February 28, 2023

Sometimes the Simplest Are the Best

Read: Luke 2:1-20

Our family has had some pretty amazing Christmases: great food, too many gifts and parties, domestic and foreign travel. This last Christmas we walked the Freedom Walk in Boston and visited the Mt Washington Hotel, New Hampshire’s version of our Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.

One Christmas we went to the Aspen United Methodist Church for Christmas Eve.

Last year we had to cancel all our reservations for Christmas week in Vermont when my son-in-law got COVID on Christmas Eve while we were watching the Pope say mass from Rome. There was no church that evening since the religious leaders in Cleveland said Christmas Eve services were unsafe.

That said, probably one of my most memorable Christmas Eves was December 24, 2020. Fifteen of us, bundled in our warmest, stood in the Memorial Garden while Charlie van Becelaere read the Christmas story from Luke.

Fifteen minutes and a little frostbite later, we were on our way home. I had made brisket and had my Jewish friend and her husband came for dinner. Even without the brisket, it was a Christmas to remember.

Sometimes the simplest events are the best. ‘Tis a gift to be simple.

Vivian Anderson

February 27, 2023

Gold Confetti

Read: Philippians 1:9-11

It’s everywhere!! Just like God’s love

At my second hotel in Dallas, I happened to notice a little gold shimmer on the floor in my room. After investigating, I discovered it was a piece of gold confetti. The same stuff we shot off in the choir loft when the children brought the Christmas message. I had the same shoes with me that I had worn that day in church. BUT- I had worn those shoes half a dozen times (at least) since that day. There was no confetti on the outside of them anywhere, but I did discover a couple more pieces inside one shoe. So – I sent a picture and text to Pam and said, “Look what I found in my hotel room” To which she replied, “It’s everywhere!! just like God’s love”

Well, it turns out confetti multiplies – just like God’s love!

I found 3 more pieces in the hallway. I do not walk around in my stocking feet in hotel hallways… so how did it find its way out of my room? (Remember I had examined my shoes and found it only on the inside.) I left the pieces in the hallway for a few days – probably because it made me smile every time I walked to my room. (In defense of the housekeeping staff, I had to use three different vacuums at church to clean it up.) The day before I checked out, I picked up the pieces and put them in the outer pocket of my suitcase, and zipped it up. My confetti pieces and I flew off to Puerto Rico.

The day before I was supposed to leave Puerto Rico, as I was starting to pack back up, something shiny caught my attention. About 20 feet from where my suitcase was parked, there on the floor was a shiny round piece of gold confetti. Trust me, I checked those shoes again. There were still pieces of confetti stuck inside them. How all those pieces got where they did may not be unexplainable, but it is a little mysterious…How God’s love follows us around no matter where we go, what we do, or how we act – that is a lot mysterious! But I’m glad it does!

Dear God, thank you for the little mysteries that remind us that we can’t get away from your love. Help us to always be aware of that, and grateful for it! Amen.

Jacki Rumpp – CGUMC

February 26, 2023

Hang in There

Read: Psalm 40

When you're "bearly" getting by.
and you have a beastly day.
when life is hard to bear
and it rubs you the wrong way …

Just turn your eyes to Heaven
and pause to say a prayer
that God will lift you up
and help you HANG IN THERE!!

Glenn DeLodder

February 25, 2023

Fasting for Lent

“Blow the horn in Zion; demand a fast; request a special assembly. Gather the people; prepare a holy meeting; assemble the elders; gather the children, even the nursing infants.” - Joel 2:15-16a

Do you fast for Lent? Is there something you’ve given up for the Lent season (the whole season, including Sundays)? Over the years I’ve given up different things, such as soda pop, fried fast food (which kept Subway on the list as an option), and fasting for one day a week during Lent. Each were a challenge, especially at the beginning. Giving up something that you like takes a bit of focus, right? There were moments when I think I was thinking about what I had given up, more than thinking about the space it was creating in my life. When you fast for a day, that means your meal time is open to doing other things, such as not thinking about what other people may be eating for their meals. This particular Lent fast opened me to thinking about adding something during Lent, such as prayer time, scripture reading, or serving. It opened the door of using the Book of Common Prayer’s daily office for personal devotions. It also opened the door to reading the Psalms every day. When COVID came, I committed to reading the Psalms every month (5 chapters a day). That particular Lent discipline continued for the next twelve months as I read the book of Psalms monthly from a different translation. Doing so gave me a deeper appreciation for the Psalms and how they speak to our daily lives. It was also a place where God met me time and time again. His words breathed life and hope into me on more than one occasion. It was a journey that I treasured and one that has led me back to the Psalms for more reflection and prayer.

What have you given up for Lent to give God some space to fill? What have you added to make your Lent journey one where you open your mind, heart, and life to God and God’s way?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us make space in our lives for you. As we do so, please fill those gaps with your presence, so that we may hear your voice and feel you near. Amen.

Rev. David Eardley

February 24, 2023

Living Life Without Regrets

2 Corinthians 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret but worldly sorrow brings death. (NIV)
Colossians 1: 9-10 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. (NIV)

Have you said or done something you wish you could take back? Sometimes it is not something we’ve said or done that we regret, but something we have not done or wished we had done. We regret missed opportunities or failings. Regrets come in many shapes and sizes. In the above scripture reference, Paul talks about Godly sorrow and worldly sorrow. With Godly sorrow we have sadness at offending God. We repent and try to become a morally better person. Worldly sorrow on the other hand revolves around the pain that sin causes oneself, rather than God. It fears the consequences of punishment, but does not aim to improve moral well-being.

Even our Biblical heroes had regrets. Paul, a great persecutor of the early Christians, approved of the stoning of Stephen to death. David, a man after God’s heart, was a murderer and adulterer. Peter denied Christ three times and yet Jesus asked him three times to ‘feed my sheep.’ Each of these Biblical heroes turned their regrets into repentance and lived a life of purpose that brought honor and glory to God.

To get beyond regret we need to seek a ‘God intervention’ to lead us to change. God desires to restore us. He has given us the Holy Spirit to intercede for us.
Some keys that help me deal with regrets include the following:
•    knowing what God wants from me by studying his holy word.
•    following God’s laws which teach us how to live happily, peacefully, and abundantly.
•    following the example of Christ.
•    seeking the positive and being the positive.
•    living a life of purpose.
•    asking if what I do will please God and bring him honor and glory.

We cannot undo the past, but, with God’s help, we can live well despite regrets, because God in his grace and mercy forgives us and leads us to be a better person.

Prayer: Guide me to live a life without regrets. Thank you for your mercy and grace when I fail.

Prayer Focus: For those struggling with regret.

Pat Deck

February 23, 2023

Fruit Happens

Read: John 15:1-11

Sometimes I catch myself working really hard to do what I “know” God wants me to do. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s not the way it really works – fruit comes from the vine, not just from the branch.

The fruit comes when we let Him produce it in our lives – through our living – not when we try to make it happen ourselves.

As the song goes:
I know that my ability
Is not Your main concern
It's my availability
And willingness to learn
    - Bob Hartman

Right – it’s not my ability, it’s my availability. I have to let Christ live and work in me and through me; then I’ll find that Fruit Happens:
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control (as another song goes!).

Lord, may we all bear much fruit in our lives to Your glory and the healing of the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Charlie van Becelaere

February 22, 2023 - Ash Wednesday

Marked by Love

“So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” –2 Corinthians 5:20 NRSV Bible

Welcome to the pilgrimage of the Lenten season. This may be your first time to take this journey, or this may be a cherished tradition within your faith story. Either way, we each find ourselves on a new path, even if the story is familiar. Why a new path?... because a year has passed since we last followed Jesus to Jerusalem and his betrayal, crucifixion, death, and resurrection. In that year we have changed, our lives have changed, the world has changed. Thus, the newness may not have been our choice, but here we are… at the beginning of Lent. Take heart, pilgrims, because we are never left alone. During this season, along the Lenten journey, we will walk with each other through worship and through this devotional. The stories of our friends will inspire us, drive us deeper into faithful reflection, draw us closer to one another and to our ever faithful God, who guides us in this holy season. Ah yes, pilgrims, it is Jesus whom we follow throughout Lent. His story, his love, his way, all experienced through the part of his body known as GPUMC. I am grateful to everyone who is giving me this opportunity to share Lent with them and their faith. You will encourage my and everyone’s faith and devotion to Jesus. Thank you for this gift. It is profound, and it is sacred.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, on this first day of Lent, and every day that follows, be our guide. Challenge us and comfort us, as we follow Jesus to Jerusalem. Use these devotionals to open your way to us in new ways. Bless these stories as we read them, reflect upon them, and remember them. Help us to meet Jesus each day, and help us to be signs of Jesus for the world around us. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Amen.

Rev. David Eardley

Lent 2023 - Introduction

Welcome back to Lent! As always, it has been my honor and joy to edit this book (my 25th as editor!); and once again, you came through for me – and for each other! Not only did I have enough devotions to cover the forty days, I could even cover all of the Sundays but two with original devotions! On a possibly interesting side note, this marks the return of Charles Wesley, as well as the continued collaboration with our brothers and sisters from College Grove UMC in Tennessee.

Once again, we got submissions from several new writers and new members to go along with many of our long-time stalwarts, and even a thrilling three-parter from a long-time contributor who attends worship online from Florida. It really was great to have so many new voices share their thoughts, time, insights, and witness with our church family as we make our slow but sure journey toward the glory of Easter Sunday.

Next, as so often happens, an overall theme seemed to emerge as I collected and arranged the contributions. This year there was a lot of meditation on and celebration of Light, the Light of the World, the One whose light we reflect, who illuminates our way. That thread of Light, Leading, and Providence weaves through our book and reminds us to pay attention to what God is doing in our lives and in our world, and to look for ways we can be that Light for others.

It’s pretty amazing. I don’t know how these “themes” appear each year (OK, I do: it’s the Holy Spirit prompting us to write on what we and our readers will need!), but still, I am always comforted and excited when they do appear.

Now, as we have each year since reviving this Lenten tradition, we repeat the introduction from our congregation's first book of devotions, published in 1974:

Keeping a true Lent requires us to be vigilant in many ways: in prayer, study, worship, sacrifice, giving, meditation, and fellowship.
One or all may take precedence, depending upon our daily commitments.
From these devotions, lovingly prepared, may you find a well spring of faith to renew and sustain you, so that the Glorious Triumph that is Easter will remain with you always. 

The Lenten Committee

Again, we can but say, “Amen.”

Charlie van Becelaere, Editor