Christian, devotion, Guidance, Lenten Devotion, Prayer, The Gospel of John, Uncategorized

Glimpses of Grace for the 20th Day of Lent, 2017

Devotional Reading: John 8: 21-32.  Morning Psalm 27. Evening Psalm 126

Text: I do nothing on my own. (vs. 28b)

    As I read John’s gospel the text jumped out at me;  I do nothing on my own. I remembered that a little later Jesus said,  “The person who trusts me will not only do what I’m doing but even greater things” … (John 14, The Message) In our communion liturgy I note Jesus’ words, “I am the vine, you are the branches, cut off from me you can do nothing.” Just as Jesus did nothing on “his own”, neither can we.

That is why it is so important to begin our day with some time with Jesus. I believe that it can be a little or a lot, depending upon your personality. It can be formal or very informal, in a settled spot or on the fly, in the shower or in the study or in a favorite familiar corner. (I’ve tried them all with varying degrees of success.) The most important thing, though, is to listen for the “marching orders” of the day. “Lord, here is what I want to do (get done) today, but what do YOU want me to do?” You may be amazed at how often the two do not match up. I’ve also learned not to look upon “interruptions” as “interruptions” but as opportunities for Divine encounters. Both Abraham and Moses were minding their own business when God interrupted. Two disciples walking to Emmaus were interrupted when a “Stranger” joined them on the way. Saul experienced a Divine interruption on his way to Damascus.

Conscious of this, I pray over my schedule in the morning and tell God to feel free to interrupt at anytime (God will do it anyway, with our without permission). Then, when an interruption  occurs (as it will), I silently ask God if this is a “God-moment” (actually, every moment is a God moment). I also ask the Almighty what my best course of action is, as well as for strength, wisdom and guidance. It has never failed.

Blessings on your continued Lenten journey.

Lord, like Jesus we can do nothing apart from you. Bless our day. Guide us in our daily activities. Sensitize us to Your interruptions and when this day draws to a close, grant to us sleep and the whisper of Your voice saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Amen. 

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Christian, devotion, faith, Lenten Devotion, The Gospel of John, Uncategorized

Glimpses of Grace for the 19th Day of Lent, 2017

Devotional Reading: John 8: 12-20. Morning Psalm-5; Evening Psalm-27

Text:  “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (v. 12)

“The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.”  So begins John’s gospel. In John 8 Jesus identified Himself as the True Light–the One that gives life, real Life; Life that lasts not only a lifetime but beyond.  Sadly, John also says that the world “preferred darkness.” (3: 19)

As we look at what is going on around us–war, famine, corruption, stupid poverty* and the like–yes, all around us there seems to be a veil of darkness. The world is a broken place. It seems as if we have each gone to our own little corner and tried to shut out the pain of the world. Yet, we must not forget, that in the beginning God created Light. (Genesis 1). The writer of John’s gospel is very aware of this and that is why he wrote that Jesus is the Light in human form; divine revelation. Later in today’s reading Jesus tells his inquisitors that if they only knew Him, they would also know the Father. (vs. 19)

We who call ourselves followers of Jesus know Him. In this season of Lent, we follow who Jesus must be bearers of His Light. It has been said that the Church is the best hope of the world**. It is time that we left the security of our various corners and became involved in the world around us. We do not need press coverage, we simply need to plant mustard seeds–do the simple things the bring light to the world of another. Be persistent, look out for others and be willing to lose yourself lfor the glory of God.

Lord, in this season of Lent give me the courage to be a bearer of Jesus’ Light.  It only takes a candle to dispel the darkness of a room. Let me be that candle. Amen.

 

 

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Glimpses of Grace for the 18th Day of Lent, 2017

Devotional Reading: John 7: 37-52. Morning Psalm -34; Evening Psalm 25

Text: Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before, and who was one of them (the Pharisees), asked, “Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?” (John 7L 50 & 51)

Nicodemus reappears, without warning. There is something about Jesus that prohibits him from staying away. This time he comes to Jesus not under the veil of darkness but in the open in the light of day. He’s still not sure about all of this “born from above”-“born again” stuff, but still–he’s intrigued. He will appear one more time in the gospel of John.  I’ve often thought that Nicodemus–and Thomas, for that matter,–are a lot like us; questioning, wondering, and cautious.  A “passionate faith” makes us a bit nervous. So does a unpredictable God. We are quite comfortable–too comfortable–with a “scientific” world view that relegates God to the gaps. If we had our way, God would be predictable, tame. Jesus would be, too.

