Ministry Matters™ | Christian Resources for Church Leaders



The Sanctuary for Lent 2020

Sam McGlothlin

Author’s Note

Each day’s reflection ends with an invitation to practice your faith. If you miss a day, it is okay. If a practice doesn’t work for you, make up your own. My hope is that we will ask deep questions of ourselves and experience God through tactile, participatory action.

Prayers for the journey, my friends.

Contents

Repent 2

Recover 6

Remember 13

Rest 20

Release 27

Rise 34

Relive 41

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press


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Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Repent

Ash Wednesday, February 26

“But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

—Matthew 6:6

Today, we enter into the season of Lent and receive the gritty reminder: “From dust you came and to dust you will return.” This forty-day trek through the wilderness beckons us to take a hard look inside ourselves. It asks us to address how we have hurt others, how others have hurt us, how we need to repent.

If this sounds challenging, it is. Most of us would rather skip straight to Easter. However, if we want true healing, we have to confront our pain. If we want better relationships, we have to have uncomfortable conversations. If we want depth in our walks with God, we have to consistently and intentionally meet with God in secret.

The passages in Matthew from the Sermon on the Mount serve as a warning and an invitation. Jesus warns us that prayer, fasting, and giving for public praise or approval is not the way of the kingdom. Jesus invites us into a secret place where the strivings of this world cease; where our hearts hear themselves beat again. If we choose to take Jesus’ invitation seriously, these next forty days of reckoning will lead to revival.

Practice: Read Matthew 6:1-21 and spend five minutes in prayer alone with God. End with the Lord’s Prayer.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

Repent

Thursday, February 27

Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your steadfast love;

according to your abundant mercy

blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin.

—Psalm 51:1-2

Lent asks us to hold a mirror to our hearts, to examine our interior life. Doing so requires that we face the truth about ourselves and our sin so that God has room to come in and grant us new insight. Sin has often been defined as “missing the mark.” If we are to repent of how we have missed the mark in loving God, others, and ourselves, we must be willing to take an honest look at what our heart reflects. Does your heart reflect anger? pride? guilt?

Can you name what your heart reflects here and now? Remember, there is no “bad” or “good,” no “wrong” or “right.” To know where you are and to name it is how the journey begins. As a wise spiritual director once told me, “You cannot be where you wish to be. You can only be where you are.”

Practice: Draw a heart on this page or in your own journal. Ask God to help you examine your heart. What does it reflect? What do you want it to reflect? Close this practice by reading Psalm 51:1-9 out loud as a prayer.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

Repent

Friday, February 28

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and put a new and right spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from your presence,

and do not take your holy spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and sustain in me a willing spirit.

—Psalm 51:10-12

Repentance invites us to turn away from ourselves and turn toward God. When we confess what hinders us from extending grace, we admit we cannot help ourselves. We stand ready to receive from God what we cannot muster on our own.

Lent allows us to be real about our humanity. We acknowledge that we are sinful, while remembering we are only human. We make mistakes. We are imperfect. The only way to receive the cleansing God offers our hearts is to admit our shortcomings and grant ourselves grace.

Is it harder for you to extend grace to others or to accept grace for yourself? I have found that true lightness of heart comes only when I continually hand over my rumination to God. Instead of playing back the ways I have hurt others, or the things I “should” have done, I have to let them go and accept my humanity. As I turn away from myself and toward the truth found in God, God restores joy within me.

Practice: Turn your body or head to your left. Ask God to help you see and confess what hinders you from extending grace to yourself and to others. Then, turn your body or head to your right. Ask God to help you accept your humanity. Close this practice by reading Psalm 51:10-14 out loud as a prayer.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

Repent

Saturday, February 29

O Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth will declare your praise.

For you have no delight in sacrifice;

if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.

The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

—Psalm 51:15-17

In ancient days, faith communities would sacrifice animals to God as a way of seeking repentance for their sins. The term “scapegoat” comes from the old ritual of sending a goat into the wilderness after the priest symbolically laid the sins of the people upon it. Now, we use the term to signify a person who is continually blamed or shamed for the faults of others.

Lent asks us not only to stop blaming others for our wrongdoings, but also to stop sacrificing our happiness. In other words, when it comes to sin, the church has often made us feel like God desires a scapegoat out of us. But the truth is, when we focus too intently or harshly on our sin, we allow it to define us.

God does not want us to sacrifice the abundant lives offered to us through Jesus Christ. The only sacrifice God is after is a heart that breaks for what breaks God’s heart. Does the call to repentance lead you to self-doubt and self-denial, or does it lead you to sing praise to a God who offers forgiveness and new life?

Practice: God is not asking me to be a scapegoat—for my faults or the faults of others. God wants my heart to break for what breaks God’s heart. Close this practice by reading Psalm 51:15-19 out loud as a prayer.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RECOVER

First Sunday in Lent, March 1

Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

—Matthew 4:11

When I was twenty-two, I graduated from college and moved to Grundy County, Tennessee, to work for Mountain T.O.P. (Tennessee Outreach Project). My mom and I spent three days looking for the home in which I would live by myself. In the very last hour, we stumbled upon a uniquely crafted, Narnia-type cabin in the woods. I fell in love with it.

My at-home life went from full of people to completely alone. I soon realized how the wilderness would test and tempt me. For the first time in my young life, I was having to confront feelings of abandonment, anger, and sadness. In the wilderness, I lost, recovered, and rediscovered who I am as a child of God.

Dripping from baptism, Jesus was driven into the wilderness by the power of the Holy Spirit. Mark adds, “He was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him” (1:13). Though he appeared to be, Jesus was never really alone. Today, I am wondering what we could lose, recover, and rediscover about ourselves by facing our demons instead of fleeing from them. As we face the wilderness, we, too, are tended to by a heavenly host.

Practice: What do you need to face instead of flee? One way to find out to is to map out the last month. Write down five significant moments/events. If you were to draw the terrain of your last month, would it be mountainous, a flowing river, or a deep wood?

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RECOVER

Monday, March 2

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

—Matthew 11:28-30

Last spring, I led a weekend women’s retreat centered on “recovering your life.” Saturday morning, we rose early, had a quick breakfast, and took off for a hike at Stone Door in Tennessee. When we arrived, it was drizzling, so we prepared ourselves to get caught in the rain.

