“Lord, I have a voice – a voice You have given me.
May the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be pleasing to You.
I will use my voice to plead for more than my own rights – defending the oppressed, the fatherless, the widow.
I will use my voice to champion more than my own security – to loose chains of injustice, to break yokes of bondage.
I will use my voice to provide for more than my own family – to share my food with the hungry, to shelter the wanderer, to clothe the naked.
Will my light not then break forth like the dawn? My night become as noonday? Will righteousness not go before me, Your glory pursue me?
I have a voice – a voice You have given me.
I will use it to praise You, to bless Your name while I have breath, to life my fellow sojourners along this winding road to glory.
Amen.” (Abiding Wisdom – Proverbs 31:8-9 – My Voice)
Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more. Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy. (Proverbs 31:6-9 ESV)
“Lord, it is a sorry truth that those made in Your image withhold grace from others — reviling rather than embracing, scorning rather than serving.
How often have we lifted our hands in prayer, our voices in worship, only to turn and raise our hands in violence, our voices in anger?
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
May I be one who bears resistance with grace, indignation with patience, who turns the other cheek: grace repaid for grumbling, peace returned for blame — that Your kingdom would come, Your will be done.
Do not repay evil with evil, insult with insult.
May I be generous in kindness, lavish in love, faithful in presence that others would know the riches of Your mercy.
Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you.
Live is too fleeting to harbor hatred, too long to cling to grudges. Teach me, O Lord, to love my enemies, to return evil with good.
Amen.”
From Abiding Wisdom: Prayers Inspired by the Book of Proverbs, by Ryan Whitaker Smith & Dan Wilt – Proverbs 25:21-22
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you. (Proverbs 25:21-22 NIV)
This poem/prayer is inspired by Proverbs 15:1-2, 4, 7. It is from the book Abiding Wisdom: Prayers Inspired by the Book of Proverbs, by Ryan Whitaker Smith and Dan Wilt.
“In a world of careless words, a gentle answer is a difficult grace to give.
Lord, may I be ready to answer, in season, out of season, by the power of Your Holy Spirit.
In a marketplace of idols, harsh talk comes easily. Fire fights fire; rebuke meets rebuke.
For in me a holy restraint, for a gentle answer turns away wrath.
May the words of my mouth still violent waters, heal violent hearts.
May I seek to embody understanding, compassion, charity.
To speak truth to opposition, to remain composed in confrontation – this is Your way.
To seek common ground without compromise, to speak peace in the midst of violence – this is Your way.
To dignify others while honoring You, to offer wisdom rather than sentiment, answers rather than abstractions – this is Your way.
The Spirit-fruit of gentleness is a sign of Your presence – carving a path through the wilderness where no path could otherwise be found.
May my lips be ready to answer the unreasonable, the unreachable, the unteachable – with the grace of God.
For with You all things are possible.”
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools. (Proverbs 15:1-2, 4, 7 ESV)
This is so perfect for where I am in my faith journey, right now, for where Jesus is leading me, daily. I want to be that gentle answer. The idea of the Spirit carving a path through the wilderness where no path can be found . . . this thrills me. I want my life to be wrapped up in this, because I believe this is the reason that Christ has revived my spirit this year.
When I read this prayer last night, I told my pastor that it was almost as though this book was written just for me, just for this time.
Today is Saturday, the twenty-seventh day of September, 2025, in the Season of the Church.
May the peace of Christ surround you, today, and drive away all of your anxieties and fears.
It is day 270 of 2025, with 95 days remaining.
Day 24,670 of my life.
Only fifteen more days until our 40th wedding anniversary!
We reached a high of 89 degrees, yesterday, exactly as predicted. Today’s high is forecast to be 90 (boo!). The record high for this date, though, was 103, in 1977. The average high over the next ten days is 88.6. Counting today, there are now only three days at 90 for that time, two of which are in the first six days of October, but spread out a little more than yesterday’s forecast.
Today’s writing prompt is “What’s the trait you value most about yourself?” The box didn’t show up when I started writing my new post for today.
My answer to that is, I believe, loyalty. No, that’s not quite right. As I was typing that, I realized that that’s not quite the right answer. I am loyal, yes. But that loyalty is tethered to love. And when I love someone, that love is fierce. I like using that word to describe the way I love. And this quality is true regardless if it is romantic love or otherwise. The strongest love I have is for Christ. And that is because He has poured His love into me. I don’t necessarily always rank my love, because that seems somewhat trite. But I have, of course, a very strong and fierce love for my wife, and that love encompasses all of the best of romantic love and friendship love combined. She is also my sister in Christ, as well.
I have several friends, though, that I also love with a fierce love. One of those is my pastor (who is also like a blood sister to me), and one is my library bestie. I also have a few others at the library about which I feel the same. And I will be fiercely loyal to any of the above, from Christ, to my wife, to my friends.
Today is a work Saturday for me, and I will have to continue writing this from that location, as it is time to get ready to go.
JESUS TIME
“Our Father who art in heaven, deliver us from evil. O dear Lord, God and Father, Your Son defeated sin, death, and the devil so that I may enjoy the fruits of His labor. You are faithful to me as You keep me in Your grace. Grant me faithfulness in this life, especially when I experience the attacks of the devil through misery and misfortune, uncertainty and evil. Should I grow weary of life and long for death, give me strength and confidence in my dear Savior’s victory over sin, death, and the devil. And, when my last hour comes, mercifully grant me a blessed departure from this valley of sorrow. Grant that in the face of death I do not lose heart or fear it, but, with certain trust and hope in You, remain confident that You will take my soul into Your hands; for the sake of my Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.” (Lutheran Book of Prayer – Prayer 58: Saturday Morning)
“May the peace of God wrap around you As you’re held in His love May He meet you with hope and healing and truth As you’re held in His arms”
This is something that I pray for every name on my prayer list, most days. I fell in love with this blessing the first time I ever heard it.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33 ESV)
Today I am grateful:
For this daily opportunity to meet with Christ, grow in Him, and rest in Him
That I don’t need to worry about building a “kingdom” because I belong to His kingdom
That instead of constant striving and stress, God wants us to experience true freedom and rest (Hebrews 4:9-11
For our Ascended Lord, who has poured out the Holy Spirit upon us
For Communion, the Lord’s Supper, the climax of every worship service, as we receive more from our Christ than we could ever give
So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:9-11 ESV)
Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods? Do you judge the children of man uprightly? No, in your hearts you devise wrongs; your hands deal out violence on earth.
The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies. They have venom like the venom of a serpent, like the deaf adder that stops its ear, so that it does not hear the voice of charmers or of the cunning enchanter.
O God, break the teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD! Let them vanish like water that runs away; when he aims his arrows, let them be blunted. Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime, like the stillborn child who never sees the sun. Sooner than your pots can feel the heat of thorns, whether green or ablaze, may he sweep them away!
The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked. Mankind will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth.” (Psalms 58:1-11 ESV)
I’ll confess that psalms like this one have always bothered me. I usually can’t bring myself to pray most of these imprecatory psalms. But they are in there for a reason. And for me, the main thing is that we leave the vengeance to the Lord. “The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance . . .” and that vengeance is taken by God, not us. And I certainly have no interest in bathing my feet in the “blood of the wicked.” I would rather see them come to Christ and know His amazing, infinite love.
I also like how the following prayer from Sheltering Mercy, kind of puts us all in the same boat. It’s more of a “we” scenario than an “us vs them” scenario. We all have a streak of wickedness within us, because we are all sinners.
“Lord, this world is a marketplace of idols, wayward worship at every turn – false gods promising peace; paths promising righteousness, but leading to death.
We are born to trouble as the sparks fly upwards. Unchecked, we flee from Your presence, clothing ourselves in lies: a cursed covering. You call out in the cool of the day, but many wander out of earshot, suppressing the truth, seeking their own wisdom; becoming fools; exchanging Your glory for passing things. . . .
The children of God – all who gather at Your marriage supper – will lift their voices in praise, for Your judgments are true and just. You have conquered death; overthrown evil; Ascended Lord, judge of the Earth.” (Sheltering Mercy: Prayers Inspired by the Psalms – Psalm 58: Marketplace of Idols)
This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. (Acts 2:32-33 ESV)
“Or God, you never will abandon us Our hope is tethered to your love When we thought we were forgotten You gave us so much more and Hallelujah We thank you Lord”
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips. (Proverbs 27:1-2 ESV)
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17 ESV)
The following is from For All the Saints – Saturday of the Week of Pentecost 15.
When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:
“‘Go to this people, and say, “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”
He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. (Acts 28:23-31 ESV)
And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed him. And they laid hands on him and seized him. But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” And they all left him and fled.
