Have you ever had to give yourself a pep talk?

Maybe before a difficult conversation or an important meeting. Perhaps you were walking into the hospital to visit someone you love.

Sometimes we have to remind ourselves of what we already know.

That is exactly what the writer of Psalm 42 does.

He asks himself,

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?”

Then he answers his own question:

“Hope in God.”

The psalmist isn’t pretending everything is fine. In fact, earlier in the psalm he says his tears have been his food day and night. He remembers happier days when he joined God’s people in worship, but those memories only make his present situation more painful.

• He is discouraged.
• He is grieving.
• He misses being with God’s people.

Yet instead of allowing dispair to have the final word, he speaks God’s truth to himself.

That’s an important lesson.

Our feelings are real, but they are not always reliable guides. They are just as corrupted by sin as our minds and bodies. There are days when fear tells us God has abandoned us or grief whispers that nothing will ever change. There are days when anxiety convinces us the future is hopeless and there’s no escape.

On those days, we need something outside of ourselves.

We need God’s promises.

During the Protestant Reformation, there were times when Martin Luther became deeply discouraged by the opposition he faced. His friend and fellow reformer, Philip Melanchthon, was often anxious as well. Luther would remind him,

“Let us sing the forty-sixth Psalm,”

turning his friend’s attention away from fear and back to God’s promises.

Christians have been doing that for centuries. It’s one of the beauties of the Christ’s church.

When our hearts are troubled, we return to God’s Word. We remind one another of what is true, even when our emotions tell us otherwise.

And what is true?

• Jesus Christ is risen.
• Your sins are forgiven.
• Your future is secure.
• Your Savior has not abandoned you.

The circumstances that troubled the writer of Psalm 42 did not change overnight.

But his hope did not depend on his circumstances.

It depended on God.

And so does ours.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

There are days when my heart is discouraged and my faith feels weak. Lift my eyes from my circumstances to Your promises. Fill me with hope through Your Word, and remind me that because of Jesus, I have every reason to trust You.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

• Your family
• Your local church
• Your pastor
• Some of your fellow church members
• The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
• Your country and her leaders
• Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They 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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

How hard is it for you to apologize?

Some of the hardest words to say are, “I’m sorry.”

Some of the hardest words to hear are, “I forgive you.”

Broken relationships have a way of lingering. Even after the conflict has ended, there can still be awkwardness, mistrust, or uncertainty. Both people may want things to be different, but neither knows quite how to bridge the gap.

The Bible tells us that our greatest broken relationship was not with another person. It was with God.

Sin did not simply cause us to make poor choices. It separated us from the One who created us. Left to ourselves, we could not repair that relationship. We could not undo our rebellion or make ourselves acceptable before a holy God.

But Paul says something remarkable:

“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself.”

Reconciliation begins with God.

He is the One who took the initiative. He is the One who sent His Son and removed every barrier that stood between us and Himself.

Sometimes people picture God the Father as reluctant to forgive while Jesus persuades Him to be merciful. The Scriptures paint a very different picture.

• The Father Himself loves the world.
• The Father sent the Son.
• The Father was carrying out His own gracious plan to bring sinners home.

Paul continues,

“In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them.”

Those words are worth lingering over.

“Not counting their trespasses.”

That is the heart of the Gospel.

God does not pretend that sin never happened or lower His standards. Instead, He counts our sin against Christ, who bears it at the cross, so that He no longer counts it against those who are in Christ.

That is why your conscience can have peace.

That is why you do not need to wonder whether God is still keeping a record of your failures.

In Christ, your debt has been paid.

Paul then says something unexpected. The God who has reconciled us has also

“given us the ministry of reconciliation.”

Christians are not merely recipients of reconciliation. We become its messengers.

This does not mean that we forgive sins by our own authority. Rather, we speak the forgiveness that Christ has won. We point people to the Savior who has opened the way back to the Father. Pastors do this publicly through the Office of the Keys, proclaiming Christ’s forgiveness and speaking His absolution. Every Christian does this personally as we bear witness to the Gospel in our homes, workplaces, and communities.

Our message is not that people should try harder or become more religious.

Our message is that God has acted.

The relationship has been restored through Christ.

The invitation has already been extended.

As Paul writes,

“We are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.”

What an incredible privilege. The God who reconciled you now sends you into the world with that same message of peace for your family, neighbors, co-workers, and and everyone else.

That’s good news.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for reconciling me to Yourself through the death and resurrection of Your Son. I could never have restored our relationship, but in Your mercy, You did everything necessary to bring me home.

Fill my heart with the peace of knowing that my sins are no longer counted against me. Then help me to share that same message of reconciliation with others, speaking the hope and forgiveness that are found in Christ alone.

May my words and my life point others to the Savior who has made peace with God.

Through Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

• Your family
• Your local church
• Your pastor
• Some of your fellow church members
• The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
• Your country and her leaders
• Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They 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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

What’s your happiest day?

One of the happiest days of my life was my wedding day.

I still remember standing at the front of the church, watching my bride walk down the aisle. We had spent months planning the ceremony, but in that moment, none of the details mattered. What mattered was that God was bringing the two of us together to begin a new life. Fun little bio note, Melissa walked down the aisle to a piece I composed.

If you’re married, perhaps you have a memory like that too.

Or perhaps your marriage began under very different circumstances. Maybe it has known seasons of great joy, seasons of struggle, or seasons of grief. Every marriage has its own story.

Proverbs reminds us that behind every Christian marriage is an even greater story.

“…A prudent wife is from the Lord.”

The principle extends beyond wives to husbands as well. A faithful spouse is not merely the result of good fortune or careful planning. He or she is a gift from God.

That perspective changes the way we think about marriage.

It’s easy to focus on what our spouse isn’t. We notice habits that annoy us, differences that frustrate us, or ways we wish they would change. Over time, familiarity can cause us to overlook the gift standing right in front of us.

Gratitude has a way of restoring perspective.

Instead of asking,

“How can my spouse make me happier?”

wisdom begins to ask,

“How can I thank God for this person He has entrusted to me?”

That doesn’t mean every marriage is easy. Proverbs never pretends that relationships are free from difficulty. After all, Proverbs also tells us,

“Better is a dry morsel with quiet
than a house full of feasting with strife.” – Proverbs 17:1

Husbands and wives are both sinners living under the same roof. There will be misunderstandings, failures, and the daily need for forgiveness.

That’s why a strong marriage is built on more than compatibility. It’s built on grace.

When both husband and wife know they have been forgiven by Christ, they learn to forgive each other. When both know they are loved by God despite their imperfections, they become more patient with one another’s weaknesses.

And if you are not married, this proverb still speaks to you. It reminds us that every good gift comes from the Lord. Whether that gift is a spouse, faithful friends, a loving family, or a church that walks beside you, our relationships are not accidents. They are opportunities to receive God’s kindness with gratitude and to reflect His love toward others.

Today, thank God for the people He has placed in your life.

Not because they are perfect.

But because, in His wisdom and goodness, He has given them to you.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the relationships You have given me. Thank you for faithful and loving husbands and wives and fellow believers who encourage and support me. Forgive me for the times I take these gifts for granted or focus more on faults than on blessings. Fill my relationships with patience, forgiveness, and love. Help me to reflect the grace You have shown me through Jesus Christ, and teach me to receive every good gift from Your hand with gratitude.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

• Your family
• Your local church
• Your pastor
• Some of your fellow church members
• The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
• Your country and her leaders
• Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They 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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

The Second Article (Part 2)

Have you ever received a gift that was so generous you wondered, “How can I ever repay this?”

Our first instinct is often to do something in return.

We don’t like feeling indebted.

That instinct can shape the way we think about God, too.

Many people imagine that Christianity is about Jesus giving us a second chance, and now it’s our job to prove ourselves worthy of Him. We try harder, do better, and hope we’ve done enough.

But that’s not what the Second Article, or the Bible, teaches.

Luther’s explanation begins with one of the most comforting words in the catechism:

“He has redeemed me…”

Not He has helped me redeem myself or He has made redemption possible if I do my part.

He has redeemed me.

The word redeem comes from the marketplace. It means to buy back or set someone free by paying a price. In the ancient world, a slave could be redeemed if someone paid the cost of his freedom.

That is the picture Peter gives us.

We were not trapped in slavery to an earthly master, but to sin, death, and the devil. And our freedom could not be purchased with silver or gold.

The price was far greater: The precious blood of Christ.

This is the heart of the Gospel.

Jesus did not simply come to teach us how to live.

He came to rescue us because we could not rescue ourselves.

• He lived the perfect life we have failed to live.
• He took our guilt upon Himself.
• He died the death we deserved.
• Then He rose again, declaring that sin had been paid for and death had been defeated.

Notice how personal Luther makes it. Not simply,

“Christ redeemed the world.”

That is gloriously true.

But also,

“Christ has redeemed me.”

The Gospel is never less than personal.

Jesus knows your sins. He knows your failures, your regrets, your hidden shame, and every promise you’ve broken.

He carried those very sins to the cross.

That means your forgiveness does not depend on how well you have lived this week. It does not rise and fall with your feelings or your performance.

It rests on Christ’s finished work.

And because He has redeemed you, you belong to Him. Not as a slave living in fear, but as a beloved child living in freedom.

The Christian life is not about earning God’s love.

It is about living in the love Christ has already won for you.

Let’s pray…

Lord Jesus,

Thank You for redeeming me, not with silver or gold, but with Your holy, precious blood and Your innocent suffering and death. Help me to rest in the certainty that my salvation is Your work, not mine. Fill my heart with gratitude, and lead me to live each day as one who belongs to You.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

• Your family
• Your local church
• Your pastor
• Some of your fellow church members
• The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
• Your country and her leaders
• Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They 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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

Have you ever felt completely trapped with no way out and no hope?

The Israelites are trapped.

Behind them is Pharaoh’s army, charging across the desert. In front of them is the Red Sea. On either side, the terrain makes it so there’s nowhere to go.

It is an impossible situation.

Not surprisingly, fear takes over. The people cry out to Moses. They even begin to wonder if slavery in Egypt would have been better than dying in the wilderness.

Fear has a way of narrowing our vision. It convinces us that the present moment is the whole story. We forget what God has already done, and we cannot imagine what He is about to do.

Moses responds with words that God’s people have returned to again and again:

“Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord… The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

Those words must have sounded almost unbelievable.

Stand still?

Don’t panic?

The army is getting closer.

The sea is still there.

Nothing has changed—at least, nothing they can see.

But that’s precisely the point. Before God opens a path through the sea, He first calls His people to trust Him.

How often do we find ourselves standing at our own “Red Sea”?

• A diagnosis we didn’t expect.
• A relationship that seems broken beyond repair.
• A financial burden.
• A decision with no obvious answer.

We look ahead and see obstacles. We look behind and see fears chasing us.

Our first instinct is usually to take control. We scramble for solutions and exhaust ourselves trying to fix what is beyond our ability to fix.

Yet there are moments when the most faithful thing we can do is exactly what Moses says:

Stand firm and watch for what God will do.

That doesn’t mean doing nothing. The Israelites still had to look to God and trust Him to work. They also had to walk through the sea when God opened the way. But they did not create the path. God did.

The Lord was the One who fought for them.

The same is true of our salvation.

We did not rescue ourselves from sin, nor could we defeat death or overcome the power of the devil. Christ fought the battle we could never win. Through His death and resurrection, He made a way where there was no way.

It’s no coincidence that Israel was delivered through water. Listen to what 1 Corinthians tells us:

“For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.”

In this we see the sacraments all typified in the exodus and journey through the wilderness, baptized in the water and eating and drinking spiritual food and drink, which is Christ. Indeed, the exodus, journey through the wilderness, and entry into the Promised Land are not only true history, but also show us the Christian’s life from deliverance from sin, death, and devil through the waters of baptism to entering into our eternal life with Christ.

And because He has already accomplished the greatest deliverance, we can trust Him with the smaller seas we face today.

You may not yet see the path forward.

But the God who parted the sea is still the God who makes a way for His people.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

When I feel trapped by fear and cannot see a way forward, remind me that You are the One who fights for Your people. Help me to stand firm in faith, trusting Your promises even before I see Your answer. Thank You for the greater deliverance You have given me through Jesus Christ.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

• Your family
• Your local church
• Your pastor
• Some of your fellow church members
• The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
• Your country and her leaders
• Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They 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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

The disciples return from the mission Jesus had given them, eager to tell Him all that had happened. They have been preaching, healing, and serving, and now they are tired. Jesus recognizes their need and invites them to come away for a time of rest.

But the crowds arrive first.

Instead of becoming frustrated, Jesus looks at them “because they were like sheep without a shepherd.” He sees beyond the interruption. He sees people who are spiritually lost and in need of someone to lead them.

So before He feeds them physically, He teaches them.

That detail is easy to overlook, but it reveals something important about Jesus. He knows our physical needs, and He cares for them. But He knows that our deepest need is to hear the truth that gives eternal life.

As evening approaches, the disciples see only a problem.

• Thousands of people.
• Very little food.
• An impossible situation.

Jesus sees something different.

He tells the disciples,

“You give them something to eat.”

Their response is understandable. They immediately begin calculating what they don’t have. There isn’t enough food or money to buy food.

Jesus simply asks,

“How many loaves do you have?”

Five loaves and two fish. It isn’t much, but in the hands of Jesus, it is enough.

He gives thanks, breaks the bread, and feeds the entire crowd. Everyone eats until they are satisfied, and twelve baskets of leftovers are gathered afterward.

This miracle is not just about God’s ability to provide a meal. It reveals that Jesus is the creator. Just as God created the universe by speaking, Jesus blesses the fish and bread and there is now enough…actually far more than enough.

This miracle also points to the generosity of His kingdom. Jesus is no reluctant giver. He provides abundantly, not barely enough, first with His Word then with food.

That theme continues as the disciples cross the lake.

Once again they struggle against the wind. Once again Jesus comes to them. Mark tells us that they were utterly astounded because

“they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.”

That statement connects these two events.

The miracle of the loaves was never only about bread. It was meant to reveal who Jesus is.

• The One who provides in the wilderness by creating food.
• The One who comes to His people in the storm and gives peace by controlling nature.

Jesus is the One who possesses the power and compassion of God Himself…because He is God Himself.

We often approach life like the disciples. We look first at our resources, our abilities, and our limitations.

Jesus teaches us to begin somewhere else.

Begin with Him.

The same Savior who fed the crowd still knows what His people need. He still has compassion on those who come to Him. And He still provides exactly what is needed to accomplish His purposes.

Our confidence is not found in how much we bring.

It is found in whose hands we are in.

Let’s pray…

Lord Jesus,

Thank You for caring for both my body and my soul. Forgive me for the times I focus more on what I lack than on who You are. Help me to trust Your compassion, Your provision, and Your power, knowing that all I need is found in You.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

• Your family
• Your local church
• Your pastor
• Some of your fellow church members
• The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
• Your country and her leaders
• Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They 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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

Have you ever found yourself in over your head?

Sometimes that’s just an expression. You’re overwhelmed with work or responsibilities. Other times, it describes something much deeper. Grief. Fear. Guilt. A situation that seems impossible to fix. You are drowning in it.

The writer of Psalm 130 knew that feeling.

He begins,

“Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord.”

We aren’t told exactly what those “depths” were. But as the psalm unfolds, it becomes clear that guilt plays a central role. The psalmist recognizes that if God kept a record of every sin, no one could stand before Him.

That’s a sobering thought.

Most of us have a way of comparing ourselves to other people. We can usually find someone who has made worse decisions or committed greater sins than we have. But Psalm 130 doesn’t compare us with other people.

It places us before a holy God.

And suddenly the question isn’t whether we’ve done better than someone else.

The question is whether we can stand before perfect righteousness.

The answer is no.

That could leave us in despair. Instead, the psalm gives one of the most beautiful statements in all of Scripture:

“But with You there is forgiveness.”

Not because God overlooks sin or sin doesn’t matter.

There is forgiveness because God Himself provides it.

That forgiveness is found in Jesus Christ. Every sin that condemns us was laid upon Him. Every debt we could never repay was paid in full at the cross.

That’s why Christians can confess their sins honestly. We don’t have to minimize them or explain them away. We already know where forgiveness is found.

It’s been said,

“The church should be the easiest place in the world to admit you’re a sinner.”

Sometimes we may not feel like that’s the case, but that’s because we’ve let our eyes drift from the Gospel and we start to think we need to look good and righteous in front of others.

God’s Word tells us that we are all sinners and our only hope is is Jesus. He is the only one who is good and righteous of Himself. We are only good and righteous because Jesus has declared us so.

I think the saying is right.

After all, we aren’t gathered because we’ve earned God’s approval. We gather because we need His mercy. Week after week, we confess our sins and hear the wonderful words of absolution. God isn’t reminding us of our failures. He’s reminding us of His forgiveness.

That’s where Psalm 130 leads us.

Not into the depths.

But out of them, by God’s forgiveness in Christ.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

When I am burdened by my sin, remind me that with You there is forgiveness. Thank You for sending Jesus to bear my guilt and to give me the assurance that my sins are forgiven. Help me to live each day in the joy and freedom of Your grace.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

• Your family
• Your local church
• Your pastor
• Some of your fellow church members
• The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
• Your country and her leaders
• Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They 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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.