Sunday, April 12, 2020 – Easter Sunday

Christ the Lord Is Risen Today – UMH 302
(audio version)
Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!


Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!


Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where's thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!


Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!


Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia!


King of glory, soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing, and thus to love, Alleluia!


Charles Wesley

Saturday, April 11, 2020

Psalm 110 English Standard Version (ESV)
(audio version)
Sit at My Right Hand
A Psalm of David.

The Lord says to my Lord:
    “Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”

The Lord sends forth from Zion
    your mighty scepter.
    Rule in the midst of your enemies!
Your people will offer themselves freely
    on the day of your power,
    in holy garments;
from the womb of the morning,
    the dew of your youth will be yours.
The Lord has sworn
    and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever
    after the order of Melchizedek.”

The Lord is at your right hand;
    he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.
He will execute judgment among the nations,
    filling them with corpses;
he will shatter chiefs
    over the wide earth.
He will drink from the brook by the way;
    therefore he will lift up his head.

Friday, April 10, 2020 – Good Friday

In the Garden, in the World
(audio version)
Read: John 20:1-18

Walking slowly in the dawning
    burdened with grief
    burdened with oil and spices
    burdened with a task – an act of Love

To the tomb they come wondering
    how could He be dead?
    how can we bear it?
    how can we roll away that stone?

Shocked to stillness, to standing
    the guards are gone
    the tomb is opened
    the angel tells them that He is risen

Running to the disciples, then with two returning
    the men look in
    see He is not there
    return pondering, confused

Left behind in the Garden, wondering
    where can I find Him?
    where have they taken Him?
    where have you taken Him?

Asking the Gardener, weeping
    hears Him call her name
    sees Him welcome her
    worships Him, falling at His feet

Listening to His Word, worshiping
    “don’t fear, trust Me
    “don’t hold Me, proclaim Me,
    “tell them to come to Me.”

I see the scene unfold, marveling
    The Tomb is empty!
    The Tomb is empty!
    The Tomb is empty! Hallelujah!

Mary met Him in the Garden
    where will I meet Him? Here?
Mary worshiped Him as soon as she knew Him
    when will I worship Him? Now?
Mary knew Him as her Lord, her all
    what is He to me? Savior?
Mary ran to tell her friends to meet Him
    whom will I tell? Anyone? Everyone?
Mary spent her life serving Him who saved her
    why don’t I? how can I not?


Charlie van Becelaere

Thursday, April 9, 2020 – Maundy Thursday

Exquisite Fragrance
(audio version)
In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse. – 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (The Message Translation)


My mom made homemade bread every Friday. When I close my eyes, I can still smell that scrumptious hot bread as I walked into the kitchen after school on Fridays. The smell of hot bread reminds me of the love and laughter we shared around the table; hot bread, butter and the events of the day were a sweet scent rising to God.

Smell is a powerful sense. I imagine you too have smells that stir up pleasant memories. Perhaps, if you close your eyes, you will smell a new box of crayons, a certain perfume, a favorite dish, pipe tobacco, a certain place, wood shavings, or some other memory filled with an exquisite fragrance.

In Corinthians, Paul says we give off a sweet scent. We, who follow Jesus, are known by the scent of love that wafts from us as we share the love of Christ through our words and actions.

Lent is a time of self-examination and I think it is a good time to ask, how am I doing? Am I leaving the sweet scent of Christ’s love everywhere I go? If not, do I need to spend a little more time with Jesus and let the fragrance of His love infuse me so I can be an exquisite fragrance and a sweet smell to all I meet?

Prayer: Dear Jesus, may my words and actions leave the lingering exquisite fragrance of Your love with everyone I meet. AMEN.


Pam Wells (College Grove UMC)

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Brilliance
(audio version)
Read: 1 Samuel 16:7

Ever notice how some flashes of brilliance seem to be "brilliant" only to you? Back a few years ago in a Lenten Devotion I described my mother's penchant for seeing the negative. I summarized that attitude as "every silver lining has a dark cloud!" That to me was surely something that would bring many comments. Strangely, at least to me, I heard not one. So much for brilliant remarks.

