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From Rev Sue Ann Yarbrough
Hope is really not something we can conjure up on our own. We can, however, open our hearts to the hope that is all around us. It is a sacred gift. Please continue to take good care of yourselves and take some time for rest and recreation. Remember, you are loved and you are being held in prayer. Every day. And every day there is hope for us all. "The middle of the night is the beginning of the day. The middle of need is the beginning of the light." A friend recently sent me the first two lines of this quote and asked if I knew the source. Not only did I not know the source, I could find no reference to it on the internet. I passed the inquiry on to another friend who found the first two lines and two additional lines on the Facebook page of a church in Eldred, PA. Their post advised these verses are from "an old carol." I left a post on their page asking if they knew any more about this carol, but so far no response. Even if I never hear from them, this process of exploration and connection lifted my spirits. This past week has been complicated, disappointing, and even frightening. While I certainly knew that the difficulties we have experienced in 2020 were not going to magically disappear just because our calendars told us the year was over, I was hoping for a little steadier beginning to 2021. I am certain I was not alone in that hope.
I am also reminded that hope is for all people. Let us remember that hope was born in a manger, dunked and raised in a river, and honed in the desert. Those in power would eventually try to annihilate it. Yet, hope could not be extinguished. Hope took the form of Christ and continued to grow.
f we keep our hearts open to these stirrings, we can help nurture hope in those who no longer believe such a thing is possible.
Rev. Sue Ann Yarbrough, Associate Pastor
San Lorenzo Community Church, United Church of Christ www.slzchurch.org www.hearthpsalms.blogspot.com
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From Rev Dr Tom Nibbe
"...In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters..." Genesis 1:1-2
"...the voice of the Lord is over the waters, the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters..." Psalm 29:3/a Psalm of David "...weeping may endure for a night...but rejoicing cometh in the morning..." Psalm 30:5b "...Paul said, 'John's baptism was a baptism of repentance...He told the people to believe in the One who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus. On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied..." Acts 19:4-7 "...and no one can say, 'Jesus is Lord', except by the Holy Spirit..." 1 Corinthians 12:3b "...success is how high you bounce after you have hit the bottom..." George Smith Patton, 1910 "...And so John came, baptizing in the wilderness region and preaching a baptism of repentence for the forgiveness of sin...'I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit'..." Mark 1:4,8 "...a ship in the harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are for..." John A. Shedd, 1859 Prayer Please pray with me this morning in light of the events of this past week... Gracious God, As American citizens, as well as your servants in Christ, we find ourselves in a state of shock after the events of this past week. We may have opposing political preferences and personal views that vary, but we're all united in feeling astonished and overwhelmed. We confess our confusion as we focus and reflect. We set aside other authoritative directives and allegiances to call upon you to provide direct divine guidance and encouragement for us. We depend upon you. Let your blanket of peace come over our shoulders. As you are the God of perfect justice and mercy we'd ask that your will might be done on earth. You have promised that whatever we ask in Jesus' name, it will be granted. Grant us wisdom, insight and peace in the midst of the tumult. That --- dwelling in informed faith --- is our bottom-line. Your provision for us in the position we all stand is forbearance and compassion. We rejoice in the midst of what we are feeling...because our rock-bottom trust is in you, and you only. We await resolution within your perfect timing. We patiently trust in the answers you will provide giving us assurance. In Jesus' name, Amen. The Message Marcel Proust (1185-1922) once said, "Happiness is beneficial for the body, but it's grief that develops the powers of the mind." I like this statement. It's really true. When we're happy, I believe, it is good for our physical bodies. But "happy" is not the only thing we need. We need "times that try our souls" and cause us to stop and think. The Bible teaches us to learn how to bear difficulties and to overcome. We need to pay attention to it's teaching and prepare our hearts and bodies for what is to come, armed with Scripture.
I also like the humorous question, "Did you know that no perfect people are going to heaven?" And then, the comment, in answer, "Yah, because there ain't no perfect people!" When we unite our lives with Christ, we commit ourselves to the truth. Whatever happens, we can handle it. Wait! Correction! We can handle having been covered with Christ. We can bear and believe all things through Christ who gives us strength. I mean that especially within what we have witnessed this past week:
"...I can do everything through Him who gives me strength..." Philippians 4:13
We need to establish, if we haven't already, a personal relationship with Jesus. If you haven't done so before, it would be a good idea to do it now...just go ahead, read, reflect and say this prayer...
"Dear Jesus. I turn from my own way, and in repentance, I freely choose to follow you. Forgive me all my sins. I accept you as my personal Lord and Savior. I know that you died for my sins on the cross and if I accept, as I do, that you rose from the dead, I will inherit eternal life. Help me to be an useful member of your eternal family as I walk with you day by day. Guide me as I seek to be more like you with each passing day. Thank you, Jesus, for coming to earth to redeem a person like me. Amen." Some years back one of our more profound Christian thinkers, and I can't remember now who it was, said that too many of our churches proclaim what he called, "A Theology of Glory". What he meant by that, was this. God doesn't give us the reward that may come first to our minds and hearts when we place our confidence in Him. We aren't guaranteed the new Mercedes Benz, or the brand-new three-bedroom-two bathroom home with the pool in back, when we receive Christ Jesus in our lives. However, I've just now made a count of fifty mega-church preachers, all making from twenty-million dollars a year to one individual who has accumulated one-hundred-and-seventy-six million dollars in his career. To some extent or the other these men and women preach...just that...if you commit your life --- AND your pocket-book --- to the Lord, you will be blessed with earthly prosperity. A comment followed the list of some of these preachers stating that these were among the "most successful clergy" in the nation. Hmm!? Successful? I cannot identify with the statement or its association with the accumuled wealth or with the preachers themselves.
We need to remember that healthy Christianity involves that sacred dialogue which takes place between the very real world we live in and the powerful faith that sustains us...that saves us...bringing us spiritual and emotional completeness. We get better and better at living. That is the basic tenant in the theological thinking of Martin Luther. At the same time, may we all be spared from taking such extreme positions that we act out in a way that is disgraceful and dangerous to ourselves and others.
I have one thing to say about that --- Lord, have mercy upon us! Let us not distain the role of compassionate and common-sense faith in the Lord Jesus. We remember the extremely Christlike...the extremely compassionate stewardship of German citizen, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, under Adolph Hitler during the Nazi years in Germany, especially during the Second World War. The power of Christ's message in Bonhoeffer's vulnerability stands out these days "like light in the midst of darkness" as we consider Bonhoeffer's time. The Catholic church and the Lutheran church in Germany during the 1930s completely submitted to Nazi policies regarding religion. It was only the "personal faith" Bonhoeffer possessed in the Lord Jesus Christ that provided the consistency of righteousness. With all the stories that have come out of World War II, the testimony of Bonhoeffer rises above them all. Upon being executed, the prison guard in grief apologized for the injustice of Bonhoeffer's impending demise... Bonhoeffer's reply to the German soldier and guard was, "...don't grieve, my friend, you send me to my God..." It is our faith in Christ Jesus and His saving power for our fallen world...the one we've experienced this past week...that will provide the confidence we need to know...heart, soul, and mind...that we are exactly where God wants us to be and exactly where we know we need to be. All else takes a back-seat! Through it all, we remain optimistic though realistic, patient and yet confident, faithful in the One who will never forsake us --- only confirm the solid faith we have placed in God Almighty, rather than men. All the institutions of humankind, the most trustworthy of human beings, the most reliable of human institutions cannot compare to the faithfulness and protection of the Lord. We will walk confidently in Him, and with Him. We will not believe religious mythologies. We will not succumb to the alluring ideologies of the age. The God of the Bible has made our way in Christ Jesus plain and simple. We are to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, with all of our soul, with all of our might and let the mighty and comforting blessings from that sincere devotion flow into a cold, shallow, and hostile world transforming all that is. Lord God, put your hedge of protection around us in these days. Amen. Cordially, Tom
From Rev Sue Ann Yarbrough
Goodness, what a time we are living in. Yet, let us have courage. We really are in this together. I talked to a few of you this week, and it was wonderful to hear your voices. I hope to speak with all of you in the next week or so. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to give me a call if there is a way I, or the Board of SpiritCare, can assist your community.
It is easy to lose confidence as we grow older. We can convince ourselves that people do not really care where we have come from, and at times we may not know where we are headed. Such uncertainty can interfere with our confidence. We worry we may not be headed anywhere.
Yet, it is in these doubts where our faith helps provide the mortar to fill in the gaps and strengthen our core structure. It is my prayer that we all remember that we are God's children. We belong. Our journey is to continue in faith, learning as we go, serving one another by encouraging one another. This is how we find meaning in our lives. Jesus knew he was headed for the cross, but in his three years of ministry he accomplished much. We, too, know that our physical bodies will eventually perish. Yet, because of love, we walk in the light. We walk in the light that is Christ. People of other faiths will describe such love differently. No worries. Ultimately, there is only one God and one Love. I call that Love, Christ. Yet, we know our words will always fall short so we do not cling to them. However, love never falls short. Why? Because while our physical bodies die, we have the inextinguishable gifts of love and light. Such gifts cannot be destroyed, not in this life, nor in the continuing life to come. Where do we come from? God. Where are we going? The answer is the same. Let us put our doubts aside. As the saying goes, let us stop worrying and start living. Let us claim this life that we have as the holy temple that it is. God is always with us. How can you then be anything else but the light of the world? Please, rise and shine, confident in all your comings and goings, being love in this world. Thank you! Prayer I leave you with Psalm 36:7-9 How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. Amen. Rev. Sue Ann Yarbrough, Associate Pastor San Lorenzo Community Church, United Church of Christ www.slzchurch.org www.hearthpsalms.blogspot.com
From Rev Sue Ann Yarbrough
Blessings of healing and wholeness to each of you today, and long into the future. Let us go forward with courage, knowing that if we can love, we are following the Christ Light. As long as we love, we cannot be lost. We of SpiritCare realize your work has often been difficult this year. You have our deep gratitude and respect. Thank you.
Like much of life, not all of the text of Jeremiah is so wonderfully encouraging as the passage above. Yet, Jeremiah, born sometime around 650 BCE, believed that God was instructing him to tell the people in exile to take root where they were. Not only to take root, but to build a life and to thrive. He knew that God would be with them and could be found through prayer and honest heart felt seeking.
I believe this is good advice for all of us as we move into 2021. Let us remember that God is with us, and his presence can be known to us. I do not believe in a punishing God, but a God who has created us to learn and mature in our difficulties and troubling times. If we try to avoid the difficulties, we cannot grow.
Blessings of hope and peace in the year 2021, and always.
Prayer Holy and Eternal God, we thank you for guiding us through these times. We thank you for never abandoning us, even when our hearts go astray. Yes, at times we get frustrated, even angry, and we try to turn away from you and from life. Yet, you are present within us and all around us. We cannot turn away. It is impossible. Nowhere can we go that you are not there. Help us, therefore to have the courage to face what we need to face, and to move through what we need to move through. Help us to trust this life. Thank you for your wondrous, steadfast love. Thank you for teaching us how to love. May we take these lessons to heart, and respond likewise. In gratitude we pray. Amen Rev. Sue Ann Yarbrough, Associate Pastor San Lorenzo Community Church, United Church of Christ www.hearthpsalms.blogspot.com
From Rev Sue Ann Yarbrough
Blessings to each of you! Whatever holidays you celebrate this time of year, I pray that you can take time to celebrate. Let us remember that God is always with us. Thank you all for the care you extend to your residents. Please remember to tend to yourselves as well, and know we are here for you. Scripture: Luke 1:46-47 And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior," Meditation I confess I never have given these opening lines of Mary's Magnificat too much thought. Yet, when I saw Mary's canticle coupled with the vibrant art of James He Qi, it suddenly became clear to me that to magnify the Lord is exactly how we all should be living our lives. We may not be able to paint with vibrant colors, or sing with lilting voices. There seems to always be a long list of things we cannot do. However, a life lived in awareness of Christ is enough to glorify the Lord. In such awareness, we cannot help but follow Jesus' commandment as written in Mark 12:30-31: " Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” We sometimes think that trying to follow Christ takes some kind of Herculean effort.
Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you. Make us your own, your holy people, light for the world to see. Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts. Shine through the darkness. Christ be our light! Shine in your church gathered today. Longing for peace, our world is troubled, Longing for hope, many despair. Your word alone has power to save us. Make us your living voice. Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts. Shine through the darkness. Christ be our light! Shine in your church gathered today. -- Rev. Sue Ann Yarbrough, Associate Pastor San Lorenzo Community Church, United Church of Christ
From Rev Sue Ann Yarbrough
Hello Everyone, SpiritCare has received a donation of reusable masks as well as some disposable ones. If your community has a need, do let me know. Blessings to each of you as we light the candle of Love this Sunday. Please remember that we are praying for the health of you, your communities, and all those you love.
