Sunday, June 14

Driving on a rainy day, my mind and mood centered on a number of pressing matters when I was suddenly aware of the brilliantly, beautiful, spring blossoms on every side of the road.
While no words were spoken, it was as if our loving Lord was calling to me: “Wake up! As I said to Martha, ‘you are worried and distracted by many things.’ (Luke 10:41) While you are preoccupied, I surround you with my fireworks, the stunning beauty of my creation. Remember, I am the very present God of beauty and of love! Remember, I am with you!”

Immediately the wonderful words of the nineteenth psalm came to mind: “The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” (Psalm 19:1-4)

It’s easy to drive, walk, and pass through life staring at a computer or a smart phone or a desk or a road or to have one’s mind so occupied with various matters that we literally do not see the glory of our Lord around us!

Wake up! See the beauty around you and worship your Lord!

“For the beauty of the earth, For the Glory of the skies, For the love which from our birth over and around us lies: Lord of all, to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.” (Folliott S. Pierpoint)

Prayer: Gracious and loving God, the beauty of the world reflects your glory and love for all of creation. Help me to trust in your love and guidance, not be burdened and distracted by the cares of the world, but alive to love and serve you. Amen

Monday, June 15

Dozens of times in the Gospel according to John we read the words “believe in.” For example Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.” (John 14:1)

Here’s an interesting thing. John wrote the Gospel of John in the Greek language and wherever we read in English “believe in God” or “believe in Jesus,” John used the preposition “into.” Believe into God. Believe into Jesus.

The preposition “in” gives the sense of location or position. You are in a car or in a room. The proposition “into” offers the sense of movement. We step “into” the car. We walk “into” a sanctuary.

Believing in our day is often limited to the intellectual exercise of affirming some reality. “I believe in God” merely means I believe God exists. The New Testament understanding of believe is that we both affirm the reality of something or someone and entrust ourselves to what we believe. If you are sitting in a chair, you believe “into” it when you sit in it! You affirm its reality and you entrust yourself to its ability to hold you up. So to believe into Jesus is to both affirm that you believe Jesus exists and it is to hand yourself over to Jesus.

“But to all who received him, who believed in(to) his name, he gave power to become children of God.” (John 1:12)

Prayer: Lord of all, may we your children be embraced by your love and may we run to your arms for comfort, strength and renewal. In the journey of our life, may we always believe into faith to be a part of the love and care you have for us. Amen.

Tuesday, June 16

Have you ever felt sifted like wheat? It’s not an expression we use much today. It means to pull apart, to fragment, and even to separate violently. You feel sifted like wheat when life tears you apart. When some circumstance, uncertainty, illness, spiteful behavior, failure in the face of temptation just tears you up leaving you empty, frustrated, exhausted, angry, depressed.

Jesus must have startled his disciples when addressing Simon, “Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat.” (Luke 22:31)

Life is complex and there are many ways that we may be sifted, experiences that test our trust in Jesus, that attempt to separate us from Jesus. If Jesus only said, “Satan has demanded to sift you like wheat,” we would be left in a most difficult place, but Jesus goes on to say some of the most wonderful, promise-full, hope-full words you will ever hear in your life.

“But I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:32)

When Jesus Christ prays for something, God answers his prayer with a powerful YES. If Jesus prays that Peter’s faith won’t fail, then it won’t fail. When you are sifted look to Jesus! “He is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25) Just as Jesus prayed for Peter, he prays for you.

In the throws and pulls of our everyday lives, Lord, I ask for your healing and guiding hand to hold and uplift me in your embrace and care. All praise and honor is yours almighty God. Amen.

Wednesday, June 17

Imagine you are Wile E. Coyote tearing down a road after the Road Runner when all of a sudden the Road Runner with a “Beep Beep” zips straight up just as a glass wall pops up on the roadway and you smash right into it – and you slowly slide down the glass and on to the roadway. That is how it feels when you are running along in life and suddenly something just wipes you out. It could be a health or work or relationship issue or any matter that is important to you that suddenly goes awry.

What do you do? First, remember the nature of our God: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.” (II Corinthians 1:3) God is the God of all comfort – and the word comfort comes from a word that literally means one who comes along side to help! When trouble comes this God “gets it” and as the Psalm wonderfully puts it, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

And what do we do after we walk though a trouble with the God who helps us along side? This is the God “Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (II Corinthians 1:4)

Do you know someone who has hit some invisible glass wall and is sliding onto the road? Go alongside and help. Our Lord will love them through you!

Prayer: Lord you hold us in your embrace to carry us in our times of pain and sorry. Your presence also brings us joy and celebration with the love you share. Help us O Lord to rejoice always in your care. Amen.

Thursday, June 18

We know of two times Jesus wept. Do you know what they are?

Many people know of his tears over the death of his friend of the heart, Lazarus. When Jesus sees Lazarus’ sisters, Martha and Mary, weeping over their brother’s death, Jesus is overcome himself, “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35)

The other time we learn of Jesus crying is something of a surprise. It happens on Palm Sunday, the day we think of as a day of great celebration. It’s the day the crowds shouted, “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,” as they threw palm branches before him as he passed by. So it’s a bit of a shock to read of that wonderful celebration and come to this report: “As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it.” (Luke 19:41)

His tears are again an expression of grief, grief that people will fail to recognize God’s coming to them. You can feel his sorrow as he says, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you… and they will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you." (Luke 19:42-44)

May you and I not miss the joyful reality that the Lord Jesus has come to us. He is as close to you as your next breath. He knows your need and he comes along your side. He embraces you in his love. Embrace him back!

Prayer: Jesus your compassion and love for us is beyond our understanding. May your continuing presence guide and hold us in grace and peace. Amen.

Friday, June 19

The apostle John marvelously captures the drama of Easter morning when he (assuming he is the “other disciple”) and Peter race to the tomb. “The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself.” (John 20:4-7)

In preparation for burial, the body of Jesus was encased, from shoulder to feet, in strips of cloth with layered spices. A small cloth was on his head.

Simon Peter enters the tomb first and sees a curious sight. The linen cloths, that had wrapped around the body of Jesus in layers, were an empty shell. Separated from the casing, by a few inches, was the headpiece. The gap between them was where Jesus’ neck was. The conclusion was immediate. The body of Jesus had passed right out of or through the linen cloths.
Jesus Christ had risen from the dead!

He is alive and as present with you as you are alive and present this moment. Then John, “who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed.” (John 20:8) See this with your own eyes of faith and believe!

Prayer: Lord, help me each day to live in the Resurrection life you give. May the newness of each day fill me and strengthen me for the work of the Gospel. Amen.

Saturday, June 20

Is it wisdom? Is it pleasure? Is it toil? Maybe it doesn't matter.

“People can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? to the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” (Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 TNIV)

Ecclesiastes doesn't have much use for "The Circle of Life." Wealth or poverty? What of it? Wisdom, pleasure, hard work – to gather these and to turn them over to another who simply does the same thing over and over again ... point?

Yet in the middle of this harsh social commentary Ecclesiastes drops a bomb. The connection is made with God, the provider, and if there be any meaning, it's found in God. Otherwise, it's chasing after the wind. How's your connection with your God today?

Prayer: God, may your presence in my life be that which brings hope and meaning to all that I do. May my works, words and total life be to serve you and your creation. Amen.