1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

2015 LENTEN DEVOTIONAL
GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH
205 S. Garner St., State College PA 16803 • www.glcpa.org
GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH
205 S. Garner Street
State College, PA 16801
www.glcpa.org
Lenten/Easter Special Events and Services
Tuesday, February 17 - Shrove Tuesday Meal, 5:30 PM
Wednesday, February 18 - Ash Wednesday services, 12:15 PM and 7:30 PM
(imposition of ashes at both services)
Wednesday, February 25 —Bible Study Theme “The Psalms”, 11:00 AM & 6:15 PM
Wednesday, March 4—Bible Study Theme “The Psalms”, 11:00 AM & 6:15 PM
Wednesday, March 11—Spring Break—No Super Wednesday activities
Wednesday, March 18—Bible Study Theme “The Psalms”, 11:00 AM & 6:15 PM
Wednesday, March 25—Bible Study Theme “The Psalms”, 11:00 AM & 6:15 PM
Sunday, March 29 - Palm Sunday, 8:00, 9:00 and 10:30 AM services
6:00 PM Contemporary Worship
Wednesday, April 1 - Holy Wednesday, Discerning the Divine: Lenten Meditations
Through Art and Music, 7:00 PM in the Sanctuary
Thursday, April 2, Maundy Thursday Worship, 7:30 PM
Friday, April 3, Good Friday Worship, 7:30 PM
Sunday, April 5 - Easter Sunday
6:30 AM—Sunrise Service
7:30 AM—Easter Breakfast, Harkins Hall
8:00, 9:00 and 10:30 AM—Worship Services
6:00 PM—Contemporary Worship
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12:15 p.m.
Wednesday Lunchtime Lenten Worship (until 12:45 p.m.)
This brief service with Holy Communion is designed to fit into a working lunch hour.
It also enables our shut-ins the opportunity to attend weekday worship without
nighttime travel.
7:30 p.m. Lent Mid-Week Wednesday Evening Worship
This mid-week evening service features Holy Communion and is designed so that
attendees will find many similarities with Sunday worship, but there will also be some
appropriate seasonal differences as well. Come and make these Wednesday worship opportunities part of your Lenten discipline.
MID-WEEK LENTEN SERIES: Women of the Bible
February 25—Deborah
March 4—Priscilla
March 11—Joanna
March 18—Shiprah & Puah
March 25—Zipporah
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Grace Lutheran Church’s Congregational Care
Committee has assembled this devotional booklet
thanks to the kind and faithful work of members of our
congregation. Each member has shared reflections
concerning his or her favorite Bible person or story. It
is our hope that you will be touched by these devotions and will hear God’s voice as you read and think
about them. May they add to your preparation for
Easter as you contemplate the life, death and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
***************
Lent is a season of the Church Year that encourages and equips us to reconnect with Christ and our
journey of discipleship. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday (February 18) and runs through Holy Saturday
(April 4). It is a 40 day period (not counting Sundays)
that reminds us of other 40-day-long events in the
Bible, such as the flood of Noah, Moses’ visit with God
on Sinai, Elijah’s walk to the mountain of God, and
Jesus’ temptation in the desert.
Sundays in Lent are always a celebration of
Christ’s resurrection. Accordingly, anticipating that we
will be at worship on the Sundays during Lent, we
have not provided a devotion for those days. Instead,
the lessons for the day are printed on the Sunday
pages so we can all have a head start as they are
read on Sunday morning.
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Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Ash Wednesday
The Healing of the Blind Man (Mark 8:22-26)
I tend to be drawn to stories about Jesus that challenge my expectations, defy rational
explanation, or that cause me to scratch my head and ask, “Why in the world was that
story included in the Bible?” This healing story from Mark’s Gospel falls into all of those
categories. It’s an odd story, so odd that it never shows up in our three-year cycle of Sunday Bible readings. The reason for the exclusion is readily apparent; it seems to portray
a Jesus who is puzzlingly less-than-perfect. It’s right there in verse 24. After Jesus applies mud and saliva to the blind man’s eyes, the man responds that the healing wasn’t
complete. “I can see people, but they look like trees, walking.”
Did Jesus screw up? I don’t think so. That explanation doesn’t square for those of us
who confess, consistent with the Nicene Creed, that Jesus is “the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God.”
Instead, I think that the man Jesus healed simply didn’t know how to process, understand, or make sense of the transformation Jesus had worked upon him. I think this happens to us all the time. Jesus shakes up our world by opening a new opportunity for us,
calling us to a new path, or simply beckoning us to come back home. Indeed, an encounter with Jesus can be jarring, perplexing, dizzying and discombobulating – so much so
that it feels as if everything has been turned upside down. The people in our lives might
even metaphorically seem like “trees, walking.”
The good news though is that Jesus kept working with the blind man until he could see
clearly. The same holds true for us. Jesus tenderly loves us and is going to keep patiently
and persistently working with us until we are able to see him – and our way forward –
with utter clarity. Thanks be to God!
Let us pray...
Lord, I’ve prayed and longed for your intervention in my life. I sense that you are present,
but sometimes I struggle to understand how you are working in, with, through, and for
me. Grant me clarity. Help me to know your will for my life. Bless me to see, so that I can
follow you. Amen.
Pastor Scott Schul
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Thursday, February 19, 2015
David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17)
One of my favorite Old Testament stories is that of David and Goliath. This is a familiar
story to most of us. Israel was at war with the Philistines and neither army was progressing. The Philistines had a champion Goliath, a giant and powerful warrior. He shouted to
the Israelites to choose a man to fight him, terrifying King Saul and the Israelites.
David was the youngest son of Jesse. His three oldest brothers were fighting with Saul in
the war, but David alternated between taking supplies to his brothers and tending his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.
After 40 days of Goliath’s challenges David happened to be taking supplies to his brothers. While he was there Goliath again challenged the Israelites and mocked God. David
stood up to say that he would fight the giant. His brothers accused him of being prideful,
but David only wanted to stand up for God. David explained to Saul that God had protected him in the past and that he believed that God would protect him now. David took
his sling and 5 stones to the battlefield. He said to Goliath that he came against him in
the name of the Lord Almighty. He struck and killed the giant with the first stone.
The story of David and Goliath reminds me that when the world puts giant obstacles in
my path and when situations seem overwhelming that I can put my trust in God to help
me. It also tells me that it is important to stand up for your beliefs. This is a story that
can give us courage and confidence to face whatever life brings to us, knowing that God
is on our side every step of the way. In recent years, I have faced some challenges that
at times seemed quite daunting. I have had to start new jobs and learn new skills at a
time when I thought it would be too hard to do so. My faith that God was at my side
helped me through some difficult situations.
There is nothing that you cannot step up and deal with if you put your faith in God and in
our Lord Jesus Christ. God loves us so much that he sent his son to die for us.
He is with us always.
Let us pray…
Dear Lord, thank you for being there to help me and please continue to be with me when
facing the challenges that life brings. Teach me to stand up for You and for my beliefs.
Help me to trust in You and strengthen my faith. Amen.
Sharyn Everhart
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Friday, February 20, 2015
Anointing of David (I Samuel 16: 12-13)
Do you ever hear a life story to which you can relate? If so, you probably can re-tell the
story with a sense of urgency or deep meaning. The stories of King David are some from
the Bible that I enjoy because I find a lot of similarities. Beyond having the same name
(which is Hebrew for “beloved”); he was the youngest of eight brothers found taking care
of sheep. I was the youngest of four found taking care of cattle. He is described with
ruddy hair and good looking; I have red hair and my wife finds me attractive (close
enough for me). As described by a servant, David was playing a lyre and creating songs.
My coworkers giggle and smile as I am joyfilly singing or humming as I traverse the cubicles.
Then the stories continue about being brave and a warrior. One has to do with a sling
and another in a cave. This man showed great leadership as he is the second king of
God’s chosen people. Next, stories of great sin and shame are told dealing with
Bathesheba and Uriah. Another area of similarity is that I have sinned too; yet God
brings me from those depths. I encourage you to read on in your Bible from 1 Samuel
16.
As you read these devotions, attend church, or spend time reading your Bible, I encourage you to find a story or person to which you develop that relationship to let you know
that you are not alone and God is with you. I may even share David if you want.
Let us pray…
Dear Lord, thank you for the Bible as a source of your word to us in the 21 st century.
May I find more similarities between the characters and stories to relate with you even
more. Amen.
Anonymous
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Saturday, February 21, 2015
The Magi (Matthew 2:1-12)
The magi find a star. These ancient scholars of astrology, using movements of the heavens to discover and explore the world, recognize the star as a sign and set out following
it, in search of a newborn king.
We are so familiar with these travelers, that we may miss the surprise and drama in their
story.
They come from the east; a place that is foreign, unusual, and exotic for us and for Matthew’s first audience. The magi’s religion was probably related to the stars and constellations. Their culture, study, religion, dress, food and language would all have been
strange to the people who surround the infant Jesus and for those who hear Matthew’s
story.
After a long and challenging journey, the magi draw approach their destination and visit
the most reasonable place to seek a baby monarch – the current king’s household. Herod is a powerful and dangerous ruler, careful about threats, never hesitant to strike down
a challenge to his rule. The magi’s stop at Herod’s castle ought to make us gasp. This
can’t be good for the baby Jesus. Herod, and all Jerusalem with him, are frightened at
the prospect of a challenger to the throne.
Religious leaders tell Herod where to look for the Messiah, and he shares the information
with a cruel plot of his own. The magi go to Bethlehem, still led by the star. They find the
peasant child and his mother in a house, not a palace. The magi pay homage to Jesus,
offer amazingly extravagant gifts, and then foil Herod’s plans by slipping away to their
own country by another road.
Imagine hearing this story the first time. We’d be on the edge of our seats. Amazed at
the unusual magi. Uneasy about Herod and frightened for the baby. Surprised at the
worship and the gifts. Relieved when the magi escape. Outlandish characters. Drama
and plot twists. We would gasp and cringe, lean forward to hear what’s next, then sigh
with relief.
We are surprised by the magi; outsiders who recognized God was doing something remarkable. They were determined to find and honor this young king, and to protect him,
despite the risks. God is determined too. Determined to proclaim “good news of great
joy for all the people.” All people. Even those who seem strange or foreign to us. God
brings light in the darkness of our lives.
Let us pray…
God of light, A star brought strange and foreign people to find you. Open our hearts to
see how people from new and unusual places may be part of your story. Help us to look
beyond differences that could divide and find ourselves bathed in the light of your love.
