Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of the 3rd Week of Lent: Year 1
Morning, Psalm 78:1 to 39; Evening, Psalm 78:40 to 72;
Jeremiah 7:21 to 34; Romans 4:13 to 25; John 7:37 to 52;
“No distrust made him [Abraham], waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” (Romans 4:20 and 21)
I feel that I share a lot of conviction with Abraham, that is, no distrust about what God is doing among us and with me in particular. I have come a long way. I was a high school dropout who was blessed enough to join the United States Marine Corps in 1972. I left my father’s house in Nashville, Tennessee and have followed a life of duty, service and faith. The faith part occurred when I followed a fellow Marine to St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Memphis, Tennessee, and was Baptized into God’s one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church in 1980. I have been following God ever since through the bread crumbs of Communion left by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Marines have an old poster that comes from a Lynn Anderson’s song, “I never promised you a rose garden.” I attached it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sWW0nxi9bw. (Hint, you might want to skip the ad at the beginning)
It is an old, old video ad for the Marines. But the Marine Corps was my Godly invitation to leave Nashville and explore the world. I had been around the earth six times and thought I was done. But then I underestimated God. As an Episcopal Priest now and a member of the Masonic Knights Templar, God once again took me on a trip. This time to Israel to visit the Holy Land. I loved Galilee. I didn’t realize that God was already guiding my life in ways that I did not realize. Abraham was a better man than me. He never doubted or questioned but always believed. I, on the other hand, am still a work in progress. I don’t know where God will take me next but I have a good idea that it will be pleasing to me and to God. but most importantly, to God.
How about you? Do you not realize that God has been on the periphery of your life for all of your life? St. Paul goes on to tell you that, “Now the words, ‘it was reckoned to him’, were written not for his sake alone, but for ours [yours] also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our [your] justification” (Romans 4: 23 to 25). My beloved of the Lord, this is real, not just idle dreams or superstition. Faith in God will save you from eternal death. In fact, faith will bring you to eternal life where you will never cry or feel sad again. Thank You Lord Jesus.
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia.
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 