Ash Wednesday Already?

How can it be Ash Wednesday already? I don't know why I'm surprised that it is upon us. Like Christmas it comes with regularity, but I'm caught off-guard. Why is that?

I think it's because I'm always trying to catch up to today. All the "to do's" and people that need meeting and letters to be written and emails to read and ... and ... and ... . They all tell me that I am behind and I need to work faster and harder and more efficiently and ... sigh.

Thank you God for Lent! Thank you God for Ash Wednesday when I remember ...

R-E-M-E-M-B-E-R

... that you are God and I am your servant. From dust I have come and to dust I shall return. Not just any old dust. Cosmic dust. Dust that has the breath of God giving life to each particle of my being.

Lent is a time to slow down and ... R-E-M-E-M-B-E-R ... who God is and that we are His. Lent is a time to look at who we are in Him and sift and sort through that which keeps us from knowing Him intimately, keeps us from being more like Him, keeps us ... separated from Him. Lent is a time to deal with the sin in our lives that needs confessing and of which we need to repent.

While studying Psalm 51 I discovered that the word in Greek for God's mercy and steadfast love are the same. I stopped and considered that. God's mercy and steadfast love are the same for our lives, for my life, for your life. God's mercy. God's steadfast love ... His loyal love. Stop. Look. Listen. ... Stop. ... Look. ... Listen. ...  God's steadfast loyal love is His mercy for us. It is His sure forgiveness for us ... if we take time to receive it. That is what Lent may offer us if we take time out of our "to do's" and away from all the meetings and letters and emails ... to receive it.

God's steadfast loyal love awaits us this Lent. What a wonder! God bless you as we begin this journey through Lent.

Walking on Water

"So Peter got out of the boat and walked on water and came to Jesus." - Matthew 14.29

Yesterday I got word that I will have some unexpected additional monthly expenses. Unexpected = unbudgeted. Hmmm. My first thought was, "How will these additional expenses be paid?" My second thought was, "LORD, you know my situation. You know everything about me. So, you already know how these things will be paid. You know from where the funds will come. You have provided for me over these past two years of being without full-time employment and I know you will provide for me as I enter into the third. So, I'm giving these over to you." 

After I said that ... OK, it was more than a thought, I actually said it out loud ... after I said that I began to remember all the ways God has provided for me over these two years. And, as I remembered thankfulness began to well up and over in my heart. God provides. God is with me. 

This morning I read this in Jesus Calling 

"I want you to be all mine. I am weaning you from other dependencies. Your security rests in Me alone - not in other people, not in circumstances. Depending only on Me may feel like walking on a tightrope, but there is a safety net underneath: the everlasting arms." 

How like God to give such an immediate encouragement for my situation. As I read that the story of Peter walking on water came to mind. So, I flipped open my Bible and because I couldn't remember the exact passage, I did a quick Google search, which wanted to take me to Luke. OK, I'll go to Luke. But, then the first result came up Matthew. That's funny. I choose Luke and it gives me Matthew.

I turned back to my Bible and ... you guessed it ... it was open to Matthew AND there before my eyes was the story of Peter walking on water! I laughed out loud! God wants me to know that He's got it all under control. And, even if I sink ... I will have walked on water! AND, even if I sink ... He will be there to catch me. I will have come to Jesus.

Taking the risk to get out of the boat and walk on water is worth it. For me, it's trusting God with my finances and my work situation and ... well, I won't bore you. For you, it may be something similar or it may be a relationship or an addiction or homework or work itself or ... whatever! The truth is that God provides. God is with you. God will catch you in Jesus' loving arms. And, as you trust Him, He will make you laugh!

Epiphany Blessing

The LORD bless you and keep you;

the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;

the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

AMEN.

The Eve of Epiphany

Tonight is a night for a party! Well, tonight or tomorrow night. Like Christmas when we celebrate the Light of Christ, Jesus, come to dwell among us, tonight we wait and watch and remember that on Epiphany the Light of Christ, Jesus is revealed to the Gentiles.

One of my favorite paintings is Tissot's Journey of the Magi. He paints a caravan of wise men, learned men, fitted out for the long journey to seek the child who would be born King of the Jews. Magi, the plural of the Latin word magus, studied all disciplines and within them were the Hebrew Scriptures and Astronomy. How did the Hebrew Scriptures, God's Word make its way to Babylon? Hmmm. I think, Daniel!

Israel was conquered by Babylon around 600BC and carried away the best and brightest young men. Daniel was one of them. It could be that those best and brightest passed along their knowledge of the One True God, their hope of His coming as Messiah and King, their faith in the sure promise of God's Holy Word. And, for 600 years magi, wise men, studied the Scriptures and watched the sky ... and discovering the revelation that "the heavens declare the glory of God" and that "nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising"!

Tonight, we remember that the heavens indeed declare the glory of God's Light revealed to the nations ... to the Gentiles, to those not of Jewish lineage. Tonight, we remember that a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope. In His Name ... we hope.

This presentation by Rick Larson is worth your time. In it God's plan set before the foundation of the world is revealed; in it is Hope in His Name! Happy Epiphany!