Restoration     

 

2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold, the new has come.

 

Recently I read in the paper about the restoration of a hotel in the Haymarket. A new owner had planned to literally gut the building. Everything was to be removed, from floor to ceiling, room by room, all the furniture gone, the carpets, the wiring, the plumbing, the TV’s. Staying previously at this well-known chain was comforting, all the rooms looked alike (like hotel rooms), the conference area looked like many others in the region, and the restaurant served OK meals conveniently to the residents. But now, a new hotel was promised. Something totally different. Everything will be new with new themes, new suites, and new colors. It is to be something Lincoln has never seen before.

 

As I researched restoration in the Bible, I thought of the hotel. But our restoration in Christ is so much more. We are new creations—the old has passed away, and the new has come.  We are all unique, special beings, here to serve our savior with our own individual talents.  What a great hope, joy, and purpose has come into our lives and our hearts.

 

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for the opportunity to be a new creation, to be able to serve you and do your will in our lives. Be with us during this Lenten time as we prepare ourselves for your service. Amen

 

Contributed by Nancy Hall

Deepening Prayer and Relationship   

 

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 

1 Thess. 5:16-18  Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

 

The details are long forgotten, but the words of John 3:16 have been memorized in my head and heart since middle school.  In Marion, Ohio I visited the church of my best friend since elementary school, Kathy, and all of the youth that day learned this verse. 

 

The second verse, one of my favorites, I see every day on the mirror in our bathroom.  I am trying to talk to God more each day, trying to see his wonders all around me, if only I would stop and take time for Him.  My daily living would be so much more fulfilling and less stressful if I would be in communion with God continually.  I want to learn how to discern God’s will and really listen for his voice; to be still instead of continuing my own words in prayer; and most importantly to deepen my daily personal relationship with Him.  That is my Lenten focus this year.

 

Prayer:  Dear Father, Forgive me for neglecting spending time with you.  I use my busyness as an excuse.  But as the patient and loving Father you are, you wait for me and I am truly thankful.  The precious gift of your Son allows me this personal relationship with you and I so want our relationship to deepen and grow ever since my own baptism and memorizing John 3:16 many years ago.  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. [Psalm 51:10]  Amen.

 

Contributed by Cathy Schapmann

If you love those who love    

 

Luke 6:32  If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners love those who love them.

 

Many hours in my life have been spent watching birds and growing flowers.  In the springtime comes the restoration of the flower beds as spring heads into Nebraska.  There is nothing more beautiful than the call of a cardinal or the chirp of a robin.  Also in the springtime come first Lent and then Easter and the resurrection of our Lord.

 

With the warmth of the out of doors comes the warmth inside our hearts.  We forgive and forget and reconcile all our small woes we have with friends and family and wallow in the love of Christ our Savior.  We may feel the sadness of Lent but we know like the thieves on the crosses that Christ died for us and feel the joy of his resurrection.

 

In our joy, we may nearly feel like flying as the birds do. But we are unable for our faith is not quite strong enough but we can enjoy our friendships and loves and thank God.

 

Prayer:  Dear God, we come again to our church season of Lent with heavy hearts mourning the death of our Lord, Jesus Christ, but again we look forward to a time of joy when again we can again celebrate our risen Lord.  Amen

 

Contributed by Carolyn F Olsen

 

 

 

 

 

Judging Others

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. ... Matthew 7:1-29 

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? James 2:1-4 

Many of us run into those who, in their daily lives, struggle for things we may take for granted: food, a home, lives that are not ruled by extreme ups and downs. 

So, what do we do? We help them. We feel pity for them. We love them, in our Christian way. But we don’t necessarily want to spend time with them, or become friends with them. Something might rub off on us. We don’t have anything in common with them, or so we believe. We may have our own issues and weaknesses, but our particular problems and failings are “not as bad”. This attitude is dangerous. It turns our dealings into “us vs. them” mentality, when it should really be: all of us together, making our way in this world. 

Recently I gave a ride to a woman whose life is hard right now…she’s far away from family, her health is failing, and she struggles to find work. It was on a particularly busy day for me, and she was late getting ready. I felt impatient, inconvenienced. She is close to my age, and was asking me about my family, even though her English is not good. One thing she said that was so simple, but has stayed with me: “you have a good life”. It made me realize that the little things like being late, being busy, are small problems to have. She’s right, I have a good life! I am blessed, and should share those blessings with others. It’s great that we give food, money, clothing…but let’s give our time and friendship, also. 

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to notice those with less. Help me to reach out and be a friend. Give me ears to hear, so that I may truly listen to the needs of others around me. Amen. 

Donna Gustafson 

  

RECONCILED!   

 

Romans 5: 8-11  But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life. Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

 

God created man in His image.  He walked and talked with him in the Garden.

 

Only when, listening to the serpent Satan’s lies and choosing to disobey God, did Eve, Adam, and I create separation from Him.

 

Each time I choose to listen to my human side, to indulge in things that harm me, to judge others, to try to please other people over pleasing God, I slip away from being at peace with Him.

 

Even so, He still loved us so much He sent His only son Christ to teach us the way back to Him, indeed, to be our way back to Him through His death and resurrection!

 

Prayer: Father, Thank you for wanting a sinner like me back, for reconciling me, bringing me in harmony with You, through the blood of my Lord Jesus Christ. Help me to always stay in harmony with you and to share that message of reconciliation with all I meet.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

 

Contributed by Carolyn Fetterley

More like Christ, leading to Christ   

 

Mark 9: 14-29 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

 

Psalms 103: 1, 6-8

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

and all that is within me,

bless his holy name!...

The LORD works righteousness

and justice for all who are oppressed.

He made known his ways to Moses,

his acts to the people of Israel.

The LORD is merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

 

Many things are broken in this world, and many good people are upset by injustice, cruelty, and suffering.  I’ve noticed that in many instances this awareness of injustice and cruelty then leads good people to become angry, cruel, and unjust to other people – lashing out with accusations and name-calling, and a spiral of anger, cruelty, and injustice perpetuates.  It makes my heart so sad.  I have to admit that BOTH the injustice AND the anger make me angry too.  I see many places in the Psalms where the Lord’s wonderful ways are extolled, and His ways look quite different from ours: merciful, gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. As Christ’s disciple, I want to be more like God than like the angry mob, but I also know I am to be Christ’s hands and feet in the world.  How can I do both? In my despair about this, I cried out to the Lord, and in one week was led to both these passages – through a sermon and in my wonderful Bible study class.

I was privileged to be able to hear the Stated Clerk of the PCUSA preach at our church, using the passage from Mark, above.   He used the passage to point out that Scripture teaches us not to lean on our own ways, for they are faulty – both as individuals and as the Church.  This passage teaches us that the faithful pray and lead others to Christ, and Christ heals.  Through Christ, we can make things happen that we can’t do through our own power, or by our own ways.

One of my favorite passages of Scripture is helpful to me here, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.  Do not be wise in your own eyes;  fear the Lord and shun evil.” (Proverbs 3: 5-7).  So when I find myself becoming angry at either the injustice OR the anger, I pray to God in trust and ask to become more like Him: merciful, gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. Does it always work?  No, but God isn’t finished with me yet.

Prayer: Lord of my life, please make me more like you - merciful, gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love - and through this to point more people to you.  For you, alone, can solve the problems this world faces.  So many are hurting; so many are angry.  You died and rose again so that we could be restored to you and reconciled to one another.  Yet we throw that away in our anger.  Please reach down to this hurting world that needs Your love, and help us to reach up as well.  Amen

 

Contributed by Lori Snyder-Sloan

Reconciliation     

 

Romans 5: 10-11, 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

 

Romans 5: 4-5, 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

 

In my life, I have prayed for hours about reconciliation.  Asking God to heal old disagreements, to renew relationships, to provide the strength to forgive another and for compassion when I ask for forgiveness.  In preparing to write this devotion I thought about the conflicts present in the world today and the challenges of reconciliation.  In the past few weeks I have noticed a strong and recurring feeling of irritation.  It is as though the strife that has been brewing politically, vocationally, and even religiously seems more intense, or perhaps just more troublesome.  Since this irritation feels almost universal, I have blamed the unrest on my personal human response, from long hours at work, or particularly stressful conversations or situations.  After surrendering to prayer and acknowledging that some of this persistent irritation is certainly internal, me not letting things go, or becoming frustrated by the outcome of a situation that I cannot control, there are other parts of it that are external and are impacting my distress.

 

When searching for a verse to help me endure this challenging time I was comforted by the verses from Romans about strength of character and our reconciliation to God.  In agitated times I need to remember the need for endurance and strength and know that God is with me.  When I become frustrated or afraid, I need to remember that I have hope that reconciliation is possible in every part of my life.  In moments when I am disappointed I need to let go of the unrest and either walk away from the issue or try a new approach or solution.

 

With the turmoil in our world today I know that I am not the only once experiencing these feelings and that as Christians, we are all praying for relief from many of the same problems and symptoms.

 

Prayer: Resilient and mighty God, please give me strength to endure the challenges before me.  Help me to find outlets for my frustration.  Help me to see your work in the world.  When I am frustrated or irritable, help me to show love instead of anger.  Amen.

 

Contributed by Christi Moock