Dear Trinity Families,
Here is your WELS Devotion
“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Daniel 3:17,18The Bigger Picture
Sometimes we get too caught up in life’s day-to-day hassles. We don’t keep an eye on the bigger picture.
The Bible teaches us, “Set your minds on things above, not only earthly things.” What we see in this world is transitory. It’s passing way. But what God promises to us in Jesus endures forever. In many ways, real life doesn’t begin until we finally see Jesus with our eyes.
Until then, the Christian life is lived under the cross. In other words, Christians expect to endure hatred and persecution when they remain faithful to Jesus and his Word. It’s no surprise. The Bible says, “Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things” (Philippians 3:18,19).
But Christians keep an eye on the bigger picture.
That’s what Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did when they were facing the burning anger of King Nebuchadnezzar. While they were convinced that God would save them from the fiery furnace of the king’s fury, they were also prepared if God chose not to spare them in that moment. Indeed, they believed wholeheartedly, “the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Even when it may seem like the world defeats God’s people, God’s people keep an eye on the bigger picture. In the end, God wins forever, and he shares the spoils of his eternal victory with those who trust him, no matter what.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, help me to understand and trust that I will be victorious in you forever. Amen.
God bless,
Lynn
Hello Trinity Family!
Today we celebrate God’s returning the Word to us! It’s terrifyingly easy to lose the Word. Neglect, changing the message to fit someone’s own opinion, unpopularity, and open attack can all remove the Word from our lives. It happened to the church in the Middle Ages. It’s happening right now.
On Reformation Day, we don’t celebrate Martin Luther as much as we celebrate God. It was God who gave Luther is opportunity. It was God who kept him safe. It was God who moved in the hearts of his faithful people. It was God who brought His Word back.
It’s still God. He moves through Word and Sacrament. He moves through his faithful people.
He saves us by grace alone, by faith alone, by scripture alone.
God bless you,
Pastor
P.S. Here’s the link for online worship: https://www.youtube.com/user/PastorTesch
Weekly Worship Bulletin: 2021-10-31 Reformation Sunday
Join Us for Worship
Sundays at 9:00am or Mondays at 6:00pm