(Thursday)
Television shows about home building or décor are often watched at our house. We find them enjoyable. Animal shows are also fun to watch, and history is interesting. Sporting events make their way into our home on a regular basis, and an evening without Jeopardy is rare indeed. With these types of entertainment, each episode is encapsulated; you can watch each one independently of another. No timeline is in effect, and everything wraps up neatly by the end of the program. You know what to expect. That house is going to get a major overhaul; the pregnant giraffe is going to birth the cutest calf. A ballgame will have a winner and a loser, and someone in history is going to make a discovery or a mistake that creates change. Most importantly, I’m never going to be able to come up with correct questions for all those Jeopardy answers.
Series are different. Each time you turn on a series show, the story is building on everything you have watched to this point. If you miss an episode, you may be lost for a while trying to fit together the pieces of numerous subplots. Bill and I have enjoyed several television series over the years, but lately – just when we find something interesting to us – it disappears. I find it particularly annoying when we become invested in the characters, the dialog and the potential for great entertainment… and then the show is gone with no warning and no indication whether the stories will ever resume. Nothing is wrapped up neatly; the timeline just stops.
When Paul corresponds to the people in Ephesus, he reminds them that their timeline began before they even existed and will continue for eternity. The same theme is repeated throughout scripture in stories such as God’s everlasting covenant made with Noah and established between God and “all flesh that is on earth” – not just in the moment but for all time. “I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you,” God says. Stories of generations are built on top of one another in ongoing subplots. Through the ages, we are drawn into these tales with their characters and dialogs until we are completed invested.
The best part is how we have the assurance that the series will never stop until Jesus wraps everything up very neatly. Even if we tune out for a bit are are lost trying to fit together the pieces, we have scripture, the Holy Spirit, tradition, experience, reason, and one another to help us keep up with the best story of all time. When we respond to God’s love is when life gets super interesting with no risk of God’s love disappearing.
I pray, especially throughout this season of Lent, that I may stay tuned in to God’s calling and remember that Jesus is my favorite channel!
That’s a wrap,
Pastor Beth
PRAYER FROM Ephesians 1
O God our Father, we thank you that today you have called us not only to worship you, but also to tune in and learn of you. You alone know our needs and can satisfy them with your unchanging love. In your presence may we find comfort in sorrow, guidance in perplexity, strength to meet temptation, grace to overcome the fascination of disobedience, and courage to face up to the hostility of this rebellious world. May we be hesitant to channel surf through life, but rather committed to the end. Above all, may we meet Jesus and go out today indwelt by his spirit. This prayer we ask to your glory and in his name. Amen.
KEY VERSES FROM TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 107 – Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind.
And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices, and tell of his deeds with songs of joy.
Genesis 9 – When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”
Ephesians 1 – …he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.
For today’s full scripture readings, click here… https://www.divinestreet.org/lent-scripture.html
Television shows about home building or décor are often watched at our house. We find them enjoyable. Animal shows are also fun to watch, and history is interesting. Sporting events make their way into our home on a regular basis, and an evening without Jeopardy is rare indeed. With these types of entertainment, each episode is encapsulated; you can watch each one independently of another. No timeline is in effect, and everything wraps up neatly by the end of the program. You know what to expect. That house is going to get a major overhaul; the pregnant giraffe is going to birth the cutest calf. A ballgame will have a winner and a loser, and someone in history is going to make a discovery or a mistake that creates change. Most importantly, I’m never going to be able to come up with correct questions for all those Jeopardy answers.
Series are different. Each time you turn on a series show, the story is building on everything you have watched to this point. If you miss an episode, you may be lost for a while trying to fit together the pieces of numerous subplots. Bill and I have enjoyed several television series over the years, but lately – just when we find something interesting to us – it disappears. I find it particularly annoying when we become invested in the characters, the dialog and the potential for great entertainment… and then the show is gone with no warning and no indication whether the stories will ever resume. Nothing is wrapped up neatly; the timeline just stops.
When Paul corresponds to the people in Ephesus, he reminds them that their timeline began before they even existed and will continue for eternity. The same theme is repeated throughout scripture in stories such as God’s everlasting covenant made with Noah and established between God and “all flesh that is on earth” – not just in the moment but for all time. “I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you,” God says. Stories of generations are built on top of one another in ongoing subplots. Through the ages, we are drawn into these tales with their characters and dialogs until we are completed invested.
The best part is how we have the assurance that the series will never stop until Jesus wraps everything up very neatly. Even if we tune out for a bit are are lost trying to fit together the pieces, we have scripture, the Holy Spirit, tradition, experience, reason, and one another to help us keep up with the best story of all time. When we respond to God’s love is when life gets super interesting with no risk of God’s love disappearing.
I pray, especially throughout this season of Lent, that I may stay tuned in to God’s calling and remember that Jesus is my favorite channel!
That’s a wrap,
Pastor Beth
PRAYER FROM Ephesians 1
O God our Father, we thank you that today you have called us not only to worship you, but also to tune in and learn of you. You alone know our needs and can satisfy them with your unchanging love. In your presence may we find comfort in sorrow, guidance in perplexity, strength to meet temptation, grace to overcome the fascination of disobedience, and courage to face up to the hostility of this rebellious world. May we be hesitant to channel surf through life, but rather committed to the end. Above all, may we meet Jesus and go out today indwelt by his spirit. This prayer we ask to your glory and in his name. Amen.
KEY VERSES FROM TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 107 – Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind.
And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices, and tell of his deeds with songs of joy.
Genesis 9 – When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”
Ephesians 1 – …he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.
For today’s full scripture readings, click here… https://www.divinestreet.org/lent-scripture.html