Devotion for Lent Day 2: March 10

Blessed Day 2 of Lent to Everyone. This morning's guest blogger is my husband John Harris, who shares his reflections on what God has to say to us about worry!

Lenten Reflection for Day 2

Date: Thursday March 10, 2011

Author: John Harris

Bible Passage:

Philippians 4:6–7 (NRSV)

⁶ Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Reflection:

As we ponder Paul’s advice not to worry and to bring everything to God in prayer, I am reminded of Bobby McFerrin’s little ditty that he wrote in 1988 that eventually became a catch phrase for the entire decade of the 80s’. To quote Bobby, “Here is a little song I wrote, you might want to sing it note for note. Don’t worry be happy, In every life we have some trouble, when you worry you make it double, Don’t worry, be happy...”

We chuckle at Paul’s advice and Bobby’s naïveté in writing his tune and its image of irresponsibility as we sit on the beach with our heads in the sand, ignoring our own and the world’s problems. Even Jesus, in Matthew’s Gospel on the Sermon on the Mount, tells us that worrying about what we wear or what we eat or our health is not going to add to our happiness or add a second to our life span. What Paul, Bobby, and Jesus are driving at is not so much ignoring the needed activities of daily living, we do need to be responsible, as much as we put theses activities above our relationship with God. We need to keep the proper perspective as we nurture our relationship with God, and the best way to do that is through prayer, supplication, meditation, and scripture reading. Keep the prayer channels open to God, strengthen our relationship with God and our neighbors, and eventually all our needs and worries will sort themselves out.

The influential Indian mystic Mehrer Baber, who was McFerrin’s inspiration for his song, stated “Do your best. Then, don’t worry; be happy in My love. I will help you.”

Bring your problems to Jesus in love and prayer. Nurture your relationship with God and ask for help as we go about our daily activities. Take time every day to pray and meditate on the word of God. And truly, our hearts and minds will succumb to the quiet peace of God’s love for us.

Prayer:

Even as God adorned the lilies of the field and fed the birds of the air, how much greater, O Lord, is your love for us. You know our needs even before we ask for them. Help us strengthen our love for you as we pray, meditate and reflect upon your word. Let your peace, that passes all understanding, fill our beings as we interact with our neighbors and the world. Amen.

Devotion for the Thursday of the Fourth Week in Advent

BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO YOU!

This will be the last of the daily Advent devotions. I have enjoyed sharing a daily cyber-devotion with you. Until Lent arrives, posts will likely be on a weekly basis with reflections on the Bible texts for the upcoming Sunday. May God bless your Christmas celebrations, travel and family reunions.

Theme for the week: peace

Devotion for the thursday of the fourth Week in Advent (Day 26)

Reading: Luke 1:67–79 (NRSV)

⁶⁷ Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy: ⁶⁸ “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them. ⁶⁹ He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David, ⁷⁰ as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, ⁷¹ that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. ⁷² Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant, ⁷³ the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us ⁷⁴ that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, ⁷⁵ in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. ⁷⁶ And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, ⁷⁷ to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins. ⁷⁸ By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, ⁷⁹ to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

REFLECTION:

In Zechariah’s prophecy, he prophesies the coming of the One who will “guide our feet in the way of peace”. Specifically he sees his son John preparing the way for the coming of this One. Guiding our feet toward peace is an interesting way to think about maintaining peace and avoiding conflict and war. In Zechariah’s time, battles, by necessity had to be fought face to face, and verbal conflict had to be done in person. If one’s feet were guided toward peace, conflict could not occur.

In contrast, in our own time of cyber-bullying and remotely controlled weaponry, we may have to expand Zechariah’s imagery of the way one is guided toward peace. For instances, children, who can attack one another and psychologically destroy each other with Facebook and texting, may need to have their hands and hearts, guided toward peace, as well as their feet. In an another example, those responsible for strategic war planning, who have at their disposal unmanned weaponry, may need to have their heads, hearts and hands turned toward peace.

A complex world needs the all-encompassing guidance of the One who brings light into darkness. When we pray “Stir up your power and come, Lord Jesus.” We are praying for the power of God, a power beyond our comprehension, to come into our complex, conflicted, divided world and bring the peace that passes all understanding.

