Worry & Faith: Part 3 When Everything Falls Apart It is Good Friday. We have just come home from Church. We are looking forward to Easter. But that first Good Friday was very different. The disciples were crushed, completely in despair, and afraid they might be next. The women were weeping and getting ready to prepare spices to cover the stench of the decaying body of Jesus. They had forgotten His words that He was going to Jerusalem and would be put to death and on the third day rise. Or they were confronted by all the things that called Jesus' promises a lie, and they didn't know where to turn. Even worse in their minds, was what had happened to Jesus. They had thought that He was the Christ. Why then had God forsaken him? He said that Himself. He prayed, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" It was "when everything falls apart." That's what they were dealing with. But this is exactly where faith comes into its own. The measure of faith is taken when it is put to the test. That is part of the definition. Faith is to believe the words and promises of God -- simply believing His words and promises. Not seeing. Not having it proven. Simply believing. It means in the middle of everything to say, "I know that God loves me and that He is faithful." Faith means (Part 1) to believe the words and promises of God, (Part 2) no matter what. There are times I will ask someone in our congregation, "How's your 'no-matter-what' today?" And they will smile, or sigh. And we will talk. The disciples had more "no-matter-what" than they thought they could ever endure. And they would go through that "no-matter-what" until Sunday. But they were disciples of Jesus, and Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of faith. He is the one who invented it, began the walk of faith, and teaches every one of His people, from the fall back in the Garden of Eden, to the end of the world. Faith is very specific. And faith has an object. It is to believe the words and promises of God. This is not a cliche, just some nice saying. And it is not an unanchored hope. It has to be bound to something. The Word of God is the stuff of faith, and it is the stuff of the life of God. The Word of God is part of the fellowship within the Trinity, the communion between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And this is the pattern of life that Jesus knew before He came into the world. When Jesus took human flesh He had to walk by faith. No longer seeing in the same way He had to hold on to the words and promises of God. Morning after morning He went to spend time in the Word of God, reading the words, meditating on the promises, and preparing for the work of that day. (Isaiah 50:4 and Mark 1:35) But faith has to be tested. Without testing it is not believing without seeing. Matthew 4 tells about the temptations. With each one of them Jesus responded by turning to the Word of God. He said to the first one, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4) At the cross Jesus brings the words and promises of God all the way to the most forsaken, condemned and darkest place. There, when His Father judged Him and was pouring out wrath and judgment, what did Jesus pray? "My God, My God ..." This is the beginning of Psalm 22. Realize first that Jesus was praying, and was still believing the promises of His relationship with His Father. It is the ultimate persistence of faith, to hold to the promises no matter what -- no matter the pain, looming death, and fearful darkness. "My God ..." is a claim of that eternal relationship. Then, second, realize how Psalm 22 continues. After the description of crucifixion it continues on. Verse 22 says, "I will tell of Your name to My brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise You." Right there in the middle of the suffering of the cross, Jesus claimed and held on to the promise of praising His Father and celebrating with us after everything was done. Now that is the mastery and perfection of faith; to hold on to the promise even when God hides His face of grace and love and all Jesus saw was wrath, judgment and death. But that is exactly the point. Jesus went to the most extreme place, to show to us that the promises of God hold true even there. Even in our darkest place we can trust those promises. Because whatever our darkest place is, however far from God that is -- Jesus went farther. He hung there in the darkness of "Why have You forsaken Me?" and He prayed and believed. That's why Jesus is able to teach faith. He has been there. He knows the patterns of faith. He knows the promises of God and how to hold on to them in spite of everything. He knows how to guide you with the promises of His word. And He knows how to strengthen you in holding on to them. "Therefore ... let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2) Lord Jesus, teach me faith. I need it a lot! You know Your way around facing troubles, holding on to promises, taking the words of God into Your soul. Remind me of the faithfulness of Your promises. When I am discouraged give me hope. When I forget, be my Shepherd and seek me out. Keep me as Your own all the way into the life that is eternal. Amen.
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Scattered "... to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad." (John 11:52) It is John's comment on some of the events after the raising of Lazarus. But the one word "scattered" is in the middle of our experience right now. The people of God have been scattered. We try to hold our connection with each other and with our Church. But it happens and has happened all through history. The people of God are scattered. This is Maundy Thursday. We connect by internet and video links. But we have not gathered as a congregation around the Lord's Supper. We are scattered. There are hardships with being scattered. It is harder to see, but there are good things that God does through times of scattering. Did you know: What was the first great evangelism program after the Day of Pentecost? Read about it in Acts 8:1-4. It says, a great persecution arose and "they were all scattered .... Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word." Can you imagine a Mission Committee planning this out and presenting it to the Voters' Assembly? It would sound completely insane. They would be removed from their office. And it is a horrible idea if it comes from our planning. Besides, it is exactly the opposite of how any of us would think. But God knows when to scatter and when to gather. So we are hearing stories from all over the country where the Gospel is getting into places we would have never expected. God sends out; and He gathers in. He send us out to live our faith in a world of troubles, and He arranges it so we are living by faith right in front of our neighbors. That is a powerful witness and it is a call from God. I do wonder. How many millions have come to faith from seeing Christians living by faith through so many of the troubles that every human being is touched by? And so God gathers. Do we call it "sneaky," wonder at the audacity of it, or say God is "making it real." This is the reality of human life. There is trouble, but there is Jesus who says, "Take heart. I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) There is suffering, but Paul says "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18) There is right now a scattering, but Jesus was sent to be the "one man" who would "die for the people". (John 11:50) That was Caiaphas plotting the death of Jesus, not knowing that he was prophesying about salvation and forgiveness of sins "and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad." (John 11:52) Jesus knows every one of His own. (John 10:14, 27) Even the ones who do not know Him yet. And His mission is to gather every one of them -- each one called and led by the Good Shepherd, until He brings us all together and we are that Great Multitude that no one could count. (Revelation 7:9) This is the plan. It is the Commission given to Jesus by His Father. (Isaiah 49:6 "I will make You as a light to the nations, that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.") Jesus is fully, completely up to the job. So have confidence. He is bringing you through many things, but bringing you into the glory of the kingdom of God. Have confidence and smile at the "scenery" along the way. It will make a great story later. Lord Jesus, let me hear Your promises along the paths of my life. No matter how twisting the path help me know that You are able to lead me and bring me fully into life, glory, and joy. Help me, then, to walk the paths of life with faith and prayer, trusting quietly or calling out in my need, but always turning to You. Amen. When the Time was Right "But when the fullness of time had come ..." said Paul (Galatians 4:4) We are learning lessons about waiting, and how some things are not going to happen until the time of waiting has been completed. There are a lot of things we are not in control of, and we simply wait for the time in-between to slowly pass. We will not get there any faster by being impatient. A little lesson I have learned -- when I am stuck in a traffic jam one of the first things I do is to look at my watch. I make a mental note and I time how long it actually takes to get through. It is surprising how often it feels like twice as long as it actually is. And then I say to myself, "That wasn't as bad as it seemed." When the time had fully come, God sent His Son. It had been thousands of years waiting for the first Christmas and for God to come and walk among us. But when the time had fully come there was a census, a journey to Bethlehem, shepherds in the fields, and wise men. When the time had fully come, Jesus began His ministry. It had been about 30 years since the first Christmas, and the world was waiting for the work of salvation to get underway. Writers and movie makers speculate what had happened in the meantime with the shepherds and the wise men. But when the time had fully come, there was John's preaching and baptism, the temptations, the wedding at Cana and a Sermon up on a mountain -- all seeming to come in a flurry of activity. When the time had fully come, Jesus came riding into Jerusalem. It had been about 3 years of ministry, And although those years were filled with teaching and miracles, with proclaiming the Gospel and how salvation was going to happen through His work, it was still years of waiting. The disciples had gotten used to the "normal state of affairs," and when it was time to go up to Jerusalem they were not ready. When the time had fully come, it was time to eat the Passover, pray in the Garden, stand before Pilate, suffer, die and rise. You see, when we are waiting for the time to fully come it all seems to move so very slowly. But when the time has fully come everything happens very, very quickly. All that has been being prepared seems to come in a rush. The disciples were hardly able to realize what was happening before everything changed again. That's how it is when the time has fully come. When the time had fully come it was time to earn salvation, forgive sins, bring the promise, begin