Lenten Devotions: 2009-03-08

Saturday, March 14, 2009

[LENTEN DEVOTIONAL] Saturday, March 14

SATURDAY, MARCH 14

Proverbs 20:6 Everyone talks about how loyal and faithful he is, but just try to find someone who really is!

An Unconditional Love

I know who fits this description – my dogs. Amid all the toils and snares of this last year, one thing in my life was a constant – available anytime every day – the unconditional love that my dogs show to me.

I believe that dogs are angels with four paws. They are smart, loyal, faithful, and mine make me laugh every day. If we are open to learning from them, dogs can teach us many life lessons.

The author, Celonhael, says "it's pretty much an accepted fact that our pets are members of our families and that there are many health benefits that come from having a dog. It lowers blood pressure. It makes us laugh more. We are more open to change and acceptance. Dogs love us unconditionally." She says that her dog taught her that "friendship is honest, true, and eternal. Living should be a good time had by all, and there is joy in everything if you just stop and look. There are creatures who share this world with us, willingly; and always treat them kindly, because they are so often at our mercy. Love is forever and once you know someone, you can never un-know them."

Author Deanna Mascle says, "Dogs know that a simple touch from someone you love can make any situation better and sometimes make all the difference in the world." We should "never overlook the chance for a nap. We could all benefit from taking advantage of some down- time to relax and rejuvenate." Dogs know that "the best toys are found not bought. Your time and attention are the greatest gift of all. Finally, "You are never too old to play." Personally, my dogs give me peace of mind. They help me remember to look for the rainbow after every storm and that each day is a blessing and a new adventure. My wish is to always strive to be the person my dogs think I am.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I thank you for the joy of sharing my life with my dogs. I thank you for the lessons that they teach me and I ask that you would help me apply those lessons to my life each day. Help me to love unconditionally as they do. Amen.

Mary Emmanuel

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Friday, March 13, 2009

[LENTEN DEVOTIONAL] Friday, March 13

FRIDAY, MARCH 13

John 21:17 “Do you love me?” “Feed my sheep.”

I believe that Easter is a season of special joy and that Christ’s resurrection is the central event of my faith. Lent offers me a time to reflect on how I live compared with my understanding of God’s expectations. Foremost, I have been thinking about love. Christ taught us to love one another. That is a tall order. I often fall short.

I would like to share a story of some folks that I met just last week. These people know about Christ’s love and I don’t think they will mind my sharing their story with you. Let it begin with a question. How do you feed 3,000??? This is the number of hot lunches that will be served to guests of the “Welcome Inn” between Dec 15 and March 13, 2009. Does it take a miracle? Roy Watson, executive director of the Welcome Inn thinks so.

This story began several years ago when some folks decided that somehow they were going to help provide a place in their community for the homeless to go during the daylight of winter’s coldest months. Nobody usually welcomes the homeless. But these good folks wanted to help by providing an alternative to public buildings and bus stations where these homeless might keep warm, be welcomed, fed, and referred to social services or get showers or a hair-cut during the day.

Like many outreach programs this started with church volunteers and donations that helped get the program started. No small task. But sustaining such a program is a huge task. They wanted to be “open for business” five days a week. That required more than their small budget could handle and they were in need of help if they were going to survive. That is when an answer came from within. One of their “guests” volunteered to help. She wrote up some recipes for several casseroles and contacted some local organizations and churches and, in short, organized a daily casserole donation program that feeds 3,000 hot lunch meals today. The mystery is that once this program was well organized, up and running smoothly, the woman simply disappeared. Homeless, they were unable to track her. Roy prefers to think that she may have been an Angel.

Prayer: Lord, may we serve you more faithfully, may we love you more truly. Amen.

Tom Thoresen

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Thursday, March 12, 2009

[LENTEN DEVOTIONAL] Thursday, March 12

THURSDAY, MARCH 12

Psalm 122:1 When they said, "Let's go to the House of God," my heart leaped for joy.

On my mother's eighth birthday, her father died. Subsequently, she and her three siblings were separated and each sent to live with a different distant relative.

She kept in touch with her family of origin by writing letters, especially to her mother. When I grew up, I also wrote letters to Third Grandma who then lived with her son Hugh (my uncle) on a farm in Iowa. After Grandma died, Hugh took up the correspondence, though writing was difficult for him. He was left-handed, but had been required to learn to write right-handedly.

He mostly sent greeting cards for holidays and birthdays, often with a dollar or two, and always with a page of labored writing on lined paper. One letter mentioned that he was going to church, which had not been his habit. After that, he frequently reported going to church, saying "Everything goes better when you go to church." At his funeral, the minister and the members lovingly recalled Hugh's faithfulness in attendance, ushering, and welcoming people.

I often think of Uncle Hugh, and give thanks that he was welcomed into a faith community and that his life was better because of faithful worship. I am glad that my life, too, is better for the experience of worshiping regularly with a special and loving congregation. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Loving God, bless us as we keep the faith by participating in worship, offering hospitality, and singing your praises. With thanksgiving, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Ginnie Spurr

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Wednesday, March 11, 2009

[LENTEN DEVOTIONAL] Wednesday, March 11

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11

Isaiah 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked shall be made straight and the rough places plain.

Enjoying the Perils of the Journey

Often, we look forward to journeys…especially vacations and special visits to family. Some journeys are not so much fun, like many business trips. Let’s face it – a lot can go wrong on a journey, like plane delays, bad weather, disappointments upon arrival at your destination, coming home to a lot of work, etc. Once in a while we take a journey and everything works out the way we had planned. When this happens we often take it for granted, so we should try to appreciate it more when things go well. But usually there are surprises.

This is why stress often accompanies a journey. This stress occurs because journeys seldom go as planned. I don’t know how many times I’ve cried out, “I just want to GET home!” It seems to me that we should be focused on the journey itself, and not the destination or getting home. If we focus on the journey, and enjoy the ride – whatever happens – then the journey itself becomes the focal point and can become an “adventure,” resplendent with new experiences that could never have been foreseen and can never be forgotten. By focusing on the journey rather than the destination, the stress is relieved, and replaced with a sense of awe.

This is true in our journey of faith. The journey of faith should be embraced as a wonderful adventure, and enjoyed. While it can be intimidating, like any trip, it should never be something that we fear. And we always know where we can go for directions if we get lost (even us guys). During our lifetime, we never really arrive at a destination on our faith journey. We are always growing and learning, and achieving a better understanding of God’s mission for us. So, smell the roses along the way and enjoy the ride, the people you meet along the way, and the twists and turns in the road. And don’t worry about actually getting anywhere in particular.

Prayer: Heavenly Lord, help us to enjoy our journey of faith and bask in the joys and glories of the trip. Amen.

Ward Lamphere

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Tuesday, March 10, 2009

[LENTEN DEVOTIONAL] Tuesday, March 10

TUESDAY, MARCH 10

Psalm 19:14. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Interesting how a routine from teenage years can provide a lifelong memory. As a member of the TUXIS (You and I Trusting and Serving Christ) youth group at Redford Avenue Presbyterian Church in northwest Detroit, I had many memorable experiences.

Each Sunday evening we had a worship service planned by the youth. The final hymn was always, by agreement, “If I Have Wounded Any Soul Today,” also known as “The Evening Hymn.”

The Evening Hymn

If I have wounded any soul today,
If I have caused one heart to go astray,
If I have walked in my own willful way,
Dear Lord, forgive.

Examining these words one sees how significant they can be to teenagers as well as persons of all ages. Unintentional or intentional words out of the mouths of teenagers often wound others. Willfulness is often cited as a characteristic of teen years. Gentle reminders and a plea for forgiveness may guide future behaviors into a kinder, gentler mode of human interaction.

This is an example of many hymns which have powerful messages and are often lovely poetry. Do we take the time to think about the words? At times, concentrating on singing the notes correctly precludes thinking about the message. How about reading the words and thinking about them outside of the worship service? You may find a new depth of meaning, awareness and awakening.

Prayer: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Amen.

Diane K. Bert

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Monday, March 9, 2009

[LENTEN DEVOTIONAL] Monday, March 9

MONDAY, MARCH 9

Isaiah 41:8-10 I have called you my servant and not cast you off; fear nothing for I am with you.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ: the life I live is not my life, but the life Christ lives within me.

Romans 8:31 If God is on our side, who can be against us?

Adopted Children

Isaiah alternates between lectures on past sins, present opportunities for repentance, and the vision of the kingdom. So what's changed? Maybe not much except that identifying real prophets is harder than ever.In early Isaiah, after a broad indictment of Israel's lack of adherence to the law (of Moses) and, more importantly, to the Lord as Israel's sole hope of salvation, the prophet describes hope of restoration after repentance. It has taken 400 years and 41 chapters to come that far.

The story does not end there. Even first century Christians wrestled with the same questions. Paul's letter to the Galatians is generally critical of their practices and the low levels of morals to which they have slipped. In Chapter 2 he talks about the living of Christ's instructions for discipleship. That is to lose oneself as a precondition of salvation. It may take a lifetime, but to what else is our calling so strong? In Galatians 3 and Romans 8:31, Paul further describes that if we are adopted children of God, there is nothing that we cannot accomplish. Why adopted sons and daughters? Because adopted children are chosen while natural children are not. Like the prophet we are called to discipleship. In Chapter 6 Isaiah gives his answer: “Here am I. Send me.” It's not an easy answer, but can we respond otherwise?

Prayer: Holy father, you love us as only a parent can. Please help us to love you as children that have chosen you like you have chosen us. Amen.

Ross Stuntz

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Sunday, March 8, 2009

[LENTEN DEVOTIONAL] Sunday, March 8

SUNDAY, MARCH 8

Matthew 20:22 But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?”

The Cup of Life

In Bread for the Journey Henri J.M. Nouwen writes in his May 9th entry:

When the mother of James and John asks Jesus to give her sons a special place in his Kingdom, Jesus responds, “Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink”?
(Matthew 20:22)

“Can we drink the cup?” is the most challenging and radical question we can ask ourselves. The cup is the cup of life, full of sorrows and joys. Can we hold our cups and claim them as our own? Can we lift our cups to offer blessings to others, and can we drink our cups to the bottom as cups that bring us salvation?

Keeping this question alive in us is one of the most demanding spiritual exercises we can practice.

Prayer: Loving God, we are grateful for the cup of sorrows and salvation. As we drink from it, transform us so that we may become faithful servants, blessing others and bearing witness to the love that is in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Sheila Roebke

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