by Charles Bertelsmeier
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Read Ecclesiastes 1:1–11
Although I can remember the names and a little about the lives of my grandparents, I would struggle to tell you the names of all my great-grandparents or anything about their lives.
Then I think about my grandchildren and realise they know virtually nothing about my parents and previous generations. I’m sure we could all agree with the sentiment expressed in today’s verse.
We will spend today and the next four days looking at the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes. Before you open your calendar app and set a reminder to resume reading LCA devotions next Saturday and skip these five days, let me encourage you to persevere. God has put every book of the Bible there for a reason and has a message for us. I pray that God has a message for you in what he gives me to write. You may also like to read the whole book before we proceed with these devotions.
The first verse of this book indicates that the author is King Solomon. God blessed King Solomon to be one of the wisest people in history. He is also believed to be the author of the biblical book Song of Songs and to have collected many proverbs.
In Ecclesiastes, the author conducts a series of scientific experiments to find the meaning of life. In reflecting on this, I think we are all doing the same, but probably not as scientifically as Solomon. As young children, we are absorbed in play. As teenagers, we are trying to discover who we are. As young adults, we seek acceptance through our friendship circles and employment. Then, we aim to perpetuate our identity through our children, moving on to get ourselves financially secure and finally retiring to contemplate what we have achieved with our lives. Maybe we will even write up our life stories to perpetuate our legacies.
Solomon tries a range of activities to find meaning and fulfilment but comes up empty each time. Most of these things are things we also do to try to discover meaning and purpose. Spoiler alert: The conclusion Solomon comes to is that we only find that meaning and purpose through our relationship with God and by surrendering our lives to the plans he has for us.
Most of us, me included, didn’t want to hear that when we were younger and tried looking elsewhere. I thank God he didn’t give up on me and gently led me to accept Solomon’s conclusion.
Heavenly Father, I accept that life without you is meaningless. Please help me to listen to your Spirit as we dive into the Book of Ecclesiastes and to find meaning and purpose in your plans for us. Amen.
Charles is a retired engineer who has worked on communications projects for the air force, army and navy. He lives in a retirement village in the outer north-western suburbs of Sydney with his wife, Diane. Together, they have four children and eight grandchildren, all of whom they love spending time with. Charles keeps busy caring for their pot plants and a community vegetable garden, researching his family history and volunteering at LifeWay Lutheran Church.
People of God
by Dianne Eckermann
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Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy (1 Peter 2:10).
Read 1 Peter 2:4–10
In the 2,000 years since these words were written, Christianity has grown throughout the world. The concept of Christianity is not new to us. It is not unfamiliar, even to non-Christians.
In today’s passage, we read of Christ as the living stone, referring to the resurrected Christ. His followers are like living stones, as they too have life – through the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus. Through the images in this passage, people who believe are given a new identity. They are a chosen people, special to God, called into his wonderful light. They are early Christians united with God through Jesus.
This must have been a wonderful revelation to the early church. Before they knew Jesus, the rejected cornerstone, there was nothing to bind them together, but now they know who they are and whose they are. Now, through God’s unearned mercy, they are people of God and are precious to him.
The followers of Christ today have grown from these early beginnings and live in a different world, spiritually, culturally, politically and technologically. Different denominations have emerged over the centuries. However, these differences change nothing – it is still a world in need of mercy. Despite divisions in the church, we are given a beautiful, unifying statement in verse 10: ‘… now you are the people of God …’ This is our identity as Christians. We are all people of God.
Merciful God, we come to you with thanks that you do not treat us as we deserve but offer us your great mercy. Help us to show your mercy and love to people around us each day. In Jesus’ name, we pray. 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.
Short time or long
by Dianne Eckermann
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
Paul replied, ‘Short time or long – I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains’ (Acts 26:29).
Read Acts 26:18–29
Arachnophobia, a fear of spiders, is allegedly the most common phobia in the world, followed by glossophobia, the fear of public speaking. There is also a relatively new phobia, nomophobia, or the fear of being without your mobile phone, which is catching up. St Paul’s attitude towards spiders is not recorded; however, he is known for his ability to craft and deliver his amazing message about Jesus and his victory over death.
In today’s reading, Paul is again speaking up, not just in public, but before King Agrippa. Paul is a notable orator, and his speech on this occasion displays just how well he can deliver his message, even though the Jewish leaders arrested him and he stands before the king in chains. He is not overawed by authority or the presence of the king and, with the help of God, he stands to ‘testify to small and great alike’ (verse 22).
The end of Paul’s speech is about how his message about Jesus is consistent with the teachings of Moses and the prophets. When he is interrupted and accused of being mad, he responds calmly and politely, yet again stressing that nothing he says is new to those familiar with the prophets and flattering King Agrippa by including him among the knowledgeable.
Paul’s response to Agrippa at the end of his speech is most powerful. ‘Short time or long,’ he begins. In other words, time does not matter, as he will continue to preach about Jesus for as long as it takes. He continues, ‘I pray to God.’ It is God’s message he is sharing, and through God’s help that he can stand before Agrippa and his accusers and speak. His message also is not just in response to Agrippa, but to all who are listening to him. It is not a message just for the powerful or for leaders; God is for everyone. Finally, we can imagine a wry smile when Paul says he prays that all will be like him, except, of course, for his chains.
We, too, can thank God that if Paul ever had a fear of public speaking, he overcame it, and many years later his voice is still heard.
Heavenly Father, thank you for all who share your message and for helping us to understand the full extent of your love for us all. Guide us through your Holy Spirit as we live out your truth and love in our world. 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.
Obey God above all
by Dianne Eckermann
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
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.