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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 Dr Tom Nibbe Merry Christmas! Prayer Gracious Lord, we are grateful for the message that you came in Christ Jesus long ago to save us from our sins and assure us that you can well understand our suffering and difficult days, because through Christ, you took on human flesh and therefore you are able to empathize with our humanity. We praise you for Christ's example and life and acknowledge His greatness as we depend upon your grace. In His name. Amen. "...He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God, and they will live securely, for then His greatness will reach to the ends of the earth, and He will be their shalom..." Micah 5:4-5 [from the 7th Century before Jesus of Nazareth] "...so Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem, the City of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David...he went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child...while they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son...she wrapped him in swaddling cloths and placed Him in a manger, because thee was no room for them in the inn..." Luke 2:4-7 [seven centuries later] The Message It had been rainy and really cold outside. As Joseph and Mary sat on somewhat uncomfortable bales of hay, reflecting upon the events of the last several months, and in particular, the last several days, they wondered if there might be an accommodation available in Bethlehem, that they could afford. It had been a long and difficult trek to Bethlehem. To add to that, my goodness, Jesus was already two days along in this world and the parents needed a more fitting place to take care of him. After all, they had traveled on foot the entire distance. Thank God that Mary was quite young, being nine months pregnant, and walking the whole way. It must have been extremely trying and uncomfortable. The place where they were just was not appropriate.
Joseph and Mary had no idea that the Emperor Augustus was part of God's plan to fulfill His Word in Scripture, namely, in the Prophet Micah 5:2, "...but you, Bethlehem (the walled city), though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me 'One' who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times..." The angel who greeted young Mary in the grotto, up there eighty miles away in Nazareth, said the child Mary would give birth to, would be called "the Son of the Most High" and that He would "reign over the House of Jacob forever" and, indeed, that "His kingdom would never end". She was to call him, yes, "Ya'shua", that is to say, Jesus. It seemed hard to believe that a boy from such a humble, such a poor family, would become so great a man. It would have been impossible for both Mary and Joseph to believe these things, had it not been for the glorious appearance of Gabriel. First, the Angel Gabriel told Mary that she would become pregnant by the divine power of the Holy Spirit, and then, when Joseph reacted quite reasonably, to put her away quietly---after what Mary related to him what was going to happen---he really couldn't believe what Mary shared, even though he wanted to. I mean, after all, who would? Your girl-friend tells you that God made her pregnant. Who would swallow that one? ...maybe somebody at the movies... Gabriel had to get back to Joseph to give him the news. It was for real. She was pregnant by supernatural means. She would give birth to a very, very special child. He would be the guardian of that child. His lineage would be essential in this regard. Through Joseph's blood line, the child would inherit the throne of King David, His ancestor, who had ruled a thousand years before in Israel. Yes, poor unheralded Joseph was of David's royal line. This would fulfill the prophesy of 1 Samuel 7:12,16: "...when your days are over, David, and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your descendent to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish His kingdom...your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me...your throne will be established forever..." In retrospect, this became fact through the Christian Church that Jesus would eventually establish through His disciples thirty-three years later. There is an image that comes to mind that seems significant for those of us who enjoy considering huge contrasts, inconsistencies if you will, in the way we look at things. To think for an extended moment of the Co-Creator of the entire Universe, our solar System, the "black holes in space", and the vastness of all else that is out there, in the arms of a teenage girl, woman if you prefer, solely dependent upon her for his very sustenance. It is a powerful notion. It speaks to the responsibility God places into our hands as we take care of His kingdom here on earth. Imagine how important we are in terms of salvation and service.
All of a sudden, putting everything together, we get the impression that Jesus was not a last-minute thought in the mind of God the Father. As we continue to get deeper into the Scriptures we note something like over six-hundred different references in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) to the life and ministry of this child, Jesus of Nazareth.
