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Unfailing Love and Faithfulness!

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“Unfailing Love and Faithfulness!”

Psalm 138:1-8 (138:2) – June 9, 2024 

Individualism certainly is the end-all and be-all of the modern mindset. The rugged individual is presented to us in television commercials as a rugged adventurer, or someone hiking or skiing or sailing on their own. Whatever they’re involved in, they are grabbing all the gusto they can! Some people do indeed reject the offer of any help, for any number of reasons. “I can do it, myself!” Is that statement something that sounds familiar to you? And, perhaps to me, too?

Our psalmist is certainly not an individualist. This modern mindset is just not applicable here in the Biblical mindset. In Psalm 138, our psalmist (most probably King David) is clearly thankful and grateful that he has such support from a mighty, caring God! Just from looking at one verse from this psalm, we can see David’s loving gratitude! “7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me.”

When individuals or loners are out there, all by themselves, they can run into some trouble. Our psalmist calls it “a day of trouble,” in fact! Really tough times. Have we ever kit times of trouble, when things just did not go the right way? I am not sure what kind of “day of trouble” you may have had, or even still be going through a “day of trouble” right now. All kinds of things could be going on. Physical illness, spiritual struggle, financial peril, military threat. All of these times are legitimate times of crisis! [1]

King David had some real times of struggle, and more than a few times of crisis, too! We get a very personal viewpoint on his struggles, from his intensely personal psalms, too. He does not pull any punches here, either. Except – Psalm 138 is a retrospective psalm. He states that he has indeed been through a “day of trouble,” but that day is past. David is not specific here about whatever crisis he was thinking of.

And, that is the point of this psalm. Our singer says, “On the day I called, you answered me.” What a wonderful statement! We can see from these very personal psalms, that when David came up against a time of crisis or despair, time after time he came before the Lord in prayer. Because – times of crisis are also times of concerted prayer!

Is that how things are for you, and for me? Do we come before God in prayer when we are in deep distress? Or, do we try to “tough” it through, all by ourselves?

Let’s think a bit more deeply about today’s situation. Or perhaps, it wasn’t today. But, recently. You were in a tight spot. Something awful had happened, and you just didn’t know how you were going to pull through. It may have been a health crisis, or a financial situation, or even a natural disaster. Maybe even a flood in your basement! (That counts, too!)

I don’t know about you, but when things like that happen, I can feel all alone. All by myself. Even if I have others in my family nearby, sometimes they are just not available to help out, either. Let me tell you – Psalm 138 is a wonderful reminder that God will be there for us, when we are in distress! Verse 3 tells us, “When I called, You answered me!”  

Some people have lots of friends! Fair-weather friends, that is. They are friendly enough when the sun is shining and the road ahead is straight with no curves or bumps. But, good friends? True-blue friends? Those kinds of friends are hard to find. “A good friend is a treasure, for he or she will stand by you through the tough times, even from a long distance. This is the kind of person that will support you and help you throughout life.” [2]

Yes, it’s a blessing to have true-blue friends like this, sitting by our sides, journeying with us, running to the grocery store or throwing in a load of laundry for us when we need it. We all need a good friend with work boots on, sometimes! Commentator Larry Broding says, “God is this kind of friend. Our Creator not only made us and sustains us, he actively works in our lives for our ultimate good. God is present through times of blessing and tragedy. God deserves our thanks and praise for his constant care.” [3]

In Psalm 135, the psalm writer says, “great is the LORD, our God, our Lord, more than all the gods.” I do not know if you caught this expression, but in this particular psalm, he says, “1 I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing your praise.” In both instances, our psalmist mentions other gods. Because, at the time these psalms or songs were written, there were lots of gods! Local gods, tribal gods, gods of the harvest, gods of war, gods of hearth and home. Lots of gods! But, right here, King David praises the LORD above every other god – with a small “g!” Our God, the LORD who made heaven and earth, is far, far greater than any other god who comes up against our God, the LORD!

Finally, King David punctuates this psalm with “unfailing love and faithfulness!” I would be grateful to any friend who not only comes alongside of me when I need a hand, but God is stated to be a good-hearted, loving and faithful friend by none other than King David!

 “The two terms — steadfast love (Hebrew, hesed) and faithfulness (Hebrew, ’emet) — describe God’s character. It is a character that is trustworthy, which means that the promises God makes can be trusted.” [4] This is what David says in this psalm. This is his heartfelt affirmation of his God. If we looked at all the psalms, and boiled down the witness of this marvelous book to one phrase, it would be this: The Lord is faithful.  

I started out today by talking about individualism, being captain of her own soul, or master of his own fate. “Biblical faith starts with admitting our own weakness — and of accepting the gracious mercy and fidelity of the Savior who comes among us to serve rather than to be served. The psalm ends with a request for continued help: ‘Do not forsake the work of your hands.’ Each of us is the work of God’s hands. And to be a follower of the Lord means to know that we cannot and need not do it all on our own.” [5]

Thank God for that! We are never alone, and that’s a promise. A promise from King David, and a promise from our loving God. Alleluia, amen!

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. and  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!

[1] https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-21/commentary-on-psalm-1381-8-2

[2] http://www.word-sunday.com/Files/Psalms/138.html

Thank You, God, For Standing By Me,” Larry Broding’s Word-Sunday.Com

[3] Ibid.

[4] https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-21/commentary-on-psalm-1381-8-2

[5] Ibid.

Gratitude Is—!

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“Gratitude Is—!”

Philippians 4:4-7 (4:6) – November 19, 2023

            It’s that thankful time of the year, and this service is one way we all gather to say “thank You” to God. We say thanks for all sorts of good things. Wonderful gifts. Exciting opportunities. We gladly come before God and mention how thankful each of us is—to God.

One of my favorite biblical websites (and, I fully consider her a bible commentator) is “Worshipping with Children,” written by Carolyn Brown. This is what she had to say about Thanksgiving: “One of my favourite times with the children was the year we learned how to say “Thank you” in many languages from our congregation, and ended by using those words for our prayer together.” [1]

I know I taught my children how to say “thank you” when they received gifts, and compliments, and lots of other things. It’s a common thing, for grown-ups, parents, and grandparents to instruct children in these considerate, valuable, and grateful words.

