2011

Ash Wednesday, March 9th Whoever is faithful in very little, is faithful also in much. Luke 18 One Monday last September I was reading my Forward Day by Day when I came upon the above verse. My thoughts immediately turned to my Bible study – the Good Book Womenʼs Bible Study. We had just been asked the week before to set the tables for our Wednesday night supper. We all realized what a help this would be to make our Wednesday gatherings possible. We accepted with smiles and, sure enough, our ladies have made this task a regular part of our Wednesday afternoons. Even the little things require our best effort. Yes, this is not a big deal, but we are doing God's work and helping our fellow parishioners. There are hundreds of "little things" we can do: welcoming a visitor at coffee hour with a big smile; sending a card to a sick friend; bringing food for the HAP pantry; volunteering for an outreach program; and just taking care of each other. We are using our gifts even in these small ways. The Lord has much for us to do, but first we must be sure that the tables are set for Wednesday night. ~ Elise Goodson

Thursday, March 10th “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12 My parents raised me “to do unto others as they would do unto you.” My husband and I have raised our children “to treat others as you would want to be treated.” My older (and wiser) sister has raised her children to be “honest, kind and hard-working.” Every one of these words of wisdom is the same. The same, I believe, as Matthew was trying to convey in his Gospel. We, as Christians, should be promoting this message, this message of mutual love and respect, instead of trying to convert everyone to Christianity. Imagine how different our world would be if we all were “honest, kind and hard-working.” It certainly would be a “kinder, gentler” place – still allowing our differences but living harmoniously, as I believe God envisioned. Every person has his or her own journey and relationship with God. If we were all “honest, kind and hard-working” and tolerant of all our differences, people wouldnʼt have to be “saved.” We would ALL be experiencing the love of God – the love of one another. God is complicated but his message is quite simple. ~ Kaaren Dunn

Friday, March 11th If you heed these ordinances, by diligently observing them, the Lord your God will maintain with you the covenant loyalty that he swore to your ancestors; he will love you, bless you, and multiply you; he will bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the issue of your flock, in the land that he swore to your ancestors to give you. You shall be the most blessed of peoples with neither sterility nor barrenness among you or your livestock. The Lord will turn away from you every illness; all the dread diseases of Egypt that you experienced, he will not inflict on you, but he will lay them on all who hate you. You shall devour all the peoples that the Lord your God is giving over to you, showing them no pity; you shall not serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you. Deuteronomy 7:12-16 This is the covenant or promise God made to the children of Israel at Mt. Sinai. God had also made an earlier covenant with Abraham and Isaac. Here He is in the process of forming a nation of their descendants after they left Egypt and were encamped in the Sinai desert. The ordinances which bound them together as a nation were many and required constant attention for their observance. In studying these we are reminded of how fortunate we are that Christʼs sacrifice in coming to the earth, suffering and dying upon the cross has allowed us to enjoy Godʼs love and mercy without our having to observe these ordinances. As Paul makes clear in his epistles to the Corinthians and the Hebrews, Christ fulfills and completes the Jewish system of sacrifice that we may have Godʼs grace and forgiveness. ~ Virginia Kobler

Saturday, March 12th Come unto me all that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. Matthew 11:28. As we embark on our Lenten journey, let us hold all that is most cherished and dear to us like a pearl in the hand. My father recently found this little speech that my mother composed and delivered while I was in grade school. It is part of our “precious memories” of Dianne Z. Dolan. I want to share my pearl with all of you so that community will take on a whole new meaning. “My Dream for My Community” What is a community? A community is a home – my home, your home. Donʼt we always dream of a happy home? For my community, I dream of happiness, success and a home where there are healthy children and happiness shines from each face … a haven of rest for the weary soul. Whenever we dream of success, we think of expansion – construction of new homes and businesses, industry. As we endeavor to reach the goals we want for our community, we must begin at Godʼs altar for a goal shared with God will not falter. As citizens of Springville, we can endeavor to include Christ in any project we take a part. This can be done through our own personal prayers as we go about our tasks. Let Christianity shine from our faces in hope that it will be contagious! All dreams can become realities if God is the Lord and Master of our community. ~ Holly McClain

Monday, March 14th On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesusʼ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesusʼ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” Dear Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water” so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best until now.” This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. John 2:10-12 When I read this familiar passage I found myself focusing on Mary. We all know weddings can be mighty stressful events, especially for the hosts and those helping out at the wedding. It has been speculated that Mary was not an ordinary guest but that she had a leading role for the wedding party, which at the time was a multi-day affair. Jesusʼ mother seems to step in and take charge when she says, “They have no more wine.” I thought about how desperate and responsible she may have felt and so she goes to the person she knows will help. But, rather than telling Jesus what to do, begging him, or playing the “mom equals guilt” game, she simply states the obvious. As the mother of two wonderful young men, I still find it hard not to direct them, to give too much guidance, or to convey the “after all Iʼve done for you …” message. Mary does not get defensive or offended when Jesus questions her and, “My time has not yet come.” Mary simply expresses her faith by admonishing the servants to do exactly what Jesus tells them to do. She knows he has the answer to the problem. With Mary as a role-model, I pray that I do better about how and what to say, and not say, to my grown children, and that I continue to grow in wisdom and faith. ~ Deborah Baker

Tuesday, March 15th When the Lord your God thrusts them out before you, do not say to yourself, “It is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me in to occupy this land”; it is rather because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is dispossessing them before you. It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you are going in to occupy their land; but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is dispossessing them before you, in order to fulfill the promise that the Lord made on oath to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Know, then, that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land to occupy because of your righteousness; for you are a stubborn people. Remember and do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God to wrath in the wilderness; you have been rebellious against the Lord from the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place. Even at Horeb you provoked the Lord to wrath, and the Lord was so angry with you that he was ready to destroy you. When I went up the mountain to receive the stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant that the Lord made with you, I remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water. And the Lord gave me the two stone tablets written with the finger of God; on them were all the words that the Lord had spoken to you at the mountain out of the fire on the day of the assembly. At the end of forty days and forty nights the Lord gave me the two stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant. Then the Lord said to me, “Get up, go down quickly from here, for your people whom you have brought from Egypt have acted corruptly. They have been quick to turn from the way that I commanded them; they have cast an image for themselves.” Deuteronomy 9:4-12 In this passage, God says he is giving lands to the Hebrews not because they are good, but because the people occupying the lands are wicked. He warns them not to be self-righteous about it – they are not being given things because they are deserving. God continually reminds them that they are rebellious and wicked – though apparently somewhat less rebellious and wicked than those who are being dispossessed of their land I find it easy to get mired down in trying to analyze this passage too carefully, because it can come back to God loving some people more than others and saying itʼs fine to take over lands belonging to others as long as we think they are more wicked than we are. But I think there are two important things in these verses. One is the admonition against self-righteousness. How easy it is for me to become self-righteous and to believe that all I have I have because I am more deserving than those who have less. I need to remind myself that what I have is a gift from God and say, “Thank you.” The other important thing is that God is faithful to his promises. God has promised us that he loves us no matter what. Trust God. Avoid self-righteousness. Things I need to think about every day. ~ Sally Naumann

Wednesday, March 16th Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end. As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” Now who were they who heard and yet were rebellious? Was it not all those who left Egypt under the leadership of Moses? But with whom was he angry forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, if not to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. Hebrews 3:12-19 This passage is a reminder to protect ourselves from an unbelieving heart that turns away from God. The Israelites were not able to enter the Promised Land because of their unbelief and their lack of trust in Godʼs word. When we donʼt have trust in God, it prevents us from receiving his amazing gifts. When we refuse to believe God, our hearts turn away from Him. The scripture tells us to encourage each other daily so that we will be protected from the deceitfulness of sin and a heart of unbelief. Hebrews 3: 12-19 does not mention prayer, but daily prayer is such an important tool for protection against unbelief and not trusting God. God listens to our prayers and He speaks to us. This is the way to a loving, trusting and believing heart. Proverbs 3: 5 says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”. ~ Linda Watts

Thursday, March 17th

Recently, while driving in Huntsville, I actually drove behind a car on Whitesburg Drive sporting this bumper sticker. After laughing aloud, I began to wonder about the situation as it related to my personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Was I close enough? Should I be closer? (I definitely knew my situation with the aforementioned car!) Actually, I concluded that my relationship is ever changing. While the distance may fluctuate, the knowledge that our relationship is rock solid is incredibly comforting. Todayʼs New Testament reading, John 3:16-21, begins with the verse probably all of us can quote without even thinking about the words. The beginning phrase, For God so loved the world, can easily be overlooked. Godʼs all encompassing love is amazing. This includes everyone, believers, unbelievers, atheists, all of us. The offer is there, and it is up to each of us to determine the closeness of this relationship. ~ Barbara Phillips

Friday, March 18th So now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? Only to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord your God and his decrees that I am commanding you today, for your own well-being. Although heaven and the heaven of heavens belong to the Lord your God, the earth with all that is in it, yet the Lord set his heart in love on your ancestors alone and chose you, their descendants after them, out of all the peoples, as it is today. Circumcise, then, the foreskin of your heart, and do not be stubborn any longer. For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing. You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. You shall fear the Lord your God; him alone you shall worship; to him you shall hold fast, and by his name you shall swear. He is your praise; he is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things that your own eyes have seen. Your ancestors went down to Egypt seventy persons; and now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in heaven. Deuteronomy 10:12-22 There is much food for thought in these verses of scripture. As I pondered, the phrase “chosen people" came to mind. The “seventy who went down into Egypt” were chosen as was Abraham, and as they were chosen so are we. We do not choose, he has chosen us. I thought of Adam, formed from the earth and given the breath of life, and just as quickly of the young child baptized Sunday last. He too was formed from the clay of creation and the ashes of those who have gone before and then gently given the breath of life. Imagine that. From Adam to this child - both chosen. We are chosen indeed. ~ David Phillips

Saturday, March 19th For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19 While I was on a retreat recently, I heard startling words that have become part of my truth. What I heard is this: that we can feel the presence of our loved ones most powerfully after they are gone. We can feel their presence with a clarity that we cannot experience when they are with us. This is their final gift to us. If this is so, then we can also feel Christʼs love for us most intensely in His absence. We attend more carefully; His words are that much more precious to us. We are rooted and grounded in His immeasurable love and sacrifice for us. When weʼre still, we can feel the reverberations of His love in us and around us every day. This is His final gift to us. ~ Linda Martin

Monday, March 21st The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.” Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.” The word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, tilted away from the north.” Then the Lord said to me: Out of the north disaster shall break out on all the inhabitants of the land. For now I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, says the Lord; and they shall come and all of them shall set their thrones at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its surrounding walls and against all the cities of Judah. And I will utter my judgments against them, for all their wickedness in forsaking me; they have made offerings to other gods, and worshiped the works of their own hands. But you, gird up your loins; stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not break down before them, or I will break you before them. And I for my part have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall, against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you. Jeremiah1:11-19 Frederick Buechner once said, "The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the worldʼs deep hunger meet." For a long time this quoteʼs only purpose in my life seemed to be to irritate me to death. I could look around me and see many people I know whose lives exemplified this quote to the greatest capacity, yet I couldnʼt even figure out what my greatest gladness was, let alone the worldʼs deepest hunger. I realized that I wasnʼt actually trying to discover my deepest gladness and I was so overwhelmed by the heartache in the world that I didnʼt even know where to begin to discover the worldʼs deepest hunger. God says to Jeremiah, “What do you see?” It is a simple question, yet it is something I often forget to ask myself. I donʼt take the time to look at my life and how my spiritual growth is progressing, and often times I donʼt take the time to really process what I see going on around me in the world. However, Lent is a time for reflection. It is a time when we have an excuse, and even an obligation, to really look at our personal life and the world. It is a time that allows us to rejuvenate our spirit and take a look around us. Perhaps we might be called to do something profound and life-altering, not just for ourselves but for the world. So during this season, remember to ask yourself “What do you see?” What could I be doing to improve my spiritual growth? Then maybe we could discover not only our greatest joy, but how to employ this joy in order to satisfy the deepest hunger of the world. ~ Sarah E. Watts

Tuesday, March 22nd “For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honor in his own country” John 4:43-54 It is harder to impress the people who changed your diapers. I am not thinking just of children trying to be taken seriously by the adults who knew them as babies – although that can be hard. It is sometimes scary to live with people who know so much about you. Moving from place to place, making new friends with each move, can relieve you of the responsibility of your actions. You can just move on – you donʼt have to be sorry, donʼt have to ask forgiveness, donʼt have try to atone for your mistakes. You just move on – you will never have to look those folks in the face again Our world has gotten small, news from everywhere reaches us almost instantaneously; we can get anywhere in the world in just a few hours. These are good things – being able to get to know the people with whom we share our planet can only make it and us better. But we can be misled into thinking that life itself will be better somewhere else, sometimes anywhere else – the grass greener, the action faster, the job more lucrative, the anonymity cleansing. There is so much value in knowing the same people for a long time even if we sometimes, at first, miss that they might be the savior. Longtime friends have been given a look at our accomplishments, and at our faults. We have had to learn to live together. Maybe thatʼs the start of the world learning to live together, too. ~ Marilyn Evans

