I came upon these verse somewhat accidentally as I was reading the 13th chapter of Matthew in my personal devotional time. Jesus tells his crowd that the scribes are like masters of a house who bring out treasures - what is old and what is new. I thought to myself - what wisdom this is for us. In this day of worship wars, of conflicts in congregations of praise bands and altar decor, we would do well to heed the wisdom of what is old and what is new.
We are fortunate at St. Peter's to have such a rich heritage exampled in our architecture, our liturgy, our music, our paraments, and our lives. The rich treasure of tradition here binds us together as we continue to strive for peace with justice remembering Bill Daniels and his long time example of faithfulness to peace making. We embrace the colors of the world in our worship as the christian symbols remind us of the Christian faith as displayed on our altar.
But we also have rich newness. Our praises rise to God with the aid of guitar, drums, harp, rainsticks, chant, choir, anthems, solos, psaltery, dulcimer, flutes, organ, and other instruments. The words we speak and pray come alive through images projected on the wall in an unobtrusive way. Liturgical movement calls for a response in us and we sing, Come, O come Emmanuel.
I love this discovery of the old and new treasures that lead our hearts to praise God in our corporate worship. Sometimes though, the marriage of the two is difficult. Some of us like to hold on to traditions as if they were the solid rock on which we stand! Michael Hawn, a well known musician and lecturer, once said, "A church with amnesia is in bad shape." So the strength of the old needs to be just that - a strength. Hawn also said, "Each generation needs to add a new stanza to the hymn." Our own Daryl Hollinger has always said that our music and worship need to reflect our theology - and so we bring newness into our community as we embrace many cultures and news songs.
I'd like to suggest that the great joy I sense when we worship together is in part because of the faithful blending of treasures - old and new. The Holy Spirit takes these offerings and wakens our hearts to praise God. How marvelous! Today I pray that you will find these gifts in your homes also. It will truly make Advent season a time of remembering and creating.
Reflections and Journaling
Blessings - What are the "old treasures" in your life that bless you. What traditions in the church do you celebrate? What traditions give strength to you and your family?
Challenge - Where does the meeting of "old and new" in the life of the church cause you frustration? What are some ways in which you can embrace the new and the old? How does the holiday season bring dificulty in blending the old and the new?
Prayer: God of the past, present and future. If only we could embrace you in many ways. Too often we have a narrow definition of who you are and we stick to it, afraid to try new ways to meet you. Open our eyes, ears, hearts, hands, and feet to the treasures you have in store for us. In the name of Jesus who quoted the ancient prophets and broke the laws, Amen.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Hospitality - Being Gracious Colossians 4:2-6 Day 13
Folks often kid me about my accent since I grew up in the southern part of the United States and I don't sound the same as folks in Lancaster county Pennsylvania. Most of the time I take it in strides, but I am amazed at the way in which people will just interrupt what I am saying to ask me, "Where are you from? You're not from around here, are you?" They have not even heard a word I was saying but are more concerned to talk about my accent. More often than not, people will laugh at my speech or say, "I just love hearing you talk. It sounds so funny."
Well, most of the time, I am gracious and make some sort of comment about where I grew up and then move on to something else. However, this constant teasing and commenting about my accent often makes me feel like an outsider. I have lived in Pennsylvania for thirty years and I am still considered a foreigner! Imagine that - this is the longest I have ever lived anywhere and yet folks will tell me that I am not a native.
Now I could go on and talk about all the implications of that statement, but what I am getting at is something deeper than my accent, where I live and if I am accepted as a native or not. The scriptures over and again are full of instructions about hospitality. Honestly, I think we do very poorly at it. In this passage in Colossians, the writer talks about knowing the mystery of Christ, praying, and speaking graciously so we have wise words to tell others about God. This says to me that our manners are indicators of wisdom and our love for God! Recently I attended a religious event where people were invited to a dessert reception afterwards. I was amazed at how many people stood at the table where the food was served, did not move on, and just talked with the people they knew. They were oblivious to those still waiting and to the people who were visitors at the event. I was sad that in a moment of great opportunity to show hospitality, welcome, appreciation and the love of God, some of us chose to talk only to our buddies, hoard the table and ignore the guests!
It may seem like a small thing, but it is not. I am convinced that we will never grow our churches, share the good news of Christ, welcome the stranger and show the love of God if we continue to be this self centered. Oh yes, I have heard all the excuses - well Pastor Bonnie, I just needed to check with a member about an event coming up, or I assumed they had people to talk to, or I wasn't aware of the people behind me. That's exactly what I am saying - WE ARE NOT AWARE OF OUR LACK OF HOSPITALITY!
It starts with verse 2 in this passage - keep praying, be alert with thanksgiving! I am certain that when we are thankful to God for food, for friends, for the opportunity to gather and do not take these things for granted, then we become more loving and hospitable. Hospitality is connected to prayer! When we live in appreciation for all we are given, for all we are, then we are eager to share - our conversations, our lives, our food, our homes, our clothing and ourselves.
I wonder what God's reign on earth might look like if we show hospitality as Christ did - I believe we will be amazed!
Reflections and journaling
Blessing - when were you welcomed and felt a sense of being appreciated? How does showing hospitality show the love of God?
Challenge - what are some ways in which we exclude others - especially at seasonal church events? fellowship meals? When did you feel left out and how are you dealing with the pain? What are ways we can change our behaviours toward visitors? How do you greet others in your daily life? at the store? the gas station? the coffee shop?
Prayer: Open our eyes God and put wisdom on our lips. As you send friends we don't yet know into our paths, let us see them as your children, embracing them regardless of heritage, language or culture. Give us generous spirits that are unselfish and willing to be brave in our invitation to join our lives. In the name of Jesus who sought out the lonely, amen.
Well, most of the time, I am gracious and make some sort of comment about where I grew up and then move on to something else. However, this constant teasing and commenting about my accent often makes me feel like an outsider. I have lived in Pennsylvania for thirty years and I am still considered a foreigner! Imagine that - this is the longest I have ever lived anywhere and yet folks will tell me that I am not a native.
Now I could go on and talk about all the implications of that statement, but what I am getting at is something deeper than my accent, where I live and if I am accepted as a native or not. The scriptures over and again are full of instructions about hospitality. Honestly, I think we do very poorly at it. In this passage in Colossians, the writer talks about knowing the mystery of Christ, praying, and speaking graciously so we have wise words to tell others about God. This says to me that our manners are indicators of wisdom and our love for God! Recently I attended a religious event where people were invited to a dessert reception afterwards. I was amazed at how many people stood at the table where the food was served, did not move on, and just talked with the people they knew. They were oblivious to those still waiting and to the people who were visitors at the event. I was sad that in a moment of great opportunity to show hospitality, welcome, appreciation and the love of God, some of us chose to talk only to our buddies, hoard the table and ignore the guests!
It may seem like a small thing, but it is not. I am convinced that we will never grow our churches, share the good news of Christ, welcome the stranger and show the love of God if we continue to be this self centered. Oh yes, I have heard all the excuses - well Pastor Bonnie, I just needed to check with a member about an event coming up, or I assumed they had people to talk to, or I wasn't aware of the people behind me. That's exactly what I am saying - WE ARE NOT AWARE OF OUR LACK OF HOSPITALITY!
It starts with verse 2 in this passage - keep praying, be alert with thanksgiving! I am certain that when we are thankful to God for food, for friends, for the opportunity to gather and do not take these things for granted, then we become more loving and hospitable. Hospitality is connected to prayer! When we live in appreciation for all we are given, for all we are, then we are eager to share - our conversations, our lives, our food, our homes, our clothing and ourselves.
I wonder what God's reign on earth might look like if we show hospitality as Christ did - I believe we will be amazed!
Reflections and journaling
Blessing - when were you welcomed and felt a sense of being appreciated? How does showing hospitality show the love of God?
Challenge - what are some ways in which we exclude others - especially at seasonal church events? fellowship meals? When did you feel left out and how are you dealing with the pain? What are ways we can change our behaviours toward visitors? How do you greet others in your daily life? at the store? the gas station? the coffee shop?
Prayer: Open our eyes God and put wisdom on our lips. As you send friends we don't yet know into our paths, let us see them as your children, embracing them regardless of heritage, language or culture. Give us generous spirits that are unselfish and willing to be brave in our invitation to join our lives. In the name of Jesus who sought out the lonely, amen.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Isaiah 49 Belonging to God
Well, it's back to Isaiah 49! I just can't get it out of my system yet. Lately a number of folks around me have been going through some pretty rough times. Setbacks at work, health issues, children problems, aging parent issues, and discouragement. What can one say that lifts us out of this despair and into hope?
Hang in with me on this one, because I have to tell the story for you to get what I mean. God knew each of us when we were in the womb. How powerful is that! It is such an incredible thing that when I am low I say it over and again - God, you knew me before I was born!
For some people this might not seem like a remarkable thing, but for me, it has been and is life altering. I was not one of the fortunate ones to be born into a family of responsible adults who actually wanted to be parents. Instead, I was one of five born to two people who had serious alchohol addicitons along with many other bad habits, including violence. As a result, my growing up years from age birth to age 18 were spent being tossed from foster home to foster home. One would think that if the welfare system took me from a bad situation, they would put me in a better one, but that was not the case. Many of the homes were worse than the one I left, but alas that is best saved for another day.
I tell you this because even though I wonder why this happened to me, why I had to be without parents, separated from brothers and sisters and received great abuses - physical, emotional and sexual, I always knew that I was God's child. Oh sure there were days I wondered where God had taken off to, but deep down in, I knew I was God's daughter.
