SHAPED BY GOD - Lenten Devotional 2017 - Squarespace · PDF fileSHAPED BY GOD - Lenten Devotional 2017 ... One of the primary ways that God has shaped me and that I’ve ... This grace

SHAPED BY GOD - Lenten Devotional 2017The Season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, March 1

Rev. Emily Wright, Senior Associate Pastor, Roswell Presbyterian Church

Yet, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.

Isaiah 64:8 (NRSV)

The purpose of the season of Lent is for a follower of Christ to intentionally take time to reflect on Jesus’ life and journey to the cross, and eventually his death. This Lenten devotional is a tool to help people reflect on this journey.

The theme for this year’s devotional is Shaped by God. Church members and staff of all ages have offered to us part of their faith story where they feel God has shaped them. Each of these stories demonstrates incredible vulnerability, honesty, and faith.

My prayer is for these stories to speak to our own stories, challenging and encouraging us as a people of faith to see how we have been shaped by God.

Additionally, you will find some days where you are encouraged to read Scripture and reflect. This comes from our Lectionary which divides the Bible into reading segments over a course of three years.

Roswell Presbyterian Church Lenten Devotional 2017

Shaped by GodASH WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1

Rev. Jeff Meyers, Senior Pastor, Roswell Presbyterian Church

One of the primary ways that God has shaped me and that I’ve seen God shape others is through the practice of spiritual disciplines. These range from Scripture reading, contemplative prayer, to service. One of the oldest and most influential of these practices (even Jesus did it!), is the practice of fasting.

Richard Foster, one of the people responsible for the recent resurgence in the practice of spiritual disciplines, defines fasting as “the voluntary denial of a normal function for the sake of intense spiritual activity.” In other words, fasting is not done as an end in itself, but is done with a spiritual purpose in mind. Scripture records many different goals for fasting. Here are some of them:

• To reinforce prayer: Scripture refers to fasting and prayer like salt goes with pepper (e.g. Psalm 35:13; Daniel 9:3,20; Luke 2:37; Acts 13:2).

• To seek guidance: In a world where distractions can cloud our vision, fasting clears our minds and hearts, freeing us to hear God’s quiet, still voice (e.g. Judges 20:26; Acts 14:23).

• To express sorrow: Donald Whitney points out that “three of the first four references in the Bible to fasting connect it with an expression of grief” and there are many others (e.g. Judges 20:26; 1 Samuel 31:13; 2 Samuel 1:11-12).

• To express repentance and humility: When words won’t do the job, sometimes fasting speaks louder than words. We should also remember Jesus’ parable in Luke 18 of the difference between the Pharisee and the tax collector: fasting does not make you better than anyone else; in fact, fasting is an expression that you realize you are not better than anyone else (e.g. 1 Samuel 7:6; Joel 2:12; Jonah 3:5-8; Luke 18:12).

• To overcome temptation: If the will is a muscle, then controlling your appetite for food can strengthen your self-control in other areas of your life (e.g. Matthew 4:1-11).

These goals, and many others, direct us toward the spiritual ends of fasting. I have experienced growth in my spiritual life through fasting as I use the physical reminders of hunger or cravings as cues to turn to God on the journey of Christ to and through the cross. It is on this journey that I have been shaped by God.

www.roswellpres.org/lent

Shaped by GodTHURSDAY, MARCH 2

Patti Jo Hibshman, member of RPC since 2016

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

One night, I stopped talking. My husband Dave thought I was angry with him. I couldn’t figure out how to get the voice messages off our phone. Dave insisted on a trip to the Emergency Room. He thought I was having a stroke. It was a good thing I was there. They found a tumor in my brain the size of a tennis ball. The pressure caused a seizure. I had no symptoms or pain till I stopped talking.

I waited a month till the neurosurgeon could remove two benign tumors from my brain. The night before my surgery, choir members surrounded me and prayed for a safe outcome. It gave me great peace and comfort. My husband took loving care of me at home when my eyes swelled shut from aftereffects of the surgery. As I recovered, I knew God had a purpose for me.

I enrolled in a Parish Nurse Course and explored my faith with other nurses. I started a Health Ministry at our church. Together with two other nurses, we sponsored classes on healthy cooking, invited medical students to talk about Advanced Directives, took blood pressures, and counseled members on their health habits and medicines.

Our church was small and lacked resources, so I transitioned to doing Pet Therapy with my Labrador Retriever Mixed dog. Her name was Suzy Q. We were a team and visited at the local medical center both in the adult areas and in the Children’s Hospital. Suzy Q loved the attention and I found joy in our visits. We also visited in schools and libraries where children would read to her. “Touching Lives and Warming Hearts” is the tagline for our KPETS (Keystone Pet Enhanced Therapy Services) Pet Therapy Volunteers who promote the healing and rehabilitating benefits of the human/animal bond.

PRAYER:God, thank you for faith, peace, health, and purpose. Amen.


SHAPED BY GODFRIDAY, MARCH 3

Dan Nicklen, member of RPC since 2005

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.Philippians 4:13 (NIV)

I had achieved my goal of managing my own Information Technology department. I had become Chief Information Officer for a mid-sized retailer. When I was hired, the company had just been bought by a larger retailer. Our company would be run autonomously as a separate retail concept. After the first year, the parent company decided it would be more efficient to merge back office functions. My position was eliminated.

Unfortunately, I lost my job just as the tech bubble burst. Jobs were not as plentiful as I had hoped. At the time, we had one in high school, one in college, and one in graduate school.

A year passed with no job offers. I grew up with a strong religious background but only prayed for things to happen, like God find me a new job. I began to learn that through prayer I could give God my stress and nervousness. A job would happen at the right time. While the concerns and pressure of finding a job were not removed, I found it was manageable through communicating with the Lord. I began to see other things in life and that being in charge was not what life was all about. Things/stuff became less important and I had more time to focus on my family. One year stretched into almost two years before I found my next position. The new position was in Atlanta.

God had given me the strength to get through very difficult times. I understand the challenges in my life would continue. It is through a closer relationship with God and his Son that I can make it through what inevitably comes my way. I learned I was blessed with support I got from God and my wife and family and that my focus should be on them and not the next rung on the corporate ladder.

PRAYER:Heavenly Father your graciousness and caring is beyond comprehension. Please give me the strength that I need today, I know I don’t have the strength on my own. Amen.


Shaped By GodSATURDAY, MARCH 4

Stephanie Jacobs, Director of New Member Connections, Roswell Presbyterian Church

Who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.

