Lenten Word 40: Resurrection

This is the word that has to end our Lenten Journey, resurrection. Coming back from the dead with new life. It is the hope of the ages that in Christ Jesus at long last the expected one, the Messiah, anointed by God to bring deliverance from those things that oppress us, had finally appeared. This is the 40th day of Lent. Lent ends tonight at midnight. Our prayer should be that what we took up during this time stay with us. What ever you gave up you can resume tomorrow if you truly need it.

The time of Lent should have drawn us closer to God and to God's Son, Jesus Christ. Our prayers, our scripture time, our worship time, our fellowship with believers, all should serve to remind us that God loves us and journeys with us throughout the entirety of our lives. Such is God's nature and such is God's love for you and me.

The best way to celebrate Resurrection is among believers in the House of God, where we can rejoice and give thanks for God's greatest gift to the world, His Son. Chief among our celebrations should be that which Jesus did to show us that God has power over sin and death.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for this 40-Day journey. Thank You for the blessings and peace that has come my way and that I have shared with others. I pray that as we await tomorrow we would still have new life and new hope for our lives. And this in faith, in the strong name of Jesus our Lord, amen.

Lenten Word 39: Darkness

"It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon," (Luke 23:44)

Darkness is the absence of light. Darkness has come to symbolize a lot of things, usually bad. The actions of a lost, sinful world brought on that darkness on that Friday when Jesus died for us all. The writer of Luke shares the testimony of those who were there and experienced the absence of light after all the pain and cruelty that Jesus suffered for us.

You and I have been in places of dark brought on by our thoughts or actions, places so dark we've even thought that our prayed could not pierce that darkness. But we have been wrong. If nothing else this Lenten Journey should have taught us that God hears and answers all prayers, even those offered at the bottom of the ocean in the belly of a whale. There is no darkness that God's light cannot pierce.

PRAYER: God of love and light, pierce through what the world sees as defeat to the light of victory; a victory over sin and death, even my sin and my death. In the Name of He who is worthy, Jesus my Lord, amen.

Lenten Word 38: Singing

"Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting." (Psalm 147:1 ESV) When our girls were little, one by one, each would learn to sing. They learned from worship in church, from hearing songs played on the radio, and seeing kids sing on shows they watched on television. Yet, their singing was the result of a joy they felt in their heart. The younger they were the more innocent the song, sometimes just humming with a true melody; later actual hymns or songs they had learned, but always bringing joy to Nellie's and my hearts.

This day is the day associated with Maundy Thursday, the day Jesus celebrated Passover with the disciples, the night He washed their feet, the night He was betrayed, and the night in which He started the Last Supper or Eucharist. After the supper was over the twelve and Jesus sang a hymn and left the upper room for prayer in the garden of Gethsemane.

I wish I knew what hymn that was, but like almost all ancient hymns, and I'm talking about those hymns written during Jesus' time, have disappeared for the most part. Though for many our Lenten Journey has been somber, the joy of the Lord continues to be our strength. What we have done during these 40 days has brought us closer to the Lord and there is no sadness or sorrow in Jesus' presence. May we lift our voices high in praise today at every opportunity we get; maybe even in worship tonight!

PRAYER: Loving God, author life and song, bring a new song to our hearts that tells of Your steadfast goodness and love towards us. May we make a joyful noise in praising You always. In Jesus we pray and sing, amen.

Lenten Word 37: Betrayal

Ouch. We have been there. Betrayed by someone we love. It might have been we shared something with them and they told someone else and we got into trouble. Or we trusted someone and they betrayed us. It is something we can hold for the rest of our lives, but realize this; the longer you do, the longer your prison sentence in that jail you've made for yourself.

This is the day associated with Judas making plans to betray Jesus. They were in Jerusalem and preparing for the coming of Passover, and Judas slips away and meets with Jesus' enemies and sells Him out for thirty pieces of silver. What makes the story even sadder is that the sign of the betrayal would be a kiss.

Our lesson for the Lenten Journey is one really about forgiveness and faithfulness. We should not betray anyone. And if anyone betrays us, we should forgive them and move on. Jesus knew that betrayal was coming and even encouraged Judas to go and do what he needed to do. Jesus forgave Judas. Judas did not forgive himself. If we should betray someone we need to ask forgiveness and we should especially forgive ourselves.

PRAYER: Lord, for this day in my Lenten Journey I ask strength for faithfulness and for showing forgiveness. The model of Jesus is the model I want and need to be more Christ-like in my life. I pray in His name, amen.

Lenten Word 36: Greed

Mine! It is a word learned early by infants and one used easily when something is perceived to be theirs and someone, usually another infant or teasing parent, tries to take that thing away. Mine! Greed is a self-centered desire born in the heart and mind, to have as much as one can possibly have to fulfill no other need except that which is based in one's ego. Psalm 10:3 says "He boasts of the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD." (NIV) There is no room in the heart of the greedy for God; for God is a generous God who gave His only begotten Son.

The message for this Lenten Journey should be: Give up greed for Lent. Give! Give of yourself to God and God's people. Give of what you have and as Jesus taught of those things of which you have two, you can give away one.

Prayer: Loving God who blesses all, help me to bless others by not being greedy. Let my life be one of giving. Amen.

Lenten Word 35: Sacrifice

We see in our Lord the life of one who surrendered to God and allowed Himself to be our sacrifice. Jesus gave up whatever self-interests and self-centeredness He had,to live among us and die for us. Jesus was the Pascal Lamb, the one to die for our sins. The idea of dying for sins comes from the Old Testament, where we know the wages of sin is death, and early on the use of lambs as the object of sacrifice is introduced. Thus the term sacrificial lamb.

We were born with the notion of self-preservation, doing everything and anything to stay alive. Much of our lives we have placed ourselves first just to get or be where we are. Sacrifice goes against that. Sacrifice is realizing that sometimes we have to give ourselves for others. You may have grown up in a home where food was limited and we wanted the best serving of the meal being offered and we may have even seen one of our parents give up their portion so that we could eat. That was sacrifice. We read about those who give up an organ for their child or for a friend, or even for a stranger so they can live. That is sacrifice.

We're only four days away from the day we call Good Friday, when a man died for us after suffering much. That was the ultimate sacrifice and our model for how we should live our lives. May this Lenten Journey teach us about what we truly have yet to give up for the sake of God and God's people.

Lord, teach me about giving in my living, especially sacrifice living and sacrifice giving. In the name of He who gave all for me, Jesus the Christ, amen.

Lenten Word 34: Servant

A servant is one who works for others, often doing what others hate doing or will not do for themselves. There is no dishonor in being a servant, in fact, the word of our Lord says the opposite. "If anyone serves me, they must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor them." (John 12:26 (ESV)).

Our Lenten Journey should be one of growing in humility, knowing that all we do, we should do for the sake of God being made greater in our lives. Every time I preach I pray that God would empty me of me and fill me with Him. This humility should also lead us to doing more for God and God's people than worrying about ourselves and what gain we might get from our actions.

Jesus was the model of servant leader, doing what others might never dream of doing themselves, humbling himself to wash the feet of the disciples, healing, touching, and making whole all who were in need. As God's humble servant He willingly went to the cross and died for us.

What are you doing for God that others hate doing for themselves? What are you giving/sharing for the sake of the kingdom of God?

PRAYER: Loving God, as I journey with you during these forty days, let one of my lessons be to learn to a servant, leading when I must, but always following You. Let me do for others. As Paul wrote to Timothy I seek to be "one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handing the word of truth," and serving You above self. This I pray in the name of He who is my Lord, Jesus the Christ. Amen.