We have been given grace through Christ not because of what we do, but because we are loved children of God. Grace is a hug given without intent. It is not a hi, goodbye or thanks it is simply an unexpected, undeserved warm embrace. Grace is a foot hold that appears when we have lost our grip. Grace is a flower that is able to bloom through the snow. If we are too busy sometimes we miss it, but it doesn’t mean it’s not there.
I was recently remembering a powerful experience I had that was full of grace. I was at a praise service where the children gather in the isle during the songs to dance. The congregation gathers at the font for confession and at the altar for communion. I was walking up to communion looking at the children so full of life and I was feeling spiritually weak. I was tired and distraught. The words of institution started and all I could think was, “God I don’t think I’m cut out to be a pastor. I am weak and don’t think I have it in me to be a shepherd for your people.” As my eyes close to say the Lord’s Prayer I couldn’t even speak the words. Then I noticed a little child’s fingers weaving into mine. I was caught by surprise that this child who didn’t know me suddenly grabbed a stranger’s hand. I looked around the room and no one else was holding hands. At that moment I thought, "Thanks for holding my hand God; I really need it right now." A simple thing that the child didn't realize changed my world. Now that is the power and grace of God.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Stillness
By: Joseph Murdy, Intern
Have you ever had the power go out and all at once everything turns off? The television, washer and dryer, the refrigerator, and any other noises which we may have grown numb to even noticing. Silence has become something which shocks us and even makes us nervous. We are constantly surrounded by noises, cars, TV’s neighbors, even air planes flying over our homes. Noise is a constant reality; it has become linked with our every day experience so much that we hardly ever notice. I know people who cannot sleep at night unless they have the TV on. People from the city claim they cannot sleep well in secluded areas without the noise of their city in the background. Try an experiment, right now as you are reading this, close your eyes and count all the noises you hear. I bet there will be some you might not even recognize.
Years ago I experienced silence for the first time. I traveled to Saint Augustine’s House in Oxford Michigan, which was a small Lutheran Monastery. I needed to get away from it all. My first morning there I sat in the chapel praying, praying, and praying. Thinking, thinking, and thinking. I prayed and talked so much (***this is not discouragement to pray) that eventually I ran out of things to say. It was at that moment I heard it, it was strange at first, but clear as sunshine….quiet. I was overwhelmed by complete and utter stillness. It is difficult to describe the peace I experienced in that quiet moment, which is why I invite you to experience the peace of quietness and stillness with me.
As I sat in the chapel surrounded in quiet one scripture verse dropped over me like summer rain on a hot day. Psalm 46: 10, “Be still and know that I am God.” I have no doubt that God listened and heard everyone of my prayers that day, I even have no doubt that God answered and responded to my prayers. God waited patiently until I got everything off my chest then comforted me with His presence. God had been with me the entire time, but it was not until I was free of distractions and noises that I became aware of the fact that He was truly there.
Today I want you to think about a place, could be your kitchen, living room, back yard, even your bedroom closet, any place where you can be free of noises and distractions. Pray until you’re breathless and slowly allow yourself to fall into stillness and quietness. It will be tough at first, maybe even hard. God invites us into his presence always. He is there in the midst of our noise and chaos, but it’s sometimes challenging to recognize God’s presence when we are surrounded by noise. God invites us to be wrapped in His presence. Today let go of the chaos in your life, your worries, your stress and everything else that is keeping you from Joy. Give them all over to God and you will begin find true peace. “Be still, and know that I am God.”
Have you ever had the power go out and all at once everything turns off? The television, washer and dryer, the refrigerator, and any other noises which we may have grown numb to even noticing. Silence has become something which shocks us and even makes us nervous. We are constantly surrounded by noises, cars, TV’s neighbors, even air planes flying over our homes. Noise is a constant reality; it has become linked with our every day experience so much that we hardly ever notice. I know people who cannot sleep at night unless they have the TV on. People from the city claim they cannot sleep well in secluded areas without the noise of their city in the background. Try an experiment, right now as you are reading this, close your eyes and count all the noises you hear. I bet there will be some you might not even recognize.
Years ago I experienced silence for the first time. I traveled to Saint Augustine’s House in Oxford Michigan, which was a small Lutheran Monastery. I needed to get away from it all. My first morning there I sat in the chapel praying, praying, and praying. Thinking, thinking, and thinking. I prayed and talked so much (***this is not discouragement to pray) that eventually I ran out of things to say. It was at that moment I heard it, it was strange at first, but clear as sunshine….quiet. I was overwhelmed by complete and utter stillness. It is difficult to describe the peace I experienced in that quiet moment, which is why I invite you to experience the peace of quietness and stillness with me.
As I sat in the chapel surrounded in quiet one scripture verse dropped over me like summer rain on a hot day. Psalm 46: 10, “Be still and know that I am God.” I have no doubt that God listened and heard everyone of my prayers that day, I even have no doubt that God answered and responded to my prayers. God waited patiently until I got everything off my chest then comforted me with His presence. God had been with me the entire time, but it was not until I was free of distractions and noises that I became aware of the fact that He was truly there.
Today I want you to think about a place, could be your kitchen, living room, back yard, even your bedroom closet, any place where you can be free of noises and distractions. Pray until you’re breathless and slowly allow yourself to fall into stillness and quietness. It will be tough at first, maybe even hard. God invites us into his presence always. He is there in the midst of our noise and chaos, but it’s sometimes challenging to recognize God’s presence when we are surrounded by noise. God invites us to be wrapped in His presence. Today let go of the chaos in your life, your worries, your stress and everything else that is keeping you from Joy. Give them all over to God and you will begin find true peace. “Be still, and know that I am God.”
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Jesus Paraphernalia
Jesus paraphernalia is everywhere! You can buy Jesus Band-Aids (I will be honest and say I have them in my cupboard at home). You can buy a Jesus bobble head, t-shirt, ashtray, underwear, coat hanger (you hang your coat on Jesus head), pencil topper, and some serious Jesus bling to wear around your neck. The list goes on and on…
I could argue for some of these things theologically: When I put on my Jesus Band-Aid it is a reminder to me that Jesus heals the wounds of the soul. If I were to use the Jesus pencil topper it would be a symbol for how Jesus erases my sins away.
However, the more Buddy Jesus stuff I come across the more disgusted I become. Our culture is turning Jesus into a joke. The truth is, if a good friend and I were in a serious situation where we were close to death and she took the bullet to save my life. I would never create a bobble head in her memory to share with the world – what an insult to the gift of life she restored to me.
Jesus did more for us than any human could do. Jesus renewed our relationship to God to the point that sin no longer has power over us. I can’t help but picture Jesus walking into the temple and turning over the tables. “Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the merchants and their customers. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the stalls of those selling doves.” (Matthew 21:12). He is in an uproar at the people for selling doves to make a sacrifice to God. It was an important ritual in the church to offer sacrifice; so why is Jesus so upset? People need to buy a dove before entering the church to be able to “do church correctly.”
Looks like the way we imagine “doing church” isn’t always for God’s glory. It turns into the very thing that distracts us from worshipping God. It is becomes a diversion from the true meaning of salvation given through Christ.
We become more worried about the details of how we worship than true authentic worship. We turn Jesus into an everyday figure on ridiculous gear to possibility make Jesus more known in popular culture. Instead it results in taking away the authenticity of Jesus.
http://jesusgetsaround.com
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Treasure in Clay Jars
By: Joseph Murdy, Intern
Every time I think about clay jars, the first thought I usually have is how easily they break. If you have ever handled clay jars you understand that a single slip can result in a thousand pieces. No one really tends to keep anything of tremendous value in them, mostly plants. Clay jars are natural pottery, in the sense that most are made from natural elements found in the earth, such as clay for example. They can take many shapes and sizes, some can be painted, and some are kept inside and others outside. But, no matter how you look at them, they all have one thing in common. They are fragile.
Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians (4:1-15) talks about the fragility of human life. We are faced with so many obstacles, challenges, and fears. Take heart, this is part of being human. Have you ever found yourself saying, “I’m being pushed to the breaking point.” We bear witness to our human fragility every day, from scraped knees, terminal illness, to broken hearts and misplaced hope. Paul assures us by saying, “we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.”(8-10)
We my friends are clay jars. Molded out of the earth from the creators hands. We are fragile, and yet our pieces of clay have been strengthened by Christ who holds us together. In ancient times when a clay pot broke they were often to expense for people to afford new ones. They would make a strong mixture of wax to piece the pieces together. The pieces would hold so well, they could continue to carry water.
“But, we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.”(7) We are blessed to carry the incredible news of Jesus Christ, the Gospel. The life changing good news of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection is carried in clay jars, you and me. That is truly an awesome treasure! God’s love for us is so extraordinary that He places this most precious message in the hands of His clay jars. We are called to carry this extraordinary message of love and grace throughout the world. Remember no matter how many times we break, crack or leak, God’s hand is putting us back together.
Every time I think about clay jars, the first thought I usually have is how easily they break. If you have ever handled clay jars you understand that a single slip can result in a thousand pieces. No one really tends to keep anything of tremendous value in them, mostly plants. Clay jars are natural pottery, in the sense that most are made from natural elements found in the earth, such as clay for example. They can take many shapes and sizes, some can be painted, and some are kept inside and others outside. But, no matter how you look at them, they all have one thing in common. They are fragile.
Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians (4:1-15) talks about the fragility of human life. We are faced with so many obstacles, challenges, and fears. Take heart, this is part of being human. Have you ever found yourself saying, “I’m being pushed to the breaking point.” We bear witness to our human fragility every day, from scraped knees, terminal illness, to broken hearts and misplaced hope. Paul assures us by saying, “we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.”(8-10)
We my friends are clay jars. Molded out of the earth from the creators hands. We are fragile, and yet our pieces of clay have been strengthened by Christ who holds us together. In ancient times when a clay pot broke they were often to expense for people to afford new ones. They would make a strong mixture of wax to piece the pieces together. The pieces would hold so well, they could continue to carry water.
“But, we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.”(7) We are blessed to carry the incredible news of Jesus Christ, the Gospel. The life changing good news of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection is carried in clay jars, you and me. That is truly an awesome treasure! God’s love for us is so extraordinary that He places this most precious message in the hands of His clay jars. We are called to carry this extraordinary message of love and grace throughout the world. Remember no matter how many times we break, crack or leak, God’s hand is putting us back together.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Reflection
Imagine sitting down to eat dinner. You are sitting across from a good friend and having an interesting and fun conversation. Behind your friends head is a mirror. You can easily see your own reflection in the mirror. As you are talking with your friend how much effort will it take for you to look your friend in the eyes instead of your own reflection in the mirror?
I imagine for a majority of us. We would rather look at our friend and not in the mirror. Yet, when that mirror is there something draws our attention to it. We begin to look at ourselves instead of the other. It’s so easy to do and it’s not what we want to do. We wish the mirror wasn’t even there. If it were me I might even have to move seats because it would be so distracting.
We are not trying to be drawn to our reflection, but it is a natural reaction. So, why is it that we are we often drawn to do the “bad” things over the “righteous”? I know if given a choice between a celery stick and a nutty bar. I’m going with the nutty bar. If given a choice between sleeping in on Sunday morning and getting up extra early for devotions before worship. I’m getting some extra ZZZ’s. It often takes discipline to do the righteous thing. It takes discipline to be healthy, eat right, and exercise. It also takes discipline to live a life of faith. It’s not a natural reaction to think of the other before you.
It’s not a natural reaction to truly reflect Christ. Yet, through the gift of the Spirit reflecting Christ will change your life and the life of whom you encounter. Being disciplined reaps reward. If eating and living healthy your body will have more energy. Your self-esteem with be renewed. If connecting with God deeply your faith will give joyously. Your connection to the earth and the people, animals, and plants of the earth will be united. The way you view this universe will be made whole. Your purpose may not be clear – but your life will have new meaning.
P.S. If only I could count the number of times in this blog I have typed disciple instead of discipline!
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