Monday, October 13, 2014
As for me and my house...
This song sung by singer/songwriter, Christopher Williams, is one by Bob Dylan (I just like this version better). It is the song that came to mind for me as I prepared for yesterday's sermon based on Joshua 24:1-15. This chapter has the most well-known verse from Joshua that finds its way onto many a plaque "As for me and my household. we will serve the Lord" and connected to it "choose this day who you will serve".
We live in a culture that prides itself on independence and "pulling our selves up by our bootstraps". We often focus on taking care of me and my own; we have a commercial industry that tells us again and again that its all about "me".
But as Bob Dylan reminds us in this song "it might be the devil; it might be the Lord, but you're gonna have to serve somebody". And as Joshua calls us to choose who will be serve - we are all serving somebody or something.
We may be serving our calendars, our jobs, our checkbooks, our pride, success, fear....
The choices that we make indicate who or what we are serving. What guides your choices? What has first place in your life? What/who is it that you just can't say "no" to? Who or what are you serving?
"As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord"
In many ways, its not about making God first in your life as opposed to second, third, fourth, but rather in choosing to serve the Lord, this choice infuses the rest of our life and our other choices. Choosing to serve God is reflected in how we spend our money or our time, how we use our gifts and talents, how we live in relationship with one another. God does not want to be a separate part of our lives, but in all of our lives.
"Choose this day who you will serve".
What might change for you if all your choices and decisions were made with God in mind, with God as the guide for your life? How might that change your life?
How will you finish this sentence: "As for my and my house, we will serve...."
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
I believe, help my unbelief...
For the month of August, we are looking at the CREEDS (primarily, the Apostle's Creed). As Lutherans, this is something that we use regularly - whether its just a part of our normal worship service or in a baptism or as one of our young people and/or a new member affirms their faith. We join them as a congregation to profess our faith using theses very familiar words
I believe in God the Father...
I believe in God the Son...
I believe in God the Holy Spirit.
While much could be said alongside the volumes that have been written about the inner workings of the Trinity (One God revealed in three ways), I will leave that complicated discussion for another time.
The Creeds were originally developed in response to other counter beliefs (Gnosticism and Arianism, in particular). These statements of faith were over and against what people were NOT supposed to believe. Bishops in Constantine's time (circa 325 AD for the Council of Nicea) were required to "sign on the dotted line" as their own profession of belief in these carefully chosen words.
While we don't require this same kind of signature today, the words of the Creeds have become ingrained within us. Over the years, I have taken them for granted (much like the Lord's Prayer). Do you too find yourself repeating them without really thinking about what it is you are saying? Have they become so routine that we have failed to explore the depths of what they reveal about God?
In our Affirmation (confirmation) Theme events, we explore them in greater depth, taking them apart piece by piece. We seek to lift up how they show us the ways that God has chosen to reveal himself to us. We seek to share how God continues still to be revealed to us today.
Over the next few weeks, we will explore these various aspects of God - as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But we won't stop there... For the Creeds are more than statements about God, but as we profess our faith, they are proclamations about what it means for us to speak and to live them.
In Marcus Borg's book, The Heart of Christianity, he lifts up the Latin roots of the word "creed" which means to literally "to give my heart to" (to find out more about this topic, attend the class being offered on Sunday mornings by Michael Boyd).
The heart in Hebrew understanding is not so much about how I feel about someone or something, but rather the heart is the seat of our will or decision-making. When we give our heart to something or someone, we are committing our whole selves to that person, purpose or perspective. We are then called to be guided by our beliefs in the ways that we choose to live our lives daily.
As our young people prepare to affirm their faith, we ask them to write their own statements of faith. They share a few sentences about what they believe about God.
What might your own statement of faith look like?
How would you finish one of the following sentence:
I believe God...
I give my heart to....
NOTE:
Instead of reciting the Apostle's Creed for the remainder of August, we are asking people to write their own statements of faith and if they would be willing to share them during worship. If you are willing to do so, please let me know.
I believe in God the Father...
I believe in God the Son...
I believe in God the Holy Spirit.
While much could be said alongside the volumes that have been written about the inner workings of the Trinity (One God revealed in three ways), I will leave that complicated discussion for another time.
The Creeds were originally developed in response to other counter beliefs (Gnosticism and Arianism, in particular). These statements of faith were over and against what people were NOT supposed to believe. Bishops in Constantine's time (circa 325 AD for the Council of Nicea) were required to "sign on the dotted line" as their own profession of belief in these carefully chosen words.
While we don't require this same kind of signature today, the words of the Creeds have become ingrained within us. Over the years, I have taken them for granted (much like the Lord's Prayer). Do you too find yourself repeating them without really thinking about what it is you are saying? Have they become so routine that we have failed to explore the depths of what they reveal about God?
In our Affirmation (confirmation) Theme events, we explore them in greater depth, taking them apart piece by piece. We seek to lift up how they show us the ways that God has chosen to reveal himself to us. We seek to share how God continues still to be revealed to us today.
Over the next few weeks, we will explore these various aspects of God - as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But we won't stop there... For the Creeds are more than statements about God, but as we profess our faith, they are proclamations about what it means for us to speak and to live them.
In Marcus Borg's book, The Heart of Christianity, he lifts up the Latin roots of the word "creed" which means to literally "to give my heart to" (to find out more about this topic, attend the class being offered on Sunday mornings by Michael Boyd).
The heart in Hebrew understanding is not so much about how I feel about someone or something, but rather the heart is the seat of our will or decision-making. When we give our heart to something or someone, we are committing our whole selves to that person, purpose or perspective. We are then called to be guided by our beliefs in the ways that we choose to live our lives daily.
As our young people prepare to affirm their faith, we ask them to write their own statements of faith. They share a few sentences about what they believe about God.
What might your own statement of faith look like?
How would you finish one of the following sentence:
I believe God...
I give my heart to....
NOTE:
Instead of reciting the Apostle's Creed for the remainder of August, we are asking people to write their own statements of faith and if they would be willing to share them during worship. If you are willing to do so, please let me know.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
A Thousand Marbles
Each week, I try to read a few other blogs - most of the time, they are ones that I "accidently" discover through someone else's post. I just finished reading, A Thousand Marbles by Jeffrey Davis (through the Patheos site) which offers a simple story with a profound message and reminder. Go ahead and read it now - then come back here. I'll wait.....
In this life and world when one day seems to blend into another, seasons pass in a blur and we can't even remember what we had for lunch yesterday, this blog reminds us to take the time each week to honor our relationships with one another. It is more than just counting our blessings. It is honoring the blessing of the relationships in our lives.
Earlier this week, our newly (re)formed Stewardship committee met and we got talking about the stewardship and care of our relationships. We often take each other for granted or we promise ourselves we will spend more time with that friend, grandparent, spouse, child - when we get the chance. We talked about the gift of our church community and the relationships that have blessed our lives here.
God has entrusted us to each other; we were created to live in community and in relationship with one another. These relationships are God's greatest gift to us. How are you being a good steward of the people God has placed in your life? How are you being called to care and love for these gifts?
We might have more or less marbles than the described thousand available to us - no one really knows the exact amount - but what matters is how we "spend" and use those marbles in our lives. In the gift of this moment, how will you choose to honor the people in your life? How will you live those 1000 (or more) marbles?
In this life and world when one day seems to blend into another, seasons pass in a blur and we can't even remember what we had for lunch yesterday, this blog reminds us to take the time each week to honor our relationships with one another. It is more than just counting our blessings. It is honoring the blessing of the relationships in our lives.
Earlier this week, our newly (re)formed Stewardship committee met and we got talking about the stewardship and care of our relationships. We often take each other for granted or we promise ourselves we will spend more time with that friend, grandparent, spouse, child - when we get the chance. We talked about the gift of our church community and the relationships that have blessed our lives here.
God has entrusted us to each other; we were created to live in community and in relationship with one another. These relationships are God's greatest gift to us. How are you being a good steward of the people God has placed in your life? How are you being called to care and love for these gifts?
