A Balm in Gilead

2 Kings 5:1-14 (Naaman, the Leper)

Stories of leprosy in the Bible have special interest to me. While living in Liberia, Africa, one of my many parishes was a leprosy center near-by. I would traditionally walk (or ride a bike) there for worship services or visiting the sick, serving this community set aside because of their leprosy and the stigma that went along with it.

Among the additional contacts I had with them was the purchasing of fresh pork which they delivered to my door. They had a hog farm on their compound where they raised and butchered the pigs when ready for market. Those who would buy from them were often missionaries or other foreigners who lived in Liberia as the locals were afraid of the leprosy these people carried. They were lacking toes or fingers or had scars on their faces and neck—all signs of the leprosy that was eating away their bodies. Because those who did the butchering often lacked fingers, the cut meat was rough and the exact piece of pork somewhat unidentifiable. Our purchasing their pork gave them critical money resources.

Various arts and crafts were also carried out. Some men and women discovered that they had an artistic gift which was not to be defined or hindered by their lack of fingers. From them I bought a carving of an elephant which is my absolute favorite. It does not look like the other carvings of elephants which I collected during my time in Liberia which are “properly” shaped. This one has its own distinct characteristics. Yet, it is special to me. I have a good idea of how difficult it must have been for the man who did this work. To see him hold a tool with his palms and a thumb and then form an elephant or deer was miraculous.

Is it not possible that carving animals and things he saw in nature or in his mind was a type of healing for him? Was this not a way for him to feel whole again despite his deformities? There were many lepers who had found ways to be productive, whole people despite their leprosy.

In the Biblical story of Naaman the leper, we read how Naaman wanted a miraculous, dramatic cure. It took his servants to remind Naaman that God does not necessarily use big, tumultuous means to bring wholeness or newness to his children. Elisha merely said, “Wash, and be clean.” Through those simple words and waters of an insignificant creek, Naaman was made whole.

A take-away for me is that despite that which cripples, limits, or hinders me from being the “perfect” person I wish I was, God has designed for me healing moments where I can express my wholeness. Maybe I can still paint, sing, write, carve, bake, make birdhouses, care for animals, send words of encouragement to others, baby-sit, coach, hike, or tell my faith story to others. You can add your own niche of talents or interests to the list. Praise God for these gifts that bring joy to yourself, your family, your community. Sometimes your gift changes the lives of others whether you know it or not.

Prayer: Thank you God for the healing you give to me through the small things I can do. When even those things evade me, draw me ever nearer to you through prayer, memory, and your all-enduring love. Amen.

Song: “There Is a Balm in Gilead” – An African American Spiritual

Character Reference

Psalm 145:9
The LORD (Yahweh God) is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.

What kind of God do we have? Some words that come to my mind are: Awesome! Extravagant! Creator God—compassionate, caring, loving, welcoming! Provider God for his creation—all people!

In Isaiah 55 is the picture of God inviting all to a feast where everything is free! Come, God says, come as you are, no limitations to social standing or dress codes! Come with your thirsty throats and empty bellies, weak bodies, broken hearts, and uncertain future.

God, who came to earth as Jesus that we might know God and learn how to live in God’s kingdom on earth, says,

“Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy & eat!  Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” (Isaiah 55:1)

What an extravagant God!  As the TV ad says, “Some things are priceless!” This is the invitation: “Come…for I, your God, know what you need before you even ask. I am the One who created you. I will provide.”

When we lived in Vilnius, Lithuania, we met a homeless man. Jerome trusted that promise of God. How he learned it, I do not know. But each day he made his way to the garbage cans behind our apartment. He would scrounge through the leftover food to find his daily bread. We came to know his routine and so began to make an extra sandwich or such to set out next to the garbage cans for his food.

We never let him know who provided it. On Sundays, he’d come to church and sit in the back of the building: hearing God’s Word, praying, and listening to the music. It was in English and he did not speak the language. But Jerome was there. Afterwards, he’d stay for coffee and cookies. He found a place where he was welcome. Other churches had sent him away—he smelled badly, and they suspected he only came for the food.

God says, “You shall call nations that you do not know… because of the Lord your God…” God who provides, invites us into his presence and walks with us daily (Isaiah 55:5).

God also has a directive: “Go and tell others about me and the free gifts I give of hope, peace, and love. Invite those who are not like you...from other nations, cultures, economic brackets, races, even those with unusual quirks or lifestyles, into your circle of friends as Jesus did. Bring them into your home or house of worship…so that you may get to know them as you listen to them, and you will see why they are special to me just as you are special to me. Share your spiritual stories with one another…and praise God together!” Read Psalm 145 which affirms who God is: gracious, compassionate, patient, loving, and good to all!

Prayer: God of hope and promise, help us to be your hands of love as we share what we have with others. Give us compassion so we constantly live as you would have us live. Amen.

Song: “Let Streams of Living Justice” by William Whitla    ELW 710

Tyger Penson

Jesus: Present and Ready in our Lives

On Easter Sunday, Pastor Doug preached a sermon entitled “Jesus and the Big Floppy Hat.” The reference is to Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene in the garden following his resurrection. Mary had come early that Sunday morning to the tomb but discovered it was empty. Mary is devastated and weeps. When she turns around, Jesus is standing there but she does not recognize him because she does not expect to see him. Mistaking Jesus for a gardener (thus the image of a “big floppy hat”), she asks the gardener to show her where Jesus has been buried. It is only when Jesus calls her name, Mary, that she realizes that Jesus is right there, beside her!

I love that imagery. It is so like Jesus to show up when we least expect him. In Luke 24, two followers of Jesus were making their way home when a third man joins them “but their eyes were kept from recognizing them.” They have been talking about the happenings in Jerusalem. When Jesus questions them, they reiterate the events of Jesus:

…the things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive.  Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.

This time, even though Jesus engaged in conversation with them, it was not until they were sitting at table in their home and Jesus took “took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them” that their eyes were opened.

Again, it happened in the upper room when Jesus appeared to his disciples. You and I can imagine their asking, what are we to do now? It required Jesus to show them his hands and feet with the nail marks in them for them to believe that this is indeed Jesus. A similar story is told at the end of the Gospel of John. The disciples have returned to their fishing, and Jesus appears to them on the shore and shares breakfast with them. John concludes that now none of the disciples needed to ask him who he was, “because they knew it was the Lord.”

What does it take for us to realize the very presence of God through Jesus in our daily lives? When we are at our wits end, when we feel the most alone or deserted, Jesus is there. Often, if we open our hearts and minds, we see Jesus in a neighbor who has cleared snow from our driveway, a friend who has called us to check up on us, a friendly cashier at the grocery shopping, a doctor who listens carefully to our concerns, or a stranger who gives a dollar to help pay for a much-needed prescription when the funds have run out. Jesus is with us whether we know it or not. Praise God for that!

Prayer: You’ve shown up again, God! Thank you for Easter reminders of your continued presence and care for us. Thank you for being present and ready in our lives, today and always. Amen.

What if? What now?

Mark 16: 1-8

On February 22, several years ago, news was released from Portland, Oregon that there had been a terrible accident! Apparently, as their mother lay dead in middle of night, four year old Aryanna dragged her seriously injured little sister, Lylah, about 20 feet from the crashed car. The two girls huddled under a blanket and waited. The car was stuck deep in woods; there were no skid marks on highway; the crash site was almost impossible to detect. The girls waited hours for help.

Two commercial fishermen, Kraig McClure and Scott Beutler, were driving along State Highway 401 between Astoria, Oregon, and Naselle, Washington. In the distance what appeared to be a basketball-sized gash in an alder tree made them slow down—they had a gut feeling something was wrong. “I don’t know exactly what told us to turn around, but I’m just really thankful we did,” McClure said. They spotted the wrecked car a few hundred feet from the road. Nearby were two very scared, confused little girls. Mother was dead. The state trooper who responded to the 911 said keeping warm under the blanket was vital.

What if Aryanna had not helped her little sister out? What if those fishermen had not acted on their hunch? What if they had not called 911? What if… There are so many “what ifs” in our lives!

There is another “What if?” What if:     

·        God had given up on us and not come into the world through Jesus to show us how to live in God’s Kingdom on earth

·        God had not included an empty tomb in his plan

·        No one had shared the resurrection story?

Read the Easter story found in Mark 16. Then consider the “What if?”

·        The women had decided to skip the anointing because of its interference with Sabbath, had said, “It’s too late now” on that Sunday morning, and never showed up?

·        God had not “so loved the world that he gave his only Son?”

·        We do not tell the story or live as though it’s true but simply dismiss it as unimportant?

·        We had never heard the story? Never knew resurrection? Never had resurrection hope?

WHAT IF? What we must decide today is, NOW WHAT?

Prayer: Thanks be to You, O God! Jesus is risen, we have heard the story, and Jesus is going before us--always! Praise God we know the “Now What?” Amen.

Song:  “Christ Is Alive! Let Christians Sing”            ELW 389

Tyger Penson     4-5-15

LET THE PROCESSIONS BEGIN

Mark 11:1-10

My most memorable Palm Sunday celebrations come from living in Liberia, Africa. On Palm Sunday morning, a nucleus of singers and church leaders gathered at Phoebe Hospital with drums and long palm branches. From there, around 7 a.m., the procession began with drums playing and singers singing, moving from one member’s home to another. Out of their huts came young and old to join the march, palm branches waving. From one village to another, the singing and gathering would take place. Those who were in the adjoining homes would hear the good news being sung, witness the joyful procession, and sometimes join in. Around 9:30 or 10 a.m. the by now long procession would return down the main road to the worship center at Phoebe Hospital and the worship would begin! I remember one year when red ants ran up and down my palm branch, nibbling at my arms, making the carrying of it a challenge, to say the least!

When I recall the Palm Sunday event, repeated year after year, I realize it was a powerful witness to the Christian gospel. We were telling the story of God’s love through song and action to everyone in each of those villages!

Perhaps we can celebrate Palm Sunday this year thanking God for the many ways we have found to bring God’s message of love and hope to people throughout this past year. We may not have been able to worship God in traditional ways inside church buildings, join processions, plan Easter breakfasts, or even gather for studies and prayer. But our pastors and leadership have found creative ways to go to our villages and homes through YouTube, Facebook, and a multitude of other ways to tell the story of God’s love through Jesus that leads us to the Resurrection. Just like those men and women singing and dancing their way through the villages of Liberia, there are some new folks who are hearing the message and responding in wonderful ways.

A few days ago, I saw a huge sign:

JOY TO THE WORLD
   RESURRECTION

Today I saw another sign saying:

EASTER—THE REST OF THE STORY

Think about it! We begin with God’s story of bringing in a new way of knowing and understanding God. We call it Christmas, the “Joy to the World” time in the middle of the winter. When spring breaks forth with new flowers, we celebrate Easter—the fulfillment of God’s revelation and saving power in Jesus—the rest of the story. It is no wonder that we sing and dance and participate in processions and worship the Living God who loves us each so much. It happens even before that wondrous day comes—when we wave branches and sing joyfully with hope like those early followers of Jesus on that Palm Sunday—the day that brings in the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus!

Let the processions continue through the year when we celebrate and invite and share the good news of Jesus, God’s special way of showing us who God is and what wondrous life God has prepared for us!

Prayer: Joy to the World—You have come!

Alleluia—You lead the way! You are risen, alleluia!

God in Jesus, help us share this good news with everyone. Amen.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE DOUGHNUT AND NOT ON THE HOLE

John 17:20-26 

When we were first married, we were house parents for ten emotionally disturbed and juvenile delinquent boys, the label used at the time. We learned quickly that part of living, including family and other relationships, involves conflict. After all, not everyone feels good all the time or agrees on a given subject. There will be bursts of selfishness, over-inflated emotions, and sensitive feelings. It can create difficult times. We kept trying to see the best in each boy, not focusing on their problems or weaknesses. We decided that we would “keep our eyes on the donut, and not on the hole!”

We, as God’s church or as God’s people, can expect no less. It is so easy to look at others’ faults, the places where we disagree, and then judge them, puffing ourselves up and putting them down. These difficult and trying times can be minimized or resolved if we “Keep our eyes on the donut and not on the hole!”

John 17 records Jesus praying for us and for our unity. It is a most revealing prayer. We are eavesdropping on an intimate exchange of conversation between Jesus and God, the Father. And guess what! Jesus is praying for us, that we might be one with other believers, “so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” It is a prayer for Christian unity. Jesus believes that if we are one with our brothers and sisters in Christ, then unbelievers will become believers! This happens, according to Jesus, when we become one with God; intimately connected with other believers as God and Jesus are one.

Ole and Lena were driving their car through the Great Smoky Mountains, enthralled with its beauty.
They parked their car by a stand that rented bicycles built for two and, in an impulsive moment, decided to rent a bicycle and ride to the top of a nearby mountain. Ole got on in front with Lena behind. On the way up, Ole was struggling. Finally, he stood on the pedals, huffing and puffing; sweat pouring down his face until they reached the top. At the top of the mountain, Ole looked at Lena: “Oh boy that was tough. I didn’t think that we were going to make it!” to which Lena replied, “Oh, I know, Ole, I was so scared that we were going to roll backwards that I had the brakes on the whole way.” That is how it is when Christians cannot get along. They may be headed in the same direction, but they are working at cross purposes.

So how do we become one with other Christians, even if we do not totally agree with them? We keep our eyes on the donut, and not the hole. That means we endeavor to focus not on what divides us but on what unites us. And through practicing the Christian principles of

• ·        Holding one another up

• ·        Using our time for positive actions and words

• ·        Watching our tongue

• ·        Understanding why and how others do things

• ·        Prayer

We will become the people Jesus prayed we would become: “May they all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

 Prayer: Amen! Amen! May we fulfill Christ’s prayer for us!

Song: “We Are All One in Christ”               ELW 643

Something New Can Happen (Isaiah 43:16-19)

In the time of the prophet Isaiah, the Jewish people were filled with crises. Babylonian armies had attacked Judea earlier in the century and a large segment of the population of Judah now lived as captives or exiles along the banks of the Euphrates. They were spiritually alienated from their religious environment and lived among people with other gods. Economically, they were fairly well off, prospering in commerce and trade. Back home those left behind in Judah lived in ruins and survived by plundering the land. There was a lot of anxiety and uncertainty.

Isaiah wants to direct the attention of this exiled people beyond tragedy to a vision of restoration of a vital faith community. He assures them that no matter where they are, God’s presence is with them. So Isaiah speaks of God’s saving activity in history: “Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick.” They are comforting words, a reminder of God’s presence at the Exodus events when God led them out of slavery in Egypt.

Just when memories of the Exodus take hold, they hear “Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old.” Isaiah says they can’t keep looking back at what was. There is hope now.  The newest threat to freedom is their own prison of lethargy and even their memory of the past.

Instead, God has a message for them:  “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” God is encountered in the ever-changing events of history, past and future. God calls them to look ahead and be open to the future. God will be with them in the potentially perilous happenings they now face as God has always been.

Today we face unprecedented upheavals in life as we’ve known it. We feel trapped in our homes and are invaded by fear from media and leaders. Yet we hear God speaking once more, saying, do not look back to what was, a new thing can come out of this.

I sit in my office and wonder what I or we can do to make this “new thing” emerge. If we all pray for guidance to help make something new and good come out of this pandemic and other disasters, we might find a new purpose for our time. Perhaps this is a time to take out our Christmas lists and contact those people with love and support. Maybe this is the time to re-read our Bibles. It is time for us to consider how we can be part of God’s new thing to come.

God, you constantly do new things to bring hope and promise into our lives and world. Help me to keep that vision of hope alive in my life and commit myself to sharing your hope with others. Amen.

Song: “O God, Our Help in Ages Past” by Isaac Watts

Pastor Tyger Penson

3-18-20

Esther saves her people

Esther 7:3

[The king asks,] “What is your petition, Queen Esther?” Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have won your favor, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me—that is my petition—and the lives of my people—that is my request.”

In the Wonder Woman story, Diana is a princess on a hidden and secluded island ruled by women warriors. Her world is upended when a WWI fighter pilot crashes off the shoreline and tells her of the war threatening the entire planet. Diana decides to help him by using her newfound superhuman powers as Wonder Woman to help restore global peace.

Now consider this. In the book of Esther, Esther was a biblical heroine who saved the Jewish people. She is recognized mostly for her strength, bravery, and dignity. She was chosen by the Persian King Ahasuerus to be his wife in a contest, not knowing she was a Jew. All the Persian King could see was an incredibly beautiful woman. When the king’s right-hand man, Haman, came up with a plan to kill the Jews, Esther’s uncle Mordechai found her and pleaded with her to spare Israel. Even though she was the King’s wife, she knew she was not allowed to approach him without invitation, and if she did, it could end in death. But she believed she was chosen by God to save her own people and agreed to go in front of the king anyway to win his favor and save her people, the Jews. Esther foils the plan of Haman and wins permission from the king for the Jews to kill their enemies if necessary, and they do so.  Israel is spared.

It almost sounds like a Wonder Woman story! For the Jewish people, it is a wondrous story of a woman who uses the gifts that God has given her to bring hope and life to her people. Who would have expected such a deliverance from a female? God empowered Esther then and empowers us today to make a difference.

The story of Esther is celebrated as The Feast of Purim yearly by the Jewish people to this day just as it was declared in the 9th chapter of Esther. The exact date is flexible but in 2021 it will be celebrated from sunset on February 25 to nightfall on February 26. To celebrate this occasion of Jewish deliverance, the story of Esther is read, food is shared, joyful music is heard, plays enacted, gifts are given to the poor, and often parades are held.

The name of “God” in not mentioned once in the book of Esther but it is obvious that (G-d) God was actively “pulling the strings” to care for His nation. Because Purim celebrates a miracle in which (G-d) God’s presence was hidden, people often “hide” behind costumes. Both adults and kids can dress up which sounds a bit like Halloween. Additionally, Haman’s edict catalyzed a spiritual revival among the Jews. In a sense, this was even more significant than the Covenant at Sinai.

Mordecai, a solid, faithful, godly man, and Esther were two dedicated people of God. Praise God for Esther and Mordecai! Praise God for all those who are willing to step out for God to bring hope and peace to others. Amen.

"But there is a God..."

Daniel answered the king, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or diviners can show to the king the mystery that the king is asking, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries …” (Daniel 2:27-28)

The book of Daniel takes place early in the Jewish captivity in Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar in 605 B.C. Daniel lived for approximately 60 years under several kings.

The book is famous for two stories popular for Sunday School materials. One is the proclamation of King Nebuchadnezzar to have anyone who does not fall down and worship him, the king, to be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who refused to worship anyone other than God, were thrown into the fire, but were saved, “the hair of their heads was not singed, their tunics were not harmed, and not even the smell of fire came from them.” God had saved them. It was a turning point for the king who declares,

“Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him. They disobeyed the king’s command and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.” (Daniel 3:25-29)

Later in the story (be sure to read it yourself), there is a conspiracy against Daniel by the presidents and satraps, his peers, to get rid of him. Faced with a Lion’s Den, once more God saves Daniel: “No kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.” Once again a king, this time Darius, makes an edict for the God of Daniel to be recognized: “For he is the living God, enduring forever. His kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion has no end.” (Daniel 6:26)

These stories emphasize the power of our own action when we stand on the side of God, never giving into human power or popularity. Over and over, we hear “BUT THERE IS A GOD” who reveals mysteries, who delivers life, who lives forever, and who works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth. We become not only a faithful servant of God but also a mighty witness for God so that others can see the God whom we know. Taking such a stance is not for the weak or the wishy-washy. It takes courage and trust in the very God upon whom we rely. But the results are worth the commitment!

In chapter 10, Daniel has a vision.

“A hand touched me and roused me to my hands and knees. He said to me, “Daniel, greatly beloved, pay attention to the words that I am going to speak to you. Stand on your feet, for I have now been sent to you…Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.” (Daniel 10:10-12)

Those are the words that God speaks to us also when we allow ourselves to be servants of God—prophets or missionaries or workers in a not so perfect world. I am not sure these stories are for children especially; but they are challenges for the mature and committed followers of God.

Prayer: O God, we seek your mercy. We praise you for your wisdom and power. Reveal to us the knowledge to speak your Word and to represent you daily in the way we live. May we be like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Amen.

Getting Off Course

Psalm 26:9-10

“God leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.”

Years ago we were traveling from Montana to Colorado for Thanksgiving. We stopped for coffee at Buffalo, Wyoming and then hopped on the freeway for the five and a half hour drive to our daughter’s home for dinner. We were right on schedule!

We started planning a big project that was upcoming and the traffic was good. Then suddenly we saw a sign announcing Sundance, Wyoming.  Wait a moment! That’s not on Interstate 25! We discovered that at Buffalo the Interstate makes a junction with I 25 going south, and I 90 continuing east which is where we found ourselves!  We had gone over two hours due east.

With a quick exit at Sundance, we checked our map (before GPS) and found a route we could take. Then we called Julie. We had lost those two hours with still over five hours to go and now we were not on schedule.

That so defines our lives. Sometimes we just lose our way. We are preoccupied with “things”, which are often very important projects or responsibilities, and we suddenly find we have ignored other things that are also valuable—the way we know we must take in order to reach our goal.

Praise God that we found another route that would bring us to our destination. Praise God that Julie and her family were willing to wait for us and even waited to have dinner with us! Praise God that when we get distracted or off-course, God puts up signs to warn us, maps to help us correct our ways, and then is always waiting for our arrival back on course with God! Praise God for the 10 Commandments to aid us in our journey of life.

Prayer: Holy Spirit of God, you show us how to walk in your ways but sometimes we stray off course. Forgive us. Thank you also, for alerting us to the way we should go and helping us get back on-track. Amen.

Song: “Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me”    ELW 755

Jesus, Savior, pilot me,
Over life’s tempestuous sea;
Unknown waves before me roll,
Hiding rock and treach’rous shoal;
Chart and compass came from Thee:
Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

As a mother stills her child,
Thou canst hush the ocean wild;
Boist’rous waves obey Thy will
When Thou say’st to them, “Be still!”
Wondrous Sov’reign of the sea,
Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

When at last I near the shore,
And the fearful breakers roar
’Twixt me and the peaceful rest,
Then, while leaning on Thy breast,
May I hear Thee say to me,
“Fear not, I will pilot thee.”