Harder Than It Has To Be

John 5:1-9

“Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals.  Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, ‘Do you want to get well?’
‘Sir,’ the invalid replied, ‘I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.’  Then Jesus said to him, ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.’ At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.”
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As a guy, I know I am wired to sometimes make things more difficult than needed.  I get a new piece of furniture, outdoor power equipment or kid’s bike which needs assembly, and do I read the directions? Of course not!   I just start working and then consult the directions when (1) I get stuck or (2) I am “finished”, but there are still a few parts laying around which I did not use.

In this story, the Invalid takes a similar approach to his problem. He waits by the pool, when he sees the water stirred by the “healing spirit”, be heads in to receive healing.  But, he is crippled.  It takes to long to get to the water and by the time he gets there, someone else has slipped in and taken it.  He does this over and over and over again with no new result.

Can you imagine the frustration for this man?  For days, weeks, months and maybe years, he tries to go get the healing, but fails.

But along comes Jesus.  He makes it so simple.  All he does is tell the man to get up and walk...and he does!  Do we listen to the simple side of things…a pure and complete faith?  If you are like me, you make it harder than it has to be.

Dearest Lord, 

You give us so many examples of how we can turn our concerns, our fears, our pain and our brokenness over to You.  We are so thankful that even though we don’t take an approach of faith in You at every turn, You never pull back Your open, healing and helpful hands from us. 

Keep us mindful of the ways we can call on You.  Even when we think hope is lost because others seem to have taken their place ahead of us, we know we can rely on You for our healing and wholeness. 

Praise and glory to you, Lord of all creation. 

We ask and offer these things in the name of our Risen God, Jesus Christ, 

Amen

Struggle or Embrace?

1 Corinthians 16:14

“Do everything in love.”
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Such a simple sentence; such a difficult task.

There are things we have to do every day which, for some reason or another, are almost impossible to do and be happy at the same time.  Work around the house, difficult problems in the workplace which need addressing, disciplining children…all of these things seem like chores of drudgery.

But how do these things feel when we approach them with an attitude of thankfulness and love?  Are they somehow different when we acknowledge the blessings which are behind these challenges?  Work around the house means you have a place to live; problems at work mean you have a job; disciplining children mean you have been blessed with a family.

When we perform our daily work with genuine love in our heart, the chore becomes a blessing, conflict a chance for reconciliation and the challenge an opportunity for growth.

Heavenly Father, 

You have shown us that where there is love, blessings come forth. 

As we travel through our day, give us peace, strength and perseverance to approach all things with a spirit of love and gratitude.  When we allow You to fill us with a loving attitude, we are able to shine the light of Jesus Christ to those around us. 

We are thankful for the times, when in the midst of chaos, You give us a moment to see things with Your eyes, allowing love to abound. 

In Christ’s name we pray,  

Amen.

Believe and Receive

John 4:47-53

“When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.  ‘Unless you people see signs and wonders,’ Jesus told him, ‘you will never believe.’  The royal official said, ‘Sir, come down before my child dies.’ ‘Go,’ Jesus replied, ‘your son will live.’  The man took Jesus at his word and departed. While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, ‘Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.’  Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, ‘Your son will live.’ So he and his whole household believed.”
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When I read this part of John’s Gospel, I find the contradiction between Jesus’ statement and the actions of the royal official most interesting. While we see Jesus criticizing the crowd for their lack of faith, we see a man who chooses to take the opposite approach.

Does he get to experience a miracle?  He asks Jesus to heal his son.  But he doesn’t say to Jesus, “No, you can’t stay here.   You must come to where my son is an touch him, heal him.”  His approach is all about faith.  Jesus tells him, “your son will live”, and he simply believes.  He went back home, believing, fully expecting to find his son healed and healthy.

And he does.

Dearest God, 

You have given us Your promise that when we have faith in You, miracles happen.  We can do all things through Your Son who gives us strength; strength to believe, strength to move forward, strength to have peace in the face of chaos. 

When our faith falters, bring us back to a point of knowing that You can make great things happen for us.  When we put our trust in You, we are able to walk confidently towards the miracle You have prepared for our blessing. 

We offer thanks and praise to you, our God, in the name of Your Son Jesus Christ,  

Amen.

Filled

Acts 4:31

“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”
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We are empty vessels; jars of clay.  As beings who spend our entire lives trying be filled and fulfilled, we often look to the world for what can fill us up.  That God-shaped hole at the core of our nature can possess us with a compulsion to fill it in whatever way possible.

We pursue money, drugs, power, sex, junk food, fame, alcohol…all things which can certainly fill us up temporarily, but still leave us feeling empty inside. What can fill us up?

When we fill ourselves up with these things…bad things…we leave no room for the good things.  And, it is the good things which keep us filled.  If we, with God’s help, can release the sin from our lives, we make room for being filled with the Holy Spirit.  As we pass along our gifts from the Holy Spirit, we are filled up again and again, refreshed and renewed as the Living Water passes through us, never to be empty again.

Father God, 

Our heart’s desire is set on You. We long to be filled with Your love and with the Holy Spirit. 

Remind us, Lord, that the things of this world cannot fill us up; only You can.  Words of false praise from our so-called friends cannot fill us up; only You can.  Power and possessions cannot fill us up; only You can. 

Fill us, dearest God.  You have promised through Your Son, Jesus Christ, that we don’t have to be thirsty, we don’t have to be hungry.  Your Holy Spirit can fill us. We ask you to send your Spirit to us that we may rejoice in being filled. 

In Jesus’ name we pray,  

Amen

From Fear Into Love

Jeremiah 1:4-9

“The word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’  ‘Alas, Sovereign Lord,’ I said, ‘I do not know how to speak; I am too young.’  But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, “I am too young.” You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.  Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,’ declares the Lord.

Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, ‘I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.’ ”

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As outside observers to this dialogue between God and the prophet Jeremiah, we could look at this and say, “How can Jeremiah feel this way?  God is speaking directly to him, and he still has doubts?!?  It’s as if Jeremiah doesn’t realize who he is talking to.  We want to shake Jeremiah by the shoulders and say, “Hello!!!  Are you crazy?!?  God just asked you to do something and you don’t think He can make it happen?!?”

But we see many times when a reluctant servant doubts God’s ability to make all things work as a part of His plan; Abraham, Moses, Jonah and Peter were all filled with doubt.

For me, this is actually encouraging.  Even though these men in the Bible doubted their own abilities and were thereby doubting God, He still made them a part of His plan.  They were able to accomplish great things because God’s grace was sufficient to push them beyond their comfort zone.

Lord God, 

Even when we doubt ourselves, you can take us to wondrous heights of amazing blessing when we trust in you.  We are so fortunate that even when we have doubt, you overcome our weakness. 

Thank you God, for taking away our doubt and filling up the space with You.  You guide us as a Father, patiently and caringly.  We are blessed when You move us from a place of fear into a place of love. 

In the name of Jesus, we pray, 

Amen.

A Full Quiver

Psalm 127:3-5

“Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.”
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For over one third of my life now, I have been blessed with children.

Reflecting upon the past 17 years, since our oldest daughter Madelaine was born (as of yesterday), it is amazing to consider the ways which my life is wonderful in so many ways by having children.  Watching our 3 girls at dinner this evening, laughing and talking, brought the beauty of this Psalm to life.  I could feel the blessing God has given Greta and I in our children.

But most important in these verses is the concept of children as arrows.  As Greta and I continue to mold and shape these young women in their values and views, we are in essence preparing “ammunition” to be sent forth into the world.  This is not a concept to be taken lightly.

We, and many others, have been blessed with the gift of children and all of the joys they bring.  But, we also have a responsibility to give them guidance, values and a foundation of faith in God to equip them for the roles they will serve as a part of His plan.

Heavenly Father, 

When you bless us with children in our lives, either as our own offspring or through family, our worship community or our professions, you give us the opportunity to pass on what You have given to us. 

