Lent Devotion: Clean

Written by Pastor Becca McCary

Introduction:

God wants to meet with you this Lent. He wants to come into the ordinary times and places in your life in a holy way, transforming your life. This week’s ordinary space transformation challenge is: Clean

Scripture Reflection:

Psalm 51:1-2 (NLT)

¹ Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.

² Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

Challenge:

Write down or paint the word "Clean" on a rock or piece of paper as your holy reminder. Then choose an ordinary space (your bedroom, the kitchen, the closet under the stairs) in your life where you are going to focus on cleaning. Try to practice cleaning one time in that ordinary space your life this week. Then, watch God transform this ordinary space into a holy space for you.

Practice:

-Put the word "Clean" in an area of your life like your kitchen, car, desk, or bathroom. Take a moment this week to clean that area of your life. As you are literally scrubbing, organizing, and simplifying, consider what areas of your life God wants to clean out. God want to clean out our hearts, make us new, refreshing our spirits.

Photo Credit

Bittersweet News

Rey and Elise met while studying missiology at Fuller Theological Seminary. Eventually Rey received his doctorate in Intercultural Studies with a focus on children at risk. Together, Rey and Elise moved to Honduras to help build the Amor, Fe, y Esperanza project alongside the Honduran leaders. They were critical in the growth of the project from a few children under the trees to the amazing community development project it is today servicing a nursery, k-12, college grads, adult education, clinic, cafeteria, and church. On their return to Washington, Rey continued developing the program along with consulting with many other projects in Honduras, Central America, Kenya, Haiti, and India. T4T has grown working with over 40 churches and non-profits around the United States.

For the past two years, Rey has technically worked part-time as a pastor and part time at Together 4 Transformation, our church’s mission program. His heart has been torn between the needs of the church and the needs of the programs around the world. And he feels it’s an unsustainable solution.

After about two years of praying and processing, Rey has decided to transition into fulltime global orphan care. Although it is with a very heavy heart, they feel this will be the best use of their time, energy and resources. Most importantly, they feel God is calling them to focus on children at risk. At Orphan Outreach, Rey will be able to direct all his focus on global orphan care. The transition will take place at the end of June. As part of his new role at Orphan Outreach, he has the flexibility to continue leading Together 4 Transformation along with the team.

Washington Cathedral is proud of Rey and Elise. We have always measured the success of our church as the success of our people. Success is not in size or fame or anything like that form of measurement. Success is when our people find God’s will and pursue it. Since our inception we have sent people all around to follow God’s plan for their lives. We are a sending church because we are out to build the greatest caring network the world has ever seen.

We have a great core of young leaders at Washington Cathedral that will continue serving our church and community including Pastor Ben, Pastor Becca, and Pastor Josh. We are also searching for a pastor to bring onto our team that will take over many of the responsibilities Rey was taking care of.

Washington Cathedral has a bright future as God continues to bring young leaders into the church.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x4XxhHPjiU

Nehemiah - the Prayer Warrior

Written by Fiona Monaghan One of the things that we are encouraged to do when there seems to be nothing else to do is pray. It sounds like a less than auspicious thing to do. We say, so glibly, “I will pray for you.” However, if we could catch the power and authority behind it; if we could really see what happens in the heavens when we pray I think we would be amazed the power it holds.

We find Nehemiah in exile from his homeland, Judah (possibly being of the tribe of Judah,) and working for the Persian king, Artaxerxes. His served the king as a cupbearer which would have been quite a high position allowing him access to communicate directly with the king.

Nehemiah’s brother comes to him and tells him of the suffering of those living in Jerusalem under foreign rule. The city itself is in ruins and provides no protection for the people. Nehemiah decides it’s time to re-establish Jerusalem back to the great city it had been. Rebuild the walls that had been brought down. Re-construct the gates had been burned. Return the people back to worshipping their One True God-Jehovah. No small task.

He must have made a good impression on King Artaxerxes because when he asked the king if he could be allowed to return and rebuild the walls he was given permission. Not only that, he made Nehemiah provincial governor and gave him letters for safe passage. He even provided the means to procure timber for the rebuilding.

