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When our girls were still in elementary school, they were playing a game together. Two of them complained to their mother that the third one was cheating. Cheryl went to confront her about it, and she offered this explanation, “But mom, if I don’t cheat, I can’t win!”

At an early age she had learned the ways of this world. “Win at all costs. It is all about me. It doesn’t matter how your actions affect others. Do what you want to make yourself happy.” Needless to say, her mother and I worked even harder to teach her the better way that God has for us to live in response to knowing what He has done for us in Christ.

I’ve thought about our daughter’s statement many times over the years and was reminded of it again recently when I came across an article entitled “How to Cheat Death.” The article suggested tips for living a healthy life, but the truth is that you cannot cheat death. In this sinful, fallen world, death comes. It is a reality. It is not within your power to cheat or defeat death. You cannot do it.

That is where God steps in and says, “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.” The one who made us and everything else wants us to be with Him. Our sins separated us from Him, but He said He would provide a way for us to be reunited. He would send a rescue, a way to forgiveness, a restoration for those who would believe His promise.

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus didn’t simply “cheat” death. He blew it away. He conquered it. When He lived a life without sin and offered that perfect life as payment for the sins of everyone else, He won the victory over it and gives it to any and all who put their faith in Him. We get the win and there is no cheating involved. The verse above bears repeating.

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let that fill your mind today.

Habakkuk 2:4 the righteous shall live by his faith.

THE RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY HIS FAITH! That was the message of God’s Prophet Habakkuk to those who were about to be carried off to Babylon. It was a punishment, a discipline coming to God’s people because of their disobedience and idolatry. But there was also the promise that they would one day return to the Promised Land. And the people were told to live by faith. Trust the one who is in control to be with you.

That message is what we need to hear still today. As we face our problems, whether they be illness or natural disaster, financial woes or relationship issues, live by faith.

You are asked, through trying circumstances, if you are content to lay your life in God’s hands. Amid all the troubles that face you, submit yourself to God and trust in Him.  God has promised to care for you.

Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Understand that while living by faith means we will have eternal life with God because of what Jesus did through His life and suffering and death and resurrection, there is more to it than that. To live by faith is not just something for the future. It is to be our life here and now.

When tragedy strikes, it is as though God is asking, “Do you truly believe that I will take care of you?” THE RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY HIS FAITH. This statement is one of the foundations of Christianity. Paul quotes it in His writings. It was the battle-cry of the Reformation. This faith that Paul, Habakkuk and the Reformers spoke of is a faith that trusts totally in God. You must live by faith in Jesus Christ.

Such a faith waits quietly and patiently for God to accomplish His saving work in your life. Faith is not just one aspect of man’s relationship to God, not just one part of your life. Faith is your existence, your total being as His follower.

Acts 17:28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’

Your faith in God’s saving plan, your trust in the one He sent to bring forgiveness, is your way to life. Knowing what God has done for you through Jesus Christ should assure you that He cares about you. The God who loved you enough to rescue you from sin and death by sending His Son to the cross in your place will not abandon you in your day to day problems. That is living by faith.

THE RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY HIS FAITH. Troubles will continue to assault you here on earth. It is the nature of our sinful world to be a place full of problems for Christians. But living by faith, you will be able to tolerate whatever comes your way. God is in control. He is accomplishing His plan of salvation in your life, teaching you to put your trust completely in Him. Rejoice in the Good News of Jesus! Trust Him to provide forgiveness for your sins. Knowing that by faith you live eternally, resolve to live each day by faith.

Acts 3 tells the story of Peter and John going to the Temple in the afternoon to pray. They passed by a man who was begging. He had been crippled his entire life. As the disciples went past him, he asked them for help. Peter responded that they had no money for him, but they would give him what they could: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. He grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. He was healed instantly. Not only did was he able to walk, but he was jumping up and down and praising God.

All those who saw it were amazed. The man who was healed held on to Peter and John. As a crowd gathered, Peter took the chance to explain what was going on. He made it clear that it was not by their power that this man was healed, but by the name of Jesus, the one they had crucified, that he was able to walk. He pointed out that Jesus was the fulfillment of the promises God made to His chosen people: He was the Messiah.

He went on to say that even though they had killed Him, He rose again, and the forgiveness of sins He accomplished was for all of them.

Acts 3:17–21  “Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.

