by Rev Douglas Brauner

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

We shine with the mercy we have received from God.

This coat was left hanging, on a sign, in a park near my home. I had taken my camera with me while I walked my dog, Ginger. It’s not easy taking pictures while walking a German Shepherd/Husky mix. Whenever I stop to take a picture, Ginger keeps walking. Go figure!

By faith in Jesus we are stars, descendants of the promise made to Abraham.

Stepping on Ginger’s leash, I paused long enough to snap this picture. What attracted me was the prominent star, on the shoulder of the coat, echoed by the stars on the front of the jacket.

Stars play a prominent role in Scripture. God called the stars into existence. A star pointed the way to the manger. We learn in Genesis that stars are also a symbol of the multitude of descendants that would proceed from Abraham.

“And he brought [Abram] outside and said, ‘Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.'”
Genesis 15:5 English Standard Version

You and I may, or may not, be Jewish, yet we are still offspring of Abraham because of God’s gift of faith that is at work in us. This faith is in Abraham’s seed. It is in the One who fulfilled the promise of blessing made to Abraham. It is in the One who was crucified, and raised, for you and me.

Jesus declares us to be his stars in the galaxy of his grace.

So, what do stars do? They shine, not just one star shining but the stars together, filling the galaxy with light. The Church, scattered throughout the world, shines with the mercy we have received.

The stars in my neighborhood don’t shine as brightly as they once did. The excessive light that comes with urban sprawl interferes with my ability to see the stars. It’s not that the stars have disappeared, it’s that their light can not penetrate the pollution. The pollution of sin is always a threat to how well our light shines. We’re still stars, but sometimes we don’t shine brightly. May God’s grace continue to work in us, casting away the pollution so that we shine with God’s grace.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado