Devotional Good Friday 2014

Good Friday

Lectionary Readings:  Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Psalm 22; Hebrews 10:16-25; John 18:1-19:42

“He took the punishment and that made us whole.  Through his bruises we get healed.  We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost.  We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way.  And God has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong on him, on him. He was beaten, he was tortured, but he didn’t say a word.  Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered and like a sheep being sheared, he took it all in silence.” Isaiah 53: 4-7 The Message translation

I attended the Huntington performance of “Jesus Christ Superstar” a week ago.  The musical was first presented in 1971 and the language and music are very modern.  And although the musical setting is quite different, the message of the lyrics is very similar to the words of Isaiah found in “The Messiah”.  You can feel the heartaches, miseries and sorrow of Jesus’ death on the cross captured in the music of both.  I cannot begin to fathom the courage it would take to willingly die for another, let alone for all of humankind. And on top of willingly submitting to the humiliation without presenting a defense, the crucifixion is cruel and unusual punishment. What was God thinking???  This method would not be a “human” way to solve the sin-issue.

And yet, that is exactly the purpose of the death of Jesus.  Jesus willingly took on ALL our sins, so that we would be cleansed of them.  He made a way THROUGH the valley, so that we could join him in paradise. What an amazing sacrifice. When I ponder the choice that Jesus made to die for MY sins, I am humbled and overwhelmed.  I cannot even get my mind wrapped around the sins of us ALL.  

But, God’s grace is so much greater than my imagination and thinking abilities.  I know God goes before us to lead us to grace. He goes along with us through all the ups and downs of life—we are never alone. He embraces us with so much love that we don’t always believe it is for us. And then God whispers and calls us BY NAME!   YOU ARE MINE! 

And all of this love was poured out on us from the cross—a cruel way to die by anyone’s standards.  He willingly gave his life so that I could be cleansed of my sins. The sins I keep committing in spite of my best and worst efforts. AND he never gives up.  God is relentless in his pursuit of us—his love is that powerful.

“For God so loved the world that he gave us his one and only son,

that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Prayer:  What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul;  What wondrous love is this, O my soul!  What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul, to bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

Chyrl Budd

Devotional 2-26-13

Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 55:1-9; Psalms 63: 1-8; 1 Corinthians 10: 1-13; Luke 13: 1-9 -- “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Psalm 63: 1.

I like our West Virginia climate with changing seasons and a variety of blooming plants with the resulting seasonal changes in landscape vistas. However, winter is just not my favorite season. I despair of the lack of green plants and the constant chill in the air. I have had even more problems with winter during the last couple of years where we have been lulled by some periods of warmer temperatures into thinking “it’s not that bad, so I can take this”. And then we get slammed with a snow storm or freezing temperatures. Maybe if it would stay colder, I would get more acclimated and become less of a whiner. (Not much chance of giving up the whining part, though.)

But as we navigate through winter in this season of Lent, it is with delight that I notice the daffodils in my front yard. They are steadily growing taller and seem to be oblivious to the snow, wind, chill or frost. Daffodil bulbs are planted at a depth of about 6-8 inches and they grow best if planted in the fall so that they are cooled by a season of winter weather. Only after the period of seeming dormancy and cold, can the green shoots spring forth to produce the yellow and white flowers. What may appear to be a dormant time in the life of the bulb is a necessary requirement for the growth of a flowering daffodil.

God is calling me during my daily walk through these days of Lent to take a lesson from the daffodil bulb. Lent is a time to seek nourishment from the scriptures and communicate with God during times of meditation and fasting. It is an inward time that may appear to others as dormancy. Lent is a time for developing habits that will last through the springtime of Easter and in to all our seasons. God is calling us to not only endure the winter but to thrive there—to send out new roots that will nourish our souls and bring us closer to God. Our Lenten task is to allow God to be at work in our lives so that we are transformed by God’s love to be a living gift of love to others. We persevere through the winter/Lent struggle of self-denial and sacrifice in order to become ready for the Easter resurrection. It is only through the process of this “winterizing” that our souls are prepared for flowering. I think Natalie Sleeth’s words best describe this transforming power and show us that our hope is found in trusting in God’s plan.