The lack of response in no way made me less willing to offer more Lenten Devotions. Because we don't hear a response to a "devotional" doesn't mean it hasn't helped someone(s). I take great joy in reading and taking to heart many of the devotionals our church family has shared even though I don't respond.

Jack van Becelaere

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

We Worship in this Beautiful Place
(audio version)
Read: 1 Corinthians 13:11-13

Okay, it's two days before the deadline and I haven't managed to write a Lenten devotion.  I'm at retreat with no readily available reference books, a sometimes sketchy internet connection, lots of people who are busy relaxing, and I've got no idea what to say.

As circumstances would have it, we have no ordained clergy with us this year so we have to design a meaningful worship service for tomorrow morning. I'm not naming names but I was sort of absorbed into a group of about six people who were working on the service.

"Faith, hope, and charity" is the theme. We've got a song:"The Bible Tells Me So."  That part is done.  Now we need a couple of hymns and a couple of scripture references. None of us is a scholar of biblical proportions (or scripture).  Sketchy Internet. How do we get this done?

As I write this, seven hours later, I don't remember exactly what we came up with.  I'll find out tomorrow morning.  What I do remember is that ideas started flowing, all tied to faith, hope, and charity.

Do I think that God, at that moment, directed our thoughts? Not necessarily, but I do think that our own faith journeys, the hope to do something meaningful, and our relationships with God led us in the right direction.

How'd the service go?  Was it meaningful?  You'll have to ask somebody who was there because it hasn't happened yet. 

Did we feel God's presence as we discussed possibilities?  That one I can answer: Yes.  God was with us in this beautiful place.

Fred Van de Putte

Monday, April 6, 2020

Continuing to Grow
(audio version)
Psalm 56:3-4 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
3 when I am afraid,
    I put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
    in God I trust; I am not afraid;
    what can flesh do to me?


When I was in MYF about a hundred years ago, one of the activities at a church overnight was to create a banner with our personal motto or mission statement. Our youth minister was especially good at encouraging conversation without preaching to us. His message to us throughout the year was really pretty simple and clear: You’re about to leave for college and start to design your own life. What is going to guide your life? What will be your lodestar?

On this night, he had all sorts of books, Bibles, hymns, and popular music for us to explore and piles of fabric, paints, glues, and poster boards. We spent hours reading and talking about what we were finding. We were soooooo deep and philosophical! After a couple of hours of this, the young minister shooed us off to think and work by ourselves and create our personal banners.

I settled on Robert Browning’s quote: A man’s reach should exceed his grasp (edited, of course, to become “a woman’s reach should exceed her grasp” because I was, after all, a budding feminist!).

My banner was on rough burlap with colorful triangles of orange and red felt and a long, jagged yellow lightning strike. I’m sure there was some meaning in there, although I no longer remember what that might have been. But the words have stuck with me and, in fact, have been a steady reminder over the years of how I want to approach every day.

I live a pretty comfortable life. I’ve stretched a lot in my lifetime, but I can’t say that I’ve stretched as far as I should have. I’m sure that the girl who first landed on those words had bigger dreams than I have fulfilled. In fact, I know she did.

Falling back into the comfortable is awfully easy to do. Reaching out to do something that’s uncertain and unfamiliar is hard and scary. Even at my age, I want to grow and that means that I must be willing to continue to reach out because growth only happens when we reach beyond our comfort zones.

Prayer: Help me not to fear the unknown but to step ahead knowing that you will comfort and support me in all ways. When I stumble, you will reach out to lift me; when I fall, you will pick me up. In all things, you will be my strength and shield.

Joan Richardson

Sunday, April 5, 2020 – Palm Sunday

Tell Me the Stories of Jesus – UMH 277
(audio version)
Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear;
things I would ask him to tell me if he were here:
scenes by the wayside, tales of the sea,
stories of Jesus, tell them to me.


First let me hear how the children stood round his knee,
and I shall fancy his blessing resting on me;
words full of kindness, deeds full of grace,
all in the lovelight of Jesus' face.


