Lenten Reflection - March 14th

Written by: Barbara Vincent

Reading: Psalm 25:1-10
1 In you, LORD my God,
I put my trust.

2 I trust in you;
do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3 No one who hopes in you
will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those
who are treacherous without cause.

4 Show me your ways, LORD,
teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
6 Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you, LORD, are good.

8 Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
9 He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.
10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.

As a child and young adult, my prayers fell into 4 categories; “thank you” prayers, “bless and keep” prayers, “help and please” prayers, and “redemption” prayers, filled with remorse and regrets for daily transgressions. In retrospect, most of the last group were minor and my guilt was often exaggerated. Through prayer and in time, I found the strength to own-up, face the consequences and get on with life; prayers helped so much! I knew that the Lord heard me, that He would guide and help me to be a better friend, daughter, and eventually, wife and mother. Steadfast love and faithfulness were the paths I needed to follow – I still do! My prayers haven’t changed that much either.

Dear Lord, Just as David did, I put my faith and trust in you everyday. I remain assured that you will always be with me, guiding and teaching. Ours is a lifetime of waiting; Lent is a season of opportunity to learn more about patience, faith, and salvation. Amen.

Preparing for Easter

Lent entered my consciousness, this year, after having had a discussion with several of my friends about the upcoming season, and how each of us might keep a “Lenten discipline.” Having been a Lutheran all my life, and having grown up in a largely Roman Catholic neighborhood, I am keenly aware of the traditions that have many of us eschewing chocolate, particular foods, favorite activities, Facebook and the like “for Lent”; however, I have often wondered if those “deprivations” really did anything beyond helping the individual lose weight, spend less money, or have more personal time.

I know the model for self-deprivation is Jesus’ rejection of the temptation of earthly food and power that Satan dangled; however, it occurs to me that, like Jesus, we might think less of ourselves during this time of preparation and prayer and, instead, use the Lenten discipline to try to serve others.

What I’m suggesting is to change something about ourselves that is a burden to others -for example – maybe that tongue of yours that is quick to criticize could be curbed to “love others,” maybe the funds that would have been spent on chocolate, movies, etc. could be donated to another. Maybe, instead of depriving yourself, you could do something extra to serve others.

I’m going to try to change one of my most obnoxious behaviors toward others. Will you join me? Diane Bechtold

Lenten Reflection - March 13th

Written by: Shirley Evans

Reading: Genesis 9:8-17
8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9 “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

17 So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”

After the Flood – A New Beginning
Have you ever been frightened during a terrible thunderstorm? Perhaps you remember yourself as a child or one of your own children terrified at the cracking of lightening or the rumble of thunder. God foresaw such fear with Noah and his descendants. At the first raindrop or rumble, would they fear it would be the beginning of another devastating flood? Noah had been righteous and obeyed; therefore God promised Noah – and every living creature on earth - never again would there be a universal flood. This covenant is sealed with the rainbow to be a reminder to us and a reminder to God of His promise – “never again” and “for all generations.” This is God’s new beginning, His unconditional divine promise never to destroy all earthly life with natural catastrophe.
As we examine our relationship with God through this Lenten season, let us think of this Noahic Covenant and look to the cross and resurrection as a “new beginning” in our lives. Let the rainbow represent to us not only the covenant with Noah, but a reminder of the new covenant in Jesus Christ.
Dear Lord, thank you for your love and faithfulness to me. Whenever I see a rainbow, let it remind me of your covenants – both old and new. Let it serve to remind me of an eternal new beginning given to us in Christ. I ask this in Jesus name, Amen.

Lenten Reflection - March 12th

Written by: Cyd Law

Reading: Proverbs 27:23-24
23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,
give careful attention to your herds;
24 for riches do not endure forever,
and a crown is not secure for all generations.

Our society in recent years has stressed the idea that no matter what we want, we deserve it and should buy it for ourselves. “We are worth it.” This attitude has gotten our whole nation into trouble. People are filing personal and business bankruptcies and losing their homes and businesses because they have been duped into believing this idea. As a result we have made poor business and personal decisions. God wants us to pay attention to our herds and to know the condition of our flock. That means we should watch our finances and spend with in our means because we never know when bad times will happen. God does not promise us that we will always be successful or that our time at the top will last forever. God wants his people to be good stewards. In being good stewards we protect ourselves, our businesses, our church, our nation and ultimately our world.

God, we pray that you will guide us in our financial decisions. Help us care for what you have given us and know that we are always in your care no matter what happens to us. Amen

Lenten Reflection - March 11th

Written by: Julie Parker

Reading: Luke 5:27-32
27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.
29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Lent gives us a period of time to consider the life of Jesus and the choices he made to give each of us eternal life through our faith in him. Jesus was fully man and fully God. He understands each of us completely.
As a doctor, Luke is clinical in his descriptions of the life of Jesus. Luke tells of Jesus collecting the men whom he asks to walk with him and become his disciples. One was the tax collector Levi, and it seems that people of Jesus' time thought of tax collectors with even greater distain than we view the IRS today. So, many questioned Jesus choosing Levi; but Jesus answered "It is not the healthy people who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to invite good people but sinners to change their hearts and lives."
What comfort that should give each of us. Jesus is looking for us, imperfect, broken, and weak. He calls us to join him and be his disciples on earth, until he calls us to join him in heaven.

Dear Jesus, thank you for loving me so much that you willingly claimed the cross so that I might have eternal life. Let me walk with you each day of my life, being a reflection of your love. Amen.

Lenten Reflection - March 10th

Written by: Char Klima
Reading: Matthew 6:1-6

Motivation and attitude appear pretty important to Jesus. The beginning of the sixth chapter of Matthew is a stern warning against personal pride, immediately following His statement in chapter 5 about being perfect. Contradictory? Not at all. God wants us to strive for perfection─God's perfection─but for His glory, not ours. Big difference! What did Jesus demonstrate in His life? Humbleness, compassion, sincerity, servant hood, obedience. The world certainly doesn't applaud these virtues and we don't get any earthly points either. Jesus says, "Follow Me," and God will reward you. Are you willing to trust God for His reward? Remember, only our Holy God has the credentials to exalt Himself.

Dear Lord: Humble my heart so that I might try to imitate your dear Son and serve You alone, looking for your loving grace as my only reward. Amen

Lenten Reflection - Ash Wednesday, March 9th

Reading: Psalms 51:1-12
By: Matthew Swope

Sometimes God shouts…not in an angry way, but in a way that hits us over the head with His Word. As I reflected upon Psalm 51 today, He did just that. The psalmist’s cries for mercy and forgiveness struck with memories from my high school days. First, today I received a facebook message from a high school acquaintance. In the note, my former classmate apologized for an offense committed long ago. Although this particular incident was long forgiven and indeed long forgotten, the delayed apology reminded me of my own role in confessing and seeking God’s forgiveness.

In continuing the “shouting,” God’s Word also brought fond memories of high school youth group in which we would close each meeting with a circle prayer around a solitary candle. This was a time for sharing, for confession, for healing, and for embracing others. Following the prayer time, we would sing the last few verses of Psalm 51, asking God to “create in [us] a clean heart.”

Whether in high school or away from high school longer than we care to admit, we are reminded by the psalmist’s words of the need for confession and forgiveness. Likewise, we see brilliant reminders of God’s comfort and grace. During this time of Lent, we too approach God with contrite hearts, acknowledging our flaws and our sinful ways. In doing so, we look to the true “joy of [God’s] salvation” as fully realized on Easter morning.

Lord God, this season I pray that I will rise each day with a pure heart and a renewed spirit, striving to hold steadfast to your enduring Word. Restore me, sustain me, and lead me in a life worthy of you. Amen