Home > Reading > Daily Reading – March 19, 2022

1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.”

– Matthew 1:18-25


We sometimes miss the purpose and value of commemorating saints in our three-year Sunday lectionary, as well as in our daily lectionary. In our day, we hear much about “heroes” — from soldiers and sailors to frontline medical personnel to first responders! We are inspired and encouraged as we hear their stories. We receive the same inspiration and encouragement as we hear the stories of great men and women of faith — such as St. Joseph, husband of Mary and foster-father of our Lord.

Joseph has been commemorated on March 19 since the eighth or early ninth century and he is portrayed in Scripture as a “just” man (1:19) — in other words, a devout man, evidently kind and wise — not unlike the patriarchs responding to visionary dreams; a faithful and affectionate father to Jesus (Festivals and Commemorations, pp. 125-126, Augsburg Publishing House, 1980). It is worth noting that St. Joseph is regarded as a patron saint of Canada.

As we consider the life and example of Joseph, we can only wish that God would send an angel to directly and unmistakably communicate God’s Word and will to us. And then, we wish that we might accept His Word and will and obey! Most of us struggle mightily with God and His will, rarely quite sure and certain what God intends for us to do or not do, where to go or not to go, how we are or are not, to live our lives. And if God sent us an angel in a dream, would we believe it, or consider it imaginings of our hearts and minds?

The truth is, God sends many messengers to announce to us His will for us and for our lives! What are the Holy Scriptures, if not God’s Word sent to us through angels — men whom God inspired to speak, “Thus saith the Lord,” to us, to give us direction and guidance in life. As Martin Luther believed God’s Word — the Holy Scriptures to be trustworthy and true, the North American Lutheran Church’s statement, The Bible as the Word of God, adopted by the Commission on Theology and Doctrine in May 2018 states, “The Bible is a truthful, reliable book that will not lead us into error and falsehood, nor does it contain error or falsehood.” While we may not be blessed with a visit by an angel of the Lord in a dream, God’s Word speaks to us day by day, revealing His will for us and for our lives.

Prayer: Lord God, this Lenten season, turn us to Your Word which is trustworthy and true. Amen.

Devotion written by the Rev. Dr. David Wendel

2 Samuel 7:4 (Listen)

But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan,

2 Samuel 7:8–16 (Listen)

Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’”

Morning Psalms

Evening Psalms

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 a challenging year 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.

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