I am down in Port Isabel, Texas again to share this life-giving message with the saints that gather at Fishers of Men Lutheran Church. While I am here, I will have some times of refreshing on the beach. But more than that, I have the times of refreshing that come when I repent, lay my sins at the foot of the cross, and hear God tell me that my sins have been wiped away because of what Jesus did.

Not only do I have that, but I get to share it with others. Like Peter and John, I get to share what I have. So do you.

Like many of you, I have been praying for those impacted by hurricane Ian. It hurts to see the destruction and devastation a storm can produce. The aftermath always makes for good television for a day or so. But then most of the rest of the country moves on.

The people in the storm’s path will be dealing with this for months and years. It doesn’t just go away. For many, the job of recovery seems insurmountable.

I know that plans are already underway for Disaster Response teams to travel to Florida and help with the clean-up. I have deployed with groups like this in the past. Volunteers go to help people turn an overwhelming task into something that is tackled one step at a time. Whether you are picking up debris, mucking out a house, or delivering meals to workers and residents, it is a way for you to share the love of God in Christ with people in their time of need. At this point, I’m not sure when or if I will be able to travel to Florida to help, but I’ll be checking into it.

You don’t need to wait for a major disaster to serve. Earlier this week I joined three other members of my congregation to help clean up the home of a widow. She lives next door to a family from our church. It involved pulling out dead bushes, trimming hedges, cutting down some trash trees growing in the hedges, and taking down an unwanted tree in the yard. It only took a couple of hours and we filled up a trailer with the debris to be hauled off. It was a task she would not have been able to do on her own. But we served Jesus by doing that for her.

Next month Cheryl and I will travel to Mexico with a group from our daughter and son-in-law’s congregation to build a home in Mexico for a needy family.

This is how I am able to serve God at this point in my life, and I cannot tell you how much joy I get from doing so. When I do these activities, God blesses me more than I can describe. I know that God has bought me back from sin and death, forgiven me for Jesus’ sake, and called me to live in response to that Good New. Doing these things is putting my faith in Jesus into action. It is how I say “thank you” to God for saving me.

1 Peter 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.

Matthew 25:40 …whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.

John 13:34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

This is part of how I’m serving Jesus right now. How will you serve Him today?

Psalm 119:105 Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path

When was the last time that you went for a walk? Ever since you took your first steps, you’ve been walking, some more than others. Some like to walk for their health. Others walk because of their job. Some walk just for the pure enjoyment of being outside in God’s creation. Regardless of the reason you walk or the reason you don’t walk, health experts tell us that we need to do more walking to stay healthy. Walking provides great benefits to our health if we do it consistently. It helps us keep the weight off, strengthens the heart, and helps control blood pressure to name a few. You may know all of that, you may have that knowledge in your head, but that doesn’t mean you will walk any more than you have been. A lot of folks say, “I know I should get some exercise, I should go for a walk,” but then simply sit down again in front of the TV or staring at their phones. Exercise is an individual decision and it is not enough to just want to go for a walk. You actually have to do it. You are free to walk or to sit still, but the decision you make will affect your health.

I think you know I am talking about more than physical fitness. I have some advice from God’s Word on spiritual fitness and it involves walking in the Word of God. “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” God invites you be in his Word every day, assuring you that he is with you to guide and lead you. What a great opportunity our Heavenly Father gives to us by giving us His Word. We don’t have to wonder what he is thinking or wonder about his nature or desires for our lives and this world. We can hear our Father’s heart directly from him in the gift of Scripture.

Health experts say that walking 30 minutes can make a huge difference in your health. What would happen to your spiritual life, to the life of the church, if those who loved the Lord would spend 30 minutes a day walking in the Scripture? As followers of Jesus, we need to have that daily time with Him in His Word, taking advantage of the opportunities we are given to study His Word in Bible Studies, small groups, through personal devotions or whatever works for you.

A friend who had knee replacement surgery was told me that the thing she wasn’t prepared for afterwards was how weak her entire body would be. After being confined to a bed, her muscles weakened from not being used. Without walking on a regular basis, it is amazing to see how legs that once worked well can now only hang there helplessly. With therapy and determination, the muscles can be strengthened and useful again.

In many Christians lives, they have been sitting too long without being active in the reading of the Word of God. They have become stuck in their spiritual growth.  And because they are stuck in their spiritual growth, that spills over to other aspects of their lives. In fact, some have wandered from the faith. They fail to apply the teaching of God’s Word in their lives and as a result they have become spiritually unhealthy. As the church, one of our tasks is to build up the Body of Christ to true spiritual health so that we might be better equipped to reach those outside the church.

Walking daily in the Word of God can empower you to serve your fellow human beings with the love of Jesus. That Word calls us to remember who we are and to show us the error of our ways. For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) You and I need to know the truth so that we walk in the right direction. While most of us don’t like to be corrected, correction is beneficial. Think of it like going to a doctor for a checkup. He may listen to your heart and say, “I do not like what I am hearing.” If your doctor said that to you, would you want to know what the problem was? Or would you rather not know and remain ignorant of the problem inside of you?

God’s Word is what we need to walk in the right direction in our lives – Sharper than a two edged sword! Perhaps some are not in the Word because they do not want to hear what the Word has to say to them. The Word penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow. That is an amazing statement.  The Word of God judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart of man—your heart and mine.  It cuts through the baloney of life and lays it out on the table.  Here it is. That is how the Word of God in the law does its work. It exposes the disease of sin, so that the healing can begin with the Gospel. Without that exposure, the sin can fester, grow, and lead to death. But when brought to the Light of God’s News in Christ, the healing begins.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. His Word is the lamp and light every day because He knows the pathway that I am on, He sees the snares and things that would trip me up along the way, He sees the detours that would tempt me to turn aside. I need His Word in my life to keep me walking in the light and in the truth. Sometimes that truth convicts me because it points out the sin in my life, yet I need to hear it. That Word of truth calls me to repentance, reminds me of the truth of a Friday that we call Good on which Jesus died for my sin, and just as importantly reminds me the victory won on Easter was for me. I can walk in the truth that Jesus’ blood was shed for me so that life now and life forever with him is assured.

So how much or where do you walk? It depends on how healthy you want to be. Do you need to change the way you walk in God’s Word? Change is not always easy. We need the help of the Holy Spirit to change our poor habits of walking in God’s Word for good ones. When a child is learning to walk, there are many times he or she falls down and then gets up again. But there is a determination to get it right! Maybe you have fallen down in the study of the Word. Now is a great time to get up again. The more you practice, the better you will become by the strength that God provides.  Part of learning, however, is falling down and getting up again.  Do not be satisfied with where you are!

I believe that as the Children of God called to be His very own through baptism that we truly have a desire to hear from our Father. Our struggle, like many things in our life, is that we have the best intentions and plans until it actually comes down to how to begin that walk. Start with small steps. It would be great if everyone would spend 30 minutes in God’s Word every day this week. It would be awesome to spend 210 minutes this week with God. I am sure it sounds good to you, too. But I also know it might be a little overwhelming, so let’s start with some small steps by saying 5 of the 7 days this week you are going to spend 5 minutes with God in His Word. 5 minutes for 5 days this week. Give it a try.

1 Timothy 6:6-12   But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.  But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.  Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses

Have you ever noticed that a newborn child at rest can sleep through just about anything? The phrase “I slept like a baby” is used to describe a peaceful, contented rest. When a baby is sleeping you can pick up its little arm and it is limp. Let it fall back to the mattress and there is hardly a ripple in the child’s sleep. That kind of total rest gives us a picture of contentment. It is a life that has very little, but is content with what it has. The older a child becomes, the more restless the sleep becomes. The older we get, the more we become concerned about life, what we have and what we don’t have. That is why Jesus warned  “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15) Paul was preaching the same message when he wrote godliness with contentment is great gain.

There are two universally recognized truths in the passage above.

1. We brought nothing into this world
2. We can take nothing out of it.

Let’s examine these truths through the lens of the Law. I came into this world with nothing, and I leave with nothing. That means all I have is the time in-between to make my mark. I have to do something to make myself important, to prove my worth, to make myself special so that others can see beyond my nothingness. I have to talk a good game, win friends and influence people. If I work at it hard enough, perhaps I can convince others that I am worth something. If I can amass enough stuff here on earth, maybe, just maybe, I will find peace and security and contentment. And who knows, maybe I can take something with me?

A farmer took his pastor on a tour of his land. The man was very proud of what he had and what he had accomplished. As they drove over the vast expanse of land that this man owned and worked, the farmer said, “Reverend, I am as good and as God-fearing a person as the next fellow, but are you going to tell me that God did all this without my help?” The pastor was quiet for a moment before he said, “Ask me that again in 100 years.”

