Day 218 - Ezekiel Friday (chapters 43-48)
“When you allot the land as an inheritance, you shall set apart for the Lord a portion of the land as a holy district... It shall be holy throughout its whole extent” (Ezekiel 45:1 ESV)
“God pronounces regulations designed to prevent future temple defilement. He zealously guards His house of worship but also allows means by which the people may approach Him and serve Him. Today, the Lord continues to consecrate a place for Himself–souls and bodies of believers, which He will raise to dwell in His eternal sanctuary of heaven.” (Lutheran Study Bible, Concordia Publishing House, 2009, page 1387)
The picture shows just such a gathering of believers from the 1977 pictorial directory of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Milwaukee. It is good to remind ourselves that all such gatherings of His people around His Means of Grace are in preparation for dwelling in the Lord’s eternal sanctuary of heaven. Standing closest to the pulpit is Pastor Paul Nehrig, Bethlehem’s pastor at that time, while a son of the congregation who was preparing to become a pastor, leads the liturgy.
The hymn writer captured the essence of the Church and worship with these words:
Elect from ev’ry nation, Yet one o’er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation: One Lord, one faith, one birth.
One holy name she blesses, Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses With every grace endued.
(Lutheran Service Book, CPH 2006, #644)
Thank You, heavenly Father, for Your coming to us in worship. May we be as serious about worshiping You as You are about showering Your Church with Your grace. In the name of Jesus, my risen Savior. Amen.
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Bible Reading Plan upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
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