April 16, 2019 Lent Daily Devotion: An Unseen Hand

An Unseen Hand

Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. ~ ISAIAH 43:1-3

On Labor Day, 1965, a group of us went for a swim at Harvey Cedars, Long Beach Island. It was such a low tide that we waded out far beyond the small breakers to our waist depth. Off the Carolina coast, however, were three hurricanes churning their way northward. We had no idea they would cause problems for us so far away.

Suddenly, we were all pulled out over our heads by a rip current. Our 12-year-old Janet, though she could swim, was being pulled out farther. I grabbed the straps of her bathing suit and just held on. I myself was a strong swimmer, but never before had I experienced any current like this. Ted, also a swimmer, grabbed Judy, then 9 years old, who could neither swim nor float. As I saw her arm around his neck, holding on for dear life, it occurred to me that if she pulled Ted down, we could lose them both.

We did a lot of praying and treading water in that half hour of terror. Finally, lifeguards realized we were in trouble, and our rescue began. We found out later that trying to swim straight in was impossible with the circulation of the current, and this is what had exhausted us so much.

Looking back over the 54 years since this experience, I realize that we were sustained both emotionally and physically that day by an unseen hand. Thank you, Lord, for saving us that day, and...

Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul Thank you, Lord, for making me whole Thank you, Lord, for giving to me
Thy great salvation so rich and free.

KATHRYN DAVISON, EVANGELICAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH & UNITED METHODIST COMMUNITIES, PITMAN

April 15, 2019 Lent Daily Devotional: The Shepherds, Bethlehem, and the Lamb

The Shepherds, Bethlehem, and the Lamb

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times. ~ MICAH 5:2 (NIV)

I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the Lord. ~ JEREMIAH 23:4 (NIV)

Why was Jesus born in Bethlehem? Only in Bethlehem were lambs raised pure and special enough for sacrifice in the temple. Seven hundred years before Jesus’ birth, Micah prophesied Bethlehem would be the birthplace of God’s Son.

The Bethlehem shepherds were no ordinary shepherds. The shepherds for these sacrificial lambs were educated in the Law of Moses. They were trained to keep the temple lambs pure and perfect in every way.

At their birth, the lambs were examined to be sure they were flawless and without fault. The perfect lambs were wrapped in swaddling cloths. This certified they were a “holy birth.” We have never read that Mary packed a diaper bag when she and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem. Yet we read in Luke 2:7 that “she wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger.”

Mary must surely have used what was available. She wrapped Him in strips of cloth. Her precious baby boy, the Perfect Lamb, born to save the world. As the lambs were wrapped in swaddling cloths to signify they were of holy birth, so was Jesus.

The shepherds lived out in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. To them was delivered the message of the holy birth. They were told the baby could be found wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. The shepherds understood the meaning of this message more than most.

Because of their profession, this group of shepherds would not have been permitted to take part in any ceremony or worship at the temple. Their worship was an individual act. Yet, God chose them to offer praise to One who would be called the Good Shepherd. They were the first to see and worship the Lamb of God.

This perfect Son of God came for all people. He was born to give His life as a sacrifice to save the world.

O Heavenly Father, who sent your Son, your Only Son, to be a sacrificial lamb for all mankind, let us live our lives worthy of such an awesome love.

DOLORES DANIELS, TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

April 14, 2019 Lent Daily Devotional: Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

MATTHEW 21:1-11 (NIV)

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village
ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there,
with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to

me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

“Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed
them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked,

“Who is this?”
The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in

Galilee.”

This was a day for celebration. People were happy to see Jesus. They made the occasion big with a parade. They cut branches from palm trees and waved them and scattered them on the ground. They cheered and shouted to Jesus as He came into the city. For that day, He was a popular figure. They thought He was going to be their new king on earth.

Thus began what we now call “Holy Week.” It is a special time to worship God and reflect upon His great sacrifice as we look ahead to next Sunday when we will rejoice in the resurrection.

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Monday, April 15

The Shepherds, Bethlehem, and the Lamb

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times. ~ MICAH 5:2 (NIV)

I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the Lord. ~ JEREMIAH 23:4 (NIV)

Why was Jesus born in Bethlehem? Only in Bethlehem were lambs raised pure and special enough for sacrifice in the temple. Seven hundred years before Jesus’ birth, Micah prophesied Bethlehem would be the birthplace of God’s Son.

The Bethlehem shepherds were no ordinary shepherds. The shepherds for these sacrificial lambs were educated in the Law of Moses. They were trained to keep the temple lambs pure and perfect in every way.

At their birth, the lambs were examined to be sure they were flawless and without fault. The perfect lambs were wrapped in swaddling cloths. This certified they were a “holy birth.” We have never read that Mary packed a diaper bag when she and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem. Yet we read in Luke 2:7 that “she wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger.”

