Thursday, April 30, 2015

April 30, 2015: Isaiah 6:1-8

We encourage you to read this devotion three times a day. Start in the morning and reflect upon the morning reflection question. Then in the afternoon, read it again and reflect using the noon question for reflection. For the evening, take time to ponder how this has resonated with you in the day and reflecting using the evening question. We offer a prayer with each devotion for you to pray or we invite you to pray what is in your heart.

Isaiah 6:1-8

6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. ²Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. ³And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”

⁴The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. ⁵And I said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

⁶Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. ⁷The seraphtouched my mouth with it and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.” ⁸Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!”

Reflection:

In this story Isaiah has a direct encounter with the Holy God. It’s a mysterious scene of a throne room filled with incense. God’s glory was hanging thick in the air and winged creatures encircled the throne calling out the praise of God. When Isaiah witnesses first-hand the glory of God he is drawn to humility and repentance. “Woe is me! for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips.” After the angel purifies his mouth with hot coal Isaiah boldly responds to God’s call – Here I am, Lord. Send me.

When we have a true encounter with the Holy God we can’t help to experience the depth of our brokenness as human beings. When God is revealed our perspective changes and we realize that we’re not as big of a deal as we thought we were. The beauty is that God forgives our sin in Christ and partners with us in the world. We can’t help but respond with – Here I am, Lord. Send me!

Reflection Questions:

Morning: What does it mean that the whole earth is full of God’s glory?

Noon: When you think of God, what images come to mind? Do you think of God’s mystery and otherness? Do you consider how much God is not like us?

Evening: What does it mean to you that the mighty, mysterious God who created the cosmos cleanses and calls you into his service.

Prayer:
Holy! Holy! Holy! You are God and I am not. I rest in that assurance today. Show yourself to me and I will go wherever you send me. How can I resist your beauty, majesty, wonder, and grace? Amen.

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

April 29, 2015: 1 Corinthians 15:1-8

1 Corinthians 15:1-8

Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, 2through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain. 3For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

Reflection:

How blessed are Cephas, the twelve, and the 500 brothers and sisters to whom Jesus appeared after the resurrection? To be able to see death overcome with your own two eyes and be in the presence of the risen Jesus Christ would literally be awesome. I could even find myself envious of those who saw Jesus after the resurrection in person, but we do not need to envy the disciples who saw Jesus resurrected. Instead, I focus on the ways I see and experience resurrection today.
I have experienced my church go from nearly closing its doors to becoming a vital church that reaches into the community and shares the Good News. I have seen reconciliation between friends and family members; people who were dead to one another welcomed back home with open arms. I have seen people find purpose and meaning in their lives through Christ. In very real ways, this is
resurrection: where there was death, there is now life. Although we may not see Jesus' risen body in this life, we can and do experience Christ's resurrection power at work in us and the world.

Reflection Questions:

Morning:Where have I witnessed resurrection in my life?

Noon: How can I be more open and observant of these moments of resurrection?

Evening: What are areas of my life that need resurrection power? What would that resurrection look like?

Prayer: Holy God we praise your mighty works, especially your defeat of evil and death through Christ's resurrection. Help me to experience and embrace the power of the resurrection today. Help me to welcome the Risen Christ into all areas and aspects of my life. In the name of the Risen One, Amen.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

April 28, 2015: Isaiah 30:18-21

Isaiah 30:18-21

18 Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you.For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.19 Truly, O people in Zion, inhabitants of Jerusalem, you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you. 20 Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself any more, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. 21 And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

Reflection:

I don’t like to wait. I don’t know anyone that likes to wait. It is a challenge to think we will wait, be patient or not do something right now. However, God is under no obligation to work on my time. In fact, it seems silly that God who has always been and will always be would work on my time. God has a bigger perspective. God has made promises and God will keep those promises. We may temporarily see trouble, just like the Israelites. But, hardship is not our destiny. The bread of adversity and water of affliction may be ours for a season, but that will only be a season. In the end, we shall weep no more.

Reflection Questions:

Morning: What have you waited for something that turned out to be better than you could have done it then?

Noon: Where and how have you seen God moving in your life today?

Evening: Is there anything that you feel God calling on you to wait or slow down?

Monday, April 27, 2015

April 27, 2015: Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18

Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18

LORD, you have examined me.
    You know me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I stand up.
    Even from far away, you comprehend my plans.
3 You study my traveling and resting.
    You are thoroughly familiar with all my ways.
4 There isn’t a word on my tongue, LORD,
    that you don’t already know completely.
5 You surround me—front and back.
    You put your hand on me.
6 That kind of knowledge is too much for me;
    it’s so high above me that I can’t fathom it.
You are the one who created my innermost parts;
    you knit me together while I was still in my mother’s womb.
14 I give thanks to you that I was marvelously set apart.
    Your works are wonderful—I know that very well.
15 My bones weren’t hidden from you
    when I was being put together in a secret place,
    when I was being woven together in the deep parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my embryo,
    and on your scroll every day was written that was being formed for me,[a]
    before any one of them had yet happened.[b]
17 God, your plans are incomprehensible to me!
    Their total number is countless!
18 If I tried to count them—they outnumber grains of sand!

If I came to the very end—I’d still be with you.

Reflection:
It is easy to feel alone. It is easy to feel as if no one truly knows who you are. In
today’s social media age, we get to portray exactly who we want to be. We get to
hide all of our imperfections and all of the “boring” aspects of our lives. We cover
them with filters and let those around us only see what we allow them to see. No one really knows the real us. Then, when we read passages like this in our Bibles, we are uncomfortable. Psalm 139 is perhaps one of the most well known psalms. It reminds us that God sees us without filters. Not just what we want God to see, but all of us- our imperfections, scars, pains, and hurts. There is not an aspect of us that God doesn’t already know writes the psalmist. God knows our words, our plans, our actions, and even our creation. God knows us so well, better than we can even comprehend. With God we are not unknown or alone.

Reflection Questions:

Morning: When have you tried to hide something from others and from God?

Noon: What stands in your way of allowing God to see all of you?

Evening: How does it feel to be known by God?

Sunday, April 26, 2015

April 26, 2015: John 14:6-14

John 14:6-14

John 14:6-14 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know[a] my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. 12 Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If in my name you ask me[b] for anything, I will do it.

Reflection:

Have I been with you this whole time and you still do not know me?

On Twitter, people have “followers”. If you follow someone on Twitter, you get information from them about their lives and whatever else they want you to know. Some would say that the quality of followers is more important than the quantity of followers. Regardless, following someone doesn’t mean that you necessarily “know” the person. You just get to know their social or virtual persona. It’s important for us to remember that Jesus was with the disciples night and day for three years. You would think that they would truly know him and they would understand that “he was in the Father and the Father was in him.” But God was walking in their midst, and even those closest to Him didn’t understand the fullness of the revelation. The Gospel of John centers on the fact that Jesus was God from the very beginning…that Jesus embodied the fullness of God. If you’ve ever wondered what God is like, look no further than the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. How many times have we worshipped Christ without truly knowing Him? How many times have we asked Him to walk with us without slowing down to walk with Him? The disciple Philip says to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father and we will be satisfied.” And Jesus pretty much replies, “I’m standing right here!” Jesus is both earthly rabbi and heavenly redeemer. If you have chosen to follow Him, maybe now is the time to get to know Him.

Reflection Questions:

Morning: As you look forward to this day, ask God to help you find ways to know Him personally.

Noon: Who have you followed today? How did they lead you? What does it mean to you to be a follower of Christ?

Evening: Before you sleep tonight, focus on the character and nature of God. How well do you truly know God? How do the promises of God bring you comfort?

Prayer: Holy God, thank you for revealing to me your character through the person and teachings of Jesus. Help me to follow you in a way that is personal. Help me when I don’t understand you. Forgive me when I don’t take the time to nourish my relationship with you. Amen.

Saturday, April 25, 2015

April 25, 2015: James 2:7-8

James 2:7-8

“Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you? You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Reflection:

The Queen in Snow White turns to the mirror on the wall and says, “Mirror, Mirror, who is the fairest of them all?” The mirror responds in saying, “You are the fairest of them all.” Until one day, the mirror responds that Snow White is the fairest of them all. This immediately hurt the Queen’s ego. She had to do something to regain her status. The Queen loved herself a ton. In fact so much, that she did not care about hurting others.

In some ways, when thinking about this scripture, it states, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” What would this mean if the Queen loved Snow White as she loved herself? Well, that might make the story not as riveting, but not only would Snow White’s life be changed because of this great love, but so would the Queen’s. It is quite challenging to love certain individuals at times, but if we loved them as we loved ourselves, it might be easier. If we responded in loving others in this way, the world would be transformed.

Reflection Questions

Morning: When have you felt a time that someone loved you as they loved themselves?

Noon: How do you think this would make a difference in your life or the life of another?

Evening:What can you do to transform your actions live out this scripture?

Prayer: Lord, it is easy to love ourselves and not our neighbors. Let us be reminded of the impression that loving others can happen on them and ourselves. May we continue to grow together to live out Your word and be disciples of Christ. Amen.

Friday, April 24, 2015

April 24, 2015: Matthew 5:44

Matthew 5:44

"But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

Reflection:

We often hear about forgiving others. However, when we hear pray for our enemies, we think that’s too much to ask. However, in forgiving others this means we are called to put forgiveness into action. In praying for our enemies, there is a way in which forgiveness is shown. It is today, that we focus on praying for an enemy. Think of a person, group, or anyone that you have felt disgust for. It does not matter the motives behind the feelings, but someone you consider to be an enemy. Now that you know that enemy, truly and earnestly pray for them. Pray for them to know peace in their life, love in their heart, and give thanks for who they are.

Reflection Questions:

Morning: Who are your enemies?

Noon: How can you make this a part of your daily prayer?

Evening: What emotions did you feel in praying for your enemy?

Thursday, April 23, 2015

April 23, 2015: Acts 4:5-12

Acts 4:5-12

⁵The next day the leaders, elders, and legal experts gathered in Jerusalem, ⁶along with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and others from the high priest’s family. ⁷They had Peter and John brought before them and asked, “By what power or in what name did you do this?” ⁸Then Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, answered, “Leaders of the people and elders, ⁹are we being examined today because something good was done for a sick person, a good deed that healed him? ¹⁰If so, then you and all the people of Israel need to know that this man stands healthy before you because of the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. ¹¹This Jesus is the stone you builders rejected; he has become the cornerstone! ¹²Salvation can be found in no one else. Throughout the whole world, no other name has been given among humans through which we must be saved.”

Reflection:

I recently heard in a Sunday school class this question: "What if each morning when we got up we reflected and reminded ourselves of Jesus' sacrifice?" Would it not be hard to reflect on the crucifixion each and every day? We don't like to think about Jesus on the cross. Perhaps though it would change our attitude and our day of living. We are like the builders and reject at times. Mostly, we don't want to believe that Jesus was on that cross because of us. Maybe we do need to spend time thinking about the sacrifice that was made so that we may have life. Then, we could live each day through the passion story. We would be reminded of the resurrection and find new joy in every day.

Reflection Questions:
Morning: Why is it difficult for us to live into the crucifixion?
Noon: How might your life change if you responded to the sacrifice that was made for you?
Evening: How are you seeking Jesus in your life today?

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

April 22, 2015: Psalm 23

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.
¹ The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
²   He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
³   he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
   for his name’s sake.⁴

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
   I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
   your rod and your staff—
   they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
   my cup overflows.
⁶ 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.

Reflection:

This psalm is the most widely known, and perhaps the most recognizable chapter in the whole bible to many people. Sometimes we hear it so often, and feel as though we know it so well, that it loses its’ power. We experience the comfort of being led by the “Good Shepherd”, the thanksgiving and relief for having God by our side when we encounter difficulty, darkness, and death, and feel blessed when we share a table with the Lord, all ending with a sense of peace of staying in God’s house. We explore a variety of different emotions, stages of life, and several ways God is in relationship with us throughout our life. Each time we read it, we will often have a verse jump out to us than it had before.

Reflection Questions:

Morning: What is your experience with this psalm?

Noon: After reading this passage, what jumped out to you today?

Evening : How is God being a Good Shepherd to you in your life?

Prayer: Good Shepherd, help us to not be stubborn sheep. Help us to not walk away from you, but allow you to guide and protect us. When we rely on you God, it makes a difference. May we savor the experiences we share with you, and cherish your love forever and ever. Amen.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

April 21, 2015: 1 John 3:16-24

1 John 3:16-24

¹⁶This is how we know love: Jesus laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. ¹⁷But if a person has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need and that person doesn’t care—how can the love of God remain in him?
¹⁸Little children, let’s not love with words or speech but with action and truth. ¹⁹This is how we will know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts in God’s presence. ²⁰Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts and knows all things. ²¹Dear friends, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have confidence in relationship to God. ²²We receive whatever we ask from him because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. ²³This is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love each other as he commanded us. ²⁴The person who keeps his commandments remains in God and God remains in him; and this is how we know that he remains in us, because of the Spirit that he has given to us.

Reflection:
One of my older nieces has a sweet and compassionate heart. I think I could name many stories of her displaying this heart. There was this one time that she kept saving any loose change she got. Whether it came from the tooth fairy or birthday money; it went into her bank. Finally, she had enough to buy her mom a birthday gift. It took months of saving, which for a kid seems like years, and with that one goal in mind she gave it all away for a gift. Maybe this is what this scripture is telling us to do. We have been shown such selfless and sacrificial love and how do we pay it forward? Are we willing to give all that we have for someone else? Maybe it's time that we do.

Reflection Questions:
Morning: How have you experienced selfless love?
Noon: What does it mean to show someone this love and your faith?
Evening: How will you respond to someone in need?

Monday, April 20, 2015

April 20, 2015: Psalm 118

Psalm 118

¹Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.

²Let all Israel repeat:
    “His faithful love endures forever.”
³Let Aaron’s descendants, the priests, repeat:
    “His faithful love endures forever.”
⁴Let all who fear the Lord repeat:
    “His faithful love endures forever.”

⁵In my distress I prayed to the Lord,
    and the Lord answered me and set me free.
⁶The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear.
    What can mere people do to me?
⁷Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me.
    I will look in triumph at those who hate me.
⁸It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to trust in people.
⁹It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to trust in princes.

¹⁰Though hostile nations surrounded me,
    I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.
¹¹Yes, they surrounded and attacked me,
    but I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.
¹²They swarmed around me like bees;
    they blazed against me like a crackling fire.
    But I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.
¹³My enemies did their best to kill me,
    but the Lord rescued me.
¹⁴The Lord is my strength and my song;
    he has given me victory.
¹⁵Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly.
    The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things!
¹⁶The strong right arm of the Lord is raised in triumph.
    The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things!
¹⁷I will not die; instead, I will live
    to tell what the Lord has done.
¹⁸The Lord has punished me severely,
    but he did not let me die.

¹⁹Open for me the gates where the righteous enter,
    and I will go in and thank the Lord.
²⁰These gates lead to the presence of the Lord,
    and the godly enter there.
²¹I thank you for answering my prayer
    and giving me victory!

²²The stone that the builders rejected
    has now become the cornerstone.
²³This is the Lord’s doing,
    and it is wonderful to see.
²⁴This is the day the Lord has made.
    We will rejoice and be glad in it.
²⁵Please, Lord, please save us.
    Please, Lord, please give us success.
²⁶Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
    We bless you from the house of the Lord.
²⁷The Lord is God, shining upon us.
    Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar.
²⁸You are my God, and I will praise you!
    You are my God, and I will exalt you!

²⁹Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.

Reflection:

You do not have to be a bible scholar to see a theme in this Psalm. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His Faithful love endures forever. It is repeated again and again throughout the Psalm and let us join the Psalter and make today a day of celebration for what God has done in our lives. Let us stop, count our blessings and give thanks. It is important to celebrate, it is important to stop and realize how blessed we are. It is important to give thanks. Because, we can become too focused on the things we don’t have, the things we have to do, the stress that fills our lives. That is not who we are called to be, so let us give thanks and today be a people of gratitude.

Reflection Questions

Morning: Count five blessings you have in your life

Midday: Say or write a prayer of thanksgiving

Evening: What were the three best parts of your day? Give thanks to God, today and everyday

Sunday, April 19, 2015

April 19, 2015: John 10:11-18

John 10:11-18 (NIV)

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

Reflection: Known

I struggle to remember names. It is not a positive attribute to be a pastor and have this struggle. However, most people are grace-filled and continue to offer their names until I finally get it. Now this is just the struggle to know someone's name. The real challenge is to know someone, to truly and intimately know someone. If we are to be honest, those who are married spend a lifetime trying to "know" their spouse. there is always a surprise an unexpected discovery even after years and years of life together. Our text from John today is a breath of fresh air for all of us. It is a gasp to think of the reality that God knows us, the good and all of the bad. It is a miracle, a true miracle, that loves us still. Now that is grace! That is pure and undefiled love. We have a guide who is with us every step of our lives (the great shepherd). We are never alone. May that reality become an empowering force in your life.

Reflection Questions:
Morning: How do you feel to know that God fully know you and still loves you?
How does this fact inspire you to offer that much love to others?

Noon:Who do you need to love and forgive?
Evening:Where, in your life, do you need God's guidance and direction?
What does it really mean that God loves you fully? How does that change you?

Saturday, April 18, 2015

April 18, 2015: 1 John 2:1-5

2 My little children, I’m writing these things to you so that you don’t sin. But if you do sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. ²He is God’s way of dealing with our sins, not only ours but the sins of the whole world. ³This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments. ⁴The one who claims, “I know him,” while not keeping his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in this person. ⁵But the love of God is truly perfected in whoever keeps his word. This is how we know we are in him.

Reflection:

I had a youth who thought it was odd that we said the prayer of confession each week. He thought it was redundant. After discussion, he started to understand we confessed our sins, but asked for forgiveness. He began to take this as he could do whatever during the week because come Sunday he would be forgiven. Not quite. Verse 5 points out that we become perfected in God's love. We are made knew. This is only possible through God.

Reflection Questions:

Morning: When have you needed to be forgiven?

Noon: How do you forgive others?

Evening: Do you know others or maybe yourself who have tried to take advantage of God's grace?

Friday, April 17, 2015

April 17, 2015: Psalm 4

Psalm 4

To the leader: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.
¹ Answer me when I call, O God of my right!
You gave me room when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.

² How long, you people, shall my honour suffer shame?
   How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies?
      ³ But know that the Lord has set apart the faithful for himself;
   the Lord hears when I call to him.

⁴ When you are disturbed, do not sin;
   ponder it on your beds, and be silent.
     ⁵ Offer right sacrifices,
   and put your trust in the Lord.

⁶ There are many who say, ‘O that we might see some good!
Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord!’
⁷ You have put gladness in my heart
more than when their grain and wine abound.

⁸ I will both lie down and sleep in peace;
for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.

Reflection:

What does it mean to be safe? What does it mean to be secure? We all have different perspectives, but mostly we do not want to have our life, family, and well-being threatened. Do we look with trepidation around every corner? Do we have fear throughout our day? The truth is our mind can torment us with our insecurity and feeling of being unsafe. We need to instead put our focus and fears to God in prayer. We need to life them up and seek to have God help us. For Christians our security comes from God. We are certainly not promised an easy life, or an unsafe life. For if we do follow the way of Christ, it does bring risk to us! However, Christ always promises to be with us and to give us aid, and when we do lie down, God will be there to give us safety and peace.

Reflection Questions:

Morning Question: When have you felt unsafe?

Noon Question: Have you ever conquered a fear?

Evening Question: Where does God’s peace need to be present in your life?

Prayer: God of grace and peace, we experience fear and danger throughout our lives, and often it can be overwhelming. We offer to you our concerns, insecurities, and fears, and ask that you bring about your peace that passes all understanding. Where there is hurt, bring relief. Where there is anxiety, bring calm. Where there is danger, bring your courage. May we experience your grace as we wrestle with our frailties. In Jesus name, Amen.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

April 16, 2015: Psalm 31

Psalm 31

¹In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
    let me never be put to shame;
    deliver me in your righteousness.
²Turn your ear to me,
    come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
    a strong fortress to save me.
³Since you are my rock and my fortress,
    for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
⁴Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
    for you are my refuge.

Reflection:

Psalms are beautiful for so many reasons. David poured out his heart and soul to God. When we aren't able to fully express our emotions, the Psalms can be a way to express for us. They can be words of hope, songs of sadness, or uncertainty. Here is a cry for help. I invite you to pray the psalms and see all the variances you will find.

Reflection Question:

Morning: When have you needed to call on God for help?

Noon: What is your favorite Psalm?

Evening: Try and write a psalm for yourself.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

April 15, 2015: Acts 3:12-19

Acts 3:12-19

¹²Seeing this, Peter addressed the people: “You Israelites, why are you amazed at this? Why are you staring at us as if we made him walk by our own power or piety? ¹³The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of our ancestors—has glorified his servant Jesus. This is the one you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence, even though he had already decided to release him. ¹⁴You rejected the holy and righteous one, and asked that a murderer be released to you instead. ¹⁵You killed the author of life, the very one whom God raised from the dead. We are witnesses of this. ¹⁶His name itself has made this man strong. That is, because of faith in Jesus’ name, God has strengthened this man whom you see and know. The faith that comes through Jesus gave him complete health right before your eyes.¹⁷“Brothers and sisters, I know you acted in ignorance. So did your rulers. ¹⁸But this is how God fulfilled what he foretold through all the prophets: that his Christ would suffer. ¹⁹Change your hearts and lives! Turn back to God so that your sins may be wiped away.

Reflection:

When I was a freshman in high school I had been invited to this church youth group. I would get dropped off at a friends house where several people gathered and then the church would send a van or bus to pick up everyone. I only did this a few times. The youth group wasn't for me. There was a large group and it was filled with flash. They called the youth group 180. They talked a lot about repentance. They wanted the students to know it wasn't enough to say your heart was changed and proclaim a 360 because then you would have made a full circle and be where you started, but a 180 meant that you had changed and turned away from the former life. This idea stuck out to me. We must truly turn to God and give up our old ways. It's not easy and we might slip up here and there, but with God's help it is possible.

Reflection Questions:

Morning: How are you trying to be closer with God?

Noon: When have you felt ignorant in your faith?

Evening: What steps might you take to do 180?

April 14, 2015: 1 John 3:1-7

1 John 3:1-7

¹See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. ²Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. ³And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

4 Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. ⁵You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. ⁶No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. ⁷Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.

Reflection:

Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Black and yellow, red and white
They're all precious in His sight

Jesus loves the little children of the world

Such a familiar tune to us. We heard it growing up or sometimes before the children come up for the children's sermon. The faith of a child is a beautiful thing. It is wonderful and so innocent. The crazy thing is we are called children of God. What if we lived into this faith as a child? We can be a child of God and live with joy and awe. May we remember that we are precious in God's sight.

Reflection Questions:

Morning: How do you have child like faith?

Noon: How do you understand others to be children of God?

Evening: What emotions or memories come up when you hear the song Jesus loves the little children?

Monday, April 13, 2015

April 13, 2015: Luke 24:35-48

Luke 24:35-48

35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by
them when he broke the bread.36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself
stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”37 They were startled and
frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why
do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me
and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not
believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to
eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be
fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them,
“This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,
47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations,
beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.

Reflection: Thick and Blessed

Today we have the last two verses of a story independent within the Gospel of Luke.
From the beginning, Jesus had worked and worked to get humanity to see even a glimpse
of what the kingdom of heaven is like. Even in our passage today, where Jesus appears
with the physical proof that death was not the end they still doubted. As they stood with
Jesus, proof in front of them, they still doubted. This gives me hope because my life of
faith is dripping with doubt, insecurity, and unfaithfulness. The great thing that Jesus
modeled for his disciples and still models for us today is that he NEVER gives up on
pursuing us and pursuing a relationship with us. That is true love. A love that needs no reciprocity. This is the love of the God we serve. If you can remember this, I believe your life will be transformed. Judgment will give way to hope, failure to a future, and doubt to faith.

Reflection Questions:

Morning :What are the hardest things you struggle with when it comes to your belief in Jesus? How can you live your life in the light of these scriptures??

Noon: Remember the proof Jesus offered the disciples. What "proofs" do you desire for Jesus to offer you that might help your faith grow and deepen??

Evening:How can you doubt less? What does it mean to surrender to God, even in the midst of tough times?

Sunday, April 12, 2015

April 12, 2015: Isaiah 52:13-53:12

Isaiah 52:13-53:12New Living Translation (NLT)

The Lord’s Suffering Servant

¹³See, my servant will prosper;
    he will be highly exalted.
¹⁴But many were amazed when they saw him.^[a]
    His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human,
    and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man.
¹⁵And he will startle^[^b^] many nations.
    Kings will stand speechless in his presence.
For they will see what they had not been told;
    they will understand what they had not heard about.^[c]

53 Who has believed our message?
    To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?
²My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot,
    like a root in dry ground.
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
    nothing to attract us to him.
³He was despised and rejected—
    a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
    He was despised, and we did not care.

⁴Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
    it was our sorrows^[^d^] that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
    a punishment for his own sins!
⁵But he was pierced for our rebellion,
    crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
    He was whipped so we could be healed.
⁶All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
    the sins of us all.

⁷He was oppressed and treated harshly,
    yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
    And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
    he did not open his mouth.
⁸Unjustly condemned,
    he was led away.^[^e^]
No one cared that he died without descendants,
    that his life was cut short in midstream.^[^f^]
But he was struck down
    for the rebellion of my people.
⁹He had done no wrong
    and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal;
    he was put in a rich man’s grave.

¹⁰But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him
    and cause him grief.
Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,
    he will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life,
    and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.
¹¹When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish,
    he will be satisfied.
And because of his experience,
    my righteous servant will make it possible
for many to be counted righteous,
    for he will bear all their sins.
¹²I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,
    because he exposed himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels.
    He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

Reflection: This is a prophetic passage in Isaiah that points to Christ suffering and death. It tells the story of wandering humans and God’s redemptive love through Christ. We have all wandered off the path and fallen away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. (53:6) These paths can be subtle, very slight at first, but over time they bring us to a very different place. I am not a navigator, but I know that being off 1 degree when a course is charted can cause a person to miss their target by miles over the course of a trip. So, we find ourselves miles off course, wondering what happened and how we got here. Then, Christ calls us home and shows us the path back.

Reflection Questions:

How have you wondered off the path or followed your own path instead of God’s?

How can you get back on track?

Have you been able to sense what path God wants you to follow at this stage in your life?

Thursday, April 30, 2015

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Monday, April 27, 2015

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Saturday, April 25, 2015

Friday, April 24, 2015

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Acts 4:5-12

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

1 John 3:16-24

Monday, April 20, 2015

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Friday, April 17, 2015

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Psalm 31

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Acts 3:12-19

Monday, April 13, 2015

Sunday, April 12, 2015

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