Blog Archives

First Things First

9/27/2017

Today is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" Psalm 118:24

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." Mark 1:35

Listen to:  Good Morning  by Mandisa (featuring Tobymac)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOVv8ySJREs

"I got up early one morning and rushed right into the day. I had so much to accomplish that I didn't take time to pray. Problems just tumbled about me and heavier came each task. "Why doesn't God help me" I wondered, He answered: "You didn't ask." I wanted to see joy and beauty, but the day toiled on gray and bleak. I wondered why God didn't show me, He said "But you didn't seek." I tried to come into God's presence. I used all my keys at the lock. God gently and lovingly chided, "My child, you didn't knock." I woke up early this morning, and paused before entering the day. I had so much to accomplish that I had to take time to pray."

If you're anything like me, the minute I'm up I'm dashing to throw on clothes, run a brush through my hair, and get the dogs out for their walk. Then of course they need to be fed and watered, not to mention Bobbie Cat, sitting by her bowl, patiently waiting for her 9-Lives. Is there coffee to gulp down? Glance at the New York Times and see the latest calamities in the world. Then fire up the computer to see the latest emails, Face Book postings..

What's wrong with this picture?!

Like many, I forget: Put First Things First. The morning is precious time. Just rested from sleep, not yet bombarded by the demands of the day, our brains and spirit are open. That's when we need to connect spiritually with God. Maybe I need to consciously turn that dog walk into a "walking prayer," asking God to bless my neighbors, and all who have asked me for prayer. Maybe I need to review a "gratitude list" as Gracie and Betty Boo, my dogs, are busy chasing the squirrels. Maybe I need to have a devotional ready with a scripture, to read with my cup of coffee. Maybe before I read my emails, I can read spiritual postings from the many sites on line.

The point is: Put First Things First. That's what Jesus did. He got up early, went away to a quiet place to pray. We need to pray, ideally have some quiet time -- it doesn't have to be long -- but the intention and focus need to be there. Then it can grow, as we develop the right habits to sustain our spirit.

We need to charge up our day with spiritual energy, so we can be positive, engaging people who can minister to others just by our presence. Our presence can bring peace to others -- if we are adequately prepped. That's the best witness we can give to Jesus Christ -- to be a people whose spirits are open, ready to listen and minister, because we are nourished by prayer, and because we are in conscious contact with our God from the time we open our eyes.

Have a wonderful day. Remember: First Things First.

PRAY: "Show us what do to start the day right with you. Make us a blessing to others "

"Today is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" Psalm 118:24

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." Mark 1:35

"I got up early one morning and rushed right into the day. I had so much to accomplish that I didn't take time to pray. Problems just tumbled about me and heavier came each task. "Why doesn't God help me" I wondered, He answered: "You didn't ask." I wanted to see joy and beauty, but the day toiled on gray and bleak. I wondered why God didn't show me, He said "But you didn't seek." I tried to come into God's presence. I used all my keys at the lock. God gently and lovingly chided, "My child, you didn't knock." I woke up early this morning, and paused before entering the day. I had so much to accomplish that I had to take time to pray."

If you're anything like me, the minute I'm up I'm dashing to throw on clothes, run a brush through my hair, and get the dogs out for their walk. Then of course they need to be fed and watered, not to mention Bobbie Cat, sitting by her bowl, patiently waiting for her 9-Lives. Is there coffee to gulp down? Glance at the New York Times and see the latest calamities in the world. Then fire up the computer to see the latest emails, Face Book postings..

What's wrong with this picture?!

Like many, I forget: Put First Things First. The morning is precious time. Just rested from sleep, not yet bombarded by the demands of the day, our brains and spirit are open. That's when we need to connect spiritually with God. Maybe I need to consciously turn that dog walk into a "walking prayer," asking God to bless my neighbors, and all who have asked me for prayer. Maybe I need to review a "gratitude list" as Gracie and Betty Boo are busy chasing the squirrels. Maybe I need to have a devotional ready with a scripture, to read with my cup of coffee. Maybe before I read my emails, I can read spiritual postings from the many sites on line.

The point is: Put First Things First. That's what Jesus did. He got up early, went away to a quiet place to pray. We need to pray, ideally have some quiet time -- it doesn't have to be long -- but the intention and focus need to be there. Then it can grow, as we develop the right habits to sustain our spirit.

We need to charge up our day with spiritual energy, so we can be positive, engaging people who can minister to others just by our presence. Our presence can bring peace to others -- if we are adequately prepped. That's the best witness we can give to Jesus Christ -- to be a people whose spirits are open, ready to listen and minister, because we are nourished by prayer, and because we are in conscious contact with our God from the time we open our eyes.

Have a wonderful day. Remember: First Things First.

Listen to:  Good Morning  by Mandisa (featuring Tobymac)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOVv8ySJREs

PRAY: "Show us what do to start the day right with you. Make us a blessing to others "

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September 20th, 2017

9/20/2017

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One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 27:4

Listen to: Building 429 "Where I Belong"
Cf. Eph. 4:29: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usAwtKwICzs&feature=related

The poet Maya Angelou wrote: "The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned." We need a place in the world and in our hearts when we can be ourselves. Where we are loved for who we are, warts and all. Where we are loved.

Christians live in the tension: we call heaven our home and surely that is were we belong. Yet Jesus proclaims "The kingdom of God is in our midst" (Luke 17:21). We have dual citizenship: in heaven and earth. That's why we need to take seriously the saying "don't be so heavenly-minded that you're no earthly good." We need to detach from worldly values that promote selfishness, rampant materialism and greed. We are to care for the world, be active in its healing and movements for justice, peace and righteousness. Think of Mexico, just struck by a second earthquake yesterday, and Puerto Rico, hit by a second hurricane in a month. So much of the world calls out to us for compassion and help. In responding to the cries of those in need, we are living out the heavenly values, and witnessing to the "kingdom of God in our midst."

As we face the hurts of our lives, and go about the work of mending others, we are reminded over and over again that we belong to an eternal home that can never be taken away from us. We are sojourners on this earth -- and we need to remind ourselves we are just passing through. This is not a morbid thought. It frees us from the traps of judging ourselves and others by worldly standards, and guides us to to see ourselves, and others, through God's everlasting, loving eyes.

Let us find the kingdom of God, our home, in our hearts, and carry that piece of heaven wherever we go.

PRAY: " Your home is in our hearts. Help us keep our eyes on our heavenly home as we work to make a home of the world for all people and creation "

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Reclaiming Love

9/13/2017

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Listen: Switchfoot, "Love Alone Is Worth the Fight"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk9Pj3ID0UE
The Message to Ephesus
2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands:
2 “I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance. I know that you cannot tolerate evildoers; you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them to be false. 3 I also know that you are enduring patiently and bearing up for the sake of my name, and that you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. ....."

In chapters 2-3 of Revelation, the message to the seven churches, the church of Ephesus is listed. It is the only church in Revelation to which Paul has written a letter in the New Testament canon. Paul writes at one point to the Ephesians:

"3:17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

Being rooted and established in love means our lives are grounded in the teachings of Jesus Christ. We learn patience through love, endurance through love and bearing up and not growing weary. Yet as we see with the Ephesians, it is possible to continue good works whiles love slowly grow cold. It is possible to act "on automatic." On the outside we look great, sound great, act the part. On the inside there is emptiness, even indifference and complacency that takes root.

The Ephesians, like a lot of early Christian congregations, faced persecution and trials. Jesus notices this and commends them: they toiled and endured. They withstood evildoers and false teachers. They faced hardship and were holding up very well. Yet Jesus concerned that the had abandoned the love they had when they first began. Why did they abandon their first love? Did they grow complacent? Did they confuse duty with love? Jesus is alarmed because without out love, what did all these good deeds amount to? Remember Paul's famous opening words about love in 1 Corinthians?

If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.

We do not know exactly what was the turning point for the Ephesians. Did they stop praying together or meet less frequently? Was it all turning into rote actions? Did they become entirely self-reliant given how well they were holding up?

What makes love grow cold? Matthew 24:12 reminds us that "because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold," Life stresses and difficulties can choke love. Love is action: so we need to be in relationship with God and each other to grow love. We need to take time out to foster connections to keep love alive. We know that committed love relationships require constant care and attention to stay alive. It is the same with God and our faith communities..

The love God shares with us is a love that surpasses knowledge. We can't analyze our way through it. We know it by its affects on us and those around us. It is a love that bears up, but bears up others. It is a love that endures patiently for the well being of others who are struggling -- and in the process conveys to those who are struggling that they are not alone. It is a love that works through us in myriad of ways that witnesses to the depth and wideness of God's eternal love.

Love in Jesus is the most precious gift we possess. Let us not take it for granted. Today let us do the things that keep love alive -- with prayer and caring for others -- and in doing so, experience being rooted and established in love as a way of life.

Prayer: "God Who Loves, help us not take love for granted. Constantly show us how to be loving as we go throughout our day."

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Rules for Living in a Troubled World

9/6/2017

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Psalm 37
1 Do not fret because of those who are evil
  or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
    like green plants they will soon die away.
3 Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

4 Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him and he will do this:

6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
    your vindication like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the Lord
    and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
    when they carry out their wicked schemes.
37 a. Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
    a future awaits those who seek peace.

When my children started the school year every September, they would bring home the classroom rules. As they got older, they would bring home 2-3 page forms that not only they had to sign, but I had to as well. These "classroom covenants" spelled out how success in academia could be achieved.

Psalm 37: 1-7, 37a is our spiritual successful spiritual living. The psalmist starts where we are at. He presumes (often correctly!) we get stuck and resentful -- we ponder the good fortunes of the wicked and those who are successful and get away with wrongdoing. We read about them in the news, they shape our lives through their political and economic influence, perhaps they even live in our neighborhood or are a member of our family.

The scriptures do not deny that evil doing and injustice, and turmoil exist in our world. Look at the power of Hurricane Harvey and Irma, the typhoons in South Asia, the wildfires on the West Coast, the ruling against DACA this past week. Despite how upset we may get, we are not to emulate wrong doers. Instead we are to be the antidote our spiritually out-of-balance world needs. How do we succeed at this?

Listen to some of the "rules for living" the psalmist gives:
"trust in the Lord.."
"do good.."
"take delight in the Lord.."
"Commit your way to the Lord"
"Trust in him.."
"Be still and wait patiently.."
"Consider the blameless... consider the upright"

The spiritual action plan we are given contains powerful ingredients. In spite of everything negative we read in world affairs we are to trust in God. Trust is taking an active stance of siding with God. We throw down the gauntlet, so to speak. We believe that what God stands for, who God is, merits our love and loyalty even if it means we must make sacrifices and forgo the easy path. We trust in God, even if what we are called to looks naive or foolish in the world's eyes.

This trust manifests in doing good in the world. We make the world a better place through our caring choices and acts of generosity. Trust is not passive. Trust requires action and follow up on our part -- even courage -- otherwise we're just playing it safe.
If we trust in God, we not only do good but we learn to commit our way to him and delight in God. We turn over to God our plans for God's approval or correction. We place our lives under God's scrutiny, believing that God's "makes all things come together for the good (Romans 8:28)."

The psalmist takes it a step further: we called to not only trust but to delight in God. Trusting God isn't a painful exercise or one of drudgery. If we trust then God's vision fills us with joy. Following God's feels right and lightens our hearts. Taking delight is found in the context of love, trust and commitment. Doing good feels right and lifts our spirit.

One of the hardest aspects of this trust in God and commitment of our plans to God is learning to be still and wait patiently. We are raised to believe time is a commodity and we when we wait we are loosing out on life or on some potential opportunity. On the spiritual path, the opposite can be true. Rushing and being impatient can lead to the opposite of our desires. This is because patience is key to developing a compassionate heart. With patience we learn to be open to other points of view and to understanding the struggles of others-- which might not be so evident if we are so busy rushing around. Patience helps to keep judging others in check, which is one of the reasons God wants us to commit our plans to him. God, like a good teacher, wants to unearth our hidden depths of kindness and compassion. So we submit our draft dreams and goals to our Divine Teacher so they can be fashioned to be our very best.

So how do we put it all together? Instead of considering the wrongdoings and evil around us, God wants to led us into community: to take us to people who are "blameless" and "upright." They are all around us. We are encouraged to seek them out. To learn from them. To let them influence our thinking. There's a saying, "hang out with the winners." We can't do this alone. So to succeed spiritually, we need to be in the winners' circle: those people who are generous, kind, forgiving, patient, trusting, who love the Lord and who are actively doing good. It will rub off.

Ultimately the Psalm 37 "mini-rule book" tells us that there "a future awaits those who seek peace." We are created for peace; it is our birthright. Remember the biblical understanding of peace, which among other things means wholeness, being complete, "perfect," living in harmony. Psalm 37 assures us that peace is the byproduct of following our "rule book": trusting God, doing good, committing our ways to God, finding delight in God, learning stillness and patience, and learning from those who are blameless and upright.

Let us continue our spiritual pilgrimage together --together let us create peace in our midst!

Pray:   "O God, teach me the rules of spiritual living, and bring into my life those persons who can help me become my best and achieve your peace. amen."

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First Things First

September 20th, 2017

Reclaiming Love

Rules for Living in a Troubled World

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