Tuesday, March 4, 2008

LENTEN DEVOTION FOR TUESDAY, MARCH 4

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. (Matthew 4:23)

Although I have always loved Genesis as my favorite book in the Bible, because I so believe God is my creator and the creator of the Universe, Matthew comes a close second because of its teachings and the comfort zone it puts me in, that God put me here, and is looking after me in his own way.

First of all, in Matthew Chapter 6, v.9-13, Jesus taught us to pray as we do together, the Lord's Prayer, which is so beautiful and so artfully constructed to cover our lives and daily living.

Then we go to Chapter 6, v.24-32 where Jesus is teaching by examples what should be important in our lives, not the superficial things, but the spiritual quality of our lives. His examples are the birds and the lilies being taken care of by God and I will remember in fifth grade having to learn, "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." He is saying that we must have faith that God loves us and will care for us, as he does for the things in nature.

He also taught us humility in this book in Matthew Chapter 5, v.3-10, the Beatitudes, and again his teachings are so pure that they should be in front of us every day as guidelines for us. "Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" and seven more!

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name ... For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

Barbara Buchanan

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