by Rev. Herbert Nichols

Over the last several weeks we have compared Lent to a journey of life through the desert and over the mountains. We began with the Covenant to Noah, a promise of New Life; to Abraham and his posterity as a promise or trust and faithfulness; to Moses as God's protection of our personal integrity.

The reading from 2 Chronicles highlights this faithfulness of God even when we his people are unfaithful. Due to Israel's infidelity, they lost everything. They were deported and their country leveled by fire to ashes. But through their suffering they began to realize once again how much God had blessed them. When God allows suffering, it is not so much to punish as to open our eyes and hearts to his faithfulness and love for us.

After several generations, God once again delivered them through Cyrus, King of Iran. They returned to the Holy City, Jerusalem that lay in ruins. In thanksgiving, they began to rebuild the Temple referred to last Sunday as having taken 46 years to build. They kept stopping to build their own homes, their own interests, putting other priorities before trust in God. Why is it that when things go good, we begin to take God for granted?

In the Letter to the Ephesians, Paul again stresses that we live because of Christ. God loves and rescues us through the suffering and death of Christ; rescues us from the most dangerous threat to our existence -- sin.

In the gospel we are once again reminded that it is through Jesus and Him alone, that we have salvation. John 3:16 is one of the most frequently quoted verses, but it must be seen in the context of the whole passage which warns us not to flee the light

Nicodemus, to whom the passage is addressed, is an interesting character. Like Joseph of Aramethea, he is a prominent Pharisee who sympathizes with Jesus, but has too much to loose to get too involved. I'm sure you know a few people like that even today... there are many "children of the twilight''.

When your mother calls you home because it's getting dark; but the sun hasn't gone down yet, it begins dipping under the horizon. A second summons is heard. Come home now. But Ma, it's not dark yet. The third call comes and you suddenly become aware that the stars are shining.