Devotional Guide -- March 18

Monday, March 18, 2019
The Holy Bible: 

God Speaks to Man

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.” II Timothy 3:16

We err when we think that we can just study the New Testament and be prepared to live the Christian life. When Paul wrote to his young protege, Timothy, the only Scripture available was what we today call the Old Testament – books of law, history, poetry and the prophets. He didn’t know what he was writing would become Scripture. So he was telling his young friend that the Old Testament was important for specific reasons.

Our desire as Christians is to do good work, to please God, to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to give cups of cold water to those who thirst. These are the things that Jesus tells us we can do for others in order to do for him. This is the New Testament lesson.

We would never send a man or woman out to do a job in business without the proper tools and training, yet we often think as Christians that we can “wing” it and get the job done. Paul says otherwise. We get our instructions from the Scripture, and that includes the Old Testament – God inspired words to teach, correct, reprove, and make us righteous for good work. Going to work without the proper training may result in our being unable to work well – both in the world’s business and in God’s.

Prayer: Father, thank you for the best possible training manual for the work you have left for us to do. Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Here’s a thought

Sunday

March 17, 2019

Since Sundays are not officially counted in the forty days of Lent, I encourage you to find your own way to concentrate on the Lord today — through Bible Studies, Worship services, other devotional guides, Christian songs, acts of Christian service, etc. Just in case you’re interested, here’s a verse of Scripture on which to ponder. 

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭20:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

One day several years ago, I worked with a particularly energetic young man for whom I held a great deal of fondness. He was fun loving and smart — a delight to be around. 

On this particular shift, he periodically, for no apparent reason, called my name, “Patience.”  Each time I looked up expecting him to ask me a question or to tell me something. No. He just kept on working as if he had said nothing. This made me think. 

What does God do when he hears us say his name? Do his ears perk up? Does he turn his attention to us in anticipation of a comment or question? Is he disappointed to realize that we have mindlessly, casually, and for no apparent reason called his name?

Have you ever said any of the following as a form of punctuation or exclamation or other thoughtless comment?

• Jesus!
• Gees!
• Oh, my God!
• Oh, my gosh!
• omg
• Good Lord!
• Thank God!

Take time today to worship the Lord. Reflect on your language. Does it hurt God or bring him glory? 

Father, Convict us when we casually use your name to punctuate our conversations. Bring us to repentance and forgive us, Lord. Amen. 

Devotional Guide -- March 16

Saturday, March 16, 2019
The Seekers: God and Man

“Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7

This verse sounds like an invitation to always get our own way. Whatever we want, presto! It’s there. If we want a new job, or to get into a good school, or to have some great intellectual understanding, or even a new car, just knock and doors will open as if by magic. Sorry. That is not what this verse is saying.

Read the verses prior to it in Matthew 7. The gospel writer for six verses has been talking about being judged not guilty, about hypocrisy, about dealing fairly and nonjudgmentally with others. Then he drops in verse seven, and once again a little tiny word gives understanding to the verse. It. It will be opened to you. So to what is it referring?

Those first six verses hold the secret. What will be added is the awesome ability to not judge another because we are honest about our own sin; to not see another’s “speck” because we are honest about our own failure; to be judged worthy of the pearls that God wants to give us; of having the door of understanding opened to us so that we can begin to really live as kingdom children.

Prayer: Father, we want your good things, your pearls, to be added to us. Help us ask and seek for the right things, to knock on the right doors, so that you can be free to give and to open to us. Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Devotional Guide -- March 15

Friday, March 15, 2019
The Seekers: God and Man

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.” Matthew 6:33

How do we go about seeking the kingdom? And what are the things that will be added if we do seek?

Kingdom living isn’t easy right now. News is awful! Our comfort is threatened. Manufacturing companies, stores, restaurants, even banks are closing every day. Things don’t look good. How do we live a kingdom life in this financial mess?

I got good advice from a child at Christmas when I was on my way home from Kentucky. I stopped in Atlanta to spend the night with three of my Chinese children. At dinner, the father – a financial analyst – asked me if things were okay with me. To his surprise, I told him I really don’t know. I added that I have decided that God has taken care of me well for so long, and right now I can either listen to the news and get scared, or I can continue to trust God to take care of me. Jason, the eleven year old son of my friends, smiled, gave me a thumbs up sign, and said. “Right! If God is your pilot, let him pilot.” I think young Jason recognized kingdom living — living in trust that God is able to take care of us even in an economic crisis.

It is interesting that the promise is, then, that all these things will be ours as well. These things, which you’ll find if you read the rest of Matthew 6, are food, clothes, water – the necessities of life!

Prayer: Father, Help us to really learn what it means to be kingdom people! Help us to look to you and to trust you. Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Davotional Guide -- March 14

Thursday, March 14, 2019
The Seekers: God and Man

“Ask and it will be given you, seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you…. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish will instead of a fish give him a serpent…? If you then, who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:9, 11, 13

Many years ago, our first daughter entered the university. We lived in the same city; there seemed no need for her to live in a dorm, so she stayed home with us and commuted to her classes and extra-curricular activities every day. Her father and I noticed that she was spending more and more time going to and fro, and we asked her one day if she would like to move to the dorm.

I still remember the shocked look on her face. Moving to the dorm was expensive, and she hadn’t thought it would be a possibility. She wanted to go so badly, but she had not wanted to ask such a huge thing. We talked about it. She moved.

I wonder if that is not somewhat how it is with God and us. He has a wonderful gift to give us – the constant presence of his Holy Spirit – but we think it is too great a gift to ask for, so we don’t ask. How slow we are to learn that he loves us and wants to give us everything we need to live a life of victory and joy in our fellowship with him. Yes, this gift cost him dearly, but he still longs to give it.

Prayer: Father, we need your Holy Spirit. Grant us his presence every day, all the day, so that we have the resource to live. Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Devotional Guide -- March 13

Wednesday, March 13, 2019
The Seekers: God and Man

“Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant…my sure love.” Psalm 55:4

I went to Kentucky this past Christmas and took Peggy Benson’s Shadow with me. She was flying to Tennessee and could not take the dog. I was driving and he could go with me. My children live in a zoo, anyway, with two dogs, two cats, and a gerbil! One more dog would not make any difference.

When I got there, Elizabeth came running, “Where’s the dog?” she asked. Shadow ignored her! She was crestfallen!

All during the week, she coaxed him, gave him treats, invited him to sleep on her bed, got toys for him. Still he ignored her! Finally, about three days before we left, she called me to come quickly! Shadow was curled up next to her on her bed! She was elated! Finally, he was her friend.

I hear Elizabeth’s kind of pleading in this psalm as God begs us to listen to him, come to him, so that he can just love us! I envision his expression as he approaches us gently, encouraging us to accept his attention so that we can live, but we ignore him. I wonder if he doesn’t feel the elation Elizabeth did when we at last curl up next to him and enjoy his presence!

Prayer: Father, we are so sorry that you call, and we turn a deaf ear. That you coax, and we ignore. Forgive us. Cause us to come to you. Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Devotional Guide -- March 12

Tuesday, March 12, 2019
The Seekers: God and Man

“O God, thou art my God, I seek thee, my soul thirsts for thee; my flesh faints for thee, as in a dry and weary land where no water is.” Psalm 63:1

Do you know what it is to be thirsty and not even know you are thirsty? You’re out on the golf course. Every drive is perfect. Every putt seems to find the hole. Engrossed in the excitement, you haven’t even taken a sip of water!

Suddenly, eighteen holes are over. Adrenalin is no longer pumping, and you are so thirsty that you cannot bear it. You go back to the club house quickly, pause in the “Nineteenth Hole,” and order a tall glass of ice water. Your mouth, though parched, waters as you see the glass being filled. That is real thirst!

Isn’t that what the psalmist is talking about here? Not just thinking, “I would like to have a glass of cool water,” but wanting water to quench unbearable thirst. He depicts a person who will do almost anything for a drink of living water. This is a person who knows what it is to be nourished by God’s holy presence, and suddenly is without God. Only God will satisfy. He seeks God as a dehydrated man seeks water.

This is the kind of seeking that pleases God. We need to thirst for what only he gives.

Prayer: Father, we are thirsty. Make us desperately thirsty. Amen

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director