Gospel of Luke Chapter 1: Setting the Stage

A Word of Introduction.....I have decided to revisit the Gospel of Luke and complete a series of scribbles based on this most complete and longest of the four gospel narratives.  I found I already have drawn over 70 pictures based on scripture passages from Luke.  Now to fill in some of the 'holes'!!  My blog, therefore, will just be a compilation of my new scribbles (and perhaps some old ones) along with new information or insights gained along the way!

Luke was a physician and gentile.  He is the only one of the Gospel writers who never probably MET Jesus- everything is second account.  But Luke is also the most complete in terms of the breadth of Jesus' life (as much as we know of the Lord's childhood from any references!)  Luke wrote both the Gospel and the Book of Acts: the life of Christ and the life of the Holy Spirit/Christ at work in the people.  It makes for a pretty good package! 

Luke wrote to Theophilus.  There is a great deal of commentary on who Theophilus was, or even if he was just one person.  The word in Greek means Lover of God.  From other clues, however, it seems likely he was a high ranking Roman official who sought to know more about the Messiah.  Luke writes, therefore, to a more Gentile audience and this inclusiveness comes through in his gospel.  

Luke 1:1-4

"Since I have investigated all the reports in close detail, starting with the story's beginning, I decided to write it all out for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can know beyond the shadow of a doubt the reliability of what you were taught...."  (MSG)

Luke 1:13-17

"But the angel said to him, 'Don't be afraid, Zechariah!  God has heard your prayer and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son.  You are to name him John....John will be great in the Lord's sight.,...from his very birth he will be filled with the Spirit and he will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God....he will get the Lord's people ready for him."

     Zechariah is going about his business in the temple and suddenly an angel appears!  Fear!  But the angel promises a long-desired gift: a child.  A special child, with a God-given mission.  Would I believe if this happened to me?  Wouldn't I probably distrust like Zechariah, perhaps more because I would think 'Why me, God?'  Zechariah was a prominent Jewish priest...why NOT him?  These are ordinary temple happenings to begin a magnificent story! 

Luke 1: 19-20

But the angel said, 'I am Gabriel, the sentinel of God, sent especially to bring you this glad news.  But because you won't believe me, you'll be unable to say a word until the day of your son's birth.  Every word I've spoken to you will come true on time - God's time."

My Faith in Action commentary notes, "Underestimating God can be as dangerous as open rebellion.  Our sin may not be a matter of 'doing wrong' but of being hesitant to trust fully. When have you been 'deprived' of one thing because God had something better for you around the corner?"  God removes Zechariah's easy ability to explain away the situation. Zechariah has no other option but to believe and TRUST....and patiently wait God's timing.

Luke 1:26-38 (portions from GNT)
28  The angel came to her [Mary] and said, “Peace be with you! The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you!”...
31 You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus......
34 Mary said to the angel, “I am a virgin. How, then, can this be?”.....

37  "There is nothing that God cannot do.”

38 “I am the Lord's servant,” said Mary; “may it happen to me as you have said.” 

     What is the difference between Mary and Zechariah?  Both were visited by angels.  Both were given a message of impending births.  For Zechariah the message was a blessing, a desired birth, but he chose to disbelieve.  For Mary, a birth was a shock and a probable source of shame,  but she responds, "I am your servant, Lord!"  Wow!  No wonder God silenced Zechariah for 9 months!!!
     God often asks us to do seemingly impossible tasks.  How often do we respond as Zechariah with hesitation and disbelief?  We cannot imagine the possibilities that lie before us if we are simply willing to respond as Mary and say, "Whatever you want, God, I'm at your service."

MAKING CHANGE HAPPEN

INVOCATION..... d365.org  (John Ryan)
It’s all about determination—the decision to accomplish something in spite of all the resistance that wells up inside.   When you want to make a change, when anyone wants to shake things up, there is always “push back.” Moving from old to new, even when everyone agrees it’s a good idea, is hard.

That’s true even for God’s good ideas about transformation, which often encounter resistance. Still, God has a pretty good record when it comes to things—and people. Now might be a good 
time for you to decide it’s time to give in.

