Lent - Week 2 - Monday

Welcome to Luther for the Busy Man, the week of Reminiscire Monday, our scripture reading

comes from the book of 1 Peter 1 verses 16 through 21.

For it is written, be holy because I am holy.

Since you call on a father who judges each person's work impartially, live out your time

as foreigners here in reverent fear.

For you know that it was not with perishable things, such as silver or gold that you

were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with

the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for

your sake.

Through him, you believe in God who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so

your faith and hope are in God.

Our scripture lesson comes from the book of Matthew chapter 15 verses 22 and 23.

Behold a Canaanite woman.

From that region came out and cried, have mercy on me, O Lord.

Son of David, my daughter is severely possessed by a demon, but he did not answer her

a word.

Know how Christ hammers and drives faith into his believers so that it becomes strong and

firm?

First when the Canaanite woman follows the good report she has heard about Christ and

cries to him in the sure confidence that in accordance with this report, he will also

treat her graciously.

Christ presents a completely different picture to the woman.

She soon had grounds for believing that her faith and good confidence in him were quite

misplaced.

She had every reason to ask, is this the good friendly man?

Or are these the good words I have heard reported of him on which I relied?

It cannot be true.

He is your foe.

He does not want to have anything to do with you.

He might as well tell me outright, I don't want to have anything to do with you.

But now he is as silent as a stone.

This is a heavy rebuff when God presents such a stern and angry face and completely hides

his grace.

As those well know who feel and experience in their hearts, the thought that God will

not keep what he has spoken and will allow his word to prove itself false.

This happened to the children of Israel at the Red Sea.

In other ways, it has been the experience of many other saints.

What does this woman do in such a situation?

She simply disregards the unfriendly countenance of Christ and does not let any of this lead

her astray.

She does not take it all according to the letter, she remains absolutely firm in her reliance

on the good report she has received and will not be removed from it.

Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you for the certainty of truth and salvation which

you have revealed to us in your gospel of salvation.

We pray for the grace to keep us ever firmly fixed in our faith in you and your gospel.

In and through Jesus Christ our Savior, Amen.

Find the print version of the Luther for the Busyman Daily Devotional at ambassadorpublications.org.

Luther for the Busyman is produced by the free Lutheran Bible College and seminary in

Plymouth, Minnesota.

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