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.

Lenten Word 33: Truth

The famous scene between Jesus and Pilate as recorded by John (18): 36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here." 37 Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." 38 Pilate asked him, "What is truth?"

Jesus' declaration about Himself and His purpose did not faze Pilate. Jesus states His kingdom is not from this world and had it been the fight would be great to keep Him from being handed over to the Jews. Pilate asks, "Are you a king?" Jesus responds that God has sent Him into the world "to testify to the truth," and that "Everyone who belongs to the truth listen to (His) voice." Pilate can only think to ask, "What is truth?'

It is part philosophical, part no-clue. Jesus' truth is the reality, power, strength, and love of God, and those who enter into a relationship with Him become part of the truth and should testify to the truth. Ours during this Lenten Journey is to get deeper into the truth of God and not wander off asking "What is truth?" The truth is that those who do not know the truth live a lie and if not careful die in that lie. Ours it know, love, and trust God and to tell others about God's love. That is truth.

PRAYER: Loving God, gracious and loving are You. Great is your truth as shared by Jesus Christ. May we seek to grow deeper in that truth so that our lives give witness to You in love, spirit, and truth. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Lenten Word 32: Anguish

Luke 22:42 "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done." 43 [Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. 44 In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.]

Facing what He knew was coming was not easy. At His disposal were the armies of Heaven and the power of God in Him, yet Jesus humbled Himself for paying the ultimate price for you and me. This short prayer gives Him away: Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me..." is enough to know the fear and anguish that Jesus is feeling at that very moment. Add to it that as He prays more, his sweat becomes like great drops of blood falling to the ground. Yes, an angel appeared and gave Him strength, but the anguish remained.

There are things in our lives or even during this Lenten Journey that have caused us great anguish, but Jesus remains the example of faithfulness to God. Notice that after He asks that the cup be removed He says, "Yet, not my will but yours be done." C. S. Lewis wrote that Hell is filled with those who said, "Not Thy will but mine," and Heaven is filled with those who said, "Not my will, but Thine." Notice the difference. To ask that our will be done just to remove our anguish is to ask to be placed in an eternal place of anguish.

PRAYER: God, not my will, but Thine. Amen.

Lenten Word 31: Pain

The movie "The Passion" was one I could only see once. It was a movie that did too good of a job in portraying the suffering and pain of Jesus. It hurt me to see it because I was the reason for all that pain that my Lord endured.

The Lord suffered not only physical pain but emotional pain. I remember hearing older people saying their heart broke or songs about heartache, and it wasn't until I went through it that I completely understood that sort of pain. Yes, life has pain and sometimes there is nothing we can do about it, but as we have journeyed with the Lord during these 40 days we know that with Jesus with us, we can endure and conquer all things.

Time heals all pain is not a universal truth; time may mask our pain and we'll be able to move forward and onward, but the memory what caused the pain visits us and we'll cry again or feel sad again. Yet, we move on. Hope moves us forward even in the midst of deep pain.

The prize is in sight: Jesus' victory over sin and death, pain included. Blessed be His Name!

PRAYER: Loving God, for Your presence in the midst of our pain, we are thankful. For Your suffering of anguish and heartache for our sake, we are deeply thankful. Journey yet with us towards the Passion of Your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Lenten Word 30: Endurance

"I think I can, I think I can" leads us to that point where it changes to "I know I can I know I can," and finally to "I knew I could, I knew I could." For the believer that refrain is made easier if we add "With God's Help...." God is part of the solution towards our endurance in all things especially a time of fasting and reflection. Many who have given up things, especially foods, have already given up. Some endure to the very end only with God's help. They think on what they are receiving by having given up these things, not on what misery they are in for having abandoned precious things, like chocolate.

Paul says in his letter to the Romans, "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope." (5:3-4). During our Lenten Journey our faithfulness to the very end will produce endurance and as Paul adds, and our endurance will produce character and character hope.

Never give up. Never. Never. Never. Words attributed to Winston Churchill during the Siege of London by the Nazis, to the people of London. Those words apply to all who seek to endure.

May it be so.

PRAYER: Lord, only with your help can I endure. This is my prayer asking that Your strength be mine so that as I seek to know You more I can know my limitations and Your greatness. This I pray in Christ Jesus, amen.

Lenten Word 29: Examination

Just typing this word made me cringe a little as I remembered its meaning while a student. Examination meant a test, which meant a significant part of my final grade in whatever class or course I was taking. The professor or teacher wanted to know how much I had learned and that painful process of taking an examination was the best way to measure my having received or learned their teachings.

During Lent, examination means our giving our spirits and minds a test. How deeply committed and connected are we to God? The purpose of our Lenten Journey has been to draw closer to God, and we're pretty near the end of the 40 days. What better time to ask ourselves how much closer we truly are to God and to ourselves. An examination of ourselves may reveal that we are not the person we have been thinking we are. And the good thing about an examination, like one in a doctor's office, is that we draw closer to a correction for our lives if we find we have missed the mark of where we should be.

The psalmist wrote these words in Psalm 26:2-3: "Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth." (NIV). May it be so with us today.

PRAYER: Loving God, examine my heart and my mind; if you find me lacking in anything, help make me right. This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Lenten Word 28: Others

Being self-centered is not a way to live. Thinking more highly of oneself always is not a good attitude towards God or God's people. Yet, we know that sometimes we feel that way or we encounter those who believed they were God's greatest gift to humanity and we're just lucky to be in their presence. The Gospel teaches different; Jesus said in red letters, "Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6:31). We call this the Golden Rule and it is a great rule with which to live. The Rotary Club's motto is "Service Above Self." I have shared before this story of my "fireside chat" before entering the San Marcos Rotary Club. The man giving us this chat, required of all new members, was in his late 80's and he had transferred to the SM Club from the Manhattan Club, at one time the world's largest Rotary club. He shared that the motto of service above self ideal was brought home to him when he had to sit at the Birthday Table. All who had a birthday that week had to sit at one big table. He said it was his good fortune to sit between two men whose name you may recognize, James Cash (J.C.) Penney, and Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. He said the two talked to each other and him, and finally they told him that that next Friday to meet them at a certain New York corner for they were going on their weekly service above self outing. He said they did not ask him if he wanted to, they told him. And he added, "If J.C. Penney and Norman Vincent Peale tell you to be some place, you will!" These two famous and influential men every Friday would go to Harlem to be big brothers to poor children of that neighborhood and take them to the movies. As much as God blessed these two men, they were not complete until they thought about and did for others.

Our Lenten Journey should have us praying for, and living with, others. Our lives reach more meaning when we do for others and grow beyond thinking just about ourselves.

PRAYER: Loving and Amazing God, speak to my needs, especially the one that says I think too much about me and the things of me. Let me be all about others, not just today, but all days. I pray in Christ Jesus, amen.

Lenten Word 27: Joy

Many during this time of Lent think joy is not in the equation. Many face their fasting with somber faces and somber attitudes while forgetting that Jesus spoke of the opposite. "But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (Matt. 6:17-18). And in the Old Testament we find these words about joy: "for the joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10).

Joy is a feeling of pleasure and happiness, and thus should be the by-produce of our Lenten Journey. Yes, it is hard to give up some things and it is difficult to focus on all that awaits Jesus during Holy Week, but to know that all that Jesus endured and suffered was for us, and that my friends should give us joy. The children's song says, "He gives me living water and that's my strength."

May this Lenten Journey satisfy all your needs. May the living water and the bread of life bring you joy. Then, share that joy with others.

PRAYER: God of living waters and the Bread of Life, speak to my heart. May my joy be complete in You. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Lenten Word 26: Thanksgiving

Our Lenten Journey should be one of thankfulness to God. The 40 days lead us to that great event that gave birth to the Church, Christ's Resurrection. What can we be if not thankful for a God that did not hold back His Son for us? A spirit of thankfulness is a generous, loving spirit that shows care and concern for others.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”

During my internship as a minister many years ago, one of the things I dreaded was to visit a nursing home. I did not look forward to visiting this one home because the first thing that would hit me as I entered was the smell. It was not one of the nicest nursing homes. But that very first person I visited was a dear, sweet lady who blessed me with your attitude towards God and life. Hers was a life of gratitude who gave thanks in all things and I left being blessed. I thought I could go in and bless her with my pastoral gifts, but she was the one who held the blessing.

Do you hold a blessing for others because of your gratitude?

PRAYER: Living God, help me to be a blessing to You and Yours. I thank You for all You have shared with me and I ask that my life being a living testimony of that gratitude. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Lenten Word 25: Peace

Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace. What we don't know about the word is that it goes beyond wishing a life without conflict or war; it is a word that desires those to whom we share the word, a complete state of wellbeing and welfare. Peace is the blessing we can share with others to wish them the best; no conflict, no war, but the tranquility and calm that comes with that, but also from the knowledge of knowing we are being watched over and cared for, the needs of our life are being met.

In our Lenten Journey we strive for inner peace as we seek to realize who we are, who we have been, and who God called us to be. And the end result I pray is that peace, shalom, that can bless our lives. Our prayer time, our fasting, our scripture reading and what other disciplines we have been following serve to bring us that peace.

Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid." (John 14:27). Jesus' peace is other worldly and it is one free from fear. May that be our prayer for ourselves and others for today and for this Lenten time.

PRAYER: Loving God, grant me Your peace. You know my needs and You have provided and for that I am thankful. Let me be a blessing in return to others; this I pray in Christ Jesus, amen.

Lenten Word 24: Doubt

"I believe only what I can see or touch" is a statement that you or I may have said at one point of our life and it echoes the one said by one of the 12, Thomas, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe." (John 20:25b) It also resembles the famous cry of a man whose demon-possessed son was about to destroy himself, "I believe, help my unbelief!"

Doubt is the first cousin of faith once removed. Doubt is a struggle to believe in my opinion, and the doubter is one who has not yet fully given up but is seeking to believe. If you've been exposed to the truth in Jesus Christ, you'll still have doubts, we can build on doubt rather than let it be something that destroys. The doubter seeks answers and may come to the realization that faith is something we can't quite touch but the vision to see the things of faith help overcome that need to touch.

Our Lenten Journey will take us here quickly to that day when we ask, Why? And if you've seen movies about that Friday that we call Good, you'll weep and get angry and wonder, Why? And that's good to ask that especially if you know the answer; you! Jesus suffered what He did because of you, and because of me. Yes, we suffer from doubt, but let it be temporary. Faith is a great path on which to walk.

PRAYER: God of truth, speak to our unbelieving hearts when we doubt, but build on them the stones of faith. This we pray in faith in the name of Jesus the Christ, amen.

Lenten Word 23: Water

We take water for granted until we need it. We wash our hands whenever we want or need; we can pour water for ourselves to drink without a second thought, and we water our lawns like there's no tomorrow. But when we live in areas affected by drought, and restrictions are placed on our habits, we know the preciousness of water.

Water is precious to our lives. Humans cannot survive without water. If you have ever had an illness or a procedure where you could not drink water, ice chips do not cut it; you want to gulp down cool water for your thirst. You do not like to await that first drink, and you are so happy and blessed when it finally arrives.

Our Lenten Journey should remind us of Jesus' assertion that He is living water. Re-read John 4 and Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman, and in the last book of the Bible, Revelation 22:17 we find these words, "And let them who are thirsty come, let them who desires take the water of life without price.

No meal is complete without water in my opinion nor a life without the living waters of Jesus Christ.

Lenten Word 22: Adoration

"O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord." Beautiful words from a song sung only at Christmas. That's a shame because it goes with what should be our theme every Sunday. Sunday is the Lord's Day and the faithful gather together in corporate worship to worship and praise Him. Philippians 2:10-11: "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow , of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Adoration has at its roots the sense of deep, abiding love. Many in courtship have told their intended, "I adore you." And we've seen other senses of adoration shown music singers and athletes or their athletic teams; but the true adoration of love and worship should belong to the Church, you and me, every time we gather we should have that at the bottom of our heart, directed only to God and Christ Jesus with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Adoration also implies our dependence of the one being adored, and in the life of the Christian, nothing could be more true. We need Jesus as much as we need oxygen and water; in fact H2O should stand for what we know is true in Jesus, Helping 2 Overcome, which He has done over sin and death.

As we journey on in this Lenten Journey, enjoy H2O; confess your sin, and fear not your death; Christ has overcome, He has paid it all.

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for Jesus Christ and all that He did for me on the cross. During my Lenten Journey I need Your grace as I confess my sins and seek that which will bless me while seeking to be a blessing to You and Yours. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Lenten Word 21: Quiet

As I write this the hum of the hotel's air conditioner is the loudest thing in the room. I like to write in quiet thus my getting up early to seek to connect with God in prayer, reflection, reading, and quiet. Quiet is a place that invites in thoughts from God. I'm not the young college student that could study, write, and prepare for exams with the, and here I'm dating myself with this word, stereo blasting away. It could have been my roommate's stereo or the one next door - no bother for me, I had a job to do and that was to be a good student, and thank God that's what I was. Now I seek the quiet when I need to prepare and write something as important as a thought or word from God.

I looked for the word quiet in the Bible. In the King James Version most of the Old Testament uses of quiet were instances where someone sought to murder another so they had to be quiet. The New Testament in New Revised Standard used the word quiet as call to stop yelling. Our Lenten Journey should have its quiet moments. Jesus sought places to be alone, away from the crowds and we assume that it was to find a quiet place in which to pray and listen for God.

Ours is a noisy world, made so by our own choices at times, turning on the tv or iPod/iPhone with our ear buds placed in; but we need some time daily to seek the quiet to seek God. Let it be so.

PRAYER: Loving God, speak to me in the quiet but also in the noisy. Let me not be distracted, let me seek You. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Lenten Word 20: Taste

If during this Lenten Journey you have given up chocolate your mind may be revisiting that delicious taste of that dreamy substance. I'm sorry I know I'm just adding to your temptation, but think on this quote: “Strength is the capacity to break a Hershey bar into four pieces with your bare hands - and then eat just one of the pieces.” ― Judith Viorst, Love & Guilt & The Meaning Of Life, Etc

Taste is one of my favorite senses. And during Lent we deny one of our tastes to make us stronger spiritually, but one of the most powerful witnesses to taste is found in the Bible: "O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him." - Psalm 34:8. Our taste for Lent should be focused on the Lord. The Lord is good and tasty. Such is the attitude we should have towards our time with God in our prayers and our devotional readings. We should get up from our time with God and tell our friends, "God is tasty!" Our taste requirement is satisfied with time spent with God, knowing that God is tasty and good. So, whether it be Coca Colas or chocolate or candy in general, those tastes satisfy only for a moment or two; the taste of God satisfies for all eternity.

PRAYER: BLESS Dear Lord those on this Lenten Journey who have given up taste of some foods with the beauty, knowledge and power of Psalm 34:8 "O taste and see that the Lord is goo; blessed is the one who trusts in You." This is our prayer in Christ Jesus our Lord, amen.

Lenten Word 19:Hope

Hope came in the form of a huge catalog, delivered free in those days, to almost every home in November. It was the Sears catalog and a huge section of it was devoted to toys. Now, to a child awaiting the arrival of Christmas, this was solid ammunition for hope! That catalog would always end up on the floor and as many of us five children in the house that could would flip the page and claim the toy on each page that we wanted. It had to be fast because our belief was that if we were not the first to claim it, it would not be ours. Looking back, we got toys, never from Sears, as far as I know, because our town did not have one, but we got what blessed us.

The writer of Hebrews defines hope in this way, hope comes from faith, faith in God and the certainty of God's unfailing power. Set in the verse it reads, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hope raised to the level of assurance, blessed with conviction is faith.

Our Lenten Journey is solidly about hope. Hope that we can and will rise above that which has had us down for too long. We can see beyond the darkness, beyond the pain and beyond the shame, that light which shines bright as our deliverance from sin and the bondage and consequences of sin. So be it.

PRAYER: God of hope, bless our faith and give us vision beyond what our eyes can see. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Lenten Word 18: Bread

Bread is the universal sustanance of almost all cultures. It may be flat in some, huge in others, but people have related to and needed bread for all creation. We're first introduced to bread in Genesis 3:19 when God says that we would eat bread in our sweat, meaning that we would work for our food. Bread was the unexplainable gift in the form of the manna that the Israelites found every morning during a certain period of the Exodus. And it was bread that was used to tempt the very hungry Jesus after His 40 day and 40 night fast.

It is bread that Jesus used in his prayer, "Give us this day, our daily bread..." And it is bread that Jesus compares Himself with in the Gospel of John when He says He is the bread of life.

During our Lenten Journey we are fasting. We have given up something physically important to us to take up something spiritual to show that indeed, "Man (One) does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Mt. 4:4). And may it be so, that during our Lenten Journey we have been and are being nourished by that which eternally satisfied and fills, the Word of God. Some of us in this country suffer from "If I don't eat it now, when will it ever be available again" thinking, and over-eat because of that fear. The truth is that God provides and if we don't eat it during these forty days, it will be there after Lent. God is always with us and God's word is eternal. Feast on the love and life found in God's word.

PRAYER: Thank You, Loving God, for always providing exactly that which we need for our sustenance. May we be filled today with the Bread of Life, Jesus our Lord's presence. In His name we pray, amen.

Lenten Word 17: Light

I'm not a big fan of the dark. I've written and shared how I like light switches to be in common sense areas, like near the door where one enters a building or home. I've shared about the years I spent in the Campus Ministry Center really drove home the point of having light switches where there are people coming in, needing to see where the switch can be found. Now I have a church in my district with mystery and hidden light switches, which makes each visit an adventure.

The dark I fear the most is the one where Christ is not present. I pray every day that my life not be one of those places. Yet, I meet people whose light is not on, they have not yet surrendered to Jesus and Jesus is not present to shine His light in a way that blessed them and their outlook on life. Such is the darkness that is dangerous.

Our Lenten Journey should take us towards the light of Christ. John, the Beloved, wrote in his first epistle, chapter 1, verse 5 (1 John 1:5) "This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all." Our prayer time, our time spent in Scripture, our worship experiences, all invite and bring in the light of God. And those who have that light, will not walk in darkness.

PRAYER: GOD of light, shine brightly in my life in a way that invites others out of darkness. This I pray in Christ Jesus, amen.

Lenten Word 16: Sin

Those old enough to remember the comedian Flip Wilson and the time he had a variety show will remember his character Geraldine Jones, who was really Flip himself wearing a dress and a wig. She loved to say, "What you see is what you get," and more importantly, the one that made our household roar, "The devil made me do it!" Sin is the aftermath of a visit by the devil and our willingness to let him in and our consenting to do what was offered to us. Sin comes only when we say yes to it. We cannot blame anyone other than ourselves. But it's as old as Adam and Eve, when Adam tried to blame Eve for his own sin.

Sin is missing the mark of God's expected behavior and life as shared with us through God's teaching throughout the Bible and especially through the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son. Sin is like a deadly disease that makes its way into our spirit and slowly kills us. James, the brother of Jesus, in the first chapter of his letter writes this, "13 No one, when tempted, should say, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. 14 But one is tempted by one's own desire, being lured and enticed by it; 15 then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved."

The evil in our lives does not come from God, so we cannot say, "This is God's fault." It is our own desires that invite evil in; we let it lure us and entice us, and if we're not careful that desire can conceive with that evil and give birth to sin, and as James says, "And that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death."

Our Lenten Journey should be leading us toward God and away from sin. Jesus came to pay the price for our sinfulness on the cross. If we confess our sins, Jesus forgives us and shares with us life, and that in abundance. (John 10:10).

PRAYER: God of life and that in abundance, I ask forgiveness of my sins and I repent of them. Lead me to the life You offer to me. I want to hit the mark and not miss it. I want to have life and love in my life, not what sin brings. This I ask in the Name of He who died for me, Jesus my Lord, amen.

Lenten Word 15: Rest

Mark 6:30 The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while." And in Exodus 20, in the Big Ten: "9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work. 10 But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it."

Rest is a time set aside for renewal and refreshing; it is as much for our spirit as it is for our body, but it demands our focus to not focus on anything but rest. Rest, for some, is difficult or impossible. Some have a tremendous work ethic and cannot bear to take time off; some have too much of a tremendous rest ethic and don't find time to work.

Our Lenten Journey is about finding a balance between the spiritual and the physical, and it demands our setting aside time to rest. Rest in the Bible is a time spent listening and searching; thus our worship on our Sabbath, the day of resurrection, Sunday.

Worship God, but listen for God's voice as we rest in Him.

PRAYER: Loving God, help me in my work and in my rest. Help me to be renewed and refreshed, always open to Your voice and leading. This I pray in Christ Jesus, amen.

Lenten Word 14: Temptation

Temptation is the attractive, uninvited guest to the innermost rooms of our minds and our souls. It presents itself as an option or opportunity that we sometimes believe would bless our lives if only for a few moments. Usually, it does not, and the consequences can be even longer lasting. Our Lenten Journey is meant to strengthen our faith to best resist temptation. Some believe temptation comes from the devil, but we're pretty good at tempting ourselves. James said, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you." And Peter said, "Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour." (1 Pet. 5:8).

Through prayer, fasting, scripture reading, worship, showing care and concern for others, we can gain strength to resist temptation and stay faithful to God and God's expectations of us. Jesus' forty days and forty nights prepared Him for his temptations and He was victorious as we can be, through Him. Paul knew this when he wrote one of my favorite Bible verses, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil. 4:13

Lenten Word 13: Angels

Several years ago there was a dramatic interest in angels. Billy Graham had written a book, other books appeared on the same subject, and figurines of angels could be purchased almost everywhere. The outcry was that people were very close to, if not into, the worship of angels. The Bible speaks of angels as those spiritual beings at God's beck and call, whom God sends to assist those in need, more importantly, Jesus after His 40 days of fasting and His encounter with the tempter. Angels are also messengers, whom God used to bring good news, the most prominent being Mary when told by Gabriel, as found in Luke 1. In that passage we also find the same angel told Zechariah, about the coming birth.

I believe we all have angel stories as well, events where we know that God stepped in to save us, or to share with us news through a person whom nobody sees leave the scene or when asked about that person is told that no such person lives or works there. Our Lenten Journey should involve one important fact about our faith journey, our job is not to look for angels, but to be angels for those in need. Many times our willingness to share God's love in a kind act will make people think they have, as shared in Hebrews 13:2. Though that passage is about our showing loving hospitality to strangers, many times we are the strangers who will bless someone in need.

Psalm 91:11 "For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. 12 On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone." May it be that you and me be those angels today as we seek to draw closer to God.

PRAYER: Loving God, we thank You for Your promises and protection. Thank You for those who have come to our assistance when we thought all was lost and hopeless. Our prayer is that You would use us to show Your love and protection to those sisters and brothers around us who have also thought that all was lost and hopeless. We pray this in Jesus' name, amen.

Lenten Word 12: Ashes

We take the palms used on Palm Sunday and burn them to have the ashes for the next Ash Wednesday. Other than that use, there is very little use for and of ashes. An ash is made from the utter destruction of something useful. We've cleaned out our barbecue pits after a great meal. Meat and vegetables were cooked in a flavorful way by wood, mesquite being the best for this Texan's needs, or charcoal. And as that fuel is burning, it is producing ashes, a symbol that nothing more can be done with that thing that once was fuel.

There was a certain time in the Rio Grande Valley when it would rain ashes from the burning of sugar cane. Once the sugar was harvested from the cane, the only thing left was to burn that cane. And dirty our cars, and lawns, but it was expected and a part of life in the Valley.

For Christians to use ash is a reminder of the finality of all things. As much as we enjoy this earth and all that it offers, and as much as we enjoy living, we know that some day it will end. There will be a finality to the earth as we know it, and our life as we know it. The Lenten Journey begins with ashes on our forehead and a reminder of our own mortality, but it is done in the context of traveling faithfully with the One whose passion and life came so that we might find life and that in abundance through Him, with the promise of a life beyond this life.

Journey with that hope of Jesus' promises that He is preparing a place of us, so that where we are, He might be with us.

PRAYER: Loving God, for those who mourn the loss of loved ones, bring Your comfort. For those who mourn their own mortality, speak hope. It does not have to end here, as Jesus so clearly showed us. Amen.

Lenten Word 11: Dust

Air conditioning is a marvelous invention. More so for those who live in warm places. I did not know air conditioning as a personal blessing until my first night in my college dorm. All my thirteen years in Kingsville, and five years in Houston, were warm to hot years, those of thanking God for fans. As a child I remember seeing my mother and grandmother dusting. My early years in Kingsville saw caliche streets which are famous for the dust they produce. I remember seeing neighbors hosing down their portion of the street in order to minimize the dust that passing cars would produce. It seemed futile; all dust ends up inside your home. For those homes near us with air conditioning I thought, what a luxury to live in cool rooms and not have dust to worry about. I imagined closed windows and closed doors were sealed windows and doors that would not let dust penetrate their homes. Alas, now I know too well, dust finds its way inside even in air conditioned homes.

I confess to knowing how dirt tastes. Kingsville dirt, compared to Houston's dirt was amazing tasty. My sister who follows me in age, was a true connoisseur of dirt; a habit it took years to break. I think when she went into college she stopped eating dirt. But I'm not sure. I don't know if it was a Kingsville thing or just something kids try, but it was plentiful and what the heck, let's try it. Please know that I am in no way advocating for you to sample dirt. I am confessing to a childhood act. I confess to knowing how water turns dirt into mud, and many a fine mud fight occurred in my life, and the muddiest I ever got was in a rodeo arena near Lon Morris College for some hazing that I received. One of the funnest days of my life!

Not too long ago, ashes mixed with oil were applied to my forehead. The pastor who applied them said to me, "You are dust and to dust you will return." In Genesis 2:7, the writer says God formed a man out of the dust, later in 3:19 we read, "You are dust, and to dust you shall return." Job said of himself at the close of his book, "therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

The purpose of ashes is to remind us that true fasting and true repentance in biblical stories involved sackcloth and ashes. We find that imagery in several stories where people truly repented of their sins. We even see in Jonah that such was the power of God's message that the decree offered said even the herds and flocks would wear sackcloth.

Our Lenten Journey begins and ends with a reminder of our mortality. Our time on earth is limited even for those who reach a 100 years of age and a little beyond. But, we are reminded that this Lenten season ends with He who rose from the dead and gives us victory over sin and death. His message was ever that of not being afraid. God is with us, and God will have the last word.

PRAYER: Amazing God, stay with us, bless us, use us, and help us be a living witness to all victories in this life, even in the life beyond. We pray this in the Name of He who died and rose for us all, Jesus the Christ, our Lord and Savior, amen.

Lenten Word 10: Hunger

Psalm 107:9: For he satisfies the thirsty, and the hungry he fills with good things.

Most of you reading this have never been hungry. We're just like the ad of some years ago that irritated the heck out of me; an ad that showed well-dressed and well-fed young men talking about hunger and how whenever they felt hungry they opened their desk drawer and pulled out a candy bar and that candy bar took away their hunger. If only it were so simple for those truly hungry. There is a hunger problem in our country and in all the countries of the world. We will not discuss or argue that point, for what we are discovering about ourselves during this Lenten Journey is our spiritual hunger. It hurts as deeply as physical hunger as those of you who have truly fasted during this time have discovered. In my e-devotional I have spent yesterday and today talking about thirst. What we know about physical thirst is that the human body can last three days without water. The human body can endure about 40 days without food before serious damages begin to occur within that could lead to death if food is not introduced.

Our spirit hungers for the knowledge and love of God. We can try and feed our spirits with things that seem to satisfy only to discover that we are still hungry. Jesus came and offered Himself as the Bread of Life in the same way that in John 4 He spoke to the woman at the well as being "the living waters" that will eternally satisfy our thirst. In Jesus we can feast on the living bread that takes our hunger away as well. Jesus brings satisfaction to our empty spirits, and we will never hunger again. And as we can read in John 6:22 and forward, if we believe in Him, our hunger gets taken away.

Journey towards the Bread of Life. Eat to your fill. Never hunger again.

Lenten Word 9: Thirst

The human body was made to run on water. We can go longer periods without food than we can without water. Some have estimated that the longer a body can go without water is about three days. We also know that hard work makes our bodies sweat and that can lead to dehydration. Profuse sweating leads to loss of salt, which is also a sign of dehydration. Those of you old enough to remember the days of athletic practices, especially football, remember the yucky salt tablets our coaches would give us after each practice. You were supposed to swallow those with lots of water, unless you found a way to hide them in your hand and discreetly dispose of them when the coach was not looking. It was not until a fan of the Miami football team invented Gatorade, that the salt tablets were removed as required after-practice necessities. The drink was designed to quench thirst and replenish all the nutrients that the body loses during strenuous work or exercise.

The Bible speaks of thrust, and one favorite psalm of many is the 42, with these verses: As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. (1-2). Our Lenten Journey should take us to those places where our thirst for God can be quenched. There is no Gatorade for God; drinking deep from God's Word and through prayer and worship can quench our thirst for Him.

Later, Jesus spoke of "living water" that He offered in John 4; to come into relationship with Jesus is to come drink in the living water of heaven.

May we not thirst any longer; drink deep from Jesus!

Prayer: Merciful God, forgive me the times I have sought quenching for my soul in other places and in different ways; let me drink deep from Your living waters. Amen.

Lenten Word 8: Worship

"This is the bond of perfectness the anointing from above, and all the law of life and peace we find fulfilled in love. -Charles Wesley, ca. 1749

BELIEVE•LOVE•OBEY. These three words mark the beginning of the Worship section of the United Methodist Hymnal, p. xi. It is a foundation for our worship, for we start with belief, we receive love, and armed with faith and love, we enter into obedience. All involve our participation, and our willingness to direct our eyes, ears, hearts, minds, spirits, our very being towards God. Worship is all about God, not us. All that makes up worship should be directed towards God, not us. What we bring into worship is what we get blessed by through worship.

Worship is the act of our showing love and reverence to God. Worship is our willingness to enter into that which we can say is the presence of God. We listen for what God may say to us through the reading of God's Word, through our prayers and the time of reflection afterwards, and we give thanks to God for all that we have received and for all that we have learned about God's great love for us. Worship is a combination of all the Lenten words we have shared through this blog; obedience, submission, fasting, prayer, reflection, humility, and our wanting to stay connected with God.

The Bible has different people in different times showing different expressions of worship towards God, but the common theme is gratitude towards God and a showing back love to the Source of love. Our worship does not end with our worship services in church or private times of prayer and meditation; we are worship people that seek to glorify God in all places and in all times. We become the proclamation part of worship with our expressions of love towards others.

May we humble ourselves before God each day in a way that worships God and says to God, "Here I am, I am Yours, and I want to serve You and Yours in true love."

PRAYER: God of life and God of love, here I am; I am Yours to do with me whatsoever You want. My desire is to show your love among all people, but guide me to those who do not yet know love and let me bless them in ways that invite them to know You. This I pray in He who worships You even now, Jesus, my Lord and Savior, amen.

Lenten Word 7: Connected

Our Lenten Journey is best traveled when we have a sense and reality of being connected to God. Apart from God we can do, and are, nothing. Staying connected with God keeps us connected to the source of all life, all love, all hope, all joy, all peace, and all possibilities for our lives. The way to connect is universal, seeking God through our prayers, our fasting, our scripture reading, our worship and our praise. It is a pursuit best done in spirit and truth.

When our first born was learning to crawl we would set her on a blanket. At first, she would be frustrated that we had put her on her stomach and we would grunt and push and then raising up her head with her little arms, she would turn to us and smile and do a funny sound that is forever engrained in our minds as that of joy for her and us. She needed that eye contact with us to know she was still connected to us. But soon, she was moving off the blanket and on to the carpet. I remember her exploring that different area of the carpet and with her little hand touch it to make sure it was safe and solid enough to crawl onto. Again, she would turn and smile with us as if to say, "I'm going to try this new area; cover me!" Soon, she was off the blanket, on the carpet and crawling towards the hallway. This journey was one of stopping and looking back to stay connected. Later she was walking, and one day she walked down the aisle, still connected to us, but wanting to join her new family.

In our spiritual life we need to turn to God and seek his smile and presence to know we're still connected. We're sometimes led off the comfort and safety of our blankets onto the hard reality of the carpet or floor, and sometimes we lead ourselves down a long hallway that if we don't connect with God, we panic and think we can never return. Staying connected helps us know we can always return home to God. The secret is no secret at all, seek God's face.

The Apostle Paul wrote these words about his own connectedness and his desire for the people he had won over for Christ: "14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. 16 I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. 18 I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

Stay rooted and ground in love, through your prayers, with bent knees and/or hearts, remember you are God's, whose riches in glory are yours to strengthen you and connect you.

PRAYER: Loving God, may your blessings be with all who seek to stay connected. And once we connect, help us to take that connection to others, for many are lost in hallways of life without where they are or Whose they are. This we pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Lenten Word 6: Humility

The Bible says in 2 Chronicles 7:14: if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Humility is a key part of our Lenten Journey. It is to call oneself to the realization that our spirit, before God, should be a humble one. Humility is setting our attitude and altitude to the right level. For some, humility is not in their vocabulary nor in their heart. Humility is seeing the big picture and realizing just how little we truly are. We live near turbine ranches and we joke that it gets so hot around here we had to build big fans to cool off. And from a distance they look small; the first turbines I ever saw were outside of Los Angeles, California in the 80s and always wondered how big they really were. It wasn't too long ago we saw the blade of one as the trailer of an 18-wheeler. Just one blade was that long. Those turbines are huge. And so is the picture in which we have been painted. We are an important part of that picture, but the picture isn't always just about us; it's about God. This Lenten journey helps us to realize the words of the Chronicles writer are true: We have been called by God and we should acknowledge God's greatness and our need for God. We are called to pray as part of that humility we possess, prayers of worship and praise to God as well as petitions for strength in whatever we or our loved ones face. We should seek the presence of God in all things, repent of our desires and "wicked ways," and know that God will hear us and forgive us and bring healing to us and to our loved ones as well. Psalm 25:9 says "He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way." Seek the Lord with all humility and God will lead us just where we need to be. PRAYER: Lord, the songs says that "it's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way," but You and I know that's far from the truth. In our weakness speak to us and show us Your way, amen.

Lenten Word 5: Reflection

In our hurried and harried world, we don't make time to just sit and think. This is what reflection is. What helps our reflection is to sit quietly and listen. The best time for reflection, especially during Lent, is just after our prayer time or scripture reading. Reflection allows for the words we have shared with God in our prayers or that God shared with us during scripture reading sink in deep to our souls. What did we say in praise of God and what does it mean? What did we read that we had not seen before and what was the blessing in having read that particular passage?

Reflection is to allow God to continue speaking to us. We don't have all the answers and sometimes we don't have any answers at all; but God does. We listen and we receive what we need.

I read where a Christian young man posted that he was getting a divorce and I read that blog. He was divorcing not his wife, but his iPhone. He said it consumed too much of his life. On Facebook we've seen where people have given up FB for Lent. A wise move until you realize that for many of us, FB has given us insight on prayer needs. One person said, "I've never prayed so much until I got on Facebook!" But can we really have too much of a "good thing?" Yes. We need our quiet time. Jesus sought places where He could be alone, and so should we.

PRAYER: Loving God, Elijah found You in the quiet, so may we. May we seek times and places where we can truly hear what You have to share with us and no one else. This we pray in the name of He who sought You always, Jesus our Lord, amen.

Lenten Word 4: Prayer

"He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." (Luke 11:1).

This request comes after Jesus sent 70 in pairs, to every town and place where He himself had been, with orders to "cure the sick," and to share the news that God's kingdom was already among them. The 70 returned with joy sharing, "Lord, in Your name even the demons submit to us!" Jesus replied, "I saw Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scoprions, and over all the powers of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

What the disciples wanted to know was "How do you connect with God so often?" It's very similar to what I've heard in churches for many years, "I don't know how to pray for very long, let alone an hour." Prayer is simply talking to God and listening to God. It is worshiping God through our prayers, worshiping God and confessing our sins, giving God thanks, and then sharing our concerns with Him. Then, we say amen, which I truly believe means, "It's Your turn, God; I'm listening!"

Our Lenten Journey is nothing without prayer. Prayer should be the number one staple on our spiritual diet during this time. If you've given up coffee for forty days, Lord help you, but as you feel the need for coffee, have a deep cup of prayer. That's how our Lenten Journey works and that's how we truly fast.

PRAYER: Loving God, open my mouth to sing Your praise. Open my heart to share my worship and concerns with You. Open my mind to think God-thoughts. Open my ears to hear You today. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Lenten Word 3: Fasting

Daniel 9:3: Then I turned to the Lord God, to seek an answer by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. "Go without eating," may have been the words of that first individual who sought to know more about God and asked a friend what he/she could do. The practice of fasting was seen in ancient cultures as a medical remedy to help with some ailments, and in the spiritual world, to neglect physical food and seek spiritual food would help in finding answers to challenges and questions. In the story of Daniel, we find a young man who loved and sought God in all things. His life is a testimony to the power and presence of God in the most difficult and adverse of conditions. Early in the story when given a seat at the king's banquet table, Daniel chose to eat only vegetables and water to drink (Daniel 1: 12), a fasting from the rich meats and wine offered to the other captives. Daniel sought God during this fasting, and it was God that blessed his life with the answers and strength that he needed. So as chapter 9 comes along, Daniel knows that great devastation is coming to the people of Israel and so he turns to God seeking an answer by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. The sackcloth and ashes was to humble oneself to the lowest possible level, seeking to make know the will of God for oneself. So, by praying which replaces the physical food, Daniel knew that he would receive an answer. Lent allows for people to fast from certain things; true fasting would be to completely deny oneself physical nourishment for a time or a meal, and instead seek to nourish ones spirit with food. A fast longer than one day would require, in my opinion, a trip to the doctor to get his/her approval and supervision for extended periods of fasting. Our Lord, of course, fasted forty days and forty nights and thus prepared Himself for his ministry. Our Lenten Journey is a walk with Jesus to more deeply understand who we are and Whose we are. Whatever you may have given up, take up something spiritual to take its place. PRAYER: Lord, You are the Bread of Life and the Living Waters; satisfy me in all my needs, make clear my mind and renew my heart during this Lenten Journey. This is my prayer in Thy name, amen.

Lenten Word 2: Submission

Lenten Journey Travels Better Knowing Yourself

The Letter from James 4: 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

We all have our limitations. We have times when we think we have all the power or at least, a lot of power. Submission is realizing that we do not have all the power and someone else does. There is no one who has more power than God. Submitting to God's power is to assume the power of God coming upon us and blessing us as we face those most difficult of times. James writes that by submitting to God, we were accepting God's power to help us in resisting the wiles of the devil to the point the devil will flee from us. Doubt, sadness, depression, fear, all the negative things you can think of, gone by the power of God. James also stresses that as we draw closer to God, God draws closer to us.

Our Lenten Journey travels easier knowing that God's power and God's closeness blesses us and helps us. Turn over to God all that is weighing heavily upon you today. May the fear of a new day flee from you. The light of Jesus is upon you and you will be blessed.

PRAYER: Lord, bless my Lenten Journey as I seek and draw near to You. May all that I fear and all that causes me to tremble be gone, in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Lenten Word 1:Obedience

Staying on Track with God requires our Obedience

From Exodus 19:5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.

Humility begins with obedience. We humans have always suffered from the innate disobedience we were built with, but God understands and God forgives. To journey toward a deeper understanding of ourselves and our need for God during these 40 days requires our knowing that we need to be obedient to God. Obedience requires love. If we love God, we will do as the passage from Exodus says, we will obey God fully and keep God's covenant; our reward is to become God's treasured possession.

Obedience means knowing that we do not have all the answers, but God does. Obedience requires trust. There is no one in whom we can place more trust than God.

Journey well by starting with obedience. Several times in the Bible we read and as a result, also sing, "Here I am, Lord; Is it I, Lord?" Send me to where Thou wilt.

PRAYER: Lord, strengthen my life by making me humble before You. Guide me to deeper obedience I pray. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde