September 12, 2026

Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 15 - Psalm 86:4, 6, 15a, 16; antiphon: Psalm 86:1a, 2b, 3

Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 31:1-21; Philippians 4:1-23

“Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace.” (Psalm 86:6)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Wow! … Really? … That’s crazy! … Yup. … How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? … And then suddenly, “Are you even listening to me?” Trapped. Not even half of your attention was being given to that other person. You were not listening but were distracted by other things. Your mind wandered. The phone buzzed. A loud car drove by. And suddenly you were a million miles away, not listening to a word they were saying.

Sometimes I would guess it feels this way with your prayers. You have been praying for something, and it seems like God is just ignoring you, like He’s got something better, someone else better to listen to than you. This is our sinful human nature at work, causing doubt, failing to believe the words of our Introit tomorrow, and so many other passages of Scripture.

God loves to hear the prayers of His children, to hear your prayers. He invites us to pray to Him and promises to hear us. David calls upon that promise as he cries out to God, “Give ear, O Lord to my prayer”. Stated another way, David is saying, “Okay God. You promise to hear me, so listen to me now.” And God does! He is not so busy with the other 8 million plus people that He doesn’t have time to listen to you. Of course He does! You are His child. He created you in your mother’s womb. He re-created you in the water of Holy Baptism to be His own child. He shed His holy and precious blood to forgive your sins. He feeds you with His holy Body and Blood, giving you forgiveness, life, and salvation. All this He has done for you. Of course, He hears and answers your prayers. He is the one who provides for you in the body with all the Gifts listed in the explanation to the First Article. He is also the one who provides for you in your soul with the Second and Third Articles' Gifts, namely life and salvation.

So cry out to God, often. He does indeed give ear to your prayers. He listens to you and responds always with His good Gifts.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Lord, this I ask, O hear my plea, Deny me not this favor: When Satan sorely troubles me, Then do not let me waver. O guard me well, My fear dispel, Fulfill Your faithful saying: All who believe By grace receive An answer to their praying. (LSB 758:3)

Rev. Daniel Voth, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Grand Forks, ND.

September 11, 2026

Today's Reading: Philippians 3:1-21

Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 29:1-24; Philippians 3:1-21

“If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:4-8)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Saul was THE rock star of his day among the Jews. His pedigree was perfect, untouchable, and far more than most common people could ever hope to obtain. He had it all. Power, prestige, fame. He was at the top, until he wasn’t. That one day on the road to Damascus changed everything. From the worldly Jewish perspective, he lost it all. A fall from grace heard around the world. In a flash of light, he lost it all.

Or did he? Saint Paul says he was glad to lose it all because when he lost it all, he gained Christ, which is more than everything. Everything Saul had worked for was earthly, temporary, leading to nothing, rubbish, garbage. And Paul couldn't care less about all that. He had Jesus, and that was worth giving up everything else worldly because Jesus is eternal.

Right now, you might be striving for good grades, popularity among friends or co-workers, the right career, the right job, or any number of worldly honors. What Saint Paul wants for you more than anything, what God desires for you, is that you know Christ Jesus. Know Christ Jesus, crucified for the forgiveness of your sin; resurrected for your life into eternity. There is nothing else more important to know than Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

By His death and resurrection, Christ has made you His own. You are His, and He is yours. This is the free Gift of God for you. No more striving to earn your way upwards towards Him, if that was even some way possible. Christ Jesus has done it all for you and Gifts it to you through His Word and Sacraments.

And one day, He’s coming back visibly for you, to make you eternally His in a new heaven and new earth that is surpassingly greater than anything you can imagine right now. So don’t worry if you lose it all in this life, as long as you have Chris Jesus, you have it all.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

What is the world to me With all its vaunted pleasure When You, and You alone, Lord Jesus, are my treasure! You only, dearest Lord, My soul’s delight shall be; You are my peace, my rest. What is the world to me! (LSB 730:1)

Rev. Daniel Voth, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Grand Forks, ND.

September 10, 2026

Today's Reading: Catechism: How can bodily eating and drinking do such great things?

Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 9:1-13; 10:18-29; 2 Kings 13:1-18:8; Philippians 2:12-30

How can bodily eating and drinking do such great things? Certainly not just eating and drinking do these things, but the words written here: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” These words, along with the bodily eating and drinking, are the main thing in the Sacrament. Whoever believes these words has exactly what they say: “forgiveness of sins.” (Small Catechism - The Power of the Sacrament of the Altar)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

You eat, and a few hours later, you're hungry again. You listen to a teacher or boss tell you something, and 5 minutes later, you can’t remember what they said. This seems to be our normal course of life.

When it comes to the things of God, suddenly it changes. When you come to the Lord’s table to eat of His body and drink of His blood, let’s be honest, physically, what you consume isn’t much. A small wafer and a sip of wine. That’s it. The reality is much greater than what your human eyes see and your senses experience. In that wafer of bread is the very body of Christ Jesus that hung dying on the cross for your forgiveness. In that wine is the very blood of Christ Jesus, poured out on the cross for your forgiveness. That is what Jesus says through the voice of your pastor. Jesus’ very Body and Blood, which you eat and drink, is “given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” Jesus cannot lie, and so you have exactly what He says.

So why both? Why can’t we just hear Jesus’ words, “given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins,” and skip the eating and drinking? Because our God works through means, through earthly, visible, tangible things. He does this in order that you might not doubt but believe. Your Lord puts His body into your body, puts His blood into you, so that you have no question who the “you” is of His statement. You have eaten of His body; you have sipped of His blood; His forgiveness is “for you” who have eaten and drunk believing Jesus so that you can experience what He promises: the forgiveness of all your sins.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

We eat this bread and drink this cup, Your precious Word believing That Your true body and Your blood Our lips are here receiving. This Word remains forever true; All things are possible with You, For You are Lord Almighty. (LSB 622:4)

Rev. Daniel Voth, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Grand Forks, ND.