Daily Devotions
This devotion pairs with this weekend’s Lutheran Hour sermon, which can be found at www.lhm.org.
Whenever you meet someone new, whoever they are, it’s a sure bet that they’re engaged in some struggle, some internal or external grudge match, or that they’ve just come through one, or are about to enter one. And just knowing that, maybe it helps us all be a bit more patient and gracious.
Because the struggle is real. But it’s not the most real thing about us in our situation in the world. Because before there was struggle and after all the struggle has ceased, God and His love will remain, because God, in His love, stepped into the ring with us. God-become-Man met you there, by the river of your struggle, to fight for you, to fight with you. And the God-Man was willing to lose to us, to take the hits from our hands, to die for us, to save us.
Jesus, God’s Son, came. He became one of us. He strove for us. And with us, and He lost to us, willingly, died on the cross for us, to prove to us that compared to His love—man, our struggles don’t even punch featherweight. Jesus rose from the mat and will return to raise us from death. He will make all things new and be crowned heavyweight champion of the world. So, in Him, by faith in Him, by His grace, take off the gloves, man. Cease striving and know that He is God (see Psalm 46:10).
WE PRAY: Dear Father, the struggle is real, but Your grace is all the more. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler, Speaker for The Lutheran Hour.
Reflection Questions:
1. Which part of that scene from Jacob’s life is most gripping to you?
2. Where do you struggle with God?
3. What do you think is God’s current struggle with you?