As I was studying this last week I read in "Feasting On the Word" about the two coins and thought I would try to use it in Sunday's Message.
If we would try to put ourselves in this story what would we be? Would we be the widow, or maybe the scribes, or the disciples, or what if we were the two coins? What if “we” were the offering that the widow gave that day?
These two coins that the widow put into the treasury at the Temple didn’t amount to much. They were barely noticed when they were added to all the other offerings that day. Today, just for today, and maybe longer, we are those two coins.
There have been times when all of us have thought that we had nothing of consequence to give or what we did have wouldn’t amount to much; it couldn’t possibly be noticed if we gave or didn’t give and it probably wouldn’t make any real difference in the greater scheme of things in this world we live in today.
Have you ever been at that point in your life where you said to yourself, “What’s the use? No one cares anymore. I’m just banging my head against a cement wall. Why even bother?” Have you ever felt like that? Have you said those words in your mind? I have. Have you thought that about how the taxes you pay are often not used for the good of all the people? Or how your tithes aren’t used as you think they should be used? Have you ever felt like you’re in a losing battle? And the world is going to be destroyed anyway someday so who cares if I don’t put my two coins into the plate. It won’t make any difference anyway, whatever. When was the last time you voiced those words, yesterday, this morning, a few minutes ago?
Friends, we’ve all been there. We’ve all felt like the bureaucracy is too much for us to battle against. If that’s the case what do you think is God’s message for us today in this gospel? Are our lives just an exercise in futility? Are we just spinning our wheels and making nothing but dust?
If my life is two coins and each of you here today is two coins then all together as a community we might be 50 coins, or 60 coins or 80 coins or maybe some here are three coins and together we total a 100 coins. One hundred coins has more clout than 2 coins, right?
What do you think is the message God has for us in this gospel? Is it about the corruption in the world or could it be about us giving our all for the work of the Lord, whatever that may be. Let’s think about our actions this past week. Did we give our all as if the Lord were standing on a hill watching our every move? Did we stop to think that everything we did this week was for the Lord, things like raking leaves, combining beans and corn, baking cookies, visiting a friend who was hurting, or changing soiled bedding or cleaning up after guests in the Super 8. Did we give it our all as if it were our offering to God even if it was only 2 coins? Most of us probably never gave it a thought, that every thing that we thought of as just work was an offering to God. Something He would use to further his kingdom here on earth or to bring glory to his Name. It probably never entered our minds.
Friends, you have plenty of company. Most of the world doesn’t give a thought to how their lives and work is used by God to bring his plan to a glorious end.
That can change today. Today we can all make that conscious effort to change. We can repent of our sin and turn our lives around and give our all to God and his work. We can, along with the widow, put our lives on the line for Jesus, put our 2 coins, give all we have and put it in the treasury of God’s kingdom.
What does that mean for us? I think it is different for each of us. Some will want to make the sacrifice of their lives and give their all in mission work somewhere in this great world. Others will make a commitment to make everything they do a witness to the love God through Jesus Christ gave to this corrupt and condemned world.
Today all I ask is that all of us take time to reflect on what we are doing with our lives. How are they being used to bring glory and pleasure to this great God we worship? How can our 2 coins make a difference in this community, in this county, in this state, in this world? Let’s all pray that God grants us the grace of faith to step out and trust in Him to provide everything needed to grow our 2 coins.
Friends, God loves you and so do I. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Who Are the Saints?
As I sat down to think about what the message should be today I began to think about “saints,” who they are and how did they get to be recognized as “saints.” Have you ever heard the expression, “He/she must be a saint?” What does that really mean? Does it mean they are holy? Does it mean that they are perfect and never do anything wrong? Does it mean they’ve never sinned or neglected to do their daily devotions and they prayed all the time, every day as Paul said that we should? Is that what it means to be a saint?
Today is a day on the church calendar known as All Saints Day. It’s a day when we remember all who have passed on in the last year. Now I know all of those who have passed on and I can tell you they were folks who made mistakes and they probably didn’t remember to pray without ceasing.
Saints are those folks who have been declared righteous by God. That’s what I found when I looked it up in my Study Bible. So how did they become righteous? I think the process began when they were first baptized and it continued as they were taught by Sunday school teachers and parents and grandparents about God the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit-the Holy Trinity. You know, how God loves and cares for us so much that he has come to dwell among us. Then as they grew older and wiser they became more aware of how God was working in their lives and in the world.
So the next question is, “Are we saints or are we saints in the making?” I think that we are saints. Now that’s just what I think. Some of you may not think that way and that’s okay. I’ve been wrong so many times in my life that it certainly wouldn’t surprise me if I’m wrong again. But looking around at everyone gathered here this morning I know in my heart that you are all saints. Now you and I know that we aren’t perfect so perfection certainly isn’t a prerequisite for sainthood, but I believe that we are saints because we are doing the Lord’s work while we are here. We are doing the Lord’s work aren’t we?
Paul referred to “saints” in Romans 8:27 when he was telling them about how the Spirit intercedes for us when we don’t have the words to pray and he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. He’s talking about all those who have given their hearts to Him and are going about doing His work. And in 1 Corinthians 6:2 Paul talks about the saints being the ones we should go to when we have disputes that need someone to arbitrate them. He asks us, “Don’t you know that the saints will judge the world?” It doesn’t sound to me as if he’s talking about just those who have passed on. I think he’s talking about folks who are still here. It might have been that he was referring to people like you and me.
Today, though, we are remembering all those folks who have passed on in the last year. We are doing that because we believe what Jesus said in John 11, that He is the Resurrection and the Life. Along with Martha we believe that we don’t have to wait until we die to accept this. This gospel lesson from John 11 was read at Marj’s funeral service.
Every time we come together to worship God and celebrate the life of someone who has gone on ahead of us we do it with the confidence that what Jesus told us in the gospels is true. That he has prepared a place for all of us and he is coming back again. That’s why we don’t fear death because Jesus defeated death when he rose from the grave.
Remember the words Jesus asked Martha, “Do you believe this?” That’s the question we all have to wrestle with today, “Do we believe this?” Isaiah, the psalmist, and John all believed this. John believed in it so strongly that he could see a new heaven and a new earth and …”the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.” That’s not sometime in the future that’s now.
Do we live our lives as though God is with us? Do we believe this? We are all here today because we believe. We may waver sometimes but still we hold to the belief that death is not the end and someday we will join those saints in heaven.
So good friends, the answer to the original question is, yes, we are saints. We have made a commitment to God keep the commandments and to do the work Jesus has commissioned us to do. That is to make disciples of all nations and to baptize them in the name of the Holy Trinity. We believe that, “The great ends of the church are the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind; the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God; the maintenance of divine worship; the preservation of the truth; the promotion of social righteousness; and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.” And so, yes, my friends, we are saints. Some of us are a little rough around the edges but God loves us anyway. It’s the way he created us.
So when someone questions you about who are the saints we can all say very surely that we are the saints.
Thanks be to God for those saints who taught us, corrected us, and loved us even when we weren’t so loveable. Amen.
Today is a day on the church calendar known as All Saints Day. It’s a day when we remember all who have passed on in the last year. Now I know all of those who have passed on and I can tell you they were folks who made mistakes and they probably didn’t remember to pray without ceasing.
Saints are those folks who have been declared righteous by God. That’s what I found when I looked it up in my Study Bible. So how did they become righteous? I think the process began when they were first baptized and it continued as they were taught by Sunday school teachers and parents and grandparents about God the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit-the Holy Trinity. You know, how God loves and cares for us so much that he has come to dwell among us. Then as they grew older and wiser they became more aware of how God was working in their lives and in the world.
So the next question is, “Are we saints or are we saints in the making?” I think that we are saints. Now that’s just what I think. Some of you may not think that way and that’s okay. I’ve been wrong so many times in my life that it certainly wouldn’t surprise me if I’m wrong again. But looking around at everyone gathered here this morning I know in my heart that you are all saints. Now you and I know that we aren’t perfect so perfection certainly isn’t a prerequisite for sainthood, but I believe that we are saints because we are doing the Lord’s work while we are here. We are doing the Lord’s work aren’t we?
Paul referred to “saints” in Romans 8:27 when he was telling them about how the Spirit intercedes for us when we don’t have the words to pray and he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. He’s talking about all those who have given their hearts to Him and are going about doing His work. And in 1 Corinthians 6:2 Paul talks about the saints being the ones we should go to when we have disputes that need someone to arbitrate them. He asks us, “Don’t you know that the saints will judge the world?” It doesn’t sound to me as if he’s talking about just those who have passed on. I think he’s talking about folks who are still here. It might have been that he was referring to people like you and me.
