Hope for the Hopeless
Ezekiel 37:1-14 and John 11
When I read this passage of scripture I couldn’t help but think of the recent devastation of the Tsunami in Japan. The pictures and stories reach you in the pit of your stomach. You ask where God is in these situations. The Tsunami, the Earthquake in Haiti, the earthquake in China, Aids infected Africa, starving children in Ethiopia and right here at home the memories of 9/11 still haunt us. Our technology today brings us images like we have never been able to see. Horrific images of death and of desperation. I imagine the scene there in the Valley of Dry Bones was very similar. Here we have Ezekiel, an Israelite Prophet who is in exile. He has been having all kinds of visions as we see in previous chapters. The script is the kind of stuff that Sci fi movies are made of. Let me take you there for just a moment. At the time of the writing of Ezekiel Israel and Judah had been overtaken by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and Ezekiel was on of thousand of Jews exiled to Babylon. Perhaps the bones were those laid waste that didn’t make it to Babylon. This reminds me of the trail of tears of the Cherokee nation to Oklahoma. Israel wondered if they would ever regain their land. Was this the end for them? This is the setting in which Ezekiel has this vision. So, there he is in the middle of all these dead, sun bleached, scattered, bones. Who knows which leg goes to which hip joint? The scene is nothing less then devastating and gruesome. The left overs from a war savaged land. The scene appears very hopeless. One can hardly bear to look at it. Then God says “Do you think these bones can live again.” You have to wonder if this is where the phrase “Lord only knows” comes from because that is the exact reply Ezekiel gives. You see the natural answer here would be “of course not.” These are scattered, dead bones. Death is final, it’s the end.” However, Ezekiel had experienced God enough to know better than to give the obvious answer. His answer is this: God, only you know.” Ezekiel knew that with God all things were possible. He just waited in anticipation to see what God had in store this time. God commanded him:
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath[a] enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
Can you imagine that scene? Right there before Ezekiel’s eyes, legs were finding hip joints, arms were finding shoulders, all these bones start clanging together and flesh begins being painted upon them…….He notices though, they are not yet alive….Here is what God tells him next:
“Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
The Hebrew word used here for Breath also can be translated spirit. Ezekiel, things look hopeless here in the Valley. But call on the Holy Spirit, The Holy spirit will breathe Hope into hopelessness. The Holy spirit will bring hope to life.
So, why did Ezekiel have this vision? What does all of this mean? Remember the situation we said Israel was in? The nation of Israel laid waste in a hopeless and desperate situation. God was using Ezekiel to be his messenger of hope to a hopeless people. Listen again:
11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’”
Israel had not been a faithful people. They easily became discouraged. When things didn’t go as they wished they would turn to idols and pagan worship. They were always searching for something better. They would not find it. Instead they find themselves in an even worse situation that they have created through their faithlessness. At this point they believe that God has finally had enough and has cut them off from his grace and mercy. God sends a word to them through Ezekiel though. I do not give up on my children. What Grave have you dug for yourself my children. I am going to bring you from it. God promises for Israel to be reborn! God resurrects a dead Israel. The Holy spirit breathes life into Israel just as God breathed life into that form made from the clay of the ground and called him Adam!
God is in the resurrection, life giving, business my friends. Take a look at another resurrection story more than 500 years later. Jesus is thick into his earthly ministry and is across the Jordon where he had gone after leaving Jerusalem following conflict there where he had been threatened with a stoning. His dear friend Lazarus is sick and Mary and Martha, his sisters, send for Jesus. The story is a familiar one and it is rich with lessons for us to glean. Jesus stays for two days where he is and then decides it is time to go to Lazarus. They learn that he has already died. The disciples worry about Jesus going to Lazarus because there is much adversity to Jesus there and the fear for his life if he goes. Jesus dismisses these worries and he and the disciples head to Bethany, to Lazarus. Meanwhile many Jewish brothers and sisters (the congregation so to speak) have gathered at Mary and Martha’s house to sit with them and comfort them. Martha hears Jesus is approaching and she rushes out to him. “Jesus if only you had been here our brother would still be alive.” Does that sound familiar? In the face of tragedy, grief, unspeakable devastation it is so easy to fall into the role of seeking blame, of wondering where God is, of feeling abandoned. When Martha goes to tell Mary that Jesus wants to see her, she has the same response. Jesus, she weeps, if only you had been here. When Mary leaves the congregation thinks she is leaving to go to the tomb to grieve so they get up and follow. Her weeping hurts them in the depths of their hearts and they weep with her. Jesus is moved by the love he has for Mary, Martha and the congregation and here we have the shortest verse in the Bible. “Jesus Wept.” Jesus did not weep out of guilt…..He wept out of a deep, loving compassion! So, they go to the tomb. Jesus tells the congregation to roll the stone away and then he commands Lazarus, “’Come forth” and Lazarus does, resurrection happens, people are astonished. Jesus then tells the people to free him from his burial clothes, to unbind him. Lazarus lives. Can you imagine that scene? Word spreads to the Sanhedrin and while many persons came to believe Jesus as Messiah, there were those who were just angered by these actions. It was at that moment that the plot to kill Jesus began…….leading to the ultimate resurrection of all; the resurrection of Jesus Christ! Yes, friends: God is in the business of resurrection. God breathes life into the ravages of Japan through the kindness of strangers, through stories of love and hope as we hear of a woman who puts a sign out that says “my toilet works, please use it”, as we hear of a rescued dog reunited with its owner, as we hear of complete strangers helping one another. No longer are there divisions of male or female, democrat or republican, lower class or upper class, Asian, or American or the number of other things that divide humanity. It is in these times that we see glimpses of the Kingdom, glimpses of common regard for all life by all persons. For you see in each of these stories God partners with humanity to bring life. He used Ezekiel to speak the words; The Holy spirit Breathed the life. He used the Jews to roll the stone away from the tomb and unbind Lazarus; He breathed life back into Lazarus.
We are living in desperate times these days. It’s easy to feel hopeless sometimes and wonder where God is. Where is God when a family member has a devastating car crash, breaking her neck and leaving the family waiting for arrival, fearful of what this will all mean for her young daughter? God is there breathing hope through paramedics and ambulance drivers who are skilled enough to keep her stable on the long journey to the hospital, he is there breathing hope through skilled surgeons, and He is there through grandparents who briefly take over the care of their grandchild. Where is God when a young man sits by the side of the love of his life cradling their baby who was born without life, feeling like his world has come crashing in around him. He is there in that room breathing hope through the large family that surrounds them, breathing hope through the visits of caring friends, breathing hope through the love that can only be described if one has experienced that, breathing hope through the wise words of a pastor at the funeral, through the words of a song sung. Where is God when a loved one begins to lose their memory and you only get to see glimpses of who they once were? He is there breathing hope through the stories you get to here, through the precious time you get to spend in caring for them and giving back to them just a little of what they’ve given you. Where is God when you have to leave the home that you’ve known for years to live amongst strangers? He is there, breathing hope through caring nurses, a kind card, and unexpected visits from volunteers. Sometimes just sometimes he is there in our tears, weeping with us as we ride those rivers of tears through the storms till we got on the other side and wonder how we got there. I can tell you how we get there; we get there on the wings of the spirit, breathing hope into our hopeless situations.
Perhaps you can not connect with those feelings of hopelessness. Perhaps you’re gifted at seeing the positive in things and you’ve well learned that God can and does bring good out of the worst of situations. What do these stories have to say to you? Well, you could be the congregation of people who are sent to be there and sit with those who are in hopeless situations just as the Jews sat with Mary and Martha. Perhaps you are one of those that Jesus commands to remove the stone and take off the bindings. How can you assist someone out of the ties that are binding them and keeping them in a hopeless situation? Perhaps, like Ezekiel, God needs for you to be a messenger of hope to someone feeling hopeless. Look for opportunities in your daily life to be instruments of God’s hope in this world.
Perhaps like the Israelites, you feel all dried up and separated from God’s Grace and Mercy. Today the message for you is to open yourself up to the Breath of God and recognize that God is still with you.
Surrender it all dear friends. Surrender the hopeless moments. Breathe out the hopelessness and breathe in the breath of our life giving savior.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Announcing the Launch of Fathers Eyes Ministries
I've spent the last 2 months focusing on Health and Wellness: My physical and mental health, the physical and mental health of my immediate family, My families financial health and my spiritual health. It's been quite a journey that has been slower than anticipated; interrupted frequently by Snow, illness, and other things. However, in this two months I have been introduced to a new respite provider, my uncle is busy getting licensed to be a respite provider. I have been introduced to Deepak Chopra's writings and have learned new ways toward meditation, health, and wellness through those readings. I have also been introduced to Emergen-C which has afforded me more energy than I have had in a while. In the last two months I have witnessed the increase of gas prices, food prices, insurance prices, medication prices. Funny, I have not seen an increase in pay. Imagine that. Makes financial health somewhat challenging.
For the last several months I have been praying over and planning the launch of a new ministry. This began with me obtaining my ordination through Universal Life Church. I still look toward one day being Ordained in the United Methodist Church in the future. However, for now, I answer God's call in the way that I can. I am excited to announce the launch of Father's Eyes Ministries. This ministry will provide:
1. Outreach to persons who for whatever reason feel orphaned or abandoned by the church.
2. Pastoral Care for those who do not otherwise have a pastor and are not for whatever reason ready to make the step toward joining with a church.
3. Officiating of Weddings and Funerals.
4. Speaking engagements as requested.
There is still a lot of work to do. For now, this will be a part time venture to complement/supplement my full time work as a social worker. When the time is right in the next 5-10 years it will hopefully transition into my life work.
I still have lots of business end work to do as funds become available: business licenses, cards, fliers, advertising, website launching and such. However, I am functioning in this capacity and would welcome any referrals you would want to send my way.
Fully Believing God's love is for all of God's creation and that we are to be who God created us to be, I request your prayers as I move forward in answering God's call on my life.
For the last several months I have been praying over and planning the launch of a new ministry. This began with me obtaining my ordination through Universal Life Church. I still look toward one day being Ordained in the United Methodist Church in the future. However, for now, I answer God's call in the way that I can. I am excited to announce the launch of Father's Eyes Ministries. This ministry will provide:
1. Outreach to persons who for whatever reason feel orphaned or abandoned by the church.
2. Pastoral Care for those who do not otherwise have a pastor and are not for whatever reason ready to make the step toward joining with a church.
3. Officiating of Weddings and Funerals.
4. Speaking engagements as requested.
There is still a lot of work to do. For now, this will be a part time venture to complement/supplement my full time work as a social worker. When the time is right in the next 5-10 years it will hopefully transition into my life work.
I still have lots of business end work to do as funds become available: business licenses, cards, fliers, advertising, website launching and such. However, I am functioning in this capacity and would welcome any referrals you would want to send my way.
Fully Believing God's love is for all of God's creation and that we are to be who God created us to be, I request your prayers as I move forward in answering God's call on my life.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Rekindling the Flame
A Sermon prepared for Cruso UMC and Longs UMC
You are once again getting a hot off the press sermon this week. When your pastor called me a couple of weeks ago I felt the luxury of having a lot of time to prepare and began immediately looking up and reading the different lectionary texts for this week. Typically when I read them something either jumps right out at me or I’m able to eliminate a couple that don’t jump out at me at all and I go from there. Nothing majorly jumped out at me this time but I did feel at peace with selecting this passage in 2nd Timothy. I began doing the research on it pretty consistently, tackling a verse or two a night and then life interrupted me as I was called upon to participate in my first funeral as a minister. This was followed by a work deadline and on Thursday I remembered that I was preaching today. I have really wrestled with this text over the last few days and was beginning to wonder if a sermon would ever come from all the wrestling…..but as God always does as I milled it over in my head while washing dishes and doing laundry things began to fall into place and what you get today is the product of that scenario.
The very first thing that I thought of when I read this passage was my Uncle Stan. Stan is 6 years my senior. He was in the first grade when I was born. Being that our age difference was so small our relationship was more that of siblings than of aunt and uncle. I always had admiration for him and looked up to him. He just recently published his first book, “Poor Memory” It is a fictional book based on reflections of his own call to ministry with the characters based on real people he has encountered in life. I was thrilled when I began reading the book and there in the first pages was this line…. “Other times I’m in front of the class for Show-N-Tell proudly displaying a ……picture of my newborn niece.” I made the book….Nevermind that he was describing a recurring nightmare of being in front of people with his socks, shoes and shirt on but no pants, only his drawers. That didn’t matter…..I still made the book and he told everyone that would read it that he was proud of me even then. Thus was born a relationship of niece/uncle; friends; mentor/mentoree.
Such was the relationship of Paul and Timothy. Paul the mentor/Timothy, the mentoree. Bare with me for a little while as I give you just a bit of a history lesson. When you are reading letters that Paul has written, it is important to understand the context within which they are written. Who are the characters in this letter.
The writer is identified in the text as Paul. We know from reading the book of Acts that Paul was at one time a persecuter of Christians. He was a Roman Citizen and a self avowed “phairisee” He was born as Saul. He had a powerful conversion experience and made a life change from being the persecuter to being the persecuted. He traveled throughout, beginning his ministry in Damascus and continuing on to take three Missionary Journeys going back to Jerusalem 5 times. Part of Paul’s ministry was insuring that the word spread beyond the Hebrew nations and to the Gentile world. Paul knew that Jesus came for all, there was no discrimination for Jesus love. He was hotly pursued by other Jewish leaders and persecuted for the message he was delivering. He ended up being put in prison because of his ministry. It is assumed that Paul is writing Timothy from Prison. In reading the whole book of 2 Timothy it seems as though Paul is near the end of his life and knows this and needs to write to Timothy some final words of advice.
