HOLY WEEK: DAY 42

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 42


Mark 14:3-8

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the
home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman
came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume,
made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the
perfume on his head. Some of those present were
saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste
of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a
year's wages and the money given to the poor." And
they rebuked her harshly.

"Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering
her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor
you will always have with you, and you can help them
any time you want. But you will not always have me.
She did what she could. She poured perfume on my
body beforehand to prepare for my burial." (NIV)


MEDITATION BY Gary Mayes


I would like to believe that I am a generous person, that I would be willing to let go of people and give away possessions with liberality. I would like to believe I belong in the company of those whose overwhelming gratitude for the life and work of Jesus makes it easy to give away all they have.

But, to be honest, I am not so sure I am that guy. When I read about the actions of this unnamed woman in Mark 14, I find it easy to wonder about the fiscal responsibility of her actions.

Sure, this passage raises a host of small unanswered questions. Was she a guest or a party-crasher? Who was she and why did Mark keep it a secret? What it is like to give away an entire year’s wages in a single act? What does nard smell like?

But if I could only ask one question, I would ask this woman, “Would you tell me the story of what Jesus did in your life to cause such extraordinary gratitude?”

You see, over the course of time, I find it easy to become practiced in measured religious expression and expectations. I quickly learn the boundaries of normal behavior in my church and settle in. I restrain myself to an unwritten code of acceptable decorum. Intellectually, my appreciation for all Jesus has done runs deep, but practically my expressions of gratitude and adoration are tempered by others’ opinions of propriety. In contrast, these actions of an unnamed woman stagger me.

I wonder if I forget how radically my life has been transformed. Or if I have settled for a level of adoration that is puny and pathetic compared to the scope of life I gained through Jesus on the cross.

I wonder what unrestrained worship and sacrificial thanksgiving might look like if I gave no thought to the opinion of “others in the room.”

With the breaking of a bottle, one woman shattered the illusion that worship is a managed or measured activity. She re-fragranced the entire room, and by her example invites us to respond to Jesus without restraint.

Lord, help me live with great awareness of your sacrifice, and help me give my life away accordingly.




REFLECTION


How has your life been radically altered by the presence and work of Jesus?


If you were to put words to your gratitude and adoration for all Jesus has done, what would you say to him as he prepared for the cross?


Just as Simon the Leper made this encounter possible by hosting the party, are there any people you should invite over for dinner in order to begin exposing them to the Savior who has given you life?

HOLY WEEK: DAY 2

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 41


MATTHEW 25:34-36, 40

Then the King will say to those on his
right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for
you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was
a stranger and you welcomed me… 'Truly,
I say to you, as you did it to one of the
least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'
(ESV)


MEDITATION BY Mariah Nix


It had been a while since I’d been able to attend our team’s weekly Wednesday Bible study. The group is comprised of a mix of homeless folks, seminary students, and people living in hotels—all of whom come to eat a free meal at our church. So it was with surprise and joy that I walked in and saw Connie following along intently as someone read the Bible aloud.

Connie had come to the dinners at the church for about a year before I ever spoke to her. She would stand in line for food with her scarf wrapped around her head, sunglasses on, and a withered piece of cardboard held up as a shield between her and whoever might be on the other side. She would sit alone on the floor in a corner behind her cart of possessions.

Gradually, we began to interact. I would go visit her in her spot to ask about her day and she would answer me briefly from behind the cardboard.

Then last year on Good Friday during our church potluck, the doorbell rang and I opened it to find Connie standing ready to come in. She was confused, thinking it to be Wednesday. I invited her in to eat and to worship with us, but she was unsure since this wasn’t the set time when she was “welcome.”
I assured her that we would love her company. So she joined us and sat at my table. Halfway through the meal, she said abruptly, “You know, you must be a real Christian.” I prayed that the small piece of hospitality we were offering would speak to her about the deep love of Christ.

Since that night, Connie has begun to open up—moving from her spot on the floor to a table, setting her cardboard shield down while she eats, befriending a seminary student that comes each week, telling us lots of stories of her life and travels, and giving me plenty of parenting advice. I felt like we had reached new heights a few weeks ago when I saw her join our Bible study.

During Holy Week, we look to Jesus’ death and resurrection, which are the most important events of history, through which Christ made it possible for us to enter into his Kingdom. It is a Kingdom prepared for us before the foundation of the world, where the thirsty are forever given satisfying drink and the strangers are welcomed home. Jesus instructed us to be hungry-feeding, sick-visiting people in the world because that’s the kind of King he is. And, mysteriously, we encounter the presence of our King in the face of the stranger. I look forward to the day when I get to look into the face of my King as he says, “Welcome, for you welcomed me.” And I hope Connie will be there too, gazing into the face of her King, hearing him say, “Welcome.”




REFLECTION


Think of a time recently when you have encountered the presence of your King in the hungry, the stranger, the sick, or the imprisoned.


Is there a stranger who seems just a little too strange, or a sick person who is just a little too sick for your comfort whom you have avoided though God is asking you to welcome them? What steps can you take to welcome them?


What do you look forward to about the moment when the King says to you, “Come, inherit the kingdom prepared for you?”

HOLY WEEK

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 40 (Palm Sunday)


Matthew 21:5, 8-9

'…Look, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey…
' A very large crowd…cut branches
from the trees and spread them on
the road…shouting, 'Hosanna to the
Son of David! Blessed is the one who
comes in the name of the Lord!' (NRSV)

MEDITATION BY Mike Crow


Levi, a follower of Jesus, had heard the stories passed on through the generations about a new king. Imagine with me how he may have seen the events in 33 A.D.

A few days ago, Pilate rode into Jerusalem, placing an extra regiment of Roman troops on the temple porticoes to prevent the violent nationalist uprisings that so often occur at Passover. The walls rumbled as they marched into the city, usurping control of our worship! Pilgrims flooded Jerusalem from every direction. Some joined the crowd as we followed Jesus on a donkey across the Kidron Valley, waving palms—our national symbol—and shouting: “Hosanna! Deliver us, Son of David! Hosanna!”

When Solomon, son of David, was made king, he too rode a donkey across the Kidron Valley. Zechariah told us to rejoice when our king came on a donkey. But the rest of his prophecy stuns me: I will remove the war-horses from Jerusalem and break the battle bows. Could it be? Has the Day of the Lord finally come? The whole city is stirred, urgently asking, “Who is this Jesus?”

Some say he’s the royal son of David who conquered Jerusalem and made it his capital—the ideal leader. Some say he’s a prophet like Elijah who destroyed the pagan prophets of Baal—a religious reformer. Others see him as a great wonder-worker and try to crown him king, hoping he’ll defeat Rome and make Israel a prosperous superpower. Many—who admire the piety of the Pharisees—admire Jesus even more, sparking animosity against him. His exposure of their self-important virtues and aloof condemnation of others’ vices further inflames them. Mocking Jesus, they plot his death. Those who seem most pious resent Jesus the most!

Scattered revolutionaries, styling themselves zealots, scorn Jesus because he does not advocate force against Rome. They confuse loyalty to country with loyalty to God, loving the nation over Jesus himself. The Sadducean high priests, an illegitimate priesthood who collaborate with Rome, guard their status jealously. Known for their elitist abuse of power, they ridicule Jesus and try to erase him from history. The Essenes, a priestly protest movement compiling the Dead Sea Scrolls, ignore Jesus. They are so isolationist and preoccupied with interpreting current events in light of prophecy, they simply miss what God is doing, right under their noses. Others ask, “Where are Jesus’ weapons? War–horses? Soldiers? If Jesus does not fight the Romans with force—the only language they understand—how will he overcome them?”

The responses to Jesus vary widely. Yet each response seems to come from some gut-level reaction, some deep cavern within. It makes me wonder: "Why am I following Jesus?"




REFLECTION


How do people today react to Jesus’ claim to kingship in their lives? Do you see any parallels to the reactions in Jesus’ day?


Imagine yourself in the place of each group mentioned. What obstacle would you need to overcome to be a loyal follower of Jesus?


Take a moment to submit those obstacles to Jesus as your king. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the heart of a faithful subject to his rule.

TRANSFORM: DAY 39

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 39


Psalm 86:11-12

Teach me your way, O LORD and I will
walk in your truth; Give me an undivided
heart, That I may fear your name. I will
praise you, O LORD my God, with all my
heart; I will glorify your name forever. (NIV)


MEDITATION BY Arthur Stewart


Our world lives under a curse that is so pervasive in our lives, we seldom recognize it. I call it the curse of the divided heart. In me, it manifests in good intentions not being as noble as I think, well-made plans that are fatally flawed, and words or actions that betray what is deep inside me.

We all, from our first ancestors onward, are torn between good or evil, black or white, today or tomorrow, win or lose, me or you. These are the polarities we find ourselves between, often faced with choosing one or the other. The tricky part is these choices are not nearly as extreme or obvious as they might seem. Deep down, our heart struggles with itself, because it wants to choose or do more than one thing. In Romans 7, Paul compares this to a war within ourselves.

David—Israel’s greatest king—anguished over this dilemma himself. We know his life was full of people and opportunities that could—and did—pull him in different directions. The Bible recounts his victories and travails, often the result of choices he made from his heart. We also find his honest wrestling with this condition throughout the psalms.

I join David in crying out, “Transform me Lord! Your way is different than ours—beautiful, mysterious, holy.” If we could only learn this way, we could live differently, better. I could get out of this struggle I have against my own self. I could live the way he created me to be. The key, as David knew so well, is our heart. But the wholeness he desired can only be given by God. We can’t will it; our hearts must be healed by One far greater than us. This is more than just learning to do right instead of wrong. This is a heart transplant!

David is asking for a heart like God’s. If we were to possess one, we would know God deeply, fear and honor him, praise him with all our heart…forever. It would resonate with God’s, sing to it, dance with it. This is what we all want because this is what we were made for. Our hearts are meant to be undivided and eternal, connecting us to our Creator at the deepest level possible.

Jesus shows us what it can and should look like. I’ve often asked how Jesus chose who to heal (or not), where to go, what to say. Maybe he didn’t choose. Perhaps he knew because his heart was not divided but completely given and bound to the Father. Indeed, the way, truth, and life is the One we join with David in seeking. He is the One with the power to transform our hearts, not simply by instructions or actions, but by perfectly living out the heart of God and making the way for us to do the same.

Teach me your way of undivided love; wholehearted for all, no internal struggle, no favorites—this is true and eternal life. Free me from this curse of needing to choose, except to choose you. Join me with your limitless heart of love, changing mine to be like yours. May it be so, now and forever. Amen.

REFLECTION


Re-read the psalm several times slowly. What divides your heart? What might God be saying to you about these things?


Take some time to picture what life with an undivided heart would look like for you.


Write out a prayer in response to God.

TRANSFORM: DAY 38

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 38


Job 42:1-6

Job answered GOD: "I'm convinced: You
can do anything and everything. Nothing
and no one can upset your plans. You
asked, 'Who is this muddying the water,
ignorantly confusing the issue, second-
guessing my purposes?'

I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on
about things far beyond me, made small
talk about wonders way over my head.
You told me, 'Listen, and let me do the
talking. Let me ask the questions. You
give the answers.' I admit I once lived by
rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand—
from my own eyes and ears! I'm sorry—
forgive me. I'll never do that again, I
promise! I'll never again live on crusts of
hearsay, crumbs of rumor." (The Message)

MEDITATION by Steve Hall


I feel for Job. He had things going well, everything in its place. The future was bright…until God allowed Satan to make an example of him. We often use Job’s challenges to define our understanding of suffering and the work of the devil. My problem is I often feel too much like Job, but not for the reasons you might think.

Job had his life under control. The need for control was his problem, as it is often mine. After the opening account of the destruction of his family and fortune, we see Job trying to understand why things are happening so he can get his life back under control. He “muddies the waters” and has a meltdown as he faces his inability to control the situation, and even finds himself “second-guessing” God for answers (Job 40:2).

In May 2006, my wife, Sally, and I were in our final interview with CRM. During the interview, our son, Josh, called and told us that our house was being robbed. The next day after accepting the call to Enterprise International, we learned that Sally had colon cancer. She had surgery the next month. Like Job, I was no longer in control. Past ministry experience and my familiarity with cancer protocols were no match for the growing black hole in my spiritual equilibrium.

When God challenges Job about the movements of the universe (Job 38-42), Job gains God’s perspective and relinquishes his need for control into the omnipotent hands of the Divine. He states, “I’m convinced, no one can upset your plans.” Job then gives the reason behind his habit of seeking control and failing to trust. He has only presumed to know God intimately. He says, “I have lived by rumors but now I have it all firsthand.”

Like Job, I, too need to seek God on his terms. As the doctor finds cancer, or when the surgery is followed by 15 days in the hospital with my bride fighting for her life, my own strength fails. I can’t fix it, and the successes of the past no longer matter as I seek God with no veneer, no pretense—just dependence.

Now looking back, I wish I had known what Jesus knew when he hung on the cross. His intentional intimacy with the Father allowed him to release his pain and fears into God’s will. His lack of need to control proclaims, “Forgive them, Father, they don’t understand.” May we become more like Jesus, transformed everyday as we seek God more intimately.




REFLECTION


How do you respond when life feels difficult or out of control?


What events in your past led you to lose control and seek intimacy with the Father?


When we get the control factor aligned in our lives, we usually have some repenting to do. Where are you trying to be in control and need to release, relax, and repent?

TRANSFORM: DAY 37

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 37


Mark 2:21-22

No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth
on an old garment. If they do, the new
piece will pull away from the old, making
the tear worse. And people do not pour
new wine into old wineskins. If they do,
the wine will burst the skins, and both
the wine and the wineskins will be ruined.
No, they pour new wine into new
wineskins." (TNIV)




MEDITATION BY Rob Yackley


A few years ago, a friend visited our missional community in South Africa to talk about the church in our changing world. Daniel began by asking us this question: “What was the last church you attended?” While most of us instinctively responded by naming the church where we last attended a worship service, the youngest guy in the room responded in a whole different light. His answer signaled that he had actually begun to imagine a new reality.

Ryan replied, “Well, when I came downstairs this morning and was cooking breakfast with some of you, I was experiencing church in the kitchen. And then when we met in the lounge to pray; I was experiencing church there too. And now as we’re sitting here in this room having this conversation, I’m experiencing church again. So to answer your question, the last church I attended has been the one I’ve been with all morning.” Ryan’s answer revealed more than just a new way of thinking. It revealed an insight about church that was actually allowing the Spirit of God to breathe fresh life into him and us—life that was taking hold and not tearing away at the seams.

The lesson in the parable of the wineskin is straightforward: whenever the Spirit breathes fresh life into God’s people, they will need to create new forms and expressions to take it in and live it out. But letting go of what is familiar to forge something new is neither simple nor popular.

In the verses surrounding this parable, we find Jesus and his followers under serious scrutiny. They’re hanging out with sketchy characters. They’re feasting instead of fasting. They’re blurring the lines between the secular and the sacred. You can almost hear their detractors saying, “Hey, you aren’t taking your faith very seriously. In fact, you’re exhibiting a wholesale lack of respect and commitment to the way we do things around here.”

Jesus responds to these criticisms with this parable that challenges the religious status quo and marks the end of an era. He implies that it’s actually impossible to hold fresh movements of God in the structures and practices we’ve depended on in the past. Jesus challenges us to let go of the familiar routines that have shaped our experience and our identity and imagine a new reality in order to take in all that God is up to. A simple upgrade to the way we “do church” today won’t work any better than a simple upgrade of Judaism would have worked then.

It is one thing to give up something that’s inherently bad for us—whether for Lent or for the long run. It is another thing to shed something from our lives that feels core to our identity and our sense of belonging. But that is exactly what Jesus asks us to do in the parable of the wineskins.




REFLECTION


If you are not being criticized for following Jesus, why might that be?


What religious routines are you holding onto that need to be torn out of your experience to make room for God?


What would a life-giving community of faith look like to you?

TRANSFORM: DAY 36

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 36


Psalm 86:1-4

Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me;
For I am afflicted and needy. Preserve
my soul, for I am a godly man; O you my
God, save your servant who trusts in you.

Be gracious to me, O Lord, For to you I
cry all day long. Make glad the soul of
your servant, For to you, O Lord, I lift up
my soul. (NASB)

MEDITATION BY Joyce Lievano


Nobody likes affliction, and pain is not a welcome companion. But such experiences are powerful magnets, drawing us to cry out to the Listener, the Eternal Father, and Sustainer of the Universe.

My husband, Francisco, has lived this psalmist's prayer throughout his personal experiences with hardship, pain, and affliction. His family lived on
the border of Colombia and Venezuela on a steep hill in a house with no running water. Orphaned by a father at the age of 10, Francisco worked to help his mother take care of their family of five. As the eldest son, he needed to carry water up to their house from a nearby stream. He had jobs such as collecting flowering branches and tying them up to make brooms, taking rocks out of the stream to sell, and selling vegetables at the market. Going to school was not an option, so he applied himself to learn on his own. Using the Bible, Francisco’s mother taught him the alphabet; he then taught himself to read. Later, a missionary tutored him.

He also learned how to preach under the guiding example of another missionary. During his adolescent years, the missionary sent Francisco to preach in neighboring mountain towns with no Gospel witness. When Francisco was not selected for military service at 18, he consecrated his life to serve God and his people.

After graduating from Bible school in Venezuela, Francisco continued his mountain treks and traveled non-stop for seven years. Severe persecution of Christians prevailed in Colombia then, and many believers died for their faith. At different times, Francisco's beverage was laced with poison, a bomb exploded at a church where he was sleeping, he was jailed, and he was chased by a man intent on killing him for preaching Christ. Once, two large men suddenly stood by Francisco at the pulpit to protect him. A drunk man, upset to learn that he was “dead in his trespasses and sin,” had walked up the aisle with his machete drawn. Upon hearing "but God, who is rich in mercy,” the man returned the machete to its sheath.

Then Francisco went through 27 years of personal crisis that prevented his itinerant speaking ministry. Limited to writing, editing, translating, and teaching at a Bible institute in Venezuela, Francisco learned meekness, gentleness, and humility as God developed in him a quiet spirit and a soft answer. He cultivated a deep, unmovable trust in God in spite of the daily storms. Soon after Francisco's personal crisis passed, invitations to preach came pouring in from all over Venezuela. Since then, Francisco has been traveling almost every weekend to preach.

Affliction may not be our choice, but our Lord inclines his ear to our cries. Jesus knows and understands our pain since he himself experienced agony. In the midst of difficult times, let us lift up our souls to him and allow him to conform us to his image.




REFLECTION


How do you respond to pain? How can you welcome it as a friend that will draw you to intimate communion with the God of mercy and comfort? In the middle of the storm, does your gladness come from God? Ask God for his joy, as you lift up your heart in worship and trust.


This psalm was probably on Jesus’ heart often. His example of total trust in the Father strengthens my feeble trust, as I “consider him who has endured…” (Hebrews 12:3).


How is God working in your character to prune, to cultivate, and to mold you into the likeness of Jesus?

TRANSFORM: DAY 35

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 35


Philippians 1:21

For to me, to live is
Christ and to die is gain. (NIV)




MEDITATION BY Christiana Rice


Several years ago, I had the opportunity to go to a restricted-access nation in Asia.

I packed my suitcase full of Bibles and ventured off on a 10-day trip with a small group of Japanese Christians. We traveled from city to city by bus or plane, delivering Bibles to home church leaders all over the country.

At our last stop, we visited an elderly pastor who had been arrested multiple times and had spent 18 years in prison for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ in his city. Everything about this man pointed to Jesus: he breathed Jesus’ words, lived like Jesus lived, and his ultimate passion and pursuit in life was intimacy with Jesus—even in the face of persecution and death. I’ll never forget the light in his eyes as he introduced us to his faith community and told us of all the miracles they had seen as they served God together. As we left the pastor’s home, he handed me his business card with Revelation 2:10 written at the top. He pointed to the verse and said with a beaming smile, “This is my life verse!” It read, “Be thou faithful unto death.”

Later that night I looked up the scripture. The whole passage reads, “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

The humanity of Christ came to life for me on this trip. When I picture Christ, sometimes he looks like an elderly Asian man with bright eyes and a beaming smile. My pastor friend followed the ways of Jesus in simplicity and purity—he practiced hospitality, pursued peace and justice, laid down his own needs for the needs of others, and loved his friends and enemies.

For him, to live was Christ. Yet anticipation, or even a longing for life beyond this world, meant hope for tomorrow, no matter what the circumstance.

Jesus came to earth to show us how to live and love…and how to die. As his followers, we learn to walk in sync with the rhythms of Jesus’ life and death, empowered by his Spirit moving in us. The deliverance of Jesus frees us from fear of death and instills in our souls a hope for life beyond this world.

Then we can say along with Paul, “…it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:20-21).




REFLECTION


Spend a moment reflecting on the humanity of Christ. In his journey to the cross, which of Jesus' experiences remind you of his humanity?


What does it look like to honor Christ with your body and be faithful even to the point of death?


Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a renewed hope for abundant life and eternal intimacy with Jesus.

TRASFORM 34

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 34


2 Corinthians 1:3-6

Blessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the merciful Father
and the God who gives every possible
encouragement; he supports us in every
hardship, so that we are able to come to
the support of others, in every hardship
of theirs because of the encouragement
that we ourselves receive from God.

For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow
into our lives; so too does the encouragement
we receive through Christ. So if we have
hardships to undergo, this will contribute to
your encouragement and your salvation; if we
receive encouragement, this is to gain for you
the encouragement which enables you to bear
with perseverance the same sufferings as we do.
(New Jerusalem Bible)


MEDITATION BY Alastair Rundle


It was November 10, 2008. I had been receiving treatment for lymphoma, preparing for an autologous stem cell transplant in the New Year. This
journey was my family’s sole focus. The proximity of death was very real, and yet there was at work in us an awareness of a hope that reaches beyond the grave.

While I was praying that morning, an encouraging image came to mind. When sailors measured the depth of the ocean, they would throw a “sounding line” over the side of the boat that was notched at fathom intervals. When the weighted end of the line rested on the ocean floor, it was pulled back up, the notches counted, and the depth fathomed.

But the sounding line had its limits. Deep water required a “deep-sea lead,” but it was a time-consuming process. There were regions of the ocean that could not be measured. They were fathomless.

Suffering takes a person to the depths. Some suffering is measured with a "sounding line,” but great suffering is measured with a “deep-sea lead.” This kind is more time and life consuming, yet all suffering has a bottom and can be fathomed.

But the entirety of the ocean of God’s powerful love cannot be fathomed. It is just too deep. In it, our suffering dissolves and we find we are not crushed—as one would be in the depths of the ocean—but carried.

Later that day, as I left our laundromat, I noticed a man standing at the corner. As I turned to pass him, our eyes met. “How are you doing?” I asked.

He replied, “I don’t have anywhere to go. I’m homeless, man.” “I’m sorry to hear that, I said, life can be hard. But what about your inside, your soul, how are you doing?” “Oh! I guess I’m alright.”

Pointing to my bald head, I told him of my affliction and the treatment I was undergoing, sharing with him the image of the sounding line from that morning. “You see, there is a bottom to our suffering, but there is no limit to the depth of God’s love for us. He will carry you.” Tears ran down his cheeks and we embraced for a long time. “Thank you, man…and God bless you.”

When we share from hardship—from our suffering—and point to the fathomless love that enables us to bear it all, brothers are born, community is formed, and hope is kindled.




REFLECTION


In this season of Lent, how might God be asking you to let him transform your suffering, either current or past? Open your heart to him; he is able to carry you.


Remember a time when you received encouragement from God in the mist of hardship. What were the circumstances?


With whom might God be asking you to share the encouragement you have received?

TRANSFORM: DAY 33

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 33


2 Corinthians 5:14-17

For Christ's love compels us, because we
are convinced that one died for all, and
therefore all died. And he died for all, that
those who live should no longer live for
themselves but for him who died for them
and was raised again. So from now on
we regard no one from a worldly point of
view. Though we once regarded Christ in
this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if
anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
the old has gone, the new has come! (NIV)


MEDITATION BY Jon Moore


We at CRM are fond of saying that Christians have a choice to make in regards to this world—to withdraw or engage. We see ourselves as a community of engagement. The challenge of such a commitment is that when we engage, we are more personally burdened by the reality of fallen creation.

Everywhere we go or look, we see pain, dysfunction, pride, deceit, violence—
the list is familiar. We see it not only outside our door, but also inside our communities and relationships. As Paul told the Philippians, “It has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him.”

I spend a lot of my time inside the internal workings of CRM, an organization of broken but redeemed people, straining with all their might to serve Christ and the Church. From time to time, I find myself reacting to the inevitable offenses and failures of others by focusing on the affront, experiencing discouragement and separating myself from them. But then I realize that Christ died for all, and that I must not derive my ultimate view of those around me from their brokenness, which is universal, but from the fact that Christ loves and desires to redeem all.

Paul tells us that if we are in Christ, we are new creations. In terms of inspiration and hope, this is huge. He doesn’t just mean we are renewed. If that was the scope of it, we would merely be a breath of fresh air in an old world. It’s bigger than that. Through us, God introduces something new into creation, something that wasn’t there before: lives that have the power to contradict and transcend the old world. As new creations, we can overcome, believe, and attempt things beyond the static metrics of a fallen creation.

Knowing that I am working alongside those who are part of Christ’s new creation changes my perspective. I view their earthly struggles through the compassion of Christ and expect that they will see my struggles in a similar way. I believe they can change the world in ways that others cannot, and I give thanks that I co-labor with them.

As my eyes are opened to Christ's new creation, my burden feels lighter and my discouragement is transformed into hope. I am again excited to have been called to Christ’s work of making all things new.




REFLECTION


Who in your life causes you problems, work, stress, or embarrassment as they go about their tasks? Have you written them off as the “sum of their offenses?”


Who do you find yourself regularly offending as you go about your work or activities?


As a new creature, how can you respond to and move beyond the slights, affronts, and discourtesies that you experience from the new creatures that make up your community?

TRANSFORM: DAY 32

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 32


Ezekiel 36:25-28

Then I will sprinkle clean water on you,
and you will be clean; I will cleanse you
from all your filthiness and from all
your idols.

Moreover, I will give you a new heart
and put a new spirit within you; and
I will remove the heart of stone from
your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
I will put my Spirit within you and cause
you to walk in my statutes, and you will
be careful to observe My ordinances.
You will live in the land that I gave to
your forefathers; so you will be My
people, and I will be your God. (NASB)


MEDITATION BY Larry Lighty


Words cannot fully convey the enormous impact this passage has had on my life. In the early years of my walk with God, the picture of the “heart transplant” evoked powerful responses deep within me.

Without condemnation, I was convicted anew of my fallen nature and of the sure knowledge that my stony heart would never enable me to adequately love him or live life his way.

It also uncovered and kindled in me a deep, holy longing to be “free from this body of death” and transformed into the person that he yearns for me to be. For decades, in fact, this passage helped fuel my hope and motivation for the long journey of faith, even in the face of the inevitable setbacks and challenges.

In my mid-50s now, I look back with gratitude on the ways he has brought forth growth and healing in me. Yet, I’ve also found myself as troubled as ever when I still slip up in certain areas that I’ve repeatedly tried to change. At those times, discouragement can set in even though I know he loves me unconditionally. Occasionally, I am even tempted to conclude that I am hopelessly stuck or too old to change. Yet, through this passage from Ezekiel, my hope is renewed.

First, it reminds me that God’s promise is not nullified by my setbacks. A new heart is mine, one that loves God and is responsive to him! It cannot help but beat more in synchrony with his heart as the years go by.

Second, this “transplant” is beyond a one-time event at my conversion. Other passages clarify that its outward manifestation is a step-by-step process that continues to emerge over time. In fact, I can glance back and see that I have been growing, mostly bit by bit, even in those areas that are more resistant to change.

Third, I’ve been struck with who the driving force is for the transformation promised in this passage: it is not you or me…it is him. It’s his work, not ours. He emphasizes this point six times in these few verses alone. While it’s true that he asks us to share his yoke, it’s also clear that he bears the brunt of the load.

For me, these insights bring renewed hope and encouragement, especially when the journey gets rough. I may find myself discouraged like the exiles in Babylon or the disciples in the dark hours before the resurrection, but I do well to remember that transformation, God’s triumph, is lingering just beyond the horizon.




REFLECTION


What aspects of this passage, if any, stir up yearning or other strong feelings in you?


Ponder again how crushed the disciples must have felt after Jesus’ crucifixion and burial; and how God planned to turn apparent tragedy into triumph and transformation.


Recall a time in your life when, despite your discouragement or despair, God opened a pathway for change or growth. What might be a next step you could take to better fuel your “heart of flesh?”

TRANSFORM:DAY 31

GOD IS ABLE TO MAKE ALL GRACE ABOUND TO YOU, SO THAT IN ALL THINGS AT ALL TIMES HAVING ALL THAT YOU NEED, YOU WILL ABOUND IN EVERY GOOD WORK.

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 31


John 20:24-29

Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of
the Twelve, was not with the disciples
when Jesus came. So the other disciples
told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail
marks in his hands and put my finger
where the nails were, and put my hand
into his side, I will not believe it.”

A week later his disciples were in the
house again, and Thomas was with
them. Though the doors were locked,
Jesus came and stood among them and
said, “Peace be with you!”

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger
here; see my hands. Reach out your hand
and put it into my side. Stop doubting
and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My
Lord and my God!”

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have
seen me, you have believed; blessed are
those who have not seen and yet have
believed.” (NIV)


MEDITATION BY Dave Zovak


Thomas’ world was in chaos when he first heard his friends' wild claims. Everyone was reeling from Jesus’ midnight arrest, lightning trial, and brutal crucifixion. The once-bold and miracle-wielding disciples had been so shattered that they gathered in secret following Jesus’ death.

So when Thomas was told of Jesus’ resurrection, it’s not surprising he had trouble believing. Undoubtedly, a part of him wished to believe; however, he would need more than second-hand accounts to get him there.

As I reflect on this text, I can’t help but ponder why Jesus waited seven days to re-appear. Why the delay? Was Jesus busy?

I suspect Jesus knew his disciples, especially Thomas, needed time for their faith to grow. Even though they had come to love and trust him, appearing to them was something different. The disciples needed time to be transformed into people of resurrection faith.

When Jesus did appear a second time, he greeted Thomas with an invitation to examine and touch his crucifixion wounds. Thomas responded, not in defensiveness or lingering doubt, but with the bold proclamation of “Lord and God.”

Something had begun inside Thomas when he first heard the claims of his friends, even though his doubts limited his faith. Yet, God worked in him over the week, preparing him for more. His doubts hadn’t disqualified him from discipleship. In fact, they became the very means by which God would take Thomas into a deeper faith.

This is how God often works with me. Frequently, when God wants to lead me into new spiritual territory, I find myself in an unsettling time of spiritual confusion or insecurity. Due to my intellectual smugness and spiritual laziness, God wisely tills the soil of my soul by leading me into experiences that require faith and maturity beyond what I currently possess.

Confusion and doubts often precede a faith transformation. It was true for Thomas and it has been true for me. I used to dread feeling “out of my depth” in my faith, but I am learning to welcome it as I have experienced God’s transforming graces.




REFLECTION


Think of a time when you found it hard to believe in God’s power, goodness, or presence. How were your doubts and fears transformed into faith?


What current doubts might God be inviting you to acknowledge and bring to him?


Some historians have been kinder to Thomas and called him “Thomas the Believer” based on his bold faith declaration. What nickname would you like to be called?

TRANSFORM: DAY 30

GOD IS ABLE TO MAKE ALL GRACE ABOUND TO YOU, SO THAT IN ALL THINGS AT ALL TIMES HAVING ALL THAT YOU NEED, YOU WILL ABOUND IN EVERY GOOD WORK.

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 30


Galatians 4:6-7

Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit
of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who
calls out, “Abba, Father.”

So you are no longer a slave, but a son;
and since you are a son, God has made
you also an heir. (NIV)

MEDITATION BY Bryan Ward


In recent years, God has helped me to accept my true identity—that I am his beloved child. I have learned more about being a beloved child of God from my experience as a father than I ever did from my experience of being a son. There is something about seeing the parent-child relationship from a father’s perspective that gives new meaning to what it means for me to be a son.

When children are young, they soak up the attention and love that surround them. They are carefree in the care of their parents. Then, somewhere in life, they seem to take upon themselves the expectations of their parents—
spoken or unspoken, real or imagined. I have seen this in my own life and now I see it in the lives of my children. Just the other day my son said to me, “You want me to be perfect!” Although I have never said that, he has gotten that expectation from somewhere. Again, real or imagined, it doesn't matter. If I don't speak truth into his heart, then the lie of “perfection” will not only affect the way my son relates to me, but also the way he processes life.

I have seen a similar pattern in my journey as a Christ-follower. Daily, I find myself fighting the idea that there is something I must do to please God, that there is some expectation that I must live up to—some level of maturity I must attain and some degree of success that I must achieve. Most of the time, I feel more responsible than responsive to God.

If these thoughts and expectations go unchecked, I find myself chasing illusions that only lead me farther from my heart. I find myself hiding from God out of guilt and shame. Rather than hiding, I am learning to invite God into those places where I go astray, struggle, or fall short of fulfilling his design for me.

Our heavenly Father desires to be invited into our lives so that we might walk through it with him, not alone without him. He has even put the Spirit in our hearts in order to assist us, to help us call upon his name—“Abba, Father.” It is a passionate cry for intimacy, belonging, and closeness. And the Father's answer to such a cry is always, “Come be with me.”

We will continue to look for transformation in all the wrong places until we transform the way we see the Father, his love, and his desires for us, until we transform the way we see ourselves—as true sons and daughters and the “apple of his eye.” This requires us to trust that he is who he says he is, that he always has our best interest in mind, and that he is ever-present and eager to be with us. Within such a relationship of trust, we can be carefree in the care of our Father. This is where genuine transformation begins.




REFLECTION


Imagine God thinking about you. What do you assume God feels when you come to mind? The author David G. Benner suggests “that when God thinks of you, love swells in his heart and a smile comes to his face” (Surrender To Love, p.16).


Take a few minutes to reflect on how you relate to God. In what areas of your life do you still relate to God more as a slave rather than a son or daughter?


How might your daily life look different if you lived in the freedom of a child who fully trusts and believes in their father? Take some time to consider this with your heavenly Father.

IGNITE: DAY 29

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 29


Psalm 118:22-24

The stone the builders rejected has
become the chief corner stone; this is the
LORD’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.

This is the day the LORD has made; Let us
rejoice and be glad in it. (NASB)


MEDITATION BY Samantha Baker Evens


When I was 16, I was privileged to actually watch the process of the placement of a cornerstone. I was in Kenya and the builders carefully squared off a large stone using a chisel, hammer, and a plumb line.

