Sunday, October 18

“And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” John 3:14

Our daughter has a “pet” snake – Stanley. He’s six feet long and lives in her bedroom. Now before you get the wrong idea, he’s also bright blue and yellow and pink and green, and very much stuffed! He’s the first gift we bought for her, her very first “pet.” When she was little, she used to drag Stanley around wherever she went. She would wrap herself up in him; curling up and falling asleep. Stanley is her buddy – he gives her comfort.

It’s hard to believe one could find comfort in a snake – and if it was a real snake, my skin would crawl. But the people of Israel did just that. In the face of adversity, they would look up at the serpent of bronze and live. God made a promise to the people of Israel that if they repented for their unbelief and would change their ways, he would protect them from harm and they would live. God made a similar promise to us when his Son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross for us – whoever believes in him will have eternal life. In the cross – a stark symbol of death – we are given new life in Christ. Only God can bring life from death – the deadly bite of a snake or death hanging on a cross.

In our daughter’s world, her snake (Stanley) brings comfort, just like the crosses we wear or have in our homes bring comfort knowing God is with us.

Dear Lord, we thank you for giving us life, new life, in the midst of our darkness. Amen.

Monday, October 19

I hereby command you: be strong and courageous, do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Last summer my husband and daughter were able to spend time with me at the seminary when I had classes. They would go exploring during the day while I was in class and then come back to pick me up. Over the course of time, my daughter endeared herself to one of my classmates. The program I was in had established a tradition whereby one evening during our week of our studies we had a picnic at a park near the seminary overlooking the locks on the Mississippi River. It was a time for fellowship, relaxation, and nourishment. Last year, my family was able to experience that with me. Rebecca could be found in the company of my classmate, Linda. They were off “playing” and talking and eating. Rebecca eagerly shared that her birthday was coming soon. Linda shared the verse above from Joshua as her birthday greeting for Rebecca.

As we came home and anticipated vacation time, doctor’s appointments and the start of school, Rebecca remembered this verse; most importantly that God is always with you. When she would share her anxieties and concerns about the unknown, about something new, I would ask her if she remembered what Linda had told her. She was quick to answer that God is always with her. Rebecca doesn’t question what that means, she doesn’t question how it could be, she seems to just know and trust and believe that God is always with her, wherever she is, whatever she is doing; and she seems to get a sense of comfort, of strength and courage from that. If only we as adults could have such acceptance and faith. Instead we try to intellectualize, rationalize, hypothesize, justify, and prove the existence of God in our lives. Where is that childlike faith in our lives? Perhaps we, too, need to write the words of Joshua in our hearts and take comfort knowing that we need not be afraid, that we can be strong and courageous because the Lord our God is with us wherever we go.

Dear Lord, may we find that childlike faith, that allows us to find comfort and strength knowing you are always with us, wherever we go, whatever we do, whatever happens in our lives. Amen.

Tuesday, October 20

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. John 3:16

September 16 was “Gotcha Day” for our family. It was seven years ago that day that we stood in a courtroom in the capital of Siberia to adopt our daughter, Rebecca.

As we entered the courtroom, after sitting outside the door for several hours, our stomachs were churning, our heads aching, our nerves on edge. We were anxious. Our whole future was going to be changed in that courtroom. The judge had a reputation of being hard. We were even more apprehensive when it came to our turn to enter that courtroom, knowing the family ahead of us was in there a very long time, because the judge was not happy with the orphanage staff for one of this couple’s sons – this was the first time that staff was appearing in this particular courtroom, they were not experienced with what was expected of them, they were not prepared. Things had not gone smoothly. The judge was not in a good mood. One consolation for us was that our orphanage was well versed in being in that place, knowing what was expected and needed.

The proceedings began. The judge asked many questions, first of my husband, wondering what the congregation would think about their “priest” having a child, and eventually seemingly satisfied, it was my turn. I, too, was asked many questions – the judge was concerned about my working outside of the home and who would care for this child. And then she asked me one final question … “After you get this child home, if the child is found to have something wrong with her – [I’m guessing she meant medically] – what would you do, would you get rid of her, send her back?”

We are all adopted children of God. He claimed us as his own in the waters of our baptism – you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever. As God’s children, how do we behave? Are there times when we can be a handful for our heavenly father? Are we always healthy? By our very nature of being human, we are sinners. We go out and hurt each other, there is conflict all around us, we steal, we want “things.” In a sense, all of these “things” become our gods and we don’t have time to honor the Sabbath and keep it holy – we don’t have time for church these days. We don’t care for our bodies or God’s earth.

What do you think God would say, if the judge were to ask him, “What would you do if you found out there was something wrong with your children? Would you try to get rid of them? Would you give them back?” There are times in our lives when we question if God still cares for us, we wonder where he is in the midst of our hardships and pain, we doubt, we lose faith. Perhaps the judge would tell us, “After all you have put your heavenly father through … all that your actions and deeds have said … how can you expect your father to always be there … maybe he is trying to tell you something … he’s tired of your antics … he’s tired of your lack of faith, your apathy, your putting him in the closet and only taking him out when you need him … giving things a status of more importance than him … after all of that, would you blame him for not being there?”

Instead, God says, “I’m not giving up on you.” God paid the ultimate price for us – the life of his Son, Jesus Christ. With that kind of price tag on our heads, God is not going to give up on us easily – in fact, God is not going to give up on us at all – no matter what we do.

