Resurrection Lutheran Church

Resurrection Lutheran Church Please call (719) 392-7045 and leave a message if you wish to make an appointment with Pastor Lucero.

02/13/2025

"Within the Father's House"

February 12, 2025



"Lord, visit Thou our souls and teach us by Thy grace Each dim revealing of Thyself with loving awe to trace.

"Till we behold Thy face and know as we are known Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, co-equal Three in One."

We see many pictures of Jesus—paintings, illustrations in a children's Bible, stained glass windows—and we have our favorites, perhaps the risen Christ, the Good Shepherd, or the baby Jesus in the manger. Pictures like these are the product of artists' imaginations. There are no portraits of the Savior done during His life on earth. Forbidden by Jewish law, such pictures were regarded as "carved images" and a temptation to idolatry (see Exodus 20:4). Some of the earliest known portrayals of Jesus were done more than 200 years after His ascension and show Him as a young shepherd or healing the sick.

Our portraits and statues of Jesus are NOT made for the purpose of idolatry but reverently created in praise of the Savior we love. From pictures in a child's Bible story book to shining stained glass windows, such portrayals teach us about Jesus, about His mighty works, and about His death and resurrection. While not all Christians use such artwork, many believers treasure these images of our Lord, who is Himself "the image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15b).

Whatever opinions we may have concerning such portraits, we long to see Jesus. In the words of our hymn we pray, "Teach us by Thy grace each dim revealing of Thyself with loving awe to trace." With the sight and touch of faith, we see our Savior in the Word of God. We hear and read the Old Testament prophecies that reveal the promised Messiah as the Prince of Peace, Emmanuel, and the Son of David. With loving awe, we trace the Lord's image as He describes Himself—the Good Shepherd, the true Vine, and the Light of the world. We watch with the sight of faith as He is nailed to the cross to atone for the sins of the world. We wish we could trade places with the disciples to see and touch the scars in the hands and feet of the risen Lord. By faith we receive Jesus' true body and blood in His holy Supper. In the Scriptures we hear the voice of our Lord, the Savior who knows us so well. Through our own words and actions, we want people to see Jesus at work in us. On the Last Day, Jesus will return bodily, physically, "and every eye will see Him" (Revelation 1:7b). On that day we will see our Lord face to face and, finally, we will "know as we are known."

WE PRAY: Jesus, I long to see You face to face. Until then, help me to be Your eyes and hands and heart in the world. Amen.

This Devotion is based on the hymn, "Within the Father's House," which is number 410 in the Lutheran Service Book.

02/13/2025

"Looking for Help"

February 11, 2025

Jeremiah 17:5-8 - Thus says the Lord: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit."



It's been a grouchy day today. I am deeply worried about events in the news right now; many are homeless; there's sickness and severe illness in the family. And where shall I find help?

Not in human beings, that's for sure. No, human help is a fine thing but limited. There's only so much that a doctor, a social worker, a politician can do; and then what, when they can do no more? Should we just give up and die?

No. Jeremiah knows the answer: "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord." Someone like that is like a tree growing by a river, where its roots always find water, even during a drought. In good times and bad, people who trust the Lord will have help that never fails—wisdom that never makes mistakes—love that never gives up. They have Jesus Christ, and He is their Life forever.

Is someone in my family sick? I will pray to the Lord, because I know He cares about them, and if He sees that it is best, He can heal them. What about my homeless neighbors? The Lord already knows what to do about that—and it's just possible He might be looking in my direction, at my spare bedroom! And what about the news? Can the Lord deal with that?

Yes. Because there is no evil so strong that God is not stronger still. Jesus came into our world to defeat the powers of darkness and to set us free from sin and death. He did this by facing evil Himself, in His own body, through His own suffering and death. And three days later, Jesus rose to life again. Now we know that, no matter what comes to us, even death itself, Jesus is stronger. Jesus is with us, and He will never leave us. He will raise us too from the dead—and bring us safely into the kingdom of God His Father, where no evil can ever go.

WE PRAY: Lord, when I am afraid, help me trust in You. Amen.

02/13/2025

"In Season"

February 10, 2025

Psalm 1:1-4 - Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.



Some artists create still-life paintings in a style called trompe l'oeil, French for "fool the eye." Such paintings show fruit or flowers with life-like realism, so real we want to pluck them from the canvas. The pictures are beautiful, but the fruit and flowers, in reality, are lifeless and flat. In holy Scripture, God paints realistic word-pictures to teach us about His kingdom and life in Christ, stories of a tiny mustard seed, fields ripe for harvest, scattered seed, a vine and branches, and growing fruit. There is nothing lifeless about the lessons of His Word.

