WELS Military Devotions

[https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/842x347-MilitaryDevotion-2022.jpg] Watch the Devotion [https://vimeo.com/1100300924] > Based on Luke 10:25-37 If you haven’t read the story of the good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37 in a hot minute, take the time to do that today. That story Jesus tells is in response to the question from an expert in the Old Testament laws: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10:25). The short answer is, “Nothing! There’s not enough you can do to inherit eternal life. It must be given to you as a gift!” But Jesus wants to lead this man to see this truth and asks him, “What does the law say?” The man correctly answers: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” (from Deuteronomy 6:5) and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (from Leviticus 19:18). Jesus confirms his answer. If you love God with your whole being all the time and love your neighbor more than you love yourself—all the time—you will do what God demands of you, and you will receive eternal life. This is not something that we can achieve, of course, and this man knows it because he asks, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:27). Because there are some people who are difficult to love. What this man is doing is bringing God’s demands in the law down to a manageable level. Jesus is going to bring that bar back up, and he tells the story of the good Samaritan. A man is traveling near Jerusalem and Jericho and is attacked by thugs, robbed, and left for dead. Two “church people,” a priest and Levite—this would be a pastor and a lay leader or elder in the church—walk right by him. But a Samaritan walks by. Samaritans and Jews, culturally and societally, just did not get along. It is this Samaritan who stops to help this Jew at great cost to himself. So Jesus asks the man, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor?” The man answers, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus replies, “Go and do likewise” (from Luke 10:36,37). What I could tell you today in this devotion is: “Be like the good Samaritan! Be a better neighbor! Love your neighbor! Amen!” But you and I would go about our day feeling pretty guilty about ourselves. If you’re like me, I’m not very good at loving my neighbor. I make excuses: “I don’t know what to say to this neighbor in need. What can I do to help them?” And what if your neighbor (like Jews and Samaritans) is your adversary? What if your neighbor in need is a neighbor, co-worker, family member, or stranger who is very unlovable? The good news is that the story of the good Samaritan is not about you and me. It’s a picture of Jesus himself, who goes out of his way, at great cost to himself, to love his neighbor, even his adversary, and people who are unlovable at times . . . that’s me and that’s you. Jesus is the perfect neighbor, the perfect friend, the perfect family member, the perfect co-worker, the perfect stranger. His righteousness is your righteousness. That’s how Jesus sees you and me. So when we see our neighbor in need, we are free to venture all things. We are free to love our neighbor in need and not worry about getting it right or saying or doing the wrong thing or wondering, What will others think of me as I show love to this neighbor who is so often unlovable? Don’t worry about those things. Don’t worry about this: “What do I say or what do I do with this individual who is hurting so much, for me to sit with them in their pain and their grief?” Jesus simply says, “Go and love your neighbor.” There are plenty of neighbors in the military community who need my love and your love. I received a phone call a couple of weeks ago that made me very sad. One of our war fighters, a Special Forces soldier, took his own life. My neighbor in need was the pastor and his wife of that congregation. My neighbor in need were other war fighters and family members and other pastors who had served this man’s spiritual needs. What it meant for me to be a loving neighbor was simply to be a listening ear, to pray, to share Jesus’ promises with them. Do you know anyone like that? A neighbor in need who needs you just to listen, to sit with them in their pain and their grief? Love that neighbor. A war fighter’s spouse recently reached out to me. They are struggling so much because their spouse is deployed, and they are just in a rough place. How can I be a neighbor to this person who is in need? I can just be present. I can listen. I can ask, “How can I pray for you today?” I can point them to Jesus’ promises. I’m sure you know people like this. Reach out to them. Love your neighbor. This is how the Church works. This is what the Church does, because this is who we are in Christ, loved by Christ, so that we might go and love our neighbor who is in need. Prayer: God of all power and might, you are the giver of all that is good. Help us love you with all our heart. Strengthen us in the true faith. Provide us with all we need and keep us safe in your care as we receive your love through Jesus’ perfect life of love. Move in us to love our neighbor, selflessly, sacrificially, so that your Son may be the face our neighbor sees through us. Amen. Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version. 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[https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/842x347-MilitaryDevotion-2022.jpg] Watch the Devotion [https://vimeo.com/1095070777] > Based on 1 Peter 5:1-4 As Americans, July 4th marks a day of great celebration and remembrance. We recall the courage and sacrifice of those who declared independence in 1776 and the generations of military service members who have since defended the freedoms established in that declaration. It’s a time to fly flags, sing patriotic hymns, and reflect on the blessings of liberty. But for the Christian—particularly for us as confessional Lutherans—this day is also an opportunity to reflect on a greater freedom and a higher allegiance. This coming Sunday you may hear from the apostle Peter in 1 Peter 5:1-4. At first glance these words may not seem military themed, but they speak directly to the kind of leadership and service that we see in those who serve both in the armed forces and in the church. The apostle Peter writes to the elders, the pastors—those called to shepherd God’s flock. Peter does not speak from a high and mighty position but as a fellow shepherd. He encourages them to lead as those under orders—not from men, but from the Chief Shepherd himself, Jesus Christ. In the military, leadership is both a privilege and a responsibility. Officers and non-commissioned leaders are charged not simply with giving commands but with caring for those under them. A good commander knows his troops. He trains them, sacrifices for them, and even risks his life for them. The same holds true in the church. Those who are called to lead—pastors, elders, fathers, and all spiritual shepherds—lead not for personal gain or status but with a heart conformed to Christ’s example of suffering and service. Peter insists that such leaders are not to lord their authority over others. There is no room in the church for prideful command or self-serving power. Instead, those who serve in leadership are to be examples to the flock. This too resonates with military life. The best leaders are those who never ask of their troops what they themselves are not willing to do. They lead from the front. They bear burdens, carry weight, and are the last to eat or sleep. They model duty, honor, and courage. So too in the church. The Christian shepherd leads with humility. He does not dominate but disciples. He feeds with the Word of God. He defends against the false teachings that threaten the flock. He binds up the wounded and seeks the straying. And in all of this, he follows Christ—the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep. On this day when we remember the sacrifices of our military and the blessings of our nation, we must not forget that we are citizens of two kingdoms, that of our nation and of heaven. Our true citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). Because nations rise and fall. Flags are raised and lowered. But the kingdom of God endures forever. And in that kingdom, our Chief Shepherd reigns victorious—crucified, risen, and ascended. Those who serve faithfully in his name—whether in pulpits or pews, in homes or in foxholes or on ships—will receive an unfading crown of glory. This is not a medal pinned on a uniform but the eternal reward of being in the presence of Christ forever. It is not earned through valor in battle or perfect obedience but through the grace of God given in Christ Jesus, who has already won the victory. This weekend let us remember both our military leaders and our spiritual shepherds. Let us pray for them, that they may be faithful, humble, and strong in the Lord. Let us also take up our own callings—to serve our neighbor, to proclaim Christ crucified and risen, and to live as citizens of heaven even while we live in this nation. And let us do all of this looking forward to the day when our Chief Shepherd returns and all those who have fought the good fight of faith will receive their eternal reward—not because of their greatness, but because of his. Prayer: Almighty God, on this day of national celebration, we give you thanks for the blessings of liberty and the sacrifices made to secure it. We thank you especially for the freedom that comes through your Son, Jesus Christ, and the faithful shepherds who lead us in his name. Strengthen all who serve in authority, whether in the church or the military, that they may lead with humility, wisdom, and love. Keep us faithful in our vocations, and fix our eyes always on the Chief Shepherd, in whose name we pray. Amen. Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version. Print Friendly, PDF & Email [https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/iconsPrinterFriendly400x60.png] https://wels.net/dev-military/leading-under-the-chief-shepherd/?pfstyle=wp

