Time is marching on, isn’t it.
Rising early to embrace the Lord’s presence may be a bit more difficult with the time change.
March is blustery and often seems colder than expected.
Yet, this is a time to nestle into the arms of the Lord, feel the loving warmth of His embrace and continue with another week of lingering with Jesus.
This is also a time to get plenty of fresh air, be careful in huge crowds, take extra care to keep germs away from us and not let fear of illness override our common sense. Here is a prayer for medical staff who are vulnerable to the COVID 19.
“Sanctify, O Lord, those whom you have called to the study and practice of the arts of healing, and to the prevention of disease and pain. Strengthen them by your life-giving Spirit, that by their ministries the health of the community may be promoted and your creation glorified; through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Amen. Book of Common Prayer p.460
May we also take precautions to remain healthy as we pray for ourselves and those we know:
“O God of heavenly powers, by the might of your command, drive away from our bodies all sickness and all infirmity: Be present in your goodness with your servants that their weakness may be banished and their strength restored; and that, their health being renewed, they may bless your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Amen. BCP 458
3-9 Genesis 41:46-57; Psalm 56,57,64,65; 1 Corinthians 4:8-20(21); Mark 3:7-19
Genesis 41:46 Joseph was 30 years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Joseph stored up food, beyond measure, in every city during the seven fruitful years. “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my misfortunes.” :55-:57 When all the land was in famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread . . . so Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. Moreover, all the world came to Egypt to buy grain, because the famine became severe throughout the world.
Some stories in Genesis are well worth following. The life of Joseph is fascinating. Hopefully, you’ve been reading this ‘novella’ of his life and drinking in intrigue. Joseph had much to learn and his journey, from the pit of abandonment to the top of the mountain, as Pharaoh’s right hand, took time.
Notice that Joseph was thirty years old when he was called into a leadership role. Physiologically, this is when the male brain fully matures in its leadership gifts. Joseph was given great gifts but needed to learn how to hone them with God’s grace. God knew Joseph’s journey would be challenging because Joseph’s role in Egypt and later with his brothers, would carry great responsibility. Joseph changed as he was tossed about in his various roles while in captivity in Egypt.
Joseph’s humility bloomed. His dreams matured. His gift of interpretation was honed. He gained great patience and greater wisdom. Joseph’s ‘slave’ experience was like a wilderness experience where only God and His angels ministered to Joseph. Instead of forty days, like Jesus, Joseph spent over half his life ‘in the desert.’ And then God called him out. God called Joseph into the presence of the god of Egypt, Pharaoh.
Joseph leaned hard on the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of his fathers. Joseph, no longer prideful, ‘translated’ Pharaoh’s vision according to what the Lord revealed. At the age of thirty, Joseph was ready to lead and, indeed, that is what he did. Pharoah’s vision became true.
Seven years of over-abundance of crops was divided and stored.
A fifth of all produced in those years was set aside for
Seven years in which Joseph’s brothers, the tribes of Israel, would feel the emptiness of that same famine and seek help from Egypt, as Hebrew people had done many times before.
God, in His great mercy, knew this famine would come.
He knew the world would come to Egypt to purchase food.
God knew Joseph’s teenage visions would become true during a very difficult time for Israel.
God knew that life in Egypt would become so abundant for the sons of Abraham that they would end up living there for hundreds of years. They would become slaves to the land because of their apathy in not returning to the land promised to them. The tribes of Jacob, like Joseph, had to grow, mature, and learn much from the Egyptians before they would be allowed to re-enter the Promised Land.
Think about it: Joseph’s story does not end there.
Yet, it is important for you to know those details nestled into the story.
Did Joseph marry?
What about his two sons?
Why is not Joseph one of the listed tribes?
Most important, how was Joseph’s journey as a slave before he reached the age of leadership much like the wilderness experience Jesus experienced before He began his three years of non-stop ministry?
Once we understand the purpose behind the wilderness time with God of both Joseph and Jesus, we better understand the importance of taking our own ‘wilderness time’ with the Lord. Once we grow into total dependance on God, we better understand being in the full presence of God.
It is good to remember that Jesus chose to endure his desert experience in the fullness of his humanity when his ‘divinity’ was tested by the devil.
So, ask yourself how your wilderness experience in Lent working so far?
How is your ‘staying’ power? A
re you able to remain true to your list of what you chose to do regarding prayer, fasting, and alms-giving?