When trees and vines and seeds are planted, the farmer tends the planting, making sure the plants have rich soil, sunlight, and water. He carefully prunes and shapes the plants. With strong roots and watchful care, well-tended plants and trees produce fruit or grain. It is what they are and what they do. As Jesus says in a parable about the kingdom of God, the farmer scatters seed "and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear" (Mark 4:27b-28).

We may or may not enjoy gardening, but Scripture directs our attention to these plantings to teach us about our Lord and His kingdom. Jesus is the living Branch that grew from the splintered stump of King David's family tree, the Savior who was nailed to the tree of the cross to atone for our sins. By faith, we live in Jesus, "rooted and built up in Him" (Colossians 2:7a). He is the true Vine, and we are the branches. Apart from Him, cut off from a life of faith in Him, we cannot bear fruit. We are sustained by His grace and love, rooted deeply in the living and active Word of God. We are refreshed and renewed by the living water of the Holy Spirit and nourished by Jesus' body and blood in His holy Supper. We are carefully tended—and sometimes pruned!—by our Heavenly Father. Alive and growing, we bear the fruit of love and good works. It is who we are and what we do. Each of us "is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season." Together we are an orchard covering the earth for Christ, and our fruit never goes out of season.

WE PRAY: Dear Savior, keep me rooted in Your grace and growing through the study of Your Word so that I may bear fruit to glorify our Heavenly Father. Amen.

02/07/2025

"Spiritual Gifts"

February 5, 2025



1 Corinthians 14:12b-15a, 16b-20 - ... Strive to excel in building up the church. Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also ... Otherwise, ... how can anyone in the position of an outsider say "Amen" to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue. Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.



Paul cracks me up. I mean, really—imagine just casually saying something like this at church some day: "I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you." It sounds like the worst kind of bragging, doesn't it?

But maybe not. Because Paul mentions it here, not to show off his own spiritual gifts, but to deflate the ego of the people he wrote to, who were having arguments about who was the "most spiritual." Who has the most gifts, the best gifts? That doesn't matter. The real issue is "How can we build up the church?" I may have so many spiritual gifts they come oozing out my ears, but if they aren't making my Christian brothers and sisters stronger, they're just wasted.

Through His suffering, death, and resurrection, Jesus gave us life and forgiveness, and brought us into His body—the body of Christ, the church. And now, as our Head, He directs us in everything we do. And body parts don't waste their time having competitions or focusing on their own special interests. No, they work together, so that the whole body grows up and matures.

So talk to Jesus, the Head of the body. You are a member of the body of Christ, with gifts to use in His service. How does He want you to help grow up the church?

If you have the gift of teaching, that will help us all learn more about Jesus; if someone else has the gift of evangelism, that will bring even more people into the faith, and the body will continue to grow. Even humble gifts like giving and administration are utterly necessary for the church to grow and flourish. Your gifts are not your own, they belong to the body, and to the Holy Spirit who gives them; and when you use them to build up the Lord's people, we all give thanks to God for them. Because your service reflects in a tiny way the service of Jesus, who loved us and gave Himself for us—so that we might become forgiven, beloved children of God.

WE PRAY: Dear Lord, help me to know the gifts You have given me, and to use them joyfully to serve Your people. Amen.

02/07/2025

"Bringing Us the Gospel"

February 4, 2025

Isaiah 6:1-8 - In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!" And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for." And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here I am! Send me."

Poor Isaiah! He has the chance to actually see the Lord in His glory—and it terrifies him. The only thing he can think of is his own unworthiness, his own sin. He doesn't belong there—with the angels praising God, and all the glory, and the very temple shaking at the voice of praise. His own lips are filthy—full of lies, slander, guilty speech of every type. And he knows it.

Isaiah can't help himself—but someone else can. One of the angels takes a coal off the altar and brings it to him. He touches his mouth with it, and says, "Your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for."

Wait a minute! Who took away the guilt? Who did the atoning? It wasn't the angel; he simply carried the coal. That came from God's altar, the place of sacrifice—and all by itself, it was enough to make Isaiah clean and ready for God's service.

There are times when we, too, stand in the house of God and feel despair over our sins. Who can help us? Anyone who brings to us the Gospel of Jesus from the altar of His cross—so that we, unclean though we are, can become forgiven, new, and ready to serve Him. Because the Lord, Jesus Himself, has taken away our guilt through His death and resurrection, we are now forgiven and at peace with Him. And now that we are free and happy, we can say to the One who loves us so much, "Here I am! Send me!"

WE PRAY: Lord, thank You for forgiving me. Show me how to serve You. Amen.

