LUTHERAN DAILY DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE

Lutheran Daily Devotional 23rd January 2023 Monday Message. As you study today’s devotional, remember this; “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 (NLT)

TOPIC: Blameless

Psalm 15:1-3 – O LORD, who shall sojourn in Your tent? Who shall dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend.

Lutheran Daily Devotional 23rd January 2023 MESSAGE

“O LORD, who shall sojourn in Your tent?” It is an important question. Who is able to enter the presence of God and worship Him in His holy temple? This leads us to consider an even more critical question. Who will live in God’s presence and dwell with Him for eternity? We may hear the popular responses to such a question: “Good people go to heaven.” “Those who try hard to follow God’s Law or who, at least, do their best, will be saved.” We may fall into the tempting trap of those answers ourselves, foolishly hoping that our best efforts will be enough to earn eternal life.

The actual requirements for dwelling in God’s presence, now and forever, are far more demanding. According to the psalmist, those who are blameless, who do right and speak the truth, who do no wrong to a neighbor, will sojourn in the Lord’s tent. God told the people of Israel, “You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2b). Jesus said, “You therefore must be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). When Jesus once spoke of the difficulty of salvation even for a wealthy person, His astonished followers asked, “Then who can be saved?” The Lord answered, “What is impossible with man is possible with God” (Luke 18:26b, 27b).

The impossible was accomplished when God the Son was born among us. Throughout His earthly life, Jesus walked blamelessly and did what was right. He spoke the truth; He is the Truth. He did not slander others or do evil to His neighbor. He gave His entire life in loving service to His neighbor, teaching, helping, and healing. “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:22). Innocent of all sin, Jesus took onto Himself the penalty of death for the sins of others, for the sins of the world. Even as He hung dying on the cross, He did not slander those who mocked Him: “When He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten” (1 Peter 2:23a).

We are justified by God’s grace through faith. We are clothed in Jesus’ righteousness; His perfect life covers our sinful lives. “O LORD, who shall sojourn in Your tent?” We will dwell with God and for all eternity we will praise Him for doing the impossible: “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 24-25).

WE PRAY: Lord, I look forward to worshiping in Your presence, now and for all eternity. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler.

Reflection Questions:

1. Do you go to church with a sense of awe or wonder or humility at going into the house of the Lord?

2. How can we ever come into the Lord’s presence if we are to be holy and blameless before Him?

3. Was the silent suffering of Jesus more profound than if He had ridiculed those who crucified Him?

Today’s Bible Readings: Job 36-37 Matthew 15:1-20

God bless you for reading Lutheran Daily Devotional 23rd January 2023 Message. Encourage someone today by sharing this Gospel.