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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion January 30, 2006 What is the Plan? |
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FRONTLINE DEVOTION FOR MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2006 by Fritz Foltz
You must have noticed that as we pass more and more laws, we have more and more law-breaking. We have lawlessness in our slums, corruption in the Third World, and rising crime in our advanced societies. The more proliferation of laws, the more crowded our prisons.
Some of us would argue we need more laws that try to cover every aspect of life, because we no longer have a common understanding of justice. Because I do not know where society is going, I turn to what where I want to go. Law has become a competitive sport and the quality of justice has become the quality of my lawyer. Without justice law is just a way to administer society and justice does not depend so much on the wisdom of the judge but more on the discrimination and discernment of the policeman. In many ways we have become a police state. You know what I mean every time you pass a state trooper on the highway.
Ephesians says we Christians know better. Jesus has revealed to us God’s purpose, the mystery hidden for ages, and with that his plan for the world. We know where we are going and how we are to get there. And it is our mission to report that to the rest of the world, as Paul reported it to the Gentiles.
So what is the purpose? God is moving us towards a just society, a Last Judgment in which all is made right and each has her or his fair share. And what is the plan? Jesus overcame the evil that stands in the way to that just society, and we are to follow him. We are to overcome evil with love. The means to a just society is love.
In some ways that is our only vocation. Knowing that we are saved and do not have to please God, we can turn to the needs of our neighbors. Luther claimed that the first function of the law in our communities is to serve the neighbor, even if that means denying self-interest.
It is not easy to convince the modern world of this. It has never been easy to convince the world. But certainly today the best method is to demonstrate that love in the way we live with others. We are called to love as Christ loved.
Christ has revealed to us the purpose of life. He has done that by living out the plan, living and dying in love. Make sure you live the plan today in ways that others might trust God’s promise for our future.
Let us pray: Loving Father, you have revealed to us your purpose for our history. Grant us the courage to implement your plan. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry on the "Frontlines" of the world. Frontline Devotions are sent via email daily. Sign up by clicking on the box to the left. Pastor Dave welcomes feedback. Contact him at pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org. |
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