I used to spend a lot of time climbing trees and I would often sit in a limb and talk to God. I would say, God, I might be a foster child to everybody else, but I'm your daughter. Imgaine that! God's real daughter - nothing temporary or fake about it.
It wasn't until many years later that I would read this scripture and know that I had been right all along! So now, when things are really tough, when I feel hurt and scared, I remember that I am God's daughter and God knew me even before I was born. I like to visualize that I am sitting in God's big lap and being held so closely and nothing can hurt me. Not only has this been healing for old wounds, but it keeps me grounded in God's love now.
So I invite you to claim your kinship with God! Go ahead, say it, God, I am your daughter, your son and I know you love me. It is my prayer that in so doing you will discover healing and hope in your life.
Reflections and journaling
Blessing - spend time proclaiming that you are God's child. What does it feel like? How does it change the way you see your life?
Challenge - what are the wounds that you need healed? What is keeping you from claiming God's love in your life? What steps can you take to gain strength in these troubling times? Write down something you want to share in your small group, with your prayer partner or with your pastor about areas that need wholeness.
Prayer - Healing God, you knew me before I was born. I imagine that when you created me you held me up and said, ah, this is my child. Let's see what she/he will do. You blessed us at our birth and you bless us even now. Sometimes we miss seeing you as Parent because of our own earthly parents, or because of the way we parent. But you go way beyond anything we can imagine and call us your own. I love you God - Mother, Father, Parent, Friend, Amen
Hang in with me on this one, because I have to tell the story for you to get what I mean. God knew each of us when we were in the womb. How powerful is that! It is such an incredible thing that when I am low I say it over and again - God, you knew me before I was born!
For some people this might not seem like a remarkable thing, but for me, it has been and is life altering. I was not one of the fortunate ones to be born into a family of responsible adults who actually wanted to be parents. Instead, I was one of five born to two people who had serious alchohol addicitons along with many other bad habits, including violence. As a result, my growing up years from age birth to age 18 were spent being tossed from foster home to foster home. One would think that if the welfare system took me from a bad situation, they would put me in a better one, but that was not the case. Many of the homes were worse than the one I left, but alas that is best saved for another day.
I tell you this because even though I wonder why this happened to me, why I had to be without parents, separated from brothers and sisters and received great abuses - physical, emotional and sexual, I always knew that I was God's child. Oh sure there were days I wondered where God had taken off to, but deep down in, I knew I was God's daughter.
I used to spend a lot of time climbing trees and I would often sit in a limb and talk to God. I would say, God, I might be a foster child to everybody else, but I'm your daughter. Imgaine that! God's real daughter - nothing temporary or fake about it.
It wasn't until many years later that I would read this scripture and know that I had been right all along! So now, when things are really tough, when I feel hurt and scared, I remember that I am God's daughter and God knew me even before I was born. I like to visualize that I am sitting in God's big lap and being held so closely and nothing can hurt me. Not only has this been healing for old wounds, but it keeps me grounded in God's love now.
So I invite you to claim your kinship with God! Go ahead, say it, God, I am your daughter, your son and I know you love me. It is my prayer that in so doing you will discover healing and hope in your life.
Reflections and journaling
Blessing - spend time proclaiming that you are God's child. What does it feel like? How does it change the way you see your life?
Challenge - what are the wounds that you need healed? What is keeping you from claiming God's love in your life? What steps can you take to gain strength in these troubling times? Write down something you want to share in your small group, with your prayer partner or with your pastor about areas that need wholeness.
Prayer - Healing God, you knew me before I was born. I imagine that when you created me you held me up and said, ah, this is my child. Let's see what she/he will do. You blessed us at our birth and you bless us even now. Sometimes we miss seeing you as Parent because of our own earthly parents, or because of the way we parent. But you go way beyond anything we can imagine and call us your own. I love you God - Mother, Father, Parent, Friend, Amen
Isaiah 49 God is our Strength
If you have been listening to the news lately, you know that we are in woeful times. If you are adhering to the advice of the advertisers you will believe that life is all about yourself and your well being.
The prophet Isaiah in this passage reminds us that we are called to be God's servants. Yet we are not without the tools necessary to be God's servants. In verse 5 the writer proclaims that God is his strength. How marvelous! In this day and age when we are wooed by the world's troubles and societal values, we are called to be the light and are girded with God's strength.
I find this particularly promising in this season of Advent and it fills me again with hope. I am reminded that life isn't just about me. Yesterday our secreatry was on vacation and it was my pleasure to answer the phone and the door. A myriad of people entered the building and called on the phone for an array of issues.
It was disconcerting at first to have so many interruptions - to be patient and listen carefully as each person described their need or question. Some people just wanted to inquire about our bazaar or work with the refugees. A few had topics of concern and wanted guidance. There were requests for food and money. Delivery persons seemed to want more than just a signature but lingered to talk. It was tempting to hurry throgh these interactions and get on to...what? What was I doing? What is really important today? As a Christian and as a pastor, called to be a servant in the world, it is to give hope. Sometimes hope comes in the form of a listening ear, a bag of groceries, an appointment for further dialogue, or directions on how to volunteer.
As I read Isaiah, I am reminded that through it all, God is our strength. This is great news for troubling times. No matter what happens around us, when we rely on God's strength, each moment can be a treasure of hope for someone! Today I pray that we can all relax a moment, breathe in the Holy Spirit, and draw on God's strength to be a servant. Spread the hope my friends, spread the hope!
Reflection and Journaling
blessing - How do I see God bringing hope in my world today? Share it with someone. When was God my strength this week?
Challenge - Am I truly being a servant of God and counting on God to anchor me? Do I reflect confidence in God or do I complain and whine about the situations in which we live? What stops me from being hopeful and giving hope to others?
Prayer - God, you are our rock, our strength. Today when we feel overwhelmed, weak, distraught, sad and lost, let us know your hope deep in our souls. Give us courage to turn to you when the outlook is bleak. Show us today where we can be hope for others. Revive our trust in you so that we may be servants and spread hope to those we meet. In the name of Jesus who gave hope as he ate with strangers. amen
The prophet Isaiah in this passage reminds us that we are called to be God's servants. Yet we are not without the tools necessary to be God's servants. In verse 5 the writer proclaims that God is his strength. How marvelous! In this day and age when we are wooed by the world's troubles and societal values, we are called to be the light and are girded with God's strength.
I find this particularly promising in this season of Advent and it fills me again with hope. I am reminded that life isn't just about me. Yesterday our secreatry was on vacation and it was my pleasure to answer the phone and the door. A myriad of people entered the building and called on the phone for an array of issues.
It was disconcerting at first to have so many interruptions - to be patient and listen carefully as each person described their need or question. Some people just wanted to inquire about our bazaar or work with the refugees. A few had topics of concern and wanted guidance. There were requests for food and money. Delivery persons seemed to want more than just a signature but lingered to talk. It was tempting to hurry throgh these interactions and get on to...what? What was I doing? What is really important today? As a Christian and as a pastor, called to be a servant in the world, it is to give hope. Sometimes hope comes in the form of a listening ear, a bag of groceries, an appointment for further dialogue, or directions on how to volunteer.
As I read Isaiah, I am reminded that through it all, God is our strength. This is great news for troubling times. No matter what happens around us, when we rely on God's strength, each moment can be a treasure of hope for someone! Today I pray that we can all relax a moment, breathe in the Holy Spirit, and draw on God's strength to be a servant. Spread the hope my friends, spread the hope!
Reflection and Journaling
blessing - How do I see God bringing hope in my world today? Share it with someone. When was God my strength this week?
Challenge - Am I truly being a servant of God and counting on God to anchor me? Do I reflect confidence in God or do I complain and whine about the situations in which we live? What stops me from being hopeful and giving hope to others?
Prayer - God, you are our rock, our strength. Today when we feel overwhelmed, weak, distraught, sad and lost, let us know your hope deep in our souls. Give us courage to turn to you when the outlook is bleak. Show us today where we can be hope for others. Revive our trust in you so that we may be servants and spread hope to those we meet. In the name of Jesus who gave hope as he ate with strangers. amen
Monday, November 29, 2010
Hebrews 11 - Faith is the Assurance of Hope
I love Advent! The blue colors of the paraments in the sanctuary, the anticipation, the music that calls us to wait and be ready stirs me to rest in this season. When everything around me is bustling, this Christian season nurtures my soul in its song and celebration. Yesterday at St. Peter's we learned how hope is one of the key ingredients in our journey with God. I have often said that without hope I could not live. When our son died seven years ago, I thought my heart would break. It was my hope in Jesus and knowing that God would be with me in the darkest of hours, hanging on to that hope, that kept me whole.
This eleventh chapter of Hebrews gives us a litany of people who lived by faith and it starts out by telling us that faith and hope go hand in hand. As a parent I am keenly aware of how hope guides me on many a frightening day. As our youth face a barrage of evil everyday, I constantly hope and pray that the love of God we share with them will take root and reign in their lives someday. As children of an elderly parent, Daryl and I constantly hang on to the hope that we will not waver in our care of Mom and that her days will be joyful and pain free. As a pastor, I hope that in growing our parish, folks will encounter a deep spiritual connection with God and the faith community that sustains them.
These dreams and hopes are not unlike the stories in Hebrews 11. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we wrote a St. Peter's book of faith and hope? I am sure we would have many examples of how hope kept us through the dark days and nights. However, Chrisitan hope is not a simple wish such as I hope I get a big screen tv for Christmas. It is grounded in the knowledge of God's deep love and compassion for us. Our hope is stabilized by the history and traditions of our ancestors, and the future promise of the Son of God to come again. Our longings for joy in the future are driven by the nurture of one another sharing how God holds us when we weep tears in the night.
