Tag Archives: Sharing God’s Love

God’s Guidance

Ordinary Time

January 25, 2023

Scripture Reading: Psalm 15
O Lord, who may abide in your tent?
Who may dwell on your holy hill?

Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right,
   and speak the truth from their heart;
who do not slander with their tongue,
   and do no evil to their friends,
   nor take up a reproach against their neighbors;
in whose eyes the wicked are despised,
   but who honor those who fear the Lord;
who stand by their oath even to their hurt;
who do not lend money at interest,
   and do not take a bribe against the innocent.

Those who do these things shall never be moved.

Create in me a clean heart and a right spirit, (Psalm 51:10) and Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord. (Psalms 141:3) are two prays that are important to pray daily. I identify with Jacob who wrestles with an angel in preparation for his reconciliation with his brother Esau. We cannot walk blamelessly, speech the truth, or any of the other thing listed in the above scripture until we deal with our own demons.

We also can not follow the above guidance unless we take the time and energy to understand the people with whom we are interacting. None of us can ever know all the things that impact the lives of those we encounter daily. We do not know if they left a sick child at home or have an ingrown toenail dueling with too-tight shoes nor if we are white do we know what it is like to be black if we are female, what it is like to be male or vice versa. We must always look for the good triggers and the bad triggers in our interactions, guiding our next steps in communicating God’s love while dealing with sometimes tough issues.

Prayer: Hear our prayers, O Lord, and guide us in our 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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Answering our Call

January 3, 2023

Scripture Reading:

Isaiah 42:1-9

Thus says God, the Lord,
   who created the heavens and stretched them out,
   who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
   and spirit to those who walk in it:
I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness,
   I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,
   a light to the nations,
   to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
   from the prison those who sit in darkness
I am the Lord, that is my name;
   my glory I give to no other,
   nor my praise to idols.
See, the former things have come to pass,
   and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth,
   I tell you of them. –Isaiah 42:5-9

I can envision Christ standing before God while God gives him his marching orders for his sojourn on earth. Of course, God intends for us to do the same things God lists here. Do what is right in God’s ways, not in the world’s ways. We are to be a light to the nations. We lose sight of this requirement as we stumble around in the darkness of the world around us. Opening the eyes of the blind is not limited to restoring physical vision but also seeing what needs to be done and doing it. The same is true of releasing prisoners. There are those who have committed crimes sitting in cells right now who need to be restored to living justly as they reenter society. Yet, we must not forget that we often see ourselves through a mirror dimly* and thus do not recognize that we, too, need to be restored to living justly.

As we start a new year, let us dedicate ourselves to following God’s instructions toward building a better world.

Prayer: Lord, open our eyes to see the glimpses of truth meant for us. Amen.

*1 Corinthians 13:12: For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.

Knowing the Majestic God of Love

Christmastide

December 28, 2022

Scripture Reading: Psalm 8
O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortals that you care for them?

Yet you have made them a little lower than God,
   and crowned them with glory and honor.
You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
   you have put all things under their feet,
all sheep and oxen,
   and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
   whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

I am what is called a cradle Christian. I probably sang Jesus, Loves Me in the womb. I really cannot imagine what a Godless world would be. I have taken God for granted forever. Does that belittle God? Indeed not. I think God wants us to take God for granted, but with the understanding that once we know God, we have a responsibility to live God’s love so that everyone can take God for granted, and thus our world would be ruled by God’s love.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for writing the words of the above psalm on the heart of one of your children who willingly shared the truth of your being present with us even in your majesty. Amen.

Bearing Fruit

Advent

December 4, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Matthew 3:1-12

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,
‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.” ’

Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

‘I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’ –Matthew 3:1-6, 11-12

Bear fruit worthy of repentance. One of my favorite stories of faith is John Newton’s. He is the author of the hymn Amazing Grace. Growing up, he had little or no faith-based background. After being conscripted into the English navy as a young man, he continued a career in sailing. Upon discharge, he became involved in the lucrative business of transporting slaves. On one treacherous trip, his ship was caught in a massive storm. John Newton found himself praying to a God he barely knew, committing his life to the Lord if he were saved. He survived the storm and keep his promise. Another ten or so years passed before he was convicted of how wrong the slave trade was. He was ordained in the Anglican church and became an ardent abolitionist. He bore fruit worthy of repentance.