Amen
Alicia Anderson
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Sunday, February 22, 2015
First Sunday in Lent
The First Lesson - Genesis 9:8-17
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Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 9"As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, 10and with every living creature that is
with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as
many as came out of the ark. 11I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall
all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth." 12God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me
and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13I have set
my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the
earth. 14When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh;
and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16When the bow is
in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth." 17God said to Noah, "This is the sign of
the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth."
Psalm 25
The Second Lesson - 1 Peter 3:18-22
The Gospel - Mark 1:9-15
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In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the
Jordan. 10And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart
and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11And a voice came from heaven, "You are
my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased." 12And the Spirit immediately drove him
out into the wilderness. 13He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he
was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him. 14Now after John was arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near, repent, and believe in the good news."
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Monday, February 23, 2015
The Scapegoating of Jesus (Leviticus 16)
Close your eyes. What is your immediate visualization when you hear someone called a
scapegoat? Who or what kind of person did you see? Did you see Jesus? Miriam
Webster suggests synonyms for scapegoat might be “fall guy, goat, whipping boy, victim,
dupe, fool, laughingstock, mark, mockery.” Doesn’t sound like Jesus to me.
In Leviticus 16, on the Day of Atonement, God instructed Aaron to find two goats worthy
of a sacrifice to God and bring them to the Tent of Meeting. One goat would be killed
and its blood sacrificed at the altar for the sins of the Israelites. The other goat would not
be killed as a sacrifice like every other animal before. At God’s command, Aaron laid
both his hands on the head of the goat and confessed “over the goats head all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites –all their sins—on the goat’s head.” Leviticus
16:21. The goat was then lead out of the city into the wilderness and left to die away
from the people.
Now, does this “scapegoat” bring to your mind’s eye images of Jesus?
While in the wilderness, the Israelites were taught how to live as His chosen people, how
they were atone for their sins through a myriad of commands, ordinances and decrees.
On this first Day of Atonement, in God’s perfect way, by the blood of the sacrificed animals and the symbolism of the scapegoat, he brought Jesus to the Israelites. Just imagine! Jesus was there with the Israelites and they did not even know it.
And now, centuries later, we know what God meant by offering a scapegoat. Just like
the goat, Jesus took the sins of all people and went outside the city to die. There was
nothing glorious or ceremonious like the other animals that were sacrificed by the priests.
Both the scapegoat and Jesus just did what the Master intended. The goat symbolically
carried the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites and the other, the sinless Son of
man and Son of God, bore all past and future transgressions and was ultimately sacrificed for all people.
Thinking of Jesus as our scapegoat is humbling beyond words. During the Lenten season, there is no sacrifice any of us can offer to atone for our sins that would equal or exceed the scapegoat God has given his people. Knowing all God has done out of love, it
seems most befitting to come before God with a humble and contrite heart, giving him
prayers of praise and thanks and earnestly work to follow His commands. After all, that is
all God has asked of us.
Let us pray…
Lord, thank you for taking away my sin. In the light of your grace-filled love, bless me to
follow you more faithfully and more gratefully. Amen.
Kris Eng
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Tuesday, February 24, 2015
"What is truth?": The Dialog of Jesus and Pilate (John 18:37-38)
I am always amazed when I read this passage. I picture this dialog between Jesus and
Pilate and can almost see Pilate throwing his hands in the air and rhetorically uttering
those words, “What is truth?” without ever expecting a reply.
The question Pilate asks is one that has been asked throughout the ages. Philosophers,
scientists, lawyers, teachers, and countless others have pondered Pilate's same question
without ever really getting a reply--at least one that adequately answers the question.
I believe much of the problem with the question is the answer we expect or desire. It
never comes nicely wrapped in a reply we can put our arms around and agree it completely fulfills the question. The secular world looks for a reply much like one would find
in a dictionary, short, concise, and absolute.
I stumbled upon a passage in Paul's first letter to Timothy I believe best answers the
question. Paul writes:
This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires everyone to be
saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God; there is also one
mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself
a ransom for all.
In this short passage we learn God not only wants but desires us all to be in an eternal
relationship with him. We also hear he wants us to know the truth, and then defines it for
us...The only way this relationship and our salvation is possible is Jesus' supreme sacrifice for all of us.
The irony of Pilate's question is the answer he so desired is standing face to face with
him in the person of Jesus Christ, The Truth, personified!
Let us pray…
Oh God, as we walk this Lenten journey and face our sinfulness and unworthiness, help
us to see just how much we stand in need of a Savior. May we somehow begin to better
comprehend and appreciate the awesomeness of your gift of grace in the person of your
Most Holy Son.
Don Widener
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Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Jonah
I think the Veggie Tales said it best:
“Jonah was a prophet (ooo, ooo)
But he never really got it (sad but true)
If you watch him you can spot it (doodle, do)
He did not get the point”
Jonah is a lot like all of us in many ways. Jonah was one of God’s prophets. God called
Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach against the Ninevites because of their wickedness. But Jonah
didn’t want to go so he tried to hide from God by travelling to Tarshish, which was about as far
away as he figured he could get. Then God caused a storm which threatened to sink the ship.
Well, Jonah wound up in the water as a means to appease God and was swallowed by a great
fish.
While he was in the fish, Jonah prayed to God and God, in his compassion, caused the
fish to vomit Jonah back onto the land. And God again commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh.
This time, Jonah listened. Jonah went about Nineveh preaching of God’s pending destruction of
the city unless the Ninevites repented.
Much to Jonah’s dismay, the Ninevites repented and asked God for forgiveness. But
God’s compassion angered Jonah. He could not believe that such a sinful people deserved
God’s forgiveness. He became upset and angry with God, so much that he prayed for God to
take his life. Jonah sulked. So God caused a plant to grow and give Jonah shade, which comforted him. But the plant died the next day and Jonah again asked God to take his life.
God calls us. Sometimes when we are called, we question the call. We presume that God
couldn’t possibly want us to do what he is asking. At other times, we try to hide from God or run
away from God. And when we run away, things sometimes go badly for us. And God, in his
mercy forgives us and saves us from our troubles.
There are times when we listen to God’s call and the results are not what we expect. And
even more unexpectedly, these results please God! So like an impertinent child, we complain
and whine because we had presumed to know the mind of God, and we were wrong! But God is
compassionate and comforts us in our grief.
So how can we learn from Jonah? God calls us. Sometimes, God’s call may seem uncomfortable to us or we can’t imagine that God is really asking us to do what he is asking. In
these times, it can be difficult to listen. But it is at these times when we need to put ourselves
completely into God’s hands and listen to his call. And if for some reason the outcome is something we did not expect but is pleasing to God, it is not our place to question God. We should be
grateful for his compassion and generosity and instead of pouting we should give him praise
and thanks.
God is good. He calls us to service. Will you listen to the call?
Let us pray…
Dear God, thank you for your compassion, even though I may not deserve it. Help me to listen
to your call and help me to do your will, not mine. In Jesus name, Amen.
Lester Griel, III
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Thursday, February 26, 2015
The Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16)
Picture the scene Matthew painted. It was the market place early in the morning. The
shoppers are browsing, the vendors are hawking, and the children are playing. Amid all
this activity, the cry rings out, “The grapes are ripe, come everyone willing to work.” And
people lined up, were hired and then they were off to the vineyard. This happened at 6
AM, 9 AM, 12 noon and 3 PM and then again at 5 in the afternoon. When 6 PM came,
everyone lined up to be paid. And, incredulously, they all received the same wage. The
ones who worked 12 hours bearing the burden of the day, and the ones who only worked
1 hour all received the same wage. Those who worked 1 hour were ecstatic; those who
worked 12 were furious. The vineyard owner responded, “Did I not give everyone what
we agreed upon? Are you envious because I am generous?”
As disciples of Jesus, many of us have been Christians since our baptism. We are 6
AM’ers. We have given our lives to Jesus. This parable that every believer, even those
who come to faith during the last hour of life, will receive the same reward – eternal life is this fair? If this parable actually happened today, there would be labor strikes and lawsuits.
But this parable has nothing to do with fairness or earthly business practices. This parable is about God and how God works in his heavenly kingdom. This parable is not about
earthly economics, it’s about heavenly economics. This parable is about grace and generosity and love. We humans are always so concerned about what’s fair, and, “Am I getting my share?” We are so concerned about that, that we have a hard time understanding God’s grace and generosity and love.
Is this parable fair? No! And we can thank God that it isn’t. If fairness was what decided
our salvation, then all of us would be lost, for none of us deserves forgiveness and grace.
No one does. So who are the winners in this parable? Everyone is a winner! Let me
suggest another ending to this parable. At the end of the day, when the workers were
paid and they saw that everyone received the same wage, they all cheered and hugged
one another, thankful for everyone’s good fortune; and especially thankful for the owners’
grace and generosity.
Remember, God’s love and grace are not doled out fairly, and thank God they aren’t, or
all of us would be losers. But God’s love and grace are doled out freely and generously
to all his children. So all of us are winners. Thanks be to God for his amazing grace.
Let us pray…
Thank you Lord for being so generous, gracious and loving. Help us respond with acts
of grace and generosity and love to our neighbors. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Pastor Lynn
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Friday, February 27, 2015
Living the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-11)
Saint Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use
words.” That was his unique way of living out Christ’s beatitudes. How do we preach the
Gospel at all times?
This is different and similar for all of us. The one thing we do know is that the Gospel is
about Jesus. Let’s strive to keep our eyes on Jesus, loving Him with all our hearts,
souls, minds, and strength. Lets wear the armor of God and stand up for what is right.
Lets turn the other cheek, love our enemies, and never turn away from someone in need.
May we all strive to walk in the footsteps of Jesus this Lenten season.
Let us pray…
Heavenly Father, thank you for this time of Lent. This is a time of reflection and repentance, not just a time of penitence, but also of action. As your inspired Word reveals to
us in James 4:17, “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it
is sin for them.” Speak to our souls in your loving kindness and lead us to act in all ways
for your glory. Father, bless our family of believers in hope that someday we may enjoy
your grace in heavenly places and always watch over us in safety and peace. In the
name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.
Matthew Fullington
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Saturday, February 28, 2015
The Human Nature of Jesus (Hebrews 4:15)
We’re surrounded by reminders that Jesus is God. We worship; we look at the cross
where he did his redeeming work; we pray to him. Yet I think it’s sometimes easy to forget that in addition to being fully God, he was also fully human. Fully.
This makes God not only the God of glory, but also the God of empathy. Not only does
God forgive us, God understands us. God has been there.
