From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts written by The Park Forum.
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So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 16 And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. 17 Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”
Mark 11:15-17 NKJV
Every year at Passover thousands of Jews came from all over Israel and Judea to offer sacrifices at the temple in Jerusalem. Since many traveled long distances, they often purchased their animal sacrifices in Jerusalem rather than hauling them from home and risking an injury or a blemish that would make them an unworthy sacrifice. It was a convenience for Jewish worshippers to purchase their sacrifices once they arrived. However, the market for these transactions had been set up in the Court of the Gentiles, where non-Jewish seekers of God came to worship. Thus, at Passover, the temple courtyard was filled with livestock, sellers of livestock and money-changers, who exchanged regional currencies for Jewish money.
When Jesus saw this, he was angry — so angry that he overturned tables and placed an embargo on merchandise. But why? Were the merchants just trying to help the travelers worship God? Perhaps. But they were doing it at the expense of those from “all nations” who were seeking God, counting their worship as insignificant...
Yet something else is going on. In a similar account of His cleansing the temple, Jesus was asked for a sign of His authority. He replied, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). But he wasn’t speaking about the building; “he was speaking about the temple of his body” (John 2:21).
In other words, when He died, the temple and its entire system — the priesthood, the sacrifices, the glory — died with Him because He Himself was the Passover Lamb, high priest and Shekinah glory...
When the temple curtain split at the death of Christ (Mark 15:38), the barrier between God and humanity came down for everyone... Today there is no need to travel to the temple in Jerusalem to worship. Nor is there any distinction between Jewish and Gentile worshippers. Worship is no longer attached to a place, but to a Person. Jesus is the temple. He is where we meet God.
Prayer:
Lord,
We worship Jesus as the final sacrifice, priest, glory and temple. Therefore, let us join ourselves to Him so that we may love His name and be His servants (Isaiah 56:6). In Christ, may all nations — those near and far — come to You in prayer (Isaiah 56:8). In Christ’s Name, Amen.
Friday, March 31, 2023
Thursday, March 30, 2023
From Now Until Easter - and Through Eternity
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts written by Maria Miriam, and prayer by Rachel Marie Stone, both contributors to ibelieve.com.
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[Jesus speaking] A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:34-35
I’m embarrassed to admit it, but this year I’ve been thinking of Holy Week less in terms of the passion of Jesus Christ and more in terms of “spring break.”
It’s not that I’ve got any spectacular vacation plans. It’s just that my children and I will be off from school (I’m a teacher), the days will grow longer and warmer, and the bulbs I planted in the garden last year will poke their green leaves out of the earth and blossom to the sun.
So I’m approaching Holy Week feeling unprepared, and not just because I have no idea what I’m going to make for Easter dinner... I’m soul-weary after months of winter and darkness and stress.
But perhaps this isn’t such a bad way to enter Holy Week – tired and unprepared, hungry for a new beginning, eager for the light to shine in the darkness. Even if, like me, you feel you haven’t quite lived into the penitential season of Lent, it’s not too late to begin walking toward resurrection morning.
PRAYER:
John 13:34-35
I’m embarrassed to admit it, but this year I’ve been thinking of Holy Week less in terms of the passion of Jesus Christ and more in terms of “spring break.”
It’s not that I’ve got any spectacular vacation plans. It’s just that my children and I will be off from school (I’m a teacher), the days will grow longer and warmer, and the bulbs I planted in the garden last year will poke their green leaves out of the earth and blossom to the sun.
So I’m approaching Holy Week feeling unprepared, and not just because I have no idea what I’m going to make for Easter dinner... I’m soul-weary after months of winter and darkness and stress.
But perhaps this isn’t such a bad way to enter Holy Week – tired and unprepared, hungry for a new beginning, eager for the light to shine in the darkness. Even if, like me, you feel you haven’t quite lived into the penitential season of Lent, it’s not too late to begin walking toward resurrection morning.
PRAYER:
Lord God,
You sent Your Son into the world, And before His hour had come, He washed His disciples’ feet. You had given all things into His hands. He had come from You, and was going to You, And what did He do? He knelt down on the floor and washed His friends’ feet. He was their teacher and their Lord, yet He washed their feet.
You sent Your Son into the world, And before His hour had come, He washed His disciples’ feet. You had given all things into His hands. He had come from You, and was going to You, And what did He do? He knelt down on the floor and washed His friends’ feet. He was their teacher and their Lord, yet He washed their feet.
Lord God, help us learn from His example; Help us to do as He has done for us. The world will know we are His disciples If we love one another. Strengthen our hands and our wills for love and for service. Keep before our eyes the image of Your Son, Who, being God, became a Servant for our sake. All glory be to Him who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen.
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
From Now Until Easter - The Three Rs of Easter
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts gathered and written by Danielle Ayers Jones, who has been a contributing writer for the online magazine, Ungrind, and has written for Thriving Family, Clubhouse, Jr., Radiant, and Relevant.
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As a family, we’ve looked for ways to celebrate Jesus’ death and resurrection in tangible, hands-on ways. To prepare our hearts during the busy organizing of Easter baskets and planning of a Sunday dinner. Ways that build up to Easter morning, so that we have a clear idea as to why we celebrate. And it all starts with remembering.
Remembrance
In the week or two leading up to Easter, we trace the story from Genesis to the New Testament by reading portions of scripture and hanging ornaments on the dogwood branches... With each ornament, we remember our need to be rescued and that Jesus was the one who came to save us.
Like Communion, Easter is a time of remembrance. It instigates reflection. “Do this in remembrance of me,” Jesus said in 1 Corinthians 11:24. Just like pausing in a service to drink the cup and eat the bread, I’m pausing during my year to focus specifically on Jesus and His sacrifice.
Repentance
One of the things we remember is our need for repentance. Even though I’ve placed my trust in Christ’s work and am secure in His grasp, it is good for me to remember the why behind the whole narrative arc of scripture. I needed forgiveness and there was nothing I could do to accomplish it. The Bible uses the metaphor of “dead in sin” to describe my condition. And so, Jesus was sent on a rescue mission. A mission to bring me back to life.
Resurrection
As Easter nears, the dogwood branches are no longer bare. They are filled with ornaments. Resurrection morning will soon dawn and there will be a time of celebration. For Easter represents the reality that though “in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” 1 Corinthians 15:22. The last enemy to be destroyed is death and Jesus has done just that.
“Jesus came and departed. But his resurrection means that everything in God’s kingdom is alive; in every moment something is happening,” writes Christopher Friedrich Blumhardt in Watch for the Light.
God is still working. He is resurrecting hearts that were once dead to Him. He is bringing them back to life, both for today and the eternal life to come.
Prayer:
In the week or two leading up to Easter, we trace the story from Genesis to the New Testament by reading portions of scripture and hanging ornaments on the dogwood branches... With each ornament, we remember our need to be rescued and that Jesus was the one who came to save us.
Like Communion, Easter is a time of remembrance. It instigates reflection. “Do this in remembrance of me,” Jesus said in 1 Corinthians 11:24. Just like pausing in a service to drink the cup and eat the bread, I’m pausing during my year to focus specifically on Jesus and His sacrifice.
Repentance
One of the things we remember is our need for repentance. Even though I’ve placed my trust in Christ’s work and am secure in His grasp, it is good for me to remember the why behind the whole narrative arc of scripture. I needed forgiveness and there was nothing I could do to accomplish it. The Bible uses the metaphor of “dead in sin” to describe my condition. And so, Jesus was sent on a rescue mission. A mission to bring me back to life.
Resurrection
As Easter nears, the dogwood branches are no longer bare. They are filled with ornaments. Resurrection morning will soon dawn and there will be a time of celebration. For Easter represents the reality that though “in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” 1 Corinthians 15:22. The last enemy to be destroyed is death and Jesus has done just that.
“Jesus came and departed. But his resurrection means that everything in God’s kingdom is alive; in every moment something is happening,” writes Christopher Friedrich Blumhardt in Watch for the Light.
God is still working. He is resurrecting hearts that were once dead to Him. He is bringing them back to life, both for today and the eternal life to come.
Prayer:
Jesus,
Thank You for going on a rescue mission to save me. Thank You for bringing me back to life so sin and death are not the end of my story. In this season, I am so reminded of my need for You. Thank You, Jesus. Amen
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
From Now Until Easter - Never Too Late
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts gathered and written by Whitney Hopler, a contributor to Crosswalk.
Lord,
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Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV
Each year, Easter's approach gets people excited about celebrating Christ's resurrection and all that it means in their lives. But His resurrection wouldn't mean nearly as much without His sacrifice on the cross. His work in people's lives today always involves growth that's often uncomfortable yet necessary to make a true difference worth celebrating.
Here are some activities that can enrich your spirit during Lent: It's never too late...
Ask God to help you focus on the true reason for Easter, (after all, it wasn't the Easter bunny who rose from the dead). Pray for an increased awareness of the Holy Spirit in your life.
Confess whatever thoughts or actions are hindering your intimacy with God, and ask Him to forgive you and send you the grace you need to live a better life.
Thank God for all the resources He has given you - time, money, energy, talents, skills, etc. Then think and pray about how you can best use those resources to serve God. Commit to start doing so more than you have in the past, and write a plan of some specific ways to get started.
Forgive someone. The Holy Spirit will enable you to do so if you rely on God's power. Write the person a letter, call, e-mail, or visit in person to offer your forgiveness.
Keep a daily journal to record current ways God is working in your life.
Take some time to get to know someone who's different [than you] perhaps someone from a different generation, culture, or economic status, and try to build a genuine friendship.
Simplify your life to care more responsibly for God's creation. Keep a record of what you purchase, then study it to determine why you bought what you did and how you can scale back to what you truly need. Be a good steward of all you have...
Serve your community. Choose one or several projects. Possibilities include helping elderly people with home repairs [or weekly tasks like taking out the garbage, mowing a lawn), reading books to children, volunteering, and visiting people in your local hospital.
Eat a Passover Seder meal like the one Jesus ate with His disciples before He died. Use the experience to worship Him.
Here are some activities that can enrich your spirit during Lent: It's never too late...
Ask God to help you focus on the true reason for Easter, (after all, it wasn't the Easter bunny who rose from the dead). Pray for an increased awareness of the Holy Spirit in your life.
Confess whatever thoughts or actions are hindering your intimacy with God, and ask Him to forgive you and send you the grace you need to live a better life.
Thank God for all the resources He has given you - time, money, energy, talents, skills, etc. Then think and pray about how you can best use those resources to serve God. Commit to start doing so more than you have in the past, and write a plan of some specific ways to get started.
Forgive someone. The Holy Spirit will enable you to do so if you rely on God's power. Write the person a letter, call, e-mail, or visit in person to offer your forgiveness.
Keep a daily journal to record current ways God is working in your life.
Take some time to get to know someone who's different [than you] perhaps someone from a different generation, culture, or economic status, and try to build a genuine friendship.
Simplify your life to care more responsibly for God's creation. Keep a record of what you purchase, then study it to determine why you bought what you did and how you can scale back to what you truly need. Be a good steward of all you have...
Serve your community. Choose one or several projects. Possibilities include helping elderly people with home repairs [or weekly tasks like taking out the garbage, mowing a lawn), reading books to children, volunteering, and visiting people in your local hospital.
Eat a Passover Seder meal like the one Jesus ate with His disciples before He died. Use the experience to worship Him.
Prayer:
Lord,
Do Your resurrection work in me. Transform my heart and my life into one that gives You glory and praise in every way. Pull me deeper and bring me closer toYour heart. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Monday, March 27, 2023
From Now Until Easter - Transformed
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts written by Dr. Roger Barrier, retired senior teaching pastor from Casas Church in Tucson, Arizona. In addition to being an author and sought-after conference speaker, Roger has mentored or taught thousands of pastors, missionaries, and Christian leaders worldwide.
They were a disappointing disaster. For example, the last week of Jesus’ life was not a good one for Jesus’ disciples. We should not be surprised; they didn’t do all that well during the first three-and-a-half years, either.
Philip is panicking in the upper room and unsure over whom Jesus really was.
As Jesus was sharing the bread and the wine at the Last Supper, Luke tells us that the disciples began to fight over who was the greatest. That must have really hurt Him.
They fell asleep and left Him alone during the time of His agony in the Garden.
Peter denied Him.
Judas betrayed Him.
Thomas doubted.
At the cross, all the disciples deserted Him and fled.
Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem—instead, they all go back to the Sea of Galilee and return to their fishing business.
When He needed their support they constantly disappointed Him.
After preaching his most demanding discipleship sermon (John 6), the entire crowd rejected him and departed en masse, except the Twelve.
There’s no doubt this was the most depressing moment of His ministry...He asked His disciples, “You’re going away too, aren’t you?” Expecting the answer to be, “Yes, we’ve had enough.” This was the low point. From this moment on, everything was downhill straight to the cross.
I’d like for you to consider with me how Jesus must have felt when His closest friends misunderstood, criticized, denied, betrayed Him. and left Him all alone at the cross. If Jesus could transform them, He can transform anyone.
Think of how Jesus felt as He was arrested in the garden and Matthew records one of the saddest verses in the entire Bible: “And they all forsook Him and fled.” Talk about rejection, betrayal, disappointment, and hurt! I guess that we should not be so hard on the disciples; after all, by our sin, many of us have done the same.
What the Disciples Became
Most of the Disciples disappear from the Bible early in the first century. But history records what they did. Frankly, they carried Christianity all over the known world.
The disciples did not start out too well—but they ended strong. Such is the impact and care of the person of Jesus Christ.
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Dear Roger,
Dear Roger,
You have preached almost 50 Easter sermons. What Easter principle means the most to you? Sincerely, Julie
Dear Julie,
Jesus saw people, not as they were, but as what they might become. This is the essence of the resurrection story.
Who the Disciples Were
They were a disappointing disaster. For example, the last week of Jesus’ life was not a good one for Jesus’ disciples. We should not be surprised; they didn’t do all that well during the first three-and-a-half years, either.
Philip is panicking in the upper room and unsure over whom Jesus really was.
As Jesus was sharing the bread and the wine at the Last Supper, Luke tells us that the disciples began to fight over who was the greatest. That must have really hurt Him.
They fell asleep and left Him alone during the time of His agony in the Garden.
Peter denied Him.
Judas betrayed Him.
Thomas doubted.
At the cross, all the disciples deserted Him and fled.
Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem—instead, they all go back to the Sea of Galilee and return to their fishing business.
When He needed their support they constantly disappointed Him.
After preaching his most demanding discipleship sermon (John 6), the entire crowd rejected him and departed en masse, except the Twelve.
There’s no doubt this was the most depressing moment of His ministry...He asked His disciples, “You’re going away too, aren’t you?” Expecting the answer to be, “Yes, we’ve had enough.” This was the low point. From this moment on, everything was downhill straight to the cross.
I’d like for you to consider with me how Jesus must have felt when His closest friends misunderstood, criticized, denied, betrayed Him. and left Him all alone at the cross. If Jesus could transform them, He can transform anyone.
Think of how Jesus felt as He was arrested in the garden and Matthew records one of the saddest verses in the entire Bible: “And they all forsook Him and fled.” Talk about rejection, betrayal, disappointment, and hurt! I guess that we should not be so hard on the disciples; after all, by our sin, many of us have done the same.
What the Disciples Became
Most of the Disciples disappear from the Bible early in the first century. But history records what they did. Frankly, they carried Christianity all over the known world.
The disciples did not start out too well—but they ended strong. Such is the impact and care of the person of Jesus Christ.
James was martyred in the streets of Jerusalem in 45 A.D.
Matthew gave up financial security to follow Jesus Christ. He was slain with a sword in Ethiopia.
Philip was born in a little city called Bethsaida, which means the house of the fisher or the house of the hunter. He went fishing and hunting for men. He was hanged in Phrygia.
Andrew took the gospel to Russia (He is the patron saint of Russia). He was crucified in Greece.
Matthew gave up financial security to follow Jesus Christ. He was slain with a sword in Ethiopia.
Philip was born in a little city called Bethsaida, which means the house of the fisher or the house of the hunter. He went fishing and hunting for men. He was hanged in Phrygia.
Andrew took the gospel to Russia (He is the patron saint of Russia). He was crucified in Greece.
Bartholomew was skinned alive in Armenia, near the modern-day town of Derbend in the old Soviet Union.
Thomas, often criticized for his doubts, left no doubt as to his loyalty to the Savior. He carried the gospel to East India where he was run through with a lance.
Thaddeus was shot to death with arrows in Beirut, Lebanon.
Simon the Zealot, was a member of the Jewish nationalistic party, ready to die for his country against the hated Romans. Instead, he was crucified in modern-day Iran.
Peter got as far as Rome where he, too, was crucified—at his request, upside down. He did not consider himself worthy to die right-side up as did his Lord.
John died in his 90s, exiled on the Isle of Patmos after writing the Gospel of John, three epistles, and Revelation.
How the Disciples Became What Jesus Intended
What happened to Peter can happen with us.
In the presence of Jesus, Peter had great courage. In the Garden of Gethsemane, he drew his sword and cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest.
In the presence of Jesus, Peter did the miraculous. He cast out demons.
In the presence of Jesus, Peter said miraculous things. “You are the Christ, the son of the living God."
Then, sadly, in the presence of a little girl by the fire on Thursday night, frightened and scared, Peter denied three times that he even knew Jesus.
What happened? What made the difference? ...Peter was no longer in the presence of Jesus.
Astoundingly, in the opening pages of the book of Acts, Peter was once again filled with courage. Threatened with death if he kept on preaching, Peter refused to stop.
Astoundingly, Peter was again doing miraculous things. “Pick up your bed and walk.” The cripple got up and walked.
Astoundingly, Peter was again saying the miraculous. “I’ve come to tell about Jesus Christ-whom you crucified!”
He was doing the same miraculous things that he did when he was standing by Jesus.
What made the difference? At Pentecost, Peter was indwelt by the life and presence of the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of Christ.
If Jesus transformed the disciples, He can transform us.
Thomas, often criticized for his doubts, left no doubt as to his loyalty to the Savior. He carried the gospel to East India where he was run through with a lance.
Thaddeus was shot to death with arrows in Beirut, Lebanon.
Simon the Zealot, was a member of the Jewish nationalistic party, ready to die for his country against the hated Romans. Instead, he was crucified in modern-day Iran.
Peter got as far as Rome where he, too, was crucified—at his request, upside down. He did not consider himself worthy to die right-side up as did his Lord.
John died in his 90s, exiled on the Isle of Patmos after writing the Gospel of John, three epistles, and Revelation.
How the Disciples Became What Jesus Intended
What happened to Peter can happen with us.
In the presence of Jesus, Peter had great courage. In the Garden of Gethsemane, he drew his sword and cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest.
In the presence of Jesus, Peter did the miraculous. He cast out demons.
In the presence of Jesus, Peter said miraculous things. “You are the Christ, the son of the living God."
Then, sadly, in the presence of a little girl by the fire on Thursday night, frightened and scared, Peter denied three times that he even knew Jesus.
What happened? What made the difference? ...Peter was no longer in the presence of Jesus.
Astoundingly, in the opening pages of the book of Acts, Peter was once again filled with courage. Threatened with death if he kept on preaching, Peter refused to stop.
Astoundingly, Peter was again doing miraculous things. “Pick up your bed and walk.” The cripple got up and walked.
Astoundingly, Peter was again saying the miraculous. “I’ve come to tell about Jesus Christ-whom you crucified!”
He was doing the same miraculous things that he did when he was standing by Jesus.
What made the difference? At Pentecost, Peter was indwelt by the life and presence of the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of Christ.
If Jesus transformed the disciples, He can transform us.
Prayer:
Father,
First, we thank You for the resurrection which proved the validity of Christ. Second, we pray to see ourselves from Your perspective. We know that compared to the perfection of Christ, we all need transformation. Third, help us to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit as we allow Him to live freely in us. When we think of what the disciples were—then what they became in the hands of both Christ and the Holy Spirit, we are filled with hope and courage when we think of what we are—and imagine what we can become in the hands of both Christ and the Holy Spirit. Father, give us the wisdom to fully understand the resurrection power of Jesus Christ and Your strength to receive the transforming work of Christ in us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
First, we thank You for the resurrection which proved the validity of Christ. Second, we pray to see ourselves from Your perspective. We know that compared to the perfection of Christ, we all need transformation. Third, help us to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit as we allow Him to live freely in us. When we think of what the disciples were—then what they became in the hands of both Christ and the Holy Spirit, we are filled with hope and courage when we think of what we are—and imagine what we can become in the hands of both Christ and the Holy Spirit. Father, give us the wisdom to fully understand the resurrection power of Jesus Christ and Your strength to receive the transforming work of Christ in us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Sunday, March 26, 2023
From Now Until Easter - A Choice
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts written by Sarah Coleman - an Australian author and communicator. Her books include Single Christian Female and Make Yourself Amazing. She is passionate about the Kingdom of God.
The Cross is prophetic.
There are many prophecies of the Cross in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. From the beginning of time, God planned to rescue humanity from the clutches of evil...
He was disfigured, tormented, completely abused. But not only was his punishment prophesied, so was our atonement. Pierced for sin. Beaten for wholeness. Whipped for healing. A divine exchange. Blessings for curses, completeness for brokenness, unrighteousness for holiness. Redemption was prophesied.
So many [people] gaze at the Cross and yet hold on to past hurt, pain, and problems. They don’t belong on your back any longer – Jesus has taken them on his. The debt is paid. Look to the Cross and receive your salvation.
Prayer:
Father, Redeemer, Lamb of God,
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Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
Isaiah 53:4-5
The Cross is a great contradiction. Once the cruelest form of execution, yet now it is a symbol of abundant life. The Cross means many things to many people. Some have it displayed on their mantel, others wear it around their neck. What is... it about the Cross?
Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
Isaiah 53:4-5
The Cross is a great contradiction. Once the cruelest form of execution, yet now it is a symbol of abundant life. The Cross means many things to many people. Some have it displayed on their mantel, others wear it around their neck. What is... it about the Cross?
The Cross means love.
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). He died for people who had lost their way. He did not die because it was forced upon him. It was a choice. A choice made in love.
Jesus still loves sinners. He came and gave his life for them. The message of the Cross remains a gift of love to those undeserving.
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). He died for people who had lost their way. He did not die because it was forced upon him. It was a choice. A choice made in love.
Jesus still loves sinners. He came and gave his life for them. The message of the Cross remains a gift of love to those undeserving.
The Cross is personal.
I want to know Christ... I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death (Philippians 3:10). Christianity is the only faith where God has reached down to us. Our response to such a God is to know him personally. Jesus died so that he could know you. It was personal.
The Cross is willful humility.
Christ’s death was an act of his will. In Philippians 2:7-8, Paul states that Jesus humbled himself in obedience and died a criminal's death on the Cross. Sometimes we mistakenly think that he made that decision as God. Jesus came to the conclusion to die for humanity as a human. He willed his flesh, mind, and emotions to die on the Cross.
Christ hung on the cross on purpose. He could choose to live as he pleased, but he chose to give his life for our sake. Galatians 2:20 says that we have been crucified with Christ – past tense. As Christians, we are to be dead to our will, as Christ was. Our life’s prayer should be, “Not my will, Yours be done.” And just like Jesus, it is our responsibility to act on our prayer. Being in the will of God is not a passive thing. It is an act of the will.
I want to know Christ... I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death (Philippians 3:10). Christianity is the only faith where God has reached down to us. Our response to such a God is to know him personally. Jesus died so that he could know you. It was personal.
The Cross is willful humility.
Christ’s death was an act of his will. In Philippians 2:7-8, Paul states that Jesus humbled himself in obedience and died a criminal's death on the Cross. Sometimes we mistakenly think that he made that decision as God. Jesus came to the conclusion to die for humanity as a human. He willed his flesh, mind, and emotions to die on the Cross.
