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Email to a friend Lenten devotions 2008
Sat, 22 Mar 2008MARCH 23 - EASTER JOY
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 28:1-10 (NRSV)
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DEVOTIONAL:
In his devotion on March 5, Carl Helrich suggested that joy does not always come easily. For the women, the news of Jesus’ resurrection was not an easy joy. Their joy came from out of the depths. Nowhere in Matthew’s account do the women speak, they do not cry out “we have seen the Lord,” they do not speak of their intermingling grief, shock, joy and fear. But their faithfulness endures as they worship at the feet of our risen Lord, and continue on to spread the good news to the rest of the disciples.
I pray that this Easter season, we may all be blessed by the enduring joy of God’s presence in our lives. A joy that rises out of the depths of our lives together. A joy that mingles with fear and challenges us to look beyond ourselves and follow Jesus into a world of great need. Thank you for joining us on our Lenten journey.
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SCRIPTURE: Matthew 28:1-10 (NRSV)
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Thank you for joining the students, faculty and staff of Goshen College during Lent for these devotions. We pray they have met a spiritual need for you each day as you have walked through the wilderness, to the cross and “out of the depths” with Jesus. We have been blessed to be part of your journey. Join us again for the season of Advent (unless you unsubscribe, they will automatically be sent to you) when they start again in late November.
By Tamara Shantz, assistant campus pastor
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
As the sun is peeking over the hills, Mary and Mary Magdalene are making their way to the tomb. We often make note of the fact that women were the first witnesses to the resurrection, but as I read over the end of Matthew’s gospel, I was reminded of the enduring presence of these women. I had separated the Easter morning discovery from the grieving of Good Friday. But for Mary and Mary Magdalene, Easter morning was just one more day in their vigil of mourning. They had been there through the agony of the cross, they were there when the stone was rolled in front of the tomb and soldiers took their posts, and now they are returning to continue their watch. I imagine that they are arriving weary, exhausted by grief and perhaps even wary of the continuing presence of the soldiers.
After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, “He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.” This is my message for you.’ So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’
Posted at 09:36 #
Fri, 21 Mar 2008
MARCH 22 - WE WAIT TONIGHT
SCRIPTURE: John 20:1-18 (NRSV)
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DEVOTIONAL:
I am not very good at waiting. Many of us are not. Our culture tells us that we need everything right now. But I am a member of a community that is waiting. We are waiting for Jesus. Over two thousand years ago the disciples were waiting to see what happened next. Their world had been turned upside down, their leader killed.
Today is the day between Good Friday and Easter, my favorite day of the whole liturgical year. Tonight Christians will participate in Easter vigil services all over the world. Vigils are about waiting. We wait with the disciples to see what comes next. Jesus spoke of resurrection and coming again in his life but did the disciples remember that during those long three days? We know that Jesus will come again and each year at Easter we wait, as sure as the sun will rise in the morning. Tonight marks the transition from Lent to Easter, from the pain and sorrow of death to the joy and healing of resurrection.
We are a community in waiting. We are waiting for God’s Kingdom to be realized on Earth. Waiting is hard. It is easy to become discouraged or bored while waiting. Which is why we find ways to not just wait but to prepare. But we know that we will one day see Jesus again just as Mary saw Jesus on the first Easter morning.
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SCRIPTURE: John 20:1-18 (NRSV)
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’ When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” ’ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
By Anna Hade, a senior peace, justice and conflict studies major from Lancaster, Pa.
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.’ Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went towards the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.
Posted at 08:04 #
Thu, 20 Mar 2008
MARCH 21 - EMERGING FROM GOOD FRIDAY DARKNESS
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 27: 11-54 (NRSV)
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DEVOTIONAL:
It was alarming. So was Good Friday and such vivid
Scripture as this one: Pilate’s insulting questioning
and Jesus’ inexplicable refusal to defend himself;
the complicity of the priests and the elders who
goaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas to be
released and Jesus to be killed; Jesus’ flogging and
humiliation; his crucifixion at Golgotha; his
anguished cry, “My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?” and the belated realization by the
Roman soldiers that “Truly this man was God’s
Son!”
As I grew older, my fear and confusion about the
Passion were replaced by anger and sorrow. I
wished the story would end differently. Later, I
came to understand that Jesus’ death fulfilled
prophecies and was necessary. By descending into
the depths, Jesus laid the foundation for
Christianity. His fall enabled him to rise again
brilliantly three days later and ascend into heaven.
Like many others, I’ve known the pain of family
deaths, financial setbacks, work problems and
health crises. But I’ve gotten through them, thank
God. Jesus remains a touchstone for believers
because he rose from the darkness and showed us
that we could too, by following him. We can find
renewed life and salvation -- our own Easter
morning -- if we persevere. And that can help us
through our darkest nights.
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SCRIPTURE: Matthew 27: 11-54 (NRSV)
Now at the festival the governor was accustomed to
release a prisoner for the crowd, anyone whom they
wanted. At that time they had a notorious prisoner,
called Jesus Barabbas. So after they had gathered,
Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to
release for you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is
called the Messiah?’ For he realized that it was out
of jealousy that they had handed him over. While he
was sitting on the judgement seat, his wife sent
word to him, ‘Have nothing to do with that innocent
man, for today I have suffered a great deal because
of a dream about him.’ Now the chief priests and
the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for
Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. The governor
again said to them, ‘Which of the two do you want
me to release for you?’ And they said, ‘Barabbas.’
Pilate said to them, ‘Then what should I do with
Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ All of them said,
‘Let him be crucified!’ Then he asked, ‘Why, what
evil has he done?’ But they shouted all the more,
‘Let him be crucified!’
So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but
rather that a riot was beginning, he took some
water and washed his hands before the crowd,
saying, ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it
yourselves.’ Then the people as a whole answered,
‘His blood be on us and on our children!’ So he
released Barabbas for them; and after flogging
Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into
the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the
whole cohort around him. They stripped him and
put a scarlet robe on him, and after twisting some
thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They
put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him
and mocked him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’
They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him
on the head. After mocking him, they stripped him
of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then
they led him away to crucify him.
As they went out, they came upon a man from
Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to
carry his cross. And when they came to a place
called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they
offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but
when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when
they had crucified him, they divided his clothes
among themselves by casting lots; then they sat
down there and kept watch over him. Over his head
they put the charge against him, which read, ‘This
is Jesus, the King of the Jews.’
Then two bandits were crucified with him, one on
his right and one on his left. Those who passed by
derided him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘You
who would destroy the temple and build it in three
days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come
down from the cross.’ In the same way the chief
priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were
mocking him, saying, ‘He saved others; he cannot
save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come
down from the cross now, and we will believe in
him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he
wants to; for he said, “I am God’s Son.” ’ The
bandits who were crucified with him also taunted
him in the same way.
From noon on, darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon. And about three
o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema
sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have
you forsaken me?’ When some of the bystanders
heard it, they said, ‘This man is calling for Elijah.’
At once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it
with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him
to drink. But the others said, ‘Wait, let us see
whether Elijah will come to save him.’ Then Jesus
cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn
in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and
the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened,
and many bodies of the saints who had fallen
asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came
out of the tombs and entered the holy city and
appeared to many. Now when the centurion and
those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus,
saw the earthquake and what took place, they were
terrified and said, ‘Truly this man was God’s Son!’
By Richard R. Aguirre, director of public
relations
Scroll down for the complete Scripture
For those who grow up Catholic, the Passion of
Christ dominates church life. As a child, I was
reminded of Jesus’ trial, torture and crucifixion
every Sunday at Our Lady of Sorrows or Holy Cross.
I recited the Apostles’ Creed -- “… He suffered
under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was
buried …” -- and stared wide-eyed at the life-sized
carving of the crucified Christ, the images on the
Stations of the Cross and the statue of Mary
cradling her son’s broken body.
Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the
governor asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’
Jesus said, ‘You say so.’ But when he was accused
by the chief priests and elders, he did not answer.
Then Pilate said to him, ‘Do you not hear how many
accusations they make against you?’ But he gave
him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that
the governor was greatly amazed.
Posted at 10:41 #
Wed, 19 Mar 2008
MARCH 20 - TRUST THROUGH ACCIDENTS
SCRIPTURE: Acts 10:34-43 (NRSV)
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DEVOTIONAL:
Peter answered my question eloquently in today’s Scripture. Here Peter summarizes the Good News. “You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ -- he is Lord of all” (v. 36). I had tended to think of this “peace” in terms of our world, the absence of conflict. But, I realized in the midst of traveling, I felt peaceful and safe. Not because God would magically keep all accidents away from our van, but a calm sense of divine presence with us.
During his earthly life, Jesus did not demand justice for himself, or a life with no “accidents”. Instead he suffered injustice, pain, humiliation and he offered forgiveness, grace, and then, ultimately, a life with God for eternity. “He is Lord of all.” This is the message and power of Easter. Knowing this, I can trust God through all the “accidents” life might bring my way.
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SCRIPTURE: Acts 10:34-43 (NRSV)
By Sheila Yoder, assistant professor of American Sign Language and coordinator of church relations
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
The old hymn “It’s so sweet to trust in Jesus…Oh for faith to trust him more” kept running through my head during the 11-hour drive from Pennsylvania back to Indiana. My colleague and I were making the trip with 13 college students in order to attend the conference “Signed Languages around the Globe.” Starting on the road, we prayed together for traveling safety. While driving on roads slick with snow, I couldn’t help but remember a tragic accident last year where several students from a sister Christian college were killed. Had they prayed for traveling safety as we had? Probably, yet the accident still happened. Can I, should I, trust God for safety during this trip? For what can I trust God in this life?
Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ -- he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’
Posted at 22:32 #
Tue, 18 Mar 2008
March 19 - A LIST OF THANKS
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 118: 1-2, 14-24 (NRSV)
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DEVOTIONAL:
We have so many things to be thankful for, don’t we? Have you ever written them down? Looking at your list visually is different than just thinking about it. I’m a visual person and I need to write, touch and then see (many times) to believe.
Some of the best times to do this are when I don’t feel like it. There are days and times in our lives when the last thing we want to do is rejoice or be thankful. Our mood is down, our sorrow is overwhelming. Yet, we can still be thankful; we can still rejoice.
Psalm 118 is a great read for when we’re not feeling so thankful. I like to read the verses and put my name in place of Israel and use I/me in place of the other pronouns. For example, verse two might read: “Let Julie say: ‘His love endures forever’; and verse 24: “this is the day that the Lord has made; I, Julie will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Take a few moments and list what you can rejoice with or be thankful for. Here are a few of mine: hot coffee, consignment stores, laughter, God’s unchanging love and my dog, Scout.
We can have confidence in God’s eternal love and in the midst of changing situations. This gives me security when I need something to draw me out of the depths.
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SCRIPTURE: Psalm 118: 1-2, 14-24 (NRSV)
Let Israel say,
There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous:
Open to me the gates of righteousness,
This is the gate of the Lord;
I thank you that you have answered me
By Julie Armstrong, assistant professor of American Sign Language
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his steadfast love endures for ever!
‘His steadfast love endures for ever.’
The Lord is my strength and my might;
he has become my salvation.
‘The right hand of the Lord does valiantly;
the right hand of the Lord is exalted;
the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.’
I shall not die, but I shall live,
and recount the deeds of the Lord.
The Lord has punished me severely,
but he did not give me over to death.
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.
the righteous shall enter through it.
and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Posted at 08:51 #
Mon, 17 Mar 2008
MARCH 18 - GIVE VOICE TO LAMENT FIRST
SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 31:1-6 (NRSV)
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DEVOTIONAL:
One of our most powerful pieces -- the one that left entire audiences in awe-filled silence and often brought many of us to tears -- was a Pakistani lament called Khudaya, rahem kar. It was this haunting Kyrie, this piercing cry for Christ’s mercy, that reminded me that, along with (and perhaps before) the naming of our joy, we must also give voice to our pain and suffering.
Ultimately, we are called to be people of hope and faith. We are drawn towards this vision of settling on fertile hillsides of peace and creating joyful music with our brothers and sisters around the world. But as we strive towards that vision, I believe we are also called to name and lament the many times and places where, violence, hurt and alienation continue to exist. It is too often a temptation to gloss over the reality of suffering, to push away reminders of the wilderness many of us wander in. Sure, we shake our heads at tragic headlines and pray for an end to warfare and strife, but rarely do we let ourselves experience the depth of the suffering around and within us. By putting on optimistic fronts and happy smiles, I think we also miss out on feeling the grace of God and the “everlasting love” flowing through, beneath and beyond the depths of those experiences.
It seems a strange paradox, to acknowledge our suffering in order to move beyond it, but that was just what I experienced in singing Khudaya. By wailing our sorrows, it was as if we lifted them up into the hands of God, and were then able to rest more fully in the strength of God’s loving embrace. I do not think our songs of joy would have been as powerful without the honesty of our lament.
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SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 31:1-6 (NRSV)
By Krista Ehst, a senior Bible and religion major from Bally, Pa.
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
During our spring break tour to the east coast, the Goshen College Women’s World Music Choir gave many concerts filled with exuberant songs of joy and praise. When singing with this large group of women, I often felt as if I had been given a glimpse of Jeremiah’s hopeful vision of taking up our tambourines and going forth “in the dance of the merrymakers.” It was nearly impossible to resist the contagious joy that flowed from our combined voices and harmonies.
At that time, says the Lord, I will be the God of all the families of Israel,
and they shall be my people.
Thus says the Lord:
The people who survived the sword
found grace in the wilderness;
when Israel sought for rest,
the Lord appeared to him from far away.
I have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.
Again I will build you, and you shall be built,
O virgin Israel!
Again you shall take your tambourines,
and go forth in the dance of the merrymakers.
Again you shall plant vineyards
on the mountains of Samaria;
the planters shall plant,
and shall enjoy the fruit.
For there shall be a day when sentinels will call
in the hill country of Ephraim:
‘Come, let us go up to Zion,
to the Lord our God.’
Posted at 16:43 #
Sun, 16 Mar 2008
MARCH 17 - WE HAVE SEEN THE LORD
THIS WEEK’S THEME: We have seen the Lord
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DEVOTIONAL:
"We have seen the Lord!" also happens to be our devotional theme for Easter Week (Holy Week). Since the events of Easter Week encompass Jesus' triumphal entry, the cleansing of the temple, the last supper, Jesus' capture, trial and execution, we must also acknowledge the limitations of seeing.
Seeing does not guarantee understanding. Jesus' own disciples (who saw him constantly) stubbornly refused to accept the idea that Jesus might suffer and die. They expected him to set up an earthly kingdom and they would rule with him.
Seeing does not guarantee faithfulness. Judas, who also saw Jesus continually, betrayed him into the hands of the Jewish leaders.
Seeing is not always the whole story. Jesus' crucifixion was a public event and lots of people saw him suffer and die. If you didn't see the post-resurrection Jesus, then you'd have every right to believe the Jesus story was over -- and you'd be wrong. The eyewitnesses to the risen Jesus testified with joy that he is alive.
"We have seen the Lord!" said the disciples to Thomas. And when he had touched the wounds of our Lord, he also believed. Jesus turned and said to him, and to us, "Blessed are they who did not see, and yet have believed."
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Devotion organizer’s note: This week, we will have devotions on Saturday and Sunday, to conclude Holy Week and Lent.
By Michael Sherer, director of Information Technology Services
"Seeing is Believing" goes the old adage. We trust our eyes to validate our understanding of reality. And so it was for those who encountered the risen Jesus on the day of his resurrection. "I have seen the Lord!" exclaimed Mary Magdalene to the disciples after meeting Jesus outside the tomb. "We have seen the Lord!" said the other disciples to Thomas, who then stubbornly refused to believe unless he himself had visible and tactile proof.
Posted at 14:51 #
Thu, 13 Mar 2008
MARCH 14 - INTO THE DEEP HOLE
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 21:1-11 (NRSV)
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DEVOTIONAL:
Have you ever been walking right toward a deep hole, and known it? I mean those times when you feel inside yourself that things are getting bad, and they are only going to get worse. It might have been mounting struggles at work, a marriage that is failing, a very sick friend you know won’t be getting better, a child that is continually struggling with addictions. There are so many things that can take us to the depths and keep us there.
This weekend we will mark Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week, the beginning of the journey to the cross. As Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey and he heard the shouts of “Hosanna!,” I wonder whether he might also have heard a ticking clock inside his own head, counting down to very, very hard times. He knew where he was headed and he knew it was going to be bad; he knew he was about to fall into his own very deep hole.
And yet, though he could have chosen otherwise, he kept on riding into the darkness, right into the hole. I don’t think his message to us is to seek the darkness or even to celebrate it. I rather think that what Jesus has to tell us today is that we all have our own deep, dark holes, that there is something to be found there and that they are not the end. God’s love resides there to offer us a new day and our own resurrection.
But I say that because, as I read this Scripture, I know how the story of Holy Week ends. Not knowing the end of our stories makes that more difficult to say. Claiming resurrection and a new day for our own lives, while we are in the holes, is the essence of trusting in the presence of God with us.
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SCRIPTURE: Matthew 21:1-11 (NRSV)
By Jodi Beyeler, news bureau director
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, “The Lord needs them.” And he will send them immediately.’ This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,
‘Tell the daughter of Zion,
Look, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’
The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,
‘Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!’
When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, ‘Who is this?’ The crowds were saying, ‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.’
Posted at 12:00 #
Wed, 12 Mar 2008
MARCH 13 - OBEDIENCE IN IMPERFECTION
SCRIPTURE: Philippians 2:5-11 (NRSV)
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DEVOTIONAL:
So I'm sitting here, watching the TV show “America's Best Dance Crew.” It's down to six crews, each vying for that lofty title (to be given to another crew next season). Some crews are incredibly tight, performing their isolations and moves almost exactly together; others, not so much.
But here's the thing, I like the ones that are raw, not robotic. The ones that know they aren't perfect and can accept that. The ones that have not tried to be perfect, but have realized that they are human.
Today's passage shows that perfection is not the goal. Rather, it's obedience.
Great. Obedience. That's nice and specific. So how does that play out in real life?
Luckily, this passage gives at least one real thing to do in obedience: service.
While we work on the vertical aspect of our spirit -- our relationship with God -- we can not forget the horizontal aspect of our spiritual life. We must become servants, and serve our fellow humans.
But along with our service, we need to be humble. We need to help the broken, because we ourselves are broken. We must bring freedom to captives, because we are held captive. We must comfort the mourners, because we are in mourning. We work against oppression, because we are oppressed. In doing so, we become more of the person God intended us to be.
I can only serve others in obedience by realizing my own humanity, that I am a broken person. In the same way, Jesus came as a human, a servant, with humility.
Let our attitude be the same as that of Christ Jesus.
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SCRIPTURE: Philippians 2:5-11 (NRSV)
Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
By James Weber, a senior communication major from Reading, Pa.
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
It's good to be reminded of our humanity. We're human, we make mistakes. (What? Really? No...)
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death --
even death on a cross.
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Posted at 12:01 #
Tue, 11 Mar 2008
MARCH 12 - POWER TO LIFT US OUT
SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 50:4-9a (NRSV)
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DEVOTIONAL:
Jesus also entered the depths of persecution through obeying and speaking the Word of God. His eyes stayed fixed on the promised joy to come when he would rise from there triumphantly.
This depth of suffering I have not known. But in my times of darkness I have felt the same Helper beside me, the Strength-Giver supporting me. I sensed God’s presence when Joy, an odd companion to pain, showed up unexpectedly during a time of grief. I have felt my Comforter in the depths of fear. What courage developed as I was given songs of faith to sing!
In verse nine, the prophet hurls the question, “Who is he that will condemn me?” And I am reminded of the words in Romans 8:34, “Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died -- more who was raised to life -- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” We need not fear the depths then, but look for the One who enters the darkness with us and has the power to lift us out.
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SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 50:4-9a (NRSV)
The Lord God helps me;
By Ruth Hochstetler, day circulation supervisor of the Good Library
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
Like the prophet experienced, I have yearned to hear the Lord’s voice every morning and to speak words that sustain the weary. In this Lenten season, perhaps my stillness will attract the Lord’s awesome revelation. However, obeying the call to receive and bear the divine message led the prophet into the depths of persecution. From that place of pain we hear his confident declaration to continue on, sure of God’s help and vindication.
The Lord God has given me
the tongue of a teacher,
that I may know how to sustain
the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens --
wakens my ear
to listen as those who are taught.
The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious,
I did not turn backwards.
I gave my back to those who struck me,
and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face
from insult and spitting.
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who are my adversaries?
Let them confront me.
It is the Lord God who helps me;
who will declare me guilty?
All of them will wear out like a garment;
the moth will eat them up.
Posted at 10:59 #
Mon, 10 Mar 2008
MARCH 11 - GOD'S STEADFAST LOVE
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 (NRSV)
----------
DEVOTIONAL:
This past week I asked one of our international
students, “So what brought you to Goshen College?”
The response to this question became a testimony
to the power of God’s love and protection. She said
that her life was threatened because of her
educational pursuits. She explained that it was her
way out of political turmoil in a country that was
killing college students and placing them in jail.
After her second time being jailed for no reason at
all, she was forced to leave the country and her
family that she loved in order to survive and
accomplish her goals.
As I listened to her powerful testimony, I became
overwhelmed with the presence of God’s steadfast
love. I was honored to be in the presence of a
strong and inspiring young woman who recognized
Jesus Christ as her Redeemer. Internally, I began to
sing a love song to Jesus for being a proven Savior,
Protector and Deliverer. Her story reminded me to
be grateful for each day that I am given and to
never take my blessings for granted. With a heart of
gratitude, I sing with the psalmist, “This is the day
that the Lord hath made and I will rejoice and be
glad in it!”
For all these things and more, I give thanks to the
Lord for he is good; his steadfast love endures
forever.
----------
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 (NRSV)
Let Israel say,
This is the gate of the Lord;
I thank you that you have answered me
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the
Lord.
You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
By Odelet Nance, director of multicultural
affairs
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
O give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his
steadfast love endures forever!
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his steadfast love endures for ever!
‘His steadfast love endures for ever.’
Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.
the righteous shall enter through it.
and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing;
it is marvellous in our eyes.
This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Save us, we beseech you, O Lord!
O Lord, we beseech you, give us success!
We bless you from the house of the Lord.
The Lord is God, and he has given us light.
Bind the festal procession with branches,
up to the horns of the altar.
you are my God, I will extol you.
for his steadfast love endures for ever.
Posted at 11:27 #
Sun, 9 Mar 2008
MARCH 10 - INTO THE DEPTHS
THIS WEEK’S THEME: Into the depths
----------
DEVOTIONAL:
That same year my brother passed away on New Year's Eve. Unlike my father's, this death was unexpected, hard to understand and much too early. This happened days before a new semester began on campus and I was back at my live-in position the day after his funeral. There wasn't the time and space to mourn the way I had after dad died. God taught me this time about sufficiency for each day and renewed my wonder at the beauty and the mystery of I Corinthians 13:12, "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."
While the depth of pain and loss were similar in these situations, God knew the needs of my heart were different. I had unique things to learn about the character of God each time. These were lessons that my heart needed. They have made my faith deeper and my strength stronger.
When I look at the Scripture passages for this week, I see those who love God, even Christ himself, going through various types of pain -- pain that was deep and real. God did not let them avoid the pain because through it they came to know more of God -- the God of infinite love. May we also have the strength to go through those situations in our own lives so that we can also know more of this God that we serve.
----------
Devotion organizer’s note: To clear up some confusion, we do not include a Scripture with the devotions on Mondays, but rather focus the devotion on the week's theme (a subtheme of "Out of the depths"). The lectionary then offers us four Scriptures that we include with the devotions the rest of the week.
By Susie Lambright, resident director
2004 was a difficult year. My father passed away in June. His death was expected, the end to many years of health struggles, and a release from the pain of this world at the end of a life well lived. I grieved during the summer when life on a college campus is slower. I had time to spend reminiscing with friends and family about dad's life, to take long walks to talk with God about the emotions that I was experiencing and to pray. God taught me about the cycle of life in a fresh way that summer.
Posted at 19:41 #
Thu, 6 Mar 2008
MARCH 7 - IN SPITE OF CHAOS
SCRIPTURE: John 11:1-45 (NRSV)
----------
DEVOTIONAL:
In this story, Jesus’ dramatic victory over death is embedded in ordinary Family Dynamics. First, there is the uncertainty of when to leave for Bethany under the circumstances. The disciples grumble about Jesus’ risk-taking behavior in returning to an area where his life was threatened. When he does arrive, multiple people imply that Jesus was to blame for Lazarus’ death for not arriving sooner. Even Martha’s confession of faith is intermixed with weeping, resentment and anxiety. And being Martha, she can’t help worrying about the stench at the tomb.
Meanwhile in the background, a houseful of relatives and neighbors with questionable political opinions are milling around underfoot. Most places in the Gospel of John, “the Jews” are out to get Jesus. Here they are the loyal mourners, but later they will carry their questions about Jesus back to Jerusalem.
Perhaps I notice all this weeping and scraping of chairs because I am reading Bonnie Miller-McLemore’s In the Midst of Chaos: Caring for Children as Spiritual Practice right now. In this book, a theologian and mother of three offers a gentle critique of the desert-father variety of spirituality which emphasizes solitude, silence and detachment. She claims family life as an equally valid and valuable source of spiritual growth and divine activity.
In John’s story of Lazarus, the glory of God breaks into the midst of a grieving family. It comes in spite of tears, in spite of doubt, in spite of the lateness of the hour or wondering who to blame. May you too experience one such moment with your family this Lenten season.
