June 10, 2023

Today's Reading: Introit to Pentecost 2: Psalm 50:7-10; antiphon: Psalm 50:1

Daily Lectionary: Song of Solomon 7:6-8:14, John 6:41-59 

The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. (Psalm 50:1)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When I am at a stop light, I can yell all I want for the traffic signal to change from red to green, but my words don’t have that kind of power. When I watch hockey on TV the referees do not listen to my voice and change their call in my favor.

God’s Word, however, is different. When God speaks, things happen. What God says is what occurs. God’s Word is more than sound and syllables and syntax. God’s Word is an event. God’s Word creates, gives life, and is active, doing what He says and giving what He promises. 

This is what the opening verse of the Psalm of the day for tomorrow is all about, the creative, powerful, life-giving Word of God. When God the Lord speaks, the Psalm says, he summons the earth. John and Paul and the author of Hebrews echo this verse when they say that all creation is made through Jesus, that in him all things are held together, and that He upholds the universe by His Word of power. The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. 

This is good news. God gives us His holy, saving gifts through His Word. When you go to Divine Service tomorrow, you will be in the place where God speaks. Luther even called the church a mouth-house of God’s forgiveness. You will hear the Lord speak in His Word of holy absolution, forgiving your sin through His called and ordained servant of the Word. You will hear the invocation that was spoken on the day of your Baptism when a pastor took water, spoke God’s Word, and washed away all your sin in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. God’s Word is in and under the bread and wine as you receive Jesus’ body and blood for the forgiveness of all your sins.

As you get up and go to church tomorrow, rejoice that the same Lord who summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting also summons His Word to give you what he promises, His Word of life spoken, declared, and delivered to you. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Lord God, bless Your Word wherever it is proclaimed. Make it a word of power and peace to convert those not yet Your own and to confirm those who have come to saving faith. May Your Word pass from the ear to hear heart, from the heart to the lip, and from the lip to the life that, as You have promised, Your Word may achieve the purpose for which You send it; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

-Pastor Samuel Schuldheisz is Pastor at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Milton, WA

Audio Reflections Speaker: Jonathan Lackey is an LCMS seminarian.

Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.