June 15, 2024 

Today's Reading: Introit for Pentecost 4 - Psalm 92:12-15; antiphon: Psalm 92:1

Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 15:1-29; John 15:12-27

To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. Psalm 92:15 

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We have this predicament where the people we feel most comfortable taking shelter with are the ones who can relate to our flaws, faults, and sins. We feel the least comfortable confessing to someone who doesn’t struggle with the vices that are crushing us. It’s easy to confess to people who sin like me. They’re unrighteous like me. So they’ll never judge me. They can’t, or they’d be judging themselves. We take shelter with the sinners like us, but they can’t save us. They can only commiserate.  

It magnifies what the Psalmist sees in the LORD. A rock for himself, yet one who has no unrighteousness in Him. The LORD is shelter for sinners. Stability for sinners. But He is more. He calls the faithful “righteous.” He knows them not according to their sins. He makes those His own, brings them to nothing on the cross for you, then rises free of them. You have no sins left. You are as righteous as He is now.  

It changes the nature of confession. Confession is not built around commiserating together in a pit you can’t escape. Your sins aren’t too gross for God. They won’t make Him turn away or pull back. Not even if it’s the millionth time you’ve sinned. We confess to a God who isn’t like us so that we might become like Him. We who are unrighteous bring our unrighteousness to God, and He calls us righteous. Forgiven. Over and over and over again. It actually happens in church. It’s terrifying to confess your sins in front of your pastor. He’s not there to commiserate and tell you he did the same thing. But he was sent by God to forgive you and remind you that you are not unrighteous. You are forgiven and loved. In this forgiveness, we flourish and grow, giving thanks to the LORD. His praises are worth singing because He is our rock, our shelter that has actually saved us. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Built on the Rock the Church shall stand Even when steeples are falling. Crumbled have spires in ev'ry land; Bells still are chiming and calling, Calling the young and old to rest, But above all the souls distressed, Longing for rest everlasting. (LSB 645:1)

- Rev. Harrison Goodman is the content executive for Higher Things.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.

A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols This collection of over 600 hand-drawn Christian symbols by artist and author Edward Riojas will teach you the extensive history of the imagery of the Church. Each symbol is a beautiful and historical connection to generations of Christians that have worshiped before you. A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols. Now available from Concordia Publishing House.