Lenten Devotions

Easter Sunday 2010 - The Smell of Something New

2010-04-04T22:36:00.000-04:00

John 20:1-18 (NRSV)

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

THOUGHTS:

Spring is coming, I said. No, said the cab driver, spring is here already, you just can't see it yet.   My allergies reminded me that he was right. I had a runny nose for days because of flowers I could not yet see but my other senses were telling me were real.

It's often that way when we face challenges and disappointments. A relationship ends and we see only faults and failings. A job or internship we had hoped for fell through and we can't see anything else happening for us. The world depresses us. Someone we love gets sick or even dies and we see pain and separation.

Easter is like God giving us a new way to sense life. When Mary got to the garden, Jesus met her there but she could not recognize him. It was only when he called out her name that she really saw who he was.   She was so excited to see him alive, she about jumped into his arms.

That's the way it is when we see life the way God does.   We find gratitude even in relationships that have ended.   Failed job prospects lead to new opportunities we could not have otherwise imagined.   Even sickness and death are ultimately seen as temporary conditions.

Easter calls us to perceive life with more than just our eyes.   There is more to living than landing a good job and making enough money to pay the bills and raise a family. The strength and will to change the world found in the power of love that makes everything seem vivid.

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, May your gracious love resurrect my senses. Save me from the dead end of cynicism and help me to see things in a new way today. Amen.

--
Thoughts by Pastor Phil Hirsch, Assistant to the Bishop, Metro D.C. Synod of the ELCA

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 #39

2010-04-03T00:04:00.001-04:00

Matthew 27:57-66

57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. ⁵⁸He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. ⁵⁹So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth ⁶⁰and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. ⁶¹Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. ⁶²The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate ⁶³and said, 'Sir, we remember what that impostor said while he was still alive, "After three days I will rise again." ⁶⁴Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day; otherwise his disciples may go and steal him away, and tell the people, "He has been raised from the dead", and the last deception would be worse than the first.' ⁶⁵Pilate said to them, 'You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can.' ⁶⁶So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.

THOUGHTS:

So can you believe it is Easter eve? We are about to celebrate the most important day of the Christian year and one of the most important days in human history. For me Lent has flown by. It seems like just yesterday when I was enjoying Fat Tuesday Pancakes and receiving Ash Wednesday Ashes. Now we have celebrated the Last Supper, remembered the Crucifixion, and prepare to celebrate the Resurrection.

When I read the above passage, I am reminded of several things I would like to share. First I am reminded of the passion play. I had the privilege of seeing The Passion play in Oberammergau, Germany. Every ten years this city puts the play together that is shown dozens of times. It is a two day marathon, in which hundreds of people pack an outdoor stage to watch. It is presented in German, but comes across with a universal understanding. People come from all over the world just to see this play. Seeing the way everyone in this small country town come together around the story of Christ, has been one of the most memorable experiences of my life.

I can't help but think of Paul Harvey when I read these verses. We know parts of the story, (we know the whole story in fact) but now we are filling in or being reminded of the details. Christ was dead. His body prepared for burial and then placed in a sealed tomb. Tomorrow we will be able to say; now we "know the rest of the story".

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, thank you for the sacrifice of Christ. Allow us to finish Lent on a high note, and have a meaning full Easter. Amen.

--


Thoughts by Christopher Bergtholdt, a Senior at George Mason University involved with LCM-GMU

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 #39

2010-04-02T09:33:00.001-04:00

John 19:16b-30

So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them. Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." Many of the Jews read this inscription because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and In Greek. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do no write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'This man said, I am King of the Jews.'" Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written." When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it." This was to fulfill what the scripture says, "They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots." And that is what the soldiers did.

Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, "Woman, here is your son." Then he said to the disciple, "here is your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture), "I am thirsty." A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said, "It is finished." Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

THOUGHTS:

Sometimes it's unexpected and they are missed all together. Sometimes however, they are held dear because they are intentional words of love. Sometimes they are words of forgiveness or redemption. Sometimes they are words of thankfulness. Sometimes, they are words of hope. What I am writing about are the last words of a loved one who has passed on.

   As a pastor I have had opportunities to be with friends and families as they have watched their husband, parent, or friend breathe their last breath. People hold onto every word spoken and move made. A depth of emotion is shared. It is perhaps one of the most intimate experiences to share with another.

   In many ways, Jesus' death on the cross was very different. He died a prisoner's death. He was hung on a cross for all to sneer and jeer at with cruel words and laughter. His was not an intimate setting where loved ones gathered closely around singing gentle songs and praying prayers for peace. Remember, most of his disciples had scattered. Instead, Jesus was surrounded by soldiers who mocked him and made a game out of dividing up his garments and ironically placed a crown of thorns on his head and sign above Him that said "King of the Jews."

   Jesus spoke His final words from the cross, recorded in the gospels. Though He suffered greatly and was treated so poorly, Jesus' last words expressed love and care – "Woman, behold your son and son behold your mother." They too were words of forgiveness – "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." They too were words of redemption – "Today, you will be with me in paradise."

   They also were words of hope - "It is finished." Yes, Jesus, in His death, had accomplished what He came to do, to carry our sins to the cross. "It is finished" is what He spoke on the cross and three days later, we learn "it is finished" has made the words "It has just begun" possible for us to say.

Death is not the last word. Life is because of Jesus' willingness to die for us.

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, as we reflect on the sacrifices you were willing to go through for us, help us to be truly thankful for your saving act of love on the cross. Give us strength too to speak words of love, forgiveness, and hope to those whom we encounter each day. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Thoughts by Rev. Darcy Percy, Associate Pastor, Lord of Life Lutheran Church (Fairfax, VA)

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 #38

2010-04-01T12:24:00.002-04:00

Exodus 12:1-14 (NRSV)

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household. If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbor in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted over the fire, with its head, legs, and inner organs. You shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the passover of the Lord. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord; throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance.