In other words, God gets me.
Jesus lived here with us as a human being, and though he was somehow without sin, he
can’t have been without a human heart. He wasn’t without the human experiences of relationships, with their surprises, obstacles, joys, and disappointments. He wasn’t without
emotions.
I feel grouchy and short-tempered. Jesus must have felt that too. I feel tired and discouraged. Jesus must have felt that too. I feel irritable, or lonely, or embarrassed, or regretful, or…. All of it. Jesus was fully human, and so Jesus knows. Not only does he know in
the mind-reading, omniscient way that he can know because he is God, but he knows
the way someone knows when they’ve been there.
Most of what we have in the Bible about Jesus is the story of his God-ness. The miracles
he did; the sermons he preached; the central, glorious and mind-boggling work he did for
us on the cross. I am grateful for those things, and we rightly focus on those things. He’s
God, not just a man.
Yet I also really need God the person, in the person of Jesus. I need a God who not only
amazes me, but also gets me. That Jesus can be a person, and feel how a person feels
and live through what a person lives through—and yet be without sin, and be God—
helps me see that I can be a person, and feel how I feel, and live through what I live
through—and yet be forgiven, and be in God.
God’s grace in my daily life is as real and immediate as this. God doesn’t just care for me
like someone who takes pity on me, or like someone who helps me out of a sense of
what is right. No, God helps me like someone who’s been there, like someone who remembers what it was like and knows just what to do.
Let us pray…
God of empathy, thank you for living alongside of us as Jesus. You save us. You restore
us to you, making us whole. You see us as we are, and you love us no matter what. Help
us to see one another through eyes more like yours. Help us to love more like you do.
Amen.
Anne Whitney
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Sunday, March 1, 2015
Second Sunday in Lent
The First Lesson - Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him,
"I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. 2And I will make my covenant
between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous." 3Then Abram fell on his
face; and God said to him, 4"As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. 5No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name
shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. 6I will make
you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 7I
will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout
their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 15God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but
Sarah shall be her name. 16I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I
will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her."
Psalm 22:23-31
The Second Lesson - Romans 4:13-25
The Gospel - Mark 8:31-38
31
Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and
be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three
days rise again. 32He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to
rebuke him. 33But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get
behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human
things." 34He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow
me. 35For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my
sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36For what will it profit them to gain the
whole world and forfeit their life? 37Indeed, what can they give in return for their
life? 38Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his
Father with the holy angels."
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Monday, March 2, 2015
Lydia (Acts 16:13-15)
Prayerful, receptive, faithful
Merchant, Worshiper, and Convert
Who celebrated color, cloth and beauty
Who sought truth, wisdom and The Way
Who gathered in prayer, opened her heart, and listened to the Lord’s leading
Who with her entire household received baptism
Who opened her home and her life to the gospel
Seller of Purple from Thyatria
Champion of faith
Let us pray…
Heavenly Father, thank you for the blueprint of everyday Christian lives we find in the Bible. Thank you for the faithful, the trusting, the wise, and the visionary ones who have
come before us. May we learn from their examples and follow their lead by seeking your
will and listening for your direction in our lives as we continue to build your kingdom.
Amen.
Ellen Campbell
13
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Heroes and Villains of the Bible
When I was in college, I took a Chinese-Japanese History course. It was an overview
class and obviously in one semester, one couldn’t cover everything extensively. And because it was ALL new to me, a lot of the info went right over my head- I learned what I
paid attention to, what I made connections with. When it came time for the blue book final, it was obvious, as I looked at the questions, that what I paid attention to wasn’t
enough…..so the choice became, do I leave whole questions blank, or since the prof didn’t ask me what I DID know, should I let him know what I did get from the class? I remember writing and writing. Using the questions themselves as prompts for time periods
and people and major happenings, I wrote a poem of epic proportions, rhyming my way
through the eras and events. While we never got the blue book back (wish I had it now!) I
did get a C in the class, so maybe he liked it a bit!
The prompt here of “write about your favorite person of the Bible” gave me the same
feeling. I am certainly no Bible scholar, but there are certainly role models (good and
bad) to emulate (or not), words and attitudes to adopt, and faults and foibles of many that
perhaps I have shared and grown from myself! Lots of the real famous people in the Bible were not always good girls and boys……and yet their legacy lives on in how they resolved their issues and grew to love God and do what is good in the eyes of the Lord. So
who do I like?
Daniel: your council was good, faithful and true
Your praying to God molded all you did do
Deborah, relying on God gave you strength, made you bold,
Noah, showed we really should do what we’re told.
Zacchaeus- once bad, but became a believer
Timothy, like Paul, had an evangelist’s fever.
Leah, ever faithful, even when she wasn’t favored;
Abraham, too- his trust never wavered
A favorite is Hannah, never ceasing her prayer,
She knew one day that a child would be there.
Joseph learned humility, wisdom, forgiveness,
wonderful character strengths to have and to live. This
I know to be true, God was with them as with me,
Role models, life lessons, gifts from them, and all free!
Let us pray…
Dear God, though your Bible is already written, may MY life somehow be a witness for
you to someone else….help me grow, give me peace, strength and joy, and may I be a
person someone else can learn from about you and your love. Amen.
Karen Foard
14
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
The Story of Moses (Exodus 4:11)
One of my growing up memories from Sunday School at St. Matthew Lutheran in
Bloomsburg was a picture of the baby Moses tucked safely in a woven basket floating in
the bulrushes to be found by a young woman who was looking fondly at the baby. More
than 2,000 years later, the familiar basket, whether it was really what Moses was cradled
in, is available for online purchase (google Baby Moses basket). When our son, Aaron,
was an infant, he took naps in the living room in a Baby Moses basket. There was comfort in knowing that our Aaron was a child of God as was Moses and his brother, Aaron.
Moses had a dramatic journey with God beginning with being spared from the Pharaoh’s
decree to kill all male Israelite children. The young woman who found him in the basket
in the bulrushes was the Pharaoh’s daughter. Moses grew up in the Pharaoh’s house
yet he never forgot who his people were. After killing an Egyptian for cruelties to a Hebrew man, Moses fled into the desert for 40 years. When God called Moses through the
burning bush in the desert, Moses was reluctant and lacked confidence that he could do
all that God asked of him. Even after several miracles through which God gave Moses
directions for freeing his people from Egyptian bondage, Moses still questioned if he was
the right person. Finally God tells him “Now therefore, go, and I will be your mouth and
teach you what you shall say.” (Exodus 4:11) Moses, still the reluctant leader, only
agrees after God tells Moses that his brother, Aaron, will be the one to speak to the people. God will deliver the messages to Moses whom He has called to be the leader.
We know from reading the book of Exodus that Moses does deliver his people out of
Egypt with the parting of the Red Sea. And Moses is the only person sent by God to deliver the Ten Commandments, which will be the word of God for every generation to follow. Moses accomplished amazing things considering he was reluctant to listen to what
God had in mind for him.
Do we find ourselves at times reluctant to listen to God and what he calls us to do?
Moses was 80 years old when God called him. He followed God’s personal call for the
last 40 years of his life. It is never too late to trust in the Lord and respond to His call to
love and serve Him. As you reflect about your faith journey during this Lenten season,
listen to God with open ears and open arms. Grace Lutheran provides many meaningful
ways to contribute your time and talent. Each of us can have an amazing journey with
God if we only let Him lead the way.
Let us pray...
“Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord; I have heard You calling in the night; I will go Lord, if You
lead me; I will hold Your people in my heart. Amen”
from “Here I Am, Lord” by Fr. Daniel L. Schutte
Anne Rohrbach
15
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Mary’s Treasured Moments (Luke 2:19)
Those moments. Those fleeting moments that feel like sand slipping through my fingers. Quiet moments in the middle of the night when no one else is awake in the house
but me and the baby. I remember the music that was playing in her nursery and the citrus-y smell of her baby shampoo. As a mother of three, this verse pops into my head in
those moments. I realize that my interpretation takes this verse a bit out of context. I am
not pondering shepherds visiting my newborn son, claiming he is the fore-told king. I am
just a mom who fears that time is slipping away too fast, and that I will forget these small
moments. The larger moments, birthday parties, Christmas mornings, vacations... these
things I document somehow (usually with pictures). But not every moment can be documented. And it is those moments that sneak up on me... the ones that don't get documented... those are the ones I treasure and ponder in my heart.
The sleepy smile of my daughter in the morning, and her crazy morning hair. The particular laugh of my son that fills the room with its high-pitched silliness. The sweetest spontaneous hugs that seem to come out of nowhere. Seeing pride in the eyes of a beginning reader. Hearing her act out stories with her stuffed animals. Giggles under the covers. Words mispronounced in the most precious ways. The sick-day snuggles and
snaggle-tooth grins. I crave more of these moments.
It would be easy to ignore these seemingly mundane moments and look ahead to the
next thing on our busy calendar, or to wish for a certain challenging stage to pass quickly.
In nine and a half short years since becoming a mother I already feel that too many of
them have slipped out of my memory. These moments remind me to be present. Be
here now. Enjoy these moments. Savor them. Treasure and ponder them in my heart
for as long as time will allow.
Let us pray…
Lord, help us to live in the present moment, and help us to not lose sight of your purpose
for our lives. Help us to treasure those moments that could easily be forgotten, and to
remember that you, too, treasure our small moments together with you.
Mandy Biggers
16
Friday, March 6, 2015
The Loaves and Fishes (John 6:1-14)
I can’t choose a favorite person in the Bible. I’m lousy at favorites. Periodically, though,
I’ll hear a story in a new way, and it will follow me. In that way, a young boy has been following me for a while now.
I’ve known the story of the Loaves and Fishes as long as I can remember. You probably
have, too. When I picked up John to read it again in preparation for 4th and 5th grade
Sunday School, a spotlight shone directly on the one guy in the story who was about the
age of the members of our class: a boy with 5 small loaves and 2 fish – basically a can of
sardines and a few breadsticks. Had his mom packed him a sack? Had he stashed
some of his breakfast or filched a bit of dinner so he could sneak off and see this new
Teacher?
However it happened, this boy was the only one with food in a huge, huge crowd, far
from town, far from the nearest 7-11, orchard, or herd of goats. What he had was nothing remotely like what was needed. He had enough for one. How could it make a difference to 5000? Five, maybe, but 5000? And yet, it seems he heard the call and gave
what he had. With that boy’s gift – sacrificial for the one, but meaningless to the many –
Jesus fed the 5000. He gave thanks and he blessed the boy’s lunch. He broke it, and
shared it, and the boy, the disciples, and 4,987 others, ate until they were full. Jesus did
not create food out of air or mud. He waited for human participation. The miracle took
root in active faith – the faith of a young boy that, as preposterous as it might seem, his
gift could matter.
