Clicking "I Agree"

Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: (Acts 11:4 NIV)

I read this quote online yesterday.  I don't know who said it originally, but it certainly bears repeating:

"To most Christians, the Bible is like a software license.  Nobody actually reads it.  They just scroll down to the end and click 'I agree.'"

I saw a tv show that satarized our tendency to "scroll to the bottom" of software licenses without reading.  Those that signed without knowing what they were agreeing to were taken away by the software company to be part of some pretty gross human experimentation!

So do you know what you have clicked "I agree" to when it comes to the Bible?  Many Christians read a lot FROM the Bible, but they still have no clue what God's story is.  They don't know about the tribes of Israel. They don't know why many of the laws from Leviticus were so important then but have no bearing on us today.  They don't know about the times God's people were conquored and exiled or why and by whom.  They don't know the significance of Jesus speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well.  They don't know about the politics behind Jesus' crucifixion.  They don't know what the first Christian groups were like and the struggles "The Way" had to overcome.  They don't really know the Story.  And yet they still click agree... I guess because everyone else does.

If more of us would actually read the "license" and understand what we are saying "I agree" to, I don't think there would be as much hate spewed in the name of Christianity.  I don't think there would be as much misunderstanding over what was meant for "then" and what still applies "now."  I think there would be a whole lot more love coming from those who worship the God who IS Love.  And I think Christianity would attract a lot more people then it currently repels.

It has gotten to the point where more and more people are trying to back up their beliefs by simply parroting what they have heard from other "Christians" who have also simply scrolled down and clicked.  The real message of love and God's passion for his children has gotten lost simply because it is ignored.  We are so blessed and privileged to have His message right in front of us any time we want it.  But the best most of us will do is read what amounts to edited Cliff Notes... edited in order to promote the agenda of the group selling it.

Read and study the whole license and see that it is more than a license to be Christian with all the expected do's and don't's.  It is God's love letter to us.  It is his Plan with a capital P.  It is the sweep of the Story... not just a freeze frame of a few moments in history that MUST apply for all time.

If you have already checked the "I agree" box, don't you think it's about time you found out what it is you agreed to?

Father,
Your story is more amazing than most others will tell us.  Help us to read and learn and understand for ourselves.  Amen.

Joys:  The funny things Cecelia says; time with family; the privilege of praying for a church prayer list that is unusually long this week.

Leftover Grace

When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. (John 6:12, 13 NIV)

Most of us have heard this story a lot.  Just like yesterday at Holy Cross, those at the back of the line headed for the pot luck table often reference this story for reassurance as they watch the heaping plates come away from the table.  We want to be sure there will be enough just like there was enough for the thousands of mouths that Jesus fed that day.

But wait... there wasn't just "enough."  There was MORE than enough.  There were 12 baskets full of leftovers.  Did you ever wonder what they did with the leftovers?  The story assures us that everyone had eaten their fill, so no one needed seconds.  They were a far ways from town and fish doesn't really travel well in desert heat.  So I doubt they took it back to their town's equivelent of a community "food pantry."  

It kind of makes me uncomfortable to think about, but I think the extra went to waste... simply to show God's extravagant grace.  It makes me uncomfortable because as God's people we are supposed to look after the poor and all those in need.  Here was all this extra food with no one around to receive it... and it came directly from the hand of God.  Shouldn't someone benefit from it?

But I guess just the fact that it was so much more than enough benefitted every person who has heard that story from that day until this.  Sometimes sharing what God has done for us in our own lives is every bit as important as sharing our abundance; because we can feed a hungry person, but they will be hungry again, but when we share what God has done in our own life, we are sharing hope... the hope that God will do the same thing for them... the hope that they can receive abundance too.

I'm not talking about the so-called "prosperity gospel" espoused by false televangelists that insist God wants us all to be rich.  I'm simply talking about abundant grace.  Abundant grace usually isn't in the form of money, but takes the form of what we need most at the time.  Sometimes it is courage or strength.  Sometimes it is community.  Sometimes it actually is material things like food or money or a place to sleep.  But when God pours that grace over us and it keeps coming and coming and coming sometimes the only way to share it is to talk about it and give that same hope to others.

Grace can't be hoarded.  Maybe we can't share the actual thing we have received, but grace is made to  affect all those around, whether directly or indirectly.  Once we have been touched by such abundance, we can't keep it to ourselves.

