February 20
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“Then he said to the man, ‘Hold out your hand.’  So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one!”  (Matthew 12:13, NLT)

Oswald Chambers reminds us: “God does not give us overcoming life — He gives us life as we overcome.”

The first task in our partnership with God is obedience.  Too often, we say to God, “Show me, and I will go,” when God is saying to us, “Go, and I will show you.”  To do the latter is to live by faith in God.  To do the former is to live by common sight and human insight alone.

Today’s scripture illustrates for us the way in which our heavenly Father works — which is the same as it was centuries before in the call of the “father of the faithful” — Abraham (who was previously named Abram): “The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.'” (Genesis 12:1)

It each case — including our own in our day — the great work of God begins with our personal commitment through obedience.  Stretch out your hand.  The overcoming power of God has never been nearer!  – Luther

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February 19
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“But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.  When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”  (Matthew 7:26-27, NLT)

Most of our personal calamities or failures occur for lack of obedience to Jesus’ teaching.  It is not because the calamity is God’s “payback” for our disobedience; rather, it is because we have ignored God’s blueprint that we discover, frequently in tears, that our own designs are inadequate for the stresses of life.  In this instance, we are responsible for our choices.

It is helpful to note that in Jesus’ parable, both houses are beat upon by the rains, and assaulted by the floods.  However, only the house built on a solid rock is able to withstand the events that test our foundation.

When the next storm of life arrives, will your life’s foundation prove adequate?  Jesus says, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.” (verse 24)  – Luther

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February 18
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Ash Wednesday

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”  (Psalm 51:10, NIV)

We frequently refer to David, who wrote Psalm 51, as “a man after God’s own heart”; but David was a world-class sinner: Lying, adultery, and murder were a few of his notorious misdeeds.

Yes, David was focused like a laser beam on pleasing God — when he wasn’t distracted.  But when David found himself in the wrong, he always repented of his sin and ran the path of righteousness as one runs to make up for lost time.

By way of illustration (not by imitation), it is said that we can sin like David — if we are willing to repent like David.  David’s prayer of repentance was a plea for a clean heart; a pure heart; a heart that is unalloyed in its devotion to God.

David also prayed for a steadfast spirit.  Proverbs tells us: “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.”  (Proverbs 16:32)  A steadfast spirit will keep us free of many of the heartaches of life.

Today, as we remember the fact that from dust we came and to dust we shall return; redeem every day for good — and give God the glory!  – Luther

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