase come from? Is that something that God has promised us? Is it something that we can put our trust in when we are on the struggle bus of life?

The answer is no. It’s not exactly found in the Bible that way. It’s not a promise from God. Actually, just the opposite is true. The apostle Paul, when he writes his letters, describes times in his ministry when the enemies of the gospel were actively seeking to take his life. He said, “We were beyond our ability to endure. We were overwhelmed with despair.”

Or there was another time he was on a ship in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and for two weeks, a storm of hurricane-force winds was tossing the ship back and forth, and he wrote, “We despaired of life. We gave up all hope of being saved.”

God often gives us more than we can handle. And I’m sure you have felt that way, and I’m sure you have said to yourself, God is giving me more than I can handle now. Those times when the drill sergeants were eagerly waiting for you at 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. Or that time you got really anxious because there was a no-go on a mountain phase or a jungle phase and you had to be recycled.

Or maybe there was that deployment when you were away from friends or family members or a spouse. Or maybe you were the one who was left behind while your spouse or child or friend was deployed. Or maybe it was an injury or an illness, and it caused you to have to separate from the military and pursue another vocation. And you said, God is giving me more than I can handle.

So where does that phrase come from, that God won’t give you more than you can handle? Well, oftentimes it’s a misinterpretation of 1 Corinthians 10:13, where the apostle Paul says, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

The apostle Paul, first of all, wants to teach us that when it comes to temptation, the devil attempts to convince us that trusting in God’s promises and God’s will for our life is optional. Paul tells us that there is nothing the devil will throw at us that should surprise us.

Secondly, Paul teaches us that the devil will tempt us to believe that God doesn’t care, that maybe he doesn’t have the ability to help us in our situation with a particular struggle in life. Or the devil will tempt us to believe that we can by our own resolve or grit get ourselves out of a difficult situation. Or finally, maybe the devil tempts us to completely despair and believe there is no way out.

God promises, “I will always provide a way out of that temptation.” And the way out of temptation is Christ Jesus, who rode the struggle bus his entire life, being harassed and afflicted by the devil. But he withstood the devil’s attacks and temptations perfectly, and he did it for you and for me.

Christ Jesus is the way out of temptation. He promises that even when it feels like God is giving you more than you can handle, he is with you to provide direction when you feel lost. He will remind you that, yes, he does love you. He will encourage you that in your weakness, God will prove to be your strength. He promises you that God’s grace is sufficient for you when he gives you more than you can handle.

So, my friends, remember that he, the maker of heaven and earth, is handling it. Trust that he is. Trust that Christ is enough for you.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, when tempted, no one can say, “God is tempting me.” For you, O Father, tempt no one. Sometimes you test our faith through the trials and tribulations of life. You often do, only so that you can draw us, your children, back to you. Guide us and strengthen us so that we do not fall into temptation by the scheming of the devil, the sinful world, or the desires of our sinful self. Help us to look to your Son, Jesus, who defeated the devil’s lies for us, and to trust that by your Son, Jesus, we are holy in your sight.

Today I ask that you watch over those who are just getting their feet wet in military life, the junior enlisted. Grant them a sense of duty to the mission, respect for their commanding officers, and servants’ hearts. Cause them to grow into faithful leaders so that our nation’s military remains strong. I ask it, in the name of your dear Son, our Savior, Jesus. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on 2 Kings 6:8-17

You are surrounded. You are surrounded by people who don’t necessarily share your morals, values, or faith in Jesus. These people are not always necessarily actively opposed to what you believe—maybe they just don’t really want anything to do with church or Bible study.

And there are those who are actively opposed, and there are still those too that maybe make fun of and poke at you because of what you believe. It is, unfortunately, the culture in which you live as a warfighter. In our nation’s military, there’s that mindset of work hard, play hard.

But not just in the military culture, it is in our American society too. Recent studies show that almost a third of our population identifies as religiously unaffiliated. Sixteen percent of all American adults say they attend a worship service regularly. Sixteen percent! You and I are surrounded. And yet your Lord Jesus says to you and me today, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

This is the encouragement that the prophet Elisha spoke to his servant when they were surrounded, quite literally. The Lord’s people, the Israelites, were at war with their enemy, the Arameans. And every time the king of Aram would set up an ambush to provide certain disaster for the Israelite armies, the Lord would tell this to the prophet Elisha. Elisha would in turn share this with the king of Israel. The king of Israel would then maneuver his troops so that they would escape certain disaster.

Of course, this enraged the king of Aram and all of his officers, and he was certain that there was a commander in his army that was a spy. But one of his officers figured out what was going on, reported this to the king, and the king promptly ordered a battalion of cavalry soldiers to find Elisha and eliminate him.

So one morning, Elisha’s servant woke up, rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, went to the walls of the city and peered out, and saw that the city in which they were staying was completely surrounded by enemy chariots and soldiers armed and ready to kill Elisha. Elisha’s servant ran back into the house, woke up his sleeping master, and cried out, “My lord! What shall we do?” This is what God’s prophet calmly said to him. “‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

You and I, we are surrounded. So we pray, O Lord, open our eyes so that we may see that those who are with us are more than those who are with them. Yes, the Lord and his army of angels are with us. May this knowledge make us bold and courageous and unafraid as we live our faith in Jesus, as we answer those who have questions about the Bible and about Jesus, as we invite them to come and see Jesus. Yes, we are surrounded by the Lord and his angel armies. For those who are with us are more than those who are with them.

Prayer:
Almighty and most merciful God, the protector of all who trust in you, strengthen our faith and give us courage to believe that in your love, you will rescue us from all adversities. On August 4th, our nation celebrates with the Coast Guard, which celebrates its 234th birthday. Since 1790, the men and women of our U.S. Coast Guard have striven to ensure the nation’s maritime safety, security, and stewardship. O Lord, keep the members of our U.S. Coast Guard safe as they carry out their missions in the air and on the sea. Help them faithfully keep their core values, honor, respect, and devotion to duty so that we might be kept safe from all harm and danger. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on 2 Corinthians 9:8-11

I recently received a care package from one of our warfighters stationed in South Korea. He’s there with his wife and their eight-month-old daughter. The cookies, which are just amazing with coffee, have already been opened. And the chocolates—there are a couple boxes that are missing. I’m not sure where they went.

Then there was also a thank-you card that accompanied the care package. It said, “Thank you, Chaplain, for all the time that you spent with me.” He and I spent a lot of time together on Zoom as I was training him to be a religious lay leader. It was so nice to receive this care package and thank-you card.

I share this story with you because it is a picture of our Scripture this week—2 Corinthians 9:8-11: “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: ‘They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.’ Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in Thanksgiving to God.”

When it comes to being generous to others with our time, with the skills and abilities that God has given us, and with our finances, oftentimes the temptation can be to think, I don’t have enough to be generous to other people. I give expecting something in return, or I may feel that the recipient of my gift may need to show some sort of gratitude for my gift.

But the apostle Paul erases all of those temptations by pointing us to God’s generosity to us. God has generously given us all that we need. He gives us daily bread, food, clothing, and shelter, and so much more than we need or deserve. He provides family members and friends and extended family to support and encourage us.

He calls pastors and chaplains to provide for our spiritual needs and, most importantly, he gives us his Son, Jesus, so we know that we are forgiven by his death on the cross. We know that we have eternal life in heaven because he rose from the dead for us. And we know that we are not alone because he promises to be with us always.

We have all things because God has sincere concern for us, and he shows it by being generous to us. We will now be generous to others in every way. We will have sincere concern for all people and give knowing that we cannot outgive the Giver, God, who promises to provide all things.

My challenge to you is this: Look around you, and you will see someone in need. Someone who needs your time and your skill set, your abilities, your kindness, your financial hope, a care package from you that you send to them so that, as Paul says, your generosity will result in giving to God.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, just as you provided bread and fish for thousands to fulfill their needs, so you also open your hands to satisfy the desires of all living creatures, especially us, your people. Move us to first give thanks to you for our daily bread and secondly to respond to your generosity with our gifts to others. Today we offer prayers on behalf of all who PCSd this summer as they settle into their new homes and new communities and new commands. Help them to find a welcoming church family where Christ is clearly proclaimed. Provide for their needs—spiritual, physical, and emotional. Remind them that they are not alone and that you are with them. In your name I pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Mark 6:30-34; Isaiah 41:10; 1 John 3:1; Philippians 2:13; Romans 7:24,25; Romans 8:1

Are you tired? I’m sure that you are, because I know that your vocation requires you to be gone many hours. And sometimes those hours turn into days and weeks and months where you are apart from family and friends, and that makes you tired.

Others of you have 9 to 5 jobs, but it still leaves you tired, and you need rest. Some of you are husbands and wives, others of you are fathers and mothers, and some of you are children. All of you have friends.

And marriage takes work and parenting takes work and loving your parents takes work and being a friend takes work. And if you’re like me, if you look at all of these relationships that you have, you may feel that you’re lacking a little bit or maybe a lot in those relationships. And it makes you tired.

And maybe for some of you, you’re feeling tired because there’s this addiction that you’re struggling with, and you’re just tired from fighting it.

And maybe for others of you, you have this guilt that hangs over your body like a drill sergeant and reminds you how worthless you are.

There were crowds of people who were coming to Jesus in Mark’s gospel in chapter 6 in our reading today. There were those among the crowd who struggled with addiction and those who felt the burden of their guilt. There were some who were tired because of their marriages, and those who were tired because of their parenting. There were children who were tired because they were trying very hard to love their parents. And all of them had friends and found themselves lacking. They needed rest—not just physical rest but spiritual rest. And Mark records, “When Jesus . . . saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd” (Mark 6:34).

That was true. When the people went to the local synagogues, it was kind of like a house church where people gathered to hear the Word of God and to have it explained to them. Those synagogue rulers didn’t give the people what they needed. Many of them left feeling malnourished and starved spiritually.

Have you ever felt that way? Maybe you attended a church and there was a pastor and a church family that left you feeling malnourished and spiritually starved. If that’s happened to you, I am sincerely sorry. Or maybe you’re someone who finds yourself without a pastor or a church home right now.

What Jesus wants you to know today is this: You have a Good Shepherd who sees you and a Good Shepherd who knows how tired you are. He knows how best to give you what you desperately need. He saw the crowds and had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, so he began teaching them many things. That’s how Jesus our Good Shepherd provides the rest that we need.

Jesus opens his mouth and begins to teach us many things. For our vocations, which leave us feeling run down, he says this: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). He will be your strength.

For those of us who feel tired and run down because of our relationships, our Good Shepherd reminds us, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1). In spite of the way you may feel about yourself in relation to others, you are a child of your Father in heaven. That’s how he sees you.

And not only does he give us rest, but he also gives us the strength to love those who are in our lives and to be a good neighbor to them. He says this: “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13).

And for those of you who struggle with addiction, and it just leaves you feeling tired, go and listen to your Good Shepherd’s voice as he speaks through the apostle Paul in Romans 7. Read how Paul struggled with sin. And then go to the end of the chapter. Paul says, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24,25). Your victory is secure in Christ Jesus.

And for all of us who have guilt that hangs over us, like a drill sergeant who reminds us just how worthless we are, let your Good Shepherd lead you by the hand to that very next verse in Romans. The apostle Paul says this: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Yes, you are set free from your guilt.

So go to him, your Good Shepherd, in your personal devotion time. Go and gather with other believers to hear his voice and know that he has compassion on you and sees you. He knows just how tired you are, you tired lambs and you tired sheep. He knows how best to grant you the rest that you seek.

Prayer:
O God, the strength of all who trust in you, mercifully hear our prayers. Be gracious to us in our weakness and give us strength to keep your commandments in all that we say and do. Today we ask that you be with those who work at the Pentagon—the staffers and the officers, the administrators and assistants. We pray that you raise up good and faithful leaders in our nation’s military so that through their decisions, their planning and missions are carried out with success so that we might live peaceful lives. In your name we pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Titus 1:5-9

Qualification. It’s a word that can strike fear and anxiety in the hearts of both officer and enlisted alike. Phrases like go or no go, pass or fail. Did you qualify?

Well, what qualifies you to share Jesus with others? Do you need to be called as a pastor or teacher or staff minister in one of our Lutheran schools or churches? Do you need a diploma from a college or a seminary hanging on your wall that states, “Yes, I am qualified to do this”?

In our reading today, the apostle Paul talks about qualifications—not for a PFT or a gunnery—but what qualifies us to serve as those who share Jesus with others. And specifically in this part of his letter, he’s referring to those who are called workers like pastors and teachers and staff ministers. And in his letter to Pastor Titus, he lists those characteristics and attitudes and actions that God would want to see in called workers.

But as you listen to this list as I read it, you’d have to admit that this is a list not just for called workers, but characteristics and attitudes and actions that God would want to see in all believers in Christ.

Listen to the list. Paul says that he should not be “overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined” (Titus 1:7,8).

I have a confession to make. I don’t always qualify. When I hold my life and my actions and my attitudes up to this list, I fall far short.

And I know that you would have to humbly agree with me. You don’t always qualify. But thank God that pastors and teachers and staff ministers and chaplains and all of God’s people, members of churches, all Christians, we live in the shadow of the cross where we stand forgiven.

So, what is it that qualifies us to share Jesus with other people? Well, Paul adds this at the end of that list of qualifications: “He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught” (Titus 1:9). No matter what our vocation, it’s that trustworthy message, that well-known good news that Jesus Christ died for sinners and was raised from the dead to give us the sure hope of eternal life.

It’s that trustworthy message that qualifies each and every one of us. Because that message has affected us, and it moves us to be salt and light in this world.

Just a couple of weeks ago I was FaceTiming with two of our war fighters who are stationed in the Middle East. They’re both officers. And the gentleman was talking about the other officer who was on the call with me, and he said about her, “You know, she just lives differently from everybody else in our squadron. And the way that she lives, it just makes you go up to her and say to her, ‘What is it that makes you different?’ And that’s what I did. And I’m glad that I did, because she shared Jesus with me. She gave me her extra copy of this devotion book that you and your ministry hand out to war fighters, and I’m so glad that she did.”

So, did she go to school to learn how to share Jesus with other people? Does she have a special patch on her uniform that tells everybody, “Hey, I’m an ambassador for Christ”?

No. But she has been living in that trustworthy message as it has been taught to her and continues to be taught to her, and so she can’t help it. She can’t help but live as salt and light in this dark world. So also you and I—we are qualified. We are qualified by that trustworthy message as it has been taught to us.

My encouragement to you is this. Go. Go and live that qualified life as you read and study and pray on the words of your God. Go and live that qualified status as you live as salt and light. Because you are qualified through Christ.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, it is by your authority that you send us out to share that trustworthy message about you. Grant us confidence as we use the relationships that we already have with people to build bridges to you. Today we ask for your special blessing on all who serve as medics and corpsmen in our nation’s military. Guide their hands. Give them hearts filled with compassion and care. Protect them as they use their skills and gifts to save and preserve life. In your name I pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on 2 Timothy 2:1-13

In our devotion today, the apostle Paul uses a military illustration to teach a pastor named Timothy and us what it means to engage in meaningful ministry as Christians.

In verse 3 of his second letter to Pastor Timothy, Paul writes this: “Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather he tries to please his commanding officer.”

Paul’s point is this: That just like a faithful warfighter, you have a single purpose as a Christian—to please your commanding officer. That single purpose is to obey the command of the commander-in-chief, which is Jesus himself. The commands of Jesus are not burdensome, as Paul will write in other letters. But he does say that obeying Jesus’ commands may include enduring hardship, just like the apostle Paul was enduring.

The apostle Paul wrote this letter to Pastor Timothy while Paul was sitting in prison, enchained, because he had shared the gospel with other people. His government arrested him and had thrown him into prison and had chained him. And that specific message that Paul references here is that Jesus Christ is raised from the dead.

Now that’s a little bit of a headscratcher because we might wonder, Well, how in the world could anybody oppose that message? And why would they be so adamantly opposed to that message that they would take someone like the apostle Paul, throw him into prison, and chain him so he wouldn’t be able to share that message anymore?

We know the answer to that. It is because the sinful heart is just naturally opposed to anything good that God would give us. In spite of the reality of where the apostle Paul was, his encouragement to Pastor Timothy and to you and me is this: Focus on the commanding officer’s orders and share the gospel. Endure any hardship that may come as a result of sharing that message.

And even though not everyone will be receptive to that message, Paul says it’s okay. It’s okay because even though sinful people and wicked people had chained Paul in prison, Paul says in this letter that God’s Word is not chained. Even though the enemies of God’s Word succeeded in locking Paul up in prison, there were a whole host of other people who had the Word of God, so they could not keep God’s Word chained up.

You and I are those people who are free right now to share the good news that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. When we share that Word of God, it sets people free from being imprisoned by their sin, by their guilt, and from their fear of death. It sets them free to live for Jesus and to live with him forever. And, finally, that’s why Paul says it’s worth it.

God uses your voice and mind to share that unchained gospel to gather his elect, to gather souls, to be with him for eternity.

Now, you might be wondering, Well, how do I do this exactly? Where do I start? Especially in an environment where you must carefully choose what you say and how you say it, because the military does have rules about these kinds of things, and you’re absolutely right. My first encouragement to you is this: Build on the relationships that you already have with people.

Secondly, seek first to understand their religious background. When you engage in conversations about religion and spirituality and the Bible and other religions, ask questions like, “Can you tell me more?” “Why is it that you believe this?” “When did you first come to believe this, and what led to you believing this?”

Thirdly, because you have this relationship with them, and when they share with you the difficulties that they’re having in their life—whether it’s with work or home or their health—you get to share with them the hope that has strengthened you when you went through those same difficulties. You get to say to them, “Hey, I’ve been there. I get it. I’ve felt that way before too, but here’s what’s helped me—these promises from God’s Word.”

And finally, it can be a simple invitation to come and see and hear more at your church for worship or Bible study or maybe at an event that’s being hosted by your church. Or maybe you can start a small group Bible study and fellowship in your own home. If you’re wondering about how to start something like that and what that might look like, shoot me a message at military@wels.net and we can chat about it.

In the end, follow the command of your commanding officer, Christ Jesus. Know that his gospel message is unchained and can do some pretty amazing things in the hearts of people.

God be with you as you join with me and all Christians in serving as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

Prayer:
Almighty, eternal, and righteous God, you revealed your divine Word to teach us what we should do and what we should avoid. Strengthen and lead us by your Holy Spirit that we serve you in new obedience here until we come to complete holiness before you in that life to come. Today we also ask you to guide and direct all who serve in our nation’s military as NCOs and POs. Continue to raise up faithful men and women to be leaders, to serve as mentors and models for the junior enlisted service members under their charge. May they find their strength and faithfulness and service-mindedness in you, so they continue to be the backbone of the armed forces. In your name I pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Lamentations 3:19-33

Do you ever feel like the difficult times that you have in your life are because of you? Maybe because of a poor choice that you made, or a string of poor choices?

Or maybe it’s apathy or laziness—doing just enough to get by in all of your vocations, whether that’s at work or at home or at your church or in your relationships. And because of the things that you’ve left undone, some or many of the people in your life suffer because of you.

I know that some of you feel that way because we’ve had that discussion. We’ve talked about it. You know that you’re not alone, because I sometimes feel that way too—that the sufferings and the hardships that I’m going through are because of things I’ve done or things I’ve left undone.

And then I come across a Scripture passage like the one we are looking at today. It is from the book of Lamentations, which was written by the prophet Jeremiah. In chapter 3, verses 32 and 33, he writes this: “Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.” The phrase that Jeremiah writes—that God does not willingly bring affliction or grief—is interesting. In the Hebrew it literally says, “From the heart, he does not grieve or afflict anyone.”

What Jeremiah is trying to say is that it is not in God’s nature to be vindictive or take pleasure in someone’s pain because they’ve sinned. But sometimes, in God’s wisdom, he allows us to suffer because it is necessary for us so that we repent. That we repent of our poor choices. That we repent of our apathy and our laziness in our love of our neighbor and turn to God and see that that his love outweighs our suffering. That his compassion is so much greater than the consequences of our sin. That we turn from our sin in repentance. That we turn to God and see his forgiveness in Christ Jesus and see that it is greater than our sins and our suffering because of them.

Listen to the way Jeremiah describes it: “I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’ The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD” (Lamentations 3:19-26).

So repent. Turn to the Lord—the God of unfailing love, the God of compassion, the God who faithfully forgives your sin every single day. Rest quietly in that forgiveness every single day. And then, my friends, go. Go and live in that forgiveness and compassion and love, and God will bring blessings to you through all of it. He promises it.

Prayer:
God our Father, you work all things for the good of those who love you. Do not be deaf to our cry for mercy, but rather turn our sorrow into joy when we hear the announcement “You are forgiven!” so that our hearts may sing your praise. Today we pray for all of the young men and women who are starting basic training this summer. Calm their fears and anxieties; grant them the physical, mental, and spiritual strength to persevere; and for all of the basic trainees who are seeking something, provide a faithful Christian chaplain or local civilian pastor to answer their questions and to point them to the truth of your Holy Scriptures. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Mark 4:35-41

Their 28-foot boat overturned and began to capsize, but they did everything they were supposed to do. They sent out a distress signal. They activated the emergency position indicating radio beacon. They put on their life jackets. They grabbed their strobe lights and homing signals and jumped into the ocean waters. That emergency signal reached the Coast Guard Sector Clearwater in Florida, and soon a Jayhawk was dispatched with her aircrew, and they flew the 36 miles out into the ocean past Boca Grande, Florida, zeroed in on that homing signal, and found seven adults and one child floating in the ocean, clinging to a cooler. They hoisted them up into the Jayhawk and brought them back to the mainland, where no injuries were reported.

I’ve never had to be rescued by the Coast Guard. I’ve never been out that far into the ocean where the waves were so gigantic that they were crashing over the bow of my boat, and I was afraid for my life. Maybe you’ve been in that position, but I haven’t. But there are many days in my life that it feels that way, like the waves have crashed over the bow of my ship, and I am taking on water and the boat is about to capsize.

Does your life feel that way from time to time? June is national PTSD Awareness Month, and some of you who are reading this devotion may have felt that way. Because of the traumatic experiences that you have had serving our nation’s military, there were times that you felt that your ship was sinking. And maybe as those memories flood back into your mind, you have that sinking feeling.

Or it could just be the stressors of everyday life. The relationships with your commander, your parents, your children, your bunkmates, your spouse—maybe you feel like a ship that is just rising and falling with the ebbs and flows of relationships, and you just think, Can’t we just all get along?

Or maybe you are in such a tight financial situation that it feels like you’re drowning in debt. Or maybe because it’s PCS season, that means another move to another duty station, another community, making new friends, and you’ve rocked the boat for you and your household with this PCS move.

And at times it gets to be overwhelming because wave after wave comes in from the starboard side and water fills the boat, and you feel like it’s going to capsize, and you just ask God, “Why? Why does this keep happening to me?” Even as Christians we begin to ask the question, “Lord Jesus, don’t you even care?”

You’re not alone. The disciples found themselves in a similar situation. At one time there was a small flotilla of boats crossing the Sea of Galilee. Jesus was in one of those boats with some of his disciples, and he fell fast asleep. He was so tired from preaching and teaching and healing and just dealing with people that he fell asleep as they were sailing across the Sea of Galilee.

Then all of a sudden—and this happens often on the Sea of Galilee—a furious storm, Mark tells us, began to pound that flotilla of boats. Even the disciples, who were expert fishermen, were afraid for their lives.

Because of the amount of water that was coming into the boats and the fact that the boats were sinking, the disciples sent out a distress signal. But it wasn’t to the Coast Guard because ancient Galilee did not have a Coast Guard. They sent that distress signal out to Jesus, who was sleeping on that cushion in the stern. They woke him up and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are drowning?” Jesus woke up and addressed the wind and the waves and said, “Quiet! Be still!” And immediately there was a great calm.

What Jesus wants you to know from this story is this: When you are weathering the storms of life, know that Jesus is in the boat with you. That is enough for us to know when it feels as if the waves are coming in from the port and the starboard and they’re filling the boat and our ship is sinking. That all we need to do is to set the oars aside, stop bailing water, stop tending to the sail, and send the distress signal out to Jesus. We know that even though there are times that it feels that Jesus is sleeping at the stern, it is enough to know that Jesus is with us in the boat.

And remember who Jesus is. He is the one who created the wind and waves and seas. He is the one who, with the power of just his voice, calms the wind and the waves. And he may do that for you in your life, and he may not. And it could happen that the waves and the wind keep coming and causing your ship to feel like it’s sinking, and it seems like Jesus is doing nothing and you cry out, “Why?”

I don’t know the answer to that question, but Jesus does. But I do know that sometimes he allows these things to happen and continue to happen so that we cling to him—cling to his will and his reason and his purpose and his Word and his power to save. We cling to him and him alone.

And it is enough for us to know that Jesus is in the boat with us.

Prayer:O Lord our God, govern the nations on earth and direct the affairs of this world so that your Church may worship you in peace and joy. Help us to cling to your promises, even when the storms of life threaten to capsize us. It is enough for us to know that you are in the boat with us. Today we celebrate with the Coast Guard Auxiliary, which celebrates its 85th birthday on June 23rd. Since the time of the Second World War, civilians have volunteered to assist in the mission of the Coast Guard to make boating, seafaring, and waterway use as safe as possible. Lord, continue to bless the men and women who volunteer for the Coast Guard Auxiliary. May their selfless service advance the mission of the United States Coast Guard. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Colossians 1:3-6

Today we use the words of the apostle Paul to say a prayer of thanks for you who are serving in our nation’s military. We also say a prayer of thanks for military spouses, military parents, and military children, in addition to those of you who have served and continue to serve in other ways.

Today I say a prayer of thanks for you—you who are serving in our nation’s military, whether you are stationed stateside or overseas.

For you who are the spouses of those who are serving in our nation’s military. For you who are the parents of a child who serves in our nation’s military. For you who are children of those who serve in our nation’s military.

I also say a prayer of thanks for you who have served and continue to serve in other ways. I say a prayer of thanks for you today because you are so bold and so willing to share the faith that you have in Christ and the hope that you have in heaven, especially in a military culture that is not always friendly to Christianity. You show it, and you share it. And you have this willingness to invite people to come and see the hope that you have in Christ, the sure certainty that you have in heaven and in a resurrection from the dead. I thank God for you and for that willingness and that boldness.

And in my prayers, I thank God for you that you trust that the Word of God is going to do what the Word of God promises it’s going to do. When you share that Word, when you live that faith, you trust that that Word of God is going to plant a seed of faith in someone’s heart. You trust that Word of God to grow that seed or to preserve that seed of faith in someone’s heart. And so I thank God for you in my prayers for those things.

I’m going to say a prayer of thanks for you today, and I’m unashamedly going to use a prayer that was written by another Paul, the apostle Paul. And why not use this prayer? It’s been used by the Christian church for millennia, and it invokes the will of God.

This is Paul’s prayer from his letter to the Colossians in chapter 1: “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people—the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace” (Colossians 1:3-6).

Prayer:Dear Father, continue to cause that gospel message to bear fruit and to grow all over the world as our warfighters and their families scatter its seed into the hearts of their family members, their friends, and neighbors. Father, I also thank you for our U.S. Army, which celebrates its 249th birthday today. Raise up faithful men and women to lead and plan and execute the mission of the U.S. Army. Keep our soldiers faithful to their creed, to be disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in their warrior tasks and drills. Keep them ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the United States of America so that we may always remain free and live in peace, and so that we, your people, may advance the mission of your Church. In your Son’s name, I pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Based on Genesis 3:15; Revelation 20:1-3; Mark 3:27

If you are watching this devotion on June 7, then today is D-Day plus 1. On June 6, 1944, Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, turning the tide of World War II in favor of the Allied forces. Today is also another D-Day—D-Day plus 730,000—when Jesus took on human flesh and stormed this world as a baby and defeated our enemy, the devil. There is no more enemy left to defeat because Christ has done that for you and for me.

If you are reading this devotion on June 7, then that means today is D-Day plus 1. On June 6, 1944, the Allied forces named that day D-Day. There were many D-Days during World War II, but that one was the most famous—when over 160,000 Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France, turning the page on the history of that war in favor of the Allied forces.

But the things that happened on D-Day plus 1 and D-Day plus 2 and D-Day plus 365—those things couldn’t have happened without the success of the missions and sacrifices on D-Day. But the sobering reality is that on D-Day plus 1 and D-Day plus 2 and D-Day plus 365, the Allied forces continued to fight because there was more enemy left to fight.

There was another D-Day that occurred a long time ago, making today D-Day plus 730,000. That D-Day occurred 2,000 years ago, when the eternal divine took on human flesh and stormed this world as a baby. He came into this world to engage and defeat the enemy forces that would overcome us: the devil and all of his legions of demons. It was our sin, with all of its consequences of physical death, spiritual death, and eternal death that would keep us separated from a holy God for eternity. But Jesus won. He died our death. He died our hell. Before that he succeeded over every temptation that the enemy threw at him. And by rising from the dead, he declared victory for you and for me.

But for us today, on D-Day plus 730,000, the enemy still rages against us. He knows that he has lost, but he continues to fight against us. He tries to deceive us, tries to lure us into temptations and desires that are not godly desires. He tries to convince us that God does not have the strength and power to defend us against evil by pointing to those evil things that have come into our lives. He tries to convince us that maybe God doesn’t love us because he hasn’t stopped those evil things from coming into our lives.

But, my friends, today is D-Day plus 730,000. The enemy has been defeated. There is no more enemy left to defeat because Christ has done that for you and for me.

By storming the beachhead of this world, Jesus came and defeated the devil by overcoming all of the temptations for us, for you, for me. He has overcome our death, he has overcome our hell, and he has given us the victory. And because he has done that and has risen from the dead, he stands with us today when the enemy rages against us. He stands with us to help us defeat the enemy, stands with us to remind us of these promises that we hear from the apostle John as he saw his revelation. He said, “He has seized that dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil, or Satan, and has bound him, thrown him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him” (based on Revelation 20:1-3).

As he writes through the evangelist Mark, “He has entered the strong man’s house and bound him so that he can plunder the strong man” (based on Mark 3:27).

As we heard from the first promise way back in Genesis, “He is the one whose heel has been bruised as he hung on the cross, but with that same heel crushed the serpent’s head” (based on Genesis 3:15).

And so, my dear friends, remember that promise today, on D-Day plus 730,000. And tomorrow, on D-Day plus 730,001, and on every day after that. Because Christ wins, you and I win.

Prayer:
Almighty and eternal God, your Son, Jesus, triumphed over the prince of demons and freed us from the bondage to sin. Help us to stand firm against every assault of Satan, and enable us to always do your will. Eternal Father, there are many in our armed forces and among those who have served in our nation’s military who struggle with trauma they experienced or saw or even heard about while they served. This month, PTSD Awareness Month, help us to open our eyes and our ears to those who struggle, to provide listening ears and compassionate hearts so we might point them to the One who knows and experienced trauma and understands them and has the power to strengthen them as they work through the trauma that they have experienced. Provide hope and healing for those suffering from trauma. We ask this in your Son’s name, Jesus, our Savior. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Military Devotion – Rest – May 31, 2024

Based on 1 John 1:7-9; Isaiah 40:28-31; Ephesians 5:25-27; Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 4:14-16; Matthew 11:28

Our devotion today is about Sabbath, which means “rest.” Are you struggling? Do you need rest? Listen to the words of Jesus today about rest. Prioritize your time with God’s Word, and you will find rest for your soul. Jesus promises it.

If you go to church this coming Sunday, it is the second Sunday after Pentecost. And if your pastor is following the assigned readings for that Sunday, almost all of them will have to do with the Sabbath and the Third Commandment: Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy.

That word Sabbath means “rest.” And I’m guessing that if you’re reading this devotion, you, like me, need rest.

If you are struggling with addiction, there is forgiveness for you, and there is rest in that forgiveness.

When we go to Jesus’ Word, he says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. And the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (based on 1 John 1:7-9). Rest in that forgiveness.

If you struggle with addiction, not only is there forgiveness for you, but there is also hope. Listen to these words from Jesus: “Do you not know, have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:28-31). Rest in that hope.

Maybe you’re struggling with your marriage. Well, there’s forgiveness for that too. Here’s what Jesus says: “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:25-27). There is forgiveness for you. Rest in that forgiveness. And there is hope for you in your marriage.

In that same chapter of Ephesians, Paul uses the picture of Christ’s relationship with his church, which is us, as the model for husbands and wives. Give it a read today and rest in that hope for your marriage.

Are you struggling with loneliness? Listen to what Jesus’ words have to say to you. He says, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Rest in that promise from Jesus.

Do you struggle because no one seems to understand you? Well, here’s what Jesus says: “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16). Rest in that promise from your Savior.

And finally, Jesus invites each and every one of us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). So my encouragement to you today is this: Prioritize your time with God’s Word, and you will find rest for your soul. He promises it.

Prayer:
Eternal God, your Son, Jesus Christ, is our true Sabbath rest. Help us to keep each day holy by receiving his word of comfort that we may find our rest in him. And I pray, Father, for all who are deployed. Some of the places are unknown to us, but you know where they are. Other places are known to us, but we don’t always know exactly what their missions are, but you do. And so we entrust them to you, our all-knowing and all-powerful God. Send your holy angels to protect them, and through your Word, grant rest to their souls. In your name we pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Military Devotion – He Dies to Produce a Harvest – May 24, 2024

On this Memorial Day weekend, let’s look at some words from Jesus from John 12:23,24. Jesus said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

Jesus spoke these words just a couple of days before he would be betrayed by a friend, abandoned by all of his friends, and be taken to the cross and suffer and die. And he was using that picture of a kernel of seed, which in your hand remains just that—a seed. But when it is planted in the ground, and the dirt covers it and the sun and the rain do their work, something amazing and miraculous happens. That seed dies, and in its place, a plant grows and produces fruit. And Jesus was talking about himself and what would happen to him. He would be that seed that would fall to the ground and die. But because Jesus died, he produced many seeds. He’s talking about you and me and all of those who by faith believe in Jesus. We are that harvest that happened because Jesus died on the cross.

Whenever that message of Jesus is proclaimed, it is like seed that is scattered by a farmer in his field. The seed is scattered, it is planted in people’s hearts, and the Holy Spirit causes it to grow. And that seed of faith grows in our hearts and fruit is produced: those good things that Jesus calls us to do in our lives. We thank him for that. It all happened because a seed fell to the ground and died—Jesus, our Savior.

But we know that he didn’t stay dead. At the beginning of those verses in John 12, Jesus said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” He was looking past his crucifixion. He was looking ahead to Easter Sunday morning, when he would not stay a dead seed in the ground but would rise back to life—not just in his spirit, but with his body and soul reunited. Jesus came out of his grave alive.

If you visit a cemetery this weekend, remember this: This will not end in death. I know that your loved ones lost to death and battle buddies lost in combat are buried in cemeteries. But this is not the end for them. And this will not be the end for you.

On this Memorial Day, we can be sad. And we can shed tears. That’s okay to do those things. It’s okay to feel that way. But we know that we have a sure and certain hope. When the hour came for Jesus to be glorified, it was with his death and burial, but more importantly, his resurrection from the dead.

On the Last Day, Jesus will stand on this earth, and a cemetery would be a pretty cool place to be. All of the bodies will come out of their graves, and they will stand and live. And for those who, by faith, believe and trust that Jesus died for them will stand to live with him, and with us, forever in heaven.

Jesus has promised it. Believe it.

Prayer:
Almighty and eternal God, ruler of individuals and of nations, I bring my thanks to you this Memorial Day for all the blessings that you have given our nation. Prosperity has reigned in our country. Our enemies have not been able to subdue us because you have graciously held your protecting hand over us. Help me to know and to acknowledge that freedom, prosperity, and other blessings come from you, and make me thankful.

Merciful Father, forgive our personal sins and our national sins for Jesus’ sake. Enlighten us by your Word. Make us upright citizens of our dear country and worthy members of the community in which we live. Move us to bow under authority, first under yours, and then under the authority of our government.

Give us and all the countries of the world a lasting peace, and teach us to live together as befits your children. As my memories go back to those who have died to preserve our liberties, make me grateful and humble. Give me the determination to do all in my power to safeguard our freedom. Make me diligent in prayer for my country. Guide and lead those in authority with your sure counsel, and give power to all Christian witness that not only the Christians of today but also many others may be brought to eternal life through you for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Military Devotion – Jesus Has Not Left Us Alone – May 17, 2024

Based on John 16:7,13

As a warfighter, your vocation requires you to leave at times. Whether that’s leaving overseas,
or TDY, or to school, or to training—you have to leave.

And when you leave, that means that you leave something or someone behind, whether that’s parents or friends or your church family. If you’re a married warfighter, you leave behind a spouse. If God has blessed you with children, you leave children behind. How do they feel when you have to leave? I think you know the answer to that question.

But how do you feel when you have to leave? Do you ever feel that you are abandoning your family, your parents, your friends, your church family, your spouse, your children? Or do you feel that when you make the transition from active duty to civilian life, that maybe you have abandoned your company, your platoon, your fellow battle buddies?

Well, you’re not alone. Jesus also left. He left friends and family members and loved ones. And like you, he told them ahead of time so he could prepare them emotionally and mentally. But Jesus also had a way to prepare them spiritually for when he had to leave. He does that through the words of John 16.

When he spoke these words, it was on that night that it would appear to his family and friends that the world just was collapsing down around them, because it would happen on a night that Jesus would be betrayed, arrested, and crucified, and then die and be buried.

When Jesus spoke these words, he was pointing them past all of that to his resurrection from the dead on Easter Sunday. But he was also pointing them past that, even, to his ascension, which would happen 40 days from then. And he was also pointing them past that to the day we call Pentecost, which would happen 50 days after he spoke these words.

It was on the Day of Pentecost that Jesus chose to send another friend to be with his friends and with his family members and with you and me—so that they would know and we would know that no matter where we go, no matter what we do, no matter what emotions we feel, no matter what we experience, no matter what we endure, Jesus promises that he has not left us alone. In John 16, he told his friends, “I have to leave, and it’s good that I go away so that I can send you what I have promised you, which is the Holy Spirit.”

And in this section of John 16, Jesus calls him the Spirit of truth. Jesus says, “He will testify about me. And when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” How comforting to those whom Jesus left behind. Because he really didn’t leave them behind. He didn’t leave them all alone. He had promised them before he ascended into heaven, “I am with you always.” And in a way that our human minds cannot understand, Jesus, with his body and soul reunited after his resurrection, ascends body and soul into heaven so that he with body and soul can be at the right hand of God but also here with us, no matter where we go, no matter what we do.

But he also promises to send the Spirit of truth to testify about him, about Jesus. What that means for you is that whenever you open your Bible to read it, whenever you go to church to listen to God’s Word, whenever you think about your baptism, when you receive Christ’s body and blood for the forgiveness of your sins, when you sit down at the dinner table to study a catechism lesson with your children or you sit your children down to read a Bible story with them—there, the Holy Spirit reminds you of not just a truth, but the truth. He reminds you about Jesus and his love and his forgiveness and his strength and his comfort and his eternal presence for you. And not just for you, but also for those you leave behind when your vocation of soldiering requires you to leave.

What greater comfort can you leave behind for your family members, your siblings, your parents, your spouse, your children, your church family, than encouragement from Jesus? It reminds them that they are not alone. And when you do that—when you remind them of the promises that Jesus has made to you through his Word and sacraments—the Holy Spirit will remind them of those truths.

What better words can you share with them than the truth that will calm worried minds and anxious souls and lonely hearts? When you go, know that the Holy Spirit will speak truth to those whom you leave behind, because he will speak Jesus to them.

Prayer:
Holy Spirit, Comforter sent from Jesus, work in us by your Word of truth so that we may know the truth in Christ. Guard and keep us in the faith that saves. Remind us that we are not alone, but you are always with us no matter where we are, no matter what we are doing. Use that Word of truth to comfort and to strengthen and to forgive and to keep our eyes fixed on Christ, our risen and ascended Lord Jesus.

Next week as we observe the founding of the American Red Cross on May 21, 1881, Lord, we marvel at the men and women like Clara Barton whom you raised up to provide for those who suffer from disaster and emergency and war. Continue to provide the Red Cross with resources and manpower to carry out their mission to the world. We ask this in your name. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Military Devotion – Jesus Prays for You, Military Spouse – May 10, 2024

Based on John 17:11-19

Jesus prays for you, military spouse, and what Jesus prays for, he gives to you.

Today, Friday, May 10, is Military Spouse Appreciation Day. And this coming Sunday is Mother’s Day. Probably not a coincidence. But I do know that there are plenty of military spouses who aren’t mothers, but they are fathers and husbands.

I don’t know what you personally are going through as a military spouse. But I do know quite a few military spouses, and these are some of the things that they’re going through. Maybe you can identify with them.

The military spouses that I know have husbands or wives who oftentimes don’t get home from work until they are getting ready for bed. There are military spouses that I know that can count up not just the months but the years that their spouse has been away from them on deployments or TDY or at school or training. There’s one young couple who celebrated when they reached the milestone in their marriage where they had been together in person as a married couple longer than the spouse had been away on deployment or training or schooling or TDY.

I know military spouses who care for the necessities of their children with special needs. I know military spouses who have run the FRGs, and they deal with the drama and the rumors. And I know military spouses who have consoled not one but several other military spouses whose marriages have suffered from the rigors of military life. I know military spouses who pray and pray and pray some more for their marriage and for their children and for their fellow military spouses and for their spouse when they deploy.

I want to share this with you: I pray for you, military spouse. But more importantly, I want you to know that Jesus prays for you, and what Jesus prays for, he gives to you.

I want you to listen in on Jesus’ prayer. This is the prayer that Jesus spoke the night he would be betrayed by Judas, abandoned by his disciples, arrested, crucified, and die. He pauses on that night to pray for you. And he says in his prayer, “Heavenly Father, protect them by the power of your name.” Jesus prays to his Father in heaven, his holy Father, and asks him to protect you, to keep you unharmed or undisturbed, to guard you and keep you. And he asks his Father to protect you by the power of his name.

Now a name is everything that you know about that individual. So when I, for example, hear the names of some of the military spouses that I know, names like Morgan or Rachel or Holly or Katie or Jenny or Carlos, it reminds me of who they are, what kind of people they are. So when you hear the name of your Father in heaven, let it remind you of what kind of Father he is for you.

He has a Son, Jesus, who prays to him to protect you by that name: father. You have a Father in heaven who claims you as his daughters and as his sons. You have a Father who loves you and graciously proves that love to you by forgiving you again and again when you come to him in repentance for all those times that you have not felt that you have done a stellar job as a military spouse or as a mother or as a child to your mother. He forgives you, dear child. That’s one of the ways that your Father in heaven protects you by his name.

You see, he convinces you that you are his forgiven child so that when the devil and your own sinful flesh try to convince you otherwise, you know better—because you can rest in that identity as a child of your Father in heaven.

On that night, Jesus continued to pray for you, and he said, “I’m speaking in the world so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.” Think about what Jesus is praying here. When he goes to the betrayal and abandonment and denial and suffering and cross and hell itself and the grave, he does it for your sake so that you, by believing in his name, have his joy and his goodness—all of the goodness of God. He prays this for you because he knows that there are going to be days that you don’t feel the joy of Jesus, that you don’t feel the goodness of God. But Jesus prays for it so that you know that you have it, because saving faith lacks nothing. You have everything in Christ.

He prayed for it, he won it by going to the cross, and he loves to give everything to you. So find your joy in him. Jesus fervently prayed these things for you so that when you don’t feel the joy, when you don’t feel God’s goodness to you, open up your Bibles to John 17. Read these words of Jesus’ prayer out loud so that you hear it with your own ears, from his mouth. Hold on to those words with your whole heart and take comfort in them.

And in that prayer, you will hear Jesus say that he sends you out into the world so that you might be his truth, that you might be his daughters and his sons and set an example for other military spouses. So when their lives are difficult, when you see them sacrificing so much, when you see them despair, when you see them struggling with their marriage and as parents, you can go to them and say, “I get it. I understand.” But the reason that you can and will continue in this vocation as a military spouse is that Jesus prays for me, and he prays for you. And what Jesus prays for he gives to you, and he gives to me.

Jesus prays for you, dear military spouse. And what Jesus prays, he gives.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, you are the source of life and wisdom and all good things. Bless all military spouses with faithfulness, patience, and an unswerving trust in your promises to do what Jesus prayed for them. Look with favor on all mothers who have given life to their children and who nurture them with loving concern and faithful instruction. May their children honor them and call them blessed. When they become weary, sustain them with physical and spiritual rest. Hear us for the sake of your Son, Jesus, who cared for his earthly mother and in whom you are well pleased. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Military Devotion – What Does It Mean to Be a Friend? – May 3, 2024

Based on John 15:9-17

What does it mean to be a friend? Jesus says to his disciples in John 15: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Here’s how we know that Jesus is our best friend and that he loves us unconditionally: he sacrificed himself for us on a cross. Now you and I get to go out and be that kind of friend to someone who needs to hear about a Savior’s love for them. That’s a true friend.

What does it mean to be a friend? I don’t know about you, but in my circles the way that we show love to our friends—I know this maybe sounds kind of strange—is being sarcastic with each other and putting each other down and having a self-deprecating humor. It’s how we show love to our friends.

Maybe you roll in circles like that too. Or maybe—this is probably better—you show love to your friends by just being there, having a listening ear. Or maybe you actually say, “I love you, brother; I love you, sister,” and you put those words into action. Or maybe sometimes there’s a handshake, and in the palm of your hand is a coin that says, “Thank you. You have been a true friend.”

I don’t know about you, but there are times that I struggle to be a good friend. Sometimes it happens when I’m going through a difficult time, or I’m struggling and there are people in my life that I thought were friends, and when they find out about these things or I tell them about them, they’re just not there to support me. Has that happened to you? Then maybe you find it hard to be a friend back to them.

Or maybe sometimes you find it hard to be a friend because there are those friends who have hurt you or offended you. Or maybe you just haven’t been a good friend lately because you’ve been so absorbed in what you’re doing and in your life that you have forgotten to be a friend to somebody else.

But here’s the good news that I want to share with you today. In fact, it’s what Jesus wants to share with you today. Jesus is your best friend, and that matters. He says this to his disciples in John 15: “You are my friends.” He calls them friends.

The thing about Jesus’ friendship is that it is not dependent on the way that we have treated friends in the past or the shabby way we have taken Jesus’ friendship for granted. Because Jesus says this: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Here’s how we know that Jesus is our best friend and that he loves us unconditionally: he sacrificed himself for us on a cross.

Now, do you know when Jesus spoke those words: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”? He spoke those words the night he would be betrayed by a friend and abandoned by friends who said that they would be there for him in his most difficult time, and then the next day he would go to the cross and suffer and die. That’s true friendship, and that’s the kind of friendship that you have with Jesus: one that is sacrificial for you, one that loves you unconditionally, and one that forgives you unconditionally. That’s a true friend.

Now you and I get to go out and be that kind of friend to someone who needs to hear about a Savior’s love for them, to people that we have hurt, to people that maybe haven’t been the best of friends to us. We get to go and be Jesus to them. That’s a true friend.

Prayer:Lord Jesus, you have called us your friends. You show us the love our Father in heaven has for us by laying down your life for ours. Move us to be good friends with those who need to see and hear the love of a Savior who is willing to die for them.

Just a couple of days ago, our nation celebrated Silver Star Service Banner Day that honors the sacrifices of U.S. military personnel, especially those who have been awarded the Silver Star, the third highest military decoration for valor in combat. We thank you for raising up brave men and women who are willing to sacrifice themselves for their battle buddies, for civilians in other countries, and for us. Help us to honor their sacrifices with our words and actions of gratitude.

And finally, Lord, there are a lot of people on our hearts today. There are many, many war fighters who are currently deployed to places around the world where there is potential for violence and in places where there is conflict. Protect our deployed war fighters, send your holy angels to watch over them, and remind their families and friends back home that you are also with them, to comfort and strengthen them through your words of promise. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Military Devotion – Keep Connected to Christ the Vine – April 26, 2024

Based on John 15:5

One of the best things that we can do for our military children is to have some kind of continuity—something that is the same wherever they go. And what better continuity than Christ? Jesus says in John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” When we stay connected to Jesus in his Word and through his sacraments, we are reminded of our baptisms and all that he has done for us. He’s called us his sons and daughters, he’s forgiven our sins, and he’s given us the sure hope of eternal life in heaven.

I’m still wearing purple this week. Purple is for the month of April—the Month of the Military Child. Last week, we looked at the unique challenges and difficulties that

I’m still wearing purple because it’s still the month of April, and purple is the color for the Month of the Military Child. If you’re wondering why the color purple is for the Month of the Military Child, you’re not alone. I had to look that up too.

Purple combines all of the branches’ colors into one. The Air Force, the Navy, the Coast Guard, and the Space Force all use shades of blue. The Army uses green and the Marine Corps, red. So that combines all of the colors into purple and reminds us that there are children in each of the branches of our nation’s military.

So as we think about the Month of the Military Child and children in military families, I was thinking about one of the readings that will come up on Sunday. If you are privileged to be in person with your family at your church home, or if you’re watching online (as many of you do since you are far away from your church families being in our nation’s military), one of the readings will be from John’s gospel, chapter 15, verse 5. Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

The reason I thought of this and connecting it to military children is that there’s so much change that military children often go through. And one of the best things that we can do for our military children is to have some kind of continuity—something that is the same wherever they go. And what better continuity than Christ? Jesus himself says, “I am the vine; you are the branches.” The picture that he’s using is one that the disciples would see every day as they walked the roads and the paths in Israel. They would see those vine branches growing up on the hillsides, and they would immediately have been reminded of Jesus’ words. “Look there. There’s a vine and there’s a healthy branch, and it’s growing this big cluster of grapes. They look healthy and great for eating and making wine.”

That’s us and our good works. Jesus wants us to go out and love our neighbor in whatever vocation he’s given us. But the only way that we can do that—and also grieve with hope and handle the changes in our life and go through stress and anxiety—is if we stay connected to Christ and he to us. And what better thing can we do for our children, especially those in military families, than to keep them connected to Christ?

Remember, we have resources for you. If you’re wondering, How can I, as a parent of a military child, with all of these changes that we’re going through in our lives, keep my child connected to Christ? And how can I keep myself connected to Christ? Because that helps my child stay connected to Jesus. Contact our office at military@wels.net. We have resources that we can send you, things that we can share with you, and places that we can point you to and say, “Hey, here’s a way to daily stay connected to Jesus.”

There’s one family that I keep in touch with on a weekly basis. They’re stationed in South Korea, and they have a new baby girl. She’s a few months old, but even at a few months old, what this couple does is when they have their devotions together as husband and wife, their daughter is sitting on their laps listening and hearing the Word of God. And when we hold our online worship service for all of the folks that are stationed in the Pacific, there she is, singing along with the hymns. She’s hearing God’s Word.

So whether your child is 2 months or 2 years or 12 years or 22 years, or maybe you are that 22-year-old or 32-year-old or 42-year-old reading this devotion and you are a child of a military family—maybe you followed in Mom’s or Dad’s footsteps—what better way for you to stay connected to Jesus than to be in his Word and hearing his promises, from your risen, resurrected, and living Lord Jesus, who promises to stay connected to you?

When we stay connected to Jesus in his Word and through his sacraments, we are reminded of our baptisms and all that he has done for us. He’s called us his sons and daughters, he’s forgiven our sins, and he’s given us the sure hope of eternal life in heaven.

When we receive his very body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins—this is the price that he paid to set us free from those sins and keep us connected to him.

When we read a devotion like this, when we open our Bibles, and when we gather with other Christians to hear the good news about Jesus—we stay connected to Christ, and more importantly, he stays connected to us as a branch remains in a vine.

My encouragement to you today is to keep connected to Christ. He will stay connected to you. That is his promise to you.

Prayer:

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, you’ve set the lonely in families. We commend to your care all the homes in which your people live. Keep them free from bitterness, pride, and selfishness. Fill them with faith and wisdom, with patience and godliness. Let children and parents show respect for one another. Bless us all with a spirit of kindness and true affection. Raise up faithful fathers and mothers to bring the Word of God to their children so that we might tell the next generation the wonderful and amazing things that you have done for us and for them. Keep us connected to you as we listen to your Word as it is read and studied, as we remember our baptisms, and as we receive your Holy Supper for the forgiveness of our sins. We ask this all in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Military Devotion – Jesus Shepherds Military Children – April 19, 2024

Based on Psalm 23

Jesus brings more good news this week from Psalm 23 to the military child. You have a Good Shepherd who walks with you through dark valleys. Even when we have to face the dark valley of death, King David says, we will fear no evil, because Jesus faced that dark valley of death, and he came through on the other side by rising from the dead. So will we too.

I’m still wearing purple this week. Purple is for the month of April—the Month of the Military Child. Last week, we looked at the unique challenges and difficulties that military children often face, and we saw how Jesus addresses those challenges by giving the peace that only he can give.

Today, Jesus uses a little bit of a different picture to address some of those challenges that military children face, and he does that through the words of a military father, a war fighter, a combat veteran, a commander, a general, a king. You could use all of those words to describe this man. His name is David.

David wrote a lot of songs in the Bible. They’re called psalms. And in Psalm 23, King David writes, “The Lord is my shepherd.” King David uses the picture of a shepherd, because before his vocation was soldiering and being a king, he was a shepherd. And David knew how much sheep need a shepherd. Sheep are kind of helpless creatures. They get themselves into trouble. They have a bad sense of direction, and sometimes they’ll just walk right off of a steep ravine and fall and break their legs or break their necks. They get lost. They’re pretty defenseless creatures. When a wolf or a lion or a bear attacks, sheep could run away for a little bit, but there’s no way to defend themselves. They will be caught by that wild animal and killed. Sometimes sheep don’t know what to eat, and sometimes they eat poisonous things in the wild that actually cause them to die.

Sheep need a shepherd to protect them, show them where to eat, and show them the foods they ought to eat. David understood this. And he, as a shepherd, admits, “I need a shepherd too.” Even though David as king was shepherd of God’s people, the nation of Israel, he needed a shepherd too. And that’s why in Psalm 23 he writes, “The Lord is my shepherd”—especially because of what he says in verse 4: “I walk through the darkest valley.”

For you as a military child, are there days that feel that way? That you’re walking through a dark valley? You’re walking down this path, with rocks and earth rising up to your right, and rocks and earth rising up to your left, and you can barely see the top on either side? There are trees and it’s dark and you don’t know what’s out there? It can be very scary.

Does it feel that way when you know that you have to move again? Does it feel that way when Mom or Dad deploys? Does it feel that way when Mom or Dad has to go out into the field for training, and you know sometimes that can be dangerous too?

Does it feel that way when Mom and Dad just seem a little bit off? Not normal—something is just not right with them, and it frightens you a little bit. You worry about them. Or maybe it feels that way when Mom and Dad fight, and they fight a lot.

Sometimes it can feel that way in life, walking through that dark valley, but here’s the thing. King David admitted, “I walk through that dark valley, but I have a good shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd.” You see, Jesus is your Good Shepherd too. And when you walk through that dark valley, first of all know this: that he understands, that he gets it because he’s been there.

Some of the things that Jesus had to go through in his life—he had people that just hated him. He had friends that abandoned him. He had a friend that betrayed him. Jesus had friends that died, and that made him really, really sad. Jesus even had people who hated him so much that they crucified him by putting him on a cross so that he died and had to be buried because he was dead.

But Jesus, even though he walked through that dark valley, came out on the other side just fine because he rose from the dead. And he lives today to be your Good Shepherd, to walk with you as you walk through that dark valley. When you have to move again, when Mom or Dad just seems a little bit off and that makes you worried, when Mom and Dad fight a lot, when Mom or Dad deploys, when they have to go out into the field for training—any dark thing that is happening in your life—Jesus is your Good Shepherd, and he walks with you. He promises that.

King David said, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid. I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” And the only way that Jesus can be with you all the time, no matter where you are, no matter how you are feeling, is if he has been raised from the dead, and he most certainly has.

So go today, dear military child, with this good news. You have a Good Shepherd who walks with you through that dark valley. Even when you and I have to face the dark valley of death, David says, we will fear no evil, because Jesus faced that dark valley of death, and he came through on the other side by rising from the dead. So will we too. We will come through on the other side just fine, because we will rise from the dead just like Jesus, never to be afraid, never to be scared ever again.

Prayer:

O Lord Jesus Christ, you are the Good Shepherd who laid down your life for the sheep. Lead us now to the still waters of your life-giving Word, that we may abide in your Father’s house forevermore, for you live and reign with him and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Military Devotion – Peace for the Military Child – April 12, 2024

Jesus has words for the military child and the military family. And it’s just four simple words: Peace be with you. These are the words that Jesus spoke to his disciples after he rose from the dead on Easter Sunday.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Military Devotion – The Things He Carried – March 29, 2024

1 Corinthians 15

The apostle Paul was one of those who saw Jesus alive after he rose from the dead, and he said this in 1 Corinthians chapter 15: “Just as Christ rose, so in Christ, all will be made alive.”

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Military Devotion – The Things He Carried – March 29, 2024

Based on Isaiah 53:4-12

“They carried all they could bear, and then some, including a silent awe for the terrible power of the things they carried.” – Tim O’Brien

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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Darkness is My Friend – September 8, 2023

You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend.
Psalm 88:18

Military Devotion – September 8, 2023Devotion based on Psalm 88:18
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230908Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

He sat in a chair not ten feet from his little son’s casket. But he would not look up.

People bent over to offer words of sympathy. But he would not look up.

Just days before, his eyes had sparkled as he held the child at a family gathering. Now, the light has gone away from his eyes. Only the darkness of grief was left. It would stay with him for a long time.

Shadows of that darkness were still there on the day he died.

It wasn’t that his faith had died. He still held fast to the promise of everlasting life for himself and the son he had brought to the baptismal font. But he spent the rest of his life as if never quite leaving the valley of the shadow of death.

He returned to work. He returned to the fellowship of friends and family. But he never returned to his old self. Darkness was now his closest friend.

The writer of Psalm 88 could have told him, “I know how you feel.”

Sorrow is often seen on the pages of Scripture. God does not deny that his people feel the depth of sorrow at times. Jesus wept over the death of his friend Lazarus, even as he wept over the people of Jerusalem who had rejected the rescue he offered.

“O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!” (2 Samuel 18:33) Those were the words of King David, grieving for his son.

Sometimes, we see grief mixed with confusion bordering upon anger—anger toward God as the question of “Why?” rings out. The psalmist points to the Lord as the cause of his dark grief. “You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths,” he complains.

He is in dire misery. Listen to his lament. “For my soul is full of trouble and my life draws near the grave.” He felt the Lord had forgotten him—worse, that he was, “cut off from your care” (Psalm 88:3-5). His world had fallen apart.

If we have not experienced such pain of heart, we might question how it could exist in a person who knows death has been conquered, in a soul that clings to the Lord of life while awaiting the day of resurrection.

But Jesus understands. He warned his followers. “I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices.” Then he said, “You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy” (John 16:20).

He never promised our lives would be carefree, never suggested that if only our faith was strong enough, we would live happily ever after—not until it is the ever after.

Psalm 88 is a dark psalm. But it begins with the bright beam of heavenly light, “O LORD, the God who saves me.” This message is repeated and stressed throughout Scripture. In another psalm, we hear from a grieving heart, “Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory” (Psalm 73:23,24).

In still another psalm, it is David who begins by calling out, “Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; listen to my cry”—and ends with this bold statement of confidence, “And I—in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness” (Psalm 17:14).

That’s the way it was for people who turned to the Savior God for endless joy in heaven and blessed assurance on earth. He never failed them. He never will.

He knows how it feels to lose a loved one to death. Scripture points us to the Father and the death of his Son. The hymn calls out, “Oh sorrow dread! God’s Son is dead!” Were there tears in heaven on that Friday? Is that the reason for the strange darkness that fell at midday? Is this not the answer to our pain and sorrow?

Grief need not be despair. Faith can sustain a heavy heart. Tears of sorrow can mix with tears of joy.

Something to remember when we see another one weighed down with grief. Something to recall when the dark clouds of sorrow move into our lives.

With the apostle Paul, we can yet boast, “Death, where is your sting? Grave, where is your victory?” With all the people of God, we can joyfully proclaim, “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

There is a light that penetrates even the deepest darkness. That grieving father who refused to look up now lives in that light. He has joined his precious son in the glory of God’s Son. The small casket is forgotten. Darkness is no longer his companion or friend.

Now, he can look up at his son and his Savior. Now, he would reassure us by declaring “What a friend we have in Jesus!”

Prayer:
Holy and gracious Lord God, keep our eyes fixed upon the glory that was won for us, the treasure that awaits us. Keep us in the grasp of Jesus, Friend of sinners. Amen.

Points to ponder:

Why does it pain us to lose loved ones to death even though we know they have entered the bliss of heaven?
How can darkness invade our lives even if we are a child of the heavenly Father?
Why might Jesus have wept over the grave of Lazarus even though he knew Lazarus would walk out of that tomb in just a few minutes?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Stillwater, Minnesota.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

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The Fog of War – September 1, 2023

Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
Mark 16:8

Military Devotion – September 1, 2023Devotion based on Mark 16:8
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230901Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

We wonder how this could happen. What were they thinking? What was wrong with them?

Hadn’t they heard the angel say that Jesus had risen from the dead? Didn’t they realize that this was Easter—a day that would be greeted with joy by millions for thousands of years?

How could they? They had been knocked in the head by trauma. They were in a state of shock.

Just a week ago they had been part of a joyous parade celebrating the glory of Jesus. They had joined in the hosannas. They had watched their leader and teacher ride into the capital city as if he were a king. Many were expecting he would now set up his throne and rule on earth as the Messiah. The golden age was coming! They were sure of that. It was Sunday.

By Friday, the sense of triumph had turned to terror.

These women had followed him from Galilee. They had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover with Jesus and his disciples. They were horrified to learn that he had been arrested on Thursday night and already sentenced to death by Friday morning.

They stood weeping near that cross as the darkness came at midday. They saw the blood. They heard his cries. They watched him die.

They stood there almost alone. Only John, of all the disciples, waited with them. Then, he left too. He had to take the mother of Jesus back to his own home. The rest of the former brave disciples were trembling behind locked doors.

It was these women who then walked with some strangers to the grave Jesus would be laid in. They touched his cold and bleeding body. They felt obligated to prepare him for burial. There was no one else to do it. It was their duty. It tore at their hearts.

Then the Sabbath sundown interrupted them. They had to wait for an entire day before they could complete their mission. Saturday was spent with heavy hearts, and the Sunday sunrise would bring them renewed pain. Once again, they had to handle the body of the one they had loved and believed in. Now he was the dead Jesus.

While heaven erupted in the hallelujahs of victory on that day, angels were deployed to let humans know what had happened. Death had been conquered. Life eternal for the citizens of earth had been won. We wonder if the angel hardly contained his excitement when he reported to the women, “He is not here. He is risen!”

Instead of breaking out in words of praise and joy, the women panicked. “Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.”

Warriors who have been faced with confusing, conflicting scenes have a name for it. They call it the fog of war.

Commanders who thought their troops were winning a battle later learned it was a devastating loss. Soldiers who were certain they were in a losing fight, later learned of their victory. Those who live in the fog of war cannot see clearly.

The problem is they only see a small part of the big picture. They draw conclusions from fragments that prove misleading. They need someone else, someone who knows the full story, to tell them what really is happening.

Shocked emotions give us fragmented intel. They focus on the horrible pieces and fail to show us the complete picture.

They repeat and repeat the painful as if that is all there is. It leaves us in our own fog of war.

The followers of Jesus spent the entire first Easter day in bewilderment and fear. When night fell, and the travelers who had seen Jesus on the way to Emmaus returned to Jerusalem, they were still trembling behind locked doors.

It wasn’t until Jesus passed right through those closed doors; it wasn’t until Jesus came to see them that they came to see what had actually happened.

He lifted the fog. He cleared their heads. He proved he was still with them, and the battle against sin, Satan, and death had been won.

A mind-shocking, soul-shaking experience can bring any person into the proverbial fog of war. It may feel weird, but it is not uncommon. Maybe we should even expect it.

Maybe our minds will be stuck in that fog for a long time. But our souls need not be.

In Word and sacrament Jesus comes to our souls, drives out fear, banishes trembling, and brings us the same message that he delivered on that Easter night: “Peace be with you!” (John 20:19).

That’s all we need.

If we are at peace with God, we need not fear the fog of war.

Prayer:
Jesus, still lead on till our rest is won;
and although the way be cheerless,
we will follow, calm and fearless.
Guide us by your hand to our fatherland. Amen.
(Christian Worship 842:1)

Points to ponder:

Besides the unexpected death of a loved one, what else might send shock waves through us?
How does the devil try to use those times to separate us from trust in the Lord?
Why is the fog of war not proof of the loss of saving faith?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Stillwater, Minnesota.

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Firepower with a Whisper – May 26, 2023

The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
1 Kings 19:11-13

Military Devotion – May 26, 2023Devotion based on 1 Kings 19:11-13
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230526Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

“Come Holy Spirit, renew our hearts, and kindle in us the power of your love.”

Thus, we invite God the Holy Spirit to come into our lives to revive and inspire us. We remember the time he came upon the crowd in Jerusalem. He appeared with the sound of a violent wind and tongues of fire. As a result, each person in a crowd with sixteen different languages heard the words of the others in his own native language.

This was firepower from heaven.

It might lead us to expect a dramatic display of power whenever the LORD goes into action. That’s what happens when humans unleash firepower. The exploding shells cause shock waves. Flames and smoke rise into the sky. The burst of power does not go unnoticed.

But now, along with Elijah, we are taught the arrival of heavenly firepower is not always dramatic or even visible. Sometimes, it comes as gently as a whisper.

The prophet had recently witnessed an amazing demonstration of divine firepower. He had challenged 450 prophets of the idol, Baal, to a test. Two altars with two sacrifices, each with dry wood, were set up. “You call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the LORD,” Elijah told them. “The god who answers by fire—he is God!”

All day long, the Baal worshipers begged their idol to light the fire. Nothing happened.

When it was his turn, Elijah ordered water to be poured onto his altar and firewood again and again and again. Then he prayed, “Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God.”

We are told, “Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench” (1 Kings 18:38).

That’s the kind of response we like to see from the Holy One in heaven. That’s like the Pentecost miracle in Jerusalem. But that seldom happens. Probably none of us have ever seen something like that. And yet, Jesus has promised us that the Holy Spirit would be with us.

Why doesn’t the Holy Spirit show himself to us so we can be assured of his powerful presence?

Could the answer be that he does not want to? Is it that simple? Could it be that he does not need to? Might it be that he knows best how to carry out his soul-stirring, life-saving work?

Yes.

The dramatic demonstration did not assure Elijah for very long. Shortly afterward, he is in a cave very depressed. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life” (1 Kings 19:4).

Not what happened outside of himself, but what the Holy Spirit would do inside of him was the critical work. There is where faith lived. In his soul dwelt the hope and joy that could overflow into his daily life.

No explosions, no fireworks, no drama—the Holy Spirit comes to human hearts as softly and gently as a whisper.

Sometimes, we may see evidence of God at work in our lives. When we look back in time, we may detect that it was during some of our worst days that his power was poured out in the greatest way.

Jesus once said, “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough” (Matthew 13:33).

Not as exciting as a violent wind. Not as obvious as flames appearing from heaven. But just as real. Just as certain. The Holy Spirit brings to us firepower from heaven.

We sing to our Savior God, “Come not in terrors, as the King of kings, but kind and good, with healing in thy wings.”
May God the Holy Spirit visit us with his love!

Prayer:
Come Holy Spirit, renew our hearts,
and kindle in us the power of your love. Amen.

Points to ponder:

Why are humans more apt to believe a lie than the truth?
Why is it easier for us to hate our enemies than to love them—despite what God says?
It has been said, “God’s greatest power is his love.” Would we agree?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Stillwater, Minnesota.

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A Place Beyond – May 19, 2023

In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
John 14:2

Military Devotion – May 19, 2023Devotion based on John 14:2
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230519Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

Christianity is an “other world” religion. It declares that there is life beyond planet Earth. Indeed, there is life beyond the universe. Furthermore, Christianity affirms, “We have been visited by beings from this place beyond.” The bottom line is that Christians expect to live in that place that is beyond all sight, measurement, or sense of direction; to live in peace and harmony with the beings that already dwell there.

So far, we have experienced nothing but life on Earth. Our forays into sky and space have been so insignificant that a major telescope on our neighboring planet would not have even noticed them. It seems safe to say: “In the main, earthbound we are, and earthbound we will remain.” But that is not a safe statement to make—because it is not true!

The people of God have information available to them that transcends what even an exploration of deep space could reveal. We have a record of extra-terrestrial beings, called angels, who have come to this planet and interacted with humans. We have a record of their conversations and their activities. The record has been authenticated.

And there is something greater. Much greater! A being who is all-powerful, all-knowing, and demanding of only right thinking, speaking, and acting, has made contact with Earth. In fact, he was here before humans or any other life appeared on the planet. He made all of this. He made us! He gave us perfection—and we ruined it. That brought his anger.

As a result, we might expect that all that would be left to this planet now is a mushroom cloud, with hot ashes of destruction. But Earth is still here. We can still see blue skies and blue waters. It is still called the Blue Planet. How can we account for this?

Only one word will do: love! The One from beyond, the one who made all and judges all, possesses an amazing love for the humans he placed onto this planet. He has delayed its destruction.

When the time was right, his Son came to live among us for some 33 years. During that time, he did what was necessary to enable humans to escape from the absolute destruction that is coming. He lived a perfect life and died a sacrificial death. Because of him, we can live forever. Those who put their faith in him will do just that.

But where will we live that forever life? The answer is: “In the place beyond, in the place where the eternal Lord of glory came from.” We call that place heaven.

It’s easy to forget that. Our lives are so busy with earthly things. After all, we need to make a living. That takes time and effort. We face challenges and deadlines. That requires us to be focused.

We might feel that thinking about heaven can wait until we have time for it—or until we have no choice but to give it some attention. When death walks into the room, everything else fades from view for a while. When walking out of the Mayo Clinic with the news, “If you want to do some traveling, do it within four months,” the stunned patient told his wife, “I just can’t wrap my head around that.”

Who could blame him? He had just lost weight. He was exercising regularly. He was relatively young. His shoulder had been bothering him. He was hoping to be told how to get rid of that nagging pain.

He was not hoping or expecting to learn he would soon die.

“I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven” (Psalm 123:1) the psalmist wrote.

That’s the response of those who can say, “My hope is in the name of the Lord.” Those who serve the Savior are not at the mercy of accident or disease. Advancing years do not mean the permanent loss of ability and vitality. They know there is more to life than that which can be seen or felt now.

They lift up their eyes to where the Good Shepherd is leading. They want to be with him.

The Rescuer of humankind no longer dwells here physically. Forty days after he conquered death he went back home. He went alone. But he left behind a promise: “In my Father’s house are many rooms.” He adds, “I am going there to prepare a place for you.”

So, we wait. We wait with eager anticipation. We wait for Jesus to return and take us to that place beyond.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Friend of sinners and Savior of souls, you sent angels to tell the disciples staring at the skies into which you had ascended, “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Remind us of this. Teach us to live each day with that day in mind. Amen.

Points to ponder:

If heaven is our home, why do we often not feel like it is true?
What comfort comes from knowing that Jesus, himself, is preparing our place in heaven?
Why does waiting for heaven motivate us to action here and now rather than make us lazy?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Stillwater, Minnesota.

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Bloodstains – May 12, 2023

Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson?
Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength?
“It is I, proclaiming victory, mighty to save.”
Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress?
“I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me.
I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath;
their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing.”
Isaiah 63:1-3

Military Devotion – May 12, 2023Devotion based on Isaiah 63:1-3
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230512Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

The warrior travels down a dirt road so typical of the Middle East. Just as typically, people come to watch. But it is not a convoy. No troops follow him. He comes alone from Bozrah, the enemy stronghold. It is a strange sight. Stranger yet is the stain on his clothing. Is that grape juice? No, it’s blood. Is he wounded? No, this is the blood of his enemies.

Who is this? Who is this a picture of? The question is not left in doubt. This is the Savior of Israel. We know him as Jesus. This is Jesus victorious. This is the Jesus who took on the enemies of God and his people—and stomped them!

When we think of the victory celebrated at Easter, we tend to forget what it meant to his defeated enemies. We forget that fallen angels and humans had taken their stand against God. They disrespected and rejected him. They waged war against the Lord of creation and those who serve him.

The Holy One is a just God and loving God. But he is also the LORD vicious in judgment.

The triumphant Jesus reminds us that no one was with him when he defeated sin, death, and the devil. None else was qualified to undertake this mission. He didn’t need help! Of his enemies he says, “I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath.”

Good thing we get to see this. We need to hear these words. The enemies of God give the impression that they rule; that they are strong; that they are winning the war of life and death.

It’s a lie! The war is over. They have been beaten. They have been stomped!

Then why doesn’t it seem like it? Because they are still allowed to dwell among God’s people. They still serve a purpose in God’s plan. Somehow, in some way, their existence is to the benefit of God’s people. We’ll leave all those mysterious details in God’s hands. We just dare not believe their lying propaganda.

Lies and propaganda have long been tools of warfare. History shows many times they have been effective. In 1945, about 100,000 civilians died when Americans attacked Okinawa. It is reported that most of these were deaths by suicide. There is a horrendous video of a woman throwing her baby over a cliff before jumping to join it in death. Then more adults follow. Recently, Reuters carried the words of a woman who survived those days. She said, “Four of us tried to commit suicide with one hand grenade, but it did not go off.”

Why this senseless carnage?

Japanese propaganda had convinced them that death was better than falling into the hands of the Americans who tortured, raped, and killed those who were captured.

The lies were believed.

No propaganda effort was ever as successful as the one churning out lies from the pit of hell. If it is not telling people there is no God and sin is not serious, it is trying to convince others that there is no hope for them because of their grievous sin.

These lies are not to be believed. Jesus warns us about Satan, “He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

We need not fear his power. It is the triumphant Lord who proclaims,

“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10)

We live now in the aftermath of God’s victory. There still is some sniper fire. The defeated enemy still tries to put on a brave face. Still makes threats. But it’s all over. The columns of the enemy are being marched in an endless line into the eternity of dark despair. Meanwhile, the line of the faithful sets its course for the bright shores of glory.

They follow the One with the bloodstained clothes.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, praise and glory be to your name! Enable us to have a firm grip on the reality that sin, death, and the devil have been conquered. We rejoice to sing, “Be still, my soul! The Lord is on your side.” Amen.

Points to ponder:

How does the picture of the Prince of Peace fit with that of the bloodstained warrior?
Why is it sometimes easier to believe a lie than to accept the truth?
How do we overcome the idea that evil always conquers?

*A portion of this devotion was previously published.

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Stillwater, Minnesota.

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Coming Up Empty – May 5, 2023

“I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
John 21:3

Military Devotion – May 5, 2023Devotion based on John 21:3
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230505Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

Jesus often taught complex heavenly truths by means of simple earthly lessons. He would begin with the words, “The kingdom of heaven is like…” and then paint a word picture that everyone could understand. But he did not confine his teaching to the use of words.

Sometimes he taught with actions. At times, he even used the failure of an action to drive home the most critical points. We watch as he teaches his disciples about success by having them first come up empty.

The disciples were up north on the shores of Lake Galilee, waiting for Jesus to meet them there after his resurrection from the dead. Bored with waiting, Peter decided to go fishing. The rest joined him. They fished the entire night—and came up with nothing.

When morning came, someone on the shore told them to “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” They did. They found some. They found so many fish that they could not haul the net in. Seeing this, John shouted out “It is the Lord!” and Peter jumped into the water to head off to meet him.

For Peter and John, this was déjà vu—they had seen this before. Three years earlier, when Jesus first called them to full-time discipleship, the same thing happened. They had fished all night. They came up empty. And when, at Jesus’ instruction, they put down their nets once more, they caught so many fish that it filled two boats (Luke 5:4)!

What’s the lesson? It’s the same one taught throughout the Scriptures. The Lord God declares, “Apart from me, you can do nothing!” (John 15:5). But there is more to the lesson: The gracious God can accomplish more for us than we can hope for or desire.

If we had success every time we tried something, we soon would become convinced that we were the reason for the achievement. “We were smart.” “We were strong.” A degree of failure may make us wonder a bit. Total failure drives the point home. “Without me, you can do nothing!”

Then, he shows us, that with his power, nothing is too great to expect.

The disciples needed to learn this lesson. They were going to accomplish awesome tasks. People would praise them. They also would meet horrible failure. People would turn against them. All but one of the Twelve would be executed because they testified about Jesus.

They needed to be prepared for apparent failure so they could achieve overwhelming success. They needed to learn how to look at life through God’s eyes.

Humans tend to measure success by how much a person can accomplish. We look at what office the person holds; how popular, or how rich, the person is.

But all of that is temporary, and in the end, meaningless. It’s like shifting sand beneath our feet. Jesus warned about treating such things as treasures. The warning was necessary.

Recall how the disciples argued about who was the greatest (Mark 9:33)? Remember when the mother of James and John asked Jesus, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom” (Matthew 20:21)?

The followers of Jesus still had much to learn about being a disciple of Jesus. An attitude adjustment was required.

They needed to understand that even when they came up empty, God was still in control. Sooner or later his power and glory would show through.

The apostle Paul tells of the time he pleaded with the Lord to take away a problem that was plaguing him. He reports, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses,” Paul wrote, “so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

He concludes, “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

We need the same lesson. When we work long and hard at something, when, in spite of our best efforts, we come up empty, we can begin to feel hopeless and helpless. We start to see ourselves as failures. We are ready to give up.

Let us then remember these empty nets of the disciples. Then, let us step back to wait to see what God might have in mind. After all, his abundance can overfill our every need.

And then, let us smile as we remember that the day will come when we will never, ever, come up empty again.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, too often we place our plans ahead of your plans. Too often we rely too much on our own strength and skill. Show us again the big picture of your saving work and the success you have gained over all that would destroy us. Point our eyes to the cross and the empty tomb. Fill us with the hope and joy only the Holy Spirit can bring. Amen.

Points to ponder:

Why is it so easy to believe that our plans must be God’s plans?
Knowing that the Lord is in control of our lives, why do failures bother us so much?
Why does the death and resurrection of Jesus give us the confidence to understand that our failures in life do not mean that we are a failure?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Stillwater, Minnesota.

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Call to Duty – April 28, 2023

“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
Acts 9:14,15

Military Devotion – April 28, 2023Devotion based on Acts 9:14,15
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230428Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

An old hymn carries the words:

“Am I a soldier of the cross, a follower of the Lamb?
And shall I fear to own His cause or blush to speak His name?

Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas?”

The Bible often speaks of battle. The warfare it refers to is not against flesh and blood, but sometimes it does lead to the loss of blood and the end of earthly life. The long list of martyrs stands as a witness to that. But more is at stake than physical life and more can be lost than some years on earth.

Eternity hangs in the balance. Life eternal is the prize. Those who serve the King of kings are called to face unseen enemies lurking in deadly shadows. They live with danger. The thought should never leave them. But fear dare never deter them.

They have received the call to duty.

Pro Deo et Patria is the motto of the U.S. Army Chaplains Corp. Translated, those words are For God and Country. Our nation has long recognized that a person can be called to duty to serve God as well as called to serve the nation.

When I accepted the call to serve as a pastor, my country granted me an exemption from being drafted into the military—which might have taken me to Vietnam. America was telling me, “By rendering special service to God you are rendering special service to the nation.”

Both are a call to duty. However, as in the motto, For God and Country, God must always come first.

When we look at the life of the famous apostle Paul, it might seem he was drafted into God’s service rather than volunteering for duty. The Lord told Ananias “This man is my chosen instrument.” We would say he was selected for special missions. History shows this was a good choice. He founded many Christian congregations. A long list of people came to faith through his ministry. He became as well-known as Simon Peter.

This surprised everyone, including himself. He seemed a most unlikely candidate for this special calling.

He was no follower of Jesus—until Jesus appeared to him in a blinding light and asked, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” When he asked, “Who are you?” He was told, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” (Acts 9:5,6). He was sent to the house of someone called Ananias.

Ananias might have panicked when the Lord told him Saul of Tarsus was coming to him. He knew this was the man who hunted down Christians to arrest them. In fact, this was why he was headed to Damascus, where Ananias lived.

Now, it was Ananias who was called to duty. Fear and doubt were to be set aside. He was to bring the good news of salvation to this dangerous man. The Holy Spirit would enter Saul’s heart through those words. This enemy of Christ became a willing servant of Christ. He would become a missionary. Instead of Saul, he would become Paul—a defender of the faith.

Paul’s call to duty meant hardship and sacrifice. “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” the Lord said. Suffer, he did. But faithfully, he served. He was willing to die to carry out that duty. And die, he did.

Jesus once said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).

It makes one ask:

“Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace to help me on to God?

Sure I must fight if I would reign; increase my courage, Lord!
I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain, supported by Thy Word.”

The call to duty to serve one’s country is a call to service and sacrifice. American troops understand that to a degree that many civilians cannot.

The call to duty to serve the Lord God is a greater call. It, too, requires faithful service and sacrifice. It involves battles against superhuman forces. It includes the sacrifice of one’s own wishes in order to serve a divine will. The attitude of “I did it my way!” is replaced with “Thy will be done.”

The pursuit of power and glory for oneself is called off. Gladly and willingly the Christian will say to his heavenly Father, “For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory.”

We sing, “Where duty calls or danger be never wanting there.” (Christian Worship 872:3)

Because it is our Lord who is calling us to duty, wherever he calls us to be is where we want to be.

Prayer:
“Thy saints in all this glorious war shall conquer though they die;
They see the triumph from afar with faith’s discerning eye.

When that illustrious day shall rise and all Thine armies shine
In robes of victory through the skies, the glory shall be Thine.” Amen.

Points to ponder:

Saul had been a Pharisee. How might this have been used to bring him to faith?
The Lord caused Saul to be blind when he came to Ananias. Why do you think he did this?
Did Saul’s reputation for being an enemy of Christians help or hurt his missionary work?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Stillwater, Minnesota.

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My Father’s Face – April 21, 2023

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18

Military Devotion – April 21, 2023Devotion based on 2 Corinthians 3:18
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230421Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

In the mornings, I shave my father’s face.

I know the face I see in the mirror is my own, but it certainly resembles my father, though he died fifty years ago.

I didn’t always look like him. There was a time when I was small, and he was big. His hairline was receding when I was sporting a flattop. He had wrinkles when I didn’t.

No one would have confused me with my father when I was a teenager. But there were some who did notice a resemblance. “You look like your dad!” they said. I doubted that. But in time, even I could recognize a similarity.

The apostle Paul also recognized a similarity to a father. He told the congregation at Corinth all about it. But the father he spoke of was God the Father.

He pointed them back to Moses at Mt. Sinai at the time when Moses came down from the mountain with the two stone tablets bearing the Commandments. The Bible reports, “his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord” (Exodus 34:29). His face was shining so brightly that the people were afraid to even come near him. It was as if he had soaked in some of God’s glory.

As a result, Moses had to put a veil over his face. After some time, that bright radiance wore off. It no longer reflected the glory of the Lord God.

The law of God given on that mountain was glorious. But it was a frightful glory. We explain the first of those Commandments with the words, “We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.”

The holiness of the Lord of glory should frighten us. Don’t think he doesn’t know what we have been thinking or doing. Don’t think our excuses will be tolerated. Don’t think that he has repealed the decree, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

There is blinding glory in the words that accuse and condemn us. Good thing those are not the only words that he brings to us!

The message to the Corinthians, and to us, is that there is a follow-up message from the throne of glory. This one was not written in stone but was carried to us in person by the beloved Son of God.

He came from the Father to glorify his Father’s name by completing the work of salvation for us. In prayer to his Father, he spelled out what this entailed. “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3).

This is the glorious work of the gospel that will never fade.

Jesus came to earth so that we might come to know his Father. He lived, suffered, and died so that his Father could become our Father.

The amazing end result? He told his Father, “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one” (John 17:20).

“I have given them the glory that you gave me!”

Could this be true? It must be. The holy Son of God does not lie!

Thus, the apostle’s words are almost shouted out to ring in our ears. “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory.”

We reflect the Lord’s glory! As we grow in faith, we are looking more and more like our Father who is in heaven.

This is not our doing. This is not something we can brag about.

This is the work of the Lord, the Holy Spirit.

Who would have thought it? Who would have expected that weak, faltering creatures such as us could be elevated to such a level?

Who would believe us? How many would point an accusing finger at us because they have witnessed our failures to live a holy life? What can we say to that?

We don’t have to explain. We just need to point them to Jesus. Let Jesus explain it to them. Let Jesus reveal that he has already made up for our failures—and theirs, too. Let Jesus tell them, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

Now we better understand what Jesus meant by, “and have it to the full”!

What more could we want? What more could we ask for in life than to be claimed by the holy God as one of his own? What greater honor could there be?

At this stage in life, I feel good about looking in my mirror and seeing a reflection of my dad’s face as I grow older.

But that doesn’t compare to the wonder and joy of knowing that I am gradually growing to become more like the Father of Jesus.

I’m eagerly waiting to see my dad’s face again in person. That will be a joyous day.

But to see my Father’s face—that will be a heavenly day.

Prayer:
Our Father, who lives in heaven, but who loves us who live on earth with a boundless love, may our lives glorify your name! Grant that, we pray, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Points to ponder:

Why are we more apt to focus on the law of God rather than the good news of the gospel?
We know that in heaven we will share in the Lord of God. Why might it surprise us to learn that we already reflect that glory?
What keeps us from bragging about this?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Stillwater, Minnesota.

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Life Reigns – April 14, 2023

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
Matthew 27:51-53

Military Devotion – April 14, 2023Devotion based on Matthew 27:51-53
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230414Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

The massive curtain in the temple rips in two. The ground shakes and rocks split. Tombs open and bodies walk out. Why?

Jesus, the Son of God, has died.

Death ruled over this creation ever since the fabric of sinlessness was torn by the defiance of those who were warned, “You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die” (Genesis 2:17).

Die they did. Cursed they were. They had been made from dirt, and to dirt they would return. Cursed was the rest of creation because of them. Subjected to frustration and groaning, nature waited for the day it would be freed from this bondage (Romans 8:21,22).

That day came when Earth’s Redeemer died.

Under the dark skies of Good Friday, it seemed death had triumphed. Wrong! Death died on that day. “It is finished!” was a shout of victory!

With that shout, the earth shuddered.

Not out of dread or pain did creation react, but with a burst of joyous freedom.

The hand of God opened a window so humans could see everything has changed. Life has taken control of death.

The Holy of Holies had been a forbidden place since Sinai. This is where the ark of the covenant was sprinkled with blood on the great Day of Atonement. On only one day of the year, only the high priest of Israel could enter after a sacrifice was offered for his sins. There would be no exceptions.

Once, seventy men had been struck dead when they ignored the command and looked into the ark of the covenant (1 Samuel 6:19). In the temple, a thick curtain hung behind the altar to prevent unauthorized access to this sacred space.

On the day death died, this curtain was ripped in two by an unseen hand. The message was delivered. God and mankind were now reconciled. Sin had been paid for. Life now reigned.

People wonder what it is like to be dead. People of the Bible know there are only two possible locations to land. The one is absolutely horrific. The other? Beyond wonderful! But details are lacking. We wonder why that is.

If the Lord allowed someone to return from either place, it would seem what they had to say about where they had been would make a deep impression. Wouldn’t the reaction be, “I must stay away from there!” or “I want to go there!” Wouldn’t that turn people to God?

However, that is not the way it works. When Jesus told the story of a man who begged to have someone in heaven “dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire,” he was told no one could cross over from the one place to the other.

When he then begged to have someone from heaven go to his father’s house, “For I have five brothers. Let him warn them so that they will not also come to this place of torment.” He was told, “They have Moses and the prophets let them listen to them.”

Undeterred, the man in agony responded, “No, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.” That’s when he learned, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead” (Luke 16:24-31).

It’s a lesson everyone should learn. There is nothing more powerful and effective to turn a person to the living God than the Word of God.

Why then, did the Lord have life return to those bodies at the death of Jesus? Why did their tombs open and why did they show themselves to people when Jesus rose from the dead? It wasn’t to describe heaven. It wasn’t to escape death. It was to verify that, for the people of God, there is life after death.

His enemies had spread the lie, “He is dead and will stay dead!” On Easter morning, angels announced, “He is risen!” Those who came out of their tombs were showing believers, “So will you!”

Indeed, we will rise from the dead.

Indeed, we will.

Prayer:
Because we tend to often doubt; because we sometimes forget who you are and what you have done Lord Jesus, the truth of Easter that brings the joy of Easter can be overshadowed as we live our daily lives. Lead our hearts and minds back to the empty graves of Easter and refresh the clear vision of life everlasting. Amen.

Points to ponder:

Why was that split curtain in the temple so important?
Why do you think the return of those believers to life is not covered in greater detail?
The words “It is finished!” were shouted out in a loud voice. What does that show us?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Stillwater, Minnesota.

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Awake – April 7, 2023

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
Matthew 28:2-4

Military Devotion – April 7, 2023Devotion based on Matthew 28:2-4
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230407Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

They awoke to a nightmare. Fear stabbed their hearts. It led to panic. They could be dead before the sun set. The situation was that serious.

By the authority of the Roman governor, they had been assigned guard duty. It was in a pleasant place. It was in a garden. They were guarding a body in a tomb. It was feared that an attempt would be made to steal that corpse. They were to prevent that from happening. The Roman rule was, “Lose your prisoner—lose your life.” They were ready to take on anyone who challenged their position.

They were soldiers—absolutely unprepared to face an angel from heaven.

She awoke to a heartache. She was up before daybreak. She probably had not slept much that night—maybe not much since Thursday night. Now it was Sunday.

The news had shocked her. “Jesus was arrested!” Reports came in of his disciples running away. Only John remained for the mock trial and the execution verdict. Crowds gathered as word spread of soldiers leading three prisoners to their crucifixion. Jesus was among them.

She went with other women from Galilee to watch him die. She joined a small group to bury him. Jesus had once driven seven demons out of her. She knew him as the Messiah. She wanted to give him a proper burial.

But time ran out. The shadows of the Sabbath fell. The Law proclaimed on Mt. Sinai so many years ago forbade her quick return. She would have to wait until she awoke on Sunday.

Her name was Mary from Magdala. Her heartache turned to utter dismay when she saw that the tomb of Jesus was empty. To the supposed caretaker she cried out, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him” (John 20:15).

He woke up to another day of shame, regret, and grief. How could he face the other followers of Jesus? How could he face the mother of Jesus? How could he face himself?

His name was Peter. He was to be like a rock. He had crumbled like a sand castle.

There was one more who might be mentioned. He never woke to see the sunrise. Will never see light again.

He was already in the dark pit of hell when Jesus made his Easter victory lap through the abode of the damned. The banner over the entrance to this place could well have been, “Abandon Hope All You Who Enter Here.”

His name was Judas.

Those soldiers? They lived to see another day. Rather than being punished, they were paid a bribe to spread the word that the disciples had stolen the body of Jesus. “Jesus of Nazareth is still dead!” they lied (Matthew 28:12).

Mary from Magdala? That supposed gardener changed her day with one word: “Mary!” Her eyes were opened to see her living Redeemer. When she ran to him, he told her, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God” (John 20:17).

What about Peter? He awoke to go with John to visit that grave. It really was empty. The cloth that had been around Jesus’ head was found neatly folded. They went away wondering.

It’s the apostle Paul who later tells more of the story. “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.”

He adds more details. “After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.”

He continues, “Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.”

Finally, the climax! “And last of all he appeared to me also.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).

The risen Savior appeared to Saul of Damascus, now called Paul, who had hunted down followers of Jesus to have them arrested! If he was willing to forgive someone like that, whom else would he accept?

Would he forgive and accept me? Even me? Might he, one day, appear to me? Will he call my name? Can I look forward to my own Easter experience when I will see him with my own eyes?

But what if I die before he returns to earth? What should I tell myself when my eyes close in death? What shall I say when the new day dawns?

What else than “Awake! Awake my heart with gladness!”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you have said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” Now I know that I shall live though I die. To learn that I will live forever with you, and with all those who believe in you, is not just good news. It is the best news. You will awake my heart with gladness. Amen.

Points to ponder:

Easter morning was confusing for the followers of Jesus. Why did he make it so?
Some say those bribed guards told the biggest lie in history. Might that be true?
Easter was long past when Jesus showed himself to Paul. Why might he have done that?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Stillwater, Minnesota.

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Give Us Barabbas – March 31, 2023

“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.

“Barabbas,” they answered. “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!”
Matthew 27:21,22

Military Devotion – March 31, 2023Devotion based on Matthew 27:21,22
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230331Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

Bad choices lead to bad consequences.

No choice was ever as bad as the one made by the Jewish people at the trial of Jesus. We cringe to hear their words. Their decision defied reason. It ignored justice. It sprang from hatred and envy.

We might have expected this was done to defy the authority of the hated Roman government. Rome ruled with an iron fist backed up by the Roman sword. Israel strained against this foreign grip. Outright rebellion bubbled just under the surface of everyday life. Secret societies plotted Rome’s overthrow. One group called themselves the Zealots.

One of the disciples of Jesus had formerly belonged to this band of insurrectionists. That’s why he was known as Simon the Zealot. We assume his involvement came to an end when he began following Jesus. But those extreme groups still existed—and they grew stronger.

By 62 A.D. Rome was so fed up with the acts of rebellion that it sent its troops to wipe out the Jewish nation. Jerusalem was destroyed. The great temple was left in rubble. Some people may have remembered the warning of Jesus that not one stone would be left on top of another.

The Roman government would not tolerate insurrection.

That’s why it is so strange to hear the governor offer to release a man who was in prison for insurrection and murder. We wonder if it was a Roman citizen that he killed.

Pilate knew it was envy behind the charges against Jesus. Accordingly, he made the decision to turn loose a murderous insurrectionist to protect an innocent Jesus.

But the crowd would not have that happen. Their answer was, “Give us Barabbas!”

Sadly, this was not completely unexpected. Humans have a history of making such horribly wrong decisions. Eve surely did. So did Jacob. So did David. So did Solomon.

And so do we.

Like everyone before, we know right from wrong. The Lord has laid that out clearly for us. To curse, to lie, to steal, or to envy—that often requires a decision on our part. Before we do it, we already know it is wrong. What’s our excuse?

Maybe we think we have a good one. Perhaps, we feel that under the circumstances, it is better to commit a small wrong to prevent a major one. But wrong is still wrong.

Pilate decided it was better to condemn a Jewish rabbi than to lose favor with Rome and probably his governorship. He had heard the shouts of the crowd. “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.” That was a threat. It was a risk he did not want to take.

Yet, in his heart, Pilate knew the judgment was wrong. He tried to wash his hands of it. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he told the crowd. “It is your responsibility!” Their answer? “Let his blood be on us and on our children” (Matthew 27:25).

“Give us Barabbas!” they demanded. The foolish human race of today still makes this dreadful choice. The symbolic cry echoes down the halls of time, “Give us Barabbas! Away with Christ! Away with Jesus who is called the Christ!”

The Lord God in heaven hears this. And what does he do?

He gives us Jesus.

He gives us the sinless life of Jesus. He gives us the suffering and death of Jesus. He gives us the right to share in the glory of Jesus. All this is handed over to us without charge.

The phrase, “His blood be on us and on our children!” now becomes our prayer.

Scripture points us to that same Jesus, “who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood” (Revelation 1:5). His blood covers our guilt; frees us from sin’s grip; gives us heaven.

So, still today, we raise our voices to the holy God asking, “Give us Jesus! Give us Jesus!”

And he does.

Prayer:
Jesus, my Savior, my Lord, my Friend, hold your powerful hand over my head as I walk along the path of life. Keep me from bad decisions. Guide me on the path of righteousness. At the end of this path, show me your glory. Amen.

Points to ponder:

Did the pressure of the crowd force some people to join in the rejection of Jesus?
Could the people who asked that the blood of Jesus be upon them come to saving faith?
How does God give us Jesus today?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Stillwater, Minnesota.

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Facing Lions – March 24, 2023

Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint.
Psalm 22:13,14

Military Devotion – March 24, 2023Devotion based on Psalm 22:13,14
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230324Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

It wasn’t a dream. It was worse than a nightmare. It was a vision—a terrifying vision.

The words were written by David—he who wrote of green pastures and still waters. He knew something about lions. When trying to convince Saul that he was able to battle Goliath, he told of a time when he faced a lion attacking his sheep (1 Samuel 17:36). Lions were not uncommon in the land of Israel in his day.

