Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Take Time...

ECCLESIASTES 3:1-8
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

Lord,
you created time,
You created light and darkness:
the light you called day;
the darkness you called night.
You put the sun and the moon 
and the stars in the heavens 
to mark the times and the seasons.

You give us time.
Often I find myself saying
"I need to make time to do... such-and-so."
But I can't MAKE time that's what you do.
No, instead I need to TAKE time -- 
take the time you have given me 
and do something significant, like...

marvel at the wondrous of your creation,
listen deeply to the voice of another,
laugh and play like a child,
examine the small details around me,
grieve the death of a loved one,
be angry about an injustice,
dance with my beloved,
be at peace in your love,
pray -- share my concerns and listen to yours,
reflect on my life: Who am I really?
dream your dreams: Who is God drawing me to be?
evaluate my goals: How am I responding to God's desires for me?
make a difference in one other person's life,
speak about one good thing you have done for me recently.

There is time.
Time for every purpose.
Remind me, Lord, to
Take Time.
Amen.

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Promises fulfilled...

LUKE 2:22-35

When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word;
 for my eyes have seen your salvation,
 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
 a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.”
And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed — and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

Lord Jesus,
You were just a baby.
Your parent took you to the temple
following their faith.
They remembered the promises of God:
"Blessed are You, our Lord, Ruler of the universe,
who has sanctified us through Your commandments
and has commanded us to bring our sons
into the covenant of Abraham our father." (from modern B'rit Milah ritual)
That day you were marked in your body
with the sign of the covenant,
the covenant promise you came to fulfill.

And a man, Simeon,
whom God had promised
would see the Lord's Messiah.
Simeon took you in his arms and declared
his gratitude to God for fulfilling the promise,
for in you Simeon saw your salvation
not just for God's chosen Israel,
but for ALL nations.

You were just a baby,
but you were already changing the world
bringing hope,
bringing life,
bringing peace,
being fulfillment.

Every time a child is baptized,
I remember God's covenant.
And I make promises
to help raise this child
to know the promises you came to fulfill.

Help me fulfill my promises,
and so participate in the continuing fulfillment
of your promises to the world!
Amen.

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Christ's gift for you

TITUS 3:4-7
But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

O Christ,
you come to us at Christmas
in humility born as a babe in Bethlehem.
You ARE the goodness and loving-kindness of God
come among us!

Your coming changes everything.
Our lives are changed, saved, redeemed, transformed
not because of any works of righteousness that we have done,
but according to YOUR mercy
through the gift of your Holy Spirit.

The gift you give is not found wrapped under a tree.
Rather the gift you give is yourself:
your life,
your laugh,
your love,
your light,
your lament,
your languish,
your liberty,
your life eternal.

Give us pause this Christmas
to hold your gift,
to enjoy your gift,
to give your gift.

So that,
having justified by YOUR grace,
all might become heirs
according to the hope
of eternal life.
Amen.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Hopefully/Thankfully

My first grade son often confuses the words
"hopefully" and "thankfully".
He uses them interchangeably.

At first
my wife and I smiled,
thought it cute,
and corrected him.
He continues to mix them up;
now we just smile at each.

But I've been thinking
this Advent season:
Hopefully Thankfully are intertwined
and cannot be separated.

The things I hope for,
I am also thankful for.
The things that I am thankful for
give me hope.

Notice below:
At Christmas, we remember hopefully
that Jesus came among us.
Thankfully Jesus fulfilled
God's promises. 
We will live thankfully
as God's beloved children
knowing God's love in Jesus Christ.
God has made his love hopefully real and tangible to us
in the babe born in Bethlehem.
Now exchange the words "thankfully" and "hopefully":
At Christmas, we remember thankfully
that Jesus came among us.
Hopefully Jesus fulfilled
God's promises. 
We will live hopefully
as God's beloved children
knowing God's love in Jesus Christ.
God has made his love thankfully real and tangible to us
in the babe born in Bethlehem.
Seems the meaning is the same in both.

So this Christmas,
I am thankful/hopeful for each of you.
May God fill your lives with
thankful/hopeful moments of grace.

I am hopeful/thankful for my son
who taught me to be hopeful/thankful!
Merry Christmas!

Friday, December 12, 2014

Testing, Holding fast, Abstaining

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-24
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.
May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.

Lord,
I was surprised
when I read this from Paul.
Sounded just like Philippians 4:4-9.

During this Advent season,
we often turn to the prophets
to hear again your promises
and wonder at their fulfillment in Jesus Christ.

Then I wonder why Paul wrote to the church:
"Do not despise the words of the prophets,
but test everything."
Is this what students of the Bible
would later call a hermeneutic of suspicion?

Then Paul advises
the result of "testing everything" is to
"hold fast to what is good;
abstain from every form of evil."

Advent is a time of testing.
Testing our lives.
Making a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves --
the 4th step of a 12 steps ministry.
And testing the prophets.
Making a search and fearless review of Your promises.

At the end of such a test,
Paul tells us,
"hold fast to what is good"
In other words:
Keep doing the good.
Focus on your strengths.
Do what you do well!
Believe God's promises.
Stand strong in God's grace!

And Paul says,
"abstain from every form of evil"
In other words:
Stop doing the bad.
Turn away from destructive thoughts, ways of being.
Let go of the negative.
Renounce the power of evil.
Trust that God is more powerful than evil!

O God,
sanctify me wholy!
spirit, soul, and body.
You are faithful!
And You will do this!
Amen.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Blessed with enough...

Isaiah 61:8-9
For I the LORD love justice,
I hate robbery and wrongdoing;
I will faithfully give them their recompense,
and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
Their descendants shall be known among the nations,
and their offspring among the peoples;
all who see them shall acknowledge
that they are a people whom the LORD has blessed.
Lord,
often times I think in terms of two categories:
Scarcity and Abundance,
Lately, I've been adding another category:
Enough.

Often times I hear talk of 
Your Abundant blessings,
I worry that such talk suggests
we ALL should have/expect Abundance,
that Abundance is what You want 
for us and all people.
And certainly, Lord, You do 
shower Abundant blessings upon us.

But I'm not so sure Your desire
is for us to have Abundance,
but rather You desire that 
us and all people have 
Enough.

Enough.
Isn't that what You gave Your people 
wandering in the wilderness after the exodus?
Enough manna; 
enough quail; 
enough water.
Those who tried to have Abundance,
those who gathered more than Enough, 
an Abundance of manna,
they found the Abundance spoiled.
Enough was enough for that day. (see Exodus 16:13-30)

Jesus, you taught us to pray:
"Give us this day our daily bread."
Enough bread for today.
Give us Enough.

And yet, Lord, 
many of us do have Abundance.
If Your desire is for us to have Enough,
what should we do with Abundance?
The Bible stories seem clear:
Abundance is to be shared so all have Enough.

Indeed, I've become to think
You have gifted some 
with the spiritual gift of creating Abundance
in order that it may be shared.
Too often we forget the sharing;
too often our abundance spoils
just like the manna of exodus.

Today, Lord,
during this Advent season,
I have Enough!
Thank you.
Help me share your Abundance
so that others may also have Enough.
"Give us this day our daily bread."
Amen.

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Stir up your power, O Lord

ISAIAH 40:1-8,10-11
Comfort, O comfort my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that she has served her term,
that her penalty is paid,
that she has received from the Lord”s hand
double for all her sins.
A voice cries out:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together,
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
A voice says, “Cry out!”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All people are grass,
their constancy is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
when the breath of the LORD blows upon it;
surely the people are grass.

The following prayer taken from Advent worship at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, Elizabethtown, NC.


Stir up your power, O Lord,
and with great might come among us;
and because we are sorely hindered by our sins,
let your bountiful grace and mercy
speedily help and deliver us;
through Jesus our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory, now and forever.
Amen.

Monday, December 1, 2014

Christ is Coming!

2 PETER 3:8-15A
But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.
Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.
Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.

Lord,
advent reminds us that
Christ is coming!
Christ is coming in the babe born in Bethlehem.
Christ is coming again as the glorious king to redeem and reign.

Christ is coming still!
Everyday,
Christ is coming still in our daily lives,
into our broken world,
in our hurting families,
into our divided communities.

2 Peter referencing Psalm 90:4
reminds us
with You
"one day is like a thousand years".

Your time is different.
Your schedule is different.
Your priorities are different.

So this Advent
help us with our watchful waiting!
Remind us that while to us it seems
like you are slow in coming!
This so called "slowness" is actually
grace working its way
into all the cracks of our broken world
to bring about healing, redemption,
indeed salvation
not just for some,
but for the whole world!
And that takes time.

Help us wait with patience!
And help us do the work of witness
while we wait.
For Christ is coming!
Christ is coming!
Christ is coming still!
Alleluia!
Amen.

Friday, November 21, 2014

Thank you, God, for the influence of young and old



















Thank you God,
for the people of the Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church. 
The people in this church, young and old, 
have influenced me in so many ways.
They have nurtured me through love and faithfulness 
in times that I needed it the most. 

The people in this church have strengthened my faith 
by providing a firm foundation for me to stand 
 when I feel the sand shifting beneath my feet. 

They have recognized spiritual gifts in me 
that I would have never known existed. 

Their wisdom, encouragement, and guidance 
has taught me how to use my gifts to share Your Word. 

For the people of the Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church,
I have always been and will continue to be 
eternally grateful!
In Christ's name, 
Amen!

written by Marc Edge
Ruling Elder
Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church




Dedication Sunday at Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church
will be Sunday, November 23 during 11am worship.
Pray about how God is calling you to commit
your time, talent, and money to serve Christ through the church.

________________________
The above prayer is from 
a series of prayers of thanksgiving
written to celebrate the 180 years 
of ministry of Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church.
These prayers are being used 
as part of this year's stewardship materials.

What would prayer of thanksgiving to God
would you write about your church?

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Lord, we thank you for our youth leaders and mentors


























Lord, we thank you
for our youth leaders and mentors
who offer unconditional love, 
listening ears and open hearts 
to nurture the spiritual growth of our children. 

 We thank you for our minister, Chris Denny and 
all that he has brought to our church and 
to our personal lives through his daily prayers, 
his words of wisdom and 
his kind heart as he nurtures the spiritual growth of us all.
Amen.


written by Judith & Bryon Scott, Emily & Spencer
members of Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church




Dedication Sunday at Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church
will be Sunday, November 23 during 11am worship.
Pray about how God is calling you to commit
your time, talent, and money to serve Christ through the church.

________________________
The above prayer is from 
a series of prayers of thanksgiving
written to celebrate the 180 years 
of ministry of Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church.
These prayers are being used 
as part of this year's stewardship materials.

What would prayer of thanksgiving to God
would you write about your church?

Monday, November 17, 2014

Who am I?

Who am I?
By Rev. Christopher Denny

Who am I?
I am
A Beloved Child of God
Son of Glenda and Charles Denny
Younger brother of Jeff Denny
Husband to Alle Denny
Father to Charles Denny
Pastor
Pray-er
Artist
Co-creator
Bridge builder
Love-er
In need of others
Story carrier
Hiker

Who am I?
I am Loved.
Loved by God.
Loved by my parents.
Loved by my brother.
Loved by my wife.
Loved by my son.
Loved by my church.
Loved by my friends.

I live Love.
Love God.
Love family.
Love wife.
Love son.
Love church.
Love creation.
Love friends.
Love all I meet for Christ’s sake.

Lord, thank you for ministries of this church


























Lord,
thank you for ministries of this church.

Thank you for LOGOS 
and the way that it brings our children closer 
to the leaders of the church.

Thank you for the music ministry 
and those that contribute their time and talents.

Thank you for Joe Melvin and the other Sunday school teachers 
that engage us in discussion of God’s Word. 

And thank you for our pastor, Chris Denny 
and the positive influence he brings to our church family.
Thank you for his many gifts 
and the purpose for which he uses them. 

Thank you for all of these things 
and help us to be better stewards 
of the gifts you have bestowed upon us.
Amen.

written by Paul Evans
Ruling Elder
Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church


Dedication Sunday at Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church
will be Sunday, November 23 during 11am worship.
Pray about how God is calling you to commit
your time, talent, and money to serve Christ through the church.

________________________
The above prayer is from 
a series of prayers of thanksgiving
written to celebrate the 180 years 
of ministry of Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church.
These prayers are being used
as part of this year's stewardship materials.

What would prayer of thanksgiving to God
would you write about your church?

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Wednesday Sunrise at Mo Ranch

"Wednesday Sunrise at Mo Ranch "
by Chris Denny


Up the hill we walked
And we turned aside to see
The river flowing in the bend
And we waited.

The buzzards circled in the distance.
Yucca grew from a stump.
Deer tracks at our feet,
Creation had waited before.

Red orange slivers cut the distant clouds
Slowly, so patiently slow 
the sky grew orange.
And then it seemed as if 
Earth gave birth to a son.

The bright orb rose quickly
Bathing the hillside in light.
And sister Moon watched her brother
From her perch in the sky
Her face half turned beckoning
Him to come out and play.

_____________
The above reflection/prayer was written while I was at Mo Ranch in Texas during a week of self reflection and discernment called CREDO.

Friday, November 14, 2014

We thank you, God, for all the blessings

























We thank you, God,
for all the blessings you have given us.
Thank you for giving this church,
so we can worship you.
Help us have servant hearts and hands.

We pray for peace and understanding of all nations.
We ask all this in your Son's name.
Amen.

written by Lisa DeVane
Ruling Elder
Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church




Dedication Sunday at Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church
will be Sunday, November 23 during 11am worship.
Pray about how God is calling you to commit
your time, talent, and money to serve Christ through the church.

________________________
The above prayer is from 
a series of prayers of thanksgiving
written to celebrate the 180 years 
of ministry of Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church.
These prayers are being used
as part of this year's stewardship materials.

What would prayer of thanksgiving to God
would you write about your church?

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Thank you, God, for the love and support

























Thank you, God,
for the love and support
of Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church
through all our live's journey.
There have been good times and sad times.
Our church family was there for us through it all.
For the warmth extended by the congregation then and now,
O God, we thank you.
We are blessed.
Amen.

written by Melrose & Roy Lomax
members of Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church




Dedication Sunday at Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church
will be Sunday, November 23 during 11am worship.
Pray about how God is calling you to commit
your time, talent, and money to serve Christ through the church.

________________________
The above prayer is from 
a series of prayers of thanksgiving
written to celebrate the 180 years 
of ministry of Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church.
These prayers are being used
as part of this year's stewardship materials.

What would prayer of thanksgiving to God
would you write about your church?

Monday, November 10, 2014

Thank you, God, for a people and a place

























Thank you, God,
for a people and a place
that inspire not only inspire our souls in worship
but also our lives in service.
Thank you for the past 180 years
at Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church
of both pastors and people together
proclaiming God's saving love
in words and acts of compassion.
Amen.

written by Rev. Chris Denny
Pastor
Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church




Dedication Sunday at Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church
will be Sunday, November 23 during 11am worship.
Pray about how God is calling you to commit
your time, talent, and money to serve Christ through the church.

________________________
The above prayer is from 
a series of prayers of thanksgiving
written to celebrate the 180 years 
of ministry of Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church.
These prayers are being used
as part of this year's stewardship materials.

What would prayer of thanksgiving to God
would you write about your church?

Friday, October 31, 2014

What do your feet do?

JOSHUA 3:14-17
When the people set out from their tents to cross over the Jordan, the priests bearing the ark of the covenant were in front of the people. Now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest. So when those who bore the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the edge of the water, the waters flowing from above stood still, rising up in a single heap far off at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, while those flowing toward the sea of the Arabah, the Dead Sea, were wholly cut off. Then the people crossed over opposite Jericho. While all Israel were crossing over on dry ground, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, until the entire nation finished crossing over the Jordan.
Lord,
who knew feet were so powerful?!

Is that why you knelt at the feet
of your disciples to wash them?

Is that why you praised the woman
who anointed your feet with tears, kisses, & oil
then wiped them with her hair?

Is that why you said Mary was doing the better part
as she sat at your feet and listened?

Is that why Ruth uncovered Boaz's feet?

Is that why the prophet Isaiah writes,
"How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news,
who announces salvation,
who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns.'" Isaiah 52:7 ?

I'm reminded of what Teresa of Avila wrote:
Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,

I wonder, Lord,
what do my feet do?

Today,
May my feet carry me to the places that need your grace.
May my feet move me to places that need your Good News.
May my feet make a mark where you need me most.
May my feet change the flow of the raging waters
that separate the Children of God from the Promises of God.

May it be so today.
Amen.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

A Lament for a friend

Psalm 77:1-10
I cry aloud to God,
    aloud to God, that he may hear me.
In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
    in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
    my soul refuses to be comforted.
I think of God, and I moan;
    I meditate, and my spirit faints.
You keep my eyelids from closing;
    I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
I consider the days of old,
    and remember the years of long ago.
I commune with my heart in the night;
    I meditate and search my spirit:
“Will the Lord spurn forever,
    and never again be favorable?
Has his steadfast love ceased forever?
    Are his promises at an end for all time?
Has God forgotten to be gracious?
    Has he in anger shut up his compassion?”
And I say, “It is my grief
    that the right hand of the Most High has changed.”

O Lord,
when the news came,
I was sick.
The words were written carefully,
"he just couldn't fight anymore
and now he can finally rest.
Our little buddy's pain ended,
though ours is just beginning."
But all I could read was
death, loss, heartbreak, grief.

And my prayer became:
WHY?
HELP!
LOVE?!
Be close to them.

And then,
just silence.

Words failed.

Then I remembered what the faithful of the Bible do --
Lament.

So today I join the psalm writer and lament:
Lord,
I cry aloud to you -- loud enough to rouse you to action.
My soul refuses to be comforted -- too soon for that.
Tears -- there are not enough.
Nausea comes in waves.
My worst fear -- the death of my son -- 
has come for ones whom I love.

I know, Lord, you have been faithful in the past,
but right now, I'm blinded with grief.
My eyes cannot see your grace, mercy, peace, hope.

Weep with us, Lord, as you did for your friend Lazarus.
Hold us in your embrace, while our shoulders shake with sobbing.
Press your hand to my chest and ease my heartache.

I lift my cry to you.
That is all I can do.
Today, may that be enough.
Amen.

Monday, October 27, 2014

For All the Saints

Revelation 7:13-17
Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
For this reason they are before the throne of God,
and worship him day and night within his temple,
and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;
the sun will not strike them,
nor any scorching heat;
for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Lord,
I pray for those who are going through the "great ordeal".
the ordeal of separation --
hopes and dreams of marriage now no longer,
the ordeal of anguish and pain --
condemned by the world but loved by you,
the ordeal of illness --
standing beside hospital beds helpless,
while loved ones suffer, slip away, and die,
the ordeal of persecution --
torture and terror because of their faith in you Christ Jesus.

Remind them --
they are not the first to walk this path,
they are not alone,
many of the faithful have passed through the great ordeal,
Lord Jesus, you yourself,
walked this path, the via dolorosa, this way of pain.
And you walk it still, everyday, for our sake!
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil for Thou art with me."

And me too, Lord,
help me walk the path with them,
sharing in their suffering,
sharing a cup of living water with them when they are parched,
breaking the bread of life for them when they cannot for themselves,
bringing the cup of salvation to their lips when they are too weak,
praying for them when they can no longer pray.

And on that day,
"They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;
the sun will not strike them,
nor any scorching heat;
for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

May it be so.
Amen.
May it be so.

___________
All Saints Day is November 1 -- a day to remember and celebrate those who have preceded us in faith.

Friday, October 24, 2014

Prayer for School Transportation Employees

Gracious God,
Thank you for your care for us and all creation.
You watch over us and keep us safe.
Thank you for these servants who have gathered today,
for their commitment to excellence and safety,
for their work to provide safe travel
for all the students of Bladen county.
Remind us that no matter our position
doing the small things well
leads to care for those entrusted to our care
and excellence in our work to your glory.
We pray in the name of the One
who does ALL things well.
Amen.



____________
The above was written for a gathering of county employees who are responsible for the transportation of students in our school district.  

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Simple, practical ... so hard!

MATTHEW 22:34-40
When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. and a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
God,
I love simple.
I love practical.
When asked about the greatest commandment of the law,
I really appreciate how simple and practical you made the law.
Love God.
Love neighbor.

That's it.
That's enough.
So simple; so practical;
so hard!!

God,
I looked it up
"love" here is the greek "agape"
that unconditional I Corinthians 13 kind of love.

Loving you and loving our neighbors
being in loving self-giving relationships
is what I am made for.
And yet it is a daily struggle.

Unconditionally loving you
with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind
is total commitment, nothing held back, ALL IN!
By the power of the Holy Spirit,
I'm trying!

Unconditionally loving my neighbor (all of them!) as myself...
What does that mean?
Well, I think about myself, my needs, my worries, my fears, and
what other people think of me all the time...
If I thought of my neighbors like that, their needs, their fears, their worries
I would treat them differently
with more compassion, more grace, more forgiveness, more love.

By the power of your Holy Spirit,
help me unconditionally love.
In the name of the One
who demonstrated how to unconditionally love you
the One who was/and is ALL IN!
In the name of the One
who unconditionally loves all neighbors (even those who killed him)
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Monday, October 20, 2014

Planting trees...

DEUTERONOMY 34:1-12
Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the LORD showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, and the Plain — that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees — as far as Zoar. The LORD said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants’; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.” Then Moses, the servant of the LORD, died there in the land of Moab, at the Lord’s command. He was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor, but no one knows his burial place to this day. Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired and his vigor had not abated. The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended.

Lord,
I've never understood why 
Moses was not allowed to "cross over" to the promised land.
After all that time leading
your stubborn, grumbling, never satisfied people,
the least you could have done is to reward him
with a little piece of promised land to call his own.
But instead all he gets is a mountain top survey.
Talk about delayed gratification!

But entering the land wasn't Moses' calling.
You chose him to confront pharaoh,
to lead your people out
and so that they could worship you on your holy mountain.

It reminds me of the time 
my grandfather, Pappaw, and I planted a chestnut.
Just a nut in a hole in the ground.
Pappaw planted the seed.
He told me to water it and keep it.
I did.
Pappaw didn't live to see 
that seed grow into a tall tree.
His task was to plant; mine was to grow.
Pappaw didn't live to see
me become a pastor.
His task was to plant; mine was to grow.

Lord,
what seeds do I need to plant today?
Seeds that I will not get to see grow tall and strong.
But with eyes like Moses on a mountain top survey,
help me behold far in the distance of space and time
the fulfillment of your promise.
Amen.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

What belongs to God?

MATTHEW 22:15-22
Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?“ But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

Lord,
I too hear this and stand amazed
and humbled.
"Give to God the things that are God's"
What belongs to God?

Psalm 24 reminds us
The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,
the world, and those who live in it.
Paul writes in Romans 14
We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.
What belongs to you, O God?
E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G.
All that we have.
All that we are.

Lord we stand amazed and humbled.
You took a tricky question about taxes
and made it into a question of our commitment.
Giving a tithe, 10%, seems easy compared to giving our WHOLE selves.

Lord Jesus,
you are a WHOLE self giver.
You committed your living and your dying to God,
even from the cross you said,
"In to your hands I commit my spirit."

I'm reminded of the first question of the Heidelberg Catechism:

Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death?
A. That I am not my own but belong—
body and soul, in life and in death—
to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.
He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood,
and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil.
He also watches over me in such a way
that not a hair can fall from my head
without the will of my Father in heaven;
in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.

Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit,
assures me of eternal life
and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready
from now on to live for him.

It's that last phrase Lord,
"makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him."
That's really your point isn't it.
It's not about taxes, or money, or tithing.
The question is:
Am I wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for you?

Only by the power of your Holy Spirit, 
do I dare answer: YES.
May it be so in my life today, Lord.
Amen.

Monday, October 13, 2014

I too have a question...

MATTHEW 22:15-22
Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?“

Lord Jesus,
I don't know if they were trying to butter you up
or flatter you with their comments...
No matter what their motive was,
they spoke the truth:

You are "teacher" --
a master teacher who pushes
to think larger, to ask bigger questions,
to engage in critical thinking about issues,
seeking not simply to confirm what we already believe
but to push through to new discoveries,
which may challenge us at our core or
deepen our already deeply held beliefs.

You are "sincere".
You never tried to trick or corner us,
but rather you point us
to consider a bigger world view
to consider God's perspective on life and love.

You "teach the way of God in accordance with truth".
In John's gospel you state that you ARE the way and the truth.
To follow you is to walk in God's true way.
However, as the advent hymn writer says,
"the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight".
Your way is hard.  Your truth convicts me to the core.

"You show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality"
or as another translation puts it,
"You are not afraid of what others think about you. 
All people are the same to you."
You are CONFIDENT of who you are -- a child of God.
The Holy Spirit confirmed it at your baptism -- 
"This is my son, my beloved, in whom I am well pleased."
And you treat ALL people the same; you treat us as your siblings.
We - ALL of us - are the beloved children of God! 
and that is how you treat us.

Lord Jesus, like them, I too have a question,
but mine is not to trick you...
Search my heart and see that there is no malice there.
My question:
In what ways can I be faithful to you today?

For the rest of my days,
I will keep alert to your answer --
opportunities to be faithful,
chances to be like you:
a sincere one
who walks in the way of God's truth
treating all people
with the dignity and respect due the children of God.

So may it be today.
Amen.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Think on these things...

PHILIPPIANS 4:8-9
Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
Lord Jesus,
There are so many 
good things,
Novel things,
Worthy things...
Excellence is all around us.

And Paul tells us -- urges us
To "think on these things".
Think on -- meditate on -- invest our minds in

Lord, today I will invest in 
the good things of my life:
My son's new interest in golf (one of my hobbies)
My wife's thoughtfulness to me (what a gift she is to me)
My parents' love, support, prayers for me (They mean more to me every day.)
My friends who really care, really listen, 
stand with me when life is hard, and celebrate with me when life is good.
My calling to be a pastor who can embody your love 
to the least, the lost, the lonely, the forgotten,
 the confused, the sick, the sad, the dying,
The rich, the poor, the leaders, and the followers, the young, and the old.

A beautiful sunset
The laughter of children playing in the backyard
Music that soothes, inspires, moves me, and makes me dance!
Dreams fulfilled - 
to be a firefighter... have been a volunteer fireman.
to be a radio DJ... Have been a guest on cool 105.3

So many good things,
Too many to list
And best of all Lord, 
You.

You have been present through it all.
You are the source of all blessings.
And so I thank you and praise you,
For my life is in your hands
That's a good place to be.
Amen.


Monday, October 6, 2014

Don't worry...

Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Lord,
Paul charges us saying,
"Don't worry about anything..."

Don't worry??
But people I love 
are hurting in hospital beds,
are depressed and lonely,
have marriages falling apart around them,
are dying in mind, body, and spirit.

Don't worry??
But the images of western aide workers beheaded 
won't leave my mind...
But there are children in my community 
who don't get the support at home they need, they deserve...

Don't worry??
But families are divided against each other.
Even your church is divided and hurting.

But Paul doesn't mean 
Bobby McFerrin's "Don't worry be happy".
No, Lord, Paul's charge not to worry
is rooted in his prayer, 
in his confidence that "the Lord is near"
In sharing with you our worries, our fears, our anxieties -- real and imagined.

So here it is Lord:
I am worried.
Worried about my church.
Worried about my family.
Worried about my community.
Worried about my world.

I need your peace;
We need your peace -- 
peace that surpasses and goes way beyond 
anything that I can imagine, 
for too often I imagine the worst.

I need--
we need your peace 
to guard our hearts and our minds.
Guard us, O Prince of Peace,
you who are nearer to us 
than our next heartbeat, our next thought.
Amen.

Monday, September 29, 2014

Fruits of the Kingdom

MATTHEW 21:33-46
“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.’So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.”
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom.

Lord,
you speak in parables to make things plain.
Storytelling is a powerful communicator.

This parable points
to greed, disrespect, and a total disregard for justice.
Why do the tenants beat, kill and stone?
the landowner's slaves (twice) and then the son?
They say it themselves, "let us... get his inheritance..."
Greed.
Never mind respecting the very life of another human being.
Saying nothing of the issue of justice
that tenants owe the landowner the agreed upon rent (or harvest).

Forgive me, Lord,
my own greed
which hoards what is not mine
by any means necessary.

Instead, transform me into one who
"produces the fruits of the kingdom".

But I wonder, Lord,
what are the "fruits of your kingdom"?
I can quote the fruits of the spirit,
"love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control"
But what are the "fruits of your kingdom"?

I might assume at first "fruits" means the righteousness of obeying your law,
but you first spoke this parable to "the chief priests and the Pharisees"
They were experts in keeping your law,
and you challenged their righteousness at every turn.

Again I ask: what are the "fruits of your kingdom"?
What do you want to bloom and grow in my life 
that fulfills the beauty of your kingdom?

I'm drawn one phrase of the Lord's Prayer:
"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven"
Give me eyes to see, and ears to hear,
and a community of faith with whom to discern:
What is your will?
What are the "fruits of your kingdom"?

Until then,
restrain my selfish greed, my pride.
Humble me to welcome your servants
and watch for your son,
for I am but a tenant in your vineyard.
Amen.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Others interests first...

Philippians 2:3-4
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.

Lord,
as I reflect on how to
"look not to your own interests,
but to the interests of others"
your Spirit brings me to one of the prayers
attributed to Saint Francis:
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, harmony;
Where there is error, truth;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, Grant that
I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
I know it best as a hymn: http://youtu.be/lZzdh5xpM2Q

Lord,
that prayer/hymn consistently challenges me
in times of conflict with my spouse or with others
that the hard work is NOT trying to get my point across
but rather the work that MUST be done
is to listen hard, listen deep and WORK
to console and comfort the other,
to understand the other,
to choose to love the other,
to give myself to the other,
to forgive the other...

So hard, Lord, so hard
and yet it is exactly
what you do for us EVERY DAY.

Lord,
make me an agent of YOUR kind of peace,
a peace that surpasses human ways of thinking and being.
May it be so in my life today.
Amen.

Monday, September 22, 2014

IF??!!

Philippians 2:1-2
If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Lord,
Paul is so powerfully subtle.
"If there is any encouragement in Christ..."
Of course there is!!
ALL of our encouragement is in Christ.

"If there is any consolation from love..."
Of course there is!
The love of God, the love of others
is our only true comfort and consolation.

"If there is any sharing in the Spirit..."
Of course!
The Spirit of God is exactly what binds us together!

"If there is any compassion and sympathy..."
In Jesus Christ, we see God's compassion and
Jesus is sympathetic to us in every way except sin.

If??!!
I think it should read,
SINCE!!

Therefore,
we, Christian community,
shall be of the same mind,
the same love,
united by the Spirit of God
standing together at the foot of the cross
in need of grace.

Lord this is my prayer.
May it be so.
Amen and Amen.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Worthy?

PHILIPPIANS 1:21-30

For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again. 
Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well — since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Lord,
I am confident of one thing:
I am NEVER worthy of your gospel.
I identify more with Paul's writing in Romans 7:24-25:
"wretched man that I am -- who will save me from the body of death!
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ!"

And that IS the gospel --
though I am wretched and dying,
through the birth, life, teaching, healing, forgiving,
death, resurrection, and ongoing prayers of Jesus Christ,
You choose to save me from my wretchedness, from my deadly ways.
You set me free from such hell
and empower me to carry that very same GOOD NEWS
in my body, in my actions, in my words
proclaiming your love to ALL.

No, I'm not worthy,
but because of your grace
I WILL seek to live my life
"in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ".
Help me do that!
Today, Help me embody your Gospel.
Amen.

Monday, September 15, 2014

Generous God...

Matthew 20:1-16

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 
When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 
Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage.And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 
But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
 Lord,
indeed your ways are not our ways,
nor are your thoughts, our thoughts.
It just doesn't seem fair,
those who worked the least received the same pay
as those who worked the longest.
True, they each received what was agreed upon, but...

Your final question cuts to the heart:
"Are you envious because I am generous?"
Yes, I am envious.
Yes, you are SO generous.
You bless when we don't deserve it.
You forgive when revenge is demanded.
You turn the other check, extend the other arm,
and take in your body the punishment we deserve.

Teach me to be content.
Help me celebrate the blessings of others.
Help me share your incredible blessings with those who need to be blessed.
Mostly Lord, teach me to follow Jesus' model of humility.
Amen.

Friday, September 12, 2014

Forgive completely

MATTHEW 18:21-22
Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.

Lord,
forgiving those who wrong us, who hurt us is hard work,
even harder when they are part of the family of faith.
Surely, Peter's seven times would be enough.
I'm mean haven't you heard the phrase:
"hurt me once, shame on you.
hurt me twice, shame on me."

But you do what you always do,
Lord, you push us beyond human possibilities.
You say, "seventy-seven times".
If the scholars are right
about seven being understood as the complete number,
then you are telling us to forgive completely.
Let not even an ounce of grudge or resentment.

Lord,
I've also heard it said that forgiveness is not complete
until you can wish the other well-being and blessings.

You teach us to pray:
"Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors"
So I confess to you, Lord,
forgive me for my unforgiving heart, for my unforgiving ways.
In the same way you forgive me, (which is completely!)
Lord, help me forgive others with that same complete measure of Grace!
Amen.

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Pray for pastor...



Loving God,
we name you with terms like
King of Kings,
Lord of Lords,
Alpha & Omega,
the Lion of Judah,
the Good Shepherd.

Today I am mindful that you are also
Pastor of pastors.

Today I hold in prayer pastors
who often feel lonely
who have precious few friends they really can talk with
whose lives are watched by all
who too often care for others
at the expense of their own lives, their own marriage, their own children
who are sometimes to scared to be bold
who serve often at some distance from relatives
or whose call is judged as somehow less if they return close to those relatives
who carry the burdens of others
but are too tired, too busy, too proud to seek out help themselves.

Today I hold in prayer pastors
who have heard your calling
and know their are doing what you God want them to do
who love sharing your love with others daily
who feel useful standing beside the dying, the grieving, the crying
who have an extra measure of grace that they share gladly.

Today I hold in prayer pastors
because they matter,
they make a difference
by your power they remind us
that you are at work redeeming the mess in our lives.

So too, Lord, be at work in their lives
in real and tangible ways
redeeming pastors,
healing pastors,
loving pastors,
feeding pastors,
encouraging pastors.
We need them.
Our world needs them.
You choose them.
Help us pray for them.
Amen.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Pray...

James 5:13-18 (The Voice)
Are any in your community suffering? They should pray. Are any celebrating? They should sing praises to God. Are any sick? They should call the elders of your church and ask them to pray. They will gather around and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. Prayers offered in faith will restore them from sickness and bring them to health. The Lord will lift them up from the floor of despair; and if the sickness is due to sin, then God will forgive their sins. So own up to your sins to one another and pray for one another. In the end, you may be healed. Your prayers are powerful when they are rooted in a righteous life.
Remember Elijah? He was a man, no different from us. He prayed with great intensity asking God to withhold the rain; God answered his prayers and did not allow a single drop of rain to fall for three and a half years. It did not rain until Elijah prayed again for God to open the skies, when the rain came down and the earth produced a great crop.

 Listening Lord,
you invite us to pray for one another:
To pray for the suffering, the celebrating, and the sick.
To pray for leaders of nations, states, and towns.
To pray for enemies, persecutors, and haters.

James tells us,
"Your prayers are powerful
when they are rooted in a righteous life"
Then James compares us
with the GREAT prophet Elijah.
And I think to myself,
"Oh, that my prayers were as powerful as Elijah."
James says they are.
I'm not so convinced.

But then I'm reminded
of what one father said to Jesus,
"Lord, I believe; help my unbelief."

So today I pray --
I pray for the sick people in my community.
I pray for healing.
I pray for the suffering people.
I pray for comfort.
I pray for those who celebrate good news.
I pray for JOY.
I pray for leaders
of the world, my nation, my state, my county, my town.
I pray for wisdom.
I pray for my enemies.
I pray for compassion.
I pray for those who persecute others.
I pray for changed hearts and lives.
I pray for those who hate.
I pray for love.

Lord,
take my simple prayers and make them powerful.
Take my simple life and make it meaningful.
Take my simple acts and make them transformative.
Take my simple words and make them grace.

I'm reminded of the hymn:
Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee. 
Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King.
Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect, and use every power as Thou shalt choose. 
Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.
Amen.



______________
A brief note about the translation of the Bible I chose.
"The Voice" is a translation that I am enjoying.
Like "The Living Bible" it seeks to put the Bible in common language.
My favorite part is the way it frames conversations and narratives in the Bible
as if I am reading a script for a play or drama.
(James quoted above is note unique but see Exodus 3 for example.)

Such a format opens up those narratives to be acted out more easily (thinking readers theater)
But it also helps me hear the interchange between characters in the Bible stories.
Another tool for seeking to understand the stories of faith!

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Back to school praying

Proverbs 1:1-7 -- from the Common English Bible (CEB)

The proverbs of Solomon, King David’s son, from Israel:
Their purpose is to teach wisdom and discipline,
to help one understand wise sayings.
They provide insightful instruction,
which is righteous, just, and full of integrity.
They make the naive mature,
the young knowledgeable and discreet.
The wise hear them and grow in wisdom;
those with understanding gain guidance.
They help one understand proverbs and difficult sayings,
the words of the wise, and their puzzles.
Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Lord,
today I was honored
to represent the Christian community
and pray with and for
the whole Bladen County School system.

O God, you are wisdom herself.
Speak through those who teach,
administer well through those who lead,
create a beautiful clean safe place of welcome
through those who care for buildings and grounds,
because learning starts at the time of the sun rise,
to the bus ride, to the welcome at school, to fields of play...

and open the minds of all students
that they may learn your wisdom
and discover with awe and wonder
the great diversity of your great works.

Lord,
I'm reminded of a wise saying
my father, a biology professor, kept on his desk.
"Give a man a fish, feed him for a day.
Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime."

May we, all of us, united in sharing
your wisdom, your life skills,
that will sustain bodies, minds, communities, and indeed the world for good.
Amen.

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Mixed feelings and surprising grace.

GENESIS 45:1-3
Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.

O Lord,
sometimes I'm so overcome
like Joseph I need some space,
some time to reveal my true self.

I wonder when Joseph
"wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it"
did the Egyptians, the bystanders
understand his weeping --
a mixture of remembering all the bad that had happened
and marveling at all the good that had come.
a mixture of anger and sorrow,
of longing for family, even the ones who betrayed,
the longing for home.
a mixture of forgiveness and joy to embrace family.

I know how mixed feelings can be:
fear, unknown, scared,
loved, accepted, forgiven,
needed, looked to for answers,
lonely, depressed,
surprised by grace
Mixed all at the same time.

Through it all,
you Sovereign Lord,
were working for Joseph's good
indeed for the whole family's good
to save those who sought to kill him.

Come, Sovereign Lord,
work in my life too,
be at work for my good
and indeed for the good of all
saving all who need it most.
Give me a glimpse of how you are using me.
Amen.

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Storms rage, and God is here.

MATTHEW 14:22-33
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,  
but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 
But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Lord,
when we are afraid
we assume the worst.
When the storms threaten to overwhelm us,
we are blinded by our fears;
we cannot see you coming to save us.
We cry out in fear.
We see only imagined ghosts.

Instead you come in ways we can't imagine
walking on water
striding in the midst of the waves
conquering the very thing we fear.

And you speak to us.
You say plainly,
"Take heart, it is I!"
"Have courage, I am here!"
"Fear not!"
"No more being afraid!"

The wave still crash;
the winds still blow.
The storm hasn't changed.
But you are here.
You are with us.
And that only makes all the difference.

So hold us close, O Lord Jesus,
as the storms rage on.
We find comfort just being in your presence.
"Be still, and know that I am God."
Thank you, for being God and for being here.
Amen.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

A Cry to God and Trust.

Psalm 22 
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
and by night, but find no rest. 
Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
In you our ancestors trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried, and were saved;
in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.

O God,
we cry out to you
from our pain
from our fears
from our worries
from our situations in life.
Hear our prayers
and come to our aide.

Indeed our ancestors put their trust in you
and you were faithful and delivered them
Know we do the same.

O God of comfort,
give us your peace.
O God of wisdom,
give us your discerning mind.
O God of love,
wrap us in your loving embrace.
O God of healing,
bandage our wounds, our hurts, with your Spirit.

If you turn your face from us,
we will be ruined.
So hold us in your strong hands of grace.

Today we put our trust in you.
Do not let us be put to shame.
Amen.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Praying for peace...

Numbers 6:24-26
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Prince of Peace,
come and break into our warring world.
Violence is in the streets -- and not just in far away lands.
Violence is in our hearts, our homes, our world...

Lord,
just this week I realized
the middle schoolers that I spent last week with
they were all born after September 11, 2001
and therefore have lived
in the shadow of the threat of terrorism.

Come, Lord Jesus,
and bring your peace
in Israel and Palestine,
in Ukraine,
in Libya,
in Syria,
in families separated and estranged,
in our streets,
in our homes.

Come and surprise us with YOUR peace.
Amen.


------
The Rev will be on the radio Thursday, July 31 @ 5pm.
Tune in 105.3FM or http://www.coolbeach1053.com/listen.html

I am grateful to my friend Don Arnsan
who periodically invites me to be a co-host during the drive at 5!
It's a childhood dream! My brother and I used to pretend to be DJs.
It also makes me laugh because my college classmates voted me "most likely to be a televangelist"!
So far I've made it on the web and on the radio... not yet on TV, but who knows!

Monday, July 28, 2014

Called by God...

Jeremiah 1:4-8 
Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Then I said,
“Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.”
But the Lord said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am only a boy’;
for you shall go to all to whom I send you,
and you shall speak whatever I command you.
Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
says the Lord.”


From the first day, Lord,
I have depended on your grace.
You've given me a passion
to share your love with others,
to tell the stories of your faithfulness,
to shape the lives of others for your sake.

Today, like all the days before,
I will need your help.
I will need your words.
I will need your strength, your courage.
Most of all, I will need your presence.

My heartfelt desire is to be
a tangible embodiment
of your grace
to the world.

Lord God,
you have called us
to ventures of which we cannot see the ending,
by paths as yet untrodden,
through perils unknown.
Give us faith to go out with good courage,
not knowing where we go,
but only that your hand is leading us
and your love supporting us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.




------
Today, July 28, 2014,
marks the 12th anniversary of my ordination
as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church USA.
I am grateful for the people who have shaped my life,
the opportunities I've had, and
the future unfolding in God's hands!

Saturday, July 26, 2014

This week our high school and middle school students are away at the Montreat Youth Conference, a powerful retreat setting for Spiritual growth! (two separate retreat at two separate places)

I ask for your prayers for the students and leaders while they discover anew the power of God's transforming love. These thoughts are from the Middle School conference today...


Verse:
Revelation 3:20
“Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.”

Reflect:
Notice the verbs in the verse that describe part of the faithful response to Jesus’ knocking: 
listen, 
hear, 
open, 
eat. 

Besides these actions, what other things do we do that demonstrate our faith?



This verse emphasizes Jesus with us and us with Jesus, i.e., our relationship with God through Christ.
How has your relationship with God—your faith—been strengthened this week?


Pray:

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.

Friday, July 25, 2014

What keeps us from hearing Jesus' voice?

This week our high school and middle school students are away at the Montreat Youth Conference, a powerful retreat setting for Spiritual growth! (two separate retreat at two separate places)

I ask for your prayers for the students and leaders while they discover anew the power of God's transforming love. These thoughts are from the Middle School conference today...

Verse:
Revelation 3:20
“Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.”

Reflect:
Jesus doesn't say, “Open the door, I’m coming in!” He says, essentially, “If you hear my voice, if you open the door, then I will come in.” 
Jesus is always right here, still speaking to us, but sometimes we have a hard time noticing. What are the things that keep you from hearing Jesus’ voice?

What are the things that, even if you hear his voice, keep you from opening the door? 
Even though Jesus still remains with us, is it easier to talk/listen with the door wide open?


Pray: (from Psalm 51)

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
and blameless when you pass judgment.


Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.

O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
For you have no delight in sacrifice;
if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Knock, Knock...

This week our high school and middle school students are away at the Montreat Youth Conference, a powerful retreat setting for Spiritual growth! (two separate retreat at two separate places)

I ask for your prayers for the students and leaders while they discover anew the power of God's transforming love. These thoughts are from the Middle School conference today...

Scripture:
Revelation 3:20
“Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.”


Reflect:
Why might Jesus be knocking on your door? 


If you heard a knock at the door and you realized it was Jesus, what would you do? Why?

Prayer (from Psalm 139)
O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from far away.
You search out my path and my lying down,
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
O Lord, you know it completely.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is so high that I cannot attain it...

For it was you who formed my inward parts;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
that I know very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.
In your book were written
all the days that were formed for me,
when none of them as yet existed.
How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
I try to count them—they are more than the sand;
I come to the end—I am still with you.
Amen.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

We belong to God... no matter what!

This week our high school students are away at the Montreat Youth Conference, a powerful retreat setting for Spiritual growth!

Today (Wednesday) our Middle School students travel to Maryville College in Tennessee to participate in their own retreat for Spiritual growth. (I am among them as a leader!)


I ask for your prayers for the students and leaders while they discover anew the power of God's transforming love. The below prayers follow their study this week.

Theme of the day: God is with us and we belong to God.
Scripture of the day:
John 13:1-17
Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God,got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

Reflect:

• Why do you think Jesus was so insistent about washing the feet of his friends, especially since he knew what they were getting ready to betray him, deny him, forsake him?

• What does this passage say about who Jesus is and how he treats both his friends and his betrayers?

Prayer:
We know that you are here with us, God, 
in this beautiful, supportive and loving place, 
but we also know that there are many 
who need to experience the grace, love, healing and joy 
that only You can bring. 
Be with .................... (pray for those who come to mind)

Comfort those who are grieving.
Embrace those who are dying.
Keep safe those who are traveling,
especially today middle school students and leaders.
Bring peace not only our hearts, but to our world!

We lift these, and all our prayers to You, 
knowing that you love and care 
for ALL your children and 
that we ALL belong to You.
Amen.