Wednesday’s Devotion: A Bloom in Winter

Song of Songs 7:12  Let us go early to the vineyards to see if the vines have budded, if their blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates are in bloom— there I will give you my love.

A house down the street has two Forsythia bushes in the front yard.  Even though it’s early January the bushes are speckled with yellow flowers. They are blooming because this usually cold season has been unseasonably warm.  If you think about it, people are somewhat like those bushes.  Put them in a warm and inviting atmosphere and they, too will blossom.  When we encounter others we sometimes have no idea the winter they may be facing in their life.  Maybe we can offer them a warm smile and a friendly word. 

Gracious and Holy God, Thank you for the warm sun that brightens our days and thank you for your precious Son who warms our hearts with his love.  Help us, Lord to be sensitive to those who need the warmth of our friendship and care.  In Christ’s name we pray.  Amen.

Tuesday's Devotion: A Lesson on Salt

Matthew 5:13a, 14, 16  “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can saltiness be restored? You are the light of the world. Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

I know several things about salt.  Rachel Ray always tosses some over her shoulder for good luck when she cooks.  It makes food taste better but it can cause a rise in blood pressure.  Of course the good stuff is bad for us. 

Salt played an important in ancient biblical times also.  It was a mineral used in many cultures as a seasoning, a preservative, a disinfectant, a component of ceremonial offerings, as fertilizer, and as currency. Salt was used to disinfect wounds and was rubbed on newborns. "As for your nativity, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed in water to cleanse you; you were not rubbed with salt nor wrapped in swaddling cloths." (Ezekiel 16:4)  Leviticus 2:13 reads: "And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt." Salt was put on the burnt offering, was part of the incense and part of the temple offering included salt.  A form of salt was used and is still used in fertilizer.  An agricultural newsletter says that it’s a matter of dosage.  Too much in fertilizer will burn a plant, but plants can’t grow without salt either.

Maybe Jesus was saying that the disciples needed to be an essential part of the spreading of the good news like salt is an essential part of life.  If they let the salt become mixed with other (worldly) minerals or diluted too much, their ministry would be lacking.  We offer ourselves as the salt of the earth as a “holy and living sacrifice in union with Christ’s offering for us.” (Holy Communion liturgy)  In the life of our church and in the lives of others we too can be salt.  We can season (enhance) we can preserve (care for) we can disinfect (remove harmful things), sacrifice (offer our time, money and assistance) fertilize (help growth) and be of great value to others, to our church and to the kingdom.

Loving God, Help us to be the salt and light of the earth.  We ask that you show us ways to become useful resources where there is need.  In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Monday's Devotion: Come a Little Closer

 Exodus 3:2-4 (NIV)  There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.  So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”  When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”   And Moses said, “Here I am.”

I don’t like my picture taken but I love to take pictures.  We are already talking about which cameras to take to the Holy Land with us next month.  I have to admit I’m not a great photographer.  It seems very difficult to capture the beauty of a mountain scene.  The camera is not capturing what my eye is seeing. My favorite photos are the close-ups that I take.  I love to get very close to a flower, leaf, architectural element or other interesting object and then shoot the photo.  When you get really close you notice things that would have gone unnoticed otherwise like the pattern of the veins in a leaf or the variety of colors in a candle flame.  When Moses approached the burning bush to get a closer look he was able to hear God.   Sometimes we live life at a distance.  We don’t get close enough to others to see how they really are.  Sometimes we miss out on something great; sometimes we are deceived because we didn’t look closely enough.  Whether it is our relationship with God, or with others or maybe just our admiration of nature we could find blessings by getting a little closer.  What we find may surprise us.

Creator God, Thank you for the beauty you have created and our ability to recognize it.  Help us to see close up and to become closer to others and to you. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Friday’s Devotion: Caught in a Deluge!

Matthew 7:24-27  “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.  But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

It seems that since I came back from our trip last week it has just been pouring. I’m not talking about rain outside.  Rather It’s the feeling that I am being deluged with things that need to be done and all done by yesterday.  There’s a lot of end of the year reporting and first of the year planning for churches.  I have thank-you notes to write, a ministerial candidate mentee to counsel, and I just agreed to plan and provide the new office installation for the Service League next week.  The parsonage is only half un-decorated and my vacuum cleaner died.  But looking on the bright side of things, my house is built upon a rock.  I know that I am steadied by the Holy Spirit and surrounded by people willing to help as they can.  I am grateful for them and for the strength that God provides me each day. I can’t say enough to people about the importance of having a strong relationship with God.  The rewards are both immediate and eternal.

Loving God, Thank you for reaching out to us and drawing us near so that we may know you and experience the strength and power in our lives that we can only have through the Holy Spirit.  We ask your continued blessing upon each day.  In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Thursday’s Devotion: You Can’t Hide a Goat.

Hebrews 4:13  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Joe and I were walking in a Hapeville neighborhood recently when I heard the unmistakable bleat of a goat coming from a backyard.  I have seen chickens around town but this was my first goat.  I remarked to Joe, “You can’t hide a goat.”  We wondered about the city code on goats.  Sin is that way, too.  You can get away with something some of the time but not all of the time.  Our deeds are prone to catching up with us.  Even if others don’t know what we’ve done God knows.  God knows everything.  I ran into Melissa Gibson at the funeral home Tuesday night.  She has really good girls.  Still she said that she reminds them like her mom did her, that disappointing their parents is nothing like disappointing God.  Do you think about that when you plan your actions?  Do you think about disappointing God?  As the saying goes, there is nothing that we can do to make God love us more and at the same time there is nothing we can do the make God love us less.  And yet, we can disappoint God.  I sure hate to do that.

Heavenly Father, Often we don’t mean to disappoint you.  We disappoint ourselves when we can’t act the way we know you want us to.  Human nature is sometimes just too strong.  Help us please to live life of love and kindness.  We ask this in the name of your perfect Son. Amen.

Wednesday’s Devotion: The Drink of Life

John 4:10  Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

It’s the New Year friends so we shouldn’t be surprised that every few interviews on the morning talk shows focus around diet, health and exercise. I know that good health is one of the greatest factors when it comes to quality of life so I pay attention.  The vast majority of folk say the same thing.  Exercise, get regular check-ups, don’t smoke, and eat a balanced diet of fruits, whole grains, colorful vegetables, fatty fish, etc. and watch salt, sugar and trans fat intake. This morning one nutritionist focused on the importance of drinking water. Not only does it keep us hydrated, it flushes the toxins out of our system.  It reminded me of the living water Jesus talked about.  There are several references to it in the New Testament.  I think the living water is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will give us spiritual nourishment and help us eliminate the toxic sin in our life.   According to Jesus’ words in John this living water is ours for the asking.  I hope this is a year when we will all resolve to be both physically healthy and spiritually healthy.  It all begins with water. Drink up!

Heavenly Father, we want the living water of the Holy Spirit in our life. We pray your blessings on this day.  We ask in the name of your Holy Son. Amen.

Tuesday’s Devotion: New Beginning; New Creation

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)  This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

Happy New Year to everyone!  Joe and I really enjoyed our post-Christmas vacation. We visited our grandchildren in Indianapolis and my brother and his family in LaRue, Ohio. Side trips included the aquarium in Newport, KY and shopping in downtown Indianapolis and Cincinnati.  The point is that for this one week, I redirected my attention and activities from work to rest and exercise.  We all need time for self-renewal.  I read many devotions over the past few days that friends had written based upon this scripture.  I looked at a few translations and selected this.  Some say “If anyone is in Christ.”  To belong to or to be in Christ expresses a state of being when we have determined to live according to our belief in Christ as Lord and Savior and to model our life according to his teachings.  We all struggle with doing the right thing, being kind and loving to people who irritate us and considering the needs of others.  When we decide to follow Christ, a new life begins.  We aren’t there immediately but a new way of thinking and being begins.  The start of a new year is a good time to take stock of our lifestyle and set new goals.  Along with the admirable goals concerning work and health, I hope many will make a commitment to strengthen their spiritual life.

Gracious God, thank you that we have the opportunity each day to renew our life through our relationship with you.  We ask you blessing in this year that we may grow closer to others and to you.  In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.