6/2/12 Dose

FOR SATURDAY          TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:  1 Corinthians 12:1-11

 ^“The evidence of the Spirit’s presence is given to each person for the common good of everyone.”   (1 Corinthians 12:7; GOD’S WORD Translation)       

 ”It’s NOT all about me!”  That is a fact of life that we usually learn as we grow and mature.  However, in our culture it seems as if some never learned this lesson or maybe forgot about it.  Even the best of us has our moments when we relapse into childish ways.

 

Typically Saturdays are our only day to sleep in and have a late breakfast.  Yet, this morning our alarm roused us from a deep sleep because our church is having a Yard Sale.  I didn’t want to get up.  It was so tempting to just keep on sleeping and apologize later to all the others that showed up in time to get set up.  That’s when my loving wife rolled over to get up and remind me that it is NOT all about me.

God has blessed us in so many ways.  When we set aside our own selfish desires for “the common good of everyone” others can witness “the evidence of the Spirit’s presence” and be drawn nearer to God.

Prayer:  Spirit of Strength, fill me with Your love that I may never tire of giving others a reason to praise You.   Amen.

6/1/12 Dose

FOR FRIDAY       TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:  Ephesians 3:20-21

“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.”   (Ephesians 3:20; The Message)  

Writing of God’s ability, John Wesley notes: “When he has given us exceeding, yea, abundant blessings, still we may ask for more. And he is able to do it. But we may think of more than we have asked. He is able to do this also. Yea, and above all this. Above all we ask – Above all we can think. Nay, exceedingly, abundantly above all that we can either ask or think” (Wesley Notes on the Bible).

God is full of love and what God is seeking to fill the world with is this love.  What is amazing is that God allows us to be a part of this filling.  William Loader offers this wonderful definition of Christian spirituality and mission:  “participating in flooding the world with God’s love!”

Christ comes in our scripture reading, in our times of worship and prayer, ever seeking to find hearts in which to dwell.  Wherever God is, there is love.  Wherever God is — exceedingly, abundant blessings abound.

Prayer:  God of glory, may my witness this day do exceedingly, abundantly more than I ever could imagine to fill this world with love.   Amen.

5/31/12 Dose

FOR THURSDAY          TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:  Luke 24:44-49

 “Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures.”   (Luke 24:45; Common English Bible)       

 One of the members of my Sunday School class was confessed that while she had tried to read the whole Bible through, she would always give up because some of the passages are just too difficult to understand or hard to accept.  I understand such frustration.  The scriptures are not clear about everything.  We need instructions, something to open our mind in order to be able to understand the message.

Frank Griswold, an Episcopal bishop offered an insightful presentation called “Listening with the Ear of the Heart”.  He says, “there is always the need for our heart to be transformed through an ongoing process of metanoia, of conversion, of – to use the phrase from the French writer Andre Louf – ‘relaxation of heart’ – that is, letting the heart be gentled in such a way that can make room for God.”

I find it helpful when I get tripped up on what I’m reading in the Bible to stop struggling with the text and striving to make it fit my understanding.  Instead, I try to relax my heart and make room for whatever God has to say.

 Prayer:  “O Come to my  heart, Lord Jesus!  There is room in my heart for Thee.”   Amen.  [From a hymn by Emily E. Elliott, 1864]

5/30/12 Dose

FOR WEDNESDAY       TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:  2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, 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.”   (2 Corinthians 12:8-9; New Revised Standard Version)      

The apostle Paul confesses his “weaknesses”.  That is not an easy thing for any of us to do.  We want to put on a good front so that others will think well of us – we want to impress others with our gifts and strengths.  However, we all have deal with something that seems an embarrassment, a source of shame.  Donald McCullough writes “almost everyone carries a load of regret; over physical appearance, over past failures, over present circumstances, over painful relationships, or over a hopeless future . . . [this is] part of the human condition” (The Wisdom of the Pelican, p. 16).

As much as I would like to deny my weaknesses, they are always in front of me like the huge bill of a pelican.  We often think as McCullough writes, “There is no bill quite so ugly, so embarrassing as mine.”   When we are sorely disappointed with something in our life or with our actions, we need to recall the apostle’s affirmation in the midst of his weakness:  “God knows” (vs. 2 & 3).  God knows all that’s wrong with us and yet God promises that strength will come right in the midst of weakness.  God tells us, “My grace will lead you home.”

When you are weak, don’t give in to your pain and give up – God’s sufficient grace will strengthen you.

Prayer:  God of Grace, in my time of weakness I reach out to You.  Help me this day to draw ever more nearer to Your way of hope and healing.   Amen.

5/29/12 Dose

FOR TUESDAY            TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:  John 14:25-31

“The Companion, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I told you.”   (John 14:26; Common English Bible)       

Dennis E. Smith’s delightful “Retelling the Story” of what happened when Jesus was preparing to leave the disciples gave me a new image in my mind for the Holy Spirit.  When Jesus tells the disciples that he’s “got to be going soon” they were all confused about where he was going and how could they find the way.  After several attempts to respond to the various ways the disciples show their confusion, Jesus says with a sigh, “Tell you what, why don’t I send down a tour guide for you, to help you find your way” (The Storyteller’s Companion to the Bible, p. 135)

So, just what (or who) is my new image for the Holy Spirit?  A fellow named “Najati ‘Mike’ Tahhan”, our tour guide in the Holy Land.  During our trip to Israel this year, Barb & I would have been lost as all get out if it wasn’t for Mike who not only guided our group through so many wonderful places, he explained the importance of the various sites and reminded us of the Scriptures which spoke of the sites.  More than that, Mike was a good companion, a loving friend who was always surprising us with gifts.  He reminded us always to offer the appropriate response to the blessings we received from God throughout our trip:  “WOW!”

Jesus sends his Spirit to us in so many wonderful ways.  WOW!

Prayer:  Loving Lord, wherever I may go this day, lead me with your Spirit of Wisdom and help to always remember to lift my heart in praise. Amen.

5/28/12 Dose

FOR MONDAY             TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:  Acts 2:1-4

“All the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.”  (Acts 2:4; GOD’S WORD Translation)      

Yesterday was the Pentecost Sunday in the church year.  We sang hymns which focused on the Spirit, we heard once more the Biblical story of the birth of the Church, the red paraments were placed in the chancel area and even some church members wore red to represent the tongues of fire, the sermon was preached and the invitation was given.

Alas, there was no “sound of a mighty rushing wind”, no “tongues of fire” settling on the worshipers, and no speaking in other languages.  Yet, God was there as the family of God came together.

The invitation is still open, however, for us to be “filled with the Holy Spirit”.  The implication is that instead of merely having a taste of this experience, we can allow our hearts to be immersed in and overwhelmed with the Spirit of God.  Though my whole life has been steeped within the Methodist tradition, even I have to acknowledge that the best image of this baptism of the Holy Spirit is not just a sprinkling, but an outpouring of God’s loving presence that is so much more plentiful and powerful.

Prayer:  Come, Holy Spirit, come.  Come renew my heart and restore Your church.  Come with power, with love, with peace.  Amen.

5/26/12 Dose

FOR SATURDAY          TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:  Psalm 40:1-8

“I put all my hope in the Lord.  He leaned down to me; he listened to my cry for help.  He lifted me out of the pit of death, out of the mud and filth, and set my feet on solid rock.  He steadied my legs.  He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise for our God.”  (Psalm 40:1-3a; Common English Bible)        

As I near the end of my current appointment to the church I have serve for the last six years, the words of this psalm reflect what God has done in my life through this family of faith.  When I came to serve this church, my life was “in the pits” in a number of ways.  As my spiritual life skidded nearly to a complete halt, God graced me with a community which taught me how to sing again.

God calls all of us to be such a community for one another so that we might survive the ups and downs and quick turns this roller coaster life of ours may bring.  Change is never easy – it often takes our breath away.  Such times call for prayer and a trustful waiting for God’s Spirit to renew our spirit.  Our prayers can help us weather any transition life may bring.

Prayer:  We praise you, God, that you are always there for us, ever ready to hear our cries and to rescue us, to lift us up and set our feet on solid ground again.  Amen.