Happy Easter!

• AM Psalms: 148, 149, 150
• PM Psalms: 113, 114
• Exodus 12:1-14
• Isaiah 51:9-11
• John 1:1-18, 20:19-23

Dear God, I didn’t look ahead, so I wondered before I opened Sacred Invitation: Lenten Devotions Inspired by the Book of Common Prayer might only have a passage about Jesus resurrection from the Gospels. Or maybe multiple tellings from multiple Gospels. Instead, they don’t have any of those passages. The only post-resurrection passage we get is Jesus appearing to his disciples that evening after Mary Magdalene had already seen him. So let’s get into these passages and see how they might add to the Easter story.

Psalms 148, 149, 150 – So these last three psalms are wonderful because they just worship you. Straight out worship. No calls for killing my enemies or anything like that. Just, “You are great!!” I love it. Yes, Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit–my Triune God–you are great!! Oh, thank you. Thank you for your victory. Thank you that you relieved me of the pressure of “winning.” You’ve already won. All I have to do is faithfully follow you as best as possible. It reminds me of that last part of the poem I read inspired by Psalm 23: …I’m trying hard to sit at a table because it’s expected, required really, and my enemies–it turns out I have enemies–are watching me eat and spill my drink but I don’t worry because all my enemies do is watch and I know I’m safe if I will just do my best as I sit on this chair that wobbles a bit in the grass on the side of a hill. (“Here in the Psalm” by Sally Fisher)

Psalms 113, 114 – Psalm 114 might be one of the most poetic psalms I’ve read over the last 47 days: “The sea looked and fled, the Jordan turned back; the mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs…turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water.” What fun ways to remember all the great things you have done. I should probably sit down more often and recount the great things you have done.

Exodus 12:1-14 – This story is so powerful and yet so horrific. It made me think of President Truman’s ultimate decision to drop the first atomic bomb. A lot of innocent people died in both stories. I’m not comparing the moral equivalency of the stories; just the idea that there was a mass group of people who died and another mass group of people who were protected from it. This world is so complex. How time plays out is so complex. That everything in history lined up even so that I could be here today is amazing. That everyone who is currently on earth because history has been laid out in this exact way. Oh, help us to live up to this blessing.

Isaiah 51:9-11 – My wife and I were talking yesterday about time continuing on after Easter. For her, she’s worked very hard this week in the church at different services. There has been a big build up to Easter. For me, this is the most intense Lenten season I’ve probably ever done leading up to Easter. It almost feels like the end of something, but it’s really only the beginning. It’s only the beginning. So it’s time to get up today and every day to live in this victory provided by this amazing gift of God the Father, Jesus his Son, and His Holy Spirit.

John 1:1-18, 20:19-23 – John 1:5: The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. Oh, how I want to really understand who you are, Jesus. I want to, but I still don’t. I’ve been a discipling Christian for 37 years. I’ve been doing these prayer journals for 24 years. Yet I understand so little still. Thank you for your patience with me and teaching me. And that leads me to you walking into the room with your disciples after your resurrection. This whole thing about forgiving sins is powerful. You forgive me. You give me grace. The long list you could keep for me of the things I do wrong is invisible to you because of Jesus’s blood. I don’t know that I have any authority like the disciples did to administer your forgiveness to others, but if I do I want that net of forgiveness to be cast very wide.

Now, I am going to get dressed and go to a sunrise service at a local Lutheran church. I love you, Father. I love you, Jesus. I love you, Holy Spirit. Thank you for accepting my love. Thank you for accepting my life. And thank you for the bridge you provided for me.

