Even the Stones Cry Out

 Luke 24:1-5

“They found the stone rolled away from the tomb”

 My eyes are often drawn to stones. Some jut up out of the ocean so seagulls have a place to perch, small pebbly ones lay the bed for a stream, others become the foundation for a home. They have purpose.  

Easter is a time that Christians know also focuses upon stones.  The tomb in which they laid Jesus was newly hewn from stone.  A large stone covered the entry to the tomb where Jesus was buried.  It sealed the tomb to keep robbers and others out.  Such a large stone rolled across the entry to a stone tomb should have signified the end of Jesus and all those who mourned him would remember “the good old days” when Jesus was with them. They would live life with only the memories.

 Yet such is not the story of Christians that has been passed down from one generation to another—not the story of those who have experienced the presence of the living Jesus in their lives—not the story as recorded in all four Biblical Gospel accounts. Luke says:

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they [the women] came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women] were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but he has risen!”

 The stone was rolled away!  Jesus did not stay in the tomb but arose on Easter so that we might have life and hope and joy. Celebrate this event! God offers each of us new life in the risen Jesus we call the Christ. Even the stone shouts out with promise and Good News!  May you experience Easter joy and hope in your life today and in the days and months ahead.

 Prayer: Risen Jesus! We sing praise to you! We raise our hearts and hands in thanksgiving. Empower us to live our lives in the joy of your grace and love. Amen

Forgiving: Should, Won't, Can't, Must--Help!

Luke 23:34

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

Bringing my sandwich to an outdoor table, a mature woman at a nearby table was in deep conversation. As I was sitting down, she said, “I know I should forgive her, but I won’t. I just can’t! Roger is more willing to let go of it but I just…”

How sad. She did not appear to be a happy person. A non-forgiving spirit will not bring peace or happiness. The only person she is hurting is herself, and perhaps the relationship she has with her husband.

What would she feel if she was the one who had “blown it” and ruptured relationships? What about God?

I’ve often wondered what it would be like if every time I messed up really bad, if I did what made God very unhappy, I discovered God saying, “Sorry! I know I should forgive you but I won’t. Live with it!”

Since Jesus is the revelation of God in human form, I turn to see what Jesus does. People ran him out of town (Luke 4:28-30) when he said and did things that caused them to be “filled with rage.” Yet Jesus continued to show them how God loves and accepts them.

Judas betrays him with a kiss and hands him over to his enemies (Luke 22:47-54). In response, Jesus doesn’t draw a sword but when a soldier arresting him has his ear cut off, Jesus heals it.  Peter, that solid and bold disciple betrayed him, claiming he did not know this Jesus, but because of forgiveness, Peter becomes a major leader in the church in the days following Jesus’ ascension.

From the cross, Jesus cries, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing”  (Luke 23:34). Sometimes, we forgive because God asks us to. There is no need to reason why the other does what he/she does. Jesus taught his disciples to pray “And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us” (Luke 11:4). Forgive, forgive, forgive is what Jesus says.

Where do you stand on the issue of forgiveness? Which of the following identify you: “I will forgive, or I won’t forgive, or I can’t forgive. Seek God’s help to be a forgiving person.

Prayer: Lord, I know that I need to forgive and to accept forgiveness. My pride stands in the way. My feelings have been hurt. Holy Spirit of God, enter into me, ply my heart and give me the courage to forgive.  Amen.

Song: “God, When Human Bonds Are Broken” by Fred Kaan, 1989 Hope Publishing Co.     ELW 603

God! When human bonds are broken and we lack the love or skill
to restore the hope of healing, give us grace and make us still.

Through that stillness, with your Spirit come into our world of stress,
for the sake of Christ forgiving all the failures we confess.

Lane Penson       2-8-17  

Follow Me

Luke 9:23-25

Then Jesus said to them all, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me”

The following story is told in relation to Jesus inviting us to follow him.

A young woman, not confident in driving in the snow, had been told by her dad, that if it snowed when driving, she should wait until she saw a snowplow and just follow that!

The day came when it really snowed. When she got to her car, she waited for a snowplow to come and then began to follow it. Half an hour later, the snow-plow came to a halt and its driver walked back to the young woman in the car. “Why are you following me?” he asked.  The woman told him the instructions she had received from her father, to which the driver said, “Well, I’m finished plowing the WalMart parking lot. If you want to follow me, I’ll be going to Best Buy next.”

