Day 6: Monday, March 6, 2017       Deuteronomy 8:11-18

Can you remember a time at work when everything was going just right? It’s even easier to remember a time like that if you were the reason that things were running smoothly. What about at home? The bills were all paid on time, and there was enough money left over after all your coupon clipping to treat yourself to something nice. Or you somehow managed to keep the house clean through dinner and baths, and the kids didn’t kill themselves (or each other). It sure is easy to sit back and think, Man… I did a really good job!  It is even easier to become arrogant if the successes continue to pile up.  

But do you ever stop to think about how you were able to be so good at what you were doing? Or do you take time to thank God for your abilities that came from Him? God wants to see us enjoy ourselves and do well with the gifts we are given, but He also wants us to be ever thankful and praise Him in all things, big or small. God is always faithful in keeping His promises to us, and we should take time to say thank you for it all. It is easy in the hustle and bustle to put off prayer and praise to Him or forget that He is the reason we thrive, but in this Lenten season, let us remember His grace is enough, and it is because of His grace we prosper.

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Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for all the gifts You have given me. Thank You for allowing me to do a job I love and allowing me to be great at it so I can continue to be of service to You and further Your kingdom on Earth.   In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Contributed by Christine Tagoai

Day 5: Sunday, March 5, 2017

John 15:1-17

Jesus often spoke in metaphor, and by using images that most were very familiar with, the people were able to easily understand what He was saying. Unfortunately, the things that were familiar to the people Jesus spoke to 2,000 years ago in another culture are sometimes less familiar to us. Now, in our scripture today, it’s not a foreign concept that branches of a vine separated from the vine and roots will not survive; however, there is yet another image that may speak more to our everyday experience–cell phones.

Have you ever tried to go a little too long without connecting your cell phone to a charger? Perhaps you have travelled too far to receive reception? We seem to be powerless today when our phones are… well… powerless. Same idea: When we are not regularly plugged into God in relationship through prayer, scripture reading, and worship, and when we travel a bit too far to receive God’s guidance and hear God’s voice, we too become powerless–both to our own lives of faith and to the mission of making disciples for the transformation of the world.

How much charge is in your battery? Is it time to plug in with God again?

How well are you able to receive the voice of God and the call God has on your life?

I pray we may all spend some time plugging in and growing closer to God in our Lenten journey this year.

Prayer: Holy and loving God, remind us to stay connected with You through prayer, scripture, and worship. Draw us closer to You so that we may hear clearly the ways You direct us. Renew and recharge our love for You and for Your people. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Contributed by Associate Pastor Alison Zollinger

Day 4: Saturday, March 4, 2017           John 3:16

 A TAIL OF TWO CHRISTIANS

Sometimes life works in mysterious ways.  Take my two dogs, Jackson and Trinity.  Jackson was a pound puppy, rescued when he was just a puppy, and he has been most grateful ever since.  He is my champion and loves to growl his protection when strangers approach.  He has never tested the boundaries of the yard, content to stay wherever I am.  He loves to play and loves me with an unquestioning love.

Then there is Trinity.  She came from the streets.  She roamed free, but scared, and hung out with all sorts of bad fellows which led to a litter of eleven puppies.  She knew the back streets, the places to hide out, and she could outrun the dog catcher as well as those who just wanted to help. Kind folks and I left food for her as well as a dog house when winter set in.  But we couldn’t get any closer as we didn’t have her trust.  Finally, friends were able to catch her but that was when she was huge with puppies and perhaps she sensed that that they all needed help.  Eleven puppies went to good homes, but no one really wanted a half wild momma dog, so Trinity came to live with Jackson and with me.  There was an immediate clash, mostly over boundaries.  Trinity never met a fence she couldn’t scale, and mind you I tried to keep her in the yard.  But she was driven to seek a life outside the bounds I set for her, bounds that Jackson seemed to have embraced.  But Trinity would eat dinner with me and then go roam for snacks such as McDonalds or Popeye’s. Containers in the yard the next morning were the proof.  But she always came home. Always.  She understood that home represented food and safety and love, but it also came with boundaries. 

I love them both equally.  One stays home and accepts the rules, and one breaks all the rules and still comes home.  And in my heart of hearts, I know that both love me and would defend me to the end.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son . . . “

Jackson and Trinity are like many Christians in the church today.  Jackson represents many Christians who came into the church almost from birth and fell easily into the love offered from God and the fellowship of other Christians.  It does not really occur to such Christians to step outside God’s circle of love as that is safe, warm, comfortable, and all they want. 

Other Christians, like Trinity, come to Christ the hard way, and it takes a great deal of love and patience from not only God, but fellow Christians, to help these people find God’s love and grace.  And even then, knowing what God has given them, they still stray.  They seek the world and all it has to offer, usually the worst parts.  And hopefully, like Trinity, these Christians return to the “yard,” where God welcomes them back with love, affection, and a hot meal. 

God doesn’t care whether you are a Jackson or a Trinity; He just wants you to know His love, the love that made Him send His only begotten son to die for your sins.  No matter what you do, the gate is always open to come home, and there will be no judgement.  Just love.  God’s love.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, guide us to step outside the  boundaries of our church to seek those who need our love and patience as we help lead them to You. Amen.

Contributed by Susan Frisch

Day 3: Friday, March 3, 2017 John 1:35-42                                    

⁴⁰ Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. ⁴¹ The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). ⁴² And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).

When I read today’s text, I’m struck by the absence of details of Andrew’s life.  Later in the Gospels we’ll learn that Andrew is a fisherman, but for now, all we know is that  Andrew has the leisure to be a disciple of John, the spunk to follow Jesus after one short sentence from John, a day to spend with Jesus, and a desire for his brother to know that he has indeed found the Messiah.

What interests me is that Andrew’s life is remarkably free of appointments and meetings.  We first meet him as a disciple of John–free to spend hours (and days) with John.  Andrew then investigates this man Jesus–free to visit Him, free to stay the afternoon.  What?  No conflicts on his calendar?  Andrew appears to have stripped his life of all but the essentials, and he can indulge his passion for God and his hunger for Messiah.

I’m also interested in the phrase “the first thing” that appears in verse 41. Andrew could have done many things after his afternoon with Jesus. Maybe he had to tend to his fishing equipment. Maybe he had family responsibilities. Maybe he had projects at home. But no–the first thing he did was to tell Simon that he had met the Christ.  I try to imagine their conversation that night, and I pray for Andrew’s zeal for Christ to be present in my heart.

Prayer:        

Just as I am, without one plea,

But that thy blood was shed for me,

And that thou bidst me come to thee,

O Lamb of God, I come; I come.

Just as I am, thy love unknown

Hath broken every barrier down;

Now, to be thine, yea, thine alone,

Lamb of God, I come, I come. . Amen.                                                                  Contributed by Katie Doyle

Day 2: Thursday March 2, 2017      James 1:2-4

 “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

We’ve all had one of those days when nothing seems to go right. A few weeks ago, I experienced one of these. That Sunday started out perfectly normal–I got up, got my kids and myself ready for church and headed to work. After the three services were over, I grabbed my kids from the nursery and headed home to get clothes changed and get the kids to their dad’s house for their Sunday visit and to take his dog, Dozer, back to him as I had been dog sitting while he was out of town. I rounded everyone up and got everyone in the car and we headed out. About one block from my house, on Elms Road, my car decided to just come to a stop and  completely shut off. (Luckily, we got into the turn lane before it happened, so we were all safe from traffic.)

I was beside myself as I had no clue what happened. So I picked up the phone and called a good friend, Tony La Valley, who came and helped me get my car home. I called the kids’ dad, and he came to get them. Then Tony and I spent four hours attempting to find the problem; we also called Eric Madrid to come assist. After those four long hours, there was no solution, so I had to call the next day and have my car towed to the shop, only to find out that the fuel pump had gone out and that major repairs were needed. Luckily, with help from my insurance and from Ace Turland, I was able to get my car repairs scheduled and to get a rental car so that life could carry on as normal.

Although I was very upset when it initially occurred, I have to say that I worked to find the positives in the situation. I am truly blessed to have such great friends from this church to assist me as this trouble occurred. I am also blessed to have car insurance to allow me to continue working and going to school. Above all, I am blessed to have God with me always to hear my troubles and my praises. Without him, I would never have been led to this great church and met all of these wonderful people.

Day 1: Ash Wednesday, March, 1, 2017

Scripture: John 12:26

“Whoever wants to serve me must follow me, so that my servant will be with me wherever I am. And my Father will honor anyone who serves me.”

Contributed by Patricia Vassaur