They then placed the stone in the corner of the building, checking each side and adjusting the placement. The entire process for placing the corners of two buildings took the majority of a day, but as soon as they were done, the walls went up quickly, each stone in line with the cornerstone.

Watching the builders at work, it was easy to see what would cause a builder to reject a stone. The builders looked for rocks that were large, weight-bearing stones, not flawed or cracked—rocks that were already roughly square to save themselves from having to chisel too much.

Jesus as the formerly rejected cornerstone was not flawed, but he did come in an unexpected shape and in atypical circumstances. Born in a manger and raised as the son of a carpenter, Jesus, the oddly shaped stone, didn't immediately heal the obvious ills of the world, but forgave sins and reconciled us to our Creator. He ushered in a Kingdom that is similarly odd and surprisingly shaped. Donald Kraybill memorably called it “The Upside-Down Kingdom.” In the Kingdom of God, the first are last and the last are first. Luke tells us that the wealthy weep and Matthew says the poor boast and are blessed. Giving a small donation can mean more than giving a large one; and James shows us that wealthy, talented, or important people are not shown partiality.

In the Kingdom, we look forward joyfully to those seasons when we are suffering and we do nice things for our enemies and those who actively try to hurt us, but we leave our family and our aged parents behind. Instead of worrying about not having enough, we give away what we have. Jesus said the more we lose ourselves, the more we find ourselves. And the Kingdom is not far away in space or time, but is already among us (Luke 17:21). We, too, try to live our lives according to Jesus' teachings, aligning ourselves with Christ. The challenge is to not avoid but to try to practice Jesus' continually uncomfortable words over the course of our entire faith journey.

A key spiritual discipline, therefore, in the upside-down Kingdom of the oddly shaped Christ is the practice of doing out-of-the-box Kingdom things. When we respond to Jesus' example and actively step out of our comfort zone—the status quo, what is expected, and what is normal—on a regular basis, we give God the opportunity to gradually chisel away attitudes and habits that are not life-giving and to bring our values and life practices in line with the Cornerstone.




REFLECTION


Consider doing one or more of the out-of-the-box Kingdom acts listed here:

Give money anonymously and directly to someone from a developing country who you will never meet or gain anything from and who can't thank you.


Spend some time this Lent offering different aspects of your life (work, family, home, school, theology, recreation, church, etc.) up to God one by one and give him permission to call you outside of what is comfortable or the status quo in each one.


Do something kind, with no expectation of return, for someone who really bugs you, or go through the uncomfortable and lengthy process of forgiving someone who has hurt you. (For help on this, see Linn, Linn, and Linn's book, Don't Forgive Too Soon: Extending the Two Hands that Heal.)

IGNITE: DAY 28

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 28


Romans 12:1-2

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the
mercies of God, to present your bodies
a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable
to God, which is your spiritual service
of worship.

And do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that you may prove what the
will of God is, that which is good and
acceptable and perfect. (NASB)




MEDITATION BY Steve Hubler


These words mark the turning point in Paul’s letter to the Romans. In the preceding chapters, Paul describes the unbounded mercy they had already received: Jesus suffered the death they deserved, granting them redemption and everlasting life. This act of immeasurable grace triggered the urgent appeal that follows. Paul pleads with them to present themselves to God without reservation and without condition, and to live as servants of his will. In this posture, they would find their minds renewed and God’s will accomplished through them.

Jesus modeled this life of submission and service as he sat alone in Gethsemane praying to his Father to be released from the cross. This was a leveraged moment—a moment in which one small act on his part resulted in an impact many times greater than the act itself.

With the specter of the cross before him, Jesus submitted to his Father’s sovereignty and said, “…not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:42). In that moment, Jesus presented himself to God without reservation and without condition. He denied everything that could compete with his allegiance to God’s will. He maintained the posture of a servant and chose the path of the cross. And in that one act, Jesus ignited a revolution against the bondage of sin in the souls of mankind. The will of God was done through him.

In this season of Lent, I’m reminded of a leveraged moment in my own life. During the recent economic boom, I found myself considering one more major purchase that would complete my version of the American dream. I would have the house, cars, toys, and vacations I'd always wanted. In that moment of decision, the voice of the world said, "Serve yourself." But the voice of God said, "Serve Me."

Thankfully, I chose to ignore the voice of the world. I didn't make that last purchase. Instead, I downsized my home, sold unneeded possessions, eliminated my debt and adopted a simple lifestyle. That choice has made all the difference. I am now free to respond to his immeasurable grace by living as
a servant of his will instead of my lifestyle.

After nearly 30 years of following Christ, I wish I could tell you I choose well every time, but that is not the case. Instead, I struggle daily with the desire to serve myself instead of God. But Jesus is faithful. In the wake of each selfish choice, the mercy of the cross compels me to return to the altar and offer
myself once again into his service. There, Christ rekindles my passion to be used by him in anticipation of one day seeing how great an impact was made for his Kingdom through my simple and flawed service to him.




REFLECTION


What was the last leveraged moment you experienced in which you had to choose between serving God and serving yourself?


In that moment, what was the voice of the world saying to you? What was God saying to you?


In view of the mercy of the cross that you have already received, what would have been your most reasonable response to the choice you faced? How might God have used that response to advance the purposes of his Kingdom?

IGNITE: DAY 27

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 27


Colossians 2:6-7

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus
as Lord, continue to live your lives in him,
rooted and built up in him, strengthened
in the faith as you were taught, and
overflowing with thankfulness. (TNIV)


MEDITATION BY Becca Rodgers


Pounding. Crashing. Relentless. I sit far back at the edge of my little stretch of beach and watch the waves.

They beat the shoreline, constantly changing and molding the long stretches of sand. Under their pressure, the landscape is ever turning and moving. Sometimes the waves are gentle and soothing, and other times their force is overpowering and raging with incredible strength.

Many people seek peace and solace in this place as they walk along the shoreline and touch the water’s edge daily, but few enter the waves. So often I am like these people. Even at God's invitation for intimacy, I do not enter the water because I don’t think the waves are worth the scars that come with building and strengthening against the sometimes gentle, sometimes terrifyingly painful shaping of God.

I watch as a woman limps past me weaving in and out of the waves. She is visibly scarred. Handicapped, one arm reaches crippled to the right while one knee will not bend. This broken woman reaches deep within to walk on the sand and in the water. She could spend her life begging to be made whole, never exposing her flaws to others. But she does not—she comes out of her house and courageously chooses the things that give her life. This woman, limping on the sand, enters the journey and the struggle, and she is breathtakingly beautiful.

A little girl comes to play in the water. This girl has a scar on her face, yet she captivates watchers as she giggles, reaches for her mother, and looks around at all who inhabit her stretch of beach. In high school, this girl will spend hours in the mirror covering her scar. She will hope, dream about, and pursue flawlessness. But for now she is free. All she needs is a glance from a stranger, and she pirouettes knowing that every eye is on her and she is the center of the world in that moment. Even the vast ocean loses attention when this little girl takes center stage. The scar that she carries makes her who she is, and she is breathtakingly beautiful.

As passersby looking at the waves, we know that God invites us to enter—not just to wade in the shallow water, but to allow him to completely engulf and shape us in the process. Yet we consider the cost too high. We have seen others scarred and bruised and we do not want to be so visibly broken, afraid of what the scars may do to us. But I want to be one of these beautifully scarred children of God. I don’t want to walk safely through my relationship with Christ, never encountering his shaping or carrying the mark of his correction. No matter the scars that I will carry, I want to enter the waves.

I am my Beloved’s, and his desire is for me.




REFLECTION


In picturing the image of water and waves, how is God speaking to you? What has he been saying to you within the past week?


What gentle waters or crashing waves has God used to build and strengthen you?


Are you willing to enter the waves and acquire scars? What steps do you need to take in response to his invitation for intimacy?

IGNITE: DAY 26

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 26


John 15:4-8

Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the
branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless
it abides in the vine, neither can you
unless you abide in me.

I am the vine, you are the branches.
Those who abide in me and I in them
bear much fruit, because apart from me
you can do nothing. Whoever does not
abide in me is thrown away like a branch
and withers; such branches are gathered,
thrown into the fire, and burned.

If you abide in me, and my words abide
in you, ask for whatever you wish, and
it will be done for you. My Father is
glorified by this, that you bear much fruit
and become my disciples. (NRSV)





MEDITATION BY Stan Troyer


Early in my ministry as a pastor of a small dying church, God granted me favor and prospered the work of my hands. The church grew and in the span of 10 years, our community was 10 times the original number of people. Things were going well when all of a sudden “the wheels came off” this thriving ministry. My character came under attack and I could not understand what was going on or why. In a short time, more than half of the people left.

