July 2023
And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.” And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” (Judges 6:14-16 ESV)
God called Gideon to save the Israelites, his Chosen People, from Midian—who had been bullying and oppressing the Israelites for years. He used no uncertain terms—God would win this battle and was inviting Gideon along for the ride. But if you’ve read Judges 6-7 you know that Gideon didn’t just feel uncertainty, he lived in it. Throughout his story, Gideon encounters fear and doubt… and immediately runs to hide—even while we are yelling like viewers of a horror film that he should be running to GOD! We think we know better just because it isn’t us, don’t we? But when uncertainty and fear pop up in our own lives, what do we do?
I got the incredible opportunity to speak to youth and teens at the CLB Warm Beach Camp at the end of June, something I have not ceased thanking God for because of how it has impacted my heart and others. I put significant time and effort into preparing my messages and studying the story of our friend Gideon. However, there was still a voice in my head telling me negative thoughts: I wasn’t good enough; I don’t deserve this; who am I to do something so important? All modern English ways to say what Gideon said to God: “How can I save Israel? I am the least in my father’s house.”
Or later, when Gideon asks God to speak to him through the miracles of the fleece saying, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, behold I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” (Judges 6:36-37)
Just like Gideon, I went to God for reassurance often as I prepared for what he called me to do. I asked if he was sure in his choice of me, a silly question to ask the God who formed the world and knows everything. God answered me through the gentle words of a friend, Stacia Systma. She has been pointing me to the Lord for years: mentoring me in ministry; caring for me as a friend; and giving me this opportunity by inviting me to partner with her at Warm Beach, alternating between age groups. She sat with me in my uncertainty, then gently and firmly reminded me that I am not able to change God’s plan. He will work and minister; He will love and save. God is winning the battle; I am simply invited to come along for the ride. He will give me the words to say and the things to do; the Holy Spirit will do the rest. So, really, it’s all him anyways.
Relief washed over me. It is not up to me. What a gift from God, to be invited into a ministry that he can just as easily do without me.
The next day I did my message just as I had planned and I had to laugh at myself a bit. I read the end of the story, telling the teens in front of me that God won the battle, not Gideon and his tiny 300 man army. Then I rewound the story, to remind them (and myself) of how it started—with Gideon pleading with God, plagued by uncertainty and negative thoughts about himself as he said of himself and the Midianites “Lord how can I do this when they are so big and I am so small?”
Then I read Ephesians 2:4-10, focusing on verse 8. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”
Another relief: my salvation is not my own doing. It is not reliant on my performance, my study, my words. By grace I have been saved, through faith. And if I’m honest, even my faith is a gift I receive from God. He has done it all for me, just like he did for Gideon. This is not news to me, as I go to the cross and hear Jesus’ cry of “IT IS FINISHED.” Instead, this is a reprieve from my uncertainty and fear. God has won the battle and invited me to minister alongside him. What a gift.
Lord, please continue to remind us that our salvation is not our own doing, that our faith is a gift, and that we are invited into ministry alongside you, not on our own. Thank you for the reassurance you give us, thank you for coming to us when we run and hide in fear. Convict me when I am trying to fight my own battles, bring me back to the truth that you have won every battle. Thank you for sending Jesus, thank you for dying to save us even when we don’t deserve it. Thank you for inviting us into ministry while you are doing the heavy lifting. Thank you for a salvation by grace through faith. Amen.
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Beka NadwickDirector of Youth and Worship Ministries at Word of Life Church
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June 2023
I lift my eyes up to the mountains - where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your food slip - he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you - the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121:1-8 (NIV)
This spring, our daughter Ellie Bourque was called by the CLB Council of Directors to be a missionary to Chad, Africa. It was not a surprise; she has been working toward this goal for the past two years as she attended the seminary in Fergus Falls and took other classes online in preparation for being sent.
We have known since she was thirteen that Ellie was called to the mission field. My husband and I took her on a mission trip with our church to Guatemala, and it was apparent to us that it was her calling. She was in her element, even as a young teen. When she graduated from high school she went to Costa Rica and spent several years there in that mission field, before coming home and enrolling in nursing school. Now she is ready to go to the mission field.
