1. family and parenting
2. children

A ST. PHILIP’S
LUTHERAN CHURCH
LENTEN DEVOTIONAL BOOK
LENT 2015
FOREWORD
Every year that we publish this Lenten devotional booklet, I must confess that I am
always rather excited to see what the people of St. Philip’s will write about. And truthfully,
it is not the writing or the style or the poetry that matters to me, nor do I think any of us are
all that interested in that part of each of the pieces of this devotional . . . Rather, it is the
honest way in which each contributor engages God’s word. It is how each one of our
brothers and sisters is able to think about their life within the Word of God that they encounter on each day’s devotion.
For what we find when we give ourselves to this kind of endeavor is that God’s
Word does not stand out there as some kind of objective lesson in morality or good living.
If that was the case God’s Word would be nothing but a stale crust of bread offered to a
starving world. But, instead, it is a living and active Word that touches and transforms
lives. We read in these pages the ways in which God’s Word has transformed our lives.
And we are given a chance through the witness of people we know to have that same Word
transform our lives too.
Please share your thoughts with those who have taken the time to offer their witness
to you: share with them what you liked; share with them what challenged you; share with
them the way in which their words transformed you.
Many thanks to those who contributed to this devotional. And many prayers for two
years from now when we do this project again: that others would be moved to share their
faith as well.
In Christ,
Pastor Downes
Lent 2015
DAY 1 - February 18th
Psalms 25:1-2 “To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God in you I trust.”
Overall in Psalm 25, the psalmist prays for guidance and confesses his sins. His trust in God
develops as he begins to understand God is compassionate, faithful, and provides hope. In
verse 1, the psalmist commits himself and his life to God. While in verse 2, the psalmist
explains that enemies are those who oppose God’s way of living and are temptations in our
lives. Satan is our greatest temptation or enemy in our lives. God triumphs over Satan but we
still don’t want the enemy to have success in our lives by allowing ourselves to fall to sins or
obstacles placed in our paths. However, God knows no matter how hard we try, we are not
perfect and offers us the opportunity for hope, trust, and belief in Him that good will come in
verse 2 as long as we ask for forgiveness.
Currently in my life, there are many temptations, as we all experience in different forms. For
me, some of the enemies are finding a balance between work, family time, visiting with friends
and relatives whether in-person or on the phone, electronics including television, video games,
and the internet/email, commitments to organizations, self-imposed expectations, and just
keeping busy. In general a temptation or enemy for me can be anything that tugs at my heart in
an opposite direction and keeps me from having complete and total satisfaction or happiness in
life. We are placed with decisions to make daily and each one has a result. Some make us
happy, those that follow God’s plan, and some we realize were not the best decisions, when we
fall to temptations. In Psalm 25, God is reminding us to trust in Him and fully relinquish
control. When we make decisions while truly trusting in God, we follow His will and find
contentment. Since God knows we will fall, He offers us the opportunity to ask for forgiveness and recommit our lives each year to him when we celebrate Jesus’ baptism like we did
at church in January.
We each have our own struggles in our lives. Some may be with facing death of a loved one,
someone close being diagnosed with cancer, divorce, or troubles at work or in a relationship.
No matter what it is, God tells us in Psalm 25 to trust Him and when we finally turn over the
reins of our lives or the situation, we will see the blessings that come from how God deals with
the situation.
Sarah Swift
Prayer: Help us each day, Lord to life up our souls to you, that we might be moved to find our
comfort and hope in the grace you give to all who trust in you. Amen.
DAY 2 - February 19th
1 Corinthians 1:25 - “For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the
weakness of God is stronger than human strength.”
Recently six of us from St. Philips met with two men that lead small group ministry in a
congregation of 2500 members. It was a dynamic evening. Keith is an active, enthusiastic
middle-aged man in charge of men’s ministry. He has passion for men’s souls. He related how
he prayerfully sought God’s hand in bringing men into their number, whom Keith could
develop as leaders and mentors of other men. Frustratingly, one after another of the men that
came, just didn’t fit Keith’s impression of men that could lead.
It was at that point, Keith confessed that he deferred his own assessment of leadership to God’s
wisdom. Keith choose to trust in God’s selection of the men that He had led into their community. They were the ones, whom God knew would become mentors and leaders for other men.
And that is exactly what happened! Those men whom Keith would have rejected, God made
leaders!
That same message was part of today’s daily devotion….
Our beliefs and possibilities have to be in line with the will of God. That’s how Jesus lived His
life and how He taught His disciples to live (John 5:30). When our lives are lived in obedience
to God’s will, nothing is impossible.
Dream big—but dream biblically!
Joel Hansen
Prayer: Lord God, in your wisdom, you have entrusted the Kingdom of Heaven into our hands.
Help us to live with confident faith that if we live in obedience to your will that we will experience the joy of the new life you call us to. We pray this in Christ’s name. Amen.
DAY 3 - February 20th
Joshua 1:9 -“Be strong and courageous, do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord
your God is with you wherever you go.”
Also read Psalm 63
Small children are generally fearless and will try anything without thinking much about
the consequences. Instinctively, they know that if they get into trouble their parents will
be there to rescue them and make everything alright.
When my daughter was 4 years old I was teaching her to swim at a local swimming
pool. Being afraid at first, she eventually was able to jump into the deep water knowing I
would be there to keep her from drowning. After jumping in, she would scramble to find
me nearby and wrap her arms and legs around me so tightly, literally clinging to me to
save her life. I can still feel it today.
That has been over thirty years ago and I still think about that leap of faith she took. It reminds me that God is always there waiting for us. When we are faced with an important
decision or a difficult task, or become fearful about a certain situation in our lives; we need
to have the blind faith of a child, jump in and hold on tightly, knowing that God will be
there to see us through.
Nancy Warner
Prayer: “Dear God, help us to have the assurance that You are there for us in times of
trouble, waiting with outstretched arms. Teach us to be more like children who need You
for every element of our existence. In Your holy name we pray. Amen.”
DAY 4 - February 21st
1 Corinthians 15:25-26 - “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”
This afternoon, while wondering how to make devotional sense of these verses from 1 Corinthians, I finished reading All the Light We Cannot See by Andrew Doerr. This was the latest in
a series of novels and memoirs I’ve read over the last year set during World War II. Taken as
a whole, what strikes me about this era in human history—as revealed through these books,
both fiction and non-fiction—is the depth of evil, depravity, and wretchedness to which
humanity can sink. The enemy is not death. The enemy is human pride, ego, greed, lust for
power, desire for vengeance, and all the rest that go with these. Death is often a consequence
of these. But, what also strikes me about this era in human history is the stunning power of
love, demonstrated through acts of kindness and compassion, to overshadow and conquer,
even in small ways, the forces of death. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has
not overcome it. This is the message of cross and resurrection. Death does not get the last
word.
Paul did not see death as a natural part of life, but as an aberration from God’s plan. This is
hard for me to identify with. Cycles of life and death are part of the natural world, part of
God’s creation. I’ve always like Natalie Sleeth’s Hymn of Promise. She beautifully captures
the essence of resurrection: the promise of new birth, new life, a new beginning just ahead of
us, in God’s time. God’s last word is always life!
In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity;
In our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity,
In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.
(Hymn of Promise, stanza 3)
Vicar Sue Loney
Prayer: “Gracious God, Help us not to fear what we cannot fully see or understand. Help us
to trust that you love us and will always love us, no matter what the future holds. Amen.”
DAY 5 - February 22nd
I Corinthians 13:12-13 - “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face.
Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith,
hope and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.”
Have you ever wanted to know everything about a situation so deeply that it hurts?
With this passage, I think of all of those moments where I want to know everything – about life,
about the future. What will the future bring for me? For us as a congregation? These thoughts often
make us look inward to ourselves, but, at least in my experience, we get answers that are so inconclusive that it’s like we’re looking at ourselves through a tarnished mirror. We don’t get the whole
picture, and we walk away feeling like we only know part of the story.
For me, this has been an on-going struggle. In 2008, when I was about to graduate from Temple, I
was uncertain what life would hold for me. How would I secure that perfect job? What if I didn’t
find a job right away? Would I be able to pay my student loans and still have a comfortable life?
These were all questions that I had when I was graduating. They were valid questions – or at least
fears. They all had one thing in common: How was I going to do it? What was I going to do? They
focused on how I was going to control the situation, and in doing so, I became so inwardly focused
that I started to resent those around me. What I didn’t account for, in my own humanness, was that
in my fear, I had removed God from the equation.
I’m being honest when I say that these were the moments that spawned my adult faith journey.
Prior to 2008, I had removed myself from the church community, resentful for an injury that had
stopped my ability to play the piano. But I found solace and sanctuary in the Lutheran Church. A
few years ago, I shared with you my journey that led me to the ELCA. That it was upon graduating, jobless, I snidely said to one of my friends, “I’d even take another church job,” as if I’d be
lowering myself to do so. That is God’s sense of humor – and my last point. Through faith, hope
and love, I am made whole, and I’m sure it has nothing to do with what I’ve done. God’s love is
what saved me; it’s what saves us all. The Christ crucifixion is the act that is, above all things, the
greatest act of hope for us all in humanity. It inspires us to love one another, it brings us hope, and
gives us a firm rock on which our faith is placed.
Friends, this is an ongoing struggle for me in my life, through my own arrogance, I feel like I need
to control my destiny. This is not to say that I remove all responsibility for my own actions in the
present,
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but I do make an effort to remind myself that what I can do to control my life in the present or
manipulate the future is tantamount to trying to empty the ocean with a thimble. But above all things
is love: God’s love. Without it, we are nothing.
Stephen Benscoter
Prayer: “Good and gracious God, as we continue through this Lenten journey, be ever present in
our lives so that we may know your love. Help us to listen to your guidance in our everyday lives,
and give us the faith and hope we need to let you to guide our future. Help us to lay our burden at
the feet of the cross, and help us to praise you with unending song. Amen.”
DAY 6 - February 23rd
Psalm 23: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.
This is one of the first Bible verses I ever learned. Perhaps the same is true for you too.
It meant less to me when I was younger. It sounded nice but the part about “the valley of the
shadow of death” – which is not included this for this meditation - was a bit intimidating. As the
years have passed and I or my close family has had to face various difficulties, the support I get
from it has become more meaningful.
If I can remember this verse when difficulties arise and allow God to help me relax and “lie
down” in the green pastures of His love, I am comforted. If I can be still and listen, I am
restored.
Remembering another thought that I read recently – “The will of God will never take you to
where the grace of God will not protect you” – also helps me remember that fear and worry are
not needed when we put God in charge of our lives.
Dave Thompson
Prayer: “Lord God, help me to remember your promises made real to us in the gift of Jesus.
Keep me from unnecessary worry and fear by reminding me of all your promises, including that
of being my good shepherd. Amen.”
DAY 7 - February 24th
Matthew 7:1-3 “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make
you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the
speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?”
This verse immediately made me think of comments I’ve heard for both the food
programs and Family Promise here at St. Philip’s.
When I first started volunteering at Produce Distribution, I felt like there was a line between the
volunteers and the people who were there for food. What I mean by this is that we, the
volunteers, were on one side of the room and the people who were there for food were on the
other side. It was an uncomfortable feeling to me. After I had been there a few times, I started
sitting with the people and talking about whatever came to mind. Eventually, some started to
open up and tell their story - why they ended up in need - how they never thought they would be
in such a situation. Getting back to the verse: I heard comments from volunteers at the programs
such as when some of the produce was not very good and I would tell them to throw it away;
“They should be grateful for what they get” to which I replied, “Would you eat it?” Or if there
was clothing that was stained or torn and I would put it aside to throw away, “Would you wear
it?”
Although a positive aspect of Family Promise is that we do get to interact with the families
through meals and fellowship, there were still comments. An example from Family Promise was
hearing someone say that “The families didn’t seem grateful – they ate and then went straight to
their room” to which I replied “Try to put yourself in their place. Think about being without a
home and having to stay with other families who you don’t know and going from church to
church with different volunteers each night.”
Judging. Haven’t we all done this at one time or another? We really need to think about a
situation before judging others. If you get to know someone – not only through these programs,
but new members of our church or even old members of our church - and find out their story, it
may make you think before you judge.
Nancy Zinnato
Prayer: “Lord God, help us today see your face in each person we encounter today. Help us to
show your grace to each person we encounter today. Amen.”
DAY 8 - February 25th
Psalm 25: 4-5 - “Make me to know your ways, O Lord! Teach me your paths. Lead me in your
truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.”
In Psalm 25, King David expresses to God a strong desire for guidance to deal with his
problems of leadership and the many enemies who wanted to overcome him.
Daily, I find myself in a similar situation as David, seeking guidance and direction from our
Lord. My needs, however, are different than David’s, but very important to me. I pray to God
daily to give me the wisdom and direction for my wife and me at this stage of our life.
Decisions about serious health related issues and physical problems and how to deal with them;
decisions about maintaining my home or moving to a retirement community locally, or
relocating closer to my family in another state. Big decisions!
Problems seem to be occurring more frequently lately. I should know that God is the only one
who can provide the answers and turn them into glorious solutions. Why have my wife and I
felt that we could make earthly decisions on the problems that we know God will provide the
answers to?
Can you believe that as we recently sat and reminisced about happenings in our lives during the
past 5 years, it is quite apparent that God has been giving us one answer after another? He has
been telling us repeatedly that change is necessary. We just haven’t responded. Forgive us,
Lord, and put us on the right path. To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. In You I trust, O my
God.
John Reichley
Prayer: “Dear Heavenly Father, we pray that we will unconditionally put our faith and trust in
you, no matter what problem or adversity we may face. We know that you will always be with
us and that your salvation is sure. Amen.”
DAY 9 - February 26th
Micah 6:8 - “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act
justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
This Micah verse was written at a time when the Israelites were rebelling against God (again!) and Micah
the prophet was sent to help them see how God wanted them to be. Micah said that there were not
enough sacrifices that they could do to ever appease God. So, then, what would they need to do? You
see the answer above.
Now, to me, I see this as a wonderful promise, not an insurmountable obstacle. It sends my mind racing
back to the Garden of Eden, which was definitely good. Each evening, God would come to the garden
and walk with Adam and Eve. I have always thought how great that must have been.
I find comfort in knowing that the Lord still walks with us, not in a beautiful garden but in a broken and
sinful world. He still walks with us, not just in the evening, but every moment of our lives. I am
humbled that He loves me so much that He not only walks with me through this life but, through the
sacrificial death and glorious resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, He has made it possible for me to
walk with Him for eternity. As a familiar song says, “And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and
He tells me I am His own.”
But, just as the song ends with “I’d stay in the garden with Him . . . but He bids me go,” God requires
that we not only walk humbly with Him, but that we lovingly and peacefully interact with His other
children in this world. He wants us to “act justly and to love mercy.” These are two things that you
cannot do alone; you cannot show mercy and act justly to yourself. We are sent into the world to show
God’s love and spread His message of mercy and salvation with others, all the while knowing that He is
walking right beside us.
When Jesus was asked, as it is recorded in Matthew, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the
Law?”, Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all
your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as
yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” This is the same message
that God gave the Israelites through Micah. It is the same message that He gives us today. What a
comfort, to know that God’s message remains the same through thousands of years and into eternity.
No matter how much I mess up and sin (which is a constant also), I know that God forgives me and
invites me to walk with Him. I am mortal and will someday leave this mortal life, but I also know that
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my walk with God will never end, and neither will yours because God loves you, walks with you and
saves you through grace!
Louise James
Prayer: “Dear heavenly Father, we thank You for walking with us through our lives. Sometimes, this
world can be frightening and lonely, but help us to remember that You are right with us, protecting us
and holding us. With that knowledge and comfort, give us the courage and willingness to share your
love and message with others who need to know You are here. Help us to act justly and love mercy in
all of our daily interactions with those around us, and thank You for forgiving us when we mess up and
don’t act that way. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.”
DAY 10 - February 27th
2 Corinthians 5:7 - “We walk by faith, not by sight.”
We live in a society that is virtually devoid of faith. Since a lot of people don't read the Bible they
don't know much about God or believe He even exists. What about you--do you lack the faith to
believe in God?
Having true faith will help you make sense out of the troubling world we live in. It will give you the
confidence you need to move forward with your life despite trials and set backs.
How do you get faith?
Growing in faith requires believing in God and maintaining a close relationship with God through
daily prayer, Bible study and applying what God says in the Scriptures in your personal life.
The Bible tells us salvation is by God's grace and is not earned by good works “lest any man should
boast” (Ephesians:2:8-9) “But we are saved by grace through faith. The danger we face is that our
faith will die if neglect our salvation by not living a life of obedience to GOD” (Hebrews:2:1-3).
I've found as my faith grows so does my obedience to God grows.
Joe Cilento
Prayer: “Father I pray for you to continue to strengthen my faith so I'll be obedient to you! Amen.”
DAY 11 - February 28th
Psalm 103:17 - “The steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting”
When selecting a verse to write on last week I selected this verse as I felt I could truly
speak on how God's steadfast love has been ever present in my life. As Verse #1 states - I will
not forget the glorious things he has done for me.
He has forgiven my sins when I have strayed and was doubting my worth. He has
healed me when surgeries where needed; when filled with doubt; when scared of the next
phase. He has filled my life with good things from growing up in a family where “family” was
the core – Grandparents, Aunts/Uncles/Cousins together on a Sunday to harvest the apples in
the orchard. We are celebrating our 75th Family reunion – everlasting steadfast love!
He has answered my prayers in the past which some may know that story I tell when he
gave us time to be a family before he called my husband home. So many times in these 22
years alone I have doubted why am I alone, how can I get this task done, and there he is a
voice telling me I am ok, strength in my arms/ legs to get the task done. Everlasting steadfast
love!
Working at the Veterans Hospital I have witnessed his merciful and tenderness to those
who may have been displaced from their loved ones, lost their way; through the words,
knowledge of those that care for them, they may come to a better peace of mind, heal their
body, and come to see that they are important – Everlasting steadfast love!
The night of 1/31/1999 when the 33rd Super Bowl was on TV I was looking out the
window at the “blue” moon in the sky – not seeing the plays, not hearing the roars as the
Broncos won – I found myself writing these words that is my message/prayer for today!.
“Blue Moon's Message”
Blue moon in the sky,
God's message from above.
We are his children,
And we are all loved.
Feeling the wind upon your face,
The chill in the night air,
The birds flying by,
You can sense God's presence everywhere.
Continues ►
Go to Him for guidance,
Go to Him in prayer,
For He is there to listen,
For He is always there.
He gave His life for each of us,
He gives us hope each day,
His power ever so great,
Brings peace in so many ways.
Thanking Him for this day,
Thanking Him for his love,
Unconditional, everlasting,
Looking to Him up above.
Gives us the reassurance,
We will awake at morning light,
With love for oneself and our sisters and brothers,
And with a pure heart.
Good Night / Sweet Dreams!
“Lora C.” (Carol Oesterbo)
January 31, 1999
Prayer: Your love, O Lord, is from everlasting to everlasting—help us always find our hope in
you. Amen.
DAY 12 - March 1st
Psalm 46:10 - “Be still and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations. I am exalted
in the earth.”
Recently, I had the "opportunity" not by choice but due to a case of Bronchitis to "Be Still" for
about 10 days. Now, I am not a very good "Be Still" type person, but during that time I was
able to take the time to think about all of the many blessings that I usually take for granted. To
"Be Still" is good advice. It enables us to listen to God speaking to us. God has a lot to say if
we just "Be Still" and listen.
Be still and know that I am God, I'm always very near
Be still and know that I am God, I hear your every prayer
Be still and know that I am God, My Son has set you free
Be Still and know that I am God, Cast all your cares on Me.
Phyllis Brown
Prayer: “Heavenly Father, help us to remember that you are always close by and that you
hear all of our prayers. Thank you for your Son, Jesus, whose death and ressurection gave us
forgiveness of sins and Eternal Life. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.”
DAY 13 - March 2nd
1 Corinthians 9:22 - “I have become all things to all people, so that I might by any means save
some.”
Over 40 years ago, when I was a teenager, I asked my father to describe his job. I knew he got up
early every day and took a train to New York City, but I really didn’t know what he did in his
office. He explained that he was a “salesman”. “Oh” I replied with my teenage know-it-all attitude
“you convince customers to buy what you’re selling.” He quickly responded, “No, actually, my job
is the opposite. My job is to find out what a customer needs and then try to sell that.” My father
was a salesman for 42 years and this was his attitude both at work and home. He always focused on
what other people needed.
I think that’s what Paul is saying to the Corinthians. Being “all things to all people” involves
focusing on the needs of others. It means relating to them on their terms and bringing the gospel to
them in ways that they will understand and appreciate. It requires changing from being selfcentered to selfless. It’s not selling as much as it’s helping others find what they need.
By being “all things to all people” I think Paul encourages us to leave our comfort zone; to interact
with different people in different surroundings and to adapt to their worlds. Paul is convinced that
by reaching people on their own terms we can spread the gospel.
Frankly, this doesn’t come easy for me. I find it difficult to leave the comfort of my friends and
surroundings - homes with well-tended lawns, offices with well-dressed, professional people and
congregations filled with middle-class suburbanites. Surrounding myself with similar people is
comfortable. It reinforces my views and builds self-assurance. I struggle to fight this complacency.
Our social outreach programs help me with that. Our food distribution and Family Promise
programs let me see how other people live. Better yet, are those outreach opportunities outside the
walls of our church. The experiences that stretched me most as a person are those where I left my
comfort zone: Like mentoring an inner-city child, or taking a mission trip to Peru or even moving
to Switzerland. I may not preach the gospel like Paul, but setting a Christian example for others
outside my normal surrounding helps spread the gospel. I think Paul is encouraging us to do just
this.
Mark Gundersen
Prayer: “Lord, thank you for the current bounty in my life - the security and comfort I feel every
day. Help me reach beyond my comfort zone to spread the gospel to different people and places so
they can experience the same joy in Christian life that you have given me. Amen.”
DAY 14 - March 3rd
Genesis 3:5 – “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is
Holy Ground.”
Moses must have been shocked and confounded that day on Mt. Horeb. Here he was in a
foreign land, separated by miles and years from his kinfolk. He may have wandered to Mt.
Horeb seeking a time and place to come close to Yahweh, to be comforted and guided by his
presence. Instead God greets Moses with “Don’t look at me. Don’t come close to me. Take
off those filthy sandals.”
Ouch! It sounds like I’ve been approaching God wrong all of these years. On Sundays I
should be parking in the shopping center and standing in my bare feet in the snow, straining to
hear the worship service from the edge of the property. And I guess I would just need to forgo
Holy Communion. In the words of Moses, “Bummer.”
Thankfully, through the cross, I have come to hear God’s words to Moses differently.
Approaching God – Sunday worship, morning devotions, prayer, or any other time – I set
aside “me”. I leave at the door my “shoes”, with their figurative dirt of sinfulness and
incomplete devotion. I can then step freely onto God’s Holy Ground and into his forgiving
grace.
Mike Berkheimer
Prayer: “Heavenly Father, open to me the door of your Holy Presence. Forgive my failures
so that I may step onto your Holy Ground and be guided by your will for me. Amen.”
DAY 15 - March 4th
2 Corinthians 6:8-10 “We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well
known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always
rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.”
This was one of the last un-chosen verses of this devotional. I’m guessing that’s true either because of Paul’s creative use of punctuation or because of the way Paul juxtaposes so many different ideas that are hard to reconcile with how we live each and every day. Well, as frightening as
these verses may appear, the truth is, we live these scripture verses . . . we live them every day, in
fact. It is just not always obvious, which is Paul’s point.
“Jesus Loves You!” “God is always with you!” “God will never leave your side.” “God is good
all the time . . . all the time God is good!” “I just don’t know how I would get through this without
the Lord.” These are some of the things that we say as people of faith . . . there are others we say
too . . . we say them to one another . . . we say them to people who really don’t have any faith. We
say them in good times, and we say them in bad times. But there are also moments when even the
most stalwart of Christians have to wonder, “With all these hard things I see or experience, how
can it be true?”
Well, that is the challenge of faith: it is the ability to look out at disasters, injustices, illness, losses,
abuses, etc. and see them for what they are: products of a fallen world – but also they are precisely
the things that Jesus came to redeem through the promise of his death and resurrection. Being able
to accept all those “catch” phrases we claim about God is part of our faith – it is the ability to see
the bad in the world and still see God present and active and ready to usher in something new and
fresh and redeemed. As Paul says, those with no faith see us as imposters: how can we be blessed
when even our brothers and sisters among us suffer? But because of Jesus Christ we are true.
They see us as dying . . . but you and I experience life so differently.
Lent is a chance for us to look at our own lives and those around us and practice – practice seeing
life for what it is and then seeing how life is precisely where God can come and give us new life . .
. that is what Good Friday and Easter Sunday are all about.
Pastor Patrick
Prayer: “Let us pray . . . Lord God, give us confidence that we might have faith even in those
moments when everything seems contrary. Help us to see you in all we see and do. Amen.”
DAY 16 - March 5th
Job 1:21 - “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
There is a song by Mercy Me, a Christian Rock group, that makes me think of this:
Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray
Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain
I am Yours regardless of
The clouds that may loom above
Because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
By suffering Your destiny
So tell me what's a little rain
So I pray, Jesus, bring the rain
We all know it’s easy to bless the name of the Lord when things are going well, but to do it when
He takes away can be more difficult.
Patty DiCampli
Prayer: “Dear God, thank you for all that I have in my life; Family, Friends, opportunities, and so
much more than I could ever say.. I also thank you for the difficult times, the losses, and the
pain….they all have helped me to appreciate all that I have and all that I will have for the rest of
my life. With you beside me I know that I can get through anything, I believe in you, your love for
me, and I bless your name….forever and ever, Amen”
DAY 17 - March 6th
1 Samuel 16:7 - “But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I
have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
When Louise first asked me to pick a verse and write for the Lenten Devotional, I declined, telling her
that she should “give others an opportunity” to participate in this wonderful endeavor. Like most of us, I
can think of a million things that take up my time and need my focus. Well, if you know her, you know
she doesn’t give up. So here I am writing a devotional…
I received the 10 or 12 verses that were available last week from Louise and 1 Samuel 16:7 was one of
those. I liked the message so I chose that verse. Funny how all of a sudden this verse had special meaning to me… just in time to write my devotional.
I have a friend who I have known for well over 20 years. I met her at work. There were times we
worked together and many years where we have worked in different departments and even buildings.
Throughout all of these years, we have kept a connection. Like me, she is a Christian. We try to meet
for lunch once a week to catch up and to support each other…that is to say we have laughed, complained, whined and cried together. We can talk about anything, and I value our friendship and our
lunches because we can talk about anything. I don’t really even think about it consciously, I just know if
I need her, she will be there and vice versa. She is kind and caring. Recently, we met for lunch. My
friend is an empty-nester, and she was confiding that she feels like she can focus on herself a bit now.
She told me that she made a commitment to herself for 2015; kind of like a New Year’s resolution. Her
commitment is about first impressions and how she thinks of other people. She told me she realized she
sometimes ‘judged’ people in her own mind – what they look like or what they said. She is always sweet
and kind to people so this wasn’t about her being mean to anyone, this was totally about changing the
way she thinks. In 2015, she decided to try to look beyond her initial first impressions and to try to understand the people she encounters, to see beyond the obvious and look to their heart. She shared that
although the year is still new; this approach has changed her life. She is able to make stronger connections with people and to try to understand what drives them and motivates them. She asks herself why
God has put this person in her life and what she might learn from them. She challenged me to do the
same.
That is my connection to this verse, a true realization that God sees beyond our appearances and actions
straight to our hearts. When I looked back over the last 20 years, I realized all the times that my friend
had been there for me with encouragement or with the lesson I needed to know at that moment. I have
Continues ►
always considered her friendship a gift from God. I recognized that through all those years, I took the
time to hear her messages because I knew her heart. I could accept them even when she was imparting
words of wisdom I didn’t really want to hear because I knew without a doubt that she always had my
best interests at heart. So because of my wonderful friend, I am on a journey now to live her challenge,
and I am challenging you to do the same. I hope you accept.
Jodi Newcomer
Prayer: We give you thanks, O Lord, for those people that you place in our lives as your servants, that
we might be encouraged and strengthened in our daily walk with you. Amen.
DAY 18 - March 7th
2 Corinthians 4:7-12 “But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that
this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every
way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck
down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus
may also be made visible in our bodies. For while we live, we are always being given up to death
for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. So death is at
work in us, but life in you.”
This means when times are tough we need to turn to God for strength and prayers. Sometimes
when our faith is tested we need to find strength not only in our self but mostly in God. The year
2014 was tough for me and I needed to turn to God a lot my family went through a lot of health
issues so I found a lot of strength and God and my family members are getting better and stronger
every day.
The saying footprints comes to mind when it says one set of footprints was when God carried you
and that he had not left you alone. We all have trials in our lives but if we keep strong in our faith
we can handle anything life throws at us and come out stronger. My family is proof of that.
Colby Stirk
Prayer: Carry us always in your tender care, O God, and never drop us. In Christ’s name we
pray. Amen.
DAY 19 - March 8th
Luke 10:25-29 “Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit
eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘What is written in the law?’ He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord
your God with all your heart, and with all you soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind;
and your neighbor as yourself.” And Jesus said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this and
you will live.’ But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’”
As I was walking back to work from lunch one day, a woman came up to me on the street. From her
appearance, I presumed that she was one of the many panhandlers who frequent the streets in Downtown
Wilmington. “Excuse me,” she said. “May I ask you a question?” Not wanting to appear rude, I said,
“Sure.” Looking at her face, I knew that she was one of those poor souls that we often rush by in our
hurried lives, without giving a second thought. She told me that she was homeless and wanted a few
dollars so that she could wash her clothes at the laundromat down the street. I cynically thought to
myself, “that is a new line that I have never heard before.” She went on to say that someone had given
her some laundry detergent, but that she just needed a few dollars to wash her clothes, and asked if I
could help her. I don’t know if it was the pitiful look in her eyes, or the guilt inside me at the comfortable life I live, but I reached into my pocket and pulled out two dollars to give her. I then continued on
my way back to the office.
That night, I sat down to write my Lenten devotional. If you read in Luke beyond the passage above,
Jesus tells of the Samaritan, an outcast in Jewish society, who rendered aid to the injured Jew he found
beaten and left for dead along the side of the road. That made me think back to the women I
encountered earlier in the day on the street. Did I treat her as my neighbor, or as myself? Clearly not.
My token gift was no burden to me. There was so much more that I could have offered her. More
money. Time to actually listen to her, and to demonstrate that I cared about her plight. It’s easy to make
excuses for not doing more. But why didn’t I? If I truly lived my faith, my actions would demonstrate
the love that God gives so freely to me, but which I too often take for granted, or don’t even think about
in the grind of daily life.
Lent is a time to focus on our faith, and how we live that faith each and every day. How do we
demonstrate our love for God with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind? Do we love our neighbor as
ourselves? Those are tough questions, if you really stop to think about them.
John Newcomer
Prayer: “Lord, you have bestowed on me so many blessings. More than I can ever thank you for, and
much more than I deserve. Help me to show your love to others that I encounter each day in my life.
Guide my actions to touch the hearts and minds of those I meet. Open my eyes to see those who are
hurting around me, and give me the compassion to reach out to them and help them. Amen.”
DAY 20 - March 9th
Psalm 119:105 - "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
This verse in the Bible can be a light to show the way of to walk. This also reminds me of
using a flashlight when walking thru woods, when it is dark.
When you are a caregiver or there is sickness, or you lose someone, then you can feel you are
in darkness. However that is when you feel the need to pray, lean on Jesus and read scripture
to get thru theses times.
You can read a prayer from the Portals of Prayer or any pray book to help you focus. You can
ask others to pray for you also. For my confirmation gift, I received a couple pray books. You
can also ask the Pastor of your church for prayer books and where to find one. Small groups is
another place to pray and study His Word.
This verse reminds me of a hymn, which is an offering of praise (for the use of the Africian
M.E. Zion Church of America (1889, p. 466) I found this on the internet..
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light, a light unto my path."
"Give me understanding and shall keep thy law, for there in do
I delight Lord, my God. Amen."
Another bible verse about light is: I John 1:5 - “God is light in him there is no darkness at all.
Therefore God is our light in times of darkness.”
Linda Burkum
Prayer: “Dear God: May Your life be a light for me and others. Amen”
DAY 21 - March 10th
Psalm 91:1-4 You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you
from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence; he will cover you with his pinions, and
under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and a buckler.
This introductory passage from Psalm 91 creates some powerful imagery of God as our Protector. He
is our Refuge, our Fortress, the One in whom we trust. He saves us from harmful traps and threatening
diseases. He gathers us under his arms and shields us from all danger. He is our Father, our Lord and
Savior, and we are His children seeking His protection.
It was early April, 2008, when I was first diagnosed with malignant melanoma. Pam and I were relatively new to St. Philip’s and had joined one of the small groups. We were dumbfounded by the news,
which had shaken us to the core. There were consultations, tests, more consultations, and more tests.
Surgery was scheduled. We sent an email to our small group to share the news … everything was happening so fast. Little did we know that we were about to be introduced to the power of this psalm!
Edna Smith pulled us aside after one of the next Sunday morning sessions. She started by proclaiming
two words: “Psalm 91!” She recounted times when she relied on this psalm and indicated that she
would include its message in prayers for my recovery. We immediately found ourselves comforted by
Psalm 91 and by its assurance of God’s protection. It became a regular devotion, so much so that Pam
laminated a copy of it and placed it by my bedside. It has traveled far and wide!
The psalmist goes on to say (verses 5-6): You will not fear the terror of the night, or the arrow that
flies by day, or the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or the destruction that wastes at noonday. He
concludes (verses 14-16) by emphasizing that the Lord will deliver us, protect us, answer us, be with
us in trouble, rescue us, honor us, satisfy us with long life, and show us His salvation. The Lord
knows our needs in times of danger, and He provides for our protection. Thanks be to God!
Were Psalm 91 represented in images, it feels like the following to me!
Sources: Wikipedia.org, Christ the Redeemer (statue), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
oneagleswingsministry.org
Continues ►
Tom Brenneman
Prayer: “Heavenly Father, source of our being, you are our refuge and our fortress, our God, in whom
we trust. Thank you for the assurance of your protection from all dangers. Amen.”
DAY 22 - March 11th
1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us
who are being saved it is the power of God.”
Most of you know that I’m a high school senior, and my favorite class this year is U.S. Government.
One of the things I’ve concluded is that it seems to me that most of us take for granted the freedoms
guaranteed to us by the U.S. Constitution. The First Amendment states: “Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof….”
What does this fact have to do with the scripture passage? Well, first, I feel blessed to be able to worship without any fears whatsoever. All you need to do is watch the nightly news to see the dangers that
many people face trying to practice their religion on the international front.
The second connection to this passage requires a little more explaining. As I understand it (or how my
parents explained it to me), Paul was in Corinth to help their church resolve issues with the people following different leaders, doing immoral acts, and misinterpreting parts of the gospel. This passage says
to me that, if you don’t believe in Jesus, His death, and His resurrection, then Jesus’ death on the cross
means nothing. However, if you do believe, then the cross means everything. All believers receive the
gift of salvation and eternal life. Paul was sent to convey this truth to the people in Corinth, and those
who believed were the ones that were saved. The people had the freedom to choose.
Matt Brenneman
Prayer: “Dear God, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to save us! Thank you also for the freedom
to worship you. Amen.”
DAY 23 - March 12th
Ecclesiastes 3:1-4, 7b “ For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven; A
time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted, a time to kill,
and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a
time to mourn, and a time to dance; . . . a time to keep silence; and a time to speak.”
The sky was partly cloudy and the temperature was in the low 70’s. Not a bad day all around.
Except…
There were a few people gathered around and not much conversation was being made. This gathering
was the next step into what would be my longest night. This longest night lasted for ten years.
Suddenly, I could hear the crunching of tires on the gravel and I turned around to see the car coming
toward us. When it got next to the gathering, it stopped and a door opened. The driver exited the car
and opened the back door. At that moment, it felt like I was hit in the chest with a baseball bat. I
wanted to fall onto my hands and knees because of the pain I was in. What I did instead was to walk
toward the car. The driver reached into the back seat and retrieved a box. It wasn’t a big box; only
about 24 inches long by 12 inches wide and 12 inches high. I reached toward the driver to take
possession of the box. When I had the box in my arms, I turned toward the gathering and advanced. It
was only about 100 feet from the car to the gathering; it shouldn’t take too long to cover that distance
but it seemed like hours. When I got to the gathering, I set the box down on a provided resting place.
The box wasn’t that heavy. That was the one and only opportunity that I had to hold my son. After the
internment service was over, I picked up my son and gently lowered him into the only home he has
known for 35 years.
With the loss of my wife and son, I continued my travel into my longest night. My church didn’t know
what to do, so they did . . . nothing. My family’s help consisted of “taking over” tasks and not helping.
All this did was to give me a shovel to dig my hole of despair deeper.
I was angry and hurt; I hurt so bad that I had to lash out and God was the receiver of this lashing. I
wanted to know why! Of course, I was heavily involved in my church and I just cut it all off. I did not
attend any church for ten years. After a while, you just become numb to the pain; it’s still there but it
has been placed into your background. I didn’t speak to God.
I was angry . . . very angry; my life was out of control and I couldn’t stop it.
To some degree, we all go through these periods of good and bad in our lives. Through both good and
bad, we need to always realize that the focus of our life should always include Christ Jesus in the
center. Jesus is our brother and part of our family. He can make any bad thing easier to handle.
Continues ►
After ten years of not talking with God, I started feeling the stirrings from within the depths of my
soul. I found myself wanting to get back to church; not my old church but a different church. I had a
friend and started attending her church and (big surprise) started getting involved with the running of
my new church. Years later, I realized that I had a guide that walked with me; she came into my life at
the time that God said that it was right. The events that had occurred could not be changed but the
future could be seen as bright.
It is really hard to wait; when things are not “going as expected” . . . wait. There is a time for everything and it is in God’s good time.
Louis James
Prayer: “Dear Lord, help us to be patient with living in the cycles of life. In the bad times, we forget
that You are there to hold us in Your arms; in the good times, we forget to thank You for the bounty
that has been given to us. We need to embrace You in every phase of our lives. Thank you for always
being with us. Amen.”
DAY 24 - March 13th
Luke 6:27-28 “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for
those who abuse you.”
In life we often are either at the receiving end of hate, being cursed, or being abused (both physically
and mentally) or participating in this behavior. Think of what we are often asking of others or what
they are asking of us.
This can happen with loved ones, family, friends, co-workers, and even those we don’t know. The
subject matter can be personal or subjective to every day circumstances.
When we look back at this (it often doesn’t happen at the moment) we can see these thoughts and
actions are the result of personality differences or misunderstanding by not truly listening. How do we
combat this behavior? To be open and not egotistic is a goal to be learned. It is time to speak with
Christ.
Justin Cristaudo
Prayer: “Dear God, when I am part of hate help me love; when I am part of cursing, help me praise,
when I am part of abuse, help me be kind. Dear God let me remember we are all part of Christ and we
need to share love, care, and understanding and kindness. Amen.”
DAY 25 - March 14th
Philippians 4:8 - “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy –
think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me –
put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
I have a confession to make, if you haven’t noticed it – I am a perfectionist. Now this is not the
scenario of a job interview where you try to find a positive spin to the question of “What are your
weaknesses?” I truly am a perfectionist. This mindset is both a blessing and a daily struggle and
frustration. Perfectionism demands very high benchmarks of quality, so there is always a gap
between the standards I set for myself – who I want to be and what I want to do - and what I am
able to live up to. I often feel a lot of anxiety trying to be perfect and to make all of the pieces of
my life fit together flawlessly. It is an impossible task, so for the sake of everyone around me, I try
to keep it tamped down and in check. I try to be at peace with the notion of “good enough,” but it’s
really hard and I fail a lot.
Lately, these verses from Philippians have brought me peace. Through these verses, God
encourages me to shift my focus from the gap between the perfect life I envision and the beautiful
life with which He has blessed me. He tells me to focus on those things in my life that are true,
noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable and to focus on those. If I truly look around my imperfect
world, what do I see? A wonderful husband who loves and supports me beyond measure, beautiful
children whom I adore, a job that fulfills a sense of calling, the health of my family, a comfortable
house, friends to spend time with, and a church family I love. I am richly blessed, and as God
instructs in these versus, when I think on these things, the perfectionist that micromanages and
causes stress slinks away. My life is NOT perfect. I know that there are many areas where I
believe I fall short. However, I pray for God to help me focus on the beauty of His blessings and
not the gap. Besides, if my life was perfect, then I wouldn’t need God’s grace and His daily hand
in my life.
Dawn Downes
Prayer: “Dear God, thank you for your peace. Help me to remember all of your gifts and not to
dwell in the gap between who I think I need to be and who I am. Help me to focus on the blessings
of my beautiful life and live thankfully and gratefully. Amen.”
DAY 26 - March 15th
Ezekiel 37:1-3 - “The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the
LORD and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them;
there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, ‘Mortal, can these
bones live?’ I answered, ‘O Lord GOD, you know.’”
Ezekiel and thousands of Judeans had been captured and sent to a Babylonian settlement Tel-Abib to
live in exile. Although separated from their countrymen they lived in relative freedom and comfort.
But the Israelites had long turned away from the one true God and over the centuries had become
sinful and rebellious even to the point of worshipping the idols of neighboring nations.
God chose Ezekiel as His messenger warning the exiles of the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem if
they failed to repent. No outward signs like cutting off his beard, shaving his head or lying on his
side for 390 days seemed to get their attention. They continued in their sinful ways determined to
“go along” to “get along”. The only thing that finally got their attention was the total destruction of
Judah, Jerusalem and the surrounding nations.
But God did not want to leave his people without hope. The vision of the dry bones speaks to God’s
resurrection of the Israelites who had been spiritually dead. Through Ezekiel, God breathes His
spirit into his people giving them a new heart, a new spirit and the hope of restoration.
At times do we “go along” to “get along”? Does God show us signs that we’re on the wrong track?
I have had such an experience in the not too distant past. I thought my life was going along just fine
but deep down inside I knew my faith was getting weaker. It was in the Fall of the year that I began
to notice butterflies around me wherever I went. I began noticing them everywhere even in places
you wouldn’t normally expect. I also noticed the butterflies did everything they could to get my attention. On more than one occasion they would thump on the sliding glass door of my second story
deck. I mean they really made a thud until I looked up and took notice. This happened so often I
began to wonder what all of this meant. Doing some research I discovered that butterflies can be a
sign of change and transformation. It turned out to be exactly that. It wasn’t long before my life
was turned upside down, a painful experience but one that set me on a totally different course. Now
I feel as though my spirit and faith have been renewed.
Rosanne Cholewinski
Prayer: “Lord, we ask pardon for all our sins, for the selfishness in our lives and the ego that blocks
you out of our hearts and minds. Show us your mercy, Lord, and help us to do your will and walk in
your ways.”
DAY 27 - March 16th
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Praise be to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can
comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”
I was blessed to have been born and raised in Appalachia. In the winter-time darkness came
early to the hills of central West Virginia. Often on Saturday nights we would cross the little
stream to Granny’s house to “toast” ourselves in the warmth of a cast iron “potbelly” stove.
There we heard stories and tall-tales from the past interspersed with Grandpa’s fiddle playing.
He was a good player and if we were patient he might even sing for us: “When You and I were
young Maggie”.
We had a neighbor who was a budding fiddler who came to learn from ”Pap” (as we called
Grandpa). The neighbor was a beloved character one never forgets. His talent was really not
fiddling but story-telling. He had an amazing memory and the mannerisms that set him apart
as a story-teller. From him we learned about our history, we learned about the “old people”
who had settled and grown up there. There was a legacy left for us “young-uns” that was
forged in trials, tribulations, much pain and survival by pure grit and determination. And yes,
by the grace of God.
The only church in the area was a small Baptist Church. There was a minister who came two
times a month to preach at that church and sometimes he wept as he shared Gods salvation and
the love of Christ. The Bible says that faith comes from hearing the word of God based on the
gospel. Our pastor introduced many people to faith in Christ. I was one of those people. As a
Christian life did not become easier, but I was aware that I had Someone who was with me
always, Someone who was cheering me on. It was a “heart felt” assurance that I had a
Companion for my journey.
When we know Jesus, we have words of comfort, courage and strength for others. We have
history. We have a legacy that was forged through the rough places. And we have music to
play and stories to tell and people to love.
Barbara Poland
Prayer: “Lord, we know we will have trials and rough places in life. Help us to live out our
faith that it will glorify you and be testimony to your goodness.” AMEN
DAY 28 - March 17th
Job 19:25-26 - “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the
earth: and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God.”
In Job’s time in ancient Israel, a redeemer was a family member who bought a slave’s way to
freedom, who took care of a widow or paid a debt for someone. Job suffered in more ways than
any of us ever will and even though it was long before Christ appeared, Job firmly believed that in
the end God would redeem him and he would see His face.
We have a redeemer in Jesus Christ. He paid the ultimate price for our redemption with His blood
on the cross. He promises that if we believe in him we will have eternal life. In John 14:1-3 Jesus
says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are
many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come back and take you to be with me that you also
may be where I am.” We have the promise that we will see Him.
There have been several books published recently describing NDE (near death experience), people who have had visions of the afterlife. I know in my heart that heaven is real, like the little boy
said, because years ago my mother and last year a dear friend both had NDE. Heaven must be a
glorious place beyond our limited comprehension, and like Job I know that my redeemer lives!
Jane Newcomer
Prayer: “Dear Lord, you paid for me with the most valuable currency of all. Help me to live in a
way the expresses your redeeming love so that many others may know you as their Lord and Redeemer. Amen.”
DAY 29 - March 18th
Psalm 51:10-12 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do
not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the
joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.”
David had a vice – it was women. And the day came when once again he had let down his guard.
The king was likely in his late forties when he found himself standing on his balcony and caught a
glance of a beautiful young woman, about half his age. Here was the opportunity to just walk away;
unfortunately, David did not. Rather than walk away, he continued watching, and the craving for
his vice grew savagely.
We all have vices. You know that hunger, the desire for the “thing” that for you has always been a
problem. Lest I air all my dirty laundry before you, I will share a simple vice – I love food. How
does food compare to David’s vice even in the least, you ask? My problem is that most of my life I
did not balance my love for food with appropriate exercise. You would not know that today
because with God’s help over the last six years I have brought my vice under control. Back then I
was over fifty pounds heavier and pre-hypertensive. I was miserable and was damaging my body
and was choosing to live a life that would end earlier than expected, leaving those whom I love and
support without me. I had to say “No!” to that cupcake, put down that chocolate bar, and for a
season even give up rice, potatoes, pasta, and bread. I had to say “Yes!” to the gym and calorie
counting. My uncontrolled vice was hurting me and ultimately my family and friends. It was time
for a change.
Let’s see how David managed his vice. We continue David’s story in 2 Samuel 11 to find that he
inquired about the young woman and learned that she was Bathsheba, granddaughter of one of
David’s chief counselors and wife of Uriah, one of David’s soldiers out at war. David then sent for
her, she came to him, and they slept together. And she became pregnant. David tried to hide the
fallout from his vice by sending for Uriah, remember – her husband? He hoped while Uriah was
home that he would sleep with his wife. But Uriah couldn’t allow himself to enjoy home and wife
as long as his fellow soldiers were still at war. David tried once more, this time getting Uriah
drunk. But Uriah’s convictions were strong, and he returned to the battlefield without partaking.
And as we sometimes do to cover our tracks, David dug his hole deeper. He ordered that Uriah be
sent to the frontlines be set up to die in battle. Once David received confirmation that Uriah was
dead, he brought Bathsheba to his house and made her his wife.
It is not likely that your vices have carried you into as deep of a hole as David’s, but you have
likely felt the same sense of failure and separation that David felt in Psalm 51. David knew that his
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heart still had darkness, and that this darkness was impeding his relationship with God. David cried
out for renewal, for mercy, and for the joy of God’s salvation. Happiness is founded in our
current circumstance; however, joy is founded deep within and is unwavering despite our current
circumstance. Think of our language: we ‘are’ happy, but we ‘have’ joy. With our acceptance of His
deliverance and with His light permeating the darkness within us, we can have true joy despite the
circumstances that surround us. Don’t let your vices stand in the way.
Shannon Diehl-Guerrero
Prayer: “Repair me, O God, for I am yet broken. Shine your light on the darkness I entertain that
separates me from your love. Help me every day to be pure with my body, Your temple – what goes in
and what comes out. Reshape my heart, my very soul, that I be resolute in my relationship with you.
At times when I feel like I have been nothing but a disappointment, return to me the joy of Your
salvation. Amen.”
DAY 30 - March 19th
Romans 12: 4-5 - “For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the
same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are
members one of another.”
We all have gifts and talents that God gave us that we should use to glorify Him and bless
others. The beauty is that when we come together, our gifts are different and complement each other. As we prepare for moving to a new location, everyone pitching in to use their gifts and talents
will be needed more than ever.
Despite our different gifts, there are things that each one of us can do- We are God’s hands and
voice on Earth and He uses us to be a blessing to others. God uses our words to speak words of
encouragement and healing to others and He uses our hands and arms to give hugs that lift up others.
Ask God to use you to do His work and to find ways of being a blessing to others.
Amy Papili
Prayer: “Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gifts and talents you’ve given us. Help us to use
them in big and small ways and to be your hands and voice to be a blessing to others. Amen.”
DAY 31 - March 20th
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 - “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of
the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all
baptized into one body-Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.”
Paul’s Corinth was a diverse melting pot of nationalities, cultures and religious backgrounds. The
Church he started there was struggling to stay together and Paul is challenging them to focus on
Christ and the Church as Christ’s body.
I see many parallels in today’s society and the challenges that today’s Church faces. We too have a
worldwide melting pot of people, this information age that can bombard us with cares and concerns.
We face via the world wide web, everybody that has two cents on any subject is free to shout it out
loud. I know that I read a bunch of it on “facebook”. Amid this world of diversity and division can
we pull together as the body of Christ?
The Church and as a member of the body of Christ we too need to challenge ourselves to focus on
Christ. We in our daily lives must use our gifts especially our Spiritual gifts to benefit the body of
Christ (the Church).
Paul was born and raised a social, religious, and educational elite on his home turf. He gave all of
that up (with some dramatic recruiting) to serve the body of Christ. We too need to give up our
prejudices, our concern over appearances, our concern over self and focus on what we can do for the
body of Christ. We also need to welcome diversity, respecting and including all those with different
gifts.
Through the gifts of many at St. Philips I have learned and grown in faith. I now read the Bible
daily, share my faith more readily with strangers, and look for more ways to serve the body of Christ.
I really need to continue to pray, read the word and meditate and to listen to hear what gifts I can
offer. And once understood to be “all in” and use the gifts that I have been given to serve the body of
Christ.
Chuck Cory
Prayer: “Dear God, I know that I am a baptized member of your body. Bless me and inspire me to set
time aside to read your word and to listen for your guidance. Open my eyes that I may see, open my
ears that I may hear, open my heart that I obey, and lift my hands that I will serve. Please show me
my Spiritual gifts and show me how to use them to thy glory. Help me dear Lord to appreciate and
accept the gifts of others in this wonderful body of Christ. Amen.”
DAY 32 - March 21st
Proverbs 3:5-6 - “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your insight. In all your
ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
How often do we put our trust into everyday things? Most of us trust that our car will start each
morning and that are driving skills will get us safely to our destination. We trust that our family and
friends will be there to share in our joys and accomplishments and in our time of need. We trust that the
food we buy will be safe for our nourishment. Some of us even put our trust in the weather forecast that
the amount of snow predicted will actually fall! These are all examples of things we trust because of
our own understanding and knowledge of everyday life. In other words, we are trusting with our mind.
What Proverbs 3:5-6 is calling us to do is very different. In fact, it is quite the opposite. In these verses,
the author is telling us to trust the LORD with all of our heart. This is an entirely different type of trust.
We are called not to rely on what we know from life’s everyday experiences, but upon God’s wisdom,
power, goodness and promises for direction and help in all our affairs and dangers. Trust in him at all
times: in times of affliction, temptation and darkness. All power and strength are in him to help; his
love, grace and mercy are always there. By doing this, it is a way of showing our obedience to God’s
commands.
When we truly believe that all things come from God, we are acknowledging his gifts and that he
knows best our every need in our lives. We must acknowledge him in all aspects of our lives. We
should never attempt to restrict or ignore his influence. He wants to have a relationship with each and
every one of us. Ask him what you should do. Seek his wisdom. Make him a vital part of everything
you do, then he will guide you because you will be working for his purpose.
Trusting in the LORD has become a vital part of my life. I look back on events in my life that I spent
so much time worrying over. Even though I knew God and believed he could do anything, I prayed for
things to occur and for things not occur. I wanted to be in control and to try and influence God so I
would not have to endure the fear of loss or change. But when the reality of those events came to be, he
was there for me. Things I thought I could not bear to experience, he took upon with me. In my
weakness I leaned on God and he was there. And that’s exactly what he wants! Worry is from the mind
but trust is from the heart. Seek out God in every corner of your life. Nothing is too big or too small for
God. He loves you and if you acknowledge him in your life he will make straight your paths just as he
continues to do in my life.
Coleman Bye
Prayer: “Heavenly Father, I give you thanks and praise for opening my heart to you. You are the creator of all things and I am grateful to acknowledge your presence in my life. I pray that all who know
your name will seek your wisdom and guidance in everything they do. Amen.”
DAY 33 - March 22nd
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 - “But the Lord said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is
made perfect in weakness.” So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the
power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships,
persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.”
This message from Paul has been key in my walk with the Lord. God has blessed me in so many
ways. One of the things I am most grateful for is how weak I am and prone to sin. Please do not
misunderstand. I am not happy about the pain this has caused my loved ones, or struggles I continue to face. I will get back to the reason for my gratitude after I explain a little about why I relate so much to Paul.
Just before these versus Paul was wrote about a “thorn” in his flesh, a “messenger of Satan” that
was given to him to keep him from being conceited. Paul wrote “Three times I pleaded with the
Lord to take it away from me.” The Lords response was today’s devotional scripture.
I want nothing more than to be a good person, a good Husband, step Dad, son, friend, employee,
and disciple. With all of my heart I wish to be these things. Every single day I fail miserably in
at least one of these areas. I let the things of this world distract and tempt me. Fear, Anxiety,
Jealousy, Temptation, Addiction, Self Centeredness, and Pride are some of the “thorns” I deal
with that keep me broken and on my knees.
Back to the gratitude. Let things go too well for too long and I start running the show again. I
completely forget about relying on Gods power and my desperate need for His grace. Through
the pain I receive from the “thorns in my side” I am reminded of God’s power and grace. Lack
of power and the bondage of self cause me pain which forces me to remember God’s message
that “My grace is sufficient for you”. Due to the pain caused by my weaknesses I surrender to
God’s grace and through His power I experience miraculous healing and have been able to help
His children more because of my weaknesses than any strength of my own.
Tom DiCampli
Prayer: “Loving Father, thank you for my weakness, that I may more humbly rely on Your power
and grace to give me strength to be the person You created me to be. Help me to use my weakness to be of better service to You and my fellows. Amen.”
DAY 34 - March 23rd
Galatians 6:2 - “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
If we’re asked for a Christian example of someone bearing our burdens, most of us will think of Jesus
bearing the punishment for our confessed sins so that we might be saved. His was the greatest taking on
of a burden that this world will ever see. In exchange we need only admit that we have sinned.
“My sins would drive the nails in You That rugged cross was my cross, too Still every breath You drew
was Hallelujah.” --Lyrics from “Christmas Hallelujah” by Cloverton.
“I’ll watch your kids if you’ll take my car in for repair.” Today a good many people—both Christians
and non-Christians—may read Paul’s words about sharing our “burdens” and think “tasks”. And they
wouldn’t be wrong. Willingly taking on someone else’s task can be a blessing to both people. Jesus
Himself provided an example of this suitable for the time in which He came to us, He said back then if a
Roman soldier forces you to carry his burden for a mile then volunteer to carry it for two miles. The
Christian disciple tasked to do this would have been practicing humility--something we all need to practice. At the same time, the Roman soldier might have wondered aloud at such strange behavior, which
in turn might have given an ancient disciple an opportunity to witness to him.
We need to be willing and able to bear someone else’s burdens and, at the same time, be willing to allow someone else to bear ours. We’re all dependent on someone else for some things--probably more
things than we think we are or that we’re even willing to admit. I thank God that the burdens we take
on or that we release to the care of others don’t have to be physical. I’m dependent on the help of others
for taking on burdens as basic as getting my trash to the dumpster, for providing transportation to
church and to small group, and for companionship and spiritual support. If someone can’t help me with
something, then it doesn’t get done. Likewise, if Jesus hadn’t helped me by bearing the price for sins it
wouldn’t have been done.
How can I take on burdens on behalf of other people? Not many actions that are within my power but
praying for others is. I didn’t think about this much until I moved close to Limestone Road, to an apartment where I can hear the disturbing sounds fire truck, police and ambulance sirens. Now when an
emergency vehicle races past, I pray for the people somewhere out there who are in pain or in danger.
It’s not much. Then again no matter what we do to help others, there’s no comparison to what Jesus did
for us--in exchange for us just believing that He can and does do what He told His disciples that He
came to earth to do on our behalf.
Sherry Thompson
Prayer: “Help us, O Lord, to bear the burdens we have and give us compassion to take on those that
others bear. We pray this in Christ’s name. Amen..”
DAY 35 - March 24th
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 “ Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or
rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing,
but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
I grew up in a household in which we didn’t say “I love you” very much. I remember this
because it was always very apparent to me when I would go over to my girlfriend Kim’s
house to pick her up on our way to school that she and her parents would exchange “I
love you’s”. Another nagging reminder of how I was raised is the fact that I never told my
dad of my love for him before he died. I hadn’t been “trained” to. I recall walking away
that day thinking “I should go back and tell him that I love him”, but I never did. I regret
it to this day. I also noticed that after my father died, and I’d moved away from home,
those of us left began to express our feelings more openly to one another and we’d end our
parting conversations with “love you”.
But love is not talk; it is action. These verses that Paul writes describe the practice of love;
how love is greater than all spiritual gifts because of its selflessness. Paul lists 15 characteristics of love to show how love acts or what it looks likes in everyday life. Now I’d love to
tell you that, while I wasn’t surrounded by verbal affirmations of love while growing up, I
was raised where acts of love abounded. Sadly, this was not the case. But Kim was. I have
fond memories of dinners at her house after which her father would open the bible and
lead us in a devotion. Perhaps that’s where she learned the true meaning of love.
Love is selfless and wholly directed to build up another person. Of course nobody can
truly love like that. Only God is love. Put “Christ” in verses 4-7 instead of “love” and you
have a description of Him. He is patient, kind, not jealous or boastful. He is not arrogant
or rude, does not seek His own way, is not irritable or resentful. He does not rejoice in
wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth; He always protects, always trusts, always hopes,
always perseveres. If we want to love one another, we must focus on His love and walk in
His Spirit who produces His love in us.
Allyson Myers
Prayer: “Loving God, help us to yield to you, repeatedly confronting our selfishness and daily
practicing biblical love in our homes. Amen.”
DAY 36 - March 25th
Jeremiah 31:13 - “Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and
the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them and give them
gladness for sorrow.”
I’ll never forget the time in first grade when I tried to wiggle my way out of a weekly
routine. Every Saturday night was “clean-up” night in our household. One warm summer’s
eve I decided to abandon the weekly routine of taking a bath and ran out the back door and
down the back alley. Hot on my trail was my mother, of course.
Before I knew it I was at a crossroads, quite literally. I looked back to see my mother fast
approaching and looked forward to the magical escape across a busy road I wasn’t supposed to
cross. With some hesitation I crossed the road. Much to my delight my mother did not. I
nstead, she stood firm on the other side beckoning me to come home. Soon her look of
determination wilted into a frown. Tears began to well up in her eyes and she turned back
toward home. I stood on the other side of the street for some time. A cool summer breeze set
in and I realized how exposed I really was. Slowly I made my way for home, and I knew I was
in for it.
Much to my surprise, as I stepped into our yard, my mother came out with outstretched
arms welcoming me back home. Did I deserve such a welcome? Probably not. But somehow
my mother’s tears of sorrow were turned to tears of joy. Ashamed and guilt-ridden I walked
right into her embrace and was washed with loving tears. I still had to take a bath, but not
before a lesson was learned.
- Anonymous
Prayer: “Gracious God, help me to be aware that you are always there with open arms
waiting to welcome me back after I have made a mistake. Thank you for your love. Amen.”
DAY 37 - March 26th
Jeremiah 31:34 - “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying Know the Lord; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of
them, saith the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
Upon sitting down to write this devotional it became apparent that I’d chosen quite a difficult passage. No big deal, always up for a challenge I did some research. Jeremiah is regarded as
one of the major prophets of the Hebrew Bible, and is believed to have authored his namesake book,
as well as fist and second Kings and Lamentations. He is also considered a major prophet in Islam
and of course Christianity. His tale is one of persecution, but he is eventually exonerated by King
Nebuchadnezzar.
The world of the Israelites in Jeremiah’s time is poised for upheaval. It was Jeremiah’s calling to predict the fall of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians. King Josiah had started a religious reform to turn the Israelites away from the idolatrous practices of previous kings, but he died
and the practices resumed. Meanwhile Babylon was growing more powerful, defeating the Egyptians, which in turn ended the Assyrian Empire. This did not bode well for Judah, but the prophets
of the time were predicting they would be spared. Jeremiah was prophesying the exact opposite.
He held that Judah and Jerusalem would be destroyed because of the past sins of the idolatrous
kings and the present sins of the idolaters. This put Jeremiah at odds with the false prophets of his
day and led to his persecution. Great history lesson, but what’s it all mean?
In trying to figure that out I then stumbled across some pretty heavy theological stuff about
the new covenant, or the renewal of the covenant. A reference to Martin Luther briefly caught my
attention, but ultimately didn’t really help my understanding. The crux seems to be the transition to
a belief in a God whose infinite mercy and grace forgives his wayward followers their sins, because
though our faith in God may be wanting; His faith is us never is. It’s kind of a retelling of the footsteps story many of us learned as children. In the times in our lives when we are most in need and it
seems that we soldier on without God, but what we really do is find our faith in God wanting, but it
is his faith in us that carries us through.
All that sounds really good, but if God forgives the lack of faith of the Israelites, why then is
Jerusalem destroyed? Jerusalem is destroyed because of what the Israelites have done, not because
it is God’s wrath. The destruction is not a punishment; it is a means by which the Israelites can
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DAY 37 - March 26th
come to the understanding of what their lack of faith has wrought. It’s a cautionary tale for sure,
but not one that says you better fall in line or God will smite you, and that’s an easy mistake to
make because God in the Hebrew Bible often comes across as quite the smiter. Even today the
term “the wrath of God” remains in common usage as a result. It’s an easy way to look at God, and
life is always simpler in black and white, but that interpretation dismisses the beginning of the
verse, which was at first the most inaccessible part for me. I eventually came to the understanding
that a man teaching his neighbor or brother is meant the way we today use the term “school”. Not
to be confused with the place where you learned math and history as a kid; the pop culture concept
that to teach you I must be better than you. For example if I handily defeat you in a game of basketball I could say I “schooled you” or “I took you to school”. In this pretext we must ignore the
possibility of better or worse amongst ourselves. We must not seek to school our neighbors or
brothers in faith. We are not black or white; we are all gray, and the shade doesn’t matter because
no matter how light we think we are compared to the white light of God we are all black as coal.
There is no ability that grants any of us better standing with the Lord, not the greatest of us nor the
least of us.
This for me is the essence of Christianity. We are united by one faith, but none of us are
better or worse at it than anyone else. So often we see Christians portrayed in the media as exclusionary and unaccepting. This troubles me because the life and teachings of Christ are the exact
opposite. All are worthy, and all are welcome, and to rank yourself above anyone is to miss a large
part of the message. God forgives us all our sins, and surely he forgives me for at times being judgmental of the judgmental. Again we must strive to see all sides of such a simple statement. God
forgives us all our sins. Most easily read it means that God forgives each of us whatever sins we
may have committed. More difficulty read it means that He forgives each and every one of us
whatever sins we each may have committed. I think at times we want that vengeful God, the one
who forgives us, but not those who’ve sinned against us. Instead of forgiving them we’d rather he
smite them. There is no clearer contrast to be made between man and God. God forgives all, even
if we do not, and it doesn’t matter how strong our faith is in God, because his faith in us is strong
beyond measure. Amen.
Tom Krapf
Prayer: “Lord God , we praise you for being a “forgetful” God—one who gives us not what we
deserve, but in stead you offer us what we need: grace, life, mercy. Praise be God. Amen.”
DAY 38 - March 27th
1 Corinthians 10:13 “No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide
the way out so that you may be able to endure it.”
We all face a variety of tests, stresses and trials in our lives. There is no way to compare one’s own
tests with those faced by others, because each is meaningful at that time and place to the persons
involved. Illness, death, loss of job, relationships, injury, family matters, the list is endless, but the
ultimate source of strength and consolation is the same for all Christians under all circumstances.
A major time of testing for us involved three events that occurred in the Spring of 1983. First, Les
was unhappy at work. A successful career at a Philadelphia Bank seemed sidetracked when the
boss went outside to hire two top level executives after he and the most senior board member had
essentially said Les was the leading candidate to become of next President. Second, related to Les’
work stress was Gerry’s frustration with her job and career opportunities. Unknown to Les, was
her desire to be in another field entirely. Both worked long hours and had insufficient time for
communication with each other about their wants and needs.
Third, and unexpectedly, Les’ mother died and his father was not handling the loss well. Neither
Les nor Gerry had previously faced loss of so important a loved one. And, on top of it all Les was
suddenly cast into the paternal role for his father, a man he had admired and looked up to his
whole life, who could no longer make decisions on his own.
We prayed in church and at home for guidance. We lost sleep, and lost focus on each other. There
seemed to be no answers, and no escape. Initially God delivered support in the form of family and
friends (especially Les’ aunts) who provided a perspective on his mother’s wonderful life.
Les then asked his father if he took a new job in Allentown which might be available, would his
father sell his house and come with Les and Gerry to Allentown so they could better support him.
The answer was no.
The Allentown bank offered the job with a nice financial package. Neither of us will never forget
that drive home from Allentown, Pa., where the offer to become COO and President had been
made.
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DAY 38 - March 27th
Les was in tears on that ride home because he wanted the job, but could not “abandon” his
father and could no longer turn to his mother for advice. In addition Gerry would have to quit
her job as Allentown was to far for a commute.
Everywhere we turned there was pain and stress. We prayed but did not know what to ask of
God. And suddenly on that drive home, we opened up to one another. Les, a very private person, shared his thoughts and emotions with Gerry in a way he had only done once before in
their relationship. God had shown a path out of their test. We realized we needed to become
even closer as a couple. We were called upon to share our deepest feelings and draw on each
other with God’s support to address our challenges.
In the end, Les turned the job down. Prayer and discussion provided perspective on the
importance of supporting those who needed him versus the potential career reward and
recognition.
Five months later Les’ father died, and he will always cherish those final days they had
together because of the decision to stay. Gerry shared the depth of her frustration with Les and
they addressed that issue together. She quit her job, went back to college to complete her
degrees and became the math teacher/professor she was truly destined to be. Les and Gerry
found peace of mind and comfort. God had led them to decisions that helped those they loved,
enhanced their own communication and provided emotional peace and comfort.
We turn to God in prayer for strength and consolation. God never fails. While we may not get
exactly what we thought we wanted or needed and it may not come in the way we expect, He
delivers.
Les and Gerry Butler
Prayer: “In the trials and temptations of every day, O Lord, you are always present in our
lives. Help us, we pray, that we might not be overwhelmed by the trials of our day. Amen.”
DAY 39 - March 28th
John 14:23 - “Jesus said, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them
and we will come to them and make our home with them.”
The Gospel of John is my most favorite of all the Gospels. John’s testimony absolutely soars and
takes us right into the heart, mind, and soul of the Almighty. How John came to put in words
these thoughts that come from far outside our understanding can only be through a Heavenly conduit. Praise be to God!
So many comforting things come from this Gospel. Through John’s writings we know that we
will dwell forever with God if we but believe.
The passage above has been a guide to me through some tough, scary times, as well as good times
too. I believe that Jesus has me covered, has my back, and rides along with me every day.
A couple of years ago I was out guiding a group of 6th graders who were taking a Pond Ecology
program at the DE Nature Society’s Ashland facility. We were half way through the program and
heading back to the lodge for the second part. The trip back involved climbing a set of very steep
stairs. I was trying to keep up with the kids and finding it very difficult indeed. When I got to the
top I was really winded and then I just flopped over. I passed out! When I awoke I was in a chair
and someone was explaining to me what had happened. So Fran came and got me and off we
went to Christiana Hospital.
It turned out that my old aortic valve, the one the docs had been watching for 20 years, had taken a
sudden turn for the worse. The next several weeks were spent running about getting tests done.
Then I had a sit down with Dr. Banbury, a highly regarded cardiac surgeon. He didn’t mince
words. He said my aortic valve was severely compromised. Its opening had shrunk from the size
of a quarter to that of a dime. Now only about 20% of the normal flow of blood was passing
through it out into my body.
He then said “You have a choice. You can doing nothing in which case you have about 2-3 years
to live. Or, I can replace your valve and that will give you 2 decades of life.” I said “How soon
can you do it?”
As I was leaving he shook my hand and said something that has never left me. I truly think it was
the Lord speaking to me through the doctor. He said “This is a simple operation”. For some
continues ►
DAY 39 - March 28th
reason my mind seized on those few words as a message of total assurance. After hearing that
simple phrase I was totally at ease. As you will see, this assurance would continue throughout
the operation and recovery from it.
Now, of course, open heart surgery is anything but simple. A team of highly trained specialists
crack open your chest, stop your heart, put you on the heart-lung machine, cool you down, remove the old valve and replace it with a brand new artificial one. Then they restart your heart
and sew you back together.
The prayers of those at St. Philips and others washed over me like a wave in the days before
the operation. They helped me not to dwell on what was to come but to remain calm. Others
have told me they felt the strength that comes from being prayed for. I certainly did.
The day of the operation came. Patrick met Fran and me in the heart wing of the hospital at a
very early hour. He gave a beautiful prayer and I was directed to the preop. station. I was
hooked up to a blood pressure and heart rate monitor. I wasn’t surprised when my vital signs
weren’t elevated at all. My blood pressure remained steady at 120/75 even while I was being
wheeled into the operating room. As I stared up at the bank of lights in the OR my last thought
as they put me out was “I have Company here with me today”.
The operation was a total success. I was operated on Tuesday and back in church on Sunday.
I often think back on the events surrounding the operation. How extraordinary it was to receive
an abundance of life rather than facing a rapid decline and death. What Power took over my
life during that time so that I was not afraid? For surely I would not call myself a brave person.
It must have been Something far beyond our feeble ability to comprehend.
I wish I could always remember not to be afraid, that my Lord is with me always. But, being
human, I fall back into forgetting Who is in charge. But He knows the human spirit is frail and
that we waver when trouble appears. But He loves us so that He just keeps forgiving us and
being with us.
Gordon Fisher
Prayer: “Help us, O Lord, to never be afraid. Help us to never falter in our faith, for you have
made your home among us and are pleased to dwell here with us always. We give you thanks,
Lord, In Jesus’ holy name. Amen.”
DAY 40 - March 29th
John 20:18a - Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord.”
Mary Magdalene, a troubled woman who had been healed by Jesus, was the first person at
the tomb on Easter morning. She had followed Jesus in His travels, using her wealth to pay
the bills of those doing the Lord’s work. She was not ready to admit that He was gone.
What a shock when, upon arriving at the tomb, she found it empty. Not only was her
Teacher dead, but His body was gone. We can understand her confusion in not recognizing
Him, in thinking Jesus was a gardener. Imagine her joy when He spoke to her!
Joy lent wings to her feet as she rushed to tell the others, “I have seen the Lord!” Whether
they believed or not (and they had to go and see for themselves before they did), Mary had
to tell the news. We too, need to tell others, “Our Lord is alive!”
Anonymous
Prayer: “Lord, give me the urgency to tell others. I shrink within myself when I should
speak. Free me to declare Your glory. Amen.”