Daily Devotions from Christ the King Lutheran Church

Looking For God?

2010-04-03T00:01:00.010-04:00

Deb Cantrell

This narrative in the Bible has always been one of my favorites. So much so, I wrote a play and included Mary Magdalene’s perspective as she travels to the tomb and her reaction when she and the other women arrive. It is a compilation of all the Gospels. Although, scripture does not include all the details, I did intensive research and determined what might have happened to Mary that day. This is something akin to a Jewish midrash. A midrash is a interpretation or commentary on a Biblical text exploring what might have happened in various Bible narratives.

This would be my version of such writing. The play is titled The Color of Touch.

Mary Magdalene as she recounts her experiences the morning after Jesus’ resurrection:

It was such a difficult time for me— for all of us. When they took him down from the cross, it was nearing the Sabbath; so we had very little time to prepare Jesus for burial. But, with the help of others, we lovingly and gently prepared him and wrapped his body and placed him in a tomb. The men that were close by rolled the stone in front the opening. There was a loud thud as the stone found a resting place. The sound hit my chest with such force that I thought it would crush my heart. It was so difficult to leave. But the Sabbath was near and it was not safe for us to stay. After the Sabbath, I went with some of the other women and returned to the place where we had left our precious Lord. But the stone had been moved and when we looked inside, we saw two men dressed in brilliant white robes. They said to me, "Woman, why are you weeping?" I told them, “They have taken him away, and I don’t know where they’ve laid him.” I turned around and saw a gardener standing there. And he asked me why I was weeping and who was I looking for. I said, “Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will care for him.” Then he said, "Mary!" There was something so familiar about his voice. Then I knew! It was Jesus! I fell to my knees and wept with joy. I reached out and touched his foot and, just above the straps of His sandals, I saw the marks left by the nail. His skin was warm and I thought I felt the blood pulsing in his veins. Then suddenly he pulled back and told me not to hold on to him, as he had not yet ascended to the Father. He told me to tell the disciples that he was ascending to His Father and your Father, to His God and your God. I trusted in His words and I went and told them, “I have seen the Lord! He’s not dead! He lives!”

Indeed He Lives!! We look to the Lenten season with joy and anticipation knowing that through the sacrifice of Christ and God’s grace, we can come to know the full glory of his un-ending love.

PRAYER: Lord, we have looked to the Lenten season with joy and anticipation knowing that through the sacrifice of Christ and God's grace, we can come to know the full glory of your unending love.

Never Betrayed

2010-04-02T00:01:00.010-04:00

John 18:1 & 19:42

Kat Hanna

You know those times when you do something you think is a horrible thing? When you hurt your siblings or screw up something or mess up your brother’s room? Sometimes, when I do these things (sometimes accidentally, sometimes on purpose), I run up to my room. When my dad asks about who did this or who did that, I am the first to say, “I didn’t!”, even though sometimes I do. I deny everything. Peter denies Jesus, too. It’s like he’s denying a mistake. When I find out that it wasn’t really a horrible thing, or when my dad forgives me, it’s like being redeemed. When we fled and denied our God, he sent his Son to redeem us. He’s like our dad, forgiving us for something we have done.

PRAYER: Dear God, thanks you for sacrificing your son to redeem us, and free us of our sin. Amen.

Join In The Banquet

2010-04-01T00:01:00.006-04:00

Matthew13:1-9

Kendall Raymond

I think that these verses are very profound. In his story, Jesus talks about seeds, but I believe that each seed was one person, and when we are sown, we are born. Some of us are born into a community or family that helps us grow in Christ, just like some seeds are sown on good soil. Yet others are born in places that work against Christ, and they are gobbled up by sin, just like some seeds are thrown on the path and eaten by birds. Some are born in places where they can try to learn about Christ, but since no one is supporting them, their interest withers away. These people fall on the rocks and thorns. This story rings out in truth. Now, many more people are being eaten by sin now than when Jesus was on the Earth because we have idols like i-Pods and computers, and we are putting those in front of the Lord.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Please help me not be eaten by sin. Help those who are born in places that teach them wrong. Let me not put idols before you. Amen

A Bitter Cup

2010-03-31T00:01:00.004-04:00

Matthew 26:14-25

Tammy Fimger

When Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, it changed both Jesus’ life, as well as, mankind’s. Jesus knew God, His Father, had set into motion His death and resurrection with Judas’s betrayal, fulfilling written prophesies.

The chief priest gave Judas twenty pieces of silver to betray Jesus and Judas looked for an opportunity. During the Passover meal, Jesus said one of them would betray Him. The disciples became very distressed and one after the other asked if it was them. Jesus let Judas know he was the one and admonished him for being born.

I have experienced betrayals. They seem smaller and more insignificant when I compare them to Jesus’. I struggled and suffered and gave them to God. With His help, I found comfort and a way to forgive and to move forward.

Our world is full of daily betrayals. People lie, cheat, steal, and gossip and turn their backs on old friends; the Ten Commandments are not followed. Bernie Madoff, Wall Street bankers, mortgage lenders, and politicians, as well as, earthquakes, hurricanes and tsunamis are all examples of recent betrayals of our trust.

We must trust in Jesus, forgive those who betray us and know He is there with us.

PRAYER: Dear God, help us to put our trust in you knowing your son, Jesus, died for our sins and promises everlasting life with you. Thank you for loving us!

Contrite Hearts

2010-03-30T00:01:00.005-04:00

John 13:25-38

John Zmuda

This passage talks about Jesus’ warnings. It shows how even though he gave people, his disciples, warnings, they still did not listen to him and ended up betraying him. Peter ended up betraying him three times. This resembles society now because even though we are given warnings, we choose to go against them and betray people. It’s like lying or breaking a promise. People say that they will do something for someone else, but yet they still manage to break that promise and not do anything. Everyone knows how bad they feel when they are promised something but the person never fulfills that promise, I know I do. I have also been on the side where I did not fulfill that promise, and let me tell you, when I think about it real hard, I regret it. Just like Jesus promised to die for the forgiveness of our sins, we as a society need to look at that and fulfill the little but many promises we make in our lives. We must strive to not be like Peter, who did not fulfill his promise to Jesus, and betrayed him in the process.

PRAYER: Dear God, we ask that you guide us through the bumps and curves that life gives us, that we may fulfill the promises of life; big or small, few or many. We ask that you help us make good decisions for ourselves, and that we look at the warnings in life, so that we know where the dangers are and where to go on the path of righteousness. In your name we pray. Amen.

Courage

2010-03-29T00:01:00.004-04:00

Psalm 27

Steve Wilson

So much of the world around us can make us anxious or even fearful. Fear of sickness, earth, financial loss, general insecurities, etc. Fear and anxiety can become so encompassing that it affects how we approach the day and our zest for living. Has it happened to us at different times? Has it happened to family or friends? The line always stuck with me in the movie Field of Dreams when the character played by Kevin Costner describes a vision of his Father “before he was beaten down by life”. But is it life that beats you down or is it fear? This Psalm reinforces that we can conquer fear by focusing on the Lord and his goodness and Christ’s glorious message of salvation. Faith in the Lord makes Christians courageous optimists, whose outlook on life from verse 14 is to “be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

PRAYER :Lord, you are our stronghold and salvation. We lose our way when we forget that and focus on other things….and we become fearful. You give us strength to rejoice in each day and the courage and hope -- no matter what -- to take on the future.

Palm Sunday

2010-03-28T00:01:00.007-04:00

Philippians 2:6-11

Nick Hawkins

To me, the purpose of the book of Philippians was to serve as an example of true humility to the people of Philippi. This is so they would not strive with one another, but instead look to the needs of one another (Philippians 2: 1-4). An example of this was when Adam tried to seize equality with God, but Christ did not consider seizing equality with God. Instead, Christ emptied himself to be like a servant, dedicating his life to God even to the point of death. For this reason, God exalted him. What we must do, is to show our loyalty and respect to God, and not try to gain equality from him. Christ Jesus acted as a servant even to the point of death to earn God’s respect. My Grandmother recently passed. She was a very kind woman who always gave of herself. As presented in this passage, she made herself the servant. She battled all her life with heart disease and was a heart transplant recipient. Even thought she was dying of cancer, she told her children to be tough and stay strong. She was always thinking of others. I’d like to think that she knew that God gives us hope in a new life.

PRAYER: “Dear God, we ask that you help us to become a servant like Jesus. Please help us so that one day we may live with you as you give us hope in a new life. Amen.”

Ultimate Sacrifice

2010-03-27T00:01:00.006-04:00

John 11:45-56

Joni Holeman

These verses about the Pharisees’ plot to kill Jesus immediately follow His miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead. Now Jerusalem’s priests knew they were up against a seriously powerful threat to their livelihood and political influence! For seven years High Priest Caiaphas had been working with Pontius Pilate to control the rebellious Jewish population. Many Jews resented this close relationship that Caiaphas maintained with the Roman authorities. High Priests were suspected of taking bribes and using their office to practice other forms of corruption.

So it’s interesting to me that Caiaphas had been publicly prophesying that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation. I don’t know when he started to make such pronouncements. I wonder, had he been secretly reading the Psalms and other Messianic prophecies from Isaiah, Joel and Micah to determine if this Jesus was really sent from God? Or was Caiaphas worried about the coming Passover festival--how to prevent any political trouble from the thousands of impressionable worshipers who might hear Jesus’ message of love, not law? I hope he wasn’t trying to create a self-fulfilling prophecy just to keep his own power base intact. “So from that day on they (Pharisees) plotted to take His life.” (v53, NIV). By now, the odds were starting to stack against Jesus.

PRAYER: Dear Father, Son and Holy Spirit, If I had been living during Christ’s short life, I hope I would have been on the side of the disciples and not part of the mob who chose to save Barabbas. In my lifetime I am so grateful that your sacrifice redeemed all my sins. Let me keep learning your Word and discerning your purpose for me, so that someday I might hear you call me “Friend.” Amen.

Definition

2010-03-26T00:01:00.007-04:00

Jeremiah 20:10-13

Gail Bobizen

When selecting this passage, I was struck by two key phrases: Terror is all around and the Lord is with me. As I approach retirement and moving to Missouri, I sense some small degree of what Jeremiah felt. There are a lot of unknowns in my future. I'm moving to a small town where I know no one except the former owners of the property. My brother is 40 miles away. Uncertainty is all around. I visited the Lutheran Church I will attend in a town 15 miles away. It was not the positive experience I so wanted and expected, especially when compared to my wonderful experience here at Christ the King. God, why did you lead me to Maysville?

I tried to purchase a property closer to my brother, but the owners changed their mind about selling the home and a few acres. If this had worked out, I would have been able to worship in the same church as my brother and sister-in-law (there was one problem with that though, they sit on the wrong side of the church). I prayed for God to lead me where He could use me. When I made an offer on the Maysville property, I prayed that if this was where God wanted me, that an agreement would be reached. If not I prayed that God would lead me according to His will. An offer was accepted. God, why did you lead me to Maysville?

Amid the doubt and uncertainty, like Jeremiah, I know the Lord is with me. I don't know why God has lead me to Maysville, but I trust that His plan for me will be revealed according to His time schedule. We don't need to be besieged by enemies like Jeremiah to feel surrounded by troubles, illness, or fears. We cannot escape the evils of this world, but Jeremiah also tells us in verse 12, "O Lord of hosts, you test the righteous, you see the heart and the mind." Let us keep our heart and mind focused on the Lord, trust in Him, and willingly accept His guidance in our life so we like Jeremiah may, "Sing to the Lord; praise the Lord! For He has delivered the life of the needy."

PRAYER: Heavenly Father,Thank you for Your constant presence in our lives. When the cares of this world surround us, help us place our trust in You knowing that You will not forsake us. Your love for us reaches out from the cross. Let this message be present in our hearts not only during this Lenten season, but always. This we pray in the name of our risen Lord, Jesus the Christ. Amen

A Blessed Name

2010-03-25T00:01:00.005-04:00

Genesis 17:3-9

Andrew Miner

What makes up a name? It could be the meaning, characteristic of the person, or even its place in history. In Genesis 17: 3-9 God changes Abram’s name to Abraham and makes him king of all nations. God promises that Abraham will rule the land of Canaan and have many descendants. I believe Abraham then lives his life as God has asked. A modern day example of this would be of the recently graduated Florida quarterback, Tim Tebow. An openly devote Christian athlete -- by marking bible verses on his eye black -- Tebow quickly became the king of the college football world. His name symbolizes passion, enthusiasm, and love, not only for the game but also for humanity. His kingdom is “the Swamp” and his descendants are his teammates and future players that will continue the rule of “the swamp.” A name can bring out the best and the worst behavior in society. Abraham’s connotation is that he was a holy friend of God with “as many children as there were stars”. People rarely look to uncover the true promise that Abraham made with God which is to remain faithful to God. Tebow’s name conjures up victorious imagery but some people choose to debase him with allegations that he’s too perfect. Jesus was crucified because he was too perfect. A name not only symbolizes a promise or a certain image but can also drive evil spirits into enemies’ hearts. We must remember, as we talk about great persons, their true identity is what he or she thinks of them self. With individuality of a name comes the potential need to overcome adversity from critics. Jesus rose from the dead, Abraham was the ruler of Canaan and Tebow won two titles and a Heisman.

Prayer: Dear God, let us recall every day what our name means to us and to others, as well as not to judge others by their names nor alienate them. Amen.

Cheer

2010-03-24T00:01:00.004-04:00

John 8:31-42

Liz Spoto

It may seem simple, but not much can please me more than when my kids do what I ask, the first time I ask it. Or when I see them make good choices based on things we’ve spoken about in the past. I see that trust in their eyes. They trust that I’ve asked for a good reason; they trust that my advice or my living example to them is on the right course. And that trust and obedience fills me up with such joy that I’m sometimes overwhelmed. Now I won’t delude anyone into thinking that this is always the state of affairs in the Spoto household. But when it is, boy does our family click. Mark and I are happier. That happiness shines down to the kids. And everyone is in a better place.

I have to imagine that this is what John talks about in Chapter 8: 31-42. If our lives flow so smoothly, and such happiness results when our kids obey us, how much better our lives can be when we obey our Heavenly Father. How great the rewards when we follow His Word and live to please Him….especially if we do it the first time He asks.

PRAYER: Dear God, Please help us to obey your good and perfect will for us so that our lives may be filled with the happiness you intend for us.

Declaring to All

2010-03-23T00:01:00.004-04:00

John 8:21-30

Sam Siebert

Earlier In chapter 8 of the book of John, Jesus explains how he is the light of the world. The setting is in the Temple in Jerusalem during the feast of Tabernacles, a cerimony during which great golden lamps were lit. The Pharisees skeptically question Jesus, based on the tennants of Jewish law. It is in response to this questioning that Jesus explains that no amount of piety without faith in the son of God will save them from death. It should not be lost that, in verse 30, John points out that "As he [Jesus] spoke, many believed him". It is not lost on me that Jesus says in verse 21 that the Pharisees, those Jews most versed in religeous law, will seek Christ but fail to find faith and die, while these others came to believe and were saved. These nine verses are a suscinct reminder that faith, the most difficult of Christian behaviors to master, not deeds, secures our salvation.

Prayer: Dear God, strengthen and sustain my faith this day by helping me see your good works each day. Help me open my heart to the Holy Spirit and allow me to serve you by serving others with grace and compassion.

The Word of God

2010-03-22T00:01:00.004-04:00

Psalm 23

Julie Benson

I asked Liz Spoto for the March 22^nd devotion as it is my birthday. When I saw that the subject was Psalm 23, I just smiled. I know that one by heart. So often I recite that in the dark of night and it brings me peace and calm and a great confidence in our God. God so clearly tell us again and again “be not afraid. I am with you”. I can picture God sitting over on our loveseat in our bedroom just watching us sleep and protecting us. It is such a comforting picture and it has reassured me many times. When friends have become very, very sick ~ naturally we feel afraid for them and scared for our health also. God is so caring and kind to keep telling us how not to be afraid for He walks with us no matter what happens. He will be with us in sickness, in misery, in misfortune, in sadness/depression and in ALL situations. He is our Shepherd and we are His sheep and we need to “lie down in green pastures” and know that all is well because He alone is in TOTAL CONTROL. So the next time you are fearful or troubled with a problem ~ stop telling God how big your problems are and tell your problems how big your God is! It works every time!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, Thank you for your loving comfort, thank you for consoling us with all the challenges we face in this life. Thank you that we can rest in you and know with great confidence that you will protect us, bless us and comfort us if only we will put our trust in You. Thank you for your Word where we can go daily to be reassured and reminded of just how much you love us. Amen!

Repent

2010-03-21T00:01:00.001-04:00

John 8:1-11

Lynne Roots

“Repent” is a strong word. There is such a sense of foreboding about it. To soften it somewhat, Mr. Webster includes “contrite” in his several definitions of “repent” but, ”to feel so contrite over one’s sins as to change, or decide to change ones ways” is my favorite.

The Bible reading for this devotional, John 8:1-11, shows the perfect contrast between the Old and New Testaments. In the Old, the woman brought before Jesus for adultery would have been stoned….in the New, Jesus turns the situation around and puts the burden of the woman’s guilt on the Pharisees…”If any one of you is without sin, let him cast the first stone”. And then, He tells the woman that He doesn’t condemn her either but that she is to “leave (her) life of sin”. That is so Jesus…forcing us, through love, to look at ourselves.

As much as we don’t like to admit it, we all have dirty laundry…just how dirty depends on your perspective. What to one may be a major sin, to another may not be so. But sin is sin, regardless of how big or small. It doesn’t seem quite fair that all sin be lumped together….how can skirting the truth about a friend’s new outfit be compared to murder? No, it may not be fair in our eyes, but the good news is that Jesus loves us no matter the scope of our sin. So a person who has killed is as forgivable as one who told a little white lie. The other piece of good news is that we don’t necessarily have to confess our sin to the world or anyone else for that matter as long as we recognize it and decide to do something about it.

PRAYER: Lord, help us to understand we are forgiven.

Viewpoint

2010-03-20T00:01:00.005-04:00

John 7:40-53

Pete Hilgartner

There are two parts to contemplate in this reading from John.

Division among the People

When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, ‘This is really the prophet.’ Others said, ‘This is the Messiah.’ But some asked, ‘Surely the Messiah does not come from Galilee, does he? Has not the scripture said that the Messiah is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?’ So there was a division in the crowd because of him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

The Unbelief of Those in Authority

Then the temple police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, ‘Why did you not arrest him?’ The police answered, ‘Never has anyone spoken like this!’ Then the Pharisees replied, ‘Surely you have not been deceived too, have you? Has any one of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, which does not know the law—they are accursed.’ Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before, and who was one of them, asked, ‘Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?’ They replied, ‘Surely you are not also from Galilee, are you? Search and you will see that no prophet is to arise from Galilee.’

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Please give me the patience and wisdom to be constructive in my prayers for this Church and my fellow members when the time comes to decide on a new pastor.

Our Shield

2010-03-19T00:01:00.005-04:00

John 7:1-2,10,25-30

Garrett Durig

Whether his presence is felt or not, God is always with us and by our side. He looks after us, guides us, and protects us in times of need. It is our duty as followers of God to walk the path intended for us and do what is righteous and good. God is always in control and will always protect us as we go into the world to spread his word and help others. God’s protection is something that all people can rejoice in. Knowing that we will be safe while doing God’s will is very important as it can give us the strength and determination to do what is right, even in the face of hardship. While the tasks God assigns each of us may vary, one thing remains the same: that God will be with us till the end, helping us in everything we do.

Prayer: Dear God, we give thanks that you protect us from harm as we attempt to do what is good and right. Help us to use this knowledge to strengthen our resolve to do your will as we go about the world. Amen.

Local Witnesses

2010-03-18T12:33:00.003-04:00

John 5:31-47

Prue Weich

In this passage, Jesus provides further proof of his mission as the son of God and to save the Jews. Even though his words were directed to the Jews and their leaders, they could be directed to all Christians. To me it means I need to demonstrate the love I have for God in my heart through my belief in Jesus as his son who was sent to save us and show us how to live as God wants us to live.

One of the ways we can show our love for God is by treating others with respect and love as Jesus taught us. I think I have made progress with this challenge, but still have much more work to do, including volunteering to help those in need. Another way is by reading and studying the Bible and praying. During Lent, the devotional will help us study, but I am going to strive to spend more time talking to God throughout the day.

PRAYER: Thank you God for the love you have shown us through Jesus your son. Help me to be a good Christian and to follow your word. Be with me through this time of preparation and remembrance of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and the everlasting life that it has brought us. Help me to better understand and carry out my responsibilities to others as a true follower of Christ.

Salvation Appearing

2010-03-17T00:01:00.005-04:00

John 5:17-30

Paul Opshal

People have always wanted to know: What is God like? I think the best answer to that is: If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus. Today’s verses show us a miracle-working Jesus healing a man who had been ill for 38 long years. Problem was, Jesus did a politically incorrect thing. He healed on the Sabbath, and the law said you weren’t supposed to work that day. Some people, instead of being glad the man could finally walk again, got mad.

I think one thing God wants is for healing to take place even when there are those who think something else is more important. Whenever the ordinary of our lives is flavored with God’s love, whenever hope comes alive, it’s a miracle. With that definition, can you think of something that’s taken place in your own life recently that could be called a miracle?

PRAYER: Dear Lord, help us to see Jesus at work in our lives. Amen.

Unity

2010-03-16T00:01:00.003-04:00

Ezekial 47:1-9,12

Ross Rossbach

Ezekiel tells us the story of “great waters” flowing out from below the temple that becomes deep and wide to the sea “bringing fresh water where before it had been stagnant.” Wherever the river goes it will become fresh and everything will live abundantly where the river goes…fruit for food and leaves for healing.”

I believe Ezekiel, with this story, is predicting the love of God, as shown by the future Jesus, as bringing a unique benefit to all of humankind…to be shared by all who will take part in it. A supreme gift to God’s people, indeed all people who accept him and the gift of the “water”.

PRAYER: May we all come together in unity someday, swimming together in the abundant waters of life freely given to us by our God. Amen.

Story Time

2010-03-15T00:01:00.007-04:00

Psalm 30

Mark Spoto

Psalm 30 expresses that joy is not something that is created by “things” here on earth, but is rather a gift from God that we receive when we follow His will for us. It is easy, when things are going well, to feel like you are on top of the world. David says “When I felt secure, I said ‘I will never be shaken.’” When things are going well at work, or you are able to surround yourself with things like a nice house or nice cars, or take vacations to exotic places, it is easy to feel proud, secure in ourselves, sometimes even independent of God. We have to remember that we don’t create our own joy; God gives us joy, and has the ability to take that joy away when we stray from His path.

One thing that pleases God deeply is when we focus on the love and joy of family, when we share God’s love with our family, and when we emulate His ways to our children. When we focus on these pure, simple things, God is pleased and blesses our lives with true joy.

The best times that Liz and I have enjoyed with our children have been weekends away, just the four of us. We head up to a quiet area in western Maryland, where the hustle and bustle doesn’t exist. We don’t make plans. We spend the time talking, playing games, reading, making and eating food, or watching a movie. We often don’t leave the house for 48 hours. It is a time for us to disengage from all of the distractions, focus on each other, and strengthen our connections. This is an opportunity for Liz and me to have some meaningful discussions (and some light ones too) with our kids, as well as with each other. We usually only have time to do this once a year, but we really prioritize this and always feel like these are the best days we have together as a family. We head home with big smiles on our faces and warmth in our hearts, and thanks to God for bringing us together.

PRAYER: Dear God, Thank you for the gifts of our families and the joy that we bring to each other. Amen.

The Best You Can Be

2010-03-14T00:01:00.006-05:00

2 Cor.5:17-21

Jane Cooper

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. ...”

When I was about six years old, I began taking piano lessons from the only piano teacher in town. The inside of her house was dismal and filled with huge, dark furniture. She was totally old-school, strict and domineering. If you made a mistake while you were playing, she smacked your hands with a wooden rod. No matter how hard I practiced, and how well I had the piece memorized, I was sure I would mess up and get hit with that stick. I would come home in tears, and my mother would say, “Just do the best you can.” Believe me--I was motivated to do the best I could! But I knew my best would never be enough.

Because Christ died for our sins on the cross and rose again, we need not fear punishment for our mistakes. We still need to do the best we can, to develop feelings of self-worth and to set a good example for others. But we need to gain confidence without conceit. Work toward strength, but care for the weak. Be glad in our successes, but retain our humility. We can never be worthy of the sacrifice Jesus made for us, but we can strive to be the best we can be.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we thank you for sending Jesus Christ to redeem and reconcile us to you. We ask that the Holy Spirit would be present with us every day to guide us to be the best we can be, so that others may be drawn to you and see the joy we have as disciples of Christ. Amen.

Bowing

2010-03-13T00:01:00.009-05:00

Luke 18:9-14

Scott Miner

When we bow down to God, lay our life before Him we will be right with God.

God knows all what we are.

Open your hearts. Be humble, make no pretenses before God. We can do this in our quiet time with God; or we can approach Him when we study His word in small groups. Be true to yourself and to God.

Be honest. Be humble.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, help us to be humble. Help us to show our true selves to you.

Priceless

2010-03-12T00:01:00.005-05:00

Mark 12:28-34

David Tozer

Today we read how Jesus retold the first and second commandments and attributed greater weight to them than all the other commandments. On hearing this, a scribe reflected how these commandments were more important than the offerings and sacrifices made at the churches of the day. Jesus responded that the scribe’s insight brought him closer to God.

We can liken the “offerings and sacrifices” to the material things which are important in our society today, and which many of us work for and covet. The scribe’s commentary applies as well today as it did in Jesus’ time, and reminds us that none of our material possessions is as important as following God and looking after our fellow man, or neighbor.

We tend to think of “the least of God’s children” as being those in need. We can assist a friend through a difficult time, help someone from our local community who has fallen on hard times, or through an agency support relief efforts in another country. In these and other ways we are following the second commandment, caring for others as we would like to be cared for. Placing that care and love above the material things in our lives, and embracing God and his word, will in turn enrich our lives bring us closer to the kingdom of God.

PRAYER: LORD. Help to understand that the things I possess are nothing when compared to the ability to help others, and that through that help and my devotion to you I will become closer to you.

More Powerful

2010-03-11T00:01:00.004-05:00

Luke 11:14-23

Tolozko Family

“Satan is called the Prince, or Ruler, of all demons in Matthew 9:34; 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15. Demons are also called the ministers, or ambassadors of Satan, Luke 4:35; 9:1, 42; John 10:21... “Satan is a source of disease. Satan produced the illness in Job, Job 2:6, 8. Satan uses demons to produce disease in human beings. There is therefore the principle of demon-induced illness, Matt. 12:22; Luke 13:16; Acts 10:38. Certain mental diseases, and illness which are related to abnormal behavior, may be demon induced, dumbness and deafness, Mark 9:17; Luke 11:14; Matt. 11:22, certain forms of epilepsy, Mark 1:26; 9:20; Luke 4:35. Satan is the source of at least ten different types of abnormal behavior which are mentioned in the Bible.”

PRAYER: Our fears and ill health are relieved by the Lord. Amen.

He Is Timeless

2010-03-10T00:01:00.003-05:00

Matthew 5:17-19

Will Wilson

Jesus is teaching us in this scripture that he did not come to us for some temporary instruction on the Law or just to fulfill the Prophets. Jesus message was that the law was not as important as what’s in your heart. And that the greatest commandments weren’t laws at all: “to love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul” and to “love your neighbor as yourself”. How often the Pharisees tried to trick him and test him, but Jesus’ message never changed. And the message in his wisdom through scripture doesn’t change – it provides the “true north” that should guide our lives.

PRAYER: Lord, your message in the scriptures is as true now as it was 2000 years ago. Remind us all to stop and listen. Similar to the crowds and church leaders who doubted you then, there are doubters now. But your word still resonates and makes us confident in our salvation through Christ.

Each and Every Time

2010-03-09T00:01:00.006-05:00

Matthew 18:21-35

Liz Spoto 3rd grade Sunday School

In this verse, Matthew tells us that we should always forgive others. God forgave us, so it is only fair that we should also forgive. It feels good to forgive and to be forgiven; and it feels bad when you are not forgiven. When you are in a fight with a friend, and you both apologize to each other, you both feel better and have more fun. If someone forgives you, you should also help to fix the problem that you created. Remember, no matter what someone does, if you don’t forgive them, it might be hard for them to forgive you.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help us to forgive others, since you have forgiven us. Amen.

Simplicity

2010-03-08T00:01:00.005-05:00

2 Kings 5:1-15

Patti Flowers-Jacobina

The passage in 2 Kings 5:1-15 is a story of recovery. Healing that comes from the most unexpected, basic place....a river. Apparently, a river of life that heals Namaan, a man of valour afflicted with leprosy. It's hard to imagine leprosy today. I just remember watching the Ten Commandments and Charleston Heston's relatives suffering in the leper camps and shuddering. A horrible, ill-regarded, shame-producing disease.

I can definitely relate to how frustrated, disappointed and outright angry Namaan must have been when the prescription for healing is to wash in the river Jordan for 7 times! Having skin issues myself, it can be very disheartening. I often would exhibit any allergic reaction on my face - yes, right there for everyone to see, front and center.....no, not on my back or elsewhere...but my face, of all places. In my own minor way, I can truly relate to Namaan. I've washed, I've scrubbed, I've tried ointments, I did prescription, over-the-counter, homeopathic and finally, found out that what was causing my reactions was INTERNAL, not external.

So, the healing came from changing what I ate and voila, no skin issues! A literal lifetime of skin challenges pretty-much solved. Now, I realize leprosy is alot worse than what I encountered but I wonder, if along with Namaan's external healing, came an internal, life-changing healing. The type of healing that provides a daily thankfulness and assurance in what is divine and God- given. It does sounds like Elisha's God is the One to follow (the prescription though simple, cured) which Namaan soon commits to doing for the rest of his worshipping life.

Healing cannot be just external, but a desire to change, to be more thankful and more gracious. To live into who God truly created us to be, bumps and barnacles and all!

PRAYER: Thank you Lord, for accepting me for who I am and who, through your constant re-shaping, I am to become.

Gardening

2010-03-07T00:01:00.003-05:00

Luke 13:1-9

Tom Cooper

In the first part of this verse (vs. 1-5), Jesus is telling his followers that the manner in which one dies is not for us to judge; some may wrongly look for sinful behavior or action as a cause for one’s death. Jesus says do not judge – we all are born in sin and will die but must repent by believing and following him to have eternal life.

And then, Jesus tells a parable in the second part (vs. 6-9) about bearing fruit, thus making a linkage between repenting and bearing fruit. This parable talks of the expectation to bear fruit. When we plan a flower or tree, we want to see it produce. In the same way, God has created us to do the same – bear fruit.

I recently retired as a manager at the Department of Transportation. During my career, I had to the opportunity to hire inexperienced college graduates and others for my staff. Much like planting a tree, new staff needs mentoring, direction and opportunities to grow. As time goes on, some staff grow and become more productive. They move to bigger and better things. This was very rewarding for me, I always got much joy from seeing my staff learn and grow. However, for some, more time is needed to bear fruit like the man tells of his fig tree in verse 8. Growth is an integral part of life, be it with gardening or with people.

How can each of us bear fruit? In another section of the Bible (Corinthians 12), Paul tells followers that all have the capacity to bear fruit. Our talents are spiritual gifts that are special to us and they need to be put into action for the body of Christ.

PRAYER: Thank you Lord for the gifts you have given me and I pray that I use them wisely for your service. Amen.

Come Home

2010-03-06T00:01:00.008-05:00

Luke 15:1-3,11-32

Judy Lombardo

As parents, Dave and I always told our children that we loved them unconditionally, just as God loves us unconditionally. What a reassuring feeling to have that promise. To know that whatever happens, however we waiver in our faith, we can always come home to God, that He is always there for us. David, Deborah and Douglas knew that we would always be there for them, in good times and bad - to rejoice in college graduations and outstanding job opportunities and still stand by them (albeit disappointed) when we received a call from the high school guidance counselor advising us that one of them had cut school in order to buy beer for a party that evening. How often children, upon becoming young adults, feel they no longer need church. They sleep late on Sunday morning and we feel lucky if we get them to church on Christmas and Easter. It is only after they become parents themselves that they realize what they have missed and what they want to share with their offspring - the comfort of knowing a loving God. Now that our children are grown and are parents themselves, they have told their children this same message of unconditional love. Through their religious studies, whether in church or synagogue, my grandchildren have learned that God will always be there for them. What a wonderful gift. And when they do wrong, their parents will be there to comfort them and get them back on the correct path, reassured that God is always walking beside them.

PRAYER: Precious Jesus, thank you for this message of unconditional love. Watch over us and help us to become vessels for you-to share with others your words and promise.

Egypt's King

2010-03-05T00:01:00.003-05:00

Gen. 37:3-4, 12-28

Nori Huckaby

Joseph was dearly loved by his father and lived a comfortable life before his brothers betrayed him and sold him into slavery. When Joseph became a slave he lost almost everything he had had. It’s hard to imagine a fate much worse than being betrayed by family members and stripped of all possessions and personal freedom. But Joseph still had two of the most important things, God’s love and God’s plan for his life, which no one could take away from him. Joseph’s faith in God helped him to endure many hardships and he discovered that his terrible misfortune was actually an avenue to a wonderful new life.

Prayer: Dear God, please give me strength in times of adversity and help me to understand your plan for my life.

A Bargain

2010-03-04T19:00:00.000-05:00

Luke 6:36-38

Louise Babirak

Once we know that our sins are forgiven and understand that the greatest gift from God is love, we realize that we have the responsibility to extend the same forgiveness and love to everyone in our lives. As God does not withhold His love and compassion; we should not. A forgiving, loving spirit reflects our understanding that we have received these gifts from the Lord.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me to remember the depth of love and forgiveness I show others is a reflection of yours towards me.

Note: This devotion originally published on March 1 matches the right scripture and author with the wrong devotion. The above devotion corrects this editorial mistake.

Charity

2010-03-04T00:01:00.003-05:00

Luke 16:19-31

Bob Hummel

It is hard to imagine the agony in Port au Prince, Haiti. So many dead! For survivors, so much destruction and loss to fathom! We gave. We prayed. And I believe that we as a Nation, as a Body of Christ, and as a Congregation, will continue to help. And that is good. And I hear on the news about other Nations, and an international community, helping the Haitians. That too, is good. But it can’t be enough. There will always be inequalities in this world, and there will always be others who are not as fortunate. How much should we share? What are we to do?

Prayer: Lord, your resurrection should convince us, that we should share what we can. May your message, that we should love one another, guide us in our compassion and help for those who have less, as we share in the gifts that You have given us, even everlasting life itself.

Divine Sacrifice

2010-03-03T00:01:00.002-05:00

Matthew 20:17-28

Mitchell Kiffe

This passage has a lot of cross-currents and clearly focuses on Jesus' divinity and holiness on the one hand, and our human frailty and pettiness on the other. Jesus announces to his disciples that He will be delivered to the Chief Priests and then be condemned, mocked, scourged, and crucified. Jesus also announces that he will be raised on the third day. What is the human response by two disciples and their mother? Do they comfort Him? Try to understand how they can help Him? No. Unfortunately the human response is a request that the disciples be placed at Jesus' right hand and left hand when He comes into the Kingdom!

Even trusted and faithful disciples exhibit self-centeredness and seek elevated stature rather than focusing on God and God's plan.

During Lent we should ponder Jesus' humility and supreme sacrifice and ask what we can do to grow our faith and to follow Him.

Prayer: Dear Lord, we pray for humility. Help us to remember that you are the source of all good things in our lives. We pray that you will give us strength when it is our turn to suffer. Help us to serve others. Amen.

Rabbi

2010-03-02T00:01:00.007-05:00

Matthew 23:1-12

Ellen Lokker

In this passage, Jesus teaches a timeless lesson about hypocrisy and conceit. The Pharisees, who were successors to Moses as teachers of the law, had become the embodiment of hypocrisy. Jesus instructs his followers to “do and observe” what the Pharisees say, but directs them not to act as the Pharisees do, “for they say things and do not do them.” The Pharisees deliberately disregarded the laws they taught and imposed burdens on the people that they had no intention of fulfilling themselves.

Hypocrisy still plagues mankind today. We have all heard the admonition to “do as I say, not as I do” when someone knows their own actions fall short of desired behavior. Hypocrisy is most troubling in the religious arena. We have all witnessed the public downfall of a religious leader caught in immoral behavior. When the leader has strongly condemned that same behavior from the pulpit, it is often the hypocrisy that we find more troubling than the underlying offense. Hypocritical leaders, as well as hypocritical lay people, tarnish the image of Christianity in the public’s mind and diminish the authority of the church.

Jesus teaches us in Matthew that hypocrisy is rooted in conceit. The Pharisees, for example, routinely made elaborate displays of religiosity in their attire. But Jesus reveals that, in their hearts, the Pharisees were motivated in all that they did by the desire for recognition among men. They “do all their deeds to be noticed by men” and “love . . . being called Rabbi by men.”

Jesus warns against these impure motives and admonishes his listeners not to adopt titles of honor in order to elevate one person above another. Jesus reminds us that there is only one Rabbi, one Father, and one Leader: Christ. Jesus calls us to be servants to one another, explaining that the person who humbles himself will be the one that is exalted, not the other way around.

It is striking how much we need this message in the 21^st Century. Can any of us read this passage without a glimmer of self-doubt as to what Christ sees in our heart? Our culture rewards pride and self-promotion. The desire for fame and recognition are driving forces now more than ever before. The notion that a person who humbles himself and behaves like a servant will be the greatest is contrary to secular society’s fundamental message.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, give us the grace to be a servant to others today. Help us to temper our desire for worldly recognition and free us from the driving force of conceit. Work though us so that others will know that there is only one Rabbi, one Father, and one Leader, who is Jesus Christ.

Look Up

2010-02-28T00:01:00.002-05:00

Phil. 3:17 & 4:1

Brett McMillen

In the passage, Paul asks the Philippians to imitate him. I don’t think that I could be so confident and bold to ask others to imitate me. Being the perfect Christian role model is an impossible task. We are all sinners and each day we fall short of God’s plan. I personally fall short in: not praying as often as I should, not always opening my heart to the Holy Spirit, and sometimes failing to treat other according to the Golden Rule. If I were to ask others to imitate me, it would sound something like: ”Join me in a daily struggle to be a good Christian, let’s rejoice together in good thoughts deeds, and please forgive me the rest of the time.”

The book of Philippians is a letter from Paul, an accused prisoner of crimes against the government, written to a small group of followers that includes a gruff jailer, a Jewish merchant, and a sideshow fortuneteller. When times are tough in my own life, I can look at the example of Paul to put things into perspective. Paul was imprisoned at a time in which Emperor Nero was feeding Christians to lions for entertainment. His future was very uncertain, and yet throughout the letter Paul writes of joy and rejoicing even while he is in captivity. Paul’s faith and positive attitude is inspirational.

PRAYER: I pray that I may have the faith of Paul, and rejoice in God’s love even in the darkest of times. May God grant me the wisdom and strength to live my life as God intended. God please give me the ability to have faith, help others, and that my actions will have a positive influence on those around me as continue to try to be a better Christian.

A Holy People

2010-02-27T00:01:00.007-05:00

Deut. 26:16-19

Bill Carbaugh

This week, I was negotiating a cell tower contract with a large carrier ... as we haggled over the price, I was told they had to send my proposed price to committee for "Justification". Thank goodness I don't have to appear before a committee to be justified; I am justified by faith alone. And while God does ask us to have faith in him, he also asks more? The covenant between God and his people requires that we also observe his commandments, not with our head, but with our heart and soul - obeying God's rule is not simply a cerebral exercise, but rather something which is an integral part of our very being. We are to walk in God's way and to be his treasured people. Of course, like any contract, we get something out of it also - God promises to be our God and to set us high in praise and fame and honor. I'd say we got a pretty good deal. Did God?

Prayer: Dear God, Be with us this day and always as we try to do your will and walk in your way. Like the kids in Family Circus, we do not always take the straight and narrow path but find distractions and temptations along the way. Be with us as we make Your Way part of our very being. Keep us strong and steadfast. We thank you for being our God and by our side always. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

What He Asks of Us

2010-02-26T00:01:00.004-05:00

Matthew 5:20-26

Deb Cantrell

Understanding the words of the law can be quite different from understanding what was intended by those who wrote the law. I have five children and I found them to quite good at using “the letter of the law” to their advantage. I had one daughter who was, actually, quite brilliant at helping me understand the law, as it was written. I cannot tell you how many conversations ended with the words, “I know that what I said; and you know exactly what I meant! One conversation went something like this, “You’re right. I did tell you to take a bath and your wet hair dripping all over my floor would tell me you did bathe. However, we both know I intended you to use soap!”

We have a complicated legal system that spends huge amounts of time and resources trying to determine the intent of the law. However, righteousness is more than law. It is what is good and right and this is what God calls us to do as Christians.

While the Pharisees were brilliant at interpreting the letter of the law in the Old Testament, Christ brought a new interpretation. Something more is intended and expected. Yes, God calls us to follow the letter of this world’s law by not stealing, not harming, and not lying. We, on the other hand, are required to do more. We are to feed, clothe and release the oppressed. Even more, we are required to forgive. Now there’s a tough one.

If this weren’t enough, our love of God and the love of our brother are intertwined. So much so that he says something akin to, “Don’t come to me with your offering thinking you’re ‘all that’ after having a big ole’ argument with your brother. Go and make up with him and then come back.”

God cares about the condition of our hearts. What bitterness do we hide, what resentment do we conceal, what keeps us from giving ourselves completely to God. I think God wants us to come to Him with a clean heart, clear conscience, and fully prepared to follow the intent of the law.

Prayer: Lord, help us to come to You with a clean heart, clear conscience, and fully prepared to follow the intent of the law.

Our Model

2010-02-25T00:01:00.005-05:00

Matthew 7:7-12

Kim Buckingham

You may remember the game shows where contestants were told to look behind Door Number 1! Or Door Number 2! It was always suspenseful because you never knew what to expect—it could be a new car! …Or just a ceiling fan light. You may have heard that quote by Forrest Gump who said, "Life [is] like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."

Well, this passage is so comforting because it says that everyone who knocks on God's door will find God behind it. It's a certainty in a life filled with uncertainties. No guessing games, just the knowledge that He is there when you need him. All we have to do it ask. "For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew 7:8).

God is certainly present and here for us whenever we knock. The passage goes on to say that God is here for us just as parents are here for their children. We should be there whenever our children or other loved ones knock - whether it be a knock on the fridge door to ask for a snack, on our car door to ask for a ride, or on our hearts for our love and attention - just to be present and there for them. That's what God does for us and that we can do for others.

PRAYER: Lord, you show us that you are here for us whenever we need you. We are grateful and thankful for your love as a constant in our every changing lives. Help us to be there for others as you are for us. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Comfort

2010-02-24T00:01:00.005-05:00

Psalm 51

Steve Siebert

Psalm 51 is a one of 40 psalms of lament. As a group, these psalms contain portrayals of personal agony repeatedly interrupted by requests for God's intercession. In Psalm 51, the psalmist begs for release from sinfulness. In doing so, he likens his separation from God to being physically broken (v. 8) and admits that he has never been all that God has expected. It is from this expression of pitiful self depredation, that one of the most beautiful and succinct requests for intercession in scripture comes, starting at verse 10 ... "create in me a clean heart O God, and put a new, right spirit in me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation in me and uphold me with a willing spirit." I find it useful to reflect not necessarily on this psalm in times of difficulty, but on the psalmist who, it the midst of dispair, is able to conjure up such great beauty with the help of God. It reminds me that God takes everything in our lives, the good, and the bad and uses it for his own purpose. From the psalmists anguish he created such a beautiful prayer for sustainance that has survived for 2500 years, is the lyrics for a hymn of the day in the former hymnal and a prayer countless have prayed.

Prayer: Dear God, I pray that you will uphold me in all that I do, guiding me away from sin and death and towards life with you. Please be steadfastly beside me when I am my weakest and know that I love you always.

The Spirit Speaks

2010-02-23T00:01:00.005-05:00

Matthew 6:7-15

Maia Spoto

Jesus gives us words to pray. I know that’s true, because usually when I’m in bed saying my prayers, the first thing that comes to my mind is ‘um’. But Jesus gives me words to pray, so my prayers aren’t “Dear God, um, um, um…In Jesus’ name we pray, Uhmen.”

This verse in Matthew says that I don’t need to focus on a long prayer- the best prayer is the Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer says that we need to praise God, trust Him to do His will, and ask Him for the things we need. It also says to ask God to help us avoid evil, ask forgiveness and forgive others.

When you think about it,that takes care of everything!

PRAYER: Dear God, please give us words to pray when we have none. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

With Experience

2010-02-22T00:01:00.012-05:00

Matthew 16:13-19

Julie Wainner

"Who do you say I am?" This was a question Jesus put to Simon. Through God’s grace, Simon answered correctly and succinctly - "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." In the year 2010, it seems like an easy question, and one might even wonder why Christ asked Simon such a question. But as you read on, you quickly realize that Jesus had not revealed that information to Simon, which makes Simone’s answer miraculous. The answer was given to Simon directly from God. No one taught this to Simon. He was inspired through God Almighty. Because of this, Jesus made Simon the Rock of the Church. He was made the foundation.

I think about how I would answer that question should Jesus and I meet face to face. What would I say? I could respond with all of the usual, learned responses, such as, “Lord, you are King, Son of God, Master, Savior, Redeemer, All Powerful and Loving God”, as well as many other names that have been taught to me over the years. As my faith became more apparent to those around me, this question was asked to me by friends, family, Christians, non-Christians, atheists, agonistics, etc. For many years I was afraid and embarrassed to respond, worried that others would ridicule me or put my answers to scientific tests. Then, one day after arguing and defending my belief in Christ, my eyes were open to the Truth.

"Who do you say I am?" My answer was simple: “Peace.”

Christ’s peace cannot be scientifically proven, or described, or explained to those who have not recognized it. Christ is comfort and warmth that one feels no matter what is going on around them. The times I have felt the most peace was when life was most bitter. Then a miracle would happen…. a new day would dawn and Peace was still with me – Christ was still with me. Many times we are not aware of His mighty presence, but we feel something that we cannot name.

This to me is Peace. This is Christ. I believe that God, like Simon, opened my eyes to this awesome revelation. It was not something taught, but something learned through time and trials. The Holy Spirit touched my heart and soul and revealed to me that Christ is the King of Peace.

Life has been good to me, but not perfect. I have traveled over rough roads, but not hopeless roads. I have cried and laughed and hoped, but not until I prayed, did I experience Christ’s peace. I believe God reveals many aspects of Christ to us without ever being taught or consciously thinking about it, and then one day, we wake up and see what and who Christ is to us.

Through God’s grace and the Holy Spirit, I finally understand the following Scripture reading:

“I am leaving you at peace. I am giving you my own peace. I am not giving it to you as the world gives. So don’t let your hearts be troubled, and don’t be afraid.”

Ask yourself today: "Who do you say I am?"

PRAYER: Dear Father, as we travel through life and the trials of the day, let me know your presence through peace that only you can give us. Let me know the difference between happiness and peace. We may not “be happy” with our current situation, but with your love, help and guidance, may we feel the peace that only you can give. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen

Listen

2010-02-21T00:01:00.003-05:00

Romans 10:8-13

Kathy Zimmerman

Have you ever prepared a meal for someone and the only comment you hear is “This tastes…interesting.” What does that mean? Is the diner saying “What a fascinating confluence of flavors you have prepared to create the perfect culinary delight” or “It’s curious that you chose to put these ingredients together to create this inedible mess”?

If we only hear words, we miss so very much of what is said. We need to use all of our senses to really understand the meaning, to really listen. If we see that the dinner plate is left essentially untouched, we know the diner meant the latter.

The same is true of our relationship with God. “That if you confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Romans 10:9-10). If we proclaim that we believe Jesus Christ is our savior but turn our backs on our brothers and sisters in need, we have spoken only with our mouths and not with our hearts. But if we profess our love for Christ and lend a helping hand to those who need it and share with others what we have, we are saying with our hearts that Jesus is in us. That is a statement worth listening to.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to be a good listener. Help me listen to my heart. Amen.

Feast

2010-02-20T00:01:00.006-05:00

Luke 5:27-32

Art Evans

About three years ago, our fellow Christ the King member, Allen Wild, got me involved with Habitat For Humanity, a nonprofit, ecumenical, Christian ministry. We were volunteering at the construction of a 12-unit condominium building, and I noticed that many of the prospective home owners had names that were African or Middle Eastern. It was the practice of “Habitat” to put a picture and the names of the new families on the entrance to each condo. Of course, at that time I was uncertain of the religious-affiliation of each owner. Although I do my best to live by the words Jesus taught to us during His Sermon on the Mount, especially those written by Matthew – see Mt 5:46, I must admit I was curious why “Habitat” could not find some Christians “just like me” to support.

Finally, it was the day of Dedication for the condominium, and each new family was presented with the keys to their new home. I was so glad to see that in addition to a brand new home each was presented with a Bible! Think of it; a new home and the Word of God all in one. I knew then that the Kingdom of God is truly for everyone, and I was wrong in my perception when I first viewed those pictures on each condo entrance. I was like the Pharisees complaining to the disciples about who Jesus was supporting by attending a banquet given at the house of a hated tax collector. When Jesus came to Matthew’s house, he was saying to us to open our minds, eyes, and hearts to see the world the way He sees the world. The gift of the Bible was an invitation to feast on the Bread of Life. Jesus says, “He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty”. It was an invitation to drink the Living Water. Jesus says, “the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life”. Jesus shared his love and presence with everyone, not just His friends during the feast at Matthew’s house, and it is our obligation as followers of the teachings of our Lord and Savior to do the same.

PRAYER: Lord, help us to live by Your teachings and not just read them. Amen

Who Do You Serve?

2010-02-19T00:01:00.002-05:00

Isaiah 58:1-9

Lynne Roots

Christmas and Easter come once a year. Sunday is just one day of the week. Our Bible verse for this devotional talks about fasting. The people are miffed because they have been fasting and following all the rules but have not been noticed. “Why have we fasted and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves and you have not noticed?” The response to that: “Is this the kind of day I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself?....”a day acceptable to the Lord?” Oops! Too many of us think that going to church on Sunday, showing up for Christmas Eve or Easter morning or fasting during Lent is enough service. Guess again. God doesn’t want us to be part time Christians. We are to wear our Christianity daily....feed the hungry….provide shelter for the wanderer…clothe the naked…and not to turn away from our own flesh and blood. A very tall order. Being a Christian takes work, a concerted effort, a commitment. We each have our own thoughts about what it means to serve and how and when.

Remember, service is an act of humility not recognition.

PRAYER: Help me remember I am the servant.

Letting Go

2010-02-18T00:01:00.002-05:00

Luke 9:22-25

Trudie Goff

It was fortuitous that I would randomly select the theme of “letting go” as my Lenten devotion to write this year. For me personally, the year of 2009 was a year of letting go of so much…people both in body and spirit, and really, letting go of my own will and finally letting God lead my life. This exercise of writing has honestly has helped me to reflect and see God’s handiwork in guiding my spirit back in alignment with His vision for my life. The by-product has been peace to my weary soul and a sense of purpose in the many avenues of my life as a wife, mother, teacher, friend, only child and daughter to my aging mother, and counterpart to society. I feel reconnected to God and am asking daily for Him to allow me to be his disciple in all I do.

The verses from Luke 9: 23-24 say, “Then He said to them all, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those of who want to their save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.” I can’t think of two more important verses that help me to reflect on the essentialness of giving our lives over to the one who wonderfully made us and to live our lives for His purposes.

But it is easier said than done because real life steps in and rears its’ somewhat ugly head and can knock us off the course and path we walk upon. Life happens…losses too many to count, tragedy, sorrow, and sadness. We all have been there in one way or another.

I questioned it many times…where was God in the midst of all of my heartache and confusion? Of course He was there. I had been through so much in years prior being dealt a healthcare crisis in my own life several years prior. God remained more than faithful in saving my physical life and guarding my family as we went through the darkest nights of our souls.

My father died of cancer on New Year’s Eve last year. Less than one week later, a dear friend of nearly 22 years died a horrible death to cancer as well. I also had been experiencing many challenges both professionally and personally. My peace of mind was challenged and I was washed over in a sea of grief and total confusion.

God continually was whispering to me literally, “Let go.” And at times, I did and other times, I clung to my own understanding of situations and it got me nowhere very quickly.

It reminded metaphorically of my college summers of working at Lutherdale Bible Camp in Elkhorn, WI. We had a “ropes course” that the junior and senior high campers would spend time in teams doing various activities like scaling walls, climbing trees, and doing the “trust fall.” For me, the “trust fall” was truly the hardest of the ropes course challenges. Each of us took a turn to stand on an old log backwards with all of the counselors standing behind us with outstretched arms for us to fall into.

You simply were to let go, trust and fall into their arms. There was no danger of being dropped. These were trusted and kind friends. Yet, I was completely petrified. When I finally allowed myself the courage to actually fall, it was an amazing feeling. It was like all the heaviness in my heart had melted away. Peace and trust abounded. I often go back to that moment as a 20 year old young woman and remember looking up at all of my friends and smiling. They cheered because they knew how very difficult it was for me to go off of that old log. God must smile at us when we finally just fall off the old logs of our lives and allow him to replace that mistrust with trust.

My good friend Margie always called this “letting go and letting God” a “freefall into grace.” My own faith journey has been many ups and downs of letting go. But this time, at nearly 47 years old, I decided to surrender and “take up my cross for Christ.”

A book I can highly recommend that really aided my thinking and transformed how I got through this difficult period in my life is called How Can I Let Go If I don’t Know I’m Holding On? Setting our Souls Free. Written by a Christian writer named Linda Douty, I found myself drawn to her Godly words and insight.

I would like to end this with a prayer she uses in her book from Kenya, United Methodist Hymnal:

PRAYER:“From the cowardice that dares not face new truth,

From the laziness that is contented with half-truth,

From the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth,

Good Lord, deliver us….AMEN”

May God give you the courage to examine your hearts and spirits and to “let go”. Let Him bind up your wounds, dry your tears, and give you a better way to live. Fall off of that log and into those loving arms of God’s grace.

Ash Wednesday

2010-02-17T00:01:00.003-05:00

Matthew 6:1-6,16-18

Dave Whelan

As Lent begins today, God wants us to quietly listen to the words of his son. What does that mean “quietly?” Jesus says in the gospel “Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in Heaven.” He goes on by saying “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men.” During this Lenten period, there are so many opportunities for us to perform “random acts of kindness” that can be done without a lot of celebration or fanfare. Look no further than provide some type of assistance for those in need down in Haiti. The survivors will be in need for a period much longer than the next 40 days. We at Christ the King have already been sending our first fruits from the Silver to Gold campaign to Haiti, but certainly now is the time for each of us to step up that effort. During the pastoral transition period here at CTK, many programs can be sustained as well as enhanced through several additional hours of your time each week. Rather than sit back and wait for a new “leader,” take charge of a program, committee or service activity and make it the best it can be. Let’s not make this just a good place for a new Pastor to join, but a great place to share God’s word and to help those truly in need. Be quiet about your mission, from whatever pulpit works for you, but do it enthusiastically.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, as we enter into this Lenten season, please allow each of us to quietly yet enthusiastically provide for the needy, pray for the sick and the lonely, and act in so many ways that can assist those less fortunate than us. Amen

Lenten 2010: Give Up 5 Minutes of Stress, Receive 5 Minutes of Community

2010-02-13T14:05:00.000-05:00

Many of the daily devotions that you will read this Lenten Season reflect the troubled economic times in which we live. Troubled times in which many people seek community. Challenging times in which the Church seeks guidance and leadership. While many seek community via face-to-face contact, others seek community via means that they practice daily. And, to many that means realizing community with others around the world using Internet technologies.

Internet technologies present an interesting set of challenges and opportunities to the Christian Church. At Christ the King, we see cyber technologies as a means to further evangelize the Gospel of Christ. Responding to Christ’s direction – “as the Father has sent me, so I send you” – we go forth into cyber space proclaiming the His glory. We provide devotions at this site as witness to the Word. We hope you find the devotions spiritually interesting and rewarding.

When Ash Wednesday arrives in a few days, we invite you, in the tradition of Lent, to give up 5 minutes of stress each day and give yourself 5 minutes of Christian peace, reflection, and community. In those 5 minutes, join us - the members of Christ the King Lutheran Church and others from around the world - as a community, dare we say a family, of Christian believers come together for spiritual renewal and growth through commitment to Christ and each other.

Here is how you can receive the cyber edition of the 2010 CTK Lenten Devotions:
>Go to the devotions page and bookmark the site now - come back often!
>Or, you can go to the devotions page and subscribe by clicking on "Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)" at the bottom of a daily post
>If you received the devotions via email last year, you will continue to receive the devotions via email
>Remember, you are always welcomed to join us for worship (Sunday at 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM) or visit us at www.Christ-the-King-Lutheran.org

The Fine Print: All scripture in our devotions is linked to the oremus Bible Browser. We thank Simon Kershaw for his permission to link to this site. We thank the National Council of Churches USA for allowing us to provide scripture text. This blog carefully follows the copyright permission as specified by the NCC USA.

'New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.’

‘New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.’

Easter Sunday

2009-04-12T00:01:00.001-04:00

Mark 16:1-8

Pastor Scott McAnally

In my life there have been many moments where I have felt like those gathered around the tomb on that Easter morning as Mark’s Gospel reports. I have felt alone and been afraid, not knowing what’s going to come next. I’m sure that all of us at one time or another have felt this way. With challenges facing us as a society today in the economic and political spectrums, it’s easy to get ourselves down and to lose hope. The world wants us to look at the empty tomb and ‘be afraid.’ (vs. 8)

But that’s not the end of the story. Here we stand some 2000 years later because those disciples refused to let fear ‘seize’ them. They went and they told the story…

Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!

Today is the day we celebrate that amidst the fears and uncertainties in our lives, there is one certainty that we can proclaim, that Christ has risen from the dead! “This is the feast of victory for our God! Alleluia!” Amidst your doubts, your fears, and your sorrows, Christ comes to you, risen and alive…and raises you up to a new creature in Christ, alive, forgiven, and comforted. Today you are not alone, you are Christ’s and have been named and placed in Christ’s care and love. So…on this day…on the day of Resurrection, know that no matter where you are, where you might be, what challenges might be facing you, and no matter what is ailing you, Christ is with you…Christ is present…and Christ will be with you always! Hallelujah!

PRAYER: God of mercy, we longer look for Jesus among the dead, for he is alive and has become the Lord of life. Increase in our minds and hearts the risen life we share with Christ, and help us to grow as your people toward the fullness of eternal life with you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Easter Vigil: Do Not Fear

2009-04-11T00:01:00.001-04:00

Exodus 14:15 - 15:1

Pastor Scott McAnally

All around the world on this day as the sun sets, communities of faith will gather around a fire and keep watch, holding a vigil. From a small fire, congregations will re-light their paschal candle (the big baptismal candle) and process into a darkened sanctuary, with the shadows of Good Friday still lingering. And under the light of the baptismal promise, up to 12 stories will be told of God’s remarkable activity in the lives of the people of the Old Testament.

Our text today is one of those stories. The story of the Red Sea Crossing is one of the most miraculous stories of scripture. But to get a full reading of it, I urge you to read it beginning with verse 1 of chapter 14. Pharaoh is in hot pursuit. The Exodus journey is losing its ‘newness’ as the days go on and the travel begins to wear on some of the Israelites. Some begin to look back at Egypt, fearing the unknown journey ahead…some even wish for the days of slavery, because at least they had a roof over their head and three square meals a day. And who could blame them? Following God often entails leaving what’s comfortable and stepping out in faith…and the good news my friends is that as God parted the Red Seas, God doesn’t forsake you. God never asks you to do anything that God hasn’t done already.

Faith journeys have lots of twists, turns, and bumps in the road. Mine certainly has. Sometimes I even feel as though there have been some switch-backs and u-turns. Yet the promise as revealed in Exodus, and in all of the 12 lessons read in the Easter Vigil Liturgy, is that God is with me…and God will deliver me. And God is with you. God delivers you…so step out in faith, know that you are loved, claimed, saved, and forgiven.

PRAYER: Eternal giver of life and light, this holy night shines with the radiance of the risen Christ. Renew your church with the Spirit given to us in baptism, that we may worship you in sincerity and truth and may shine as a light in the world, through your Son, Jesus Christ out Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Good Friday: Willing

2009-04-10T00:01:00.001-04:00

Isaiah 52:13-53:12

Caroline Hawkins

What this passage means is: “Though he was innocent, Jesus freely died to save the world from sin.” That means that when I sin, Jesus will forgive me. I know Jesus will forgive me, because he loves Earth, he loves Heaven, and he loves me.

PRAYER: Lord God and Jesus, Thank you for giving your holy forgiveness. We all pray that we give you our love with our whole, holy hearts. Amen.

Maundy Thursday: Teacher

2009-04-09T00:01:00.001-04:00

John 13:1-15

Steve Wilson

One of the greatest lessons in the gospels is the value of being a servant: the strength, glory, and impact we can have, not from being served, but in serving others. In John 13:1-15, Jesus is the model servant, washing the feet of his disciples. Such a humble act. Something the lowliest slave would do. However, Jesus says, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” This was one of Jesus’ last teachings to his Disciples on the night of the Last Supper.

I often think when I feel I’m losing perspective, wrapped up in worldly things, “what have I done to help others?” We should all look at opportunities in our lives to imitate Jesus the servant. What a special blessing to gain wisdom, humility, and a life well-lived – just from serving others. As the proverb goes, “I raise my children not for themselves but for the impact they will have on those they serve.”

PRAYER: Lord, you give us such great examples that show the truth and glory of your word. Life is fuller…with more spirit…and we are rewarded many times over…if we follow your word and imitate your actions. Amen.

Surely Not I

2009-04-08T00:01:00.001-04:00

Matthew 26:14-25

Steve O'Connor

Betrayed. Most of us have experienced a betrayal of some sort in our lives. It hurts. Especially when the betrayer is someone we love.

This passage from Matthew recounts the betrayal of Christ by someone close to him, his disciple Judas, in exchange for thirty silver coins (according to my Bible, the price of a slave). For that price, Judas agreed to hand Jesus over to the religious leaders who opposed his teachings and sought his death. At the Last Supper, after the money was paid, Jesus announced that one of the twelve would betray him. Each of the disciples in turn questioned Jesus, in effect denying that he was the one. Even Judas had the audacity to ask “Surely not I, Rabbi?” But Jesus answered with the truth, telling Judas what he already knew—he was the one.

“Betray” has a number of definitions in my dictionary. One of those definitions, “to deliver to an enemy by treachery,” perfectly fits the actions of Judas in this passage of Scripture. “Betray” also means “to fail or desert,” which not only applies to the actions of Judas (and to the eleven other disciples after Jesus is taken into custody), but also to our actions. This is the betrayal that occurs when we act contrary to our faith. It happens in what we think, say and do. We are creatures of sin. Choosing not to attend church. Selfishly not supporting the ministries of God’s Church on Earth. Treating others badly. Jesus said “[i]f you love me, you will obey what I command.” John 14:15. But in these, and so many other ways, we fail to obey. When that happens we betray God by failing to stay on the path He wants us to walk.

“Betray,” however, has another definition, which is “to lead astray.” Does that definition also apply? Maybe. Perhaps by failing to obey what God commands, we betray ourselves in that we lead ourselves astray from the relationship God wants to have with us.

PRAYER: Gracious God, Grant us by your grace the strength to remain steadfast in our faith, so that we may seek not to betray you by what we think, say or do. Amen.

Rock of Refuge

2009-04-07T00:01:00.001-04:00

Psalm 71:1-6, 15, 17

Joni Holeman

This is an Old Testament psalm written by David before he became Israel’s king. David never knew Jesus, but God considered David a good friend because David listened and consulted with God whenever he faced decisions. Well, almost always—David only made terrible choices when he did not ask God for help!

“Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go;

Give the command to save me,

For you are my rock and my fortress.”

The heartfelt prose in Psalm 71 has maintained its popularity for centuries.

“You have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord,

My confidence since my youth.”

Looking introspectively, I can discern a few parallels from Psalm 71 in my life. I’ve trusted God and prayed daily since childhood, even through my un-churched years from 16-42 (yep, I was one of those teen dropouts!).

“Since my youth, O God, you have taught me,

And to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.”

God and his Holy Spirit have been a fortress to me, especially since becoming a Stephen Minister. It’s the Spirit who gives me the right words to say. And if I listen carefully, I’ve learned that the Spirit will even shut my mouth when there are no right words.

It’s taken me a surprisingly long time to learn how to pray to Jesus, though. Maybe I’ve had a God-as-authority-figure neurosis going on because of those un-churched years! The wonderful Bible studies we’ve shared here at Christ the King have taught me the healing redemption of Christ. Now I know that I can trust in Jesus, my Savior, every day until eternity. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!

PRAYER: Father, we use David’s words in prayer: “Who, O God, is like you? Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, You who have done great things. Rescue me and deliver me in your righteousness; Turn your ear to me and save me. Do not cast me away when I am old; Do not forsake me when my strength is gone.” We place our trust in your blessed Son Jesus, Amen.

Eyes For Others

2009-04-06T00:01:00.001-04:00

Isaiah 42:1-7

Rob Loesch

Upon my first read, I found these paragraphs very disturbing. They can be interpreted in a variety of ways, depending on one’s current circumstances and personal objectives. In good times, the passages can lead one toward humility and compassion. In bad times, they could be a call for us to enforce God’s righteous justice through violence and religious warfare.

Pastor Gysan was kind of enough to provide additional information about the context of Isaiah’s writings, as well as a historical understanding. This passage is considered to be one of the four servant songs in Isaiah. He noted Isaiah 49:1-6, 50:4-9, 52:13-53:12 to fill in the context. Taken all together, I have a better understanding. In paragraph 2 through 7, guidance is being provided on what our personal mission should be, including our behavior toward others. The idea is to not Lord over others, but to act as a servant to one another, helping each other as Jesus helped us on earth and continues to help us from heaven above.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Please hear the voice of those desiring peace. Please open the minds and souls of those who are blinded by their extreme positions and lead them toward compassion and reconciliation. We pray that all may live free of tyranny and injustice. Amen.

Passion

2009-04-05T00:01:00.001-04:00

Isaiah 50:4-7

Adriana Lundgren

In the sight of such great suffering, we find the strength to drink our cup. What that means to me is that no matter what happens, we will have the strength to recover, because God will help us. There are things that happen in the world that are very sad, and God helps us get through them.

PRAYER: God, Please help everyone who is going through a hard time, so they will find the strength to drink their cup.

Entrance

2009-04-04T00:01:00.001-04:00

Ezekiel 37:21-28

anonymous

In my opinion, this passage shows Jesus bringing his people, the Israelites, to him. He is proclaiming that they will have one leader and “shepherd” and can come to his sanctuary whenever they feel down and want to pray.

PRAYER: Please God, let us come freely to your house every Sunday and be able to pray. Amen.

Not To Us

2009-04-03T00:01:00.002-04:00

John 10:31-42

Jeanne McKinley

In this passage, Christ tries to enlighten a crowd of men who want to stone him. He says that if they don’t believe in him, they could believe in his works that were done for God.

As a professional school counselor, I cannot preach Christ to students at my Fairfax County Public Elementary School. But every day I wear my cross. Sometimes children initiate a conversation, and I can respond fully, lovingly, from a historical perspective. And all I do, I do with love for God in my heart. I pray that everyone might see the reason and know that my God is great because of His love.

PRAYER: Dear God, May our actions always glorify you. May we remember that our talents were a gift from you, so that we could fulfill the purpose you gave us for our lives. Amen.

He Is Eternal

2009-04-02T00:01:00.000-04:00

John 8:51-59

Greg Maxwell

In this passage from Saint John, Jesus promises eternal life for those who believe in him and follow him. He even tells the Jews that he existed before Abraham. This is one of the most powerful statements made by Jesus, because it undeniably acknowledges and proclaims his divinity. Jesus not only claims to know Abraham, but uses God's holy name ("I am") for himself. This claim invokes a natural response by the Jews who accuse him of blasphemy and try to stone him on the spot.

Eternity means having an infinite duration. Eternity is characterized by abiding fellowship with God. Eternity continues without intermission and is endless. We humans struggle with eternity. It is so difficult to fathom. In our society, everything has a limit. Our games and sports have a time limit, even a "sudden death" rule. Our careers end, our childhood ends, our innocence ends, our weekends end, our days end, and ultimately our life here on earth ends. In my high school math class, I remember struggling with the concept of infinity, when finally my teacher told me that I just had to accept it and move on. Our faith is a lot like that . . . we just have to accept it and believe in Jesus' promise of eternal life.

Newsweek once had an entire issue devoted to Science versus Religion, and one article featured a debate between a renowned atheist and Pastor Rick Warren, the author of "A Purpose Driven Life." The pastor and the atheist went back and forth trying to prove their position and defeat their opponent. Finally, Pastor Warren stated that one simply has to believe in God and have faith. He closed with saying that if he was wrong it wouldn't matter when he died, but if the atheist was wrong, it certainly would matter when he died! I don't know about you, but I am not willing to take that chance! Are you?

PRAYER: Oh dear Lord, we pray for your support; help us to have faith in you, live your word, and respond to your love. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Promised Heirs

2009-04-01T00:01:00.002-04:00

John 8:31-42

David Whelan

Jesus said to Jews who believed in him “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Does each of you know that you are Ministers of Christ the King Lutheran Church? No, the answer is not APRIL FOOLS!! We have all been brought together through many walks of life because we believe in the Word and want to share it with others. We are seeking the freedom to be what God has meant for each of us to be. Jesus promises that when you truly believe in him, when you follow him, hear his Word, and continue in it, a wonderful thing will happen -- "the truth will set you free." I would like to stress the words “continue in it.” Our church needs to grow in its membership, benevolence, and stewardship. Our pastors and church council can only do so much. Each of us is a disciple of Jesus Christ and Christ the King Lutheran Church. What have you done recently, within your own family, business place, grocery store, or neighborhood to be a disciple of Christ? If your answer is “very little”, please take a moment to decide how you can become a better disciple. Try it – you’ll like it!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you for giving us the first day of April, with spring in full bloom. We realize that you have meant for us to be your disciples, but we also realize that we have not performed as well as we are capable. Please continue to guide and strengthen us daily, through your Word, so that we will know the truth and that the truth will set each of us free. In God’s name we pray. Amen.

Together Forever

2009-03-31T00:01:00.001-04:00

John 8:21-30

Jennifer Hanna

Is God with us forever? He may not reveal His presence with a Biblical flourish-- no modern burning bushes or voices in the night-- but He is there in subtle ways. Do you notice situations where you can't devise a solution, yet hours or days later a simple, even elegant answer comes to you? That is God with you.

As a child, prayers consisted of "please get me a bike" or "let me ace this test". As a young adult, less selfish and more idealistic, it was "please help the needy" or "help my friend recover from illness". As a mature adult, I still pray for the well-being of others but find myself returning to personal (less materialistic) needs as well. There are also many prayers of thanks. I believe God listens, and responds.

During my morning commute I listen to a radio station that gives an inspirational thought, then plays a gospel song. (Not what you would expect from a hip-hop station...) They often play "Jesus Can Work It Out", by Dr. Charles Hayes. When life's struggles become difficult to bear alone-- family relationships, health scares, career challenges-- I remember the lyrics to the song. "Gave it over to Jesus, I stopped worrying about it." Simple and true. He is there for you. He is there with you. No matter what.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you for your guidance and presence in the beginning, now, and forever. Amen.

Justice

2009-03-30T00:01:00.002-04:00

John 8:1-11

Peter Hilgartner

We have a monetary recession taking place right now. It has adversely affected many of us. Many of us are frightened, asking ourselves ‘will it ever end?’ How badly will I be hurt before it does? What’s our new President going to do to steady the ship of state? Uncertainty runs rampant.

Bad things were happening in Jesus’ time. Whenever he encountered someone in distress, he took action to help that person. On the right side of the sanctuary in our church, there in a window, is a depiction (John 18:5) of the story about a man who had been sick for 38 years. He believed he needed to get someone to put him in the nearby waters to heal. Jesus saw him and told the man, “Get up, pick up your bedroll and walk.”

John 8:3-11 tells the story of an adulteress who was about to be stoned to death until Jesus rescued her, simply by telling those who were about to stone her, “let the one who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” When they heard this, they left one by one, until only Jesus was left with the woman. His admonition to her was “go and sin no more.”

The two stories above illustrate two ways you can “extend your arm” to help someone. One is passive. The other is the active way. Which is the best way? It depends on the situation, but if you know or see someone in distress, as my Marine drill instructor once told me: “Don’t just stand there, Marine, do something!”

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, while I can never walk in your shoes, this sinner asks for your forgiveness. I ask you to point the way with your strong arm that I may be worthy of your blessing and everlasting love.

Silent Prayer

2009-03-29T00:01:00.001-04:00

Jeremiah 31:31-34

David Tozer

In today’s passage, Jeremiah tells how God will put his law into the hearts of the people of Israel and Judah so that they will know God from within. God places that same knowledge and promise in each of our hearts today.

It is easy for us to forget how God is within us throughout our lives. In times of happiness or success we should remember a prayer to God, thanking Him for the guidance and commandments He placed in us, which helped steer us along the correct path to our achievement. Times of sadness or failure require a deeper introspection to try to determine what in God’s words within us have led to the current circumstances. And in regular, day-to-day life, we should take time to understand God’s laws which we carry and which should form the basis for our daily living.

PRAYER: Lord, Help me to remember that you are within me, guiding me with your commandments and promises. Through the power of prayer, especially the silent prayers that I speak to you from my heart, help me to learn the meaning of the promises you placed within me.

Heralds

2009-03-28T00:01:00.003-04:00

John 7:40-53

Martina Goss

It is usually very difficult to encourage people to listen to God’s Word. As a child, I found it much easier -- perhaps because children haven’t yet been too burdened by life experiences, politics, prejudices, and the like. I had childhood friends of many backgrounds: Buddhist, Muslim, Shinto, and Jewish, to name a few. I invited friends often to attend church with me, hoping that if they heard the word of God spoken at church and Sunday School, and if they knew what I knew about Jesus, we could all be united as Christians. Many times these childhood friends would attend with me, and I hope they were able to understand some of God’s works, even if they didn’t become lifelong Christians.

As I became an adult, I still invited people to come to church. They declined more frequently, which was not surprising. Regardless, it is our responsibility to take every opportunity, through our thoughts, words, and actions, to model God’s Word for ourselves, our children, our community and the world. In the spirit of being “first on our streets to proclaim the mighty works of God” invite a friend -- and encourage your child to invite a friend -- to attend church with your family. Then watch with joy as God works in their hearts and yours.

PRAYER: Dear God, Help us to be the heralds of Your good works. Thank you for reminding us that our words and actions should reflect Your goodness and mercy for all people. In Your name we pray, Amen.

Redeemer of the World

2009-03-27T00:01:00.001-04:00

Psalm 34:17-21, 23

Emily Sweet

I remember a time when I was tired and fed-up with school. We got our report cards that day, so we went out to eat (a reward for getting good grades). I was still grumpy from school, so I took it all out on my parents and sister. As usual, they tried to cheer me up with some jokes. After a while, I snapped out of it and we had a great time. This just shows how God (through my parents and sister not getting mad at me) is slow to anger, and never gives up on you.

PRAYER: God, please help us not to turn against you and sin.

Proof

2009-03-26T00:01:00.001-04:00

John 5:31-47

Bill Wagner

In this reading, Jesus is attempting to convince his audience that He has been sent by God and is to deliver the message of salvation from God. For the Jewish community, a single witness was not sufficient in any legal matter; there had to be two witnesses. So Jesus refers to John the Baptist as confirmation of His true self. If one goes back to Deuteronomy 18:17-18, Moses states: “And the Lord said to me ……I will raise up a prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth”. It was unfortunate that many in the Jewish population, especially their leaders, did not see Jesus as fulfilling this prophecy, did not believe His message and would not accept Him as the Messiah.

How much proof do we need? Why do people struggle to believe that God and Jesus are real and that having faith in His grace and mercy can lead us to the fulfillment and contentment that we all are seeking? As a trained scientist, I look for proof of certain facts that can lead to confirming a possible hypothesis and eventually a solution. In this case, the proof was there in the scriptures that had predicted this prophet was going to appear and should have been apparent to anyone who was open to what was taking place. However, we also have to have faith, an allegiance to God. Faith is believing in something even when we do not have any proof of what we believe in.

PRAYER: Gracious God, help us to see your presence in our lives and recognize that Jesus was sent to us as our Savior. We thank you for your many blessings and ask that you continue to strengthen our faith and help us to live our lives as Jesus demonstrated in his life. Amen.

Like Father

2009-03-25T00:01:00.001-04:00

John 5:17-30

Michael Brock

Who is your role model? Maybe it is your mother or father, or a teacher or coach. Who was Jesus’ role model? In John 5 (and throughout the Bible), we see that it was absolutely God, His Father. In these verses of John, we see Jesus working on the Sabbath – healing the sick. His words and acts would lead to grave consequences with the Jewish authorities, but he remained steadfast to his role model. His words read: “My Father is always working, and I too must work…The Son can do nothing on his own; he does only what he sees his Father doing.”

My role model was my father. Dad was a high school math teacher. He had high expectations of his students -- and even higher expectations of my two brothers and me. When the rules were broken, we were held accountable. When I was about seven years old, I remember having to serve time sitting in a corner chair for two weeks. Each day I’d come home from school, and instead of going outside to play, I found my way quickly to the chair to ponder my errant ways. I don’t even remember what I did wrong that time, but I certainly remember the lesson. Thereafter, I always worked hard to meet his complete expectations. But I always knew that he loved me unconditionally, even when I didn’t meet them.

Jesus said: “I am not trying to do what I want, but only what he who sent me wants.” What a wonderful model for us to follow.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank you for all the blessings you have given to us. Thank you for giving us your Son, Jesus Christ, as a model of love. Please forgive us for not doing the good things we know we should do, and for doing the bad things we know we should not do. Please continue to guide us, guard us, and bless us. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Wellspring

2009-03-24T00:01:00.001-04:00

John 5:1-16

Liz Spoto

In these verses of John, a paralytic lies at the edge of healing waters, waiting as others push ahead to enter the pool before him and be cured. Jesus sees the man and heals him, saying “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” Jesus provided the opportunity for healing; and, importantly, the man obeyed the command.

Throughout our lives, God gives us daily opportunities to improve our lives. But those chances rely on our willingness to listen, to obey, and to have faith that the “cure” will follow. He gives the water of baptism to all, for the forgiveness of our sins. We don’t need to wait our turn, as the paralytic had been doing. No one can step ahead of us. We simply need to ask for God’s holy baptism and believe that it will heal us.

I learned recently that I have never been baptized. I was “dedicated to God” as a baby, which my family and I mistook for baptism. But I was never given the sacrament of holy baptismal water. Interestingly enough, the same is true for my father. We both asked Jesus to come into our lives many, many years ago. And we’ve certainly felt His loving presence within us for as long as we can remember. But something still doesn’t feel complete without his holy baptism. So, together this spring, we plan to obey God’s command and accept his most precious gift of true healing and forgiveness.

I’ll admit that it may feel a little awkward to walk forward as adults, amidst a group of white-gowned children. But we both believe it’s time that we listen to God, obey his command and fully accept his most generous gift to us.

PRAYER: Dear God, Thank you for the many blessings you give us freely every day. Please give us the wisdom, the courage and the faith to listen and obey when you speak, so that our lives may be as full and complete as you intend them to be.

Prophet

2009-03-23T00:01:00.001-04:00

John 4:43-54

Bill Takis

In these verses of John, we learn of one of Jesus’ miracles – healing the son of a royal official. When one reads these passages – particularly where Jesus says “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe” – one may think that Jesus is angry at us for requiring proof of his divineness. I believe Jesus is merely taking a deep sigh and a gentle laugh, and accepting us for our shortcomings.

We are surrounded by miracles every day – whether they are the unexpected healing of a sick loved one, the symmetrical beauty of a spring flower, or the sweet smile of a small child. I believe Jesus is telling us that we should rejoice in all His miracles – big and small – and remember that He is with us, whether we recognize those miracles or not.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Please grant us the clarity to recognize the many miracles you create and the wisdom to accept them in whatever form they take. Amen.

Light of Christ

2009-03-22T00:01:00.001-04:00

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Linda Goglia

On good days, it’s easy to feel Christ’s light in my life. I see Him in the beauty of nature. I feel Him in the love I share with family and friends. I experience His mercy and compassion in the many joyful moments He sends my way. Then I really know that God is there for me.

It’s the bad days that can really get to me. When life is the hardest; when I feel overwhelmed by grief, pain, fear and/or suffering; when I feel lost and alone. That’s when I struggle the most to experience Christ’s light in my life.

As a child, I’d learned a song that comforted me in these times. It always warmed my heart and helped me feel God’s love and support. I would sing it quietly to myself whenever I felt sad or overwhelmed: “Be Still, My Soul; the Lord is by thy side… Bear patiently the cross of grief and pain…” I loved this song. I really wanted to learn to play it on the piano. But I’d never been able to find a copy of the song anywhere. Then, one Sunday when I was especially low, I arrived for the church service early. I wanted time that day to think and pray while it was still quiet. As I knelt in prayer, the organist began his musical prelude. I could hardly believe it! He was playing the music from “Be Still, My Soul”, exactly as I had remembered it! What a great reminder that God is always with me, even in my darkest moments.

PRAYER: Lord, even in those moments of darkness, keep me open to your guiding light. Lead me through the darkness so that, even as the Prodigal Son, I can see my way back home to you.

Contrite

2009-03-21T00:01:00.001-04:00

Luke 18:9-14

Lynne Roots

Remember those kids from high school who joined every club and activity so their photo in the yearbook would have the most stuff next to it? Well, they are probably still up to their old tricks. Only now they are into charitable donating, sitting on boards, volunteering, tithing, chairing this or that event….and because they do more and give more, they are the best. And they make sure everyone knows it. Did you read Luke 18:9-14? They are the Pharisees.

During the time we lived in Alaska, I was privileged to work with a number of community organizations. As the wife of an oil company executive, lots of doors were open to me for fund raising for these organizations. I had the best time over five years chairing the museum gala, raising money to build a new public broadcasting television station, chairing this ball and that. The list is long and impressive. It didn’t make me think, however, that what I was doing made me better or more worthy than those who chaired before me or those who would come after. But it sure was tempting. It was tempting to think like the Pharisee. It’s hard to look at a monument you were responsible for getting funded and constructed and not think, “Yea me! I did that”. I do think there is a difference between being proud of what you do, what you give, and where you serve, versus wanting/needing to lord it over others or think that what you did was better than the last guy. A fine line for sure, but a line all the same. I think the difference in which side of the line you are on has to do with humility.

Not that I am all that humble a person. I am truly proud of what was accomplished in Alaska. Not because my name was the one listed as chair or project coordinator, but because of the ultimate benefit to the community. The reality is that I didn’t really do that much. God provided the opportunity, opened the doors and gave me the skills to see the projects through. I was just the vehicle He used to get the job done.

God doesn’t keep a tab of all we accomplish here. So we don’t need to either. Our “tab” isn’t our ticket to heaven. God accepts all of us, whether we build monuments or not. But when the time comes, He may have an extra smile for the humble tax collector.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Help us see that what we do and what we have are by your grace. Help us to think and be more like the tax collector and not the Pharisee. Please give us the wisdom to understand that being humble is a strength; not a weakness. Amen.

Gardener

2009-03-20T00:01:00.001-04:00

Hosea 14:2-10

Donna Kiffe

Over the past several years, the Pastors and Church Council have allowed my sons to landscape the Church grounds by creating gardens as Eagle Scout projects to beautify the area. One of these was envisioned to be a meditation garden, with plants and flowers specifically noted in the Bible. To do this, Geoff took his Confirmation Bible and made a list of all the trees, plants and flowers he could find in its pages. He shared this with the landscape architect who was advising him on the design. She helped him place these plants and choose others from the same family, if those plants weren't available or wouldn't do well in this climate. You can see the small placards for "lily," "rose," "cypress," "myrtle," etc. that now dot the garden between the rear church doors.

Over the years, my sons and I have spent a lot of time as gardeners, helping all of these plants to grow and thrive. We have noticed the calming effect of working in the gardens and the serenity of listening to the birds serenade us as the sun sinks beneath the roofline. Sometimes there is a bonus…songs from the organ inside the Church drifting over the grounds while we work. Even when deer eat the buds, it cannot outweigh the joy of watching perennials bloom magically, year after year in the spring.

Plants and people are good for each other. Geoff just finished a college biology class, and we were talking over his break about how respiration in humans and photosynthesis in plant life are opposites, so as to support each other. We need the oxygen and energy that plants create. Humans then transform these products into carbon dioxide and water, which plants need to survive. This relationship is captured in stories throughout the Bible. It is not surprising that, in this passage, the discord throughout the rest of Hosea "dissolves into a series of serene images" (an analysis from his Confirmation Bible) of what Israel can become. These images are filled with trees and flowers…the very plant life to which mankind has been interconnected since the Garden of Eden.

PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, We don't always show it, but we appreciate the unbelievable beauty of everything green around us. Your world is so meticulously planned and perfectly executed that all living things rely on all other living things to survive. You have left us in charge of the stewardship of this planet we call home, our "Garden of Eden." Give us your guidance to do what we can, whether it is discovering fuel alternatives or planting a backyard garden. The sum of all our deeds will make a difference.

Submit

2009-03-19T00:01:00.001-04:00

Luke 11:14-23

Victoria Wagner

Well, well, well … another story about Jesus performing a miracle, in this case to a mute (and probably blind, too, according to the Book of Matthew). And the people refuse to recognize it. How many of us read this account and think to ourselves, “Well they were just fools ~ of course, I’d know better!” Would we know better? Would we allow ourselves to submit fully to God so as not to miss the miracles that occur around us every day? It’s a thought-provoking question … I challenge you to submit fully to God during this Lenten season and allow yourself to see the beauty in submission. Allow God to do His work through you. He can and does do wonderful and marvelous things ~ not just in Bible times, but today, too. I invite you to join me ~ let’s submit to God and allow Him to use us. After all, “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.” Can I count you in?

PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, Speak, for your servant is listening. I submit myself to you, Lord, to serve as your vessel in this place. I trust, I submit, I am yours, Lord. I believe. Amen.

God's Law

2009-03-18T00:01:00.001-04:00

Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9

Gale Bobzien

God chose this devotional topic for me. You see, God and I have an on-going dialogue about wisdom. It started years ago when I took the Spiritual Gifts class. I wanted wisdom as one of my gifts. God had other ideas. God prevailed. He continues to remind me of this in various ways and at various times. When I bought the book, Proverbs for Teachers, which has a Proverb for each day of the year, I immediately looked up the Proverb on my birthday. I laughed when I read Proverbs 8:11. Yes, it talks about wisdom. When selecting a Lenten devotional, one of the first words that caught my eye was wisdom. I looked no further.

From these periodic reminders, I am learning to listen more to God, and I’ve needed lots of reminders. What does God want me to learn from this scripture reading? Maybe He is trying to redefine my concept of wisdom. The theme of this devotional is, “We do not reach wisdom in power, but in witness and obedience to the truth.”

In these verses in Deuteronomy, God is trying to teach the Israelites the importance of obedience as they enter the Promised Land. By obeying God’s statutes, they (and we) show wisdom and discernment. Disobedience has consequences. This is a timeless message. But God goes a step further. The importance of obedience is to be made known to our children and our children’s children. Parents and grandparents take note. We have a responsibility to future generations. Let us live our lives to be a witness to obedience and give the gift of God’s wisdom to our children and our children’s children.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we thank you for Your gentle reminders that help us learn and grow. Teach us to hear Your voice. Help us to be still and know that You are God. Grant that we may grow in wisdom through witness and obedience to Your word. This we pray in the name of our risen Lord, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Brothers

2009-03-17T00:01:00.001-04:00

Matthew 18:21-35

Scott Miner

We all need to breathe a little deeper, stay a little calmer, and learn to forgive sooner. It doesn't matter if it's with someone in your family, a friend, or a stranger. It's okay to get upset. Just don't hold a grudge. Don't be vindictive. And don't stay mad. It'll just stress you out and hurt your health in the long run any way. We need to get better at forgiving as well as asking for forgiveness. God loves us all, and he wants us to care for each other. Learn to treat situations where disagreements arise as an opportunity for you and your "brother" to become closer together.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, teach me to learn to have patience with my "brothers". Whether they’re friends, family, or complete strangers, give me the courage to ask for forgiveness and to forgive others. Amen.

Put to Death

2009-03-16T00:01:00.001-04:00

2 Kings 5:1-15

Susan Boroff

The story of Naaman’s healing from leprosy is full of human actions and reactions that are unexpected. First of all, you wouldn’t expect that Naaman, a great man and commander of an army, would have leprosy. You wouldn’t think that an Israeli servant girl, held against her will, would be willing to offer healing for her captor’s leprosy. We wouldn’t expect the king of Aram to willingly agree to allow Naaman to go to see the Israeli prophet and to send a letter on his behalf to the King of Israel. (You see, Israel and Aram were at peace, but border skirmishes still continued and the king was a non-believer in the one true God.) And who would have expected the king of Israel’s reaction of tearing his robes and thinking that the king of Aram was picking a fight with him? The one behavior that stands out as “expected” is Elisha’s, the great prophet, who immediately tells the king to allow Naaman to come to see the prophet. Naaman expected that he would actually see the prophet and went away angry when he could not. He expected magic and instead got a very simple command: “Go wash seven times in the Jordan.” Not what he expected at all! Was it an unexpected twist that Namaan’s non-believing servants would encourage him to follow the prophet’s command? And did Naaman really expect his leprosy to be healed by following God’s command? Would you??

Did we really expect the savior of the world to come in the form of a baby? Did we really expect his first apostles to be fisherman? Did we really expect his ministry to be one of self-sacrifice and humility, loving the unlovable, the unworthy, the lowly? What kind of king were we expecting? One that would eventually be put to death??? It was completely unexpected that he would be raised from the dead!

God works in mysterious ways, and we are called as believers to have hope in the unseen. Just like Naaman. Can we expect the same type of healing when we obey or listen to God’s word? Sure, but be open to the unexpected ways in which healing comes! It might not be what you think.

PRAYER: Creator and sustainer of the universe, help us to hear your word as it comes in unexpected ways. Help us open our hearts and minds and free us from obstacles that block our ability to see your presence in all things. Guide us on this mysterious journey we call life and help us imitate your son’s ways of humility, self-sacrifice and unconditional love. Create in us a thankful heart in knowing that this is accomplished only through your transformational love.

Eyes of Faith

2009-03-15T00:01:00.001-04:00

1 Corinthians 1:22-25

Bob Hummel

What is the message of the cross? Indeed, why a cross? And why in Jerusalem? Why two thousand years ago? What was so important that He had to walk among us, and suffer on the cross?

It is hard to understand. Can Paul explain it? Perhaps there is a sign that will give me trust. Or perhaps, if I am smart enough, I can figure it out. After all, God gave us wisdom. He gave us a marvelous world. And we think we are so smart. Most of the time. So if I don’t understand, is it because I am not as wise as God thought I should be? Did I miss something about the message of the cross?

Not all the answers can be based on logic that we comprehend. Not all the signs, nor all the words in the Bible, can give us the strength and power of God. Ultimately, we must believe, because we are like children who are still learning: Learning basic things, but never learning so much as to understand everything. Indeed, if economists can’t understand the economic behavior of humans, how can I know the wisdom of God’s universe?

PRAYER: Lord, we know that Christ died for our sins, so that whoever believes can trust unconditionally in your everlasting love, as conveyed in Your Word, and in Your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Lost

2009-03-14T00:01:00.002-04:00

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Dorothy Sorrell

We have heard this parable many times as pastors preach about the lost son, the loving father and the resentful older brother. In addition to verbal interpretations of the story, there are artists’ depictions of the narrative, and this is where Jerry Evenrud enters my thinking about the parable. Jerry is best known for his gift of music, having been Director of Music of the American Lutheran Church and later the ELCA. But for several years, he has also had a great interest in collecting and exhibiting more than two hundred pieces of fine art that express the timeless and universal theme of the Prodigal Son. It was during two of Jerry’s classes that I began to marvel at how the story could be told by color, positioning of people, ornateness and simplicity.

Recently I was happy to learn of a book that has been published containing pictures of fifty-two works of art from Jerry’s collection, along with essays and commentaries. Looking through the book, all the familiar characters are there - the lost son in his despair and return, the father in his warm and enthusiastic reception, the older brother in his anger and begrudging attitude. There are also the circumstances of receiving generous gifts, using and misusing these gifts, being lost and being found.

The book ends, as does the parable, with the homecomings. Plural, because there are three: the prodigal son returning home after thinking he didn’t want to be there, the father returning home with his lost son to celebrate their reunion, and the older brother returning home and learning that his life has changed. We don’t know what happens to the men after this reunion. What we do know is that they return to the home and a loving father. As an introduction to this last section of the book there is a quote from Helmut Thielicke’s book, “The Waiting Father”. In part it reads, “The ultimate secret of this story is this: There is a homecoming for us all, because there is a home.”

So now I come to the title of Jerry’s book. For me, it provides the understanding of how we (once lost) have come to be welcomed to that special home, our Father’s house. The book is called And Grace Will Lead Me Home.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, you have created us and given us this, your earth, as a place in which to live. We know, however, that our true home is with you and that despite our failings and at times being lost, you will welcome us to come live with you. Thank you for all the blessings you give us each day through your eternal love for us. Help us to show your love to others. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Little Ones

2009-03-13T00:01:00.001-04:00

Matthew 21:33-46

Annette Brady

This parable has six main characters: the landowner-God, the vineyard-Israel, the first tenant/farmers-the Jewish religious leadership, the landowner’s servants-the prophets who remained obedient and preached God’s word to the people of Israel, the son-Jesus, and the second tenants - us. In this parable, the landowner sends his servants to collect his portion of the harvest. They are cruelly rejected by the first tenants; some are beaten, stoned, and even killed. Then he sends even more the second time, and they receive the same treatment. Ultimately, the landowner sends his own son, believing that they will surely respect him. But the tenants believe that if they kill the son, they will receive his inheritance.

Jesus now asks the question, what will the owner do to the evil tenants? Jesus leaves open the question of what Israel’s leadership is going to do with the Son of God, which he refers to as the "cornerstone," the foundation of the church. The parable is explaining how Jesus will be rejected by the religious establishment and crucified.

The key to understanding this parable and what it says about the religious leaders is found where Jesus tells the leaders that, because of their disobedience, they will be left out of the Kingdom of heaven. He is saying that there will be a new people of God so that Jesus can establish his church. It will usher in a period of time where man will understand forgiveness of sins by the work of Christ on the cross.

Jesus continues the stone metaphor to show how a stone can be used to build something beautiful, such as his church, or it can be used to crush and destroy. This could be likened to God’s word -- to some it is salvation, peace and comfort. To others it is foolish and disconcerting because of its ability to convict man of his sins.

The chief priests are jealous of Jesus’ popularity with the common people. They realize that Jesus is talking about them. They understand the analogy of the son and that Jesus is referring to himself. The people think of Jesus as a prophet from God. Arresting Him could cause an uprising. And an uprising would jeopardize the leader’s relationship with the Roman authorities.

I apply this parable to my life by asking two questions. First, have I come to know Christ, or have I rejected him like the Jewish leadership did? Second, if I am a believer, what have I done with Jesus? Am I like the bad tenants, rejecting his Word and living a life of disobedience?

Like the tenants, we are free to choose, but we remain accountable to God. This story is a failure of stewardship and responsibility. The religious leaders failed to properly care for God’s people. They were entrusted with the care of the vineyard and mistakenly regarded it as their private business. We should be careful not to become so personally attached to a particular asset, lest worldly ideas replace those of the Holy Spirit. Any of us, with the best of intentions, can hinder God’s work and lose God’s will for our lives. To me, it is important to remember that we are trustees of God’s property in all areas of life and never its owner. We must give to others with the same generosity that God has generously and compassionately given to us. God generously provides for our welfare, is patient with our mistakes, and constantly appeals for us to change our ways. If you, as a parent, do not follow God wholeheartedly, how can you lead your children into obedient faith?

Being a good steward for me not only means being generous with others materially, but also being generous with my time. To me, where you spend your time most is really where your heart is. This is something I really struggle with. I am a very competitive person, and sometimes I get so caught up in learning a new technology or completing some milestone, that I forget about what really matters. I worry so much about how I appear that I overlook what is most important. As a result, I do not devote my time to things that I know I should as God's steward. Further, I use my abilities for things that are in my own self interest and not God's. I get the context of the message; I just don't always practice it.

As I get older, I have become keenly aware of my impact on others. The most specific impact I have is on my children. If I cannot, generously and compassionately, give my time to God's message, what legacy have I passed on to my children? More specifically, what tools have I given to them for spiritual survival? It is important to me to remember that as parental leaders, we are our children's first teachers.

PRAYER: Lord, giver of all, we enjoy greater privileges than Israel had and a higher standard of living than most in the world. Help us to bear the fruit that we should, and show our thankfulness to you by offering praises from the heart and by helping those who are in need. Help us to live a life devoted to your Word by giving of our time and our possessions compassionately and with empathy to others. Help us to be mindful not only of our actions, but of the impact of our actions on those around us.

In The Desert

2009-03-12T00:01:00.001-04:00

Jeremiah 17:5-10

Prue Welsh

Much of the time Jeremiah lived in Judah, where God's people were not faithful. They did not put their trust in God to take care of them.

I am sure God is annoyed with us today. With so much knowledge at our fingertips, it is too easy to rely on the "experts" or on ourselves in difficult times, instead of relying on God. But no matter how much knowledge we have, we cannot know what God knows. We all need to be reminded that God has the answers, and we need to have faith in Him, ask for His help and learn how to hear and understand God's response. I pray every day for God's help with this.

PRAYER: Lord, you always know what is best for us. Please help us to trust you with our troubles and uncertainty and to learn to hear, understand and listen to you. Amen.

In Need

2009-03-11T00:01:00.001-04:00

Psalm 31

Bill Carbaugh

Our enemies often seem abstract – terrorists on TV; thugs who commit terrible crimes – yet we fortunately live (for the most part) safe from those evils. In fact, as I sat to read the Psalm and write this meditation, I encountered computer problems and became distressed - my computer, or worse yet, Dell, was my enemy. As I meditated on the Psalm (while on hold for my computer problem), I calmed down and thought perhaps that my enemies are those things that distract me from the Lord and His saving love. The Psalm is quite clear where we should turn in times of distress – the Lord is our “refuge”, we need to “trust in the Lord”, he is our “rock and our fortress”. The Lord will deliver us from the hand of our enemies and has wondrously shown his steadfast love to us – now and forevermore!

PRAYER: Dear God, We encounter enemies each day and find ourselves too often in distress. Be with us this Lenten Season and throughout the year. Be our Rock and our Refuge. For you are a loving father, with your arms always extended to lend a helping hand to your children. Deliver us from the hands of our enemies and save us from the nets we become trapped in. May your steadfast love be with us now and always. In your loving name we pray. Amen.

On Your Knees

2009-03-10T00:01:00.003-04:00

Isaiah 1:10, 16-20

Gary Peterson

In these powerful verses of Isaiah, the Lord is saying that only through obedience to Him are we able to enjoy the good things that life offers. Isaiah says that a day is coming when “human pride will be ended and human arrogance destroyed…” On that day the Lord alone will be exalted.

Jill and I lost our son Scott in October 1987. Then we lost most of our net worth in the recession from 1990-1992. But with God’s help, I was able to focus, not on losses, but upon all the many blessings which God had bestowed upon me. In this time of recession/depression, I believe that it is a good time for all of us to reflect upon, and be grateful for, all the blessings that God has given us! I am certain that no member from Christ the King will miss a meal or sleep out in the cold at night. So at times like these, we need to do even more to reach out our hands and help the people who do have such problems!

PRAYER: Lord, keep us mindful of the words of Isaiah that say exalting you and seeking your guidance will bring out the best in us! Amen.

Look Beyond

2009-03-09T00:01:00.002-04:00

Daniel 9:4-10

Tom Cooper

To sin is to do something wrong or to disobey. The Lord has given us the rules of living right, and parents give us guidance and rules to obey in youth. But when we do not follow these rules, we land in trouble and then look for mercy.

Sometimes we sin without knowing it, either by our own ignorance or because of immersion in our own interests. I've said or done hurtful things on impulse to others, including the people I love the most. It is very hard to swallow pride and apologize. But without asking forgiveness it is even harder to continue on.

I am writing these thoughts on Ground Hog Day (I am embarrassed to say my thoughts were due yesterday to the editor -- I suffered from writer's block). In the movie, Ground Hog Day, starring Bill Murray as Phil Conners, the character is able to relive the same day over and over again. At first, Phil's dark side comes out by stealing, philandering and drinking. But eventually he finds a purpose in helping others avoid painful or hurtful situations by intervening in their lives, on the day that he has witnessed over and over again.

I believe that God gives us mercy so that we can start over. We can put our disobedience and sins behind us. And like Phil Conners, we are given a chance to find a purpose for our lives by doing things right. God knows that we are not always going to do things right the first or second time. We need a constant rebirth in order to live a Christian life.

When we pray, "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us," we are asking for mercy. We are also praying that we grant mercy to others who have done us wrong. I believe that Jesus is teaching us something very important. When we forgive others, we let go and move on and are reborn to live a Christian life. This is God's gift of mercy.

Our sinfulness is unavoidable. Despite this burden, God's mercy shows us a way to turn sin around and move on to a better way.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me open my eyes to see my sin and the power of your mercy. Help me to change as you lead me. Help me to act in kindness and compassion as you do for me. Amen.

Generosity

2009-03-08T00:01:00.007-05:00

Romans 8:31-34

Kathy Zimmerman

During the Great Depression my grandfather was responsible for a household that included his wife, sister and fourteen children. They lived on a small farm in central Virginia, and the house of the nearest neighbor was about a half mile away. I never got to meet my grandfather, but through my mother, I feel like I got to know him. She has often told me how he would tell his family “If God is for us, who then can be against us? With a God so generous with his love that he would give his only son to die that we might be saved, surely there is no force that we need fear.” My mother has also told me about the challenges of growing up during a depression, and with fondness she relays how they rose to meet those challenges. In particular, she likes to recall how the people in her rural community helped each other, always generous with their time and their possessions. If one neighbor was down or sick and couldn’t bring in his crops, the other neighbors were there to help, even though they had to bring in their own crop as well. And all of this was at a time absent modern conveniences like dry cleaners, cell phones, carry-out restaurants and microwave ovens.

In Romans 8:31-34, Paul reminds us of the greatest generosity ever known, a father’s sacrifice of his heavenly son to save his earthly children. I don’t know how we could ever match the love of God, but certainly it would be pleasing to him if we showed the same generosity to our neighbors as our relatives did in harder times than we have now.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, please help those with plenty to be generous with those who are in need. Amen.

Beating Enemies

2009-03-07T00:01:00.001-05:00

Matthew 5:43-48

Steve Siebert

Every day, and in everything we do, we are faced with the decision to turn to Christ or to run away from Him. In this portion of Matthew, Jesus asks us to unburden ourselves from the perpetual sins of anger and bitterness by releasing us from the responsibility of retribution. In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis writes, "Loving my enemies does not mean thinking them nice...we must try to feel about the enemy as we feel about ourselves--to wish that he were not bad, to hope that he may...be cured...That is what is meant in the Bible by loving him: wishing his good, not feeling fond of him nor saying he is nice when he is not."

In his crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus has shown us full commitment to humanity and perfect forgiveness. In a world where so many things conspire to take our happiness away, our one true comfort is the knowledge that God made us, loves us, and forgives us completely. Jesus tells us to forgive and love others, because we need to release ourselves from sin to grow in his love.

PRAYER: Dear God, Thank you for your example of total forgiveness through your son Jesus and for the gift of the Holy Spirit working within me to forgive and love others. Strengthen me in my weakness and share with me the joy that comes through love. Amen.

Never Down

2009-03-06T00:01:00.001-05:00

Ezekiel 18:21-28

Julianne Benson

What an encouragement we have in Ezekiel 18. God tells us that if we turn away from our sins and become obedient to God's perfect plan for healthy living, as told in the Bible, not only can we live, but we can THRIVE! God says He will remember our sins no more. How awesome is that?

But... God also gives us a WARNING. He tells us NOT to start sinning like the wicked or He will remember our righteousness no more. Surely we don't want that!

The moral of this scripture is: do the right things by following God's will as laid out in His Word, and God will be pleased with us and all will be well with our soul. Be encouraged today ~ I know I am!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, How merciful you are. Thank you for helping us to strive to be the people you made us to be and want us to be. Thank you for your promise of remembering our sins no more as long as we walk in your ways. You give us grace which we don't deserve but are grateful for. Help us also to extend that grace to others in your name. Amen.

Ask

2009-03-05T00:01:00.000-05:00

Matthew 7:7-12

Ellen Lokker

Jesus gives us two important lessons in this passage of Matthew. The “Golden Rule” found in verse 12 directs us to treat others the way we would want them to treat us. This instruction is simple and could lead to such fulfillment, yet we struggle to live by it. Indeed, we confess weekly that we have “failed to love our neighbors as ourselves” and quietly resolve to do better in the days ahead. But how can we do better? Can we adhere more closely to the Golden Rule simply through willpower, as we would a New Year’s resolution to get more exercise?

On our own, we will never be able to live the Golden Rule. We need God’s help (lesson number 2). In verses 7 through 11 of this passage in Matthew, Jesus instructs us on the power of prayer. Jesus promises us that God will respond to our prayers and that He will give us what is good and appropriate for us, just as a parent responds to the needs of his child.

God knows what we need and will provide it. However, by telling us to “ask,” “seek,” and “knock,” Jesus calls us to be active participants in our relationship with God. When we spend time in prayer “asking,” “seeking,” and “knocking,” we grow in our relationship with God. We learn to know God better and to discern His will for us. We learn to depend on Him as our ally and source of strength. Whatever impediments we face in our efforts to love others as ourselves, God will help us overcome those obstacles and will enable us to love more fully when we raise our concerns to Him through prayer.

For a long time, I viewed God as a lofty figure who spoke through the Bible and through ministers and priests to His people. Our role was simply to listen and follow the directions. Later in life, I learned to appreciate the fact that God created us to be in relationship with Him. He is waiting for us to “ask,” “seek,” and “knock.” And how much more fulfilling life is when we do!

PRAYER: Dear God, thank you for creating us to be in relationship with you. Thank you for listening to us. Enable us to humble ourselves and bring our worries and concerns to You and to rely on You in all that we do. We want to live by Your Golden Rule but know we cannot do it on our own. We ask that You give us the grace to treat everyone we encounter today as we would want them to treat us. Amen.

Rise

2009-03-04T00:01:00.002-05:00

Luke 11:29-32

Art Evans

“Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see.” Benjamin Franklin was a wise man, and I would never argue with him. And when it comes to the world we must live in each day, I do put some credibility in his words. But with the Lord’s help, I put my faith in the Living Word. It was not always so. I too was like the people of Nineveh; genuine faith came with great reluctance, and I asked for a miraculous sign to build my faith upon or maybe to simply ignite it.

One day, less than four years ago, instead of asking and doing all the talking, I decided to simply listen. I think the people of Nineveh did the same thing. They listened to Jonah and repented. No, I didn’t have a flesh and blood prophet preach to me; I had it a lot easier. I had the Bible. The Bible is the exact amount of “data” the Lord is pleased to hand us. It is the risen Christ that is the miraculous sign we seek.

The repentant people of Nineveh had so much less on which to base their faith. Who are we to ask for more? As believers, it is our sacred duty to strive to do the Lord’s will (see Mark 3:35). Of course, at some time in our lives we are all reluctant about our faith. Like they say, “we are only human.” But in the final hour, I am in His hands (see 1 John 3:19-20). Old Ben Franklin has another quote which is all too true, “You may delay, but time will not.”

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help us rise above human frailties to glorify your name. Give us the strength to do your will in whatever form you desire. Lead us forward to an ever stronger faith. In Your name. Amen.

Our Father

2009-03-03T00:01:00.001-05:00

Psalm 34:4-7, 16-19

LaVonne Gysan

This year the ELCA (of which our church is a member) decided to emphasize more Bible reading and study. Our adult Sunday School study book mentioned various ways of studying the Bible: devotional, historical, literary, Lutheran Way. What caught most of our class off guard was “the Lutheran Way.” What was that?! Simply put, as Lutherans we are to ask “what is Law and what is Gospel? What is condemnation for us and what is grace or forgiveness?” We need to ask, “Where is Jesus in the Scriptures?”

This is how I am going to approach my Lenten assignment. I want to answer the question, “Where is Christ in today’s reading?”

When we stray from the Lord or are living for ourselves, are we really fulfilled, really happy? Verse 8 says, “O taste and see the Lord is good, happy are those who take refuge in Him.” Jesus is always here –we are the ones who stray! When we are in need, Jesus is here for us. Verse 11 states, “when the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.”

One might say, “God will drop from the sky all the money I need for my financial debts.” Wrong! When we are plugged into the Lord, God will show us what is important in life, how we can problem solve our difficulties, and He keeps us among His family. We do not live problem-free lives, for verse 19 states, “many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord rescues them from them all.” We can live with that promise!

So what is the Lutheran Study of Law and Gospel for our text this day? The Law condemns us when we do not fear the Lord. (I like to define “fear of the Lord” as: reverence, respect, reliance, trust, obedience.) The Gospel is that God loves us, hears us, and walks with us during our trials and joys of life!

PRAYER: Thank you, God, for hearing my prayers. May I always stay close to you and seek your guidance. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

P.S . I couldn’t let this day pass without saying “Happy 97^th Birthday, Mom!” Thank you and Dad for being such Godly examples in my life.

Blessed Are They

2009-03-02T00:01:00.001-05:00

Matthew 25:31-46

Tim Zimmerman

Sheep on the right, goats on the left; I wonder which herd I will be put in? The scene is a glorious one. The Son of Man on his heavenly throne with all the angels around him and all the nations throughout time gathered before him. Even more glorious is the blessing that he is about to bestow on the sheep to the right. After all, it is a kingdom prepared by his Father. The kingdom’s description is especially interesting to me. No flowery words describing earthly wonders. Rather, the kingdom is described as something God prepared for us when he created the world. That is almost too grand to comprehend, but it sure sounds like something I want to be part of.

I know that my actions do not earn my entrance to this kingdom. But in this verse, I’m reminded that if Jesus loved us enough to die for our sins, then, as a believer, I should at least be able to help and show kindness to the same people he gave his life to save.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I know that you see all that is in my heart. Strengthen my faith so that what is in my heart shines through for those around me to see. Help me to remember that true faith in you should naturally result in me loving my neighbors as you love us all. Create in me an appreciation for acts of kindness, no matter how small, as a means to do God’s will as you’ve taught us. Amen.

Speak, Lord

2009-03-01T00:01:00.001-05:00

Mark 1:12-15

Lori Fredette

The events in these passages of Mark quickly unfold as they do in an action movie – baptized, torn open, descended, sent, tempted, etc. No lingering! No contemplative pro and con discussions! Just act (with the guidance of the Holy Spirit)! In reality, Jesus had to be fast. He only had about three years to minister to the people.

So why is that path so difficult for us to follow? Why do we hesitate to do all to the glory of God (I Cor. 10:31)? Could it be that we dwell on Satan’s thoughts (II Cor. 2:11)? Why can’t we “just say no” to the bad and cling to the good? Why do we analyze and doubt? Could it be that we have become slaves to our quest for scientific knowledge? Questions, questions ad infinitum!

The Old and the New Testament are replete with examples of Satan’s powers – his deceptions, jealousies, killings, etc. What is astonishing is that most of these evils are present in the midst of goodness, as in the Garden of Eden. Good choices often become tainted. But good does triumph over evil when individuals repent and turn to God. King David is often cited as such an example. And who guides the misguided to change? The prophets? The priests? God? More specifically, I believe, the Holy Spirit intervenes.

After John was incarcerated in these verses from Mark, Jesus taught the good news of God in Galilee. Imparting the good news was more important than disagreeing with the authorities about John’s unfair imprisonment. Instead, Jesus focused on the message and spoke these simple words to the people, “The time has come … the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.” The good news won out over the evil choices of King Herod and his queen.

It is imperative for us to be aware of how evil is imbedded in the midst of good. It is also necessary for us to be able to discern evil masquerading as good. The Garden of Earthly Delights, by the 16^thcentury painter Hieronymus Bosch, vividly depicts both concepts. It is equally important for us to fight evil, no matter how difficult a task. Some of Bach’s cantatas attest to the fight of good versus evil in a most profound way. More currently, the Narnia films, based on C.S. Lewis’ stories, portray the same theme. When one is aware of the truth, when one can see or feel the evil for what it is, as the artists did, one is no longer mesmerized by its tantalizing hold. One can, with the help of the Spirit, rise above it and act to proclaim the good news of God in a myriad of ways.

In December Rene and I visited Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Along the beach, we watched a class of elementary school children marching two by two toward a simple amphitheater on the public square, whose backdrop was formed by five tall arches in front of the magnificent blue harbor. The children wore white costumes with some colorful accents. There were many “angels and shepherds”, three “kings”, “Mary and Joseph”, and a child clad in red. Simply an adorable sight! These little darlings then enacted the Christmas story, with the red kiddo snaking through the scenes. The “actors”, however, focused on their presentation and simply ignored the “red nuisance”.

The bus driver asked me, “Who is that boy in red?” When I answered, “The devil,” he looked pleased, and remarked, “Yes, evil is always present, even with the innocents.” “True,” I agreed, “One always has to be on guard.”

Our experience at the beach had an unforeseen impact. It was the filter through which I read the Mark 1 Bible verses, where Jesus “ignored” the tempter and temptations by focusing on the good news of God. What we can learn from children! Indeed, the Spirit moves in mysterious ways …

PRAYER: Dear Holy Spirit, fill my heart with God’s word; tell me to speak what should be heard. Amen.

Living Words

2009-02-28T00:01:00.001-05:00

Isaiah 58:9-14

Linda McMillen

Reading through this passage, I see the correlation that Isaiah is making to living your life well and being rewarded. He starts by saying that God is there for us in our time of need. He then goes on to enumerate ways that we can remove evil from our lives: do not speak evil, help others in need, treat others as we would like to be treated, etc. He mentions several of the 10 commandments as a framework for how one can achieve true happiness through God's love by following his commandments. It is so easy in this day and age to get caught up in our own wants and needs and forget about those around us and what they may need.

I started thinking of what I have done recently for someone else that, as Isaiah put it, let my "light… rise in the darkness and (my) gloom be like the noonday". I participated in the Grate Patrol, where CTK members got together and made bag meals for the homeless in downtown DC. Several of us then boarded a Salvation Army van and handed out those meals to homeless men and women at various stops downtown. Many of those homeless had little but the clothes on their backs, and all were universally grateful for the food. Comparing what I have and what little they have, really made me appreciate my life. It certainly put things in proper perspective. Perhaps we all need a reality check every once in a while.

PRAYER: Lord, grant me the ability to make time every day to appreciate the beauty around us. Help me to remember to be kind to everyone and try to make someone smile every day. Amen.

Give It Up

2009-02-27T00:01:00.000-05:00

Isaiah 58:1-9

Verna and Jim Johnson

In our modern society, we are driven to be successful and to be proud of our achievements. Success is often measured by one’s position in life, the amount of money made, and the power one has over others. However, in the end, none of these things really matter, as these measures of success are not recognized by God. The proper measures of success are what we do to help our fellow man in both his physical and spiritual needs. If we are successful by these measures, God will reward us with peace on earth, and He will accept us into heaven. We need to change our priorities and do more to help others. This is particularly true in this time when so many have lost their jobs and are having a hard time meeting even their most basic needs.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, help us to seek those in need and help them to get food, clothing, and spiritual uplifting. Amen.

Deny Yourself

2009-02-26T00:01:00.001-05:00

Luke 9:22-25

Jerry Teitman

This is a most important text, in that it appears essentially intact in three of the Gospels. Before this study I would have interpreted the meaning as one of some small sacrifice on my part for Lent, whether that is fasting or foregoing ice cream or chocolate or some other pleasure for the 40 days of Lent. Denial of the flesh opens the spirit to hear the word of God. Reading the text now, I see multiple interpretations.

Jesus states, “whoever wishes to be my follower must deny his very self, take up his cross each day and follow in my steps. Whoever will save his life will lose it and whoever loses his life for my sake will save it”. These are words I had never contemplated in the context of the Lenten season, but now I do.

I probably will not be asked to sacrifice my life for the name of Christ, such as was the case with the early Christian church or, in a more modern sense, like Dietrich Bonhoffer did in a Nazi concentration camp. However, we are all asked to mimic Jesus and serve our neighbor. In doing so, we could be asked to put our very lives in jeopardy. There are many examples of this service, such as providing aid for victims of an ongoing disaster, responding to a call for help, or assisting those who are dying of a contagious disease.

But the figurative interpretation, that is, where we sacrifice our life to serve the lives of others, need not be life threatening. And it need not be for a lifetime, but for an hour or a day of service -- all in the name of Jesus Christ. I know that I have had and will have many opportunities to serve those in need. Will I do it?

PRAYER: Dear Lord, give me the sight to see those in need, the selflessness to respond and the wisdom to know what is required. All this I ask in your Holy Name.