01/28/2025

"Sparrows"

January 27, 2025



Psalm 84:1-4 - How lovely is Your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at Your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in Your house, ever singing Your praise! Selah



Sparrows are small, seemingly of little worth, yet they have much to teach us about the God who created them, the God who created and redeemed us. In biblical times the little birds were sold two for a penny, a bargain in any century, but not even one sparrow falls to the ground without the Creator's knowledge. Still today our Creator knows when a sparrow falls and Jesus tells us, "Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows" (Matthew 10:31). Our purchase price was much higher than the two-for-a-penny price of sparrows. We were ransomed with the precious blood of God's own Son. Through His careful attention to sparrows, we learn that our Heavenly Father knows us and, in His grace, He values us.

Sparrows, or birds of any kind, have more to teach us about our Heavenly Father and about our life in Christ. When we are frightened or anxious, Jesus directs our attention to the lilies of the field and the birds of the air. Not even the wealthy King Solomon was so richly and brightly dressed as the lilies. Birds do not plant or harvest or store grain in barns, yet our Heavenly Father feeds them. The Creator who provides for the birds, including sparrows, cares for us, too. As the apostle Paul writes, "He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:32) Through His care for the birds of the air, we learn that our Heavenly Father knows our needs and provides for us.

We are not quite finished with the lessons taught by these little winged creatures. Sparrows and swallows sometimes found their way into Israel's tent of meeting, or in later centuries, into the temple. Very likely they could not find their way out, or perhaps they did not want to escape. The little sparrows were content to remain: "Even the sparrow finds a home ... at Your altars, O LORD of hosts." Our Heavenly Father created and redeemed us and He values each one of us. He provides for our needs. He welcomes us into His place of worship and He wants us to be at home there, as content as a sparrow on its nest. Valued, cared for, and welcomed, we enter God's house and join the little sparrows in singing praise to our God and Creator!

WE PRAY: My God and Creator, fill me with the joy and peace that the sparrows know in Your care. Amen.

01/26/2025

"Hail to the Lord's Anointed"

January 26, 2025

"Kings shall fall down before Him and gold and incense bring; All nations shall adore Him, His praise all people sing. To Him shall prayer unceasing and daily vows ascend; His kingdom still increasing, a kingdom without end.

"O'er ev'ry foe victorious, He on His throne shall rest, From age to age more glorious, all blessing and all-blest. The tide of time shall never His covenant remove; His name shall stand forever-that name to us is Love."

Many elected officials have term limits. They may remain in office for a certain number of years or serve a limited number of terms, but then someone new must be elected. Depending on the political party or the candidate in office, some voters will be pleased with this arrangement, others not so much. In some countries, kings and queens may reign for a lifetime, but even a monarch's rule must come to an end at death. The kingdom is handed on to the rule of the next generation or perhaps divided among others. That can never happen in the kingdom of our Savior Jesus Christ. His reign extends over "a kingdom still increasing, a kingdom without end."

The prophets who foretold Jesus' coming often spoke of His eternal reign. Speaking of His Son, who would be a descendant of King David, God said, "I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever" (2 Samuel 7:13b). Isaiah said of the Child to be born to us: "Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end" (Isaiah 9:7a). The angel Gabriel told Mary that her divine Son would receive the throne of His ancestor David and "of His kingdom there will be no end" (Luke 1:33b). At Jesus' birth, angels celebrated the peace that would mark His reign. Wise men worshiped Him and offered Him kingly gifts.

Not everyone believed that Jesus was a king. His enemies denied His lordship over their own lives and sought to stop any potential kingdom before it could begin. The King was crowned with thorns and lifted up to die on a cross, but even this could not bring His reign to an end. The conquering King overcame death itself and was raised to reign at God's right hand. Jesus' kingship is not based on military might or campaign promises and political platforms. Jesus' kingdom is based on His steadfast love, the love that led Him to the cross to atone for the sins of the world. "The tide of time" will never remove His covenant of love. By faith we have been brought into Jesus' kingdom, and our lives reflect the love of our King. As He gave His life for us, so we too seek to give our lives in service to others. There are no term limits on our King, and there are no term limits on the love we share in His Name.

WE PRAY: Jesus, King of kings, work through my words of witness and works of love to extend Your kingdom. Amen.

This Devotion is based on the hymn, "Hail to the Lord's Anointed," which is number 398 in the Lutheran Service Book.

01/26/2025

"Working Behind the Scenes"

January 25, 2025

Hebrews 11:6 - And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.

Probably most people, at one time or another, have asked, "Where is God?" or "Does He care?" Amazingly, both believers and non-believers ask this question, with some differences, of course.