I offer this entire Lenten season to you in the precious, powerful, humble, and sacrificial name of Jesus, and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 

Lent Day 46

Dear God, before I get into today’s passages from Sacred Invitation: Lenten Devotions Inspired by the Book of Common Prayer, I want to look at something the priest read yesterday when I attended a “Stations of the Cross” service at our local Catholic church. This is an excerpt from the 12th Station:

My people, what have I done to you? 
Or in what have I offended you? 
Answer me. 
What more should I have done and did not do? 
I led you out of the land of Egypt, and you prepared a cross for me.
I opened the Red Sea before you, and you opened my side with a lance.
I gave you a royal scepter, and you give given me a crown of thorns.
With great power I lifted you up, and you have hung me upon a cross.
My people, what have I done to you, or in what have I offended you? 
Answer me.
(from the Reproaches of Good Friday)

There are shades of your speech to Job in this, but it’s very convicting for me because I know that if your time on earth had come now and not 2,000 years ago, I would be as guilty as any. I wouldn’t have gone to see you, so my attitude would have been more apathy that hatred, but I certainly would not have worshipped you or even defended you.

But there is a question that is asked here that people today could stand to answer: “What more should I have done and did not do? There are some example of human suffering I hate such as sex trafficking and war, but even those are manmade. What do I expect you to do to stop them? How do I expect you to intervene in our lives to smite the bad people and build up the good? Who is to say which side of the cutline from good and bad I would be on? You, of course. But my point is whenever I have stopped to think about how things should be different–how the Bible could be better or more clear and concise, how you should approach evil in the world, etc.–I have no idea. We are who we are as humans. Maybe I could take issue with how you created us in the first place, free will and all, but I cannot take issue with who you are and how you love us. What more should you do that you have not done?

Here are today’s passages. It’s interesting that there is no Gospel reading. Jesus is apart from us for the time being. Part of our God has died, sacrificed for me. Amazing

• AM Psalms: 88, 95
• PM Psalm: 27
• Job 19:21-27a
• Romans 8:1-11
• Hebrews 4:1-16

Psalms 88, 95 – Once again, they are pairing the worship of Psalm 95 with a lament psalm. In this case, it is Psalm 88. My wife mentioned yesterday a sermon she heard saying that Jesus might have had Psalm 88 in mind as he walked his path yesterday. I would love to be able to see into Jesus’s mind that morning as he walked a brutal and terrible road.

Psalm 27 – “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” That’s what we are doing now as we wait for Jesus’s resurrection. It’s also kind of the word I was getting from you way back at the beginning of Lent: Patience. Wait. I will wait patiently, Father. I will not force my own timing or agenda. I will wait.

Job 19:21-27a – I almost wish they had left our verses 21-24 because those are words of Job I think you would take issue with. But the faith beyond his ignorance in verses 25-27 is beautiful: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes – I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” Yes! Yes!

Romans 8:1-11 – “But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Sprit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.” Oh, Father, bring my spirit your life through your Spirit. Live in me! Forgive me of my sin. Forgive the mess of my bodily temple. Thank you, Jesus, for making it possible for me to have the Holy Spirit in me.

Hebrews 4:1-16 – Lord, teach me what I am supposed to carry with me past this Lenten season. What should my time in scripture look like? Prayer? Service? Loving my family? Impact on my sphere of influence? In the case of this passage, Sabbath? Show me what to do. Reveal your truth to me.

Oh, Father, I offer this prayer to you in the name of Jesus, your son, and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 

Lent Day 45

Dear God, I want to say thank you for my wife. She’s amazing. She left just a little bit of you everywhere she went yesterday. A local business lost the husband of the couple that owns it (I mentioned this yesterday), and she was able to send their manager whom she knows well a column she wrote about that man almost nine years ago. He told her how much it blessed him and everyone he shared it with at the business. She mentored a fifth-grader grader at the local elementary school. She lead singing at our church last night for the Last Supper service (some call it Maundy Thursday, but Catholics don’t for some reason). She went to the funeral of a friend’s mother and got to love on that friend. She even went out of her way to give me a lovely compliment. Thank you for her and for living so beautifully through her.

Here are the verses Good Friday from Sacred Invitation: Lenten Devotions Inspired by the Book of Common Prayer.

• AM Psalms: 22, 95
• PM Psalms: 40, 54
• Genesis 22:1-14
• John 13:36-38, 19:38-42
• 1 Peter 1:10-20

Psalms 22, 95 – The tone of these two psalms is so different. It’s interesting that they are paired together this morning. Psalm 22 expresses so much pain while Psalm 95 calls us to worship. It made me wonder about what was going through Jesus this morning nearly 2,000 years ago. If he had written a psalm that morning (it’s not like he could have, but if he had), what would he have said. What words would have described what was in his heart? Maybe this same type of mixture–anguish and worship.

Psalms 40, 54 – Thinking of Jesus’s betrayal from Judas, but also the men who purported to be your representatives through the temple, Psalm 54 is set up with, ” A maskil of David. When the Ziphites had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?” Then David says in the psalm, “Strangers are attacking me; ruthless men seek my life–men without regard for God.” Oh, how sad this betrayal must have been for him. Abandoned. Alone–even from you. Alone maybe for the first time in his existence–on earth or before earth. Oh, my Jesus. Thank you.

Genesis 22:1-14 – I’ve never liked this story as a comparison with what you did with Jesus, giving us your only son, because I don’t think your instructions to Abraham about Isaac have anything to do with what you did with Jesus, EXCEPT, this morning I noticed that maybe the ram with his horns stuck in the thicket is the Jesus figure here. Maybe Isaac is my sin, and I am sentenced. In verse 22:8, Abraham says, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Then in verse 14, Abraham calls that place, “The LORD Will Provide.” Yes, you did provide, Father.

John 13:36-38, 19:38-42 – You are in a place where I cannot yet go, but you have left your Holy Spirit here with me to walk with me, comfort me, teach me, guide me. Thank you. As for Nicodemus helping Joseph care for Jesus’s body, I still think it is one of the most beautiful acts of love and self-sacrifice I’ve ever seen.

1 Peter 1:10-20 – I’ll confess I’m not really feeling this passage this morning. It doesn’t seem to fit as much with where my head is right now. I’ll just say that I love that Peter was who he was, experience what he experienced, made the mistakes me made, learned the lessons he learned, repented of his mistakes and sins, and lived an amazing bold life for you. What a great example!

Father, I offer this day to you. Thank you for the Friday that was so good for me and so tragic for you. I am yours.

I pray all of this in the name of Jesus, my Lord, and with your Holy Spirit who resides in me,

Amen

 

Lent Day 44

Dear God, Maundy Thursday. The Last Supper. The bread/body, wine/blood. The washing of the feet. The betrayal. The blood from sweat. The prayer to take the cup. The anguish. The healing. The prayer for our unity. So much happens. Thank you.

Here are today’s verses from Sacred Invitation: Lenten Devotions Inspired by the Book of Common Prayer. Ironically, I have not hardly read the commentary from the book. Maybe 10% of it. I’ve almost exclusively just used the passages each day. Maybe I’ll go back and read it when I’m done.

• AM Psalm: 102
• PM Psalms: 142, 143
• Jeremiah 20:7-11
• John 17
• 1 Corinthians 10:14-17, 11:27-32

Psalm 102 – When I started reading this psalm, which contains the introduction, “A prayer of an afflicted man. When he is faint and pours out his lament before the LORD,” I thought of Jesus praying this psalm. The pain and the anguish. May I never forget the fully human nature of Jesus as he faced this. He didn’t get a divine intervention from this pain. He was fully you, but he was also fully Mary. Oh, Jesus, thank you.

Psalms 142 and 143 – Again, I imagine these words layered over Jesus’s experience nearly 2,000 years ago. The lament. The dread. The fear. The love. The submission. The devotion. The determination. The strength. The self control. The kindness. The goodness. The faithfulness. The patience. The gentleness. All of the fruits of the Spirit on full display that night. Amazing.

