Love

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. I Corinthians 13:4-7

The 13th chapter of 1st Corinthians in the New Testament is often referred to as the “Love Chapter.” It is regularly used at weddings, intended as a description of the love between the bride and groom.  

But here’s a different way to think of this scripture. I recently attended a meeting where a pastor used this chapter as part of a meditation. He asked us to substitute our individual names for the word “love.” Try it. Read the above passage and put in your own name each time the scripture uses “love” or “it.” 

How did it feel to say that you are patient and kind? Can you honestly say that you do not dishonor others? Are you not easily angered? Do you rejoice with the truth?

If we substitute God’s name in the passage, we are reminded that God is patient and kind, and He always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. Whether we substitute our own name or God’s name in these verses, the meaning is clear--we are called to love one another as God loves us.                 

Prayer: Dearest Lord, thank you for sharing your love with us and for showing us how to share our love with others. Forgive us when we are envious, boastful, or proud. Help us to work toward becoming more like your son, Jesus Christ, in making our names synonymous with love.

Robin Hadfield (reprinted from 2018)

Words from Psalms

Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. Psalm 111:3

Words from First Peter

...you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9

Jesus Suffered Mentally (Number 3)

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you? But Jesus remained silent. Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said, “Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit you?” Matthew 26:59, 62,67

They couldn’t find a law he had broken. He knew nothing he would say would change his situation, so he remained silent even when all the witnesses gave false evidence. In this situation, we would say we didn’t do anything wrong, but Jesus knew this was all his Father’s plan and didn’t try to change the verdict. Only the son of God could have known that. How hard to be able to stop something but also know you shouldn’t stop it. Now people he knew were lying about him, physically abusing him and he remained silent!

The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if  you are the Christ, the Son of God.” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you; in the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Look, now you have heard blasphemy. What do you think?” Mathew 26:63-65

Jesus told the truth, but the high priest whom he had worked with said his words were the act or offense of speaking sacrilegiously about God or sacred things and profane talk. Never did Jesus do such a thing. Can you imagine how Jesus felt about that accusation!  

Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. Matthew 27:1-2

These people Jesus had never hurt, never stolen from, or lied to, but they bound him and took him to the political leader. It was guilty before a trial. We wouldn’t stand for it.

For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him. While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabas and to have Jesus executed. Matthew 27:18-20

The leaders didn’t like the way the people came to Jesus who gave them love and healed them.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for what you did for us. Knowing how you must of felt in this process, it is hard for us to comprehend. Guide us to pass on to others your great love. Amen.

Sandra Hilsabeck

Jesus Sufferings Beyond Physical (Number 2)

Then one of the Twelve--the one called Judas Iscariot--went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over. Matthew 26:14 Jesus replied, “The one who dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.” Matthew 26:21

Judas had been taught by Jesus for years and watched him heal people and perform miracles that no one else could have done. He had eaten many meals with Jesus and seen him praying. Yet he was willing to take money and hand him over for crucifixion. It is hard to believe. That hurt.

Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me.” Matthew 26:31 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same. Matthew 26:34-35

What does it mean to be disowned by somebody? Does it mean a friend beside you for years no longer stays by your side. Most of us have never known this and those of us who have lost friends because they fear for themselves know how it feels. We saw Hallmark movies that show how devastated friends are after such separations.                                                   

When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he turned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.” Matthew 26:43-45

I can imagine the disciples were tired as we don’t picture them using cars or even bicycles. But Jesus needed them. He saw the steps he would be taking as he died for their sins and our sins. He returned to the disciples to tell them what was going to happen, but they couldn’t believe it was real and soon. If you were in an emergency position and those around just slept instead of standing with you, it would be hard to accept. Imagine how Jesus felt when he saw them resting peacefully.

At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me.”  Matthew 26:55

Jesus wasn’t doing anything wrong, but the people he taught in the temple came out with  weapons to capture him. Why could he teach them one day and be an enemy the next?

Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, I can only imagine how Jesus felt as the people around him were falling away. Yet, we are so blessed for the love he showed us. I have to cross over to the blessing as the other part is too hard for me to absorb. Thank you. Thank you. Help us to tell others. Amen.

Sandra Hilsabeck

 

Apricity and Earth Day

 

Then God said, “Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas, and God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:9-10

It is I who made the earth and created man upon it. I stretched out the heavens with My hands and I ordained all their host. Isaiah 45:12

Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice. Psalm 96:12

Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. Luke 12:27

Then God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit after their kind with seed in them”; and it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:11-12

Apricity: a word that means the warmth of the sun in winter. We may be in the middle of spring right now, but we can still see winter in the rearview mirror. (Plus, I wrote this devotion in February!) 

Apricity is an old word that is not used much anymore. Hearing about it reminded me of reading that native tribes of Canada (Yupik and Inuit) have many words for snow. Using specific language to convey feelings is a beautiful way to communicate and share ideas.

My love of nature has prompted me to write a devotion for Earth Day each year (since 2018...this year Earth Day is a Saturday, tomorrow). Our natural world has so much beauty and diversity and possibility! It’s fun to find a special word to convey something that we may have a hard time communicating, but sometimes a piece of art or a photograph can show others exactly what we mean…or invite a variety of reactions!

A Lincoln neighbor is the National Geographic photographer behind the Photo Ark: highlighting species in danger of extinction so that we care about them. When Joel Sartore needed to remain at home in Lincoln when his wife was hospitalized, he paid a visit to the Lincoln Children’s Zoo. This prompted his idea to showcase animals so that the world could get to know them better, with the implication that if we care about something, we will work harder to protect it. On his website: "Joel is the founder of the Photo Ark, a groundbreaking effort to document species before they disappear—and to get people to care while there’s still time."

Showing an appreciation and getting to know this world we live in can go a long way toward realizing God’s words in Genesis (scripture shown above).

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for this wonderful world we call home. Help us to appreciate it so that we can protect it and care for it. Amen.

Donna Gustafson

(photos shared by Donna Gustafson, all taken in January and February 2023 in Lincoln, NE. Click on each photo to view larger)

All You Need is Faith

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.  1Timothy 1:12-14

A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. Psalm 34:19

Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. John 17:24

Recently I saw a news program about a college series developed to provide students how to find happiness. They spent lots of time and money to put this together with the help of several well-educated professors.

The students were to take the class to find happiness because completing obligations and graduating from classes didn’t make them happy. The object of the class was to give them joy by following many instructions and reading many articles and books.

This seems so strange to me because I have always known that Jesus loves me. My parents and my Sunday School teachers taught me that Jesus forgives me even when I have done wrong and pours out love upon me with his forgiveness. The faith I have from the Bible via the above verses and many more like them gives me great joy.

Our student Nyaluak Dak gave a great sermon on our Youth Sunday telling how the love of our church community helped her through troubles. I am sure many of our members can echo her words.

Prayer: Dear Lord, please bring more people back to our churches. With the people of our country leaving the loving communities of worship, people have lost the faith Jesus showed us with his love and compassion. Please help us to guide people back to your son’s faith so they can find the joy we experience. Amen

Sandra Hilsabeck

The Blessings of God

As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat.” “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me”, he said and he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loves. Then he gave them to the disciples and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. Matthew 14:15-21

My husband and I have been involved in a variety of youth programs in our relationship. One of our favorite stories is the year that the band boosters group was running short of funds, and we decided to serve concessions leftovers from the State Band Competition to all the band students, families and leaders at the end of marching season banquet. We had 125 students, between 150-210 parents, some siblings and 8 band directors/leaders. Planning to feed 300+ people is always pretty exciting, planning to feed them all with leftovers was pretty risky. We had a couple boxes of uncooked hamburgers and hot dogs, a variety of leftover individual bags of chips and plenty of bottled water. We e-mailed all the band parents and asked them to bring cookies - homemade, store bought, whatever they had on hand. 

The night of the banquet three of the band dads grilled and delivered all the meat and leftover buns and we served people for over an hour. A few of us were getting nervous, there was a huge line of people and we had told the directors and booster leadership that they would have to eat last because we weren’t sure we would have enough. We had grandparents that we hadn’t estimated in our count and every table in the school cafeteria was full. When we opened the last pan of meat we started to joke about the loaves and the fishes and the possibility that we would need to have someone run to get emergency carryout pizzas. But we made it through…the band director was the last through the line and we were even able to give him some extra cookies. While we were afraid that there wouldn’t be enough we used up all the leftovers (money that would not be made back otherwise) and we heard from so many parents and kids about how much fun it was to eat “band competition food”. 

Since that time when I get worried about not having enough of something (desserts for a party, Christmas gifts, etc) I think back on how we were all full of joy with leftovers and the benefits of having just enough. 

Prayer: Bountiful God, thank you for providing for my family. It is comforting to have enough. Please be with those who are struggling to make ends meet, help us all to share our excess so that everyone can have enough. Amen

Christi Moock (reprinted from 2019)

"I CAN face tomorrow!"