THOUGHTS:

As Christians, we believe that is was not a mere coincidence that Jesus was crucified on the day before the Passover (see John 19:14,31), the same day that the Passover lambs were being slaughtered. The blood of Jesus smeared on the cross on that hillside outside Jerusalem is effectively smeared on the doorposts of the universe. Jesus is the sacrificial lamb, without blemish. The blood of Jesus is the sign on our world that we are all God's people, God's beloved children.

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, thank you for your mercy. Today, and everyday, we remember your grace. Help us to live out your grace and mercy, sharing your love with all those we meet. In the holy name of Jesus the Christ we pray, AMEN.

Thoughts by Ben Buss, Lutheran Campus Minister at George Mason University

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 #37

2010-03-31T13:45:00.000-04:00

Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.

THOUGHTS:

We have entered into Holy Week, and during this week there is a lot to consider. In fact the darkness and brokenness of our world can be overwhelming. So from where do we gain strength? "Looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith," and considering "him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners..." This week we are invited, we are called to look to Jesus....considering him who took on the darkness, took on our brokenness that we can not withstand, so that we will persevere in faith and hope. And in this time of consideration, this week of Christ's Passion, we know we are never alone but surrounded by "so great a cloud of witnesses" and the very center himself, Jesus Christ. As we journey further into this week of passion, may we look to the center and "consider him" and draw strength from the one who took on all of the world's death and darkness, in order that we may live fully. Consider him, Jesus Christ, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, resting in the strength that is found only in him.

PRAYER:

Jesus Christ, you have taken on our brokenness and darkness. As we journey this week, remembering the gift of life you have given all on the cross, may we look to you, consider you, and know you as the source of strength in our life. Amen.

--

Thoughts by Rev. Kim Conway, pastor of Epiphany Lutheran Church (Dale City)

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 #36

2010-03-30T12:05:00.000-04:00

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:

"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."

20 Where are the wise? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let those who boast boast in the Lord."

THOUGHTS:

Jon Foreman calls us "The Church of the dropouts, the losers, the sinners, the failures, and the fools." Throughout the New Testament we are called to forget every law that society has taught us--every iPod commercial and body-image-centric magazine--and to take up the cross. When Jesus was crucified, the cross didn't mean glory; it meant death and torture, but most of all, utter humiliation. It was heavy and victims were forced to carry it the longest path to their final resting place. Jesus' crime read simply, "King of the Jews," and he was nailed, naked and exposed before all, between two rebels.

This is our image of mercy and love and salvation: our mighty King killed the way of dropouts, losers, sinners, failures, and fools. Once a symbol of shame, the cross has become our greatest comfort.

I found myself coming to God during the same time I was finding out that I was gay. While I was finding that I was something that by societal means is despicable and foolish, I was being called into that very body that so publically abhors me and yet was experiencing God's indiscriminate love. It was humbling. It is humbling. It's my cross to bear. So daily I lift this heavy cross as the outcast and the despised. Likewise, Paul tells us, we all come from humble origins of sorts. Each of us has our cross to bear, that which separates us from each other and from God. And so we come humbly to the Lord, so that none of us can boast except in Him.

PRAYER:

Lord, we come to You on our knees, a people weary from status and rules and ostracism. As we carry each our crosses, lift us not into shame but to Your eternal glory.

Thoughts by Sarah, student at George Mason University involved with Lutheran Campus Ministry

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 #35

2010-03-29T13:18:00.001-04:00

John 12:1-8 (and 9-11 also) (NRSV)

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5 'Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?' 6 (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7 Jesus said, 'Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.'

THOUGHTS:

In the three other canonical gospels, a "nameless" woman anoints Jesus' feet with expensive perfume and is praised by Jesus for her act of love. This woman-- "Mary" in John's gospel-- is "nameless" only because those writers chose not to bother with recognizing her worth. Unlike Mary, whose actions communicated to Jesus in an intimate way that he mattered to her, that he was a beloved child of God who faced a certain and unjust death, these writers chose consciously or unconsciously not to extend love. Why does it matter? Because those choices, and others like them made by the gospel writers, come to bear on the decisions of others that echo into our future. Interpretations were formulated that colluded with negligence, erasure, and the destruction of others. The intention of these writers does not make the impact of these words any less real.

This has been on my mind lately, especially when I encountered the rest of the verses that are included in this selection from the "revised" "common" lectionary. John 12:9-11 reads thus:

9 When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.

Rife with anti-Judaism, these verse portray Jewish leaders as petty and clannish representatives who would rather turn to murder than face the supposedly "obvious" insufficiencies of their religious practices and beliefs when compared to those of Jesus. No matter what one might argue about why these verses were written, this is how they are heard, and they justify the false dichotomy of good, grace-lovin' Christians and bad/confused law-keeping Jews. I was pissed to hear them read aloud last Sunday in the progressive Lutheran church I attend, by the warm-hearted and intelligent pastor no less. I became enraged when this pastor at no point addressed these verses in his sermon about God's love reflected in Mary's acts. He could have pointed out their dissonance with this love that God gives and inspires. He could have chosen to not give them any air-time. Instead, he consciously or unconsciously chose to read them and participate in approximately two thousand years of Christian anti-Semitism.