For instance, a believer may not understand the Lord's will or timetable, but he trusts that the Lord cares. Said another way, his questions might sound something like this: "Why won't the Lord reveal Himself in a way that I am able to understand?" In contrast, when a non-believer asks these questions, he may be saying there is no God, and if there is, knowing Him would be impossible. Another way of stating his question might be this: "Why doesn't God make Himself known to me in an obvious way?

All in all, the difference between the two is this: in tough situations the believer accepts God's wisdom and control. His prayer is for patience and to say as Jesus said, "Not My will, but Yours, be done" (Luke 22:42b). On the other hand, the non-believer challenges God, neglecting to believe in Him unless he has proof.

To make this practical, turn to the Gospels and take a look at two stories from Jesus' life. The first is when He is with His disciples on the storm-tossed Sea of Galilee. In frustration, fear, and with a shaky faith, they come to Jesus saying something like this: "Lord, if You cared about us, You'd do something about this storm." That's when Jesus stood up and silenced both wind and wave with a word. At the same time, He rebuked His disciples for their lack of belief (see Mark 4:35-39).

A second instance of someone asking about Jesus' concern comes from Golgotha. There, one of the offenders turned to the dying Savior and said, "If You really are the Christ (something the criminal doubted) then prove it by saving Yourself and us" (see Luke 23:39-43). This man demanded a proof from God, unaware of the forgiveness God was offering. Scripture is silent concerning his outcome.
I'll leave you with a little story that may help show how God works in our lives.

It begins with a man whose barn had been struck by lightning and was burning. While the fire was being fought, the farmer called his insurance agent. When he got no answer, he expressed his worry and frustration loudly enough for others to hear. He then blurted out sharply, "Where is that insurance man when you need him!?"

At that moment, a volunteer fireman shouted down from a ladder: "I'm here, putting out your fire!"

Just like the Lord—acting on our behalf, working behind the scenes, and always doing the best for us.

Always.

WE PRAY: Heavenly Father, when questions arise and I'm searching for answers, give me the faith to know that You exist and are always here for us. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

01/13/2025

"To Jordan's River Came Our Lord"
January 12, 2025

"As Jesus in the Jordan stood And John baptized the Lamb of God, The Holy Spirit, heav'nly dove, Descended on Him from above.

"Then from God's throne with thund'rous sound Came God's own voice with words profound: 'This is My Son,' was His decree, 'The One I love, who pleases Me.'"

How do we identify ourselves to others? In some circumstances we might use a driver's license or a passport, but more often we simply introduce ourselves with our names and perhaps mention our careers. Jesus' identity was revealed slowly throughout His ministry and, at first, only to a few people. Through His words and His works Jesus showed people that He was who He claimed to be, the Son of God and the Messiah. Yet as we see in our hymn, Jesus' divine identity was openly revealed at the very beginning of His ministry, at His Baptism.

John's Baptism was a Baptism of repentance, as people showed their sorrow over sin and their readiness to welcome the Messiah. Jesus did not need to repent, but at the Jordan River the innocent Son of God awaited His Baptism, standing with the sinners He came to save. Then, as "John baptized the Lamb of God," Jesus' identity was revealed with startling clarity as the Holy Spirit descended on Him like a dove. The Father spoke from heaven, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17b). Throughout His ministry, Jesus confirmed His identity with His words, His miraculous works and, finally, in the greatest miracle of all. The Father, well-pleased with the humble and willing sacrifice of His Son on the cross, raised Jesus from the dead. In that great miracle, as death was conquered and life restored, the Savior "was declared to be the Son of God" (Romans 1:4a).

While we confirm who we are in many ways, our deepest identity was created in Baptism. We were filled and anointed with the Holy Spirit, who was at work in the water and the Word of God. Baptized in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, we were buried with Jesus, united with Him in His death and raised to new life with Him. We were adopted into the household of God as His own beloved children. Every day we confirm our baptismal identity in the world through our words and our works. Through words of kindness, hope, and witness, through works of love and service, we identify ourselves in the world as children of God, as followers of Jesus Christ. We are the beloved sons and daughters of God, with whom He is, in Christ, well-pleased.

WE PRAY: Heavenly Father, lead me in the power of the Holy Spirit to lead a life that is well-pleasing to You. Amen.

This Devotion is based on the hymn, "To Jordan's River Came Our Lord," which is number 405 in the Lutheran Service Book.

01/07/2025

"O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright"

January 7, 2025



"O let the harps break forth in sound! Our joy be all with music crowned, Our voices gladly blending! For Christ goes with us all the way—Today, tomorrow, ev'ry day! His love is never ending! Sing out! Ring out! Jubilation! Exultation! Tell the story! Great is He, the King of Glory!"

There are times when we may want to join the psalmist in his despairing prayer: "How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?" (Psalm 13:1). When we face illness or grief or just day-to-day weariness, we may cry out to the Lord to ask, even demand, "Why don't You do something, Lord? Where are You?" Our hymn answers that question with words that echo the promise of God's presence so often repeated in His Word: "For Christ goes with us all the way—today, tomorrow, ev'ry day! His love is never ending!"

So where is Jesus "today, tomorrow, ev'ry day"? He is right beside us, where He always has been and always will be. His never-ending love for us stretches from eternity to eternity. Before He created the world, God chose us in Christ Jesus to be His own precious sons and daughters. Jesus' love will carry us through this earthly life until we live forever in His presence.

Jesus' presence with us was foretold by the prophet Isaiah. The virgin-born Son of God would be called Emmanuel, a name that means "God with us" (Isaiah 7:14b; Matthew 1:23b). Jesus, God with us, became like us in every way, although without sin, so that by His death "He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil" (Hebrews 2:14b). "Christ goes with us all the way." For us He went into death and rose from death. When He returns on the Last Day, all who trust in Him will be raised bodily from the grave as He was raised and "so we will always be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:17b).

The risen Lord promised, "I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20b). We can take Him at His word. We may not "feel" His presence in some mysterious way, but we have His promise. Jesus is present with us, just as He said He would be. We have His word on it, and that is enough. His love for us is the love that took Him to the cross and brought Him triumphant from the tomb. Our hymn continues: "Jubilation! Exultation! Tell the story!" The story we have to tell is the story of Jesus, who "goes with us all the way" today, tomorrow, and through eternity. It is the story to celebrate and share. It is the story of love that never ends.

WE PRAY: Lord Jesus, I trust Your promise. You are with me today and always. Amen.

This Devotion is based on the hymn, "O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright," which is number 395 in the Lutheran Service Book.

12/29/2024

"Delight"

December 29, 2025

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon ... And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the Child Jesus ... he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said, "Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your Word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation." (Luke 2:25a, 26-27a, 28-30)

What it must have been like, to have God's promise that you would see the Savior some day! And then he saw them. Two parents trying to figure out what they were supposed to do next, one clutching a baby. And that baby was the Son of God.

Simeon took Jesus up in his arms immediately. The Messiah, the Savior of the world, was here! And his joy burst forth in a poem of praise to God.

This was the high point of Simeon's life. We know nothing else about Simeon—not even his age. But we do know that he saw Jesus and took delight in Him.

Let that be true of us as well—whether we are young or old, strong or weak, happy or troubled. Let us look at Jesus and take delight in Him.

Let us look at Him—this baby, this God come in the flesh. Let us see the love that drove Him to come to be one of us, to live and work among us. Let us see the mercy that took Him to the cross to suffer and die for us. And let us see the joyful Man who rose from the dead for our sakes, who offers us everlasting life now, this very day, if we will put our trust in Him. Let us delight in Him.

WE PRAY: Dearest Jesus, I love You. Thank You for coming to me. Amen.

12/07/2024

"Graced"

December 7, 2024



In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. (Luke 1:26-29)

I'm fascinated by the way the angel greets Mary. In the English Standard Version, the translation goes, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" But Mary is an ordinary, humble girl, and this greeting confuses her. She is afraid.

The Greek for "O favored one" comes from the root word for "grace" or "favor." The ESV translation is not wrong, but it seems to me that "you who have been graced" is easier to grasp at a deep heart level. Mary has been graced—and who is giving the grace? The Lord, who is "with you."

Gabriel speaks the truth—the Lord is with Mary, first as a believer, and now, very soon, as a tiny baby within her body. He will not be separated from her. Jesus will take His own flesh and blood from hers, and she will be the source of His humanity. All of this is grace, a free gift from God.

We, too, are people who have been graced, just as Mary was. The Lord took on human flesh because He refuses to be separated from us broken, sinful human beings. He suffered, died, and rose again, so that we could become His "graced ones"—the people God is with forever.

THE PRAYER: Lord, be with me forever, and keep me with You. Amen.

Address

4444 Moonbeam Drive
Colorado Springs, CO
80916

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 12pm
Tuesday 8am - 12pm
Wednesday 8am - 12pm
Thursday 8am - 12pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+17193927045

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Resurrection Lutheran Church posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Place Of Worship

Send a message to Resurrection Lutheran Church:

Shortcuts

Share

Category