As we reached a high bluff where you can see lush green trees for miles, the sky began to pour. We decided to sit in it instead of run from it. Each of us found a spot alone and we practiced simply being for ten minutes.

As I stared out at those trees, small patches of fog rose above them. I shut my eyes and breathed in the quiet. As I meditated on the present and allowed God to fill my mind, the rain came harder and harder. When I finally opened my eyes again, I could barely see the trees in front of me. The fog filled the air with heaviness. But when I looked to the right, I could see Katherine standing near me. Behind me, Jessica was sitting on a rock soaking in the Spirit.

Some of our journeys are filled with fog right now. Some of us are caught in a downpour. Yet somehow this desolation in the wilderness will save us. It will help us recover our life. We must do the work on our own, but not without the comfort of our fellow travelers nearby.

Practice: Simply “be” for ten minutes.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RECOVER

Tuesday, March 3

He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ”

—Matthew 22:37

In her Lenten study Entering the Passion of Jesus, Jewish New Testament scholar Amy-Jill Levine points out that Jesus added “mind” to the Greatest Commandment in Deuteronomy 6. I had not noticed it before. I thought about how instructive and imperative that is in the season of Lent.

In our culture today, our minds are in high demand. From the time we wake up to the time we go to sleep, advertising vies for our attention. Think about how hard it would be to avoid advertising if you wanted to simply read the newspaper, turn on the TV, tune into the radio, sit at a restaurant, check social media, open your email, or drive just about anywhere. Though we cannot avoid these messages entirely, there is a spiritual need to turn down the noise, quiet the mind, and tune into the work of the Holy Spirit.

Last year for Lent, I decided to turn off my distractions. I fasted from social media, watched minimal amounts of television, and practiced being present to my own emotions and those of my loved ones. I found my mind to be more at peace. I recovered time I had previously wasted. I lingered with people longer and took in my surroundings more fully.

Practice: For 24 hours, fast from the devices in your life that distract you from loving God with all of your mind. Recover what you keep missing.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RECOVER

Wednesday, March 4

Hear my cry, O God;

listen to my prayer.

From the end of the earth I call to you,

when my heart is faint.

Lead me to the rock

that is higher than I;

for you are my refuge,

a strong tower against the enemy.

Let me abide in your tent forever,

find refuge under the shelter of your wings.

Selah

—Psalm 61:1-4

Throughout the Psalms, you will notice the word Selah, which called for a break in the music, a pause before moving to the next refrain. One summer when I was working at Mountain T.O.P., my staff and I created a collective Selah—when our alarms sounded, we stopped to take a break no matter what we were doing.

Are you stopping to catch your breath in life, or are you hustling from one thing to the next, keeping busy? Often, we push ourselves until we are forced to stop. Indeed, recovery itself is a period of time in which everything must be taken slowly and done with intentionality. Most of the time it is forced upon us by illness. Sometimes it comes when our world is halted by death.

When our hearts are overwhelmed, we can petition God to hear our cries, to attend to our prayers. God offers us a place of shelter. God stands ready to re-cover us with God’s wings.

Practice: Set an alarm that will go off in the middle of your day. Take a Selah no matter what you are doing.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RECOVER

Thursday, March 5

I lift up my eyes to the hills—

from where will my help come?

My help comes from the Lord,

who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;

he who keeps you will not slumber.

—Psalm 121:1-3

I go to the wilderness when I need to recover. Three years ago, my first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage when I was ten weeks along. My husband, Mark, and I were devastated. It was a terrain I had never traversed. It brought a hush I did not want.

Three weeks later, we were in Glacier National Park on a trip we had planned months earlier. On the last day the park was open for the season, we hiked the 11.2 miles to Grinnell Glacier. As we got closer to the glacier, a dusting of snow filled the wide expanse before us. I stopped to take it in by a small waterfall flowing from the rocky cliff we were hugging.

As I looked to the heavens, an outpouring of peace fell over me. I laughed and then cried, sitting in the tension of death and new life, desolation and abundance. It feels like paradox, but it is our faith: life is about embracing both sorrow and joy. They are often intertwined instead of neatly separated. When we fight to stay alert to goodness, the God who keeps vigil breaks in when we need God most.

Practice: Where do you go to recover? Can you get there this week? Close this practice by reading Psalm 121 out loud as a prayer.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RECOVER

Friday, March 6

Make me to know your ways, O Lord;

teach me your paths.

Lead me in your truth, and teach me,

for you are the God of my salvation;

for you I wait all day long.

—Psalm 25:4-5

Several years ago, I participated in a large women’s retreat through the church I attended. Two of my friends and I went to hike Greeter Fall in Tennessee. It was February, and though I had seen the path many times before, I had never seen it covered in ice. We walked along a stretch where thick icicles hung, then approached the point on the trail where you have to walk down a spiral metal staircase to get to the waterfall. This day, there was a skating rink between us and the top of it. Slowly, we crept along the ice, taking tiny steps to keep from sliding off the mountain.

Recovery communities have taught me about taking life one day at a time—sometimes one hour at a time—always one step at a time. This journey through Lent is one piece along our path where God can teach us God’s good and grace-filled way for our lives. We only have to take it one day at a time, one hour at a time, one step at a time. There is no place we will step that God has not already been. God is before us, within us, behind us.

Practice: As you get up from reading and take your next steps, pray through them with our verses for today.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RECOVER

Saturday, March 7

My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,

and my mouth praises you with joyful lips

when I think of you on my bed,

and meditate on you in the watches of the night;

for you have been my help,

and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.

—Psalm 63:5-7

David wrote this psalm when he was in the wilderness of Judah. It is a song of comfort and assurance of God’s presence even in the midst of despair. It feels counterintuitive to sing for joy in the face of trial. We each have to discern when doing so helps us and when it hurts us. Sometimes we need to sit in our pain—not swallow it, shove it down, or push it away with easy platitudes.

Historically, there have been groups of people facing oppression who have chosen to sing songs of freedom in the face of adversity. I see this praise as an act of resistance, a refusal to be crushed. A soul satisfied and saturated in praise can be a threat to power.