Timothy was biracial so to speak. His mother was Jewish, his father was Greek. We know that his mother’s name was Lois and his grandmother was Eunice and we know that Lois and Eunice played a very vital role in giving Timothy the foundations of his faith. Paul had heard of Timothy, met him and decided to have Timothy join him in ministry. Timothy was young when he became ordained throught the laying on of the elders hands. Timothy, Paul and Silas are frequently mentioned together. Paul concentrating his ministry to the Jews and sending Timothy out to the Gentiles. (thus insuring that all persons are ministered to.) Paul refers to Timothy many times as being “like a son” to him. Paul was a coach, a teacher, a mentor. He feels very protective over Timothy and he wants to see Timothy succeed. Timothy and Paul were separated from each other when Paul was being pursued and upon that separation Timothy cried as Paul left him.
So, that is the background that brings us to this text today. A letter from a mentor to his mentoree. As we travel together through this text I want you to think of times when you have had the opportunity to mentor, advise, counsel, coach another person and think of times when you have sought the same from another. In Thessalonians, Paul, Silas and Timothy write to the church saying that they dealt with the church as a father deals with a son, they go on to identify this as encouraging, comforting and urging each other to live lives that are worthy of God’s calling of all of them into kingdom living.
The text begins as all texts written by Paul with Paul identifying himself and the person/group to whom he is writing. He then goes on as he does in his letters, to telling Timothy that He thanks God for him. He lets him know that he is constantly remembering him in prayer. One interesting thing that came from the study of this phrase in verse 3 where he says “I thank my God with a clear conscience as night and day I constantly remember you in prayer” came in the reading of I Samuel 12:20ff. In the passage Samuel is giving an exiting speech before his death. The passage reads:
"Do not be afraid," Samuel replied. "You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. 21 Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. 22 For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people, because the LORD was pleased to make you his own. 23 As for me, (here it is) far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. 24 But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. 25 Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away."
When I’ve thought of sin before I don’t think I’ve thought of the omission of praying for people as sinful. That is pretty strong. However in reading this statement made by Paul about having a clear conscience because he has prayed constantly for Timothy and this very similar statement made by Samuel I think our very first lesson today is to Pray constantly for the persons God has put in our lives. To encourage one another, comfort one another, urge one another in love.
He goes on to acknowledge Timothy as being faithful to what he has been taught by his mother and grandmother and he then goes forward to be and encourager and urger to Timothy. He says “for this reason I remind you to fan the flame, the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. Reading this reminds me of a trip the Sunday School class made this summer to Deep Creek. We had built a fire in the grill out of twigs and paper so that we could make smores. The fire would begin to die out and one of the men would blow on it. Fire needs fuel and oxygen is fuel that will rekindle a flame. What a great illustration for faith sometimes. It is real easy to forget sometimes that important calling on our life, whatever it might be. In this instance for Timothy it was a calling to preach, to lead the church. It seems Paul senses that Timothy might be questioning his own worthiness or abilities for such a task and Paul wants to encourage Timothy to keep those gifts alive; to keep going.
I knew from a pretty early age that God was calling me into ministry. Growing up Baptist I had a lot of obstacles in my path for that, particularly if preaching/pastoring was what God was calling me to. I was a woman, strike 1. Later as I fought that I obstacle I became divorced, strike 2. The obstacles just continued to the point that I began questioning if I had heard God right. I began questioning my gifts and my abilities and I began a career in Social Work. Be sure that God has used my gifts in the area of Social Work but I was fooling myself to believe that was God’s ultimate plan and will for my life. This became clear in 2005 through a series of events that culminated in me awakening suddenly during the night with the reference Revelation 3:2 in my head. Now I am here to tell you that I had not spent a lot of time in deep study of Revelation, I had not recently read it and Revelation 3:2 is not a verse I had committed to memory as a child or any other time. This is what it says: Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. My friends let me tell you that I woke up and I made an appointment the very next day to speak to my pastor to discuss my calling and the obstacles that being the single parent of a special needs child brought to me returning to seminary, to being an itenarant pastor in the UMC. I couldn’t uproot my child from his support system, therapists, and such. That is when Rob shared with me about the Lay Speaker training and I immediately signed up to take the training. This was followed by my becoming the lay ministry leader for congregational care. As much as this fulfilled parts of this burning call on my life, still things weren’t quite right. I couldn’t perform a marriage ceremony, preside as a minister at a funeral, get special visitation privalages in the hospital. Recently a friend’s daughter emailed me asking me to perform her wedding ceremony and that is when I decided I was going to use an unconventional way to fulfill this request I was so honored to receive. I became ordained through universal life church. Now we all remember the friends episode when Joey gets ordained over the internet to officiate at Chandler and Monica’s wedding. I have joked that I am now the new Joey Tribiani, however for me it is not a joke and it is not about performing my friend’s ceremony. It was about overcoming an obstacle and following the call God has placed on my life. It wasn’t a few weeks later that a friend’s mom passed away and I was called upon to participate as a minister at her funeral. What I can tell you my friends is that in those moments I am at home. The day of that funeral I was having an otherwise very stressful day but at that moment when I entered that funeral home and gave my remarks and prayed all those worries disappeared and I was at home. Night before last one of our church members was rushed to the hospital after being found unconscious and he now lies in a coma with his family sitting vigil at the hospital. In my visits to the hospital over the past two days to sit with the family and be present for them, all my worries were left behind and I felt like I was at home. Recently, a friend shared a quote that said, “you need to find something that you would do for free and then make a career of it.” There are some parts of social work I would do for free: visiting with and helping families…..but there are definitely parts of it that I wouldn’t do for free: like the mounds of paperwork. There is nothing about ministering that I wouldn’t do for free: The preaching, the studying, the visiting, the funerals, the weddings, the sermon preparation…nothing. So, I continue to fan that flame, one breath at a time, one piece at a time, one day at a time. What is it for you. What flames do you need to rekindle as an individual. What flames do you need to rekindle as a church? Think about that and begin breathing on that fire…..
In speaking of this Paul goes on to say “for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power, of love and of self discipline. He’s saying to Timothy: Do not be afraid, don’t be shy…..God doesn’t give us a spirit of fear. He tells Timothy this just as Jeremiah has said “Do not be afraid”. He tells this to Timothy just as he shared with the Romans that they should not be a slave to fear and he shared in Hebrews that persons needed to be freed from their slavery to fear of death. Don’t be shy Timothy, don’t be afraid. The spirit God gives us is a spirit of power, love and self discipline. Be bold with your gifts, be loving with your gifts, be sensible with your gifts. In what ways do you let fear captivate you and enslave you and keep you from breathing on that fire in your belly that God has given you for something. We are called here to let go of those fears.
He then goes onto say in verses 8-12:
So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
“Do not be ashamed.” Why would anyone be ashamed of Christ, of doing what they are called to do for Christ. Many people say that this verse is stating we should not be embarrassed of Christ or of being a Christian or of sharing our faith. We know that out of fear Peter denied Christ. He learns a lesson from that experience and in one of his letters writes that If you suffer as a Christian you should not be ashamed but Praise God that you bear that name. I believe that is a very strong message. We should not be ashamed of Jesus or of being a Christian though sometimes I am ashamed at some of things people say and do under the name of Christianity. Another thought came to mind though. Perhaps Paul was telling Timothy not to be ashamed of himself, of his shortcomings. Not to let his embarrassment over those things get in the way of sharing the good news. No, because God’s grace within humanity is the power of the message. That God can take a Roman Citizen that persecuted the church and turn him into the founder of Christianity, that God can take a young boy like Timothy and reach the Gentile world, that God can take a man that has trouble speaking and make him the leader of the Israelites out of bondage and to the promised land, that God can take a divorced, single mother with many other obstacles in her path and turn her into a pastor……That my friends is where the power is, the love is. Those are the stories that reach people so never think you are too human to share the love of God, to proclaim that you’re a Christian. I remember in my early social work days I was working in a children’s home in the Eastern part of the state. It was part of the Baptist children’s home system and one of my co-houseparents was a woman named Stephanie. Stephanie was one of those people that didn’t claim Christianity because she didn’t believe she was “good enough.” She was ashamed of her past. What I learned of Stephanie was that she lived more of a Christian life than many of the other houseparents that did claim Christianity. The Sunday before I was scheduled to leave that job she sang in church, dedicating the song to me. “I know you’ve got troubles, so do I….. I searched and searched to find a reference for this song or more of the lyrics but I couldn’t. The point is that she sang that song with such conviction that day and with such a heart of love for me and with such faith in One that could hold those troubles in his hands……She had gotten the point, I believe. None of us are “good enough” and it’s God’s interactions with us in all of our human-ness that sets Christianity apart from other World religions. So the message to Timothy might very well be “don’t be ashamed of who you are, don’t think that makes you unable to share God’s love, it is exactly what enables you to share God’s love, grace and mercy.”
This part of the text ends with Paul telling Timothy to keep what he’s heard from him as the pattern of sound teaching with faith and love in Jesus Christ.
I did something interesting with this sermon preparation, an experiment of sorts and I liked it so much that I think I will do it from now on when preparing. In my facebook status I posted, “wondering what thoughts my Facebook friends have about 2 Timothy 1…….I want to share with you the responses I received.
(insert posts)
This was a fun experiment, more than that it was neat to have those conversations with persons I’m connected to and to see who responded and have a new lens through which to see them. That is what this is about, ceasing those opportunities without fear, without embarrassment. So my challenge to you this week is to:
1. Write a letter of encouragement to a brother or sister in faith, to someone that is “like a son or daughter to you.”
2. Think about that one thing you would do for free……recognize it as your calling and let go of your fears, and obstacles, blow on that flame and rekindle it with the very strength and power and that you are given through your relationship with Jesus Christ.
3. What part of who you are makes you think you are unworthy to proclaim the good news, to proclaim the love of God, to live out your faith with boldness and pride? Let go of that embarrassment and shame and know that God loves you for who God created you to be.
4. Above all see everything and everyone through the lens of Christ’s love knowing that Christ did not come into this world to condemn the world but that through him the world might be saved!
I want to end my time with you this morning by re-reading this passage of scripture to you from the Message….a paraphrase I often use when I just want to leisurely read and understand…..
1-2I, Paul, am on special assignment for Christ, carrying out God's plan laid out in the Message of Life by Jesus. I write this to you, Timothy, the son I love so much. All the best from our God and Christ be yours! To Be Bold with God's Gifts
3-4Every time I say your name in prayer—which is practically all the time—I thank God for you, the God I worship with my whole life in the tradition of my ancestors. I miss you a lot, especially when I remember that last tearful good-bye, and I look forward to a joy-packed reunion.
5-7That precious memory triggers another: your honest faith—and what a rich faith it is, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to you! And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed—keep that ablaze! God doesn't want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.
8-10So don't be embarrassed to speak up for our Master or for me, his prisoner. Take your share of suffering for the Message along with the rest of us. We can only keep on going, after all, by the power of God, who first saved us and then called us to this holy work. We had nothing to do with it. It was all his idea, a gift prepared for us in Jesus long before we knew anything about it. But we know it now. Since the appearance of our Savior, nothing could be plainer: death defeated, life vindicated in a steady blaze of light, all through the work of Jesus.
11-12This is the Message I've been set apart to proclaim as preacher, emissary, and teacher. It's also the cause of all this trouble I'm in. But I have no regrets. I couldn't be more sure of my ground—the One I've trusted in can take care of what he's trusted me to do right to the end.
13-14So keep at your work, this faith and love rooted in Christ, exactly as I set it out for you. It's as sound as the day you first heard it from me. Guard this precious thing placed in your custody by the Holy Spirit who works in us.
You are once again getting a hot off the press sermon this week. When your pastor called me a couple of weeks ago I felt the luxury of having a lot of time to prepare and began immediately looking up and reading the different lectionary texts for this week. Typically when I read them something either jumps right out at me or I’m able to eliminate a couple that don’t jump out at me at all and I go from there. Nothing majorly jumped out at me this time but I did feel at peace with selecting this passage in 2nd Timothy. I began doing the research on it pretty consistently, tackling a verse or two a night and then life interrupted me as I was called upon to participate in my first funeral as a minister. This was followed by a work deadline and on Thursday I remembered that I was preaching today. I have really wrestled with this text over the last few days and was beginning to wonder if a sermon would ever come from all the wrestling…..but as God always does as I milled it over in my head while washing dishes and doing laundry things began to fall into place and what you get today is the product of that scenario.
The very first thing that I thought of when I read this passage was my Uncle Stan. Stan is 6 years my senior. He was in the first grade when I was born. Being that our age difference was so small our relationship was more that of siblings than of aunt and uncle. I always had admiration for him and looked up to him. He just recently published his first book, “Poor Memory” It is a fictional book based on reflections of his own call to ministry with the characters based on real people he has encountered in life. I was thrilled when I began reading the book and there in the first pages was this line…. “Other times I’m in front of the class for Show-N-Tell proudly displaying a ……picture of my newborn niece.” I made the book….Nevermind that he was describing a recurring nightmare of being in front of people with his socks, shoes and shirt on but no pants, only his drawers. That didn’t matter…..I still made the book and he told everyone that would read it that he was proud of me even then. Thus was born a relationship of niece/uncle; friends; mentor/mentoree.
Such was the relationship of Paul and Timothy. Paul the mentor/Timothy, the mentoree. Bare with me for a little while as I give you just a bit of a history lesson. When you are reading letters that Paul has written, it is important to understand the context within which they are written. Who are the characters in this letter.
The writer is identified in the text as Paul. We know from reading the book of Acts that Paul was at one time a persecuter of Christians. He was a Roman Citizen and a self avowed “phairisee” He was born as Saul. He had a powerful conversion experience and made a life change from being the persecuter to being the persecuted. He traveled throughout, beginning his ministry in Damascus and continuing on to take three Missionary Journeys going back to Jerusalem 5 times. Part of Paul’s ministry was insuring that the word spread beyond the Hebrew nations and to the Gentile world. Paul knew that Jesus came for all, there was no discrimination for Jesus love. He was hotly pursued by other Jewish leaders and persecuted for the message he was delivering. He ended up being put in prison because of his ministry. It is assumed that Paul is writing Timothy from Prison. In reading the whole book of 2 Timothy it seems as though Paul is near the end of his life and knows this and needs to write to Timothy some final words of advice.
Timothy was biracial so to speak. His mother was Jewish, his father was Greek. We know that his mother’s name was Lois and his grandmother was Eunice and we know that Lois and Eunice played a very vital role in giving Timothy the foundations of his faith. Paul had heard of Timothy, met him and decided to have Timothy join him in ministry. Timothy was young when he became ordained throught the laying on of the elders hands. Timothy, Paul and Silas are frequently mentioned together. Paul concentrating his ministry to the Jews and sending Timothy out to the Gentiles. (thus insuring that all persons are ministered to.) Paul refers to Timothy many times as being “like a son” to him. Paul was a coach, a teacher, a mentor. He feels very protective over Timothy and he wants to see Timothy succeed. Timothy and Paul were separated from each other when Paul was being pursued and upon that separation Timothy cried as Paul left him.
So, that is the background that brings us to this text today. A letter from a mentor to his mentoree. As we travel together through this text I want you to think of times when you have had the opportunity to mentor, advise, counsel, coach another person and think of times when you have sought the same from another. In Thessalonians, Paul, Silas and Timothy write to the church saying that they dealt with the church as a father deals with a son, they go on to identify this as encouraging, comforting and urging each other to live lives that are worthy of God’s calling of all of them into kingdom living.
The text begins as all texts written by Paul with Paul identifying himself and the person/group to whom he is writing. He then goes on as he does in his letters, to telling Timothy that He thanks God for him. He lets him know that he is constantly remembering him in prayer. One interesting thing that came from the study of this phrase in verse 3 where he says “I thank my God with a clear conscience as night and day I constantly remember you in prayer” came in the reading of I Samuel 12:20ff. In the passage Samuel is giving an exiting speech before his death. The passage reads:
"Do not be afraid," Samuel replied. "You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. 21 Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. 22 For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people, because the LORD was pleased to make you his own. 23 As for me, (here it is) far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. 24 But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. 25 Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away."
When I’ve thought of sin before I don’t think I’ve thought of the omission of praying for people as sinful. That is pretty strong. However in reading this statement made by Paul about having a clear conscience because he has prayed constantly for Timothy and this very similar statement made by Samuel I think our very first lesson today is to Pray constantly for the persons God has put in our lives. To encourage one another, comfort one another, urge one another in love.
He goes on to acknowledge Timothy as being faithful to what he has been taught by his mother and grandmother and he then goes forward to be and encourager and urger to Timothy. He says “for this reason I remind you to fan the flame, the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. Reading this reminds me of a trip the Sunday School class made this summer to Deep Creek. We had built a fire in the grill out of twigs and paper so that we could make smores. The fire would begin to die out and one of the men would blow on it. Fire needs fuel and oxygen is fuel that will rekindle a flame. What a great illustration for faith sometimes. It is real easy to forget sometimes that important calling on our life, whatever it might be. In this instance for Timothy it was a calling to preach, to lead the church. It seems Paul senses that Timothy might be questioning his own worthiness or abilities for such a task and Paul wants to encourage Timothy to keep those gifts alive; to keep going.
I knew from a pretty early age that God was calling me into ministry. Growing up Baptist I had a lot of obstacles in my path for that, particularly if preaching/pastoring was what God was calling me to. I was a woman, strike 1. Later as I fought that I obstacle I became divorced, strike 2. The obstacles just continued to the point that I began questioning if I had heard God right. I began questioning my gifts and my abilities and I began a career in Social Work. Be sure that God has used my gifts in the area of Social Work but I was fooling myself to believe that was God’s ultimate plan and will for my life. This became clear in 2005 through a series of events that culminated in me awakening suddenly during the night with the reference Revelation 3:2 in my head. Now I am here to tell you that I had not spent a lot of time in deep study of Revelation, I had not recently read it and Revelation 3:2 is not a verse I had committed to memory as a child or any other time. This is what it says: Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. My friends let me tell you that I woke up and I made an appointment the very next day to speak to my pastor to discuss my calling and the obstacles that being the single parent of a special needs child brought to me returning to seminary, to being an itenarant pastor in the UMC. I couldn’t uproot my child from his support system, therapists, and such. That is when Rob shared with me about the Lay Speaker training and I immediately signed up to take the training. This was followed by my becoming the lay ministry leader for congregational care. As much as this fulfilled parts of this burning call on my life, still things weren’t quite right. I couldn’t perform a marriage ceremony, preside as a minister at a funeral, get special visitation privalages in the hospital. Recently a friend’s daughter emailed me asking me to perform her wedding ceremony and that is when I decided I was going to use an unconventional way to fulfill this request I was so honored to receive. I became ordained through universal life church. Now we all remember the friends episode when Joey gets ordained over the internet to officiate at Chandler and Monica’s wedding. I have joked that I am now the new Joey Tribiani, however for me it is not a joke and it is not about performing my friend’s ceremony. It was about overcoming an obstacle and following the call God has placed on my life. It wasn’t a few weeks later that a friend’s mom passed away and I was called upon to participate as a minister at her funeral. What I can tell you my friends is that in those moments I am at home. The day of that funeral I was having an otherwise very stressful day but at that moment when I entered that funeral home and gave my remarks and prayed all those worries disappeared and I was at home. Night before last one of our church members was rushed to the hospital after being found unconscious and he now lies in a coma with his family sitting vigil at the hospital. In my visits to the hospital over the past two days to sit with the family and be present for them, all my worries were left behind and I felt like I was at home. Recently, a friend shared a quote that said, “you need to find something that you would do for free and then make a career of it.” There are some parts of social work I would do for free: visiting with and helping families…..but there are definitely parts of it that I wouldn’t do for free: like the mounds of paperwork. There is nothing about ministering that I wouldn’t do for free: The preaching, the studying, the visiting, the funerals, the weddings, the sermon preparation…nothing. So, I continue to fan that flame, one breath at a time, one piece at a time, one day at a time. What is it for you. What flames do you need to rekindle as an individual. What flames do you need to rekindle as a church? Think about that and begin breathing on that fire…..
In speaking of this Paul goes on to say “for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power, of love and of self discipline. He’s saying to Timothy: Do not be afraid, don’t be shy…..God doesn’t give us a spirit of fear. He tells Timothy this just as Jeremiah has said “Do not be afraid”. He tells this to Timothy just as he shared with the Romans that they should not be a slave to fear and he shared in Hebrews that persons needed to be freed from their slavery to fear of death. Don’t be shy Timothy, don’t be afraid. The spirit God gives us is a spirit of power, love and self discipline. Be bold with your gifts, be loving with your gifts, be sensible with your gifts. In what ways do you let fear captivate you and enslave you and keep you from breathing on that fire in your belly that God has given you for something. We are called here to let go of those fears.
He then goes onto say in verses 8-12:
So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
“Do not be ashamed.” Why would anyone be ashamed of Christ, of doing what they are called to do for Christ. Many people say that this verse is stating we should not be embarrassed of Christ or of being a Christian or of sharing our faith. We know that out of fear Peter denied Christ. He learns a lesson from that experience and in one of his letters writes that If you suffer as a Christian you should not be ashamed but Praise God that you bear that name. I believe that is a very strong message. We should not be ashamed of Jesus or of being a Christian though sometimes I am ashamed at some of things people say and do under the name of Christianity. Another thought came to mind though. Perhaps Paul was telling Timothy not to be ashamed of himself, of his shortcomings. Not to let his embarrassment over those things get in the way of sharing the good news. No, because God’s grace within humanity is the power of the message. That God can take a Roman Citizen that persecuted the church and turn him into the founder of Christianity, that God can take a young boy like Timothy and reach the Gentile world, that God can take a man that has trouble speaking and make him the leader of the Israelites out of bondage and to the promised land, that God can take a divorced, single mother with many other obstacles in her path and turn her into a pastor……That my friends is where the power is, the love is. Those are the stories that reach people so never think you are too human to share the love of God, to proclaim that you’re a Christian. I remember in my early social work days I was working in a children’s home in the Eastern part of the state. It was part of the Baptist children’s home system and one of my co-houseparents was a woman named Stephanie. Stephanie was one of those people that didn’t claim Christianity because she didn’t believe she was “good enough.” She was ashamed of her past. What I learned of Stephanie was that she lived more of a Christian life than many of the other houseparents that did claim Christianity. The Sunday before I was scheduled to leave that job she sang in church, dedicating the song to me. “I know you’ve got troubles, so do I….. I searched and searched to find a reference for this song or more of the lyrics but I couldn’t. The point is that she sang that song with such conviction that day and with such a heart of love for me and with such faith in One that could hold those troubles in his hands……She had gotten the point, I believe. None of us are “good enough” and it’s God’s interactions with us in all of our human-ness that sets Christianity apart from other World religions. So the message to Timothy might very well be “don’t be ashamed of who you are, don’t think that makes you unable to share God’s love, it is exactly what enables you to share God’s love, grace and mercy.”
This part of the text ends with Paul telling Timothy to keep what he’s heard from him as the pattern of sound teaching with faith and love in Jesus Christ.
I did something interesting with this sermon preparation, an experiment of sorts and I liked it so much that I think I will do it from now on when preparing. In my facebook status I posted, “wondering what thoughts my Facebook friends have about 2 Timothy 1…….I want to share with you the responses I received.
(insert posts)
This was a fun experiment, more than that it was neat to have those conversations with persons I’m connected to and to see who responded and have a new lens through which to see them. That is what this is about, ceasing those opportunities without fear, without embarrassment. So my challenge to you this week is to:
1. Write a letter of encouragement to a brother or sister in faith, to someone that is “like a son or daughter to you.”
2. Think about that one thing you would do for free……recognize it as your calling and let go of your fears, and obstacles, blow on that flame and rekindle it with the very strength and power and that you are given through your relationship with Jesus Christ.
3. What part of who you are makes you think you are unworthy to proclaim the good news, to proclaim the love of God, to live out your faith with boldness and pride? Let go of that embarrassment and shame and know that God loves you for who God created you to be.
4. Above all see everything and everyone through the lens of Christ’s love knowing that Christ did not come into this world to condemn the world but that through him the world might be saved!
I want to end my time with you this morning by re-reading this passage of scripture to you from the Message….a paraphrase I often use when I just want to leisurely read and understand…..
1-2I, Paul, am on special assignment for Christ, carrying out God's plan laid out in the Message of Life by Jesus. I write this to you, Timothy, the son I love so much. All the best from our God and Christ be yours! To Be Bold with God's Gifts
3-4Every time I say your name in prayer—which is practically all the time—I thank God for you, the God I worship with my whole life in the tradition of my ancestors. I miss you a lot, especially when I remember that last tearful good-bye, and I look forward to a joy-packed reunion.
5-7That precious memory triggers another: your honest faith—and what a rich faith it is, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to you! And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed—keep that ablaze! God doesn't want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.
8-10So don't be embarrassed to speak up for our Master or for me, his prisoner. Take your share of suffering for the Message along with the rest of us. We can only keep on going, after all, by the power of God, who first saved us and then called us to this holy work. We had nothing to do with it. It was all his idea, a gift prepared for us in Jesus long before we knew anything about it. But we know it now. Since the appearance of our Savior, nothing could be plainer: death defeated, life vindicated in a steady blaze of light, all through the work of Jesus.
11-12This is the Message I've been set apart to proclaim as preacher, emissary, and teacher. It's also the cause of all this trouble I'm in. But I have no regrets. I couldn't be more sure of my ground—the One I've trusted in can take care of what he's trusted me to do right to the end.
13-14So keep at your work, this faith and love rooted in Christ, exactly as I set it out for you. It's as sound as the day you first heard it from me. Guard this precious thing placed in your custody by the Holy Spirit who works in us.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Jesus Wept: A Devotion Written in Memory of Kelly Anderson
July 28, 2010
Two nights ago came the tragic news that a member of our praise team had died very unexpectnatly and traumatically: The next 24 hours brought inspiration for the below devotional to share with the other members of the Praise Team who loved her so much. I share this here in hopes that it may reach others and bring comfort in similar circumstances.
Jesus Wept: A devotional written in memory of Kelly Anderson
When I heard the news of Kelly’s death I’m sure my heart stopped. The death of a Sistah, was just too unreal to wrap my mind around. I sent an email to the friendship class sharing the sad news and one of the replies to that email was simply “sobbing.” That made me think of the shortest verse in the bible, John 11:35 “Jesus Wept.” Then I began thinking of the story that surrounds that verse, the story of the death of Lazarus.
Let me share parts of that story with you: beginning with verse 17-21:
On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18Bethany was less than two miles[a] from Jerusalem, 19and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
21"Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
And then picking back up at verse 28 through verse 35:
And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. "The Teacher is here," she said, "and is asking for you." 29When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
32When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34"Where have you laid him?" he asked.
"Come and see, Lord," they replied.
35Jesus wept.
There are several things I think we can glean from this story:
1. In these times we are called to be with the family and to provide comfort for them. The church was gathered at the home of Mary and Martha, comforting them and when Mary left running out the door to meet Jesus they followed her, wanting to be present with her in her time of need and they wept with her.
2. Both Martha and Mary upon seeing Jesus said “If only you had been here.” Many of us are asking that same question. “If only I had encouraged her differently, If only I could have seen, if only……Jesus’ response was he wept. Jesus in all his perfection, wasn’t there didn’t prevent the death. He wept not because he felt guilty. He wept for Mary and Martha, he wept for those who were gathered around Mary and Martha who were weeping. Weeping is an appropriate response. There is not a place for guilt. My friends you were sistahs and brothers to this wonderful, infectious creation of God. I’ve seen you pray with her and pray over her. I’ve seen her do the same. She loved each of you and each of you loved her. You loved her in the way you were led to love and there is nothing you could have done in that moment. Weep, weep for the family, weep for your own loss, but do not feel guilty.
3. We all know the end of this story, Jesus rose Lazarus from the dead. We can’t do that…at least not in the physical sense. But in the spiritual sense we can. We can keep Kelly’s memory alive by picking up her cross and bearing it, by taking an interest in her passions and keeping those passions alive. Share the stories she has shared with you, find out how you can support the celebrate recovery ministry, keep those memories and passions alive and in a sense you are saying “Kelly come forth.”
4. Lastly, Mary and Martha went to Jesus. They went to Jesus with questions and they went to Jesus for comfort. Fall into the arms of Jesus during this time and don’t let go. Remember the song Falling In love with Jesus, remember Kelly’s face as she worshipfully sang this song with you and continue Falling in Love with Jesus. Fall into the protection and safety of his Loving Arms and know that as you weep, so he weeps with you.
I love you all my friends…….May you find a peace that passes all understanding.
The other Kelly
Two nights ago came the tragic news that a member of our praise team had died very unexpectnatly and traumatically: The next 24 hours brought inspiration for the below devotional to share with the other members of the Praise Team who loved her so much. I share this here in hopes that it may reach others and bring comfort in similar circumstances.
Jesus Wept: A devotional written in memory of Kelly Anderson
When I heard the news of Kelly’s death I’m sure my heart stopped. The death of a Sistah, was just too unreal to wrap my mind around. I sent an email to the friendship class sharing the sad news and one of the replies to that email was simply “sobbing.” That made me think of the shortest verse in the bible, John 11:35 “Jesus Wept.” Then I began thinking of the story that surrounds that verse, the story of the death of Lazarus.
Let me share parts of that story with you: beginning with verse 17-21:
On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18Bethany was less than two miles[a] from Jerusalem, 19and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
21"Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
And then picking back up at verse 28 through verse 35:
And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. "The Teacher is here," she said, "and is asking for you." 29When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
32When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34"Where have you laid him?" he asked.
"Come and see, Lord," they replied.
35Jesus wept.
There are several things I think we can glean from this story:
1. In these times we are called to be with the family and to provide comfort for them. The church was gathered at the home of Mary and Martha, comforting them and when Mary left running out the door to meet Jesus they followed her, wanting to be present with her in her time of need and they wept with her.
2. Both Martha and Mary upon seeing Jesus said “If only you had been here.” Many of us are asking that same question. “If only I had encouraged her differently, If only I could have seen, if only……Jesus’ response was he wept. Jesus in all his perfection, wasn’t there didn’t prevent the death. He wept not because he felt guilty. He wept for Mary and Martha, he wept for those who were gathered around Mary and Martha who were weeping. Weeping is an appropriate response. There is not a place for guilt. My friends you were sistahs and brothers to this wonderful, infectious creation of God. I’ve seen you pray with her and pray over her. I’ve seen her do the same. She loved each of you and each of you loved her. You loved her in the way you were led to love and there is nothing you could have done in that moment. Weep, weep for the family, weep for your own loss, but do not feel guilty.
3. We all know the end of this story, Jesus rose Lazarus from the dead. We can’t do that…at least not in the physical sense. But in the spiritual sense we can. We can keep Kelly’s memory alive by picking up her cross and bearing it, by taking an interest in her passions and keeping those passions alive. Share the stories she has shared with you, find out how you can support the celebrate recovery ministry, keep those memories and passions alive and in a sense you are saying “Kelly come forth.”
4. Lastly, Mary and Martha went to Jesus. They went to Jesus with questions and they went to Jesus for comfort. Fall into the arms of Jesus during this time and don’t let go. Remember the song Falling In love with Jesus, remember Kelly’s face as she worshipfully sang this song with you and continue Falling in Love with Jesus. Fall into the protection and safety of his Loving Arms and know that as you weep, so he weeps with you.
I love you all my friends…….May you find a peace that passes all understanding.
The other Kelly
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
June 15, 2010
It has been quite sometime since I have written here. It has been equally as long since I have been daily in the Word. I'm ashamed to say that as I picked up the Bible yesterday that sits by my place on the couch where I do my daily devotions; I literally had to wipe the dust off of it.
It has been a trying couple of months as my brothers mother in law got diagnosed with cancer, she needed the assurance that her mother would be cared for while she went to get her treatments. Within the same time frame my little brother got a job offer in Charleston SC and began preparations to move away. We have also been working toward transitioning David home, which is exciting and stressful all the same. None the less none of that is excuse and actually should have proven reason for daily meditation.
I'm sparred back this week following two lengthy facebook discussions/debates regarding our border Patrol. The discussion turned from politics to religion. One thing I discovered during the discourse was that realization that I have pretty much been an Ostrich when it comes to political matters. I bury my head in the sand and remain ignorant. I realized this week that I need to unbury my head and educate myself on the world in which I live. I can not respond with Christian values/principals without fully knowing the complete picture of what is going on in the world, or what has historically gone on in the world. So this week I beome also a student of history, civics, and current events.
So thus the journey begins of melding those studies with the studies of the Bible in hopes of continuing to discover Kingdom Values and Principals to live by.
I continue my reading of the Psalms and my reading of Isaiah. Nothing earthshattering has been revealed to me toay but Im sure those earthshattering moments of clarity will come.
It has been a trying couple of months as my brothers mother in law got diagnosed with cancer, she needed the assurance that her mother would be cared for while she went to get her treatments. Within the same time frame my little brother got a job offer in Charleston SC and began preparations to move away. We have also been working toward transitioning David home, which is exciting and stressful all the same. None the less none of that is excuse and actually should have proven reason for daily meditation.
I'm sparred back this week following two lengthy facebook discussions/debates regarding our border Patrol. The discussion turned from politics to religion. One thing I discovered during the discourse was that realization that I have pretty much been an Ostrich when it comes to political matters. I bury my head in the sand and remain ignorant. I realized this week that I need to unbury my head and educate myself on the world in which I live. I can not respond with Christian values/principals without fully knowing the complete picture of what is going on in the world, or what has historically gone on in the world. So this week I beome also a student of history, civics, and current events.
So thus the journey begins of melding those studies with the studies of the Bible in hopes of continuing to discover Kingdom Values and Principals to live by.
I continue my reading of the Psalms and my reading of Isaiah. Nothing earthshattering has been revealed to me toay but Im sure those earthshattering moments of clarity will come.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
A hodgepodge of realizations.
Today has brought with it a few realizations. I began my morning this morning as I waited for my turn in the bathroom (we've got to get back to two soon) beginning a reading of Isaiah. I skipped over Song of Solomon: as beautiful as it is, I just wasn't connecting with it at this time. So, I read my daily devotion from Grace for the Moment, went forward to my daily psalm and then began Isaiah. Isaiah was a prophet who wrote during the reign of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah over Judah (Isaiah 1:1) I read the first chapter and decided it would be a good thing to go back and read in Kings about the rein of those Kings. What I found is that Uzziah and Jotham did mostly what was right except they ignored the sex shrines and let them continue on, Ahaz decided to join in on the activities of the Sex shrines and Hezekiah tried to restore things back to being right. During all of this time Isaiah was bringing messages from God. First realization: I wish I had a prophet communicating direct messages from God to me personally on a daily basis. Boy life would be easier to navigate sometimes.
In Sunday School Sunday we went over results of a spiritual gifts inventory that we took on line. I was very ashamed to admit that prayer recieved a low ranking in my list. I was reminded of that today as I sat with a mound of work in front of me in the midst of a house that wasn't as clean as it should be and felt extremely overwhelmed and somewhat paralzyed. Suddenly I found myself on my knees confessing my overwhelmed feeling, confessing the areas that I had neglected that had contributed to the oversized tasks ahead of me and begging God to be in the yoke with me. I never quite understood what a yoke was until it was explained by someone to me about a year or more ago. It was explained to me that a yoke is what is put on Oxen when they are hooked to the plow to work the field. When a young Oxen is being trained for the task of plowing, the best, most experienced and mature Oxen is put in the yoke with the young Oxen and directs that OX on what to do. So when we are urged to take the Yoke of Christ upon us.....wow, that means we are letting God be attached to our every move and guide those moves. I also asked Him for a prophet by the way.
As I was trying to come up with a brief summary of how I was feeling for my facebook status I decided that life was like a game of golf, each hole representing a role that I play. Hole #1. Spritual life to include church activity. Hole #2. Best Friend, Housemate, confidant. Hole #3. Mother. Hole # 4. Relationship with my family of origin. Hole #5 Work. Hole# 6 Housekeeper......and on and on it goes. To shoot a par is to do what is expected for that hole. To Get a birdie is to excel. To get a Bogey or more is to fall short. Right now I feel like I am shooting a match of Bogeys or more....although my dear cousin has informed me I might have shot a birdie on the hole designated for cousins.....Thanks Jess. I feel like I am excelling at nothing. I feel like I am even falling short of the pars on most holes. So I'm left to wonder how to improve my game. I am hopeful that putting God in the Yoke with me will be the best strategy of the day. I wonder if I am playing too many holes. Perhaps my stamina is not quite built up to the number of holes I'm trying to play. Perhaps I need to perfect the front nine before I even think about going onto the back 9 much less moving forward to playing 36 in a day.
Perhaps I need a caddy. I just don't know. But, I know I must increase that score on Prayer and make that a priority if the game is ever to improve at all.
In Sunday School Sunday we went over results of a spiritual gifts inventory that we took on line. I was very ashamed to admit that prayer recieved a low ranking in my list. I was reminded of that today as I sat with a mound of work in front of me in the midst of a house that wasn't as clean as it should be and felt extremely overwhelmed and somewhat paralzyed. Suddenly I found myself on my knees confessing my overwhelmed feeling, confessing the areas that I had neglected that had contributed to the oversized tasks ahead of me and begging God to be in the yoke with me. I never quite understood what a yoke was until it was explained by someone to me about a year or more ago. It was explained to me that a yoke is what is put on Oxen when they are hooked to the plow to work the field. When a young Oxen is being trained for the task of plowing, the best, most experienced and mature Oxen is put in the yoke with the young Oxen and directs that OX on what to do. So when we are urged to take the Yoke of Christ upon us.....wow, that means we are letting God be attached to our every move and guide those moves. I also asked Him for a prophet by the way.
As I was trying to come up with a brief summary of how I was feeling for my facebook status I decided that life was like a game of golf, each hole representing a role that I play. Hole #1. Spritual life to include church activity. Hole #2. Best Friend, Housemate, confidant. Hole #3. Mother. Hole # 4. Relationship with my family of origin. Hole #5 Work. Hole# 6 Housekeeper......and on and on it goes. To shoot a par is to do what is expected for that hole. To Get a birdie is to excel. To get a Bogey or more is to fall short. Right now I feel like I am shooting a match of Bogeys or more....although my dear cousin has informed me I might have shot a birdie on the hole designated for cousins.....Thanks Jess. I feel like I am excelling at nothing. I feel like I am even falling short of the pars on most holes. So I'm left to wonder how to improve my game. I am hopeful that putting God in the Yoke with me will be the best strategy of the day. I wonder if I am playing too many holes. Perhaps my stamina is not quite built up to the number of holes I'm trying to play. Perhaps I need to perfect the front nine before I even think about going onto the back 9 much less moving forward to playing 36 in a day.
Perhaps I need a caddy. I just don't know. But, I know I must increase that score on Prayer and make that a priority if the game is ever to improve at all.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Heart Afire!
I've been reading a daily devotional book by Max Lucado called Grace for the Moment. I felt led to share today's with you:
"Jesus began to explain everything that had been written about himself in scriptures" Luke 24:7
Max writes:
When the disciples saw who he was, he disappeared. They said to each other, "it felt like a fire burning in us when Jesus talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us" (Luke 24;31-32).
Don't you love that verse? They knew they had been with Jesus because of the fire within them. God reveals his will by setting a torch to your soul. He gave Jeremiah a fire for hard hearts. He gave Nehemiah a fire for a forgotten city. He set Abraham on fire for a land he'd never seen. He set Isaiah on fire with a vision he couldn't resist. Forty years of fruitless preaching didn't extinguish the fire of Noah.....
Mark it down: Jesus comes to set you on fire! He walks as a torch from heart to heart, warming the cold and thawing the chilled and stirring the ashes...He comes to purge infection and illuminate your direction.
From: "The Great Hour of God" by Max Lucado.
In definite companionship with those thoughts came the reading for today from Hope Lives. A talk of the Gifts God has given us, the Skills God has given us and the Heart God has given us.
What I think I can identify for myself are those things.....I shared with God those things this morning and a desire to know how he ultimately wants to use those things.
Please continue in prayer for me to recognize God's illumination of that direction.
So.....what sets your heart on fire.......
"Jesus began to explain everything that had been written about himself in scriptures" Luke 24:7
Max writes:
When the disciples saw who he was, he disappeared. They said to each other, "it felt like a fire burning in us when Jesus talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us" (Luke 24;31-32).
Don't you love that verse? They knew they had been with Jesus because of the fire within them. God reveals his will by setting a torch to your soul. He gave Jeremiah a fire for hard hearts. He gave Nehemiah a fire for a forgotten city. He set Abraham on fire for a land he'd never seen. He set Isaiah on fire with a vision he couldn't resist. Forty years of fruitless preaching didn't extinguish the fire of Noah.....
Mark it down: Jesus comes to set you on fire! He walks as a torch from heart to heart, warming the cold and thawing the chilled and stirring the ashes...He comes to purge infection and illuminate your direction.
From: "The Great Hour of God" by Max Lucado.
In definite companionship with those thoughts came the reading for today from Hope Lives. A talk of the Gifts God has given us, the Skills God has given us and the Heart God has given us.
What I think I can identify for myself are those things.....I shared with God those things this morning and a desire to know how he ultimately wants to use those things.
Please continue in prayer for me to recognize God's illumination of that direction.
So.....what sets your heart on fire.......
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