Day 16: Saturday, March 18, 2017, #Lent Devotion
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32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return.[a] Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”
39 He also told them a parable: “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? 40 A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher. 41 Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s[b] eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? 42 Or how can you say to your neighbor,[c] ‘Friend,[d] let me take out the speck in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s[e] eye.
Devotion: I know, you are thinking, why did I include so much of the biblical texts? Why did I not just reference it? The truth is I know that you would probably not take the time to look up the passage. Or for some of you, you may even skip through the pasted Scripture text thinking you already know what it says. Who are we kidding? We all do that. But studying and meditating requires that we read and re-read God’s words many times over. Our understanding of Scripture may be different today than a year or two ago, and it may be different a year or two from now. It is not that Scripture have changed, it is us who have hopefully changed as we grow in faith and knowledge of God.
Day 15: Friday, March 17, 2017, #Lent Devotion
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Day 15: Friday, March 17, 2017
Through a mighty strength,
The invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s hosts to save me
Afar and anear,
Against wounding
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
I arise today
Through the mighty strength
Of the Lord of creation.
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Day 14: Thursday, March 16, 2017, #Lent Devotion
Day 14: Thursday, March 16, 2017
Carmen Tucker
Roadmap
Scripture: Psalm 32:8 God will instruct me and teach me in the way I should go. He will guide me with His eye.
Day 13: Wednesday, March 15, 2017, #Lent Devotion
Rev. Sela Finau
Day 12: Tuesday, March 14, 2017, #Lent Devotion
Tylor Cavender
The problem with these kinds of statements is that the focus is on the wrong thing. People are focused on themselves and on thanking God for doing things just for them. These statements can seem like someone is saying God is on their side but not their opponents. Similarly, their opponents probably didn’t lose because they are less Christian. What is it that God should be thanked for? It almost certainly isn’t for a win. An easy alteration to these shows of faith would be to thank God for giving us the ability to do these things. It might be a good idea to also ask God for guidance so that we can use the abilities he gave us to glorify him.
Aaron Shust sings a song called, “To God Alone.” The lyrics sum up the instructions Paul gave to the Corinthians. “To God alone be the glory- To God alone be the praise- Everything I say and do- Let it be all for You- The glory is Yours alone.” Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Day 11: Monday, March 13, 2017, #Lent Devotion
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Week 3
Day 11, Monday, March 13, 2017
Vesta Ryan
Scripture: Psalm 84:11a (NRSV) For the Lord God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor.
Prayer: Dear Lord, Be the sun of my life. Let your Son shine out of me to others. Forgive us, in Jesus’ name. Amen
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Sunday, March 12, 2017
Sunday, March 12, 2017
God of life and death,
teach us to hold out for a deeper life,
for the prayerful consciousness that enables us to transcend our
petty desires for security and self-image,
so that we may be free to rest in communion with you.
We do want life, but we want the Big Life,
which includes you and everything else too.
✚✚✚
Day 10: Saturday, March 11, 2017, #Lent Devotion
Day 10: Saturday, March 11, 2017
Rev. Sela Finau
Spiritual Discipline
Member Spotlight, Nellie Ledesma
Member Spotlight
Nellie fondly remembers her childhood on the ranch. They would go to the river, which she loved. “I loved listening to the river,” Nellie says. Since Cotulla was very dry and hot, a favorite thing to do was to play in the huge spigot from the irrigation pipes. She had a pet deer, brought home by her dad when the mother was killed. Nellie loved the faun, and the faun loved her, even after she grew up and had two baby bucks. Even as an adult, her doe would eat out of Nellie’s hand.
Nellie rode the bus from the ranch to school, and remembers trading her tacos for sandwiches. She thought sandwiches were wonderful because that meant being rich. The kids who came to school with sandwiches thought they got the better deal because they though tacos tasted better. School was rough in the beginning for Nellie, as she spoke no English and the school spoke no Spanish. A big change for her came when one of her teachers took a special interest in Nellie, and she made the promise to learn what she needed to learn.
Nellie has been married to Rob Ledesma for 20 years. Rob does commercial flooring for places such as Army bases, schools and hospitals. He is on the road constantly, since they have been blessed with a lot of contracts. They have no children, but she has three dogs, and they have lots of nieces and nephews. She is now taking turns with her sister caring for her elderly mother.
Nellie no longer works because of an accident that left her disabled two years ago when she fell off a ladder. Before the accident, she worked in the prison for seven years, and before that in other positions as an administrative secretary in Round Rock and Austin.
A member of Taylor FUMC for a month, Nellie used to be a Catholic, but likes her new Methodist experience. Betty Brown invited her to come to church and she especially appreciates our pastor who was most welcoming to her when she attended. She reports she was actually shocked when she first came because the members of the church were so outgoing and welcoming. Her Catholic experience was of a much more reserved and quiet congregation. “It’s awesome,” she says. “Before when I left a service, I felt like I was carrying the cross, but now I feel uplifted when I leave.”
Nellie reports that she always wanted to sing in the choir. [The writer enthusiastically let her know the choir welcomes new members and would love to have her take part!] Her favorite hymns are “I’ll Fly Away” and “Go Rest High Upon the Mountain.” She loves those because they free your spirit, and remind you that it is okay to let go. She loves the bluesy, belted-out, soulful, old gospel music.
As a good friend, Nellie can be boisterous and out-spoken but she gave up being snarky for Lent. “I want to be a friend people would like to have,” says Nellie. Her husband says she’s a good wife.
If money were no object, Nellie would be a missionary somewhere she knows the language. She would love to help communities. And as for where to travel, she would love to go to Nazareth and the Holy Land.
The most fun Nellie has ever had was going to Costa Rica, sightseeing and learning about the county. She particularly enjoyed getting to know the citizens of Costa Rica, and remembers one family who was selling coconut water on the beach. The mother was working very hard, and had several children helping out as well. Rob asked one of the boys if they liked soccer. They replied “Oh, yes!” Rob and Nellie came up with the idea to go to the little market near there, and buy the boys a soccer ball and whatever else they needed so that they could play. “That made their day and it made our day,” says Nellie. “It made me feel so good.”