SATURDAY, August 24, 2013  "Delight"
Psalm 37:4
Seek your happiness in the Lord,
    and he will give you your heart's desire.  (GNT)
Keep company with God,  get in on the best.  (MSG)
Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart. (NRSV)
    What a 'delightful' verse for a Saturday morning.  The NRSV and NIV translations caught my eye because we focused on the word delight at the lectionary Bible Study last Thursday.  What does it mean to delight in the Lord?

     The MSG and GNT translations perhaps give a hint of two concepts:  to delight is to keep company, to be present with and for, and to seek happiness and pleasure.  Webster lists synonyms such as rejoice, glory, exalt, please.  I most appreciate Webster's definition of delight as a transitive verb: to pleasure (someone) greatly.  This makes delight an active word; delight is something we DO, it is not just done to us!!  
     The second half of the verse alludes to receiving whatever we want (our grandest desire!), but I think The Message comes closer: get in on the best.  God knows what is best for us, our heart's desire (which isn't always the same as our desire for a new phone or other gadget of some kind!).
     How can I demonstrate my delight in God today?  If nothing else, just the word delight puts a smile on my face and that's a good start!  

BENEDICTION.....  d365.org (John Ryan)

Every single encounter with God 

Holds the promise of 

A new direction;

A new perspective;

A change of heart and mind.

Go now resolved that your life will be

Different;

Transformed;

Made over again
By the overwhelming grace of God.

(Blog postings will discontinue on a daily basis with this week's offerings.  The daily drawing has become somewhat a chore rather than a joy.  Internet access on our next trip will be intermittent, and I am ready for a different emphasis in my morning devotions.  But....stay tuned for weekly posts and occasional scribbles along the way!)

FRIDAY, August 23, 2013 "Housemates"

John 15:4 (MSG)

“Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me."

"Abide in me as I abide in you."  That's a common translation for this scripture.  When you live WITH someone you really get to know them.  And that's how God wants to be in our lives and how we need to seep ourselves in God.  Then, and only then, can we proclaim the good news effectively, serve with boundless love, and witness to the resurrection in all we do.  In other words, only then can we produce good fruit.  Take up residence with God as your housemate!!  

THURSDAY, August 22, 2013 "Run of the House"

Colossians 3:16 (MSG)

Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God!

Toddlers sometimes have the run of a house. 
And chaos ensues!  
Toys and clothing everywhere!
Spilled food and handprints,
Constant activity and energy. 
What if we gave God the same permission
To run amok in our lives,
To turn our attempt at order into chaos 
With persistent love and transformation?
What if we tripped over God as we move
From room to room,
Day to day?
Would chaos reign, or
Would we find hearts so full of love
That a song would fill our soul
And burst forth in praise?!
Take over the house of my life, God!
Fill me with laughter and love! 

WEDNESDAY, August 21, 2013  "God's the Boss!"

Proverbs 16:1-3 (MSG)

Mortals make elaborate plans,
    but God has the last word.

 Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good;
    God probes for what is good.

 Put God in charge of your work,
    then what you’ve planned will take place.

     Put God in charge? What a crazy idea!  We like to think we can control our own destiny, make our own decisions.  After all, don't we know what is best for our own lives?  Not really.  Whatever our plans, if we seek God's guidance and blessing, we will probably succeed through God.  Alone?  Often not.  To make change happen, we must first ask God to take the helm.  And then, do and go as God directs!  

TUESDAY, August 20, 2013  "Seek God"

Deuteronomy 4:29 (MSG)

"But even there, if you seek God, your God, you'll be able to find him if you're serious, looking for him with your whole heart and soul."

Where's God?

Bad things are happening

People are dying.

War rends communities,

Conflict chars hearts. 

Where's God?

Souls are lonely, empty with sorrow.

Disappointment their only mate.

Is this a game, God?

Ollie ollie oxen free??!

   Stop!  Look within.

   I'm not hiding.

   I'm right here, with you. 

   Seek and you will find!

Whole heart and soul....

God is here...waiting and ready

To help me handle the world. 

MONDAY, August 19, 2013  "God First"

Matthew 6:33 

Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things.  (GNT)

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.  (MSG)

     "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God" - the words of a familiar song ring in my ears.  Put God at the top of the list for making change happen...and then watch and be amazed!  I love The Message version, "Steep your life" - saturate everything you do, say, and be with God.  Make God a reality in all parts of your life.  You are changed, others are changed, life is changed.  Is it really that simple?  Yes.  Easy?  No.  But if God-first is our goal, at least we will be heading in the right direction!  