Mary's love is a concrete action, and so is Jesus' in this instance. Jesus defends Mary's dignity, safeguarding her well-being under Judas' attack (who has his own shit to examine). This is what love does: it builds up other people in their humanness (and respects all other living creatures and life-giving systems) and resists the forces, ideologies, and conscious and unconscious choices that lead to wanton destruction. And let's be clear: we don't love because we're innocent of these destructive ways. Hell no. We love because we've a encountered a Love that has has showed us that life is better for all when we, for example, reside in religious identities that do not affirm their value by badmouthing people of different faiths. Love affirms us in our inherent worth, and, if we allow it to work through us, uproots the violence of oppression in our souls and in our societies. Love enables us to call out these forces that mindlessly enslave others (or ourselves) for our own (or other people's) social, economic, and political gain. Love does this and, as another John wrote, love comes from God.

PRAYER:

Holy One, during Lent you teach us your love again and again. May our hearts grasp hold of this wisdom. Lead us to repentance, Lead us to action, and give us hope for a new creation, where love reigns and no one or nothing is ever crucified again. May it be so. Amen.

Thoughts by Ben Masters, a graduate of George Mason University and an alum of Lutheran Campus Ministry at GMU. He is currently working at Open Arms of Minnesota in Minneapolis, through Lutheran Volunteers Corps and is a proud member of the Wellstone House, who also says: "P.S. For folks on college campuses, folks in diversity and multicultural services often have some good resources for resisting oppression. Go look them up. A shout out to the folks at George Mason, who have some kickass opportunities to resist heterosexism and transphobia for LGBTQ Pride Week this week. Blessings and peace, y'all."

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 - Sixth Sunday

2010-03-28T15:48:00.001-04:00

Luke 19:28-40 (NRSV)

After [Jesus] had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, 'Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, "Why are you untying it?" just say this: "The Lord needs it." ' So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, 'Why are you untying the colt?' They said, 'The Lord needs it.' Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it.As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying,

'Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!'

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, 'Teacher, order your disciples to stop.'

He answered, 'I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.'

THOUGHTS:

Jesus was probably not the only one entering Jerusalem that day. Millions of Jews would have been walking into Jerusalem on pilgrimage to the holy city for the observances of Passover.

On the west side of Jerusalem, opposite from Jesus' entry, historians tell us that there would have been a magnificent military procession as Pontius Pilate and other Roman officials would have been riding horses amidst an entourage of imperial soldiers wearing armor and carrying weapons. They came to town for most Jewish festivals to beef up security in case the crowds got restless and started causing trouble. It was intentionally a visible depiction of the oppression of the empire.

Back on the east side of town, Jesus enters on an animal that has never been ridden -- a practice denoting kingship, but it is a donkey. It was a parody of the grandness of the Roman procession, and it carried the opposite message as well: hope for the downtrodden, liberation for captives, and freedom from oppression.

As we continue through Holy Week, remember that God is concerned with the here and now in the world we live in. As we live our our faith, how do we continue to proclaim and work for hope, freedom, and liberation?

PRAYER:

Lord God, you give us hope in times of suffering and darkness. Guide our lives in faithful service to you. In all we do, we are yours! AMEN.

Thoughts by Ben Buss, Lutheran Campus Minister at George Mason University

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 #34

2010-03-28T15:45:00.001-04:00

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you and have from God? And ye are not your own for you were bought with a price, the Holy blood of Jesus.

THOUGHTS:

When asked to write a devotional for Lenten Devotions, I decided to go deep to my roots. My Grandma has memorized a set of bible verses every night before she goes to bed and I wanted to get to know her better by exploring one of those bible verses today.

When thinking about this passage I immediately go to the fact that I'm subsisting on four hours of sleep today. How does one make decisions about what to do every day? If your friends need you, do you turn them down in order to treat your body right? Why do so many people in the world treat their bodies so poorly? I have friends that loose sleep, friends that drink till they toss their cookies, friends that smoke. Why do people treat their bodies so poorly? Treating ourselves poorly is extremely common I've seen at least, and I want to use this as an opportunity to encourage everyone to try to take some part of the day out so that they can treat their bodies like a temple.

To me, this first verse is a pretty self-explanatory passage, its just almost never done especially while in college.

To address the second part of this passage. "And ye are not your own for you were bought with a price, the Holy blood of Jesus." I kinda think that this verse relates very well to the temple verse in that I think that part of the reason people don't treat their bodies like a temple is that they go around saying I too much. I'm stressed, I need this, I need to take a break on the couch watching Iron Chef (what I'm currently doing while writing this), I'm sad and need a drink, I'm happy and I'm going to celebrate by getting horribly drunk etc. What would happen if instead we said, "what is god calling me to do today? Would we stop this self-destructive behavior that so many of us engage in while we are in school? An interesting question to leave off with..

PRAYER:

Dear Lord. Allow us to keep our bodies a holy temple to you o lord. Allow us to take care of ourselves and to always ask, what are you calling us to do today?" How can we be your good grain, as bought by Jesus Christ our lord?

Thoughts by Matthew Goldenberg, senior psychology major active with Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 #33

2010-03-26T10:46:00.000-04:00

Isaiah 54:9-10

^9"This is like the days of Noah to me:

Just as I swore that the waters of Noah
would never again go over the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you
and will not rebuke you.

^10"For the mountains may depart

and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,"
says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

THOUGHTS:

As an ordained member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, I understand my vocational calling to be that of parish pastor. During the past three years, however, my call has, in actuality, shifted from that of pastor to primary caregiver for my 66-year old husband. Following complications from back and knee surgery, and the onset of Parkinson's disease, John's mobility and his independence have diminished significantly. Just this past December, he had another operation, on the "good" knee this time. I'm pleased to report that after what seems like forever, he's making significant progress. Still, those marriage vows I made of "for better or for worse" have taken on a whole new meaning than they did during our wedding ceremony!

There have been numerous occasions over these three years when my "for worse" chores have seemed insurmountable. I have had a few frustrated conversations with God and have asked "why?" a lot. "You called me to be a pastor, Lord!! So why am I behaving like a nursemaid rather than preaching and making disciples?" "Why, why, why?"

What has provided ongoing hope for me are words throughout scripture, like the ones in this passage, assuring me of God's promise to be with me no matter what—"for better or for worse." And as I remember that promise, my one-person "pity party" quickly comes to an end.

In the case of Isaiah, those words were a reminder of God's promise to God's chosen people. They were still in exile in Babylon following the destruction and takeover of God's holy city of Jerusalem by enemy forces—an exile caused, as the Israelites understood it, by God's wrath at their sinfulness and their violation of covenant to be God's people. In spite of the worst, God assures them that God still loves them—that God will never leave them—that God will never break God's covenant with the people. No matter what, we might paraphrase, God will keep God's "wedding vows" to remain faithful.

That promise is as sure for us today as it was for the Israelites of long ago. In those times that God may seem distant, whether caused by our own sinfulness or as a result of illness or happenstance, our compassionate God will never depart from us—from you. And that's a promise!!

PRAYER:

God of love and peace, you have promised never to forsake your people. Open our hearts to an awareness of your steadfast love for each of us, especially during times and circumstances that seem particularly dark and hopeless. We pray in the name of your Son Jesus, our crucified and risen Lord. Amen

Thoughts by Rev. Terry Hannon, Vice-President of the Board for Northern Virginia Lutheran Campus Ministries, Inc.

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 #32

2010-03-25T08:02:00.000-04:00

Isaiah 53:10-12 (NRSV)

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain. When you make his life an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days; through him the will of the Lord shall prosper. Out of his anguish he shall see light; he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge. The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

THOUGHTS:

We've all heard the phrase "no pain, no gain". The image that comes to my mind most readily when I hear it is of some beefy exercise guru like Billy Blanks or Gilad encouraging faltering exercisers to keep going, conveying the idea that their suffering will pay off in improving and strengthening their bodies. It may hurt now, but you'll reap the benefits later. These verses also talk about how suffering can "payoff" later, but in a much different way. Isaiah's prophetic illustration of the "suffering servant" describes a kind of pain that typically runs counter to human understanding of the world. The servant is "crushed with pain", but to provide benefit to many others, not himself. This self-sacrificing attitude is the kind I imagine parents feel about their children, but it is in opposition to the basic nature of survival.

Counter-intuitive or not, this is the life and the example Christ set for who follow him, promising that by losing our life we will gain it but if we seek to save our own life we will lose it (Luke 17:33). The life that Christ is speaking of is much more than a heart beat and brain waves. It's a depth and fullness of life that connects us intimately with God and with all of those around us. It builds community, protects those in need, and comforts the sick. It is a life that connects the most vulnerable to God's grace, through the "hands and feet" of those that follow Jesus' example.

As we draw closer to the end of the Lenten season we find ourselves drawing closer to the suffering and sorrow of Jesus' sacrifice. We are reminded our how much Jesus' gave out of his love for us. And we are challenged to give of ourselves towards the needs of others.

PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, we cannot begin to thank you for the gifts of salvation and grace. We pray for the guidance and strength to support the needs of others and to connect with the deeper, fuller life you promised. Amen.

--

Thoughts by Kriss Buss, Young adult member of King of Kings Lutheran Church (Fairfax, VA)

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 #31

2010-03-24T11:37:00.000-04:00

Matthew 12:22

Then they brought to him a demoniac who was blind and mute; and he cured him, so that the one who had been mute could speak and see.

THOUGHTS:

How many times am I blind to the pain and suffering of others or blind to the ways I may hurt those around me. How often am I mute when Love would ask me to speak. I tell myself I am too busy or what will others think. I leave it unsaid. It is with the strength of Christ's love for me that I dare to see and it is in the compassion Christ brings to my life that I dare to speak engaging the world.

PRAYER:

During this time of repentance help our blind eyes and muted voices to come to life as instruments of the spirit of God at work. Amen.

Thoughts by participants in the Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 #30 - The Parable of the Trees

2010-03-23T10:07:00.001-04:00

Judges 9:7-15

7 When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and cried aloud and said to them, 'Listen to me, you lords of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.
⁸The trees once went out
   to anoint a king over themselves.
So they said to the olive tree,
   "Reign over us."
⁹The olive tree answered them,
   "Shall I stop producing my rich oil
     by which gods and mortals are honored,
     and go to sway over the trees?"
¹⁰Then the trees said to the fig tree,
   "You come and reign over us."
¹¹But the fig tree answered them,
   "Shall I stop producing my sweetness
     and my delicious fruit,
     and go to sway over the trees?"
¹²Then the trees said to the vine,
   "You come and reign over us."
¹³But the vine said to them,
   "Shall I stop producing my wine
     that cheers gods and mortals,
     and go to sway over the trees?"
¹⁴So all the trees said to the bramble,
   "You come and reign over us."
¹⁵And the bramble said to the trees,
   "If in good faith you are anointing me king over you,
     then come and take refuge in my shade;
   but if not, let fire come out of the bramble
     and devour the cedars of Lebanon."

THOUGHTS:

So I wasn't sure what to make of this passage after reading it a first time. I needed to open up my annotated Bible to get a little context for this passage. From what I read, Jotham was the only son of seventy to survive the slaughter by a man who wanted to be king. That is an over simplification of the story, but run with it for now.

This is an interesting parable when you look at it. The way I read it, is that the other trees were too busy doing other things. They were all doing things that were too important to them not to devote all their time to that task. So the trees literally ask everyone, including the lowly bramble, the least of all the trees. His response is basically, if you really want me to be king, good. Come hang out and let me rule you. If not, you will pay and I will destroy the greatest among you (the cedars were highly regarded as trees).

Now, you might ask what the lesson is. I think it is to be honest in all your pursuits, and never doubt the ability of the lowly to be great and do more than you think they can.

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, thank you for the continual grace we receive from these devotions this Lenten season. Allow us to gather the meaning of parable and always remember the bramble. Amen.

Thoughts by Christopher Bergtholdt, a Senior at George Mason University involved with LCM-GMU

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 # 29

2010-03-22T14:53:00.000-04:00

Hebrews 10:19-25 (The Inclusive Bible):

Therefore, sisters and brothers, since the blood of Jesus makes us confident to enter the holy place by the new and living path opened for us through the veil - that is to say, the body of Jesus - and since we have the supreme high priest presiding over the house of God, let us enter it filled with faith and with sincerity in our hearts, our hearts sprinkled and cleared from any trace of bad conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us keep firm in the hope we profess, because the One who made the promise is faithful.
Let us always think how we can stimulate each other to love and good works. Don't stay away from the meetings of the community, as some do, but encourage one another; and do this all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

THOUGHTS:

The Holy Place in the Tabernacle, and later in Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, was separated from the people by a one-to-two foot thick curtain. Only the priests could enter. This was no thin veil that ripped when Christ died. Think of the dividers that are used to split off large meeting rooms, and imagine them twice as thick! That's quite a barrier between God and the people.

God, of course, is present in and with all creatures and places, but when a place is set apart as sacred, particularly by many people and for a long period of time, it develops a certain air of holiness, if you will. God declared a particular dwelling in the Holy of Holies. It is interesting to observe that this residing place was essentially a box - the one thing we are NOT supposed to put God in. This box was special though. Instead of a box that keeps God limited, sterile, and safely hating only the sins of the people we hate and not our own, the Ark of the Covenant kept God hidden, unknown.

Jesus changed all that. Instead of unknowable and distant, the Trinity adopted us. We are not only family to other believers - the Creator of the universe calls us family. If someone told you Obama was their second cousin, that would probably come across with thoughts that this person must "have it made, " knowing someone that powerful and being a relative on top of it. How much more the God who created the universe? And we are God's relatives - and we can now relate to God, since God came down to our level and took on human flesh. The blood of Christ and the water of Baptism are free gifts which have been given to us to cleanse us. We may now approach our new Family, not seen as the weak people we sometimes are - for this is covered in love - but rather as a child of grace, adopted by the Holy Spirit. We are called to the radical power of love, of forgiveness, for we have been forgiven and made heirs to the kingdom where Love reigns eternal.

God has left the box.

PRAYER:

Abba, we enter your presence today, not as strangers but as family. We rejoice that we have been given the opportunity to really, truly know You, and also to know and love our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Amen.

--
Thoughts by Victoria Meixell, student at George Mason University

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran
Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/
DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 - Fifth Sunday

2010-03-21T19:17:00.000-04:00

Philippians 3:7-14 (NIV)

7. But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9. and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11. and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

12. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

THOUGHTS:

I love how I can go back to a Bible verse I've read a million times and find new meaning in it based on where I am in my life. As a student near the end of my college years, looking back over everything good and bad within my time at Mason, this verse is currently speaking to me in relation to how the events in our life affect us.

"Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ." You know, the good things in our life are great to experience at the time, but I know for a fact that the events that really mold us and bring out our character as a human being are the bad times. You find out who you really are when you're in a situation that you can only hand over to God. It's hard to thank God for those hard times.

But everything pales in comparison to the power of God to shine light into our lives and change us. Comparatively, it's all "rubbish," as this translation calls it.

Sometimes, the yearning for God is all that gets us through. Verse 10 reminds me of a favorite line from a beloved book- Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert- that I'll leave you with today.

"I just want God. I want God inside me. I want God to play in my bloodstream the way sunlight amuses itself on water."

Thoughts by Rachael Dickson, senior history major, happy member of Lutheran Campus Ministry at GMU

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 #28

2010-03-20T12:08:00.006-04:00

Exodus 12:21-27 (NRSV)

Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, "Go, select lambs for your families, and slaughter the passover lamb. Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood in the basin. None of you shall go outside the door of your house until morning. For the Lord will pass through to strike down the Egyptians; when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over that door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you down.You shall observe this rite as a perpetual ordinance for you and your children. When you come to the land that the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this observance. And when your children ask you, 'What do you mean by this observance?' you shall say, 'It is the passover sacrifice to the Lord, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt, when he struck down the Egyptians but spared our houses.'" And the people bowed down and worshiped.

THOUGHTS:

There was a time I thought that my family had no family traditions.  I was in middle school at the time.  It was almost winter break and several friends and I were talking over lunch about what we were going to do for the holidays.  Everyone else, it seemed, had these elaborate traditions in which they would take part.

I went home that afternoon and announced to my parents in a disgusted teenage voice that I could not believe that we had no traditions.  My mother tried to explain that we did, but I refused to believe her.  I was adamant that we had no traditions; that there was nothing special that set our family apart.

A few days later my mother casually mentioned that she was thinking about not making sticky buns for Christmas breakfast.  She thought that maybe it was time to try something different.  My sister and I pitched a fit.  "It won't be Christmas without sticky buns," we exclaimed.

It turns out that we did have a few family traditions; plenty of traditions, in fact.  They just didn't feel like a tradition.  They felt…well…just like what we always did.  There wasn't anything necessarily special about them.

When the first Passover was instituted, Moses declared to the people of Israel, "You shall observe this rite as a perpetual ordinance for you and your children."  The Passover was to become for the people of Israel a family tradition.  It was to be passed down through the generations as something special that set them apart.  It was to be a way to remind the generations of Israelites what God had done for them.  So that even in those times that being God's people felt just like what they always did, that they would recall that there was something special about that relationship.