Christ hung on the cross on purpose. He could choose to live as he pleased, but he chose to give his life for our sake. Galatians 2:20 says that we have been crucified with Christ – past tense. As Christians, we are to be dead to our will, as Christ was. Our life’s prayer should be, “Not my will, Yours be done.” And just like Jesus, it is our responsibility to act on our prayer. Being in the will of God is not a passive thing. It is an act of the will.
The Cross is prophetic.
There are many prophecies of the Cross in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. From the beginning of time, God planned to rescue humanity from the clutches of evil...
He was disfigured, tormented, completely abused. But not only was his punishment prophesied, so was our atonement. Pierced for sin. Beaten for wholeness. Whipped for healing. A divine exchange. Blessings for curses, completeness for brokenness, unrighteousness for holiness. Redemption was prophesied.
The Cross is final.
And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were killed, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And you have caused them to become God’s kingdom and his priests. And they will reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:9-10, NLT)
And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were killed, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And you have caused them to become God’s kingdom and his priests. And they will reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:9-10, NLT)
So many [people] gaze at the Cross and yet hold on to past hurt, pain, and problems. They don’t belong on your back any longer – Jesus has taken them on his. The debt is paid. Look to the Cross and receive your salvation.
Prayer:
Father, Redeemer, Lamb of God,
You are worthy. Thank You for the Cross, Lord. Help us to see it for all it is worth. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Saturday, March 25, 2023
From Now Until Easter - Designed to Be
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts written by Jennifer Heeren - a regular contributor to Crosswalk.com.
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There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
1 John 4:18 NLT
When I give up something for Lent, I want it to come from a heart that truly wants to glorify God. I want it to be something that magnifies my view of the resurrection season at the end of the forty days. This year, I want the Lenten season to be a time of meditating on who God designed me to be and then taking steps to live like that person more often. I want to give up some of my behaviors that serve to emphasize the boundaries of my comfort zone instead of expanding them. I tend to hide my true self by simply going along with the flow of what other people are doing and saying. I do not want to rock any boats by bringing up opposing viewpoints. On the surface, it may seem like I am keeping the peace but really, most of the time, I am just too afraid to stand out. Fitting in is more comfortable. The result of this behavior is lukewarm living and God does not like lukewarm attitudes and behaviors (Revelation 3:16).
One reason that it is more comfortable to fit in is my habit of comparing myself with other people. When I compare myself with others, I find myself lacking, and then I am fearful of sharing anything because I do not feel worthy. Therefore, meditating on who God designed me to be should help. Psalm 139:13-16 says that he made all of the intricate details of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. His workmanship is wonderful and he made me. He knew everything that I would do—good, bad, or indifferent—before I took my first breath. Yet, he chose me anyway. Like a lonely child in an orphanage on the day of a long-awaited adoption, God chose me to be one of His own.
These truths should make me perfectly content and secure but I do not always live as if they do. Often I live as if people’s opinions are the epitome and God’s opinion is hard to grasp. Therefore, for forty days I will meditate on God’s love for me. I will think about how he designed me for a good purpose and he wants me to live within that purpose. It is okay to do and say things that I believe wholeheartedly in my soul even when rejection comes back to me. After all, if God is for me, who can be against me?
Focusing for forty days on contentment with who God designed me to be should help me to relish the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection more because He died so that I could have a full and abundant life. He did not die so that I could hide and cower.
Prayer:
Father,
I pray that out of Your glorious riches, You may strengthen us with power through Your Spirit in our inner being, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. And, I pray that we, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know His love that surpasses knowledge and that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:16-19). When we are afraid of others' opinions, help us to remember that You love us with a perfect love and perfect love drives away fear. In Jesus' Name. Amen
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There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
1 John 4:18 NLT
When I give up something for Lent, I want it to come from a heart that truly wants to glorify God. I want it to be something that magnifies my view of the resurrection season at the end of the forty days. This year, I want the Lenten season to be a time of meditating on who God designed me to be and then taking steps to live like that person more often. I want to give up some of my behaviors that serve to emphasize the boundaries of my comfort zone instead of expanding them. I tend to hide my true self by simply going along with the flow of what other people are doing and saying. I do not want to rock any boats by bringing up opposing viewpoints. On the surface, it may seem like I am keeping the peace but really, most of the time, I am just too afraid to stand out. Fitting in is more comfortable. The result of this behavior is lukewarm living and God does not like lukewarm attitudes and behaviors (Revelation 3:16).
One reason that it is more comfortable to fit in is my habit of comparing myself with other people. When I compare myself with others, I find myself lacking, and then I am fearful of sharing anything because I do not feel worthy. Therefore, meditating on who God designed me to be should help. Psalm 139:13-16 says that he made all of the intricate details of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. His workmanship is wonderful and he made me. He knew everything that I would do—good, bad, or indifferent—before I took my first breath. Yet, he chose me anyway. Like a lonely child in an orphanage on the day of a long-awaited adoption, God chose me to be one of His own.
These truths should make me perfectly content and secure but I do not always live as if they do. Often I live as if people’s opinions are the epitome and God’s opinion is hard to grasp. Therefore, for forty days I will meditate on God’s love for me. I will think about how he designed me for a good purpose and he wants me to live within that purpose. It is okay to do and say things that I believe wholeheartedly in my soul even when rejection comes back to me. After all, if God is for me, who can be against me?
Focusing for forty days on contentment with who God designed me to be should help me to relish the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection more because He died so that I could have a full and abundant life. He did not die so that I could hide and cower.
Prayer:
Father,
I pray that out of Your glorious riches, You may strengthen us with power through Your Spirit in our inner being, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. And, I pray that we, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know His love that surpasses knowledge and that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:16-19). When we are afraid of others' opinions, help us to remember that You love us with a perfect love and perfect love drives away fear. In Jesus' Name. Amen
Friday, March 24, 2023
From Now Until Easter - Light Shines
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts written by Sarah Coleman, an Australian author and pastor.
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Do not gloat over me, my enemies! For though I fall, I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.
Micah 7:8 NLT
Everyone has dark days. Days of extreme stress. Days of abandonment. Days of verbal and emotional battery. Days of mockery and humiliation. Days of what may feel like a crucifixion. Days of pain. Days of death.
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Do not gloat over me, my enemies! For though I fall, I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.
Micah 7:8 NLT
Everyone has dark days. Days of extreme stress. Days of abandonment. Days of verbal and emotional battery. Days of mockery and humiliation. Days of what may feel like a crucifixion. Days of pain. Days of death.
Jesus had one of those days.
And like most of us when we have one of those days, He finished His day in a dark place. A place of nightmares.
When most people go to a dark place they are confronted by demons and voices. An overwhelming trap of hatred, violence and dread. Depression, anger and emptiness. Jesus faced it, too... For Jesus, it wasn't just His demons, but all the demons in hell. Every single demon taunted and ridiculed Him with hideous slander and unthinkable perversion.
The darkest of dark places. But here is what the devil did not count on - what he never saw coming.
And like most of us when we have one of those days, He finished His day in a dark place. A place of nightmares.
When most people go to a dark place they are confronted by demons and voices. An overwhelming trap of hatred, violence and dread. Depression, anger and emptiness. Jesus faced it, too... For Jesus, it wasn't just His demons, but all the demons in hell. Every single demon taunted and ridiculed Him with hideous slander and unthinkable perversion.
The darkest of dark places. But here is what the devil did not count on - what he never saw coming.
He thought the darkness won. It did not. And it never will.
Darkness struck. But Light struck back.
John 1:5 tells us, The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
Never.Extinguish.The Light.
Jesus overcame darkness.
So can we.
Prayer:
Darkness struck. But Light struck back.
John 1:5 tells us, The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
Never.Extinguish.The Light.
Jesus overcame darkness.
So can we.
Prayer:
Lord,
In the dark seasons of my life, shine Your light. When I am doubting, remind me of who You are. When I am weary, bring me peace. When I am restless, may I find my rest in You. You are the victory-- hallelujah! Amen
Thursday, March 23, 2023
From Now Until Easter - Storms
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts written by Alan T. “Blues” Baker, RCA supervisor of Chaplain Ministries, who has also served as a military, campus, and corporate chaplain.
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They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits’ end.
They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits’ end.
Psalm 107:26-27 NIV
Every seasoned sailor experiences storms at sea. In rolling darkness, their ship sways and shudders by the strength of the wave. As a Navy chaplain, I’ve been thrown from my rack to the deck by the force of the storm. I’ve served alongside sailors unable to sleep because we were overwhelmed by uncontrollable circumstances.
Throughout the past two centuries, the RCA has sent chaplains to sea. The chaplains bring comforting words of the Bible to fearful sailors. Beyond words, they bring the incarnational presence of Jesus among those in the storm. When the waves are strongest, chaplains remind sailors that Jesus is even stronger. They remind mariners who are scared and stressed that they aren’t the first to fight against the storm. Chaplains retell the story of a group of first-century fishermen, wet and wind-burned, caught in a terrifying squall on the Sea of Galilee. These seasoned sailors panic. They cry out to Jesus. Like the calm eye of a savage hurricane, Jesus brings stillness because, no matter the circumstance, he abides with his father.
You may not be at sea, but you may be reeling from waves beyond your control. Are you sinking in frustration, anxiety, fear, depression, or anger? Whatever your storm, call upon the comforter, the Holy Spirit, who will bring the presence and peace of Jesus to your anxious, fearful, and frantic circumstance. God promises to fill your cloudy sky with his bright moonbeams shining against the wave of your stormy sea.
Prayer:
Every seasoned sailor experiences storms at sea. In rolling darkness, their ship sways and shudders by the strength of the wave. As a Navy chaplain, I’ve been thrown from my rack to the deck by the force of the storm. I’ve served alongside sailors unable to sleep because we were overwhelmed by uncontrollable circumstances.
Throughout the past two centuries, the RCA has sent chaplains to sea. The chaplains bring comforting words of the Bible to fearful sailors. Beyond words, they bring the incarnational presence of Jesus among those in the storm. When the waves are strongest, chaplains remind sailors that Jesus is even stronger. They remind mariners who are scared and stressed that they aren’t the first to fight against the storm. Chaplains retell the story of a group of first-century fishermen, wet and wind-burned, caught in a terrifying squall on the Sea of Galilee. These seasoned sailors panic. They cry out to Jesus. Like the calm eye of a savage hurricane, Jesus brings stillness because, no matter the circumstance, he abides with his father.
You may not be at sea, but you may be reeling from waves beyond your control. Are you sinking in frustration, anxiety, fear, depression, or anger? Whatever your storm, call upon the comforter, the Holy Spirit, who will bring the presence and peace of Jesus to your anxious, fearful, and frantic circumstance. God promises to fill your cloudy sky with his bright moonbeams shining against the wave of your stormy sea.
Prayer:
Lord,
Save us in the storms of life and remind us of Your promise to never abandon ship: “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Amen.
Wednesday, March 22, 2023
From Now Until Easter - Even In the Pit
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts written by Chaplain David Blauw, who has been leading the department of Spiritual Care at Holland Hospital in Holland, Michigan, for almost 25 years.
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Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits - who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits - who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psalm 103:2-5
I believe we are challenged by Psalm 103 to know that while there can’t always be “cure,” there can always be “care.” For instance, forgiveness by a God who does not hold grudges; steadfast love and mercy, even in the deepest valley. Good things are folded, sometimes secretly, within intrusions such as brain or spinal cord injury; sudden, devastating loss; or the fact that all will lose capacity and abilities with age and disease. Good things, even then. I’ve seen them.
Bless the Lord that there is care and love for us... This is shown in crisp and awful clarity, as our Lord suffered execution.
Prayer:
I believe we are challenged by Psalm 103 to know that while there can’t always be “cure,” there can always be “care.” For instance, forgiveness by a God who does not hold grudges; steadfast love and mercy, even in the deepest valley. Good things are folded, sometimes secretly, within intrusions such as brain or spinal cord injury; sudden, devastating loss; or the fact that all will lose capacity and abilities with age and disease. Good things, even then. I’ve seen them.
Bless the Lord that there is care and love for us... This is shown in crisp and awful clarity, as our Lord suffered execution.
Prayer:
We bless you, Lord, even in the pit, even in despair or change, even in our waywardness or weakness. Help us soar like eagles as we prepare for early morning... Amen.
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
From Now Until Easter - In the Shadow
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts written by Rev. Lindsay Bona, She is the vice president of Mission and Spiritual Care at Advocate Children’s Hospital.
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You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence; he will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence; he will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
Psalm 91:1-4
I have walked with many people on their medical journeys. This psalm brought them comfort in the knowledge that God was with them even in the darkest hour. These dark hours come in the middle of the night or in the day as the sun shines in through the window. Light creates shadows. The length of your shadow is determined by the time of the day. The length of God’s shadow is determined by your situation and is always God’s comforting presence. Sometimes the longest shadow of comfort comes at 1:00 a.m. when the doctor delivered the news we all had feared.
I remember one patient who was in the hospital waiting to have her first child. She was also diagnosed with cancer that could possibly take her life. We discussed how God was present with them now and how God would be with them in the future... She had faith that God would be with her child. She knew that no matter what, her child would never be alone.
[As] children of God, we are all sheltered by the shadow of the Almighty. In our darkest moments, it is hard to see the shadow of God protecting us. We may forget that God never leaves us. On this day, no matter how high the sun is in the sky, may you remember that when you call upon the Lord, God will answer. When you are in trouble, God is there. May you abide in God’s love always.
Prayer:
I have walked with many people on their medical journeys. This psalm brought them comfort in the knowledge that God was with them even in the darkest hour. These dark hours come in the middle of the night or in the day as the sun shines in through the window. Light creates shadows. The length of your shadow is determined by the time of the day. The length of God’s shadow is determined by your situation and is always God’s comforting presence. Sometimes the longest shadow of comfort comes at 1:00 a.m. when the doctor delivered the news we all had feared.
I remember one patient who was in the hospital waiting to have her first child. She was also diagnosed with cancer that could possibly take her life. We discussed how God was present with them now and how God would be with them in the future... She had faith that God would be with her child. She knew that no matter what, her child would never be alone.
[As] children of God, we are all sheltered by the shadow of the Almighty. In our darkest moments, it is hard to see the shadow of God protecting us. We may forget that God never leaves us. On this day, no matter how high the sun is in the sky, may you remember that when you call upon the Lord, God will answer. When you are in trouble, God is there. May you abide in God’s love always.
Prayer:
Almighty God, our refuge and our fortress,
Shelter us in Your shadow. Help us to know Your shadow is protecting us and that You never leave us nor forsake us. Help us to know Your love and to abide in it. Amen.
Monday, March 20, 2023
From Now Until Easter - Number Our Days
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts written by Richard Huls. He is a graduate of Hope College, Western Seminary, and Chapman University. He served as a chaplain in the U.S. Navy, then with Kaiser Hospice, the Escondido Police Department, and various retirement homes. He continues to provide services to each as needed. He currently is an RCA chaplain for retirees in the area of San Diego, California.
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1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. …
12 So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart.
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1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. …
12 So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart.
Psalm 90:1, 2, 12
The writer of this psalm [Moses] makes us aware of the brevity of life, something we are reminded of every time we pass a mortuary or cemetery. And yet, with our consumptive behavior, we often live as if there is no end to our days. Lent is a perfect time to reconsider our lifestyle and belief systems. It is a call for not only penitence (abstaining), but also repentance (changing).
The writer of this psalm [Moses] makes us aware of the brevity of life, something we are reminded of every time we pass a mortuary or cemetery. And yet, with our consumptive behavior, we often live as if there is no end to our days. Lent is a perfect time to reconsider our lifestyle and belief systems. It is a call for not only penitence (abstaining), but also repentance (changing).
Christ makes us aware of our pursuits and what is essential with these words: “What will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life?” (Matthew 16:26). The psalmist reminds us that our very life is from God (v. 1), and later in the Psalms, we are reminded of the reality of life’s brevity: “As for mortals, their days are like grass; they flourish like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more” (Psalm 103:15).
As a chaplain who has served in many capacities, first in the military, then in law enforcement, in hospice, and presently in the retirement community, I am more aware than ever how fragile and transitory life is—impairment, sickness, frailty, and death are the realities of life. We might make it to age 70 or, if by reason of strength, 80, then it is over, says the author. The psalmist then gives us a word for our Lenten thought in this transitory life in verse 12, “So teach us to count our days that we might gain a wise heart.” In order to reach this place in our lives with conviction and success, it will take time in reflection, prayer, and perhaps even fasting, which is what the Lenten experience is all about...
Prayer:
As a chaplain who has served in many capacities, first in the military, then in law enforcement, in hospice, and presently in the retirement community, I am more aware than ever how fragile and transitory life is—impairment, sickness, frailty, and death are the realities of life. We might make it to age 70 or, if by reason of strength, 80, then it is over, says the author. The psalmist then gives us a word for our Lenten thought in this transitory life in verse 12, “So teach us to count our days that we might gain a wise heart.” In order to reach this place in our lives with conviction and success, it will take time in reflection, prayer, and perhaps even fasting, which is what the Lenten experience is all about...
Prayer:
God of strength and grace,
Teach us to number our days that we might present to You a heart of wisdom. In Christ, we pray. Amen.
Sunday, March 19, 2023
From Now Until Easter - Inseparable
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts written by Jordan Helming - a chaplain candidate assigned to 1st Battalion, 194th Field Artillery Regiment, Iowa Army National Guard.
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I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, that he may hear me. In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted. I think of God, and I moan; I meditate, and my spirit faints. You keep my eyelids from closing; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
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I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, that he may hear me. In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted. I think of God, and I moan; I meditate, and my spirit faints. You keep my eyelids from closing; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
Psalm 77:1-4
What do we do during the “day of trouble?” We cry aloud to God to find comfort, but for some reason, “my soul refuses to be comforted.” We lose sleep, and we cannot even describe the anguish we are in. On top of all of this, we experience a theological crisis: God promised to never leave or forsake me, but now he has turned his back on me.
Every now and then, soldiers will reveal to me that they have reached out to God during those particularly dark seasons of life, but they have heard no response. They asked for relief, or, at the very least, sustainment, but it doesn’t seem to be working. They are praying like they’ve never prayed before, but still their pain overwhelms. “Has God forgotten to be gracious?” (v. 9).
...The Bible reminds us over and over that God is merciful and abounding in steadfast love (Exodus 34:6-7), that God never changes (Hebrews 13:8), and that God desires an intimate relationship with his people (Isaiah 43:1; Jeremiah 31:33). I do not believe that God causes our suffering, but he can certainly use it that we might “cry aloud to God,” “think of God,” and meditate and search [our] spirit. The psalmist reminds us that even amid our suffering, it is out of God’s character to spurn or abandon, to be unloving or to withhold compassion. Even on our darkest days, God is inseparable from his goodness and mercy.
Prayer:
What do we do during the “day of trouble?” We cry aloud to God to find comfort, but for some reason, “my soul refuses to be comforted.” We lose sleep, and we cannot even describe the anguish we are in. On top of all of this, we experience a theological crisis: God promised to never leave or forsake me, but now he has turned his back on me.
Every now and then, soldiers will reveal to me that they have reached out to God during those particularly dark seasons of life, but they have heard no response. They asked for relief, or, at the very least, sustainment, but it doesn’t seem to be working. They are praying like they’ve never prayed before, but still their pain overwhelms. “Has God forgotten to be gracious?” (v. 9).
...The Bible reminds us over and over that God is merciful and abounding in steadfast love (Exodus 34:6-7), that God never changes (Hebrews 13:8), and that God desires an intimate relationship with his people (Isaiah 43:1; Jeremiah 31:33). I do not believe that God causes our suffering, but he can certainly use it that we might “cry aloud to God,” “think of God,” and meditate and search [our] spirit. The psalmist reminds us that even amid our suffering, it is out of God’s character to spurn or abandon, to be unloving or to withhold compassion. Even on our darkest days, God is inseparable from his goodness and mercy.
Prayer:
Gracious and Almighty God,
We give You thanks during this season of Lent. Forgive us for those times we seek lesser comfort than that which only comes from Your warm and loving presence. Continue to refine Your people, Lord, that we may seek You alone, regardless of our circumstances. In good times and bad, may we be assured of Your unchanging love and mercy toward Your people. Thank You for Your unending faithfulness. Through Christ, our Lord, amen.
Saturday, March 18, 2023
From Now Until Easter - Long Nights
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts written by Keith Krebs - the chaplain at the American Mission Hospital in Manama, the Kingdom of Bahrain.
I write this devotion for when the lights of faith have gone dim. Enough of the day has been experienced to know that it is now night. And you cry out, “How long, O God?”
For we can no longer find You in the familiar, routine places where we have always found You. We go to church and You are not there. It feels like someone has hacked into pieces (v. 5) all the memories and symbols of our faith. There is no longer a word spoken (v. 9), at least that we can now hear and understand. The church used to be filled with worship and Word and sacrament. Now it is filled with the inner emptiness of our hearts.
Yet, yours also is night. God is with us in this dark valley. The psalmist reminds us, “You have fixed all the bounds of the earth” (v. 17). You know how this spiritual darkness descended and how long it will endure. You promise, as in times of old, You will be working salvation into our situation (v. 12). So we pray:
Prayer:
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We do not see our emblems; there is no longer any prophet, and there is no one among us who knows how long. How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever? Why do you hold back your hand; why do you keep your hand in your bosom? Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the earth.
We do not see our emblems; there is no longer any prophet, and there is no one among us who knows how long. How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever? Why do you hold back your hand; why do you keep your hand in your bosom? Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the earth.
Psalm 74:9-12
I write this devotion for when the lights of faith have gone dim. Enough of the day has been experienced to know that it is now night. And you cry out, “How long, O God?”
For we can no longer find You in the familiar, routine places where we have always found You. We go to church and You are not there. It feels like someone has hacked into pieces (v. 5) all the memories and symbols of our faith. There is no longer a word spoken (v. 9), at least that we can now hear and understand. The church used to be filled with worship and Word and sacrament. Now it is filled with the inner emptiness of our hearts.
Yet, yours also is night. God is with us in this dark valley. The psalmist reminds us, “You have fixed all the bounds of the earth” (v. 17). You know how this spiritual darkness descended and how long it will endure. You promise, as in times of old, You will be working salvation into our situation (v. 12). So we pray:
Prayer:
Lord God,
In this Lenten season, we turn to You. Yours is the day; Yours also is the night. When shadows cover our hearts, come alongside us. Increase Your intervention and chase the shadows of doubt away. We ask this in Jesus’s Name. Amen.
Friday, March 17, 2023
From Now Until Easter - In the Margins
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts written by Mark Tjepkema has spent 53 years in the ministry, about half as a pastor and half as a hospital chaplain, and now serves Homer Presbyterian Church in Homer, Georgia.
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5 For you are my hope, O Lord God; you are my trust from my youth. …
16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of your righteousness, of yours only. O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me,
until I declare your strength to this generation, your power to everyone who is to come.
Psalm 71:5, 16-18 NKJV
It was during our morning staff meeting that one of our team members blurted out, “I feel marginalized.” The term was new to me, but, as we stunned chaplains listened attentively, we learned that our colleague felt unrecognized and unappreciated, and from that day forward, we endeavored to let her know that she was a gifted chaplain and a viable part of our ministry.
Personally, I had not been plagued with that feeling until I retired. Then, I learned what it felt like to be marginalized, for as the phone quit ringing and the beeper quit going off, I felt like I was no longer needed; there was a void in my life. So, I turned to my go-to psalm, namely, Psalm 71. It was there, interestingly enough, that I found comfort—yes, in the Scripture itself—but also in the margins, in the notes I had made, especially as I was moving in to my older years.
Let’s start with verse 16: “I will go in the strength of the Lord God,” which brought to mind the notation about God’s protection when I took a 6,768 mile Harley fundraising ride at the age of 71, for our hospital’s new Memory Care Facility. Then, in verse 18: “Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare your strength to this generation.” This brought to mind my notation, “Yet to preach? Would God bring me ‘full circle,’ to where I started?” Finally, in verse 9, at the age of 78, I read: “Do not cast me off in the time of old age.” As I find myself pastoring a small church part-time, even serving as the youth minister, I reflect during this season of Lent, that if one is willing to remain a willing servant, and as health allows, God will see to it that we will never be marginalized.
