Devotion for Friday, April 29 (Sermon on the Mount Week Two)

Do not judge, so that you may not be judged.  Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? (Matthew 7: 1-3)

When Jesus calls us not to judge others, what Jesus is NOT saying is that making decisions about others behavior, actions, or words is always wrong.  Indeed, part of living a faithful life is making decisions for ourselves about behavior and how we interact with others.  

What Jesus IS saying, however, is that when we do make such decisions we have to be conscious as well of our own foibles and missteps.  Judging others without first putting the mirror up to our own life and actions is a recipe for condemning the guiltless.  

The 8th commandment challenges:  Do not bear false witness against your neighbor. Martin Luther's explanation of this commandment invites us to put the actions of others in the best possible light. We may not be correct, but at least this will allow us to first assume that another's actions are not as sinister as our sin and/or our natural inclination may initially presume.  This can also reduce a lot of unnecessary heartache in our lives.  

I see this commandment speaking directly to Jesus' call not to judge others.  If we can first consider our own struggles and brokenness and then make an initial assumption that another is actually NOT out to get us, then our lives will more closely resemble the life of Jesus.  

Not judging is based, first and foremost, on a willingness to accept others as children of God too.  If we can do this, even pray for them, then we can judge less and love more.  And I believe this is what the world needs a whole lot more of these days.

God of grace, as you have given mercy to us, may be share mercy with others. Amen.     

Devotion for Thursday, April 28 (Sermon on the Mount Week Two)

Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven ... for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6: 19-21)

What is the deepest desire of your heart? 

In seeking to follow Jesus we are continually faced with this question.  Is following Jesus the deepest desire of your heart? Does it norm and shape all other desires in your life?

Those who I have come to model my life as a disciple of Jesus after are women and men who I witness putting their faith at the forefront of their daily lives and all their actions and decisions.  Of course, none of us are perfect and no one will do this flawlessly.  

However, by intentionally and prayerfully putting Jesus first, I notice that these women and men are able to effectively navigate life differently, with less anxiety, and more joy.  Their treasure, it seems to me, is found in simply knowing and being known by Christ.  This guides their understanding of others, the world, and themselves.  

I begin each morning asking myself to seek first the rule of Jesus in my life and heart.  By breakfast, I may have forgotten to do so at times.  Still, the hope that I have is that my life will gradually become more like that of Jesus than not.  I know that it will not be flawless nor without poor choices and actions.  

Still, through grace, I dare to believe that by watching the way others live their life, I can model my own after them and Jesus.  And as I do, I find that my heart ever changing toward being more fully a heart for Jesus and his mission.  

Change my heart, O God, make it ever true.  Change my heart, O God, may I be like you! Amen. 

Devotion for Wednesday, April 27 (Sermon on the Mount Week Two)

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life ... But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you (Matthew 6: 25-33)

Anxiety is at the heart of so much of our struggles and frustrations in life.  We live an pretty anxious time right now with terrorism, financial insecurity, disease, political rivalries, the changing culture around us.  Anxious times leads to worry and fear.

I know that when anxiety overtakes my rational and faithful mind I  can blow things out of proportion and act accordingly.  This leads to over worry and unwarranted fear.  When this happens I feel lost and forsaken and frustrated with God.

During a particularly anxiety ridden time in my life, I received this image above.  It was timely and life-giving.  It helped me to remember that God's got this!  As I turn my worries and anxieties over to the promise and power of the Lord, I find that I encounter a peace that indeed surpasses all understanding.

One of my hopes for our congregation at Bethel is that we can be a non-anxious and faithful presence in our community; that we can be a place that so trusts God that we will offer peace and grace to those who worry in our worrisome times.

At the heart of becoming less anxious is trust that God will work new life into all circumstances. Jesus reminds us that God passionately cares for this world, that evidence of this is all around us.  As we seek to live faithfully into discipleship, we will grow to trust this more fully and completely.

And remember always that God's got this!

Loving God, you have our back. Help us to know and live with hope in this promise. Amen.

Devotion for Tuesday, April 26 (Sermon on the Mount Week Two)

Pray then in this way, Our Father ... (Matthew 6:9)

I have always believed that the most wonderful part of this most wonderful prayer is the first two words, "Our Father."

