Lent Day 12, Sunday, Feb 28, 2021

“Don’t excuse me…I meant to do that”

Yikes! I did it again!

How many times a day do I intend to do something good, positive, helpful, and loving, only to become distracted and not do it? Do I ever forget a responsibility because I’m too busy? Do I snap at a loved one because my day isn't going well? Do I avoid someone because our relationship is strained or do I avoid completing a task because I’m too tired?

The excuses we make for our behavior, even when the reasons are valid, take a toll on our relationships and our own well-being. Most of the time, we don’t recognize that we’re doing anything hurtful. However, this Lenten Season, we have an opportunity to spend some time focusing on our excuses and making progress towards a more healthy life.

Today’s challenge is to overcome all the excuses that we make for not interacting with others, accomplishing tasks, spending time with God, and demonstrating love when the opportunity arises. This may seem odd at first, but trust me: if we take some time today to focus and examine those excuses, we will be shocked at how much they occur in our day. However, at the end of an excuse-free day, we’re gonna’ be very pleasantly surprised at how much more fulfilling, healthy, and productive our day has been!

Okay! That’s it! When you feel the urge to do something good, healthy, and helpful, do it! No excuses today!

“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it’ when you have it with you.” (Proverbs 3:27-28, ESV)

 Lent Day 11, Saturday, Feb 27, 2021

“Family and Friends”

It’s Saturday! What a great day to celebrate the life that God has provided. Today’s challenge for Lent should be one that brings some joy and happiness to an otherwise “blah” season.

Today, we’re challenged to spend time with family and friends.  Typically, this challenge should be self-explanatory. However, because of our familiar nemesis, COVID, many of us will need to be creative by using technology to help connect us to our loved ones. As someone mentioned the other day, one of the odd blessings of the pandemic is that we’ve learned how to more effectively connect with our loved ones. Even those of us who were technologically-challenged before the pandemic have learned how to use our phones, tablets, and computers to help us connect with our loved ones.

Of course, we would much prefer to hang out in-person with our loved ones. Yes, if we can safely make that work, let’s do that. Nothing can replace the benefits of physical, social interaction. But lots of us don’t have the ability to physically interact with our loved ones. As a result, we will be relying on technology to help us connect with our folks.

Geography, weather, and busy schedules no longer control our ability to interact with our folks. Let’s charge those phones and tablets and connect with our loved ones today!

“This is not the time to pull away and neglect meeting together, as some have formed the habit of doing, because we need each other! In fact, we should come together even more frequently, eager to encourage and urge each other onward as we anticipate that day dawning.” (Hebrews 10:25, The Passion Translation)

 Lent Day 10, Friday, Feb 26, 2021

“Healthy Meals Only! No Snacks!”

On this Friday during our Refine and Revive Lenten series, we address another dietary challenge: To only eat healthy meals, while avoiding in-between snacks.

Argh! How frustrating! It’s Friday! This is the day I often want to splurge on my diet! These challenges can be downright frustrating! I suppose that’s the point: To call attention to my poor dietary habits. It’s unlikely that many (if any) of us eat three healthy meals each day. In fact, I sometimes stretch to consume just one healthy meal during a 24-hour period.

Most of the time during the Lenten Season, we focus on withholding certain foods from our diets. However, it’s equally important to pay attention to the addition of healthy foods and eating habits. Caring for our body is just as important as caring for our mind and Spirit. A healthy body allows us to continue serving God in whatever manner we can, and God has provided us with these bodies to love, give, serve, work and play. If we want to maximize our potential in any area of life, then it’s important to make our physical health a priority. This begins with good dietary habits.

How will you do it today? Will you eat three healthy meals in 24-hours? Will you create new meals for yourself or will you cut-the-corners (cheat) by adding something healthy to your regular meal of unhealthy stuff? Quality matters as food is our fuel to serve the Lord, so maybe adding some protein, whole-grain, and an extra fruit or vegetable would be a big step! Remember, no in-between snacks either, as these can easily mess-up our appetites for the good things at mealtime. Fast food won’t qualify today, and neither will anything else that you are trying to justify. Let’s get those things out of our heads (and stomachs)!

Come on! We can do this! Three healthy meals in 24-hours and no in-between snacks!

“And God said, ‘Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.’ ” (Genesis 1:29, ESV)

 Lent Day 9, Thursday, Feb 25, 2021

“Pray for One”

“How can I help?” I’ve asked that question, either aloud or to myself, many times since the beginning of the pandemic. I used to be able to visit people and offer other kinds of assistance, but that kind of help has gone by the wayside. I’m left with little that I can do… except pray.

Does it help to pray for someone? Good question. Let’s try to answer with an illustration: Pretend that you were having a really bad day today. If you discovered that someone was praying for you the entire day, how would it make you feel? Would it give you any confidence during your troubled time? What about after the troubling situation? Would you be able to look back and determine if prayer helped somehow?

Still not convinced? Try another situation. Suppose that you have a wonderful day today. Then, pretend that you awaken tomorrow to discover that someone had prayed for you for the entire day. How would you feel? How would it change your perspective on prayer?

Today’s challenge is easy… sort of. After reading this devotion, think of someone that you’d like to pray for today. Then, pray for them the entire day (but don’t tell them!). Who will it be? Do you have someone in mind? If not, God may be bringing you an idea at this very moment. Who needs your prayers? Friend or foe, neighbor or stranger, let’s not discount who God may be calling into your heart, mind, and Spirit.

Does prayer make a difference? Who knows? Maybe someone will be praying for you today and you’ll be able to answer the question for yourself!

“Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God’s people.” (Ephesians 6:18, CEB).

 Lent Day 8, Wednesday, Feb 24, 2021

"Devotion or Bible Study?"

Will this challenge be easy or difficult? How likely is it that you will engage in a Devotion or Bible Study today? Some of us participate in these regularly, while others view them as unimportant and a waste of time. What about you?

Those who feel the desire to take another step forward in Faith often turn to Devotion and Bible Studies as the next step forward. In the “old days”, this would require us to locate and join a small group (which wasn’t always easy!), hoping that our new group had a similar interest in life and theology. This prohibited many of us from joining groups, especially those of us who are naturally shy or introverted. Our preferred study method was using a printed study guide or devotional book, but these were often expensive and sometimes difficult to follow.

But now, so many resources are available online that there is no reason to not be involved in a Devotion or Bible Study, whether individually or as part of a group. Individual Devotion and Study is very important, but a small group can take it to an even greater level of learning and understanding.

If folks are looking for individual opportunities, a plethora of resources is available online. Two of the more popular sites for resources that you can complete on your own include https://www.jesuscalling.com/ and https://www.youversion.com/ . Both of these sites are very reputable and contain a variety of resources.

If you are looking for group opportunities, plenty of these are also available online. In addition to the sites mentioned above, I always suggest beginning with your local church, many of which have begun small groups online. If that’s not an option, you’re always welcome to join us at the Chapel. Our online study (currently studying Genesis) meets every Wednesday evening through the end of March at 5:30pm (EST) at the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82357554367… .

COVID has demolished our in-person group study options, but I’ve noticed some churches are beginning to put their toes in the water. Again, check with a local church near your home as these options will obviously be somewhat limited for a while.

What will you do today? Will you complete the challenge? If you’re receiving this devotion then you have access to the internet. You don’t need any more than that!

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4, NIV)

 Lent Day 7, Tuesday, February 23, 2021

“Handwritten!”

Handwritten notes and letters have fallen away in popularity. It’s so much easier to send someone a text or email, and not incur the delay or expense involved in mailing a note to someone. Preprinted cards purchased from a store or created online are also easy to generate, allowing us to send something in the mail without experiencing writer’s cramp, carpal tunnel, and other irritations experienced by writing something by hand. None of these solutions will work for today's challenge. Today’s challenge is to compose a handwritten note to someone and mail it!

Before we shy away from this challenge, take a moment to consider how it feels to receive an encouraging, handwritten letter from someone. What do you notice when you receive it? What does it say? Are there parts of the letter that are not legible because of the handwriting, requiring you to take some extra time to decipher the message? How much time did the sender take to write this note? Do you pay attention to the script and style of the writing? What other things do you notice about the letter or note?

These are just a few of the questions that a recipient might consider. We cannot ignore the special feeling we experience when someone sends us a handwritten letter. It probably only took them a few minutes to write the letter and even less time to mail it, but that letter can make all the difference in our own demeanor because of their thoughtfulness.

Today, write someone a letter, note, or card. If you choose to send a card, don’t let the greeting companies do the talking for you. Allow yourself plenty of room to write a personal note to the recipient, encouraging them and letting them know that they are special and important. After you’ve written the letter, stamp and mail it today.

You will be making a difference in someone’s life.

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11, ESV)

 Lent Day 6, Monday, Feb 22, 2021

“Make Today a Good Day!”

Is it possible to control your day? That’s a heavy question to begin this early on a Monday, especially when so many of us are dealing with extreme weather, difficult health complications, financial strains, and other issues that are out of our control. Today is rough enough, but when we add sleepless nights, bone aches, and spilled coffee to the mix, this day might already seem like a bust.

Tackling another Lenten Challenge might be the last thing that any of us wish to consider, especially a challenge that mentions today in a positive light. However, it’s important to note that a positive attitude each day impacts our lives much more than we anticipate. A positive outlook improves our mental, emotional, and physical well-being, not to mention the improved environment we create for our loved ones, co-workers, and anyone else we encounter today.

Yes, it's difficult to remain hopeful when the day began with stepping into a special gift left by the family pet last night, yet, that’s exactly what we are trying to accomplish today. Today’s challenge asks us to take back control over our impulsive reactions to unfavorable accidents and circumstances. We can do this by intentionally focusing on the ways we react to unplanned mishaps. Are we too quick to complain? Are we consistently judging ourselves and others? Do we tend to point our fingers somewhere (including the mirror) when something goes amiss? Being conscious of our demeanor during the day will help. A few prayers along the way can't hurt, either.

If we can find a way to remain positive and hopeful today, (especially in the midst of great challenges), we can become a stimulus for similar, positive things to occur in the lives of those around us. Yes, it is possible for our little world to change, even (and especially) on a Monday!

Give today to God and make it a good day!

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).

 Lent Day 5, Sunday, Feb 21, 2021

“I’m not perfect…but close enough!”

How many times have I said that to myself? More than I would like to admit. I’ve used that statement to justify all kinds of things that are unhealthy, offensive, and wrong. It’s the kind of thought that contains enough truth that I can sleep at night, but it misses the target completely. Admitting faults is one thing, but letting them slide because of selfishness is another.

Yikes! That’s a sucker-punch! I should’ve prepared you! But, no worries! Lent has begun and it’s the perfect time to work on a few things. Today, I’m not going to tackle anything really difficult. Rather, I’m going to pick one small thing that I need to change…just for today.

What kind of changes would be good today? Let’s tackle some small, bad habits that we intentionally overlook. Biting fingernails, picking our nose, and clipping toenails in the living room are good ones to consider. Using profanity, losing our temper, and complaining are some other good ones to consider eliminating for today. Or, maybe I could try to listen to others before I speak or volunteer to help someone I encounter today.

Small changes should never be overlooked. We may be far from perfect, but even small steps forward are moving us closer to God. The LORD will appreciate our efforts. Yes, we can do it.

Today is the day that the LORD has made! Say a prayer and pick something (other than your nose) that demonstrates your appreciation for God’s love for YOU!

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10, NLT).

Lent Day 4, Saturday, Feb 20, 2021

"Smile!"

How much is a smile worth? Right now, it’s probably worth more than ever. Between the pandemic and the polar freeze this past week, lots of people aren’t smiling. It’s a strange feeling and it’s not going away anytime soon. Smiles may not be common, but even if they were, they’d be covered up by our masks.

These masks have given some of us a perfect excuse to not smile. Yes, those of us who choose “Grumpy” as our favorite fairy tale character have been given the perfect opportunity to discount our facial expressions.

We are wrong! People can tell when we’re smiling behind the masks. Our eyes brighten and our facial muscles expand. Our demeanor changes and our welcoming presence is conveyed in our body language. The masks may cover our mouths but they don’t hide the joy of life that God has provided to all of us!

I’ve often wondered what Jesus’ demeanor may have been like. Was Jesus serious all the time? Did Jesus have a sense of humor and make people laugh? What was his facial expression when He healed the paralytic, cured a man’s blindness, or calmed the storm? I’m guessing that Jesus had a big smile on his face.

Jesus gave hope, joy, and life to those around Him. We might not be able to heal someone from disease or walk on water, but if we smile at those around us, we can change their day.

A smile makes all the difference! Before you leave home today, find your smile and put it on before you put on the mask. Then keep smiling and make a difference!

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!” (Psalm 118:24, ESV)

 Lent Day 3, Friday, Feb 19, 2021

“Why Friday?”

Yeah, that’s right, it’s the first Friday in Lent.  If you’ve been around the block a time or two, you already realize that “Fish Fridays” are back, referring to the practice of restaurants, school cafeterias, and local dives highlighting their fish-based menu items for the next six weeks.  This tradition is more ingrained than serving turkey at Thanksgiving, yet we rarely give a second thought to the question, “Why do we abstain from meat on Fridays?”

We know that the tradition began in the Christian Church over a thousand years ago, although the exact origin is difficult to pinpoint.  However, once the practice surfaced, it was easy for the Church to formally adopt it as a helpful and important means of spiritual growth.  Why?  Since Jesus was crucified on a Friday, lots of folks decided that they could honor God by not shedding blood (via the consumption of meat) on Fridays.  Other folks thought that refraining from meat-related proteins (including dairy items) would slightly weaken the body, honoring Jesus’ fasting in the desert for forty days.

I had to dig deep a few years ago to find the above references, but I’m really just telling you because I’m a big fan of fasting from certain food and drinks.  I have personally practiced some form of fasting for many years.  The first few times it was difficult, but after a while, the body adjusts.  It’s truly amazing how my body has accepted these changes, both during Lent and the rest of the year.

Still not convinced that “No Meat” Friday and other means of fasting are helpful?  That’s okay.  I’m not trying to convince you.  However, I do want to share with you that this has been an invaluable part of my own spiritual growth and, I pray, it might become significant for you, too.

One day, when I meet God in person, I’m going to ask Him if all my fasting made a difference.  If God says that it really didn’t help, I’m gonna’ be plenty upset.  (If I get there before you, I’ll try to send you a message so that you don’t have to keep doing it.)  But until then, I’ll keep skipping a few of my favorites for twenty-four hours.  It’s an easy way to thank God for putting up with me all these years.

No meat today!  (24-hours!)

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished.  The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’  Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’ “ (Luke 4:1-4, NRSV).

 Lent Day 2, Thursday, Feb 18, 2021

“Quick, Easy, and Helpful”

The season of Lent began yesterday with all the pomp and fanfare of a deflated balloon.  Lent, the 40-day preparation for Easter, is often accompanied by making personal sacrifices, like giving up meat on Fridays or giving up sweets entirely.  The result?  Lent is rarely greeted with smiles.  

I often try to compare Lent to Advent at Christmastime, but come on, there’s no comparison.  During Advent, we add yummy foods to our diets and receive special gifts.  During Lent, we remove favorite foods and withhold some of the blessings we received two months ago in Advent.

Lent or Advent?  That’s a dumb question.  I know (and love!) the important gift of Easter, but it seems contradictory that I should punish myself.  This is where I often mess it up.  Lent is not about punishment.  It’s about doing something for God!  Since God provided me with so much, it would seem reasonable that I could give something back.

Today’s Lenten Challenge is to pray three times.  I suppose I can do that.  Since the intent of Lent is to improve my relationship with God, then adding a few prayers to my schedule today seems like a positive place to start.  Even if I mess up any other Lenten commitments this year, better communication with God will still prove to be beneficial on the other side of Easter.

Why Pray?  Why not?  It’s super-easy and nobody even needs to know that I’m doing anything at all.  Choosing to pray doesn’t mean that I’m choosing to give up control over my life.  Rather, choosing to pray is admitting that a little help is not only needed, but very much appreciated.

Pray at least three times today!

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (Colossians 4:2, NIV)

 Lent Day 1, Ash Wednesday, Feb 17, 2021

“The Best Me”

Yes! Today is that much-anticipated first day of Lent! Woohoo!

No, not really. Today isn’t very exciting. A few of us had been planning to attend Ash Wednesday services this year, but between the Coronavirus, the worsening polar vortex that has gripped the country, and lots of other, better things to do, attending an Ash Wednesday service (and the receiving of ashes) isn’t likely today. Still, this day doesn’t need to be a complete bust. Rather, let’s become creative and take advantage of the party-pooper feelings that are prevalent everywhere, even down here in the tropics.

For example, let’s take a few moments to think about our normal New Years’ parties, gatherings, and celebrations. What does New Year’s feel like? What emotions do we experience? What traditions do we enjoy? One of our most popular traditions is to make a New Years’ resolution. We ambitiously promise to “do something” for the entire year, but most of us are lucky to make it to the middle of February with our promises still intact. A full year of commitment and abstinence can be a very difficult goal to accomplish, indeed.

From this perspective, Lent is much more appealing. During Lent, the 40-days of preparation for Easter, we make a commitment to God by making small sacrifices to honor the very large sacrifices God made (and continues to make) on our behalf. We might decide to add a spiritual discipline, such as daily prayer or reading the Bible, to our daily schedule. This is a sacrifice of “time”. Or, one might decide to refrain from certain foods or drinks, add exercise to their calendar, or make a pledge to keep in touch with friends and family during Lent.

Ash Wednesday doesn’t need to be just another “Blah” day on our Calendar. It gives us an opportunity to start again and make a commitment to God that improves our spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical well-being. After all, God created us and God wants us to become the best “Me” we can become.

What do you think? Are you up for a challenge? Come on, you can do it! I’m about to write 46 daily devotions (Argggh!), so help a pastor out! Go ahead and pick something and let’s become the best “Me” that God intends!

“I appeal to you, therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans, 12:1, NRSV).

 

Daily Devotions and Challenges for the Lenten Season.