Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Thursday after Invocavit

Posted on February 22, 2018 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: St. Luke 11:29-36 (NKJV)

11:29 And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. 30 For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. 31 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.

33 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light. 34 The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35 Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.”

Devotion

Light and darkness…the contrast between belief and unbelief could not be more vividly portrayed than the image of light and darkness.

If you have ever had the opportunity to visit a cave, it is an experience you won’t soon forget. You are taken into the depth of the cave and then told the lights are going to be turned off. You literally cannot see your hand in front of your face. No matter how long you wait for your eyes to adjust, without the presence of light nothing can be seen. You know you are there, but cannot see where there is.

Because of sin, we sit in darkness. We know we are “there,” that is, we know we exist and because the law is written on our hearts we know something is wrong. But until God’s Word shines upon us, we are unable to comprehend the full width, breadth, and depth of our sin. Belief takes God at His Word. The Word tells us that the very nature of our being is sinful. It is not so much what we have done against God’s Law that condemns us, but rather who we are, sinners, that separates us from God.

The very Word of the God became flesh. Jesus not only exposes our sinful condition, He shows the way to eternal life by His being the very Way. He not only leads us to believe the full extent of our lost and condemned condition, He also give faith which trusts in what He has done on the Cross as payment for sin.

Prayer: Gracious Heavenly Father, You have shined Your light of Your Law upon us and exposed our sinful condition. Out of Your mercy, show us salvation through Your beloved Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

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

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