Lenten Devotional - Fifth Sunday in Lent

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:16-23

“To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.” (1 Cor. 9:22-23)

  In 1939 the story is told about the Nazis’ moving into the Netherlands. Dutch theologian, Henry Kramer was asked by a group of Christian lay people, "Our Jewish neighbors are disappearing from their homes. What must we do?"

  Kramer answered, "I cannot tell you what to do. I can tell you who you are. If you know who you are, you will know what to do." Later, these people became part of the Dutch Resistance Movement.

  During our moment under the sun, we are called upon to remember who our God is and that we are God's people. How we respond during the defining moments of our lives will determine and define our conduct and personal relationships. Walter Brueggeman once stated, "What God does first and best and most is to trust his people with their moment in history. He trusts them to do what must be done for the sake of his whole community."

  As we look around our communities, hear and read the reports of heroin overdose deaths and the social disruption due to other alcohol and other drug usage, we are being called to remember who we are. We could look around and declare, like the writer of Ecclesiastes, “I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.” (Eccl. 1:14) Or we could declare the same as Paul, “I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.” (1 Cor. 9:23)

  If we had a choice to pick which social problems to solve, we might select something easier than AOD problems, but in our moment under the sun, this is the problem that God is trusting us to do what must be done. How do you feel about God entrusting you with your "moment in history?" What does this mean to you?

  We are called to “do it all for the sake of the gospel,” and like Paul, we are to search and find whatever means works to achieve our mission, so we “might by all means save some”. God is trusting us with our moment in history.

Lee McDermott, Contributor

Remember in Prayer: To know who we are as God’s people, which leads us to doing what is right.

Click Here PDF - Fifth Sunday in Lent Devotion

Informational Resources

National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® - January 22–28, 2018

https://teens.drugabuse.gov/national-drug-alcohol-facts-week

Lenten Devotional - Day 23

Scripture: Ezekiel 37:10-14

“I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. Then he said to me, "Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.' Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel.” (Ezek. 37:10-12)

  Deep within the souls of those struggling with AOD dependency is the belief that they are beyond hope, they are lost deep within the grave of despair. Recovery offers the possibility of resurrection. They need us to help them believe that recovery is possible.

  People in the midst their addictions believe the same as the people referenced by Ezekiel in today’s passage, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost.” (v. 11) God needs Jesus’ disciples to exercise their prophetic voice and proclaim what God can do, “to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves” (v. 12)

  We are called to proclaim a message they have never heard and to believe in someone they have never known. Prophets share the word of God with us, reminding us who we are as God’s people, something which has been true from the beginning of time and has faded from our memories. We all have days and moments when we feel, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost.” (v. 11) These moments come at times of grief, during sudden and rapid life changes, or emotional distress.

  The whole church is called by God to have a prophetic voice in our communities and proclaim that together with the Holy Spirit we have a partner in our faith. Jesus Christ leads us to the harvest which will breathe new life into our communities and help those affected by AOD problems rise to their feet to new life. We are also called to teach them how to tell their stories of restoration and redemption, how “they lived, and stood on their feet.” They have rich and meaningful stories about how God’s love and grace transformed their lives and we as the church need to hear their stories and the hope they show us and our communities.

  We all have stories of faith, heartache, hope, and grief capable of breathing new life into our communities. Communities which have arrived at a point where they have come to believe “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost;” (v. 11) Our prophetic voice allows these stories to live and breathe new life into our communities. We are called to tell our stories and share our hope, to encourage those with recovery stories, those with stories of grief and loss, those with stories of transformation, and those with stories of resurrection which lifted them up from the darkness. We have stories to tell which can breathe new life and raise up our communities from their graves of despair. What stories is God’s Spirit calling your church to tell and teach others to tell?

Lee McDermott, Contributor

Remember in Prayer: Individuals and families who feel hopeless about their current situation.

Click Here PDF - Day 23 Devotion