Daily Devotions

Throughout the Easter Season, the daily devotions have been written by members of Faith Lutheran Church. Today’s writer is Ella DeKunder.

“About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds.

Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back into heaven. Acts 10:9-16

When reading a passage of scripture, there are key words and phrases that stand out and really make the scripture more than the sum of its parts.  Reflecting over this passage, the words that really stuck out were the ones delivered to Peter from the voice of God, saying, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.”

In my opinion, this scripture can really be boiled down to these ten powerful words. Because you see, everything beforehand serves as a form of contextualization, a way of setting up the true message found at the end of the passage that was important when it was delivered, and is applicable now and forever.

I feel that we as humans have a bad habit of judging things or people that are different than us, under the pretenses that they are “unclean,” “profane,” or whatever other labels we give them. However, judging people or deeming who or what is acceptable is simply not our job. Many people have heard or used the catchphrase “only God can judge me,” which is an important phrase. But the reverse is equally true and that is “only God can judge the people who are not like me.” Everything God has created is beautifully and wonderfully made and we as God’s people have to know that it is not us that determines what is “clean” or “profane” but instead it’s God’s.

Let us pray: Lord, help us look beyond our personal judgements of what is right and wrong, or clean and unclean. Give us the strength and courage to trust in you and in your creation. Help us reach out to others and spread your love. In your name we pray, Amen.

Throughout the Easter Season, the daily devotions have been written by members of Faith Lutheran Church. Today’s writer is Pastor Junfeng Tan.

“In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian Cohort, as it was called. He was a devout man who feared God with all his household; he gave alms generously to the people and prayed constantly to God. One afternoon at about three o’clock he had a vision in which he clearly saw an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius.” He stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” He answered, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa for a certain Simon who is called Peter; he is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.”

When the angel who spoke to him had left, he called two of his slaves and a devout soldier from the ranks of those who served him, and after telling them everything, he sent them to Joppa.”  Acts 10:1-8

Jesus says, “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.” (Matthew 7:7) Cornelius, a Gentile and a Roman centurion, kept asking, searching, and knocking on the door for years. At last, his prayers had been answered on God’s timing. Through a miraculous dream, the angel of God made a plan to connect Cornelius to Apostle Peter, who later came to the house of Cornelius and baptized him and his whole household. This event was one of the church’s earliest missionary efforts to the Gentiles. It demonstrated in a powerful way that God shows no partiality, that the plan of God’s salvation is designed for people of all races and social status.

Faith Chinese Fellowship is Faith’s outreach ministry to the Chinese. Many attendees of Faith Chinese Worship hear the story of Jesus Christ for the first time. Some of them are baptized and become faithful followers of Jesus Christ. In a very real sense, the story of Cornelius meeting Peter is reenacted here at the corner of Ave B and Bellaire Blvd every Sunday and throughout the week.

All English speakers and Chinese speakers of Faith Lutheran are participants in God’s unfolding story of making all things new. Thanks be to God.

Let us pray: Gracious and loving God, purge me of prejudices against those whom I do not know.  Help me to reach out to strangers with the love you have shown to me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Throughout the Easter Season, the daily devotions have been written by members of Faith Lutheran Church. Today’s writer is Yvonne Moody.

“Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs.

Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them.

 Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.” Acts 9:36-43

I did not have a positive reaction to this text the first time I read it. First, we don’t know much about Tabitha, except that apparently, she was a good person and well liked, but she got sick and died. When Peter arrives, he is surrounded by widows, who are weeping and grieving over the loss of Tabitha. They admired her so much that they showed off her fine seamstress accomplishments. Then Peter asks everyone to leave, and after praying, Tabitha is raised from the dead. Just like that.

Maybe I’m too sensitive. Maybe I’m skeptical. I’ve been widowed for three years now, and in the span of just one month this past summer, I lost both my grandmother and my father. I haven’t had one glimpse of hope that my loved ones will be raised from the dead. So, what am I to think about this text?

Well, if I’ve learned anything about grief, it’s that you don’t do it alone (or at least you shouldn’t). I’ve had lots of people show up in my life, just like the widows in this text, to grieve with me and help me keep going. And now I am much more aware of being sensitive to grief in other people’s lives.

As Christians, we are called to walk together. To care for the sick and lonely. And I feel that in my life every day. When I come to church, I know there will always be someone willing to sit with me if I don’t want to sit alone. And if I’m having a bad day, and shed some tears during the service, inevitably there’s someone near to give a hug and a word of encouragement.

So, do I believe in miracles? Absolutely! But I’ve come to realize that most miracles today aren’t the grand gestures we might hope for, but they happen every day in small acts of kindness and love. And I hold on to the hope that one day, we will all get to experience heaven, and then I will be reunited with the loved ones that I miss so much.

Let us pray: Lord, we don’t always react the way you would want us to. Help us to see beyond our own pain and wants in life, to the life that you would have us live. Help us to be present with those in need. And, when we are the ones hurting, teach us to reach out for help and be willing to be loved by those who do so in your name. Let us love one another, as you have loved us. In Jesus, name. Amen.

Throughout the Easter Season, the daily devotions have been written by members of Faith Lutheran Church. Today’s writer is Zach Boihem.

“After some time had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night so that they might kill him; but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. When he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, brought him to the apostles, and described for them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.

So he went in and out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He spoke and argued with the Hellenists; but they were attempting to kill him. When the believers learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.”  Acts 9:23-30

In this passage of Scripture, we see Saul just after his encounter with Jesus in a vision – the encounter where Jesus famously says, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Earlier in this chapter, before the miraculous vision Saul has, he was threatening to seize and even murder the followers of Jesus.

Understandably, as Saul made his way to Jerusalem, the disciples were afraid of him because of all the terrible rumors they had heard about him. The disciples didn’t realize, however, that Saul was a changed man. Thankfully, one of the disciples named Barnabas was willing to look past the rumors and give Saul a chance.

I love how Barnabas saw something in Saul that the other disciples in Jerusalem didn’t see immediately. Despite the fact that Saul was formerly a fervent persecutor of the church and even a terrorist of sorts, Barnabas’ initial willingness to trust Saul is perhaps one of the main catapults that launched the great apostle to become one of the prominent figures of the early church.

In the book of 1 Samuel, we hear the Lord say to Samuel, “The Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). I would not be surprised if Barnabas was thinking about these words when he was willing to give Saul a chance.

How often do we make superficial judgments about others because of their race, gender, social status, or even their past? We all have a past, and we all have certain labels that are attributed to us through no fault of our own. Obviously, we do not choose the race, gender, or social class we are born into. And while we have certainly made some poor decisions in our past, hopefully we have repented and moved forward, just like Saul did.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, may we show mercy to others as you have shown mercy to us, in spite of our sin and our shortcomings. Help us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Amen.

Throughout the Easter Season, the daily devotions have been written by members of Faith Lutheran Church. Today’s writer is Sabrina Schlather.

“For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” All who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah.” Acts 9:19b-22

Prior to this verse in Acts, Saul had converted to a Christian and had begun to become the Apostle Paul. We see this through his proclamation that Jesus is the son of God and his willingness to prove that when he was challenged. Paul has had an encounter with Jesus and had just become a Christian.

Although Paul has not yet experienced much of the Christian faith, he is sharing with the people what he knows to be true from his encounter with Jesus and the enlightenment it has brought him. We see through Paul’s willingness to proclaim Jesus as the son of God, that he is willing to learn and continue to grow in his journey of Christianity.

Our life in the faith of Christianity is a journey, we don’t always know the answers to why something happens or even how it happened, but we trust in God that it will turn out to be ok and that we will learn from the experiences we have. Paul’s trust in Jesus and willingness to follow him regardless of his lack of answers exemplifies what we as people of God do everyday.

Acts tells us in this chapter that God can take enemies and transform them into a powerful advocate. Before becoming a Christian himself, Paul persecuted Christians, but then turned out to be a person to spread the Gospel to the world. The conversion of Saul to the Apostle Paul reminds us that nothing is impossible from our God.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, help us to remember as we grow in our faith, through you, nothing is impossible. Amen.