One portion of that body of literature is especially meaningful when we come to realize that it was written seven hundred years before the event we're talking about this morning, the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Here's the passage from the four "Servant Chapters" of Isaiah 42, 43, 49 and 53, especially Isaiah 53: "...He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted...just as there were many who were appalled at Him, His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man, and His form marred beyond human likeness, so will He sprinkle many nations..." Isaiah 52:13-15a "...He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering...like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we didn't give Him a lift..." verse 3 "...surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considering Him---stricken by God---smitten by God, and afflicted, but He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brings us peace (shalom) was put upon Him, and by His wounds, we are healed..." verses 4,5 "...though He had done no violence nor was any deciet in His mouth, yet it was the Lord's will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer..." verse 9b,10 "...after the suffering of His soul, He will see the light of life, and find satisfaction...by His knowledge... my 'righteous servant' will justify many and He will bear their iniquities..." verse 11 The purpose in Jesus' birth is that He would become Emmanuel, that is, "God with us"...not God up there in the sky somewhere...but God "present" right there with us...God with us in the midst of personal suffering, experiencing loss of loved ones, of being paralyzed by fear, in some of the pathetic and sad situations of life, and of physical pain. We are put on notice. We will need to bear the Cross at times. Christ's job is to go there with us. Pain and suffering is part of the journey. When we experience pain, we don't need to think that we are going through something that God has not gone through, or experienced. Through the birth, life, passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ God, our Creator, is able to empathize with us in the valleys of life...as well as being there with us as we celebrate life. In a strange and wonderful way, our walk with God as our divine companion is made complete through the incarnation of Jesus Christ. He is our Emmanuel. ...Jesus was born in Bethlehem to die on the cross in Jerusalem... Cordially, Tom
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 Dr Tom Nibbe "...So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee...to Judea, to Bethlehem, the City of David...because he belonged to the house and lineage of King David...He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and and was expecting a child...While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in swaddling cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn..." Luke 2:6-7
Prayer Gracious God, Even before the foundation of the earth---and the universe---you anticipated the coming of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, to take on flesh, and become a human being, in order that you might be "Emmanuel", that is, "God With Us"...not way up in the sky or otherwise far away...but God, able to comprehend our lot, and empathize with our daily joys and sorrows. We want to praise you and thank you for the gift of Jesus, because in Him we know you understand us, our feelings, and our motivations, as human beings...what it's like to suffer, what it is to experience the loss of a loved one...or what it is like to experience the terror of some natural disaster. Yea, though we walk through the valley, you are with us. We need not be afraid. We can be confident because in all things you work for the good of those who love you, and are called, according to your purpose. This is your Christmas gift to us in this year of pandemic and economic fallout. Our trust is in you. You are the God who knows us inside and out, and loves us, just the same. You are the God who walks with us unconditionally through all experiences of our lives. At Christmas time, in this year especially, we continue to praise you for the reason for the season, our real Christmas gift, the Lord Jesus. Amen. "...trust in the Lord will all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make your paths straight...do not be wise your own eyes; fear the the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones..." Proverbs 3:5-8 "...if the light in you is darkness, it is indeed a profound darkness..." [Jesus in] Matthew 6:29b "Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire came a still, small voice... Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave." 1 Kings 19:11b-13 "...but Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart..." Luke 2:19 The Message "...a still, small voice..." The personal memories of "the place where Jesus walked" remain fresh in my mind, and like the Virgin Mary, I treasure them and ponder them in my heart. I am sure my wife, Priscilla, feels the same. My daughter, Ayesha, and David, her husband, invited us to go with them to Israel four years ago. We felt a bit sad that we would miss Christmas in the Holy Land because I needed to conduct services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Pacifica, but God had a surprise for us. In Jerusalem, they celebrate Christmas on the day traditionally the three wise men arrived there, January 6th. Thus, on Christmas Eve, I stood no more than three-feet from the place Jesus is said to be have been born. A choir of Franciscan monks squeezing in next to us in the confined space at the birth-place made things heavenly, singing in beautiful Latin. Leaving the Church of the Nativity, it was cold and raining. We noticed a Palestinian shepherd driving his sheep across Nativity Plaza in the rain. I hadn't planned properly to be dressed for the cold weather. My first thought was...here we are at the birthplace of Jesus and I have to feel so uncomfortable...I paused... being discomforted in that moment was gift from God...that's the way it must have been for Joseph and Mary...I rethought things. I paused again. I would've had Jesus born in the comfort and luxury of a royal palace with all the privileges and conveniences of the court. God the Father wanted His beloved Son to be identified with the poor, the disenfranchised, the disadvantaged, and the outcast. The message was meant specifically for me. It was the "still small voice" in the midst of the rain storm, of the cold, and of my dismal discomfort. It was the voice of God speaking to me. All of a sudden, in my mind and heart, it wasn't just my desire and my will to be in the place where Jesus walked. On the way back to our inn, the Mulvey at the Omar Mosque on Nativity Square invited me to tea after the prayer hour. I regret that I had to refuse... because I was shaking so badly head to toe from the cold and the wet. We arrived back at the inn. I kept thinking, there was no room in the inn for Jesus, down the street at the birthplace, but the Lord had provided this extraordinary place for us. It wasn't a palace, but how warm and comfortable How humbling! The Lord would be speaking to me in very subtle ways during the entire journey, "the still, small voice", (that of Elijah's experience), breaking through the darkness there inside of me. The nuns at the "inn" were accommodating and kind. The soup and salad that night tasted like heaven. The beds were like sleeping on a cloud. I would have slept in, but I needed to check out the German Lutheran Chapel across the street, built during the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm II, I am convinced, as a place of worship (and as a "window" on what the present-then world powers were doing in Palestine.) For over seventy years, I had wanted to reaffirm my baptism by immersing myself in the River Jordan. A couple of days after we had visited Bethlehem and were presently at the Lutheran Guest House in the Christian quarter of Jerusalem, we headed out in a car rental for Jericho, the Dead Sea, the Mount of Temptation, and the River Jordan. I slipped into a provided gown and went into the freezing river---after all, it was January...in the name of the Father...and of the Son...and of the Holy Spirit...my head when under three times...and when I stepping out onto the shore, I felt just great. I didn't feel any cold at all. Wow! Only exhilaration. I seemed to be on fire. We headed on to Jericho for shawarma & freshly baked bread. WALKING WHERE CHRIST WALKED...WALKING WHERE CHRIST DIED Back in Jerusalem, I mounted Golgotha (Calvary) and placed my hand over the place where the post of the cross had been in the ground. We also entered the tomb where Jesus was laid after the crucifixion...from whence He arose on the third day. We walked the Via Dolorosa (the street Jesus carried the cross on), down into the Kidron Valley and then up to the Garden of Gethsemane in the Mount of Olives. On the way, just adjacent to the Temple Mount, an Armenian restaurant owner asked if I wanted the best cup of coffee I had ever tasted...if I didn't think so...there would be no charge. I ordered a cup. The guy was right. Once in Gethsemane, a Franciscan monk gave me a vile of anointing oil, which now sits on the altar at Holy Cross Lutheran Church. Not long after we arrived, an Italian priest all decked out in his liturgical gown and stole, arrived on the scene with a congregation of at least forty people. He started saying the mass in Italian and then distributed the elements to the people present. When he came to me, I graciously bowed with my arms crossing my chest. I stepped back and bowed to indicate I wouldn't receive. I didn't want to deceive him into thinking that I was a Roman Catholic. I returned upright. He stuck the host in my mouth. He smiled in a gentle way and said, "We are all one in Christ..." and then...continued on with the other people there. These were just a few of the blessings of that trip. I am grateful to David and Ayesha. There were many more insights that came to me during the course of the trip, but these I will share at this time. I do, however, want to share another experience that has stayed in my mind after all these years. The one I have selected to write about happened about forty years ago and involved my youngest daughter, Shama. So, we will leave Jerusalem