SUNDAY, August 18, 2013  "Restitution"

Luke 19:8 (CEB)

Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my possessions to the poor. And if I have cheated anyone, I repay them four times as much.”

     Again, I feel God's response to current life events in today's devotion.   Yesterday was a day to pay tribute to a Baker City heroine for change, Peggi Timm.  We heard over and over stories of persistence and tenacity for the sake of change that would benefit a community, fill a need, make the world better.  Peggi was a transformer, one who unashamedly 'shook things up' and never took 'NO!' for a final answer. She MADE THINGS HAPPEN!  Peggi worked her magic because she had an abidingly faith in God and God's power to transform, and in people to work God's purpose.  

     As a new school year begins within our church family, as Rick and I prepare to once again venture forth in travel, as Baker City moves ahead to a post-Peggi era, may we seek to feel God's nudge and, like Zacchaeus, make decisions to enact the change God wants to see. Zacchaeus's first move was to make restitution to those he had wronged.  Change within ourselves first can cause a chain reaction of changed attitudes in the world around us.  Change not for the sake of change itself, but transformation to something new and stronger and closer to God - that should be our resolution.   

CHANGE...

INVOCATION.... d365.org (Ruth Perkins Lee)
Change is hard for everyone. Even when it’s obvious that doing something different is the better way to go, we always seem to encounter opposition. Sometimes that resistance comes from others, but often we find it welling up from deep inside ourselves.

God has something new in mind for us, but we have to decide that we are willing to go there. No kicking and screaming!

So get ready for something new. Hopefully, you will recognize its value and receive it—gladly!

   

SATURDAY, August 17, 2013 "Drink Freely"
Revelation 21:5-6 (MSG)
“Look! I’m making everything new."......“It’s happened. I’m A to Z. I’m the Beginning, I’m the Conclusion. From Water-of-Life Well I give freely to the thirsty.
(So....after an hour of writing two days worth of posts this morning, my computer just decided to shut down and update without my knowledge....I lost everything I had just written!  Agh!  I don't have time for this!.....Patience, Ginger.  Deep breath.  I'll give you the words again.....)

Yes, this is a previous scribble, but then again, ...
the scripture is a repeat from Spring!

     Blogs over the past two weeks have spoke of new beginnings and change, but the line that jumped out at me today from this familiar scripture was WATER!  Baker City is entering week three of a mandatory boil mandate due to the presence in our city water of crypto---.  Suddenly, the assumed-bounty of clean water pouring forth on demand from the tap has become a treasure.  We conserve more, we waste not!  (Habits which SHOULD continue!)  But the fountain of God is always without blemish, and always freely flowing for all who thirst!  May we abundantly drink each new day and welcome the change and new opportunities that come to us when we are sustained by the fountain of a loving God.  

BENEDICTION.... d365.org (Ruth Perkins Lee)

Don't be afraid. 

The newness God is offering you is a very good thing!

Open your heart and mind to the new beginnings God has in store.

Get ready for a change that lasts - forever!  

FRIDAY, August 16, 2013 "Top of the World"
Song Lyrics from PASS IT ON:
"I'll shout it from the mountain top, I want my world to know,
The Lord of Love has come to me, I want to pass it on."
Song Lyrics from TOP OF THE WORLD:
"I'm on the top of the world, looking down on creation
And the only exclamation I can find. 
Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around
Is what puts me on the top of the world."
    Today was an early rising for a dawn departure at 6am to climb to the summit of Elkhorn Peak.  Our climbing crew is Rick and I, Mark Bogart, Luke, and Zachariah Ellis, the youth pastor from the Nazarene Church.  The forecast for HOT and potential afternoon thunderstorms precipitates our early escape, but we are rewarded as we leave town with the fiery ball of an orange sun bursting above the Baker Valley horizon.  A God-reminder for the day. 
     Early mornings always reward you on the trail with deep shadows and bright light, dampness with residual dew, and the freshness that comes with dawn.  We hike the first three miles with animated conversation and silence, fellowship and contemplation, reveling in the changing panoramas, and agonizing over the hazy, smokey skies that tell stories of forests ablaze. 
     At three miles the hike changes to climb as we venture off the beaten trail to ascend the shoulder of the peak over rocky terrain.  I thrill to find new growth in tiny fern-like plants thriving in the hostile rocks.  By 9:30 am all five of us stand on top of the summit (somewhat amazed to find an American flag has been erected on top recently!)  We all take a few moments for solitude and silence, alone with our thoughts (and our lunch!)  
     Whenever I get to the top of a mountain, two songs always burst forth from my lungs: Pass It On and Top of the World.  I like to sing the latter with God's love as the source.  When you stand within touch of heaven, to sing praises to God is so very natural.  
     We gaze out on God's glory: the patchwork of farmland below, the indistinct outline of distance mountains in the shifting haze, tiny wildflowers struggling for survival in a cold and barren location, the myrid of Elkhorn peaks dotting the northern horizon, mountains goats grazing in a lakeside meadow, the piercing cry of hawks soaring on thermal breezes, the fluttering of hundreds of brightly colored butterflies - (and a few bees according to Zach!), the cool and cleansing rush of the Spirit wind.  When on top of mountains you have a sense of place in God's creation, small and insignificant to the great big world, but close and in touch with a God who cares so very deeply about each part of Creation.  
      Not sure what the scripture is for today from the lectionary or d365.org, but mountaintops always change me in some way, and I can venture forth with a new epiphany having spent a little time 'on top of the world'!

THURSDAY, August 15, 2013  "Eruption of Spirit"
Isaiah 43:18-19a  (MSG)
“Forget about what’s happened;
    don’t keep going over old history.
Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new.
    It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?
    I am pondering the discussion at our Missional meeting yesterday as I read this scripture and the one from yesterday.  It is time to let go, pray for guidance, and allow God to reveal the changes that are right for our church community.  It is time to BE in the spiritual exercise of waiting, rather than jumping forth to DO new projects that fit OUR expectations rather than God's dream.  
      Where does this leave us?  In prayer and conversation, open to God's voice.  And it leaves us in bold expectation of change....of something new and exciting ready to spring forth in our congregation.  May we be prepared to perceive the newness and be a part of the eruption of the Spirit!  And may we be patient in our waiting! 



WEDNESDAY, August 14, 2013 "Waiting"
Isaiah 40:31 (MSG)
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
    They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don’t get tired,
    they walk and don’t lag behind.
     Once again, I am amazed at the subtle ways in which God speaks.  Monday night I began working on a sermon I will be preaching on September 1.  I have had the text selected for some time with an idea in my mind.  I was gone yesterday and returned today at noon to finally check on today's scripture.  
     What is the subject of my sermon?  Eagles!  And today's scripture is one of the three texts that I will use.  Uncanny.  God. 
     Exercise develops strength.  Athletes all condition to improve their physical abilities.  Waiting is a form of spiritual exercise.  It strengthens us in ways we cannot anticipate. It allows God time to work within us.  Waiting can turn us into....EAGLES!!!  




TUESDAY, August 13, 2013 "No Turning Back"

Philippians 3:13-14 (MSG)

Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.

    No turning back.  Once the commitment to Christ has been made, only one path lies before us - all others are distractions.   We can forget the sins of the past, revel in our resurrection forgiveness, and move forward to a new life.  We are all constantly moving forward, learning, growing, maturing.  No one ever has it 'all together' and is an expert in following!  The journey is never complete until our transition to the Kingdom!  God is beckoning!  Focus! Keep eyes on Christ and travel knowing we have the guidance of the Spirit the whole way.    

MONDAY, August 12, 2013 "Knowing Christ"

Philippians 3:10-11 (GNT)

All I want is to know Christ and to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings and become like him in his death, in the hope that I myself will be raised from death to life.

What is it to KNOW Christ?
Not just to know ABOUT our Lord,
    the facts and timelines,
    details and Bible translations,
But to truly KNOW him?
    To walk in his shoes,
    To experience his power,
    To heal and transform;
    To feel his pain and suffering;
    To grow in the fellowship of community;
    To laugh with him with joy
    And cry in the sorrow of all;
    To witness the loneliness of his position,
    To welcome God into my very being,
To KNOW Christ is to suffer and die,
To endure the ridicule and scorn,
And be resurrected in God. 
To KNOW Christ is a new beginning, 
     a change in attitude,
And it happens daily,
As we LIVE in our KNOWLEDGE. 
KNOW Christ, LIVE Christ. 
Today. 

