I like this keen insight from author William Weedon:
And this is the rebellion which God punishes in humanity time and again (temporal punishment) and that also deserves, even demands eternal punishment. This rebellion actually insists on receiving hell. "Go away God and leave me alone!" the sinful rebel screams. It actually asks for hell - being removed from God - foolishly imagining that it would be heaven.
From "Thank, Praise, Serve, Obey," page 84
I was surprised when I asked Pastors on Twitter to share some of the more unusual comments they received. The response was huge. I've narrowed it down to the following. The parenthetical words after each comment represent my off-the-cuff commentary.
Our spirituality is, first and foremost, much more a matter of receiving rather than of giving. It is God's doing. Our spirituality involves us in the receptive descending of the triune God, an act of condescension in which God the Father comes down to us and gives us the Holy Spirit through Jesus and His Word.
"Grace Upon Grace," John W. Kleinig, page 61
And that's what happened to Zacchaeus when Jesus sat at his table. A sinner was called to repentance that day. Before it was all over, Zacchaeus promised to give back half his possessions to charity, with special provisions to pay back anyone he had cheated. "Today salvation has come to this house," Jesus announced (Luke 19:9). And so it had. Salvation walked in the door when Jesus walked in. Salvation sat at table when Jesus sat down. And whenever Jesus spoke, salvation was speaking. And what Jesus used to say was always a variation on what He said at the home of that little man in Jericho: "the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost," (19:10). Wherever Jesus is, you see, there is forgiveness of sins. And where there is forgiveness of sins, there is life and salvation. That's what it's all about, this Christian faith.
"Dying to Live - the Power of Forgiveness," Harold L. Senkbeil, page 93
"The Life You Crave," page 170
One ought not talk about oneself, it might hide Jesus from view.
From "Hammer of God," page 179
Lord, as a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants our soul for You. Our soul thirsts for You, for the living God. We hope in You because only You have the final say in our lives. Lay Your hands on us through Word and Sacraments and we will live forever with You. In Jesus' name. Amen.
From "Portals of Prayer," Wednesday, April 14
One should regard the work of a Christian who has been justified through faith by the pure grace of God no differently than the way Adam and Eve pursued good works when they were in paradise. As it is described in Genesis 2:15, God placed these two created human beings into paradise for them to take care of it. Adam and Eve were righteous and created by God without sin. They had no need to become righteous and justified by taking care of the garden. However, to keep them busy, God put them to work planting, building, and preserving paradise. These were good works done to please God alone and not to obtain righteousness. Adam and Eve already possessed righteousness (which, had they not fallen into sin, would have been ours by nature as well).
It is the same with the work of the believer, who, through faith, is once again put in paradise and created anew. Such a person does not need to do work to become righteous. They do it only to please God in their freedom as a Christian.
From "The Freedom of the Christian," translated and edited by Adam Francisco, pages 19-20
So little Johnny ran for the door. Less than a minute later, he returned to his seat next to his Mom. He had the look of obvious relief on his face. "Did you make it all the way to the bushes?" his Mom asked. Johnny replied, "I didn't have to go that far. Just as I got to the front door, I found a box that had a sign on it: FOR THE SICK!"
I was being held captive in a prison of fear. Afraid of an individual. Afraid of the trouble the person might cause me. Afraid of the hurt the person might cause me and others. I didn't want to see the person. Didn't want to have anything to do with the individual. I would have been glad if they had just gone away. But the truth was that I was going to have to deal with person sometime.
God had mercy on me, His silly and weak child. He freed me from my prison of fear. The key He used to unlock my cell door was His Holy Word. I read the words, "When I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God, whose Word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me." (Psalm 56:3-4)
In these words the psalmist was reminding me that faith trumps fear. There was no reason to pull closed the cell door of my self-imposed prison. God is greater than my fear. He is more powerful and wise than any of my enemies. According to the psalmist, God has my back, so to speak. I didn't have to be afraid of the troublemaker. God was with me. Praise His comforting Word! How grateful I was to my Lord and Savior for springing me from captivity.
St. Peter writes, "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." Trust God. He does care for you! Tell him about your adversaries and your problems. And don't be afraid. Walk before God in the light of life. (Psalm 56:13).
Where there is devotional music, God with His grace is always present.
In this latest edition on page 30, Donna Zuehlk offers a wonderful devotional, "A New Year FOR Babies?" She writes that it would be a great, new year if all life was valued and that every person, in spite of what ever condition or health issue they face, would be valued because they are - valued and loved by God the Father.
This paragraph was especially meaningful and worthy of reflection: Some might say, "What kind of purpose can a disabled person or a confused grandpa in a nursing home have?" For one, they teach us to put others first, teach us patience in their slowness and thanksgiving for the mind, eyes or legs we have. And just because we can't see someone's purpose doesn't mean it isn't there. Besides, isn't it wrong for us to even ask? After all, if we believe that we are God's creations, as the Bible says, then who are we to question the work of God's hands.
Put others first? Isn't that what Jesus did? Isn't that what we saw Jesus do in His passion? Caregiving is nothing less than showing the love of Jesus to another person. Can there be a greater service? Can there be a greater love.
Pray for the caregivers you know. Pray that they realize that their service is not in vain and that they teach us all how to love like Jesus does.
From Jesus comes forgiveness for my sins, ability to stand before God with confidence, a heart filled with all-surpassing peace.
"Together with Jesus" devotional, March 8
The grave could not hold Jesus. And it will not hold the ones who have faith in Jesus either. He promises, "Because I live, you also will live." (John 14:19) The grave is where we were supposed to get what our sins deserve. But instead, the grave is where the believer gets what our sins deserve - heaven, forever. Instead of closing our eyes in death and opening them again to see even greater death, we close our eyes in death and open them to see Jesus. Leave it to our Greatest Friend to take the devil's greatest weapon and use it as the believer's greatest blessing.
From "WELS.Net" devotional, April 5.
How far down did our Redeemer go? "He humbled Himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross," Paul reminds us in Philippians 2:8. Jesus not only died but He died the most horrible death know in His day - perhaps in any day. Crucifixion was designed to make the victim suffer as much and for as long as possible. So horrible was the cross that no Roman citizen was ever to hang on one. It was reserved for the worst of miscreants, the worthless alien - and God's holy Son.
Why didn't the God-man, with just a flick of His little finger, pluck those penetrating nails from his limbs? Why didn't He, with just a little glance of His mighty eyes, level those blasphemers parading beneath His cross with the ground? Why did He suffer the god-awful pain of the cross and the even greater godforsaken pain of hell? Listen to the apostle Paul again, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree'." (Colossians 3:13) The Son of God humbled Himself and was crucified to redeem us.
"As Luther Taught the Word of Truth," page 53
So Jesus gave prayer instruction that hits the enemy head-on. He let you know that God will fight for you every step of the way. The gift of prayer bring you to the cross and the risen Lord. It's a gift that let's you say, "Jesus, my Savior, the one committed to my life, do your thing! Battle away for me! And battle He does. The ultimate Answer to your prayers is fighting for you. The living Lord Jesus Christ never lets up in His work to save and sustain you.
Michael Newman, "The Life You Crave," page 101