Jeremiah 20:7-11 – Jeremiah had moments of feel very rejected. Each day I fill out a 6-question survey on how I’m doing emotionally and physically and share it with a friend. It’s on a scale of 1-5, and the idea is to be able to see how your friend is doing at any given time. It has proved to really bond this friend and me together over the last 18 months. I have a tendency to use “4” as a baseline, bump it to 5 if things are fully engaged at that level in that particularly category, and let it drop to 3 or even 2 if it was a bad day. Most days are 4s and 5s, but sometimes I give a 3, and a few times I’ve given a 2 on some of the questions. I can imagine that Jeremiah had a lot of days that were filled with 2s. The path you had for him was certainly contentious and full of rejection by man. His pain was real. But your presence and comfort to him were real as well. Just as it was to Jesus as we began his final journey to crucifixion.

John 17 – Ah, the prayer at the Last Supper. I knew this chapter even before I opened it. Jesus prays for himself, Jesus prays for the disciples, and then he prays for all of us, including me. He will do more praying later in the garden–anguished prayer–but for now he is covering us in prayer. Father, answer those prayers, even today. Use things in our world that are happening in your Church that concern me, and redeem them for your ultimate glory. Bring us all to repentance for our idols. Help us to look only to you for our path forward.

1 Corinthians 10:14-17, 11:27-32 – I need to be sure to find some time tonight to take your bread and drink your wine. I need to remember the body and the blood you gave for me. And the idols Paul mentions in 10:14. There is all kinds of idolatry. Anything that we look to for our fruits of the Spirit–especially peace (in my opinion)–instead of you. Our government? Our economy? Our spouse/significant other? Our children? Our job? Our reputation? I’ve been guilty of all of these and more. Please help me to be free from idols, look only to you for my peace, and help my friends and your Church to have our eyes opened to its idols, repent, and return to you.

Finally, I want to pray for a couple of friends experiencing the deaths of their mothers and one who lost their spouse, all this week. For the woman who tragically lost her spouse two days ago from an accident, please strongly support her in every way. Support her through this terrible time. Provide every need so that, ultimately, she might find rest in you. And for her children as well. For the two friends who lost their mothers this week, please comfort them. There is no one like Mom. Please help them and comfort them as, even at their older ages, they are motherless for the first time. Help them to find their rest and peace in you.

I pray all of this in Jesus and everything that the next 72 hours represents, and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 

Lent Day 42

Dear God, I was thinking about the confining nature of how I’ve been doing my prayer journals over the last 42 days by focusing on just the passages from Sacred Invitation: Lenten Devotions Inspired by the Book of Common Prayer. And I have no regrets in doing this. It’s been good. But I’ve also found it’s been a little stifling as I come across other things such as podcasts, books, or songs that I would have normally prayed about. Then it occurred to me that I could always do more than one prayer journal a day. I don’t only have to do these in the morning. Hmm. Once again, I am my own greatest limiter when it comes to the experiences I bring into my life that might draw me closer to you.

With that said, here are today’s passages:

• AM Psalm: 6
• PM Psalm: 94
• Jeremiah 15:10-21
• John 12:20-26
• Philippians 3:15-21

Psalm 6 – Because of other factors in my life, it seems like I have been a bit more sorrowful during the Lenten season. I’ve normally really felt some of these lament psalms when I read them. But this morning, it’s not where my heart is. I feel energized. I feel hopeful. I feel like I’m more on top of things and the water is more around my knees or waist than it is up to my neck. For that, I’m grateful. I know sorrow will return at some point. Maybe even tomorrow. But right now, I am feeling a lot of joy as I sit here and commune with you.

Psalm 94 – I honestly don’t like most of this psalm, but I do like verses 18 and 19. They feel like what I was just talking about with Psalm 6: When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your love, O LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul. Thank you.

Jeremiah 15:10-21 – This passage just makes me think of the unfortunate life Jeremiah lived in service to you. Now, I don’t know what his life would have been like had he denied you and lived for only himself, but the road you had for him to walk was a difficult one. I feel unbelievably fortunate my road, while certainly sometimes very painful, is so much easier than his. My calling a bit sweeter to the taste and softer to the touch. I guess my prayer here would be that you not allow me to get lulled to sleep in my comfort.