----------
SCRIPTURE: John 11:1-45 (NRSV)
Then after this he said to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judea again.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?’ Jesus answered, ‘Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.’ After saying this, he told them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.’ Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead. For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.’ Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow-disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.’
When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.’
When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, ‘The Teacher is here and is calling for you.’ And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’ But some of them said, ‘Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?’
Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, ‘Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead for four days.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upwards and said, ‘Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.’ When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’
Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.
By Jennifer Halteman Schrock, coordinator of public programs at Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
I had not noticed how untidy the story of Lazarus was before this reading. Most sermons on John 11 focus on Lazarus stumbling out of the tomb, but the more mundane events leading up to this climax run on for 45 messy verses. I had to sit on my hands to keep from editing them.
Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.’ But when Jesus heard it, he said, ‘This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’ Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
Posted at 09:50 #
Wed, 5 Mar 2008
MARCH 6 - FLESH VERSUS SPIRIT
SCRIPTURE: Romans 8:6-11 (NRSV)
----------
DEVOTIONAL:
We got the word the third Thursday in November: "your mother made it through surgery but we were not able to remove all the cancer. She has a healthy diet, she’s young and mentally strong, so if anyone can beat it she can."
My brother, fighting to keep mom’s flesh alive and strong, begs her to eat as much as she can or more. My father, not seeing my mother so frail, comments, “Wow, she has lost a lot of weight.” Her sisters hearing her voice on the phone, question me on the truth of her being sick. But upon seeing her, they fight back their desire to become weak in front of her as she dwindled to 88 pounds of flesh.
So, what’s left? The spirit.
You look to find the breath as you stand over her bed, you await the moments that create laughter, you’re thankful for the days without pain, you celebrate when she gains a pound and a half. You encourage the soul to not give up or give in to the flesh that is so tired. You’re grateful to receive another hug. You welcome the calm, the peacefulness and her ability to love life, realizing that life with flesh is nothing without the spirit.
----------
SCRIPTURE: Romans 8:6-11 (NRSV)
But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.
By Michele Fanfair Steury, director of student activities
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
When I think about the flesh versus spirit, my mother comes to mind:
123 pounds most of her 62 years of life,
a loud, explosive voice,
5’3” (though she always thought she was 5’5),
always in control or controlling,
creative,
brown skinned,
short hair,
traditional (appreciative of her Guyanese culture), while remaining open to being American,
entrepreneurial,
giving, and yet forgiving,
strong,
fashionable and
living to love.
To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law -- indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Posted at 12:26 #
Tue, 4 Mar 2008
MARCH 5 - WHEN THE WORLD CLOSES IN
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 130 (NRSV)
----------
DEVOTIONAL:
Whether or not we raise our hands to God seeking
salvation; or turn in on our fear and nurture it, God
is present. Deep within us, where alone we find
darkness and fear, God touches us. God brings us
salvation from our despair and our fear. If sin is the
separation from God and the denial of God, then we
have sinned. In our own eyes we are deserving of
the condemnation we heap upon ourselves. But God
does not condemn. We are God’s creation and God
forgives what we may not even be able to look at.
Words are sometimes very easy. Those who have
never seen darkness may find it easy to speak of
joy. It costs little to move from one radiant moment
to the next. But refusing to look into the darkness
does not bring light. If we are honest we see that
life is not all light and we know that need to be a
part of God’s salvation more than anything we can
name. It is that desperate need that opens us to
salvation and the new life that God offers. God
alone is our salvation. Salvation does not come
because the darkness has vanished.
----------
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 130 (NRSV)
by Carl Helrich, professor of physics
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
Each of us has known a time in which the world
closes in on us. There we feel alone and even may
despair. And the world only mirrors our emptiness.
The words even of our closest friends, whom we
love and trust, may bring us no relief. These are
times when we simply lose our way. And fear may
rob us of the ability to see beyond the darkness.
A Song of Ascents.
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications!
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you,
so that you may be revered.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.
O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
It is he who will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities.
Posted at 08:37 #
Mon, 3 Mar 2008
MARCH 4 - LIFE BACK INTO BONES
SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 37:1-14 (NRSV)
----------
DEVOTIONAL:
This is what I thought of when reading about
Ezekiel’s valley of bones. I have never seen a
human skeleton, but I would think that it is even
more impossible to imagine life back into bones
than into a dead body. It is significant, then, that
Ezekiel does not attempt to imagine it himself, but
places the work entirely in the hands of God: “Only
you know that, Sovereign YHWH.” This is the step of
faith that is asked of us as we seek new life. I know
that I don’t have the strength to imagine the
renewal God has in mind, but I have just enough
strength, just enough faith to say that I don’t know
the parameters of reality, but I am willing to stretch
out my hand in the hope that God will take it. When
Ezekiel obeyed God’s strange command and
prophesied to the bones and the wind, I think that
is what he said, more or less.
----------
SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 37:1-14 (NRSV)
So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I
prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling,
and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I
looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh
had come upon them, and skin had covered them;
but there was no breath in them. Then he said to
me, ‘Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and
say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come
from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon
these slain, that they may live.’ I prophesied as he
commanded me, and the breath came into them,
and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast
multitude.
Then he said to me, ‘Mortal, these bones are the
whole house of Israel. They say, “Our bones are
dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off
completely.” Therefore prophesy, and say to them,
Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your
graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my
people; and I will bring you back to the land of
Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when
I open your graves, and bring you up from your
graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you,
and you shall live, and I will place you on your own
soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have
spoken and will act, says the Lord.’
By Hope Langeland, a senior English and social
work double major from Grand Rapids, Mich.
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
Standing by my grandfather’s casket, I remember
trying with all my might to envision him back alive,
to will the blood back through his veins and oxygen
through his lungs with the force of my imagination.
I touched his hand, though, and it didn’t feel like
him; I could see the foundation collecting strangely
in the creases under his eyes, and I couldn’t
imagine those eyes opening. I think what scared me
more than the death itself was that I could not
make myself believe he was ever coming back. Life
after death, even life of a disembodied soul,
seemed impossible. That was terrifying, not just
because of my grandfather, who I loved, but
because looking at his body, I thought of Jesus in
the tomb, and could not make myself believe
concretely in the resurrection. In the exhaustion of
sorrow, however, I held out one last desperate hope
that truth did not depend on my understanding.
The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he
brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me
down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.
He led me all round them; there were very many
lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said
to me, ‘Mortal, can these bones live?’ I answered, ‘O
Lord God, you know.’ Then he said to me,
‘Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry
bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the
Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to
enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on
you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and
cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you
shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.’
Posted at 14:25 #
Sun, 2 Mar 2008
MARCH 3 - INTO NEW LIFE
THIS WEEK’S THEME: Into new life
----------
DEVOTIONAL:
This week’s theme, “Into new life,” weaves together a number of passages remit with brokenness, despair and loss. At first glance, the Valley of Dry Bones and the tomb of Lazarus reflect only death and destruction. Psalm 130 reverberates with cries of despair and hopelessness, all responses to real and painful human experiences. Certainly, not the way many of us define living.
Jean Vanier, founder of the L’Arche community for people with mental disabilities, offers a contrasting perspective of what ‘living’ or ‘giving life’ may be for the believer. Vanier suggests that to offer life, we must offer that which we most love to others. Offering what we most treasure allows us to transmit life to others. By living with people with disabilities, Vanier learned that to “be human is to be bonded together, each with our own weaknesses and strengths, because we need each other.”
What do we treasure most today? Perhaps it is our money, our time, our independence, our intellect or our ability to serve others. May God show us our brokenness and need for each other so that we might truly live.
----------
Devotion organizer’s note: To clear up some confusion, we do not include a Scripture with the devotions on Mondays, but rather focus the devotion on the week's theme (a subtheme of "Out of the depths"). The lectionary then offers us four Scriptures that we include with the devotions the rest of the week.
By Launa Rohrer, associate dean of students
“Now that’s living!” we say, when we have an experience that captures vitality and excitement. True living might connote a sense of connection with the world around us, a sense of having ‘arrived’ or ‘having it all.’
Posted at 17:39 #
Thu, 28 Feb 2008
FEB. 29 - THE WORLD OF LIGHT
SCRIPTURE: John 9:1-41 (NRSV)
----------
DEVOTIONAL:
Imagine being born into a world of darkness, devoid of color, shimmer and shadow. Imagine now suddenly being thrust forth from this world into one of intricate subtleties of light and beauty, darkness and shades.
Two worlds such as these exist in our midst. One is inhabited by people whose eyes have been opened and are disciples of their Healer. The other, a world of darkness, pain and stubborn blindness, is inhabited by those still like the Pharisees. Those who have crossed over the threshold into the world of light cannot imagine looking back; they simply know that where they were once blind, now they see.
