Joy Lutheran Church Ocala, Florida

Grandma Kofink asked me whether there would be services at church that night, Ash Wednesday. I told her yes, and she asked if there would be Lord’s Supper. Again I said yes. She asked, “Can I come with you?” That was an unusual request because Grandma didn’t go to church very often. There was something about that day, the beginning of Lent, that spoke to her. “I need to be at church today.” So strong was urge that she came to every Wednesday service that Lent. If I remember correctly, it was the year we had the film strip series, “How the Bible Came to us.”

When I was in active ministry, I didn’t look forward to Lent. It meant a lot of extra work. Being retired has made more welcoming of Lent.

For centuries the major emphasis in Lent was on repentance, being sorry for your sins and changing your life. I’m all for being sorry for sins, but it’s changing your life, deepening the relationship with God, that really matters. What? At my age? I’m too old to change. Nonsense. If my grandmother in her 70s could decide it was important to walk (hobble and wheeze is closer to the truth) to church every Wednesday for an entire Lenten season, most of us can accomplish more than we think for our relationship with God.

Don’t think about Lent as a time of give ups. Think about it as a time of add ons. Give it some thought. There are 39 days plus six Sundays left to this Lent.

Wayne

For forty days we ponder. We ponder the suffering of our Lord Jesus. We ponder the love that led Him to that cross. We ponder His unfathomable love for us.

We begin Holy Week walking more slowly. We contemplate our Lord’s last days. We tremble at the very thought of his agony. We tremble at the thought of that heavy cross, those piercing nails. We tremble at the thought of the stone cold tomb.

For as we ponder, we know that we too were there. Our sins were laid upon Him. For us He died. Yes, let’s say that again – for us He died!

And why?  Because He loves us unconditionally.

Lent is a journey, a journey of pain . . .

“Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?

Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?”

Judy

*Were You There, African American Spiritual

Holiness and humanity are one and the same in the eyes of God. Our humanness is transcended in a way by our holy nature. Real matter is in and of this world, i.e. our mortal selves. Maybe a movie reference would be more helpful.

Sally Field won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in “Places of the Heart” forty-one years ago. The movie ends in a small Baptist church in rural Texas during the Depression. The congregation sings “Blessed Assurance” during Communion. The elements are passed through the congregation as the camera focuses on each face. We realize that all the characters in the film are there, both good and bad, living and dead, the killer and the victim. All are brought together as one by Jesus. It is an epiphany; Jesus “shows”. The glimpses, the snapshots we get of God’s story are able to garner the sacred from the profane. That could be a reason I love movies so much.

Frederick Buechner wrote a book titled “The Remarkable Ordinary”. It’s another angle to perceive the paradox that we embody, the sinner/saint in us, the struggle within that afflicts all of us and which St. Paul echoes in us. The child who does a terrible thing, yet we still grasp them tightly in our arms as they choke back sobs of remorse. Thankfully the Holy One sees it in us and is still able to love us unconditionally.

Pastor Art

Our Lord gives forgiveness freely, but feeling truly forgiven sometimes comes much harder.    We may have hurt those around us, even people who loved us.  The years have passed and we think those matters have been buried long ago.  Yet the persistent guilt continues to surface. In quiet moments it returns, sometimes it colors our dreams.  If only we could go back and say I’m sorry, but it’s too late.    It seems like a trap.  We repent, but it’s so hard to feel forgiven.

If you’ve ever experienced this, you may choose to look at Romans 8:1 with me.  “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”  The verse reminds us that believers once forgiven are no longer under condemnation.  It encourages us to embrace the freedom that comes with God’s grace.

Yes, we are so sorry that we behaved as we did.  And we can’t go back for a “do-over.”  We can only go forward, accepting the fact that we are sinners, but believing that God’s forgiveness is more powerful than our sin.  I AM FORGIVEN!  Say it, shout it, feel it, share it.  Then feel the freedom from guilt and go forward.  We can live in the fullness of God’s Grace.

Judy

Can you read Hebrew (the Old Testament)? Can you read Greek (the New Testament)? Can you follow along and understand the King James version of the Bible? For many, the versions with “thee” and “thou” twist not only their tongues, but also their understanding.

I remember very vividly my devout, sweet Nana. She was in her late 70’s when someone gave her The Living Bible, a new version to her. She loved it and read it daily until the pages were worn. Her comment to me was, “This is wonderful. I am able to read His Word, like a newspaper. I cannot seem to put it down.” As a young confirmand, I had the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, but after hearing my Nana’s review, I purchased the Living Bible version. I will admit, it is in frail condition now, as I have marked it, written in it, carried it, traveled with it and studied it. Mementos, thoughtful notes from my boys, precious photos of my late husband are all tucked within marked pages.

Please don’t limit yourself, if you are struggling through “thee” and “thou,” there is a version for you that will open your mind and heart to God’s Holy Word. He loves you so unconditionally and wants you to KNOW HIM. In this age of techno-everything, you can put a Bible app on your phone. You can press “add to cart” and order a version of your choosing online. Read the samples and find your best fit. Do you want a study Bible? Do you want multiple references and sources? So many variations to allow His Holy Word to fill you. Thou dost not need to delay. His Word awaits thee.

Jill

Today we celebrate Valentine’s Day which comes wrapped in red roses, heart-shaped boxes of candy and sentimental cards. It is a sweet reminder to share the “I love you” message to those we treasure most in our lives. It warms our heart to hear those words and in turn warms the hearts of those to whom we impart this heart-felt emotion.

While Valentine’s Day is a nice opportunity to celebrate love, it should never be the only day we think about it. The Bible reminds us in 1 John 4:19 that “We love because, He first loved us.” God’s love is not relegated to a specific day of the year. It is not dependent on our performance. It does not fade when we fail or weaken when we struggle. God’s unconditional love for us was fully displayed through Jesus Christ, who gave His life so we could experience forgiveness, grace and eternal hope.

Every day is a reminder of His mercy whether it be a beautiful sunrise or a much-needed rain. Every prayer answered reflects His care and even in difficult seasons, His love remains unshaken. God’s love is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrew 13:8.

Let’s not limit love to one calendar date. Love is far more than candy, cards and flowers which are wonderful while they last. Sadly, they don’t last however, but God’s love which never ceases is worth celebrating every single day of the year! Thanks be to God for His LOVE!

Patty

“Immediately” is the translation of the word that describes the actions of Simon, Andrew, James and John to Jesus’ request for them “to come follow me.”  

Immediately, they jumped out of their fishing boats, left their families and jobs and began to follow Jesus. They didn’t discuss this request with their families and friends or lawyers or doctors or religious leaders, they went immediately to follow Jesus. 

Immediately! With a very few exceptions, I don’t do anything immediately. I am a sure decision maker, but I generally discuss big changes in my life with my family and other trusted advisors.  

Not the chosen apostles, they left everything and followed an unknown and unproven man on a course of monumental change. They had no concrete evidence of what he had in mind for them. These men were not out looking for adventure. They were down-to-earth, hardy souls who worked at a difficult vocation to feed and care for their families. 

Later, Jesus told them about a new way to live and that God loved them unconditionally. However, he had not told them this before they left everything to follow him. But this was after they had immediately left their former lives to follow him. Wow! 

To me, this telling illustrates the incredible work of the Holy Spirit at this time. There must have been a powerful force moving through their souls at this time to send them off the boat immediately and into the shadow of Jesus. What amazing grace! 

I have the desire to answer Jesus immediately when presented with an occasion that requires representation of the Lord. Oh, you say that doesn’t happen in today’s world. It happens every day starting as soon as my feet hit the floor when I wake from sleep. 

The simple act of smiling and wishing someone a “Good Morning!” with a smile makes Jesus smile and call us a follower. He loves us unconditionally every day, all the time and forever. I will try to answer immediately and follow the apostles’ example. I pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to follow me wherever I go. 

Terri   (Based on Matt 4:18-22 NCV) 

Among the advantages of growing up in Illinois, the Land of Lincoln, was that February 12, Lincoln’s birthday, was a holiday.  One of my vivid childhood memories is watching an artist mold a bust of Lincoln out of clay as he talked about Lincoln. He had created a fine work, but then started making changes in it. He hollowed parts of his face showing the toll age and the Civil War took on him. 

In a sense the great president was America’s first martyr, but what was his religion? He never joined a church, never professed to be a Christian. Although raised in a Primitive Baptist family, he seems to have been a skeptic as a young man. He may have been a Deist in his thinking, one who believes in the existence of God, but not the beliefs of orthodox Christianity. There was, however, something powerfully spiritual in the man.

This is from his second inaugural address:

“Both [North and South] read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God’s assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men’s faces; but let us judge not that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered; that of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes.”

I wish everyone who claims that “God is on our side” (whatever that is) would give this speech some thought.

Read Isaiah 55:9-10 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne

What does itsy bitsy teeny weeny bring to mind? Maybe the childhood rhyme for children about the itsy bitsy spider or perhaps the teen song about the itsy bitsy teeny weeny bikini, the song by Bryan Hyland. ( I stood in line for his autograph at our local pool hangout in my preteen years.) Maybe you thought about a mustard seed. Have you seen one? They are definitely itsy bitsy. So small and yet a mustard bush reaches an average mature height of between 6 and 20 feet with a 20-foot spread, although exceptional plants can reach 30 feet tall under ideal conditions. The Gospel of Matthew has a parable emphasizing the fact the mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds. Matthew 17:20 New Living Translation.

“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

As a young girl, I had been given a necklace that encased a mustard seed and have since passed it on to my granddaughter. Looking at it and my faith I find this verse and instruction from Jesus to be so powerful. There are so many times in this life that my faith has indeed felt as itsy bitsy as that small seed and yet it was enough. That speck was enough to hold me through some deep valleys and then helped me grow just like the plant to a wiser, stronger, and more faith-filled follower of our Lord. He is so wise and His teachings in story form create wonderful comparisons, picture stories for our minds to grasp and learn for new growth. Imagine losing all of your faith, knowing that if you can conjure up the tiniest of itsy bitsy seed-size faith, it will be enough. It will be enough to let our Lord know you are His and ready for a growth spurt. How blessed are we to have God’s teachings as our seed packet of directions for life, pure, simple, succinct, and unconditional! No matter the season of your life nurture your seed and allow it to flourish.

Jill

Looks like a course you might take! In the Joy family reality, it refers to our oldest member, Grace Hanson. She lives at The Bridge. Her husband Arnold died on her birthday, New Year’s Day 2024. They were married 77 years. Every time I visit Grace and bring the sacrament, she comments on all she would still like to be a part of and help with. She reads our “Tidings” newsletter and ruefully shakes her head. “If only”…even though she is rejoicing for all the good things we have going on. Such churchmanship is a big part of the reason she enjoys longevity. Grace’s heart is still hungry for God.

Our spiritual life is not, should not be disconnected from our daily life. It can’t be
compartmentalized or added to our “to-do” list. The so-called “urgent’ should not come
before the essential, the better part to be chosen. Praying the ordinary is a faith discipline
that, if practiced, will enrich you substantially. Our hearts as well as our minds can know and
experience God.

I have found, and I share with you, the value of centering prayer. There’s an app for
that! It gives you all the options you can imagine, everything from the starting sound or music,
the beginning prayer or Scripture, the length of time (I do 20 minutes), the closing sound to
“bring you out of it”, and the concluding sound or music. It takes practice. Tuning out the
world’s noise is never easy. A centering word and deep breathing help. The focus is on
listening to God.

In the learning lab of life, the classroom where “Age 101” is taught can provide many
lessons and insights about having a faith that is fervently grounded in Christ. Let the
unconditional love of our Abba overflow you with rejuvenating life and vitality!

Pastor Art