Meditation
There are 66 chapters in the Book of Isaiah, so these words of encouragement are coming very close to the end of the book. I find these words comforting, because what I am understanding is that we should not fear change, but rather embrace it. How we move through change depends very much on our mental outlook. If we want to cling to the past, or to the way things have always been done, we risk creating an idol of the past. However, if we believe these words in Isaiah, we know that God is creating something new right now. In these words we can hear God asking us to trust that a new heaven and earth are being created "as a joy" and that the people will be a source of gladness.
Prayer
This Sunday Christians will be lighting the 4th Advent candle, the candle of Love. May the world open their hearts to this Love that is always with us. I am including two verses of "Lift Up Your Heads, O Mighty Gates," adapted from Psalm 24:7-10. Let us imagine our hearts as gates. Let us raise these gates, and let Love in.
Lift up your heads, O mighty gates;
behold the glorious Ruler waits! The Sovereign One is drawing near; the Savior of the world is here. Fling wide the portals of your heart; make it a temple, set apart from earthly use for heaven's employ, adorned with prayer and love and joy. Words: Georg Weissel, 1642; translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1855 -- Rev. Sue Ann Yarbrough, Associate Pastor San Lorenzo Community Church, United Church of Christ www.hearthpsalms.blogspot.com
Prayer
Would you pray with me as we prepare for a true Christmas around the corner in the Season of Advent? Gracious, loving God...Christmas is right around the corner...and we've been waiting for that special feeling to come upon us...but it just doesn't seem quite like Christmas this year...would you bless all the wonderful family members we have, the great friends in our town, the heartfelt members of our church...and while you're at it, bless us, too...this is a terrific time of the year to experience something unique and wonderful. We'd like to ask that --- as Jesus was born in Bethlehem long ago --- we might be born anew. We'd like to start out right...Forgive us our sins, put into our hearts that desire to serve you and love others. We want to live our lives in your truth! We claim, in your name, that extraordinary Christmas you will provide! Amen. Bible Verses and Quotations "...Christmas is a look into the heart of God --- a God who finds chaos and creates harmony, who finds tears and creates joy, who discovers song and creates holiness...May this Christmas bring us closer to this God, who, in Christ, divests us of ugliness and adorns us with all the beauty of the Creation..." Bishop Will Herzfeld, Sierra Pacific Synod
"...being a friend of the United States is like living on the banks of a great river, the soil is wonderfully fertile, but every four or eight years, the river changes course, and you may find yourself alone in the desert..."
President General Muhammad Zia ul Haq to CIA Agent William Casey (1983) "...I tell you the truth, no person can see the Kingdom of God unless that person is born again...I tell you the truth...no person can enter the Kingdom of God unless that person is born of water and the Spirit...flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit...you should not be surprised at my saying...you must be born again..." [Jesus] John 3:3,5‑7 The Message
It was frustrating, but we learned to wait on the Lord and His perfect timing. A lady at the mission-house in Minneapolis received a "word of knowledge" in the Lord. It was from Philippians: "...being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus..." [Saint Paul in] Philippians 1:6
SITTING ON THE PORCH ONE EVENING
The date was Thursday, December 13th, 1979. I was sitting outside the parsonage, just before evening, reading an available book on German General Erwin Rommel's "Battle Logistics". The church compound was located on an eleven-acre plot going back to the British Raj. An upscale automobile drove into the compound and onto the path to the parsonage. The driver stepped out dressed in the uniform of the Pakistani Air Force, looking sharp and well groomed. (The Pakistani Air Force is something else.) The man was an non-commissioned officer representing one of the senior officers at Badaber Air Base outside of Peshawar, famous for the Francis Gary Powers spy-plane scandal. He asked if I would be available to speak to his commanding officer after the sun had set. I told him I was free and I would be honored to receive his commanding officer. After some time the driver returned with his passenger---the officer arrived looking sharp in his uniform, olive complexion, obviously an Afridi, with olive skin and green eyes---he quickly looked to right and left, and entered the reception room of the parsonage. RESOLVING UNCERTAINTY He sat down and had tea. A must. He then asked that the conversation we'd have be confidential. I then responded by saying it would. He then went on to explain that his beloved mother was dying at their family home on the military air-base at Badaber. He said she was afraid as a Muslim she would not go to heaven. He said that somehow she had come to believe and know that Jesus Christ ("Issa Khan") would save her. She was confident that if she became a Christian that would assure her of eternal life. He said that he opposed her decision to become a Christian, but he would not deny her. The officer asked if I would be willing to help her, and as he asked, he made it clear that assisting in such a manner was against the Pakistani law, and if the authorities knew about it, I would be punished severely. He asked if I would be willing to come immediately to his mother's side in his automobile. He knew her time was short...cancer. THE VISIT We drove to their home. His trusted enlisted Pakistani airmen were there outside and inside the house watching to make sure no other persons were around. One led me up a narrow stairway to the woman's bedroom. I looked upon a person who was very sick and beleaguered. She removed her face-covering. The woman turned aside her dupatta (neck-covering) to reveal a cross on a chain around her neck for me to see...I was astounded...but I was pleased...and very much surprised by her faith in Jesus. I wondered where this desire had come from. I had to be careful now and in the future. If anybody in her community or family were ever to see this cross on her they could turn her in and have her severely punished. This was a beautiful Afridi woman with a kind, though troubled face, also olive-skinned with green eyes, like her son. She was obviously from a Afridi tribal background somewhere in the frontier. She smiled, somehow at peace with my presence there. Actually, I finally noticed, all of a sudden, her face was shining with a strange and wonderful radiance. I thought, the Christ in her is coming through and evident. Her son acted as an interpreter from the English into the Pushto language. She somehow inherently trusted me. She told me what she knew of Jesus. She wanted to know more. She asked how she could become a Christian. I asked her if she would repeat her confession after me---with her son as interpreter. She agreed to do so: "Dear Jesus, I turn from my own way, and in repentance, I freely choose to follow you. I ask you to forgive all my sins. I know that you died on the cross of Calvary for me. If I was the only human being who ever lived, you still would have come to earth to save me. I accept you as my personal Lord and Savior and I accept your free gift of eternal life based upon your grace and not my good works. Thank you, Lord Jesus." I told her that this very confession made her "born again"...a child of God in Christ Jesus...nothing more was necessary for eternal life...except, of course...Holy Baptism. At that point in the meeting we were interrupted. It was time to move. There was activity outside concerning enough that I had to leave immediately. Unfortunately our time had run out. I trusted that the Lord understood the circumstance. "...that if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved...because it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved..." [Saint Paul in] Romans 10:9-10 THE RETURN TO THE PARSONAGE I had to be rushed out of the building, get into the car quickly, remain unseen in the vehicle, and return to the Cathedral compound some distance away. Things were intense for a couple of minutes. However, my heart was strangely lifted up and rejoicing. I was rushed back to the Cathedral compound. I got ready for bed and climbed into my "char'pie" (Pakistani bed). The next morning the Pakistani Air Force officer came by the parsonage to say that his mother had passed away earlier that morning. He thanked me, and told me in so many words, that there were some things in life he did not understand, but he would do anything his mother would ever ask him. He asked if I ever needed anything he would make himself available for me. I sensed, in any case, a powerful seed had been planted in this impressive man's heart. I am sure his mother was wonderful to him and in general, a loving, caring person. No wonder God had called us to Pakistan. Some day I will visit joyfully with this woman in Paradise. THE PRESENT PERSPECTIVE This year it seems so much different than a normal acknowledgement of the Season of Advent, but with staying-at-home a-lot-more than usual, remembrances like this one come back to me --- one of hundreds of memorable experiences forty-one years ago half-way around the world in Pakistan. It's a reminder to me that the Lord is at work in the most unpredictable ways with the most unlikely people. It's a reminder to me that people right under our very noses are like this woman, so near death, or, so far away from abundant life, needing the assurances of faith we have in Christ Jesus. Her heart had already been prepared to let God take over in last minutes of her life. It's a reminder that people in our midst need the Lord in their lives. THE CALL TO SERVE AND HONOR CHRIST If the Lord can touch the heart of a Pathan tribal lady from the Pakistani frontier, without any missionaries around to help out, He can touch the heart of that special person we've been thinking about. When we pray for a special person we've been concerned about, the Lord is faithful to prepare their heart.
It's just the right time to give ample thought to make evangelism fit us and our disposition. It's never a good time leave it up to somebody else who's more gifted to share Jesus Christ with others.
There is no such person! After all these years I've been amazed the Lord touched this lovely Pakistani woman's heart with the thought that her destiny rested in Jesus. To leave this world in her condition, it was enough for her to go with the assurance of faith. Would that we should leave this world knowing that we'd meet someone in heaven who was there because we shared Jesus with them at Christmas time in 2020! "...Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of he Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching hem to observe everything I have commanded you, and truly, I am with you even to the end of the age..." [Jesus to His disciples] Matthew 24:18-20 Blessed Advent to all! Cordially, Tom
We have volunteers who are writing cards. Perhaps there is someone in your community who might find encouragement in receiving a friendly card. Zoom works surprisingly for worship, Bible study or even a conversation over tea. If you are needing some technical advice, there are members of the board who can help. If you know of someone who might benefit from a phone call, just let me know.
Scripture Hebrews 13:1-2 "Keep loving each other like family. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, because by doing so some have been hosts to angels without knowing it."
Yet, the instructor did not know that we were signing on. He kept going, thinking that there were only a couple of people with him. It wasn't until the end of the class, when he switched the view on his screen, that he learned there were many more attendees than he realized. It was a blessing to see the look of delight on his face when he discovered that we had been with him all along.
We humans are deeply intertwined in more ways that we can possibly imagine. Hopefully, Christians are aware that when we greet one another, we do so in Christ, and most faith traditions recognize that when we greet someone, we are greeting the sacred within. Sometimes, like my instructor on Thursday, we simply do what God is calling us to do, even when we think no one (or almost no one) is there. I often rely on the saying, "We do the best we can and leave the rest to God." We can trust God. And if we think we are all alone or what we do does not matter, maybe we simply need to change our view. There are indeed angels and blessings all around.
I once was able to pray with a group of women who had been praying together for 60 years. They concluded their weekly gatherings with this hymn. May we all show such steadfast devotion.
- Rev. Sue Ann Yarbrough, Associate Pastor San Lorenzo Community Church, United Church of Christ www.hearthpsalms.blogspot.com
From Rev Dr Tom Nibbe
Good morning, dear friends! The new church year has begun and we are about to experience the "new person" within and without in Jesus. Thank you for taking the time for the message for today... Blessed Advent to Everybody!
Scriptures
"...for nothing is impossible for God..." Luke 1:37 "...and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring...He will crush your head and you will strike His heel..." Genesis 3:15 [Upcoming conflict between Jesus and Satan] "...Is anything too hard for the Lord?..." Genesis 18:14 [Sarah is promised a child in old age.] "...I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse...and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you..." Genesis 12:2-3 [Abram (Abraham) receives a promise from Yahweh.] "Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever." 2 Samuel 7:16 [Yahweh makes a promise to King David after David is settled in his palace in Jerusalem.] "You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name 'Jesus' (Ya'shua or Joshua). He will be great and will be called 'the Son of the Most High'. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father, David, and He will reign over the House of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end..." Luke 1:31-33 [The Angel Gabriel makes a promise to Mary in the grotto in Nazareth in her sixth month.] "He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to non-Jews through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit." Galatians 3:14 Message In the first book and first chapter of the Bible, in Genesis, we have the narrative of the creation of the world and the universe. The narrative starts with great poetry. These are the words, "...the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters..." Genesis 1:2. I've always been impressed with the language used, in such a poetic way. Brilliant. Some folks try to "quantify" this passage by attempting to make this Genesis expression seem scientific. (...and let's leave "the Big Bang Theory" out of this...). The text is not about quantity or quantifying, it's about quality. Simply stated, what God created was good...but it was also ultimately poetic, an act of divine genius and magnificent power, and as well, creativity. This should be the focus. The Bible is presenting a "thing of beauty" as God creates a magnificent place, not only to imagine, but also to actually live in and enjoy. In my experience over the years, various professors and Bible teachers have focused upon the first chapter of Genesis as merely, that is to say, only, an account of Creation. In addition to this limitation of the text, I note something else. The Hebrews were an ingenious people. Furthermore, they were blessed with a special mandate by the Creator for the Hebrew people. Some things slip on through to be taken advantage of by the people of the "New Covenant", the Church: The second verse gives the express notion of the Holy Trinity...God...the Spirit of God... Within that thought, again, the insight of a street preacher at 24th and Mission, namely: "...the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters..." He connected up with Jesus "walking on water" on the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 14:22-32) ...perhaps a slight flight of imagination going beyond the bounds of interpretation... When I look at the text from the first chapter of the Bible, it seems clear to me there is something else there that would be very easy to miss. I'd call it "a literary device" used by the author, normally acknowledged as Moses. To me, the first chapter sets up a pattern for the rest of all sixty-six books of Scripture---and---the focus hidden from normal view is based upon something worthy of consideration. Please note the following: Genesis 1:3 --- "...And God said..." "...And there was light..." Genesis 1:6, 7 --- "...And God said..." "...And It was so..." Genesis 1:9 --- "...And God said..." "...And it was so..." Genesis 1:11 --- "...Then God said..." "...And it was so..." Genesis 1:14,15 --- "...And God said..." "...And it was so..." Genesis 1:20,21 --- "...And God said..." "...And God saw that it was good..." Genesis 1:24 --- "...And God said..." "...And it was so..." Genesis 1:29, 30 --- "...Then God said..." "...And it was so..." With the exception of Genesis 1:20.21, the following is "...And it was so..." (or, "...And there was light...") seven times, the Hebrew mystical number, seven, that indicated the work and presence of God. There is little doubt in my mind that this "literary device" was as important as the creation narrative in being included in the beginning of the Bible text. I suggest that it was intended to be there by the author. When words are repeated, and when ideas are repeated in slightly different words as a couplet, that repetition usually replaces what we have in modern English, that is, the exclamation point. We have that constantly in the Psalms of King David. It leads me to believe there is a message inherent in the text that suggests that...as God creates the world and the universe...those who understand the nature of faith need to acknowledge, even at the beginning of recorded time, that whatever God says...it is the truth...it is so! If God says it, it's the truth. What a message...Creation comes into being, and along with that divine majestic work, comes the message that what God says is something we need to pay attention to...because it is the truth...and the way...and the life. In this manner a divine presupposition is set up within the context of creation and salvation. And God, that is, Yahweh, the Heavenly Father, is worthy of trust. He says it, so it so. There is a carry-through of thought here. Note. Satan never suggests in Scripture that God doesn't exist. Only human beings called atheists suggest that. Not Satan. Satan's ploy is to suggest that God, who exists and has created the universe, is a God who really doesn't care. He makes promises to human beings, but, doesn't really carry them out and keep what He promises. Thus, the Bible calls Satan a roaring lion who is..."the deceiver of mankind"...he's just too clever for most, if not all of us. When we doubt the faithfulness of God, even though we believe in Him, we put our lives and our future in great peril. As a result, we note that the strategy of Satan is not to disprove the existence of God, but rather, to try to convince people that God is not worthy of our trust. This becomes a theme throughout God's Word, the Holy Bible. A person can clearly see how this impacts our lives. If we're caught in a situation where there doesn't seem to be a reasonable means we can get through our dilemma, and we're convinced that God is not worthy of our attention and our trust, we have no hope...and we'll fail. If we have no hope, in tough situations, we simply wouldn't survive. We'll feel helpless and we'll be defenseless.
Let's split some hairs here. The brother of Jesus, James, says, "...you believe that there is a God...that's really good...but even the demons believe that, and that makes them shutter..." James 2:19. So belief in God is one thing...and trusting in that same God is something else. You can intellectually accept that there is a God, but if you don't trust in Him, you really have to make a decision to trust God for that belief to benefit you. After all, the angels believe in God, but so also, Satan believes that God exists...and so too, the demons believe in God, but they refuse to place their trust in Him. That's the difference. It chilling to know that Satan probably knows Scripture better than anybody, any mortal, but the Lord Himself.
If the angels believe in God and the demons believe in God and you believe in God also...
My administrator friend definitely knew what his hope was for his beloved seniors, but fear, at first, stood in the way of him envisioned safe passage through the pandemic for them. He grabbed on to faith, that is, trust in God, to rescue those he serves and loves, and the Lord has come through with shining colors. He was led to precisely the correct passage, 1 John 4:18, "...there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear...". To successfully meet the challenge before him, he knew he implicitly needed to trust God. Again, in millions of examples, this gentleman trusted God and Lord came through for him.
Where are you today in your Spiritual life, Sister? Where are you today in your Spiritual life, Brother? It's time to receive the perfect Christmas gift in the Season of Advent, and the price of the gift is definitely "out of this world"...the gift of faith at Christmas time is free, without cost to you and me, though it came at great cost to Almighty God through the narrative regarding the life and death of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The message for today is about trusting God above all things. Along with the story of Creation in the first chapter of the Bible is the presupposition that---God said it---and it became so. Faith is trusting that God will come through for us. This is without condition. God's not going to "shut us out" because we're not perfect. That's the whole beauty of our faith. Our destiny is as bright and as beautiful and as sure as the creation process was. God said it, and, indeed, it was so. It is so. It will be so. The framework for everything that follows in the subsequent books of all of the Holy Bible is based upon a very subtle principle which makes faith very easy to abide by. God said it...and it was so. What are all your hopes, your aspirations, your dreams. There must be something to them. God wants to honor them because,
like a good mother or father, He loves you just the way you are, but He loves you so much, He'd never want you to stay the same for the rest of the days of your life, as you are today. Cordially, Tom
From Rev Sue Ann Yarbrough
Dear Activity Directors, Executive Directors, and other staff members, We are praying for the health and wellbeing of you, your loved ones, and those you serve. SpiritCare's annual appreciation breakfast will be held via Zoom this coming Saturday at 9:00 a.m. While I am seeing some of you on Zoom (thank goodness!), some of you I have not seen in far too long, and some of you I have not even met. Please consider joining us if you can. It will be good to come together. (ED: By the time this got posted the breakfast is over but the carols we sang are below for you to play).
Scripture: John 14:27 New International Version
"Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give to you not as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid." Meditation I return to this scripture time and time again. I need this reminder that yes, there are peaceful places in the world, but the peace the world offers comes and goes. This world is temporal. Our bodies are temporal. Jesus is telling us to look deeper if we want a lasting, steadfast peace. We must look in our hearts because that is where Christ resides. We can leave Christ buried there, or we can let that love and peace guide us all our lives and beyond. When we do that, that allows Christ to be known, not only to us, but in the world. We can be peace - yes, just as we are.
Prayer
I came across "Of All the Spirit's Gifts to Me" today while perusing The Chalice Hymnal. It was written in 1979 by Fred Pratt Green. I am including the first and fourth verse.
Rev. Sue Ann Yarbrough, Associate Pastor
San Lorenzo Community Church, United Church of Christ www.hearthpsalms.blogspot.com
From Rev Dr Tom Nibbe
As we start the New Church Year in the Season of Advent, 2020-2012, would you pray with me?