So this Advent Season I invite us to spend time remembering the ways in which God has held on to us. At the same time, let us look to the future, calling on God to hear our dreams and concerns knowing full well that our hopes will be realized. We may not know when, but we can be assured that God delights in being in our midst.
Reflections and Journaling
Blessings - how has hope in God held you in tough times? What does it mean to hope for things not yet seen? How does hope in God change us during Advent?
Challenge- name the times or situations in which you feel hopeless. Name the dreams you hold for yourself or someone else that seem unattainable. Now turn them over to God and wait for God to work.
Prayer - God of hope, God of promise, you reign in our lives when we make enough room for you. Come now and turn our hopes into realities. Shake us out of our fear and replace it with hope in you. Plant within us courage to dream and then place them in your hands. In the name of Jesus who said, "I have come to make all things new." Amen
This eleventh chapter of Hebrews gives us a litany of people who lived by faith and it starts out by telling us that faith and hope go hand in hand. As a parent I am keenly aware of how hope guides me on many a frightening day. As our youth face a barrage of evil everyday, I constantly hope and pray that the love of God we share with them will take root and reign in their lives someday. As children of an elderly parent, Daryl and I constantly hang on to the hope that we will not waver in our care of Mom and that her days will be joyful and pain free. As a pastor, I hope that in growing our parish, folks will encounter a deep spiritual connection with God and the faith community that sustains them.
These dreams and hopes are not unlike the stories in Hebrews 11. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we wrote a St. Peter's book of faith and hope? I am sure we would have many examples of how hope kept us through the dark days and nights. However, Chrisitan hope is not a simple wish such as I hope I get a big screen tv for Christmas. It is grounded in the knowledge of God's deep love and compassion for us. Our hope is stabilized by the history and traditions of our ancestors, and the future promise of the Son of God to come again. Our longings for joy in the future are driven by the nurture of one another sharing how God holds us when we weep tears in the night.
So this Advent Season I invite us to spend time remembering the ways in which God has held on to us. At the same time, let us look to the future, calling on God to hear our dreams and concerns knowing full well that our hopes will be realized. We may not know when, but we can be assured that God delights in being in our midst.
Reflections and Journaling
Blessings - how has hope in God held you in tough times? What does it mean to hope for things not yet seen? How does hope in God change us during Advent?
Challenge- name the times or situations in which you feel hopeless. Name the dreams you hold for yourself or someone else that seem unattainable. Now turn them over to God and wait for God to work.
Prayer - God of hope, God of promise, you reign in our lives when we make enough room for you. Come now and turn our hopes into realities. Shake us out of our fear and replace it with hope in you. Plant within us courage to dream and then place them in your hands. In the name of Jesus who said, "I have come to make all things new." Amen
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Luke 8:40-48 A Touch Makes All the Difference
This story of the woman being healed because she touched the fringe of Jesus' garment has always intrigued me. She knew the power of Jesus to heal and she was going to get to him somehow. I love the painting of this by Judith Mehr. You can see the longing in the woman's face and the gentleness of Jesus as he turns to her.
The woman in our story today had to overcome great obstacles to get to Jesus. She was impure in her day and probably desperate as she was most likely cut off from society. However, her tenacity kept her pressing on to Jesus because she knew he could heal her. I am probably adding fiction to the story by suggesting that the touch made all the difference but I believe we can gain insight into our own lives through its telling.
We have become afraid to touch. Yes, of course there are boundaries, but how many times do we block ourselves from the touch of others and God - both emotionally and physically? I remember two powerful times when God was in the physical touch. It had been a couple of hard days for me and the members of our parish. One of our beloved matriarchs of the church was dying. She could not seem to settle. A group came and sang to her, hospice workers gave her medication and made her comfortable, her family massaged her and still she tossed and turned and cried pitifully and fretfully. "It is near the end," the hospice nurse said, "sometimes it is hard at this point." The family decided to leave the room but I stayed. I sang in a gentle soothing voice but this had no calming effect. Finally I probably broke all pastoral rules of the day, but I curled up beside her tiny little body and wrapped my arms around her. I held her close and told her of all the love of God, her family and my own love for her. "Go with God," I said, "I'm right here with you."
Immediately she relaxed and cuddled down in my arms. The hospice nurse came to check on us and smiled. "You knew she needed the touch, didn't you?" she asked. I nodded and lay my head back on the pillow next to her. Her breathing slowed and we stayed there together until she died twenty minutes later. "Go in peace," I whispered as I kissed her forehead and stood up to leave.
I was in tears by now - partly because my dear parishioner was gone and partly because I feared what I had done. I had broken all protocol for pastors. The nurse looked at me and saw that I was crying. "I hope I don't get in trouble," I said, "I broke the rules didn't I? "It was necessary," she said, "your touch made all the difference." She held my hands, "YOU go in peace" and she left the room. HER touch was what I needed at that moment too.
I am learning that God is in those powerful moments when we dare to let ourselves be used for God's glory. Just this past week as I handed out groceries to someone in our neighborhood, the woman suddenly turned to me as she started to leave. "Can I just hug you?" "Of course," I said and then she started to cry. "Thank you Pastor" and she left abruptly. I prayed as she left that my touch was somehow a bit of God to lighten her load. The woman in our story today knew the power of Jesus to heal her. If only we can discover this too.
Reflection and journaling
Blessing - When has God touched you? What changed for you when this happened? When has the physical touch of someone else healed you?
Challenge - sometimes our past history makes it difficult for some of us to embrace being touched. How might the love of God help us heal in this area? Can we imagine ourselves in the gentle and safe embrace of God? While we want to adhere to all good boundaries of touch, are there times we hold back a hand shake or a hug because of fear? Is this fear justified or selfish?
Prayer - Comforting God, you touch us in so many ways and often we do not recognize them. Open our hearts to be willing to touch others that are helpful and holistic. Heal today people who are suffering from pains of the past where touch wounded them deeply. Let us seek your wisdom in our lives and reach out our hands to make the difference in the lives of others. In the name of Jesus who touched the outcast and unclean and changed their worlds, amen.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Jonah 3 & 4 - Expectations Can Lead to Trouble
Recently I attended an event where the speaker disappointed me. I had heard great things about him, how he was such a wonderful person and a great leader and so I came to the meeting all ready to get fired up about life and its challenges. I was ready for this person to inspire me as a person and as a pastor. That is not what I got. This individual was neither fiery nor motivating to me. The issues he addressed in his speaking were not at all what I expected. I even expressed my dismay to others about this.
The trouble though, was not with him, it was with me. When you read Jonah, you will see that Jonah had a plan that did not include God's expectations. It was all about Jonah and what he wanted. If you can, especially read these passages in the Message translation. They make it pretty clear that Jonah was ticked at God and God had to set Jonah straight.
God too is setting me straight. The speaker I went to hear is gentle, kind, and faithful to what is being asked of him. He did not have to meet MY expectations - he just needs to be God's messenger. It was my expectations that got me into trouble. If I had listened with an open mind, perhaps I would have been able to hear the good news he shared.
Sometimes it is this way in our families and in our church. We expect that people will behave a certain way and when they don't, we are troubled and sometimes mean about it. Instead of accepting people and situations for what they are, we pile on what we want. Most of the time our loved ones don't even know that we have these expectations. When we don't get what we want, we lash out at them and are often hurtful.
Jonah was mad because God's grace outdid God's anger. Isn't it wonderful when grace triumphs over evil, over anger, over retaliation? Oh how I wish I were more like that - where my expectations are lined up with God's? Perhaps then I wouldn't get into so much trouble!
Reflections and journaling
Blessing - how is God surprising you when you have expectations? When does grace supersede anger or retaliation?
Challenge - What are the areas in your life where your expectations of others are selfish and/or unreasonable? How might you behave differently this Thanksgiving time when things don't go as you expected?
Prayer
Gracious God, we are so glad that your grace and love is not dependent on our expectations. We are sometimes self righteous in claiming what WE want and forget to turn to you for guidance. This week help us to be gentle with our families and friends, let us be open about our expectations and give them over to you when they are hurtful. Birth in us an ability to see all people as you do - children of grace. In the name of Jesus who gave people more than they expected, Amen.
The trouble though, was not with him, it was with me. When you read Jonah, you will see that Jonah had a plan that did not include God's expectations. It was all about Jonah and what he wanted. If you can, especially read these passages in the Message translation. They make it pretty clear that Jonah was ticked at God and God had to set Jonah straight.
God too is setting me straight. The speaker I went to hear is gentle, kind, and faithful to what is being asked of him. He did not have to meet MY expectations - he just needs to be God's messenger. It was my expectations that got me into trouble. If I had listened with an open mind, perhaps I would have been able to hear the good news he shared.
Sometimes it is this way in our families and in our church. We expect that people will behave a certain way and when they don't, we are troubled and sometimes mean about it. Instead of accepting people and situations for what they are, we pile on what we want. Most of the time our loved ones don't even know that we have these expectations. When we don't get what we want, we lash out at them and are often hurtful.
Jonah was mad because God's grace outdid God's anger. Isn't it wonderful when grace triumphs over evil, over anger, over retaliation? Oh how I wish I were more like that - where my expectations are lined up with God's? Perhaps then I wouldn't get into so much trouble!
Reflections and journaling
Blessing - how is God surprising you when you have expectations? When does grace supersede anger or retaliation?
Challenge - What are the areas in your life where your expectations of others are selfish and/or unreasonable? How might you behave differently this Thanksgiving time when things don't go as you expected?