2 Timothy 1:9 (NRSV)

Before my first daughter, Caroline was born I knew that if we could manage the finances I wanted to stay home with her and step away from my career life for a while. I stayed at home with my two daughters for 9 years. I enjoyed that time, but sometimes felt that who I was as an individual might be slipping away. I knew that once my children were in elementary school I wanted to work again: use my brain, interact with people again, bring back the person I was before I had children. I thought about the specifics of what would feed me if I went back to work and what that would look like. I knew that I wanted to still be the mom I had become, yet get out of the house and interact with people again. I did not want the kind of job that only required a computer and my pajamas. My youngest, Ella was in the preschool at Roswell Presbyterian. I hadn’t started looking for a job.

One day a few days after Christmas, I received a call from Emily Wright about a part-time position at church and could I come in for an interview. I am a planner and I was not ready for this. What would I do with my kids during an interview? Was my resume up to date? Is my brain ready to answer interview questions? What would I wear, not anything from my “Mom” wardrobe? Something made me say yes to coming for an interview even though my kids had to come with me and I felt very unprepared.

When we trust God and listen to his call for our life we experience greater purpose and joy. I feel shaped by Him while doing this work of welcoming people into our church family. By being open to God shaping me it has led to more contentment in my life. I feel that I am both the mom I wanted to be while still feeding that individual inside me because I listened to God’s call.

PRAYER:Dear God, thank you for calling us to be your people. Amen.


GOOD to GREATSUNDAY, MARCH 5 - 1ST SUNDAY IN LENT

Sinners to Saints: Becoming Who God Sees - Lent Sermon Series

The Sign of the CovenantWhen Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.” Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding; and I will be their God.”

Genesis 17:1-8 (NRSV)


SHAPED BY GODMONDAY, MARCH 6

Dorie Griggs, member of RPC since 2005

Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

Luke 12:22 (NIV)

When I was a student at Columbia Theological Seminary I struggled to identify my particular call. I began with a vague sense that I was supposed to help people, but I wasn’t sure how. I never really felt I was being called to traditional church ministry. Through a very positive experience as a student minister at Northminster Presbyterian Church I began to wonder if in fact I was called to congregational ministry. Then I experienced a series of events that led me to my calling.

In a pastoral care class where we were learning about self-care I began to draw correlations between what we as soon-to-be ministers were learning about self-care, and the stories my friends who are journalists told me about their stories. Both sets of people listened to people struggling. Ministers hear all types of scenarios from their parishioners. Journalists listen to all types of stories often times from people who have been through terrible events. That is when I began to ask more questions. I know seminary students are encouraged to have a support system in place, but what about journalists. They are often on the ground shoulder-to-shoulder with first responders. How do they deal with the tragedies they witness?

I began to research the topic of journalism and trauma and found the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma. They are not a faith-based organization, but the leadership appreciated my background and we began to correspond. The Clinical Pastoral Education supervisor at St. Luke’s Training and Counseling Center interviewed me for a spot in her CPE group for my last year in seminary. My context for ministry was journalists. My classmates worked with the homeless in downtown Atlanta. My CTS classmates would say things like, “What do journalists need a chaplain for? And isn’t that a really small niche?” No one seemed to understand, that is until 9/11 happened two weeks before I was to begin my year as a Chaplain to Journalists.

After 9/11 the same skeptics came to me in appreciation for my ministry. They watched the reports in the days and weeks following 9/11 and saw just how hard it was for all of the reporters to report on this tragedy. A professor on campus called me over as he walked with a visiting scholar. He introduced me, and my ministry to journalists, as being very forward thinking in the world of ministry outreach. God showed me where I was called in small steps that are still evolving.

PRAYER:Gracious and loving God, Please keep my heart and mind open to the opportunities you put in front of me. Amen.


SHAPED BY GODTUESDAY, MARCH 7

Lectionary

Psalm 32 (NRSV)The Joy of ForgivenessOf David. A Maskil.Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.

Selah

Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Selah

Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you; at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.

Selah

I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not stay near you.

Many are the torments of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the LORD. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for you, all you upright in heart.

REFLECTION:• Who are the ones that are happy according to the Psalmist David?• Why do you think the Psalmist kept silent? What did his silence do to him?• What do you think the Psalmist means by a “hiding place”?• How is God a “hiding place” for you?• What does it mean that “steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord”?• How can you be glad in the Lord and rejoice today?


GOD HAS PLANS FOR USWEDNESDAY, MARCH 8

Don Horton, member of RPC since 1986

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

A couple of years ago I found myself asking the question “Have I made a difference in anyone’s life? Am I even relevant anymore?” My business was going well. I had numerous successes through most of my life. My kids and grandkids were very special to me and I to them, but for some reason I just didn’t feel like I was making a difference. I had attended a funeral of someone I knew and many wonderful things were said about him. I began asking the question, “What would people say about me?”

When I would pray and meditate, I would often ask God what he wanted me to do with the rest of my life. I would sit in silence hoping to get an answer. Answers did not seem to be forthcoming. About the time I was ready to quit praying about it, an unusual series of events occurred.

I was hosting a meeting of several HOA presidents and members of the Roswell community to strategize about how to deal with some important issues concerning the city. The conversation suddenly changed and people were trying to convince me to run for City Council. Never in a million years could I imagine myself running for a political office. I had no idea where to begin that journey.

That is when I realized God was finally speaking to me. He sent a room full of people to try to convince me to do something that was the furthest thing from my mind. And they were a willing team that would work hard in the effort. I was even more convinced that this was God’s plan for me when, with five candidates in the race for the open seat, my team prevailed without a runoff.

There is no question in my mind that God always has a hand in my life and that I need to be open to the unexpected that he sometimes places in front of me. He has certainly placed me where I can make a difference.

PRAYER:Lord God, there are times when we doubt your presence or that we doubt you are in control. But as we look closely at our past we can often see that you have had a hand in our future. Lord, give us the confidence that you are there guiding our journey and the wisdom to know that you have prepared the path before us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.


SHAPED BY GODTHURSDAY, MARCH 9

Joan and David Creviston, members of RPC since 1997 and 2003

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

James 3:13, 18

We feel that with divisiveness running rampant in our country today, we need to remember inclusiveness in our communities and the world throughout our daily lives. Kindness to every life we touch, is more important today for those who struggle, have different cultures, religions, and beliefs. We pray for peace and it starts with us, each day. Our RPC mission outreach continues to be critical at this time.

Little things like a smile or holding a door open for those who are different from us, can warm a heart and create good will. We hope you will make a difference in someone’s lives, not just during the Lenten Season, but every chance you get.

Jesus taught us this.

PRAYER:Thank you, God, for sending your son, Jesus, to teach us that we are all God’s children and remind us to value each life, no matter how different they may seem to us. Pray for world peace and greater wisdom for our world leaders. Amen.