            But, gratitude? Yes, almost everyone knows they are supposed to be thankful at Thanksgiving-time. But, grateful? That is not quite thankful – or is it?  

            Our New Testament Scripture reading for this Sunday is directed toward a group of people – of believers in God. Similarly, the Psalm reading is meant for a group of people, as are our hymns today, too. Isn’t it easier for us to be thankful – jointly? And, to be grateful – together?

            Sometimes being a part of a special group of people is helpful for joining together and agreeing to be in one accord with one another. Especially in terms of encouragement and hope, any group of people makes it easier to show signs of gratitude and thankfulness. Like, in the example of the group of people the apostle Paul addresses through this thank-you note. 

            We all know that being grateful and thankful is not just a head thing, not just something we decide to do one fine day. No, being grateful and thankful is not just an intellectual belief we endorse to be true. Instead, our gratitude and thankfulness ought to be a well-worn habit, a way of living. Most important, our gratitude and thankfulness should be visible, shown in what we do and say, shown in the choices we make and the priorities we set.

            Who remembers thank-you notes? I know I just mentioned thank-you notes written for gifts received (especially written by our children), but this is on a much larger scale. If you like to think so, each of us can be saying “thank you” to God, each and every day. In the same way, each of us has many reasons to be grateful to God each and every day, too.

            We are in a worship service right now. Worship is supposed to be a grateful and thankful time, for sure! What kinds of prayers are grateful and thankful? What about the group that is us, our congregation? “What prayers can we offer that might tap into the sense of interconnectedness and belonging? How can we celebrate the community that we are and the community that we are becoming? Let there be space for saying thank you to one another and to God.” [2]

When Paul wrote this particular letter, he wrote it from prison in Rome. He had been sent to the emperor’s court on a capital charge. He was on trial for his life. And yet—the apostle Paul writes this joyful, thankful, gratitude-filled letter.

Let us count off difficulties and challenges that Paul faced: not only the upcoming trial—for his life, but on top of that, Paul considered himself to be responsible for the churches he had planted on his missionary trips in Asia Minor and throughout Greece. Such heavy burdens on Paul. Yet, here in chapter 4 we see him writing almost blithely to the Philippian believers. He not only writes a thank-you note for a financial gift the Philippian believers sent to him, but Paul also is full of praise, thanksgiving and gratitude to God!

When we look at the people who were on the receiving end of this correspondence, few of them were living comfortable lives. One of the commentaries I consulted said, “Many were poor, many were slaves and few of them would have known the meaning of security. In marked contrast, those of us who live in comparative wealth and luxury today are frequently those who are most worried and anxious.” [3] Isn’t that a true description of us, today?

Sometimes there IS stuff to worry about! A lot of times, people (yes, even Christians) worry about all kinds of stuff! Aren’t we tempted to be worried and anxious when finances are a challenge or the car is giving big problems? Or, how about when we or one of our loved ones is unemployed? Or, in the hospital or dealing with a chronic illness? What about in an accident, or even in jail? Some would say it is natural, even part of the human condition to be worried.

Here is camaraderie, teamwork, and togetherness at work. And, the togetherness, the sense of interconnectedness and belonging of the Christian life is what Paul recommends to us in verses 2 and 3. All of Paul’s commands dovetail into his urging to pray—with gratitude and thanksgiving. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”   

All too often, our prayers are just a ‘shopping list’ we bring to God, without thanksgiving and seasoned with anxiety and fear. We are urged to be grateful, to count our blessings.

            I encourage all of us – and I am preaching to myself as much as to anyone else – to strive to make it a habit. A way of living, to be thankful and grateful. Not just for this week, for Thanksgiving, but for the rest of the year, too. For always. Let us encourage each other to tap into this praiseworthy sense of interconnectedness and belonging! And celebrate the community that we are and the community that we are becoming!

Be like Paul. Don’t be filled with worry, but instead, be filled with gratitude and thanksgiving! Not just on Thanksgiving, but every day!

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. #PursuePEACE – and  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!

(I would like to express my great appreciation for the observations and commentary from the web page www,umcdiscipleship.org for their brief series on gratitude. I used several quotes and ideas from their useful resources. Thanks so much!)

[1] http://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com/2013/09/year-c-thanksgiving-day-october-14-2013.html

[2] https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/worship-planning/our-hymn-of-grateful-praise/twenty-fifth-sunday-after-pentecost-year-a-lectionary-planning-notes

[3] Hooker, Morna D., The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary (Vol. 12,The Letter to the Philippians), (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2000), 547-48.

Attitude of Gratitude!

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“Attitude of Gratitude!”

Psalm 100 – November 12, 2023

            Gratitude! Be grateful! Have an attitude of gratitude! But, how on earth do we do that? Great question!

With November, all of us here in the United States enter a time of thanksgiving, a season of gratitude. We can think of the Thanksgiving story, that thankful meal shared several centuries ago in New England. This was a means of showing gratitude for the harvest gathered in, and for the blessings of the bounty of nature God bestows upon those who farm the land.

I’ve lived in the Chicago area all my life. I’ve never lived in a small town, or a farming community, or had anything to do with gathering in crops. The most I’ve ever done is go to an apple orchard in the fall to pick apples – and that was just twice in my life. I know that whole communities rely on the harvest! Except – I have never been a direct part of that process.   

            What we all share, both city folks and country folks, is gratitude. Yes, we all can be thankful and grateful. Yes, we all can lift our hearts to the Holy One to say “thank you” for the bounty of nature, and we can come to God in praise for the interconnectedness of life.  

Autumn is, indeed, a thankful time of the year. But, how can each of us generate an attitude of gratitude? What does a life of gratitude look like? Or perhaps more importantly, what does a life of gratitude feel like?

