SATURDAY, MARCH 2

How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1: 3-6)

Christ brought us together through his death on the cross. He treated us as equals, and so made us equals. You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here. (Ephesians 2:16-22)

Hospitality

Christian hospitality can be quite an experience whether you are the insider or the outsider. For several years we have spent Easter with strangers at a small Church on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. As travelers we found ourselves invited to share the familiar Easter message with our Christian family.

As the people gathered by the beach for the sun rise service, we became part of the beautiful environmental surroundings. Just as the sun peeked out from the distant horizon and glistened across the ocean, we could feel the presence of God. The welcoming strangers made us feel accepted and comfortable through warm honest interaction. As we left the service we realized that we are all children of God through Jesus Christ.

God has adopted us all through the suffering of Jesus Christ. So where ever we travel we will not find isolation but a home where we’re not strangers or outsiders. We’ll know we belong there.

What a wonderful gift God has given us to celebrate!

Dear Father in heaven: We are grateful for your amazing home and family that you have established in this world. Where ever we travel we will find a Christian family through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Carol and Bob Morrill

FRIDAY, MARCH 1

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every­thing, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

(Philippians 4:6-7)

Today is World Day of Prayer, an international day of prayer celebrated in 170 countries around the globe on the first Friday of March. Sponsored by ecumenical Christian women with the theme “Informed Prayer and Prayerful Action,” women and men of various races, cultures, and traditions are brought together with a common day of prayer. They recognize that prayer and action are inseparable with measureable influence in the world.

Please join in the local community service this morning at 10:00am at Franklin Community Church, 26425 Wellington, in downtown Franklin. Today’s emphasis is “Prayer For All Seasons.” All are welcome.

Have you noticed how much Jesus prayed in his ministry? Jesus went off alone to pray, went to the hills, the mountains, to the wilderness. He taught the disciples to pray, and even gave an example of what to say with the text of the Lord’s prayer. Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, prayers to God were continuously being offered.

How does prayer have meaning in your life? How do you connect with God? Do you pray without ceasing? When you promise to keep someone in your prayers, do you?

“Seek the Lord and his strength. Seek his presence continually!” (Psalm 105:4)

O God, you taught us to pray and asked us to pray. May our prayers nurture us so we may more closely follow you. Today draw this world together, and draw us to you in prayer as we seek you and your presence. Amen.

Lois Poston

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in. (Revelation 3:20)

There is a beautiful stained glass window in the church I grew up attending, was baptized, married, and returned for the baptism of my daughters. This window shows Christ knocking at a closed door, something many of us have been on the other side of until one day we stop keeping up with life’s necessities and hear him knocking, patiently waiting for us to open the door to welcome Christ into our daily life.

What a life changing event that event becomes.

The artist used the beauty of stained glass to tell this all important Bible message of John’s story of the Good Shepherd portraying Jesus’ loving patience and determination as he waits for each and every one of his flock to become true members of his flock.

Dear Lord, help us to hear the knock and open the door so that we can become truly enriched. Amen.

Vera Harkin

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4:1)

Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! for it is written, 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.'" Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him. (Matthew 4:10-11)

I have a confession to make. I hate Lent. I really do. It’s cold, gray, dark, gloomy, and downright depressing. Six weeks of soul-searching, self-deprivation, and repentance leave me depleted and defenseless. And as much as I hate to admit it, that just might be the point.

Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness - wandering, hungry, thirsty, lonely. When he is finally depleted and defenseless, he is tempted by comfort, by immortality, by power. It doesn’t seem fair. It doesn’t seem to make sense.

Until you get to the crucifixion. Forty days of fasting in the wilderness seems like tough work until we experience the last days of Jesus’ life on earth. Again, Jesus is tempted with comfort, immortality, and power. And again, he rejects them all in favor of God’s world-transforming work.

Apart from the somber barrenness of this season, I must admit that my real aversion to Lent stems from the fact that this season holds me accountable to all the ways I give into temptation every day. The temptation to cling to what I know, what I have, and what I can accomplish. The temptation of prideful perfection.

Every Lent, I realize I couldn't have survived temptation in the wilderness, much less on the cross. I’m debilitated after a few weeks of just thinking about it all. God said to Paul, as he struggled with weakness, that “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Perhaps this is where God wants us. Weak, uncertain, ready to give in. The hope of Easter is the only thing that keeps me going through Lent. Perhaps it is in weakness that we are truly prepared to receive the miracle of the resurrection.

God of grace, turn our weakness into your strength, our insufficiency into your abundance, our mortality into eternal life, as we await with longing the final redemption of your creation. Amen.

