Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
The last Wednesday of the Liturgical Year marks the Day of Supplication in the Lutheran Church Calendar. We come together on this day to ask God to forgive us our sins and to intercede for the world and her people, the church and her people and ourselves and our loved ones before the Lord. God has given believers the commandment to intercede for each other as Christ intercedes for us before the Father. The Holy Spirit prays with groans to meet our supplications coming before God, expressing the deepest desires of the will of God to be done on earth as it is in heaven. The Day of Supplication is a day set apart to fast and pray before the Lord as an individual and a group, to come in humility before God and to confess our in inability to obey the commandments as we ought. This day is also a day to receive absolution and forgiveness, standing on the promise of God for us. Jesus said after his resurrection, “Peace to you! Just as the Father has sent me forth, so I am sending you,” as we read in the Gospel of John, Chapter Twenty verse Twenty One, (Amplified Bible). Jesus interceded for his disciples in prayer and suffered for all of us on the Cross. He asks of us to share this Gospel of the Good News to those who are oppressed by darkness so that they can stand in the light of forgiveness and freedom from fear of condemnation.
Our watchword for today is taken from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, Chapter Fifty verse Ten, “Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord,” (NRSVB). In this chapter of the Book of Isaiah we are told of God’s plan of redemption for all the people. Isaiah prophesied in verse six about the suffering of Christ, “I gave My back to the smiters and My cheeks to those who plucked off the hair. I hid not My face from shame and spitting,” (Amplified Bible). The work of Jesus Christ would be declared righteous before all men, as was witnessed at Golgotha, when the earth trembled and darkness fell across the world, when Jesus called victoriously, “It is finished!” Then he turned his head and breathed his last breath for us. “Behold God will help Me, who is he that will condemn Me?” God fulfilled his promise to his people and the world that he loved so much was saved by his Son. The evil one had to flee, and has been overcome, death has lost its sting and condemnation has been obliterated by Christ for us. We therefore have reason to rejoice, even in our mourning, for we have received God’s absolution as he says to us that he has forgiven us and sees us through the work of his Son. We have been perfected and pronounced guiltless before him.
The Apostle Peter, in his Second Letter to the Congregations, writes in Chapter One verse Nineteen, “So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,” (NRSVB). Peter reminds the believers that the word of God, contained in the Scripture, the word of the prophets, foretold of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was seen as the bright morning star, who would change history, and bring light in all the dark places of unbelief and fear of condemnation. The light of the Lord will break through and work in the hearts of humanity to receive the Word of the Lord. They will come to his Son and acknowledge him as King of kings and Lord of lords. We have receive the Light of the World, let us walk in this light and be light bearers, for he has broken through and has dawned in our hearts.
Father, we thank you that you hear our supplications and answer our prayers. We thank you that you see us through the gift and sacrifice of your Son for us. You pronounce us worthy to come into your Kingdom and feast at the table set for us, as we come to you and humbly seek your face, Amen.