Thursday of the Third Week of Easter

April 18, 2024 Today's Reading: The Lord’s Prayer - First PetitionDaily Lectionary: Exodus 38:21-39:8, 22-23, 27-31; Luke 8:1-21Hallowed be Thy name. How is God’s name kept holy? God’s name is kept holy when the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as the children of God, also lead holy lives according to it. (The Lord's Prayer, the First Petition, Small Catechism)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God’s name is inscribed upon your forehead and heart in Holy Baptism. That’s an almost scary thing. God Himself has ‘marked you as one redeemed by Christ the crucified’ we say in the baptismal rite.This means that wherever you go, you bear God’s holy name upon you. You go out into this dark, sin-wracked, and dying world with the mark of Almighty God Himself upon you. The demons see that and know whose side you are on immediately. That is also a scary thing because it makes you an easy target for their attacks.And those attacks come in strange and mysterious ways. Sometimes it is a temptation from a friend. Or a random Instagram reel or TikTok. There are so many ways that the world, the devil, and yes, even your own sinful flesh, rebel against that mark of God’s holy name upon your forehead.How do you keep God’s name holy in such a dangerous and sin-filled world? How can you lead a holy life when waves of sin constantly wash over you? By going to church, by receiving the Lord’s Supper. By participating in Bible Study. By spending time in daily devotions. By remembering your Baptism.Sure, those all sound mundane (and probably even boring), but that is how God promises to be with you. That is how Christ Jesus promises to strengthen you and your faith. He uses the things of this world (which He created) to remind you that you have been recreated in Him.Gather together where God’s Word is taught in truth and purity. Hear the preaching of that living Word of God. Taste on your tongue with joy the Gift of Jesus’s Body and Blood. Dip your fingers in the baptismal font’s living waters. Let God Himself remind you again and again of what he’s done for you.Open your ears to those words. Let His Gifts wash over you and give thanks for what He has done for you in Jesus. Remember that you are baptized and you are safe in God’s hands. Live your life in the sure and certain hope that because Jesus lives and has saved you, that God’s holy name will always be with you until He comes again. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Your name be hallowed. Help us Lord, In purity to keep Your Word, That to the glory of Your name We walk before You free from blame. Let no false teaching us pervert; All poor deluded souls convert. (LSB 766:2)- Pastor Duane Bamsch is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols This collection of over 600 hand-drawn Christian symbols by artist and author Edward Riojas will teach you the extensive history of the imagery of the Church. Each symbol is a beautiful and historical connection to generations of Christians that have worshiped before you. A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols. Now available from Concordia Publishing House.