SUN devotional on MON

Sorry . . . This devotional will be a little abstract random.

This devotion will deal with the topic of death . . . but please bear with me, if it's not too much trouble. On SAT 6/24, we were greatly privileged to spend time w/some of my brother-in-law Jerry's * family& my own family as we joined in a memorial celebration of his mother Evelyn's life & death in Christ.
* He's married to Lois' baby-sister Anita.

I think I've shared this before. Well, I'm sharing it again. [Remember? It's MY blog.] Death has been on my mind a lot since the first of the year. My Aunt Dolores died. My Uncle Harold died. Very good friends of ours had their baby still-born very recently. And Jerry's mother Evelyn died earlier this year. 

Yesterday's church service @ Grace Norfolk contained a lot of "prompts" that brought comfort & help to those grieving death. Here they are. I apologize IF I get a little preachy. *
* Those of you who follow my blog know that this is what's called a qualified apology. "I apologize IF . . . "

Epistle Reading from Rom. 6:20-23

When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are not ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. MY COMMENT:  Part of the curse of sin is being enslaved by it & not even knowing it. There is only one penalty for sin, & that penalty is death. Regardless of how we remember our loved ones, their death was the result of sin. But wait! That's not the end of the story! Christ Jesus--our Savior who conquered sin, death, & Satan--makes His free gift of eternal life available to all, including our loved ones, including you & me. We are saved by grace through faith.

Hymn:  "On Eagles' Wings" *

(St. 1) "You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord,
Who abide in His shadow for life,
Say to the Lord, 'My refuge, My rock in whom I trust.'
(Refrain) And He will raise you up on eagles' wings, 
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun, And hold you in the palm of His hand."

(St. 4) "For to His angels He's given a command
To guard you in all of your ways;
Upon their hands they will bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
(Refrain) And He will raise you up on eagles' wings, 
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun, And hold you in the palm of His hand."
* LSB #727

One of my favorite hymns, because (1) the imagery it invokes suggests angels bearing us to heaven on their majestic wings; & (2) LHNE--The Eagles!

The Apostles' Creed *

"I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting." **

* Third Article
** Jesus' death & resurrection make possible our own forgiveness, resurrection, & eternal life.

Hymn: "Have No Fear, Little Flock" *

(St. 2) "Have good cheer, little flock; Have good cheer, little flock,
For the Father will keep you In His love forever; Have good cheer, little flock."
* LSB #735

Another favorite hymn. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, willingly gives up His life for the sheep. That would be you & me. We may have good cheer, knowing that our Heavenly Father will keep us in His love forever--that's eternal life!

And finally . . . 

The Gospel Reading from Matt. 10:29-31

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from you Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." MY COMMENT:  Do you mean to tell me, St. Matthew, that those sparrows whose nest I consistently knock out out of rafters of my patio every year because they are such a nuisance, those sparrows do not fall w/o my heavenly Father's permission? Uh, yeah . . . I'm pretty sure that's what St. Matthew is writing by divine inspiration of the H.S. If that's how much value the Father devotes to--in my estimation--two worthless sparrows--I can have confidence in knowing that I & my loved ones have inestimably more value than they.