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"But ask the animals, and they will teach you;
the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you;
and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?
In his hand is the life of every living thing,
and the breath of every human being.
Does not the ear test words as the palate tastes food?
is wisdom with the aged, and understanding in length of days?"
I learn so much from the four-legged creatures who share my home. Jasper is a Beagle/Jack Russell male, and Valentino is a Chihuahua/terrier mix. They couldn't be more different, but they are alike in one thing - they both think I'm the greatest thing since chicken. (I would have said kibble, but they like chicken better!)
Jasper is a very patient dog. He's older now, about 8 years old, and starting to slow down just a touch. He puts up with Valentino, who is only a little over a year and so has LOTS of energy. They will play together, but sometimes Jasper will just stand still and let Valentino run all around him. Tino will just pester and pester and pester until Jasper either gives in and plays, or else lets him know in no uncertain terms he's not interested. Both dogs know exactly where they stand with each other at all times.
Both Jasper and Tino are lovers with people and doggie friends they know. Tino likes to cuddle at night; Jasper usually comes and joins us in bed about 2:00 in the morning, bless his heart. They are absolutely loyal and loving creatures and ask nothing more than a little food, a little water, a yard to play and do their business in, and a whole lot of love. Their needs and wants are so simple. I can learn a lot from them, about life.
The Bible tells us not to worry about tomorrow - tomorrow will take care of itself, and when I look at my dogs, I know they take that to heart. They don't know what tomorrow will bring, and they don't care. All they care about is now. Whether its being curled up on the couch or in my lap, or at dinner time, or just hanging out on the front porch, all there is is NOW.
Of course, their lives would be different if somebody wasn't taking care of future needs. I go to work, pay the bills, keep food on the table and in the bowls on the floor. And they're perfectly content for it to be so.
Am I so different? Do I rely one hundred percent on the bounty of my Master? Do I trust Him to take care of me? Do I allow myself to rest completely in His arms? Do I curl up with Him at the end of the day, knowing that just being with Him is enough for me?
Thank You, Lord, for the blessing of my critters. I would have more, if I could, but these two are enough. Thank You for their love and their companionship and their loyalty. I am so very blessed...thank You, Lord.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
March 22, 2010 - Mark 1:35,36 "He prayed"
"In the morning, while it was still dark, He got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him."
Sigh...is there no rest? Since Jesus walked out of His mother's door, He's been busy. He's turned water into wine at a wedding, healed innumerable people, raised people from the dead, preached and taught and walked and blessed and preached and taught and blessed and walked some more. He had to have been tired.
I've noticed that Jesus prays a lot. In my early days as a Christian, I questioned that. If Jesus was God, why would He need to pray to Himself? It made no sense. But in His earthly visit to this world, Jesus was just as fully man as He was God. It's the explanation, but I confess it's still hard to wrap my head around. The whole concept of the Trinity is one I find more than difficult to explain to people.
But I surely do understand His need for rest. So much to do, and so little time to do it. But it does make we wonder about myself. I often feel overwhelmed with all the things I need to do, just to keep my head above water. I get tired and cranky, and resting seems like something other people might have time for, but I surely don't. And yet, and yet... if even Jesus made time for rest; if even Jesus made time to pray, with all that was on HIS plate, surely I can do the same.
Writing this blog, for me, is prayer. It gives me the opportunity to look into the Bible, think about things, let God speak to me. Sometimes...often times!...there is a lot I don't understand, but the very act of reading God's word is restful. There is something intensely calming about God's word, even when the word is violent, as it often is. In one respect though, Jesus had it easier than I. His culture, His religion as an observant Jew, required Him to take a day of rest. For Him it wasn't like He could pick and choose. A day of rest is just what you did every Sabbath, and that is one thing that seems to have dropped by the wayside. And yet, if Jesus could do that...if He could take one day out of seven to rest, why can't I?
Sigh...is there no rest? Since Jesus walked out of His mother's door, He's been busy. He's turned water into wine at a wedding, healed innumerable people, raised people from the dead, preached and taught and walked and blessed and preached and taught and blessed and walked some more. He had to have been tired.
I've noticed that Jesus prays a lot. In my early days as a Christian, I questioned that. If Jesus was God, why would He need to pray to Himself? It made no sense. But in His earthly visit to this world, Jesus was just as fully man as He was God. It's the explanation, but I confess it's still hard to wrap my head around. The whole concept of the Trinity is one I find more than difficult to explain to people.
But I surely do understand His need for rest. So much to do, and so little time to do it. But it does make we wonder about myself. I often feel overwhelmed with all the things I need to do, just to keep my head above water. I get tired and cranky, and resting seems like something other people might have time for, but I surely don't. And yet, and yet... if even Jesus made time for rest; if even Jesus made time to pray, with all that was on HIS plate, surely I can do the same.
Writing this blog, for me, is prayer. It gives me the opportunity to look into the Bible, think about things, let God speak to me. Sometimes...often times!...there is a lot I don't understand, but the very act of reading God's word is restful. There is something intensely calming about God's word, even when the word is violent, as it often is. In one respect though, Jesus had it easier than I. His culture, His religion as an observant Jew, required Him to take a day of rest. For Him it wasn't like He could pick and choose. A day of rest is just what you did every Sabbath, and that is one thing that seems to have dropped by the wayside. And yet, if Jesus could do that...if He could take one day out of seven to rest, why can't I?
Monday, March 15, 2010
March 15, 2010 - 1 Peter 4:7-11
"...therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers. Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To Him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen."
There comes a point when simply showing up for church on Sunday is not enough. For me, that point comes and goes. Sometimes it's all I can do to drag myself there, and other times I can't get enough. A lot depends on my life circumstances at the time.
I didn't attend church much when my husband was sick, especially towards the end. I don't do well in a large church. Nobody really cares if you're there or not and they have all the help they need. A small church is a better fit for me. I feel useful and wanted, more like part of the family instead of a "check-with-face-attached."
This passage from 1 Peter speaks to that for me. "Serve one another with whatever gift each of you have received." God has gifted me in many areas. I can rub two words together and make a pretty good story. I can read aloud clearly and with appropriate volume. I can listen. I can pray. I can serve.
Now, the next part is a little more difficult. "Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God..." Yikes! Trust me, not everything that comes out of my mouth are words that God would speak! But...I do try. I've been dealing with an issue lately that made me just want to go and vent to a co-worker. But before I did, I remembered that acronym that I talked about before. T-H-I-N-K. Was it Truthful? Helpful? Inspiring? Necessary? Kind? My issue passed the "T", but pretty much failed the other 4. So, I decided to button my lip and let it pass. (Thank you, Mary Welchel of the Christian Working Woman radio show, for that.)
So today, it looks like I have kind of a tall order on my plate. Be of service, speak the words of God, glorify Christ. Be hospitable. Don't complain. Love. I can in no way do any of these things on my own, but I know that God will supply all the strength I need when the need arises. Thank You, Lord, for all the blessings You've placed in my life. Thank You for the opportunity to be of service. Thank You for my health, for the ability to see and think and feel and enjoy Your creation. Thank You for my jobs (all of them!). Thank You, Lord, for the gift of Your precious Son, Who makes all things new...even me.
Blessings to you, my dear readers. May God bless your day today!
There comes a point when simply showing up for church on Sunday is not enough. For me, that point comes and goes. Sometimes it's all I can do to drag myself there, and other times I can't get enough. A lot depends on my life circumstances at the time.
I didn't attend church much when my husband was sick, especially towards the end. I don't do well in a large church. Nobody really cares if you're there or not and they have all the help they need. A small church is a better fit for me. I feel useful and wanted, more like part of the family instead of a "check-with-face-attached."
This passage from 1 Peter speaks to that for me. "Serve one another with whatever gift each of you have received." God has gifted me in many areas. I can rub two words together and make a pretty good story. I can read aloud clearly and with appropriate volume. I can listen. I can pray. I can serve.
Now, the next part is a little more difficult. "Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God..." Yikes! Trust me, not everything that comes out of my mouth are words that God would speak! But...I do try. I've been dealing with an issue lately that made me just want to go and vent to a co-worker. But before I did, I remembered that acronym that I talked about before. T-H-I-N-K. Was it Truthful? Helpful? Inspiring? Necessary? Kind? My issue passed the "T", but pretty much failed the other 4. So, I decided to button my lip and let it pass. (Thank you, Mary Welchel of the Christian Working Woman radio show, for that.)
