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A bit more on sacraments

Today's Higher Things Daily Reflection deals with sacraments a bit

Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 35:1-7, 16-25; Colossians 3:1-25
This Week’s Readings: St. Matthew 6:24-34

“Your heavenly father knows that you need all these things.” (St. Matthew 6:32)

You are normal, and you are sinful. You are normal in that you worry and fret about lots of things. And in that worry lies the truth that you are sinful as well. Where is your trust?

Dear baptized one, in Christ, God has promised to take care of you and clothe you much more than the lilies of the field which neither toil nor spin, much more than the grass of the field which is gone tomorrow, much more than the birds of the air. He sent His own Son, Jesus Christ, to take your sins upon Himself and die in your place. In Christ you mean as much to God as His dear Son, for you are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He has given you the robe of righteousness, the clothing of the bride of Christ which is His Church. Your clothing is the blood-washed garment of Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection for you and for your salvation.

Neither the birds of the air nor the flowers of the field provide for themselves; God the maker of heaven and earth does that. You are of much more value than they. You cannot provide for your spiritual well-being any more than you can provide for your own salvation. Therefore, God has and will certainly continue to take care of all your needs, both in body and in soul, until such time as He calls you home to be with Him. Of that you can be certain.

Be comforted by His presence--His very real and true presence in His Supper. Be comforted by His spoken forgiveness in Holy Absolution. Be comforted in your baptism into Christ. For in these divine gifts you have everything you need.

“O Lord, we implore You, let Your continual pity cleanse and defend Your Church; and because she cannot continue in safety without Your aid, preserve her evermore by Your help and goodness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.” (Collect for Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity)

The Reverend Gregory Schultz, pastor of St. Peter Lutheran Church in Campbell Hill, IL, is the author for this portion of the Trinity season.

This reflection is available as an mp3, click here to download and listen to it.

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