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April 7, 2012

Lenten Devotion for Holy Saturday, April 7, 2012

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We all know that life is a process through which we go. Nowadays, “processing” has become an easy buzz word for “I’m still trying to figure that out.” Like, “Yea, yea, yea, you’ve told me that and a hundred things already…I’m processing it,” or “I’m going to have to process this conversation before getting back to you.”

We have been “processing” a lot of things through this season of Lent, and every Lenten season. It is a path we have been down before. We know the story. We know what happened Friday, and we know what happens on Sunday.

Can you imagine the processing that went on during Holy Week itself? The accounts of the Passion from the Gospels recall the story of Holy Week as first seen and experienced by the disciples. While we have had 40 days to process Christ’s journey to the cross, the disciples barely had a day. Think about it…

Just on Sunday, they were celebrating Jesus as a king with a ceremonial parade. Before they can process what happened, they realize that Jesus is being sought for arrest. Before they can process that, they sneak off to dinner with Jesus and find out it will be the LAST with him. Before they can process that, Jesus breaks bread and pours wine, telling them, “This is my body and blood!” Talk about something to process! Christians have been processing that one for centuries, and still don’t agree on it. Then, Jesus bends down to wash their feet. Then before they’ve processed either of the dinner surprises, Jesus says one of them will betray him. And he tops it off by foretelling his death.

In one night, the disciples understanding of what is happening is shattered. They sleep on it…or maybe they don’t, and before they’ve fully processed all that happened, we find Judas betraying Jesus, Peter denying Jesus, and the other disciples fleeing. How else would they respond? They just don’t know what to do. They had barely processed the facts of what was happening, let alone processing their feelings on it. And for Jesus then to be arrested, tried, convicted, flogged, mocked, and killed within one day?

As you review and reflect on the Passion story you have heard this week, let yourself process the events andprocess your feelings before Sunday comes. You’ve heard the story before. You know what will happen. You know the celebration that comes on Sunday. But wait. Before you leave the tragedy of Friday, use Saturday to let yourself see the story playing out in your mind, hear the noises, smell the odors, feel the tension. Process the story in a way you’ve never heard or felt it before. Amen.

 

April 6, 2012

Lenten Devotional for Friday, April 6, 2012

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26One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?”  27Again Peter denied it, and at that moment the cock crowed. – John 18:1-19:42

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How could Peter deny Jesus?  Not once, but three times!  Peter was chosen by Jesus; he ate meals with Jesus; he traveled with him; he saw him perform miracles.  He even walked on water with him!

The real question is not why Peter denied Christ, but why we deny him.  “Oh, I would never deny him,” we cry.  But don’t we deny him when we see prejudice and don’t speak?  When we see someone hungry or homeless and don’t act?

We cannot solve the social ills of society; however, when we turn our backs on them, we deny Jesus.  So what can we do?  We can bring food for the food cart; we can volunteer for Interfaith week; we can comfort those who are targets of prejudice; and many other small and necessary deeds.

Peter denied Jesus in a dark courtyard when he could have been arrested and crucified himself.  We deny him when we say, “If they would only try to help themselves, they could improve their life.  They are probably on drugs or alcohol – why should I care. Or they are just playing the system so I am not going to help.”

Maybe Peter’s denial was not as bad as ours.

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Lord, help us see the injustice in the world and give us the courage to be of service.  Amen.

Neal Martin

 

April 5, 2012

Lenten Devotional for Thursday, April 5, 2012

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Mark 14: 12-21
v. 16 “So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.”

—

“Be Prepared.”  It’s such a good statement that the Boy Scouts use it as their motto.  I, however, occasionally find myself not prepared for things . . . that meeting I forgot about or getting things done before leaving town.  This has happened to all of us.  Sometimes you forget things; other times things happen at the last second.  Then there are those things you know are coming, that are inevitable – like Christmas shopping – and yet I still can find myself not prepared.

One thing’s for sure.  The disciples were prepared (at least for this celebration).  Jesus sent a few of them off with ample time to get the Passover meal prepared.  Not only did they have to find an upper room to use, but they had to get all of the food ready as well.  They had to get the lamb, different wines, unleavened bread, bitter herbs, and other things to make the meal complete.  By the time Jesus arrived, everything was ready to begin.

While the disciples had to prepare this meal, there were other things they would need to begin preparations for.  They would have to prepare for their mission of spreading the Gospel.  If they had understood enough, they could have prepared to see their Risen Savior in a few days.  They would then have to prepare to see him again after that, either at death or at his return from Heaven.  The big question of the day is how prepared are we?  Our lives can get so busy that we sometimes forget to feed our souls and to prepare for the inevitable.  The inevitable is that we will meet Jesus one day.  Preparation is not always easy.  We need to study and participate in prayer, but with these comes the opportunity to meet Jesus at the cross tomorrow and at the tomb on Sunday morning.

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Dear Lord, help me to become better prepared in my life’s journey as I study and pray for the day I meet you.

Rhonda Banasiak

 

April 4, 2012

Lenten Devotional for Wednesday, April 4, 2012

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10Have you not read this scripture: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 11this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’?” – Mark 12:10-11

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It is easy to see that we are in the final week of Lent, as the readings have taken a decidedly dark turn, especially this day before Maundy Thursday.  The Old Testament reading comes from Lamentations, a book appropriately named for the cries of anguish found within, while the passage from 2 Corinthians shows Paul describing pain he might have caused and pain he has felt.  Even the gospel passage tells the parable of the tenants, those who killed the prophets God sent, even going so far as to prophesy the death of Jesus at their hands.  This week we focus on our failings even more than in previous weeks.

One failing all of these passages seem to have in common is the lack of ability to see, especially to see something very important.  In the Lamentations passage, the writer is crying out about the loss of Jerusalem, though he seems to be putting the blame on God, not on the Israelites who turned from God.  In the same way, we often try to ignore when we are the ones at fault, when we are the ones who have caused our own suffering.  2 Corinthians talks about a struggle Paul is having with the Corinthians, leading him not to visit them another time, knowing that will only cause more pain. The relationship has suffered, much in the way that we allow our relationships to suffer, whether from obvious differences or, more often today, from neglect.

The passage from Mark shows this lack of sight more clearly than the others, as the tenants in the parable do not recognize the salvation that can come from the messengers or from the son.  In the same way, we know that many of those listening to the parable do not recognize the salvation that stands in front of them.  It is easy for us to look back on the Jewish leaders or even the disciples and wonder how they could be so dense as to not see what Jesus really was, but we miss such moments every day, as well.  We fail to see Jesus in the young woman who scans our groceries or in the waiter who forgets to bring our bread at dinner.  We do not see Jesus in the man asking for money on the side of the road or the woman on the bus behind us who smells of body odor.  Jesus is all around us, yet we, like the Israelites, the Jewish leaders, and the Corinthians fail to see him.

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God, help us see you when you hide in plain sight, when you stand right in front of us, behind us, beside us.  Help us open our eyes and see the salvation we have blinded ourselves to.  Amen.

Kevin Brown

 

April 3, 2012

Lenten Devotional for Tuesday, April 3, 2012

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Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long. -Psalm 146: 1-2

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I do not remember the day of my baptism…after all, I was only 2 months old.  I do not remember my parents standing before the congregation and presenting me for the sacrament of baptism.  I have been told that I wore the same gown that my grandmother made for my mother to wear and the same one my son would later wear.  I do not remember what it felt like to have the water sprinkled on my head.  I do not remember the words that the congregation stated as they committed themselves to nurturing me in faith.  George Gracey (a pastor here in Clarksville) would often hold the infant and state at a baptism, “while this infant will not remember the particulars of what is done here today, if we, the congregation, do right by our works, this child will long remember what was done here today!”

I am a cradle Presbyterian!  That is, I have always been a part of the church.  I do not remember when I started attending; I only remember going…every time the doors were open I remember being there!  I remember Sunday school, worship, choir, VBS, work days, and SNAC!  But most of all, I remember a song.  You know…the type of song that gets stuck in your head and you can’t stop singing.

Mrs. Billie sang it when she taught me during Sunday school.  Herb Quinn sang it when he shook my hand and greeted me for worship.  Bill Ensign sang it when he would put his arm around Elaine during worship.  Mr. Rob sang it with his guitar during VBS.   Wayne Schendel sang it from the choir loft.  Mrs. Freddie sang it when she let me help in the nursery.  The entire congregation sang it at potlucks, Camp John Knox, Dinner on the Grounds, and every time we gathered together for worship, acts of service, and fellowship.  They sang, “Praise the Lord!”

The musical group Casting Crowns has many good songs.  One recent hit (Lifesong) seeks to proclaim these verses…..

Lord I give my life
A living sacrifice
To reach a world in need
To be Your hands and feet

So may the words I say
And the things I do
Make my lifesong sing [for you]!

“Praise the Lord!”

Is this song stuck in your head too?  Who taught you the song?  Who are you teaching it to?

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Dear God, I long to sing your praises….yet to often, life gets in the way!  Please help me to sing your praises in all that I do….and when necessary, allow me to use words!  Amen.

Mark Banasiak

 

April 2, 2012

Lenten Devotional for Monday, April 2, 2012

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2 Cor 1:3-7
3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4  who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.[a] 6  If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
—

As Mariko was highlighting One Great Hour of Sharing yesterday morning in the service, she quoted a Swedish Proverb: “Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is a half sorrow.” This proverb reminds me of bearing one another’s burdens.  A wise man once told me of two ways to bear burdens as described in the original language of Biblical text.  Now I am obviously no Biblical scholar so I have no proof or research to back it up, but the man’s words have always stuck with me.
He said in the one context the word burden is translated as a type of pack which the Roman centurions bore on their backs when marching from city to city in battle.  This pack was designed specifically for each person’s, size, height, weight, strength, etc.  If one soldier were to tell another, “I’m tired and don’t want to keep bearing this, will you carry my pack for a while?” then the one who agreed to bear the burden for him would be bearing his own pack designed just for him along with his friend’s pack. Soon, the one bearing both packs would be even more exhausted and perhaps at risk of hurting himself from the overload and strain.  Yet he if tried to give his friend’s burden back after a while, the friend might now be too weak to even handle his own pack any longer- having grown accustomed to the lack of bearing and thus losing his own strength and endurance.
The wise man said other word for burden is translated as boulder- something of tremendous size and weight so great that if one were to attempt to bear it alone, they would be crushed.  With this type of burden, there is undeniable necessity to have others come alongside and bear the boulder together.
I am sure we can all think of times in our lives when we may have wanted to be like the soldier wishing someone could take our pack for about a day, a week, a month- to just give up and have someone else live our lives and handle our day in and day out issues, tasks, responsibilities, etc.  And there are certainly times on the other side when “helping you is hurting me” and when good intentions to help end up becoming unhealthy or enabling.  But let us not allow the self awareness or conviction of the first story to stifle us.  For today or tomorrow, we will need a break from day to day afflictions, and someone out there will need a helping hand or an act of kindness. And there is always an unavoidable boulder.  My eyes well up with tears as I think about mine and I think about yours.  Those burdens too heavy to bear alone.  Thanks be to the God of all coming alongside, who bears and divides the crushing weight upon our shoulders through community.
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Oh Father of mercy, thank you for comfort and community in the midst of suffering.  Teach us to share one another’s joys, shoulder the weight of the boulders, and half the sorrows in this world.

Rachel Smith

 

March 31, 2012

Lenten Devtional for Saturday, March 31, 2012

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I remember the days of old, I think about all your deeds, I meditate on the works of your hands.   Psalm 43:5

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God. Psalm 43:5

—

Working in the yard is one of my favorite activities. With record warm temperatures this spring, I have spent more time than usual pulling weeds. It’s fascinating to observe how weeds hang on in spite of our efforts to get rid of them.

I try to pull young weeds before they bloom or before the blossoms fade, because the dried-up blossoms form seeds which germinate and make more weeds. But some weeds reproduce from just a part of the root that remains in the soil. And some weeds have root systems that run deep and wide. Then there are some that can spread when a portion of the stem forms roots, or by tubers, or rhizomes, or spores. I marvel that God created such intricate methods for weeds to survive.

Like the weeds, we at times feel unwanted, cursed, unappreciated, cast out. But just as God provided for the weeds to survive, God also provided for us: we have God’s constant presence through nature and other people; we have God’s ear in prayer 24/7; and we have hope, always.

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God, thank you for your amazing creation, where we can learn from something as mundane as the weeds which plague us.               Amen

Dana Feldman

 

March 30, 2012

Lenten Devotional for Friday, March 30, 2012

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“8We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;” II Cor 4: 8 & 9

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My heart has been heavy lately. International crises. Domestic divisions. Local injustices. Familial disputes and insensitivity. It all seems like too much, and without any reprieve in sight. But then I read this verse and am reminded of the beauty and redemption in the seemingly small things: possessing the capability to help, to be present for and with another; lunches on a bench in the sun with great company; breathing.   

While my outlook doesn’t magically change (imagine me snapping my fingers like *that*), it is deeply comforting to know of the God of all coming alongside, the God who walks with me (with us) through the valley of the shadow of death in the form of smiles, laughter, and silence.

—

God, I want to trust you. I ask for your eyes to see beyond the here and your ears to hear beyond the now. So be it.

Mariko Tinaya

 

March 29, 2012

Holy Week at Northminster Presbyterian Church

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This coming Sunday, April 1, is Palm Sunday, the start of Holy Week. We have quite a worship service planned with a few unexpected twists, so we hope you can be here.

Wednesday night is our final Lenten Soup Supper and Prayer service. We will share a simple meal of soup and bread at 5:30 p.m. in the Library, followed by our Prayer around the Cross service at 6:00 in the Frances Room.

Thursday night at 6:00, we will walk through the story of Jesus’ last night with his disciples. We will begin the Maundy Thursday service with a communion meal in the Frances Room. Then, we will walk outside for Jesus’ prayer in the garden, and conclude our service in the sanctuary.

Good Friday takes us to a community Stations of the Cross service at Coolidge Park. We will meet at noon to join folks from other area churches and the community as we recount the final moments of Jesus’ life leading up to the crucifixion.

We hope to see you as we move through this week together.

 

March 29, 2012

Lenten Devotional for Thursday, March 29, 2012

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Mark 10:17-31
17As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’”  20He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.”  21Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
22When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
23Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”
24And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!  25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
26They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?”
27Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”
28Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed
you.”  29Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, 30who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.  31But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
—

I think that we are almost ready to file our taxes (whew!). Most churches insist on talking about stewardship in the fall. Yet never are we more acutely aware of what we have than around April 15 (which will be the Second Sunday of Easter this year). And here’s Jesus on the way to Jerusalem telling an earnest man (whom Jesus loves on the spot) to do something drastic — telling him to max out on Schedule A deductions and follow him. Even the disciples were perplexed because wealth gained honestly was a sign of God’s blessing.

That day, in that man, Jesus recognized an obstacle in this man’s search for eternal life. That day, in all of his followers, Jesus recognized that what we hold onto can sometimes take hold of us. He invites us to move from a moment with our stuff to having a kingdom moment when we seek together new priorities, new relationships, and new blessings that include the well-being of others. Especially as some of us plan for the next steps in school, in family, in work and even in retirement, Jesus calls us out as disciples. We do not know the future and we can never accumulate all we need—it’s about trusting in God’s future and God’s abundance.

In the midst of naming the kingdom blessings, Jesus adds “persecutions” to the list. Being a disciple can bring hard times. So can harboring anxiety and fear about our possessions. So what’s the best use of the time and possessions God has given us? I’ll get back to you as soon as I get off the phone with my broker.

—

Lord, I seek many things that look good. Help me to seek that which is needful to be your disciple. And help us all to seek together to be a faithful community that uses all that you give us for the kingdom. 
Stephen Kolderup
 

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