Fruit of the Spirit a daily devotional for Lent 2017

Transcription

1 Fruit of the Spirit a daily devotional for Lent 2017 St. Paul's United Church of Christ 101 Worthington Road Exton PA 19341

2 When people look at a Christian, what should they see? What virtues should proceed from the movement of the Spirit within the heart of a disciple? Or, to put it more simply, how can we describe a person whose life is shaped by the word of God? Paul offers this answer in his letter to the church in Galatia: "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" (5:22-23) Nine fruits birthed from one vine. Nine virtues growing in one ground. This Lent, I invite you to join the congregation of St. Paul's UCC in meditating on these nine fruits as we journey toward the cross together. May this be a time for us to reorient ourselves to the things that matter most, and to the God from whom all blessings flow. A blessed Lenten season to one and all Jonathan +

3 MARCH 1 ASH WEDNESDAY Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5 Here's a random fact about biblical food vocabulary. The word 'vegetable' appears only six times in the entire Bible. (Children and picky grown-ups should take note that 'broccoli' is entirely absent from the good book.) 'Fruit,' on the other hand, is amply represented, with more than 300 mentions. The apple gets a bad rap from the get-go, but let's not forget that God's first commandment to human beings, long before the Big Ten, was to "Be fruitful and multiply" Be fruitful This is about procreation, and more than procreation. Fruitfulness, the prophets teach us, is related to righteousness and peace. At one point, when Isaiah sang of his hope that the people of God would be renewed and redeemed, he imagined a day when "a spirit from on high is poured out on us, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest... [t]hen justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. The effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust for ever." (Isaiah 32:15-17) When Jesus teaches the disciples that their relationship with him will enable them to lead fruitful lives, he draws on the vision of Isaiah and other Hebrew prophets. This is not about having a ministry that is 'successful' or prosperous in material terms. This is about a life that gives birth to compassion, a life that illuminates the loving purposes of God so that others may see God's light and be glad in it. To what end? So that the world, blessed by the good news of the kingdom of heaven, may be graced with righteousness, peace, quietness, and trust for ever. Here Jesus reminds the disciples of the very first commandment. What are humans for? To bear fruit But there's more. Jesus wants us to know that we do not do this work alone. God does not loom over us with a clipboard; God is neither our supervisor nor our taskmaster. Quite the contrary, God pours his own Spirit into our lives, making a divine dwelling place within us, so that he might do his work in us and through us. Through Christ, we share an organic spiritual unity with the Creator. We might take a moment to marvel at this, not only that God is closer to us than we imagined, but also that whenever we do bear fruit, it is because God himself is accomplishing his work in us. Holy God, help me to abide in Christ each day, that with my heart and mind set on his peace, with my soul renewed by his presence, I might live fruitfully and faithfully. Help me to become nothing in myself so that I might do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

4 THURSDAY MARCH 2 Let all that you do be done in love. 1 Corinthians 16:14 The Bible has a lot of great stories and lessons, but if I had to pick one verse that sums up Jesus teaching it would be this one. What else do we need to know? But it is not always easy to approach everything is life s journey with love, especially the difficult, annoying parts (insert pet peeve here). That is when it is helpful to think about the why of this lesson. Why should we do everything in love? Is it so that we can say we are making the world a better place, or because it s the right thing to do? Is it a rule we should follow because God told us so? Those ideas probably won t help us when times get tough, and they may even cause us to fail and feel bad about ourselves. What we really need to know is that the reason we can Let all we do be done in love is because we are loved by God and filled by God s love. In Sunday school a few weeks ago we read a passage from Matthew that teaches us how God loves all of us, just like the sun shines and the rains fall over all the earth. We are all abundantly blessed by God s unconditional love. It rises every day. It washes over all the earth. If we can begin to appreciate the abundance of God s love, it becomes easier for us to just pass it around Dear God, as sure as the sun will rise another day let me be confident of your abundant love so that I may be able to share it with others in everything that I do. Amen. Mayme Baumann

5 FRIDAY MARCH 3 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 1 Corinthians 13:4-6 Among the many aspects of Christianity that Friedrich Nietzsche targeted in his writings, the subject of love was singled out for scorn in a particularly stinging way: "The most subtle artifice that distinguishes Christianity from other religions is a word: it speaks of love.. There is something so ambiguous and suggestive about the word love, something that speaks to memory and to hope, that even the lowest intelligence and the coldest heart still feel something of the glimmer of this word... for those countless ones who miss love, whether from their parents or their children or their beloved, and especially for people with sublimated sexuality, Christianity has always been a find." (from Mixed Opinions and Maxims, 1879, trans. Walter Kaufmann) Ouch Knowing that Nietzsche was the son of a Lutheran pastor, in a time and place when Protestant pastors were not known to be warm and fuzzy gents, I can't help thinking that this critique has a lot to do with the coldness of his upbringing. Whatever the reason, I appreciate the critique this is a big reason why I like to read Nietzsche because it helps me to be very clear about the real meaning of Christian love. Yes, we are the religion that places love above all things. We dare to declare that "God is love." But what does this mean? When Jesus teaches us to love our neighbors and our enemies, is this an expression of vague sentimentalism? Does it even have anything to do with our feelings? Paul gives us clarity. The love he describes, the love that follows the contours of Christ's life and teaching, is anything but vague or sentimental. This love is about action. This love does not feel things; it does things. This love leads us into service. It humbles us, and places us before our neighbor in a spirit of generosity and grace. It calls us to become ministers of all people, not just those what we feel inclined to like, but every person with whom we share this world. This takes us into a realm of the Christian faith that was even more offensive to Nietzsche and is still offensive to a world that worships power than the emphasis of love. Christ invites us to take the path of servanthood, not the path of mastery. He invites us to lose our lives (our selves, our egos, our pride) so that we might come to know the true, new life that belongs to all who are born of the Spirit. Christian love is so much more than a word... it is a way of life. God of love, help me to understand the ways of your love, and to hear your voice when you call me to yield, to kneel, to give. Guide me by your own Spirit, that Paul's love song may describe not only my aspirations but also my actions.

6 SATURDAY MARCH 4 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Colossians 3:14 It's hard to imagine "perfect harmony". Gripes, grudges, fear, frustration seem to have a strong hold on our hearts and minds. Even with those I dearly love, I find we can be out of step and not in "perfect harmony". It is easy to look at my partner as he suggests our children play one more round of a game before bed, and feel zero harmony. We love each other deeply, but in our human interactions I struggle to feel harmony. However, when I step back and reflect on our connection to each other and to the natural world; to rhythm of sunsets, the change of the seasons, to our commitment to being good stewards of the earth and raising children to share these values I realize that our love is bigger than any gripe, grudge, fear or frustration. I believe, with Jesus as a guide, I can find this love and compassion for everyone. Not just for my partner; but for my neighbor, my coworker, and my friend with different beliefs and values. A love that asks nothing in return, but brings about harmony through its steadfastness. The poet Hafiz wrote: Even after all this time the sun never says to the earth, "You owe me." Look what happens with love like that. It lights up the whole sky. The beauty of the earth is an inspiration for love and the harmony that loves brings. Dear God, let us love others as the sun loves the earth. Let us love as Jesus loves. Amen. Lauren Alexandro

7 SUNDAY MARCH 5 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. 1 John 4:18 We cannot have perfect love and fear at the same time because perfect love has no fear. This verse made me stop and think. Nate s Topical Bible: "If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because He first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also." (1 John 4:12, 16-21) Thank you, God, for your perfect love and guidance with it. In your name, we pray. Amen. Marg Perina

8 MONDAY MARCH 6 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. Galatians 5:13 In November of 1520, the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther published an essay entitled "On the Freedom of the Christian." He opened with a bold statement: "A Christian is an utterly free man, lord of all, subject to none." Now that's an idea an American can really get behind. But wait, that's not all. Luther followed that statement with an equally bold and seemingly contradictory statement: "A Christian is an utterly dutiful man, servant of all, subject to all." Luther wasn't trying to be funny or nonsensical. Quite the contrary, he was dealing with a very serious question about the Christian's engagement with the world and her responsibility to her neighbors. Christians are, as Paul writes, "called to freedom." Having been loved by the God of resurrection, there is now no earthly power or heavenly power, for that matter that can bind our souls and separate us from his divine love. There is no longer any earthly authority that has the power to determine our eternal life with God. But our freedom in Christ is not simply a "freedom from..." It is a "freedom for..." Despite the contemporary understanding of "personal freedom," God does not free us so that we can simply serve our own ends. The love of Christ joins us to others. It places us in relationship with others and calls upon us to build up the body in love. Paul suggests that this relationship is so vital that it makes us interdependent: "if one part of the body suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." With freedom therefore comes responsibility, as we are challenged to ask not only what we have a right to do but more importantly what we should do for the sake of the body of Christ. If you have trouble thinking about the church in this way, let me offer a different example. I think that this is an apt description of the kind of selfless spirit on which every good marriage depends. I am perfectly free at any time to tell Liza what I think about this or that. There's no law prohibiting me from complaining to her every time I feel annoyed about something. I am free do act as I will. (And suffer the consequences) But I am also bound to her by my love. I have promised to serve her. When I do this well, it is a joy and not only my joy. As Wendell Berry wrote in a poem to his wife: "What wonder have you done to me? / In binding love you set me free." Teach me the meaning of freedom, and the meaning of love, O God, so that I may come into the joy of your presence here and now, in the relationships I share and the responsibilities I bear.

9 TUESDAY MARCH 7 My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4 There is a wonderful scene in the last book of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, when Gandalf the wizard has arrived with Pippin the hobbit in the capital city of Gondor. The wizard has come on a grave errand. War is coming, and Gandalf knows that so much depends on the willingness of Gondor to go out and meet the Dark Lord with all its strength of arms. But Gandalf is rebuffed by the steward of the city. His anger and frustration is volcanic. A lesser person would have despaired of all hope. But suddenly, when Pippin innocently inquires whether Gandalf is angry with him, the wizard laughs a deep, hearty laugh: "Pippin glanced in some wonder at the face now close beside his own, for the sound of that laugh had been gay and merry. Yet in the wizard's face he saw at first only lines of care and sorrow; though as he looked more intently he perceived that under all there was a great joy: a fountain of mirth enough to set a kingdom laughing, were it to gush forth. Maybe this is kind of joy that James is writing about in today's scripture. Not an easy happiness that depends on the good fortune of one's immediate circumstances, but something that runs much deeper. Maybe joy, in the Christian sense, has nothing to do with what we habitually call 'happiness,' and everything to do with what we usually call 'hope.' Gandalf is in the midst of a terrible trial. He is overwhelmed by care and sorrow. But he does not despair, he does not wallow in anger or self-pity, because his care and sorrow have their roots in a determined hope in the victory of goodness and light. James says that we should consider our trials to be joy. I might put it another way, saying that we should look upon times of trial as an opportunity to remember the abiding joy that has been given to us in Christ. No matter what befalls us, we can count on the presence of the Holy Spirit to pour the love of God into our hearts. This love will not fail us or depart from us. Knowing this is true joy. Knowing this will make us complete, wanting nothing. Even when lions prowl in the wilderness of our lives, we can rest assured that "the Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." God of the cross, remind me when I am struggling, when the burdens of life seem too heavy to bear, that you are not only by my side but within my heart. Remind me of the joy that is in me, and let me be sustained by the sure and certain hope that you have given in Christ.

10 WEDNESDAY MARCH 8 For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30:5 Don't go to bed mad. Sleep well in God's endless love. Wake up happy now. Dear God, help us to be forgiving and loving to others and to ourselves. Amen. Lauren Alexandro

11 THURSDAY MARCH 9 For to the one who pleases him God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the work of gathering and heaping, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind. Ecclesiastes 2:26 I had to read this a few times, and think about it a great deal, before I began to understand what it might mean. Now I'm going to attempt an interpretation, but first let me emphasize that word "might" in the previous sentence. At first glance it seems like a teaching about rewards and consequences. Those who please God will be blessed with wisdom and knowledge and joy, while sinners will be afflicted with the work of gathering and heaping. But something about this reading doesn't quite add up. It seems like it puts the cart before the horse. The Bible does not tend to describe wisdom and knowledge and joy as byproducts. Instead, they are things on which pleasing God depends. Wisdom and knowledge have to do with the study of God's law, with the willingness to learn God's ways and re-order your life in accordance with these ways. Likewise, joy is an act of trust, a mark of abiding faith, as those who entrust their souls to God dare to rejoice even in times of hardship, because they know that God, their Redeemer, will not fail to remember them. But what if we read this the other way around? What if the work of gathering and heaping is the sin? What if wisdom and knowledge and joy is what pleases God? This makes more sense to me. In this phrase "gathering and heaping" I hear an indictment of an acquisitive life, a life that is centered and making more, having more, possessing more. Remember Jesus' parable about the man who thought he was so smart when he built bigger storehouses for the grains that he gathered in his once-in-a-lifetime harvest? It didn't end so well for him. And neither does it go well for those who spend their lives in the relentless pursuit of things that they think will make them happy. To do this is "vanity," which in the Hebrew has to do with emptiness, void, nullity. To center our lives on the knowledge of God's love this is to be filled with good things. To strive to live wisely, according to the commandments this is to know true abundance. To choose joy, giving thanks to God every day this is a blessed life. God of life, free me from the restless pursuit of "things" that might satisfy, that I may rest in your presence, take heart in your word, and come each day into the joy of your presence.

12 FRIDAY MARCH 10 We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 2 Corinthians 6:8b-10 Thoreau had a literary quirk that drove his friend Emerson crazy. I'll let Emerson describe it. This is from his eulogy for Thoreau (a beautiful and sometimes surprisingly frank essay), published in The Atlantic in August of 1862: "A certain habit of antagonism defaced his earlier writings, a trick of rhetoric not quite outgrown in his later, of substituting for the obvious word and thought its diametrical opposite. He praised wild mountains and winter forests for their domestic air, in snow and ice he would find sultriness, and commended the wilderness for resembling Rome and Paris." It's true. Thoreau loved to confound the reader with paradoxes of this sort. But was this merely a trick of rhetoric, or worse, a bad habit? I have always been inclined to think that Emerson, no naturalist, simply did not understand what Thoreau understood, that he could not see what the bard of Walden saw. This was just a hunch, until I read Wendell Berry's introduction to one of his most recent collections of poetry. Berry, the farmer-poet-philosopher, is the best observer of nature that we have had since Thoreau, and in this book he laments his early over-use of the word "wild" to describe the non-human creatures of the world: "The longer I have lived and worked here among the noncommercial creatures of the woods and fields, the less I have been able to conceive of them as "wild." They plainly are going about their own domestic lives, finding or making shelter, gathering food, minding their health, raising their young, always well-adapted to their places. They are far better at domesticity than we industrial humans are." There is something here that touches on Paul's list of paradoxes. The Christian has died with Christ, and yet is truly alive. The Christian is poor in material things (this, of course, has changed), and yet is richer than Solomon himself. The Christian bears the sorrows of the world, and yet is filled with a joy that makes her soar like an eagle. Is this a trick of rhetoric? Or does the Christian learn to look at the world differently, knowing that the kingdom of heaven, which turns the values of this world on its head, is nearer to us that we ever imagined? God, help me to live according to the good news of your kingdom instead of serving the wild ways of the world. Make me glad in your presence, that my rejoicing may free me from the desire to possess, control, or dominate.

13 SATURDAY MARCH 11 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete. John 16:24 In the previous chapter, Jesus teaches his disciples that by keeping his commandments they will be dwelling in his love: "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love." The Greek word translated as abide has many dimensions. It can mean 'remain,' 'dwell,' 'stay,' 'endure.' What does it mean to listen and learn from Jesus? It means that his love will become our home, our dwelling place. It means that his love will become a place where our soul may find rest and renewal, sustenance for the journey and courage for the work that is set before us. It means that the love of Jesus, which is the love of the Father, will become our food and drink, our shelter and strength. This love is not something external or outside of us, but something that we are invited to inhabit, that our whole lives might be immersed in it. Then Jesus says, "I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete." This last phrase, "that your joy may be complete," is repeated in today's scripture. And here Jesus relates the completion of our joy to our willingness to ask for God's help. He is talking, I think, about prayer. This is important. Here is an invitation for us to be in a dynamic and lively relationship with God, not merely as passive instruments but as active partners. The fulfillment of our joy is connected here with our determination to bring our petitions before God. Why is this so? Why is silent reverence not enough? I don't know for sure, but maybe it means that we also need to speak sometimes in order to learn that God listens. Maybe this has something to do with a practice of prayer that reminds us, despite our imperfections that often lead us to ask for the wrong things, that God hears us and cares about us. There is a joy that comes from the freedom of talking to God, from knowing that God is not only listening but also loving you as you speak. In one of my favorite books, Marilynne Robinson's Lila, there is a description of a man, a pastor, who "used to talk to Jesus in the parlor, and they all had to be very quiet until they heard him at the front door, saying, "Lord, I do truly thank You for Your time"" This man was, his son remembers, "a pretty wild old fellow." But the way that Jesus might tell it, I think that he was probably pretty joyful too. God, give me courage to come before you with all of my hopes and dreams, all of my fears and feelings. Help me to be more free in expressing my desires since, after all, you already know my desires anyway. With the boldness of your child I ask: Give me joy the same joy that was in Jesus

14 SUNDAY MARCH 12 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Matthew 5:9 Jean Vanier is one of my heroes. In the 1960s he was called by God to minister to developmentally disabled persons. Deeply concerned about the way that disabled persons were often institutionalized to live apart from others, unhappily estranged from a society that did not make room for them, Vanier founded the first L'Arche community in France to be a place where disabled and non-disabled persons would live together not as "clients" and "caregivers" but as members of one community, as neighbors in the true biblical sense of the word. Today L'Arche includes 147 such communities in 35 countries. Jean Vanier knows something about peacemaking. He knows that peace is much more than simply the absence of violence. Peace, as it is embodied in the L'Arche movement, has to do with building up the body of Christ in love, the body in which the most lowly and humble ones are treated with the greatest respect. Peacemaking therefore requires a commitment to community, a desire to make a life together with others. This is not easy, but neither it is impossible. In one of his talks, Vanier outlines six points for peacemakers to follow: (1) Respect every individual human being; (2) create space for people to grow and become mature; (3) always stay in dialogue; (4) keep adapting mutual expectations; (6) always direct your attentions to those who suffer most. The first five points might be found, in some shape or form, in any number of resources on constructive dialogue, inside or outside of the church. But the sixth point is uniquely Christian. It rests on the Christian conviction, expressed by Jesus and emphasized by Paul, that God has a special concern for the poor, the lowly, and those who are devalued by the powerful. Looking at Jesus' words, "blessed are the peacemakers," through the lens of Vanier's six points, I am challenged by this insight that peacemaking is really about the creation of a community in which all people are honored as children of God, as members of one family. Laying down our weapons is not enough. We must also take up the hard work of bearing each other's burdens, sharing our weaknesses and vulnerabilities, and offering our love to others. God of grace, you have taught us how to live as your children. You have shown us the way to happiness by giving us neighbors and friends with whom to share our love and our lives. Help us to cherish these most precious gifts, and to devote ourselves to this kind of peacemaking that leads to true community and mutual joy.

15 MONDAY MARCH 13 If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Romans 12:18 My guess is that Paul wants his readers to focus on the last part of this sentence. The instruction is to "live peaceably with all." But I can't help wondering about the first part. Call it human nature. The same human nature that prompted the lawyer to ask Jesus, as a follow-up question to the commandment to love your neighbor, "But who is my neighbor?" There's always some part of us that is hoping to be excused from responsibility, as though the Bible's ethical laws are like jury duty. What exactly does Paul mean when he says, "If it is possible"? There is only one other time that Paul uses that word in his writings, and the other time is just plain weird. (Look it up: Galatians 4:15). So he must have had good reason for using it here. One possibility is that he's trying to sound like a reasonable guy, so that his readers won't write him off as a total dreamer. After all, this verse comes in the middle of some heavy-duty instructions about the responsibilities of Christians to one another, instructions that don't provide much wiggle-room. Maybe this is Paul's way of saying, "Look, I'm only asking you to do what you can.... I know that it won't always be possible, so don't get down on yourselves when you fall short." There is another possibility. (I'm sorry to say.) Paul may want the reader to reflect on the meaning of that word "possible" in the Christian vocabulary. The gospels tend to use that word in the context of God's power to bring about new realities in human life. When Mary wonders at the message of the angel, he assures her, "nothing will be impossible with God." When the disciples wonder who is worthy enough to be saved, Jesus says, "for mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible." And when the disciples doubt themselves, Jesus encourages them to have faith: "For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." Here we find, again and again, that the human notions of what is "possible" are no longer applicable in the new realm which has come into being with the incarnation of God's love. Is it possible for us to live peaceably with all? If we rely solely on ourselves, probably not. But if we entrust our spirits to God, humbling ourselves so that Christ may be exalted, within our hearts and in the space between ourselves and others, nothing will be impossible. Give me grace to trust you in all things, and help me to be led by your Spirit, so that out of my faith may lead me into your peaceable kingdom.

16 TUESDAY MARCH 14 I will both lie down and sleep in peace; for you alone, O LORD, make me lie down in safety. Psalm 4:8 This is the last line of the psalm, and read alone it gives the impression that the poet's life is marked by quiet and serenity. Not so. The psalm begins with a bold cry that carries a sense of urgency and desperation: "Answer me when I call, O God of my right" The poem slides back and forth from hope to distress, as the poet seems to feel besieged even as he knows that he belongs to the God of mercy. I almost get the feeling that the poet is struggling with a long stretch of sleeplessness. In the middle of the psalm, he says, "When you are disturbed, do not sin; ponder it on your beds, and be silent." I wonder if he is speaking to himself, counseling patience and trust, lest the dark thoughts of his anxious nights get the better of him. This possibility puts me in mind of William Wordsworth, whose sonnet "To Sleep" takes us inside the mind of one who lies awake at night: A flock of sheep that leisurely pass by One after one; the sound of rain, and bees Murmuring; the fall of rivers, winds and seas, Smooth fields, white sheets of water, and pure sky; I ve thought of all by turns, and still I lie Sleepless; and soon the small birds melodies Must hear, first utter d from my orchard trees, And the first cuckoo s melancholy cry. Even thus last night, and two nights more I lay, And could not win thee, Sleep by any stealth: So do not let me wear to-night away: Without Thee what is all the morning s wealth? Come, blesséd barrier between day and day, Dear mother of fresh thoughts and joyous health What is the insomniac to do? Both the English poet and the Hebrew psalmist suggest prayer (and poetry-writing), if not as a remedy, at least as a means of focusing the mind on good things. More than that, the psalmist reminds us what we are waiting for, and what we are calling upon God to give. Not just a physical rest the labors of the day, but a renewal of the spirit in the peace of God's presence. So that we might wake not only with fresh thoughts and joyous health, but with hearts made strong to love, and with spirits eager to bless. May God grant all of us such a sleep Come, Good Shepherd, and fill our days and nights with your peace.

17 WEDNESDAY MARCH 15 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:9 Paul was on a mission to spread Jesus message to other parts of his world because I think he saw and felt the benefit, for himself and the world, of living according to the radical example of peace and love that Jesus showed us while on earth. He did this at great sacrifice to himself as he was writing this letter to the Philippians from a jail cell and yet he was at peace. Paul wanted to be an example that showed people that the work to be done to spread the good news of a new way of thinking about God and our relationship with each other was not always the easy or popular thing to do, but it was the right thing to do. It would bring peace to the people of God. He wanted his audience to persist in living the way Jesus taught us for their own benefit and he knew that the people would need this encouragement because the work is not easy. Although in our world we don t face jail time or a death sentence to be a Christian (at least not in the developed world), it is still hard work to live by the example that Jesus taught us and that Paul encourages us to continue. I think it can be a particular challenge today because even among Christians there are differences in the interpretation of what the example should be and at times the message of Jesus is twisted for personal or political gain. However, if we persist in the core things that Jesus and Paul taught us; kindness and love for one another and thinking of the needs of others instead of our own (selflessness and humility), the peace of God will be with us. This is hard work that is never done but Jesus wanted us to see that living this way would bring both inner peace and peace to our world. Dear Lord, help us to persist in living by the example that Jesus taught us. Help us to focus on love and kindness to each other to bring peace to ourselves and more peace in our world, a peace that God means for us to have with each other. Chris Baumann

18 THURSDAY MARCH 16 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. Psalm 34:14 Ever since Walden was published, there has been endless (and inconclusive) debate about what Henry David Thoreau meant when he referred to his lost hound, bay horse, and turtle-dove: "I long ago lost a hound, a bay horse, and a turtle-dove, and am still on their trail. Many are the travelers I have spoken concerning them, describing their tracks and what calls they answered to. I have met one or two who have heard the hound, and the tramp of the horse, and even seen the dove disappear behind a cloud, and they seemed as anxious to recover them as if they had lost them themselves." He never explains the significance of the story, allowing the reader to draw her own conclusions. One reader guesses, for example, that each of the three symbols relates to some aspect of human vitality, that the hound represents community and companionship, the bay horse passion and energy, and the dove the transcendental quality, given to all human beings, "to break the bonds of family, religion, nation and materialism." (Jack Matthews, from his Sage to Meadow blog) I like this idea, but I think it's also possible that the search itself is the vital thing. Thoreau's vision of life is anything but passive or inactive. His is a wakeful, engaged, passionate life. He despised worldly pursuits and threw himself headlong into a search for truth: "Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth." He tracked it his whole life, always attentive so that he might pick up its trail. I mention this because I noticed that the psalmist speaks of the good life in similar terms. Just replace Thoreau's "truth" with the poet's "peace." I like this idea of peace as something that we are meant to pursue, something that we are supposed to be on the lookout for. Do we live each day with this passion to find peace, to set our paths according to the ways that peace has traveled? Could we describe to a passerby the sound, the smell, the shape of peace? Are we as anxious to recover it as Thoreau was to find his hound and bay horse and turtle-dove? God, help me to seek peace and pursue it with all of my energy. Show me the way, and give me strength so that I may not rest until I have it in hand, in heart, in soul.

19 FRIDAY MARCH 17 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Romans 12:12 In a letter to his mother and brother, Mark Twain poked fun at the old adage that good things come to those who wait. He wrote, "All good things arrive unto them that wait and don't die in the meantime." What does Christian patience look like? Paul counsels us to be patient in suffering, but what does he mean exactly? That we should keep our mouths shut and stop complaining? (I worry sometimes that this is the idea my children get about patience, given the circumstances every time I find myself desperately pleading with them to be patient." Or this is probably closer to the mark that we should look to the promises of God, staying focused on our future hope instead of our present circumstances? This is surely part of it. But I don't think it tells the whole story. What does this say about the presence of God with us in our suffering, with us in the present moment of our troubles? Henri Nouwen addresses this in one of his writings: How do we wait for God? We wait with patience. But patience does not mean passivity. Waiting patiently is not like waiting for the bus to come, the rain to stop, or the sun to rise. It is an active waiting in which we live the present moment to the full in order to find there the signs of the One we are waiting for. The word patience comes from the Latin verb patior, which means to suffer. Waiting patiently is suffering through the present moment, tasting it to the full, and letting the seeds that are sown in the ground on which we stand grow into strong plants. Waiting patiently always means paying attention to what is happening right before our eyes and seeing there the first rays of God s glorious coming. This is helpful to me, to think about patience being related to the word for suffering. It helps me because it reminds me that patience is not a matter of stoically enduring the present moment of trouble, but about attending to the real presence of God in all the times of life. I would like to do this, to be more alert to the signs of God's love in the hours that try my patience. God of joy and sorrow, be with me in times of suffering, and shine the light of your love upon me, so that I may perceive your nearness and draw strength from your Spirit.

20 SATURDAY MARCH 18 Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices. Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret it leads only to evil. For the wicked shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. Psalm 37:7-9 This seems like an urgently important scripture for our time. Between the mob 'mentality' of social media and the endless barrage of news stories about the lives of others, it has become nearly impossible to make it through a day without being invited to pass judgment on another human being. This is bad enough, given what Jesus has taught us about judging others. ("Don't do it) But there's a larger matter here, not just the question of whether we are judging others, but the question of how we keep ourselves on the path of goodness and mercy. Are we so busy worrying about the wrongdoings (real or perceived) of our neighbors that we are neglecting our own soul-work? How can you see to remove the speck in your neighbor's eye, Jesus asked, when you have a log stuck in your own eye? Good question. The obvious answer is that we can't, but the honest answer in terms of the way we often live our lives is that it's more interesting to talk about our neighbor's speck not to mention the way that it distracts us from the things that grieve us about our own lives. The good news is that this is not an either/or situation, where we have to choose between looking down on our neighbors and feeling bad about ourselves. Read the psalm again: "Do not fret." This applies to both our neighbors whom we are inclined to judge, and to our very own souls. Likewise, Jesus says "Do not worry." Why not fret or worry? Because God knows us and cares for us and wants us to be well. Because nothing can separate us from the love that we have known in Christ. Because the Holy Spirit has been given to us, so that we might be renewed every day for a life of joy and peace. God of grace, guard me against unkind thoughts and words, so that instead of being obsessed with other people, I may be freed to love other people; so that instead of being focused on what other people are doing, I may be aware of what you are doing to bless the world.

21 SUNDAY MARCH 19 Do not be quick to anger, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:9 This is fantastic advice but it is much easier said than done. How many times have we done things out of anger and felt foolish and regretted what we had said and done in that situation. However, it s human nature for anger to come quick and the desire to respond just as quickly. We see it everywhere in our world today; just spend a few minutes looking at the news or Facebook. Initially responding to a perceived injustice or threat to us with anger may feel good because we feel we have stood up for something or defended ourselves. The problem in being quick to do this without consideration of all the circumstances of a situation can cause us to make foolish decisions or take foolish action and hurt other people unnecessarily. Sometimes our anger is about us and not about others and responding outwardly is not even necessary. God wants us act with wisdom, compassion, love and empathy rather than anger, judgment and fear. It is not that being angry about something is always avoidable. There are true injustices in the world or in our lives where some initial anger may motivate an important and helpful response. However, the advice to slow down when we feel angry and to think about why we are angry is critically important. Thinking about why we are angry helps us consider all points of view in a situation and control our response so that if we respond we do it with kindness and compassion and avoid being a purveyor of harm or injustice ourselves. For me, prayer is an important tool for this slowing to anger. Prayer allows me to meditate on why I am feeling what I am feeling and thinking about the need for an outward response or how to respond based on the example Jesus gave us. This slowing down often quiets the anger and allows it to dissipate before a foolish response can occur. Notice I said often, definitely not every time I still need lots of practice. Dear Lord, help me to be thoughtful, wise and kind in times of anger. Help me to slow down, understand my anger and find peace. Chris Baumann

22 MONDAY MARCH 20 But those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 The wonderful message of this Bible verse is that those who wait for the Lord will have their strength renewed. When we think of a person's strength, we usually think of the young athletes we watch on television all the time. We're impressed by their physical abilities that makes us seem weak when compared to them. We however need to realize that even they are weak when compared to God's strength. We need to first realize our weaknesses and hope for the promise of God's strength for us. I find comfort in this verse in the difficult times of my life. Times when I feel I'm not strong enough to accomplish what needs to be done. As soon as I read this verse as one of the devotional choices, I thought of the song "On Eagle's Wings," composed by Father Michael Jonas, a priest. I think about the eagle's wings used in this song as a metaphor for God. I think about the eagle as the strongest of all birds, who soars to the highest heights above the earth. High enough to be the closest to God and Heaven. The Bible verse reminds me of the strength available through God. With God's strength I'm able to face the everyday pressures of the world. What a great promise of the many promises of God that we have to remember to wait and hope for. Thank you, God, for the gift of your presence that renews me each day. Lift my soul with the wings of your Spirit, and make me strong with your love that soars above all things. George Haughton

23 TUESDAY MARCH 21 Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. James 5:7 This scripture reminds me of Paul's words to the Corinthians: "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth." As every farmer and gardener knows, growth can take a long time. There's an episode of Curious George in which George is eager to help his friend, Chef Pisghetti, with his rooftop garden. The vegetables have all been harvested, so it's time to plant seeds, which will take 3-4 months to germinate and grow. But George is not a patient little monkey. Inspired by the story of the Elves and the Shoemaker, he does some "gardening" by night, placing ready-to-eat vegetables from the market in the garden. When Pisghetti discovers the unexpected bounty in his garden the next morning, he is overwhelmed with joy and wonderment The jig is up before long, when it is discovered that George also "planted" cans of peas, but that's another story... Real gardens, whether real or metaphorical, are not magical. Sometimes we must wait a very long time to see the fruit of our labor. Sometimes our labor does not even bear fruit. Sometimes we must be content with planting seeds that will blossom many years after we are gone, to nurture the lives of future generations. Especially in this age of instant gratification, this is not easily understood or accepted. But this is the life to which God has called us. We are humble servants in the service of God, for whom a thousand ages are like an evening gone. We do not hold time in our hands; rather, our time is held in God's hand. So be patient, therefore, beloved... After reminding his readers that "God gave the growth," Paul adds one more thing. He writes that "neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth." We cannot be patient unless we are also humble, remembering that God is everything. Knowing that God is love, and that God's love is poured out for us, can there be any more important thing to remember in life? Help me to have a proper sense of my role in this world, O God, and of the limits that are placed upon me by my mortality and by your divinity. Illuminate me with this understanding, so that I may serve you well and wait patiently for your coming.

24 MARCH and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32 What is kindness? Is it about doing nice things for one another? Or being polite to one another, even if through gritted teeth? Is it purely a matter of outward actions, having nothing to do with inward inclinations? My sense is that most of us have thought of kindness in this way, in the tradition of Samuel Johnson, who wrote that "kindness, at least actual, is in our power, but fondness is not." We can choose to be kind to others, in other words, even if we are not always overly fond of them. This is a start. (You have to start somewhere) But it is not enough for Paul. It does not encompass the full meaning of kindness in the life that has been shaped and continues to be shaped by the grace of Christ. "Be kind to one another," Paul says. And then he gives kindness some color and depth. What does kindness involve? Tenderheartedness. Forgiveness. It is more than words and deeds. It is a warmth of the heart, an opening of the spirit to one another. No room for gritted teeth or grudges here. Impossible? Too much to ask? Paul helps us to find our way by reminding us to look at the way that God has related to us. Not with grudging pleasantries, but with an overflowing love, with an embracing grace, with a relentless desire to draw us close in order to bless us. It helps to remember this. And it gives me much to be thankful for, not only that God has loved me, but that this love has the potential to bring healing and new life to every relationship in which I play a part. It is very easy to hold on to the past, the hurts of yesterday, so that they become a burden upon our present and a shadow looming over our future. But it need not be so: "if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Such kindness is an act of faith, because it amounts to a willingness to believe in the reality and beauty of the kingdom of heaven. When we open our hearts to one another, when we forgive one another, we step through the gates of this kingdom where God's lovingkindness shines like a light over all things. My heart is glad in you, O God, and I cannot thank you enough for the mercy and lovingkindness that you have shown me. By your grace, let the gratitude I feel lead me into a kindlier life, a warmer heart, and a strength to forgive.