Easter JOY to you!

HE IS RISEN!

Lenten reading the last for this season, # 40: Sat, Apr 7: Go. Tell!

GO, TELL!

Mt.28: 6-8.

The angel followed his words of reassurance with a simple command. “Go quickly, and tell...” he said. Note the instant, unquestioning obedience. No whining about just needing a few, self-gratifying minutes to savor the moment. No debating about telling the priests or the Pharisees or the reporter from the Jerusalem Gazette. Not a bit of dithering, just simple obedience.

Let's think about our obedience to the Lord's commands: how often do we dither, question, second-guess or rationalize? How often do you, do I, boldly and simply obey?

How are we doing in the “go and tell the good news” department? Are we just expecting people to guess what we're thinking? Are we awaiting some magical “ideal moment”?

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for being less-than-perfectly obedient in telling others about You. Give me courage to back my convictions; give me deep and overflowing joy in my salvation which should naturally bubble up in my heart and leap to my lips. Thank You for loving me in spite of my less-than-stellar obedience. Amen.

Lenten rdg #39, for Fri, Apr. 6: SEEKING.

SEEKING

Mt.28: 5.

Coming to visit the tomb with every expectation that Jesus was dead, the women were astounded to be greeted by an angel. “I know that you still seek Jesus, who was crucified,” the angel said.

And there is the nub of today's lesson: these ladies were still seeking, although their every human hope had died in front of them yesterday on the Roman cross. Yet, they still came. They still sought. Where were the other disciples? Why didn't they come, too?

The lesson for us all is to come, seeking Jesus, even when we feel hopeless and helpless, just come. Just pray. Just seek. Come.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive me when my emotions or situation gets the better of me and I despair. Remind me to come to You, seeking You and Your ways with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. Amen.

Lenten rdg #38, for Thurs., Apr. 5: Suffering for Sin.

SUFFERING FOR SIN

Mt.27: 27-31.

Continuing with yesterday's theme, we remember that Jesus' suffering demonstrated how horrific, how loathsome is our sin—in God's eyes, it is intolerably abhorrent—thus, Jesus' mournful cry in verse 46, “Why am I forsaken?” When we sin, we separate ourselves from God, forsaking His commands and His fellowship.

Oh, that we might better understand some of the horror of sin, and thus better avoid every manner of even the most “trivial” (in our eyes!) wrong-doings.

Prayer: Lord, I am a poor, miserable sinner. I am worthy only through Your grace, Your love, and Your sacrificial atonement for me. Fix my eyes on You, that I might not sin against You. I will praise You for my wonderful and abundant salvation! Thank You! Amen.

Lenten rdg # 37, for Wed., Apr. 4: WEEPING.

WEEPING

Mt.26: 75.

“...and Peter went out and wept bitterly.” At least Peter was capable of being overwhelmed by his shame. Our culture has lost much of its sense of shame, of remorse, of sorrow over sin. We explain and excuse rather than ask for pardon and to promise to change our ways.

Does this verse resonate with the Church of the 21^st century? Are we (often? ever?) brought to tears, weeping over our sinfulness? Do we come to Our loving Father with an awareness of how much He hates sin?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me a better understanding of my sinfulness. Guard me from evil. Praise You for abundant forgiveness. Cleanse me anew, and change my ways. Amen.

Lenten Rdg # 36, for Tues., Apr. 3: ASLEEP.

ASLEEP

Mt.26: 40-46.

Jesus asked his friends to watch and pray with Him. After agonizing in prayer privately, He returned for some encouragement and found his “faithful” ones sound asleep. Second and third times, ditto. Asleep.

While we sigh and shake our heads at the disciples' lack of zeal, let's be honest and ask ourselves, how is my zeal for the Lord? Do I set aside time for deep, searching prayer? Do I make time to study God's word, then meditate on it, that the Spirit may gain some leverage and effect change in me? Is my “devotional life” one of dry duty or of passionate pursuit?

Isn't it interesting to see just how much Jesus was expecting of His disciples? And how badly He wants to hear you prayers and mine? He's waiting—are we awake?

Prayer: Lord, I know that every moment of day cannot be a spiritual high...but I know that my passion for You and Your ways isn't very strong many days of the week (Month? Year?) Forgive me and lead me into deeper devotion to You. Amen.

Lent, rdg #35, for Mon., Apr. 2...GIVING.

GIVING

Mt.25: 34-40.

Jesus calls us to be compassionate, generous givers. He expects us to take care of those who cannot take care of themselves; that's right, the orphan, the aged, the very poor, those who lack resources to make a go of it in mainstream America (or Africa, or Asia, etc.)

“When you take care of them, you are taking care of Me,” Jesus says. That gives me the impression that Jesus thinks taking care of the down-and-out, the poor, the powerless, is important!

So, should you give a couple of bucks to the next homeless person you see? Should you give more money to the Red Cross or other relief agencies? Is that what Jesus means? Or, is He addressing first of all our attitude, how we tend to look down our noses at the poor, holding them in lower esteem? I suspect that an attitude adjustment is the first order of business. After that, don't just give money...buy 'em a burger or a milkshake. See if they need something other than food. Certainly, offer words of encouragement. And, remember, the Lord made these brothers and sisters, too, and it's your job and mine to love them without prejudice. (Easily said...not easy to do--may the Spirit imbue with the oomph to do, as shy people do, what needs to be done!)

Prayer: Lord, give me a love for the unlovely, the hard to love. I confess that my heart is not pristine-clean—cleanse me of my biases and help me, I pray. Teach me how to show love to every last person that You bring into my life. Amen.