Help us to openly show our faith in You and our acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Savior to the little ones you place into our lives.   

Keep us always in a place of gratitude and joy when we hear the sounds of children’s voices.  Allow our hearts to be open to the lessons they teach us in the simplicity of their faith in You. 

In Christ’s name we pray, 

Amen

Surely!

Psalm 108:1-3

“My heart, O God, is steadfast;
I will sing and make music with all my soul.
  Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.”
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Music, in my opinion, is one of the greatest blessings that God has given us.

When you hear a great song, a beautiful chorus or a magnificent orchestral piece of music, how do you feel?  Inspired? Moved? Humbled?

Earlier this evening, we had the opportunity to hear Maddy (our oldest daughter) and the choirs from her school perform at a benefit concert.  Of course, Greta and I were proud parents to see her on stage and witness the joy she shows when singing.  But, something amazing happened during the performance.

At one point, as unassuming young man came out to perform a solo.  When he started to sing, it was literally one of the most beautiful voices I have heard in my entire life.  I absolutely felt that I was in the presence of something almost Holy.  It may sound like I’m exaggerating, but I’m not.  His performance was moving.

Is music and our reactions to it, just some physiochemical swarm of molecules causing us to “feel something?”  Are you joking?!?  I know that God uses music to speak to us.  He has hardwired our souls to respond to the beauty of His creation, whether it be a song, a sunrise or a smile on a sleeping baby’s face.  He uses these things of pure and immense beauty to show us His work in creation.

Surly the presence of the Lord is in this place.

Most Wonderful God, 

Words cannot express the gratitude I have for the gift You have given in the miracle of Music.   I am humbled that You would give such an amazing offering of Your love to me, who is so undeserving of it. 

I ask you, Lord, to never let me become unappreciative of music and the ways You use it to move my spirit, speak to my heart and uplift my soul. 

I look forward with joy to the day when I can be with You in heaven, with angels and archangels, with patriarchs and prophets, with ancestors and martyrs, with sinners and saints, doing nothing but singing Your praises for all eternity. 

I ask and offer this in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, 

Amen.

The God Element

Matthew 5:13-16

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.  You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
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Within each of us, there is God.

In these verses from Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus is talking about that essence of God which we possess.  He calls it salt and light.  It is that thing which people can sometimes see when we let it come forth, when we let the Holy Spirit work in us.

There are times when, due to the pressures of the world or problems weighing on our mind, we are not able to let the light come through. When these times occur, how do we get it out?

God put us on this earth with others; we are not meant to be alone.  Talking to a friend or loved one about the things holding us down is sometimes the best way to open back up, remove the veil of concern or doubt and let our light shine through.

Today, do you need someone to bring out that light in you?  Or, are you the one to bring it out in someone else?

Lord God,  

We love that there are people you have put in our lives with whom we can talk, share, pray, cry and laugh.  You have given us the gift of relationships with others so that we don’t have to feel alone.  These relationships are the way You have given us a taste of what it means to be in relationship with You. 

Send your spirit, God, to remind us of the ways we can lean on our friends and loved ones to give us support.   

But also keep us mindful of how we can bring You forth from the lives of others.  You are in each person You have created.  Give us strength to not give up on helping Your light shine. 

Let us also be that beacon, a bright shining light of hope and joy in all that we do.   

In the name of your Son Jesus Christ, we pray, 

Amen.

Not Just Our God, My God

John 3:1-2

“Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.’ “

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The setting of this story from John’s Gospel is an interesting one.  Imagine, with all that was going on at this point in Jesus’ ministry, how could there be a spare moment when He was alone like this?  The opportunity for a lone man, Nicodemus, to approach Jesus and have a conversation one-on-one must have been a rare occurrence.

But here Jesus sits, alone, waiting for this leader of the Jews.  Of course, because He was God, He knew Nicodemus was coming to call.  Christ was waiting for this opportunity to have a quiet, yet, what was probably for Nicodemus, earth-shattering discussion. 

It blows my mind a bit how God can do this, yesterday, today and forever.  His ability to be all things to all people and yet have a close, individual relationship with a single person is amazing. 

We always have to remember, God did not die for “us”, He died for you and for me.  Not as a nameless mass, but as the unique individuals we are, each of us named in His mind, as he hung on the cross.

Dear God

I am so thankful that you choose me to have a relationship with you.  I take comfort in knowing that you knew me and loved me and all I would ever be and do, before I was even born.

Give me the spirit to call on You Lord.  I know my flaws are many and my sin can overwhelm me; but You still pursue me, You are jealous for me.

Help me Lord, to see the way through these questions of fear and doubt into a place of peace and faith.

In Jesus’ name we pray,

Amen

From Here To...Now

2 Corinthians 4:18

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
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So much talk about eternal life…eternity…what will happen after we leave this world…forever.  For all of the talk about this subject, the words “eternity” and “eternal” only appear in the Bible (NIV) 81 times.  Conversely, “sin” shows up over 800 times, “faith” around 450 and “love” almost 700.

It seems that our entire focus…as it relates to our faith, how we treat others and the things we chase in this world…is about what happens after we die.  The line for some who ‘recruit’ within some Christian faith traditions is “Do you know where will you spend eternity?”  Living our lives based on something that may or may not come at the end of our lives is challenging.

But , think about it this way.  Eternity is not an event that starts at some juncture down the road.  It is not a destination.  We are living in a constant state of new and refreshing starting points for ‘eternity’.  Eternity is NOW.  So, when you think about where you want to spend eternity, how are you spending it now?

Heavenly Father, 

We are so thankful that when we confess Your Son Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are blessed and know we have a place in Heaven with You. 

Help us to remember that we don’t have to wait until the end of our earthly lives to be with You and be blessed.  We can start today. 

The grace and mercy You have for us in within our grasp.  The joy in which we can walk every day is near.  We can see the unseen, have faith in what we hope for and be blessed beyond our wildest imagination if we but only put our faith in You.   

Lord, give us the awareness to see that we are living in the midst of eternity now, every day, in this world. 

We ask and offer these things in the name of Jesus Christ, 

Amen

Just Add Jesus

John 2:7-10

“Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water’; so they filled them to the brim.  Then he told them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.’  They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, ‘Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.’ ”
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Weddings are a blessed event.  There is much joy, with many people celebrating the start of a new life where two become one.

At many wedding celebrations, the party and fun reach a crescendo late into the night, then start to wind down as everyone’s feet start to hurt from dancing and the bar starts to close.  But at this wedding at Cana, something is different.

Just when the evening should be wrapping up and the guests don’t care how bad the wine is or even what leftovers are sitting on the buffet, a newness enters the equation.  Imagine how this wine, which Jesus transformed from water, must have tasted.  When the Living Word, which also moved across the face of the Earth at its creation, makes some wine, you know it has to be good.

When we bring Jesus into the equation, especially when things may have gotten a little stale, that’s when we get our socks knocked off.

Dearest Lord 

There are times in our lives when we feel like there is something more.  We feel in our souls the need for a refreshing newness. 

We know, God, that when we ask Jesus to be present, He can do greater things than we can ever imagine, with the simplest of situations. 

Keep us mindful of the opportunity we always have to call on Jesus to renew our spirits. 

In His name we pray, 

Amen.

The Wildly Imperfect

1 Corinthians 1:26-29

“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”
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There is one type of craftsman in the world who chooses the finest wood when beginning a project.  He finds pristine, unblemished lengths of beautifully smooth material. He is the Perfectionist.

There is another type who selects the rough-hewn planks with knots and burls throughout.  He seeks out the pieces which other artisans would cast aside.  He is the Recycler.

I am so glad God is like the Recycler.  He sees value in what others disdain.  In Him, we see how the imperfections in each of us allow His glory to shine through.  When Christ walked the earth, did he choose His disciples from the ranks of the influential, the well-off or the seemingly perfect followers of the Law?  No; he grabbed a bunch of smelly fisherman.  He broke bread with tax collectors, prostitutes and other members of the Deeply Flawed Club.

By using imperfect people to accomplish His perfect plan, God makes sure that everyone has a place at His table.  All of us can play a role, our imperfections  smoothed, polished and turned into a beautiful work of art.

Father God, 

Thank you for accepting us as we are.  We are so blessed that You would chose us to be a part of Your magnificent plan even though we are broken, imperfect and flawed. 

As we walk in our daily lives, Lord, help us to remember the examples of You making miraculous works of those who were cast aside or who fell short of Your glory in so many ways.  Let us look upon those around us with Your eyes, seeing the value which is in every person.   

No one is beyond Your redemption and love.  When we reach out and create intentional relationships with those whom others would see as worthless, we are doing this for You.  Keep this always in our minds as You bring people into our lives. 

Thank you God for the gift of Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray, 

Amen.

What Can We Do?

Titus 3:4-7

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,  he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,  so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”
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One of the most wonderful things about God’s gift to us in His Son is the fact that we did nothing nor can we every do anything to “earn” His grace and His mercy.  God loves us because we are His; not because of anything we do.

We can become so focused on trying to be good enough that we miss the point.  There is only one way gain the promise of our inheritance; accept the gift of Christ’s sacrifice.

Most importantly, we have to be careful about how we try to make others good enough too.  We can become judgmental and unforgiving in our quest to change others.  It’s OK, God can handle that too.

Dear God 

We are so thankful for the gift of Your Son Jesus Christ.  Help us to always remember that it is this gift which allows us to have a relationship with You.  

Be with us, Lord, when we become focused on the things we think we can do to earn Your mercy and grace.  These things pale in comparison to how magnificent You are. 

Send Your Holy Spirit to guard our hearts when we judge others; change our spirits to model Jesus’ example of love, forgiveness and reconciliation. 

We ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ,  

Amen

The Master

Romans 8:28

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
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I heard a story today about a man, Philip Yancey, who was a great chess player in high school.  Over the years, he let his game slip.

Much later in life, he had the opportunity to play with a master whose skills had been perfected.  No matter what moves Philip made, the master was able to counter.  Although Philip was free to make any move he liked, he soon realized that the superior skill of the master guaranteed that Philip’s moves, no matter how bold, unorthodox or risky, were able to be incorporated into the master’s winning strategy.

We have the ability to make choices every day.  Some of them are good for us; some are not.  Things happen in the world every day…tragic things…but God is able to use every one of them as a part of His perfect plan.

Heavenly Father 

So many times , we cannot see how You can take something which seems terrible…a tragedy…and make something good of it. 

We see pain, suffering, heartache and sadness.  We do not understand why they happen.  It brings us to our knees when we see someone we love hurting themselves or others close to them.  We ask, “Why Lord?” 

But you, O God, are sovereign.  No matter what the world throws at You, what the enemy throws at You, what we throw at You,  these things are taken by you and folded into Your plan. 

We pray for you to clear our minds so that we can see the majesty of your grace, mercy and love in our lives every day.  Give us faith to know that You make all things work together for our good. 

In Jesus’ name we pray, 

Amen

Feb 15 - It's Not About Me

John 1:29-30

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ “

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I find it to be the oddest thing that even when we are serving God with the purest of intentions, the sin of pride can creep into our hearts.  It’s not too far from the well-meaning freshman congressman with a passion for public service who goes to Washington D.C. Over time, he is corrupted by the sycophantic legion who continually feed his ego until it overtakes and destroys the good intent of his service. 

What I love about John in this part of the Gospel is that even though he has a huge group of followers at this point in his ministry, as soon as Jesus enters the scene, it all becomes about Him.  John does not hesitate for a moment to turn the focus where it should be; on Christ.  

Dearest Lord 

When You call us into action to further Your Kingdom, it is so easy for us to make ourselves the focus.   

When we seek our own glory and move the attention away from You, we limit the blessings others can have by fully experiencing a relationship with You. We can become filled with our own spirit instead of the Holy Spirit. 

We ask you to guide our hearts and our minds away from ourselves.  Help us to turn the focus from us and turn it to You.   Give us a humble strength to push aside the false and empty praises of this world.  

The glory is not ours Lord, it is Yours.  Thank you for Your loving call to us.  Make us an instrument of the Holy Spirit, worthy of the work to which you have called us. 

In Christ’s name we pray, 

Amen

Feb 14 - The Battle

Ephesians 6:12

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
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There are times in your life when you feel beset on all sides by attacks, challenges and roadblocks.  When these times occur, you may often think, “what am I doing wrong?!?”  Maybe that’s not the best way to look at it.

When you are on a good path, walking with joy within the plan God has for you, the enemy does not like it.  The Prince of Lies will throw obstacles in your way to try and knock you off the path.  The battle is not with the people of this world who are getting in your way or causing issues; the battle is a spiritual one.

So, when it seems like things are not going your way, maybe the better question is, “what am I doing right!?!”

Father God 

We know in our hearts, we can feel it in our souls, when we are walking in the way of Truth, moving forward within the plan You have for us.

When we are struggling, with the world pushing against us, bring upon us a spirit of peace and faith in You.

The Battle is Yours, Lord.  Help us to stand firm in the faith that this is a fight You have already won.  Give us the ability to find our rest in You.

We offer this to You, in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns in perfect unity with You and the Holy Spirit as One God, now and forever, 

Amen.

Feb 13 - Preparation

Psalm 32: 1-5

"Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.

For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.' And you forgave the guilt of my sin."
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Lent is a time to prepare our hearts, minds and souls for the gift of Christ’s sacrifice.  This time from now to Easter is about removing the things from our lives which may block relationships from realizing their full potential.

Sin is like a wall between ourselves and others; between our soul and God.  By owning, confessing and having a genuine heart of repentance for our sin, we remove the wall.  When this obstacle is removed, we have the ability to receive the gift of forgiveness, whether from a friend we have wronged or from God.

Heavenly Father 

As we prepare ourselves during this time for the passion of your crucifixion, death and glorious resurrection, help us to know that by taking action and letting the sin we hold in our hearts leave us through owning up to our thoughts, words and deeds, we make ourselves ready to receive You. 

God, we pray for the awareness that in You, through the gift of Your Son, we can find peace, grace and mercy for whatever we have done or for whatever we have left undone. 

You are glorious God!  We thank you for the ways which You change us, grow us and improve us in order that we might  serve you with joy and humility. 

We ask and offer these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. 

Amen

Lent 2013 - Prayer

Greetings Friends and Family -

Here we are again, together, at the beginning of the Holy Season of Lent.  This will be the 5th year of me spending time each day from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday, giving you a bit of the thoughts which ramble around in my head.

As a brief reminder, this whole thing started as a way to honor the tradition of "giving something up" for Lent.  I had decided to change that a bit to "giving something out" instead.

Since we last met here, lots has changed in my life.  I made the decision, after much prayer and discernment, to leave my job of almost 9 years and strike out for something new.  The calling I had been feeling to become a local employer and business owner, finding a way to combine my work life and my service life, resulted in a new adventure.  Starting this past December, I became part owner of a local IT services firm which provides a variety of technology solutions to faith-based institutions, non-profits and associations.  (for more info on my work life, you can view my LinkedIn profile at http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=3003203&trk=tab_pro)

As a part of all of this, I think I have spent more time in prayer during the past year than at any other point in my life.  So, the theme for Lent this year is Prayer.  A key question I'd ask each of you to consider during the next 40+ days is this: does Prayer change God or change the one who prays?

I look forward to this journey with each of you and pray that, as we spend time together in prayer, we are able to see changes...in the world around us, in those for whom we pray and in each of us.

Peace.