Lenten Devotions Archives » Page 5 of 18 | Devotions | Goshen College
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Have you ever really taken the time to listen to what a middle schooler had to say? There are some who call me crazy, but middle school is my favorite age group for a variety of reasons, including their stark honesty, humor, energy, emerging autonomy and individuality, to name a few. (more…)
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As a kid, did your mom ever whisper to you when you left for summer camp, a sleepover or a date, “Don’t forget who you are and where you came from”? At the time, I thought that my mom just didn’t want me to embarrass her or my family. (more…)
Three jars took up residence atop my bedroom dresser soon after I first started earning money as a child. One was labeled “savings,” another “spending” and the third “tithe.” (more…)
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As you read this, I am with a group of pilgrims preparing for another Palm Sunday procession. Literally, we are “approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives,” where Jesus sent two disciples to find a donkey colt for him to ride into Jerusalem by way of the Lion’s Gate. I have made this pilgrimage before. (more…)
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Today in my Restorative Justice class we were invited into an exercise in which a statement was said – “English should be the official language of the United States” for example – and were told to take a stand by walking to the side of the room labeled either “agree” or “disagree.” (more…)
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“Open to me the gates of righteousness…”
“This is the Lord’s doing…”
“This is the day that the Lord has made…”
These three phrases within Psalm 118 suggest to me that the Lord is in control. God is the gatekeeper inviting us to simply enter through the gates and give thanks, to accept the Lord’s grace and receive righteousness.
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What does it take to “awaken” me? I need to be awakened not just in the morning, but periodically throughout my day. I need “God moments”: a sunrise, a new blanket of snow, a dark night sky or a large, orange moon.
THEME THIS WEEK: Your king is coming
Patience is certainly not my forte. Last spring, while living in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, during my semester abroad through the college’s Study-Service Term, I learned that I am not alone. Each morning, my commute to school began with a short ride on the daladala (minibus) to get to the ferry dock. Dar es Salaam is a coastal city, and I needed to cross an inlet of the Indian Ocean to reach downtown. At 6:15 a.m., the ferry dock is a chaotic mess of bicycles weaving through crowds of people running with school books or baskets of food on their heads. Everyone is desperate to catch the next ferry over, and nobody wants to wait – I didn’t, either. (more…)
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Today’s verse describes how Jesus accepted God’s calling and was transformed by the decision. While God designated Jesus for the role he played in Christian history, the plan would not have been fulfilled without Jesus’ obedience and willingness to suffer. It has been difficult for me to be obedient in the same way since the calling from God has never been very clear, but I continue to strive to be such a disciple. (more…)
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“And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”
We anticipate with Jesus his “lifting up” – his being lifted up in a two-fold way: he will be lifted high upon a cross and lifted up to join God in heaven. The first way is awesomely terrifying and the second provokes a sense of longing in my heart. I truly do wish to see Jesus.
