HOLY SATURDAY

Saturday, April 23

Job 19:21-27a

Psalms 27, 95, 88

Hebrews 4:1-16

Romans 8:1-11

Psalm 27

This passage has special meaning to me at this specific moment of my life as I, like many of you reading this, have recently lost my last surviving parent. Although I can intellectually rationalize this loss with the knowledge that she is free from distress and in a better place, it is nevertheless a life-changing event for me. No longer will I have her to talk to, share family stories, solicit advice and opinions as mothers and sons so often do. Even though we've not lived in the same city for over 30 years, I have trouble seeing how my life without her (and my father who passed over 25 years ago) will ever be the same. I've been wondering how I will keep this event from diminishing me as a person, a father, or a husband? You see, I mistakenly jump to the conclusion that I'm supposed to have all the answers and navigate myself through life's troubles. Verse 10 of this Psalm serves to remind me of the obvious answer. "When my father and mother are turned away from me, then the Lord will be my support." I'm reminded that this change in my life is a call to shine a light on my faith and dependency with the Lord. I know that the best way I can do this is through meditation and prayer on a consistent and frequent basis. The Psalm concludes with "Let your hope be in the Lord; take heart and be strong, yes, let your hope be in the Lord." Though I clearly want to stay in the lives of my family and take care of them here on earth right now, I have an desire to "have a place in the house of the Lord all the days of my life." The good news is that God has a place for all of us who seek his support and salvation. And in that time, I'm comforted by the fact that I will be reunited with my family and other loved ones for eternity in heaven. Here's to the acknowledgement that coping on earth with worldly tragedies is transient and only possible when we let our hope be in the Lord.

Doug Hart

GOOD FRIDAY

Friday, April 22

Genesis 22:1-14

Psalms 22, 40, 54, 95

1 Peter 1:10-20

John 13:36-38 or John 19:38-42

“Watch his eyes for the slightest movement.” (Ward Sister Northampton General Hospital 26 years ago this last Ash Wednesday).

³⁴ Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. John 19:34 (New International Version, ©2010)

We stood at the foot of the bed with David Williamson, the curate from our previous parish who had driven many miles over the past few days to be a God-given presence in our waiting. We watched as the tests for death were performed. The only one I remember is ice water injected into the ears. Nothing. After three days of total inactivity whilst on a respirator I am not sure that I really wanted to see any reaction.

One of the things which had kept me believing during those three days had been Abraham and Isaac walking up the hill. Those three days might not have been very strenuous activity but they had been a great effort. One of my spiritual mentors had reminded me of this story when I called to tell her about Matthew’s crib death and subsequent resuscitation. We had walked up the hill and now our son was on the altar, a little lamb would come and Matthew would be given back to us to nurture into adulthood.

No flicker of an eye, no twitch of a toe. Death was decreed on March 9^th 1985. The doctor and nurses thanked David and me for our consideration. Our consideration? I think for decorum in our grief. Our grief was no less because God, physically in the form of David Williamson, was with us. We still have ‘a gap’ called Matthew. Every time I read this episode in Genesis I am reminded of those three days - the expectation of the little lamb in the form of a flicker of an eye or the suckle of a nipple. After the gathering of the wood there was no little lamb for us on the mountaintop.

The grief is still with us in spite of the years and children since the days of struggle up the mountain and the test on the summit. But grief with God is not as empty as grief without him. So it is with the cross of Good Friday. It is a day of mourning with God.

Jane Brown

MAUNDY THURSDAY

Thursday, April 21

Jeremiah 20:7-11

Psalms 102, 142, 143

1 Corinthians 10:14-17, 11:27-32

John 17

In preparing to write this meditation, I started with a reading of the Psalms. They’re pretty grim, but no big surprise there. It is Maundy Thursday, and Jesus’ crucifixion is near. In all three Psalms, the author cries out to God, pleading for relief from persecution by enemies. Clearly, the psalmist has faith that God will come to his aid eventually, but God seems so very far away. Is He listening? Does He even know what’s happening to His faithful servant?

Similarly, things aren’t going too well for the prophet Jeremiah. He’s just been subjected to public humiliation, all for speaking out in God’s name. Jeremiah thought he was doing God’s will, spreading His message, but his enemies keep tormenting him. He’s confused and frustrated. He could always choose to no longer speak out, but that wouldn’t work. He knows he could not endure keeping silent. It would ultimately be more painful.

Just when I was starting to wish I had a different set of (less depressing) readings, I go to Chapter 17 of John’s Gospel. In it, we know Jesus sees the big picture. He accomplished what He was sent to do, but now “the hour has come.” He prays. However, instead of focusing on His enemies, He prays for the community of believers, those who have accepted God’s word and who have come to know the truth. Further, He prays for those who will become believers in the future and comments on their oneness with God.

It is this oneness we celebrate in the Eucharist. Over 2000 years after that Last Supper, Christians still commemorate Jesus’ sacrifice using bread and wine. The bread is broken for us. In 1 Corinthians, Paul writes, “Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf” (NIV). For me, that is an uplifting message of unity and hope.

Evelyn Snow

WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK

Wednesday, April 20

Jeremiah 17:5-10, 14-17

Psalms 55, 74

Philippians 4:1-13

John 12:27-36

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Phil 4:6-7

Worry? Me? I may mask it well, but I worry about almost everything. I love these comforting verses but have great difficulty living them. Through his letter to the Philippians, Paul reminds me that: God wants to make me whole, He wants me to trust Him to know that everything (not just ‘some’ things) come together for good, and He will come to me (even me) and calm me down. So with promises like that, why do I still worry? It’s certainly an easier way to deal with something, because worrying is what I have always done. It is also a control mechanism. I have tricked myself into a false sense of security in the outcome of things or events that I worry about. I believe that if I worry about something, then the negative outcome won’t happen. In essence, “I can control the outcome though worrying.” That is distorted reasoning. It lacks trust in, and prayer to, God. If you struggle with worrying, like I do, and if you struggle to trust God more, let us look to Christ to displace the worry and invite Him again and again into the center space of our lives. He is more than worthy to carry me (and you) through the challenges and frets of life. Thanks be to God.

Shari Watson

TUESDAY OF HOLY WEEK

Tuesday, April 19

Jeremiah 15:10-21
Psalms 6, 94
Philippians 3:15-21
John 12:20-26

But the Lord has become my fortress,

and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.

I am around young children on a daily basis, which can produce moments of hilarity, but just as frequently, moments of profound sadness. It is heartbreaking to hear the worries and troubles in their young lives. I see some of them coming to school hurting, sad, lonely, confused, angry, or lost. They have difficulty articulating the reasons for their feelings. They lean into you and hang on for dear life. School can be the one consistent experience in their day, with grown-ups who are present for them.

The rest of us, at times, are no less hurt, sad, lonely, confused, angry, or lost. As we mature, we have a greater capacity to understand our feelings, and also our faith. We come to the one consistent thing in our lives, our fortress, our God. We lean into Him, and hang on for dear life.

Joanne Polansky

MONDAY OF HOLY WEEK

Monday, April 18

Jeremiah 12:1-16

Psalms 51, 69:1-23

Philippians 3:1-14

John 12:9-19

Philippians 3:7-9

But those things I used to consider gain I have now reappraised as loss in the light of Christ. I have come to rate all as loss in the light of the surpassing knowledge of my Lord Jesus Christ. For his sake I have forfeited everything; I have accounted all else rubbish so that Christ may be my wealth and I may be in him, not having any justice of my own based on observance of the law. The justice I possess is that which comes through faith in Christ. It has its origin in God and is based on faith.

Jesus Christ gave his life for us trusting in his Father. During recent study and meditation over the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, I have tried to put myself in his place. I ask in prayer that I may learn to still give when I am hurt. That I may let mercy and compassion shine over justice and anger.

Put my faith in God.

Such a difficult task, my prayer will never stop.

Mary Patton

PALM SUNDAY

Sunday, April 17

Zechariah 9:9-12 or 12:9-13:9

Psalms 24, 29, 103

1 Timothy 6:12-16

Matthew 21:12-17

A morning, not long ago, I sat and observed a redheaded woodpecker, pecking wildly at the top of a metal-topped electricity pole. Woodpeckers, as we know, are not designed to peck at metal-topped poles, but, interestingly, he kept at it for quite some time. I stood there watching and thinking to myself, “Surely, he realizes that his pecking is worthless…he’s not making headway or receiving the benefits of the effort.” I marveled at his persistence and the image is still with me, weeks later.

Paul’s words to Timothy (from The Message) ”Pursue a righteous life — a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses” encourage us to be persistent in our faith. But I have to ask the question of myself, “Am I persistent in the faith that God has called me to? Or am I pecking away wildly at something that God did not design nor create for me?” I don’t want to be the person that God looks down on thinking, “Surely, she realizes that all that pecking is worthless, she’s not making headway or receiving the benefits of the effort.”

On this Palm Sunday, when nature bowed down in worship through the Psalms, let us continue to look to nature for lessons that remind us that Jesus made that trip to the cross so that our misplaced persistence can be re-directed with mercy and grace. It is only through Him that our persistence is made perfect.

Melissa Peter

Saturday, April 16

Jeremiah 31:27-34
Psalms 42, 43, 137, 144
Romans 11:25-36
John 11:28-44 or 12:37-50

Psalm 43

The writer of this psalm spends the first part of this passage pleading for God to deliver him from his enemies. What I find most interesting is this thread of doubt:

“Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by my enemy?”

In everything we read in the Bible—with all of God’s assurances that in Him we have life and in Him we are saved—we still face times of doubt. It’s like the title of that ’70s adolescent fave by Judy Blume, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Substitute any of our names. We’ve all faced times of doubt, times where we wonder if God is really out there hearing our prayers.

But what I’ve also found is that these times of struggle often lead to times of great growth. I may not understand the path God has chosen for me, but being a Christian takes, well, a leap of faith. He’s there, and He’s listening.

As the psalm concludes:

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”

Susan Diemont-Conwell

Friday, April 15

Jeremiah 29:1, 4-13
Psalms 22, 141, 143
Romans 11:13-24
John 11:1-27 or 12:1-10

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your

heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you

back from captivity.” Jeremiah 29:11-14 NIV

Life plans made:

Graduate from a good school, settle into a profitable career, get married, buy a house, have children, spoil grandchildren, live happily ever after.

But “real” life is full of detours:

Career changes, divorce, unexpected family changes, illness.

Sometimes we feel trapped in circumstances we didn’t create and cannot control.

God says that no matter what the circumstances, continue to live:

Build homes, work, get married, have children, seek peace and pray.

God has plans for us:

Plans to prosper and not harm, plans to give hope and a future. God promises that when we pray He will listen, when we seek Him with our hearts He will be found.

He will bring peace to chaos.

He will bring comfort in frustrating times.

He will hear our prayers and bring us to a place of rest.

He will set us free.

He already has; through the saving grace of the Cross.

Juli Browning

Thursday, April 14

Jeremiah 26:1-16

Psalms 131, 132, 133, 140, 142

Romans 11:1-12

John 10:19-42

“I will not rest nor sleep until I provide a place for the Lord” (Psalm 132 Vss. 4,5)

Dates are important. Today, April 14, happens to be the date, fifty four years ago, when my wife accepted my proposal of marriage (she reminded me of the significance of this date!). In the context of eternity life is short, but to us humans it seems long at times and remembering dates is a useful talent.

Many historians and theologians have spent a great deal of time and energy trying to establish the exact year, day and hour of Jesus’ crucifixion, but no one really knows. Does it matter? I don’t think so. We know from scripture that a series of really astonishing events took place in Jerusalem about two thousand years ago over the period of days we now call Easter. We also know that Jesus prepared himself by prayer, fasting and contemplation during the forty days we now call Lent. And Jesus invited his friends, the apostles, to join with him in an hour of prayer. It seems to have been more than they could handle – perhaps they were not aware of the extraordinary significance of this invitation – and the remarkable events which would follow.

As we commemorate these great events we too are invited by Jesus to prepare with him during this season of Lent. With our hindsight and better knowledge of the events which took place can we do better than the apostles? I hope and pray we can.

“Remember, O Lord, what you have wrought in us and not what we deserve; and as you have called us to your service make us worthy of our calling; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever, Amen” -- BCP

Ron Merrett

Wednesday, April 13

Jeremiah 25:30-38

Psalms 119:145-176, 128, 129, 130

Romans 10:14-21

John 10:1-18

Psalm 130

While reading this psalm, I was reminded of a time in my life when I was feeling very poorly about myself and thinking of my many sins and wondering how God could love me. I was sitting in the back of the church during the 10:30 service with my family. At that time, Taylor and Chase were very young and we were sitting at ground zero of the loud "kid zone". All of the sudden and in the midst of my silent thoughts I felt these two small arms around my neck and our youngest whispering in my ear, "I love you." I truly felt as though the Holy Spirit was talking directly to me and providing me the assurance that I am loved, just as this psalm is telling us that God forgives us and that we should put our trust in him."

David Robinson

Tuesday, April 12

Jeremiah 25:8-17

Psalms 121,122,123, 124, 125, 126

Romans 10:1-13

John 9:18-41

Reading each of the readings for this day, I could not take my mind off of the Psalms. I love reading the book of Psalms. I love that we can relate to each chapter in our various stages of life. I love the comfort that the chapters bring to me and I love reading them and associating them with different songs... songs I heard growing up in the Catholic Church, songs I hear in our church today and songs I hear on my favorite radio station, KSBJ.

Reading Psalms 121-126, I never got past Psalm 121 for my meditation. To me, it says a lot. We all have questions and the Psalm gives answers.

They say one of the strongest powers in life is Love.

The second has to be Fear....

We fear the evil that lies in wait
We fear for the ones we Love
We fear because we do not have answers
Fear is the root of all war, addiction, abuse, despair
Will God protect us?
Will we ever be alone, with no one to care for us?
Is he paying attention?

How is this for a guarantee, from Psalm 121...,

My help comes from the Lord
He made Heaven and Earth
He will not sleep and will watch over me while I sleep
He will shade me with His right hand

from the Sun by day and the Moon by night
He will protect me when I go out and when I come in
He protects me in and out of my ability to have faith

For how long?

From this time forth and even forevermore!

As my kids would say, "How cool is that?"!

Christy Castillo

Monday, April 11

Jeremiah 24:1-10
Psalms 31, 35
Romans 9:19-33
John 9:1-17

Righteousness, faith, and works. Paul deals with all three in the passage we read today from Romans. As inheritors of the English reformation, we might be inclined to read this part of Paul in a very Protestant way – When he says that we (Gentiles) have received righteousness based on faith, we might think that he means that we are getting into heaven because we believe in Jesus. When he says about the Jews that they strove for the righteousness that comes through the law, and did not achieve it because their striving was based on “works” rather than on faith, we might be inclined to buy into that old Protestant caricature of Judaism as a “works-righteousness” religion. We might imagine that Paul is faulting the Jews (his own people) for “trying too hard to be good,” and not believing in Jesus instead. Such a reading would be gravely in error.

In this context, the word “righteousness,” really means “innocence” in the sense we use that word at a court hearing. When someone is declared “innocent,” no matter whether they have committed the crime in question or not, they are given a status which frees them from the consequences that would follow from the crime they supposedly committed. Paul isn’t saying that we have received VIRTUE because we have faith, but that we have been declared INNOCENT by God because we have believed that God is at work in Jesus (the definition of faith). Conversely, when Paul is speaking about the mistakes of his own people, the Jews, he is saying that they clung to the works of the law, meaning the kosher laws, ethnic purity, and the rules about sacrifice, in order to be declared innocent by God, rather than seeking places in the world where God actually seems to be moving – a search which would have led them to Jesus.

The lesson for us is clear – we cannot count on our privileged status as Christians to keep us safe before God. We must be continually seeking his face, looking for places where he is moving in the world, and then throwing ourselves into the work He has thrown himself into. Only through this kind of faith will we find the God who has declared us innocent or righteous in Jesus.

Fr. Patrick Hall

FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT

Sunday, April 10

Jeremiah 23:16-32

Psalms 118, 145

1 Corinthians 9:19-27

Mark 8:31-9:1

Today’s reading from Mark is positioned between two of the great revelations of Jesus’ glory in the Gospels: Peter’s declaration of Jesus as the Christ and the Transfiguration of Jesus witnessed by Peter, James and John. But before the disciples see Christ in his transfigured splendor, Jesus presents another vision of the Messiah- one of great suffering and humiliating, painful death. Peter’s reaction to this vision of the Kingdom is much less accepting. Jesus rebukes him vehemently for this, because Peter is not thinking with God in mind, but rather has “in mind the things of men.”

Jesus teaches in this reading that living in His Kingdom means a different kind of new life than what many Jews expected the Messiah to bring for Israel. Jesus tells his followers that if they want to experience the glory of Christ, they must find it in sacrifice and complete giving of themselves to God. “Whoever loses his life for me and the gospel will save it.” He prepares his disciples not only for His rejection and suffering, but also for the hard road ahead for his followers.

He adds: “Some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Kingdom of God come with power.” No doubt, few who heard Jesus’ words that day expected to witness the power of the Kingdom, not in visions of brilliant beauty, but instead in Jesus’ crucifixion and in their own later sufferings for their faith. Yet many chose to so closely follow Jesus, that they also sacrificed themselves completely for Christ, and by extension, for us.

The Psalmist tells us “The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth.” Jesus knew that His calls in His suffering would bring him to the Father’s Kingdom and He urges us to find the Kingdom not with “visions from our own mind” but with words from “the mouth of God.” As Christians today, most of us are truly blessed in that we can give ourselves to God without having to suffer greatly for our faith. So as we begin the last week of Lent, it is good to have this reminder from Mark that we are closest to Christ’s glory in sacrifice, surrender of self and in shamelessly following Him. As Paul explains: “I make myself a slave….of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” Giving our lives to God brings us the gift of Easter.

Karen Montgomery

Saturday, April 9

Jeremiah 23:9-15

Psalms 33, 102, 108

Romans 9:1-18

John 6:60-71

The passage in Jeremiah makes us realize that when we feel weak and discouraged, especially in a materialistic world where so many people with great gifts misuse and waste what God has given, we’re not alone. God’s promise is that with His help, we’ll rise above our weaknesses and make a positive difference. He gives us all sorts of ways to connect.

The first Psalm tells us to praise God with harp, lute and trumpet. Today, we use guitar, piano, organ, and trumpet on feast days, but most especially we use our voices. Singing His praises makes us happy in the here and now, and most importantly, it shows our gratitude and thankfulness for His goodness.

Next, reading Psalm 102 is like telling a dear friend how much we’re hurting and having our dear friend God reply, “I know how bad you feel.” He does know all things, understands us, and loves us, our true comforter.

St. Paul in Romans 9 shows us the difference between the professed Christian and the real believer. The professed Christian may have many material benefits, but nothing of the spirit. On the other hand, people who seem to have nothing, who are hungry, sick, or lonely, may be the ones who have everything because they have a different kind of blessing, that of God’s grace. None of us ever deserves this grace, but when we receive it, can only thank God.

The last passage in John shows us how people respond in different ways to God’s message: some find it too hard, and some stay with it. It reminds us of the old saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” One of the hardest things in life is to see that status, money, and prestige do nothing for us. Ultimately, God’s acceptance of us has nothing to do with what we achieve, but rather with our obeying His laws and keeping Him first in our hearts. Our parents used to tell us, “It’s easy to be nice, but good is difficult.” This passage tells us to allow ourselves to be transformed: Give in, let God.

Ian and Elizabeth Bremner

Friday, April 8

Jeremiah 23:1-8

Psalm 107

Romans 8:28-39

John 6:52-59

Jeremiah 23’s first 8 verses hold great comfort for us; for no matter how lost or discouraged we might feel, we can see that God will always be with us. With His help, we’ll be saved from our sins and from ourselves. We know that through Christ’s death and expiation of our sins, we can be sure of salvation.

Psalm 107 assures us that God is faithful and will hear whenever we call for help. We have His promise that when we live according to His commandments, we’ll overcome our difficulties. In turn, our obligation is to thank him for all our blessings. It’s so easy to pray for help in times of worry and trouble, but we forget to say thank you to God when our pain goes away or the situation we’re praying for is resolved. Those prayers of thanksgiving are as important as our cries for help. So the message of the Psalm is two-fold: Call upon God in our troubles, and thank Him for His help.

The passage in Romans 8 tells us that He is not a remote God. All of our struggles in life and all the agonies we suffer are part of His plan. How do we respond to our troubles? Pray, yes, and trust; for St. Paul says, “If God is on our side, who can be against us?” We know that His love is boundless, since He gave His son who died for us. Therefore, nothing can separate us from His love. Live confidently!

In John 6, we find the words, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you can have no life in you.” Yes, we eat His flesh and drink His blood in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, but moreover we must take Jesus into our lives and make Him part of ourselves, taking on His way of thinking and living, letting Him take over our desires, our very personalities, every day and every minute. Very, very hard, but that’s what Lent is all about!

Elizabeth and Ian Bremner

Thursday, April 7

Jeremiah 22:13-23
Psalms 69, 73
Romans 8:12-27
John 6:41-51

The Readings for today spell out one message to me – beware of arrogance and self-centeredness. Jeremiah warns of it in his passage – “I will build myself a great palace with spacious upper rooms.” The Psalms continue with the same theme – “You know my folly” – and “Therefore pride is their necklace.” In Romans Paul warns that – “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires.” John’s Gospel tells of Jesus being scoffed at by arrogant Jews – “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say ‘I came down from Heaven’?”

Arrogance is a deadly sin; it pits the arrogant against all that God created in the world for good. Its message is ME, ME, ME, it’s all about ME. Well, really it isn’t, the best one can ask for is to be used in all one’s ordinary and sinful self to do just a little of His work. Then one, perhaps, can have a quiet moment of the peace that passes all understanding.

John McGarvey

Wednesday, April 6

Jeremiah 18:1-11

Psalms 101, 109, 119:121-144

Romans 8:1-11

John 6:27-40

John 6:27-40

In this reading is one of Jesus’ most profound “I am” statements … “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” Continually during his ministry, making these seemingly outrageous pronouncements about himself led to his being crucified.

But bread is so basic to our lives; perhaps that is why Jesus referenced it so often. Just prior to this “I am” statement the feeding of the 5,000 occurred where bread and fish were the meal to feed all those who came to hear and to see Jesus who knew both their physical and spiritual hunger. And we all know the story of the Israelites wandering in the desert for so many years, desperately hungry at one point, and God provided “bread from Heaven,” manna, to feed and restore both body and soul, renewing their faith to continue to journey to the promised land.

Today, at Holy Communion, we are also fed “bread from Heaven,” refreshing, restoring, and nourishing us. When we reach out for the bread, God is also reaching out to us. For me, the prayer of humble access says it best: “We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under they table. But thou are the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy. Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that we may evermore dwell in him and he in us.”

Virginia McGarvey

Tuesday, April 5

Jeremiah 17:19-27
Psalms 94, 95, 97, 99, 100
Romans 7:13-25
John 6:16-27

John 6:16-27, NIV

It is amazing how God continues to hammer us with the same message sometimes, until it finally hits home. The other night in Bible study we learned that there are 365 instances in the Bible that say not to be afraid. Sure enough, Jesus says to his disciples in v. 20, NIV “It is I. Do not be afraid.” We learned also that God guides us through new and unfamiliar territory. Jesus walking to and joining his disciples on the stormy sea of Galilee is a perfect example of that.

Right now, we are in the season of Lent. Things seem dark and uncertain. It must have seemed that way for the disciples on the boat as well. We can relate, can’t we? They were expecting smooth sailing, and that is what we would like too. Instead, we are faced with our own storms from time to time. People, places and things we were sure would remain in our lives for a while for whatever reason turn out not to be. As Fr. Patrick so eloquently put it, these are “missing pieces.” We cannot fully understand the reason for this here on Earth. However, we can rejoice in the fact that no matter how big the storm, Jesus will somehow bring us safely to the other side.

Though the disciples were fearful, they must have decided they preferred their chances with Jesus rather than on their own. After Jesus tells them not to fear, the very next verse says “So they took him on board.” (v. 21, The Message). Are you ready to trust Jesus, and welcome him into your life today, as the disciples welcomed him into the boat? Maybe for the first time, or maybe as a daily commitment as you walk with him? Will Jesus always stop the storm, or immediately bring us through? We know that is not always the case. But the promise we can take away from this passage is that sooner or later, we will get there.

Susannah Westlake

Monday, April 4

Jeremiah 16:10-21

Psalm 89

Romans 7:1-12

John 6:1-15

Psalm 89

“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever….” Psalm 89:1

The Lord’s love and faithfulness endure throughout all the generations. His love endures forever. His love always overcomes.

There is no one who compares with our precious Lord. In His omniscience, beauty and joy, He created the universe and everything in it. The tiers of stars, the depth of the seas, created He them.

He created His servant David, the warrior king, a type of Christ. Like all of us, David failed in many ways, but because of the Lord’s love and faithfulness, he endured as a mighty king and lover of God; a man after God’s own heart.

Sometimes in the dark night of the soul, it may seem to us that the Lord has forgotten or forsaken us. Our Father allowed His only Son Jesus to be our propitiation. The Lord was angry with His anointed one, covered Him with the mantle of our shame and let him bear the taunts of all the nations. Sometimes we, like Christ say, where is your great love?

It may have appeared to the world that Christ was rejected and forsaken by His Father ~ this He suffered for us and our sins, past, present and future. Herein is His great love: Jesus died on a wooden cross for you and me. At the end, He still continued to pour out His amazing love to blood, regardless of the treatment He received.

Jesus had power over the grave and was resurrected that beautiful Easter day.

I will maintain my love to him forever. v.28

I will not take my love from him. v.33

I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever. v.1

He loves you truly.

Joyce Westlake