It makes a difference who you follow and why. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” If we follow Jesus, we are sure to be on the right track. Jesus said, “Follow me.”

In I Kings 18:20, Ahab gathered the Israelite people together along with the prophets at Mount Carmel. The prophet Elijah came among them saying, “How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” Make up your mind! Who will you follow? The answer to that question, makes all the difference in your life! 

In The Message translation by Eugene Peterson, Luke 9:23-25 states,

Then Jesus told them what they could expect for themselves: “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you?”

An old Gospel song says,

Follow, I will follow Thee my Lord.
Follow, every passing day.
My tomorrows are all known to Thee.
Thou wilt lead me all the way.

Prayer: Lord, I know I sometimes make foolish decisions. I really do want to follow you and your ways. Help me stay on track—right with you. Amen.

Rock Solid

Luke 6:47-49

Jesus said, “I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built.”  

I recall our travels in central Greece and our stop near Kalambaka at Meteora, a group of Eastern Orthodox monasteries built on natural sandstone rock pillars, looming high in the sky. They were first inhabited by monks who lived in caves on these pinnacles, then monasteries were built as places of refuge. They were solitary places which eventually were sought out by monks for safety from political upheaval. The monks literally lived in houses built on rock, and here they spent time in prayer and meditation in their attempt to follow Jesus.

Jesus challenges us who hear his call to follow him, to consider the cost. This story is about “hearing the Word of God” and “doing the Word of God” and about discipleship.

Like us, Jesus lived in a very political setting, but politics was not his agenda. Jesus spent his life walking down roads and through towns dominated by Herod’s politics, past buildings shaped by Herod’s power, and through communities at the mercy of Herod’s whims. Yet Jesus never gave these the time of day.

To build our house on the Word of God—to say “yes” to Jesus’ call, “Follow me”—means we are called to do things as Jesus would do them: to walk into a network of souls, a web of personal relationships, following Jesus into the nicks and corners of life! To build our house on the Word of God means we get ourselves deeply involved in a language that includes all of God’s creation: personal, relational, and participatory. To follow Jesus means we protest injustice, repent of our sins, and worship God with all that we have.

To build our house on rock, the Word of God, simply means we follow Jesus. It is not a path of privilege, not a way to get what we want, and not the inside-track to a higher standard of living. Like monks and pilgrims making their way up to the top of Meteora, it is difficult—no escalators—just a hard climb! Jesus said, “If you want to become my follower, deny yourself and take up your cross.”

Building our lives on the Word of God, like a house built on rock, may take much effort and will at times be difficult. But when the storms of life come, and many will, we will be able to stand firm; for God, our rock and our salvation, is with us!

Song: “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less”

Ambassador

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

So, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation… So, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”  

It is a very high honor for a person to be appointed as an ambassador for one’s government. It indicates a high level of respect and trust for that person by governing officials. The ambassador will be representing the nation and its government at many high level meetings with Ambassadors from other countries. The ambassador will learn many things considered confidential in nature and other things that need to be shared.

In 2 Corinthians 5:20, Paul says we have been appointed by God to be God’s ambassadors: to bring the message that God has done in Christ Jesus all that needs to be done for a full reconciliation to take place between God and the people of God’s world-like us!

So, what does that message look like? It embodies a vision when all of God’s creation will be one. It shows us as people who do not hold a grudge. It demonstrates our walking with “the other”, side by side, with love and joy and humility. It means we serve one another, act with justice, and consider the impact of our decision-making upon the stranger and neighbor.

 SONG: “We Are Called” by David Haas (1988) ELW 720

PRAYER: 

Thank you God
For birthing us in your image,
Washing and naming us yours in baptism,
Spiriting us through the days and decisions of our youth,
And now inviting us, as we have been served by you
To serve others in your name.  Amen

Darkness

Isaiah 9:2

“And the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light, those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined.”

Today we find ourselves groping in the darkness. There is so much despair. We are facing losses; our grief is beyond description. There are family disfunctions, sickness that sneaks up on us or overpowers us, and deaths that wrench our hearts and souls. Then we add war and senseless killings, hatreds, fears, and pandemics. The skies of our lives become dark, almost impenetrable.

O Lord, why? Why?

My brother faced such darkness many times. He had awful physical conditions. He was accused of misdoings. His son died of a brain tumor. His wife died after a two-year battle with cancer. Whenever he was at his lowest point—when he was not sure he could go on—he turned to the Psalms. For instance, he would read the words from Psalm 31:

Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye wastes away from grief, my soul and body also. For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my misery, and my bones waste away.

He found healing and hope as he delved into the Psalms. There he found the reminder of the goodness of God, and hope to live on. For instance, he turned to Psalm 40:1-3

I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.

In your times of deep trouble, listen to the cries of the psalmist, hear God’s Love in their words of promise and hope. You are not alone.

PRAYER: Today, I pray with the psalmist, “Do not, O Lord, withhold your mercy from me; let your steadfast love and your faithfulness keep me safe forever.” Amen

Broken Crayons Still Color

John 8:1-11
Jesus says, “Go your way, and from now on do not sin again”

There is a moving story in the Bible of a woman, “caught in the very act of committing adultery” being brought to Jesus by some “upright” men of the community—Pharisees and others. They are calling her out as a sinner, an adulterous, before Jesus and the “people” who are gathered to hear Jesus. Noteworthy is the fact that they do not bring the man, the accomplice, as well.

How awful that moment must have been for the woman. It would also have been an embarrassing time for many in the audience who see this neighbor of theirs being shamed. Not only that, but the “righteous men” are suggesting she be stoned publicly for this “crime.” Worse yet, they are doing it to test Jesus and see if they can make him slip up and then they can condemn him for breaking Jewish law. We might say, they could “kill two birds with one stone” as the saying goes.

Jesus, looks at these conniving men, asks them if they themselves are without sin. If so, do as Moses says. One by one they leave the scene. Now the woman alone stands before Jesus (and the silent, watching crowd). Jesus says to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” The woman looks around, sees none of these men who have so humiliated her, and replies, “No one, sir!” Then Jesus says, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.” You can read about this in John 8:1-11.

What I find interesting is the invitation that Jesus gives to the woman and to us. You may have done things you should not have done, you may be a broken vessel, but I do not hold that against you. Take a new path in life, find a fresh purpose for your life. You may be a broken crayon, but you can still color. There is hope for you. There are lives you may touch, color, brighten that will bring honor to your family, friends, neighbors, and in so doing, give glory to God who created you, who forgives you, who loves you—no matter what!

The phrase, “Broken Crayons Still Color” comes from a true story book by David Weaver. I have not read it. However, I understand that it is a story of a man’s journey into and out of the drug scene. As the promo for the book says, “This is a story of addiction and redemption, of overcoming some of life’s most overwhelming obstacles with the help of God and his most qualified angels.”

We all are broken crayons of various shades and sizes. But, we also have so much potential to change, to bring goodness into our world wherever we are, and to help others through the rough times of their lives. What a privilege that is!

Prayer: Gracious, forgiving, renewing God, help us to color your world with hope and peace. Amen

Song: “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” by George N. Allen

Introducing Jesus

INTRODUCING JESUS

Acts 8:26-40

Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. (Acts 8:35)

I was just thinking of the youth that came to stay with us when we had the Remand Home for the City of New Westminster, BC. These were teenagers who were in trouble and needed a safe place to live while they awaited the court system, the law enforcement, and the Social Service people to determine what their future would be.

One of them, Barbara, came to us as with a drug problem. She was with us for many months. One day, she slipped out of the house and had a second encounter with her enemy, drugs. She was returned to us by the police. We took turns sitting beside her, hugging her, helping her demons leave her and her body shake off the horrible effects of the drugs she had taken. It was a very long night!

While she was with us, we discovered she was interested in psychology and read profusely on the subject.  One day I began to talk to her about God and how God could be a living resource of hope and love for her. I used her interest in psychology to help her understand what a relationship with God could be for her. Then I gave her a copy of the Good News Bible and asked her to read it—the best book on psychology she would ever find, I said.

Shortly after, she went before the courts and they sentenced her to time in a juvenile detention center. It was difficult to see her leave us. I worried that she had so much more to learn and discover about God who loved her so much!

Several months later I went to visit her where she was being held. They brought me to her room but she was not there. So, while they went searching for her, I looked around her bed area. There on top of the bed, upside down and open, was the Bible I had given to her. It was well-worn. What a joy in my heart!

I do not know what happened to Barbara, but God does. I have released her into his loving care. Hopefully another servant of God was there to carry on the task of being a hand and voice of God for her.  And who knows, perhaps she is the one who now brings the message of hope and love to others.

Prayer: Thank you God for giving me opportunities for help others and for telling your life-giving story. You provide me with the tools and words to share, to introduce the wandering and the lost to find you. Thank you. May I be like Philip as I proclaim “the good news about Jesus.” Amen.

Song: “Listen, God Is Calling” (Neno lake Mungu)               ELW 513 (Tanzanian Traditional)

Refrain: Listen, listen, God is calling, through the Word inviting, offering forgiveness, comfort, and joy.

God's First Responders

FIRST RESPONDER FOR GOD

Joel 2:12-13—from Good News Translation:

“But even now,” says the Lord,
    “repent sincerely and return to me
    with fasting and weeping and mourning.
 Let your broken heart show your sorrow;
    tearing your clothes is not enough.”

Come back to the Lord your God.
    He is kind and full of mercy;
    he is patient and keeps his promise;
    he is always ready to forgive and not punish.

The short Old Testament book of Joel is a commentary on a plague of locusts which has invaded the land. It is devastating:

“What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten.
What the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten,
And what the hopping locust left, the destroying locust has eaten.”  (Joel 1:4)

The devastation has affected everyone in the land. Food and wine have been destroyed. “Surely, joy withers away among the people,” says Joel.

This prophet tells the people they should return to God and “rend their hearts” for “God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.” One of Joel’s concerns is “what will others think?” if our land is devastated and they will ask, “Where is their God?”

Devastations have come upon lands throughout history. There have been volcanoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, flooding, and dust storms. Add to that, the Black Plague, Smallpox, Measles, Polio, and now Covid. The list could go on and on. At each point, Joel calls upon us to be God’s people who act on God’s behalf. I do no believe God sends disaster to punish or kill people. But disasters happen and when they do, we are to be God’s first responders.

An example might be if a tornado wipes out my neighbor’s home but spares mine, I give thanks to God for my safety and then turn my energy and resources into helping my neighbor restore home, health, and hope. If a disease creeps and then plunges into my community, nation, or our world, I respond without hesitation to bring healing and restoration to those affected.

Today is certainly one of those times when God needs our hands and hearts to bring hope and healing and reconciliation in our community, our state, and our nation. As a result, to those people whom Joel addressed (and us), God says,

“You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you… Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.”

Prayer: God, you have called me to be a “First Responder” for you to bring hope, healing, peace, and justice in the midst of the devastations that surround us. Give me the strength and desire to be your representative. Amen

Song: “The Lord Now Sends Us Forth” by Gerhard M. Cartford, translator (ELW 538)

In a Holy Place

Habakkuk 2:20: “The Lord is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him.”

Consider this. You are in a moment when time seems to stand still, the body and mind relax, and you realize you are experiencing God, the Holy One. It is special. For some it comes in a time of meditation. Others are almost surprised when God’s Spirit speaks, and they are transformed or transported away in mind and spirit.

For me, it often happens while I am at worship. Using these words from Habakkuk, the choir opened the worship service every week in my church when I was young. Still today, often when I am singing, I encounter God in worship. All those around me seem to fade away and God is standing with me. Perhaps I am singing, “Holy, Holy… Lord God Almighty. And I lift my hands before you ...” The hands literally rise up and God’s presence is felt there and now.

One of my favorite songs says, “This is holy ground; we’re standing on holy ground; for the Lord is present and where He is, is holy.” Ah, God’s presence is within me, around me, before me, embracing me and my neighbor, and all those who need the peace of God. It is a sacred experience.

How important it is to understand the power of this experience within oneself and within others. When this awesome event happens, it is sad to have the spell broken. One time, when our daughter was invited to sing at an ecumenical Good Friday service in my church in Ault, she sang of Jesus being crucified on a cross, “He hung there…and died!” The musical sound of that terrible moment brought a sudden silence…the words hanging in the space above. Unfortunately, the speaker who was to follow wasn’t sure what to do with that sacred moment. Walking to the front, he announced, “Perhaps we need to lighten up a bit and remember we are about to celebrate Easter.” The sacred moment was shattered. Yet, for one brief time, God was there in a profound way, touching the hearts and lives of those who had gathered to worship that Good Friday night.

This coming week, whether you are confined to your room, walking around the neighborhood, sharing a meal with your friend or spouse, or reading the Bible, allow yourself to encounter the living presence of God. Let the moment enrich you, uplift you, surround you, and comfort you. God is always looking for ways to touch you with God’s love, hope, peace, and blessed assurance. 

Prayer: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty. I lift my voice, heart, and hands before you. Amen.