As we continue our Lenten journey towards the cross, we are reminded that the Passover meal would take on a new significance when Jesus celebrated it with his disciples in the upper room.  It would be his blood that would be shed, placed on the cross so that sin and death will pass over us.  In the midst of our normal, everyday lives we need these kinds of remembrances.  We need the traditions of our faith that remind us who and whose we are.

PRAYER:

Gracious God, we give thanks for the love that you have shown to your people throughout the generations.  Help us to always remember that love wherever we go and whatever we do.  Amen.

--

Thoughts by Rev. Meredith Lovell Keseley, Lutheran Church of the Abiding Presence

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These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 #27

2010-03-19T14:20:00.000-04:00

Isaiah 43:8-15 (NRSV)

Bring forth the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears! Let all the nations gather together, and let the peoples assemble. Who among them declared this, and foretold to us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to justify them, and let them hear and say, "It is true." You are my witnesses, says the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior. I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses, says the Lord. I am God, and also henceforth I am He; there is no one who can deliver from my hand; I work and who can hinder it?

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: For your sake I will send to Babylon and break down all the bars, and the shouting of the Chaldeans will be turned to lamentation. I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.

THOUGHTS:

These words from Isaiah come from the time of exile in Babylon. Here, God challenges the people and gods of Babylon and asserts His dominion, his prominence as THE God, the one and only. Even the blind and deaf of Israel can witness to God's saving power.

I read these words as both a comforting reminder and a strong challenge. We are so blessed that this creating, powerful God is our Savior. But we are also called to witness and proclaim His Gospel. Where is God calling you to witness today? Are there people around you who need to hear His saving message?

PRAYER:

Lord, we thank you for your saving love and grace. We know that you are the one and only God, our Creator. We ask that your Spirit guide us and help us share your message. Amen.

Thoughts by Kriss Buss, Young adult member of King of Kings Lutheran Church (Fairfax, VA)

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 #26

2010-03-18T09:53:00.000-04:00

Psalm 126 (NRSV)

¹When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.

²Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them."

³The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.

⁴Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like the watercourses in the Negeb.

⁵May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.

⁶Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.

THOUGHTS:

This is a great Psalm for those of us students wondering if all this studying and suffering through paper after paper and reading page after page is really worth it. Question, why would anyone weep while planting seed? Because these were times of drought and sowing seed was a time of high anxiety. Would the seed and the effort of sowing be wasted? The Psalm reminds the people that the bleak days, such as those while in slavery will turn to joy. It can remind us students that if we are faithful to God and diligently pursue our studies God will bless us.

PRAYER:

Lord some days life is difficult and I am weary and sometimes even teary. Surround me with your love and blessing so that I might do the best I am capable of.

--
Rev. Tom Knoll, Pastor First Trinity Lutheran, Washington D.C.

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 #25 -- Fast-food people?

2010-03-17T12:32:00.000-04:00

Psalm 53 (The Message)

A David Psalm

^1-2 Bilious and bloated, they gas, "God is gone."
   It's poison gas—
      they foul themselves, they poison
   Rivers and skies;
      thistles are their cash crop.
   God sticks his head out of heaven.
      He looks around.
   He's looking for someone not stupid—
      one man, even, God-expectant,
      just one God-ready woman.

³ He comes up empty. A string
      of zeros. Useless, unshepherded
   Sheep, taking turns pretending
      to be Shepherd.
   The ninety and nine
      follow the one.

⁴ Don't they know anything,
      all these impostors?
   Don't they know
      they can't get away with this,
   Treating people like a fast-food meal
      over which they're too busy to pray?

⁵ Night is coming for them, and nightmare—
      a nightmare they'll never wake up from.
   God will make hash of these squatters,
      send them packing for good.

⁶ Is there anyone around to save Israel?
      God turns life around.
   Turned-around Jacob skips rope,
      turned-around Israel sings laughter.

THOUGHTS:

The Message is Eugene Peterson's interpretive translation of the Bible in an attempt to capture the vitality of the scriptures. It isn't a study Bible, and it isn't the most "academic" of translations. Yet, sometime I find it to be incredibly thought provoking -- especially after reading the same passage in my New Revised Standard Version (NRSV). It encourages me to look at the passage a new light. This Psalm is a great example of this:

I can easily plow past verse 4 in the NRSV which talks about evildoers "who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon God?"
The Message phrases this as impostors "treating people like a fast-food meal over which they're too busy to pray?"

That got me to stop and think about the ways I have treated people as a means to an end, such as the cafeteria workers who serve my food.
It forced me to recognize that I am sometimes too distracted by my agenda to fully listen to the person with whom I'm conversing.
I recognized how impatient I can be with telemarketers and salespeople who come knocking at my door to try to sell me things I don't need.

It got me to realize that sometimes I am the impostor.

Take some time today to think a minute to be honest with yourself and with God as you think about the ways that you might treat people like a fast-food meal over which you are too busy to pray. Then, repent of these ways, and celebrate by skipping rope, singing, and laughing.

PRAYER:

Lord God, we confess that we can become distracted and inward focused. Open our eyes to the beauty and dignity of all that you have made, and enable us to fully appreciate it in the moment. We pray in the name of Jesus the Christ, AMEN.

Thoughts by Ben Buss, Lutheran Campus Minister at George Mason University.

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 #24

2010-03-16T12:25:00.000-04:00

Revelation 19:9-10 (NRSV)

And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ And he said to me, ‘These are true words of God.’ Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, ‘You must not do that! I am a fellow-servant with you and your comrades who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’

THOUGHTS:

In the midst of heavenly rejoicing for God's justice and for the union of beloved partnership between the Lamb and saints, these verses introduce a note of dissonance. It's a little jarring, honestly; it isn't what I expected to happen at all. I might think that with God right in front of John that he would know where to direct his worship. Still, I might be kidding myself. I lose sight, after all, of God in my midst; we all do. We all need reminding of why we're here and what we're doing. They wouldn't call it good news if it weren't new to us again and again.

Worship God, the angel says. During Lent, we might elaborate: return to God. Return to the Holy Mystery that gave us birth and who embraces us with love. Return to the wellspring of living water, that we might come alive in our witness to Jesus, Love lived out, watered by the Spirit of prophecy. Return to the One who invites us to the feast of union, of heaven coming to earth.

PRAYER:

Holy One, we raise our thanks and our longing to you. Renew and bless us, that we may witness to your expansive love alongside Jesus Christ and all the saints. AMEN.

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 #23

2010-03-15T12:28:00.000-04:00

Leviticus 23:33-44 (NRSV)

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the people of Israel, saying: On the fifteenth day of this seventh month, and lasting seven days, there shall be the festival of booths* to the Lord. The first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall not work at your occupations. For seven days you shall present the Lord's offerings by fire; on the eighth day you shall observe a holy convocation and present the Lord's offerings by fire; it is a solemn assembly; you shall not work at your occupations.

These are the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you shall celebrate as times of holy convocation, for presenting to the Lord offerings by fire—burnt-offerings and grain-offerings, sacrifices and drink-offerings, each on its proper day— apart from the sabbaths of the Lord, and apart from your gifts, and apart from all your votive offerings, and apart from all your freewill-offerings, which you give to the Lord.

Now, the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall keep the festival of the Lord, lasting seven days; a complete rest on the first day, and a complete rest on the eighth day. On the first day you shall take the fruit of majestic* trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. You shall keep it as a festival to the Lord seven days in the year; you shall keep it in the seventh month as a statute for ever throughout your generations. You shall live in booths for seven days; all that are citizens in Israel shall live in booths, so that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Thus Moses declared to the people of Israel the appointed festivals of the Lord.

THOUGHTS:

We don't often think of the book of Leviticus when we come to the Bible for devotional text; or least I don't. Though it is filled with rules and commandments that outlined life for the people of Israel, it still hold relevance for Christians today. This particular excerpt outlines the "Feast of Tabernacles" or the "Feast of Jubilee". It celebrates both the yearly harvest and the care God provided during the Exodus while the Israelites were wandering in the desert. Tabernacles or booths were the dwellings the Israelites lived in while they were in the desert. During this time, while the Israelites were between slavery and sovereignty, God cared for their needs in a variety of ways - through manna and quail, through water from rocks, and even through these booths. During their wandering, all of their basic needs were met. This Exodus and wandering time was critical in the formation of the Israelite psyche. During this feast, they were to both remember where they had come from, wandering in booths, and to celebrate what they had gained, the harvest, each year. This balance of remembrance and celebration helped to tie the Israelites closer to God by providing a set aside, special time for them to give thanks.

How is God meeting your needs during your Lenten wandering? Is your Lenten practice drawing you closer to God? Or do you feel lost in the desert? We can use this time to acknowledge where we are coming from: brokenness, sin and death; while also knowing what have gained: grace, forgiveness and life through Christ. We have this time of Lent, set aside as a special time to remember and reflect to prepare us to fully embrace the joy of the Resurrection at Easter.

PRAYER:

Loving God, we thank you for all the ways you meet our needs each day. We ask that you continue to walk through this desert of Lent as we wait with anticipation of celebrating the resurrection of your Son. Help us to remember where we have come from and to draw us closer to you each day. Amen.

Thoughts by Kriss Buss, Young adult member of King of Kings Lutheran Church (Fairfax, VA)

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 - Fourth Sunday

2010-03-14T19:42:00.002-04:00

2 Corinthians 5:16-21 (NRSV)

From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

THOUGHTS:

Passages like this give me immense hope:

*Everything* has become new! (verse 17)

In Christ God was reconciling the *world* to himself (verse 19).

In Christ there is a new creation. The whole world has been reconciled to God. God's action is the focus of the story. This is exciting news. This is the Good News, and it is spectacular!

It isn't up to us to achieve reconciliation -- but to share with everyone this news about God being at work healing the world, and pulling us close to God. All the real work is done by God, leaving us the exhilarating opportunity to spread the news that God does not hold our sins against us.

I recently heard that blogger Andrew Sullivan of "The Daily Dish" once wrote:

"I call myself a Christian because I believe that, in a way I cannot fully understand, the force behind everything decided to prove itself benign by becoming us, and being with us. And as soon as people grasped what had happened, what was happening, the world changed for ever..."

Isn't that a beautiful image. God, the creator of everything, proved that God poses no threat or danger to us by putting on skin and moving into our neighborhood as one of us. Our sins died with Jesus, and God remembers them no more.

How can we be silent in the face of this awesomeness?

We are called to be *ambassadors* for Christ (verse 20), meaning is is our task to spread the word. How do you live out this calling with your life?

PRAYER:

God Almighty, give us the courage to share YOUR love, awesomeness, compassion, hope, joy, grace, mercy, peace, and healing with the hurting world all around us. We pray this in the name of Jesus, the Christ. AMEN.

Thoughts by Ben Buss, Lutheran Campus Minister at George Mason University

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 #22 – SEARCH and RESCUE!!

2010-03-13T18:22:00.000-05:00

St. Luke 15:1-10 (NRSV)

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them." So he told them this parable: "Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. "Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

THOUGHTS:

This text from St. Luke's Gospel tells a couple of parables of things that are lost and the rejoicing that occurs when they are found. A sheep and a coin were lost and in both of them Jesus lifts up the importance of the single person who is lost and then found by God.

How important that has been in recent weeks when one was found among the rubble in Haiti, or Chile or Turkey and the rejoicing that followed. These parables raise for us the consciousness and awareness of what is really valuable.

I read recently a devotional that talked about the value of our possessions – how common possessions can become extremely valuable, even priceless if they have been owned by someone who is powerful, wealthy or famous. For example, did you know that Napoleon's toothbrush sold for $21,000? Can you imagine paying thousands of dollars for someone's crude old toothbrush? Hitler's car sold for over $150.000 years ago! At the Sotheby's auction of Jackie Kennedy Onnassis' personal belongings, he fake pearls sold for $211,500 and JFK's wood clubs went for $772,500. It is not that the items themselves are worthy, but that they once belonged to someone significant.

If we, as humans, place value on things because they belonged to people – stop to think for a minute of the value of something owned by God. God singles us out and places value on us that is beyond human comprehension. God cares about EACH and EVERY ONE of us as individuals and will never stop searching for us when we get lost and will rescue us at whatever the cost might be. Now that's what search and rescue is all about! That's the value and importance of ONE that God makes in claiming us found!

PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, thank you for your continual search and rescue efforts in our lives – especially when we find ourselves lost from you. Thank you for never giving up on us even when we give up on ourselves. AMEN.

Thoughts by Pastor Mike Magwire, King of Kings Lutheran (Fairfax, VA)

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 #21

2010-03-12T11:40:00.000-05:00

Joshua 4:23-24 (NRSV)

²³For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we crossed over, ²⁴so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, and so that you may fear the Lord your God for ever.

THOUGHTS:

The first part of this passage is a thought that is always a favorite; simply put, through God all things are possible. It is hard to imagine a river drying up and people being able to cross it. What a sight it must have been to see a massive group of people crossing a dry river bed and the water flowing back after they pass. It is just another reminder that God can move mountains.

The second part caught my attention. Growing up I was never taught to fear God. There was no need to because he loved all mankind. I wonder if a better translation would be "may be in awe of" instead of "may fear". There are other examples of this, such as Ivan the Terrible should be Ivan the one who should be held in awe (just rolls off the tongue, I know). Take it as you may, but I have a feeling that a God who would send us Jesus to die for our sins is not one we need to fear.

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, renew us as we continue along our Lenten journeys this year. May you open our eyes to see the wonder of your mighty works in our everyday life. Amen

Thoughts by Chris Bergtholdt, senior at George Mason University involved with Lutheran Campus Ministry

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Lent 2010 #20

2010-03-11T10:19:00.000-05:00

Joshua 4:1-13 (NRSV)
When the entire nation had finished crossing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua: ²"Select twelve men from the people, one from each tribe, ³and command them, 'Take twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet stood, carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place where you camp tonight.'" ⁴Then Joshua summoned the twelve men from the Israelites, whom he had appointed, one from each tribe. ⁵Joshua said to them, "Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, one for each of the tribes of the Israelites, ⁶so that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, 'What do those stones mean to you?' ⁷then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off in front of the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the Israelites a memorial forever." ⁸The Israelites did as Joshua commanded. They took up twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the Lord told Joshua, carried them over with them to the place where they camped, and laid them down there. ⁹(Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had stood; and they are there to this day.) ¹⁰The priests who bore the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan, until everything was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to tell the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people crossed over in haste. ¹¹As soon as all the people had finished crossing over, the ark of the Lord, and the priests, crossed over in front of the people. ¹²The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the Israelites, as Moses had ordered them. ¹³About forty thousand armed for war crossed over before the Lord to the plains of Jericho for battle.

THOUGHTS:

My teenage daughter and I recently journeyed together by train to New York City to see the Pittsburgh Penguins (her favorite team) play the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. It was the first time she'd seen a hockey game in person and she is enamored with New York City as well. On our way home, after what she described as one of the best days of her life, she informed me that her tickets from both the train and the game would be going into her "ticket box." As the name implies, her ticket box contains used tickets from all of the memorable sporting events, movies, plays, museums and other events and places that she has enjoyed throughout her life. Each ticket serves as a marker, and as a reminder, of some fantastic event or place that she has experienced; event and places worthy of being remembered.

The elaborate and detailed story told in our reading for this day from Joshua describes a fantastic event and a place worthy of being remembered by the people of Israel. It is as if the people are saying, "Do you remember when God acted to bring us out of our wilderness wanderings, making a dry path for us to cross the Jordan River, enabling us to then enter the Promised Land? Do you remember where that all happened? It happened right there, where we piled those rocks from the river to be for us a marker, a reminder to us and our descendants of what God has done for us!"

During our Lenten journey we would do well to occasionally stop and remember the fantastic events and places where God has been active in our lives. Some of us may even have, or might find, markers that we can use to remind us of those fantastic events and places where we have experienced God acting for us: a baptismal candle we can light on the anniversary of our baptism; a Bible given to us as at our Confirmation; a t-shirt from a youth gathering, service learning project or mission trip; a cross necklace or an Ichthus (fish) tattoo. These are but a few examples of the kinds of markers, signs and symbols that can be, for us, "rocks" that we use to mark the fantastic events and places where God has acted for us. Each and every one of them are worthy of being remembered.

PRAYER:

Gracious God, you have been, are and will be at work in our lives. Throughout this season of Lent, help us to be mindful of those fantastic events and places when they occur. May we ever be thankful for them and may we always remember them. In your holy name we pray. Amen.

Thoughts by Rev. Mark W. Olsen, Director of Admissions and Enrollment Services, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg

These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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