THE CHRIST WHO REIGNS

SATURDAY, December 1   "Second Fiddle"
Revelation 1:8 (The Message)
The Master declares, “I’m A to Z. I’m The God Who Is, The God Who Was, and The God About to Arrive. I’m the Sovereign-Strong.”
     Our Almighty is King of the Universe, powerful, mighty, yet....he cares for us as individuals!  What an immense concept, especially when you gaze out at a clear winter sky, sparkling with stars,  and witness the depth and breadth of our universe. And think....I am a part of this!  God wants ME as a part of all this!  Wow!
     Brent McDougal, this week's d365.org author, applies the analogy of playing 'second fiddle' to God.  I really liked how he put it:  "Leonard Bernstein, the celebrated conductor, was once asked, "What is the hardest instrument to play?" Without hesitation he replied, "Second fiddle. I can get plenty of first violinists. But to find one who plays second violin with as much enthusiasm…or second flute, now that's a problem! And yet if no one plays second, we have no harmony."  Ponder today how you can live in harmony with the Alpha and the Omega of the universe."              
      How can we join the orchestra?  What part is God calling us to play?  Can we come with humility to the job, always acknowledging the Sovereignty of our Conductor?  

Who plays first violin
In the orchestra of the universe?
First violin.  First flute.  First oboe.  All.  
That's the power and magnitude of our Conductor God. 
Perfection. Alpha and Omega. 
Yet, there can be no harmony on earth
Without the 'second fiddles'. 
Without those whom the conductor calls 
To humbly take their place and play along.
To fashion the notes that weave in and around
    the melody of God. 
There are plenty of instruments, plenty of jobs, 
All necessary to create the music of the Kingdom of Heaven. 
The conductor is calling....
Are we ready to play second fiddle to the King
In the Universal Orchestra?

Another poem from this morning....

A to Z,
Alpha and Omega.
Beginning and End. 
God of the Universe.
King of all Creation. 
That's our God - unimaginable. 
Except not entirely. 
He came to us simply - 
As a baby.  
So we could imagine.
So we could understand.
And know our King.
Individually.  Personally. 
Come, Lord Jesus. 
Come, King of the Universe. 
May your Kingdom reign. 


FRIDAY, November 30    " A Kingdom of Priests"
Revelation 1:5b-6 (Good News Translation)
He loves us, and by his sacrificial death he has freed us from our sins and made us a kingdom of priests to serve his God and Father. To Jesus Christ be the glory and power forever and ever!
I am a priest?
Part of an entire kingdom of priests?
I haven't been to seminary!
I'm not ordained!
What does this mean?
Priests are very holy people. 
I'm not that 'good'. 
I make mistakes!
Priests know everything about God and the Bible. 
My wisdom isn't that great. 
How can I possibly be a priest?
Because of Christ. Because of his life and death. 
For me. For you. 
We are now all a part of the Kingdom of God.  
Great holiness and wisdom aren't prerequisites. 
We ALL suffer sin and doubt.
But we are priests called to serve.
To serve our Lord and God the Father through service to each other. 
With priesthood comes responsibility.
Service can be a full-time commitment.  
Glory to God!
May I get on with the job!  

THURSDAY, November 29   "Advent Prayers"
Psalm 25:8-9, 11, 16-17 (NIV)
"Good and upright is the Lord... He leads the humble in what is right. 
For your name's sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt for it is great. 
Turn to me and be gracious to me...Relieve the troubles of my heart."
(NOTE:  Today was a travel day and I didn't have access to my computer or d365.org.  So I used a These Days devotional booklet as my source.  Thanks, Mom!  I found it by your chair at 5:30am this morning!)

Psalm 25 is a classic Psalm of David for deliverance.  But David takes it in a specific order: first, by praising and thanking God for his goodness and glory; then by asking for forgiveness for his sins, and lastly, asking God for help or intercession on behalf of others.  It expresses a need for God and a trust that God's presence can and will make a difference.  An advent activity of maintaining a prayer journal is suggested.  The journal might have three columns: THANK YOU, God....FORGIVE ME, God..... and HELP, God....   At the end of each day, we are asked to reflect, recall, and write down specific moments we acknowledged God at work or we need to feel God's presence.  Christmas is a time of Emmanuel - God with us.  Let's spend the Advent season  seeking and feeling the presence of God in tangible ways.  

WEDNESDAY, November 28   "Truth"
John 18:37  (The Message)

Then Pilate said, “So, are you a king or not?”

Jesus answered, “You tell me. Because I am King, I was born and entered the world so that I could witness to the truth. Everyone who cares for truth, who has any feeling for the truth, recognizes my voice.”

Two kings.
Two kingdoms.
Two questions from Pilate:
Who are you?
Why did you come?
Two responses from Christ:
I am God's truth.
God is love and forgiveness.  
One TRUTH.  
Accept the king and the kingdom, 
Recognize the voice, 
And that truth can be yours.
Mine.
Our Kingdom of God. 
Am I listening?  Aware?
Will I recognize the voice 
Of my King?

Two kings. 
Two kingdoms. 
One TRUTH. 
May truth reign over all. 



TUESDAY, November 27    "Two Kingdoms"
John 18:33-36 (The Message) 

Pilate went back into the palace and called for Jesus. He said, “Are you the ‘King of the Jews’?”

 Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you this about me?”

Pilate said, “Do I look like a Jew? Your people and your high priests turned you over to me. What did you do?”

 “My kingdom,” said Jesus, “doesn’t consist of what you see around you. If it did, my followers would fight so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But I’m not that kind of king, not the world’s kind of king.”

Two kings.  
Two kingdoms.
Served or Servant.
Visible or invisible. 
Bondage or Sacrifice. 
Condemnation or Forgiveness
Material or Ethereal.
Today or Eternity.  
Hatred or Love. 
Two kingdoms. 
Two kings.

Which crown do I serve?
Which king reigns in me?




MONDAY, November 26     "Recognizing the King" 
2 Samuel 23:1-4 (Good News Translation)

David son of Jesse was the man whom God made great.... 

These are David's last words:

The spirit of the Lord speaks through me;

 his message is on my lips....

“The king who rules with justice,

 who rules in obedience to God,

is like the sun shining on a cloudless dawn,

the sun that makes the grass sparkle after rain.”

Ruler God, 
King of all creation,
That includes me.  
Come, enter, and reign in my heart.  
Do I wait to hear your voice in the clap of thunder?
    The raging fires of destruction? 
    A violent upheaval splitting the earth?
    Death-defying resurrection?
Or am I listening, with eyes wide open 
    to see the sunlight dancing on the waves,
    to witness the sparkle of morning dew,
    to sense a gentle breeze in the still of forest,
    to recognize your image in all I see
    to hear your words in the voice of a friend,
    to acknowledge miracle, not luck, in daily circumstance,
And KNOW, without a doubt, that you are my KING
Of all creation, of me. 
You reign with justice and compassion.  
With your rule,
I am part of the Kingdom
And able to extend your love to all I encounter. 
Come,King Jesus, enter, and reign in my heart. 

SUNDAY, November 25
d365.org PAUSE! (Brent McDougal)
Obsession. That is a very strong word which describes the way someone or something can dominate a person's life. To be obsessed is to have almost no control over your feelings.  The reign of Christ is not that way. It is an invitation accepted to a way of life, not something that is forced upon us. You are invited now to find your way into Christ's reign. Accept the invitation gladly!

Psalm 93 (The Message)

God is King, robed and ruling,
God is robed and surging with strength.

And yes, the world is firm, immovable,
Your throne ever firm—you’re Eternal!

Sea storms are up, God,

Sea storms wild and roaring,
Sea storms with thunderous breakers.

Stronger than wild sea storms,
Mightier than sea-storm breakers,
Mighty God rules from High Heaven.

What you say goes—it always has.

“Beauty” and “Holy” mark your palace rule,
God, to the very end of time.

     Today is 'Christ the King' Sunday.  It is the end of the Christian 'year'.  Next week we start all over again with Advent.  This final Sunday celebrates the reign of God, through Christ, in our lives, in our hearts.  
     Psalm 93 celebrates the kingship of our Creator God over all.  When we treat the natural earth in terms of a personal part of God, perhaps we will reconsider before we abuse it.  It is a failure to praise God when we destroy or waste elements of the natural, created world.  
     But especially this week as I have listened to the constant roar of the ocean waves and  watched the steady, unceasing roll of the breakers crash, do I appreciate the words of Psalm 93.  God is stronger that the wildest sea storms (and we had a wild one this past week), mightier than those huge frothy breakers, and eternal....to the end of time.  The God of the ocean is a powerful God, with a might that almost seems out of reach. 
     What is our first image when someone says God?  Up in the sky?  Thrones and palaces? Distant? Scary?  Flowing robes?  Anger? The Sistine Chapel God?  Angels?  That Ocean God? ......Or do you picture Smiles? Compassion? Friends?  Love?  If God is to reign in our life, we need to picture the God who came in the form of Christ to walk beside us, to walk with us, to walk in us, to reign in us.  Not the frightening  untouchable, God set apart from us, but the loving God who wants nothing more but to reign in our hearts.  Where does Christ the King reign in your life?  In mine?  

KINGDOM LIVING from the MIDDLE OF NORMAL

     I recently read an article from Relevant Magazine with the above title.  It was filled with some great material about intentionally living a Christian life from wherever your circumstance, job, position.  Not all are called to overseas mission or service in the church.  The world needs businessmen and women, teachers, plumbers, and workers!  But we CAN all live a life in the Kingdom of God!   I didn't want to forget what I read, and by posting it here, perhaps I can share it a little as well!  These are practical, doable suggestions!

EXCERPTS from Kingdom Living from the Middle of Normal, Kelli B. Trujillo, Relevant Magazine, Sept-Oct 2012.

What can it mean to live with intention inside that seemingly mundane calling - to embody the radical values of Jesus' Kingdom in the context of everyday life?

Each day, every single person is faced with countless decisions that may seem small or insignificant, but these choices provide endless opportunities to embody Biblical justice. ... Choosing justly when presented with small, daily choices can transform our inertia into purpose and our malaise into mission, rendering the mundane miraculous. 

Slim Down to the Essentials

1.  Live a life of simplicity, resisting the lure of consumerism, intentionally living on less rather than seeking to have more.

2.  Embrace the three R's - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle  ("God honoring stewardship of the created world can transform the mundane act of taking out the trash into a spiritual act of worship, obedience and justice!")

3.  Approach Time Counter-culturally - Slow Down Intentionally!  A hectic life pace can spiritually distract us from the needs of others and leaves little time to shift the focus from ourselves to others. 

Give Unto Others

1.  Sponsor a child.  A powerful way to pursue justice, combat poverty, and make a difference in a real person's life (and often their community as well!)

2.  Donate your 'stuff'.  Donate rather than sell.  Look for mission opportunities in where you donate.  

3.  Give your time.  Investing time in people can have an impact infinitely greater than just giving money to try to solve a problem.  Develop relationships with those in need. 

Be Wise About What You Buy

1.  Choose fair-trade goods.  Though fairly made products can at times be more expensive than their cheaply produced counterparts, the price you pay for fair-trade goods reflects the value of choosing to pay workers a dignified, living wage. 

2.  Research product supply chains.  Most of us do not see human slaves, but we do interact with clothes, food, and other products that may have been produced with forced labor.  Consult web sites such as Free2Work,org, Purchased.org, BetterWorldShopper.com, and ChainStoreReaction.com.  Start small and pick one product line to change at a time.  

3.  Be selective of what you eat. Buy locally grown produce, supporting family farms.  Eat in-season produce. 

Pray Your Way Forward

Ultimately, a life of Kingdom intentionality is born out of prayer, not personal initiative - out of God's transforming work in your soul, not your own determination. When you are connected to God in prayer, you can sense God's nudging toward specific people, needs or ministries. 

"When I pray this prayer (Your will be done), God points me toward some small thing I can do to make this world a little more just and a little more merciful."  (Ludwig Brandenburg)

Give of Yourself

Your seemingly small decisions to simplify, give, buy and pray coalesce to form a way of being - to build a life that is truly just, profoundly merciful and center on walking humbly with God, right there in the middle of normal.  

"From a theological perspective, nothing is wasted in the Kingdom of God." (George at TradeasOne).  Small sacrifices we make will be the building blocks of the new creation.  

REASONS TO BE THANKFUL

SATURDAY, November 24
Joel 2:25-26 (Good News Translation)
I will give you back what you lost
    in the years when swarms of locusts ate your crops.
    It was I who sent this army against you.
²⁶ Now you will have plenty to eat, and be satisfied.
    You will praise the Lord your God,
    who has done wonderful things for you.
    My people will never be despised again.
     In times of natural disasters and personal crisis, God will bring healing and blessing.  Good can result from the summer drought, from the Sandy storm. But it is we, the people of God, working together as the hands and heart of God, who must be part of this healing and restoration. We give thanks to God for the hope that comes in his name! 

So my final list for my THANKSGIVING WEEK REFLECTIONS includes Health, Healing, and Hope! 
1. Personal health - free from major illness or symptoms of aging
2. Ability to be Active - and the responsibility that comes to maintain this! 
3. Weight Watchers - for giving me a framework for eating, help me maintain this as well, O God! 
4. Physical Healing - The miracle of how our Physical Bodies are created in such a way that they heal themselves so beautifully
5.  Spiritual and Emotional Health
6.  Hope - in a future centered on God! 
THANK YOU, God, for personal good health, and for the hope that comes in knowing your are the ultimate Great Physician.  May we be filled with the hope that comes in knowing all setbacks can produce healing and restoration. 

FRIDAY, November 23 
Joel 2:21-22 (The Message)
Fear not, Earth! Be glad and celebrate!
    God has done great things.
Ah, the focus for today at d365.org is more on the created world.  Should have saved that list....but instead I'll concentrate on the "Fear Not!"  I'm grateful for the FREEDOMS & OPPORTUNITIES that we enjoy living in the United States.  
First on that list, then, might be...
1.  Freedom from Worry!  Fear Not!  
2.  Freedom to Worship - I do not have to fear gathering together as a faith community to freely express my beliefs. 
3.  Freedom of Safety - Unlike countries or families torn by strife and conflict, I do not fear physical harm on a daily basis.  
4.  Freedom to Travel - We have the means and the ability to move about the country, learning, exploring, serving. 
5.  Freedom to Learn - Education is an opportunity provided on a life-long basis!
6.  Freedom to Work - I live in a land where my role as a woman is respected, I can work freely as desired. 
7.  Freedom of Expression - To write, to speak, to voice my opinion, to create
8.  Freedom of Security - The joy that comes of loving and being loved, by others, by God.  
THANK YOU, GOD, for those who serve in the armed forces to protect these freedoms and opportunities, the sacrifices made on our behalf.  But may we all strive to live a life of non-violent peace that can create a world where war is not necessary, where man can live side by side as brothers and sisters, united.  


THURSDAY, November 22  Happy Thanksgiving!
Matthew 6:31-33 (The Message)
What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
    "Steep your life in God-reality", or as the GNT puts it, "be concerned above all else with the Kingdom of God" - and all your needs will be met.  What came to my mind was the article I posted last Monday on finding the Kingdom of God in the midst of 'normal' ....Included there were practical ways to 'live' out a life centered on God. 
    I like the line 'try not to be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving.'  When we worry about what WE need, we fail to realize all the ways that God is already providing.  I read an article this week about a gal who was short on funds and made pecan pies to raise a little money.  She unintentionally (at first) ended up giving them all away instead and suddenly realized that God had been providing for her in many small but significant ways all year!  When we take the focus off ourselves, our eyes open so much wider to God at work!  
    And now....on to my THANKSGIVING WEEK REFLECTIONS!  Today, I wish to concentrate on Friends and Family..those people who daily make a personal and profound impact on our lives, who we are, and who we will be:
1.  A life-mate in Rick, who I am convinced God brought to church one day just so we could meet! 
2.  Two sons, Jed and Luke, of which we could not be more proud, not just of their accomplishments, but of the tender, loving men they have grown up to be. 
3.  Our Moms....both widowed, but both living life to the fullest and keeping the families connected.  
4.  The daily reminders of our fathers, their wisdom and wit, their individual quirks.  (Rick has been painting in Mom's basement, and we had to laugh at my dad's Scot thriftiness as we found pegboard used for sheetrock on a hidden closet wall!)

Sorry today is a double publish - my error!  