Are you maintaining some ‘desert’ time each day?
We are blessed that we are called to exercise patience and certain disciplines for about six weeks each year.
Think about extending those disciplines a little longer.
In fact, those ‘disciplines’ we choose to enact during Lent should be the very ones we maintain for the rest of our lives.
Linger in prayer.
What do you want to change?
What new encounter with Christ do you want to embrace?
It’s never too late to begin.
Pray that each discipline you choose will gird you and draw you further into God’s presence each day, week, month, year . . . forever.
3-10 Genesis 42:1-17; Psalm 61,62,68; 1 Corinthians 5:1-8; Mark 3:19b-35
1 Corinthians 5:6 “Your boasting is not good. Do you
know that a little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough? :7 Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new batch as you really are unleavened. For Christ our Paschal Lamb, our Passover, has been sacrificed. :8 Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with old yeast, the yeast of malice and evil but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
And these are the nice words from Paul. He gets to the point immediately in this letter to a church body that identifies itself as ‘Christian’ but allows members to live in a more degrading manner than the pagans! Paul was never one to mince words. That’s why many Christinas do not do well with some of his letters. This letter is powerful from beginning to end because Paul must make his point without being present.
We recall that the Corinthians have access to good education, trade from around the world, a sophisticated culture and, for the most part, a comfortable life. Perhaps those who accepted Jesus as Lord may have thought they would simply add another god to their list? Perhaps they thought that keeping a few rules would win them the prize of eternal life. This group had missed the point. It’s as if they said, “Let’s get together to worship and break bread together, to remember the paschal mystery, sacrificed for us. Then we can return to our normal, pagan lifestyle.”
It’s as if they took a break from their immorality for a few hours, did their Christian duty, then returned to their life of self-deceit. Who is in charge of this motley crew? Did Paul spend enough time teaching the elders before he had to leave? Why are the elders allowing this boastful person to taint the rest of the believers?
Jesus, the Christ, is the unleavened bread. He came to us to ‘throw out’ our old, yeast-filled, depraved, sin-filled life and give us a new beginning. Anything we do that grieves the Holy Spirit must be tossed out and given to Jesus to devour through His blood that was shed on the cross. Jesus Christ, our Paschal Lamb, the One who overcame death so that we would never feel the sting of death, the One who, by His death, would enable us to never be consumed with the ‘leaven’ of sin, became our Passover through His sacrifice for us.
Think about it: When we receive Holy Communion, this is not merely a remembrance. We are brought into Christ’s holy presence and reminded that, “Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us, therefore let us keep the feast.” Let us consume this feast of unleavened bread and live the unleavened life Christ offers us. Let this Holy Feast consume us, direct us, change us, ‘be’ within us. Unlike those in Corinth who thought this was a nice meal to eat, the ‘bread of Christ’ is our sustenance, our very life.
That’s why, when some churches bake a loaf of bread, break it up and serve it during holy communion as ‘our common bread’ they miss the point. This bread they just baked is leavened, full of yeast! It’s the very antithesis of the Passover. Our Sabbath day comes from our Jewish roots, the first salvation story, the Passover. Hebrew people had no time to wait for leaven to work. They sacrificed the Lamb and ate quickly.
Our new freedom in Christ, the Passover Lamb
sacrificed for us, supersedes all previous sacrifices. Christ’s death and resurrection blots out the need for any more sacrifice. Jesus, the Christ, is our ‘all in all.’ It is finished! Leaven is finished. Immoral, pagan life is finished. Sin is finished.
By consuming the ‘Body of Christ, sacrificed for us,’ we make the statement that we are followers who believe in the resurrected Christ and are called to live the ‘unleavened’ life. This is why this period of Lent is so important for us. It’s a time to clean those inner cupboards of our mind, will and emotion of any leaven. It’s a time to clear out those pesky habits that seem to infiltrate our ‘doughy’ life.
The best way to do this is simply to ask the Lord to bring forth those habits which get in the way of our intimate relationship with our Lord.
Then, hand whatever comes to mind to Jesus by dropping these deceitful habits at the foot of the cross.
Move forward by inviting Jesus to take you by the hand and lead you more deeply into His loving embrace.
Focus your every thought on Jesus’ love, grace, forgiveness, strength, direction.
Focus on God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Focus on God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
He will do the rest.
Breathe deep.
Feel released.
Keep moving forward as the Lord directs.
The next time you receive Holy Communion, remember that “Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us . . . therefore let us maintain this feast.”
Rejoice!
Be Glad!
Be cleansed.
BE, in Christ.
3-11 Genesis 42:18-28; Psalm 72, 119:73-96; 1 Corinthians 5:9-6:8; Mark 4:1-20
Mark 4:4-8 “Some seed was sown on the path and the birds came to eat it. Other seed was sown on soil with no depth and sprouted quickly. Since there was little soil to protect the roots, the midday sun scorched the sprout and it withered. Other seed was sown in the midst of thorns and weeds and was choked out when it grew. It yielded no grain. :8 Other seed fell on good soil and grew up and yielded and increased thirty and sixty and one hundred fold.” When Jesus had the disciples alone he told them, :11-:12 “To you
has been given the secret of the kingdom of God but for those outside, everything comes in parables in order that they may look but not perceive; and may indeed listen but not understand so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.”
I underlined a few profound words. Where is Jesus’ love and all-encompassing embrace? Doesn’t he want all to come into the kingdom of God? Why is he speaking in ‘parables’ which are allegories of the life those who are listening know well?
Galilee is prolific farm country. Those listening know well what it is like to waste seed on cement-like dirt of paths, on rocks and in the midst of thorns. In fact, Jesus used the word, ‘seed’ in the singular for these three instances because he knew those listening would say, “What a waste!” Yet, in verse :8, when speaking of the ‘good’ soil, Jesus used the plural, “seeds.”
Those who listened as farmers would not understand what Jesus was talking about. They could neither perceive nor understand the underlying meaning. They chose to remain ‘outside’ the ‘family’ so to speak. The writer of Mark often used ‘family’ to refer to those Jesus drew into His presence. Those who listened and understood made the choice to ‘join the family.’
This was a time to teach those who chose to look, perceive, listen and understand.
This was a time to teach those on the ‘inside,’ those who choose to listen, understand, grow and bear fruit.
Followers of Jesus choose to make deep roots to withstand the heat (the ire) that the Son of God draws forth from the Pharisees. They stay rooted when the storms of adversity sway them almost to their death. They grow strong enough to outgrow those thorny, weedy naysayers that rub up against them for their entire life. They grow deep roots, great and strong, in order multiply (tell others) and bring the abundant harvest (disciples) into the kingdom of God, into the loving arms of Jesus.
Think about it: Are you a deeply rooted follower of Jesus? If so, did you read the entire passage, especially through 4:13-:20 to find out ‘the rest of the story?’
Reading these small vignettes that you read here from
God’s Word is great!
Glad that you are interested.
Often we only have time to read our quick meditation for the day and run out the door for a very long day.
However, being a ‘disciple’ of Jesus Christ takes a little planning, doesn’t it.
In order to nurture and grow deeper roots, we must take time with Jesus.
We must set aside time to ‘hear, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest’ His presence.
In order to learn to remain silent before our Lord and simply listen, we need to learn his voice and the voice of none other.
We must set aside time to ‘hear, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest’ His presence.
In order to learn to remain silent before our Lord and simply listen, we need to learn his voice and the voice of none other.
This is not easy.
That’s why it is important to open The Book filled with God’s glorious Words, look hard at one stanza or even one word at a time and perceive what the Lord is trying to tell us.
It’s one of many ways to ‘know’, to become ‘intimate’ with God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
It takes time to understand the words, who Jesus is, how He works in our life as His disciples.
This is not automatic.
First, we are called to humble ourselves by confessing our sin-filled nature, by letting go of our life and giving it to Jesus . . . drop it at the foot of the cross where Jesus receives all we give to Him.
Doing so, by faith, we are cleansed and filled with the Holy Spirit through baptism.
We are then ready to begin to look, perceive, listen and understand what Jesus wants us to know.
We are ready to understand the parables of Jesus and to apply them to our own lives.
Doing so, by faith, we are cleansed and filled with the Holy Spirit through baptism.
We are then ready to begin to look, perceive, listen and understand what Jesus wants us to know.
We are ready to understand the parables of Jesus and to apply them to our own lives.
GOOD!
Then go out and share your knowledge and love of Jesus with those who have not yet been forgiven,
who have not yet heard the voice of the Lord,
who have not yet become part of the ‘family of God.’
who have not yet heard the voice of the Lord,
who have not yet become part of the ‘family of God.’
