“‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.’” – Matthew 5:14-16

Our family was able to get away this week for a short summer vacation. We went to a campground in Sequoia National Park. I am thankful for Suzanne, Marty, and all the staff who covered for me while I was gone a few days.

On Wednesday we went for a walk in the woods. Specifically we walked the “Trail of 100 Giants.” As I walked I passed a sad-eyed, tousle-haired, shirtless young man, with a Corona beer in one hand and an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth. Walking with him was a young child, and an older man with a camera. He jumped on to a behemoth fallen giant, climbed the tangled root system, lit the cigarette, posed for pictures, and shouted to his friend, “just imagine a DJ system up here!”

I rolled my eyes at Kathy, and said, “Yes, that would complete the cliché!”

About that time, he announced, ““Look at these sheep wearing masks, they don’t even know how to breathe fresh air anymore!”

Properly chastened, I sat down on a log beside the trail. A little while later a woman walked toward me, looked at my facemask, paused to catch her breath, and said softly, “I just don’t know, are we supposed to wear our masks outside when we are distanced? Does it do any good?”
I responded, “I don’t really know either, I am doing so as a sign of respect for others.” I wish I had said “care” instead of “respect”, but in that moment I had been reflecting on the mutual judgement and disrespect that I had experienced and practiced in the previous encounter and in much the world at large these days.

As this crisis lingers and indeed worsens, I am finding that our reserve of kindness is drying up. There is a severe lack of leadership, and that space is being filled by sanctimony and egotism.  Jesus calls us all to recognize that we are leaders, whether we think we are or not. The fact is that people will see us and will notice what we do. It isn’t that right work will save us (although there is growing evidence that wearing a cloth mask does provide some personal protection as well as helping to protect others) but that doing the right thing will encourage the good in others.
Humble leaders and grace-filled examples are what is needed in the world today.  You are a leader.

Pastor George

God of the simple shepherds, revisit us with your peace. When we are tempted to live in smug self-satisfaction and judgement of others, help us to know that we have so much more to learn. When we are tempted to proclaim that we know so much more than others, help us to remember how we have learned the hard lessons. We thank you for the example of Jesus, who walked among us and gave the example of the humble teacher, guide and leader; then humbled himself unto death that we might be raised up to new life. You have set us on a hill; may your light shine through us. Amen.

^{1 Samuel 16:14-23}
The Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord was terrifying him. ¹⁵ “It’s an evil spirit from God that’s frightening you,” Saul’s officials told him. ¹⁶ “Your Majesty, let us go and look for someone who is good at playing the harp. He can play for you whenever the evil spirit from God bothers you, and you’ll feel better.”

I love music and I have a pretty eclectic taste in music. Sometimes, I want to listen to Vaughan Williams and other times to the Eagles.  Music and singing just makes me feel better and my heart feel lighter. I have always listened to music in my car on my commute to church; however, now I am also streaming music on my computer in my office and at home more often.  Music calms my soul, refreshes my spirit, and can take me to another place. The other day I read an article about how after the age of 40 we tend to listen to the news more and music less.  This study tied that to people being stressed out more after the age of 40.  While I don’t know if that is true or not, I do think that we should listen to music more than we listen to the news, especially these days.  I don’t think it makes any difference if it is good old classic rock and roll that you can rock out to or the serene music of Thomas Tallis that transports you to idyllic setting. Music can set our souls and spirits free.  The Bible tells of how when David was young he would play music for Saul and how that would calm Saul down and put him in a better mood.  Music does the same for us. To me music is one of God’s greatest gifts.

I know that many of you love to hear James sing in church and mention how blessed you feel after hearing him sing, so I know that music is important in calming your souls as well. What I suggest is that we listen to music more often in our lives and let the healing power of the melody be it fast, slow, or somewhere in between lift up our spirits. Music can just be background sounds for when you are working or just sitting around the house; instead of having the news on in the background.  Hopefully, that will help us stress less and lift up our spirits and we need that now more than ever.

