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Exodus 24:15
Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. * * * * * * * Clingman's Dome in Tennessee is the highest point on the Appalachian Trail. The park service has made the path there more accessible by vehicles and the last mile of the hiking path is steep but do-able. When I went there, I discovered first-hand why those mountains got their name. I stood at the highest elevation over several states. I expected to see a breath-taking vista before me and all that I saw was fog. I had walked from a bright blue sky and sunny day into a cloud. The park ranger was prepared for these kind of days and the hint of disappointment on the faces of people like me. She welcomed hikers warmly at the peak and flung her arms to the gray mass of chilled fog before our eyes and said, "Behold, the Great Smokies!" There they were as certain as the mountain beneath our feet and wrapped in the truth of their name. God for Moses and for us is as certain as the mountain beneath our feet but still a truth wrapped in mystery. * * * * * * * We ask, Lord, for solid footing and faith. Amen.
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Psalm 99:1-3
The Lord is king; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples. Let them praise your great and awesome name. Holy is he! * * * * * * * I have read these verses multiple times now and they fall flat. We live in a time when leadership is more complex. Our monarchies of the world are empty of power. Our legislative bodies are weakened by discord. Kings don't impress us, at least, not for long. God knows that about us. Even as the psalmist was crafting this psalm, God was expecting that leadership on his part would mean some serious Management-By-Walking-Around. The king the world needs has come. He is so close that if we noticed, our hands might shake, our knees might buckle. * * * * * * * * Whoa, Lord, I didn't see you standing there! Amen. 2 Peter 1:19
So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. * * * * * * * The prophetic message is the eye witness accounts of the words and actions of Jesus. This testimony comes to us from ancient stories told from person to person, written on scrolls, reprinted and bound as a book, translated and retranslated over the years. We have all known or still know the loneliness of doubt and the paralyzing nature of fear. Our head does what it can to take in the stories and use the senses of what can be seen and heard to hold our reluctant souls through the dark night until the morning star nudges our hearts to warm us back to life. * * * * * * * With head and heart, we move with faith. Amen. Matthew 17:8
And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. * * * * * * * * First, the disciples went up the mountain with Jesus. Then they saw Jesus glowing like the sun. Then they saw Jesus chatting it up with Moses and Elijah. And then they saw Jesus alone. Freaky. The transfiguration is one of the more freaky events of the New Testament. The ones who were eye witnesses told us what they saw and that first it was so good they wanted to stay on the mountain and then it was so scary they didn't know where to run or who to turn to. And then there was Jesus alone. Works for me. * * * * * * * * May we look up from the clutter of Monday and see you. Amen. Mark 1:40-42
A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, ‘If you choose, you can make me clean.’ Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I do choose. Be made clean!’ Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. * * * * * * It is little wonder why these scriptural healing events so engage us. We want to believe that immediate healing is possible. We don't want to hear that the disease must run its course or that it can be contained by a regimen of medications for the rest of our lives or those dreaded words "idiopathic" or "inoperable." Inside the tiny, shrinking world of our own personal pain, we want that healing for ourselves or an immediate loved one. Jesus, the one whose name we bear, keeps his focus on a world full of hurt and gives us glimpses of the power of God. The time will come when that power is available to one and all. We follow because there is no better option. We follow because Jesus is still the best news the world has ever known. We follow because to be even a small player in Jesus' story is better than starring in our own. * * * * * * In the face of incredible hurt and sorrow, Lord, ease our pain, guide our way and help us find our wholeness in your alone. Amen. Leviticus 19:9-10
When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the Lord your God. * * * * * * * * The Bible is filled with reminders to care for the poor. Unfortunately, we do need to be reminded. We are quick to take inventory of our money and our possessions. We are convinced that we need more. We never seem to know how to answer the question: "When is enough, enough?" The edges of the field were left for the poor to harvest instead of eeking out a few more bushels of crops for ourselves. The admonition to tithe - to give 10% - often makes people cringe because it sounds like more than we can give. Most churches I know would explode with possibilities for ministry if the majority of their members were giving 10%. We don't because we don't think that we can live on 90%. So the Lord has to remind us from time to time, that 100% of what we have was a gift from the beginning - a gift we are free to share. * * * * * * * Save us from the poverty of a greedy heart. Amen. Psalm 119:36-37
Turn my heart to your decrees, and not to selfish gain. Turn my eyes from looking at vanities; give me life in your ways. * * * * * * * * * Our collective attention span has dwindled to the proportions of gnats. I am distracted by the smallest things. When it is time to focus on important things, their importance is not enough to ward off the fairies of trivia. We spin our heads until we only can see ourselves with any clarity and convince ourselves that we are fine as long as no one else needs a piece of us. Sometimes I even mix my metaphors inside the tiny paragraph that is ELOGOS. But in the writing of it I find myself turning my head, looking for answers, looking for myself. And there inside God's word for this day, I hear a voice calling us all into the stillpoint. In the constant turning and distractions, there is peace. * * * * * * * * * * Your ways are sure, O Lord, and filled with life. Amen. I Corinthians 3:11-13
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. * * * * * * * Neuschwanstein Castle is that ornate German castle that has been photographed so often that is recognized throughout the world. It is the quintessential quaintly-towered, ginger-breaded fortress tucked in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps. King Ludwig spared no expense to build it, He bankrupt government funds to make his kingdom of personal isolation grand. After his death the castle was opened to the public and stands as much for its external beauty as it does for its internal hubris. There are vast spaces inside the castle that are still unfinished. No one beyond Ludwig had a vision for this tiny kingdom. We are building our own kingdoms and what we are building will eventually be revealed for what they are - the Day will come. And when that Day comes may we be found standing, living and loving on the foundation that is more than our own egos. May we building our lives on the footprint of the cross of Christ. . * * * * * * * * Help us sort through the clutter, Lord, to reveal the power and the value of a sure foundation. Amen. Matthew 5:48
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. * * * * * * * * We started a new youth service opportunity on Sunday called "Crescendo." It consists of youth offering their musical gifts at worship and our congregation responding by sending a donation to a charity in the youth's name. The young man who played his French Horn to launch Crescendo was nervous. His family was listening. His peers were listening. God was listening. The young musician knew he wasn't perfect and that he didn't know how to play perfectly. He knew how important it was to contribute. His desire to make a difference was greater than his fear or the truth that he knew about himself. He gave of himself. And that made it.....perfect. * * * * * * * * Receive the gifts we all have to give, Lord, Amen. Deuteronomy 30:19b-20a
I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you * * * * * * * * Choose life....seems like a no brainer but on a daily basis our action deny the life we value. Our thoughtless word choices do more harm than good. We choose distance from people when it is in community that we thrive. We cling to patterns of violence or substance abuse rather than deciding to live well and love boldly. Whatever decisions we have made or continue to make that lead to death alone, there is another way. Jesus is the way. The first and best choice that we can make is to get back to basics. Love God. Love others. Live. * * * * * * * * Holy God, Chooser of Life, we choose you again. Amen. Psalm 119:8
I will observe your statutes; do not utterly forsake me. * * * * * * * * * One of the great advantages of being older - yes, there are a few - is that we have more personal examples of how God has woven himself into our story. Most of the time we are necessarily focused on the matters at hand, the urgent issues in front of us. We are staring at the undersided of a tapastry and attending to the knots. Every once in a while, we may glance at the masterpiece of woven days and discover the relentless color of God's grace making even the most complicated patches a part of the whole. It is there we discover how many times we have uttered "God, please don't give up on me" and God answered, "There, there, little one. I've gotch ya." * * * * * * * * * What can I do for you today, Lord? I Corinthians 3: 6-7
I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. * * * * * * * Many of us grew up with marks on a door frame measuring our growth. By the time we reached our adult height, we began to realize that some growth is not so easily measured. The Olympic athletes have scores and times to let them know if they have fallen short, met or exceeded their personal best. It is the time of the year when I am planning services for Lent. I find myself asking, "What do the people need to grow?" knowing full well that I cannot measure growth. I cannot know how to get from here to there if I don't know where here is or there is. We are tasked with planting and watering one another with the Good News of God's grace and hunger for justice. Leaving the growth part to God is an exercise in trust and a reminder that perhaps we can't do any of this Christian life alone. * * * * * * * May I lean willingly into your will and ways, Lord. Amen. Matthew 5:21-22
“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. * * * * * * * In my youth, I recall this conversation repeating itself on multiple occasions. I would sustain some injury, not one which would send me to an ER only to my mom for comfort or bandaid. Later, when the bruise appeared, mom would say, "Wow, you really did hurt yourself." There was always that hint of realization that I needed the bruise in order to prove my injury. That is the problem with judgements, insults and name-calling. We don't always see the bruise. Rarely is there someone bleeding out or limping wounded in our presence because of our flash of anger or thoughtlessness. The insidiousness of spousal abuse is that the abuser learns to cause injuries that will not be as visable in public. Perhaps what makes for peace is being able to see the bruises. We cannot begin to heal our wounds and treat our anger as long as they remain hidden. * * * * * * * Let there be peace and let it begin with me. Amen. Isaiah 43:18-19
Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. 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. * * * * * * * * * The organist in the church in which I grew up sat at the organ console with her back to the congregation. She had a rear-view mirror positioned so that she could see everything. She stayed there through the whole service even though she could have moved to a nearby chair or pew. I don't know who deserved more sympathy. This woman who was always looking backward or the pastor who was always preaching to her backside. There is a good time for remembering and a good time to set one's face toward the future. It is all in the timing, but the future takes priority for it is filled with the next brilliant brush strokes of our creative God for the sake of the world. * * * * * * * * Holy God, point us forward so that strengthened by the wisdom of the past we may serve you faithfully in the future. Amen Isaiah 58:8
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. * * * * * * * The guided hike through the Milford Track in New Zealand is done in groups of about 40 people moving at our own pace from hut to hut where we spent the nights between the next leg of the track. Each group of hikers had three guides. One at the front led the way so that the faster hikers would still know the way and not get lost. That guide was also called the "party guide" because he or she arrived at the hut first and set up the reception of food and drink for the rest of the group. There was the middle guide whose job it was to make sure hikers stopped for water, snack and rest - answering questions along the way, shouldering a backpack when needed and giving first aid. And there was the rear guide who walked at the pace of the slowest hiker and radioed ahead to the party guide of his or her location. As I hiked the Milford, I learned that I needed them all. They were all pivotal to the success of my journey at various moments along the way. They were my holy trinity and a lasting example of what the Lord does for us all, day after day. * * * * * * * May I be ever grateful for your path and your company, Lord. Amen. Psalm 112:7-8
They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord. Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes. * * * * * * * * * * Fear is a powerful force. We need a measure of fear as we are growing up so that we do not throw ourselves headlong into dangerous situations. The fight or flight response is triggered by a threat or some potential harm. I have noticed as we age that we lose our energy to fight or to run, at least, not very fast. What we are left with is the fear that looms large and strangles the life out of days. I ache to see aged friends consumed with fear over the things they can no longer control. Fear presses against walls, lurks behind doors and windows waiting to pounce on us all. We may not be able to avoid being afraid, but we can press our back into the secure presence of the Lord. God can give us peace and occasionally, on our behalf, will snarl fear away from our door. * * * * * * * * * * Thanks for having our back, Lord. Amen. I Corinthians 2:9-10
But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. * * * * * * I have told you before, many times. I will say again. I can imagine a very big God. I need an even bigger one. I need to know that the Spirit is able to wave its fingers in the puddle of the universe and dazzle in the wonder of it all. I need to know that the Spirit can walk among sinews of human biology and pull the weeded cancer cells from the garden of our tissues. I need to know that the Spirit can sit silently in the puzzle of an autistic child and invent the language of understanding. I need to know that inspite of all evidence to the contrary, I do love God. I need to know that God reveals himself to us on a need-to-know basis because any other way would make us explode. I need to know that God can take my heart and re-calibrate it for love bigger than my imagination and bigger than the fear that paralyzes the best of us. * * * * * * Reveal yourself to me, Lord, if only in small peaces. Amen. Matthew 5:15
No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. * * * * * * I am a jack of all trades and master of none especially when it comes to arts and crafts. I dabble. I see what I can do but never to the extent of becoming what the world would deem a "master" craftsperson. I try things. I experiment. I push the ideas to the limit of my current abilities but I move on to other arenas before I push passed the threshold of amateurism. I snuff my light out before too many can see the rookie mistakes, the flaws and the elementary design. The message of the Gospel is one that constantly reminds us all that the light we have been given is not ours to be snuffed out or deemed as worthless before it has an opportunity to do what light does. Light relentlessly finds a way through cracks in the door, spaces between the wood, holes in the armor to find its way to those who need it most. If a refrigerator door can be an gallery for a budding artist, there are lampstands for the smallest candles. * * * * * * Let your light, Lord, so shine in the likes of people like me. Amen. |
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