Wednesday, March 23rd After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.” Jesus said to him, “Stand up, take your mat and walk.” At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk. Now that day was a sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been cured, “It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.” But he answered them, “The man who made me well said to me, ʻTake up your mat and walk.ʼ” They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ʻTake it up and walkʼ?” Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had disappeared in the crowd that was there. Later Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you have been made well! Do not sin any more, so that nothing worse happens to you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. Therefore the Jews started persecuting Jesus, because he was doing such things on the sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father is still working, and I also am working.” For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was not only breaking the sabbath, but was also calling God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God. John 5:1-18 I can only imagine this manʼs utter frustration and anguish as he lay there day after day, perhaps year after year. Others were ignoring him, rushing by him, perhaps even pushing him out of the way. He was so close to the water that could heal him, but he was never able to make it to the water. The others were either more mobile or they received assistance from someone, stepped in front of him, or blocked his way. He wanted to be healed but he had no one to put him “into the pool” when the water was being “stirred.” How often have we been hurried, thinking narrowly of our own needs, the endless tasks that demand our attention? And in that rush we fail to see the person who needs our help “into the pool” of healing. Or we step in front of the person, blocking their entry “into the pool.” “When the water is stirred up” is the action of the Holy Spirit. Those are brief periods of time that are given to us to act – to respond – to the Holy Spiritʼs stirring the water of healing in the world and in our lives. We are then given the opportunity to be a part of the Holy Spiritʼs actions. It is a call to action, but often we do not see, or we choose not to respond. We do not do the healing – that is done by God. We simply are called to respond to the needs of others, to help them “into the pool.” A gentle, nuanced response to the action of the Holy Spirit is what is asked of us. There are many who need help and are literally “blind, lame and paralyzed.” But many, many more are blind, lame and paralyzed in a metaphorical sense – blind to what is going on around them; lame – unable to function due to psychological scars; paralyzed with fear. So the challenge is to be aware of the action of the Holy Spirit and respond to the needs of others when we see that action – to help them “into the pool.” Then we are challenged to see where we, ourselves, are “blind, lame and paralyzed” and to seek our own healing, to respond when someone offers us assistance “into the pool” of healing water. Dear God, help us to be aware of your call to action and to respond to bring healing to others, ourselves, and the world. In Jesusʼ name we pray. Amen. ~ Brenda Chynoweth

Thursday, March 24th Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ʻGrant me justice against my opponent.ʼ For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, ʻThough I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.ʼ” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” LUKE 18: 1-8 The Parable of the Persistent Widow The parable of the persistent widow has always given me faith and comfort in the power of prayer. The parable presents a poor downtrodden widow (in Jesusʼ day a widow in Palestine was on the bottom rung of the social ladder) persistently seeking justice from a judge who was not religious and was contemptuous towards his fellow man. The widowʼs persistent pleas eventually wore down the judge and he finally granted the redress and justice she sought. Jesus prefaces the parable by pronouncing that we should always pray and never give up on prayer. He concludes the parable by teaching that if this unjust, uncompassionate judge grants relief to the persistent pleas of this lowly widow, donʼt you think that our loving and compassionate God will give justice to his people who plead with him day and night? I believe we must be persistent in our prayers and must be patient for an answer. After all, our prayers may conflict with Godʼs will and plan for us. They may not fit His time table, and in many instances, the results of our prayers may not be exactly what we prayed for. For example, suppose you are praying for patience – do you think “poof” God is going to grant you patience? I donʼt think so. What God is going to do is give you the opportunity to learn to be patient. The next time you are in a grocery store and proceed to the shortest checkout line only to find out the person in front of you needs a price check, you have been granted the opportunity to learn patience. So, while you are waiting in that line, thank God for the opportunity to learn patience. Another wonderful example of being granted an opportunity brings to mind a member of our Bible study when we lived in Florida. Jill had two toddlers who were keeping her quite busy. She told the group that she was really praying very hard for patience but was getting discouraged because she wasnʼt becoming more patient. Well, God gave Jill a wonderful opportunity to practice patience – she found out she was pregnant with number three. As you might surmise, this was not quite the answer she was expecting. God does work in wonderful and mysterious ways! I believe we should be persistent in our prayers for our many, many blessings and not only as a “911 call” for help when we are in time of need. Also, I believe we should not get discouraged and surely must never give up on prayer if we do not receive an answer quickly, or the answer is not the one we expected. Only God knows what is best for us and His answers will be according to His will and His timetable. “Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, 18) SO PRAY PERSISTENTLY AND NEVER GIVE UP! ~ Lou Durnya

Friday, March 25th Jeremiah 5:1-9; Romans 2:25-3:18; John 5:30-47 Pride. Sometimes a hard sin to recognize. So hard that scripture returns to it again and again, explaining and explaining, teaching and teaching. In todayʼs Old Testament reading, the people of Israel break one Commandment after another, and, stiff-necked, “they refused to take correction.” In Romans, Paul tells us to be people “…whose praise is not of men but of God.” In John, Jesus lays it on the line: “I can of mine own self do nothing…I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” And we pray it: Not my will, but Thine, on Earth as it is in Heaven. Pride is a hard sin to recognize sometimes. Unlike killing, or gluttony, or the ubiquitous coveting, which are pretty much always bad, we give pride some leeway. We praise self-confidence and winning achievements. Independence and self-reliance are core virtues of our American character – if not taken too far. So pride sneaks in. It may show up as ignoring others, as smugness, complacency, false modesty or boasting. Very fine lines there. Voices as varied as poet Walt Whitman and sportscaster Dizzy Dean have told us, “It ainʼt bragging if you done it!” Day to day, hour by hour, or minute by minute, we struggle with pride – I struggle with pride. Thy will, not mine, oh Lord! If this is the way you want me to go, please show me how. If this is not the way, please point to another door and give me a push. Keep me, Lord, from the prideful delusion that my will is truer, wiser than Yours. Sometimes itʼs hard to see through this glass, even darkly. ~ Lea Ellison

Saturday, March 26th Declare this in the house of Jacob, proclaim it in Judah: Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but do not see, who have ears, but do not hear. Do you not fear me? says the Lord; Do you not tremble before me? I placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass; though the waves toss, they cannot prevail, though they roar, they cannot pass over it. But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and gone away. They do not say in their hearts, “Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives the rain in its season, the autumn rain and the spring rain, and keeps for us the weeks appointed for the harvest.” Your iniquities have turned these away, and your sins have deprived you of good. For scoundrels are found among my people; they take over the goods of others. Like fowlers they set a trap; they catch human beings. Like a cage full of birds, their houses are full of treachery; therefore they have become great and rich, they have grown fat and sleek. They know no limits in deeds of wickedness; they do not judge with justice the cause of the orphan, to make it prosper, and they do not defend the rights of the needy. Shall I not punish them for these things? says the Lord, and shall I not bring retribution on a nation such as this? An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule as the prophets direct; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes? Jeremiah 5:20-31 God through Jeremiah is saying to me “How will you fare at the end of it all? How will you fare at the end of your life when you have been believing lies and believing false prophets and following not my ways and words?” I assume I will not fare very well. There goes Jeremiah again, I thought upon first reading of the passage. Not a warm and fuzzy prophet. No spoonful of honey to help this medicine go down. But after reading this passage many times over several days, I began to be thankful for Jeremiah. I have a warning of how my life could fare in the end. I am thankful Jeremiah is brutally honest with me. Who or what are the false prophets of today? What lies are they telling? How many of these lies have I wanted to be true? How many lies about salvation and grace have I wanted to be true? It is too easy to say the false prophets come from television and advertising. The harder question for me is: How have I been a false prophet? The problem is with my wanting to believe these untruths. To what test should I hold these beliefs? I was taught many years ago in confirmation class if a belief does not agree with the word of God, that belief is not true. I try to remember the passage from Romans 12. Adapt yourselves no longer to the pattern of this present world, but let your minds be remade and your whole nature thus transformed. Then you will be able to discern the will of God, and to know what is good, acceptable, and perfect. There have been times I could have used a Jeremiah in my life. Thank God for Jeremiah. ~ Susan Welstead

Monday, March 28th

Jeremiah 7:1-15; Romans 4:1-12; John 7:14-36 After healing a sick man on the Sabbath, Jesus went to the festival and began to preach to the crowd at the Temple. He knew his teachings threatened the religious authorities of the day and that they wanted him dead. Publically, he asked them why they were trying to kill him. The crowd, ignorant of the religious authoritiesʼ plan, thought that Jesus must be possessed by a demon for asking such a question. The authorities planned to arrest Jesus on the dubious charge of healing on the Sabbath. Jesus noted that the Law of Moses bans circumcision on the Sabbath, yet it was still performed. How could such proscribed circumcisions be allowed and yet an act of healing be condemned? Jesus implores the crowd to look beyond the strict letter of the law, to what is just and reasonable. He asks those present to, in effect, use their heads and do the right thing. This story brings to mind two legal terms of art used by our courts today. The first is the concept of the “reasonable man.” This doctrine holds a person responsible only to the standard of a “reasonable man.” Would a “reasonable man” condemn someone for curing another on the Sabbath, when prohibited circumcisions are customarily performed? The second concept is one of unconscionability.” Here too, the letter of the law is superseded in order to ensure a just result. For example, if a contract is signed resulting in an outcome so egregious as to be “unconscionable,” it is within the courtʼs power to nullify that contract. As our culture and our world change and evolve, Jesus implores us to consider justice and what is right, forgoing rigidity. When it comes to our laws, and often to personal moral choices too, we would be well served by listening to our conscience and considering what the reasonable man would do. ~ Pamela Briggs

Tuesday, March 29th For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”) —in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “So numerous shall your descendants be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarahʼs womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore his faith “was reckoned to him as righteousness.” Now the words, “it was reckoned to him,” were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification. Romans 4:13-25 In these verses from Romans, I am reminded that paramount in our spiritual life is our faith through grace – not adherence to the law. We are inhabitants of that promise made to Abraham and his descendants that because of his unwavering faith in Godʼs promises he was made righteous. It is freely bestowed on us today who also believe and live our lives by faith in Him. Here we see also why we are called to minister to those whom we may perceive as “unworthy” or “not obedient to Godʼs ʻlawʼ.” Making “new things out of nothing” is exactly what God can do for those whose lives are bereft of faith, as well as those who have lost their way by trying to follow the law too closely with no increase in faith, belief or acceptance of Godʼs promises to us. May we be as strong in our faith in Godʼs promises to us, growing stronger as Abraham did, and never cease to increase our knowledge and love of God, realizing our gift of righteousness as a free gift. ~ Margo Ellison

Wednesday, March 30th

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because Godʼs love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5: 1 – 11 I selected a few words from the above scripture that have inspired writings from some of the great thinkers of the world: Faith: In order that your faith may increase, whether it be by works or by sufferings…Give your gifts freely and for nothing, so that others may profit because of you and your goodness – In this way, you shall be truly good and Christian. – Martin Luther Peace: Great tranquility of heart is his who cares for neither praise nor blame. – Thomas A Kempis When we have inner peace we can be a peace with those around us. – The Dalai Lama Patient: We could never learn to be brave and patient if there were only joy in the world. – Helen Keller Have courage for the great sorrows in life, and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake. – Victor Hugo Perhaps these words will speak to you and you can gain strength and insight from them. ~ Louise Applegate

Thursday, March 31st

Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Job 38:1-21 Here we go. One of the paradoxes of Christian theology (and one of the most oft used arguments against it): If God is so benevolent and loving, why do we suffer? Why do pain and darkness exist? Why do people die? Questions weʼre all dying to know the answers to, but too afraid to ask. As we pass through the Lenten season, we are reminded of the somber realities that pain and darkness are very real and present in our lives. That bad things happen to good people. That bad people exist, and sometimes even thrive. Job asked “Why?” and, even today, we are holding our breath for the answer. That answer might have been a reprimand, a rebuke for us to keep our noses where they belong, but God knows that we are His children, and as such, we deserve a better truth. And so we find our answer in the Resurrection: an immortal reminder that, yes, there will be heartache … but there will also be a tomorrow. That for every death, there will be a life. That pain and darkness may envelop us, but we will always have a light to hold. As we travel the Lenten road and march headlong to the darkness of Good Friday, we must hold that light high to remind us that, as Christians, we have made a commitment to hope. A commitment to Christʼs holy life and His even holier death. A commitment to remember that when in total darkness, even the dimmest light shines like a beacon. ~ Bartlee Linton

Friday, April 1st

. . . because you have no room for my word. . . If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. . . a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. . . you are unable to hear what I say. . . Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. John 8: 33-47 Jesus had an audience full of well-educated, prideful people who were blind to his true identity. They found themselves threatened by the teachings and actions of this humble, simple man and, therefore, denounced him. Jesus fearlessly let them know the reason they couldnʼt “hear”ʼ his words was because they did not truly belong to the Father they claimed to worship. What about us? Do we have room for the Word of God? Can we hear what he is saying to us through Jesus? To whom do we belong? Godʼs Word tells us to follow the example that Jesus set for us. He brought joy, comfort, physical food and spiritual refreshment to those of all walks of life. His simple life of love and kindness, his desire to teach and unselfishly do for others is an example we should want to follow. During this Lenten Season and all the seasons to follow, may we all show we belong to God by making room for Him and hearing what He wants of us, striving not only to say we follow Christ, but also to show we follow Christ by living our lives as worthy of his generous sacrifice. ~ Reneé Elliott

Saturday, April 2nd “But they would not listen.” Jeremiah 13: 1-11 Lent is an annual invitation to confront the dark side of our nature. On occasion it feels like an artificial construction, the Churchʼs predictable calendar that asks us to cleanse ourselves before we celebrate Easter which is right around the corner. We know (and thankfully we do!) that Easter is sure to come, but the reality is that the darkness is real, and it lasts and lasts. Itʼs especially dark when we choose not to take time to confront our many shortcomings with honesty and humility. Too often we are blinded to darkness by the bright lights of our own apparent accomplishments and the false security of a worldly materialism that rewards more and more and faster and faster. In the frenetic busyness of our lives weʼre called to slow down, be still, and listen, and to give thanks to God for His unfathomable grace that gives us the one true light in a sea of darkness. ~ Byron Hulsey

Monday, April 4th After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Six monthsʼ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peterʼs brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.” When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself. John 6: 1-15 Andrew is my favorite apostle. He was the first. Jesus saw him while walking by the sea of Galilee near Bethsaida. It was an instant connection so sayeth all four gospel authors. He was the first to be convinced that Jesus was “The Lamb of God.” Andrew (the name means manly) was a follower of John the Baptist and brought his brother Simon Peter to Jesus. Soon James joined the followers. Andrew was at the Feeding of the 5000 and he chose the boy who had the loaves and fishes at the famous “Feeding.” He also distributed the food. I always ask the question: Why didnʼt Jesus pick him to come to the Mountain of Transfiguration? No one, not even Amy Jill Levine, can answer the question. Andrew was with Jesus on the Mount of Olives. He became a one-on-one converter in the early Christian movement. He was not a preacher to many crowds as Peter became! He went to Syria, then worked among the Scythians in what was to become Russia. He may have gotten as far as Scotland, which country made him their patron saint – think golf! He is also the patron saint of Russia. In 1981 I got a grandchild named Andrew – he was born in Auburn and named after the doctor that delivered him! Thanks be to God for my two favorite Andrews. His feast day by the way is November 30th. ~ Evie Spearman

Tuesday, April 5th

Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Romans 7:13-25 I am no scholar, but what I think Paul is saying is that sin lives in everyone of us and is the primary factor that separates us from God, forcing us to do the bad things that we do not want to do. We are slaves to sin and are bound by its chains. We are prisoners locked in a deathtrap where we focus on ourselves as opposed to on God. And when we focus on ourselves and push God to the side, we become lost in a world that has no meaning. Life becomes hopeless as we lose sight of God. Lonely suffering becomes our reality. When I first read Romans 7:13-25, I thought to myself, “Wow, things look a little bleak!” First, I have to come to terms with the fact that I am a sinner, and second, I have to realize that there is nothing I can do about it. After all, as Paul states, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate to do...I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out." These are difficult concepts to understand and accept. Why am I innately sinful? What did I do to deserve this sin? Why can't I change my sinful nature? Whether I want to admit it or not, Paul's words describe me perfectly. Deep in my soul, I know the difference between right and wrong, and for some reason, I always manage to do what is wrong as opposed to what is right. The reason is because I am a sinner and there is nothing I can do about it. “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” But wait...there is good news! “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Life is not a hopeless, meaningless, inevitable deathtrap of sin and suffering. Instead, our lives have been justified through the death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Through His sacrifice, we are reconciled with God and are cleansed of our past, present and future sins. Life is not hopeless because Jesus died for us so that we could live a life with God. Had Jesus not died for our sins, then reconciliation with God would not be possible. So let us give thanks to God for our sin and the suffering that it produces. Earlier in Romans 5:3-5, Paul writes, “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” Without sin there would be no suffering, no perseverance, no character, and most importantly, no hope. But because of sin, we have Jesus Christ who is the only hope we have in this life.

Lord, thank you for my sin and the suffering it produces. Without sin you would not have sent your son, Jesus Christ, who died for my sin and who was resurrected so I could be justified by you and reconciled with you. Thank you for this precious gift of grace. Continue to grow my faith and help me triumph over my sin so that I may glorify you always. Amen. Will Taylor

Wednesday, April 6th

Jeremiah 18:1-11; Roman 8:1-11; John 6:27-40 Just as the potter can leave a defect in a pot or he can reshape the defect, God has the power to let us live our lives the way we are or to help us reshape our lives into more useful vessels. In this parable, God is also telling Jeremiah to warn the people of Israel, that unless they change their evil ways, he is going to bring disaster on them. They had a choice just as we do today. In times of need, if we ask God for his help without a true desire to conform to his purpose, our lives become meaningless. We fall into the pattern “just get me through this one, God, and Iʼll do better.” God can help each of us reshape our lives into more useful vessels, if we make a commitment to change our ways, and turn to him and follow his direction. ~ John Cline

Thursday, April 7th

Jeremiah 22:13-23; Romans 8:12-27; John 6:27-40 A House with Wide Chambers “A big house with wide chambers, paneled in cedar, and painted with vermillion…”, which I knew to be a paint color, but when I went to Google, I found it to be mercuric sulfide and therefore toxic. Overall, except for the toxic part, sounds pretty good; unless that is the sole and absolute governing objective of our lives and is used to justify the means used to get there. I will certainly have to admit, the material side of life has been a larger part of my life than I would prefer for it to be, so I struggle with that. But, if we have abused or neglected our neighbors by not paying them fairly for helping to build the house with wide chambers, then what does that say about us? Or, if we have neglected or not been responsive to the needs of our neighbors during a time of need, or worse yet—been totally unaware that there was a need we could perhaps fill, what does that say about us? In a broader sense, if we turn our back on neighbors that we donʼt even know in other parts of our community, or country, or the world, and ignore those less fortunate than us or forget about oneʼs community responsibilities; then what good is a house with a cedar closet? Well, the cedar closet, in the short run anyway, will keep away the moths in order to preserve a few clothes to lounge around the house with the vermillion, aka toxic, paint. But, it wonʼt do much to help our neighbors, be they down the street or around the world. So, that is the challenge, I suppose –to enjoy the blessings of life and the benefits that come along with hard work and good fortune but not forget the responsibilities we have to our neighbors, wherever they may be. ~ Phil Dotts

Friday, April 8th

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord. The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.” Therefore, the days are surely coming, says the Lord, when it shall no longer be said, “As the Lord lives who brought the people of Israel up out of the land of Egypt,” but “As the Lord lives who brought out and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the land of the north and out of all the lands where he had driven them.” Then they shall live in their own land. Jeremiah 23:1-8 The connecting theme of these passages is the universality of Godʼs love and His intention that we are to be unified with each other by this love. Jeremiah speaks of “God…who brought up the descendants … out of all the countries where he had banished them.” Paul adds his conviction that we are called, justified, and ultimately glorified, and that nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God who is in Jesus Christ. Jesus assures us thus: “Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.” These assurances are not based on any sectarian considerations, but only on the condition that we acknowledge Godʼs love and respond to it. When I see the gifts of God that I have received, I need a spirit that acknowledges everyone else who receives the same gifts. If I have such a spirit I can accept Godʼs love with a tempering humility and a sense of unity with others. Lent should be a time of common sympathy as well a time of preparation. It is not always easy to discover community with those who differ from ourselves – it may call for a fairly tenacious effort to do it. Nevertheless, it seems to me that making this effort is an appropriate Lenten discipline. ~Sky Sampson

Saturday, April 9th

I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen. It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all Israelites truly belong to Israel, and not all of Abrahamʼs children are his true descendants; but “It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants. For this is what the promise said, “About this time I will return and Sarah shall have a son.” Nor is that all; something similar happened to Rebecca when she had conceived children by one husband, our ancestor Isaac. Even before they had been born or had done anything good or bad (so that Godʼs purpose of election might continue, not by works but by his call) she was told, “The elder shall serve the younger.” As it is written, “I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.” What then are we to say? Is there injustice on Godʼs part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. For the scripture says to Pharaoh, “I have raised you up for the very purpose of showing my power in you, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he has mercy on whomever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomever he chooses. Romans 9: 1-18 The story of Jacob and Esau has always disturbed me. It seems that Esau was treated unfairly, particularly because his birthright was taken from him through the devious acts of his mother and brother. But it was Godʼs will that the descendents of Esau serve the descendents of Jacob. “God loved Jacob, but rejected Esau.” It reminds me somewhat of Mark Twainʼs short story, “Edward Mills and George Benton.” The boys were cousins who had been adopted by a childless couple, the Brants, who raised them with the rule of life, “Be pure, honest, sober, industrious and kind to others and success in life will be yours.” Edward followed this path unswervingly, while George went in the totally opposite direction. Ironically, Edward got all the grief, while George got all the glory. How unfair! It is hard not to question God when horrible things happen, such as the 9-11 attack, Hurricane Katrina, the recent earthquake in Haiti, and the many personal tragedies people endure. Two biblical passages are helpful to me when I am tempted to question God. One is Isaiah 55 v.12: “ʻFor my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my waysʼ, says the Lord.” The other is Corinthians 13 v.12, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully.” In this life, it is all a matter of faith. ~ Mary Grainger

Monday, April 11th

As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that Godʼs works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the manʼs eyes, saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ʻGo to Siloam and wash.ʼ Then I went and washed and received my sight.” They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.” They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a prophet.” John 9:1-17 We want order in a chaotic world. We want reasons to explain events we donʼt like. This enables us to cling to illusions of having some control. In the disciplesʼ ordered world, disease was the result of some oneʼs sin. They asked Jesus to assign blame to the blind man or his parents. I bet the disciples had not anticipated His response. His answer realigns the order of the disciplesʼ world. His answer has the power to reorder my world if I am willing to respond. The blind man gains his sight by following the simple instructions of Jesus. All he has to do is wash his eyes. I believe Jesus has a simple instruction for us but it is difficult for us to follow. Our human nature gets in the way. I believe that Jesus calls us to live in a mindful way. The works of God are made manifest in us when we live mindfully. The result is that our souls are healed. Mindfulness is about focusing on the current moment. This requires us to lay aside our personal agenda or to do list. If we are with someone, we focus on them. We engage them totally. Any other thoughts or distractions do not exist. Moving from a focus on ourselves to someone else creates a fertile ground for love which enables the presence of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps a small example will help illustrate. I find myself spending a lot of time during a given day on a particular idea. Despite my effort, my thoughts remain fragmented without clarity. This continues until I finally realize that talking to Blair, my wife will probably help. As I convey my thoughts and Blair listens, clarity emerges. The pieces of the elusive puzzle fall into place. What enabled this? I was mindful to realize that I needed to talk with Blair. She was mindful enough to listen. Transformation

takes place, which very may well be the Holy Spirit at work in the world! To gain more insight into the concept of mindfulness, you may consider reading “Living Buddha, Living Christ” or “The Sacred Art of Loving Kindness.” ~ Wayne Glenn

Tuesday, April 12th

The Simplicity of Salvation For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Everyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame. For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile - the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10: 10-13 I was raised in a conservative fundamentalist denomination where the principle of being saved by grace was a foreign and even heretical concept. Up until age 30, my understanding of salvation came from comparing myself against a list of do's and donʼts. Some things on this list had a basis in scripture. However, the majority were things that had nothing to do with the teachings of Christ. I often wonder how many times I read this passage from Romans without seeing the simplicity in Paul's words. How often did I use the “yes, but” argument to try and complicate a pure theological statement that is at the very core of Christian thought? When Paul says “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord WILL be saved,” there are no ifs, ands, or buts that follow. How easy it became for me to manufacture a laundry list of “supplemental salvation qualifiers” to go along with this scripture. I developed a system of legalistic rules and regulations that I applied liberally to myself and anyone else gullible enough to believe me. Along with some friends, I even became a persecutor of young Catholic and Episcopal college students. God has led me on quite a journey that has ended here at Nativity. While I may never be able to go back and make amends for my past transgressions, I am thankful that I have come to know the sufficiency of God's grace. My prayer for those of you reading this during this season of reflection is that you will take some time to re-examine your own perspective on these words of Paul. Allow the “simplicity” of salvation to comfort you and bring you the peace that passes all understanding. ~ Lee Hicklen

Wednesday, April 13th

Jeremiah 25:30-38; Romans 10:14-21; John 10:1-18 How can people have faith in the Lord and ask him to save them if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear unless someone tells them? At the last moment my son Patrick volunteered to be a counselor at Camp McDowellʼs special session this past summer. During special session teenagers are given sole responsibility for one, two, and sometimes three mentally challenged adults for a week. Patrick has been privileged and blessed in attending a good school all of his life. During this summer he was getting ready to attend one of the most prestigious business schools in the world. Of course he was totally unprepared for a journey that he would never forget as a rookie counselor at Camp McDowell. Patrick was assigned two men as his campers. The older of the two was age 51 and profoundly mentally retarded, deaf, and unable to speak. At home I was waiting to get the phone call “Get me out of here!” This is the same young man who loved to tease his mother for being a special education teacher. Now Patrick would be responsible for campers with similar special needs. How was he going to communicate with his campers without going into a sorrowful tirade about the current U.S. economic situation and at the least, all the fiscal possibilities of Camp McDowell? But wait did something extraordinary occur? Indeed I received phone calls, but amazingly Patrick described how incredible his experience was amid exhaustion, heat, and lack of sleep. These former inconveniences were now a mere blip on his economic radar. Patrick did communicate through his unwavering presence, love, and respect toward his campers. It is very possible that he caught the contagious unconditional love from his campers. They were funny, happy, kind, and hugs were abundant. Their determination through all of their hardships taught Patrick a whole new meaning of physical, mental, and emotional pain. Self-pity had never been a blip on their radar. How was Patrick going to tell his campers about the Lord if they could not understand or hear him? How were they to ask him about God if they were unable to speak? I believe that Patrick, along with the other counselors that week, and the campers were able to convey what was being asked of them in Romans. By showing their love and compassion toward each other, God was ever present. Words were not always necessary, only the love of God. Yes, something extraordinary did happen last summer, and the soulful prayer “Kum ba ya” was answered. ~ Marcie Wingo

Thursday, April 14th

Jeremiah 26:1-16; Romans 11:1-12; John 10:19-42 “Why listen to him?” some of the Jews said about Jesus. Why indeed. From our perspective, with two thousand years of history intervening, it is easy to be smug in our assessment of these people who failed to recognize the significance of Jesusʼ ministry and teachings. They were there, with him. Why didnʼt they understand, we wonder. Jesus, though, seems not to have been at all surprised by their suspicion and refusal to accept him. “If you are the Christ, tell us plainly,” they say. And Jesus replies, “I did tell you, but you do not believe.” It sounds so matter-of-fact. He seems almost to ask why would they believe him? His situation was not unique; Israel had a long history of being very skeptical of prophets. Jeremiah was told to “...speak to all the people in the towns of Judah...Tell them everything I command you; do not omit a word. Perhaps they will listen...” But they didnʼt. Instead, they threatened to stone Jeremiah. So whatʼs going on here? Why so unwilling to listen? In the passage from Romans, Paul quotes Deuteronomy: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear...” So whatʼs the message here? We still have lots of “prophets” today, spouting all sorts of messages. Listening to them skeptically seems to be a wise move. Probably most of them are not worthy of our time or attention. But we should be careful and not dismiss them all out of hand remembering those Jews of long ago. “Why listen to him?” ~ Wayne Laney

Friday, April 15th

The Lord replied, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14 God shows his presence to us in many different ways. His presence to me is in the form of a “yellow butterfly.” The first time I saw the butterfly was at Davidʼs funeral (my husband) at the cemetery. It appeared and stayed with us the whole service. When I mentioned this to my daughters, they had seen it also. Sally, my daughter from Memphis, had seen a yellow butterfly on her mailbox before coming to Huntsville for the funeral. Several months later I was visiting in south Florida with some sorority sisters, and we were traveling down a busy downtown street when the yellow butterfly appeared and traveled with us for several blocks. I was very concerned about making this trip, but when I saw the butterfly, I was at rest. The butterfly has appeared several times since, quite unexpected, when I have been to Sewanee on a retreat, Camp McDowell retreat, Gulf Shores with my daughters and at my good friend and employer at Lawrenʼs, Ron Pigeonʼs graveside service. It came to give me rest and peace again. I never know when itʼs coming, but am always thankful and blessed to see it and know that God is in my presence when I see the “yellow butterfly.” Where is His presence with you? ~ Sally Ann Culver

Saturday, April 16th

When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” John 11: 28-44 Since Lane gave me this assignment for Lent, I have read and reread the story of Lazarus being raised from the dead. I have also listened to a sermon about this scripture several times. There are a lot of things to think about, but what I keep coming back to is the huge miracle that people witnessed when Lazarus rose from the dead. Wouldnʼt we be better believers if we could witness such a thing? While procrastinating on writing this devotional, a Sunday morning gospel was based on Luke 12: 54-56, when Jesus harshly tells the crowds how they have failed to interpret the times. His own people were able to see countless miracles and signs and still failed to recognize the coming of the Messiah. It made me stop and wonder if we would also miss Jesus even if we could witness such an amazing miracle. Maybe we need to pay closer attention to the miracles everyday like the birth of a child or just the sheer awe of how life comes together. A closing thought: while I listened to the sermon, the priest brought up a point for me to think about: Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, but he still had to eventually die again. Thanks to Easter, our story never ends in death. ~ Chris Whitney

Monday, April 18th

When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus. The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord— the King of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written: “Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look, your king is coming, sitting on a donkeyʼs colt!” His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him. So the crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to testify. It was also because they heard that he had performed this sign that the crowd went to meet him. The Pharisees then said to one another, “You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!” John 12:9-19 In this scripture, Jesusʼ disciples were anxious to meet Him and testify as to their belief in Him after learning of his raising Lazarus from the dead. This passage grants me hope that I too will one day share in marveling at the glory of Jesus, the King of Israel. If I believe in Jesus and proclaim His glory, I too will share eternal live with the Lord. ~ John Buyse

Tuesday, April 19th Of the Seasons of the Church year, Lent is my favorite. The Collect for Ash Wednesday is my favorite prayer. Found on page 264 of the Book of Common Prayer - it is meaningful for not only the season but for every day. Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Lent offers all of us a great opportunity to cleanse our souls and renew our bodies to Godʼs service. ~ Prentice White

Wednesday in Holy Week, April 20th

“…let us lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us…“ Hebrews 12:1 It is Wednesday. We are very near those days of Holy Week that call us into deep pain, deep quiet, deepest wonder. What is Jesus doing? What does he say? Who among us will betray him? Do those around him have a clue what is to evolve before their very eyes? Do we? Everything that takes place from Maundy Thursday through sundown on Easter Sunday is known to the Church as the Triduum. What an awesome three days! It is a time to be celebrated with all our hearts, our whole being. Todayʼs New Testament Reading calls us to “lay aside every weight and the sin that clings” – to clear away our heartaches and daily hassles so that our attention will be focused on only One. This is the posture of humility – to stand meek and be open – to let go of ourselves and be attentive to the love that unfolds. In just a few hours we are to watch and listen with ALL our might. Perseverance is required because the phone or the news or our family will call us aside. Are we ready? We will walk away from his dinner into Gethsemane. We will follow him out of the garden – into the long night. We will gaze upon him at the pavement steps, a crowd shouting. We will peek around the wallʼs edge to see him stumble in the street. We will follow him to the hill. We will find a place at Calvary: far to the rear, maybe with a few on the edge, or at the foot of the cross. Where will we go after the crucifixion? Will we be alone, with others ? What will sunrise look like to our broken hearts? What will we learn? No matter our location, each step along the way – it is There - watching - that we must be. “Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart”. We pray that we not grow weary or lose heart in this three day journey. It is Wednesday … ~ Mary Anne Akin

Maundy Thursday, April 21st Today we enter the Triduum, the Three Great Days of knowing Godʼs deep love for us in Christ. Weʼve been busy keeping a Holy Lent, working at disciplines of giving up and taking on. Now that work ends as we move into these solemn days of mystery, awe and love. The next few days are about receiving a gift; about grace we donʼt earn. Can we allow ourselves to receive this gift? Iʼm often puzzled that our attendance for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday does not reflect the wide and broad commitment to worship I see week in and week out. You were all here on Palm Sunday. On Easter the church will be overflowing. These services are are powerful and beautiful. But honestly, they are long. They take time. Will you give your time to these days as you give time to the many things that are important to you? Face it, we hard working people have a hard time accepting salvation as a gift of undeserved grace. Perhaps like the attention we give to Lenten disciplines, something in us wants to earn salvation. But tonight, and over the next three days, we discover grace as weʼve never quite seen it. The church invites us to allow Christʼs love to wash over us. That first Maundy Thursday, the Apostle Peter couldnʼt fathom his Lord washing his feet as a symbol of care and love. Peter told Jesus that he didnʼt want him to wash his feet. Maybe he didnʼt feel worthy, maybe he didnʼt know how to receive what Christ offered freely. But Jesus told him that unless he received salvation as gift he would never know the depths of Godʼs love—it cannot be earned. So will you dare accept the gift and be present over the next few days? Perhaps having your feet washed by Christʼs presence in your brothers and sisters at Nativity is big a step to take. So take a small step and just show up and be present. Watch and stay with our Lord as he is committed to you; as he gave his time for us all in his passion and in his death on the cross. The Church asks that you set aside time in your schedule to fast, pray, and especially to attend the Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Vigil liturgies. Our worship tonight, tomorrow and Saturday night are full of mystery, solemnity and finally, exuberant joy as we proclaim Easter alleluias midway through the Great Vigil. It all begins tonight with an Agape` meal, foot washing, the Eucharist, and solemn stripping of the altar. Our Gospel reading for today is Johnʼs record of Jesusʼ final and most enduring words to his followers. He earnestly prays that we would be one, even as the Father and he are one. Our unity is a sign to the world of Godʼs love overcoming the worldʼs suffering and brokenness. Jesus lets us know that we receive all we need from God in him. This cannot be earned. On Maundy Thursday, he shows us the way toward unity, by giving us a new commandment, the Mandatum (hence Maundy) that we love one another as he has loved us. He gives us two ways to love. First, we serve and care for each other through our actions, like washing each othersʼ feet. Second, we share in his Body and Blood, his sacrifice of love assuring us of his presence in our lives and with us as we share his presence with the world. It is like a practice run for resurrection life he asks us to share with the world. So receive this gift. Be present. Be loved so you can love and share the gift. ~ The Revʼd Andy Anderson

Good Friday, April 22nd John 18:1 – 19:42 The guard pierces our Lord's heart/side with a spear. Blood and water flows from the wound. There are several levels of truth in the events as John records them. John is not just implying that Jesus was, without question, dead. There is so much more to this Gospel. As a Jew, he could not help but see special significance in the flow of blood (for sacrifice) and water (for cleansing). The blood is a flood that cleanses from sin. The water gives a clean, new start. The blood atones for mankind's sin. The water is the gift of the Holy Spirit that wells up within the disciple to everlasting life. Are these to symbolize Baptism and the Eucharist? Probably. Today is called "Good Friday" not "Bad Friday" or "Black Friday". Because of what we honor and call to remembrance this day, we have freedom from sin and death. It is out of the death and despair of the Cross, Our Savior, Our friend gives us new life. Thanks be to God! ~ The Rev'd Mary E. Groff, Deacon

Holy Saturday, April 23rd “He descended into hell.” - The Apostles Creed, Rite I Some translations of the creed state that Jesus “descended to the dead.” In the Rite I version of the Apostles Creed, however, it reads “He descended into hell.” Jesus went to hell. The son of God, in hell? What the hell is he doing there? In short, heʼs there to retrieve us, to save us from our own prisons. In psalm 139 we read “Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in hell, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast.” There is nowhere God will not go to be with us. Even in hell, God is seeking us out. There is a beautiful icon titled “Christʼs Harrowing of Hell.” In it, the Resurrected One is leading our first parents, Adam and Eve, out of the gates of hell, brining them up into paradise. Godʼs love for us is more powerful than our ability to sin and separate ourselves from each other and God. O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. ~ The Revʼd Brad Landry