Gracious and Loving God, we thank you for the gift of music.  We are thankful for the way music can calm our souls and express our emotions when our words cannot. Help us to seek out ways that can help us feel your presence with us and know that you are with us during these difficult times.  Create in us a heart that is willing to rest and renew in your loving embrace so that we can go out in the world to show your love, grace, and mercy to all your children. Amen

Stay safe and stay connected, Suzanne

I read this on one of my devotion sites I follow on Facebook, “Centering Prayer & Inner Awakening.” It moved me in a comforting peaceful way, and I hope you will feel the same.
 
“Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and He will say: Here am I.”
Isaiah 58:6-9
 
Hineni – (pronounced hee-nay-nee) Here I Am
 
My lungs breathe even when I’m not aware of my breath. God is with me even when I’m not aware of his presence.
 
Hineni – here I am – is the word, which, like my breath, invites me back to an awareness of God’s abiding presence. Hineni – was the Hebrew word Abraham spoke when God called him to the mountaintop to sacrifice his son Isaac. Hineni – here I am,” was God’s reply as God gave Abraham a sacrifice in the thicket instead.
 
Sometimes we forget that God is always present to us, we miss it, God’s presence, because we get caught up in household chores, making a living, and the busyness of life or worry. If we make time, like morning time in which to meditate, we become more aware of that Presence. If we start each day in the quiet by focusing on our breath by placing your hands on your chest, feel your lungs expand, and recognize your breath, the breath of life, which sustains us.
 
When you show up to be alone with God, you can imagine God saying, ‘Here I am.’  And as you focus on your breath, respond back, ‘Hineni – here I am.’  Recognize how much God loves and guides you, allow yourself to go more deeply into his presence.
 
Reflect on the word Hineni, it is the reply of someone called to perform an important task. As said by Abraham, Moses, and many other prophets when God called their names. It’s also the promise God provides when he tells us in scripture, “Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and He will say: Here am I.”  (Isaiah 58:6-9).
 
Maybe the task God’s chosen for all eternity is to reveal God’s love for us in countless ways, such as:

• Here I am in the quiet, comforting you, guiding you, showing you the pathway to inner peace.
• Here I am in the mourning dove’s coo as she sings tender chants of delight, rejoicing in the gift of another day.
• Here I am in the colors of the sunrise that fill your heart with the taste of my delicious light.
• Here I am in your loved ones who hold you and journey with you, revealing the gift of my love embodied in their lives.
• Here I am to comfort you when you suffer, and I hold you with my unconditional love.

 Perhaps the task we’ve been given, is simply to show up and respond, “Hineni – here I am too,”  in ways such as:

• Here I am to receive your love, Lord, to let it embrace me, let it fill me with your compassion and delight.
• Here I am to be your Beloved, to let your favor rest upon me.
• Here I am to notice your Presence and let it become our sacred story.
• Here I am to rest my head upon your breast and let you nourish me with your love.
• Here I am to do the work of your hands, to embody your presence in my life, and fulfill my task of loving you, myself, and others with the gift of your grace.

Maybe “here I am” is a two-way street. It symbolizes a rich relationship in which God and we show up, become aware of one another’s presence in each moment, and embrace the important tasks we’ve been given, to abide in love with each other. Sometimes when I don’t feel God’s presence, I will say, “I miss you. Where are you?”  Often I hear God whisper in response, “Here I am,” and we smile. I wonder if God sometimes feels our absence too.  In those moments, does God yearn for us, asking, “Where are you?” And then await our reply?
 
We’re not always aware of God’s abiding presence, but when we make time and ask God, “are you here?” Like our breath, God is always here.  All we need do is notice and respond, “Hineni – here I am.”
 
Holy and Loving Lord, teach us how to still our thoughts and come to you wanting for nothing but to be still in your presence. Give us the faith that will enable to lay our burdens at your feet, and to leave them there in exchange for the peace which passes all understanding. Amen.
 
Blessings,
Brenda

With all my heart I praise the Lord! I will never forget how kind he has been. The Lord forgives our sins, heals us when we are sick, and protects us from death.
His kindness and love are a crown on our heads.
Psalm 103:2-4

This past Saturday at commUNITY yoga we meditated on our spiritual health and what viruses affect our spiritual health. I found it to be very insightful and thought provoking so I will share it with you all today. It comes from Brian McLaren, a faculty member, at the Center for Action and Contemplation.

