Give us this day our daily bread. What does this mean? God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers, even to all evil people, but we pray in this petition that God would lead us to realize this and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.  Read More

Good and gracious Father. Your mercies are great and the love has no end. Your will is that all be saved and come to the knowledge of that truth. Grant me to know your will so that I may embrace your kingdom and keep your name holy in my midst.  Read More

Jesus didn’t want to die. This may sound shocking to some people, but Jesus is fully human as well as fully God. The experience of death is not natural and Jesus knows that. With His humanity comes the desire to avoid suffering and death. Jesus could feel pain just as much as you and me.  Read More

Now that Christ has done his work to us and for us we are now made pure and holy before God. And because we are holy we now can live our lives devoted to God. Our lives come from God and now we bring them back to God.  Read More

The book of Jonah is only four chapters long, but there’s so much depth to this seemingly simple story. I learned this very quickly when recently I had the privilege of virtually attending a seminar on the book, led by Rev. Dr. Reed Lessing of the Center for Biblical Studies at Concordia St. Paul. Lessing is the author of the professional commentary on Jonah offered by our Synod’s publisher, Concordia Publishing House.  Read More

In the last few weeks, the story of the Catholic Priest who resigned over the words he spoke at baptisms finally became mainstream and caused quite a stir and upset many people, my grandma included, who called me to ask me about it. I had about 3 people at our congregation ask me about it as well, so I thought I would spend my article here discussing it.  Read More

The book of Revelation is often considered a frightening book. Weird creatures, plagues, battles…. It's unsettling. But it’s not meant to be. Revelation was given to the Church as a sort of behind the scenes to show us that God is in control. Which is illustrated in today’s reading.  Read More

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. What does this mean? The good and gracious will of God is done even without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also.   Read More

Merciful Father. You are sending forth your kingdom in your Son Jesus Christ. Upon the cross, you have given a sign to all mankind that you rule through grace and mercy.  Read More

Jesus is not just a king, he is THE King. This is made very obvious in the Gospels. From the Magi seeking the King of the Jews, to John the Baptist proclaiming “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” to the question and response given in today’s reading.  Read More

What is the essential part of our fellowship? Do we find agreement in what we eat and drink and what days we observe as special and holy? Or is there something more to our fellowship?  Read More

We want to be just like the nations around us!” This is what the Israelites are demanding Samuel give to them. They want a king just like the kings they see everyone else has. It’s a bit of “the grass is greener on the other side” coveting. They want someone who is going to fight their battles and protect them.  Read More