We are not to the final week of Jesus’ life, but let us not miss his praise as resistance. Matthew and Mark both tell us that Jesus and the disciples sang a hymn before they went to the Mount of Olives. This hymn was most likely one of the Hallel Psalms (113–118), songs of praise and thanksgiving still recited by our Jewish friends today.

Sometimes we just need permission to put our grief down and feel joy. We can pick it back up later.

Practice: Sing over your pain with a song or hymn that brings you comfort.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

REMEMBER

Second Sunday in Lent, March 8

A bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!”

—Matthew 17:5

Jesus took his inner three—Peter, James, and John—to the mountaintop. There, he transfigured before them, his face shining like the sun and his clothes dazzling white. Moses and Elijah appeared, and the three struck up a conversation. “Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’ ” (Matthew 17:4).

Peter asks if they can stay awhile, perhaps even live on the mountain, but before he can finish, God spoke from the clouds, reaffirming Jesus’ baptism and terrifying the disciples. Jesus says to them, “Get up and do not be afraid” (verse 7). Then everyone heads home with the instruction not to mention it until Jesus is raised from the dead.

I imagine that as Peter, James, and John began walking through the valley of the shadow of death, they had to look back and remember this glory on the mountain. Isn’t it true that our “mountaintop” experiences transform us and ignite us to return to our valleys fired up and unafraid to carry on the mission of Jesus? High on the mountain we experience God in palpable ways. It is good for us to be there. And it is good for us to return home.

Practice: Recall where you last encountered God in a transformational way. What did it feel like? How did it change you?

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

REMEMBER

Monday, March 9

He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

—John 21:17

Peter and Jesus had a long history. Jesus called Peter while he was fishing with the simple words, “Follow me” (Matthew 4:19). When Peter dropped his nets, he became an eyewitness to Jesus’ ministry. He watched him heal blind men and bleeding women, feed thousands, and walk on water. Jesus sent him and the other disciples out two by two to “cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons” (Matthew 10:8). We often miss that the disciples were sent out with the same authority as Jesus.

When Jesus asks Peter for a third time, “Do you love me?” Peter is hurt. It seems like a ridiculous question given their relationship. I hear Jesus reminding Peter of their ministry, of their friendship, of the first time Peter fell in love with Jesus. Isn’t it true that five or forty years down the road—after disagreement, loss, caring for others—we have to remember when we first fell in love with our spouse, children, or friends we call family?

When the work in front of us is draining our energy or causing us heartbreak, we have to remember when we first fell in love with Jesus. We have to remember what he has called us to do. We have to discern how he is asking us to continue or calling us into a new season.

Practice: Write down memories from when you first fell in love with Jesus.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

REMEMBER

Tuesday, March 10

I will also praise you with the harp

for your faithfulness, O my God;

I will sing praises to you with the lyre,

O Holy One of Israel.

—Psalm 71:22

One of my favorite hymns, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” says, “thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not; / as thou hast been, thou forever wilt be.” As seasons change in our lives, I take great comfort in knowing God does not. Every time I have faced a new wilderness in life, it is the memory of God’s faithfulness to me in the past that gets me through the present. I have also learned that God’s presence does not mean the absence of my truest feelings.

Trust in God’s faithfulness does not mean we cannot lament. Tears do not equal a lack of faith. The psalmists remind us of the wide range of God-given emotions we are meant to express. Further, we do not have to think in polarities. We can be angry and understanding; grieving and grateful. Lent brings us to our knees and we often weep and praise while on them. As you walk through the wilderness, remember God will give you “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.”

Practice: Listen to or sing “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” (No. 140 in The United Methodist Hymnal). Offer our verse for today as a prayer of thanksgiving to God.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

REMEMBER

Wednesday, March 11

For I am about to create new heavens

and a new earth;

the former things shall not be remembered

or come to mind.

But be glad and rejoice forever

in what I am creating;

for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy,

and its people as a delight.

—Isaiah 65:17-18

The first months of caring for a newborn were some of the toughest of my life. With this new love came new fear. At times I was too afraid to enjoy this new life before me. Now, ten months later, I cannot remember how tired or scared I truly was then.

There is something to be said for memories we cannot recall. I think our minds know what is better left in the past. Unless there is a trauma we need to work through, which professionals can help us do, we should allow our minds to protect us. I think this is what God meant when God said, “The former things shall not be remembered or come to mind.” When we dwell on the things of old—when we let them frighten and frustrate us all over again—we fail to perceive the new thing God is creating in the present. We miss the joy of living here and now; of accepting reality for what it is.

In this wilderness of Lent, it is easy for the past to come alive in our stillness. If we cannot forget the former things, can we at least try to fight them? When our remembering brings pain and stifles growth, God invites us to say no to the past and yes to the present.

Practice: When you are still, what former things come to mind? Ask God to help you lay down what needs to be left in the past and rejoice in the present.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

REMEMBER

Thursday, March 12

The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

—Exodus 16:3

When the Israelites come to the wilderness of Sin, they quickly realize the path to freedom is going to be long. They grumble against Moses and Aaron, essentially saying, “It would have been better to die in Egypt with full bellies than out here in the woods hungry!” I cannot imagine they meant it, but I think we can relate to their sentiment. When the present feels challenging, we tend to romanticize the past. We often remember it far better than it was.

The truth is we normally sell ourselves short out of fear, particularly with relationships we have decided to end. When life without someone else suddenly feels impossible, we have to hold on to reality instead of talking ourselves back into captivity. We have to trust ourselves and our decisions, even when our emotions begin to deceive us. We have to push ourselves forward with perspective, remembering that the free and light life down the road is way better.

Practice: How is your hunger in the present keeping you from remembering the pain of the past? What freedom do you hope to have six months from now?

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

REMEMBER

Friday, March 13

In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. . . . Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.” . . . Morning by morning they gathered it, as much as each needed.”

—Exodus 16:13-15, 21

Even though they must have been annoying, God listened to the complaining of the Israelites. God responded with quail in the evening and frosted flakes in the morning. They were instructed to gather exactly what they needed, but they didn’t listen and some of it “bred worms and became foul” (Exodus 16:20).

