March 11, 2017
Lenten Devotions – Following Begins With the First Step

“But Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” Then the Lord said to him, “Who gives speech to mortals? Who makes them mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak.” But he said, “O my Lord, please send someone else.” Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “What of your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he can speak fluently; even now he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you his heart will be glad. You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do. He indeed shall speak for you to the people; he shall serve as a mouth for you, and you shall serve as God for him. Take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs.” Exodus 4:10-17

Stewardship of time and resources includes deciding what G-d is asking you to do, where G-d is asking you to go, and who G-d is asking you to be with. Often you feel you need more details before you take the first step – but that can become a barrier to actually following. Instead of seeking more details, what we need to do is “have the faith” to follow. No matter where, what, who or how, one must take the first step to follow. Moses learned that – he was in no mood to follow where G-d was calling him. He felt inadequate, he felt unworthy, he felt unprepared, and he felt ill-equipped. But G-d did not take the excuses from Moses – he pursued Moses through all of his arguments. In fact, if he would have been allowed, I believe Moses’ first step would have been in retreat. But he finally decided that G-d was not giving up – and so he stepped forward to confront Pharaoh and to lead the people out of Egypt.

During the season of Lent, we need to discern where G-d is calling us into action. And when we feel the call, we need to take the first step. Being a follower is not simply reading the bible (though that is always necessary), or attending church services (which also is necessary) – being a follower requires our whole being: head, heart, hands and feet. The first man to walk on the moon could not have achieved this feat if he had not used his feet – to take that first step onto foreign soil. Every ministry that we embark upon in the church, and in our personal lives, requires someone taking the first step onto foreign soil – into unknown paths, perils and pursuits. This Lent, take the first step to do something……..

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

March 10, 2017
Lenten Devotions – Stop Letting Things Get in Your Way

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.” Matthew 4:1-11

We are a people who try to juggle a lot of things. Our lives are filled with responsibilities, with obligations, with appointments for our parents, and practices for our children. Too often in the process of juggling all of our responsibilities, we forget to try to work in some time for G-d. As I said in a recent sermon, we become too accustomed to giving G-d what we have left, including our time and attention, instead of giving G-d what is right. A discipline we can take this Lent is to give up some of our busy-ness and give G-d more of our time and attention. We have to make an effort to stop allowing other things to get in the way of our focus on our faith lives. Or, in other words, we have to stop letting “things” get in our way. Obstacles come in all kinds of shapes and sizes: some are made of our own devices, others are thrown at us by obligations, even by Satan, and some just become excuses. This Lent, make an effort to stop allowing obstacles to get in your way of a stronger relationship with G-d.

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