Dear Lord, you've provided real and overwhelming challenges for us in the old church year. Also, you've provided new coping skills for us to deal with those challenges. Through your grace in troubled times, we have found love. Through your love we have found peace. We have prospered in the midst of a crippling pandemic and devastating financial times. You've given us hope---as well as help---in finding ways to make things work for us. We are grateful. We trust you to carry us through more difficult times to come. We are not afraid. We promise not to complain. We will stand fast. We will not fall short of our precious responsibilities. We ask you give us courage and insight. Help us to carry the message of Jesus so that it will take hold and work for others. We want to reach out to our neighbors who don't know Jesus Christ. NORMAL PEOPLE---EXTRAORDINARY MESSAGE Lord, we are not religious fanatics...just simple people of faith...and yet...we've set aside the tools you've given to provide for others the assurances and peace and joy we have in you. Lord, we're not ashamed of the Gospel, but often enough, it has seemed that way. We're going to start something "new and beautiful" in this new year to grow your Kingdom in our faith community and our community at large. We're not afraid. "...for you didn't receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the spirit of sonship..." [Saint Paul in] Romans 8:17 "...and do this, understanding the present time...the hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed..." [Saint Paul in] Romans 13:11
Instead, we will commit to concentrate upon changing ourselves first. When we have done this essential change in our lives and mission goal...in these days---we'll be ready later to become the experienced evangelists your Kingdom needs. In so doing we will be equipped to do it quietly in love with grace. People need the Lord just as we do. We're not going to hide the Jesus we know from others any longer.
Lord God, in this plan to establish your Church anew in our community, help us to model the mind of Christ. Shower the Holy Spirit upon us, pour your Holy Fire over us! We're ready to be set on fire for Christ
We want to prepare to pass it on---that is, dear Lord, not religion---but the wonderful gift of faith with no strings attached, your unconditional love. We don't want to force ourselves on others, but we want it to be our way of doing and saying things in your holy name. First, we'll prepare ourselves on how to reach out being the person we are.
NONE OF US IS BILLY GRAHAM Lord---understanding that you know us---we won't do that until we're good and ready. Start that process of discipling us in our heart of hearts now...well in advance of the upcoming calendar year. We know, once you allow "breathing space" for us---it will happen "naturally" in a supernatural way. If we don't start now, we'll be like a plant without roots or water. We'll just wither away and die. Make us ready, Jesus! Send us your Holy Spirit! We plead with you, Master! Use us for your glory---for the good of neighbors and family. We pray in your name. Amen THE MESSAGE It would normally be about four o'clock a.m. at Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, Virginia, where our beloved Non-commissioned Officer would roust us out of our beds in his "unique loving" way. (Just kidding, of course.) He'd gravelly grind the words out in such a soft and gentle way, so sweetly, "I'm going to be yo' Mutha' for the next twenty-four weeks...listen up, Chil'ren, get yo'r-selves in gear...'Else I might do somethin' rash...y'all get a'move on...!!!" As I recall, you really didn't have the opportunity to suggest to him that you had a special personal way to leisurely get up in the morning...or that you always had your cup of coffee "before" your shower...or that you didn't like people shouting over you as you were suddenly awakened. Listen. You did as your "Mother" commanded and demanded of you. Marine Corps training didn't include "personal innovation", so to speak.
The lieutenant literally ran down from the top of the hill, bent down, and pulled the guy's face out of the mud. He shouted to the poor fellow, face caked with mud, "...Marine, who told you...you could rest!!!"
On the obstacle course on another occasion I had just completed the fifty pull-ups required, when the same lieutenant shouted in my ear, "...ten more, Marine..." In boot camp you were pushed to the hilt. You had no excuse for failures. It was always these words, "No excuse, Sir!" Some recruits thought it was hell. Some of the fellows actually liked it. They just thought it was the greatest. The sergeant just kept that chunk of chewing-tobacco in the side of his mouth no matter what. Often, in my mind, I would think, "...I have some idea about why he was divorced..." All in all, a bunch a boys became men. On graduation day, we marched at "8th-and-I" in Washington D.C. All the guys looked sharp. I felt so proud to be among them. We had all strangely changed. We didn't have any more flimsy excuses. We didn't complain. We were totally equipped for anything and responsible for each other. It was a good feeling! Sometimes, considering those experiences long ago, I've wished over the last fifty years that discipline in the Church was more like that in the Marine Corps. Personal and group honor above all. No excuses. All for one and one for all. The notion that everybody in your group is essential. No one gets left behind no matter what the circumstance. The purpose of the organization is to get the job done absolutely right, honorably, and efficiently. Live your life fully, but never at the expense of your brother or your sister. In the Marine Corps, you have no enemies in your unit...the guy you don't like very much, may be the guy you crouch together with, after all your other comrades are dead, and the two of you are back to back to cover 360-degrees, around the foxhole you have to occupy, to survive. However, in the Church, it hasn't always been that way. In the Marine Corps you're forced to do the needful and to adopt a more disciplined way of living and conducting yourself. The true Christian Church, on the other hand, is an organization that has a different motivation factor in developing those excellent and good characteristics...not by being strictly and forcefully trained...but by allowing the indwelling of the Spirit of God to have sway in your life. The Marine Corps seeks victory. The true Christian Church seeks surrender, surrender of self without exception. It surrenders to God through Christ Jesus...and rather than being motivated by an "outside" force...the true person of faith is motivated mystically by an "inside" power---that being---the indwelling, the infilling, the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus answered, "Truly I say unto you, I tell you the truth, no person can enter the Kingdom of God unless that person is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You shouldn't be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again!' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you can't tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is for everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:5-8
Now what is this understanding all about? What was the "strange warming experience" or the "second blessing"? It was the experience of once being baptized with water, a saved person receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit with "fire" and great power, thus, the second blessing. As Jesus seems to suggest in the third chapter of John's Gospel, a person needs to be born of "water" and "the Holy Spirit" or of "fire". After water baptism, when we become a child of God, there is a second blessing which happens to complete or fulfill our initial Spiritual walk with the Lord, allowing us to have that sense of honor, of Spiritual discernment, of personal duty, and of responsibility---a United States Marine would have in context with the military experience. Yes, we must be born of water...and the Spirit...
It is more powerful than the experience of being a Marine. It produces, in an entirely different way, the motivation and superior human response to God's calling that the Marine Corps couldn't possibly do. That is because it's supernatural. Once a person has been exposed to what's happening on the inside spiritually---human nature is turned inside-out! The change is not "change" per se...the change is transformation...
For me and perhaps you also, these have been and are manifestly strange and unusual times. I have never experienced what I have over the last eleven months. Some of us may think we are doomed by the coronavirus pandemic or our present economy, but I'm just not that pessimistic. I truly sense the Lord's coming blessing upon our local churches and our beloved fellow Christians, and even upon those who do not know Him. The Lord is calling us in this time of anxiety to bring assurance and peace to those who need to know the Savior. And so also, I sense the Lord calling us to ready ourselves for a great awaking of the Holy Spirit in our midst, brought on by the pandemic as a blessing, rather than God's curse. The Lord is calling us to trust in Him and to sense His blessing in what may seem like impending disaster and destruction. But, the Lord is in control. His purpose in our lives is not the punishment, that, at least, I know I deserve, but rather the blessing of peace, goodness, and prosperity...and the salvation of many. As a pastor in His Holy Church, I would like to encourage all of us to take hold of our calling to bring many to Christ.