But here’s the thing about Jesus. He is not tame. He is not predictable. He speaks to the woman at the well, heals a man born blind, restores a crippled hand on the Sabbath, and on and on and on.

Nicodemus may have moved slowly toward Jesus, but he moved. We do not know where his journey will end but we can make a pretty good guess that it ended with discipleship. After all, having his name memorialized three times in this gospel is an indication that he was at least known, if not a full member of the early Johannine community.

Years ago  I read something that John Winthrop wrote in his journal. It went something like this; “When God places a bias in a person’s heart, they may be tossed this way and that but he will always settle in the bias.” God plants the seed of faith within us. God is a patient planter.

Lord, thank you for being patient with me and for using the circumstances of my life to show me your way.  Make me perceptive to your presence in my life. Amen.

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Amy Grant, Christian, devotion, faith, Lenten Devotion, The Gospel of John, Uncategorized

Glimpses of Grace for the 17th Day of Lent, 2017

Devotional Reading: John 7:14-36. Morning Psalm—119: 73-80; Evening Psalm—121

Text: Don’t judge by appearance. Judge by what is right. (John 7: 24, Contemporary Translation)

When I was in third grade my mother was a “room mother”— a stay at home mom who volunteered to help at the local grade school. Each year at Halloween we would bring our costume to school and change into them for the last half hour of the day. The younger grades—third included—would then parade through the upper grade’s rooms—grades 5-8. We’d then return to our room and feast on Halloween treats—cupcakes and milk. On this particular year there was a young boy in my classroom, Harry, who sat by himself at the back of the room. He did not have a costume. It was not because the family was poor. They just didn’t want their son to participate. With his head silently bowed, a tear rolled down his cheek. My mother noticed. Without saying a word to anyone she went out to her car, pulled an “Indian” blanket out of the back seat, took Harry to the restroom, draped the blanket over his shoulders and put three red stripes on each cheek with her lip stick. Harry now had a costume. He joined in the parade and had a smile on his face that made the angels in heaven sing.

The next day my teacher called my mother to tell her that Harry’s father was very upset. He did not send his son to school to have someone put lipstick on him. I don’t know what my mother said to the teacher but I know that she never apologized. I also know that she told my father that she didn’t care if Harry’s father didn’t like, what she had done but no one, absolutely no one, was going feel left out on her watch!

I thought of Harry’s Halloween as I read the text. “Don’t judge by appearances. Judge by what is right,” Jesus said. I don’t know if my mother was right or wrong. She was clearly in the wrong, at least by school policy. But at the same time, I think that she did the right thing.  I’m pretty sure that Jesus would agree with me. But, I don’t really know.  In any event, during this season of Lent, let’s dedicate ourselves to not judging by appearances but by what is right…in the sight of God.

Lord, give us our Father’s eyes; “eyes that find the good in things when  good is not around; eyes that find the source of help, when help just can’t be found. Eyes full of compassion, seeing every pain; knowing what you’re going through and feeling it the same.* Amen.

*Lyrics to “Father’s Eyes” by Amy Grant

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Glimpses of Grace for the 3rd Sunday of Lent, 2017

Devotional Reading: mark 5: 1-20. Morning Psalm-84; Evening Psalm-42

Text: And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed. (Mark 5: 42)

    The story of the Gerasene demoniac reminded me of George Mac Donald’s  poem, “What Christ Said”.

I said, “Let me walk in the fields.”

   He said, “No; walk in the town.

I said, “There are no flowers there.”

   He said, “No flowers, but a crown.”

I said, “But the skies are black,

   There is nothing but noise and din”;

And He wept as He sent me back;

   “There is more,” He said, “there is sin.”

I said, “But the air is thick,

   And fogs are veiling the sun.”

He answered, “Yet souls are sick,

   And souls in the dark undone.

I said, “I shall miss the light,

   And friends will miss me, they say.”

He answered, “Choose tonight

   If I am to miss you, or they.”

I pleaded for time to be given.

   He said, “Is it hard to decide?

It will not seem hard in Heaven

   To have followed the steps of your Guide.”

I cast one look at the fields,

   Then set my face to the town;

He said, “My child, do you yield?

   Will you leave the flowers for the crown?”

