Philippians 3:13–21 (Listen)
13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Saturday of the First Week in Lent
Prior to becoming a pastor, I was a developmental service worker. I worked with adults with intellectual and physical disabilities. I enjoyed getting to know a diverse community, many of which were believers. One woman, we will call her Joan, was born with cerebral palsy, which is a movement disorder. Joan had poor coordination, stiff muscles, difficulty seeing and spoke with an irregular cadence and a slur. Joan did not let this stop her, as she loved life and loved Jesus. She was a true disciple, she shared Christ with everyone she met.One afternoon I was sitting with Joan and another woman, who was physically disabled—but didn’t have half of the challenges that Joan did. Joan was on a roll, enthusiastically evangelizing to this woman, but the woman stopped her to ask how she could love a God that would make her “so broken.”
I recall this as if it was yesterday. Joan didn’t miss a beat, and said, “God didn’t make me this way. Sure my body here on earth is broken, but my heavenly body will be transformed to be perfect and glorious, just like Jesus!” Joan was straining forward, in faith, to what lies ahead!
Much of Lent is spent focusing on Christ’s suffering, our suffering and our need for repentance. Today, let’s break away for a short time and, using Joan as our example, celebrate and eagerly anticipate Christ’s return—and the bodily resurrection promised to us as heirs to His eternal Kingdom! By doing this, we are living up to what we have already attained in Christ. Thanks be to God!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we come to You today to offer our thanks and praise for the knowledge we have that one day You will raise us, and all the dead, with perfected glorious bodies—granting us everlasting life in Your eternal kingdom. In the name of Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Devotion written by the Rev. Teresa E. Peters
Acts 1:15–26 (Listen)
15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,
“‘May his camp become desolate,
and let there be no one to dwell in it’;
and
“‘Let another take his office.’
21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Morning Psalms
Evening Psalms
“St. Matthias, Apostle”
This daily prayer and Bible reading guide, Devoted to Prayer (based on Acts 2:42), was conceived and prepared by the Rev. Andrew S. Ames Fuller, director of communications for the North American Lutheran Church (NALC). After several challenging years in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been provided with a unique opportunity to revitalize the ancient practice of daily prayer and Scripture reading in our homes. While the Reading the Word of God three-year lectionary provided a much-needed and refreshing calendar for our congregations to engage in Scripture reading, this calendar includes a missing component of daily devotion: prayer. This guide is to provide the average layperson and pastor with the simple tools for sorting through the busyness of their lives and reclaiming an act of daily discipleship with their Lord. The daily readings follow the Lutheran Book of Worship two-year daily lectionary, which reflect the church calendar closely. The commemorations are adapted from Philip H. Pfatteicher’s New Book of Festivals and Commemorations, a proposed common calendar of the saints that builds from the Lutheran Book of Worship, but includes saints from many of those churches in ecumenical conversation with the NALC. The introductory portion is adapted from Christ Church (Plano)’s Pray Daily. Our hope is that this calendar and guide will provide new life for congregations learning and re-learning to pray in the midst of a difficult and changing world.