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 August meeting. The Psalm for the upcoming Sunday is the reading.

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.

O LORD, who may abide in your tent?
Who may dwell on your holy hill?

Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right,
and speak the truth from their heart;
who do not slander with their tongue,
and do no evil to their friends,
nor take up a reproach against their neighbors;
in whose eyes the wicked are despised,
but who honor those who fear the LORD;
who stand by their oath even to their hurt,
who do not lend money at interest,
and do not take a bribe against the innocent.

Those who do these things shall never be moved.
(Psalm 15, NRSV)

Devotion

Jesus once said to his followers, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6, NRSV) And then, in the Acts of the Apostles, his followers became known as people of “The Way.” (Acts 9:2, NRSV) And what we inherit from this tradition is a vision of our Christian life as a journey of faith. We live on the Way between the promise of Baptism and its fulfillment on the day we are raised from the dead.

And so, our lives as Christians fit naturally with the answer the Psalmist gives to the question we ask God, “Who may dwell on your holy hill?” The Lord calls us to “…walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from [our] heart[s]….” (Psalm 15:2a, NRSV). This is what we ought to do as Christians. And as leaders in the Church, we have a special calling to live this way. Our Constitution reminds us “…to be examples individually and corporately of the style of life and ministry expected of all baptized persons.” (C12.04.e)

It’s not always easy. Sometimes people rub us the wrong way and have an uncanny knack for bringing out the most undesirable parts of our personalities. Other times, problems and irritations beg us for quick responses that restore order, while what they really need is prayer and thought before we take action to encourage lasting peace and growth in obedience to the faith.

It’s not easy. But it is “…do[ing] what is right….” (Psalm 15:2a, NRSV) And when we do, trusting in God to guide us to “…speak the truth from [our] hearts…”, (Psalm 15:2b, NRSV) then we will walk blamelessly on the Way. And in the end, we can be sure of God’s promise: “Those who do these things shall never be moved.” (Psalm 15:5b, NRSV)

Prayer

O LORD, bless our time together in leading our congregation in its journey along your Way, that our prayers and thoughts and words and deeds may be blameless and right in your sight; through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.