However, before he was given all these amazing provisions, Nehemiah did one thing. He prayed. He wept, mourned and fasted before God. In his prayer he brought up all the things he and the people had done wrong before God. He accounted the many times God had intervened on their behalf and then how the people would return to their old ways. He held nothing back.

Nehemiah 1:5-11

⁵I said, ‘O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments; ⁶let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for your servants the people of Israel, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Both I and my family have sinned. ⁷We have offended you deeply, failing to keep the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances that you commanded your servant Moses. ⁸Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples; ⁹but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place at which I have chosen to establish my name.” ¹⁰They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great power and your strong hand. ¹¹O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man!’

God is all powerful, He can do anything he wants. He is the Supreme Ruler and Creator. This world does not exist without his permission. So I think what happens when we pray is that we get aligned with God’s purpose and plan. We are willing to lay everything out before him, we hold nothing back. We recognize He is Number One. We confess anything that gets between us and His plan for us. Clear the decks. For His part, He is able to move and shift circumstances when we are willing to be part of his plan.

Nehemiah had a heart for Jerusalem and really, really, really, wanted to rebuild it and restore the Israelites. I think he had connected to God’s heart in this too. He had time and time again rescued the Israelites from their oppressors and hardships. Despite their wandering attention and seemingly fickle love, He loved them and did not want them to suffer.

So prayer is seeking God’s heart and perspective in the situation we are praying about and then coming alongside Him to make it happen. Sometimes it will be in physical work like rebuilding walls, sometimes it will be emotional work like rebuilding trust and relationships. Remember, God is all about rebuilding. It is on every page of the Bible - Reconciliation and Rebuilding. Clear out all the old stuff, confess any sin and shortcoming. Make a fresh start in your heart and mind and move on from there.

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Are there areas in your life that need rebuilding: a relationship that is in need of attention? Finances needed to pay off debt, healing for a sick body? Align your desires with God’s will so that you are in agreement. Ask for clarity of mind to see what needs to be done. Like Nehemiah, the way will open up and the means will be provided.

Lent Devotion: Pray

Written by Pastor Becca McCary

Introduction:

God wants to meet with you this Lent. He wants to come into the ordinary times and places in your life in a holy way, transforming your life. This week’s ordinary space transformation challenge is: Prayer.

Scripture Reflection:

Matthew 6:5-7 (NLT)

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words

Challenge:

Write down or paint the word "Pray" on a rock or piece of paper as your holy reminder. Then choose an ordinary space in your life where you are going to focus on prayer. Try to practice prayer one time in that ordinary space your life this week. Then, watch God transform this ordinary space into a holy space for you.

Practices:

-As a family, put the word "Prayer" on your dinning room table. Take five minutes before dinner to pray together as a family.

-As a parent, you might want to put the word "Prayer" on your fridge. As you prepare meals for your family, take that time to pray to God on their behalf.

-As a child, you might want to put the word "Prayer" on your shoes, so that as you walk to your bus stop you can pray for your friends at school.

-As a single person, put the word "Prayer" on your coffee pot as a reminder to begin your day with prayer.

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The Rest of the Story... Gideon: “Oh mighty warrior of God”

Written by Fiona Monaghan I love the humanness of Gideon in his dialogue with God’s Angel and being directed to ‘man up’ and take on the Midianites.

Judges begins Gideon’s story with him threshing wheat in a winepress – why would Gideon be separating the edible grain from the inedible chaff in a place used to make wine? Threshing wheat in a winepress conveys the idea of someone hiding and doing something in a place unexpected because usually threshing wheat would be done out in the open. Well, during this time the Israelites were being hounded by the Midianites (because once again they had turned from the Lord) who would rampage through the area, steal their food, their livestock and terrorizing everyone. So Gideon was hiding his crop from the Midianites hoping that it would be spared from pillaging.

Gideon’s life is completely changing when Angel of God comes to him saying, “God is with you, O mighty warrior!” Can’t you just hear Gideon saying, ‘What! Who me? I am just the runt of the litter of the weakest of the tribes of Israel.’’ He responds by questioning that God even cares about the Israelites that He has let them be taken over by the Midianites.

