Devotions

Several years ago, Becky at my request created a bit of a lenten living lesson. The idea was to fill a plastic bowl with soil, grass seeds, rocks and a buried flower pot covered by a bigger rock. After several weeks once the grass grew, this was supposed to represent the empty tomb of Jesus on Easter. Needless to say, there wasn’t enough water and sunlight to make the grass grow and the little art experiment was placed behind the Trinity center to be cleaned up later.  As things to be done later often go, later never came. Last Sunday as I was walking up to the church…

“Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers, so that his people would learn to serve, and his body would grow strong. This will continue until we are united by our faith and by our understanding of the Son of God. Then we will be mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him.”  Ephesians 4:11-13 Last Sunday, I began a new sermon series on “Becoming a Spiritually Mature Church.” In the next few weeks we are going to explore some ways in which we can cultivate our growth into spiritual maturity. God’s goal and desire for God’s people is that they…

“We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.” 1 John 3:16 Today is the day known in our country as Memorial Day.  For too long, this day has been to many Americans simply a marker of the beginning of summer and little more.  But I wonder if perhaps this year, is different.  Maybe we have slowed down just long enough to consider that perhaps the day could and should mean so much more.  It was created, after all, to be a solemn day to remember the fallen soldiers…

As we continue down this long and winding road, I offer this beautiful and thought provoking piece by Seminary student Sarah Bourns.   EXPOSED – By Sarah Bourns We’ve all been exposed.Not necessarily to the virus(maybe…who even knows ).We’ve all been exposed BY the virus. Corona is exposing us.Exposing our weak sides.Exposing our dark sides.Exposing what normally lays far beneath the surface of our souls,hidden by the invisible masks we wear.Now exposed by the paper masks we can’t hide far enough behind. Corona is exposing our addiction to comfort.Our obsession with control.Our compulsion to hoard.Our protection of self. Corona is peeling back our layers.Tearing down our walls.Revealing our illusions.Leveling…

“Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build…

“Large crowds were traveling with Jesus and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build…

“Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build…

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love God, who have been called according to His purpose.”  Romans 8:28 This Sunday we are honoring our graduating seniors who will help lead the service and deliver the Sunday message. Graduation is usually one of those special milestones in life that we pause to recognize and reflect upon. However, this year, graduation has been an especially difficult time for our 2020 graduating seniors. There have been no graduation commencements and no opportunities to really formalize this important landmark. Yet despite the disappointment of what has been lost there is still the hope…

1 In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. All that came into being came into being through him. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. John 1:1-5 I am a person who spends a lot of time with words. I do this both as a matter of vocation and passion.…

Hope is the anchor of the soul. Hope is a basic necessity of life. It enables us to see through our present difficulties to a new and brighter future. It strengthens us to patiently endure the trials of the present in anticipation of the rewards of the future. Hope is pro-spective and future oriented.