Lent Devotional: We are all in Training.

Chunk loves to recycle.

It might seem crazy to you if you're not a pet person, but this guy is like my child.  I adopted him after losing my last dog quite suddenly.  Facing a quiet house with no dog was not something I tolerated for very long.  For the last six months he has been a great source of laughter and frustration (sometimes at the same time).  

As the weather warms up and the days get longer he wants to be outside.  Last night he barked for twenty minutes until I finally wrangled him inside.  It scared me for a minute until I realized that he was watching a possum at my neighbors.   He is certainly a curious fellow.  In fact, one of the troubling things about his curiosity and love of people is his speed.  My parsonage is located on a fairly busy road.  It isn't cars I'm most concerned about, it's the runners.  Chunk likes to greet them.  

Before I moved here I purchased a training collar for my last dog.  Basically when you push a button the collar beeps. After a little bit of training the dog realizes that the beep means "come."  At that time when I put the collar on my dog, the beep alone sent him into the garage to hide.  Chunk however is stubborn.  I've been working with him on this for a few weeks and realized that even on the highest number, the collar was not phasing him.  He would just look at me and go back to doing what he wasn't supposed to do.  

After a particularly frustrating encounter with a runner and a biker I ordered Chunk a new, bigger and more powerful collar.  (I know I sound like the meanest mom in the world.)  After only one day with this new collar Chunk has learned pretty simply that running in the road isn't such a good idea. (It only took two zaps)

While it may seem like a bad analogy, I sometimes wonder if God wouldn't be really relieved if we came equipped with our own "training collars." The thing about this collar is that you don't turn it up really high and scare your dog.  You move it up once step at a time until the dog recognizes that it's an annoying feeling.  The annoyance stops when the dog does what he is supposed to.  It did not seem to cause any pain at all - and the treats upon his return were certainly enjoyed.  

I spend a lot of time talking with people about God's will or plan for their lives.  It is often such a source of frustration when we crumble to temptation or make repeated bad choices.  Sometimes even our best intentions can cause us to wind up in a dangerous place, or a place where we simply shouldn't be.  

While questions and circumstances like these don't have easy answers, they do help us to learn to trust the Holy Spirit's movement in our lives.  When we are really in touch with the Spirit we come to recognize when we are out of sync with God.  Maybe it is a little bit like what Chunk has gone through.  When things feel off, or really challenging, that is the time to re-evaluate.  To head back to what we know and move forward taking a revised path.  In order to recognize when things get uncomfortable we have to do our best to stay connected - through things like prayer, study, Scripture reading, and worship.  This is our training ground, where God can mold and shape us as we respond to the Spirit.  

In closing I leave you with these words from Proverbs 2:

1-5 Good friend, take to heart what I’m telling you;

    collect my counsels and guard them with your life.

Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom;

    set your heart on a life of Understanding.

That’s right—if you make Insight your priority,

    and won’t take no for an answer,

Searching for it like a prospector panning for gold,

    like an adventurer on a treasure hunt,

Believe me, before you know it Fear-of-God will be yours;

    you’ll have come upon the Knowledge of God.

6-8 

And here’s why: God gives out Wisdom free,

    is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding.

He’s a rich mine of Common Sense for those who live well,

    a personal bodyguard to the candid and sincere.

He keeps his eye on all who live honestly,

    and pays special attention to his loyally committed ones.

9-15 

So now you can pick out what’s true and fair,

    find all the good trails!

Lady Wisdom will be your close friend,

    and Brother Knowledge your pleasant companion.

Good Sense will scout ahead for danger,

    Insight will keep an eye out for you.

They’ll keep you from making wrong turns,

    or following the bad directions

Lent Devotional: What's your story?

Once upon a time....

When you are really young, all the best stories seemed to start out with that line. Stories are powerful, often helping us learn deep truths in a way that we can relate.  I bet you remember some of Aesop's Fables or Mother Goose's nursery rhymes.  We learn from stories, we learn from the lives and histories of others.  Our family histories can help us understand who we are, and how we are unique.  

Tonight as our Friday draws to a close I invite you to read Psalm 105.  It is a recounting of God's action in the Old Testament, serving as a reminder of the people's faithfulness, but more importantly, God's steadfastness.  

As you read reflect on your story.  What does your faith-story say about God?  

Evangelism is often thought of as a negative word.  It can make us think of "Bible-bashers" or religious zealots that make us uncomfortable.  Rather than thinking about evangelism in that context think about it as "faith-sharing."  In this light, sharing about God involves our stories connecting with someone else's.  Rather than closing us off to those who think differently, it opens us up to listen and respond with great respect and understanding.  With whom might you share your faith story?

