Year B, Advent 1, Wednesday

Inspired by Micah 5:1-5a

“And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.  And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be the one of peace.”  Micah 4-5a

Hunger.  War.  Greed.  Injustice.  Corruption.  These are the challenges that Micah and his contemporaries faced, and these are the challenges that we ourselves face.  And we ask, just as Micah did, what can be done?

The answer, simply put, is God.  Micah’s prediction of the coming Savior in this passage (Christians have always believed this passage to be referring to Jesus) describes someone who will feed the people with the strength of the Lord and the majesty of the name of the Lord.  Then security and peace will reign throughout the earth.  Not so simple is how to live that out today.  Jesus has already come and done all that, yet we’re still living with the same struggles Micah lived with.  What went wrong?

Nothing went ‘wrong.’  Jesus fed his flock the prescribed strength and majesty, but he did not force-feed us.  Many have chosen not to accept what Jesus has to offer, and have chosen instead to eat the food of greed, injustice, and corruption, because they believe those to have greater personal rewards.  But Jesus is still offering to give us his grace, and living in his grace frees us from bondage to those things that would destroy us.  The rulers of this world can only deny us what they first give us; if we do not embrace what the world embraces, then we cannot be denied the peace and security of knowing that we have been fed with the strength and majesty of the Lord who is, who was, and who is to come.

Let us pray.  Savior God, you have offered us your peace.  Continue to feed us your grace as we struggle to live in a world that chooses not to accept it, that we may bear witness to your better way.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Advent 1, Tuesday

Inspired by Micah 4:6-13

“In that day, says the Lord, I will assemble the lame and gather those who have been driven away, and those whom I have afflicted.  The lame I will make the remnant, and those who were cast off, a strong nation; and the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion now and forever more.”  Micah 4:6-7

Even in today’s ‘enlightened’ society, we have our undesirables.  There are those who are mentally or physically 'less' than perfect or ideal (or even acceptable), and those who, for whatever reason, are simply rejected.  As a result, many of us go through life painfully aware of all our shortcomings, and go to great lengths to deny their existence and hide them from the world.  As a result, we pretend to be who we’re not, and the world is dominated by people who are frightened, insecure, and unwilling to acknowledge the reality that we all live in brokenness.

But God knows.  God knows of all our shortcomings, all our brokenness, all our sinfulness.  And God has promised to gather us together, lift us up, and guide us—not in spite of our shortcomings, but because of them.  Because God does not value the things of the world, but the things that are God’s.  And we are God’s, and therefore are valued exactly as we are.

Let us pray.  Lord God, you see us as we are, and accept us as we are.  Help us to reject worldly values and definitions so that we may recognize in each other the worth that you have created.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Advent 1, Monday

Inspired by Micah 4:1-5

“He shall judge between many peoples, and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more; but they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.”  Micah 4:3-4

In political terms, ‘peace’ is contrasted with ‘war,’ meaning war could be defined as the absence of peace, and peace could be defined as the absence of war.  Therefore ‘peace’ can be obtained by conquest, and can be maintained by force.  However, God’s view of peace encompasses so much more than the absence of war; it involves a world in which war is unnecessary.  God’s ultimate justice determines the outcome of disagreements between peoples, without weapons.  Weapons are turned into implements that encourage things to grow, rather than being used as tools of destruction.  Nations are secure and self-sufficient, knowing that just as they are taking care of themselves, their neighbors are doing the same, eliminating the threat of attack for the sake of scarce resources.

When trying to determine what God’s will is for your life, ask yourself which of your choices most contributes to this view of peace.  Then make that choice, knowing that God is teaching you his ways and you are walking in his paths.

Let us pray.  Lord God, you created all nations.  Help us to live in peace with all your people, that no one will need to know fear, hunger, or death by war.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, First Sunday of Advent

Inspired by Mark 13:24-37

“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.”  Mark 13:32-33

Have you ever been in a life-threatening situation?  Your senses are heightened as adrenaline courses through your body, allowing you to be hyper-alert to your environment.  This survival instinct can be helpful in certain instances when danger is immanent, however the human body is simply not designed to function at this level long-term.  In this passage Jesus seems to be advocating for living under constant threat.  The end can come at any time—watch out!  Be on your best behavior!

Or is he?  Do we only act the way we’re called to when we think someone is watching?  The Christian life is about one’s whole outlook, one’s entire being.  Being the recipient of God’s enduring love is not supposed to be stress-inducing, but rather life-giving!  The coming of God’s reign is not a threat, but a promise.  Christianity is not about where we go when we die, but about how we live now.  So don’t worry about the end-times; we don’t know when they’ll be anyway.  Instead just live in God’s grace day by day, never losing sight of the fact that his love for you is constantly being renewed.

Let us pray.  Eternal God, you are the beginning and the end.  Help us to seek you now, that we may experience your hope and your grace today, rather than in some distant future.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Advent 1, Saturday

Inspired by Micah 2:1-13

“‘Do not preach’—thus they preach—‘one should not preach of such things; disgrace will not overtake us.’  Should this be said, O house of Jacob?  Is the Lord’s patience exhausted?  Are these his doings?  Do not my words do good to one who walks uprightly?”  Micah 2:6-7

We all want to hear affirmation.  We all want to hear that we’re doing enough.  We all want to hear God say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”  We know that Christ has paid the price for our sin, washed us clean, and that we can never earn our way into heaven with our good works.  But we need to be able to hear the other things that God has to say.  We need to hear that has God freed us from sin for his service, and that Christ’s death and resurrection do not give us a free pass to do whatever we want.  Words like those uttered by Micah warn those who exploit others for their own personal gain that what they are doing is not acceptable, that God will administer justice and restore his people.  Of course everyone makes mistakes and must live with their own shortcomings, but there’s a difference between making a mistake and intentionally hurting someone else to make your own life easier or more comfortable.  The promise of justice delivered is only threatening to those who are unjust, and a gospel that affirms injustice is no gospel.

Let us pray.  Gracious God, you love all your people and desire for all to live in peace.  Grant us the humility to accept your words, and grant us the courage to work for justice, that all of your people may share in the bounty you have given us on earth.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Advent 1, Friday

Inspired by 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18

“Now concerning love of the brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anyone write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another; and indeed you do love all the brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia.  But we urge you, beloved, to do so more and more, to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we directed you, so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and be dependent on no one.”  1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

How does one be a good Christian?  There is certainly no shortage of zealous Christians proclaiming their views on that very subject, complete with step-by-step guides and long lists of forbidden and required behaviors.  But it doesn’t have to be that complicated.  God himself taught us how to love, by sending his Son to tell us of God’s never-ending love and grace, and taking upon himself the penalty of our sin.  To show that love to one another doesn’t require a step-by-step guide, or long lists of behaviors to perform or avoid, and it certainly doesn’t require passing judgment on how others are living their lives.  Rather, we are called to live and love quietly, taking care of ourselves so we’re not a burden to others, and freeing up resources to help those truly in need.  A life of simple contentment and charity is a far more powerful statement on the benefits of Christian living than harsh judgments and condemnation.  Indeed we are called to a certain moral code and self control, but that is a result of God’s love shining forth in our lives, not the price of admission.  Christ already paid that, because God loved us while we were yet sinners.

Let us pray.  Loving God, you saw our fallen state, and you lifted us up and made us worthy of your love.  Continue to show us your love, so that we may reflect that love to others, and help spread your peace throughout the world.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Advent 1, Thursday

Inspired by Zechariah 13:1-9

"On that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.”  Zechariah 13:1

You see them on the news, people who have survived something terrible.  An earthquake, a tornado, an act of war or terrorism.  They’re covered in dirt, sweat, and blood—their own or someone else’s—and, especially those who have survived a natural disaster, the means to wash and change into clean clothes are not readily available.  So instead they continue to be coated with a visible reminder of what they’ve been through, and remain marked as what they now are: a survivor.  How glorious when they finally have access to a good shower and a fresh set of clothes!  The memories are still there, but now they can begin to put the trauma behind them and move forward with their lives.

We are just as covered in our sinfulness as an earthquake survivor is covered in dirt and debris.  No matter how hard we try to cover it up or ignore it, it’s there, an almost visible reminder of those things we’ve done that we wish we hadn’t, owning us and marking us as sinners and limiting us in what we can do.  But through the prophet Zechariah God promised a fountain for his people, to cleanse them from their sin, and to give them a new identity as his people.  Through the fast-flowing waters of God’s holy fountain, we are washed clean, renewed in spirit, and freed to be the people God created us to be.

Let us pray.  Lord God, you sent your Son to redeem us from our sin.  Cleanse us from all unrighteousness, that we may serve you with the gifts you have so graciously given us.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Welcome to Quiet Devotions

The daily lectionary in the back of Evangelical Lutheran Worship is organized around each Sunday, beginning on the Thursday prior and ending on the following Wednesday.  This Sunday will be the first Sunday in Advent, which is also the first Sunday in the new church year.

Beginning tomorrow, Quiet Devotions will publish a daily devotional reading and prayer, based on one of the readings in ELW's daily lectionary.  Eventually these devotions will be moved to the webpage of Quiet Publications, which is the name under which I will soon be publishing various bible studies and other religious resources.

Whether you think you may be interested in my other publications or not, I hope you'll enjoy these daily devotionals.  Please subscribe to this page, so that you'll receive each devotional automatically each day.

May God bless you as you grow closer with him in prayer!

Karen Goltz