"'Only in the Lord,' he will say to Me, 'are righteousness and strength. To Him men will come and all who were angry at Him will be put to shame. In the Lord all the seed of Israel will be justified and will glory.'" (Isaiah 45:20-25)
In the name of Jesus. Amen. In the times of Noah, who were those that were saved when the flood came? Every child knows the answer to that: "Noah built a big, big boat and those who were in the ark were saved."
Those who tried to go about things on their own outside the ark didn’t fare too well. They all died. Everyone was wiped out by the flood.
The little word "in" is the center of our Lenten Reflection today. It’s a very important word! For us, the little word "in" is full of Gospel. "In the Lord" is salvation. "In the Lord" is righteousness and strength. "In the Lord" we are justified. "In the Lord" we will be glorified.
Everything goes wrong when "in the Lord" is removed. Apart from "in the Lord" there is no hope for you and me. Aside from "in the Lord," we sinners are not justified before God, not declared righteous, and not saved. It’s "in the Lord" that we have our life and salvation, for salvation is found in no one else. Like those not "in the ark" we would be lost and wiped out.
To be "in the Lord" is to be "in the Lord Jesus." To be "in the Lord" is to be at the receiving end of all that the Son of God did for you on the Cross. To be "in the Lord" is to be in the ark, rescued from our sins and death.
Thankfully, we don’t have to put ourselves "in the Lord." Jesus puts us "in the Lord." We have nothing to do with it. That way it is all gift! Like the animals who were put into the ark, we are put "in the Lord" by the waters of Holy Baptism. To be "in the Lord" is to be baptized into the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. It means to bear the name of Jesus put on you in Holy Baptism.
Why would we try to go about things on our own? I don’t know why we do, but we certainly do, daily and much. That’s what sin is! Sin is going about things apart from and against the Lord’s words.
Lent is the time to confess your sins and pray to God for mercy. Trying to save yourself on your own doesn’t go well, does it? It didn’t go well for the people in Noah’s time outside the ark either. It won’t go well for you. Stop doing the evil things you do!
Turn from your sins and remember your Baptism. At your Baptism, you were put "in the Lord." "In the Lord," all the seeds of Israel will be justified and will be glorified. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Higher Things Reflections are written by Rev. George F. Borghardt III, Assistant Pastor at St. Mark Lutheran Church, Conroe, TX