"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." (Isaiah 26:3 ESV)
Trusting....how are you at trusting? Do people trust you? Are there things you don't trust -- like stepping on something uneven or icy? I don't always trust my balance - especially on uneven surfaces! In fact, as I have been healing from surgery, I have gone back to using my cane when I am out of the house. I trust the cane to take my weight but I don't want to have to "grab" someone's arm. There are so many changes happening - weather (we ARE to winter!), storms, and for many of us health - do we still trust God? It is an interesting question as we share, and encourage, each other. When DO we feel God's peace? DO we still trust God even in the changes? I have shared I go to my friend Isaiah when I need to feel God's presence, strength and guidance. The above verse was part of my morning God time this week. I have actually used it morning, and evening, several times this week. God IS with us -- Emmanuel. God's PEACE with us. So..... ARE you trusting God? DO you feel God's presence and peace? What verse do you go to? Can you share and encourage others with said verse? Something to think about........
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"but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31 ESV)
Renew? What do you think of? A library book? An insurance policy? A membership with/for something? Maybe even a friendship when you haven't seen each other in a while? Or vows made -- wedding or baptism come to mind.... When I am tired, under stress, trying to figure things out I go "back" to my friend Isaiah. This time the verse is referring to strength. We don't know if it is mental, physical or emotional strength but God is promising to renew it. As I am slowly regaining strength one of my favorite pastimes is to sit with praise music, my needlework and watch the birds out my window. No, there are no eagles, at this time, but there are LOT of birds (our neighbor has bird feeders) to watch from small sparrows to woodpeckers to pigeons. I can watch them "mount up" and take off. Thankfully there is not "running" but strength means "not be weary" AND I can walk without being "faint." Yes, it is taking a while. Yes, I wish it went faster. At the same time I can "praise You anywhere" (the song playing right now) because God's strength IS with me. Something to think about...... "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ." (1 Corinthians 12:12 ESV)
With so many things happening, changing and being talked about it is easy to think of this verse as trying to help us see we ALL belong to Christ. Which is ONE OF the things we can think about with these verses. One body, means all of us created in God's image who love and serve the Lord. I agree we may not all look at God the same, we may speak in different languages and we probably worship differently. Like the rest of the reading says we aren't to think one part of the body is any more important than the other parts. (12:16) I think we should also look at what the various parts of the body are doing. How are the various parts of the body working or doing? Are all of the parts, as they do when the actual physical body is working, speaking out and sharing God's love? If the feet are spreading the Gospel? The arms sharing a hug of support, and love, showing God's love? As we work with our care recipients are we helping them to see God's love? As we see Caregivers, like ourselves giving to others, are we encouraging with (at the very minimum) a kind word or smile? Maybe even a hug? Something to think about.......... "Jesus said to her, 'Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father, but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." (John 20:17)
How are you at sharing something? Especially something you are excited about? There are times when we know something, even something exciting, and we can't say anything "yet." There are also a lot of times when we see others struggling, going through similar changes to what we are going through - or have gone through, that we could share our experience with them. Do we? The reading this morning is a part of the resurrection story. The tomb is EMPTY. Peter and John have seen it "and believed." (John 20:8) Peter and John "went back to their homes." (v. 10) Mary has stayed near the tomb, spoken with both two angels (v. 12) and Jesus (v.15). Jesus tells her to "go tell" and she does. (v. 18) So..... what do we do? Do we tell, share, with others how we have seen the Lord? Do we help others to feel God's presence and guidance? Maybe share the Scripture verse helping us feel God's presence? Something to think about....... "John answered them all, "I baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." (Luke 3:16)
Do you remember your baptism? Some of us were baptized as infants so we probably don't but we do know who our Godparents are. Some of us were baptized when we were older so we didn't have Godparents but we do remember the event. Most of us have been to baptisms and know not only the importance for the service but are reminded of the vows we all make. So...if you don't remember your own baptism do you remember one you were at least at - if not a part of? The readings today are about John baptizing the people AND Jesus. He is calling the people to repentance AND pointing out how Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit. There were "multitudes" (Luke 3:7) who came to John "to be baptized." (3:7) And we know Jesus came to be baptized (3:21). Jesus was fulfilling prophesy and doing what God called him to do. So...... are we following where God is leading? Do we REALLY believe the vows we have made - either at our own baptism or as we participated in baptism services? Something to think about...... "They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh." (Matthew 2:11 NLT)
Did you get the gift you were looking for this Christmas? Did you GIVE someone the special gift they were wanting? Was it an actual gift, wrapped up in a box, or - like we do - a special memory? We like to give memories - like doing things together. Sometimes it is a particular "show" (movie or some production) and sometimes it is the day spent doing things together. In both cases it is the fun of doing and then remembering. Today's reading, for Epiphany, is the Wise Men reaching Bethlehem, finding the "child" with "his mother Mary" and two things happen. First off the "bow down and worship." The second thing is to give the gifts they have brought specifically for the "King of the Jews." (Matthew 2:2) The Wise Men are excited, "filled with joy" (10) and "bowed down" to "worship." So..... Are you following where God is leading? What gift have you brought? What is God asking you to do? Where is God asking you to go to? With busy, changing, challenging schedules time is difficult to get, and have, regularly - but it is a wonderful way to "just" be with God. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world give do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27)
A new year, a new season (winter seems to be returning) and, sometimes, the challenges are "ours" not just with the person we are caring for. What is your reaction when the changes and challenges are happening with you - your health, your work, your calendar? How do you handle the planned for changes (retirement) and the unplanned (health)? What do other people see in your reaction? This verse is Jesus reminding us, as we celebrate his birthday, that he IS with us. Emmanuel - God WITH us through all the changes and challenges. This verse also reminds us God KEEPS God's promises. In Isaiah 9 we are told of Jesus' coming "For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6 NLT emphasis mine) We can also think, because of all the gift giving happening, about "For God so loved the world He gave his only Son." (John 3:16) The gifts God has given, his Son with us and IN us (Emmanuel), AND the "peace." So........ As we face changes and challenges how are we doing? What are other people seeing? Are we staying calm? "Peaceful"? Something to think about............... "At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel." (Luke 2:25 NLT)
How are you at waiting? Do you have to wait "often"? Do you know the time you will be waiting? I know sometimes it seems like we are always "waiting"...... The hurry up and wait happens with everything from traveling (even if only the stop and go lights) to appointments - especially doctor appointments. Then there are the things we seem to wait longer for - weddings, babies to be born, graduations. The question is, however, how are you doing with the waiting? In the reading, yesterday (technical difficulties delayed the post), we see Simeon who has "eagerly" waited for the Messiah's birth. Then, in verse 36, we also start reading about Anna who has also been waiting. Both are very excited about seeing Jesus blessing the child and the parents. Both also praised, and thanked, God even though they had been "waiting" a long time - years in fact. In this "instant" world we live in it is hard to think about waiting so long. It is hard to decide our reactions when we do have to wait - maybe even a long time. So...... what is your attitude as you are waiting - at a stop light, the doctor's office or longer? Something to think about............ "And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn." (Luke 2:7 RSV)
Excitement! Preparation! Sometimes people are even working together to get everything ready, finished and be able to be together. Schedules are crazy, things have been changed, added and -in most cases- made more difficult. But at the same time we are preparing to celebrate a VERY special birthday. We are preparing to "welcome" Jesus. The Scripture, this morning, is pointing out the same thing. Mary and Joseph have been preparing, worked through the changes that made things more difficult and welcomed the baby Jesus. We are also told, in the next few verses of shepherds welcoming, celebrating and sharing what they have seen and heard. This verse, this morning, makes a very important point to be thinking about. Do we have a "place," "room," or time for Jesus? Not just this week, although it is important to remember and celebrate, but in our busy changing schedules of a "normal" work week? If we ARE making room, for ourselves, to be with Jesus are we celebrating and sharing how we have felt "God with us" - Emmanuel? Something to think about....... "For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed." (Luke 1:48 NLT)
We frequently get asked, or told, to do something - right? Sometimes it is a request we look forward to being able to help with. Sometimes it is a challenge we will have to 'figure' out. Sometimes it is something we will be working on for a while but know it will be "great" when it is finished. Sometimes it is unexpected while sometimes it is something we are really hoping for and working toward. The Scripture reading this morning is Mary's response to the angel's visit and her trip to see Elizabeth. The Scripture gives us Mary's response to what God is asking her to do, to be - the mother of our Lord and Savior. Her response is called a "Song of Praise" and the Magnificat. Mary is responding to Elizabeth telling her about how her (Elizabeth's) baby "in my womb jumped for joy." (v.44) Mary is also telling all of us a good way for us to respond when God is asking (calling?) us to new things. So...... what IS our response? Something to think about........ |
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