Amy Morgan

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26

Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do! And with your wisdom, develop common sense and good judgment. (Proverbs 4:7)

Proverbs is my favorite book in the Bible It was written mainly by Solomon and is loaded with more mentions of wisdom than any of the other 65 books in the Bible. It offers compelling practical guidance in how to live life as God teaches. Proverbs has been described as the divinely developed self-improvement course and that is what I love about this brilliant book. Solomon summed it up in two terse statements: “Fear God. Obey His commandments.”

The Life Application Bible defines proverbs as “Short, wise sayings that give us practical wisdom for daily living, and conveying moral truth,” and states, “There is a vast difference between knowledge (having the facts), and wisdom (applying the facts to life.)”

Applying knowledge of virtuous values can be difficult and requires a daily discipline. In addition to focusing on scripture, I have tried to develop a list of daily values which I share with friends and associates as they do with me. Here are some of the values I try to turn to every day:

• Make God your first responder.
• Be calm...calmness is power.
• Be kind...spread “Random acts of kindness” every day.
• Be helpful...you’ll be doing God’s work.
• Eliminate anxiety...“Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything.” (Philippians 4:4).
• Embrace amnesia...forget failures…rejoice in the present …focus on the future.
• Be grateful...thank people for their kindness, courtesies and helpfulness.
• Be positive...“I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13). “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).
• Love the Lord...love others...and obey the commandments.

O God, give us the power to apply your commandments to our daily lives! Amen.

Bruce McCristal

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25

If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. (Matthew 17:20)

My friend and guitar teacher Kors van Mourik died unexpectedly late last year of unclear causes, although a previously undetected heart ailment was likely. He had many friends but no family in this area. Although he was the bass section leader in our Chancel Choir a few years ago, he had no formal church affiliation. Because they knew I was one of his students, his friends and acquaintances kept asking me if there was going to be a memorial service. Lots of people wanted one but no one apparently wanted to organize it.

I found it so shockingly sad to allow his life to be swept away unhonored, as if he had just disappeared, I finally decided to take action even though I had never directed a memorial before. I did not feel this was a mission from God nor did I have much faith in my ability to bring this off—unless having a strong desire to make it happen was a seed of faith.

I sent a lot of emails to his friends and students to find out if anyone wanted to speak, sing or play an instrument at the service. Replies were slow in coming. For a while I thought I and the little guitar group I was in were going to be the entire show. I kept plodding ahead, setting a date, reserving Knox, hiring a caterer to do a lunch, getting some tips from Pastor John, all in a state of unbelief that any of this was going to work out. Eventually, I got some commitments from people to speak or perform. Now I worried some speakers would talk too long. Then I found out someone had announced the time and place of the service on Facebook and I had a new worry--would we have enough food?

The day came with me still anxious. People poured into the service, twice as many as expected. The service was beautiful. The speakers didn’t drone on. The music was lovely. The food was a little like the story of the loaves and fishes, except the caterer performed the miracle -- used to such problems, he brought extra. My little seed of faith had been rewarded.

Dear Lord, help us forge ahead with important ventures even when we think we lack the faith to make them succeed, recognizing that the desire to do them is a form of faith. Amen.

Barbara Hoover

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24

Let your light shine before others … (Matthew 5:16)

I’m not being modest- I simply cannot carry a tune! Many years ago I expressed this concern as a group of us headed out from the church for some “good ole Christmas caroling,” and I was assured that God loves all voices. So I eagerly sang out the first carol with all I had…and was then invited to hold the flashlight for the rest of the group. Since then I’ve become quite adept at lip-syncing!

As one of the Inclusion Coordinators at FPC, it is my honor and privilege to help insure the inclusion of persons of all abilities into the life of the church, and I found myself in the position of encouraging various people to sing. All I could think was, “God, you have got to be kidding me!” Imagine how ironic it was when I was asked to become a helper at the children’s choir rehearsals!

But how can I ask others to sing if I’m not singing?

Now in the Sanctuary on Sunday mornings I stand with a young friend of mine and word by word we work on letting our voices be heard. At the last Rejoicing Spirits’ service I sat next to someone who has never said much to me, and we sang together. And you know what? In both cases, when we made eye contact and smiled at each other, we sang louder. We were connected. As in all of life, we are transformed by the relationships we build. And we can only build relationships if we are willing to put ourselves out there…even if it’s out of our comfort zone.

What I considered God’s irony was actually God’s gift. I still don’t sing well, but all of our voices deserve to be heard.

Gracious and loving God, thank you for the gift of your transforming light shining on me through others. Through their presence, my little spark becomes a flame. Amen.

Joanne Blair