by Jonathan Krause
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Read Acts 27:9–26
I am no sailor.
I once got seasick on a houseboat on a lake while we were still attached to the wharf.
And I’ve never been on a cruise. Not only am I scared of going cabin-crazy from being confined, but I worry I will eat too much, exercise too little, and come home twice the man I was when I set sail.
So, I don’t know how I would go on a boat in a storm.
And if some smart fella stood up and told me to have courage, as Paul did in the Bible reading, I’m not sure I’d want to listen. Especially when he said in the next breath that we were going to be shipwrecked even if we did exactly as commanded!
What is courage anyway?
I’m not sure that it means you’re not scared. Your greatest courage is when you are scared – but you carry on anyway. (Those of us blessed to be Collingwood supporters know that feeling well – we are always scared we’ll lose, especially when it comes to finals, but we have the courage to keep hanging in there anyway!)
I don’t know what your life is like right now.
Maybe the cost-of-living crisis or high mortgage interest rates are causing you stress. Perhaps you’re worried about a loved one or have lost someone dear to you. Maybe the black dog of depression is barking at your ankles, or the chill of loneliness is wrapping icy fingers around your heart.
We shouldn’t be surprised. The storms will come. We may even run aground and suffer in ways that feel unfair or overwhelming.
That’s when we need the courage to hold on to our faith. Maybe it’s by our fingernails. Perhaps we feel too weary and worn to hold on a moment longer. That’s when we lift our eyes to Jesus, focus only on him, and – rather than holding on – let ourselves be held.
That takes true courage. I pray that for you.
Lord, you know me. You understand the life I lead, the challenges that confront me, the joys that delight. I know no life goes by without storms. Give me the courage to hold on to you. Amen.
Jonathan lives south of Adelaide with his wife Julie. Blessed by children and grandchildren, Jonathan enjoys reading and writing, walking by the beach and watching Collingwood win. Author of many devotion books, Jonathan is the Community Action Manager for the Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS).
The last refuge of a scoundrel
by Shane Altmann
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From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God (Jonah 2:1).
Read Jonah 2:1–10
There is nothing quite so fervent as the prayers of a desperate person.
In an episode of the TV show The Simpsons, circa 1990, titled ‘Bart Gets an F’, Lisa catches her brother Bart kneeling by the side of his bed, praying for intervention as he needs an extension to get some schoolwork done that he has neglected.
I don’t remember the full story, but I recall Lisa’s quote very well: ‘Ah! Prayer. The last refuge of a scoundrel.’
You may or may not remember the episode. Bart wakes up the next morning, and it has snowed. Deep, thick snow lies on the ground. School is cancelled, and all the neighbourhood kids are outside sledding, making snowmen and having snowball fights. He grabs his gear, rugs up and begins to head out to join the fun.
Only to be stopped by the stern form of Lisa, hands on her hips.
I don’t remember the details, but she basically says, ‘You prayed for this. It’s a bold man who goes against God.’ She reminds him of his obligations, to miss out on the fun and focus on his responsibilities. From memory, he does.
So, here we have Jonah, inside the fish. I mean, at that point, you have had it, right? No way out, all that is left is you and God. So, he prays. And God answers his prayers and, in what can only be one of the most gross verses in the Bible, the fish vomits him on dry land.
James 5:16b reminds us that ‘the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective’. Note, he doesn’t say a pious person. I don’t think Jonah was particularly pious – more disobedient and avoidant, I would suggest. But God had a plan, and Jonah, I am sure, was fervent in his belief and cry to the Lord. And God is good.
So, what’s in this for us? God can do amazing things, miraculous things. God answers prayers, and the prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective. But Jonah wasn’t that righteous! Correct, it is the work of the Lord that credits him with righteousness because of his desperate faith.
It’s always God’s work. Ephesians 2:8,9 reminds us that even our own desperate faith is a gift from God: ‘For you have been saved by grace, through faith, and even this is not from yourself, but is a gift from God, not as a result of your own effort, so that no one can boast.’
God, thank you that we can come to you in prayer. Thank you for hearing our prayers. Thank you for being faithful, even in our desperate need and darkest hours, whether we are on the right track or the wrong one. Fill us with your Holy Spirit and lead us to pray, to bring all things to you and to seek your will in our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Shane Altmann is the principal of Faith Lutheran College Redlands in Queensland and has served in education for more than 35 years. Married to Monica and father of two children, Harry and Zoe, Shane has learnt that he is largely helpless without the love and support of the people with whom he lives and works. A pilgrim of multiple Caminos de Santiago, a Penrith Panthers tragic and a restorer of old stuff, Shane loves a project and, when he is able, fills his days tinkering with something.
Free camp
by Shane Altmann
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There the Lord will be our Mighty One. It will be like a place of broad rivers and streams. No galley with oars will ride them, no mighty ship will sail them (Isaiah 33:21).
Read Isaiah 33:13–24
This reading from Isaiah 33 is all about our ultimate security being found in the Lord. He is the consuming fire to the wicked and a fortress to the righteous. He is a really cool camping spot for tent owners.
I love camping. I started with a small dome tent, then upgraded to a larger one when I had kids. As the kids grew, I moved on to a three-room tent, followed by a canvas trailer tent. Now, I have a fancy off-road hybrid that features a shower and a pull-out kitchen.
I am always seeking great places to camp. My family has a few spots. We love the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast hinterlands. Places like Imbil or Canungra, and perhaps beach camping at Brunswick Heads or in the hills around Ravensbourne and Palmtree, north of Toowoomba. Line me up some water, crack me a stubby and light a fire. I am set.
It’s a timeless endeavour. Even three thousand-ish years ago, when this passage was written, the author knew how to identify a great camping experience, a really good tent next to a broad river or stream. That sublime joy and fulfilment is what God is preparing for us through his own redeeming work that brings us to righteousness. Fully catered, bread will be provided, water will not fail us and a peaceful abode where no one will say, ‘I am ill.’
We are reminded again, through this reading from Isaiah, that God is for us, on our side, doing great things for us now and preparing something so special for us next. He promises us great views from the mountain tops, not clinging to cliffs and ropes, but from a fortress, solid and secure, with sweeping views of his beauty and a fair land stretched out below us. How wonderful.
Lord of our future, God of hope, praise your holy name for all you have done for us through your Son, our Lord, Jesus. Thank you for bringing us to righteousness. It is your grace that saves us through the faith you have worked in our hearts. Bless us with good work and better rest as we live hope-filled lives in service of one another and those whom you put before us each day. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Shane Altmann is the principal of Faith Lutheran College Redlands in Queensland and has served in education for more than 35 years. Married to Monica and father of two children, Harry and Zoe, Shane has learnt that he is largely helpless without the love and support of the people with whom he lives and works. A pilgrim of multiple Caminos de Santiago, a Penrith Panthers tragic and a restorer of old stuff, Shane loves a project and, when he is able, fills his days tinkering with something.
Where did he come from?
by Shane Altmann
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So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak (Genesis 32:24).
Read Genesis 32:22–32
Today’s Bible reading is a critical and pivotal moment in both biblical and world history – the very beginnings of the creation of Israel. You shall be called Israel because you have struggled with God and humanity and won! I mean, you don’t have to scratch very deep to see the powerful significance in those words, still many thousands of years later.
But I think it is worth reflecting on verse 24, highlighted above. Jacob has sent his wives, his sons and ultimately his possessions across the river, and is alone. And then a bloke turns up for a fight.
Ex nihilo, out of nowhere.
For all intents and purposes, this guy just arrives. I’m channelling Jesus-in-the-locked-room vibes from yesterday’s devotion. Once again, God is at work, actively working for the world and moving things forward. Unlooked for, lining the ducks up.
As we consider Jacob’s desperation here, it is easy to forget this is yet another story of God at work in the world. Yep, Jacob wrestles with this ‘man’, perhaps to stop him from crossing the river and getting at his unprotected wives, sons and stuff, but it is God who turns up for the fight. It is God who stays in the game with Jacob until the point of his desperation. It is God who touches Jacob’s hip and stops the fight. Ultimately, it is God who blesses Jacob, renames him and sets history on its course to the ultimate work of Jesus.
Ex nihilo, out of nowhere.
When everything is on the line, our wives, our sons, our goods, when we stand alone and vulnerable, God turns up.
And he chooses the underdog once again, the younger son, the sneaky one who tricked his brother, the stubborn one who won’t let go. That’s how God rolls. He calls Abraham out of Ur, Israel out of the desert, Joseph the spoiled son, Moses the speech-impaired and exiled old shepherd, anoints David the boy, sends Jesus, the baby in a manger.
God’s got a type. You and me. Ordinary, everyday people who he draws to himself through his gracious love.
Ex nihilo, out of nowhere.
But like Jacob, he is taking us somewhere.
God, thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for always showing up for us, and you are always there, ready, out of nowhere, for us. Fill us with your Holy Spirit, empower and embolden us to hang on to you stubbornly, like Jacob. Forgive us for when we get it wrong and bless us as we go. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Shane Altmann is the principal of Faith Lutheran College Redlands in Queensland and has served in education for more than 35 years. Married to Monica and father of two children, Harry and Zoe, Shane has learnt that he is largely helpless without the love and support of the people with whom he lives and works. A pilgrim of multiple Caminos de Santiago, a Penrith Panthers tragic and a restorer of old stuff, Shane loves a project and, when he is able, fills his days tinkering with something.