CHILDREN OF GLORY

SATURDAY, October 13
Psalm 2:1-6 (The Message)
Why the big noise, nations?
Why the mean plots, peoples?
Earth-leaders push for position,
Demagogues and delegates meet for summit talks,
The God-deniers, the Messiah-defiers:
“Let’s get free of God!
Cast loose from Messiah!”
Heaven-throned God breaks out laughing.
At first he’s amused at their presumption;
Then he gets good and angry.
Furiously, he shuts them up:
“Don’t you know there’s a King in Zion? A coronation banquet
Is spread for him on the holy summit.”

Too much power, God.
Those in authority have forgotten you.
They have forgotten who put them in their position.
They are playing God
Without the authority of God.
The campaigns continue,
Election Day nears.
Where is the one who will lead through God?
Where is the one who remembers who is in charge?
Don't laugh at us, God!
Help us restore our world
To YOUR leadership.
To YOUR kingship.
God rules over all!
God in in charge!
Listen to God. 

d365.org GO!  (adapted from Richard of Chichester)
Day by day, 
Oh, dear Lord 
Three things I pray: 
To see thee more clearly, 
Love thee more dearly, 
Follow thee more nearly, 
Day by day.

FRIDAY, October 12
Hebrews 2:11-12 (New Living Translation)

 ^"So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. For he said to God,

“I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.
    I will praise you among your assembled people."

     One of the wonderful tenets of the Presbyterian Church is the concept of "the priesthood of all believers".  To use the new terminology, some are 'ruling elders' and some are 'teaching elders'.  Our representation in councils is equal.  We have been blessed and redeemed and made equal with Christ.  We are brothers and sisters together WITH Christ.  Wow!  
     In some churches this concept is emphasized with lay readers taking the Gospel down among the congregation to be read each Sunday.  The people have 'one of their own' among them.  They have to look at each other, face to face, as the scripture is proclaimed.  Our sense of community as family, as children of God, is renewed. 
     Habitat builds hope through volunteers.  Yes, there are the 'teaching elder' supervisors, but the nails are hammered, the screws are drilled, by the 'priesthood of believers'.  We assemble together to actively proclaim our faith.  In building a home side by side with the homeowner, we are building community within the Kingdom of God with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  

THURSDAY, October 11
Hebrews 2:10 (Good News Translation)
"It was only right that God, who creates and preserves all things, should make Jesus perfect through suffering, in order to bring many children to share his glory. For Jesus is the one who leads them to salvation."
Ouch.  
That hurts, Lord. 
Not physical pain.
Pain inside.
Deep. 
No one understands. 
No one else knows how it feels
To be rejected and alone. 
To suffer deep loss. 
To feel failure in the eyes of those who 
    count on you. 
But, wait.
You do understand, don't you?
You suffered. 
You were rejected and alone. 
You failed in the eyes of the disciples. 
And you rose above it all 
To Glory in God. 
With my eyes focused on you, 
I shall rise again.
My house shall rise again.
Thank you Habitat. 
Thank you volunteers.
Thank you, God. 
I am a child of glory. 
Through Christ. 
Note: Our primary homeowner works at McDonald's.  Her first Habitat home burned after one year of residence.  The cause is unknown.  Las Cruces affiliate offered to rebuild her house.  She is SO grateful.   

WEDNESDAY, October 10
Hebrews 2:5-8 (The Message)
"God didn’t put angels in charge of this business of salvation that we’re dealing with here. It says in Scripture,

What is man and woman that you bother with them;
    why take a second look their way?
You made them not quite as high as angels,
    bright with Eden’s dawn light;
Then you put them in charge
    of your entire handcrafted world.

When God put them in charge of everything, nothing was excluded. But we don’t see it yet, don’t see everything under human jurisdiction."

     It is said that we are the "Masters of our own Universe" - God put us in charge.  But, really?  We can think we control our lives.... many decisions are ours alone to make.  But we also react often to events over which we have no control....the weather, the economy, world affairs.  Sometimes we probably feel like there is 'nothing we can do to change it'.  Perhaps the problem is we are trying to control it too much.  Perhaps 'what one man can do' is simply pray and turn it over to God.  Perhaps we need to consider Mother Theresa's words, "There are no great things, just small things done with love."  Small acts of kindness can put us in charge.  
     We don't see all of God's plan, but we can trust that he is using us if we put him in control of our lives.  


TUESDAY, October 9  "Mirrors"
Hebrews 1:1-3  (The Message)
"Going through a long line of prophets, God has been addressing our ancestors in different ways for centuries. Recently he spoke to us directly through his Son. By his Son, God created the world in the beginning, and it will all belong to the Son at the end. This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God’s nature. He holds everything together by what he says—powerful words!"

As a child, I could look at my mother
   and know what I would look like as I grew older.  
As a child, I could watch my parents 
  and learn how to behave, how to love, how to worship.  
As a child, I could listen to my parents 
  and learn how to pray, how to speak to God. 
I am a Child of God. 
How do I learn to listen?
Who do I watch?
What does God look like?
His son: JESUS. 
Hold a mirror to Christ and see God. 
The actions of Jesus reflect the desires of God. 
The words of the Son echo the message of the Father. 
The Child shall lead us.
The Child is God in recognizable form. 
How well do we mirror our God? 


MONDAY, October 8   "Childlike"
Mark 10:14b-15 (The Message)
[Jesus said,] “Don’t push these children away. Don’t ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.” 
Kingdom Father,
Why do we make things so
very difficult to understand?
Why do we interpret and devise,
Complicate and twist,
Apply secret meanings 
to your presence among us?
Why do we allow our misunderstandings 
to form a basis for division?
Why must we make it so hard
when it can be so simple?
A child comes among us and doesn't ask questions. 
A child will simply say, 
"Do you want to play with me?
Are you cold and hungry?
Let's be friends!"
No names, no titles, no secrets. 
Just love.  Just community. 
A child will imagine worlds we cannot see. 
Worlds that include God and love.  
Father God, let us come to your Kingdom as a child,
Listen as a child.
Imagine as a child. 
Live as a child. 
Loving you.  Loving each other.  

d365.org PAUSE!  (Sarah Turner)
"Children always share traits of their parents; there's no getting away from it, even when - usually as teenagers - we want to distance ourselves from our folks.

As a child of the Divine, what traits do you see in yourself that reveal something of your heavenly Parent? In these next few moments, take a look at yourself in the mirror of Scripture and see the lines of your glorious heritage there."

SUNDAY, October 7

Psalm 8:1-2  (The Message)

"God, brilliant Lord

 yours is a household name.

Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you

toddlers shout the songs

That drown out enemy talk

and silence atheist babble."

The divine loves infants.
New life with new hopes and dreams,
Unencumbered with notions of grandeur,
Materialism and greed. 
Babies are accepting, loving, pure. 
Babies make us want to be better,
Draw us closer to God. 
Babies see the world with
A sense of awe and wonder.
Babies can transform the ill-intentioned
And bring out the best in us. 
God has a purpose and role for infants in his Kingdom. 

This Kingdom of children of God. 
"Out of the mouths of babes" 
comes great wisdom. 

Let us listen to God as children, and
Not be in a hurry to grow up.