            I want us to focus on our Scripture reading for today, and take special note of verse 4: “Enter God’s gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” Psalm 100 is a praise psalm or song, the last in a small collection of special psalms of praise and worship. Do these verses get you in the mood of worship? Of praise? Could we see ourselves marching to our particular house of worship looking forward to meeting with God? To serve and praise and bless and be thankful to God? That is exactly what this Psalm is encouraging—no, even more strongly—is commanding us to do.

            The ancient superscription – or introduction – to this psalm simply says “a psalm of thanksgiving.” “On the one hand, there is the idea that thankfulness covers all of life; it is our way of approaching the world and the attitudes with which we choose to live. On the other hand, there is a clear indication that we are making a commitment to God in our choice to live a grateful life.” [1]

A number of verbs, or action words in this short psalm, are clear commands. In the first three verses, “Raise a shout!” “Serve!” “Come!” and “Know!” Verse four has “Enter!” “Be thankful!” and “Bless!” All of these verbs—and they are many of the chief action words in this Psalm—are instantly recognizable as an imperative, a command to anyone who spoke Hebrew!

This grateful commitment to God is quite serious if we follow these commands found in this psalm of praise. The grateful, thankful life shown to each of us in this short psalm is more than just a possibility. It becomes a blessed reality, if we follow through on the commands and promises highlighted by these few verses!

            We look to verse 4 again. We are commanded to “Enter the gates with thanksgiving!” “But what does that mean? Do we come to church with grateful hearts? Well, of course, we do. But more than that, we pass through every door with gratitude in our minds and hearts.” [2] Except, it’s more than that. Yes, we enter every door with thanksgiving and gratitude! And – plus – moreover – we can take the opportunity to incorporate this gratitude into each interaction we have throughout our day. When we enter our homes, we can be grateful for the family of which we are a part. When we go out and about, into the neighborhood or the community, we can be grateful for the abundance we all take for granted far too often. [3]

            And, what about those we encounter in our daily lives? Perhaps we haven’t even thought that far. Could it be that God would be pleased if we are grateful for each person we meet? Each one is a precious child of God, too – even the ones we sometimes struggle to get along with. Perhaps that attitude of gratitude is helpful for bridging the gap, for helping each of us be thankful for every interaction we have, every single day.

            I was so amazed to read about a senior’s daily practice in the preaching notes for this Sunday’s Scripture reading. Listen to this description: “Every morning, Amy Kawahara, ninety-four years old, opens her eyes and thanks God for another day to live. She knows she belongs to God. She reads devotion, prays, and seeks ways to share joy. She sings in the choir to make a joyful noise to the Lord. She leads a prayer group and senior exercise ministry. In every way, she worships the Lord with gladness.” [4]

            Isn’t the attitude of this senior Amy Kawahara a model attitude of gratitude to God?

            What are you thankful for, at this thankful time of year? What is each of us grateful for? There is something behind all this gratitude and thankfulness! We belong! We not only belong to God, but we belong to our church, to our fellowship of believers. “We are a part of something that is infinitely bigger than we can see. Of course, gratitude is the only proper response.” [5]

            This psalm ends with a powerful description: we have a the good God who loves each of us – all of us! Praise-filled, and thankful! May we all come into God’s loving, faithful presence with a joyful noise, giving thanks from the bottom of our hearts. Let us have an attitude of gratitude every day of the year, not only on Thanksgiving Day.    Alleluia, amen.

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. #PursuePEACE – and  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!

(I would like to express my great appreciation for the observations and commentary from the web page www,umcdiscipleship.org for their brief series on gratitude. I used a number of quotes and ideas from their useful resources. Thanks so much!)

[1] https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/worship-planning/our-hymn-of-grateful-praise/twenty-fourth-sunday-after-pentecost-year-a-lectionary-planning-notes/twenty-fourth-sunday-after-pentecost-year-a-preaching-notes

[2] Ibid. 

[3] Ibid.

[4] https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/worship-planning/our-hymn-of-grateful-praise/twenty-fourth-sunday-after-pentecost-year-a-lectionary-planning-notes/twenty-fourth-sunday-after-pentecost-year-a-small-groups

[5] https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/worship-planning/our-hymn-of-grateful-praise/twenty-fourth-sunday-after-pentecost-year-a-lectionary-planning-notes/twenty-fourth-sunday-after-pentecost-year-a-preaching-notes

Like a Small Child

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“Like a Small Child”

Psalm 131:1-3 – July 2, 2023

            The news of a happy, healthy birth and new addition to the family is something to be celebrated! I just got the joyful news that a healthy baby boy was delivered to one of the young people at a Presbyterian church out of state, who participated in our trip to Egypt back in March. All of us here in this congregation are so happy when we hear of babies being born! I know some people are less than excited about babies, but not here.  

            The Psalms are no different, as far as containing expressions of families’ emotions. We can find the full range of emotions in our book of Psalms, including joy, celebration and contentment with families and with children, and with babies, too.

            Our Scripture reading for today from Psalm 131 is so appropriate for our Summer Sermon series. We are re-imaging God. Seeing God from a different point of view. We will focus on verse 2, in particular. I will read it again: “I am not concerned with great matters or with subjects too difficult for me. 2 Instead, I am content and at peace. As a child lies quietly in its mother’s arms, so my heart is quiet within me.”

            Have you – or your children, or grandchildren – had experience with a school subject that was really difficult? I know our Psalm writer was probably not thinking of school or of learning concepts that are really challenging. However, this is a way for me to zero in on the psalm writer’s meaning!

            I know I had a real block in my head when it came to certain concepts in high school physics. I had an excellent teacher! But, there were certain concepts that just couldn’t penetrate my understanding, no matter how much coaching I got from my father or extra tips from my teacher. I know I got a really poor grade that quarter in Physics.

 I felt like I was hitting my head against a brick wall. Have you ever felt like that? Most children and young people have experience with subjects at school that are really difficult. As adults, I suspect we can relate! We all have had sad or frustrating experiences where we cope with issues or subjects that are just too hard, too complicated, or too emotionally charged.

With this comforting psalm, it’s like we have the opportunity, even the permission to enter into the holy sanctuary. To come into the gentle presence of God.