5.  Brothers and sisters: Margaret, Liz, Mac, Robin, Randy, and Rod: those special people who know the family stories and love us in spite of everything!
6.  Aunts and uncles: Edwina and Tom (Rick's)...I've lost all mine in death. 
7.  In-laws: Those special people God brings into our family tree through marriage and knits into each branch to strengthen the limb. (Greta, Betty, Tad, Karen, Patty, Ron, Dave, Diane, Eric, Shawn, Heather, Mike)
8.  Nieces and Nephews:  Children who become our own through family bonds - Jen, Tom, Kirsten, Gretchen, Doug, Michelle, Thom, Matt, Megan, Ryan, Rachael, Regan, Denise, Kevin, Kyle, Chasey, Chele, Allora, Meaghan, Tucker, Tommy, Kaila. 
9.  Cousins: Don, Mark, Debbie, John, Jeff, Pat, Dick, Susan, Wendy, Debbie, Mark.  
10.  Community friends...those who abide close to us and are there for us on a moment's notice: I shouldn't even start the list as it is impossible to include all!  But especially....Cherrie & Darrell, Trisha, Rusty, Sharon, Mark & Patty, MT Nesters, .....
11.  Family of Faith...friends who become 'family' through our bond of church and Christ: Pastor Katy, Ferns, Fessels, McKims, Yeoumans, Marcie, Candy, Kauths....
12. Far-Away Forever Friends...moved away but never forgotten!  Midge & Cal, Shelli & Dave, Mike B, Suzanne & Steve, Judy M, Trudy.....on and on....
WOW!  I am so blessed!  So MANY special people God has brought into my life!  
Happy Thanksgiving! 

WEDNESDAY, November 21
Matthew 6:27-30  (Good News Translation)
And why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow: they do not work or make clothes for themselves.  But I tell you that not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers.  It is God who clothes the wild grass—grass that is here today and gone tomorrow, burned up in the oven. Won't he be all the more sure to clothe you? What little faith you have!
    This passage brings to my mind brand names in clothing and the image we portray by what we wear. I can't imagine Jesus being concerned about what he wore or where he shopped!   Wear the GOD brand, clothed in gratitude and grace!  
    But more importantly, it causes us to consider the respect we give to WORRY.  It's almost put on idol level - when it is really a matter of trust.  Turn it over to God and have faith that he will attend or provide.  So simple to say, so hard to do!  
     I should have left Physical Needs for today's scripture.  But.... as I don't know what passages d365.org has for the rest of the week, this mentions wildflowers which often heads my list of favorites in the wonder of God's creation!  So for my THANKSGIVING WEEK REFLECTIONS....
Thank you, God, for displaying your creative powers, breadth, and magnitude in the world you have made for us!

1.  Wildflowers  (The perseverance to grow in the most unlikely places!)
2.  Butterflies and dragonflies  (Such beauty in such tiny creations!)
3.  Hummingbirds  (How quickly they move, how deeply they probe, all garbed in such colors!)
4.  Sunrise and sunset, alpenglow  (Daily opportunities to see God)
5.  The geometry of creation, patterns in nature  (The intricacy and planning behind it all!)
6.  Soaring eagles  (God as a mother eagle)
7.  Snowcapped mountains (Lofty goals to draw us closer to God)
8.  Aspen groves  (God keeps cropping up in new places)
9.  Canyons, cliffs, and crags  (Eternity of God over time)
10. Ocean waves (God is constant)
11. Forests (Stillness and peace, surrounded by God)
12. Rainbows (God reminders)
13.  Stars & Moon in the night sky (how BIG is our universal God!)
14.  Spring bulbs & flowers growing through the snow (New life!)
15.  Reflections in still lakes and ponds (Do I reflect God in such a way?)
I could go on and on.....

TUESDAY, November 20   "Daily Bread"
Matthew 6:25-26 (The Message)
If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.
Thank you, God, that we can be like the birds: unfettered and free in your care.  My physical needs for food, clothing, and shelter have been provided in abundance.  So much so, that I think I often take them for granted.  In the easily gained apathy that can follow, may we all be reminded of the responsibility that comes with such provision - to look around at those for whom physical needs are not met adequately. 
Today I say THANK YOU, GOD, for providing for my PHYSICAL NEEDS:
1. Shelter: a warm home, mortgage-free!, a trailer in which to travel and volunteer
2. Clothing: enough for winter warmth and summer coolness, to hike and work comfortably
3.  Food: In abundance and the funds to buy healthy!  Bountiful Baskets and our local coordinators,  local farms and gardens, freedom from worry about my next meal, opportunity to share freely of our bounty. 