PRAYER:

Pray for peace in our time, in our homes, workplaces, schools and churches. Pray for peace among peoples. Pray that our hearts, hands, minds, bodies and souls, in addition to our feet, be guided toward peace. Amen

Devotion for the Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Advent

Theme for the week: peace

Devotion for the wednesday of the fourth Week in Advent (Day 25)

Reading: Luke 19:28–38 (NRSV)

²⁸ After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. ²⁹ When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, ³⁰ saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ” ³² So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. ³³ As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” ³⁴ They said, “The Lord needs it.” ³⁵ Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. ³⁶ As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. ³⁷ As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, ³⁸ saying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!”

REFLECTION:

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!” These words spoken by the disciples in the last week of Jesus’ life have some echoes of the words spoken by the angel, who announced Jesus’ birth to the shepherds: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” (Luke 2:14) Both cries praise God and give glory in heaven.

The disciples’ cry in this later text from Luke calls for peace in heaven, as if they realize that these last weeks of Jesus’ earthly life are not going to be very peaceful. In contrast, at Jesus’ birth the angel declares earthly peace among those whom the Messiah favors. While we live here on earth, we pray for the fulfillment of the angel’s words: “on earth, peace among those whom he favors.” We pray that we might experience global peace in our lifetimes. We pray that our human homes might be peaceable places, free from strife and anger.

Yet, even in the midst of wars and conflict on earth, all who are baptized and believe have the everlasting hope of peace in our new lives in heaven. This new beginning will be a time for us when earthly strife and conflict are no more, when there will be no more wars and no more tears.

In this Advent season, we pray for our Lord Jesus Christ to stir up his power and come. Come and bring that time of heavenly peace into our lives today.

PRAYER:

Come Lord Jesus Come. Bring your peace, the peace that only you can give, the peace that passes all understanding. Bring your peace into our world today. Amen

Devotion for the Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Advent

Theme for the week: peace

Devotion for the tuesday of the fourth Week in Advent (Day 24)

Reading: Zechariah 9:9–12 (NRSV)

⁹ Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. ¹⁰ He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war-horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. ¹¹ As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. ¹² Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.

REFLECTION: “He shall command peace to the nations”

Who is powerful enough to command peace among nations for whom creating war seems to be second nature? In the global arena, tensions and disagreements seem to rapidly escalate into warfare. When disagreements occur, treaties and agreements cause sides to rapidly coalesce and prepare to do battle. The past century has seen two world wars and innumerable smaller scale wars, rebellions and conflicts. Some of these “smaller scale” wars are in areas of the world that have been conflict and war torn for millennia. Who is powerful enough to command peace? Peace, peace, is there no peace?

In this Advent season, we sing one of the newer hymns from Evangelical Lutheran Worship whose title is “Come Now, O Prince of Peace”. In this hymn we ask for the Prince of Peace to make us one body and for Jesus to reconcile his people. Because of our sinful natures, self-interest and divisiveness, it is not possible for us to make peace ourselves. Only the power of God made manifest in Christ can bring peace into the world. In this Advent season, we pray for the Prince of Peace to come as a way to unite and mend our differences, bringing the peace that transcends our sinfulness.

PRAYER:

Prince of Peace, we pray that your healing power and uniting force might bring peace into this troubled world. Amen

Devotion for the Monday of the Fourth Week in Advent

Theme for the week: peace

Devotion for the monday of the fourth Week in Advent (Day 23)

Reading: Isaiah 9:1–7 (NRSV)

¹ But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. ² The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined. ³ You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. ⁴ For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. ⁵ For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. ⁶ For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ⁷ His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

REFLECTION:

“The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light!!” This passage from Isaiah is our Old Testament reading on Christmas Eve each year. There is something particularly moving about hearing this read in a darkened and candlelit church. The words verbalize the feelings that, at least occasionally, cross our own hearts and minds.

We are those people. We often walk in a kind of darkness—a darkness of soul, a darkness of mood, or a darkness that arises from the sinful nature of humankind. We see poverty, we see crime, we see homelessness and hunger, yet at the same time we see those who have too much of everything. We can feel darkness and despair at the inequity, war, crime and poverty that we see around us.

