Lent: Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Old Testament Lesson

Genesis 37:25-36

As we read Joseph's story, we see that sometimes life takes turns that we do not want it to take. We all know this from human experience, don't we?  We have all had things happen to us that we wish would not have and have found ourselves in place we don't want to be.  We see this over and over again the Bible. Things happen to these folks in the Bible that they wished would not have happened. But they did.

But we must remember the other part of the Biblical story. God was at work in each part of the story. Even the things that were hard and didn't make sense. Today, God is at work in your life in ways you may not understand and in thing that you cannot see. But, He is at work.  Trust Him.  Let Him guide you. Go to where He leads. He will be with you.  

New Testament Lesson

1 Corinthians 2:1-13

Paul says that he came not preaching complicated messages, but instead he came with the simple truth of God.  There is something to be said about simplicity. There is something to be said about keeping things simple.  In a world that is fast and complicated, sometimes we want to keep adding more stuff: more to our calendars, more to our lives, more to everything.

Some times we just need to stop. . . . . slow down. . . . . . and breathe.  Today, take time to remember the simple graces of life. 

Gospel Lesson

Mark 1:29-45

In the middle of all these; all the healing and preaching and moving and all that He was doing.  In the very middle of all it, what did Jesus take time to do?  He prayed.  He took time to prayer.  To spend time with His father.  To reflect, to receive grace. To to commune with God. 

Our Lord and Savior saw the importance of prayer.  If Jesus spent time in prayer, shouldn't we?  Today, in spite of all that you have going one, take time to pray.