Wednesday’s Musings: By Our Fruits

Modified and used 9-29-20

Matthew 7:20 Thus you will know them by their fruits.

The deciduous trees around Hapeville are now leafed out.  Some of those in the mountains still have some bare branches.  A couple of trees in my yard have some dead branches too high for us to trim but in the winter we can’t tell the dead branches from the healthy ones.  It isn’t until they bear the fruits of spring that we know the dead from the living.  Scripture tells us that the type of fruit which we produce will reveal our character and that the Kingdom of God will go only to those who produce good fruits.  “Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom.” Matthew 21:43  Maybe it would be healthy for each of us to honestly access the amount of and kind of fruit we contribute to our relationships, our places of work, our extracurricular activities and our church.   

This day Lord, help us to live our life bearing fruits worthy of you.  We are your creation and pray daily for our faith to be strengthened.  Bless those whom we love today.  In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Blessings,
Paige

Tuesday’s Musings: My Meandering Mouse

Matthew 4:4  Jesus replied, “It’s written, People won’t live only by bread, but by every word spoken by God.

I like having a cordless keyboard and cordless mouse for my computers but it seems that my keyboard chooses to fail at the most inopportune times causing me to pray I don’t lose my document in the process of replacing the batteries.  The mouse however has a charging station and needs no batteries.  When it starts running out of juice the cursor just seems to wander aimlessly across the dual computer screens.  I have a hard time getting it under control to point where I need it to be.  I must recharge it before proceeding.  I find in my life that I need recharging, also in order to help me stay focused.  A few days in the mountains has recharged me mentally and physically. Yet we are also spiritual people.  Prayer helps but it alone is not sufficient.  We must go to the Word of God.  The Bible tells us that “Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character, so that the person who belongs to God can be equipped to do everything that is good.”(2 Timothy 3:16-17)  Let us not neglect reading our Bibles on a regular basis so that we may stay spiritually recharged!

Holy God we know that Your word is a lamp before our feet and a light for our journeys. We pray that as we read and study scripture the Holy Spirit will enliven it for us and bring us understanding of its relevance to our lives.  In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Have a blessed day,
Paige

Thursday’s Musings: Work and Rest

Modified and used 7-29-20 Franklin Press

Mark 6:31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.

Many centuries have passed since Jesus taught his followers.  We have to admit that some was contextual, that we have to take that period’s culture in account. And yet on the whole Jesus’ teachings are timeless and relevant.  Jesus believed in work, certainly he and his disciples worked hard.  On the other hand, Jesus taught the value of rest. He knew that his ministry would suffer if he did not take time to refresh himself.  Many people tend to work hard and then to play hard.  We are constantly on the go and at home find chores to do.  It isn’t just physical labor that’s tiring, either.  We need to give our mind a rest from stimulation.  We need to get away from the television and computers.  In the evening it isn’t uncommon for me to be watching TV, checking Facebook and playing solitaire on my iPad all at the same time.  I can’t prove this medically but I think waking rest is an important addition to sleeping rest.   At any rate I’m going to give it a try at least for this weekend.  Joe and I are going to the mountains, returning on Monday.  So no Musings tomorrow or Monday.  Why don’t you all find a moment for complete rest and relaxation over the weekend, too.  We’ll all be refreshed to face next week.

Jesus, you told us to come to you and you would give us rest.  Help us to slow down, to quiet down to be still and to know that you are God.  Amen.

Blessings,
Paige

Wednesday’s Musings: Living the Faith

James 2:14-18 (CEB)  My brothers and sisters, what good is it if people say they have faith but do nothing to show it? Claiming to have faith can’t save anyone, can it? Imagine a brother or sister who is naked and never has enough food to eat.  What if one of you said, “Go in peace! Stay warm! Have a nice meal!”? What good is it if you don’t actually give them what their body needs?  In the same way, faith is dead when it doesn’t result in faithful activity.  Someone might claim, “You have faith and I have action.” But how can I see your faith apart from your actions? Instead, I’ll show you my faith by putting it into practice in faithful action.

