March 9, 2017
Lenten Devotions – Start Something That Changes Your Story

“In the third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. The Lord let King Jehoiakim of Judah fall into his power, as well as some of the vessels of the house of God. These he brought to the land of Shinar, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his gods. Then the king commanded his palace master Ashpenaz to bring some of the Israelites of the royal family and of the nobility, young men without physical defect and handsome, versed in every branch of wisdom, endowed with knowledge and insight, and competent to serve in the king’s palace; they were to be taught the literature and language of the Chaldeans. The king assigned them a daily portion of the royal rations of food and wine. They were to be educated for three years, so that at the end of that time they could be stationed in the king’s court. Among them were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, from the tribe of Judah. The palace master gave them other names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.
But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the royal rations of food and wine; so he asked the palace master to allow him not to defile himself. Now God allowed Daniel to receive favor and compassion from the palace master.”

Daniel 1:1-9

There is a Genesis to everything – but the ultimate Genesis to, well, everything is G-d. It is G-d who created all things, it is G-d who spoke into existence all things. We too are people who are made up of beginnings. Our birth is our official beginning, yet our very existence goes back to the act of procreation. We all had our first word, our first step, our first tooth, our first day at school, our first date, car, job, etc. And each day is the first day of the rest of our lives. Everything we do each and every day begins with choices – like what is the first choice you make when to get up in the morning; hit the snooze button, shower, eat, go for a walk, or go to the gym. So many of the choices we make we don’t even think about – they are just done reflexively – like choosing to breathe.

The story of Daniel of course is a wonderful story filled with all kinds of intrigue and apocalyptic images. But Daniel had a monumental first – the day he first decided to live a life of faith. And it was that life of faith that allowed him to put G-d first in his life. And so when faced with adversity, he was the first and the only one of the men from Judah to choose to refuse the daily rations of his cohorts. Each first for him, and you and me, is the first step in changing and forming the story of our faith.

Lent is a time for us to do some choosing: what we might take on as a discipline and how we might accomplish it. Perhaps, though, instead of choosing what to give up or to change (remember we do not always have to think of food when considering Lenten disciplines) perhaps we might choose to first allow the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us this Lent. Perhaps this Lent we may choose to start something that becomes a first in the story of our lives, that changes the story of our faith journey.

This week, as part of your Lenten devotions, I want you to collect one bar of soap each day, and on Sunday March 12 bring in your six bars of soap to donate to Trinity’s Table.

Pastor Dave