Devotions - January 3-9, 2010
By, Karen Kallio
First Lutheran, Iron River
Sunday, January 3
Luke 14:15-23
The Parable of the Great Dinner
“One of the dinner guests, on hearing this, said to him, ‘Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, “Come; for everything is ready now.” But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, “I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it; please accept my apologies.” Another said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please accept my apologies.” Another said, “I have just been married, and therefore I cannot come.” So the slave returned and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his slave, “Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.” And the slave said, “Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.” Then the master said to the slave, “Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled.”
As a child I remember having family dinners to celebrate holidays and other occasions. Our family consisted of three children at home as well as a married brother and sister with 9 children between them. These dinners were exciting occasions. I dread to think what they may have been like if one or more of us had continually given excuses for not being able to attend and hadn’t become a part of those memories. Several who had attended these dinners have gone before us and are no longer with us. Just having celebrated Thanksgiving, brings memories of these dinners back to mind.
There has been a huge outpouring of generosity in our community this year despite the economic conditions we are currently experiencing. Community dinners were offered for those who were alone or just wanted to have some company. The number of dinners served by local establishments averaged 100-200 people each. These people had no intention of giving excuses for not attending. As Lutherans, we are known for hosting dinners several times a year at which we generally consume mounds of red jello, pastries and other Scandinavian fare. However, if you look around the fellowship hall, there are many who most likely had quite an array of excuses for not attending. It seems our lifestyles are so busy these days the only time we have to give to our Lord is attending church on Sunday morning and greet our neighbor while “passing the peace” during the service. These dinners are a welcomed chance to fellowship with others and also give thanks and praise for the gifts of food and nourishment for our souls as well as our bodies. God’s invitation to attend the banquet will be the most important decision you will have to make, even if the timing isn’t the greatest. Are you avoiding God’s call to participate and use the talents you have been given? “Jesus reminds us that the time will come when God will pull his invitation and offer it to others - then it will be too late to get into the banquet.” (Life Application Study Bible)
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Monday, January 4
Ephesians 6:10-20
The Whole Armor of God
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.”
In July of 2007, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It came as a definite shock as there is no history of cancer in our family. My father was almost 93 when he died and my mother was 90. Therefore, I was in denial and immediately requested a second opinion…it just couldn’t be! So I had the second opinion which, unfortunately, confirmed the diagnosis. It was a mammogram that detected the “spot” which was caught at Stage 1. (As a side note, I was three months passed the anniversary date for my annual mammogram and I can’t help but wonder if I had scheduled the exam “on time” would the cancer have shown up at that point or would it have festered until it was too late?)
Shortly after having been diagnosed, our pastor held a healing service at which time those present laid hands on me and prayed for me. I opted for a lumpectomy and began chemotherapy treatment the Friday after Labor Day. I was able to continue working right through, only missing the day of treatment which was every other Friday. I was also fortunate not to experience any nausea following treatment. My chemo ended in mid January 2008 and I began radiation on February 4th, traveling 1:15 each way, every week day, ending on Maundy Thursday. I chose to travel early in the morning leaving the house in the dark at 6:30 a.m., allowing me to return to work by approximately 9:30 a.m. each day. This was through the winter months, worrying about snowfall, icy roads, etc. Miraculously, I never missed an appointment because of road conditions or weather! I was on one of my return trips when it hit me like a ton of bricks that the reason for my ease of going through treatments and cooperation with the weather was due to the many prayers that were being said on my behalf which began with the healing service back in July. I finished additional treatment locally in November of 2008 and have received good results in all subsequent check-ups.
I truly feel the devil was put in his place because of my faith in God as my Lord and Savior in addition to all the prayer chains that were working on my behalf. Faith and prayer definitely works! My faith has definitely been strengthened and I feel God has used me as an example to show others how prayer can work in their lives. I was also blessed with many friends and family willing to accompany me on all these many trips for treatments. I definitely believe God’s plan for my life is not yet complete. There is a purpose in life for all of us, even though we may not think so at times. Satan never sleeps and we are at constant battle with him. Our prayer life can become our armor. I find myself praying for various situations throughout the day. When I hear a siren blaring, an impromptu prayer goes out for the situation at hand. Various thoughts come to mind while driving and prayers are always going out for family and friends. I believe the more you practice this, the more it becomes a part of you and an automatic gesture. Please remember to pray for all believers in Christ. |
Tuesday, January 5
Psalm 100
All Lands Summoned to Praise God
A Psalm of thanksgiving.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come into his presence with singing.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he that made us, and we are his.
We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, bless his name.
For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures for ever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
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This psalm tell us to remember God’s goodness and dependability, and then to worship with thanksgiving and praise. After having been married approximately four years, our son and daughter-in-law desperately wanted to begin raising a family. However, it soon became apparent they were among the thousands who were medically unable to conceive a child on their own. They began researching alternative methods as well as the possibility of adoption. They decided to give in vitro a try before giving up completely. After a long and involved process, they were blessed with, not one, but two beautiful daughters. I will never forget the thankfulness and praise given to God among the tears of joy on that miraculous day in May 2008.
Observing them through this whole process, one could definitely see the faith, trust and dependability they had in our God to eventually grant them the answer to the many prayers offered by them and other family members. The miracle of life that can only come from Him! We now have two 18-month old beautiful precious granddaughters who are the apples of all of our eyes. I do not think a day goes by that thanks aren’t given by their parents for the gifts they have been given. Their parent’s faith was rooted in the church long before they even knew each other. It is amazing to watch these little lives materialize, wondering what plans God has in store for them and how they will, in turn, give thanks and praise to God themselves for the lives they have been given.
“Let us give thanks to the Lord for his mercy endures forever!” |
Wednesday, January 6
Deuteronomy 8:1-3
A Warning Not to Forget God in Prosperity
This entire commandment that I command you today you must diligently observe, so that you may live and increase, and go in and occupy the land that the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors. Remember the long way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, in order to humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commandments. He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna, with which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Living within your means. I cannot say our family was very well-to-do when I was growing up, nor were we really poor. Back in the 50’s and 60’s I can recall the frugality of my parents who managed to show us how much better it is to give than receive through their actions. I can remember my older married sister handing down to my mother an older used electric sewing machine to replace the Singer treadle machine she had. My father then offered the treadle machine to a gentleman he worked with whose wife was thrilled to now be able to make and mend clothes for her own family. I had also learned to sew on that machine. My mother scrimped and saved in order to be able to give us some of the more practical material things we, as children, thought we desperately needed! We were living within our means, hoping and praying everyone would remain healthy.
My father worked afternoons all my life and more often than not on weekends, getting home at 1:00 in the morning. My mother did not drive but she managed to find rides for us to get to Sunday School each morning and church afterwards. Instilling a life of faith and thanksgiving within us was very important to my parents. Their faith was great and they managed to pass on to us the importance of trusting God to give us what we needed.
I have had a life rooted in the church my entire life and really thought I was fulfilled…that is until I attended a retreat which deepened my personal relationship with Christ. Really accepting Christ as my personal Lord and Savior has made all the difference in my life. The popular phrase, “What Would Jesus Do?” probably says it all. This phrase comes to mind whenever decisions need to be made and how I act and treat others. Our oldest son who is in his early 30’s now tells us how his life of faith is helping him to become the husband and father he strives to be. Having been an example to our sons, I hope and pray it will be passed on to our granddaughters as they live and grow in His word as well. |
Thursday, January 7
Psalm 96
Praise to God Who Comes in Judgement
O sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvellous works among all the peoples.
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be revered above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
Honour and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
How many times have you experienced “God moments” in your life? It seems there are periods of time when I can see God’s hand in a situation or decision I have made. He is with us all the time, even though we may not always be “tuned in” to realize it. He is constantly trying to bring us back on track when we manage to go astray.
This time of year we can experience God’s glory in the nature around us as well. In the beauty of the sunrise or sunset when the sun catches the clouds, turning them beautiful shades of purple, orange and pink. Only he can use his paintbrush to create such beauty in the fall. Witnessing these moments of splendor gives us opportunity to also witness to others, speaking of His glory and praise.
Music has been an important part of my life from a very early age. I have been blessed to be able to express my feelings in song many times throughout my life. Whether it be in praise and adoration or in comfort to a grieving family, I try to never lose sight of the fact that this is a God-given talent that I feel is to be used to also glorify Him. I only hope and pray I can continue to give Him praise through the talents He has given me. Please remember the talents you have been given and use them in praise of God whenever possible. |
Friday, January 8
Mark 10:42-45
So Jesus called them and said to them, ‘You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.’
I have many friends who are of the belief that they will get to heaven only by the good works they accomplish. Of course, we know it is by the grace of God that we are promised entry into heaven. It is He who paid the ransom so that we can have eternal life. However, it is best not to just ride on the shirt tails of grace without the works to accompany it. Many businesses, organizations and institutions measure greatness by personal achievement. However, in Christ’s kingdom, service to others is what we need to strive for. I think of all the service-related professions within our community…the hospital workers, the education personnel, firemen, policemen, store clerks, right on down to the janitors. Each of them has a pride in their profession whether it be sweeping the floor or performing an operation. As I observe these people at work, you can witness the pride in their work, striving to do the best they can.
The current economic status of our country has revealed the greed of some of the CEO’s of major banks and financial institutions. The lifestyle they have become accustomed to has led them to believe the only way to the top is by personal achievement. The more they get, the more they want. I can’t help but wonder how fulfilling and happy their lives have been. Perhaps the majority of them are truly missing the key element of having Christ as a part of their daily life. It goes back to the statement it is truly better to give than receive. Think of how good you feel when you donate to charities of your choice or volunteer to help in your child’s classroom or at your local hospital or nursing home. The smiles and thanks you receive in return can last forever. It is important for us to also try and instill in our children the gift of service to others. As a Girl Scout, our troop leader had us adopt a “grand parent” at a local nursing home. The residents we went to see on a regular basis eagerly awaited the arrival of each visitor. These are the “God moments” that will remain with us for a lifetime…at the same time preparing us for eternal life. |
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