Category Archives: Uncategorized

One Tunic at a Time

Tabitha_jpegEastertide
April 12, 2016

Scripture Reading: Acts 9:36-43

Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, ‘Tabitha, get up.’ Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner. –Acts 9:40-43

What do you think really happened in this story? Our fact-based minds want to analyze and explain rationally such incidents. Or perhaps we want to take some time to honor Saint Peter for he was truly a gifted child of God.

Christ’s messages to each of us is that that we are truly gifted children of God and that he expects us to do even more than he did. In Matthew 17:20b he says, For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there”, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.’ And in John 14:12 he also says, Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.

How many mountains have we moved recently? How many people have we returned to wholeness? How much of the world has experienced God’s justice through our acts?

While we do need leaders in the faith like Peter or Dietrich Bonhoeffer or Sojourner Truth, most of us are like Tabitha making one step toward justice one tunic at a time and that is a good thing. How many people could the whole Body of Christ lift out of poverty?

Prayer: Lord, make us one in our call to bring mercy and justice to all of your children. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Doubt

thomas030307_01Eastertide
April 3, 2016

Scripture Reading: John 20:19-31

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’

 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’
–John 20:14-29

I have always thought Thomas got a bad rap by being vilified as the doubter. He was the disciple who first responded positively to Jesus when he decided to go to Bethany after hearing of Lazarus’ death. Thomas knew how dangerous it was for Jesus even to get that close to Jerusalem. Yet Thomas expressed his willingness to die with Jesus.

Doubting is a part of faith. We grapple every day with questions about what something means and how we are to respond. I compare the acts of God, reported in the Bible and since, with what I call the test of love. For I strongly believe that God is love and I struggle to understand the meaning of love. I wonder does this story describe the acts of a God who is love and if so how is love manifested in the events of the story? We grow in our ability to love like Jesus loved when we dive deeply into the fragments of his life from which we draw our conclusions.

I think this is what John is calling us to do when he ends this scripture with the phrase, Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe. Thomas had not seen Jesus as he was absent at the first resurrection encounter between Jesus and his disciples. Thomas, the doubter, did not trust what he was told filtered by the experience of others but once he encountered the living Christ he understood. That opportunity is available for us to this day.

Prayer: Lord, guide our study and help us understand the meaning in the message. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

What’s a King?

Palm treeLent
March 19, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 19:28-40

As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying,
‘Blessed is the king
   who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
   and glory in the highest heaven!’ –Luke 19:37-38

Luke once again takes us back to Psalm 118 as he describes the adoration of Jesus entering Jerusalem with the words of celebration from the enthronement of a king in Hebrew history. In this 21st century the role of King has changed markedly in those countries that still use the title. They are more often ambassadors of goodwill or heads of state who oversee the work of an elected legislative body or what we now call a dictator. Because of this paradigm shift in the roles of leadership over the centuries, we are left somewhat befuddled trying to make sense of Jesus as King. I think we are much more comfortable with the term Savior for that is what the people wanted in a world held in oppression by the Roman conquerors.

At some point in time there was another shift, one that personalized the Savior aspect of Jesus’ work to the individual. While there is no more important relationship in my life than my relationship with God through Jesus Christ and I am sure that is true of all of his followers, we limit his purpose markedly when we limit him to our personal salvation. Jesus’ incarnation relates to justice for everyone. Such justice can build from each of Jesus’ followers truly doing justice as partners in the creation of a world where all are freed from both personal and societal oppression.

Prayer: Lord, hone us as tools for planting and growing your justice throughout the world. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Letting Go

jesus-feetLent
March 12, 2016

Scripture Reading: John 12:1-8

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. –John 12:1-3

I was 16 years old working in a nursing home as a nurse’s aide during my summer school vacation. The patient was an elderly woman who had lived on a farm actually only a few miles from my home, but I did not know her. When I arrived at work that morning the head nurse told me the patient was near death and her family had been called. Would I go sit with here so she would not be alone until the family arrived. I sat and held her hand and massaged the back of her arm. I did not know what else to do. She had been unresponsive for a few days. I did not know if she could still hear and what would I say anyway. Her hand went even limper and I somehow just knew that she was gone. She was the first person I had ever seen die. I stayed for just a few moments more holding her hand with a sense of wonder when her son and daughter-in-law walked into the room with the head nurse. I said, “She’s gone.” Her son took her hand from me and I slipped into the background as he began his grieving vigil. It was time to let her go.