Let us pray…
God, open my ears to your call; give me an open and generous heart emboldened by
faith. Help me respond daily in hope and in faith, giving in ways that are large for me,
though they seem tiny in the world. Help me respond as the boy did, trusting that in you,
it will matter; with you it can somehow become enough. Help me to see your miracles in
our daily world, giving thanks at all times. Help me to honor your acts and your creation,
wasting none of what is given. May faith move me to action. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Cricket Hunter
17
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Departure of our Nicaragua Medical Mission Trip
Joshua – Be Strong and Courageous (Joshua 1: 1-9)
In 2008, prior to my first trip to Nicaragua, to say I was afraid would be an understatement. It would be my first trip out of the country. On top of that, I was going to a place
where you had to be immunized to malaria, typhoid and hepatitis before you could enter
and where you were advised not to drink the water. I was most afraid, however, of my
responsibilities there. I was to diagnose and treat illnesses for a people whose language
was foreign to me. It was a lot of responsibility for a simple nursing instructor.
One day as I was doing my devotions prior to the trip, I came upon a list of scriptures in
my Bible that was to be used when in specific difficult situations. The scripture to use
“when you have been placed in a position of great responsibility” was Joshua 1. I read it
and immediately received peace and comfort.
Joshua was Moses’ second in command. When Moses died he had to take over and
lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. Joshua must have been hesitant about this
responsibility because three times in the first nine verses of Joshua, God says, “Be
strong and courageous.” God promises to be with Joshua, just as he was with Moses
and He promises to not fail him or forsake him. Joshua accepts God’s call and successfully leads battles against his Canaanite enemies. At the end of the book of Joshua,
Joshua gathers the people, recounts all the deeds God did on their behalf, and reminds
them to be faithful to the covenant God made with them at Sinai.
Under Joshua, God brought the people into the land that he had promised to give to
them. Joshua believed God’s promise and remained faithful. I realized then that I could
also “Be strong and courageous” because God would also be with me. He would help
me prepare for and accomplish my responsibilities in Nicaragua. It would not always be
easy, but he would not forsake me.
That year in Nicaragua was meaningful and successful for me. I returned on another
mission trip in 2012. I thank God for his comfort and guidance as I dealt with my fears.
Let us pray…
Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us courage in the face of unknown situations and
scary responsibilities. Be with the mission team to Nicaragua. Give them grace and
power as they meet the needs of your people in Nicaragua. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lois Lynn
18
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Third Sunday in Lent
The First Lesson - Exodus 20:1-17
Then God spoke all these words: 2I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the
land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; 3you shall have no other gods before me.
4
You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven
above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5You shall
not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those
who reject me, 6but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who
love me and keep my commandments. 7You shall not make wrongful use of the name of
the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. 8Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. 9Six days you shall labor and do all your
work. 10But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any
work — you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the
alien resident in your towns. 11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the
sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the
sabbath day and consecrated it. 12Honor your father and your mother, so that your days
may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. 13You shall not murder.
14
You shall not commit adultery. 15You shall not steal. 16You shall not bear false witness
against your neighbor. 17You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet
your neighbor's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs
to your neighbor.
Psalm 19
The Second Lesson - 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
The Gospel - John 2:13-22
13
The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14In the temple
he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at
their tables. 15Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the
sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of
here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!" 17His disciples remembered that it
was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me." 18The Jews then said to him, "What
sign can you show us for doing this?" 19Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and
in three days I will raise it up." 20The Jews then said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?" 21But he was speaking
of the temple of his body. 22After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered
that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
19
Monday, March 9, 2015
Jacob Wrestles with God (Genesis 33:22-32)
Jacob – son of Isaac and Rebekah – was clever and prosperous, and the Lord Jacob
protected him in diverse situations. Yet somehow, the bridge between Jacob’s heart and
God looked like a path strewn with hard-to-see obstacles.
Jacob was intelligent. He often outwitted others, sometimes in ways that were unkind
and unjust. Jacob deceived Esau and tricked him into surrendering his birthright. As his
estate expanded, Jacob increased his flocks of sheep over Laban’s (Rebekah’s brother)
via an agreed-upon contract. Then he bred Laban’s animals so that Laban got the weaker animals and Jacob inherited the stronger ones. Fearing discovery, Jacob ran away.
As Jacob wandered across the land, God prepared him to meet Esau, from whom he
had stolen the birthright. After setting up camp and delivering his wives and possessions
to a safe location, Jacob was alone. All night he wrestled with a man; the man touched
Jacob’s hip socket as they struggled. At daybreak, the man asked to leave, but Jacob
asked first for his blessing. The man responded that Jacob’s name would henceforth be
Israel, because he had struggled with God and humans and had overcome them.
Jacob immediately recognized that he had wrestled with God and seen him face to face.
He also saw that despite his human failings, God had loved and spared him. Jacob
limped permanently from the hip, where he had been touched by God – a reminder of
God’s presence and mercy.
This story has several messages for us:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Even the smallest deceptions have consequences;
One misdeed leads to another;
We can not hide our hearts or our intent from God;
God touches us in the most unexpected times and places;
We must have our eyes open so we can recognize God’s presence and be blessed by
it.
The first three of these messages we learn when we are children, but it is the last two to
which we need to be most attuned. God is with us at all times and in all places. If our
eyes (and hearts) are closed, we miss the rich blessings he offers us.
Let us pray…
Dear God, open our eyes so we can see your presence in our daily lives. Open our
hearts so we can receive your countless blessings. Open our hands so that we can raise
them heavenward in thanks for your boundless mercy. Amen.
Laurel Sanders
20
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Jonah (Jonah 3 & 4)
Who do you find most difficult to love? Jonah found the people of Nineveh to be hard to
like, let alone love. He had trouble with them because the people of Nineveh continually
made war and fought against the Jewish people. When God asked him to go and preach
repentance to their community, Jonah didn’t want to because he didn’t want to save them
from the punishment he felt they so rightly deserved. Jonah sat in judgment. He sat in
hatred. And while he waited, he fumed that God didn’t do as he promised and destroy the
city. But God had changed his mind because the people of Nineveh repented and
changed their ways. They listened to Jonah’s half-hearted sermon. And in the process
God taught Jonah an important lesson; God’s love is big enough for everyone, even
those for whom it is hard for us to love or even like. In fact, God loves them as much as
he loves us.
Growing up, I struggled to love my younger brother Adam. I swear most days the majority
of things he did, like refuse to go to church or actually attend class so he could graduate,
were just to spite me; at least it felt that way. No matter what it was I was interested in or
what I chose to take part in, it seemed that he did the exact opposite. He acted without
gauging the consequences. He avoided family functions and acted as a loner. And even
if you wanted to be close to him, he wouldn’t let you be. He was very hard to love.
Now that we have survived many growing pains together I’m grateful to know that during
those hard times when I thought Adam was the enemy, God loved him and cared for him
as much as I know God cares for and loves me. God’s love is big enough. It’s big
enough to soften the hearts of the Ninevites and it is big enough to soften mine.
Let us pray…
Gracious God, help us to accept all people as your children. When we think of someone
who is hard to love, give us the courage to keep trying. When we think of someone who
is easy to love, help us to love them more. Let us be your hands in this world. Amen.
Pastor Alison
21
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
The Call of Matthew (Matthew 9:9-13)
At first glance, Matthew seems an unlikely and unworthy hero because he was a tax collector. In that era, tax collectors were intensely unpopular because of the perception
(likely a quite accurate one) that they were colluding with a foreign, occupying power and
lining their pockets at the expense of the common person. How scandalous it was that
Jesus gathered and ate with tax collectors and other sinners like Matthew! Even worse,
Jesus approached Matthew at the tax table – the very epicenter of Matthew’s unsavory
work – and called Matthew to become one of his followers.
It’s curious to me that in the course of all this, Matthew never uttered a single word. Was
he shocked into speechlessness by Christ’s call? Was he overcome by the Spirit? We
can only speculate. What Holy Scripture does reveal, however, is that Matthew responded in a decisive (if wordless) manner by simply getting up from that table and following
Jesus.
For years the story of Matthew’s call has challenged and inspired me. I see so much of
my story in Matthew’s story. I too had a career in taxes (sixteen years as a lawyer) and,
like Matthew, I was a sinner, the sort of self-centered, greedy person that you would expect Jesus to reject rather than embrace. And yet Jesus did embrace me, call me, and
transform me, just as he did with Matthew. Why me? Why Matthew? I have no answer,
but I give thanks every day that Jesus called me from my table and gave me the grace to
follow him. Is Jesus calling you?
You see, in the end the real story isn’t about Matthew or you or me. It’s all about Jesus.
It’s always about Jesus. He finds us, comforts us, redeems us, liberates us, heals us,
and calls us to follow him – not because we are perfect but because he is. He loves us
and wants to unleash us on this hurting world to share his life-changing message of
hope, forgiveness, and mercy. After all, who better to send as a herald of grace than folks
like us who have needed so very much of it?
Let us pray…
Gracious Jesus, help me to hear and heed your call. Though I am imperfect, clothe me in
your perfection and encourage and equip me to follow you, just as your servant Matthew
so faithfully did. Amen.
Pastor Schul
22
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Nicodemus (John 3:16 and 19:39)
William J. “Nick” Nicodemus was a family friend who I came to know when I was five or
six years old. He was a really good friend of our family and lived at my grandparents’
tourist home for many years, attended church with us, was introduced to his future wife
by my grandparents, worked with me at the bank for many years and was a part of our
lives until his death a few years ago.
I have no specific memory when I first heard the name Nicodemus as it was being read
from the scriptures at the First Presbyterian Church in Bradford, Pennsylvania, but if I
wasn’t paying much attention to the reading up to that point I do recall being jolted to attention with the hearing of the name Nicodemus.
We learn in John chapter 3 that he made a night visit to Jesus since as a Pharisee he
was afraid of his fellow Jewish leaders. He said to Jesus “Rabbi, we know that you are a
teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs apart from the presence
of God.” Included in Jesus’ answer was probably one of the most recognized verses of
scripture that is known to the world, John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave
his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
life.”
We hear from him again during the time leading up to Jesus’ trial and eventual crucifixion. In the final appearance of Nicodemus I remember being surprised as I learned (John
19:39) that Nicodemus accompanied Joseph of Arimathea who asked that Jesus body be
given to him to attend to Jesus’ burial and that Nicodemus provided the very expensive
spices used to preserve his body.
