April 1 | Hosea 13:14

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DAILY READING

Hosea 13:14

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REFLECTION

Mercy Amid Punishment

by Pr. Dave Mann

Today’s text is just one verse from a prophet of the Old Testament – Hosea 13:14. The apostle Paul leans into this verse in 1 Corinthians 15:54-55 to conclude his classic defense of Jesus’ resurrection. Since few believers spend much time in the book of Hosea, allow me to provide a brief overview of this prophetic book. I draw heavily from the introduction to Hosea in Harper’s Study Bible.

Hosea lived in the eighth century B.C. and was a prophet in the Northern Kingdom during the reign of Jeroboam II. His ministry overlapped that of Amos, Isaiah, and Micah during an age that was marked by religious apostasy. Instead of putting their trust in God, the leaders of the Northern Kingdom courted the favor of other powerful nations. In their religious practices, they kept the name of God but adopted the essence of the worship of Baal. There was gross immortality, calling good evil and evil good.  [Sound familiar?]

Hosea writes out of the pain of a relationship with a faithless spouse. He reclaims her after she sins and writes in the heat of severe judgment but also with tender mercy. These extremes are woven together in his writing. Hosea uses his personal tragedy to illustrate the relationship of Israel with God. Hosea’s three children by his harlot-wife are given symbolic names: Jezreel is so named to signify the avenging of the blood of Jezreel on the dynasty of Jehu; Lo-ruhamah signifies “no mercy” for the Northern Kingdom and Lo-ammi signifies “not my people,” a symbol of God’s rejection of the apostate Israelite kingdom. [What names would be apt symbols of the judgment our society deserves today?]

In the midst of scathing rebuke of Israel for her unfaithfulness and dire judgment on his chosen people for their negligence of following God’s law, Hosea slips in verse 14 in chapter 13 – a word of ultimate promise and hope. Even though the people do not deserve deliverance, Hosea announces the final victory over sin, death, and the power of the devil. God himself will enter into the human race and fall victim to the infidelity of his own people, be betrayed, judged, condemned, and then die an ignominious death on a cross. However, Hosea also foretells that in the end God’s grace, mercy, and life will prevail!`

If God can give Hosea faith to believe in the strong goodness of God in the midst of a twisted and perverted society... If God has the power to raise Jesus from the dead... Can we fail to believe that his promises are also powerful, real, and meaningful in our lives?!

PRAYER

Thank you, Lord, for assurance that your grace will prevail in the end.  Even though we deserve your fair and righteous judgment, we count on your mercy, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

March 31 | Mark 16:1-8

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DAILY READING

Mark 16:1-8

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REFLECTION

He Is Risen!

by Elaine Pierce

How different will your Easter be from the first Easter? I'm guessing you will wear something springlike (even if it's snowing - it's Ohio in March, after all) and you will enjoy brunch with family and friends. If you have little ones in your life, no doubt you will have fun planning an Easter egg hunt. Oh, and of course, you will go to church. And it will be much more crowded than usual, and someone might even be sitting in "your" seat.

Those are all fun and happy things to do, but they are not the focus of Easter. The women - Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome - these women were doing what Jewish women had been doing for centuries - caring for the dead, honoring their loved ones. They no more expected to see "a young man dressed in a white robe" at the entrance of the tomb than they expected to see pigs flying! And then - to increase their fear and wonder - the young man told them this:

"Don't be alarmed [easier said than done]. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here." (Mark 16:6)

I bet they dropped their spices right there at the entrance of the tomb, as they fled in panic and uncertainty. Mark tells us they were "trembling and bewildered." We know from the other gospel accounts that eventually they told the disciples what had happened, and the women saw the risen Christ, and joined others in worship, in hope, and in joy that their savior had risen.

So today as you gather to worship, to fellowship and to enjoy the Easter festivities, take some time to sit at the empty tomb and listen to the young man, the angel, dressed in white. He is not here. He has risen! Thank the Lord for this incredible gift, and humbly tell others he loves them and this gift is theirs -the gift that lasts for all eternity.

PRAYER

Lord, Easter is so much more than bunnies, candy and egg hunts. Help us to sit at the empty tomb and marvel that you are not there - you have risen, just as you said you would. Thank you for the gift of life, and help us on holy days and "regular" days to worship you in spirit and in truth. Amen.

March 30 | Mark 15:40-47

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DAILY READING

Mark 15:40-47

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REFLECTION

Sideline Spectators

by Mary Alice McGinnis

Which do you prefer, to be an active participant or a sideline spectator? Anyone who has played a sport can tell you that waiting on the sidelines while watching your team play is difficult. Athletes train and train and train. Then they WAIT in the hope of getting called up to participate in the big game.  

In today’s reading the women who had cared for Jesus during His ministry, are in such a place. They were with Jesus and had heard His teaching. They placed their hopes in Him as their Messiah and given all they had to follow Him. They watched as their Master was cruelly crucified. They listened as He spoke from the cross and watched Him breathe His last. They witnessed it all, watching and waiting - from a distance. What do you suppose was going through their minds?

Joseph of Arimathea had also been a sideline spectator. He was part of the very Council that had plotted to have Jesus crucified. As a prominent member of the Council, showing support of Jesus in any way would surely have caused him to be shunned.

And yet it is said of Joseph, that he was “waiting for the kingdom of God.”

This word WAITING has the connotation of confident expectation, an eager anticipation that God would fulfill all the Old Testament promises concerning the Messiah and His coming Kingdom.

Doesn’t it make you wonder what stirred Joseph at this moment? Had he secretly been hoping that Jesus was the chosen One? Yet, as Jesus lies lifeless and dead, He looks anything but triumphant. And the Romans? They used crucifixion to publicly disgrace those who opposed them, often leaving their mounted dead bodies to decay and be picked clean by birds and wild animals.

What lead Joseph ignore his fear and BOLDLY go to Pilate to ask for Jesus' body? We may never really know. He carefully wrapped the body of Jesus, knowing that any person who touched a dead body would become unclean and prohibited from celebrating the Passover. Yet he did it anyway. God took this man, Joseph of Arimathea, who had once stayed on the sidelines as a spectator and emboldened him to do this act of love for Jesus.

Little did Joseph know that he would become part of the Messiah’s resurrection story.

These women too stayed on the sidelines, watching, and waiting. They witnessed where Jesus’ body was laid. God was preparing them to become the first eyewitnesses of Jesus grand resurrection.

Maybe you are in a place of waiting right now? Maybe things you are experiencing don’t make sense? Maybe you feel like a sideline spectator? Take heart my friends, Jesus’ triumphant story is still unfolding. The Resurrected Jesus is coming back in all His royal power and majesty. In the meantime, may we be watching and waiting. And when we are stirred by the Holy Spirit, may we boldly walk into wherever He invites us into His Story.

PRAYER

Jesus, as we reflect upon the events of this Holy Week, we are in awe of all that You have done for us. We know this is not the end of the story. Yet we often find ourselves feeling like we are just sideline spectators. Help us trust You. Lead us and embolden us to follow You as You invite us into the Glory of Your coming Kingdom.