Third Wednesday in Lent Devotion

Third Wednesday in Lent - March 3, 2021

Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted ¹⁴ As many were astonished at you—his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind— ¹⁵ so shall he sprinkle^[b] many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths because of him, for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand. (Isaiah 52:13-15)

LSB 430 – My Song Is Love Unknown

(Verse 4 of this week’s hymn served as inspiration for today’s devotion.)

God has enemies. He is not a live-and-let-live God. He is not an I’m-OK-you’re-OK God. He doesn’t wink and nod at sin. God has enemies . . . we know them as sinners. Psalm 5 says, “. . . you hate all evildoers”. God has enemies, and He will triumph over them. And in the cross, that is exactly what He has done. He triumphed them, He won them by laying down His arms. He won them with love. “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” God does have enemies. But what does He do with them? He makes them His friends by forgiving them. “Yet cheerful He to suffering goes, that He His foes from thence might free.”

Prayer

"Lord Jesus, even while I was Your enemy, You laid down Your arms to make me Your friend. Grant me a heart like Yours, that I might make peace with those who have sinned against me. Amen."

Rev. Martin Dressler – Salem Lutheran Church