Second Saturday in Lent Devotion

Life                                                            Second Saturday in Lent - February 27, 2021

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)

LSB 420 – Christ, the Life of All the Living

(Verse 1 of this week’s hymn served as inspiration for today’s devotion.)

What’s New? If I were to ask you this question, I am sure I would get all kinds of responses. Maybe you would tell me some exciting news about your family, an exciting trip you took, or you might say “not much”. No matter what your answer might be, I think we can all agree that we like new things, whether we give or receive them. New things are exciting and make us happy. Think for a moment the excitement we now have, since, through baptism, we are given a new life.

For us, it is a new, restored, relationship. What does Baptism do for us? It does it all! We know that by our own reason or strength cannot save ourselves. We are born in this world with sin engrained in our nature. Baptism washes away that original, engrained sin. We are washed and renewed by the waters and the word of Holy Baptism. We are made perfect again, our sin has been washed away and we are made to be forgiven, perfect children of God. And the greatest message of the Gospel is that forgiveness and rebirth is free. No matter how many times we sin, forgiveness is ours.

But, in baptism we are also given the gift of the Holy Spirit, faith. The Holy Spirit works day in and day out, strengthening our faith and enabling us to live out our faith. Is it because of the salvation we have in Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit that we live out this new life, we become the reflection of this new, restored relationship with our God.

Prayer 

Dear Heavenly Father, it is through the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus that we have been given forgiveness, faith, and eternal life. We pray that you would continually remind us of the new life we have been given through our baptism and we pray that you would send your Holy Spirit to be with us daily. We pray all this in the name of your son Jesus Christ. Amen.

Rev. Nathan Ruback – Grace Lutheran Chapel