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Yesterday I included the hymn that has the refrain “Heaven is my Home.”  After I wrote that devotion, I had a different song in my head off and on all day. It was one by John Denver that had this refrain:

“Hey, it’s good to be back home again, yes, it is
Sometimes this old farm feels like a long-lost friend
Yes, and hey, it’s good to be back home again.”

In our retirement Cheryl have made it a point to travel as much as we can while we can. We have had a blast and most of our trips have been fantastic experiences. We have been checking items off of our bucket lists and appreciate the opportunities God has placed before us. But it is always good to be back home again. The song by John Denver listed all the comfortable things about being in your home, and that is what we feel like each time we return home.

As good as it feels to return to our earthly home, I can’t imagine how wonderful it will feel when we get to our heavenly home. And we know that is ours because we have placed our faith and confidence in the one who paid for all sin and earned our salvation. It is not based on what we do, but on what Jesus did for us. We live our lives with this certainty and strive to thank God by the way we live while still here on earth.

Jesus spoke about that when talking about the last day, when the sheep will be separated from the goats. I’m including the beginning of that account here, but I encourage you to go on reading in Matthew 25.

Matthew 25:31–34 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

The kingdom prepared for you. Your heavenly home. It will be so good to be home with our Savior.

Hebrews 4:1–9 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. ² For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. ³ Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ” And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. ⁴ For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “And on the seventh day God rested from all his work.” ⁵ And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.” ⁶ It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. ⁷ Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” ⁸ For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. ⁹ There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;

Today my mother turns 92 years old. My siblings and I will be with her today to celebrate. While I know she will enjoy us being with her, I also know that she longs for a different kind of celebration. Many of my recent conversations with her have focused on how she is weary of this world and wonders why she is still here. She longs to be with her Lord and all those who have gone before her to our Savior’s presence.

I had this same conversation with many people over the years of my ministry, especially those who reached their late 80s and beyond. They feel their bodies wearing out, are unable to be active or do the things they want to do, yet for some reason the Lord is not finished with them here on this side of heaven.

While I cannot answer why God allows some people to tarry here on earth so much longer than others, what I can do is give them the assurances He gives us in His Word. He knows those who are His, those on whom He placed His name in Baptism, those who through faith have claimed the merits of all Jesus did to accomplish our salvation from sin and death. That was all His doing, not ours. Paul spoke of it this way.

Philippians 1:6 … he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

The “work” God has done is saving us, which will be brought to its completion when Christ returns. We will enter His rest.

I’m but a stranger here, Heav’n is my home;
Earth is a desert drear, Heav’n is my home.
Danger and sorrow stand Round me on ev’ry hand;
Heav’n is my fatherland, Heav’n is my home.

What though the tempest rage, Heav’n is my home;
Short is my pilgrimage, Heav’n is my home;
And time’s wild wintry blast Soon shall be overpast;
I shall reach home at last, Heav’n is my home.

There at my Savior’s side, Heav’n is my home;
I shall be glorified, Heav’n is my home.
There are the good and blest, Those I love most and best;
And there I, too, shall rest, Heav’n is my home.

Therefore I murmur not, Heav’n is my home;
Whate’er my earthly lot, Heav’n is my home;
And I shall surely stand There at my Lord’s right hand.
Heav’n is my fatherland, Heav’n is my home.

(The Lutheran Hymnal #660)

Heavenly Father, we thank You for those in our lives who have lived for many years. We pray that You would strengthen Your dearly loved children in the confidence they have in Christ Jesus, enabling them to wait patiently to enter the place Jesus has prepared for them. Help all of us to encourage each other with the Good News we have of Jesus as our Lord and Savior. In His Name we pray. Amen.

Happy Birthday Mom!

