Today is Ash Wednesday and it is the day that the season of Lent begins. Lent recalls and celebrates the 40 days that our Savior spent fasting and praying in the wilderness, tempted by Satan, before he began his public ministry. During that time, Jesus demonstrated faithfulness and obedience to God as he denied the Devil's temptations and challenged him with the Word of God.

Throughout the centuries, Christians have observed Lent by typically "giving something up". It could be some time at the television or computer, sweets or chocolate or another activity that is rewarding and fun. This sacrifice usually has been understood to be an expression of faith in God and an act of discipline to remember both Christ's temptations in the wilderness and his death on the cross at Easter, which ends the season of Lent.

However, it is often easy to focus on what we do during Lent whenever we "give something up" instead of what God can do in our lives in this holy time of the year. Let me explain. In order to fill a glass with water, it must be empty. If it is full or nearly filled, it cannot receive as much as when it is empty. By our actions of devotion during this time of 40 Days of Community, God will touch our lives and fill our hearts with his compassion, grace and presence. Maybe God would be pleased more by your intentional and deliberate acts of love toward one another within the Body of Christ, the church, and toward those outside the community of faith. Perhaps that is what we should offer God this season of Lent. Perhaps that is what we should give God.

As we love in community- the church, our groups in the church and the world around us- God will fill our fellowship, our hearts and our ministry with his love. May your journey be a blessing,

One truth that is clearly obvious as we journey together during our 40 Days of Community campaign is that God is a God of relationships. In the creation of the universe, God fashioned, first, Adam and, then, Eve with the desire to love them and for them to know and return God’s love. The pages of the Old Testament are filled with the evidence that God called a people of faith into being with the intention to have a relationship with them.

When Jesus began his ministry, he called 12 men to be with him as his disciples. He never led an army, wrote a book, held a political or religious office, established a university or built an institution. Instead, he called 12 men to be with him. He started a community and over three years, the disciples traveled with Jesus. They prayed with him, learned from him, felt his forgiveness, studied with him and even discovered ministry with him. Because they were with Jesus, their lives were changed and eleven of the twelve became apostles who changed the world.

God loves people. Because we matter to God, our relationships are important. We have been created to experience community - community with God and with others so we can grow and develop as his people. We have the possibility to discover God’s love, to accept it and return it to God, and to share with one another. May you discover the joy of Christian community in your life.

Have you ever wondered, like I have, why Zacchaeus climbed a tree in order to see Jesus as he passed through Jericho (Luke 19.1-10)? Sure, he was reported to be a person horizontally challenged; that is, he was short. Also, the crowds around Jesus had to be large since his reputation had grown throughout the region over the several years of his public ministry.

However, there may have been another reason that he climbed the tree. Zacchaeus was not well liked by his neighbors. He was, in fact, labeled as a “sinner” since he profited from the collection of taxes for the Romans. He could have tried to remain inconspicuous by climbing the tree in order to avoid the scrutiny and scorn of the crowd.

So often, that is how we approach Jesus. We are afraid of what others think of us or, even, that God has already judged us and found us wanting. Take a lesson from Zacchaeus. Jesus took the time to notice him and to spend time with him, and, in the end, to change his life forever.

We may try to hide from God out of shame and regret, but God will touch our hearts and transform our lives whenever we allow him into our day. Come this week and hear the story of Zacchaeus as we worship together.