Father,

Help us to know how to handle all the "extras" in our lives.  When it is stuff that cannot be physically shared, help us to share the hope.  Amen.

Joys:  A nice weekend with little to do; church pot-luck dinners; Singing Christmas carols in the middlee of summer

Teach Your Children Well

Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord. (Psalm 34:11 NIV)

I have had the joy this week of watching our Vacation Bible School run. I'm basically there to take pictures so I have the opportunity to watch the kids very closely. I absolutely love this curriculum! It is designed to bring all ages of children together.

The kids are put into tribes named after the tribes of Israel. Each tribe has two youth leaders and the tribe members range in age from preschool to 5th grade. It is awesome how each tribe works like a family... the older ones looking after the younger ones. The older kids don't cut up and act "too cool" for Bible school because they instinctually know that they need to set a good example for the little ones. The youth are leaders, but get to participate fully in the program and are learning as much about the Bible stories as the little ones. The adults are in the main teaching roles and ask the kids questions about the Bible story in conversational ways throughout the evening.

I wish church worked like this all year long! Isn't this pretty much what we promise to do as a faith community every time we witness a baptism? Shouldn't the adults be talking to the children more about what we believe? Shouldn't the youth be more involved in leadership roles, and shouldn't they be encouraged to set good examples for the younger kids? Wouldn't it be great if the little children were this excited about God all year long, fully participating in worship instead of squirming in the pews?

Shouldn't a major part of church be about passing on the faith in ways that draw our children in instead of holding on to tired traditions that don't speak to our youth?

Father,
Help us to teach our children to love you, even when it means sacrificing tradition. Amen.

Joys: Vacation Bible School; fresh, ripe mangoes...yum!; long summer days

The God Particle

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20 NIV)

Most of us have heard of the Higgs Boson, or "God Particle" by now. If you haven't, in a very, VERY small nutshell, it is a discovery of a specific particle that physicists say created the Big Bang. It is what makes mass out of nothing.

Not surprisingly, this has upset many Christians who insist on taking every word of the bible literally. We all know Genesis did not start with "in the beginning God created a particle which would produce mass." Therefore, there is no Higgs Boson.

I have always taken issue with the separation of religion and science. I think both become so much more beautiful when we put them together. It is astounding to discover HOW God did what he did... and knowing a little bit more about it does not make it any less miraculous. When I was involved in confirmation classes I remember the kids being told, "Science answers the question "how?" and religion answers the question "who?".

I don't know the science behind this, but someone has taken the signature data of the Higgs Boson and put it to music. The music sounds so full of life! Here is a link to it. Close your eyes and listen to it 2 or 3 times... and let THAT be your devotional time for today. Here is the link: http://www.geant.net/Media_Centre/Media_Library/Media%20Library/Higgs_Boson_Atlas.mp3

Father,
We marvel at the universe and all its complexities! Keep us mindful of the fact that you created science and so have no problem with using it as you create and continue to work in this world. Amen.

Joys: Fun baby shower yesterday; car fixed; harmony of science and religion

Christian Identifiers

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:12-14 NIV)

How do we know if someone is a Christian? There are many ways that most people use: Crosses hung around their necks, fish symbols stuck to their cars, bumper stickers telling what church they belong to. But that is not always reliable. Perhaps we can tell by how well they quote scripture or if they attend church every week. Maybe it depends on how many church activities they are involved with or how many committees they sit on.

Let's face it; we all know people who have long lists of Christian identifiers in their lives and yet they are nowhere near Christlike. I think one of the most decptive "fake Christians" is the one who quotes scripture really well... but they tend to use it out of context and quote whatever verses seem to forward their own agendas. It's hard to argue with these types and they know it. But are they really Christ's idea of a Christian?

That's the kind of Christian I want to be... Christ's idea of a Christian. What are the identifiers of THAT kind of Christian? The scripture above says it so well... compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness and over all, love. When you hear one of those "super Christians" quoting scripture, check how they have clothed themselves. Is he wearing a cross around his neck, but forgot to put on his compassion? Is she wearing a t-shirt with a clever Christian logo but forgot to put on her kindness? If they are not wearing the same "clothes" that Jesus wore, they may think they follow Christ, but perhaps they follow their own version of a Jesus who never really existed.