My answer to the judge in the courtroom in the depths of Siberia that September day was, “This is our child and we will not give her up or give her back, no matter what. We will love her unconditionally always.” Apparently the judge was satisfied with my answer, for after a brief time alone in her chambers, she emerged with three rulings: (1) Ludmilla was to be our daughter; (2) The child’s name was to be legally changed to Rebecca Jean Schmidt; and (3) this was to be effective immediately. Just like God’s grace to each of us, it was immediate.

What I didn’t tell the judge that day was that if my cheap husband spent $25,000 and traveled halfway around the world twice, he was not about to give up what he got! And what we got was a precious, priceless child of God.

Gracious God, we give you thanks for loving us so much that you paid the ultimate price of your Son on the cross, so that we might have eternal life – that we might have new life. Help us to appreciate this great gift and live our lives in glory to your name. Amen.

Wednesday, October 21

Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth. Genesis 9:16

As I was pondering what scripture passages to use for these devotions, I happened to receive an email with a link to a site that gives your “birthverse.” I must admit I was curious, so visited the site. Since I had the anniversary of the adoption of our daughter on my mind, I thought I would plug in her “birthday” with us – September 16. The verse that came up was from Genesis talking about the rainbow in the clouds as the sign of God’s everlasting covenant with his people and creatures of every kind on the earth. That seemed very fitting as I thought about the adoption and our daughter and the “covenant” we made in that courtroom in Novosibirsk Russia that day. You might remember yesterday’s devotion where the judge asked me if we would give back, “reject” this child, if something were found to be wrong with her. Just as God promised to be with all of his creatures forever – no matter what, so too did we promise to love and care for and keep this child forever – no matter what. As I think more deeply about this verse, the next time I see a rainbow, I will not only think about God’s promise to us, I will also think about our promise to our daughter.

Gracious God, we thank you for the beauty of a rainbow – the sign to us of your everlasting love and promise. May we always remember you are there and especially take time to say a prayer of thanks when we see a rainbow in the sky. Amen.

Thursday, October 22

“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” John 3:17

Our daughter is a typical eight year old, who likes school, playing outdoors, and singing, and who has a mind of her own. Sometimes her independence gets her into trouble. We are constantly telling her to do “terrible” things – like brush your teeth, eat your supper, sit down until you’re done, time for bed, do your homework, sit quietly, you can’t go out to play right now. During these times of frustration, when she doesn’t like what we are telling her, she is quick to tell us, “I’m not your family anymore. Send me back to Russia.” Much to her surprise, we did not bring Rebecca here from Russia to make her life miserable. We brought her here to give her life, to give her a chance at life, a new life.

God did not send his Son into the world in order to condemn the world, but rather so that the world might be saved through him. We were given new life through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Sometimes we find ourselves like the little child, not understanding why the parent does or says something – why is there war, why is there disease, why is there homelessness and poverty, life does not always seem fair. But, just as the child, we must have faith in our heavenly father that he has not abandoned us, rather he loves us so much that he paid the ultimate price for our salvation, for our new life, the death and resurrection of his only Son.

Gracious God, we thank you for new life. Walk with us in our time of frustration and doubt and weakness. Forgive us when we falter and rejoice with us when we remember your love for us. Amen.

Friday, October 23

Shout with joy to the Lord, all you lands: lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing.
Psalm 98:4

Our daughter attended vacation Bible school last summer and she had a “tree top Bible blast” during her Rainforest Adventure. She is one who loves to sing and quickly learns the words and tunes of songs. She can be heard at all times of the day and night happily singing. It especially makes our hearts sing when she is singing “church” songs. She particularly had fun singing a song from VBS – the words that say “Philippians 1:24 says groooow … and be happy in your faith and be happy in your faith and be happy in your faith … Philippians 1:24 says groooow … and be happy in your faith and be happy in your faith and be happy in your faith …“ The verses are repeated faster each time they are sung and there are hand motions that go along with the words. How wonderful it is to see children praising the Lord through song – and they are living the very words they sing – they are happy in their faith.

When was the last time you saw an adult who was happy in their faith and proud to be professing it? How many times have you sat in worship where the people do not sing, where they appear to be afraid to sing or too timid to sing? For me personally, when I worship in a congregation that sings out loud and strong and with enthusiasm, I can feel the presence of God – there is something in the singing that uplifts me and makes me feel like our God is being praised. Perhaps we adults could learn from the children – to be able to grow in our faith so that we, too, can sing out strongly and be happy sharing our faith as we do it.

Gracious God, may we be bold to lift up our voices to rejoice and sing praises to your name. Amen

Saturday, October 24

Lord God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lutheran Book of Worship - p. 137 prayer #251

This prayer is one that I have had on my bulletin board for many years. I first saw it at a church council meeting when the pastor used it for our opening devotions. The words spoke to me as I was having a particularly difficult time at work. I wondered whether I was doing the right thing, how I could survive a boss who was unreasonable, unpredictable, and irrationally demanding. I needed those words of reassurance each day – I prayed those words each day. As I faced new challenges in my life – a relationship that would lead to a marriage, a marriage that would lead to a move away from the comfort and familiarity of family and friends, a move that would lead to new jobs and new friends, and ultimately to a new calling – the words of this prayer continue to be in my office, continue to be important in my life, continue to bring comfort and direction.

Life is full of uncertainties. We get comfortable in the rut of our daily routines and the thought of change creates anxiety and fear. As we walk this journey of life, we must remember who is leading us and calling us – we must trust and have faith to step out and go forward with confidence – knowing we walk hand in hand with Jesus Christ our loving Lord, who gave his life for us and who will not leave us.

Gracious God, may we pray the words of this prayer and allow them to guide us and give us hope in days that are challenging and in days that we rejoice. Amen