Gideon knew the history of his people coming out of Egypt with Moses; of being in the desert and being rescued and all the miracles God had performed for the people of Israel. However, he seemed to forget was that over and over again the Israelites had been told by prophets to “shape up and follow their One and Only God” and time and time again they had turned to worship the local gods of their neighbors.

In an interesting twist in the story when Gideon is questioning the angel, God himself speaks to Gideon and tells him that He can be depended upon. Not only that, but Gideon will be used to deliver the Israelites from the Midianites.

Then the Lord turned to him and said, "Go with the strength you have and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!"    Judges 6:14 (NLT)

Before Gideon is ready to take on the Midianites he is given a couple of projects to do first. Could this be to build his confidence or test his mettle? Remember, he sees himself as a runt.

He is directed to destroy the altar to Baal in his own father’s house and take down the Asherah fertility pole next to the altar. Then, make an offering of his dad’s prize bull on an altar with the wood from the fertility pole. He decides to do this at night with 10 servants to help. The next morning everyone in town is aghast! “Who did this thing?” They want his head on a stick. Funnily enough, his dad Joash steps up and states, “What is all the fuss about? What kind of god is Baal if he needs defending, let him fight his own battles!” Score 1 for Gideon!

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In our lives, we don’t have ‘gods’ like Baal. But anything that makes us question our faith in God or in ourselves, or makes us feel weak and ineffective needs to be addressed. There are many verses in the Bible that tell us that God is for us!

He does not want us kowtowing to anything or anyone who makes us feel inferior and weak. He wants to be our Defender and Protector in anything that life throws at us. By us getting to know God personally, we then have the confidence to face those life situations that challenge us.

Each opportunity Gideon was presented with, allowed him to gain confidence and strength for the next one. This story shows we can ask God those questions when things don’t add up. Gideon asked for signs and he stated how he felt about things. In that, God showed Himself faithful and patient and could be depended upon in these smaller tasks, so that Gideon had no question in his mind where his success would come from in the bigger battle yet to come.

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What questions do you have for God?

What is pulling you away from Him? Take 15 minutes today and write down a prayer to God, ask him your questions, and identify what is pulling you away from God. Ask Him how you can tear those things down and replace them with actions/friends/places that will glorify Him.

Photo Credit: Wheat & Dear God

Lent Devotion: Reconcile

Written by Pastor Becca McCary Washington Cathedral is taking the season of Lent to help families practice their faith together, transforming ordinary times and spaces into sacred times and spaces, a chance to go deeper in their faith. Over the next seven weeks of lent, as a church and as a family, we will focus on a spiritual practice to help us connect with God and those around us. Our seven spiritual practices will be: reconciling, prayer, cleaning, listening, serving, worship, and study.

Week 1: Reconcile  

Introduction:

God wants to meet with you this Lent. He wants to come into the ordinary times and places in your life in a holy way, transforming your life. This week’s ordinary space transformation challenge is: Reconciliation.

Scripture Reflection:

Matthew 5:23-24 (NLT)

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

 Challenge:

Write down or paint the word "Reconciliation" on a rock or piece of paper as your holy reminder. Then choose an ordinary space in your life where you are going to focus on reconciliation. Try to practice reconciliation one time in that ordinary space your life this week. Then, watch God transform this ordinary space into a holy Space for you.

Practices:

-As a spouse, you might want to put the word "Reconciliation" on your pillow. Then when you are going to bed, you will look for a chance to reconnect with your spouse. Say you're sorry, make things right, and put your relationship first as a priority.

-As a child, you might want to put the word "Reconciliation" by your toothbrush. When you are getting ready for bed, look for an opportunity to apologize to your sibling for any time you may have hurt their feelings that day. Say you you're sorry, make things right, and put your relationship first as a priority.

-As a single person, put the word "Reconciliation" by your tablet or computer. Look for an opportunity to apologize to someone on social media. Say you you're sorry, make things right, and put your relationship first as a priority.