Find out more about the "clothes" Jesus wore and the "clothing" Paul told the Colossians to put on and strive to become more like Christ's idea of a Christian.

Lord Jesus,
Help us to know you well enough to know the way we should be dressed so that the world will know what Christians really look like. Amen.

Joys: 41 children at VBS last night! Awesome!; Watching the middle- and high- school youth leading groups of children at VBS; Chelsea's baby shower tonight!

Stand Firm

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. (1 Corinthians 16:13 NIV)

What a joy to get to watch the children enjoy Vacation Bible School last night! There was so much excitement and so many smiles and a ton of laughter! One of my favorite parts was watching them learn new songs with actions.

I loved one song in particular, that repeated the phrase, "Stand firm when things change." That really resonated with me, because there is a lot of change going on in the lives of people I love... some good... some not so good... and some just facing the unknown. Any way that change comes, standing firm in our faith is important.

You can see the difference in the lives of those who don't have that firm foundation of faith. When change comes, they have nothing to hold onto. They almost seem to be "whisked away" by the changing tides of life. And if we can be certain of anything, it is that life WILL change.

That phrase, "stand firm" intrigued me and I wondered in what book and verse of the Bible I would find it. So I did a search. It turns out "stand firm" can be found in 33 different verses and in both the Old and New Testaments. In only 2 or 3 verses does it talk about God's word standing firm. The rest of them talk about us standing firm in our faith... through change, through attacks, through storms. Often in these verses we are given an "if/then" scenario. "If" you stand firm, "then" you will persevere. Or "then" you will be delivered. Or "then" you will win life.

Standing firm in faith doesn't mean we won't have bad days. Change is scary, even when it's good change. But knowing that God is walking through that change with us makes all the difference in the world. We know that no matter what, we will continue with a purpose for our lives. We know we can still love and and find joy and live in peace. These are the real treasures of our lives and if we stand firm, no one can ever take those things from us.

Father,
Help us to stand firm through life's changes, whether they are good or bad or just unknown. May we be ever mindful of your presense throughout our changes. Amen.

Joys: Cecelia's excitement about VBS; Fun time with "the girls" on Saturday; music

Taking Responsibility

The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it; (Psalm 24:1 NIV)

There is nothing like a presidential election year for pointing out how bad things have gotten in the world over the last four years. The republicans blame the democrats and the democrats blame the republicans. But no one... not one side or one person... is willing to come forward and say, "I take responsibility."

Of course, the problems are a lot more complex than that. None of the blame belongs entirely to one party and certainly not to one person as all the finger-pointing would have us believe. But wouldn't it be refreshing to hear someone say, "I take responsibility?"

There are certainly no shortage of folks willing to step up for the awards and accolades of something that, through the work of many, goes right. Everyone wants credit, but no one wants blame. It's the way of the world. It's human nature.

But it's not God's nature. God takes ownership of it all... the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly. He even took total resposibility for human sin by coming to earth and taking it all upon himself and paying the price. Awesome. I would vote for God! :)

What about each of us? What do we take responsibility for? Do we accept responsibilty for polluting the world? For using up an unfair share of natural resources? For the poor? For the oppressed?

Maybe none of it is our own personal "fault." The problems are complicated and systemic. But it is all each of our own responsibility. It's time to step up to the plate and say it: "I take responsibility."

Lord God,
Thank you for taking responsibility for my sin and removing it far from me. Help me to show my gratitude by taking responsibility in this world. Amen.

Joys: the peacefulness of the morning; looking forward to a fun weekend; so many prayers for Adam

Let There Be Light

 3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. – Genesis 1:3

The word “light” is used in the New International Version of the Bible 207 times.  Sometimes it is used as a verb and sometimes it is used to describe weight, but mostly it is used to mean the opposite of darkness.  Light is a very powerful tool.  Have you ever noticed someone bring in “dark” into a well lit room?  Probably not.  But we immediately notice when light is brought into a dark room.

There are so many places in the Bible where darkness is described as a bad thing… evil, or lack of knowledge, or simply a lack of God; while light is about goodness and understanding and knowing God.  Jesus himself is referred to by John as the “Light of the World that shines into the darkness.”  Jesus is the epitome of goodness and understanding and knowing God, and he casts out evil and ignorance.