Yet in the midst of this darkness, we are people who have seen a great light. We are blessed by knowing the Light that is Christ. We have heard the words spoken by Jesus’ mother Mary before his birth. The poor will be lifted up and the hungry will be fed. The Kingdom of God is at hand. The light will prevail. In that light that is Christ, look around you for the signs of hope and peace. The signs of the lame walking, the blind seeing, the hungry be fed and the homeless being given shelter.

“The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light!!”

PRAYER:

Pray that the Light which is Christ might brighten your life and reveal to you the coming of God’s Kingdom. May that Light show you the signs of hope and peace. May that Light brighten your path as you seek to live in the Kingdom of God. Amen

Devotion for the Sunday of the Fourth Week in Advent

Theme for the week: peace

Devotion for the sunday of the fourth Week in Advent (Day 22)

Reading: 1 Samuel 1:9–20 (NRSV)

⁹ After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and presented herself before the Lord. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. ¹⁰ She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord, and wept bitterly. ¹¹ She made this vow: “O Lord of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants, and no razor shall touch his head.” ¹² As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. ¹³ Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk. ¹⁴ So Eli said to her, “How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine.” ¹⁵ But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. ¹⁶ Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time.” ¹⁷ Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him.” ¹⁸ And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.” Then the woman went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband, and her countenance was sad no longer. ¹⁹ They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. Elkanah knew his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. ²⁰ In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I have asked him of the Lord.”

REFLECTION:

What does the promise of peace mean in the midst of anxiety?

There are many things that cause anxiety in our society today, just as there were in the time of Hannah and Eli. Some of the great anxiety causers today are illness, unemployment, housing and food insecurity, money, and the inability to achieve desired plans.

Hannah, herself, knew more than a little about the anxiety of unfulfilled dreams. She was in great distress because her plan to bear a child seemed unreachable.

In this last week before Christmas, there are many among us who are feeling great anxiety. Some are anxious because they cannot afford to buy the gifts they think loved ones want or need. Some are anxious because they know that they have already run up credit card bills, that they cannot pay. For others the anxiety arises because they are worried that their attempts to create a “perfect” Christmas celebration will fall short. Some fear get-togethers with relatives. The temptations of parties, along with too much eating and drinking are also a source of anxiety for others.

Is it not somewhat ironic that so much anxiety arises from our attempts to celebrate the birth of a baby, who will be known as the Prince of Peace? It is not this child that causes the anxiety, but rather our own sinful natures arising out of our twinned desires for control and for more of everything. Eli’s promise of peace to Hannah, and God’s desire for peace for us are promises of wholeness and well-being. God desires contentment and an appreciation of living in God’s own abundance for us, rather than anxiety and a craving for more.

PRAYER:

Pray that the Prince of Peace might grant you a sense of shalom--peace, well-being, wholeness, and contentment. Pray that God might help you to treasure what you have rather than seeking additional treasure. Amen

Reflections on Peace and Forgiveness--Lent Day 6

Reflection for Lent Day 6 (Tuesday February 23)

Theme for the Week: Confession, Forgiveness and Reconciliation

Passage for the Day: John 20:21-23

²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” ²² When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Reflection:

In the church that I serve, we read this passage from the Gospel of John during our Ash Wednesday Service as we began our Lenten Journey last week. These are powerful words in several ways.

First, Jesus tells his disciples of every time and place that his own peace is poured into them. This is the peace that will sustain them as they go about their work. Jesus is sending his original disciples out into the world in the same way that God sent him. But these words are not intended just for Jesus’ historic disciples in the First Century. Jesus calls to all of his followers, in any age, to continue his work in the world. Secondly, Jesus gives to all who continue his work, the gift of the Holy Spirit to strengthen them and lead them. Have you ever felt the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life? How does the Spirit guide and lead you? Have you ever been called on to forgive someone’s sins? Have you felt the guidance of the Holy Spirit in granting this forgiveness?

Prayer Themes: Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide and lead you. Pray for the peace of Christ in your life and the lives of those around you. Pray for those who request forgiveness of sins.