Home > Reading > NALC Devotion – February 3, 2017

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Today’s readings: Isaiah 55:1-13; Galatians 5:16-24; Mark 9:2-13

The Word of God is three things for us Lutherans: the Living Word — Jesus Christ, the written Word — Holy Scripture, and the proclaimed Word — when a believer faithfully speaks God’s written Word to someone. In the Gospel reading from Mark, God speaks to the disciples saying, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.”

Today we listen to Jesus when the Spirit opens the Scriptures to us as we read them. In Galatians 5, Paul admonishes us to “not gratify the desires of the flesh.” In verses 19-21 he lists some of these desires that will keep people from inheriting God’s Kingdom. Disciples of Jesus are called to proclaim God’s Word to those enslaved to the desires of the flesh. Our word to them is one of love and grace that in Christ Jesus they can be forgiven and set free from sin. In Isaiah 55:11 we have God’s assurance that when we faithfully proclaim His Word, “it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”

May God bless you to proclaim His Word to someone today, trusting God for its success.

Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, grant me grace to hear your Word and speak it faithfully to those who need to hear it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Today’s devotion was written by Carl Haynes, Pastor of Christiana Lutheran Church in Salisbury, NC.

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