"May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant, brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen!" Hebrews 13:20-20-21 Cordially, Tom
From Rev Sue Ann Yarbrough
Thanksgiving blessings to you all. May the peace of Christ be known at all our tables. It is perfectly acceptable to have a modest Thanksgiving! Advent begins on November 29 and Hanukkah begins December 11. I often think of this time of year as the season of lights. Advent is truly a sister of Lent in that in both seasons we are consciously clearing and renewing our hearts and minds for the love and light of Christ to shine anew. Gratitude is an excellent place to begin the journey. Please know we are grateful for all of you and that we are keeping you in our prayers.
Meditation
This is a beautiful Psalm, and if everyone took even just the first line of this Psalm to heart, the world would indeed know peace. Imagine all people being mindful of their words. Let us remember that God hears every word we utter because our souls are of God. The image of God as a faithful shepherd occurs often in the Bible, and Jesus referred to it as well. Even if you have had no experience of tending to a flock, I think we can all understand that shepherds must pay attention to the creatures in his or her charge. My father was a cattle rancher, and he spent much time tending to his herds. He made certain every animal was accounted for. When I would be in his pickup with him, I would see him often stopping to count the cows in a herd to make sure no animal was missing or seemed to be suffering. It is a memory of good animal husbandry that I do not think I will forget.
Adrianus Valerius wrote this hymn in Dutch 1597 and it was published after his death in 1626. The 1981 version, written in the above text, is an adaptation by Ruth Duck and can be found in the Chalice Hymnal.
Meister Eckhart was a German theologian and philosopher who was born in 1260. His exact date of death is not known - probably 1327 or 1328. -- Rev. Sue Ann Yarbrough, Associate Pastor San Lorenzo Community Church, United Church of Christ www.hearthpsalms.blogspot.com
From Rev Sue Ann Yarbrough
Hello Everyone, Blessings in this time and always. Because next week is Thanksgiving, I will do my best to send my meditation on Wednesday. However, if any of you need it even earlier in the week, please let me know. I will do my best to accommodate. In the meantime, stay well and remember you are loved. Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2
We are being called ever on, and yes, it is very helpful to keep our intentions focused on Jesus. We are not in a competition. Jesus knows our limits. For that, I am grateful.
I also love the mention of the "cloud of witnesses" that are also encouraging us in this journey. We have the encouragement and perseverance that we need, and such support may be found in surprising places.
Prayer
Today, I end with a quote from Father Thomas Keating who passed at the age of 95 on Thursday, October 25, 2018. I suggest reading it slowly and prayerfully. It is worth repeating several times, so the words can sink to heart level. I am at the point where I do not want to do anything except God's will, and that may be nothing. But nothing is one of the greatest activities there is. It also takes a surprising amount of time! What time is left each day is an opportunity for God to take over my life more completely on every level and in every detail. God Is Love: The Heart of All Creation -- Rev. Sue Ann Yarbrough, Associate Pastor San Lorenzo Community Church, United Church of Christ www.hearthpsalms.blogspot.com
From Rev Dr Tom Nibbe
Most Sincere Condolence to Rauf and Teresa Naqishbendi upon the Passing of Rauf's Mother...
"Better a dry crust with peace and quiet, than a house full of feasting, with strife." Proverbs 17:1
Prayer Dear God, Starting today, I'm going to remember that feelings are an important, and also, necessary part of my life. My purpose will be to learn how to express my feelings in an appropriate and meaningful way. I promise to be open to my feelings when it comes to church, to family, to friends, in my relationship with my spouse or partner, and at work. I'm going to feel my feelings without judging myself, ride with those feelings, rather than stuffing them down, and messing myself up...and in the process...make my life and my feelings fall together into a beautiful symbiosis...When those feelings seem to overwhelm me as though they were a ball of yarn all rolled up inside me, unravel them for me in a beautiful way so I can understand anew your purpose in my life. Amen. Message What is it in me saying that we have such a tough time with our feelings? It seems like such a struggle for most of us, if not all of us.
We seem to be afraid of our feelings, when feelings have neither large biceps---nor do feelings conceal a hidden gun or a handy knife under our shirt. We deny that we have consuming negative feelings for those we work with, with those we have even befriended, and with those who are normally beloved family members. These days most of us dare not express our feelings in regard to our preferences in the 21st Century, especially in the area of political stance or beliefs. Nothing more said about this.
"Now, Come on--y'all! Admit it!" It's really tough for us to admit that we feel frustration, anger and hurt! The thought occurs to us, how can we go on with the feelings we have. It's too much at times. To men, I hear often, the freedom to "let it all hang out" is relative to gender...that intense show of feelings is just "a women's thing". I think not! We cannot bury what we're holding on to. It's got to come out some way, or the other. All too often we just "cram it all down within" where it decomposes but smells rotten. It reminds me of what us boys used to do on Explorer Scout camping trips...when we used to bury our garbage appropriately in the woods when we were about to leave to return to "civilization". Should we actually attempt to bury our feelings in a similar way, it would, indeed, come back to haunt us...and that's what always, always happens...big time! TRUST ME. I GET IT! We deny deep-hidden feelings of frustration and disappointment about the past --- past personal performance in life --- the direction of our nation, or the government, or the decisions of our state government, or our city officials, or church leaders, and even our children, our family members. We become poisoned emotionally and we even become physically afflicted. We become known around town as inherently "angry people". We become known as those considered basically "hard to understand". We lose our God-given ability to live as free men and women in a free nation. Often we deny a whole wide range of feelings we have toward our husband or wife, since we are so intimately connected with that person. [We don't really want to ruffle feathers.] I liked hearing about the decision of two of my cousins back in Minnesota who decided on a "fine-dining night-out" to "celebrate" the fact that they didn't decide to get a divorce after the last four years in the United States of America. There is a "very real prohibition" about expressing feelings when it comes to an employer, or on the other hand, the people that may work for us if we run a business. Sometimes our feelings come in direct reaction to those we are sharing a special project or experience. Often enough, we become surprised when a great relationship seems to be ruined by feelings in regard to a difference of opinion when it comes to what seems to be right or appropriate in completing a mission or a project.
ENTER SATAN
"...Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light...it is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness...their end will be what their actions deserve..." 2 Corinthians 11:14,15 At this point, the preacher steps in. That's me...to say...it is very, very interesting to me that after fifty years I should experience the intensity of feelings over what I had done in regard to my precious dogs, and continue to have, in a sense, to this day, when I allow it to happen. Satan is real and powerful.
The purpose of God in our lives becomes evident. We are grateful for the Good News that tells us...the greater the sin...the greater the forgiveness of God...I recall the comforting words of the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ:
"Come onto me, you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30 When, on one occasion recently, even fifty years hence, I sought God's forgiveness, and in so doing, sought the "higher road" for myself in Christ, I had the strangest and most wonderful vision. I didn't manufacture it for myself to feel better...or attempt to relieve myself, but...a powerful feeling of assurance came over me...that things had worked out for my dear doggies way back then. I guess, like many other things in life, we need assurances like this, that are not an excuse to let us "off the hook" from feeling our crushing guilt. GOD IS GOOD. GOD IS REAL. GOD IS PRESENT. To summarize, regardless of what it is that makes us feel the way we do, our feelings are still ours...that is to say, we own them. In the grace we have in the Lord Jesus, acceptance of what has taken place, or hasn't indeed happened, is often all that is needed to make them go away. We don't have to allow our feelings to control us and the way we act in life. Saint Paul says it so well in Galatians 5:1,13, "It is for the sake of freedom that Christ sets us free...stand firm, then, and don't let yourselves be burdened again with a yoke of slavery...you, brothers and sisters, were called to be free...just don't use that freedom to indulge the sinful nature..." We don't need to go right ahead into a devious way of escaping to indulge our lower nature with inappropriate thoughts and behavior as an excuse for the way we feel. I know many, many people ruin their lives living in that way...they stubbornly hold onto feelings that cause them to go wayward. What's the role of a community of faith in terms of addressing a very real problem for human beings? Now, when I write about what I have shared, thus far, I don't mean to address this to a "Country Club for Saints"...a church wherein all the folks wear "spanking-white shoes" and present themselves as "almost" perfect. I'm glad to proclaim (rest assured) that "No perfect people are going to heaven!" Really? Did you know that? The reason for that is ...in short...there ain't no perfect people. God was so smart He knows that He deals with "a fallen race"...inclined all too often...to make decisions contrary to what is helpful in life. It's a reminder for us that we're not punished for our sins, but rather, we are punished by our sins. On the cross, the Lord Jesus Christ became our sin ("the sin-bearer") that you and I may be "free from sin, death, and the power of the devil". Jesus literally became our sin. Hold on to that statement, Nibbe, I want to savor those words from Scripture. I prefer being in a community, therefore, that is a "Hospital for Sinners" rather than a country-club for saints. I'm up for that as long as all folks know they are made whole in God. So what do we do with our feelings? They are only feelings! Remember that! It's not our feelings that will hurt us. It is what we do with them. Feelings seem so very powerful. People often base their lives on how and what they feel. They then act out on what they are feeling. It doesn't end up well. Feelings are only feelings! It needs to go no further. Do what you need to do to acknowledge what you're feeling...think things through without acting out on them...ask the Lord Jesus to help you process what you are feeling...that's the thing to do...because our feelings are nonetheless powerful and have control over our motivation to act. DWJD [Do what Jesus would do.] (for some it has become a slogan some people joke about) That's what makes faith genuine. Rather than doing what we would initially want to do...we process what has "grabbed us by the neck"...and eventually...we do what Jesus would do. It isn't our identification with our local church, or with what denominational affiliation we may have, or what connection or what kind of "pull" we have that allows us to literally "get by with murder" and yet cover us in the end.
JUST DO WHAT JESUS WOULD DO ANYWAY
It helps us to talk about our feelings with a kind, gentle person we trust. At times it's really a good thing to bring our feelings to the person who triggered them. We can actually, with a little bit of personal courage, make a trusted friend out of a despised enemy. A number of years ago a very active, lovely lady in the congregation approached me with her complaint about another lady in the church..."I can't stand that lady", she said, "Pastor, what can I do." My reply was not a comfort for her..."You know you're going to have to spend eternity with her someday..." Not well received. She replied, "What should I do?" I suggested, "...Take her to lunch..." That's what happened. The sandwiches were good. The shakes were good. They became great friends and even better fellow workers in the congregation and beyond. Just a comment I hope will be helpful. None of us are exempt from dealing with our feelings. Some of those feelings are really pleasant. However, many feelings really challenge us and our well-being. It's not our feelings that will get us into trouble, though they can get us down. It's how we react to the way we feel. In the midst of living out our lives day by day, often enough, it's kind of like a "roller-coaster". The role of God in all of this is to take us off the roller-coaster. In the Lord, we have the assurance to know that He will come to our aid in the most dire of situations. We will do our very best and He will cover us. We simply need to ask, (even though it's become a joke to some), what would Jesus do? We will always do well with Him walking beside us. Sometimes we'll seem to fail, but He'll cover us --- to the extent that often our seeming mistakes we eventually realize become what God had in mind anyway. Finally, keep in mind that God will not allow us to experience anything other than what He has planned for us to go through for our good...and our spiritual maturity. Sometimes that might seem unpleasant, other times unfair, unreasonable or even unacceptable. Someday soon enough, God will reveal what good He had in mind for us.
Cordially, Tom
As restrictions have begun to loosen at least a little, we have been able to add some Zoom services. We have even had some success with audio connection only. One activity director simply attached a portable speaker to her cell phone. It worked surprisingly well. We are all learning how to do things in new ways so let us not be afraid to try.
Scripture: Book of Ruth, chapter 4:13-17
So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When they came together, the Lord made her conceive, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without next-of-kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him.” Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom, and became his nurse. The women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed; he became the father of Jesse, the father of David.
I think today is not much different. Most of us want to do what is honorable but we also want to follow our hearts. Naomi and Ruth were vulnerable, but found safety with Boaz. Let us hope that people find a safe place with us. Let us treat one another with respect and care. We just never know what goodness might come from some seemingly simple acts. This is how we learn to serve. By simply doing what we know to be right, while also taking a chance or two when our hearts are stirred.
Prayer The story we have been reading is from the Hebrew Scriptures, but I think it is appropriate to close with a verse from a hymn about Jesus. "Jesus Calls Us, o'er the Tumult" written by Cecil Frances Alexander in 1852, beautifully reminds us that it is Jesus who calls out to us. We can always seek refuge in that knowledge and in heeding that call.
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AuthorSMessages from our SpiritCare Pastors Archives
January 2021
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