"I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen." (Luther's Morning Prayer
Monday, May 8, 2023 - Day 128 - (Today’s Bible readings: Habakkuk 2:2-20; Psalm 118; Luke 20:41-21:9)
TRUSTING GOD
Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” (Luke 21:1-4 ESV)
Trusting God is what the widow teaches us here. In so doing, the Lord judged her gift greater than the gifts of those who gave out of their abundance.
Most of us would have a difficult time trusting God enough to give away all that we have. I do remember one shut-in, though, who gave the church almost all of the monthly stipend he received. He was living in a nursing home and decided that he would rather give all he could to his church. Earlier he had given the church a very special gift. Every time the congregation listens to the bell choir, they can rejoice in the generosity of this man. He was following the example of the widow and trusting God.
How about you? No, it is not simply financial giving that is involved in trusting God. Above all, learning to trust God involves a sinner’s heartfelt repentance and an abiding dependence on God’s provision in his/her daily life. The hymn writer put it this way:
If thou but suffer God to guide thee,
And hope in Him through all thy ways,
He’ll give thee strength whate’er betide thee,
And bear thee through the evil days.
Who trusts in God’s unchanging love
Builds on the rock that nought can move.
(Lutheran Service Book, #759 stanza 1)
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for teaching us what it means to trust in You. May I follow the example of the widow and put my entire life into Your caring, saving and protecting arms. Amen.
Pastor David Paape
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105 ), is the theme for this three-year journey through the entire Old Testament once (the Psalms - twice yearly), and the New Testament twice. There will be daily readings from the O.T., Psalms and the N.T. Special days on the church calendar will be highlighted with appropriate readings. This calendar has been compiled by representatives of the Lutheran Church of Canada, the North American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Please click this link for the daily reading calendar:
The “assigned” daily readings will appear on a daily basis in this blog. May the Lord bless your meditation upon His precious life-giving Word!
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