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The Rest of the Story… Deborah, the prophetess and leader of the Israelites

Written by Fiona Monaghan What do we have in common with the Old Testament Israelites today? Probably not living in tents or measuring our wealth by the number of camels we own, but we do face a same choice as we go about our lives: Do we choose to obey or disobey a direction from God?

One of the stories that I have recently been studying is the story of Deborah in Judges. At the beginning of her story the Israelite people were following the familiar cycle in the Old Testament, falling into disobedience once again and had begun to worship local gods forsaking their allegiance to the one true God of Moses. As a result, they had been allowed by God to be oppressed under Caananite rule for the past 20 years.

Deborah was a Judge and Prophetess during this time. The people of Israelite would come to her and have their local and personal disputes settled. She would listen to the people and in turn listen to God. Using the wisdom given to her by God she would these issues. There was no written text to follow at this time; so what she spoke was purely that which she received from the Lord.

One day God told her it was time for an uprising on the part of Israel and that a man named Barak was the one to lead the revolt. However, Barak wasn’t too keen on the idea as Sisera, the general of the Canaanites, was much better equipped with 900 bronze chariots. Barak entreated Deborah to come with him. She complied but pointed out that it wouldn’t look very good if God delivered Sisera into the hands of woman and that he that needed to lead. Deborah knew that God had already planned out how the uprising would go, but He needed the people to believe and make it happen. He needed to use the arms, legs, and bodies of Israelites to do the work- to be obedient. They could say to God “go ahead and do what you need to do” but He works through people, using their arms and their legs, their hearts and their minds.

So what do we have in common with the Israelites? We have an opportunity to trust God and do great things. Do we trust God by being his hands and feet to make happen what He already has arranged OR do we continue in the years of bondage, frustration and unhealthy choices that are around us and within our families?

He already has a plan. He knows what it will take to bring it about. You need to choose whether you will fit into his plan and be the hands and feet in order to make it happen or go about life haphazard and wandering and wondering what happened. Make a decision what you are going to do.

Choose this day who you will serve. Make a difference in your life and in your family’s life. Get to know God personally and ask Him what he has for you to do. What it is that is needed to bring about change within yourself and those you care about? He will share His plan with you if you ask.

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Did you miss Pastor Tim's sermon? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnpA90SllnE

Photo credit

Is it Midnight yet?

By Pastor Becca McCary Do you remember glowing with excitement over your first sleepover as a kid? Two weeks ago the excitement among the kids of Washington Cathedral was palpable. As we planned the first winter all-nighter for the elementary kids, we expected about 10-15 people. However, as check-in began on Friday night, it quickly became clear that the excitement had spread to so many friends and family members that we packed the room to the brim! Their light and excitement filled the church café. The kids were glowing.

We loaded up the church bus, packing in kids as tight as we could. There was laughing, yelling, and singing the whole way to Pump It Up in Lynwood for their glow in the dark party. The kids played hard, sweat pouring from their little brows, smiles beaming across their faces.At 8pm, as we loaded the bus to head back to the church, one of the first grade girls, giddy with the new experience of a big kid party, asked with hope and enthusiasm, "is it midnight yet?” She was thrilled to be a part of something so fun and so new.

The rest of the evening carried more new experiences: running games in the church, a magic show from Pastor Rey, and for many of the kids, clad in footy pajamas, their first sleepover.

In less than 24 hours the kids got to hear the good news about Jesus in five different 10 minute lessons. So Sunday morning at the 11am service, as the kids began their new worship program, a different excitement, a different newness, and different glowing took place. The kids sang to God from their hearts, drenched in gratitude for the love of God. Their excitement over their first sleepover became coupled with an excitement for God that would bless their friends and community.

When was the last time you were genuinely excited? Are you doing what these kids did two weeks ago, allowing God's light to touch you so deeply that you can't help but glow too? God's love is always available to us, all we have to do is open ourselves up to it.

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No matter what reasons you have to be bored, discouraged, or even burned out, take heart from these words about Jesus in John 1:5, "A Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." God's light is ready to shine in your life and there is nothing that can overcome it. All you have to do is let it in.