How often do we claim sight, but really stand blindly in the world of darkness! Healing for our blindness is free for the asking; the glorious key that would floor our souls with light is waiting to open the door to a second world we never knew existed. How glorious is the light! “Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of one born blind,” but this I know: I once was blind, but now I see.
----------
SCRIPTURE: John 9:1-41 (NRSV)
They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, ‘He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.’ Some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.’ But others said, ‘How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?’ And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, ‘What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.’ He said, ‘He is a prophet.’
The Jews did not believe tha
t he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, ‘Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?’ His parents answered, ‘We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.’ His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, ‘He is of age; ask him.’
So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, ‘Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.’ He answered, ‘I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.’ They said to him, ‘What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?’ He answered them, ‘I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?’ Then they reviled him, saying, ‘You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.’ The man answered, ‘Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.’ They answered him, ‘You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?’ And they drove him out.
Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ He answered, ‘And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.’ He said, ‘Lord, I believe.’ And he worshipped him. Jesus said, ‘I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.’ Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, ‘Surely we are not blind, are we?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, “We see”, your sin remains.
by Kathryn Schlabach, a sophomore molecular biology/biochemistry major from Turner, Ore.
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
The biological process of sight is complicated. Light passes through a lens and is directed to the retina where it stimulates photoreceptors that send an electrical impulse to the brain where it is transformed with millions of other impulses into a recognizable image. In a mere fraction of a second, the sparkle of snow or the glow of a loved one’s smile is transformed from light to memory. Light is the key to seeing.
As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’ When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, ‘Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some were saying, ‘It is he.’ Others were saying, ‘No, but it is someone like him.’ He kept saying, ‘I am the man.’ But they kept asking him, ‘Then how were your eyes opened?’ He answered, ‘The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, “Go to Siloam and wash.” Then I went and washed and received my sight.’ They said to him, ‘Where is he?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’
Posted at 17:41 #
Wed, 27 Feb 2008
FEB. 28 - YOU ARE LIGHT
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 5:8-14 (NRSV)
----------
DEVOTIONAL:
What are we willing to expose? I am always intrigued about what different people are willing to expose to the light or to protest. I come from a country where protests and public tumult were so frequent that people learned to live with them. Nowadays, there are even Internet sites with full calendars of upcoming protests worldwide. People become so passionate about their personal beliefs that are willing to take it to the streets. I remember one particular protest where women, many of them with pots and pans, overthrew the country’s president.
What do we Christians protest about? How far are we willing to go? John MacArthur, in his commentary about this passage, talks about exposing the Evil’s deeds in these terms: “The Greek word translated ‘reprove’ means ‘to expose.’ Rather than doing what people in the world do, we are to expose their evil. You could call us the spiritual police: our job is to expose the crimes of darkness. Our tool is the Word of God…We are to expose evil by our life and by our words.”
I have witnessed Christians protesting against wars, protesting against moral or economical injustices. However, when was the last time that we publicly protested against bitterness, rage, anger, lack of compassion or forgiveness?
We have been given the responsibility to be light, lets shine like one.
----------
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 5:8-14 (NRSV)
By Carlos Gutierrez, associate director of financial aid
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light -- for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
‘Sleeper, awake!
Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.’
Posted at 11:20 #
Tue, 26 Feb 2008
FEB. 27 - A PSALM OF HOLY SECURITY
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 23 (NRSV)
----------
DEVOTIONAL:
Most recently, the psalm has received wide acclaim on YouTube. Abby, a young redhead who fittingly wears a “princess” shirt, recites the passage from memory in a home video. My first recollection of Psalm 23 comes from when I was about Abby’s age -- maybe five years old -- and had to recite this passage in front of my home congregation. Only, I was given the praise of around 300 members of my church instead of almost 300,000 viewers online.
In Psalm 23, David addresses one of our deepest human needs: protection. We live in a country where the newest governmental cabinet position is the Secretary of Homeland Security. Our world has once again found itself focusing on rhetoric of hostility. I write this on a day when the news headlines include: “France watches Chad’s border,” “Al-Qaida shifting from Iraq to Pakistan” and “Bush vows to veto surveillance bill.”
Though we live in a time of uncertainty, terror and surveillance, this psalm offers the shepherding comfort of a Holy Security rather than the blind assurances of the political Homeland Security. I wonder what it might look like to relax in green pastures with the comfort of God's holy security, to dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Amen.
----------
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 23 (NRSV)
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
You prepare a table before me
By Sheldon Good, a junior communication and business double major from Telford, Pa.
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
The twenty-third Psalm is one of the most familiar texts of the Hebrew Scriptures. It’s one of few texts that have effectively synthesized both religious and secular worldviews. Appearances in popular culture include references from musicians such as The Eagles, U2 and Good Charlotte; in movies including Titanic, X-Men 2 and Bruce Almighty; and through cultural dignitaries like Bob Dylan, Stephen King and George W. Bush.
A Psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff --
they comfort me.
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.
Posted at 14:05 #
Mon, 25 Feb 2008
FEB. 26 - UNCLEAR TO THE HUMAN EYE
SCRIPTURE: I Samuel 16:1-13 (NRSV)
----------
DEVOTIONAL:
What do I do that prevents me from seeing as God
sees? Like Samuel grieving over Saul’s pending loss
of the kingship, do I spend so much mental energy
fretting about unpleasant situations that I can’t see
what God wants to reveal to me? Do I try so hard to
be self-reliant that I can’t let God lead me through
times of uncertainty? In a time of grief and fear,
God instructed Samuel step-by-step and often just
in time. I like how “The New Interpreter’s Bible”
commentary says that “there is a constant dialogue
between God and Samuel…God seems almost
indulgent with Samuel in saying, ‘I will tell you what
to do.’”
Maybe when I am most afraid, most hurt and
bewildered, I need to stop trying so hard to work
out all of the practicalities and logistics of moving
forward and instead listen for God telling me what
to do next. Maybe if I open myself up to a “constant
dialogue” with God, and if I trust that I will get just-
in-time guidance as Samuel did, I’ll be better able
to see things clearly, to see the heart as
God sees it
-- whether it be the heart of another person or the
“heart of the matter” in a complex and painful
situation.
----------
SCRIPTURE: I Samuel 16:1-13 (NRSV)
When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought,
‘Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.’
But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his
appearance or on the height of his stature, because
I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as
mortals see; they look on the outward appearance,
but the Lord looks on the heart.’ Then Jesse called
Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He
said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Then
Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, ‘Neither
has the Lord chosen this one.’ Jesse made seven of
his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to
Jesse, ‘The Lord has not chosen any of these.’
Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Are all your sons here?’ And
he said, ‘There remains yet the youngest, but he is
keeping the sheep.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send
and bring him; for we will not sit down until he
comes here.’ He sent and brought him in. Now he
was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was
handsome. The Lord said, ‘Rise and anoint him; for
this is the one.’ Then Samuel took the horn of oil,
and anointed him in the presence of his brothers;
and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David
from that day forward. Samuel then set out and
went to Ramah.
by Lisa Guedea Carreño, director of the Harold and Wilma Good Library
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
The story of David’s anointing as new king of Israel
centers on seeing clearly and seeing the right
things: “the Lord does not see as mortals see; they
look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks
on the heart” (v.7). David was handsome, but he
was not regal in stature like king Saul. And Jesse
didn’t even include him when presenting his sons
to Samuel. Only after God chastised Samuel for
focusing on the wrong things and rejected Jesse’s
other sons was David finally called in from tending
sheep. What God sees may be unclear to the human
eye; sometimes even a prophet misses it.
The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you grieve
over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over
Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send
you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided
for myself a king among his sons.’ Samuel said,
‘How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.’
And the Lord said, ‘Take a heifer with you, and say,
“I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.” Invite Jesse to
the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do;
and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name
to you.’ Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and
came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to
meet him trembling, and said, ‘Do you come
peaceably?’ He said, ‘Peaceably; I have come to
sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come
with me to the sacrifice.’ And he sanctified Jesse
and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
Posted at 11:44 #
Sun, 24 Feb 2008
FEB. 25 - INTO NEW SIGHT THIS WEEK'S THEME: Into new sight
----------
DEVOTIONAL:
When we returned home in April, I discovered that what I had suspected was correct: the cataract in my right eye had worsened dramatically, and a secondary cataract had developed in my left eye. Surgery returned both eyes to 20/20 distance vision, a modern miracle for which I am very grateful. Most striking, perhaps, was seeing, as though for the first time, the brilliance of colors; my clouded natural lenses had nearly extinguished hues, reducing the spectrum so slowly and imperceptibly that I had been unaware of the loss.
"Into new sight," this week's Lenten theme, carries special meaning for me this year. In the biblical text, "seeing" is a key motif, especially in the Gospel of John: seeing the coming of God's reign (Mark 9:1; John 3:3), seeing God through seeing Jesus (John 1:14, 18; 14:9; Colossians 1:15), the pure in heart seeing God (Matthew 5:8) and seeing the resurrected Christ (Acts 1:22; John 3:11, 32; 8:38; 19:35). One of Jesus' key miracles is healing the man born blind (John 9). But even with all of this focus on seeing, Jesus also pronounces a blessing on "those who have not seen and yet have come to believe" (John 20:29).
No matter what the condition of our vision, to be open to Jesus is to be prepared for new sight: perspectives we hadn't considered, radiant colors we couldn't remember, hope we could no longer visualize, truths that had eluded us, blind spots we hadn't acknowledged. May this Lenten season grant us renewed vision for navigating the journey of faith.
----------
Devotion organizer’s note: To clear up some confusion, we do not include a Scripture with the devotions on Mondays, but rather focus the devotion on the week's theme (a subtheme of "Out of the depths"). The lectionary then offers us four Scriptures that we include with the devotions the rest of the week.
By Keith Graber Miller, professor of Bible, religion and philosophy
During the Lenten season last year, when my family and I were leading Goshen's first Study-Service Term in Cambodia, I became increasingly and frighteningly aware that my vision was declining. At first I noticed that, even with corrective lenses, I could not read street signs as tuk-tuks (motorcycle carts) catapulted me through traffic. Then I realized I could barely make out students' handwriting in their reflective journals. Then ordering off restaurant menus became a trial unless I was within range of bright lights.
Posted at 19:34 #
Thu, 21 Feb 2008
FEB. 22 - TWO SIDES TO THE STORY SCRIPTURE: John 4:5-42 (NRSV) ---------- DEVOTIONAL: Another sermon could highlight how Jesus brought the woman to recognize him first as a prophet, then as the Messiah and eventually as someone she wanted to tell everyone in town about. What began as a chance encounter eventually spread to attract everyone in town to come out for two days of preaching. Are we equally comfortable with both dimensions of this story? A modern-day U.S. Christian who crosses national and gender boundaries might go speak with the country's Muslim enemies in Syria, or at home advocate equal rights and roles for women in the church. Now think of a Christian who, in casual conversation with a stranger on a plane, mentions a personal testimony about Jesus, or later goes door-to-door inviting everyone to a two-day revival meeting. Is the person you imagine flying to Syria the same you imagine recruiting for the revival, or do our stereotypes imagine individuals at opposite ends of the spectrum of U.S. Christians? For me it is the latter, and I picture each Christian being very suspicious of the motives of the other. Thinking of what followed after Jesus met a woman at a well 2,000 years ago, I have to ask myself: Was that really contradictory, or does one part of the story need the other to really make sense, to show what Jesus was bringing into the open for the world to see? ---------- SCRIPTURE: John 4:5-42 (NRSV) A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, 'Give me a drink'. (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, 'How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?' (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, 'If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, "Give me a drink", you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.' The woman said to him, 'Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?' Jesus said to her, 'Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.' The woman said to him, 'Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.' Jesus said to her, 'Go, call your husband, and come back.' The woman answered him, 'I have no husband.' Jesus said to her, 'You are right in saying, "I have no husband"; for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!' The woman said to him, 'Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.' Jesus said to her, 'Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.' The woman said to him, 'I know that Messiah is coming' (who is called Christ). 'When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.' Jesus said to her, 'I am he, the one who is speaking to you.' Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, 'What do you want?' or, 'Why are you speaking with her?' Then the woman left her water-jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, 'Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?' They left the city and were on their way to him. Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, 'Rabbi, eat something.' But he said to them, 'I have food to eat that you do not know about.' So the disciples said to one another, 'Surely no one has brought him something to eat?' Jesus said to them, 'My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, "Four months more, then comes the harvest"? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, "One sows and another reaps." I sent you to reap that for which you did not labour. Others have laboured, and you have entered into their labour.' Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony, 'He told me everything I have ever done.' So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there for two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, 'It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Saviour of the world.'
By Doug Schirch, associate professor of chemistry
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
This story in John 4 could inspire two sermons about what Jesus brings into the open. One notes that Samaritans and Jews were bitter enemies, and most Jews would have been scandalized seeing Jesus talk with a despised Samaritan. Then Jesus flaunted religious expectations even further by drinking from a Samaritan vessel. Every decent person also knew that a man should not speak in public with unrelated women, and discussing theology with them was considered wrong in any location.
So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon.
Posted at 10:25 #
Wed, 20 Feb 2008
FEB. 21 - BOASTING IN CHRIST SCRIPTURE: Romans 5:1-11 (NRSV) ----------
DEVOTIONAL: As I have grown up, I have never really known or considered what Lent means to me. Now, as I think about it and reflect on what I have heard and learned, Lent is a time for us to prepare our hearts for the hope of Christ. Lent is a time for us as individuals and communities to look inward as we wait and long for the light within to burst out into the open. Here in this passage, Paul talks about boasting. He mentions that we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God and we also boast in our sufferings, which eventually leads back to a hope that is eternal because of God's great love for us. This love was embodied in Christ, who died for the sins of the world and then burst forth out of the depths into the open. This is why we have hope. This is what we look forward to during this period of Lent. We can boast in Christ, who is our light and redeemer. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls his disciples to let their lights shine. Lights are not meant to be hidden, but to be set out in the open. Christ is our hope and the one worth suffering for. Christ is the light within us. So, let us boast about our light, as we let Christ shine in the open. Take a moment. Reflect on the light within you. What brings you hope? Grasp on to Christ and boast in him! ---------- SCRIPTURE: Romans 5:1-11 (NRSV) For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
By Phil Schmidt, a senior Bible and religion major from Berne, Ind.
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
I invite you to reread today's Scripture passage one more time, this time focusing on the overall theme of Lent "Out of the depths" as well as the theme for this week "Into the open."
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
Posted at 15:01 #
Tue, 19 Feb 2008
FEB. 20 - A PURPOSEFUL CHOICE TO MAKE
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 95 (NRSV)
----------
DEVOTIONAL: Some days
it's so easy to feel God's presence all around me, to
worship and make a joyful noise. There are other
days when I struggle to feel God's presence, when I
feel so alone in a dark and dreary land. It's on
these days that I've found that I need to choose to
worship God; that I need to choose joy. In choosing
to worship God, I make a conscious effort to think
of the many attributes of God and I am reminded of
what an awesome God we serve. In choosing joy, I
make a conscious effort to think of all that I am
thankful for and I am reminded of how blessed I
am. In choosing to worship, in choosing joy I find
the darkness of the day lifted and I am reminded
that I am not alone. During this season of Lent, may
we purposefully choose joy and experience
worship.
----------
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 95
(NRSV)
By Char Hochstetler, associate dean of students
and campus counselor
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
What a great
God we have to worship: a God above all other
Gods, who made the earth and the sea, who guides
us as a shepherd guides his sheep.
O come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our
salvation!
Let us come into his presence with
thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of
praise!
For the Lord is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and the dry land, which his hands have formed.
O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.
O that today you would listen to his voice!
Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
when your ancestors tested me,
and put me to the proof, though they had seen
my work.
For forty years I loathed that generation
and said, 'They are a people whose hearts go
astray,
and they do not regard my ways.'
Therefore in my anger I swore,
'They shall not enter my rest.'
Posted at 09:30 #
Mon, 18 Feb 2008
FEB. 19 - THE WATER WILL BE PROVIDED SCRIPTURE: Exodus 17:1-7 (NRSV) ---------- DEVOTIONAL: Water is essential for life. People can only survive a couple of days without it. The Israelites were afraid and doubted God's presence; they tested God and complained to Moses. But God was still present among the people in this hard time and provided water for them in answer to Moses' prayer. Like the Israelites, the Apostles thought they had been abandoned. After Jesus had been crucified, they mourned for their teacher and friend. They fled into hiding, legitimately afraid of being harmed themselves. They began to doubt Jesus' teachings and God's presence. Their world had been turned upside down and they didn't know where to turn next. They lost faith in God's plan. Like the Israelites, thirsty in the desert, and the Apostles, mourning after the crucifixion, God asks us to trust. Winter will come to an end. Spring is going to be here very soon. Be patient. There will be water. Easter morning will arrive. Jesus will rise. Just as God led the Israelites into the land of milk and honey, and as Jesus rose and sent the Apostles with the Holy Spirit to teach the Good News, God will provide for all we need, even in the hard times. All we have to do is trust and have faith. ---------- SCRIPTURE: Exodus 17:1-7 (NRSV)
By Tina Peters, a junior physics major from Yellow Springs, Ohio
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
In today's passage, an absence of water on the road from Egypt caused the people of Israel to doubt Moses and God. Israel had trusted God to lead them out of Egypt into the Promised Land, but things had become difficult.
From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarrelled with Moses, and said, 'Give us water to drink.' Moses said to them, 'Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?' But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, 'Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?' So Moses cried out to the Lord, 'What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.' The Lord said to Moses, 'Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.' Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarrelled and tested the Lord, saying, 'Is the Lord among us or not?'
Posted at 14:31 #
Sun, 17 Feb 2008
FEB. 18 - INTO THE OPEN
THIS WEEK'S THEME: Into new birth
----------
DEVOTIONAL:
As we encounter the Lenten lections this week, we will notice images of springs and rocks, and they are symbols of survival and restoration. In the Exodus passage, water rushes from a rock. The psalmist praises God, the rock of salvation. In the Gospel reading, Jesus explains he is the wellspring of salvation and joy.
What do springs and rocks, survival and restoration have to do with the collapsing of public and private spheres? Being at peace with who we are rather than projecting personas left and right is a form of reconciliation, which is salvation, Paul explains to the Romans. The bringing together of opposites -- public and private, water and stone -- allows us to turn toward openness, the openness of Christ's hand as he beckons saying, "Follow me."
By Malinda Elizabeth Berry, visiting scholar in religion and women's studies
One of the classic themes I remember from my classes focusing on American women's history was the division of life into two spheres: public and private. What happens in our homes or behind closed doors versus what happens in the "public square" often result a compartmentalized life. While we quickly learned how false this separation actually was and is, I am still struck by how difficult it can be for most of us to live as whole, integrated people, and yet how quickly we judge people who we perceive as being inconsistent in their public declarations and their private dealings. Such inconsistencies must be brought out into the open, we say.
Posted at 17:55 #
Thu, 14 Feb 2008
FEB. 15 - TO BE BORN AGAIN
SCRIPTURE: John 3:1-17 (NRSV) DEVOTIONAL:
I've always assumed that the phrase in John 3:3, "no
one can see the kingdom of God without being
born from above," meant that we will not go to
heaven if we are not born again. But in light of
King's speech, I began to understand this passage
in a new way: that without a rebirth -- a structural
change within our hearts and minds -- we cannot
see -- or even be aware of -- the extent to which
the kingdom of God is present in our lives at
this very moment.
Birth is not an instant process, even though the
ways in which the phrase "born again" is bandied
about in our culture might suggest otherwise. Birth
is a journey, a crossing from one state into another,
fraught with pain, uncertainty and danger, as well
as joy. When we trust God to truly change our
hearts, we embark on a journey which utterly
changes us -- from the inside out.
SCRIPTURE: John 3:1-17 (NRSV)
'Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know
and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not
receive our testimony. If I have told you about
earthly things and you do not believe, how can you
believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one
has ascended into heaven except the one who
descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just
as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so
must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever
believes in him may have eternal life.
'For God so loved the world that he gave his only
Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not
perish but may have eternal life.
'Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to
condemn the world, but in order that the world
might be saved through him.
By Ann Hostetler, professor of English
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
What does it mean to be born again? In one of
Martin Luther King Jr.'s last speeches, "Where Do We
Go From Here?" the great nonviolent leader retold
the story of Nicodemus's night visit to Jesus. King
interprets Jesus's instructions to the young Jewish
ruler -- "you must be born again" -- to mean that
"your whole structure must be changed." In this
speech, King was attempting to convince the
Southern Christian Leadership Commission to
support him in calling for an end to the Vietnam
War. King knew that nothing less than a radical
change of heart -- reflected in structural change --
would motivate Americans to end the war. This was
obvious to King because he himself could "see"
from a perspective of rebirth, but many of his
supporters did not share this vision.
Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a
leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and
said to him, 'Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher
who has come from God; for no one can do these
signs that you do apart from the presence of God.'
Jesus answered him, 'Very truly, I tell you, no one
can see the kingdom of God without being born
from above.' Nicodemus said to him, 'How can
anyone be born after having grown old? Can one
enter a second time into the mother's womb and be
born?' Jesus answered, 'Very truly, I tell you, no one
can enter the kingdom of God without being born
of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is
flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not
be astonished that I said to you, "You must be born
from above." The wind blows where it chooses, and
you hear the sound of it, but you do not know
where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with
everyone who is born of the Spirit.' Nicodemus said
to him, 'How can these things be?' Jesus answered
him, 'Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not
understand these things?
Posted at 13:48 #
Wed, 13 Feb 2008
FEB. 14 - TO A PLACE WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE
SCRIPTURE: Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
(NRSV) DEVOTIONAL:
Just then, a limo pulls up and the door opens. A
man is sitting inside and he invites you in. You
accept in hopes that whatever is in the limo is
better than your current situation. The man inside
offers you a hot beverage and some warm clothes.
His smile warms the deepest parts of your soul. You
laugh together and drive; time has lost its
importance. When the limo stops, you look out the
window. There is a beautiful, sparkling lake, almost
from a book. The man hands you a set of keys.
Grace. Our Creator loves us so much that he wants
to spend eternity, the rest of forever, with us. Yes,
with us. "Me?" some may ask. Yes, everyone; there
are no exceptions. Our God wants to take us "out of
the depths," to a place words cannot describe, a
place that our minds cannot conceive. Why?
Because of love. Yes, love. It's really that simple. It's
a free gift. We cannot "earn" it, but can only accept
it. Take the keys. Accept the gift. You'll be glad you
did.
SCRIPTURE: Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
(NRSV)
For the promise that he would inherit the world did
not come to Abraham or to his descendants
through the law but through the righteousness of
faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be
the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For
the law brings wrath; but where there is no law,
neither is there violation.
For this reason it depends on faith, in order that
the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed
to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of
the law but also to those who share the faith of
Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is
written, ‘I have made you the father of many
nations') -- in the presence of the God in whom he
believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into
existence the things that do not exist.
By Bryce Bow, a junior physical education major
from Muncie, Ind.
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
Imagine (Yes, I'm asking you to really focus, really
use your imagination!). Imagine, right now, you are
a homeless person, living under a bridge in, say,
downtown Chicago. It's cold out, extremely cold.
Your clothes are tattered and dirty. Your hair is
nappy, you haven't showered in a long time and
you're hungry because it's been days since you last
had anything to eat. You're in pain, more than
physical pain. A deep, throbbing pain circulates
through your whole body, almost as if your soul
hurts. It starts to rain. A cold wind sweeps through
and blows your small fire out. All you can feel is
pain, the cold and the tears running down your
face. Stop for a second and really put yourself
there.
"What's this?" you ask, with a smile.
"It's yours," he says.
"What's mine?"
"Everything," he says, with a chuckle.
You look closer at the keys: for a boat, a house, a
car. For the desires of your heart.
"Do you accept?" he asks, with a smile.
No words will come out. "Why? What did I do?" you
ask yourself. "I don't deserve this. You slowly take
the keys.
"I'll be right next door if you need anything," the
man says, smiling still. You have too many
emotions: confusion, excitement, joy, love.
What then are we to say was gained by Abraham,
our ancestor according to the flesh? For if Abraham
was justified by works, he has something to boast
about, but not before God. For what does the
scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was
reckoned to him as righteousness.' Now to one who
works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as
something due. But to one who without works
trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is
reckoned as righteousness.
Posted at 16:43 #
Tue, 12 Feb 2008
FEB. 13 - A QUIET CONFIDENCE IN THE MIDST OF DESPAIR
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 121 (NRSV) DEVOTIONAL:
My friend had reason to despair. Her little son suffers from asthma. She has multiple health problems, including chronic depression. During the housing bubble, her family bought a house, which turned out to have such severe mold and plumbing problems that they lost most of their savings when they had to repair it and then sell it after the housing bubble burst. Now her husband learned that he is losing his job. Can my friend rely on God to bring her "out of the depths"?
In the NRSV Bible, Psalm 121 is sub-titled "Assurance of God's Protection." "The LORD will keep you from all evil," it says. "The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore." Really? Even my friend, in her depths of despair?
Many of the Psalms are laments that help us cry out to God, but this one is quietly confident. The book of Psalms is the hymnal of the Hebrews, and Psalm 121 calls to mind some of my own favorite hymns: "Farther along we'll know all about it. Farther along we'll understand why," "Earth has no sorrows that heaven cannot heal" "No storm can shake my inmost calm, for to that rock I'm clinging. If Love is Lord of heaven and earth, how can I keep from singing?"
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 121 (NRSV)
I lift up my eyes to the hills --
He will not let your foot be moved;
The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord will keep you from all evil;
By Becky Horst, associate registrar and grants coordinator
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
"Why are all these terrible things happening to me?" my friend asked. "I try to be a good person. Why is God allowing this?"
A Song of Ascents.
from where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
he who keeps you will not slumber.
He who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
he will keep your life.
The Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time on and for evermore.
Posted at 17:30 #
Mon, 11 Feb 2008
FEB. 12 - THE CHANGING OF PLACE
SCRIPTURE: Genesis 12:1-4a (NRSV) DEVOTIONAL:
At age three, I moved with my family from the "home place" in Nebraska to northern Minnesota. We left a multigenerational setting to go to a place where we knew no one. My parents made the change with grace -- and I'm the better for it. Among other things, my passion for caring for the Earth was enhanced by growing up in that setting of woods, lakes and fields.
Having a sense of belonging within a place is an important part of our human ecology. This intentional awareness adds meaning to our relationships with all things around us. There is comfort in this familiarity. But there is also the potential that familiarity may become a blinder to what is detrimental in our place. God knew this to be true for Abram -- hence the call to move.
Are we willing to move as Abram did? The changing of place is like a new birth experience. Sometimes we are enamored by the new -- and in other ways we may be at a total loss. We grieve what we left behind and long for the old. But listening and responding with obedience to God's wise call is part of our hope, salvation and renewal.
SCRIPTURE: Genesis 12:1-4a (NRSV)
Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'
So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.
By Luke Gascho, executive director of Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
What a move for Abram! Moving from the familiar to the unfamiliar is hard. The changes are beyond what we feel we can handle. The losses can be so stunning that the move is like a death. But Abram responded to God's command by setting out on a journey that forever changed his life -- and history.
Posted at 15:31 #
Sun, 10 Feb 2008
FEB. 11 - INTO NEW BIRTH
THIS WEEK'S THEME: Into new birth
DEVOTIONAL:
What is Lent for? As a child I grew up thinking that it was the season in the church year when people didn't eat chocolate, or gave up coffee, or promised not to use any swear words for forty days. It was about sacrifice, about denying myself something that I liked or something that I was comfortable with – and I believed that if I did that, God would reward me somehow. But some years ago, I came to see Lent not as a season of sacrifice or atonement, but as the place in my year where God calls me to open myself up to possibility. Not just imagine what life would be like without coffee, but to feel how life is different without it. It is that time in the year when God requires me not merely to imagine how I can be different, but to try on being different -- and realize that it won't kill me.
This week's theme, "into new birth," and the Scriptures you will read hold strong promise as a set of key moments in our struggles to emerge "out of the depths" into the light of God. In the first scripture for this week's theme, the 75-year-old Abram hears God say "go from your country." In the second, the psalmist assures us of God's protection, saying, "The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in." In the last two, the writers deliver a clear message -- that acts of charity and obedience to God's calls to action are not enough; faith is required for our lives to be righteous. "Out of the depths," then, means that the journey from rebellion to obedience is not about doing what we're told. It's about finding God's voice deep within, hearing, believing and acting on our belief -- not in exchange for some reward -- but in faith that God will see us through.
In our first campus chapel of the new year, our campus pastor Bob Yoder prayed that we might let the spirit "meddle" in our lives. I believe Lent is our season to open ourselves to that possibility. May it be so.
By Ross Peterson-Veatch, director of curriculum, teaching and faculty development for the Center for Intercultural Teaching and Learning
Let the Spirit meddle in your life…
Posted at 18:23 #
Thu, 7 Feb 2008
FEB. 8 - NOT THAT KIND OF WILDERNESS
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 4:1-11 (NRSV)
---------- DEVOTIONAL:
The desert wilderness that Jesus entered was not this kind of wilderness. Jesus' wilderness was the other kind, the kind wrought with isolation and fear, the kind of piercing, whistling, winds. Jesus' wilderness was a place of temptation, of separation, of hopelessness and fear.
Though I may fail to identify it as such, I've often been in this kind of wilderness. All of us have times when we feel far from God. All of us have times when we have entered full force into the piercing winds of the world. We each have times of temptations, trials and tribulations. Through our experiences of these times, we're allowed to enter into the desert wilderness with Jesus. We identify with the temptation to play God, the temptation to test God, the temptation to worship false idols.
But through Jesus' temptations, we're given instructions on how to withstand our times of temptation. When we begin to slog through our own hopeless wilderness by answering as Jesus, by refusing temptations, by insisting on honoring God, our wilderness times are changed into something life-giving and affirming. Often, we come out of the wilderness able to see God in new and important ways. Able to see the ways in which our lives continue to be shaped. Able to view the wilderness as a transformative place where the desolate becomes lush, the empty becomes filled and our fear is turned into joy.
----------
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 4:1-11 (NRSV)
"One does not live by bread alone, Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, 'If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,
"He will command his angels concerning you",
Jesus said to him, 'Again it is written, "Do not put the Lord your God to the test." '
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; and he said to him, 'All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.' Jesus said to him, 'Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
"Worship the Lord your God,
Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
Amanda Beachy, a senior Bible and religion major from Kalona, Iowa
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
This story represents a different kind of "wilderness" than I usually picture. Through childhood vacations, I was trained to view the wilderness as a place of beauty, hope and renewal. When I think of wilderness, I picture the majesty of wild animals frolicking in meadows and forests, the uninterrupted growth of plants and trees, and monumental cloud shadows gently rolling over mountains.
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, 'If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.' But he answered, 'It is written,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." '
and "On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone." '
and serve only him." '
Posted at 21:24 #
Wed, 6 Feb 2008
FEB. 7 - EDEN'S LONGINGS
SCRIPTURE: Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7
(NRSV) ----------
DEVOTIONAL: In a sense, the
Lenten season is an annual 40-day reenactment of
life in the wilderness. In Lent, we relive the pain and
sorrow of expulsion from the Garden. In Lent, we
come face to face with choices we have made that
expose our raw, naked selfish selves to God (3:7).
In Lent, we can also repent; turn back toward the
Garden with longing. Then, we wait – wait for
Easter, that glorious day when God in Christ comes
back from the dead to clothe us in forgiveness and
lead us out of the wilderness, home to Eden. There
our physical, aesthetic and intellectual desires will
truly and finally be satisfied. ----------
SCRIPTURE: Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7
(NRSV) Now
the serpent was more crafty than any other wild
animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the
woman, 'Did God say, "You shall not eat from any
tree in the garden"?' The woman said to the
serpent, 'We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the
garden; but God said, "You shall not eat of the fruit
of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor
shall you touch it, or you shall die." ' But the
serpent said to the woman, 'You will not die; for
God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be
opened, and you will be like God, knowing good
and evil.' So when the woman saw that the tree was
good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes,
and that the tree was to be desired to make one
wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave
some to her husband, who was with her, and he
ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they
knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig
leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.
By Jim Brenneman, president
Scroll down for complete
Scripture.
The season of Lent invites us to reflect on those
desires, some inherited, some learned, that lead us
away from life's gardens into life's wildernesses.
We, like Adam and Eve, desire to have our physical
hungers satisfied (Genesis 3:6a). We, like they, are
mesmerized by beautiful objects and people, a
"delight to the eye" (3:6b). And we like they, crave
scholastic superiority (3:6c). Granted, satisfying our
physical, aesthetic and intellectual desires are
necessary conditions for the good life created for
us by God (Genesis 1). Nothing wrong with that!
However, when those primal desires, as good as
they were created to be, begin to woo us away from
God, separate us from others, or distance us from
God's best intentions for us, then soul death soon
awaits us (2:17). We might blame other Adams,
Eves or Serpents (3:12-13), but, let's face it, we are
the ones who too often choose of our own free will
to eat the forbidden fruit.
The Lord God took the man and put
him in
the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the
Lord God commanded the man, 'You may freely eat
of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in
the day that you eat of it you shall die.'
Posted at 21:04 #
Tue, 5 Feb 2008
FEB. 6 - OUT OF THE DEPTHS
WELCOME:
Welcome to Goshen College's online devotional
series for the 2008 Lent season! "Out of the depths"
is this year's theme, taken from Mennonite Church
USA worship resources. We are invited to see Lent
as a 40-day journey from rebellion to obedience,
from blindness to sight, from death to life and from
power to grace. From today (Ash Wednesday) thru
March 23 (Easter), 35 Goshen College studen
By Bob Yoder, campus pastor
Out of the
depths. The depths of what? Does "out"
assume that it's better than being "in" it? In these
recent sub-zero days in Goshen, I'd rather be "in"
the safe, warm buildings than "out" where my lungs
burn from the chilled air and my nose reddens.
However, many scriptural "depth" images do not
convey such a safe, warm place of comfort.