Month: March 2021

Scripture Reading: Numbers 9:15-23

It’s often when we feel most lost, most confused, most unsure of the next step that we feel Jesus draw near, pick us up and show us His way. In my own life, it was last semester, when I was at my lowest, that I felt Jesus the most near. When I did not know how I would even make it through the next day, I felt Jesus sustain me through each moment, hold me as I cried and walk with me to the next steps that He was guiding me to. When I was at my hardest moment, my wilderness, Jesus revealed Himself to me almost tangibly.

I imagine this is similar to how the Israelites must have felt in the wilderness for 40 years. They had no map, no food, and no idea of what challenges were ahead, but the Lord revealed His presence 24/7 in a cloud by day and a fire at night. “Whether the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, the people of Israel stayed in the camp and did not move. But as soon as it lifted, they broke camp and moved on.” (Verse 22) When the Lord moved, they moved. When the Lord stayed, they stayed. They were in pure dependence on the Lord for every aspect of their lives, but most notably, the journey they were on. 

In my hardest moments, that is where I felt Jesus led me to, pure dependence on Him. The beautiful thing is that the dependence did not end when my hard season was over, I was healed, and life was notably easier. It continued on in every aspect of my life afterwards, inviting Him into the little and big moments and decisions that followed. 

Lent is a time to draw near and come into agreement with the Lord’s plan for our life. It is a time to develop a greater dependence on Him and all He has done and is going to do for us. For me this has been taking a Sabbath.  While this may seem like just resting, I have realized that this has forced me to depend on Him even more.  I have had to trust that He can do more with my six days then I could do with my seven days and depend on Him for the motivation and time to get my work done in the other six days of the week.

The beautiful thing is the dependence that grows in Lent does not end there.  It continues on to foster a deeper relationship. Instead of needing a cloud by day and a fire by night, we are led by His spirit through our wildernesses, mountaintops and valleys and every twist and turn life has to offer.

 

Reflection:

How in the remaining time of Lent can you make room for more dependence on Jesus in your life? 

What decisions and moments, both big and small, can you bring Jesus into in this time and depend on Him and His word as you walk through those?

How can you grow in feeling His presence, not just in your quiet times, but 24/7 as the Israelites experienced in the wilderness? 

Written by Ciara Wingfield

Scripture Reading: Mark 10: 17-27

I was a freshman in a high school Bible study, we were discussing the nativity story. The president of the club, giving the discussion, said this regarding the scene “The first words that someone ever said to Jesus were We don’t have room for you”.

A hush fell over the room as all this group of freshman and sophomore girls–all ten of us–fell collectively still and silent. The sudden realization sent us into something between contemplation and sorrow, especially as she continued, “Over and over again, baby Jesus was told as they were turned away from inns, We don’t have room for you. And people still say that to Jesus. They refuse to open their hearts, saying to him, “There’s no room for you here.”

Strictly speaking, that statement isn’t necessarily historical truth–what about everything that happened on the journey over? what about all the words Mary likely whispered to her growing baby?–it’s something that’s stuck with me ever since. Especially in the context of our hearts–between our schedules, our relationships, our hobbies, and ourselves, there is so much warring to occupy the space of our mental and emotional devotion that Jesus is often shoved aside to make room. In terms of our lives (much less our hearts), we often crowd out our time with God, whittling away at it to make time for “more important” things.

Thus, even though it’s a bit cliche, I wanted us to read and reflect on the story of the rich young ruler. There is one thing standing in the way of him and a relationship with God–wealth. As young college students, this likely doesn’t seem like a character we could relate to. But what about the wealth of obligations we have, the wealth of entertainment we have access to, the wealth of relationships constantly battling for dominance? Like money, none of these things are inherently bad, but when we can’t give them up, even for God, they have the potential to become, as they are for the rich man, a barrier to the Kingdom of Heaven.

But Lent is a season when we make room. We take things that are important to us and deliberately set them aside so we can create extra space for God by upsetting our daily rhythms, or removing something that competes for our attention.

Reflection:

What have you given up in this season, in order to posture yourself towards God?

More importantly, what, like the rich young ruler, do you find yourself unable to let go of when God asks?

How can we take the lessons we learn from “making room” during Lent back into our normal rhythms after Easter?

 

Written by Grace Watkins

*Note: Check out our Holy Week Playlist on Spotify (linked here) as you read and reflect on the following. Today’s songs are Rescue by Lauren Daigle and God Will Heal Our Wounds by Communal Hymn.*

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 56: 1-8

The idea that stuck out to me the most in this scripture was the idea of hope of justice. God is justice. God is coming to rescue us. But what about right now?

As I write this, my heart is heavy. God, I love you, but where is your righteousness? This set of scripture is titled “Blessings for All Nations” but I have a hard time believing that right now. How can all nations be blessed when people are being killed because of their ethnicity? Where someone of one skin color is taken into police custody alive when someone of a darker skin color would have likely been killed?

God is for everyone. Whoever commits themselves to God, regardless of who they are or where they from, is saved. It did not matter where they were from. In the New Testament, Jesus welcomes all, Gentile and Jew. How do I reconcile that when earthly humans murder someone because of who they are?

God says to be just and fair and do what is right and good. I think it is alright to question this. To question this when bad things that are not just or fair or right or good happen. Still in my questioning, I turn to God with my heavy heart.

I do my part by praying but also call to action. I pray to God to guide leaders to make change. I pray for God to extend his righteousness upon the justice system. I can do what is good and just in the meantime as God does his work.

As I turn my mind to Holy Week, I think it’s a good symbol for what is to come. We know that Jesus is resurrected after he dies on the cross. But there was a period of waiting. A period of darkness. In my mind, I turn to God for hope and justice even now in a period of waiting. We have the hope of Jesus resurrected and there is hope of good to come.

I’m using this time to grieve with God and wait for His righteousness to come. The God of all nations and all people to restore His right to the world.

Reflection Questions:

1. How do you help invite everyone, people from all backgrounds and nations, into the kingdom of God?
2. What do you do in the waiting for God’s righteousness to be enacted? How do you help follow His laws of being just and fair to all in this waiting?
3. What does God coming to rescue us look like right now? What are ways God is rescuing us right now? Is He moving through anyone in your life or community?

 

Written by Allie Scheu

Scripture Reading: Matthew 21:1-11

Who is this?  If you want to know one of the most important questions in the biblical story, here you have it.  

Who is this man whom many claim to be a prophet?  Who is this man who has performed many miracles but also caused many to call for his death?  To any bystander at the time, they would have known that Jesus choosing to enter Jerusalem on a donkey was a Middle Eastern sign of peace.  Jesus was not coming to Jerusalem with worldly power to start a war; for even a child can tell you that donkeys don’t win many wars.  Jesus was coming in divine power to teach and establish his Father’s peace.  

As we begin Holy Week, I want us to keep the question of, “who is Jesus” at the forefront of our minds.  I want us to think about the men and women who laid down their coats and palm branches declaring, “Jesus is Lord!”  As college students some two thousand years later, we are tempted to rush to the end of the story or recite to others what we have been taught ti be the right answer to the question of who Jesus is.  Sadly, what we often miss is that the Christian life is not a destination so much as a journey.  

The Christian life is a journey with real people in a real world with real problems towards a real heaven.  Later this week we will see real communion alongside real betrayal (Maundy Thursday), followed by real death (Good Friday), real silence (Holy Saturday), and real resurrection (Easter Sunday).  

So let me ask you, who is Jesus?  In a world lived through screens and tweets, what do your real relationships, real actions, and your real words say about Jesus?  If you feel you fall short, know that you still fit the criteria for a good disciple!  I’ll be the first to admit that I fall short of God’s intention and goodness every day.

This Holy Week, I invite you to reflect on this question for yourself but also with others.  Fall in love with Jesus.  Fall in love with this story.  Here is a wonderful article for those who are interested in learning more about the context of the story for Palm Sunday.  

Hosanna in the highest,
Alec