I always wondered about the creation story… in the third verse God said “Let there be light” but it is not until later on that he creates the sun and moon and stars.  So what was this first light?  Was it Jesus?  Our faith teaches that Jesus already was as was the Father and the Holy Spirit.  He was part of the power behind creation.  Was it goodness?  Was it knowledge and understanding?  I think it was all of that. I think the power for goodness, understanding and the knowledge of God is part of each of us as a gift of the original creation.  It is as much a part of us as water and air.

But think about water and air… if we don’t breathe in the air, we suffocate and die.  If we don’t drink water we dehydrate and die.  If we don’t take in that light… that original kind of light that gives us goodness, understanding and the knowledge of God… we will die.  Maybe not physically, but certainly spiritually.  Can our souls survive long in ignorance and evil and the absence of God?

We need to hunger and thirst for that light.  There are many ways to drink it in… worship, prayer, Bible study, fellowship with other Christians, Holy Communion, serving others.  It only takes a small amount of light to cast out darkness.  Let there be light!

Father,
Let us seek out the light in whatever way we can find it.  Let it fill our spirits and souls.  Help us to desire this light in the same way we need water and air. Amen.

Joys: sleeping late; taking time for a mani- pedi-; a quiet morning

God"s Will Be Done

 10your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven. – Matthew 6:10

42He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done." – Matthew 26:42

At LEAST every Sunday, we ask for God’s will to be done.  Most of us pray it very often, especially in circumstances where we feel helpless and realize we are not in control.  Deep down, we know God’s will is best and we really do want it… until we get it.  

Even Jesus lived his entire earthly life doing God’s will… wanting God’s will… letting God work his will through him.  And yet when it came to the end, Jesus asked if it would be possible to do it differently, he’d rather not take that last step.  Of course he ended by saying, “But your will be done” but we know how hard that acceptance was.

God’s will inevitably brings change into our lives.  And we all know how we feel about change.  Even when something good is coming into our lives through that change, we often have to let go of things we’ve grown comfortable with… and we can become comfortable with some pretty bad situations and circumstances. 

We see this in the lives of children who have to be removed from abusive homes.  They have known nothing else and love their parents in spite of the way they have been treated.  It is an awful ordeal for authorities to have to take them away from the only parents they’ve ever known, but as adults we know what is best for them and that they will lead happier and more productive lives with families that will care for them properly.

We see it in the lives of addicts.  Even though he was diagnosed with lung cancer, my dad smoked until the day he died.  He could not handle a change that might have made his final months a little more comfortable.  A person in my neighborhood was recently hospitalized with liver problems.  He was told that if he doesn’t quit drinking, he will die soon.  So far, so good, but he’s been drinking a lot for a long time and he refuses to get help from a support group.  He’s tried to quit on his own before, but again… change is hard.

When we pray for God’s will to be done, we better be prepared for it.  We had better be prepared to give up those things we have become comfortable with.  We had better be prepared to face some challenges.  We had better be prepared for some hard work.  God’s will does not just come and change things like magic. 

So maybe we should stop praying for God’s will to be done??  No… not hardly.  God’s will is going to be done regardless.  But when we fight it, lives and ministries die or stagnate.  We live… maybe in a comfortable haze… but in a haze nonetheless.  We only end up delaying God’s will or sending the blessings of His will in another direction.  Change is inevitable and so is God’s will.

Lord God,
We want your will to be done in our lives, but we are afraid of the pain we might have to endure to arrive at it.  Strengthen us and give us courage to face the challenges that will make our lives and our ministries what you intend for them to be.  Amen.

Joys: day camp activity at church; time with the granddaughter today; chats with Richard

Social Injustice

Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.
The king said to the girl, "Ask me for anything you want, and I'll give it to you." And he promised her with an oath, "Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom." She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?"
"The head of John the Baptist," she answered. At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: "I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter." (Mark 6:21-25 NIV)

Yesterday's Gospel lectionary was certainly an interesting one. It was the one where Herodias' daughter danced for Herod and he was so pleased he granted her anything she wished. With her mother's encouragement, she asked for the head of John the Baptist. It is a promise Herod wished he could have backed out on, but he went ahead with it basically to avoid embarrassment.

I have to wonder what his guests were thinking. Did even one of them think, "Well, this game has gone a little too far!" ... or... "I hope he doesn't think I would hold him to a promise like that!" Perhaps if someone would have spoken up, John would not have died in such a terrible way. But I suppose the guests did not feel it was their place to speak up. It may have offended their host, or their host's wife or their host's daughter... and of course offending any of them could have held the same consequences that John faced.

