Lillie Ammann's Blog, page 43

Devotion for Thursday after the First Sunday in Lent

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will

your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” ~ Matthew 7:7-12

When we knock on the door, Jesus stands just on the other side and eagerly opens the door. If we seek Him, we will find Him. We shouldn’t be afraid to ask anything of the Lord. He has performed miracles in my life and the lives of others I know. He doesn’t always answer us in the exact way we hope or expect, but He always give us what is best for us. We see from our small perspective of here and now; God sees from the limitless perspective of everywhere and forever. We can trust Him to respond to us in a perfect way, even if it’s far different than what we envision.

Father God, thank You for answering my prayers and for the many miracles You have performed in my life. Help me to remember that You always give the perfect answer, even when the answer You give isn’t what I think is best. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devotion for Wednesday after the First Sunday in Lent

As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. The Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation at the judgment and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.” ~ Luke 11:29-32

Rather than believing Jesus on the basis of His word, His listeners wanted a sign. He told them the only sign they would see would be the sign of Jonah. Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days, and Jesus would be in the grave for three days. The people of Nineveh repented when they heard Jonah, but Jesus is greater than Jonah or any other prophet before Him. He is not a prophet inspired by God; He is God Incarnate.

Lord God, Your people treated Jesus as badly as all the prophets. May I always love and serve Jesus. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devotion for Tuesday after the First Sunday in Lent

“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

“Pray, then, in this way:

‘Our Father who is in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

‘Your kingdom come.

Your will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

‘Give us this day our daily bread.

‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]

For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. ~ Matthew 6:7-15

This passage includes the simple yet profound Lord’s Prayer. Jesus teaches us how we are to pray—praise God, look forward to His Kingdom where His will rules, and ask for His daily provision, for forgiveness as we forgive others, and for protection from sin and evil. Asking for our daily bread is a stretch for us. We aren’t to ask for provision for this week or for the kids’ college or our retirement, but for this day. As foreign as that is, what is really shocking in this passage is the words of Jesus on forgiveness. We are to pray that God will forgive us as we forgive those who hurt us—in many cases, we wouldn’t get much forgiveness if that were the case. We are far less willing to forgive than the Lord is, yet Jesus goes on to say that God will forgive us if we forgive others but will not forgive us if we don’t forgive others. We want to hold onto our hurts, but if we don’t forgive, we aren’t forgiven. Without forgiveness, we are still slaves to sin, and Jesus’ atoning work on the cross doesn’t save us.

Lord God, it’s so easy to hold onto hurts and offenses, feeling that the persons who hurt me don’t deserve forgiveness. But I don’t deserve forgiveness, either, and yet if I will forgive others, You will forgive me. Jesus died to cleanse me of my sins, but I can’t harbor any unforgiveness in my heart. Please show me where I have failed to forgive and give me a forgiving heart. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devotion for Monday after the First Sunday in Lent

“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.

“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

“Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” ~ Matthew 25:31-46

Even Christians often think that we are doing good if we aren’t doing bad. But Jesus tells us that He will judge us by what we do for others. He doesn’t separate people by whether they didn’t steal or kill, but by what they did for other people, specifically for the weak and vulnerable. The unborn, the poor, the sick, the prisoners, the addicts—these are the people Jesus expects us to feed, clothe, visit, and help. Not only does He expect us to serve these people, the “least,” but He tells us that when we serve them, we serve Him!

Lord God, show me the people You want me to help today. Lead me to those in need, pain, and weakness, and guide me to serve them as if serving Jesus, for You tell me in Your Word that is exactly what I am doing. Thank You for the blessing of serving Jesus. In His name. Amen.

Devotion for the First Sunday in Lent

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,

‘He will command His angels concerning You’;

And

‘On their hands they will bear You up,

So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him. ~ Matthew 4:1-11

Imagine going forty days without food! At that point, most of us would easily be tempted by the devil’s tricks. After all, as God, Jesus could turn stones into bread. Yet Jesus reminded Satan of what the Word of God says. He resisted the temptation to ease His hunger pangs, and He resisted the temptation to demonstrate His power or to trade His heavenly glory for earthly glory. May we be strong enough to withstand temptation!

Lord, I won’t be on a total fast for the entirety of Lent, yet it is all too easy for me to yield to Satan’s temptations in many ways. Empower me by the Holy Spirit to respond with, “Go, Satan!” Give me a hunger for Your Word so I know exactly what to tell the devil: “It is written…” In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devotion for Saturday after Ash Wednesday

After that He went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me.” And he left everything behind, and got up and began to follow Him.

