Dear God in heaven,
You are the Good Shepherd of our life …
You are the abiding presence …
You are love and you are peace …
You are struggle and you are energy …
You are the mystery that draws us on …
The mystery that baffles us …
We’ve all tried to not believe in you, O God …
When times were hard, we wondered if you were real.
When things went wrong and things fell apart, we thought we were abandoned by you, and so we tried to walk away from you, to not believe in you, maybe even rant and rave at you … “Who do you think you are treating me this way?”
But there’s no escape Lord …
You’ve made yourself a part of our life, and you’ve made our life a part of your love …
And that sort of frustrates us now and then …
But then think about …
We think about all the good times …
All the good things …
Moments of grace, joy and beauty …
Music to lift the soul …
A friend to comfort us …
We look back - how paths of righteousness unfolded before us when we had given up all hope of rescue …
How you were at work in all things for good …
Never on our timeline …
Nor as we shouted at you to do …
But you were never late … you are always on time!
There is no escape from you, O Lord … in life or in death …
No matter where, no matter what …
So, we finally work our way through it, LORD.
You help us.
We bow our heads once again and give our hearts to you.
What else can we do?
To whom else can we go?
Who else has the words of eternal life?
With a curious confidence won in the struggles of life, O God,
We turn to you with gratitude …
We know that we know that we know …
Because your love remains true and strong …
Your love is our guide and our guard …
In life and in death …
In body and soul …
Now and forever …
In the midnight hour when all seems lost …
In the morning sun when hope is born anew …
In the simple things of life …
That first cup of coffee in the morning …
A new friend on Facebook …
A new book, a new CD …
Or just a stroll along the Venice Beach Boardwalk …
Or a good spaghetti dinner …
To see your world with your eyes, O God …
To grow a little larger in Christ …
This is our prayer, dear God,
To grow larger in Christ …
And then who knows what …
Where you will take us …
What you will do through us …
How you will change the world because of us …
We would be yours today, all the more.
The salt of the earth and the light of the world.
Ambassadors for Christ in a weary and war-torn world …
To pray with Christ all the more …
“Thy kingdom come, thy will be done …”
So may it be, O LORD, that our presence in the world might the presence of Christ – that neighbor and co-worker, friend and foe, might see something of Christ in us …
The character of a surrendered soul …
The aroma of a heart sacrificed upon the altar of your love.
The power of a mind given unto you.
O LORD our God, great is your name and greatly are you to be praised, now and forever more, until the end of the age, and all is made new, when praise shall be complete, and every tear wiped away … with a new heaven and a new earth … and all that you’ve made will be made anew … LORD, we want to be a part of that!
In the name of our LORD Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray, saying, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done …
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Treasure in Heaven???
I’ve been thinking lately … yikes …
About a little note from Jesus, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be.”
I always thought it should be the other way around, “Where you heart is, there will your treasure be.”
But as of late, I’ve concluded, Jesus understood how it all works for us.
Most of us most of the time are dealing with treasure of one sort or the other, and our heart follows. Whatever the treasure, that’s where the heart goes.
As one pundit put it, “Show me your checkbook, and I’ll tell you where your heart is.”
I’ve got treasure in some less than helpful places … maybe you do, too.
Hence Jesus says, “store up treasure for yourselves in heaven” – that is, in God!
Maybe Jesus helps me be a little more realistic about all of this, so that I can do something about it, and even if I can’t do anything about it right now, I can at least rely upon the grace of God – a grace that loves you and me as we are – a grace that compels us to think deeply about who we are and what we value.
It’s always a good time for that.
About a little note from Jesus, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be.”
I always thought it should be the other way around, “Where you heart is, there will your treasure be.”
But as of late, I’ve concluded, Jesus understood how it all works for us.
Most of us most of the time are dealing with treasure of one sort or the other, and our heart follows. Whatever the treasure, that’s where the heart goes.
As one pundit put it, “Show me your checkbook, and I’ll tell you where your heart is.”
I’ve got treasure in some less than helpful places … maybe you do, too.
Hence Jesus says, “store up treasure for yourselves in heaven” – that is, in God!
Maybe Jesus helps me be a little more realistic about all of this, so that I can do something about it, and even if I can’t do anything about it right now, I can at least rely upon the grace of God – a grace that loves you and me as we are – a grace that compels us to think deeply about who we are and what we value.
It’s always a good time for that.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Don’t Leave It On The Desk
There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson, a studious man who taught at a small college in the western United States. Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course their freshman year, regardless of his or her major.
Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously.
This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going onto seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team and was the best student in the professor's class.
One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. How many push-ups can you do?”
Steve said, “I do about 200 every night.”
“200? That's pretty good, Steve,” Dr. Christianson said. Do you think you could do 300?”
Steve replied, “I don't know... I've never done 300 at a time.”
“Do you think you could?” again asked Dr. Christianson.
“Well, I can try,” said Steve.
“Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it,” said the professor.
Steve said, “Well... I think I can... Yeah, I can do it.”
Dr. Christianson said, “Good! I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind.”
Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, the professor produced six boxes of strawberries. These weren't the normal kinds of strawberries. They were the fancy BIG kind, organically grown, and extra sweet and juicy. Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson's class.
Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, “Cynthia, do you want to have one of these strawberries?”
Cynthia said, “Yes.”
Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, “Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a strawberry?"
“Sure!” Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a strawberry on Cynthia's desk.
Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, “Joe, do you want a strawberry?”
Joe said, “Yes.”
Dr. Christianson asked, “Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a strawberry?”
Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a strawberry. And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten push-ups for every person before they got their strawberry.
Walking down the second aisle, Dr. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was on the basketball team and in as good condition as Steve. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship. The professor asked, “Scott do you want a strawberry?”
Scott's reply was, “Well, can I do my own push-ups?”
Dr. Christianson said, “No, Steve has to do them.”
Then Scott said, “Well, I don't want one then.”
Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked, “Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a strawb erry he doesn't want?”
With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten push-ups.
Scott said, “HEY! I said I didn't want one!”
Dr. Christianson said, “Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks and these are my strawberries. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it.” And he put a strawberry on Scott's desk.
By this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow.
Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry. Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, “Jenny, do you want a strawberry?”
Sternly, Jenny said, “No.”
Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, “Steve, would you do ten more push-ups so Jenny can have a strawberry that she doesn't want?”
Steve did ten. Jenny got a strawberry.
By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say, “No!” and there were all these uneaten strawberries on the desks.
Steve had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these push-ups done for each strawberry. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.
Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten push-ups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten straw b erries. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely.
Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row. During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.
Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.
Steve asked Dr. Christianson, “Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?”
Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, “Well, they're your push-ups. You can do them any way that you want.” And Dr. Christianson went on.
A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, “NO! Don't come in! Stay out !”
Jason didn't know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, “No, let him come.”
Dr. Christianson said, “You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten push-ups for him?”
Steve said, “Yes, let him come in. Give him a strawberry.
Dr. Christianson said, “Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a strawberry?”
Jason, new to the room, hardly knew what was going on. “Yes,” he said, “Give me a strawberry.”
“Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a strawberry?”
Steve did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a strawberry and sat down. Dr Christianson finished the fourth row, and then started on those visitors seated by the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. By this time sweat was profusely dropping off of his face, there was no sound except his heavy breathing. There was not a dry eye in the room.
The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders and very popular. Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, “Linda, do you want a strawberry?”
Linda said, very sadly, “No, thank you.
Professor Christianson quietly asked, “Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a strawberry she doesn't want?”
Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push-ups for Linda.
Then Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan and said, “'Susan, do you want a strawberry?”
Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. “Dr. Christianson, can I help him?”
Dr Christianson, with tears of his own, said, “No, Steve has to do it alone. I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a strawberry whether they want it or not. When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push-ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes.”
“Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a strawberry?”
As Steve very slowly finished his last push-up, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 push-ups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.
Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said, “And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, said to the Father, 'Into thy hands I commend my spirit.’ With the understanding that Jesus had done everything that was required of him, he yielded up his life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten.”
Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile. “Well done, good and faithful servant,” said the professor, adding, “Not all sermons are preached in words.”
Turning to his class, the professor said, “My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God spared not his only begotten son, but gave him up for us all, for the whole Church, now and forever. Whether or not we choose to accept God’s gift to us, the price has been paid.”
Wouldn't you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it lying on the desk?
Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously.
This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going onto seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team and was the best student in the professor's class.
One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. How many push-ups can you do?”
Steve said, “I do about 200 every night.”
“200? That's pretty good, Steve,” Dr. Christianson said. Do you think you could do 300?”
Steve replied, “I don't know... I've never done 300 at a time.”
“Do you think you could?” again asked Dr. Christianson.
“Well, I can try,” said Steve.
“Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it,” said the professor.
Steve said, “Well... I think I can... Yeah, I can do it.”
Dr. Christianson said, “Good! I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind.”
Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, the professor produced six boxes of strawberries. These weren't the normal kinds of strawberries. They were the fancy BIG kind, organically grown, and extra sweet and juicy. Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson's class.
Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, “Cynthia, do you want to have one of these strawberries?”
Cynthia said, “Yes.”
Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, “Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a strawberry?"
“Sure!” Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a strawberry on Cynthia's desk.
Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, “Joe, do you want a strawberry?”
Joe said, “Yes.”
Dr. Christianson asked, “Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a strawberry?”
Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a strawberry. And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten push-ups for every person before they got their strawberry.
Walking down the second aisle, Dr. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was on the basketball team and in as good condition as Steve. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship. The professor asked, “Scott do you want a strawberry?”
Scott's reply was, “Well, can I do my own push-ups?”
Dr. Christianson said, “No, Steve has to do them.”
Then Scott said, “Well, I don't want one then.”
Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked, “Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a strawb erry he doesn't want?”
With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten push-ups.
Scott said, “HEY! I said I didn't want one!”
Dr. Christianson said, “Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks and these are my strawberries. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it.” And he put a strawberry on Scott's desk.
By this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow.
Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry. Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, “Jenny, do you want a strawberry?”
Sternly, Jenny said, “No.”
Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, “Steve, would you do ten more push-ups so Jenny can have a strawberry that she doesn't want?”
Steve did ten. Jenny got a strawberry.
By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say, “No!” and there were all these uneaten strawberries on the desks.
Steve had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these push-ups done for each strawberry. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.
Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten push-ups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten straw b erries. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely.
Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row. During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.
Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.
Steve asked Dr. Christianson, “Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?”
Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, “Well, they're your push-ups. You can do them any way that you want.” And Dr. Christianson went on.
A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, “NO! Don't come in! Stay out !”
Jason didn't know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, “No, let him come.”
Dr. Christianson said, “You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten push-ups for him?”
Steve said, “Yes, let him come in. Give him a strawberry.
Dr. Christianson said, “Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a strawberry?”
Jason, new to the room, hardly knew what was going on. “Yes,” he said, “Give me a strawberry.”
“Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a strawberry?”
Steve did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a strawberry and sat down. Dr Christianson finished the fourth row, and then started on those visitors seated by the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. By this time sweat was profusely dropping off of his face, there was no sound except his heavy breathing. There was not a dry eye in the room.
The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders and very popular. Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, “Linda, do you want a strawberry?”
Linda said, very sadly, “No, thank you.
Professor Christianson quietly asked, “Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a strawberry she doesn't want?”
Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push-ups for Linda.
Then Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan and said, “'Susan, do you want a strawberry?”
Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. “Dr. Christianson, can I help him?”
Dr Christianson, with tears of his own, said, “No, Steve has to do it alone. I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a strawberry whether they want it or not. When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push-ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes.”
“Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a strawberry?”
As Steve very slowly finished his last push-up, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 push-ups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.
Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said, “And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, said to the Father, 'Into thy hands I commend my spirit.’ With the understanding that Jesus had done everything that was required of him, he yielded up his life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten.”
Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile. “Well done, good and faithful servant,” said the professor, adding, “Not all sermons are preached in words.”
Turning to his class, the professor said, “My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God spared not his only begotten son, but gave him up for us all, for the whole Church, now and forever. Whether or not we choose to accept God’s gift to us, the price has been paid.”
Wouldn't you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it lying on the desk?
Monday, April 6, 2009
April 5, 2009 - Prayers of the People
We take these few moments of time, O God, to worship you … to set our sights on the best and the brightest … to lift our souls heavenward, to gain perspective and to find our purpose.
We thank you, O God,
For the power of Palm Sunday … a day to remind us of your love coming to us … to do for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves – to pay a debt you didn’t own, a price we couldn’t pay …
We thank you, O God,
For the great stories of our faith:
Abraham and Sarah …
Moses and Joshua …
The sea that parted and the rock that gave water in a dry and thirsty land …
We thank you, O God,
For the prophetic words of Isaiah and Jeremiah …
For the heart and soul of our faith, Jesus the Christ …
For his words and his purpose …
His cross and his tomb …
His resurrection and ascension …
His glory and his goodness …
We pray, O God, that our love may overflow …
More and more, with knowledge and insight …
We pray that today will be a day of further decision for us …
To give our lives more completely to Christ …
We pray for our President and those who advise him …
We pray for the leaders of the world as they grapple with the economy …
With gratitude, O God, we have hope,
Because your Spirit yet strives with our spirit …
You never give up on us …
Your love, tried and tested again and again by our willfulness and our pride, remains firm and true …
You are the light of the world …
The bread of heaven …
The Good Shepherd who leads us and guides us still …
Until the day is won …
Until that great getting’ up morning when all shall be made new …
Fill us this today with your glory …
Let us walk beside Jesus as he enters the holy city …
Let it be our cloak that covers the road for him …
The branches of hope that we have cut … to lay them down before him, for he is the hope of the world.
Help us, we pray, to dedicate our lives anew …
To enter into a living relationship with you …
For this, O God, we need your help …
We need your grace …
We need your great work in our souls …
And we yearn for this …
We desire the higher gifts …
Dear God, thank you …
For these moments of worship … when we can grow a little smaller and Christ can grow a little larger …
When we can leave our burdens here, and take up the banner of love … to take up our cross and follow Jesus.
For his sake, we pray … even as he taught us to pray, saying, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name …
We thank you, O God,
For the power of Palm Sunday … a day to remind us of your love coming to us … to do for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves – to pay a debt you didn’t own, a price we couldn’t pay …
We thank you, O God,
For the great stories of our faith:
Abraham and Sarah …
Moses and Joshua …
The sea that parted and the rock that gave water in a dry and thirsty land …
We thank you, O God,
For the prophetic words of Isaiah and Jeremiah …
For the heart and soul of our faith, Jesus the Christ …
For his words and his purpose …
His cross and his tomb …
His resurrection and ascension …
His glory and his goodness …
We pray, O God, that our love may overflow …
More and more, with knowledge and insight …
We pray that today will be a day of further decision for us …
To give our lives more completely to Christ …
We pray for our President and those who advise him …
We pray for the leaders of the world as they grapple with the economy …
With gratitude, O God, we have hope,
Because your Spirit yet strives with our spirit …
You never give up on us …
Your love, tried and tested again and again by our willfulness and our pride, remains firm and true …
You are the light of the world …
The bread of heaven …
The Good Shepherd who leads us and guides us still …
Until the day is won …
Until that great getting’ up morning when all shall be made new …
Fill us this today with your glory …
Let us walk beside Jesus as he enters the holy city …
Let it be our cloak that covers the road for him …
The branches of hope that we have cut … to lay them down before him, for he is the hope of the world.
Help us, we pray, to dedicate our lives anew …
To enter into a living relationship with you …
For this, O God, we need your help …
We need your grace …
We need your great work in our souls …
And we yearn for this …
We desire the higher gifts …
Dear God, thank you …
For these moments of worship … when we can grow a little smaller and Christ can grow a little larger …
When we can leave our burdens here, and take up the banner of love … to take up our cross and follow Jesus.
For his sake, we pray … even as he taught us to pray, saying, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name …
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)