Easter Devotion (Day 37) - The Comfort of God and Others

All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.

When we suffer for Jesus, it works out for your healing and salvation. If we are treated well, given a helping hand and encouraging word, that also works to your benefit, spurring you on, face forward, unflinching. Your hard times are also our hard times. When we see that you’re just as willing to endure the hard times as to enjoy the good times, we know you’re going to make it, no doubt about it.
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 

To fully live as Christ in the world is very often an act of rebellion. The Corinthians, who were religious minorities, felt this keenly and suffered for it, as many Christians living in hostile regions do today. Christians are also not immune from common suffering that is a very real part of everyone's life. However, we serve a God of deliverance. From the Exodus to the Resurrection to Christ's promised return, we are blessed with a God who knows our struggles, feels our pain, and offers comfort when we are distressed. 

How does God comfort us? One way is through the promises of Scripture, which assure us that the Creator of the universe is also our loving Father and Protector. Another way is through prayer. Just opening ourselves to God can be a tremendous source of peace. Paul speaks of yet another way that God sends comfort: through other believers. Paul challenges those who have experienced the comfort of God to then console others. Just as Paul was comforted by Titus when he was distressed (For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever. (2 Corinthians 7:5-7), we are challenged to be conduits of the love and comfort of God to those who are in need.

Prayer: Blessed Father, may I always come to you when I am hurting. Teach me to comfort others as You comfort me. Thank you for the comfort of Your Word, prayer and other believers in my life. In Jesus name, Amen

*This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion (Day 36) - Total Forgiveness

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

Luke 23:32-34

We've all struggled with forgiveness when we've been wronged. We know that God tells us to forgive, and we also know that forgiving others allows us to move forward and heal. But often our forgiveness is simply turning over the matter to God, trusting that God will hold them accountable for their sins. Even if we forgive, we sometimes take comfort believing that those who have hurt us will have to answer to God and be held accountable for what they have done.

But as Jesus hung on the cross in agony, He not only forgave those responsible for His execution, but asked that God forgive them too. His death on the cross was to be an atonement for all people, even those who had placed Him there to die. His forgiveness was not only personal, but cosmic. In the throes of excruciating death, Jesus asked that the biggest affront humanity had ever made to God be forgiven. 

This is the only reason we can dare to ask God for forgiveness for our sins. Forgiveness from God is a total cleansing, enabling us to stand as new creations, no longer accountable. Instead, our challenge is to live a new life of righteousness, dedicating ourselves to being true servants of Jesus Christ, the Savior who died for us. 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me forgive others completely, as You have forgiven me. Help me to live a new life of righteousness, dedicating myself to being a true servant of Yours, Lord Jesus. Thank you for being my Savior. In Your Name I pray, Amen.

*This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion (Day 35) - The Pathway to Eternity

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 13:20-21 

In the first chapter of Genesis, God created the heavens, the earth, the animals, and, finally, human beings. As He rested, He pronounced all that He had made as supremely good. At that moment, before sin had entered the world, humanity made God happy.

We all know what happened next. After people chose to disobey God, both God and God's people have struggled to reach the peace and joy of Eden again. This was the reason that Jesus Christ came to earth - to guide humanity back to the joy of a full relationship with God. We're not there yet, but Jesus has shown us the pathway to the lives that we were created to live. 

What can we do to make God happy? Hebrews 11:6 says that it is impossible to please God without faith. The faith described in Hebrews is gutsy, demanding mercy, courage, and the risks that come from loving others and truly serving God. This intercessory prayers asks that God would use the power of Jesus Christ to bless the readers with exactly that kind of faith. With that blessing, both God and humanity will come a little closer to entering Eden again. 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, equip me and my fellow believers with a courageous faith so that we may be pleasing to God. Thank you that You are leading me back to the joy of a full relationship with You. Help me Holy Spirit to follow the pathway that has been set out for my life. In Your Name Lord Jesus, Amen.

*This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion - Happy Palm Sunday!

 

The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.
They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, 
"Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" 
"Blessed is the King of Israel!"
Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written,
"Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt." 
At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.  John 12:12-16

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.  
Zechariah 9:9

After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. 
They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
And they cried out in a loud voice: 
"Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."
All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: 
"Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen!"  Revelation 7:9-12

As we celebrate Palm Sunday today, we should not only look back into the past, when Jesus rode into Jerusalem; but we should look forward to a day, in the future, when all those who have believed in Jesus as their Savior, throughout all of history, will stand around His throne and worship Him. But this time, there will be no Gethsemane or trials before Pilate or whippings or a cross waiting for Jesus. Instead, there will be year after year, century after century of enjoying life with our Lord and God. And praise God that there will be people in Heaven from every nation, tribe, language and people! What a joyous day that will be. May it come quickly!

Prayer:We love you Jesus. Today, in our hearts, may we lift up palm branches and say to You:
"Hosanna!"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
"Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!"

God Works in Messed-Up Families

What a comfort to know that we don't need to be a part of a perfect family for God to work in us and through us. God showed that time and time again in His Word. Two good examples of this are Joseph and Jesus Christ, our Savior. 

Joseph shows the triumph of faith. Joseph never complained and he never compromised.

i. “He was loved and hated, favored and abused, tempted and trusted, exalted and abased. Yet at no point in the one-hundred-and-ten-year life of Joseph did he ever seem to get his eyes off God or cease to trust him. Adversity did not harden his character. Prosperity did not ruin him. He was the same in private as in public. He was a truly great man.” (Boice)

ii. Best of all, Joseph is also a remarkably powerful picture of Jesus Christ.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children: Jacob (Israel) was father over a troubled family. With sons from four different mothers, all living and working together, there was much rivalry and competition. Yet Jacob had a clear favorite – Joseph, who was the son of his old age.

i. We all have ideas and dreams about what a perfect family should be. By anyone’s measure, Joseph’s family had a lot of problems.

· As a young man, his father Jacob tried to trick his grandfather Isaac into giving him the family fortune instead of his older twin brother.

· It all fell apart and Joseph’s father Jacob had to run for his life when his twin brother vowed to murder him.

· Jacob went away, more than 200 miles on foot. He did not see his father Isaac for more than twenty years, when Isaac was almost dead. There is no record that he ever saw his mother again.

· Jacob found a place with his mother’s relatives, but his uncle cheated him and treated him like a slave.

· Jacob married two of his cousins, and took two more concubines (legal mistresses).

· Between them all, they had twelve sons and one daughter.

· There was constant competition and conflict among all the children and all the mothers.

· It was one great big messed-up family; still, it brought forth Joseph, and furthered God’s great plan of the ages.

It can be helpful to remember that Jesus Himself came from difficult family circumstances.

·Unexpectedly and under strange circumstances, His mom became pregnant well before the wedding.

· His mom and dad were quickly married, far ahead of their announced wedding date.

· Things didn’t seem right with His dad’s side of the family down in Bethlehem.

· When Jesus was just a young child, they had to escape as refugees, fleeing for their lives.

· They made a home back in Nazareth, where everyone knew about the strange pregnancy and the shotgun wedding.

· Jesus never got married – unusual and maybe even scandalous for a 30-year-old rabbi.

· We don’t know what happened to Joseph, and His mom seemed a little pushy.

· His own brothers didn’t believe in Him and called Him crazy.

· Jesus said that being in God’s family was more important to Him than His biological family.

· Jesus put His mom into the care of one of His disciples, not one of His brothers.

God’s word to everyone is this: Your messed-up family – past, present, or future – does not mean God has forsaken you or that some cloud has come over you that will never pass. God works in and through difficult and messed-up families.

(from Enduring Word commentary)

Jesus came to bestow on them a crown of beauty

    instead of ashes,

the oil of joy

    instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise

    instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

    a planting of the Lord

    for the display of his splendor.

Isaiah 61:3

Easter Devotion (Day 30) - Faithful Friends

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,  being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:3-8 

A friend writes "Phil 1:3" on the envelope of every letter she sends me. We have both grown in Christ as a result of our relationship. What a wonderful gift to know that I am being prayed for with thanksgiving! 

