Lenten Devotional...March 31

"Every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything."

(Hebrews 3:4)

Henry Fisher Builders built our house in Crescent Springs, Kentucky in 1992. Though we never met Mr. Fisher personally, we can vouch for the quality of home his company built. We had heard nightmare stories about building a home, and were quite concerned going into the project about how it would turn out. We were either very fortunate or incredibly naive in the end for the finished product was everything we hoped it would be. The house was finished and closed on time. Mr. Fisher, or at the very least, those who represented him, knew what they were doing.

The writer of today's text acknowledges the capability of human hands to build a house. Those hands have limitations. God, however, is the builder of everything. Here there are no limitations. These hands formed the universe, created human beings from the dust of the earth, and fashioned salvation in the human/divine form of Jesus, the Christ. Human hands could never have created such possibility or opportunity. The human mind could never have devised the plan of redemption that would envision a cross. Human hands created the problem...God fashioned the answer.

Prayer: Creator God, builder of everything, fashion anew my heart in the very image of the Savior, Jesus, the Christ. Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 30

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

(Matthew 22:37-39)

Over the years I have been asked numerous times about my stance, or that of the church I was serving at the time, on a particular issue. Sometimes it was theological, sometimes, social, ethical, or ideological in nature. My answers have not always been satisfactory for those who question. Baptists have traditionally refrained from being painted into that kind of corner for no one person can speak for a body of believers, and no one issue, save faith in Jesus Christ, is salvific in nature. The issues that divide often seem more interesting to us than that which truly unites.

Jesus was asked in our text for today what he believed the greatest commandment in the Law was. His answer was very simple and straightforward...Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. That he identified as the greatest commandment. Then he said that the second is like the first...Love your neighbor as yourself. Among the many theological "hot potatoes" of the day that he could have chosen, he called, instead, those who would listen, to remember the words of old that came from the Levitical code. "Love God and love your neighbor," he was saying. Everything else depends on these two commands.

It would seem that the cross of Christ is evidence of this for Christ came in human form to do the will of his heavenly Father whom he loved, and to lay his life down for a sinful human creation whom he loved as well. Love motivated incarnation and crucifixion...loving God and loving others.

In the midst of a world that argues about many many things, Jesus calls his followers to do two things...love God and love others. That is indeed enough to change the world.

Prayer: We love, because you first loved us, O God. May our love for you empower our love for others around us. Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 29

"Blessed are those who persevere under trial, because when they have stood the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."

(James 1:12)

The dictionary defines the term "perseverance" in the following manner..."continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition." That definition doesn't mesh well with our modern sensitivities about perseverance. Ask any man with a remote control in his hand about perseverance and he will define it for you in three to thirty-second flashes across the television screen as he surfs from channel to channel. Ask a young child about his or her favorite toy in the aftermath of Christmas morning's present explosion and he or she will probably move from toy to toy, incapable of choosing a favorite among a sea of possibilities. Ask a golfer if he wants take another try after hitting three balls in a row into the water, and he will most likely choose to take a drop on the other side.

Perseverance is not an easy task..."continued effort...despite difficulties, failure, or opposition." The temptation to give up, to let go of something because it is difficult is very real in the context of our life circumstances. "Life's too short," we say as if that justifies our inability or inattentiveness to persevere in times of trial.

Jesus knew that his path led to the cross. He knew he would be forsaken by his friends. He knew the weight of a sinful world would fall upon him, but he continued on toward Jerusalem. He persevered, despite the temptations to turn and run. James encouraged first-century Christians to persevere in trial, to stand firm in times of testing, for to do so is to know the promise of God, the crown of life through faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

Life is short, but perseverance marks the person of faith who trusts the Lord, despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.

Prayer: Faithful God, strengthen our resolve, help us persevere, not as a mark of human stubbornness or strength, but as a testimony to our trust in you. In the name of the One who joyfully endured the cross, Jesus, the Christ. Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 28

"Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."

(I Peter 3:9)

Jesus was known for his turn-around teaching...you know, the kind of teaching that presented a completely opposite perspective than conventional belief or practice. In the sermon on the mount in Matthew's gospel, he would say, "You have heard it said....but I say..." Peter picks up on this theme in our text today, reminding his readers that the teachings of Christ are meant to transform even the most challenging aspects of human relationship.

Conventional wisdom would challenge someone wounded by the insults of others to respond in like kind. The world is certainly familiar with this kind of behavior. Wars have been started, friendships fractured, businesses compromised, and churches distracted from their mission when retaliation is chosen as a response to the harmful actions of others. In the turnaround teaching pattern of Jesus, Peter challenges early Christians to repay evil with blessing. Talk about catching an enemy or adversary off guard! Who trades blessing for evil? That simply isn't done!

And yet, it has been done...isn't that the turnaround teaching of the cross? Paul puts it this way in Romans 5:8, "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (TNIV) Paul argues that most of us wouldn't lay down our lives for a truly good person, much less for a person who was at odds with us. But the demonstration of love God set forth at the cross, turns around our thinking, for Jesus died for a human creation that had identified itself as the enemy of God. Jesus took up the cross and willingly embodied this turn around teaching, punctuating his point by his broken body and shed blood in the very presence of his enemies.

Peter tells us that to follow Christ's example is to "inherit a blessing." That is the turn around hope for a fractured world...it begins with you and me.

Prayer: Turn around our thinking, dear Lord, that we may love, not as convention expects, but rather, as love dictates. This we pray in the name of the turnaround teacher, Jesus, the Christ, Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 27

"If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness,
so that we can, with reverence, serve you."

(Psalm 130:3-4)

Have you ever known someone who kept a record of all your failures? Most likely, they didn't have an actual book or ledger they turned to in listing your faults. They probably didn't need one...they had them all memorized, color-coded, easily placed in the forefront of their thinking where you were concerned, ready to remind you at a moment's notice of the things you had done wrong. Perhaps you have known such a person who felt it was his or her responsibility to keep you in your place, constantly reminding you about the things you have done wrong. Self-esteem is not their concern.

If anyone has a right to keep record of human failure, it would be God. As Creator, God has endured the continuing rebellion of his human creation. That rebellion has cost God deeply. One would understand if the halls of heaven were filled with seemingly unending volumes of sin records with the name of every person and every sin ever committed listed there. It would make for some interesting, if not damning reading.

The Psalmist, however, paints a different picture in our text today. God's record-keeping could produce unbearable burden for the individual and for the entire human race, yet, God seems not to be interested in the sordid details of our sin. With God, the Psalmist says, "there is forgiveness." One of the great tragedies of our human experience is that we too often seem consumed with what God is willing to forget. We confront ourselves and others again and again with our, and their failures, all the while diminishing the value of what God has created.

Hope will never be found in the keeping of sinful lists...hope will always be found in the forgiving and forgetting grace of God.

Prayer: For your forgiveness that erases my sinful record, I give you thanks, O God. Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 26

He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes

one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

(Mark 9:36-37)

The words of our text today follow an argument among Jesus' disciples. The argument centered around who was greatest among them. Jesus responds to their foolishness by saying, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all." He then places a child among his childish disciples and tells them that to welcome a child is to welcome him.

Jesus was constantly turning the tables on the values of the world around him. Children held little value in a society that revered age and wisdom. To place a child in the middle of their argument was to call these arrogant men to humility, servanthood, and most importantly, Christlikeness.

Arrogance has no place at the cross. One cannot take up the cross of Christ and be concerned about his or her position among others. The TNIV rendering of verse thirty-five emphatically places the servant as "...the very last, and the servant of all." Christ was willing to position himself as the very last. Why would we argue to place ourselves in any other position?

Prayer: Christ, who made yourself the very last, may we follow your example to be servant of all. Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 25

"Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds along with those who are evildoers; do not let me eat of their delicacies."

Psalm 141:4

The Psalmist rightly speaks of temptations as "delicacies." Often, the very things we know not to do, draw us like magnets. Of temptation, Paul wrote in Romans 7:19, "For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing." The writers, Paul and David, both remind us of our own struggles with temptation. Oscar Wilde, nineteenth-century Irish playwright, once wrote of his own struggles, "I can resist everything but temptation." His struggle is our struggle. Our hope, however, comes in knowing that there is help beyond ourselves through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

The writer of Hebrews reminds us that we can overcome temptation because Christ has overcome. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet he did not sin." (Hebrews 4:15) There will always be temptation...but let us remember that there is also always help to resist.

Prayer: Gracious God, give me strength to resist the "delicacies" of temptation in the name of Jesus, the Christ, Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 24

"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

(Psalm 34:18)

Presence is one of the characteristics of God that empowers our daily living. From the Pentateuch to John's Revelation, the promise of God's word is consistent...I will never leave you nor forsake you. When your heart is broken, loneliness magnifies the pain...presence breeds comfort. This truth is not only experienced in the stories of scripture, but also in the physical presence of others who walk with us and stand beside us in our brokenness. Paul challenged the Christians in Corinth to be the comforting presence of Christ to one another. "Praise be to 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 receive from God." (II Corinthians 1:3-4) Knowing the comforting presence of God in the midst of our brokenness empowers us to share Christ's comfort by being present with others in their brokenness.

I have watched the power of this presence again and again over the years in the Christian communities I have served. Broken people, surrounded by those who have been wounded themselves, find comfort as the presence of Christ envelops them through the embrace of Christian brothers and sisters. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, making himself known through the presence of the Christian community. To be present in the name of Christ when others are hurting is to offer the comforting presence of God, and in doing so, to being salvation to those who are crushed in spirit. That is the work of the cross...the cross that you and I are called to take up daily as we follow Christ.

Prayer: May the comfort of your presence, O Christ, empower us to be present to others in their brokenness. Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 23

"If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing."

(I Corinthians 13:3)

We live in perhaps the most actively entrepreneurial time in history. Individual and corporate generosity are evident in every arena of life, including our high schools and colleges where community service hours are expected from students as a means of completing their educational experience. Paul reminds those who follow Christ, however, that generosity means little apart from love. That which motivates the generosity is as important as the gift itself.

John challenges the Christian to embrace the example of Christ who laid down his life for all. As a result, John encourages, "let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." Love motivates our actions, calling us, as it did Jesus, to the way of the cross. To give without love, even to sacrifice self, gains nothing.

In the end, Paul reminds us that faith, hope, and love remain...but the greatest of these is love.

Prayer: Eternal God, may love motivate our every gift...our every sacrifice, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, we pray. Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 22

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever...as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds."

(Psalm 73:26, 28)

The Psalmist knows full well his limitations. Though his early words in this seventy-third Psalm speak to the sinful ways of the arrogant and wicked, he later comes around to his own failures, identifying himself as embittered, senseless, ignorant, and a brute beast before God. It is at times much more satisfying to point out the failures of others than to confront our own. Such finger-pointing allows us to deflect our attention, and perhaps the attention of others away from our own actions, at least for a moment. Strength, he concludes, comes not from himself, but from God. His heart, his courage may fail, but God's will not. "As for me," he says, "it is good to be near God."

Pondering those words, I remembered the great hymn, "Near the Cross," by Fanny Crosby. The second verse and chorus are as follows:

Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and Mercy found me;
There the bright and morning star
Sheds its beams around me.

In the cross, in the cross,

Be my glory ever;

Till my ransomed soul shall find

rest beyond the river.

It is good to be near God...to be near the cross.

Prayer: As we draw near to the cross in this Lenten season, may we affirm with the Psalmist of old, dear God, that as for us, it is good to be near God."

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 21

"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work."

(I Corinthians 12:4-6)

Our text for today is preamble to a wonderfully powerful teaching from the word of God that reminds us that the Body of Christ is made up of believers whose gifts may differ, but whose identity in Christ is shared equally. Paul likens this diversity in unity to the different parts of the body, that though many, still make up one body. It is a beautiful analogy of the church...the body of Christ. Though different, though gifted uniquely, we are united through faith in the living Christ who calls us to be one. This speaks not of conformity, but transformation.

In a Peanuts cartoon Lucy demands that Linus change TV channels, threatening him with her fist if he doesn't. "What makes you think you can walk right in here and take over?" asks Linus.

"These five fingers," says Lucy. "Individually they're nothing but when I curl them together like this into a single unit, they form a weapon that is terrible to behold." "Which channel do you want?" asks Linus. Turning away, he looks at his fingers and says, "Why can't you guys get organized like that?"

The intimidation Lucy wields is not the goal of the body of Christ, but the recognition that the individual parts becoming one, like the fingers of a hand drawn together for a purpose, is powerful indeed. In the closing words of this chapter, Paul sums this lesson up as he says, "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." That is my story...your story...our story.

Prayer: You have gifted us uniquely O Lord. Unite us on our journey to the cross, that we may be one, made new in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 20

"I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us..."

Isaiah 63:7a

I remember a story told many years ago about a church that had testimony time nearly every Sunday in the service. The pastor would ask if there was anyone who wanted to share a testimony or favorite scripture about the goodness of God. Invariably, one woman would rise at every opportunity and quote the same text from Psalm 55:6: "Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest." She always quoted the verse with a certain dramatic flair, and after a while, the congregation seemed to tire of her weekly offering. One day, after a particularly emotional rendering of the text, a man was heard to mutter in that mumbling voice that is often heard, "Someone stick a feather in her and let her go."

The prophet is offering testimony in our text today. There is no hint here that the words are overdone or abused. Indeed, this is the spontaneous offering of praise that recognizes the kindness of the Lord that must be acknowledged. These words may seem strange in the context of exile, yet the prophet remembers and proclaims that God has not forsaken this people. God has been faithful and will continue faithful. He calls to mind this identity in the last verse of the chapter as he reflects, "We are yours from of old..." God has been faithful...is faithful, and will continue faithful.

Our Lenten journey draws us to the cross where that faithfulness is on display. Standing in awe in that place, we, with the prophet affirm, "I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us."

Prayer: Your kindness is shown us again and again O Lord. With gratitude we testify and praise your name.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 19

"God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

(John 3:17)

I shared an illustration this past Sunday from Philip Yancey's book, "What's So Amazing About Grace?", in which he tells the story of a young prostitute in Chicago whose struggles not only placed her life in jeopardy, but her two year-old daughter's as well. When a counselor encouraged her perhaps to turn to a church for help, she responded, "Why would I ever go there?" One might consider her circumstance extreme and wrongly dismiss her concerns, but there are a lot of people in many different kinds of life circumstance who feel the same way..."Why would I ever go there?"

For all the grace we talk and sing about, we Christians can still be very judgmental in our attitudes. Jesus spoke quite clearly about this kind of attitude, telling his followers in Matthew 7, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Having just spoken the familiar words of salvation to Nicodemus that many of us learned as children in John 3:16, he immediately follows those words with our text for today. His purpose was not condemnation, but salvation. Perhaps that is why many of the outcasts of his day sought him and received him. He knocked down the barriers of self-righteous religion, focusing instead on the heart. Of course, he paid a price for it...he was often condemned by the pious people of faith around him.

To love, forgive, and accept those that others condemn will always demand a heavy price. For Jesus, the price demanded for such grace was a cross. If we are to take up that cross, can we expect anything less?

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for not sending your Son to condemn, but to save. Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 18

"Then they asked him, 'What must we do to do the works God requires?' Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent'.”

(John 6:28-29)

The crowds continue to follow Jesus wherever he goes. This particular text follows after two powerful stories. The first is the feeding of thousands with the little boy's lunch. In the second story, the disciples have set out from shore only to encounter a storm. Jesus comes to them, walking on the water and soon they reach the other shore. The next day, the crowds realize that Jesus and the disciples have sailed away and they set out to find them. The stories about Jesus are spreading quickly and crowds relentlessly seek him. One can understand, for among this crowd were those he had miraculously fed and those he had miraculously delivered in one way or another. They are seeking, and Jesus offers life-giving words.

When they find Jesus, their questions begin. "What must we do to do the works God requires," they ask. Jesus responds, "...believe in the One he has sent me." On more than one occasion, Jesus makes this statement as he reminds those with ears to hear that he and the Father are one. Today people are still seeking, still asking, "What must we do..." The answer is still the same..."Believe in the One God has sent."

In a crowd, among a group of friends, or talking with another person one on one, the good news is that Christ still does powerful things in the lives of those who believe. You and I can tell them...you and I can show them.

Prayer: Gracious God, you have sent your Son into the world. Help us share that good news wherever we go. Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 17

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to us all. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

(I Corinthians 10:13)

Evangelist Billy Sunday once said, "Temptation is the devil looking through the keyhole. Yielding is opening the door and inviting him in." Mr. Sunday rightly reminds us that temptation is a common characteristic of our human experience. He also reminds us that giving in to that temptation is a choice we take part in.

The apostle Paul does not try to overlook temptation in our text today. Indeed, he concludes, along with Billy Sunday, that temptation is "common to all." The uncommon thing about temptation for the person of faith, however, is that the power to resist comes from the Creator. The key here is Paul's assertion that God is faithful. To be in right relationship with God, one recognizes his or her dependence on God in every circumstance. My strength alone is not enough to resist the temptations that come before me every day. Because God is faithful, because through Christ God has experienced, as the writer of Hebrews reminds us, every temptation we have experienced, and overcome. Therefore, we can find a strength beyond ourselves that empowers resistance, keeping, as the old adage says, "the devil at the door."

These days of Lent call us to acknowledge our sin and recognize that to walk in the way of the cross is to trust the living God to guide and empower our journey. In temptation, God provides a way of escape. Perhaps the devil is looking in through the keyhole. Don't invite him in!

Prayer: Faithful God, when temptation is at the door, provide a way of us to resist and endure in Jesus name. Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 16

"I have become all things to all people so that in all possible ways I might save some. I do all of that because of the good news. And I want to share in its blessings."

(I Corinthians 9:22b-23)

We often think more in terms of limitations than possibilities when it comes to sharing the good news of God's love in Jesus Christ. In doing so, we allow a number of factors, often beyond our control, to impact our witness for Christ. Paul's challenges our twenty-first century caution and confronts us with an approach that acts on the great commission of Jesus to go into all the world and make disciples. Paul recognizes the value of every soul and is willing to do whatever he can to help bring salvation to those who will believe.

March Madness started this week. It's the annual college basketball extravaganza that places 68 teams in competition for the purpose of crowning a national champion. Coaches prepare their teams, fans make travel plans to follow their team wherever they go, and productivity in offices and factories across the nation suffers while people are distracted by the excitement of college basketball for three weeks in March. Perhaps the most nervous moments for these coaches, players, and fans is Selection Sunday when they wait for their team to be called and the location of the venue where they will play. Coaches often position themselves as cheerleaders for their teams, promoting to anyone who will listen the attributes of their team. They present their case and hope that their story will open doors of acceptance for their team.

In this season of Lent there are no cheering crowds, no public relations people to positively spin the story...there is a cross, and the man carrying that cross will willingly lay down his life to pay for the sins of everyone. This man, Jesus, was willing to become all things to all people...salvation for all. That's more exciting, more life-changing than March Madness. That's the good news of the gospel that must be shared.

Prayer: Gracious God, help us to freely share the good news of Jesus Christ, for in doing so, we share in its blessings. Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 15

"He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, 'Lord, are you going to wash my feet?' Jesus replied, 'You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.' 'No,' said Peter, 'you shall never wash my feet.' Jesus answered, 'Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.' 'Then, Lord,' Simon Peter replied, 'not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!'”

(John 13:6-9)

You have probably heard the story about the preacher's kid who came into the house, filthy dirty after playing outside all day. His mother met him in the kitchen and marched him straight upstairs to the bathtub. He protested every step of the way, telling her he didn't need a bath, but she would not be persuaded. As the bath water ran, she lectured him about the dangers of germs in the dirt that covered his body. Then she said something about cleanliness being next to godliness and it was all the boy could take. "Germs and Jesus! Germs and Jesus!" he exclaimed. "That's all I ever hear about around here and I've never seen either one!"

This young man was neither convinced of his own need for cleansing, nor concerned about his mother's warnings about germs or his spiritual condition.

In our text today, Peter seeks release from cleansing, not because he is ambivalent to the dust and dirt on his feet, but rather, he is uncomfortable that his Master desires to wash his feet. "That is the task for a servant," he most surely thought to himself. On more than one occasion Peter sought to "adjust" Jesus' thinking and action. In one particular case, he stood between Jesus and Jerusalem to stop his movement toward the cross. Recognizing this impediment as a distraction from his mission, Jesus sternly chided Peter, "Get behind me, Satan!"

"You shall never wash my feet," Peter boldly proclaims once more in verse eight, standing squarely between Jesus and what He needs to accomplish. If so, Jesus tells him, "...you have no part with me." Peter was being confronted with the model of servant leadership...a model he would continue to struggle with for some time to come.

From stubborn rejection to humble reception, Peter finally relents, allows the One he has acknowledged as "the Christ," to make clean his dirty feet. Perhaps today, you and I still struggle to allow Christ to cleanse the sin that stains our lives. Perhaps we need to humbly receive the gracious gift of cleansing Christ still offers, not just for part of our lives...not just for certain things we have done, but as Peter came to realize, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well." In other words, all of me.

Prayer: Christ, Savoir of all, Servant of all, I open every part of my life to you and ask for your cleansing. Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 14

"Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked."

(Psalm 84:10)

Choice is second nature, considered in many contexts of American life as a right of citizenship. The ability to choose, however, is not a gift of citizenship, but a privilege of relationship with the creator God. Considering the choices before him, the Psalmist ponders his options and values what appears to be less by comparison...a day in the presence of God as opposed to a thousand elsewhere; content to be a servant doorman in the house of the Lord instead of the relative freedom of the tents of the wicked.

The cross gives the appearance of poverty and shame, yet it becomes to those transformed by it, the most cherished of symbols. The One who embraced that cross speaks of the seemingly upside-down values of Kingdom living..."What does it profit a man if he gain the whole world, yet lose his soul?" In other words, better is one day in the presence of the Lord than a thousand elsewhere.

Choice is the gift of God...choose well.

Prayer: For the freedom to choose and the choice of the cross, we give you thanks, O Lord. Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 13

"Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; Let them bring me to your holy

mountain, to the place where you dwell."

(Psalm 43:3)

Dr. Martin Luther King wrote, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." His words fit well with our text for today. The Psalmist is seeking help in the midst of his trouble. This forty-third Psalm continues the lament of the preceding Psalm, echoing three times between the two Psalms these words of assurance: "Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." The threat of darkness brings despair...the light of God dispels that darkness and draws the believer into right relationship with the Creator. Love does this...love overcomes the darkness.

The path we travel during Lent often reflects the darkness of sin that seems to overshadow our lives. We are drawn to the cross where it seems that darkness swallows up the Light. And yet, we see the cross as part of God's plan, the tool that commanded the terrible price of salvation. But darkness did not drive out darkness there. Hate could not overcome. The Light of the world, Jesus, the Christ, overcame the darkness...his love overwhelmed the shadows.

Over the next few nights, a rare occurrence will fill the dark night with unusual light. The planets Jupiter and Venus will pass very close to each other and the juxtaposition of these two bright planets should, according to Mike Wall, writing for Space.com, "blaze bright over the western horizon for about four hours after sunset." Take a moment and step outside over the next few evenings to see the difference these bright lights make in the evening sky. Then ponder the light of the Creator that overcomes our darkness through Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Gracious God, send me your light and your faithful care, and let them lead me. Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 12

And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”

(Mark 5:25-28)

The path to healing often begins in the mind. Certainly there is much evidence today that suggests that one's mental state can have a great influence on healing. But more than one's mental approach in the midst of the healing process, the first steps toward healing begin with initiative. Many of the healing stories in the gospels take place because the person who is sick or infirmed seeks Jesus, often because they have heard about his power to heal. Such is the case in our text today. Jesus is on his way to the home of a synagogue leader named Jairus whose daughter is near death. The worried father's concern for his daughter overcomes his concern about what others might think, so he finds Jesus and compels him to come to his home. As they are going, another person risks the response of others as she steps into the crowd and reaches out to touch the garment of Jesus, because in doing so, she believes that she will be healed.

Someone might say that such initiative is a simple decision...if you want to get better, you do what you have to do to make that happen. And yet, for these two persons in this story, taking this initiative placed them at great risk. Both risked the censure of the community around them...Jairus, the religious community; the woman, the community around her that would have been made unclean by her presence. Yet, both, driven by their particular need, stepped out to meet Jesus.

There's a lesson for us here. As Christ moves among us, do we, like these two biblical characters, take the initiative to move toward Him, or do the risks bring hesitation that stifles opportunity?

Salvation isn't gained because of the quality of a person's life. It isn't gained because of anything a person does to earn it. There is, however, the act of recognition that causes a person to realize his or her need for Christ and then, to move toward Him. For the woman in our text today, and for Jairus, the need was critical, the move to action a desperate one. Regardless of the need of our lives, taking the initiative to move toward Christ is a step toward salvation...just to reach out and touch him...that is our healing.

Prayer: As you move among us, Lord Jesus, may we have courage to reach out and touch you. Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 11

"In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.

(Psalm 5:3)

My wife Cindy is a morning person. She is not just a morning person, she is a MORNING PERSON!!! The day begins for her sometime after 4 a.m., or so she tells me...I am not usually aware of the world's existence at that time. She enjoys the quiet predictability of her morning routines. Clayton and I are certainly comfortable in allowing her the freedom to enjoy these early morning routines and are resigned to our supporting roles in our slumbering states.

The Psalmist is indeed a morning person. He calls to the Lord in the morning, making his requests known with the assurance that God hears and will respond. It is this assurance that empowers his declaration to "wait expectantly," for God's response. The New Century Version translates the last part of this third verse, "Every morning, I tell you what I need, and I wait for your answer." To begin the day in prayer and anticipation is a good model for the person of faith.

One of my favorite Negro spirituals is "Give Me Jesus." The text simply says, "In the morning, when I rise, In the morning, when I rise, In the morning, when I rise, give me Jesus. Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus, You can have all this world, But give me Jesus."

Whether you are a morning person or not, to begin the day knowing that the Creator of the universe hears your voice and speaks as you wait, empowers the bold assurance..."You can have all this world, but give me Jesus."

Prayer: Gracious God, in the morning when I rise, give me Jesus, Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 10

"I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD."

(Psalm 27:13-14)

Confidence is an important characteristic of faith. Of course, biblical definitions of faith don't always exude confidence, at least not in the way the world around us defines confidence. Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hope is not always a verifiable commodity, and your bank would probably not grant a loan based on what they could not see of your credit history. And yet, the confidence of faith is based not on the seen, but the unseen...so much so that when Jesus confronted the doubting Thomas after resurrection, he said,“Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The Psalmist did not speak in the afterglow of resurrection, but he had known the hand of God at work in his life and believed he could trust in God. The twenty-seventh Psalm culminates, again, with an approach not usually employed to breed confidence. "Wait," the Psalmist says. "...be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." Twenty-first century confidence says, "Don't just stand there...do something!" The confidence of faith says, "Don't just do something...stand there....wait...wait on the Lord" This confidence calls one not to inertia, but to a dependence beyond self...a dependence on God that, in God's time, empowers action and direction.

Luke gives illustration of Jesus' confidence in the context of faith as he moves toward crucifixion and beyond, saying that he "resolutely set out for Jerusalem." The confidence of faith empowered Jesus' walk to the cross. The confidence of faith can also empower our Lenten journey to the cross.

Prayer: May our confidence grow as we walk with you, O Lord. Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 9

"With praises from children and from tiny infants, you have built a fortress. It makes your enemies silent, and all who turn against you are left speechless."

(Psalm 8:2)

Can the sights and sound of an infant truly silence enemies? Perhaps if you had seen young Fritz Larson, as I did this afternoon, you might answer, "yes!" Fritz was born this past Tuesday morning, just before 11 a.m., to Becca and Eric Larson. He is a precious reminder of the power and wisdom of the Creator who makes such wonderful gifts in his very image. I love babies and must admit that I stood spellbound by the tiny fingers wrapped around his mother's finger, the gentle motion of his breathing, the softness of his newborn skin, and the absolute peace of the moment as he slept. Of course, had I stuck around long enough, I'm sure that peace would have been challenged a bit by his cries of hunger...but my moments with him were moments of awe and wonder.

I have always believed that children are treasured gifts from God. Their arrival in this world is a testimony to the Creator's handiwork. From their first cries to their first steps, they are offerings of praise that tell the story of God's continuing hand at work in our lives. Jesus recognized and affirmed the value of these treasures when he called a child to himself as he sat among his disciples, and told them that to welcome a child in his name was to welcome him. The innocence and humility of a child softens an angry heart and eases a cynical mind. Jesus said that unless we become like these little ones, we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.

Perhaps we would do well, on this Lenten walk, to remember the wonder of God's creative hands that fashion such blessings as little Fritz. Ours is the humble place of a child...a child of God, made new in the image of Christ.

Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for creating us in your image. May we, your children, humbly offer praise to you in everything we do.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 8

"For you have been my hope, Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come."

(Psalm 71:5,18)

We often speak of faith as a journey, comparing it to a course traveled where pathways are navigated by the power of the Holy Spirit. This journey encompasses various stages and experiences of life. In our text today, the Psalmist speaks of the confidence he has had in the Lord since his youth, and of his hope to continue faithful to the Lord even when he is "old and gray." He is confident in God's faithfulness to him, and hopeful that he will remain faithful to God.

There is great discussion today about the future of the church. Current studies speak of declining trends in attendance and involvement across denominational lines. There are many theories about this decline. Some believe the answer is better programming that will attract younger believers. Others speak of the style and emphasis of worship as key, while still others point to the need for more relational leadership. These and other strategies have some merit indeed, and yet, though we may package the gospel message in various ways, it is still the story of the Creator God whose love for his creation, motivated by love, compels him to continue reaching out to sinners like you and me. For the Psalmists it was the story of a God who had honored covenantal commitments to their fathers, and their fathers before them, and their fathers before them. This faithfulness was not just a history lesson, but the continuing fulfillment of God's promise. The writer of our text today bridges the gaps created by the differing stages of his life by recalling the faithfulness of God, committing himself to share that story with coming generations.

The future of the church will not be secured by changing worship styles, more progressive and relevant strategies, or more highly trained leaders alone. Discovering, as the Psalmist believed, that our confidence is in the God of creation, recognizing past blessing and anticipating future opportunity, we can and must pass along the good news that God is our hope...yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Prayer: Almighty God, from generation to generation you continue faithful. In our youth and in our old age, may we be faithful to share the glorious good news of "your mighty acts to all who are to come." Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 7

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for one another."

(I John 3:16)

How does one define love? Song writers, novelists, and artists have sought to define the term in many different ways. John defines it as an act of sacrifice...a selfless gift for the benefit of others. He gives this defining gift of love a name...Jesus. Then once he defines love, he declares its mission...love dies that others might live. John defines that further as he writes, "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (I John 4:9-10) The author of this definition of love is God, and the gift of love, His Son.

What is love's impact on those who receive this gift? They, in turn, are to give of themselves for others. Sacrifice breeds sacrifice...the recipient becomes the giver. Perhaps that is the lesson of Lent...contemplating the sacrifice of Christ, then embracing the cross as our own. This is a call to service, to give of ourselves as Christ gave himself for us.

John completes his definition of love with these words: "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us...in this world we are like Jesus." (I John 4:16-17) In this world, we are like Jesus.

Prayer: Thank you God for defining love through Jesus Christ. Continue your work of love through us. Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 6

"Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge." (Psalm 62:8)

In our lectio divina day/night Bible study, we have talked at some length recently about the intimate nature of our relationship with God. This relationship is not meant to be a casual matter of convenience, but rather, a close personal connection between Creator and creation. The Psalmist's admonition to "...pour out your hearts to him," is a call to intimacy. How tragic that we allow so many things, including our sin, to build barriers between ourselves and God. Our text reminds us that it begins with trust...trust in God at all times.

Gordon Lester, in the publication "Homemade" describes the difference between familiarity and intimacy. He writes, "Familiarity brings a degree of ease and comfort. Intimacy anxiously searches for deep understanding and personal appreciation." This is the kind of relationship one can pour their heart into. This is the kind of relationship we can share with the One who has given everything for us, Jesus, the Christ.

Prayer: Welcoming God, we pour our hearts out before you and find refuge in your loving arms.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 5

"When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?"

(Psalm 56:3-4)

From things that go bump in the night, to planes that are flown into buildings, to tornados that devastate property, life, and limb, there are a host of things that frighten us in the daylight hours and keep us awake thinking about them in the darkness of night. The Psalmists often speak of their fears, from avowed enemies, to the threats of nature, even to the God they call upon in times of great need. There is little about their emotional and spiritual struggle that we do not share. The fears of the unknown and known translate through the centuries and drive our concerns still today.

The writer of our text for today does not deny fear, but rather matter-of-factly acknowledges its presence in his life. Just as certain as fear threatens, however, is his commitment to put his trust in the God he praises. He declares, "...in God I trust and am not afraid." On more than one occasion Jesus comforted his disciples by telling them not to be afraid. In the fourteenth chapter of John's gospel, he seeks to calm his disciples fear in the midst of uncertain times as he says, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." Very soon the threats of the Pharisees and others who despised Jesus would become reality. Even after his resurrection and ascension, he would no longer be physically present with them. The peace he was offering them did not preclude trials and challenges, but was a gift to enable them to face those fears knowing that God would be with them no matter what they faced. The Psalmist's closing question became a powerful statement to these who would struggle for the cause of Christ..."What can mere mortals do to me?"

In a world of continuing threats, the Psalmist's question is ours as well...what can mere mortals do to me? The God we praise is indeed capable of being our strength in times of trouble. Fear is a part of life...faith in the living God is the key to victory.

Prayer: God of comfort, hear my prayer in the midst of my fears and help me trust in you, regardless of the threat. Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 4

"I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness."

(John 12:46)

Even the smallest light transforms a dark space. Most of us never think twice about walking into a dark room and flipping on a switch that fills the room with electric light. Even a match, when struck in the darkness, flashes enough light to reveal a room. Jesus told his followers that he had come into the world to bring light...this was the intentional act of God to bring salvation to a people condemned by their sin. This is illumination that requires decision...does one remain in the shadows and walk in the darkness of sin, or does one place his or her faith in Jesus Christ and choose to then live in the glorious light of Christ? "...no one who believes in me should stay in darkness," Jesus said. Why would one choose to stumble in the darkness when the source of light is ever available?

To believe in Jesus is to emerge from the darkness to walk freely and humbly in his light. It is an intentional choice not to remain in darkness, but to purposefully choose light. Country legend Hank Williams had a hit song many years ago called, "I Saw the Light." One verse says, "Just like a blind man I wandered alone, Worries and fear I claimed for my own. Then like a blind man who God gave back his sight, Praise the Lord, I saw the light" To follow Christ is to have sight restored...why would anyone want to stay in darkness?

Prayer: Light of the world, shine on me and through me that others may see you and step away from the darkness. Amen.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 3

"Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful."

(I Corinthians 4:2)

Booker T. Washington, late nineteenth and early twentieth century African-American educator, author, and political leader, once said,"Few things can help an individual more than to place responsibility on him, and to let him know that you trust him." Mr. Washington believed that in order for blacks in the south to rise above the oppression that so dominated their culture, opportunity would have to be offered that could empower them with confidence to become the person God created them to be. His role as the first leader of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama helped open doors for students to develop skills that would allow them to claim greater responsibility for their futures and to have a significant impact on the world around them.

The apostle Paul knew the importance of embracing opportunities of service through responsible action. To prove faithful in a task given or calling extended was to honor God and make a difference for the Kingdom. The early church was dependent on the responsible actions of its members who were to share their resources, bear each other's burdens, and place the needs of the community before their own. All of this served to remind them that their faith in Jesus Christ compelled them to recognize that God had given them a great gift that was to be shared freely and offered compassionately to the world around them.

Jesus said, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded. And from the one trusted with much, much more will be expected." You and I have been given a great trust through faith in Jesus Christ. This trust is not to be clutched in our fists selfishly, or held closely as a guarded secret of our hearts. The good news of Jesus Christ is to shine through us, for "those who have been given a trust must prove faithful."

Christ calls us to take up our cross on this Lenten journey...a trust that must be proven faithful.

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...March 2

"Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The LORD rescues them when they are in trouble."

(Psalm 41:1)

Paul wrote to Christians in Rome, " Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought.." The feeling of superiority breeds contempt for those deemed to be less fortunate, who have less influence, or who are viewed as less significant in a society that often devalues the ones Jesus spoke of as "the least of these." Paul's call to humility echoes the Psalmist's joy known by those who intentionally express kindness toward the poor. To look at others in love is to look beyond any outward criteria that might influence the way one treats another person.

The last verse of Brian Jeffrey Leach's powerful hymn text, "Let Your Heart Be Broken," speaks of the joy of kindness to the poor as he writes, "Let your heart be tender and your vision clear;
See mankind as God sees, serve Him far and near. Let your heart be broken by a brother's pain; Share your rich resources, give and give again." Perhaps that is the key for those who are kind to the poor...joy is found as they give and give again."

Jim Abernathy