Rejoice in the beauties of the earth. ++++ XCV The Loveliness of Creation (6/30) How lovely is your dwelling place, O God of All; my soul longs for the courts of God’s people. (Psalm 84:1-2; read entire Psalm 84.) How lovely is your dwelling place, O God. Most of us are missing our sanctuary. It’s simplicity and quiet beauty, the light shining through the windows, the piano and choir, children running up the aisle, friendly faces, scripture, preaching, and singing,... Read more
XCIV Once Again, Gratitude (6/29) We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, your name is near. (Psalm 75:1) “Your name is near.” Gratitude comes from being aware of the Giver and the gifts. Gratitude comes from recognizing our many blessings, most of which the result of the grace of interdependence, most of which we have not earned or created. Gratitude, the Psalmist believes, comes from keeping God’s name near, that is always at the edge of your... Read more
XCIII MAKE HASTE TO HELP ME (6/28) Be pleased, O God, to deliver me, O God make haste to help me. (Psalm 70:1; read entire Psalm 70.) Make haste to help me! There are days we just need help from a power greater than ourselves. When we call out in prayer, we discover that we are not alone, and that we have resources beyond our own individual abilities. Once again, the Psalmist is in trouble. The Psalmist struggles with foes... Read more
XCII Let God’s Light Shine on Us (6/27) May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us. (Psalm 67:1; read entire Psalm 67.) One of my favorite praise songs is “Shine, Jesus, Shine,” celebrating God’s filling our world and lives with light in a world of darkness. God’s light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot defeat it. In God’s light, we see light and find our way through the valley of... Read more
XCI Make a Joyful Noise (6/26) Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; sing the glory of God’s name; give God glorious praise. Come and see what God has done. (Psalm 66:1-2, 5) “Come and see what God as done,” the Psalmist intones. What God has done is the source of our joy. But we need to be attentive. How often to we walk by something beautiful, being too busy to note God’s handiwork and give thanks. In... Read more
XC My soul waits in silence. (6/25) For God alone my soul waits in silence; from God comes my salvation. God alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress: I shall never be shaken. (Psalm 62:1-2) “My soul waits in silence.” We live in a noisy world. There are days when we can barely find a moment of silence, whether in our homes and workplaces or in our own inner lives as we fret about personal and social problems.... Read more
The Adventurous Lectionary – July 9, 2017 – Fifth Sunday after Pentecost Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67; Psalm 45:10-17; Romans 7:15-25a; Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 “Come to me all who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” These words from Jesus serve as God’s response to Paul’s, and our own, inner turmoil and ethical and spiritual angst. Jesus speaks out of his unique relationship with God to provide us with wisdom and guidance as we seek... Read more
LXXXVII Joy in Challenging Times: How Can I Keep from Singing (6/22) Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with loud songs of joy. (Psalm 47:1; read entire Psalm 47) You don’t need to feel guilty about joy in times of trouble. You can shout for joy, clap your hands and give thanks in difficult times. We need to honor all our feelings. Often the ability to feel joy is related to our ability to lament and protest.... Read more
LXXXVI Be Still in God’s Presence (6/21) Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10) We need a still point in the turning world, as T.S. Eliot counsels. We need a center in the cyclone. Life is coming at us fast. Though many of us shelter in place, our lives are anything but peaceful. We lament the rising death tolls from the Coronavirus. We feel the pain of those who protest injustice. We struggle with our own sense... Read more
The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost Genesis 22:1-14; Psalm 13; Jeremiah 28:5-9; Romans 6:12-23; Matthew 10:40-42 This week’s stories are all challenging, spiritually, ethically, and relationally. We need to take exception to the story of Abraham and Isaac to be faithful to the God of grace. Following Christ is ultimately about a life-giving lifestyle, not violence or fear. To be honest, I am unsure what to do with the passage related to Abraham and Isaac. Given the realities of trauma and... Read more
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