March 22, 2017
Lenten Devotions – Obey Responsibly

Many people do not like the word obey. For many people, to obey hearkens back to the idea of slavery, of women as property, and to the G-d of the Old Testament. But when we listen to and obey the Word of G-d, we can understand our obedience as the faithful proclamation and discipleship within God’s word. We acknowledge our faith and live out our faith in the gospel for the glory of God and for the building up of the body of Christ. This kind of obedience takes courage. It involves our lifelong obedience, including the ways we treat our families, others, and ourselves.

“The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore.” Genesis 22:15-17a

Stewardship is growing, developing, advancing, and building the gifts with which God has blessed us. God supplies resources sufficient to the mission. Therefore… live in the confidence that:
– The love of God is renewing
– The power of God is astonishing
– The grace of God is amazing
– The purpose of God is moving
– The hope of God overcomes all.

God invites us to be a good steward of the gift of generosity. A good steward returns all to the master. As you return all to God, you are freed from thinking you own what you have been given. God invites you to be a steward of the gift of God’s mission. As stewards of God’s mission, it is never quite clear who is helping whom. God gives us first the mission, and then God gives us the congregation – the outpost, the mission team – with which to be in mission with the un-churched. When you are a good steward of the congregation with which God has blessed you, you help that congregation toward wellness, to grow beyond a sense of powerlessness, a sense of compulsiveness for perfectionism, a sense of low self-esteem, a sense of depression or dependency, a sense of codependency. You advance the congregation toward healing and wellness. As you do so, you act as a good steward of God’s mission.” (Lenten Devotional Stewardship Principles, We walk together as stewards in God’s church, ELCA, 2012, March 6)

The obedience of faith – it is a conundrum. We struggle to be independent and self-sufficient people. And yet G-d asks us to be obedient in our faith, which requires giving up our independence and our agendas. But when we finally agree that G-d is the captain of our cruise ship of faith, then we may take some time to determine what gifts we have to share with the other people in the congregation and community that is our cruise ship. When we allow G-d to captain our ship of faith, all we can do is seek to be good stewards and obedient believers.

This week, I want you to collect a roll of toilet paper each day to donate to Trinity’s Table. Bring in your six rolls of TP to church on Sunday, March 26.

Pastor Dave