Throughout the Easter Season, the daily devotions have been written by members of Faith Lutheran Church. Today’s writer is Laura Swanson.

“But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.” Acts 9:15-19a

Dear friends of Faith, I think today’s scripture is filled with good news about second chances and doing what God has called us to do through his Son, Jesus Christ. It was miraculous that Saul’s sight was restored by the healing hands of Ananias. It was miraculous that Saul, who was once a persecutor of Christians, came to believe in Jesus as the Messiah and was baptized. It was miraculous that Ananias and Saul heard Jesus and acted on his instructions.

My life at the moment is filled with noise. On some days it is joyful noise, like the voices of family and friends.  On other days the noise is crushing, like when I turn on the news or the “committee” inside my head tells me I am not enough today.  There is a lot static and noise when I over-commit then under-deliver. With all the noise in my life, I wonder if I could hear God?

In the recovery community, one hears that willingness (to be honest) is the cornerstone of sobriety. And, if one is “willing to take certain steps” he can live a life free from the bondage of addiction.  I think willingness in the life of a Christian is just as powerful.  It takes willingness on our part to open our ears and hear. It takes willingness and courage to begin a new journey; one that may not feel comfortable because it is new and different.

In closing, Saul was chosen by Jesus to be an instrument.  Saul heard the call and followed instructions.  Ananias was chosen to be a messenger and to heal Saul.  Each one did his part. How can I do my part today?

Let us pray: Dear Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thank you for Faith Lutheran and your many blessings. Please open my ears and my heart so I might hear you today.  Please fill me with compassion, joy, insight, energy, optimism and willingness to do your will.  Praise be to you, oh God. Amen.

Throughout the Easter Season, the daily devotions have been written by members of Faith Lutheran Church. Today’s writer is Luetta Allen.

“Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.” Acts 9:10-14

As a disciple from Damascus, Ananias would be exactly the type of person that Saul was hunting in order to persecute.  Even though Saul was blind at the time, he was still potentially very dangerous to Ananias personally, as well as to his community of Christians.  It is interesting that Ananias knew immediately that he was communicating with God himself.  A first response of “Here I am, Lord” implies eagerness to hear and serve.  However, he learns that the call is to minister to Saul.  Then instead of eager obedience, he pointed out the evil of Saul.  He even references Saul by the phrase “this man” instead of by name.  He knew Saul’s name.  If not by Saul’s reputation which seems to have preceded him, then by God calling Saul by name when he ordered Ananias to go to him.  And yet Ananias would not acknowledge him as a person with a name.

It would appear that Ananias was less than eager.  It would appear that Ananias was questioning not only God’s plan to send him to such a person and put Ananias in a dangerous situation, but was also questioning that it was a good plan to save Saul and use him of all people to advance God’s will.   He responded to God with fear.  Ananias shows himself to be very…human.

Let us pray: Dear God, you know our hearts; our desire to be what you want us to be, as well as our fears and frailties that sometimes get in the way.  Help us to remember that you are in control and we can trust you. Amen.

Throughout the Easter Season, the daily devotions have been written by members of Faith Lutheran Church. Today’s writer is Jeannette Sebesta.

“Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” Acts 9:1-6

There are several times throughout the Bible where the Lord had appeared to someone and asked them to do something they were not sure they could do.  God said to Moses at the burning bush to go and tell his people “the Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God Jacob has sent me to you…” This was before the great exodus out of Egypt. Even back in Genesis, Abraham is told to take his son, Isaac, up into the mountains to be a burnt offering.

Each time after the encounter with God, they do what He has asked them to do and helps each of them with how to tell the people what to expect and then do. Saul was converted after just such an experience with God. Before his conversion, Saul was threatening and even killing the disciples of the Lord. As Saul and several men were going to Damascus, a light from heaven flashed around him and he became blind. His friends had to lead him to Damascus where for three days he was blind and did not eat or drink anything. Ananias, a disciple, was then also called by God in a vision to go to Saul. He did as he was told and when he placed his hands on Saul, scales fell from his eyes. Y

ou never know when God might call you. You just have to be ready and accept that God will help you with whatever that might be.

Let us pray: Dear heavenly Father, help us to be ready for whatever you need us to do and grant us the wisdom to respond where and when needed. Amen.

Throughout the Easter Season, the daily devotions have been written by members of Faith Lutheran Church. Today’s writer is Dave Gohlke.

“Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” The eunuch asked Philip, “About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?” He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.” Acts 8:32-38

This story recounted in Acts begins with Philip being commanded by God to go to the road leading from Jerusalem to Gaza.  There Philip encounters an Ethiopian eunuch – a dark skinned, powerful person, essentially the finance minister of Ethiopia, in charge of all the treasure of the queen. He was riding in a chariot and reading from a scripture of Isaiah he had likely purchased in Jerusalem – near the beginning of the long return journey to Ethiopia after having come to Jerusalem to worship in the temple.  As a eunuch, by Jewish law he would have been denied entry to the Temple itself, even after making the ardous journey (likely 2 months or more) from his home country far to the south in Africa. Still, he is pious, reading from scripture and open to learning more about God.

The Old Testament passage the eunuch is reading describes one who is silent, humiliated, denied justice and led to execution.  When the eunuch asks Philip to interpret the scripture, Philip shares “the good news about Jesus,” the lamb who was humiliated, denied justice, and slaughtered, and by whose grace we are gifted with salvation.  Upon hearing the Good News, the eunuch asks to be baptized, and Philip welcomes him into the body of baptized believers.

Who are you in this story?  Are you Philip, called by God to share the Good News, to baptize and welcome new believers into the Church, no matter where they are from, what color their skin is, or what their immigration status is?  Are you the Ethiopian, denied entry to the Temple because of your status?  An outsider, humiliated and denied justice?  Or are you all of these, sometimes hurting, feeling outside the circle, feeling as if we are denied justice, but still always called to be on the lookout for others who are hurting more and with whom we can share the Good News, by treating them as Jesus would, by feeding them, clothing them, or visiting them in prison?

Let us pray: God most holy and high, Jesus humiliated and denied justice, guide us through the Holy Spirit to share the Good News in service to others, and let us be open to receiving the Good News when we are hurting.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Throughout the Easter Season, the daily devotions have been written by members of Faith Lutheran Church. Today’s writer is George Amundson.

“Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a wilderness road.) So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to this chariot and join it.” So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” He replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him.” Acts 8:26-31

I am so like Philip. He is pushed and shoved to do something that is out of his comfort zone. How difficult do we find talking about God’s Word and our belief in those words. I continue to blame it on the fact that I am a Lutheran and we just have a hard time stepping out onto that ledge.  What an embarrassing excuse.

Our Church wide goal this year is to “increase the number of first time guests” and once we get them here how do we “make them feel that they belong.” We will get together as a congregation in August to evaluate how successful we were.  We are told and we know deep down, the best way to get someone to come to Church is by a personal invitation.

Maybe we could replace our deteriorating stained glass wall with a wall of glass so that as people drove by on Bellaire Blvd they could see in and want to be a part of what they saw. Maybe we could start a Mother’s Day Out Program or a Day School; how about calling a Pastor that speaks Mandarin and start a Chinese Ministry; what about some apartments that offer reasonable fees for people who need affordable housing while they or their loved ones  are being treated at our Medical Center. Then, people would be standing in line to visit us. Well, these are all programs that we should be proud of but, the reality is, we need to personally invite our friends and neighbors to “Come and See.”

If we could just open our hearts and minds and listen to the Holy Spirit we could be like Philip and “Go over to this chariot and join it.”

Let us pray: Sundays are game day where we try to make everyone feel that they belong, Monday through Saturday, when we are at work and/or play is when we ask that you open the eyes of our hearts and help us invite our friends and neighbors to “Come and See.” In Jesus’ name, amen.