Prayer
Gracious God, we are so glad that your grace and love is not dependent on our expectations. We are sometimes self righteous in claiming what WE want and forget to turn to you for guidance. This week help us to be gentle with our families and friends, let us be open about our expectations and give them over to you when they are hurtful. Birth in us an ability to see all people as you do - children of grace. In the name of Jesus who gave people more than they expected, Amen.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Matthew 6:25-34 The Little Things
This past week was full and I found that I was misplacing things, dropping items, bumping my knee and just at odds with myself. When I am not feeling balanced my life tends to run me. On one particular day I needed to take a receipt to the store and pick up something for our son that he had prepaid. He had been waiting a long time for this item and I promised him that I would get it that day.
Imagine my dismay when I realized that I didn't know where I had put the receipt. I tore up my home office, emptied several briefcases, dumped the contents of my purse and I could not find it anywhere. Frustrated and running late, I hopped in the car and headed for the church knowing that I might have to pay for the item all over again. (NOT a happy thought!)
In spite of myself, it was a glorious day and I could not help but marvel at the beauty of the day. Thank you God for this majesty, thank you for your love. Suddenly it hit me. Why not ask God for help? But my head played mind games. This surely was not big enough to take to God, right? Oh well, I prayed anyway.
"God," I said, "I know this is a stupid request. I am sure there are people who are hungry who need you more than me, there are hurting and dying folks that long for your comfort, but I'm in a pickle right now. I have lost a receipt and I'm not asking you to reach your hand down and flash it in front of my face, but could you just jog my memory? Could you clear my mind long enough for me to settle in and remember where it is? I know it's not really important in the big scheme of things, but it's important to me now. Thank you God for listening. Amen."
Immediately when I was done with that prayer and I kid you not, immediately, I remembered where I had put the receipt. As soon as it was possible I pulled the car off the street and opened my purse and checked the little envelope where I had a few notes. There it was! "God, you came through for me," I exclaimed.
It's true folks - God cares about the very little things in our lives. I spent the rest of the day being in such gratitude for my connectedness to God. Oh some people will explain it away and say it was all about my human ability to remember and the conscious effort I made to recall. That's okay. It does not alter the lesson I keep learning - God loves me and cares for me - down to the tiny parts of my life. Just like the gospel says. God cares for the flowers and the birds. Oh how glorious this is! How marvelous! This is the joy that keeps me going in the tough times.
Reflection & Journaling
Blessing - How does this scripture open your life to a new vision of God? How did God bless you this week? Name some of the little ways in which you see God around you.
Challenge - Why do you hold back from talking to God? Do you think God doesn't care about the details of life? What will you bring to God today and ask for wisdom, guidance or healing?
Prayer - God of the details, keep pulling me towards you even as I find excuses to turn away from you. Open my eyes to the ways in which you love me and give me a boldness to share this with others. Create in me a heart of gratitude for the small things and thank you for being in the nooks and crannies of my life. Amen
Imagine my dismay when I realized that I didn't know where I had put the receipt. I tore up my home office, emptied several briefcases, dumped the contents of my purse and I could not find it anywhere. Frustrated and running late, I hopped in the car and headed for the church knowing that I might have to pay for the item all over again. (NOT a happy thought!)
In spite of myself, it was a glorious day and I could not help but marvel at the beauty of the day. Thank you God for this majesty, thank you for your love. Suddenly it hit me. Why not ask God for help? But my head played mind games. This surely was not big enough to take to God, right? Oh well, I prayed anyway.
"God," I said, "I know this is a stupid request. I am sure there are people who are hungry who need you more than me, there are hurting and dying folks that long for your comfort, but I'm in a pickle right now. I have lost a receipt and I'm not asking you to reach your hand down and flash it in front of my face, but could you just jog my memory? Could you clear my mind long enough for me to settle in and remember where it is? I know it's not really important in the big scheme of things, but it's important to me now. Thank you God for listening. Amen."
Immediately when I was done with that prayer and I kid you not, immediately, I remembered where I had put the receipt. As soon as it was possible I pulled the car off the street and opened my purse and checked the little envelope where I had a few notes. There it was! "God, you came through for me," I exclaimed.
It's true folks - God cares about the very little things in our lives. I spent the rest of the day being in such gratitude for my connectedness to God. Oh some people will explain it away and say it was all about my human ability to remember and the conscious effort I made to recall. That's okay. It does not alter the lesson I keep learning - God loves me and cares for me - down to the tiny parts of my life. Just like the gospel says. God cares for the flowers and the birds. Oh how glorious this is! How marvelous! This is the joy that keeps me going in the tough times.
Reflection & Journaling
Blessing - How does this scripture open your life to a new vision of God? How did God bless you this week? Name some of the little ways in which you see God around you.
Challenge - Why do you hold back from talking to God? Do you think God doesn't care about the details of life? What will you bring to God today and ask for wisdom, guidance or healing?
Prayer - God of the details, keep pulling me towards you even as I find excuses to turn away from you. Open my eyes to the ways in which you love me and give me a boldness to share this with others. Create in me a heart of gratitude for the small things and thank you for being in the nooks and crannies of my life. Amen
Sunday, November 14, 2010
A Lamp - Week 2 - Day 1
Psalm 119:97-112 Lately we have been having discussions about the Bible. First in Sunday forum and then in Confirmation class. We have studied the history of the Bible and heard scholars speak about the hosts of new discoveries and probably errors in some of the translations we have.
We could get bogged down in all this, especially when the Bible is used as a weapon to defend a selfish interest, but this great book is filled with stories, poetry, advice, parables, predictions and much more that lead us to the Almighty God. Some say that it is an ancient book that has little relevance to us today.
However, I like the way the Psalmist states it, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. The lamp shines most brightly when I live it in context of my fellow Christians at St. Peter's. Week after week we come together to delve into the scriptures to seek how God wants us to live. It is part of our covenant with God and each other. When we discern together what the scriptures say to us, then it is light to ourselves and others.
I invite you to be part of a small group so you can delve into this Holy Book together. There is much wisdom to be learned from the Bible and reading it in context of the larger faith community. As many of you know, I keep telling you that it is time to stop drinking milk and started eating meat with regards to studying the Bible. It is time to move beyond knowing the stories you heard in Sunday School and grow into a deeper relationship with God that gets you to wrestle with the texts and discover the wisdom hidden there.
As always, I am available for discussion and prayer time. So go ahead, open the Bible and be amazed!
Reflections and Journaling
Blessing: What does this passage tell you about the Bible? When did you first come to appreciate reading the Bible? Tell of a time when the scriptures carried you through tough times.
Challenge: What is keeping you from reading the Bible daily? How do the scriptures challenge your life? State what you believe about the way the Bible guides you.
Prayer: Loving God, open your words to me so that I may understand them and give hope to others. Stir me to spend more time readying the Bible so I will gain wisdom for life's tough questions. protect me from ever using your Holy Word as a weapon to punish or demean others. Show me your light and love in these scriptures. In the name of Jesus who explained the law and moved beyond it. Amen
We could get bogged down in all this, especially when the Bible is used as a weapon to defend a selfish interest, but this great book is filled with stories, poetry, advice, parables, predictions and much more that lead us to the Almighty God. Some say that it is an ancient book that has little relevance to us today.
However, I like the way the Psalmist states it, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. The lamp shines most brightly when I live it in context of my fellow Christians at St. Peter's. Week after week we come together to delve into the scriptures to seek how God wants us to live. It is part of our covenant with God and each other. When we discern together what the scriptures say to us, then it is light to ourselves and others.
I invite you to be part of a small group so you can delve into this Holy Book together. There is much wisdom to be learned from the Bible and reading it in context of the larger faith community. As many of you know, I keep telling you that it is time to stop drinking milk and started eating meat with regards to studying the Bible. It is time to move beyond knowing the stories you heard in Sunday School and grow into a deeper relationship with God that gets you to wrestle with the texts and discover the wisdom hidden there.
As always, I am available for discussion and prayer time. So go ahead, open the Bible and be amazed!
Reflections and Journaling
Blessing: What does this passage tell you about the Bible? When did you first come to appreciate reading the Bible? Tell of a time when the scriptures carried you through tough times.
Challenge: What is keeping you from reading the Bible daily? How do the scriptures challenge your life? State what you believe about the way the Bible guides you.
Prayer: Loving God, open your words to me so that I may understand them and give hope to others. Stir me to spend more time readying the Bible so I will gain wisdom for life's tough questions. protect me from ever using your Holy Word as a weapon to punish or demean others. Show me your light and love in these scriptures. In the name of Jesus who explained the law and moved beyond it. Amen
Friday, November 12, 2010
A Generous Heart Psalm 51
Lately, I've been reading and thinking a lot about generosity and giving because our parish is ready to bring our pledges to the altar this Sunday. In my devotional time yesterday, I discovered that I am not as generous as I once thought. Oh, you could probably ask anyone who knows me and they would tell you that I am quick to share what I have with others, but my prayer time yesterday revealed a side of me that is quite stingy. It caught me up short and lingers with me even now.
God is not only asking me to give my money, my time, my possessions, and my talents for the good of all, but also my will. Yuck! This is where I had to look in the mirror and see myself for who I really am and it surprised me that I am more able to give all these other things to God but my will is where I hang on tightly.
For example, many years ago, my foster sister was murdered by her husband. It is a wound that still hurts today. As a family we did all we could to intervene in their violence but to no avail. I spent many years wishing something terrible would happen to him. One of my spiritual guides about twelve years ago helped me work through this. "Imagine," he said, "that God is holding both of you in God's arms. God is healing the wounds of both of you together." Well I have to tell you that I did not like that image at all. First of all, I wasn't the one that committed that heinous crime and secondly, I did not want to be in God's arms with that evil man.
Yet it soon became clear that God's love was way bigger than me. To love God was to love all that God's holds closely too. It took some time but I prayed that God would give me a gentle spirit towards this man and now I am able to ask God to bless him and bring wholeness to his life.
One would think that after a traumatic experience like this, I would be great at giving my will over to God -that I would be generous with what others need and want. However, it is still a continual battle - especially at times with my family. When others make plans that leave me out or expect me to acquiesce to what they want, I struggle. Yesterday's prayer time challenged me to give it ALL to God- my spirit AND my possessions. It puts a whole new meaning on STEWARDSHIP!
Yet the reward is great when I give my will to God. God opens new windows and changes old attitudes. Oh, it's not a quick fix or easy, but the gently prodding of God opens my eyes to ways in which I can be generous for the good of all. So God, just what will I put on my pledge sheet? Is there a place for a stingy heart? Of course there is - God will create in me a clean heart and a right spirit I am sure!
Reflection and journaling
Blessing: What part of your spirit is generous? When is it easiest for you to give your life for the good of others? It is you ears, your mind, your heart, your hands, your feet, your possessions? How do you bless others with your will?
Challenge: Where do you struggle in the challenge to have a clean heart before God? How do you give up your own way when you know God is asking you to do this? How might living with a generous spirit change your relationship in your family? in the church? at work? in the neighborhood?
Prayer: Forgiving God, thank you for loving me just the way I am. Stir me to give all of me to you, holding nothing back. When I am tempted to be selfish and insist on my own way, nudge me to turn to your vision of generosity. Open my eyes to see that loving you means loving others as myself. In the name of Jesus who gave his all, Amen.
God is not only asking me to give my money, my time, my possessions, and my talents for the good of all, but also my will. Yuck! This is where I had to look in the mirror and see myself for who I really am and it surprised me that I am more able to give all these other things to God but my will is where I hang on tightly.
For example, many years ago, my foster sister was murdered by her husband. It is a wound that still hurts today. As a family we did all we could to intervene in their violence but to no avail. I spent many years wishing something terrible would happen to him. One of my spiritual guides about twelve years ago helped me work through this. "Imagine," he said, "that God is holding both of you in God's arms. God is healing the wounds of both of you together." Well I have to tell you that I did not like that image at all. First of all, I wasn't the one that committed that heinous crime and secondly, I did not want to be in God's arms with that evil man.
Yet it soon became clear that God's love was way bigger than me. To love God was to love all that God's holds closely too. It took some time but I prayed that God would give me a gentle spirit towards this man and now I am able to ask God to bless him and bring wholeness to his life.
One would think that after a traumatic experience like this, I would be great at giving my will over to God -that I would be generous with what others need and want. However, it is still a continual battle - especially at times with my family. When others make plans that leave me out or expect me to acquiesce to what they want, I struggle. Yesterday's prayer time challenged me to give it ALL to God- my spirit AND my possessions. It puts a whole new meaning on STEWARDSHIP!
Yet the reward is great when I give my will to God. God opens new windows and changes old attitudes. Oh, it's not a quick fix or easy, but the gently prodding of God opens my eyes to ways in which I can be generous for the good of all. So God, just what will I put on my pledge sheet? Is there a place for a stingy heart? Of course there is - God will create in me a clean heart and a right spirit I am sure!
Reflection and journaling
Blessing: What part of your spirit is generous? When is it easiest for you to give your life for the good of others? It is you ears, your mind, your heart, your hands, your feet, your possessions? How do you bless others with your will?
Challenge: Where do you struggle in the challenge to have a clean heart before God? How do you give up your own way when you know God is asking you to do this? How might living with a generous spirit change your relationship in your family? in the church? at work? in the neighborhood?
Prayer: Forgiving God, thank you for loving me just the way I am. Stir me to give all of me to you, holding nothing back. When I am tempted to be selfish and insist on my own way, nudge me to turn to your vision of generosity. Open my eyes to see that loving you means loving others as myself. In the name of Jesus who gave his all, Amen.
Monday, November 8, 2010
If Only...
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Day 5 – If only….
I Timothy 6:17-18
Our parish is in the midst of a time of discernment regarding our finances. This week we will write down our pledges and bring them to church and offer them to God during our offering time. It is amazing how little folks want to talk about this. I find it puzzling. We tell stories of our families, we share our struggles, we celebrate our joys, we spend endless hours talking about how to grow our congregation, but few people will open up and talk about money.
In some cultures the amount each family gives is posted in the Sunday bulletin. Wow! That would probably empty the pews in our parish! What would happen if we shared with one another things such as, “I’ve decided to increase my giving by 2%” or “I’ve decided to donate one day a month to working in our parish?” These kinds of conversations are pretty much unheard of because I think we have some false sense that this is being prideful or no one else’s business. We somehow dance around these money issues and are very secretive about finances. I think we would all agree that we want our say about how the church money is spent and are openly verbal about it in our meetings, but rarely do we stand up and share our own faithful stories of blessing and giving.
I am discovering that it is usually out of fear that we hold back – we are fearful someone might find out how much money we make, fearful folks will find out we give little of what we have, fearful folks will find out we are generous, fearful folks will judge our spending habits and way of life. Living in fear stymies us and surely does not enhance growth, change or the power to love.
Let’s make a change. Let’s begin to live generously and start to talk about it! One of my favorite times of our service is the offering because it’s not about me – it’s about God. It’s the one moment when we say, God, here you are – take this gift and multiply it for YOUR good. The mystery of what God may do with it excites me. Oh sure, we pay the bills with it, (my salary included) but every week it seems, a new request comes to the doors at St. Peter’s. I am learning to ask God, “How shall we respond?” It is then that we depend on those monetary gifts and those gifts of groceries to centime to bless whoever comes in the door.”
In today’s reading, the Christians are reminded to “to do good, be generous, ready to share and in so doing, will store up a foundation for the future, to take hold of life that is really life.!” Now that’s giving!
Sometimes people say to me, Pastor Bonnie, if I win the lottery, I’ll make sure the church meets the budget and can feed all the hungry. Or another person said, “If I win the lottery, I’m giving half of it to the church.” While on the one hand this seems generous, it is unrealistic and not really about faithful giving.
I’d like to suggest that our stewardship is about blessing. Folks, you may not realize it, but we have already won the lottery! The lottery of life that is! Are you aware that we live in abundance??? When was the last time any of us had to hunt for food or shelter? When did we stay up all night of thirst because we had no clean drinking water? When did you sew some rags together so you had something to wear? Or on a more realistic level – are any of our cupboards at home empty? I think not! It’s usually more a thought of – well what shall we eat today? We ARE the wealthy! We don’t need to wait for the lottery to give a portion back to God. Let’s give it now and build a sure foundation!
Reflection and Journaling
Blessing: Make a list of your gifts from God. Thank God for them, rejoice in them. Do a little dance, if you will, as you praise God for the joys, things, money, and people in your life.
Challenge: What does being generous mean to you? What are your fears about sharing with your covenant community about money? How might telling your story of faithful giving ignite joy in others? Is God asking you to do more or give more? If so, how and are you willing to do it?
Prayer
Generous God, it’s hard to talk about money and giving to the church. I like my private life and not having to be responsible to others about how much I give. Keeping all this to myself makes me feel more comfortable. Yet, here I am, part of a family of God, working together to do ministry in our neighborhood. Take away my fear and replace it with a joyful boldness to share the good news of how you are blessing me. Show me how I can be generous and build a true foundation. Thank you for the abundant life I richly enjoy. Amen
I Timothy 6:17-18
Our parish is in the midst of a time of discernment regarding our finances. This week we will write down our pledges and bring them to church and offer them to God during our offering time. It is amazing how little folks want to talk about this. I find it puzzling. We tell stories of our families, we share our struggles, we celebrate our joys, we spend endless hours talking about how to grow our congregation, but few people will open up and talk about money.
In some cultures the amount each family gives is posted in the Sunday bulletin. Wow! That would probably empty the pews in our parish! What would happen if we shared with one another things such as, “I’ve decided to increase my giving by 2%” or “I’ve decided to donate one day a month to working in our parish?” These kinds of conversations are pretty much unheard of because I think we have some false sense that this is being prideful or no one else’s business. We somehow dance around these money issues and are very secretive about finances. I think we would all agree that we want our say about how the church money is spent and are openly verbal about it in our meetings, but rarely do we stand up and share our own faithful stories of blessing and giving.
I am discovering that it is usually out of fear that we hold back – we are fearful someone might find out how much money we make, fearful folks will find out we give little of what we have, fearful folks will find out we are generous, fearful folks will judge our spending habits and way of life. Living in fear stymies us and surely does not enhance growth, change or the power to love.
Let’s make a change. Let’s begin to live generously and start to talk about it! One of my favorite times of our service is the offering because it’s not about me – it’s about God. It’s the one moment when we say, God, here you are – take this gift and multiply it for YOUR good. The mystery of what God may do with it excites me. Oh sure, we pay the bills with it, (my salary included) but every week it seems, a new request comes to the doors at St. Peter’s. I am learning to ask God, “How shall we respond?” It is then that we depend on those monetary gifts and those gifts of groceries to centime to bless whoever comes in the door.”
In today’s reading, the Christians are reminded to “to do good, be generous, ready to share and in so doing, will store up a foundation for the future, to take hold of life that is really life.!” Now that’s giving!
