Posterity will serve him, future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it! (Psalm 22:30,31)

Read Psalm 22:25-31

After identifying those of his time, David looks to the future – future generations and those yet unborn. That means us and those who are yet to follow us – our children, grandchildren – and on through the generations. The message of proclaiming God’s righteousness continues, not because of anything we have done. As the text states, ‘He has done it!’ What a relief!

When I lived in the Philippines, I was often faced with typhoons. The advice was to put myself in a place where I am away from the risks of flying objects, breaking glass, or disappearing roofs. Therefore, I would place some cushions in a downstairs bathtub, surround myself with candles – and wait. The wind would howl, and tree branches would bash against the walls. The pressure would build and my ears would pop. I would pray for safety and peace. But, at the same time, all I could think of was that there must be something I could do. Feeling so powerless in such a storm is frightening, and I could easily relate to the disciples in that boat on the Sea of Galilee. Letting go, relinquishing any impulse to control what I can’t, is hard. But it was only when I was able, amid tears of frustration, to declare, ‘I give up – I’m in your hands Lord’, that I found peace and went to sleep.

That is the great gift of trusting God and his promises through faith in Jesus Christ. It enables us to let go, to be relieved of making ourselves right with God, because he has done it for us.

It doesn’t end there, however. In response to this gift, we endeavour to live according to Jesus’ command that we love one another, serve each other, and live our lives praising God and proclaiming this message to future generations and those yet unborn.

We give you thanks, Heavenly Father, for the faith of our forebears, and that through the Holy Spirit, you help us to be your proclaimers to those who follow us, so that they too may know you and abide in your grace. Amen.

Faye Schmidt continues her diaconal calling through governance, having served on the Vic–Tas District Church Board, the General Church Board and currently as chair of the Standing Committee on Constitutions and her congregation, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Adelaide. Having lived and worked in many locations within Australia and overseas, Faye has a heart for the stranger and the newcomer and for being open to new ideas, learning from others and responding to needs.

Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? (Luke 14:28)

Read Luke 14:25–35

Are you an impulse buyer? A person who, when shopping for an item will see something they like and buy it and then, on taking it home are faced with some realities – it is too big for the space, the wrong colour, or too expensive to be covered by the money in the bank? Then we are faced with what we can do with the now-unwanted item.

In today’s text, Jesus is making it clear to us that being one of his followers is a serious matter and has consequences far beyond just the decision to make our commitment to him.

It is not a matter of following the crowd and relying on the strength of the crowd to carry us – it is personal, individual, about our commitment to loving and serving Jesus and having a relationship with him. And that has consequences.

Am I prepared to work on this relationship? Am I prepared to listen to God through his word? Am I prepared to serve wherever he sends me and to those he puts in my path? And am I prepared to make him and his will the priority in my life?

This is not easy, but we are not left to flounder our way through this. God has sent his Holy Spirit to guide, strengthen and uphold us on our journey of faith. In Luther’s explanation to the Third Article of the Apostle’s Creed he states, ‘I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, but the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith’.

So, what seems impossible to us to achieve is made possible by God himself, who desires all creation to be made whole and one with him.

By your Holy Spirit, Lord, strengthen me in my faith in you and love for my neighbour so that I may be a true disciple accepting all you require of me, trusting in your grace. Amen.

Faye Schmidt continues her diaconal calling through governance, having served on the Vic–Tas District Church Board, the General Church Board and currently as chair of the Standing Committee on Constitutions and her congregation, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Adelaide. Having lived and worked in many locations within Australia and overseas, Faye has a heart for the stranger and the newcomer and for being open to new ideas, learning from others and responding to needs.

At the time of the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is ready’ (Luke 14:17).

Read Luke 14:12–24

In preparing for an event many of us would rely on a checklist to make sure that nothing is forgotten. However, we cannot achieve perfection as we are not in control of all circumstances – sudden changes to attendees, quality of venue or food, weather, etc. There would always be a qualification whether ‘everything’ was ready.

Some of the most amazing words spoken by Jesus when on the cross on that first Good Friday, were, ‘It is finished’. When facing the end of our days, how many of us would be able to say the same of any event or our life – that all we were required to do had been achieved, and completed?

For us, being mortal, we are not in control of our lives or made aware of all that we could or should accomplish while here on earth. We are bound and limited by our humanity.

Only God knows the completeness of things and these words of Jesus on the cross speak again that this was not just a man being crucified, but the Son of God. All that was required to atone for our sins was made complete on the cross and Jesus’ rising from the dead on the third day, Easter morning.

So, it should not be a surprise when we meet with Jesus at the Lord’s supper that the words we hear after the elements have been consecrated, ‘Come, for everything is ready’.

Everything has been completed that enables us to meet with Jesus at the altar as he comes to us in the bread and wine and we witness God’s grace in this act. There is nothing required of us but to ‘come’. God has made it all possible and we are invited to partake of the feast of victory.

May we humbly accept your invitation of saving grace as you have made everything right with you. May we also be a witness to others and invite those who do not yet know you, to be fellow invitees to the feast of victory over sin and death, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.