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The Road to Transformation
“Summer Sunset, Oil Painting” by Pobytov My first awakening to the spiritual life and to the Read More
K. Cherie Jones | Read Psalm 126:1-6
Twenty-five years ago, on the Fifth Sunday of Lent, our organization underwent upheaval. I worked for the General Board of Discipleship (now Discipleship Ministries) of The United Methodist Church. That morning our coworker, Donna, went missing. It soon became clear that she had been murdered. Eight days later, on Monday...
Eternal God, thank you for your faithfulness in times of need. Be with those who need your help today. Amen.
The Isaiah text portrays the redemptive activity of God that is about to be introduced into Israel’s life. All paradigms lie shattered before the immensity of God’s grace! The joy of Psalm 126 is occasioned by the memory of God’s act of redemption in the past and also by the anticipation that a similar intervention is imminent. Paul’s autobiographical sketch directed to the Philippians confesses the change that has come into his life as a result of “knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” The story of Mary’s anointing of Jesus’ feet must be read in the context of Jesus’ looming passion. Jesus sets Mary’s actions in their proper perspective by linking them to his own death, even as he deflects Judas’s counterfeit compassion.
Read Isaiah 43:16-21. How do you respond to this God who insists on doing new things for the sake of the people?
Read Psalm 126. Pray this psalm three times: (1) pray all the verbs in the past tense in thanksgiving; (2) pray all the verbs in the future tense as a prayer for help; (3) pray verses 1-3 in the past tense, verses 5-6 in the future tense. Which was hardest to pray?
Read Philippians 3:4b-14. What props or credentials do you need to let go of?
Read John 12:1-8. What motivations does your discipleship reflect?
Respond by posting a prayer.
