"Therefore," Jesus said, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat..." I will admit that the thought of roasting a turkey intimidates me. It may stem from the memories that I have of my mother getting up in the middle of the night to prepare the stuffing and put the turkey in the oven, making sure that it would be perfectly done and on the table on time. I would go back to sleep in great anticipation of the delicious meal as the aroma of the freshly made dressing tickled my nose. Or maybe I'm insecure because I don't trust the little button that is supposed to pop up when the turkey is done. And what about the dressing? I don't want my guests to get food poisoning because I've improperly handled the stuff! And so, in the years that Larry and I have been married, we've dined on chili and crackers at our Thanksgiving table!
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat..." The harvest has been slow going for many who have been battling the rain and the inevitable mud. I don't see the grain wagons waddling down the street with the frequency that I usually do. But Jesus said, "Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about what you will eat..." I don't know about you, but I've learned something today: that God will provide in abundance. And so I think that I'm ready to prepare that turkey, a spiritual turkey, that is. I will get up in the middle of the night to prepare the stuffing, the aroma of grace tickling my nose. I'll make sure that the heavenly bird gets in the oven of mercy so that it is done on time and ready to put on the holy table in the kingdom of God. And about the handling of that stuff called sin, Jesus will make sure that we are not poisoned with worldly things. "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat..." for the abundant love of God is what will nourish our souls and sustain us for the journey called discipleship. "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring troubles of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today."
Scripture quotes from Matthew 6:25-34
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Let Freedom Ring!
It has taken me a long time to adapt to the fact that Sadie has turned into a real farm dog. She had been my constant companion for four years, a house dog who had never been out without a leash. But those days are history! She now has full run of the land, and believe me, I often find myself feeling way out of my comfort zone as she zips through the maze of the cornfields or makes her way down the gravel road to a deserted hog house, bringing home treats, of course!
One day as I was on my way to the church, I turned onto the highway only to see Sadie's head poking out of the ditch on the opposite side of the road. Now that's half a mile from home. She looked like she was ready for an ambush! Before I knew it, there she was, in the middle of the highway. She ran behind my car and headed up the road, the middle of the road, that is, confidently trotting straight down the yellow line. Needless to say, it scared me to death. When I honked the horn, she only ran faster. I wouldn't have been at all surprised to have seen her flattened on the highway as I made my way home that night. But instead, she came running up to greet me as I drove in. I learned an important lesson that day: Sadie knows where home is, no matter how far she strays, and she will come running as fast as she can when I call her! That makes my heart smile!
Freedom is something that we tend to take for granted, the kind of freedom that Sadie has to wander around at will, that is. But I'm not talking about that kind of freedom. I'm talking about the freedom from sin that gives us the freedom to fully love God. Jesus stepped out of his comfort zone to give us that freedom in his death and resurrection, keeping us from being flattened on the road of sin and enabling us to know the way home. And when we come running as fast as we can when Jesus calls us, we can be certain that it will make his heart smile, too!
One day as I was on my way to the church, I turned onto the highway only to see Sadie's head poking out of the ditch on the opposite side of the road. Now that's half a mile from home. She looked like she was ready for an ambush! Before I knew it, there she was, in the middle of the highway. She ran behind my car and headed up the road, the middle of the road, that is, confidently trotting straight down the yellow line. Needless to say, it scared me to death. When I honked the horn, she only ran faster. I wouldn't have been at all surprised to have seen her flattened on the highway as I made my way home that night. But instead, she came running up to greet me as I drove in. I learned an important lesson that day: Sadie knows where home is, no matter how far she strays, and she will come running as fast as she can when I call her! That makes my heart smile!
