Day 17 & 18 - Guest Devotion

I'm still recovering from the Election night, plus I preached tonight (Wednesday) at the evening worship. So, our Thursday Day 18 Devotion is written by Pastor Bill Bogholz from St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Newport, RI.

I'll be back with one for Friday.



Matthew 15:1-9

Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands before they eat. 3He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4For God said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.' 5But you say that whoever tells father or mother, 'Whatever support you might have had from me is given to God,' then that person need not honor the father. 6So, for the sake of your tradition, you make void the word of God. 7You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied rightly about you when he said:
8'This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
9in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines.'"




Put your money where your mouth is.
Walk the walk, don’t just talk the talk.
Actions speak louder than words.

Many of the clichés in our language point to having integrity of word and deed. That is that what we say and what we do speak the same message. This is as true in the life of faith as in the secular world.

Jesus is challenged about the disciples not washing before eating. (Actually a good thing, something most of our parents taught us – wash your hands before you eat.) Jesus responds by questioning their activities. They seem to be ignoring one part of the law for another. Jesus refers to the practice of giving offerings to the Temple; rather than supporting elderly family members, as an example of the challenger’s unfaithfulness. Based on Jesus’ comments the issue is where is your heart?

We are called to live our lives of discipleship that reflect where our hearts are. Are we being authentic? Does what we claim as we confess our faith in worship get reflected in our lives?

That is the heart of discipleship, living out our faith. Living out our faith, we faithfully nurture our relationship with God through worship and prayer, Word and Sacrament. Living out our faith, we faithfully work for peace and justice in the world around us. Living our out faith, we faithfully give of our time, talents, and treasure.


O God, generous and supreme,
your loving Son lived among us,
instructing us in the ways of humility and justice.
Continue to ease our burdens,
and lead us to serve alongside of him,
Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen