Let God Guide You

Let God Guide You

Number 13-14

There is a story in the book of Numbers of Moses contemplating entering the land of Canaan. It was the land that God had promised to the Israelites who left their hard life in Egypt to find freedom and hope under the leadership of Moses. On this particular time, Moses hears God direct him to send spies into the Canaan region to see how safe it will be to enter. Ultimately, the spies do not bring a promising report and the decision is to postpone the motion forward. You can read the story in Numbers 13 through 14.

I recalled that story recently as we were set to travel from Washington state to Arizona for a three-week trip to see friends, enjoy some warmer weather, and walk the desert hills and trails. We packed, made ready what we needed, and drove to Ashland, Oregon with the expectation we would enter California the next morning. Friends, family, weather forecasters, and GPS suggested our plan was not so good at this time.  Unprecedented storms, rain, wind, waves, landslides, new snow, and flooding rivers were ravaging through the state. We felt it was unwise to proceed further, so we canceled our reservations, called friends, and turned around. Whether we would have made it safely, we will never know. But, at the moment and still today, we feel like it was a God-thing.

Todd and I attempt to walk close to God, so that we can take the signs that rise up in life as indicators of what God would have us do. That is why God gave us wisdom, thinking minds, eyes and ears that work, and the ability to change our course quickly. Praise God for that!

We recommend the following. Trust God and your own instincts in making decisions. Look to the positive side of life decisions, see the new opportunities that lie ahead. It is the formula for a happy and contented life. You will never know what you may have missed, but you will be able to find the good things that result from the journey you are taking. Travel light, with God, and you will be ready for new surprises that will come in this new year! 

Prayer: Lord, when I come to the boundary where a decision must be made, give me the wisdom I need to choose what you would have me do, think, or say. Amen

God's Persistent Love

As we enter a new year, we have the opportunity to see our lives in fresh ways, to change the things that we see are wrong, off balance, or destructive. I know I am constantly in need of a new start—to change the way I think or act or don’t act. That is where New Year’s Resolutions come in.

Hosea, a prophet from the Old Testament, lived in tumultuous times. The northern kingdom was coming to an end, when six different kings reigned in twenty-five years, and Assyria was expanding westward. Within a short time, the northern kingdom was eliminated. This all took place in the 8th century B.C.E. It would have been an unsettling time filled with uncertainty and fear.

This prophesy of Hosea reassures God’s people that God loves them and no matter what happens, God will always receive them back, no matter how often they wander. This is evident in our reading today. I especially like the imagery of God the loving parent in verses 3 and 4:

Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk;
    I took them up in my arms,
    but they did not know that I healed them.
4 I led them with cords of human kindness,
    with bands of love.
I was to them like those
    who lift infants to their cheeks.
    I bent down to them and fed them.

Can we acknowledge that God is like that, persistent in God’s love for us? If so, what a great time it is to make a change or two in our present lives—to trust God more, to stay close in worship, prayer, and reading of the Bible. It just might mean that 2023 will find us happier or healthier or more in line with God’s Kingdom on earth! That can only be a positive outcome.  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Prayer: Lord, I really do want to change! Help me keep my New Year’s Resolution to draw closer to you and your will. Amen.

God's Vast Love

Looking at some photos I took on a flight over the glaciers of Mount Denali in Alaska, I was reminded of how awed I was by the vastness of it all. Miles and miles of snow with only the occasional jutting of a rock was seeable. Such is God’s love!

Looking back on some photos of our children when they were newborn, I was reminded again of the vastness and wonder of it all. Smiling down at a newborn child—so tiny, so vulnerable, so dependent upon others for nourishment—what will he grow up to be? How will she be a blessing for others someday? Such is God’s love!

God’s love is as vast as the most magnificent landscape we can see (and then some!). Yet God chose to bring the greatest gift humankind could receive (salvation, hope, forgiveness, and an example of how we can live in peace and harmony in our broken world) in the form of a tiny human baby called Jesus. We as humans think we can be powerful, show our superiority, and rule others through the force of armies, ammunition, and swagger. God chooses a child, Jesus our Savior, to accomplish what humankind so desperately needs.

Unto us a child is born this day by the name of Jesus, God’s gift to you and me. Hallelujah!

Prayer: Awesome God, we praise you for your gift of Jesus to bring hope and salvation to our world. Amen .

A Christmas Letter

I just finished writing my annual Christmas letter. It is a good time to review what has been going on during the past year and to reflect upon the year’s highs and lows. It is also a great opportunity to think about and write to family and friends both far away and nearby. Sometimes your friends need your encouragement and appreciation.

Paul founded a church in Thessalonica during his second missionary journey. A moment came when Paul was thinking about this new church and the struggles they were having to hang in there when outside influences were pressing against them. So, Paul writes to give encouragement to these new converts.

He begins his correspondence “in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.” He then gives thanks to God for them, reminding them that they are in his prayers, and affirming their “work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Perhaps this Christmas or in the new year of 2023, you and I can remember those who are suffering or struggling and write a letter of encouragement to them. Or, if we know of some good effort or ministry that someone is doing, write a note of thank you and commendation for their “work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope.” Let others know when they have done something good and helpful to make our world a better place to live. When you do so, you are God’s ambassadors.

Prayer: Once more, O God, I recall the prayer of St. Francis: “Make me an instrument of your peace.” Amen.

Snow and Forgiveness

Psalm 51:1-7

It snowed at our house last week. We had an accumulation of 20 inches of that white stuff piled high. It covered the plants, the sidewalks, and everything that was on the ground. How beautiful! If there was anything unsightly, it was covered with a blanket of pure white snow!

The Psalmist appreciates the beauty of snow. In Psalm 147 he writes of God’s gracious gift: “God gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes.” (Verse 16)

Psalm 51 begins as a prayer for cleansing and forgiveness. (1-2)

“Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy,
    blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and cleanse me from my sin.”

In verse 7 we hear: “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Hyssop is a fragrant, blue flowered herb of the mint family. It makes me think that the stinky nature of our sins is made sweet in God’s forgiveness.

David, the Psalmist, had sinned mightily in God’s eyes. Yet, with a humble heart, David prays this prayer for forgiveness. God does forgive. God blankets our sin or sins or evil thoughts, words, and deeds with such loving forgiveness that it is like snow covering the ground, the sin wiped or melted away because of God’s love. Wow!

Prayer: O God, I have sinned against you and others in words, thoughts, and deeds. Forgive me. Wash me that I might be white as snow. Amen

Time to Listen

Proverbs 19:20
“Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom for the future.”

Hiking the Linda Vista Trail in Oro Valley, Arizona, we heard two men talking rather loudly. As we came closer we heard the younger of the two who was probably 70 yrs. or so, saying to the other: “My father is 91 years old and won’t listen to anyone—he doesn’t want my advice.” To which the other man commented, “I’m 80 years old and I don’t take anyone else’s advice either!”

It doesn’t take a psychologist or counsellor to verify the truth of those comments. It is so much easier to give advice than to take advice. We read in Proverbs 19:20, NIV translation, “Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.”

Who doesn’t want to be wise? In today’s world, it has become a sad state when someone has advice to help us grow to be better people, yet we do not want to accept or even listen to the advice because others may consider us weak, or lacking in strength or wisdom if we don’t “do it ourselves.”

Consider this. Much wisdom that we have is because we have watched a friend become successful in business or in a career and we have tried to mimic that success. When we read a book or attend a lecture, we are stimulated to read or study that topic more. Have you noticed how we do things a certain way because that is what our mom once said or did? Our practices for holiday celebrations are often copying the traditions we did when we were children.

The Bible says, “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom for the future.” Read the Bible. It is full of good advice.

 A song written in 2010 by Handt Hanson says it so well.

Lord, let my heart be good soil, 
open to the seed of your word. 
Lord, let my heart be good soil, 
where love can grow and peace is understood. 
When my heart is hard, break the stone away. 
When my heart is cold, warm it with the day. 
When my heart is lost, lead me on your way. 
Lord, let my heart, Lord, let my hear,
Lord, let my heart be good soil.

Who doesn’t want to be counted as among the “wise?” Maybe a little more listening or seeking advice might be a very good thing for all of us.

Prayer: Lord, open my ears to hear and my eyes to see.  Amen

Check the Expiration Date

Proverbs 30:5 “Every word of God proves God is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”

I noticed scum was developing around the edge of the tub and refused to go away with the usual washing. So, remembering I had a bottle of cleaner for just that purpose, I went to the garage to find the bottle I had brought with me when I moved here two years ago. Finding the bottle which appeared to be full, I followed the directions, but nothing happened. Sigh. I would have to buy a new bottle. As I was disposing of the container I noticed that the expiration date on it was 15 years old! No wonder it didn’t work! Buying a new one solved the issue.

It made me think of how a Bible might come into our possession. Maybe it comes to us as a remembrance when grandma dies, or it is our confirmation Bible, or a gift from a close friend. Sometimes, it gets set aside for later use, and there it sits on the top shelf of the bookcase unused, unopened, gathering dust.

Unlike my bottle of cleaning product, the Bible does not have an expiration date. If you need to get rid of a stain or scum in your life, or just want your life to shine more, open your Bible and experience its cleansing words of forgiveness, hope, and love. The words of God are sure, they do not change, and they are completely dependable.  You will be glad you did!

Prayer: Open your Word to me as I read your Words that are ever new! Amen.

Song: “Listen, God Is Calling” – A Tanzanian Traditional text & tune

Dance!

2 Samuel 6:14-16--“David danced before God with all his might.”

When our granddaughters Maren and Annika had a P.E. class which includes a unit on “dance,” they simply loved it! What a great way for children to exercise and have fun at the same time.

Years ago, my mother told me when she was in elementary school, one May Day the children gathered outside and danced around a May Pole. Unfortunately, her father, a strict Lutheran pastor, saw her dancing around the May Pole with the other children and physically removed her from that “sinful” activity!

When I was a child, my dad loved to dance. Obviously, my mother was not into dancing much, so as soon as I was able to stand on my feet, I stood on Dad’s feet and together we’d dance to whatever music was on the radio! Dad had this great grin of joy on his face.

Living in Liberia, we learned quickly that Liberians love to dance. When they sing, their bodies just move in rhythm, and they dance the Gospel story!  Which leads me to the use of dance as a picture of what it means to be in the presence of God.

I think my grandfather was wrong. Dance, in and of itself, is not evil. You can turn anything into a “sinful” event. When we feel the presence of God in our lives, when we are “moved” by the Holy Spirit, our whole bodies and minds seem to flow into steps of contrition or joy or wonderment. And so we dance.

King David “danced before the Lord with all his might.” (II Samuel 6:14) He explained to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me in place of your father and all his household, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord; that I have danced before the Lord.” (II Samuel 6:21)

Lord of the Dance, written by Sydney Carter in 1963, is the song story of God’s plan from creation to redemption through Jesus, depicted as a dance. When it first came out, like my grandfather, there were those who refused to sing it! But the song caught on—people’s hearts began to dance at the beauty of what God has, is, and continues to do for his creation.

Sydney Carter wrote: “I see Christ as the incarnation of the piper who is calling us. He dances to that shape and pattern which is at the heart of our reality. By Christ I mean not only Jesus; in other times and places, other planets, there may be other Lords of the Dance. But Jesus is the one I know of first and best. I sing of the dancing pattern in the life and words of Jesus.”

Prayer: Holy Spirit, so set my heart and mind upon the joy and awe that comes from experiencing you, that my feet dance and my face smiles with pleasure. Help me to dance in the footsteps and rhythm of Jesus. May those who see my joy, discover the very presence of God. 

What Can I Do, Lord?

Jeremiah 1:4-10

Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, “Now I have put my words in your mouth.”

Do you feel a need to act to alleviate the pain and suffering in someone you know? Do you recall a time, even now, when you feel God calling you to speak out about an injustice or a harmful word or activity that is damaging to your community? Have you had a dream of the chaos about you in which you feel you are called to act?  What are you going to do about it?

Jeremiah received a call from God to do just that. God reminded Jeremiah that he was special in God’s eyes. God created Jeremiah to be a prophet; God would give Jeremiah the words to say; and God would protect him through it all. Jeremiah was to respond to what he saw and heard with the Word of God which would warn those who heard it of the danger before them. Some things just had to change, or the consequences would be disastrous for them or those around them.

We mourn the hatred, divisions, disfunctions, and cruelty we hear and see around us. We treasure those folks who care for others, who care about God’s creation and the world about us. Yet sometimes we feel there is nothing we can do. So, we pray for peace and justice and harmony. That is good!

But sometimes, sometimes, the moment comes when God speaks in our hearts with a word and opportunity to share God’s view of hope and love. Sometimes it may mean speaking a word of admonition. And if the latter is so, we put on the best Christ-like attitude and speak that word of correction with firmness, love, and respect.

We should want what God wants. So we listen to God’s Word, pray, and then act as a faithful prophet of God. 

Prayer: Lord, I do not know how to speak, I am afraid of getting involved, and I really don’t know what to do. But if you are calling me to be an instrument of your peace, give me the courage and the gifts to do it trusting you to bless me and to be a blessing for those to whom you send me. Amen

Appreciation 101

At Faith Lutheran Church in the Sunday Morning class, Faith and the Arts, we consider famous works that can inspire our faith. They include art, music, or writings, their creators, and the message they have left behind for us to enjoy or to contemplate or to share. Frequently, the professor will comment that while the artist was alive, his/her work was unappreciated or unnoticed. It was only after their death that the results of their work came to be recognized or even honored.

In the past two weeks I have attended two funerals. One was a friend, the other a cousin. Both were men of faith. For each, the church was filled with family, friends, and colleagues. These two men were each remembered for their gifts and the imprint they made upon their community and beyond. At the memorial services, remembering these gifted men, I wondered if they knew while they lived the impact their life was having upon others. Did those who came to honor their lost loved one, friend, co-worker remember to stand by them when they struggled, or doubted, or became discouraged? Did they commend them for the good they were doing while they lived? Did they remember to say “thank you” to them when blessed by them?

I recall the biblical story of Luke 17—the healing of the 10 lepers. Ten were healed but only one said, “Thanks!” We often use this story as a reminder to give God thanks for his many, many, continuous gifts. However, it might serve us well to remember to give thanks to the many, many people around us who are making a difference in our lives or that of our community or church. Give it a try! Say “THANKS!”

Prayer: Thank you God for everything you do for us! Give us eyes to see the good works of those around us so that we can say “thanks” to them as well.  Amen