"For if, while 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 boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." Romans 5:10-11 

Growing up in Georgia, the music of the Gaithers was a constant. Maybe around the piano with Mom playing, or grandparents' house or a family reunion, maybe sitting on someone's porch, maybe at a revival or homecoming. Their song "Because He lives" was my grandmother's favorite. I was reminded of it this week hearing the handbells practice it with Brian for Easter and I was reminded of that beautiful version Patty played on piano. 

The very last time I visited my grandmother in Georgia she was a shadow of her former self. Barely aware of what's going on while she suffered through disease and dementia, it was so difficult to see her that way. But something amazing happened, as I sat down and played the piano next to her, she began to hum, and then seemingly like a miracle when we got to the last verse and chorus she sang out her faith as though she were her normal self "and then one day, I'll cross that river, I'll fight life's final war with pain, and then as death gives way to victory, I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He reigns! Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, because He lives ALL FEAR IS GONE! Because I know He holds the future and life is worth the living just because He lives!" In one of her last times she seemed herself she told her pastor, "I'm ready to go home and see Jesus." 

When we celebrate the amazing gift of our salvation this weekend and hear the bells play that amazing beloved gospel hymn I know I'll be singing in my heart along with my grandmother looking down from heaven. How grateful we are to know we never have to lose heart for we know that death gives way to victory! Because He lives, all fear is gone!

Brent Shaw

Refined by God

He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver. Malachi 3:3     

I received this story from a friend and thought I’d pass it on as a devotion. 

            The verse from Malachi puzzled a group in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of them offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

            That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.     

            As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest so as to burn away all the impurities. 

            The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse from Malachi: “He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.” She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.  

            The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

            The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?”

            He smiled at her and answered, “Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it.”  

The story points out that sometimes we are held close to the fire, but we need to remember during those times that God has his eye on us, and he’ll keep watching until he sees his image in us. Silver can be beautiful when it’s shiny, but if it’s not taken care of, it is easily tarnished and turns dark. God wants us to be shiny so he can see his image in us. God is our refiner and purifier, but we need to be willing to be open to him—to listen to his word and to develop a relationship with him.    

Prayer: Gracious Lord, thank you for your willingness to refine us and purify us when we need your cleansing. We even appreciate your holding us to the fire at times and apologize for the times we don’t respond as we should. Help us to strive to be like silver—so shiny that you can see your image in it. 

Robin Hadfield

Jesus Suffered Mentally, Too (Number 1)

Even the Old Testament told of the emotional sufferings of Jesus that were to come. How would you feel if the people around you were talking behind your back while you were planning to do something that would show how you loved them?

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely, he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:3-6

Jesus suffered so many mental crucifixions before his devastating physical one. These had to hurt because he knew all these people as friends and acquaintances. How would you like it if you walked into school or work and those around you hid their faces so they wouldn’t see you because they despised you? Today we see this somewhat-- some political figures, some famous people and some regular citizens that stand by Jesus are considered stricken by God as Jesus was. This type of behavior put a lot of stress and sadness upon Jesus as it does people today.

Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him. But not during the Feast, or there may be a riot among the people.  Matthew 26:3

I have heard of people plotting devious plans but have never had anyone plot against me. And we know that Jesus knew what the priests were doing. How sad this must have made Jesus.

When the disciples saw this, they were indignant, “Why this waste?” Matthew 26:8

The disciples, (his especially chosen men), felt it was a waste the woman poured the expensive perfume on him. His friends who had been with him didn’t recognize he was our Christ. So, they picked on her and Jesus had to explain that it was a good thing she was doing for him and that her belief was very strong.

Prayer: Dear Lord, as I read the actions of people who knew Jesus, my heart hurts as I think of the mental emotional pain Jesus was feeling even before he was handed over to the authorities whom beat him physically. He had done no wrong and they all knew it. Oh Lord, I can’t thank you enough for what your son did for me. Amen

Sandra Hilsabeck

Resurrection’s Beloved

Read John 11:17-27;33-44; 20:1-8

As one reads the verses from John 11 and 20, it is two resurrection stories – the raising of Lazarus and the resurrection of Jesus.

The first story is selected verses that leads to Lazarus being raised by Jesus. Note that in the discourse that Jesus has with the sisters Mary and Martha, they regret that Jesus had come so late – “if only,” Jesus had come earlier, their brother would not have died. Then Jesus affirms that their brother will rise again and asserts that He is the Resurrection and the Life, that any who believes in Him would not die, but have eternal life. Even more, Jesus asks, “Do you believe this?”