But those were not the lions in this vision. These beasts were humans. They just acted like dangerous animals. This must have been a dreadful experience for the shepherd who became king.

Far, far worse was it for the Good Shepherd who was the King of kings!

The words are part of one of the most famous prophetic psalms. When David said, “All my bones are out of joint” he was expressing emotional pain. When some thousand years later the one hailed as the “Son of David” cried out the words, his bones and tendons were literally being pulled apart.

Psalm 22, written by David, contains the vision of Jesus being slowly executed on a hill outside of Jerusalem. We see the horror through his eyes. We hear his scream for help.

But no help comes.

His disciple, Peter, had bragged that he would defend his Master to the death. He turned coward before a servant girl. So, he was no help.

None of his disciples could help. No one who had come down with him from Galilee could help. He had two followers in the Sanhedrin, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. But they were of no help. The wife of Pontius Pilate tried to help but she failed.

There was only one who could step in to put a stop to this execution. He was the one who had said at the baptism of Jesus, “This is my Son, whom I love.”

It was to God the Father in heaven that the one on the center cross cried out for help.

His cry was answered with silence.

Jesus knew his Father could see him suffering. He had sent an angel to strengthen his Son when he was sweating blood in Gethsemane. But now, no angel. No encouragement. No help from heaven. No hope.

In despair came the cry, “O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer.”

He knew the why. In anguish, he had called, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1,2)

Indeed, he was forsaken! He was abandoned. He was left to face those lions all by himself. They would tear him to pieces.

Yet, this was no surprise. The one called Jesus of Nazareth knew this was coming even before he touched the soil of Bethlehem.

He realized he had come here to die an ugly, painful death. He understood what it would take to cover the cost of mankind’s crimes against heaven.

But now being face to face with the reality of divine justice leveled against him, it should not surprise us to hear him ask, “Is there any other way? Isn’t there any other way?”

When we look in from the distance of thousands of years and the safety of knowing we won’t have to face this, we still are shocked at the brutality of the judgment and appalled at the perceived miscarriage of justice.

This seems so wrong!

But it wasn’t, was it? The payment demanded every slap, every stripe, every thorn, every nail—and much, much more. We sing:

“Many hands were raised to wound him,
none would intervene to save,
But the deepest stroke that pierced him
was the stroke that Justice gave.”
(Christian Worship 430:2)

What does this tell us?

We are so loved! We are so loved! We are so loved that God the Father was willing to give up his Son for us. And his Son was willing to say, “Your will be done!”

And God the Holy Spirit was willing to enter our hearts with the assurance, “Your sin is now forgiven. Heaven is yours.”

His view from the cross was a terrifying sight. Pain and death staked their claims.

Our view of the cross reveals a precious scene, a comforting picture, a joyous sight.

Now we can see clearly, Jesus has staked his claim of paradise regained—and given it to us.

Prayer:When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss
and pour contempt on all my pride. Amen.
(Christian Worship 407:1)

Points to ponder:

Does it surprise us that Jesus asked for a way out of paying the price to rescue us?
Does it surprise us to learn that Jesus was terrified at the prospect of facing Good Friday?
Does it surprise us that we do not build our life with the view of his rescue of us in the foreground?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Stillwater, Minnesota.

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A Splendid Weapon – March 17, 2023

He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.”
Isaiah 49:2,3

Military Devotion – March 17, 2023Devotion based on Isaiah 49:2,3
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230317Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

Sometimes, people seem confused about Jesus. Perhaps, it is because they envision him in a picture of their own choosing. A Jesus meek and mild who invites children to come to him is a popular view. It certainly is a special one and a comforting one. We must be thankful that the Lord of all is kind and caring.

Is this the same Jesus who twice drove the money changers and the merchants out of the temple by force, overturning their tables? (Matthew 21:12, Mark 11:15)

It is.

Is the Jesus who said to turn the other cheek the same one who called out, “You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good?” (Matthew 12:34)

It is.

God is love, but he also is holy. He is the friend of sinners, but he does not tolerate sin. He came to destroy the powerhouse of evil. He is the enemy of evil and all its works and all its ways.

The Son of God came into this world as a weapon—a splendid weapon.

The Holy Spirit inspired Isaiah to describe this fact by having the preincarnate Messiah tell the story of being commissioned by his Father.

He begins, “He made my mouth like a sharpened sword.”

That presents a strange picture but one that reoccurs in Scripture. Saint Paul refers to “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” in Ephesians 6. Then, Saint John presents this description, “In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance” (Revelation 1:16).

The picture is clear. Jesus did not use sharpened steel to battle against his enemies. That would have done no good. It is the Word of God that is the power of God unto salvation.

But the Word cannot be separated from the person of the Son of God. Scripture declares, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).

We begin to realize the wonder of all this. No wonder he says, “In the shadow of his hand he hid me.” Our eyes cannot penetrate the mystery of the Trinity.

Then, the picture changes from a sword to an arrow. “He made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver.”

We know how this happened. Jesus did not look dangerous. He seemed weak before his enemies. He appeared defeated. His power was concealed. It wasn’t obvious on Good Friday. But the power was there. Easter morning displayed it.

Swords and arrows. For ages on end, these were the common weapons of war. Joshua’s army used them against the Canaanites. David used them against the Philistines. And Rome used them to establish a dominant empire.

Jesus was the heavenly equivalent of these weapons. He smashed through the perimeters of the demonic defenses. He overran the strongholds of the powers of darkness. Then, early on Easter morning, he took a victory lap through the halls of hell.

Ever after, demons tremble at the sound of his voice and dread the day of their eternal lockdown.

He was called “Israel” because he was the embodiment of what the children of God were supposed to be.

And us? We know the victory has been won. But we know the enemy remains dangerous. The apostle Peter speaks of Satan as a roaring lion. We don’t have much contact with fierce lions. But we do know about poisonous snakes.

We know not to play with vipers. We warn others of their presence. We walk carefully through rattlesnake country. It’s not enough to cut off its tail. We must crush its head.

That’s what the Lord Jesus did for us. That’s why he came into our dangerous world. Satan had been warned of his coming. “He will crush your head,” he had been told (Genesis 3:15).

So it was. So it is. He is the death of death and hell’s destruction.

Thus, the glory of the Savior God is displayed in all its splendor.

Jesus of Nazareth is the Savior God’s splendid weapon—and our splendid Savior.

A hymn pictures our death to be like Israel entering the Promised Land.

Prayer:When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside;
death of death and hell’s destruction,
land me safe on Canaan’s side. Amen.
(Christian Worship 923:3)

Points to ponder:

If Jesus is the Prince of Peace, why is he described as a weapon?
Why is the Word of God aptly pictured as a sword?
Why can Jesus be called the death of death?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Stillwater, Minnesota.

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My Shield – March 10, 2023

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Ephesians 6:16

Military Devotion – March 10, 2023Devotion based on Ephesians 6:16
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230310Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

I have a shield. I did not make it. I did not buy it. I received it as a gift.

My shield is not a desk.

When I was seven, my schoolteacher taught me what to do in the event of a nuclear attack. She drilled my schoolmates and me often enough to ensure we could respond quickly and successfully if an atomic bomb were dropped upon Marinette County. She would call out, “Nuclear attack! Nuclear attack!”

And we would crawl under our desks.

It all seems rather silly now. But at the time, it gave us a level of confidence.

Good thing those defensive skills were never put to the test! We would have learned the tragic results of false confidence.

Sadly, we humans often place our confidence in silly things. The more serious the threat, the more powerful our protection must be. We cannot make foolish mistakes.

We live in a world swirling with threats. Diseases threaten us. Storms threaten us. Accidents threaten us—and so do enemies.

Our nation has a Department of Defense to help shield our citizens from enemies foreign and domestic. Those who wear the uniform of our Armed Forces are part of the fabric of this shield. Americans and others are counting on this protection. They place their confidence in this shield.

But what about the enemies that are not human?

To simply say they do not exist, that they are the mere products of superstition and folklore, is not facing the facts. How can we explain the hatred and brutality the human race has shown without acknowledging the existence of evil?

Where did that strain of evil come from? There is an answer.

Evil came from the pit of hell. It was carried to earth by angels who had waged war against their Creator and the angels who remained faithful to him. Having lost the war in heaven, the condemned angels launched their attacks upon us.

These agents of evil have tremendous firepower. But their weapons are not aimed at body mass. Their victims are left with legs that work and hearts that still pump blood.

They place the crosshair of their deadly weapon upon the soul. They know the result of sin is death. They know what is meant by that death. They have experienced it. They have been cut off from the holy God with all his kindness and blessings.

When Jesus told of a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth, he was describing their homeland. They hate it there. They dread the day when they will be locked in there. Until that judgment day dawns, they dedicate themselves to collecting as many humans as possible to join them there.

They want to ensure that the humans already on the side of darkness will stay with them. They fiercely attack those who call upon God as their Father and Savior. Their primary weapon is the temptation to reject the ruling of God—as Adam and Eve once did.

Like flaming arrows, temptations are flung against us from all directions in wave after wave. The fires started by these arrows can turn everything good into ruin and ashes. We can try to duck when temptations fly. We might attempt to swat those fiery arrows away. But that doesn’t work.

That’s no better than hiding under a desk.

What chance do we have against enemies with such powers? How many times have we already failed to stop their attacks? How many times have we been hit?

What we need, is a shield large enough to cover us and good enough to protect us. What we need, is exactly what the Lord offers. He calls it the shield of faith.

We remember how Satan flung those flaming arrows of temptation at Jesus in the wilderness. Every time, the arrow was quenched in the shield of “It is written.”

“It is written: ‘Man does not live by bread alone.’”

“It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”

“It says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Jesus teaches us to hold up the Word of God to the devil. Point out to him the power of God that smashes evil. Claim for ourselves the victory that Christ has already won.

A desk is not protection against a nuclear attack. A good intention is not protection against the urge to do evil. A piece of jewelry in the shape of a cross, even one made of gold, is no protection against the fiery arrows of temptation.

“My hope is built on nothing less,” we sing, “than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”

That is my shield.

Prayer: Father in heaven, your faithfulness is my shield. Amen.

Points to ponder:

Why do we prefer to place our confidence in the visible instead of the invisible?
Why are satanic temptations so appealing?
Is it ignorance or denial that leads some people to say angels and demons do not exist?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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He Had a Dream – March 3, 2023

Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
Genesis 28:10,11

Military Devotion – March 3, 2023Devotion based on Genesis 28:10,11
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230303Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

It is said everyone dreams. It is said we don’t remember many of them. Yet, some dreams are never forgotten. They are passed along to future generations.

The dream of Jacob is one of them.

His name means “The Grabber.” We might call him an opportunist. He had high hopes and big dreams. He was good at lying. He was willing to steal to get ahead. He was good at getting others to help him lie and steal, including his mother.

But he was caught red-handed trying to steal his brother’s inheritance. Now, he was running for his life from a brother who vowed to kill him. Empty-handed, he was heading for Haran, some 500 miles away, planning that an uncle who lived there would help him out.

A dream interrupted his plans.

This was no ordinary dream. None less than the Lord God appeared in it with a surprising message. This lying, cheating, scoundrel was given a blessing beyond his wildest expectations. He was promised an inheritance so marvelous that it reverberates down through the ages, even to us.

The message began, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying” (Genesis 28:13).

He had been sleeping on soil his descendants would one day own. This would be the land of Canaan, the Promised Land.

The message went on. “Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south.”

Even more surprising, “All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.”

And finally, “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you” (Genesis 28:14,15).

When he woke up, Jacob thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”

Then, he became afraid. He set the stone he had rested his head upon as a marker. He poured anointing oil on top of it. “This,” he said, is the gate of heaven.” He named the place Bethel—the house of God.

What do we make of this? What can we learn from this? What did this man do to deserve this?

Nothing. He did not merit anything good from the holy God who had watched his every step, listened to his every lie, and knew the vileness that lived in his heart. But the Lord did not abandon him. Jacob didn’t realize it at the time, but God was leading him into a twenty-year training program. The Lord would use his stay with his uncle, Laban, to purify his faith, cleansing it of self-trust, dishonesty, and falsehood.

He later looked back on his life and said, “My years have been few and difficult.”

When he did return home, he was a changed man—a humble, repentant man.

The Lord God kept his promise. Jacob and his descendants became a source of blessing for countless others, including us.

The sons of Jacob became the 12 tribes of Israel. One of them became a powerful ruler in Egypt. That was Joseph. Another son was Judah. He became the father of a line of people that included King David and an even greater King, called Jesus, who was also the Son of God.

Jesus was the source of Jacob’s blessings. Jesus is the one who blessed him with forgiveness and correction.

There’s a word for those actions by a loving God. The Word is grace. It is a love not deserved.

Divine grace overflowed in Jacob’s life. So also, in ours. Jacob was schooled by God through disappointments and setbacks. Sometimes, so are we. This is also a blessing.

Jacob was shown the stairway to heaven to focus his attention upon the heavenly and holy. A song talks about that. It says, “We are climbing Jacob’s ladder.”

In a way, that’s true. With every new day, we are taking a step closer to heaven.

Jacob had a dream of heaven. And now?

Now he is living the dream.

And we will, too.

One day.

Prayer: Jesus, Savior, bless us with forgiveness and keep us on the path to heaven. Amen.

Points to ponder:

Some say that we lie most of all to those who love us Why might this be true?
Why does God sometimes interrupt our lives and our plans?
What surprising people has God used to bring blessings to you?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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The Way of Sorrows – February 24, 2023

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.
Isaiah 53:3 KJV

Military Devotion – February 24, 2023Devotion based on Isaiah 53:3 KJV
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230224Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

There is a path marked out in the city of Jerusalem that is said to be the route on which the Roman soldiers led Jesus from the judgment hall to Golgotha. It is called the Via Dolorosa—“The Way of Sorrows.”

While that path may not be exactly accurate, since many years have passed since that dark Friday, the name of the road is most fitting. The Way of Sorrows was walked by the Man of sorrows.

His story is the saddest one ever told. It is a story of grief beyond human description. It begins near the dawn of time.

The one called Jesus is the Son of God who was there at creation. He made a perfect universe with perfect people who were to live in perfect joy. But the perfection was lost, and the heart of the Creator was grieved.

His lament is recorded. “The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain” (Genesis 6:5,6).

The consequences were horrendous. The Giver of life said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.”

We have read of natural disasters. We have seen the pictures. We feel sorry for the people caught up in them. But nothing compares to the flood in Noah’s day when the waters kept rising and rising, when housetops, treetops, and even mountain tops offered no escape from drowning.

Such a tragedy! No one was even left to grieve—except Noah and his family—and except the holy God who was heartsick over sin.

It brought the Lord of glory no pleasure to see the suffering and the dying. He tells us, “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?’” (Ezekiel 33:11)

Jesus was indeed a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

The Via Dolorosa, the Way of Sorrows, began long before a Pontius Pilate was born, long before Jesus was betrayed, and long before his first cry as a baby.

But it all could have been avoided. It would have been so easy for the Son of God to skip the sorrow. It would only have been natural, and fair if humans had been left to go down the path they had chosen.

That’s what had happened to the rebellious angels. Why shouldn’t it happen to humans?

Those who sin should pay the price for committing sin. Why should it be any different?

Sin brings shame. Sin brings pain. Don’t believe it? Just wait. Just watch. Just learn.

And then turn. Turn to the one who takes away the shame and the pain. Turn to the Man of sorrows who is acquainted with grief.

The road to Golgotha began at the east side of Eden where cherubim and a flaming sword flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24).

There was no hope for us in Eden. The tree of life growing there would only lock us into a never-ending existence of futility and hopelessness.

The path to life led to a different tree—a dead tree, a deadly tree.

There, the Lord of life would hang until he died.

The Man of sorrows had to walk the Way of Sorrows all the way to his death.

This was our only hope. This gave us life. This turns great sorrow into great joy.

We still have sorrows in our lives. Sometimes they bring us great grief. But they are only temporary. We are traveling through life as if on a train. Sometimes, we run into bad weather and bad times. The train rocks and jerks as we move along life’s track. But this train does not stop. It does not drop us off in the desert of desperation. It will carry us along to the place it is destined to reach.

An old song contains the words, “This train is bound for glory, this train.”

It seems to fit our situation.

Our Savior God walked the Way of Sorrows so we could ride the train to glory.

Something to think about as we watch the season of Lent pass by.

Prayer: Jesus, Savior, lead us through this vale of tears. Take us home. Amen.

Points to ponder:

How does it affect us to learn that our Creator is grieved over our sin?
Why do the pains of life tempt us to think our God does not care?
Is Good Friday a source of sorrow or joy? Why?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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Peaks and Valleys – February 17, 2023

After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.
Mark 9:2

Military Devotion – February 17, 2023Devotion based on Mark 9:2
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230217Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

We like the peaks in our lives. We dread the valleys.

We enjoy the times when we feel on top of the world. Good things are happening. We see things clearly. The future looks bright.

The valleys of our lives hold shadows of sad things—failures, doubts, and even death.

Between the peaks and valleys of life lies a road bordered by everyday sights that leave us uninspired. The movie Groundhog Day reflects such state of mind. We look for change. We hope the top-of-the-mountain experience will return. We become discouraged when it does not.

The three disciples Jesus took with him up a high mountain experienced an unforgettable event. James did not live long after it happened but Peter and John both refer to it later in life.

John wrote, “We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father” (John 1:14). Peter insisted, “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty” (2 Peter 1:16).

Never before or after on earth did they reach this pinnacle of experience. At the baptism of Jesus, the Triune God revealed himself in the form of a dove and the voice from heaven. But Jesus stayed in his form of a regular human.

Not this time.

Matthew reports, “There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light” (Matthew 17:2).

Mark adds more amazing details, “His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus” (Mark 9:3,4).

What? Elijah and Moses had left this life centuries earlier. God, himself, had buried Moses on another mountain top, outside of the land of Canaan. That corpse had long ago turned to dust. How could they now appear to the disciples—not as ghosts, not as in a dream, but as living, talking, people?

How could this be unless there is life after death? Unless humans can share in the glory of their sovereign God?

It’s all true, just as Scripture has been telling us.

But wait, there’s more! “Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: ‘This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (Mark 9:7).

So, Jesus of Nazareth, son of Mary and stepson of Joseph, descendant of Abraham, Judah, and the Moabitess, Ruth is also the Son of God!

Wow!

Those disciples were overcome with wonder. They didn’t know what to do next. It must have been hard to wait until they could tell the rest of the disciples!

No. Not yet. Not a word of this was to be spoken until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So, they were left wondering what “rising from the dead” meant.

They would learn. This peak experience in their lives would lead to a very dark valley. Deep grief would grip their hearts. Peter’s faith would stumble and fall. People would later sing, “O sorrow dread, God’s Son is dead.”

But that road, the way of sorrows, would lead them through the valley unto heights of joy and glory they could not have imagined.

Their eyes would see the resurrected Jesus. Their ears would hear his command to go to all nations to proclaim the victory over sin and death. They would watch as, from another mountaintop, this same Jesus would rise into the air to return to his heavenly home.

And, when the light of earthly life had left their eyes, they would see him anew—along with Moses and Elijah and all the rest of the heirs of salvation.

And us? What about us?

We still live with the peaks and valleys of earthly life. Our feet are still anchored in time. But our day will come.

We will be carried to a place higher than any mountain top. We will see the glory of God with our own eyes.

And the valley of sorrow and death will be left far behind—never to be seen again.

Old Testament Job was right when he said:

“And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God;
I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:26,27)

How my heart yearns within me.

Prayer: Lord of glory, who has bought us with your lifeblood as the price, lift our eyes to the heavens as we await our transport home. Amen.

Points to ponder:

Why did Jesus take only three of his disciples to see his transfiguration?
Why did Jesus show his blazing glory to humans just this one time?
What does the transfiguration of Jesus mean to us today?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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Robbed of Me – February 10, 2023

Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility… Among these were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
Daniel 1:3,6,7

Military Devotion – February 10, 2023Devotion based on Daniel 1:3,6,7
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230210Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

My name is me!

That might not be using correct grammar, but it is correctly stating my claim. I was given a name by people who knew me and loved me. My complete name was called out as the waters of Baptism flowed over my head.

“I have called you by name. You are mine.” The Lord God declares.

Cherished words then follow:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” (Isaiah 43:1,2).

My Redeemer God calls me by name. A government bureaucrat assigned me a Social Security number. With teenage bravado, I decided to never commit that number to memory. I would resist being identified by a number.

You can imagine how long that lasted.

I won’t reject my government’s identification effort. Especially when that number is now on the social security check I receive. But I still retain the name my God has called me by, no matter what the government decides.

My name is me. I will not be robbed of me.

We are already familiar with the four captives from Judah who were brought to Babylon. We have read about Daniel in the lion’s den and his friends who were thrown into the fiery furnace.

We learn they were given new names when they got to the country of their enemies. Ironically, we still call Daniel by his Jewish name. We never seem to refer to him as Belteshazzar. But the Babylonian names for his friends easily flow from our mouths. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? That’s the men in the fiery furnace—untouched, by the way, by fire.

The Israelites transplanted to Babylon were not typical prisoners of war. They became exiles, living in houses and holding down jobs. But they were not free to leave. They missed their homeland. The psalmist put it this way. “By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion” (Psalm 137:1).

Daniel and his friends died in that foreign land. They answered to their foreign names. But they never forgot who they were. They never forgot the name of their Redeemer God. They never stopped praying to him or serving him—no matter the consequences.

The Lord had special plans for these men. They remind us of a Joseph, who once was carried to Egypt. Like him, Daniel and his friends became a blessing to the people who controlled them. His friends became able administrators. Daniel remained at the court. Though they were respected, they were also tested.

Through them, their captors came to learn of the only true God. But this knowledge usually came after the captives were confronted with death threats. There were other stressful times besides the lion’s den and the red-hot furnace. Each time, they called out to the Lord, who knew them by name and heard their cries for help.

The Babylonian king had to admit to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries…” (Daniel 2:47).

Then the king explained the name given to Daniel. He said, “He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him” (Daniel 4:8).

Daniel lived among people who rejected the Lord. He worked under them. But he did not become one of them.

There’s a lesson there. We might have people over us who do not fear the Lord. At times, we might be called to be of help to people who reject the Creator and Redeemer God. But those people should know by our words and actions that we call upon the name of the Lord for guidance and blessing.

Thus, we can say, “Child of God and heir of glory? That’s me!”

He calls me still by my God-blessed name. He will ever do that.

No one can rob me of that.

Prayer: Savior God and Lord of the nations, at times, we find ourselves among people we don’t like. Sometimes, they are a threat to our welfare. Sometimes, they are a threat to our faith. Hear us when we call out to you for guidance and strength. Remind us of who we are. Remind us that you call us by name. Remind us that we belong to you. Amen.

Points to ponder:

Would the Israelites who were carried off to Babylon have been more likely to abandon their faith in the Lord or to grasp it more firmly?
Why does God often allow his people to be overtaken by danger and trouble?
Why would God use his people for the betterment of people who reject him?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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Driving Out Demons – February 3, 2023

Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
Mark 1:38,39

Military Devotion – February 3, 2023Devotion based on Mark 1:38,39
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230203Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

To some, the idea of demon possession is hilarious—to others, horrific.

It depends upon whether you believe there are such things as demons and if they have any control over humans.

People of the Bible have an advantage. No need to search the internet for answers. Not dependent upon society’s changing views, they can turn to the Source of truth.

And they should.

The holy God reveals there indeed are demons, also called devils. The name of their leader is Satan. They are, in fact, angels. They possess angelic powers.

Scripture explains. “And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him” (Revelation 12:7-9).

In the original language, the word dragon means a giant serpent. It is a fitting name for Satan since he took the form of a snake to lead humans into the rebellion that damned them, too.

The centerpiece of human history is the intervention of their Creator to rescue them from this hellish state of affairs. That he was willing to sacrifice his Son to accomplish this stands out as the greatest event since the creation of the universe.

The story of this rescue is the main theme of the Bible. Every one of the inspired books somehow reveals something we need to know about the Lord of life and his plans for us.

More than just interesting reading, the words of Scripture speak to our hearts to warn us and to reassure us. Accordingly, they introduce us to angels—both the holy ones and the demonic.

