Calm in Chaos

By: Cathy Ramsey

 

Do you feel like there is a lot of chaos in the world? Does it feel like a storm is raging all around us? Ukraine, children starving in Afghanistan, COVID 19 isolation and economic impact, high prices, stock shortages, illness or injuries for ourselves, family and friends are all the things in our lives that can feel so overwhelming.

I find it calming to watch it snow, watch and hear the birds singing, walking through a flower garden or the forest in the mountains, listening to my favorite music, and watching the dogs sleep peacefully.

But, above all, I find it the most calming to pray and read scripture. The Bible has so much scripture that tells us how much God loves us and protects us. These are just a small percentage of scripture that teaches us about how much God cares about us.

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me. Psalm 138:7

You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance.  Psalm 32:7

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. Psalm 5:11

My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. 2 Samuel 22:3-4

The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. Psalm 121:7-8

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Prayer

God, Heavenly Father, you showed us how much you love us and how dedicated you are to protecting us from danger when you gave us Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. Lent reminds us of your great sacrifice. We have proof every day that you watch over us and protect us in small ways, in big ways, and in miraculous ways. Your word brings us calm in a chaotic world. We are so thankful for your blessings and for your love. Please help us to remember not to take our blessings for granted every single day. Please help us to know you and to trust you. Please help us find calm in the chaos of our world. In Jesus’s name we pray.

This is a beautiful song about seeking God for finding calm in the storm:

 https://youtu.be/e9Snw0Xkgtshttps://youtu.be/e9Snw0Xkgts

 

 

Community

By Barbara Batt

Colossians 3:12 - As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

It is a cold, winter morning, The coffee shop is warm and cozy. The women order their coffees or lattes before sitting down at the common table. The table looks like one you would find in a home that could hold a Thanksgiving dinner. These same women meet every week to have coffee and share their weekly adventures. When the weather was good, they would walk miles and visit before having coffee. Some of the women are married, and some are single or widowed.  They have laughed together, and they have shared tears. There is no judgement between them. Rather, there is a common faith in a wonderful God. They have felt challenged at times, but they feel blessed and grateful on a regular basis. This is a community.

During the Lent season, I am trying to focus on blessings in my life. One of my cherished blessings is this community of women. As Jesus traveled with his disciples on his earthly journey, I feel we can follow his example of fellowship and community.  We can raise each other up during challenging times and provide a safe place to grow and share.

What does your community look like? Is God invited into your community?

Be Strong and Courageous

By: Pastor Becca Jordan-Irwin

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

 

In May of 2019 I had the opportunity to travel to Ukraine for a Trauma Training close to the border of Russia. All of these leaders are now in the midst of the war with Russia and they are experiencing great fear…It’s normal to feel fear when facing our own death or the deaths of our loved ones. It’s frightening to have to leave your home, belongings and your church and flee to an unknown region in the hopes of surviving the devastating effects of war in your homeland.

 

As Dima and Luba and their friends travel towards safety, they are requesting prayers that they will have food and find fuel at the gas stations. They are asking that God will save the car from breakdowns and that they will be protected from bombs. And then they asked that “God would protect them under His wings.”   Psalm 91 states: “You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust…He will cover you with his feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge.”

 

I told them that I would ask my family, friends, and church family to be in prayer for them as they go through this difficult time.

 

During this Lenten Season, we are reminded that we have a God who understands our pain and suffering. Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would be “despised and rejected…a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering.”  Jesus was very familiar with suffering; in fact, Jesus was willing to suffer in our place so that we wouldn’t have to…and because of his sacrifice, we don’t have to pay the consequences of our own sin and we have the hope of eternal life. This hope is what enables to deal with life and death…for we know that the Lord our God is with us and with our loved ones…that nothing can separate us from the love of God, not even death! (Romans 8:37). The one who was willing to sacrifice Himself for us on the Cross is the same one who remains with us now…and who will be with us forever. We don’t have to be afraid, for “The Lord our God is with us!”  

So Great is His Love

By: Donna Winchell

 
About a month ago my wonderful granddaughter invited me to her gender reveal party that she was having at her home. Still being cautious about being around a multitude of people at that time, I told her “I’m sorry, but ……...”. Haley is very special, and I never want to hurt her feelings, so I felt the need to try and share all my reasons for not attending, hoping she wouldn’t be disappointed in me.

Have I done the same thing with God; told Him I’m sorry, then added all my reasons why I did something, hoping He wouldn’t be disappointed in me. Unfortunately, I know I have. Sometimes when I am deeply upset by the way in which I have handled something, I might find myself telling Him, “I’m sorry, but….”. Instead of owning my action, I try to explain it away. When we love the Lord, it is natural to want to please Him, but we need our behavior to reflect our position as a deeply loved child of God.

God knows our weaknesses and imperfections; nevertheless, He continues to love us. His love is unconditional, and even if we may be disappointed in ourselves or regret what we may or may not have done, we know God’s love for us will never change. Knowing this, our confessions before God should always be anchored in the confidence that He will forgive us without needing any of our explanations or excuses. If we express deep sorrow for our actions and ask Him for help and forgiveness and simply tell Him “I’m sorry”, we won’t disappoint Him.

Being genuinely sorry without explanation is critical in our relationship with God…. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1 John 1:4);  “¹ Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. ² Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit”. (Psalm 32:1-2).

God’s grace allows us to quit hiding behind our excuses, to simply repent and find comfort knowing that He will never stop loving us in our journey to righteousness. What matters to Him is the attitude of our hearts and our honesty.

There are seven Penitential Psalms that convey repentance and are expressive of sorrow for sin. (Psalms 6, 31, 37, 50, 101, 129, and 142). As we enter this Lenten season, I encourage you to spend some time in quiet contemplation with any or all of these Psalms. Let God know you are sorry, with no excuses; just honest confessions before our merciful Lord; knowing we can be assured of His forgiveness; so great is His love.

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son”… (John 3:16). We are so blessed to have this gift of unconditional love and forgiveness made available through Jesus’ death on the cross and through His glorious resurrection. “As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love” (Psalm 103:11).

Instead of saying, “I’m sorry, but…..” we can say –  “I’m sorry dear Lord because I love You and I know You forgive me, so great is Your love!”  

Lift your voices this week and sing along to: Great Is Your Love - YouTube

 

Why?

by Phil Wood

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Raise your hand if you had to memorize John 3:16 when you were in Sunday School. Yup, me, too. I memorized the King James version shown above. Now you know how long ago I was in Sunday School.

John 3:16 is probably the most famous verse in all of Scripture. These days, we see folks waving “John 3:16” on placards at sporting events. Tim Tebow even wrote it on his eye black so the national television audiences could see it in the close-up shots.

But I wonder. Is this one of those passages that has just become background noise, words we’ve seen and heard so often we don’t really see, don’t really hear? John 3:16 is perhaps the most pivotal verse in all of Scripture, and one of the most difficult to truly understand.

Why? Why did God have to give his son? His son?!

Well, it’s a long story. It goes all the way back to the Garden, really. But let’s pick up from the time when the Jews, after their miraculous escape from the land of Egypt, were wandering in the desert. There they began a seemingly never-ending cycle of turning away from God, suffering dearly as a consequence of their sin, recognizing again their great need for God, crawling back to him on their knees and – amazingly – receiving that mercy, that grace, again and again.

Thumb through the pages of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers and you’ll see how time and time again, the people would turn away from God and grumble against God, and come complaining to Moses, “Why did you bring us out of slavery in Egypt? To suffer and die of thirst and starvation in the desert? The food is so terrible, and there’s no water anywhere. Please pray to God to have mercy on us and save us from our suffering.”

And Moses would pray. And God would relent, and forgive, and bring quails from the edge of the sea, so many that they stacked up three feet deep in the desert around the camp. Or he would have Moses bring water gushing from a rock with this staff!

Why? Why does God persist in saving humankind, when humankind, itself, persists in rebellion and sin? Why would he even consider giving his one and only son in the seemingly lost cause of this fallen world?

The answer comes in the familiar language of John 3:16. God acts again and again for the benefit of human beings because God loves the world in spite of itself. Even as the world resists and opposes his son, God persists in loving the world.

God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:17)

The world. He wants to save the whole doggone world!

And he wants us to help. That’s a tall order in a world that seems to have gone stark, raving mad. Our world today is repeating the cycle, turning away from God at an astonishing rate. The consequences of our sins are mounting daily and becoming quite painful. Will we recognize our great need for God and come crawling back on our knees? I really don’t know. But here are some things it would be good for us to try during Lent.

First, pray. Pray with passion. Pray that we as individuals, we as a people, we as a nation, would come to our senses, come to our senses, and return to the Lord with repentant hearts.

Second, spend some time contemplating the results of sin in our world today, in our country, our town, our families, and our lives.

Third, forgive. Forgive as the Lord has forgiven us. Forgive those who have spoken in anger and hatred against us and our values. Forgive even those political leaders who have sown division in our land, who have aroused hatred in our hearts. Pray for them. Pray that they would come to their senses, and turn to the Lord with repentant hearts. Pray for God to forgive and undo the hatred in our own hearts.

Fourth, be a light. By our words and actions, help people see how badly we need God's love and God's mercy. Help people see how good it is to receive God's precious gift of eternal life.

Lent is a season in which the church comes to terms with suffering, especially that suffering which is the result of human sin. Because it's in the context of this suffering that we are most able to see our need for God, and God's mercy which, amazingly, continues to be given, time after time, and is new every morning.  

It will come again, God's mercy. It will come again, if we lift our eyes to the one who was lifted up to save us from ourselves.

Why? God so loves the world.

Preparing for Lent

By Marilyn Travis

I must be honest. I have never really been excited about Lent. Dwelling on the time before the crucifixion, the events that led up to it, my own sin and need for Christ – all seem so depressing. Can’t we just skip Lent and jump right to the empty tomb? Yes, I know. I can’t truly appreciate Christ’s resurrection unless I also appreciate His sacrifice and the depth of His love.

 
Like Advent, Lent is a time of waiting. During Advent we are joyously awaiting the birth of Christ, focusing on hope, love, joy and peace. During Lent we solemnly await the crucifixion, acknowledging the sacrifice Christ made for each of us giving His life that we may live. Though It’s not my favorite time of year, I have learned that Lent can be a time of spiritual growth, and time spent in intentional reflection and prayer brings me closer to Christ. Indeed, it inevitably brings hope, love, joy and peace to my heart.

I don’t generally give anything up for Lent. Instead I try to focus on developing a spiritual exercise. This past year I have struggled a bit with my attitude toward others. I get frustrated with people who seem narrow minded or stubborn about politics, or who don’t wear masks or take Covid 19 seriously. I admit, I find myself feeling self-righteous and judgmental from time to time. I need to focus not only on confessing my sin, but also on changing my attitude!

Ephesians 4:30-32
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

In Day by Day: a 40 Day Journey to Deeply Change Your Relationships, Peter Scazzero writes:

We want to obey Scripture’s command to get rid of all bitterness and be forgiving to one another. The question is, How?

A number of years ago, William Meninger, a Trappist monk who has dedicated his life to prayer for over fifty years, visited our church in New York City to teach us some of what he’s learned. One of the things he shared was a “Compassion Meditation Prayer,” the purpose of which was to help us forgive and let go of bitterness.

An adapted and shortened version of the prayer is included below. It is meant to be prayed for someone you might consider an enemy or someone with whom you are in conflict. It may even be someone from your past, living or dead, for whom forgiveness is still possible and overdue.

May you be happy, may you be free.
May you be loving, may you be loved.
May you know the fulfillment of what God has planned for you.
May Jesus Christ be formed in you.
May you know His peace that passes all understanding.
May all good things be yours.
May Jesus’ joy be in you and may that joy be complete.
May you know the Lord in all His goodness and compassion.
May you be protected from the evil one amidst every temptation that comes your way.
May the Holy Spirit fill and permeate your entire being.
May you see His glory.
May you be forgiven of every sin.
I forgive you (or will try to forgive you) of every wound and hurt with all my heart.
May God’s goodness and mercy follow you all the days of your life.

Scazzero ends his entry with this prayer:

Jesus, thank you for loving me with the kind of loving compassion expressed in this prayer. I long to be the kind of person who sincerely feels and prays like this – especially for those who annoy or hurt me. I am a long way from that now. I ask that you do a profound work in me so that I might truly love like You. In Your name I pray, Amen.

I think the lyrics in this song are fitting. I hope you enjoy it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqG_iQwqEOE

Reflections on Ash Wednesday and Lent

By Cathy Ramsey

 

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day season of fasting, reflection, and remembrance before the Holy Week and resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday. It is a holy day that signifies the beginning of Lent. It marks the entry into a season of spiritual preparation for Holy Week, which culminates in Easter. Any march toward the redeeming work of Christ must begin with a recognition of our need for his grace—and that reminder is Ash Wednesday. The day affirms that we are dust, as ashes are literally spread in a cross on our foreheads. The cross represents Jesus and how he has redeemed us. We are encouraged to seek repentance with humble hearts and prepare for his gift. (www.biblestudytools.com)

These are some practices for Ash Wednesday and the remainder of the first week of Lent.

DAY 1: ASH WEDNESDAY

MEDITATE: 1 Peter 5:6 - So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.

PRAY: Lord, I am not my own. I am a sinner and I have fallen short of your glory, yet you became a man to die on a cross in my place. Thank you for loving me that much, Jesus! In this season, may I be crucified with Christ so I can truly live.

REFLECT: How am I conforming to culture? What would it look like to follow the way of Jesus instead?

DAY 2:

MEDITATE: Psalm 118:25-26 – Please, Lord, please save us. Please, Lord, please give us success. Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord.

PRAY: Lord, help me to dive into this season of Lent with intentionality and purpose. I want to know you better, love you more fully, and accept your grace more readily. Draw me closer to you, day by day.

REFLECT: What has been the most meaningful part of this Lenten season for you? What will you remember?

DAY 3:

MEDITATE: 1 Samuel 15:22 – But Samuel replied, what is more pleasing to the Lord; your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better that offering the fat of rams.

PRAY: Lord, I pray that I wouldn’t make Lent about myself this year, but instead about your great love for me through your sacrifice of Jesus. May I focus on your love above all else-- thank you, Jesus, for giving your life for mine.

REFLECT: Where am I focusing my attention? Should I be giving up something for Lent?

DAY 4:

MEDITATE: Matthew 4:1-2 – Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry.

PRAY: Jesus, help me to set aside time for worship and reflection in this season of Lent. Help me draw nearer to you and understand you more deeply. May I receive the overwhelming graces you have to offer me, today and everyday.

REFLECT: How can I honor the sacrifice of Jesus through my life?

(From www.biblestudytools.com – 40 Day Lent Devotional)

A Prayer for Ash Wednesday

Merciful God, you called us forth from the dust of the earth; you claimed us for Christ in the waters of baptism. Look upon us as we enter these Forty Days bearing the mark of ashes, and bless the journey through the desert of Lent to the font of rebirth. As we remember our mortality and seek penitence today, we know you to be a God who is rich in forgiveness and abounding in steadfast love, love that culminates in eternal life with you. Guide our steps this Lent, so that we might find greater fulfillment in your promises and better serve others with a heart that’s reflective of you. Amen.

 (From www.baylor.edu)