Then into His hand went mine;

   And into my heart came he;

And I walk in a light divine,

   The path I had feared to see. 

They demoniac who was restored to his right mind wanted to get into the boat with Jesus and the disciples. He wanted to leave his past and the people behind. But Jesus said to him,  “Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.”(vs. 41)  

I think that that is true for each one of us. We are to set aside our plans for Christ’s plans. I believe that Christ touches us so that we might bear witness to how much He did for us.

    Lord, bend our wills to Your will. Cast aside our plans and lead us into seeing your plans. In this season of Lent, let us tell others–in ways that are appropriate to the circumstances–how you came into our lives and changed us into a reflection of Your image. Amen. 

 

 

 

 

 

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Christian, devotion, faith, Lenten Devotion, The Gospel of John, Uncategorized

Glimpses of Grace for they 16th Day of Lent, 2017

Devotional Reading: John 7: 1-13. Morning Psalm -43; evening Psalm 31

Text: “While some were saying, ‘He is a good man,’ others were saying, ‘No, he is deceiving the crowd.’ Yet no one would speak openly about him…” (vss. 12b & 13)

Jesus once told his disciples, “Blessed/Happy are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me…for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.”  And again, “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart for I have overcome the world.”  

“Some men see things as they are and say, why; I dream things that never were and say, why not.”*  If you are going to take Jesus seriously you are going to love those people whom Jesus loved and you will see the brokenness of this world through His eyes. You will not try to “fix” other people but work on “fixing” yourself. You will do the work of God’s Kingdom here on earth, as best as your understanding will lead you. You will acknowledge that even your best intentions have a darker side and unintended consequences. You will be humble in heart. You will accept the fact that some people will praise you while others will condemn you. But as a Jesus follower, you will neither be encouraged by the praise nor intimidated by the condemnation. Followers of Jesus do not seek the accolades of this world. They live their lives simply and courageously. Their goal in life is not to be famous or remembered but to “glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”**

In this season of Lent explore your motivation for doing “good” things in this world. Also explore how dependent you are to the applause of “the crowd.”

Lord, lead me in a moral inventory. Give me a heart that loves you above all else. Purge from me the quest for fame, glory or money. Let me not have the false humility that lets me think that I am doing good and noble things when I am merely “playing to the crowd” in a more clever way. Amen.

*Senator Edward M. Kennedy quoted these words in his eulogy of Robert F. Kennedy. President John F. Kennedy spoke similar words in his address to the Irish Parliament, Dublin, Ireland on June 28, 1963. George Bernard Shaw is the original author.

**The response to the first question of the Westminster Catechism of faith.

 

 

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Christian, confession, devotion, Lenten Devotion, The Gospel of John, Uncategorized

Glimpses of Grace for the 15th Day of Lent, 2017

Devotional Reading: John 5: 30-47. Morning Psalm–22; Evening Psalm–105

Text: I can do nothing on my own…(Jesus, John 5: 30

In today’s gospel lesson Jesus told his critics that He could only do that which God enabled Him to do. He was dependent upon God. In saying this, he set an example for His disciples.

So often we say that we are going to do great things or fix this and that problem. The truth of the matter, though, is that we can only do Kingdom work when we are in direct relationship with God. Jesus did promise His disciples that they would do greater things than He did (John 14:12) but only if they stayed connected to the Father. “I am the vine, you are the branches”, He said, “… cut off from me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

In this season of Lent we are called to reflect upon our separation between God and ourselves, as well as our contribution to the world’s brokenness. But we are also called to recommit ourselves to being connected to God–the Creator of the Universe, the One made visible in God’s Incarnation–Jesus, whom Christians call the Christ. 

Lord, give me a reflective and penitent heart. During this season of Lent, as I practice the spiritual disciples of worship, fellowship, generosity, prayer and mission reconnect me to the True Vine, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Glimpses of Grace for the 14th Day of Lent, 2017

Devotional Reading: John 5: 19-29. Morning Psalm–27; Evening Psalm 126

Text: I assure you, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. (Jesus, John 5:24)

A frustrated supervisor came into my office and sat down. After talking to one of his direct reports he said, “He doesn’t listen. He simply doesn’t listen.” An exasperated partent asks their child, “Aren’t you listening?”   Implicit in “listening” is “understanding” and “doing”. In our text for today Jesus said that those who do His work of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for the sick and dying, and visiting the imprisoned are forgiven of their “sin”–of their inherent brokenness and the they cause because we cannot escape the fact that we are less than perfect. Jesus also said that by listening we pass from death to life. What a curious phrase.