Sunday, August 11, 2013 "Spring Cleaning"

Philippians 3:7-8 (GNT)

But all those things that I might count as profit I now reckon as loss for Christ's sake.....For his sake I have thrown everything away; I consider it all as mere garbage, so that I may gain Christ.

     Whenever I consider change, I recall a book our teaching staff was asked to read titled, "Who Moved My Cheese?".  It was the summer before a year of change in our school.  It helped us see how we approach and handle change. We don't like change.  We like our orderly, planned lives where events happen as expected. Jesus, don't rock the boat!

     But life in Christ is anything but predictable! It demands change: a shift in priorities and daily choices.  It demands SPRING CLEANING in our lives!!  We have to make space in our busy, cluttered lives for top priority: God!  Things that were previously so important can be tossed out.  Materials goods can be downsized and our priorities dusted off to clean our hearts and souls to think God, to live God, every day. 

     Change is hard work. But change for the sake of Christ is exciting and rewarding.  May we openly embrace a new life in our Lord!  

d365.org is not following the Revised Standard Lectionary during this 'Back to School' period.  For consultation purposes, here are this week's Lectionary Texts: 

Isaiah 1:1, 10-20

Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23

Genesis 15:1-6

Hebrews 11:1-3,8-16

Luke 12:32-40

NEW BEGINNINGS

INVOCATION.... d365.org  (Rich Clark)
For students, this season marks the end of summer and the beginning of a new year.
Every beginning has an ending. Time gets by so quickly that sometimes we can hardly keep up with the memories we are collecting along the way.
Endings sometimes come all too quickly. So there’s something to be said for taking every moment as something to be embraced and savored for as long as it lasts.
The God we serve, though, is not limited by time. The moments we spend in the presence of God, then, hold the possibility of timelessness.

SATURDAY, August 10, 2013 "Joyful Expectancy"
Romans 8:22-25 (MSG)
All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it’s not only around us; it’s within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We’re also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.

I am reposting a Scribble for this passage
from last year.  I love 'pregnant with the Spirit'!!

     I expanded the scripture today to include 22 and 23 because Eugene Peterson's paraphrasing of this passage brings it to life in such a real way.  Pregnancy, new beginnings, and hope are all tied together in one package.  We are pregnant with the Holy Spirit - an unseen spirit, but very real nonetheless!         Our 'moment of conception' is our new beginning, the start of a new life!  We cannot always SEE how that life is maturing, but we can wait with hope and 'joyful expectancy'!  (I love that phrase - it abounds with purpose and direction!)  Pregnancy is nine months of expectant waiting.....our pregnancy might be longer or shorter!  Only God knows.  While we wait, may we grow in God, mature in our faith, and be prepared to burst forth with the Spirit in unimaginable ways!  




FRIDAY, August 9, 2013 "Burger God"
Revelation 1:8  GNT
“I am the first and the last,” says the Lord God Almighty, who is, who was, and who is to come.
     For some strange reason, maybe last night's Barley Brown's mushroom cheeseburger, I thought of a sandwich/burger as I considered this passage.  God, the ever present bun on top and bottom, the beginning and the end.  Life in the middle with all life's condiments of relationships, service, vocation, etc.  We LIVE God in the middle of the sandwich.  Does my sandwich have forgiveness?  A layer of tolerance and acceptance?  Do I live my sandwich every day, beginning and ending my day in prayer with God?  Is my bun a plain white roll with a narrow view of God, or 9 grain oat with sesame seeds and covered with flecks of onion .... tasting the many nuances and ways in which God comes to us?
     What's in your sandwich?  Do you eat every day?  

THURSDAY, August 8, 2013  "Let Go and Let God"
Isaiah 55:8-9 (GNT)
"My thoughts," says the Lord, "are not like yours,
And my ways are different from yours. 
As high as the heavens are above the earth, 
So high are my ways and thoughts above yours."
So often when I ask God for something,
I have just the right answer!
I know exactly how God should
   take care of the problem. 
I've thought it out carefully,
Considered all the 'angles',
And I'm confident of my plan.
But....my ways are not God's ways.
That quickly becomes clear.
God's designs are unfathomable
In my limited scheme of things. 
Reminder to self.... Pray,
Then, let go and let God go to work, 
Through us and in us. 
The results will shine with God's glory,
Soar above our imaginations,
Reflect a God of ultimate power and love,
And...keep us humble!