The drama continues as they all go to the tomb where the body of Lazarus is buried. I find it very moving that one of the shortest verses of scripture states the emotional bond that Jesus has for Lazarus – that “Jesus wept.” People nearby remark, “See how much he loved him.”  The stone that covers the tomb is rolled away and Jesus calls out in sheer emotional angst for His friend, “Lazarus, come forth!”  Lazarus emerges from the tomb alive and Jesus commands the people to unbind him and clothe him (of resurrection clothing?)

Now, let’s look at the second resurrection story from John 20. Peter and the beloved disciple are told by the ladies who had come to finish the burial of Jesus, only to find the tomb empty. They run to tell the disciples, especially the beloved and Peter. The two disciples run to the empty tomb with the beloved arriving first, but not going in while Peter runs into the tomb and finds the linens that were wrapped around Jesus’ body empty. Finally, the beloved looks inside the tomb, “sees and believes.” It is totally awesome – even reading further in John 20 of how the risen Jesus makes Himself known.

Tradition has told us that the beloved disciple of Jesus is John. There is sufficient scriptural support to expect that to be true. John is the only disciple who stayed with Jesus at the cross with Mary. He also is the only disciple not to die a martyr’s death. He has authored three epistles and the Revelation of St. John. So, John’s witness as the beloved and as a faithful disciple of Jesus is well founded. He would indeed be a beloved of the resurrection.

However, I am moved by a group of scholars who affirm another as “the beloved.” Namely, Lazarus.  Simply, recall how Jesus wept when Lazarus is in the tomb. Recall how the people around remarked how much Jesus loved Lazarus. More telling, in the second resurrection story of John 20, the beloved is not specifically named, but that he and Peter run to the tomb. The beloved (unnamed) looks into the tomb and immediately “sees and believes!” Who better than Lazarus to know the resurrection first-hand!

I raise these questions because I believe this story leaves an open door of faith for any of us to be “The Beloved of the Resurrection.”  What might be the evidence that would show you and your loved ones – see how much they loved Him (Jesus)?  Insert your name in place of “the beloved” in the resurrection story of John 20. Would you be able to look in the empty tomb, see and believe? The story of Easter’s Resurrection is more enveloping than we would ever imagine.  The power of the story is the Holy Spirit nudging us to see how the Resurrection reality will impact us this Easter Season. It continues as we may need to “unbind” those who have been entombed in guilt or some form of oppression or addiction or abuse. It may be a loving action that witnesses to our neighbors that our love has a Resurrection about to happen. So, either of us are that “Beloved of the Resurrection.” What awesome power and witness that would be in Jesus’ name! 

Prayer: Lord, make us to be known as Your beloved, but also empowered and equipped to be a witness to the Resurrection of Jesus.  Let that be seen in our daily ministry that shows that resurrection love and care for another that the Spirit of His being the Resurrection and the Life may be seen in our actions through Christ Jesus. Amen

Dr. John J. Duling

 

Finding Hope in Friendship

For You, O Lord, are my hope, my trust O Lord, from my youth.  Psalm 71:5 (English Std)

I have just returned home from attending the wedding of my youngest grandson. It was such a wonderful experience. The first time I saw the wedding party, my impression was that it was a rather large group, 8 bridesmaids and 8 groomsmen.

The bridesmaids were beautiful and vivacious young women, and the groomsmen were handsome and confident young men. What stood out the most to me about the groomsmen was that they had varying shades of hair and skin color. They were very different from each other, but their group friendship seemed to be as strong as their friendship with the groom. What I wondered was the “glue” that held them together.

The rehearsal dinner was such fun as several members of the wedding party got up to “roast” the bride and groom. The bridesmaids started the fun. Each speaker told how they met the bride and how long they had been friends. Then they followed with some mildly embarrassing funny stories.

Then the young men began to speak. Their speeches were similar in format to the bridesmaids, each telling where and how they met the groom and approximately how old they were when they became friends. The start of their friendships ranged from early childhood through college. They, too, told some funny embarrassing stories. However, one young man finished his speech saying that what he admired the most about the groom was watching him through the years actively pursuing each new friend then slowly leading that new friend to the Lord.  

There was my answer! The friendship they have with one another is held together in the love of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we praise you and we love you. Most of all we thank you for these wonderful young people who give us hope. Their love and loyalty for each other is only surpassed by their love for Your Son, Jesus. It’s in His name we pray.  Amen.  

