Daily Lectionary: Genesis 11:27-12:20; Mark 4:21-41

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God is the God who calls. In the beginning God called out, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God called Noah and saved his family in the ark. God called Israel out of Egypt and rescued them in the Exodus. God called David to be His anointed king and foreshadow the true Anointed King, Jesus. God called prophet after prophet until He finally called His only begotten Son. 

All of this was foretold to Abram when God called him to leave his own country and go to the place God would show him. God is the God who calls. Here in Genesis 12, God calls Abram to faith. God gives him a promise: “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. . . and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

God’s promise to Abram is fulfilled and kept in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection for you. That’s right. God’s promise to Abram is also God’s promise to you. The God who called Abram also calls you. God is the God who calls.

God the Father calls you to faith in His Son Jesus by the Holy Spirit. And the same Lord who called His twelve disciples to follow Him calls you out of death and into life. You are called God’s child in your Baptism. You are called out of darkness into Christ’s marvelous light.

And just like Jesus’ disciples, you are called to follow Him in whatever vocations He gives you throughout your life. God may not call you to leave your home country and family like He did Abram. But wherever He calls you to serve and love your neighbor, He will always be with you, just as He was with Abram. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

O God, Who did cause the children of Israel to traverse the Red Sea dryshod; Thou Who did point out by a star to the Magi the road that led them to Thee; grant us we beseech Thee, a prosperous journey and propitious weather; so that, under the guidance of Thy holy angels we may safely reach that journey’s end, and later the haven of eternal salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

-Rev. Samuel Schuldheisz is pastor of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Milton, WA.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Duane Bamsch

Learn more about your favorite hymns and find the deeper meaning behind the text with Eternal Anthems: The Story Behind Your Favorite Hymns. The book includes devotional commentary and historical facts from forty different contributing authors on fifty different hymns. Now available from Concordia Publishing House.