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
Seeking the welfare of the place we are
by Jodie Hoff
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But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile (Jeremiah 29:7a).
Read Jeremiah 29:1,4–7
Jeremiah’s words were written to people far from home, living in a place they never would have chosen. Exile was not a small interruption. It was disorienting, painful and deeply unsettling. I imagine the temptation would have been to withdraw, wait it out or keep longing for the life they once knew.
But through Jeremiah, God gives a surprising invitation: build, plant, live, grow, pray and seek the welfare of the city. In other words, don’t put life on hold. Don’t turn away from the community around you. Even in uncertainty, God’s people are called to be present, generous and prayerful.
There is something quietly powerful here for us. We do not always find ourselves in circumstances we would choose. Schools, workplaces, families and communities change. There are seasons when things feel unsettled, unfamiliar or demanding. Yet God keeps meeting us there, inviting us to notice the place where we are and the people alongside us.
To seek the welfare of the city is to look beyond our own comfort and ask: What helps life flourish here? Who needs encouragement? Where is peace needed? What small act of service might make this community more whole?
For Lutheran schools and communities, this is a deeply hopeful calling. We are not asked to step away from the world’s complexity, but to enter it with faith, courage and love. We pray for our communities, and we participate in their wellbeing, trusting that as others flourish, we too are drawn more deeply into God’s good purposes.
Today, may we notice the place God has set before us and seek its welfare with open hands and hopeful hearts.
God of all places and people, help us to be present where we are and attentive to the needs around us. Teach us to seek the welfare of our communities with courage, generosity and prayerful hope. Amen.
With more than 25 years of leadership experience in Lutheran schools, Jodie Hoff brings a deep commitment to Lutheran education and the people and communities it serves. Having lived and worked in both Queensland and South Australia, she now serves as the executive director of Lutheran Education Australia. Jodie is passionate about building relationships, fostering connection and creating opportunities for people and communities to flourish. Beyond her work, she enjoys photography and the arts.
What bears God’s image?
by Jodie Hoff
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s (Matthew 22:21b).
Read Matthew 22:15–22
I want to invite us to begin with a simple but hopeful question from Jesus: Whose image does this carry?
In the passage, people come to Jesus hoping to catch him out. But as Jesus so often does, he turns the moment into something deeper. The coin bears Caesar’s image, so give Caesar what is Caesar’s. Then he leaves us with the far more important question: What bears God’s image?
We do.
You do. I do. Every person we meet today carries something of God’s goodness, dignity and possibility.
So, as we begin today, let’s hold onto this: before the work, before the decisions, before the pressures and conversations of the day, we are already loved. We are held by God. And we have the beautiful opportunity to reflect God’s love in what we say and do.
May that steady us, encourage us and help us bring grace, wisdom and kindness into this day.
Loving God, thank you that your image is carried in each of us. Help us to see your goodness in one another and bring hope, grace and courage into all we do today. Amen.
With more than 25 years of leadership experience in Lutheran schools, Jodie Hoff brings a deep commitment to Lutheran education and the people and communities it serves. Having lived and worked in both Queensland and South Australia, she now serves as the executive director of Lutheran Education Australia. Jodie is passionate about building relationships, fostering connection and creating opportunities for people and communities to flourish. Beyond her work, she enjoys photography and the arts.
Areruia! E kingi ana te Atua, te Kaha Rawa (The Lord God the Almighty reigns)
by Mark Whitfield
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Hallelujah! For the Lord God the Almighty reigns (Revelation 19:6b).
Read Revelation 19:5–10
There are times when neither the world nor our lives seem to be under God’s reign. We see conflict, suffering and injustice, and worry about the future or face circumstances we cannot change. We may watch people we love struggle and wonder where God is. Even within the church, we may become discouraged by what is difficult, declining or beyond our control.
Into those moments comes the great cry of Revelation: ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord God the Almighty reigns.’
‘Hallelujah’ means ‘Praise the Lord’. It’s not simply an expression of happiness. It’s a declaration of faith. You praise God not because everything is going well, but because God is still God. He is still Lord. He is still at work, even when you cannot see what he is doing.
Revelation gives us a wonderful picture of where everything is heading: the marriage supper of the Lamb. Jesus, the Lamb who gave himself for our salvation, is the bridegroom, and we are part of his beloved people. Our future is not ultimately defeat, abandonment or despair. Our future is with Christ.
That means our hope doesn’t depend on how strong we feel today. Our faith doesn’t rest on our ability to have everything sorted out. It rests on Jesus’ faithfulness.
So, today, simply be faithful where God has placed you. Pray. Worship. Love someone. Forgive. Encourage. Serve. Trust. Even the small and ordinary things you do in faith are seen by God.
You may not see the difference your faithfulness makes. But God does.
So, lift your heart today and join the song of heaven: Areruia! E kingi ana te Atua, te Kaha Rawa – Hallelujah! The Lord God Almighty reigns.
Lord Jesus, when I cannot see what you are doing, help me trust that you are still Lord. Keep me faithful, hopeful and courageous, knowing that my future rests not in myself, but in you. Amen.
Pastor Mark is a Kiwi and loves being pastor of St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Ōtautahi (Christchurch) on New Zealand’s South Island. He is bishop emeritus of the Lutheran Church of New Zealand (LCNZ), has served on the LCA Commission on Worship and represents the LCNZ on the Roman Catholic–Lutheran Dialogue Commission. He is married to Leanne and is dad to Chelsea (and Tim), Brittany and Charlotte. A musician (organist, pianist, singer and composer), Mark also enjoys gardening, making people laugh and following sport, especially cricket and rugby. And when the opportunity arises, he loves eating rollmops on fresh bread with his father-in-law, Kevin.