(Monday)
In November 1992, some friends and I attended a great hockey game. My girlfriends and I attended all the home games, but this night was different as one of my friends brought along some coworkers and their friends. I have no idea how the Nashville Knights played that evening, but I know it was a great evening for another reason. What I remember is laying eyes on the cutest boy I had ever seen. He was quiet but seemed to enjoy the game. I tried to talk with him; I even tried to give him a stray kitten I had found a day or so earlier. He wasn’t interested in the cat, and he was so shy that conversation was a bit difficult especially in the atmosphere of a few thousand screaming fans. At the end of the game we all went our separate ways, and I was left with a memory of the boy with charming blue eyes and braces.
A few nights went by before my friends and I returned to our favorite pastime at the arena, and to my delight, there he was! Apparently, that blue-eyed boy had enjoyed himself so much that he wanted to return to sit with us and cheer for the home team. Again, I tried to give him the stray kitten and again, he declined, but at least we were talking. He joined us after the game for my girlfriend’s birthday celebration, and the conversations continued into the night.
He never asked for my phone number or even hinted that he would like to call on me sometime, so imagine my surprise when my phone rang four evenings later. “I have something for you. Could I bring it by your house?” I only hesitated a moment before giving him the address. After a bit, I answered the doorbell and came face-to-face with those blue eyes, those braces… and a perfectly crafted home built for my stray kitten.
From the A-frame to the vinyl siding and wall-to-wall carpeting, everything was perfect. Even the tiny little door was framed. I kept the kitten and called her Abby. I kept the boy and ten months later called him husband. That little house stayed in tact for more than 15 years; the marriage is still going strong – all because a home builder believed in doing good and took the time to create something beautiful.
The writer of Hebrews describes Jesus as the centerpiece of all we believe, faithful in everything God gave him to do; and in chapter three, Jesus is described as being greater than any of the Old Testament folks like Moses. Moses believed in doing good and took the time to create beautiful things. He pointed out the ways of God, he lead God’s people and worked to restore them, and he lived his life believing in God’s promises. Just like my kitten’s house, though, Moses was created. Hebrews reminds us that Jesus is the creator – the builder – of all things, and the creator is much greater than the created.
“So, my dear Christian friends, companions in following this call to the heights, take a good hard look at Jesus. He’s the centerpiece of everything we believe, faithful in everything God gave him to do. Moses was also faithful, but Jesus gets far more honor. A builder is more valuable than a building any day. Every house has a builder, but the Builder behind them all is God. Moses did a good job in God’s house, but it was all servant work, getting things ready for what was to come. Christ as Son is in charge of the house.”
As I move closer and closer to the cross in this Lenten season, may I constantly be reminded that the builder of life believes in me and continually takes the time to make me into something beautiful.
Faithfully built,
Pastor Beth
PRAYER FROM HEBREWS 3
God of all things, we thank you for work. For in our work you call us to give you honor, serve others and create a loving community. God of grace and hospitality, we thank you for the many immigrants who come to work and live in our land. May we serve them as they serve us. May we welcome them, for the Word tells us that as we entertain strangers we entertain God. When we give drink to the thirsty or feed the hungry, we serve Jesus our Savior. God of justice, you call us to treat the laborers in the vineyard fairly. Your prophets decry the oppression of the workers. Your people traveled forty years to escape the oppressive work of the Egyptians. Merciful and forgiving God, when we establish just and living wages, when we create safe and healthy working conditions, when we provide harassment-free working places, we are setting free the oppressed. We are creating justice. We are doing God’s work. Thanks be to God that in our work we can be faithful and that working with others makes us faithful to our God and Savior. Amen.
re-worship.blogspot.com
KEY VERSES FROM TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 107 – O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.
Exodus 15 – “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in his sight, and give heed to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will not bring upon you any of the diseases that I brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”
Hebrews 3 – Yet Jesus is worthy of more glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself.
