A lot to chew on here...

 

I keep running into Robert Arnold's videos online and find them to be consistently filled with clear thinking and wisdom - things many of us are hungering for these days. The video above is an example.  I needed to watch this several times - and will watch it yet again - because there's so much to chew on here...

(If a video doesn't appear above, click here!) 

 

Tweet   

SUBSCRIBE HERE!

  

Pause for Prayer: WEDNESDAY 4/15

 

 

 

Tweet   

SUBSCRIBE HERE!

  

NIGHT PRAYER: Tuesday 4/14

For this evening's prayer I've written a litany which prays for the gift of God's grace while giving thanks and praise for how that gift is already ours...

 

For the grace to trust your love, Lord,

in good times and in bad:

    for this I pray

    - and give you thanks and praise...

For the grace to believe you're by my side

especially when I'm feeling all alone:

    for this I pray

    - and give you thanks and praise...

 

For the grace to hear your good news, Lord,

when sad news fills my heart:

    for this I pray

    - and give you thanks and praise...

 

For the grace to face tomorrow

when I'm locked in this day's sorrow:

    for this I pray

    - and give you thanks and praise...

 

For the grace to pray in tears, Lord,

when words won't come to speech:

    for this I pray

    - and give you thanks and praise...

 

For the grace to see what faith reveals

when grieving veils my vision:

    for this I pray

    - and give you thanks and praise...

 

For the grace to treasure memories, Lord,

when my aching heart is broken:

    for this I pray

    - and give you thanks and praise...

 

For the grace of faith in life to come

when letting go the life of one I love:

    for this I pray

    - and give you thanks and praise...

 

For the grace to thank you for your gifts,

    the ones I have, the ones I've lost, 

        the ones I've not yet opened:

    for this I pray

    - and give you thanks and praise...

 

For the grace to praise you for your love

    at all times, in all things,

        whatever comes my way: 

    for this I pray, this evening, Lord

    - and give you thanks and praise...

 

Protect me, Lord while I'm awake

    and watch over me while I sleep

that awake,  might keep watch with you

    and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen. 

 

By the Grace of God by Brian Johnson

  

If a video doesn't appear below, click here!

 

 

I rest my soul on Jesus 

When the mountains shake 

I put my trust in Jesus 

The moment I awake  

 

And when my soul is lost as sea 

He will be my rock 

My vision be in Christ alone 

This grace is all we’ve got 

 

His love is like the mighty ocean 

His love for me will never stop 

Oh his arms are strong enough to carry me 

Through it all by the grace of God 

 

So high upon his shoulders

Safely brought this far 

Helper of my helpless soul 

The King of broken hearts 

 

Refrain 

 

You are the passion of my life, Lord Jesus 

You are the song within my soul

My strength, my hope, my all in all is You, 

Jesus, you... thank you...

 

When breath grows still 

And night draws near I will not be afraid 

I know the plans He has for me 

Don’t finish at my grave 

 

His love is like the mighty ocean 

His love for me will never stop 

Oh his arms are strong enough to carry me 

Through it all by the grace of God 

Through it all by the grace of God 

By your grace I'll stand...  

Tweet   

SUBSCRIBE HERE!

  

Pause for Prayer: TUESDAY 4/14

Image source

When I get in the way 

    of another's progress and peace,

sit me right down, Lord

    - and give me a time-out...

 

When I get in my own way, Lord, 

    stubborn in self-pity, 

with gripes and grudges blocking my path,     

    open my eyes to all my blessings and gifts...

 

When I get in your way, Lord, 

    and fail to heed and follow 

where I know you lead and guide me: 

    reboot my GPS - and get me back on track...

 

Help me clear my path for you, Lord, 
   and for my neighbor and for myself,

the path of your healing mercy, 

    the path that brings me to peace... 

Amen!

Tweet   

SUBSCRIBE HERE!

  

NIGHT PRAYER: Monday 4/13

When I want to shut out all the bad news,

    all the lies and angry name-calling,    

    all the hue and cry and clamor:

open my ears, Lord,

    to the silence of your presence,

    the music of your Spirit

    and a word to bring me peace...

 

When I want to close my eyes 

    to the ugliness of violence 

    'round the world and in our streets:

turn my gaze, O Lord, my God

    to nature's budding beauty,

    to spring's most timely promise,

    to the joy of paschal peace...

 

When I want to run and hide

    from what angers and disturbs me,

    from what drains my drooping spirit:

open up my soul, Lord,

    to your mercy and your grace

    and the power of your love

    to strengthen and embolden me

        to seek and do your will... 

 

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake

    and watch over me while I sleep

that awake, I might keep watch with you

    and asleep rest in your peace...

Amen. 

