Lenten Devotional - March 24, 2021 |
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Opening Prayer:
Dear God, when I need to be clear and I seek open space, be with me. Help me to have the skill to get to the bottom of problems, one at a time, until I get to the reason, the root of what is bothering me. Help me to seek clarity. Help me to move on. Help me to see above the clutter in my life and enjoy the simple pleasure of breathing, of hearing birds sing - whatever gives me peace. Help me to find your breath moving in my life. Amen.
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Don't Forget the Why?
by Seth Carruthers
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2 Corinthians 5:14-16 (The Voice)
14 You see, the controlling force in our lives is the love of the Anointed One. And our confession is this: One died for all; therefore, all have died. 15 He died for us so that we will all live, not for ourselves, but for Him who died and rose from the dead. 16 Because of all that God has done, we now have a new perspective. We used to show regard for people based on worldly standards and interests. No longer. We used to think of the Anointed the same way. No longer.
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Romans 5:8 (NRSV)
8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.
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In life, I have often found myself in professional roles where I am able to evaluate processes and procedures, looking for logical solutions to improve operations within my department. This means I ask a lot of questions. Many times I get to ask the question, “Why?” Often, the answers I receive are not direct, and most of the time they come with a story explaining the decisions that were made which brought us to where we are today. But ultimately, the answer colors all of my responses and all of the next steps I take.
During this season of Lent, we have focused our attention on making a difference in our communities. But we must not forget the “why.” Why should we positively contribute to the world around us? We’ve prayed for others, we’ve spent time reading the Word, and we’ve taken the time to care about others in small (or big) ways. But why? Did we do these things because our world is vastly different from the way it was a year ago? Is it because “That’s the way we do things”? Are these actions only because these 40 days are called Lent and that was the theme the staff came up with? Why?
2 Corinthians 5:14-16 in The Voice translation reads this way: “You see, the controlling force in our lives is the love of the Anointed One. And our confession is this: One died for all; therefore, all have died. He died for us so that we will all live, not for ourselves, but for Him who died and rose from the dead. Because of all that God has done, we have a new perspective. We used to show regard for people based on worldly standards and interests. No longer. We used to think of the Anointed One the same. No longer." (The Voice, emphasis mine.)
The last year has proven to be a defining one for my family, as I’m sure it has for you. God has used our time at home to move our focus. I have come to breathe in a bit more and appreciate the small things that once seemed inconsequential. Days and weeks at home with our children are ones we will likely never experience again and certainly never in the same way. We’ve taken time to listen to speakers and pastors from around the country through the gift of technology. God gave us a connection to His kingdom people while we seemed so far from them. We’ve learned to ask questions and to seek out answers. The end result is that we now see the world very differently, and we’ve made changes. We very rarely watch television like we used to. Our adult conversations have more depth and our love for each other has grown. Yes, there are still challenges as we raise and care for two toddlers and navigate throughout the world we live in. But, so much of who we have become would not have been possible without the turbulence of 2020. God has provided us with a new perspective. Our next steps are to share God’s love to our world using this new outlook. But what does that look like?
I had the privilege of attending a wedding recently. During the service, the minister reminded those attending that the marriage relationship is a reflection of God’s love (agape) to us. God’s sacrificial love represented to us through Jesus’ death on the cross and victorious resurrection is the standard. How can we show this kind of sacrificial love? It is not without help! The new perspective that God has given us (as described in 2 Corinthians) compels us to love the world around us.
Romans 5:8 says, “But God proves His love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” God sacrificially loved us first. The ultimate, most perfect love that we will ever experience in our lives came to us before we knew we needed or even wanted it. This fact alone, when it is driven deep into our hearts and souls, ought to spring us into action. It ought to provoke us to share this love with everyone we meet.
As we near the end of the Lenten season for 2021, I challenge you to ponder and ruminate over the “Why” of the difference we make. Consider the shift in perspective we have experienced over the last year. Do we see the world as God would have us to see it? Or is it cloudy and uncertain? The perspective that God gives us takes on many forms and I believe is specific to each of us individually. But, what is also true is that God provides clarity so that we understand our role in God’s kingdom and that our actions make a difference. We may not see all of the impact, but we know that we played our part and that others now know God’s love in ways they didn’t before.
I leave you with lyrics written by Frederick Whitfield in 1855 and pray that you will use them to remind you of the “Why.”
O, how I love Jesus,
O, how I love Jesus,
O, how I love Jesus,
Because He first loved me.
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Closing Prayer:
O Teaching God, I am reminded that the first question children ask is often, “Why?” Why is the sky blue, Mommy? Why did my dog die? As we grow, our questions may change, but I still ask, “Why?” We find our why, our reason for being, in our very core, our most secret place - help me to keep asking, to keep looking, for my “why." And when I find it, help me to share it with others. For, it is in giving, that we receive. You first loved me and I am reminded of that whenever I remember your son. Amen.
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Make a Difference This Week! |
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Make Lent Make a Difference is the Lenten focus for 2021. This past year has put before us many obstacles and changes, but one thing that never changes is the love we receive from Jesus Christ.
This year, as we move through the 40 days of Lent, let us challenge ourselves to become the face of Jesus to others through our actions and words. Challenge yourself to make a difference even in these unusual times. Kindness spreads like the ripples in a lake when a single rock is thrown in. A small rock of kindness can create great waves of change.
Here are just a few ideas to get you started
Making Lent Make a Difference...
PRAY a Prayer:
- Of thanksgiving for those who show you kindness
- For your family, friends and neighbors
- For those who serve us- the first responders
- For your church family
- For your community
- For your country
- For your enemies
READ the Word:
MAKE A DIFFERENCE:
- Make a phone call to someone to just say hello
- Spend the day not complaining about anything
- Leave a small treat or note on a neighbor’s porch
- Send a note or possibly a donation to a non-profit you support encouraging them in their work
- Forgive someone who you’ve been struggling with for a while- if not to be kind to them, then to be kind to yourself
- Tell someone why you are thankful for them through email, written note, or phone call
- Leave a thank you note to someone who “works for you”- a postal worker, trash collector, waitress, cleaning person, first responders, etc.
- Focus on how you can show kindness to the environment through your actions
- Compliment someone either through card, email, phone, or in person
- Leave an anonymous encouraging note for someone to find
In each week’s e-blast you will find updates and additional difference making ideas. In addition, the staff of your church will be writing and sharing a weekly Wednesday devotion. Those will come to you in an e-blast and on Facebook each Wednesday evening during Lent.
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