There have been times over the past fifteen years when I have struggled as her mom to let her go. Many people, both Christian and non-Christian, have asked me, “How can you let your daughter go across the world?” (Sometimes in less kind words!) The answer is that I fought a hard battle with God about that issue, and he gave me not only peace, but joy in sending her. 3 John 1:4 says, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth,” (NIV) and that has become true for me. Will I miss her as she journeys to live on the other side of the earth? Absolutely. But I rejoice that she will be fulfilling God’s call on her life and living fully for him; there is no greater joy for me than that. When I had a particularly tough day while she was in Costa Rica, God spoke clearly to me and told me that He has her in his hands, and I do not need to worry about her; He loves her even more than I do.
But that’s what we do, right? Moms worry and fret, and even though I honestly had joy in the thought of sending my daughter to Chad next year, I worried that she was going alone, a single woman to a Muslim country. Would she be safe? Would she feel safe? Would she be respected, would her message be heard? I have a group of faithful friends who pray together, and we started praying a couple years ago that God would send Ellie a husband who would have the same heart as she does for missions. Our family prayed. Our church family prayed. People were praying that prayer, and I didn’t even know it.
And so I prepared my heart to send my girl to Africa alone, knowing that God has her in his hands. But God, in his infinite grace and mercy - and amazing timing - had other plans. This spring Ellie became engaged to Matthias Szobody - a man with a heart for God and teaching (and for Ellie!). We rejoiced when we heard the news of their engagement because they are so happy, and we rejoiced because our prayers have been answered. God is so good.
But one of the most amazing parts of this story is the reaction of people in our lives who hear the news for the first time. Almost to a person, we have heard, “I’ve been praying for this!” It has been amazing to me to know how many people have been praying for my daughter, even though I know she is well-loved wherever she goes. It didn’t surprise me so much when people at church told me they had been praying about Ellie’s marital status, but it did when colleagues at work mentioned the same thing!
And so now we are joyfully planning a wedding for this summer, and I wonder if God did this on purpose, to help us to rejoice in the sending. We get to welcome a new son to our family and send them on their way to France for a year before they move to Chad, and we do it with hearts full of thanksgiving for His grace, faithfulness, and everlasting love.
The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Father, thank you that you have all of our comings and goings in your hand, that you never leave us nor forsake us, and that you love us with an everlasting love. Help me to remember this as I go through my days, and to leave my worries and cares at your feet. You are so good, Lord, and I praise you!
Amen!
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your food slip - he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you - the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121:1-8 (NIV)
This spring, our daughter Ellie Bourque was called by the CLB Council of Directors to be a missionary to Chad, Africa. It was not a surprise; she has been working toward this goal for the past two years as she attended the seminary in Fergus Falls and took other classes online in preparation for being sent.
We have known since she was thirteen that Ellie was called to the mission field. My husband and I took her on a mission trip with our church to Guatemala, and it was apparent to us that it was her calling. She was in her element, even as a young teen. When she graduated from high school she went to Costa Rica and spent several years there in that mission field, before coming home and enrolling in nursing school. Now she is ready to go to the mission field.
There have been times over the past fifteen years when I have struggled as her mom to let her go. Many people, both Christian and non-Christian, have asked me, “How can you let your daughter go across the world?” (Sometimes in less kind words!) The answer is that I fought a hard battle with God about that issue, and he gave me not only peace, but joy in sending her. 3 John 1:4 says, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth,” (NIV) and that has become true for me. Will I miss her as she journeys to live on the other side of the earth? Absolutely. But I rejoice that she will be fulfilling God’s call on her life and living fully for him; there is no greater joy for me than that. When I had a particularly tough day while she was in Costa Rica, God spoke clearly to me and told me that He has her in his hands, and I do not need to worry about her; He loves her even more than I do.
But that’s what we do, right? Moms worry and fret, and even though I honestly had joy in the thought of sending my daughter to Chad next year, I worried that she was going alone, a single woman to a Muslim country. Would she be safe? Would she feel safe? Would she be respected, would her message be heard? I have a group of faithful friends who pray together, and we started praying a couple years ago that God would send Ellie a husband who would have the same heart as she does for missions. Our family prayed. Our church family prayed. People were praying that prayer, and I didn’t even know it.
And so I prepared my heart to send my girl to Africa alone, knowing that God has her in his hands. But God, in his infinite grace and mercy - and amazing timing - had other plans. This spring Ellie became engaged to Matthias Szobody - a man with a heart for God and teaching (and for Ellie!). We rejoiced when we heard the news of their engagement because they are so happy, and we rejoiced because our prayers have been answered. God is so good.
But one of the most amazing parts of this story is the reaction of people in our lives who hear the news for the first time. Almost to a person, we have heard, “I’ve been praying for this!” It has been amazing to me to know how many people have been praying for my daughter, even though I know she is well-loved wherever she goes. It didn’t surprise me so much when people at church told me they had been praying about Ellie’s marital status, but it did when colleagues at work mentioned the same thing!
And so now we are joyfully planning a wedding for this summer, and I wonder if God did this on purpose, to help us to rejoice in the sending. We get to welcome a new son to our family and send them on their way to France for a year before they move to Chad, and we do it with hearts full of thanksgiving for His grace, faithfulness, and everlasting love.
The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Father, thank you that you have all of our comings and goings in your hand, that you never leave us nor forsake us, and that you love us with an everlasting love. Help me to remember this as I go through my days, and to leave my worries and cares at your feet. You are so good, Lord, and I praise you!
Amen!
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Amy BourqueWMCLB Secretary & WMCLB Eastern Region Co-PresidentAmy Bourque is the Secretary of WMCLB and also serves as the president of the Eastern Region WMCLB. She and her husband Kevin live in East Hartland, CT, and are members of Bethany Lutheran Brethren Church. She is an educator in the local school and mom to five children, including Ellie.
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May 2023
"This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again.
"They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
"But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their vile images and detestable idols, I will bring down on their own heads what they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD.”
Ezekiel 11:17-21 (NIV)
The Israelites are forgetful. In the Old Testament there is reminder after reminder of who God is, and what he has done for them. After almost every crisis, there comes a summary of their history. Remember when God saved you out of Egypt? Remember when God gave you manna in the desert? Remember the promise he made to Abraham?
For a brief time, they served God and loved Him. But then years passed and they forgot. They worship other gods. They worship themselves. The hearts that once beat for their Heavenly Father, forget the sound of his voice and pull in a different direction.
“I will give you back the land of Israel again. They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them.”
We tend to rate sins as Christians. We know its wrong, but it’s also easier to think of some sins as worse, when they are obvious and up front. The problem is that we can’t see a person’s heart. You can’t see if someone is arrogant or if they think they are better than others. You can’t see coveting. You can’t see if someone is disgruntled with the gifts God has given them and greedy for more. You can’t see if someone does not love people. These are sins of the heart, and only God can see what’s in our heart. He knows when we serve the idol of self. When we sin, we build hard layers over our heart. When I am proud, greedy, lustful, or coveting my husband’s ability to leave the house and go to work, my heart becomes hard. I am turning away from God’s ways and choosing my own.
Growing up I knew I was sinful, but that was for me just a condition I had been born with. I didn’t really believe my sinfulness was my own fault, it was the fault of Adam and Eve. I remember vividly the first time I really understood my own wretchedness. I was on a youth trip to Waterton National Park. We hiked up a mountain called Bear’s Hump in the dark and watched the stars. The northern lights came out in vivid greens and spiralled around the sky. In that moment when I should have been happy and at peace, I felt utterly empty. Something was very wrong with me. On that mountain top we had a Bible study on hard heartedness. God showed me my sin of being arrogant, overfed, and indifferent (Ezekiel 16:49). For the first time, I understood how far short of ‘good’ I really was. On one hand it was terrifying. Terrifying to know I couldn’t hide from God. He knew all my dirt. On the other hand, it was freeing. God knew all my dirt, but He was still there. He still forgave me.
Just as God promises to change the hearts of the forgetful Israelites, who pine for other gods, he promises to change your heart as well.
“I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.”
What is the cure for a heart of stone? God’s word is a double-edged sword, sharp enough to pierce joints and marrow. Sharp enough to pierce stone. It is not up to the Israelites to get their insides clean. Its not up to the Israelites to feel enough remorse and mourn long enough that it undoes their sin. Its not up to the Israelites to do as many random acts of kindness as they can to balance out their bad. And neither is it up to you and me. God never leaves us helpless in our sin. He exposes our need, but he never ends with the law that convicts us. He ends with a promise of reconciliation.
For you who have a hard heart, this is His promise to you.
God will put a new heart in you and a new spirit. He will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Then you will follow his laws, you will be his person, and he will be your God.
Heavenly Father, we ask that you would soften our hearts to hear your voice. We ask that you would remove our hard hearts and give us hearts of flesh that beat for you and you alone. Forgive our sin of selfishness. We thank you that you have called us to be your own. We thank you that you have adopted us, and made us your people. Amen.
"They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
"But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their vile images and detestable idols, I will bring down on their own heads what they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD.”
Ezekiel 11:17-21 (NIV)
The Israelites are forgetful. In the Old Testament there is reminder after reminder of who God is, and what he has done for them. After almost every crisis, there comes a summary of their history. Remember when God saved you out of Egypt? Remember when God gave you manna in the desert? Remember the promise he made to Abraham?
For a brief time, they served God and loved Him. But then years passed and they forgot. They worship other gods. They worship themselves. The hearts that once beat for their Heavenly Father, forget the sound of his voice and pull in a different direction.
“I will give you back the land of Israel again. They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them.”
We tend to rate sins as Christians. We know its wrong, but it’s also easier to think of some sins as worse, when they are obvious and up front. The problem is that we can’t see a person’s heart. You can’t see if someone is arrogant or if they think they are better than others. You can’t see coveting. You can’t see if someone is disgruntled with the gifts God has given them and greedy for more. You can’t see if someone does not love people. These are sins of the heart, and only God can see what’s in our heart. He knows when we serve the idol of self. When we sin, we build hard layers over our heart. When I am proud, greedy, lustful, or coveting my husband’s ability to leave the house and go to work, my heart becomes hard. I am turning away from God’s ways and choosing my own.
Growing up I knew I was sinful, but that was for me just a condition I had been born with. I didn’t really believe my sinfulness was my own fault, it was the fault of Adam and Eve. I remember vividly the first time I really understood my own wretchedness. I was on a youth trip to Waterton National Park. We hiked up a mountain called Bear’s Hump in the dark and watched the stars. The northern lights came out in vivid greens and spiralled around the sky. In that moment when I should have been happy and at peace, I felt utterly empty. Something was very wrong with me. On that mountain top we had a Bible study on hard heartedness. God showed me my sin of being arrogant, overfed, and indifferent (Ezekiel 16:49). For the first time, I understood how far short of ‘good’ I really was. On one hand it was terrifying. Terrifying to know I couldn’t hide from God. He knew all my dirt. On the other hand, it was freeing. God knew all my dirt, but He was still there. He still forgave me.
Just as God promises to change the hearts of the forgetful Israelites, who pine for other gods, he promises to change your heart as well.
“I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.”
What is the cure for a heart of stone? God’s word is a double-edged sword, sharp enough to pierce joints and marrow. Sharp enough to pierce stone. It is not up to the Israelites to get their insides clean. Its not up to the Israelites to feel enough remorse and mourn long enough that it undoes their sin. Its not up to the Israelites to do as many random acts of kindness as they can to balance out their bad. And neither is it up to you and me. God never leaves us helpless in our sin. He exposes our need, but he never ends with the law that convicts us. He ends with a promise of reconciliation.
For you who have a hard heart, this is His promise to you.
God will put a new heart in you and a new spirit. He will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Then you will follow his laws, you will be his person, and he will be your God.
Heavenly Father, we ask that you would soften our hearts to hear your voice. We ask that you would remove our hard hearts and give us hearts of flesh that beat for you and you alone. Forgive our sin of selfishness. We thank you that you have called us to be your own. We thank you that you have adopted us, and made us your people. Amen.
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Heather KnutsonFergus Falls, MinnesotaOur guest writer this month is Heather Knutson. Heather worked as an EMT for 7 years before becoming a full-time stay-at-home mother. She served as a pastor's wife in Birch Hills Saskatchewan and started an annual retreat for LB Canadian pastors' wives. She recently moved to Fergus Falls with her husband Clint and their 4 kids where she soaks up the warmer weather and friendly Minnesotans while her husband teaches at the Lutheran Brethren Seminary.
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APRIL 2023
My name is Alexa Fraser. Back in 2019 my husband Paul and I began to sense a call to become missionaries in Japan. Because of the Covid-19 travel restrictions and the preparations that were needed before we could move, we knew it could be a while before we were able to start language school in Japan. So in the meantime we, along with our two sons, Arthur and Oswald, joined the Japanese ministry at Rock of Ages Lutheran Brethren Church in Seattle. Here we made many new friends, took some language and cultural classes and got to participate in ministry to college age exchange students from Japan.
I am glad to announce that we have now been officially called to be missionaries in Japan with Lutheran Brethren International Mission. The plan is to arrive in Japan sometime this summer and spend the first couple of years studying language. We will be commissioned at Rock of Ages on June 11th and hopefully leave soon after that.
We are so grateful for all of your prayers and support as we follow God’s call. You can pray specifically that we would be patient with ourselves and with each other as we learn a new language, pack up our belongings, and say goodbye to dear friends and family.
Psalm 66:1-5 (NIV)
Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious.
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.
All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name.”
Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind!
As my family and I have prepared for several life changes over the past few years, stress and anxiety have been a constant part of my life. I went through two rounds of postpartum depression, and I searched my Bible for purpose and meaning. We moved across the country, and I found a balm for my lonely heart in the stories of people leaving the comforts of home over and over throughout scripture. In each of these instances I have eventually found myself opening back up to somewhat sad passages, to make myself feel less alone: to Psalms where the author asks God “why?”; to the Book of Ruth as Naomi journeys from bitterness back to faith in the wisdom of God; or to passages where Paul talks about perseverance. Each of these passages have brought me comfort as God works through these sad or hurt people and gave me hope that God would work through my pain.
Today I feel similar to all of those times. My husband and our two sons and I will soon be sent as missionaries to Japan. We are all feeling the stress of packing up and saying goodbyes to belongings and to beloved friends and family. We are often short with each other these days when we should really be drawing each other close for comfort and familiarity. It would seem that this could be the biggest change of my lifetime. My anxious heart is on high alert, wanting to prepare myself and my family for this move down to the tiniest detail.
So, when it came to writing this devotional I was looking back at the scriptures that have spoken to my heart. I initially gravitated toward those familiar stories of trial and perseverance. Instead, I came across Psalm 66. This song of praise is the complete opposite of the scriptures I usually lean on in times of need. This passage is 20 verses full of praise after praise. So joyful, so uplifting. In the few minutes that it took to read it once or twice I felt the weight of my anxiety fade into the background. Not forgotten, but no longer the focus.
I had forgotten how praise can lift my spirit and ease my burden. I opened up to that chapter and found a relief I had forgotten for a long time. This reminder that my pain, though real, could be set aside for the moment as shouts of joy filled my mind. An anxious heart quieted by the awe of the power of God, how he has shown me his power and times I have witnessed his awesome deeds. Each verse was a reminder of what God has done and what he can do with my current situation.
Even as the chapter came to a close and the reality of my responsibilities came back into focus, the awesome deeds of God were close to my heart. The reality of who God is has lightened the burden of my responsibilities. In a time of great need, I can trust that the Lord will carry us through. He does this for you as well. You may not be preparing to move to a new country, but certainly each one of us has situations that weigh heavily on our hearts and cause us to worry. The Lord desires to lift this burden from our shoulders and remind us that he alone is God and worthy of praise. Praise changes our gaze, praise takes our eyes from ourselves and our worries, and praise lifts our eyes to the almighty God, our strength, our refuge.
Now over the time I have spent writing this I have read Psalm 66 several more times and each time I am so glad to have this reminder that praise is an important part of my relationship with God, and it is not only honoring to him but also so comforting to my weary heart. God’s Word is a grace to us in many ways. In my inability to come up with the words to say to give God the praise he deserves, he has given me (and you) Psalm 66 to remind us all how wonderful he is and “How awesome are Your (His) deeds."
Heavenly Father, we often forget to give you the praise you deserve. Remind us of what you are doing even in times of sorrow, inability, and pain. Thank you for the songs of praise you use to guide our hearts back to worship of you. Please continue to use them to speak to our hearts.
Amen
I am glad to announce that we have now been officially called to be missionaries in Japan with Lutheran Brethren International Mission. The plan is to arrive in Japan sometime this summer and spend the first couple of years studying language. We will be commissioned at Rock of Ages on June 11th and hopefully leave soon after that.
We are so grateful for all of your prayers and support as we follow God’s call. You can pray specifically that we would be patient with ourselves and with each other as we learn a new language, pack up our belongings, and say goodbye to dear friends and family.
Psalm 66:1-5 (NIV)
Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious.
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.
All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name.”
Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind!
As my family and I have prepared for several life changes over the past few years, stress and anxiety have been a constant part of my life. I went through two rounds of postpartum depression, and I searched my Bible for purpose and meaning. We moved across the country, and I found a balm for my lonely heart in the stories of people leaving the comforts of home over and over throughout scripture. In each of these instances I have eventually found myself opening back up to somewhat sad passages, to make myself feel less alone: to Psalms where the author asks God “why?”; to the Book of Ruth as Naomi journeys from bitterness back to faith in the wisdom of God; or to passages where Paul talks about perseverance. Each of these passages have brought me comfort as God works through these sad or hurt people and gave me hope that God would work through my pain.
Today I feel similar to all of those times. My husband and our two sons and I will soon be sent as missionaries to Japan. We are all feeling the stress of packing up and saying goodbyes to belongings and to beloved friends and family. We are often short with each other these days when we should really be drawing each other close for comfort and familiarity. It would seem that this could be the biggest change of my lifetime. My anxious heart is on high alert, wanting to prepare myself and my family for this move down to the tiniest detail.
So, when it came to writing this devotional I was looking back at the scriptures that have spoken to my heart. I initially gravitated toward those familiar stories of trial and perseverance. Instead, I came across Psalm 66. This song of praise is the complete opposite of the scriptures I usually lean on in times of need. This passage is 20 verses full of praise after praise. So joyful, so uplifting. In the few minutes that it took to read it once or twice I felt the weight of my anxiety fade into the background. Not forgotten, but no longer the focus.
I had forgotten how praise can lift my spirit and ease my burden. I opened up to that chapter and found a relief I had forgotten for a long time. This reminder that my pain, though real, could be set aside for the moment as shouts of joy filled my mind. An anxious heart quieted by the awe of the power of God, how he has shown me his power and times I have witnessed his awesome deeds. Each verse was a reminder of what God has done and what he can do with my current situation.
Even as the chapter came to a close and the reality of my responsibilities came back into focus, the awesome deeds of God were close to my heart. The reality of who God is has lightened the burden of my responsibilities. In a time of great need, I can trust that the Lord will carry us through. He does this for you as well. You may not be preparing to move to a new country, but certainly each one of us has situations that weigh heavily on our hearts and cause us to worry. The Lord desires to lift this burden from our shoulders and remind us that he alone is God and worthy of praise. Praise changes our gaze, praise takes our eyes from ourselves and our worries, and praise lifts our eyes to the almighty God, our strength, our refuge.
Now over the time I have spent writing this I have read Psalm 66 several more times and each time I am so glad to have this reminder that praise is an important part of my relationship with God, and it is not only honoring to him but also so comforting to my weary heart. God’s Word is a grace to us in many ways. In my inability to come up with the words to say to give God the praise he deserves, he has given me (and you) Psalm 66 to remind us all how wonderful he is and “How awesome are Your (His) deeds."
Heavenly Father, we often forget to give you the praise you deserve. Remind us of what you are doing even in times of sorrow, inability, and pain. Thank you for the songs of praise you use to guide our hearts back to worship of you. Please continue to use them to speak to our hearts.
Amen
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Alexa FraserWMCLB Teaching/Training Pod LeaderHome Church: Rock of Ages Lutheran Brethren Church Seattle, WA
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MARCH 2023
"He Knows My Name"
Amy Bourque
This year when I read the genealogies in 1 Chronicles at the beginning of my Lent study, I read them with a different lens. I tried to think of myself as a Jew, recently returned to Israel, with stories in my head of the “old days”, but no tangible connections. To read those lists of names, to hear the names of people in one’s family, to know that God had never forgotten them, even when they were exiled in Babylon - what joy that must have brought. How comforting to know that not only did God remember the names of his people, he even remembered their jobs, their positions in the families they represented. He is a God who knows his people intimately and desires a relationship with us, even today, just like he did with the Israelites.
I love the Old Testament; I love following the through-line from creation to Jesus. God knows my name. He knew me from the beginning of time, and he calls me by name, which is written in the Book of Life. I know these things to be true, yet I still need those reminders, just as the Israelites did so long ago. When God brought the nation of Israel across the river into the promised land after forty long years in the desert, he stopped them along the way and told them to make monuments, memorials to help them remember each step of the journey. They even built one right in the middle of the river before the priests carried the ark all the way across and the water started flowing again! These were intended to make people stop and ask, “What is that thing for? Why is it there?” and for someone who knew the answer to tell them.
The season of Lent is similar, I think. It is a time for me to stop, to slow down, to remember what God has done for me. Time to remember that he knows my name, the number of hairs on my head, my every dream, my every care. And time for me to focus on his love for me, a love so deep that he made a plan for me to be with him in eternity, at the expense of his beloved Son. Lent is a kind of long-form communion, where I confess and accept his sacrifice and let him work in my life, cleansed in the precious blood of Christ. It’s time to step away from my everyday busy-ness and spend a little more time with the God who knows my name, knows my history, knows me, and loves me just the same.
I love the Old Testament; I love following the through-line from creation to Jesus. God knows my name. He knew me from the beginning of time, and he calls me by name, which is written in the Book of Life. I know these things to be true, yet I still need those reminders, just as the Israelites did so long ago. When God brought the nation of Israel across the river into the promised land after forty long years in the desert, he stopped them along the way and told them to make monuments, memorials to help them remember each step of the journey. They even built one right in the middle of the river before the priests carried the ark all the way across and the water started flowing again! These were intended to make people stop and ask, “What is that thing for? Why is it there?” and for someone who knew the answer to tell them.
The season of Lent is similar, I think. It is a time for me to stop, to slow down, to remember what God has done for me. Time to remember that he knows my name, the number of hairs on my head, my every dream, my every care. And time for me to focus on his love for me, a love so deep that he made a plan for me to be with him in eternity, at the expense of his beloved Son. Lent is a kind of long-form communion, where I confess and accept his sacrifice and let him work in my life, cleansed in the precious blood of Christ. It’s time to step away from my everyday busy-ness and spend a little more time with the God who knows my name, knows my history, knows me, and loves me just the same.
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Amy BourqueWMCLB Secretary & WMCLB Eastern Region Co-PresidentHome church: Bethany Lutheran Brethren Church, East Hartland, CT
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