Psalm 105 

1-6 Hallelujah!

Thank God! Pray to him by name!
    Tell everyone you meet what he has done!
Sing him songs, belt out hymns,
    translate his wonders into music!
Honor his holy name with Hallelujahs,
    you who seek God. Live a happy life!
Keep your eyes open for God, watch for his works;
    be alert for signs of his presence.
Remember the world of wonders he has made,
    his miracles, and the verdicts he’s rendered—
        O seed of Abraham, his servant,
        O child of Jacob, his chosen.

7-15 He’s God, our God,
    in charge of the whole earth.
And he remembers, remembers his Covenant—
    for a thousand generations he’s been as good as his word.
It’s the Covenant he made with Abraham,
    the same oath he swore to Isaac,
The very statute he established with Jacob,
    the eternal Covenant with Israel,
Namely, “I give you the land.
    Canaan is your hill-country inheritance.”
When they didn’t count for much,
    a mere handful, and strangers at that,
Wandering from country to country,
    drifting from pillar to post,
He permitted no one to abuse them.
    He told kings to keep their hands off:
“Don’t you dare lay a hand on my anointed,
    don’t hurt a hair on the heads of my prophets.”

16-22 Then he called down a famine on the country,
    he broke every last blade of wheat.
But he sent a man on ahead:
    Joseph, sold as a slave.
They put cruel chains on his ankles,
    an iron collar around his neck,
Until God’s word came to the Pharaoh,
    and God confirmed his promise.
God sent the king to release him.
    The Pharaoh set Joseph free;
He appointed him master of his palace,
    put him in charge of all his business
To personally instruct his princes
    and train his advisors in wisdom.

23-42 Then Israel entered Egypt,
    Jacob immigrated to the Land of Ham.
God gave his people lots of babies;
    soon their numbers alarmed their foes.
He turned the Egyptians against his people;
    they abused and cheated God’s servants.
Then he sent his servant Moses,
    and Aaron, whom he also chose.
They worked marvels in that spiritual wasteland,
    miracles in the Land of Ham.
He spoke, “Darkness!” and it turned dark—
    they couldn’t see what they were doing.
He turned all their water to blood
    so that all their fish died;
He made frogs swarm through the land,
    even into the king’s bedroom;
He gave the word and flies swarmed,
    gnats filled the air.
He substituted hail for rain,
    he stabbed their land with lightning;
He wasted their vines and fig trees,
    smashed their groves of trees to splinters;
With a word he brought in locusts,
    millions of locusts, armies of locusts;
They consumed every blade of grass in the country
    and picked the ground clean of produce;
He struck down every firstborn in the land,
    the first fruits of their virile powers.
He led Israel out, their arms filled with loot,
    and not one among his tribes even stumbled.
Egypt was glad to have them go—
    they were scared to death of them.
God spread a cloud to keep them cool through the day
    and a fire to light their way through the night;
They prayed and he brought quail,
    filled them with the bread of heaven;
He opened the rock and water poured out;
    it flowed like a river through that desert—
All because he remembered his Covenant,
    his promise to Abraham, his servant.

43-45 Remember this! He led his people out singing for joy;
    his chosen people marched, singing their hearts out!
He made them a gift of the country they entered,
    helped them seize the wealth of the nations
So they could do everything he told them—
    could follow his instructions to the letter.

Hallelujah!

Lent Devotional: Lord, I confess

Lately I have been thinking a lot about confession.  No, I haven't done anything really bad that I need to get off my chest (in case you were wondering).  In one of the studies here at church we discussed the role of confession in our spiritual lives and it was suggested that we make sure to include a Prayer of Confession in worship each week.  So far these prayers have been communal confessions, said in unison.  In searching for or writing this confession each week I have pondered how powerful the act of confessing can be, at least when we come at it with a genuine spirit.  Here is an example of a prayer of confession that we will use in worship.  It comes from The United Methodist Hymnal

"Lord we confess our day to day failure to be truly human.

Lord, we confess to you.

Lord, we confess that we often fail to love with all we have and are,

often because we do not fully understand what loving means,

often because we are afraid of risking ourselves.

Lord, we confess to you. 

Lord, we confess that by silence and ill-considered word

we have built up walls of prejudice.

Lord, we confess that by selfishness and lack of sympathy

we have stifled generosity and left little time for others.

Holy Spirit, speak to us.  Help us listen to your word of forgiveness, for we are very deaf.

Come, fill this moment and free us from sin.

