Joshua 5:9 (NRSV) 9 The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt.” And so that place is called Gilgal to this day. “I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt.” Those must have been the best words ever spoken to the people of Israel. Your shame has been converted to joy. Your hardship has been redeemed to love. Your future is now brightly in front of you and not haunted by your past.  We all need to hear these words in our lives. Not one of us, if we are … Continue reading Lenten Devotion for March 29, 2019

Luke 15:1–2 (NRSV) 15 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” “Be careful the company you keep” is probably not an unfamiliar expression for us. “You don’t want to get caught up in the wrong crowd” is another way to say it.But if we are not careful these wise words of warning about being swayed by others to act inappropriately can lead to building up walls around our life and digging moats around our … Continue reading Lenten Devotion for March 28, 2019

Joshua 5:9–12 (NRSV) 9 The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt.” And so that place is called Gilgal to this day. 10 While the Israelites were camped in Gilgal they kept the passover in the evening on the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho. 11 On the day after the passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12 The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land, and the Israelites no longer had … Continue reading Lenten Devotion for March 26, 2019

Isaiah 55:6 (NRSV) 6 Seek the Lord while he may be found,call upon him while he is near; Life is meant to be lived with purpose but not inflexibility. Life is best experienced and contemplated. Life is straightforward and full of contradictions. And our faith journey is best to be lived urgently but not anxiously. “Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near.” Tomorrow is made different by what we do today. That we have already established recently. Today’s passage is one more reminder of the windows of time that God gives to draw … Continue reading Lenten Devotion for March 23, 2019