Devotional for Fifth Sunday of Lent

Our Earthly Inheritance

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”  

Matthew 25:34-36

This parable begins with the Son of Man seated on the throne, using his authority to separate the people as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats grazing in the field. The sheep are those that have shown their faithfulness by performing acts of goodwill towards their neighbors. They receive a place of honor and inherit God’s kingdom. But those who have failed to answer the call of the needy and who have not followed in Christ’s footsteps to care for the “least of these” are called goats and do not inherit God’s kingdom.

Christ dividing the sheep from the goats. Mosaic.
Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, 6th century, Public Domain

Since the world’s creation, God in heaven has gifted God’s children an abundant inheritance that provides for all our needs when we lack food, drink, clothing, companionship, care when we are sick, and solace in community during times of imprisonment. Likewise, God provides the earth and all its resources for God’s children to live in its richness. Water and trees are clothed in God’s glory as gifts for humanity and for all creatures on the earth.

   

But how many of us have come to believe that we are specially entitled? And how many of us, perceiving that we have more than enough resources from which to benefit, pollute our waters and cut down trees, believing that it is our inheritance to squander and do with as we please?  Our sense of entitlement has led many down a path of destruction as we misuse God’s Creation.

I long for the day when all of God’s children can partake together in God’s copious and filling bounty. I pray that during this Lenten season we are reminded of God’s abundant gift to us through Creation and that we share that abundance with the entire world, remembering that there is no lack in Christ Jesus and that there is more than enough for all of God’s Creation.

Prayer

Lord God, in all your infinite wisdom, show us your people how to honor your gift of Creation.  Let us not be selfish with our gift, rather allow us to share as generously with each other as you have shared with us. Let us remember those in this world who still have not been able to realize God’s abundance because we have taken more than what we need.  Amen.

The Rev. Kymberley Clemons-Jones is Pastor of Valley Stream Presbyterian Church in Nassau County, New York.  Rev. Clemons-Jones received her MDiv (Union Theological Seminary) and her MSEd in Counseling (Hunter College) both in NYC.  She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry Degree from Louisville Seminary.

Devotional for Fourth Sunday of Lent

No Seeds No Trees

“Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”  

Mark 4:3-8

No trees no birds
No birds no poop
No poop no seeds
No seeds no trees
No trees no birds

Louis Dona Fieffe, by Cindy Corell,
Presbyterian Mission Co-Worker in Haiti.

An elderly farmer named Louis Dona Fieffe shared these words of wisdom with my group up in the mountains of southern Haiti three years ago, a gathering with local farmers arranged for us by PCUSA Mission Co-Worker Cindy Corell. His larger message about the need for ongoing reforestation to preserve good soil for farming and how the farmers there have noticed the climatic change on their mountainside from four distinct seasons to two—wet and hot—all came tumbling back as I read this Mark text in the context of Lent and environmental stewardship.

We are deep into the grittiness of Lent by now. We would do well to remember that this parable about sowing God’s word worked in Jesus’ day because good farmers understood issues of conservation (don’t waste seed in places it will not grow) and sustainability (every living thing needs roots in good soil). And the word “scorched” fairly jumps off the page with the global reality of fires burning out of control. Yet there is great good news in this text—the seed that gets the sustenance it needs grows, increases, and yields beyond imagination. This message flows naturally into our Lenten journey: pay attention lest we waste what we’ve been given as blessing; confess when we know we’ve willfully rejected bounty and beauty, or even unknowingly refused to sow life; and recognize that everything and everyone needs nourishment and deep roots to flourish. We are walking with Jesus knowing that we might be the ones who deny him, yet we can hope that some of the seed that falls from our hands will fall into rich soil that we have helped nourish, and thus grow. 

  

Prayer

Holy God, help us discern in our thoughts and actions how we might nurture all the soil of this world and then sow your life-giving seed into it so that your vision of a full and abundant life might become a reality for all your people. Amen.

The Rev. Dr. Shelley C. Wiley is the Transitional Pastor at First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Ohio. In her years in pastoral ministry and academia she has traveled to Haiti nearly 40 times, learning much from those who work the land and those who struggle to survive in urban chaos.

Devotional for Third Sunday of Lent

Rooted in the Earth

He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

Mark 4:30-32

Photo credit:
Patti Backes, Christian’s mother

On a recent trip to central Arizona, my family and I went hiking in the Sonoran Desert. I was awed by the beauty of the desert landscape, which was framed by mountains on all sides and dotted with countless towering saguaro cacti reaching toward the sky. Though the saguaro only grows in the Sonoran Desert, it has become a universal symbol of the American West due to its distinct and majestic appearance. 

Saguaro seeds begin quite small, and as they germinate, they put out roots that run deep and wide in order to access water stored underground while also efficiently collecting whatever rainwater might fall. The mature saguaro’s flowers produce nectar and pollen for bees, moths, bats, and birds, and its fruit hydrates and nourishes desert animals of all kinds. The gilded flicker and Gila woodpecker carve out cavities to nest inside these cacti, and when they leave, various other kinds of small birds often move in. Large birds can also be found nesting in the saguaro’s arms and using them as hunting platforms. In the midst of a harsh and unforgiving climate, the saguaro stands tall, rooted in the earth, giving new life and allowing it to flourish.

As we contemplate our own spiritual deserts during this season of Lent, let us remember that we are called to sow sacred seeds which—like the saguaros—root themselves in the earth, carrying the promise of new and abundant life for all of creation.

Prayer

Loving Creator, bless us that we might always remember to dutifully care for the seeds You provide for us to sow. Let us always be aware of Your presence in all of creation and stay rooted in Christ, who calls us to cultivate Your kingdom in bringing about a transformed and renewed creation here on earth.

Christian McIvor serves as the Music & Worship Minister at College Park Baptist Church in Greensboro, NC, where he started the Creation Justice Team. He also serves on the steering committee for the Alliance of Baptists Creation Justice Community. He has actively performed across the Southeast as a trumpet player and singer/songwriter for many years and he enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife, Chrissy, and their daughters, Juliette and River.

Devotional for Second Sunday of Lent

Creatures of the Same Creator

 The Lord is gracious and merciful,

    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
The Lord is good to all,
    and his compassion is over all that he has made.

All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
    and all your faithful shall bless you….

The eyes of all look to you,
    and you give them their food in due season.
You open your hand,
    satisfying the desire of every living thing.

Psalm 145:8-10, 15-16

As Psalm 145 says, God’s compassion is over all that God has made! “You open your hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing” (v. 16).

We humans tend to think of the world as our oyster. But is that really the intention of our God who creates and cares for the world? 

Photo credit: David Monniaux

Most of us in the developed world can spend entire weeks not noticing that the planet teems with more sentient, vibrant life than humans. Stepping outside ourselves (literally) reveals a complex world made up of billions of God’s creatures. Squirrels and opossums, dandelions and oysters, clay and sun—all works of the One who is “abounding in steadfast love” (v. 8b). 

Our “world is our oyster” mindset may free us to live full lives, at least as defined by human society, but is this mindset satisfying to our God who cares for everyone, biped and bivalve alike?

Let’s consider the oyster world. Although oysters may seem like simple organisms, they are not just sources of pearls and lunch. Oysters are a keystone species, integral to the health of an entire ecosystem. Oysters are champion recyclers, too, each filtering gallons of water every single day. Their shells provide refuge for other creatures. Oysters have oyster feelings. Scientists are discovering that even “simple” organisms demonstrate an awareness of their circumstances. For example, even though they do not have ears, oysters “hear.” Human-generated noise pollution harms their health and the health of their offspring for generations. 

Our world is as complex and marvelous as is our Creator who delights and provides sustenance and “steadfast love” for all creation. As followers of Jesus Christ, let us embrace one another in celebration of and compassion for all God’s works. Let us endeavor to live in wonder, care and compassion.

Prayer

Holy One, your world teems with complexity and beauty, and you are “good to all,” human, daisy and oyster alike. During this season of Lent, we vow to sharpen our focus and soften our hearts so that we can more fully appreciate You as we seek shalom with one another, your beloved creation. Amen.

Carissa Herold has served Presbyterian Women as marketing associate since 2005. Carissa and her husband happily share their home with four dogs and three cats and the occasional “foster dog” from the local humane society. She attends First Presbyterian Church in Jeffersonville, Indiana, and enjoys her ministry of creation- and justice-friendly initiatives of the church’s Green Team.