Prayer:
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5 For you are my hope, O Lord God; you are my trust from my youth. …
16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of your righteousness, of yours only. O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me,
until I declare your strength to this generation, your power to everyone who is to come.
Psalm 71:5, 16-18 NKJV
It was during our morning staff meeting that one of our team members blurted out, “I feel marginalized.” The term was new to me, but, as we stunned chaplains listened attentively, we learned that our colleague felt unrecognized and unappreciated, and from that day forward, we endeavored to let her know that she was a gifted chaplain and a viable part of our ministry.
Personally, I had not been plagued with that feeling until I retired. Then, I learned what it felt like to be marginalized, for as the phone quit ringing and the beeper quit going off, I felt like I was no longer needed; there was a void in my life. So, I turned to my go-to psalm, namely, Psalm 71. It was there, interestingly enough, that I found comfort—yes, in the Scripture itself—but also in the margins, in the notes I had made, especially as I was moving in to my older years.
Let’s start with verse 16: “I will go in the strength of the Lord God,” which brought to mind the notation about God’s protection when I took a 6,768 mile Harley fundraising ride at the age of 71, for our hospital’s new Memory Care Facility. Then, in verse 18: “Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare your strength to this generation.” This brought to mind my notation, “Yet to preach? Would God bring me ‘full circle,’ to where I started?” Finally, in verse 9, at the age of 78, I read: “Do not cast me off in the time of old age.” As I find myself pastoring a small church part-time, even serving as the youth minister, I reflect during this season of Lent, that if one is willing to remain a willing servant, and as health allows, God will see to it that we will never be marginalized.
Prayer:
Thank You, Lord, that there always will remain sources and resources of courage and encouragement for the journey, most often from our daily Bible readings and the notes we make in the margins, for You are, indeed, our hope and trust, from our youth, keeping us young in spirit. Amen.
Thursday, March 16, 2023
From Now Until Easter - A Lone Lilac
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts written by Mara Joy Norden - a board-certified chaplain who currently serving in Ada, Michigan.
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8 I have become a stranger to my kindred, an alien to my mother’s children…
20 Insults have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
Psalm 69:8, 20-21
In my yard during Lent, the snow melts, and I take stock of my outdoor plants. It isn’t pretty. The voracious mint patch has choked out the salvia my mom planted two falls ago. The lilacs close to the house bow low with buds, but the lone one at the edge of the yard shows no signs of life after a late frost.
The season of Lent invites us to take stock of our spiritual lives as we wake up from the dormancy that sets in after the Christmas season. What bad habits have crept up, choking out life-giving intentions? What has died and needs to be cleared away? Where have forces outside our control caused hurt?
The author of Psalm 69 takes stock of his life and speaks the misery he finds - rejection, hatred, and harm by people who are supposed to love him. Why? Not because David has forgotten God, but precisely because he is trying to live a faithful, authentic life (vv. 9-12). The hurt runs so high and so deep that he feels like he’s drowning (v. 2). I’ve been there. Have you?
If David were standing in my Lenten garden, I imagine he would identify most with the lone lilac, isolated and barren. We might be tempted to keep quiet, but David does the most faithful thing: he speaks it before God, raw and honest. While speaking his pain, he finds the energy to pray for himself: “Rescue me from sinking in the mire” (vv. 13-14). While praying for himself, he finds the energy to remember the goodness of God: “I will praise the name of God with a song” (vv. 30-33). While remembering the goodness of God, David begins to come to life again.
Prayer:
8 I have become a stranger to my kindred, an alien to my mother’s children…
20 Insults have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
Psalm 69:8, 20-21
In my yard during Lent, the snow melts, and I take stock of my outdoor plants. It isn’t pretty. The voracious mint patch has choked out the salvia my mom planted two falls ago. The lilacs close to the house bow low with buds, but the lone one at the edge of the yard shows no signs of life after a late frost.
The season of Lent invites us to take stock of our spiritual lives as we wake up from the dormancy that sets in after the Christmas season. What bad habits have crept up, choking out life-giving intentions? What has died and needs to be cleared away? Where have forces outside our control caused hurt?
The author of Psalm 69 takes stock of his life and speaks the misery he finds - rejection, hatred, and harm by people who are supposed to love him. Why? Not because David has forgotten God, but precisely because he is trying to live a faithful, authentic life (vv. 9-12). The hurt runs so high and so deep that he feels like he’s drowning (v. 2). I’ve been there. Have you?
If David were standing in my Lenten garden, I imagine he would identify most with the lone lilac, isolated and barren. We might be tempted to keep quiet, but David does the most faithful thing: he speaks it before God, raw and honest. While speaking his pain, he finds the energy to pray for himself: “Rescue me from sinking in the mire” (vv. 13-14). While praying for himself, he finds the energy to remember the goodness of God: “I will praise the name of God with a song” (vv. 30-33). While remembering the goodness of God, David begins to come to life again.
Prayer:
Oh God,
Remind us that Your shoulders are big enough to handle our hurt, anger, and pain. Give us the courage to speak these things to You and others. Thank You for bringing new life out of death. Amen.
Wednesday, March 15, 2023
From Now Until Easter - Deep Need
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts written by Leigh Boelkins Van Kempen, a chaplain at Resthaven Care Community in Michigan.
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For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.
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For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.
Psalm 62:5-8
She had been an indomitable woman! She was strong, independent, wise, determined, and faithful. She was a woman I knew from the community, long before she became a resident in the nursing home where I serve as chaplain. I had incredible respect for her. At least a generation older than I was, she demonstrated for me how a strong woman could manage in a world that didn’t always respect her gifts. I learned a lot from her.
Then dementia invaded her life. It began to undermine her independence. It eroded her wisdom. It depleted her strength. In spite of her determination, she became less and less able to navigate the daily activities necessary to survive unaided, until she finally needed residential care for her safety. This was overwhelmingly distressing to her and to many who had known her self-sufficiency.
But her faith remained intact. We would talk about God—her rock and refuge, her hope and fortress. And as so much was stripped away by dementia, her faith remained. Until. Until dementia took her ability to speak. Until dementia eliminated every shred of her personality, and she spent her final months unable to respond at all, unable to give any indication she was even aware that others were around her.
Even in the silence of profound dementia, God never stopped being her refuge, her hope, her rock, her fortress, her salvation, her deliverance. She waited in silence for a God who never forgot her. And those who loved her kept vigil, waiting for God to call her home.
What was true for her is true for us as well. Whatever our struggle, whatever our trouble, “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us” (v. 8). In silence—or in speech— God is our only hope!
Prayer:
She had been an indomitable woman! She was strong, independent, wise, determined, and faithful. She was a woman I knew from the community, long before she became a resident in the nursing home where I serve as chaplain. I had incredible respect for her. At least a generation older than I was, she demonstrated for me how a strong woman could manage in a world that didn’t always respect her gifts. I learned a lot from her.
Then dementia invaded her life. It began to undermine her independence. It eroded her wisdom. It depleted her strength. In spite of her determination, she became less and less able to navigate the daily activities necessary to survive unaided, until she finally needed residential care for her safety. This was overwhelmingly distressing to her and to many who had known her self-sufficiency.
But her faith remained intact. We would talk about God—her rock and refuge, her hope and fortress. And as so much was stripped away by dementia, her faith remained. Until. Until dementia took her ability to speak. Until dementia eliminated every shred of her personality, and she spent her final months unable to respond at all, unable to give any indication she was even aware that others were around her.
Even in the silence of profound dementia, God never stopped being her refuge, her hope, her rock, her fortress, her salvation, her deliverance. She waited in silence for a God who never forgot her. And those who loved her kept vigil, waiting for God to call her home.
What was true for her is true for us as well. Whatever our struggle, whatever our trouble, “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us” (v. 8). In silence—or in speech— God is our only hope!
Prayer:
God, our Refuge and Deliverer,
We come before You acknowledging our deep need. Help us trust in You at all times, regardless of our circumstances. In Jesus’s Name we pray. Amen.
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
From Now Until Easter - Truth
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts written by Rev. Timothy Dunn, a chaplain at the Christian Health Care Center in Wyckoff, New Jersey.
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6 You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
6 You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Psalm 51:6-7
In Psalm 51:6, David says that God desires truth in the inward being, and he prays that God would give him wisdom in his secret heart. Among the truths God desires for us is to know who God is and who we are. We may learn truth from external resources, but God also desires that we learn and assimilate truth deep within ourselves. God desires the truth that we know and understand with our minds be also in our hearts. David refers to the heart as “the inward being,” and “secret heart,” the place where God is truly known.
Our digital-information society provides us with access to knowledge instantly. However, the accumulation of knowledge does not equal wisdom, which is the ability to apply knowledge to life’s circumstances. When we find ourselves in a crisis or need direction to make major decisions, we may need wisdom.
The heart of the matter is that God desires to teach us truth and wisdom in the inner person. This requires that we take time to be mindful of what is going on in our hearts. The result may be that we will discover wisdom and joy in our hearts from being renewed by God.
Prayer:
In Psalm 51:6, David says that God desires truth in the inward being, and he prays that God would give him wisdom in his secret heart. Among the truths God desires for us is to know who God is and who we are. We may learn truth from external resources, but God also desires that we learn and assimilate truth deep within ourselves. God desires the truth that we know and understand with our minds be also in our hearts. David refers to the heart as “the inward being,” and “secret heart,” the place where God is truly known.
Our digital-information society provides us with access to knowledge instantly. However, the accumulation of knowledge does not equal wisdom, which is the ability to apply knowledge to life’s circumstances. When we find ourselves in a crisis or need direction to make major decisions, we may need wisdom.
The heart of the matter is that God desires to teach us truth and wisdom in the inner person. This requires that we take time to be mindful of what is going on in our hearts. The result may be that we will discover wisdom and joy in our hearts from being renewed by God.
Prayer:
God of my salvation,
You desire truth in my inward being. Cleanse and renew my heart and teach me wisdom in my secret heart. In Christ Jesus’s name, amen.
Monday, March 13, 2023
From Now Until Easter - Our Refuge from Fear
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts written by Ken Sampson, a retired U.S. Army chaplain.
Uneasiness. Apprehension. Dismay. [Fear] The journey of Lent invites us to examine these feelings of unrest, to express sorrow that we’ve submitted to such fears, and seek restoration and renewal.
Early this year, I headed to the New York Department of Motor Vehicles office to renew my license. The DMV is adjacent to a distressed section of the city. A sense of reluctance nearing dread, marked my frame of mind as I entered the crowded storefront-like facility.
With warmth and grace, the uniformed officer by the door directed me to the publication rack and handed me an enhanced license renewal form. A pleasant counter agent looked over my documents, sympathized with my not having the correct paperwork to signify “veteran” be stamped again on my renewed license, gave me a ticket number, and instructed me to wait my turn.
The repurposed church pews for seating were crowded full. I took an empty counter stool, feeling content to participate in my civic responsibility along with fellow Orange County citizens.
After a long delay, due in part to reduced Thursday afternoon staffing, the new year, and computer rebooting, my number appeared. The agreeable administrative officer processed my documentation and speculated that my veteran status might transfer over. After taking a photo and paying the fee, I needed to sign one final form. With a satisfied smile, the agent pointed to the “VET” designation on the temporary enhanced license. I left the facility with the feeling that the church pews were singing regarding my uplifting experience [an ever-present help].
As we are aware of generous, Jesus-shaped love active in our communities and give thanks for evidence of God’s grace, we release fear, tension, and strain. Composure—a state of rest and balance—is restored. Quiet joy returns as we realize “the Lord our God is with us” and with our world.
Prayer:
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God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
Psalm 46:1-3 NIV
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
Psalm 46:1-3 NIV
Uneasiness. Apprehension. Dismay. [Fear] The journey of Lent invites us to examine these feelings of unrest, to express sorrow that we’ve submitted to such fears, and seek restoration and renewal.
Early this year, I headed to the New York Department of Motor Vehicles office to renew my license. The DMV is adjacent to a distressed section of the city. A sense of reluctance nearing dread, marked my frame of mind as I entered the crowded storefront-like facility.
