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.
Monday, December 6, 2010
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)