Freedom is something that we tend to take for granted, the kind of freedom that Sadie has to wander around at will, that is. But I'm not talking about that kind of freedom. I'm talking about the freedom from sin that gives us the freedom to fully love God. Jesus stepped out of his comfort zone to give us that freedom in his death and resurrection, keeping us from being flattened on the road of sin and enabling us to know the way home. And when we come running as fast as we can when Jesus calls us, we can be certain that it will make his heart smile, too!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Winsor
"Suffering produces endurance." I met Winsor several years ago. I was summoned to his bedside in the hospital; his son and daughter-in-law didn't think he'd make it that time. After I prayed with him, his response was that had nobody had ever prayed over him. But next thing that came out of his mouth was this: "If I get through this surgery, I'll be in church on Sunday." Well, he did, he was, and he never left. Third pew from the back on the south side of the sanctuary, aisle seat, was where he and his wife Joan hung out to worship. I had the honor of baptizing Winsor, age 74, this past Mother's Day along with his wife Joan and son Sam. I used plenty of water--I wanted to make sure that Winsor never forgot it! "Winsor, child of God," I said as I made the sign of the cross on his forehead. "Suffering produces endurance."
"Endurance produces character. Winsor was a fighter. After his last surgery, he wound up in the ICU. He was there for a week or so; each time I went to see him I thought it was the last. But one day, I stopped at the information desk only to be told that he had been transferred out of the ICU to the orthopedic wing. When I walked into his room, he was sitting up eating chocolate ice cream with a smirk on his face. "Endurance produces character."
Winsor liked to tease me. As he was leaving church one Sunday, he towered over me and looked down at the top of my head. "Pastor Nancy, you'se gettin awful gray!" he exclaimed! But I was particularly touched the time after my foot surgery that he limped forward to where I was sitting to greet me during the worship surface, even after the congregation was seated and the music had begun. He ordinarily didn't leave us pew--indeed, I was touched. Winsor took his church membership seriously, attending all the church events, even the women's Sewing Bee. But most of all, Winsor's pew never got cold even though it was a twenty mile drive for him to get to church!
"Character produces hope." The last time I saw Winsor, I walked over to his bed and invited him to hold my hand. He struggled to pull it out from under the covers and then he squeezed it as hard as he could. When he couldn't squeeze anymore, I put my hand on his head and blessed him. He heard me say "amen," and responded softly "amen." Winsor died peacefully the next day surrounded by his family. It happened to be All Saints' Day. "Character produces hope."
"Hope does not disappoint us." And so we can live with the assurance that death cannot take us from life with God. For that's what eternal life is all about. And it starts here and now with the promise of the resurrection. "Hope does not disappoint us."
It's hard for me to say goodbye to Winsor. He touched my heart in a very special way, but now it is time to commend Winsor to God's grace-filled care, in the faith of Christ our Lord who died and rose again to save us, and who now lives and reigns with us and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
(Scripture quotations from Romans 5:3-5)
"Endurance produces character. Winsor was a fighter. After his last surgery, he wound up in the ICU. He was there for a week or so; each time I went to see him I thought it was the last. But one day, I stopped at the information desk only to be told that he had been transferred out of the ICU to the orthopedic wing. When I walked into his room, he was sitting up eating chocolate ice cream with a smirk on his face. "Endurance produces character."
Winsor liked to tease me. As he was leaving church one Sunday, he towered over me and looked down at the top of my head. "Pastor Nancy, you'se gettin awful gray!" he exclaimed! But I was particularly touched the time after my foot surgery that he limped forward to where I was sitting to greet me during the worship surface, even after the congregation was seated and the music had begun. He ordinarily didn't leave us pew--indeed, I was touched. Winsor took his church membership seriously, attending all the church events, even the women's Sewing Bee. But most of all, Winsor's pew never got cold even though it was a twenty mile drive for him to get to church!
"Character produces hope." The last time I saw Winsor, I walked over to his bed and invited him to hold my hand. He struggled to pull it out from under the covers and then he squeezed it as hard as he could. When he couldn't squeeze anymore, I put my hand on his head and blessed him. He heard me say "amen," and responded softly "amen." Winsor died peacefully the next day surrounded by his family. It happened to be All Saints' Day. "Character produces hope."
"Hope does not disappoint us." And so we can live with the assurance that death cannot take us from life with God. For that's what eternal life is all about. And it starts here and now with the promise of the resurrection. "Hope does not disappoint us."
It's hard for me to say goodbye to Winsor. He touched my heart in a very special way, but now it is time to commend Winsor to God's grace-filled care, in the faith of Christ our Lord who died and rose again to save us, and who now lives and reigns with us and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
(Scripture quotations from Romans 5:3-5)
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