I am oddly comforted by these passages. We did not invent the scarcity mentality. I remembered this text as I was learning to breastfeed my first child. Every day I would be anxious I would not be able to provide what he needed. There was never a surplus, but there was always enough. Few of us truly know how to be comfortable with enough, and so we panic or hoard.

When it comes to God’s provision, not only are we given enough, we are invited into abundance to be shared. Morning by morning as we rise, let us remember that God will always give us exactly what we need—enough courage, enough strength, enough grace. Where there is abundance, let us practice giving so that others have exactly what they need.

Practice: Thank God for three things you have enough of. Consider three things you have in abundance and give them away.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

REMEMBER

Saturday, March 14

On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, and they found none. The Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and instructions? See! The Lord has given you the sabbath, therefore on the sixth day he gives you food for two days; each of you stay where you are; do not leave your place on the seventh day.” So the people rested on the seventh day.

—Exodus 16:27-30

On the sixth day, the Israelites were instructed to gather enough food for the seventh day, the Sabbath (Exodus 16:22-26). They don’t listen—again—so Moses offers a reprimand. Let us revisit what the fourth commandment says, “Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day” (Deuteronomy 5:15).

Here, we see the community of faith working to put the fourth commandment into practice; theology is coming up against lived experience. I think the Israelites were so used to working every day that they did not know how to stop. I think God was trying to offer a new rhythm of life. Not only was God providing what they needed—instead of them having to work and earn it—God was providing rest.

The gift is deliverance from overproduction and a day of no production. This was an invitation to a lifestyle shaped by the kingdom of heaven. You, too, are offered these gifts.

Practice: Pick a full or half day when you can practice resting and not working.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

REST

Third Sunday in Lent, March 15

But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?” . . . The Lord said to Moses, “Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.”

—Exodus 17:3, 5-6

The Israelites have a new complaint for Moses: thirst. Fed up with the people, Moses cries out to God for help. The Lord tells Moses exactly what to do, providing yet again exactly what the people need. As I am re-reading
this journey through the wilderness, I feel for Moses. He served as the sounding board for a people full of complaints.

I wonder how many of us take our grumbling to those who will listen instead of to God? When we are emotionally, spiritually, or physically thirsty, whom do we expect to fill us back up? Holy rest, or sabbath, is a time where we allow God to pour into our weary souls. It is a time we carve out for ourselves so that we can examine our complaints—perhaps even mitigate them. They often come because we are hungry, angry, lonely, tired; because we are thirsty for time that nourishes and heals us.

Practice: The next time you drink water or wash your hands, name how you need God to quench the dryness of your soul.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

REST

Monday, March 16

But now more than ever the word about Jesus spread abroad; many crowds would gather to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. But he would withdraw to deserted places and pray.

—Luke 5:15-16

Sabbath is the American nightmare. We live in a culture that does not know how to stop and does not condone stopping. Work, however it is defined for us, is glorified in our society. Those who work the longest and hardest are the ones who are rewarded. I wonder, though, What are we sacrificing in order to be the best? If it is our relationships with the ones we love most, the American dream isn’t worth it.

Further, refusal to stop working is arrogant. We are essentially saying we are too important, too needed. The Scriptures tell us many times not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought. Sabbath helps us remember who is God and who God is.

Jesus is our model for sabbath. We are used to emptying ourselves completely, but we should remember that Jesus’ emptying is his final act (Philippians 2:7). All throughout his ministry, he withdrew to commune with God. Even as people gathered to be healed by him, Jesus went to a deserted place to pray. Don’t miss it—Jesus left people waiting. Jesus took a break to make sure he was connected to the Source that would help him to love well. We, too, need a rhythm of withdrawal to be with God in our lives.

Practice: Take a cup and fill it with water. As you pour it out, tell God where you feel empty in life. (Leave a little in the bottom to represent the desire to never be completely empty.) Then, fill the cup back up again, asking God for what you need.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

REST

Tuesday, March 17

Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work. . . .

—Exodus 20:8-10

I have heard the fourth commandment described as a bridge between the first three commandments and the remaining six. The first set describes how we love God: no idols, no worshiping other gods, no misuse of God’s name. The second set describes how we love our neighbors: honor your parents, no murder, adultery, stealing, false witness, or coveting. How well we love God and our neighbors depends on how well we practice sabbath.

Practice leads to progress, not perfection. Many of us are new to resting, to “being” instead of “doing.” We need to practice Sabbath. You might think, Murder, adultery, stealing . . . these are harsh words. But don’t we kill the dreams of others when we respond to them with hostility? Don’t we give into temptation more readily when we are failing to tend to ourselves and our relationships? Don’t we steal others’ joy when we respond to their happiness with jealousy?

We have failed to understand how communal the faith is if we do not recognize how our sabbath affects those in our houses and places of work, and particularly those whom we oversee. God invites you to take a real rest and see how differently you treat yourself, family, and co-workers.

Practice: Choose one thing you will do for the next three days to connect with God, others, and yourself (read for 10 minutes, go to the park with your family, take a walk, meditate, color).

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

REST

Wednesday, March 18

People were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they sternly ordered them not to do it. But Jesus called for them and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.”

—Luke 18:15-17

One night as I was rocking my son to sleep, I could not stop reliving a conflict that happened earlier in the day. Out of nowhere, he reached his hand up and touched my cheek. It was like a time portal sucked me back to the present. I was missing the goodness of the life in my arms.

Sabbath helps us turn our attention and intentions back to God. It reminds us who we are, who God is, and who we want to be. Our families help us practice sabbath. I haven’t been a parent for long, but I think we actually get frustrated at our kids because they slow down our “doing”; they want us to be in the moment, to put down our computers, to just be with them. We are so used to producing that we don’t know how to turn it off.

The love of our children teaches us the love of God. They are already ministering to a hurting world, to hurting parents. How can we help them continue their ministry by creating a sabbath ritual as a family?

Practice: If you have children, ask them to pick one activity for you all to do today. Be intentional and present with them. If you do not have children, choose a childlike activity to enjoy. Play and have fun!

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

REST

Thursday, March 19

Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.” When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God.