So today, it looks like I have kind of a tall order on my plate. Be of service, speak the words of God, glorify Christ. Be hospitable. Don't complain. Love. I can in no way do any of these things on my own, but I know that God will supply all the strength I need when the need arises. Thank You, Lord, for all the blessings You've placed in my life. Thank You for the opportunity to be of service. Thank You for my health, for the ability to see and think and feel and enjoy Your creation. Thank You for my jobs (all of them!). Thank You, Lord, for the gift of Your precious Son, Who makes all things new...even me.
Blessings to you, my dear readers. May God bless your day today!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
March 10, 2010 - Philippians 2:3-5 "Humility"
"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus."
It always amazes me that when I go to the Bible to write something for this blog God always manages to hit me right where I live. Been going through a rough patch lately (details of which are not important)and discovered that one of my (many!) character defects is that I have a tough time letting go.
Real or perceived wrongs or slights or injustices hang around my neck and weigh me down. I come back to them over and over again, worry them like a tongue worries a bad tooth. I give them over to God, only to snatch them back and worry some more. Why on earth do I do that? How silly!
I definitely do not consider myself a humble person. Nope. Way too much pride in this girl. I can be very selfish, and want my own way, and obsess over the issue if I think I've been treated unfairly. Letting it go, and letting God work is something I need to work on.
I tend to worry things to death, and play things over and over in my mind, bury the issue only to exhume it later and worry it some more. So, yesterday, on my afternoon walk, I made a stab at letting stuff go. I mean, really letting it go. It came to me that all this drama is just stuff, just life, just one more day in the life of Phoenix Hocking. It's not eternally important. It's not important now; it won't be important later. And if it doesn't count where it counts, namely for eternity, then there's no need to let any issue waste my time and energy.
So, today (and probably every day!) I plan to make a concerted effort to let things go, and let God work. How about you?
It always amazes me that when I go to the Bible to write something for this blog God always manages to hit me right where I live. Been going through a rough patch lately (details of which are not important)and discovered that one of my (many!) character defects is that I have a tough time letting go.
Real or perceived wrongs or slights or injustices hang around my neck and weigh me down. I come back to them over and over again, worry them like a tongue worries a bad tooth. I give them over to God, only to snatch them back and worry some more. Why on earth do I do that? How silly!
I definitely do not consider myself a humble person. Nope. Way too much pride in this girl. I can be very selfish, and want my own way, and obsess over the issue if I think I've been treated unfairly. Letting it go, and letting God work is something I need to work on.
I tend to worry things to death, and play things over and over in my mind, bury the issue only to exhume it later and worry it some more. So, yesterday, on my afternoon walk, I made a stab at letting stuff go. I mean, really letting it go. It came to me that all this drama is just stuff, just life, just one more day in the life of Phoenix Hocking. It's not eternally important. It's not important now; it won't be important later. And if it doesn't count where it counts, namely for eternity, then there's no need to let any issue waste my time and energy.
So, today (and probably every day!) I plan to make a concerted effort to let things go, and let God work. How about you?
Monday, March 8, 2010
March 8, 2010 - Psalms 92:1-4 "Morning"
"It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
to declare Your steadfast love in the morning,
and Your faithfulness by night,
to the music of the lute and the harp,
to the melody of the lyre.
For You, O Lord, have me glad by your work,
at the works of Your hands I sing for joy."
I love mornings. I didn't use to be a morning person; I would far rather have slept in than get up. But now, mornings are special. It's a new day, without too many mistakes in it yet. It's quiet and peaceful. Even on days where I know I'm going to be busy, I have a few minutes to sit and drink my coffee and open my Bible and see what God has to say to me today.
When the weather gets nicer (still too cold for me!), I like to sit out on the front porch and listen to the birds waking up. There are ducks and geese on the pond and when they fly over in formation their wings make a sound like the whirring of angel wings. Across the field the farmer has not yet cut down the weeds, but the weeds are waist-high and green and, if you ignore the fact that they're weeds, actually kind of pretty with their yellow flowers smiling at the sun.
I cherish these few moments of quiet, of peace. It's the one time of day when I don't have to think about pleasing anyone but God. God knows every single challenge in my life, and in the mornings it seems I can just leave those challenges at His feet. Later in the day, for some reason, my head gets to working overtime and I take those challenges back and sling them across my shoulder and try to carry them myself. They're heavy. But every morning, God is right there again, in the silence, in the quiet, in the peace, and He says to me, "Here, child, let Me carry those for you, ok?" Thank You, Lord, for mornings.
to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
to declare Your steadfast love in the morning,
and Your faithfulness by night,
to the music of the lute and the harp,
to the melody of the lyre.
