(Wednesday)
We own a lot of stuff. We don’t need most of it; we just own it. I recently said that I will not be buying anything else for this house unless it makes me smile. My hope is that sentiment trickles down into a clean out effort as well. If it doesn’t make me smile, out it goes.
I like some of the things we own, but they don’t make me smile. I don’t have a good reason for keeping things I just sort of like. I have several books that I haven’t even read, and I don’t smile when I think about reading them. They need to go. I have at least 30 rabbits that I put out around the house this time of year. They make me smile so they stay. Roosters use to make me smile, but these days they don’t feel as special as they once did. Those should probably go. Things belonging to my grandmother stay. Broken things should go. Nativity sets make me smile every time. Definitely staying.
I do have one item that wasn’t a precious gift, didn’t belong to a special relative, and doesn’t really mean anything. I rarely use it, and it’s not really all that pretty. Yet, I smile every time I see it. Walking through a store one day, I spotted it on a shelf and just smiled. Immediately I knew I would be purchasing it, and I’ve kept in on my office shelf for years. I had never owned one before, and I’ve never wanted a second one. I don’t need a collection; I just wanted the one.
When I think about it, it’s just a single piece of glass blown into two distinct parts with a tiny chasm between them and some sand inside. As the glass stands on end, the sand sits quietly at the bottom. Turn it over, though, and that sand begins to move through a tiny hole, and grain-by-grain falls from one side to the other. Almost as if by magic, the sand tumbles through that little funnel shape for exactly one hour – no more, no less. One hour. Even shaking it makes no difference for you cannot rush time.
Sometimes when I watch the minutes advance on my clock, I feel anxious. I sense time is silently disappearing with each tick tock. Deadlines are gaining speed; pressure is building. This is different. Watching it work is somehow mesmerizing and calming, and each time I turn over my hourglass, I smile.
The Gospel of John divides neatly into two distinct parts. The first eleven chapters tell us about Jesus’ ministry; the remaining ten chapters detail the final week of his life. Right there in the middle, at the end of chapter 12, we have today’s Gospel reading – a tiny chasm filled with the final grains of Jesus’ public ministry. The clock is ticking, time is disappearing, and pressure is building. Movement toward the end of his life is gaining speed, and anxiety is setting in.
Jesus knows that each second is like a grain of sand slipping through an hourglass. He also understands that no matter how much things are shaken up, there is an end to his earthly story and that ending is approaching. God’s timeline cannot be changed, but this life deadline feels as if it’s accelerating. Time is running out – but not necessarily for Jesus!
Jesus says he didn’t come to this life to be a judge; he came to save through his love. However, as the hourglass of his earthly life empties, he cries out for folks to believe in his love. When his last breath passes through, there will be no more time to watch his ministry unfold. The decision to follow him has to be now.
Knowing that Jesus is coming again, but not knowing when, pushes my heart in the same way. Now is the time to share life with Jesus every day. Now is the time to share Jesus with others every day. During these final days of Lent, may God direct my thinking and my understanding so that I do not run out of time to respond to God’s love. Rather, may my life movements be timely, and may they make God smile.
One grain at a time,
Pastor Beth
PRAYER FROM JOHN 12
Jesus, you are the Light of the World. Shine your light in me today. Chase away the darkness of sin, the darkness of fear and doubt and despair. Fill me with the light of your truth, your Word. Produce in me the fruit of righteousness – the evidence that your Holy Spirit lives in me and works in me and works through me. Teach me what is pleasing to you.
Make me a shining example of your amazing grace, redeeming love, and life-changing power. May others be drawn to you through me. Amen.
For this and other prayers, visit: https://re-worship.blogspot.com
KEY VERSES FROM TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 119 – I will meditate on your precepts, and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.
Haggai 2 – Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the Lord of hosts.
John 12 – I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my word has a judge; on the last day the word that I have spoken will serve as judge, for I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life.
For today’s full scripture readings, click here… https://www.divinestreet.org/lent-scripture.html
We own a lot of stuff. We don’t need most of it; we just own it. I recently said that I will not be buying anything else for this house unless it makes me smile. My hope is that sentiment trickles down into a clean out effort as well. If it doesn’t make me smile, out it goes.
I like some of the things we own, but they don’t make me smile. I don’t have a good reason for keeping things I just sort of like. I have several books that I haven’t even read, and I don’t smile when I think about reading them. They need to go. I have at least 30 rabbits that I put out around the house this time of year. They make me smile so they stay. Roosters use to make me smile, but these days they don’t feel as special as they once did. Those should probably go. Things belonging to my grandmother stay. Broken things should go. Nativity sets make me smile every time. Definitely staying.
I do have one item that wasn’t a precious gift, didn’t belong to a special relative, and doesn’t really mean anything. I rarely use it, and it’s not really all that pretty. Yet, I smile every time I see it. Walking through a store one day, I spotted it on a shelf and just smiled. Immediately I knew I would be purchasing it, and I’ve kept in on my office shelf for years. I had never owned one before, and I’ve never wanted a second one. I don’t need a collection; I just wanted the one.
When I think about it, it’s just a single piece of glass blown into two distinct parts with a tiny chasm between them and some sand inside. As the glass stands on end, the sand sits quietly at the bottom. Turn it over, though, and that sand begins to move through a tiny hole, and grain-by-grain falls from one side to the other. Almost as if by magic, the sand tumbles through that little funnel shape for exactly one hour – no more, no less. One hour. Even shaking it makes no difference for you cannot rush time.
Sometimes when I watch the minutes advance on my clock, I feel anxious. I sense time is silently disappearing with each tick tock. Deadlines are gaining speed; pressure is building. This is different. Watching it work is somehow mesmerizing and calming, and each time I turn over my hourglass, I smile.
The Gospel of John divides neatly into two distinct parts. The first eleven chapters tell us about Jesus’ ministry; the remaining ten chapters detail the final week of his life. Right there in the middle, at the end of chapter 12, we have today’s Gospel reading – a tiny chasm filled with the final grains of Jesus’ public ministry. The clock is ticking, time is disappearing, and pressure is building. Movement toward the end of his life is gaining speed, and anxiety is setting in.
Jesus knows that each second is like a grain of sand slipping through an hourglass. He also understands that no matter how much things are shaken up, there is an end to his earthly story and that ending is approaching. God’s timeline cannot be changed, but this life deadline feels as if it’s accelerating. Time is running out – but not necessarily for Jesus!
Jesus says he didn’t come to this life to be a judge; he came to save through his love. However, as the hourglass of his earthly life empties, he cries out for folks to believe in his love. When his last breath passes through, there will be no more time to watch his ministry unfold. The decision to follow him has to be now.
Knowing that Jesus is coming again, but not knowing when, pushes my heart in the same way. Now is the time to share life with Jesus every day. Now is the time to share Jesus with others every day. During these final days of Lent, may God direct my thinking and my understanding so that I do not run out of time to respond to God’s love. Rather, may my life movements be timely, and may they make God smile.
One grain at a time,
Pastor Beth
PRAYER FROM JOHN 12
Jesus, you are the Light of the World. Shine your light in me today. Chase away the darkness of sin, the darkness of fear and doubt and despair. Fill me with the light of your truth, your Word. Produce in me the fruit of righteousness – the evidence that your Holy Spirit lives in me and works in me and works through me. Teach me what is pleasing to you.
Make me a shining example of your amazing grace, redeeming love, and life-changing power. May others be drawn to you through me. Amen.
For this and other prayers, visit: https://re-worship.blogspot.com
KEY VERSES FROM TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 119 – I will meditate on your precepts, and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.
Haggai 2 – Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the Lord of hosts.
John 12 – I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my word has a judge; on the last day the word that I have spoken will serve as judge, for I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life.
For today’s full scripture readings, click here… https://www.divinestreet.org/lent-scripture.html