Lent
March 22, 2016

Scripture Reading: Acts 10:34-43

Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’

While the death and resurrection of Jesus is observed and celebrated each year, these events are always followed by the question: What’s next? The scripture lesson above describes the first disciples’ experience of what was next for them and we have the same calling, the same challenge today.

One of the things that we learn from sports, as we find ourselves in March Madness usually during the Lenten season, it is important that a team not get too caught up in a game just won or lost but to learn any lessons they can for the last game as they prepare for the next game. They also often find out the hard way that if they come in thinking they are destined for the championship game, there is a Cinderella team just waiting to prove them wrong no matter how good they are or think they are.

So let us withdraw for this Holy Week, let our injuries heal, nourish our souls and our bodies for the work ahead, and prepare us for the day after Easter to move swiftly forward with all our hearts, minds, strength and spirits to what’s next.

Prayer: Lord, help us incorporate the lessons we have learned from our time of study and meditation through Lent into our work on what is next in your call for our service. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.