Home > Reading > NALC Devotion – February 1, 2017

isaiah53-5

Isaiah 52:13–53:12; Galatians 4:21-31; Mark 8:11-26

Where is that mighty Redeemer who is to conquer all of our enemies in this world—poverty, addiction, class warfare? Where is that triumphant LORD who is to unify all members of the church here on earth? Where has He gone, He who is to raise us all into the worldly ranks of the successful, the powerful, the revered?

A disfigured man with little form or majesty has come and suffered and died for you and for me and has returned to the right hand of the Father. We are left here, not alone, but with the powerful gifts of the Holy Spirit—faith in Him, love for our sin-filled neighbors, and hope in the life to come. And so, we too, often suffer in communities and congregations that despise simple faith in that Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

And we reach out our arms and point our bony fingers, not to our thriving temples of worship, nor to our own social engineering triumphs, certainly not to our own selves, but to that man who was despised and rejected by all of us. We point to Jesus, who is alive and kicking up the dust in all of our hearts.

Prayer: Lord, give us the power of the Spirit to speak your Word—not only to the downtrodden, but also to the arrogant and self-satisfied. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today’s devotion was written by Pastor Joel Smeby, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Original image