The Gift of Faith

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13).

Our immediate family celebrates six birthdays in April, half of our family of twelve providing a host of opportunities for gift giving. Our youngest grandchild, Sammy, turned one on April 2. Last year he was born on Good Friday and was baptized by his Grandpa Terry—my husband, a retired LCMS pastor—on Easter Sunday. What a gift the Holy Spirit gave Samuel — the gift of faith.

We all like to receive gifts. The LWML store has many gifts that help remind us of the great gift of faith the Holy Spirit created in our hearts. Devotions for All Seasons and Text Messages from God, Volume 2 are a couple of gift ideas that include a Scripture reference, reflection, and prayer. These and many other gift ideas are available at the LWML website under the Shop tab.

May we always thank God for our gift of faith.

Arlene Naasz

Meeting Manager
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Risen

“He is not here, for he has risen,” (Matt 28:6a).

Of all the holy days, Easter stands out above them all. Christmas is when Jesus was born but some give more importance to decorating and giving gifts. Think what Easter Day says.

• It proves that Jesus is who He said.
• It proves that we can believe everything Jesus says.
• It proves that God has power over everything, including death.
• It proves that Jesus is the Messiah who came to complete salvation.
• Finally, it proves that having faith in Jesus, we can have full and complete confidence that, since Jesus arose from the dead, we, too, will rise from the dead.

Even more we can believe in confidence that, at our resurrection, He will take us to Himself into the glories of heaven. So, yes, it is the most important day of the year. We celebrate it, all year, in one way or another, but for 50 solid days, we especially celebrate during the Season of Easter.

The Rev. Gary Piepkorn

Junior Pastoral Counselor
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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We Wait

Our soul waits for the LORD; (Psalm 33:20a). If we listen, the seemingly quiet day between Good Friday (good for us, not for Jesus) and Easter, speaks loudly. The culmination of Jesus’ state of humiliation is on full display. From the day Jesus was born, He was destined to die, as a human, and be buried, as a human. Therefore, as a substitute for us, fulfilling human nature in every way, He lay in the grave, just like all of us will.

Therefore, if it was good for Jesus’ body to lay in rest awaiting the resurrection, then it is also good for our bodies to lay in rest awaiting the resurrection. On Holy Saturday we look forward, and knowing now to what we look, oh, is it a wonderful picture we see — the resurrection. Then, because He arose, so will we. On this day, we wait for that great day to come.

The Rev. Gary Piepkorn

Junior Pastoral Counselor
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Forgiven for Our Ignorance

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34a).

One can only imagine what it would have been like to have been there and hear Jesus utter these words. In bitter anguish with nails going through His hands, Jesus isn’t angry … He forgives. What is most striking is that He is forgiving us for the things that we don’t even know we are doing. We are blinded to our own sin and blinded by what it actually does to us.

Jesus takes all of that sin on Himself, bears it willingly through pain and tears, and then utters a final cry to the Father as the price is paid for sin in His death — for you. In Jesus’ crucifixion, all your sin is forgiven. By Christ’s death, death has been defeated. We may not know what we are doing, and may be ignorant to what that means for Jesus, but by His grace, we are forgiven before the Father and we await the day we know is coming — the Day of Resurrection and the joy of life with Christ forever.

The Rev. Brian Noack

Senior Pastoral Counselor
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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For Many

“… poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt 26:28b). On that Holy Thursday, 33 A.D., Jesus took the symbolism of the Passover Meal and elevated it to the highest level for any church rite, save Baptism. In Baptism, the gift of faith is given, a magnificent gift by which the riches of God flow to a person. In the changed Passover Meal, the symbols of the foods, henceforth, included the real thing.

The real thing is the actual body and blood of the Messiah Himself. When the believer partakes of this new meal, he receives the richest of riches, the forgiveness of sins. Even more, God the Spirit, through that gift, empowers the believer with a stronger faith, so that when departing from the Sacrament with peace and joy, he might be used by God for God’s kingdom. The Service for Holy Thursday is a service of joy and celebration for what God does for believers who partake of the meal.

The Rev. Gary Piepkorn

Junior Pastoral Counselor
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Fear not

Have you ever noticed that at each of the major moments of Jesus’ life, there is always God’s Word of encouragement to “fear not”? At the Annunciation, Gabriel tells Mary to “fear not.” The angels tell the shepherds in the field, “fear not,” the night when Christ was born. At the empty tomb on Easter morning, the angel says to the sorrowful women, “fear not.” And here on Palm Sunday, we hear those words again through the prophet Zechariah, “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!” (John 12:15).

Even though the crowds’ lips shout “Hosanna!” their hearts are burdened by sin, as are ours. Fear not! From the start to finish of His life, Jesus is making His way to the cross as the true king to take your sin from you and to give you life by His resurrection. Jesus takes away all causes of fear from us so that we may be filled with heavenly joy, now and always. Hosanna to our Savior and King!

The Rev. Brian Noack

Senior Pastoral Counselor
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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LWML — a Buffet of Resources for You

As Lutheran Women in Mission, we offer opportunities for mission education, mission inspiration, mission service, and mission giving — opportunities, not obligations! LWML is a buffet of resources, support, comfort, and encouragement for all women.

We are in the Word. We love to serve God’s people. We give our time, share our talents, and give donations to missions. We do this in response to all our Savior has done and given to us.

Take time now to look through the pages of this website. Find a devotion or prayer that touches your heart. Join in the buffet of God’s love and mercies found in the available resources. You are His child, cherished and bought by Jesus’ blood and sacrifice and you are welcome!

Click here and contact your district. Ask for the name and congregation of an LWML member near you. Find acceptance and a place to belong.

Today, and always, we are surrounded by God’s grace,

Debbie Larson

President 2019–2023
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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