LIFE INSPITE OF..

INVOCATION....  d365.org (Chris Cherry)
Life is full of disappointments. There's enough sadness around for everyone to know the hardest times that humans can experience.

The way of faith doesn't deny suffering and struggle, it simply recognizes that difficult experiences are not the end of the story.

No, God's way of "doing business" is to redeem every situation, to lift us up, to teach us, to help us grow. No matter your circumstances today, these gifts are available to you now.

SATURDAY, June 15  "Righteous-Living"
Psalm 146: 7c-10  (The Message)

God frees prisoners—
    he gives sight to the blind,
    he lifts up the fallen.
God loves good people, protects strangers,
    takes the side of orphans and widows,
    but makes short work of the wicked.

 God’s in charge—always.
    Zion’s God is God for good!
    Hallelujah!

Prisoners. Convicts and druggies.
Disabled. Blind.  Deformed.
Fallen.  Abused.  Neglected.
Homeless.  Unemployed.
Foreigner.  Stranger.  Bullied.
Widow.  Orphan.  Lonely. 
Poor.   Destitute.
Hard lives, Pain-filled lives.  
Are these the righteous?  The 'good' people?
Could be.  Could be you and me. 
Could be the family next door. 
God doesn't guarantee trouble-free. 
God assures his presence.
And that makes all the difference.
God brings us to LIFE
In spite of death.
In spite of hardship and pain.
In spite of suffering and loss. 
Righteous-living isn't easy
Without God. 
Hallelujah for God's presence!  


BENEDICTION     d365.org (Chris Cherry)
Resurrection is an every day kind of thing.
We celebrate it at Easter, each Sunday,
And, in fact, all the days in between.

Place no limitations on God's determination
To redeem your life regardless, of circumstance.
Live into the kind of faith that anticipates redemption.

FRIDAY, June 14  "Happiness Is..."
Psalm 146:5 (Common English Bible)
The person whose help is the God of Jacob—
    the person whose hope rests on the Lord their God—
    is truly happy!
     What makes one happy?  The response might include such things as winning the lottery or success on the golf course or tennis court.  Perhaps it is a campfire and s'mores with friends and family.  Dining pleasures, new gizmos and gadgets.  Perhaps a big promotion.  Linus of Peanuts would say a warm blankie. The list can go on and on.  In fact, I have a small book that lists 14,000 Reasons to Smile!  And in some ways, it is a good list to compile if you think of it in terms of blessings. 
     But Psalm 146 reminds us that the list is VERY short: God.  Happiness is the presence of God in our lives.  Nothing else can compare.  Nothing else is worthy of our total trust.  Hope and happiness comes from the Lord.  Happiness that will make the pain and trials of life endurable. You can bank on it.  

THURSDAY, June 13 "God-Foundation"
Psalm 146:1-4 (The Message)

 Hallelujah!
    O my soul, praise God!
All my life long I’ll praise God,
    singing songs to my God as long as I live. 

Don’t put your life in the hands of experts
    who know nothing of life, of salvation life.   
Mere humans don’t have what it takes;
    when they die, their projects die with them.

      'Don't put your life in the hands of experts' paraphrases Peterson in the Message.  He could go on to say 'don't put your trust in material wealth, celebrities, athletes,  or cultural mores' as well.  Things of this world are subject to human corruption, to the distorted way we build relationships and tear one another down.  Reliable and complete trust belongs with God and God alone.  If God is at the basis, the foundation, of every human relationship then the result is something we can bank our lives on!  And THAT is worthy of our ultimate praise, every day and in every way possible! 
      Go out with a joyful and grateful heart today seeking the places where a God-foundation results in a strong and healthy relationship of trust.  

(On the road today, so I shall post an old scribble for Psalm 146.  It doesn't quite emphasize the point of THIS devotion, but.....rejoice anyway!) 

WEDNESDAY, June 12  "God-Work"
Luke 7:16-17 (The Message)
They all realized they were in a place of holy mystery, that God was at work among them. They were quietly worshipful—and then noisily grateful, calling out among themselves, “God is back, looking to the needs of his people!” The news of Jesus spread all through the country.
God, you are daily at work in our world.
We dwell in the midst of holy mystery,
And so often fail to acknowledge the source. 
We credit luck or coincidence,
Good fortune or 'living right' 
When miracles large and small of 
God-at-work surround us.  
May we have eyes to notice,
Voices to joyfully praise,
Hands to participate,
And hearts to love as we
Become a part of your God-Work. 
You are here, God, among us,
Looking to our needs with compassion and love. 
May we do the same for each other
And thereby proclaim your presence to all.  




TUESDAY, June 11  "Tears to Hope"  
Luke 7:12-15 (The Message)
As they [Jesus and his disciples] approached the village gate, they met a funeral procession—a woman’s only son was being carried out for burial. And the mother was a widow. When Jesus saw her, his heart broke. He said to her, “Don’t cry.” Then he went over and touched the coffin. The pallbearers stopped. He said, “Young man, I tell you: Get up.” The dead son sat up and began talking. Jesus presented him to his mother.

Jesus transforms death to life, 
Despair to hope. 
The emotions are real; the suffering genuine.
But a touch, a word, a moment with the Lord
Can change everything. 
 Don't cry.  Rise up.  
Simple words.  Plain action.
The hardships might remain,
But we are equipped with a change of attitude,
A different perspective on life,
A vision of life inspite of tragedy.
Our tears give way to hope 
When we allow Christ to reach out
And touch us in love. 
We give that same hope to others
When we act in the Lord's name
And do the reaching.
Who among us needs transformation?
Who among us cries out for their
Tears to be washed away 
By the waters of Hope

MONDAY, June 10 "Last Dollar"
1 Kings 17:12-13 (Good News Translation)

She answered, “By the living Lord your God I swear that I don't have any bread. All I have is a handful of flour in a bowl and a bit of olive oil in a jar. I came here to gather some firewood to take back home and prepare what little I have for my son and me. That will be our last meal, and then we will starve to death.”

 “Don't worry,” Elijah said to her. “Go on and prepare your meal. But first make a small loaf from what you have and bring it to me, and then prepare the rest for you and your son.

     There is a drought.  People are starving.  God has fed Elijah by ravens.  Yet now God sends the prophet to a widow in Zarephath who is on the brink of starvation along with her son!  Elijah has the gall to ask her to give him her last loaf of bread!  Would we put our last dollar in the Salvation Army bucket while the pain of hunger gnaws in our belly?  That's what God, through Elijah, is asking of this widow.  He is asking for her obedience when it also means death for her son.  This is a woman who is not a Jew, she doesn't even believe in the one God!!! 
     Yet, she obeys.  She shares what little she has, feeding Elijah first.  Not out of faith in an unknown God, but because custom demands hospitality to the stranger.  How does the story end?   God blesses her daily with enough flour and oil to make the day's bread.  Blesses her with enough to live until the drought ends.  
     When we give when it hurts, that's when God responds to bring life....inspite of our pain. When the request seems so ludicrous, perhaps THEN is when God is at work and we need to obey! 

(This was not the d365.org scripture for today, but when I opened my Walk Through the Bible devotional book, the 1 Kings 17 passage was the text for June 10.  Not a coincidence I decided.... perhaps one more message from this text!) 

SUNDAY, June 9  "Wild Abandon"
Psalm 30: 4-5, 11-12  (The Message)
All you saints! Sing your hearts out to God!
    Thank him to his face!
He gets angry once in a while, but across
    a lifetime there is only love.
The nights of crying your eyes out
    give way to days of laughter.
You did it: you changed wild lament
    into whirling dance;
You ripped off my black mourning band
    and decked me with wildflowers.
I’m about to burst with song;
    I can’t keep quiet about you.
God, my God,
    I can’t thank you enough.

Disappointment and despair,
Struggle and suffering,
Poverty and pain,
Hurt and humiliation.
All are part of our mortal life.
Low points when we question
   from the depths of our soul.
But you, O God, are our redeemer.
You can take EVERY situation,
And transform it to blessing, 
In some way, in some manner.
May we seek the laughter in your love
And find the opportunity for faith  
That lies hidden in the somber cloth of death. 
In the black of our nights,
Bring us to the joy of the morning,
And the chance to celebrate your love
With wild abandon. 

SERMON NOTES  1 Kings 17:8-16  Rev. Katy  

• Katy retells the story from the perspective of the unnamed orphan boy. 
• The truth of the Lord brings life to the dead, food to the poor, and joy to the grieving. 

This scripture was the basis for a devotional message last fall under the theme of God's abundance.  I would like to include today the scribble and poem from that post.  

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. 

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.