John 12:20-26 – While all of the people in Jerusalem that day were seeing celebrity that they wanted to be close to, Jesus was experiencing everything on a whole different level. He understood what they didn’t–what they couldn’t. He knew he was about to suffer terribly. I’m sure the celebrity he had annoyed him as the disciples brought a request for some Greek people who wanted to see him.

Philippians 3:15-21 – Verses 15 and 16: All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. This makes me think of some of the real differences American Christians have with each other. Help your truth to come to light. Help us to see the world with your eyes. Help us to be very clear. Let everyone who calls on your name be united in you so that we might exhibit the fruits of your Holy Spirit to the world and that the world might come to know and worship you.

I pray all of this in Jesus Christ and everything he did during his life, this Passion week, and his resurrection, and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 

Lent Day 41

Dear God, I have a lot racing around my head this morning with the different things on my plate today. But it is most important that I start this way. Sitting here. With you. Reading scripture. Stilling my heart and listening to your Holy Spirit. For this moment, let the whole world fade while I consider the Passion of Jesus and what this week means as we head into Easter.

Here are today’s passages for Sacred Invitation: Lenten Devotions Inspired by the Book of Common Prayer.

• AM Psalm: 51
• PM Psalm: 69:1-23
• Jeremiah 12:1-16
• John 12:9-19
• Philippians 3:1-14

Psalm 51 – It seems like I’ve done this one already as part of this Lent. I wonder if there are repeats. But of course, it’s always good to be reminded of repenting. Of course, Jesus wrote this before Jesus. If he were sitting as a Christian after Jesus’s death and resurrection (ignoring the fact that Jesus came from his lineage so that would be impossible), how would he have responded given the exact same circumstances? How does the New Covenant change David’s response under the Old Covenant? I honestly don’t know the answer to that. How could I? But I know that sometimes I probably don’t really feel the pain of my sin as much because I take what Jesus did for me for granted. That’s probably not a good thing. As I think about the Passion this week, perhaps I should also be thinking about my sin more as well. Feeling it more.

Psalm 69:1-23 – Another one that feels like I’ve read during this Lenten season. I wonder if parts of this psalm were a comfort to Jesus during the Passion. Excepting for the parts where David wrote about his folly, and may be the parts about retribution for enemies, maybe some of these words fit his situation: “Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.”

Jeremiah 12:1-16 – You love us all. Jewish. Gentile. You love us all. Thank you for what Jesus did this week and what it meant for grafting my branch into your vine: “And if they learn well the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the LORD lives’–even as they once taught my people to swear by Baal–then they will be established among my people.” (Verse 16)

John 12:9-19 – I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. No one that day (the day of the Triumphal Entry) knew what was happening except Jesus. The crowd thought they had a new earthly king to conquer and kill. The Pharisees thought they had a heretic and a threat to their power and the status quo. The disciples didn’t even know. John says in verse 16, “At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.” I’m so ignorant. I have no idea what is going on. What I have to do but stay in the moment and lean on you.

Philippians 3:1-14 – Believe me, Father, I do not feel like I have attained anything. I have no confidence in my own righteousness. I have no pride in how things have turned out for me. I am humbled before you and before my family and friends.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I have several things happening today. Walk with me through them. I fear no one. I fear not situation or circumstance? Why? Because of me? No, I don’t fear them because what can anyone do to me? You are my God. I am your servant. I just want to represent you well in this world. Help me to represent you well.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 

Lent Day 40

Dear God, I don’t have quite as much time this morning because I need to be at mass by 7:30. So I’m going to get right into these scriptures from Sacred Invitation: Lenten Devotions Inspired by the Book of Common Prayer.

• AM Psalms: 24, 29
• PM Psalm; 103
• AM Zechariah 9:9-12
• PM Zechariah 12:9-13:9
• Matthew 21:12-17
• 1 Timothy 6:12-16

Psalms 24, 29 – I love these psalms because they are just raw praise. Oh, Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, everything is yours. All glory to you.

Psalm 103 – David really knew how to worship you in poem/psalm. I think really appropriate worship of you is something I still am not as great at. Just really tuning into to how magnificent you are and expressing it. Maybe I need to work on that. I don’t know. There’s also this thing about style, and David and I do not have similar styles. But God, I do worship you. You are my God. You are everything.

Zechariah 9:9-12 – What a great and hopeful passage that helps give a context for the 70 years later that Jeremiah prophesied about. The exile is over. The sons and daughters of those who left are now coming back to restore what you had for them. Oh, great joy!

Zechariah 12:9-13:9 – I am not sure I’ve ever spent time with this prophecy of Jesus 500 years before his birth, but it is quite something. Beautiful in retrospect, but so sad in describing what Jesus is going to do and the mourning that will take place. The pain of Passion week. Just the pain. I don’t want to miss that this week.

Matthew 21:12-17 – Let the games begin, right? Offending the money changers and the Pharisees. Healing. People getting the wrong idea about you, Jesus, from both sides. Those that hated you didn’t understand. Those who adored you didn’t understand. Frankly, there are so many times I don’t understand what you are doing in the moment either. I don’t understand what you are doing in my life right not. Thankfully, I don’t have to understand. Guide me in this moment and give me your direction in what I should do now.

1 Timothy 6:12-16 – These last words of Paul to Timothy. Imploring him to “fight the good fight of the faith, take hold of the eternal life to which [he] was called when [he] made [his] good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” Help me to do the same.

I pray all of this in Jesus, and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 

Lent Day 39

Dear God, I heard some news this morning that distressed me. Are you calling me to some sort of action? Have you put me in a unique position to act? Oh, please guide me.

And I had an odd interaction yesterday that almost felt demonic. It left me frazzled, anxious, and frantic. Maybe it was your Holy Spirit whispering to me to reveal it to me, but I finally wondered if it wasn’t a demonic spirit who was messing with me after the person and I parted ways. Oh, Father, protect me from the powers and principalities of the enemy–Satan. Please protect me. Holy Spirit, flow through me. Please, Jesus, bring me your healing.

Here are todays passages from Sacred Invitation: Lenten Devotions Inspired by the Book of Common Prayer.

• AM Psalms: 137, 144
• PM Psalms: 42, 43
• Jeremiah 31:27-37
• John 11:28-44
• Romans 11:25-36

Psalms 137, 144 – I almost want to stop here and spend all of my time in Psalm 137. It is so powerful. I’m going to assume this was written during the exile prophesied in Jeremiah. And I don’t know how trained the psalmist is in the prophesies of Jeremiah. I don’t know if he is specifically familiar with the instructions of yesterday’s passage from Jeremiah 29 (the one we take out of context and foolishly proclaim over our lives) about you knowing the plans you have for the Israelites during and after their exile/captivity. Did he know of the instructions to building houses and have children? There is so much lament here. And it’s deep. And it’s appropriate. I get it. I’m not saying that every one of them shouldn’t feel lament. Perhaps this was written after he had seen Jewish children dashed against the rocks. But there is also living to do. You are to be worshipped by your creation. Generations are to be continued. Life is to be lived regardless of the awful circumstances. I’ve never thought about combining this psalm with Jeremiah 29 before, but it’s actually quite beautiful to think about. And then we go to Psalm 144, which David wrote. praising you and submitting himself to a life lived for you. Beautiful.

Psalms 42, 43 – I like how these two psalms are both worshipful and despondent at the same time. I like the question, “Why are you downcast, O my soul?” that is within each one. I feel that sometimes. I am with you. I am worshipping you. I love you. Why is my soul sometimes downcast. Then I remember my sorrows and I remember that it is okay to mourn. I would be a heartless beast to not mourn over some of the circumstances in my life. And I bring that mourning to you and you comfort me. And I live a pretty joyful life in the midst of it. But I confess there is always a constant sorrow. But that sorrow keeps me strongly tethered to you. If for no other reason, I am grateful for that. I am grateful to be humbled before others because of this sorrow. I am grateful that I can be a source of comfort to others because of my sorrow. And I am grateful for all of the joy in my life in the midst of my sorrow.

Jeremiah 31:27-37 – This is a great set up for the new covenant. It literally says in verse 31, “The time is coming when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” Thank you, Jesus! Oh, thank you!

John 11:28-44 – “Jesus wept.” Why did he weep? I don’t think it was over Lazarus (personal opinion). I think it was over the pain he saw everyone in. About 10 days ago, I was in a hospital room with a family shortly after they wife/mother had passed. While I knew the woman and was sad at her loss, my tears were fueled by the pain of her family and compassion for them. It’s amazing to think, God, that you, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit truly love us as much as you do. Amazing.

Romans 11:25-36 – I just feel compelled to retype Paul’s doxology from verses 33-36: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has know the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who as ever given to God, that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him area ll things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Paul referencing Isaiah 40:13 and Job 41:11).

Father, I offer all of my heart to you this morning. My prayers. For my wife. For my children. For my community. For my friends. For my extended family. For my country and for the world. Oh, Lord, God Almighty!

I pray all of this in Jesus, your son, and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 

Lent Day 38

Dear God, this is a special day because it is a day that you have given to me. Don’t let me waste it. I want to use this day to glorify you. Frankly, I don’t have anything particularly special scheduled. I just have a lot of work to do. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention what happened 25 years ago today. At this hour 25 years ago, my wife and I were getting ready to head to the hospital for her to be induced to have one of our children. Oh, how I love that child. Tears are in my eyes as I type this. So much love. Thank you for that child and that day. Things got complicated with the delivery and we had a complication, but you kept my wife safe and the child safe. Thank you for that too.

Here are today’s passages from Sacred Invitation: Lenten Devotions Inspired by the Book of Common Prayer.

• AM Psalm: 22
• PM Psalms: 141, 143
• Jeremiah 29:1, 4-13
• John 11:1-27
• Romans 11:13-24

Psalm 22 – This is one of those great songs of lament. Of course, the opening words are familiar to the Passion and Easter stories: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” I have a friend with whom I check in each day through the WeTree app. Frankly, his check-ins are usually more upbeat than mine. Not that mine are doom and gloom, but sometimes I start to worry that I don’t see enough positive and focus on it. Then I read a lot of these psalms and remember there is always a place for lament. For me, through these prayers and different forms of self-reflection, I think I have a healthy amount of access to and working through those feelings. They don’t dominate me, but they are certainly part of the cocktail that makes up who I am as a person. So this psalm is a good reminder that it’s okay to lament. It’s okay to have sorrow. It’s the sorrow that sometimes motivates me into 1.) prayer, 2.) action, and 3.) empathy for others.

Psalm 141, 143 – Playing off of what I just said about Psalm 22, here is David exploring his heart through writing poetry and then laying it before you. And it’s not all pretty. Some of his psalms are very worshipful, but some of his psalms express agony, fear, sorrow, or any list of other negative (and I hate to say negative because that doesn’t mean they are bad to have) emotions. It makes me think of the movie Inside Out. The emotion of Sadness had its part to play in the little girl too.

Jeremiah 29:1, 4-13 – Oh, how this passage (especially verse 11) is taken out of context, but in its correct context it is still such a beautiful thing, if not also being a tough pill to swallow for those receiving it. For me, it is counterintuitive what we read about yesterday that you were with those who were being sent into exile, but not the remnant left behind. It will be 70 years before this prophecy is fulfilled. Every adult hearing it will be dead when the time comes for Israel’s return. But they are given instructions to follow that will make it possible for their children, their children’s children, and so forth to live the fulfillment of the prophecy. They are to do everything they can to live for you–even live for the land they are in–so that you might bring their descendants to a new place. Father, right now, I don’t know that anything I am doing will benefit me personally, but I pray that the words of my mouth, the actions of my hands, and the thoughts of my heart will glorify you and set up your plan to be lived out through the world around me.

John 11:1-27 – As we move closer to the Passion and ultimately the resurrection, this story is an interesting precursor to it: Lazarus. But the sisters don’t even know what to ask you for. Jesus, you tell Martha that he will rise again, but she can’t think that big. She doesn’t know your real plan. I can’t think that big either. Help me to think that big.

Romans 11:13-24 – This seems like a lot of words to say that I, as a Gentile, am part of your plan, but I also have the opportunity to reject you and remove myself from that plan. Oh, Father, I want my branch connected to your vine. Thank you for grafting me into your Kingdom.

I offer all of this to you in Jesus, my Savior, and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 

Lent Day 37

Dear God, I am ready to be here with you this morning. I asked my wife last night how Lent was going for her and she said that it had hit a bit of a dry spot. I replied that I kind of felt like I was in the dog days of it as well, but maybe that’s also part of the point. This was a haul for Jesus. The first 30 years, the final three years, and then the final couple of weeks leading up to it. It was hard, but it was also just a day after day kind of slog. Well, my life and this slog isn’t nearly what Jesus’s was, and I don’t have crucifixion waiting for me eight days from now, but this is a reminder that Jesus really gave himself to this whole experience so that I could learn from him and be redeemed into relationship with you.

So here are today’s passages from Sacred Invitation: Lenten Devotions Inspired by the Book of Common Prayer.

• AM Psalms: 131, 132, 133
• PM Psalms: 140, 142
• Jeremiah 26:1-16
• John 10:19-42
• Romans 11:1-12

Psalms 131, 132, 133 – I think I want to focus on 131 and 133, and not just because they are the shortest two of the three. Psalm 131 is probably one I should read every day (Gasp! Maybe even memorize?): My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore. Yes, I should probably read that every day. And then Psalm 133 makes me think of the ministerial association meeting I am attending later today: How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore. That is my prayer for our local ministerial association.

Psalms 140, 142 – While I don’t like all of the sentiments of Psalm 140, I do use this to pray for a friend I visited with yesterday. This friend has some people out there who are conspiring against them, speaking against them, and, just all in all, judging them for something they don’t really understand. So “rescue [them], O LORD, from evil men; protect [them] from men of violence, who devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up war every day.” But I also pray for those who are judging. Raise up people who will speak your truth to them. Give them love. Give them peace. I know they think they are doing to right thing. And maybe there is some rightness in what they believe, and maybe there is some wrongness in what I believe and my friend is doing, but I know that the current path is not of you.

Jeremiah 29:1-16 – This is quite a story as part of Jeremiah’s journey. What I really like about it was the part where Jeremiah just surrendered to the situation you put him in and said, basically, “Yeah, do what you will to me, but it won’t make me wrong and it will only make you more guilty than you already are.” Father, help me to surrender my life to you today. Give me the right ideas and words. Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, but if there is something you need me to do please give me the courage to do it.

John 10:19-42 – As Jesus was walking this difficult path, he was having to confront those he knew he would not change. He knew going in that they didn’t believe in him. He knew they would try to kill him. And yet he went to tell them the truth. He might have also been setting up the anger towards him that ultimately led to his crucifixion, but he also just spoke the truth to him. And I don’t know where Nicodemus was during this interaction, but I know that he was at least one who believed. Maybe all of it was partly for him too.

Romans 11:1-12 – I think one thread through all of these stories from Jeremiah and John and what Paul is saying here is that there are so many of us who think we are so right, and yet we are so wrong. Please give me eyes to see where I am wrong. Give me a willingness to see where I am wrong. Help me, Father, to see your truth and see the world with your eyes, regardless of what it costs me.

I pray all of this in Jesus, your son, and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen