Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Saturday after Reminiscere

Posted on March 3, 2018 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: St. Luke 18:1-8 (NKJV)

18:1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, 2 saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’

4 “And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'”

6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

Devotion

In today’s reading Jesus uses the parable of the judge and the widow as an example of God’s faithfulness to His people. He says “shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?” We can be assured that God will answer the prayers of His people, in His time and in His way.

In 2 Peter 3:8ff Peter interprets these verses for us. He says, “beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promises…, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

In the Third Petition of the Lord’s prayer we pray, “Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.” Luther’s explanation says, “The good and gracious will of God is done even without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also…. God’s will is done when he breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s name or let His kingdom come; and when He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die. This is His good and gracious will.” God’s will is indeed good and will be done.

We pray: O God, who sees that of ourselves we have no strength, keep us both outwardly and inwardly that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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