Home > Reading > The Daily Lectionary – October 11, 2016

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Today’s readings: Hosea 7:8–16; Acts 23:12–24; Luke 7:1–17

What determines human worth? The way of the world suggests that wealth, social status, power, and popularity are the measures of success that determine our worth. And so, we struggle to accomplish and achieve more and more, striving to be sufficient in ourselves, trying to convince others (and ourselves) that we are worthy. But we can never quite reach that goal.

The centurion possesses all the measures of success, yet realizes that none of them can make him worthy to receive Jesus. For all his authority over soldiers and servants, and for all he has invested in building relationships with the Jewish people, ultimately nothing he has done or can do will ever make him worthy of the grace that Jesus offers.

Fortunately for us, Jesus measures human worth not by anything that we do. Our successes and failures are not important. Jesus measures worth according to our faith in him and in what he has accomplished and achieved for us.

In whom do we place our faith? Do we trust in our own accomplishments and achievements and measure worth by counting successes; or do we place all our trust in Jesus and let him determine our worth?

Prayer: Gracious God, we are not worthy to receive you, and yet we humbly pray that you will bless us and heal us by your grace through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today’s devotion was written by Paulette McHugh, Associate Pastor, St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Lexington, SC.

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Tomorrow’s readings: Hosea 8:1–14; Acts 23:23–35; Luke 7:18–35