Sometimes people say to me, Pastor Bonnie, if I win the lottery, I’ll make sure the church meets the budget and can feed all the hungry. Or another person said, “If I win the lottery, I’m giving half of it to the church.” While on the one hand this seems generous, it is unrealistic and not really about faithful giving.
I’d like to suggest that our stewardship is about blessing. Folks, you may not realize it, but we have already won the lottery! The lottery of life that is! Are you aware that we live in abundance??? When was the last time any of us had to hunt for food or shelter? When did we stay up all night of thirst because we had no clean drinking water? When did you sew some rags together so you had something to wear? Or on a more realistic level – are any of our cupboards at home empty? I think not! It’s usually more a thought of – well what shall we eat today? We ARE the wealthy! We don’t need to wait for the lottery to give a portion back to God. Let’s give it now and build a sure foundation!
Reflection and Journaling
Blessing: Make a list of your gifts from God. Thank God for them, rejoice in them. Do a little dance, if you will, as you praise God for the joys, things, money, and people in your life.
Challenge: What does being generous mean to you? What are your fears about sharing with your covenant community about money? How might telling your story of faithful giving ignite joy in others? Is God asking you to do more or give more? If so, how and are you willing to do it?
Prayer
Generous God, it’s hard to talk about money and giving to the church. I like my private life and not having to be responsible to others about how much I give. Keeping all this to myself makes me feel more comfortable. Yet, here I am, part of a family of God, working together to do ministry in our neighborhood. Take away my fear and replace it with a joyful boldness to share the good news of how you are blessing me. Show me how I can be generous and build a true foundation. Thank you for the abundant life I richly enjoy. Amen
Friday, November 5, 2010
The Will of God
I remember when I did my CPE at a mental health hospital. I was assigned to the adolescent unit and the second week I was there I was assigned a young girl who had been sexually abused by her father on repeated occasions. Naturally she was frightened, sullen, but most of the time she cried. She could barely speak a sentence before she would cry. Now I did not know all this when it was my turn to have the chapel presentation for the day. So I spoke of God’s goodness and God being with us no matter what. I thought I did a pretty good job and it wasn’t until I was called to come speak with a young girl who was “flipping out” as they told me on the phone. I arrived on the unit to find this girl screaming and kicking on her bed and yelling. No, no, no, God doesn’t care, God doesn’t understand.
I walked in quietly and sat on the chair at her desk and didn’t say anything for a bit. Soon she quieted down and looked at me – You are a liar. You don’t know anything about God. Your God is a hoax.”
“Yeah,” I said, “I guess the God I was talking about let you down, right?”
“You bet,” she said. “No God who loves me would let bad things happen to me.” She was yelling by now. “I hate your God!”
“Yep,” I said, “you have reasons to hate God.” (I was thinking to myself – what kind of pastor am I telling this girl she has reason to hate God – isn’t this blasphemy or something –but I plunged ahead)
She sat up and looked at me startled. “Are you telling me you agree with me – you preacher person who touts all this junk about a loving God? What kind of Christian are you anyway?” She was still yelling.
“A real one, I hope. I don’t believe in that kind of God – that controls everything we do. I don’t think God has anything to do with the abuse you took. I think God hates it as much or more than you or I. I imagine that God is filled with rage about it too. I am sure God is crying for you this very minute.”
Her eyes got kind of wide and she said, “that’s not what my pastor said. He told me that I must have done something bad or bad things would not have happened to me.”
Now I knew I was on dangerous ground here now because I definitely was going to contradict her pastor – but it had to be done. She was a member of a congregation and this what was they believed. If you live right, good things will happen, if you sin, bad things will happen.
I moved to sit by her on the bed and she scooted close to me. “Look,” I said, “the God I know loves us no matter what. God hates sin, God hates when people do bad things, but God loves us no matter what. Sometimes it does not make the sin any better but it gets us through the rough times. You did not do anything wrong to deserve to be abused. The person who hurt you was wrong, wrong, wrong. What you need is a good dose of love – real love,” I said.
I gently put my arms around her and she cuddled close and wept. She cried I bet for almost five minutes. “I thought I was the bad one,” she said. “Are you really sure your God is for real and still loves me?”
“I am positive,” I said.
“I wish I had your God,” she sighed.
We have been discussing the will of God in our Sunday Forum class. How do we know the mind of God? How do we know what to do when someone is ill? It is God’s will for everyone to be healed? Was it God’s will for this girl to be raped because God did not intervene? Of course not! These questions can get complicated and confusing but I think our inability to understand and articulate what we believe about God often hinders our desire to share God’s love with others. Since we cannot define the nature of God we throw our hands up and often leave the prophetic word of God to the fundamentalists! We desire to have answers and want to proclaim that somehow life with all its frustrations has purpose. Some people are comforted by the fact that God causes everything. Others find that this defies their very theology of a loving God.
We would do well to examine the stories in the Bible and see the multi-faceted sides of God, most of which we can understand only in part. However, to use the omniscience of God to relegate evil in someone’s life seems heretical to me.
The community of faith is where we can come together and dialogue about these tough issues. Let us pray and ask God to grant us wisdom and insight as we seek answers to life’s disturbing questions.
Reflection and Journaling
Blessing: How do you know God is at work in your life? Do you see the love of God around you? Name a time when you knew God was with you through a difficult experience.
Challenge: What are some questions you have about God that seem to have no answer? Do you own feel inadequate to answer inquiries about what you believe?
Prayer: Loving God, there is so much we do not understand about you. We long to have answers to our questions because so often we want things to be black and white. We are often frustrated by the gray areas of our lives especially when we cannot make sense of our world. Turn us away from easy answers and the desire to put you in a box. Create in us a wisdom that is birthed in love and nurtured with the shared faith of our church community. In the name of Jesus who seemed to always have the right answers, Amen.
I walked in quietly and sat on the chair at her desk and didn’t say anything for a bit. Soon she quieted down and looked at me – You are a liar. You don’t know anything about God. Your God is a hoax.”
“Yeah,” I said, “I guess the God I was talking about let you down, right?”
“You bet,” she said. “No God who loves me would let bad things happen to me.” She was yelling by now. “I hate your God!”
“Yep,” I said, “you have reasons to hate God.” (I was thinking to myself – what kind of pastor am I telling this girl she has reason to hate God – isn’t this blasphemy or something –but I plunged ahead)
She sat up and looked at me startled. “Are you telling me you agree with me – you preacher person who touts all this junk about a loving God? What kind of Christian are you anyway?” She was still yelling.
“A real one, I hope. I don’t believe in that kind of God – that controls everything we do. I don’t think God has anything to do with the abuse you took. I think God hates it as much or more than you or I. I imagine that God is filled with rage about it too. I am sure God is crying for you this very minute.”
Her eyes got kind of wide and she said, “that’s not what my pastor said. He told me that I must have done something bad or bad things would not have happened to me.”
Now I knew I was on dangerous ground here now because I definitely was going to contradict her pastor – but it had to be done. She was a member of a congregation and this what was they believed. If you live right, good things will happen, if you sin, bad things will happen.
I moved to sit by her on the bed and she scooted close to me. “Look,” I said, “the God I know loves us no matter what. God hates sin, God hates when people do bad things, but God loves us no matter what. Sometimes it does not make the sin any better but it gets us through the rough times. You did not do anything wrong to deserve to be abused. The person who hurt you was wrong, wrong, wrong. What you need is a good dose of love – real love,” I said.
I gently put my arms around her and she cuddled close and wept. She cried I bet for almost five minutes. “I thought I was the bad one,” she said. “Are you really sure your God is for real and still loves me?”
“I am positive,” I said.
“I wish I had your God,” she sighed.
We have been discussing the will of God in our Sunday Forum class. How do we know the mind of God? How do we know what to do when someone is ill? It is God’s will for everyone to be healed? Was it God’s will for this girl to be raped because God did not intervene? Of course not! These questions can get complicated and confusing but I think our inability to understand and articulate what we believe about God often hinders our desire to share God’s love with others. Since we cannot define the nature of God we throw our hands up and often leave the prophetic word of God to the fundamentalists! We desire to have answers and want to proclaim that somehow life with all its frustrations has purpose. Some people are comforted by the fact that God causes everything. Others find that this defies their very theology of a loving God.
We would do well to examine the stories in the Bible and see the multi-faceted sides of God, most of which we can understand only in part. However, to use the omniscience of God to relegate evil in someone’s life seems heretical to me.
The community of faith is where we can come together and dialogue about these tough issues. Let us pray and ask God to grant us wisdom and insight as we seek answers to life’s disturbing questions.
Reflection and Journaling
Blessing: How do you know God is at work in your life? Do you see the love of God around you? Name a time when you knew God was with you through a difficult experience.
Challenge: What are some questions you have about God that seem to have no answer? Do you own feel inadequate to answer inquiries about what you believe?
Prayer: Loving God, there is so much we do not understand about you. We long to have answers to our questions because so often we want things to be black and white. We are often frustrated by the gray areas of our lives especially when we cannot make sense of our world. Turn us away from easy answers and the desire to put you in a box. Create in us a wisdom that is birthed in love and nurtured with the shared faith of our church community. In the name of Jesus who seemed to always have the right answers, Amen.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
God is Always With Us!
Day 3 – Psalm 139 God Knows Us!
Yesterday a neighbor stopped in my office to chat a bit. He asked how things are going at St. Peter’s and I began to tell him of the exciting worship, the forty days of prayer and journaling we did, the new faces in our pews, and the tremendous outreach that is being done by our community.
