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Called to Serve, Kept by Grace

  • August 5, 2025
  • Posted by: Carolyn Mahal
  • Category: Devotions
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Devotion for Educators Based on Psalm 116
“I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.” — Psalm 116:1 (ESV)

The Teacher’s Cry and the Lord’s Ear

Educators live at the intersection of vocation and challenge. Each day, teachers pour themselves into the lives of students—emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. There are days when the classroom feels like sacred ground, filled with moments of discovery and joy. Other days are heavy with frustration, exhaustion, and even doubt. Psalm 116 speaks directly to this duality of calling and weariness.

“I love the LORD,” the psalmist begins, “because He has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.” How deeply comforting this is for those who teach! We affirm that God meets us not only in our striving, but also in our crying out. Teaching is noble work, but it is also human work—filled with limitation. Hearing the words of Psalm 116, rest in the truth that God is not far off. He hears. He responds with mercy.

Grace in the Midst of Weariness

Psalm 116 continues: “The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the name of the Lord: ‘O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!’” (vv. 3–4).

Every educator has felt something akin to this distress—whether through the burden of responsibility, the pain of a student’s hardship, or the ache of feeling unseen. The Bible shares the human condition. We call it what it is: suffering under sin, living in a broken world. But we also proclaim that God acts decisively within it. The Psalmist’s deliverance is not earned by eloquence or effort. It is received as pure gift: “Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful” (v. 5).

This grace is not abstract. It comes to us concretely: in Christ crucified for sinners, in the Word that speaks life, and in the daily forgiveness that renews us in our callings. As Luther said, “God doesn’t need your good works, but your neighbor does.” Teaching becomes a holy act when seen through this lens—not a way to earn God’s favor, but a way to serve in response to the favor already given.

The Vocation of the Educator

The Psalmist asks, “What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?” (v. 12). The answer is not repayment, for grace cannot be repaid. Instead, the response is gratitude lived out in vocation. “I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people” (vv. 13–14).

Vocation is where faith becomes active in love. For educators, this means seeing the classroom as an altar, the lesson plan as a liturgy of service, the students as neighbors to be loved. It means speaking truth, modeling humility, and embodying mercy—because we have first received it.

Your labor matters not because it is flawless, but because God has placed you there. You are His instrument. And He is the one who strengthens you.

Precious in His Sight

One of the most moving lines in Psalm 116 is verse 15: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” This serves as a reminder that our worth is not in what we do but in who we are in Christ. Even in suffering, even in failure, even in death—we are precious. This verse reminds educators that their daily sacrifices—whether seen or unseen—are not forgotten by God.

Christ Himself, the great Teacher, bore the cross for us. He knows what it means to teach the stubborn, to love the unlovable, to pour oneself out completely. And He promises to be with you—every day, in every classroom, until the end of the age.

Encouragement for Today

So, dear teacher, take heart:

  • Your cries are heard (v. 1).
  • Your weariness is known (v. 3).
  • Your soul is held by grace (v. 5).
  • Your vocation is holy (v. 14).
  • Your life is precious (v. 15).

Walk into your classroom not as one who must prove your worth, but as one already held in the mercy of Christ. Love freely, because you are freely loved. Teach boldly, because the Word is near. And rest securely, because the Lord has inclined His ear to you.

Amen and Amen!

 

Devotion by Dr. Thomas Wrege, a military veteran, former school principal, and currently a national consultant for Lutheran schools. As principal, he always looked to LSEM to provide teachers, resources, and counsel to ensure every child’s needs were met. He loves the mission and ministry of Lutheran Special Education Ministries — striving to reach every child with the love of Jesus and a promise of a relational and servant heart to support them.