Reflections

September 10, 2026

Today's Reading: Catechism: How can bodily eating and drinking do such great things?

Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 9:1-13; 10:18-29; 2 Kings 13:1-18:8; Philippians 2:12-30

How can bodily eating and drinking do such great things? Certainly not just eating and drinking do these things, but the words written here: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” These words, along with the bodily eating and drinking, are the main thing in the Sacrament. Whoever believes these words has exactly what they say: “forgiveness of sins.” (Small Catechism - The Po...

September 9, 2026

Today's Reading: 2 Kings 6:1-23

Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 6:1-23; 2 Kings 6:24-8:29; Philippians 1:21-2:11

“Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.’ So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, ‘Please strike this people with blindness.’ So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of...

September 8, 2026

Today's Reading: Galatians 5:16-24

Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 5:9-27; Philippians 1:1-20

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:19-23)

September 7, 2026

Today's Reading: Proverbs 4:10-23

Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 4:38-5:8; Ephesians 6:1-24

“Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.” (Proverbs 4:13)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Legos come with instructions. Furniture from IKEA comes with instructions. Your teacher gives you instructions. Your parents give you instructions. All these are very helpful to complete a task or tasks throughout life. Without them, you might still get the Legos built or figure out...

September 6, 2026

Today's Reading: Luke 17:11-19

Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 4:8-22, 32-37; Ephesians 5:15-33

“Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice;and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.Then Jesus answered, ‘Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’And he said to him, ‘Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well...

September 5, 2026

Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 14 - Psalm 84:1-2a, 4, 10b, 11b; antiphon: Psalm 84:9-10a

Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 2:19-25; 4:1-7; Ephesians 4:25-5:14

“I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” (Psalm 84:10)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Fancy hotels and apartments have doormen. These are the guys who stand all day outside, rain or shine, who open the doors for guests, who carry their bags and...

September 4, 2026

Today's Reading: Ephesians 4:1-24

Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 2:1-18; Ephesians 4:1-24

“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-12)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

These are some of the most misunderstood words in Holy Scripture. The question is, who does the work of ministry? Is it the apostles, prophets, etc.? Or is it all...

September 3, 2026

Today's Reading: Catechism: What is the benefit of this eating and drinking?

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 19:1-21; 1 Kings 20:1-22:53; Ephesians 3:1-21

“What is the benefit of this eating and drinking? These words, ‘Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins,’ show us that in the Sacrament forgiveness of sins, life and salvation are given us through these words. For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.” (Small Catechism VI.2)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

September 2, 2026

Today's Reading: 1 Kings 18:20-40

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 18:20-40; Ephesians 2:1-22

“Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.” (1 Kings 40:38)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Take that, false prophets of Baal. You, who outnumbered Elijah 450 to 1, still lost. What a wimpy god you cried out to to show his so-called power. It didn’t matt...

September 1, 2026

Today's Reading: Galatians 3:15-22

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 18:1-19; Ephesians 1:1-23

“If the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.” (Galatians 3:18)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Abraham is perhaps more like a Christian than an Israelite. Technically, there was no way Abraham could be an Israelite. Israelites were descendants of Jacob, who was later named ‘Israel.’ Jacob was Abraham’s grandson. So there was no pos...

August 31, 2026

Today's Reading: 2 Chronicles 28:8-15

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 16:29-17:24; 2 Corinthians 10:1-13:14; 2 Corinthians 9:1-15

“You shall not bring the captives in here, for you propose to bring upon us guilt against the Lord in addition to our present sins and guilt. For our guilt is already great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.” (2 Chronicles 28:13)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

After King Solomon, the Israelites split into two separate kingdoms in a civil war. For centuries, two nati...

August 30, 2026

Today's Reading: Luke 10:23-37

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 12:20-13:5, 33-34; 1 Kings 14:1-16:28; 2 Corinthians 8:1-24

“But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” (Luke 10:29)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

It shouldn’t take a man half-dead and lying beside the road to show someone that he is self-righteous. Since self-righteousness does not fear, love, or trust in God above all things, self-righteousness is clearly a sin against the First Commandment. It doesn’t ma...

August 29, 2026

Today's Reading: Mark 6:14-29

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 11:42-12:19; 2 Corinthians 7:1-16

“King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some said, ‘John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.’ But others said, ‘He is Elijah.’ And others said, ‘He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.’ But when Herod heard of it, he said, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.’ For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and boun...

August 28, 2026

Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 13 - Psalm 74:1-2, 19b, 21b; antiphon: Psalm 74:20a, 21a, 22a, 23a

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 11:1-26; 2 Corinthians 6:1-18

Have regard for the covenant, [O Lord]; let not the downtrodden turn back in shame. Arise, O God, defend your cause; do not forget the clamor of your foes. (Psalm 74:20a, 21a, 22a, 23a)

O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture? Remember your congregation, which you...

August 27, 2026

Today's Reading: Catechism: What is the Sacrament of the Altar?

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 9:1-9; 10:1-13; 2 Corinthians 5:1-21

It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself for us Christians to eat and to drink. (Luther’s Small Catechism- Sacrament of the Altar)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

What is the Sacrament of the Altar? As Luther wrote, it is the true Body and Bl...

August 26, 2026

Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:4-11 or Romans 10:9-17

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 8:22-30, 46-63; 2 Corinthians 4:1-18

“because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord i...

August 25, 2026

Today's Reading: Isaiah 29:17-24

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 7:51-8:21; 2 Corinthians 3:1-18

“Is it not yet a very little while until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest? In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see. The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the LORD, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. For th...

August 24, 2026

Today's Reading: Luke 22:24-30 or John 1:43-51

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 5:1-18; 1 Kings 6:1-7:50; 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:17

“A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at t...

August 23, 2026

Today's Reading: Mark 7:31-37

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 3:1-15; 1 Kings 3:16-4:34; 2 Corinthians 1:1-22

“And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha,’ that is, ‘Be opened.’ And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.” (Mark 7:33-36)

In the Name...

August 22, 2026

Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 12 - Psalm 70:2b, 4a, 5b; antiphon: Psalm 70:1-2a

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 2:1-27; 1 Corinthians 14:1-16:24; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

“You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay!” (Psalm 70:5)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

Psalm 70 expresses a prayer that every believer in God has prayed: “Help!” “Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me!” (v. 1). It is the most basic and sincerest prayer.

What the...

August 21, 2026

Today's Reading: 1 Kings 1:1-4, 15-35

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 1:1-4, 15-35; 1 Corinthians 12:14-31

“The Young woman was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king…” (1 Kings 4:4)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

We read some very weird things in the Bible; the story of Abishag is one of them. 

At this time, King David was old and advanced in years. He is described as bedridden and in need of constant attention. This is a fa...

August 20, 2026

Today's Reading: Catechism: What sins should we confess?

Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 12:1-25; 2 Samuel 13:1-19:43; 1 Corinthians 12:1-13

“Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man!’” (2 Samuel 12:7a)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Put yourself in Nathan’s shoes. How’d you like it if God sent you to confront the most powerful man in the nation to call him out for a sin –a man who was a warrior who killed thousands of his enemies and had recently be...

August 19, 2026

Today's Reading: 2 Samuel 11:1-27

Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 11:1-27; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

“But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.” (2 Samuel 11:27b)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

How could this happen? God said that David was a man after His own heart: David trusted God and was a model of faithfulness, honoring God in both word and deed. But in our passage today, we read how this same great king slept with the wife of one...

August 18, 2026

Today's Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10 or 1 Corinthians 15:1-10

Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 7:18-29; 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:16

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God…” (Ephesians 2:8)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Lutherans love to say we are saved by grace through faith. But, as Luther would ask in his catechism, What does this mean? No text explains this better than Ephesians 2. 

Paul explains to his...

August 17, 2026

Today's Reading: Genesis 4:1-15

Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 7:1-17; 1 Corinthians 9:24-10:22

“sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, and you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7b)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Cain and Abel both presented offerings to the LORD. Abel brought his best; Cain did not. The LORD regarded Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s. Cain was shown up by his little brother! “So Cain was very angry…”

It’s...

August 16, 2026

Today's Reading: Luke 18:9-14

Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 6:1-19; 1 Corinthians 9:1-23

“God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Luke 18:13)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

One of the many problems with being a sinner is that we are turned in on ourselves, or self-centered. We tend to talk too much about ourselves and only think of our own problems and desires. As religiously serious people, we may even become impressed with ourselves and compare ourselves to others. The...

August 15, 2026. 

Today's Reading: Luke 1:(39-45) 46-55

Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 5:1-25; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13

“Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:45)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Lutherans honor Mary—not because she rules in heaven or manages our prayers—but because of what God did through her. Jesus’ humanity is real—He took flesh from Mary. Second, all but two recorded humans die. If Mary had been taken bodily...

August 14, 2026

Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 11 - Psalm 68:1, 3, 7a, 10b, 19; antiphon: Psalm 68:5b, 6a, 35b

Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 1:1-27; 1 Corinthians 7:25-40

“The righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy.” (Introit for Trinity 11)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

In A.D. 390, the Emperor of the Eastern Empire of Rome, Theodosius, ordered soldiers to massacre thousands in Thessalonica after a riot. The church historian Rufinus reports: “When Theodosius came to the church, Bishop Ambros...

August 13, 2026

Today's Reading: Catechism: What is Confession?

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 31:1-13; 1 Corinthians 7:1-24

“…Our sins are forgiven before God in heaven.” (Small Catechism- Confession)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

The Lutheran Service Book says on page 292 (in red ink): “If you are not burdened with particular sins, do not trouble yourself or search for or invent other sins, thereby turning confession into a torture. Instead, mention one or two sins that you know and let that be enough.”

...

August 12, 2026

Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 28:3-25

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 28:3-25; 1 Samuel 29:1-30:31; 1 Corinthians 6:1-20

“The Lord has done to you as He spoke by me, for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David.’” (1 Samuel 28:17)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

In 16 years of shepherding God’s kids, I’ve heard and seen almost everything. The most disheartening thing, though, are the people who are… “doing fine.” The people who see the Divine Service...

August 11, 2026 

Today's Reading: Romans 9:30-10:4 or 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 26:1-25; 1 Samuel 27:1-28:2; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” (Romans 10:4)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

When I converted to Lutheranism in 2005, I was amazed by the clarity of confession and the certainty of the Lutherans I met. Though I had grown up in and around the church, I didn’t understand much of what was being said; however, every t...

August 10, 2026 

Today's Reading: Jeremiah 8:4-12 or Jeremiah 7:1-11

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 25:23-44; 1 Corinthians 4:1-21

“I have paid attention and listened…” (Jeremiah 8:6a)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

When I was little, I learned to hammer nails into boards. Part of that process, unfortunately, included smashing my thumb with the hammer. The wise counsel of adults was to: “Stop hitting your thumb with the hammer, and it won’t hurt.” It was true! I hit my thumb less nowadays, but there’s more...

August 9, 2026 

Today's Reading: Luke 19:41-48

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 25:1-22; 1 Corinthians 3:1-23

“Would that you… had known on this day the things that make for peace!” (Luke 19:42)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Jesus sees His beloved city and her people carrying on in great busyness and happiness in preparation for the Passover celebration… so why does Jesus weep? Why the turning over of the money changers' tables? Because the people thought that maintaining longstanding traditions since the first Passover and making mo...

August 8, 2026

Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 10 - Psalm 55:1, 4-5, 16; antiphon: Psalm 55:16a, 17b, 18a, 22a

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 24:1-22; 1 Corinthians 1:26-2:16

“Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!” (Psalm 55:1)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

The Lord desires that we call upon Him in the day of trouble. That is what we learn in the opening to the Lord’s Prayer. We pray not to some big, scary God up...

August 7, 2026

Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 21:1-9

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 21:1-9

“So the priest gave him the holy bread, for there was no bread there but the bread of Presence…” (1 Samuel 21:6a)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Holy things for unholy people. That’s what happens in our text for today.

If you remember, David is on the run. Saul doesn’t like the man; he never has since that whole Goliath thing when the crowds gave David...

August 6, 2026

Today's Reading: Catechism: The Sacrament of Holy Baptism - 4

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 20:1-23; Acts 28:16-31

“We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:4)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Baptism isn’t a one-time thing. I mean, it is…. After all, we do confess in the Creed that we believe...

August 5, 2026

Today's Reading: Acts 28:1-15

Daily Lectionary: Acts 28:1-15

“After we were brought safely through…” (Acts 28:1a)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

It had been three long years since Paul had been arrested by a Jewish mob in Jerusalem and thrown before the High Priest Ananias. The Jews had made a plot to kill him, but that plot had been foiled, and he was skirted away to Caesarea to be put under the authority of Felix, the go...

August 4, 2026

Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:6-13

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 18:10-30; Acts 27:27-44

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Paul is presenting a typology. Fancy word, I know, but it just means that one...

August 3, 2026

Today's Reading: 2 Samuel 22:26-34

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 17:48-18:9; Acts 27:9-26

“For you are my lamp, O Lord, and my God lightens my darkness. For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. This God–his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.” (2 Samuel 22:29-31)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

David isn’t...

August 2, 2026

Today's Reading: Luke 16:1-9 (10-13)

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 17:20-47; Acts 26:24-27:8

“[Jesus said,] ‘The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness.’” (Luke 16:8a)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

We want to make this parable about us— about us being the actor, about us being the active player; we want the Law to be the lens through which we view it. But, goodness, that is what we want to do with every parable. The problem is that th...