and Israel (Palestine), for the time being, and resettle ourselves in Pakistan. The name "Shama" is associated with the verse that Jesus suggested to be the most important in the Bible of his time, Deuteronomy 6:4-5: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord, is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." This verse is called, "The Shama" (Sh'maah). We thought we'd name our third daughter that because it is a common Pakistani name for girls, for daughters, and also, we love and treasure this verse, as we love and treasure her. Jesus thought this verse was the most important verse in the Bible of his time because it suggests that anything less than placing God first in your life is falling short of the standard. It is mere religion, of no use in and of itself, and has nothing to do with Jesus' concept of genuine faith, expressed by Saint Paul (Hebrews 11:1): "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." CAN I GET IT ALL TOGETHER It was the early 80s. We had been in Pakistan a little less than two years. I'd been depriving my kids of hot dogs, hamburgers, Coca Cola, Seven-Up and bubble-gum for about the same period of time. They'd missed Santa Claus last December. Something had to be done, because Christmas was right around the corner. Since September, I'd been collecting various items from other Americans stationed in Pakistan and hiding them. I was able to find a red top and bottom in Lahore. A large black belt and boots (my size) showed up in Rawalpindi. Surprisingly, somebody had a hat and a white wig in Peshawar. I needed a beard and moustache. I was becoming desperate by November. And then finally a Canadian was planning to go back to Toronto. He had the goods I needed. I was set by December 20th. Ready to go! O, yes! I needed a sack. No problem! The American Consul in Peshawar had one to lend. Christmas Day arrived. Some of the gifts were under our tree. Some were in my sack. I appeared in all my (that is, Santa's) glory! My nephew was so-o-o excited. He didn't think Santa Claus came to Pakistan. My niece was excited and a bit scared. Santa looked so big and so fat (thanks to the pillow from England). My daughter, Ayesha, and my daughter, Yasmin, were absolutely amazed. How is it that Santa knew they were in Pakistan, twelve-thousand miles away from California? O, OH! SOMETHINGS UP As I handed out the wonderful Christmas presents, you could feel the energy all around the room. The kids were so exciting and the adults acted so surprised by Santa's appearance..."Ho! Ho! Ho!" As I handed the gift to Shama, she took it nicely, but gave Santa the strangest look. Shama was about five years old at the time. The impression stayed in my mind. Yes, the impression stayed in my mind...for years...literally for decades. Last year, before the pandemic, I went up to Bellingham, Washington, right before Christmas, to stay with Shama and her husband Tim because I wanted to spend time with my grand-daughter, Elliot, at Christmas. THE LORD CAN SEE RIGHT THROUGH US Sitting by the fireplace one evening while I was there, I mentioned the unexpected reaction Shama had given me in Pakistan forty years before. Here's what she told me, "Dad! I'm really surprised you don't know me better. Listen.
I just never knew how important my hands were to her! I learned last year at Christmas time.
The reason I wanted to mention this story is because, like me, in my relationship with my daughter, I really was totally ignorant about what was so important to her regarding her father. I guess I should've known better. We often just don't know how important we are to others we live with...how important we are to the people we love and the people who love us. Sometimes that's because we don't see the point of going out of our way to show that love. The manifestation of that love evaporates like the mist. Maybe this is an encouragement to be extravagant in the way we show our love to others...first, to those who share life significantly with us at home and in the church...and...secondly, to those who need us, who we may not know so well, but have need to fellowship with, if only briefly. We don't know love more significantly because we are not extravagant in showing it. The tragedy of life is that we wait for somebody else to show us love. WE ARE VERY SPECIAL TO GOD The point here, also, is that we think that God is important to us, but it's less so, the other way around. The fact is that we are important to God. We are essential. Often, we think He is great and we are small. We actually may try to equate Him with being a famous movie-star, or a rock idol, or the President of the United States. These famous folks of renown can all "well live" without us, but this isn't true of God. We could ask ourselves the question, how could we ever make any significant difference to God? It all has to do with...please excuse me...a four-letter word...that word is love. It all has to do with perfect, divine love. ALLOW HIS DIVINE LOVE TO WASH US CLEAN As my wife and daughters love me and need me, God loves us all and needs us all. This kind of love is unconditional. We have our ups-and-downs in this relationship with the Lord, but it's a genuine relationship and it will never ultimately fail. This kind of love overcomes the world. We have all the personal resources we need, right now, to please Him...to allow His love to wash over us, like the waters of the River Jordan washed over me four years ago. In no time at all, God's love in our life will make us a better person...a much better person than we could ever be without His love. It's just that we need a lift from time to time. We need to come to terms with personal value issues, and we do so, when we surrender and accept his love, which makes us whole. Some people think they have nothing significant to give to the Lord. Every single human being in our world has something unique to give in love. The Church is diminished by every believer who doesn't provide his or her unique personal gifts to contribute to the whole. May I wish to each of us in this difficult, dangerous, and heart-wrenching time the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! I am convinced that regular prayer for others, thoughts guided by the Spirit, kind and considerate gestures, cards and letters to family and friends, the regular routine of systematic study of the Bible, making it our regular project to forgive those who have offended us...as our special gift to those who have sorely hurt us and caused us grief, and thanking God in advance that, just at the precise time, (His timing is perfect), the Lord will bring us back to safe and sound to satisfying worship in our sanctuary. In the meantime, we will praise Him. The "still small voice" speaks to us in the midst of all the loud noises of the second decade of the 21st century---the beeping horns, the shouting voices, the endless offers of discounted (price-inflated) goods at the market-place, the screams of the oppressed, the bull-horn platforms of the powerful---but we have peace in our God who continues to keep us on the straight and narrow---we have joy in the assurance the Lord gives us that we will prosper in the land---and we have all we will ever need in Jesus Christ, our Lord, born in Bethlehem, long ago. In the meantime, we will still praise Him. "A voice came to Elijah, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?' Elijah replied, 'I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword...I am the only one left...and now they're trying to kill me, too..." The Lord said to Elijah, 'Go back the way you came...I have reserved seven thousand in Israel...all whose knees haven't bowed down to Baal and all whose moths have not kissed him..." 1 Kings 19:14,18 You are not alone! Merry Christmas to all! Most cordially, Tom
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 Dr Tom Nibbe
A Happy, Blessed Thanksgiving !!! NOTE: Here are QUOTES to make our celebration of Thanksgiving a truly Spiritual one... "...for God didn't give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-disciple..." 2 Tim.1:7 "...be joyful always...pray continually...give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus..." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"...the very fact that we praise God...and not some unknown fate...also means that we are accepting
the fact that God is responsible for what is happening..." Merlin R. Carothers
"...a mind not be changed by place or time...the mind is its own place, and in itself can make---
a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven..." John Milton "...I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength..." Philippians 4:11-13 "...one single thought of gratefulness raised to heaven is the most perfect prayer..." G. E. Lessing PRAYER Gracious Lord, We honor and praise you on the occasion of our Thanksgiving celebration. We pray for those we know and love, but we also pray for those who are less fortunate than us. We ask that they may be blessed with good food and with hope. This year our recognition will be akin to the situation the Pilgrims faced. We remember the Pilgrim example and the choice they made to give thanks even though the average man or woman of their time would have cursed their lot. Although this American occasion comes once each year, we pledge to celebrate thanksgiving with a grateful heart at the beginning of each and every day. No matter our circumstance in life, we will honor you, your unconditional love, and your perfect plan for our lives. Amen. MESSAGE After years of revolution in the remote areas of Peru, the "Sundero Illuminoso" ("Shining Path") finally made their violent, revolutionary way into the outskirts of Lima, San Isidro and Miraflores, in Peru, in the spring of 1991. It was a challenging, violent, horrible time in Peru's history. Meanwhile, our family had packed our bags and settled in by September of 1991. Shama preceded us in order to start school in Peru on time.
But...something else emerged in my heart and mind. The Lord had sent us down at this particular time in Peru's history to do a "unique work" for both foreigners and Peruvian citizens alike. We had already experienced four years as missionaries in Pakistan, also a difficult time with lots of adjustments, so that we really were much more "fully prepared" for the challenges of this extraordinary time than we thought.
EXCUSE ME, PASTOR, YOU STEPPED INTO SOMETHING After our arrival...things changed rapidly and radically...nobody in the entire nation was safe...no one really knew if this would be their last day. It put a "shadow" over all occasions and over all endeavors. We heard rumors of the slaughter of complete villages of Peruvian farmers. By the time we arrived about half the population of Peru had come into the area of Lima. The population arose from 280,000 to eleven million souls. The urban problems were unbelievable. The mighty Rimac River of Francisco Pizarro's day had become a trickling cesspool and stunk to high heaven. Eventually the Peruvian government fell. THINGS GET WORSE Childless couples who had come to Lima to adopt children by the hundreds were stuck in Peru. There were no Peruvian adoptions because there were no "Certification of Adoptions" available. There was no Peruvian government. There were no Peruvian judges to approve and certify adoption of Peruvian children. Pretty soon it was impossible to buy food from the local super market. One day I noted two women in the store fighting over one box of breakfast cereal. Eventually, farmers and fishermen would literally come into Lima to sell on the streets at great risk to produce and their lives. Their presence and sacrifice out of need was a great blessing for us, our neighbors and the members of our church, the Union Church of Lima! Talk about inconvenience...the "Sendero folks" blew up the water-works down the street time and again. Anna Maria--my secretary--and I would go through yet another series of days without bathing...before we came to the office...because there was no water available. When an medical-related emergency would come up at the American Hospital during the night-time, the Embassy staff would pick me up in an armored vehicle. The Shopping Center a number of blocks away was blown to pieces by a Volkswagen bus loaded with aluminum explosives. The impact caused the street to roll up and down like an accordion. There were body-parts everywhere on the street just blocks from us. It was a very scary time. THINGS INTENSIFY Shama and I were fired upon by rebels as we were going up the street walking Toby, our dog...I thought to myself that, indeed, it was time for my daughter to return to the States...I suggested to Priscilla that she go back; she refused...the bodies of CEOs heading up American companies were showing up at their family doorways in body-bags...things were getting desperate. Ambassador Anthony Quainton and Susan at the American Residence decided before bedtime to go down to the kitchen for a snack. At that exact time, their bedroom was blown to bit. They were saved by going downstairs for a simple glass of milk at just the right time. I heard the explosion and called to make sure they were okay. What an experience! You could never really know when it would be your time to die. In the midst of all this, there remained hundreds of adopting parents there. They found they could meet at our church to pass along information and receive encouragement and get Spiritual help. Many women and men who had not attended church for years or decades became regular worshippers. THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS DESTROYED The time came for deployed American personnel with the American Embassy to evacuate the country. Our congregation was diminished by more than half. It was time to go to the "highways and byways" to reach out to other foreigners and English-speaking Peruvians. Among our first converts at this time were the official ambassador representing India and a Chinese business-woman from Beijing... [Before our departure I had received a powerful "word of knowledge" from the Lord that my family and I would return to the United States with two arms, two legs and a head on our shoulders. Had I received the wrong message from the Lord? Had it been the Lord who delivered this message to me? I held on to that sense in the Lord that my family would all return safe and unharmed. Fortunately, Ayesha and Yasmin remained students at the University of California at Berkeley.] THE CONCEPT OF PRAISE IS RECEIVED AND ACCEPTED To keep going on a daily basis I employed the Biblical model for dealing with incredible stress and uncertainty. One Friday, in meeting with a group of over two-hundred of these prospective adoptive parents, including American doctors and German business people, etc., at our church...about half of the crowd received the Lord Jesus as a personal Lord and Savior, upon an informal invitation. It really really paid off in terms of dealing with terrible times. Without a government in operation, these unfortunate people were stuck in Peru...or had to give up their children the ones they were intending to adopt. I remember one young single women from Madison, Wisconsin, who just could not stand what she had to go through...after a year...she gave up her prospective son and returned back home. She was completely spent. A powerful notion continued to inspire and guide both Priscilla and I during these challenging times. I noted an entry in my diary for December 9, 1991: "Praise is based on a total and joyful acceptance of the present as part of God's loving, perfect will for us...You cannot be a person of faith in Christ and not understand this essential of the Christian faith. Praise is not based on what we think or hope will happen in the future. It means living in a hope that will not disappoint us. This understanding is an absolute principle of what praise is for us..." Without that challenge to the "reasonable me" I would not have survived myself. So, why is it, that, when we encounter situations in which we are truly challenged...we think---what we are experiencing---is something we shouldn't have to go through and something we do not deserve. Some of us go to the limit! We get the idea that we are being punished for something unknown that completely knocks us off our feet---or---that it's the penalty for some very painful, remembered sin or indiscretion? Is God in the business of gleefully punishing faithful, though imperfect, Christian men and women? The Bible tells us this is never true. Dear friends, not my God, not my Savior! Saint Augustine was right...put your faith in Christ...do all you can...no more...the Lord will do the rest. Just live abundantly as free men and women in His love! He will eventually bless us even though we sometimes dont' recognize it and we don't think we deserve it! It has to do with a powerful concept in a single "four-letter word" --- and that word of blessing is...love. Divine, Unconditional, Love We recall the Scripture which reminds us, "...and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who are called according to His purpose..." Romans 8:28. We pause for a minute to wonder what Saint Paul was thinking when he wrote those words. We may think..."Well, Paul never had to go through anything like I am going through...". For this reason, we go back to the New Testament to note further clarification from Paul: "...as servants of God, we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance, in troubles, hardships and distresses, in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger..." 2 Corinthians 6:4-5. Paul knew suffering and pain to the maximum, but he never complained, nor had a "fall-through" of faith, because he came to know what he wrote about in Romans 8:28, above. It is a verse all of us need to memorize...and more important...live in confidence. HUMAN SUFFERING HAS A DIVINE PURPOSE FOR A FALLEN WORLD It is such a blessing for me, also, to know that Jesus suffered the way He did. On one hand, it suggests to me that when I suffer, I share my suffering with Christ's suffering for the redemption of the world... Being fully human, even though I know I am not God, I share in the fellowship of "being filled with the measure of the fullness of God", as Paul would say. We are made complete through all experiences in life, not just the pleasant ones. We are reasonable beings, but faith extends that limitation. Second of all, it means to me that God understands us when we suffer. In and through the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ we know that God totally comprehends the our nature and human suffering. He comprehends times when we are tempted to do something that is wrong. He can empathize when we go through physical, emotional, and mental suffering. He understands our feellings of shame, guilt and regret. Through Jesus --- God becomes "Emmanuel", "God with us". Therefore, our suffering is not in vain. It has definite purpose and meaning for our lives. Paul stresses...rejoice in the Lord always! "...we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed..." 2 Corinthians 4:7-10 Why is it, that, when we are experiencing inconvenient, or unfortunate, or painful situations in life we sometimes or often question the providence of God in our lives. Our vision in life needs to be expanded to the extent that we know (for certain) that in all things God works for the good of those He loves. CONTENTMENT IN LIFE GOES BEYOND OUR KNOWLEDGE OR REASON "...and I pray that you being rooted and established in live, may have power together with all the saints to grasp how wide and long and high is the love of Christ, and to know the love that surpasses knowledge---that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God..." Ephesians 3:17b-19 Now how does an account of what happened to the Nibbe family in the 1990s have to do with what we are experiencing these days in 2020. As our pastoral family prospered in desperate times in Peru, we are definitely experiencing terrible times in our country, as well as around the world. You can't go anywhere in the world without practicing the safety measures we are practicing here in America. There is reasonable and unreasonable fear. There is terrible uncertainty. There is a degree of political upheaval, but not to the extent we experienced in South America. Anybody can get sick. Any infection can lead to death. If Auntie Betty in Ladysmith, Wisconsin, can be infected by Covid-19, anybody can. Everybody knows it is totally reasonable to be concerned in this situation. GOD'S PERFECT LOVE DRIVES OUT FEAR The difference for those of us who have placed their faith in the Savior is that "perfect love drives out fear" 1 John 4:18...we play it safe...we remain healthy...we do good as we shelter...but most of all...in Christ we know that we are well. This time of pandemic and other serious insecurities of the age are something God calls us to live in...and live through. We pay attention to what's going on, but we are nonetheless knowledgeable that we are called for this present challenge.
We are not fearful because we are meant to live in this time, stand up to the challenge, and not only survive, but prosper. That we do in Christ...who gives us confidence and strength to stand... Cordially, Tom |
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