For today’s full scripture readings, click here… https://www.divinestreet.org/lent-scripture.html
In November 1992, some friends and I attended a great hockey game. My girlfriends and I attended all the home games, but this night was different as one of my friends brought along some coworkers and their friends. I have no idea how the Nashville Knights played that evening, but I know it was a great evening for another reason. What I remember is laying eyes on the cutest boy I had ever seen. He was quiet but seemed to enjoy the game. I tried to talk with him; I even tried to give him a stray kitten I had found a day or so earlier. He wasn’t interested in the cat, and he was so shy that conversation was a bit difficult especially in the atmosphere of a few thousand screaming fans. At the end of the game we all went our separate ways, and I was left with a memory of the boy with charming blue eyes and braces.
A few nights went by before my friends and I returned to our favorite pastime at the arena, and to my delight, there he was! Apparently, that blue-eyed boy had enjoyed himself so much that he wanted to return to sit with us and cheer for the home team. Again, I tried to give him the stray kitten and again, he declined, but at least we were talking. He joined us after the game for my girlfriend’s birthday celebration, and the conversations continued into the night.
He never asked for my phone number or even hinted that he would like to call on me sometime, so imagine my surprise when my phone rang four evenings later. “I have something for you. Could I bring it by your house?” I only hesitated a moment before giving him the address. After a bit, I answered the doorbell and came face-to-face with those blue eyes, those braces… and a perfectly crafted home built for my stray kitten.
From the A-frame to the vinyl siding and wall-to-wall carpeting, everything was perfect. Even the tiny little door was framed. I kept the kitten and called her Abby. I kept the boy and ten months later called him husband. That little house stayed in tact for more than 15 years; the marriage is still going strong – all because a home builder believed in doing good and took the time to create something beautiful.
The writer of Hebrews describes Jesus as the centerpiece of all we believe, faithful in everything God gave him to do; and in chapter three, Jesus is described as being greater than any of the Old Testament folks like Moses. Moses believed in doing good and took the time to create beautiful things. He pointed out the ways of God, he lead God’s people and worked to restore them, and he lived his life believing in God’s promises. Just like my kitten’s house, though, Moses was created. Hebrews reminds us that Jesus is the creator – the builder – of all things, and the creator is much greater than the created.
“So, my dear Christian friends, companions in following this call to the heights, take a good hard look at Jesus. He’s the centerpiece of everything we believe, faithful in everything God gave him to do. Moses was also faithful, but Jesus gets far more honor. A builder is more valuable than a building any day. Every house has a builder, but the Builder behind them all is God. Moses did a good job in God’s house, but it was all servant work, getting things ready for what was to come. Christ as Son is in charge of the house.”
As I move closer and closer to the cross in this Lenten season, may I constantly be reminded that the builder of life believes in me and continually takes the time to make me into something beautiful.
Faithfully built,
Pastor Beth
PRAYER FROM HEBREWS 3
God of all things, we thank you for work. For in our work you call us to give you honor, serve others and create a loving community. God of grace and hospitality, we thank you for the many immigrants who come to work and live in our land. May we serve them as they serve us. May we welcome them, for the Word tells us that as we entertain strangers we entertain God. When we give drink to the thirsty or feed the hungry, we serve Jesus our Savior. God of justice, you call us to treat the laborers in the vineyard fairly. Your prophets decry the oppression of the workers. Your people traveled forty years to escape the oppressive work of the Egyptians. Merciful and forgiving God, when we establish just and living wages, when we create safe and healthy working conditions, when we provide harassment-free working places, we are setting free the oppressed. We are creating justice. We are doing God’s work. Thanks be to God that in our work we can be faithful and that working with others makes us faithful to our God and Savior. Amen.
re-worship.blogspot.com
KEY VERSES FROM TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 107 – O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.
Exodus 15 – “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in his sight, and give heed to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will not bring upon you any of the diseases that I brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”
Hebrews 3 – Yet Jesus is worthy of more glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself.
For today’s full scripture readings, click here… https://www.divinestreet.org/lent-scripture.html