We might have more or less marbles than the described thousand available to us - no one really knows the exact amount - but what matters is how we "spend" and use those marbles in our lives. In the gift of this moment, how will you choose to honor the people in your life? How will you live those 1000 (or more) marbles?
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Everyone has a story
The title of this blog was a phrase that was recently shared with me. It points to the need for us to consider that we don't know what's going on in someone else's life. It calls us away from our tendency to judge first and find out more information later.
When that person cuts you off in traffic, you don't know if they are rushing to the hospital to welcome a new baby or get to work on time so that aren't fired. Their actions might affect you, but we still don't know their story.
Knowing my own complicated family history, I learned early on to give others the "benefit of a doubt", that we didn't know what else was going on in their day or their lives. There is much that we don't know about one another and much that can be difficult to share.
Everyone has a story.
And in the midst of our own stories is God's story. From our first breath, we draw in the gift of life that was breathed into the beginnings of creation. From the moment we open our eyes, we see God at work in our lives - from the rising of the sun, the blooming of a flower to the relationships that are entrusted to each of us.
Its not so much that God enters into our story, but rather we are in God's story.
Yes, I know there are many who do not believe, who wear their atheism on their sleeve. This is one of the ways that people seek to make sense of their own life story - hence the variety of faiths and religions that make up our world. These various belief systems only enhance and give greater depth to that phrase that "everyone has a story".
As I look back over my own story - the ups and downs, joys and sorrows and even the mundane day to day routines - I see more than just memories or particular snapshots in time. I see that which has given shape to who I am today (good and bad).
More importantly, along my life's journey thus far, I see God. I see those people who God shared in my life who supported me during the rough parts when I couldn't do it myself. I see the moments of unequivocal joy that celebrated the goodness God has placed among us. I can peruse my own story and in all of it, there is God.
What is your story?
How has God been a part of that story?
When that person cuts you off in traffic, you don't know if they are rushing to the hospital to welcome a new baby or get to work on time so that aren't fired. Their actions might affect you, but we still don't know their story.
Knowing my own complicated family history, I learned early on to give others the "benefit of a doubt", that we didn't know what else was going on in their day or their lives. There is much that we don't know about one another and much that can be difficult to share.
Everyone has a story.
And in the midst of our own stories is God's story. From our first breath, we draw in the gift of life that was breathed into the beginnings of creation. From the moment we open our eyes, we see God at work in our lives - from the rising of the sun, the blooming of a flower to the relationships that are entrusted to each of us.
Its not so much that God enters into our story, but rather we are in God's story.
Yes, I know there are many who do not believe, who wear their atheism on their sleeve. This is one of the ways that people seek to make sense of their own life story - hence the variety of faiths and religions that make up our world. These various belief systems only enhance and give greater depth to that phrase that "everyone has a story".
As I look back over my own story - the ups and downs, joys and sorrows and even the mundane day to day routines - I see more than just memories or particular snapshots in time. I see that which has given shape to who I am today (good and bad).
More importantly, along my life's journey thus far, I see God. I see those people who God shared in my life who supported me during the rough parts when I couldn't do it myself. I see the moments of unequivocal joy that celebrated the goodness God has placed among us. I can peruse my own story and in all of it, there is God.
What is your story?
How has God been a part of that story?
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
What a difference a day makes...?
For some of the countdown has already begun - in just over 12 hours (or less, depending on when you are reading this), a New Year will have begun. Resolutions will have been made (and some already broken, perhaps?) We will put up new calendars and try to remember to write/type "2014" instead of "2013".
What a difference a day makes. In one sense, it is just the setting and rising of the sun once again. There will not be some magical change in the air that makes tomorrow any different than today (other than having the day off, lots of football games and of course, the Rose Bowl parade). We are the ones who have placed the emphasis on this changing of the year from one to another. (There is interesting information available about the development of each cultures calendars).
