SATURDAY, MARCH 24

Romans 14:17-18 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

1 Corinthians 6:9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God?

1 Corinthians 15:24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father.

THE KINGDOM

The four synoptic gospels have frequent references to the Kingdom. However, the scriptures quoted above are some of the only references to it in Paul's letters. Why is it that Paul says little about the Kingdom while the gospels are eager to tell us about it? N.T. Wright explains that in the Apostle's view, Christ had already introduced “the Kingdom of the Messiah. What remained to come was the Kingdom of God. Paul's audience was eager to hear about the real Lord of the world. The Kingdom of God had been part of the explanation of what Jesus had already accomplished through his death and resurrection which now had to be implemented.”

But are we (were they) so generous that we (they) could look around and say “See that's an example of what the Kingdom is like”? Maybe not always. What the professor implies is that we need to imitate Jesus' values in the world to be able to glimpse the essence of the Kingdom of God on earth. And through those glimpses, we may be able to think of the Kingdom that lies beyond us. Paul's future vision is one of selflessness that promotes generosity unconcerned with competition or status. But, why were his examples so few? Maybe the same reason that we see so few. Why did the gospel writers list so many? Maybe because Christ saw so many ways that we can do more for each other.

Father God, help us to imitate the behavior of your son. We pray that we may come closer to your Kingdom. Amen.

Ross Stuntz

FRIDAY, MARCH 23

Exodus 3:4 When the Lord saw that Moses had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the burning bush.

Three things you should know. One: I do not hear voices in the night … even God’s. Two: Almost all of my prayers are “thank you’s.” I do not ask God to help me win the lottery. Three: God does talk to me. No voice. But every bit as clearly as a shout.

Some examples. I prayed for guidance on how I might help out with things that need doing here on earth. The first thing he said to me was, “Feed the children.” He didn’t add, “dummy.” But the message was so powerful and clear that I sure felt like a dummy.

So I donated some money I didn’t think I had to help feed children. And I will keep doing it. Again, no voice. But God’s message was as clear to me as a smack on the side of my head.

Another example. I again prayed for guidance on how to help our world. Another smack. “Do something to help fight the injustice done to the LGBTQI community.” I put in many hours as a “heterosexual, straight, ally” (that’s what they called me) at the Gay Community Center (Affirmations) in Ferndale. I am still trying to work on that kind of social injustice through our Communities Connect Ministry right here at FPC.

Why do I feel compelled to tell you this stuff? Probably, because I’m very excited about it. But also because I hope it might help someone else.

God has probably “talked” to me all of my life. I simply wasn’t listening. It also took me a long time to understand that God’s “talk” can come through a flower, or a bird, or a smack on the head, or a burning bush. The key is being ready to listen and to accept whatever he has to say … whenever he chooses to say it.

So please listen. Because when you hear God talk, I guarantee it’s going to make you one very happy person.

Dear Lord, Thank you for talking to us … often when we need it most. Please help us all to listen and to follow through with whatever it is you would have us do. Amen.

Hal Bay

THURSDAY, MARCH 22

Hebrews 4:12 Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

When I was with Presbyterian Women in India last October, I had a brief conversation with a woman who taught university courses on the Bible as literature. Most of her students were not Christian (only about 2.3% of Indians identify themselves as Christian). She told me that occasionally students would express their concern that the text seemed to be speaking to them. Was this book supposed to do that? We smiled as we talked because we know that the Bible does speak to us.

I am sorry to say that I am too disorganized to practice daily devotions. The internet kindly provides me a daily reminder, though, through a subscription to the daily lectionary (http://pcusa.org/subscriptions/lists/daily-lectionary/). Sometimes I'm too busy to read the message in those emails, but when I open one, I often find scripture speaking to me. And I stop and remember that I am a child of God. I am reminded again ...

• to be thankful every day
• to treasure the gift of faith that comes from God, nurtured by my family and my church
• to see good and to see God in everyone
• to remember my obligation to care for all of God's creation and all of God’s creatures
• but most of all, to feel my connection to this living Word, this Word that became flesh and dwelt (and continues to dwell) among us.

Lord, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Continue to remind me every day to seek your word in scripture. Help me to hear and respond to your word so that it does not return to you empty. Amen.

Charlotte Fischer

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21

Proverbs 22:6 Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray.

Talking With Our Children

Something has changed in our lives while raising our young children. We are talking to them less and listening to them less than in earlier years. Instead we are intent on talking on our mobile devices and listening to them as well.

Meanwhile we are DIS-CONNECTING with our children – our most valuable asset. They see and hear us talking; but not with them!

The consequences of these changes are mind-boggling!

“Teachable Moments” are lost to idle chatter. Rather than engaging our child in conversation, we are indirectly de-valuing their existence or their interests.

Worse yet, we are modeling this disinterest – this detachment.

In the same vein I wonder if we still read to our children from good books. Books with pictures and conversational topics. Or has handing him/her an iPad replaced even that depth of togetherness?

I worry about what this type of omission will create in the socialization skills of our children.

Show me how to listen and to really hear my children, dear Lord, I pray. Amen.

Janet Munson

TUESDAY, MARCH 20

Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”

Psalm 103:1,4 Bless the Lord, O my soul … Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.

TENDER MERCIES

The story takes place in rural Texas on a desolate highway in a cheap motel. Mac Sledge (Robert Duvall) has just spent the night there having fallen asleep after a drunken brawl. He awakes to a trashed hotel room. A former country western singer, he is an alcoholic and has lost his fortune. Having no money, he offers to work to pay for the room. Rosa Lee, a widow whose husband died in Vietnam, owns the motel and lives there with her boy Sonny.

She accepts his offer and provides him with meals, a room and $2.00 an hour – which is all she can afford. But she gives him much more than this. Because of Rosa’s lovingkindness, Mac chooses to leave his self-destructive lifestyle behind. He is baptized in the church that Rosa and Sonny attend and becomes a father to her son.

Thus unfolds the plot of the movie Tender Mercies, a simple film, a story about human and heavenly mercy. My favorite line in the film is spoken with innocence and humility by Rosa: “Every night when I say my prayers and thank the Lord for his tender mercies to me, you and Sonny head the list.”

There are memories in all our lives that hold regrets, some may even make us cringe and think, how could I have ever done that? During these 40 days of Lent let us remember that if we approach our God with penitent hearts, he who knows us all by name will crown us with his tender mercies, lift us up and bring us ever closer to him.

Gracious Lord, in this season of repentance, as we reflect upon your Son’s suffering and sacrifice, may we approach you in prayer always certain of your lovingkindness and tender mercies. Amen.

Colleen Fisher

MONDAY, MARCH 19

Jeremiah 18:6 O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? says the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

To Be Used by God

I love the hymn “Spirit of the Living God,” penned by Presbyterian minister Daniel Iverson in 1926. The quiet plea, the measured cadence, the direct address of this hymn says it all. “Spirit of the Living God, Fall afresh on me!” A mantra in its simplicity, with a haunting melody that seems to wait, poised on Bb, for God to breathe.

Iverson doubtless knew the older hymn “Have Thine Own Way, Lord,” by Adelaide A. Pollard (1907), another old favorite from my childhood.

Iverson’s rising prayer “Melt me, mold me, Fill me, use me,” echoes Pollard’s “Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way! Thou art the Potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me after Thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still. Power, all power, surely is Thine! Touch me and heal me, Savior divine. Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way! Hold o’er my being absolute sway! Fill with Thy Spirit ’till all shall see Christ only, always, living in me.”

Once again I am reminded it is God’s will, not mine. I need to be still, to wait, to yield. I need to let God hold me in God’s hand as a potter does the clay. What shape will I take? How will I be used by God? Only God knows.

Thank you, God, for creating us new each day, forgiven and empowered by you to do your will. Send your Spirit to guide us. Amen.

Diane Falconer

SUNDAY, MARCH 18

Acts 2:5-8 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?”

I think that it is often tempting to believe that including and being included are very easy things to do, and they aren’t. You could easily understand the story of the coming of the Holy Spirit as God somehow “spot welding” us all together into one great loving family, but it simply isn’t that way.

I’m reminded of this whenever I walk into ETS where I encounter people of the same faith but very different approaches to it. At ETS there are Baptists, Lutherans, charismatic’s, and people from non-denominational backgrounds. I’ve even encountered a Jew, and the seminary has started a chaplaincy program for Muslims.

Although very diverse, ETS doesn’t even cover the entire Christian water front. For instance, ETS does not currently have any orthodox Christians that I’m aware of or many of the other types of Christianity that I’ve left out.

To add to that, there was a class I took last year that made us try to understand how Christianity was understood in other cultures, especially those that had reason to believe that it had been imposed on them such as the American Indians.

Including is more than inviting people into our little bubble and expecting them to love it because we do. Inclusion is about leaving our bubble, listening more than talking, sometimes saying that we are sorry for things we didn’t personally do, and always being willing to try to change as we are lead by God.

Gracious God: Help us to see each other as your unique children. May we celebrate the ways we find you even though they may not be what we are familiar with. Be with us on this journey of inclusion; may we judge less and live in joy more as we seek to love all of your children. Amen.

Terry Chaney