Sacrifice

by Rebecca Irwin

I can now freely eat sweets. I no longer have to feel the guilt of breaking my Lenten commitment to abstain from them. Oh, how I missed Oreo cookies and milk shakes! However, I must confess I did give in several times to the temptation. Once, almost savagely, after I passed on dessert at my friend’s, I came home, yanked open the freezer door and ate three scoops of mint-chip ice cream covered in chocolate syrup.

I had the privilege of being included in a Good Friday service last week held in a friend’s home. A very random and eclectic group of people was assembled to eat soup and bread together. After a simple meal, we moved into the living room and sitting in a large circle, we read portions of the gospel account of Jesus’ crucifixion and suffering. At times, our host would break and allow others to tell a story of brokenness or God’s silence in their own lives. We left with a greater anticipation for the joy and victory that Easter Sunday celebrated.

As I reflected on Lent, it struck me that simply giving up sweets for six weeks was at times incredibly hard! My weakness in even keeping this one self-imposed law was time and again revealed. I began to fudge the rules (well, tapioca pudding isn’t really a sweet) or justify my indulgence. It struck me on Easter Sunday that Jesus’ sacrifice was not JUST dying on the cross! His sacrifice for us was made minute-by-minute, day-by-day as he time and again made the choice to be our PERFECT sacrifice! His crucifixion was the culmination of His consistent sacrifice.

Look with me at Hebrews 10:14 (the Message) “It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people. By that single offering, he did everything that needed to be done for everyone who takes part in the purifying process.”

And at Hebrews 5:7-9 (ESV) “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him…”

May you stand today all the more amazed at the gift we have been given in eternal salvation!

Thank you Jesus for your perfection! We would have never made it past a day if this was required of us. Only God’ son could have planned the perfect redemption and accomplished it. May we stand in awe of you. Amen

We Live for Comments!

by Debbi Weeks

Okay, so that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but they really do encourage us. If there really are as many readers of the Sojourner’s Journal out there as we think (and we know that there are – there’s a counter for goodness sake! ), then we should be getting scads and scads of comments each and every day. Like what was up with only one comment to my January 14^th post asking you how you meet non-believing women?! Are we all in the same boat – I don’t think so!

So, my encouragement to you today is to encourage us, the writers of the SJ, by leaving a simple comment now and again (even a few words, ladies – throw the dog a bone!). Let us know that you’re reading and if you’re being challenged and/or blessed. Or maybe we don’t see eye to eye on things – that’s okay too, but at least let us know that we caused you to think. Are we drawing you close to our Lord and Savior? Then let us hear it!

Hebrews 10:24 and 25

“And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities, Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching.” (Amplified Bible)

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” (NLT)

Oh, and the need for encouragement isn’t just limited to the writers of this blog – we could all use a good dose! But, us contributors do love those comments!

Father, God I praise You for Your care, concern and faithfulness to us. I praise You that You are unchanging.

I confess that I, too, neglect to encourage those You have put in my circle of influence. Please forgive me and remind me to encourage others.

Thank You that we have been able to use this medium of an internet blog to input Your Word and Your ways in women’s lives.

Please show us how we can respond and bring encouragement to one another.

A Time to Connect

by Sue Donaldson

Yesterday Ken Peet said: “Don’t play church – be the church.” One great way to be the church is to love on each other.

I find that hard to do sometimes. Either I don’t see the people I love enough or I don’t even know half the people at my church! (So frustrating.) Ten minutes between services is not much time to connect. I’m lucky to meet one visitor or touch base with one old friend – it doesn’t help that children are pulling at my sleeves.

Ken didn’t mean we “be the church” only at church. It’s 24/7, wherever God leads, whoever He places in our path.

Our church is big. It’s not a mega--church, but it’s big. Thus, it offers Growth Groups, Sunday School classes, Bible Studies, choir, the knitting ladies, ministry boards, and salad suppers. We don’t do these things just to keep busy or to fill up our calendars. We do them to connect, to encourage one another, to spur us on to the good work of knowing God better and deeper.

People can feel lonely in a crowd. It’s up to us to make our “crowd” manageable—so that we feel loved, practice our spiritual gifts, and aren’t lonely. We’re grown up (or, trying to be!) --we can take responsibility for our loneliness and for obeying God’s injunction in Hebrews 10:24 and 25:

“And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another . . .”

Can you spend a moment “considering how,” as the verse says?

How can you love one another better this week? How can you “assemble” in a smaller group this week? Don’t wait til the new year – come for soup on Friday from 12-3 pm at my house. Next month, Soup’s On! Friday will be at Missy’s. Watch for the bulletin announcement.

We’re not eating soup just to have one more thing to do. Rather, it’s so we can connect and know one another as God intended in this great, big idea of His called “the church family.”

See you Friday. Bring crackers.

Father God,
We love You. We love your idea of our church family. How do you want us to assemble together this week? Help us get connected so that Your name is lifted up. Now that’s a great idea. Amen.