 

This is a wonderful, prayerful arrangement of a great song!

 

10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman

If a video doesn't appear below, click here! 

 

Tweet   

SUBSCRIBE HERE!

  

What do you see?

The president says he depicted himself here as a doctor.  Are these the scrubs your medical caregivers wear?  

Shall we give the president the benefit of the doubt and presume that among the shadowy figures at the top there might be some people of color? 

This is what you get when you cross blasphemy with narcissism. 

Tweet   

SUBSCRIBE HERE!

  

Monday Morning Offering: 4/13

 

The story of Thomas' doubt and belief is proclaimed every year on the Sunday after Easter.  I wrote today's Monday Morning Offering 14 years ago and have posted a variation of it almost every year since.  I like how this prayer acknowledges my doubt but at the same time reminds me of the depths of my belief - and I hope it might do the same for you...

Good morning, good God!

Still got doubting Thomas on my mind...

There are certainly times when I’m a doubter, Lord,

but also times when, without a doubt,

    I believe in you, my Lord and my God... 

 

No matter how long the winter may be

    how frigid the cold, how deep the snow,

I do, without a doubt, believe
    that spring will come to warm and melt 

        what chills my bones, my soul…

 

No matter how long, how dark the night,

    how real the dreams that haunt my sleep,

I do, without a doubt, believe

    the sun will rise and a new day dawn

        with hope of a new beginning

            born of your mercy and grace...

 

No matter how difficult things may be,

    how alone I am, how lonely I may feel,

I do, without a doubt, believe

    that you and my good friends 

        will have my back and see me through

            ‘til better times are mine...

 

No matter the depth of my pain, Lord,

    no matter how broken my heart,
I do, without a doubt, believe
    that just as others’ hearts are healed
        so, too, will you mend mine...

 

No matter how confused and conflicted I am,

    how entangled my thoughts might be,

I do, without a doubt, believe

    there’s a wisdom, a light and a path to truth

        for your Spirit to guide me on my way,

            drawing closer, always, to you...

 

No matter how far I stray from you, Lord,

    or fail to respect your claim on my life,

I do believe, without a doubt,

    that your heart is always open wide

        to forgive and welcome me back...

 

Even when death comes calling, Lord,

    and my heart is aching with grief and loss,

I do, without a doubt, believe

    in life with you forever

        in the company of friends and family

    and all who've gone before me, Lord,

        marked with the sign of faith...

 

So, if I believe, without a doubt,

    in so many signs of promise and hope

then why do I often, too often doubt,

    that you're there for me, Lord, 

        always here for me, Lord, always with me,

            right by my side?

 

So this morning, Lord, I offer my need
    to believe in you, without a doubt,

    to trust in you, without a doubt,
    to hope in you, without a doubt...

 

And without a doubt 

    to call on you:

        Jesus, my Lord and my God! 

 

 Amen.

 

 

 Tweet   

SUBSCRIBE HERE!

  

See, here's the thing...

  

Above, you'll find the audio (only) of my homily for Sunday, April 12. Here's a link to the gospel I preached on and below you'll find the text of my homily. (If a widget doesn't appear, click here!)

Doubting Thomas... 

We just heard the story. We heard Thomas’ own words. But these aren't the only words Thomas speaks in the scriptures. 

• When Jesus heard that his friend Lazarus had died - and suggested to his disciples that they go back to Bethany where Lazarus had lived -  the disciples reminded Jesus that they’d been there recently and the local religious leaders had threatened to kill him. Jesus says, "No, we need to go– for the glory of God. And Thomas speaks:
         

            “We’ll go with you, Lord – and we’ll die with you.”

That’s not doubting Thomas – that’s FAITHFUL, BOLD,  COURAGEOUS Thomas.

• And later in the gospel, at the last supper - on the night before he died - Jesus told his friends, “I’m about to leave you but I’m going to prepare a place for you in my Father’s house.
And don’t worry - you know how to get there.”   But Thomas speaks up and says,

            “Lord, we don’t know where you’re going 

                - how can we know the way?"

That’s not doubting Thomas – that’s LOGICAL, PRACTICAL, RATIONAL, PRAGMATIC Thomas.

• It’s only after the crucifixion and burial of the Jesus when Thomas first hears the report that Jesus has risen from the dead that he says:  

        “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands 

            and put my finger into the nail-marks 

                and put my hand into his side - I will not believe.” 

Now, THAT’S “Doubting Thomas”   

 – OR – 

is that levelheaded Thomas? reasonably skeptical Thomas? scientific method Thomas?  I’m-not-a-religious-fanatic Thomas?


Well, in tonight's gospel it’s just a week later, when the risen Jesus appears to his friends again and he says to Thomas: “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

And Thomas speaks, now for the fourth time in the gospel, and he says: 

                "My Lord and my God!"

We should take note of two things here.

First, it’s JESUS who approaches THOMAS and invites him to believe. It’s Jesus who takes the initiative.

And second - if we read and listen carefully - we see that Thomas DOESN’T put his finger into the nail-marks in Jesus’ hands and he DOESN’T put his hand into Jesus’ side. Thomas simply makes a simple confession of his faith:  “My Lord and my God!” 

That same risen Jesus knows us, knows you and me, very well. He knows that while we are sometimes, like Thomas, FAITHFUL, BOLD and COURAGEOUS - we are likely, more often, LOGICAL, PRACTICAL, RATIONAL, SCIENCE INFLUENCED, REASONABLY SKEPTICAL, PRAGMATIC - 
                        - followers of Jesus - 
who don’t want to appear to be too SPIRITUAL, or RELIGIOUS, or HOLY or RADICAL in our faith.

But here’s the thing…

We believe, or at least we SAY we believe, that a little over 2,000 years ago, God spoke a word - so powerfully - that his Word became flesh - in a young woman’s womb... that she gave birth to her Child who was -and is- JESUS, the Son of God...  that Jesus, Mary's son, preached a message of mercy, forgiveness and peace...  that he was arrested by religious and government leaders, tortured and put to death by crucifixion - and that a few days later - HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD - and lives now at the right hand of God - and right here among us – in the presence and power of Spirit.
 

See, the thing is…  we have to be at least a little FAITHFUL, BOLD, COURAGEOUS, SPIRITUAL, RELIGIOUS, HOLY -and- RADICAL - to believe all that.

That’s why Jesus comes to this “upper room” tonight - in the face of all our LOGICAL, PRACTICAL, RATIONAL,  SCIENCE INFLUENCED, REASONABLY SKEPTICAL, PRAGMATIC ways - Jesus invites us to reach out and TOUCH him, to FIND him, and to KNOW him: in our prayer, in the scriptures we hear, in the Holy Spirit, in one another, and in the Bread and Cup of Communion at his table.

In all these ways, in heart of everyone here tonight, the Risen Jesus says: “Do not be unbelieving, but believe....” And he waits to hear each of us respond, as did Thomas: “My Lord and my God.”

 

Tweet   

SUBSCRIBE HERE!

  

NIGHT PRAYER: Sunday 4/12

 

On Sundays, Night Prayer takes its inspiration from an element of the day's mass. Every year on the Sunday after Easter we read the story of Doubting Thomas (a.k.a. Believing Thomas).  In the Christian life, the opposite of doubt (its antidote, its resolution) is faith, not proof.  As scripture and song tell us, We walk by faith and not by sight...  

We walk by faith, Lord, not by sight

    and so we pray tonight:

for the gift of faith
   for  all who seek it...

for the strengthening of faith

    in those who doubt...

 

for deeper faith 

   in harder times...

 

for faith to help us make it

   day by day and through each night...

for those whose faith
   is broken, shaken, lost... 

for the faith to act

    on our beliefs...

         for the faith to speak
             what faith believes...

for the wisdom of faith
   to inform our thinking...

for the prudence of faith

    to inform all our decisions...

for the grace we need

    to share our faith with others...  

Lord, grant us the faith we need

           to follow the gospel,

           to love our neighbor,

           to live the truth,

           to bear our grief,

           to do what is just, 

           to love those who hate us,

           to trust in you,

           to do the next right thing,

           to live in hope

           to work for peace,

           to act with justice

           and to follow where your Spirit leads... 

 

We walk by faith and not by sight

    so grant us, Lord, the grace to see

        what only faith reveals...

Protect us, Lord while we're awake

    and watch over us when we sleep

that awake, we might keep watch with you

    and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

 

We Walk by Faith by Marty Haugen

 

Although most of us will know this hymn through Marty Haugen's melody, the lyrics were written in 1844 by the Brittish  composer, Henry  Alford. The second verse of this song includes Thomas' response upon meeting the risen Jesus: "My Lord and my God!"

 

If a widget doesn't appear below, click here! 

 

We walk by faith and not by sight
No gracious words we hear
Of him who spoke as none e'er spoke
Yet we believe him near

 
We may not touch his hands and side
Or follow where he trod
Yet in his promise we rejoice
And cry "My Lord and God"

 
Help then, oh Lord, our unbelief
And may our faith abound
To call on you when you are near
And seek where you are found

 
That when our life of faith is done
In realms of clearer light
We may behold you as you are
In full and endless sight

 
We walk  by faith and not by sight
No gracious words we hear
Of him who spoke as none e'er spoke
Yet we believe him near

Tweet   

SUBSCRIBE HERE!