Alone in a storm?

By: Joseph Murdy, Intern

Today I anxiously arrived home while dark clouds loomed over me. Hopeful that I might be able to cut the grass before it rained yet again causing the grass to grow even longer. As I cut the grass I could hear thunder through the loud roar of the lawn mowers blades. I fought harder against my better judgment which told me to get inside the house before the storm got worse. Somewhere between the first and second lightning strike I but the mower away and came inside. While standing by the window I starting thinking about storms.

Storms can be unpredictable, no matter how hard the weather person tries to predict. As hurricane Danielle forms off in the Atlantic the weather channel repeats over and over that the path could always change. Storms have a way of suprising us when we least expect them. They can lift of trees and sometimes homes. They can flood whole cities and even sometimes take innocent lives. Storms are messy and scary. I can only image what the disciples must have been thinking when the storm hit them suddenly on the lake. They must have been terrified!

Although this story is about a real storm with real waves, the storms we often face in our lives can be just as dangerous and just as frightening. The storms we encounter in our lives can leave us worn down, depressed, and with a feeling of utter helplessness. How will we begin to repair what has been lost, broken, devastated? Storms come in many forms and in many ways. It might be the experience of losing a loved one, a faith crisis, or even feeling lost and alone. Whatever your storm might be you can be sure that one thing is certain, God is right there beside you.

When the disciples suddenly found themselves faced with a storm, in fact one of their first real challenges as disciples in the Gospel of Luke, they turned to Jesus. Immediately after the disciples woke Jesus from his nap Jesus rebuked the storm. What Jesus puts forth next is key, he says, “Where is your faith?” This is not a demanding question, but rather a reminder and a reassurance that he is with them. In Matthews telling of the story Jesus asks, “Why are you afraid?” Jesus’ comments might be puzzling, but they are gentle and loving reminders of Gods faithful presence with us especially in the midst of storms.

The next time you find yourself in a storm be that internal or while you’re cutting the grass give thanks to God for God’s enduring faithfulness and presence in your life. Remember what the disciples asked among themselves after Jesus calmed the storm, “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?” He is Jesus Christ, Son of God, and he promises to always be with you.

Today: Think of someone who is in the midst of a storm, call them, email them, write them, and tell them that you care and assure them that God is there.

Happy Terror

Children love to play hide-and-go-seek!

Some children love it even more when you add a new dimension to the game. That’s when the parent hides and the children seek. The child knows that before the parent is found that they are going to jump out, scream, make crazy noises, wave their arms around and scare them. Let’s go on the journey of what this would look like.

The dad looks for a hiding spot as the children, Sally and Ann, start counting. Dad hides behind a door in the bedroom. Sally and Ann start out on their mission to find their father. As they search for their father they step carefully knowing that at any time he could jump out and scare them.

First, they search in the kitchen. Maybe he’s hiding in the pantry? They carefully walk together to the door. Open it slowly, hearts beating, and jump back to find that no one is there. Next they say, “Maybe he’s in the bathroom.” They walk to the bathroom and it’s dark. They don’t both to turn on the light. It’s part of the thrill of the find. They walk over to the bath curtain, move it ever so slightly to peak in the bathtub area… nothing. Next they walk to the bedroom closet and just as they opened the pantry door they open the closet door. As they jump back, and begin to catch their breath realizing that their father is not there, dad jumps out from behind the bedroom door.

The girls scream for their life as dad is waving his arms around… they run and hide behind the bed, as Sally puts her arms around Ann to comfort her, you hear.

“Hey, it’s not a monster, it’s our dad, let’s get him.”

Then they both leap from behind the bed and run to tackle their dad. This child game is something theologian, Mike Yaconelli, calls “Happy Terror.”

Yaconelli points out that there is not much terror among Christians today. The terror he’s talking about is the bone-chilling, earth-shattering, gut-wrenching, knee-knocking, life-altering fear that leaves one speechless, paralyzed, helpless and glad. It’s a terror that’s a mix of wonder, awe, fear and worship, all happening at the same time.

That life-altering God is who we worship.

This is no ordinary God.

It is a God who shows up in the darkness… just as the children playing hide-n-go-seek with their father didn’t bother to turn on the lights. We too don’t need to turn on the lights. God is igniting a life-altering fire in the darkness.

An experience of God is happy terror.

No further than our fingertips

By: Joseph Murdy, Intern

Read Exodus: Chapters 3-4

“Then Moses answered, ‘But suppose they do not believe me or listen to me, but say, the Lord did not appear to you.’ The Lord said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ He said, ‘A Staff’.” (Ex.4:1-2)

If you have ever thought to yourself, “I just can’t do it! I’m not qualified!” or fill in the ____ with any number of excuses. This message is for you. Once upon a time in a land far away lived a man named Moses. Maybe you’ve heard of him. A seemingly ordinary man, called by God to do something life altering. What God was asking him to do was difficult and extremely dangerous. In fact, when reading this story one could understand if Moses laughed and said, “yeah, right!”Moses learned a great deal on that mountain that day. He encountered not only God, but himself.

When God spoke to Moses God explained that He had observed the suffering of His people and heard their cry. God said to Moses, “So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” (Ex. 3:7-12) If this is new to you, what comes next is sure to be familiar, “Who am I that I should go…?” We have all heard God’s call in our lives, it might be a call to liberate God’s people from their suffering, teach Sunday school, help someone in need, or even forgive what seems unforgiveable. The challenges and obstacles we face in our lives often remain just that, an obstacle yet to be overcome. A fear yet untamed, a worry yet relieved a doubt yet, or maybe a wound yet healed. Whatever the call of God may be, it is often echoed with our own excuses. “Who am I to speak against injustice? Who am I to teach? Who am I to ask for God’s love and help? Who am I…Who am I….Who am I??????

My friends, the questions and the excuses are ok to be asked and spoken. In fact, through Moses’ relentless excuses he learned about who God was, but who he was to God. Later in this story Moses’ fears of his own inadequacy are relieved when God said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt (God already knows the task will be completed), you shall worship God on this mountain.” (Ex. 3:12) What we often fear is not the call of God; it is our own sense of inadequacy. This is what holds us back. Our fears confirmed when we attempt to do things on our own. We are inadequate and helpless, unable to do anything on our own. It is only through the grace and wonder of God that God’s plans can be fulfilled through us. The E.L.C.A. has a saying, “God’s work, our hands.” We are called by God to carry out God’s mission and will in the world. God calls us, always with the promise that He will be with us every step of the way. Don’t believe me? Keep reading Exodus. When you get to the end of that, keep reading and tell me if you don’t see God every step of the way.

My favorite part about this story is 4:1-2, “Then Moses answered, ‘But suppose they do not believe me or listen to me, but say, the Lord did not appear to you.’ The Lord said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ He said, ‘A Staff’.” Moses was still afraid that he was not the right guy for the job. God asks Moses what he already has in his hand, it just so happens to be a staff. It is through this staff, as we will find out, that God will show signs and wonders. God calls us with the knowledge that He has already given us everything we need. We are all called to different things, and each have different gifts for the glory of God. God takes the gifts and what we already have and uses us to spread the Gospel. In Mark 6:8 we read, “Jesus ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff.” God provides everything we need; in fact, we already have all we need.

When God calls us it can be a scary thing. Certainly not because who has called us, but rather what it is that we are called to. The call of God often and most assuredly takes us out of our comfort zone and brings us to new territory we are not familiar with. The call of God comes unexpected. After reading this short reflection on this passage, read the story again, and finally take time to reflect on your gifts. God asked Moses, “what is in your hand?” Moses said, “A staff.” In searching for the possibility of answering God’s call to service in the world we need look no further than our fingertips.

Pray with me: God of all wonder and grace, there are times in my life when I hear your voice calling me to serve. I am afraid, and wonder if I can do it. Be with me in those moments of fear and doubt. Comfort me always with the assurance that you are with me always and there is nothing I can’t do without you. Amen+

I have enough money!

I would love to hear the words – “I have enough money” seep from someone’s tongue. Yes, I’m not sure I’ve ever heard that… it’s not a common sentence no matter how much money you have in the bank.

It is chilling if you think about the amount of time you spend with money. The amount of time it consumes your thoughts.

When traveling we think about the best way to keep our money safe and yet available. Weekly we think about the food on our table. Weekly and monthly we think about how we’re going to pay our bills. All of this doesn’t include any amount of time you think about your debt.

The amount of worry you carry and time you spend strategizing how to rid of the debt. I can honestly say there is not one day – much less an hour that goes by not thinking about money in some form.

The amount of worry that goes into money is unspeakable – so it is not surprising that in the verses following the parable of the rich fool Jesus continues with words of hope:

Luke 12:22-23

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes… Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your span of life?

We may be able to hear those words and find comfort in them, but worry still creeps into our lives no matter how much we pray or fight it. The world throws the heavy burden of worry to carry around.

In God’s kingdom there is no worry. In God’s kingdom there is enough for all…

God is the great Giver. God never buys or sells, but he gives unceasingly. It is of the very essence of God’s nature to give, and the more he gives the richer he is - David McCanaughy

In God’s kingdom there is enough for all!

Childlike Curiosity

A joy for me this summer was when an 80 year old volunteer at Vacation Bible School asked me, “How many brothers did Joseph have?”

I responded, “I am unsure and haven’t really thought about that question.”

The next day he informed me that there were twelve brothers. Even as a pastor I continue to learn more details. I grow in a deeper understanding of God’s people in scripture and what they reveal to us about God in our life today. Our conversations around scripture continued throughout the week. Each conversation was full of childlike curiosity and mature revelation.

These conversations brought me joy because often after a lifetime of studying scripture and hearing it week after week in worship most think we’ve heard it all. We feel there is no need to read again a story we assume we already know. Yet, as this 80 year old was reminded when he was teaching children. When we continue to read scripture there is always something more the Spirit reveals and new questions, new insights that emerge and in this our relationship with God grows.

My prayer is that we will (no matter our age), through scripture, continue to immerse ourselves in childlike curiosity and find mature revelation. As the Spirit reveals new questions and insights so we can emerge, into the world, living God’s Word in a new and vibrant way!

possibilites

O LORD our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Adonai, Savior, Abba, Immanuel, Redeemer, Deliverer, Yahweh, God our Rock, Logos, Counselor, Comforter, Advocate, Sanctifier, Shepherd, King of Kings, Creator, Prince of Peace, Everlasting God, Healer, Bread of Life, Refuge, Holy One, Alpha and Omega, I AM!

O LORD our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Psalm 8 emphasizes the power of the name of God.

We don’t have one name for God – we have many names to describe a God of awe. The different names we speak help us to describe our God – the power of our God – the love of God – the omnipotence of God.

We may not have a perfect way to describe God, but we can recognize the gifts given to us when we consider God’s heavens, the work of God’s fingers, the moon and the stars, which God has set in place. This is a God who has put everything under our feet!

God is so much more than a name! When I look at a star-filled sky or a vast body of water I feel so small. Then in the midst of that smallness there will suddenly emerge a realization of the vast number of possibilities. We are a part of something larger. We are a part of each other. We are a part of the earth. We are a part of the universe. All of these parts lead to an infinite number of possibilities.

My prayer is that God leads us and guides as us we embrace our possibilities!

Cleaning up Leaf's

Every summer since I graduated from college in 99 my college friends and I get together at my parent’s cabin in Michigan.

A few summer's ago when we got together my friend’s child, Alex was with her. He was 3 years old (and now is 7) and has been at the cabin every year since he was in the womb.

And the year he began walking and talking he enjoyed hanging out with my father. Since I haven’t provided grandchildren yet, my father was especially enjoying it. My father, Dale, was spending most of his time fixing the boat. The boat had not been used for over a year because it needed a new gas tank. It was finally fixed and needed to be cleaned. It was full of leafs and dirt. And my father decided to ask Alex to be a big helper and clean out the leaf’s.

I was standing on the sidelines and began to watch this 3 year old begin to pick up the leafs and throw them over the side of the boat into the water. Alex did not do it as I would have done it. I would have complained and then grabbed as many of them in my arms as I could and throw them into the water.

Instead, Alex would get under dash of the boat grab one leaf, climb back up on the seat and took a moment to look at the leaf because each one had a different shape and different color. He would let go of it slowly and then watch it float down to the water and stair at the ripple it would leave on the water.

He would then climb down off the seat, go under the dash, climb back on the chair, look at the leaf, let go, and watch it drop down to the water and look at the ripple it left. At first I was annoyed and wanted to jump on the boat and do the work in half the time. Jodi stopped me and said don’t you think you could use something like this in a sermon someday. So, I kept watching Alex take care with each leaf… I noticed he was smiling and joyful about the task he was asked to do. He was not complaining as I would have instead he was attentive to each leaf and paid close attention to each.

Thanks Jodi… I too needed a reminder.

The reminder of how God cares for us. God does not complain when we make mistakes or don’t take time to listen or talk with God. God cares for each one of us individually. God is watching the unique path that we take and God admires the unique ripple that we leave on the world though our love and actions!