With warmth and grace, the uniformed officer by the door directed me to the publication rack and handed me an enhanced license renewal form. A pleasant counter agent looked over my documents, sympathized with my not having the correct paperwork to signify “veteran” be stamped again on my renewed license, gave me a ticket number, and instructed me to wait my turn.
The repurposed church pews for seating were crowded full. I took an empty counter stool, feeling content to participate in my civic responsibility along with fellow Orange County citizens.
After a long delay, due in part to reduced Thursday afternoon staffing, the new year, and computer rebooting, my number appeared. The agreeable administrative officer processed my documentation and speculated that my veteran status might transfer over. After taking a photo and paying the fee, I needed to sign one final form. With a satisfied smile, the agent pointed to the “VET” designation on the temporary enhanced license. I left the facility with the feeling that the church pews were singing regarding my uplifting experience [an ever-present help].
As we are aware of generous, Jesus-shaped love active in our communities and give thanks for evidence of God’s grace, we release fear, tension, and strain. Composure—a state of rest and balance—is restored. Quiet joy returns as we realize “the Lord our God is with us” and with our world.
Prayer:
God of angel armies,
In one moment in history—Your Son’s death on the cross—the sinful powers of the world were robbed of their power. Enable us to see signs of Your kingdom, evident in lives, institutions, and the expansive world around us. In the name of our crucified Lord, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
Sunday, March 12, 2023
From Now Until Easter - Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts written by Jim Daniels, a chaplain for Hospice of Holland in Holland, Michigan.
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10 For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving their wealth to others. …
20 People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.
Psalm 49:10, 20 NIV
As a hospice chaplain, I have the honor of walking with people as they live out their final months. If we are fortunate, we get to talk about what is most important to them. All patients have wanted to talk about their families—whether still living or deceased. And though I have met some very wealthy people, I have never once heard them talking about the wealth they had accumulated as what was important to them at the end of their lives.
Psalm 49 discusses how wealth cannot purchase a person’s life or buy an escape from decay, but that it is God alone who can—and will—redeem a life from the grave... Lenten season is one of walking toward the cross with Christ, and I, for one, use it as a time to contemplate the end of my life. I attempt to reorient my thoughts and actions in a way that allows me to die as a person with understanding—a person who relies upon God for redemption.
The first day of Lent... I am marked by the reminder [the ashes] that I follow the path of all flesh. I am reminded that I am dust and to dust I shall return. It begins a time of remembering what is important and what is passing. I am reminded to trust in God for redemption, and not for some act or accumulation of wealth or status.
This does not bring me sorrow now as it used to. I now count each day as part of my riches, and my understanding expands with each day of gratitude. As we walk this Lenten path toward the cross, let us pray for understanding.
Prayer:
God,
Grant us the ability to rightfully prescribe import to the people and things that bring us joy and treasures that do not rust. Grant us, too, understanding and gratitude. Amen.
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10 For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving their wealth to others. …
20 People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.
Psalm 49:10, 20 NIV
As a hospice chaplain, I have the honor of walking with people as they live out their final months. If we are fortunate, we get to talk about what is most important to them. All patients have wanted to talk about their families—whether still living or deceased. And though I have met some very wealthy people, I have never once heard them talking about the wealth they had accumulated as what was important to them at the end of their lives.
Psalm 49 discusses how wealth cannot purchase a person’s life or buy an escape from decay, but that it is God alone who can—and will—redeem a life from the grave... Lenten season is one of walking toward the cross with Christ, and I, for one, use it as a time to contemplate the end of my life. I attempt to reorient my thoughts and actions in a way that allows me to die as a person with understanding—a person who relies upon God for redemption.
The first day of Lent... I am marked by the reminder [the ashes] that I follow the path of all flesh. I am reminded that I am dust and to dust I shall return. It begins a time of remembering what is important and what is passing. I am reminded to trust in God for redemption, and not for some act or accumulation of wealth or status.
This does not bring me sorrow now as it used to. I now count each day as part of my riches, and my understanding expands with each day of gratitude. As we walk this Lenten path toward the cross, let us pray for understanding.
Prayer:
God,
Grant us the ability to rightfully prescribe import to the people and things that bring us joy and treasures that do not rust. Grant us, too, understanding and gratitude. Amen.
Saturday, March 11, 2023
From Now Until Easter - Keep Looking Up
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts written by Brian Dykema who presently serves as a full chaplain with the Community Hospice of Saratoga County in New York.
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You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.
You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.
Psalm 43:2-3 NIV
I would dare say I am not alone when I share that lately, I have struggled with feelings of doubt and discouragement. At times, it would appear that deceitfulness and wickedness are widespread and just keep getting worse. Our nation claims to fear God, but behind all the speeches [are] actions and decisions that contradict the teachings and commands of God by choosing a path that looks more like oppression and unfaithfulness.
This country is still my home, and yet my heart mourns over how far we have wandered from God. And still, as the psalmist says, there is always hope and a way back. “Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell” (v. 3). My mother has a saying: “Keep looking up.” God is faithful and that is what truly matters. God will not fail, and I believe God’s love is still stronger than all the evil in the universe. God’s unconditional love can move the stars, change the world, and heal the human heart. There is always a way back home where rejection ends and God is ready with an embrace.
During this Lenten season, I pray we will choose to look up to God and ask the Spirit to dwell within us to help us believe the world can change. It begins with love... Dear friends, take heart. God is still on his throne, and his kingdom will not fail. Peace be upon you, and to God be the glory now and forever.
Prayer:
I would dare say I am not alone when I share that lately, I have struggled with feelings of doubt and discouragement. At times, it would appear that deceitfulness and wickedness are widespread and just keep getting worse. Our nation claims to fear God, but behind all the speeches [are] actions and decisions that contradict the teachings and commands of God by choosing a path that looks more like oppression and unfaithfulness.
This country is still my home, and yet my heart mourns over how far we have wandered from God. And still, as the psalmist says, there is always hope and a way back. “Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell” (v. 3). My mother has a saying: “Keep looking up.” God is faithful and that is what truly matters. God will not fail, and I believe God’s love is still stronger than all the evil in the universe. God’s unconditional love can move the stars, change the world, and heal the human heart. There is always a way back home where rejection ends and God is ready with an embrace.
During this Lenten season, I pray we will choose to look up to God and ask the Spirit to dwell within us to help us believe the world can change. It begins with love... Dear friends, take heart. God is still on his throne, and his kingdom will not fail. Peace be upon you, and to God be the glory now and forever.
Prayer:
To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
Friday, March 10, 2023
From Now Until Easter - Keep Calm and Carry On
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Tonight's post features excerpts written by Lisa Hansen-Tice - a chaplain in the United States Air Force.
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Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers, for they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb.
Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers, for they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb.
Psalm 37:1-2
It seems that in the course of history, we need to be reminded over and over again to stop worrying... We sloganize and trivialize our propensity to worry, as is demonstrated by the recent resurgence of “Keep calm and carry on” posters. Trivial as it might seem, David is saying just that: keep calm, trust in God, carry on with your life as a faithful follower...
David reminds us that there is something more important than worrying about the prosperity of the wicked, and that is focusing on the everlasting faithfulness of God. The psalm weaves back and forth between the action of trusting and waiting for God to act in God’s time and the justice that God will serve toward the actions of the wicked. In the end, patiently doing what God calls us to do and finding refuge in following God’s ways leads to security and hope in the future.
Lent is a season of waiting and refocusing on God’s ways. In this psalm, David reminds us that our words and deeds make a difference. So, set aside worry. Refrain from negative, destructive emotions like anger and envy. Be satisfied with what you have, for it is enough. Trust that God will provide you with eternal security, even if you feel threatened by the evil around you. Care for the weak and helpless and give to those in need, because it helps everyone. Basically, keep calm and carry on speaking words of justice, seeking peace, and following the righteousness of God.
Prayer:
It seems that in the course of history, we need to be reminded over and over again to stop worrying... We sloganize and trivialize our propensity to worry, as is demonstrated by the recent resurgence of “Keep calm and carry on” posters. Trivial as it might seem, David is saying just that: keep calm, trust in God, carry on with your life as a faithful follower...
David reminds us that there is something more important than worrying about the prosperity of the wicked, and that is focusing on the everlasting faithfulness of God. The psalm weaves back and forth between the action of trusting and waiting for God to act in God’s time and the justice that God will serve toward the actions of the wicked. In the end, patiently doing what God calls us to do and finding refuge in following God’s ways leads to security and hope in the future.
Lent is a season of waiting and refocusing on God’s ways. In this psalm, David reminds us that our words and deeds make a difference. So, set aside worry. Refrain from negative, destructive emotions like anger and envy. Be satisfied with what you have, for it is enough. Trust that God will provide you with eternal security, even if you feel threatened by the evil around you. Care for the weak and helpless and give to those in need, because it helps everyone. Basically, keep calm and carry on speaking words of justice, seeking peace, and following the righteousness of God.
Prayer:
Righteous Lord,
Help us to wait patiently for Your justice. Keep us from envying those who have much because of their wrongdoing. Bend our actions toward the poor and those in need. May Your law live in our hearts, and may our mouths utter Your wisdom. In this time of great anxiety, may we find refuge in You and Your ways. Amen.
Thursday, March 9, 2023
From Now Until Easter - Mud and Mire
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Tonight's post features excerpts written by Jon Cooper - a chaplain at the Federal Correctional Institution in Milan, Michigan. He manages the Life Connections program, a faith-based residential reentry program for inmates in the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
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I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.
I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.
Psalm 40:1-3 NIV
Recently, I watched a prisoner stand before a group of 50 other men and publicly ask forgiveness from three men he felt he had wronged. One by one, the men accepted the apology and came forward to embrace the one seeking forgiveness. Later, I asked him to explain what had happened. He cracked a huge smile and said, “When I was young, I remember being told that God is not complicated, but we make Him complicated. It’s taken me a long time to realize what I need to do is simply take daily steps of surrender towards Him. The more steps I take, the better I feel about where I’m headed. I finally feel like I’m breaking out of the shell I’ve been trapped in.”
So it is with us on our journey. A fellow prison chaplain reminded me, “We all move back and forth on a continuum between the two extremes of weariness and wonder.” Some days may be filled with wonder at what God is doing, and other days, we may struggle to get out of bed to face life again. With God’s help, we can rise up, put our feet on firm ground, and break out of our own shell or whatever pit we may find ourselves in. If you’re struggling today, I challenge you to take a step toward the God who hears us, lifts us up, and is able to put a new song in our mouths.
Prayer:
Recently, I watched a prisoner stand before a group of 50 other men and publicly ask forgiveness from three men he felt he had wronged. One by one, the men accepted the apology and came forward to embrace the one seeking forgiveness. Later, I asked him to explain what had happened. He cracked a huge smile and said, “When I was young, I remember being told that God is not complicated, but we make Him complicated. It’s taken me a long time to realize what I need to do is simply take daily steps of surrender towards Him. The more steps I take, the better I feel about where I’m headed. I finally feel like I’m breaking out of the shell I’ve been trapped in.”
So it is with us on our journey. A fellow prison chaplain reminded me, “We all move back and forth on a continuum between the two extremes of weariness and wonder.” Some days may be filled with wonder at what God is doing, and other days, we may struggle to get out of bed to face life again. With God’s help, we can rise up, put our feet on firm ground, and break out of our own shell or whatever pit we may find ourselves in. If you’re struggling today, I challenge you to take a step toward the God who hears us, lifts us up, and is able to put a new song in our mouths.
Prayer:
God of all confined persons, both physically and spiritually,
Thank You for reaching out in love and lifting me from the mud and mire I sometimes find myself in. Please put a new song in my mouth, so that I may live today fully aware of Your presence. May others see Christ in me and follow You with all their heart. Amen.
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
From Now Until Easter - Slips, Trips and Falls
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Tonight's post features excerpts written by Rev. Tim Ehrhardt, currently serving as a Clinical Pastoral Education chaplain resident at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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Our steps are made firm by the Lord, when he delights in our way; though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand.
