Strains, Pains, & Gains

<p><strong>Speaker:</strong> Pastor Raleigh Sims</p> <p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> Mark 6:45–56</p> <p><strong>Description:</strong> The hymn insists, “God Himself is present” and “God is in His temple” (<em>LSB</em> 907). This hymn reminds us of the prophet Isaiah’s amazing vision of God in the temple when he heard the eternal song of the angels, “Holy, holy, holy,” causing the prophet to cringe, bow, and kneel at the awesome and fearful presence of God. Today, we bring ourselves with our own fears and hear how Jesus’ disciples witnessed their Lord’s real presence amid their strains and pains in a boat struggling against the wind. So today for you God is present with healing, forgiveness, and life not in the imagination but in the objective truth of His inspired Word, by your Baptism, and in the taste and touch of His body and blood given and shed for you. You cannot get any more real than that. “Let us now adore Him And with awe appear before Him.”</p>