When Jesus invites us to pray to God notice that he does not say, "O Great Magnificent Creator" or "Most Omnipresent and Omnipotent Ruler" or "Mighty God of All Time and All Things".  

Instead, Jesus begins with "Our Father."  And even this is a bit misleading because the word "Abba" translated here as "Father," is actually more akin to our words "dad/daddy", a more intimate address that our children use most of the time I would suspect.

So, in effect, Jesus is a offering us an intimate relationship with the great magnificent omnipresent and omnipotent creator, the mighty ruler of all time and all things.  We get to call God "dad/daddy" and this portrays the beauty of what Jesus' life and ministry offers this world.  

A personal and loving relationship with God, through Christ, is an unbelievable grace.  It acknowledges most fully who and whose we are.  It invites us into something deeper than any other spiritual offering.  It reminds us that we are wonderfully created by a wonderful creator.

This does not suggest that God is a male.  It does not suggest that all fathers are the model of God. We are well aware how male imagery of God has not always been used for life-giving purposes.  And we are also well aware that all fathers are not loving, supportive, and gracious.

Still, what this language does suggest is that our relationship with God is designed to be personal, intimate, and trusting, like with a good parent.  And this very possibility for our lives of faith is something that I believe sets our Christian faith apart from all others.  

Father, guide our lives and care for our hearts as only you can. Amen.     

Devotion for Monday, April 25 (Sermon on the Mount Week Two)

Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them ... So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others.  Truly I tell you, they have received their reward (Matthew 6: 1-2)

I was once asked about the Christian practice of tithing (giving 10% of your income to the ministry of the church).  The question was, "Do I tithe on my gross income or on my net income?"  My answer was, "Yes."

Giving of our financial resources to support the work of Christ in our world (i.e. offerings to your local congregations, charity that supports causes you value, or people who are in need) is an important part of our Christian walk.  I encourage everyone to tithe, give 10% of their income (gross or net, doesn't matter).  The reason is that tithing can indeed bring you closer to God.

When we tithe we are able to say two things about our life.  One, we say that we trust God to provide for us.  We need not be worried but instead give freely and generously, trusting that we will have enough to live.  Second, by doing so, we are able to receive the wonderful reward of being generous, something that we often forget when we cease to share our resources.  Generosity is good for the soul and by being as generous as we can be, within reason of course, is an act of spiritual discipline that leads us to grow deeper in faith.

Jesus recognizes this inherent reward by cautioning against giving for the sake of being seen as a generous giver.  When he says, "truly I tell you they have received their reward" he is reminding us that if our intention is to garner praise for ourselves, then that becomes the reward.  But it is a hollow reward, nothing in comparison to learning to trust the Lord and support the Lord's work generously. This spiritual reward, a deepening and widening of our discipleship, is truly what changes our lives.

If you are tithing, I know that you have experienced this already.  If you have not begun to tithe, I encourage you to give it a try (for a season perhaps).  See how that changes your life and the lives of those around you.

Generous Lord, help us grow to be as generous in our giving as you have been with us. Amen.

Devotion for Friday, April 22 (Sermon on the Mount Week)

You have heard it said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you ... For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? (Matthew 5: 43-46)

This concludes our Sermon on the Mount week and it doubles down on yesterday's message, loving those who it is difficult for you to love. 

Is anything in the teaching of Jesus as maddening as what he shares with us here in at the end of chapter 5?  Calling us to seek reconciliation, especially with our enemies and those who would seek to do us harm, goes against our natural instincts and much of the conventional wisdom of our culture. I know that left up to my own choices and desires, I would find reasons NOT to follow Jesus on this.

Still, we are called to do so.  And I believe the reason we are called to do so is freedom. Jesus says, by quoting Isaiah 61, that he has come to bring "release to the captives".  Often the captivity we find ourselves in is hatred, anger, and frustration brought on by another, our enemies if you will.

Seeking an alternative way for us to live, Jesus reminds us that it is ultimately most rewarding to extricate ourselves from the hurt and pain others have caused us.  While we may feel that hurting them back will bring this reward, it really does not.  Jesus instead offers us something else.

Praying for another person changes us.  And praying for those who have hurt us can change our actions toward them.  Loving our enemies does not mean, in my estimation, that we have warm fuzzy feelings for them.  Instead it means that we can dare to act out of love in regards to them.  It means that we can behave and respond to them from a place of faithfulness and peace.  And this may even lead to some kind of reconciliation.

Jesus seeks our freedom in all aspects of our lives.  Just as he broke the bonds of sin and death through His resurrection, he can break the bonds of our anxiety toward others thereby freeing us to live more fully into the abundant life He desires for us and for our world.

Jesus, make us live free from the bondage and power of hate. Amen.    

Devotion for Thursday, April 21 (Sermon on the Mount Week)

So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift (Matthew 5: 23-24)

I have a friend who takes this very seriously.  I remember watching him get up from kneeling at the altar for Holy Communion, walk back into the pews and embrace another friend of mine with whom he was feuding.  Only after doing this, did he return to the altar for communion.  

I found that moment quite powerful, especially since I was privy to the frustration that had let to that moment.  It was very real example of the power of reconciliation, something that world could use a whole lot more of these days.

If you were to ask me what changes lives as much as anything else, I would say the power of reconciliation.  I've seen it in couples, in friendships, and in congregations.  It is a wonder to behold when those previously uncertain about a future with each other find new life and new possibilities for life together.  Many times it is stronger, deeper, and more fruitful than before.  

Jesus is the one, Paul says, who reconciled all things to himself (Colossians 1).  Because of Christ, a stronger, deeper, and more fruitful relationship with God is made possible for us. Within this wonderful grace, we inherit the same possibility with each other.  

May we be open to the ways Jesus is working reconciliation into our hearts and may we dare to respond in faith so as to experience new life.

Jesus, inspire our actions to be instruments of your reconciling hope. Amen.

Devotion for Wednesday, April 20 (Sermon on the Mount Week)

Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill (Matthew 5:17)

The Hebrew scriptures offer us an incredible witness to the fidelity of God and Jesus is the human incarnation of such faithfulness.  Jesus comes to fulfill and embody God's promised faithfulness to the people, even when the people fail to keep up their end of the bargain.  

As he stands before the people, Jesus claims that he is the fulfillment of God's commitment to the human experience.  He comes to be the bridge between the old and the new, between heaven and earth, between life and death, between sin and grace.

What I have so often found particularly amazing about Jesus is that you cannot put him in a nice neat box.  He is loving and gracious, yet he is also harsh and dismissive.  He is strong-willed, yet he allows others to subdue him.  He embraces the law, yet also interprets it anew.  He welcomes sinners and outcasts, yet he is the ultimate insider.

Perhaps what Jesus teaches us most is that simple and easy answers are not the way God does things. Instead, Jesus calls us to a discipleship that will be messy, yet blessed.  Like our world. Like ourselves.

Loving Jesus, guide us into the beautiful paradox of your life.  Amen. 

Devotion for Tuesday, April 19 (Sermon on the Mount Week)

You are the salt of the earth ... You are the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-14)

Jesus invites his followers to be "salt and light".  Have you ever thought about what salt and light do?

Salt: flavors, cleans, deodorizes, relives pain (i.e. stings, bites, poison ivy), keeps things fresh, prevents mold, extinguishes grease fires, and stop weeds in their tracks.

Light: vision, energy (solar), maintain natural rhythms (circadian), helps growth (plants), heat source, guidance and shelter in a storm

So, if you look at these uses of salt and light, then perhaps our lives as followers of Jesus are to model these same uses.

Like salt, can we flavor up the world, make it less bland?  Can we help clean up the world and perhaps "deodorize" some of the stink that is out there?  Can we be people who help relieve the pain of the world, keep things alive so they don't sit stagnant and mold? Can we put out fires that start in our world, where hate and anger rule?  Can we be a people who stop destructive forces as they creep in our lives?  

Like light, can we help others to see the world more clearly? Can we be a source of energy in the world? Can we help people find balance in their life between play, work, and rest?  Can we help foster growth? Can we be a people of warmth? Can we offer shelter and guidance amidst the storms of other's lives?

This is quite ambitious! Yet, also quite exciting!  May we indeed be salt and light in the name of Jesus!

Gracious Jesus, strengthen us as we spice up the world and scatter darkness around us. Amen.

Devotion for Monday, April 18 (Sermon on the Mount Week)

Blessed are ... (Matthew 5)

What does it mean to be blessed? Is it found in health? In material possessions? In relationships? In satisfying and joyous work?

Sure, in each of these areas we often see and experience blessings.  Still, in Jesus' words in the Beatitudes, he offers us something altogether different from what we normally count as blessings.

If you are poor in spirit, or mourning, or meek, or hungry and thirsty, Jesus says we can also say that we are blessed.  He does so because what is most vital in understanding blessing is that our truest blessing is knowing the presence of God in all times of life.  As we come to understand that regardless of the events of life we are neither alone nor abandoned, then all moments and realities we encounter are ripe for God's life-giving work.

And as we come to internalize this gracious promise of our Lord, then we can be merciful, be peacemakers, and even face persecution in the confidence, strength, and power of Christ.  

As we exhibit this depth of faith and discipleship we are most and abundantly blessed, yes, but more importantly for the Kingdom of God we become blessings ourselves. 

Lord of grace, inspire us to be blessings. Amen.    

Devotion for Friday, April 15

“If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the universe, why do you live as if you still belong to the world?” (Colossians 2: 20)

This is the big question isn’t it?

How often do I continue to cling to the false promises and bankrupt powers of this world, instead of submitting to the life-giving, renewing, and reconciling grace of Jesus?

As a pastor, I am not immune to this struggle.  I simply signed up to proclaim in publicly, and invite you to recognize it in your own life.  Hopefully, I do this faithfully and creatively in my ministry.  Still, I know that I won’t do it as well as I could or should or have or will.  In these moments, I attempt to find solace in knowing that any moments of grace that I somehow bestow on others is the work of Jesus in both of our lives. 

The reality for all of us is that we will continually find ourselves living, not as redeemed believers, but as those who have forgotten who and whose we truly are.  And when we do, we need each other to serve as reminders of who our truest selves are and where truest allegiance belongs.  And how gracious that God gives each of us the ability to do exactly this.

I have often been ministered to by you.  I have often been brought back to the faith because of your faith.  I have often been encouraged to risk and exhibit courage because of the daring faith you have shown.  For this, I am grateful and blessed. 

My prayer is that you will come to see that your life, despite its challenges and back-sliding moments, can, does, and will impact the lives of others.  This is the great secret of God’s grace and power.  He changes hearts and lives in and through the very people who don’t believe they can or will do so.  Yet, it happens.  All the time, in all the world.  Grace happens. 

Surprising God, use us as instruments of your grace, love, and peace. Amen.  

Devotion for Wednesday, April 13

“Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers – all things have been created through him and for him,” (Colossians 1: 15-16)

Our proclamation that Jesus is God seems foolish.  In the 32 week bible survey course that I teach here at Bethel, we often simply say to one another, “This seems crazy!”  Indeed, at first glance it can indeed seem crazy what we say about Jesus.

Still, while acknowledging this, we recognize that it couldn’t be any other way.  What we proclaim about Jesus – that he is God, that all things have come into being in him and for him – is at the heart of our faith that God is up to something quite remarkable and unbelievable in Jesus.

If Jesus is who he says he is, then what we say about Jesus is actually quite reasonable.  I often wonder if we, as children of the Enlightenment, have lost our ability to be awed by God.  I have often said that when I chose to respond to Jesus in my life, I did so because I came to the conclusion that if I was going to believe in God at all, it was going to be in a God that so loved me that He chose to come and live a life like mine, full of struggle, suffering, and pain.  But that this God would be God-enough to do something about it.  And in Jesus, I have come to profess, God has done exactly that. 

He has taken away the power of my fear, the inevitability of my death, and the reality of my sin.  This darkness does try to overcome me.  However, the light of Christ shines ever-present in my life. And this allows me to dare to live as fully and completely a life of faith as I can. 

And truly, this is as crazy as anything I may say about Jesus.  But I know it is true in my life. And it is true for you too.

Light of God, shine into my heart, my life, and my faith so that I can be a light to others. Amen.

Devotion for Tuesday, April 12

“May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from His glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light,” (Colossians 1: 11-12)

What is true strength? 

Some would say large muscles.  Others would say a keen and creative mind.  And still others would say a robust bank account, a powerful military, or a prominent position in society.

Of course, each and all of these can be “strength” to be sure.  Still, what is the truest strength?

I have often been drawn to people who I considered strong in the Lord.  When I meet and minister with these people, I am strengthened myself.  And I guess this is where I find the truest strength in this world, the kind of spiritual strength that empowers others to have the same strength in their lives, strength that perhaps they did not know they could possess.

Paul talks about this strength in our reading today.  He talks of the strength inherent in God.  This is not a strength for its own glory, but a strength whose sole purpose is to strengthen us in our lives.  It is the kind of strength that allows us to live with patience and faith amidst great pain and suffering. 

I recall the faith that Dietrich Bonhoeffer exhibited on the day that he was executed by the Nazis.  He led a worship service, went to the gallows giving thanks to God, and faced death with a strength that his executioners could only imagine.  While they claimed strength, they were weak.  And where Bonhoeffer seemed weak, he was, in the Lord, full and strong. 

Such is the way of God, which gives strength that the world cannot fathom and which will overcome all darkness with the sparks of light that God origins in us through faith.

God of might and power, grant to us the kind of strength that will bring light to our world. Amen.

Devotion for Monday, April 11

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.  Discipline yourselves, keep alert,” (I Peter 5: 6-8)

Humility.  Don’t be anxious.  Become disciplined.

These words have found a special place in my heart.  I have recently been experiencing a season of great growth in my life and my faith.  And these three words from I Peter have contributed much to helping me enter this season. 

Humility for me has come in recognizing that I cannot control my life.   I have tried so often to control the places in my life that were going awry.  However, invariably, I fail.  Yet, when I can somehow take the mighty hand of God and allow Him to lead me, I find peace.

Likewise, when anxiety creeps into my life, which it consistently will, I try to remember that leaning on God becomes my salvation.  Too many times I have failed to seek this support and allow anxiety to consume me.  Yet, I have come to find that when I can and do offer my struggles to God, I find comfort and new possibilities. 

Discipline for me comes in remembering each day who and whose I am.  I can get side tracked of course, more than I would like to admit.  Still, I have become more disciplined in my life recently.  More disciplined in my reliance on God to sooth me, empower me, humble me, and enlighten me with faith and trust. 

I am thankful that God has not and will not give up on me.  And know that God has not and will not give up on you either.

God of grace and glory, encourage us to find the beauty of faith in all of life. Amen.

Devotion for Friday, April 8

I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come (John 16:12-13)

Ever since I heard it, I have loved the United Church of Christ motto, God is still speaking.  It reminds us that the Spirit of Christ did not end almost 2000 years ago.  This gives us a great opportunity to do something that we are not always collectively good at doing: listening!

The Holy Spirit is still speaking in our midst, offering divine wisdom as we navigate the turbulent and often chaotic and uncertain days of life.  And the beauty of this promise and conviction that God is still speaking is that the Bible remains our first and best source for accessing the wisdom and call of God, even today.

Bible interpretation remains vital to this promise of God.  And since God is still speaking to us, the Bible truly offers us a living, breathing Word of God.  Are we willing to listen to the work of the Spirit in our midst? Are we willing to listen to how God may be doing a "new thing" in our midst? Are we willing to be taken out of our comfort zone and embrace a new teaching that may seem outside of our personal belief? 

This is why biblical interpretation is best undertaken in community.  Denominations, congregations, and small groups make it a priority to interpret scripture together, listening to how God is speaking to each of us, in the midst of our particular context of living.  This opens the scriptures to us in a powerful way.  

How does scripture speak to the marginalized, to women, to people of color, to people who live outside of the United States?  As we open ourselves to these new "contexts" that may not be our own, we will see that the work of the Spirit is indeed alive and well, informing and engaging us anew with the power and love of Jesus.

Beautiful Spirit, open our hearts, our eyes, and our lives to your Word. Amen.

Devotion for Thursday, April 7

You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last (John 15:16)

Yesterday, I talked about how special and vital it is to be "chosen."  Today, we see what being chosen calls us to be about as the people of Jesus.

Jesus calls us to "bear fruit, fruit that will last."  This can seem daunting to many of us.  It does for me. I imagine it does for you too.

In all things, following Jesus is about trust; trust that Jesus will honor his promises and be ever faithful to us amidst our failings, brokenness, and selfishness.  As we learn and grow in our ability to trust that Jesus is indeed honorable and faithful, we will come to see that responding likewise in the relationships of our lives, the honest work that we do to make a living, and the joyful play we experience that our lives begin to bear lasting fruit.  This fruit may be seen in the reconciliation of a broken relationship or the blossoming of an already meaningful one.  This fruit may be experienced in finding sustaining purpose in doing our work daily even amidst tight deadlines, impolite people, and stressful burdens.  This fruit may be on full display as we laugh with friends, share great conversation with a spouse, or enjoy a beautiful hike in God's glorious creation.

Lasting fruit is at our fingertips and all of you have the capacity for bearing more than you can ever imagine.

Loving Jesus, inspire our lives and faith so that we might bear Kingdom fruit in surprising ways. Amen.

Devotion for Wednesday, April 6

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (I Peter 2:9)

Chosen, royal, holy!  This is how God sees you!  Is this how you see yourself?

I must admit that I don't always remember this promise and plea from God.  In fact, I often see myself as less than enough, full of warts and sin, and unable to be all that I would I could be for God, for my family, for my congregation, and for myself.  

Yet, Jesus chooses me!  And Jesus chooses you!  And there is something powerful in a love that chooses another!  

As a young child, I once asked my mother who she loved more, my father or my sister and me?  She answered faithfully and diplomatically by saying, "I love you both the same, but differently."  So then, I went to my father, and asked him the same question.  His response?  "I love your mother more."  

Well, I was a bit stunned by that.  And it must have shown on my face.  So my father elaborated. 

"David, I love you and Suzy more than life itself.  I'd die for both of you.  But you have to understand, that I chose your mother and she chose me.  Above everyone else, we chose each other.  And she is the greatest love in my life, except for only God."  

I get that now that I am a husband and a father.  I get the power of being chosen.  And in your relationship with God, now beyond any shadow of a doubt that you too have been chosen!  Live now as chosen people, full of hope, life, and promise that comes with knowing that you matter, that you are preciously valued, and that your life is no accident, but a choice that God made because he loves you so much!

Amazing Lord, thank you for choosing me! Thank you for loving me! Help me to chose you and love you each and every day. Amen.

Devotion for Tuesday, April 5

Rise Up, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; do not forget the oppressed (Psalm 10:12)

Devotion for Monday, April 4 (Annunciation of the Lord)

The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ (Luke 1: 30-33)

Today is the celebration of the Annunciation of the Lord.  It recounts the story of the angel Gabriel coming to humble Mary, and announcing God's intention to come near in her child, Jesus.

It is quite amazing that God chooses Mary.  She is a peasant girl from a backwater town with no power, prestige, or fame.  Yet, she "finds favor" with God and is chosen to be the vessel through which the creator of all will come to life as a human baby.  Yet, again, God chooses someone unexpected for His great work of salvation, like he did with Abraham and Sarah, Jacob, Ruth, David, etc.  

For you and me, this is great and joyous news.  For just as God continually uses the unknown and unprepared for Kingdom work, God continues to use the unknown and the unprepared -- like us -- to enact God's Kingdom work today.  Like Mary, we can, in faith, respond "Here I am, the servant of the Lord."  And like Mary, you have found favor with God and God will grant you the strength to be and do all that God will ever call you to in your life.  

Favoring God, grant us the faith of Mary in living out our call as disciples.  Amen.      

Devotion for Friday, April 1

The Strife is O'er, the Battle Done

The strife is o'er the battle done
The victory of life is won
The song of triumph has begun
Hallelujah

The powers of death have done their worst
But Christ their legions has dispersed
Let shouts of holy joy outburst
Hallelujah

The three sad days have quickly sped
He rises glorious from the dead
All glory to our risen Head
Hallelujah

He broke the bonds of death and hell
The bars from heaven's high portals fell
Let hymns of praise His triumph tell
Hallelujah

Lord by the stripes which wounded Thee
From death's dread sting Thy servants free
That we may live and sing to Thee
Hallelujah

• Francis Pott | Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina | William Henry Monk