Other than the ordinariness of one year passing into another, we use this time to reflect on the past 12 months and lift up our hopes for the upcoming months. It is an opportunity to step back and ponder our lives, especially when every other day seems to be a blur.
It is a time to set goals, to reevaluate our lives and even our purpose. We treat this new day and new year as a clean slate, as a time to start (or re-start) again. It is fresh. It is new. It is full of possibilities.
"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)
By the grace of God, each day is new and full of possibilities. Each day is a gift given and entrusted into our care. We are invited to be stewards of each day. We are blessed by God with these days and months to lie ahead of us.
In viewing our days this day, what difference might this make on not just today or tomorrow but on a day four and half months from now or in 238 days? (someone do the math for me and let me know what those days will be).
I invite you to place this Bible verse someplace where you will see it to remind you of the new days that dawn every morning and how God provides a difference for our days and our lives. (Note: you may chose to move this reminder around so that it doesn't become just a part of the scenery).
What a difference a day makes. In one sense, it is just the setting and rising of the sun once again. There will not be some magical change in the air that makes tomorrow any different than today (other than having the day off, lots of football games and of course, the Rose Bowl parade). We are the ones who have placed the emphasis on this changing of the year from one to another. (There is interesting information available about the development of each cultures calendars).
Other than the ordinariness of one year passing into another, we use this time to reflect on the past 12 months and lift up our hopes for the upcoming months. It is an opportunity to step back and ponder our lives, especially when every other day seems to be a blur.
It is a time to set goals, to reevaluate our lives and even our purpose. We treat this new day and new year as a clean slate, as a time to start (or re-start) again. It is fresh. It is new. It is full of possibilities.
"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)
By the grace of God, each day is new and full of possibilities. Each day is a gift given and entrusted into our care. We are invited to be stewards of each day. We are blessed by God with these days and months to lie ahead of us.
In viewing our days this day, what difference might this make on not just today or tomorrow but on a day four and half months from now or in 238 days? (someone do the math for me and let me know what those days will be).
I invite you to place this Bible verse someplace where you will see it to remind you of the new days that dawn every morning and how God provides a difference for our days and our lives. (Note: you may chose to move this reminder around so that it doesn't become just a part of the scenery).
Monday, December 2, 2013
Advent awareness
Advent is one of those seasons in the Church year that gets lost more than others. Only four weeks long, it falls in the frenzied days that lead up to Christmas. Sure, we get the preparatory part of Advent right as we decorate our homes, plan parties, family gatherings and the like. Children are great at the heightened sense of anticipation as they count down the days until they can see what is under the tree. And with the days continuing to get shorter, we understand the need for light to shine into our darkness.
We *get* Advent without really *getting* it. We prepare and anticipate. We even look for the light. But are these more about the circumstances of the season or about the coming of Christ?
I'm not even really talking about the birth of Jesus. Remembering the babe in the manger is presented as a kind of history lesson that gets told every year on the same day.
I am talking about the longing and the anticipated birth of Christ into the midst of our world and our lives now, not long ago. We need that light right here where we are now, not some time in the past, but now. We are called to watch and wait, to keep an eye open for signs of God's presence in our midst.
This is often difficult to do when we are looking for the best sale on that gift for dad or searching for the best idea for what to get Aunt Mary. Certainly there are still these kind of preparations to be done, but we are called to a different awareness and preparedness.
There are numerous devotional books that help to focus our lives around Advent preparations. You can pick up a copy of "Living the Gospel Life" devotional that we are using this year at Trinity or just send me a note if you'd like a copy sent to you.
The other *new* thing that has cropped up on the internet is a Photo A Day for the Advent season. I have posted 4 different versions that I have come across on Trinity's Facebook page (if you want a paper or email copy, let me know).
The purpose of this exercise is both awareness and seeking. Each day has a designated word and you are invited to take a picture of something that exhibits that word to you. You could also draw a picture or even write down images that come to mind for you when you hear that word. Or maybe there is a song that speaks to you in relationship to the word. For instance, yesterday's word was "anticipation" and the image that came to mind for me was our dogs as they stare at us when they anticipate receiving their dinner or being let out (a daily occurrence).