MONDAY, November 19
Hebrews 10:15-18 (The Message)  "Forever Forgiven"

The Holy Spirit confirms this:

This new plan I’m making with Israel isn’t going to be written on paper;

 isn’t going to be chiseled in stone;

This time “I’m writing out the plan in them, carving it on the lining of their hearts.”

He concludes, I’ll forever wipe the slate clean of their sins.

Once sins are taken care of for good, there’s no longer any need to offer sacrifices for them.

Power outage today meant no wireless from the neighbor!
Hence the delay in posting!  

I don't often stop to say Thank You to God for one of the most amazing gifts he has given me: forgiveness through Christ. We often ask FOR forgiveness, but rarely thank God for it!   I like the way Peterson reminds us of God's new plan: written IN our hearts, not on paper or stone.  With Christ and the Holy Spirit, the opportunity for God to be an actual part of our very being is present!  This was also the text for the sermon yesterday, so it all ties together!  
The second 'group' on my Thanksgiving Reflections shall be titled TRINITY. 
1.  A loving, always present, God. 
2.  Forgiveness ... forever through Christ. 
3.  The Holy Spirit within, guiding, leading, and constantly stirring up the embers of the fire to action!  

SUNDAY, November 18   "Christian Heritage"
d365.org PAUSE!  (Al Masters)
God continues to do amazing things for those who realize how valuable they are and seek first the kingdom of God.    Take time now to seek the place where God reigns, beginning in your own heart. Then watch for the amazing things that God causes all around.

Psalm 16:5-6 (Good News Translation)
You, Lord, are all I have,
    and you give me all I need;
    my future is in your hands.
⁶ How wonderful are your gifts to me;
    how good they are!

     It is Thanksgiving week:  A time to reflect on all the blessings God has granted to us.  Rather than take just Thanksgiving morning to "Count my blessings", I shall devote the week's scribbles! 

     d365 writer Al Masters starts the week with our spiritual heritage - the communion of saints who have formed us, provided a sense of belonging, and led us to a God who delights in 'hanging out' with us!  

     MY ANCESTORS IN THE FAITH:

     1. All those from the Bible who had the courage to trust in God's call and act upon it: Abraham to Moses, Noah to Elijah.  Their stories are part of our stories. 

     2. A long line of Scot Presbyterian ministers and leaders who built churches throughout the West and in other countries: grandparents, great grandparents, great uncles. 

     3. Parents who both came from families in which Christ was served, who filled our home with a God-centered love and focus, who walked the walk and preached their greatest sermons through their day by day actions.  

     4. Churches that have supported, nurtured, and helped me follow Christ as I grew in faith and knowledge. 

     5. My spouse, Rick, and I are a part of this lineage as we look to our sons and how each, in his own way, displays a walk with Christ.  

     THANK YOU, GOD, FOR YOUR GIFTS! 

Addendum:  This was a verse on the cover of Bandon's church bulletin this morning.  I thought it went well with the theme for the week AND with my sermon last week. 

Count your your blessings instead of your crosses

Count your gains instead of your losses

Count your joys instead of your woes

Count your friends instead of your foes

Count your smiles instead of your tears

Count your courage instead of your fears

Count your full years instead of the lean

Count your kind deeds instead of your mean

Count your health instead of your wealth

Count on God instead of yourself!

Amen!