We know that little babies – as adorable as they can be – are also totally dependent on their mother’s care. In Biblical times, babies would be breastfed, and a nursing infant would always have his or her mother nearby. Yet, this expression in Psalm 131 refers to a little older child, one who has been weaned. Not solely dependent on its mother for all food and drink.

I suspect most of us here, if not all of us, have memories of toddlers and small children. They were (and are!) endlessly curious about the wide world! Those same toddlers and small children get tired, and hungry, and want to rest. Where do they come at times like these? They return to the safe sanctuary of their parent’s embrace. As Psalm 131:2 says, “I am content and at peace. As a child lies quietly in its mother’s arms, so my heart is quiet within me.”

As I have said in past weeks, in both the Hebrew Scriptures as well as the New Testament, the depiction of God is so often as a Mighty Defender or Deliverer, strong and powerful, The Lord is described many times in the Hebrew Scriptures as a Rock, or a Fortress. That can be helpful, especially when we are in need of Someone strong to help us fight our battles, or when we need a safe, divine Shelter to hide inside – but quite impersonal.

But, what about when some of us (yes, I include all of us here!) need our God to be something other than distant, cold, and scary? When we really need Someone warm, caring, and compassionate? Like right here, where a small child crawls up trustingly into the lap of a loving God! A loving, caring, welcoming maternal presence. That is exactly what we have right here! As the psalmist says about God’s warm nurture and care, “I am content and at peace. As a child lies quietly in its mother’s arms, so my heart is quiet within me.”

Yes, the Lord is strong, and mighty, and a powerful Deliverer. And yes, the Lord is loving, caring, compassionate, and has a wonderful maternal aspect, too.

I love the way that Carolyn Brown, retired Children’s Ministry Director and Bible commentator leads us through the first verse of the hymn “Be Still, My Soul.” She describes this very psalm, and uses the words of this wonderful hymn to give us further understanding. Could you turn to hymn #455 and read along with me, as I go line by line through the first verse?

Be still my soul; the Lord is on your side.

God loves you and is on your side.

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.

Having God on your side doesn’t mean that everything will always go the way you want it to; but you can get through the bad times knowing that even in them God is on your side.

Leave to your God to order and provide.

Remember that God is in charge.

In every change God faithful will remain.

God will be with you in all the scary and unknown changes.  For children those changes include a new school, moving, the arrival of a sibling, parents divorcing, having to learn something new and hard, going away to camp or to live with relatives….

Be still my soul, your best, your heavenly friend through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Recall the thorny part of the crucifixion that led to Jesus’ joyful resurrection and note that Jesus is with us all the way through both our joyful and thorny times.[1]

As we reflect upon this gentle psalm, seeking what the long-ago words of the psalmist have for us, today, we come to our God like trusting children. We also seek the food and drink of Holy Communion, which we celebrate today. Praise God that we have the opportunity to lean into the loving embrace of our caring, compassionate God today and every day! Praise God whenever we are hungry, tired, lonely or scared, we can come into God’s gentle, still center.

What a wonderful gift! What a loving God. Alleluia, amen.

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. #PursuePEACE – and  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!

[1] http://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com/2011/01/year-eighth-sunday-in-epiphany-eighth.html

Be Merciful to Me!

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“Be Merciful to Me!”

Luke 18:9-14 (18:13) – October 23, 2022

When you were young, in school, did the other kids joke and horse around? Sometimes, did the other kids make fun of some people in their school or down the block, or tease and belittle them behind their backs? Even worse, to their faces?   

I can relate to this, very strongly. I was one of those kids who was picked on. I wore glasses ever since kindergarten, and on top of that, I was a chubby girl. The mean kids used to call me “four eyes” and “chubby, chubby!” Do you remember a couple of other kids who were really picked on, in your acquaintance? Called names like shorty or pipsqueak, jerk or baby. These names were so hurtful. Sometimes, the picked-on kids still remember, decades later.

Do these negative names or labels remind you of anything? They certainly did, with me! In our parable this morning, it sounds like our Pharisee could be one of the really mean kids on the playground! With such a high and mighty air, and a real feeling of superiority. What do you see from this Pharisee? He was a show-off, for sure! Plus, he did not particularly care how hurtful his statements about the tax collector were. That tax collector was standing nearby, too! How do we think that poor guy felt, with the Pharisee talking trash about him?

Just listen to what the Pharisee says about the tax collector: “The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this rotten tax collector.”

I know I have talked about tax collectors before. These people were Jews, and they grew up in the villages and towns where they plied their trade. Except – they were turncoats. Sell-outs. Someone had to collect taxes for the Roman Empire. They took the pay and authority from their Roman overlords and were despised for it by their fellow Jews. These tax collectors soon received the reputation for graft and shake-downs, and usually that unsavory reputation was well deserved. Both the Pharisee and the tax collector came into the Temple before the Lord. Both the Pharisee and the tax collector had sin in their lives – missteps, missing the mark of how God wanted them to live. Their attitude toward their sin was as different as night and day!

We need to consider two basic truths when we take a closer look at this parable. First, God loves us! Yes, it is true! The Lord loves each one of us, more than we can ever imagine.

But, the second truth is also very evident. We are all sinners. We all have missed the mark, and all have mis-stepped. We all do things and say things and especially think things that are displeasing to the Lord. Commentator Carolyn Brown says “The Pharisee understands only one of them – God loves me.  He sees only his strengths and good deeds and tells God all about them.  It is a one sided conversation.” [1] 

Do you know people like this? People who are full of themselves, self-important, and proud? Arrogant, even? They might set themselves up on pedestals and look down their noses at anyone who doesn’t come up to their exacting, stuck-up standards. Especially “inferior” people like “thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.”

The Pharisee does speak truth about himself, however. “Truth be told, he is righteous. He leads a life blameless according to the law. He fasts and gives alms and indeed bears no resemblance to the unsavory characters with which he compares himself. What, then, is his problem?” [2] He is overwhelmingly self-righteous, self-involved and blind to his own failings and shortcomings. He does not have a true picture of himself, from the inside out.
            What about the tax collector? This parable is one of my favorite parables that Jesus ever preached. I relate so much to this tax collector! We don’t even know his name. But, he understood both of these important truths that underlie this narrative. “He is well aware of his weaknesses and sins.  (Lots of people point them out to him regularly!)  If that was all he knew, he wouldn’t be at the Temple at all.  But he also knows that God loves him in spite of his sins.  So he comes to God to confess and leaves OK with God.” [3]

Do you hear? That is what the assurance of pardon is all about, after our confession of sins each Sunday. God forgives us our sins! God loves each of us very, very much! This does not negate our sinfulness, or sweep it under the rug, But, you and I have a realistic picture of ourselves as sinners touched by mercy, saved by grace, and much beloved by God.  

Carolyn Brown reminds us: “Jesus tells his listeners to be honest with God.  When we come to God honestly, admitting our sins and trusting that God loves and forgives us, we are OK with God – and also OK with ourselves and the people around us.” [4] 

I invite you – me – all of us – to look around the room. See your family, friends, strangers or people you don’t really know. Each one of us is a sinner, in thought, word and deed. Each one does or says hurtful or thoughtless things. Now, look around the room again. God loves every one of us. Every single one of your friends, your neighbors, your enemies, even.

I ask you: which man went home justified with God? Both men were loved anyhow, but the truthful, humble, repentant tax collector was embraced by God. We can take this parable to heart, and follow the truthful, humble example set for us. We can all strive to be humble and penitent, just like this repentant tax collector.

Praise God we are loved by this amazing God, the God who delights in justifying the ungodly, welcoming the outcast, and healing all who are in need. Alleluia, amen.

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. #PursuePEACE – and  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!

[1] http://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com/2013/09/year-c-proper-25-30th-sunday-of.html

[2] https://www.workingpreacher.org/dear-working-preacher/the-pharisee-the-tax-collector-and-the-reformation

[3] worshipingwothchildren, ibid.

[4] Ibid.

He Is Risen, Indeed!

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“He Is Risen, Indeed!”

Luke 24:1-12 (24:7-8) – April 17, 2022

            Have you ever experienced an awful happening? The worst day of your life? Crying until you feel you have no more tears to shed? The women who followed the Rabbi Jesus for several years just had that happen, on Good Friday.

            Let us try to see things through their eyes – the women who had faithfully followed Jesus for several years.  The women probably shared many of the burdens, the tasks, the logistics of getting a large group of people from place to place, with enough food supplies, and places to stay in the various towns throughout Palestine. Sure, they had heard the Rabbi Jesus say at various times that He would die. Perhaps even that He might be killed by the Roman authorities.

But, not like this! Not so soon! Everything ended in a way for which none of them were prepared. The women were brokenhearted and confused. Wouldn’t you be, too?  

I am now working as a hospice chaplain. I journey with families and loved ones through the most awful days and nights of their lives; this is part and parcel of what hospice chaplains do, on a regular basis. I talk with patients and families as they deal with very difficult situations, regularly. Sometimes I simply hold their hands, providing comforting ministry of presence. And, often times, that is enough. I wonder whether the women at the Cross had someone to do that for them? I wonder who came alongside of the women in their time of great grief?

Dr. Luke tells us “On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.” He even lists some of the women who went: it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them.

“The women who followed Jesus buried him so quickly, they could not put spices on his body. The next day was the Sabbath, so they rested as God commanded in his Law…. The women who followed Jesus performed a charitable work. Burying the dead was a social expectation.” So, part of what the women customarily would do at the grave or tomb of a loved one or relative is to prepare and anoint the body. This was a social custom and practice of the day. But, “what they saw stretched them far beyond their comfort zone and thrust them into a completely new realm.” [1]

What happened at that tomb on Easter Sunday was so miraculous, I cannot blame anyone for being filled with unbelief! Would you or I have immediately believed that God raised our teacher Jesus from the dead, after all of the pain and trauma of the previous 48 hours? Not to mention the tension and fear of the past week since Palm Sunday, with the Jewish and Roman authorities suspicious of any sign of sedition and disruption in Jerusalem?

Countless people throughout the centuries have contemplated this series of events of the Passion and death of our Lord Jesus, and have walked the Via Dolorosa, the path of the Cross with Him. Truly, this time of grieving and pain is where many people find themselves right now. As a chaplain, I feel great compassion for these dear people. I wish to let them know that Jesus comes alongside of them in their grief, in their loneliness, in their depression, and especially in the dark times – because Jesus Himself traveled through incredibly dark times.

Two thousand years after the fact, ministers around the world are preaching on this Easter morning. Many of these preachers work hard on their sermons, knowing that they will have the opportunity to speak to people who do not usually attend worship services on a regular basis. And truly, today’s Easter celebration holds the Greatest Story Ever Told. Except, I am reminded that some may say “Alleluia!” quietly, even through grief, loss and very personal sadness.

Sometimes, it is enough for us to open our hearts and our hands gently, in praise, in our pews or in our homes. Other times, the glory and majesty of an Easter celebration service is exactly what people need. Neither way of worship is “wrong,” and any praise and gratitude to God is always welcome!

Dr. Luke tells us that Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them had a simple message, a profound statement about this miracle they reported to the men disciples. “I have seen the Lord!” “It’s hard to imagine a better sermon than Mary Magdalene’s on that first Easter morning. Short and memorable and to the point. Easily fits on the church sign for all to see. Sure, [preachers] may need to flesh it out a little because people expect an Easter sermon to be longer than one sentence, but not that much.” [2]

And, the best thing about this simple statement is that we can praise God, wherever we are at the moment. We can come before the Lord with loud acclimation, or with quiet meditation. We can thank our Lord Jesus for all that He did and all that He is.

The great Good News of the risen Christ is simple and straightforward And, yes! We can all proclaim that He is risen! Christ is risen, indeed! Our Lord Jesus conquered death, once for all. The best news in the universe is this: Jesus Christ still lives! He reigns forever and ever.

A church I attended years ago closed every Easter service with the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s “Messiah.” Whether we proclaim it loudly or meditate on it quietly in our hearts, Jesus now reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Hallelujah! Amen!

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. #PursuePEACE – and  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!

[1] http://www.word-sunday.com/Files/Seasonal/EasterVigil/A-EasterVigil-c.html

“Life on the Edge,” Larry Broding’s Word-Sunday.Com: A Catholic Resource for This Sunday’s Gospel.

[2] https://www.workingpreacher.org/dear-working-preacher/true-resurrection

“True Resurrection,” Karoline Lewis, Dear Working Preacher, 2016.

Wipe Away Every Tear

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“Wipe Away Every Tear”

Revelation 21:1-6 (21:4) – November 1, 2021

            Do you remember the ending to fairy tales? “…and they lived happily ever after.” After life in this world, a life lived in an imperfect world of sadness, fear, sickness, anxiety, evil, trauma and death, I think “they lived happily ever after” sounds pretty good!

            Our Scripture reading for All Saints Day comes from Revelation, the last book of the Bible. Chapter 21 is all about the new heavens and the new earth, after God remakes everything; the heavens, the earth, and every creature living on the earth, including the New Jerusalem, the Holy City. The imperfect, fallen creation has passed away, and everything has become new!

            I want us to focus on one verse in particular: “God will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Wow! That must be something! Something other-worldly, indeed!   

            But, as I’ve said to my children a number of times before, we aren’t there yet.

            We still live in this imperfect world. Sure, it’s still a world of marvelous beauty. I have just finished a month of posting October nature photos on social media, on Facebook and Twitter. I have taken some remarkable photos in the past few weeks, and it is a joy to be able to show many people the natural wonders I have seen and experienced in the Chicago area.

            Let’s take a look way back – far, far back, to the beginning of the world. The creation of the heavens and the earth, back in Genesis chapters 1 and 2. Those first two chapters are filled with wonders, with marvelous word pictures. And when God finished the whole creation, God called it all very good. A stamp of divine approval, indeed!

In the fantasy book The Magician’s Nephew, one of the Chronicles of Narnia, we see the great Lion, Aslan, creating the brand new world where the land of Narnia is going to be. As Aslan sings His powerful, magnificent song of creation, the newly created stars sing for joy, simply because they can! C.S. Lewis did a vibrantly imaginative job in his novel, bringing Narnia to life at its beginning. I can just image the almighty God who created our heavens and earth doing something very much similar – singing the universe into being!    

            Sadly, things did not stay that way. Sin entered into the world. Adam, Eve, a serpent, and fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil were all mixed up together, and from that time, the earth has been imperfect. A fallen planet, with imperfect, fallen creatures living on it.

            With sin, death entered into our reality, into our fallen creation. Yes, there is a remarkable amount of beauty in this world, but a great deal of suffering and trauma exists as well; a lot of death and mourning and crying and pain. We here in this imperfect world miss our relatives and loved ones who have died, who have transitioned to be with the Lord.

            When some people think and talk about going to heaven, they might speak of people in long white robes singing in heavenly choirs. Or, playing harps while sitting on clouds. Sure, our hymn setting of the Doxology tells us the heavenly angels praise God a lot – “praise God above, ye heavenly host.” I want everyone to notice that we are among “all creatures here below.” 

Everyone who loved God and has died is one of “the heavenly host.” All the saints we talk about in worship today praised God when they were creatures here below. These saints praise God now among the heavenly host, even before God remakes the world anew! [1] Praising God, especially in song, is one way people in this world and the heavenly realm connect.

However, let us jump forward to the new heavens and new earth again. I am not sure, but I suspect there will be a whole lot more to do in heaven than just play harps. These first few verses of Revelation chapter 21 hint at the vast new possibilities we will have, with a whole new heaven and earth laid out before us. Our God will be with us forever, and God has promised to eliminate grieving and mourning, to wipe away every tear from every eye.

            You and I may mourn here in this world. We may bend and bow and be pressed by the stresses and strains of life here, with all the difficulties and sorrows. “Honestly facing the pressures of life is the essential first step toward dealing with them, but it is viewing them in the light of eternity that gives them their true place in the scheme of things. The troubles of this age seem beyond solution, but Christ has broken the seals and confounded the darkness with light. “The old order of things” is passing away, “now the dwelling of God is with people, and he will live with them” and “God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” [2]

            That is not only comforting news, comforting to our hearts and minds, but it is marvelous news for all eternity. What we experience in this life is not the final chapter. We get a promo, like a movie trailer in the theater, letting us know about coming events, coming attractions.

            Revelation 21 and 22 are only a little glimpse into the new heaven and new earth, but I want to see more. Don’t you? How wonderful that there will no longer be any reason to shed tears or mourn or have pain.

No matter what you and I are going through right now, our Lord Jesus has promised to stay right by our sides. Plus, God has promised us a future more wonderful than anyone can possibly imagine. And, that is a divine promise.

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. #PursuePEACE – and  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!

[1] http://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com/2015/09/year-b-all-saints-day-november-1-2015.html

[2] http://www.lectionarystudies.com/easter4ce.html

“God Will Wipe Away All Our Tears,” Rev. Bryan Findlayson, Lectionary Bible Studies and Sermons, Pumpkin Cottage Ministry Resources.

Dance Before the Lord!

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“Dance Before the Lord!”

2 Samuel 6:1-5, 14-19 (6:14) – July 11, 2021

            Have you ever been to a worship service where people praised the Lord in all kinds of ways? More than singing hymns and worship songs. I mean, playing all kinds of instruments, dancing before God, and other kinds of artistic expressions. I know some churches regularly have multiple expressions of praise to God, in lots of different ways!

            This full reading from 2 Samuel chapter 6 is a long, extended one. I left out some of the material in the middle, not because it isn’t important. Following God’s explicit instructions and God’s subsequent punishment certainly is important! However, I wanted us to focus on the second part of today’s reading: King David and his joyous dancing before the Lord.

            Have you ever attended a church that had a dance ministry? Where members of that church performed sacred dance before the Lord? I have been a guest in such churches and worship services. This can be a beautiful and expressive way of praising God, and offering up the best of what creative people can give to God. Just as much as singing a worship song as solo or duet can be, or playing an instrument for special music in church.

