Home > Reading > NALC Devotions – May 5, 2017

Today’s readings: Daniel 6:1-15; 2 John 1-13; Luke 5:12-26

“For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh” (2 John 1:7).

How does John know they are deceivers? They departed the New Testament Church over a point of doctrine. But does that in itself make them liars? Who are they deceiving?

The point of doctrine they refused to confess was the Christmas story. Christmas is when we “confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh.” They left because they wanted Christianity without Christmas.

But, really? Who does not like Christmas? The Creator — the one we’ve been wary of to say the least, at odds with more likely – lays himself in our laps. The Judge of the World is a baby pressed against our cheek. What is not to love about this story, this doctrine, this God? This is the God we have always wanted.

When people insist on a more sophisticated God, more spiritual, less fleshly — they turn against their real desire. They deceive themselves. Next, they try to validate their self-deception by deceiving others. What they really want, what we all really want, is a close, gentle, lowly God.

Prayer: Lord, ever renew us in the beauty of truth. Amen.

Today’s devotion was written by Gary Blobaum, Pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church, in Sumter, SC.

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