Psalm 37:23-24
It is inevitable that we will stumble and fall. The real issue is how we discern the divine in such situations. Our view of God matters. If we see God as primarily punitive, looking to put heavy loads on us and cause us to slip when we get out of line, then guilt and shame will likely dominate our thoughts. Yet, if we see God as gracious, merciful, kind, and good—all the time—thoughts of security and peace will likely be our default mode.
The psalmist gives us a view of God as the One who delights in us, has us by the hand, has our backs when we stumble or mess up, and is our source of firm support in difficult times. This is a vision of God who willingly receives our confession, extends forgiveness, and provides what we need.
Prayer:
It is inevitable that we will stumble and fall. The real issue is how we discern the divine in such situations. Our view of God matters. If we see God as primarily punitive, looking to put heavy loads on us and cause us to slip when we get out of line, then guilt and shame will likely dominate our thoughts. Yet, if we see God as gracious, merciful, kind, and good—all the time—thoughts of security and peace will likely be our default mode.
The psalmist gives us a view of God as the One who delights in us, has us by the hand, has our backs when we stumble or mess up, and is our source of firm support in difficult times. This is a vision of God who willingly receives our confession, extends forgiveness, and provides what we need.
Prayer:
God of all the ages,
You have revealed Your grace in our Savior, Jesus Christ. As we wait patiently on Your mercies, strengthen our steps to live in Your justice, so that with our hands held firmly by You, we may hear and accomplish Your will, through Christ, who lights the way to life everlasting. Amen.
Tuesday, March 7, 2023
From Now Until Easter - The Pursuit of Peace
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Tonight's post features excerpts written by Dan DeVries, religious services coordinator at Hope Haven, Inc.
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Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
Psalm 34:12-14 (NIV)
The psalmist’s paraphrased response is, “What we speak is really important.” We choose every day between having our tongues speak evil or praise. And if we choose to keep evil and lies from crossing our lips, we also need to ask forgiveness for the times we have allowed evil and lies to escape. In asking for forgiveness, whom do I also need to forgive? How relentless am I in pursuing forgiveness and the forgiving of others?
Pursuit is an active word that suggests vigor. Pursuing peace found only in God delivers us from all our fears. And if our daily newsfeed is to be believed, we have much to fear. Fear is the most natural response to the unknown, and it blinds us to the freedom that we have to pursue peace and seek God. As the old hymn assures us, “’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved.”
According to this psalm, orienting our life in God’s ways—fasting from evil speech and lying lips and turning from evil—promises an abundant and joyful life. It comes to fruition through peace-making—pursuing peace.
Good days. How does one whose very life has been saved by God respond? Verse 1 of this psalm answers, “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.”
Prayer:
The psalmist’s paraphrased response is, “What we speak is really important.” We choose every day between having our tongues speak evil or praise. And if we choose to keep evil and lies from crossing our lips, we also need to ask forgiveness for the times we have allowed evil and lies to escape. In asking for forgiveness, whom do I also need to forgive? How relentless am I in pursuing forgiveness and the forgiving of others?
Pursuit is an active word that suggests vigor. Pursuing peace found only in God delivers us from all our fears. And if our daily newsfeed is to be believed, we have much to fear. Fear is the most natural response to the unknown, and it blinds us to the freedom that we have to pursue peace and seek God. As the old hymn assures us, “’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved.”
According to this psalm, orienting our life in God’s ways—fasting from evil speech and lying lips and turning from evil—promises an abundant and joyful life. It comes to fruition through peace-making—pursuing peace.
Good days. How does one whose very life has been saved by God respond? Verse 1 of this psalm answers, “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.”
Prayer:
Prince of Peace,
Thank You for the “grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved.” Thank You for the promise of life and many good days. In Jesus’s name, amen.
Monday, March 6, 2023
From Now Until Easter - Fear the Lord
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Tonight's post features excerpts written by Tom McCrossan, currently assistant chaplain, guest advocate, and compliance coordinator at City Mission of Schenectady, New York.
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8 Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. …
18 Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,
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8 Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. …
18 Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19 to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Psalm 33:8-9, 18-19
I have visited the Grand Canyon several times. Each time is breathtaking. I notice people want to get as close as possible to the edge to peer into the depths. Some even try to climb the barriers for a closer look. They fear falling into the abyss, but they still want to get as close as possible. They know they could die, but they go as far as they dare. Facing something so awesome, their fear makes them respectful even as they’re drawn to the dangerous beauty.
This is like the biblical fear of God. Psalm 33 calls us to praise God’s faithfulness, righteousness, and justice. This is the almighty Creator whom we should fear and in whom we stand in awe (v. 8). The One who judges nations; the One who delivers His people; our just and righteous God.
But never take this One for granted. Always respect God’s power. Fear God—our hope and shield against all that the world, the flesh, and the devil throw at us. God who comes to us, invites us to draw as close as we dare to Him—with His awesome power and steadfast love.
Prayer:
Psalm 33:8-9, 18-19
I have visited the Grand Canyon several times. Each time is breathtaking. I notice people want to get as close as possible to the edge to peer into the depths. Some even try to climb the barriers for a closer look. They fear falling into the abyss, but they still want to get as close as possible. They know they could die, but they go as far as they dare. Facing something so awesome, their fear makes them respectful even as they’re drawn to the dangerous beauty.
This is like the biblical fear of God. Psalm 33 calls us to praise God’s faithfulness, righteousness, and justice. This is the almighty Creator whom we should fear and in whom we stand in awe (v. 8). The One who judges nations; the One who delivers His people; our just and righteous God.
But never take this One for granted. Always respect God’s power. Fear God—our hope and shield against all that the world, the flesh, and the devil throw at us. God who comes to us, invites us to draw as close as we dare to Him—with His awesome power and steadfast love.
Prayer:
Awesome and loving God,
Help us to fear You more than any person or thing. Help us to open ourselves to Your love that surpasses knowledge. Your Word says the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. And it says that in the end, the greatest thing is love. Fill us with wisdom and love. Fill us with Yourself. Amen.
Sunday, March 5, 2023
From Now Until Easter - Not Confined by Time
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Tonight's post features excerpts written by Jim Daniels who also serves as a chaplain for Hospice of Holland in Holland, Michigan.
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11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.
Psalm 30:11-12 NIV
To me, Psalm 30 is a song sung outside of time. As I read it, I am transported both backward and forward. I look backward and hear the psalmist speaking to me in the midst of my trials, my moments amidst enemies, and my careening toward the pit. I remember those times when I cried out for help and thought it may never come.
This passage also speaks to me in the moment. It creates within me a sense of hope that my weeping will come to an end and that rejoicing is before me. In this same way, it sends me into the future. I am reminded of those times when I was almost destroyed, but God made my mountain stand firm. And, in this remembering, I am propelled into a hopeful future.
During this season of Lent, when the darkness is gathering, I can often find myself drawing the curtains and wallowing in self-pity or focusing on brokenness. And so, this psalm at this time is perfect because it buoys me up above the waves to see a horizon where my wailing will be dancing, where I will be clothed with joy, where I will sing and not be silent, where I will give thanks forever—even now, in the midst of the diminishing light.
Prayer:
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11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.
Psalm 30:11-12 NIV
To me, Psalm 30 is a song sung outside of time. As I read it, I am transported both backward and forward. I look backward and hear the psalmist speaking to me in the midst of my trials, my moments amidst enemies, and my careening toward the pit. I remember those times when I cried out for help and thought it may never come.
This passage also speaks to me in the moment. It creates within me a sense of hope that my weeping will come to an end and that rejoicing is before me. In this same way, it sends me into the future. I am reminded of those times when I was almost destroyed, but God made my mountain stand firm. And, in this remembering, I am propelled into a hopeful future.
During this season of Lent, when the darkness is gathering, I can often find myself drawing the curtains and wallowing in self-pity or focusing on brokenness. And so, this psalm at this time is perfect because it buoys me up above the waves to see a horizon where my wailing will be dancing, where I will be clothed with joy, where I will sing and not be silent, where I will give thanks forever—even now, in the midst of the diminishing light.
Prayer:
God outside of time,
Remind me of Your continual presence. Clothe me with joy, and fill my heart with gratitude. Amen.
Saturday, March 4, 2023
From Now Until Easter - God In the Pit
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Tonight's post features excerpts written by Kate Meyer, the counseling services manager for Hospice of Holland in Holland, Michigan, where she lives with her husband and their two chocolate Labs.
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1 To you, O Lord, I call; my rock, do not refuse to hear me, for if you are silent to me, I shall be like those who go down to the Pit. 2 Hear the voice of my supplication, as I cry to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary. …
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts; so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.
1 To you, O Lord, I call; my rock, do not refuse to hear me, for if you are silent to me, I shall be like those who go down to the Pit. 2 Hear the voice of my supplication, as I cry to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary. …
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts; so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.
Psalm 28:1-2, 7
When people learn I am a hospice chaplain, what I receive in response is the human version of the Labrador head tilt. In case you don’t know, when Labs are engaged in conversation with their humans, they maintain eye contact and tilt their heads back and forth, signaling their engagement. Their eyes are very expressive and change depending on keywords. For instance, the word walk leads to bright, excited eyes, while the word no results in something bordering on betrayal. When they are told their human is sad or hurt, however, their head tilts even more, their eyes fill with sympathy, and a paw of comfort is extended. It is this last tilt I receive from people, usually accompanied by this verbal response: “I can’t imagine. That must be really hard.” I normally respond with a word or two about how it is also an honor and that I’ve been blessed to witness many holy moments.
In many senses, my patients are in the pit; what makes them unique is their willingness to be open to all things that make up their pit. A quiet energy fills the room as we talk and open the Word. We feel the Holy Spirit descend as everything is laid out on the table.
God enters into the pit with them and hears their cry to the One, the only One, able to remain firm in their final season of transition. They lift their hands to that same One, and God helps. Their hearts are exulted and they give God thanks.
In this season of examination, no matter the pit you are in, name it and lay it bare before God. Do so and that same One will lift you with strong, protective arms from darkness to light.
Prayer:
When people learn I am a hospice chaplain, what I receive in response is the human version of the Labrador head tilt. In case you don’t know, when Labs are engaged in conversation with their humans, they maintain eye contact and tilt their heads back and forth, signaling their engagement. Their eyes are very expressive and change depending on keywords. For instance, the word walk leads to bright, excited eyes, while the word no results in something bordering on betrayal. When they are told their human is sad or hurt, however, their head tilts even more, their eyes fill with sympathy, and a paw of comfort is extended. It is this last tilt I receive from people, usually accompanied by this verbal response: “I can’t imagine. That must be really hard.” I normally respond with a word or two about how it is also an honor and that I’ve been blessed to witness many holy moments.
In many senses, my patients are in the pit; what makes them unique is their willingness to be open to all things that make up their pit. A quiet energy fills the room as we talk and open the Word. We feel the Holy Spirit descend as everything is laid out on the table.
God enters into the pit with them and hears their cry to the One, the only One, able to remain firm in their final season of transition. They lift their hands to that same One, and God helps. Their hearts are exulted and they give God thanks.
In this season of examination, no matter the pit you are in, name it and lay it bare before God. Do so and that same One will lift you with strong, protective arms from darkness to light.
Prayer:
God,
Who accompanies me, even into the pit, help me trust that You never refuse my cry. Give me ears to hear You and a willingness to be moved by You. May my song of thanks flow freely from my lips. Amen.
From Now Until Easter - The Seven Deadly Sins
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Tonight's post features excerpts written by Chaplain Ken Sampson, a retired U.S. Army chaplain. He serves as military liaison with Guideposts.
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1 Light, space, zest—that’s God! So, with him on my side I’m fearless, afraid of no one and nothing. …
13-14 I’m sure now I’ll see God’s goodness in the exuberant earth. Stay with God! Take heart. Don’t quit. I’ll say it again: Stay with God.
Psalm 27:1, 13-14 (The Message)
On a recent trip to New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, I visited Gallery 901 of the Modern and Contemporary Art section. On the near left wall, seven 11-by-23-inch panels, entitled “The Seven Deadly Sins,” caught my attention.