You brought nothing in and you take nothing out. If all we had was the message of the law, we would be pretty desperate people – never happy, never satisfied, always worried.

But let’s take a moment now to consider these two truths through the lens of the Gospel message, the Good News of Jesus as our Savior. If we bring nothing into this world, that is ok, because all we need is already here: Jesus Christ and the eternal life that is ours in him. God loved us enough to let Jesus come to pay for sins and redeem us from everlasting death. Knowing Christ and Him crucified and risen again transforms my nothingness into wealth and a peace that passes all understanding. God takes my nothingness and turns it into a life with purpose. The purpose of our lives as disciples of Jesus is described in this passage as being to “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” Take a moment now to reflect: Are those the things you are pursuing, or are your pursuits determined by what the world says you should have? Which would be better for you: A bigger house and a newer car, or more righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

When you stop to think about what is truly important in your life, it is much easier to be content with what you have while you are here. The biggest blessing that we have, and one that so often is taken for granted, is the forgiveness and life and salvation that God has given us in Jesus Christ. How often do we say, “Oh, yes, I’m a Christian, I’m a believer,” and fail to recognize the awesome thing God has done. He loved me, a nothing, who brought nothing into this world and will take nothing out of it, enough to want to make sure that I would not have to suffer the eternal consequences of my actions. God loved all people so much that He wanted to provide a way to let us escape the punishment our sins deserve. That love led Him to send Jesus to take our place in punishment and death. When Jesus died, it was to pay for your sins and my sins. When Jesus died, it was to let you off the hook. And by His rising again on the third day, Jesus has guaranteed that you have access to eternal life with God. This world is not all there is. It is not even the best there. That is yet to come. And you have a free pass to get in through your faith in Jesus.

“We can take nothing out of this world.” When heard from the perspective of the Good News of Jesus as Savior, that is not a scary prospect. We brought nothing in and we take nothing with us, but it all belongs to God anyway. And if we are going to be with Him, why do we need to take anything with us? The one who gives us all we need here has gone to prepare a place for us there.

Sometimes when I am striking a deal with someone they will say, “I can live with that.” You’ve probably heard it too, maybe even said it yourself: “I can live with that.” It is a statement of acceptance and satisfaction, and to some degree, contentment. Maybe the kind of contentment you need to have in your life, the godliness with contentment that Paul describes, is to remember what God has already done for you and given you in Jesus Christ and remind yourself “I can live with that.” It actually goes way beyond that. You cannot live without what Jesus has done for you with His perfect life, His death in your place and His victory over the grave. But try to remember these things Jesus did and say to yourself: “I can live with that.” The more you can remember that, the more you are going to be living that godly life that is content with what God has done for you in Christ.

I am content! My Jesus ever lives, In whom my heart is pleased.
He has fulfilled the law of God for me, God’s wrath he has appeased,
Since he in death could perish never, I also shall not die forever.
I am content! I am content!
(Lutheran Worship #145 stanza 1)

I have been involved with and a supporter of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League since I served my first congregation in Oklahoma. I made it a point to attend the meetings of our local society as well as the Spring and Fall Zone events each year. My wife, Cheryl, has been even more involved with this organization on every level. We love the heart and purpose of the LWML – sharing God’s love in Christ with the world.

I tell you that to set the stage for this. Cheryl and I had a policy: We don’t volunteer each other to do things. It took us almost 20 years to come to this agreement, but we learned the hard way that we should not volunteer the other without checking first. After we had come to this agreement, my dear bride was serving on our LWML zone. About 10 days before the Spring Event, right after I had finished the labor-intensive Lenten and Easter services, she said, “Oh, by the way … I said you would have the opening devotion for the Spring Workshop.” There was a bit of blood in my mouth, I was biting my tongue so hard. After all, we had an agreement. But I calmly asked, “What’s the topic?” Her reply was, “I don’t remember!”

I was reminded of the little boy who had just heard the story of how God made Eve from the rib of Adam. He came home the next day with a serious look on his face. His mother asked what was wrong, and he said, “My side hurts. I think I having a wife!”

What follows is the devotion I used at that LWML event back in 1999:

Once upon a time, a perfect man and a perfect woman met. After a perfect courtship, they had a perfect wedding. Their life together was, of course, perfect. One snowy, stormy Christmas Eve, this perfect couple was driving their perfect car along a winding road, when they noticed someone at the side of the road in distress. Being the perfect couple, they stopped to help. There stood Santa Claus with a huge bundle of toys. Not wanting to disappoint any children on the eve of Christmas, the perfect couple loaded Santa and his toys into their vehicle. Soon they were driving along delivering the toys. Unfortunately, the driving conditions deteriorated, and the perfect couple and Santa Claus had an accident. Only one of them survived the accident. Who was the survivor?

The perfect woman survived. She’s the only one who really existed in the first place. Everyone knows there is no Santa Claus and there is no such thing as a perfect man.

**** Women stop reading here, that is the end of the joke. ****

**** Men scroll down further ****

So, if there is no perfect man and no Santa Claus, the perfect woman must have been driving. This explains why there was a car accident.

By the way, if you’re a woman and you’re reading this part, this illustrates the point:
There is no perfect Woman, either. They don’t follow instructions.

About this time, some of you may be wondering if there is a point to all of this. I assure you that there is. Yesterday I did find out that the theme for today has to do with looking to the light. There is a song by Michael Card that has the refrain, “Open your Bible and look toward the light.” So that is what I want to do now – point you to the light.

Romans 3:10-12 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

Paul is quoting from several OT references: Psalm 14:1-3, Psalm 53:1-3, Ecclesiastes 7:20. He is reminding us of something we remind ourselves of each day: No one is perfect. We are all sinful. We don’t seek God, but rather hide from Him. That is our sinful human nature at work in us. We hear the admonition:

Matthew 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

And we know we have not accomplished it. Paul admitted that of himself in Philippians:

Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

So then why are you ladies here on a Sunday afternoon? In know some of you may be wondering that yourselves about right now! But the Good News is that there is something other than our sinful nature at work in all of us: The Spirit of God has worked faith in our hearts, leading us to know the forgiveness and new life that Jesus accomplished through His death and resurrection Thanks be to God! You have made that forgiveness and life your own through faith. The Scriptures speak of the perfection of Christ being put on you.

Colossians 1:28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.

That is how I want you to begin today. Set aside any pretense of perfection or superiority that comes from within yourself. For the time being, lay down the problems and distractions that would keep you from hearing the message God has for you here today. With humility and gratitude, let this afternoon be a time when we all “Open our Bibles and look toward the Light.”

We are not all the same. As obvious as that may be, we sometimes fail to recognize that reality. I am reminded of that every time I travel. Whether it is international or just in different parts of this country, you find differences in food, customs, speech, behavior and values. Of course, you don’t have to travel to come to this realization. There will be differences right where you live as well. We are not all the same.

That is not a bad thing. There has been an International “Celebrate Diversity Month” since 2004. It is good to recognize differences that exist between people, including those with whom we disagree. And there are going to be differences even among people with whom you agree. Scripture speaks of this.

Ephesians 4:11-16  11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Let me point out two things from these passages.

• Unity In Christ – Scripture speaks of us being many parts of one body.  We are joined together with a common life, the life that Jesus has given through His death and resurrection. And so there is no doubt as to where the life comes from, we are called the Body of CHRIST, and He is the HEAD. We, then, along with believers across time and across the planet, are all the varied parts of the body. The Body needs all the different parts to be whole. True, a body can survive without a kidney or an eye or a limb, but it will not be everything it was meant to be. It is necessary and important for all the parts to be there.
• Each part does its work – In addition to being there, the parts of the body need to do their job! That is just as true for the Body of Christ, believers. A malfunctioning parts disrupts and harms the rest of the body. God made us all different because we have different functions. Some are better suited for some tasks than others. But we all have our jobs.  We are different parts of the body of Christ, the one who has paid for our sins with His life and rose again to give us eternal life. We all have a job to do for Him as a part of His body.

I know that the world’s view of Celebrating Diversity tries to tell us that all views and belief systems are equally valid. That is not what I am advocating. As a follower of Jesus, I believe what He said:

John 14:6  “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

But I have also been led by Scripture to understand that in spite of our differences, we are all the same in some ways:

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

And because of that Christ died for all (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). Or as John put it:

1 John 2:2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

You need to be able to look at every other person in the world and understand that he or she is someone for whom Jesus died. And John confirmed that in sharing the vision that was given to him by God.

Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.

Revelation 7:9 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

Every nation, tribe, people and language. I celebrate that diversity already. And I look forward to seeing it with my own eyes when Jesus takes me to be with Him in the place He already prepared.