For You, O Lord, have me glad by your work,
at the works of Your hands I sing for joy."
I love mornings. I didn't use to be a morning person; I would far rather have slept in than get up. But now, mornings are special. It's a new day, without too many mistakes in it yet. It's quiet and peaceful. Even on days where I know I'm going to be busy, I have a few minutes to sit and drink my coffee and open my Bible and see what God has to say to me today.
When the weather gets nicer (still too cold for me!), I like to sit out on the front porch and listen to the birds waking up. There are ducks and geese on the pond and when they fly over in formation their wings make a sound like the whirring of angel wings. Across the field the farmer has not yet cut down the weeds, but the weeds are waist-high and green and, if you ignore the fact that they're weeds, actually kind of pretty with their yellow flowers smiling at the sun.
I cherish these few moments of quiet, of peace. It's the one time of day when I don't have to think about pleasing anyone but God. God knows every single challenge in my life, and in the mornings it seems I can just leave those challenges at His feet. Later in the day, for some reason, my head gets to working overtime and I take those challenges back and sling them across my shoulder and try to carry them myself. They're heavy. But every morning, God is right there again, in the silence, in the quiet, in the peace, and He says to me, "Here, child, let Me carry those for you, ok?" Thank You, Lord, for mornings.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
March 6, 2010 - Ephesians 4:29 - 5:2 "Rules for a New Life"
The book of Ephesians is devoted to how we, as Christians, are to conduct ourselves within the body of Christ. Written, possibly by Paul, possibly by one of his disciples, it gives basic instruction as to how we should treat each other. This is basic stuff!
"Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
Wow. Where to start. Originally I was only going to speak about the first part of this passage, but it just kept going in my heart. I guess a good place to start, though, is the very first sentence. Let no evil talk come out of your mouth... How often during the day do I badmouth somebody? Hopefully not often! But sometimes I think it happens without my recognizing that I've done it. Now, I'm not necessarily talking about gossip here; talking about somebody I know. But what about badmouthing people I don't know? People I hear about on the news? Politicians? Evil-doers I hear about on the radio? Do I have to put my two-cents worth in to the conversation, or should I just button up the lip?
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit. I am one-hundred percent certain that when the Holy Spirit looks into my heart what S/He finds there must grieve a lot. I look into my own heart sometimes and I'm not happy with what I find there. I'm full of stuff I'd rather not be full of. I know how I WANT to be - I want to be kind and loving and peaceful and compassionate and truthful and all that other good stuff, but so often I look inside and I'm just not. I'm afraid this part is going to take a lot of work for me.
Put away the anger, etc. Oh yeah. This one hits home as well. I try. Believe me, I do try. But sometimes it's not easy. Being kind and forgiving is a whole lot easier said than done sometimes, yes? When I feel wronged, I carry that around like an albatross strapped to my soul. The wrong sits right at the very tip of my brain and raises its ugly head and spits at me. And then I'm angry all over again. How do I let it go?
Imitate God. Live in love. Sigh... So few of us are Mother Teresa. This is real life, and it's way too easy to get wrapped up in daily life and all the troubles thereof. Imitating God sounds lovely in the abstract, but in the concrete, not so easy to do. This passage reminds me of the "What Would Jesus Do?" message of a few years back. What WOULD He do in this or that situation? Maybe the first order of business is to figure that out before we make any decisions on our own, ya think?
Mary Welchel, from radio's Christian Working Woman program, gave away some bracelets a while back that said T-H-I-N-K. Before speaking one should THINK, and those words meant: Is it Truthful? Is it Helpful? Is it Inspiring? Is it Necessary? Is it Kind? (I'm not sure about the "I," but I think that's right...) Sounds like good advice to me.
Since I cannot in any way, shape, or form do this, or even attempt this on my own, I have only one "out," and that is prayer. Asking God's help every step of the way. Whenever I catch myself badmouthing somebody, or being unkind, or being resentful or bitter or "wrangling," (and not just out loud, but in my heart as well) I need to just stop, take a breath, and pray.
I believe that God looks at the heart. Yes, He sees our actions, He sees our failures, He sees when we repent and try to do better. He sees when we fail again and again and again at the same old lessons we should have learned a hundred times over. He sees all that. And He forgives us, and loves us anyway. He holds out His hands and says, "It's okay...I believe in you...you'll do better next time. I love you."
