FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT

Sunday, March 13

Deuteronomy 8:1-10
Psalms 63, 98, 103
1 Corinthians 1:17-31
Mark 2:18-22

Confession time. I spent my working life thinking that getting ahead was the way to success and happiness and would lead to security in the later years. Professional success meant more than income – it meant better assignments, more control of the hours and days I worked, and when and how much down time or vacation time I could command.

I suppose I had it right in the 8 to 5, Monday through Friday, world. And… I’ve come to realize I had it wrong in the world that matters. The world we aspire to. The world of everlasting life.

Confession time again. For some years, I’ve read, and sometimes written, these meditations. I know the drill: (1) read the scriptures; (2) think about them; (3) read the day’s meditation as written by one of us. Often, I went right to step 3. Wrong world. (Stop tape: If so much of what I did and do is wrong, why is it so crowded in this world? Restart tape.)

Take a few moments to work through today’s reading from Corinthians. Paul says the same thing over and over, but he says it beautifully, and his point is always the same. He’s telling us that in how we live – now, as well as in Greece in the years just after Christ’s death – we’ve got it wrong. Where God wants up, we choose down. Where God wants peace and giving and putting others first, we pursue aggression and taking and promoting numero uno.

It’s a hard lesson. The world says, “Do this and you’ll get ahead.” Paul, writing Christ’s word, says “Do this and you’ll be doing it the wrong way.” He’s saying that if you take off the top, that’s all you’ll get. And it’ll never be enough. But if you give off the top and live on the rest, you’ll have enough and you’ll enjoy it more. Can you imagine your boss or teacher or superior telling you that? Actually, in thinking back, I had a few who did. And I usually ignored them.

Foolish me.


Ed Spaulding

Saturday, March 12

Deuteronomy 7:17-26

Psalms 30, 32, 42, 43

Titus 3:1-15

John 1:43-51

Come and See

For Valentine Day this year, my wife and I went to Lakeway Resort on Lake Travis. What a beautiful place! We had a wonderful, large balcony on the water. I walked out on the balcony around sunset and was struck with awe. I ran into the room and called to me my wife: “come and see!” We went out on the balcony were struck by the beauty of the pink sky stretched around us.

A year and a half ago, I became a grandfather of twins, John III and Sterling. The babies with their proud father made their way into the nursery at the hospital. What a beautiful sight! I watched with awe. I called my wife on the telephone and said: “come and see!”

Philip was in the presence of Jesus. He was struck with awe. Jesus asked Philip to follow him. Philip was amazed. His friends, Peter and Andrew, had taken up with this amazing man and now he too was asked to do so as well. Philip ran to his friend and said: “come and see!”

When I saw the sunset on that balcony, I was struck with awe. When I saw my grandson and granddaughter for the first time (and each time!!) I was struck with awe. When Philip saw Jesus, he was struck with awe. Are we? Do we tell our friends and neighbors, come and see?

John R. Pitts

Friday, March 11

Deuteronomy 7:12-16
Psalms 31, 35, 95
Titus 2:1-15
John 1:35-42

Titus 2:1-15

This passage spoke to me personally because it is saying to teach good for the sake of the Gospel. Because I have a seventeen-year-old son leaving for college in August I really felt that my heart was in this passage. For all these years as Jackson's Mom I have been trying to instill in him principles and values that can take him into manhood. God offers salvation to all for the sake of heeding His teachings and living according to His doctrine. He shows us that trusting in His teachings and passing them on can bring a life of eternal happiness. The years of teaching my son godliness, integrity, self-control, and character on a daily basis are quickly coming to a close in our home. What remains to be seen is how the fruits of these teachings will be revealed in his adult years. I hope that our years of teaching Christ's love and commandments will surface so that he will carry it into his own family when the time comes. His 8 years of acolyting and 2 years of chalice bearing have shown a commitment that I hope will continue in his spirit with Christ. God says to teach what is good with the authority that comes from knowing its righteousness. Do not cower in His teachings and be proud to pass on His message. I trust that I have followed His wishes and that His goodness and love will come forth in Jackson's future.

Stephanie Hart

Thursday, March 10

Deuteronomy 7:6-11

Psalm 37

Titus 1:1-16

John 1:29-34

Titus 1:1-16

children must be believers and not

have the reputation of being wild or disobedient

Titus was a Gentile convert to Christianity, who had been chosen by Paul to supervise the work of the church in Crete. Paul expected Titus to chose church leaders who are of high character because someone in charge of God’s work should be “without fault.” His children, and wife, must also be of high character. How hard it must of been for Titus to find Crete Church leaders for all of us mere mortals have faults.

I could not have been a church leader in the early church as I have many faults and while my children did not have a reputation of being wild they certainly were disobedient at times. Parents agonize over their children, and we often blame ourselves for their bad behavior. Parents, cut yourself some slack, we don’t always measure up but we have our moments.

My husband and I went on a near perfect trip on our 50^th wedding anniversary. It was a cruise to Alaska. The plane ride to the port of departure was smooth, the boat was beautiful, our cabin was fantastic, the scenery was awesome, and the food delicious. The best part was that the trip was given to us by our six children and that our daughter took the time from her very busy life to plan a perfect trip for her not so perfect parents. Our children can truly be a blessing.

Susan Montgomery

ASH WEDNESDAY

Wednesday, March 9

Jonah 3:1-4:11

Psalms 32, 95, 102, 130, 143

Hebrews 12:1-14

Luke 18:9-14

You just gotta love Lent.

OK, that might seem odd to some people. What with the emphasis on death ("Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return."), fasting, introspection, self-denial and such, one might consider the season to be morbid or even depressing.

There's not room here to discuss the benefits of these actions. Suffice it to say that spiritual medicine, like the syrup we took as children, doesn't always taste good.

That aside, what is so lovable about Lent is the opportunity to form new habits.

It is often said that it takes between 21 and 28 days to form a new habit. More recent research demonstrates that the time it takes for an action to become automatic varies. For example, drinking a glass of water every day might become habitual after 18 days. Doing 50 sit-ups every day might take two months or longer. (Duh!) Lent, being 40 days, is a great time to develop some new spiritual habits.

Where to begin? Our lesson from Hebrews is quite helpful in this regard. "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…." We are Christians. That means it is all about knowing and loving Jesus. The more we know, the more we love.

This Lent, I encourage you to fix your eyes on Jesus. Consider his ministry on our behalf. Consider his sacrificial, substitutionary death. Consider his authority in life and power over death. Consider his coming in glory. Consider the things he has done in your life. Consider how you can serve him each day.

Try it every day for forty days. A new habit will be born. You will have grown as a Christian.

And you might even begin to love Lent.

Fr. Bob Henson