April 8, 2015--This is the day.....

¹O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!
²Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
³Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
⁴Let those who fear the Lord say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”


¹⁴The Lord is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.
¹⁵There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly;
¹⁶the right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.”
¹⁷I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord.
¹⁸The Lord has punished me severely, but he did not give me over to death.
¹⁹Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.
²⁰This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it.
²¹I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
²²The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
²³This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
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On this Wednesday after Easter, I share the psalm we sang on Easter.  This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

I would guess many of us know this psalm not from scripture directly, but from the Rev. Robert Schuller from the Crystal Cathedral, who died April 2 at the age of 88.  I would periodically catch a bit of his show when it was on, usually to hear the guest who was speaking and also the music.  Nothing could compare to the choir at the Crystal Cathedral.  (Side, did you know that he attended Hope College and Western Theological Seminary here in Michigan?)

He was always the positive preacher.  He had a smile on his face.  I struggled sometimes because I know life doesn't always lead us to smile.  Each day at the hospital, which is where I was working when I had time to watch, I probably was part of telling a family that their loved one was dying, that they have been diagnosed with a disease that is radically going to alter their life style, or working with staff that had so much to do they couldn't imagine getting it all done. 

I know life isn't always smiling, Jesus meets us in the cross, where God and humanity come together.  Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, I know that!  God meets us where we are, loves us where we are, and it is in this hope and promise of eternal life with Christ that sustains the days of struggle.

So my challenge this day and every day is to remember and wake each day with "This is the Day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad with him."

Tuesday Reflection of Holy Week

So it is late in the day on Tuesday of Holy Week.  My goal to write a daily reflection has fallen way behind.  I'll start again after Easter.  It isn't that I'm too busy, and it isn't that I'm not doing a devotion.  I guess I have just been doing it away from the computer.  And those who know me know I like to change it up, so I am doing something different than reading the daily texts for each day.

Anyway, it is Tuesday of Holy Week.  So far, I am very calm and reflective.  I have some laundry going, I had a nice dinner out with a friend, lunch with a colleague, and a funeral.  I also presided at a memorial service Saturday.

All this to say, I really am feeling the power of resurrection, and I feel a little guilty saying that before Good Friday.  Yet I have witnessed death.

I was not present when either died, but I witnessed death as I spoke with the families, with friends, with people who loved the person.  Loss, grief, thankfulness, tears.  And what a power the words of Jesus are at this time.  This week as I shared with two families the promise of life, resurrected life, the words mean so much.  During this holiest of weeks, I had the privilege of proclaiming that death does not win.  Death does not have dominion over Jesus, and therefore not over us.  Jesus, according to the gospel of John has gone before us to prepare a place. 

I am moved by the love of these families, the witnesses of a young person who worked hard to help out one of the families, the power of prayers, the power of placing the loved one in the arms of our savior.  Earth to earth, dust to dust....  Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return--AND just as Christ was raised from the dead, we too will live a new life.

Yes, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday must come before Easter, but I know the power of the resurrection!  And if I dare say, Alleluia!!!

March 10, 2015- Dwelling trust

Psalm 84

1How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!

2My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.

3Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.

4Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. Selah

5Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

6As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.

7They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

8O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah

9Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed.

10For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness.

11For the Lord God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly.

12O Lord of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you.

On Sunday, I suggested in my sermon that when one is praying, one might wish to look at a Psalm and let the psalm lead you in prayer.

When you read Psalm 84, what images come to mind?  (By the way, Selah is likely some sort of refrain that would have been said or sung—it doesn’t have any “meaning” other than that). 

What encouragement does the psalmist give in this song/poem?  What comfort?  What praise? 

I also mentioned that I often am drawn to music.  So as I read this psalm, I begin to sing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdE03zRJtxw

March 9, 2015-Foundations

   1 Corinthians 3:10-23

According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it.

11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. 12Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. 14If what has been built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15If the work is burned up, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire.

16Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

18Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” 20and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”

21So let no one boast about human leaders. For all things are yours, 22whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all belong to you, 23and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

Foundations are the base work of a building.  Most of us don’t care what it looks like, but we do care that it is sturdy, solid, immovable.  I remember when building my house I was excited to see the foundation poured, but it didn’t really become my house until I saw the stuff built on top.  I did care again about the foundation when water came into the basement!

How sturdy is your foundation.  Scripture tells us that our foundation is Jesus, and if so, that would be a sturdy foundation.  Jesus we know from scripture is the rock. 

What does our temple “look” like?  Not just our physical appearance, though how we care for our physical bodies is a spiritual matter.  What is built on our foundation?  Are we caring for it as we know we should?

As we continue this Lenten season at Ascension, we continue to discuss the faith practices of discipleship.  In many ways these are the building blocks upon which is built our temple upon the foundation of Christ.  What rooms do you need to tend to?  

Listen to Sanctuary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LiTy7ndOzw

February 24, 2015--unity of spirit

1 Peter 3:8-18a

⁸Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. ⁹Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing. ¹⁰For “Those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit; ¹¹let them turn away from evil and do good; let them seek peace and pursue it. ¹²For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” ¹³Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? ¹⁴But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, ¹⁵but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you;
¹⁶yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. ¹⁷For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil.
¹⁸For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God.
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I watch the news, I have worked with many congregations, I have friends and family, and I wonder--is it really possible to ever have unity?  Scripture will talk about being of one mind, not to argue.  Is it really possible?  I have to believe it is, or else why would scripture speak so much about it.

I don't believe unity means to be alike, to agree with everything others may say.  The writer of 1 Peter encourages a unity of spirit, of sympathy/care for one another, love one anther, have a tender heart, and a humble mind.  Don't repay evil with evil or abuse for abuse, rather repay with a blessing.

I encouraged the people of Ascension to give up fear for Lent.  I wonder how much fear has to do with why it is so hard to have a kind of unity that God seems to desire.

The first fear I can imagine is the fear that things won't be the way "I" like things to be.  Things will change and it won't be my way, and I like my way.  It's always been that way.  We might make up rules that speak to us, that work for us, and we expect them to be met.  But so often these rules are about us.  Instead we are to have a humble mind, to think of ourselves less and to think of others more.  What would be best for the community might be our first question instead of what is in this for me.

 One fear I have seen when difficult decisions need to be made is the fear and threat of money.  If the congregation makes a decision, we know some people will stop giving.  We assume we know who the big givers are, and we want to make sure we keep them happy.  It saddens me when I have heard congregational members even say this is what the pastor is to do (I have never heard this at Ascension!)  Clearly the church leaders were not happy with Jesus' decisions, with Jesus' way of expressing faith in God.  So much so they killed him.  But Jesus did not repay evil with evil, instead he said Father forgive them. 

What would happen if Ascension and let me go there, the whole church were to be in unity of spirit?  Oh, I can only imagine, and what an imagination I can have.

 unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. ⁹Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing

February 23, 2015--grace and works

Ephesians 2:1-10

2You were dead through the trespasses and sins ²in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. ³All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else.
⁴But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us ⁵even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ⁶and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— ⁹not the result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.
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 This reading is packed with gems, with life, with hope!  What words pop out at you while you read?

I see-- mercy, love, made us alive, grace, saved, raised, faith, gift

The classic Lutheran tag line:  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God--not the result of works, so that no one may boast.

God loves us, shows mercy, brings life, we have the gifts of grace, we are raised and faith!  God has given us so much.  There is nothing we can do to make God stop loving us.  God gives the gift! 

Verse 10 goes on, and we need not forget verse 10:  For we are what God has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

Works do not save us AND we are created for good works.  We do what we do for others because of what God has done for us, not in order that we will get something from God. 

As we are in this season of Lent, I pray we will reflect on all that God has done for us, let it sink deep inside of us.  For when it does, good works will begin to ooze from our pores in response.

February 21, 2015--Public reflection

We are now in the season of Lent.  A time of returning to our Lord.  Return, in the word itself is about movement, turning back toward God.  In this past week, as I prepared for Ash Wednesday and for this season looking forward, I realized how I have let life get in the way, gradually turning me from God.  I’m not the only one, if you were honest as well, you could point to some things.  Now, granted, my “job” gives me opportunity to tend to some things, but even my job can get in the way of my relationship with God.

As we enter into this season, I want to reflect publically on the discipleship practices and where I see myself.  

Worship—getting to worship is a no brainer, it comes with the call.  However, I admit that I love worship.  Most of the time I really sense the power and love of God and the community in worship.  Preparing for the sermon is so different from preaching, and I know that the Holy Spirit is at work.  And I love the music, all of it.  I get goose bumps when we sing songs and I see people moving, clapping, closing their eyes.  I can’t believe I have the opportunity to help lead worship with such praise and thankfulness.

Giving—This has been a journey for me.  One of the things that moving toward tithing has done for me is to get my own financial house in order.  My dad was a stickler against credit card use, but honestly I got in the habit again in seminary—sometimes it was the only way to pay for something.  Now if I use it, I pay it off—no more wasting money on interest.  And I have found that when I put God first in my checkbook, everything else seems to work.  It did take some discipline.  Years ago I gave up some cable in order to pay off some bills.  I wait to get things that I can’t pay for.  It’s about choices.  I know in my younger years, I would take money from what I planned to give to the church for things I wanted.  I speak for myself, I never had enough money.  Now I live with a plan, and the plan is God first.  And it seems to me with God first, everything else falls in line, or at least my priorities do!  I live within my means!

Prayer—This goes in cycles for me.  Public and communal prayer is a given.  My own prayer life seems to come and go.  I recently purchased a new journal and I write in it each night before bed.  I write down who and what I’m praying for, and I pray.  I may write down something that struck me in my reading of Scripture that day and pray that as well.  I also go back to previous days to review my prayers and write any updates.  This has been helpful to me.

Study Scripture—Again, this comes with the territory.  However as a pastor, I need to be aware that I too am a disciple, first and foremost a disciple.  So I generally read something not related to the sermon or Bible study I’m preparing.  Sometimes I read an entire book of the Bible over some days, other times I read the text assigned for the day (and write the blog).  I enjoy the times with Ascension when we are discussing, I learn so much from you.

Invite—I love this part, but it is hard.  Again, as a pastor, I think people expect me to invite people.  When people discover I’m a pastor, they will either run for the hills or want to talk more about it.  I will invited waitresses, bartenders, anyone to join us for worship or something we are doing.  I also invited members of Ascension to join us for worship.  One of my favorite hymns is “I Love to Tell the Story”.  I love the two verses—I love to tell the story for some have never heard and then I love to tell the story for those who know it best.  The struggle with me inviting is that some feel it is my job.  I genuinely want you to worship, not because of my job, but because I love Jesus.

Encourage—Paul writes to the church of Ephesus to encourage one another.  I am so thankful for the work disciples at Ascension are doing.  I give thanks for those who venture into waters unknown.  I try to encourage, but honestly, I could do better with this.  I confess sometimes I just feel like I need to get things done.

Serve—This is a passion.  I love to share the gospel without words.  Whether it is with Ascension at the food pantry or the Back to School Fair, I love meeting people where they are and helping them move from there.  The Neighborhood House has a special place in my heart.  I wish I could do more, and as I’ve admitted before, I have been taken by my generousity.  However, my intern supervisor told me something I will always remember—I would rather be guilty of giving to someone who didn’t need it than to not give to someone who did.  I do my best.

As we go through this season, I encourage you to look at your disciplines as a disciple.  Where is it that you could focus some attention on.  It isn’t about getting a better grade or being a better disciple than someone else.  Each one of these practices has led me into a deeper relationship with God and with God’s people.  I know I am “closer” than I was in my younger years.  I can never out give God, out serve God, out love God.  But because of God’s love, giving and serving, I can respond.  I choose to respond. 

Thank you for letting me serve with you as pastor.