The first angel we meet in Scripture is an evil one. We are shown the deadly weapon in his arsenal. The Holy Spirit pulls back the camouflage cover of his friendliness and reveals the killing power of temptation.

Though they have the powers of angels, demons cannot force us to turn our backs on the Lord of life. Our souls are not at their mercy. Their threats are empty—unless we give in to them.

Therein lies the problem. Since the Garden of Eden, humans have been born as citizens of the kingdom of darkness. Even after they have been reborn as citizens of the kingdom of light, they remain attracted to evil. Only when they step into their heavenly home will they finally be completely free from it.

Demons aim for the soul. A soul lost to God is their claim of victory.

But there have been times when demons took control of bodies. We call that demon possession. Some of the symptoms are similar to mental illness in that the person is not in control of what is said or done—and is not responsible for these things. It does not mean this soul is definitely lost, just that demons can make a person’s life miserable.

The Bible shows us a number of sad cases of demon possession. But it also shows the superior power of the Messiah.

While he came to save souls, Jesus also came to heal bodies stricken with disease and handicaps—and to drive out demons.

All this showed he certainly was the Promised One from heaven. His power is over all things—including the powers of darkness.

Lest we think demons can pick and choose victims for possession at will, Scripture reminds us that Satan and his followers are defeated. Their Creator rules them. He limits their reach. He watches over his people.

There is a good reason why Jesus taught us to pray, “Deliver us from evil.”

That’s why we end that famous prayer with the words, “For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.”

No wonder we sing:

“This world’s prince may still
scowl fierce as he will,
He can harm us none,
He’s judged; the deed is done!
One little word can fell him.”
(from Christian Worship 863:3)

That word is Jesus.

Prayer: Gracious and powerful Lord God, we sometimes forget that enemies strive to rob us of salvation by leading us to discard our faith in you. Protect us, body and soul, from the powers of darkness. Deliver us from evil. Amen.

Points to ponder:

What lies has Satan been telling us lately?
Does the thought of demons threatening our bodies concern us more than the thought of them fighting for control of our souls? Why or why not?
What do diseases and demon possession have in common?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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Taking a Stand – January 27, 2023

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist.
Ephesians 6:14

Military Devotion – January 27, 2023Devotion based on Ephesians 6:14
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230127Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

In 1858, the sleeve of Pastor Tyng’s gown was caught in a machine for shelling corn being pulled by his mule. His arm was mangled, then amputated. He died the next week. As he was dying, he was asked what message he wanted to give to his people.

“Tell them,” he said, “let us all stand up for Jesus.”

Neighboring pastor, George Duffield, was struck by these words. A week later, he ended his sermon with a hymn he had just written. The new hymn began with the now famous line, “Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross!”

We know that hymn. We can mightily sing its words, even though we may often carry them out rather meekly.

The hymn does not encourage us to be undercover Christians. Nor does it invite us to become foxhole Christians. “Stand up!” is the command.

But as soon as we stand up, are we not a target?

We are.

We, Christians, need to face that. We gladly and boldly sing, “What a friend we have in Jesus!” It would be good for us to remember the saying, “The friend of my enemy is my enemy.” Jesus has enemies.

Those who have been in war zones understand this. The American flag stakes a claim. It shouts out, “This stands for the United States of America.” The uniform announces, “The one who wears this takes a stand for the United States of America. This person will stand up against all its enemies.”

The uniform of the Christian is the lifestyle others see. When God is an important person in our life, when the worship of him is an essential part of our life, this is recognized. It should not surprise us if those who take a stand against God are not pleased with us.

Those who served in Vietnam expected to be vilified by the Viet Cong. The same was true of the enemy in every other theater of war.

The war against the powers of darkness is no different. In fact, the insulting, reviling attacks may even be worse.

Those who find themselves on the front line, at the point of the spear, in the fight against all that is ungodly should take the backlash as evidence of being effective.

But they also should receive encouragement from fellow warriors.

Pastor Duffield aimed his words at those who take a stand against the deadliest enemies known to humankind, namely, the satanic forces from hell, their human allies who surround the Christian’s life, and the rebellious nature within each person.

“Soldiers of the cross,” he called them. We are called the same.

To those who say it is far-fetched to compare the spiritual struggle of the Christian with the real-life combat of the warrior, we say, “But that’s exactly the comparison that God makes!”

Ephesians 6 tells us to “be strong in the Lord.” It goes on to warn us, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Then Scripture names the pieces of the battle gear the spiritual warrior is to use. The first to be mentioned is “the belt of truth buckled around your waist.”

Every piece of our spiritual uniform is essential. But if we did not have the truth, if we did not stand for truth, nothing else would much matter.

That’s why we must stand up for Jesus today. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

That’s what counts.

It matters little what our spiritual enemies throw at us. It makes no difference if standing up for our Savior brings retaliation.

In another famous hymn, the old words are, “And take they our life, goods, fame, child, and wife; Let these all be gone, They yet have nothing won; The Kingdom ours remaineth.” (TLH 262:4)

These words were also written by a member of the clergy. He was serious about the possibility of losing everything, including his life, for standing up for Jesus and his truth.

The year was 1521. The place was Germany. The defender of the faith was a monk named Martin Luther. When the great powers demanded that he renounce truths of his Savior God, he replied with famous words.

“Here I stand,” he said. “I can do no other. So help me, God.”

No wonder we sing out the words, “Stand up, stand up for Jesus.” We have inspiring examples to follow.

More than that, we have orders.

Jesus has told us, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:14).

We have no choice. We want no choice. We echo the words of another Christian soldier who fought in service to the King. He wrote, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

With the apostle Paul and all the other heroes of faith, we take our stand.

Don’t we?

Prayer: Holy Spirit, remind us of those who faithfully fought in the army of God in years gone by. Encourage us in days of doubt or danger with the assurance of victory in Christ. Permit us to stand in spirit next to the heroes of faith as we sing:

“And when the fight is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave again and arms are strong.
Alleluia!” Amen.
(Christian Worship 880:5)

Points to ponder:

Today, in our country, it is unlikely that we will lose our life for standing up for Jesus. So, what are we afraid of that keeps us from always doing that?
Have there been some people in our lives who stirred our hearts to serve our Lord more faithfully? What are their names?
Do you feel there is more risk for a Christian to show his faith today than it was 20 years ago? 50 years ago? Why or why not?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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Not Yet Like Him – January 20, 2023

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened. But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry.
Jonah 3:10, 4:1

Military Devotion – January 20, 2023Devotion based on Jonah 3:10, 4:1
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230120Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

The only God, the holy God, likes us. But we are not like him.

The play on words is to draw attention to a critical truth revealed in Scripture.

The Old Testament prophecy named the Messiah “Immanuel,” that is, “God with us.” The message is that the one who is divine would become human to rescue humans from the deadly consequences of their rebellion against him. We celebrate this good news at Christmas.

During the Epiphany season, we look at the evidence that the prophecy was fulfilled. He looked like a human, talked and acted like a human. He ate food, he grew tired, and he cried tears.

As final evidence of his humanity, we are told that he bled, and he died.

But clearly, he was more than human. The Roman soldier who watched him die was convinced. “Surely this was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:19).

He did work many amazing miracles. Yet, the miracles, of themselves, do not show the primary way he is different from us. After all, humans have done some amazing things, too. Remember Moses parting the waters of the Red Sea? Recall the time Peter walked on water—for a while?

In the book of Acts, Saint Luke tells us: “The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people” (Acts 5:12).

Some humans have worked miracles because God worked through them. Those humans were not divine—and did not claim to be.

But Jesus was God and clearly claimed the same. Though he was human, he was not exactly like us. Beyond divine power and wisdom lies an essential difference between him and humankind.

God is love. We are not. Not yet.

Jonah gives evidence of the difference.

Commanded to warn the citizens of the great city, Nineveh, Jonah defied the order by running away from the mission and—foolish as it was to try—away from the Lord God.

We might assume he was afraid of the failure this mission might bring. To bring these people to a state of repentance seemed like a mission impossible.

But that’s not why Jonah tried to run away! He wasn’t afraid they would reject the warning; he was afraid they would accept it—and God would spare them!

When that did happen, Jonah complained, “O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live” (Jonah 4:2,3).

Almost unbelievable, isn’t it? He actually wanted those people to be crushed by the mighty arm of God. Would he have jumped up and down in glee to see the burning sulfur fall down upon Sodom? Would he have laughed at the prisoners being led away to Babylon?

Why would Jonah delight to see people being punished by God?

Could it be because he had a sinful human nature? Could it be that we are inclined the same way? Don’t we get some satisfaction out of being able to say at times, “Well, he got what he deserved!”

Do we not want justice? We do. So does the Judge of all.

But his justice is always tempered with mercy. It gives him no joy to see people get what they deserve. We read of his warning call: “Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?’” (Ezekiel 33:11).

Only when we realize our name is on the list of the wicked, only when we understand that we deserve no punishment less than that given to Satan, then we begin to understand how merciful the Lord has been to us.

Then we begin to grasp the wonder of the words, “God so loved the world…”

Could it be that he loved someone like me? The amazing answer is, “Yes!”

But there is even more to the story. We are told, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).

Not only does God like us so much that his Son died for us—one day, we will be like him!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, your Word clearly reveals how guilty we are and how severely we should be punished. So, we must be astounded to learn that we are pardoned. May we never lose this astonishment. May we strive to be more like you until the day comes when we shall truly be like you. Grant that for your name’s sake. Amen.

Points to ponder:

Is it wrong to rejoice to see justice being served? Why or why not?
How do we keep ourselves from feeling, “I’m better than them!”?
How can we become more merciful—like God?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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Two Score and Fifteen – January 13, 2023

We spend our years as a tale that is told. The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Psalm 90:9,10 (KJV)

Military Devotion – January 13, 2023Devotion based on Psalm 90:9,10 (KJV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230113Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

Even if we grew up with the King James Bible, we still don’t usually count years according to scores. Decades are more like it.

The words of Psalm 90 are often read at funerals or near the start of a new year. That seems fitting because the psalm points us back over the quick-passing of time. Thus, using the old wording also seems fitting.

Abraham Lincoln used the same method of counting time when he stood before the fresh graves of those who had fallen in battle near a Lutheran college at Gettysburg. He began: “Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”

Lincoln’s time reference equals 87 years. The counts given by Moses add up to 70, and 80. Both quotes are significant. Both give food for thought. Counting years by scores instead of decades makes an impression on us. Maybe we should add another score to our list of times that could impress us: Two score and fifteen.

Two score and fifteen years ago, it was 1968—fifty-five years ago.

That summer was memorable for many who lived through it. Maybe many of us were too young to remember it. Maybe, some not even born yet. But some of us graduated from school that year. Some of us became married in ‘68. And some went to Vietnam.

It was a summer of protests and raised fists. National Guard troops deployed to city streets with automatic weapons. National political conventions became almost war zones. Hippies advocated free love. College professors were telling students to: “Turn on, tune in, and drop out.”

And some who had been drafted to go to war returned to face disdain and spit.

Who can forget a summer like that?

If the whole world didn’t seem to be coming apart, our nation surely did.

Some might ask, “How did you survive it? How did our nation survive?”

“By the grace of God.”

The survivors can now look back on that year as history, or in Moses’ words, as a tale that is told.

Stories of the individuals take different twists and turns. They are stories of strength and hope, stories containing joy and love. But they also reveal labor and sorrow.

But perhaps most of all, they show how quickly the scores of years fly by. Some of us look at the old pictures with the young faces and ask, “Was that really me? Was life really like that?”

Well, it was. It was really horrible at times, and at times it was really wonderful. And the years really did fly by.

To those who ask us to explain and describe the ‘60s, we might only say, “You had to be there.”

It turns out that only God knew what lay ahead for us as we lived our life in 1968. Only God could make sense of it. Only God could preserve our nation and enable us to survive—and accomplish something of value in our lives.

This he has done. This he will continue to do. Those who are young now will one day, by the grace of God, be able to look back to see his faithfulness at work in their lives.

The prayer of Moses ends with the words:

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;
Establish the work of our hands for us—yes
Establish the work of our hands.”

Two score and fifteen years ago, it was 1968 A.D. The A.D. means, “in the year of our Lord.” 2023 is also in the year of our Lord.

So it will be every year of our lives—until we leave this earth behind, and in the words of Moses: We fly away.

Prayer: Eternal Father, strong to save, you rule over time and eternity. We thank you for shielding your people from the danger that would surround them. Hold your powerful hand over us and those we love as we watch the years unfold. Enable our lives to be a blessing to others. Establish the work of our hands. Establish the work of our hands. Amen.

Points to ponder:

Is it scary or comforting to know that time passes so quickly that it seems to fly? Why?
Is it scary or comforting to hear Moses describe death with the words: We fly away?
Why does Moses call labor and sorrow the strength of our years?

*A portion of this devotion was published earlier.

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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Happy Now? – January 6, 2023

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
Matthew 2:13

Military Devotion – January 6, 2023Devotion based on Matthew 2:13
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20230106Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

The words can be a rebuke when spoken with bitterness. “Happy now?” The message is, “Now you are miserable because you did not heed my warning.”

But the words can also reflect caring concern or a simple request for information. A few days ago, people wished us a “Happy New Year!” Now that we have moved into that new year, a natural question is, “Are you happy now?”

The question carries additional weight when a major change is involved. “Are you happy in your new job?” “Are you happy about the orders to move you to a new location?” Those with young children know that travel and change can provide major challenges. Moms, especially, may not look forward to the experience—may not be happy about the prospect.

It makes us wonder how Mary and Joseph reacted to the orders to move to Egypt.

Hadn’t they already gone through enough bewildering events? Consider the shock of learning about the virgin birth? How did the people of Nazareth react to the pregnancy?

Now they were new parents living in a new place, still adjusting to the miraculous events. Then, an amazing development. Scholars from the East, claiming that a star had led them, arrived at their door bringing gifts for the child born as King of the Jews.

What next?

How about the warning that King Herod had given orders to have Jesus killed?

What were these parents to think? Was this not a special baby now placed into their hands? Wasn’t this situation the work of God? When first told about this, Mary had responded with, “From now on all generations will call me blessed” (Luke 2:48).

Did she still feel blessed? Was she happy now? Was Joseph happy now?

They were now “on the run.” Even though they escaped from Bethlehem, they may well have heard the report of the babies slaughtered there after they had left.

Dismay and dread may have crushed any idea of happiness.

Traveling with a baby. Trying to make a home in a foreign country. Struggling to set up a carpentry business among strangers. This was not fun!

Where was God when people needed him?

Thank God, those wise men from the East had given them valuables they could cash in!

Was this by coincidence, or was this by divine plan? Might it be that although the danger was great and the stress was real, the angels who had told Mary and Joseph of the coming birth of the child and then announced it to shepherds kept watch over this family day and night?

We are not told how Mary and Joseph reacted to the stress that came into their lives. We know they were only human, like us. Maybe they did have some doubts and fears. But those would have been groundless.

Their Father in heaven had a plan in place. He knew what Herod would do at Bethlehem.

We read, “Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: ‘A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more’” (Matthew 2:17,18).

Rachel, Jacob’s wife, had been buried at Bethlehem long ago. Jeremiah’s prophecy was also written long ago. The slaughter of the babies under two was foreseen.

The escape to Egypt was planned. We hear, “And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called my son’” (Matthew 2:15).

Mary and Joseph wanted to return to Bethlehem to live. The Lord God had a different plan. We learn, “But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: ‘He will be called a Nazarene’” (Matthew 2:22,23).

So, it was all planned out. So, God was always in control. So, any hardship was to bring a blessing, and fear was not necessary.

Not for them. Not for us.

Through Jeremiah of old, he speaks to us yet today. This is what he says: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Happy now?

We should be.

Prayer: I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have graciously kept me this day from all harm and danger; and I pray you to forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let your holy angel be with me, that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen. (Martin Luther’s Evening Prayer)

Points to ponder:

Why do we evaluate situations according to our feelings instead of God’s promises?
Since God does not promise that we will always be able to escape danger or calamity, why is it still good to know that he is in control?
We are not robots programmed to carry out God’s plans. How might our decisions interface with his plans?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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One Day – December 30, 2022

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:12,13

Military Devotion – December 30, 2022Devotion based on 1 Corinthians 13:12,13
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20221230Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

“One day, we will understand. Sleep on, darling. Your loving wife and sons.”

So reads a headstone near the WWII battleground at Anzio.

Those sober words may clash with the joyous toasts of “Happy New Year!” But the fallen won’t protest, and their loved ones will understand.

The rotation of one year into another one invites one to pause for a bit to review the past and wonder about the future. We can now write down what has taken place so far in our lives. But that does not mean we understand why it happened. The future lies in clouds of fog. We can only wonder what lies on our path—and later wonder why some of that was there.

Especially those things that cause pain.

Some might question why we celebrate the beginning of a new year. Are we so happy we survived the old one? Are we so confident that good things await us in the new one?

Or are we just trying to forget the hurts the past brought us and faking confidence in the future?

We may not really know.

But those who know in whose hands the future lies have something good to look forward to. Those who know whose hands have carried them in the past have something to be thankful for.

Thus, those who call upon a Father in heaven have a double reason to celebrate.

When things go well for us, when happy things happen, we don’t usually search for the answer to the question, “Why?”

We might assume we just made the right decisions or possessed the right skills. Or, maybe we simply pass it off as being lucky.

A person who operates with high confidence may take success for granted. Failure is not expected. When it does show itself, the confidence is shaken. This is unfamiliar territory.

“I do not understand!” may become the pervading thought. A search for answers may ensue. Not finding an answer may shake that person to the core.

“Why?” “Why?” “Why?” are questions that lead to doubt, even despair, if no answer is found.

The Lord of heaven and earth knows this. Through the apostle Paul, he tells us we should not expect to find answers to all questions on this side of eternity. Now we can see only a poor reflection of life, and as in a mirror, the picture may even be reversed.

Why torment ourselves by seeking the unreachable? Why not turn to that which is certain, enlightening, and comforting? Why not grab onto the lifeline the Savior offers?

“And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

These three will not fade, will not disappear, will not change.

This faith, this hope, and this love are anchored in the eternal Lord God—who changes not.

But we shall change. “For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:52,53).

Then, “we shall see face to face.” Then, “I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”

When will that be? Jesus tells us, “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown” (Revelation 3:11).

She wrote, “One day we will understand. Sleep on, darling.”

Many new years have come and gone since those touching words were written. We wish the battles and the dying were gone, as well. We wonder if her sons saw combat in Vietnam. We wonder if she had to write on their headstones. We wonder if her grandchildren fought in the sandbox of the Middle East. We surely hope not.

The new year we face will no doubt bring changes into our lives. Some, we will rejoice over. We may weep over some others. Only God knows.

But this we hold dear. This we claim as our own. This awaits us as we step into the future. “Faith, hope and love.”

Now we see life as it is reflected in a mirror. Then, we shall see clearly.

Then we shall understand.

Until then, we bid our loved ones who have fallen asleep in Jesus, “Sleep on.”

“Sleep in heavenly peace.”

Prayer:Then, gracious God, in years to come, whatever may betide us,
Right onward through our journey home, O, stay at hand to guide us,
Nor leave us till, at close of life, safe from all peril, toil, and strife,
Heaven shall enfold and hide us. Amen.
(Christian Worship 367:4)

Points to ponder:

Jesus once told his disciples that his friend, Lazarus, was sleeping before he raised him from the dead. (John 11:1) Why is that comforting?
Do you agree with the saying, “The more things change, the more they stay the same?” Why or why not?
Do you think most Americans greet the new year with hope or with fear? Explain.

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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Special Mission – December 23, 2022

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
Luke 2:8-10

Military Devotion – December 23, 2022Devotion based on Luke 2:8-10
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20221223Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

We always knew the stars were beyond counting. We came to learn there were entire galaxies far, far away. But when we put telescopes into space, we were amazed to learn there is much more out there than we imagined and at distances that defy measurements.

Some astronomers believe there are about two trillion galaxies, each averaging some 100 million stars. Altogether, they estimate there are some 400 billion planets out there.

The little blue planet we live on appears as a mere speck in the celestial array. Lifeforms walking around on two legs cannot be detected even from the closest space object, the moon. We must join the psalmist in asking the Creator of all this, “What is man that you are mindful of him?” (Psalm 8:4). Surely, we must be insignificant, perhaps irrelevant.

It turns out, we are not. Humans are very much the focus of the Lord God. He knows what they are like. They are defiant. They shake their puny fists at the Ruler of the universe and act as if their opinions mattered. As if he needed their approval.

His response? “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them” (Psalm 2:4).

With a flip of his little finger, he could send this planet and everything on it into oblivion. Far worse, he could punish us in his righteous wrath, as he did the rebellious angels.

Instead, he developed a plan to rescue humans from the consequences of their rebellion. It is an astonishing plan. It entails an almost unbelievable sacrifice on his part.

He will send his Son to be punished in place of those despicable ingrates. For this to happen, the Son of God must take on a human nature. He must be born of a woman.

A special force of angels was deployed to ensure mankind would know when and where this happened. The exact place was chosen long before. We do not know how angels travel. We are aware that they are based in a place called heaven. We recognize that trillions of galaxies and billions of planets lie between their home base and earth. No matter how they traveled or how fast they could get here, they still needed to know the location of their LZ, their landing zone.

We mark it at latitude 31.705791 and longitude 35.200657.

That spot is called Bethlehem in ancient Judea.

Suddenly, the night lit up with a column of light that could appear as fire in the sky. It was shock and awe. The targets, who were shepherds bivouacked in a field, were terrified. Then the voice of the lead angel thundered a message. They were not to fear. They would not be harmed. This was not an attack by a superior force.

This was a declaration of peace!

The basis of the peace was explained. “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”

His identity could be verified. “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:11,12).

Then the scene broke wide open! “Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude from the heavenly army, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward mankind’” (Luke 2:13,14 EHV).

Over the ages, angels have been sent on many different missions. Sometimes they brought severe judgment, as did the angel of death to the firstborn in Egypt, or when 185,000 Assyrian soldiers were killed overnight.

But most often, we learn of angels protecting and rescuing. The mission to Bethlehem on that holy night must have been one of the happiest ones.

The only one better was when some were sent to an empty grave to tell mourners, “He is not here. He has risen. Come see the place where he lay” (Matthew 28:6).

We remember all this as we prepare to celebrate the birthday of the King of kings that we now can call our brother.

This is the season for remembering. Some of our Christmas joy springs from the past. There have been special people and special times in our lives that we do not want to forget. We recognize they were special gifts from the Savior God.

Best of all, is the memory of the first Christmas. Our feet may not have carried us to Bethlehem on that night, but our hearts have done so. Our eyes may not have peeked into the stable to see the one in in the manger, but our souls have.

We may not have heard the angel voices with our own ears, but the Holy Spirit has carried their words over the expanse of time and space to place them before us.

What was the special message proclaimed by angels on a special mission?

“A Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”

Our reply? “Message received. Glory be to God on high!”

Prayer:Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask you to stay
Close by me forever and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in your tender care,
And take us to heaven to live with you there. Amen.
(Christian Worship 341:3)

Points to ponder:

Our planet is only a speck in space. What does that tell us?
Bethlehem was only a dot on a map compared to Jerusalem. What does that tell us?
In the eyes of high society, shepherds were low class. What does that tell us?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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Heads Up! – December 16, 2022

At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Luke 21:27,28

Military Devotion – December 16, 2022Devotion based on Luke 21:27,28
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20221216Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

Some had their eyes focused only on their breakfast that morning. Some were looking at the magnificent rolling surf. A few glanced up at the sound of low-flying aircraft. Some eyes were still closed in sleep. No one panicked.

Until.

Until they heard the explosions. Until they saw the red circles on the aircraft wings. Until it was too late.

The place was Pearl Harbor. It was a Sunday morning in December of 1941. President Roosevelt labeled it “A Day of Infamy.”

No one expected to see death and disaster coming from that bright sky. No one had given them a “Heads up!”

They had been told to prepare for a time like this. But they didn’t think it would be on this day and at this place. They assumed life would just continue on much as it had before. Hawaii was a great place to be stationed. Christmas was coming. Who would have thought the rolling surf would turn black with oil and red with blood before this day ended?

For the survivors, life changed forever. From now on, eyes would feverishly scan those skies. Now they lived in fear that inbound terror would descend from above.

The meaning of that Christmas changed. No more “Peace and Joy!” Now the message was, “Prepare to meet your God!”

Yet hasn’t that always been the Christmas message? The presence of the holy God has always carried a threat, hasn’t it? Think of Israel trembling at the foot of Mount Sinai. Remember Isaiah’s warning to his readers, “Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty” (Isaiah 13:6).

Is the holy God to be feared? Absolutely!

The New Testament declares: “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).

The Christ child was Immanuel—God with us. Shouldn’t sinners be terrified at his arrival?

Yet the coming of Christ into the world is announced as good news.

Scripture warns that we are to fear him. But we also are to love and trust him. How so?

We should be afraid to defy him but very happy that he came.

The good news is that he came not to destroy but to rescue. The angel told Joseph to name him Jesus “Because he shall save his people from their sins.”

That mission was completed under the dark skies of Golgotha. When he comes again, the skies will light up as he comes to finally bring his people home, body and soul.

In another December, three years later, Americans faced another deadly attack. This time they were in the Ardennes of Belgium. Surrounded, cold, and almost out of ammunition, they fixed their eyes upon cloud-laden skies that kept rescue from coming.

This time, they wanted to see planes fill the skies. They prayed to see the planes. They sent out a cheer when the first one was spotted. Desperately needed supplies were dropped. Rescue was at hand! We call that the “Battle of the Bulge.” It brought victory.

So, it will be when those in service to the King of kings spot the cloud in the sky that brings in Jesus with a display of power and great glory.

We call that the end of the world. We await that day with excited joy, not fear. This will be the breakout day of the final rescue.

An old song carries the words, “And man shall live forevermore because of Christmas Day.”

When we were very young, we may have been asked, “And what would you like for Christmas?” Maybe we answered with a long list of toys. But there was probably one item at the top of the list. That’s the one our heart was set upon.

Today, we would answer with a different list, but maybe as long of a list as back then. After all, there are so many things that we need—and many more that we would like.

But at the top of today’s list, would we not want to place “The peace that surpasses all understanding”? This is the peace between our God and us. This is the peace that Jesus bought and paid for.

This is the peace the angels sang about. The peace we need for ourselves and we want for our loved ones.

This is the peace we have looked for—this is the one only the Prince of Peace can bring.

That’s why we can close the Christmas carol with the words, “Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace.”

One day angels will wake us with, “Heads up! Jesus, the Savior, has come!”

We watch for that day.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you came as the Prince of Peace to reconcile us to the holy almighty God. Thank you for the “heads up” to watch for when you will come again. Amen.

Points to ponder:

In what way can we compare the Last Day to Pearl Harbor?
What has changed in our lives that makes us now treasure perfect peace?
In what ways can we compare the Last Day to the Battle of the Bulge?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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Those Empty Stockings – December 9, 2022

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:11

Military Devotion – December 9, 2022Devotion based on Luke 2:11
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20221209Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

“The stockings were hung by the chimney with care….” So begins the famous Christmas poem.

Those stockings were filled only with hope until they would be filled with joy. They were not expected to be found empty when Christmas morning dawned. It would have been better not to hang the stockings at all than to have eager expectations pitifully dashed.

The vision of stockings found empty on Christmas tears at our hearts. It is a sad scene that we would strive to prevent. But it does happen. Hopes are not always turned into joy.

That’s why a certain sadness can come to even the people of God at this time of year.

This sadness comes not from missing loved ones who once celebrated Christmas with us. That happens, but this is a different form of sorrow.

Nor does this one grow from a lack of wrapped gifts to be shared.

Instead, this sadness is the painful realization that so many around us are missing out on Christmas.

As the Christmas music begins to fill the airways following Halloween, as the Christmas sales are announced, and the television brings feel-good stories of people at Christmastime, it begins to dawn on us: “Many don’t know!”

They don’t know what Christmas means. They don’t know the Christ of Christmas. They don’t know he is their Savior. They don’t know he is Christ, the Lord. They just don’t know.

Their spiritual Christmas stocking is empty.

Many eagerly search for the reputed joy of Christmas. They hope they can find it in decorations that “make the spirit bright.” They turn to the joy of getting and giving. Some rely upon the stimulants of food or drink.

They are determined to have a merry Christmas. They sincerely wish this for others.

They just do not know that, without Christ, there can be no Christmas joy.

The sad evidence is there. Check the police logs for Christmas Eve. Domestic disputes? Alcohol-caused car wrecks? Suicides? Far too many!

Without Christ, there can be no true Christmas joy.

Yet, many do not know they are missing it. They even resent our idea that their Christmas lacks something.

That puts the Christian in an uncomfortable position.

Do we just tell them their Christmas is empty of anything lasting and meaningful? Will they believe us? Will that prompt them to seek the Christ of Christmas?

Or will they just shake their heads at our apparent arrogance? After all, who are we to tell someone else that they are not as happy as they should be?

Does that mean we should just go on our merry way and not care about those with a Christmas empty of heavenly hope and joy?

Really?

The poem gives the reason for hanging those stockings. “In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.” How sad if this is the best that can be hoped for!

Can’t we do something about that? Can’t we ask the Holy Spirit to enter their homes and hearts? Can’t we somehow share the hope that is within us? Can’t we show the peace and joy that Christ brought to us?

Think of how many Christmas carols are actually Christmas hymns. Do they not proclaim the true message of the season? Does not “Joy to the world the Lord has come!” say what needs to be said?

Can we not invite others to our worship services where these words are sung, explained, and believed?

If it pains us to think of a child with no present in a stocking, what about one with no Christ in Christmas?

Our hearts know where true joy can be found. We know this is a joy to be shared.

But if we find our joy is tinged with sadness when the Christ of Christmas is rejected, we may recall Jesus weeping over a Jerusalem that also closed its heart to him.

On this side of heaven, sorrow often intrudes upon joy. This Christmas will again reveal lives empty of God’s gifts of faith, hope, and love. That pains us.

Thus, we work, and we pray that this year Jesus will enter where he is unknown.

Then, they will know true Christmas joy.

To have a merry Christmas is more than a wish. It is a gift from heaven.

It more than fills those empty stockings.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, bring joy to the lives of people everywhere by filling their hearts with a child-like faith centered upon the Christ of Christmas. Amen.

Points to ponder:

Would we better celebrate Christmas if we stripped away all the trimmings? Or not?
Why do children often have a better grasp of Christmas than adults?
Which Christmas celebration was the most memorable for you? Why?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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The Trees Are Wrong – December 2, 2022

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5

Military Devotion – December 2, 2022Devotion based on Proverbs 3:5
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20221202Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

We are a society that banks on feelings. Be it a happy event or a sad one, the reporter with the microphone is apt to ask, “How are you feeling?” The question is asked often because readers and viewers feel that’s important.

It’s as if feelings define us. “How does the quarterback feel after this loss?” “How does your family feel about the upcoming transfer?” “How does the squad feel after the counterattack?”

The impact of feelings reverberates to the far corners of our lives. They are difficult to ignore—even when we know that we should.

There’s the saying, “If it feels good, do it!” That puts feelings into the command position of life. When faced with judgment calls, we sometimes go with our instincts.

That’s not necessarily bad. Instinct is often formed by lessons learned from the past. It grows from our understanding of situations. But our understanding is limited and sometimes dead wrong. Our understanding of life is not good enough to build a life upon.

Wise and inspired King Solomon clues us in. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

Solomon was right, of course. But sometimes, it is hard to do that.

There is an American who grew up in Africa. When his family returned to the U.S., he faced a cultural shock. So many differences!

Some of them he liked immediately. Some took a while to get used to. But one difference was very hard to accept.

He puts it this way: “The trees are wrong!”

As he traveled around, this continued to bother him. He could feel it in his bones. He could not shake the feeling. “The trees are wrong!”

Those tall pine trees, those majestic oaks—that’s not what trees are supposed to look like! Not one tree in the upper Midwest looked right. It was all wrong—and it continued to bother him.

Then, things changed. He writes, “Recently, on a trip to Texas, I felt at home. My eyes and mind saw that the trees grew right!”

He explains that the woodland where he grew up in Zambia consists of low, isolated trees surrounded by shrubs and grasses. The area is dry most of the year. “Thus,” he says, “it has many similarities to dry Texas shrub.”

What a good feeling for him!

But that doesn’t make the rest of America’s trees wrong.

“And lean not on your own understanding,” Scripture reminds us.

We are entering the portion of the year that might be labeled “The Season of Feelings.” We have been reminded to feel thankful. Now, we are encouraged to feel joyful. But what if we don’t feel like it?

What if this season doesn’t look like the Christmas we grew up with? What if the scenery is wrong? What if people vital to our picture of Christmas are missing?

What if we begin to wonder if our understanding of Christmas has been shaped by the spirit of make-believe?

Wasn’t our early excitement over Christmas influenced by stories of reindeer and a magic sleigh? If we have outgrown Santa Claus, have we also outgrown the story of a virgin birth and a baby that is both human and divine?

What sense does that make to our grownup mind? Is that why we cannot recapture the old feelings? Have we just lost the Christmas spirit? Or have we wandered away from the Spirit of Christmas?

Maybe it’s time we take our own “trip to Texas.” We will not be carried by car or plane. This trip is courtesy of the Holy Spirit, who brings back the familiar sights of wonder and grace before our eyes.

On the pages of Holy Writ, we see the things that refresh our souls. Once again, we catch sight of angels announcing the glad tidings of great joy that shall be to all people. Once more, in spirit, we walk with the shepherds to see the newborn King.

We come again to the realization: “This is real!” “This is my Savior!” “I can rejoice with the angels.” “One day, I shall live with them.”

This is too marvelous to comprehend and too amazing to understand, but I trust my Creator and Redeemer. I can now relax and feel good about what I see. Now I feel at home with this Christmas scene. I can be at peace once again.

And even if I am where the trees look wrong, Christ in Christmas makes them right.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, lift up my eyes to see again the reason why the angels sang for joy over the fields of Bethlehem. Show me the Savior who makes everything right. Amen.

Points to ponder:

Why does much of our joy seem to be influenced by the trimmings of Christmas?
What would we say to the person who feels he has outgrown Christmas?
Why are we inclined to trust our own understanding instead of the Lord our God?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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Mercy! – November 25, 2022

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
1 Chronicles 16:34 (KJV)

Military Devotion – November 25, 2022Devotion based on 1 Chronicles 16:34 (KJV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20221125Mil.mp3
See series: Military Devotions

Sometimes, what we want is not what we need—and what we need is not what we want. That’s the way it is with us humans.

Good thing our loving God knows that! He knows what we want, and he sees what we need. Ask a three-year-old what she wants for breakfast, and she might say “ice cream.” Because her mother loves her, oatmeal is what she gets. This does not bring about a happy face.

Years later, she may be thankful for her mother’s action—as she lovingly prepares oatmeal for her own child.

We might relate to that. Perhaps, we have also learned that what we once desperately wanted would not have been good for us. Maybe, we are now thankful that we did not get it. As we make our list of what we are thankful for today, we may want to include some prayers that were answered with a “No!”

Because God is good, he will not give us things that are not good. Our frown will not cause him to change his mind.

The psalmist encourages us to “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:1).

Some benefits quickly come to mind: good food, good friends, and good health. Thus, we might say, “Thank you, Lord, for my warm house, my loving family, and my secure job.” That’s a good list.

We may think of dangers and hardships that have been overcome. “Thank you, Lord, for bringing me home safely from deployment, for my parents surviving the hurricane, and for protecting me from Covid.” That’s a good prayer.

Yet, the Bible leads us to look more closely at the background in the picture of our life. It shows the face of God is there. He was always there.

He is the LORD. He answers to no one. What if he were evil instead of good or stingy instead of generous? Even more reason to heed the words, “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endures forever.”

Many who have deployed to faraway places have come away with the realization that many Americans live an abundant life compared to others.

We complain about rising prices while others face empty shelves. We worry about weight gain while others watch their children grow gaunt and weak. We murmur over the price of gasoline while some others watch the skies for deadly incoming rounds.

Much of what we want are things we do not need—or do not truly need more of.

There is one thing, however, that we need most desperately, even if we do not realize it. There is something we cannot survive without.

We, who can sing of America, “My country ‘tis of thee,” must include the words, “God shed his grace on thee.” The Bible says, “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not” (Lamentations 3:22).

“Not consumed?” Suddenly we realize we have more at stake than food, shelter, and life’s trinkets.

Our very life is on the line. The door to eternity is only a few steps away. Our only hope lies in the mercy of the omnipotent Lord God.

The grace of God is the undeserved love of God. Because that love is undeserved, it is rightfully called his mercy. About that, we are told, “For his mercy endures forever!”

For how long will he forgive our crimes against his holy law? Forever.

For how long will he love us? Forever.

For how long will we live in the happy home Jesus is preparing for us? Forever and ever.

How does this make us feel? Happy? Thankful?” It should.

But are we happy enough? Thankful enough?

Probably not? Certainly not!

Will we be booted from the kingdom of God for this failure?

Absolutely not!

We should be, but we won’t be.

The Lord we love and serve has also covered this shortcoming with the perfection of Christ. We are the recipients of his mercy.

Mercy is what we need, and mercy is what we want. Mercy is what we get.

Thank God!

Prayer: We give heartfelt thanks to you, O Lord, for you are good, and your mercy does endure forever. Amen.

Points to ponder:

Why do we quickly think of material blessings rather than spiritual ones?
When we pray, “Thy kingdom come,” are we asking for the last return of Jesus?
How would we explain the concept of forever to a child?

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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A different crown – April 8, 2022

Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest.”

Mark 11:9-10

Military Devotion – April 8, 2022 Devotion based on Mark 11:9-10

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20220408Mil.mp3

See series: Military Devotions

It was a different type of crowd that streamed into Jerusalem for the Passover that year. It buzzed with excitement. It came with expectations. Many believed they were going to crown a king.

It surely looked that way.

The palm branches and cloaks spread on the road; the chants of “Hosanna”; the sight of Jesus riding into the city on a donkey—all this reminded them of the prophet’s words: “Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt” (Zechariah 9:9).

The chosen 12 disciples thought for sure they were on their way to his coronation. The mother of two of them quickly submitted their names for choice spots in his government.

For the Jewish leaders, an attempt to crown Jesus as King of the Jews was one of their greatest fears. If successful, they expected he would quickly throw them out of their positions of power just as he had thrown the moneychangers out of the temple. How the Romans would react to this insurrection was another great fear.

Pontius Pilate, governor of Judea, and Herod, king of Galilee, were concerned about the possibility of Jesus being crowned as a king to take their places. They feared the repercussions that would come from the powers back at Rome. The Roman Senate did not tolerate disturbances to the famed “Pax Romana,” the peace which existed between nationalities within the Roman Empire.

Even if the attempt at rebellion by this Jesus was quickly smashed, heads would roll—and not necessarily figuratively.

By the end of this week, many charges would be raised against the rabbi from Nazareth. For the Jewish leaders, the condemning one was that he claimed to be the Son of God. By Jewish law, that called for the death sentence, even though they no longer had the right to carry it out.

For the Romans, it was the claim to be a king that sealed his fate. And Rome did have the authority to carry out a legal execution.

We might ask if the frenzied Palm Sunday crowd realized how dangerous the situation was. If they did, they might have dismissed the danger by pointing out that Jesus of Nazareth had already shown that he was not intimidated by Jewish or Roman authorities. In fact, it seemed he was not afraid of anyone or anything.

If he could drive out demons, cure afflictions with a touch, and raise the dead, what chance did his enemies have to overpower him?

He didn’t need an army to back his claim to the throne. He was in possession of superhuman power.

He showed that supremacy when the detachment of soldiers came to arrest him in Gethsemane. The mere words, “I am he” threw them to the ground, helpless.

What chance did his enemies have to prevent him from taking over as their king?

The very chance that he gave them. He would not resist them. He came to place himself into their hands. That had been the plan all along.

The Jewish leaders, the Romans, and the Palm Sunday crowds misunderstood his objective. They thought he was aiming for a crown of silver or gold.

He had in mind a different crown.

He rode into Jerusalem on that day to receive a crown of thorns.

Thereby, he won for us the crown of life.

Thus, he gained his victory—and so did we.

Prayer:

“All glory, laud and honor to thee Redeemer King.” We shout out, “Crown him with many crowns, the Lamb upon his throne.” Heaven declares him to be “King of kings and Lord of lords.” We agree. “Hosanna in the highest!” Amen.

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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Did what she could – April 1, 2022

“She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.”

Mark 14:8

Military Devotion – April 1, 2022 Devotion based on Isaiah 1:27

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20220401Mil.mp3

See series: Military Devotions

Her name was Mary. She lived with her brother and sister in a home not too far from Jerusalem. She was a friend of Jesus of Nazareth.

She was worried. She knew something bad was going to happen. She saw the proverbial train wreck coming—and she could not stop it.

The word had gotten out. Jesus was going to be killed.

Even some of his enemies tried to warn him. Luke reports, “At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.”

Jesus’ reply was, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal’” (Luke 13:31,32).

This would not bode well.

Worse, Jesus began to tell his disciples that he must suffer many things and must be killed.

None of this made any sense to them. When Peter objected, Jesus called him “Satan” and said, “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” (Mark 8:33)

Mary could not stop the coming tragedy. So, she did what she could. She prepared his body for burial.

We can relate to Mary. We, too, may have encountered situations where we felt helpless to help someone else in time of need.

We can’t cure terminal cancer. We can’t stop wars. We can’t erase the replay of traumatic events that torment a mind. There are many things we cannot do no matter how much we wish we could.

Sometimes, like Mary, we cannot stop a person from doing something that we know will cause pain, maybe even death.

That can leave us frustrated or angry; and certainly, sad.

We might say, “I can only do what I can do.” But we are not happy with that. We think, “If it were me, if it were my life, I would do something about it.”

Then, the realization dawns that there are things we cannot fix, problems we cannot solve.

Judas had the same concern as Mary. He looked in and saw that Jesus was not going to set himself up as king in Jerusalem. Perhaps, he saw this coming before other disciples did. James and John were still thinking that they could get a share of the power and glory of the kingdom that Jesus was going to establish on earth. So did their mother.

All of them were wrong. “My kingdom is not of this world.” Jesus explained to Pilate.

So, why was he here? Why was he not sitting on his throne in heaven?

We think back to that scene in Bethany. We begin to realize that Jesus had come to earth to fix a problem for us. The problem was our damning sin and the death sentence it carried. We needed his help. We were lost without it.

He could do what we could not.

Jesus was pleased to accept Mary’s loving gift. He praised her for it.

He rejected the claim of Judas that the money could have been spent for a better cause.

He pressed forward on his rescue mission. He was willing to bear the pain and pay the price though it would cost his life.

He did what he could. He suffered. He died—because he loved us.

Was that enough?

Easter morning’s empty grave is our receipt.

Our debt is paid in full.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, you are the help of the helpless and the hope of the hopeless. What was impossible for us was given as a gift to us. We marvel at your power. We marvel more at your love. Amen.

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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Zion redeemed – March 25, 2022

Zion will be redeemed with justice, her penitent ones with righteousness.

Isaiah 1:27

Military Devotion – March 25 2022 Devotion based on Isaiah 1:27

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20220325Mil.mp3

See series: Military Devotions

The story of our salvation is the story of Zion redeemed.

Mount Zion was a hill in Jerusalem the Canaanites had used as a fortress. Zion became a synonym for Jerusalem as well as for the whole land of Israel. Sometimes, it also represents the people of God, the holy Christian church.

Through the prophet Isaiah, the Holy Spirit pointed an accusing finger at his people with the words, “Ah, sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt…” He went on to identify the guilt. “They have forsaken the LORD; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him” (Isaiah 2:4ff).

This will have consequences. Isaiah admits, “Unless the LORD Almighty had left us some survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.”

We can picture what that would be like. We have seen photos of destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We have learned of the power the Creator has at his command. It is frightful.

Long before, Moses had written of the Holy One, “We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation” (Psalm 90:7).

How does someone escape this fury? What can be done to turn away his anger? Could sinners pay a fine? Could they offer a bribe? Could those people pay the Holy One off by offering him sacrifices?

They tried it. It didn’t work. It will never work. He scolded them, “Stop bringing meaningless offerings!”

He told them, “Seek justice, encourage the oppressed.”

But then they heard, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18).

How can that be? Those people surely were not able to stop sinning, were they? They surely were not able to make up for the evil they had done by trying extra hard to do good, were they?

Of course not. They and we must confess with the prophet, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).

Filthy rags! That’s the best we can offer. It’s an impossible situation for us.

But not for the Redeemer God. As Jesus would tell the people of his day, “All things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27). The LORD himself would step into that impossible situation.

“Zion will be redeemed with justice” Scripture declares.

Jesus brought that justice into the courtroom of the Judge of all. The Son of God was absolutely without guilt. But he assumed the debt of the guilty. So, he became guilty.

He was found guilty. He was given the death sentence. It was carried out on Golgotha.

The debt once owned by humans is now paid for.

How does one become the recipient of the payment, the redemption?

The need for help needs to be recognized. Sorrow for sin needs to be felt. The Holy Spirit seeks to enable that. It is called repentance.

Thus, the word is given that Zion will be redeemed with justice, and it is explained, “her penitent ones with righteousness.”

The righteousness of the Holy One of God now covers the former guilty ones who place their trust in the Savior God. So, the apostle can announce, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

That’s it! Zion has peace with God. Zion is redeemed.

And we are Zion.

Prayer:

Holy Father, Holy Son, and Holy Spirit, we lift our eyes in wonder to hear that our guilt has been paid for. Our trust in Jesus as our Savior has placed us among the redeemed of God. For this, we thank you. For this, we praise you. Because of this, we are forever blessed. Amen.

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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Ace of Spades – March 11, 2022

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.

1 John 3:8

Military Devotion -March 11, 2022 Devotion based on1 John 3:8

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20220311Mil.mp3

See series: Military Devotions

When Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, America went to war. The result was a devastating defeat for the invaders.

A few years later, American leaders responded to the reports of Iraq having weapons of mass destruction and evidence that its leader authorized the slaughter of countless men, women, and children who were Kurds.

America returned to war in Iraq—this time determined to eliminate the regime’s leadership that caused so much death and destruction.

To enable our troops to identify the leaders, their pictures were put onto what looked like playing cards. Troops didn’t need to learn the Arabic names. They could just refer to “The 10 of Diamonds” and everyone knew who that person was and what he looked like. The top target was the president of the country.

He was pictured on the Ace of Spades.

When the Son of God was sent to earth to destroy the powers of darkness, he knew their leader carried the name Satan.

Thus, we can say, during the mission of Jesus on this earth, his chief target was the prince of darkness. His card, if there were one, would be the Ace of Spades.

The one known in Nazareth as the carpenter’s son spent some 30 years preparing for the showdown. When the time was right, it was the Holy Spirit who led him onto that battlefield in the desert for the opening round. Satan came carrying the primary weapons of satanic forces: deceit and intimidation.

He began the attack with the words, “If you are the Son of God…” followed by commands to “tell these stones to become bread” and “throw yourself down” from the high point of the temple.

It was a trap. If Jesus had done these things, as he easily could have, he would have appeared to have accepted Satan as his commander.

He did not.

The last attack in the desert by Satan revealed his true objective. After showing Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in their splendor, he said, “All this I will give you if you bow down and worship me” (Matthew 4:9).

Much earlier, while yet in heaven, Satan and his followers had challenged the authority of the Lord God to rule over them. Now on earth, Satan renewed the challenge. Jesus didn’t flinch. Instead, he issued his own command, “Away from me, Satan!”

Satan yielded. He had to. Satan left. Angels rushed to the side of the victor.

During his ministry here, Jesus won battle after battle against his adversaries. Repeatedly, they retreated to fight another day.

Until.

Until there was no chance of retreat. Until the day that the Lord of life crushed the powers of darkness by sacrificing himself for mankind. He defeated sin, death, and the devil by dying. He proved his victory by rising from the dead.

The hymnist called Jesus, “Death of death and hell’s destruction.”

The leader of the satanic state was taken down. He is now detained with limited freedom. The holy, almighty God controls the length of the chain he is tied to.

He still boasts as if he is unstoppable. But he is faking it. He knows the gates of hell will slam shut on him at the time of God’s choosing. Those who follow him will share his misery.

He is running for his life, but his path leads only to a pit—the pit of hell.

Rightly we sing, “Though devils all the world should fill, all eager to devour us,

We tremble not, we fear no ill; they shall not overpower us.