Diana Strain, member of RPC since 2000

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)

As soon as the phone call came, I sat there in disbelief. I had spent years wanting nothing more than to be a parent, a mom. After years of infertility, I wasn’t sure that was ever going to happen. Then, on a drive back from spending Thanksgiving with family, Charles and I looked at each other and knew that God was calling us to pursue adoption. Now here we were nine months later with a call that would change our lives forever. The agency told us they had a baby for us that would be born in less than two weeks! Our beautiful daughter Bonnie was born on August 27. After all my doubts and worrying, I felt completely humbled, awed, thankful, and repentant. God had performed a miracle in nine short months that by all accounts should have taken years. Apparently my default setting for worrying is strong because just as I was settling into being Bonnie’s mom, God gave us another surprise. This time, I would be giving birth to our son Will. In one year, we had gone from a family of two to a family of four.

Here was God, once again, showing me that He had a plan for me, and that it was far better than what I had imagined for myself. He was reminding me, in his amazing way, that I did not need to worry. It is so easy to fall into that pattern of worry when times are stressful and uncertain. However, if I learned nothing else from the way God so miraculously put my family together, I learned that God was in control. He has a plan for each of us that is far greater than anything we can imagine. God is not finished with me yet. He continues to shape me as I parent these two children that He has allowed me to call my daughter and my son, and for that I will always be humbled and grateful.

PRAYER:Heavenly Father, Lord and Savior, thank you for loving me so much that you would take the time to shape me into the person you are calling me to be. Thank you for teaching me that there is no reason to worry when you are in control. Amen.


SHAPED BY GODSATURDAY, MARCH 11

Eunice Harris, member of RPC since 1995

Praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

My nursing career was shaped by many events in my life -- disasters of nature, disasters in life -- illness, recuperation, deaths in my family, friends, and illnesses and deaths of those not personally known.

My career as a Hospice nurse was the most fulfilling of all my adventures. I quote from the song by Carolyn Campbell “a smile, a hug, a gentle touch; you ease the pain by simply being there. Sometimes it doesn’t take too much just to let them know how much you care.”

I believe in the concept of not dying alone, being free from pain, and dying in peace and dignity. I have had an amazing and rewarding journey and I am blessed and content to have been a part of it.

PRAYER:Dear Lord, I pray that God’s love will touch us all on the most Holy of weeks and we will spread His love wherever we are. Amen.


TOO OLD TO CHANGE?SUNDAY, MARCH 12 - 2ND SUNDAY IN LENT


God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” And Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live in your sight!” God said, “No, but your wife Sarah shall bear you a son, and you shall name him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. As for Ishmael, I have heard you; I will bless him and make him fruitful and exceedingly numerous; he shall be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this season next year.” And when he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.




Dr. Bill Nisbet, Assistant Pastor, Congregational Care, Roswell Presbyterian Church

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10

My journey into ministry has been a journey with the presence of God and Christ. I went to Ga Tech confident I wanted to explore my fascination with science and engineering. But working in an engineering environment, I discovered that I enjoyed more the interactions with co-workers and colleagues, so I changed my major and my focus to management. Then events occurred where I felt a call to focus on people in the church. So after Ga Tech I entered Columbia Seminary in Decatur to explore this sense of call to ministry.

One clear autumn day, while walking to a seminary class along a path that went through some woods between our housing and the classrooms, I noticed that the wind was gently turning over some leaves on the ground beside me. As I walked and watched, I realized these leaves were turning over right alongside me as a gentle wind was blowing at the same pace I was walking. With that realization I suddenly felt a confirmation of my call to ministry, that Jesus Christ was walking beside me along my journey into ministry.

Many of us can look around ourselves, or look back on life’s events, and know that, by faith, Jesus Christ is present in our lives. Perhaps, like a gentle wind on an autumn day, there is a natural explanation to what has, is, or we hope will be occurring with us and those we love, work with, pray for, and serve. There is also the explanation through faith, that in the midst of the routine or the chaos of life, we are given a confidence that the grace of God has entered into our world, our lives, and our hearts. In those moments I find I am surrounded with love, mercy, strength, and hope. When those moments happen to you, how is Jesus Christ present with you?

PRAYER:Lord God, Thank you for your presence in my world and in my life. May I have joy when your presence is clear, trust when my way seems cloudy, and may I place myself in your hand when I am unsure of the journey. May my joy, trust, and faith continue to be grounded in the life and journey of Jesus Christ, in whose name I pray. Amen.



Lectionary

Isaiah 65:17-25 (NRSV)The Glorious New CreationFor I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress. No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime; for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed. They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord -- and their descendants as well. Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent -- its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the LORD.

REFLECTION:• What was the last thing you rejoiced over that God created in your life?• How did you rejoice? Did you do it alone? With others?• What does the prophet say will and will not be present in the new heaven and earth?• Is there anything you would add?• Pray for the wolves and lambs of our world to work towards feeding together.


SHAPED BY GODWEDNESDAY, MARCH 15

Carolyn Sonenberg, member of RPC since 1976

For I was hungry and You fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me water; I was a stranger and you invited me into your homes; naked and you clothed me; sick and in prison and you visited me... When you did it to these my brothers you were doing it to me!

Matthew 25:35-36, 40 (TLB)

The year was 1982. My volunteer job with RPC was to help administer the funds from the “Hunger Fund” offering. As needs in our community would arise, I would get a call from Mary Drake, who was in charge of the EOA (Economic Opportunity Atlanta) office in Roswell and points north. She would explain what was needed and I would check and see if we had funds available. Mary called each church or a representative of that church as needs arose. There were many needs and many calls.

David, my husband, and an elder, said, “There’s got to be a better, more efficient way to get help to those with emergency needs.” At a Witness and Service Ministry meeting, he brought the subject up and everyone agreed. Cy Mallard said, “David, I know you can come up with a solution and I will do everything I can to help.“

That was the seed which grew to be North Fulton Community Charities. Other churches came to the meeting and the rest is history.

God used our hands, hearts, and minds, along with countless others, to do his work in our community.

PRAYER:Dear God, thank you for using us to do your work in our world. Help us to always listen to your “still, small voice”. Amen.



Linda Young, member of RPC since 2003

The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Matthew 25:40

My life as a child was easy. I grew up with parents who loved me completely, my siblings loved me unconditionally, and I was raised in a church where I was loved and supported. I was pretty sheltered from the world. Love and acceptance were commonplace in my world.

As an adult, my world expanded and I was faced with situations where love and acceptance were not the norm. I was forced to see that there are people in the world that do not practice the acceptance that we see in Jesus. Our youngest daughter is special needs, my nephew is gay, a close friend adopted an African-American child. I have watched these people struggle with acceptance. They did not have the easy childhood I had.

I know now that God put these beautiful people in my life to open my heart. I am so grateful that our God doesn’t turn anyone away. I am forever changed because of the faithfulness of people that didn’t have the easy life I had. My savior says, let the children come to me. He says we are all one in the body of Christ. I am eternally grateful.

PRAYER:Lord, thank you for your love and acceptance. Please help me see everyone as one of your children. Amen.



Duane Best, member of RPC since 2000

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here.2 Corinthians 5:17

Up until 20 years ago, I was not a Christian. I did not grow up in the church and did not know the stories that most of you learned as children in Sunday School. Oh sure, I went to church from time to time, but I was just going through the motions. It was anything but meaningful. Throughout my adult life, I swung like a pendulum from not caring about religious matters (I was pretty sure it was all a myth) to desperately wanting that quiet faith that radiated from my Christian friends.

I was confronted with a truth about myself in the late 90’s which I found difficult to accept. I had become addicted to alcohol. I was terrified to learn that no matter what I did, I could not control it – it was controlling me. Desperate for help, I began attending AA meetings, where I was introduced to the 12-step program. The 1st step – admitting the problem – was easy enough, but I stumbled on the 2nd – belief in a power greater than myself. I knew of no such power.

About this same time, we ran into friends we hadn’t seen in a while and they told us about RPC. They had begun attending worship there and encouraged us to visit. We did – and the unexpected happened. God spoke to me through Lane in such a powerful way, it was like being swept away by a tsunami. I began taking classes to learn about the Bible; I wanted to know more about this Jesus who I now understood loved me. It may sound strange to those of you who have known this love your entire lives, but it was news to me! I gave my life to Christ several months later and have since walked in confidence as a completely different person.

Many Scriptures speak to me in regards to this transformation but my top ones are:

• Romans 8:38-39, where Paul says that not anything in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

• Philippians 4:13, where Paul says that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

PRAYER:Lord, thank you for loving me, for opening my eyes and ears, for giving me new life, and for walking with me every day. Amen.



Donna Brodsky, member of RPC since 2012

“Be still, and know that I am God!” Psalm 46:10 (NRSV)

I grew up as part of a large Catholic family with a mom who could best be described as “very productive”. She never sat still for a minute. Granted, she did have a lot to do, with six children, but even given the opportunity to relax or be still, she would always choose to be busy. She felt that unless you were accomplishing something, you were wasting your time. Looking back now, I recognize that this busyness allowed her to avoid a variety of problems and issues in our family. Years later, I am also aware that it had a large impact on my own personality.

Five years ago, I moved to Marietta with my husband and two young children. In my head, I had a long list of things I wanted to accomplish. As soon as we moved, I got busy trying to check things off that list.. clean/organized house - check, member of the PTA - check, working out daily - check, kids in multiple activities - check, entertaining constantly to make new friends - check. The list went on and on. Each time I would accomplish one thing I would add three more things to my list.

In the midst of my busyness to get things done, I developed a severe case of insomnia. My body was moving so fast and my heart was beating even faster. I would climb into bed at night and lay there with my eyes wide open with no hope of falling asleep. This happened night after night. I went to multiple doctors to try to find a medication to help me sleep but none worked. Now the anxiety crept in... How many days could I go without sleeping? How would I get through my long list of things with no sleep? What if I was so tired I couldn’t drive my kids to their activities? Then finally, on one long sleepless night, I realized that this was a sign from God that something had to change.

I have now changed my to-do list. My top priority each and every day is to carve out time to sit and be still with God. I discovered the power of meditation and have witnessed how it allows me to be more present on a daily basis with my family and friends. This new way of living has not come easy for me. It is something I work and pray on daily. Each night when I climb into bed I ask God to lay with me, and I pray for peace within me. I have certainly had many less sleepless nights with God at my side.

PRAYER:God during this Lenten season let us prioritize being still with you. Amen.


WOUNDED BLESSINGSUNDAY, MARCH 19 - 3RD SUNDAY IN LENT


Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then the man said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.



LENTEN GLOBAL POSITIONINGMONDAY, MARCH 20

Dr. Randy Jackson, Assistant Pastor, Congregational Care, Roswell Presbyterian Church

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NRSV)

If there’s anything I’ve learned from my few months serving you as one of RPC’s Assistant Pastors for Congregational Care, and getting to visit so many of you in your homes, and as you find yourself in hospitals or rehab facilities, it’s that, especially in the Atlanta area, there are really no “straight paths” as the writer of Proverbs suggests. In fact, I’m sure many of you, like I, rely to a great degree on that marvel of modern technology, the GPS Navigation system in our cars, to help us get from one place to another.

The one in my car I named Grace after my late mother who had a way of “giving me directions” on my driving when she rode with me, and who I miss terribly. I named it for her because the kind female voice is not only very patient and kind in the always chaotic Atlanta traffic, but it helps me find my way around this confusing maze of ever-name-changing streets and almost inevitably allows me to arrive at my intended destination.

Grace is really a marvel of technology.

I simply push a button on my steering wheel. The voice politely answers. I tell her the address of the place I wish to go. And within seconds she begins to give me turn after turn, direction after direction, distance after distance - and if I follow carefully, without error or deviation, I will arrive at my intended location. The truth is, if I trust Grace, she will not let me down!

And this Grace GPS system in some ways reminds me that as believers, the season of Lent is a journey of faith. An hour by hour, day by day, minute by minute, journey of our heart and mind that leads us to the call of faith - the cross - the resurrection - the promise and assurance that our sins are forgiven and forgotten and we are free to live redeemed lives. It can be, if we’re open to it, a time for us to not so much give up something, or take on something, or for fasting, or weeping, or mourning (although those can each be helpful and meaningful in our journey), but a time for refocusing on following the directions, for carefully, prayerfully, listening to the plans laid out by the trusting voice we’re hearing and by rededicating ourselves to working our way along God’s “paths of righteousness and forgiveness”.

Maybe Lent can be for us a season of renewed Global Positioning!

PRAYER:Leading and guiding God, remind us again during the season of Lent that despite our desire to be in control, to plan our own way and control our own destiny, that you are present to guide us on our journey, to redirect us over and over when we venture off course, and to turn us and refocus us toward your direction for our lives. May we, may I, see you more clearly in these Lenten days and follow you more carefully, in Christ’s name. Amen.



Lectionary

Genesis 29:1-14 (NRSV)Jacob Meets RachelThen Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east. As he looked, he saw a well in the field and three flocks of sheep lying there beside it; for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well’s mouth was large, and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well, and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well.

Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.” He said to them, “Do you know Laban son of Nahor?” They said, “We do.” He said to them, “Is it well with him?” “Yes,” they replied, “and here is his daughter Rachel, coming with the sheep.” He said, “Look, it is still broad daylight; it is not time for the animals to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them.” But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”

While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep; for she kept them. Now when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, and the sheep of his mother’s brother Laban, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of his mother’s brother Laban. Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and wept aloud. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son; and she ran and told her father.

When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran to meet him; he embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.

REFLECTION:• Why was Rachel at the well?• Why do you think Jacob wept after kissing Rachel?• When was a time in your life when you were met with an unexpected connection with another person? How

did that make you feel?• Consider all the times recently when God has tried to surprise you with unexpected encounters, so that you

might know of God’s presence.



Molly McLeod, member of RPC since 2006

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6

A few years ago I went through a very difficult and painful situation. I’ve described this period to those close to me as one that it was blatantly obvious that God was guiding me safely through to the other side. I typically try to live my life by putting things in to God’s hands, trusting that he will help take care of things, but during this particular period it was almost as if I was removed from the situation and the Lord took over the wheel.

By fully putting my trust in God and handing over my issues to Him, I was able to look at the situation with such clarity. I opened my heart and mind, and I was able to find some subtle and not so subtle signs as to what the Lord felt was best for me. I discovered so many instances of how the Lord was communicating with me and letting me know I needed to be patient with my decisions. He also removed obstacles from my daily life, which gave me the opportunity to Be Still, so I could focus on what was really important and ultimately to heal and grow.

PRAYER:Heavenly Father, thank you for your many blessings and please help me to always remember that you know what is best and that you are always there with me. Amen.



Denise Whitley, member of RPC since 2012

Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong.1 Corinthians 16:13 (NRSV)

April 26, 2007. That’s the day I watched nurses running around panicking about equipment and not being prepared. In fact, I was the calmest person in the room. Looking back, I think it’s because I knew I needed to put my faith in something much bigger. I needed God.

That day, our daughter was born almost 13 weeks premature. She weighed a tiny 1 pound 13 ounces. She was perfect in every way. She still is. Even at 9 years old when she rolls her eyes at us for insisting she put away her iPad at dinner.

I need to share that I wasn’t raised in a church-attending family or have memories of any church activities. We said grace at dinner. I only remember that it rhymed.

But that day, April 26, 2007, God made me a mom and started me on an 87-day NICU journey of scattered highs and extreme lows. That’s the day he showed me that faith in him was the best thing for me.

I know, without any hesitation, that God was with me in that chaotic hospital room. He heard my prayers for him to put his arms around Morgan and hold on tight. He heard me when I asked him to not let go.

People ask me how I’m so sure of my faith since that day. It’s very easy to answer. I constantly see God around our daughter. She is such a reflection of his giving heart. She sees so much good in everyone she meets. She is genuinely the most forgiving person I have ever met. And even though she doesn’t know it, she’s a precious reminder that when I’m scared, I just need to ask him to hold on a little tighter. She’s proof that he’s listening.

PRAYER:Dear God, please help me find calmness in the storm. Help me know you are walking with me. Amen.



Ellie Wilson-Wade, RPC high school student and Confirmation Class of 2015

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)

There’s much that seems up for debate these days, but one thing seems certain – we live in a time where fear is prevalent. In a time where so much is unknown and the path ahead seems unclear, it seems natural to have anxiety about what’s to come. It’s also a time when God’s love is present if you look. Everyone’s favorite neighbor, Mr. Rogers, once said, “when I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’’’ I’m inspired that God calls us to serve and that our RPC family answers that call by spreading light in our community. We hold each other accountable to be helpers and find ourselves shaped by the encounters with those we serve often gaining more than we give.

At last year’s National Prayer Breakfast, President Obama shared a verse he said had sustained him throughout the year, which resonates in our current climate. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) We are not helpless or called to worry. We are shaped by a God that wants us to know that through love we have the power to heal our world.

Knowing God wants me to do all things with love takes away the temptation to be shaped by the fears of uncertainty, fears of those who are different, and fears of personal failures. When I seek His wisdom, the answer is always the same – face fear with love. So, in these challenging times, I feel called more than ever to care deeply about others. When faced with hate, I know more power in love. I want to do my best to demonstrate the amazing love of Christ through words and actions in my community and in the world. And I feel incredibly blessed to serve a Lord that promises to provide me strength and hope.

PRAYER:Loving God, may this day lead us to peace, to happiness, and to joy. May I be used to demonstrate your incredible love to all I encounter. Amen



Lectionary

Psalm 40:1-10 (NRSV)Thanksgiving for Deliverance and Prayer for HelpTo the leader. Of David. A Psalm.I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.

Happy are those who make the LORD their trust, who do not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after false gods. You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you. Were I to proclaim and tell of them, they would be more than can be counted.

Sacrifice and offering you do not desire, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, “Here I am; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”

I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; see, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O LORD. I have not hidden your saving help within my heart, I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.

REFLECTION:• What does it look like to wait patiently?• When have you been in a pit in life? Was it easy or hard to cry out to God from that place?• Did you feel that God was present? Why or why not?• What does God desire from us?• How might you speak of God’s faithfulness and salvation this week?


Your DEEPEST IDENTITYSUNDAY, MARCH 26 - 4TH SUNDAY IN LENT


But Ruth said, “Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; Where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die - there will I be buried. May the LORD do thus and so to me, and more as well, if even death parts me from you!” When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.

So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them; and the women said, “Is this Naomi?” She said to them, “Call me no longer Naomi, call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt bitterly with me. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty; why call me Naomi when the LORD has dealt harshly with me, and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?”

So Naomi returned together with Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, who came back with her from the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

Ruth 1:16-22 (NRSV)



Dave Tuttle, member of RPC since 1998

This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 (RSV)

The Lenten Season is an ideal time to look back at the life of Jesus and especially his 40 day journey to the cross. It is also a time we can reflect on our personal lives, examining our spiritual growth on how God has been shaping and blessing us. Reflecting on my personal spiritual journey, I believe God has used my awareness of the following life experiences to help “shape” my continuing spiritual development:

As an infant, I was adopted by loving and Christian parents and still remember on Saturday evenings my mother preparing her Sunday school lesson plan for the 9th grade Sunday school class she taught for so many years. What a wonderful example of Christian dedication.

As a young adult, my life was spared while serving in the infantry in Viet Nam. The gift of life from God.

As a husband, the blessing of a loving and caring spouse. A gift that is cherished daily.

As a parent, asking God to guide and protect my children. A prayer that is continually answered.

I love life and am thankful for all my many God given blessings and for the aforementioned experiences that have helped develop my spiritual awareness. Psalm 118:24 from the Revised Standard Version is one of my favorites: This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Several years ago Marijo and I were participants of a small group Bible study course, Companions in Christ. One of our exercises was to develop a daily “breathe prayer”. Mine was quite simple:

PRAYER:Our Heavenly Father, help me to know You, to love You, to honor You, and to praise You; and to do things that are pleasing to You. Amen.



Lectionary

Colossians 1:9-14 (NRSV)For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

REFLECTION:• What does Paul mean by a life “worthy of the Lord”?• Where does the strength come from?• What allows us to endure in life?• Reflect on this passage, asking God for strength and power for this day.



Nancy Hyatt, member of RPC since 2008

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.

1 Peter 3:8

Recent events have reshaped us.

Good health, but what if it fails you or someone you love? Unfair, especially when it affects the young.

When health fails, others must carry on. Things change. Your world changes, roles change. Caregivers are needed. Things are harder, but the rest of the world carries on as before.

These things happen every day. Part of life to see an ambulance racing by with lights flashing. That’s why we have hospitals. As a nurse, I know these things.

Recent events have caused us to stand in those shoes. Always before they were someone else’s shoes. Like so many things in life, you never really understand until it is you.

At Lent we contemplate Christ’s last days, his darkest time.

Our family is three generations climbing the ladder of life. One generation following the other, at times looking up at the feet of the ones going before. At times coming alongside of ones in need. The generation before us has gone out of view so we are now atop the climb. Preparing too, for the time that the next generations may need to come alongside and help us.

Things change. The event. The ambulance. Emergency. ICU. The waiting. The praying. Now we must come alongside of the generations that follow.

We sometimes feel helpless, abandoned. Sometimes angry at the world, even at God. Will things get better or not? Is this our new reality? How unfair.

I certainly don’t like it. It has reshaped me though. We have a new found compassion for the suffering of others. We still have hope things will get better. Hope we will all regain our places on the ladder. We are in prayer every day. We continue to look to the promise of the resurrection and its new beginnings.

It is not that these things happened so we personally could gain these insights. But because they did happen, we now better understand how the shoes feel to so many in this broken world. We know how uncomfortable they can be at times.

PRAYER:Lord God, I pray that we all can come alongside people in need to make, whatever shoes they wear, just a little more comfortable. Amen.



Lectionary

Psalm 130 (NRSV)Waiting for Divine RedemptionA Song of Ascents.Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD. Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!

If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered.

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem. It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

REFLECTION:• Take time and write down the things that you want to cry out to God for.• Ask God to hear your voice. Read this Psalm out loud again.• Wait in silence for a minute.• Read the Psalm out loud again.



Seth Harris, member of RPC since 1997

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Philippians 2:1-4

Halfway through my sophomore year in college, I moved to the Washington D.C. area for six months to be in a house where men from all over the world come to live together in an immersed environment focused on conflict resolution and reconciliation, using the service and leadership teachings of Jesus as a guide. Being a group of a dozen-plus young men committed to service work, our daily routine to learn and practice these principles was landscaping, minor construction, and helping people move. Manual labor will teach you a lot about people.

Shortly after I arrived, two Tibetans came, including my friend, Dawa, a Tibetan Buddhist who believes in Jesus. This perceived dichotomy perplexed me. So one day, while painting the house together, I asked Dawa about this. He said to me, “Seth-la, I am Buddhist by culture. They are my people. I believe in Jesus because He died for me.” This experience proved significant in my life. This was when the labels began to stop for me, when the stereotypes that I had held began to be apparent. It was the start of why I now wonder what it is like to be in someone’s place, what their life might be like.

Since then, God’s spirit has molded in me a consideration for others, a desire to meet people where they are. God’s guidance has cultivated an awareness of being outside of self and a forceful drive to look out for the interests of others. How can I empower people to feel the love of God? If I look to the cross, I can feel the spirit move through me in unexplainable ways, sometimes directing the heart involuntarily to produce ineffable acts of love. Witnessing these acts drives the soul to willingly surrender and let grace take hold. It is then that people feel the presence of God.

The cross is the greatest sign of sacrifice for others. If we look to Christ’s example, then we’ll give others our holy attention and show them that God wants the very best for their lives. It is not about us and having the answers. It is about God working through us to carry out his work, utilizing the gifts that he provides for that purpose. Recognizing this, I am then able to treat others the same way, desiring only to see God’s work fulfilling its purpose in their lives.

PRAYER: God, give me a willingness to surrender to your guidance in all my affairs that your love may be felt by the people you bring into my life. Amen.


SHAPED BY GODSATURDAY, APRIL 1

Don Ahnberg, transferred back from Houston to be a member of RPC in 2015

“Be still, and know that I am God!”Psalm 46:10 (NRSV)

We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us.Romans 12:6 (NRSV)

“Plan, execute, reap results. If results are positive, take personal credit. If not, find an excuse or assign blame.” The dark humor of that is true with much of what we do, certainly speaking for myself at any rate.

In the constant chaos of our life’s activities, and with our egos in the way, it is easy to believe the success of our actions is our own doing. However, as I look back in my life, I can clearly see many occurrences and two distinct components where God, and not I, has had the hand in shaping my life - I’ll call them events of preparation, and events of opportunity. Preparation events included equipping me with skills and knowledge, or strengthening my abilities, so that I was competent to perform some important new role and opportunity to serve. Opportunity events (both positive and negative) included those which unexpectedly presented themselves, i.e. not planned by me, but led to a required action on my part.

There have been many occasions when competencies and opportunities converged and led me to take on a new role or task. And, when there is a “call” to action, I can also insert the words “so that” in each instance: competencies and opportunity converged “so that” I was energized to take on the task that was required of me. I believe without question that there was a Divine hand in that process in each of those events. All of the roles I have had at RPC - chair of Stewardship, roles on several search committees, assistant organist, chair of Building Commission - fit this pattern. And, let me quickly add, the Lord also provided others to make up for my many shortcomings.

Lent is a time of reflection for us, akin to the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert in preparation for his ministry. Now is a good time for us to be still, reflect, take stock of our own differing gifts, and know that God has been and will always be present in and in control of our lives, providing us with unique skills and opportunities “so that” we may serve Him.

PRAYER:Heavenly Father, still our hearts and minds as we pray in this Lenten season, so that we may know your greatness and become responsive to opportunities you present us to capitalize on our gifts, so that we may further your kingdom. Amen.


FROM WORK TO VOCATIONSUNDAY, APRIL 2 - 5TH SUNDAY IN LENT


The First Disciples of JesusThe next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated to Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

John 1:35-42 (NRSV)

Peter’s Declaration about JesusNow when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Matthew 16:13-20 (NRSV)


SHAPED BY GODMONDAY, APRIL 3

Rev. Mary Cox, Associate Pastor, Mission Outreach, Roswell Presbyterian Church

This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.Psalm 118:24 (NIV)

It is hard for me to remember a time in my life when this mantra wasn’t sung or spoken in my house when I was growing up. However, my memory is most vividly connected to when, during my high school years, my dad was one of the youth volunteers at church and taught us to commit this verse to memory. Sure, it annoyed me at times to have my own dad leading the youth group and hanging out with us, but I was to find out upon his death this time last year that his love of God, God’s word, and God’s people touched the lives of many.

During his memorial service, we thought it was fitting to open the time of worship with this scripture verse. Personal comments, Facebook posts, cards, and letters soon poured in with testimony of people recalling this verse from memory as they reflected upon the life of my dad. These now middle-aged folks were thankful for the discipline they learned as youth to memorize scripture but were most of all profoundly shaped by the truth of God’s faithfulness that was still written on their hearts.

This verse speaks the truth that God is creating, making something new every day. This reality leads us to will a faithful response of joy and gladness. Memorizing this verse as a teen might have felt like drudgery at times, but in this day, and in every day that God has made in my lifetime, I am thankful for being shaped by the truth of God’s faithfulness.

PRAYER:Loving Lord, thank you for your word that leads us to look to you for our life each day that you create, including this day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.


SHAPED BY GODTUESDAY, APRIL 4

Lectionary

Psalm 146 (NRSV)Praise for God’s Help1Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!2I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long.

3Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help. 4When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.

5Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God, 6who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever; 7who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry.

The LORD sets the prisoners free; 8the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. 9The LORD watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

10The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD!

REFLECTION:• What does the Psalmist say are the reasons we should not put our trust in humans?• What does God do in verses 6-10?• How has God done one or more of these things in your life lately?


SHAPED BY GODWEDNESDAY, APRIL 5

Donna McCoy, member of RPC since 2014

Jesus says, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever… the Spirit of truth.”

John 14:16-17

One of God’s gifts to me is that I have been fortunate throughout the years to have exchanged Christmas letters with my college professor and mentor, T. William Hall and his wife, Ruth. I had my first comparative religion class with Dr. Hall as a freshman, and continued my graduate studies with him at Syracuse University. That is where I met Jack, so of course Dr. Hall married us in a ceremony in my home church in Augusta, KY. For the next forty-eight years, we had the privilege of reading Bill’s and Ruth’s letters of lives well-lived, letters of thoughtful enchantment with life, even its highs and lows of existence. Their words of wisdom and guidance have been one of the enriching experiences of our lives.

I have had a tough time turning seventy years old. There is just no way that you can fit that into the middle-age spectrum. I was not ready to sit in the rocking chair yet, but I find I am still a very good volunteer, and I am involved in many enriching experiences. In a writing, when Bill was ninety-five, he admitted, “At eighty it seemed that no future years could again be filled with enchantment.” But he went on to fifteen wonderful years filled with love of family and friends, study, writing poetry, and a heightened spiritual journey. At Dr. Hall’s ninety-fifth birthday celebration, he had this to say, “As I grow older, my passion for knowledge about religion has shifted to a more inward spiritual quest… Life has become simpler, but I have more soul-enriching memories. I am trying to listen and see more and in some rare moments, I feel I am connected to everyone and everything in this mysterious universe. And, I am thankful.”

Bill didn’t live to have a 96th birthday, but he was teaching and inspiring others to the very end of his life. I am listening and inspired by this life lesson, and I am trying to incorporate this attitude into my own life story. Jesus said he wouldn’t leave us alone, we had the Holy Spirit among us. I believe the Holy Spirit moves between us and can be communicated though the spoken and written word connecting all of us, so we are shaped by God.

PRAYER:Lord, help us to feel through the Holy Spirit our connectedness to everyone and to your mysterious universe. Amen.


SHAPED BY GODTHURSDAY, APRIL 6

Lectionary

John 10:22-42 (NRSV)Jesus Is Rejected by the Jews22At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. 24So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; 26but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. 27My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. 30The Father and I are one.”

31The Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?” 33The Jews answered, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God.” 34Jesus answered, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35If those to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’ - and the scripture cannot be annulled - 36can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. 38But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands.

40He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier, and he remained there. 41Many came to him, and they were saying, “John performed no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42And many believed in him there.

REFLECTION:• What does Jesus say is his testimony? (verse 25)• Jesus as the good shepherd says that no one can snatch his sheep out of his hand. What does this mean?• Jesus says, “the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” What does it mean for Jesus to also be God?• Consider the pain of the cross. It was not just Jesus who endured it, but also the Father.


SHAPED BY GODFRIDAY, APRIL 7

Steve Seibert, member of RPC since 2008

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

Lent is a great time to examine our walk with Christ and reflect on how we are being shaped by God. We often come to crossroads in our life about making difficult decisions regarding job opportunities, which college to attend, and so many other “life changing decisions”. I certainly struggle with trying to know God’s will regarding these situations.

Our family faced a difficult decision over nine years ago, about whether to leave a comfortable life in Decatur, Alabama for a move to the metro Atlanta area with new jobs and schools and all the unknowns involved with moving to a new area. Uprooting a family is never an easy decision; this was certainly a time of much prayer and Proverbs 3:5-6 became very real. We eventually decided to move and as I look back on that move, I do see how God has shaped us to deepen our faith and increase our trust in the Lord.

While knowing God’s will in our life is important, albeit very difficult to discern at times, maybe the condition of our heart (and motivation) is even more important? I believe God will guide us through these difficult decisions if we truly put our trust in him with an open heart to let God work in our lives. We still need to do our part with preparing ourselves to make difficult decisions, and then after making the decision, fully trust God to lead the way. I think of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane struggling with his impending crucifixion, and yet maintaining a heart condition to let God complete the work for our salvation. During this Lenten season, what is our heart condition?

PRAYER:Heavenly Father, we are thankful for your guidance in our lives and providing us with the assurance that you are always with us. Amen.



Lectionary

John 11:28-44 (NRSV) Jesus WeepsWhen she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but she was still at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

Jesus Raises Lazarus to LifeThen Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

REFLECTION:• What is Mary feeling when she sees Jesus? How can you tell?• How does Jesus respond to her emotion?• Is there a sadness in your life right now? One where you wish Jesus would just show up and fix it?• Share that with the Lord and ask for His presence to comfort you as he comforted Mary and Martha.


THUNDER YOU CAN’T HeaRAPRIL 9 - PALM SUNDAY


Jesus Appoints the TwelveHe went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, and to have authority to cast out demons. So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); and Andrew and Philip and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Mark 3:13-19 (NRSV)

A Third Time Jesus Foretells His Death and ResurrectionThey were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again.”

The Request of James and JohnJames and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him. “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

Mark 10:32-40 (NRSV)


SHAPED BY GODMONDAY, APRIL 10

Carrie Weatherford, Director of Children & Family Ministries, Roswell Presbyterian Church

I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43:19 (NRSV)

I love new things… well sort of. There are some new things that I don’t love because they require change, and change can be hard! Ten years ago, I was working as a middle school teacher. I was comfortable, content, and I loved my job. So, it came as a big surprise when I felt God calling me out of my comfort zone into something new: seminary and ministry. I tried to avoid this call and really struggled with God about the timing because it didn’t match up with the timeline I had created for my life. I didn’t even know if it was truly a possibility given my circumstances at the time.

Through much prayer, reflection, and conversation with trusted mentors, I realized that God was indeed calling me to this new thing and I needed to be obedient and allow my life to be guided and shaped by God. The word shaped in this sense means to determine the nature of or have great influence on. When we give up control and allow God to determine the nature of who we are and allow God to have the greatest influence on what we do, it is then that God can use us and do a new thing in us and through us. Sometimes new things can be hard and we may not even have a clue how they will work out in the end, but we can have faith that when we allow God to be in control of shaping us, God “will make a way in the wilderness” and God will be with us every step of the way.

PRAYER:Holy God, Today, help me to put you first and allow you to be the great shaper of my life. Guide my steps in the direction that you will for me, and help me to have an open heart and an open mind to the new things you are doing in and through me. Amen.


SHAPED BY GODTUESDAY, APRIL 11

Lectionary

Philippians 3:15-21 (NRSV)15Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you. 16Only let us hold fast to what we have attained.

17Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. 18For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. 19Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. 20But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.

REFLECTION:• What are the earthly things that Paul is referring to in Verse 19?• What earthly things are you tempted to set your mind on?• What heavenly things can you set your mind on today?• Consider what it means that you are a citizen not of this earth, but of heaven.


SHAPED BY GODWEDNESDAY, APRIL 12

Betsy Homer, Associate Director of Music, Roswell Presbyterian Church

The human mind plans the way, but the LORD directs the steps. Proverbs 16:9 (NRSV)

I tend to always say that my life has been full of, “I should have knowns.” Meaning, looking back to how God has been at work in my life, “I should have known this or I should have known that.” In fact, I often beat myself up about having chosen paths in life that could have been chosen differently.

Growing up as a preacher’s kid shaped so much of my faith. Having been raised weekly going to church, participating in youth group, spending all my time with my church friends, really has made me the woman I am today. There have been times in my life when I have heard God speaking to me and telling me where he wants me to go, but as a strong and determined woman, I like to choose my path.

“I should have known” that even though I chose a different career path in the beginning, God would bring me right where he wants me to be. Should I have known, or should I have just let God shape me into who he wanted? It is not always easy to let yourself be shaped, but God knows our every need, for he created us.

Proverbs 16:9 says, “The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps.” May we lean on God and his directing of our steps, while we listen for the ways in which he is leading and shaping us as his followers!

PRAYER:Gracious Lord, as much as we want to choose our own paths today, may we resist and allow you to lead us. Amen.


SHAPED BY GODAPRIL 13 - MAUNDY THURSDAY

Lectionary

Psalm 27 (NRSV)Triumphant Song of ConfidenceOf David.1The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

2When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh - my adversaries and foes - they shall stumble and fall.

3Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.

4One thing I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after; to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.

5For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.

6Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD.

7Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! 8“Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!” Your face, LORD, do I seek. 9Do not hide your face from me.

Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation! 10If my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will take me up.

11Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. 12Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence.

13I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

REFLECTION:• What are the three things that the Psalmist asks of the Lord in Verse 4?• What do these three things mean to you?• Verse 14 tells us to “wait for the Lord”. What do you need to wait on the Lord for today?• Close in prayer asking for patience, strength, and courage to wait for the Lord.


SHAPED BY GODAPRIL 14 - GOOD FRIDAY

Rev. Lyndsay Lee Slocum, Senior Associate Pastor, Roswell Presbyterian Church

I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43:19 (NRSV)

I can still remember the first time I opened the door and Scott Slocum was standing on the other side. He was the best looking man I had ever seen! It was our first date - although I did not know we were going on a date! I was under the impression that a friend of a friend had some theology questions and wanted to talk to a seminary student. Scott (the friend of the friend) had called me (the seminary student) and now we were headed to dinner so we would talk theology. If I had known it was a date I am not sure I would have gone. I had just gotten out of a very difficult relationship and my heart was still tender from the hurt it had endured. I needed some time to heal and think through my own identity before jumping back into the dating scene.

But Scott turned out to be unlike anyone I had ever met. I fell in love with him almost immediately. Being with Scott was something new like I had never experienced before. The whole way he wanted to approach our relationship was slow, deliberate, and faithful. He wanted us to know each other in every season of the year before we could talk about being married. He wanted us to worship and pray together. He wanted to make sure we had a solid foundation and that we were faithful to God, each other, and ourselves. One year after our first date, Scott proposed and four months later we were married in my home church.

Meeting Scott and our budding relationship was a time in my life when God did a new thing. Scott and I had each been in terrible relationships, and when God brought us together, I began to experience what it meant to love another person and be loved in a healthy way. What a gift Scott is to me!

I am so grateful that we have a God who continues to do a new thing! When you look back over your life, how can you see the ways that God brings about something new for you? What blessings are unexpected and yet so significant? Give thanks to God for the mighty ways God works and the goodness that comes even when we least expect it.

PRAYER:Holy God, although you are always doing new things in and around us, we often do not see it. Help us to see where you are at work today and give us the boldness to join you. Amen.



Lectionary

Hebrews 4:12-16 (NRSV)Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.

Jesus the Great High PriestSince, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

REFLECTION:• What does it mean for the word of God to be living? Active? Sharp? Judge?• Why can Jesus sympathize with our weaknesses?• What does it mean to approach the throne of grace with boldness?• What do we receive when we do this?• Spend time before this throne today and receive the mercy and grace of God.


A NAME TO MATCH THE MESSAGEAPRIL 16 - EASTER SUNDAY


Acts 13:2-12 (NRSV)While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

The Apostles Preach in CyprusSo, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia; and from there they sailed to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John also to assist them. When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they met a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet, named Bar-Jesus. He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God. But the magician Elymas (for that is the translation of his name) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Saul, also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? And now listen - the hand of the Lord is against you, and you will be blind for a while, unable to see the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he went about groping for someone to lead him by the hand. When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.

Documents

SHAPED BY GOD - Lenten Devotional 2017 - Squarespace · PDF fileSHAPED BY GOD - Lenten Devotional 2017 ... One of the primary ways that God has shaped me and that I’ve ... This grace