—Luke 13:10-13

Jesus entered into a culture in which religious people were asking what constituted “work” and what did not. They wanted to be faithful to the law given to them, which said for six days you should work and for one day you should rest. Contextually, we need to understand that these laws did not feel restrictive, but were guidelines for how to love one another well. Jesus comes with permission for us each to discern what is work and what is not.

I believe he is also showing us in this passage that healing happens on the sabbath. A woman who was crippled by a spirit for eighteen years positions herself before Jesus, and when he sees her, he calls out to her. If we position ourselves before Jesus, he will come to us, offering a soothing balm for our most vulnerable places of pain.

Lent helps us to be honest about the spirit within us. Are we in need of being set free? Can we name our ailment? Though we may not experience physical healing, Jesus is eager to restore us to a spiritual posture of praise.

Practice: Pray as you rub a little bit of oil on your wrist or hand: “God, I come to you seeking healing. I want to be restored to wholeness. Help me find rest in your compassionate love. Help me find a reason to praise you. Amen.”

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

REST

Friday, March 20

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

—Matthew 11:28

How we sabbath is seasonal. Before my son was born, I had every Friday to myself. Now, I am learning a new rhythm of rest. To 
me, sabbath is less about the time and more about how we feel when we leave it. I first learned to sabbath by making the habits I already found delight in more intentionally set on resting in God.

In recent years, I have found more joy in cooking. On Sunday evenings, I spend hours in the kitchen preparing meals for the week while listening to my Sandra McCracken Pandora station. I’ve come to recognize this ritual as a crucial part of my being. It is in the slicing and silence and words of depth pouring over me that my soul catches up to itself. I receive and I give. I weep over the pain I’ve held in my body. I listen for the guidance of the Spirit. And I find great joy in knowing that even when I’m tired and don’t want to do it, my prayer and work nourishes my mind, body, and soul.

We often learn the hard way not to push through our weariness. If we allow ourselves to stop, we almost always realize we are carrying more grief than we knew. Jesus offers to carry it with us, to give us rest. When we sabbath, we admit that we need his help.

Practice: Open your palms and close your eyes. Admit out loud what you need help carrying and ask Jesus to help you hand it over.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

REST

Saturday, March 21

For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.

—James 3:7-10

I find it amusing that James calls the tongue a “restless evil.” He speaks of its power. It is small but mighty, like a bit that moves a horse’s mouth, or a rudder that moves a large ship, or a small spark that starts a wildfire (James 3:3-6).

In other words, we can speak life or we can speak death. We can bless or we can curse. On our spiritual journeys, the best way to be full of blessings is to place ourselves before God. We can tame this restless evil when we stop speaking and start listening. Sometimes we need to seek forgiveness for how we have hurt someone else with our words. Sometimes we need find refuge from the cursing we didn’t ask for.

Practice: As you examine your words in the quiet, where has this restless evil hurt you? How have you hurt others? If there is someone you have wronged with your words, can you reach out and ask for grace?

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RELEASE

Fourth Sunday in Lent, March 22

For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

—Ephesians 5:8-11

When I was a junior in college, I studied abroad in Florence, Italy. One of my classes was black and white photography. I was able to start learning about this process when I was in high school, and I absolutely loved it. One of the keys of developing is learning how to unroll your film inside a canister in the dark. If it is exposed to light before it has gone through the right chemicals, the whole roll will be ruined.

When you get into the darkroom, you then send your photo through certain baths—a developer bath, a stop bath, and a fixer bath. The whole process is a delicate controlling of darkness and light. To get the best result, you need both. You need the absence of the light and exposure to the light.

Our lives are a delicate balance of darkness and light. To move towards wholeness and healing, you need both. You need to lean into the absence of light and expose yourself to the light. Through this tension, you will find how to release the unfruitful works of darkness in your life.

Practice: Where is there darkness in your life? How has this darkness shaped you? Now find a way into the light. Sit in the sun or light a candle.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RELEASE

Monday, March 23

Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.

—Ephesians 4:29

There is a wonderful man in my church who is a retired professor. He teaches classes almost every month of the year, and he told me recently that October is the only month he takes a break. His reasoning was to enjoy “the month of horror with all his spooky friends.” He said, “I’m probably the only person who teaches the faith and celebrates Halloween for a month. But, I’m a man of contradictions.”

I laughed at his phrasing, but I dug into it when I went home that evening. Each of us is a person of contradictions. We become frustrated with other people when they do not “practice what they preach.” But if we are honest, we expect certain behavior from others while allowing ourselves to be the exception.

As Christians, we need to be quicker to admit and own our shortcomings, rather than judge others for their contradictions. If we focus on ourselves, we will recognize our own need for grace and thus be more willing to grant it to others. Grace in practice is releasing people from the expectation of perfection. If we are willing to accept and confess our own contradictions, we will offer more grace for the contractions of those around us.

Practice: How do you contradict yourself? Ask God to help you confess and release theses contradictions. Offer yourself and those around you grace.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RELEASE

Tuesday, March 24

Then I acknowledged my sin to you,

and I did not hide my iniquity;

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”

and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Selah.

—Psalm 32:5

During Lent last year, we led our church through participatory spiritual exercises. During the last week, we gathered around a fire and practiced repenting and releasing. First, we wrote down a way in which we had been hurt by someone else. We clutched the piece of paper tightly, and slowly opened up our palms as I prayed. Then we wrote down ways we had hurt someone else, repeating the prayer.

As we shared that night, a beloved man in our church spoke about the death of his father. One day after keeping vigil with his father through the night, he decided to go home and get a good night of sleep. That evening, his father passed away. Years later, he shared this story through tears, still feeling the sting of his father’s death and his regrets for not being there as he passed.

At first no one spoke, and I think we should allow for silence. When people voice their deepest pain, it is okay for it to linger. We do not have to fix it, or speak to it. In the moment, we can just let them feel the relief of confession. Later, we may want to offer comfort. Indeed, I hope my friend will release himself from guilt, remembering the whole journey with his father, accepting that he was a good son.

Practice: Write down what you need to confess. Clutch it tightly, and as you pray, open your palm and release the guilt in your spirit. (Repeat this every day if you have to.)

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RELEASE

Wednesday, March 25

I love the Lord, because he has heard

my voice and my supplications.

Because he inclined his ear to me,

therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

—Psalm 116:1-2

Once when I was on a road trip with an older adult group in our church, I spent an hour bobbing up and down in the back of the church bus with my friend Cindy. Cindy has a photographic memory, so she was telling me about other church members in detail: their birthdays, their siblings, where they grew up, and how they came to the church.

When I asked her about another person on the bus, she informed me that she had recently lost her mom, dad, brother, and a few other close relatives. Cindy said, “She’s told me about each of their deaths multiple times, but I don’t mind. I just listen.”

It is a gift when we have someone to listen. The retelling of our stories, particularly ones of grief, help us to release, to accept, and to move forward. Years ago, I wore out a wise spiritual director of mine with the story of a bad breakup. She kindly and patiently said, “You’ll move on when you’re tired of talking about it.” I have found her insight to be most true on my journey. Those situations that deeply anger or grieve us will one day feel much lighter from our retelling.

We have a God who bends down to listen to us, who hears our voice and our stories.

Practice: What story are you retelling? Voice it to God. If you are ready to release, ask for God’s help to let it go.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RELEASE

Thursday, March 26

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

—Matthew 10:29-31

There is a saint in our church named Betty. She is 89 and still visits homebound friends almost every day of the week. She bakes cakes and makes peanut brittle. She washes dishes after late-night dinners. She participates in our adult education classes on Wednesday nights and faithfully attends her Sunday school class.

Two years ago, we asked Betty to share her story during our short sermon series called “My Story, My Song.” We ask congregants to pair a piece of their story with a song or hymn. As she rose to deliver, I listened intently. She told us of the passing of her husband, and shortly after, her best friend. She said the second year without them was the hardest, because she was so occupied the first year.

One day she was out raking leaves in the yard. She stopped because she saw a flock of geese overhead. She noticed that the “V” was missing two geese. In that moment she thought, “If the geese can keep moving on, I can too.” Betty then chose for her song “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” because she knew God was watching over her. She knew one day she would sing of happiness and freedom again.

Practice: Reflect on your story. Do you have moments of release that might help someone else? Listen to or sing “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” (The Faith We Sing, No. 2146).

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RELEASE

Friday, March 27

Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.

—James 5:16

In the 1989 book, Breathing Underwater: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps, author Fr. Richard Rohr makes a case that Christianity relates well to the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. In essence, we are all addicts. We have to be careful with that generalization, but I see his point. We all encounter situations that are unmanageable, in which there is absolutely no way we can, on our own, bring peace to our chaos.

If you go on to examine the steps (they can easily be found with a simple online search), you see how closely they parallel the work we should be doing as Christians. Indeed, the people I know in recovery are much further along in knowing how to be honest about themselves, in being willing to confess, and in seeking to make amends than most church goers.

The twelve steps are made for Lent. This is the season of fearless moral inventory, of releasing ourselves and others back to God, of letting go, of acceptance, of serenity, of experiencing the good news and then telling others about it.

Practice: Recite the first lines of the Serenity Prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Consider working these steps over the next few weeks.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RELEASE

Saturday, March 28

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

—Luke 4:18-19

When Jesus went to Nazareth, his hometown, it was the Sabbath day, so he entered the synagogue as was his custom. He read these verses from the prophet Isaiah and told the community the Scripture was fulfilled. I hear this text as a mission statement from Jesus. Leaving the synagogue, he began living it out.

As followers of Jesus, we are to live into this mission statement, continuing his work. To do so, we have to be honest about who is poor among us, who is held captive, who is blinded by privilege, who is oppressed. If we find ourselves in these categories, there is good news. God is seeking our release. God wants to come to our rescue. As we seek to be faithful in community with one another, God calls us to aid in one another’s rescue and release.

Who among you needs rescuing? Who among you needs release? There are plans of liberation only God can accomplish. But there are plans of liberation in which we all play a part.

Practice: Write down one way you will come alongside those in need of release this week and commit to showing up.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RISE

Fifth Sunday in Lent, March 29

So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them.

—Ezekiel 37:7-8

Ezekiel has a vision in which the Spirit of the Lord takes him to a valley of dry bones. The Lord asks him: Can these bones live? When Ezekiel says, only you know that, Lord, the Lord tells him to speak over the dry bones. He prophesied as he was commanded, and suddenly the bones started rattling. Bone met bone and flesh met flesh. But there was no breath in them. So Ezekiel called forth breath, and breath came into them, and the Spirit of the Lord brought these dead bodies to their feet (Ezekiel 37:1-10).

This image is a powerful metaphor for the new life God is offering our dry bones, individually and communally. I am drawn to the Lord telling Ezekiel to speak over the bones and call forth breath. When we feel like a body of bones with no life in us, we must ask for a fresh outpouring of breath.

Practice: What in your life feels dry? Ask the Spirit of God to hover over you and offer a fresh breath.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RISE

Monday, March 30

Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.”

—John 11:21-26

Martha and Mary called for Jesus when Lazarus died from illness. If you read John 11 in its entirety, you will hear Jesus comforting both sisters with the promise of resurrection. You will also witness how the suffering of the sisters and Lazarus’ friends greatly disturbs and moves Jesus in spirit. He asks to be taken to the tomb. When he arrives, he weeps.

The promise of eternal life and the tears of our Savior must be seen together. If God in Jesus sees, hears, and feels our suffering, we are not alone in our pain. Martha’s initial statement to Jesus sounds like God-forsakenness. But the truth is, Jesus comes and joins in her sorrow. When we feel alone in our pain, Jesus comes to us, joins us in our sorrow, and reminds us, “Your brother will rise again.”

Practice: Write a note to someone who has lost a loved one recently. Let them know they are not forgotten.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RISE

Tuesday, March 31

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them.”

—Matthew 23:13

One day after the dismissal bell had rung in high school, I was making my way down the stairs and noticed Josh, a bigger guy whom people tended to pick on. There was a small boy shoving and teasing him. Josh kept on walking with a sad look on his face. I felt anger rise up in my body, and before I knew it, I had grabbed the kid by the backpack, pulled him backward, and yelled, “Leave him alone!”

I certainly don’t condone physically handling someone, but I have thought about this moment throughout my life. We are taught to manage our emotions, to look the other way and not get involved, to not let people get a rise out of us. But that is not the way of the kingdom.

The religious people of Jesus’ day got a rise out of him by locking particular people out of the kingdom of heaven. This makes me wonder who we are locking out today. God is calling us to wake up, to be alert, to speak up. If we find ourselves in a place of apathy and indifference, it is time to let God get a rise out of us.

Practice: What injustice gets a rise out of you? Donate to a church or nonprofit seeking to alleviate the suffering of those experiencing it.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RISE

Wednesday, April 1

Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning,

for in you I put my trust.

Teach me the way I should go,

for to you I lift up my soul.

—Psalm 143:8

I have learned a great deal about spiritual discipline from my friend Julie, with whom I worked at Mountain T.O.P. for almost five years. Julie shared books about faith, engaged in deep theological conversation with me, and led by example. Early in the morning, Julie would rise and sit in the same chair. She would read or journal or pray as she drank those first sips of hot coffee. This ritual became a part of her being.

After her mom died, Julie didn’t feel like getting up in the morning. She didn’t feel like reading or journaling. But she got up anyway. She sat in her chair every morning anyway. She showed up anyway. Months later Julie said to me, “Nothing satisfies me but God.”

When we experience a great absence in our lives, going through the motions can feel excruciating, or going through the motions can save us. We can choose to show up even if we do not feel like it. We can choose to position ourselves before God, praying for relief and comfort and the tiniest bit of satisfaction. When all else fails us, we can pray, “In the morning when I rise, give me Jesus.”

Practice: Listen to or sing “Give Me Jesus” (Worship and Song, No. 3140).

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RISE

Thursday, April 2

But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

—Ephesians 2:4-7

The Scriptures talk about the death-dealing nature of sin. Sin can make us feel beat down, physically ill, and exhausted. The weight of sin, of guilt, can crush our bones. Sin can make us question our deepest identity as a child of God. This is why confession is crucial—not to feel worse about ourselves or shame in speaking forth our sin, but to find relief, to find freedom in the name of Jesus Christ, to recover who we really are in the eyes of God.

The writers of the epistles continually speak of God’s great mercy, of the fresh start we are given in relationship with Jesus. By grace we have been saved, not because of who we are or who we are not. And because of this grace, we are risen in spirit with Christ. For where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Practice: In this final week before the cross, consider what is still lying heavy on your heart. What do you need let go of? What do you need to accept?

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RISE

Friday, April 3

Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward.

—1 Samuel 16:11-13

Samuel is sent by God to anoint the next king. When he arrives, both Samuel and Jesse assume God is looking for the strongest, most handsome son. But after Jesse presents seven of his sons, Samuel says, “The Lord has not chosen any of these” (1 Samuel 16:10). God reminded Samuel: the world looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart (verse 7).

When we find ourselves obsessing over outward appearance, we have to remember what God is really after. God is after a broken and contrite heart, a heart willing to be moved to forgiveness, compassion, and action. As we come close to the end of this Lenten journey, I hope you can feel God stretching, pruning, and expanding your heart to love God, people, and your inner self more fully. In this season, you are being called forth and anointed to rise up in the spirit of the Lord and usher forth God’s kingdom.

Practice: Make the sign of the cross on your forehead and say, “I am anointed with the Spirit of Jesus.” Share the same blessing with a friend.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

RISE

Saturday, April 4

He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again.”

—Mark 10:32-34

We called my grandfather “Pop.” Pop took my siblings and me on camping trips by the river when we were little. He had so much pride in driving a school bus in his later years. He always supported my summers at Mountain T.O.P., reading all the letters I sent him carefully. He came to visit me when I moved to the woods. He knew every road in Tennessee because of his former life as a trucker for J. B. Hunt. He taught me to face the future unafraid.

When he was diagnosed with cancer, he knew it was going to take his life. He still lived with great joy and love for his family. I distinctly remember sitting on a couch next to his recliner as he looked me right in the eyes and said, “Samantha, I am not afraid to die.” His declaration greatly comforted me after his death.

Here, Jesus is preparing his friends for his death. As we get ready to walk through Holy Week, we will face the mocking, spitting, flogging, and ultimate death of Jesus. But we can rest on his words: “I will rise again.”

Practice: How can you help prepare others for your death?

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

Relive

Palm Sunday, April 5

The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”

—Matthew 21:9-11

Whether we are experiencing the week of Christ’s death and resurrection for the first time or once again, it is important that we saturate ourselves in it; that we retell and relive the story. Jesus gave his disciples specific instructions for his entry into Jerusalem. He would enter the city as the King of the kingdom of God, while Pilate would enter the city as king of the Roman world. These two triumphal parades looked quite different. Pilate came in as a military hero, with horses, armor, weapons, grandeur. Jesus came in as a servant King on a donkey that hoofed its way over everyday cloaks of the people who loved him. Jesus’ entry must have looked weak and powerless compared to Pilate’s. Each one had a purpose. Pilate’s procession reminded the people who were occupied that Rome was in control. Jesus’ procession stood as a nonviolent protest to that rule. It moved through the crowd as an invitation to a different life, with different governance. The people shouted “Hosanna!,” which means “Save us!” The Savior, though he appeared to have no power over Rome, stood up to Pilate anyway.

Practice: How does the story of Jesus’ entry speak to your hopelessness right now? From whom or what do you need saving?

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

Relive

Monday, April 6

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

—John 12:1-3

Jesus returns to be with his friends Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. As they reclined around the table, Mary took a pound of costly perfume, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. This gift of extravagance angered Judas, but not Jesus. In his defense of Mary, I hear gratitude for her compassion and comfort.

I also see a disciple who understands what is about to happen to Jesus. To pay for this perfume, Mary likely used money from her dowry. This means Mary took from her future to invest in the present. This means Mary was ready to give her whole life to Jesus.

The call to discipleship is nothing less. Jesus says, “Those who lose their life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25). So is there a piece of your future that you need to hand over to Jesus? Are there riches you are holding on to that you could use to invest in the Kingdom? Is there an act of extravagant love you could do for Jesus?

Practice: Take some oil and rub it on your wrist. If you are able, get down on your knees, as close to the ground as you can. Read John 12:1-8 aloud.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

Relive

Tuesday, April 7

“Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.”

—John 12:27-30

Jesus is standing with a crowd when we hear him say his soul is troubled. In response to this proclamation, he questions, Should I ask to be saved? His answer is no, because his whole life has led to this point. But isn’t it an interesting contrast to his moments in the garden right before his arrest? There, he is deeply troubled to the point of death, asking God to take the cup of death from him.

I find these vulnerable feelings from Jesus comforting. Jesus understands and stands with us as we face situations that cause us to deeply question whether we have the strength or courage to get through them. Jesus knows what it feels like to not want to walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

As the scene continues, God speaks from heaven. Some hear thunder and some hear angels. Perhaps God speaks to each us of us in the way that will help us hear and believe in God’s resurrection power best.

Practice: Read Psalm 23.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

Relive

Wednesday, April 8

After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him; Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot.

—John 13:21-26

Jesus is always pushing the boundaries of exclusion. The Last Supper is another dinner with sinners. He declares that someone will betray him and sin against him, yet they are invited to the table anyway. They are offered the bread of life and the cup of redemption anyway.

Working in the same church for four years has taught me about reconciliation. When you come to the table each week with the same people, people who have hurt you or you have hurt, you learn what the extension of grace truly feels like. You learn that reconciliation—naming, confessing, and asking for grace—is the way to true community.

There are certainly people we cannot or should not restore relationship with. But it is important to ask: Do I know how to offer grace and stay in relationship with someone who has hurt me? God often uses exactly those people to teach us about ourselves.

Practice: Write a note or seek out a reconciling conversation. Without justifying your actions, own and apologize for your side of things.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

Relive

Maundy Thursday, April 9

“So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.”

—John 13:14-15

One Christmas when my husband and I were in Texas with my in-laws, I was struck down by a stomach virus. At some point in my misery, I crawled to the bed, pulled the comforter off, and laid it on the bathroom floor to try to sleep. At early dawn, my mother-in-law, Denise, came to check on me.

I still vividly remember her getting down on the floor with me. She sat next to my head and talked to me softly. She wasn’t worried about getting a stomach virus. I was suffering, and she wanted me to know I wasn’t alone.

On the final night with his friends, our text tell us that Jesus, having loved his own who were in the world, now showed them the full extent of his love. He got up from the table, poured water in a basin, and washed their feet. By example, he said: I am willing to get on the ground with you. I am willing to be with you in the messiest, dirtiest part of your lives.

Because our King moves closer to the mess of life rather than further away from it, he is asking us to throw off our formality, privilege, respectability, and pride, and get in the trenches with one another.

Practice: Whose feet do you need to wash? Sing or listen to “The Servant Song” (The Faith We Sing, No. 2222). Consider finding a Maundy Thursday service and wash someone’s feet. Let them wash yours.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

Relive

Good Friday, April 10

Since it was the day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the bodies left on the cross during the sabbath, especially because that sabbath was a day of great solemnity. So they asked Pilate to have the legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies removed.

—John 19:31

This is the first time I have noticed why the bodies on the cross were to be removed. It was the day of preparation for the Sabbath and the image of gruesome death would profane it. What we know from this vantage point is that the world had just killed the Lord of the Sabbath. In their effort to keep the formality and commandment of the Scriptures, they crucified and then removed the Living Word.

This Good Friday we should ponder what we are doing in the name of piety and literalism that leads to the crucifixion and removal of real people. If it sounds radical, let us not forget that the gospel offers both good news and challenge.

It is our nature to become narrowly focused on ourselves—our own salvation, our own striving, our own acts of piety. As such, we have to examine our thoughts. We have to allow our theology to be shaped by conversation and experience, re-examined by the suffering of the world. We have to continually ask, “For whose sake are we practicing this theology?” If it is not for the sake of every beloved child of God, it is not a theology of the cross.

Practice: Are the spiritual disciplines you are doing out of obligation, or are they shaping and molding you from the inside out? Consider finding a Good Friday or stations of the cross service to attend.

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

Relive

Saturday, April 11

After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews.

—John 19:38-40

If you have been through loss, you can relate to how Joseph and Nicodemus must have been feeling. The week of my miscarriage I could barely speak. Everything slowed down. Nothing mattered. But like Joseph and Nicodemus, I had people who showed up.

The Jewish practice of Shiva takes place after someone dies. When a loss occurs, friends and family go to the house of the person grieving, but they do not speak until the one grieving speaks first. My friend Kelli showed up at my house and said nothing until I spoke. Weeks later I sat around a table in the middle of a restaurant with three friends who, again, said nothing until I spoke.

I wonder if we could hold one another up in grief better if we practiced silent presence. No explanations. No attempts to help find meaning or purpose. Just presence of body, mind, and spirit that offers strength. In Jesus’ darkest hours of death, his friends were by his side, cleansing, anointing, and holding him.

Practice: Be with someone grieving. If you need words, try: “God is with you. So am I. What do you need?”

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

Relive

Easter Sunday, April 12

Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher).

—John 20:15-16

Throughout the book of John, the writer has been revealing the depth of relationship Jesus offers each of us. He is the good shepherd, who knows each of his sheep by name. He is the one who weeps with Mary and Martha. He is the one who call us friends.

In this first encounter with a disciple whom he loved, Jesus called to his friend by name. Think of those you know most intimately, those whom you would recognize with just the whisper of your name. Jesus says, “Mary” and she knows he is alive instantly.

The good news of resurrection is personal. It is for you. It is for any death-dealing circumstance that feels impossible in your life. It is for any relationship that needs to be risen from the grave.

And the good news is for the whole world. The gift of new life is cause for running, for celebration, for eager sharing and a joy-filled life. Because Christ is risen, we can be risen here and now. We can wake up to life with excitement. We can hold on to and live into and boldly claim abundant life in Jesus Christ.

Practice: Share the good news:

Christ is risen,

Christ is risen, indeed!

Copyright © 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.

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