Lent Day 20: March 31

Lenten Reflection for Day 20

Date: Thursday March 31, 2011

Author: Pastor Pat Harris

Bible Passage:

Mark 1:16–18 (NRSV)

¹⁶ As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” ¹⁸ And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Reflection:

Whenever I read this passage about Jesus calling the disciples, the word that always jumps out at me is immediately. I can certainly understand Simon and Andrew following Jesus. There was undoubtedly something compelling in his manner, words and persuasion. But immediately they left their nets!!! Those nets were their livelihood. I wonder if they thought about washing the nets and putting them away first. I wonder if they didn’t feel like they had to run home first and tell their families. Some powerful force moved them to respond immediately.

I am amazed at the level of faith that would allow these men to follow Jesus so quickly. Their faith let them take the first step in responding to Jesus’ command, and their obedience reinforced their faith. This reinforcement of their faith following their initial response was important for challenges that would face them toward the end of Jesus’ ministry on earth. I wonder if Simon and Andrew could have taken that first step of following Jesus if they could have seen the cross at the end of the road.

For us, taking the first step toward following Jesus’ call may be difficult, but often more thorny challenges arise. Very few of us can take this first step immediately. For instances, agreeing to take a lay leadership role at church may require much soul searching. When a call is prayerfully followed, God gives us a faith boost to help us get started. However during the course of this work, if obstacles come up such as program changes, financial difficulties, or the loss of other volunteers, the commitment to serve can be challenged. Reliance on God, accompanied by prayer is what sustains us through these challenges.

Prayer, the faith that is a gift from God, and our response to God’s call to serve are all intertwined. We are unable to serve or even pray without the Holy Spirit who intercedes on our behalf.

Prayer:

Gracious God, may your faith encourage and sustain me and may you grant me the listening ears to hear your call and the obedience to follow it. Amen

Lent Day 19: March 30

I thank Ed Olney for his reflection this morning on costly grace.

Lenten Reflection for Day 19

Date: Wednesday March 30, 2011

Author: Ed Olney

Bible Passage:

1 Corinthians 6:20 (NRSV)

²⁰ For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.

Reflection: Verse 19 sets up this passage (20) very nicely: "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own?" It is clear that we should take care of the temple within us because it is God's. This is why it is so important to nourish our spiritual body weekly through church attendance and even daily through devotions. "It was bought with a price" - God's own Son who saves us from our sins through His grace. "By grace are you saved by faith, not of yourself...."

Our salvation was bought with a price, Jesus Christ. However, this costly grace is free for us.

Prayer: Thank you, O God, for the costly grace you have offered me freely and which has made me a disciple of Jesus. Amen

Lent Day 18: March 29

Today we welcome guest blogger Mary Harrington, who shares with us her reflections on having our "debts" paid.

Lenten Reflection for Day 18

Date: Tuesday March 29, 2011

Author: Mary Harrington

Bible Passage:

Romans 6:1–4 (NRSV)

¹ What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? ² By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? ³ Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

Reflection:

In today’s economy, too many people know what it is like to be deeply in debt, even facing bankruptcy. If you were in this position, due to bad choices in spending, imagine someone telling you that your debt has been “paid in full.” It is a gift. Now you have a choice: show your gratitude by being responsible and staying out of debt, or going back to the old spending ways.

At baptism we are united with Christ. By his death on the cross, Jesus gave us a gift. We are permanently debt free, sin free. But, we also have free will. We can choose to continue in our old ways knowing future sins will be forgiven, or we can use our free will to live a life that shows gratitude to God. We are still responsible for our choices and actions.

Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for the gift of your Son, who made the ultimate sacrifice to free me from sin. Protect me from daily temptations and give me the strength to fully surrender my life to you. Amen

Lent Day 17: March 28

I thank our guest blogger, my husband John for his wise words on the difference between "cheap grace" and "costly grace".

Lenten Reflection for Day 17

Date: Monday March 28, 2011

Author: John Harris

Bible Passage:

Romans 6:15–18 (NRSV)

¹⁵ What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! ¹⁶ Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, ¹⁸ and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

Reflection:

It is easy to become a Christian and accept its doctrines. Alas, it is not so easy to lead a Christian life. Let me say that again, in a slightly different way. It is easy to accept the grace that God gives us, through no merit of our own, that frees us from our sins. It is a much more difficult proposition for us to allow that grace to change our lives in such a way that they are completely Christ-centered. It is so hard not to live the same way that the world does. I am reminded of the rich young ruler who asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. He suspects that Jesus will affirm his life of following the commandments, tithing, and worshipping according to Levitical law—the world of “cheap grace.” But Jesus asks for more, His grace is of a more “costly” nature. It is great that you follow the law, but you must give up the stuff, the impediments, that interfere with your relationships with God and neighbor. Then, and only then, can you follow Jesus.

“Cheap” grace comforts us that our sins are forgiven. “Costly” grace afflicts us with remorse and contrition because we continually commit the same offenses over and over again. “Cheap” grace forgives our sins. “Costly” grace compels us to love our neighbor, even if that neighbor is not so lovable . “Cheap” grace allows us to live in and accept the world without ever changing its or our own sinful nature. “Costly” grace allows us to focus on Christ and to “become slaves of righteousness.” In short, “costly” grace changes our relationship to God and the world. We become cross-centered, disciples of Christ through His word and sacraments.

Prayer:

Lord, like the rich, young ruler, we often bestow cheap grace on ourselves and we stay comfortable in our old ways of sin. Help us accept your costly grace, to shed the impediments that get in the way of our love of You and our neighbor. You have set us free from sin, help us change our lives so that we become slaves of our relationship with God and not slaves of the world. Amen

Lent Day 16: March 26

Lenten Reflection for Day 16

Date: Saturday March 26, 2011

Author: Pastor Pat Harris

Bible Passage:

Matthew 5:13 (NRSV)

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

Reflection:

What does it mean to be salt of the earth? In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells his followers that they ARE the salt of the earth. Jesus is not asking them if they want to be salt or assuring them that they will become salt. No they are, right now, this very instant, the salt of the earth. As salt, they are a resource that is valuable to the people around them. Just as salt brings out the flavor of food, the disciples add a new dimension to the lives of people who surround them.

Many of us wonder how salt could lose its taste. The salt used in the time of Jesus was not the pure sodium chloride that most of us think of as salt. It was a mixture of materials including some inert substances. If the salt sat around exposed to dampness, the moisture could leach the salty sodium chloride out of the mixture, leaving it with little flavor. Likewise the disciples, if they reacted to the influence of people, who tried to discredit Jesus, could end up loosing their effectiveness.

In what ways are we the salt of the earth? In what ways does our Christian faith allow us to add enhance the lives of the people around us. Are we acting as salt when we spread the Gospel message? What might cause us to loose our saltiness, and consequently not be effective with others?

Prayer:

Gracious God, help me to act as your salt, contributing to and enhancing the lives of other people. Let the Gospel message that Jesus died and was raised for us be at the heart of my saltiness.

Amen

Lent Day 15: March 25

This morning we welcome my husband John as our guest blogger. He shares his reflection on persecution and ties it into today's celebration in the Church Year Calendar: The Annunciation of our Lord.

Lenten Reflection for Day 15

Date: Friday March 25, 2011

Author: John Harris

Bible Passage:

Matthew 5:10 (NRSV)

¹⁰ “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Reflection:

March 25^th is the day the Christian Calendar celebrates the Annunciation of our Lord, the day we honor Mary and her visitation by the angel Gabriel. Luke’s story of this event, and Mary’s beautiful song of praise that begins with “My soul magnifies the Lord,” is a powerful reminder of the strength of a righteous young teenage girl as she gets a handle on the fact that she is about to become the Mother of God. And, an unwed mother at that!

What must have gone through her mind! Of course, we have her song that we sing at our mid-week Lenten devotions as part of the Holden evening prayer—that the Lord comes to the lowly, the meek, the God fearing, and, yes, even the persecuted. And, as I reflect on this morning’s beatitude, I cannot help but wonder what Mary must have thought as she pondered Gabriel’s words. She was well aware of Levitical law and what could happen to her as an unwed mother—public humiliation and death by stoning. She knew that she could suffer persecution for her righteousness, and yet, she joyfully accepts her mission, come what may.