I don’t believe in coincidence and truly thank God for using “Nick” to introduce me to this
part of the scriptures.
Let us pray…
Good and gracious God we thank you for Christian friends. We know that our faith journeys are made possible by those who you have provided to help us to find our way as
we make our lifelong travels to better know you and to live the kind of lives you remind us
constantly that we should live. Bless us during this Lenten season as we approach the
celebration of the death and resurrection of the Son you gave to save us. Amen.
Spence and Vicki Garvin
23
Friday, March 13, 2015
The Entire Bible!
Trying to pick my favorite Bible stories causes me to flashback to my son’s preschool
years and VeggieTales. I spent hours upon hours watching VeggieTales, or just listening
to them as he played in the back seat of the van. The way the creative geniuses at Big
Idea Entertainment told stories got me back into reading my bible. Did they do justice to
the story of The Fiery Furnace in Rack, Shack and Benny? I pulled out my Bible to read
the story and decide. When, in Are You my Neighbor?, the folks of Flibber-O-Loo would
not accept the people of Jibber-De-Lot because they wore shoes on their head and not
pots, I pulled out my Bible to read the story of the Good Samaritan. In Jonah - A Veggietales Movie, a zesty caterpillar named Khalil (one of my favorite characters), inspired me
to pull out my Bible yet again. Lo and behold, there is a caterpillar in the bible version of
Jonah as well! How could they possible tell the story of David and Bathsheba in a children’s story? Well, with a king obsessed with having all the rubber duckies in the land as
in King George and the Ducky. The music in Josh and The Big Wall always comes to
mind when I think of the Battle of Jericho. Sing with me all you VeggieTale parents!
“Keep walking, but you won't knock down our wall. Keep walking, but she isn't gonna fall!
It's plain to see your brains are very small to think walking, will be knocking down our
wall!” It still amazes me as my son turns 16 years old, how these children’s videos
brought these stories to life for me and how they encouraged me to dig deeper into the
Bible.
So what’s my favorite Bible story? After all the flashbacks and good memories and time
trying to pick my favorite I realized - I don’t have one. I don’t have a favorite color, song,
pastor or bible story. I need them all in my life. Different times and different moods will
cause me to reach out to a different part of the Bible.
So this lent, keep an open mind to what brings you to the bible and keep an open mind to
what your “favorite” part is. You may be surprised!
Let us pray…
Heavenly Father, thank you so much for all the things you use to bring me to the Bible
and keep me in it. This Lenten season, help me to keep an open mind the unique ways
you bring the word to me. Amen.
Rachel Griel
24
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3:19-30)
King Nebuchadnezzar was a mighty king served by four men who loved God above everything. Although they were responsive servants to their inherited king, their hearts were
obedient to God. They served Nebuchadnezzar dutifully while living lives of prayer, honor, and obedience. When Nebuchadnezzar commanded them to worship him, they refused to succumb to his narcissism.
The three came to court when the Babylonian king ordered his men to bring several
handsome, skilled, strong, well-educated, unblemished Israelites to serve him. Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah – renamed Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego – were captured, then were taught the language of the Chaldeans so they
could serve Nebuchadnezzar.
Nebuchadnezzar reveled in power. Although Daniel and his friends served the king well,
they refused to partake in the king’s excesses and would not bow down to anyone except
their God, even when their lives were at stake.
Daniel proved invaluable interpreting the king’s dreams, but his friends were punished
for their unwillingness to worship Nebuchadnezzar and were thrown into a fiery furnace. Although the servants who bound the three and threw them in died from the heat,
the prisoners faced the fire fearlessly and survived. As Nebuchadnezzar and his people
watched, an angel from God appeared in the furnace, protecting them. Amazed, Nebuchadnezzar called the men forth. They emerged with no signs of distress, unwavering in
their faith.
Whether we accept the story as literal or just instructive, the fact remains that these men
were obedient to our Lord at all costs. They remained faithful amid the greatest adversity
and had no fear, believing that God would deliver them – at least spiritually – and deciding resolutely not to worship Nebuchadnezzar or his golden image regardless of the consequences. I believe this deeply felt faith raised them above the challenges they faced
and that this spiritual freedom is available to us when we embrace God fully. Faith is not
just a feeling; it is a discipline, and each time we practice it, our faith grows stronger.
My prayer is a Renaissance song text set to music by Orlando Gibbons, whose peaceful
choral setting of the words you can hear on YouTube. It washes over the listener, bestowing quiet, yet sure confidence and peace:
Let us pray…
O, Lord, increase my faith. Strengthen me and confirm me in Thy true faith. Endue me
with wisdom, charity, chastity and patience in all my adversity. Sweet Jesu, say Amen.
Amen!
Laurel Sanders
25
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Fourth Sunday in Lent
The First Lesson - Numbers 21:4-9
4
From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom;
but the people became impatient on the way. 5The people spoke against God and
against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For
there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food." 6Then the LORD sent
poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites
died. 7The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the
LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us." So Moses
prayed for the people. 8And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a poisonous serpent, and
set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live." 9So Moses made a
serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.
Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22
The Second Lesson - Ephesians 2:1-10
The Gospel - John 3:14-21
14
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be
lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16For God so loved the
world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but
may have eternal life. 17Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the
world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Those who believe in
him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because
they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19And this is the judgment,
that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the
light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21But those who do what is true come to
the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God."
26
Monday, March 16, 2015
Simon Peter’s Mother-in-Law (Mark 1:29-31)
In this story Jesus, Simon, Andrew, James and John leave the synagogue and go to Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law lives there and is bedridden with a fever. Jesus
takes her by the hand and lifts her up and her fever is gone. She could have done many
things following this sudden healing. In modern-day terms, she might have written a book
about her experience; she could have gone on a talk show; or she could have written a
song. What she did instead was to simply get up and serve them.
This reminds me of a quest I was on a few years ago to figure out what I was good at
and called to do with my life. We had moved to Gettysburg so Scott could begin Seminary. All the other students there were excited to begin this journey to fulfill their new call.
I felt left out because I didn’t have a calling. I couldn’t teach, preach, learn Greek, motivate young people, sing well or organize a congregation of people. It was obvious I wasn’t called to attend Seminary.
I found a job working in an office at the Seminary. I am not very good at navigating a
computer either, and could only do what was shown to me. I didn’t see myself as having
much worth at all to God or mankind. I continued my “calling” search as we settled into
our first call community. Somehow by the guidance of God (and through Scott and a local
nursing home chaplain) I was encouraged to attend a CNA (certified nursing assistant)
program. During this class I excelled at the top of my class. I loved helping the elderly! I
discovered gifts that I didn’t know I possessed. I have patience and can feel love and
compassion towards those who are downtrodden by physical and emotional difficulties. I
discovered I can bring a smile and a ray of sunshine to others. My soul soared as I realized my worth to God and others. I am good at serving others! It’s a simple but meaningful gift. What are you called to do?
Let us pray…
Lord, help us to feel lifted up as we find joy in serving others. Though we are flawed human beings use us where and when you need us to shine your light onto others. Amen.
Linda Schul
27
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Paul (Acts 9)
Not an easy assignment – deciding which Biblical person was my favorite. I choose the
Apostle Paul, Paul being the name given my oldest brother and the name of our younger
son. Paul of Tarsus was a Jew who had Roman Citizenship and worked against Christianity until he had a vision on the Road to Damascus (Acts 9). After many experiences,
he became a firm believer in Jesus, the Christ. He was the author of 13 books in the
New Testament on topics ranging from Christ’s return to practical matters of church leadership and organization. He had to be a highly intelligent person in order to write on
such diverse subjects as women’s place in public meetings to the meaning of the resurrection of the dead.
Paul often had words of encouragement and praise and was not always chastising his
readers and listeners about what they should have done. He even gave directions for
collection of money from Gentile churches to help the poor in Jerusalem. Sounds like a
good candidate for a minister in our churches today, doesn’t he?
All together this Apostle seems like someone I would like to get to know better. I once
had a conversation with a lady from a foreign country who said she looked forward, after
leaving this earth, to having talks with all those interesting people from the past. If that
were possible, Paul would certainly be on my list. In the meantime I’ll reread those 13
Letters and also the Book of Acts, thought to be written by Luke, but telling of Paul’s ministry.
Let us pray…
Dear Jesus: Thank you for this opportunity to study more in depth those who wrote
down the meaningful words in our Bibles and study books. Help us to know the importance of seeking and to take the time to do so. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen
Joan Denny
28
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Peter Walking on Water (Matthew 14:22-33)
These days, being able to multitask is not only admired but also required for many jobs.
As companies downsize, employees are expected to do X while also being able to handle Y and Z.
Living a life through and with Christ isn’t about multitasking — it’s about focusing. Our focus should always been on our risen Lord. When it isn’t, we can end up like Peter when
he lost his focus on Christ because of some strong winds. He became frightened and, instead of continuing his walk on water toward Jesus, he began to sink.
Because we are sinners, we will, inevitably, take our focus off of Christ throughout our
lives and put it somewhere else — anything from money and jobs to drugs and alcohol.
We do it every day. But this passage doesn’t end with Jesus letting Peter sink. Verse 33
reads, “Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught [Peter].” In fact, Jesus was
there with Peter — was there on Earth — for precisely that reason. He was there to
eventually die for us, so when we falter, He catches us and we are saved.
The cross and the empty tomb remind us that when we do lose our focus and our way,
and we feel like we may be sinking in this world, Jesus is there to catch us and pull us up
— because truly He is the Son of God.
Let us pray…
Heavenly Father, help us focus on You — especially during this Lenten season. Help us
focus on the cross and the empty tomb — and what those should mean in our lives. And
when we don’t focus on You, be there to help us regain our footing and continue our walk
toward and with You, and help us gather others to join our walk. Amen.
David Pencek
29
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Commemoration of Joseph, Guardian of Jesus
Esther and Mordecai (Book of Esther)
The book of Esther may seem a strange choice for a Lenten meditation. Not one mention is
made of God, prayer, the temple, etc. The book of Esther was not even among the Dead Sea
Scrolls. The events of the story do not even fit historical timelines. Rather, it is a narrative, containing all the elements of a good drama - characters, setting, plot, and conflict. And yet, Esther
and her cousin Mordecai are two of my favorite Biblical personalities, and I see God’s hand in
every detail of this somewhat allegorical story.
Mordecai and Esther, from the tribe of Benjamin, are living in Persia among their former captors. Mordecai works in the government, is loyal to King Xerxes, and is a loving father to his
younger, orphaned cousin Hadassah (known to us as Esther). They are devout Jews.
King Xerxes has deposed his former queen for refusing to follow his orders and is searching for
a new queen. The beautiful Esther is among the virgins taken to the palace at Susa to become
part of Xerxes’ harem, and she eventually pleases the king so completely that he names her the
queen. Following Mordecai’s instructions, however, Esther does not reveal her Jewish background.
Because Mordecai obeys God’s commandment, “You shalt have no other gods before me,” he
enrages the king’s treasury official Haram by refusing to bow down to him as was the custom.
Haram plots revenge by getting Xerxes to sign a decree that all Jews should be killed on a day
one year hence.
However, Mordecai has also unearthed a plot by two of the king’s officers to kill Xerxes, has reported the plot to Esther, and she has warned the king and given Mordecai the credit, so, unknown to Haram, Mordecai is already in the king’s favor.
At Mordecai’s request Esther risks being put to death by approaching Xerxes without being
summoned in order to plead with Xerxes to save the Jewish people. She first entices both
Xerxes and Haram with a lavish banquet and the promise of a second banquet. At the second
banquet she reveals her Jewish background, asks Xerxes to save her people, and ultimately
condemns Haram. As a result, the Jewish people are given opportunity to defend themselves
and eventually become both acceptable and important. Mordecai becomes a trusted member
of Xerxes inner circle, a fair and just leader.
God uses His people to accomplish His purpose. Esther and Mordecai were faithful to God’s
commands and applied their faith to the choices they made for their lives. What a universal
theme! We too can trust God to help us make the right choices for our lives if we let Him influence each thought and action. God may not seem to make His presence manifest but His guiding hand continues to work His plan for His creation.
God’s will be done!
Let us pray...
Holy Lord, Thy will be done. Our understanding of Your plan for us is so limited. Help us to trust
You to guide our every word and our every action, especially when we are making the tough
choices in our lives.
Nancy Reinert
30
Friday, March 20, 2015
Ruth’s Choice (Ruth 1:16)
Ruth showed compassion, loyalty to family, and love for her mother–in–law, Naomi, when
she freely accepted the choice of leaving her Moabite people to accompany her to a foreign land (Judah) and the town of Bethlehem, Naomi’s home. The Moabites were a pagan people, and by choosing to willingly follow Naomi, Ruth experienced the loss of her
family and homeland.
We can see God’s plan for Ruth as a foreigner, that she becomes an important part of
that plan. In the book of Matthew it is recorded that Ruth is included in the genealogy of
Jesus. Through the simple act of wanting to stay with Naomi, Ruth receives this blessing
from God through her son, Obed, who is the grandfather of David, the forefather of Jesus.
God can change a life and lead it in the right direction. We have that promise as Christians to follow the teachings of Christ. God knows the importance of family and heritage
and Ruth is our example.
Let us pray…
Lord, we thank you for the life of Ruth and her example of showing compassion and love.
Her choice of following her mother-in-law led to a greater blessing of becoming a part of
the lineage of Jesus. We also can receive a blessing when we show love and compassion to others. Amen.
Kathryn Mackes
31
Saturday, March 21, 2015
The Multiple Isaiahs
I have always considered myself a teacher and one of the subjects I have attempted to teach is
adult Sunday School. For most of the subjects I teach I am well read and well prepared. I’ve
spent a lot of time in graduate school! My credentials for teaching Sunday School are less impressive. In descending order those credentials are; I have a heartbeat, and I am available on
Sunday morning. In short, I was acceptable cannon fodder for the Sunday morning wars.
The prophecies of Isaiah are a Sunday School staple. Isaiah’s words foretelling Jesus’s life are
inspiring, clear and concise. Consider the following verses. (NIV):
 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a
son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment
that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)
 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim
good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom
for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, (Isaiah 61:1)
The famous prophet, Isaiah was proclaiming “prepare the way, he is coming”. Given my INTENSIVE preparation as a Sunday School teacher, I was satisfied…the prophet named Isaiah
said all of this!
It turns out that those three verses were all written by different Isaiah’s. Only at the ripe old age
of 68 have I been awakened to the fact that two Isaiah’s contributed to the text. Further, some
scholars believe three or more Isaiah’s have contributed to the one book we call Isaiah. Masses of my Sunday morning students (probably 10 to 20) have gone into this world with the false
concept of one Isaiah imbedded by me in their brains. The knowledge I imparted is untrue, how
could I have been so wrong? I only have Pastor Lynn and his Bible Study to thank for sending
me in the right direction.
Isaiah 7:14 was likely written by the prophet that we novices consider THE prophet Isaiah. His
name was Isaiah ben Amoz and he is thought to be responsible for chapters 1 thru 39. He is
called Proto-Isaiah by Bible scholars. Isaiah 53:4-5 was likely penned by a second Isaiah,
called Deutero-Isaiah by Bible scholars; he was likely responsible for chapters 40 thru 55. The
final chapters, 56 thru 66 were written by a third author, called Trito-Isaiah. To further rock my
house, Trito-Isaiah may actually be a collection of many scholars.
None of this, however, negates the truth or beauty of the words of the prophecies contained in
the book of Isaiah.
Let us pray...
Lord, Help us to remember that your scripture is God breathed and inspired and will always
point us to the truth, even when the truth of its’ authorship has become lost to the past. Amen.
Robert Griffin
32
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Fifth Sunday in Lent
The First Lesson - Jeremiah 31:31-34
31
The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the
house of Israel and the house of Judah. 32It will not be like the covenant that I made with
their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt — a
covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. 33But this is the
covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will
put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they
shall be my people. 34No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other,
"Know the LORD," for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says
the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.
The Psalm - 51:1-12
The Second Lesson - Hebrews 5:5-10
The Gospel - John 12:20-33
20
Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. 21They
came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see
Jesus." 22Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains
just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25Those who love their life lose it, and
those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26Whoever serves me
must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the
Father will honor. 27Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say — 'Father, save me
from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. 28Father, glorify
your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it
again." 29The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, "An
angel has spoken to him." 30Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for
mine. 31Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven
out. 32And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." 33He said
this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.
33
Monday, March 23, 2015
The Prophet Habakkuk (Habakkuk 3:17-18)
Habakkuk, which is hard to spell, let alone pronounce, seems an odd choice for a memorable Bible figure. Habakkuk is one of the lesser known “minor” prophets. His three
chapter book in the Old Testament is the only writing attributed to him, and his name appears only twice in the Bible, both times in his own book. Many years ago I attended a
Kay Arthur Precepts Bible Study about Habakkuk and have called his example to mind
often ever since. He endeared himself to me by the boldness of his unashamed complaints to God, as well as by the boldness of his decision to trust God anyway.
Habakkuk is unique among the prophets in that he openly questions the wisdom of God.
Immediately, in the first part of the first chapter, he sees injustice among his people and
asks God why He isn’t taking action. The Lord answers and basically says, wait, I will
make it all clear eventually. Habakkuk complains again, asking how the Lord can tolerate all that is wrong. The Lord answers again, saying that His ends will surely come, in
His own time, and tells Habakkuk to wait patiently. He reminds Habakkuk that the Lord is
in His temple, the earth needs to be silent before Him. In chapter 3 Habakkuk praises
the Lord. He concludes with this passage showing what he has learned in his dialogue
with the Almighty (3: 17-18): “Though the fig tree does not bud, and there are no grapes
on the vines, though the olive crop fails, and the fields produce no food, though there are
no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful
in God my Savior.”
A brief summary of Habakkuk is: (1) Tell God what’s wrong; (2) Stand and Wait; and (3)
Praise the Lord. This is an ongoing challenge in my life. I too, like Habakkuk, question
God’s wisdom when I see wrongs around us that I think God is ignoring. I try to emulate
Habakkuk - stand and wait - trust and praise Him.
Let us pray…
Lord, help me to approach you boldly with my complaints, but to also wait and trust that
answers will come in the proper time. Help me to praise you, even when all around me
seems hopeless. Amen.
Alice Griffin
34
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Stephen (Acts 6)
In the New Testament, in chapter 6 of Acts, the young Christian church has been growing
so fast that it has cultural conflicts between the foreign-born members and the native
Jews. Following the lead of the synagogue, the Christians pool their food and money to
be distributed to the needy members, but the opposing groups complain that their widows are being shorted. The church encounters the normal problems all institutions meet
as they expand. The apostles find themselves harried by the task of delivering food to
the needy. 2And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and
said, 3Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full
of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, 4while we, for our part,
will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word." 5What they said pleased the
whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with six others. Do you know what happened? These seven did the task better than
the apostles. People stopped arguing, and Acts 6:7 reports that after the people with different gifts did the work God had equipped them for, the church grew; in fact, it multiplied.
I chose this passage and the man Stephen, because he is the namesake of Stephen
Ministry. As a Stephen Ministry Leader, I have been asked to introduce and inform the
congregation about what Stephen Ministry is and why it’s called Stephen Ministry. Simply
stated, Stephen had the gift of caring for others and that is exactly what our Stephen
Ministers do. They have those special gifts, gifts from God that send them into ministry.
Many of the insights they apply have been developed in the psychological and counseling disciplines, and trained to care on a one-to-one basis. Just as Stephen was full of
faith and the Holy Spirit, our Stephen Ministers are a perfect example of God’s grace
among us. The seven appointed by the apostles helped the church grow and multiply,
just as our Stephen Ministers multiply our ministry. Christ reaches through them to others, and through those others their care continues and multiplies. Their service is a great
joy to their care receivers and joy to the pastors also.
Let us pray…
Give us thankful hearts for people who have the special gifts of caring and healing. Keep
them strong in the faith you have given them for the sake of Jesus, who cares for all of
us in every way forever. Amen.
Brenda Palmgren
35
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Annunciation of Our Lord
The Christian Community in Corinth (1 Corinthians 2:12-16)
If we look at the news lately, it seems everyone is at odds with everyone else: the
many political lawsuits, the Republicans versus the Democrats, the Super Bowl deflation
scandal and the citizens versus the police. What has happened to us as a society?
Growing up my family had a mirror on the wall, at the end of our bedroom hall. The
bottom part of the mirror had a poem written on it. This mirror was given to my athletic
father by his godfather before my father went away to college. The poem said:
We can’t all play a winning game
Someone’s sure to lose.
Yet we can play so that our name
No one may dare accuse.
That when the Master Referee
Scores again our name
It won’t be whether we won or lost
But how we played the game.