This is a pretty general confession, but it sure does speak to all of us, doesn't it?  It is easy to think that confession is only necessary when we've done something really wrong, something that we know was wrong. Confession isn't necessarily about counting the times we swear or say snarky comments (even in our heads).  It is about recognizing the need to be known and forgiven.  

Wikipedia defines confession as "a statement made by a person or a group of people acknowledging some personal fact that the person (or the group) would prefer to keep hidden."  I always knew that confession was about acknowledging sin, but I hadn't ever really thought about the nature of keeping it hidden.  When you get right down to it, I think this definition really encompasses a deep truth that most of us gloss over or avoid.  We all have moments in time or parts of ourselves that we do not want put on public display.  We don't want other people to know the darkness that resides in us, those raw places that we hope remain safely hidden.  I think deep down though, we really all desire to be known fully, and in that to be embraced and loved as we are.  It isn't until we bring our whole selves into the light of a relationship with a loving Creator that we really confess and move forward.  

1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."  

There isn't anything that can keep us from the love of God when we really yearn for it to come into our lives.  We are mistaken when we live thinking that the not-so-great parts of who we are, are hidden from God.  Vulnerability is so difficult and it begins with confession and acknowledgment.  God wants all of us, and it's often the messiest parts that glorify God the most.  


In closing I remind you of the words from this beautiful Psalm:

O Lord, you have searched me and known me!

2 

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

    you discern my thoughts from afar.

3 

You search out my path and my lying down

    and are acquainted with all my ways.

4 

Even before a word is on my tongue,

    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.

5 

You hem me in, behind and before,

    and lay your hand upon me.

.....

Search me, O God, and know my heart!
    Try me and know my thoughts![c]

And see if there be any grievous way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting!

Are there parts of you that you dislike?  Parts that you wish would remain hidden?  Might these be the parts that the God of Love longs to know and redeem?  How is confession a part of your faith-life?  What do you have to talk over with God today?

Lent Devotional: Hump Daaaay!

Happy as a camel on Wednesday...it's become the catch phrase for celebrating that we are half-way to the weekend.  If you're not into camels you may have heard this little ditty before:

It is easy to take our days for granted.  It is too easy to wish time away.  Often we place our hope in the future, waiting for something special or a certain time to pass before we cherish the time we have with family and friends.  Why wait?

Today I found out that a colleague suffered a severe stroke.  This person was one of my pastors growing up and the father of one of my high school best friends.  It seems that life is quite fragile.  We cannot always prepare or even see what is heading our way.  I am sure all of us have experienced this type of thing, whether it be a diagnosis or an accident.  Life can change so quickly.  So again I ask, "Why wait?"

Today in South Haven we woke up to lots of heavy, wet, slippery snow.  This is not a good thing on March 12th, after two sunny days.  Attitudes are a little sketchy when the snow flies at this point.  Yet we can rejoice in this day because it has been given to us.  

How have you served God today?  How have you found the space to rejoice in the moment?  What can you do to help others recognize the gift of this day?

Prayer:  God you have given me this day and for that I am grateful.  Help me to rejoice and celebrate in even the most mundane of days.  I lift up this pastor who needs to know the power of your healing touch in his life.  I also lift up all of those who struggle with illness or other ailments that keep them from the joy of living fully.  For family, friends, and community I thank you.  Amen.  

Lent Devotional: What are you wearing?

There is an insurance commercial on television that asks, "What's in your wallet?"  I bet as you read that you actually heard the man's voice from the ad!  I'm not sure that having this insurance card in your wallet will really make or break you, should you have an accident, but the commercial is pretty convincing.  

There are a lot of things out there that we "need to have," aren't there?  We can open the mailbox and find coupons and good deals on nearly any and everything.  Bigger toys, nicer cars, fancier cell phones...and the list could go on and on.  When I was growing up it was clothes.  Never mind the thrift-shops, it was $50 name brand t-shirts that were the "in" thing.  

I was reminded in Bible study tonight of a Scripture passage that I really love.  It comes from the book of Colossians:

12-14 So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

15-17 Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

Here, Paul is encouraging these early Christians to dress the part.  Ever have to decide what to wear to a special event?  It is helpful to think about "putting on" this garment of love, as it is often a choice we have to make, rather than an attitude that just flows out of us naturally.  Like forgiveness, love is often something we must dedicate ourselves to choosing on a daily basis.  What would it look like for you to choose love?  Are there situations or people in your life that cause you great stress?  Choose to look at them through the lens of love.  

When we dedicate ourselves to this process we begin to see the image of God in others, as we also then reflect the image of God in us.  This connection goes far beyond our similarities and differences, calling us into the deep sacred connection of God's belovedness. 

Prayer:  Loving God show me how to choose love.  Help me to wear it proudly as I do my best to see You in others.  Help me also to see your image in myself, as blurred as it often seems to be.  Thank you for loving me, help me to fully receive that love this day.  Amen.

Lent Devotional: Bats in the Belfry

What a beautiful day we have shared today!  It is such a gift to have a bit of warmth and sunshine, were you able to enjoy it?  It seems that a good sunny day after so much cold and snow brings out the best in us, and I hope you can count yourself as one who is blessed this evening.  

One of my great joys on Monday mornings is joining together with a group of women for Bible study.  Today while we were reading along and discussing I caught something out of the corner of my eye.  If you know me very well, you probably already know that one of my great fears is birds.  I like them when they are up in their trees where they belong, but I don't like them when they are too close to me, especially if they are flying.  I am a tall woman, things flying near my head creep me out.  So, my initial reaction was to scream and crawl under the table as fast as I could.  This was smart for me, but it left everyone else up there wondering what was happening.  My initial reaction was to flee, get out of there as fast as I could!  It wasn't rational, it was driven by my fear of flying things.  How absurd, right?!?  It sure seemed to make sense at the time.  

Reflecting on this today made me think of Elijah, who also had the reaction to flee.  He was tired of being persecuted, he was afraid, and he ran.  The story takes place in 1Kings:

19 1-2 Ahab reported to Jezebel everything that Elijah had done, including the massacre of the prophets. Jezebel immediately sent a messenger to Elijah with her threat: “The gods will get you for this and I’ll get even with you! By this time tomorrow you’ll be as dead as any one of those prophets.”

3-5 When Elijah saw how things were, he ran for dear life to Beersheba, far in the south of Judah. He left his young servant there and then went on into the desert another day’s journey. He came to a lone broom bush and collapsed in its shade, wanting in the worst way to be done with it all—to just die: “Enough of this, God! Take my life—I’m ready to join my ancestors in the grave!” Exhausted, he fell asleep under the lone broom bush.

Suddenly an angel shook him awake and said, “Get up and eat!”

6 He looked around and, to his surprise, right by his head were a loaf of bread baked on some coals and a jug of water. He ate the meal and went back to sleep.

7 The angel of God came back, shook him awake again, and said, “Get up and eat some more—you’ve got a long journey ahead of you.”

8-9 He got up, ate and drank his fill, and set out. Nourished by that meal, he walked forty days and nights, all the way to the mountain of God, to Horeb. When he got there, he crawled into a cave and went to sleep.

Then the word of God came to him: “So Elijah, what are you doing here?”

10 “I’ve been working my heart out for the God-of-the-Angel-Armies,” said Elijah. “The people of Israel have abandoned your covenant, destroyed the places of worship, and murdered your prophets. I’m the only one left, and now they’re trying to kill me.”

Elijah has explained to the angel that he's tired.  He's been pouring out his energy for God and he is still afraid that he will not overcome the evil that chases him.  

What I love about this story is that God doesn't just leave Elijah in that cave. God doesn't leave Elijah afraid and alone.  The story continues:

11-12 Then he was told, “Go, stand on the mountain at attention before God. God will pass by.”

A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before God, but God wasn’t to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but God wasn’t in the earthquake; and after the earthquake fire, but God wasn’t in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper.

13-14 When Elijah heard the quiet voice, he muffled his face with his great cloak, went to the mouth of the cave, and stood there. A quiet voice asked, “So Elijah, now tell me, what are you doing here?” 

God meets Elijah in the stillness, in a gentle and quiet whisper.  God calls Elijah out of the fear and into a renewed purpose.  Elijah continues to serve God with great devotion despite this occurrence.  

It is amazing how quickly fear can grip us, isn't it?  It can deter us from moving ahead with God's will for our lives.  It can thwart progress and leave us stuck in a quagmire of complacency, afraid to take any action.  The good news is that God doesn't leave us there!  God calls us out, challenges us to listen and boldly take the next step in faith.  

What are the fears that cling to you?  How do they prevent you from living fully into your God-potential?  What are you doing to listen for that still, small voice?  What's the next step God is calling you to take?

Prayer:  God, you are in the brilliance of fire and in the gentle whisper.  You are in the cry of the newborn and the last breath of the one starting their life-eternal.  Be present with me, speak to me that I may listen and understand your message.  Give me the courage to boldly answer "Here I am, Lord!"  that I may come to a greater understanding of the wonder you have created me to be.  Amen.