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April 4, 2012
It is finished.
When Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
John 19:30
Think of a time when you gave your life to God. For me, it was when I joined Good Shepherd a few months ago. I have been staring at this verse for awhile now, thinking about what Jesus could possibly have meant in saying, “It is finished.” I have finished a lot of things in my life; some that I am proud of and others I am not. I started to think about what Jesus gave up for us, and if I have given up anything for Him. Of course the sacrifice of my Sunday morning sleeping was significant, but not quite what Jesus meant with these words.
I understood what Jesus meant by these words when I think of the things in my life I am not proud of, because those are the moments where I have truly sinned. Although Jesus was not dying to sin, He was sacrificing Himself for our sins. With these same words, I choose to die to my sins and give my life to God. When I joined this church I knew the sins of my past were finished, and even though there would be struggles ahead, I had God to guide me on the journey. Giving my life, my spirit, my heart to God, was the best decision I have ever made. This church and community of God’s children has given me not only a place to practice my faith, but also a second family in a home that is always there to support me. I encourage you to think of a time in your life where you have given something up to God and how it has affected you. For me, the choice to give my life to God surely has changed me for the better.
Dear God, help us see the sacrifice of Jesus and know the love of Christ through His death. Help us know that while we sin, we still give our lives to you. Guide us on this journey in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen
Kyle Oldham
ELCA World Hunger Barnyard Challenge
Put in a coin for each of the saints in your family who have died in the last year.
April 3, 2012
I am thirsty.
After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture), “I am thirsty.” John 19:28
These words were among the final words that Jesus uttered as he was nailed to the cross and neared death. As I reflect on these words, I am struck by how Jesus’ humanness is so apparent at that moment. Satisfying thirst is perhaps the most basic of human physical needs. During his darkest hour, his plea is answered as according to scripture, someone gives Jesus something to drink. Shortly thereafter Jesus dies, his purpose on earth having been fulfilled.
This passage reinforces that God has a way of satisfying our needs through those around us. We can all likely recall challenging times in our lives where we felt lost and alone with our struggles. Perhaps it was due to an illness or loss of a family member or loved one. At these times, it is comforting to meet someone who has shared the same struggles and truly understands our feelings. We instantly feel less alone and feel a sense of hope and strength. Our thirst has been quenched.
May we pray to Jesus to quench our thirst during our times of greatest need. Amen.
Chrisann McCarthy
ELCA World Hunger Barnyard Challenge
Put in a coin for every beverage you had today.
April 2, 2012
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, ‘My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?’ Matthew 27:46
Let me preface my devotion by saying that in no way do I think that any trial I’ve faced could ever compare with what Jesus went through in order to save us all.
Some of you may know that I’ve been struggling with constant back pain due to an injury. Since my injury occurred at work, I’ve been forced to go through the workers’ compensation system in order to get treatment. This has been a long, drawn out process and it’s taken a toll on every aspect of my life. Fortunately, I’ve now had surgery and have some relief from the pain.
When I looked up the word “forsake,” I found that the 1st definition is “abandon” and the 2nd is “to renounce or give up.”
Throughout this 2 ½ year struggle to get pain relief, I am sad to admit that there were times when I felt like God must have forgotten about me. I felt like He had forsaken me; Abandoned me; Given up on me when I needed Him the most. Many times I told Him that if he thought I could handle this, he was giving me way too much credit J!
Oftentimes, I felt like the person in the “Footprints” poem that asks God “Why, at the most troublesome times of my life; the times I needed you most, would you leave me?” It took me a long time and many wasted days of self pity to finally hear his response. “My precious, precious child. I love you and I would never, never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering when you saw only one set of footprints – That was when I carried you.”
I thank God today that I am learning to not allow the trials and tribulations of life to consume me. I’ve come to realize that I have been surrounded by loving, caring family and friends this entire time. I am also blessed to have the community of Good Shepherd praying for me. I have no doubt that all these prayers have helped lead me out of my self-imposed darkness. I have never been alone and, with God, I never will be.
Dear Lord, help me to not allow the trials I may face to consume me. Allow me to see my blessings clearly and to remember to give thanks to You for those blessings. On days when life is just too much, help me to remember that you are there to carry me. Amen
Barbara Kasprzak
ELCA World Hunger Barnyard Challenge
Put in a coin for a time you felt forsaken by God. Put in a dollar or more if you have never felt forsaken.
March 31, 2012
Faith Heals
Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well. Luke 17:19
Jesus encounters a group of 10 lepers who ask to be healed, but after they are cured only one returns to thank Jesus. It is to this man that Jesus says, “Your faith has made you well.”
I think it is often difficult to have faith in God when a serious illness threatens you or someone you love. It’s easy to have faith in a medical facility because of rankings and statistics that attest to treatment success. It’s also easy to have faith in a doctor who has years of experience and positive results. Faith in God is more difficult to quantify and support with facts and statistics, yet the Bible is filled with evidence of God’s healing touch.
When our infant granddaughter Quinn was undergoing treatment for cancer last year I wore a bracelet with “Have Faith” engraved on one side and “Expect Miracles” engraved on the other. It served as a constant reminder and reassurance of God’s healing power.
Dear God, help us through the times when we find it difficult to have faith in you, and thank you for the miracles of your healing power. Amen.
Joan Dickert
ELCA World Hunger Barnyard Challenge
Put in a coin for each medication you are currently taking. Put in a dollar or more in gratitude if you don’t take any.
March 30, 2012
Jesus Heals
Great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute, and many others. They put them at his feet, and he cured them, so that the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel. Matthew 15:30-31
I’ve always heard that Jesus never gives more than you can bear. Many times in my life I have asked: Lord why me? Why do I have to go through this? What are you trying to show me? I asked these questions many, many times 3 years ago when we moved from Colorado to Massachusetts, I spent countless nights upset and crying. Suddenly I realized that things were changing in a wonderful way, my son who has special needs was going to an amazing school district where he was getting all the help he needs to be a successful person. Today he has made a lot of good friends and is a joyful boy who has taught me to see life from a different prospective. Indeed Jesus heals and he does with such a loving and tender way that sometimes we don’t realize that our pain, worries and suffering are gone.
Dear Lord, today I pray for the people who are going through a difficult time. Protect them, give them the peace and the patience they need so they will enjoy the power of your healing. Amen
Claudia Ramirez
ELCA World Hunger Barnyard Challenge Make an offering in thanksgiving for those who heal.
March 29, 2012
Jesus Heals
And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them. Luke 7:22
Becoming a nurse was something that I have always wanted to do. I was in the hospital a lot when I was young, and I remember that the people who made the most impact on me were the nurses. They took care of me when I had to recover in the hospital, which is never the first place that a child wants to be. I remember them healing me when I needed to be healed.
After graduating from nursing school, I went to work on a medical/surgical floor that specialized in oncology. Soon I learned that I enjoyed taking care of oncology patients and their families. I found that caring for any patient when they were sick gave me a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Many nights I would drive home thanking Him for helping me help and care for my patients. I thanked Him for the many times He gave the patients the strength and courage to be healed.
Dear Lord, comfort us in our time of need with your gentle love. Grant us the strength and grace to help us through our sorrows and sickness. We place our worries in your hands and ask to be restored to good health. Amen
Paula Sulmasy
ELCA World Hunger Barnyard Challenge
Make an offering in thanksgiving for the healing of someone you love.
March 28, 2012
God Made Me
For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13
In February, 1979 on Rte. 90, driving westbound from the air base to Rapid City, S.D., I had a lot to think about. The Air Force flight surgeon had just informed me that I was deaf and now I was on my way to see a civilian specialist who was going to determine how severe the hearing loss was.
The shock was starting to wear off and now I had to think about what was coming next. As the mother of two babies and the wife of an Air Force captain, was I going to spend the rest of my life feeling incomplete because I couldn’t hear properly? Could this problem be fixed? What about the future – how serious a handicap is this? My mind was spinning in circles.
Then it hit me. I was not especially devout and hadn’t attended church in years. But suddenly it hit me that God made me this way – and God doesn’t make junk! This hearing loss was not a handicap; it was a gift. After years of wondering what was wrong with me, I realized that there was nothing wrong that couldn’t be fixed through the grace of God!
Dear Lord, we know that you don’t make junk. Thank you for showing me that what others might think is a handicap can truly be Your gift of a new life.
Pat Fontes
ELCA World Hunger Barnyard Challenge Put in a coin for every baby on the way that you know about.
March 27, 2012
Body and Soul
Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul. 3 John 1:2
John wrote this third letter to commend a church leader for his hospitality but also to warn him about one who was unfriendly. John apparently knew that his friend’s soul, spirit, was healthy. During Elaine’s training as a Pastoral Counselor, we learned that there is a connection between body, mind and spirit.
A cancer patient was told by her doctor that she had three to five years to live. She had a meltdown, mentally, physically and spiritually; could not get out of bed. Had God forsaken her? She decided she could not work with a doctor who gave her a sense of hopelessness.
A friend took her to a healing service. A woman at that service gave her a prayer shawl. She was not cured, but she finally felt at peace. Her faith went from dabbling with a relationship with Jesus to aligning with His love and guidance. She read the Bible daily, used her prayer shawl, had a community prayer group and found a holistic doctor. He told her, “We know there is a relationship between our thoughts and bodies. “He said our thoughts can also affect others people’s cells. We do not have to carry the whole burden of getting well by ourselves. It is great that we have a prayer circle and prayer shawls at Good Shepherd!!!
The patient says that the toxic thoughts of despair are now nanoseconds of anxiety and are quickly dispelled by God. An unknown author wrote, “Feed your faith and your fears will starve to death.”
Heavenly Father, we pray that we will remember that you are with us always and will never leave us. Guide us to know and do your will. Amen.
Bill and Elaine Rissmiller
ELCA World Hunger Barnyard Challenge
Put in a coin for every hymn you can think of about healing. Put in a dollar or more if you can’t think of any.
March 26, 2012
God is our Strength
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
What would the world be like without God? I can’t imagine it. He has been a part of my life for my whole life. I have always been tremendously comforted by the thought of being able to talk to God and letting Him carry my cares and worries. I have been fortunate to have always enjoyed good health so far, so cannot say that I have called on God in times of illness. However for other problems, yes, I most certainly have gone to God for strength, comfort and protection. I have had the opportunity to encourage some of my patients to pray over the years as well. I have talked with them about how important their emotional, mental and spiritual health is, not just their physical health, and the connections that exist between all of them. I have had the privilege of visiting some of our parishioners at different times of illness and offering them a prayer shawl as a tangible reminder that God is indeed our help in times of trouble. So, when you are in trouble and need help, look to God for strength. There is no burden too heavy for Him to carry.
Heavenly Father, thank you for caring for us day in and day out. Help us to remember that you are our refuge, you are the source of our strength and that we can always rely on you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Kristen McCordick
ELCA World Hunger Barnyard Challenge
Put in a coin for everyone on your prayer list.
March 25, 2012
Lenten Study # 5
Crown of Thorns
Cruel Coronation of Christ
John 19:1-5 read each day
Monday: “And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns . . .” Some people seem bent on weaving misery for others? How do I react to them??
Tuesday: “A crown of thorns . . .” The world’s acknowledgement of a Christian is a mixed bag: The crown of honor and thorns of ridicule. How do I react?
Wednesday: “and put it on his head.” How do I react when I am forced to bear the mark the world places on me?
Thursday: “and arrayed him in a purple robe . . .” How do I react when others make light of my status as a Christian?
Friday: “Hail, King of the Jews . . .” How do I respond to verbal taunts?
Saturday: “and to give him blows in the face.” When mockery reaches the stage of physical abuse, how do I respond?
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