Waukesha, WI
St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Home
  • I'm New
  • Staff
  • Events & News
  • Recent Sermons
  • OIKOS 2022
  • The Church is/this is the church

Ash Wednesday - a new discipline

3/5/2014

0 Comments

 
Beginning today, I will be blogging a devotion based on the Moravian Daily Texts.  The Moravian Daily Texts are some of the oldest daily devotional scripture readings we have.  You can find the texts here http://www.moravian.org/faith-a-congregations/moravian-daily-texts/daily-texts.html
or sign up to have them emailed to you.  As part of God's word excavating our daily lives, the readings will be followed by a small devotion using the SOAP reflection.  SOAP stands for S:Scripture, O:Observation, A: Application, and P: Prayer.


Today's daily Texts:
Wednesday, March 5 — Psalm 33:6-11, Exodus 11:1-12:20; Matthew 21:23-32

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=+Psalm+33%3A6-11%2C++Exodus+11%3A1-12%3A20%3B+Matthew+21%3A23-32&version=NIV

S (Scripture): Exodus 11:9-10 The Lord had said to Moses, “Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you—so that my wonders may be multiplied in Egypt.”  Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go out of his country.

O (Observation): God multiplies God's wonders in Egypt (the place of slavery) by hardening Pharaoh's heart. Directly following is the instruction for Passover, the highest of Jewish Festivals.

A (Application): The struggle between God's people and the oppression they were under in Egypt provides more clarity of the freedom they will receive.  As we begin the season of Lent today, the struggle of God's people under the oppression of sin becomes more real as we either begin disciplines of taking away things that impede our relationship with God or beginning disciplines that we are not familiar that strengthen our relationship with the God.  In the struggle to free God's people, Moses and Aaron participate in the wonders God reveals...even as they are preformed to one (Pharaoh) who refused to listen to them.  That struggle to is a witness to following God's instructions even and especially among turbulent times.

P (Prayer): Lord, remind us that you continue to work in and through the struggle to make us free. As we begin the season of lent, free our hearts that we may follow your instructions and disciplines for our lives.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Gathered Together by God to Grow and Go Out.