Peace

I borrowed this devotion from my husband. It was published in the weekly newsletter he writes for Faribault Lutheran School.

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

Christmas is a time when many are traveling home for Christmas. It is a special time for me because, typically, all of my family gathers together in Nebraska. Of course, I am not talking of my immediate family, but my parents, my siblings, their spouses, their children. On occassion, we have even had a fiancé and a couple of boyfriends thrown into the mix. In all, close to 30 people gather at my parent’s house in Blue Hill, NE. Even though we are separated by miles, my family has always been very close. There seems to be a constant stream of emails as we attempt to coordinate who will bring what to eat, when each group will arrive and where everyone will sleep (a few of the younger members of the group are boycotting the sleep issue). I know that my parents always look forward to having everyone at their home for Christmas, but I am equally as sure that they miss the peace and quiet that is typical in their “retirement” lifestyle.

Peace is a word that we hear often during this time of year. If you look up the word peace in the dictionary, you will find definitions that deal with “the absence of war” or “free from fighting” or “free from disturbance”. These definitions are fine, but I don’t feel that they are quite what Isaiah had in mind when he wrote, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)

The peace that the Prince of Peace brings to our lives goes much deeper than external issues like hectic schedules, crowded highways or annoying disturbances; it surpasses physical sickness, poverty and war. The peace that Christ brings to our lives gives us a freedom. Freedom from sin, death, and the power of the devil; it is a peace that only He can give to us. The apostle Paul had a great understanding of this special peace. Take a look at the opening paragraphs in Ephesians, Philippians, or 2 Thessalonians. Do you see the common word that leads to peace? Grace. It is because of God’s grace and His gift of His Son, Jesus, that we can know true peace. A peace that is not of this world but resides with us in this world. During this Advent season, as we make preparation for the coming of our Savior, may the words of Paul find their place both in our hearts and on our lips, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ..” Phil. 1:2 (ESV)

Loving Worship

Lord, I have loved the habitation of your house, and the place where your glory dwells. Psalm 26:8

August is a month filled with nervous anticipation for a teacher. With the beginning of the school year right around the corner, I am busy with classroom planning. I work in a Lutheran preschool, where one of my responsibilities is the teaching of religion. Teaching religion is a joy when I see the children I teach respond to the Gospel. It is a task that I take very seriously. I feel that sharing Bible truths is the most important thing that I can give these students. More than anything, I desire these children to know Jesus as their Savior. I know that it is not me, but the Holy Spirit, that works faith in these young hearts through the Word. However, I admit to feeling a little personal pleasure when I see evidence of the developing faith of one of the preschoolers. Alternately, I also am disheartened when the students don’t seem to be listening during “Jesus Time,” or even verbally express their boredom.

One aspect of the religion curriculum that inevitably stimulates expressions of boredom is the weekly chapel service. I believe that it is valuable to take children into the sanctuary for worship, especially since so many of them come from unchurched families. However, once they finish exploring their surroundings, many become uninterested. I believe the reason is that they do not understand the nature of worship. These children need to know the reasons why we worship, why the church is called God’s house, the purpose of the fixtures we use during worship, and that there is meaning behind the elements of the service. They still may express some boredom because they find worship less entertaining than Center Time or being on the playground, but at least they will hopefully understand that going to church is more than meaningless ritual.

When I work on developing the religion curriculum, I can’t help but feel convicted concerning my own attitude toward worship. I spend a lot of energy attempting to instill a value for worship in my preschool students. My desire for my own children is to have faith lives that are nurtured within the community of believers until they are called to their heavenly home. I have been considering whether I take the responsibility in my home as seriously as I do in my job? Honestly, probably not. How often has Sunday morning become a stressful fight over clothing, which service to attend, or getting children fed? How often have I had the attitude that going to church takes too much of my valuable time? How often have I been tired, going through the motions during the worship service, allowing my mind to wander instead of attentively listening? How often have I neglected to discuss the service with my children, taking the opportunity to teach them priceless lessons? How often have I made a negative comment to my husband concerning something that happened at church?

Even though my own children are older and much more independent than those in my classroom, I need to be mindful that they still need to be taught. They learn what I model. I want my children to worship as a reflection of their gratitude for God’s grace, rather than from a sense of obligation. I don’t want them to simply be in church, taking up space. I want them to hunger and thirst for God more than they desire the worldly distractions that constantly vie for their attention. I want them to draw strength from the Word, Sacraments, and being in the midst of their church family.

I know that I have often failed to be the example that my children need, but I go to the Heavenly Father in repentance and know that, thanks to Christ, I am forgiven. I pray the Holy Spirit will guide me and strengthen me to be a better vessel in the future. I pray for the blessing of knowing that my children love the habitation of God’s house, and the place where His glory dwells!

Dear God, I often neglect to be the teacher that my students and children need. Please cover my mistakes with your merciful love and graciously bless these children despite my failures. Please give all my children a desire for you, above all else. Let their lives be reflections of faith, and please draw them ever closer to you. At the end of this life, please grant them an eternity of worshipping in your glorious presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Free to be Slaves

“You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.” Romans 6:18

A few weeks ago my children celebrated the last day of their school year. This day was highly anticipated for the freedom it represented. After a few days of being home, they soon discovered that their idea of freedom was a little different than that of their parents. Time spent watching television and playing video games has been restricted, and everyone has been assigned a few household chores. Having parents who are both involved in education means they have been, and will be expected to help with various school tasks throughout the summer. After a lot of parental encouragement, our oldest found employment and soon found himself working 40 hr. weeks, leaving very little time for socializing. The reality of the situation has resulted in some grumbling about the fairness of it all.

These circumstances bring to mind the above verse from Romans. Paul talks about having freedom and being slaves all in the same breath. The statement doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense. How is it fair that we have been set free from sin, but we are still slaves to righteousness? It doesn’t sound very liberating. Christ lived the perfect life that we, due to our sinfulness, cannot achieve. He fulfilled the letter of the Law that God demands. He then shed His blood on the cross, making atonement for all of mankind. Now we don’t have to worry, right? We can’t do everything that God demands. We know that, and God certainly knows that! That’s why He sent Jesus - to do what we couldn’t, right? We can all breathe a sigh of relief, right? I mean, we all struggle with some sort of temptation. So now, when the struggle is too difficult we can just relax, because we have an excuse, right? Our sin doesn’t condemn us anymore, because we believe in Jesus, and He set us FREE from that sin! We can celebrate that freedom and live our lives without feeling obligated to some archaic set of rules. If we mess up, then, no worries, we can say we’re sorry and know that we’re forgiven….right?

It isn’t quite that easy, though, is it? The Bible tells us that Christians are called to live transformed lives. God’s light and love is supposed to shine through us. Faith without works is dead. True faith bears fruit. Therefore, we become slaves to righteousness. We don’t take advantage of the freedom we’ve been given by living self-absorbed lives. Rather, out of thankfulness for what God has done for us through Christ, we show our appreciation by attempting to live lives that glorify Him. We continue to fight against the ungodly behaviors that entice us.

Does all of this seem difficult? Does it feel like an obligation? Does it feel a bit like worthless freedom? My children may not always appreciate the responsibilities and restrictions they’ve been given during their free months. However, these guidelines are for their benefit. They will learn life skills they will need when they move out of their childhood home. They will gain a healthy work ethic, and learn to be productive citizens who contribute to the common good. In the same way, the precepts found in Scripture are for our benefit, not God’s. God gives us guidelines so we can live healthy lives, lift up and help our fellow man, and lead more people to true peace and the hope of salvation.

I love my children, and I will help them. I will teach them how to load the dishwasher, and I will help them fold the laundry if they become frustrated. Yes, living a righteous life is always a struggle and might even feel restrictive. But God loves us, His children, and gives us the help that we need. The Holy Spirit comes to us through the Word and Sacraments. We are strengthened in our Christian walk by spending time in prayer and in worship with the community of believers.

When I am assigning household tasks, I sometimes teasingly refer to my children as “slave labor.” I do not pay them an allowance. They understand (deep down, maybe) that the things they do around the house are a privilege of being part of a family in which each member contributes for the benefit of all. We are likewise privileged to be part of God’s family and to have the opportunity to bless others by being reflections of Christ.

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for freeing us from the death sentence of sin. Help us to be responsible stewards of this gift of freedom. Create and grow in us a desire to live as slaves to righteousness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.