Judy Welch 

Contributing Beauty

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12

“You must do something to make the world more beautiful” instructs Alice’s grandfather in the children’s book “Miss Rumphius” by Barbara Cooney*. Alice, the titular Miss Rumphius, accomplishes much during her lifetime but her grandfather’s charge sticks with her. By the end of the book, Miss Rumphius has become responsible for fields of lupine, planted all over her island community.

I like this for a few reasons:

We can all contribute to beauty in the world, regardless of income level, age, gender. Beauty can be many things, due in part to that oft-repeated phrase, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. What beauty can one contribute? What can you do for others? What “beauty” can you share that may make someone’s life more beautiful? What simple thing can you do to make someone feel loved? What far-reaching impact can you set in motion with just a kind work or deed? In what ways can you act for justice in the world and your community?

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to remember that there are many ways to “do something to make the world more beautiful”. Whether it’s being kind, working for social justice, giving generously to causes we believe in, volunteering where and when we can, sharing a smile, loving unconditionally, or even something like planting a field of flowers. Guide us to know when and how we can share the beauty of knowing you with others. Amen.

Donna Gustafson

*I recommend this children’s book, most recent edition shown below.

Easter Sunday Hymn (Seeking: Who are you looking for?)

 

Easter Sunday (Seeking: Who are you looking for?)

 

Rabbouni! | Rev. T. Denise Anderson Oil on canvas

read John 20:1-18

from the artist | Rev. T. Denise Anderson

In the days immediately after a loved one’s passing, we often muddle through life until the closure of the funeral, when it will all—or mostly—be over. What happens when it doesn’t appear you’ll have that closure anytime soon, or ever? Some of us have experienced delayed burials due to difficult circumstances. The closure the funeral provides helps us begin piecing life together in our loved one’s absence. Without that ritual, it’s incredibly difficult to move on.

This is the space in which Mary Magdalene finds herself. She arrives at the tomb to provide burial services for her dear teacher, only to find his body is gone. What grief that must have thrown her into, having her last act of love for him arrested like that! There is no reason to expect that the stranger speaking to her is her beloved teacher, and maybe that’s why she doesn’t recognize him immediately. It’s in the intimacy of him calling her name that she realizes what’s happening.

Here, I attempt to convey the grief, befuddlement, and ultimate realization that I imagine Mary experienced in this encounter. The light source is above her, as Jesus’ simple address—“Mary”—invites her to shift from any potential navel-gazing and to pay attention to the heaven-crafted phenomenon before her. Moreover, Jesus’ address to her comes from a deeply intimate place and is the only thing powerful enough to pierce through her grief. She is profoundly seen and known by her teacher. I want us to behold her the way that Jesus might have in that moment.

reprinted with permission from A Sanctified Art

Easter Sunday (Seeking: Who are you looking for?)

read John 20:1-18

commentary | Rev. Danielle Shroyer

Nine questions have guided us on our Lenten journey. And this Easter morning, they bring us to the culminating question: “Who are you looking for?” All this time, we have been seeking: seeking answers, seeking guidance, seeking Jesus. But the responses we get depend very much on what—or who—we are looking for.

In every question, a picture of Jesus has been forming in your mind. Who is he to you? What is he capable of? What does he want? The way you feel about that determines greatly how you hear his response.

As Mary weeps at the empty tomb, the picture she has formed in her mind is one of tragedy. Jesus has died, and now someone has gone so far as to steal his body. I imagine she thought enemies of Jesus did this, the same who wanted to squelch his voice and end his movement. This is her cry, even in the face of two mysterious figures robed in white. And then she turns around. She sees a man standing there. She does not see that it is Jesus. She sees only in her grief, and only through the lens of tragedy. (What else could she do?!) In the Aramaic translation, Jesus says to her, “Why do you weep? And who do you want?”

“Who do you want?” What an interesting question. Of all the versions of Jesus out there, which one do you believe? For which Jesus are you crying? Who do you want?

I believe the world heard the glad tidings of Easter because her answer revealed her wholehearted love of Jesus—beyond teacher, beyond healer, beyond savior. For Mary, Jesus truly became fully God and fully human. She loved all of him, because through him she had experienced a love that embraced all of her. This is the wholeness that heals the world and brings us into eternal life.

What would it look like for us to see Jesus as he is?

Reflect: What would it mean for you to love Jesus with your whole heart, and live for him from that wholeheartedness?

Easter Sunday (Seeking: Who are you looking for?)

lost and found

Mary wept.