This world’s prince may still scowl fierce as he will, he can harm us none.

He’s judged, the deed is done! One little word can fell him.” (Christian Worship 863:3)

That word is “Jesus.”

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, if you had not come to rescue us, if you had not been willing to take on our deadly enemy, if you had just watched from afar, the powers of darkness would have robbed us of life and salvation. We hail you as our conquering King. Amen.

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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Surrounded – March 4, 2022

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” the servant asked. “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

2 Kings 6:15,16

Military Devotion -March 4, 2022 Devotion based on 2 Kings 6:15,16

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20220304Mil.mp3

See series: Military Devotions

Sometimes what we see by dawn’s early light is surprising. It may even be alarming. That’s the way it was for the servant of the prophet Elisha.

One morning he saw that an enemy force had surrounded him and his master.

The king of Aram had declared war on the king of Israel. He became frustrated when, time after time, his attempts to ambush the Israelites failed. He thought he knew the reason why.

He called his officers together and demanded of them, “Will you not tell me which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”

The answer came back: “None of us… but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.” Somehow, Elisha had a way of knowing things.

Thus, Elisha became a target.

The order went out, “Go find where he is so I can send men and capture him.”

They found him. “He is in Dothan.”

Next, “The king sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.”

What chance does one or two have against an army? Elisha’s servant believed the answer was, “None!”

When the servant got up that next morning, the sight of the hostile forces terrified him. “Oh, my lord,” he asked Elisha, “what shall we do?”

In effect, Elisha told him, “Nothing! We need do nothing!”

Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.”

The result? “Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

The servant was not to despair. Elisha’s words were true. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

The king of Aram had brought his human army to Dothan. The Lord of armies sent angels.

Children of the heavenly Father should not be surprised to learn of enemies gathering around them. They should remember that the most dangerous enemy is the one that cannot be seen. The greatest danger is always not to the body, but to the soul.

“I walk in danger all the way…” the hymnist wrote. We still sing those words because they still apply.

We need to realize that we live our lives surrounded by enemies. But there’s more that the Lord wants us to know.

We also live our lives surrounded by angels.

This army of angels has never tasted defeat. Never left anyone behind. Never will. Their mission is always accomplished. Their primary mission is rescue—sometimes in a surprising way.

No Aram soldiers died on that frightful day at Dothan. Instead, the Lord struck them, not with a sword, but with blindness. He showed them mercy. He gave them another chance to do right.

Elisha met the blinded soldiers with the words, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.”

He led them to Samaria. It was a trap. They could have been slaughtered there. Instead, Elisha ordered a feast to be prepared for them. When they finished eating and drinking, they returned home.

Scripture records, “So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.”

Mission accomplished.

What have we learned?

The King of angels and the Redeemer of mankind is always in control. He allows evil to exist, but his will prevails in the end.

He never abandons his people. They are ever guarded by some of the angelic troops that drove Satan and his rebel followers out of heaven.

Thus, when facing enemies, God’s people can always say, “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

We just don’t see those angels.

Yet.

Prayer:

Lord God, all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works come from you. Give to us, your servants, that peace that the world cannot give. Defend us also from the fear of our enemies. Let your holy angels be with us, that the evil foes may have no power over us. Amen.

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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A glimpse of our glory – February 25, 2022

Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.

Matthew 13:43

Military Devotion – February 25, 2022 Devotion based on Matthew 13:43

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20220225Mil.mp3

See series: Military Devotions

Those who expect to take a trip to a new land, whether in peace or war, appreciate seeing some pictures of where they are heading. As their eyes gaze upon the unknown spaces, their minds try to place themselves into the picture.

Jungle or desert? Mountains or ocean? What are the people like in that place? What will it be like to be there?

The future is unknown, but a picture may make one say, “I think I’m going to like it there!” Of course, it may also lead one to conclude, “I’m going to hate it!”

They who realize that they are strangers here on earth naturally wonder what it will be like to live in the place that Jesus is preparing for them. They pay special attention to the verses of the Bible that offer descriptions of life in heaven.

The closer their departure date seems, the more closely they may look at the pictures Scripture provides.

There is no video of heaven, not even a snapshot. Yet, a fellow named Stephen got a preview. He said, “Look, I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56). But he was quickly killed and had no chance to describe in greater detail what he saw.

The apostle Paul reported that he once was caught up to paradise but told us he heard “inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.”

So, we are left with other words of Scripture to tell us about heaven. We learn what is not there: no sin, no sorrow, no pain, or death. Instead, joy, peace, and glory will be enjoyed by us forever.

The transfiguration of Jesus gives us a glimpse of that glory.

Regarding Jesus, Matthew tells us, “His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light (17:2). Moses and Elijah, who left this world long before, showed up. Then, a bright cloud surrounded them. From the cloud, a voice declared, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

Visitors from heaven had arrived. It was exciting. It was terrifying. It was a glimpse of heavenly glory.

A blaze of light had pierced the darkness. The apostle Peter later wrote that he was an eyewitness of divine majesty. He surely was!

But there was more. The Holy Spirit inspired Saint Matthew to show the connection between the transfiguration of Jesus and the followers of Jesus.

Matthew reports that Jesus had just described what will happen to those who reject him and follow Satan. On judgement day, his angels “will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

And what about those who follow Jesus?

“Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”

Jesus had shone like the sun. In eternity, so will we.

That’s worth remembering during the dark and cloudy days in our lives. We are going to share in the glory of the Son of God.

Exactly what will that be like?

Wait and see.

Until then, we live in the brightness of his blessing:

The Lord bless and keep you;

the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;

the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. Amen.

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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Precious blood – February 18, 2022

But the LORD said to him, “Not so; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.

Genesis 4:15

Military Devotion – February 18, 2022 Devotion based on Genesis 4:15

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20220218Mil.mp3

See series: Military Devotions

His blood seeped into the pristine soil. It was worse than a tragedy. It was murder. It was evidence of paradise lost.

The victim’s name was Abel, beloved son of Adam and Eve. The one who ended his life was Cain, also a beloved son of the first humans placed into God’s creation.

To Cain, the Lord of life and death said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.”

Thus, we sing, “Abel’s blood for vengeance pleaded to the skies.”

We ask, “What hope is there for such as Cain and us, who transgress the code of divine law in any part—not just murder?

From the future, a voice would tell Cain, “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 43:5). The Lord of life is the only hope.

Murder stands out as one of the worst crimes. Stolen property can be replaced. A ruined reputation can be restored. Not so a snuffed-out life. Death leaves loving survivors feeling helpless, hopeless, and hurting.

Worse, when one brother kills the other brother! That’s fratricide. The anguish that seared the hearts of the first parents must have been beyond description.

How their tears must have flowed! How bitterly they must have recalled living in a world without death! How guilty they must have felt for bringing sin into Paradise!

“Unto dust shalt thou return.” They had heard this with their own ears. Little did they realize that the first one to return to dust would be their son. Bitter was the realization that Cain was not the promised one who would crush the head of the serpent. Instead, he had served as the hand of the serpent—the hand of Satan.

Both brothers had placed offerings to the one who had blessed their labors. Cain brought fruits of the soil. His brother sacrificed the firstborn of his flock. One offering was accepted. The other was rejected.

We ask, “Why?”

The answer is not found in the difference of the offerings. It lies in the contrast of the hearts.

We learn: “By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead” (Hebrews 11:4).

Loving trust in the Lord over life and death always spells the difference between receiving divine favor or disapproval.

We are warned: “Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous” (1 John 3:12).

What hope was there for Cain? There would be consequences of his sin: “You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”

Yet, the word of the psalmist, “Put your hope in God!” still applied to this murderer—as it does to all who transgress the commands of the Holy One. The mark of Cain was for his protection. He was given more time to repent and return to the Lord who offers life.

Significantly, Scripture points to another beloved son whose dying blood dripped onto hungry soil at the feet of those who murdered him. This one was the beloved of the heavenly Father. His blood calls out a message different from that of Abel’s.

“Father, forgive them!”

It is true that “Abel’s blood for vengeance pleaded to the skies.”

Yet, it is just as certain, “But the blood of Jesus for our pardon cries.”

The one we call my Savior, my God, listens to that cry. He grants that pardon.

We now only await the door opening for us to paradise regained.

Thus, we call out to one another: “Lift we, then, our voices, swell the mighty flood; louder still and louder, Praise the precious blood!” Amen.

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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Isaiah’s Desert Storm – February 11, 2022

“Look, here comes a man in a chariot with a team of horses. And he gives back the answer: ‘Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground!’”

Isaiah 21:9

Military Devotion – February 11, 2022 Devotion based on Isaiah 21:9

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20220211Mil.mp3

See series: Military Devotions

The prophet Isaiah begins the 21st chapter of his book with these words: “An oracle concerning the Desert by the Sea: Like whirlwinds sweeping through the south land, an invader comes from the desert, from a land of terror.”

This was Isaiah’s famous Desert Storm.

Just a little bit north of Baghdad was the city of Babylon, the heart of the Babylonian Empire, which spread terror far and wide.

The Southern Kingdom of Israel had barely escaped extinction by the Assyrians only to face invasion by Babylon. The walls of Jerusalem were breached. The magnificent temple of Solomon was first stripped of its precious pieces and then leveled to the ground.

Uncounted numbers of Israelites were slaughtered. Long lines of prisoners plodded over desert paths to head for lifelong captivity. There was no escaping the death-grip.

The Lord God promised they would be released after 70 years. But how could that be?

Through the mouth of his prophet, the Lord God tells them how.

“Like whirlwinds sweeping through the south land, an invader comes from the desert, from a land of terror.”

It will be like a desert storm.

Americans who have spent time in that desert can see the picture in their mind’s eye. They have seen the brown clouds of sand that blow with stinging force. A desert storm can quickly destroy most everything in its path.

That’s what happened to Babylon in its self-satisfied and comfortable arrogance.

Coming up from the south like a desert storm, the Persians blew through the Babylonian outposts and smashed its defenses. The news spread throughout the desert regions.

“Babylon has fallen, has fallen!”

Unbelievable! But true.

Israel’s rebellion against its gracious God brought his decree of captivity. Now, he proclaims the fall of her captor. He decrees Israel will be free again.

The Lord God keeps his promises—always.

He announced the judgment against rebellious humans with the words: “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19).

This was a death sentence. Humans were now captive to sin, death, and the devil.

But not forever.

Satan was warned that his death grip would be broken. The Lord spoke of One who would come to set his people free. “He will crush your head…” (Genesis 3:15).

Isaiah foretold Israel’s freedom with the words, “Babylon has fallen, has fallen!”

Jesus announced our escape from death’s grip with the words, “Whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:26). He told the disciples returning from spreading the news about him, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18).

Jesus died that we might live.

Not Babylon, but Satan, had held us captive. Like Babylon, Satan was overthrown.

He had been warned, but he had no escape.

The Son of God came upon him like a desert storm.

We are free.

Prayer: Lord God of the nations, let the word of your victory over sin, death, and the devil banish fear from the hearts of your people. Keep us forever safe. Amen.

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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No “If” – February 4, 2022

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.

Mark 1:41-42

Military Devotion – February 4, 2022 Devotion based on Mark 1:41-42

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20220204Mil.mp3

See series: Military Devotions

Our hearts must go out to this man. Leprosy was a hideous and painful disease. There was no cure. Lepers were forced to quarantine themselves from the rest of the population out of fear of being contagious. That means his family suffered too.

It took courage for the man to approach Jesus. He was desperate but determined.

He was absolutely certain of the power that Jesus possessed. He had faith.

To Jesus, he said: “You can make me clean.”

There is another man that our heart must go out to. He told Jesus, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not” (Mark 9:17-18).

Jesus responded with anger. “‘O unbelieving generation,’ Jesus replied, ‘how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.’”

“So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.”

When Jesus asked how long this had been going on, the father said, “From childhood—It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

How sad! How horrible! Surely, Jesus will respond with tenderness, won’t he?

Not exactly.

“If you can?” Jesus retorted. Then he added, “Everything is possible for him who believes.”

The father should not have said, “If.” Not when he was speaking about the ability of Jesus to do something.

The “if” showed something was lacking in the father’s faith. “If you can do anything…” infers Jesus might not have enough power to take control of this vicious demon.

The man admitted his mistake. He accurately identified his problem. Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

The difference between this man and the leprous man was the quality of their faith.

The leper said to Jesus, “You can make me clean.”

The distraught father said, “If you can….”

This was not just a slip of the tongue. He had already seen the disciples fail. He thought maybe there was no way to overcome the power of this demon.

Jesus rebuked his disciples as much as he did the father. Lack of faith is not uncommon among us humans.

Jesus could have said, “No!” to the leper’s request. The man knew that. “If you are willing,” he told Jesus, “You can make me clean.” He left the decision up to Jesus.

That’s really what it comes down to, isn’t it? In the end, it is the will of God, not the power of God, that determines what he will and will not do.

Faith has confidence that his will is good for us. Faith declares, “Not my will, but Thine!”

Come to think of it, that’s the kind of confidence Jesus showed on the eve of his execution.

In Gethsemane, he prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).

We pray that too, do we not?

“Our Father, who art in heaven…thy will be done.”

No “if.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we need you to overpower the control that evil in all its forms has over us. We will not presume to tell you how to do this. We place this into your hands. Thy will be done! Amen.

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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Quiet miracles – January 28, 2022

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew.

John 2:7-9

Military Devotion – January 28, 2022 Devotion based on John 2:7-9

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20220128Mil.mp3

See series: Military Devotions

Some might say that Jesus must have failed the course in showmanship. If a person wants to put on a show, there should be a drumroll, or bugle call, or maybe fireworks. If you are going to do something earth-shaking, you need to get people’s attention, or they might not be impressed.

When the Son of God performed his first miracle after some thirty years of preparation, none of this happened. There was no roaring applause, not even a “Hallelujah!” or a “Thank you.” Yet, he had done the impossible.

He converted H2O into C6H14OS.

He changed water into wine.

He did it without any experimentation, without any mixing of chemicals, without any magical words, and without anyone seeing it happen. There was no fanfare.

He worked a quiet miracle.

So complete was the discreetness that neither the master of the banquet nor the bridegroom knew the miracle had happened.

Just as surprising is the reason for the miracle, he did it to avoid embarrassment—not for himself, but for a bride and groom whose names are not even known to us “They have no more wine.” Mary quietly told her son.

When we think of miracles, pictures come to our mind of the Red Sea parting, the blind seeing, and the dead rising to life. Those were critical needs answered by heavenly powers.

Escaping embarrassment doesn’t seem to qualify as a critical need.

But that’s all right. Our Savior Lord knows all of our needs and comes to care for them.

He continues to work his quiet miracles.

We might thank him for sparing our life in a vehicle wreck or a firefight. But he also was there to heal our skinned knee when we fell from our bike as a child.

Of the car wreck or firefight, we might say, “It’s a miracle anyone came out alive.” But is it any less of a miracle that muscle wasn’t cut, that infection didn’t set in, and that our skin seemingly healed itself when we tumbled from that bicycle?

We don’t consider a scab forming over a skinned knee to be a miracle because it happens all the time—until it doesn’t, and infection results in septic shock.

We don’t think about all that must happen for a sound to be passed through an eardrum and then processed by our brain—until it doesn’t, and we find ourselves deaf.

We don’t marvel at breathing even when we are sleeping—until we need a respirator.

When a humanly impossible action occurs repeatedly, we say it happens naturally. We don’t call it a miracle. Maybe we should.

We know as little about everything our Lord is tending to in our life as that wedding couple once knew about their miraculous wine.

Jesus once pointed to birds of the air and lilies of the field to remind us of the Father’s tender care.

Of that Father, Scripture tells us, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).

“All things!” That includes the ones we don’t even know about.

Thank God for his quiet miracles!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we live under your gracious and mighty care. Without you, we would have no blessings in life. Without you, we would have no life. Send the Holy Spirit to open our eyes as your holy Word reveals your loving care for our body, mind, and soul. Thank you for the miracle of life—and the miracles in our lives. Amen.

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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A stranger here – January 21, 2022

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Mark 1:35

Military Devotion – January 21, 2022 Devotion based on Mark 1:35

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20220121Mil.mp3

See series: Military Devotions

Sometimes we might sing the hymn that declares, “I’m but a stranger here, heaven is my home.”

Had it been written much earlier; Jesus might have sung it.

We easily make the mental transition of Jesus being the eternal God to Jesus in the family of Mary and Joseph. Surely, that change was not as easy for Jesus to make in real life.

We cannot pretend to understand exactly what Jesus thought and felt at any point in his existence. But Scripture reveals some details of what it meant that he was just like us, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

He became hungry. He became angry. He became tired. He groaned when he saw the people weeping over the death of his friend, Lazarus. When he reached the gravesite, he, too, wept.

Before he came to earth as a human, he never faced hunger; never knew fatigue. He had never been tempted to sin. His life was never in danger.

Certainly, at times while on this earth he must have thought, “I’m but a stranger here, heaven is my home.”

No one on earth understood him. No one knew how hard his mission was to carry out. He came as the Friend of sinners, but he was a stranger to all of them.

A news reporter of his day could have written about the amazing success of a religious leader who had come from the backcountry of Galilee to attract crowds numbering in the thousands.

He might have written: “And no wonder! Eyewitnesses have seen him work miracles! He has cured lepers; stopped fevers; made paralyzed people walk; fed crowds from a handful of fish and bread—and he has raised the dead!”

No wonder crowds flocked to him. Not surprising that he would head out before dawn to find a desolate place to be away from people.

But he did not actually seek solitude. He sought family. He reached out to his Father. He communed with the Holy Spirit.

In a familiar hymn, we are bidden to, “Take it to the Lord in prayer.”

That’s exactly what Jesus did. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

He was a stranger here. Heaven was his home—even as it is ours!

“Alone, Alone, All Alone” is the title of a booklet written for those who find themselves living a new phase of life because their loving spouse of many years is no longer with them.

Others have also felt that way. Some were left as orphans while very young. The college student living away from home for the first time has felt that way. Warriors landing in a distant and dangerous land have learned what loneliness is like.

It’s also true that one can be among loved ones and still feel isolated and forlorn.

Years ago, a hymnist wrote: “When all things seem against us, to drive us to despair, we know one gate is open, one ear will hear our prayer.”

That’s good advice because it is true.

Jesus was a stranger here so that his Father could be our Father. It cost him his earthly life. It won for us eternal life.

He taught us to pray, “Our Father who art in heaven…”

Today, we will sing, “I’m but a stranger here…” just as Jesus was.

But we can add, “Heaven is my home…” just as it was for Jesus.

Because Jesus’ Father is also our Father, we will not be a stranger in the heavenly realms.

We will be home.

Prayer: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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Dreading demons – January 14, 2022

Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

Mark 1:23-26

Military Devotion – January 14, 2022 Devotion based on Mark 1:23-26

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20220114Mil.mp3

See series: Military Devotions

Demons are to be dreaded because they are dreadful.

The Bible tells us that they are a deadly threat. It warns that those who place their faith and hope in the Lord God are the primary targets.

Demons, also called devils, have supernatural powers because they are angels. Their rebellion cost them the blessing of their Creator, but it did not yet strip them of their capacity to wage war against the crown of God’s creation, those we call humans.

Tragically, we come into this world as loyal subjects of the kingdom of darkness. The deadly virus of sin infected us at conception. We were born with a sneer in our hearts towards anything holy, and a raised fist of defiance toward any rule laid down by the Holy One. Our look of innocence is soon lost as we grow old enough to express in words and actions our enmity toward God.

It took a miracle to change us from enemies of God into children of God. The Holy Spirit did this using Holy Baptism with the Word of God.

Demons strive day and night to reverse this. They aim to reclaim those who have escaped their domain. The apostle Peter, who briefly lost a battle with the old evil foe, compares Satan to a lion on the hunt.

No doubt, the memory of his fellow disciple, Judas, now listed among the fallen, was often on his mind.

It’s easy to forget that because we do not see them. Their weapons of deceit and rebellion are camouflaged as fun and success. They promise a good life. They deliver sin, shame, and death.

We watch as Satan tempted Jesus at the beginning of his ministry on earth. We see how cunning evil can be. We cannot outsmart demons.

We will live our lives dreading them. They are the great enemy.

But they are not all-powerful. Jesus showed us that the one effective weapon against demonic force is the Word of God.

We rightly sing of Satan, “one little word can fell him!”

That word is, “Jesus!”

We might dread demons, but demons dread the Son of God and the result of his victory over them.

They are terrified by the knowledge that they are doomed forever. They know that one day, together with those they have deceived, they will be “thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:10).

“What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth” the demon screamed. “Have you come to destroy us?”

Those were words of abject fear. This demon dreaded what is to come—and still does.

We need to remember why. Humans may forget that one day this existence will end, and the Son of God will return on his throne of glory and say to those who rejected him: “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).

Demons do not forget that. They cannot ignore that. The dread is inescapable.

Jesus died. Jesus rose. Jesus conquered sin, death, and the devil.

The Holy Spirit created a new spirit within us. We recognize a heavenly Father who loved us enough to rescue us. We look forward to being with him in glory.

That day will bring rejoicing to his people. Jesus tells us: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world’” (Matthew 25:34).

One day, we will need fear demons nevermore.

Until then, we sing:My soul, be on thy guard; ten thousand foes arise,

And hosts of sin are pressing hard to draw thee from the skies.

Fight on, my soul, till death shall bring thee to thy God;

He’ll take thee at thy parting breath to his divine abode. Amen.

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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Pain on the path – January 7, 2022

And a sword will pierce your own soul too.

Luke 2:35

Military Devotion – January 7, 2022 Devotion based on Luke 2:35

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/military-devotions/20220107Mil.mp3

See series: Military Devotions

The greetings of “Happy New Year!” may still echo in our memory. We were glad to receive them. But we know very well, they were not promises made to us. They were wishes.

They express hope that the new year will lead us to happiness.

However, from experience, we have learned that the path our life takes may lead us to some sad days. After all, “Happy Days” was just a TV show.

If we ask “What could go wrong in this new year?” a long list of misfortunes comes to mind.

The next question is, “Why? Why do bad things happen even to the people of God?”

Then, there are times when we might be tempted to say, “especially to the people of God?”

Human nature assumes we deserve credit for doing good and extra credit for believing the Lord is our Savior God. It tells us that our life should be happier than the life of one who rejects God.

The Holy Spirit teaches us that we don’t deserve anything but condemnation from the Holy One. Even one moment of happiness is an undeserved gift from him. It is the result of grace—his undeserved love.

More than that, it shows that the loving God may plan for misery to come into our lives. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is an example. We learn that pain was waiting on her life’s path.

The angel Gabriel startled her with the words: “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28).

She surely was favored. Of all the women born on earth, she was chosen to become the mother of Jesus of Nazareth, who was the Son of God from eternity. What higher honor could any woman receive?

Her response to the seemingly impossible news came from her steadfast faith: “My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Luke 1:48).

She confessed that she was a sinner who needed saving. She rejoiced to know that the Lord God would rescue her.

She delighted in that blessed assurance.

Because we know that, we might be surprised to hear the prophetic words of Simeon to her, “And a sword will pierce your own soul too” (Luke 2:35).

The prophecy was fulfilled. We hear: “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother…” (John 19:33).

She saw her son crucified. It was as if a sword had cut through her soul.

Simeon had warned that the Lord planned for pain on her path as she walked through life.

He would not forsake her. She would remain precious in his sight.

But the pain would come. It was part of his plan to bring great joy to her and all people.

Her Son needed to die. Her Son needed to suffer agony so that she, and all humanity, might live forever in the peace that surpasses all understanding.

The pain was God’s gift to her—and us.

His people need to know this.

If we have found pain lying on the path we have already walked in life, if there is pain lying ahead on our path, we have the same assurance that Mary had. We are still in our Savior’s hands. His will is always wise. His way is always best.

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary had told Gabriel. “May it be to me as you have said.”

Will our New Year be a happy one? We surely must expect some pain ahead. But that’s all right.

The loving Lord is in control. And do we not say, “I am the Lord’s servant”?

Yes, we do.

We know a perfectly happy, never-ending New Year awaits beyond the edge of time.

We sing the song of blessed assurance:Be still, my soul; the Lord is on your side; Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;

Leave to your God to order and provide; In every change, he faithful will remain.

Be still my soul; your best, your heavenly friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.” Amen.

(Christian Worship 847:1)

Written by Rev. Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military, Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

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