One of the volunteer activities I really enjoy is working with Habitat for Humanity. I’ve been doing that for quite some time, but even more so since retirement (at least when we are not traveling). A few years ago I was up on a ladder taking a measurement for a guy on the ground, and it was 19 5/8 inches. I made a comment, “that’s the year I was born.” The guy on the ground had a shocked look on his face. He said, “No. Really?” I said, “Yeah, 1958.” The other guy said, “That means I’m older than you!” He was surprised by that. I wasn’t sure how to take that!

A few minutes later, when I was back on the ground, we continued the conversation. He said he would was in his late sixties. I told him that was a good thing, to which he replied, “The way I look at it is that I’m that much closer to being dead.” My immediate response was, “Oh, I don’t worry about that.” Again, he had the shocked look on his face, but it soon turned to a smile. You see, he knows I’m a Christian. We’ve had many conversations about that. I openly share my confidence that Jesus paid for my sins and I know I’m going to heaven because of what He did for me. I try to make it part of my everyday conversations.

Colossians 4:2–6 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Sometimes I do that well. Others times not so much. I need to “make the most of every opportunity.” When you hear that phrase “make the most of every opportunity,” what thoughts does that bring to mind. Here are some of mine:

• Spend time with family and friends.
• Don’t always be in a rush to get to the next thing.
• Take time for worship and Bible Study. Help those in need.
• Offer assistance to those in need.
• Watch the sunset.
• Go fishing more often.
• And always be ready to tell people about Jesus.

Father, thank you for bringing me to know and believe that Jesus is my Savior and giving me the certainty of life and forgiveness. Help me to proclaim that message clearly as I should in my day to day life. Help me to fill my conversations with grace, your grace, so that I can make the most of every opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus. In His most holy and precious name I pray. Amen.

Yesterday I attended the ordination and installation of a new seminary graduate. While I met this young man when he was a toddler, I didn’t know him as an adult. I know his parents and went to school with several of his aunts and uncles and also knew his grandfather, a now sainted pastor and missionary. So Cheryl and I went to the service to rejoice with the family and the congregation he has been called to serve.

It was a joyous occasion and gave me hope for the future. Another generation taking up the mantle and continuing the proclamation of Jesus Christ as the only hope for this world. The preacher did a wonderful job of reminding us that the world is dying without Jesus and that is why we must share what we know about Him as our Lord and Savior.

There was one thing in particular that preacher shared that I want to share with you today. Before I do, read through this passage.

Acts 9:1–19 ¹ Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. ³ As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” ⁵ “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. ⁶ “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” ⁷ The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. ⁸ Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. ⁹ For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. ¹⁰ In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. ¹¹ The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. ¹² In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” ¹³ “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” ¹⁵ But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. ¹⁶ I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” ¹⁷ Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, ¹⁹ and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.

Paul’s conversion speaks of him being blinded, but then having his sight restored and being baptized. His new life began. And the preacher pointed out that Paul’s sight was changed from that point on. After that, he saw people with the eyes of Jesus. He saw people who were lost in sin and needed the forgiveness that Jesus earned for everyone. He saw people that needed to hear the Good News that he had to share. He saw people needlessly dying in their sin and unbelief. The drove Paul to share the one he encountered on that road to Damascus for the rest of his life.

You and I should do the same.

Lord, you have called us to be your own. You bought us back from sin and death and gave us Your name when You claimed us in Holy Baptism. Remind us to see the world around us with Your eyes, so we will remember to share with others the Good News of who You are and what You have done to save us all from what we deserve. Help us to live today rejoicing in the wonderful message of Your love and mercy and grace. Amen.

Exodus 6:6–9 “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.  I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.  And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.’ ” Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage.

Moses was given a tough assignment. Sure, He had God appear to him, yet he tried to talk his way out of being God’s spokesman to Pharoah and the Children of Israel.

Exodus 3:10-11 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

God’s people wouldn’t listen to Moses. Pharoah wouldn’t either. It took Ten Plagues before he let God’s people go, and even then he still chased after them, bringing destruction on himself and his armies.

Moses was able to lead God’s people only because the one who identified Himself to Moses and “I AM” was with him. As God’s representative, Moses was unparalleled. God delivered his people from their slavery in Egypt using Moses. But the Exodus was God’s doing, not that of Moses. Moses was a “type,” a prophecy of the one to come who would lead God’s people to an even greater deliverance.

As powerful a servant as Moses was, as mightily as he was used by God, he was not God. Jesus was. God Himself come down to earth. He would accomplish the greater deliverance, freeing us from our slavery to sin and death, by living a sinless life that He would offer as the sacrifice for the sins of the world.

Hebrews 3:3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself.

Calvary was God’s doing. The empty tomb was God’s doing. To God be the glory.

I have a daughter who usually gives me gift cards for my birthday. She did so again this year, and I have already used them. A few years ago I set one of them aside and forgot about it. I found it just before Christmas and used it then.

I remember reading an article once about unused gift cards, so I did an online search. While most gift cards are used within the first six months, almost 20% of gift card balances remain unredeemed at any give time. About 6% of gift cards are never used at all. That works out to be THREE BILLION dollars worth of gift cards are bought each year and never spent. They were given, they are good, they could be used, they can make purchases, but they are not used.

That reminds me of the great love of God and how many react to it. He has given us so very much. God offers of free forgiveness to everyone in the world. The payment for the sins of the world has already been made, paid in full. Jesus did that when He offered Himself as the sacrifice for sin. The “gift cards” have been issued, so to speak. God offers free forgiveness to everyone. It is like he placed a “get into heaven free” card in front of everyone. But some people don’t bother picking it up and using it. They leave it behind.

Jesus knew this would be the case. He was lamenting how His own people, the chosen nation of Israel, did not listen to Him.

Luke 13:34 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

As I said above, Jesus already paid the price.

1 John 2:1–2 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Don’t leave your gift card unused. Take Jesus at His Word. Believe in Him. And get the benefit of what He did through His life of perfection, His innocent suffering and death, and His victory over death when He rose again.

Last Sunday my pastor started a series of sermons about “Half Truths.” He started with the saying “God helps those who help themselves.” A lot of people have the attitude that they have to do as much as they can and then God will come to their aid and do the rest. That’s the mindset behind the “Protestant Work Ethic.” It is a distortion of what God says in His Word and would have us do. A better understanding would be to say the God wants us to do the best we can with the gifts and talents He has given to us. We do that in response to what He has already done for us in Christ. He already earned our forgiveness and salvation, so our lives should be lived in grateful response to that.

During that sermon, I was reminded of a scene from one of my favorite movies: “Shenandoah.” It is a prayer that shows a wrongheaded attitude. You can watch the clip here. The family has gathered at the dinner table for a meal and the father offers this prayer:  “Lord, WE cleared this land, WE plowed it, sowed it and harvested. WE cooked the harvest. It wouldn’t be here, we wouldn’t be eatin’ it if we hadn’t done it all ourselves. We worked dog-bone hard for every crumb and morsel, but we thank you just the same anyway, Lord, for this food we’re about to eat. Amen.”

Is that how you feel? Is that how you act? Sometimes we seem to think everything we have is only because we worked for it. We did it. We leave God’s goodness out of the equation altogether. We discount His involvement in our lives.

For our entire married life, Cheryl and I have tithed of our gross income to our local congregation. Often times, we gave more than 10% of our earnings to carry out the mission and ministry that God has entrusted to all of us. And that does not include the gifts we give to other entities outside our congregation. And through it all,  God continued to bless us. Tremendously. It all comes from Him anyway, and He keeps giving us more. We don’t miss what we give to Him with grateful hearts.

I’ve heard some say, “I don’t make enough to tithe.” That’s a ridiculous argument. If you can’t trust God and return 10% when you’re making $100 a week you won’t give 10% when you’re making $1000 per week. It comes down to whether or not you believe God’s promise.

It saddens me to think that so many are depriving themselves of the blessings you could have if you would just trust God in this matter.  It also saddens me when I think of how a lack of first fruit giving limits congregations in what they are able to do ministry wise.

After all, that is what we are really all about. We are people who know and believe without a doubt that when Jesus came to this earth, He did it for us. We know that all of our sins and our failings and our shortcomings make us deserving of death, but Jesus took care of that for us. We have been led by the Spirit to believe that the life and death of Jesus paid for our sins and His resurrection from the dead guarantees us life everlasting. We have this faith. We want to respond to this good news with new lives, holy lives, good stewardship lives.

But things keep getting in the way. Our fears. Our uncertainties. Our doubts. Don’t let your fears and uncertainties and doubts rob you of the blessings God wants to give you, the blessings that come from living the new life to which He calls His children. Remember, He is the one who gave you His Son, gave you forgiveness, gave you salvation, and gives you everything else you have. It all belongs to Him. How are you using what God has given you for Him?

“What a Difference You’ve Made in My Life” is an inspirational song written by Archie Jordan and first made famous by two artists during 1977: then-teenage Christian music singer Amy Grant and country music singer Ronnie Milsap. Milsap’s version was released in November and was soon #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

This was just over a year after I graduated High School and I was attending college in Austin and was just starting to discover Country music. I really liked the Ronnie Milsap version, but at the time I had no idea it was actually a song about faith in Jesus. I thought it was just another little love song.

When asked about his religious beliefs, Milsap said quite simply: “I am a Christian. I know I am a Christian, knowing that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.” He has the certainty that the death of Jesus paid for his sin and that His victory over death belings to all who trust in Him. So even though this song does not mention Jesus by name, it tells the story of how God changes lives when you put your faith and confidence in Him. Reflect on the lyrics from that vantage point.

What, a, difference you’ve made in my life
What a difference you’ve made in my life
You’re my sunshine day and night
Oh what a difference you’ve made in my life

What a change you have made in my heart
What a change you have made in my heart
You replaced all the broken parts
Oh what a change you have made in my heart

Love to me was just a word in a song
That had been way over-used
But now I’ve joined in the singin’
‘Cause you’ve shown me love’s true meanin’
That’s why I want to spread the news

his should be the description of the lives of those who have heard the Good News of Jesus, been led to believe it by the Holy Spirit, and strive to show their gratitude here until He takes us to be with Him.

Listen to the song here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIC1XJUbHy8

Yesterday I wrote about the danger of following your heart, which by nature is sinful. But I shared that as believers in Christ, God gives us the new heart we need. A clean heart and a right spirit (Psalm 51:10). That is what our faith in Jesus does for us here and now.

Even more, He is constantly renewing our hearts through His Word and Sacraments. We listen to and meditate on His Word, which assures us of our salvation. Through Baptism God has put His name on us, washed away our sins, and brought us into His family. In the Lord’ Supper we receive His body and blood to assure that we share in His payment and His victory.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

This is the confidence in which we live. We have a new heart.

Anyone who has received a heart transplant is grateful – such a person has a new resolve in his or her life. It should be no different for believers who have received a spiritual heart transplant. There should be a resolve in our lives guided by the Spirit of God to live as His children, because that is what we are. Listen to these encouragements:

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

This message is too good to keep to ourselves.

Philippians 2:9–11 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

We gladly bow before our Lord and willingly speak the Good News of what He has done.

Ephesians 2:8–10⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Our response to the undeserved love of God should be to live as the children He has made us, those who gladly and willingly live according to His will.

When you hear “Follow your heart,” remember that without Christ in your  life, your heart is sinful and goes against God. And your old sinful self will continue to try to go against what God would have you do. The only time “Follow your Heart” is good advice is when you follow that new heart and right spirit that God has placed in you. Rejoice in the forgiveness and life and salvation that you have in Christ. Live in the confidence you have as a redeemed child of God.