God is an encourager of souls. I see my faults, my character defects, my sins, and I know He does too. But I also know that He loves me in spite of them, and that gives me the strength to pick myself up, dust myself off, and start all over again. And if I need to learn the same lessons over and over and over again, I know I've got a Teacher who is kind and patient and loving. Thank You, Lord.
"Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
Wow. Where to start. Originally I was only going to speak about the first part of this passage, but it just kept going in my heart. I guess a good place to start, though, is the very first sentence. Let no evil talk come out of your mouth... How often during the day do I badmouth somebody? Hopefully not often! But sometimes I think it happens without my recognizing that I've done it. Now, I'm not necessarily talking about gossip here; talking about somebody I know. But what about badmouthing people I don't know? People I hear about on the news? Politicians? Evil-doers I hear about on the radio? Do I have to put my two-cents worth in to the conversation, or should I just button up the lip?
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit. I am one-hundred percent certain that when the Holy Spirit looks into my heart what S/He finds there must grieve a lot. I look into my own heart sometimes and I'm not happy with what I find there. I'm full of stuff I'd rather not be full of. I know how I WANT to be - I want to be kind and loving and peaceful and compassionate and truthful and all that other good stuff, but so often I look inside and I'm just not. I'm afraid this part is going to take a lot of work for me.
Put away the anger, etc. Oh yeah. This one hits home as well. I try. Believe me, I do try. But sometimes it's not easy. Being kind and forgiving is a whole lot easier said than done sometimes, yes? When I feel wronged, I carry that around like an albatross strapped to my soul. The wrong sits right at the very tip of my brain and raises its ugly head and spits at me. And then I'm angry all over again. How do I let it go?
Imitate God. Live in love. Sigh... So few of us are Mother Teresa. This is real life, and it's way too easy to get wrapped up in daily life and all the troubles thereof. Imitating God sounds lovely in the abstract, but in the concrete, not so easy to do. This passage reminds me of the "What Would Jesus Do?" message of a few years back. What WOULD He do in this or that situation? Maybe the first order of business is to figure that out before we make any decisions on our own, ya think?
Mary Welchel, from radio's Christian Working Woman program, gave away some bracelets a while back that said T-H-I-N-K. Before speaking one should THINK, and those words meant: Is it Truthful? Is it Helpful? Is it Inspiring? Is it Necessary? Is it Kind? (I'm not sure about the "I," but I think that's right...) Sounds like good advice to me.
Since I cannot in any way, shape, or form do this, or even attempt this on my own, I have only one "out," and that is prayer. Asking God's help every step of the way. Whenever I catch myself badmouthing somebody, or being unkind, or being resentful or bitter or "wrangling," (and not just out loud, but in my heart as well) I need to just stop, take a breath, and pray.
I believe that God looks at the heart. Yes, He sees our actions, He sees our failures, He sees when we repent and try to do better. He sees when we fail again and again and again at the same old lessons we should have learned a hundred times over. He sees all that. And He forgives us, and loves us anyway. He holds out His hands and says, "It's okay...I believe in you...you'll do better next time. I love you."
God is an encourager of souls. I see my faults, my character defects, my sins, and I know He does too. But I also know that He loves me in spite of them, and that gives me the strength to pick myself up, dust myself off, and start all over again. And if I need to learn the same lessons over and over and over again, I know I've got a Teacher who is kind and patient and loving. Thank You, Lord.
Friday, March 5, 2010
March 5, 2010 - Baruch 3:14 "Wisdom"
"Learn where there is wisdom,
where there is strength,
where there is understanding,
so that you may at the same time discern
where there is length of days, and life,
where there is light for the eyes,
and peace."
Baruch was the secretary of the prophet Jeremiah. The book is broken into different sections, but the pattern is the same. The people sin, they are chastised, they repent,they return to God. Baruch acknowledges that both punishment and restoration come from the Lord.
As for me, I do not see myself as wise at all. Yes, I've learned a few things in my 61 years around the track, but I still make an awful lot of mistakes, many of them over and over again. I still allow myself to get hurt over things I can't control. I still open my mouth and the exact WRONG thing comes out of it. I go into things with the best of intentions, only to have it blow up in my face. I continue to believe, with Anne Frank, that "people are really good at heart," even when they don't live up their part of the bargain, if there was one.
This passage, though, says this is a skill (if you want to call it that) that can be learned. Not something inborn, but a learned behavior. How do you learn wisdom? Where are the books with a lesson plan on becoming wise? I've know little children who were much wiser than the adults who raised them. And I've known adults who make a shambles out of their lives because they just can't (or won't) learn the lessons life puts in their path.
There is an old saying that goes something like this: "I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand." And maybe that's the trick to wisdom. Wisdom is not found in a book. Knowledge can be found in books, yes. Knowledge is found in the head. Wisdom is found in the heart. And the only way to become wise is to get out there and LIVE! Wisdom does not happen sitting on the sidelines. Wisdom happens in the middle of the game. Wisdom comes when you stick your hand in the fire and find out that it burns. Wisdom happens when you DO...but sometimes it happens when you just WATCH. I can look at someone's life and say, wow...now I wanna be like that! Or I can looka t someone's life and say, wow...what a mess! Both are wise.
So in this passage we have wisdom, and understanding, and strength. Powerful images, all. But continue...oh do please continue...for in learning to be strong, in learning to be wise, in learning to understand the troubles and foibles of ourselves and others, we learn to find peace within ourselves. We find life, light, and peace.
You know, sometimes it seems as if peace in the Bible is rare. We read a lot about war and stupidity and God being angry about one thing or another, but peace? Not so much. So, why are so drawn to these books? Written over a span of a few THOUSAND years by men and women, shepherds and physicians, prophets and just plain folks, why does this book, above all others, and with so much rampant violence and wrong-doing and sin, continue to speak to our hearts?
I think it's not because of the sex and violence we find there, but because interspersed into the Bible,tucked away like tiny treasures, we find the peace we are all seeking. Hidden away in passages like Baruch, we read about life and light and peace, and we have hope that within the idiocy of our own lives, perhaps there lives a kernal of peace in our own hearts as well. These gems of hope, the words of Jesus, the cry of the Psalmist shine the Light of God into our hearts, and we find Peace.
Life. Light. Peace. Blessings. Thank you, Lord.
where there is strength,
where there is understanding,
so that you may at the same time discern
where there is length of days, and life,
where there is light for the eyes,
and peace."
Baruch was the secretary of the prophet Jeremiah. The book is broken into different sections, but the pattern is the same. The people sin, they are chastised, they repent,they return to God. Baruch acknowledges that both punishment and restoration come from the Lord.
As for me, I do not see myself as wise at all. Yes, I've learned a few things in my 61 years around the track, but I still make an awful lot of mistakes, many of them over and over again. I still allow myself to get hurt over things I can't control. I still open my mouth and the exact WRONG thing comes out of it. I go into things with the best of intentions, only to have it blow up in my face. I continue to believe, with Anne Frank, that "people are really good at heart," even when they don't live up their part of the bargain, if there was one.
This passage, though, says this is a skill (if you want to call it that) that can be learned. Not something inborn, but a learned behavior. How do you learn wisdom? Where are the books with a lesson plan on becoming wise? I've know little children who were much wiser than the adults who raised them. And I've known adults who make a shambles out of their lives because they just can't (or won't) learn the lessons life puts in their path.
There is an old saying that goes something like this: "I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand." And maybe that's the trick to wisdom. Wisdom is not found in a book. Knowledge can be found in books, yes. Knowledge is found in the head. Wisdom is found in the heart. And the only way to become wise is to get out there and LIVE! Wisdom does not happen sitting on the sidelines. Wisdom happens in the middle of the game. Wisdom comes when you stick your hand in the fire and find out that it burns. Wisdom happens when you DO...but sometimes it happens when you just WATCH. I can look at someone's life and say, wow...now I wanna be like that! Or I can looka t someone's life and say, wow...what a mess! Both are wise.
So in this passage we have wisdom, and understanding, and strength. Powerful images, all. But continue...oh do please continue...for in learning to be strong, in learning to be wise, in learning to understand the troubles and foibles of ourselves and others, we learn to find peace within ourselves. We find life, light, and peace.
You know, sometimes it seems as if peace in the Bible is rare. We read a lot about war and stupidity and God being angry about one thing or another, but peace? Not so much. So, why are so drawn to these books? Written over a span of a few THOUSAND years by men and women, shepherds and physicians, prophets and just plain folks, why does this book, above all others, and with so much rampant violence and wrong-doing and sin, continue to speak to our hearts?
I think it's not because of the sex and violence we find there, but because interspersed into the Bible,tucked away like tiny treasures, we find the peace we are all seeking. Hidden away in passages like Baruch, we read about life and light and peace, and we have hope that within the idiocy of our own lives, perhaps there lives a kernal of peace in our own hearts as well. These gems of hope, the words of Jesus, the cry of the Psalmist shine the Light of God into our hearts, and we find Peace.
Life. Light. Peace. Blessings. Thank you, Lord.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
March 3, 2010 - James 2:13 "Mercy"
"For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment."
The Bible is full of mercy. Over and over and over again, God is shown to be merciful. He says it Himself: "I will be merciful on whom I will be merciful." Jesus talks more about mercy than He does about sex, and even more than He talks about money.
In my Catholic Women's Study Bible I came across a devotion that speaks to this. It begins with three prayers, one for works, one for words, and one for prayer. It ends with this:
"You yourself command me to exercise the three degrees of mercy. The first: the act of mercy, of whatever kind. The second: the word of mercy - if I cannot carry out a work of mercy, I will assist by my words. The third prayer - if I cannot show mercy by deeds or words, I can always do so by prayer. My prayer reaches out even there where I cannot reach out physically. O my Jesus, trasnform me into yourself, for you can do all things."
Works or deeds of mercy need not be large, though they certainly can be. Chip's rescue of a baby duck who was trapped away from its mother was an act of mercy. Running into a burning building to save a child is an act of mercy. Saying a kind word to a co-worker who is going through a rough patch is an act of mercy. Keeping your promises to a relative who is struggling can be an act of mercy. Buying the bum on the streetcorner a meal can be an act of mercy.
Mercy shows no boundaries, and no act of mercy is a small one. The lady who gave me bus fare when I was a teenager out looking for a job showed me an act of mercy I have never forgotten, even after almost fifty years. We never know, sometimes, this side of Glory, just what effect our small act of mercy may have on a person's life. And sometimes we are merciful to those whom we know will not appreciate it, and may even abuse our kindness. But we are merciful anyway, because God is merciful, and it is required of us, as God's children, to be His emmisarries.
But sometimes, we can't be there. We can't rush to Haiti to help. We can't hop on a plane and go to Chile. Heck, we couldn't even get to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina! So we donate to the Red Cross. We pitch in at the local food bank. We write letters to the editor. We write blogs.
And thirdly, we pray. Prayer is something we all can do. If we can't get out of the house, we can always pray. When we feel small and helpless and totally without power, we can pray. When our hearts break for those in need or peril, we can pray. And of the three degrees of mercy, perhaps prayer is the most powerful. In prayer, we put others first. There is a certain pride that goes with the first two. Hands-on-helping - we're proud of ourselves for having helped. We're proud of having written something that helped somebody or that someone found meaningful.
But prayer is between you and God. Nobody knows what you say to God or what God says to you, unless you tell them. Even when you don't know what to pray, or even if you pray wrongly, God knows your heart. You can't be prideful when you're on your knees in true humility. When you're truly in communication with God, there is nothing else. When it's just you and God, that's where true mercy kicks in.
Lord, help me be merciful today. Rid my heart of lingering bitterness and anger. Let me be Your hands, Your feet, Your heart today. In Jesus' Name, I pray...Amen
The Bible is full of mercy. Over and over and over again, God is shown to be merciful. He says it Himself: "I will be merciful on whom I will be merciful." Jesus talks more about mercy than He does about sex, and even more than He talks about money.
In my Catholic Women's Study Bible I came across a devotion that speaks to this. It begins with three prayers, one for works, one for words, and one for prayer. It ends with this:
"You yourself command me to exercise the three degrees of mercy. The first: the act of mercy, of whatever kind. The second: the word of mercy - if I cannot carry out a work of mercy, I will assist by my words. The third prayer - if I cannot show mercy by deeds or words, I can always do so by prayer. My prayer reaches out even there where I cannot reach out physically. O my Jesus, trasnform me into yourself, for you can do all things."
Works or deeds of mercy need not be large, though they certainly can be. Chip's rescue of a baby duck who was trapped away from its mother was an act of mercy. Running into a burning building to save a child is an act of mercy. Saying a kind word to a co-worker who is going through a rough patch is an act of mercy. Keeping your promises to a relative who is struggling can be an act of mercy. Buying the bum on the streetcorner a meal can be an act of mercy.
Mercy shows no boundaries, and no act of mercy is a small one. The lady who gave me bus fare when I was a teenager out looking for a job showed me an act of mercy I have never forgotten, even after almost fifty years. We never know, sometimes, this side of Glory, just what effect our small act of mercy may have on a person's life. And sometimes we are merciful to those whom we know will not appreciate it, and may even abuse our kindness. But we are merciful anyway, because God is merciful, and it is required of us, as God's children, to be His emmisarries.
But sometimes, we can't be there. We can't rush to Haiti to help. We can't hop on a plane and go to Chile. Heck, we couldn't even get to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina! So we donate to the Red Cross. We pitch in at the local food bank. We write letters to the editor. We write blogs.
And thirdly, we pray. Prayer is something we all can do. If we can't get out of the house, we can always pray. When we feel small and helpless and totally without power, we can pray. When our hearts break for those in need or peril, we can pray. And of the three degrees of mercy, perhaps prayer is the most powerful. In prayer, we put others first. There is a certain pride that goes with the first two. Hands-on-helping - we're proud of ourselves for having helped. We're proud of having written something that helped somebody or that someone found meaningful.
But prayer is between you and God. Nobody knows what you say to God or what God says to you, unless you tell them. Even when you don't know what to pray, or even if you pray wrongly, God knows your heart. You can't be prideful when you're on your knees in true humility. When you're truly in communication with God, there is nothing else. When it's just you and God, that's where true mercy kicks in.
Lord, help me be merciful today. Rid my heart of lingering bitterness and anger. Let me be Your hands, Your feet, Your heart today. In Jesus' Name, I pray...Amen
Monday, March 1, 2010
March 1, 2010 - Psalm 68:4-6 "Home"
"Sing to God, sing praises to His name;
lift up a song to Him who rides upon the clouds -
His name is the Lord -
be exultant before Him.
Father of orphans and protector of widows
is God in His holy habitation.
God gives the desolate a home to live in;
He leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but the rebellious live in a parched land."
He gives the desolate a home.... Amen and amen.
It has been a long time since I have felt so comfortable in church. Part of my "criteria" for church is this: Could I bring my brother, his life partner and their six multi-racial children to church and would they be comfortable there? Sadly, most of the time, the answer is no.
I was poking around the internet yesterday and did a search on "gay friendly churches Visalia." Amongst others that popped up was the Episcopal Church in Visalia. As I have spent many years as an Episcopalian, I was pretty jazzed about this. I went to the one downtown once and was...ahem...not impressed. This church meets in a Jewish Synagogue and split off from the one downtown over this very issue.
I went at the time listed, only to discover that due to the celebration of Purim, the Episcopal service had been scheduled for 4:00. So, I went back at 4:00. I haven't felt this much at home in years. It felt like I'd always been there. It's a small congregation; one where I think I can put my talents to use. The people were friendly; I was invited to stay for coffee after the service and chatted with many of the folks there. It feels like home.
So, Father, I thank You. You are indeed the protector of widows and the One who gives the desolate a home. Thank you.
lift up a song to Him who rides upon the clouds -
His name is the Lord -
be exultant before Him.
Father of orphans and protector of widows
is God in His holy habitation.
God gives the desolate a home to live in;
He leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but the rebellious live in a parched land."
He gives the desolate a home.... Amen and amen.
It has been a long time since I have felt so comfortable in church. Part of my "criteria" for church is this: Could I bring my brother, his life partner and their six multi-racial children to church and would they be comfortable there? Sadly, most of the time, the answer is no.
I was poking around the internet yesterday and did a search on "gay friendly churches Visalia." Amongst others that popped up was the Episcopal Church in Visalia. As I have spent many years as an Episcopalian, I was pretty jazzed about this. I went to the one downtown once and was...ahem...not impressed. This church meets in a Jewish Synagogue and split off from the one downtown over this very issue.
I went at the time listed, only to discover that due to the celebration of Purim, the Episcopal service had been scheduled for 4:00. So, I went back at 4:00. I haven't felt this much at home in years. It felt like I'd always been there. It's a small congregation; one where I think I can put my talents to use. The people were friendly; I was invited to stay for coffee after the service and chatted with many of the folks there. It feels like home.
So, Father, I thank You. You are indeed the protector of widows and the One who gives the desolate a home. Thank you.
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