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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion Monday, July 14, 2003 "Easter in July: That's What It's All About" |
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Frontline Devotion for Monday, July 14, 2003 By Fritz Foltz
My German niece was having trouble, big trouble. Her world had broken her. Her parents thought perhaps coming to America might help. So she arrived at our home last summer, brooding and dejected. After two days, we drove her to the Christian summer camp run by our son and daughter. They gave her a job where there really wasn't a job. They gave her a room in their own home, because there was no room anywhere else... As we left, watching a depressed and sulky niece in the rear view mirror, we promised ourselves we had to stop this. We had to stop passing off our responsibility onto our children.
Four weeks later we returned. Our niece was happy and whole, laughing and creative. Our children said the whole staff was troubled at how sad she had been and went out of their way to befriend her. I felt I should at least seek out and thank all the young people who had healed her. I approached the first one as she worked and said in my best adult, paternalistic, superior voice, "Thanks for going out of your way to help my niece.” I can still hear the words of her response, for they were gospel for me. "That's what it's all about, isn't it?" As if she spoke the clearest truth in the world, she assured me, "That's what it's all about."
It’s good to read the Easter story in July, because the Easter message is what it is all about. Easter demonstrates Jesus’ words and life are truth. Jesus lived for others, cared for others, shared his gifts with others, healed the injured, mended the broken, gathered all kinds of people around table as family, served the least as slave, and loved even when violence threatened. And he claimed this was all based on God’s love for all his people and creation. It was all about God’s undying love.
Those who think this an idle tale might be right. In caring for others, we might lose ourselves. But Christ taught we must lose ourselves in caring for others in order to find ourselves. They might be right. We could find frustration, disappointment and death. Jesus himself found these and called out in pain, " My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" But on Easter God raised him from the dead, proclaiming his words were true.
We shall find life when we follow him by going out of our way to help a friend in need, perhaps creating jobs where there are no jobs, perhaps opening our homes because there is no other room. Easter proclaims even if we fall in these endeavors, we shall never perish. If we fall, God will raise us up again, because that is what he is all about.
Let us pray: We give thanks, loving Father, that you continually raise us up to share your love with those in need. Open our eyes and hearts that we might always be ready. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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