On the Road to Emmaus

As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.  They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24: 28-32

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

Wisdom

My son, do not forget my teaching,

    but keep my commands in your heart,

for they will prolong your life many years

    and bring you peace and prosperity.

Let love and faithfulness never leave you;

    bind them around your neck,

    write them on the tablet of your heart.

Then you will win favor and a good name

    in the sight of God and man.

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.

This will bring health to your body

    and nourishment to your bones.

Honor the Lord with your wealth,

    with the first fruits of all your crops;

then your barns will be filled to overflowing,

    and your vats will brim over with new wine.

My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,

    and do not resent his rebuke,

because the Lord disciplines those he loves,

    as a father the son he delights in.

Blessed are those who find wisdom,

    those who gain understanding,

for she is more profitable than silver

    and yields better returns than gold.

She is more precious than rubies;

    nothing you desire can compare with her.

Long life is in her right hand;

    in her left hand are riches and honor.

Her ways are pleasant ways,

    and all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her;

    those who hold her fast will be blessed.

By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,

    by understanding he set the heavens in place;

by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,

    and the clouds let drop the dew.

My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,

    preserve sound judgment and discretion;

they will be life for you,

    an ornament to grace your neck. Proverbs 3:1-22

The Holy Spirit

If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your human bodies also, through his Spirit that lives in you. Romans 8:11

Christina Hergenrader wrote Family Trees & Olive Branches which I recommend highly and is available at bookstores and online services. Sometimes we forget about the Spirit that lives inside us, given to us when we accept Christ as our savior. We go around doing our free will and tend to our busy lives. These are some words from Christina’s book that touched me deeply:

Living as a child of God includes the experience of reading a Bible verse that your soul leaps at because, in your most tender places, you know it as truth.

Life in the Spirit is humbling; it’s recognizing the radical patience and kindness another person has shown you.

Life in the Spirit is praying to your Father and feeling the profound peace that comes from knowing He is taking care of you and has been caring for you.

Life in the Spirit is hearing an explanation of God’s expansive love for you that resonates so deeply that you feel whole. Life in the spirit is receiving the underserved forgiveness of someone you have hurt .

Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, we humbly come to you and thank you for your Holy Spirit which helps us understand so much. Amen.

Sandra Hilsabeck

Teach Me Your Ways

Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart—they do no wrong but follow his ways. You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands. I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. I will obey your decrees;do not utterly forsake me. Psalm 119: 1-8

God's Blue Marble

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:3

“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

We celebrated Earth Day yesterday (April 22). In a recent issue of National Geographic, astronauts who have been fortunate enough to be able to view the earth from space tried to put into words what they observed. It seems just about everyone experiences timelessness, and a sense of responsibility toward the planet after viewing it as the blue marble that it appears to be from afar. Another observation is how one never seems to tire of viewing our earth from space.

Most of these astronauts have made it their mission to bring attention to what they saw. For example, Leland Melvin was inspired by the earth’s oceans as viewed from above, the many shades of blue, and focuses his efforts on inspiring people, especially children, to preserve the planet. Samantha Cristoforetti says, "You’ve got this planet beneath you, and a lot of what you see, especially during the day, does not necessarily point to a human presence. If you look at it on a geologic timescale, it’s almost like we are this flimsy presence, and we really have to stick together as a human family to make sure we are a permanent presence on this planet and not just this blink of an eye.”

Two thoughts occurred to me as I prepared this devotion after reading the article: one, our mortality and what God promises for us in eternity, and two, how we should make it our responsibility to care for the planet while we’re living here, for future generations. While God promises us an eternity in heaven, we should also care for this earth that we make our home while we’re here!

Here are scripture passages that address both:

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:28

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. Genesis 2:15

The heavens are the Lord's heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man. Psalm 115:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to do my part in caring for the earth that is our temporary home, that you have created. Show me new ways to care for nature and all living things. Thank you for Your promise of eternal life with You. Amen.

Donna Gustafson

Where Do You Want to Go?

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

Then God said, “I give you every seed bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it.  They will be yours for food.” Genesis 1:29

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. Revelation 3:20

So many times family and friends get together and the decision making or non-decision making begins as to where to go eat. If staying home it can become another conversation of what to cook or eat that is prepared or easy. I am sure we have all been through these conversations, what do we want to eat, Italian, Mexican, American, buffet, fast food, eat there or take home. It becomes a sometime lengthy decision making, usually works its way through an elimination process to arrive at a final agreement. But the choices are plentiful, the options are enormous, the actual eating process has become a form of entertainment rather than a way of sustaining nourishment to our bodies. I know I am guilty of enjoying the many different flavors of foods. I also have my favorites and those that I know I dislike.  

But these are not the circumstances for so many others in the world; just in the United States, or in Lincoln, there are those that are happy just to have a meal once a day. Their selection is not where to eat, or what to eat but to how to get a meal. There are so many programs that help and struggle to meet the needs of those in hunger.  

I pray that I become more aware of what I eat and that I look at it as a form of nourishment rather than a form of entertainment. I feel the meal time of family and friends is almost a lost form of communication or comfort. I pray that while we nourish our bodies, that we also nourish our relationships and spend the time to sit down and enjoy the meal with family and friends.

Prayer: Dear Lord, please help us to remember to be thankful for the food that you provide, help us to remember that we need the food for nourishment. We pray for those that work hard to provide us with this nourishment. Help us to remember those that may not be as fortunate as ourselves and we help those in need. Guide us to take time to spend with our family and friends every day, not just on special occasions. Thank you for all you provide us. Amen

Lori Hood