Standing Before God 17th Day in Lent (Monday) Read: Romans 5:1-11 “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” Romans 5:1-2a (NIV) ‘Grace is the basis for our standing before God’. What does it mean to ‘stand before a King’? I enjoy reading the historical fiction books by Philippa Gregory. It is obvious in these books that there was a hierarchy in society in the Middle Ages. There was the upper class consisting of the kings/monarchs, nobles, knights, and clergy. Then the middle class tended to be the merchants, doctors, and those with important jobs; and then there was the lower class – the peasants and serfs who performed all the menial tasks and jobs. Firstly, to see the king you had to get through all the secretaries and make an appointment – only if you had an important issue. If it wasn’t important or considered necessary or beneficial to the kingship, there would be no way to stand in the king’s presence. Through the saving action of God in His Son Jesus Christ, God has allowed us to come directly into His presence and talk to Him freely. Back in the Old Testament times, the common people had to talk to God through the priests and offer sacrifices to make themselves worthy. Now we are reconciled with God. Reconciliation is talked about quite freely in society and between cultures and nations, but the essence of reconciliation is to bring people together with differences or conflicts and help them understand each other. Being reconciled with God means that He has come to us directly and made us clean through the act of Jesus on the cross. He opened Himself up for us to understand more of the nature of God. So, we can stand in His presence – the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We don’t have to ask for an audience from a priest or secretary. Through the grace of God, we can stand in His presence and ask Him for whatever is on our minds. We can understand and accept the grace and love that He offers us every day. Jesus’ act of suffering allowed us to stand before God. Prayer: Dear Lord God, thank you for your reconciling love and act of grace toward me. Being able to stand in your presence is humbling, helps me always to be appreciative. Amen. 2
Obey God above all
by Dianne Eckermann
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Peter and the other apostles replied, ‘We must obey God rather than human beings!’ (Acts 5:29).
Read Acts 5:27–32
Peter was never afraid to speak up. On this occasion, he is appearing before the Jewish court, the Sanhedrin, and not for the first time. He has been imprisoned twice and has just escaped. He and the other disciples are determined to pass on the good news about Jesus, and they are not letting the authorities stand in their way. Their message was threatening to those in power; however, despite all attempts to keep Peter and his message locked away, both Peter and the message escaped.
Living in Australia and New Zealand, we are unlikely to be arrested for attending church or sharing the love of God. We can, however, be subjected to more subtle pressures such as scornful rejection of Christianity, attempts to ridicule believers or other belittling comments that are intended to humiliate. This is a form of persecution different from the imprisonment and suffering of Peter but is still a barrier to overcome. Even if we are not confident in speaking up for our faith, we can all be empowered by listening to the word of God rather than being discouraged by others’ words.
There has never been a time in history when so much information has been available to almost everyone as it is today through the far-reaching resources of the internet. With the limited resources available to them, we read how the followers of Jesus in these early years of the church did all they could to bring the compelling message of God at work in his world to others. They were not self-serving or projecting their own desires or a wish for fame. Instead, they were led by the Holy Spirit to proclaim all they knew about the story of Jesus and the hope it brought to the world in the early years of the church – a hope that continues to this day.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for sending your Spirit into our lives and ask that you help us to keep our focus on you and all you have done and continue to do in our lives. We also ask that you help us to follow the example of the apostles and obey you rather than human beings as we live out your word each day. Amen.
Dianne has served in Lutheran education as a teacher, school leader and system leader at Lutheran Education Australia. Now retired from full-time work, she continues to volunteer on several committees and as a school board member. She lives in the Adelaide Hills with her husband, Robert, and is in strong demand as a babysitter for her three grandchildren.
Greater or lesser
by Dianne Eckermann
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
He must become greater; I must become less (John 3:30).
Read John 3:25–36
If you ever need to look up advice on introducing a guest speaker, one of the first points emphasises that it’s not about you – it’s about the person you are introducing. This is something John the Baptist certainly understood. It’s not necessarily something that comes easily to people. In fact, the envious reactions of John’s followers towards Jesus, who was attracting large crowds of people to be baptised, are a more human response.
We may not all be as confident or as comfortable about who we are as John. He has confidence in his role as the person sent ahead of the Messiah. He is comfortable with the idea that, in this role, he will become lesser, while the Messiah, Jesus, will become greater.
This is not as easy as John makes it look. Unlike his followers, John is not envious of Jesus because he knows it is not about him; it is about the one who is coming after him, that is, Jesus.
John lives truly for God’s glory. He shows tremendous humility by stepping aside to allow Jesus to become great. At the same time, he also shows tremendous confidence and joy in preparing the way for Jesus, knowing that this is his role.
Instead of accusing his followers of envy, John reminds them he has always said he was the one sent ahead of the Messiah, the one who is greater than all. John’s example is one we can follow by confidently understanding our role and knowing when to graciously allow others to fulfil their roles.
Lord, give us the certainty of knowing who we are and how we live for your glory. Guide our footsteps as we follow you and grow in our understanding of your great sacrifice for all people. Amen.
Dianne has served in Lutheran education as a teacher, school leader and system leader at Lutheran Education Australia. Now retired from full-time work, she continues to volunteer on several committees and as a school board member. She lives in the Adelaide Hills with her husband, Robert, and is in strong demand as a babysitter for her three grandchildren.
Gotta serve somebody
by Dianne Eckermann
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15b).
Read Joshua 24:1,2a,14–18
In the late 1970s, Bob Dylan wrote a folk song titled ‘Gotta serve somebody’, to which John Lennon cynically responded with a song called ‘Serve yourself’.
Dylan lists all sorts of people: an ambassador, a gambler, a dancer, a boxer, a socialite. No matter who you were, he says, you gotta serve somebody. Dylan offers a simple choice to either serve the devil or the Lord. He also subtly suggests we need to take care who we choose to serve; will it be somebody or something? If we don’t choose well, we may end up serving money, fame, power or influence.
John Lennon, on the other hand, comments that no one is going to do it for you, so you have to serve yourself. These two songs come from opposing points of view and have different understandings of what it means to serve.
Like today’s reading from Joshua, Dylan uses service in a broad sense. In the reading from Joshua, the children of Israel are reminded how God has taken them from a distant land where their ancestors served other gods and has given them a new land. This reminder, Joshua suggests, is the very reason he will serve the Lord. His concept of service includes following the Lord, trusting in the Lord and serving out of gratitude.
John Lennon’s idea of service is all about self. It is appealing in a culture in which the individual is more important than the community, but it’s not really about service; it’s about getting what you want for yourself.
Joshua’s words, ‘As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord’, are about commitment. This passage is often used as a wedding text as a new couple commit themselves to each other and to the Lord as a new household.
In Joshua’s time, God has freed Israel from forced service to the Pharaoh. In response, Joshua is committing to the Lord, willing to lead his life trusting that God, who provided a new land, will continue to provide for those who serve him.
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of family. Help us to remain committed to you as we serve you by following your wishes and honouring you for all you have provided for us. Amen.
Dianne has served in Lutheran education as a teacher, school leader and system leader at Lutheran Education Australia. Now retired from full-time work, she continues to volunteer on several committees and as a school board member. She lives in the Adelaide Hills with her husband, Robert, and is in strong demand as a babysitter for her three grandchildren.