March 22nd Daily Devotion

20 Feb March 22nd Daily Devotion

 A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PETER’S SECOND LETTER  

YOU WILL RECEIVE A RICH WELCOME INTO THE ETERNAL KINGDOM

2 Peter 1:10-11 “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

The Holy Spirit has “called you by the Gospel, enlightens you with His gifts, makes and keeps you holy.” (Luther’s explanation to the Third Article of the Apostle’s Creed) The Holy Spirit called you to faith in Jesus Christ for you to obtain salvation and eternal glory.  God’s word assures you that if you have died with Christ in your baptism, you will also live and reign with Him for all eternity. (see 2 Timothy 2:9-12)

St. Peter, in today’s devotional verses says, “make every effort,” be diligent, persist in the faith to which the Holy Spirit has called you in your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  In other words, your faith life is not lived on autopilot or cruise control.  The Holy Spirit works through means to not only bring you to faith in Jesus but also maintain and strengthen it.  This the Holy Spirit does through the power of the Gospel, your reception of the Lord’s Supper and daily remembering your baptism.

Jesus taught in Luke 6:47-48, “Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.” Today’s verses say, “For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Your certainty of eternal life is founded upon your relationship with Jesus Christ which is strengthened and maintained by the Holy Spirit through God’s word and the Sacraments.  Jesus said, “If you remain in Me and My words remain in you. . . This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples.” (John 15:7-8)

Prayer:  Lead and guide me, Holy Spirit, to hear and believe the Gospel that reveals to me Jesus as my Lord and Savior.  In His name.  Amen.

How firm a foundation O saints of the Lord,

Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!

What more can He say than to you He has said

Who unto t5he Savior for refuge have fled?

“Fear not! I am with you, O be not dismayed,

For I am your God and will still give you aid;

I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,

Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

“The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose

I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;

That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,

I’ll never, no never, no never, forsake!

“When through fiery trials your pathway will lie,

My grace, all-sufficient, will be your supply.

The flames will not hurt you; I only design

Your dross to consume and your gold to refine.

“Throughout all their lifetime My people will prove My sov’reign, eternal, unchangeable love;

And then, when gray hairs will their temples adorn,

Like lambs they will still in My bosom be borne.”

(LSB 728)