Devotions Archive Archive: 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Search Archive Print This Article Benediction Sunday, December 19, 2010 Romans 1:7 Grace to you, and peace, from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Rev. Arthur Neitzel of Zion Lutheran Church, Lincoln, Illinois, pastor of my childhood, began his sermons: Grace and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Beautiful words that echo through history. Not just my history. I imagine martyrs from every nation lifting their eyes and touching their killers with these words. I imagine Dietrich Bonhoeffer greeting his execution squad with these words. Grace to you, and peace. I surrender all. Silver and gold I have none. What I have I give you. Grace and peace to you. When nothing else is left, the best remains. All that matters. The pearl. Grace to you, and peace, from God. Rev. Neitzel, in the grand tradition of the Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod), ended all our services with more beautiful words, words given by God to Moses to give to Aaron the priest to give to the people: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace." Your words sustain me, Lord, sustain my spirit and my body. Sustain us all in all times. "; Add      Edit    Delete