If someone asked what was my favorite part of this past Holy Week I would have an immediate answer although it might be surprising. We observed Palm Sunday with beautiful arrangements of palms on the altar tables and a choir cantata at 11:00. Thursday night we shared a delicious meal, scripture and Holy Communion in an amazing recreation of the Upper Room.  I received many remarks about the meaningfulness of the Good Friday service, even from the two pastors and the lay leader who joined me from other churches to lead the service.  How wonderful it was to be able to honor our senior adults who serve this church so faithfully in a fun way with their very own egg hunt and party.  Easter Sunday brought us worship spaces filled with flowers and special music in both services.  We had a beautiful bulletin board and “empty tomb” and in both services a way to display life coming from our prayers and confessions.   What was my favorite?  None of these!  My favorite part was actually all of the volunteers and my staff who came together to make all of this happen.  It excited me to see so many members willingly and enthusiastically giving their time and using their gifts in the service of the Lord through their work in the church.  God bless them.  And we all had fun together. 

Holy Lord, thank you for the church.  Help us to continue to live our faith and discipleship through service in the church and beyond the walls of the church.  In Christ’s name, Amen.

Have a beautiful day,
Paige

Tuesday’s Musings: Happy Earth Day

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." (Genesis 2:15)

"In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." (Job 12:10)

"You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the desert overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing." (Psalm 65:9-13)

"He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains. They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. The birds of the air nest by the waters; they sing among the branches. He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate-bringing forth food from the earth." (Psalm 104:10-14)

I like the fact that we celebrate Earth Day each year.  I know that after God created the earth – all of nature and then humans he charged humankind with caring for his creation.  While it was designed to be self renewing and to provide food for all living things, over the years humans have ignored the needs of nature in their own self-interest.  We pollute the air creating acid rain that is killing trees on the mountainsides. I have seen it on Mt. Mitchell. We are destroying the rain forests while urban sprawl eliminates the natural habitat of animals driving bears and coyotes into neighborhoods.
We aren’t the first either.  I chose to share more scripture than usual today because the Bible says so many good things about God’s relationship to nature.  I found one in Ezekiel in which God scolds us for not respecting the earth.  "Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet?" (Ezekiel 34:17-18)  I hope today we will each take a moment to consider how we might support care and nurture of the earth and all of God’s creation.

Heavenly God, we praise you for all you have created.  We are sorry for what we do that causes harm to the earth.  Help us to fulfill your charge to be good caretakers.  In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Blessings,
Paige

Monday’s Musings – Easter Aftermath

Also used 4-29-19
Matthew 11:28-30  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

I know that this Easter Monday I am not the only pastor who is in need of some downtime.  Four services and an Egg Hunt in four days have been emotionally and physically exhausting.  The preparation for all these events began long before Thursday. The fatigue came on two fronts.  First my concern as the pastor that everything be very special for the parishioners whom I love so much.  But second was the fact that all this attention to the Easter story drove home once again the great suffering and sacrifice Jesus made for all of us.  Someone remarked that one of the talking points in “marketing” our faith is an invitation to suffer.  “Come be a Christian and suffer with us.”  Christ said that to be true disciples we must pick up our cross daily and follow him. While I would just like to bask in the joy of the Resurrection – the defeat of evil and death – I know that I am now called to live for Jesus.  The Good News beyond the resurrection is that Jesus will give us rest whether we are weary from our worldly concerns or from the task of bearing our cross in sacrificial service.  His great love is still at work in the world.  Alleluia!

Lord Jesus, we celebrate you as the risen Messiah but help us to never forget your sacrifice and suffering.  We pray for you to give us strength and rest from our burdens as we serve as true disciples.  Amen.

Have a blessed week!
Paige

04-18-14 Friday’s Musings: On Suffering

Modified and used 10-9-20

John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

A reporter interviewing Jack Nicklaus said, “Jack, you are spectacular! You really know your way around the course.  What is your secret?”  Jack replied, “The holes are numbered.” If only the rest of life were this easy!  Life isn’t always easy.  We can get some comfort knowing that even our Lord and Savior suffered, too.   My comfort comes in knowing that because Jesus suffered more than I could ever imagine that he surely understands my suffering.  On this Good Friday let’s spend some time thanking Jesus for all he endured for our sakes.

We are sorry, Lord that your Son suffered on the cross.  While we did not order his crucifixion we know that his blood covers our sins as much as it did the ones who were responsible for his death.  When things get us down help us to remember his sacrifice and ask for his help.  In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

God Bless,

Paige