BENEDICTION.... d365.org (Rich Clark)
Go ahead and take that first step. 
Is it risky? Of course.
That’s faith for you.
But remember,
Your faith is in God Almighty,
And God will not be moved.
You’re going to be just fine.


WEDNESDAY, August 7, 2013 "Dig Deeper"
2 Timothy 1:7 (MSG)
God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.
Good gifts from God. 
To be shared, to be used. 
But we often doubt our abilities
To use the gifts. 
We compare ourselves with 
the gifts of others that seem so much greater. 
We forget the gifts are not ours alone,
But empowerment through God. 
The gifts come with God's presence,
God's spirit and power. 
We must dig deeper in the package God has offered,
Pull the power of God out too,
And be bold and confident.
With the Spirit to guide us,
Risk to share the gifts 
In new ways, new places, and with new people. 



TUESDAY, August 6, 2013  "One-Tenth"
Genesis 28:22 (CEB)
This stone that I have set up as a memorial pillar will mark this as a place where God lives. And everything you give me, I’ll return a tenth to you.”

     Jacob plays a little 'What-If' with God here (must be a common practice among us all!)  If you, God, provide, accompany, and protect, I will believe.  I will honor this a place of worship and return to you a tenth. 
     My question is, one-tenth of what?  We commonly figure a tithe is one-tenth of our material wealth.  Hmmm....before or after taxes?  One tenth of what's left at the end of the month or one-tenth of EVERYTHING at the beginning? (Yes!) 
     What about one-tenth of my time?  My talents?  To return to God the gifts of music, art, organization, or other skills that God has given me?  Or do we figure a little money in the offering plate is enough to maintain our 'what-if' contract with God?  Jacob says EVERYTHING you give me, I'll return a tenth.  This is far more than just cash!  
     How and where can we give a little more of our resources, of ourselves? 
     
MONDAY, August 5, 2013  "Holy Place"
Genesis 28:16-17 (CEB)
When Jacob woke from his sleep, he thought to himself, The Lord is definitely in this place, but I didn’t know it.  He was terrified and thought, This sacred place is awesome. It’s none other than God’s house and the entrance to heaven.

Take a few moments, Luke said, to find a holy place. 
Walk around, sit in the sunshine, 
Meditate.  Listen for the voice of God. 
We all spread out from the chapel
To spend some time alone.

I found my holy place
Along the edge of the patio. 
Beneath a towering tamarack tree. 

I leaned back and gazed upward. 
The air was still but the branches gently floated in the winds.  
Graceful and feathery, the needles of the larch. 
The longer I sat, silent and still, 
The stronger I felt God's presence, 
One with the tamarack tree. 
The strength and power of the trunk,
Tall and mighty. 
And then the waving branches,
Shifting by the winds of the Holy Spirit,
Changing direction through Spirit power. 
Butterflies, birds, dragonflies and bugs:
Darting in and out of lacy spaces,
Carrying tiny messages from God to the world,
Little angel carriers connecting the pieces of heaven. 
The sun lit up the branches until they glowed...
Lit from within by the sunlight,
By the Son Light? 
Am I lit from within as well by Son Light?
Father, Son, and Spirit -
A Holy Place. 
A Holy Tree.  

We don't need to be IN the church building
To find the places where God dwells. 
Our holy places are everywhere,
Just like God.  
(Based on Westminster Woods Worship on Sunday, August 4)

SUNDAY, August 4, 2013 
"Dreams and Promises"
Genesis 28:15 (GNT)
"Remember, I will be with you and protect you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done all that I have promised you.”
 

   God is making promises to Jacob.  Promises to be with him in a new life.  God makes those promises to us today as we transition from one stage of life to another....graduations, weddings, jobs, retirement, etc.  We are welcomed to new phases, encouraged, blessed, and ALWAYS assured of God's presence. 
     The past few days here at Westminster Woods have been a welcome for some, a return to a familiar place for others.  But it is also a welcome for Luke in his new role as the youth leader.  It marks another new beginning this summer for the church and the kids.  It has been a time to build community among the PYGs and also with the greater church family.  
      God will be with us in the months ahead, and that is something to look forward to!   
      My scribble today will be the composite I put together of our Westminster Woods experience for 2013.