"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)
Wednesday, February 14, 2024 - Day 45 (Through the Bible in a year readings for today: Leviticus 18-19; Matthew 27:32-66)
WORDS OF LOVE
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:45-46 ESV
He was a third century priest. He chose to disobey the Roman Emperor and obey God instead by secretly marrying young couples. He was arrested and tried. One of his judges, a man by the name of Asterius, had a blind daughter whom God healed at the prayerful behest of this man. He was convicted and sentenced to death. He wrote a final note to the daughter of Asterius and signed it: “from your Valentine.” Or so the legend goes concerning the origins of Valentine’s Day.
From the cross, Jesus spoke words of love that eclipse any attempt we humans may make to convey love: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
These words show God the Father’s great love for us sinners. Jesus spoke these words in love so that you and I will never have to. He was expressing the doom of the damned...being forsaken by God.
Thank God He loved us so! Now there is a way out from under the burden and the curse of our sins. We who confess our faith in Jesus and repent of our sins are forgiven and guaranteed heaven. "And we love God for this. In fact... We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19 ESV)
1 God loved the world so that He gave
His only Son the lost to save,
That all who would in Him believe
Should everlasting life receive.
3 God would not have the sinner die,
His Son with saving grace is nigh;
His Spirit in the Word declares
How we in Christ are heaven's heirs.
“God Loved the World So That He Gave,” LSB # 571 (1,3)
O dearest Jesus, thank You for Your great love for sinners like me. Thank You for speaking the words of the damned in hell for me. Help me now to lovingly share Your love with others. Amen.
Pastor David Paape
Daily Bible Reading Chart covering the entire Bible in one year.
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