Looking back on this experience nearly 20 years ago, I now see that doing ministry had hindered the development of my prayer life. In particular, I had allowed my need for approval to keep me in a cycle of “doing” and prevented me from pursuing my heart’s longings for God. When ministry went south, I was drawn back to sitting at the feet of Jesus and simply abiding in him.

Spiritual and personal transformation is ignited by the Holy Spirit as we abide in Jesus and Jesus abides in us. In John 15:4-8, Jesus describes two
different aspects of our relationship with him.

First, he says, “Abide in me...” Jesus invites us into a relationship of being with him. This is the prayer of silence, “Be still and know that I am God.” It is the place of surrender and stillness in the presence of God, enjoying God without demanding anything from him. This is our “first-order calling." Abiding in Jesus confronts my self-reliance. Here, I trust fully in the finished work of Jesus on the cross to atone for all of my sin and make me whole. This is the posture of ruthless trust and total surrender.

Second, Jesus says, “…as I abide in you.” Jesus in me empowers me for ministry. This is the action side of my relationship with God. In this posture, I advance the Kingdom of God and my doing is used to change lives. This is our “second-order calling.”

Through my experiences as a church leader, I have learned that when prayer and action are balanced, doing flows out of being. In this posture, I am freed from the need to find my significance in what I do. I am able to step out of the performance trap that I have lived much of my life in. Rather, I live to enjoy the sweet presence of God.

Being in Christ results in the presence of Jesus radiating from my life and impacting others. It ignites my doing, and I am able to live out my calling more effectively.




REFLECTION


Re-read the scripture text slowly twice, listening for God’s message to you. Take several minutes of silence between each reading.


What is the Holy Spirit saying to you now?


What steps will you take to live a more balanced life?

IGNITE: DAY 25

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 25


I John 2:5-6

But those who obey God’s word truly
show how completely they love him.
That is how we know we are living in
him. Those who say they live in God
should live their lives as Jesus did. (NLT)

MEDITATION BY Kate White


I don’t know about you, but actually living by these words can seem ominous. I know I love God. He is my passion, my heart’s desire. I want him to know this. I want to live like Jesus did. But these words can make me feel like I fall short. He is sinless…I am not. He is God…I am human. How am I to comprehend this?

I have discovered that genuine transformation does not happen in the past or the future. It only happens now. If I read this passage and say, “Lord, forgive me for not obeying your Word more (the past)—I do love you,” or even “Help me to obey your Word more and live more like you (the future),” it is hard to see tangible change. I read the Word and applied it this way for years, and I have to say this left me feeling defeated at times.

Transformation also happens on a very small scale; it is the slightest degree or awareness of something new. So I ask: “Right now, in this moment, how am I obeying your Word? How am I living like you, Jesus?” Aside from some pat answers like, “I’m reading the Bible," or "I know a lot of verses by heart,”
I honestly don’t know.

I sit with these burning questions for a moment. The immediacy of “right now” and the fact that I don’t know stirs my heart and I tear up. A simpler answer fills me. “I am seeking you, Lord.” I hear his affirmation, “Yes.” I want to understand more; it is not just an exercise now…my heart is involved. My eye catches the phrase, “living in the Light,” from 1 John 1. Maybe this text holds some clues to living like Jesus.

A couple of verses stand out: Verses 5-6 say, “God is light and there is no darkness in him. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.” Verse 10 hits home too: “If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.”

I go back to my burning questions: “How am I loving God and obeying his Word right now? How am I living like Jesus right now?”

My eyes tear up again. His light is clarifying truth in my life that I had not seen before. I am controlling and co-dependent in ways I haven’t been willing to admit. I have made problem solving my idol. Instead of trusting God,
I have become weary in self-reliance, all the while serving him and playing the martyr. What was once in the darkness is now coming into the light.

I answer God, “Lord, I think I’m practicing truth.” Another tear falls, and a moment passes. “I’m glad you only show me small glimpses of my sin at a time. I don’t know what I’d do with all of it at once.” Then I answer the second question, “I long to change, Lord. Thank you for giving me the longing.”




REFLECTION


How are you obeying God, loving God right now in this moment?


How are you living like Jesus right now in this very moment?


No insight or movement toward God is too small even if the answer is, “I don’t know.” Did you just discount an answer because you thought it was too small or insignificant?

IGNITE: DAY 24

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 24


Luke 15:4-6

Suppose one of you has a hundred
sheep and loses one of them. Does he
not leave the ninety-nine in the open
country and go after the lost sheep
until he finds it?

And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it
on his shoulders and goes home. Then
he calls his friends and neighbors together
and says, "Rejoice with me; I have found
my lost sheep." (NIV)




MEDITATION BY Dayna Cermak


I encountered Kami at a time in her life when her heart was at the depth of darkness. It was inconceivable to her that anyone—let alone God—could love her. She was living an alternative lifestyle, in an unhealthy relationship with a woman, and trying to numb her pain with drugs. The more I learned about her life, the more I desperately wanted her to know how worthy she was of being loved. Eventually, Kami and I became close friends. And then it happened—after pursuing her for 27 years, God captured Kami’s heart.

It was 3 a.m. and I had just spent an evening hanging out with Kami and her friends in Hollywood. We were upstairs talking, when someone began passing around instruments—tambourines, bongo drums, a djembe—and I ended up with the guitar. I had just learned how to play, and only knew one song—a worship song. I began to play it, and before long, I was playing and singing another worship song, and then another. For nearly an hour, I sang and played songs I didn’t even know…and Kami and her friends were eagerly playing along. I knew it was a holy moment, a divine hour.

After the music subsided, I sat on the bed in complete adoration and thanksgiving, trying to grasp what had just happened. Kami approached me hesitantly and said, “I have never felt anything like that before. I had no control of how I was feeling, but it was good. You will probably think I’m crazy if I say this...”

“Try me,” I replied. “Well,” Kami began, “When we were singing, it was if I had this big, bright light inside my soul.” “I don’t think that’s strange at all,” I said. “In fact I’m pretty sure the bright light inside your soul was God letting you know how much he loves you.”

Finally, Kami experienced God’s overwhelming love. She had spent her whole life running from him—wounded, wandering alone, and slowly dying inside. Little did she know that her Shepherd had left the 99 to chase after her. Just two hours earlier, she did not believe in God, and now we were talking about what it meant to have a relationship with Jesus.

Nobody is beyond being loved, no heart is too dark for his love to transform. Those of us who have received God’s extravagant love are challenged to be the bearers of his love to those who are lost.

In my life, it has been much easier to talk about God’s love than to really love others. It takes much courage to leave the safety of 99 and pursue the one. I would venture to say that in the eyes of our Rescuer, settling for 99 would grieve his heart. Kami still had a long road of healing ahead, but she can move forward in the knowledge that she is loved and has been transformed by the magnificent, steadfast love of her Redeemer.




REFLECTION


What keeps us from reaching out and genuinely loving the people in our lives, whether they are friends, family, or people we pass on the street?


Why are we so often afraid to love others in the deepness of their heart? What keeps us from building relationships and loving people who are very different from us?


Who in your life can you be praying for and reaching out to? Are you willing to risk leaving the 99 and go after the one?

IGNITE: DAY 23

THERE IS LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS
SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 23


Isaiah 56:6-8

And the foreigners who join themselves
to the Lord, to minister to him, to love
the name of the Lord, and to be his
servants, all who keep the Sabbath,
and do not profane it, and hold fast my
covenant—these I will bring to my holy
mountain, and make them joyful in my
house of prayer; their burnt-offerings
and their sacrifices will be accepted on
my altar; for my house shall be called a
house of prayer for all peoples.

Thus says the Lord GOD, who gathers
the outcasts of Israel... (NRSV, emphasis added)

MEDITATION BY Jeff Simons


During Lent, my spiritual community practices an exercise which focuses on sensing the suffering and passion of Christ. Connecting to the present suffering of the oppressed around us is one way of relating to Christ’s passion.

Isaiah shows us that God has set an intentional connecting space for all peoples. God’s mission in this world is a potent centrifugal force—sending people out. But we also see God’s magnetic centripetal force—drawing people into spaces of authentic connection with their Creator.

Isn’t this passage from the Old Testament, before Jesus gave the Great Commission? Yet it’s the same call—concern for the foreigner, desirous that God’s house be one of prayer for all nations, not just Israel. In fact, throughout the Old Testament, the echo of God’s heart for inclusion of the “foreigner” is persistent.

Seven hundred years later, we experience the jarring scene of Christ raging through the temple court, upending tables of vendors and sending goods sprawling (Matthew 21:12-13). This is the Christ we don’t often see! What is this righteous indignation he displays?

Isaiah sheds light on the spark that ignited such a holy fury. This specific area of the temple was that which God designed for the “foreigner among you,” the space set as “a house of prayer for all peoples.” And it was now made into a marketplace, an obstacle for the nations seeking to encounter their Creator. It was the ultimate selfish act of indifferent exclusion by God’s people, and it enraged Jesus.

I’m swept back to a mission trip I took as a teen. I loved serving alongside friends and “feeling a little better about myself.” But God laid a heavy burden on my heart during that trip. For the first time, I caught a brief but overwhelming sense of the deep uneasiness of Christ at the obstacles created by the selfish, comfortable posture of my own life, culture, and church—obstacles inhibiting others from encountering God. My call to lifelong mission ignited that day. I was young and naïve, but touched by a spark of the fury of Christ. I have since been hashing out this deep lament with God and others, determined to no longer ignore the obstacles that I’ve helped create.

I, like many of you, live near a big city, and I see the rapidly growing diversity around me. Isaiah was addressing Israel in the Old Testament, but the spirit of the command remains true today. Isaiah gives me a new lens to see that God is once again passionately drawing all peoples into connection with God’s people. And I am moved to respond with embrace, rather than with indifferent exclusion.


REFLECTION


Take a few minutes to reflect on the various kinds of diversity present in the place God has planted you. What feelings and emotions surface when you think about the diverse people you live among? Take time to express these emotions authentically to God.


In what ways is God drawing “the nations” to your neighborhood, church, and social circles? What small or large injustices are you possibly ignoring, or contributing to in the daily “norm,” that may be presenting obstacles for others to encounter God?


In what ways might God be igniting a “holy frustration” in you? How can you find creative ways to speak or act in a counter-cultural way to help to combat one obstacle, so that others may experience more of the light of the Kingdom?

IGNITE: DAY 22

THERE IS A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS
SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 22


Hebrews 5:7-8

During the days of Jesus' life on earth,
he offered up prayers and petitions with
loud cries and tears to the one who could
save him from death, and he was heard
because of his reverent submission.

Although he was a Son, he learned
obedience from what he suffered… (NIV)

MEDITATION BY Myra Perrine


As a little girl, I dreamed of becoming a mommy. My favorite pastime was pretending my dollies were my children, but four decades later—still unmarried and without kids—I found my hopes of ever becoming a mother fading with my childbearing years. Then one night as I was leaving a group of friends who were all married (as usual), I felt hot, angry tears erupting from within because of accumulated hurts and disappointments. Feeling powerless to change my situation, I spoke honestly to God: " Lord, I don't like the way my life turned out, and I am very disappointed with. . .YOU!"

In the silence, I heard these words: “I’m a Man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.”My crying stopped abruptly. I listened carefully as Jesus seemed to say,
"My life was filled with undesirable circumstances, too; I understand your pain more than you know.” In the stillness, this alternate viewpoint slowly unfolded.

Since the fall of man, the world has been polluted with sin, thus we are all born into “Plan B”—Jesus included. Yet our Man of Sorrows willingly came into this fallen world—even though he is God the Son—so that we might escape Plan B’s curse everyday…a curse that was never his desire. He did not design me (or any of his children) to experience broken-heartedness due to the fall—a consequence that’s affected him, too. Yet while he could have closed his eyes to our suffering (and chalked it up to our own bad choices), instead he came near. Now every time we hurt, he hurts.

Like a loving, committed parent, God feels the pain of his children, and each person who causes me pain causes him pain as well. Throughout my lifetime, the Lord has not been distant or detached, nor has he been the cause of my difficulties. He grieves when people hurt one another, yet he comes into the midst of our heartaches, allowing the effects of a “world-gone-mad without God” to also touch him.

Jesus could have reprimanded me that night with: “Myra, you’re so ungrateful. Haven’t I blessed you in other ways?” But he didn’t correct me. Instead, he entered into my pain and showed me that he understood because he suffered as well—yet through it learned obedience. In the Greek, the word "obedience" means to listen, understand, and heed. Jesus learned to listen to Abba and heed his words…no matter what.

Now, as our Man of Sorrows, he is attuned to our pain, continually interceding and welcoming our authentic, heartfelt words, even when they come through loud cries and tears. He shows us how to listen, understand, and heed the Father just as he did—this One who came to live with us so that we might live with him forever.

REFLECTION


As you focus upon the life of Christ during Lent, what are you going through that you need to honestly offer up to Abba with prayers, petitions, loud cries, and tears?


Although you are God's child, how is He asking you to learn obedience by listening, understanding, and heeding his voice today?


As you tell Jesus what’s really on your heart and mind, pause now to let him share his perspective, offering you the comfort of his presence today…right in the midst of your pain.

INGNITE: DAY 21

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 21


Galatians 3:26-29

You are all sons of God through faith
in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were
baptized into Christ have clothed
yourselves with Christ. There is neither
Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor
female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
If you belong to Christ, then you are
Abraham's seed, and heirs according to
the promise. (NIV)




MEDITATION BY Phil Alessi


Each February, Bryant Park in Manhattan is abuzz with the coming of Fashion Week. Tents go up and the media is everywhere, anticipating the strut of models adorned with the year's sensations.

Downtown is the Fashion District, uptown are the chic stores of Fifth Avenue. From our rooftop near the East River in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, we can see the neighborhoods where distinctive clothing marks diverse cultures—the Hipsters and their vintage clothing, the Hasidics adorned in plain black caftans, and the Hispanic community in bright colors.

Our prayer and passion is to see people in this urban diversity become his. Many times I pray Aaron's benediction from Deuteronomy: "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

In studying a harmony of the Gospels, we can find Jesus in only nine religious settings. He spent a lot of his time where people lived life, and we must seek to do the same. How can we "wear" Jesus and make him visible to those around us? The Lord who clothes us with himself is able to open doors that seem closed. We've had several opportunities to wear Jesus around our neighborhood: turning off lights one Sabbath evening for Joel, fixing a bike for young kids on the sidewalk, and switching on the air conditioner for Aaron during a heat wave on a Sabbath evening, which then enabled us to make a connection with the rest of his family.

I've found myself on several occasions in Isaac's apartment, including one time during the preparation for the Feast of Tabernacles when wood was being delivered to build a Sukkoh, a temporary wooden structure. For seven days, Jewish families like Isaac’s celebrate as a reminder of God's faithfulness to the nation of Israel during their 40 years in the wilderness.

I offered to help carry up the wood which was too large to bring in the
elevator. Isaac asked several times, “Do I have to pay you?” and “Why do
you want to do this?” I assured him there was no charge and I was just being a neighbor. I offered to help him build the Sukkoh, and was invited to do so the following week. It was a blessing to work together with a man whose family I had prayed for several times from my rooftop. Now, Isaac and I exchange greetings on the street.

The apostle Paul tells us that clothing is the key to others becoming his. It is not enough to represent Christ verbally; we need to "wear" the visible Jesus for all to see. We are seeking to posture our lives so that people in these communities can see him. In our experiences, we did not invite our neighbors to a meeting or give them something to read. We prayed for them and we showed up wearing Jesus.




REFLECTION


Read Galatians 5:22-23. What spiritual clothing does Paul list here? Who is the designer?


How has the Spirit been directing you to be involved in the lives of people around you?


How can you use some of your interests and passions to be a blessing to people in your neighborhood?

IGNITE: DAY 20

THERE'S A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS.

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 20


Colossians 3:2-4

Set your minds on things that are above,
not on things that are on earth. For you
have died, and your life is hidden with
Christ in God.

When Christ who is your life appears,
then you also will appear with him in
glory. (ESV)

MEDITATION by Tim McDonald


If you are anything like me, when you hear Jesus’ words, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10), it evokes a strange mixture of joyful hope and sorrowful longing. My soul hungers for abundant life. Every fiber in me groans for it, but in a world that is so broken, “life” can seem more complicated than abundant. It can feel more overwhelming than fulfilling. Life can seem so lifeless.

And it is here, in one simple sentence, that Paul challenges us to lift up our eyes. Change your focus, he says, from what you see “on earth” to “things that are above”…from what feels real to what is real. Rather than a call to escapism, it is a call to perspective. Knowing how prone we are as people to get stuck in the pain of circumstance and the seductions of false pleasures, he calls us to look up.

To us, Paul’s call can seem impractical and simplistic, even trite. How can we be expected to look beyond our senses to see that which we cannot see? It is not until we consider that this sentence was written by an imprisoned man—who knew much about broken systems, broken people, and being broken—that we are aware of the power of this call. Paul knew that this is the “earth” that we find ourselves “planted” in. Though often feeling more like the seed cast amongst thorns, “…choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life…” (Luke 8:14), he knew that it is here that God meets us. And, knowing all there is to know about our heart’s desires and our mind’s longings, our Lord gives us exactly what we need…himself. He is our life.

As we reflect on what God is igniting within us this Lenten Season, we must hear this call to lift up our eyes. Surely this is why Paul includes this exhortation in the middle of his letter to the Colossians, why the author of Hebrews calls the readers to “fix their eyes upon Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2), and why Jesus himself calls his followers to abide in him (John 15:4).

Our great God, it seems, is never content to leave us as we are. Never content to see a life wasted, he hides the precious reality of who we are…who we are becoming…with himself in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). He beckons us to keep our eyes focused on what is really real…our life hidden with Jesus, his imminent return and our eternal relationship with him in glory.

But there’s more…knowing that we need more than to just "know" that we have to fight everyday for this life in Christ, God gave us in his holy scriptures the most powerful tool he can give—hope. Hope of who we really are. Hope of who we can and will become. Hope in who really holds us in himself.

And this hope does not disappoint!


REFLECTION


What ideas, thoughts, or behaviors have kept you from the life that God is calling you to?


What truths of the realities of who God is and who you are do you need to focus on as you seek God’s best for you?


What do you think of the possibility of being so heavenly minded that one is of no earthly good?

ENCOUNTER: DAY 19

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 19


Isaiah 6

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw
the Lord seated on a throne, high and
exalted, and the train of his robe filled
the temple. Above him were seraphs,
each with six wings: With two wings they
covered their faces, with two they covered
their feet, and with two they were flying.
And they were calling to one another: "
Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory."

…Then one of the seraphs flew to me with
a live coal in his hand, which he had taken
with tongs from the altar. With it he touched
my mouth and said, "See, this has touched
your lips; your guilt is taken away and your
sin atoned for." Then I heard the voice of the
Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who
will go for us?"

And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" (NIV)


MEDITATION BY Steve Hoke


Can you recall an unexpected encounter that was truly life changing, where the result far exceeded your expectation? We are not the first generation in history to live through political turmoil, economic uneasiness, and leadership turnover. Isaiah, too, lived in chaotic times. Yet his divine encounter with the holiness of God models a breakthrough we may anticipate this season.

Recently graduated from "Prophets’ School," Isaiah was learning the ropes of being God’s voice to a resistant people. His sponsor-mentor, King Uzziah, had just died, leaving Isaiah unprotected and vulnerable. What early confidence he might have had was already beaten out of him by criticism and the apparent deafness of the people. Whom could he trust?

Possibly bewildered and unsure of himself, he was surely seeking solace, silence, and solitude when he entered the temple at daybreak. Unexpectedly, the Lord of all Nations shakes the building to its foundation and gives the young seer a personal view of his utter holiness. Instead of solace, he is confronted by his own sinfulness and the desperate disconnect between Israel and their God. Instead of silence, he witnesses a special effects display. Instead of solitude, he encounters intimacy with Yahweh. Unexpectedly, Isaiah's first and natural response is confession—both individual and corporate: “I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips.” Unexpectedly , the excruciating pain of a white-hot coal tenderizes his lips, purifying his uncleanness.

I have long been surprised that holiness and wounding are related. Most of life, I sought to get my ministry act together to take it on the road. Like young Isaiah, I thought preparation, appearance, and associations were important. But when I experienced Abba’s unconditional love and the severe mercy of his cleansing, I shared Isaiah’s wonder at how a holy God would ever invite me to join him in being a witness to the nations. Hesitant and humbled, I gladly confessed my desperate dependence on Jesus. And totally unexpectedly, now aware of my wounded inadequacy, the Spirit sent me.

Years later as an aging prophet, seared by the Refiner’s fire in his youth, Isaiah would be able to foresee the healing of the nations and write, “…by your wounds our wounds are healed” (53:5). Having experienced wounding deeply and early, he could predict with hope the holiness to come.

Divine encounter happens best when we leave the mundane to meet the Almighty. Make space for renewed worship this season. Clear out the typical expectations of your past experiences. Anticipate the unexpected.


REFLECTION


As you prepare to worship, what uncleanness and weakness is the Spirit calling you to confess?


What dependence is Jesus inviting you into?


What posture do you assume in Abba’s presence?

ENCOUNTER: DAY 18

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 18


Psalm 145:14-17

The LORD upholds all those who fall and
lifts up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look to you, and you give
them their food at the proper time. You
open your hand and satisfy the desires of
every living thing.

The LORD is righteous in all his ways and
loving toward all he has made. (NIV)


MEDITATION BY Donna George


“Please come and watch me skate,” Hannah, then six, asked for the third time that cold, Saturday morning. I had many un-checked things on my to-do list and my mind was focused on my tasks. Oh, how I love to check things off my list! “Please come and watch me skate,” Hannah pleaded. I finally agreed to a 15-minute showing at our local ice rink in Szeged, Hungary.

After putting on her skates and venturing out onto the ice, Hannah held on to the wall and repeated the phrase I’d heard many times before: “Watch me.” Something happened at that very moment. An incredible wave of love for my child swept over me. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. As she slowly skated around the large rink, Hannah would pause and lean against the wall—each time looking back at me, just to make sure I was watching. I smiled and waved enthusiastically every time she turned my way.

It wasn’t just that I wanted to encourage her; I wanted her to sense my incredible love for her. I did not take my eyes off her. I never wanted her to turn and see that my eyes weren’t completely focused on her. My love for her at that moment was so amazing. It was powerful and strong, yet simple. I didn’t love her because of her new-found skills on the rink, but just because she was Hannah. She was my precious daughter. Eventually, I left the rink to do my errands, but their importance had diminished quickly in light of the time I spent watching my daughter. Everything seemed far less important than my experience of “loving” Hannah as she slowly skated on the ice. God knew what my heart had experienced. He gently whispered to me, “Donna, I love you like that. I am always here, watching you, expectantly waiting for you to look my way. I love you not because of what you’re doing, but just because you’re you.”

My encounter with Hannah that morning went deeper than a simple, “Mommy, watch me.” It was an encounter with a Jesus kind of love. It was an encounter with the One who knew all about me—all that I would and would not do, all of the nice things and all of the not so nice, the One who knew all that I could become and all that I lacked—yet was willing to sacrifice all on my behalf.

There are times when I focus on the to dos, or even on the challenges of my circumstances. My eyes are on me, on the trials of the day. Psalm 145 challenges us to look to God and to realize his righteousness. He satisfies us as nothing else can. He gives us our food—physical and spiritual nourishment. He lifts up the humble. He is “loving toward all he has made.” His love is powerful, yet simple. Our God’s incredible love keeps him looking in our direction, aware of our heart’s desires and meeting us in the difficult and challenging places. He is there, waiting for you to look his way.


REFLECTION


How have you encountered this incredible love from God recently?


What in your life prohibits you from looking to him and having your desires met?


What desire do you have that you hope God will satisfy?

ENCOUNTER: DAY 17

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 17


Psalm 46:10

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will
be exalted among the nations, I will be
exalted in the earth." (NIV)


MEDITATION by Chet Seapy


It was 5:00 a.m. and all was still. We were tucked in bed, sound asleep, when suddenly a large explosion rattled the windows of our 10th floor apartment. While living in Caracas, Venezuela, my family had grown accustomed to hearing all sorts of loud noises from the streets below, but when I heard the popping of nearby gunfire, I became concerned for the safety of my wife and our two young boys.

Carefully peering through our bedroom window, I looked down onto the major street below to see what was happening. There were numerous police cars, and about 20 Venezuelan police officers having a shootout with six malandros (bad guys). It was like watching the live version of a television police show, but the bullets were real. Six young men had robbed a store and the police were in full pursuit. One of their patrol cars had been blown up with a hand grenade. The battle seemed to go on forever, but after a short time, the gunfight came to an end. I watched the police drag the dead bodies of three young thieves across the pavement and throw them into the back of their jeeps and drive away.

“Be still, and know that I am God,” the psalmist tells us. How can I be still when people are being killed outside my bedroom window? How can I remain calm when it seems that everything is in turmoil? I wonder if Jesus meditated on these words while he was being beaten and crucified on the cross. Jesus had every opportunity to be concerned for his life and for the well-being of those whom he loved, but by faith he chose to be still and know that his Father would use the moment for good, and that he would “be exalted among the nations.”

Caracas was not the safest place in the world to live, but it was a great place to learn how to depend upon God daily for his care and protection. Now that I live in the U.S., life is different, but I still find myself being challenged in the area of being still and knowing that he is God. How can I be still when I don’t know how tomorrow’s bills are going to be paid? How can I be calm when my aging father has dementia, and my adult children don’t appear to be making wise decisions?

It is by faith. By faith I humble myself, totally surrendering everything to God, relying on him and not on myself. God will accomplish his work in me. My job is to be still and know that he is God. Lord, help me to be still. Lord, help me to appreciate the bullets in life that drive me into a deeper relationship with you. May you be exalted among the nations.

Even though the earth give way, God will be our refuge and strength, and he will be an ever-present help in trouble. “The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

REFLECTION


What kinds of things cause you to become stressed and anxious in life?


Are you being still? If not, in what ways could you do a better job at being still and knowing that he is God?


How is God using your life to make his name to be exalted among the nations?