WORLD: Lenten Devotion Day 6

Lenten Photo Devotion: Day 6

WORLD

He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

Mark 8:34-38

What will it profit to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? A question we all need to contemplate in this season of Lent. 

With the availability of the internet the world is literally at our finger tips. A relative's dog is being boarded in a kennel while she is on vacation. I can log on every day and  watch the dog via webcam to ease her mind that he is doing well. With a few clicks of a button I can reach out to almost anyone in the world for anything of my choosing.

I could use the internet for so much...the possibilities are endless...but after years of being on here I have learned many lessons about Christian responsibility on this world wide web. I can be crude, funny, sexually suggestive, wild...that can gain me lots of attention and lots of friends. However, what does it say about me when I've claimed in my status on religion that I am a Christian? I might get popular in the world but I'm giving up my Christ-like living in return. Is it really worth it?

No! Popularity and boasting of my opinions and individuality are not worth failing to live and speak in ways that honor Christ. Yes, there are times I think it would be fun to jump into a conversation or share something funny that is a bit off-color but in the end I have discovered that denying myself the freedom to say what I want and post what I want is indeed the way that leads to a more peaceful and Christ-like life...even on the world wide web.

WORLD

Consider your voice in the world...

are you using it for Christ?

Settle: Lenten Devotional (First Sunday in Lent)

First Sunday of Lent: Photo Devotion

SETTLE

 Thus the Lord gave to Israel all the land that he swore to their ancestors that he would give them; 

and having taken possession of it, they settled there.

Joshua 21:43

This week my wonderful husband gave me the most beautiful Valentines Day gift....a four month old rescue mutt I named Lady. When we brought her home for the first time i expected that she might take a few days to adjust to a new home and a new routine. She surprised us all by acting as if she had been living here her whole life. The above picture was taken just an hour or so after bringing her home. As you can see she immediately settled right in.

As I reflect on today's Lenten word (Settle) I am reminded of the times that God has provided a place for me to settle: A home, a church, a calling, a marriage, a parenthood. God has provided me with so many amazing places and positions in which he says, "settle here for a while, there is work to do and lessons to learn."

Where are you settled in life? Is it a place of God's provision or have you chosen the place yourself? Is it a place of comfort or a place of challenge?

Settle

be where God calls you to be.

INJUSTICE: Lenten Devotion Day 4

Lent Photo Devotion: Day 4

INJUSTICE

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to provide for those who mourn in Zion— to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. 

Isaiah 61:1-3a

There is no denying that this world is full of injustice. It is for this reason that the Gospel message is so important for it brings the good news that injustice will not have the last word and it will not be part of our eternal future.

This past Wednesday we put ashes upon our heads and took a moment to regret and confess the many ways that we contribute to injustice: we withhold our love from some, we seek to promote self over other, we worry for our own gain and deny responsibility for our brothers and sisters in need, we turn a blind eye to oppression as long as we are not oppressed, we fail to understand the brokenhearted, we ignore the captive, and act as judge over others. For these reasons we take up that bowl full of ash and regret.

The promise of Isaiah's proclamation and Christ's life, however, is that we move beyond the ashes and regret and actually change our ways so that we take a stand against all types of injustice. It is even in our vows when joining the United Methodist Church: "Do you resist the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves?"

And the people of God say: YES! because it is our calling to "bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; ...to comfort all who mourn; ... to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. 

In this Lenten season I pray by the light of Christ we might see all forms of injustice around us and seek ways to take a stand against it...let us trade in our bowl of ash for a garland of peace.

INJUSTICE

take up your ashes and repent

SEE - Lenten Devotional Day 3

Lenten Photo Devotion Day 3:

SEE

They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, "Can you see anything?" And the man looked up and said, "I can see people, but they look like trees, walking."  Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 

Mark 8:22-25

I am fascinated by the stories of Jesus healing the blind. I am especially fascinated by the healings that take place in stages. One without sight comes to Jesus and with mud, spit, and a touch - finally the person can see "everything clearly."

As we journey into Lent we too are struggling to see clearly. As we enter these days of self-examination we yearn to see the person God created us to be...we fear to see how far we truly are from being that person....we seek to find a way to become that which we are not yet. 

Often it is like looking in a foggy mirror. With one swipe of the towel we think we should see all things clearly and know exactly who we are to be and how we are to become it. We take a swipe and hear Jesus say, "can you see anything?" And all too often we must admit that we cannot...not just yet. We see shadows, images of who we are to be and yet there is still much to learn, so much we must experience, so much to discern.

In your Lenten journey don't get frustrated with the time it takes to see clearly. In that time, the Savior is at work...reaching out...ready for that final touch. 

Look intently...be restored

Do you see anything yet?

Return: Lent Photo Devotion Day 2

Lent Photo Devotion:Day 2

RETURN

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan 

and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 

where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. 

Luke 4:1-2a

I am not much of a winter person. While others are watching for snowflakes, I scan the ground looking for signs of spring...the great "return" season. Seeing those first fresh stems of green pushing through the cold soil always make me smile. Life is returning to the barren world.

Spring is nature's Easter proclamation. As life returned to Jesus, so every year we see that acted out on the Earth's stage by the return of green, yellow, red, pink...and every other color on earth. 

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned...

This is my greatest wish for us in our Lenten journey - that at the end of our 40 days of self-examination, self-denial, and repentance - we also might be full of the Holy Spirit and ready to return to the trials and temptations of this world with renewed strength and vibrant proclamation. Just as the new sprouts of spring can withstand the last of the winter's snow and ice - so we can withstand all that comes our way...if we return, full of the Holy Spirit.

RETURN

Who Am I?

Lenten Photo: Day One

Who Am I?

I woke up this morning thinking about Jesus' journey into the wilderness as depicted in an old, cheaply made BBC movie called "Son of Man." So often we picture Jesus as so confident and comfortable with who he is. After all, how can the Son of God not be confident and comfortable with his identity? Yet, in the movie the director has a striking scene depicting Jesus being tempted in the wilderness. His biggest temptation being the struggle to understand who he is.

I was astonished by this scene for it had never occurred to me that Jesus would struggle to come to terms with who he was - yet - if he was fully human as our creeds proclaim, then why wouldn't he struggle and feel less than confident at times? We all do right? 

Today I begin a Lenten photo experiment suggested by the Rethink Church folks. On this Ash Wednesday we were to take a photo on the topic of "Who Am I" - and I was surprised at how difficult I found that exercise. Who am I? It is difficult to sum up in a photo of course but I found myself struggling to sum it up even in words.

I am an ordinary woman blessed with many extraordinary labels: I am a Christian, a Pastor, a wife and a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend - those are my favorite labels. I am also ordinary and so on this Ash Wednesday I acknowledge other things that "I am" - a sinner, a body waiting to return to ash, a daily failure to be Christ-like. But then the extraordinary labels remind me that I am also an Easter Person - which means my sin is forgiven and my death is a victory.

Who am I? I am Christ's - and I am content

Gray Is A Color Too!!!

This morning I woke up in the darkness of early morning and couldn't get back to sleep. I snuggled into my fuzzy robe, fixed myself a cup of coffee and settled into my favorite spot in the house - the sofa in front of large windows that provide a view of the waking world.

There I waited for the first sign of light...there I wondered, what color is God choosing to put on today? Will it be gold? red? pink? purple? blue? I think of my youngest daughter who carefully goes through multiple outfits every morning trying to find the one that best fits her mood for the day. I think of my oldest daughter who has this adorable habit of putting on her clothes the night before and wearing them for an hour to two to test their comfort level and wearability. She goes to bed assured that when she wakes her day is prepared.

I wonder - how does God chose? It is a silly question of course, so all you science geeks can refrain from the comments of how pollution, ozone, weather patterns, etc. determine the color - I know these things - but a girl can have fun with her imagination right? God as a teenage girl pillaging the closet to determine what best will suit the mood or the comfort zone...wondering what I would pick if I were given the power to chose the sunrise color...

I was hoping for soft, subtle shades of pink and purple today - gentle puffs surrounded by blue - something that spoke to the peace and serenity I was feeling this morning while snuggled in my fuzzy robe with my warm coffee on my favorite sofa. I waited...I waited...I waited

By 7:30 am I realized there would be no pink and purple today....no gold, red, or even blue. The color of the day is gray...at first I thought how disappointing...but then I went in search of some good news about the color gray.

Wikipedia helped with a small section about color T.V. of all things..."Red, green, and blue light combined together at full intensity produces white. The three colors combined at equal but less than full intensity produce all the different shades of grey. To make a cool grey, the intensity of the blue is increased slightly. To produce a warm grey, the red intensity is increased."

That gray sky now looks different - not dreary at all - God simply liked all the colors today!

Yeah God!