Our Spiritual Health
In these challenging, difficult times, we are discovering a wisdom that we needed all along, and that wisdom is that we are all connected. We are not separate. We used to think that we caught diseases as individuals: “I’m sick; you’re not.” But now we realize, no, we catch diseases as individuals who are part of families, and families who are part of cities, and cities that are part of states and nations. We realize now that our whole species can become infected, and that our whole globe can be changed because of our interconnectedness. . . 

Maybe this is also an opportunity for us to become enlightened about some other viruses that have been spreading and causing even greater damage, without being acknowledged: social and spiritual viruses that spread among us from individual to individual, from generation to generation, and are not named. We don’t organize against them, and so they continue to spread and cause all kinds of sickness [and death]. Social and spiritual viruses like racism, white supremacy, human supremacy, Christian supremacy, any kind of hostility that is spread, based on prejudice and fear.

What would happen if we said, as passionate as we are about being tested for coronavirus, we all wanted to test ourselves for these social and spiritual viruses that could be lurking inside of us? And then, when I come into your presence, I, in some way, inflict this virus on you. I make you suffer. What an awesome opportunity for us to say and begin to pray that we would be healed and cleansed, not just of a physical virus, but of these other invisible viruses that are such a huge and devastating part of human history. . . .

In this pandemic, many of us are nostalgic for the old normal. We want to get back to our favorite coffee shop, our favorite restaurant, our church service. And of course, there’s nothing wrong with so many of those desires for the old normal. But I’d like to make a proposal. If we are wise in this time, we will not go back unthinkingly to the old normal. There were problems with that old normal many of us weren’t aware of.

The old normal, when you look at it from today’s perspective, was not so great, not something to be nostalgic about, without also being deeply critical of it. As we experience discomfort in this time, let’s begin to dream of a new normal, a new normal that addresses the weaknesses and problems that were going unaddressed in the old normal. If we’re wise, we won’t go back; we’ll go forward.

Dear God, healer of all, we come to you aware that we have viruses that we spread to others.  Help us to look within ourselves and to view our test results with honesty and openness.  May we take this time to pray for healing within ourselves so that we can in turn help others to heal and stop the spread of these unhealthy viruses in our world. God it is tempting and easy to fall back into our familiar and “normal” ways. Keep nudging us in your direction so we can move forward instead of back.  Amen

Grace and Peace,
Marty

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” – John 10:10

“He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.” – John 15:2

Yesterday in worship I talked about change and asked you to consider the question, “What permanent changes would you like to make or keep from this time of crisis?” As I have shared before, I am most often preaching to myself and you just get to listen in. So I have been wrestling with this question.

I am finding that this is a time of pulling back and refocusing on the core elements of life. Both at home and here at the church I have quite literally been clearing out and giving away items that are no longer of use. (Saturday’s Green and Clean event came at a perfect time!)

Of course this isn’t just getting rid of stuff. It is making way for new growth in what remains. This season is like a time of pruning in our lives. We are able to place our energy and focus into the most important things.
As I was reflecting on this, I heard a voice in my head. It wasn’t the voice of God, it was the voice of Jack Palance from the 1991 movie City Slickers, in which his character Curley engages in this dialog with Billy Crystal’s character, Mitch:
Curly: Do you know what the secret of life is? [holds up one finger]
Curly: This.
Mitch: Your finger?
Curly: One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and the rest don’t mean ####.
Mitch: But, what is the “one thing?”
Curly: [smiles] That’s what *you* have to find out.

Jesus figured out what was most important. He knew his purpose. He lived simply. And all that he did was to bring new and meaningful life to the world. Jesus is the secret of life.

Jesus helps us to figure out our “one thing” as well. We must work out the details of how it will play out in our lives, but the big picture? Our basic purpose?

“He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.’” – Luke 10:27

Pastor George

Loving God, help us to remember our one thing. Help us to love. When understandable worry, practical fear, and reasonable anger get in the way, help us to recycle these into works of justice, mercy, and peace. When obligations, busyness, and boredom take up too much space in our hearts and minds, prune them back so that we may bear the fruits of righteousness and grace. Empty us and fill us anew we pray, in Christ our Lord. Amen.