Today, though, we are remembering all those folks who have passed on in the last year. We are doing that because we believe what Jesus said in John 11, that He is the Resurrection and the Life. Along with Martha we believe that we don’t have to wait until we die to accept this. This gospel lesson from John 11 was read at Marj’s funeral service.
Every time we come together to worship God and celebrate the life of someone who has gone on ahead of us we do it with the confidence that what Jesus told us in the gospels is true. That he has prepared a place for all of us and he is coming back again. That’s why we don’t fear death because Jesus defeated death when he rose from the grave.
Remember the words Jesus asked Martha, “Do you believe this?” That’s the question we all have to wrestle with today, “Do we believe this?” Isaiah, the psalmist, and John all believed this. John believed in it so strongly that he could see a new heaven and a new earth and …”the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.” That’s not sometime in the future that’s now.
Do we live our lives as though God is with us? Do we believe this? We are all here today because we believe. We may waver sometimes but still we hold to the belief that death is not the end and someday we will join those saints in heaven.
So good friends, the answer to the original question is, yes, we are saints. We have made a commitment to God keep the commandments and to do the work Jesus has commissioned us to do. That is to make disciples of all nations and to baptize them in the name of the Holy Trinity. We believe that, “The great ends of the church are the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind; the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God; the maintenance of divine worship; the preservation of the truth; the promotion of social righteousness; and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.” And so, yes, my friends, we are saints. Some of us are a little rough around the edges but God loves us anyway. It’s the way he created us.
So when someone questions you about who are the saints we can all say very surely that we are the saints.
Thanks be to God for those saints who taught us, corrected us, and loved us even when we weren’t so loveable. Amen.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Obstacles to Grace
This is about obstacles to grace. God through Jesus has given us his grace to be in a personal relationship with him. But, being the way we are because of sin, we aren’t always able to receive the grace given freely to us by our God.
Sin gets in the way of God’s grace. Sin is all about us doing it by ourselves, thinking that we know how to get right without any help from our creator. Sin is turning our backs on God and “doin’ it our way” as Laverne and Shirley liked to say it.
Our humanness is one our obstacles to receiving God’s precious gift to us. The world continually attacks and bombards us with reasons not to follow the ways of Jesus the Christ. We need this car or that house so that we can be defined as someone who has it all together, to be accepted by the world that surrounds us. When we let this keep us from God’s word and grace that is an obstacle to receiving the precious gift God has for us.
Paul called it “rebellion, refusing to be subject to him. God’s seen as the enemy rather than as our savior. We want to be in control of our lives. Nobody is going to tell us what to do. We want to be “God.”
Remember when our parents would tell us “no” and we’d say “yes” and they’d say “yes you will” and you’d say “no I won’t?” God asks us to say “yes” to his gift of grace and we answer with “no, I’m okay the way I am.” Our independence is an obstacle to God’s gift of grace.
Sin is such a powerful addiction that it’s a miracle that it can be overcome at all. But friends, we don’t have to let sin control how we live. It is powerful but there is something greater than sin.
Let me tell you a story about myself. And some of you may be able to relate to this. I said that sin is an addiction. I call it an addiction because it is so powerful that we don’t see any way that we can get away from its clutches. It’s kind of like my addiction to tobacco was. I smoked my first cigarette when I was a junior in high school. And then I left home and went to college. My parents were no where around to tell me “no.” I couldn’t hear their words admonishing me for smoking. Everyday my addiction got stronger and stronger. For thirty years I let it control my life. I tried to quit “cold turkey” and I’d be successful for a day or so, but then I went right back to where I was before.
I’d talk to others who had been successful in conquering this demon. They said you had to really want to quit before you’d be able to really quit. Doctor Swanson told me the same thing.
So I continued doing what I’d always done until finally I couldn’t take it any more. I went to the one who could really help me and asked for help. You see I tried to do it all by myself and it never worked. It wasn’t until I went to God and asked for his help and believed that He would help that I was successful.
Now it wasn’t only just coming to him in prayer that was the key that released me from this prison I’d put myself into. It was God removing every obstacle I had erected that allowed me to receive his grace. It began with prayer. My faith in God and his ability to help me grew stronger as I spent more time in his word allowing it to speak to my heart.
Obstacles to receiving God’s grace are overcome when we come to God in prayer and hear his words of grace to us. But that’s not the sum total of it. It’s not just prayer and God’s word. We have to come to the realization that we need to change our ways. Our old way of doing life has to “die” so that we can “live” new lives doing it the “right” way, God’s way. It’s kind of like my addiction to tobacco. I had to change what I had been doing and find a new way. What I had been trying time after time wasn’t working. I had to find a new way. And for me it was to stop trying to do it myself and picking up the yoke of Jesus Christ and letting him help me.
Friends, don’t get me wrong. I still struggle with sin. In fact, I feel my sin more today than I did before I asked Jesus to come back into my life. When I continue to do the things that I know I shouldn’t and can’t seem to do the things that Jesus asked me to my heart breaks and I ask God to forgive me and have mercy on my soul.
And then I get up and trust that God will not allow me to be tempted beyond what I can endure. But, friends, I am tempted. And I don’t believe my struggle with sin will end until that day I get to go to the other side to be with my savior, Jesus the Christ.
Good friends, you will encounter obstacles to receiving God’s free gift of grace. Just don’t let these obstacles define you and keep you from God’s gift for you, his child. Keep God’s word ever before you. Read it, study it, pray it, contemplate and meditate on it day and night and you will find that you are dying to your old ways and slowly but surely beginning to live more and more as a child of God.
Recognize and identify the obstacles in your life that are hindering you from God’s grace. Open your heart and soul. Allow yourself to be transformed and freed from the power of sin. You may think it’s way hard but my friends, once you commit yourself to it you’ll wonder why it took you so long. You’ll kick yourself for waiting so long to experience this wonderful gift of grace.
Friends, don’t wait another minute. Give yourself completely to the one who is calling you to him. Let him remove the shackles that have you so tied up. God’s grace is sufficient; it’s all we need. His strength comes into its own in our weakness. 2 Cor. 12:9
My friends, God loves you and so do I. Amen.
Sin gets in the way of God’s grace. Sin is all about us doing it by ourselves, thinking that we know how to get right without any help from our creator. Sin is turning our backs on God and “doin’ it our way” as Laverne and Shirley liked to say it.
Our humanness is one our obstacles to receiving God’s precious gift to us. The world continually attacks and bombards us with reasons not to follow the ways of Jesus the Christ. We need this car or that house so that we can be defined as someone who has it all together, to be accepted by the world that surrounds us. When we let this keep us from God’s word and grace that is an obstacle to receiving the precious gift God has for us.
Paul called it “rebellion, refusing to be subject to him. God’s seen as the enemy rather than as our savior. We want to be in control of our lives. Nobody is going to tell us what to do. We want to be “God.”
Remember when our parents would tell us “no” and we’d say “yes” and they’d say “yes you will” and you’d say “no I won’t?” God asks us to say “yes” to his gift of grace and we answer with “no, I’m okay the way I am.” Our independence is an obstacle to God’s gift of grace.
Sin is such a powerful addiction that it’s a miracle that it can be overcome at all. But friends, we don’t have to let sin control how we live. It is powerful but there is something greater than sin.
Let me tell you a story about myself. And some of you may be able to relate to this. I said that sin is an addiction. I call it an addiction because it is so powerful that we don’t see any way that we can get away from its clutches. It’s kind of like my addiction to tobacco was. I smoked my first cigarette when I was a junior in high school. And then I left home and went to college. My parents were no where around to tell me “no.” I couldn’t hear their words admonishing me for smoking. Everyday my addiction got stronger and stronger. For thirty years I let it control my life. I tried to quit “cold turkey” and I’d be successful for a day or so, but then I went right back to where I was before.
I’d talk to others who had been successful in conquering this demon. They said you had to really want to quit before you’d be able to really quit. Doctor Swanson told me the same thing.
So I continued doing what I’d always done until finally I couldn’t take it any more. I went to the one who could really help me and asked for help. You see I tried to do it all by myself and it never worked. It wasn’t until I went to God and asked for his help and believed that He would help that I was successful.
Now it wasn’t only just coming to him in prayer that was the key that released me from this prison I’d put myself into. It was God removing every obstacle I had erected that allowed me to receive his grace. It began with prayer. My faith in God and his ability to help me grew stronger as I spent more time in his word allowing it to speak to my heart.
Obstacles to receiving God’s grace are overcome when we come to God in prayer and hear his words of grace to us. But that’s not the sum total of it. It’s not just prayer and God’s word. We have to come to the realization that we need to change our ways. Our old way of doing life has to “die” so that we can “live” new lives doing it the “right” way, God’s way. It’s kind of like my addiction to tobacco. I had to change what I had been doing and find a new way. What I had been trying time after time wasn’t working. I had to find a new way. And for me it was to stop trying to do it myself and picking up the yoke of Jesus Christ and letting him help me.
Friends, don’t get me wrong. I still struggle with sin. In fact, I feel my sin more today than I did before I asked Jesus to come back into my life. When I continue to do the things that I know I shouldn’t and can’t seem to do the things that Jesus asked me to my heart breaks and I ask God to forgive me and have mercy on my soul.
And then I get up and trust that God will not allow me to be tempted beyond what I can endure. But, friends, I am tempted. And I don’t believe my struggle with sin will end until that day I get to go to the other side to be with my savior, Jesus the Christ.
Good friends, you will encounter obstacles to receiving God’s free gift of grace. Just don’t let these obstacles define you and keep you from God’s gift for you, his child. Keep God’s word ever before you. Read it, study it, pray it, contemplate and meditate on it day and night and you will find that you are dying to your old ways and slowly but surely beginning to live more and more as a child of God.
Recognize and identify the obstacles in your life that are hindering you from God’s grace. Open your heart and soul. Allow yourself to be transformed and freed from the power of sin. You may think it’s way hard but my friends, once you commit yourself to it you’ll wonder why it took you so long. You’ll kick yourself for waiting so long to experience this wonderful gift of grace.
Friends, don’t wait another minute. Give yourself completely to the one who is calling you to him. Let him remove the shackles that have you so tied up. God’s grace is sufficient; it’s all we need. His strength comes into its own in our weakness. 2 Cor. 12:9
My friends, God loves you and so do I. Amen.
Transformation of the Environment
Paul wrote to his protégé, Timothy, and told him that God didn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but to be bold, loving, and sensible.
As I’ve learned in my life it’s not exactly easy to change how we are. If you have grown up an introvert then it’s almost impossible to transform yourself to be more outgoing.
But, if you’re like me, you’re probably thinking that I’m talking about a total transformation all on your own power. Another lesson I’ve learned is, it’s just not possible for human beings to completely transform themselves by themselves.
Friends, remember Jesus’ words, for humans it’s impossible, but with God anything is possible. Of course he was talking about entering the Kingdom of God receiving eternal life.
All through God’s word we’ll find many instances where the environment was transformed. Some that come to mind are the stories in the Old Testament. What great lessons they are for us. These folks found that they weren’t able to do many things by their own power but when they trusted God and followed his lead wondrous things began to happen.
Just think about God’s church and how it all was made possible. It began with our ancestor, Abram, a wandering Aramean from Ur. God promised that he would be the father of a great nation even though he was childless at the time and when he was told he would have a son he and Sarai were both past childbearing age
But it happened just like God said because they trusted God. That’s how it all started.
Because these folks trusted in a God they’d never seen a great nation was created. Sure they spent some time as slaves in Egypt and then wandered in the wilderness for many years. Eventually they reached the land that God promised them. And their lives were changed. And they changed the environment all around them. They accomplished it all by trusting and relying on God’s power.
How do we tap into this power? Is it possible to transform our environment? We can receive this power. It comes to us through God’s gift of grace.
If we want this power to take hold of our lives we have to make the decision to obey God and believe that God will give us grace.
Two other gifts Paul speaks of are love and self-control. In The Message Petersen translates it as being “sensible.” As we look at the world all around us we might get the idea that there’s not much in the world that makes sense. When we pick up our magazines or watch our TV’s we see so many ads that are all about satisfying our own wants and needs. The world around us seems to be only focused on “me.” Kind of like some of us were when we left home the first time. Mom and Dad aren’t here. I can do anything I want.
Remember what it was like trying to follow the examples of Jesus when you were in college or in the military, or at your first job. Remember the looks, the comments, “You’re a Christian?” But did you ever have one of them come to talk to you when they were in deep trouble somewhere in their lives. It was different then. They trusted you because they’d seen how you conducted your life. And slowly they may have been changed.
Power and self-control will get us pretty far but none of us will achieve our goal without love. Jesus reminds us in His word that it’s all about love. We are to love God with our whole being and then to love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves.
Friends, Paul said it in other letters that he wrote that nothing works or is successful without love. If there is love, then power and self-control are possible and the environment where you find yourself will be transformed.
You might not be aware of it yet but this weekend has started transforming your environment. The love that has been shown to you and that you have shared has began to change things.
Carry this love home in your heart and start the transformation where God has planted you.
My brothers and sisters, God loves you and so do I.
As I’ve learned in my life it’s not exactly easy to change how we are. If you have grown up an introvert then it’s almost impossible to transform yourself to be more outgoing.
But, if you’re like me, you’re probably thinking that I’m talking about a total transformation all on your own power. Another lesson I’ve learned is, it’s just not possible for human beings to completely transform themselves by themselves.
Friends, remember Jesus’ words, for humans it’s impossible, but with God anything is possible. Of course he was talking about entering the Kingdom of God receiving eternal life.
All through God’s word we’ll find many instances where the environment was transformed. Some that come to mind are the stories in the Old Testament. What great lessons they are for us. These folks found that they weren’t able to do many things by their own power but when they trusted God and followed his lead wondrous things began to happen.
Just think about God’s church and how it all was made possible. It began with our ancestor, Abram, a wandering Aramean from Ur. God promised that he would be the father of a great nation even though he was childless at the time and when he was told he would have a son he and Sarai were both past childbearing age
But it happened just like God said because they trusted God. That’s how it all started.
Because these folks trusted in a God they’d never seen a great nation was created. Sure they spent some time as slaves in Egypt and then wandered in the wilderness for many years. Eventually they reached the land that God promised them. And their lives were changed. And they changed the environment all around them. They accomplished it all by trusting and relying on God’s power.
How do we tap into this power? Is it possible to transform our environment? We can receive this power. It comes to us through God’s gift of grace.
If we want this power to take hold of our lives we have to make the decision to obey God and believe that God will give us grace.
Two other gifts Paul speaks of are love and self-control. In The Message Petersen translates it as being “sensible.” As we look at the world all around us we might get the idea that there’s not much in the world that makes sense. When we pick up our magazines or watch our TV’s we see so many ads that are all about satisfying our own wants and needs. The world around us seems to be only focused on “me.” Kind of like some of us were when we left home the first time. Mom and Dad aren’t here. I can do anything I want.
Remember what it was like trying to follow the examples of Jesus when you were in college or in the military, or at your first job. Remember the looks, the comments, “You’re a Christian?” But did you ever have one of them come to talk to you when they were in deep trouble somewhere in their lives. It was different then. They trusted you because they’d seen how you conducted your life. And slowly they may have been changed.
Power and self-control will get us pretty far but none of us will achieve our goal without love. Jesus reminds us in His word that it’s all about love. We are to love God with our whole being and then to love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves.
Friends, Paul said it in other letters that he wrote that nothing works or is successful without love. If there is love, then power and self-control are possible and the environment where you find yourself will be transformed.
You might not be aware of it yet but this weekend has started transforming your environment. The love that has been shown to you and that you have shared has began to change things.
Carry this love home in your heart and start the transformation where God has planted you.
My brothers and sisters, God loves you and so do I.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Where Do You Find God?
I've just begun to read An Altar in the World by B. B. Taylor. And since I'm on vacation I've been getting up earlier to be alone to read some of my favorite blogs. This morning they've all got "me" to thinking about where "I" find God, or rather, where He finds me.
As Murphy and I were walking in the cool, dampness of the early morning in the light of the street lamps I knew God was there. He was in the mist, he was in the wet sidewalk, he was in Murphy with his tail held high, he was in each house I walked by, and he was in me as I walked about town.
So many times we think that the only place we can find God is in church. And I think that's sad because we miss so much of Him then. But then I begin to wonder, "What do we do with Him outside of the structure where we go to worship Him?"
