Grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. I encourage you to be in church tomorrow to receive God’s gifts of forgiveness.
On Sunday October 19 we will follow the liturgy of Divine Service Setting Four beginning on page 203 of the LSB hymnal. Hymns chosen for the day are #869 With the Lord Begin Your Task; #773 Hear Us Father When We Pray; #623 Lord Jesus Christ We Humbly Pray; and #761 Rock of Ages, Cleft For Me.
Scriptures assigned to the day are Psalm 121:1-8; Genesis 32:22-30; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5; and Luke 18:1-8.
There are many times when it seems we are struggling against God, our will or desires striving against His will and desires. God is powerful. He could destroy us with a word. In the end He is going to win. But in His grace and patience He uses those struggles to shape us, to refine us, to lead us to realize our dependence upon Him. The struggle against God is evident in the Old Testament lesson. Jacob had deceived his brother and left the region for fear of retribution. Decades later Jacob returns home, not sure what kind of welcome he is going to receive. In hopes of appeasing any remaining anger, he sends gifts and his family as an advance party. And he prayed. The night before he is to arrive home, Jacob is all alone. He is met by a strange man who wrestles with all night long. The contest would seem to be even, but suddenly with a touch to the hip, the man lames Jacob. Jacob realizes he has been wrestling with God, a physical action that displays the spiritual struggles Jacob has had his whole life. It is time to give in to God. The man blesses Jacob and tells him his name from that time on will be Israel (meaning he strives with God). Under the crosses, that is the trials and sufferings of this life, we also wrestle with God. Will we trust His promises? Will we continue to push back against God’s will as though He is our adversary? If you haven’t done so already, it is time to relent, lay down your opposition, and acknowledge Jesus as your victor. He blesses those who turn to Him.
The sense of striving with God is also evident in the Gospel reading from Luke 18. Jesus uses a parable to encourage people to be persistent in their prayer life. He tells of a widow who continued to pester a judge, begging him to give her justice against an adversary. The woman’s persistent petitions finally wear down the judge, and he gives her the justice she was seeking. If an unjust judge can be persuaded this way, imagine how our gracious God will give us relief and justice when we pray to Him. But if we don’t believe God the judge can help us, do we go on praying? Jesus asks, will He find faith when He returns? Or will you have given up? Jesus encourages you to keep praying and not give up.
In the epistle lesson, St. Paul urges his co-worker to continue proclaiming the gospel and training up others for work in the church. People might resist the message, ignore the message, or even seek a different message. There is always a temptation to follow people who tell me what I want to hear. But Paul urges Timothy (and by extension, all Christians) to be faithful to what is revealed and taught in the Bible. The Bible is God’s inspired word, intended to be proclaimed and taught and heard and applied for direction, correction, for training, for motivation, and for comfort as it points us to Jesus. What can you do to help spread the truth of God’s Word? Speak with the pastor if you need suggestions.
COLLECT: O Lord, Almighty and everlasting God, You have commanded us to pray, and promised to hear us. Mercifully grant that Your Holy Spirit may direct and govern our hearts in all things so that we may persevere with steadfast faith in the confession of Your holy name; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, Our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Please let me know if you have any prayer requests or questions about the Scripture lessons. God bless you. Pastor Boster