Somehow, I think Mary too knew that Jesus’ death was imminent, not from the medical signs of dying but from a keen awareness of the reality of his situation. The disciples most likely were aware of the danger also but they perhaps were in denial that their world was soon going to crash down around them.

Mary loved Jesus enough to accept him as he was; she did not try to make him into something that he was not. Our greatest gift to God is to love God as the I AM that God is, to offer our very best in praise, and to allow God to mold us to be like Jesus rather than our constantly trying to mold Jesus to be like us.

Prayer: Lord, it is very hard to give up a loved one, I cannot image how Mary must have felt as she anointed you that day. I thank you though that her story has remained so I can learn from her example of loving you completely. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Ages and Stages of Life

Grandparent and childLent
March 8, 2016

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 43:16-21

Thus says the Lord,
   who makes a way in the sea,
   a path in the mighty waters,
who brings out chariot and horse,
   army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
   they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
Do not remember the former things,
or consider the things of old. –Isaiah 43:16-21

Forgive me, if my backward approach to this scripture seems odd. Yesterday I dealt with the last three verses on becoming a new thing and today I am dealing with the old things that we may need to let go. You see I do not think we can let the old things go when necessary, if we have not accepted the need for the new. I also do not think it is wise to toss the baby out with the bath.

My mother last attended church when we were in the heat of the music wars. She was a strong supporter of singing the new choruses that were popular but she did say to me once, “I do wish they would sing one of the old hymns now and then.”

One of the greatest challenges of our society today is melding the needs of now six generations together each in their differing stages of life and each with differing life experiences. I believe the church has a great opportunity to set the example for the rest of the world in enriching the lives of all through respecting the dignity and contributions of all even among those of markedly different ages.

Prayer: Lord, let us grow together in oneness through sharing our lives with those of all ages and stages. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

I will do a New Thing in You

DesertLent
March 7, 2016

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 43:16-21

I am about to do a new thing;
   now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
   and rivers in the desert.
The wild animals will honor me,
   the jackals and the ostriches;
for I give water in the wilderness,
   rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
   the people whom I formed for myself
so that they might declare my praise. –43:19-21

It might be fun to have a contest to see who could name the most songs or book titles with roots in this scripture, perhaps not all directly from this translation. I attended a conference several years ago sponsored by the Children’s Defense Fund regarding justice for children where I first heard I Will do a New Thing in You*. It began as an African American hymn. I was privileged to learn it at a time when I felt rather worn out and stale. For some time, I kept a copy of the words taped to my bathroom mirror. We are always blessed when we share in the diversity of ways to worship God in unity as one.

Rivers in the desert is also a very familiar phrase that seems to fit our times. We thirst for the ways of a loving God in a land left like earth split in octagonal section from lack of nurturing rain. I saw pictures on the evening news yesterday of a southwestern American desert, missed the name, that usually doesn’t get more than a half an inch of rain a year. It had received about three time that much recently and as a result was carpeted with several varieties of flowers. The pictures were breathtaking.

The healing of our divisions and of our dried out souls is just a pray’s width away. God has not forgotten us, we have not exceeded our portion of forgiveness, we can do a new thing.

Prayer: Lord we welcome your rivers of love and forgiveness, hope and energy for the work you are calling us to do as a new thing. Amen.

*http://www.hymnary.org/hymn/AAHH2001/568

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Sharing God’s Love in Diversity of Belief

Romans 12_18 - WMStumblingLent
March 2, 2016

Scripture Reading: Psalm 32

I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle,
else it will not stay near you.

Many are the torments of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord.
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart. –Psalm 32

Remaining in sync with God is a constant job. It is necessary for us to be prepared for the times that try our souls. Living amidst a diversity of faiths and beliefs is a challenge and knowing how to respond to the concerns and needs of others is something one cannot prepare for in the heat of the moment. The Psalmist in our scripture today tells us that we must stay in good spiritual shape so that we can respond appropriately when necessary.

One of the sadist confrontations is when followers of Christ become confrontational in their self-defined mission to save other followers of Christ from the error of their way. What to one is a righteous call to “correct” another’s path is perceived as bullying and harassment by the other. And Jesus weeps.

We must work diligently at weaving the steadfast love of the Lord into the fiber of all our communications with one another and learn to drink the cup of righteousness together in love in spite of our differences.

Prayer: Lord forgive us when we preach your good news imperfectly. Instruct us in the way we should go and let the words of our mouths reflect your love. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Being a Psalmists

psa-51-12Lent
February 24, 2016

Scripture Reading: Psalm 63:1-8

O God, you are my God, I seek you,
   my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
   as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
   beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
   my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
   I will lift up my hands and call on your name. –Psalm 63:1-4

This is my Psalm. I don’t really remember when I stumbled onto it at a time when it was exactly what I needed. Funny, I am sure it was a desperate time for me, but the desperation of the event has slipped into the annuals of not so significant. Yet, I have been blest by this Psalm ever since. I memorized it in the NIV version and thus it is awkward for me to read it aloud in any other version like this NRSV. I keep wanted to insert other words. I am also apt to do that with the verses I learned as a child from the King James. I still prefer the King James 23rd Psalm and John 3:16 flows readily from by tongue in its seventeenth century words.

While translation versions change, God does not change standing always ready to feed our thirsting souls. I, however, have changed in my willingness to seek God, now to trust without verification more often than not for I have beheld God’s glory. I saw it in the joy of the homeless woman testifying that she had found a home, a place to live; I have seen it in the trusting eyes of the children at my own church as they experience God; I hear it most often in music which speaks a language words cannot express; and I know it in the silence of deep meditation. Do you have a Psalm?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the gifts of the Psalmists whose words have stretched through the eons to open our hearts and minds to your love. Help us to be psalmists for others transferring to each person whose lives we touch the joy of your salvation. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Help us Accept Each Other

ZikaLent
February 20, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 9:28-43

On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, ‘Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.’ Jesus answered, ‘You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.’ While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

 There are many stories of Jesus’ healing people. Children, like the boy described here, may have been outcast in their communities because many believed that such illness, or all illness for that matter, were caused by evil spirits that had taken over the person. This child apparently had epilepsy, which probably is still fraught with society’s judgment even though we now have a clearer picture of causes and much better treatments.

Currently we are seeing an increase in babies born with microcephaly, a birth defect that results in a small head as its main identifier but includes other challenges. Its cause has been traced to a mosquito bite carrying a virus the mother experienced during pregnancy. She may never have had any symptoms. Yet the children will live with the stigma of a small head forever.

Jesus loved them all no questions asked. He is a tough model to emulate unless we can let go of all those fears and prejudgments that cause us to identify people as something lesser than we are. All of us suffer from some traits deemed to be imperfection by someone. Jesus calls us to see each persons as a child of God made perfect by God’s love that is our goal for life also.

Help us accept each other As Christ accepted us;
Teach us as sister, brother, Each person to embrace.
Be present, Lord, among us And bring us to believe
We are ourselves accepted And meant to love and live.*

Prayer: God erase the fears and prejudices from our hearts and minds that cause us to be unwelcoming to anyone. Let your love for all be ours in our times of weakness. Amen.

First verse of hymn Help Us Accept Each Other words by Fred Kaan see at http://www.hymnary.org/text/help_us_accept_each_other

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

A God of Grace

cropped-my-grace-is-sufficient-wordpress-blog-header-06-04-2013Lent
February 16, 2016

Scripture Reading: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

Then he said to him, ‘I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess.’ But he said, ‘O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?’ He said to him, ‘Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.’ He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

 As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him….

 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire-pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, –Genesis 15:7-12, 17-18

The image of Abram working frantically to keep the birds of prey from eating his burnt offering reminds me of my futile attempts to stop something I deemed to be an offense to God and could not. Abram tried his best to honor God in the way that God had instructed and outside forces threatened to destroy all his work. We do not know what happened, because Abram, being a human, fell asleep. God spoke to Abram in his sleep, in a dream perhaps, telling him that he would have many offspring and that they would eventually become slaves for 400 years and they would escape and prosper in the land that God was giving Abram at that time and place. Did Abram want his descendants to face such oppression? He appears to have no choice. From where did the smoking fire-pot and flaming torch come? Were they also a part of a dream? Is this story a Hebrew taste of God’s grace?

Truth is we cannot predict the outcomes of any of our offspring. We can only give them the best that we have to offer and trust then to God’s loving mercy. God’s grace is sufficient.

Most of my lost efforts relate to justice issues and the impact is still the same. Outside forces seem to win the day despite my best efforts. Where would we be today, if Abram had not opened himself to a relationship with God, if Joseph had not overcome adversity to save his people from famine, if Moses had not led those same people out of slavery into the promise land, if Jesus had not come to show us what justice looks like? These are names we remember well, but God’s work requires the best from all of us.

Prayer: Help us discern the difference between faith and fate. Grow our trust in you to help us be the tools we can be to hasten your dominion over all the earth. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.