SHARING CHRIST,

CHANGING LIVES!

Welcome,
This booklet is sponsored by the Lutheran Church of the Good
Shepherd Prayer Team, but it really is a labor of love from the entire
congregation. Some people provided personal devotions, some helped
with typing and proofreading, and others offered prayers of support. You
will find entries from new Lutherans and life-long Lutherans; there are
poems, stories, prayers and devotions, but through them all flow a desire
to draw closer to our Lord and Savior as we travel through this journey
of Lent. Our hope is that this booklet will inspire and encourage you as
you travel your own path to the joy of Easter Sunday.
In addition, Good Shepherd invites you to join us in our Lenten, Holy
Week and Easter services.
Ash Wednesday
Feb.18, 6 PM Pancake Dinner, 7:15 PM Worship service (imposition of
ashes and communion)
Wednesdays during Lent (Feb. 25 Mar. 25) 6:00 PM Soup Suppers,
7:00 PM Worship
Palm Sunday
March 28 and 29, Palm/Passion Services 5 PM Saturday or 8 AM
Sunday and 10:45 AM Sunday
Stations of the Cross will be available in the church throughout Holy
Week.
Maundy Thursday
April 2, 6:30 PM Christian Seder
Good Friday
April 3, 7:30 PM Tennebrae Service
Easter
5 PM Saturday, April 4 or 8 AM and 10:45 AM Sunday, April 5
Easter Sunday pancake breakfast 9:15 AM

Ash Wednesday, February 18

Why Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday, the seventh Wednesday before Easter Sunday, is

the first day of the Season of Lent. Its name comes from the ancient
practice of placing ashes on worshippers heads or foreheads as a sign of
humility before God, a symbol of mourning and sorrow at the death that
sin brings into the world. It not only prefigures the mourning at the death
of Jesus, but also places the worshipper in a position to realize the
consequences of sin. Ash Wednesday is a somber day of reflection on
what needs to change in our lives if we are to be fully Christian.
We enjoy celebrating Palm Sunday. We wave the palm branches
and celebrate. And we all love Easter Sunday! It is a happy time, with
flowers, new clothes, and the expectation of spring in the air.
Yet there is something significant missing if we only concentrate
on celebration for these two Sundays. It is too easy and promotes much
too cheap a grace to focus only on the high points of Palm Sunday and
Easter without walking with Jesus through the gathering shadows of
Maundy Thursday and the darkness of Good Friday. For us, that journey
begins on Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Lent is a way to recall
a larger story than just celebration. It is a way to face the reality of the
consequences of sin and the terrible toll it takes on the world. Lent calls
us to examine our own lives with the prayer, Search me, O God, and
know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any
wicked way in me (Psalm 139:23-24).

Dennis Bratcher, Copyright 2013, from Christian Resource Institute

www.crivoice.org

Thursday, February 19
Lenten Letters
I grew up in a Christian home. We had our traditions that went
with Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter. Our church had mid-week
services during Advent and Lent and attending was part of our familys
tradition. We never talked about giving something up during Lent.
When I was older I tried giving something up for Lent. I believe
chocolate should be its own food group, so I decided to give up
chocolate. That would truly be a sacrifice! I made it through Lent and
on Easter Sunday ate a whole bag of dark chocolate M&Ms! I wasnt
sure whether this was good or not.
The next year I decided to try something different. I did not give
anything up. I decided to add something. I wrote what I called Lenten
Letters. Each day in Lent I wrote a short note to someone: friend,
relative, someone I worked with, etc., telling him or her how they had
enriched my life. I thanked my daughter-in-law for loving my quirky
son, I praised my teaching assistant for her wonderful work ethic and
how she loved the children. I thanked friends for listening to me, driving
me, encouraging me.
It was a little overwhelming to think of 40 people I could write
to. If you decide you want to try this as a Lenten discipline, you may
want to start with one letter a week or just Saturdays and Sundays when
you have a little more time. You wouldnt want to become discouraged
because you couldnt keep up. Feeling guilty is not the goal here.
I have to admit that I have not done this in a few years. I wasnt
sure how many Lenten Letters in a row friends might want. But I figure
it is always nice to hear that you mean something to someone so I am
going to try writing again.

Dear Heavenly Father, Please help us all to focus on your sacrifice

during this Lenten season and to share with those we love all they mean
to us. In Jesus name, Amen.
Jane Zagata

Friday, February 20
SACRIFICE: GIVE UP OR ADD?
Growing up, I had several friends who would talk about what they
were giving up for Lent. Most would give up chocolate or gum chewing or
other foods they particularly liked. I learned that there was a purpose to
sacrificing something during that time to help us draw closer to Christ and
His sacrifice for us.
Some of my friends told me that ADDING daily prayer time often
had more meaning for them than avoiding favorite treats during Lent. With
this thought (and when I had my own home) I began ADDING daily
cleaning tasks from a long list of household jobs that might take 15 to 30
minutes each day.*** It might take a full week or two to just get the kitchen
cleaned but 40 days of daily cleaning eventually helped get a great start on
Spring Cleaning for the whole house. Often I add a scripture to think
about or memorize as I cleaned, or I focus prayers for a particular friend or
family member during that days cleaning task.
Forty days is time enough to learn new habits and I find that I
benefit from the habits learned during the doing of my LENT LIST:
improved prayer, memorized scripture, and a closer relationship with God!
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name
of the Lord
Ephesians 6:7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not
people,
Romans 12:11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor,
serving the Lord.
*** Examples include: clean out one drawer, wash baseboards, launder
kitchen curtains, clean one cupboard inside and out, wash four walls, sort
through/organize one or two shelves in a closet, donate the box of
collected items to CCIA or other charitable organization, dust picture
frames throughout the house, wash windows, clean/dust lamps throughout
the house, clean all door knobs and light switches, clean out dryer exhaust
pipe, clean stove, clean oven, clean refrigerator, organize entertainment
center, sort one section of the garage, etc.
- Laura Ouimette

Saturday, February 21

What Lent is to Me
To me Lent means thinking about what Jesus did, and why he did
it. Have you ever stopped to think: Jesus died for us even when he was
super scared? He did this for us after some of us hated him, thought he
was a fraud, and wanted to kill him. Can you imagine sacrificing yourself
to save people who thought and felt that way about you? It would be
really hard.
What we did would have given Jesus another reason not to do
this. But Jesus loved us a lot. More than anything else.
Jesus wanted us to go to Heaven and live a happy life with God.
When Jesus rose on the third day it was a sign to everyone who followed
him that their sins had been forgiven, and that when they passed they
could go to live with God.
If Jesus hadn't done this we wouldn't have been able to go to
Heaven. So from the beginning of Lent to the end of the Easter season
take a little time to say "Thank you Jesus for what you did, and for
loving us so much."
Melanie Khan

1st Sunday in Lent, February 22

The Journey
When I was asked to write something for this Devotional, I went
blank. Not having practiced my faith for more than half my lifetime, I
wasnt even sure I knew what Lent was. So, I started reading. I found the
following by Dennis Bratcher (Christian Resource Institute) which
beautifully describes his approach to Lent, with which I totally concur.
The journey through Lent is a way to place ourselves before God
humbled, bringing in our hands no price whereby we can ourselves
purchase our salvation. It is a way to confess our total inadequacy before
God, to strip ourselves bare of all pretenses to righteousness, to come
before God in dust and ashes. It is a way to empty ourselves of our false
pride. Through prayer that gives up self, we seek to open ourselves up to
recognize and respond afresh to Gods presence in our lives and in our
world. We seek to place our needs, our fears, our failures, our hopes, our
very lives in Gods hands again. And we seek by abandoning ourselves in
Jesus death to recognize again who God is, to allow His transforming
grace to work in us once again, and to come and worship Him on Easter
Sunday with a fresh victory and hope that goes beyond new clothes, the
spring flowers, the happy music. Yet, that celebration begins in ashes.
And it journeys through darkness. It is a spiritual pilgrimage that I am
convinced we must all make, one way or the other, for genuine spiritual
renewal to come.
Perhaps we should take off our righteous robes just long enough
during these 40 days to put ashes on our own heads, to come before God
with a new humility that is willing to confess Lord, be merciful to me, a
sinner.
Sally Bateman

Monday, February 23
This Bright Sadness

Let us begin the Lenten time with delight ... let us fast from passions as we fast
from food, taking pleasure in the good words of the Spirit, that we may be granted to
see the holy passion of Christ our God and his holy Pascha, spiritually rejoicing.
Thy grace has arisen upon us, O Lord, the illumination of our souls has shown
forth; behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the time of repentance.
--Vesper Hymns, Orthodox Church
Lent is an interesting season of the church year, and, it seems to me, one of
the more poorly understood ones. At its heart, the time of lent has a simple enough
purpose it is a time for one to prepare oneself for the celebration of Christs death
and resurrection. The traditions surrounding Lent have developed over the centuries;
and the meanings associated with those traditions have broadened and changed with
time. However, the purpose of those traditions is still (and always must be)
preparation. This raises a couple important questions:
1.

2.

Why do we need to prepare ourselves? That is, what is the goal of

preparation?
How do the traditions help us in our preparations?

The answer to question number one is both simple and hard. The simple
answer is that we are sinners in need of redemption. Christs death was the one true
offering and sacrifice for sin our sin. Not us as a people, not us as the church,
but us as individuals. Christ didnt offer himself for The World, he offered
himself for each individual person in that world. This is the hard part of the answer.
We must not understand the cross as a general sacrifice offered for mankind we
must learn to understand it as a particular offering for each one of us. That is, Christ
didnt die for people. He died for me as an individual; and for you as an
individual. It is often said that Even if I was the only sinner, Christ still would have
died for me alone. I believe that this is true. Yes, as humans we are all sinners. We
find it easy to hide in the crowd, comparing ourselves to one another. This is
unacceptable. We must compare ourselves not to our fellow sinners, but to Christ
himself. I must come to understand that it was my own sin Andy Redings sin - for
which Christ died. No, I didnt swing the hammer that nailed Him to the cross; but
he was bruised for my transgression nonetheless.
Therefore the goal of Lent can be summarized in one word: Repent. Not
for the sins of mankind, but for the sins I myself commit each day. What does it
mean to repent? It isnt just sorrow or remorse, although that will, in fact, be part of
it. The word repent as used in the Bible comes from a Greek word which means,
more or less, to be changed. Not only must we be sorry for our sin, we must be
transformed into creatures that reject sin utterly. The purpose of lent is to change to
become like Christ. This requires both the recognition of our sin, and the discipline
to leave it behind us. We can only understand the death of Christ when we
understand our own sin. We can only fully appreciate the joy of Easter when we
learn to appreciate the change Christ has worked in us.
Andy Reding

Tuesday, February 24
This Bright Sadness (Part 2)

How do the traditions of Lent help us to change ourselves? The most wellknown tradition of Lent is fasting. Many of us give something up for Lent. In the
case of giving up a bad habit, e.g. Im going to stop cursing, the application to
repentance is obvious. We recognized an area in our lives that is not Christ-like, and
choose to discipline ourselves to change it forever. We dont give up a sin and then
say I cant wait for Easter so I can start cursing again! By no means! We are those
who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Romans 6:2
If we give up a bad habit for Lent, we need to commit to never take it up
again. Thats true repentance. What about giving up certain foods? Chocolate is a
common choice. But how does this help us? Theres no sin in eating chocolate we
arent repenting when we abstain. When Easter comes, well start eating it again
and be no worse off. But the point of Lent is change. One of the ways we can change
is by self-discipline. Sin for most Christians is ultimately about the weakness of the
flesh. Abstaining from foods (like chocolate, or meat) is an exercise in self-control.
At the end of Lent, we should be able to look at some temptation and say Forget it,
sin if I can go 40 days without eating chocolate, I can go 40 days without giving in
to you! I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!
Thats the true purpose of fasting. When we want our chocolate or our
steak, we must say to ourselves Man does not live by bread alone Lord, feed me
with true spiritual food! When we give up a bad habit, we must say Lord, I do not
wish to curse in anger. Teach me your love and mercy so that I might control my
tongue for Your glory.
As we try to use these traditions to work changes in our lives, we will have
difficulties. We will stumble and fail to keep our commitments. And even if we
dont, the struggle to maintain discipline will no doubt draw attention to other areas
of our lives that are not fully under Gods control. This can be depressing. After all,
if we struggle with giving up minor bad habits, how will we ever manage really
difficult struggles? Lent can and will be a time when we become more aware than
ever of just how weak we really are.
The Orthodox Church sometimes refers to Lent as The Season of Bright
Sadness. It is sad, because recognition of our sin is painful. Repenting of our sin
and having our hearts changed can be painful too. The season of Lent only exists
because we are sinners the darkness and pain of Good Friday are our own doing.
But it isnt all darkness and sadness. There is a light that shines in the darkness.
Christ didnt just die for sin he rose again. And just as He changed from death to
life, we too can become dead to sin and live in Christ.
Little by little, we begin to understand, or rather to feel, that this sadness is indeed
bright, that a mysterious transformation is about to take place in us it is a deep
happiness which comes not from a single and particular reason but from our soul
having, in the words of Dostoevsky, touched another world. And that which it has
touched is made up of light and peace and joy, of an inexpressible trust. -Alexander Schmemann
Philippians tells us that he who began a good work in you will carry it on
to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. God will change us. Lent will teach us
to see ourselves as sinners lost in the dark, but it will also remind us that there is a
light that shines in the darkness. Our redemption is near. Easter is coming.
Andy Reding

Wednesday, February 25
Muffin-less!
I think muffins are proof that God loves us and wants us to be
happy. Blueberry, corn, chocolate chip; I love them all. When I was still
working, muffins were my snack of choice for morning break. The small
cafeteria was just two flights down and around the corner from my
office. Every morning there was hot coffee and wonderful, big muffins!
Everyday a different flavor! What a treat for a hungry computer geek
like me.
After I started going back to church, I decided I really should
give up something for Lent. I thought about fasting one day a week, but
since I was the only one in the family willing to embark on the fasting
journey, I didnt think that would work out. I still had to cook meals.
No, if I was going to fast it had to be something personal and it had to be
something I would really miss. It had to be muffins.
OK, I thought. I can certainly go without muffins for 40
days. Im strong! Ash Wednesday was easy. I thought about the Ash
Wednesday readings and the ashes I would receive on my forehead. I
congratulated myself for being such a strong Christian. This would be a
piece of cake! The days of Lent went by, and at 9:30 every morning my
stomach started to growl. The siren song of muffins sang in my brain.
Just down two flights and around the corner. Who would know? I
walked to the cafeteria to get a cup of coffee and there they were. There
were cherry muffins my favorite! What if I passed out from hunger at
my desk because I didnt have a muffin? Maybe I wasnt so strong after
all.
But a funny thing happened. I thought about Jesus. I thought
about all the things He did for us. I thought about how much He loves
us. I bought my coffee and went back to my desk. The next morning,
when my stomach started to growl and visions of muffins danced in my
head, I got some coffee, sat at my desk and spent my break just talking to
Jesus. I thanked Him for loving me so much. I told Him about my day,
about the people I worked with, whatever came to mind. I found that
every morning when I got hungry for muffins it became a reminder for
me to take time out for Jesus.
I dont know the theology behind Lenten fasting. But for me, it
has become a reminder to take a break from everyday life and pay
attention to Jesus. Whether it is giving up a favorite food, skipping a
meal or engaging in some different activity as a Lenten discipline, if it
leads us to Jesus then it is worth doing. That is what I love about this
seasonit serves as a reminder to take the time to get closer to the Lord.
Kathy Chapman

Thursday, February 26
Once Upon a Cross
A Lenten Poem
This is not a fairy tale
Its absolutely true.
God was lonely
So what could He do?
What happened next?
Im sure you know.
God said, Let there be
And it was so.
God said, All this is yours
Just dont eat this fruit.
But man thought he knew better.
So out of Paradise he got the boot.
Through many wrongs
God gave man grace.
But man always sinned.
So Jesus took his place.
On the cross
Jesus died,
So we could be
Justified!
Why did He do it?
It was all for love.
He wants us to live forever
With Him in heaven above.

Jane Zagata

Friday, February 27
Fear
Fear; worry; loss of control; each of those words and or sayings can be
pretty powerful. For most everyone I know, and especially for myself,
the loss of control is pretty big. My loss of control started two years ago.
My eyesight was not the same. I went to my eye doctor thinking I needed
a new prescription for my glasses. That really didn't make a difference
so I went back, he changed my lenses and off I went. No real
improvement. I thought maybe I had an eye infection. This went on for
several months. One day sitting at my desk at work I took my glasses off
to realize it wasn't my glasses at all it was my eyes. All the time, I was
experiencing daily headaches, which were getting worse. I went to the
Eye Care Center and after many exams the word tumor was given to me.
And I sat back and realized, you are no longer in control. YIKES!
That just can't be!
Now this is probably the biggest thing that has impacted me through all
of this: I have a sense of peace with every step I have had to take. Before
and after my surgeries I had a sense of peace; a feeling of God being
beside me. I know my family and friends were praying for me. And a
few times, when things were pretty rough, my husband would call for
extra prayers and they were felt. Very powerful!
I have a special verse that has become the most powerful for me:
Joshua 1:9
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be
afraid; do not be discouraged; for the Lord your God will be with you
wherever you go.
Lords peace;
Krista Stonewell

Saturday, February 28

Spring has Sprung

Spring has sprung, the grass has riz, I wonder where the birdies is?
This silly little rhyme refers to the springtime as a time of renewal. The
world around us returns to life after a season of dormancy.
This is also the time of year when we celebrate another kind of
renewal. On Good Friday, we remember the death of Jesus. Three days
later, on Easter morning, we celebrate his renewal, or resurrection. We
take the time to remember that Jesus died for the sins of all.
In the well-known verse from the gospel of John, we are told that all
we have to do is believe the Son of God to receive eternal life. Just say,
Yes, Jesus, I believe and you are granted eternal life. What a
wonderful gift!
But that is so simple, one might say. Yet just as spring is a season of
growth and renewal, so too, we must experience growth and renewal by
following the will of God. As the hymn says, Trust and obey, for there is
no other way.

Hugh Shipley

2nd Sunday in Lent, March 1

The Light Comes
Isaiah 60: 1, Arise, shine, for your light has come. And the glory of the
Lord rises upon you.
As many of you know Roxann and I walk just about each
morning. We generally start about 6:30 and, in the dead of winter that
means were in the dark. But weve been noticing something lately
its getting lighter. We dont need our flashlights anymore, and its
beginning to look like we can ski in the morning.
Lent heralds the beginning of spring. Its hard to believe that as I
look out over the several feet of snow weve gotten this week due to the
biggest storm so far this year. But the reality is that spring is coming.
Life will return to the earth.
Soon well be seeing the grass, trees and flowers in bloom. In
the same way, light is coming to our lives. For 40 days we will focus
upon the Son of God who came to bring light into the darkness of a
world caught in sin. He overcame sin and death for us so that we dont
have to be afraid of them.
Jesus, the light of the world, has come once. He came and
brought Easter joy to us. Hell come again, and that joy will be beyond
understanding. At that time we will be joined with all the saints who
ever were and who ever will be to celebrate around the throne of God.
So if its dark in your life right now, remember that the light has come
and will continue to lighten your life as you trust in Jesus.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, there are times of darkness in our lives, and we wonder if it
will ever be light again. Remind us that you came and brought light and
life and salvation to all who believe in you. We can trust in those
promises and know that your light will shine in and through us every day.
Amen.

Pastor Don Muller

Monday, March 2
Hunting for Treasure
He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation
and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to
this treasure. Isaiah 33:6
Dont you love treasure hunts!
I fondly remember my birthdays when my two best friends would come
to my house for a sleep over. After a day of play, a dinner of spaghetti
and meatballs, and cake and ice cream, it would be time for the treasure
hunt.
My mother wrote out and hid clues leading from place to place around
the yard, house, and barn. From the beginning, we ran and laughed,
trying to figure out the exact location of the hidden clue. We were giddy
with delight when we found it! We breathlessly read the message, and
then raced off to find the next clue. Mom had us zig-zagging back and
forth, up and down, in and out until at last we came upon the treasure. It
was the stuff childhood is made for!
Following the path home to God is a lot like a treasure hunt. Theres a lot
of running to do in order to get there. We need to figure a lot of things
out along the way. But each truth we discover on our journey is a
treasure in itself. It enriches our travel. It transforms who we are. The
more we share it with others, the more priceless it becomes.
This Lent, Im going to take more time to read the Great Treasure Hunt
Guidebook
(aka The Bible). If you read it too, lets share the treasures we find.
Just e-mail me at ewe@frontiernet.net and well exchange what we
discover!
Roxann Muller

Tuesday, March 3

Feed the Birds

I wondered if I were crazy. At 7:00 AM, it was four degrees with
a wind chill of -10 and snow blowing parallel to the ground and I, despite
the fact that I am retired and could be comfy and warm inside, was out in
the blizzard filling my bird feeders. Oh, I realized that they had become
dependent on me for food in the winter. Those sparrows, juncos,
woodpeckers, finches and doves might very well die if I stopped feeding
them. Did it really matter, I wondered, if a few birds died because I left
them on their own. But I kept on pouring sunflower seeds in the feeder,
because I knew it did matter.
For me, Lent is like God feeding us in the depths of winter. We
would die eternally if he had not sent Jesus to die in our stead. I am the
bread of life, Jesus tells us in the book of John. He could have decided
we were worthless, of no more value than a flock of sparrows. Instead,
Jesus came to save us, and in the Supper he instituted in the days before
he was crucified he continues to feed us with everything we need to
survive the winter of sin in our lives.
So I continue to feed the birds, despite the cost to me, as I
remember the price that my Savior paid to insure my life with him.
John 6:48 I am the bread of life.

Bob Smith

Wednesday, March 4
Take My Life-Christ GAVE His For Mine

I have always loved this hymnand it gave me the opportunity to

ponder what Jesus sacrificed on my behalf and yours.
As we look towards Easter, it might be a good exercise to mentally
review our own bodies and do a check as to see whether we have
committed it ALL to Christ or are there places where our sinful nature
can slide into less than Christ-like behavior.
HEAD: Hosea 6:3 So let me know-let me seek to know the Lord. Are
my thoughts something I would NOT like Jesus to examine too closely?
MOUTH/TONGUE: Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the
meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, Oh God my Rock and
my Redeemer.
Ephesians 2:11 And every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord
to the glory of God the Father.
Am I gossiping or complaining instead of praising and thanking God?
EARS: Proverbs 18:15 The ears of the wise seeks knowledge.
Proverbs 15:31 He whose ears listen to life giving advice will dwell
among the wise.
What am I listening to? Wise counsel? Edifying music?
HANDS/ARMS/WORK: Colossians 1:10 You will walk in the
manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in
every good work (of your hands) and in the increasing knowledge of
God.
What am I doing to serve the Lord? Am I busy with activities that dont
move His work forward?
FEET: Romans 10:15 How excellent are the feet of those who bring
the good news-(Gospel)
Am I walking in the Lord? OR am I traveling in meaningless circles?
HEART: Psalm 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart, so That I
might not sin against You.
Is my heart in a condition that if the Lord checked it out, He would want
to make His Home there?
So take some time and do an inventory of yourself. Then talk to the Lord
about what you find. Use this wonderful hymn to stay connected to what
the Lord wants for you this Lenten season.
Sandy Voigt

Thursday, March 5
Luke 9:59-62

He said to another man, Follow me. But he replied, Lord, first let me
go and bury my father. Jesus said to him, Let the dead bury their own
dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God. Still another said,
I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my
family. Jesus replied, No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks
back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.
When I first read this passage I had to ask myself what Jesus
would have looked like at a point when he was deep into his ministry and
the Roman Empire was at its peak. Jesus was a revolutionary, an in
your face kind of guy. He said the things that people didnt necessarily
want to hear, pointed out the things wrong with the world and ministered
to the people no one would dare go near. If Jesus were plucked out of his
time and placed into ours I think he would be the one putting in overtime hours at the soup kitchen, traveling the dangerous city blocks to
possibly rescue drug addicts, or visiting death row inmates. When I read
this passage its easy to get a negative vibe, but I dont think Jesus was
really saying family isnt important, or dont mourn your loved ones.
I think he was saying Now is the time, no more excuses, its time to go.
Jesus wants us to cannonball into following him, leaving all behind,
never looking back. Jesus was the kind of guy who was all or nothing,
and sometimes the things he said seemed radical, but didnt they have to
be? Jesus had to be in your face, or else nothing would be accomplished!
So, no more excuses, go all in, its all or nothing, give your life to the one
who gave his for you and enter the eternal Kingdom!
- Rachel Patchen

Reading these verses, I was struck with a deeper sense of Jesus

perspective. I thought of myself asking my son to put his coat on before
school. But Daaaaad, let me just finish playing with my Legos! As a
four year old, Mason needs to learn perspective on the things that are
important in the bigger picture. Making a tall tower that drives on eight
wheels is pretty awesome, but we still need to get to school on time.
Jesus is timeless. He sees, knows, is the big picture. He sees the impacts
our actions have farther into the future than we could imagine with our
childlike minds. We need to obey Jesus like a father, trust that He knows
what is best for us. When you are called to follow him, DO IT! Jump in.
Leave your carefully constructed Lego kingdom behind and leap into the
Kingdom of God.
- Dan Patchen

Friday, March 6
Grandpas Hands

Grandpa sat on the patio bench. He didn't move, just sat with his head
staring at his hands. I sat beside him. He didn't acknowledge my presence and
the longer I sat, I wondered if he was OK. Finally, not really wanting to disturb
him, I asked if he was OK.
He raised his head and looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank
you for asking," he said in a clear strong voice.
"I didn't mean to disturb you, Grandpa, but you were just sitting here
staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK," I explained to
him.
"Have you ever looked at your hands," he asked. "I mean really looked
at your hands?"
I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them
over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at
my hands as I tried to figure out the point he was making.
Grandpa smiled and related this story: "Stop and think for a moment
about the hands you have, how they have served you. These hands, though
wrinkled, shriveled, and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to
reach out and grab and embrace life. They put food in my mouth and clothes on
my back. As a child, my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my
shoes and pulled on my boots. They have been dirty, scraped, raw, swollen and
bent. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was
married and loved someone special. They were uneasy and clumsy when I held
my newborn son. They trembled when I walked my daughter down the aisle and
when I buried my parents and spouse. They have covered my face, combed my
hair, and washed the rest of my body. And to this day, when not much else of
me works real well, these hands hold me up, lay me down, and still fold in
prayer. These hands are the mark of where I've been and how Ive lived. But
more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he
leads me home. And He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands
to touch the face of Christ."
God did reach out to take my grandpa's hands and lead him home.
When my hands are hurt or sore I think of Grandpa. I know he has been stroked
and caressed and held by the hands of God. I, too, want to touch the face of God
and feel His hands upon my face.
This was one of those anonymous internet notes that are passed around. As I
read it, I thought how Jesus stretched out His hands and died for love of us.
May we use our hands to reach out in love to others.

Saturday, March 7

Respect and Humility

Athletes accused of cheating. Allegations of corruption in state
government. These things have been in the headlines recently. What do
these headline makers have in common? They are all respected by our
earthly society but display little respect for themselves or others. They
are all handsomely compensated for their God-given attributes. They do
not, however, display the humble appreciation for their gifts that they
should. Athletes and politicians sometimes appear to believe they deserve
their high positions in society, even when their actions disprove this
belief.
In contrast, Jesus Christ led a humble, blameless life. He spoke
the truth unfailingly. He also willingly paid the price for all the sins of all
his dearly loved children. He is a role model worthy of the highest
regard. In this season of Lent, let us aspire to emulate our friend and
Savior Jesus Christ over earthly role models and remember to give Him
at least some of the credit He deserves.

Gayle Hendershot

3rd Sunday in Lent, March 8

More Than Conquerors--Exultant Living
In my study of Romans this year I finally arrived at my favorite verses in
the Bibleones I'd always planned on memorizing, Romans 8:31-39.
Verse 31 rings out with "What then shall we say to these things? If God
is for us, who can be against us?" Verse 35 chimes in with "Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?" But then
there is the inconvenient, not so cheery verse 36: "As it is written,
For Your sake we are being killed all the
day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be
slaughtered."
I wonder if this is why I have never buckled down to learn the entire
passage. It's one thing to read about Christian brothers and sisters
putting their lives on the line for their faith in Jesus in the safety of my
living room, but I'm not particularly keen or eager to suffer as these
precious martyrs suffer. It has been unpleasant enough to be ostracized
for my faith and disinvited to social circles because my faith makes
others feel uncomfortable.
Paul, who suffered many tribulations for his Lord, spoke from personal
experience in the remaining verses, "No, in all these things we are more
than conquerors through Him Who loved us. For I am sure that neither
death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to
come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our
Lord." (Italics mine)
I may not be thrown into prison for my faith or tortured, but I need to
reflect living exultantly in the truth that being in Christ Jesus, nothing
can separate me from the love of Godever. Then perhaps others will
ask me to explain the reason for the joy that is in me and experience it for
themselves.
Maggie Wiegand

Monday, March 9
Small Gifts
People often think of February and March as bleak. The sky is
gray, the trees are brown and leafless, and the ground is covered with
slushy, dirty snow. Its cold, damp, dismal, and it seems winter will
never end. Summer is a distant memory and spring is a far-off dream.
The soft, white snow of a Christmas Eve seems so long ago. Now its
just relentless cold and endless snow and slush. Its hard to find much to
be grateful for this time of the year.
But realize that the beauty of Gods creation can be found in
small gifts and small gifts abound in late winter. The days really are
growing longer. The March sky at sunset is like a watercolor painting
awash in blues, pinks and purples, with the outline of leafless trees
standing out in stark contrast. You might notice the scent of melting
snow and even see a few tiny snowdrops poking their heads up through
the slush. Honking flocks of geese announce their return. Other seasons
are big and splashy: sunny June gardens, summer thunderstorms, orange
pumpkins and red autumn leaves. But late winter is subtle. It forces you
to look harder for its gifts.
Maybe this is what the season of Lent is for. Fasting and
repentance are certainly not big, splashy celebrations. Rather, they are
quiet and personal acts. These are acts that force us to slow down and
really think about what we are doing. What have I done to cause pain to
God? Have I loved as much as He wants me to? Do I cling to my
possessions or do I willingly share what I have? Lent forces us to slow
down and really contemplate our relationship with God. Enter into this
time with an open and grateful heart and you will find yourself being
changed just as surely as late winter changes into spring. And that is no
small gift!
Behold, I come to make all things new (Rev 21:5)

Kathy Chapman

Tuesday, March 10
Lenten Hymn
Roger Ruston from Lord Hear My Prayer
Attend and keep this happy fast
I preach to you this day.
Is this the fast that pleases me,
That takes you joy away?
Do I delight in sorrows dress?
Says God who reigns above.
The hanging head, the dismal look
Will they attract my love?
But is this not the fast I choose,
That shares the heavy load;
That seeks to bring the poor man in
Whos weary of the road;
That gives the hungry bread to eat,
To strangers gives a home;
That does not let you hide your face
From your own flesh and bone?
Then like the dawn your light will break;
To life you will be raised.
And they will praise the Lord for you;
Be happy in your days.
The glory of the Lord will shine,
And in your steps his grace.
And when you call hell answer you;
He will not hide his face.
Based on Isaiah 58:5-9

Wednesday, March 11

His Sacrifice and Ours

Philippians 2:6-8
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with
God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a
servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human
form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.

In the Lenten Season, many will give up something. Some

people give up chocolate, soda, you know, the material things. Let us not
forget that Jesus gave up His life for us. My prayer is that we continue to
honor His sacrifice for us.

Cindy Hemingway

Thursday, March 12
Take this Cup
Abba, Father, he said, Everything is possible for you. Take this cup
from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will. Mark 14:36
Throughout the Old Testament a cup is used to symbolize Gods
judgment. As Jesus, in the garden, considered what was to come. He
looked to His Father asked if it was possible that He might take the
cupthe judgment...from Him.
I found myself, not too long ago, faced with yet another new
medical diagnosis and a were just not sure why this happened. Over
the past year Ive adjusted and changed and worked through the new
reality of life for me. As I began to consider my new life style and
limitations, I would sometimes be a little frustrated with new boundaries
and challenges. Id bet that many of the people I encounter on a daily
basis have some kind of challenge, trial or limitation that has been thrust
upon them through no fault or shortcoming of their own. May it be a
medical diagnosis, devastating injury, loss of job or friends or familyso
many times when faced with a new trial or challenge we find ourselves
saying,
Lord PLEASE Take this cup from me
God tells us that challenges will come our way. We can rest in
the comfort of knowing that He doesnt leave us out on a limb. He
promises over and over that He will be with us that He will never
leave us and that HE will bring good from our struggles.
If we can each embrace the season of change in our lives, grow
and mature through the challenges we face; if we can use what we have
learned as we grow to share and support others through similar
circumstances, we may more frequently find ourselves saying,
Yet I want Your will to be done, not mine.
Kathey Drennan

Friday, March 13

Kids-Eye View
As a real young boy, maybe six or eight years old, I remember
being in church and it all seemed so staid. It probably wasn't, but as a
young kid it seemed to be. At my church Reverend Frincke was the
pastor. He would, during hymns and other times, sit in his big wooden
straight-backed chair. To me it looked like something from a movie about
kings and queens from hundreds of years before.
That chair was extremely ornate. I don't think it had jewels on it
but it sure seemed like it to a little boy. And I knew that while he was in
that chair, and he never smiled of course, I had to be on my best
behavior. So, I would always make sure that if he looked out at me, I was
also sitting up straight and was reverent.
Because the pastor, I was sure, had a direct line to God. I knew
when he saw me that I was going to go to heaven. After all, hadn't he
seen how well behaved I was? And, I was sitting up straight!
As we get older we realize that being a Christian involves more
than just sitting still in church. Its not always an easy journey.
Temptation is everywhere. But Jesus accepts our imperfections and
works in us to make us perfect. We just need to repent and ask His
forgiveness. We can trust Him and He will lead us in the journey.

Ron Chapman

Saturday, March 14
The Offering (part 1) by Andy Reding

It was a long walk to Moriah; a three day journey. It shouldnt have

taken so long, but the weather was awful: rain, mud, fog. Everyone was annoyed
by the conditions, but Father seemed especially bothered. He seemed to wish the
sacrifice would be over and done as quickly as possible. I didnt understand his
urgency, but he wouldnt speak of it. There was another odd thing he hadnt
brought an animal for the sacrifice. When asked about it he wouldnt explainsilence was his only answer.
Silence was unlike him. Father was usually happy full of laughter and
joy. But that changed day we left. Mother and I spoke briefly while preparing for
the trip. She suspected Father had spoken to the Lord, and our trip was in
response to that. I had no doubt she was correct. Nothing but the Word of the
Lord Himself could have wrought such a change in father.
But strangest of all were the nightmares. Cold and wet in our miserable
camps, I alone found it easy to fall asleep; but the sleep was not restful. I saw
terrifying things. I saw an ancient tree, full of unfamiliar fruits. I saw a woman,
fair beyond words, pluck a fruit from it. I saw a tall tower built by men powerful
and cruel. I saw the men scattered in confusion and the tower crumble into dust.
I saw an endless sea covering all the land and somehow I knew that the world
of man lay under the water.
But there were worse dreams. I saw people a great multitude and
knew they were my own descendants. It was a great nation yet to come. But it
was a nation of rebellion and wickedness, with stubborn hearts. I saw them sin
and suffer and fall. I saw them healed and restored by the Hand of the Most
High, only to sin and suffer and fall again. I dreaded the nights and was thankful
when morning came - cold and miserable as it was.
At last we saw the Mountain. It looked just like the other mountains we
had crossed, but looking upon it, a sense of wonder and dread fell on us. This
was the mountain the Lord promised to show my father, and none doubted it.
The rain stopped, the sun was shining. But although the weather cleared and we
could have moved more quickly, no one was in a hurry.
Finally Father spoke. To the servants he said Stay here with the
donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will
come back to you. What was that hesitation in his voice as he said the word
we? My blood ran cold as ice. Father helped me load the pack of wood on my
back and then took a torch in his hand.
The wood was heavy; the day hot and humid. I was sweating under the
load but could not stop shivering. One last time I raised the question that had
become urgent to me. Father, I said with a trembling voice, we have the fire
and the knife, but we have no lamb for the sacrifice. I noticed tears on his
cheeks. The Lord Himself will provide the offering my son. He seemed to
choke on the words. My son, my son, the offering MY SON. The offering IS
MY SON. My blood grew colder yet. The Lord had asked Father to sacrifice me.
How can this be? I thought, but I said nothing. I understood the silence now.
We went on, like the lambs before the shearers. Words no longer mattered only
the task at hand.

4th Sunday in Lent, March 15

The Offering (part 2) -by Andy Reding

We reached the summit of the mountain and set about building an altar.
It took a long while, but we both wished it could longer. As we worked I
remembered the terrifying dreams. I felt overwhelmed with pain, death,
drowning and sin: sins of the past, but also sins of my children to come. I stared
at the pile of stone. I helped arrange the wood. I prayed for peace and was
answered with silence, Father. All is ready.
Climbing onto the makeshift altar, I lay down. Father, tie my hands
and feet. If my courage fails, I would not have the offering be spoiled. He took
the ropes and bound me. He pulled the knife from his belt and held it up in the
sunlight, inspecting the edge. He stared a long time at the blade. Father, do not
delay. Do what you must do quickly. I tried to sound brave, but was weeping.
He wept too. At last I could contain it no more. Why, father why? I was the
child of promise! No son. He answered. You ARE the child of promise.
With those words he raised the knife. Suddenly I had another vision.
Images flashed through my mind: the whole history of a nation MY nation-rushing towards ruin. A sacrifice must be offered. The tragedy must be averted.
The edge of the knife pressed cold against my neck. I love you, my son. I
love you too, Father.
As I closed my eyes in despair against the moment I knew must come,
a thunderous Voice that seemed to come from everywhere at once shouted
ABRAHAM! Here I am! replied Father, though his voice sounded feeble.
Do not lay a hand on the boy, said the Voice. Do not do anything to
him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me
your son, your only son. A man bathed in unbearable light hovered above the
altar. I found myself suddenly lying on the ground before Him, although I knew
neither of us had cut the ropes binding me. The Voice bade me look up, and as
He spoke, I found I could look upon his face. The face was so full of love and
sadness that it terrified me. The eyes, like rainbows made of lightning bored into
me and I saw one last vision.
I saw my people my children leading a man; a man who looked like
a king and yet like a beggar; crowned with thorns and robed with purple rags;
majestic and pathetic; beautiful and gruesome; beloved and hated. He climbed a
mountain carrying a great burden on his back. And then the Voice whispered in
my ear: I myself will provide the offering MY son.
Then the light and the sound were gone. The only sound was of a ram,
his horns caught in the bushes. Together we caught and sacrificed him. But I
know now that such a sacrifice is merely a symbol a sign of what is to come.
There can be only one true sacrifice for sin.
I stood next to Father holding his hand in silence, watching the fire fade
to embers. Father, did you know? I asked at last. No. He said. I knew He
had promised me descendants through you. I did not know how it would end.
But I trusted Him - He has never forsaken me. His Word is true.
Had I not gone willingly, would you still have gone through with it?
I would have, son.
Good. Lets go home. Mother will be waiting.

Monday, March 16
Lengthening

The word Lent is derived from the Anglo-German word for

lengthening. It refers to the fact that during the forty days between
Ash Wednesday and Easter, the daylight hours grow longer and spring
nears. As we get closer to Easter, there is literally less nighttime and
more light time, at least in the Northern Hemisphere.
Lent didnt seem so enlightening to me when I was a kid. It was
a dreary time, when everyone was concerned about sin and promising to
sacrifice during Lent by giving up meat or chocolate or alcohol. Even
the church was stripped of pretty banners and signs. The colors of the
season, dark purple and black, seemed dreary after the gold and green of
Epiphany.
Yet the 34th Psalm tells us that if we want to lengthen our days,
we need to turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. Lent
should always remind us of our sin, our dependence on God for salvation
and our need to repent, to turn from evil. In our darkest hours, Jesus
came to save us and bring light to the world. The righteous cry out, and
the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is
close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in
spirit.(Psalm 34:15-18)
Lent should not be dreary and discouraging, but rather a solemn
celebration because Gods grace has set us free from sin. As the days
lengthen, we need to keep our eyes on the culmination of the season, the
gold and white colors of Easter and the glorious Sonshine of the
resurrection.
Psalm 34

Bob Smith

Tuesday, March 17
In the Desert
Romans 8:38-39
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things
present nor things to come, nor powers, nor heights nor depth, nor
anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of
God in Christ Jesus the Lord.
I pretty much grew up in the Episcopal Church. I sang in the
junior and youth choirs, attended Sunday school and completed
confirmation class. Then something happened and the family went to a
Baptist church. (Well we kids did). We went there for a few years and
then we all moved away to another city and lost touch with church, God
and fellowship.
I was eighteen years of age and I could party and that is what I
did! It was all about me and having fun. I kind of put God on the back
burner of my life. I didn't forget him. I just wasn't listening to him. In the
back of my mind he was always there, just waiting for me. He waited for
about 22 years; my in the desert time is what I like to call it. Finally I
had decided to send my little girl to Little Lambs Preschool because, of
course, she needed some religious background and I wasn't giving it to
her. She went, loved it and it was the little girl that God used to bring me
back.
Now what this little story is about is that no matter what, He is
always waiting for you to come to Him or come back to Him and His
arms are open wide to gather you into His flock. He loves you and it is
never too late!
Dear God, Thank for being there for me and waiting for me to come back
to you. Amen

Christa Schneider

Wednesday, March 18
The Blessing of Simeon
In the church choir to which I used to belong we had the custom of
writing in our hymnals the titles of favorite anthems we wished to have
sung at our funerals. In our mind's eye we envisioned one last choir
survivor tottering down the aisle and clicking on a CD player with the
favorite anthems of his or her predecessor. My list of favorite anthems
was long, but the one I could never get through with a dry eye was
Simeon's Blessing by Pepper Choplin.
It is based upon Luke 2:29-32:
Lord, now You are letting Your servant
depart in peace,
according to Your Word,
for my eyes have seen Your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence
of all peoples,
a light for the revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to Your people Israel.
I see that dear old man, Simeon, waiting in the Temple, along with the
prophetess Anna, and patiently praying year in and year out for one sight
of their Savior and then, through the Holy Spirit, actually recognizing
Him in the form of an 8-day-old baby. Simeon knew he could now go
home to the Lord because his greatest desire had been fulfilled.
I have to ask myself, am I satisfied to go home to the Lord in peace
because I know my Savior and what He did for you and me? That is the
message I would like to leave with those who mourn me. Yet I admire
Annas compulsion to leave the security of the Temple that has housed
and fed her for years to go speak of Jesus to all who are waiting for their
redemption. (Luke 2:38) Evangelism is definitely not my comfort zone,
but how can anyone among us keep such Good News a secret?
Maggie Wiegand

Thursday, March 19
Am I Worth It?
Matthew 8:5-13 And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came
to Him, imploring Him, and saying, Lord, my servant is lying
paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented. Jesus said to him, I will come
and heal him. But the centurion said, Lord, I am not worthy for You to
come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be
healed. For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and
I say to this one, Go! and he goes, and to another, Come! and he
comes, and to my slave, Do this! and he does it.
Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and
I shall be healed. In some churches, these words are spoken by the
congregation before receiving communion. It comes from the story in
Luke (7:2-10) and Matthew (8:5-13) of the centurion whose servant is ill.
The centurion says that he is not worthy to have Jesus enter his home,
but if Jesus only says the word he knows the servant will be healed.
So often we readily believe the first part, Lord, I am not
worthy, but we are not so sure about the rest. It is true, we dont
deserve the healing, love and forgiveness we receive from God, yet its
freely given to us. Jesus came so that we might be healed of our sins and
brokenness, and that we might have eternal life. All we have to do is
believe and accept Jesus into our hearts. This is the amazing message of
the Lenten season. Its the reason Jesus died on the cross. And the
reason He was raised from the dead. Regardless of our own
unworthiness, God sent His Word Jesus, our Saviorto heal us.
Lord, thank you so very much the gift of your Son and for the wonder of
your healing grace. Amen

Kathy Chapman

Friday, March 20

Why is Good Friday Good?

Why is Good Friday good?
The reason is that He died for us; you see that Jesus was perfect but He
was killed.
Romans 3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in
Christ Jesus. Luke 24:46 Thus it is written, that the Christ should
suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.
So He died for us. Three cheers for Jesus!
Dear God, please help us to remember this really is Good Friday. Amen

Tommy Reding

Saturday, March 21
A Prayer for Forgiveness
Psalm 51 Good News Translation

51 Be merciful to me, O God, because of your constant love. Because of

your great mercy wipe away my sins!
2 Wash away all my evil and make me clean from my sin!
3 I recognize my faults; I am always conscious of my sins.
4 I have sinned against youonly against youand done what you
consider evil.
So you are right in judging me; you are justified in condemning me.
5 I have been evil from the day I was born; from the time I was
conceived, I have been sinful.
6 Sincerity and truth are what you require; fill my mind with your
wisdom.
7 Remove my sin and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than
snow.
8 Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness; and though you have
crushed me and broken me, I will be happy once again.
9 Close your eyes to my sins and wipe out all my evil.
10 Create a pure heart in me, O God, and put a new and loyal spirit in
me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence; do not take your holy spirit
away from me.
12 Give me again the joy that comes from your salvation, and make me
willing to obey you.
13 Then I will teach sinners your commands, and they will turn back to
you.
14 Spare my life, O God, and save me, and I will gladly proclaim your
righteousness.
15 Help me to speak, Lord, and I will praise you.
16 You do not want sacrifices, or I would offer them; you are not pleased
with burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice is a humble spirit, O God; you will not reject a humble
and repentant heart.
Gracious Father,
When David repented before you in sackcloth and ashes, you poured out
on him the healing medicine of your forgiveness. Grant that we may
follow his example so well that we, too, may be fully pardoned of all our
transgressions.
We make our prayer through Jesus our Lord. Amen.
From Lord, Hear Our Prayer

5th Sunday in Lent, March 22

The Third Man
Last night I dreamed I took a walk up Calvary's lonely hill,
The things I saw with my own eyes could not have been more real.
I saw upon three crosses three men in agony;
Two cried out for mercy, the third man looked at me.
And oh, the hurt in this man's eyes just broke my heart in two!
It seemed that I could hear him say "I'm doing this for you."
I knelt beneath the third man's cross and slowly bowed my head,
When reached out to touch his feet they stained my hands with red.
And when I heard him cry in pain, I raised my eyes to see;
Blood spilled from the third man's side. Some of it spilled on me.
The third man wore a crown of thorns, spikes held him to the tree,
I heard him cry, "Oh God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?"
And there within the mighty crowd the ones who mocked Him cried
"King, save Thyself if thou art King!" And then the third man died.
Suddenly, I heard thunder roll, saw lightening pierce the sky.
Then third man was still hanging there, and I began to cry.
I saw the boulders fall and heard the breaking of the ground.
Then I awoke, and though I dreamed, I touched my cheek and found,
My eyes were wet where I had cried. A dream? I wished I knew.
I can still hear the third man say, "I'm doing this for you."
Anonymous

Monday, March 23
His Peace
I was sharing a lovely lunch with special Christian Friends.
Conversations were shared concluding with stories about families and
friends. In my heart I had been pondering some concerns about
grandchildren. I felt the spirit was encouraging me to share them. My
friends could see anguish and fear coming to my face. All were quick to
offer words of reassurance and comfort. My hosting friend jumped up
from the table and brought back the "Jesus Calling" daily devotion and
read the devotion of the day. I have read it every day since and it has
brought great peace and reassurance. It has been a constant reminder of
Gods ever present Grace and Strength.
I give thanks for You All, my Christian Family. I thank you for
being there for me and my family. May we be there for you and yours.
May it always be God who leads.
May we all relax in the Lords Peace, feel his ever-present strength and
walk in confident trust.
I share with you that devotion:
Taken from Jesus Calling: Devotions for Every Day of the Year by Sarah
Young
Come to Me and rest in My loving Presence. You know this day will
bring difficulties and you are trying to think your way through those
trials. As you anticipate what is ahead of you, you forget that I am with
younow and always. Rehearsing your troubles results in experiencing
them many times, whereas you are meant to go through them only when
they actually occur. Do not multiply your suffering in this way! Instead,
come to Me and relax in My Peace. I will strengthen you and prepare
you for this day, transforming your fear into confident trust.
Matthew 11:28-30 Joshua 1:5,9
Mary Alhusen

Tuesday, March 24
Easter Memories
Prov. 22:6 Teach children how they should live and they will remember it
all their lives.
I am the youngest of 5 brothers. The oldest was significantly
older than me so I really didn't get to know him well when I was young.
The other four of us, though, were the two "big kids" and the two "little
kids". When we were young, every year my mother would spend the
Lenten season knitting sweaters for us; one color and style for the two
"big kids", and a different color and style for the two "little kids".
On Easter morning each pair of us would pose on the front
"stoop" (remember the "stoop"?) for our Easter pictures. Sometimes
Mom would have the four of us pose together, too. And at some time in
our young lives we even posed for color pictures. After all, Dad worked
for Kodak.
We always looked proper on Sunday morning because on the
night before, we did our normal Saturday routine. Mom sent us to the
basement where, after spreading out newspapers so as not to make a
mess, we shined our shoes. In spite of our complaining, Mom or Dad
would make sure we did a good job.
Easter morning, as we all know could be snowing, 75 degrees
and sunny, or anything in between, but we all marched off to Hope
Lutheran church for Easter Sunday service. Oh, and of course, we had
our brand new knitted sweaters.
Dear Lord, thank you for loving parents who bring their children
up in your ways. Amen.
Ron Chapman

Wednesday, March 25
Whats a Savior Like You Doing in a Place Like This?
I hope that title sounds a little familiar to many of you. It was
the title of a wonderful song in our Christmas musical last December. It
went like this: Whats a Savior like You doing in a place like this? A
manger for a cradle; you know it just dont seem fit, for a King to come
in such low, lowliness. Whats a Savior like You doing in a place like
this?
I loved that song and mulled over in my mind that our King had
to be born in a stable. But I also thought it gave a sweet picture of
mother and child, shepherds and wise men. I didnt really picture
sadness or hard times.
But now that we are in the Lenten season and approaching Good
Friday, the same words are floating around in my head and I want to cry.
Whats a Savior like You doing in a place like this? Suffering on a cross
you know it just dont seem fit, for a King to hang in such low, lowliness.
Whats a Savior like You doing in a place like this? (I took liberties with
the song to fit my Lenten feelings.)
I know He came like a human child so He could be more like
you and me. I also know His Father told Him He would have to suffer
and die for my sins. He was God. He could have stopped at any time
and said Dad, they are not worth it! But He chose to obey His Father!
To think that He did that for me is mind-boggling!
But why did He have to die? Paul says in Romans that the law
was given to make us aware of our sins. (Romans 7:7-25) Unfortunately,
there is no way we humans can keep all of the law, Romans 3:23 says,
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. So He gave us
Jesus. John 3:16, sometimes called the Gospel in a nutshell says it all:
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that
whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but will have everlasting
life.
Gracious and Heavenly Father, You have given us the most
perfect gift: salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Help us all to
accept that gift, open that gift and believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and
Savior. Amen.
Jane Zagata

Thursday, March 26

This is a devotion used a year or

two ago for Community Bible
Study. The wooden cross and
most of the pieces were given as
gifts to the members of
Bethlehem Lutheran Church in
Fairport MANY years ago
during their Wednesday evening
Lenten services. Each week we
received one item and the
evening message centered on
that event from the Bible. I
have added the wash basin and
towel, the Jesus of Nazareth
sign, and the crown of thorns.
In our home we get the cross out
each year to display during Lent
(similar to the Nativity for
Advent). Yes, the cloth bag has
thirty tiny silver coins!
The following verses contain
the objects depicted in the
display. Through the days of
Holy Week leading up to Easter
our devotions will center on
each of these verses:

The crucifixion of Jesus

John 10:31-33
John 12:13
Matthew 27:3-10
John 19:1-3
John 19:16-19
Luke 23:39-43
John 19:28-30
John 20:25

As you read these familiar

passages, try to put yourself in
the storyas a bystander, a
Roman soldier, a disciple. What
does it feel like to you watching
the last days of Our Lords life
on earth? Imagine the
exhilaration of hearing the
crowd cry Hosanna! Imagine
the confusion as Jesus washes
your feet. Imagine the agony of
seeing your best friend die.
Think of what that first Easter
Sunday must have been like.
Then remember that all this was
accomplished for you.
Laura Ouimette (& helpers)

Friday, March 27
Stones
John 10:30-33 30 The Father and I are one. 31 Again his Jewish
opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, I
have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these
do you stone me? 33 We are not stoning you for any good work, they
replied, but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.
This is a most amazing scene. The authorities are standing there
with stones and are ready to kill Jesus, and he calmly tries to help them
see their error. Here is calmness that comes from being centered in God's
will, the will of the Father who is greater than all. And by continuing to
try to help them come to faith even as they are seeking to stone him,
Jesus manifests amazing grace. He is graciously calling them to
reconsider, for they know not what they do. These men are seeking to kill
the one who is offering them lifeoffering it to them even in the midst
of their attack against him. The glory of God, which is his grace,
continues to shine brightly at this point.
"Either Jesus is a totally mad person, on a par," as C. S. Lewis
put it, "with a man who claims to be a poached egg -- out of his mind,
uttering meaningless, garbled, rambling, megalomaniacal statements -- or
he is telling the truth. And if he is telling the truth he is the most
important Being in the universe. He is at the center of everything: He is
the center of life, the giver of truth. Jesus of Nazareth is the center of
everything. To ignore him is to grope in darkness, to live in rebellion, to
miss out on joy, peace and love, and end at last as part of the world's
fiery judgment."

Adapted from www.BibleGateway.com InterVarsity Press New

Testament Commentary

Saturday, March 28
30 Pieces of Silver

Matthew 27:3-10 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus
was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces
of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, I have sinned by
betraying innocent blood. They said, What is that to us? See to it
yourself. And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he
departed, and he went and hanged himself. But the chief priests, taking
the pieces of silver, said, It is not lawful to put them into the treasury,
since it is blood money. So they took counsel and bought with them the
potter's field as a burial place for strangers. Therefore that field has been
called the Field of Blood to this day. Then was fulfilled what had been
spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, And they took the thirty pieces
of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the
sons of Israel, and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord
directed me.
Judas concentrates on the one great act of sin, "I betrayed
innocent blood." In his remorse, Judas turned to the wrong people.
Instead of turning to God he looked to the Jewish leaders who had only
one goal, the death of Jesus. Judas' guilty conscience is a problem for
him alone, not them. They had accomplished their evil goal. Jesus was
now "condemned" by the Sanhedrin, and His destiny lay in the hands of
the Roman governor.
In his own words Judas declared, "I have sinned by betraying
innocent blood." G. Campbell Morgan observes, "Not, I have blundered,
or have been mistaken, or foolish, or wrong; not, I have attempted to
hurry this Messiah to declare Himself, but 'I have sinned.' As we look at
Judas in that terrible picture, we see a man filled with terror, the terror of
a lost soul; the sense of sin, and the dread of its issue. Not regret, nor the
sense of sin with desire to escape it, but the sense of sin with desire to
escape the issue of it. This is not the repentance that brings man to God.
If is a man simply repents of sin, by attempting to escape its issue, he
knows nothing of repentance in the true sense of the word.
Judas threw the money down into the temple. Leon Morris
writes: "The language seems to point an irrational act of throwing the
coins with some force into some holy place nearby . . . There is nothing
to indicate an exercise of piety, only a reckless desire to repudiate his evil
act. Then he went off and committed suicide by hanging. . . Judas was
remorseful rather than repentant. We might contrast him with Peter. That
apostle had likewise betrayed Jesus, but he was moved to a genuine
repentance that led to amendment of life rather than to death.
Adapted from http://www.abideinchrist.com/

Palm Sunday, March 29

Palm Branches
John 12:13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him,
shouting, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the
Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!
They shout, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of
the Lord! These are lines from one of the Psalms of Ascents (Ps
118:25-26) sung as a welcome to pilgrims coming up to Jerusalem. As
such, this is an entirely appropriate thing to do as Jesus is coming up to
Jerusalem. But there is more involved here. Hosanna is a Hebrew word
that had become a greeting or shout of praise but that actually meant
"Save!" or "Help!" Not surprisingly, forms of this word were used to
address the king with a need (2 Sam 14:4; 2 Kings 6:26). Furthermore,
the palm branches the people carry are symbolic of a victorious ruler.
Earlier a crowd had wanted to make Jesus king (6:15), and now
this crowd is recognizing him as king in the city of the great King. Here
is the great dream of a Davidic ruler who would come and liberate Israel,
establishing peace and subduing the Gentiles.
Jesus responds by finding a young donkey to sit on (v. 14),
thereby making a mess of the picture they were creating. He should have
found a horse to ride on or made use of some other symbol of power.
Instead he paints from a different palette. His action undercuts their
nationalism and points in a different direction, evoking an image from
the Prophets: Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is
coming, seated on a donkey's colt (v. 15; from Zech 9:9). He is indeed
king, but not the sort of king they have in mind.
The meaning of what takes place is conveyed through both the
Scripture shouted by the crowd at the time and the Scripture that
occurred to the disciples later. The crowd shouted, "Help!" and "Save!"
and Jesus has come precisely to help and save them, though it will not be
through the political liberation the crowd expects. The crowd chants
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! This applies to
Jesus in a way it never had to anyone else before. Jesus is the one who
makes known the Father and has come in the Father's name (5:43), and
he desires that the Father's name be made known (17:6, 26). So of him it
is uniquely true that he comes in the name of the Lord
Adapted from www.BibleGateway.com InterVarsity Press New
Testament Commentary

Monday of Holy Week, March 30

Washing the Disciples Feet
John 13:13-15 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for
that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed
your feet, you also should wash one anothers feet. 15 I have set you an
example that you should do as I have done for you.
The opening verse of chapter 13 sets the scene for the whole of
chapters 1317. Love is one of the key terms in chapters 1317,
occurring thirty-one times in these five chapters as compared to only six
times in chapters 112. Jesus now shows his disciples the full extent of
his love. Love is the laying down of one's life, and therefore to love
completely means to love to the end of one's life. The love that has been
evident throughout continues right up to the end. At the end, in the
crucifixion, we will see the ultimate revelation of that love, that is, its full
extent. The love that is evident in the laying down of life at the
crucifixion is also demonstrated in the laying down of life in humble
service in the foot washing.
Jesus realizes this act is scandalous and mystifying, given their
current ignorance: You do not realize now what I am doing, but later
(literally, "after these things") you will understand. On one level, Jesus'
act is an example of humility, and they are expected to grasp this point.
But as with most of what Jesus has said and done, they will fully
understand this event only after the cross and resurrection and the
coming of the Spirit, who will lead them into all truth.

Adapted from www.BibleGateway.com InterVarsity Press New

Testament Commentary

Tuesday of Holy Week, March 31

Crown of Thorns

John 19:1-3 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers
twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed
him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, Hail,
king of the Jews! And they slapped him in the face.
Jesus had already suffered greatly. He had been led from one
great man to another. He had been roughly and brutally handled all
through the night. He had been stripped and scourged on the orders of
Pilate. Now the soldiers are ready to take him away and to fulfill the cry
of the people to crucify him. Before they do that, they weave this crown
and place it on his head. His outward sufferings were terrible. But these
outward sufferings were nothing compared to the suffering of his sinless
soul.
Think for a moment of who was being subjected to this
treatment. He was the one who from all eternity was with God and was
God and had fellowship with God, face to face. He was the one who was
upholding the very people who were subjecting him to suffering,
indignity and mockery. If this is true, and we believe with all our minds
that it is true, what sharpness there must be in his suffering. The creatures
he has made in his own image, that strangely he had loved from all
eternity, rejected him. The rejection comes fully to light here when they
make him suffer the great indignity of the crown of thorns.
In Genesis 3:18 God said to Adam that because had eaten of the
tree which had been forbidden to them, the ground would be cursed and
thorns and thistles would grow - symbols of God's curse on
disobedience. The same truth is set out in Hebrews 6:8: 'that which
beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end
is to be burned.'
What is happening when men take Jesus and weave a crown of
thorns and place it on his head? Something of which these soldiers have
never dreamed is taking place in this simple, cruel transaction; something
that will be spoken of as long as the gospel is preached. They are taking
the symbol of man's sin and disobedience and they are weaving it into a
crown. Who will they crown as the chief of sinners? Who will they
crown as the one who will stand in the ultimate place of God's curse?
They take the one who is holy and harmless and undefiled and they take
this symbol of sin and they crown him. Why? Because this is why he
came.
May God open our hearts to feel and to know the love that
stooped so low, and to experience the great salvation that is symbolized
in this event.

Adapted from http://www.bspenance.org/A_Crown_of_Thorns.shtml

Wednesday of Holy Week, April 1

INRI
John 19:16-19 16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went
out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18
There they crucified him, and with him two othersone on each side
and Jesus in the middle. 19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to
the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
It was common practice to have those sentenced to crucifixion
carry signs indicating the cause of their punishment. The title Pilate has
written, JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS, continues
to goad the Jewish leaders, as their reaction demonstrates. They insist
that he change it, but he simply says, What I have written, I have
written.
Pilate mocks the Jews by saying this battered, weak man dressed
in sham regal trappings is their king. Pilate is perhaps imitating a
ceremony formally recognizing a ruler, somewhat similar to what takes
place today at the coronation of a British monarch. Jesus is indeed their
king, and here is their one last chance to receive him as such, but they
will have none of it.
The Jewish opponents have trapped Pilate, and now he springs
on them a trap of his own. When they once more reject Jesus as their
king and call for his crucifixion, Pilate replies, Shall I crucify your
king? What they should have said in return was, "We have no king but
God," but in order to force Pilate's hand with their threat regarding his
loyalty to Caesar the chief priests instead say, We have no king but
Caesar. Like Pilate, they are forced to choose which king they will
serve, and they also fail to choose wisely. Here are the spiritual leaders
of Israel, with their rejection of Jesus, denying the very faith they are
claiming to uphold. God alone was Israel's king (Judges 8:23; 1 Sam
8:4-20). The human king was to be in submission to God as a son is to
his father (2 Sam 7:11-16; Ps 2:7). These ancient attitudes found
expression in one of the prayers these chief priests prayed every day:
"May you be our King, you alone." Every year at this very feast of
Passover they sang, "From everlasting to everlasting you are God; beside
you we have no king, redeemer, or savior, no liberator, deliverer,
provider, none who takes pity in every time of distress and trouble; we
have no king but you. These opponents stand self-condemned as they
send the Son of God to his death.
Adapted from www.BibleGateway.com InterVarsity Press New
Testament Commentary

Maundy Thursday, April 2

Casting Lots

Luke 23:34 Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what
they are doing. And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
Having nailed Jesus to the cross, the Roman soldiers divided His
clothes among themselves a privilege given to the soldiers responsible
for nailing the criminals. The four soldiers responsible for nailing Jesus
to the cross took the Lords outer garment and divided it into four equal
parts among themselves. When they saw the Lords inner garment, they
found that it was seamlessly woven in one piece, therefore, they decided
against tearing it apart because by doing so the value of the inner
garment would be greatly diminished. Finally they decided to cast lots so
that one of them would be entitled to the whole inner garment. When
they did this, it fulfilled an Old Testament prophecy concerning the
Messiah:
Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me,
they have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones;
people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.
This passage was recorded in Psalm 22:16-18 about one
thousand years before the crucifixion of Jesus took place, written by the
King David. We are well aware that David was never pierced in his
hands or feet, nor were his garments ever been taken from him and
divided. These verses were written under the inspiration of the Holy
Spirit and not a literal life experience of David. This prophecy spoke of
the predicament of the coming Messiah, where the world would nail Him
to the cross and strip Him of His garments.
The four soldiers divided the outer garment into four equal
portions, but to retain the value of the inner garment, they decided to cast
lots for it rather than see the garment torn up. The soldiers were able to
understand the intrinsic value of the inner garment, but they failed to
cherish the majesty and lordship of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
They knew how to preserve the garment to prevent it from being buried
in the grave, yet they did not know how to preserve the Sovereign of the
universe, and instead crucified Him unto death! The Lord came into the
world and the world was created through Him, yet, the world did not
recognize Him. He came to His own abode but His people did not
receive Him. Mankind knew how to appreciate the rain that falls from
heaven, to enjoy the harvest gathered from the ground, but yet they
nailed to death the giver and creator of all these things! This must have
been the greatest mockery in the history of mankind.
Adapted from HISWORDONLY.COM

Good Friday, April 3

Conversion
Luke 23:39-43 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at
him: Arent you the Messiah? Save yourself and us! 40 But the other
criminal rebuked him. Dont you fear God, he said, since you are
under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting
what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong. 42 Then
he said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.] 43
Jesus answered him, Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in
paradise.
The reactions to Jesus vary in intensity. Perhaps no incident
sums up the range of responses more than the discussion among the
thieves and Jesus. The other Synoptics mention these thieves, but they
only note that they reviled Jesus (Mt 27:44; Mk 15:32). Apparently one
of them has a change of heart, however, as he hears Jesus intercede for
others and watches him tolerate the taunts. The final taunt comes from
one of the thieves: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us." When
the criminal chimes in against Jesus, it is too much for the other
lawbreaker.
It is often said that the thief on the cross does not evidence his
faith, for he has the equivalent of a deathbed conversion. But the
testimony he gives for Jesus in his last moments is one of the most
eloquent evidences of faith in the Bible. The faith in his heart is
expressed by his lips. He addresses his colleague first and then Jesus. He
expresses his rejection of the taunt by exclaiming, "Don't you fear God . .
. since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we
are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing
wrong." It could be said that the injustice of the entire crucifixion is
summed up in this short commentary. Other men die justly, but Jesus
hangs on the cross as a matter of injustice. To mock Jesus is to support
injustice at its worst. Those who fear God had better realize what it
means to taunt him.
Then in words full of faith, the thief turns to Jesus: "Jesus,
remember me when you come into your kingdom." The criminal
anticipates the restoration and resurrection. He asks to be included. His
depth of perception stands in contrast to the blindness of those who taunt.
This man, despite a life full of sin, comes to Jesus and seeks forgiveness
in his last mortal moments. He confesses his guilt and casts himself on
Jesus' mercy and saving power. Luke could not have painted a clearer
portrait of God's grace.
Adapted from www.BibleGateway.com InterVarsity Press New
Testament Commentary

Saturday of Holy Week, April 4

I Thirst
John 19:28-30 28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished,
and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, I am thirsty. 29 A
jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the
sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus lips. 30 When
he had received the drink, Jesus said, It is finished. With that, he
bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Jesus knows that all was now completed. This is what he came to
doto form a community that can share in his own relation with the
Father. With the work completed he can now finalize the completion
through his death, so he says, I am thirsty. John notes he said this in order
to fulfill the Scripturenot that he was consciously thinking of texts and
doing things to echo them, but rather that Scripture reveals God's will
and Jesus perfectly accomplishes God's will. The text he echoes (Ps
69:21) is another passage featuring King David as the righteous sufferer,
and thus bears witness to Jesus' identity.
There seems to be something particularly significant about Jesus'
thirst, since once Jesus receives the wine he says, It is finished, and
dies. On one level this thirst is the only reference in this Gospel to Jesus'
actual physical suffering on the cross. But the idea of thirst may also
have spiritual significance. Earlier Jesus had said, "My food . . . is to do
the will of him who sent me and to finish his work" (4:34). And when he
was arrested he told Peter to put his sword away, saying, "Shall I not
drink the cup the Father has given me?" (18:11). Hunger and thirst
become images for Jesus' desire to fulfill the Father's will to the end.
Since the cup represents wrath and suffering, Jesus' taking of this drink
may suggest the completion of that experience, as the Lamb of God now
takes away the sin of the world. The work he has come to do is now
complete.
Adapted from www.BibleGateway.com InterVarsity Press New
Testament Commentary

Easter Sunday, April 5

Nails
John 20:25 So the other disciples told him, We have seen the Lord!
But he said to them, Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my
finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not
believe.
Faith throughout the Gospel is depicted as progressive, renewed
in the face of each new revelation of Jesus. The other disciples have
moved on to the next stage, but Thomas has not been able to. To not
move on when Jesus calls us to do so is to shift into reverse and move
away. Both believing and unbelieving are dynamicwe are growing in
one direction or the other. Thus, when Jesus appears in their midst he
challenges Thomas to move on ahead in the life of faith, to stop doubting
and believe (v. 27).
John does not say whether Thomas actually did touch Jesus'
wounds. The impression is that he did not, for John says, "Thomas
answered and said to him . . ." That is, Thomas' confession is an
immediate response to seeing Jesus and hearing his offer.
Thomas' confession of Jesus as my Lord and my God is yet
another climax in this Gospel. Jesus has invited him to catch up with the
others in their new stage of faith, and he shoots past them and heads to
the top of the class. His confession is climactic not only as part of the
Gospel's story line, but also as an expression of the core of John's witness
to Jesus in this Gospel. Thomas confesses Jesus as God when he sees that
the crucified one is alive.
Thomas has accepted the revelation, but he gets no
commendation from Jesus. Rather, Jesus looks ahead to those who will
believe through the witness of these disciples who have seen: blessed are
those who have not seen and yet have believed (v. 29). This beatitude,
suggests that if seeing is believing, as it was for Thomas, believing is
also seeing. What matters is the relationship established by faith. But this
faith is not a vague or general feeling, nor is it merely an intellectual
assent. It is openness and acceptance and trust directed toward God in
Jesus.
Christ our Lord is risen today! Alleluia! Tell everyone the
good news!
Adapted from www.BibleGateway.com InterVarsity Press New
Testament Commentary

Happy Easter from

Tommy Reding

Melanie Khan

Rachel Patchen
Dan Patchen Jane Zagata
Ron Chapman

Maggie Wiegand

Kathy Chapman Sandy Voigt

Christa Schneider Andy Reding

Gayle Hendershot
Bob Smith

Sally Bateman Hugh Shipley

Roxann Muller

Laura Ouimette

Krista Stonewell
Don Muller Cindy Hemingway
Kathey Drennan Mary Allhusen Lisa Serron

GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH

320 South Pearl Street, PO Box 690
Canandaigua, NY 14424
(585) 394-2760
www.goodshepherdcdga.org
or e-mail: tlcgs@frontiernet.net