Boring
Read: Exodus 23:25
It doesn’t take long working with children (of all ages) to hear
the complaint: "Do I hafta go to church? It’s boring." While
I don’t say it out loud, I admit there are some Sundays I don’t feel
like going to church. I know in faith I love God and want to worship
Him, but sometimes my strongest human desire is for another hour of
sleep.
While the world may tell me to "take a Sunday off," God’s
Word clearly says otherwise. When I reflect on all God has done for me
in Christ, how could I hesitate? If I find worship dull, I have only one
person to blame: Myself.
In worship God comes to me in His Word as it is read and preached.
His grace is poured out through the Sacraments. In worship I have the
opportunity to respond in praise. In church I turn toward my Savior, not
myself. In God’s house I receive new power through the Sacraments.
Sundays are excluded from the 40 days of Lent, as each Sunday is a
"mini-Easter" celebration of Christ’s resurrection. It means
Sunday is a day to celebrate our resurrected Savior, regardless of how
we feel.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are worthy of all praise. Give me a
heart of worship through Jesus my Savior. Amen.
Response: Arrive to worship services early and prepare your heart
for praise.
Sunlight
Read: John 8:12
The first time I saw the Southern wisteria tree in bloom, I thought
it was a lilac, one of my Indiana favorites. Wisteria blooms with purple
flowering clusters like the lilac, so I decided to grow it to remind me
of home.
I happily watched the wispy bush grow and make it through the first
difficult year (difficult to be transplanted into the yard of a Yankee).
It grew each year, but never bloomed. I was glad the plant was healthy,
but I cherished its purple blooms. I finally learned that the wisteria
needs full sunlight to bloom. While it can live in shade, it needs lots
of sun to bring forth the flowers.
How like our Christian life! We may be able to survive for weeks
without the nourishing light of God’s Word and His Supper, but we will
never put forth the flowers of faith without a constant exposure to the
Son-light! Jesus Christ longs to forgive our sins, the shadows on our
lives and witness, and fill us with His light to shine His love for the
world around us.
The season of Lent, when the days lengthen, is an excellent time to
increase our exposure to Son-light. His light shines in the Word, in His
life is our light. The world is full of sin with its shadows, but with
the Spirit’s power working in us through the daily Word, the Son
shines through.
Prayer: Everlasting God, help me to let my light shine before
men, that they may see You and praise You. Amen.
Response: Add more Son-light to your day.
Leftovers
Read: 1 John 3:17-18
When a member of our church was ill, we took meals to her family for
weeks. No one took leftovers. We made—or bought—a fresh meal on clean
dishes.
In our rural ministry, people often sent things for families we served.
Many sent new toys and clothes or the best of their give-aways. Others,
however, sent things that were dirty, torn, or broken.
Some donation sites can clean and repair items (though few I know do),
but we did not. While every donation was given with good intentions,
sometimes I was disheartened. It was as if the giver had said: "Here’s
something for people who don’t deserve any better. They should be happy
with stained, ripped, button-less clothes and broken toys."
"Not good enough" was a message the children in our
neighborhood heard too often. We wanted them to know they were beautifully
and wonderfully made by God, who loved them. Through Jesus, they received
complete salvation—not second-hand, not left over. Lent is traditionally a
time of "almsgiving." May it also be a time we give alms that are
worthy of the one in whose name they are given.
Prayer: We give You but Your own, in any gifts we bring, all that we
have is Yours alone, a trust from You, our King. Amen.
Response: Call a local mission and ask what you can provide for
someone in need.
What’s that Smell?
Read: 2 Corinthians 2:14-16
One chilly February day, we took children to a park for a campfire
cookout. They enjoyed building the fire and watching it burst into different
colored flames. As a breeze caught the smoke, they marveled at the sweet
fragrance of burning pine. "It smells good!" Antonio said.
"Not like our fires at home."
In rural Mississippi, people often burned their trash. The climate and
heavy woods made this necessary, because of irregular trash pick up, rotten
smells, and critters. But burning trash had a horrid odor, distinctly
rancid. In contrast, our campfire smelled pungently comforting.
While roasting wieners, we talked about getting lost in the freezing
woods at night. "What would you do?" we asked. "You could
shout for help," Shekela said. "You could pray," added
Hermann. Just then a chilly breeze sent up another wisp of smoke. "I
know," Antonio said. "You could smell our campfire and walk to
it!"
The campfire—life-preserving on a freezing night—signaled life
through its fragrance. As Christians, we can also show life. During Lent, I
confess my "fragrance" is often more like the burning trash, as I
try to do things my way. I repent and call on Christ’s resurrection power
so that my witness might fill the air with sweet fragrance, drawing all to
life in Him.
Prayer: Perfume my life with Your love, O Savior, that all may be
drawn to You. Amen.
Response: Light a sweet-smelling candle. Reflect on ways your life
can "smell sweet" to those around you.
Lessons from the Night Sky
Read: Psalm 147:3-6
One February evening, we took the neighborhood children out to study the
night sky. We drove onto a country road, pulled over, and turned off the
lights. Looking up at the velvet canopy, we were amazed at its brilliant
sparkle of stars.
Tracing the long handle of the Big Dipper, we showed the children how to
find the North Star—the same star that had guided many to freedom over 150
years ago.
Harriet Tubman was a favorite because of her bravery, leading 300 slaves
to freedom. Harriet followed the stars and her faith, knowing she was never
alone, despite deep darkness. "Oh, dear Lord, I have no friend but
You," she cried out one night, fearing capture. "Come to my help,
Lord, for I’m in trouble!"
Through many narrow escapes, Harriet always gave the glory to God:
"It wasn’t me. It was the Lord!" During Lent’s long nights, we
can look to the sky and remember God’s faithfulness, seen in a star at
Bethlehem announcing the birth of our Savior. Born to save, Jesus suffered
and died, delivering us from the slavery of sin. Through His Spirit we have
the power to lead others to freedom in Him.
Prayer: Dearest Lord, we have no friend but You! Be our help at all
times! In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Response: Read a biography of an African-American to enrich your
understanding of history.
Time for a Tune-Up
Read: Romans 3:19
Three times in one day I got stuck behind an old car that was rattling
along the road instead of sitting in the junkyard, spewing out fumes of
black smoke. I was choking but couldn’t get away, wedged in a small but
formidable line of cars at a traffic light.
When it happened for the third time I began to get the message. I had
been having a bad day at work and I had let folks know it. I was spewing out
"stinking smoke," my bad attitude over the misplaced memo, the
missed deadline, the incorrect editing. I was on the offensive … no, I was
offensive.
I knew it was time to change; to clean up my act. Despite the many things
that can go wrong in a day, there is no reason to spew out my personal
pollution on everyone around me. We live in a small community with no public
transportation. There are reasons people drive marginal cars. Some may smell
offensive, but there is never an excuse for my offensive behavior. Lent is a
good time to commit to a change: to confess to Christ to cleanse our sins
and give us the power to reflect His love in our daily lives.
It’s a daily discipline. If I forget, I know it won’t be long before
I’m behind another wheezing car, reminding me to get a spiritual tune-up!
Prayer: Forgive my stench, Faithful Father, and "tune up"
my life so that others may see You in me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Response: What sets you off? Ask God to help you give it up today.
Thank You!
Read: Luke 17:15-16
I was trained to write thank-you notes and pride myself in still
doing so. My parents taught me to name the gift and tell why I liked it.
Some required more creativity than others, but the message was the same:
"You thought of me, you gave me something special, I am
grateful."
Despite my manners and education, my own thank you’s pale in
comparison to the one I received recently from my 78-year-old friend in
rural Mississippi. Miss Almeda never went to school beyond the eighth
grade. Raised by her grandparents, she went to work cleaning houses at
age 12. She has struggled all her life.
Today she lives on a too-small social security check and supports her
sick brother. She is diabetic, blind in one eye, and has high blood
pressure. But she has an exuberant faith and enthusiasm, despite life’s
daily hardships.
In her letter, she told me she had been to the doctor and had no
money left—not even change for Sunday school. Then she had opened her
mail and found my gift. "I jumped and hollered, ‘Praise the Lord,’
all through the house. Christ used you to help me. Bless you."
Lent is known for its somber and reflective mood. While quiet
contemplation has its place, so too does jumping for joy. When I
received Miss Almeda’s letter, I knew that my thank you’s to God
needed a big boost. Some days I need to dance and holler "thank
you" for Jesus, my Savior.
Prayer: Thank You, a thousand times thank You, O Generous Father!
Amen.
Response: Write a thank-you letter to someone.
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