Published in the Christ in Our Home devotional by
Augsburg Fortress Publishers
July 24 –
30
By Shelia Watson
But his
servant said, "How can I set this before a hundred people?" (v. 43)
How can I set this before a
hundred people? Most of us ask ourselves that question on occasion, even if the
question is phrased differently: How can I sing in the choir with my voice? You
want me to read the lessons in front of so many people? How could I ever teach
Sunday school? What, me serve on a committee?
It's a good question. How can any of us sing, read,
teach, or serve? How can any of us hope to accomplish so many tasks? With so
much to be done, our offerings may seem inadequate for the needs. How can we
set our meager offerings of barley and grain before a hundred people?
It's an easy answer. We bring our offerings, and then we
wait for God to multiply them.
We attend choir rehearsals, practice the notes, and make
our joyful noises. We stand at the lectern, even with shaky knees, and
articulate the lessons. We study and pray before the classes to prepare for the
eager minds waiting to be taught. We hear the needs of committees and offer our
unique perspectives to help make Christ known in our communities.
We need not worry about balancing supply and demand. In
each case, our task is to make the offering. God does the rest.
Lord, help us
to remember that our primary task is to offer ourselves into your service.
Amen.
Prayer concern: Volunteers
Relief from
suffering
The disciples
determined that according to their ability, each would send relief to the
believers living in Judea… (v. 29)
In the wake of Hurricane
Hugo, the people of South Carolina were stunned by the devastation. Within days
relief poured in from the generosity of those witnessing from afar.
Just weeks after the hurricane, California suffered a
severe earthquake. Immediately trucks were loaded with supplies - sent to them
from the Carolina coast. Like those believers in our reading today who sent
relief to Judea, survivors of Hugo sent relief to California, each according to
their abilities.
Disasters are often viewed on a grand scale, with reports
of the number injured, square miles affected, and damage costs. However, our
response to disasters involves care for the individual. Today's reading reminds
us of the comparison of mass suffering with individual suffering, as the story
moves from the plight of Judea to the death of St. James and the arrest of St.
Peter. Multitudes suffered, while individuals were persecuted.
God cares for us both corporately and individually. We
are called to care for each other as nations, as communities, and as
individuals.
St. James' martyrdom and St. Peter's imprisonment did not
stop the believers - who surely grieved the tragic events - from responding to
the needs of Judea. Even as we face individual struggles, we must strive to
help those suffering in other parts of the world.
Father, help
us to be aware of and respond to needs in other communities. Amen.
Prayer request: The ELCA
Disaster Response Teams
Commemoration: St. James the
Elder, Apostle
God's
hierarchy of needs
You open your
hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing. (v. 16)
Psychologist Abraham Maslow
is best known for his Hierarchy of Needs model, which states that all people
have basic physiological and safety needs, such as air, food, water, and
shelter, that must be satisfied before progressing to growth needs, such as
love, belonging, self-esteem, understanding, and self-actualization.
Maslow's model, arguably one of the better known models
designed to explain why we behave the way we do, is understandable in its progressive
design. For instance, one will not likely be worried about self-esteem if one
is starving.
The psalmist of today's reading reminds us of God's
hierarchy of needs in the illustration of God's open hand satisfying the desire
of every living thing.
What are our needs and desires? To have enough to eat and
drink, to breathe clean air, to live in safety? God provides for those needs by
giving us our abilities toward industry and innovation.
Our kinship with Christ
attains for us our need for love and affectionate relationships, along with our
desire to belong to something bigger than ourselves.
We are esteemed by Christ's sacrifice, and we receive
understanding through God's initiative. Adequacy, self-respect, and acceptance
have already been done for us on the cross.
God's great desire is our faithfulness. In that
lovingkindness, showered upon us daily, God attends to all our desires and our
needs.
Dear Lord,
remind us every day that you are all we need and all we should desire. Amen.
Prayer concern: Those
struggling to meet basic needs
What's in a
name?
For this
reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and
on earth takes its name. (v. 14)
What is your name? How often
do we hear those words, and how often do we ask them? Consider the number of
times in a week you hear that question and how easily the answer is given.
Consider, too, how you might answer if you knew that you were revealing not
only your name but also your identity.
Our names can
communicate much about us. They might tell how we are addressed by close
friends, who are families are, and in some cases, where we live.
Some of us have several names. We may be called Mother or
Father, Grandmother or Grandfather, Aunt or Uncle. Such names can be revealing.
Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Miss preceding our names can tell part
of our stories, as can Sr., Jr., III, Ph.D., M.Div. and other suffixes
following our names.
Our names can divulge our beliefs. When we call ourselves
Lutherans, we tell the world what we believe. When we label ourselves members
of a particular parish, we show where we worship.
Regardless of our surnames, titles, suffixes, or
nicknames, the most important and most life-altering name we have is the name
Christian. When we call ourselves Christians, we tell the world not only who we
are but whose we are. We announce to the world that we belong to Christ.
Dear Lord,
help us always to live up to your name. Amen.
Prayer concern: Those who
feel alienated.
If there is
any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these
things. (v. 8)
There is a peculiar
phenomenon that affects our ability to intake information in which our
attention is drawn to one particular noise out of a roomful of noises. This
phenomenon, known as the cocktail party effect, is so named because of the way
in which a person may tune into a conversation in the midst of many
simultaneous conversations, an occurrence often seen in a party atmosphere.
Outside of parties, other sounds compete for our
attention: televisions and radios blaring, spouses calling for assistance,
children crying, coworkers and employers imparting data, telephones and
doorbells ringing, and a host of other audible stimuli screaming out to us
daily.
It is a daunting task in our noisy, busy world to hear
and respond to all the sounds around us each day. Too often our ears - and our
souls - become numb from the cacophony. Sometimes we forget how to tune into
what is excellent and worthy of praise.
Our challenge is
to stop occasionally, turn away from the noise and confusion, and focus on what
is important. We must train our ear and our souls to listen to the rhythms of
life, the hum of happiness, and the chorus of praise.
Heavenly
Father, bring us to places where we can hear the symphony of your grace. Amen.
Prayer concern: For
ministries with the deaf
Commemoration:
Johann Sebastian Bach, 1750; Heinrich Schutz, 1672; George Frederick Handel,
1759; musicians
The practical
application of miracles
Jesus said to
her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of
God?" (v. 40)
The problem was not
unbelief. Mary and Martha believed in Jesus and had undoubtedly witnessed some
of his miracles.
The problem was not unawareness. Jesus had made a recent
visit to their house. He had even dealt with their problem of sharing the
workload, helping Martha to become more Christ-oriented and encouraging Mary's
devotion to him.
The problem was not lack of expression. Both of them ran
out to greet Jesus, and both had greeted him with the same words: If only you
had been here, our brother would not have died.
They were aware of his abilities and his power. They knew
who he was. Martha had even articulated words as of yet unspoken, when she
stated that she knew he was the Messiah.
The essence of the problem was that they thought in practical,
human terms. Lazarus was dead and buried; it was too late. It was easier for
them to believe in practical solutions than to believe in miracles.
Would we be able to anticipate the miracle that was about
to happen? Probably not. We too seek practical solutions, sure cures, and known
results. But why not prepare for the reality of miracles? Did he not tell us
that if we believed we would see the glory of God?
Dear Jesus, we
are sometimes slow to grasp the glory of God. Help us to believe.
Prayer concern: Those who
await organ transplants.
Commemoration: Mary, Martha,
and Lazarus of Bethany; Olaf, King of Norway, martyr, 1030
7th
Sunday after Pentecost
Then Jesus
took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who
were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. (v. 11)
The scene is familiar.
People have gathered to hear the word. They are hungry, not only in their
bellies but in their souls as well. That hunger has led them to this place. The
elements of nourishment are provided, thanks is given for the food, the pieces
are broken and distributed, and the people are fed.
The familiar scene is not near the Sea of Galilee but in
the local church on Sunday morning. Today's reading sounds familiar because
these words are much like the words of institution, the liturgy we hear just
before Holy Communion. In both cases, Jesus takes the food, gives thanks,
breaks it, and gives it to all to eat.
God provides for our physiological needs, knowing that
our bodies require nourishment, rest, and care. God also provides for our
spiritual needs, gathering us into the fellowship of Christ and feeding us the
bread of life in word and sacrament.
Amazingly, in the stories of feeding multitudes, there
are always leftovers. Those who ate the loaves and the fish on the banks of the
Galilee ate as much as they wanted. We too can come to the table and eat our
fill.
Dear Father,
as we are fed, help us to remember to give thanks and to bring others to your
table of grace. Amen.
Prayer concern: Those who
are hungry.