THE GLORY OF THE LORD

Habakkuk 2:14.  “The time will come when all the earth is filled, as the waters fill the sea, with an awareness of the glory of the Lord.” The Living Bible

CALMNESS FROM CONFIDENCE

"Calmness comes from within us when we are confident in God's Word. Painful trials produce maturity, which leads to love!" Gary Smalley & John Trent, Men's Devotional Bible

A DIVIDED MIND

"Do not be anxious about your life." (Matt. 6:25) "When your mind is divided by many things, you may be mentally & sometimes physically pulled apart with worry. It is easy to fix your thoughts on food, shelter, money, cars, toys, pensions, health, friends, family, jobs, status, & so forth. These thoughts often cause you to be stretched apart & paralyzed with worry.

"Instead, Jesus is telling you to relax, to take a deep breath. He is telling you to stop looking at the chaos of the world that tries to divide you into a thousand pieces. He says, 'Do not worry about your life,' because God the Father cares for you . . . The Lord who created & sustains this world has snatched you from death unto life & will keep you today & forevermore." Matthew Richard, Minute Messages

LUTHER SPEAKS TO WAR IN THREE WAYS

"First, serving in the military is a good & honorable vocation. Luther calls us to be honorable in our vocations. A wife, husband, mom & dad are all good callings, & we are to be good & decent at it, not abusive & lazy. So also for the warrior in his duty:  He should not harm beyond what is necessary, he should care for the wounded & so on. That is, he is to serve honorably in his vocation.

"Second, Luther wants the warrior to know where his strength resides. It is not in the justness of a nation's cause, but rather all his trust, strength & hope is in Jesus. The Christian warrior is not justified in his work because the rulers of the nation went to war for a just reason; rather, he is justified because Christ suffered & died for his sins & bestowed on him forgiveness. He is, therefore, just because he serves as a Christian warrior.

"Third, Luther addresses the question of whether warriors can wage combat against their own people. This was a recent issue for Luther. Germany had just concluded The Peasants' War (1524-1525). The peasants had rebelled against the godly authority placed over them, & rulers had the right--even the responsibility--of putting down this rebellion for the sake of bringing peace, fairness & righteousness within the realm.

"Finally, Luther entreats the solder to trust in God, both for his daily provision & to protect him in battle. He spoke against 'good luck charms,' which as the time might have taken the form of relics (often pieces of bone or other items purportedly being from a saint). In a clear pastoral tone, Luther tells warriors not to trust in saints or amulets but in Christ alone. Even warriors today struggle with this.

"The doctrine of the two kingdoms helps us understand how Christians can serve as warriors. In the left-hand kingdom, God rules through the government, which cares for its citizens & enforces the law of the land. In the right-hand-kingdom, God bestows His grace through the proclamation of His Word in the church. Christian soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, & coastguardsmen live at the intersection of these two kingdoms. Christian warriors go to battle both as agents of the state& as Christians, forgiven in the blood of Christ." Rev. Steven Hokana, The Lutheran Witness, June/July 2022

A COMMUNION HYMN

Jesus Comes Today with Healing (LSB #620, Sts. 1, 6)

Jesus comes today with healing, Knocking at my door, appealing, Off'ring pardon, grace & peace. He Himself makes preparation, And I hear His invitation:  "Come & taste the blessed feast."

Now have I found consolation, Comfort in my tribulation, Balm to heal the troubled soul. God, my shield from ev'ry terror, Cleanses me from sin & error, Makes my wounded spirit whole.