the resurrection of all His Christians. In a whirlwind the political and religious forces gather and are defeated, along with death and the devil. All so very quickly. And the Gospel was fulfilled. And then it was time for more waiting. Paul spent his youth learning from the Rabbis and great scholars of his day. He did not welcome the changes sweeping through with this new teaching about Jesus. But when the time had fully come he was on a road to Damascus and had his life completely turned around by Jesus. He then preached Jesus as the Christ. And then came 17 years of quiet study until Barnabas asked him to come to Antioch and teach the new Gentile believers. And then very quickly the time was fulfilled and there were mission journeys to do, all over the Roman world. We are waiting again for the time to fully come. Events will move slowly, and then suddenly all at once. That's how life is, slow days in-between big changes. Each of those days in-between is given by God. A part of discipleship is to learn how to go through the in-between times keeping on walking as the disciple, because all of the slow in-between days are days to learn from our Teacher. The time will come when we are able to gather again, and we will look back on these days of waiting. And one more time we are waiting for the time to be fulfilled. On to the end day after day will look very much like any other day. But when the time has fully come, once again everything will come in a rush. The stars will fall, the trumpet will sound and Jesus will return. We have in-between days, and each one is a day to live as a follower of Jesus, knowing He is with us, and that we are children of God, held in His mercy and being brought by a Good Shepherd to share His life and blessings. "You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; ..." (Psalm 16) Lord Jesus, let today be a day of following You, learning of Your grace, Your mercy, and Your providing care. Guide me into Your words and promises, and let me build my life, my hopes, and daily pattern around Your presence in my life. Amen. Something for the Body; Something for the Soul It's a beautiful little formula. It reminds us who we are and that there is more to us than our physical needs; and it is something we are feeling pretty sharply right now. Even if we were able to keep ourselves perfectly and absolutely safe, staying inside for the rest of the year, that is not enough. We need the something for the soul. Today I saw a group of friends sitting out on someone's lawn, lawn chairs way far apart, keeping each other company. The something for the soul was companionship. On the other hand, I know of parents who provide every physical need for their children by working so many hours that there is no time left in their days, and then wonder why their children are not content. The something for the soul is love and we need that. It is that way with the things of the faith. We bring a baby to church. Water is splashed and words are spoken. Something for the body -- the water that carries a blessing of life and resurrection. And something for the soul -- the word of God (carrying the name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) tucked deep within the soul for us to turn to and remember the promises of God. We come to the Lord's Supper. We will be waiting this Thursday and we will hunger for the time when we can gather at the Table of the Lord. Jesus calls us to receive something for the body and something for the soul. Something for the body -- the actual risen from the dead body of Jesus, and the sin forgiving blood of Jesus, that He joins with our mortal bodies to carry the reality of Easter into our lives and one day bring us to the rising of our bodies into eternal life. And something for the soul -- the words and promises of Jesus when He says, "for the forgiveness of sins" and promises forgiveness, life and salvation. Time after time He feeds us building and forming faith within us. Christianity is all the way through "something for the body; something for the soul." We cannot be without either. Christianity is not "only for the soul." That would be ridiculous. Especially this week, leading up to Easter we know how completely we needed Jesus to be laid in the tomb and rise from the tomb. From the beginning in Bethlehem, Jesus was born because God values your life, and that means your physical, bodily life. He plans to raise this body you live in and make it glorious. And because Jesus took our human flesh we believe that our neighbor's physical life and needs matter. That is actually why so many of the hospitals around our nation are religious, and so many are named for saints. What Jesus did in the body is the greatest force for caring for our neighbor there has ever been in the history of the world. But Christianity is not "only for the body" either. That would sell us short. It would fall so far short of what we are made for, to think that food, shelter, money and possessions are all that we need. We were created to know hope, virtue, beauty, goodness and so many other things. We long for the things of the soul, and we know that God created and calls us to walk with Him. There are many, many stories through generation after generation of people holding onto hope in spite of everything, inspired by the grace and mercy of God. And then there is the story of Mary anointing Jesus with expensive ointment just before He entered Jerusalem. (John 12:1-8) One of the disciples complained. It could have been sold to meet physical needs. But Jesus praised Mary's devotion. Things of the soul lead us through the hard times. And they enrich and give meaning to the blessings in life. We need them. Something for the body. We live in this world and God gives us to each other and invites us to join Him in caring for others. And something for the soul. We live, within our souls, in the presence of God. That is an eternal relationship, and it is the beginning and heart of who we are. That relationship has its beginning with God. "O Lord, you have searched me and known me!" and "How precious are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand." (Psalm 139:1, 17-18) And it finds its fulfillment at the end. "When He appears we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." (1 John 3:2) Lord Jesus, as I live in this world help me remember that while I am in this world I am also walking with You. Thank You for Your work, done in the body to purchase and win me from sin and death. Thank You for the forgiveness You earned at the cost of Your bodily suffering and death. And guide me, deep within the soul, that I may learn Your teachings and walk by faith. Amen. Little Footsteps in Bigger Footsteps Jesus said, "But if God so clothes the grass of the field ... will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 6:30) Actually, it's even sweeter the way Jesus said it than our English translations. One day a friend of mine (Pastor Ralph Laufer) said, "Is that a diminutive?" And so we looked. The Greek word is "oligopistoi." Taking the word apart: pistis is the Greek word for faith; oligo is the word for little; and the ending oi means ones. Putting it together it means "little-faith-ones." And yes it looks like a diminutive; it's a term of endearment! It isn't a scolding word. It's a word with lots and lots of affection. The next time in Matthew we run into the word is out on the water, after Peter called out to Jesus and said, "Hey! Lord! If it's You command me to come to You on the water!" (my paraphrase) And Jesus said, "Come." and Peter was out there walking on the water; and then looking around and getting afraid; and then beginning to sink; and then Jesus grabbed him by the hand and lifted him up. That's when Jesus said, " oligopiste (Little-faith-one) why did you doubt?" (Matthew 14:31) (And then they walked back to the boat together.) Jesus is the teacher of faith, and faith means "believing the words and promises of God." For just a moment there Peter was doing exactly that, but it was little steps of faith. Yes, even walking on water was "little steps" of faith. Jesus is the teacher of faith. Like a basketball coach, or a marshal arts teacher, He shows as He teaches. He demonstrates. Jesus had been doing that for the disciples all along -- facing temptation, hours of prayer, trusting His Father when the storm came up, and on and on. He was training them in faith as His "little-faith-ones" and there were a lot more lessons to come. But it all came back to the same thing over and over; believing the words and promises of God. Jesus would demonstrate faith in His Father's promises all the way to Jerusalem, the Garden, the Cross and the Empty Tomb. In addition to being forgiven, saved and being given eternal life, they would watch the astonishing faith of the Son of God "who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2) I heard a scientist tell about examining footprints making a trail through long since dried mud. In some places there were 2 sets, one big, the other small. In other places only the big one. So he looked closer. He examined the places with only one set. As he looked inside them he found much smaller footprints there within the larger prints. He said, "Like children all over the world there was a child following behind and walking in the footprints of their father or mother." I remembered that, because I remembered back when I was very little and there was a big snowstorm. I was following my father out into the back yard, and I didn't want to get snow in my boots. So I tried to walk in His footprints. I remembered that when I had my own children, and I remember sometimes taking very short steps, so they could walk in my footprints. Jesus is the great teacher of faith. He called His disciples to follow, and He took some of those small steps. He showed them what it was like to walk in faith as a human being. He was tempted, and by faith held firmly to God's Word. He wept for his friend Lazarus and the sisters Mary and Martha. He was hungry. And He struggled as He prayed in the garden. As He taught them, Jesus still teaches faith and we are His students and disciples. Time after time the lesson goes back to the same thing, believing the words and promises of God. It may be when we are not sure which path to choose in life. It might be in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. And it will almost certainly be after all this mess right now is done and we have the question, "Will I continue to follow?" There are footprints. They are the footprints of the Son of God, who was born to be one of us. And they are His footprints of faith, step by step believing the words and promises of God. And they are proofs that Jesus has set down, proving that God's words and promises are solid, and they give life, and they are all bound together in Jesus. They are given by Jesus who says, "Come, follow Me ..." and who says, "Because I live, you will live." So then, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the Author and Perfecter of faith ..." (Hebrews 12:2) Lord Jesus, be my teacher. Guide and train me. Let me learn faith from You, that in the middle of all the things happening all around, I may go back, time and time again, to hear Your words. Help me to find rest and peace in the faithfulness of Your promises, that I may endure through my whole life. Strengthen and keep me in faith, that I may see Your glory and live in Your kingdom. Amen. Up to Jerusalem ... I saw and heard on television, in New York a procession of doctors heading in to work in a hospital; and in all the apartments overlooking and on the sidewalks around spectators cheering and applauding them. It was absolutely remarkable. And it was right -- right to do and right to recognize them. I then heard a description saying that these are the soldiers marching into battle. They go to fight a disease,and as they do so they are putting their lives at risk. In fact some of them will lay down their lives. It touches us because it is the best and the greatest part of our nature. And it touches us because the pattern is one we know. We have seen through the years acts of nobility and sacrifice -- acts that go completely against the urge for self preservation; and speak instead of the call to help the weak, rescue the helpless, and care for the vulnerable. We recognize that pattern. There are great books built around it; and one series in particular that many in school have read (all 7 books culminating in "The Deathly Hallows" where the hero goes to lay down his life). We recognize the pattern and in this time of the year our hearts and minds cannot help but hear it calling us once again. It is the man going up to Jerusalem where he knew he would have to suffer. He was marching into battle -- not putting his life "at risk" because it was not a risk. It was a certainty that he would die. And he rode into Jerusalem. There were the cheering crowds, but it was not about the cheers. There were the healings and the teaching, but it was not about miracles or gathering students. There was a battle to be fought, suffering to endure, dying to be done, sacrifice and atonement to be made, forgiveness to be gained, and death and hell to defeat. No one who is not on the front lines in the hospitals right now can really understand. Vigilance and carefulness have to be constant. If they are lacking there could be sickness or death. Which brings up the third very striking image -- a group of medical workers who went up on the roof to pray, for themselves, their patients and every doctor and nurse in the hospital floors underneath. To whom else do we turn in times when we see danger and nobility? To whom else can we turn when the pattern we see all around us reminds us so powerfully of the Lamb of God, who went up to Jerusalem in order to lay down His life for us, "who did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but made Himself nothing taking on the form of a servant ... And ... humbled Himself by becoming obedient unto death, even death on a cross ..." (Philippians 2:5-11) This is why He was riding into Jerusalem. The cross of Jesus resets the whole creation, putting the pattern of the cross into every part of life. It ennobles everything where echoes and images of the cross have become part of the pattern of life. Deep down we know the truth of this, and we admire every example we see that reminds us of the cross, the central image of the love of God. That is part of the meaning of the words, "at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow". (Philippians 2:10) Today we honor and we pray for doctors, nurses, all medical workers and every other person who carries that image of God. Lord Jesus, as You rode into Jerusalem You were going to win my salvation and set me free. You knew You were going to suffering and death in my place. Help me to see the pattern of Your life in those I see all around who are right now risking everything to save the lives of their neighbors. Bless and protect each doctor, each nurse and all others who are living the pattern of Your love. Amen. Worry & Faith Part 1 Faith is simply to believe the words and promises of God. But to start us in learning faith Jesus talks to us about worry. It's in the Sermon on the Mount. It's where Jesus said "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek after all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:31-33) It's a "stay in your lane" type of thing, but not at all like you would expect. It starts out pretty simple with the understanding that God has created and will provide for our daily needs. In Confirmation classes the children memorize "clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all my goods ..." OK, "all my goods" is the older wording but I still like it better than "all I have". But the point is that God has given amazing blessings, and even when life is hard, we are still surrounded by God's love, mercy, and daily blessings. So why should we be anxious? God is there and He knows our needs. But still we worry. And Jesus knows that we worry. He was born to become one of us and share all the problems, tiredness, hunger, aches, pains -- and the uncertainty of what the next day will bring. That's why He was a man of prayer, up early in the mornings and going off to spend time hearing the words of the Bible and praying to His Father. (See Isaiah 50:4) He was serious about sharing this human existence. Jesus knows that we worry. That's why He speaks to the worry. If He did not understand, He would not be able to tell us in the way He says it, "do not be anxious" and surround that verse with so many beautiful illustrations about the birds of the air and the flowers out in the fields. (Really, you have to read Matthew 6:25-34. It speaks right to the heart.) I heard someone, many years ago, say that part of the meaning was God saying, "Do not worry. God will do His part. Just do yours." But look closer and you will find something very interesting. In these verses, the parts that God takes on are the humbler and lowlier. He tends to flowers, birds, food and drink. He sustains the physical life. And what does He invite us to seek and put our attention on? The noble, the spiritual and the eternal. He invites us to focus on faith ("do not be anxious"); the kingdom of God (because He is busy giving the kingdom to us); and "His righteousness". "His righteousness" is nothing else than the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ, a free gift that was earned as Jesus went into Jerusalem, and from there to the Garden of Gethsemane, and from there to the cross, and from there to the empty tomb. Jesus is inviting us to focus our mind and soul on every gift of mercy and grace in Jesus, and He can take care of all the other, temporary, passing and smaller things. These are the promises of God. Really. He's got this. And faith? Faith is simply to believe the words and promises of God. (There is more for another day, Worry & Faith: Part 2) Lord Jesus, be my Teacher and help me to learn faith. Since I struggle, speak Your promises over and over again, so my soul may hear You inviting and know that You will be with me in everything and bring me into life and victory. Amen. Simple Things Just simple things. Nothing complicated, heroic, or great. Just simple things. With all the wild things happening all over, when the day is over we are back to simple things. We sit on the couch. We talk. We aren’t going out to movies, or out to eat, or much of anything else. Even for a home-body this is a bit much. But there it is. And yet, in those very simple things there is something deep and marvelous that has to do with the Kingdom of God. In Genesis it says, “In the image of God He created him, male and female He created them.” Adam and Eve were created to picture the Image of God in their relationship. That is part of the Image of God, since God is Triune, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All too often we overlook those simple ordinary things. But they are part of God creating the Image of Himself in the very ordinary parts of life. The time we spend, the silent company with one another, the little courtesies and kindnesses done within our marriages, families and friendships – they are a part of God revealing to us who He is within the Trinity, by forming those little things in our lives. I have heard and read that part of the purpose of the Sabbath was to get the people of God to stop doing (all the busy things we fill our lives with) and at the end of the week get back to the relationships that form the heart and core of our lives. And indeed that is what God was doing in Genesis 3 when He was walking in the Garden in the cool of the day. He was there to spend time with Adam and Eve, not doing more amazing creation things – just being there with them. When Adam and Eve had turned away, He then announced the birth of “the Seed of the woman.” He would come to us once again to spend time, to dwell among us. (John 1:14) I wonder: how much of the 3 years the disciples spent with Jesus was simply walking along, quietly being there? That is part of the goal, to be there and finally have back all the time with us that Adam and Eve lost. How great a price Jesus was ready to pay to win back time with you. A little picture for us comes at the end of the Gospel of John – Breakfast on the beach with Jesus. It says, (John 21:9) “When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread.” It’s just my guess but somehow I think that Jesus didn’t cut corners, but spent the time to prepare and cook the meal. And then there was the meal (vv. 10-13) – and as they ate nothing happened. Just a meal. Just being there together savoring the moments. Isn’t it interesting that the time spent when we aren’t doing anything special or amazing can be the measure of love and friendship? Jesus my Friend, thank you for the time, the days, hours and moments of my life, and for being the kind of Friend who savors every moment of my knowing You. Lead me through the confusion of so many of my days that I may come back at the end of each one to that restful time of simply knowing You. Thank You for the promise of endless days of life and blessing. Amen. Dropping Breadcrumbs It is an amazing thing the persistence of Jesus. But we should have expected it. He called Himself the Good Shepherd. And He told stories about the shepherd searching for his sheep. He is persistent, doing all kinds of little things in our lives that we hardly even notice. So one day a friend was talking to me. Gub was his nickname. He said, "There was a time when I was young that I didn't want anything to do with Church. I wanted to get out and do my own thing, and when I had to go to church I wasn't too happy about it. But Pastor always was glad to see me, and greeted me and knew who I was. He didn't ask why I hadn't been there for a while, just was happy to see me." Gub was an elder in the Church when we had that conversation. Looking back on it now I'm thinking "Breadcrumbs." You know the story. Hansel and Gretel, leaving home going off into the woods, but one of them leaving a trail of breadcrumbs so they can find their way home. For them it didn't work because birds came and ate the breadcrumbs -- but still it forms an image in our minds. "Breadcrumbs." Jesus has to deal constantly with our wandering off, not paying attention, getting fascinated with anything and everything else. He searches for us, finds us, calls us, and leads us back. How He has done that in each life would be absolutely the most amazing thing to know. All of the little hints, nudges, reminders and so on. A little word that suddenly grabs our attention, and we don't even know why. A little piece of a Bible verse that we heard years and years ago, suddenly fills our memory. A kindness done by a Christian that we once admired, and hadn't thought about for a long, long time, touches us once again. "Breadcrumbs" laid down by Jesus, gently nudging and reminding us that we may have forgotten but He has not. Still calling and inviting, "I want you to be with Me. I want you in My Kingdom. I want you sharing this living forever." (See John 17:24) And the Good Shepherd calls. Deep inside we know His voice. And even if there has not been anything dramatic in our spiritual life for a while we know that voice. Very quietly, very subtly, He is calling. (See 1 Kings 19:11-12) And we know in the call of the Shepherd that it is good to hear and follow. There are times in life when we need that assurance a lot. This is one of them. He calls deep inside, and then He tells us that we know it is Him calling. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me." (John 10:27) There is a certain audacity to it; telling us that we know it is Him. But that is the honesty of a relationship that He has been building for many years. How long has He been laying out these "Breadcrumbs" in our lives, laying out the trails that always lead us back to Him? How long does He do the work of the often unseen, unknown and unappreciated Friend? And still He persists, because He does want us sharing His eternity. Lord Jesus, my friend, thank You for all the ways You have been my truest friend. Thank You for all the nudges, quiet reminders, and little ways that You have reminded me of the truth of You being in my life. Thank You for being persistent, calling me Your friend. Lead me on so one day we can celebrate forever. Amen. Spiritual Connection And just like that the entire world begins to get an idea of how important it is to have relationships and talk with someone you do not see, who is not visibly right there in the room with you. Christians have been talking about that for years, we call it prayer. Right now all over the world people are experiencing how important the relationship part is in our connections. Otherwise you might be delighted to have a telemarketer call you up. You could talk to them, hang out on the phone, tell them about your friends at school, or your grandchildren. That's not the way it works, is it? We look for personal connections in our talking, phoning, texting, "facebooking," "snapchatting," and so on. And if we find out that the social media is "manipulating the algorithms" or the telemarketer is asking tricky questions to string us along we are resentful and feel used. We need the connection to be personal, or it doesn't count. That's why, as the shelter at home business wears on, it is so important to hear from someone we know. It lifts the isolation if only a little bit. (Something to think about: When this virus is finally over, think about the lonely among us. And if you are in the habit of doing everything online; set aside the device for a while and communicate by voice or face to face. It is healthier deep inside.) But think also about what we have as Christians -- the spiritual part of life. The Bible gives this promise -- God knows you. He knows you deep inside, "before there is a word on my tongue ... O Lord, You know it " and You discern my thoughts from afar." (Psalm 139:2,4) Jesus said, "your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." (Matthew 6:8) Jesus in able to "sympathize with our weaknesses" since He was "tempted as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15) And God promises something that is very personal, "before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear." (Isaiah 65:24) This is personal. It is God who begins it, God who reaches out to us, God who calls us into a very personal relationship with Him. There is something of the encounter between Nathaniel and Jesus in this. Nathaniel said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered, "... when you were under the fig tree I saw you." Nathaniel answered, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" (John 1:48-49) So this is prayer. God invites us to come and talk to Him. He knows us. Bring any concern. He knows them already. Know that you are known; and know that you are loved. He is Jesus. Because He knows and cares you are not alone. And this is from Jesus who knows a little something about being alone, saying to His disciples, "an hour is coming ... when you will be scattered ... and leave Me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with Me." (John 16:32) So when He promises, "I am with you always, to the end of the age." He knows how important that promise is. So now you have been personally invited by Jesus. Lord Jesus, You have promised to be with me. Even when I am alone You are there, and when I don't really know what to say, You understand. You understand because You know me deep inside, and You have been watching over me and being with me all along. Guide me in my spirit to come with my prayers and unload my burdens and worries with You. Amen. |
Rev. Mark WilligPastor Willig is pastor emeritus of Friends in Christ Lutheran Church. Archives
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