Author Unknown
Maybe if we could take the ancient path of good sportsmanship in all of our dealings, we would be in a better place.
Let us pray…
Dear Lord, please help me to take the better path in all that I do today. Amen.
Joann McCormick
36
Thursday, March 26, 2015
The Valley of Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37:1-14)
There is nothing lower than the valley, in the shadows of the glorious hills above. And
there is nothing more lifeless than dry bones reminding us of the life that was and the potential that was lost. A lifeless stone does not give us the same sense of loss and despair since it never had the promise of life. These are the images that the LORD shows
Ezekiel.
The LORD then asks Ezekiel if the bones can become living people again. Ezekiel wisely and correctly answered “O sovereign LORD, you alone know the answer to that.” Only
the LORD knows the answer to the question because only the LORD decides the outcome. The sovereign, almighty LORD can create life out of nothing if He chooses. The
LORD did the same in Genesis making people from inanimate clay. It was the LORD’s
own breath that gave life to Adam.
The images in this story are explained in verses 11-14: “these bones represent the people of Israel… I will cause you to rise again… you will know that I am the LORD.” What
was dismal despair for the people of Israel became a new hope. Again the loving LORD
showed the hope and promise of the future after Israel had seen the darkest of times. I
am reminded of a similar image in Psalm 23: “Even when I walk through the dark valley
of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.”
The story of the dry bones conjures an amazing and comical image of bones coming to
life. We find it comical because to us it is so unlikely. But to the LORD, in whom all
things are possible, bringing dry bones to life is no less likely than his transformation of
our lives. What appears to be hopeless can be transformed by the LORD. The LORD
told Ezekiel to tell the dead, dry bones to form bodies with flesh and to come to life with
breath. Ezekiel was an active participant in bringing change and new life. We also need
to speak (pray) to the LORD to ask that our bones be transformed to something living in
the LORD.
Let us pray…
Dear LORD, you know my every thought, concern, and desire. Show me your will and
transform me so that I can better serve you today. Amen.
Laura Pauley
37
Friday, March 27, 2015
The Roman Centurian (Matthew 27: 50-54)
In 1965, at age six, I went with a youth group to see “The Greatest Story Ever Told,” a
movie about the life and death of Jesus. Near the end, a crowd of spectators, loved
ones, friends, admirers, enemies, and the curious are gathered under the cross watching
Jesus die. At the moment of His death, the scene cut to the silhouette of a Roman centurion standing alone on a dark hill with sword in hand. When I heard the words, “Truly this
was the Son of God,” the voice sounded familiar but also out of place. Even though I was
only six at the time, I immediately knew the voice from all the Saturday morning cowboy
movies. But, it was still strange to hear John Wayne’s voice coming from the Roman
Centurion.
Now, fast forward 50 years to today and, when I read this passage, I still hear the conviction in the Duke’s voice but I now consider the fear in the heart of the centurion as he realizes he has just helped to kill the Son of God. For us, the feeling should be the same
and different. When we say, “Truly this was the Son of God” who died on the cross, we
should state it with the conviction John Wayne expressed. But, we should also shout it
with joy for if Jesus was not the Son of God, our faith, worship and service in Jesus’
name is without value. However, knowing it was the Son of God who died on that cross
and fulfilled more than 350 Old Testament prophesies, we should be filled with joy knowing that all the promises God made, not just those about Jesus’ resurrection, will come
true. That means we do not even need to fear death!
It’s wonderful that God can use such things as movies and cowboy stars to impress
young believers! He works in the same way for believers of any age. He still spreads His
message of love for us and His promises of redemption, salvation and eternal life in hundreds of ways. If you have time, go to YouTube and type in John Wayne Greatest Story
Ever Told and watch the clip. Then, you too will repeat these words with John Wayne,
“Surely he was the Son of God!”
Let us pray…
God, we thank you for the many, many ways you call to us and bring us closer to your
promise of eternal life. Please keep our eyes, ears and hearts open to receive your message so we can know it, understand it, and with the conviction of the Roman Centurion
share it with others. Through His sacrifice on the cross, we have been invited to join God
in eternal life. Amen.
Pat Knobloch
38
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Consider All Possibilities (John 21:1-6)
Have you ever felt frustrated with a project you were working on that just didn’t seem to
come together? You keep trying to solve the problem and you can’t find the answer. I experienced that feeling while recently working on a quilt. I thought that I knew what I wanted the quilt to look like. I had sketched the design and drawn things to scale. I planned
six rows down and six rows across. Well first of all that was going to be too big for a baby
quilt. So I decided to make six rows down and five rows across. The squares were starting to fit together and the colors worked well together. I needed to have something to pull
the design and theme together. I asked one of my friends who also teaches machine embroidery and she suggested putting the alphabet onto the squares. Voila! The quilt finally
was beginning to look like a baby quilt that fit in with the nursery theme.
At this point you might be wondering how making a quilt fits in with the scripture. Look at
the scripture. Fishing with the nets on the left side of the boat (port) just was not working.
So Jesus told them to put the nets on the right side of the boat (starboard). But remember at that point they did not recognize Jesus. This was the third time Jesus revealed
himself to the disciples.
Think about the many times Jesus works through other people in our lives to help us find
the answer. Perhaps we need to be more receptive of the possibility that Jesus works
through others. We probably wouldn’t recognize Him! Are we always receptive of others
suggestions to resolve a problem?
Let us pray…
Heavenly Father, open our minds to the possibility of the presence of you in our lives.
The Holy Spirit may be present in others too. When we are looking for answers help us
consider all possibilities. We need to be willing to turn our problems over to you and then
be open to receiving your answers through others. Amen.
Cay Griel
39
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Sunday of the Passion/Palm Sunday
The First Lesson - Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 31:9-16
The Second Lesson - Philippians 2:5-11
The Gospel - Mark 14:1—15:47
We invite you to read Mark’s account of the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus in your Bible,
and we are pleased to additionally offer you this reflection from Lynn Rogers.
The Feeding of the 5,000 (John 6:10-11)
During the Great Depression, many unemployed men “rode the rails.” One evening six such
men were gathered by the tracks around the fire bemoaning the fact that they were hungry
and had nothing to eat. After awhile, one of the men produced a pot and stone from his
pack, filled the pot with water, put it over the fire and added the stone. When questioned he
answered, “I’m making stone soup for us to share.” Skeptical, the other men watched.
Soon one of the other men said, “I have one small potato in my pocket – that would make
the soup better.” Soon another found a carrot in his pocket and so on, until they had a
hearty soup to share … enough for all.
I’ve always been intrigued by the story of the loaves and fishes. We all know God can perform such a miracle, but the analytical part of me wants to know how he chose to do it: every time he broke off a piece of fish, did it magically become whole again? Did a whole pile of
fish appear? What if he did something even more amazing? What if Jesus so inspired the
thousands that as the loaves and fishes were being distributed, those in the crowd opened
their baskets and shared? What if the lesson isn’t just that God can feed us, but that he has
given all of us enough – enough that when we use/share what he has given us there will be
enough for all?
Sometimes when I think about what skill/ talents I’ve been given and how to use them, I’m
overwhelmed with the enormity of need – hunger, support for those with special needs, care
for family members, on and on. I become worried and stressed that I can’t fix any of those
things and that I’m not doing enough.
But if I remember that I only have to have the courage to put forth my “stone” and that others
have “carrots and potatoes”-or if someone else has offered their “stone” and I need only offer my “carrot”-that will be enough. Then I can remember that God wants us to be at peace,
not stressed or worried, because there will be enough.
Let us pray…
God, we ask you to give us the courage to put forth the gifts you have given us confident in
the knowledge that others are there to create our “stew.” Help us also to find the peace of
mind to know at the end of the day when we have done our best, we have done enough.
Lynn Rogers
40
Monday, March 30, 2015
Monday in Holy Week
Thomas (John 20: 24 – 29)
I find it easy to identify with Thomas, the disciple. His faith seems to waver at times and
so does mine.
Thomas readily follows Jesus when called by the master in Matthew 10:3 and he exhibits
an enthusiastic willingness to go with Jesus when Lazarus died (John 11:16). He appears to be the model disciple. But then, Jesus is crucified and dies and we see another
side of Thomas. Thomas isn’t in the upper room after Jesus’ resurrection. He does not
get to see Jesus miraculously appear to his fellow disciples. He does not get to hear Jesus say, “Peace be with you.” When the other disciples tell Thomas that a resurrected
Jesus passed through locked doors, he does not believe them. He essentially says, “I
will never believe until I see the scars and I can thrust my finger into his wounds.”
At times I am like Thomas. I want to see more evidence of Jesus. I want prayers about
ill family members and friends to be answered my way. I want a sign from heaven that a
plan I have is a good one. I not only want my sins to be forgiven, I want to completely
get rid of those sins in the future. And finally, I want to be able to say with sure confidence on Sunday, “Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.”
During the Blue Christmas service this past December, Pastor Schul spoke about Thomas. He said for awhile Thomas lost his faith. What Thomas’ friends told him about Jesus
was totally unbelievable to him. And then we hear the rest of the story. Just a week after
his first appearance, Jesus passes through those locked doors again and this time
Thomas is there. Pastor Schul reminded me in his sermon that Jesus didn’t yell at
Thomas or chastise him for his unbelief. He comes to Thomas where he is. He asks
Thomas to feel his wounds. He gives Thomas permission to conduct his test. As a result, Thomas responds, “My Lord and my God.” He believes.
The lesson from the story of Thomas for me is that is all right to have doubts. That, in
the end, Jesus will make his presence known to me. It may not be as I envision it, but it
will be there. Thank you, Jesus, and thank you, Thomas.
Let us pray…
Heavenly Father, thank you for the witness of Thomas. Thank you for your presence in
our lives. Forgive us for our doubts and strengthen our faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lois Lynn
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Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Tuesday in Holy Week
Tobias’ Dog (Tobit 5:17)
It was very early in the month of January 2014 when our Labradoodle puppy Nikki
dashed into traffic in front of our house. The resulting car collision left her gravely injured,
and she died in our arms as our family sobbed at our sudden and tragic loss. Though
Nikki had only been with us a few months, she had become a beloved companion who
spent many hours resting at my feet in my church office. My grieving and tears continued
for weeks until a friend directed me to the Book of Tobit.
Wait…Book of Tobit? Where’s that in my Bible? Well, Tobit is part of what we call the
“Apocrypha” or “Deuterocanonical” books of the Bible. Luther said that these books were
“not held equal to the Scriptures” but he nevertheless considered them “useful and good
to read.” Accordingly, he included them in his translation of the Bible and they remained
in most Protestant Bibles until the 19th century.