FROM ABUNDANCE

SATURDAY, November 17 

2 Corinthians 9:7-8 (Good News Translation)
You should each give, then, as you have decided, not with regret or out of a sense of duty; for God loves the one who gives gladly.  And God is able to give you more than you need, so that you will always have all you need for yourselves and more than enough for every good cause.
    I really struggle with the current preachers who proclaim that if you give and give (usually to their church and ministry) you will be financially blessed in life.  It just doesn't happen that way.  Too many examples of those who are materially poor, but rich in so many other ways.  (Jesus is a good starting point for the list!)  What is important is our attitude and perspective - does our giving glorify God?  Does our giving include not just money but our time, talents, service, and energy?  Our love?  Do we celebrate our abundant life by returning it to God? 
     I found myself humming the children's song, Magic Penney, while thinking about the abundant life.  Lend it, spend it, and you'll have so many!  
     Mark van Bulck, this week's writer for d365.org, expresses it so well in his parting words each day.  I'll make it my benediction for the week as well:
d365.org GO! (Mark van Bulck)
Look around right now;
See all that you possess,
All that is yours.

Now remind yourself
That it all belongs to God;
It is in your hands
For just a moment.

Live your life today
Grateful
For the abundance
Of grace that is yours

To give away.

FRIDAY, November 16  "Abundant Grace"
Ruth 4:13-17 (Selections from Good News Translation)

So Boaz took Ruth home as his wife. The Lord blessed her, and she became pregnant and had a son.  The women said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord! He has given you a grandson today to take care of you. May the boy become famous in Israel! ... Naomi took the child, held him close, and took care of him.
The women of the neighborhood named the boy Obed. ....
Obed became th
er of Jesse, who was the father of David.

    God gives us an ABUNDANCE of choices and opportunities, both large and small, significant and apparently insignificant.  Ruth made a choice to follow Naomi and marry Boaz.  That choice resulted in a birth that led to Christ.  God can work his plan out through what seems to be the ordinary of our lives!  

    As teachers we often had interactions with students that were seemingly meaningless to us at the end of the day;  a random comment or exchange of ideas.  Yet, how often have students come back, years later, to share how important that moment was to them in their life.  An abundance of opportunities to make a difference - if we use them right!  

    Living the abundant life of grace in God carries with it the responsibility to use each opportunity and moment to reflect God's grace and goodness.  We'll have opportunities today....how will we SPEND our time?  How will we share our wealth in God?  

THURSDAY, November 15
1 Kings 17: 15-17 (The Message)
And she went right off and did it, did just as Elijah asked. And it turned out as he said—daily food for her and her family. The jar of meal didn’t run out and the bottle of oil didn’t become empty:God’s promise fulfilled to the letter, exactly as Elijah had delivered it!
ABUNDANCE wears so many costumes,
cloaked in mysterious disguise. 
Golden coins and riches, MONEY in the bank!
A paycheck arriving on schedule;
FOOD on the table every day,
CLOTHING to ward off the winter chills. 
Perhaps it's dressed in all those THINGS -
Shoved deep in overflowing closets. 
Worthless but for the accumulation
That makes us feel like we are rich. 
Shoes, scarves, collectibles, dishes -
What is stacked up behind those doors?
Could abundance be the walls
That frame a showcase HOME
Built high on the hill above all others?
Or wrapped in the hands of an aging clock - 
TIME abundant for all that should be done. 
For some the costume comes 
Arrayed in the smiles of FRIENDS - 
Those who are always there to bridge the gaps of life. 
God promises abundance,
A life of wholeness filled to the brim
With what are we adorned?
What costume do we wear?
God abundance comes clothed in
The robe of relationships,
The cloak of faith,
The shawl of service,
All knit together by the knowledge of an
Ever-present God! 
How radiantly are we dressed
In the abundance of God! 

WEDNESDAY, November 14   Bread for All
1 Kings 17:8-14 (The Message)

 Then God spoke to him: “Get up and go to Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I’ve instructed a woman who lives there, a widow, to feed you.” So he got up and went to Zarephath. 

  As he came to the entrance of the village he met a woman, a widow, gathering firewood. He asked her, “Please, would you bring me a little water in a jug? I need a drink.” As she went to get it, he called out, “And while you’re at it, would you bring me something to eat?”  

  She said, “I swear, as surely as your God lives, I don’t have so much as a biscuit. I have a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a bottle; you found me scratching together just enough firewood to make a last meal for my son and me. After we eat it, we’ll die.”

  Elijah said to her, “Don’t worry about a thing. Go ahead and do what you’ve said. But first make a small biscuit for me and bring it back here. Then go ahead and make a meal from what’s left for you and your son. This is the word of the God of Israel: ‘The jar of flour will not run out and the bottle of oil will not become empty before God sends rain on the land and ends this drought.'”

Let go of our fears
Release the worry
That we might run out. 
Share first and
Our well will not run dry. 
Risk to have faith and
God will surprise us in
Unimaginable ways. 
It begins with giving,
Without question or doubt.
Bread for all.
Justice for all. 
Life for all. 

TUESDAY, November 13  "Two Cents"
Mark 12:41-44 (The Message)
Sitting across from the offering box, he was observing how the crowd tossed money in for the collection. Many of the rich were making large contributions. One poor widow came up and put in two small coins—a measly two cents. Jesus called his disciples over and said, “The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together. All the others gave what they’ll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford—she gave her all.”
November and December
Give thanks and GIVE!
A time to remember
A time to respond.
To the hurting of the world.
Yet in the Christmas season
We give and give some more
To those who have much.
Our children, our friends,
Who wonder, where to put it?
I love it, but I have
So much STUFF already! 
If just for one Christmas
We all were to give
Food and coats and shelter
So that others might have a chance
To thrive and prosper... to live?
What could be the impact
Could it be a start?
To alleviate the hunger
In the world, and in our heart?
Do we give what's missing
Or the extra in our purse?
Two cents is a mighty gift
If that is all we have. 
Somehow, I think most of us
Should be giving a little more,
Enough that we notice the 
Hole it leaves behind.   

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12
Mark 12:38-40 (The Message)
He continued teaching. “Watch out for the religion scholars. They love to walk around in academic gowns, preening in the radiance of public flattery, basking in prominent positions, sitting at the head table at every church function. And all the time they are exploiting the weak and helpless. The longer their prayers, the worse they get. But they’ll pay for it in the end.”
I have started various poems in many forms today.  The words seem to explode in a jumble of emotions. I start and then start again with a new thought.  Perhaps a finished work will appear later.  We are getting ready to leave for Bandon - on the road again!  But in essence....
Does the church community act as a 'scribe' when it centers its mission on new choir robes, fancy stain glass, media exposure, and new technology?   Perhaps the opening line might read just "Watch out for organized religion."  A church that is constantly looking and spending inward is going to die; the community of believers who is always reaching out, will thrive.  The inward church is lacking the trust and faith that God will take care of its needs; the outward church is confident in God's ability to provide.  All too often we are quick to accuse other churches or religions of hypocrisy, but have we looked in a mirror?  What does God see?  
Individually, am I a scribe or a servant? Do I collect or dispense? (Ouch!) It's really a matter of trust .... and obedience.  What does the Lord require of you? Three things.  Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. None of that suggests power, wealth, or show.  
Like I said, a jumble of thoughts for today.  I'll try to straighten it out later!  Maybe my thoughts are confused because I'm looking in the mirror and don't like some of what I see!  

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11
d365.org PAUSE!  (Marc van Bulck)
Having enough. That may be the biggest single issue that leads to human conflict. Somebody is afraid of not having enough and so tries to make up the difference by taking from somebody else.

But Scripture tells us again and again that there is more than enough for everybody. In fact, we would do better to worry about how to best give stuff away than to concern ourselves with collecting more.

There's enough time right now for you to consider what you have as a follower of God, and what you might do to give away what you own.

Psalm 121: 2-4, 7-8 (The Message)
My strength comes from God,
    who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.
He won’t let you stumble,
    your Guardian God won’t fall asleep.
Not on your life! Israel’s
    Guardian will never doze or sleep.
God guards you from every evil,
    he guards your very life.
He guards you when you leave and when you return,
    he guards you now, he guards you always.

I'm traveling on a journey
Where dangers, toils lurk
I'm confident in safety
For my God is here at work. 

The pagan gods are sleeping
In their booths on mountains high.
They won't be here to help me
Should trouble come on nigh. 

But Almighty is on duty,
His protection is assured.
I stumble not, nor falter;
I have his faithful Word.

God guards me in my leaving
A comfort by my side.
God's in each hour of passing
Eyes and ears are open wide. 

My strength and daily power
My Creator God provides
I risk to walk a fright'ning path
God abandons not, nor hides.

I'm traveling on a journey,
Life follows a winding road. 
The pagan gods are sleeping.
While Yahweh has MY load.