And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked. (Mark 14:43-52 ESV)
Today’s fourth reading, from J.C.F. Rupp, begins in a somewhat philosophical manner (at least by my interpretation), expounding on the human aspects of worship, which “may have great moral force in the development of literature, art, and science, as the mental activity, the artistic spirit, or refining influence of the age.” But these have “no eternal principle, no controlling purpose, no persistent divinity, to implant new motives, to transform character, and beautify human life.”
He then proceeds to move into the divine element of our worship. “The divine is a sacrament which brings imperishable grace to the worshiper in spirit and truth. Christian worship is the channel for the incoming grace, rather perhaps the flood-gate, shut and opened at human will, joining the reservoir of the fulness of divine love to the appointed means of grace in word and sacrament. Therefore, in its essence, worship is preeminently sacramental; it makes man the recipient of good and reaches its climax and summum bonum [highest good] in the Holy Supper.
“This divine element of worship always makes a man receive more than he can give. It has this sacramental character, because it revolves around Christ as its center, and has its fulness of blessing in Him who is the Saviour of the world. Christ is the one chief stone in the corner, the true foundation of our temple of worship. This sacramental character makes it the purpose of every act of worship first to exalt and magnify Him forever. . . . He is the heart, the magnet that draws all unto Himself. He is the divine cause that calls forth the act of worship. He appeals to the heart and conscience of the worshipper and comes through the enlightening power of the Holy Spirit who confers His gifts upon believers and creates the insatiable thirst for the water of eternal life. Thus the intellect is sharpened, the sense of esthetic beauty refined, and the ethical judgments of conscience confirmed; so fully does Christ enter the life, absorb every faculty of the soul, and make every act of worship begin and end in Him.” (Reading IV: J.C.F. Rupp, “The Fundamental Principles of Christian Worship” in Memoirs of the Lutheran Liturgical Association, Volume I, 1906)
“O most merciful Father, we beseech thee, for thy mercy’s sake, continue thy grace and favour towards us. Let not the sun of thy gospel ever go down out of our hearts; let thy truth abide and be established among us for ever. Help our unbelief, increase our faith, and give us hearts to consider the time of our visitation. Through faith clothe us with Christ, that he may live in us, and thy Name may be glorified through us in all the world. Amen.” (Closing Prayer: John Jewell)
This reading lifted my soul to amazing heights, this morning, as I considered the efficacy and preeminence of Christ. I hope that’s the right word. I love how Rupp brings it all together as being ultimately and completely focused on Christ. We have our artistic things that we bring to the worship, those manmade aspects. But it is Christ who gives us everything, who transforms our lives, and feeds us with His body and blood in the climactic event of the worship service.
And truly, since I became Lutheran, the time of Communion is the most important part of the service for me. Everything drives toward that event, which is close to the end of the service.
The last paragraph is Rupp’s reading leads me into worship. Everything centers around Christ, which is something that has become such a reality to me, this year. And anyone who has read this blog in the last seven months knows that about me, as well. Christ is the center of everything.
And another reality is that, when He sends us on a task, on a mission, He goes with us. Always. He never leaves us alone.
My dear Jesus, I praise You for being the center of all things. I worship You, my Lord, and thrill to gather with the community of saints each Sunday morning, to worship You along with them. And to kneel at the altar and receive Holy Communion each Sunday morning is the high point of my week.
You are truly the heart of all things, Jesus, and You have drawn me to Yourself. For that I am eternally grateful. You call forth the act of worship from my heart and soul, Lord. Let everything that I do be dedicated to You in an act of worship. Keep creating that thirst in me for Your living water, my Lord, that which only You can satisfy. Every act of worship begins and ends in You, my Lord!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
O, Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world,
grant us Your peace.
(Agnus Dei)
Today is Saturday, the twentieth day of September, 2025, in the Season of the Church.
May you experience the peace of the Lord in your soul, today!
It is day 263 of 2025, with 102 days left.
Day 24,663 of my life
Day 215 of my “rebirth”
Only two more days until the beginning of Autumn! The weather site is working again, so I’ll keep tracking it. We hit 93 yesterday, a couple degrees lower than predicted. Today’s high is forecast to be 93. The record high for this date was 100 in 2021. The average high over the next ten days is 89.1. The temperature for the first day of Autumn is now forecast at 96. Boooo!!!!
I don’t know how on earth I’m supposed to answer this question! If you could see how many albums I have (hundreds of vinyl, hundreds of CDs, and even more digital music saved in my streaming library), you would understand. However, I can come up with one, I suppose. Because if one were to ask me what my favorite song is, I would likely, immediately, answer, “I Love You #19,” by Daniel Amos. And the album that is on is called “Horrendous Disc.” So that is probably my favorite album. Daniel Amos is my all time favorite group.
My favorite classical album is a recording of Tchaikovsky’s 6th Symphony, recorded by the Philadelphia Philharmonic, with Eugene Ormandy conducting. Brings me to tears every time.
Today is an off Saturday for me. C and S went to a dental appointment, and C and are going to see Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, this afternoon. And I will be cooking burgers this evening, and am also planning to cook a side of baked mac and cheese, instead of frozen french fries.
That’s all I have for today. Yesterday was a great day at the library, but then, for some reason, I struggled during the evening. Not sure what was going on with that, but Jesus helped me get it straightened out during last night’s Jesus Time.
Speaking of Jesus Time, let’s get on with it.
JESUS TIME
“Faithful Father in heaven, I have neither the power nor the ability to praise and thank You enough for all the loving-kindness that You have so graciously shown me my entire life. I am but flesh and blood that can do nothing but evil. Yet You allow an abundant flow of gifts to come to me every day, especially in the past night when You were my shield and my support. Were that not so, the power of the devil surely would have struck me so severe a blow that I could not have hoped to arise again in sound condition. Yet through Your gracious protection I have been defended in a manner unsurpassed. I beseech You from the utmost depths of my being that You would let Your grace flow over me and defend me. I am Yours by the blood of Christ, from now unto eternal life. Amen. Amen. Lord Jesus, take my soul into Your hands and let me be commended unto You. Amen.” (Lutheran Book of Prayer – Prayer 44, Saturday Morning)
“Open our eyes, help us see Christ May we behold His majesty Open our eyes, Spirit we cry Show us the glory of our King Help us see Christ”
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-8 ESV)
Today I am grateful:
That You, my Savior, emptied Yourself, humbling Yourself even to the point of death on the cross; may I be willing to do the same, emptying myself and being obedient to Your commands
That You, Holy Spirit, have opened my eyes and my heart, that I might see Christ as everything
For Psalm 51 . . . what more do I need to say? Create in me a clean heart, O God . . . Open my lips and my mouth shall declare Your praise
That You, O Christ, have removed my heart of stone and given me a living heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26)
For the testimony and example of Polycarp
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:12-13 ESV)
Lord, in Your mercy, hear, now, the prayers lifted up to you for all who need strength, healing, comfort, and peace.
If you are reading this, I encourage you to stop and pray for someone, at this time. Or, if there is something on your heart, please leave a comment. What can I pray for you?
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Psalms 51:1-17 ESV)
“Gracious Lord, I come before You today, burdened with sin; desperate for the mercy only You can show – not as a result of anything I have done, but because You are infinitely good: the Restorer of Broken Things.
Only by Your grace can the death grip of my sin be unraveled, unyoked, undone. Shower me in Your mercy, Lord; cleanse me of all that is unholy, unhealthy, unworthy. . . .
Wash me, Lord. Let it be as though those dark and dreadful things never happened. Help me remember that You are God of the Feast; that joy and gladness can lift a heavy heart. . . .
Whatever You do, do not leave me; forsake me; distance me from Your presence. Do what You do best: Renew. Revive. Lift me from the dust.” (Excerpt from Sheltering Mercy: Prayers Inspired by the Psalms – Psalm 51: Restorer of Broken Things)
But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11 ESV)
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:16-21 ESV)
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26 ESV)
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! (Psalms 34:8 ESV)
“Somehow the things that You love Are the things I am now Broken spirit and heart How can it be You would take delight?
Do not cast me away Do not take Your Spirit from me Do not cast me away Your presence is my only worth”
The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out. (Proverbs 20:5 ESV)
Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”? (Proverbs 20:9 ESV)
A man’s steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way?
The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all his innermost parts. (Proverbs 20:24, 27 ESV)
The following is from For All the Saints – Saturday of the Week of Pentecost 14
And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the LORD and said, “Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did. (2 Samuel 23:13-17 ESV)
“But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Mark 13:9-13 ESV)
“When the pyre was ready, Polycarp removed his outer clothes and loosened his girdle. He even tried to take off his shoes, a thing which he never did before because the faithful used constantly to vie with one another to see who could touch his flesh first. Such was the honour in which he was held, even before his martyrdom, for the saintliness of his life. Immediately the irons with which the pyre was equipped were fastened round him, but when they tried to nail him as well, he said, ‘Let me be. He who gives me strength to endure the fire will also grant me to stay in the pyre unflinching even without your making sure of it with nails.’ So they did not nail him, but only tied him up.
“And so he was bound, putting his arms behind his back, like a noble ram taken from a large flock for a sacrifice, a burnt offering acceptable to and made ready for God. Then he gazed up to heaven and said: ‘O Lord God Almighty, Father of your beloved and blessed child Jesus Christ, through whom we have received knowledge of you, God of the angels and the powers and of all creation, God of the whole race of the righteous who live in your sight; I bless you, for you have thought me worthy of this day and hour to share the cup of your Christ, as one of your martyrs, to rise again to eternal life in body and soul in the immortality of the Holy Spirit. May I be taken up today into your presence among your martyrs, as a rich and acceptable sacrifice, in the manner you have prepared and have revealed, and have now brought to fulfillment, for you are the God of truth, and in you is no deceit. And so also I praise you for all things; I bless you and glorify you through our eternal high priest in heaven, your beloved child, Jesus Christ, through whom be glory to you and to him and to the Holy Spirit, now and for the ages to come. Amen.’
“When he had uttered the Amen, and completed his prayer, the men in charge of the fire set light to it.
“When a great flame blazed up, we saw a miracle, that is those of us to whom it had been granted to see it and who have been spared to tell to others what happened. For the fire took on the shape of a room, like the sail of a ship filled with the wind, and it made a wall round the body of the martyr. The body in the middle did not appear like burning flesh, but rather it was like bread being baked, or like gold and silver being refined in a furnace. And we perceived a fragrant smell, as though it were the odour of frankincense, or some other precious spices.” (Reading IV: Polycarp, Letter of the Church at Smyrna on the martyrdom of Polycarp)
“We thank you, O God, for the saints of all ages;
For those who in times of darkness kept the lamp of faith burning; For the great souls who saw visions of larger truth and dared to declare it; For the multitude of quiet and gracious souls whose presence has purified and sanctified the world; And for those known and loved by us, who have passed from this earthly fellowship into the fuller light of life with you.
Amen.” (Closing Prayer: Anonymous)
And this from New Morning Mercies, by Paul David Tripp
“Hopelessness is the doorway to hope. You have to give up on yourself before you will be excited about the hope that is yours in Christ Jesus.”
Tripp says, accurately, that we give ourselves far too much credit:
We tend to attribute too much righteousness to ourselves.
We tend to think we have more wisdom than we do.
We tend to pride ourselves on having the “right” character.
We tend to think of ourselves as being more patient than we are.
We tend to regard ourselves as perseverant.
We tend to think we are submissive and obedient.
We tend to believe we are more committed to the kingdom of God than we are.
We simply tend to see ourselves as more godly than we are.
We constantly tend to minimize our own sin, and focus more on the sins of others than our own. And because of this, we don’t tend to “cry out for and run after the rescuing and transforming grace that is ours as the children of God.”
Now here’s the thing. At the risk of sounding arrogant and prideful (which I hope I am not . . . I have told my pastor multiple times to smack me if I ever appear to be going in that direction):
I don’t attribute any righteousness to myself – any righteousness that I have is that of Christ Jesus
I don’t think I have that much wisdom – all I have is Christ
I don’t think my character is that great
I’m not very patient at all, just as my daughter, S
I’m not all that perseverant – not a day goes by where I don’t find myself thinking that I’m failing in my faith or that my friends are giving up on me
I don’t see myself as that submissive or obedient, because I keep having to fight to express love for some people
I don’t believe I am nearly committed enough to the Kingdom of God
I don’t see myself as “godly” at all
Now, when I compare those two lists, that doesn’t make me pat myself on the back. Quite the opposite. All I see is the second list and how much work God still has to do on me. My brothers and sisters, I am far from perfect. I’m far from almost perfect. I’m far from far from perfect. I’m not a good person.
But I am saved by grace, and the righteousness of Christ dwells within me, and the Holy Spirit dwells within me, and Jesus Christ, who is everything, pours and pours and pours love into my heart until it does overflow. But it is all Him! None of it is me, because see that list up there. I’m am a wretched sinner! As Luther taught (and believed for himself), I am somehow, by the miracle of grace, simultaneously saint and sinner, and it is all Christ in me, the hope of glory!
Oh, my dear Jesus, You have set me on fire, this morning! Thank You, thank You, thank You! I thank You for this beautiful picture of the martyrdom of Polycarp and his prayer, my Lord. I pray that, should the day arise, that I would be as willing to die for Your sake as he was, knowing that everything that I have and have become is all because of You. Let me never be ashamed to speak of what You have done for me, in me, and what You will do through me.
And I praise You, Christ, that You have made my heart to know that I am nothing with You. I have no righteousness of my own, only what comes from You. My character is not exemplary; my patience is lacking; my perseverance, well . . . sucks, to be blunt about it. But You, Jesus! You are beautiful and so gracious! You are so patient and kind with me, continuously drawing me back from those pits that I keep stumbling into, those pits of darkness where I can’t see You. You shine Your light into them, reach Your ever-loving arms down to me, and draw me out, saying, “Up you go.” And You set my feet back on solid ground, the Solid Rock that is You, my Christ!
Oh, how I love You, Jesus! Oh, how I adore You! I cannot imagine life without You. I cannot imagine what today would look like had You not resurrected me 215 days ago! I’m about to burst in praise, Jesus!!
Thank You, thank You, thank You, thank You!!! On Christ, the Solid Rock I stand . . . all other ground is sinking sand! Thank You, Jesus!!
All glory and praise to You, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen!
“Your presence is my only worth!”
“I’m nobody’s angel That ain’t me And what kind of devil Do you think I be I’m a Good Samaritan And a very, very bad man I’m a whole lot better And a whole lot worse Than what you think I am”
Today is Wednesday, the seventeenth day of September, 2025, in the Season of the Church.
May the peace and love of Christ flood your soul, today!
It is day 260 of 2025, with 105 days remaining.
Day 24,660 of my life.
Only five more days until the beginning of Autumn! We hit a high of 95 again, yesterday, once again a degree higher than predicted. It actually felt warmer than that, at one point, though. In fact, when I got in my car to go to work, it said 103! But that is always considerably hotter than the reality, because it has been sitting in the sun all day. The record high for this date was 99 in 1997. It is encouraging that we are finally getting to where the records are below 100. And the ten-day average high is now only 89. The highest temps in the next ten days are today and tomorrow, at 94, and the lowest (at least for today’s forecast) appears on September 23, at 82. There is little to no rain forecast, though, so it’s been pretty dry for a while. We have barely had an inch of rain this month.
That all depends on the holiday. For the “big” ones, you know, Christmas and Thanksgiving, we usually gather with whatever family we have left in the area, which is basically C’s sister and family, along with those of us in this house, and have a big meal together. C’s family comes over on Christmas Eve for that meal, where we exchange gifts with them, and then we have our family meal and gifts on Christmas day. This year, we will be having one Thanksgiving celebration early, as R is coming down from Indianapolis for C’s birthday! We will probably still have another Thanksgiving meal with C’s family, though. Unless they go to Arkansas again, this year, in which case it will just be C, S, Mama, and me. I might also add that, as of last year, we started celebrating Advent with weekly Sunday readings and lighting of Advent candles.
The Easter celebration is quite different. Last year, both S and I observed Lent. That begins with an Ash Wednesday service on Wednesday night. Then things really kick into gear on Palm Sunday with a worship service at church. Then we have services on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, followed by Easter Sunday morning.
On Halloween (not really a “holiday” per se) we have a tradition of visiting a good friend who makes chili every Halloween and invites a bunch of friends and family over. We haven’t been at home to hand out candy for a very long time. This year, Halloween falls on Friday, and I will be working at the library, so I think (I need to verify this) that costumes will be acceptable, so I may wear some kind of costume (nothing real elaborate, seeing as I would be wearing it for, you know, eight hours) to work.
We typically don’t do a lot for the other holidays. Monday holidays, such as Labor Day and Memorial Day, we pretty much just chill at home. July 4th is also not a big one for us. We almost had a swimming party, this year, but C was sick, so it got cancelled. Oh, and we don’t really do much for New Year’s Eve, either. S stays up and watches the ball drop every year. I’m usually up, but don’t watch.
Today is a normal Wednesday, almost. C is working from home, and I am off work. The reason for “almost” is that we don’t have choir practice tonight.
JESUS TIME
“O almighty, merciful God, gracious Father in heaven, You once again have defended me this night through the protection of Your holy angels, so that I have lived to see yet another day refreshed and sound. For that, I give You thanks and praise. Let all my doings and my will match Yours, and of Your great mercy, forgive me the miserable sin that accompanies me. Govern with Your Holy Spirit all my efforts, heart, intellect, desires, and thoughts, all my words and works, that I might understand that which is good and that which is evil. May I also be able to live and find my way today in this evil and perverted world, so that, above all else, forgiven of my sins, I may carry a heartfelt longing for the eternal heavenly home that has been purchased and won for me by Christ, my Savior. May I not belittle, fritter away, and finally lose that with my sinful life. To that end, graciously help me with Your divine love and the power of the Holy Spirit; for the sake of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.” (Lutheran Book of Prayer, Prayer 38, Wednesday Morning)
“I lift my eyes to the hills Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord Maker of heaven and earth”
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2 ESV)
Today I am grateful:
That Your Word, O Lord, is easily accessible to most people, today; may I continue to be transformed by Your Word, daily
For “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:5)
That I can literally feel the Holy Spirit moving within me, and He is beautiful!
That I have been given a heart that longs for the New Creation, clinging to the promise of the Not Yet
That You, Jesus, have me right where You want me to be, doing just what You want me to be doing
That Your grace and mercy have purchased my ticket to paradise, so I need not try to make this world into the paradise that it cannot be
Lord, in Your mercy, hear, now, the prayers lifted up to you for all who need strength, healing, comfort, and peace.
If you are reading this, I encourage you to stop and pray for someone, at this time. Or, if there is something on your heart, please leave a comment. What can I pray for you?
Transformation is not something that I do to myself. It is something that happens from the inside out. As I celebrate my seven-month anniversary of the transformative work of Christ in my heart, I am very well aware of this. And I praise God for every little and big thing that He has done in me in the last seven months. His work continues as I hone in on my “assignment.”
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 ESV)
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalms 119:105 ESV)
Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King. Within her citadels God has made himself known as a fortress. (Psalms 48:1-3 ESV)
We have thought on your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple. As your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is filled with righteousness. (Psalms 48:9-10 ESV)
“Lord God, give me a heart that longs for New Creation; that clings to the promise of that blessed Not Yet. Here, in this land of shade and shadow, all grows old and grey, lost to the hands of time.
I look to the City that is to come.
In that eternal dawn, when the last enemy has been destroyed, You will be glorified, Lord – the rightful Ruler of a world made new; the King of New Jerusalem.
How I long to see that City: enthroned upon the earth; the whispered wonder of the world; the place where God dwells with us; where sighing and sorrow flee away. . . .
As Your people gather to sing the glories of Your name, sharing bread and wine in remembrance of Your death, may we also remember Your resurrection; the hope of New Creation; the mystery of Your purpose, plan, and will, to unite all things in Christ, things in Heaven and on earth.
All Your ways are good and worthy of praise: Your justice merciful; Your mercy just. I join the assembly of the saints, proclaiming, ‘Yes and amen.’ . . .
May I never cease to tell Your Story – the Story of fallen humanity; Merciful God; Abiding Hope. What You have begun You will be faithful to finish. Amen.” (Excerpt from Sheltering Mercy: Prayers Inspired by the Psalms – Psalm 48: King of New Jerusalem)
The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:26 ESV)
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Ephesians 1:7-10 ESV)
Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished. (Proverbs 17:5 ESV)
Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends. (Proverbs 17:9 ESV)
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (Proverbs 17:17 ESV)
“Wake me up from my slumber, God Fill my heart with Your fire, God ‘Cause I want to burn I want to burn for You”
The following is from New Morning Mercies, by Paul David Tripp.
“This isn’t paradise. You can’t make into paradise. Paradise is coming, and your place was secured for you on the cross of Jesus Christ.”
We are all longing for paradise. And, at times, we still insist on trying to turn this world into that, even though it will never be. “We all face things in our lives that we wish we could change. We all examine things and hope that somehow they will get better. Each of us tries to turn this moment into the paradise it will never be, and each of us faces the frustration that results from our failed attempts.”
Sometimes, things do get better, at least for a little while. But we still have to face the fact that this world was never meant to be our paradise, and we cannot make it so. “God, for your good and his glory, has chosen to keep you for a while in this broken-down world. He has chosen to employ the hardships of this world to complete the work that he has begun in you. He does not leave you alone. He does not leave you without resources. He blesses you with his new morning mercies. But he has you right where he wants you. This means your marriage, your job, your church, your family, and your friendships will never be the paradise that you want them to be in this world.”
But in His grace, our God has granted us a place in HIS paradise. The final chapter of our story (which will be the longest chapter) will take place in “an eternal paradise beyond your wildest dreams.”
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:1-14 ESV)
“As you face the hardships of today, remember that grace has purchased you a ticket for the paradise that is to come.”
Dear Jesus, I continue to be an utter awe of everything You are doing in me. I thank You with all my heart, even though those words cannot possibly convey the depths of my gratitude to You. I thank You and praise You that this transformation is continuing unabated. I don’t ever want it to stop.
Holy Spirit, You gave me a unique experience, this morning, as I literally felt You moving in my heart, this morning. I spoke to You and You responded with love and grace in a way that I daresay I have never experienced before. 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
Lord, as I continue to consider the direction in which You are leading me, I rejoice. I rejoice because You have use for me. I rejoice because as brother Tripp has pointed out, I am exactly where You want me to be right now, doing exactly what You want me to do. That doing seems to be evolving along the way, as You prepare me to do the work of peacemaker in my world. I pray for the strength and consistency, Lord, to do this work in Your name and for Your glory.
Help me, Jesus, to set aside person interests and opinions for the sake of unity and peace in Your Church as I work to “stand in the gap.” I know how much this division in the church hurts my soul, so I cannot even begin to imagine how much it hurts You to see Your Bride so divided over issues. So empower me, Jesus, enable me, to help Your Bride come together over YOU and not be divided over issues. Help us to be fully Yours, to keep our eyes fixed on You and You alone, the author and perfecter of our faith, dear Jesus!
Put me to death, Lord, in the flesh, that there would be nothing remaining of me, but only You. You must increase and I must decrease. I am nothing. You, Christ, are everything! Use my life, Lord, pour me out over and over again; use me up for Your glory.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen.
Today is Thursday, the eleventh day of September, 2025, in the Season of the Church.
May the peace of Christ dwell within you today!
It is day 254 of 2025, with 111 days remaining.
Day 24,654 of my life.
There are eleven more days until the beginning of Autumn. I’m hoping we can get Summer to leave. We reached a high of 92, yesterday, again one degree higher than predicted (not a fan of that trend). Today’s high is forecast at 94 (not a fan of that trend, either), and the record high for this date was 101 in the year 2000. The average high over the next ten days is now 93.5, which is actually slightly lower than yesterday. I am a fan of that trend.
There are 31 more days until our 40th wedding anniversary. I rather like that trend, too.
Oh, my! How does one determine that? I believe that I will go with “gobsmacked,” which is a primarily British word that means “utterly astonished; astounded.” I have used that word a lot in the last almost seven months, in reference to what the Lord has been doing in my life.
At this point, I don’t have a lot to say about yesterday. Personally, it was a pretty average day. For the nation, it was a horrible day, illustrating the mess we have gotten ourselves into. Fingers will be pointed, blame will be laid, and nothing will be solved. We are too polarized, and that is one reason that I do not discuss politics in this forum, or pretty much anywhere, actually. My purpose here is love and unity, and that is what I try to promote. I will say that my blog last night was somewhat in response to it. But I also find that part of my Psalms reading this morning also applies.
Today is a normal day, as well, as C is at the office, and I am off work. I’ll be trying something new for dinner, tonight, called Million Dollar Chicken Breasts. If I remember tomorrow, I will let you know how they turned out.
JESUS TIME
“The day has dawned, O Father in heaven, and everywhere Your children are lifting holy hands to You for strength for the day . . . Let my prayers be acceptable to You for the sake of Jesus Christ, my Savior, through whose merits my peace has been made with You. Let the Daystar rise in my heart, O Lord, by faith in that Savior through whom my place with You is sure forevermore. I beseech You, let not only my prayer but also my whole life, my every act, thought, and word, be a sacrifice to You today, unblemished and worthy, through the power of Your Spirit. Let the message of Your Word fill me with the assurance of the forgiveness of my sin; let the counsel of Your revealed will point out to me the way I am to go; let Your Spirit give me courage and strength to choose the good part every hour. Hold me in oneness of faith with my fellow Christians, and let me be salt that has not lost its saltiness. Keep me Yours for the sake of Your Son, my Redeemer. Amen.” (Lutheran Book of Prayer, Prayer 26, Thursday Morning)
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. (Psalms 121:1-2 ESV)
Today I am grateful:
For my wife and family
For my friends
That my life is hidden in Christ, and therefore, I am safe forever
That all nights end, and someday, there will be no more night
For His precious and very great promises, through which I partake of His divine nature and escape the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
Lord, in Your mercy, hear, now, the prayers lifted up to you for all who need strength, healing, comfort, and peace.
If you are reading this, I encourage you to stop and pray for someone, at this time. Or, if there is something on your heart, please leave a comment. What can I pray for you?
As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.
My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you . . .
By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. (Psalms 42:1-2, 5-6, 8, 11 ESV)
“Father God, there is a hunger only You can satisfy; a thirst only You can quench; a yearning unfulfilled until You meet it. I have known the comfort of Your hand upon me; the fellowship of Your presence with me. . . .
I have met You in the gathering of the saints – in bread and wine; in song and celebration.
Meet me again, Lord.
May the peace of God guard my heart and mind, bringing rest to unrest; consolation to desolation; as I cling to His promises, as sure of their coming as the rising of the sun. . . .
Have You ever truly left me, Lord? Could You? You, who fill all things? I seek solace in peaceful waters, but the ripple becomes a current; becomes a raging sea. I am lost in the swells.
Are You not here as well, Lord? You, who brooded over the waters? All creation testifies to Your kindness: waning moons and rising suns – daily resurrection. Even in despair, I remember and proclaim: this darkness will not win; all nights end.” (Excerpt from Sheltering Mercy: Prayers Inspired by the Psalms – Psalm 42: Seized By Longing)
For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things. (Psalms 107:9 ESV)
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. (2 Peter 1:3-4 ESV)
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2 ESV)
The desire of the righteous ends only in good; the expectation of the wicked in wrath. One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. (Proverbs 11:23-24 ESV)
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise. (Proverbs 11:30 ESV)
The following is from For All the Saints – Thursday of the Week of Pentecost 13
O God, whom we seek in all our need and through all the mystery of life and without whom we cannot live bravely or well, forgive us that we so often miss You. Show us Your paths already at our feet. Give us courage and vision to follow in faith Your ways of love and right until our own lives become Your revelation and Your Spirit transforms our deeds. As we thus draw near to You, please graciously draw near to us until we become more sure of You than the light. In His Name in whose life Your love becomes light and life. Amen. (Adapted from Opening Prayer: Gaius Glenn Atkins)
And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”
And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:32-45 ESV)
“After a while he says; ‘John, did you tell any of them in there about your conversion?’ And I say: ‘Yes, Master Sam, I told them for I knew it, and I feel like telling everybody in the world about it.’ Then he says: ‘John, you may tell it. Go back in there and go up and down the tables, and tell all of them. And then if you want to, go upstairs and tell them all about it, and then downstairs and tell the hogshed men and the drivers and everybody what the Lord has done for you.’ . . . Oh, that happy day! Can I ever forget it? That was my conversion morning, and that day the Lord sent me out with the good news of the kingdom. For more than forty years I’ve been telling the story. My step is getting rather slow, my voice breaks down, and sometimes I am awful tired, but still I’m telling it. My lips shall proclaim the dying love of the Lamb with my last expiring breath.
“Ah, my dear old master! He sleeps out yonder in the old cemetery, and in this world I shall see his face no more, but I don’t forget him. He gave me a holiday, and sent me out to tell my friends what great things God had done for my soul. Often as I preach I feel that I’m doing what my old master told me to do. If he were here now, I think he would lift up those kind black eyes of his, and say: ‘That’s right, John; still telling it; fly like the angel, and wherever you go carry the Gospel to the people.’ Farewell, my old master, when I land in the heavenly city, I’ll call at your mansion that the Lord had ready for you when you got there, and I shall say: ‘Master Sam, I did what you told me, and many of them are coming up here with their robes washed in the blood of the Lamb that were led into the way by my preaching, and as you started me I want you to share in the glory of their salvation.’ And I tell you what I reckon, that when Master Sam sees me, he’ll say: ‘John, call me master no more; we’re brothers now, and we’ll live forever round the throne of God.'” (Reading IV: John Jasper, The Unmatched Negro Philosopher and Preacher, by William E. Hatcher)
“Our Father, I think of all the pain and heartache, the tears and sorrow, the greed and cruelty unloosed around the world. Help me to be an instrument of Thine to alleviate the pain, by this day:
returning good for evil, returning soft answers for sharp criticisms, being polite when I receive rudeness, being understanding when I am confronted by ignorance and stupidity.
So may I, in gentleness and love, check the hasty answer, choke back the unking retort, and thus short-circuit some of the bitterness and unkindness that has overflowed Thy world. I ask this in the name of Jesus, who alone can give me the grace so to act. Amen.” (Closing Prayer: Peter Marshall)
My Lord Christ, my heart, my soul, is downcast, today, somewhat, as I’m sure are many in our land. I do not understand the hatred of mankind that leads to things like this, and all I can do is “take it to the Lord in prayer.” I pray for the “soul” of our nation, even though I know that a nation is not even real, it is just a construct, an idea, and has no soul. So I pray for the souls of the inhabitants of our nation, those souls that are so wracked with hatred that they cannot see the value of human life. Our nation is being torn apart by hatred, and the polarization is being encouraged from higher powers.
But I am confident in Your higher power, Lord, and that power rises above nations, boundaries, and colorful rags. I am a citizen of heaven, Lord Jesus, and that is where my allegiance lies and always will lie. You are my King, Jesus; You and only You. And I will spend my breath for the rest of my days praising You, singing a “new song” to You, and preaching of Your love and mercy, just as that John Jasper fellow spoke of.
I want to tell everyone what You have done for me in the last seven months, Jesus! I really do. I stand at the ready to answer any questions regarding my faith. So I pray to You to “bring it on,” Jesus! Lead them to me, let them ask me, and I will tell them. O Lord, open my lips and my mouth shall declare Your praise. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ! Because You, Christ, are everything! You are everything in this world, You are everything to me, and You are, ultimately, the only thing that matters.
You have poured and poured and poured Your love and mercy into me, over the last seven months, and I stand here totally gobsmacked at it all. I do not understand, but I no longer seek to understand. I embrace it, I revel in it, and I want everyone else to experience it, as well. So I pray that You open the hearts of everyone I know and that You would pour Your amazing love into their hearts until it overflows. I pray that You would open the hearts of everyone else, too; everyone I don’t know! I mean, why not? Father, there is no reason why You could not do that! But Your will be done, right? I pray that, but I also see that Your Word (which I love and adore and cherish more than ever) says that it is Your desire, Your will that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
I pray that You would use me, Lord, just as Peter Marshall’s beautiful prayer says, to ease the pain, to spread the light, to stop the hurting, to heal, to love, and whatever else You deem necessary as I serve as Your ambassador, Lord. These are not just words, not “vain repetitions,” but true desire. It is my heart’s desire to do whatever You want me to do, even unto death. I love not my life, Lord, so much that I would deny You this.
I have said that I am ready, prepared, to die for You and for the sake of Christ. But I also know that, as my pastor shared with me, that this also means that I am ready to LIVE for You! So I pray that You keep showing me how to do that, Lord, that I might be a better image-bearer of Christ, and that I might be a window through which all can get a glimpse of Your amazing, infinite, love for them. Make me smaller and smaller, Lord; Christ must increase, and I must decrease!
I pray for ongoing transformation, growth, and maturity by Your Spirit, and that I would continue to be molded by Your Word (Your Word is truth) until I stand in Your presence, Lord!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen.
Father, may I never fall into arrogance and pride. Keep my heart humbled, Lord! Always bring me to Your table, where You bring life from death. All I can say is I need You; All I can do is fall down on my knees; All I can offer is praise upon praise for the grace upon grace I have received . . . humble my heart, Lord Jesus!! You are my humble King!
Today is Thursday, the fourth day of September, 2025, in the Season of the Church.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
It is day 247 of 2025, with 118 days remaining.
Day 24,647 of my life
Eighteen days until the beginning of Autumn. We hit a high of 91 degrees, yesterday, two degrees higher than predicted. Today’s projected high is 101 (boo!!). The record high for this date, though, was still in 2000, with 110 degrees!! Tomorrow’s high is 100. And the average high over the next ten days is now 91.8. Ugh!! Summer go away!!!
Absolutely not! Holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die. And then, there’s this:
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14-15 ESV)
I take these words to heart, therefore, I do not hold grudges.
Today is a normal Thursday. C is at the office, and I am off work. I’ll be heading out for our ubiquitous Sonic drinks in just a few minutes. Tonight’s dinner will be a couple of my favorites, No Peek Chicken and Fried Corn and Onions. Plus I made one of those simple Jello-yogurt pies, this morning. You know the ones, right? Jello, a couple of containers of low-fat yogurt and a container of Cool Whip. Easy-peasy. No peas, though. That would be gross.
JESUS TIME
“Lord Jesus, by Your regenerating grace given in Baptism, You have made me a new creature through Your redeeming blood. I confess to You, Searcher of hearts, that in me also, that is in my sinful flesh, dwells all manner of evil thoughts, wicked desires, and sinful wishes. This evil is with me constantly and tarnishes my best efforts to do Your will; it plagues my conscience with guilt and shame. I come to You this morning confessing my own weakness and asking You, for the sake of Your suffering and death, to forgive me, to overlook my shortcomings, and to help me in my daily struggle against the old sinful nature. Do not let my flesh direct my thoughts and actions. Lovingly strengthen me so that I can daily put off the old man and all that he works against me, and put on the new man born in Baptism and created after You in righteousness and holiness. Daily make me purer in my desires, cleaner in my speech, and holier in my actions, so that I may be blameless in Your sight and a shining light in the world until You call me home and to perfection. Amen.” (Lutheran Book of Prayer, Prayer 12, for Thursday morning)
I’m really loving this new book of prayer that I got! And this morning’s prayer . . . it’s like Luther knew me!! So beautiful!! 💜💜💜
“What a blessedness, what a joy divine I’ll sing your story and you’ll sing mine Through the sands of time under ancient stars We are leaning on the everlasting arms”
Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. (Ezekiel 37:5 ESV)
Today I am grateful:
That You, O Lord, breathed life into these bones and made me live!
That I am a new creature by Your redeeming blood; please make me a shining light in the world until the day that You call me Home
That You are my only hope, Jesus; indeed, I am hopeless without You!
For each day, each hour, each breath that You give me 💜
That He who began this good work in me will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6)
For the impact that the biblical account of the Transfiguration of Jesus has on me! “Jesus, Jesus, nothing but Jesus, be my wish and my goal.”
Lord, in Your mercy, hear, now, the prayers lifted up to you for all who need strength, healing, comfort, and peace.
If you are reading this, I encourage you to stop and pray for someone, at this time. Or, if there is something on your heart, please leave a comment. What can I pray for you?
Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me! Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help! Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!” Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me! Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away! Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them! (Psalms 35:1-6 ESV)
Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!” Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long. (Psalms 35:27-28 ESV)
Once again, I will state that the one who contends against me is not flesh and blood. My enemy, the devil, seeks after my life and devises evil against me, tempting me, day after day. He is the one who fights against me, because he hates the work that Christ is doing in my life.
Rise up, O Lord, and take him down. Let him be put to shame. Let his defeat at the hands of Christ’s death and resurrection be final and complete for all eternity! Chase him away from me, Lord! Protect me from his schemes and strengthen my spirit against his temptations. As Luther prayed, my Lord, let not my flesh direct my thoughts and actions and words.
And “those who delight in my righteousness?” My wife, my family, my pastors, my Jesus Family!
“You are the Strong Lord. I stand my ground on the battle line – firm in Your love; grace; volition.
In the power of Your Spirit I face down enemies within and without. You don’t mince words with the wicked: those who harass the humble; who ridicule the righteous.
You are the Guardian of the Graced; the Champion of the Chosen; the One who goes before us; who fights on our behalf. . . .
I am hopeless without You.
I praise You, Lord, for You have delivered me from death’s door; raised me from ruin. You are the Deliverer of the Poor. Father of the Fatherless. Strengthener of the Weak. There is none like You. . . .
I am not concerned with my own defense – they can take me or leave me – only let them see You, Lord, in all Your glory. The Word Made Flesh, who tabernacled among us; our only hope. Be lifted high; be praised as You deserve.
If it brings You honor, defend me. If it brings You fame, intercede for me – only let them see Jesus in me. May they be ashamed of their careless words. May they repent of their lawlessness. . . .
I am a sojourner here; an exile in a foreign land. But I will praise You all the more, for each day, each hour, each breath You give.” (Excerpt from Sheltering Mercy: Prayers Inspired by the Psalms – Psalm 35: Strong Lord)
This prayer, this morning . . . so beautiful!
“It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:8 ESV)
I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice. (Ezekiel 34:15-16 ESV)
“There is none holy like the LORD: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.” (1 Samuel 2:2 ESV)
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6 ESV)
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5 ESV)
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 ESV)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV)
Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Revelation 2:10 ESV)
“I come again to a table set Remembering how You bring life from death The Author, Creator and crucified Savior Paid every price for my sin Forever and ever, amen
All I can say is I need You All I can do is fall down on my knees All I can offer is praise upon praise for the grace upon grace I’ve received From a humbled heart to the humble King”
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.
My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. (Proverbs 4:18-27 ESV)
The following is from For All the Saints – Thursday of the Week of Pentecost 12.
“O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of laziness, meddling, ambition and vain talk. But give me a spirit of prudence, humility, patience and love. Yes Lord and King grant me to see my own sins and faults and not judge my brother. For you are Blessed Forever and ever. Amen.” (Opening Prayer: Ephraem)
And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only. And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.” (Mark 9:2-13 ESV)
Before I go on, I have to say that this may have become my all-time favorite biblical account. I know that the Resurrection is powerful and meaningful, and we would be lost without it. But this?? The impact that this passage has had on my life is immeasurable! I think it may be one of the most overlooked events in the life of Christ, especially by the Baptist/non-denominational groups. I don’t think I ever heard a sermon on the Transfiguration until I became a Lutheran.
“Jesus Christ, the true book of life, wishes to imprint himself in the ground of our soul, so that through his spirit we might become the written, living copy, and letters of him, which cannot be read by everyone. To this end let us study eagerly in this Book. There is no danger in reading much in this Book. By doing so, one cannot damage the understanding; and where this happens it is only seen to so happen in the eyes of the world whose greatest wisdom is foolishness with God. I hope, then, and I wish from the ground of the soul, that the Father of our Lord Jesus will daily more and more transfigure his voice in us and make us great, so that everything else might become small and nothing, and our heart might be able to say with truth: Jesus, Jesus, nothing but Jesus, be my wish and my goal.” (Reading IV: Gerhard Tersteegen, From a letter to a friend on devotion to Jesus)
And this completely undid me, this morning. “Jesus, Jesus, nothing but Jesus, be my wish and my goal.” This is truly my life now. I keep saying it, and I will, deus volente, never stop saying it. Christ IS everything!
“Morning and evening I commit my soul to Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. Enable me, O God, to observe what He says to me: resolutely to obey His precepts and endeavor to follow His example in those things wherein He is exhibited to us as a pattern for our imitation. Make plain to me that no circumstance nor time of life can occur but I may find something either spoken by our Lord Himself or by His Spirit in the prophets or apostles that will direct my conduct, if I am but faithful to You and my own soul. Amen.” (Closing Prayer: Susanna Wesley)
Oh, my God and my Savior! Oh, Jesus Christ! My Lord and everything to me! I am undone, once again, by what You have brought to me, this morning (and this afternoon, apparently, because I am late getting this written). You are everything, my Lord! You are beautiful! I cannot stop declaring this! Oh, how I love You, Jesus! You are my life, and all that I am and have belong to You.
I give you praise upon praise for the grace upon grace that I have received for all my life. I praise You for the last six months of my life, in which You have utterly and completely destroyed me and built me back up from the foundations! It is unbelievable, Lord! I have no idea, still where we are going, but I am going. Whatever You have planned for me, I am ready and willing and waiting. As I rest in what You have done, You simply keep lifting me higher and higher, almost every day.
Strengthen me against the attacks of my enemy, though, because he is relentless and refuses to give up. Replenish me with Your Word and Sacrament each week, as well. I cannot wait to worship with my Jesus Family this Sunday, Lord, and we get to sing Your praises in the choir again, this Sunday morning. I pray for my pastors and everyone else that I know, Lord, that You would pour and pour and pour Your incredible love and mercy and grace into every single one of them.
And make me nothing, Lord, so that only You can be seen in me. I am lost without You; I am hopeless without You; I am nothing without You. But with You and in You, I am filled to overflowing with love and peace. Oh, Lord, open my lips and my mouth shall be filled with Your praise!! Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me! Teach me Your way, that I may walk in Your truth! And Lord, You make known to me the path of life, and I have found and experienced the fullness of joy in Your presence and the pleasures at Your right hand. I don’t ever want to be anywhere else.
Today is Wednesday, the third day of September, 2025, in the Season of the Church.
“May the peace of God wrap around you As you’re held in His love May He meet you with hope and healing and truth As You’re held in His arms.” (Held, Dana Miller and Megan Tibbits)
It is day 246 of 2025, with 119 days remaining.
There are 39 days left until C and I celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. We are planning a trip to Galveston for that event, if the Lord says so, too.
We have only nineteen days until my favorite season begins. We hit a high of 89 yesterday, one degree lower than predicted. Today’s high is predicted to be 89, as well. The record high for this date happened in 2000 (must have been a real hot streak that year, but I don’t remember it), with a high of 109! That’s pretty hot for this late in the year. The average high over the next ten days is now 88.1, definitely going the wrong direction! Tomorrow’s high is predicted at 102! Egad!! I’m definitely praying against that!!
Daily writing prompt
Share a story about the furthest you’ve ever traveled from home.
I’ll make it brief. the farthest I have been from home is only between 1700 and 1800 miles, to Bar Harbor, Maine. I have been out of the country, but only to parts of Mexico. We went to Chichen Itza once, which is less than a thousand miles from home.
That trip, though, to New England, was one of the highlights of my life. It was the year 2000, our 15th anniversary. It was our first time to go up there, and the colors were amazing! We visited many places on a whirlwind tour of New England, the farthest point being, as I said, Bar Harbor.
Today is an off Wednesday for me. C is working from home. We have choir practice tonight, starting back up for the fall semester, so I will need to get dinner ready early today. I have a couple of things to do this afternoon, as well.
JESUS TIME
“Lord Jesus, You have chosen me out of the world to be Your own in time and in eternity. Though I am no longer of this world, You have not yet taken me out of this earthly tent into my eternal home. I am still in this world surrounded by dangers I cannot begin to number and exposed constantly to temptation. Let me never forget that this world will end with all its evil pleasures and only those who do the will of God will abide forever. Increase and preserve in me that faith in You and in Your redeeming work which is the victory that overcomes the world. Give me that fervent love that would not think of choosing the things of this world – its riches, its glories, and its pleasures – and on their account forgetting You and Your salvation. Teach me to despise the world’s mockery, its hatred, and its threats, knowing that even if it should succeed in depriving me of some advantage in this life, it can never rob me of You and Your promise of life forever at Your side. While I yet travel through life, preserve me in the faith that claimed me as a child of Your heavenly household, until that time when You would receive me into my heavenly home. Amen.” (Lutheran Prayer Book, Prayer 10, for Wednesday morning)
“My soul finds rest in God alone, My salvation comes from Him My soul finds rest, God is my home I will not be shaken, I will not be shaken”
Jesus, You are my Home! Both now, and forevermore! You are my strength; I sing praise to You! In all circumstances, I sing praise to You, my Jesus! I am looking forward to a time of resting in You and what You have done in me. Remind my soul to be satisfied, Jesus!
Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go.” (Isaiah 48:17 ESV)
Today I am grateful:
That my soul finds rest in You alone, my Jesus!
That You are my Redeemer, and that You teach me and lead me in the way I should go
For friendships based in Christ and His redemptive love
That I have reached for God and, by His mercy, found Him
For hope, which is more than just wishing things will turn out okay, but resting in a God who holds all things in His hands
Lord, in Your mercy, hear, now, the prayers lifted up to you for all who need strength, healing, comfort, and peace.
If you are reading this, I encourage you to stop and pray for someone, at this time. Or, if there is something on your heart, please leave a comment. What can I pray for you?
I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! (Psalms 34:4-8 ESV)
“Father, may every word on my tongue be one of thanks to You; every thought in my mind a meditation on Your goodness. All I am, all I have, is from Your hand – You, the Giver; me, the happy recipient of breath and bread; of beauty, joy, and grace.
The wise among us know their own poverty; their unpayable debt to You. The only response is gratitude: heartfelt thanks for all You have done.
But You are not only Provider; not only Lord; You have condescended to dwell with us – a knowable God. I have reached for You and found You. I have known the comfort of Your Spirit; the tenderness of Your mercy. I have traded my worries for the peace of Your presence.
I am illumined by Your life, Your face shining upon me: a dim mirror, awaiting glory. How could I turn back to what I once was?
I was just a beggar at the door of grace, but You welcomed me in; heard my story; offered me a seat at Your table; commanded the hosts of Heaven to watch over me. I am a permanent guest in the house of God – a beneficiary of infinite kindness. In Your presence I lack nothing.” (Excerpt from Sheltering Mercy: Prayers Inspired by the Psalms – Psalm 34: Illumined by Life)
The rest of this prayer is equally good. I may have to do a separate blog entry just for this one prayer. It is so beautiful!
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 ESV)
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:26-27 ESV)
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. (Psalms 23:1 ESV)
Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. (Psalms 25:4 ESV)
He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40:11 ESV)
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 ESV)
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. (Romans 12:12 ESV)
Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:3-8 ESV)
“My God hath saved my soul from death And dried my falling tears Now to His praise I’ll spend my breath And my remain, remaining years”
The following is from For All the Saints – Wednesday of the Week of Pentecost 12.
“Almighty and everlasting God, always more ready to hear than we to pray and always ready to give more than we either desire or deserve, pour down on us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us the things of which our conscience is afraid and giving us the good things we are not worthy to ask but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.” (Opening Prayer)
And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”
Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table, like one of the king’s sons. And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba’s house became Mephibosheth’s servants. So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king’s table. Now he was lame in both his feet. (2 Samuel 9:1-13 ESV)
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.” (Mark 8:34-9:1 ESV)
In 2 Samuel 9:1-13, the story is told of how David honored Saul and Jonathan by bringing Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth to dine always at his table and restoring all of Saul’s lands and servants to Mephibosheth. We are reminded of 2 Samuel 1:26, in which David grieved the death of Jonathan, saying, “your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.”
In reading IV, today, Clarence Macartney, from Sermons on Old Testament Heroes, writes about this friendship. “David had a great heart; a heart, if we may so say, whose strings were almost too open to the gentle, yet strong winds of affection, both of men and of women. But this was the great affection of David’s life, his love for Jonathan. . . .”
Many friendships have selfish bases. There are clubs or associations that we join, so that we can make contacts for our businesses or other endeavors. But this friendship is possibly the greatest friendship in all of history, “a love at first sight and one that many waters could not quench nor floods of adversity drown.” And when we examine this, we find that Jonathan had nothing whatsoever to gain from it. In fact, he had everything to lose. The further David advanced, “the lower must sink the fortunes of Jonathan. If David became king, Jonathan would lose the throne.” Nothing to gain, except, perhaps, “the fervent love of a great heart like David’s. That meant more to Jonathan than the cheers of the army, the songs of the women, or the scepter of Israel. . . .”
The aftermath of this friendship is seen in David’s homage, if you will, to his great friend. He seeks no vengeance on the house of Saul, even though, by human standards, he had ever right. But, instead, “David was never more kingly, never more ‘a man after God’s heart,’ than at that moment. What he said was this: ‘Is there yet any left of the house of Saul that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?'”
“We are glad, our God, as we remember in this hour the benefits of your goodness in which we have found strength and courage to meet the problems of the common course of things we have to do. We thank you for our homes, our families, and our friends; for those who take an interest in us and whose love surrounds our way; for friendships that give meaning to our fellowship; and for hopes that inspire us to pray for ends that are upright and true. Above all, we thank you for that friend of all humankind, the man for others, who gave his life that we might live through him. May we never fail to praise and serve him so our lives may lead others to be subject to his care. Amen.” (Closing Prayer: Donald MacLeod)
Father, I thank You for this testimony of friendship that we have in Scripture, between David and Jonathan. There is so much in this friendship that flies in the face of traditional “masculinity,” which I have long rejected. And I thank You that You have given me such a friendship. I seem to think that You have given me a heart like David’s, as well, that is “almost too open to the gentle, yet strong winds of affection.” I am grateful, Lord, that You have given me the gift of tears, of a soft heart, that easily empathizes with people. I pray that You nurture this heart so that it is more and more like Your heart. I desire to be, like David, a man after Your own heart.
This does not mean that I am comparing myself to David. I would never.
I praise You, Jesus, that all that I am and all that I have is from Your hand. I am so very thankful for all that I have received from You, throughout my life, and especially this year. I have an unpayable debt to You, and my only true, fitting response is, indeed, gratitude, for I could never pay You back, and You do not desire repayment.
My God, I am thankful that You are, indeed, knowable. I have reached for You, and by Your grace and mercy, I have both found You, and been found by You. In the silence of my heart, I have known You and You have known me. I thank You, as well, for delivering me from the chaos and noise of my own brain. I pray that You protect me from the lies and whispers of our enemy.
Thank You for inviting me in and offering me a place at Your magnificent table of grace, where I am fed weekly by Your Body and Blood in Holy Communion. I thank You for pastors who faithfully feed me with Your Word, as well. They are such wonderful examples of Your love and mercy and grace.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen.
Today is Tuesday, the second day of September, 2025, in the Season of the Church.
“May the peace of God wrap around you As you’re held in His love May He meet you with hope and healing and truth As You’re held in His arms.” (Held, Dana Miller and Megan Tibbits)
It is day 245 of 2025, with 120 days remaining.
Day 24,645 of my life.
Twenty days until the beginning of Autumn. Old man Summer is not going quietly, though. Yesterday wasn’t bad, with a high of 87, one degree lower than predicted. However, today’s high is now projected at 90, with 91 tomorrow and {gasp!!} 100 Thursday!! Egad! The record high for this date was 108, again, in 2000. The average high for the next ten days, thanks to resurgence of heat, is 86.3. Here’s to hoping the predictions are wrong for Thursday and Friday (99 for Friday).
In the spirit of contentment, I will declare that my ideal home looks like the one in which I am living. We have loved this house ever since we moved in, and would literally change nothing about it (except maybe I wish we could put a cover over our deck in the back yard). This home has been ideal for us and will remain so until we leave this world. We have no plans to move, and it should be paid off in less than two years.
Yesterday was a fine day. I was really proud of C. As far as I know, she did absolutely no work, yesterday. After I got the groceries picked up and put away, C, Mama, and I played a game called Really Loud Librarians. It was so much fun!! It’s supposed to be a team game, so C and Mama were a team, and I was a team, even though there is no “I” in “team.” There is, however, a “me” in team, if you get creative. Anyway, they won two out of three games. The premise looks easy until it’s your turn and your brain freezes and can’t think of anything. I look forward to playing this game again. I think it would be fun with maybe six or eight people, but probably no more than that.
Today is a normal Tuesday. C is at the office, and I will be at the library from 4:15-8:15, working my four-hour shelving shift. There should be work to do, as the library was closed, yesterday.
JESUS TIME
On this Tuesday morning, dear God, I am thankful for Your mighty power. Your omnipresence is a comfort because, no matter where this day takes me, You are with me. In my car, at my desk, on my couch, wherever I am, You are there. Your omnipotence is a comfort because I know that all things are within Your power and nothing is beyond Your reach. Your omniscience is a comfort because I know You will handle any problem that comes up. Please help me remember Your might so that when I am confronted with anything today, small or large, I will go to You for answers, protection, power, and comfort. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. (Portals of Prayer – Prayer for Tuesday Morning)
“Jesus be all that I want Jesus You’re all that I need Jesus be Lord of my life Jesus be everything”
Jesus, You truly are all that I need. As I ask, seek, and knock today, I pray that I will know the beautiful nearness of Your presence. While I do desire the things that I pray for, what I desire the most is simply You; to know You, to be near You, to have You embrace me and completely fill my life and my heart with You.
I am so grateful that Jesus reminded me, last week, that He IS everything! This truth has had such an impact on me since this past March.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7 ESV)
Today I am grateful:
For this promise that Jesus gave to us
That Jesus is all that I need
That You, O Lord, have delivered my soul from sin and death
For the joy of walking by faith, not by sight
For the grace that has opened my eyes and heart to spiritual reality
Lord, in Your mercy, hear, now, the prayers lifted up to you for all who need strength, healing, comfort, and peace.
If you are reading this, I encourage you to stop and pray for someone, at this time. Or, if there is something on your heart, please leave a comment. What can I pray for you?
Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you. (Psalms 33:18-22 ESV)
“Joy! For the beauty of Your holiness! Joy! For the constancy of Your truth! Joy! For the might of Your justice! Joy! For the goodness of Your heart!
With all the citizens of Heaven I sing the wonders of Your name – with key, string, drum, voice – a merry racket; grateful praise for all You have done. . . .
Joy! For I walk by faith, not by sight. Grant me the gift of awestruck wonder, that I may learn the limit of my knowledge; the number of my days; and trust You, leaning not on my own understanding.
With great effort, I turn a phrase, but Your words make worlds.
Joy! For the beauty of Your holiness! Joy! For the constancy of Your truth! Joy! For the might of Your justice! Joy! For the goodness of Your heart! . . .
Your joy is an ambling brook; a river of gladness streaming from Your throne. My soul finds rest in its waters. I delight in trusting You.
Joy! For the beauty of Your holiness! Joy! For the constancy of Your truth! Joy! For the might of Your justice! Joy! For the goodness of Your heart! (Excerpt from Sheltering Mercy: Prayers Inspired by the Psalms – Psalm 33: The Sound of Joy)
I tell you, that bit about walking by faith and not by sight was exactly what I needed to read, this morning. Such joy from this. And this entire prayer, inspired by Psalm 33, was absolutely beautiful, this morning. I praise Jesus for His joy in my life!
if you seek [wisdom] like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. (Proverbs 2:4-8 ESV)
“All that my heart desires I see in You my God All that I’m longing for is found in You my God Your love flows like a river to my soul And You fill up my heart ’til it overflows”
I know this song has been coming up a lot, lately. But it describes exactly what God has been doing in me since February. So I’m not sorry. Plus, these guys sound like Tears for Fears.
The following is from For All the Saints – Tuesday of the Week of Pentecost 12.
“Let your continual mercy, O Lord, cleanse and defend your Church: and, because it cannot continue in safety without your help, protect and govern it always by your goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Opening Prayer)
“Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? . . . Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. Therefore you are great, O LORD God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.” (2 Samuel 7:18, 21-22 ESV)
I really feel like I can echo this prayer of David, in my life, this year. Who am I that God has done such miraculous wonders in my life? He has done great things for me. I have asked, “Why me?” My pastor’s response, “Why not you?” 💜
And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”
And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.
And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Mark 8:22-33 ESV)
“What must we do to read the Gospels with faith? It surely isn’t enough to believe that everything written there actually happened once: we owe that much respect to any book of profane history by a reputable author. To read the Gospels with faith is to believe that everything in them is actually happening now, that they’re a book of revelation, a book of discovery, that, far more than a history, they’re a prophecy. They tell us who we are and what we’re doing. They tell us how God lived among men.
“But God continues to live with us. He’s always the same, and so are we. What the Gospels relate is still going on today. They show us our life, how God loves us and how we treat Him – how we mistreat Him, too. So we mustn’t read them like ancient history, a pious memoir, a sentimental pilgrimage, but like the revelation they are: a revelation of God and of ourselves. We’re announced, foreseen and prophesied in them, and we’ve only to find the right place, the words that concern us and are spoken directly to us.” (Reading IV: Louis Evely, That Man Is You)
I found this reading to be very interesting, and worthy of meditating on, further.
“Dear Father in Heaven, as you revealed to the apostle Saint Peter the blessed truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, strengthen us in that same faith in our Savior that we too may joyfully confess that there is a salvation in no one else, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.” (Lutheran Worship)
And this from New Morning Mercies, by Paul David Tripp.
“Grace causes us to be alive to God and causes our eyes to be open to spiritual realities we once had no capacity to see.”
Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—
these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:6-16 ESV)
Paul Tripp calls this a “that says it all” passage. It points out our inability to “know all that we need to know in order to be what we’re supposed to be and to do what we’re supposed to do.” We simply cannot do these things by “personal experience and collective research.” We can only receive this wisdom by revelation. “God first reveals this wisdom to us in his grand redemptive book, the Bible, and then he opens our eyes and our hearts so that we can receive and understand what he has revealed.”
This, I believe, goes hand-in-hand with the reading excerpt from Louis Evely up there, about the Gospel being not just history, but current events, as well. God is still working . . . this is the reality. As my pastor once said, sin is real; hell is real; but God’s grace is “realer.” And heaven is our ultimate, eternal, spiritual reality. But these are things that can only be seen by God’s grace.
Father, who can contain the depths of Your love? Yet You pour it in and pour it in, until I am overflowing, Lord! I praise You for the joy that continues to flood my soul and overflow from it. I pray for protection against the devil’s schemes, which attempt to steal this joy, Lord, and are sometimes even successful when I find myself to self-absorbed and quit looking to Jesus for everything. I praise You for the beauty of Your holiness, for the constancy of Your truth, the might of Your justice, and the goodness of Your heart. In all of these things I find great joy, Father, as long as I keep my eyes fixed on Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of my faith.
Indeed, Lord, I walk by faith and not by sight. You reminded me of this, this morning, and it was exactly what I needed. Of course, You knew that, and that is why it appeared in front of me. I pray that You always help me remember that, so that my soul does not become troubled or cast down. Help me to always remember to trust You.
Lord, I thank You for Your Gospel messages. I pray that, as I read those words every day, You would remind me that they are not just history lessons, but that they are spiritual reality that is occurring today, in my life, in real time. Jesus is alive and active in today’s world, through the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us. Oh, how marvelous are the riches of Your grace, Lord, and I give You a thousand thank yous! Even that is not enough!
Above all, Lord, never let me again forget that Christ is everything. This colors my life, Lord. It is my reason for living; CHRIST is my reason for living! I must decrease and He must increase until there is nothing left in me but Him. Oh, how I long for Home, Lord, for that day when I will see my Savior face to face and feel His embrace forever!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen!
Listening To His Voice 