Tag Archives: Waiting on the Lord

Dealing with Emergence

Living in the Spirit

June 2, 2021

Scripture Reading: Psalm 130
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
   Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
   to the voice of my supplications!

If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
   Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you,
   so that you may be revered.


I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
   and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
   more than those who watch for the morning,
   more than those who watch for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord!
   For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
   and with him is great power to redeem.
It is he who will redeem Israel
   from all its iniquities.

A morning news show considered whether the period after COVID would be like the time after the Spanish flu, which faded in the early 1920s and led to the roaring 20s and eventually the Stock Market Crash of 1929. Praise, thanksgiving, and celebration are appropriate as the pandemic wanes with prayers that it disappears entirely. We might want to assess the wisdom of the roaring 20s, learn from the good that came from it and avoid the bad.  That is a good lesson for our times. It is a lesson Israel did not recognize. As we read through the history of God’s people, we see a roller coaster ride of high highs accompanied by exile.

The Psalmist invites us to wait on the Lord with hope. What does the Lord desire of us? The measure of our success as the people of God is our ability to love like the Lord, whose love is steadfast and forever. Throughout the pandemic, we have seen the pitfalls in our social structure. We have learned that every human is essential, and actualizing the potential of all people is necessary for our wellbeing. Will that knowledge impact the way we do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our Lord*? Or will it encourage us to eat, drink, and be merry** until the next crisis strikes?

Prayer: We wait for your guidance as we emerge out of a pandemic that has changed our lives. Grant us the wisdom to learn from our mistakes. Amen.

*From Micah 6:8
**See Isaiah 22:13; Proverbs 23:35; Luke 12:19; 1 Corinthians 15:32

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.

Waiting for Messiah

Preparing for Advent

November 26, 2019

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5

Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
   to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
   and that we may walk in his paths.’ –Isaiah 2:3b

The choice is always ours. God never makes anyone do anything. God works hard at helping us see the better way, the just way, but it is up to us to make decisions. Being required to do something is not the same as doing right for its own sake. Even doing what is right for some foreseen award does not seem to fit into the plan of the One who loves us no matter what.

So, Isaiah simply calls us to go up to the mountain of the Lord to seek the higher ground where God will teach us God’s way so we might recognize the right paths to take. Why is that so hard? Why do the ways of the world entice us so? Why are we always in search of shortcuts?

During the upcoming Advent season when we relive the experience of the ancient prophets of waiting for the coming Messiah, the Promise One, let us take a few moments each day to clear the clutter from our whole being so that when we once again welcome God Incarnate we will be more fully ready to receive him.

Prayer:
Lord, lift me up, and let me stand
By faith on Canaan’s tableland;
A higher plane than I have found,
  Lord, plant my feet on higher ground*. Amen

*From Higher Ground by Johnson Oatman Jr.

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.

Waiting while Doing

Lent
April 13, 2019

Scripture Reading: Luke 19:28-40

When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, “Why are you untying it?” just say this: “The Lord needs it.”’ So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, ‘Why are you untying the colt?’ They said, ‘The Lord needs it.’ Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. –Luke 19:29-35

Doing justice is hard work. I attended a Health Care Forum yesterday evening designed to education and inform the public about the crisis of affordable and accessible health care in Oklahoma and what can be done to alleviate it. Hours of work went into the research necessary to present the problem, tons of communication was developed to let people know about the meeting, expert presenters took time from busy schedules to participate on the presenting panel. The building and microphone system were provided and readied. I did not count the attendees, under 40 would be my guess, most of whom could already were aware of the problem and the solutions. Other meetings like this one are scheduled around the state. A rally is planned next week at the state capitol. All the bills that could have eased the situation have already failed. We all know that legislators can do anything they want to until the session ends. The routinely pull rabbits out of hats for politically expedient issues that most likely is not going to happen in this instance. But all this hard work is not in vain. It may lead to an initiative petition to make the changes needed. If that does not happen it will lead to another effort next legislative session.

The disciple’s trip into the village to get a colt for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem was preparation for their work to spread the love of God and to do justice following Jesus’ death and resurrection. It remains our call today as we work to bring about a world ruled by love.

Prayer:  Lord, during this Lenten season we are actively engaged in waiting as we are actively engaged in doing justice for, we know that
those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
   they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
   they shall walk and not faint*. Amen.

*Isaiah 40:31

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.