NEW HEAVENS & A NEW EARTH

Isaiah 65:17-18a  "For see I am creating new heavens & a new earth--so wonderful that no one will even think about the old ones anymore. Be glad; rejoice forever in My creation." The Living Bible

A THANKFUL SPIRIT

"The magic of a thankful spirit is that it has the power to replace anger with love, resentment with happiness, fear with faith, worry with peace, the desire to dominate with the wish to play on a team, self-preoccupation with concern for the needs of others, guilt with an open door to forgiveness, sexual impurity with honor & respect, jealousy with joy at another's success, lack of creativity with inspired productivity, inferiorities with dignity, a lack of love with an abundance of self-sharing." Donal Demarry, Men's Devotional Bible

STUFF

"Material possessions, the things you own for a short time here on earth, don't last, & they don't improve your life for eternity. As a God Guy you can't let the things of this world become more important to you than doing what God wants . . . When stuff is your obsession, then stuff has to go, because God should be your only obsession . . . Don't let stuff get in the way of your relationship with God. Unstuff your life today." Michael DiMarco, Devotions for the God Guy

ANGER

"As you witness the decay of culture & society, including the words & actions of fellow Christians & compatriots, before the sun sets, repent of your sinful anger & your sins that invoked anger in others. Seek God's forgiveness, & pray for Him to relieve you of your anger & act with His justice. He spent His wrath on His Son that your sinful anger might be forgiven; He has also already punished His Son for all the sins committed against you. Then, as you have the opportunity within your vocation, help, encourage, correct, discipline & forgive those who anger you. Do not hold onto the anger but, in love, forgive your neighbor as you also have been forgiven." Rev. Christopher Gillespie, The Lutheran Witness, Aug. 2021

A LENTEN HYMN

Jesus, in Your Dying Woes (LW #447, Sts. 5, 8, 9)

May we in our guilt & shame Still Your love & mercy claim, Calling humbly on Your name:  Hear us, holy Jesus.

May we in Your sorrows share, For You sake all peril dare, An enjoy Your tender care:  Hear us, holy Jesus.

May we all Your loved ones be, All one holy family, Loving, since Your love we see:  Hear us holy Jesus.