And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” ~ Luke 5:27-32

We can read this and think we’re not as bad as tax collectors. While we may not like the IRS today, tax collectors in ancient Israel were far different. They didn’t follow the law to make the people pay their justly due taxes; they extorted money from their own people and collected taxes for the hated Romans. We’re law-abiding, and we’re not traitors to our people. Are we really among the tax collectors and sinners that were so shocking for Jesus to dine with? Well, yes, we are. And so were the scribes and Pharisees if they had but admitted it. All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. “There is no one who does good, not even one.” (Psalm 14:3) Praise God that Jesus came to call us to repentance, and when we repent He forgives our sins and washes us clean in His precious blood.

Father God, it’s so easy for me to compare myself to other people rather than to Your holy standard. I may look good compared to criminals, but in Your eyes, I am equally guilty. Pierce my heart with sorrow for my sins, forgive me for the evil I have done and the good I have not done, and turn me to You, Lord. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/DesignPicsInc

Devotion for Friday after Ash Wednesday

Then the disciples of John came to Him [Jesus], asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. ~ Matthew 9:14-15

The bridegroom isn’t physically with us, although the Holy Spirit is always with us. But Jesus said that when He was no longer here in human form, “then they will fast.” Many Christian traditions include fasting (abstaining from food or something they enjoy) as part of Lent. Christians often give up meat on Fridays or desserts or some form of entertainment every day of Lent. Although we may feel terribly deprived, the sacrifices we make are small compared to what Jesus did for us on the cross. Yet the purpose of fasting is not to feel deprived or to focus on what we’re giving up, but to focus on God, to spend time in prayer, to draw nearer to our Lord. We can go through the motions of fasting and miss the spiritual blessing if we focus on the fasting instead of on the Savior.

Lord God, draw me to You through my Lenten fast. Focus my mind and heart on You and not on ritual. Speak to me through the Holy Spirit and let me hear and respond. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devotion for Thursday after Ash Wednesday

But He warned them and instructed them not to tell this to anyone, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day.”

And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? ~ Luke 9:21-25

Jesus took up His cross voluntarily, but we are often reluctant to pick up our crosses. We’d much prefer an easy life—no sickness, pain, grief, or worries. But Jesus tells us we save our lives by losing them for His sake. Whatever we gain in this life—wealth, comfort, happiness, health—is not worth losing ourselves. This world isn’t our home, and this life isn’t our primary existence. We were created for heaven and eternity, and we get there through the cross—accepting Jesus’ sacrifice and picking up our own crosses.

Father, forgive me for not wanting to carry any cross You have given me. Empower me by the Holy Spirit to pick up my cross and carry it—to save my life. Give me the strength and courage I need to face whatever challenges I encounter. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devotion for Ash Wednesday

Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.

So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. ~ Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

As a child, I wondered about those ash crosses on the foreheads of Catholic children on Ash Wednesday. After all, Jesus Himself said to give alms, pray, and fast in secret. Weren’t these kids wearing the crosses of ash to show their piety? Many years later, as an adult, I joined a liturgical church, and every Ash Wednesday, I go to church for the Imposition of Ashes. But I don’t do it to show my piousness—I do it to remind myself of my sinfulness and my need for repentance. Those of us who follow this ancient practice—or most of us, at least—aren’t hypocrites wearing the mark of our Lord to be honored by men. In fact, in our society today, in many circles, we’re more apt to be ridiculed than to be praised. But ridicule or praise—it’s not man’s opinion that matters, but God’s. During Lent, we are called to examine our hearts, repent of our sins, and re-dedicate our lives to Christ. Wearing the sign of the cross on our foreheads can help us remember and focus on that.

Lord God, as we begin this season of Lent, show me my secret sins. Reveal the things I need to repent of, and give me the desire and the will to change them. Let the sign of the cross on my forehead be a reminder to me. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Free Lenten Devotional

Wednesday, February 14, 2018 is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.

Lent is a time of penitence and preparation for Easter, the most important day of the Christian year—the day that brought us redemption and eternal life.

Every day during Lent, I will post a short devotional. You can download a free PDF that includes all the devotions from Ash Wednesday through Easter or read them daily on my blog.

Each year I follow a plan of Scripture reading during Lent. I journal a few thoughts and a prayer. The devotions I’m posting this year are my personal meditations from last year. I pray they are meaningful to you and help you to prepare to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent; Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ~ Collect for Lent, 1928 Book of Common Prayer