To me, these paintings by American artist Paul Cadmus seemed surreal, garish, showy. Rather than works to be pondered and admired, they gave rise to a feeling of distaste, even revulsion.
The description adjacent to the paintings told of the artist’s 1945-1949 egg tempera on Masonite renderings of a subject common since the Middle Ages—deadly sins. The account detailed Paul Cadmus’s interpretation, his being prone to excess, vulgarity, and gore. Then the narrative ended: “Of the series, Cadmus explained, ‘I don’t appear as myself, but I am all of the Deadly Sins in a way, as you all are, too.’”
Wow! The frank words confronted and challenged me. Immediately, I seemed faced with my own sinfulness. I thought, gluttony? Don’t tempt me with freshly popped mushroom popcorn, coated with melted butter and salt—I’ll consume it uncontrollably. Greed? It takes all the willpower I can muster to bypass a Costco-sized pack of Cheez-It Grooves (sharp white cheddar), the crunchy snack crackers.
Lent encourages us to deepen our devotion to our triune God. Yes, our hearts can be a “teeming horde of infamies” (John Calvin). A chaos-inducing carnival of sinful, intrusive thoughts and desires can be present within each of us.
As we discipline our minds, bringing “every thought into captivity to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5), explore and celebrate our baptismal vow identity that centers upon union with Jesus and empowerment by his Holy Spirit, and anticipate the Good Friday assurance that God’s grace enables our repentance and renewed status before him, we find that confidence, assurance, and acceptance replaces disappointment, failure, and frustration. We enjoy “Light, space, zest—that’s God!” (v. 1) and go forward enriched and refreshed.
Prayer:
Generous God,
When “vandal hordes [of sin] roll down, ready to eat me alive” (Psalm 27:2), may we take heart and refuge in You. Your Son’s victory-defining resurrection and our empowerment by Your Holy Spirit give us supernatural life, strength, courage, and direction. Enable us to stay the course with You this Lenten season and always. In Jesus’s sacrifice-offering Name we pray. Amen.
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1 Light, space, zest—that’s God! So, with him on my side I’m fearless, afraid of no one and nothing. …
13-14 I’m sure now I’ll see God’s goodness in the exuberant earth. Stay with God! Take heart. Don’t quit. I’ll say it again: Stay with God.
Psalm 27:1, 13-14 (The Message)
On a recent trip to New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, I visited Gallery 901 of the Modern and Contemporary Art section. On the near left wall, seven 11-by-23-inch panels, entitled “The Seven Deadly Sins,” caught my attention.
To me, these paintings by American artist Paul Cadmus seemed surreal, garish, showy. Rather than works to be pondered and admired, they gave rise to a feeling of distaste, even revulsion.
The description adjacent to the paintings told of the artist’s 1945-1949 egg tempera on Masonite renderings of a subject common since the Middle Ages—deadly sins. The account detailed Paul Cadmus’s interpretation, his being prone to excess, vulgarity, and gore. Then the narrative ended: “Of the series, Cadmus explained, ‘I don’t appear as myself, but I am all of the Deadly Sins in a way, as you all are, too.’”
Wow! The frank words confronted and challenged me. Immediately, I seemed faced with my own sinfulness. I thought, gluttony? Don’t tempt me with freshly popped mushroom popcorn, coated with melted butter and salt—I’ll consume it uncontrollably. Greed? It takes all the willpower I can muster to bypass a Costco-sized pack of Cheez-It Grooves (sharp white cheddar), the crunchy snack crackers.
Lent encourages us to deepen our devotion to our triune God. Yes, our hearts can be a “teeming horde of infamies” (John Calvin). A chaos-inducing carnival of sinful, intrusive thoughts and desires can be present within each of us.
As we discipline our minds, bringing “every thought into captivity to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5), explore and celebrate our baptismal vow identity that centers upon union with Jesus and empowerment by his Holy Spirit, and anticipate the Good Friday assurance that God’s grace enables our repentance and renewed status before him, we find that confidence, assurance, and acceptance replaces disappointment, failure, and frustration. We enjoy “Light, space, zest—that’s God!” (v. 1) and go forward enriched and refreshed.
Prayer:
Generous God,
When “vandal hordes [of sin] roll down, ready to eat me alive” (Psalm 27:2), may we take heart and refuge in You. Your Son’s victory-defining resurrection and our empowerment by Your Holy Spirit give us supernatural life, strength, courage, and direction. Enable us to stay the course with You this Lenten season and always. In Jesus’s sacrifice-offering Name we pray. Amen.
Thursday, March 2, 2023
From Now Until Easter - An Imperfect Lent
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Tonight's post features excerpts written by Theresa Ceniccola, The Christian Mompreneur—a mentor to moms who are running a business that supports their values of faith and family. As president and founder of the International Christian Mompreneur Network, she empowers entrepreneurial moms to build profitable businesses with wisdom and grace. Join the International Christian Mompreneur Network for free and receive the Ten Commandments of a Mompreneur toolkit!
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Theresa writes:
I made my family chicken soup on Ash Wednesday. I don’t know what I was thinking – except that it was freezing cold outside and homemade soup sounded like a good idea. We had been housebound during a snowstorm and I knew the kids would love some warm soup. But it was Ash Wednesday. The very first day of Lent and I had already screwed up. I’m not sure how you observe Lent, but our fasting requires us to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent. Well, I typically don’t pay much attention to this requirement because I don’t eat meat anyway. But I do cook it for my family. #LentenFail
So what’s a mother to do when she’s gotten off to such an imperfect start? How can I be a spiritual leader for my children when I can’t even follow one simple rule?
I admit, I don’t think I’ve ever had a “perfect Lent” – one in which I stuck to my promise of sacrifice or prayer without faltering. I always start out with good intentions but somewhere along the line, I give up. ...if you read closely, you’ll see me confess that I didn’t quite make it through 40 days of my Lenten practice last year. So I'm convicted to making it go better this year! Although, I’ve come to realize it will never be a perfect process.
God doesn’t expect us to be perfect. He knows we make mistakes. That’s why he sent his beloved son to save us from our sins. The only thing God expects is that when we fail, we try again. So here I am…trying again.
I believe that the idea of Lent is to learn to be more Christ-like in our everyday lives. The three pillars of Lent – prayer, fasting and almsgiving – were integral habits of Christ’s during his life on earth. When we choose to incorporate one or more of these habits in our lives during Lent (or anytime!) then we’re saying, “I want to live like Christ!” And that’s not an easy task...
If you’ve “given up” on Lent, I want to encourage you to try again with me. Don’t beat yourself up about whatever it is that you consider your failure. Just open your heart and ask the Lord to guide you in selecting a sacrifice or habit you can develop this Lent.
Maybe you can replace a daily habit you enjoy (like watching TV or eating a snack before bed) with a daily habit that will glorify God (like saying a prayer or writing an encouraging note to someone). Maybe you can take the money you would normally spend on coffee and donate it to a charity. Whatever you choose, remember that Christ stumbled three times with the cross – and each time he got up again. If you stumble on your Lenten journey (like I did!), simply get up and keep going.
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Theresa writes:
I made my family chicken soup on Ash Wednesday. I don’t know what I was thinking – except that it was freezing cold outside and homemade soup sounded like a good idea. We had been housebound during a snowstorm and I knew the kids would love some warm soup. But it was Ash Wednesday. The very first day of Lent and I had already screwed up. I’m not sure how you observe Lent, but our fasting requires us to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent. Well, I typically don’t pay much attention to this requirement because I don’t eat meat anyway. But I do cook it for my family. #LentenFail
So what’s a mother to do when she’s gotten off to such an imperfect start? How can I be a spiritual leader for my children when I can’t even follow one simple rule?
I admit, I don’t think I’ve ever had a “perfect Lent” – one in which I stuck to my promise of sacrifice or prayer without faltering. I always start out with good intentions but somewhere along the line, I give up. ...if you read closely, you’ll see me confess that I didn’t quite make it through 40 days of my Lenten practice last year. So I'm convicted to making it go better this year! Although, I’ve come to realize it will never be a perfect process.
God doesn’t expect us to be perfect. He knows we make mistakes. That’s why he sent his beloved son to save us from our sins. The only thing God expects is that when we fail, we try again. So here I am…trying again.
I believe that the idea of Lent is to learn to be more Christ-like in our everyday lives. The three pillars of Lent – prayer, fasting and almsgiving – were integral habits of Christ’s during his life on earth. When we choose to incorporate one or more of these habits in our lives during Lent (or anytime!) then we’re saying, “I want to live like Christ!” And that’s not an easy task...
If you’ve “given up” on Lent, I want to encourage you to try again with me. Don’t beat yourself up about whatever it is that you consider your failure. Just open your heart and ask the Lord to guide you in selecting a sacrifice or habit you can develop this Lent.
Maybe you can replace a daily habit you enjoy (like watching TV or eating a snack before bed) with a daily habit that will glorify God (like saying a prayer or writing an encouraging note to someone). Maybe you can take the money you would normally spend on coffee and donate it to a charity. Whatever you choose, remember that Christ stumbled three times with the cross – and each time he got up again. If you stumble on your Lenten journey (like I did!), simply get up and keep going.
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Prayer:
Father,
Thank You for sending Your Son to save us from our sins. During this sacred season, guide us into Your Truths and a deeper relationship with You. Give us the strength and courage to get up every time we fall so we can keep following You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
From Now Until Easter - Green Pastures, Still Waters
From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Tonight's post features excerpts written by John Boyer, an active duty wing chaplain (Lt. Col.) for the largest fighter wing in the Air Force, located at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. John has been an RCA chaplain since 2003, serving both in the Army and in the Air Force.
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The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff - they comfort me.
Psalm 23:1-4
Let’s be honest: life can be full of so much noise—so many distractions, so much busyness—and the temptation for many can be to just get swept away by all of it. There are meetings to be at, functions to attend, demands to be met, and if we’re not careful, we can be in danger of drifting away from our Lord. Though we live in a society that seems to continually clamor in both speed and noise, our passage today reminds us of a bygone era when the pace was a bit slower and the noise was a bit less. The psalmist’s words invoke an image of peace, rest, and tranquility - an image that has resonated with souls over millennia.
I count myself blessed, having experienced in nature my soul being rejuvenated next to peaceful pastures and streams of quiet waters. And though I don’t always have the means of picking up and physically traveling to [such] a location... I do have the ability of reading the passage, closing my eyes (wherever I am), and imagining myself in this place Scripture reveals. On many occasions, even in the midst of the busyness and distractions of life, I have recalled the words of the psalmist, imagining myself in this place of tremendous beauty and peace, and there I center my spirit and quiet my soul.
I encourage you, in this season of Lent, to take a moment today and ask our Good Shepherd to lead your spirit next to a place of green pastures and quiet waters—so that He may restore your soul.
Prayer:
Let’s be honest: life can be full of so much noise—so many distractions, so much busyness—and the temptation for many can be to just get swept away by all of it. There are meetings to be at, functions to attend, demands to be met, and if we’re not careful, we can be in danger of drifting away from our Lord. Though we live in a society that seems to continually clamor in both speed and noise, our passage today reminds us of a bygone era when the pace was a bit slower and the noise was a bit less. The psalmist’s words invoke an image of peace, rest, and tranquility - an image that has resonated with souls over millennia.
I count myself blessed, having experienced in nature my soul being rejuvenated next to peaceful pastures and streams of quiet waters. And though I don’t always have the means of picking up and physically traveling to [such] a location... I do have the ability of reading the passage, closing my eyes (wherever I am), and imagining myself in this place Scripture reveals. On many occasions, even in the midst of the busyness and distractions of life, I have recalled the words of the psalmist, imagining myself in this place of tremendous beauty and peace, and there I center my spirit and quiet my soul.
I encourage you, in this season of Lent, to take a moment today and ask our Good Shepherd to lead your spirit next to a place of green pastures and quiet waters—so that He may restore your soul.
Prayer:
Good Shepherd,
Today would You help to quiet the noise and limit the distractions so I can hear Your still, small voice? Lead me in the way of green pastures and quiet waters, and guide me in Your paths of righteousness—for Your kingdom and Your glory. Amen.
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