The First 5 Days of Lent

The Third Week of Lent – 2014

March 24th reflection by Chris Grimmett
March 25th reflection by Rev. Keith Tutterow
March 26th reflection by Caitlin Tremper
March 27th reflection by Kelly Broman-Fulks
March 28th reflection by Amy Justice
March 29th reflection by Jordan Scruggs
A Guatemala Story

Monday Third Week of Lent

March 24th reflection by Chris Grimmett
Luke 4:24-30

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus says, “I assure you that no prophet is welcome in the prophet’s hometown.” Every time I hear this I cannot help but smile. That might sound a little strange–it doesn’t seem to be very hopeful–but I find myself drawn to it.

In my first year at Duke Divinity School, I’ve been blessed to learn so much about what it was like to be a prophet. For class we read from a man named Abraham Heschel, who wrote about what this life might have looked like. He describes a prophet as a person who saw so much potential in the people of Israel. The prophet saw that they were willing to accept mediocrity, but wanted something better for them. The prophet wanted the life God desired for them, the life promised for them if they would live out the covenant. The prophet looks at the world differently. Things that only slightly bothered the people would enrage the prophet. Israel would see the pain of others, countries at war, people being oppressed, and wish it were different. But at the end of the day, Israel continue living on as if there was nothing they could do (sound familiar?). This left the prophet frustrated, yelling, “Don’t you see? It doesn’t have to be this way!”

Those who have had kids may have felt something similar. A prophetic life is a hard one. Always calling people out and holding them accountable doesn’t make one very popular. Heschel describes how lonely being a prophet would have been. As Jesus said, the prophet isn’t even welcomed in his or her hometown.

So why do I read about the type of life Heschel describes and want it for myself? It sounds exhausting. Because it’s the kind of life God calls us to live. We have enough people in our communities who focus on themselves. God is calling us to look around at the world and ache the way God’s heart aches. To look around the world and be frustrated that people are just continuing to live as nothing needs changing. A prophet wants us to open our eyes. To see children in school who cannot keep their eyes open during the day because of the hell they have to go through at home. To not ignore that people around the world are hiding in fear from a government who oppresses them. To be outraged that Americans per year will spend $16 billion on chocolate, $11 billion on engagement and wedding rings, $800 million on Girl Scout Cookies, $65 billion on soft drinks, $11 billion on BOTTLED water, $117 billion on fast food, but then allow 50 million Americans go hungry every single day. And let’s not even get started about adding the rest of the world to that number.

I want to be more like a prophet because a prophet’s heart desires what God desires. In Lent, I ask that you join me in asking God to shape our hearts to be more like a prophet’s. Jesus said “I assure you that no prophet is welcome in the prophet’s hometown.” Why then haven’t we gotten kicked out of ours yet?

Tuesday Third Week of Lent

March 25th reflection by Rev. Keith Tutterow
Consider Your Ways In Your Heart

“Consider your own ways in your heart” (Haggai 1:5,7, Geneva Bible, 1560). “Take your ways to heart” (same text, CEB).Unless you were intentional, you would miss the brief book of Haggai. Once you find it, you might wonder why you did. But when you glimpse what Haggai was about, you find there the message of Lent (Spring). Indeed, most translations omit the reference to the heart. Of course, the heart is a metaphor which has wide applications, but the prophet was using the word to engage the people to look within themselves from the perspective of God’s grace. The editor of the Geneva Bible introduced Haggai this way: “When the time of the seventy years of captivity prophesied by Jeremiah was expired, God raised up Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi to comfort the Jews and exhort them to the building of the temple.”

The people of God seemed uninterested in building a temple. As we say: their hearts were not in it. The message of the prophet directed their attention to themselves, to what they really wanted to be and do in this new freedom which the LORD of Hosts had given them. They were busy about everything but God. Haggai knew that motivation would come from willing what was good, what God wanted them to do. Their ways were misdirected to themselves. That’s where Haggai the prophet began: “pay attention to, or consider, your own ways in your heart.”

That’s where we begin building the spiritual house, that is, a dwelling place of God. Pay attention to the ways–your ways–not someone else’s. This is not morbid or moody introspection, simply wrapping ourselves around ourselves. It is not data processing, adding and subtracting to see if we are all right. The heart is where we meet God. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). Do you really want to see God, or is the way of our hearts to avoid God?

Under some leaders who were summoned and challenged, the people began to build. Obedience always brings results. As the work to which God called them got underway, something happened: God joined the enterprise. “I am with you.” God was not a spectator presence, but the active energy and direction for the leaders and people.

Wednesday Third Week of Lent

March 26th reflection by Caitlin Tremper
“Is the Lord among us or not?” – Exodus 17:7

Modern translation: So is God present or not? Will God provide for us? Where is God?

Confession: I ask myself this question all the time. Only it sounds a little more like “GOD, WHERE ARE YOU?!” or “ARE YOU EVEN THERE?!” I ask this question when I hear or see horrifying events unfold throughout our world on the news. I ask this question when it feels like the world is crashing down all around me. I ask this question when I’m coming off a “spiritual high” from a retreat, church service, or mission trip. And I ask this question when it’s been a long, long time since I have felt that particular, overwhelming feeling that I get when I just know God is present.

In the book of Exodus, the people have been liberated by God and set free from the hands of Pharaoh. But wait – Now they’re wandering through the desert. They’re thirsty. The people are looking at their children and animals, realizing they have nothing to drink. No water means their animals will die. No water means their children will die. And no water means they will die.

Wasn’t God supposed to take care of them?

Where is God?

In this story in Exodus, even Moses is questioning the presence and provision of God. Even their leader is afraid God won’t follow through. Even their leader is questioning God’s faithfulness (although we should probably give Moses a little slack since he’s afraid the people are threatening to stone him to death…). But how are we supposed to show people a reality that is not visible?

Here, God instructs Moses and the elders to go to this rock where God is standing. Here, Moses strikes the rock with his staff and water wondrously pours forth in the middle of the desert. This staff was the same one that miraculously turned into a snake and it was the same staff that was used to turn the Nile into blood. This water, a source and sustainer of life, is a miraculous sign that God is present, God will provide, and that God is not always visible in ways that we recognize.

In this season of Lent, as we prepare for the death and resurrection of Christ may we become more deeply aware of God’s never-ceasing presence among us. May we seek out the presence of God through our doubt. And may we recognize more deeply the presence of God with the knowledge that God will provide for us through the gift of a meal, in our daily work, community event, and time spent with loved ones, like God provided for the Israelites with water in the desert.

Thursday Third Week of Lent

March 27th reflection by Kelly Broman-Fulks

If you watch American Idol, you’ve likely taken notice of 16-year-old, tuba-playing, spunky Malaya. She is overflowing with enthusiasm. In her Top 13 performance, she was exuberant over her song choice. She was so exuberant, in fact, she struggled with her delivery of it. The judges’ critique was for Malaya to gain better control in the future. A little like Malaya, I’m bubbling over with anticipation. My excitement is NOT because of my singing. I won’t put anyone through that misery. My excitement is for this upcoming Easter and an opportunity to share a few words. You see, God is at work in me, and I can only hope that He weaves a little restraint into these words as they tumble out across this reflection about…ironically…restraint. (And, so, this is my apology for any babbling in my writing.)

First, I should make it clear what I mean by restraint and why I think it is important. Restraint refers to attempts to moderate behavior and to avoid impulsive decision-making. When we practice restraint, we don’t necessarily deny our feelings, but we look to God for help as we temper our actions. Restraint protects our relationships with friends and family because, hey, we’re typically easier to be around when we practice a little self-control.

What are the behaviors we impulsively slide toward that get us into trouble? There are so many ways to go about this, but I’ll focus on the familiar seven deadly sins: pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony and lust. Do you recognize any of these thorns from situations you’ve been involved in?

I’ve recently watched a family grieve over a loved one who passed away after he rejected a relationship with them for decades. The troubles were made worse by his impulsive behaviors. I’m certain God didn’t want him to die without his family around him, but he did. Restraint was largely missing from his life. Unity with his loved ones was wasted.

Today is March 27, and we find ourselves at the halfway point in this season of Lent. We have an opportunity to reflect on the first half of the season while considering our steps through the second half. Are we content with how we live our lives? Do we refrain from evils that would snag us out of relationship with God and loved ones? And, finally, do we seek God’s will and the fullness in life He desires for us?

Scripture for today’s reflection is from Jeremiah 7:23, which tells us, “Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk only in the way that I command you, so that it may be well with you.” To help me with this verse, I picked up a Matthew Henry’s Commentary that belonged to my Grandfather and found this little truth, “Let God’s will be your rule and his favour shall be your felicity.”

In brief conclusion is the theme of this reflection – restraint. It’s the way of patience and prayer. It’s also the way of Jesus who lingered on the cross.

Friday Third Week of Lent

March 28th reflection by Amy Justice

Love your neighbor…no matter how much they resist or how strange their mask!

Look mom, they are selling leftover Halloween costumes at the grocery store! Molly was excited because we missed trick-or-treating in the states this year. It was not overstock merchandise or an off-season sale. Fasching is a holiday time that people in Germany celebrate in an attempt to scare away winter ghosts and partake in a “sin-free” period (meaning anything goes) before the Lenten season. The celebrations culminate on Monday before Ash Wednesday with “Faschnacht” (carnival night). In our region of Germany, we have seen a few costumes like the ones in the picture since we have been here (the season, called the 5th season, actually starts on 11/11), but now many of the stores are selling costumes and have decorated their windows with scary masks.

There is a darkness to this time that is more pronounced than your typical fat-Tuesday feasts and Mardi Gras parties. I believe it is rooted in an underlying fear that there really is no hope. I fear they believe that this time of indulgence is the only joy they have left, and the cry of people seeking to fill a deep void rings loud and clear. Fasching also emphasizes that Europe, although still strongly influenced by the Christian calendar and holidays, is no longer experiencing the spirit of God. There are pockets of Germans who have been re-introduced to Christ and are trying to wrap their heads around reaching out to their own people, many of whom have checked the “Christian” box, but have never walked with our Savior.

In Acts, Paul gets frustrated with those who have heard the truth and still won’t wake up; sometimes even walking away from them shaking the dust from his sandals. But he does not stop praying for them and often comes back to them to try again. As American Christians, it is easy to think “What’s wrong with you? How can you hear the truth and not believe?” But even in countries where the Christian heritage is deep, there are still “unreached people”. Yes, they know about Jesus Christ, but the Good News has not “reached” their hearts for some reason. We must never stop reaching for them!

During this season of preparation and prayer, please take a moment to pray for the German people. Pray that we, as Christian visitors, would have the opportunity to introduce the love of Christ in a fresh way and be in the right places at the right times to minister to hurting hearts; that German Christians would have the courage to battle the forces of darkness that have a nation convinced that God is dead; and that God will move in ways that display His love, hope for mankind and desire for relationship with all of us.

Saturday Third Week of Lent

March 29th reflection by Jordan Scruggs

The prophet Hosea, the author of today’s Old Testament text, is regarded by some rabbinic traditions to be the most important prophet in all of Israel’s history. Hosea was primarily concerned with the question of the Israelite’s faithfulness to God. His prophecies were addressed to Israelites who, convinced that their obedience to God was determined by how closely they followed religious regulations, had neglected God’s commands to exhibit love and mercy to their neighbors. In short, their theology had confused legalism with the law of love. In contrast, God’s message through Hosea calls to the people, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice!” Through Hosea, God tells us that the primary indicator of our faithfulness to God’s commandments isn’t whether we follow a set of rules, but rather the way that we treat one another.

Today’s New Testament scripture from Luke 18 indicates that more than eight centuries after Hosea’s ministry ended, Jesus was still addressing the same human tendency mistake legalism for the law of love amongst the people of his own time and space. In this passage, Jesus tells a parable to some religious leaders who are convinced that their observance of legal practices means that they can claim moral superiority over their less-pious neighbors. So dedicated had these leaders become to abiding by the rules that they were blind to their own sins of pride and arrogance!

More than 2,000 years after Jesus’ ministry (and closer to 3,000 after Hosea’s!) it seems that human beings still struggle with the same habit against which Jesus and Hosea warned us. Though many of us have good intentions in our desire to keep God’s commandments, the sinfulness of our hearts can easily distort this honorable practice into a self-righteous competition to see who can follow the rules more closely. Instead of exercising mercy and discernment with others, we become so caught up in legalistic perfection that we thrust many persons with an honest desire to draw near to God out from our fellowship!

The tragic commonality of practicing legalism over the law of love is this: it is often much easier to be legalistic than it is to imitate the kind of love that God has shown us. Most of us to do our best get to church on Sunday, to say a prayer before dinnertime, and to give what we can to support our church. What is more difficult is doing our best to follow Jesus to the cross – to take risks in loving and forgiving that mean we might lose something valuable, like our reputation or our social standing.

Don’t get me wrong – emphasizing the tenets of the law can be invaluable in many ways, particularly in how they can help us to structure our lives in response to the call of God. But God’s instruction for us in today’s passages means that the law, when exercised in its fullness, doesn’t look like legalism. It looks like love – more specifically, the love that crucified Jesus – which is the same love that causes us, ultimately, to triumph over death.

Fourth Sunday of Lent

March 30th
A Guatemalan Story

Sebastian’s father was killed while rescuing his family from their blazing, make-shift shelter. This child was terribly burned over half of his face and most of his chest. With no plastic surgery, his massive scars are a life-long vivid reminder of the dangers inherent to poverty.

When we first met the family in 2010, and despite his mother’s tender care, Sebastian exhibited a deep sadness that he carried with him every heavy step of his day. Tomasa, his widowed mother of five young boys, bravely persevered by diligently working at her simple handmade loom, the sole source of nominal income for this dear family of six. The family diet consisted almost entirely of tortillas, with limes and salt.

Through our scholarship program, Tomasa began receiving regular monthly financial assistance for her 4 youngest sons, all in primary school. Almost immediately, their diet expanded to include simple vegetable soups, occasional chicken, and rice or beans.

In 2011, Sebastian began showing signs of new life. The sadness occasionally gave way to smiles and even some joy, sometimes losing himself in the moment of a good story, joke or other distraction. Yet, Sebastian badly failed 4th grade and the future looked bleak.

But in 2012, lives changed dramatically. All 4 boys began exhibiting more happiness. They played like healthy kids. Their school work improved, and Tomasa’s stomach disorder disappeared. And Sebastian? He won “comeback student of the year” and the prize of a coveted new bicycle.

Their “casa”? It was a tattered shell of a hut with dirt floor and little else. We were able to replace it with a simple two-room cement block structure with metal roof, concrete floor, small windows, large covered porch, and a new efficient wood burning cooking stove. This is a common design of new Mayan houses in rural Guatemala. No indoor running water or toilets in these homes. Yet, to them it is heaven on earth.

Today, this success story of healing and love continues. When we see the look of deep gratitude on the faces of Tomasa and her boys, we are thrilled to be a part of God’s evolving love miracles.