September 27, 2000

A Book of Lenten Readings

by the Congregation of St. David's United Church,
3303 Capitol Hill Crescent N.W.
Calgary, Alberta, T3M 2R2
(403)284 2276

March 2000

Woven Wisdom

This work of many people is rather large so below are listed the meditation summaries: one for each day of the Lenten Season. Just click on the Highlighted Day and Title to go directly to the piece rather than scroll through the document, and afterwards, click on the up arrow to return to this index. The arrows at doc top return to the St. David's start pages.

Introduction

When our committee set about to determine a theme for this year's Lenten Booklet, a number of us suggested that, this being the International Year of the Older Person, our title should somehow incorporate St. David's initiative to share in the recognition of the wisdom of the ages. The idea of 'woven wisdom' struck a cord with us and, in some ways, built upon the idea of strands of a journey - a recurring theme in our Lenten theology.

How does wisdom weave its way into our lives? As we move through this Lenten season, we invite you to take the strands of what you know as your spiritual truths and weave them into an exciting tapestry along the contributors of this year's Lenten Booklet. For those experiencing for the first time our Lenten Booklet as a daily discipline during the season of Lent, it is important to realize that the contributors are members of congregation who have volunteered or been invited to "weave" a scriptural selection into the fabric of their lives and to describe the resulting "pattern" as it becomes their "Woven Wisdom". The blend of scripture, prayer, experience and understanding results in wisdom - as new as tomorrow and as ancient as ever.

You are invited to make the language inclusive. The study follows the Revised Common Lectionary Year B. Bible verses are from the New Revised Standard Version except where noted otherwise.

Producing our second Lenten booklet was a little easier because we were able to learn from our past -- "weaving wisdom into practice". Our multifaceted committee took up the challenge with enthusiasm and we have enjoyed sharing the contributions as they have been prepared for publication. We trust that our efforts will be a spiritual blessing to you as you incorporate these daily meditations into your preparation for Easter. We would like to thank our contributors, Audrey Thompson for her cover design artwork, David Layton for his technical expertise and layout work, the Worship Committee for their sponsorship of the project and to our ministers who encourage and support us in all that we do.

Thank you for your support of the Lenten Booklet project. Profits will go to support of the Benevolent Fund of St. David's. We pray that your Easter will be made all the more meaningful for you by the use of this booklet.

Yours in Christ,

Doug Baker, Marion Harper, Helen Day, Linda Michel,
Muriel Dayman, Sheryl Schoenthaler, Brenda Wallace, Jerry Tumack

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Prologue - Ash Wednesday

Joel 2:1-2 ... v.1 ... for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near.

Threat or Promise?

The season of Lent is a time for us to stop, reflect, change and grow. We can see this time as an opportunity or a threat -- the choice is ours and ours alone.

Through Joel's words we are reminded that God is near, that these days are the Lord's days. Joel calls on his listeners to recognize God's nearness and to take the time they have been given to prepare for God's coming to examine their lives very closely. If there are areas that do not reflect God's faithfulness and love, the people are encouraged to stop -- to listen for God's voice directing them -- and then to grow in God's way. To some, this must have seemed threatening, for change is always risky.

To change means to give up that which is comfortable and familiar, perhaps even easy. To change means to risk failure and to walk paths unknown, yet each of us receives God's very same call each and every Lenten season - the call to change.

Do I want to risk growing? Am I threatened by the thought of God drawing near and asking me to recognize those things about myself that are not as faithful as God would wish? Will I see this season as a gift and an opportunity to walk with God? Will I sense God's promise that I will not walk alone - that God will be with me every step of the way, holding me when I stumble, encouraging me when I risk growth and celebrating with me when I take another step in my faith journey?

The day of the Lord is coming; it is near, just as God is always near. Is this a threat or a promise? The choice is ours.

God of Gracious Power, help us to recognize how You are working in our lives today. Stop us that we might reflect on what brings meaning to us today that we might be shaped by Your word to be people of grace and light. Still in us our fears that we might act boldly as Your people of faith. May this season of Lent bring us closer to You and nearer to Your will for us. We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

Heather Koots

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Prologue - Thursday

Joel 2: 12-17 vs 17: ... Why should it be said among the peoples, "Where is their God?"

God Never Leaves Us; He Is Our Strength

We are God's children and even when we fall short of expectations and goals, God is there for us.

In the above passage, the people of Judah turned to God with prayers, offerings and worship. They could see the power and the might of the Lord and realized that without God's help, their enemy would surely say, "Where is their God?"

Sometimes life is harsh and painful, yet God is there and we can never give up as long as we believe in God and in ourselves. This is illustrated in the lyrics of Sam Davis' song, "Together With Jesus, We Can Make It"! God can be our personal counsellor and nourish our soul with goodness so that life becomes more meaningful as we realize that happiness is found in caring about others. We can make a difference!

The Lenten Season is one of repentance and reflection - a time for us to assess, "Where is our God?"

Dear God, we realize our misgivings and know that You will bless us through Your guidance and our devout prayer. We pray to You, Lord, that our life will become richer and more meaningful, not only to us, but to all Christians today. We thank You for Your compassion in understanding our daily problems and for Your kindness and blessing in our lives. Amen.

Clare Beers

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Prologue - Friday

2 Cor. 5:20b - 6:10 vs 1 ... As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain.

The Joy and Peace of Heaven

I believe that Paul, in writing to the Christians in Corinth, was addressing a recurring problem in Christian life. Being a servant as Paul was, what does it mean to accept God's grace and love which is total and unconditional for every person in the universe? When we work together with God, we are allowing God's Spirit to live within us, sharing God's Spirit with those with whom we come in contact.

Two thousand years ago or today, learning and teaching the Way is a trying process. Let us assume that with dedication and love we learn to walk with God. The Spirit and inspiration of the universe is within us. The joy and peace of heaven is something we know and need to share. The power to create miracles and to bring life to those who have lost that joy and peace is a part of our very being. We are blessed; like Moses, we can climb the mountain and talk with God.

Let us ask Jesus how it felt when He shared the secrets of the universe with those around Him, the lessons that would bring the joy and peace of heaven into their lives. He was rejected and ridiculed. Let's ask Him how he felt when He performed miracles and healed the sick. Some people wanted to know how He did the trick and others wanted to crucify Him because their God wouldn't do that.

When people attack us, are we willing to continue loving as Jesus did - as God does today -- or would we rather "cut off their ears"? Remember that Jesus fixed that problem as well. He hung on the cross and said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Am I, ... are we, brave enough to say that to God when people today reject the God in us?

These are the same people who are our disciples, who are learning about God because they see the God in us. God's grace and love for us was evident when God's only son was crucified for doing nothing but bringing His love for us into the world. Are we ready to accept and exemplify that Grace when we too hang on our crosses as Jesus did? Are we willing to serve God as Jesus did and continue to quietly and peacefully be a witness for Him?

God, when we are doing our best for You and believe that the world "just doesn't get it", may we too find your Grace and pray as Jesus did, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Amen.

Tony Unser

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Prologue - Saturday

2 Cor. 5:20b - 6:10 vs 2b... See, now is the acceptable time; see now is the day of salvation.

A Surprising Peace

I suffer from twin curses: 
I'll handle that priority tomorrow, and
Why didn't I do that while I had the chance.

I find I am running at full
speed just to stand still. I had read all the books offering
solutions, but was getting nowhere until I remembered God cares about
problems I create and has answers I haven't considered. Today's verse
says "NOW is the day of salvation".


The book, God
Calling, describes a runner who stumbles during a race, then
stops to agonize over hows and whys, forfeiting any future victory.
If stuck on past failures, I am useless in the present. The future
can distract me from the mess of "Now", but I pay for it by
multiplying the problem. Only by focusing on this moment is there any
success and any peace.


Today's scripture verse
speaks further of the spiritual solution. The only hope for me in
turning chaos to order is to bend the knee to my Creator and to say,
"I can't do this." I must accept God's strategies for my
day, like a pro-athlete under the direction of a trainer. If my day
and my decisions are surrendered, Jesus helps me not just to drift
into the future or gnash over the past. I am able to stay in the
"now" and get on with the job.


The surprising result
for me is a sense of peace, not only because I have achieved
something, but my thoughts aren't dwelling on a past and a future I
cannot control.


A famous old book, In
His Steps, contains a phrase now back in fashion with Christians:
"What would Jesus do?" (WWJD) It is a way to keep focused
on the present and, most importantly, on the vision I need for my
life.


All the good I can
achieve is really of God, so how much more can I be used if only I
would actually listen and obey moment by moment? During Lent I shall
try to remember the power that is available to me to become what I
cannot on my own.


Dear Jesus, I thank
You for always being there to lift me out of the stew I create for
myself and for giving me a peace I haven't earned whenever I
surrender control. Thank You for the ways my life has meaning because
You work through me. Amen. 



Laurie and Yvonne Bennie



  
    

      
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First
Sunday in Lent


Genesis 9: 8 -
17 vs 13 ... I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall
be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.


A
Sign of the Covenant


After the flood, there
is a recognition that the world will never again return to Eden's
perfection. God accepts that human behavior can be controlled, but it
can not be abolished. God's ensuing covenant with Noah is the
ultimate example that God's divine compassion is both great and
everlasting.


God set the rainbow in
the sky. It stretches from earth to heaven and back again. It is a
symbol of the integration of heaven and earth. It also symbolizes the
integration of power and love. No matter how we try to approach a
rainbow, we can never come to the place where it begins or ends. It
arches across the sky and mesmerizes us with its colours. It
stimulates our imagination. It is magnificent every time it is
reborn. It is a sight that can take our breath away. The rainbow,
like God's love for us, is rich with colour and promise.


The rainbow is one small
yet hugely significant measure and reassurance that God's presence
surrounds us. God's divine grace and presence is there for all of us
to accept.


Lord, when we look
up and see Your rainbow, we are thankful for the water You have given
to the soil and the lakes, and for the sunlight You bestow upon the
plants and trees. We look up at the blue sky after the storm and we
see the sun shining once again. Flowers turn their faces to the sun
and show their beautiful colours. Fruits and vegetables ripen, grass
is deep and green and the air smells fresh and clean. Every time we
see a rainbow may we be thankful for the rains that have preceded it
and the beautiful colourful flowers that will follow. Thank You for
the rainbow in the sky. Thank You for Your everlasting, unconditional
love and grace. Amen. 



Darren and Charlene
Lazaruk



  
    

      
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Monday
I


Peter 3: 18 - 22
vs 18b ... He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive
in the Spirit. 



Finding
Strength in Death


Death happened to
someone else's parents, not mine. I couldn't imagine my life without
my parents and I secretly hoped for some miracle that would allow me
to escape the pain of losing them. However, my elderly father
succumbed to death after struggling for a month to recover from
surgery to correct an aneurism. I'll never forget the stress,
sadness, tears and prayers of those last days, hours, minutes and
seconds as our family gathered in his room at the Foothills Hospital,
fearing his last heart beat. He was at peace and prepared for the end
but was I?


Reality soon set in and
I realized that life goes on despite our personal losses and I must
continue on the journey. We spent the next year comforting my mother
and reminiscing over happy memories of my father. Then, without
warning, we lost our mother to a series of severe strokes. Even in
her year of extreme loneliness and old age, she had been a pillar of
strength for her family and maintained a warm, loving home for us to
gather, relax and be happy together. Now she, too, was gone and the
family home sold. Our safe retreat was gone and life would never be
the same.


However, as days have
flowed into years, I understand fully that God has kept a promise
that even though we have lost them in death, my parents are very much
alive in spirit. My mother believed that no matter what we faced in
life, we must maintain our faith and move forward with confidence and
a positive attitude. My father faced life with a sense of humour and
the Golden Rule to guide him. Today, their spirit for living is very
much alive for me and it guides me throughout each day. I cherish the
richness of my childhood home and the legacy for quality living that
has so lovingly been instilled within me.


God, thank you for
the opportunity to have faith, to learn to grow and to find the
goodness and the positive in the death of loved ones. Please
strengthen my belief that the circumstances and experiences that
confront me are less important than how I handle and learn from these
events. Thank you, God, for Your continued guidance and care. Amen.


Peggy Fisher



  
    

      
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Tuesday
I






Mark 1:9 - 15 vs
11 ... with you, I am well pleased


With
You, I Am Well Pleased 



God's reaffirmation of Jesus came just after His
baptism by John. Following these two events, Jesus started his
ministry. What might have happened if God had said nothing at the
time? Would Jesus have had the faith and drive needed to go out and
spread a message that was very unpopular with many people at the
time? After Jesus heard the voice of God, He went out into the desert
for forty days. Without the support he had received, He might have
given into the temptations of the devil. 



Most of us aren't fortunate enough to hear God's
voice directly. However, God is alive on earth and speaks through the
people around us. Some of these people are friends, some are
strangers, some are even our enemies or detractors. When these angels
give encouragement, reassurance or even prod us on, it often gives us
the confidence or determination necessary to do the things we know
are right but required a little push to accomplish.


Similarly, you and I are probably someone else's
angels. Our words of support can make a big difference in helping
someone else face their trials or perhaps go for something they
really want. 



Many of us offer silent prayer when we talk to God
and ask for things or give thanks for our blessings. This is a good
way to tell God what is important and to gain clarity about our own
thoughts and emotions. However, it doesn't help others to know what's
going on - what we want for ourselves, what positive things we think
about others. So we need to say out loud what we'd like to do and
accomplish. And more importantly, we need to encourage and support
others - to tell them, "With you, I am well pleased."


Dear God, we pray that we may hear Your word and
spread Your word so that the wisdom of our Lord Jesus will be woven
into our lives. Amen


Doug Baker



  
    

      
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Wednesday
I


Mark 1: 9 - 15
vs 15 ... The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God has
come near; repent and believe in the Good News


God's
Kingdom Here on Earth


Jesus, having been
baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, was coming up out
of the water when God's Spirit descended like a dove on him and a
voice came from heaven saying, "You are my beloved Son, in whom
I am well pleased." Immediately Jesus was sent into the
wilderness for forty days and tempted by Satan. It was after these
events that Jesus began his ministry in earnest bringing the good
news with great conviction to those who would listen. How do I
interpret this message? What can I do to bring about the Kingdom of
God in my community?


First: Be true to
myself, forgive past mistakes and live daily the teachings of Christ.
Sometimes I still fall by the wayside, close my ears or look the
other way and fail to listen to the truth of what is in my heart.
Consequently, I suffer regret. I feel further away from God but I
must remember God is with me wherever I go -- that God has not
abandoned me. It is more likely that I have abandoned God by not
being true to myself.


I believe that we, as
modern-day disciples, are charged to live and spread the word of God.
We are the forgiven people who have God's grace and through the Holy
Spirit can receive power to undertake God's work. We are the hands,
feet and eyes of Christ to undertake God's work in our world. Ask for
guidance in prayer, move forward with assurance knowing that we will
live God's teachings - that is God's promise to us!


Second: Temptation
surrounds me. I need to guard against building my own selfish idea of
what God's Kingdom is. It is not position, not power, but
"servanthood" exemplified in Jesus. To repent is to change
direction from past regrets and evils. I believe that the Holy Spirit
and the goodness of God empowers us to continue God's work. Through
prayer, I can ask for and receive guidance and direction, even when I
fall by the wayside, as long as I truly want to walk in God's way. My
duty to God, then, is not "holding in" the goodness but is
sharing goodness with others, each and every day.


Lord God, I ask Your
guidance to give me strength to live Your teachings and sing Your
praises until the end of time. Amen.


Marjorie Hales



  
    

      
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Thursday
I


Matthew 6:1-6,
16 - 21 vs 1 ... Beware of practising your piety before
others ... for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.


Treasures
on Earth


The era we live in is
truly remarkable in many ways. However, much as our technology
expands, human nature has not kept up with the important values in
life. Have you ever noticed how many people always seem to be in a
hurry or are angry at something? I would like to share a poem I
received this summer.


Slowdance


Have you ever watched
kids on a merry-go-round
Or
listened to the rain slapping on the ground?
Ever
followed a butterfly's erratic flight
Or
gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You
better slow down
Don't
dance so fast
Time
is short
The
music won't last. 



Do you run through
each day on the fly
When
you ask, "How are you?", do you hear the reply?
When
the day is done, do you lie in your bed
With
the next hundred chores running through your head?


You better slow
down
Don't
dance so fast
Time
is short
The
music won't last.


Ever told your child,
we'll do it tomorrow
And
in your haste, not see his sorrow?
Ever
lost touch, let a good friendship die
'cause
you never had time to call and say, "Hi?"


You better slow
down
Don't
dance so fast
Time
is short
The
music won't last.


When you run so fast
to get somewhere
You
miss half the fun of getting there.
When
you worry and hurry through your day,
It
is like an unopened gift ... thrown away.


Life is not a
race.
Do
take it slower.
Hear the music
Before
the song is over.








A recent article in the
United Church Observer says, "When we can learn about taking
time and having a commitment to see the world as a gift of God rather
than as a resource bank," then I think we're on the right track.


God, our time on
earth is limited. Help me to be more conscious of my deeds, actions
and thoughts, and above all to be kind, while I am here. Amen.


Vi Glidden



  
    

      
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Friday
I


Matthew 6:1-6,
16 - 21 vs 20 ... but store up for yourselves treasures in
heaven ...


Treasures
in Heaven


We should spend our
lives building up our treasures in heaven. We build these treasures
by being kind to all those around us, spending time with friends and
family, volunteering in the community and giving to charities.
Treasure in heaven is far more valuable than treasure on earth
because no matter how great a fortune, we can not take it with us. We
should not focus our lives on the pursuit of earthly wealth because
the quest for riches will compromise our morals as Matthew 6: 24
says, "You can not serve both God and money."


Lord, watch over me
in all that I do, take care of my loved ones and give me strength
that I may do Your work. Amen.


Kevin Elder



  
    

      
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Saturday
I 



Psalm 51: 1 - 17
vs 17b ... the sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken
spirit; a broken and contrite heart ...


God
Works Through Brokenness


I was approached as a
young lad at the age of nine years, by my mentor, to join a boys'
choir in England where I learned to sing. As a young adult I became
choirmaster at the local parish church and had the privilege to sing
and chant all 150 Psalms many times over. The Psalms were like
beautiful poetry, full of emotion and beautiful to sing. It was 30
years later that I discovered the meaning of Psalm 51:17. The
sacrifice acceptable to God is indeed a broken spirit - a broken and
contrite heart.


In 1984 I immigrated to
Canada with my wife and two sons to seek our "fortune" by
opening a business. At that time, even though I had a deep love of
God, the Church and its music, I lost contact with the spiritual part
of life and concentrated on material matters. Within a few years our
family life dissolved in divorce. I drifted in despair and, as the
psalmist would say, "My soul was disquieted within me."
Despondent, I eventually began to pray. God must have heard my cry
for help and intervened. One day out of the blue a kind old man, who
said he was a missionary, visited the stores and asked to talk to me.
I sat with him over a cup of coffee and it wasn't long before I was
telling him my woes. He did not waste any time in whisking me off to
meet, "an Anglican priest who would help me." It turned out
to be true and I subsequently attended a prayer meeting at which
there was a 'laying on of hands'. From that moment on I knew that God
was working a 'miracle' for me. The old man disappeared as quickly as
he appeared but I will always be thankful for his kindness in my time
of need.


Ever since God's
intervention there have been many transitions and infusions of love,
joy and peace in my life. I am back on the faith journey, praising
God for restoring my soul in a loving, caring and praying church. 



My heart is fixed, O
God, my heart is fixed. I will sing and give praise. In Jesus' name.
Amen. 



Douglas Hales



  
    

      
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Second
Sunday in Lent


Romans
4: 13 - 25 vs. 20 ... No
distrust made him waiver concerning the promise of God ...


The Promise of God


God made an amazing promise to Abraham that he would
be the father of many nations. Abraham trusted that God would follow
through. As Paul said, "No distrust made him waiver concerning
the promise of God." That is a powerful reflection on the type
of relationship that existed between God and Abraham. Trust that
never wavers can only be the result of a long-term, intimate
relationship where faith has not been betrayed. Abraham knew God well
enough to trust. That is the kind of relationship I would like to
have with God.


I want to stay close enough to God so that dialogue
is easy and constant. I want to make room for God in my life. The
trouble is that every day living keeps getting in the way. As my life
races by, God slips in and out of focus. My biggest challenge is to
stay in a constant rhythm of making time and space for my
relationship with God. No relationship can stay healthy without care
and attention. Without a strong relationship, I can't hear what God
wants for me. I can't trust that my life is safe in God's hands.


Every once in a while I stop and realize that
everything but God has been getting my attention. I am feeling
frazzled, running out of strength and low on ideas and I am trying to
solve all the world's problems by myself. It strikes me that once
again I have shoved God into the background and close myself off from
the reassuring presence I feel when we are communicating. It is then
that God calls to me to be still. It is then that I need to open my
sense to creation and find my peaceful centre. I find a place to sit
and watch and feel and come back to God.




River flowing, moving, skipping,

over rock and stranded log.


Sand and stones beside the water


call to me to stop a while.


Watch the waving river grass


dance with breezes light,


Feel the wonder soothing, smoothing


ragged edges in my life.


Open passage to my soul,


Stop my whirling thoughts and worries.


One with earth and air and water,


I find my link with God again.





God, thank You for the moments when the beauty of
sunlight sparkling through the trees or the grace of dancing
snowflakes surrounds me and lifts me to that place where we can meet.
You are always there for me and You have given me the way to find
You. Help me to be there for You always, to hear Your voice and to
accept Your direction for my life. Help me be Your instrument in this
world. Amen. 



Mike and Debbie Stockdale



  
    

      
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Monday II


Psalm 51: 1 - 17 vs 10 ... Create in
me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.


A Clean Heart and a Right Spirit


One of the gifts I received in my childhood was
optimism. It seems to be an outgrowth of some other gifts that every
child should be given: the freedom to be curious, the security of
being loved and the spiritual encouragement to experience the
intimacy of reverence. Harshness and negativity whittle away at
optimism because they do not leave room for those things which
nourish optimism - curiosity, love and reverence.


Optimism about another person sends them on their way
with a blessing. Optimism about circumstances infuses them with hope
and the possibility of growth or happy outcomes. Optimism, for me, is
at the core of my being, and if I have less of it, there is less of
me.


Cynicism is the opposite of optimism. Cynicism
deadens. It is as ignorant as a parasite - sucking the other plant's
or person's life juices until the host dies. It goes nowhere.
Optimism, on the other hand, goes in the ways of God - toward growth,
newness and joy.


I believe that Christianity is one wonderful way,
among others, that God has given the world to have a clean heart and
a right spirit in His eyes. To me, Jesus represents the dynamism of
life and of optimism itself. This means that He was all-challenging,
all-accepting and awe-inspiring! (Be curious, be loving, be
reverent.) So when I pray for a clean heart and a right spirit,
I need to pray that my negativity and cynicism will be washed away. I
need to pray that I will be put in touch with the real me - the
optimist - myself made whole in God's sight, loved and encouraged to
be curious and reverent.


Only in such a spirit can I know what to do with the
life that has been given to me. Only in such a spirit can one face
the challenge that Jesus gives us to make a difference in the world.
To me, there can be no stronger an interpretation of Jesus' life than
that He calls us to be peacemakers. I thank God who gave us the tools
with which to accomplish that task.


Oh Lord, restore me to the wholeness You gave me
in the first place. Take away my negativity and fill me with the
qualities You need me to have to be an optimistic peacemaker in this
life. I praise You for Your love and presence in the world. Amen.


Sally Hodges



  
    

      
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Tuesday II


Psalm 19 ... vs 1 ... The heavens
are telling the glory of God and the firmament declares his
handiwork.


The Glory of God


February 05, 1999, Cory and I had a beautiful baby
girl and I asked our minister what we should teach her about God. I
was told to begin with teaching her love and trust. As new parents we
have personal challenges to teach our daughter about herself,
ourselves and about God and the world God created. Amongst the joy of
caring for our new baby, we have planned and celebrated our wedding
in August. We have been learning that, with these two joyous events,
commitment and giving are two more things to teach our daughter. 



Teaching opportunities are always arising. Trying to
set an example to Nadine even at this young age has been an eye
opening event to us as we try to understand our own emotions and
those of others. Family members are giving so much to baby and us
that it is overwhelming - especially for me. I have had to learn to
accept that some people are more generous than I am. Some are
expressing their joy through gifts (both material and location of our
wedding), special words and support. Not everyone was on board at the
beginning but God works in special ways. Trying to understand the
differences ourselves and to learn from it, we hopefully will be able
to share with Nadine. 



Some leaders are like Noah, who presented the
information to loved ones and, with belief and faith, they followed.
Politicians are leaders who try to persuade followers with their
beliefs, yet some leaders may not come from higher status or
popularity. 



They may be you or me or my half brother, Daniel, 18,
who is on a mission through his church in the state of Virginia,
U.S.A. This being the first time away from home, he has experienced
loneliness and homesickness. He has overcome these inner feelings by
learning more about himself through helping and teaching people about
God, the Bible and how they can live happy and fulfilled lives with
Jesus by their side. 



I enjoy hearing about events of giving or helping
where the givers or helpers expect no "pay back". An
example recently took place as Cory looked at a tent for sale
advertised in the Bargain Finder. Cory was looking for a tee - part
of a canvas tent. Out of common courtesy, the seller offered to him a
pipe to replace our lost piece. As well, we are most grateful to our
church family who have given us so much support over the years - even
going so far as offering their home for our wedding. Generosity like
this is not seen a lot but when it is, it is gratefully received.
These two examples illustrate what I believe God wants to happen for
all people. This is the true spirit - the spirit of giving.


Please, God, show Cory and me the path to give
Nadine an enriched secure and stable life. We pray to continue
sharing with each other, respecting each other and cherishing every
moment. We hope to be good parents, showing great leadership for her
to follow. Amen. 



Laura Rider



  
    

      
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Wednesday
II


John 2: 13 - 22 vs 17 ... Zeal for
your house will consume me.


Consumer Society


The first impression I felt upon reading this verse
is that it is all too easy in our society to focus on acquiring
outward signs of success to the detriment of valuable personal and
spiritual growth. In Canada, our obsession with consumerism leaves
little time for meaningful priorities like developing a relationship
with Jesus and strengthening our ties with each other.


At the time I contemplated the meaning of this verse,
I was struggling with an overdue thesis - struggling in part because
I thought the topic, environmental law, was too far removed from what
I really care about - social justice and human rights. It was a real
challenge to stay motivated. After some thought, I realized that
there was a connection between the passage, my life's passion and my
thesis. When we take care of the world by not focusing upon rampant
acquisition, we honour God and we leave time to concentrate on what
counts. Not only is it good for us to preserve God's world, but
avoiding consumerism will also allow us to have a better relationship
with God. 



I still am struggling to complete my thesis, but I do
have a renewed sense of how this work might relate to fulfilling
God's plan for all of us. 



Dear Lord, there is a divine logic to everything.
Much of what we need to know is available if we slow down, listen and
absorb Your wisdom. Help us to recognize the priorities that will
honour You and lead to fulfilling Your plan for us and for our world.
Amen.


Linda McKay - Panos



  
    

      
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Thursday II 



Romans 4: 13 - 25 vs 13 ... For the
promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or
his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of
faith.


Righteousness of Faith


Although the promises made by God to Abraham, that
Sarah and he would have a son and that he would become the father of
many nations, seemed impossible and even unreasonable to Abraham, he
would be required to exercise his faith that God's promises would be
fulfilled.


Our dictionary defines faith as "belief, mental
assent, conviction that a thing unproved by evidence is true, trust -
as in God or in someone's purity of motive, trust in God and God's
goodness".


Many times we have marvelled at the faith of our
parents and grandparents as they lived their lives. Their ability to
deal with difficult times without being devastated and their trust
that eventually all would be well have given us a firm foundation on
which to pattern our lives.


When our country was sending many of our young men
and women overseas to fight during World War II those of us who were
left at home were required to do many and varied jobs that we would
most likely not have been doing otherwise. We had special songs which
we sang when we gathered together. One such song which has always
reminded me of those days stated: "So have a little faith and
trust in what tomorrow brings. You'll reach a star because there are
such things."


We live in a country in which the citizens have built
their lives on faith and trust. The early pioneers left their
homelands and travelled to Canada believing and trusting that they
could begin a new life. We now see refugees coming to Canada with a
belief that their lives will be much improved by living here. Many
have suffered through the loss of their home and family members. They
are prepared to start life over and have a strong faith and trust
that everything will be much better for their families here in
Canada. 




Oh may we have deep roots of faith

And grow in beauty, tall, serene

May we seek pinnacles of light


With love around and in between.

 
-- Josepha Murray Emms


We pray that as we continue life's journey, our
faith and trust will become even stronger. Amen.


Al and Esther McBean



  
    

      
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Friday II


Psalm 25: 1 - 10 vs. 4 ... Make me
to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.


A Journey of Faith


Almost forty years ago I took my first business trip
to New York and, since our corporate offices were in the Chrysler
Building, I was booked into the nearby historic Biltmore Hotel. Thus
all I would have to do the next morning was to walk from the hotel,
through Grand Central Station, across the street and I would be at
the Chrysler Building. It seemed an ideal arrangement. The following
day, however, when I entered Grand Central it was completely jammed
with commuters and I seemed to be moving against and then crosswise
to the flow. And, as I am somewhat below average height, I could not
see which way I was going as I was jostled and pushed along. I
quickly lost all sense of direction. I was then carried out one of
the many exits from Grand Central and deposited onto a grubby
darkened street peopled with a number of unsavory characters. Now New
York at this time was indeed a very dangerous city; one did not speak
to strangers and, if approached, always feared the worst and looked
for a quick escape route. I had never felt more alone - lost in a
strange city and not knowing which way to turn to find a safe haven.


Eventually I did reach my destination but not before
overcoming several other unexpected and frightening happenings. All
told it was a very unnerving experience but I did come to appreciate
that, as with all of life's experiences, the shortest and easiest
route is not always the pathway God has chosen for us. Sometimes the
way is rough and twisty, fraught with dangers and with no clear trail
to follow, but God does have a grand plan for each of us and God is
always there to lead us out of the wilderness. From the moment of
birth we all embark on a journey of faith - a walk through life in
partnership with God. Robert Schuller said, "You are walking the
walk of faith when you dream God's dreams and seek God's guidance."
Sometimes though, we forget that God is always with us, our faithful
companion, patiently waiting to teach us God's ways and our purpose
in God's holy scheme. We all need to spend more time talking with God
if we are to complete our journey.


Forgive us, Lord, if we sometimes forget to seek
Your help and guidance when we are lost and life somehow lacks
purpose. We need to talk to You much more often and become a truly
active partner with You if we are to understand Your ways and our
place in Your holy scheme. Amen.


Jack Beaton



  
    

      
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Saturday
II


Psalm 25: 1 - 10 vs. 10 ... All the
paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who
keep his covenant and his decrees.


Steadfast Love


Some years ago, I went through a very personal and
difficult time in my life. I felt rejected, dejected and very
depressed. At times, I felt I wanted to end my life because it was
just too painful to live it. 



I looked to all kinds of places for advice and
reassurance - ministers, psychologists, psychiatrists, family
physicians, friends, family and Bible study. They themselves could
not fix the situation but, through it all, I found that I was a
strong person; I could handle it! The reason - my faith and the love
and reassurance I felt from God. 



There was one time I felt so lost and desolate, so
alone, my insides were screaming in agony. Then, an overwhelming
sense of love and peace just came and enveloped me. In just a few
minutes, I felt myself move from a state of hysteria to one of peace.


I had been too caught up in grief at that moment to
consciously ask for help, but had many times prayed that God would
fix the situation. I had an idea of how my life should go, but God
does not answer all our prayers the way we expect or desire. Like the
Garth Brooks' song, "Sometimes I thank God for unanswered
prayers," my prayers have been answered in ways I would not have
thought to ask. I have discovered who I am, finding strength inside
myself to cope with hurt. I never thought I could feel this happy and
fulfilled as a person, wife and mother.


Through all the agony and pain, I always felt the
steadfast love of the Lord. When I was alone at night, I was not
afraid because I felt a presence of love and a reassurance that I
would be okay. I do not know what I would have done without my faith
giving me the strong hope that things would get better.


Heavenly Father, Holy Mother, thank you for Your
loving presence. Although at times I may feel alone and afraid, help
me to keep my faith in You and to be ever mindful of Your gracious
love. Amen.


Dianne Trew



  
    

      
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Third
Sunday in Lent


Mark 8: 31 - 38 vs 35 ... For those
who want to save their life will lose it. 



Life: Body and Soul


Our lives are made up of many components, two of
which are our body (a physical, earthly component) and our soul (a
spiritual, heavenly component). Which part are we in danger of
losing? What can we give God in return for this part? And how do we
give it?


My sister and her family are building their dream
house on a large wooded lot with a view of the mountains. During four
months of construction this family of five is living in a single room
above their garage and cooking their meals on a camp stove. The
contrast between the garage and "the big house" is not lost
on them. My sister says they've become aware of how few material
things they need to live. Working towards a common goal and living in
close quarters has also strengthened the relationships within their
family.


While working on the house my brother-in-law had an
accident with a grinder. He needed immediate surgery to put together
the nerves, arteries and tendons in his wrist. Suddenly the house no
longer had priority. They turned to God for strength to deal with the
resulting physical and emotional upheaval.


Physical setbacks shock us into the realization of
the importance of good health. Even if we do everything right when it
comes to taking care of our bodies, accidents and illness we cannot
foresee still sometimes hit us.


It is the same with our spiritual health. We never
know when circumstances will test our inner strength, so it is
important to nurture and grow the spiritual side of our lives. God
tells us to pay attention to our souls and our relationship with God.
The greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37) is to "love the Lord
thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with
all thy mind".


In today's passage Christ urges us to set our minds
on the divine things of God, not on human, earthly things. In Matthew
6:20 he tells us to "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven",
treasures that do not decay or rust and cannot be stolen. We know
that these treasures include love, healthy relationships and a
spiritual connection with God.


It is obvious that we have limited control over the
physical and spiritual challenges in our lives. But preventative care
and attention to both our bodies and our souls can build up our
reserves. These reserves can help us survive the tough times, whether
they are related to earthly things or heavenly things. The Lord has
promised to preserve us from all evil by preserving our souls (Psalms
121:7), not necessarily our bodies. Many people in the Bible
experienced assaults on their physical health. Over and over their
faith in God's goodness and mercy gave them hope. Reliance on
spiritual strength and a relationship with God can help us through
the difficult times.


Dear God, thank You for the complex mystery of
life. Help us to be faithful stewards of the gifts You have given us,
especially our bodies and our souls. Guide us as we strengthen the
spiritual side of our lives and focus on the things of God. Amen.


Joanne Wiens



  
    

      
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Monday III


Genesis 17: 1 - 7, 15 - 16 vs 16b...
I will bless her and she shall give rise to nations. Kings of peoples
shall come from her.


God's Covenant


I think of Sarah's sense of wonder at two things: the
power of God's covenant and the trust that God demanded of her. God
created life from barrenness. God took her life and transformed her
path. What had previously been impossible became possible. But she
was not simply given a song. Her place in the covenant was to be
faithful in a way that would be an example generation after
generation so that God could be God to her and to her offspring. In
the fulfillment of God's promise, Sarah's life was to be filled with
purpose - perhaps not even a purpose she had consciously chosen, but
a purpose nevertheless that would shape the rest of not only her
life, but the lives of those who followed her. 



While I do not think that we should generally expect
the physical laws of nature to be broken when God calls us into
covenant, I do think that we should expect that the power of that
covenant will break the boundaries of what we think to be possible in
our lives.


What does it take to fulfill the covenant? We read in
Romans 4 of Abraham and, I believe, Sarah, "being fully
convinced that God was able to do as promised". While mountain
biking in Naramata this summer, I learned that I was most likely to
fall if I doubted, for even a fraction of a second, my ability to
prevail. I believe that a life lived in covenant is a life which
builds daily on recognizing God at work in our lives and trusting,
hour by hour, that God is able to keep the promises. If we think of
Sarah's sense of purpose as much clearer than that which God gives
us, we should perhaps reconsider. God has asked both Sarah and us to
live in faith that God's power is a blessing upon us, so that
generation after generation will see that God is, indeed, God.


God, help us to seek You for the spark of
creation in every hour of our day. Make our lives a testament to
generation after generation that we have chosen to live in covenant
with You. Amen.


Donna Friesen



  
    

      
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Tuesday III


Exodus 20: 1 - 17 vs 1 ... I am the
Lord your God


Let Go and Let God


"I am the Lord, Your God..." Are these
really just words that have been written for others or does it really
mean that, yes, the Lord is really my God. There have been times that
I have really wondered about this.


This past year has been a prime example of wondering
who or what is God in my life, while trying to get my teaching
certificate in Healing Touch. I had all the classes organized and the
supervising instructors confirmed, feeling confident that the process
would be completed in six months. Well this was my process, but
obviously not the plan that God had in store for me, as courses were
cancelled and the organized plan began to fall apart. The message I
was given was, "I need to let go and go with the flow - to allow
the process to unfold."


At the same time, I remember another experience when
I did let go and let God. Several years ago, I needed to relocate
suddenly and within an hour of being in the city, I had landed a job,
found accommodation and registered my daughter in school (and who
would normally find a principal in the school during the summertime?)
So I do know that it does work when one has trust and faith and
allows God to be in charge.


Quietness by Doran


Be still and know that I am God, 


That I who made and gave thee life


Will lead thy faltering steps aright;

That I who see each sparrow's fall


Will hear and heed thy earnest call.


I am thy God.




Be still and know that I am God,


When aching burdens crush thy heart

,
Then know I formed thee for thy part


And purpose in the plan I hold


Trust thou in God.



Be still and know that I am God,


Who made the atom's tiny span

And set it moving to My plan,

That I who guide the stars above

Will guide and keep thee in My love,

For I am God!







Dear Lord, my God, how easy it is to forget that
all things work for good when I but trust and allow You to be the
Lord of my life. Amen. 



Betty Petersen



  
    

      
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Wednesday
III


1 Cor. 1: 18 - 25 vs 25 ... For
God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is
stronger than human strength.


The Foolishness of God


I was looking in a drawer that my wife wanted me to
sort out so that she could clean it. As I set about my task, I
remembered a poem that described a childhood not unlike my own. It
described a mother at the end of the day now that the children were
all safely in bed, sitting in front of the coal fire, mending a
little boy's trousers. The paraffin lamp had been turned down and by
the light of the flickering flames she set about her task. Before she
began she wondered about what her little lad might have in his
pocket: a knife with a broken blade, a nail found down by the
blacksmith's smiddy, some cards to swap, a chestnut on a string --
the victor of many of game of conkers, and, oh, the wee devil, a
crust of bread that was hard to get down. She shook her head and with
the wisdom of motherhood she replaced them, saying, "Aye, what's
treasure to one may be trash to anither!"


The drawer I had opened contained mostly junk.
Certainly there was nothing that would tempt an intruder, but to the
beholder they were repositories of fond memories: my first passport
with memories of me leaving my homeland and the whole pipe band, a
huge part of my past life, playing alongside the train as it pulled
out of the station (I watched them recede with all that was near and
dear to me and wondered, "Why?"), the crest from a 401
squadron blazer with memories of Joy and me on our first dates in the
mess, an arrowhead linking us to the native people of Saskatchewan
and the adoption of two of our children, a sea urchin shell and
memories of a Scottish fishing village where white washed cottages
with crow-stepped gables marched down cobbled streets to stand with
their feet in the harbour where rested the boats after a night a t
sea, a few coins, and some pictures, all junk, but each one a
talisman when fondled with appreciative hands and seen through
appreciative eyes. I am reminded of a Sinatra song, "A cigarette
that bears some lipstick traces, an airways ticket to romantic
places. O how the ghost of you sings. These foolish things , remind
me of you".


The last night that Jesus spent with His friends, He
took what was on the table before them, pieces of bread and wine, and
told them that as often as they ate and drank them to remember Him.
It was foolish, of course, if He wanted to be remembered He ought to
have chosen something of value, something with artistic, merit, but
today, centuries later, all around the world, people gather around
His table, and these foolish things remind us of Him.


God, how thankful we are for Your foolishness -
you love us unconditionally. May we share Your love with those we
meet within and beyond the circles of our lives. Amen. 



Alex Lawson



  
    

      
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Thursday
III


Psalm 22: 23 - 31 vs 24b ... he did
not hide his face from me, ...


The Knots of Time


Schedules, timelines, routines, things that must get
done or so we think! These are the things that get me in a knot.
These are the things that make me short-tempered with my spouse and
my children. These are the things that make me feel stressed. I keep
telling myself that life goes on whether I get all these things done
or not, and that it will all work out. Sometimes I can convince
myself and let go, but sometimes, I cannot convince myself - I simply
feel swamped.


At least now I know the way to let go. Now I can,
most times, relax and have faith that all will work out. This has
come to me through my gaining trust in God. I now know and have
experienced more than once what a difference it makes to have that
faith.


Now when I feel the tension mount when I am having
company over for a party, I can usually take a minute and confirm
that there is a way for me to be ready in time. There is a way to
enjoy this process of being ready on time. There is a way of being
relaxed when my friends arrive. There is a way of enjoying my friends
when they get here. I can let go and have faith that I will be
accepted even if the floors have not been washed, even if the mirrors
have finger prints on them, even if the windows did not all get
cleaned. I can have faith that I can get the important things done. I
can have faith that I know what the important things are. I can have
faith that my priorities are straight. I can have faith and then let
go. 



I am always amazed at how many unexpected helpful
acts happen to me when I relax and have faith. My spouse offers to
wash the windows and the children jump in on the excitement and do
many chores that completely speed up the process. We have fun getting
ready mainly because I am relaxed (and not nagging them). We work
together in faith and with pleasure and fun. We do it in community.


Dear God, help me to remember to have faith and
to let go and to live my faith each and every moment of every day.
Amen. 



Linda Michel



  
    

      
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Friday III


John 3: 14 - 21 vs 19 ... the light
has come into the world.


Defining the Mountains


A good friend once said that valleys are necessary to
give definition to the mountains. Likewise, light only exists in
contrast to darkness which only exists in contrast to light. Jesus
did not avoid that darkness in his journey on earth because it was in
that darkness that God's light was best experienced. Somehow reading
the third chapter of John reminds us that, although the light of God
has come into the world, in order to define that light, the contrast
- darkness - is a necessity.


John's third chapter is not one of joy. He offers a
series of warnings: believe or be lost, believe or be condemned,
believe or live in darkness and believe or live in evil. He further
admonishes us to keep our mind on the divine or be akin to Satan,
lose our life for Jesus' sake or it will be lost to us and, finally,
be proud of God's words or belong to the sinful generation. In verse
19, however, John allows the light of God to break through the
darkness of evil, punishment, abandonment and sin. It is still not a
gift of joy but of judgement. Light as a consequence of darkness -
light as a judgment - a challenge to our usual way of considering
God's light.


St. David's has enjoyed a tradition of candle
lighting and, in the darkness, with our windows covered, a single lit
candle is used to spread the flame to many single candles. Before we
can even register the change, the light overcomes the darkness and
the presence of God is once again experienced by God's children,
gathered in worship. The idea of that light being a judgment forces
us to face our own humanity. Often, as the moment of light arrives,
the emotions of the congregation are registered by tear-stained
cheeks and the privacy of individual pain becomes the shared reality
of the group. Private emotion becomes public and in the moment our
pain is communal. Is that Jesus' promise according to John? Is that
what light does - makes our human condition visible to all? 



Dear God, be the light for us that sheds
understanding upon who we are. Help us to know that in the darkness
of our pain that Your light comes to us as a judgment that challenges
us to be thankful, truthful and in community with all Your children.
Amen.


Brenda Wallace



  
    

      
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Saturday
III


Psalm 22: 23 - 31 vs 23 ... You who
fear the Lord, praise him!


No Fear!


I can not imagine that God gets pleasure from
terrified children waking up in the middle of the night thinking that
they are going to be dropped into a fiery lake. I was told that God
would be sad if I sinned. I loved God so I wanted to live a life that
would please God. There was no need to describe the bowels of Hell to
me. I hurt enough to know I might bring sorrow to God.


I was in the LRT station a few months ago when I ran
into a teenager I knew casually. She was having an asthma attack. She
did not have her medicine and her parents could not be bothered to
pick her up. What is more, she had no money for cab fare. She had one
"puffer" which she had left at home and now she was gasping
for breath. "God is punishing me,"she said, "for not
bringing my medicine."


I did not stop to think about it. I just said, "No,
God is not like that!"


I have been told that I should leave such things to
people who know. Where is my degree in Divinity? But my heart soared
out of my mouth. How dare anyone speak against my GOD? How dare
anyone try to make my God over in the image of their own small,
petty, vindictive self?


Jesus did not tell the lepers, "God hates you."
He healed them. His first response was love. That is why I see God
the way I do and why I get furious at people who try to force their
will on others with threats of the wrath of God.


I hope the girl was comforted. I tried to convince
her to ask her doctor for free samples she could put in her purse
since she had no extra money to buy emergency spares. She just
shrugged, ashamed even to ask a doctor, much less God, for the help
she so desperately needed.


Lord, Singer of the World, Spinner of the Web of
Life, You have given me trouble and joy and the assurance that I can
come to You honestly in prayer. I can cry to You, when it seems like
I am a shattered glass and I can sing to You as Your hand pulls me
from the rubble of my past. Let me always turn to You in trust and
faith and remain confident in Your love. Amen. 



Brenda Guest



  
    

      
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Fourth Sunday of Lent


Numbers 21: 4 - 9 vs 4 ... but the
people became impatient on the way.


Transition


I can relate to impatience. Impatience is wanting to
be there, to finish a task, to reach a goal, to hear the end of the
story, to establish the new structure. In his book, "Managing
Transitions", William Bridges describes a Neutral Zone which
occurs between an ending and a beginning. This interval between the
decay of the old and establishment of the new is filled with
uncertainty and confusion causing anxiety and frustration. But its
very lack of structure is a gift to allow people time to build
creatively a picture of the future. God knew that the generation of
Israelites who had been slaves in the old structure would have
trouble living in freedom in a land of their own. They needed a time
of transition in the wilderness to accept the death of the old way
and be open to embrace the new.


How vital patience is for me, also, to enable me to
grow and leave behind old ways. What I need most - a Neutral Zone, a
wilderness where I can just BE and reflect - I resist with
impatience. I want action; I want to be done; I want to BE there -
not be stuck in transition. I am annoyed that I cannot get on with
the Beginning.


In every day things, patience eludes me too. I want
the point of someone's story to move along quickly. I want the answer
to my question to come promptly. I want to reach THE goal. There is
not much room in this impatient state of mind for God to enter as the
still small voice or a guiding inspiration either for me or the
Israelites. How hard it is to remember that we are human "beings",
not human "doings" - that it is okay and even essential to
be in transition.


Dear Lord, grant me patience - patience when I
need to be in a Neutral Zone, so I hear the direction and see the
vision of a new Beginning, patience when I need to be there to share
someone's story and understand their heartache, patience when I must
carefully complete some task - so when You see my handiwork, You
judge that it is good. Help me to remember that patience will help me
reach the goals You have in mind for me. Amen.


Sandra Follet-Bick



  
    

      
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Monday IV


Numbers 21: 4 - 9 vs 8 ... So Moses
made a serpent of bronze and put it on a pole; and whenever a serpent
bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and
live.


The Redemption of God's "Biting"
Love


As I read this passage describing how the Hebrew
nation was in danger of being wiped out by a plague of poisonous
snakes, I vividly remember the movie scene in "Raiders of the
Lost Ark" where Harrison Ford is trapped in a pit infested with
a black mass of snakes each moving slowly towards their human prey.
Snakes? - Since my childhood, I have experienced feelings ranging
from fear and revulsion to terror. My memories are vivid - of water
snakes that swam around my arms and legs when I was a little girl
learning to swim or the sensation of a garter snake, surprised in its
resting place in the long grass, racing across my bare foot. Today I
encourage myself to "keep an open mind".


So why was God instructing Moses to make a bronze
serpent, put it on a pole and then to direct anyone bitten by a snake
and dying to look upon this symbol and live? Throughout history, the
folklore and mythology of many cultures portrayed the snake sometimes
as a demonic being but more often as a symbol of a beneficent one.
The Egyptians saw the snake as a symbol of resurrection because they
had seen the snake shed its skin. The Greeks used the snake to
symbolize rebirth and healing. Their god of medicine and healing,
Aschepius, used a staff, known as the caduceus (a symbol of two
snakes entwined around a staff or rod), which has become the modern
medical symbol.


No where in our Judaeo - Christian scriptures is the
snake called the devil, and yet often in our faith traditions, the
two words are spoken as though they are interchangeable. Jesus used
the beneficent image of Moses' brass serpent when, in John:3, He
says, "and just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever
believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life."


So it is with awe that I began to be more open to the
historical myths whereby the snake is symbolized as the agent of
healing and seen to be in connection with Jesus' healing ministry.
Like the Israelites in the wilderness, I complained and judged,
blamed and denied and made excuses. I wanted to look good to others,
to get what I wanted, to rationalize my unjust behaviours. At times,
spiritually, I felt alone despite participating in what to others
appeared to be a full and rich life.


Gradually I have come to learn that my true life's
journey is my spiritual path. People I meet, places I pass through
and circumstances and things I experience or acquire all provide
pieces to the puzzle of my spiritual path. When I react to or look
upon each of these as a difficulty, an irritation, a worry or a bad
omen, I remain distant from God. It is as though I am bitten by
something poisonous and begin dying spiritually. The reality God sees
for me is of freedom and happiness, or purpose and direction and of
serenity and peace with God. When I attend to my spiritual growth,
walk in God's path and follow the way Jesus set out for us, I am
reintroduced to that reality. I see it in the eyes and hear it in the
voices of those around me. God allows me to find the direction and
strength with which to make it mine - to accept that this new reality
is available to me. Just as Moses lifted up the serpent for all to
see and be healed should they choose to look upon it, so through God
I can choose to look to Jesus as my healer.


Holy, Loving God, Healing Creator of all, we
thank You that You invite us to trust in You. When we are "bitten"
by others and/or events in our lives, viewing them as "poisonous",
let us remember our trust in You and rejoice in Your gifts to us.
Amen.


Charleen Evans



  
    

      
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Tuesday IV


Ephesians 2: 1 - 16 vs 8 ... For by
grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own
doing; it is a gift from God.


Forever "Endeavor",
Amen


When encountering the victims or culprits of everyday
life, do you instinctively muse, "There, but for the grace of
God, go I?" This dictum has long outlived its originator,
preacher John Bradford (1510-1555), an English Protestant martyr who,
on seeing evil-doers taken to the place of execution, would say, "But
for the grace of God, there goes John Bradford." Eventually, he,
too, was burned as a heretic under the reign of Bloody Mary (Mary I),
a staunch Catholic reputed to have put to death about 300
Protestants. Queen Mary, an otherwise sensible woman, probably
thought, "And there, by the grace of God, goes John Bradford!"


According to Harper's Bible Dictionary, "grace"
is a translation of a Greek word meaning, "that which brings
delight, joy, happiness or good fortune". Birth itself could be
considered a colossal act of grace, as would be the ongoing nurturing
by family, friends and mentors along life's journey. 



We've often heard that "it takes a village to
rear a child". In the film, "Saving Private Ryan", it
took an army to save this young man, who, near the end of his life,
in reflecting on the great sacrifices of many to ensure his survival
during World War II, turned to his wife and asked her if she thought
he had lived a life worthy of the many lives lost to save his life.
Do we ever ask ourselves if we are living a life worthy of the
efforts expended by so many? Are we living our lives the way God
intended? 



Historically, we have seen disastrous consequences
from various erroneous interpretations of how we should be living our
lives. Hitler felt called to purify and strengthen the German "race"
while tragically slaughtering millions of Jews. Bloody Mary did God's
will by eradicating Protestant leaders. Quite logically, the key to
knowing if we are using our talents the way God intended is found in
the above definition. Do our words and actions bring delight, joy,
happiness or good fortune to others? Are we mitigating the sufferings
of others? 



When slave-trader, John Newton, wrote the words to
the now-famous hymn, "Amazing Grace", he told of a
revolutionary awareness of the suffering he had been causing others
because of his ignorance and blindness to God's purpose for him, and
of his pledge to henceforth change his ways. He spoke of the precious
quality of grace from the instant he first believed and realized that
he had always lived, albeit sinfully, in God's grace and would
continue in such good fortune ever after.


Years ago as an inexperienced driver on a serpentine,
gravel road in the mountains, before the days of seatbelts, I
suddenly lost control of the vehicle which slid off the road, sailed
over an embankment, rolled over 2 or 3 times and came to rest upside
down on a cleared construction site. Fortunate to have escaped
injury, I shall never forget the miraculous sensation of peace that
completely replaced all feeling of fear and anxiety precisely as the
car began to fly over the embankment. Someone else took over the
controls--an automatic pilot of sorts. Never more clearly have I
experienced the immediate and unrequested grace of God, a feeling of
total comfort that preceded what I thought would be my own demise.
Now rational thought would suggest that the gift of God's grace is
not reserved for emergencies alone, but rather is ever present and
empowering in each and every situation for each and every one of us.
Olympic downhill skier, "Jungle" Jim Hunter, found strength
in his dad's often-repeated adage: "Fear knocked at the door.
Faith answered and no one was there."


Dear God, give us the courage to see ourselves as
others see us. Help us to identify our own personal weaknesses in
word and action that limit the happiness of others and of ourselves.
Strengthen our belief that with Your help we can envisage and
implement solutions to our most pressing problems. We trust that we
will continue to live in Your boundless mercy, Your gift to us, who
are humbled by such gargantuan generosity. Encourage us to faithfully
follow Your example by endeavoring to bring joy and solace to others.
"Forever and ever. Amen."


Marlene Harris 




  
    

      
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Wednesday
IV


John 3:14 - 21 vs 17 ... Indeed God
did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but in order
that the world might be saved through Him.


Searching for Reasons


I know why God's Son was sent into the world, but why
did God send me into the world? For the past five years, during the
time of Lent, I have made a conscious effort to be reflective and,
now, with the death of my mom (December 28, 1998) I have had to think
and pray about everything to do with my life. As a daughter, did I
allow God to guide me with a relationship with my Mother? My Mother
encouraged all of us children to be involved in a spiritual life and
to participate in organized religion. It was a way of life for her
but not without struggles and heartache. 



As a spouse, what is my path to be? As a mother, what
is my path to be? As a member of St. David's, what is my path to be?
Sometimes I feel like a juggler with balls in the air - very pleased
when they all stay there- but usually that is not my day to day life.
Rather sometimes a ball falls and breaks or they all fall and I have
to start again. Sometimes, I change balls and for the last few months
I have not bothered putting any in the air. I need St. David's for
the support I receive and I have to find the way for me to serve at
St. David's.


Dear God, grant me the guidance to find my way to
serve. YourSon was not sent into the world to condemn the world so I
am sure that is not my job either. Please guide me on my path. I
realize it will have curves and stones along the way but help me with
the struggle. I ask that my friends and family be patient with my
struggles and find ways to support me. Amen. 



Marsha Mah Poy



  
    

      
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Thursday IV


John 3:14 - 21 vs 21 ... But those
who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen
that their deeds have been done in God.


Light the Deed


To do something, and have the desire to be recognized
for it, seems to be the way of the world these days. Glorification of
actions and deeds is magnified everyday in the newspapers and on
television. Sports figures' accomplishments, Hollywood's latest and
greatest, frightening world politics and even criminals' sick acts
all seem to be by-words of our everyday life.


In Jesus' day, He asked that word of His miracles not
be spread and yet great crowds followed Him everywhere. Today, most
people go quietly through their daily activities trying to live as
Jesus did, not expecting to be glorified for their acts. Never seeing
their name in print, never receiving multimillion dollar contracts or
having a popular following is a normal way of life.


I certainly do not expect any of these things and
yet, once in a while, as I am working through a particularly
difficult problem, someone will ask me how I cope, how do I do what I
do and then go on to tell me that I am a "saint". Of
course, I laugh and say that I go day to day, not usually telling
them who my daily companion is. My family of six children, two of
whom are adopted and with multiple health problems, a mother with
Alzheimers, a granddaughter with a frightening syndrome and a
crippling condition in my knees, together, are quite a load at times
and yet when I lie in bed and listen to the peace and quiet and talk
to my God, I know that I have not done anything that God did not help
me to do. I know that my actions, although not praised in banner
headlines, will speak for themselves and that God's message will go
out for all to see. Because of how I live, people might become more
aware of the true walk of life and might also take God as their
guide. 



Dear God, thank You for holding my hand when I am
scared, for guiding me when I am lost and for carrying me when I am
tired. Thank You for allowing me, in my small way, to show others
what Your love is about through my actions. Thank You for new
mornings and new starts in life and for always being there for all
who need You. Amen.


Diane Wrubleski



  
    

      
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Friday IV


Psalm 107: 1 - 3, 17 - 22 vs 19 ...
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from
their distress.


Answered Prayer


Earlier in Psalm 107, we are told that "some
were sick through their sinful ways and, because of their inequities,
endured afflictions". Because of God's nature, God wanted them
to have health and peace, however God could not save them from their
distress until, through prayer, the suffering people accessed God's
loving healing energy.


The times in my life when I do not experience inner
contentment and peace are often related to my negative judgmental
thoughts about other people. During one of these periods of
discontent, I prayed that I would be able to love a particular
person. I found myself spending time with the woman whom I did not
like very much - learning about the struggles she was having in her
life and getting to know who she was. I came to appreciate her
endearing qualities, such as her conscientious caring nature, her
intelligence and wisdom and her sense of humour. She is now a valued
friend of mine.


I believe that Madam de Gasparin expressed a profound
truth when she wrote that through prayer God's power is linked with
our efforts.


Caring God, thank You for the gift of life and
for Jesus who teaches me how You want me to live. Let me be open to
Your loving, healing , enlightening power that is always available to
me. Help me to put aside thoughts and actions that I would not want
to present to You. May I share Your love and care with other people.
In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen. 



Glenna Gorrill



  
    

      
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Saturday
IV




Psalm 107: 1 - 3, 17 - 22 vs 22 ... Let
them thank the Lord for His steadfast love ... and tell of His deeds
with songs of joy.


Tale of a Second Grade Teacher


Although I don't remember much about Grade Two I do
remember one thing. It wasn't a lesson in addition, spelling or
science. It was a lesson in forgiveness.


As usual my best friend, Allison, and I were talking.
It was probably about the sleepover that we were going to have that
Friday. We were supposed to be doing math problems by ourselves but
Allison and I couldn't help ourselves. We sat next to each other in
our Second Grade class. As usual our teacher came over and politely
and quietly ask us to stop talking. She never once yelled from across
the room at anyone. But we just plain couldn't stop. Again our
teacher came over and asked us to stop talking. A third time we
talked and she came over and pulled us out to the hall. She said: "It
does absolutely no good to yell at you so I will just say one thing
-- talking while other children are trying to work not only affects
the quality of your work but the quality of everyone around you
also." She wasn't angry. She just wanted to have a win-win
situation for her class.


When I read this verse it reminded me of my teacher
because she always tried to forgive, to help us learn and to make us
better people. In this verse God does the same.


Dear God, I hope that You will always forgive me
no matter what I do. In return I will try my very best to do
what You think is right. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Meredith Bragg 




  
    

      
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Fifth
Sunday of Lent


Jeremiah 31: 31 - 34 vs 33 ... I
will put my law within them and I will write it on their hearts.


Covenanting with God


Establishing true partnerships is probably one of the
most difficult, yet important, connections we accomplish in this
life. In Jeremiah 31, God is offering a partnership opportunity to
the people of Israel. God's promise to them is to put the mind and
thoughts of God within each and every one of the people. It will
become unnecessary for them to remind each other to "know the
Lord" because all of them will know God. And, furthermore, their
past unfaithfulness and sinfulness will be forgotten in this new
covenanting partnership.


Where I think we fall short of our role in this holy
partnership is in the apparent lapses of memory from which we suffer
when life seems to become more challenging than rewarding, more
arduous than restful, more worrisome than celebrative. To be on the
receiving end of the law of God within our minds and hearts seems to
be the most ultimate of promises and conditions and yet ... we lack
confidence in the power of God in our lives.


So, given the human state of our faithfulness, how do
we accept this covenant with God? We can read about how it impacted
upon the lives of the Israelites long ago or we can familiarize
ourselves with God's partnerships with our own contemporaries. One
such relationship exists in the life of one of St. David's seniors,
Neil Hamilton. During the International Year of the Older Person,
1999, I heard his story and offer it here as a living tribute to the
possibilities that come from covenanting with God. 



Neil, born in 1920, has just written a book entitled,
Wings of Courage, which, according to the past president of
International Lions, is not only a story about his friend, Neil
Hamilton, but it is a testament to the strength of the human spirit.
"Challenges that would defeat ordinary mortals were seen by Neil
to be opportunities for personal growth. Neil Hamilton is a great
Canadian hero." 



This Saskatchewan boy joined the Air Force as a lad,
went overseas and crewed up with four other young Canadians. During
the course of the war, Neil, along with his nineteen year old skipper
and crewmates, flew a total of 37 bombing missions. With God's
blessing, according to Neil, they arrived home safely but before long
his eyes began to hemorrhage and opthalmologists were unable to help
him. At age 24, he had to deal with a major disability. 



Afraid to tell his friends and family about his
blindness, he carried on and it wasn't until he was behind the wheel
of the family car back in Canada that Neil had to admit his
condition. His health condition continued to deteriorate and Canada's
best doctors were unable to diagnose a developing tuberculosis of the
spine. Six years of confinement to hospital and a full body cast left
Neil often wondering about what God's plan for him might be. After
the first three years, when informed that he would require at least
one more year in his cast, he remembers that it was a hard pill to
swallow but with the help of the Higher Power, friends and family
that year and the next two passed by. Questions about his future
plagued his mind during the long days in treatment.


Neil's job with the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool had been
kept open for him pending his return, however his eye condition
prevented him from working. A bleak future loomed before him but a
"blind date" with June changed the bleakness to
anticipation and a renewed and even stronger faith. Joining the
National Institute for the Blind, Neil and his wife, June, made their
home in Regina and raised their family. For 37 years, Neil served his
community through the Lions' Club, serving as the president in 1991.
The theme that year was "What's your problem?" Neil was a
witness to overcoming diversity and assumed his leadership role with
confidence.


As Neil says, "We all have handicaps but many
talents too. Use God given talents to do whatever you wish. Set a
goal and do it!" 



With the law of God within his mind and his heart,
Neil's life has demonstrated the possibilities of walking in
partnership with God.


Lord, we celebrate our past and present. We thank
You for sharing Your laws with us. We thank You for promises made
that give us the confidence to forge ahead even when the future looks
bleak and we hold close to our hearts the stories of how You work
through the lives of others. May Neil's story be a blessing to our
lives and may we remember that our partnership with God becomes a
story for others to live by. Amen.


Neil Hamilton and Brenda Wallace



  
    

      
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Monday V


Jeremiah 31: 31 - 34 vs 34 ... No
longer shall they teach one another, "Know the Lord," for
they shall all know Me.


A New Covenant


The prophet Jeremiah lived in the latter part of the
seventh century and the first part of the sixth century B.C. These
were troubled times for God's people. Their faith had worn thin. They
were drifting. Jeremiah struggled with their troubles and set out a
new covenant. The new covenant implied that people would communicate
directly with God as individuals, independent of the priest.
Individual people would all "know the Lord" for the Lord
would be "within their hearts". 



The Book of Jeremiah remains important to us today
because it implies that our faith may grow and adopt to new realities
and that those new realities will ever bring God closer to us. For us
as Protestants, the reformation marked a "new covenant". It
laid the ground work that brought God's work, the Bible, close to us.
As members of the United Church we experienced a "new covenant"
when the church was opened to the participation of women at all
levels of leadership. This again was another step that brought God
close to all people. More recently we experienced a "new
covenant" when participation in the church was opened to all
God's people regardless of their personal status.


The "new covenant" set out by the prophet
Jeremiah is the beginning of a series of fundamental changes that we
regard as important details in how we carry out our faith. These
changes provide an opportunity to ever bring us into a closer
relationship with God. But we must grow and adapt.


Oh Lord, may our relationship with You be dynamic
and ever opening up to new opportunities to experience Your grace.
Give us the wisdom to appreciate these new opportunities and the
strength and courage to forge ahead with "new covenants"
that will bring us closer to You. Amen.


Gordon Bowman



  
    

      
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Tuesday V


Jeremiah 31: 31 - 34 vs 34 ... for I
will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more.


Forgive/get Fullness


"You have a memory like an elephant," I was
once told. It was true; I did. I could remember hurts suffered years
ago and at stressful times would burst forth with a litany of them.
They had stuck with me because on those occasions when I was hurt and
angered I had not felt safe to let anyone know directly. I had
maintained a pleasant demeanor while crying and seething inwardly.
Fortunately, I have grown and changed over the years. Pounding
pillows, talking to empty chairs and narrating my hurts to caring
listeners has allowed me to let go of my anger and to forgive. 



Now I feel more space within for genuine loving. I
attempt to keep current in my relationships. If hurt or angry I
usually let the other person know. The felt wrong is discussed,
forgiven and forgotten. Truthfully, there have been times when
another person has been angry at me that I have wished I still had my
litany of past grievances to use in self defense. "I would be
better off to forgive and not forget," I admonish myself. Yet in
this scripture passage, God promises to forgive and not remember our
wrongs. If I want to claim such forgiveness for myself, am I not
called to do the same? Rather than feel foolish for not remembering,
perhaps I need to pay more attention to the instances I say I have
forgiven but I cannot forget. Perhaps my not forgetting is a call to
further self-examination and further work at reconciliation with
whoever is involved.


Freeing myself from remembering past mistreatments -
real or perceived - means to live more fully in the here and now.
This enables me to be more in touch with God-given inner resources
for self-care, to be more aware and to be more alive. 



Mother/Father God, thank You for letting me know
that it is all right to forgive and forget so I may more fully
receive and pass on Your daily gifts in life's fascinating present.
Amen. 



Judy Lee-Hoffer



  
    

      
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Wednesday
V


John 13:20 - 33 vs 24 ... Very
truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and
dies, it remains just a single grain, but if it dies, it bears much
fruit.


Rebirth


Jesus used the most simple illustrations to convey
His messages. We are all familiar with the growing cycles of nature
and the wonder of a tiny seed growing into a mighty tree. In this
passage, Jesus is foreshadowing His own death on the cross. He is
indicating that by His death and resurrection, continuity will be
assured for the Christian faith. His death is not the end of one
life, one ministry, but the beginning of countless ministries to
come. For two thousand years His ministries have continued throughout
the world - a "mighty tree" indeed! 



But Jesus is saying that, in order to achieve this
ministry, He, the seed, had to die and then be born again. A
resurrection had to take place. Had Jesus just lived and then died on
the cross it is likely He might never have been remembered other than
as a martyr who had died for the causes in which He believed. But the
glorious fact of the resurrections led to a flowering that has lasted
throughout the centuries.


A salient point to remember, however, is that the
seed has to fall into the earth and be nourished in order to grow and
flower. Jesus pointed this out in another parable about the seeds
that fall into different soils and therefore do not grow. In this
context, we, His followers, are the earth which gives nourishment to
the growth of faith within His church. Without the earth, the seed
would die completely.


By the same token, we ourselves have to experience a
rebirth in our own lives in order to live completely fulfilled lives
as Christians. We start our lives as seedlings and as we follow His
teachings we grow and flourish in our faith and finally produce the
seeds which will inspire the generations to come. The body of
Christ's teaching and the Church itself are the earth which nourishes
the individual seeds. To me this means that as a Church we are
required to be the earth in which the seeds of Christianity may grow
in others. We must provide a loving, caring and compassionate
environment so that we encourage the growth of the Christian faith in
our fellow human beings. As a seed needs water, sunshine and good
fertilizer in order to help it to grow, so should we as a Church
provide all the help we can give to enable our fellows to grow and
remain rooted in their Christian faith. At the time of baptism we
promise this support to our newborn children in the Church. We need
to remember that we must continue this support throughout life.


When we look at a seed, we have no way of knowing
what it might become. A grain of corn grows into a sturdy plant that
provides food; another small seed will produce beautiful flowers that
give joy to all; a small nut turns into a great tree that provides
shade and shelter and, eventually, wood. Jesus used this example of
the diversity of humankind many times. 



There is an excitement about the growth of a seed. I
remember as a child, my mother ordering a number of hyacinth bulbs.
One of the bulbs looked different from the rest, clearly not a
hyacinth. She was puzzled but decided to plant it and see what
happened. I remember the excitement as, day by day, the bulb put out
tall green leaves and a sturdy stem, growing long after the hyacinths
had flowered and withered. Finally, after many months a spectacular
bloom appeared at the top of the stem. It was some form of exotic
lily of a variety unknown to us. We never found out its true
botanical name, but I still remember it and the anticipation it
generated.


This is how we should feel in the Church. There
should be an excitement, an anticipation, about the growth of our
faith and our Church. When looking towards the cross and Jesus'
suffering, we should also look beyond and anticipate the resurrection
and the rebirth of our faith and the growth of the seeds of
Christianity.


Lord, help us to nourish the seeds of our faith
in our fellow Christians and all with whom we come in contact. Help
us to act as good earth and a fertile soil for the growth of faith
and Christian living. Help us to see beyond the cross to the glorious
flowering of the resurrection. Teach us to care for all Your people
and help them grow. Amen. 



Iris Owen



  
    

      
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Thursday V


John 13:20 - 33 vs 29 ... Others
said, "An angel has spoken to Him."


A Prayer of Thanksgiving


I have never seen an angel. At least I have never
seen one that resembled the paintings depicted by the great artists.
And the same can be said for the voice of angels - I have not heard
one speak directly to me.


My many conversations with God have been one-sided
and generally have been a call for help. Somehow, there's an answer.
Sometimes, a very simple solution pops into my own mind, particularly
if I am away from life's distractions. Sometimes, a friend or a
chance meeting with an acquaintance will provide an answer. At other
times, I must search elsewhere: a reference text, a doctor or some
other learned person. There certainly are times when the answer is
long in coming. Yet in due course everything works out for the best.


Somehow, I envision my guardian angel as being with
me, not for me to see or hear, but to nudge, to push or to prod me in
the right direction until the answer I need is revealed. It's a
wonderful system - beyond my understanding. 



Instead of my normal plea for help, I would like to
end this with a Prayer of Thanksgiving, from the first verse of a
poem/song entitled, Johnny Appleseed. To my way of thinking the apple
seed symbolizes all of God's creation.



Johnny Appleseed



The Lord is good to me


And so I thank the Lord


For giving me the things I need


The sun, and the rain and the appleseed


Yes, the Lord's been good to me.



Amen.

David and Irene Ritchie


  
    

      
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Friday V




Psalm 51: 1 - 12 vs 6 ... You desire
truth in the inward being therefore teach
me wisdom in my secret
heart.


The Secret Heart





What does it mean to have a secret heart
and what
does it mean to seek wisdom within that heart?
Wisdom, Sophia in
scripture, is the personified embodiment
of Jewish ethical and moral
teachings. To be wise in the ways of God
is to seek justice, to love
mercy and to love our God with all our heart.

The secret heart, in this context, refers
to our
inner core, the place where we meet God.
In this central core there
can be no pretense, no dissimulation, no
posturing; all is known to
both God and to ourselves. Are we leading
a life in which wisdom has
an honoured place in our secret hearts? If
not, what can we, as
Christians, do to put ourselves in right
relation with God?
In order to achieve wisdom, our secret heart
must be
consistent with our outer appearance. Much
of Jesus' message has to
do with living in right relation with God.
Before praying, we need to
make peace with those we have wronged. Before
congratulating
ourselves on our piety, we need to realize
that self-satisfaction
leads to complacency. We need to meditate
on the scriptures, entering
into their messages humbly and prayerfully.
Humans feel the call of God, the desire to
live a
life consistent with God's will; this is
the universal religious
impulse uniting humankind. How do we discern
God's purpose for us?
The Quakers speak of "leadings of the
Spirit". We are all
led by the Spirit if we would but listen.
To be sure, it is not
always easy to follow the Spirit's leading.
Scripture reminds us that
we must be forgiving of ourselves and of
others. Human beings are
forever striving, forever "People of
the way" never fully
arriving. I celebrate this striving and the
struggle we all must lead
to live a life in right relation with God.
Holy One, You have taught us what is good
and
right and just. Help us live so that our
inner and outer selves are
consistent with Your will. Jesus showed us
the way; let us live in a
way that honours His teachings and His evergreen
message. Amen.
Geoffrey Simmins



  
    

      
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Saturday V




Psalm 51: 1 - 12 vs 12 ... Restore
to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain
in me a willing spirit.






Beware of Short Circuits



When I was a child I had exciting plans for
what I
would do with my life when I grew up. I imagined
becoming a great
writer of children's books beginning with
the story of my dad's horse
Lady and how she had carried him to school
faithfully each day -
always getting him there no matter what the
challenge. Being a
missionary in far away Angola, helping sick
children and teaching
them to read and write were other chapters
in my dreams for the
future. 
I look back remembering my youthful zeal,
wondering
where all that excitement went, yearning
for those heart-stretching
visions. Confidence in my abilities has evaporated.
Time is speeding
by faster with each passing year and I wonder
if I will ever do
anything that will make a difference. Then
I stop and remember that
our Heavenly Father never stops having dreams
for each of us, even
me. 
God loves us and will forgive us when we
stray from
the path that God has chosen. God wants each
of us to rejoice in that
encompassing aura of love and start right
where we are to change the
world, to continue in the footsteps of our
Savior. I stop and realize
that if I am to achieve greatness, then it
will be because I was able
to serve someone and share my joy about being
a child of God.
I try to look on my obstacles as beginnings
and
opportunities to shine for God. My pain and
sorrow from losing loved
ones helped me to identify and bring comfort
along with empathy to
others who had experienced the grief that
follows the departure of
someone special from their lives. It was
the reaching out to others
that really saved me and restored my faith
in God who is always there
to support and guide each of us when our
spirit is weak or broken.
God wants a total commitment from me. I must
keep
looking for opportunities to serve and not
look for public
recognition. My rewards will be in my heart.
I will keep on the
straight and narrow path of God's wondrous
design and stay out of the
bogs of despair, exhaustion, frustration
and short circuits.
Dear God, please give me the strength to
carry on
when the going gets rough. Help me to believe
that my sins will be
forgiven and joy will replace sorrow. Help
me to help others
experience Your love and come to believe
in Your promises. Thank You


for the help and support You have so freely
given to get me over
the bumps in my life's journey. Please give
me the wisdom to know
where I can serve You. Amen.

Marg Brucker


  
    

      
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Holy Week
- Palm Sunday


Mark 11: 1 - 11 vs 3 ...If anyone says to you, "Why are you
doing this?" just say this, "The
Lord needs it."


 


Kindness in the Name of the Lord





Dear Lord Jesus, please guide me with Your
presence and love as I set out this day to
be your hands, feet and
heart. Help me to meet the challenges of
the day with love in my
heart and a smile on my face for this day
has never been used before
and will never be used again.
In this hustle bustle world of today, we
often do not
take time to consider those with whom we
come in contact. We have the
opportunity to make someone a little happier,
including ourselves, by
acts of kindness. While driving on our busy
streets, it is so much
nicer to give a nod or a wave of thanks to
the person who let us
merge properly or made room for us to change
lanes than lay on the
horn or give some obscene gesture that could
contribute to "road
rage".
Do we remember and get in touch with those
special
friends and relatives, when it is their special
day, to see how they
are or what they have been doing or just
to say, "Hello, I was
thinking about you today"? Don't we
appreciate a telephone call
or a note when we are feeling blue, or lonely,
or just need to be
reassured that someone really cares?
Did we truly forgive the person who let us
down,
forgot a date or a task or didn't live up
to our expectations? Didn't
we feel better about ourself when we exchanged
pleasantries with a
stranger, held open the door for the person
following us at the mall,
helped someone with directions, said hello
to the person 'down on
his/her luck', gave up something we could
really do without because
we heard of someone or a family who required
it or said those three
magic words, "Maybe you're right",
"I'll be there"
or "I missed you"?
Is that not the way of the Lord? He said,
"If
someone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?'
just say, 'The Lord
needs it ...'." If our mission on earth
is not to be
'Christ-like', what is it?
Dear God, Your Son was not only the King
of
kings, but, most importantly, He was the
King of Kindness. Help us to
use each new day to be kind to ourselves
and kind to others. A kind
deed or word costs nothing. The compassionate
heart is the greatest
asset. Help us to keep Christ in our hearts
from dawn 'til dusk.
Amen.
Merle Schmaltz


  
    

      
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Holy Week
- Monday





 

Mark 14: 1 - 15:47 vs 7 ...For you always have the poor with you and
you can show kindness to them whenever you
wish, but you will not always have Me.


The Poor Are Always With Me






The Golden Rule is an unfailing law of giving
and
receiving. This spiritual law is a guide
that keeps us on the path of
order. Lent is a season of spiritual discipline
and worship. This
helps to focus our lives on the experiences
of Jesus in His life on
earth. He showed compassion, love and forgiveness
to the sick, the
weary and the poor which He, in turn, asks
of us as we try to follow
Him. When Jesus took His disciples into the
wilderness, they had much
difficulty in understanding the mysteries
of God's Kingdom and the
coming suffering of Jesus. We share this
difficulty.
Jesus commended the woman who poured expensive
ointment over His head, as performing a good
service to Him, while
others felt the money expended to buy the
ointment would have been
better spent on the poor. He said, "For
you always have the poor
with you and you can show kindness to them
whenever you wish, but you
will not always have Me."
Today we hear about crushing poverty and
hardships to
the people in Third World countries. The
problem of poverty is very
complex. Our challenge is to find ways to
relieve their suffering
brought about by their poverty - not to give
just to charity but to
find economic and political solutions that
are more caring and
considerate of their needs. Massive foreign
debts cripple their
economies - the forgiving of which would
bring relief to the world's
poorest countries. Peacekeeping is another
area where wisdom and love
need to be exercised. We must heed God's
call to establish the
Kingdom, working for the welfare of all God's
people - a call to
reach out.
Fasting, during Lent, is the practice of
giving time
and money in a special way, by setting aside
time to let God speak to
us, to renew our faith, to commit to acts
of kindness and to share
love with those in need. Jesus spoke to His
disciples about the poor
widow contributing two small coins to the
treasury, thus giving all
she had. Jesus said that her gift was worth
more than the rich
contributing out of their abundance. We are
asked to give of our
time, talents and money cheerfully and sacrificially
to help the poor
and the refugee -- to become persons who
generate love and goodwill.
The greatest commandment of all is "To
love one another."
Following that commandment and living by
the Golden Rule makes
other's poverty our concern.
Lord, bless the intentions of my heart to
set
aside some time for You and others in this
special season. Help me to
reach out to families around the world. We
wonder how we will ever
make a difference in solving these problems,
but my letting You come
into our lives, things change. Thank You
for my daily bread. Bread is
food for my life, Your cup is life for my
soul. In Your name, I pray.
Amen. 
Orpha Parfett


  
    

      
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Holy Week
- Tuesday




Mark 14: 1 - 15:47 vs 15...Make preparations for us there.


Preparing My Place

The cool September wind rustled my hair as
I walked
uphill toward my bus stop. I was late, however
I didn't notice the
time; I didn't notice the rapid clicking
of my shoes on the sidewalk.
All I could think of was why wasn't I more
afraid of what was
happening? My mother had been diagnosed with
inflammatory breast
cancer. She had a five percent chance of
living. Perhaps this should
have devastated me, but it didn't. Naturally,
I wasn't sure how to
process the information being given to me,
but not once did I
consider staying in a place of spiritual
darkness. Months later my
mother was divinely healed.
Two years later, October this time, I easily
recall
coming home to an empty house. Minutes later
Mary, a family friend
dropped by to say these simple words, "Mercedes,
Jill has died."
Jill was my dear half sister. I cried, but
I knew she had gone to the
final place prepared for her by God.
For all the crisis in my life, I am stronger.
The
reason I was always able to get through everything
was that I knew my
place was not there. I knew Jesus Christ
and God had prepared
something far more joyful and blessed for
me. Now I am in university,
obtaining a degree in international human
rights litigation -
ultimately to give a voice to those who do
not have one. I want to
share with those in their life struggles
this message, "Your
place is not here." When Jesus commanded
the disciples to 'go
and make preparations for us there', He meant
for all of us. Our
place is not here in a place of agony and
suffering. Rather Jesus is
preparing us a place of glory and great joy.
We need only have the
strength to restrain our hunger for dinner,
and fear only that there
might not be a place for us at the table.
Jesus is putting the
cutlery out right now!" 
God, we are so blessed to be able to leave
our
struggles with you and walk on in the promise
of Your eternal love.
Knowing our place is with You, we can move
forward in confidence. We
thank you. Amen. 
Mercedes Stephenson


  
    

      
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Holy Week
- Wednesday
 

Philippians 2:5 - 11 vs 8 ...He humbled Himself and became obedient to
the point of death ... even death on a cross.

Service to God
This passage talks about Jesus' obedience
to God. It
illustrates Jesus' dedication as servant
of the Lord. His obedience
did not waiver even to the point of death
on the cross.
A recent example occurred during the Columbine
High
School massacre in Denver in April, 1999.
A young 17 year old female
victim named Cassie Bernall was asked by
her assailants if she
believed in God. Knowing what the consequences
might be she
courageously said, "Yes, I believe in
God." This brave girl
of such a young age gave her life because
of her belief in God; she
was obedient to the point of death.
This passage also illustrates that Jesus
is a servant
of God. All that He is, says and does serves
mankind to the point of
giving His life for them. By giving us His
life, He associates us
with His mission as servant. By making us
servants of God He makes us
free, free of selfish ways and possessions,
in order to turn us
towards justice, happiness and the peace
of others and the world.
Jesus was brought to earth as the Son of
God not to
serve as a scapegoat for a God who is angry
with our sinning ways,
but in order to show how much God loves us
despite our ingratitude.
Dear God, help us to live our lives in the
ways
of Jesus Christ. Help us practise humility
and obedience to the
Christian faith and become better servants
of God. Amen.
Bob and Jan Claire


  
    

      
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Holy Week - Maundy Thursday





John 13: 1 - 17 vs 5 ...Then He poured water into a basin and began
to wash the disciples' feet...


Service and Understanding




When Jesus was a boy, and later a young man,
the washing of feet was always done by servants.
Jesus, their Lord and teacher, washed His
disciples' - His servants' - feet. The washing
of feet was a service of love.

Sometimes in life, we do not understand why
certain
things are done or happen. The disciples
did not understand why Jesus
wanted to wash their feet, but Jesus told
them that later they would
understand.
As I look back on my life, I understand now
why
certain things happened that changed my career
paths, why moves
happened when they did, why meeting certain
people shaped my life,
why I took various courses - some at the
church - and why I became
involved in various committees and volunteer
groups over the years.
Of course, I do not understand the purpose
of all the happenings in
my life such as losses of loved ones and
medical problems yet life
has been good and full of love - the love
of God and Jesus, love of
immediate family and friends near and far
and love of relatives; this
I understand.
I have witnessed the service of the washing
of feet
twice within the past year. The first time
was at the Maundy Thursday
Service at St. David's United Church and
the second time was at the
Passion Play in the Drumheller Area. I must
confess that I did not
fully appreciate the significance of the
act at the time but I
certainly do now. 
Dear God, please guide us as we struggle
at times
to understand happenings in our lives and
also in the lives of those
around us and in the world. May we feel Your
strength and Your love
in all we do. Amen. 
Sylvia Anderson


  
    

      
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Holy Week
- Good Friday


 


Psalm 22 vs 1 ...My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
Why are You so far from helping me, from
the words of my groaning?


Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good
People?






In June, 1974 we received a phone call that
Joyce's
brother and sister-in-law had been tragically
killed in a car
accident. Devastated, we wondered why them,
why God? They were good
people. He was a United church minister and
she was a great wife and
mother. Why, God, Why?
March, 1997, a parent's worse fear. A phone
call. Our
daughter had been killed in a single vehicle
accident. Devastated we
again asked, Why, God; why her? We did the
best we could to
understand why. She was her dad's princess
and he could not get over
grieving for her. He lost weight, could not
eat and lost his interest
in life. One morning he woke up and couldn't
swallow, eat or drink.
For two months he had his nourishment through
a tube, Why me, God;
why? 
After his operation and a couple of sessions
with a
Pastoral Care minister, he has come to accept
his daughter's death
and is on the road to recovery. We give special
thanks to the
minister who showed us that God is not responsible
for accidents,
wars, famines and other tragedies. They just
happen. He does,
however, answer our prayers when we ask for
help in coping with
tragedies. "The Lord is close to the
broken-hearted and saves
those who are crushed in Spirit." (Psalm
34:18)
God hath not promised skies always blue,
flower
strewn pathways all our lives through. God
hath not promised sun
without rain, joy without sorrow, peace without
pain. But God hath
promised strength for the day, rest from
thy labour and light for the
way, grace for the trials, help from above,
unfailing sympathy,
undying love. Amen.
Al and Joyce Hobbs


  
    

      
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Holy Week
- Holy Saturday


John 20:1 - 18 vs 15 ... Jesus said to her, Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?"


Faith That Sustains






Our faith can be so fragile. Do we accept
without
seeing? Can we believe if we cannot touch?
The resurrection is a true
test of our faith. In John 14:18, Jesus says,
"I will not leave
you orphaned. I am coming back to you,"
but after the Good
Friday experience, the disciples and the
women are deeply distressed
and confused. On the third day, Mary Magdalene
returns to Jesus' tomb
to find His body gone. Terrified, Mary rushes
to find Peter and the
other disciple. 
Mary cries, "They have taken the Lord
out of the
tomb and we do not know where they have laid
Him." All of them
return to the tomb. The other disciple goes
in first and Peter
follows. They see the cloth which covered
Jesus' head rolled neatly
and separately from the linen wrappings.
It is the other disciple,
not Peter, who believes that Jesus has risen.
They do not understand
and they leave to return home with much to
ponder. Forgotten are the
words that Jesus must rise from the dead.
Mary remains and looks into the tomb again,
where two
angels greet her. She turns to see a man
who asks, "Woman, why
are you weeping? Whom do you seek?"
Then Jesus speaks her name; she recognizes
Him and
cries, "Rabboni," which means teacher.
Mary has found her
Lord.
Our faith is often tenuous. When things are
going
well, it is easy to take it for granted.
Perhaps we continue to pray
without great conviction, believing that
our faith can wait until we
have more time to pray, to study or to go
to church regularly. When
we find ourselves in time of crisis, we turn
to more thoughtful
prayer. We look to the scriptures to help
us in our time of need. We
look to the resurrection of Jesus.
Jesus' resurrection cannot be proven scientifically;
rather it is a question of personal belief.
Perhaps Jesus does not
speak our name as He did with Mary Magdalene,
but each year as Easter
comes, the resurrection story opens our eyes
and our hearts; we
acknowledge He is risen and our faith sustains
us to move into the
future.
I give You thanks, O God, that You freed
Jesus
from death so that He might become the risen
Lord in whom we believe.
Amen. 
Betty Lou Clark


  
    

      
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Easter
Sunday


 


Psalm 118: 1 - 2, 14 - 24 vs 24 ...This is the day that the Lord has made; let
us rejoice and be glad in it.


Happy Easter!




"Rejoice, the Savior, reigns.

The God of truth and love;


When He had purged our stains,

He took His seat above.

Lift up your heart, lift up your voice!

Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!


This indeed is the day of all days - Easter
2000.
What we know today is the assurance that
in the
storms of life, Jesus will be standing just
outside the door waiting
to be invited in. He will be with us on the
highway of our lives
waiting the invitation to share a meal, waiting
to share our sorrows,
waiting to renew our courage, waiting to
come in and talk intimately.
We are not alone. We never shall be. He is
alive and
is always there; all we need do is open the
door to Him. What is our
need today? Do we need comfort in our personal
trials? Christ is
waiting. Do we need forgiveness for our sins?
He is seeking to come
to us. Do we need to make a new commitment
to serve God with our
life? Whatever our spiritual need, our spiritual
hunger, our
spiritual craving, our Lord and Savior is
waiting to share our life.
The ancient Psalm 118 was sung by the Hebrew
community on the way into the Temple after
the Passover Feast. They
had just remembered the saving grace of God
to them when they escaped
slavery in Egypt. They sang of God's great
goodness and mercy. "This
is the day that the Lord has made; let us
rejoice and be glad in it."
Today is Easter. We too sing this hymn of
praise as
we remember God's great goodness and mercy
to us.
"Alleluia! Alleluia! Hearts to heaven and voices raise;
Sing to God a hymn of gladness.

Sing to God a hymn of praise.

He who on the cross

as Savior for the world's salvation bled,

Jesus Christ, the King of Glory,

Now is risen from the dead.

Amid the fragrance and colour, the alleluias
and
promises, we pause to marvel at the mystery
of this day. Out of
terror and gloom, there is light and hope.
In spite of
disappointment, loss and despair, we are
drawn to the overwhelming
reality of resurrection. With awe and reverence,
with amazement and
joy, we celebrate the good news. Christ is
alive! We are alive! God
reigns in love and grace and peace. Amen.


Ralph Spencer



date 6 March 00




	Lent 2000