Opening Prayer
Lord, make our souls quiet before You. Amen.
Text: Matthew 14:24-32
But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
Devotion
Now our Lord Jesus is on the mountain, praying. He is at God’s right hand and intercedes with the Father for what is best for us. But He is with us at the same time, because He is glorified and everywhere present. He said: “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Mat 28:20). And when we are in trouble, He watches closely. When Israel was afflicted in Egypt, it seemed that He didn’t care about them, but at the right time He says: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows” (Exo 3:7). For “we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb 4:15). Still we must often struggle with worry and waves in the midst of the sea all night, even to the fourth watch, that is, the last one, and when He comes, we don’t recognize Him, but are terrified by the way He comes. This the case for God’s Church, and for each believer. We think that God’s Word and Church must go under, or you yourself have entered into such darkness and such storms that your tear-stained eyes do not recognize the Lord, but are frightened and cry out in fear.
This event with the disciples on the Sea of Galilee is very instructive and edifying. They surely thought He waited too long, but He came at the right time. They were afraid, but He said: “Be of good cheer! It is I!” Let us hear this: It is our Lord Jesus, who is in the storm. It is He who walks on the troubled sea, and He does not sink into it. Remember that the sea is a picture of the people of the world, on which sails the ship of the Church. If you do not recognize Him, if His way is all too wonderful for you, then listen: “It is I,” He says.
When the disciples went out onto the sea according to the Lord’s command, then they could not sink, but when Peter chose for himself to walk on the sea, he fell short with his faith, and yet the Lord helped him, because he called out to Him. The lesson in this is easy to find. But apply it to yourself!
Isn’t our Jesus in truth God’s Son? Isn’t He the Lord of glory? His wisdom and power are unsearchable, and His mercy likewise. Neither the Church nor you shall sink, but your faith shall grow. You shall worship Him and rightly confess: Lord Jesus, You are truly the Son of God!
Closing Prayer
Yes, give us the light and grace of Your Holy Spirit to do this! Tell us when we are to go out on the sea following You, never, never alone. And come to meet us and save us, when it storms! O increase our faith. Reveal Your glory to us and through us! Rule in the world. Bless Your people! Amen.
Hymn
Entrust yourself to God’s will
Though storm clouds round you stand,
Though ‘gainst you waters rise still
And death seems close at hand!
Our home is there above!
When with us is our Savior,
Through storms we shall not waver;
He helps us in His love!
When we are busy fretting
And storms are howling wild,
Our Lord the clouds shall threaten,
Then all is still and mild,
So lovely, light, and low.
That all our pow’r is worthless
When Jesus His pow’r uses,
This teaches us to know.
Landstad: Godt Haab i gode Kristne L 221:2-3 tr. DeGarmeaux;
tune: Aus meines Herzens Grunde (ELH 79); alternate hymn: O little flock, fear not the foe ELH 375:4
89. Epiphany 4 – Thursday
Text: Hebrews 11:23-27
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.
Devotion
To the eye of faith the invisible world is just as real as the visible, and infinitely greater and more glorious, truer and more lasting. Of course, believers still live in the visible world, but we live even more in the invisible realm. Our hearts belong to the Lord whom we do not see. We rely on Him and love Him with our whole heart. It is in the Word that our faith finds and holds on to the Invisible One. The ancients had the promise of a Savior who was to come. They trusted it and waited and suffered affliction and left all for His sake. Faith was a power within them that governed their whole life. Look at Moses. He could have been a great man in Egypt, but he lived with One who was greater than Pharaoh. He saw something other than Egypt’s glory. For the spiritual riches that belonged to God’s people in the promise of Christ, he was willing to give up all temporal greatness, suffer evil, and do only God’s will. – Were those people long ago disappointed? Were Moses’ parents ashamed in their faith? Who had found the rock: Moses who held on to the Invisible One, or the king of Egypt who relied on his own earthly power? Never, never has anyone believed in the Lord and been disappointed. Never shall anyone be ashamed who holds on to the Lord’s Word.
But this Word proclaims to us salvation in Christ from sin and death, and promises us everlasting life. Already by Baptism and faith we have entered God’s kingdom. “We who believe have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels” (Heb 12:22). We have crossed over from death to life and are already with God. But we do not see it yet, and we will not see it yet. “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2Co 5:7). We are troubled and plagued by sin and the devil. The Church is in distress, and the children of the world rule. We feel fear and pain, have afflictions of body and soul, are persecuted and insulted. But we conquer by holding on to the invisible and present God and Savior. We cannot, we will not, we shall not let go of His Word, because He Himself holds on to us with it. And so let heaven and earth pass away; the Word remains forever.
Closing Prayer
Faithful God, give us grace to believe, then no trouble or joy can take us away from Your Word. Keep us by the Word to our last end. Guard us in the Word and in faith until we die. Amen.
Hymn
By faith we are divinely sure
That grace to us is given.
No human effort can secure
This precious gift from heaven.
‘Tis God Himself who must begin
The blesséd work of faith within
And lead us to the Savior.
Brorson: Vor Tro er den Forvisning paa L 165:1-2 ELH 229:1 tr. J. C. Aaberg;
Translation © 1930, 1958 Lutheran Intersynodical Hymnal Committee. Used by permission of Augsburg Fortress.; tune: Rung