March 14, 2026

Today's Reading: Introit for Lent 4 - Psalm 122:1-2, 6, 8; antiphon: Isaiah 66:10a, 11a

Daily Lectionary: Genesis 41:1-27; Mark 11:1-19

“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD!’” (Psalm 122:1)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Guess what you get to do tomorrow? You get to go to church!

When I was younger, I’d ask my dad, “Do we have to go to church?” He’d always answer the same way: “No, but you get to go to church.” Do we have to go? Well, I suppose you don’t. But why wouldn’t you want to? You get to go to God’s House and receive His Gifts.

You get to go and confess your sins and have a pastor stand “in the stead and by the command” of Jesus Christ to absolve you! You get to join other believers as you sing the Kyrie, confess the Creed, and pray the Lord’s Prayer. You get to sit, rest, and listen to your pastor preach a sermon that he wrote specifically for you and your congregation. You get to receive the very body and blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! You get to have the Lord’s name placed upon you in the Benediction as you are sent back out into the world!

Where else would you rather be? Sleeping in bed? Fishing? Playing soccer? Those are all nice, but they won’t give you what you receive at church. You can do those things at other times. The joy you get from those things is only temporary. The joy and peace that you get at church? That’s eternal. It’s something that the world cannot give.

Not only do you receive the Gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation, but at church, you get the gift of family and friends of all ages. Look around and see the people that Jesus has brought into your church. Some are old, some are young. Some have been members of your church their whole life, and others have just moved into town. Whoever they are, God has brought them to you and you to them. Take the time to get to know them and treasure the moments you have together.

So, the next time someone tells you it’s “time to go to church,” join with King David and countless others who have prayed the words of Psalm 122: “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD!’” You don’t have to; you get to.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

This day, God’s people meeting, His Holy Scripture hear; His living presence greeting, Through bread and wine made near. We journey on, believing, Renewed with heav’nly might, From grace more grace receiving, On this blest day of light. (LSB 906:3)

Rev. Daniel Burhop, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Reese, MI.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.

We wander through life looking for freedom, only to realize we have listened to the devil's call to serve our selves, our pleasures, and our lusts. Instead of freedom we find ourselves enslaved to sin. We wonder if we have sinned too often, too deep to ever be welcomed back to the Father's home, back into His loving embrace. Have we lost our inheritance as children of God?

In this short book, author Bryan Wolfmueller digs into the popular parable of the Prodigal Son to bring hope and aid to our hurting conscience. Wolfmueller proclaims the freedom-giving Gospel that through Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection, our place in the Father's house is secure, and forgiveness and welcome are ours in His outstretched arms.

Fully Free, now available from CPH.

March 13, 2026

Today's Reading: Mark 10:32-52

Daily Lectionary: Genesis 40:1-23; Mark 10:32-52

“And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’ And he said to them, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ And they said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.’” (Mark 10:35-38)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Be careful what you pray for. The Bible is full of examples of God giving people what they keep asking for, even when He has told them not to ask. The people in the wilderness grumble against God, and they don’t want to enter the Promised Land because they are fearful of the people who are there. They say, “It would be better for us to die in the wilderness!” And God granted their prayer. They would wander for 40 years, and when their generation had passed away, it would be their children who would enter the Promised Land.

God’s people wanted and begged for a king. God told them He was their King. He told them that if they had a king, the king would tax them, take their goods, and send their children off to war. They kept begging. God eventually gave them what they asked for, and the kings taxed them, took their goods, and sent their children off to war.

James and John go up to Jesus and say, “Lord, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” That’s bold! What’s bolder is what they ask, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” They didn’t know what they were asking for. Jesus’ glory is when He is lifted up on the cross! Do they really want to be there? In His mercy, Jesus did not grant them that prayer.

But, do you know what was there with Jesus in His glory? All of the sins of James, John, the people of Israel, and even you. If you are going to pray, pray for what the Lord has promised to give you. We don’t know what we should pray for. That shouldn’t stop us from praying, but it should change the way we pray. Instead of making demands, pray “Thy will be done,” and remember “God’s will is done when He breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s name or let His kingdom come; and when He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die.” (3rd Petition, Lord’s Prayer)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Your gracious will on earth be done As it is done before Your throne, That patiently we may obey Throughout our lives all that You say. Curb flesh and blood and ev’ry ill That sets itself against Your will. (LSB 766:4)

Rev. Daniel Burhop, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Reese, MI.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.

We wander through life looking for freedom, only to realize we have listened to the devil's call to serve our selves, our pleasures, and our lusts. Instead of freedom we find ourselves enslaved to sin. We wonder if we have sinned too often, too deep to ever be welcomed back to the Father's home, back into His loving embrace. Have we lost our inheritance as children of God?

In this short book, author Bryan Wolfmueller digs into the popular parable of the Prodigal Son to bring hope and aid to our hurting conscience. Wolfmueller proclaims the freedom-giving Gospel that through Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection, our place in the Father's house is secure, and forgiveness and welcome are ours in His outstretched arms.

Fully Free, now available from CPH.

March 12, 2026

Today's Reading: Catechism: Ninth Commandment

Daily Lectionary: Genesis 39:1-23; Mark 10:13-31

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not scheme to get our neighbor’s inheritance or house, or get it in a way which only appears right, but help and be of service to him in keeping it.” (Small Catechism: Ninth Commandment and Meaning)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Coveting is dangerous. Jesus warns us against it when He says, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15). He tells this to the crowd around Him when two brothers are arguing over an inheritance. These brothers were on the verge of ruining their relationship over possessions. Sadly, this happens in families all too often.

Why does Jesus warn us against this? Because when we covet, we set up a false idol that we think will make us whole and give us what we need. St. Paul makes this clear when he writes, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” (Colossians 3:5) When we want what God has not given to us we show that we do not “fear, love, and trust in God above all things” and that we have broken the First Commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me.”

How do you know you are coveting? One way to diagnose coveting in your life is to consider whether you are happy when your neighbor is sad or sad when your neighbor is happy. There’s a word for being sad about others' happiness. It’s one you probably know well: envy. There’s also a word for being happy about someone else’s sadness. It’s a German word that literally means “damage-joy”: schadenfreude.

Sadly, we have these feelings way too often. It’s okay to be disappointed that you didn’t ace the test; it’s evil when you delight in the fact that someone else fails. It’s okay to be happy that you made the team; it’s evil when you are sad that someone else made it. Envy and schadenfreude invade our lives.

Why is this bad? Because when we covet, we are telling God that we don’t have enough. When we covet, we are telling God that He hasn’t given us what we need. Coveting destroys our thankfulness and our contentment. What’s the remedy? St. Paul tells us to look at the cross: “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). God has given you exactly what you need; the proof is there at the cross.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

“You shall not crave your neighbor’s house Nor covet money, goods, or spouse. Pray God He would your neighbor bless As you yourself wish success.” Have mercy, Lord! (LSB 581:10)

Rev. Daniel Burhop, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Reese, MI.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.

We wander through life looking for freedom, only to realize we have listened to the devil's call to serve our selves, our pleasures, and our lusts. Instead of freedom we find ourselves enslaved to sin. We wonder if we have sinned too often, too deep to ever be welcomed back to the Father's home, back into His loving embrace. Have we lost our inheritance as children of God?

In this short book, author Bryan Wolfmueller digs into the popular parable of the Prodigal Son to bring hope and aid to our hurting conscience. Wolfmueller proclaims the freedom-giving Gospel that through Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection, our place in the Father's house is secure, and forgiveness and welcome are ours in His outstretched arms.

Fully Free, now available from CPH.