HYMN OF PROMISE by Natalie Sleeth
In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, an apple tree;
In cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free!
In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.
There’s a song in every silence, seeking word and melody;
There’s a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me.
From the past will come the future; what it holds, a mystery,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.
In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity;
In our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity,
In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see. Dear God of all living things; We thirst for nutrition from you that will transform us even when we feel empty, cold and as bleak as the landscape appears during winter. Give us patience as we navigate through this winter time of preparation. Forgive us when we whine and complain because this growth is painful or slow. Help us to know that our hope is in trusting your plan and obeying your spiritual direction. Thank you for blessing us with a bounty of beauty in the world around us. Help to be alert for the beauty in each soul we meet. AMEN.

Chyrl Budd

Devotional 4-3-12

"Change of Plans"

 Lectionary Readings:  Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 71:1-14; 1Corinthians 1: 18-31; John 12: 20-36.

God put me to work from the day I was born.  The moment I entered the world he named me.  He gave me speech that would cut and penetrate.  He kept his hand on me to protect me.  He made me his straight arrow and hid me in his quiver.  He said to me, "You're my dear servant, Israel, through whom I'll shine." Isaiah 49:2-3.

I really thought I would be famous by now.  I knew before I finished school that I was not gifted as a pianist, flautist or vocalist.  So, in my twenties and thirties I had expectations of becoming president of the American Nurses Association or at least the WV Nurses Association.  And since that didn’t work out, I thought I would be acclaimed as an award-winning author.  I didn’t invest the time to actually write anything substantial, but I craved fame and recognition.   I had the illogical thought that I needed to become famous and then I would experience fulfillment of God’s plan for my life.  These were foolish worldly dreams and definitely not God’s plan for my life.

I wonder if the disciples expected that the triumphal Palm Sunday parade was the beginning of a new era in Israel? Did they expect that Rome would be destroyed and Jesus would become the new ruler?  They would get to be the new “cabinet” members with big important jobs in the new government.  They were part of the inner circle and would definitely be given top ranking in a new government.

But God’s plan intervened:  what a radically different world it turned into by Friday afternoon.  Life changes within seconds.  We plan for our future, but circumstances change.  Events cause detours and alterations. Lives turn upside down. We think our life goal is to be famous and then we realize that fame as a life goal is empty and meaningless.  In actuality, God is calling us to a much higher mission than mere earthly fame.

I would really like to know God's whole plan for my life, but so far my vision is unclear.  Some glimpses of the pathway have been revealed at strategic times, and I know that I travel this journey with God. According to Isaiah, He has known my name since the day I was born and has kept his hand on me to protect and guide me. What a miraculous comfort that is to me.  God has led me in several paths I would never have chosen for myself.  He has helped me to work through some overwhelming personal tragedies and life changing events.  He has blessed me with a multitude of fellow travelers who continually light my path and build me up when I cannot see which way to go next. 

Jesus tried to explain the servant-mission plan to the disciples, but they were caught up in their own plans and goals and failed to realize the significance of his message.  We are not very different from those disciples even though we have the benefit of knowing the whole story.  We are given the same promises that they were.  Everything that we have, each fresh start, each new direction or task comes from God. We must be willing to forgo fame and recognition as a goal and become the servant we are called to be.  This servant-mission is infinitely more rewarding and fulfilling because it is what God meant for us to do--be a servant who cares for and about others.    

Dear Loving God, we ask for forgiveness for our failings, sins and shortcomings. We have chosen paths and directions that have been selfish and detrimental to our relationship with you.  We crave your direction for our choices.  Guide us to become a servant to others so that we might fulfill your mission for us. Continue to be our strength and refuge in times when our path is obscured. Help us to learn the lessons of Lent so that we may truly become your resurrected people. AMEN

Chyrl Budd

Devotional 3-13-12

"Sticky" Love Story

Lectionary Readings: Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21
…immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ...Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4, 7from The Message)

As those of you who know me can attest, I really hate to be wrong about something. I like to be right and I unfortunately share my knowledge of the facts with others without hesitation. Much to my dismay, I recently made a major error at work. I had to inform others of the mistake and "face the consequences". I wrestled greatly with feelings that I should be soundly punished and gratefulness for everyone's understanding and support. It is true--anyone can make a mistake, but I still don't like to be the culprit. Lent has been a time for me to do some soul searching and wrestling about the nature of my relationship with God. I really and truly deserve some effective punishment for my failures and deficiencies, but something else has been going on.

The lectionary readings for this 4^thweek reveal words of wisdom and encouragement about the vastness of God’s love for us. The love that is described in the scriptures is not a rosy, “hearts and flowers”, superficial love, but a wondrous and overwhelming sacrificial love. It reminds me of the “tough-love” associated with parenting strategies. We accept God’s gifts of love, but we are asked to turn away from the world. We are forgiven and granted eternal life with the expectation that we will follow God’s path for us, not our own. God's love is so tenacious that we are pursued by it.

God loves us in such a unique way that He sent His baby son to live as we do. We love babies and we love gifts, but we do not understand how God could “give Jesus up” to be a part of this world. This son grew into a man with an occupation, family commitments and then a mid-life job change to become a preacher and teacher. This son also loved us so much that he gave his life for us—willingly and without an escape plan—so that we could be eternally free from our sins.

We try, but this kind of love is hard for us mortals to understand. It is so deep and encompassing that we don’t always believe it is possible. God lovingly "sticks" with us in spite of our behaviors. We strive to improve our relationship with God; we vow to give up bad habits; we promise to increase our prayer time, our giving, and our service to others. But in my case (and I suspect in yours) I fall so short of my goals that I am embarrassed and ashamed.

Yet, God pursues us for a relationship. He does not give up on us. He has given us the scriptures as a guide and instruction. He sends a multitude of angels to minister to us, to guide us and inspire us to improve. He sends us His thoughts expressed through those who write devotions, hymns and anthems, sermons and lessons. He seeks us in every situation and circumstance in our lives. He speaks to us in every event and conversation. He forgives us over and over again. His love will not let us go….

O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow,
May richer, fuller be.

O light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.

By George Matheson
Dear Loving Forgiving God, we are so unworthy and hesitate to even admit our failings—to ask once more for that gift of understanding. You have promised us that, if we but ask, the gift of your love is available without question or restraint. We thank you for that blessing and pray that you will continue to hang on to us with your fierceness and tenacity. Although we can never earn or deserve it, please continue to love us and to help us find our way closer to you. AMEN

Chyrl Budd

Devotional 4-13-11

WISHING

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His love endures forever. Let Israel say: His love endures forever.” Psalm 118: 1-2.

A friend shared with me that he would soon be retiring. My immediate was response was to say, “I’m so jealous, I wish I could, also”. I started paying attention to the number of times I wished it was some other time, that I was in some other place or that I could bring back some ill-said words. It seemed I was doing a lot of “wishing”. I was wishing that the day’s duties were completed; that the semester was over; that the snows (and now the rain) would end; that I hadn’t embarrassed someone with my words; that I could go to the beach for spring break, etc. Lent is almost complete—have I also been wishing Easter would hurry up and arrive?

Was that what Judas had in mind when he went to the Jewish leaders? Was he wishing that the kingdom that Jesus spoke of would be revealed sooner rather than in some distant future? Wasn’t Judas just “helping Jesus out” by providing a little jump start push? Did Peter wish he hadn’t betrayed Jesus 3 times? Did the other disciples wish they had acted or said something differently? Surely there were more regrets than were written about in the scriptures.

We have the benefit of knowing the sequence of events of Holy Week from a wider perspective and even we can’t seem to act without regret. We wish we were more faithful, or more generous, or more loving. We have betrayed Jesus in any number of ways with our neglectful behavior and sinful actions. I wish I were a better person but even as willful and stubborn as I am, I cannot change on my own. My regrets are many.

How totally uplifting, in light of these regrets, to read in the psalms that God is good and his love endures forever. My regrets can become a plea that God will grant my request for mercy. God uses our choices and failings in ways that we cannot fathom or discern. God’s plan is revealed only as we live in the “today” of our lives. Wishing ourselves into the future or wishing we had acted differently in the past, does not bring us joy. Only when we surrender to God’s plan and time frame do we find forgiveness and peace. In these last days of Lent may we celebrate the infinite grace and enduring love of God that grants us all that we need for each moment of our lives.

“Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed thy hand hath provided;
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!”
Thomas Chisholm~~~

Dear Loving and Gracious God,
We are ever grateful for all that you have done for us and for supplying all that we need even before we became aware of our need. We are sorry for our many shortcomings. We regret that we have wished for other times and places when you have placed us where we need to be. We regret uncaring words and actions when you have shown us in the life of Jesus the actions that we should be modeling. Please grant us your forgiveness once again. Grant us mercy in spite of our lack of worthiness. Fill us with your love so that we might live as Easter People—redeemed and reborn. Amen.

Chyrl Budd

Devotional 3-9-11

Lectionary Readings: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17; Isaiah 58:1-12; Psalm 51: 1-17; 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10; Matthew 6:1-6 and 16-21.

I think I was in “junior high” when I first became fully aware of Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent. We lived in Gary, WV (McDowell County), and I had many friends who attended the local Catholic Church. (I wasn’t aware of it at the time, but religious diversity in Gary was limited to the Catholic or the Methodist churches.) My Catholic friends would attend school on Ash Wed. with many constantly pointing out to them that there was some dirt on their foreheads. Some got frustrated with the teasing, but most of them just ignored us. Then on Friday, the cafeteria served macaroni and cheese as the entrée. In our family macaroni and cheese had been a side dish, not the “main event”. I finally got one of my good friends to explain what was going on, and she gave me the “No Meat on Fridays” spiel. She also explained that they had to “give something up” for Lent like coke, chocolate or cookies for the purpose of daily remembering the suffering of Christ. It was more than I could comprehend at the time. I was kind of glad I wasn’t Catholic and wasn’t required to participate in their traditions.

But now, as I read the familiar texts in the lectionary readings, I realize that God is asking me to return to the time honored traditions of Lent in order to reflect on the true meaning of the season. Prayer and self denial are practices meant to prepare me for a greater understanding of the passion and last days of Christ. God is also asking me to “clean house” so that I might be truly ready to worship the resurrected Lord—the morning star. I ask you to join me in attempting to fast, pray and study in an effort to renew a “right” relationship with God. The self-denial cannot be just an exercise to prove that we have will-power. Somehow what we choose to do during Lent should bring us closer to God. Reflection and prayer can be powerful if the outcome is a change in our perspective or a greater focus on what God wants us to do with our lives. Fasting should also provide us with new insights of God’s directions for our future. We cannot control our lives with the force of our will. Only the surrender of our lives to God’s path will bring us to the life He intends for us.

The prophet Joel asks us to change our lives: “Come back to me and really mean it! Come fasting and weeping; sorry for your sins! Change your life, not just your clothes, Come back to God, your God.” (Joel 2:12-13.)

Isaiah is even more emphatic: “Shout! A full-throated shout! Hold nothing back—a trumpet-blast shout! Tell my people what’s wrong with their lives; face my family Jacob with their sins! They’re busy, busy, busy at worship, and love studying all about me. To all appearances they’re a nation of right-living people—law abiding, God-honoring (even though they have forsaken God’s commandments)……This is the kind of fast day I’m after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I’m interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families. (Isaiah 58:1-2, 6-8)

Dear Loving and Forgiving God: Help us to pray and submit to you as David in his entreaty in Psalm 51: Generous in love—God, give grace! Huge in mercy—wipe out my bad record. Scrub away my guilt, soak out my sins in your laundry, I know how bad I’ve been; my sins are staring me down. You’re the One I’ve violated, and you’ve seen it all, seen the full extent of my evil. You have all the facts before you; whatever you decide about me is fair. I’ve been out of step with you for a long time, in the wrong since before I was born. What you’re after is truth from the inside out. Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life. Soak me in your laundry and I’ll come out clean, scrub me and I’ll have a snow-white life. Tune me in to foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing. Don’t look too close for blemishes, give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don’t throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails! Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can find their way home. Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God, and I’ll sing anthems to your life-giving ways. Unbutton my lips, dear God; I’ll let loose with your praise. Going through the motions doesn’t please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you. I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered. Heart-shattered lives ready for love don’t for a moment escape God’s notice. Make Zion the place you delight in, repair Jerusalem’s broken-down walls. Then you’ll get real worship from us, acts of worship small and large, Including all the bulls they can heave onto your altar! Amen.

Scripture passages from the Message, The Bible in Contemporary Language by Eugene Peterson, 2002.

Chyrl Budd

Devotional 4-1-10

Maundy Thursday

Lectionary Readings: Exodus 12:1-14; Psalm 116: 1-2, 12-19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-17, 31-35.

“What you must solemnly realize is that every time you eat this bread and every time you drink this cup, you reenact in your words and actions, the death of the Master. You will be drawn back to this meal again and again until the Master returns. You must never let familiarity breed contempt.” 1 Corinthians 11:26 (The Message)

Today is Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday. Congregations everywhere will be gathering to share in a communion meal as a remembrance of the Last Supper Jesus shared with his disciples. The meal in Jesus’ day was a Passover meal which the Jewish community continue to share to commemorate the “passing over of the angel of death” and the escape of the Jewish community from the bondage of the Egyptian pharaoh. The Exodus lectionary reading for today relates part of that story. All who participate in the traditional Passover celebration use the same, centuries old, sequence of words and actions to commemorate an act of God’s grace.

Many of the words used in communion services today will also be the same ones we’ve heard over and over. Sometimes we say them without really considering their meaning. We can become so superficial with our worship that our senses are dulled and our minds wander. But Paul in his writing to the church at Corinth urges us to participate as if it was a first-time, special occasion. That will be a challenge for those of us who have “grown-up” in the church with communion a frequent event. Perhaps, looking at the communion service with a new emphasis on the meaning of the words that are spoken will allow us to focus on the depth of Christ’s love for us and the magnificent sacrifice that is commemorated.

During the Passover meal, Jesus told the disciples that the bread was his broken body and the wine—his blood shed for our sins. Jesus also asked the disciples to consider a radical behavior change: to love one another. The words are deceptively simple, but the actions required are definitely radical and life changing. We have the benefit of knowing the actual events that take place between this day and Easter morning. The disciples had no way of deciphering what Jesus meant at their Passover meal. They could understand the words of the commandment “Love one another”, but probably not the depth of effort that it takes to live by these words. The ultimate act of God’s grace in the sacrificial death of Jesus for our sins makes it possible for us to begin to understand that God is Love and the best way to be thankful for the love that God lavishes on us is to love one another.

“What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!”

Dear Lord, As we receive communion today, help us participate as if it were a new and very special occasion. Clear our minds so that we can pay close attention to the words and the messages that the words convey. As we pray, may we be empty vessels that await the sustenance of a life-giving meal. May we give our attention to the spiritual and everlasting rather than the earthly and fleeting. Help us to love as you first loved us. Amen.

Chyrl Budd

Devotional 3-8-10

A New Perspective

Lectionary Readings: Joshua 5: 9-12; Psalm 32; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Luke 15: 1-3, 11-32.

My nursing students participated in an exercise earlier this year, where the patient was an electronic mannequin who could be programmed to respond to their assessments and also change based on the sequence of treatments the students chose. We gave the mannequin the name “Bill” for this exercise and told the students that he was aged 44, African American and homeless. We simulated a foul odor on his clothes and made him look dirty and disheveled. As each student group approached “Bill” they all made some assumptions about how and why he was so smelly and why he acted and spoke in a disoriented manner. They jumped to the conclusion that “Bill” was inebriated and had been brought to the hospital because he was being a public nuisance.

After completing an initial assessment, they were to ask a person playing the role of a physician for treatment orders. The “physician” ordered some laboratory tests and came to the bedside to also perform an assessment. When the laboratory tests were completed, the results told the physician and the nursing students that “Bill” was suffering from an elevated blood glucose (sugar) level and that this was the cause of his disorientation and confusion. The nursing students changed their approach to “Bill” within seconds and began further assessments and treatments that would assist “Bill” to resolve his health problems.

As I re-read the story of the “Lost Son” (Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32) as part of this week’s lectionary readings, I was reminded of my assessment failures and my incorrect assumptions about people. Had I met the lost son at any point in the story, I would have made an incorrect assumption. I would have considered him a playboy with flashy extravagant ways had I met him when he had money. If I had met him while he was caring for the pigs, I would have just ignored him with indifference. If I had met him on his way back to his father, I would have avoided talking to him and assumed that he might be a hoodlum or a tramp. I would have been on the side of the other brother with his “righteous indignation” and anger. I would have gotten the situation “all wrong” just like my students did in the beginning of their assessment of “Bill”.

The parables Jesus told during his ministry help us to see our fellow humans in a different light: God’s light. The old is passed away and all things are new. Because of Jesus, we are given a clean slate, a new chance to improve, a fresh start. God forgives and then forgets our failures.

God can change us through our mistakes. First He shows us that our assumptions and wrong conclusions will be forgiven. Then He guides us with practice and through a mighty and transforming love to learn to change behaviors. Even though I continue to repeat my wrong conclusions about people by only looking at or smelling their outside, God continues to call me to seek the light He has placed within each of us. God never gives up His quest to guide us to that closer walk with Him. We are His, even when we are too stubborn to believe it. Thank you God!

Dear God, we are humbled by your continued pursuit of our souls. We are not worthy and yet you seek us and have sacrificed everything for us. Pour out your love on us once again this day as we ask for your forgiveness and mercy for our human frailties. Amen.

Chyrl Budd

Devotional 4-8-09

Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 50:4-9a, Psalm 70, Hebrews 12:1-3, John 13:21-32

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. John 3:16 from the Message.

Grief and loss. On this Wednesday of Holy Week I have been thinking on these dark subjects. I can’t seem to avoid thinking of them. No matter how you tell the Easter story, you have to describe the angst that Jesus felt in sharing the “last” supper with the disciples, the conflict during the prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane, the surprising betrayal, the unthinkable torture and humiliation of the flogging by the Romans, the long walk through the streets of Jerusalem and the horrible, excruciating execution of Christ on a cross. It would be a horribly tragic story if it ended with these events. But, praise God, I know the end of the story and I rejoice greatly in the resurrection. New life, new relationships, life eternal are possible because of the Joy in the Morning—the tomb is empty! Hallelujah!

But none of the joy would ever be possible without the grief and loss—the death of my savior as the basis for the joy. I am saved from my sins because of Jesus’ sacrifice. I am promised a place at the table with the One who knows my name because of all of the pain and suffering that Christ endured. The events of Holy Week may not have been what Jesus wanted or planned for himself, but they were what humanity needed. God knows our every need even before we realize what we should ask for. God truly understands our grief when someone we love is no longer walking this earth.

I worked with a patient this week who did not want to take his medications. He did not want to eat his meals. Every time my student and I tried to persuade him, he responded that he did not want what was offered because he was going to die. His daughter was very insistent that he was not going to die—today or anytime soon. I got the impression that she felt that her will for him to live was so strong that he would “obey” her. I know she desired the best for her father, but her desires and the feelings of her father were at odds. He seemed to be at peace with his own death, but perhaps his daughter was trying to put off the grief and loss she would experience if her father died.

We experience grief with each Holy Week because of the loss of Jesus’ earthly life, but we rejoice that the story does not end with only the grief. It is through Jesus’ sacrificial death that we can enjoy salvation. The gift of salvation comes at the expense of excruciating pain. We do not deserve the gift, but it was given freely and without regret and with such matchless, never-ending love. We are loved and embraced from the cross, as well as from an empty tomb. The poem that follows will be our choir’s anthem on Palm Sunday. I found the words very meaningful. Let them be your prayer today…

My God, I love Thee;
Not because I hope for heaven thereby, Nor yet because who love Thee not must die eternally.
Thou, O my Jesus, Thou didst me upon the cross embrace;
For me didst bear the nails, and spear, and manifold disgrace,
Why, then why, O blessed Jesus Christ Should I not love Thee well?
Not for the hope of winning heaven, Or of escaping hell;
Not with the hope of gaining aught, not seeking a reward;
But as Thyself hast loved me, O ever-loving Lord!
E’en so I love Thee, and will love, And in Thy praise will sing;
Solely because Thou art my God, And my Eternal King.
Anonymous 17th century Latin Poem
Translated by Rev. Edward Caswall

Chyrl Budd

Mission Prayer Focus and response:
April 8: Bluefield Parish-Mary's Cradle, Bluefield; Kathleen Masters, R.N. Church and Community Worker
This mission site concentrates on outreach ministries to children and families, especially those "at risk". Special assistance for teen-age moms is a priority.
Today we are praying for "Bluefield Parish/Mary's Cradle" They are in ministry with young moms. Give a dime for every baby bottle you have in your house.

Devotional 3-8-09

“WORDS”

Lectionary Readings for the week: Exodus 20:1-17, Psalm 19, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 and John 2:13-22
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

My father included this verse in many prayers and especially in the prayers that were a prelude to a sermon. I now know that many other ministers follow this same practice as a way to cleanse their thoughts so that what is spoken is “of God”. The words are a spoken reminder of a practice of centering on God, so that the Word spoken in a sermon will reach those who need to hear and understand the Word.

Words are powerful tools, but there are “rules of engagement”. God spoke the WORD and our world came into being. (In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1) God gave Moses words for all of us in the form of commandments to become the “first” and most basic rules for behavior. Words have flowed through all the prophets to teach us how to behave/relate. Jesus spoke his Words to small groups and large crowds—in parables, healings and about radical ways to relate to each other like: “love your enemies”, “turn the other cheek”, “feed the poor”, “help those who are in prison”, etc. Jesus gave us Words so powerful that we still do not understand them all.

Words are meant to build up, to make us think, to support and comfort—to name only a few of the positive words. Words are meant to facilitate our living in this community called the world; in our families, in our workplaces, in schools and neighborhoods. And yet, too often the words that we share with each other tear down, destroy and harm one another.

Too often, I have spoken in haste or anger without heeding the words of the psalmist and have lived to regret the words that exited my mouth. Once spoken, the words, like toothpaste out of the tube, cannot be pushed back in their container, no matter how great the regret of the speaker. I have spoken without “having my brain in gear” as they say—without centering my thoughts on God. I’m sorry for my words, but they have already caused the harm.

I’m trying to form new habits of “word use” this Lenten season—to be more aware of the situation BEFORE a word is spoken, especially any word that would not be pleasing to God (or to my fellow humans, for that matter). I have realized that I use some words repeatedly that are harmful to my relationships with others and with God—those pesky expletives that seem to slip out of my mouth with too much ease. What Word is God sending to your heart today? Are you centering your thoughts on God? What words do you need to add to the conversation so that you are a blessing to others? What words should you avoid saying? Do you need a “heart cleansing” like I do to help find the right path?

Dear merciful and blessed Lord: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.” (Psalm 51:10-12) May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. AMEN.

Chryl Budd

Mission Prayer and Response calendar

March 8: Pray for the ministry provided by Ebenezer Community Outreach Center

March 8-14: We celebrate Ebenezer Community Outreach Center in Huntington, Celes Sheffield, Executive Director
They minister through their pre-school program, Youth Energized for Success; Family enrichment Center, Baby Bassinette, clothing closet, School supply programs, Christmas Angel program the Idus Jones Scholarship Program (awarded to a high school senior) $-H and Girls Scouts

Devotional 3-19-08

Scripture Readings: Psalm 55; Psalm 74; Lamentations 2:1-9, 14-17; 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:11 and Mark 12: 1-11.

My heart is in anguish within me, the terrors of death have fallen upon me, Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me, And I say, “O that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; truly I would flee far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; I would hurry to find a shelter for myself from the raging wind and tempest.” Psalm 55: 4-8.

Most of us consider Wednesday to be mid-week and when we make it to this point in our weekly cycle, we are close enough to a weekend to begin to anticipate our weekend plans and activities. The anticipation we feel is generally positive as we anticipate a “change of scenery” from our weekday schedules. None of the gospels tell us what Jesus and the disciples did on the Wednesday of Holy Week. We rejoin the events of the week on Thursday when we learn of the last supper, the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus’ arrest, etc.

As I pondered this devotional I was overwhelmed by the human emotions that are associated with anticipation, particularly with the anxiety associated with a potentially negative or harmful event. When faced with a major problem or dilemma, there is a certain amount of dread and frustration. As humans, we handle these emotions in a variety of ways: we talk, we eat, we get “sick”, we get mad, we whine and complain, and on and on…

We can only imagine, then, what must have been churning through Jesus’ mind as he anticipated the next days. We have a glimpse of his emotions as he prayed in the Garden: “remove this cup from me; yet, not my will, but yours, Father.” The emotions expressed by Jesus are very real to us and very human. Jesus also expressed a deep sorrowful loneliness in the prayers of the Garden. The angst and loneliness of Jesus in the words of his prayers are almost palpable. Yet, He was resigned to follow through with the plan. I can’t really imagine what it would be like to know enough about the future to know that my death would be as painful and humiliatingly public as Jesus’ death was to be. I believe that there is only one source for the strength Jesus received to complete the responsibilities of “the Plan”.

Too often I try to skip over the hard things in life: To live on the surface and not feel things deeply, because the fear, loneliness and hurt seem unbearable—even the anticipation is sometimes overwhelming. Jesus walked toward the last hours of his life surrounded by multitudes, but seemingly alone. God was totally with him, but did not intervene in the horrific events and few felt the presence of God in the unfolding saga. Jesus showed us through this lonely walk, that we each face the future as individuals with the benefit of Jesus as our guide and protector. We have a new covenant and can experience an individual relationship with God because of Jesus’ sacrifice. We do have to walk the journey of our life, but: We are never alone—God is always with us!

Jesus walked this lonesome valley,
He had to walk it by Himself.
O, nobody else could walk it for Him.
He had to walk it by Himself.
We must walk the lonesome valley
We must walk it by ourselves
O, nobody else can walk it for us
We have to walk it by ourselves.
Anonymous-American Spiritual

Dear God, We come to you in gratitude for the ultimate sacrifice of your son. We know that the Jesus walked this path for each of us. There are really no words to express the magnitude of this gift of grace given for all of mankind. Help us to individually accept the gift by opening our hearts to your love, forgiveness and steadfastness. Help us to live more like Jesus each day. Deliver us, dear Father, from our fears and anxieties so that we can fully experience our life’s walk with you. Amen.

Chyrl Budd

Devotional 2-14-08

Lectionary Readings: Psalms 50, 19 and 46; Genesis 39:1-23; 1 Corinthians 2:14-3:15 and Mark 2:1-12.

“ For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

I did a little research on this holiday to discover its origins. One of the most common stories is of a priest, Father Valentine of Rome, who defied the Emperor Claudius II who had decreed that none of his army could marry. Fr. Valentine was jailed for all of the secret marriages he performed and while incarcerated, fell in love with the jailer’s daughter. On the day of his execution, February 14, 269 A.D., it is told that he sent a note to the daughter to thank her for her loyalty and friendship which he signed, “from your Valentine”. Later Pope Gelasius set aside Feb. 14 to honor St. Valentine, but it wasn’t until the verses of Chaucer written in the 14th century, that St. Valentine’s Day became linked to romantic love.

In the US, Esther Howland of Massachusetts is given credit for marketing and sending the first mass-produced greeting cards in 1847. And the rest, as they say, is history. Approximately $14 billion dollars will be spent this year on flowers, cards, candy, dinners and other gifts. Valentine’s Day is ‘Number 2’ for the holiday where the most greeting cards are exchanged. I vividly remember the grade school tradition of decorating shoeboxes with construction paper and lace hearts. Would I receive a valentine from a special admirer? The wait to open the box after school was almost unbearable.

My Valentine “memory-lane” includes gifts given and received of flowers, dinner and cards, some especially significant because they were hand-made. The gifts and cards were all meant to signify a love of one person for another.. This is good: we are to love one another aren’t we?

God answers: Yes, but…

Jesus told us: “Love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:17) Uh Oh… that sounds like something extra. Jesus also said: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). And: “Do unto others as you would have them do to you. If you only love those who love you, what credit is that to you?...” (Luke 6:31-36) This all sounds a lot harder than it did when I was just sending valentines to my family and friends.

God’s bottom line is that He showed us the way to truly love one another first. It will be hard, but we have a comforter, a role model and a guide for the hard times. God loved us (YOU and ME) so much that he sent His ONLY son to be our example of what real love is. He purchased our eternal life—everyone’s eternal life with the life of His only son. I truly have trouble understanding this level of sacrifice and grace. But that is exactly what it is—a gift of grace. My best response is to accept the gift as an overwhelming and powerful act of love and then try to act in my daily life in ways that demonstrate that the gift is alive in me.

I love religious stained glass windows. They tell the story in pictures and also demonstrate the concept of the kind of love that Jesus was talking about. It is only when the light shines through the different colors that the image is revealed. It is only when we accept the gift of grace that God, who is the Light, can He shine through our lives as we attempt to love one another.

“What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss to bear the dreadful curse for my soul.
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of life to lay aside his crown for my soul.”

Dear God, we come to you today, thanking you for the gift of love. Through the sacrifice of both Father and Son, we can know a love that knows no bounds. You love us so much that you paid the ultimate price for our souls. We thank you for showing us that you love us as individuals and as your church. Thank you for transforming us with your grace to be of service to others.. Amen.

Oh and, P.S. “God: Will you be my valentine?” Thanks, I knew the answer would be YES !

Chyrl Budd