Into the city I'd follow the children's band,
waving a branch of the palm tree high in my hand;
one of his heralds, yes, I would sing
loudest hosannas, "Jesus is King!"


William H. Parker

Saturday, April 4, 2020

Psalm 45:1-9, 15-17 English Standard Version (ESV)
(audio version)
Your Throne, O God, Is Forever
To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah; a love song.

My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;
    I address my verses to the king;
    my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.

You are the most handsome of the sons of men;
    grace is poured upon your lips;
    therefore God has blessed you forever.
Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
    in your splendor and majesty!

In your majesty ride out victoriously
    for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;
    let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!
Your arrows are sharp
    in the heart of the king's enemies;
    the peoples fall under you.

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
    The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
    you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
    with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
    your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;
    daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;
    at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

In place of your fathers shall be your sons;
    you will make them princes in all the earth.
I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations;
    therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.

Friday, April 3, 2020

He is Lord

Read: Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Romans 10:9-10, Philippians 2:8-11, Revelation 19:16

On the Baptism of the Lord Sunday this year (2020) Heidi was singing Hymn 177 “He is Lord” which goes “He is Lord, he is Lord! He is risen from the dead and he is Lord! Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Such a simple and profound hymn. A hymn which states our belief as Christians “Jesus is Lord!” “Lord of Earth and of Heaven.” We state as a matter of fact “Jesus is Lord!” In the Apostles’ Creed we say “I believe … in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord” and in the Nicene Creed “We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ.” Jesus is Lord! Simple, yet profound! Lord and God we find in the Shema of ancient Israel (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). Early Christians read the Shema and saw Jesus and the Father as one in substance and yet each with their own distinctiveness. In 1 Corinthians 8:6-7 we read, “yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” Christians always and everywhere have believed “Jesus is Lord!”

When we put our trust in Jesus’ Lordship in our lives we confess with our lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved (Romans 10:9-10). When I heard Heidi singing He is Lord my spirit was saying “yes! Jesus you are Lord! You are my Lord! Help me to follow you” because I want steadfast and faithful love for God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit with all that I am, all of my heart, soul, strength, and mind. This confession is the foundation of our faith. It is believed Philippians 2:6-11 is one of the first hymns of Christianity. This confession becomes profound when in Philippians 2:11 we see “Jesus Christ is Lord.” Saying this confession in a colony of Roman allegiance would have been a political statement. If Jesus is Lord, then Caesar cannot be lord. We cannot worship both Jesus and Caesar, who will our commitment as Christians bow our knee to? Will we allow Jesus as Lord to be the root and foundation of our belief?

It is my prayer this Lenten time of a called fast, that in this time we might draw closer to the Holy Trinity. May we know Jesus so well as to say “my Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). May it not stop with just a confession, but with a change in our spirit with how we live and have deeper intimacy with this God whom we also call our Lord. I plan on growing this Lenten season to know more about this God whom we all will one day confess is Lord. I hope you will too.

Prayer: My Lord and my God, I pray to know you better as both Lord and God. Help me to follow you as Lord even when I would rather follow the world and Caesar. During this time of fasting, help me to hold to my commitment to your Lordship. May your Holy Spirit empower me to live a changed and holy life. Amen.

Rev. Keith Lenard, Jr.

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Living in the Present

Read: Matthew 6:25-34

Sometimes I wish I was more like my dog, Jax. The main reason being that Jax lives in the present. He doesn't let circumstances from the past bother him. Jax doesn't hold a grudge – if he gets scolded for something (sometimes not even his fault), shortly after he's back at my side for a much enjoyed walk or just a loving touch.

How wonderful it would be if we all could practice such forgiveness. The past should not define our current life – it's not productive to play “what if” all the time. He also doesn't worry about the future. He's content to nap in the sunbeam on the living room floor or guard “his sidewalk” from those who dare to walk down it. A dear friend once called me the “Queen of Anticipation.” She was absolutely right – I have wasted a lot of time imagining worst case scenarios when faced with even a small crisis. Most of the time, a simple solution will present itself.

Jesus reminds us in this passage that ultimately we are in God's hands and need to place our trust in Him, which will ultimately make our lives much more fulfilling. So I'm going to work on trying to be more like Jax. Who couldn't use a nice nap in a sunbeam?

Prayer focus: all who worry too much

Sue DeWitt

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

God Is in Control
(audio version)
Read: Isaiah 55:8-11

We need to hear that God is still in control.
We need to hear that it’s not over until He says so.
We need to hear that life’s mishaps and tragedies are not a reason to bail out; they are simply a reason to sit tight.

Father, when we hurt, you hurt with us.
When no one listens to us, you listen.
You wipe away our tears of frustration with your strong hand, and nothing that happens to us surprises you.

Prayer: Remind us, Father, that the most important thing we can do on this Earth is to reach out and help those who have not yet found the key to that life that is to come – eternal life with you.

Glenn DeLodder

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Image is Everything
(audio version)
Read: 1 Corinthians 15:41-49

As the leaves begin to emerge, I think that God doesn't have to direct each tree about putting out leaves, or to look like previous elms, maples, oaks, etc. They all become the image of previous elms, maples, oaks, etc.

The same is true for birds. Cardinals grow to the image of cardinals, orioles the image of orioles and so forth. Not so with dogs! A single litter of labs can have yellow, chocolate, and black pups. It seems people have variety as well.

People are made in the image of God so what is God's image? Shaq is a little over seven feet tall and my wife Shirley was a little over five feet tall, and people come in a variety of colors in addition to overall shape.

I like to say "Image is everything." Maybe we can all be in God's image because God is everything!

Jack van Becelaere

Angels and Saints

Read: Hebrews 13:1, 16, 20-21

Did you ever notice in a mirror – Left is Right and Right is Left – but Up is always Up and Down is always Down? It's a bit like – Heaven is always up, Hell is always down, and in between is here on Earth, where things are often mixed up. We have free will and we also know "Thy will be done." One of the things that has us mixed up is that there is evil in the world and, it follows, evildoers. There also are "saints" and "angels" which come in many forms and, of course, without wings.

Being "wingless" means we tell who are the "good guys" by actions and words. I am thankful I live among angels and saints. While I haven't met them all, I have had contact with some.

Jack van Becelaere

Monday, March 30, 2020

The Angels Among Us
(audio version)
Romans 10: 9: “…because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

2010 began with such hope and promise for me and my husband Kelly. Kelly, who had suffered for years from Type 1 diabetes, had undergone a successful kidney transplant and was off dialysis, and after being confined to bed for nearly two years with a horribly broken foot made worse by an unsuccessful surgery, was up and walking again with a brace. He had avoided the ordeal of amputation, and the doctors were astonished by his “miracle foot,” a term they used when describing the healing. Needless to say, we were thrilled, and both privately and publicly attributed Kelly’s progress to God’s mercies. The day-to-day burdens of working a high stress job requiring many hours, caring for the home, and caring for my chronically ill husband were being lifted, and I also began to recover from the deep fatigue that seemed to surround me like a fog. Kelly and I truly believed we had turned a significant corner, and joyfully celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary. We began to nurse the hope of a normal lifespan for Kelly, and with it, a more normal life for us as a married couple. Kelly, with his typical generosity, insisted that we mark the occasion with the purchase of a beautiful antique diamond watch that he knew I admired as an anniversary present for me. The back of the watch read: “Carlo, Christmas 1936.” I often wondered about Carlo, whether he was still alive, whether the recipient of his gift was still alive. I prayed for them and hoped that no dire financial need was the cause of this watch being part of an estate sale, and, ultimately, my good fortune.

We decided to continue our celebration of Kelly’s healing by taking a vacation over the Christmas holidays in Florida. It was our first vacation in five years, and I was so happy to see Kelly enjoying himself at last: bubbling over with praise for a beautiful sunrise we saw from the plane, practicing walking on the handicap ramp to the beach, taking in the gorgeous ocean views, sounds, and smells. We enjoyed a delicious Christmas dinner and unwrapping gifts with my Mother and a friend from my old social work days who had moved to the area. Over the next few days, the weather was beautiful, and we had so many plans for additional fun that we decided to extend our vacation. I phoned my boss and was given permission to do so.

