Category: Moments of Meditation

September 17, 2024

Broadcast

                       The Widow's Son -- Part 2
                           1 Kings 17:19-21
                              09/17/2024


        19   And he said to her, ``Give me your son.'' And he
             took him from her arms and carried him up into the
             upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his
             own bed.
        20   And he cried to the LORD, ``O LORD my God, have
             you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom
             I sojourn, by killing her son?''
        21   Then he stretched himself upon the child three
             times and cried to the LORD, ``O LORD my God, let
             this child's life come into him again.''  (ESV)

        The hope of each Christian is the result of two facts.
   First, Jesus Christ bore the guilt of our sin upon the cross,
   thereby reconciling us to God the Father.  Second, Jesus burst
   forth from the tomb, showing that the grave cannot hold one who
   has been declared holy and righteous in God's sight.

        In both the Old and New Testaments, God, working through His
   prophets and apostles, raised several people from the dead.  This
   week's Old Testament lesson concerns the son of the widow of
   Zarephath who was taking care of Elijah.  Her son became ill and
   died.
        And [Elijah] said to her, ``Give me your son.'' And he
        took him from her arms and carried him up into the
        upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own
        bed.  And he cried to the LORD, ``O LORD my God, have
        you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I
        sojourn, by killing her son?''  Then he stretched
        himself upon the child three times and cried to the
        LORD, ``O LORD my God, let this child's life come into
        him again.''


        Elijah proclaimed his own helplessness and called upon God
   to grant this extraordinary miracle.  The Christian believes that
   death is but a temporal sleep from which we will awaken.  Our
   prayers, our hope, is for the resurrection of the body and life
   everlasting when Jesus comes to judge the living and the dead.

        May our Lord grant us faith that holds to the promise of
   life in heaven.  Amen.

September 16, 2024

Broadcast

                       The Widow's Son -- Part 1
                           1 Kings 17:17-18
                              09/16/2024


        17   After this the son of the woman, the mistress of
             the house, became ill.  And his illness was so
             severe that there was no breath left in him.
        18   And she said to Elijah, ``What have you against
             me, O man of God?  You have come to me to bring my
             sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my
             son!''  (ESV)

        Saint Paul wrote: ``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.''[1] This week's readings deal with
   God restoring life to people who had died.  In the Old Testament
   we hear of the widow of Zarephath, the woman who continued to
   care for Elijah, at the death of her son.  In the Gospel lesson,
   we hear of Jesus raising the widow's son in the town of Nain.

        Jesus' resurrection is unique because He did not
   subsequently die, whereas the two sons in this week's readings
   did later pass away.  But, both of these resurrection stories
   tell us that God indeed can and does raise people from the dead.
   This brings us the hope that we, too, shall rise again.

        After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the
        house, became ill.  And his illness was so severe that
        there was no breath left in him.  And she said to
        Elijah, ``What have you against me, O man of God?  You
        have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to
        cause the death of my son!''


        The widow understood that death is the result of sin.  She
   here confesses that she and her son have gone against God's law,
   thus they will face temporal death.  In this we are like the
   widow and her son, facing the future, knowing that we rightly
   deserve punishment for our transgressions.

        Yet this story brings hope, which we will discover in the
   next few days.

        May our Lord grant you faith that trusts in Him, that gives
   you hope.  Amen.
   ____________________

   1. Romans 10:9 (ESV)

September 13, 2024

Broadcast

                Seek First the Kingdom of God -- Part 5
                             1 Kings 17:16
                              09/13/2024


        16   The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the
             jug of oil become empty, according to the word of
             the LORD that he spoke by Elijah.  (ESV)

        Faith in God requires knowledge of His promises, agreement
   that His Word is true, and trust that He will do as He says.
   Jesus said: ``But seek first the kingdom of God and his
   righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.''[4]

        The drought which caused God to supply ample bread to the
   widow of Zarephath to feed her household and Elijah was the
   result of the people of the northern kingdom of Israel turning
   from God to idols.  The drought was a call to repent, to seek
   first the God who provides food, clothing, shelter, and all we
   need to sustain this body and life.

        The righteousness of God is the free gift of salvation from
   sin, death, and the power of the devil which is given for the
   sake of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  As we trust
   in God, we know that He will act to preserve us for eternity, to
   bring us to live with Him in everlasting righteousness,
   innocence, and blessedness.

        God fulfills His promises.  ``The jar of flour was not
   spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the
   word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah.''

        Please join us at 9:00 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church to
   hear of God's rich love, grace, and mercy.  The message of faith
   is simple, our sins are forgiven for the sake of the suffering,
   death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  In the same way the
   widow of Zarephath did not earn the flour and oil, but received
   the gift for three years, so do we simply receive the gift of
   eternal life.

        May our Lord grant us faith to know and trust in Him alone.
   Amen.
   ____________________

   4. Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

September 12, 2024

Broadcast

                Seek First the Kingdom of God -- Part 4
                             1 Kings 17:15
                              09/12/2024


        15   And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and
             he and her household ate for many days.  (ESV)

        Our Lord God keeps His promises, including the promise to
   provide all we need to support this body and life.  The prophet
   Elijah, 850 years before Jesus said, ``Seek first the kingdom of
   God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added
   unto you,''[3] called the widow of Zarephath to act in faith.
   ``Bring me a morsel of bread,'' he asked the widow.  Take the
   last of your flour, the last of your oil, trust in God, and
   provide for the prophet He has sent to proclaim His Word.

        What an act of trust, what an example of faith was displayed
   by the widow.  Hungry, concerned that this prophet would consume
   her last provisions, she nevertheless trusted in God more than
   her own understanding.  ``And she went and did as Elijah said.
   And she and he and her household ate for many days.''

        How do we understand this miracle?  Can we expect that
   people who have faith in the one true God will never face the
   problems of life?  Of course not.  But they never face the
   problems alone, for God is with them and has promised to care for
   them.  His great mercy endures forever.

        As we fear, love, and trust in God above all things, we come
   to know of His mercy and grace.  Jesus told us to pray, ``give us
   this day our daily bread,'' not because we need to beg for those
   things we need, but to acknowledge that our heavenly Father
   provides for us even before we ask.  That prayer speaks of our
   faith in God, and proclaims His loving kindness.

        May our Lord grant that we trust in Him at all times and in
   all His promises.  Amen.
   ____________________

   3. Matthew 6:33

September 11, 2024

Broadcast

                Seek First the Kingdom of God -- Part 3
                           1 Kings 17:12-14
                              09/11/2024


        12   And she said, ``As the LORD your God lives, I have
             nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar
             and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering
             a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it
             for myself and my son, that we may eat it and
             die.''
        13   And Elijah said to her, ``Do not fear; go and do
             as you have said. But first make me a little cake
             of it and bring it to me, and afterward make
             something for yourself and your son.
        14   For thus says the LORD the God of Israel, `The jar
             of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil
             shall not be empty, until the day that the LORD
             sends rain upon the earth.'''  (ESV)

        The prophet Elijah, trusting in God's promise to care for
   his needs through the hands of the widow in Zarephath, asked the
   woman to bring him water and a morsel of bread.
        And she said, ``As the LORD your God lives, I have
        nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a
        little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of
        sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and
        my son, that we may eat it and die.''  And Elijah said
        to her, ``Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But
        first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me,
        and afterward make something for yourself and your son.
        For thus says the LORD the God of Israel, `The jar of
        flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not
        be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon
        the earth.'''


        The widow was at the end of her resources.  Due to the
   drought, due to the death of her husband, she had no ability to
   continue to feed her son or herself.  As a last act of
   desperation, she would bake a final loaf of bread, share it with
   her household, and quietly prepare to starve to death.

        Elijah called the widow to act in faith, to seek first the
   kingdom of God, to love the Lord and trust in Him above all
   things.  He told her of God's plan to preserve her and her
   family.

        May our Lord grant us faith to trust in His promises,
   especially as we are in times of trouble and distress.  Amen.

September 10, 2024

Broadcast

                Seek First the Kingdom of God -- Part 2
                           1 Kings 17:10-11
                              09/10/2024


        10   So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he
             came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was
             there gathering sticks. And he called to her and
             said, ``Bring me a little water in a vessel, that
             I may drink.''
        11   And as she was going to bring it, he called to her
             and said, ``Bring me a morsel of bread in your
             hand.''  (ESV)

        During the reign of King Ahab in the northern kingdom of
   Israel, around 850 years before the birth of Jesus, God caused a
   drought in the land to cause the nation to repent, turn from the
   false gods who could not provide for the people, and return to
   Him.  During the early part of the drought, which lasted three
   years, God provided food and water to Elijah in the wilderness.
   Later, God instructed Elijah to go to Zarephath where a widow
   would care for his needs.

        So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to
        the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there
        gathering sticks. And he called to her and said,
        ``Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may
        drink.''  And as she was going to bring it, he called
        to her and said, ``Bring me a morsel of bread in your
        hand.''


        Elijah did as God directed.  Hungry and thirsty, he found
   the widow just as God had promised.  He made a reasonable request
   for water and food.

        God does indeed provide our daily bread, that which we need
   to sustain this body and life.  He works through means, through
   people, through the dignity of labor, through the generosity of
   friends, family, neighbors, and strangers.  Elijah recognized
   this, even as he recognized the person through whom God would
   provide food and drink.

        May our Lord grant that we recognize His rich blessings,
   that He strengthen us to serve Him by serving our neighbors.
   Amen.

September 9, 2024

Broadcast

                Seek First the Kingdom of God -- Part 1
                            1 Kings 17:8-9
                              09/09/2024


        8    Then the word of the LORD came to him,
        9    ``Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon,
             and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow
             there to feed you.''  (ESV)

        For the past several weeks, the Bible readings we use at
   Trinity Lutheran Church reflect God's Word as given through
   Moses: ``Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  You
   shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all
   your soul and with all your might.''[1] The parable of the Good
   Samaritan built on a question about this verse, while the account
   of the thankful Samaritan leper is a practical application of
   this verse.

        Our Gospel reading this week included the words of Jesus, a
   paraphrase of God's directive given through Moses: ``But seek
   first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these
   things will be added to you.''[2] Our Old Testament lesson this
   week is another practical example of the faith which trusts in
   God to provide what we need to sustain this body and life.  It is
   the story of Elijah and a widow who lived in the Phoenician town
   of Zarephath.  It is the story of the widow's faith and God
   providing for her and her household during a great drought.

        Then the word of the LORD came to [Elijah], ``Arise, go
        to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there.
        Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.''


        When we pray, ``give us this day our daily bread,'' we do so
   knowing that our heavenly Father provides all we need to support
   this body and life.  Time and again we hear of people who have
   lost everything due to fire or flood or storm, get have immediate
   comfort and aid.  This week's Old Testament lesson is an example
   of the Father's love and the faith which trusts in Him.

        May our Lord grant us grace to hear and believe His merciful
   promises.  Amen.
   ____________________

   1. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (ESV)
   2. Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

September 6, 2024

Broadcast

                           Wisdom -- Part 5
                           Proverbs 4:18-19
                              09/06/2024


        18   But the path of the righteous is like the light of
             dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until
             full day.
        19   The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they
             do not know over what they stumble.  (ESV)

        One ancient service in the Church begins:
        Jesus Christ is the Light of the World, the light no
        darkness can overcome.

        Stay with us, Lord, for it is evening, and the day is
        almost over.

        Let Your Light scatter the darkness and illumine Your
        Church.

        Joyous light of glory: of the immortal Father;
        heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus Christ.


        We pray that the light of God's grace, love, and mercy shine
   in our hearts to chase away the gloom of this world.  King
   Solomon used this same image:
        But the path of the righteous is like the light of
        dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full
        day.  The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they
        do not know over what they stumble.


        ``The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,''[5]
   Solomon taught.  Wisdom brings us the light of truth, that our
   heavenly Father sent His only begotten Son to take upon Himself
   our sins.  Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, we
   have the hope of eternal life.

        Please join us at Trinity Lutheran Church on Sunday morning
   at 9:00 a.m. to learn more of God's grace and love.  May our Lord
   bless you with wisdom.  Amen.
   ____________________

   5. Proverbs 1:7

September 5, 2024

Broadcast

                           Wisdom -- Part 4
                           Proverbs 4:16-17
                              09/05/2024


        16   For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
             they are robbed of sleep unless they have made
             someone stumble.
        17   For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the
             wine of violence.  (ESV)

        Both King David and King Solomon wrote: ``The fear of the
   LORD is the beginning of wisdom.''[4] Each one taught his
   children, each one taught you and I, the importance of seeking
   first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.  Both taught of
   the blessing of hope which comes from trusting in the one true
   God above all things.

        Solomon gives a warning to stay on the path of
   righteousness, not to walk in the way of the wicked.  He is
   telling us the truth about those who do not respect the Word of
   God.
        For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they
        are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone
        stumble.  For they eat the bread of wickedness and
        drink the wine of violence.


        Solomon, writing 3,000 years ago, is telling us about the
   things we see in the news today.  Look at the violence and crime
   in our cities, the problems caused by our greed and selfishness
   even in rural towns and villages.  We don't need to hear of the
   escalating wars in the Ukraine or Israel.  We can see death and
   destruction as we drive in the neighborhoods of Minneapolis and
   Chicago and New York.

        God, through His Word, calls us to fear, love, and trust in
   Him above all things.  The summation of the commandments is love,
   both for God and for our neighbor.  As we seek first His kingdom
   and righteousness, we also reflect his love in our dealings with
   others.

        May our Lord grant us wisdom to remain firmly in His Word,
   to trust in His mercy, and to walk in the way of righteousness.
   Amen.









   ____________________

   4. Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 1:7, Proverbs 9:10

September 4, 2024

Broadcast

                           Wisdom -- Part 3
                           Proverbs 4:14-15
                              09/04/2024


        14   Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not
             walk in the way of the evil.
        15   Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and
             pass on.  (ESV)

        One year our youngest daughter gave me a magnet for Father's
   Day.  There on the refrigerator are words of wisdom, ``Life does
   not come with an instruction book.  That is why we have dads.''

        Solomon was a dad teaching his children, desiring that they
   listen to him so to keep themselves out of trouble.  He pleaded
   with them to listen to the words of wisdom, and spoke of the
   benefits of fearing, loving, and trusting in God above all
   things.

        He also warned them of the problems if they ignored this
   lesson.
        Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in
        the way of the evil.  Avoid it; do not go on it; turn
        away from it and pass on.


        If the fear of the LORD, if walking in the paths of
   righteousness bring the comfort of knowing God's love, then
   straying from that path brings sorrow, pain, and death.
   Following God gives us the comfort of knowing His love and mercy.
   We know, in spite of the worst that the devil, the world, and our
   own selfish desires may say, that we have the comfort of the hope
   of everlasting life.  If we turn from Him, we are confronted with
   the reality that we are without help and without hope.

        May our Lord turn our hearts to follow the teaching of
   Solomon, to seek wisdom and the fear of the LORD above all
   things.  Amen.