2019 Lent Daily Devotional

LENT 2019 DAILY DEVOTIONAL

ABOUT THE PAINTING FEATURED ON THE COVER Ann Wilhite, alumna, former history teacher, and co-author of Midland’s history, gave this Clemmons Hall Chapel organ pipes painting to Midland University as a memorial to her husband Dr. Charles Wilhite, who chaired the music department for more than 40 years and was chapel organist.

The painting is by former art teacher, Millie Trader.

k INTRODUCTION The season of Lent has historically been a time when Christians reflect on their relationship with God and the meaning of Christ’s death and resurrection for our lives. This period of forty days (minus Sundays) begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes on Easter Sunday. For many it is a time of growth through spiritual disciplines and more intentional reflection.

This Lent we have invited the broader community of Midland University to reflect on what it means to be a community “in Christ.” This devotional is filled with writings from many different perspectives. The authors were invited to select their own scriptures. Surprisingly there was no duplication of scriptures in their selection, a reminder of how much of scripture teaches us about community.

Each of the authors are associated with Midland and part of our “community.” There are writings from graduates of Luther and Midland, graduates of the ‘50s to recent graduates, faculty, staff, parents, and Jody Horner, our university president. Some serve as seminary professors, some missionaries, some are retired, and others are just getting started in their careers. Together they are part of Midland’s community and we hope their diverse voices help you reflect on what community means.

There are devotionals for each day of the week. The devotional for each Wednesday is written by a current or recently graduated student. Each devotion has a short biography of its author. The Saturday devotions are a short reflection on the Gospel lesson for the following Sunday. For those in a traditional church this may help you reflect on the text read during Sunday worship.

Every Sunday introduces a spiritual disciple. You are encouraged to try each of these practices for the day or the coming week. Most devotionals include scripture in the pages, some only include references. (Particularly the Saturday devotionals.) If you do not have a Bible you can look up the text at Bible.com. We trust you will find a diverse set of perspectives that guide you in your own reflections. May the Spirit work in and through your season of Lent as you continue to discover what it means to be “in Christ.”

This is our first effort at such a devotional. While we attempted to reach out to alumni who have, or are, serving the Church we undoubtedly missed numerous alumni who serve in such a capacity. If we missed you, please accept our apologies and let us know so that we can invite you to participate in future devotional guides.

Yours in Christ,

REV. DR. JOHN EGGEN

Major Gifts Officer | Midland University eggen@midlandu.edu | 402-512-0090

WEEK 1

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6 ASH WEDNESDAY

k “Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.” - Luke 9:51-53, NKJV When the time comes to begin my Lenten preparation, I usually go to this passage of Scripture. We are told it was time. Jesus knew it was time, His time. It was time for Him to begin His journey to Jerusalem.

There are a couple of things that I like here. One is that He “set His face.” He was determined to go and finish what His Father had sent Him to earth to do, to give His life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. Nothing was going to stop Him as he made His way from the Galilee region south to Jerusalem. Another is the fact that it was a journey. This was the final journey Jesus took to accomplish our salvation.

We all take journeys in life, and Lent should be a journey of personal reflection and discovery. We reflect on our own lives, to think about how we have lived. Discovery points us ahead to what we might change in our lives to be a better Christian.

Your journey won’t always be an easy one, I know mine wasn’t. But stay focused, be determined and set goals to work toward in life. Use this time during Lent to ask for God’s help and guidance. As you pray for God’s Will in your life, listen and look for his response.

As you do, I believe your journey will be a blessed one.

For Reflection: • During Lent, ask yourself if you are growing closer to Christ, or are you drifting away from Him?

k REV. KEVIN BENGTSON

Rev. Kevin Bengtson is a Midland Alum and Nebraska native who has served as a Pastor for the past 30 years throughout the Midwest. Kevin currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee where he is a bi-vocational Pastor.

WEEK 1

THURSDAY, MARCH 7

k CROSSING THE LINE Scripture: Amos 5:21-24 “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

This passage of scripture is often quoted from the Bible. It was spoken in the eighth century BC by a man who seemed to have few credentials giving him any moral authority or influence. Amos was a lowly shepherd of the southern Kingdom of Judah and a prophet of God. Angered by the injustice and ungodliness of his neighbors to the north (Israel), he crossed the border and spoke out in condemnation of their sins. “He literally crossed the line!”

When I was a boy, disagreements were often settled by drawing a line on the ground and being dared to cross it. To do so meant trouble, especially when faced by a much stronger opponent. But when right and wrong were at stake, it was crossed. Amos was confronted with this kind of line in the sand, daring him to keep his distance and mind his own business. But he was not to be silenced.

Of course this outspoken prophet of God did not know Jesus. It was centuries too early for that. But he did have within him the Word of God—BIG TIME! It stirred within him like a smoldering fire. The apostle John begins his gospel with the belief that the Word and Christ are one and the same. Thus Amos had the Christ/Word in him (the Logos), and it was that Word that gave him authority to cross the line and address the offenses of the northern kingdom. His message was that God didn’t care about false outward signs of piety and religious practices. God demanded justice and righteousness. Religious observances alone could not cover the stench of Israel’s treatment of the sick, the poor, the orphaned and widowed. God wanted justice and righteousness to wash over Israel like a flooding stream over its banks.

During this season of Lent we are given the opportunity to examine once more the power of the Logos in our lives. We look to the Cross — and see in it the line Jesus himself crossed for our redemption. The lines of justice and righteousness are being drawn on soil throughout the world. In Christ’s name, Cross the line!

Continued...

March 7, Continued...

For Reflection: • As you experience the Church today, how would you rate its response to social justice issues at home and abroad?

• Amos was just one man seeking justice. Who stands out in your mind today as someone with a similar mission?

• We live in a divided and often secular culture with different views related to justice.

Where does one begin (particularly in the Christian community) to bring people together? Is “godliness” still a word that resonates with people you know?

k DAVID W. GIESCHEN

A native Nebraskan, (born in Leigh, NE, in 1934), Gieschen graduated from Fremont High School in 1951 and Midland College in 1956 with a degree in Speech and Theater. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Central Lutheran Theological Seminary (also in Fremont at that time) in 1960 and was ordained that same year. He served congregations in Oklahoma and Kansas. In 1967, he was awarded the Master of Arts degree from Kansas State University in Theater and Philosophy. Called to serve on the church-wide staff of the former Lutheran Church in America in 1969 (now the ELCA) he served as a writer/editor and Field Secretary to several synods of the LCA. He retired in 1990 but continued to serve the Church in various capacities.

Married to the late Elaine Thomas (’58), Pastor Gieschen has three children, eight grandchildren and a great-grandchild. Sailing, outdoor adventures and traveling have been his passion over the years. Now retired, he lives in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh.

WEEK 1

FRIDAY, MARCH 8

k “As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” - Galatians 3: 27 St. Paul is writing to Christians, but his message was for all people. Christian teaching informs all human relationships and communities. Paul affirms, as God pleasing, those communities which are diverse, reconciled and living at peace. NO MORE DISTINCTIONS! NO MORE DISPARITIES! NO MORE DIVISIONS! This timeless vision for church and society is clearly meant for us. Today, some folks reject inclusive community and angrily retreat to a mean-spirited and exclusive tribalism. Deep down, we know that we diminish and limit ourselves when we do so. Distinctions, disparities and divisions may be exploited by some “leaders” in their drive to be “winners.” But in the end, these things will surely make sad losers of us all. Paul and Jesus knew that and they told us so.

My native hometown values were solid. I cherish those roots. But Midland provided experiences of a wider community. A Jewish lad from South Africa, a Muslim student from Iran, African-Americans and an Irish Catholic (now my best friend from that time) from Chicago’s South Side, students from Tanzania, all of them at our small Lutheran liberal arts college in Nebraska. Even California and Hawaii were represented! I was inspired by my social contacts and studies to engage with diverse people and even to head overseas for the first time. It was just a taste of reconciled diversity, imperfect reconciliation to be sure, not diverse in all respects. But Midland’s finest Christian witness to me was an experience of community above and beyond the narrow tribalism, fearful defensiveness and resilient bigotry which eat away at local communities and our country. Midland was faithful to the inclusive, transcendent vision of Jesus and Paul. For that gift I am grateful. It has informed and enriched my life and work to this day, and it has made the world a better place for us all.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive us when we fail to see you in the “other ones,” and make us instruments of your justice, reconciliation and peace. Amen For Reflection: • What distinctions, disparities and divisions do you believe inhibit healthy, inclusive community?

• How can a more diverse and just community be realized?

REV. DEAN BARD

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Rev. Dean Bard ’67, now retired, served most recently at Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church in Omaha. He served two calls in Chicago, two in Germany and was on the synod staff of the Delaware-Maryland Synod, ELCA, in Baltimore before returning to Omaha in 2006.

WEEK 1

SATURDAY, MARCH 9

k TEMPTATION IN THE DESERT Scripture: Luke 4:1-13 The Gospels don’t tell us much about Jesus’s childhood. We know about Jesus’s birth, then he’s left/lost in the Temple, and then we skip forward to his baptism and temptation and Jesus is about 30 years old (See Luke 3:23.)

The temptation of Jesus is seen as an important moment in the beginning of Jesus’s ministry, which begins following his time in the desert. We might be tempted to ask why Jesus would be tempted but I think that focuses on the wrong thing. It tempts us to ask about God’s intention, the same kind of temptation Jesus is led to in this story.

This story is about our own temptations, and specifically our temptations to demand that God gives us provision, power, and proof. We see Jesus being tempted to turn stones into bread. Seems reasonable, after all Jesus taught us to pray for our “daily bread.” But do we really pray for that? Or do we pray for much more than that? Do we rely on God for our daily bread or want enough to be sure we can rely on ourselves? It’s also a temptation to power. We want to be in control of our lives. We pray “may your Kingdom come” but how often would we rather be in charge of our lives? We are tempted to demand proof of God. To set up a situation where we demand God to show up rather than have a still, silent faith trusting for God to come at the right time, in the right way, in God’s way.

As you reflect on Jesus’s own temptation in the desert, reflect on how you seek provision, power, and proof from God. Is it yours to demand? Is it yours to ask for? What might God be teaching you in the moments you are tempted with these?

k REV. DR. JOHN EGGEN

John Eggen serves as the Major Gift Officer at Midland University. John is an ELCA Pastor and graduated from UNL, Boston University (M.Div) and Luther Seminary (D.Min.) John has written the Saturday and Sunday devotionals for this booklet.

WEEK 2

SUNDAY, MARCH 10

k FASTING “Jesus answered him, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’” - Luke 4:4 The practice of fasting is introduced early in scripture. Often fasting is done in a situation demanding additional focus. During times of discernment one might “fast and pray.” In a time of mourning you read of “fasting and weeping.” In a time if repentance one would put on sackcloth and fast in sort of visual display of remorse and apology. Fasting is a means to deepen our reflection - whether it be one of sadness, prayer, remorse, or even joy.

Traditionally fasting is done through abstaining from food. (Think of break-fast, you are breaking the fast from the previous night.) Some individuals chose to practice this method of fasting by abstaining from one, or more, meals. Others might fast from a certain type of food (e.g. giving up chocolate for Lent.) Others choose to fast from activities or modern practices, e.g. “taking a break” from social media. You could fast from watching television, games, limit your time online, etc. Notice though that none of these things are necessarily bad for you? Fasting isn’t about healthier choices, it is about purposefully abstaining from something you’ve become dependent upon. In your period of fasting, even if it’s just a few hours, reflect on how important that food, activity, device, etc. has become in your life.

Should you be that dependent on it? In what ways do you experience God through it, or through the absence of it?

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WEEK 2

MONDAY, MARCH 11

k I’ve never written a devotional before. Perhaps this is something college presidents should automatically know how to do, but I don’t. Rev. Dr. John Eggen asked me if I’d be willing to write one for this series, and share my thoughts on what it means to be “engaged in community in Christ.”

So, like any good college student would do, I Googled “how to write a Lenten devotional.”

Who knew a plethora of resources, ranging from books to downloadable templates, would pop up? I glanced through a few articles that told me I must write a “succinct and powerful message” distilled down to between 150-175 words. Nervous, I said a quick prayer asking God to help me find those right 150-175 words, 122 of which I have already used up.

I turned, as I often do, to our mission statement for inspiration. Midland University’s mission, the reason we exist, is to, “Inspire people to learn and lead in the world with purpose.” I have often called upon this statement to help guide me in decisions and to make choices that best serve our students and our community.

To me, being “in the world with purpose” is synonymous with being “engaged in community in Christ.” God calls us to serve our neighbors and to share the message of hope with those who suffer. Our works of love bring justice, liberation and restoration to those who are marginalized. To be engaged in community in Christ is to be in the world with purpose, and I am privileged to witness this day in and day out on our campus.

The season of Lent is a time for reflection and introspection as God calls us to think about the meaning of his death and resurrection. We deepen our faith as we prepare to receive the good news that Christ is risen and receive the joyful sound of alleluias. We go forth as a result to do God’s ministry, together as a community in Christ, serving the world “with purpose.”

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” - Ephesians 2:10 “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” - 1 Peter 4:10 For Reflection: • How can you be “in the world with purpose” and utilize your gifts and talents to serve your neighbor?

• What is it that God wants you to learn and how does He call you to lead?

JODY HORNER

Midland University President

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WEEK 2

TUESDAY, MARCH 12

k “Jesus said, ‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:18 (NIV) When Rev. Fred Neudoerffer was recruiting personnel for The Division of Global Mission, he told me that there were more missionaries serving on mission fields around the world from Midland College than from any other college or university in the United States. The Church sent Arlene and me to Liberia in West Africa. There we met four Midlanders: Liberian, Roland Payne, who became Bishop, Rev. Cliff Grosenbacher, Rev. Mel and Shirley Langland. We understood that we were obeying Jesus’s command to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. We were to bear witness to the good news that God loves everyone, and to tell the story of Jesus, the Savior of all who believe in him. We wanted to be faithful witnesses.

What we did not realize was that being a witness to the gospel would allow us to witness truly amazing acts of God and the power of God’s Holy Spirit. Our parishes included seventeen Loma villages. Each village had an evangelist or literacy teacher. Cliff and I would visit, baptize three or four members of the baptism class and serve communion to the few Christians in that village. In 1967 we were surprised when Cliff baptized one class of fifty.

I had twenty adults in one village, seventeen in another. In several villages the baptized included every member of large families. It was the beginning of the People Movement of the Loma Tribe into the Church. We proposed training some of the most faithful evangelists to be ordained deacons, so they could baptize and serve communion in their village congregations. Bishop Roland Payne agreed to our experiment. By 1970, ordaining lay deacons became the practice for the whole Lutheran Church in Liberia. When the Civil War broke out, all the missionaries had to leave. Bishop Payne and several Liberian pastors were killed. But the Christians in 200 villages were still able to receive both Word and Sacrament from the ordained deacons. Be a witness for Jesus, and you will be surprised by the world changing power of God you will be allowed to witness.

k THE REV. JOE WOLD

The Rev. Joe Wold (M’55) and his wife Arlene (M’56) served as missionaries to Liberia from 1959-74 and in Peru from 1975-84. Pastor Wold is the author of “God’s Impatience in Liberia” Eerdmans 1977, and two books about Loma proverbs and church growth in Liberia: “If a Leopard Licks Your Nose, He wants to Eat Your Brain” and “If You Throw a Bird Up in the Air, You Are Not the One Who Taught the Bird to Fly” © 2012.

WEEK 2

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13

k Scripture: The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats or (The Final Judgment) - Matt. 25: 31-46 Christian community is a redundant phrase. To be Christian is to be in community, or at least it should be. Yet so often we fail to truly care for those around us. Christ’s message to his believers is always one of love for the outsider. That is, his message is to welcome all with grace and to care for the needs of those marginalized by society. In his ministry, Jesus consistently seeks out the “least of these” and calls for us to do the same. However, we seek to maintain the status quo of our own identity rather than living out the radical grace made possible through Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus calls us to two great commandments: to love God and to love our neighbor (Matt. 22: 36-39). As in the parable of the Sheep and the Goats, so often loving God and our neighbor are one in the same, and it is upon this commandment that everything else is written. Mark Allan Powell, NT Professor at Trinity Lutheran Seminary, phrases it as this: “Miss these, says Jesus, and you have missed it all.” As much as we hate to admit it, we all gravitate toward ignoring Jesus’s call to love our neighbor, to live in true community. We ignore opportunities to be a change in our communities and love others. This season of Lent, let us hear Jesus’s words to love all in our community, to turn away from our selfish tendencies, and to instead seek community with God and God’s children.

For Reflection: • We belong to many different communities. For example, while I was at Midland, I was a member of a fraternity, on the Res. Life team, involved with Bible studies, and in the Education department. Each of these, while related and in close proximity, had very different cultures and identities. Describe the communities to which you belong. Are there similarities or differences between these groups?

• Who do you think of when you hear “the least of these”? Why is that? How does this relate with your answers above?

• Do any of your communities currently seek out ways to love God and neighbor? If so, what are they? If not, what could you do to begin change?

EVAN CHRISTENSEN

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Evan Christensen, ’15, currently lives in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where he and his wife, Hillary, attend United Lutheran Seminary. They are both M. Div candidates to be rostered ministers in Word and Sacrament for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Before answering his call to public ministry, Evan was a special education teacher for Elkhorn Public Schools. While at Midland University, he was active in various Campus Ministries.

He is thankful for the opportunity to continue to serve the Midland Community through contributing to the Lenten Devotional.

WEEK 2

THURSDAY, MARCH 14

k WHAT IT MEANS TO BE IN CHRIST “A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25 But he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26 But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. 27 For who is greatest, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.” - Luke 22:24-27 Lent, of course, means literally spring time. Spring is like a journey from winter to summer, death to life. Lent likewise is a journey. A time to travel with Christ as he moves toward the cross and the empty tomb. In fact Christ’s life is a journey from the crib, to the cross, to the empty crypt.

To be in Christ is the willingness to travel with him and in Christ’s words to travel with him is not a journey to greatest but a journey to be a servant.

To be in Christ is a daily willingness to serve. Being a servant does not always mean being in the background waiting tables. Christ was not in the background but allowed his servant hood to lead him to the cross. Many great servants like Martin Luther King and so many other great servants served from the front.

To be in Christ allows us to look for the opportunities to reach out to others…to recognize those who might be ignored by others.

Our life journey in Christ can allow us to in a sense be born again and journey from our crib to the Lent (Spring Time) of servant hood to the day of our empty crypt. An empty crypt both in terms looking forward to heaven but also to the times servant hood allows to empty our personal crypts of not seeing the needs of others.

Enjoy a journey of time in Christ.

k MARLIN CARLSON

Marlin Carlson a retired pastor of 39 years in the parish. Serving Churches in Omaha (4 years), Milwaukee, Wisconsin (22+ years), and Brookfield, Wisconsin (12+ years).

WEEK 2

FRIDAY, MARCH 15

k COMMUNITY IN CHRIST LOVE “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” - 1 John 4:16 When I first read that God wanted me not only to know His love but to Believe He is Love, and that He loves me and that His love was living in me!

It was so hard to come to a place of believing God could love me, since I struggled for years seeking love and acceptance from severe rejection, abandonment, anger, unforgiveness, shame, guilt, insecurity and rebellion.

But God revealed Himself to me in way I could know and experience His unconditional love by revealing a picture of a baby that was crying and He asked me if that baby does anything wrong will I love it?

I responded I didn’t know a baby could keep me up all night (colic) but after I thought of everything a baby could do, I said “God what can a baby do to keep me from loving it?

Exactly! That’s how I love You.” Right then and there I knew I was totally accepted and filled with God’s unconditional love and forgiveness through eternity.

With that revelation of God’s love, it not only healed me and filled a big hole in my heart, but God began to teach me how to love and forgive all who have wounded, rejected, and betrayed me including my family, work place, broken relationships, and most of all God himself, whom I had much anger. Wherever I go, I know now, God will help me to see them and to love them as He does! He will do the same for you. Love always heals! Always gives!

Cares! Community!!!

k PASTOR POLLY SANDERS-PETERSON

Pastor Polly Sanders-Peterson is the author of “Love Search,” “Power Of Perseverance,” and “WITH HIM” (Amazon) and parent of recent Midland alumni. www.covenanthouseoflove.com 1-877-744-2122

WEEK 2

SATURDAY, MARCH 16

k TRANSFIGURATION Scripture: Luke 9:28-36 The transfiguration can be an odd text to look at if you consider all that is occurring. Jesus climbs a mountain to pray to God, is surrounded by a speaking and glowing cloud and the disciples see dead people. Obviously a positive experience because the disciples want to commemorate the moment with what we might consider a monument. This is a text which can be challenging to understand without understanding the depth of symbolism found in the presence of Moses and Elijah. Even without this understanding meaning can be found in what we learn about community in this text.

We see a few important elements of community in this text. First, is the community within the Triune God. Often, people suggest that the Trinity is not in scripture. Here we clearly see differentiation between Jesus and God as Jesus prays to God and God reveals pleasure in who Jesus is. We also see Jesus’s invitation to be a part of God’s community and ministry.

He invites Peter, John, and James to the mountain with him. When they are awed by the events on the mountain he also leads them back into the world after the experience.

This could have been Jesus’s moment with God just as Moses left everyone behind for his moment with God on Mt. Sinai. But he invites the disciples, just as he continues to invite us into relationship and ministry today. When do you feel that God invited you into a sacred moment in life? Who did you go with? Who would you want to go with?

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WEEK 3

SUNDAY, MARCH 17

k LECTIO DIVINA The phrase Lectio Divina literally means “divine reading.” It is a practice which invites us to view scripture as God speaking to us as the living word of God. We know that good listening involves paying attention to the person speaking: making eye contact, not letting our thoughts wander, taking time to hear rather than just preparing to respond, and taking time to process what has been said. We aren’t always good listeners though and sometimes we listen to respond, or really don’t listen at all and our minds are elsewhere.

God speaks to us through scripture and Lectio Divina, an ancient process which invites us to better listen to what God has to say to us. Traditionally there are four phases to Lectio Divina: read, meditate, contemplate and pray. Today you are invited to use this practice, perhaps on the text below, from today’s readings, or another of your choosing. Read it once, take your time, then stop. Meditate on the text, the words, take time just being in the text.

What word or phrase stands out? Contemplate and think about what you have noticed.

Why do those words stand out? What might God be saying to you? Then pray about the text, about what you’ve heard, and the questions you are asking. Finally, some add a fifth phase: Act. “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.” - Philippians 3:20

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WEEK 3

MONDAY, MARCH 18

k “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

- Galatians 6:2 Andrew Root is professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary. At a conference I attended this year, he shared the insight that - ministry is not a technology.

He went on to share his concern that the church, at times, treats ministry as if it is a technology; using this same pattern of tech companies: identifying problems that people are facing, providing new forms that solve those problems, and expecting exponential growth because of it. He used the endless versions of cell phones as an example.

Solving people’s problems - I believe we all can be tempted to think that this is the goal of our life as followers of Jesus as well, but Dr. Root suggested that if this is our starting place for living out our faith, that we need a “theological turn.”

For me, this is a critical truth. Being “in Christ” and living out our faith is not primarily about solving problems. Like Jesus’s life, it’s about being present with one another in the midst of suffering and brokenness when there are no easy answers.

Life “in Christ” is about relationships, community, regularly being vulnerable, sharing the joys and burdens we carry in our hearts and minds, making faith claims about who our God is, and experiencing those very faith claims through one another’s presence. I also believe this experience within community secures us, sets us free and compels us to be that same presence for all others that we encounter.

For Reflection: • In what groups or communities are you able to regularly share both your highs and lows, joy and sorrows, accomplishments and struggles?

• Within those relationships, through words and actions, do you also experience and share the promises of our faith – love, forgiveness and unconditional claim?

k PASTOR AL DUMINY

Pastor Al Duminy is the pastor at Sinai Lutheran Church, which is just across the parking lot from Midland University. He loves connecting with Midland students, staff and faculty, and he is regularly at the dining hall for lunch.

WEEK 3

TUESDAY, MARCH 19

k GIFT OF LIVING IN COMMUNITY “Blessed you who are poor.” - Luke 6:20 Living in community grants us the wonderful opportunity to receive the gifts of others.

Perhaps chief among these gifts is receiving the witness of another person’s experience of God. In my life of faith, I have come to discover that people have an experience of God that I cannot live without. This is especially true of those who are economically poor.

People who live in poverty have so much to teach us, especially about what is most important in life. They do not have the luxury of assuming that external things will offer them fulfillment. They don’t have access to them. They find life at a deeper, more available, and more simple level. In that, they have a huge head start in the spiritual life, and that is probably why Jesus begins his Sermon on the Plain with the very direct “Blessed you who are poor” (Luke 6:20).

While sitting in a modest hut on the lower slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro an elderly Tanzanian woman once told me: “We have nothing except God and one another.” I believe that’s the only thing the Gospel ever promised us. It offers us a path to God and a path to one another.

For Reflection: • When was your faith life shaped by another’s person’s experience of God? • How have you experienced the Gospel as a path to God and a path to another?

k THE REV. MARTIN RUSSELL

The Rev. Martin Russell is the husband of Lori and the father of Grace. A 1986 graduate of Midland University, Martin is a Lutheran pastor and serves as the Director of Africa Operations for the Opportunity Education Foundation.

WEEK 3

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20

k “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the member of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.” - 1 Corinthians 12:12;26 NRSV As a youth pastor, I am quite lucky to be engaged in a community in Christ on a regular basis. I also get to help lead the younger generation build up their community in Christ. The times over the past year that stick out the most have one of two things in common. The first is when a student starts to really dive into a discussion, and I can see God working in their hearts and minds. The second is in times of service, not because we are “fixing” someone, but because we get to hear their voice and learn from how God is working in their story.

I used to try to experience Christ on my own, but He called me to this church community, which has helped me deepen my relationship with Him. God works through others in really powerful ways – no matter how small. John Wesley said there is “no holiness but social holiness,” and I have come to realize how true that is. The way God has worked through the people in my church community this year has helped me to better understand Him. This year, I have started to lose my hearing, and I cannot imagine trying to cope without the support of my community in Christ. They help me remember God’s promises on the days I forget. They help me not to be afraid, because God is with me wherever I go (see Joshua 1:9). God works through them in many ways – even in the small reminders that I’m not the only member of the congregation with a hearing aid!

I am a member of the body of Christ. I need it, and it needs me, which is the perfect balance.

For Reflection: • How has God worked through others to reach you?

• How has God worked through you to reach someone else? How could you live more in Christ to allow Him to reach others through you?

HANNAH MICHELLE BUSSA

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Hannah Michelle Bussa plans to go to a Methodist seminary and be ordained as a deacon.

She wants to make churches more accessible to those who are deaf, hard of hearing, or live with disabilities.

WEEK 3

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

k The “personal” nature of Christian faith is important to me. Christ died for me; the sacraments are for me; the Holy Spirit calls me, guides me. I, a sinner seeking grace, comfort and guidance in the world, have a savior who is indeed “personal.”