Go
Tell
Nurture
Harvest the scores of souls who wish to be filled with the presence of God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Bring in new disciples by being that disciple you are called to be.
Look
perceive
listen
understand
so that you can grow others to do the same.
3-12 Genesis 42:29-38; Psalm [70] 71,74; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; Mark 4:21-34
1 Corinthians 6:14 God not only raised the Lord but will raise us up through His power. :17-:18 The one who joins himself to the Lord is ONE spirit with Him. Flee immorality . . . Every sin that a person commits
is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against his own body. :19 Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you which you have from God, you are not your own. :20 For you were bought with a price; glorify God in your body.
As we see, Paul does not let up with his exhortation to the Corinthians. Throughout his letters Paul calls out the sin of the self-focused, the ones who seek instant pleasure for their own needs, the ones who want both the treasure of heaven and the sordid life of the ungrounded. People who are used to having what they want, when they want it cannot change easily. This culture in Corinth provides every opportunity for self gratification.
Yet, Paul asserts that the greater gratification is to let go of personal desires in order to seek One with much greater power to satisfy. “Be One with God in Christ,” the words say. “Access the same power that raised Christ. That power of God will also raise us into eternal one-ness with God . . . forever!” One cannot embrace better gratification than that.
Paul continues, “Every sin a person commits is beyond the body. It is sin and must be dealt with but it will not destroy our ‘temple’ our body. Yet, the sin that is against the body, which will destroy us, body and soul, is fornication.”
This is sin that cannot be easily dealt with because it affects the ‘house’ where the Holy Spirit resides within Christians. . . . the temple, tabernacle, a holy place. The Holy Spirit is not ours to rule but belongs to God. The Holy Spirit resides within us to lead us and direct us. We thwart God’s presence in us, the Holy Spirit, when we give in to lust of the flesh and use our own body to desecrate our temple that houses God’s presence.
Think about it: Most of us who have known Christ and continue to walk in His ways may scratch our heads and
say, “What is the big deal?”
Most certainly we would never abuse our bodies much less abuse the Holy Spirit residing within us in such a way.
Most certainly we would never abuse our bodies much less abuse the Holy Spirit residing within us in such a way.
You are right.
You understand what it means to belong to God, in Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
But this letter speaks to Christians who may not have heard the concept that they house, are the temple of, the Holy Spirit who was prayed into them at baptism.
We must learn about our role as Christians before we can learn to live as Christians.
I never cease to be amazed at the people, too many to count, who call themselves ‘Christian’ yet have no clue what this means.
If we are born into a Christian family and go to church we must be Christian?
If we ‘passed the test’ of confirmation or a ritual of entry into the church we are Christian?
If we think of God once in awhile and think Jesus is awesome we are Christian?
If we do good works and are kind and love everyone it does not matter what else we do or do not do but we “look” like Christians and come from a Christian family so we must be Christian?
Because there are two to three generations in our midst who may not have experienced a personal relationship with God though His Son, even if they went to church with their family when they were young, today’s world is much like Corinth.
Most of us have endless freedoms, education, and gifts and abilities to do or be whomever we choose.
We can follow any religion we choose.
We can vote any way our heart sways us.
We can do all things through ‘self’ because others told us we can.
Where is God in all this?
Where is the power beyond self?
What is beyond this pile of flesh and bones we call a human body?
What’s left if we place God in a box or try to create a god that fits the tiny world we have created for ourselves?
For those of us who gave our life to Christ Jesus and died to self and understand the power of the Holy Spirit, called into us in baptism, it is our job to be like Paul.
It is our job to call out the the self-focused lifestyle swirling around us.
It is our job to love and have compassion for those who do not understand what it is to be a Christian.
AT THE SAME TIME, it is our job to turn others around, to bring them face to face with our Lord.
By continuous, active prayer and by receiving insight from the Lord through that prayer, the Lord can lead us, one step at a time, into action.
We can pray for each person we know, personally, and ask the Lord how we can be the Lord’s hands and feet to lead each person to Christ.
Like Paul we can help others around us see our Lord face to face.
Begin with prayer.
Be ready to exhort.
Be as bold as our Lord calls you to be.
God will do the rest.
3-13 Genesis 43:1-15; Psalm 69,73,95; 1 Corinthians 7:1-9; Mark 4:35-41
Mark 4:35-41 Jesus and his disciples went in a boat to the other side of the Sea of Galilee and a fierce
storm broke out. Jesus slept and the disciples were afraid and woke Jesus. “Hush, be still,” Jesus said to the wind. And it was dead calm. “Why do you fear” said Jesus. The disciples were in awe that Jesus’ Word controlled the storm and stilled the sea.
:40 “Why are you afraid, do you still have no faith?”
The disciples were still getting use to the awesome nature of Jesus. They’d heard each parable and, taken aside, learned the explanation for each. There was power in those stories, power to stand firm and power to change. Jesus was becoming like a protector to them but they still struggled to understand the great power Jesus had over nature, over everything.
Jesus was with them, right there, in the boat and they were afraid. These were fishermen, raised on this rugged sea of Galilee. Storms came in an instant. What did they do without Jesus, when they were waiting for their catch? They brought down their sails, hunkered down in the boat, hung on for dear life and hoped and prayed they would not capsize.
Perhaps Peter was present and knew that Jesus, sleeping soundly through this whole event, could do something. It was worth a try to wake Him up. Here they are, being tossed about by wind and waves, and Jesus is sound asleep. This, in itself, is totally amazing. To be so at peace within a tempest that sleep is even possible must have been an awesome sight to these fishermen.
Two words! Jesus said two words . . . BE STILL. That’s it. Be still. The sea not only became calm but ‘dead’ calm . . . so still that the boat, and those trailing along side, might even be stuck and go no further. One minute the raging wind is tossing the boats about and the next minute nothing is moving. They are dead in the water.
Isn’t that like fear? This is a perfect picture of fear. One minute there seems to be a chaos so strong that one may think death is imminent. Chaos acts like a strong
wind tossing us about, making us lose control, causing us to fear for our very lives. The next minute we are totally immobile, unable to take the next step.
Fear can be deadly. We’ve read stories about how fear might cause a stampede toward an exit that is far too small to get all the people out of the building so some are trampled to death.
Fear causes an already chaotic situation to swirl around us and toss us about, out of control.
Fear cannot cease by human words such as ‘everybody remain calm . . . don’t be afraid . . . this too shall pass.’ They have been tried many times and, if there is a moment of calm, it’s only because someone might say, “What? Can’t year you, I’m in the middle of chaos and fear here.”
The words of humans have little authority but the words of Jesus carry power.
Yet, only those who connect with Jesus, those who are willing to follow, to submit, to listen to His authority, might hear His words. “Be Still.” says Jesus.
When we fear, BE STILL.
Be still and know that God in Christ is with us.
Be still and let the Lord guide us through the chaos as we wait and listen for instruction and do what our Lord says.
It’s called ‘common sense.’ God is with us, leading and guiding us through the storms of life. Jesus is in the boat with us. Let Jesus steer the boat or at least keep us calm.
Think about it: We are in the midst of a ‘pandemic.’ That’s the word the pundits flash across the news. A ‘pandemic’ simply means that this disease has blown around the world and the entire world is shutting down.
Economically we scream in our heads that the world is coming to an end. The stock market is still several thousand points above where it was just a few years ago, when it barely moved for eight years! Yet, we panic that we have no more resources.
Then we go to the store, spend all our money on items that should be shared with others. We hoard. We take it all for ourselves so WE feel better. Or perhaps we are the ones who go to the store and find nothing left on the shelf except a few rolls of T.P. for quadruple the price we paid just a few days ago.
FEAR makes us do crazy things. In fact, my hubby informed me just a minute ago, that the only nut I am allowed to eat, pistachios, is no longer available raw. I can get roasted, unsalted at twice the price. I will go without my precious nuts, one of few sources of protein I am allowed. I will survive just fine.
In the Name of Jesus, bring some control into this chaos.
Bring people to their knees so that they call upon Your Name!
Bring revival to a fearful world.
Bring your presence into each life that fears what might happen.
COVID19, a raging sea of a virus that finds brave souls and nearly destroys the lungs, may be the one thing that turns people around to face the Lord, thy God. A virus without a vaccine may draw us into the arms or our Lord.
We all have common sense.
We all know what to do if we catch a cold.
We all should have learned to wash our hands for 20 seconds years ago.
We all should have learned to stay away from others if we do not feel well.
We all should have learned to eat right, build up our immune systems the best we can, get plenty of fresh air and daily exercise.
These habits should be as ‘daily’ as fishing on the sea of Galilee was for the disciples. It was their life! Yet, these followers of Jesus forgot their ‘daily’ and called on Jesus in fear.
Can’t beat that.
If we forget our ‘daily’ regimen of self-care and time with our Lord, then call upon Him now.
Ask Jesus to replace your fear with common sense solutions.
Faith means we must:
STOP
BE STILL
WAIT
LISTEN
. . . then go about our Father’s business as He calls us to do . . . carefully weighing the best route to take to stay well.
GO
DO
BE
. . . until it is time to step back, isolate, take care not to infect others.
LIFE can be chaos but JESUS can still that sea of fear if we call on him.
COME LORD JESUS . . .
quell the storm in our heart.
Help us to strangle fear and listen to our heart, soul, mind.
Help us to do and be that which we already know.
3-14 Genesis 43:16-34; Psalm 75,76,23,27; 1 Corinthians 7:10-24; Mark 5:1-20
Genesis 43:30 “When Joseph saw Benjamin he left the room to weep and then washed and ordered dinner to be served. :33 When they were seated in the same
room as Joseph, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, the men looked at one another in amazement. Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry.”
We’ve been following this story for some time.
Do you wonder how Joseph recognizes his brothers yet his brothers still have no inkling that Joseph is their brother?
Joseph does have the advantage.
Upon seeing a large group of men a little older than himself with a very familiar Hebrew accent he may have begun to deduce who they are.
Joseph hears their story and it all comes together.
Joseph did not ‘expect’ his brothers to come to Egypt for food but he understood the possibility due to the famine.
What’s interesting is that this is a long saga. Joseph met his brothers and sent them back home to fetch his little brother Benjamin while keeping Simeon as collateral. Now that they have returned, well fed, with the brother who was born after Joseph was sent off to Egypt, Joseph is overwhelmed.
Joseph excuses himself, goes out of the room and not only weeps, but wails!
Joseph is overwhelmed with emotion.
He can be heard all over the palace!
Joseph and Benjamin were born to their father’s beloved Rachel.
They are intimate kin.
Just like a well mannered Hebrew, Joseph wails, grieves the lost time, gets it out of his system, and then bathes and dresses in fresh clothes, ready to dine with his brothers. Indeed, the brothers still do not understand who this very generous leader is as they dine together.
Because the brothers do not ‘expect’ Joseph to be alive,
they are clueless.
Joseph, because of his high position, eats at another table. Yet, it’s obvious that Joseph is Hebrew because Egyptians, due to their fastidious eating habits, cannot eat in the same area as the Hebrews. However, their table is still in the same room.
Joseph’s brothers are purely ‘in the moment.’
They make merry as their cognitive abilities begin to chug very slowly.
They begin to observe the well planned order of their surroundings.
Why was this man of high rank wailing?
How can it be that each brother is seated in order according to his age?
The ‘first’ son, who will inherit the mantel of the patriarch, is seated at the head of his table as the brothers surrounding him are seated from eldest to youngest. How could this be?
Expectation.
When we expect no miracles we see no miracles.
When we see only one purpose in our action [like going to Egypt to purchase food] we expect nothing more.
The brothers took two journeys back and forth, had months to figure things out, even shared their convoluted story with their father, Jacob.
No one figured this out?
Does one identify a pattern here?
Did Jesus disciples take forever to figure out the divinity of Jesus?
Did they see miracle after miracle and still not get the big picture?
Think about it: Our brains are wired for the ‘here and now.’
When we set out with one purpose, with little exception
beyond hoping to achieve that purpose, we will receive only that which we see in front of us.
Low expectation reaps accordingly.
Joseph’s brothers expected to purchase food and bring it back to their father.
Two journeys later they still expected food, nothing more.
Joseph always dreamed big but his years in jail brought him into a new set of expectations. His focus moved from self to God’s expectations of what was possible for him.
As Joseph made productive decisions for Egypt, with God's help, he was given more responsibility. Joseph saw more and expected more of a return on the investment he helped Egypt make during this time of famine.
Through our faith in Christ Jesus, we can learn to expect more than our small brains can imagine.
“Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.”
We have the capacity to think beyond this moment according to the vision our Lord has for each of us.
We can EXPECT great things from God if we pray expectantly, with power, with affirmation that ‘thy will be done.’
If we pray according to God’s will, we can overcome our own ‘famine.’
It takes prayer and planning to overcome challenges.
Yet, we should always expect to overcome.
Hope must override each challenge set before us.
Joseph knew how to ‘store up’ during a time of feasting so that there would be enough to help all survive the famine . . . even enough to sell to Hebrews from Canaan.
Have we stored up the presence of the Lord, thy God, the presence of Father, Son and Holy Spirit within us to build our faith during a time when other’s faith is tested?
God’s abundance was and is and forever will be, overflowing beyond measure, beyond our expectations.
Yet, if we expect God’s abundant presence during this challenging time, we will see God’s presence abundantly.
Let us pray in faith that the ‘fear’ of the unexpected will not overtake us but gird us with renewed faith.
Let us affirm to one another that God is greater than any epidemic.
God gave us brains to deduce the obvious and discard decisions made in fear.
Faith is not the opposite of fear but faith can gird us so that we can overcome the unexpected, that which we might fear, and see the Lord’s presence in our lives in a new way.
Let’s all be like Joseph, dream big, submit to our Lord and expect the best in all circumstances.
If, indeed we know and understand the unconditional love of God that was given for us when God sent His Son to die for us, what is there to fear? If we are promised everlasting life with the One who saved us from eternal nothingness, what can be worse?
3-15 Third Sunday of Lent
Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 95; Romans 5:1-11; John 4:5-42
Romans 5:3-:5 “We exalt in our tribulations knowing that tribulation leads to endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope and hope does not disappoint because the Love of God has been poured out from our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. :11 We even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
Each of us has experienced tribulation or suffering at some point in our Christian life, perhaps for no understandable reason. God never causes suffering. He never creates circumstances that challenge us beyond
reason. This is not in His nature. There is enough evil swirling around us or lack of our good reasoning to touch our lives at some time or another.
At the very least, tribulation and suffering strengthens us, builds endurance within us. The greater endurance, the greater opportunity for character building.
In fact, many corporations create challenging events to help build character in the employees. Some succeed in the exercises and some do not. For Christians, the simple act of stepping out of our comfort zone, by faith, might be enough of a challenge to build character. For most of us, overcoming unforeseen circumstances, life surprises, are enough to show that we can endure and even overcome more than we ever imagined. Yet, we cannot do this alone.
Only through our faith in Christ Jesus can we overcome some challenges. Our faith helps us know He is with us, holding us up, leading us each step of the way, ready to pick us up if we stumble. Building Christian character takes time. To remain focused on Jesus while asking the Holy Spirit to direct our path may be challenge enough each day much less for the rest of our lives.
Over time we gain greater endurance. We gain the ability to walk through challenges with less fear, knowing that whatever happens to us is OK.
We trust the journey set before us because we trust the One walking with us. The Lord, Jesus Christ, is our Hope and hope surpasses fear.
This does not mean our fear is obliterated but that fear seems to diminish because HOPE is greater than our fear. It’s like walking forward with only a speck of light from a matchstick. We can only see a few inches in front of us but we keep moving forward because we trust the One who creates our path.
Think about it: If you look back at your walk in Christ, have you grown a bit more confident in your relationship with the Lord?
Do you feel a bit stronger after overcoming a challenge set before you?
Have you moved from hopeless to hope-full?
Do you now stand strong in adversity knowing that the Holy Spirit is directing your every move?
Do you claim the power of Jesus Christ to help you strengthen others as they move through their challenges?
See the pattern of growth you have experienced?
See how much you’ve grown?
Do you understand it is because the Holy Spirit leads you into righteousness more deeply each day?
Is life with Christ Jesus, as your beacon of light, better than the dark path you tried to follow without Him?
We can choose the challenging path that our Lord sets before us that builds character or not. It’s up to us.
Yet, when we embrace the overwhelming love of our Lord as we journey forward, we gain a clearer glimpse of the hope that was and is and is to come.
We become stronger, more sure.
Our character stands tall and proud as we claim the fullness of life in Christ.
We feel ready, and are seen as ready, to conquer life’s challenges through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Why would we ever turn back?
Why would we shrink from the next challenge set before us knowing how strong we are in Christ?
Let’s claim the strong character Christ has built in us as we lead others through this challenging time.
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