How many injustices do we allow to happen simply because we are too uncomfortable to speak up? We act like we didn't hear the racial slur and befor we know it the Klan is holding a march in our neighborhood. We giggle at gay jokes, because everyone else does and before we know it a local preacher is advocating they all be locked up behind fences. We don't feel it's our place to ask a young woman about her frequent bruises and before we know it, we are attending her funeral after her husband hit her one too many times.

If we don't speak up, the perpetrators of injustice will continue to think that what they are doing is perfectly acceptable. And if we don't feel it's our place to speak up, others will think it is not their place either... and then nobody will be pointing out injustice. How many heads will roll before we are willing to risk a little discomfort?

Father,
Help us to be lovers of social justice. Let us shout from the rooftops whenever we know of another being treated unjustly.

Joys: Prayer circles; Day Camp week; bridal showers

*Please pray for Adam Dancoff, a young man who suffered a spinal injury after diving into shallow water.

The Right Choices

¹"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ²For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. – Matthew 7:1-2

 A passage from the novel, “World Without End” by Ken Follett:

“My father hated people who preached about morality.  We’re all good when it suits us, he used to say:  that doesn’t count.  It’s when you want so badly to do something wrong – when you’re about to make a fortune from a dishonest deal, or kiss the lovely lips of your neighbor’s wife, or tell a lie to get yourself out of terrible trouble – that’s when you need the rules.  Your integrity is like a sword, he would say: you shouldn’t wave it until you’re about to put it to the test”

It’s so easy to moralize over things that have never tempted us. How easy it is to call abortion a mortal sin if we’ve never had a desperately unwanted pregnancy.  It’s so simple to rail against alcoholism if we’ve never had to deal with addiction.  And really... how dare we pretend to know all about homosexuality and condemn it if we've never experienced those kind of feelings.

It’s been said that our true character can be found in how we act when nobody’s looking.  It’s also been said that everybody has their price.  Is that true?  Could our integrity be bought by the right price, or the right temptation?  

I think that answer lies in our relationship with Christ.  It’s not that temptation disappears, but our greater desire is to become more Christ-like.  It’s not self-control or self-discipline or “self” anything that keeps us from making the wrong choices; it is our love for Jesus and our desire to be like him.  The more we get to know him and the deeper our bond, the more likely we are to make the right choices even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Lord Jesus,

Help us to continue to mature in our faith so that we are prepared when we face our greatest temptations.  Thank you that each time we fail, we need only ask your forgiveness and help to put our lives back together.  Amen.

Joys:  summer fruit...cherries... yum!; digital radio stations like Pandora and Spotify that play only the kind of music I feel like hearing; another interview for Kevin today

Changing From Within

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, (Matthew 5:44 NIV)

The only way to heal a relationship is to stop trying to change the other person and begin to love them for who they are. There is no other way. Unconditional love is not something we condescendingly "grant" another person. It is ultimately a gift to ourselves. It frees us from trying to "fix" someone else's life.

So often we find ourselves praying for those who have hurt us. But our prayers are always about asking God to change them... change their heart... make them see the errors of their ways. Seldom do we ask God to change our own heart in order to take joy in the diversity in our relationship with the other person. Seldom do we pray only for blessings and joy in the life of the person we are angry with. Seldom do we ask for God to open our eyes to our part in the breach in the relationship.

When we try to mend a relationship by human means, it usually means hiding our true feelings instead of changing our true feelings. We bite our tongue so we don't say anything to start an argument. We "act" kindly even though we want to lash out physically or do something to return hurt for hurt. This only avoids conflict. It does not heal the relationship.

If we want true healing, the change must come from within ourselves. And only God can work from within us. Our prayers must focus less on the "faults" of the other person and more about changing our attitude toward that person. We mustn't simply change the way we behave toward the other person, but change how we WANT to behave toward them. If we are simply biting back hurtful words, nothing is really changing, because before long, the words will come out.

If there is a relationship in your life that needs healing, start by praying; praying that God will show you how you need to change in order to be able to truly love without condition.

Father,
Most of us have someone in our lives we want to change. Help us to change ourselves and the way we relate to them instead. Amen.

Joys: Fun evening with friends; needed rain without the crazy storms; lots of activity going on at church during my work day

Small Town Mentality

Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home." He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.
Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. (Mark 6:4-6 NIV)

The small town mentality is often one of believing that nothing of great significance could happen there. The people of Nazereth couldn't believe that Mary's boy could grow up to heal the sick and work other miracles, and so they could not receive them.

We seldom think to look around our own communities when looking for miracles to provide social, economic and educational improvements to our lives. We think these "miracles" have to come from some political "wunderkind" from... well... anywhere but here. We look to state and federal government to solve our problems and fail to trust the people from our own communites... that know our problems first hand... to solve them. If we refuse to believe it, it will never happen.

The same with our church communities... God couldn't be doing exciting, world-changing work through the people who attend our little church each and every week, could He? If we refuse to believe it, it just won't happen.

We need to open our hearts to the real possibility that God can use any of us at any time. If the little girl we watched grow up in our church comes home with some strange ideas, maybe we should listen. Maybe God is working through her to bring change and growth and healing.

Every small town and every little neighborhood church has the capacity for greatness... but only if we are willing to accept change and growth... and only if we believe that it can even come from our own.

Father,
Open our hearts to the new ideas that you often send through people we would least expect to hear them from. Amen.

Joys: a fun couple of days with Cecelia; cooler weather this morning; a girls' night out tonight

Passing On the Faith

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Deuteronomy 6:6, 7 NIV)

The recent heat wave triggered a favorite childhood memory. Growing up in South Florida we had many heat waves where it was just too hot to go outside. My mom would get out a huge jigsaw puzzle and over the next several days, little by little, we would put it together. I have fond memories of sitting at the table with my mom or a brother or sister working on different parts of the puzzle and just talking.

So a couple of days ago, I bought a 1000 piece puzzle and got it started. As I suspected, it drew family members like a magnet and one or more people would be working on it at any given time. Then Cecelia came over and was immediately drawn to it. The puzzle is too difficult for her to do by herself, but if I give her several pieces that probably will go together, she can enjoy a few successess.

Yesterday afternoon, Cecelia and I were working on this puzzle and she began softly singing one of the songs we sang in church that day. It occurred to me that she probably didn't know the song "Jesus Loves Me" and I took the opportunity to teach it to her. She wanted to sing it over and over again until she knew it, and then she surprised me further by asking, "Kaymee, can we pray now?"

She wanted me to do the praying, but when I finished she said, "Now will you help me say a prayer?" She didn't need much help. Her prayer was simple and beautiful and it was about all the things she was thankful for... including the puzzle.

I learned "Jesus Loves Me" in Sunday school as a small child. And I remember when we still opened the school day in regular school with prayer. These days, children aren't taught to pray in public schools and Sunday school has changed a lot and kids don't always have thee opportunity to learn the songs we did. These aren't necessarily bad things... life is just different these days.

We can turn it into something very good, though. We can take back the responsibility for teaching our children and grandchildren about Jesus. It was such a joy to teach Cecelia how to pray and how to sing "Jesus Loves Me." I'm kind of glad she didn't learn it somewhere else.

We have gotten too dependant on the church teaching our kids. It was never meant to be that way. It is our responsibility to pass on our faith. The church is there to support us in our efforts but not to take over completely. Do your kids and grandkids know the simple bible stories? Do they know how to tell God "thank you?" Do they know your favorite kid songs about Jesus?

Don't wait for them to learn it in Sunday school. Teach them yourself. It will bring you so much joy!

Father,
Thank you for puzzles and the opportunity to pass on a family passtime as well as passing on my faith. Amen.

Joys: jigsaw puzzles; wedding showers; teaching my granddaughter to pray

Pray for One Another

As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. (1 Samuel 12:23 NIV)

I stumbled upon this verse this morning as I searched for a devotional topic. It's one of those verses I don't ever remember seeing even though I've read through the bible three or four times. And what a thought-provoking verse it is!

How often have we promised someone we would pray for them and then forgotten? How often have we read a prayer request email, gave a sympathetic "tsk, tsk" and then went about our day without even taking a second to bring the request to God? How often have we known that people we know... often people we love... were going through tough times and failed to pray for them? Did you know that we "sin against the Lord by failing to pray for (them)?"

Many times I have heard people who have come through difficult circumstances say that they have "felt" the prayers said for them and it helped them to persevere. I don't doubt it, because I have felt prayers lifted up on my behalf... and it does help - tremendously. What a simple action we can do on behalf of those who are suffering. And what a great help it is! Why do we not use this most effective tool more often?

Take time right this minute to pray for three people that need some prayer. Right now.... I will join you...

Let's make it a habit throughout our days to pray for those who need us to intercede for them.

Father,
Help us to remember to pray for others that we might not sin against you in this way. Amen.

Joys: Several days off in a row; 4th of July celebrations; early morning call from Richard

THROUGH Faith, BY Grace

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— (Ephesians 2:8 NIV)

A story: There were three men being chased by a bear only to reach a ledge overlooking a lake. The first man thought, "I don't think the lake is frozen over enough to save me but I will jump anyway. The second man thought, "The ice is probably thick enough to safe me, so I will jump." The third man thought, "I am sure the ice will save me, so I will jump." The all three jumped and the ice was plenty thick enough and all were saved.

The point is that it didn't matter how much faith each man had, the outcome was the same. Like the woman who suffered from an issue of blood for many years... she didn't need a lot of faith she just needed to reach out to Jesus. Just jump. Just reach out.

We are not saved BY our faith, but THROUGH our faith. We are saved BY grace! What a huge difference that one little word makes! One thing I learned by looking back over all the years before I embraced my faith and began attending church: God is there whether we know him or not. He is always persuing us and encouraging us through life. We can ignore him... that is our choice. But he will stay right by our side until we are willing to use that tiny bit of faith to jump. Or to reach for the hem of his garment. And then we will know that even though we THOUGHT he probably wasn't there, he was there all the time ready to break our fall.

Father,
Thank you for being there even when our faith is weak. Thank you that it is THROUGH faith but BY your grace we are saved. Amen.

Joys: making a home-cooked meal for my boys; an extra long holiday weekend ahead; Cecelia's "help" washing dishes.

Creeds

Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:3 NIV)

There is a lot to be said about liturgical worship. Many who were not brought up in a liturgical traditon or just don't understand it, criticize it saying that repeating the same words every time we worship makes them meaningless. But liturgy, more than anything is about community. Take the creeds, for example.

Each and every week during worship we recite a creed. In our early worship it is usually the Apostles' Creed. At the traditional service we often recite the Nicene Creed. Both are summations of what we, as Christians, believe. If I close my eyes and just listen to my church family recite the creed, it bouys my own faith. When I hear 80-some people that I have come to know and love say, "I believe," it helps my unbelief. I, also, believe because they believe.

Now, if everyone were to close their eyes and listen while others recite the creed, there would be no one speaking. So it is important that each of us as individuals speak so that we may lift the faith of our brothers and sisters. And THAT is what Christian community is all about. It is not simply about what "I" need or what "I" expect to get out of a church family, although that is indeed a part of it. But it is also about what "I" can give to others. It is about helping my brothers and sisters in their own faith walks.

Jesus said that when two or more are gathered in his name, he is there. And in 1 Corinthians we are told that it is only through the Holy Spirit that we can believe. So, we must gather as community to experience that Holy Spirit that stirs up our faith.

The Apostles' Creed says "'I' believe." Said together it becomes a more powerful "we" believe, because when we say "I" we speak only for ourselves and it is only as we gather together as individual "I"s confessing the same faith that we become "we." It is not some corporate standard to aspire to, it is what we each profess individually and that is what makes it so powerful to me when I listen with closed eyes. If all of these wonderful people have faith in these statements, then I can too.

If all of these wonderful people can reach out to the least of these, then I can too. If all of these wonderful people can help someone in need, then I can too. If all of these wonderful people can tell others about Jesus, then I can too. If all of these wonderful people can forgive terrible hurts, then I can too.

I guess we can have faith without community, but it has to be awfully difficult. We all struggle with faith from time to time and have periods of doubt. We all have times when we just want to wallow in selfishness. Who pulls us out of these periods if not our faith community? How do we keep on believing if we cannot close our eyes and hear the larger Church saying "I believe?"

Father,
I believe. Thankk you for community that is always there to help my unbelief. Guide me in my efforts to help others in their own ubelief. Amen.

Joys: a furry friend to spend the week with us; Daniel and Kevin having a little "hang out" time together; Christian community