If Christians are the hands and feet of Christ, then those who help us grow in our faith are ambassadors that Christ Himself has sent to us. Think back to those people who have helped you understand the love and grace of Jesus Christ. How has God changed your life through their Christian actions? Paul's prayer is a reminder to not only thank those who have been significant in our spiritual growth, but to thank God for putting these people in our lives. So often when we pray for others, we petition God to fulfill specific needs for them. Paul's joyful prayer is one of gratitude for the deep blessings of Christian community. 

Because Christians are a community of believers, we have the chance to be blessings for others too. If we follow the will of God by encouraging others in faith, we are truly gifts from Jesus Christ to others on their own faith journeys. How wonderful to think that others may thank God for your impact in their lives! 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for those who have encouraged and strengthened my faith in You, whom I name before You now... In Jesus' name, Amen. 

*This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Symbols and Their Meanings (part 3)

 

In today's devotion we will take one last look at the symbols of Easter and their meanings.

Date of Easter:
Unlike Christmas, Easter is not celebrated on the same day every year. Like Christmas, which many agree is not celebrated on the actual birth of Jesus, Easter is not celebrated on the exact date of Jesus’ death or resurrection. It is, however, celebrated at the same time of year that Jesus Christ died, the time of the Jewish Passover. The Bible states that Christ celebrated Passover with his disciples. After they ate the Passover feast they went to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus was arrested. He was tried, condemned, and executed that same day. Three days later He rose from the dead.
Early Christians commemorated this event. The earliest recorded date of the celebration of Easter appears in the second century, but we can assume they were celebrating Easter in the church earlier than that. But even then Easter was celebrated on two different days. Jewish Christians kept Passover with a new meaning because Christ died and rose again during the Passover period. Gentile Christians, however, celebrated Easter on the Sunday after Passover because Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week.
As time went on the confusion surrounding the date to celebrate Easter grew. In A.D. 325 a group of church leaders met in Nicea. The group, called the Council of Nicea, discussed many things including the creation of the Nicene Creed and the date to celebrate Easter. That’s why Easter is now celebrated on the Sunday following the first full moon on or after the Vernal Equinox. Because of this Easter falls between the dates of March 22 and April 25.

Palm Sunday:

On Palm Sunday, one week before Easter, Christians celebrate what is known as Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey surrounded by his disciples and crowds of people who covered the road with articles of clothing and palm branches and waved palm branches while singing and praising God.
Christians traditionally go to church on Palm Sunday where palm branches are given out during the service, remembering the palm branches that were waved when Jesus entered Jerusalem.
In some parts of the world Palm Sunday is known by other names. In parts of Wales Palm Sunday is called Flowering Sunday. On this day flowers are strewn on graves and churchyards. Also in parts of England, Palm Sunday is called Spanish Sunday. This name probably comes from a sweet drink made by children consisting of Spanish licorice shaken up in a bottle of water. Another name for Palm Sunday is Fig Sunday. Those who celebrate Fig Sunday eat figs or fig pudding in remembrance of Christ’s cursing of the fig tree, an event that occurred during Passion Week.

Maundy Thursday:
Maundy Thursday is the Thursday of Holy Week. It represents the day that the Jewish Passover was celebrated.
On that day, Jesus had his last meal with his friends and followers before he was killed. This meal is now know as 'The Last Supper'. At the meal, Jesus and his friends would have followed the Jewish Passover custom of eating roast lamb and bread and drinking red wine. However, Jesus gave the bread and wine a special meaning. When they got to the part of the meal when the bread was eaten and the wine drunk, Jesus said that these would be a symbol of his body and blood to his followers to help them remember that through his death, our sins are forgiven.
Maundy comes from Latin and is the word for 'Command', this is because Jesus commanded his followers to think of him when they ate bread and drank wine. This is very important to Christians and is now remembered in the Christian service known as Communion, Mass or Eucharist. It is practiced on Maundy Thursday.

Good Friday
Good Friday is the day thought by many to be the day that Jesus Christ died on the cross for the sins of the world.
This death of this innocent man, the Son of God, is considered so horrendous that many superstitions have arisen over the years concerning things done on Good Friday. On Good Friday miners would refuse to work fearing that a disaster would occur during the following year. Blacksmiths would not work with nails because of the nails that pierced Christ’s hands and feet. Fishermen considered it an ill-omen to put out to sea on Good Friday. Clothes would not be washed on Good Friday lest they be stained with blood and lest misfortune come upon the wearers. Not all Good Friday superstitions were bad, however. Gardeners would plant their crops on Good Friday to ensure a good harvest. They believed that the soil is redeemed from Satan’s power on Good Friday only so anything planted on that day is blessed.
At one time, in Portugal and in parts of England and Europe as well, people created a straw or wooden effigy of Judas Iscariot, the man who betrayed Jesus, and paraded it through town kicking it, cursing it, and deriding it. They would finally burn the effigy to show their contempt for the man who sent the Son of God to his death.
In Spain people participate in Semana Santa processions. These nightly processions begin on Palm Sunday and end on Good Friday. Representations of Christ, Mary, and the saints are paraded through the streets accompanied by barefooted penitents called Nazarenos wearing pointed black or white hoods with eye holes cut out of them. The procession ends with saetas, mournful songs, lamenting the death of Christ and the grief of His mother.

Attending Church
Because Easter is a celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Christians all over the world attend church on Easter Sunday. For Catholics, many attend an after-midnight Mass on Easter Sunday. Other Christians will attend an Easter Sunrise service as the Bible states "Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance," John 20:1 Still others attend church later in the morning.

Much of the above information came from Customs of Easter

Easter Symbols and Their Meanings (part 2)

Today's devotion, yesterday's devotion, as well as the devotion for Monday are a bit different as we look at some of the symbols of Easter to find out their meanings.

The Lamb: 
The lamb is a particularly important Easter symbol in many countries. It represents Jesus and relates His death to that of the lamb sacrificed on the first Passover. Christians traditionally refer to Jesus as "the Lamb of God." "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29
In many homes, a lamb-shaped cake decorates the table. Many Eastern Orthodox Christians hang pictures of the Easter lamb in their homes.

Hot Cross Buns:
Hot cross buns, now eaten throughout the Easter season, were first baked in England to be served on Good Friday. The buns have a cross of icing on the top. Some people have suggested the connection to the ancient sacramental cakes. They are generally only served during the Lenten season, preserving their Christian significance.

Easter Customs:
A number of popular customs are observed during the Easter season. The majority of Christians follows some of
these customs. Others are observed in a particular area or by a particular group.

Carnivals:
Carnivals provide opportunities for feasting and merrymaking before the solemn fast days of Lent (the 40 days before Easter). The word carnival comes from the Latin word carnelevarium, which means removal of meat. The most famous carnival is the Mardi Gras, celebrated on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent begins. Mardi Gras is a French term that means Fat Tuesday. It refers to the fat ox that traditionally led a procession on Shrove Tuesday in France. Carnivals often feature parades in which people wear elaborate costumes.

Easter Eggs:
Exchanging and eating Easter eggs is a popular custom in many countries. In most cases, chicken eggs are used. The eggs are hard-boiled and dyed in various colors and patterns. Many countries have their own traditional patterns. Probably the most famous Easter eggs are those designed in Ukraine, Poland, Russia and Hungary, where Christians decorate the eggs with complicated red, black, and white patterns.

In many countries, children hunt for Easter eggs hidden about the home or yard. Children in the United Kingdom, Germany, and some other countries play a game in which eggs are rolled against one another or down a hill. The egg that stays uncracked the longest wins. Since 1878, children in Washington, D.C. have been invited to roll eggs on the White House lawn.

Passion Plays:
Passion Plays dramatize the Easter story. Such plays have been performed during the Easter season since the Middle Ages. The most famous one is usually presented every 10 years in Oberammergau, in southern Germany. It dates from 1634. In the United States, Passion Plays are performed annually in several cities.

Easter Symbols and Their Meanings (part 1)

 

Today's devotion as well as the devotions for the next two days are a bit different as we will look at some of the symbols of Easter to find out their meanings.

Easter:
Easton's Bible Dictionary defines Easter this way:
"originally a Saxon word (Eostre), denoting a goddess of the Saxons, in honour of whom sacrifices were offered about the time of the Passover. Hence the name came to be given to the festival of the Resurrection of Christ, which occurred at the time of the Passover." Because of the pagan link with the name Easter, some Christians have begun calling this special day, Resurrection Sunday instead.

White:
White means purity. Easton's Bible Dictionary: "A symbol of purity (2 Chr. 5:12; Ps. 51:7; Isa. 1:18; Rev. 3:18; 7:14). Our Lord, at his transfiguration, appeared in raiment "white as the light" (Matt. 17:2, etc.)."
White is also the symbol of holiness: The high priest's holy garments were made of white linen - Leviticus 16:4,32; Choir singers were arrayed in white - 2 Chronicles 5:12

Cross or Crucifix:
A crucifix is a cross with an image of Jesus' body hanging from it. It symbolizes the sacrifice Jesus made by allowing Himself to be killed. An empty cross--that is, without the figure of Christ crucified--reminds Christians of Jesus' victory over death and the new life and hope this victory brings to believers.
During the first 300 years after Christ's death, Christians feared persecution by the hostile Roman government and rarely displayed the cross in public. In the 300's, the Romans began to tolerate Christianity and crosses were widely displayed. During the early Middle Ages, Christian artists made crosses as symbols of the Christian belief in the Resurrection of Christ. Many of these crosses portrayed the risen Christ wearing priestly clothes and a royal crown. Later, Christians began to emphasize the sufferings of Jesus in crucifixes.

Rooster:
In Europe, some of the churches do not have crosses on the top but instead have roosters. This reminds worshippers of Peter's denial of Christ and how they must not deny Christ."
See Matthew 26:69-75

Candles:
Candles are burned during many Easter celebrations, especially the vigil and midnight services before Easter Sunday. Christians associate Jesus with the light from candles, calling Him "the Light of the World." Many churches extinguish candles on their altars on Good Friday to show that Jesus' light has gone out. In Roman Catholic churches, the special paschal candle is lit on Easter Sunday next to the main altar. The candle represents Jesus' return to life. The candle is often lit during the next 40 days, until it is put out on Ascension Day.

Lilies:
Easter lilies are used to decorate churches and homes. The large, pure white blossoms remind Christians of the pure new life that comes to them through the Resurrection of Jesus.
The Lily in the Bible: Lessons to trust are gathered from the Lily: Matthew 6: 28-30
Molded in the rim of the molten laver in the temple: 1 Kings 7:26 & 2 Chronicles 4:5
The principle capitals of the temple ornamented with carvings of lilies: 1 Kings 7:19,22,26
Used in a figurative sense, of the lips of the beloved: Song of Solomon 5:13

Here is a website that shows how to make paper Easter lilies out of your child's handprint: Easter Lily handprint

The information in this devotion came from Annies' home page

Easter Devotions (Day 29) - My Heart, Christ's Home

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:14-21 

My husband and I recently moved to a new house. We had stayed in it several times before we moved, but it wasn't until we unpacked our belongings and added our personal touches that it became our home. Only then was it a place of comfort, where we truly belonged. In this prayer, Paul prayed that Christ would not just stay in the hearts of His followers, but that Christ would make a home in their hearts. Jesus would, in effect, redecorate their inner being so that it was a place where He would truly belong, built on a foundation of love. When one's heart is grounded in God's love - a love so overwhelming that it is incomprehensible - it is welcoming to Jesus. 

What could be more intimate than Jesus at home in your heart? These verses do not speak of a quick visit by Jesus. Instead, Paul prays for the Ephesians to commit to a deep, ongoing relationship with Christ. It means that they would allow Jesus to be at the very center of their personality, trusting Jesus as He guides them toward perfection. With Christ living in your heart, every day is a step closer to holiness. Every moment brings you closer to a sanctified life in Jesus Christ. 

Prayer: Lord, ground me in Your love and make my heart Your home! Help me to commit to a deep, ongoing relationship with Christ. May I allow Jesus to be at the very center of my personality, trusting Him as He guides me toward perfection. In His name I pray, Amen. 

* This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

In the Valley (prayer)

 

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,

Thou has brought me to the valley of vision,

where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;

hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold

Thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox

that the way down is the way up,

that to be low is to be high,

that the broken heart is the healed heart,

that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,

that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,

that to have nothing is to possess all,

that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,

that to give is to receive,

that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,

deepest wells,

and the deeper the wells the brighter

Thy stars shine;

Let me find Thy light in my darkness,

Thy life in my death,

Thy joy in my sorrow,

Thy grace in my sin,

Thy riches in my poverty

Thy glory in my valley.

From The Valley of Vision - A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

For a Song with this prayer go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BPaMhGNRkQ

Easter Devotion (Day 28) - The Glory of God

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 

“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
John 17:24-26 

Jesus' death and resurrection did not end His engagement in the world. The final verse of His prayer says that Jesus' mission to reveal the love of God to humanity stretches forward and backward throughout time. The Word, or Logos, introduced in the first chapter of John, is the ultimate plan of God for the salvation of all people. Jesus, as the incarnation of this salvation plan, has been and will always be engaged with humankind. After His resurrection, His impact will be felt most profoundly through those who love and serve Him in the world. 

Just as Jesus came to the world to serve God, believers are called to live as Christ in service to the world. This is the nature of the glory that Jesus prays about. God glorified Jesus throughout His life on earth by entrusting Him to make God known. Now this job falls to Jesus' followers. They have the opportunity to experience the same glory that Christ experienced through service to God. Of course, that glory came with a heavy cost. But just as Jesus bore His cross for the sake of salvation, we, as followers of Jesus, are asked to carry our crosses for the sake of the Kingdom too. It is our honor and glory as servants of God. 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me reflect Your glory in the world today. May I live as Christ in service to the world. Help me to carry my cross for the sake of Your Kingdom, just as Jesus did. In His name I pray, Amen

*This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion (Day 27) - Not of This World

“I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you.  For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.  I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.  All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
John 17: 6-19

Early in Jesus' ministry, God entrusted twelve disciples to Jesus; and in this passage, Jesus prayed for their spiritual strength and safety and also for the community that they had created together. Jesus taught them about God, and they listened. They learned that Jesus had been sent to them from God. They came to understand God's desire for them in the world and started to adopt a new vision for their lives. They became unique and were about to be deeply challenged by living without Jesus in a world that did not understand them. Just as Jesus was about to suffer as one who challenged a worldly system that was not based on the kingdom of God, He knew that His followers would struggle living as God's people among those who still followed the dictates of human sin. 

Jesus prayed both for their protection and for their sanctification. He was deeply concerned that they remain "set aside" from corrupting influences while still remaining in the world to do God's work. He did not depend on the community that He built but trusted God to guard their future. Still today, the work of Jesus' community on earth depends on God's care, not on what we say or do. We exist today as the church because of the never-ending grace of God. 

Prayer: O Lord, strengthen and uphold Your kingdom people! Help us to adopt Your vision for our lives. Keep us set aside from corrupting influences while we do Your work in this world. We know that our future depends on you Lord God. In the name of Your Son Jesus, Amen

*This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink 

Easter Devotion (Day 26) - The Glory of the Son

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

John 17:1-5 

This prayer is the theological climax of the Gospel of John. Jesus has said good-bye to His disciples and now turns to God, praying for Himself, His disciples, and the church as He prepares for His death and resurrection. Jesus will experience betrayal, humiliation, scorn, a painful execution, all God's wrath for the sin of the world piled on Him and lastly, rejection by God for a time. Yet in John's Gospel, His prayers are all about glory. In this prayer, Jesus is not focused on His death, but instead, looks to His resurrection as God's victory over sin and death. His resurrection will be glorious because it will prove His place as God's holy Son and will offer eternal life to all who know God through Him. He will return to His Father to live in the glory that He had to abandon by coming to earth. 

God tasked Jesus with nothing less than showing humanity the purpose of their creation. Jesus was incarnated to turn people's eyes back to God and to teach them how to live within the blessings of their Creator. At the evening of His betrayal, Jesus takes the cup that God had poured for Him - a cup full of bitterness and pain, but even more so, a cup of glory and salvation for the world. 

Prayer - Lord Jesus, thank You for the work You did on earth to glorify the Father, so that we may all know the one true God. Thank You that You showed us the purpose for our creation and how to live within God's blessings. You are amazing and I am so eager for Your return. I love you Jesus! In Your name, Amen 

*Devotions taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion (Day 25) - Putting Others First in Prayer

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is that you may be fully restored.

2 Corinthians 13:5-9 

What a terrible thing to be proven wrong. When one has made a strong public statement and that statement is refuted, it can weaken one's credibility and can destroy reputations. Yet that is exactly what Paul is praying for in this passage. Paul had chastised the Corinthians for poor behavior, and they accused Paul of not being a true mouthpiece for Jesus Christ. In response, Paul prayed that the Corinthians examine themselves and find the spark of Christ that is within them. If they were to do that, then they would be approved by God, and Paul would have been wrong in threatening to discipline them. Paul is much more concerned with the spiritual health of the fledgling Corinthian church than in saving face. 

Jesus tells us to pray for our enemies, but here, Paul tells us how to pray for them. Our concern in praying for others is for their own benefit. Although Paul would look foolish if the Corinthians proved him wrong, that is exactly what he prayed would happen. Everything that he did was to build them up and bring them to faith. It was never for his vindication, glory, or even ease in dealing with them. He would rather be seen as weak and wrong than see those who attacked him, and who he cared about, fall prey to sin. 

Prayer: O Lord, may my prayers always build others up. Help me to be more concerned for others than myself, entrusting myself to Your care. May I pray for others according to what will benefit them. In Jesus' name, Amen 

* This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion (Day 24) - Jesus Prays For Us

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” 

But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”
Luke 22:31-34 

There are times our spiritual journeys are on a quick and easy trail. Other times they are rocky and steep. Still other times, our journeys even seem to backtrack. Jesus knew that Peter's journey was about to take a devastating turn. Yet Jesus prayed for Peter and even had a plan waiting for Peter when he would turn back to the right path. 

Our faith is not dependent on our own strength or character. Even the best of us will make mistakes at times. But Jesus knows our weaknesses. He anticipates our spiritual stumbling. He is always on the path beside us, and urging us on. And even when we fail, He points ahead to how we can be redeemed. Peter's denial was not the end of his faith, but only a temporary lapse. His love and his belief in Christ never died, it was just momentarily overshadowed by fear and grief. The Book of Acts attests to Peter's powerful faith and his crucial role in the early days of the church. With the help of Jesus, Peter's story continued. 

Our mistakes are never meant to be the end of our stories, either. Every time we stumble, Jesus is holding out His hand to us in grace, with plans for our hope and our future. 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You that You always have a future for me. Help me to see that when I stumble, You are holding out Your hand to me in grace. May I keep my eyes and heart ever focused on You! In Your name, Amen.


* This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Who Was St. Patrick?

Today many people will remember St. Patrick. This day is special for me since my great-great-grandmother was from Ireland and my grandma, Esther, went home to be with Jesus on St. Patrick's Day. But it has also become special to me since I have learned the incredible story of St. Patrick! 

Below is the story of St. Patrick:

St. Patrick: From Slave to Saint by Grainne Rowland "Watch out! Hide! Here come the raiders!" My family's servants were screaming and running for cover. I watched in horror as my father's land and house were overrun. The raiders came with the Irish king, Niall of the Nine Hostages. Suddenly, I was grabbed from behind, tied up, and roughly pushed towards a waiting ship. I, Succat, was being taken as a slave! I struggled to get free. I thought of how angry my father would be when he learned that his son had been kidnapped. My father was the most powerful man in that part of Britain. Surely he would rescue me! I was thrown on board the ship with the other captives. The ship quickly sailed away. The raiders began to celebrate their successful attack. I  knew then there would be no rescue. I was only sixteen years old. In Ireland, I was sold to Miliucc, a chieftain in Co. Antrim. I was forced to herd pigs in cold and rainy weather. I was hungry, wet, and shivery with cold. Always, I was lonely. I was a slave for six long years. I learned the Irish language and the customs of the Irish people. I also learned to pray. One night in a dream, I heard a voice say, "Behold, your ship is ready." I woke up and knew my chance to escape had arrived! I began my long walk to freedom. After many days, I reached Wexford, 200 miles away. I found a ship nearly ready to sail. But the captain was searching for someone to care for a pack of Irish wolfhounds on the journey. I was just the person! I was on my way home! The ship landed in northern Gaul, where there was only desert. For many days, we wandered in that desert. We found no food. The sailors made fun of my God. They asked why He didn't send us food. So I prayed. To the sailors' surprise, a large herd of pigs came into sight, squealing and grunting. It was enough meat for not only the men, but all the wolfhounds as well! On the day I walked into my home again, my mother and father ran to hug me. They both talked at once and asked question after question, never giving me time to answer. That night, I was the guest at a huge party. I was given many gifts. During the next few years, I studied in several places. I finally became a priest. It was then that I was given the name Patrick. One night, I had another dream. I saw the people of Ireland. They pleaded with me, saying, "We beg you, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more." I knew I must return to Ireland. When I arrived back in Ireland, I first went to Tara, the home of Irish kings. I asked King Leary's permission to preach in the country. He agreed and I began to travel throughout Ireland. I brought many people to the Christian faith. In about the year 441, I spent 40 days alone on a rocky, windy mountain praying for the Irish people. The mountain is now known as Croagh Patrick, or the Mountain of Patrick. One day, I was telling the people about God. They did not understand. So I picked a shamrock and showed them that there are three leaves but only one plant. Then the people could better understand that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit make only one God. That is why, when you see a picture of me, I am usually holding a shamrock. I trained new Irish priests, and they learned many things. They knew how to copy and beautifully decorate the Bible and other books. They copied everything by hand and made paint from plants and minerals. In later years, the people of Europe forgot about learning. The Irish monks and scholars kept copying books and kept important knowledge alive. Not long before I died, I built a large stone cathedral in the town of Armagh. I also had a school built there. It later became a famous university. I died on March 17, 493, in the town of Saul, in Co. Down. This was the same place I had built my first church. Many towns wanted the honor of giving me a burial place. So my body was put on a wagon drawn by two oxen. The oxen pulled the cart to the town of Downpatrick. There I was buried. My body lies in a cemetery next to the Downpatrick Cathedral. The grave is marked by a large granite stone and the name Patrick.

This story was found at the website: http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/StPatrick.html

After St. Patrick died, Ireland was used greatly by God to keep Christianity alive in Europe during the Middle/Dark Ages. At a time when there was much corruption in the Church in Europe and when very few people knew how to read so that it was difficult to spread the Gospel, the Irish/Celtic Church sent out many missionaries and helped preserve the Christian religion through its monasteries. This early Celtic Church flourished with many monks and priests leaving Ireland to begin missions in Europe. In the first two hundred and fifty years after Patrick's death, around five hundred Irish saints were recognized. These missionaries established monasteries in Scotland, England, Switzerland, France, Germany and as far south as Italy.

We have much to be grateful for in the lasting Christian heritage and legacy of Patrick and Ireland!

Easter Devotion (Day 23) - He Always Hears Our Prayers

Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

John 11:40-42 

What a rare and precious gift when someone truly listens to you! When a person really hears what we are saying, he or she is validating us and demonstrating that our thoughts and opinions are important. That person is telling us that we are worth the time it takes to know us. Pastoral counselor David Augsburger wrote, "Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable." Conversely, when people talk past us or don't really hear our concerns, we feel isolated and diminished. No wonder one of our most common complaints - be it for politicians, bosses or co-workers, friends or family - is that nobody really hears what we are saying. 

Yet the Creator and Designer of the universe eagerly waits to hear our innermost thoughts. We can show our true selves to God and not fear rejection. We cannot bore God. God takes an active interest in every thought we direct toward Him. When Jesus prayed in front of Lazarus' tomb, He didn't pray about the amazing miracle that He was about to reveal. Instead, Jesus prayed about an even more amazing miracle - that the Lord of all creation always hears our prayers. We can pray in complete confidence that God always wants to listen to what we have to say. 

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for listening to me! I know that You always hear me. It is amazing that You eagerly wait to hear my innermost thoughts. May I be eager to go to You in prayer many times throughout each day. I love You Jesus! Amen. 

* This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink