Arky Arky

I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. (Genesis 9:13 ESV)

I read some interesting things yesterday on the story of Noah's Ark. One was a short story... a kind of a re-write of the biblical story http://wp.patheos.com.s3.amazonaws.com/blogs/davidhenson/files/2012/05/RainBowbyDavidRHenson.pdf
and the other was a sermon based on this short story http://www.thegodarticle.com/7/post/2012/05/building-arks-surviving-floods-rainbow-promises.html
Both were very good reads. If you are interested, follow the links to read them.

Don't you think it strange that we use this story of devestation... of millions of people dying in violent swirling flood waters... as a cute little children's story? That it is a popular nursery theme and we sing the cute little "Arky, Arky" song to our kids? It's a little like using symbols of the holocost or 9-11 to decorate the nursery, isn't it? But of course we don't focus on the devestation with our children; we focus on the animals and the colorful rainbow.

But eventually, we have to explain to our kids what the animals were doing in the ark to begin with. It's something I have always struggled with. I have never been able to find a satisfactory answer to this question: "If God knew from the beginning that he would send Jesus to atone for our sins, why the flood?"

One of the only answers to my mind is that the story of the flood is not a literal story. Although there are many stories from other religions and customs that tell of a great flood, there may have been a great flood but not a literal "Noah" and a literal "Ark" filled with hundreds of thousands of species of animals. And perhaps the flood was more of a disaster caused by nature rather than God's wrath. We must remember that biblical stories are often not historical recordings, but stories handed down generation to generation to teach about God and God's nature.

One thing we find about God's nature in this story is that he was sorry about the flood and promised to never do it again. God did something he regretted? According to the story he regretted creating mankind because they turned evil and then he regretted sweeping them all away in a flood. This doesn't really wash with the God I have come to know over the years, but the short story I referenced above said something that really resonated with me: (God said)

"When I forget my promise and my anger again brings storm clouds over the earth, my Rain Bow will appear to remind me of the unrestrained violence and death I brought to the earth and I will remember my covenant with all living things. I will stay my hand and my wrath. I will learn to love in spite of the sin and evil."

God loving us in spite of the sin and evil... now that resonates with me. That is the God I know. We won't know the whole story behind the flood until we see God face to face. But when we see that rainbow, it is more than a promise that God will not flood the whole world again. It is a promise that he loves us no matter what our sin is. He loves us just as we are and for all that we will one day be.

Father,
Help us to love one another with the same kind of love you have for us... no matter the sin. For we are every one a sinner and in need of your love and grace. Amen.

Joys: Fun with friends at book club; another long weekend ahead for me; quiet mornings

Get Rid of the Pacifier!

 “‘In the last days, God says,
    I will pour out my Spirit on all people. 
Your sons and daughters will prophesy, 
    your young men will see visions,
    your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
    I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
    and they will prophesy' ".-Acts 2:17-18

On Sunday I brought bubbles to my preschool Sunday school class to celebrate Pentecost. As you would expect, it was a big hit. We went outside and they chased the bubbles I blew for a while and then I gave them their own bubble wands and told them to blow Holy Spirit bubbles on those who walked by. They loved it... and so did those who had the Holy Spirit popping all over them! One little girl had a bit of a problem though. She did everything right... dipped the wand in the solution, held it to her mouth and blew. Only one problem - she wouldn't take the pacifier out of her mouth!

She didn't seem to notice though.  She just kept on going as if the bubbles were flowing in abundance.

It leads to the question... Are you clinging so tightly to your comfortable traditions, habits and beliefs that the Holy Spirit is not flowing from you?  Have you even noticed??  The Bible is a great resource and tool for Christians, but it is not God's last word.  God is still speaking!  Why else would we still need those who see visions, dream dreams and prophecy?

But if we think we already have God figured out and tied up in a neat little box of our own making, we will not be among those God uses for these purposes.  There is no room for the Holy Spirit to work in those who refuse to look at the possibilities... who refuse to believe that God is still speaking... who refuse to believe that God can do new things.

Get the pacifier out of your mouth!!  God did not call us to be comfortable.  He did not call us to hold on to old traditions and habits that are no longer useful in this world.  He calls us to let the Holy Spirit bubble up inside of us and overflow, touching and capturing everyone we meet.

The Holy Spirit is untamable and unpredictable.  The only thing sure and certain about the Holy Spirit is that He will surprise and amaze us when we let Him work.  But we have to be willing and we have to expect the unexpected!

Come Holy Spirit,
Fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire your your love.  Amen.


Joys:  Watching the children enjoy Holy Spirit bubbles; three-day weekend; sleeping in

DO Justice

He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8 ESV)

I was doing some reading on the internet today and came across some comments on the topic of this verse, Micah 6:8... You know... "Do justice and love mercy?" One comment suggested that most of us live this backwards. We "love" the idea of justice, and we "do" mercy instead of "doing" justice and "loving" mercy. Basically, it means we try to slide by on our responsibilities of this life.

We don't mind acting mercifully or "doing mercy." We are happy to serve the poor in a soup kitchen or even work in prison on Epiphany or Kairos weekends. And we give money to all the right charities. But how many of us really actively seek justice? How many of us are out there fighting for the necessary changes so there won't have to be soup kitchens or so many young men in prison? Do we take part in peaceful demonstrations and protests and write letters to our political leaders and get petitions signed? Do we ever really put ourselves at risk for as we seek justice for those who are persecuted and taken advantage of?

If not, it is because we find it so much easier to do mercy and love justice and let someone else actually "do" the justice. Fighting for social justice is hard. It takes a lot of courage and a lot of determination. But what does Micah tell us the Lord requires? ... not "suggests"... "requires." It's a call for you and I to step up and do something to really help when we see someone being treated unjustly.

Father,
Forgive us for getting it backwards so often. Doing mercy is good, but you call us to so much more. Help us to grow in our faith and trust in you so that we will have the courage to do what we must. Amen.

Joys: homemade tomato/basil soup; working with Rickie; fresh strawberries

Impossible to Possible

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." (Mark 10:27 NIV)

I've often heard scripture quoted with the intent of proving that God won't or can't do something. Usually it is in regard to whether a sin can be forgiven or whether a particular group of people will be allowed into heaven... very negative stuff. These people tend to blame their prejudices on God. "God won't" or "God can't," therefore I don't have to either.

But God doesn't look at any of us through impossibilities. He looks at all of us through possibilities. When he looks at each of us individually, he doesn't see what we have done or not done, he sees the perfection in what he has created. He sees what we are truly meant to be.

Jesus said that it's awfully difficult for a rich man to get into heaven, agreeing that if it was left up to us, none of us would make it. But God takes the impossible and makes it happen... for you and for me and for that group of people we as fallible humans have labeled "impossible." God says to us, "I've got this. Trust me."

We are called to go out into the world and tell everyone the good news of Christ's love and sacrifice. Be we are to do so with love and kindness and compassion. Not with threats and force and scare tactics. In the end, it is not our work that saves anyone. Jesus has already done that work on the cross. The impossible has been made possible. Not by you or me or the person who has memorized 10,000 verses of scripture... but by the only one who can make possible what for man (and woman) is impossible.

Lord of All,
Thank you for doing what I can't do. Thank you that I am not responsible for saving the world, for you have already done that. Help me to trust in you to make all that is impossible, possible. Amen.

Joys: Celebrating with family last night; Cecelia's love of strawberries; video chats with Richard

Here I Raise My Ebenezer

Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far the Lord has helped us." (1 Samuel 7:12 NIV)

One of the reasons it is important to keep reexamining and updating our worship practices (especially liturgical worship) is so new generations can understand it. It does us little good to go to church and recite and sing words and phrases that we have no clue what they mean. One of the Lutheran worship books that was in use about 30 years ago uses words like "remission," "Sabaoth" and "Paraclete." An unchurched person visiting for the first time wouldn't have a clue.... and frankly most of us in today's church wouldn't either.

A favorite hymn of mine is "Come Thou Font of Every Blessing." The second verse always mystified me though... it begins, "Here I raise my Ebenezer..." I would sing that line faithfully every time we sang that hymn, but I didn't have a clue. Finally my curiosity got the best of me and I researched it. What a great phrase! An Ebenezer is a marker that reminds us of God's real presence and help in our lives. It is a place where we can look when our faith is running dry and say... "I remember when God did this for me. He is real!"

In the Bible story in 1 Samuel, Samuel used a stone to mark a place where God helped him. We don't need a literal stone or marker. We can simply "mark" the event in our memories. Since discovering this great phrase, I have made it a habit to "raise my Ebenezer" whenever God makes his presence known to me in a special way. These Ebenezers have become very valuable to me in the ebbs and flows of my faith walk. When doubt threatens to overcome me, I retrieve one or more of these markers from my memory and know that only God could have been there with me then. It is a powerful and effective tool.

Make a habit of raising Ebenezers in your life. Also... if you are using a word or phrase in worship or in hymns that you don't know what they mean, find out. It may be a real gem!

Father,
Thank you for the Ebenezer opportunities in my life. They remind me that you have been real to me in thee past andd that even in a faith crisis I can trust that you are here with me. Amen.

Joys: Celebrating Daniel's birthday today; plans to pick strawberries with Cecelia this morning; Ebenezers

They'll Know Us By Our LOVE

Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:10 NIV)

I'm running a bit late with my devotional this morning. I had to put a lot of extra prayer and thought into it today. I usually try not to write about anything too controversial or political, but I feel that if I remain silent in this case I am giving tacit agreement to a loud and hateful minority (at least I hope it's a minority) of Christians.

Did you see the video of a pastor from right in our own back yard - Maiden, NC - spewing hate, bigotry and ignorance from behind the pulpit? It was so offensive it was removed from Youtube, but I found a 2 minute excerpt on another site. Please watch it so you understand that I am not exaggerating:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/21/north-carolina-pastor-gay-rant-starvation_n_1533463.html

What offends me most is that non-Christians are coming more and more to believe that this is what the Christian faith is all about. And can you blame them? Where are our own voices, as loving, grace-filled Christians, in all this? This "pastor's" sermon - or should I say "rant" - is comparable to one of Hitler's early speeches as he gathered together supporters by tapping into their fear, hate and bigotry. This sermon was not much different than Osama bin Lauden ranting about the evils of western society and making his religious beliefs into law, forcing them on those who would disagree (sound recently familiar?).

More than ever, it is time for those who truly love Jesus and want to follow his example of love, compassion, forgiveness and grace to step up. Our faith and beliefs are being dictated to us by a bunch of pharisitical bullies and it has to stop before we go back to a place where women are stoned for smiling at a man.

No matter where you stand on the confusing debate about whether or not homosexuality is a sin, hate is a much bigger sin and the sin of hate produces more and more and more sin. Let God speak to the hearts of the individual regarding individual sin. We cannot win the hearts of non-believers by force. God himself knows this, which is why he gave us free will.

Do one thing today that will show Christ's extravagant love in the face of this "Christian" hate. Do something to show a non-Christian that the MAJORITY of us are not about bigotry and judgment. Let's begin to take our faith back from those "Christians" who do not speak for us!

Lord Jesus,
We live in confusing times. Help us. Show us the right path. Fill us with your loving, graceful spirit that we may point the world to you. Let them truly know we are Christians by our love. Amen.

Joys: Daniel's 25th birthday today!; getting back into the "loop" at work; Christians who consistently demonstrate love

Crazy Creation

How many are your works, Lord!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures. (Psalm 104:24 NIV)

I'm back! I've been a little slack on the devotions in the last 2 or 3 weeks, but I've had a lot going on... all good stuff though. This last week has been all about family. Two of my sisters came up from Florida for a couple of days for my son's college graduation. Then there was the graduation and a celebration for that. The next morning we headed out for a week long vacation on the North Carolina coast. Even Richard was with us for much of this family time. He watched Kevin graduate by live feed and texted me his comments as we watched. He joined our celebration through a Skype video call and frequently Skyped or called during our week at the beach.

Each year since her birth we have taken my 3-year-old granddaughter to the beach with us and she loves it. She talks to the ocean as if it were a living, breathing being, telling it she loves it and to please not be so rough with its waves. She thanked it for the beautiful shells and told it good night each night and good morning each morning. She was emotional as we took our last beach walk and told the ocean goodbye.

Cecelia got a kick out of the pelicans and the jelly fish and the crabs that were present in abundance this trip. She commented to me that, "God makes some crazy things!" Yes he does! Jelly fish, crabs and pelicans do look a little strange. And what about kangaroos and elephants and platypusses? Zebras, baboons and penguins? Butterflies, fireflies and lady bugs? And then there are the really crazy looking things we can find in the midst of the jungle and in the depths of the ocean.

The variety of life in God's creation is astounding! Estimates of the number of different animal species on earth range from 10 million to 100 million. About 1.8 million have been given scientific names. I wonder how many Adam got around to naming when God gave him the task? No wonder people had to live hundreds of years back then! ;)

God's creation is indeed "crazy." You don't have to go to the beach or into a jungle to find them. Pay attention today. Look around you. Examine a busy ant or listen to a bird sing. Take time to take a walk and look at God's creation. If you just can't get outdoors today, maybe just pay some extra attention to how God made your family or co-workers... they can be pretty crazy and amazing too!

Creator God,
Thank you for this crazy, asounding, amazing creation! Help us to appreciate it more and be good stewards of it. Help us to see you in all your have made. Amen.

Joys: Kevin's graduation; a visit from my sisters even though it was very short; family vacations; time away from routines

Practice Love

What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:9 ESV)

Via de Cristo weekends sure give me a lot of devotional material!....

On these weekends, we hear several talks given by clergy and lay people. One of the lay talks is about Apostolic Action. Apostolic actions are those intentional things we do to help bring others to Christ and/or aid in bringing God's kingdom to earth. The key word here is "intentional." I really loved a term that was used on this weekend... "apostolic accident." The speaker said "There are no apostolic accidents." I'm not sure I completely agree with that. Sometimes when we are living a life of grace, we live in a way others see and want for themselves too... and though it wasn't really intentional on our part, we win others to Christ almost by accident. However, I got the point.

We need to do and say intentional things in our lives to draw people to God. I think the best way is to do what it tells us in the scripture above... practice those things we know we should be pracicing... particularly, practice love. When we wake up in the morning, wouldn't it be great to have a specific plan to show your love to another person that day? And the best people to show this kind of love to are those who don't know this kind of love... those who are sitting on the spiritual fence or those who don't know Christ at all. Those who are going through struggles that will test their faith or those who have failed those tests and have turned their backs to God. I've heard it said that those who are the hardest to love are the ones who need it the most. That certainly is the truth. We should plan daily to show love to at least one person who is hard to love. We all know someone like that.

What is your plan for Apostolic Action today? Yes, I believe there are "apostolic accidents" and I pray we all cause some of them everyday. But we can't count on them. Make a plan to reach out to someone in love... someone who needs to feel God's love through you. Practice love.

Father,
Help us to make it a daily habit to practice love. As we go about our day today, show us someone we can share your love with. Amen.

Joys: Garden-picked lettuce; last day of work before vacation; my family

Response...Ability

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, (Colossians 3:23 NIV)

As Christians we have many freedoms. We are no longer under the law. We don't have to follow stringent dietary rules and deny ourselves the pleasures of dancing or a glass of wine. We don't have to fear God's wrath if we don't get everything just right. We have forgiveness and grace and a whole lot of love from our heavenly Father. But as someone who spoke at the Via de Cristo this past weekend so creatively pointed out: Christians have "response...ability."

I just loved that - response...ability. It means that we can respond to God's love, grace and forgiveness with the abilities he has given each of us. God gives us all gifts and talents to use to further his kingdom on earth. When we are confronted with God's love, grace and forgiveness we respond by using them to bring others to him. I guess you could say that it is our "responsibility" to use our "response...ability."

Responding is a natural reaction and shouldn't be forced; but it can be given some thought and planning. We need to figure our exactly what our "abilities" are that we can respond with. And then we need to discern the appropriate circumstances in which to "respond" with them.

How will you use your "response...ability" today? How will you use your abilities, gifts and talents to respond to God's love, grace and forgiveness today? Think about it. Plan it. And then do it!

Father, Help each of us to use what you have given us to bring your kingdom just a little bit more into fulness on this earth today. Amen.

Joys: Kevin's very successful semester... possible Chancellor's list...waiting for 2 more classes to finish; feeling more rested today; 2 more days of work before vacation!

Blossom and Grow

People will dwell again in his shade;
they will flourish like the grain,
they will blossom like the vine—
Israel's fame will be like the wine of Lebanon. (Hosea 14:7 NIV)

I have just returned from serving on another Via de Cristo weekend. Via de Cristo (Way of Christ) is a very structured retreat used for spiritual renewal and the formation of Christian leaders. I love serving on these retreats and watching people grow in faith right before my eyes. It is like watching time-lapse photography of a flower blooming. The people attending the weekend (pilgrims) are usually the ones blossoming, but this weekend I watched as another team member blossomed, and grew.

There is a lot of prayer that goes on behind the scenes (as well as in full view) on these weekends and I had the happy privilege of being in charge of the behind the scenes praying. It was part of my duties to match up prayer partners. Nearly every time I went to releive a pair from praying duty, I would open the door to smiles and hugs and thanks for matching them with "just the right prayer parter."

One woman had been nervous about serving since the team first met two months ago. She kept telling the people she was working with that she didn't know what she was doing and didn't understand the duties. They would try to reassure her that they would walk her through everything since this was her first time working on a weekend and they kept telling her to trust them, but she continued to be confused and apprehensive. She was particularly worried about her prayer time and didn't want to pray out loud. She was nervous about how it wwas supposed to be done and who she would be praying with.

During her prayer time she was paired with someone very experienced in these weekends. It was a match quite literally made in heaven. When I opened the door after their prayer time, the prayer chapel seemed to glow. They had both experienced similar loss in their lives and were able to minister to one another during that time as they prayed for the pilgrims, the team and one another. She was also blessed to have some very loving and patient folks in her area of service who led her by the hand even though they had a lot of work to do. The rest of this weekend this woman smiled, smiled, smiled! She no longer worried about what was yet to come and trusted others to let her know what she needed to do and when she needed to do it.

What a joy to watch God at work! What a joy to see him working in less expected places on this weekend! What a joy to know God was working through me as I prayed when I placed prayer partners together.

You never know how God is going to work in your life... but most of the time it is after we say "yes" to something he has offered... "Yes" to attending a reatreat... "Yes" to giving of your time, talent and treasure to serve others... "Yes" to a new opportunity or experience. Say "yes" to God in some way today and watch as you yourself begin to blossom and grow in unexpected and beautiful ways.

Father,

Thank you for another incredible weekend on the mountaintop. Bless our pilgrims as they go back to their "regular" lives with new insight and understanding. Amen.

Joys: A wonderful weeked with wonderful people; sleeping in my own bed last night; three days of work before vacation!