The Book of Tobit tells the story of a young man, Tobias, who is sent on a journey to redeem his family’s fortune and good name and to find a cure for his father’s blindness.
The above-cited verse from this book reveals that Tobias departed on his journey with
the Angel Raphael at one side and Tobias’ dog at the other. It brought such comfort to my
heart as I considered how my dog, like Tobias’ dog, had been a faithful companion in
ministry. More broadly speaking, this passage reminds us that God equips us both with
the aid of the angels and the aid of His glorious creation here on earth as He sends us
into the world to fulfill our callings in this life.
I still miss Nikki, but another dog (Karli) as well as our three cats continue to accompany,
bless, and care for me on my earthly journey. Has a treasured pet blessed you? Let us
all give thanks for the creatures of our planet, whether they roam the ground, the air, or
the sea. But let us especially thank God for the companionship of pets.
Let us pray…
Dear God, we thank you for all of creation, for it reveals your wisdom, love, and goodness. But especially we thank you for our pets. Help us to care for and appreciate them,
and bless us with their warm and loving presence in our lives.
Pastor Scott Schul
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Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Wednesday in Holy Week
The Strength and Courage of Joshua (Joshua 1:9)
I have always imagined what courage should and could look like. I’ve seen plenty of
people on TV or in movies who have faced insurmountable odds and achieve greatness
or won a battle they looked doomed to lose. As a lifelong sports fan, I’ve enjoyed watching the gladiators of the gridiron or the speedsters of the track reach deep within themselves to achieve a hard fought victory. I could imagine them finding a deep sense of will
and strength to achieve the extraordinary. But this year my view of courage was turned
on it’s head.
I’ve been lucky to never have really been sick or ill for long periods of time. I have always taken my health for granted and I will admit some of it is in my control. I make sure
to work out daily, eat fairly balanced meals and squeeze in enough sleep to make it
through the next day. I always thought taking care of yourself made you immune to the
terrible diseases we all worry about on an occasion. But this past year it all hit home
when a loved one was diagnosed with breast cancer. I’m not one to question God why
this happened to her, a woman in her prime, living a clean, healthy life. I remember the
day after her diagnosis not believing it was actually true. She is athletic, confident, caring, joyous, and loving. Yet, as I have now discovered, cancer doesn’t care a lick about
any of that.
A disease such as cancer can define you as a person. It can easily break you, it can
humble you, and it can cut you down. But much like God spoke to Joshua those many
years ago, I believe in his own quiet way God took my fiancée aside and quieted her
fears, lifted her spirit, and most importantly clarified her direction. Through Christ she
had the strength not only to face the daily challenges of chemotherapy, radiation and the
changes to her body but had enough strength to lift those all around her. It’s amazing to
look and see courage radiate from someone the way it did in her. She was undaunted,
made lists and prepared for the future with unblinking courage summoned through God.
Fear crept in at times, but like Joshua she knew God was with her every step of the way.
The next time I sit down in front of a game or a movie and see how courage is portrayed,
I know I’ve had a front row seat for courage with grace through the power and love of
Christ.
Let us pray…
Lord, grant me the courage and strength to tackle each day knowing you are with me.
Empower those who are discouraged or downtrodden to know that you are there by their
side each moment of their path. Thank you for the path through Christ that leads us to
you in Heaven. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Nick Downs
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Thursday, April 2, 2015
Maundy Thursday
The Last Supper (John 13 and 14)
Some of my fondest childhood memories are of kindergarten with Sister Marie. My
sister and I attended the Lutheran kindergarten at our church where we played (I still remember the simple cardboard building blocks and the tiny play kitchen), did crafts (finger
painting was my favorite), took naps (we each had a cozy little rug), and heard captivating Bible stories. It was there that we both took our first steps--on wobbly five-year-old
legs--toward independence. And it was there that we were first promised, unspoken perhaps, a safe, secure, loving childhood educational experience.
In remembering those long-ago days, I suddenly realized that that unspoken promise
reminded me of the spoken promise of Lent and one of my favorite Bible stories. During
the evening of the Last Supper, Jesus talks with His disciples. They are worried about
Jesus leaving, devastated that they will be alone. But Jesus counsels them, washes
their feet, and explains: “Little children, yet a little while I am with you...Where I am going
you cannot come.” Peter even proclaims, “I will lay down my life for you,” but Jesus responds, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now; but you shall follow afterward.” It
is here that Jesus makes His promise: “Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God,
believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have
told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” And with these words, Jesus promises us
eternal life. In this simple yet magnanimous gesture, God made that promise to us
through Jesus. He acknowledged that we are forgiven and that we will have eternal life.
That is difficult to accept sometimes, however. Am I worthy? How can God forgive me
so easily? How can He love me so much?
As I was growing up, I vividly recall our maternal grandmother saying, "Don't borrow
trouble." She would evoke that old expression to remind us not to worry needlessly, to
wait and see how things played out. She wanted to reassure us. Perhaps she was unknowingly echoing a teaching in the Bible, which instructs us to "wait upon the Lord."
Lutherans believe those teachings--that we must trust the Lord, that we are given
grace aside from works, and that God has an eternal home for us. Surely we will find
comfort in that knowledge if we only accept, believe, and follow.
Let us pray…
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of your son, Jesus Christ, and for the promise
that, through Him, we will have eternal life. Amen.
Polly Dee Keiser McWilliams
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Friday, April 3, 2015
Good Friday
The Sting of Death (Romans 8:37-39)
While watching a video about the passion of Christ some years ago, I heard the haunting
and mournful sound of the shofar (ram’s horn) being blown as Jesus died on the cross.
Jesus was crucified on the day that the traditional Jewish Passover lamb was to be sacrificed. At the Passover Celebration at 3 pm the priest would go to the "Pinnacle of the
Temple," sacrifice the lamb, and blow the shofar. The sound would cause all of the people to pause and contemplate the sacrifice for sins on behalf of the people of Israel. It
was no coincidence that at 3:00 pm as Jesus was being crucified, He said, "It is finished"- and the priest blew the shofar from the Temple to signal the death of the sacrificial lamb. This very haunting, mournful sound of the shofar resonated across Jerusalem
that day, signaling Christ’s ultimate sacrifice.
I am reminded of another mournful sound in my life. Some years ago, I was 3,000 miles
away from home when I heard the piercing sound of a ringing phone. My husband called
to inform me that my mother had been killed suddenly in an auto accident that afternoon.
I will always remember the unbelievable shock I felt, as if struck by lightning, before I
slumped to the floor. This dreadful news was received while I was with a dear Pastor
friend and his wife, who lovingly shared the promises found in Romans 8:37-39. “For I
am convinced that neither death nor life, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us
from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.” The finality of this newly severed relationship with my mom pierced my heart indelibly, but these words from Romans surrounded
that shock with comfort.
I am reminded every Good Friday of the finality and sting of death. Different on that day
in history, however, was the fact that the sacrifice was the ultimate One. It was God’s
Son. The sounding of the shofar at Jesus’ death signaled to all the world that in Jesus’
death the victory over death was won. We remember the sorrow of that day, but that sorrow is surrounded with the joy of His resurrection.
We all will probably experience the sting and finality of the death of a loved one sometime in our lifetime. But Jesus provides us with a new resounding ending to the story – or
should I say a new shofar sound of victory over death.
Let us pray…
Through the mourning events in our life, may the piercing sound of the shofar on Good
Friday remind us of that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. Amen
Lois Voigt
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Saturday, April 4, 2015
Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil
Mary of Magdala – She Showed up! (Mark 16:1-11 and Matthew 28:1-10)
For three years, Mary Magdalene followed him everywhere, providing for his ministry out of her
meager purse.
She grew up in Magdala, a prosperous town, but she did not prosper. How could she thrive
when she was filled with demons that controlled her mind.
But then Jesus showed up. So many Rabbis were repulsed by her, not Jesus. After her first
encounter with Jesus, Mary was set free from her demons. Everyone in Magdala marveled at
her change.
How could Mary not respond to Jesus? Since the day Jesus freed her, Mary vowed she would
be there for Him. Mary’s response to her blessing, being freed from her demons, was to “show
up” for Jesus.
When all the authorities, so threatened by Jesus, arrested, beat, tortured and nailed Jesus to
the cross, who was there for him? When he died on the cross, who was there for him? Were
the disciples there? Only 1 – John. Any others? Mary his mother. Who else? Mary Magdalene. She “showed up” for Jesus. And less than 48 hours later she was on her way to the tomb
to “show up” and pay her last respects. And you know the story. You know what she found.
Who was there at the tomb that morning? The disciples – No! It was Mary – she “showed up.”
And to whom did the risen Christ first appear? To the disciples – No! He appeared to the
woman whose love and commitment were unequaled. Mary was the first witness to the resurrection. Once again God revealed himself to the world through the humble and disenfranchised. Mary of Magdala “showed up.”
Even after Mary’s death, her life was maligned with innuendo. Some scholar of the 4th century
said Mary was the prostitute mentioned in Luke 7. Nothing Jesus ever said justified that charge.
I don’t believe it! What I believe and what I know is: Mary “showed up.”
She showed up because Jesus loved her and healed her. Mary heard the gospel and was
freed. How about you and me? Jesus loves you, promises you eternal life and strength for
each day now.
The same grace that saved Mary, saves you. Are you and I “showing up?” Are we responding
to that grace and love of Jesus?
Jesus showed up for you! Mary showed up for Jesus. You can show up too.
Let us pray…
Thank you God for Mary’s witness and for her courage to show up. Please help us to show up
for Jesus as we worship, study and care for our neighbors. In Jesus’ Name – Amen.
Pastor Lynn
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ADDITIONAL PRAYER AND DEVOTIONAL RESOURCES
APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin
Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of
saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life
everlasting.
Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be
done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive
us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us
not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the
power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
LUTHER’S MORNING PRAYER
I give thanks to you, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you
have protected me through the night from all harm and danger. I ask that you would
also protect me today from sin and all evil, so that my life and actions may please
you. Into your hands I commend myself: my body, my soul, and all that is mine.
Let your holy angel be with me, so that the wicked foe may have no power over me.
Amen.
LUTHER’S EVENING PRAYER
I give thanks to you, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you
have graciously protected me today. I ask you to forgive me all my sins, where I
have done wrong, and graciously to protect me tonight. Into your hands I commend
myself: my body, my soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel be with me, so
that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen.
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