Introduction

The Congregation Council at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., where I am serving as interim pastor, opens its monthly meetings with devotions. These are the thoughts for the July meeting.

Reading

Let me hear what God the LORD will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people,
to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.

Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
and righteousness will look down from the sky.
The LORD will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before him,
and will make a path for his steps. (Psalm 85:8-13, NRSV)

Devotion

For a few summers in college, I served as a counselor at Camp Kirchenwald, the local Lutheran church camp. If the enrollment for a week was down a little, counselors would have a chance to work on the maintenance crew. One week I did that, and the task I remember most fondly was cutting hiking trails. The camp director told us where the trails should go, what parts of the camp they should connect, and then we’d head out with canteens, sickles, and bow saws. Our intention was to be faithful to the director’s instructions and to make a path for the campers to follow in safety.
That’s pretty much the role the Psalmist sketches out for God’s people. They listen to God as he speaks peace, they turn to him in their hearts, and they depend upon the Lord to give his good gifts and to bless the land. He leads and they follow in faithful obedience.
Our calling as leaders of the people here at Holy Cross is a lot like this too. We can trust God to speak peace to us when we turn to him and listen. We can be sure that he will guide us along the path toward a new land, a new shape of ministry. There may be places along the way where the walk is easy and the path clear. And there may be times when we need to get out our brush-clearing tools. But in the end, we can trust the promise we hear in the Psalm:

The LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps” (Psalm 85:12-13, NRSV).

Prayer

LORD God, help us to listen to you when you speak to us, so that we may follow in obedience where you are leading us. Then guide us, in turn, to lead others, so that we all may share the good news that your salvation is at hand; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Ut in Omnibus Glorificetur Deus.