            Let’s take a closer look at this narrative from 2 Samuel 6. The Ark of the Covenant – or, as our reading says, God’s Covenant Box – had been taken hostage by the Philistine army. That did not go well for them. If you happen to remember the movie made some years ago where the fictional archaeologist Indiana Jones found the Ark of the Covenant hidden away in Egypt, things did not go well for the Nazis who appropriated the Ark from Indy and his friends.  

Meanwhile, the Philistines decided God’s special Covenant Box was too much for them to hold hostage any longer. God convinced them to return the Ark by sending plagues on the Philistines. So, they shipped it back into the land of Israel on an ox-drawn cart with no driver.

King David was so excited to have the Ark of the Covenant back in Israel’s hands. He organized a big procession to bring it back into Jerusalem, his capitol city.

Sadly, I will not have time to take a close look at the sudden death of one of the men entrusted to walk beside the special Covenant Box. Following God’s specific instructions could be a sermon topic all on its own! We are going to continue on to look at the next episode of this narrative: where King David and a whole bunch of priests and Levites – the leaders in charge of all Israel! – dance and praise before the Lord as they march on the way to the Tabernacle.    

I remember several leaders of some churches where I belonged, years ago. I cannot imagine any of these leaders dancing and leaping before the Lord. Either because of embarrassment or pride, anxiety or impatience, or some other emotions altogether, these church leaders probably would never, ever dance in joy before the Lord. Never, ever.

But, our writer tells us that not only David and some priests and Levites dance, but says that eventually almost everyone in Israel joins in! They all join in worship and praise to the Lord. Celebrating God’s special Presence in the Ark of the Covenant, God’s special Box.

  Many people could see the Ark as it was brought into the city. They could sing and march and dance because it had returned from the Philistines. And, the people of Israel could be greatly blessed because now the Ark of the Covenant was back where it belonged, among God’s special people. And, God’s special Covenant Box signaled God’s Presence to all of Israel.

            Today, no one knows where the Ark of the Covenant is, if it even still exists. Nevertheless, God’s Presence is still very much in evidence among God’s people, right now. As one of my commentators mentions, “What symbols, objects or stories help us ‘have eyes to see and ears to hear’ God’s Presence among us? Stories from scripture, such as the exodus from Egypt, can make God present now.” [1]

            What special objects or stories mean a great deal to you? What special objects or stories are all-important to you, so important that you cannot imagine a worship service without them? Some imagine a large cross in the front of the church. Others think of the big Bible on the altar or lectern. Christian worship services often hold special things as quite valuable.

            “The danger, of course, is that the special objects or rituals will become idols in themselves, rather than signs pointing to God-with-us. So we must cultivate dynamic awareness that allows our rituals and objects to act as a sort of hyperlink, moving us beyond them to the larger Presence there.” [2] Just so, today we can connect to God’s Presence in ways that are significant and touch the heart and soul, that are meaningful to each of us – and celebrate others for connecting in ways that are meaningful and soulful to each of them! Whether dancing and leaping, praising in loud voices, praying quietly, singing hymns and songs, drawing and painting, making banners or wall hangings. We humans have a multitude of ways to praise our God!

            What ways are especially meaningful for you to connect to God’s presence?

            Just as David and the other leaders of Israel danced and praised God, we can dance and sing and march. Make some noise, too! Immanuel, God-with-us, the Lord’s Holy Presence is always with us – not just in church. Not just when we open the Bible. We can praise through spiritual practices, through the Lord’s Supper, through God’s beautiful creation, too.

We can all be attentive to God at any time, and at all times. And, the Lord is so pleased when God’s people bring a sacrifice of praise! Praise the Lord!

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. #PursuePEACE – and  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!

(Thanks to Illustrated Ministries for their lesson for the 7th Sunday after Pentecost from 2 Samuel 6, from their 2020 Summer Children’s series.)

[1] https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-15-2/commentary-on-2-samuel-61-5-12b-19

[2] Ibid.

A Topsy-Turvy Palm Sunday

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“A Topsy-Turvy Palm Sunday”

Mark 11:1-11 (11:9) – March 28, 2021

            When my children were little – preschoolers and kindergarteners – I attended a larger church. I can remember seeing my children, with many others, marching around the sanctuary, waving their palms. Something many people fondly remember, and greatly miss. We cannot celebrate a Palm Sunday procession right now, due to pandemic concerns. Some churches are starting to return to in-person worship, but with lots of changes and adaptations! But – was there a formal, planned Palm Sunday procession, all those centuries ago?

Let’s look at today’s reading from Mark 11. “They brought the colt to Jesus, threw their cloaks over the animal, and Jesus got on. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches in the field and spread them on the road. 9 The people who were in front and those who followed behind began to shout, “Praise God! God bless him who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 God bless the coming kingdom of King David, our father! Praise be to God!”

            That description does sound like a procession, doesn’t it? But, a spontaneous one. An impromptu one. No one expected Jesus to march into Jerusalem on that Palm Sunday. It took everyone off guard.

Except – remember Holy Week, last year? Remember the sudden shock and heightened anxiety that surrounded the encroaching pandemic? No one was really ready for that, either. It took everyone off guard, too.

Jesus prepared to ride into Jerusalem on that unbroken colt, on a donkey that no one had ever ridden before. Sure, His disciples made preparations and fetched the colt, but Jesus rode this humble beast into the city. “There was a tradition from the book of Maccabees of a triumphal and victorious entry of a king (1 Maccabees 4:19-25; 5:45-54; 13:43-51) into Jerusalem; instead, Jesus comes in peace and relatively quietly. Jesus would have known the verse from Zechariah about the Messiah coming into Jerusalem riding on an unbroken colt (Zechariah 9:9). The colt had never been ridden before, which seems a significant fact.” [1]

We can see Jesus entered Jerusalem as a King! What a King – not parading in a fancy chariot or riding on a white stallion. None of the fine trappings or fancy costumes of a King. No royal robes for the humble Rabbi Jesus. Sure, Jesus displayed power as He took part in this procession. “Something unusual occurs: Jesus has power, power over nature, again not the kind of power that is normally associated with kingship or political leadership. He is demonstrating a different kind of power, that in time people will recognise as evidence of His divinity.” [2]

Have you experienced something unusual in this Holy Week? What about last year’s Holy Week, and all the weeks in between? Sure, the world has been turned topsy-turvy. Everything has shifted, and nothing – it seems – is the same. But, hasn’t Jesus displayed His power in this modern Palm Sunday procession in the middle of the pandemic? Just as He displayed unusual power and authority in that Palm Sunday procession so long ago?