While we may never have been caught up in such evil itself, we have a responsibility to address evil as it impacts others. We are called to do justice and not just ignore the evil that surrounds us.

Prayer: Lord, as you opened John Newton’s heart to the evil that surrounded him, open ours to the injustice that is in our world today and show us the way to overcome it for all people. Amen.

Sharing Christ

Living in the Spirit

October 13, 2022

Scripture Reading:

2 Timothy 3:14-4:5

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, and equipped for every good work. –2 Timothy 3:14-17

From whom did you learn it? Paul wrote this probably with himself in mind, but in 2 Timothy 1:5, Paul lifts up Timothy’s mother and grandmother,

I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.

We all have someone in our lives who have left their imprint on our souls. I often describe my mother as the world’s greatest egalitarian. I occasionally see that trait in myself and my siblings. My dad gave me the joy of music in celebrating the love of God.

Beyond family, my faith life has been touched by pastors and Sunday school teachers. I was recently reminded of the teachings of two of my professors as I read their obituaries. Dr. Robert Simpson introduced me to finding faith in literature, and Dr. Joe Jones reminded this justice nut of the need to consider the forces of principalities and powers.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12 (KJV)

For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 (NRSV)

What we all must consider is how we are modeling Christ for the next generations.

1 Out in the highways and byways of life,
Many are weary and sad;
Carry the sunshine where darkness is rife,
Making the sorrowing glad.

Refrain:
Make me a blessing, Make me a blessing.
Out of my life may Jesus shine;
Make me a blessing, O Savior, I pray.
Make me a blessing to someone today.

2 Tell the sweet story of Christ and his love,
Tell of his pow’r to forgive;
Others will trust him if only you prove
True, ev’ry moment you live.

Prayer: Lord, make us a blessing for someone today. Amen.

First and second verses and the refrain of Make Me A Blessing by Ira B. Wilson see at https://hymnary.org/text/out_in_the_highways_and_byways_of_life

Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places

Living in the Spirit

October 1, 2022

Scripture Reading: Luke 17:5-10

The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ The Lord replied, ‘If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea”, and it would obey you.

‘Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from ploughing or tending sheep in the field, “Come here at once and take your place at the table”? Would you not rather say to him, “Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink”? Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, “We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!”’

This is a dense scripture. One almost must be in the mind of the author to understand the message fully. The Interpreter’s Bible questions its grammar. I guess that is on the translator, but the original language was probably a challenge too.

The point is not that they need more faith; rather, they need to understand that faith enables God to work in a person’s life in ways that defy ordinary human experience. The saying is not about being able to do miraculous works or spectacular tricks. On the contrary, Jesus assures the disciples that with even a little faith they can live by his teaching on discipleship*.

I am not sure what that means either, but it reminded me of a conversation in a Bible study recently when we were discussing the state of our world right now. I noted that there seemed to be a need among people that to be of worth they must be better than another person or group of people. That sounds contradictory to the understanding that all people were made in the image of God and that it would be impossible to be better than anyone else. A thoughtful participant said, that even if we are made in the image of God, we must choose to follow God. Until we accept God’s grace, we cannot fulfill our discipleship leaving us wandering around trying to find love in all the wrong places to quote an old song**. Serving God is a joy, not slave labor. I fall back on the scripture Matthew 11:28-30, ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

Prayer: Lord, when we grow frustrated in our discipleship, bless us with the joy of being a conduit of your love. Amen.

*The New Interpreter’s Bible, Volume IX Luke John page 322

** Lookin’ for Love by Wanda Mallette, Bob Morrison, and Patti Ryan

Living Love

Advent

December 15, 2021

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:39-45

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’

Isn’t it wonderful to have someone we can go to whenever we need comfort or help or just some time to think? Elizabeth was such a person for Mary. She had to travel a long way to get from Nazareth in Galilee to a Judean town in the hill country. I wonder if she went by herself, did her family know she was going? Did Joseph? If we read between the lines, I think we find a lot more to Mary, mother, meek, and mild than we give her credit. I guess Charles Wesley saw the same grit in Mary’s son as Charles Wesley wrote the hymn Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, Look upon a little child**.

We, too, as Disciples of Christ, are called to be there for others when they need us and make difficult decisions in times like these. I am thankful that the gospels’ authors shared the disputes among the twelve disciples when Jesus was in their midst. So many of us today, during the holiday season, are skirting around family members and friends who interpret their faith differently than we do. In times like these, we need to seek common ground for the common good. It will make for a better Christmas dinner.

Prayer: Lord, help us let go of the things that divide and take hold of the things that will bring love into every room. Amen.

*See the song at https://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/mary_mother_meek_and_mild.htm

**See at https://hymnary.org/text/gentle_jesus_meek_and_mild_look_upon

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.

Prepare the Way for the Lord

Advent

November 29, 2021

Scripture Reading: Malachi 3:1-4

See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

Are we called to prepare the way for the Lord in real-time today? What does it mean to prepare the way for the Lord? How do we make straighter the way to finding the love of God, including God’s wholeness, oneness, and justice in a world of divide and conquer?

As I have mentioned before, I live in tornado alley, and while we may take warnings of pending storms for granted, we take precautions. For example, in Oklahoma City, every Saturday at noon, the outdoor tornado sirens are tested to make sure they work if the need to sound them arises. In addition, I have a weather alert system on my cell phone that gives me immediate warnings when dangerous storms are approaching. Failure to follow those warnings may lead to disaster.

God’s prophets came to warn God’s people that their actions were missing the mark and they must change their ways if they are to experience the blessing of being in sync with God. In the scripture above, Malachi foretells God sending a messenger to prepare the path to the Lord.

I drove out to see a new apartment complex recently built a few blocks from my home. It looked very nice from my vantage a block away. There was a rough road leading into the complex, but it was so new the city street that would at some point be the paved way to it had not yet been built. Some people already lived there, but others will be more likely to cross the entry from a smoother, easier-to-follow path. We are called to show others the way to God’s love.

Prayer: Lord, open our eyes to see those who might benefit from our opening doors to accessing God’s love. Amen.

A Renewed Life

Living in the Spirit

July 22, 2021

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 3:14-21
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

The mail deliverer failed to pick up an important letter I had placed for mailing. He had already disappeared by the time I saw the envelope still on the mailbox. I grabbed it jumped in the car and immediately took it to the closest post office. As I was leaving the post office my former exercise trainer crossed the street ahead of me. While I keep up with him on social media, I cannot remember the last time I saw him in person. It was pre-COVID for sure. I wheeled into the parking lot, and he came over to the passenger side window. We had a great reunion for a few minutes. I love these blessings that appear amid angst.

I credit my trainer for giving me back my life. My knee got so bad in the 1990s that I was barely able to walk and had to use a cane. At that stage in medical history, I was not considered old enough to have a knee replacement. I gained a lot of weight. When I finally reached the magic age (I do not think there is an age limit now), my knee was replaced and after physical therapy, I could walk with no pain but that was just about it. I inquired of the physical therapist if there was nothing more I could do to get in better shape and got a vague answer. Frustrated, I got in my car and drove directly to the exercise business owned by my future trainer, and began the road to fuller recovery. As I read the above scripture, I thought that is exactly what Paul did for the Ephesians and what we are called to do to all people thirsting for being rooted and grounded in love. He introduced them to a new way of being. This letter was his continuing support of them.

My sister and I used to sing a popular religious song in the 1950s. It Is No Secret What God Can Do. We need to share that message with a world that seems to have lost sight of that truth.

The chimes of time ring out the news, another day is through
Someone slipped and fell, was that someone you?
You may have longed for added strength your courage to renew
Do not be disheartened, I have news for you
It is no secret what God can do
What he’s done for others he’ll do for you
With arms wide open, he’ll pardon you
It is no secret what God can do
There is no night for in his light you’ll never walk alone
You’ll always feel at home, wherever you may roam
There is no power can conquer you while God is on your side
Take him at his promise, don’t run away and hide
It is no secret what God can do*
What he’s done for others he’ll do for you
With arms wide open he’ll pardon you
It is no secret what God can do

Prayer: Lord, grant us the gift of helping people know your love. Amen.

*It Is No Secret by Stuart Hamblen see at https://www.google.com/search?q=it+is+no+secret+what+god+can+do&rlz=1C1CHZN_enUS922US922&oq=it+is+n&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j35i39j0l3j69i60l3.4008j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8