march madness

Spring is about to begin in the middle of one of the "holiest" times of the year. Lent? Easter? No - March Madness! Actually, for all but one team in the NCAA Tournament, March Madness quickly turns into March Sadness.

Jesus’ prediction of his suffering and death in the Gospels bring another form of March Madness. No doubt Peter thought Jesus had lost his mind, and even rebuked him for thinking such thoughts. Peter’s Messiah was not going to be Isaiah’s suffering servant, but an invincible monarch that would save Israel by defeating the Romans. This talk about being rejected, suffering and dying was sheer madness. What was Jesus thinking? He had never talked like this. What was He talking about?

The great philosopher Yogi Berra once said, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” Jesus was at a crossroads and it was time to make a decision. He knew which way to go. It was time to head south toward Jerusalem and confront the pharisees, the scribes, and the religious leaders. It was time to trade in all the adoring crowds for hostile ones, time to take up his cross, time to die for the sins of the whole world.  It was time to change the course of his ministry, and he knew it whether anyone else did or not.  It was time to put on His game face - it was game time.

March madness was looming and he needed to prepare his unsuspecting disciples.
“He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again." - Mark 8

Lent is not only the time for March Madness on the basketball court.  More importantly, it is the time for us to follow our Lenten Lord, to go with Jesus to Jerusalem, even though we know that madness awaits. For it is there He will sacrifice Himself for us, take one for the team, and suffer great pain and loss so that we can have joy and victory forever in heaven with Him.

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just wandering...

on the night of full moon, heavenly bodies appear 
two lonely wanderers in the west, so far yet so near,
come together to join in celestial conjunction
in what must be a match made in heaven

ancient words come to mind
from the song book of all time
love and faithfulness meet together
righteousness and peace kiss each other

and words from a prophet who foresaw this wonder...
lift up your eyes and look to the heavens
who created all these?
he who brings out the starry host one by one
and calls them each by name
because of his great power and mighty strength
not one of them is missing


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leap day

This year is a Leap Year, and tomorrow is Leap Day.


Wouldn't it be cool to be born on Leap Day? Well - maybe not! On the plus side, you would

never have to deal with turning 40. To turn 40 in leap years would actually be turning 160 in

normal years. On the down side, you'd have to wait 'til you were 64 before you got your drivers

licence. Bummer.


Just think, if you were born on a Leap Day, on February 29th, then in a non Leap Year, on February

28th, if someone asks, "When's your birthday?" you can tell them - "It's the day after today, but

it's not tomorrow. And it's the day before tomorrow but it's not today."


All this deep pondering aside, what does having a leap day every four years really mean to us?

Does it have any spiritual significance?


Well, the reason we have an extra day every four years is to make up for the fact that a complete

year  (based on our solar calendar)  is 365 1/4 days.

And then all those quarter days are added and we make one honest day out of them.

Think of it this way - leap day is an extra day we're given because of our imperfect calendar.

Every four years things are set straight and we acknowledge that for the last four years, we've

ignored the messy business of imperfection. We've been sweeping this little secret under the rug.

But there always comes a day to 'fess up and deal with what we have messed up.


Leap Day is a day that we can use to remind ourselves that we live in an imperfect world, one

thats not quite right, a bit off kilter. And just as leap day is a way of cleaning up our

calendar, it can remind us that Jesus is God's way of cleaning up the rest of the mess we have

made of this broken world. Jesus is our Leap Year Lord, who has come to make things right, to set

things straight again. He wipes away all of our sins and imperfections with His blood shed on the

cross for us. He takes our sin away and gives us His own righteousness, to make us complete,

whole, and perfect in the sight of God our Father in heaven. In Christ, we can live at peace with

God, as we follow Him and serve Him each and every day of our lives.


Its not every day that you get an extra day in life, so make sure you make the most of it.

Why not take a leap of faith on Leap Day this Leap Year? Jump in, take the plunge, and do a free

fall into the everlasting arms of your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.


"Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for great is your reward in heaven."  (Luke 6)

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lenten journey

Lent - A Journey With Christ
by Rev. Bill Marler

Many  people  look  forward  to  spring  break,  especially  if  a  vacation  or  special
trip to a special place can be planned (and afforded!). How wonderful to be a
Christian with such a gracious God, who, among so many other blessings and
gifts, provides His people with an annual springtime journey that is well planned,
already paid for, and as special as any time and place can be on earth! Curious?
Want to sign up and go?

This year–2012–the journey begins on Wednesday, Feb. 22. And that is the day, fellow Christian, on which you ought to get on board. This journey is best celebrated and appreciated when you make the commitment from beginning to end. It is a 40-day pilgrimage with seven great weekends included, the final week of the journey guaranteed to be the greatest week of the year! How can you afford such a journey? Your trip is already paid for! He who paid your total fare also made it possible for you to be included on this annual voyage of a lifetime. And there’s more! He is also your Host on this journey. He will travel with you each day to make sure you get everything promised in the journey’s package. Are you ready now to receive the details from this amazing Host, so you can be booked on board?

Welcome to the annual Lenten season of the Christian Church on earth.
Your host is none other than the Savior of the world, the eternal Word, the Second
Person of the one, true God, the Triune God. Yes, in the flesh this host is known
as Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ of the Jewish believers and of the whole world.
This journey is one of the oldest in history, dating back nearly 2,000 years, so it is
indeed well planned and well tested. Your Host Jesus promises that this journey
cannot crash; even the gates of hell could not crash this wonderful trip!
Your fare was also paid for all those centuries ago when Jesus Himself first went
on this same journey, blazing the way we can now joyfully follow. From His own
Baptism, temptation and assaults in the bleak wilderness from none other than
the devil himself, and journey through life to His triumphant entry into Jerusalem,
to the Upper Room of the New Covenant, to the cross at Calvary, and to his grave,
Jesus was paying the price for all of us to take this journey. Much of the landscape
here on earth has not completely changed, but, going before us,
He has made these pathways of our journey safe and passable.

He will meet you when you come on board Feb. 22. He will be present in all
the Divine Services in Lent, including special weekday services that focus on the
work of the Holy Spirit through the means of grace as He deepens your faith,
refreshes your spirit, and guides you in the joyful obedience of discipleship.
Such great gifts and blessings you will receive. You will be overwhelmed at how your
Host makes this such a meaningful journey as you find new health and strength
within yourself, reflecting upon baptism and receiving renewal in preparation for the grand finale on Easter morning.

By the end of longer vacations and trips, people usually experience fatigue.
On your Lenten journey, you grow stronger and are ready for the greatest, final week
of this experience. What special places in history we find  ourselves!
 On Palm Sunday we are brought into ancient Jerusalem on a most festive day,
into Holy Week and into the heart of Jesus’ Passion. The Host often hands our own
children palm branches to wave during worship, to include us in this true narrative of His humility. The popular God who throws us a great party with the promise of prosperity and
power — Him we worship in the middle of the parade.

But could our “Hosannas to the Son of David” disintegrate
in a matter of hours into a “Crucify Him?” On to Maundy
Thursday  and  Good  Friday  to  continue  the  divine  drama
of these three wonderful spaces and times of Holy Week,
taking us on an emotional roller coaster ride, even though
we already know and believe how the journey ends—at the
empty tomb in bright Easter victory!

All aboard! Do not pass up the journey of the year, for this promise, offered
only through the Church, is for you and for your children!

"We belong to God"