But it is never just “Me and Jesus” nor is it simply “My God.” When Paul writes to the church in Corinth, he addresses his letter to “those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints,” but then he adds “together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord.” (I Cor. 1:2) Being in Christ means that I am joined with others who are in Christ, both in my time and place and in ages past and other places.

I cannot deliver the sacraments to myself, I need the Church and the others in the Body of Christ to gather and celebrate. I can pray alone, but prayers with others and worship with others brings all the power of fellowship and community and the Holy Spirit directly into my spiritual life. I can serve my neighbor but love of neighbor is a more powerful witness to the Gospel when it is communal.

I need others and the Church or my faith in Christ will become so personal that it is easily warped by my own sinfulness and ego. My brothers and sisters in Christ and the teachings and traditions of the Church keep me on track and balanced.

For Reflection: • How does being with others strengthen your faith?

• How can you help others find the “community” that will strengthen their faith?

k CHARLES AUSTIN

Charles Austin is a 1963 graduate of Midland, and a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He has also worked as a journalist for The Record (Hackensack, New Jersey), the Hearst News Service, Religion News Service and The New York Times. His freelance articles have appeared in many newspapers and magazines. He and his wife, Janet, also a 1963 graduate, live in Plymouth, Minnesota.

WEEK 3

FRIDAY, MARCH 22

k Here’s the problem with the word love.

I say I love pizza and I love my wife. But these aren’t the same at all. I’m comparing my soul mate to a slice of pepperoni.

I say I love Hawaiian shirts and I love Jesus. But these aren’t the same.

I’m comparing my Savior to a shirt dyed with palm trees.

English has only one word to describe the many ways I express love. But the New Testament, written in Greek, has four distinct words I can use.

First, Storge. Family love. The love of mom for her children. Grandpa for grandkids. Storge enabled Joseph to forgive his brothers, Ruth to cling to her mother-in-law Naomi.

Second, Philia. Friendship love. David for Jonathan. Jesus for his disciples, Greater love has no one than this than to lay down his life for his friends.

Third, Eros. Passionate love. Your passion for farming, teaching, rooting for the Huskers, great music, a sunset, playing that sport, making the quilt, feeding the hungry. The romance between Samson and Delilah, David and Bathsheba. The lovers in Song of Solomon.

Fourth. Agape.Agape is how God loves - unconditional, unselfish, totally giving, focused on the other. For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

For Reflection: • When was the last time you told your family, friends, lover, even Jesus what they mean to you? Do this today. We all need to know we are loved, hear the words.

• Which of the 4 ways we love is the hardest for you right now? Easiest? Why?

k PASTOR RON YOUNGERMAN

Pastor Ron Youngerman, Class of ’73, is currently retired after 42 years of parish ministry in the Nebraska Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Married, the father of seven children, grandfather to 12 grandchildren. Living at Lake Minatare, Nebraska.

WEEK 3

SATURDAY, MARCH 23

k BEARING FRUIT Scripture: Luke 13:1-9 This text appears to be a cautionary text about God’s judgment. That might be fitting given that Lent is to be a time of reflection on our need for God’s grace. This text certainly does call us to such a reflection, but also is a reminder of what divine judgment is and is not.

Jesus asks, “do you think because these Galileans suffered in this way that they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?” He asks this question because the common perception was that bad things happen to bad people. The implication by others was that the suffering some faced was a result of their sinfulness. Jesus makes the point that this is not the case, but bad things happen not as a punishment for sin but as a result of others sin. In other words the Galileans did not suffer because of their sin, but they suffered because of Pilot’s sinful choices.

This calls them to reflect on their own choices. They are not better than the others. It is also a reminder that it does matter how we live, we are to produce fruit. The late Dietrich Bonhoeffer warns of “cheap grace” which lives knowing God forgives and so it doesn’t matter how we live. We are also warned against seeing our life as something that earns God’s love, because it’s not that either. Discipleship falls somewhere in between. Where are you tempted to consider yourself better than others? How does this attitude tend to destroy community? How does bearing fruit build community? How does your community serve as the vineyard in which you are planted?

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WEEK 4

SUNDAY, MARCH 24

k STEWARDSHIP “Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.” - 1 Peter 4:10 Stewardship is often a topic that is more likely to be seen as something to avoid rather than a spiritual discipline. We think that stewardship is codeword for “we need your money.”

That’s probably because we tend to associate stewardship to giving, but that’s not what stewardship is about at all. As you think about this spiritual discipline begin by taking a mental inventory of all you have in life thinking through family, health, home, gifts, skills, passions, careers and resources. Take a few minutes to really think about your life and thank God for those things you have.

Stewardship is about being a steward, which is another word for someone who is a caretaker.

A good caretaker both protects that which is entrusted to them but also makes decisions on behalf of the other person. As a spiritual discipline it reminds us that we are called to take care of what God has entrusted to us. All those things we thought about moments ago?

We are called to be stewards of those things, called to take care of them and make decisions about how to use them as God would want us to. Take time reflecting on what you have as you go through your day. Thank God for those things and think about what it means to be a steward of what God has given you.

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WEEK 4

MONDAY, MARCH 25

k “After [Jesus] had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.” - John 13:12–15 Today’s passage is part of Jesus’s Passion. He had returned to Jerusalem and gathered his followers together for the Last Supper. To begin the event, Jesus went around the table, washing the feet of those gathered. After doing so, Jesus spoke the words we see here, calling the community to wash one another’s feet following his example. First a bit of context: people at the time generally wore sandals, so their feet were often dirty. Guests’ feet were often washed as a sign of hospitality, and that washing was carried out by servants. As a result, it was a surprise to see Jesus, the “Lord and Teacher,” washing the feet of his disciples. That’s not what was expected—in fact, it wasn’t acceptable at all, as Peter makes clear in verse eight when he tells Jesus: “You will never wash my feet!”

Jesus lived and taught in ways that overturned social expectations, whether through his parables, in which the reign of God is compared to such an unlikely thing as a mustard seed, or in the company he kept with those most shunned by the society of his time: prostitutes, lepers and those who collected taxes for the Roman empire. Jesus wasn’t bound by social norms about what was respectable, what was expected, what was “proper.” Instead, he committed himself to loving everyone—particularly those others thought were not worthy of love. By doing so, he lived out the knowledge that all are created in God’s image; all are imbued with dignity and worthy of love; all are equal. And by washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus makes this clear once more. As Sandra Schneiders explains, “By washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus overcame by love the inequality which existed by nature between himself and those whom he had chosen as friends.” Note the final verse of today’s passage: “you also should do as I have done to you.”

Jesus does more than overcome inequality; he also calls us to build a community of equality.

For Reflection: • What role has Jesus played in your life? What concrete steps can you take this season to “also . . . do as [Jesus has] have done to you”?

• What might it mean for you to give up the idea that some people should have power over others? How might you begin to change your place in society and your relationships to live out Jesus’s example?

k JEREMY REHWALDT

Jeremy Rehwaldt has taught at Midland University since 2002.

WEEK 4

TUESDAY, MARCH 26

k “I (Jesus) give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” - John 13:34-35 Right after Jesus washes his friends feet on the night he was arrested he gives them a new command. To love others the exact same way Jesus loved them. As followers of Jesus we are to do the same. Through the help of the Holy Sprint, we are to show everyone we meet the unconditional love, grace, forgiveness, and mercy that Jesus shows us.

We are to show all these wonderful gifts of the Holy Spirit through our relationships. Each one of us has a relationship with God and God calls us to have relationships with others.

Having faith in God is not just a private matter and we are called to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to all people we encounter.

For me, it all starts with making that connection with someone and cultivating a relationship. Once there is a relationship established that is when the Holy Spirit takes over and connects the person with God in unique and powerful ways.

For Reflection: • How do you experience God’s unconditional love, grace, forgiveness, and mercy in your life?

• What relationship or relationships so you need to work on to show them God’s unconditional love, grace, forgiveness, and mercy and how will you share them?

PASTOR JEREMY FREYE

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Pastor Jeremy is the Associate Pastor of Mission and Outreach at Advent Lutheran Church in Melbourne, Florida. Pastor Jeremy is a graduate of Midland University (1999) and a graduate of Luther Seminary (2004). He has served congregations in Indiana, Nebraska, Texas, and Florida.

WEEK 4

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27

k YOUR ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY OF CHRIST “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” - Hebrews 10:24-25 There is one thing we can be certain of: Christ’s return. There will be a day that Christ returns to take his beloved children home with him. What are we to do until that day comes? The greatest commandment to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself” gives us a clear picture of what we are supposed to do (Matthew 22). Another thing that we can be certain of is that we will not always meet God’s expectations of this commandment. This is where the writer of Hebrews is encouraging God’s people to be a community as the body of Christ and “spur one another on.”

In a world where technology has made it easier and easier to accomplish things without meeting with people face to face, we must not overlook the importance and the benefit of gathering with brothers and sisters in Christ for encouragement and growth. God created his children to be in relation with one another and to share both struggles and successes as we aim to serve the Lord. Who can you meet with in the next week to encourage them in their relationship with the Lord?

k WESTON SHEPARD

Weston Shepard is senior Accounting Major at Midland University, Campus Ministry Leader, Student Hall Director, and Men’s Basketball Student Assistant.

WEEK 4

THURSDAY, MARCH 28

k Scripture: Romans 12:1-16, especially verses 1, 5, 9-13, 16 For Paul, Christian community is a family, as he signals with the words, “brothers and sisters” (vs. 1). In this family individuals remain individuals, but they are also members of each other and together comprise the body of Christ in this world (vs. 5).

In Romans 12, Paul outlines his hopes for how members of the family will treat each other.

The fundamental behavior is listed first: love, the Greek word agapē, which designates a love that is focused on the other and “genuine” (vs. 9, NRSV). Paul’s Greek says that such love is “unhypocritical,” literally “not play-acting.” It is the “real deal.” The rest of the chapter gives examples of how true love is not an act.

A surprising way that believers are to love is to “outdo one another in showing honor” (vs.

10b). The foundation of the Mediterranean world was, and is, honor and shame. People strive daily to gain honor (social-standing and respect). But in the Christian family honor is to be given away.

For Paul, love is to be expanded beyond the family. And so, vs. 13a, “Extend hospitality to strangers.” In addition, he advises believers, “associate with the lowly.” That is the opposite of how ancient Graeco-Roman culture operated—and is the opposite of our world, too.

The word for lowly designates someone who lacks honor. Paul calls the followers of Jesus not to condescend but rather to put themselves in the same place as those who have no honor and who are shame-filled.

For Reflection: • Who are the strangers and the lowly I will meet today? How can I show them God’s love?

• Where within the family of the church do I need to love more?

k REV. WALTER F. TAYLOR, JR., PH.D.

Rev. Walter F. Taylor, Jr., Ph.D., is the Ernest W. and Edith S. Ogram Professor Emeritus of New Testament Studies at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. He is a 1969 graduate of Midland.

WEEK 4

FRIDAY, MARCH 29

k “Soli Deo Gloria”...Bach signed that declaration to his compositions...“To God alone the Glory”...

As a music education major at Midland back in the 1970s, those words were a strong reminder for me to trust God to lead me through recitals, seminars, concerts, tours, music memorization, music juries, choir rehearsals and accompaniment. I look back on those years at times, and think of it as just one big giant “EXPLORE” time. Everything was new---even though I grew up on a farm near Fremont, exploring dorm life, new friends, courses and professors, holding down jobs...we were all still discovering, or exploring, who we were... what would my career be? Who might I meet? Would I marry? What role does faith play in this path called life? Thankfully, all those questions were answered eventually.

When we recall that all our efforts truly are credited to God alone, it humbles me to not get nervous, or choke, or refuse to participate....God is WITH US in all our journeys.

As we’ve faced retirement and a move to Minnesota, away from familiar family and friends, the transition has been good, but lonely at times, like time in the desert, wandering in the wilderness...exploring once again, who we are as mature Christians, what we can still offer, or how we can serve. Takes a lot of prayer...I remember once again, “Soli Deo Gloria”...give God the Glory, and stay focused on the exploration. Thankfully, we found a new church home here where we are welcomed and can be part of a faith community once again. With all the loneliness in our American culture, and the resulting violence in daily news events/ tragedies, I sense an abandonment by those younger than we are who have no sense of peace or community and that is a real sorrow. For them, I pray that they will once again explore their faith and embrace the Grace that is always there.

k NANCY SCHROEDER

Nancy Schroeder (’75) is married to Joel Schroeder (’75) and reside in Minnesota.

WEEK 4

SATURDAY, MARCH 30

k COMING HOME Scripture: Luke 15:11b-32 Each writer was challenged to reflect on what it means to be “in Christ” and how this leads us into community. Of all the Gospel texts in the season of Lent this is perhaps best expressed in the story of the prodigal son and how easily we break community. The younger son breaks the community of the family as he hears a promise of meaning outside of the family. He leverages the unconditional love of his father to get his inheritance and to go and pursue those voices which seem to call him. He quickly learns that acceptance is only found in the quiet voice calling him home. Boldly welcomed by his father, he’s equally judged by his older brother. His brother breaks community once again as he chooses judgment over forgiveness.

Henri Nouwen writes of this story in his book “Return of the Prodigal Son” that, “Faith is the radical trust that home has always been there and always will be there.” Not all homes are the same. Sometimes the judgment of the older son is found in the father or mother. In other cases unconditional love is not found anywhere at all. This isn’t about everyone else, it is about us. In what ways are we tempted to be like the older son? When have we been the younger son? How can we be the “father” to someone else in our lives? What role does forgiveness have in a renewed community for the prodigal son?

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WEEK 5

SUNDAY, MARCH 31 SABBATH

k “See! The LORD has given you the sabbath, therefore on the sixth day he gives you food for two days; each of you stay where you are; do not leave your place on the seventh day.” Exodus 16:29 When we think about sabbath we tend to think about the Ten Commandments and to “remember the sabbath day and keep it holy.” Sabbath is about honoring a day of rest and finding time in life to just be, to take sabbath and rest. It is a part of honoring God through rest and a break from our work. If sabbath is about honoring God, then it also ought to teach us something of our relationship with God. Perhaps what we are to learn in sabbath is how and why we often struggle to take time and take a break. Sabbath is about rest, but sometimes we struggle to find rest. Rest means solitude and defies productivity. It means we are not completing tasks. It means we are still, quiet and doing nothing.

So why do we often struggle to find sabbath? Sure our calendars are busy, but maybe the idea of doing nothing brings us less peace than filling our calendar with tasks and activities.

Why? Because to find rest means we have to trust that we have enough; that we are enough.

The Israelites are reminded that God gave them food for two days so they could rest. Jesus teaches us to pray, “give me this day my daily bread.” Not weekly or monthly - but daily. It is also about trust and about trusting that God has given us enough, that we are enough and so we rest.

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WEEK 5

MONDAY, APRIL 1

k Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46 Philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah poses a question: Why would a person be loyal to a fellow religious practitioner whom he doesn’t know at the expense of his neighbor, when there are millions of the former and only a few hundred of the latter? Identifying and loving our neighbors – the people who constitute our communities and to whom Jesus tells us we owe significant obligations, who may or may not be fellow Christians – can sometimes feel complicated.

Who is my neighbor? Where is the boundary of my community? In telling this parable, Jesus presumes that his listeners, who already know that they are to love their neighbors as themselves, might nevertheless struggle to do so. He identifies the neighbors who are the most in need: the hungry; the thirsty; the stranger; the naked; the sick; the imprisoned. Each of these people should be regarded as Christ, regardless of affiliation, background, or creed.

Jesus’s words are both demanding and terrifically straightforward: our job as Christians is to respond to each neighbor as though he or she is the embodiment of Christ. Implicit in his instructions is the reminder that we too are neighbors, and we too will have an hour of need.

The community we build is the community we live in.

Lutheran doctrine teaches us that we are saved by grace, not by works; when the parable is read through this lens, we can see that Jesus is not forecasting heaven for the few among us who live out our obligation or hell for those of us who fail to do so. Rather, he is giving new life to the ancient command to love, by connecting life in Christ with immediate, material care for anyone in need.

For Reflection: • Who are the neighbors I can easily see and respond to? What makes them visible to me?

• Who are the neighbors I overlook? Why?

k COURTNEY WILDER

Courtney Wilder is a member of Augustana Lutheran in Omaha and has taught at Midland University since 2008; her forthcoming book is entitled, “This is my Body? Disability and Christianity in Popular Culture.”

WEEK 5

TUESDAY, APRIL 2

k “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” - Galatians 2:20 High school wasn’t fun. I can’t really say that I was bullied. It was more that I was ignored.

Though I participated in sports teams, choirs, clubs, and other activities, I never really felt that I fit in.

Midland was my college choice, largely because it was small enough, and far enough away from home, that no one else in my high school class was considering it. I wanted a place where no one knew me as that sort of odd and introverted kid from high school. It would be a fresh start, a new beginning.

It worked. Possibly it was because, as I matured, I became a little less odd and introverted.

More likely, it was because I was in a more grown-up environment, where things like being in the “in” group mattered a bit less. At least, way back in a previous century, Midland was a more accepting, more close-knit place. I suspect (and hope) that it still is.

The Apostle Paul, writing to a small group of Christians who were struggling with what one had to do to be “in,” reminded them that joining a new community – finding a fresh start – is an experience common to people of faith. He told them that, if new beginnings really take hold of us, the old person “dies.” In our new life, we take on the traits, the expectations, the habits of our new community. We fit in.

The Christian sacrament of baptism is an enacting of just such new beginning. The baptized person dies to an old life, and is joined to the community called the Church. Martin Luther wrote that Christians have the opportunity to return to their baptism daily. He taught that we always have an opportunity for a fresh start, a new beginning. We can put our old life behind and join up with a new crowd, and thus become a new person.

Continued...

April 2, Continued...

For Reflection: • Life beyond high school and beyond college brings all sorts of opportunities for change and new beginnings. What new beginnings have you experienced thus far in life?

• To what fresh starts do you look forward?