[https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/842x347-MilitaryDevotion-2022.jpg] Watch the Devotion [https://vimeo.com/1095070777] > Based on Romans 5:1-5 A few weeks ago, I was admitted to the hospital and spent three nights there for an infection I had in my body. The medical staff is still not sure how it happened or what it was, but the doctors and nurses took good care of me, giving me lots of antibiotics to flush the infection out of my body. I wanted to share this with you because as you are lying in the hospital for three nights, when they shove you in that MRI machine, and as you’re lying on your back immobile for two hours after a spinal tap, you have a lot of time to think. I know there are a lot of you who have been in a similar situation. Some of you have been hospitalized because of injuries related to combat or training accidents—I am thinking of specific individuals who have gone through that ordeal. Some of you have spent time in the hospital, or you’ve cared for others who have been in the hospital. There’s a lot of time to think when you’re in the hospital . . . a lot of time to think about pain and suffering. There’s only one thing that matters in that situation, and it is not your spouse, your children, your parents, or your friends. What matters most in times of suffering and pain is asking yourself this: What has God promised me in these moments? What happens, at least what happened for me, is that you really have nowhere else to go but to God’s promises. Some of those promises that I went back to during my time in the hospital were words from the apostle Paul in Romans chapter 5 that speak to suffering. Paul writes: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). This is what matters most in those moments of suffering—that God has justified you. He has declared you “not guilty.” If you ever doubt that, go to the cross and see Jesus, accused as the guilty one for us so God can declare you and me to be justified, not guilty, innocent of all guilt—through faith in Christ. The result of that is we have “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” This peace is not some kind of manufactured peace, like a show of force in Eastern Europe against our near-peer competitors. This is peace that is manufactured by Jesus, knowing that there is peace between us and God; peace between sinners and a holy, righteous God; and this peace is won by Jesus. We know there is forgiveness for us, and so we have the peace of knowing that we are forgiven. There is peace of knowing we are innocent. There are more results for us because we are justified. Paul says, “. . . through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand” (Romans 5:2a). There is access to God through our prayers as we lie in the hospital. God hears our prayers. God has access to us through his words of promise. And I really like this consequence of our declaration of innocence: “we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” This means that no matter what is going on in your life, or in the life of a friend or loved one, you stand in God’s grace, his undeserved love for you. That’s massive—to know that whatever it is you are going through, what it is you are suffering, you stand in God’s grace. And here’s another result of our declaration of innocence: “And we boast in the hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2b). The thing that we can boast about while in our suffering and weakness is the hope of the glory of God. God will reveal his glory in me and through me, through weakness and through suffering. And not just now, here on earth, but Jesus says, “I am going to share my glory with you in heaven.” Paul then continues to the fact that we are justified, that we have peace with God, that we have access to God, that we stand in God’s grace, that we share in God’s glory. He says this: “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5). The result of all of this—justification, peace, access to God, standing in his grace, the hope of the glory of God—puts suffering into perspective. God has a purpose for it. He says that your suffering produces perseverance, and perseverance produces character, and character produces hope. Perseverance is long-suffering. You have a ten-mile ruck march ahead of you, and you have anywhere between 30 to 100 pounds on your back. You will get through it. You know you will because you’ve been there before. This produces the kind of character that says, Yes, I will get through this because I’ve done this before. When you encounter suffering again, you think: I’ve been down this road before. God has been my comfort. He has been my strength. God has been my hope. He has reminded me again and again that I am innocent in his sight. I have his grace. I have all of these things. And so I am going to get through this. All of this produces hope. This hope is a sure confidence that God is mine and I am his. His love has been poured into my heart through his Holy Spirit. And I know I have his Holy Spirit and so do you, because he has put his name on you in the waters of your baptism. All these things are true. Whatever it is you are suffering, go back to the promises God has made to you. And if you are not going through suffering now, my friends, go back to these promises now. Keep going back to these promises, so that when you do suffer—and you will—these are the truths the Holy Spirit will remind you of. This is all that matters in that moment. You have hope in your suffering. Prayer: Almighty God and Father, dwelling in majesty and mystery, filling and renewing all creation by your eternal Spirit, and manifesting your saving grace through our Lord Jesus Christ, in mercy cleanse our hearts and lips so that, free from doubt and fear, we may ever worship you, the one true, immortal God, with your Son and the Holy Spirit, living and reigning, now and forever. This month as our nation’s military raises awareness for post-traumatic stress, we come before your throne and ask you, because you are a compassionate and gracious God, to move those who are suffering silently to reach out and ask for help. Move us and others to open our ears to listen, and then to open our mouths to speak your message of hope through Jesus, who lives and reigns over all things, who comes to redeem and restore all things, yes, even those hearts and minds hijacked by trauma. In your name we pray. Amen. Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version. Print Friendly, PDF & Email [https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/iconsPrinterFriendly400x60.png] https://wels.net/dev-military/hope-in-suffering/?pfstyle=wp

[https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/842x347-MilitaryDevotion-2022.jpg] Watch the Devotion [https://vimeo.com/1092775257] > Based on Numbers 6:24-26 For 250 years generations of soldiers have pledged to defend the Constitution and the people of this nation, sacrificing their safety and lives to preserve peace and liberty. For 250 years men and women have marched under the banner of the United States Army, an institution that was created for defense, order, and national unity during a time of profound uncertainty and looming war. As we reflect on the 250th birthday of the United States Army, we give the Almighty God thanks for their service. But more than that, we reflect on where true peace and blessing ultimately come from—not the sword of man, but the gracious hand of God. In Numbers 6, the Lord himself unfurled a banner under which people have marched for 3,500 years—the banner of blessing. In this chapter, the Lord commanded his priests to speak this blessing over the people of Israel: “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26). This blessing is not just a prayer or wish. The God of free and faithful grace places his name on his people, on you—a divine act of protection, grace, and peace. “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them” (Numbers 6:27). God’s name carries his presence. God’s name carries all that he has done and promises to do in Christ. God’s name on you means you belong to him. This banner of blessing is not a generic divine favor. It’s deeply personal and covenantal. The Triune God promises to do this for you: to bless and keep, to shine and be gracious, to turn his face toward you, and to give you peace. The Lord’s face shines upon you means that he looks on you with favor. When he looks at you, he does not see your sins, your faults and failures. He sees the perfect life of Christ and his innocent death on the cross, for you. The warmest sunlight of salvation shines on your face. Because of that truth, you have peace. The US Army may help secure national peace, but the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). This peace comes not through battle, but through the blood of the Lamb, who reconciled us to God. Because the Lord’s face shines on you, he will keep you. No matter where you go or what you do, no matter what sorrows you suffer or joys you experience, he will protect you, in life and in death. Because the Lord’s face shines on you, he will be gracious to you. You have a God who will show compassion for you when you are sad, when you struggle with temptation, when you feel weak in your faith. These are the blessings we march under because God puts his name on us. At the close of the Divine Service, after receiving Christ’s Word and his Holy Supper, we depart under the banner of God’s name. It’s not a banner stitched with stars and stripes, but with the cross and the name of the Triune God. Just as a soldier’s uniform bears the emblem of his or her nation, we bear the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, given to us in our baptism, and given to us in this blessing. As we remember the birthday of the US Army today, we give thanks for those called to defend and to protect in this earthly kingdom. But far greater is the eternal protection offered and given by our Lord, who serves us with eternal blessings in his eternal kingdom. March toward that eternal kingdom under the banner of his blessing. Prayer: Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank you for your blessing spoken over us Sunday after Sunday through the mouths of your servants. We thank you for placing your name on us in Holy Baptism and for blessing us every day. Preserve us from every evil, guard us in every trial, and keep us in the peace that is ours in Christ Jesus. Today we give thanks for those who serve in the United States Army, past and present, and ask you to protect those in harm’s way. Protect them, guide them, and draw all hearts to trust not in princes or powers, but in you alone. Keep us in that peace, and let your name always be upon us. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version. Print Friendly, PDF & Email [https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/iconsPrinterFriendly400x60.png] https://wels.net/dev-military/under-the-banner-of-blessing/?pfstyle=wp

[https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/842x347-MilitaryDevotion-2022.jpg] Watch the Devotion [https://vimeo.com/1090151744] > Based on John 14:23-27; Acts 2:1-21 “When will this happen?” “How will it happen?” “Where will it happen?” These are the questions asked by war fighters of the Allied Forces in the months and weeks and days leading up to that day we call D-Day: The Day of Days. This is the day of the largest seaborne invasion in history, the day when more than 156,000 troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, and parachuted from the skies. The answers to “when” and “how” and “where” were held by men like Churchill, Walter “Beetle” Smith, Montgomery, and Eisenhower. But the answer also depended upon the weather. The invasion could not take place until the time and weather were just right. It was this invasion that turned the war effort against the Third Reich into victory over the enemy. “When will this happen?” “How will it happen?” “Where will it happen?” These were questions that may have circulated in the hearts and minds of Jesus’ friends. Just before he ascended into heaven, the commander-in-chief of the heavenly armies commissioned his disciples to go and invade the territories of the prince of this world, not with sword or spear, but with the sword of the Holy Spirit, through preaching and teaching and by baptizing. With these weapons they would conquer the hearts and minds of souls held captive by the enemy. They knew the “where”—Jerusalem. But they didn’t know the “how” or the “when.” Jesus had said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:7,8). Just ten days later it was D-Day for the disciples—the Day of Days, the day we call Pentecost. On this day Jesus unleashed his Holy Spirit and empowered his friends to proclaim and baptize, to teach and forgive. That day changed the world forever. And I don’t use that well-worn phrase lightly. Pentecost changed the world forever because Jesus’ commission extends to folks today, people like you and me, to go forth into battle against the forces of this dark world. We are armed with the Holy Spirit to change hearts and minds and lives by sharing with them the good news that Jesus has conquered death and grave by his resurrection from the dead. If you’re like me, there are people you know whose lives we might describe as a “hot mess.” They have no direction and no firm path for the future, and they continue to make poor choices—not just poor choices in their civic life, but in their spiritual life. On the other hand, you have people in your life, like I do, whose lives are great. They are in good health, successful in their vocations, and appear not to have a need or care in the world. Except they are missing Jesus and his promises. They are missing out on eternal blessings. If you’re like me, you’ve established and maintained relationships with these people. You’ve even extended a gentle and loving invitation to “come and see the great things Jesus has done,” but with little to no positive response. And you wonder, “when” and “how” and “where” will the Holy Spirit unleash his power through me as I speak his words? My friends, keep calm and carry on. This well-worn phrase that gained popularity some years ago was the content of a series of posters designed by the British Ministry of Information to boost morale during World War II. I believe it has bearing today. Keep calm and carry on. Keep doing what Jesus has called you to do. Listen to his voice as you open your Bible in your homes and barracks and on your ships and boats. Listen to his voice as you attend Bible study and church with others. Listen and wait. Keep calm and carry on. Open your eyes and ears to friends and coworkers and family members, and then open your mouth to speak in love. Direct their eyes and hearts to the one who has unleashed his power on the devil, on their sin and guilt, and upon death itself. Let the Holy Spirit embark on the largest invasion in history, through you. Leave the “when” and “how” and “where” up to your commander-in-chief, the Lord Jesus. He knows best when and how and where to change hearts. Keep calm and carry on. Prayer: Holy Spirit, God and Lord, come to us this joyful day of Pentecost with your sevenfold gift of grace. Rekindle in our hearts the holy fire of your love, that in a true and living faith we may tell abroad the glory of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Merciful Father, on this solemn anniversary of D-Day, we give you thanks for the courage and sacrifice of those who stormed the shores of Normandy in defense of liberty and justice. Grant rest to those who gave their lives and comfort to all who mourn. Preserve us from the evils of tyranny and war, and lead all nations to seek peace. Keep us mindful that true victory is found not in the strength of our military but in Christ crucified. We pray this through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version. Print Friendly, PDF & Email [https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/iconsPrinterFriendly400x60.png] https://wels.net/dev-military/keep-calm-and-carry-on/?pfstyle=wp