By Mara Weaver, a senior at Goshen College Reprinted from Lenten Devotions DEVOTIONAL: “Give thanks to the Lord, for God is good. God’s steadfast love endures forever.” These words, the first two verses of Psalm 118, were the last thing I saw when I went to sleep and the first thing I saw when I woke up as a child. They quietly, patiently, hung on the wall at the foot of my bed in the form of a simple cross-stitch my grandma had given me. In addition to the pure utility of this passage — being the only Bible verse I had memorized when I was in elementary school — this verse has also been a holy reminder to me for all these years. God is good, and we should not forget that. If nothing else, we must trust that God is good. However, as I have grown, left my home and that small wall hanging, the lens through which I see God has also grown. Now, not only do I trust that God is good, but I know why I believe that. The Psalm says, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” And how marvelous it is! Not only did God choose the rejected people of Israel in the Old Testament, but again and again God used that which was scoffed at by society to do the holiest of work — Mary, a woman both young and poor, wicked rulers, lowly shepherds, children, lepers and Jesus, who was himself a homeless, wandering, outspoken, dirty radical. In this season of Lent, in the midst of all of the pain and suffering in our world, I give thanks to the Lord that our God acts in unexpected ways. Just as Jesus was shunned by the masses yet rose again and lives as our cornerstone, I pray that those on the margins will be received by their oppressors as the cornerstone and help us all to rise again with a new love, new life and new understanding of what it means to do God’s work and live into God’s Beloved Community. SCRIPTURE: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 (NRSV)
0 Comments
By Launa Rohrer, associate dean of students at Goshen College Reprinted from Lenten Devotions THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURES: DEVOTIONAL:
During midterm break recently, I had the opportunity to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity alongside students and fellow college employees. Some of us cut and installed trim work, others hung doors. Another group installed counter tops and towel rods. All of us had a good day; but the construction wasn’t the best part. The highlight of the day was when we met Mr. Jake, the grandfather of the homeowner. He came to personally thank each of us for our work. At 75, he told us how many grandchildren and great-grandchildren he had and deeply enjoyed. Construction Manager Aaron Lehman then invited us to join in prayer for Mr. Jake in anticipation of his open-heart surgery the next day. As we gathered in a circle, Mr. Jake asked if he could “hold on to” us. We laid hands on him; we prayed for the surgeons, peace of mind and ultimately for Jake’s healing. He joined us in offering a heartfelt “in Jesus’ name” to close our time together. This week’s theme is “The Blessed One Comes in the Name of the Lord.” Who is blessed among us? As I reflected on this theme, Mr. Jake came to mind as one who showed me first-hand how to ‘come in the name of the Lord.’ Mr. Jake had much to be worried about, but he drew strength by asking for God’s presence “in Jesus name” — coming in the name of the Lord. Mr. Jake modeled gracious acceptance and gratitude; he allowed us to join him in his moment of vulnerability. We were all blessed as we reached across all our perceived differences to join as human beings needing each other. The passages this week describe the humility Jesus modeled by assuming life as a human being and his entry into Jerusalem. The passages range in the intensity of human emotion, in victory and defeat. Regardless of where this week takes you, may you be blessed as you come in the name of the Lord: fully human, needing one another. By Hillary Harder, a junior at Goshen College Reprinted from Lenten Devotions DEVOTIONAL: Extravagance. This can be found everywhere in Western culture, from the billions of dollars spent on producing a blockbuster movie to the heaping platters of food served in restaurants to the amount of time and energy the average person spends in stores or on the Internet looking to purchase more stuff. I know I’m guilty of taking advantage of all of these things. We’re surrounded by consumption; everywhere we look there are more opportunities to spend money and time. And yet, too often we aren’t extravagant when it comes to giving to God. In this story from the Gospel of John, we encounter Mary, a woman whose generosity knows no bounds when it comes to honoring Jesus, her friend and Lord, the man who raised her brother from the dead. Although the perfume Mary buys could have earned a year’s wages for a laborer, she pours it out freely over Jesus’ feet. This was outrageous in the eyes of the others in the house. How could this woman foolishly squander expensive perfume on a dirty, travel-weary pair of feet? And yet, Mary knew without a doubt that honoring the presence of Jesus with a burst of extravagance had far more integrity than putting her money into the hypocritical system Judas suggested. What if we too could practice this kind of extravagance – one that makes no sense in the midst of cultural norms? Sure, every day we participate in a system of consumption, but we too could be like Mary. Unlike her story in the Gospel of John, the flesh-and-bone Jesus may not be standing before us: God’s presence could appear in giving money to a homeless person who asks for it, or stopping by to spontaneously visit a lonely friend, or writing a check for a non-profit that may be bigger than we think is wise. These too are examples of a different kind of extravagance, one that I believe brings us closer to God. SCRIPTURE: John 12:1-8 (NRSV) By Jeff Hochstetler, apartments manager, Goshen College Reprinted from Lenten Devotions DEVOTIONAL: Standing at an intersection of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, last summer, I finally saw some German-speaking colony Mennonites. Plainly dressed, many of these Mennonites had come into town to shop and gather supplies to take back to their colony. I had been living in Bolivia for a couple of weeks with an urban, Spanish-speaking Mennonite family. Most of the German-speaking Mennonites lived in rural areas. In contrast, Spanish-speaking Mennonite churches are largely urban. Rarely did the two-different Mennonite groups relate to each other. Eager to meet some other fellow Mennonites, I was curious about them. Yet as I walked in the market toward some of the German-speakers, I found that none made eye contact with me. I tried to greet another Mennonite next to me, but was met with silence. Bolivian colony Mennonites have had good reason in the past to be wary of outsiders. Still, the cold greeting I received from many that day sharply contrasted with the warm welcome I had received from my host family. In today’s Scripture, Paul boasts about his righteous heritage. In a twist of irony, Paul’s “boast” clearly becomes a confession – an honest assessment of owning up to past wrongs as a persecutor of the church. Moreover, he writes that past things that he once counted for status he no longer counts as privilege. While Paul acknowledges his mistakes, he does not dwell on them. Instead, Paul seems intent to focus on the transformative power of Christ to adopt us in faith. SCRIPTURE: Philippians 3:4b-14 (NRSV) By Becky Snider, a sophomore Goshen College Reprinted from Lenten Devotions DEVOTIONAL: Restore our fortunes, O Lord. Restore our energy. Restore our motivation. Restore our vision for the future. At this point in the semester, I think most college students would agree that they need some restoration. You start the semester excited for new classes and new opportunities, but after two months that motivation starts to slip away. It takes more effort to get out of bed in the morning. It takes more effort to write the reflection that your professor assigned as homework. It takes more effort to go over your notes one more time before you go to bed. The carrot dangling ahead that keeps you going is spring break. It doesn’t matter whether your plans for break are to go to the beach with your friends, to go home and be with your family, or to stay on campus; the idea of no classes, no assignments and no real commitments pushes you through. Okay, so probably the majority of you reading this aren’t college students, but everyone needs breaks. It could be that your work schedule doesn’t allow for you to take off for long stretches of time or you’re a parent and you can’t put your children’s needs on pause while you go on a vacation. But that’s when God comes into the picture. “Restore our fortunes, O Lord,” the psalmist pleads. In those times when you’re burnt out and it seems like there’s no way to revive your desire to keep moving forward, may God restore you. SCRIPTURE: Psalm 126 (NRSV) By Paul Steury, assistant professor at Goshen College Reprinted from Lenten Devotions DEVOTIONAL: Quite often we are told to be humble. My mom always said “pride cometh before fall.” But we must take pride in who we are – body and soul! In today’s text it says, “the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise.” Wow! All of us – all 7 billion people were made for God and it says we need to acknowledge that. This is the same Creator that made the owls and jackals, the deserts and the rivers, the cardinals and the black squirrels. It is the Creator that made our muscles and our reflexes so we can be mobile and blink. It is God that made chlorophyll so plants can create sugar and so we can breathe. They are, what I say, amazing daily miracles. But often we just take those simple day-to-day things that surround us for granted. We get into our routines and grinds and we sure know how to complain some days! We need to daily exclaim, “Wow! God you are amazing to create all these things that I need – thank you soooooo much!!” Be proud that you are an amazing miracle – all of us – every single thing! Because God reminds us in verse 21 that we are “the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise.” Be proud. You are a miracle! SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 43:16-21 (NRSV) By Quincy Brown, Vice President at LaGrange College
Reprinted from Monday Morning in North Georgia When I was a child, there were adults in my neighborhood who played special roles. They were characters who entertained and taught us in their own special way. There was Mr. W.T., who sat on his front porch and threw candy at us like it was a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Isiah, whom we called “Wise,” always had a sing-song rhyme of a wisdom saying that sounded more like “pool hall banter” than a proverb. And then there was Mr. Alvin, who was the self-proclaimed Sheriff of the neighborhood. He actually walked around with a toy badge and an unloaded Colt 45. He saw his job as making sure that things were running smoothly in the neighborhood. But if there were any signs of conflict, like Barney Fife of Mayberry, he would often complicate matters and someone else would have to come in and clean things up. Mr. Richard, who drove his 1975 Pontiac Grand Ville like Richard Petty in the Daytona 500, played rule enforcer. He had the keys to the neighborhood park and wouldn’t allow profanity, violence, or mischief to occur on park grounds. And there was Mrs. Patterson, who made homemade cupcakes and had a choice selection of grape, orange, or strawberry soda. We could buy a cupcake and soda for a quarter at her house - and get a lecture on the importance of saving money while we were there. Many of the lessons I learned in childhood seemed to center around the basketball court in the neighborhood park. I watched my adult neighbors practice fairness, responsibility, and doing their share to make our community better. I learned about honesty, patience, compassion, generosity, courage, gratitude, forgiveness, loyalty, and respect by walking up and down the streets. But it didn’t stop there. I saw many of the same adults in church on Sunday mornings worshipping God. They were ushers, greeters, lay speakers, Sunday school teachers, confirmation class mentors, and choir members. Like the mentors who trained their protégés by walking around using hands-on teaching; I was taught that character is about who we are and what we do when people aren’t watching us. I learned how to “walk the walk” of Christian character. Prayer Focus for the Week Gracious God, we are grateful for the people in our communities. Help us learn from the Christians "walking the walk" around us. Amen. - Bishop Mike Watson By Brook Hostetter, a senior at Goshen College Reprinted from Lenten Devotions DEVOTIONAL: While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. When I read in today’s Scripture about how the son was “still a long way off,” I imagine him in rags, perhaps with a small sack of belongings, limping down a path towards his father’s house. The father, working outside, recognizes the familiar stride of his son from a distance, and runs to greet him. I have been in the son’s position, and I’ve seen friends in the son’s position as well. We stray away and begin to search for fulfillment in the world. After some time, we realize that home was better, so we turn and take a step back toward the Divine. Maybe the step is just a simple prayer, but God sees the desire, and therefore runs, grabs us and embraces us in love and compassion. I’m comforted in knowing that although we may turn away at times, God waits in expectation of our return. God allows us to remember, and then welcomes us home, even though we don’t deserve it. SCRIPTURE: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 (NRSV) By Maria Koshmider, a senior at Goshen College Reprinted from Lenten Devotions DEVOTIONAL: “Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The Word of God reminds us, or maybe even comforts us, that we are not alone in our sin. When I have felt ashamed or convicted of my sins, I think to myself that this is a reminder of how much I love God, and how much God loves me. If I am feeling convicted, obviously there is something more God has intended for me. There must be something better. I can be assured that the sorrow in my heart will not last forever. Still, ahead lies the daunting task of confessing my sins and seeking forgiveness. Why is it so difficult and painful to humble ourselves before the Lord and confess our sins directly? What do we fear? Does the Lord not assure us that our conscience will be clear and we will have peace in our hearts? As Psalm 32 tells us, we will be blessed if we are forgiven. We will be set free when our sins have been covered with God’s mercy and grace. God desires for us to seek him in prayer and confess our sins. God does not wish for his children to live in the bondage of sin. By his love we have been set free, and God assures us that he will never take this away from us. Now is the time. Set yourself free from the bondage that is keeping you from experiencing the freedom God has intended. And may peace be with you. SCRIPTURE: Psalm 32 (NRSV) By Jodi H. Beyeler, communications/marketing asst.director at Goshen College Reprinted from Lenten Devotions DEVOTIONAL: Changes coming upon us It keeps moving, moving around us Got to keep dancing knowing He loves us Got to keep joy in our hearts – song lyrics from “Changes” by Jim Croegaert (listen to the whole song here) The winds of change are indeed swirling around us on every level. You can notice it in your own decreased energy. You can feel it after a telephone call from a friend who just lost her job. You can hear it in the news from Wall Street and the White House. You can wonder about it as flowers begin to bloom and robins appear in January in Northern Indiana. The fear of change can overwhelm us, paralyze us and keep us from living. But that is not our only option. Changes on this journey to the Promised Land – even when the rules change and nothing is predictable anymore – also mean that everything is about to become new. Life is about to emerge from death. That is God’s promise. Even as change sweeps over us, can we be ashamed no more? Can we give up what is holding us back or holding us down? Can we move towards the Good News of Jesus Christ? Can we keep joy in our hearts? SCRIPTURE: Joshua 5:9-12 (NRSV) |
Melanie Stanley-Soulen pastored Allen-Lee United Methodist Church from 2007 until 2013. Archives
June 2013
Categories
All
|