Scripture Reading:

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

Reflection:

As a child, while on fishing trips with my dad, I enjoyed sleeping outside during warm summer nights. Before sleeping some nights I would lay looking up in the beautiful majestic starry nights of southeastern Oklahoma. Many times I would try to count the stars. As I began to count I would lose track and then move my focus to another area. Losing track again I would try to find another place to begin. Needless to say, I never counted very many stars; albeit one time I think I did get to almost 100.

Scripture Reading:

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Reflection:

Think about why you serve God. Maybe you believe that God will love you more if you serve him more.  Maybe you believe if you are always going and doing in Christian activity others will see you as a ‘good’ Christian.  Perhaps you are serving to impress others—your friends or church leadership.  Or you serve in order to hear the accolades from others when they notice your service.

Scripture Reading:

2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10

Reflection:

The mystery of the Kingdom is that everything is exactly the opposite of what it appears to be. Like Alice in Through the Looking Glass, one must go backward to get forward, and go down to get up. One must be a servant to get power, and start at the back of the line to be the first one to eat. We must get beyond logic and conventional wisdom to understand the Gospel.   

Scripture Reading:

Psalm 51:1-17

Reflection:

Eugene Peterson’s translation of the Bible, The Message, says the last part of verse 17 like this: 

“Heart-shattered lives ready for love don’t for a moment escape God’s notice.”

During this Lenten season, those words especially, help me honestly identify my condition but also open my eyes to ever-present hope.