And that's another thing for all of us to contemplate. If God's not only in "church" but He's also in everything surrounding us then what do we do then? How do we worship? How do we live our lives? What do we do with our time? It really brings things into a whole new perspective doesn't it.
I read a blog this morning about the music that get stuck in our heads and we can't get rid of the tune until we pass it on to someone else. That could be God. We want to make God a physical being we can see and touch and lay our hands on as well as get our heads around but God is bigger than that. He is in the song that gets stuck in our heads. He's even in the buzzing that has taken up residence in our ears.
So friends, where do you find God outside of "church?" I'd be interested in hearing.
Friends, God loves you and so do I. Don't forget Great Plains Presbyterian Pilgrimage #6, October 15-18 at Camp Calvin Crest on the beautiful banks of the Platte River just south of Fremont, NE. God is also there. This is an open invitation to all who are wanting to enter into a relationship with God that is more than Sunday morning or Wednesday evening. Enjoy the day God has blessed us with.
As Murphy and I were walking in the cool, dampness of the early morning in the light of the street lamps I knew God was there. He was in the mist, he was in the wet sidewalk, he was in Murphy with his tail held high, he was in each house I walked by, and he was in me as I walked about town.
So many times we think that the only place we can find God is in church. And I think that's sad because we miss so much of Him then. But then I begin to wonder, "What do we do with Him outside of the structure where we go to worship Him?"
And that's another thing for all of us to contemplate. If God's not only in "church" but He's also in everything surrounding us then what do we do then? How do we worship? How do we live our lives? What do we do with our time? It really brings things into a whole new perspective doesn't it.
I read a blog this morning about the music that get stuck in our heads and we can't get rid of the tune until we pass it on to someone else. That could be God. We want to make God a physical being we can see and touch and lay our hands on as well as get our heads around but God is bigger than that. He is in the song that gets stuck in our heads. He's even in the buzzing that has taken up residence in our ears.
So friends, where do you find God outside of "church?" I'd be interested in hearing.
Friends, God loves you and so do I. Don't forget Great Plains Presbyterian Pilgrimage #6, October 15-18 at Camp Calvin Crest on the beautiful banks of the Platte River just south of Fremont, NE. God is also there. This is an open invitation to all who are wanting to enter into a relationship with God that is more than Sunday morning or Wednesday evening. Enjoy the day God has blessed us with.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Just Thoughts for the Day
Some of you know and some of you don't that I'm not preaching one sermon this month. I've been reminded that I haven't used my vacation so I'm taking a couple weeks off this month. And so you ask, "What about the other two Sundays?"
Good point. I'm going to be at Great Plains Presbyterian Pilgrimage serving this time as the Head Spiritual Advisor. So, yes, I will be speaking there but I don't have anything written yet. That's one Sunday.
The other Sunday we are going to be blessed with a musical Message by Simply Voices from the Mt. Ayr UMC. My youngest sister is part of this group of 10 women and though I haven't heard them sing I know they're great. So if you're in Walnut on October 11th at 9 a.m. stop in at First Pres for a wonderful message.
I do have some thoughts even if I'm not in the pulpit this month. The lectionary is guiding us to read and contemplate Job. I listened to Pastor Nancy talk about faith and suffering yesterday and was reminded how much we think that God's evidence of love towards us when we receive blessings, you know, the good things in life.
But God doesn't always keep us from experiencing suffering. Sometimes we get splinters under our fingernails and we cry out to God, "Why?" And he may answer with another splinter.
So, I would ask you to read Job this month and contemplate on its message to us today. How does it speak to you? What do you think about the suffering and violence that we experience in our lives? Why does God allow these things to happen?
I'm curious about your answer. Let me know in the comments.
Have a blessed week. God loves you and so do I.
PS. GPPP #6 is October 15-18 and I still have registrations at church.
Good point. I'm going to be at Great Plains Presbyterian Pilgrimage serving this time as the Head Spiritual Advisor. So, yes, I will be speaking there but I don't have anything written yet. That's one Sunday.
The other Sunday we are going to be blessed with a musical Message by Simply Voices from the Mt. Ayr UMC. My youngest sister is part of this group of 10 women and though I haven't heard them sing I know they're great. So if you're in Walnut on October 11th at 9 a.m. stop in at First Pres for a wonderful message.
I do have some thoughts even if I'm not in the pulpit this month. The lectionary is guiding us to read and contemplate Job. I listened to Pastor Nancy talk about faith and suffering yesterday and was reminded how much we think that God's evidence of love towards us when we receive blessings, you know, the good things in life.
But God doesn't always keep us from experiencing suffering. Sometimes we get splinters under our fingernails and we cry out to God, "Why?" And he may answer with another splinter.
So, I would ask you to read Job this month and contemplate on its message to us today. How does it speak to you? What do you think about the suffering and violence that we experience in our lives? Why does God allow these things to happen?
I'm curious about your answer. Let me know in the comments.
Have a blessed week. God loves you and so do I.
PS. GPPP #6 is October 15-18 and I still have registrations at church.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Embracing God
How many here today have given God a hug? Nobody? Well, how many of you have hugged a grandchild or a great grandchild? Then friends, you have had your arms around God.
Jesus told his disciples that, “Whoever embraces one of these children as I do embraces me, and far more than me—God who sent me." So I understand that to mean that every time I welcome a child whoever it is into my arms then I am welcoming God into my arms. Wow, hugging God. I’ve never picked up on that before have you?
It gives everything a whole new perspective. If I welcome kids into my arms then maybe I could welcome strangers. And if I could welcome strangers then I just might be welcoming God into my house, into my life, into my heart.
But sometimes these little ones are all covered with yucky stuff and I’m afraid that they will get my clothes all sticky or it might get in my beard. Isn’t that the way we feel about someone we don’t know too well who wants to get close to us or talk with us and we just don’t feel like talking to them. Maybe they don’t smell very good. Maybe they didn’t brush their teeth today. Maybe they just have a way of making everything yucky. And we’re afraid they might get some of that on us. Right?
But Jesus tells us that we should welcome them like little children. And James, what does he tell us. He say, “18Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.”
So Jesus tells us that we should live lives of service and James is telling us that we should work really hard at being gentle and reasonable and be full of mercy and blessings. And he says he knows it’s really hard work but it is worthwhile.
So good friends, welcome those around you who are kind of prickly and hard to love just like you would welcome your children and grandchildren, with open arms and full of happiness to see them. Get along and be gentle and kind to everyone treating each other with dignity and honor. It’s not easy. God knows that but it is good for us and it will bring us closer to God. And friends, that’s a good thing. Who doesn’t want to be close to our creator?
So when you have the wonderful privilege of holding a child in your arms or on your lap think about the fact that you are holding God close to your breast.
Friends, God loves you and so do I. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Jesus told his disciples that, “Whoever embraces one of these children as I do embraces me, and far more than me—God who sent me." So I understand that to mean that every time I welcome a child whoever it is into my arms then I am welcoming God into my arms. Wow, hugging God. I’ve never picked up on that before have you?
It gives everything a whole new perspective. If I welcome kids into my arms then maybe I could welcome strangers. And if I could welcome strangers then I just might be welcoming God into my house, into my life, into my heart.
But sometimes these little ones are all covered with yucky stuff and I’m afraid that they will get my clothes all sticky or it might get in my beard. Isn’t that the way we feel about someone we don’t know too well who wants to get close to us or talk with us and we just don’t feel like talking to them. Maybe they don’t smell very good. Maybe they didn’t brush their teeth today. Maybe they just have a way of making everything yucky. And we’re afraid they might get some of that on us. Right?
But Jesus tells us that we should welcome them like little children. And James, what does he tell us. He say, “18Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.”
So Jesus tells us that we should live lives of service and James is telling us that we should work really hard at being gentle and reasonable and be full of mercy and blessings. And he says he knows it’s really hard work but it is worthwhile.
So good friends, welcome those around you who are kind of prickly and hard to love just like you would welcome your children and grandchildren, with open arms and full of happiness to see them. Get along and be gentle and kind to everyone treating each other with dignity and honor. It’s not easy. God knows that but it is good for us and it will bring us closer to God. And friends, that’s a good thing. Who doesn’t want to be close to our creator?
So when you have the wonderful privilege of holding a child in your arms or on your lap think about the fact that you are holding God close to your breast.
Friends, God loves you and so do I. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)