What Shall We Do?

Today's post comes from Concordia Publishing House's daily devotional, Portals of Prayer:

Devotional Reading for: 12/6/2009 Associated Scripture Readings: Luke 3:10-18 Psalm 66:1-12

What Shall We Do?

The crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” Luke 3:10

As we live in this time after Jesus’ first coming in Bethlehem and waiting for His second coming at the end of time, many people want to know: what shall we do? What does God expect of us? The crowds asked this question of John the Baptist as he prepared the way for Jesus. John’s answer was simply this: do what has been given you to do. Perform your vocations in honesty and love. Some people think that is not enough. We must do bigger and better things for God! But it is enough, because Jesus came to do all that is required of us. His perfect life, death, and resurrection set us free from the obligation of the Law. In Jesus, we are children of God. Our sins are forgiven, and we have the promise of eternal life. Jesus has done it all for us! What then is there for us to do to earn God’s love? Nothing? Freed from the burden of the Law, we give ourselves in service to God and service to our neighbor. As Luther said, “God doesn’t need our good works, but our neighbor does.” Jesus has set you free to love and serve others, whether you are a parent, student, soldier, or baptizer. What you do is important.

Lord God, thank You for setting me free from my sins in Christ Jesus. Help me to use my freedom to serve my neighbor in honesty and love. Amen.