Keeping it Real

Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Selah Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”—and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah Psalm 32:1-5

The commentary in The CEB Study Bible points out that David’s penitential prayer in Psalm 32 clarifies “that true happiness derives not from being sinless but rather from being forgiven” and “the psalmist’s problems result not from divine wrath but rather from the failure to confess sin, and perhaps from the energy expended in pretending to be perfect.” What a poignant reminder for us in the age of social media. The pressures created by hyper-competitive work or school environments are daunting, to say the least, and functioning in a culture that celebrates image above substance creates its own set of adversities. Indeed, it is exhausting—and mentally unhealthy—to maintain a deceitful image of perfection. As taxing as this deception is online, how much more so is it to struggle in a vain effort to withhold our most intimate failings and wrongdoings from God?

 

Prayer:

Creator God,

“This morning

and all mornings,

as we face the day

daunted by expectations

others place upon us,

weighed down by burdens,

unsure of outcomes,

opposed,

alone,

afraid,

remind us that you faced all this and more,

that we might loose

the chains that bind us,

rise above and beyond

the troubles of this world,

and know peace

in your embrace.”*

Amen

*© John Birch, 2016, www.faithandworship.com 

Barry and Alinda Stelk (reprinted from 2018)

Words from Hebrews

Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 

Animals

But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. Job 12:7-10

My daughter was enchanted by animals from a very early age, and was curious to get to know them and communicate with them. I tried to free myself of my inner fears of some animals and insects, and encourage her comfortable familiarity with the wild. She was the zoo visitor who would always gladly let a snake have its way with her, or let bugs crawl all over her. 

She loved being on Zoo Crew, especially when she was able to help with the Critter Encounter area. She brought her pet rats to 4H Pet Pals meetings and loved being at the animal exhibits at all the local fairs. She participated in domestic rat rescue programs, and helped find homes for rats used in the Nebraska Wesleyan University behavioral psychology courses. 

She did not enjoy ideal health growing up, so she earned a GED rather than complete high school classes; then she took veterinary technician courses online.  Our vet allowed her to observe and assist with procedures and surgeries, including those on her own animals. 

This spring, a year and a half after a life-giving 4th liver transplant, she helped her husband open up his own veterinary clinic (he is a vet) in South Korea. They serve both Koreans and English-speaking pet caretakers who need detailed communication. Because there is no specific training for veterinary nurses in Korea, she has ample qualifications as an assistant because of her experience and her general knowledge of human medical treatment (as an observant and informed patient). Her husband considers her to be his head nurse as well as assistant and office manager. Her blog and word-of-mouth have publicized their clinic as specializing in "exotic animals" such as hamsters and rats, so they have many tiny patients.

I get the news every few days of some interesting patient, including the dog that escaped and led them on a several-blocks-long chase through their downtown area.  She and her husband spend many long hours day and night at their clinic, making use of a pull-out bed there. Currently, they have three stray kittens they are treating, who will be offered to good homes eventually; one of them was separated too early from his mother and is having to be hand-fed and taught all the basics of elimination and hygiene. These are the things my daughter handles with ease.  

This is all born of a tremendous love for all the things animals teach us about living in God's world, about companionship, about loyalty and love, and about taking care of one another. Every day I am grateful for the people who helped my daughter to be well, or to feel better when she wasn't; but I am also grateful for the animals who shared their lives with her and cared for her. The cat she was especially close to used to sit with her in bed and have what we called "the laying-on of paws".  

There is a beautiful Benjamin Britten vocal piece with lyrics from a poem by Christopher Smart, and I hope you will be able to base your prayer on a few of those words:

For I will consider my cat Jeoffry.

For he is the servant of the Living God, duly and daily serving him...

For in his morning orisons he loves the sun and the sun loves him...

For every house is incomplete without him, and a blessing is lacking in the spirit...

For I perceived God's light about him both wax and fire...

For God has blessed him in the variety of his movements...

For he can tread to all the measures upon the music.

Amen.

Mollie Manner (reprinted from 2018)

Easter Matters

Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.  She went out and told those who had been with him, while they were mourning and weeping.  But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.  After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country.  And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. Mark 16:9-13

We have just celebrated Easter Sunday. It was a grand and glorious day! The sanctuary of our church was filled with worshippers. The atmosphere was enthusiastic for the event. The music and message of the Word emphasized and led us through our worship.  We again heard the account of the resurrection.  We celebrated with joy that it is real.  Hallelujah!  Christ has risen!

However, it was a troubling event for the first disciples. It seemed impossible for them to imagine. Things, like a resurrection, just don't happen. Even after the resurrection as Jesus was walking with two of His followers, they were so focused on the crucifixion and events of Jesus' death that they didn't recognize who was walking with them. Even Mary Magdalene failed to recognize Jesus when He was standing right in front of her. It took a while for all of them to accept what had happened as truth - Jesus Christ, their Master had risen from the dead. He was alive.

What kind of effect will all of this have on us?  A writer of religious studies has summarized the value of Easter in this way:

     Easter says that Jesus' death and resurrection matter

     to us because -

           it makes sense out of living

           it gives purpose to our life

           it means our life has a future

           it means death is not the end of life

           it means you will live forever

           it means that God offers all of this because of

           His grace in Christ Jesus. 

The events of study and review of Holy Week with the Easter Sunday good news will continue to build our faith so as to reach our Christian goal!

BELIEVE that Christ is risen. Easter is TRUE.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for the strength of faith that we have gained as we worshipped and studied the events of Holy Week. Now we pray that you will guide and direct us so that our Christian faith will continue to help us grow closer to You and the ultimate goal You have for us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen

Lauren Holcombe (reprinted from 2018)

Easter Sunday

"Don't be alarmed," he said, "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him." Mark 16:6 

Good Friday

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "it is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:30 

Dandelions for Dinner

Everyone shall eat roast lamb that night, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Exodus 12:8 TLB

Each spring when the grass turns green and those pesky little yellow flowers appear in my lawn once again, I am reminded of my mother and of the dandelion greens she served for dinner when I was growing up. However, as a student of the plants of the Bible, I am also reminded that dandelions symbolize the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ.

There is perhaps no meal in all history more worthy of remembering than the Passover meal Jesus ate with His disciples during the week we now call Holy Week. Exodus 12:8, quoted above, describes the foods which are to make up the Passover celebration. It was the custom of the ancient Hebrews to eat five bitter herbs with their unleavened bread and lamb. Many herbs have been mentioned, but most botanists believe the five herbs to have been lettuce, endive, chicory, mint, and dandelion. Today we would probably refer to them as salad.

I no longer eat dandelions for dinner, but each spring as they appear in my lawn, I feel a sense of wonder that they were likely among the bitter herbs Jesus ate with His paschal lamb during Passover almost 2,000 years ago. When dandelions dot our landscape, they serve as a gentle reminder that our Lord Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. He became our Paschal Lamb, the Lamb Who takes away the sin of the world.

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, we are so saddened when we think of that Last Supper and of Jesus' suffering and death on the cross, but we are eternally grateful that He came to save us from our sin. In His holy name we pray. Amen.

Judy Welch (originally shared on the Presbyterian Church of Canada devotional page, shared here in 2025)