by Rev Douglas Brauner

Hope in the midst of temptation.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

There are periods in my life that I don’t want to change anything, and other times that I embrace change and variety. The Paint Mines in Calhan, Colorado is one of those places that embraces both. There is the reality of constant change and the reality of permanence in the brightly colored clay that draws people to this park.

It had been a number of years since I made the journey east to Calhan, Colorado. Just south and slightly east of town is the El Paso County park that celebrates this unique canyon with its many colored rock formations.

These formations are made of fragile clay. Once again I was struck by the changes that resulted from erosion since my last visit. Wind, water and the presence of human beings contribute to this erosion.

Paint Mines, Calhan, Colorado

However, this bench hasn’t changed in the years that I have made the trek to the Paint Mines. I was expecting to see the bench in disrepair, broken and fallen apart. Yet it looked the same as the last time I captured it on my camera.

“This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”
Hebrews 4:15-16 New Living Translation

Jesus understood the shifting nature of our lives. He understood the temptation that beats against the clay soil of our existence. He knew what it was like to face the tempter, but he could not be moved. He would not change, for he remained without sin.

And we look to Jesus when we face temptation, when we feel the forces that would cause us to abandon the mercy of God in Christ. every time we come back to him, he is always the same. He will never change. His mercy endures forever.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado