God Pause Daily Devotions
Brought to you by Luther Seminary
and its alumni/ae.
 

Monday, May 2

Acts 2:14a, 36-41 -- "Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." v. 36 Those were hard words coming from Peter at the conclusion of his Pentecostal sermon. It was a powerful, spirit-filled sermon and people were "cut to the heart," saying, "...what shall we do?" v.36 That is a very good question. It is a question that we could well ask ourselves, because it results in a wonderful answer. read more...

Jim Almquis
Retired

Sunday, May 1

"O Sons and Daughters, Let Us Sing," ELW 386 v. 1, 5, 6, 7 -- Poor doubting Thomas. Why does he carry that name through the centuries? Just because he missed going to church on the evening that the risen Jesus showed up? But, yes, he compounded his doubt by not taking his fellow disciples' word at face value at the next gathering, and he laid out his demands to touch the wounds before he would ever believe. We have all done stupid things which we would like to forget. read more...

Robert Isakse
Retired

Saturday, April 30

"O Sons and Daughters, Let Us Sing," ELW 386 v. 1, 4, 8 -- This French Easter carol has been a favorite of mine as it retells the story of the risen Lord's appearances to the disciples. It contains no intellectual defense of the Resurrection. It simply retells the story, that story that is still so much like our own. Like the women on the first Easter, we are not expecting life but only to see the evidence of death. read more...

Robert Isakse
Retired

Friday, April 29

John 20:24-31 -- When I was a senior at seminary in 1961, the bookstore sold prints of a line drawing by a fellow student depicting Jesus showing the wounds in his hands. As I recall, it was called 'Some Doubted.' Doubting has never been limited to Thomas. Doubt is usually part of the faith journey of most believers. read more...

Robert Isakse
Retired

Thursday, April 28

John 20:19-23 -- Do you always lock your doors? Some people always do. In our Brooklyn apartment no one is able to enter the outer door of the building without a key or without being buzzed in by way of the intercom. Today's reading takes place on the first Easter evening in the city of Jerusalem and it says the disciples were behind locked doors "in the house where they had met... read more...

Robert Isakse
Retired

Wednesday, April 27

1 Peter 1:3-9 -- As I read these words I am reminded again of various people giving specific days for end times. Today Peter is not trying to scare us, but is reminding us of "a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."No time frame or date is offered. "In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith... is tested by fire." Not many of us like tests. read more...

Robert Isakse
Retired

Tuesday, April 26

Psalm 16 -- When I arrived at Luther Seminary in September of 1957 my first dormitory room assignment was a basement room in an area that was affectionately called Sheol. Today we read the Psalmist's chant, "For you do not give me up to Sheol, or let your faithful one see the Pit." (v.10) Sheol meant "the grave" and "the underworld of the dead." David was confident of his future, that he would not be lost forever and forgotten in the Pit. We have all stood on the edges of open graves, often covered with fake grass and a suspended casket so that it is difficult to look down into the dark damp hole called Sheol. While our Sheol day is yet to come, today we can listen again to the words of the unnamed angel outside of Jesus' Sheol, "He is not here, for he has been raised." The risen Jesus is now our refuge and hope. read more...

Robert Isakse
Retired

Monday, April 25

Daniel 12:1-3 -- In 1833, a man named William Miller predicted the Second Advent of Jesus Christ would be on Oct. 22, 1844. Most people, including me, do not know what to do with such talk. read more...

Robert Isakse
Retired

Sunday, April 24

Colossians 3:1-4 -- "And we behold you living." With John of Damascus in the eighth century, his translator John Mason Neale in the nineteenth century, and the whole creation, we too sing. "Come, you faithful, raise the strain of triumphant gladness! God has brought forth Israel into joy from sadness, loosed from Pharaohs's bitter yoke Jacob's sons and daughters; led them with unmoistened foot through the Red Sea waters. Neither could the gates of death, nor the tomb's dark portal, nor the watchers, nor the seal, hold you as a mortal: but today, among your own, you appear, bestowing your deep peace, which evermore passes human knowing. Alleluia! now we cry to our Lord immortal, who triumphant burst the bars of the tomb's dark portal; Alleluia! with the Son God the Father praising; Alleluia! yet again to the Spirit raising. -John of Damascus, "Come, You Faithful, Raise the Strain," ELW 363 read more...

Paul Westermeye
Professor of Church Music, Luther Seminary

Saturday, April 23

John 19:38-42 -- "This is the night! This is our Passover with Christ from darkness to light, from bondage to freedom, from death to life. Tonight is the heart of our celebration of the Three Days and the pinnacle of the church's year. The resurrection of Christ is proclaimed in word and sign, and we gather around a pillar of fire, hear ancient stories of our faith, welcome new sisters and brothers at the font, and share the food and drink of the promised land. read more...

Paul Westermeye
Professor of Church Music, Luther Seminary