Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Tenth Day of Christmas

Posted on January 3, 2019 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: Micah 4:1-8 (NKJV)
 
4:1 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; And peoples shall flow to it. 2 Many nations shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 3 He shall judge between many peoples, and rebuke strong nations afar off; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
 
4 But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid; For the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken. 5 For all people walk each in the name of his god, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.
 
6 “In that day,” says the LORD, “I will assemble the lame, I will gather the outcast and those whom I have afflicted; 7 I will make the lame a remnant, and the outcast a strong nation; So the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion from now on, even forever. 8 And you, O tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, to you shall it come, even the former dominion shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.”
 
Devotion
 
“For all people walk each in the name of his god, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.”
 
Everyone looks to something for help and comfort. The Ten Commandments, and Dr. Luther’s Catechisms on them, remind us that those ideas, things, people, and names that we look to for sources of help are false gods. We are taught to remember that all things were made by God, the Father Almighty, and that all His good things will be given to us according to His will. But those means of help are not to be mistaken for the source. We are not to walk in ways that hold other things above the Lord who gives them.
 
But our age is like all the others, and people identify themselves according to false sources of help and comfort. Even faithful Christians stumble and take steps as though they fear, love, and trust in other things above God. But He continues to teach us His ways and His paths through the Word and the Sacraments of our Lord Jesus Christ in His Church. All nations are called and gathered to His Church to hear His truth, be taught to repent, and have true forgiveness, peace, and joy in the name of Jesus Christ. Only in the Gospel of Christ crucified do we walk in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost and have life forever and ever!
 
We pray: O Lord God, who hast made Thine Only-Begotten Son the Savior of mankind and didst give Him the name of Jesus, mercifully grant that we who worship His name on Earth may joyfully behold Him in Heaven; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, 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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