Mary must surely have used what was available. She wrapped Him in strips of cloth. Her precious baby boy, the Perfect Lamb, born to save the world. As the lambs were wrapped in swaddling cloths to signify they were of holy birth, so was Jesus.

The shepherds lived out in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. To them was delivered the message of the holy birth. They were told the baby could be found wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. The shepherds understood the meaning of this message more than most.

Because of their profession, this group of shepherds would not have been permitted to take part in any ceremony or worship at the temple. Their worship was an individual act. Yet, God chose them to offer praise to One who would be called the Good Shepherd. They were the first to see and worship the Lamb of God.

This perfect Son of God came for all people. He was born to give His life as a sacrifice to save the world.

O Heavenly Father, who sent your Son, your Only Son, to be a sacrificial lamb for all mankind, let us live our lives worthy of such an awesome love.

DOLORES DANIELS, TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

April 13, 2019 Lent Daily Devotional: Poor In Spirit

Poor in Spirit

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ~ MATTHEW 5:3 (NIV)

Jesus gave the Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount. The Beatitudes describe traits that Jesus was looking for in His followers. He begins each one with the word, “Blessed,” because God has something special in store for those who live out these traits. Jesus demonstrated each trait He describes in the Beatitudes, and He lets us know that they are in direct opposition to the world’s typical way of life. As followers of Jesus Christ, our goal is to be like Him, and the Beatitudes will definitely change and challenge the way we live each day.

“Poor in spirit” is recognizing our need for God. When we are away from God, our spirits are poverty-stricken. Once we acknowledge Him as our King, the kingdom of heaven is ours. At times our spirits are empty or we are at the end of our rope, so to speak. Where do we turn? How do we get filled up and find joy? We go to God because with God, we are truly blessed, and as His followers we have hope in eternity with Him. With God, we find joy. Our circumstances might not change right away, but our way of looking at them will. When we are “poor in spirit,” Satan is at work in us. He will try anything to get us away from God, but we must remember the end of the story — God wins!

Lord, we give our weaknesses to you that we may be strengthened and used for your service.

CHAR GAYLORD, BETHLEHEM LUTHERAN CHURCH

To read all the Beatitudes: Matthew 5:1-12

April 12, 2019: What's Your Future Hold?

What’s Your Future Hold?

He has made everything appropriate in its time. Also He has set eternity in their heart, yet so that man may not find out the work which God has done from beginning to end. ~ ECCLESIASTES 3:11 (NAS)

When I was a young woman, I was invited to a palm reader at a neighbor’s home. I was skeptical, yet I wanted to know the future. I remember nothing she said about my future. No great prediction. Later, after dedicating my heart to the Lord and learning from scripture that the Lord forbade such things, I renounced them, asked forgiveness, and destroyed all the material I had gathered. (Deut. 18:10-14; Lev. 19:31, 20:6)

Most people want to know what the future holds. And some Christians still read their horoscopes (for what they think is harmless fun). (Dan. 2:27) We want our future settled. We create IRAs, plan pensions, make wills and medical directives, and purchase cemetery plots. We want to know our future is taken care of, yet eternal life is the only concern that can be settled. In St. Augustine, Florida, where Ponce De Leon landed in 1513, there’s the legendary Fountain of Youth (in a hole in the ground). You can drink from a supplied plastic cup from the spigot. The water tastes brassy and has

provided no documented healing or rejuvenation. Yet people still come.
In Punta Gorda, Florida, another Fountain of Youth site offers a spigot producing water laced with radioactive radium and sulfur; it smells like rotten eggs. It has a warning sign on it from the health department. Yet for

a hundred years, people from miles around have traveled there for a sip. Looking to live longer or maybe forever? Move to Florida where the highest number of seniors live in this country. Yet no statistics prove they live longer. To worry about the afterlife can be puzzling. We don’t know what it’s really like. And we don’t know why God loves us like He does. We only

know His promise to prepare a place and receive us in His Father’s house. No prophet, sorcerer, medium, or astrologist can predict or confirm our getting there. And all the savings, work, and stored up supplies don’t assure us of eternal life either. The only act that can assure our eternal existence

with God is the one Jesus paid for each of us — His death on the cross. God placed eternity in our hearts. Do you know where your eternity is

or what your future holds? I pray it’s in Jesus.

Most gracious Father, thank you for your everlasting love and sending Jesus to prepare the only way to eternity in heaven.

PASTOR SHERRY ZAPPOLA, RETIRED

April 11, 2019 Lent Daily Devotional: All In For Jesus?

All In For Jesus?

O God, You have taught me from my youth;
And to this day I declare Your wondrous works.
Now also when I am old and grayheaded,
O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to everyone who is to come. ~ PSALM 71:17-18 (NKJV)

While we were living in Florida, we attended one of the local Methodist churches. We looked forward to Sundays in this church, as the pastor gave inspiring and thought-provoking sermons.

One Sunday the pastor told of the night he was relaxing while watching TV. As he flipped through the channels, he came upon a gambling show. He wasn’t particularly interested in the show, but he was curious enough to watch a few minutes of it. One of the players had a large pile of chips in front of him. He was debating how many of the chips to put back in. Finally, he decided to bet them all. So he said to the dealer, “I’m all in.” He put all his chips in the middle of the table, risking them all.

Our pastor asked the congregation, “How about you? Are you all in for Jesus? Have you risked everything you have for Him, serving Him with your whole heart, or have you kept something back for yourself?”

I ask that of myself today. Is there something I’m not willing to surrender to Him, some area that is not wholly His? I pray that God will show me where I’m trying to hold some of the “chips” back for my own use or pleasure. May I be “all in” for Him because He certainly was “all in” for me.

Lord Jesus, may we never take for granted how much you sacrificed for each of us. May we gladly and joyfully give our all in service to you and others. Amen.

MARY LOU STETSER, ZION COMMUNITY CHURCH

Suggested reading: Acts 5:1-11

April 10, 2019 Lent Daily Devotional: The Seasons of Life

Photo by: Mike Ralph

The Seasons of Life

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted. ~ ECCLESIASTES 3:1-2 (ESV)

God created the earth, God created the seasons, and God created us. Have you ever thought about the seasons of the year and how they match with stages of our own lives?

Spring can be compared to the birth and growth of a child. Think of spring with the budding of tender new tree leaves, the sprouting of new seedlings. Quickly the seedlings grow and mature. Many plants produce fruit and multiply.

Soon summer arrives with young plants facing the challenges of life such as hot weather, droughts, thunderstorms, and so on. This is the stage of life with good experiences as well as challenging opportunities. When God created the earth, He equipped plants and wildlife to adapt and survive. God did that for human beings as well, but He also gave us the intellect to reason through tough situations. Most importantly, He gave us a choice to live a life that is pleasing in His sight and a choice to accept His Son Jesus Christ.

All too quickly fall arrives, and the plants and wildlife begin to prepare to survive the difficulties of maturity and old age. Trees store the sap in their trunks. Leaves fall off the trees, while squirrels make nests and bury acorns for warmth and food. Bears prepare to hibernate. In this third season of life, humans become older, and their focus changes from a philosophy of “eat, drink, and be merry” to one of maturity, serenity, and reconciliation.

Finally, winter is here. It gets cold outside, trees lose all their foliage, and tubular flowers are dormant under the soil, awaiting the arrival of the new spring. Winter can feel cold, bleak, and desolate. So it is with us as we think about the hereafter if we don’t know Jesus as our personal Savior.

Have you reconciled with your Maker? Are you ready for the rebirth of spring and the new life in eternity? Take a moment to examine yourself and make sure you are prepared to meet your Maker at the pearly gates of Heaven. I’m ready, are you?

Our dear heavenly Father, I am sorry for my transgressions and ask that you will forgive me for them. I know that your Son died on the cross for me and that whosoever believes in Him will enjoy eternal life. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

FRED TOMLIN, FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, GLASSBORO

April 9, 2019 Lent Daily Devotional: Finding God, or Being Found By Him?

Finding God, or Being Found by Him?

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. ~ LUKE 15:20 (NIV)

We know it as the Parable of the Prodigal Son, but in telling the story, Jesus’ focus was not the son but the father. It is a parable about a father’s love toward his lost son, a father who is ever looking with longing for his lost son to return. When the son is a long way off, the father runs to meet and embrace him and to receive him with tender love and forgiveness.

In reality, Jesus is telling this story about God’s love for us, how we are the lost ones, and how God has taken the initiative to find us and to welcome us home.

In his book The Return of the Prodigal Son, Henri Nouwen writes: “For most of my life I have struggled to find God, to know God, to love God. I have tried hard to follow the guidelines of spiritual life — pray always, work for others, read the scriptures — and to avoid the many temptations to dissipate myself. I have failed many times but always tried again, even when I was close to despair.”

Nouwen goes on, “Now I wonder whether I have sufficiently realized that during all this time God has been trying to find me, to know me, and to love me. The question is not ‘How am I to find God?’ but ‘How am I to let myself be found by him?’ The question is not ‘How am I to know God?’ but ‘How am I to let myself be known by God?’ And, finally, the question is not ‘How am I to love God?’ but ‘How am I to let myself be loved by God?’ God is looking into the distance for me, trying to find me, and longing to bring me home.”

As we move through the season of Lent, these are significant questions for us to ponder, for we must be mindful that it is always God who takes the initiative. “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:10)

Heavenly Father, help us to allow ourselves to be found by you, to be known by you, and to be loved by you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

PASTOR GARY TURK, RETIRED,