• In what way can the groups in which you choose to live help you to become a new person?

k REV. DR. MARK D. JOHNS

Rev. Dr. Mark D. Johns, ’74, went to seminary after college, and served as pastor of Lutheran congregations in Iowa and Minnesota. In mid-life he returned to graduate school, then joined the faculty of communication studies at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. He is now retired and living in Minneapolis. His wife, Mary, ’73, and a daughter, Sarah, ’03, are also Midland alums.

WEEK 5

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3

k “Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.” - Matthew 5:4 Community can mean a lot of things to people. For me, community means a group of people coming together to help one another, whether that means offering a shoulder to cry on, helping someone with homework, or just listening to someone when they are having a bad day.

During my freshmen year of college, I lost two of my grandparents in a matter of a month of each other. I was struggling and hurting! I didn’t want to go to class, I didn’t help with the football team, I didn’t want to be at Midland. I wanted to withdraw from others and deal with this on my own as I grieved my losses. However, I was blessed to have a community that came around me as I mourned.

I was blessed in so many ways during that time. Not just by the men within my group of friends but by the whole Midland community. So many people were willing to sit down with me when they knew I was struggling. They listened to me and helped me process the losses of my grandparents, and grieve with me.

For me, community means that no matter how hard life gets for you others won’t let you slip into a rut. When they see that you start not to seem like yourself, they pull you aside and make sure you keep your head above water. They make sure that you keep a level head throughout everything that you go through. That is what community means to me.

That month of my life was filled with many tears, but as I mourned, I was blessed by all the people that provided comfort to me in my time of need.

For Reflection: • When is the last time that you have helped someone who is hurting?

• If you have been blessed by someone when you have been hurt, did you thank them?

k ALEX SMITH

Alex Smith is Religion Major at Midland University and a member of the football team. He is heavily involved in campus ministries, and huge Green Bay Packers fan.

WEEK 5

THURSDAY, APRIL 4

k COMMUNITY, ONENESS, RELIGION, & SPIRITUALITY Jesus prays for us: “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one.” - John 17:20 Several years ago, the author Ann Rice, famous for her vampire novels, declared that she was done with organized religion. She would remain “spiritual” and “committed to Christ” but she could no longer tolerate “organized religion,” at least in its current condition. Frankly, some of her criticism was valid. She set forth strong arguments in criticizing those parts of the church that had aligned themselves too closely with particular political causes, had become hypocritical in not taking seriously the call to love and care for others, had become exclusionary instead of welcoming and seeking a sense of “oneness.”

Yet, I believe that Rice is wrong in removing herself from “organized religion” or an organized “Christian community.” Through the experiences of my own life, I have come to believe strongly that: (1) Community is essential to the Christian faith. Jesus himself was critical of the “organized religion” of his day when it became too showy, insincere, and exclusionary. Yet, he continually preached the importance of developing a caring, loving community of believers.

(2) An active faith depends on relationships. Faith is learned and strengthened by hearing and discussing the Word with others, and worshiping with brothers and sisters in Christ. (3) Caring for “our neighbor,” the needy, the homeless, the sick, and those impacted by disasters requires organized responses, often led by the church. (4) When persons face times of crises, sadness or loneliness, a caring, loving Christian community makes a giant difference in their lives. Indeed, Jesus’s prayer for our becoming “one” is lived out when we, as God’s people, come together in a supportive community, centered in the Gospel.

For Reflection: • What is the role of “spirituality” and “community” as people of Midland seek to “learn and lead in the world with purpose”?

• Where can a sense of oneness and community best be found, on campus and off campus in today’s world?

REV. DR. BILL NELSEN

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Rev. Dr. Bill Nelsen, Midland, ’63, is an ordained pastor in the ELCA, former president of Augustana University (SD), academic dean of St. Olaf College, president of Scholarship America, University Minister and Acting President of Midland University, and Interim President of Episcopal Divinity School.

WEEK 5

FRIDAY, APRIL 5

k “The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’

In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’” - I Corinthians 11:23b-25 One of my greatest frustrations is driving down a highway or a back country road and coming across a sign that reads, road closed ahead. My first assumption is that means for everyone but me. Accordingly, I would drive around the barricade — sometimes even using the road ditch to do so.

Occasionally I am able to get a couple miles until I find a bridge out or a big hole in the road where a culvert had been removed — awaiting a replacement.

No matter why a road is closed and this sign is erected, the common element seems to be that there is something going on up ahead, something new is coming — a new way forward.

Jesus said in effect, the road of the old way of pleasing God — the covenant of law and justice, the sacrificial system of the Old Testament is now closed. Something brand new has come in its place. Jesus says, “I am opening a new road and its road signs are my own body and blood as they are conveyed in the earthly forms of bread and wine.”

This is to be a new understanding of God’s grace. A new road is opened.

For Reflection: • What road closed signs in your life have you come across and how have you handled the detours?

• To what new roads have those decisions led you?

k DELWAYNE HAHN

Delwayne Hahn (MLC ‘63) visitation pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Andover, Minnesota, has been a parish pastor, synod and church-wide staff member, and served 15 interims in Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota.

WEEK 5

SATURDAY, APRIL 6

k IRRESPONSIBLE GIVING Scripture: John 12:1-8 Bethany held a special place in Jesus’s life. It is a location he returns often to and it is there we find Jesus with his friends Lazarus, Mary and Martha. Martha has served him a meal.

Mary has a profound act of service. During the course of dinner Mary takes a costly jar of oil to anoint Jesus. This oil is said to be worth three hundred denarii, which would have been a years worth of wages for a common laborer. Mary doesn’t count the cost of this oil, but instead lavishly uses it in anointing Jesus, an act of devotion which also foreshadows Jesus’s death.

We live in a society which tends to focus on practical and responsible giving. I recall working with a group of refugees who demonstrated similar generosity. These individuals would work hard and earned good money, yet always just barely made ends meet. Why? Because they knew others who had even more need. They were regularly sending money back to their home communities and extended families. It wasn’t this giving that they saw as irresponsible, it was the hoarding that would be irresponsible to them. Jesus is also served here by a community, Lazarus who welcomes, Martha who feeds, Mary who anoints. In what ways are you called to serve in your community? What are the gifts God has given you to give to others? Is there place in your life you’re being called to be lavish in your devotion to Christ?

k

WEEK 6

SUNDAY, APRIL 7

k “Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you.” - Jeremiah 29:12 Your experience of what it means to “pray” likely varies greatly depending on how you grew up. Prayer might be a daily table prayer at home. Prayer might be saying the Lord’s Prayer, it might be a formal call/response prayer at church, or the prayer the pastors says and you say “amen” to. Prayer might be the silent words you say in your head. Prayer is really all of those things. Prayer isn’t just about routine or memorization though. Prayer is about having a conversation with God, a personal conversation with God. As you consider what it means for you to pray, think about how you’d want to talk with your family. You take time together. You go slow. Your words have meaning. You are vulnerable. You expose your heart. You don’t just ask, ask, ask for things like a kid in a candy aisle. Instead you ask about life - struggles, joys, challenges, doubts. That’s a conversation.

What is your prayer life like? Do you sound like a kid in a candy aisle? Do you just repeat memorized words? Don’t let prayer just be a tradition or one sided conversation. Make tradition your own. Take time to spend time with God, even if it’s the silence of saying “God I don’t know how to pray, teach me.” Say the Lord’s prayer, but say it slowly and take time paying attention to the words. When you pray for “daily bread” what does that actually mean? When you pray for God’s kingdom to come ask to understand what it looks like.

God promises to hear you.

k

WEEK 6

MONDAY, APRIL 8

k “Do this in remembrance of me.” 1st Corinthians 11:24 These words of Jesus were spoken as part of the Passover meal that Jesus celebrated with his disciples on the night before his death. That meal remembered the Exodus out of Egypt centuries before, and that meal is still celebrated in Jewish homes to this day. That meal became what Christians call “The Eucharist” or “Holy Communion” or the “Lord’s Supper” and is celebrated in churches throughout the world every Sunday to remember Jesus and what He asked us to do. The event behind this meal is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. These are two powerful events in Scripture and that power is demonstrated in how these meals continue and will continue into the future.

It is almost impossible to compare these meals and celebrations with any thing that we can imagine. I am a graduate of Luther Junior College in 1958 and after Luther merged in with Midland, graduates and others who attended Luther have gathered for what is called “Lutherfest” almost every other year since 1958. The highest attendance was in 1993 when 400 alumni and spouses gathered at Midland and remembered the history of Luther around a smorgasbord meal. My wife (we met at Luther) and I have attended several of these Lutherfests and have enjoyed reconnecting with friends and classmates, but we notice that attendance has been diminishing and now the planners are wondering how long it will continue. We graduates are getting up in years and many are no longer able to attend. And I can’t imagine our children and grandchildren attending when we are no longer here. This meal and celebration will pass into history. It does not have the power to go on.

There are other powerful meals that continue such as Thanksgiving and other holidays that usually center on a meal, but these are not celebrated throughout the world as “Holy Communion” is. Knowing this helps to strengthen my faith. Some event happened and continues to be celebrated Sunday after Sunday. That event, Jesus’s death and resurrection, gathers us in our local parishes and strengthens us as we hear the Word and receive the meal.

Yes, we can only be grateful for what God has done though Jesus Christ and the community of those in Christ and then called to share with others the love and hope and peace that we have received into this world in which we live.

Continued...

April 8, Continued...

For Reflection: • What meals do you celebrate that have power to draw a community?

• Will any of these meals have power to carry over to future generations?

k PHIL ERLANDER

Phil Erlander is a Graduate of Luther Junior College, Pacific Lutheran University, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (Rock Island Campus) and Union Theological Seminary in New York City. He served as parish pastor at St. Philip’s Pacoima, California, Lutheran Church of the Cross Berkeley, California and Prince of Peace Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Phil is married to Delores Erlander and father of three children.

WEEK 6

TUESDAY, APRIL 9

k BEING IN CHRIST BREAKS DOWN BARRIERS “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male or female, for you are all one in Christ.” - Galatians 3:28 It seems that the crazy world we live in presents us with new expressions of hate filled violence every day. The regularity of these sad scenes and our inability to halt them serve to harden our hearts to the suffering we witness daily. Just prior to the writing of this devotional a hate filled shooter snuffed out the lives of eleven worshipers at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The next day, as I entered my church to worship, I noticed a special candelabra with eleven lit candles toward the front of my church. Prior to her sermon, my pastor explained the significance of the candles and the lives snuffed out through hate. She wanted us to remember, not merely shrug and proclaim how senseless it was. She asked us to respond by contacting Jewish friends and neighbors to let them know of our care and of our desire to stand with them.

As a Christian, the central focus of my faith is the cross and the Crucified One who freely sacrificed his life not for good people, not for his disciples, not for religious folk and certainly not just for the church, but for the world and all creation. “God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself...” (2 Corinthians 5:19).

We live in a culture that draws attention to our differences rather than recognize our common humanity. The US against THEM mentality is very powerful, even among those who struggle with their identity, especially among those who don’t seem to fit anywhere.

These attempt to define who they are by lashing out against the despised OTHER. Theirs is an identity of negation. As a member of the Christian community, I discover who I am by identifying with the One who is for us and for the whole world. My mission and that of my church is to demonstrate through words, attitudes and actions that this Christ lives to redeem all of God’s varied creation.

k THE REV. DR. RUSSELL F. ANDERSON

The Rev. Dr. Russell F. Anderson was ordained in 1969 and has served five parishes in Illinois and Nebraska. He was the featured author of the Lectionary Preaching Workbook

by CSS Publishing for six years.

WEEK 6

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10

k “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” - Colossians 3:12-15 As we live in community, we have an amazing privilege of being in deep connection with people both alike and different than us. A community is an opportunity for relationship.

And in his sovereignty, God brings relationships to a much deeper level; that is, if we are walking in alignment with him, bringing forth love, continuously praying with, and for, our communities and meeting each member where they are at.

“Each of us comes to a community with certain assumptions, desires, hopes, and dreams for what it can and should become. As we mature, however, we realize that in order to embrace everyone at the table, we must be willing to release the grip on our personal agenda and see what is best for the community.” (Bill Donahue, The Irresistible Community) In order for us, as holy and beloved community members, to let go of our personal agendas and embrace each other right where each of us are at, we must adopt the characteristics found in Colossians 3:12-15. Compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, peacefulness, unity, thankfulness, and above all, love. When these qualities are brought to the table, healing happens, fellowship happens, joy, restoration, and healthy sharpening happen.

That’s what being in community means to me. It means having deep and meaningful connection with a group of people. It means letting go of self, embracing others, and letting God use that to shape, mold, and heal hearts. What a blessing it is to be in a community that can foster our hearts and bring us closer to our creator. No matter who the community is made of.

For Reflection: • What attributes are we characterizing as we love the people in our community selflessly?

• How are we meeting others where they are at, no matter where they are at?

RAHTAYA YOUNG

k

Midland University senior, O’Neill, Nebraska native, Loves Jesus, Elementary Education Major, Passionate and Developing Leader, Coffee fanatic and Cat person

WEEK 6

THURSDAY, APRIL 11

k “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” - Ephesians 4:4–6 My understanding of “community in Christ” roots and development through the common “oneness” I’ve experienced in being in relationship to and with people from all walks of life, from all segments of society and from various cultures.

Central to my understanding is the connectedness of everything and every one under God. In the human body, everything is connected and the whole body is affected by positive and negative influences that affect one part. Similarly, in the variety of communities of which I am part, the actions of one, both positive and negative, affect others.

The common factor of my life and spiritual journey has been the variety of ways in which I have experienced God, through Jesus, in community – most particularly where God has been present through those quite unlike me or through connections to areas of interest that are quite unlike mine. The richness of the community experience and the vastness of the community in which I co-exist, has brought a deeper reality to meaning of “community in Christ” in the “one body” of faith under the one I call God. For Reflection: • What is the common thread of experience in the communities of which you are part?

• Where have you experienced a community connectedness to another and through them to God?

k TOM MILLER

Tom Miller, ’72, is husband to Teresa (’74), father of 3 and has 2 grandsons. He lives in Fair Oaks, California.

WEEK 6

FRIDAY, APRIL 12

k “May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” - Galatians 6:14 The Cross at the Center. I am moved to reflect upon this thought each time I see the fountain in the Center of the Campus. It wasn’t there when I attended Midland over 45 years ago. I wonder what it means to students today?

I wonder what it means, when I see a cross around the neck of people, or included as an integral part of some tattoo. My wife gave me a decorative cross which I have worn for many years as a pastor. It is nickel-plated, quite flowery and a good size for wearing with my robes as I lead worship.

It cost her the hefty sum of $5, at a time in our lives when pennies mattered. When I look at it now, I remember that cost, and more importantly the love behind the gift.

While I attended Midland, the Cross at the Center was not physically there, but I still remember it being there. It’s image was plainly there in the personages of Dr. L. Dale Lund, president of Midland; the faculty and staff, and by many of my classmates. Gordon Folke, campus pastor, lived it out in his patient listening to a young man who wondered aloud, what God had in mind for him.

I found a renewal of the vertical shaft as I wrestled with God in many ways. It was, however, the horizontal shaft which emboldened me to live out my calling in life. The community of faithful teachers, guides and fellow pilgrims on life’s path, that kept me in the arms of the Lord when I was so uncertain.

For Reflection: • What does the Cross mean to you?

• Can you name some of the people who make God’s love real to you?

• Do you wear a cross?

k REV. HELMUT YURK

Rev. Helmut Yurk is a retired ELCA pastor, who is currently living in Fremont, enjoying time with his wife, children and grand-children.

WEEK 6

SATURDAY, APRIL 13

k TRIUMPH Scripture: Luke 19:28-40 As you reflect on Palm Sunday, I invite you to reflect on how many people Jesus has involved in this day. The disciples didn’t have a colt for Jesus. They were sent to the city for the colt, where they had to speak to the owners, who allowed the use of their animal. The disciples then use their cloaks to cover the colt, now involving the disciples in the forthcoming procession. As Jesus rode into town, the community begins to lay their cloaks on the ground, worship, and praise Jesus as he rides into Jerusalem. If you’ve attended a church on Palm Sunday, you know this day continues to be one which involves the participation of nearly everyone in the congregation waving palms and glorifying Christ.

Jesus himself though tells the Pharisees that if the crowds hadn’t spoke out, the rocks would have. Jesus didn’t need the crowds to proclaim him as the Messiah, in fact given that they shout “Crucify him!” just days later it seems they didn’t even fully understand what was happening. Yet all were involved. From the owner of the young donkey, to the coats of the disciples and the crowds, all were a part of this day. Throughout the Gospels Jesus regularly invites the participation of others in his ministry and welcomes them into community.

Maybe this is what Luke means when he refers to the “multitude of disciples,” which seems to clearly indicate more than the original twelve at this moment. As you reflect on this season of Lent how has God invited you into community? What is it you have to offer as a part of the crowd?

k

WEEK 7

SUNDAY, APRIL 14

k “Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself.� - Matthew 14:13 The last two spiritual disciples are complementary: solitude and fellowship. Most find that one comes more natural than the other and both have value in our relationship with God. Time of solitude is about finding time to be silent, to reflect, and to listen. There are several instances in the Gospels where Jesus creates a place for solitude. Jesus retreats when he hears of the death of his friend John the Baptist. He retreats after the feeding of the five thousand to find rest. He goes to pray on his own before he is arrested in the garden of Gethsemane.

We live in a busy world, and a world that often demands something from us. Solitude, similar to taking sabbath, reminds us of the importance of recognizing that we are enough.

It is the discipline of silencing our minds and our thoughts to listen to God speaking to us.

Our world is filled with hundreds of voices entering our mind each day: family, coworkers, news, social media, songs, movies, etc. Even the greatest symphony includes rests as art. Give your soul a rest. Take time away from the voices. You might be surprised how loud silence is at first, but sit, be silent, embrace the solitude. Be silent enough you may even hear a still small voice just waiting for you to listen.

k

WEEK 7

MONDAY, APRIL 15

k For nine years I served as a Resident Hall Director, living in dormitories with my growing family. While we have some rather hilarious stories after living with 200 men for that long, we also learned a lot about community.

What I came to realize through all of those years is the importance of grace and humility within the community. Without grace and humility, there was no community. If we are full of pride or selfish with our desires, there is no room for the community to flourish. To be unified in any relationship, we must be mindful of the other party just as much, if not more than, ourselves. When we start from a state of humility, it is much easier for us to move to a spirit of community that cares for each other deeply. The apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians encourages the church at Philippi to walk in humility towards one another.

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his interests but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:1-4 The church in Philippi couldn’t have been more different. In Acts 16 we learn that the church consisted of a wealthy woman named Lydia, a Philippian Jailer, and a formerly demon possessed girl. As diverse as they were they found community with each other because they walked in humility and constantly offered grace towards each other.

For Reflection: • Do you walk in humility in your community?

• Do you extend grace to those who have hurt you, and do you ask for forgiveness when you have hurt others?

k REV. BRANDON VAN MAREL

Rev. Brandon Van Marel, Director of Campus Ministries, husband to a wonderful wife, and father to four sweet children.

WEEK 7

TUESDAY, APRIL 16

k “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” - 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 I most often experience being in Christ when I am in community with the body of Christ.

In the fall of 2010, I had the opportunity to take some visiting guests from Tanzania to tour Omaha’s River City Rodeo. I had the privilege of spending the entire evening with them, learning about their village, and hearing their stories. That night formed a friendship that has now spanned nearly a decade.

After they returned home, we remained connected through Facebook and email. I followed the stories of their village. I feared the impact of the next year’s drought in ways that I had never considered before. I cried when I read the message, “If the rains do not come, the crops fail, and starvation begins.” We danced together from opposite sides of the world when the rains fell that year.

They have celebrated the joys in my life as well. When a friend visited their village, they sent me a set of beautifully handcrafted bells as a gift. I rang those bells during my wedding ceremony. Our lives have become connected in meaningful ways.

Our world is filled with people who are all unique parts of the body of Christ. My Tanzanian friends remind me of the love of God that extends around the world. It is a love that connects all people, even those separated by thousands of miles. Though these relationships we experience the love that is found in Christ.

k SHARI L. (KUSABA) SCHWEDHELM, MDIV.

Shari L. (Kusaba) Schwedhelm, MDiv. MLC ‘92. Shari received her Master of Divinity degree from Luther Theological Seminary in December of 2017 and currently serves as the transitional leader at Salem Lutheran Church and St. Timothy Lutheran Church in Fremont. She and her husband Alan live in Kennard, Nebraska.

WEEK 7

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17

k Galatians 3:13-29, a passage of redemption, promise, ancestral lineage, law, purpose, justification, and oneness in Christ. Oneness in Christ brings all of those other aspects of the passage into one unifying theme. A theme that unifies communities great and small. That is a theme of Christ love that redeemed believers and made a promise to all of our ancestors that joins Jews and Gentiles alike with one purpose for our world. The community is to see past their differences of how their communities justified themselves in the past, but understand how all are justified because of Christ.

Now, why does this message give hope for communities 2,000 years ago, but we still struggle today? The communities all over the world that are more concerned with divisiveness rather than connectedness. How we can point out differences, rather than point out our similarities. Why we are scared of one another, rather than why we can seek comfort in one and another? Jesus Christ will always be the reason there is oneness and not separateness.

Christ allows us not to see our own identity but allows us to see Christ in everyone around us. We know that when we see Christ in each one of our neighbors, we then can remember our promise by God, the same promise made to Abraham, now made to all of us.

For Reflection: • When was a time you created separation with a friend or family member?

• Did that separation have resolution? If not, how would you readdress to create resolution now?

• How can we as Christians continue to look for points of division in our community and work to come together, rather than further divide?

k MEKOTA FOGG

MeKota Fogg is a second year MA(TS) at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, graduating in May. MeKota loves outdoor ministry and plans to work in outdoor ministry after graduating. MeKota is originally from Nebraska and has been enjoying living in Chicago after growing up in a rural setting.

WEEK 7

THURSDAY, APRIL 18

k AT THE RIGHT TIME “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” - Romans 5:6 English Standard Version I share these thoughts from the perspective of retirement and looking back upon my life, while also looking forward to an unfolding and unknown future.

It is a sobering realization that I have more years behind me than years in front of me. Within this realization are the experiences of past-time, present-time, future-time, and the “right” time. I have become increasingly aware and appreciative of the “right” times in my life with an anticipation of the “right” times yet to come.

Having been born and raised in an imperfect family that lived amid conflicts and unresolved family issues and being an imperfect child (of which I was unaware at the time), I prayed to God in anger, “If you are real, prove it!”

Within the year adults and peers entered my life at the “right” times who encouraged, patiently tolerated, showed mercy, and guided me in what was needed for the various challenges facing this “teenager.” This included beginning to read the Bible that my mother had given me, which had waited in my top dresser drawer for the “right” time.

I began to read the Gospels to learn about Jesus. The reading was so engrossing it was like a movie being projected in my mind. I saw myself as an actual person in the crowds as Jesus taught and moved about among the people. I discovered that God’s “right” time is whenever God enters human existence and interacts with the people and events.

I came to the conclusion that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ. Through the years I have experienced several Lenten seasons. Lent is a season of the Christian church for people to come closer to God through more focused spiritual practices, and the people who have become lax or separated from their faith to return, and for people to inquire about Christ before making a decision. I have done all of the above throughout my life into this present.

In each experience I have found that God is still answering the prayer of “Prove it!” Each time the answer comes at the “right” time and points to the Christ. The challenges of growing older will undoubtedly be mixed with “right” time experiences of encouragement, patience, mercy, and guidance, into and beyond when my days are no more.

FRED ANDERSON

Midland Class of 1982

k

WEEK 7

FRIDAY, APRIL 19 GOOD FRIDAY

k Observing Lent is like a pilgrimage from Ash Wednesday, through the dark days of Holy Week, to the morning brightness of Easter. Lent coincides with the Jewish Passover, which in ancient days, was marked by large numbers of pilgrims making their way to the Temple in Jerusalem. Imagine what these pilgrimages were like. Families would join others from nearby villages to form a procession walking south from Galilee. They rarely traveled alone but went in communities, carrying their own food and water. Small towns supplied them and gave them a place to lodge or camp.

To occupy themselves, they chatted, gossiped, and sang songs, especially those found in the Psalter. A favorite, certainly, was Psalm 121, that begins with a question: “I lift my eyes to the hills—from where will my help come?” The psalm depicts their travails—attack by bandits, slipping off a path, and sunstroke. They are encouraged by the words, “The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in...He will not let your foot be moved...The LORD is your shade at our right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day.”

Imagine the excitement of struggling up the steep, mountain climb, and passing around a curve, seeing Jerusalem—like an apparition—high above them, its limestone walls gleaming in the sunlight. At last entering the Temple, their joy is boundless.

As we walk our Lenten pilgrimage, trusting in God, let us anticipate with like joy the glory of Easter.

k ERNST F. TONSING, PH.D.

Ernst F. Tonsing, Ph.D. (Midland Class of ‘59), Emeritus Professor of Religion and Greek at California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, California

WEEK 7

SATURDAY, APRIL 20 HOLY SATURDAY

k NOW WHAT? Scripture: Luke 24:1-12 It’s really not that surprising that the apostles were confused at the news of the empty tomb. For many in Israel the messiah was to be someone who would come in power and restore the Jewish people back to a place of power. Jesus was clearly a charismatic leader who commanded a following for most of his ministry. I could see how they could expect Jesus to be the one to restore power. Then their leader died on the cross alongside two criminals.

They scattered and hid. This was no display of power.

But it was.

To be “in Christ” is to recognize that Christ demonstrates power through giving away power. Christ willingly emptying and humbling himself for the sake of others and therefore is glorified by the Father (Philippians 2:1-11). In a culture where everyone tends to exert their rights, what would it mean if we were to willingly forgo our rights, our privilege, and our status for the sake of someone else? How would this transform how you live your life? How would it transform your community? Community cannot be avoided if being “in Christ” means everything that Paul writes about in Philippians 2:1-11 and means the humble servitude demonstrated by Christ.

As you celebrate Christ’s resurrection may you continue to discover how the death and resurrection of Christ invites you into community with God and with your neighbor.

k

WEEK 8

SUNDAY, APRIL 21 EASTER SUNDAY

k “That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, ‘The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!’ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.” Luke 24:33-35 Fellowship is the complement to solitude. Just as we learn about our relationship with God through silence, we equally learn about it through fellowship with others. When you look at the early church some of the most important moments for these believers was found through community. After the death of Jesus we read about how they went to the tomb together and discovered the resurrection. They went to tell the disciples. The disciples recognized Jesus in the meal they shared together. The early church would continue to learn about what Jesus’s resurrection meant as their community grew and as their community began to include different and diverse communities and individuals.

Fellowship is about spending time with others with common interests. It is not about uniformity or conformity, in fact fellowship might be most meaningful when the group is the most diverse. Fellowship invites us to learn about ourselves and each other as we share our common bond in Christ. Today we celebrate that Christ is risen. Go, celebrate and share your joy together!

k

NOTES

NOTES

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