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March Devotion
| Scripture:
Jesus said, "The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected
by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the
third day be raised." Then he said to them all, "If any want to become
my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily
and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it,
and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. What does
it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?"
Luke 9:22-25
Question for reflection: How do you discern what is faithful as you make decisions about how you take up your cross and follow Jesus? Hymn: LBW #455 "'Come, Follow Me,' the Savior Spake" LW #379 "'Come, Follow Me,' said Christ the Lord" Prayer: Gracious God, remind us in the midst of the confusing choices we face, that you are with us in all that we do. Help us to "be still and know that you are God." Guide us to think clearly and love deeply as we make decisions. In Jesus' name. Amen. |
"Discerning Your Crosswalk" by Judy Hoshek
One of the ongoing dilemmas for mothers is the decision of whether or not to work outside the home, particularly when their children are young. For some it's no debate at all. Either they are the sole breadwinner or their salary is a necessity in order to make ends meet in the family. But for others there is a choice, and they frequently anguish as they contemplate taking a hiatus from a job they love in order to be the primary caregiver for the child they cherish. The woman who decides she will stay at home because she believes that is the best thing for her child may wonder regularly during those years if she will lose her professional edge, if the fulfilling time of nurturing this little one will cost her when she wants to return to her other vocation. She may yearn for challenging adult conversation to balance the hours of Barney songs, and wonder if this feeling that she is losing her life is what Jesus had in mind when he talked about taking up a cross. The woman who decides to work outside the home and turn over her child's primary caregiving to another may give thanks for the stimulation of fulfilling work and have confidence that this decision will make her a better, unresentful parent, even as she agonizes that she may miss seeing her child's first steps, or not be there to soothe the fevered call of "Mommy!" when he is sick. Is that anguishing sense of loss what it means to "lose one's life"? What does denying self and taking up a cross daily mean to each of them? The responses vary and are not absolute. It is not automatic that the stay-at-home mom is selfless and that the working-outside-the-home mom has only her own well-being in mind. Each must discern the route her path of discipleship will follow. Such discernment comes through prayer, counsel with family, and mutual conversation with brothers and sisters of faith. Whether service takes the form of changing soiled diapers or changing policy in a boardroom, it's a daily walk, a daily commitment, a daily opportunity. What is absolute is that the one who took up the cross for us is with us as we wrestle with thorny decisions, that what we do matters, and that God will bless our struggle, forgive us when we bungle our choices, and enable us to start afresh. About the Author:
Judy Hoshek is a deaconess who serves as an assistant to the bishop
of the Northeastern Ohio Synod of the ELCA. |
