Readings for January
12: Ezekiel 34:1-24, Psalm 63:3-11, Romans 3:19-31
First of all, to go along with the Ezekiel reading, I
thought I would share a song that came to mind while reading it. Hope you smile.
Would Jesus Wear A Rolex?.
Now, on a more serious note: justification. How are we justified? Through the blood of Jesus. We have to do nothing except believe in God
and believe in Christ as our Lord and Savior.
But that can be difficult, sometimes seemingly impossible to do. That is why we are granted the Spirit. It is the Spirit who brings us to faith in
God. It is the Spirit who helps us stay
steadfast in the faith. And it is
through the Spirit that we do the good that we do.
So when we sin, the Spirit is no longer with us? No. We
have simply turned our back on God. God
forces no one to believe in Him. But He
never stops seeking either. He is the
Good Shepherd. The one who continually
takes cares of those in His fold and continually seeks others to add to
it. He will never stop searching for
you. Even when you run away, whether for
a moment or for years upon years. He
will always be there, trying to get your attention, and trying to give you salvation
and justification.
“You desire to go to Confession and to the Holy Lord’s
Supper and ask: “How should I begin? How
might God look upon my works favorably so that I will be blessed? So that I
will receive the body and blood of the Lord not to my judgment, but to my soul’s
salvation?” Listen to the answer which
the apostle Paul gives in 1 Cor. 11:28: “A man,” he says, “ought to examine
himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.” But you ask, “How
should I examine myself? What do I examine myself for?” The apostle holds the Law before your eyes
and says to you: “From the Law comes recognition of sin!” Therefore look into
the Law, in this mirror of the Law, and compare the purity of the Law with the purity—rather,
the impurity—of your heart and changes so that you will receive the first grace,
namely, recognition of your sins. But
because the bling man can recognize neither what is beautiful nor what is ugly,
he calls upon the Lord, “Have mercy upon me!” Because human beings according to
their nature cannot correctly recognize their sins, you should turn to the
Father of light, from whom all good and perfect gifts come from above, and to
the Son, who is that Light, who enlightens all humans and pray…
“Lord God, Holy Spirit, You are the true and constant
support in every need, a Spirit of truth and promise, God’s finger, the water
of life, a heavenly fire, which warms cold hearts and ignites them with true
love for God. You have revealed Yourself
to the apostles with wonderful gifts in a powerful wind and fiery tongues. We ask You now therefore to come into our
hearts, to strengthen and gladden out ignorant consciences. Sanctify us with Your blessing and be unto us
the holy assurance of our redemption and our salvation. Amen”
And so my prayer this day is this:
Dear Heavenly Father,
please keep us steadfast in the faith.
We daily turn away from you, just as a small child will quickly run away
from their parents. Help us. Grant us Your Spirit that we may daily live
our lives justified by You and glorifying you.
This we pray through Jesus Christ, our Good Shepherd and our
Redeemer. Amen.
May the peace of God, which surpasses all human
understanding, keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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