"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)
Day 278 - (Today’s Bible readings: Amos 5:16-27; Psalm 94; Mark 3:1-21)
DOING WHAT’S RIGHT, EVEN WHEN...
Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. (Mark 3:1-6 ESV)
The artist captured well the drama in these short six verses.
● A man in need.
● A judgmental crowd.
● A question put forth.
● Silence.
● Righteous anger and hardened hearts.
● A hand restored.
● Hatred eagerly unleashed.
Why did Jesus go ahead and miraculously restore the man’s hand on the Sabbath? He knew what the Pharisees were up to. Why didn’t He just wait until the next day?
Have you ever seen a police officer directing cars to go through a red light? He has the authority to override the traffic laws if the situation demands it. Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8). He is God, the One who gave the Sabbath laws in the first place. He had the right to help the man in need. Healing on the Sabbath was the right thing for Jesus to do!
There may be times when it is not popular to obey the will of God. At times like that, Peter’s words echo in our ears: “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29 ESV)
Yea, Lord, ’twas Thy rich bounty gave
My body, soul, and all I haveIn this poor life of labor.
Lord, grant that I in ev’ry place
May glorify Thy lavish grace
And help and serve my neighbor.
Let no false doctrine me beguile;
Let Satan not my soul defile.
Give strength and patience unto me
To bear my cross and follow Thee.
Lord Jesus Christ, my God and Lord, my God and Lord,
In death Thy comfort still afford.
Amen.
(“Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart,” Lutheran Service Book, CPH, 2006, #708 v 2)
Pastor David Paape
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105 ), undergirds 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:
Then scroll down to 2022 Bible Reading Calendar and download it if you so wish. 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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