No, there were no kingly trumpets blaring as Jesus made the procession. But, people raised their voices when they saw the impromptu parade. “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna! Praise God!” We might not be able to raise our actual, physical voices, but we can lift our hearts. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

As we reflect further on power – the kind of power Jesus displayed, which was definitely not worldly, raw, overbearing power! As we think about the gentle, spiritual, yet foundational power that Jesus embodies, what other memories come to mind from this past year of pandemic? Many in our country have a sharpened awareness of power – and the absence of it. Who has power, and who is using it.

As we think about essential workers, so many of them are low-wage workers. Workers who must go into a facility to do their jobs, or who punch a time-clock. Plus, workers put their health and even their lives on the line every time they go into work. “Those often paid least in our society are crucial to maintaining and caring; delivery, stocking and serving in shops. The majority of people who have lost jobs are people earning less than £10 an hour, while the rich have got richer.” [3] What would Jesus say about the increasing inequities of this past year?

Jesus and His Palm Sunday procession is a continuation of the topsy-turvy way He presented Himself to Israel as their King, as their Messiah. If we follow Jesus, we are certainly not called to be of this world. Jesus commands us not to get too comfortable or self-satisfied. That self-satisfied, self-righteous lifestyle was what many of the leaders and teachers of Jesus’ time tried to maintain. Is that what we try to maintain, too? Are we too comfortable to follow Jesus, to take up our Cross and follow Him down that difficult road of discipleship?

This week, I invite you to walk with Jesus, in that topsy-turvy way of discipleship. Not the self-satisfied, self-righteous strut, but the humble, kind walk with our Lord. Jesus walked through this Holy Week with eyes wide open. He knew what lay at the end of it – crucifixion and the Cross. As we travel with Jesus through this particular Holy Week, “are you more aware of what comes at the end of it? Because we know what comes next in a way we maybe never did before. But even more than that, perhaps because we also know our need of God in ways we maybe never did before.” [4]

Yes, we can say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” I invite all of us to travel with Jesus through these topsy-turvy times, because He is the one who will keep our steps safe and help us even when we stumble. Even on the way of the Cross. Amen, amen.

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. #PursuePEACE – and  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!

[1] https://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/74513/28-March-6-Sunday-in-Lent.pdf

The Faith Nurture Forum would like to thank Rev Jenny Williams, Minister of Drylaw Parish Church, for her thoughts on Palm/Passion Sunday, sixth in Lent.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] https://dancingwiththeword.com/whispering-hosanna/

Give Thanks to the Lord!

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“Give Thanks to the Lord!”

Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22 (107:7) – March 17, 2021 (Midweek Lenten Service, Week 4)

            One thing that I’ve heard many people miss in this time of the pandemic is congregational singing. Sure, there is piano and organ music in worship services, sometimes guitar, violin or cello, even wind instruments on taped services, when no church members are present in the congregation. But, many people really miss singing hymns together in worship services, and can’t wait until it’s safe to sing in a group once more.  

            That’s exactly what we have here today. A congregational hymn, in Psalm 107, one many people would sing together in worship as they marched up the hill to the great Temple in Jerusalem. Or, they also could possibly sing this psalm in praise to God as the worship in the Temple started to get under way.

            Just as modern worship services often begin with praise music, this psalm opens with instructions to the congregation to give thanks to God. We can think of many hymns and praise songs that do this exact thing. In this particular psalm, God, in goodness and steadfast love – or chesed – has redeemed the people from the hand of the oppressor. What is more, God’s people have been gathered “from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south” (verse 3), or from all points of the compass. [1]

            This is a longer psalm, speaking to travelers lost in the desert, prisoners, the sick, and sailors on the sea. God reaches out to all of these groups, to all of these travelers through life. I don’t know about you, but I sure feel lost and alone sometimes – especially after the year of the pandemic. We are now at the one-year point, thinking about all kinds of loss so many have gone through this past 12-month period of time. How have you navigated through these difficult times? What has been your anchor in this time of storm and distress?

            This psalm was written after the exile to Babylon, so I am certain that many of the people who had returned to the land of Palestine had difficult memories of the 50-year period of time just passed. However, this psalm urges us to remember the wonderful things God has done and continues to do for each of us, every day. The Lord is good, and displays steadfast love, or chesed, to all. God’s wonderful words to all the children of humanity completely overwhelm me – looking at the world, the beauty of each day, and the marvels of creation that God freely gives.

Commentator Nancy deClaissé-Walford does remind us, “What about those who in the wilderness and are sick to the point of death through no fault of their own? What about those who are battered by the storms of life? Yes, we can cry out to God; yes, we can hope in God’s good provisions.”

I know this is a difficult thing for some, especially when going through serious illness, extended challenges, or the loss of a close loved one. Yet, God’s mercies are faithful. They are sure every morning. “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” is not just a pretty hymn we sing in church sometimes. No, we can remember those mercies, that steadfast love God displays to all, and take comfort and encouragement from those very gifts. Free gifts, given to all, the just and the unjust.

  “We must never forget that those of us who have ample resources and strength are called to be the arms and legs, the hands and feet, the voice of God in this world. God will redeem from the east and the west, from the north and from the south; but the redemption of God often takes human form. And isn’t that what Lent is all about?” [2]

[1]  Nancy deClaisse-Walford, Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Languages

McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University, Atlanta, GAhttps://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/fourth-sunday-in-lent-2/commentary-on-psalm-1071-3-17-22-4

[2] Ibid.

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. #PursuePEACE – and  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!