Standing in the garden,

soft dirt under her feet,

sun still tucked away,

sleeping under the horizon.

The other disciples left,

but Mary stayed.

Mary wept.

Shoulders shaking,

tears running down her face.

She said, They have taken my Lord away,

and I don’t know where they put him.

But here’s what Easter taught me:

if you think you’ve lost God,

if it feels like heaven has slipped through the cracks,

if you feel like the night will never end,

then know, there is no hide-and-seek with the divine

that doesn’t end in you being found.

Stay still.

Keep breathing.

God is closer than you think.

Poem by Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed

reprinted with permission from A Sanctified Art

Holy Week / Good Friday (Seeking: Why have you forsaken me?)

 

Why Have You Forsaken Me? | Rev. Lauren Wright Pittman: Digital painting

read Matthew 27:27-50

from the artist | Rev. Lauren Wright Pittman

My study for this piece began with revisiting different images of Christ's crucifixion. One art piece that was particularly intriguing to me was Christ of Saint John of the Cross by Salvador Dalí. It has such a harsh downward angle on the cross; it visually connected me to Christ's mockery in a new way. It pushed me to consider different perspectives from which artists and people of faith have been engaging with this horrifying event.

One visual perspective I couldn't find in my research was one looking directly down on Jesus’ face. At first, I thought this would be the ultimate position of mockery, looking down Jesus' nose. But as I began to sketch Christ from this perspective, my thoughts and feelings about the piece took a hard turn. I was thinking about the text as I was holding my five-month-old little boy. He had a fever and was inconsolable. I felt desperate to offer him comfort and solace; it felt like my heart was breaking open. And then it occurred to me: this perspective I was drawing was not a position of mockery, it was metaphorically the perspective of God the Creator looking at her son who was screaming out in agony. This perspective shift reveals something profound to me about the heart of God, and I connect with it in a new way after becoming a mother.

One of my colleagues, Denise Anderson, reminded me that in Jesus' crying out, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani," he is quoting scripture. So instead of creating a mandala with mockery closing in on Jesus, I imaged the verses of Psalm 22. These images of grief and gratitude ripple out from Jesus' mouth and become a foundation, a grounding in his faith in this moment. In the visual, the moments of lament are faded while the images of praise shimmer a bit more brightly. The psalm gives him the fortitude to rest and offer up his last breath.

reprinted by permission from A Sanctified Art

Holy Week / Good Friday (Seeking: Why have you forsaken me?)

read Matthew 27:27-50

commentary | Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow

Have you ever experienced such pain in body, heart, or spirit that you felt that God had deserted you? While I sincerely hope not, many who will approach the cross on this day know all too well the kind of pain that could bring even Christ to plead to God, “Why have you forsaken me?”

I will never forget my moment. About 20 years ago, I had a bout of pancreatitis and as the doctors explained, my angry pancreas was digesting me from the inside out. When I first arrived at the emergency room, it was overcrowded and I found myself on a gurney in the hallway literally trying to climb the walls because I was in so much pain. They had not quite diagnosed my problem so there was no pain management plan. I distinctly remember asking God, “Why?” And from the depths of my soul, wanting an answer as motivation to not give up.

Eventually, they dealt with my acute pain, but for a month, I had to sit in the unknown and weather a pain that never seemed to subside. They tried everything, tested for everything, and still, they could not get rid of the pain. I remember how frustrating it was. I would weep uncontrollably as I anticipated another wave of pain about to engulf my body, and I would constantly ask God, “Why, God?” And, “When, God, will it end?”

They kept reminding me that I had to be patient and that it would be okay. They were right. Eventually, my pancreas stopped being angry, the pain subsided, and I went home.

Healing comes when it comes. Sometimes we are forced to sit in and with the pain longer than we want to. I am not saying that we should intentionally seek painful situations and then we must remain in painful situations at all costs, but on this Good Friday, let’s not rush to Easter joy without first sitting with the pain, despair, and lament of the day. We know that healing, hope, and resurrection will come, but let's not set our feet in that direction at the expense of failing to know from what we are being healed.

Reflect: On this day, what prayers of lament and grief do you bring to God?

reprinted with permission from A Sanctified Art

 

Holy Week / Good Friday (Seeking: Why have you forsaken me?)

to ask why

To ask why

is to break open your heart,

to pour yourself out,

to stare into

the gnawing emptiness

of the tomb,

to peel away

any layer of security,

to walk on fire,

and stand in the rain.

It’s talking about the bad dreams

after you’ve had them.

It’s courageous and vulnerable,

painful and necessary.

To ask why

is to declare

that God is God.

To ask why is to say,

be my God

even when,

especially when,

the world falls apart.

Poem by Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed

reprinted with permission from A Sanctified Art

Maundy Thursday (Seeking: Will you wash my feet?)

By Our Love | Hannah Garrity paper lace over oil paint on golf leaf

read John 13:1-17, 31b-35

from the artist | Hannah Garrity

“Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love. Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”11

We know that the disciples and Jesus were constantly on the move, walking from one town to the next. The dust on their feet was surely ever-present. What is the meaning of the foot washing ritual? I find that it is a show of sacrificial love, a show of intimate care. In the art for this week, I visually explore the contrast between the structures of human power and the soft, sacrificial love of God.

Vertical, diagonal, and horizontal lines are found in architecture, in power grids, in city planning. Cold, glossy marble, gold leaf, cavernous ceilings with great height: these are the materials, the lines, of human power. In this image, vertical and diagonal lines place Jesus in a grand throne room. Yet the power he offers on this Maundy Thursday is not a power understood by the cold, sharp, human power exhibited in the architecture.

By leaning down and washing the feet of his disciples, Jesus introduces a curve in the layout. Jesus’ figure kneels over a bowl of water at the top of the stairs. This act of sacrificial love ripples like water through the lives of Jesus’ disciples, from that year to this one. It is organic; it is mysterious. Ripples and edges intersect, expanding outward from the figure. The collision of human and heavenly power exhibits a daily phenomenon. Which power will you choose? Whose feet will you wash?

11 Scholtes, Peter. “They’ll Know We Are Christians.” © 1966 F.E.L. Publications, assigned to the Lorenz Publishing Company, 1991.

reprinted with permission from A Sanctified Art

Maundy Thursday (Seeking: Will you wash my feet?)

read John 13:1-17, 31b-35

commentary | Rev. Danielle Shroyer

Sometimes it is so hard to let Jesus love us. It’s the love we need most in the world, and yet, sometimes within us resides a roadblock, a kind of joy barrier. And only love can wash that away.

On Maundy Thursday, we remember when Jesus washes the disciples’ feet. He takes the time to do this in a week that will include his own arrest, betrayal, and death. It is this important to him to spend time with his students and closest friends in this way.

Priest and theologian Rev. Sam Wells says that “with” is the most important word in the Gospels.10 It is this “with” that, above all, marks the unique character of Divine Love. Jesus wants to be with us: not above us, not over us, not even in charge of us. With us. And on this night, he shows what it means to “love his disciples to the end” (John 13:13) by being with them as he washes their feet.

And yet, this same act of service and vulnerable love feels completely unacceptable to Peter. How can an offer of such love be so unwillingly received? It can be so hard to let Jesus love us. Is it because it will ask so much of us to follow in his example? Is it because this love will ask us to wash someone else’s feet, even when our love for them is lacking?

On this night where water is poured out like attending love, and betrayal awaits in the shadows, Jesus tells his friends to love one another. He tells them this knowing he will love them to the end, and beyond. Jesus asks those of us who follow him to serve the world in love and with love.

What does it look like for Jesus to wash your feet this Lenten season? Will you let him? And…will you seek to be the kind of person who washes the feet of others, loving one another as Jesus asks?

Reflect: What does it look like for Jesus to wash your feet this Lenten season? Will you let him?

10 Wells, Samuel. Incarnational Ministry: Being with the Church. (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2017)

reprinted with permission from A Sanctified Art

Holy Week | Maundy Thursday (Seeking: Will you wash my feet?)

of all the ways

You could show up with sugar cubes and

two plump oranges,

delivering a pep talk as you hang your coat.

You could provide a meal, filling the house with the sweet

smells of rosemary and sage,

lighting the candles, playing music through the rooms.

You could leave rambling voice memos that start with,

Hey, it’s me,

I was just thinking of you, and carry on to share the details

of your day.

You could get eye-level with the little ones, ask them

questions like,

What should we put in your fort? And, what’s your

favorite farm animal?

You could remember people’s first and middle names,

signs of an old-school love.

You could add your pronouns to your nametag and

Zoom screen.

You could cry with her when her dog gets sick.

You could remember how he likes his cookies—

soft or crispy.

You could deliver Thai food and order extra sticky rice,

because sometimes we just need extra sticky rice.

You could drop off flowers.

You could tell the waitress, “It’s their birthday!”

There are a million ways to show someone your love.

Footwashing was his.

Poem by Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed

reprinted with permission from A Sanctified Art

Palm / Passion Sunday: (Seeking: Where are you headed?)

Power Play | Rev. Lisle Gwynn Garrity: Silk painting with digital drawing and collage

read Matthew 21:1-11

from the artist | Rev. Lisle Gwynn Garrity

In their book, The Last Week, theologians Marcus Borg and John Crossman assert that there were actually two parades occurring simultaneously in Jerusalem on this day. From the east, Jesus entered on a donkey. From the west, the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, entered with an imperial guard. They write: “Jesus’ procession proclaimed the kingdom of God; Pilate’s proclaimed the power of empire. The two processions embody the central conflict of the week that led to Jesus’ crucifixion.”⁹

This image is a meditation on these opposing processions and the embodiment of power. Pilate processes with a pompous display of armor, accompanied by soldiers. For him, power is displayed by superiority, elitism, and weaponry. Later in the week, he will use his power to satisfy the crowds willing Jesus to be crucified, despite not finding any offense to justify it (read John 18 & 19). He uses his power for violence, to appease the status quo.

Jesus enters the city on a donkey with her young colt in tow. He wears no armor, only soft linens. In this image, I imagine if the composition were expanded, Jesus would be kneeling, humbling himself before his disciples as he washes their feet. In Jesus’ processional, members of the crowd lay down their coats as a display of humility and honor. This foreshadows the way Jesus will take off his outer robe and tie a towel around his waist to wash his friends’ feet. Jesus embodies power through a posture of vulnerability, through caring for those who desperately need love.

Which parade you would join in Jerusalem has a lot to say about your definition of power. If you are quick to place yourself in Jesus’ parade, I encourage you to pause and consider these questions honestly: When have you aligned yourself with systems or people who have used their power for violence or to uphold the status quo? When have you embodied power through vulnerability and love for your neighbor?

9 Borg, Marcus J. and John Dominic Crossman. The Last Week: What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus’ Final Days in Jerusalem. (New York: HarperSanFrancisco, 2006). 

reprinted with permission from A Sanctified Art

Holy Week: Palm/Passion Sunday: Commentary (Seeking: Where are you headed?)

read Matthew 21:1-11

commentary | Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow

Today, let’s stay at the parade, for just a moment. Because we know what comes after Palm Sunday, it is easy to quickly judge and rebuke the crowd that eventually turns on Jesus. Oh, those silly people, cheering on a triumphal entry as if he were a victor returning from war and not a human who was about to disrupt the very fabric and stability of the world, which included him dying.

The thing is, in many ways these two things were happening at the same time; the question is which Jesus will we follow, then and now. I am certain that the Jesus we choose to follow has everything to do with our current state of being. If you have been struggling, feel set aside or ignored, or are experiencing powerlessness or marginalization, any glimpse of gaining back some power or security would not only be welcomed but cheered. I can only imagine that the deeper the struggle, the more vibrant the joy would be at the promise of some relief.

So again, let’s be at the parade, but let’s also be very clear about which Jesus we are cheering on: the militaristic victor or the humble subversive—for either could be born from pent-up frustration and struggle. I hope that many are resisting the wave of Christian nationalism that has been the dominant Christian narrative in our political discourse. Too many are choosing the narrative of Jesus as a wartime victor and choosing a Gospel militarized against anyone who would stray from a litmus test of beliefs—beliefs that Jesus never actually addressed and beliefs certainly not included in the commandments, that Jesus did speak to us, to love God with all your heart and mind and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself.

Now that second Jesus, that one who is turning over tables, challenging power, and sitting with sinners in order to heal and love, that’s the one worthy of a parade.

Reflect: Which Jesus will you follow: the militaristic victor or the humble subversive? How is your faith shaped by the version of Jesus you follow?

reprinted with permission from A Sanctified Art

Holy Week: Palm/Passion Sunday: Poem (Seeking: Where are you headed?)

where are you headed?

We are trains on a track,

moving through life at warp speed.

Please keep all arms and legs

inside the moving vehicle

at all times.

The years pass like a flipbook,

faster than we can absorb,

but the train does not stop.

We press our faces to the windows

to try and get a good view

and we ask each each other,

Where are you headed?

And there on the train

we decide—

we want to head toward

the promised day.

We want to head toward crowded tables

and long, healthy lives.

We want to move in the direction of joyful children,

and hopeful communities.

We want to move closer to God

with every mile of track,

and that does not happen by accident.

So it’s time to ask,

Where are you headed,

and who’s driving that train?

Poem by Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed