While our readings from Luke’s Gospel deserve our attention in these devotions, the readings from Micah are worthy of mention. Micah and Isaiah lived at the same time and were called to deliver a similar message. No wonder, as Israel and Judah were in a time of great idolatry and disobedience.

Having recently participated in the NALC Life Ministries 2020 Conference, along with activities related to the annual March for Life on the national mall in Washington, D.C., it seems our respect for and celebration of life in the womb continues. And rightly so. It should never be dismissed or diminished how often God is at work in the womb. The first reading for the service of Holy Communion at the Life Ministries Conference (and for Epiphany II) included this verse, “The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name” (Isaiah 49:1). The point of this passage in Isaiah, and the interaction between John and Jesus, still in their mother’s wombs is this — God has a purpose and a plan for each of us!

We are so familiar with the visit of the angel Gabriel to Mary, that it can sometimes fail to impress us. If you can, consider this account from the perspective of one who has never heard it and is not a Christian. An angel comes to earth to bring a message from God — not to a king or ruler, but to a humble virgin. The promise is that she would conceive a child outside the normal biological processes which God Himself created — the child’s birth would be supernatural.

It seems worthwhile to provide the entire reading from Luke in today’s devotion. It is an important passage, as it tells the story of the birth of John, a prophet “in the spirit and power of Elijah,” sent to “turn the hearts” of people. The theme of Luke’s Gospel could be stated as “promises made, promises fulfilled,” as God fulfills His promise to Zechariah and Elizabeth, as God fulfills the promise He made to Mary to give birth to a son who would be named Jesus, the Son of the Most High. Finally, God would complete the promised salvation of the world, through the death and resurrection of His only begotten Son.

In the three-year cycle of daily readings developed jointly with our brothers and sisters in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) and Lutheran Church—Canada (LCC), our intention was to provide a plan for reading through the entire Bible, with two Scripture readings and a psalm each day. Our commitment, together in the NALC, LCMS and LCC is to encourage reading of the Bible, knowledge of Holy Scripture and biblical literacy among pastors and laity alike!

Paul’s letter to the churches in Galatia is one of his most significant. St. Paul had brought the Gospel to these Christians in a region of what is now Turkey. After he had continued on, false apostles arrived and influenced the believers, convincing many that to be a true Christian, one must first be a true Jew, keeping Jewish laws and commandments, including circumcision for males.

Having talked recently about living, not as slaves of the law, but in Gospel freedom, we now hear Paul speaking about what it looks like to live in this Gospel freedom. Contrary to what many believe (and how many live!) it does not mean, “Do whatever you want.” We spoke before of the first use of the law, now we come to what is called by some, the “third use of the law” —

How is it that Christianity in general and the season of Lent, in particular, have come to be painted in gray, sodden tones — as heavy, burdensome, full of pain and guilt?