“Wow,” he commented. “Most people I know today are scared of church. People today are tired of hypocrites and want to go to a place where they feel they belong. Why do you think they are showing up here?”
I love questions like that for it not only gives me the opportunity to share the good news of St. Peter’s, but more importantly I get to discover more about what people are looking for in a church. “A place where they feel they belong.” I keep hearing this.
Today’s Psalm reminds us that God continually seeks us. God is always present in our lives. God knows our every move and all our thoughts. (Well, that’s kind of scary, isn’t it?)
When we are tempted to feel that God has abandoned us, when we listen to the woes of politicians and news media, when we choose to believe the lie that war is a necessity, we can be assured that God is holding us. Our comfort and joy comes in knowing that God claims us as God’s child.
I firmly believe that St. Peter’s is a community of people where folks can reside and know that God is near. Some new folks have told me recently that they feel St. Peter’s provides a safe and welcoming place to examine their questions and relationship with God.
Let’s keep proclaiming that God loves us and knows us intimately. Our ability to rest in this presence of God enables us to reach out and hold the hands of those who wander in and want a place to belong. Will you make room in your pew for someone new so they can discover how much God loves them?
Reflection & Journaling
Blessing
How does the claim that God knows you intimately affect your life? Do you feel loved and cherished? What is your response to this incredible love of God?
Challenge
How is our congregation a reflection of this deep relationship with God? Are you willing to open your life and share with others how God is changing you? What hinders you from doing this?
Prayer
Loving God, you know me better than I know myself. Sometimes that frightens me and sometimes it gives me great hope. Thank you for your continued presence in my life, even when I doubt you are there. Nudge me to share your great love with people I meet today. Shed my fears of intimacy with you and replace them with a yearning to spend time in your presence. Amen
Yesterday a neighbor stopped in my office to chat a bit. He asked how things are going at St. Peter’s and I began to tell him of the exciting worship, the forty days of prayer and journaling we did, the new faces in our pews, and the tremendous outreach that is being done by our community.
“Wow,” he commented. “Most people I know today are scared of church. People today are tired of hypocrites and want to go to a place where they feel they belong. Why do you think they are showing up here?”
I love questions like that for it not only gives me the opportunity to share the good news of St. Peter’s, but more importantly I get to discover more about what people are looking for in a church. “A place where they feel they belong.” I keep hearing this.
Today’s Psalm reminds us that God continually seeks us. God is always present in our lives. God knows our every move and all our thoughts. (Well, that’s kind of scary, isn’t it?)
When we are tempted to feel that God has abandoned us, when we listen to the woes of politicians and news media, when we choose to believe the lie that war is a necessity, we can be assured that God is holding us. Our comfort and joy comes in knowing that God claims us as God’s child.
I firmly believe that St. Peter’s is a community of people where folks can reside and know that God is near. Some new folks have told me recently that they feel St. Peter’s provides a safe and welcoming place to examine their questions and relationship with God.
Let’s keep proclaiming that God loves us and knows us intimately. Our ability to rest in this presence of God enables us to reach out and hold the hands of those who wander in and want a place to belong. Will you make room in your pew for someone new so they can discover how much God loves them?
Reflection & Journaling
Blessing
How does the claim that God knows you intimately affect your life? Do you feel loved and cherished? What is your response to this incredible love of God?
Challenge
How is our congregation a reflection of this deep relationship with God? Are you willing to open your life and share with others how God is changing you? What hinders you from doing this?
Prayer
Loving God, you know me better than I know myself. Sometimes that frightens me and sometimes it gives me great hope. Thank you for your continued presence in my life, even when I doubt you are there. Nudge me to share your great love with people I meet today. Shed my fears of intimacy with you and replace them with a yearning to spend time in your presence. Amen
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
the smile of God, evangelism
Matthew 5:13-16 Day 2
This past summer when I traveled to Germany I attended a mass at St. Klara in Nuremberg. The priest was one of the most hospitable people I have ever met. Once I heard his homily, I understood why he lives his life this way. He said, “We are the hands and the feet of Jesus. We are the smile of God to one another.”
What a wonderful way to live – knowing that our love for God can make a difference in someone’s life. Just yesterday while I sat at a red light I looked at the car next to me. I often do this and pray for the person in that vehicle. When I looked over, I noticed the driver had a big smile on his face. He was alone in the car but he was smiling and it made me smile. For the next two hours I smiled at everyone I met. You should have seen the things that happened. Some folks looked twice to see if they knew me, some looked over their shoulders to see if I was looking at something else. Some smiled back, most looked puzzled and some even said hello.
Our world is filled with anger, vengeance, gossip, and complaining. What a difference a smile can make in times like these. The love of God can shine through in something as tiny as a smile. I invite you to smile today – to everyone you meet. See what miracles will take place! “We are the smile of God to one another.”
Reflection
How I am the “smile of God” to others? What does it feel like when folks smile at me? What changes can happen when we smile instead of frown?
Challenge
Today, try smiling at everyone you meet. Think of yourself as a conduit for God’s love. Pray for the person as you look in their eyes.
Prayer
Smiling God, stir us up and cause us to bring more joy in our world. Let us be the channel for your love to others. Make us fearless as we share your grace to those who are hurting. In the name of Jesus who went home with strangers, Amen
This past summer when I traveled to Germany I attended a mass at St. Klara in Nuremberg. The priest was one of the most hospitable people I have ever met. Once I heard his homily, I understood why he lives his life this way. He said, “We are the hands and the feet of Jesus. We are the smile of God to one another.”
What a wonderful way to live – knowing that our love for God can make a difference in someone’s life. Just yesterday while I sat at a red light I looked at the car next to me. I often do this and pray for the person in that vehicle. When I looked over, I noticed the driver had a big smile on his face. He was alone in the car but he was smiling and it made me smile. For the next two hours I smiled at everyone I met. You should have seen the things that happened. Some folks looked twice to see if they knew me, some looked over their shoulders to see if I was looking at something else. Some smiled back, most looked puzzled and some even said hello.
Our world is filled with anger, vengeance, gossip, and complaining. What a difference a smile can make in times like these. The love of God can shine through in something as tiny as a smile. I invite you to smile today – to everyone you meet. See what miracles will take place! “We are the smile of God to one another.”
Reflection
How I am the “smile of God” to others? What does it feel like when folks smile at me? What changes can happen when we smile instead of frown?
Challenge
Today, try smiling at everyone you meet. Think of yourself as a conduit for God’s love. Pray for the person as you look in their eyes.
Prayer
Smiling God, stir us up and cause us to bring more joy in our world. Let us be the channel for your love to others. Make us fearless as we share your grace to those who are hurting. In the name of Jesus who went home with strangers, Amen
When I was a little girl I had to work along side African Americans in the fields of Virginia. They were hired hands and I was a foster child – free labor to be exact! We would spend hours bent over the ground in the hot beating sun. To pass the time away I would often fantasize about all the things I saw in the Sears and Roebuck catalogue – especially the dishes. “Some day I’m going to have beautiful china,” I said. “I’m going to save my money and that’s what I’m going to have!”
“Honey child,” Samantha said to me, “you best worry about putting food on the table and forget those notions of having pretty china. Food tastes just as good on an old ugly plate as it does on a pretty thing. It’s a waste of money.”
“Is not,” I said defiantly. “I am going to have something pretty at my table.”
“Well stubborn as you is” Samantha said, “you just probably will.” The adults laughed at me and we went back to picking beans.
I am all grown up now and I have my lovely china. It is country roses by Royal Albert. Gorgeous white plates trimmed in roses and encircled with gold. They are magnificent. Almost all of them were gifts from my husband and children.
I’m proud of those plates and we use them often. In the winter we drink tea from the dainty little mugs at night right before we settle in. We use them whenever we entertain. I’m not afraid they will get broken – I love to share them.
They probably mean so much to me because even more than their beauty, they represent a break away from a hard and painful childhood. They are a symbol of a new life filled with abundance and joy.
However, sometimes they remind me of my fondness for THINGS. Especially after I had spent three weeks in the slums of India. I was served with honor on the only tin plate one of the hosts families had. Some days it seems frivolous and wasteful to own such costly china.
Jesus says, do not store up for yourselves treasures where moth and dust corrupt. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Phew! That hits me right between the eyes. Oh yes, I can rationalize and say, I deserve these or they were gifts or they are such a tool for sharing. While there may be nothing immoral about china, what is Jesus saying to me about possessions? I would be lying if I said I can easily give them up for Jesus’ sake. We keep trying to convince ourselves that things make us happy.
I read a statistic the other day that said the building of new storage units have increased thirty percent in the last two years! Are we really living in a recession? What does it mean when we have more stuff than we can hold in our homes?
It is good sometimes to take an inventory of our lives and see where our treasures lie.
Reflection and Journaling
1. Challenge: What are the treasures in your life? Do they bring glory to God?
Can you find yourself in the story? What is the “china” in your life?
2. Blessing: Make a list of the gifts around you. Name them and offer thanks to God for each one. How can you use them to bless others?
Prayer:
Generous God, forgive me when I allow things to become more important than You. Open my eyes to ways in which I live selfishly and turn me in a new direction. Create in me a generous spirit and fill me with gratitude for the blessings in my life. Show me how to use what I possess for the growth of your kingdom here on earth. As you wrap your loving arms around me, stir my heart to make You the treasure of my life. In the name of Jesus who blessed the poor, Amen.
“Honey child,” Samantha said to me, “you best worry about putting food on the table and forget those notions of having pretty china. Food tastes just as good on an old ugly plate as it does on a pretty thing. It’s a waste of money.”
“Is not,” I said defiantly. “I am going to have something pretty at my table.”
“Well stubborn as you is” Samantha said, “you just probably will.” The adults laughed at me and we went back to picking beans.
I am all grown up now and I have my lovely china. It is country roses by Royal Albert. Gorgeous white plates trimmed in roses and encircled with gold. They are magnificent. Almost all of them were gifts from my husband and children.
I’m proud of those plates and we use them often. In the winter we drink tea from the dainty little mugs at night right before we settle in. We use them whenever we entertain. I’m not afraid they will get broken – I love to share them.
They probably mean so much to me because even more than their beauty, they represent a break away from a hard and painful childhood. They are a symbol of a new life filled with abundance and joy.
However, sometimes they remind me of my fondness for THINGS. Especially after I had spent three weeks in the slums of India. I was served with honor on the only tin plate one of the hosts families had. Some days it seems frivolous and wasteful to own such costly china.
Jesus says, do not store up for yourselves treasures where moth and dust corrupt. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Phew! That hits me right between the eyes. Oh yes, I can rationalize and say, I deserve these or they were gifts or they are such a tool for sharing. While there may be nothing immoral about china, what is Jesus saying to me about possessions? I would be lying if I said I can easily give them up for Jesus’ sake. We keep trying to convince ourselves that things make us happy.
I read a statistic the other day that said the building of new storage units have increased thirty percent in the last two years! Are we really living in a recession? What does it mean when we have more stuff than we can hold in our homes?
It is good sometimes to take an inventory of our lives and see where our treasures lie.
Reflection and Journaling
1. Challenge: What are the treasures in your life? Do they bring glory to God?
Can you find yourself in the story? What is the “china” in your life?
2. Blessing: Make a list of the gifts around you. Name them and offer thanks to God for each one. How can you use them to bless others?
Prayer:
Generous God, forgive me when I allow things to become more important than You. Open my eyes to ways in which I live selfishly and turn me in a new direction. Create in me a generous spirit and fill me with gratitude for the blessings in my life. Show me how to use what I possess for the growth of your kingdom here on earth. As you wrap your loving arms around me, stir my heart to make You the treasure of my life. In the name of Jesus who blessed the poor, Amen.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Recently a group of our parish sat outside the church building and held a meeting on the lawn. We made hotdogs and relaxed in our lawn chairs. As folks walked by we offered a cold drink or a hotdog. A few folks took us up on it but some people thought we were selling something.
One of the greatest moments came when a passerby in a car stopped at the red light and said, "What y'all doing?" "We're praying," someone said. "Alright!" the man said enthused. "God is good," he shouted. "All the time," we shouted back. Then the light turned green and he was gone. What a blessing. In the matter of a minute perhaps, we received good neighborly cheer and a profound praising of our God. In a time when neighbors rarely know one another, when the news is usually about death or crime in our town, we experienced a true gift of joy.
We've decided that churches would do well to try porch sitting too. Or lawn sitting, or rambling about on the lawn. It's hard to imagine what goes on inside an austere looking building such as ours, but you get a hint of it when you see people laughing and praying, eating and smiling. We are making this place called a "church" a true home. Perhaps what needs to happen is for folks to discover us on the outside so they can relish what happens on the inside!
The inside too is filled with that same warmth and welcome. This past Sunday we sang praises to God while we clapped, played drums and rain sticks. We offered our confessions to the haunting sound of the psaltery and brought our offerings to the sounds of smooth jazz of "Just a Closer Walk with Thee."
I'm glad to be part of a church family that longs to love neighbor as oneself. I'm thankful that members were brave and not afraid to pray and praise on the front lawn! I'm eager to meet all those people walking up and down our street. So if you happen to pass by St. Peter's and see us on the "porch", join us and let us be your neighbor!
One of the greatest moments came when a passerby in a car stopped at the red light and said, "What y'all doing?" "We're praying," someone said. "Alright!" the man said enthused. "God is good," he shouted. "All the time," we shouted back. Then the light turned green and he was gone. What a blessing. In the matter of a minute perhaps, we received good neighborly cheer and a profound praising of our God. In a time when neighbors rarely know one another, when the news is usually about death or crime in our town, we experienced a true gift of joy.
We've decided that churches would do well to try porch sitting too. Or lawn sitting, or rambling about on the lawn. It's hard to imagine what goes on inside an austere looking building such as ours, but you get a hint of it when you see people laughing and praying, eating and smiling. We are making this place called a "church" a true home. Perhaps what needs to happen is for folks to discover us on the outside so they can relish what happens on the inside!
The inside too is filled with that same warmth and welcome. This past Sunday we sang praises to God while we clapped, played drums and rain sticks. We offered our confessions to the haunting sound of the psaltery and brought our offerings to the sounds of smooth jazz of "Just a Closer Walk with Thee."
I'm glad to be part of a church family that longs to love neighbor as oneself. I'm thankful that members were brave and not afraid to pray and praise on the front lawn! I'm eager to meet all those people walking up and down our street. So if you happen to pass by St. Peter's and see us on the "porch", join us and let us be your neighbor!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Friends Around the World
I just returned from a trip with the Ephrata Cloister Chorus to Germany and what an enriching trip it was! We met many new friends and renewed old acquintances. The treasures we gained are more than can ever fit into luggage. We discovered the joys of singing in ancient churches and sharing smiles when words could not be said.
Daryl and I were serenaded by the Leidertafel Choir on our anniversary with an enchanting love song. All these experiences reminded me that it only takes a small effort to bring joy around the world. In a time when Americans are often sneered at and jeered, we received warm, embracing welcomes everywhere we went. As it came time to leave, our friends in Eberbach stood by the bus and waved American flags as we left.
Today a new refugee family from Kenya and the Congo came to our church for assistance. As the youth sat around our table frightened by the newness of it all, I was reminded of how I felt when I could not understand anyone around me. I immediately stood up and shook each hand and said my name. They began to smile and say their names. The tenseness in the room left and they began to relax. I pray that we can open our arms to these new friends.
Daryl and I were serenaded by the Leidertafel Choir on our anniversary with an enchanting love song. All these experiences reminded me that it only takes a small effort to bring joy around the world. In a time when Americans are often sneered at and jeered, we received warm, embracing welcomes everywhere we went. As it came time to leave, our friends in Eberbach stood by the bus and waved American flags as we left.
Today a new refugee family from Kenya and the Congo came to our church for assistance. As the youth sat around our table frightened by the newness of it all, I was reminded of how I felt when I could not understand anyone around me. I immediately stood up and shook each hand and said my name. They began to smile and say their names. The tenseness in the room left and they began to relax. I pray that we can open our arms to these new friends.
Monday, February 15, 2010
The Promise
Yesterday we celebrated the baptism of litte Jacob Melkamu at our church. What a day of rejoicing! The part that especially tugs at my heart is when we introduced Jacob to the family of God. As I carried him through the aisles and told him all about the new family he has, that they are going to pray for him and for his mom and dad, it was a holy moment. It was a strong reminder to me that we are the arms that will support this child and his parents to grow in the love of God. It is the church that has made a promise to be there in times of need and to nurture his growth. I have to wonder if all those sitting in the pews who promise to" love, support and care for the one being baptzied as he grows in Christ" really knows what they have done. This is a vow not to be taken lightly.
I wish actually that I would have spent more time talking to those making the promise. It seems like perhaps that vow gets glossed over way too much. Yet, in the presence of God and witness, we have vowed to a journey that calls for much prayer and involvement. What might this really look like if we take it seriously? At St. Peter's where I am the pastor, we have mentors who are matched up with teens in our congregation. We also have sponsors for new members. Two individuals have taken this quite seriously and continue to nurture and support the teens with enthusiasm and dedication. This is what living as the family of God is all about. it is costly. it is working when we think we have no time.
I wonder what impact our congregation will have on the life of little Jacob Melkamu. May we take our vows seriously and even amid these times where folks move on and go to different locations, may we never forget the promise we have made to both God and Jacob.
I wish actually that I would have spent more time talking to those making the promise. It seems like perhaps that vow gets glossed over way too much. Yet, in the presence of God and witness, we have vowed to a journey that calls for much prayer and involvement. What might this really look like if we take it seriously? At St. Peter's where I am the pastor, we have mentors who are matched up with teens in our congregation. We also have sponsors for new members. Two individuals have taken this quite seriously and continue to nurture and support the teens with enthusiasm and dedication. This is what living as the family of God is all about. it is costly. it is working when we think we have no time.
I wonder what impact our congregation will have on the life of little Jacob Melkamu. May we take our vows seriously and even amid these times where folks move on and go to different locations, may we never forget the promise we have made to both God and Jacob.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Mixed blessing
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This week being snowed in has been a mixed blessing. I have enjoyed the beauty of the snow, the quiet here in the woods, and the times around the fireplace. However, I find myself torn between "doing" and "being." It is such a marvelous opportunity to do nothing but there always lurks a nudge in my spirit to catch up on things that have long sat on the shelf waiting for a "free" day. Then there is the "nurture of my soul" that keeps longing to be fed. It's a dilemma for a busy beaver like me. Today in my devotional book, "Washing the Feet of the World With Mother Teresa" I was reminded that prayer is continual. The writer challenged me to allow prayer to be part of the whole day. I know this in my head and if I'm honest, I also know it intuitively. When prayer becomes a natural part of my day, my relationship with God is deepened and I find the need to say less, to less, even think less.
Henri Nouwen once said,
"sometimes Silence is the best answer there is." (From Reaching Out)The snow is teaching this to me. May your journey today be adorned with some silence.
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