Tuesday, November 15, 2005

We Are Changed By Faith In Jesus

"Today's Devotion" For November 15, 2005

Read: Matthew 9:18-34; Psalm 30

WE ARE CHANGED BY FAITH IN JESUS

"According to your faith will it be done to you." (Mt. 9:32)

If you are a fan of professional football and pay any attention to the NFL at all, you're aware that one very talented player has been sidelined by his team. It's been the lead story, almost to the point of total nausea. The coverage got so repetitious that on the Fox pregame show Sunday, James Brown promised, "No more T.O. stories." The sad thing about this story is that a player with such talent and the uncanny ability to blow a game wide open with his playmaking is such a pariah. He can't keep his mouth shut. He spends more time talking about how great he is and how inadequate his teammates, coaches, and other players are. He signed a new contract last year and wanted to renegotiate it this year. His antics and mouth not only made him unwelcome on his team, but by all accounts, there's no other team that really wants to put up with his constant disruptive presence in the locker room, on the field, and in public. There's no doubt, as you read the news reports and hear the television commentaries and interviews that most teams, coaches, and players are pretty certain that this individual can't help himself - it's his nature to act the way he does and it's unacceptable to most in the sport.

While the behavior of this individual is seen as obnoxious and self-centered to the extreme, the reality of life in this world is that such behavior is not far from reality for the rest of us human beings either. Our nature as sinners, who are naturally more concerned about themselves than others, invariably shows itself. One character in an old movie once explained away his penchant for committing bank robberies and murder with, "I can't help myself. It's just a part of who I am." How aptly those words apply to each of our lives as well. When Sin takes control of us and leads us to do those things which are contrary to God's Will and centered in ourselves, to the exclusion of others, it's true that we can't seem to "help ourselves." God makes it abundantly clear that we're unable to overcome the power of Sin in our lives on our own. We definitely need His help.

That's where His great love for us comes to bear. In sharp contrast to our sinful condition is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His life stands in sharp contrast to our own. Just as we can't help ourselves because our sin separates us from God, so also Jesus couldn't help Himself either - it was His nature to sacrifice Himself to take away our sins because of His great love for us. While our nature as sinners leads us to hurt others, serve ourselves, and disobey God, our Savior's nature was to be all God intended for us to be from Creation. In His time on this earth He went about healing demon possessed people, the sick, the maimed, and the deaf and dumb. He even raised the dead. His power and strength, His compassion and concern, His love, grace and mercy are all are a part of His nature. He can't be any other way. He is thus able to be our Savior and Lord, restoring us to God through His precious blood shed on Calvary's cross.

It's our sinful, human nature to be at odds with God and one another. It's our sinful, human nature to be self-absorbed, self-centered, and selfish. Yet, by God's grace, Jesus changes that in our lives. His words to the blind men, "According to your faith will it be done to you," are also His words to us. . No matter who we are, we are healed, not just of our physical maladies, but, more especially, of our spiritual maladies. Just as the blind men went away rejoicing because Jesus healed their blindness, so also do we rejoice that He removes our spiritual blindness so that we can see Him and receive His forgiveness. As we receive His forgiveness by faith in Him our nature as human beings is changed so that we are empowered to love God and serve others in His name. As the blind men rejoiced because Jesus had saved them, so also do we. We can't help ourselves, because, by the power of God's Word and Spirit, through the washing of Holy Baptism, we have a new nature that seeks the best for others in response to God's love for us. It's our witness to the world.

Prayer: Father, without the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross, I would be lost to You. My natural, sinful nature would prevent me from knowing You and Your love, grace, and mercy for me. Without the gift of faith in Jesus, through Whom my sins are forgiven, I would be unable to serve You and love others in Your name. As it is Jesus nature to redeem and heal me, so change me by the power of Your Word and Spirit, that I may have a new nature which reflects itself in a life of obedience and service in Your name. Let my life be a living example of what it means to be in Christ, to trust in Him, and be forgiven. Help me to be a true witness of Your grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness to others so they, too, might be changed by faith in Jesus. In the precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright ©2005 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.

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