As we reflect upon Mary, think about all the Christian disciples in history who have been “blessed” as they have suffered for a just cause. We should think upon all those who have suffered for social justice under totalitarian regimes around the world. We remember particularly the ministers and priests who have died under NAZI and communist governments. In our own time, we think about Christians in Latin America who have defied their Church hierarchy and have died at the hands of oppressive governments as they spoke out for justice for the meek and lowly.

Prayer: Give us strength. O Lord, to become true disciples of Christ. Help us to be righteous and upright in a world that may not persecute Christians, but, worse yet, is indifferent to us and to issues surrounding social justice. Finally, we ask Your blessings on all those who suffer for a just cause. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Lent Day 14: March 24

This morning we welcome guest blogger Sue Olney who shares with us her thoughts about what it means to be a peacemaker.

Lenten Reflection for Day 14

Date: Thursday March 24, 2011

Author: Sue Olney

Bible Passage: Matthew 5:9 (NRSV)

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

Reflection:

During most of our Lutheran worship services, we greet each other with "The peace of Christ be with you." As God's children, we are to be his peacemakers. It is not always easy to turn away from a hurtful comment. Our humanity may cause us to answer in a negative manner. Do we feel better? What about our friend? God's kingdom can't flourish without peace and love. This has significant meaning to us as His children. We would be happier if we strived daily to be his peacemakers in our actions, words and yes, even our silence.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, now is the time for us to learn your way of peace. Plant peace in our hearts, in our homes and in every nation, that it might grow and flourish. In thy name we pray, Amen

Lent Day 13: March 23

This morning we welcome guest blogger Susan Cronenwett, who shares with us a reflection on being pure in heart.

Lenten Reflection for Day 13

Date: Wednesday March 23, 2011

Author: Susan Cronenwett

Bible Passage:

Matthew 5:8 (NRSV)

⁸ “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Reflection:

What a beautiful, simple, and powerful statement! Yet what does it mean to be pure of heart? We struggle to give up the love of money and possessions. We strive to show love, mercy, support, and generosity. We yearn to be more like young children, trusting in God without reservation. We try to look only to God for our inspiration and instruction. Sometimes we succeed for an instance or a short period of time. But to succeed in giving our hearts wholly to God on more than an intermittent and part-time basis, we need His help. He has given us the means through His Son.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank you for this day. Help us to look to you in every part of our lives and to come to you with pure, childlike hearts, through your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen

Living Water: Reflections for Lent 3A

When Jesus speaks to the Samaritan Woman about "living water", they are standing next to Jacob's well, a well that had provided God's people with water for over 1000 years. Jesus' term "living water" can be interpreted in so many ways. Jesus, first, asks the woman to give him a drink, which would have required her to dip water from the well with a bucket. In his continuing dialogue with her, Jesus, tells the Samaritan Woman, that she could have asked him for "living water".

Water, by its very nature, is a source of life. Humans can live for only a few days without water. Fresh, uncontaminated water, which we in the US take for granted, is a treasure in other parts of the world. In places where water does not come from a faucet inside the house or bottled at the grocery store, people often walk long distances to use a shared well--a well much like the one Jesus stood beside. When I think of wells, I think of a town in Palestine, not far from Hebron, that I visited on a trip to the Holy Land. We were taken to the town of At-Tuwani by members of the Christian Peacemakers Team. This town is served by a single well. Children and adults get their water by dipping it out with a bucket and transferring it to bottles and other containers. This single source of water in this village has been subjected to contamination in the continuing battle between Palestinian residents and Israeli settlers. Contaminated water is no longer a source of life, but a means of death.

Americans, who have such easy access to clean water, don't give much thought to how hard it is for many people to obtain it. These children, who must haul water uphill from the village well to their homes, understand how precious this living water is. The children in this photo, would have understood the Samaritan Woman's amazement that Jesus, who had no bucket, was offering to give her "living water."

On a metaphorical level, Jesus' "living water" is the gushing water of eternal life. Only Jesus can give this spiritual water. Only by faith, can believers receive this spring of water, planted deep within themselves by God. As Jesus puts it, this spring of water will "gush up to eternal life."