This activity along with others like devotional guides invite us to a different kind of awareness of the world around us (one of the versions has scripture verses along with it). It calls us to prepare with Christ in mind. It helps us to experience how Christ is already born into our midst as we see beyond wrapping gifts and baking cookies.
To get you started. the different suggested words for today include:
Journey
Bound
Lead
Darkness and Light
Where do you see this revealed? What image from your own life comes to mind?
We *get* Advent without really *getting* it. We prepare and anticipate. We even look for the light. But are these more about the circumstances of the season or about the coming of Christ?
I'm not even really talking about the birth of Jesus. Remembering the babe in the manger is presented as a kind of history lesson that gets told every year on the same day.
I am talking about the longing and the anticipated birth of Christ into the midst of our world and our lives now, not long ago. We need that light right here where we are now, not some time in the past, but now. We are called to watch and wait, to keep an eye open for signs of God's presence in our midst.
This is often difficult to do when we are looking for the best sale on that gift for dad or searching for the best idea for what to get Aunt Mary. Certainly there are still these kind of preparations to be done, but we are called to a different awareness and preparedness.
There are numerous devotional books that help to focus our lives around Advent preparations. You can pick up a copy of "Living the Gospel Life" devotional that we are using this year at Trinity or just send me a note if you'd like a copy sent to you.
The other *new* thing that has cropped up on the internet is a Photo A Day for the Advent season. I have posted 4 different versions that I have come across on Trinity's Facebook page (if you want a paper or email copy, let me know).
The purpose of this exercise is both awareness and seeking. Each day has a designated word and you are invited to take a picture of something that exhibits that word to you. You could also draw a picture or even write down images that come to mind for you when you hear that word. Or maybe there is a song that speaks to you in relationship to the word. For instance, yesterday's word was "anticipation" and the image that came to mind for me was our dogs as they stare at us when they anticipate receiving their dinner or being let out (a daily occurrence).
This activity along with others like devotional guides invite us to a different kind of awareness of the world around us (one of the versions has scripture verses along with it). It calls us to prepare with Christ in mind. It helps us to experience how Christ is already born into our midst as we see beyond wrapping gifts and baking cookies.
To get you started. the different suggested words for today include:
Journey
Bound
Lead
Darkness and Light
Where do you see this revealed? What image from your own life comes to mind?
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Thanks-living
In approximately 24 hours, the smells of Thanksgiving will begin to overwhelm our senses - the roasting turkey and apple pies will tempt our noses and tongues, the mashed potatoes, gravy and stuffing will cause our mouths to water as our fingers itch to pick up our utensils, and our stomachs will grumble with the anticipation of the food coma that begins soon after the feast ends. When we think about Thanksgiving - this is what comes to mind: turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and all the other fixin's.
24 hours of giving thanks for a delicious feast, football, family and friends.
Then the frenzy begins with Black Friday, Shop Small Saturday and Cyber Monday and our prayers of thanks become diminished to the amount we saved with the best sale of the week.
Over the past month, a number of people have undertaken what was often referred to as 30 days of Thanksgiving. Each day they would name something that they are thankful for, expanding our one day of Thanksgiving into an entire month. It was an exercise of mind-fullness, intentional reflection on the blessings of each day.
Thanksgiving is about more than pilgrims and dare I even say, turkey.
"As President of the United States, George Washington proclaimed the first nation-wide thanksgiving celebration in America marking November 26, 1789, "as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favours of Almighty God".[17]
Our gratefulness as people of God is more than one day or moment in the year. We are called to a life of thankfulness, of being intentional in recognizing God's presence in our lives. - even and especially in the midst of the difficult days.
What would you lift up to God as your prayer of thanksgiving for this day? For yesterday? For tomorrow? For 75 days from now? How might you be intentional in giving thanks daily?
I share with you the following from the Interfaith Thanksgiving Service that was held last night in our community at Temple Beth Elohim as the words of thankfulness that were shared by that gathered community:
For the expanding grandeur of creation
Words known and unknown,
galaxies beyond galaxies,
filling us with awe and challenging our imaginations
We give thanks to You (Modim Anachnu Lach)
for this fragile planet earth, its wonders and surprises,
its hopes and achievements,
We give thanks to You (Modim Anachnu Lach)
for the joy of human life, its wonders and surprises,
its hopes and achievements,
We give thanks to You (Modim Anachnu Lach)
for human continuity, our common past and future hope,
our oneness transcending all separation. our capacity for work,
for peace and justice in the midst of hostility and oppression,
We give thanks to You (Modim Anachnu Lach)
for high hopes and noble causes, for faith without fanaticism,
for understanding of views not shared,
We give thanks to You (Modim Anachnu Lach)
for all who have labored and suffered for a fairer world,
who have lived so that others might live in dignity and freedom,
We give thanks to You (Modim Anachnu Lach)
for human liberties and sacred rites,
for opportunities to change and grow, to affirm and choose
We give thanks to You (Modim Anachnu Lach)
we pray that we may live not by our fears but by our hopes
not by our words but by our deeds.
We give thanks to You (Modim Anachnu Lach)
p.s. the same could be said for compassion as many acts of charity are undertaken during the holidays but are "forgotten" once life gets back to "normal". Check out my colleague, Steve Biegner's Facebook page that seeks to institute 31 days of compassion beginning in January.
24 hours of giving thanks for a delicious feast, football, family and friends.
Then the frenzy begins with Black Friday, Shop Small Saturday and Cyber Monday and our prayers of thanks become diminished to the amount we saved with the best sale of the week.
Over the past month, a number of people have undertaken what was often referred to as 30 days of Thanksgiving. Each day they would name something that they are thankful for, expanding our one day of Thanksgiving into an entire month. It was an exercise of mind-fullness, intentional reflection on the blessings of each day.
Thanksgiving is about more than pilgrims and dare I even say, turkey.
"As President of the United States, George Washington proclaimed the first nation-wide thanksgiving celebration in America marking November 26, 1789, "as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favours of Almighty God".[17]
Our gratefulness as people of God is more than one day or moment in the year. We are called to a life of thankfulness, of being intentional in recognizing God's presence in our lives. - even and especially in the midst of the difficult days.
What would you lift up to God as your prayer of thanksgiving for this day? For yesterday? For tomorrow? For 75 days from now? How might you be intentional in giving thanks daily?
I share with you the following from the Interfaith Thanksgiving Service that was held last night in our community at Temple Beth Elohim as the words of thankfulness that were shared by that gathered community:
For the expanding grandeur of creation
Words known and unknown,
galaxies beyond galaxies,
filling us with awe and challenging our imaginations
We give thanks to You (Modim Anachnu Lach)
for this fragile planet earth, its wonders and surprises,
its hopes and achievements,
We give thanks to You (Modim Anachnu Lach)
for the joy of human life, its wonders and surprises,
its hopes and achievements,
We give thanks to You (Modim Anachnu Lach)
for human continuity, our common past and future hope,
our oneness transcending all separation. our capacity for work,
for peace and justice in the midst of hostility and oppression,
We give thanks to You (Modim Anachnu Lach)
for high hopes and noble causes, for faith without fanaticism,
for understanding of views not shared,
We give thanks to You (Modim Anachnu Lach)
for all who have labored and suffered for a fairer world,
who have lived so that others might live in dignity and freedom,
We give thanks to You (Modim Anachnu Lach)
for human liberties and sacred rites,
for opportunities to change and grow, to affirm and choose
We give thanks to You (Modim Anachnu Lach)
we pray that we may live not by our fears but by our hopes
not by our words but by our deeds.
We give thanks to You (Modim Anachnu Lach)
p.s. the same could be said for compassion as many acts of charity are undertaken during the holidays but are "forgotten" once life gets back to "normal". Check out my colleague, Steve Biegner's Facebook page that seeks to institute 31 days of compassion beginning in January.
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