Tag Archives: Courage

Not Helpless

Kingdom Building

October 23, 2019

Scripture Reading: Psalm 65

By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance,
   O God of our salvation;
you are the hope of all the ends of the earth
   and of the farthest seas.
By your strength you established the mountains;
   you are girded with might.
You silence the roaring of the seas,
   the roaring of their waves,
   the tumult of the peoples.
Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs;
you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy. –Psalm 65:5-8

I think it has almost become cliché that we serve an awesome God even though God has proven time after time that God does deliver us when we turn around and trust God. So, while we may sing Our God is an Awesome God on Sunday morning, we are running around like Chicken Little* crying out, “the sky is falling” over which we have no control. We live in a chaotic time that when looked back on by historians will be described as far more eventful than the Industrial Revolution. We have a choice whether to be a part of a positive outcome or not.

God did not create us in God’s image to be helpless. Christ did not call us to ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. (Mark 16:15) or to love our neighbors as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:39) because it was easy. He knew how hard it would be, but he also knew that it is the best way of being for all God’s children and he called us to partner with him to make it a reality throughout the world.

We never, ever do anything in the name of God alone.

Turn you eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace**

Prayer: Grant us the courage to answer you call. Amen.

*https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Chicken_Little
** Chorus of Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus by Helen Howarth Lemmel see at https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/645

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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

In God’s Presence

school-on-the-prarieLiving in the Spirit
November 2, 2016

Scripture Reading: Psalm 122

I was glad when they said to me,
‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
‘May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls,
and security within your towers.’
For the sake of my relatives and friends
I will say, ‘Peace be within you.’
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your good. –Psalm 122:1, 6-9

Peace begins with entering the presence of God and endures with living in God’s presence. The Homestead Act as applied in Oklahoma allotted land based on who could get to it first and claim the stake that described the parcel. The plots were established in 160-acre lots of four to form a square mile. Every three miles a corner of one of the lots was set aside designated for a public school. My dad attended the school at the edge of my grandmother’s farm. He had a short walk. These buildings were also often used as churches on Sunday. While the school had long ago consolidated into a larger district, the building was my first church. I was very young, the church closed when I was five, and I still have fond memories of it. One stands out. Bible school held every summer was the highlight of my life. When we arrived in good weather, we played on the lawn until a hand bell rung and then we lined up with the youngest first and marched into the building singing I was Glad when the Said Unto Me Let Us Go into the House of the Lord. Even as a preschooler those words centered me in the love of God and they still do today.

The verse is a fitting introduction to a scripture encouraging us to pray for peace. With all the hubbub of the election, we sometimes lose sight of whose we are. Robert Browning may have said it best God’s in His heaven—All’s right with the world!* I prefer Jesus’ words at John 16:33, I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!’

Prayer: Lord, hold us in your peace as we go about doing your bidding to become one. Amen.

*From the poem Pippa’s Song by Robert Browning see at http://www.potw.org/archive/potw48.html

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.

Dealing with Doubt

Doubting ThomasEastertide
April 12, 2015

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 20:26-29

My childhood, best friend’s father was nicknamed “Fat.” He wasn’t. I never knew why he was called that. It wasn’t like calling someone who was heavy, “slim,” either. He was a regular sized man. Actually my dad was the one who called him “Fat.” They had known each other forever. I don’t remember really saying anything to him that would require me to call him anything. Even If I had needed to address him directly, my mother would never have allowed me to use his given name much less a nickname.

The lead character in our story today was assigned the nickname “Doubting Thomas” and he is still called that today. It really wasn’t fair. Thomas may have been the only one brave enough to say what others were thinking. Remember Thomas was the first disciple to step up to the plate when Jesus decided to go to Bethany upon hearing about Lazarus’ death. Thomas said, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.’ (John 11:16b)

Facing our doubts, getting them out in the open, is the quickest way of moving from the paralysis of uncertainty to empowering faith. Our world is in desperate need of empowering faith. So let us all deal with our doubts, our questions, and our quest for understanding. Let us do our best to present ourselves to God as one approved by him, workers who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.*

Prayer: Lord, protect me from being paralyzed in my service to you and your Kingdom. Where and when I have doubt, give me the courage to face it. Amen.

*Paraphrased from 2 Timothy 2:15

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.

 

Dealing with Doubt

Dealing with DoubtEpiphany
Celebration of God
Manifested in the World
February 5, 2015

 Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:16-23

If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe betide me if I do not proclaim the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.  — 1 Corinthians 9:16-23

I do not like to shop. Stores quickly overload my senses with too many choices and thus too many comparisons. Thus I was surprised one Christmas when one of my nephew’s opened his gift from me. His eyes lit brightly and he said, “How did you know I wanted one of these. I didn’t know I wanted one!” It was some kind of radio that had to be built from the parts and tools that were provided. It was a gift I finally selected out of pure frustration because he meant a lot to me and I did not want to disappoint him.

 

Paul writes sometimes with the assumption that we, the readers, know what is going on in his head when we don’t. Our scripture today is a shining example of that. What I think he is trying to say is sort of like what my nephew said to me. Although Paul does not address God in this scripture, he is telling us about his relationship with God to whom Paul said, “How did you know to select me to share the good news of Christ to the gentiles, when I didn’t know that was the very thing I wanted to do.”

 

I think the message here may be that we should listen when that still small voice speaks calling us to service and not let the doubt that creeps in rob us of the joy of doing what we didn’t know we wanted to do. God may actually know what God is doing.

 

Prayer: Lord, help me be still and know that you are God. In those times when I am most doubting myself but projecting that doubt on you, grant me the courage to see doubt for what it really is and move past it. 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.