More than you can imagine

The cost of your sin is greater than you can pay.  The gift of your God is more than you can imagine.

John Jeske
Connecting Sinai to Calvary, page 27

Love goes sideways

“When the logs from our eyes have been removed through Calvary, we see.  We see Jesus on the cross supplied by us, for us.  We see ourselves as forgiven sinners.  Then, when we bump into another sinner, we are able to help for love comes sideways.”  Dr. Norman Nagel.

The Bible teaches that we love others because Jesus first loved us.  There is our motivation, our reason for reaching out in love to the people on either side of us.  Jesus came down from heaven, lived the perfect life, offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins, has given us his perfect righteousness that makes us perfectly acceptable to our Father in heaven.


During these days of the coronavirus, we can all practice showing “love sideways.”  This includes a number of simple things that many of you are already doing.  Sending a text…making a phone call…mailing a card…offering up a prayer.   Many are taking advantage of Facetime or Zoom to connect with one person or a group of people.   I’ve heard of a couple of friends who watch our online worship at the same time.  When the service is done, they each grab a pastry and cup of coffee and call each other.  I’m told it’s the next best thing to goodie hour at church.

No doubt, we have to be creative as we reach out to those we love and care for.  But it's worth it.  God be praised as you let your love go sideways!

A prayer to begin the morning

O heavenly Father

I praise and thank You

for the peace of the night.

I praise and thank You for this new day.

I praise and thankYou all Your goodness and

faithfulness throughout my life.

You have granted me many blessings;

Now let me also accept what is hard

from Your hand.

You will lay on me no more than I can bear.

You make all things work together for good for

Your children.  Amen.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

An alternative to worry

Worry

Lord

teach me

not to worry

when I can

pray

From "Prayers For People Under Pressure" by Donald L. Deffner, page 34, NPH

Top 10 Signs That You're At A Bad Wedding

10) When just before the service the groom asks to go to the bathroom...and never comes back.

9) When instead of saying, "You may kiss the bride," the pastor says, "Get 'er done!"

8) When the groom and the bride's father get into a fist fight as the bride is given away.

7) When the photographer is asking people, "Anybody got some Kodak film?"

6) When the bride is escorted down the aisle to the tune of "Stricken, Smitten and Afflicted."

5) When the invitation indicates that the reception is being held at the Golden Corral.

4) When the music at the reception is being provided by "Al Jones and his Happy Accordion."

3) When the pastor asks the groom for the license and the groom replies, "Hunting or fishing?"

2) When the service stops just before the vows are said because the bride goes into labor.

And the number one sign that you're at a bad wedding:

1) When the service begins late because the groom couldn't make bail!

From 2015

How to start your day in this coronavirus world

The moment you wake up each morning, all your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals.  And the first job each morning consists in shoving it all back, in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other, larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in.


I love this CS Lewis quote.  And under normal circumstances, it would make perfect sense.  At least Monday through Friday, we awake and begin to think about all the things we must do – the people to call, the projects to finish, the homework to get done and the planning for the next day.


Now, many find themselves with lots of time on their hands.  The need to wolf down a piece of toast and grab of cup of coffee for the road is gone.  Now, you wonder how you can make the day productive.


There are many reasons not to like what the coronavirus has done to our country and to our own lives.  But maybe there is a small silver lining in all of this.  We can use the time to get reacquainted with our Bibles.


Busy people tell me how hard it is to maintain a regular time of study and prayer.  The tyranny of the urgent captures our attention and pushes us to take things that might be important and move them to the top of the “get it done now list.”  It’s so easy for so many to push Bible reading and prayer aside with the thought, “I will get to this later.”


That’s way the Lewis quote is something to ponder.  The first, most important, even urgent thing we can do at the beginning of our day is to let that “…larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in.”   

So, here’s a tip for you:  Start your day with Jesus.  Warm up by remembering your baptism.  Make the sign of the cross and be comforted that you were baptized in the name of the Triune God - the God who made you, redeemed you and called you to faith. 


Stretch yourself by spending time reading Treasuring God's Word or a favorite devotional.  Listen to that "other voice," the One that has given you new life.  Journal the insights you discover or record the Word that God speaks to you, a Word you can carry with you throughout the day. 

Don't be in a hurry.  Take time to pray, asking the Lord for His help with the fears, concerns & challenges that Covid-19 has brought to your life and the lives of others.  Pray for family, friends, church family and those you do not know – people suffering from the virus, people mourning the passing of those afflicted from the virus, the health care professionals who are on the front lines, so to speak, caring for the sick and suffering.  Give thanks for all the blessings you’ve received from the gracious hand of God.  Then, whatever the day might bring, be confident that the Lord is with you always.  God bless your time with the Lord today!

Take Christ at His Word

We live by faith, don’t we? And faith is being tested in ways we could have never imagined.  

The every day reports about the coronavirus are frightening.  Predictions as to the number of people who will die from the virus are unreal.  We feel helpless and afraid.


Shall we live in the Village of Fear? Do we have to take up residence in the City of Hopelessness? Or, is there another way?  Reflect on these words from author and theologian, Daniel Deutschlander:


For that is the essence of faith - that we take Christ at His Word.  We really have been redeemed from sin, death and hell.  We really are called to deny self in response to that good news.  We really are called to follow Christ, carrying willingly, even joyfully, the cross He sends out of love for us.

The Theology of the Cross, page 89, Northwestern Publishing House