With two millennia of Christian experience, we can also look at Jesus' "living water" as the baptismal water, that is the start of new life in Christ. When water is gushed over us in baptism, we are washed free from sin, the Holy Spirit flows into us, and we are transformed in children of God. As baptized Christians, we live into Jesus' words of "worshipping God in spirit and truth."

Lord, may you give us always, that "living water" that provides life today and eternal life tomorrow. May we live as your children, grateful for your mercy in giving us this "living water." Amen

Lent Day 12: March 22

This morning we welcome guest blogger Ed Olney who shares his thoughts on the meaning of mercy and how we can show mercy.

Lenten Reflection for Day 12

Date: Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Author: Ed Olney

Bible Passage: Matthew 5:7 (NRSV)

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy."

Reflection:

While it is generally true, what you give, you get back, biblically this passage has even deeper meaning. In the Old Testament the meaning of mercy comes from Hebrew word for steadfast, dependable love. Very often it is used in connection with the covenant that God established with Israel, a gift and a grace for Israel. It is a love that gives, a love more powerful than betrayal, grace stronger than sin.

When we sing "Kyrie Eleison and Christe Eleison," we are praying that the merciful love of God will be poured out upon God's children. Jesus showed mercy to the world when he died on the cross and renounced his dignity to save us from our sins. We can also show mercy by the giving of ourselves to others when we give food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, clothes to those without any, shelter to the homeless, and even bringing the Good News of Christ to the lost. All these are acts of merciful love - love stooping down to lift people out of their physical and spiritual miseries.

Think of someone who needs to experience mercy. Pray for them in their need. Ask God what you might do to show them mercy.

Prayer:

Lord, may your infinite mercy to me enable me to be truly merciful to all others. Amen

Lent Day 11: March 21

This morning we welcome guest blogger Carol Miller, who reflects on what it means to hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Lenten Reflection for Day 11

Date: Monday March 21, 2011

Author: Carol Miller

Bible Passage:

Matthew 5:6 (NRSV)

⁶ “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Reflection:

My mother-in-law often says that we eat a lot at our church. This is a physical hunger and thirst that we satisfy with food and drink.

But what does this parable mean? If we hunger and thirst for righteousness we will be filled. I see this as being filled to overflowing with God’s love and forgiveness. This filling up of our own selves will then overflow to others by being humble, forgiving, loving and caring and doing acts of kindness to others.

As children of God our hunger and thirst is also to strive for a right relationship with God. He is the food and drink that we need to nourish our spiritual lives. All we have to do is just ask and we will be filled with this abundant nourishment.

As in the words of a favorite hymn:

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness.

No merit of my own I claim, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

When he shall come with trumpet sound, oh may I then in Him be found

Clothed in his righteousness alone, redeemed to stand before the throne.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Open our hearts and minds to receive your abundant nourishment.

Lent Day 10: March 19

This morning we welcome guest blogger Carol Brudnicki, who shares with us her reflections on what it means when Jesus says "Blessed are the meek."

Lenten Reflection for Day 10

Date: Saturday March 19, 2011

Author: Carol Brudnicki

Bible Passage:

Matthew 5:5 (NRSV)

⁵ “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Reflection:

When we were in India last February, we visited Gandhi’s memorial. Gandhi freed his country not with war and violence but by being “meek.” His persistence in non-violence resistance actions changed the course of his country. Likewise here in the US – Martin Luther King advocated non-violence actions to bring about reform and equal rights for everyone.

In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus admonishes his disciple “ Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. (Matthew 26:52) Then Jesus heals the slave and goes with those who came to arrest him. In so doing he fulfills the scriptures and inherits the earth and heaven.

War and violence is not the means of attaining peace here on earth or in heaven. Seeking the good of others rather than doing what is good only for us will make us an “instrument of God’s.” Surrendering to God’s control and faithfulness to Jesus is more powerful than any other action. And so the Meek will inherit the earth.

Ponder:

When have you experienced helplessness and given your problem over to Jesus? Then has he guided you through the situation and created peace where there was conflict?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, help me to renounce my own rights for your sake. Give me the gift of meekness and make me an “instrument of your peace.” Amen