At various points in the gospels Jesus told his disciples that if they wish to save their life, they will lost it, but conversely, if they lose their life for His sake and the gospel’s they will find their life. And in the so-called parable of the prodigal son, the son “comes to his senses” when he remembered not only who he is, but whose he is. When the father saw his “lost” son returning home, he told the servants to celebrate for his son who was lost is found and who was dead and is now alive. It strikes me that we can be spiritually dead throughout life. We are only truly alive when we are engaged in the Risen Lord’s work.

Today, listen for the voice of Jesus. Commit yourself to discipleship. To the glory of God.

Lord God, thank you for your forgiveness that is given even before I know my need. Give me the ears to hear your call and the will to do your work. Amen.

 

 

 

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Christian, confession, devotion, faith, Lenten Devotion, The difficulty of change, Uncategorized

Glimpses of Grace for the 13th Day of Lent, 2017

Devotional  Reading: John 5: 1-18. Morning Psalm–5; EveningPsalm–27

Text: When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”  (John 5:6)

“Do you want to be made well?” is one of the most insightful questions in the Bible. We automatically think, “Of course, I want to be made well?” but the truth of the matter is that that is not always the case. By asking the question Jesus was asking if the lame man wanted to change. At some level we want to change–we want to get a new job, move to a new place, lose those accumulated pounds, go back to school, be a better parent, be a better spouse, etc., but change means…well, it means “change!” It’s hard. We’ve become quite comfortable where we are, even if we know that it is a bad spot. We want change only if it does not cost us anything. Subconsciously we–or those closest to us–sabotage our efforts at change. I am a stutter.  At one point in my life when I was going to begin a new therapy program for stutters someone closest to me wasn’t sure that the therapy was such a good idea. If I wasn’t a stutter, who would I, then, be?

The man’s response to Jesus was not a direct answer to our Lord’s question. It was an excuse–“I have no one to put me in the pool…” (v. 7).  The man wasn’t sure he wanted to change. He could say that he was a victim and that was quite acceptable. Being a victim wasn’t really so bad.  Jesus challenged him. “Stand up, take you mat, and walk.”  At that moment the man had to decide if he was a victim or a victor.

In Lent we say that we will make a change; tradition says that we will give something up. My experience is that it is usually something that we needed to give up anyway but were just afraid to do it; chocolate, sugar, smoking, etc. We’ll do this for 40 days and struggle through, quite proud of ourselves if we succeed. But the gospel reading challenges us: Do we want to make a forever change? Do we want to walk in the path of Jesus? Do we want to be a disciple? Discipleship is not just for 40 days. It is for a lifetime. Do we want to take of risk of not asking God to bless our plans but rather ask God to show us His plans and where we can fit in?

Lord, in the season of Lent let me hear the voice of Jesus ask, “Do you want to get well?” Give me the courage to trust in you. I give to you my life; do what you will, for I am yours. Amen.

 

 

 

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Glimpses of Grace for the 12th Day of Lent, 2017

Devotional Reading: John 4:43-54. Morning Psalm–34; Evening Psalm–25

Text: The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way (vs. 50b)

I am drawn to the father in today’s reading. I am a father and grandfather. I have been scared for my children and grandchildren. I know the kind of fear that drove him to Jesus. What I am most struck with, though, is his faith. He believed and went home to whatever awaited him. Fortunately, by the time he returned home, his child was well. Things do not always work out this way, though.

“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 RSV)

     When a new follower of Jesus comes to me and wants to know what he or she should do, I suggest that they devotionally read the letter to James. I call it “Christianity 101”. It talks about the practical application of faith in every day life. It tells someone how to “walk home” holding on the “word” that Jesus “spoke.” James foundational statement for me is found in the very first chapter. “If any of you lack wisdom, ask God who gives generously. But ask without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wind tossed sea. Do not be double-minded.” (vss. 5 & 6) While he talks about wisdom, I believe that it applies to every aspect of our faith journey.

We do not always get the answer that we want. Bad things happen. That is a part of the Lenten season–it leads to the Cross. But we must never doubt that God is faithful.

Lord, give me the faith of the father. Let me ask boldly and live with confidence, sure of your presence whether I be on one of life’s mountaintops on in the valley of shadows. Amen.

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