On that same night, Kelly and I were watching TV while lying in bed, and suddenly he sat straight up and said he felt “funny.” Within seconds he had a fixed stare and couldn’t speak. He was rushed to the local hospital where the doctors told me he had suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke and serious brain damage. I was told that the loving, brilliant Kelly I knew was gone and that on the very slim chance he would regain consciousness, he would be extremely disabled with minimal brain function; he was in a vegetative state.

Over the next few days, the hospital staff began to discuss with me the option of removing life support as there were no signs of any meaningful brain activity. Time seemed to telescope. I was horrified and confused, but with the help of family and a wonderful local Methodist minister, made the decision to let him go. I know that is what he would have wanted.

Completely devastated, I reached out to several dear friends and family members for comfort. My wonderful friend from my MSU college days, Steve, gave me the best advice. Knowing how much I love nature, he suggested I get up the next morning and hike my (and Kelly’s) favorite beach at sunrise. Little did I know what awaited me there.

While walking the next morning up the beach towards Bathtub Reef, I cried and prayed to God that He send me a sign that Kelly was with Him and all right. The sun pierced cloud groupings in bright shafts, and fishermen were intermittently scattered on the beach. Suddenly, one of the fishermen near me caught a beautiful pompano and I approached him to admire his catch (I love the sport of fishing). He willingly showed me his fish and then startled me by removing his baseball cap to show me a long, jagged scar and announce, “And I give glory to Jesus that I am here fishing!” He proceeded to tell me about a terrible accident that he had been in and how the Lord, against all medical odds, had healed him. It dawned on me that maybe I was supposed to be meeting this man today, and I told him so. I also told him what had just happened with Kelly. Looking me straight in the eye, he surprised me by whipping a Bible out of the rear pocket in his jeans and having me read aloud Romans 10:9 (see above) and affirm, as my belief, that Christ is Lord and that He arose. Still looking straight at me, he said: “You will see your husband again.” I decided I had interrupted his fishing long enough but thought to ask his name before I left. He replied, “Carlos.” I didn’t see the man on my return hike down the beach and never saw him again over the years on recurrent hikes on that same beach.

Who was this man? Upon recounting this story to various Christian friends, it was suggested that he was an angel, sent as an answer to my prayer for assurance that Kelly was with God, and that I would see him again. As further proof that this was so, the man’s name was Carlos, one letter off from the name on my treasured watch commemorating my last anniversary as Kelly’s wife. That’s close enough for me. Whether or not Carlos was really an angelic being, he certainly was an angel that day reminding me of God’s ultimate plan for us and his goodness.

Prayer focus: Those who have lost a spouse recently.

Joyce Reynolds

Sunday, March 29, 2020

The Strife is O'er, the Battle Done – UMH 306
(audio version)
The strife is o'er, the battle done;
the victory of life is won;
the song of triumph has begun:
Alleluia!


The powers of death have done their worst,
but Christ their legions hath dispersed;
let shouts of holy joy outburst:
Alleluia!


The three sad days are quickly sped;
he rises glorious from the dead;
all glory to our risen Head!
Alleluia!


Lord, by the stripes which wounded thee,
from death's dread sting thy servants free,
that we may live, and sing to thee:
Alleluia!


Anonymous Latin, trans. by Francis Pott

Saturday, March 28, 2020

Psalm 41 English Standard Version (ESV)
O Lord, Be Gracious to Me
(audio version)
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

Blessed is the one who considers the poor!
    In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him;
the Lord protects him and keeps him alive;
    he is called blessed in the land;
    you do not give him up to the will of his enemies.
The Lord sustains him on his sickbed;
    in his illness you restore him to full health.

As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me;
    heal me, for I have sinned against you!”
My enemies say of me in malice,
    “When will he die, and his name perish?”
And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words,
    while his heart gathers iniquity;
    when he goes out, he tells it abroad.
All who hate me whisper together about me;
    they imagine the worst for me.

They say, “A deadly thing is poured out on him;
    he will not rise again from where he lies.”
Even my close friend in whom I trusted,
    who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
But you, O Lord, be gracious to me,
    and raise me up, that I may repay them!

By this I know that you delight in me:
    my enemy will not shout in triumph over me.
But you have upheld me because of my integrity,
    and set me in your presence forever.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting!
Amen and Amen.

Friday, March 27, 2020

“How was your day?”
(audio version)
Matthew 6:25 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Tall, lean, and clean-shaven, Richard was always one of the first Shelter Week guests to arrive for breakfast in Fellowship Hall.

On the first morning of Shelter Week, I approached him as he poured himself a cup of coffee. “I heard some of the ladies were a bit chilly last night. Were you warm enough? Did you sleep OK?” I asked him.

“I slept like a baby,” he said, drawing out his words slowly.

“Now, would that be a baby who woke up and cried all night long or a baby who slept through the night?” I asked him.

He paused just long enough to take my measure. “Oh, that’s a good one,” he laughed back at me. “I slept like a quiet, happy baby.”

Every morning after that, we had the same routine. “How did you sleep last night?” I would ask. “Like a happy baby,” he would say, a big smile lighting his face.

Most days, I also saw him at dinner, and we’d chat about the weather, about the food, about how he’d spent his day. He told me he’d made a lot of mistakes in his life, but that he was right with the Lord now, and things were looking up. His 90 days with the rotating shelter would expire on the day he left our church, and he didn’t yet know where he’d be sleeping after that. But he was optimistic that things would turn out OK for him.

On Thursday night, as I was tidying up the activity area in Fellowship Hall, he spotted me and walked over to say hello. “I was just wondering,” he said. “How was your day today? It looks like you’re doing a lot of work here. You’re here in the morning; you’re here at night. You must be getting pretty tired by now.”

Here was a man with no steady income, no home, no idea where he’d be sleeping in the next week, asking politely about my day and wondering if I was tired. I am rarely without words, but I could only stammer out a reply to Richard.

There were lessons aplenty in Shelter Week, but the greatest was surely about the grace, dignity, humor, and kindness of so many of the guests we served. What lingers after Shelter Week is admiration for the resilience of the human spirit. How do men and women who have seemingly lost everything continue to rise up every  morning and go forward? How do they manage to believe that God loves them when they struggle so much in this life? How does someone who has so little manage to care at all about me and whether I’m the one who’s tired and has had a good day? I can only hope that I have half the strength and belief of Richard and the others guests I served during Shelter Week.

Prayer: Lord, help me to stop worrying about what tomorrow will bring and to trust that you will care for me in all ways. Help me to trust that your plan for me is enough.

Joan Richardson

Thursday, March 26, 2020

God Be in My Head
(audio version)

“God be in my head, and in my understanding;
God be in mine eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my thinking;
God be at mine end, and at my departing.”

This most remarkable text is taken from the “Book of Hours,” a Christian devotional book popular in the Middle Ages. These words can have profound significance for anyone committed to living a spirit-centered life. In John 4 we read: “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” That God is spirit is not always easy for human understanding, living as we do in a physical world defined by limitations of space and time. God as spirit also stands in contrast to the sometimes anthropomorphic image of God, with consequent attribution of human qualities such as jealousy, taking offense, anger, a punishing intent. In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians we find this deeply expressive prayer: “For this reason, then, I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in Heaven and on Earth is named, and pray in proportion to the wealth of his glory, he will strengthen you with his power by breathing his Spirit into your most inner self, so that Christ, through your faith, may make his home within your hearts in Love.” And in Acts 17 we read: “The Lord of Heaven and Earth does not live in shrines made by hands …. Indeed, he is not far from each one of us, for in him we live and move and exist.” Creator and created are forever joined, and appreciating this is a great gift.

GOD BE IN MY HEAD, AND IN MY UNDERSTANDING

This sentence is a prayer that invites God to take central place in our minds, and bring about spiritual discernment which corrects our misperceptions. As we come to a true understanding of our relationship with our Creator, our relationships with each other will change as well. God is never absent from his creations – an encouraging and comforting thought indeed!

GOD BE IN MINE EYES, AND IN MY LOOKING

If this be our prayer, it follows that we cannot see apart from God. His vision is one of perfect holiness and oneness. But humanity has chosen to see apart from God, giving rise to a world of separation and seemingly unending competing interests and, therefore, conflict. Spiritual vision (or “the eyes of Christ”) will reveal God’s purpose in all things we look upon. Without it, we will not know the true purpose of anything. Vision shows us the holiness that lights up the world, so let us look with open minds, love, and appreciation.

GOD BE IN MY MOUTH, AND IN MY SPEAKING

If this be our prayer also, our speaking will be informed by the same vision that we apply to our seeing. Here are a few applicable quotations from the Bible: “If I speak in the tongues of people, or even of angels, yet have not love, I have become mere echoing brass, or a clanging cymbal.” (1 Corinthians 13:1) “Let us speak the truth in love; so shall we fully grow up in Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15) “Never let any foul word pass your lips, but only such good words as the occasion demands, so that they may be a help to those who hear them.” (Ephesians 4:29)

GOD BE IN MY HEART, AND IN MY THINKING

Here are a few more Bible quotations to consider: “Create a clean heart in me, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10) “May the Lord direct your hearts towards God’s love and the patience of Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 3:5) “Let the peace of Christ settle in your hearts, to which you were called in one body, and be thankful. Let the word of Christ abide in you richly. Teach and counsel each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with grace singing in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:15-16)

GOD BE AT MINE END, AND AT MY DEPARTING

“Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end.” (Psalm 119:33) “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.” (Psalm 23:6) “It is God himself who called you to share in the life of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord; and God keeps faith.” (1 Corinthians 1:9) “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s home are many dwellings. If it had not been so, I would have told you, for I am going to prepare a place for you … I will return and take you to be with me, so that you may be where I am.” (John 14:1-3)

So who or what will guide our thinking and understanding and all that we do and say? Jesus has given us the answer: “I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth … you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you … he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14)

Peace and blessings,
Doug Dykstra

Prayer: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Radical Hospitality
(audio version)
Read: Genesis 1:27, Ephesians 2:18-22

Eight in the evening to One in the morning. One in the morning on to Seven. Either way, that's a long time to just sit around, making sure nothing is going wrong, nothing bad is happening, that if anyone needs a blanket or something, we can get it. How will we pass the time in the middle of the night? It's dark. It's quiet. It's going to be either boring or hard.

Nope. My security shifts for Shelter Week were nothing of the kind; they were very different, and they were very rewarding.

At one session I was convinced to play Euchre (no doubt the official card game of the United Methodist Church) with my security teammates. (This was despite my not having played in at least a few decades.)

The game turned into outreach as one of our guests saw us playing and came to join us. Entertainment – pastime – turned into outreach, into nurture, into fellowship.
There was nothing hard or boring about that night – it was comforting and comfortable.

Prayer: Father, we know we were created in Your image. Help us always to see that image in others; to see Jesus in those we meet, whether the greatest or least of our brothers and sisters. Amen.

Charlie van Becelaere

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Out of the Mouths of Babes – Part II
(audio version)
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

As some of you know, my two Cleveland grandsons took their first communion in the Catholic church last Easter. Friends have asked me how I felt about these baptized Protestants becoming Catholic, and my response has always been that I am not their parents, just their grandparent.

Well, this last Christmas we were traveling overseas together and we went into an old, Catholic church. At the back of the church were candles which could be purchased in memory of a loved one and my 9-year-old now-Catholic grandson asked his dad to buy a candle so that the three of them, dad, brother, and grandson, could pray for Boppa (Larry -grandfather and father-in-law). And so the dad bought a candle and the three of them bowed their heads and Charlie proceeded to pray that he hoped Boppa was fine where he was. Then they crossed themselves and went on their way.

When my son-in-law told me this story, I was so grateful to those catechism teachers for encouraging my grandsons to be comfortable talking to God. Garrison Keillor always said that the average Protestant would rather die than to have to pray out loud in public. I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but in the case of Charlie, he felt right at home talking to God about someone he loved and missed.

Vivian Anderson