LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1971, Page 88

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DEDEDE DSSESEESSSSS SS

88 MORNING DEVOTION Ss

tor said, “Let us Pray, not only for ourselves, but for
our enemies.” “Pray for the Yankees?” cried one man
whose son had been killed in battle. “What do they
care about prayer?” “{ don’t know,” was the answer,
“but I know that God cares for them. A man who can’t

ment there came the sound of horses, The minister said,
In a few minutes
the door opened, and an officer stepped in, and removing

May we? We do not want to force ourselves upon you.
I will step out while you decide.” All was quiet as the
door closed. Finally an old lady said to the girl, “You
have suffered the most, what do you say?” And with
the words of our Lord, “Father, forgive them,” deep in
her heart, she said, “Let them come in.” Quietly they
shuffled in. When they were Seated, the minister asked,
“Can any of you lead us in a song?” A slender, dark-
haired soldier arose, and together they sang the most
wonderful love song:

There is a green hill far away,
Outside the city wall,

Where our dear Lord was crucified,
Who died to save us all,

It can do it to this hate-filled and war-Wweary world. Do
we see what it would mean in this time of turmoil and
distress in the world for people to see a body of men
and women who despite some differences can hold

Lord and Savior. T believe in the Holy Spirit, who brings
me to faith and keeps me there.” And if you and I are
to play a part, however small, in bridging divisions and

Oh, yes, there’s a Song in our heart right now — of
Jesus and His love,

An Endless Song

But Scripture says, “I believed, and therefore I spoke out,”
and we too, in the Same spirit of faith, believe and therefore
Speak out; for we know that He who raised the Lord Jesus
to life will with Jesus raise us too, and bring us to His
presence, and you with us. Indeed, it is for your sake that
all things are ordered, so that as the abounding Srace of God
is shared by more and more, the greater may be the chorus

of thanksgiving that ascends to the glory of God. No wonder
we do not lose heart! Though our outward humanity is in
decay, yet day by day we are inwardly renewed. Our trou-
bles are slight and short-lived; and their outcome an eternal
glory which outweighs them far. Meanwhile our eyes are
fixed not on the things that are seen but on the things that
are unseen; for what is Seen passes away; what is unseen is
eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:13-18 NEB)

with others, and fired by the same spirit of Pentecost,
he could soon see the twin parables of the mustard seed
and the leaven come to glorious fulfillment. From a tiny

trating, transforming, sanctifying individuals and insti-
tutions of society everywhere. Paul never stopped sing-
ing, because he believed,

of the Spirit, is ready to receive again this day what
Christ has to offer. What He has to offer has been
repeated day after day, but never for a moment can we
exhaust its Meaning. Christ’s perfect obedience is ours,
His payment for the penalty of sin is yours and

tegrity but the free pardon of God. “How often must
we forgive?” is our repeated cry of smallness. But His
mercy is new every day. That’s why ours can be an
endless song:

Oh, happy day when Jesus washed my sins away
And taught me how to watch and pray
And live rejoicing every day.

Happy day, because every one of us is in faith as-
sured that our sin is washed away and that we are not
held accountable. Happy day, because otherwise we
couldn’t look one another in the eye this day or ever
face our God, and we would have to carry our guilt al]
But the burdens of yesterday and even
this morning are no longer ours — because these things