Security

Thursday, August 29, 2024

God Provides It All

Even Beauty.

Job 38:41

Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God, and wander about for lack of food?

1 Corinthians 3:7

So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

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Words of Grace For Today

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Food security is a major concern,

again,

or still?

People so used to getting food only from a grocery store set about learning to plant, tend, and harvest their own food.

People are, it is said, taking charge and learning about food security.

But even when we plant and water and weed our plants that will grow food for us, only what God provides will make the plants grow and produce food.

Security, though we make lots of efforts to do our part (and must) is only truly possible when we trust God to provide,

as difficult as that may be

when we are so used to providing for our own needs,

even by buying what we need at the store,

with money we have from payment for our labours.

It is such a different attitude towards life, to see not our own efforts (though must continue to give concerted efforts toward providing for ourselves*) as the source of life.

When we live so then *our efforts are not to provide for ourselves, but for our neighbours in need

all around the globe.

And that is a much more difficult enterprise

for our daily lives.

And greatly rewarded by hearts that are familiar with God’s songs of Grace for all people

and all creation.

Of God’s Name

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Fishing For The Catch Of One’s Life

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And Then Sharing It With Everyone In Need.

First Chronicles 22:19

Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God. Go and build the sanctuary of the Lord God so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the Lord.

John 1:45

Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.’

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Words of Grace For Today

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The sanctuary, the temple, is not built for God to inhabit it, but for God’s name to dwell there! What a treasure, to know that in this new and holy place one could go and call on the name of the Lord and

…

be heard!

What a treasure for Philip to share with Nathaniel, that they have found the Messiah promised in the Holy Scriptures, wherein the name of the Lord is to be encountered by one’s mind and heart … and soul.

And then to be able to go and encounter the Name of God, the Word wherein the Name of God dwells as surely as God’s name dwelt in the temple. And to encounter the Name of God, the Word of God in a living person.

And for us today to encounter the living Word of God in so many ways

in Scripture,

in Worship,

in Sacraments,

in Fellowship,

in Works of Love that give the basics of life to others in dire need,

in the Wonders of creation,

in the Wonder of love

and hope

amidst the present darkness.

Come! Come and see the Living Word!

Can you invite those in such great need to encounter God’s Name, God’s Word, God’s Living Presence?

For the Love of

God

Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Some Circumstances Demand Attention To The Good Rules At Every Step

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In This Case Apply Heat Carefully

but Quickly and Amply!

Psalm 19:9

the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring for ever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

Luke 11:28

But he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!’

/Jesus spricht:/ Selig sind, die das Wort Gottes hören und bewahren.

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Words of Grace For Today

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When the gifts of God are taken and reduced to

PURE FEAR and OBEDIENCE

one knows that something has gone terribly wrong.

Fear, capitulation, obeying orders (regardless of their good and right application), … and in all that allowing someone else to control what one actually does …

in the military perhaps it is necessary. But in life it is the sure bell toll of the death of all that is good.

For one must remain able to love, not just fear. Fear is a resignation of one’s soul. Love is the surrender of one’s soul in order that one has life abundant … no matter the circumstances or hardships one faces.

Luther was right to start his explanations with ‘We are to fear and love God so that ….’

Once love is part of the equation of one’s life at every turn – and how else can one rightly respond to all the gifts God gives us though we deserve none of them, for gratitude gives birth to love for God, which gives birth to love of one’s neighbour and oneself, and all creation –

once love is part of the equation of one’s life at every turn, then following the good and just commandments of God is not a capitulation but a voluntary surrender of one’s life to all that is good from God, for the benefit of others, and for creation.

And where will that take you this day?

You Know Who

Needs the Light

Monday, August 26, 2024

When the Light Is About To Disappear …

Psalm 56:13

For you have delivered my soul from death, and my feet from falling, so that I may walk before God in the light of life.

Mark 5:41-42

He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha cum’, which means, ‘Little girl, get up!’ And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement.

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Words of Grace For Today

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If you are in a foreign country where the government is not at all friendly to your own country, and you are there working with the ‘alternative’ hope for the people, their church … and people go missing all the time … having an arrogant, unpredictable, and violent bully-cop, who has it out for you, point at gun mere inches away at your face is a sure way to convince you your life is likely going to come to an end.

The outcome that shakes one to the core is to have that cop’s partner kill him with an equally violent bullet to the head, and then tell you that you are protected.

Seeing evidence that this protection, though never again seen in person, has continued through one’s life is mind boggling.

Certainly, one gives God thanks with the words of the Psalmist, I will render thank-offerings to you. For you have delivered my soul from death, and my feet from falling, so that I may walk before God in the light of life!

These kind of deliverances are rare. Many people would hope they would be more common, as countless people loss their lives to violent bullies.

The kind that all of us need at one time or another in our lives, and for most of us quite frequently in our lives, is a deliverance from the enemy within our own hearts, minds, and souls. This kind of enemy drags us through the dirt and darkness of life more efficiently than lead poisoning … from a bullet at close range. This enemy of life is self-created. Oh, sure, circumstances contribute to the darkness of life in endless ways. Yet we are not bound to llow the inevitable challenges of life grow out of control until we succumb to the hopeless darknesses of complacency, lethargy, and despair.

From these enemies of life, we all need deliverance all too often.

So Jesus says also to us this day, “Come, Get Up!” Inviting us to walk in the light of life.

See, the light is right there. Just walk into it, and bask in the steadfast love of God …

and then get our butts in gear, to provide that light to all people, especially …

well you know who.

Rescue

From Shame

Sunday, August 25, 2024

So Wondrous The Forests, Until We Chop Them All Down

Psalm 118:21

I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.

1 Timothy 2:3-4

This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

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Words of Grace For Today

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The alarm clock rang, louder than ever, setting off the pounding in his head.

He sat up and nearly vomited all over … a sleeping bag in a tent. Where was he anyway?

He lay back down as his partner turned off his alarm, pulled himself out of the shared sleeping bag, dressed, and disappeared out the tent flap, making noises of getting some breakfast, and then driving away to work, but

he stopped,

by the tree they had felled the night before, and left the top leafy branches across the roadway out

and an old man voice started to reprimand him for the tree felled on private land, the mess of the campfire that looked like a singed garbage can, and the mess all around their campsite.

His partner finally told the old man he had to get going, that he should talk to the ‘other guy’.

So it was his turn, same things, same shame, same weak excuse that the ‘Private’ sign was not at the actual boundary of public-private land. But then it was illegal to down a living tree on this public land. Elsewhere one could get a permit. Not here.

Shame filled over shame and his head throbbed with the loud pain of …

Well the hangover from their loud party into the early hours.

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And God desires all people to come to know the truth, to repent, and to follow Jesus, the Way of Grace and Truth …

Really even these pathetic excuses for young humans? Where has the promise of youth disappeared? Was it always so hard to find?

And God desires all people to come to know the truth, to repent, and to follow Jesus, the Way of Grace and Truth …

even these and many like them who put reason to shame.

Even those who would judge them, for the judgment is just as valid applied to the one judging.

God have mercy on us all!

The Stinking Filth

Of Our Pasts

Saturday, August 24, 2024

The Winds of Adversity Will Lay Us Flat, Broken

Zechariah 3:4

The angel said to those who were standing before him, ‘Take off his filthy clothes.’ And to him he said, ‘See, I have taken your guilt away from you, and I will clothe you in festal apparel.’

Luke 15:22-24

But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate.

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Words of Grace For Today

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‘Pulling the least dirty shirt from the closet’

so goes the Johnny Cash song, not of a great day, but of a drunk’s morning after a binger of a night.

We’d all like to think we are not that bad off.

But, each in our own way, are at least much worse off, when it comes to being able to dress for our morning audiences before God, our judge.

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The Good News is that Jesus comes each morning (each moment) and invites us to take off all that filth and dirt of the previous dark times, and to put on a festive robe, befitting a king. Then Jesus invites us to the banquet with him, as one of God’s own children.

Our God, judge of all, is steadfast in love for all God’s creatures.

How will we start our day: in a filthy shirt from the dirt of our pasts, or in festive clothing offered to us by our Saviour, Jesus?

Stumbling

Into life eternal

Friday, August 23, 2024

God’s Work is Most Obvious When We Lose Our Way

Psalm 94:18

When I thought, ‘My foot is slipping’, your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up.

2 Corinthians 12:9

but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

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Words of Grace For Today

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The contest is on: Who has the most weaknesses?

Right!?

Not.

We all want to boast how strong and competent we are. Even boast in strengths we actually do not have, so that others will see us in a better light, or so that we can win as others lose out.

But God wishes none of that game from us.

God wishes us to recognize the weaknesses that we have. Clearly. Firmly. Honestly. Even though it scares us. God wishes us to trust that when we are weak, God will rescue us, demonstrating again for us and others how God works for us all.

Hiking across the ice and snow after a long 5 day trek to the mountaintops, to view the wonders of the universe ‘on top’ she came to that most beautiful of views, up to the peak, down the valley to the river, and across the valley to the huge, tall waterfall, plunging and splashing it’s way to the pool churning from the added water each moment.

Taking it all in she held her camera as she continued walking and taking photos, for darkness would come all too soon and make any further descent unacceptably dangerous… as her foot slipped on ice she had not paid attention to. Down she went, camera flying. sliding out of control, off the path towards the cliff just feet away. Bruised, screaming, terrified, her feet over the edge…

then

her hood caught on a small tree root sticking up out of the ice.

She pulled herself, oh so carefully, back up from the precipice, clinging to that single protruding tree root,

until she could walk, gingerly, carefully

back up to the path where her camera lay.

She sat, prayed her profound thanks, poured a cup of hot tea from her thermos, took a photo of that tree root, and a few of the view.

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The tree root photo, enlarged, hangs in her office in front of her desk so that she sees it every morning as she starts her writing for the day …

a reminder of her weaknesses and God’s strengths …

and gratitude overwhelms her for a moment …

before she moves on in her day.

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How will you acknowledge your weaknesses today, and all God does for you?

Return

To God

Thursday, August 22, 2024

See and Acknowledge God’s Gifts Today

Jeremiah 15:19

Therefore, thus says the Lord:
If you turn back, I will take you back,
and you shall stand before me.

Matthew 10:32

Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven

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Words of Grace For Today

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After years of having barely enough water, food, supplies, shelter, heat, and transportation to get to town, the old man had developed habits to not waste any thing. Bits and pieces cluttered the ‘resource pile’, a place to go for raw material to be cut, bent, and drilled in order to fabricate a piece of something needed to keep things working, or to improve his situation and chances of surviving. Every morning he had cereal with berries on top, with coffee. When the bowl of cereal was empty, instead of just washing it or wiping it with a paper towel before washing it, he rinsed it with coffee, and then carefully wiped all the remaining traces of berry juice around the bowl into the coffee in the bottom of the bowl. This he drank with gratitude for all he had.

His morning prayers before Eucharist started with, ‘thank you God for everything that keeps me alive.’

Turning back to God comes in countless ways, even for each of us.

How, today, will you return to the Lord? How will you turn back and give God thanks for all that keeps you alive? How will you acknowledge before others your Saviour who gives you faith, though none of us can do anything to deserve such Grace?

The Beginning

Hearts and Hands

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

In the Wilderness, Or Comfortable Homes …

Lamentations 3:41

Let us lift up our hearts as well as our hands to God in heaven.

James 5:13

Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise.

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Words of Grace For Today

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The beginning of everyday is to give God thanks

for saving us

though we do not deserve it, not at all.

It matters not if we are doing well, or suffering terribly.

The most determinative thing in life is that, by Grace alone, God has set us right with God, saved us, blessed us with many gifts, and sent us out into life to be God’s embodiments of that same Grace for others.

Hearts and Hands.

And Voices

And Minds

And all we have

giving God thanks.

That’s a start, the best start, to a day of striving to do the best we can,

Out of fear of God, and love for God and thanks for all God gives to us to share with others.

Success?

How Would We Know?

Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Sometimes There Is Barely Any Light Where God Sends Us!

Genesis 24:21

The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.

Acts of the Apostles 13:2-3

While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

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Words of Grace For Today

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God sends us out, perhaps not just like Paul and Barnabas, yet even so God sends us, each and everyone of us!

But are we successful?

As I drove with the radio playing my feet started to dance just a bit to the music. Not so much as to interfere but was I paying attention? What was I paying attention to?

I asked myself does anything I do make a difference? Thinking about our commemorations for this coming week I wondered why can’t I be like Augustine or Moses the Black? Was I doing anything that mattered, anyway? After all even faith is all gift, not a result of my own doing or choosing. If I cannot choose to believe, then what do I do that makes a difference? Can I even turn, turn, and again return to Jesus for guidance on how to give, give, give even as foolish ones give, to those who cannot repay, and especially to those who cannot pray? Was I really paying attention to the important stuff?

To what and where does God send you this day? Are you paying attention?