One of the things that I have been able to enjoy a little bit more lately is watching birds in my backyard.  I have planted flowers that attract birds, butterflies, and bees. We also have a hummingbird feeder, fountain, birdbath, and a seed birdfeeder.  Our backyard can have a lot of “wildlife” sometimes.  Watching the birds hang around our yard can lift me up and calms my soul. Lately when I am out bird watching I think of the hymn “His Eye is on the Sparrow”
“Why should I feel discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart be lonely
and long for heaven and home?
When Jesus is my portion?
My constant friend is he;
His eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me.”

I decided to look up some history about this popular hymn and I would like to share it with you.  It was written by Civilla Marten in 1905. It was inspired by friends of hers and her husband, Mr. & Mrs. Doolittle who had been bedridden for over twenty years.  This couple brought inspiration and comfort to those who knew them and when asked they said that the secret of hopefulness was found in knowing “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me”.

Matthew 10:29-31
²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. ³⁰ But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

The faith of this bedridden couple inspired her to write the poem and she mailed it to a famous composer of gospel tunes, Charles Gabriel, who wrote the tune and the rest, as they say, is history.
Just singing this tune in my head and heart cheers me up.  Knowing that God walks with me during this time and is there to hear my complaining, my frustration and is there to lean on helps me to work through my complaining and see the blessings that we have all around us.  The sunshine, cool breezes, flowers, birds, friends, and family.  Knowing that God cares for sparrows and cares even more for us makes me feel better.

Jesus asks us to live a life of faith that inspires.  How are you inspiring others?

Gracious and Loving God, thank you for surrounding us with your love and care. Help us to know in our hearts and minds that you are with us, that you will see us through these difficult times.  Help us have the courage to inspire others by our thoughts, words, and deeds.  Give strength to those who are working so hard on the front lines and to those whose are helping by staying home.  Amen

Stay safe and keep connected.

God Bless, Suzanne

The other day I saw a picture on Facebook that I found myself going back to a few times. It was a stunning show of how loving and compassionate God’s creatures are. In this picture, there was a bird’s nest, the kind that look like a hollowed out gourd with the opening at the bottom of the nest. The baby bird apparently had slipped out of the nest, it’s wings were too tiny to allow it to fly to safety yet; so as it was falling out of the nest, the mama bird caught it by her beak with her talons dug in and holding on to the nest as she was holding on to her baby. The daddy bird was there beneath the baby and actually pushing the baby bird back up into the nest. You might have seen it too! As I was studying this image, I thought how amazing that these tiny creatures would know what to do instinctively to keep their precious baby from harm.

This whole scenario and imagery in this one picture caused me to pause and take note of the many times through my life that God has reached out and grabbed hold of me and placed me back in his safe and tender care. There are moments that are as vivid as yesterday, and there are a multitude of times, I’m certain, that I am utterly unaware of. I have seen and experienced God’s loving mercies throughout my life and I believe God is there for all of humanity no matter the situation. In small moments of our life or pandemic size moments, God is always Emmanuel, God with us.

May these familiar words from Isaiah, be your prayer, and know that you are God’s beloved.

Isaiah 43:1a -3a

43 Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
    and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

Blessings,

Brenda

As the Israelites spent those forty years wandering in the desert, they did their share of whining and complaining.  They complained of hunger and God provided manna for them to eat. 

But the Israelites cried again and said, Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish we ate in Egypt for free, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. Now our lives are wasting away. There is nothing but manna in front of us.   Numbers 11:4-6 

The Israelites were in the wilderness somewhere between Egypt and the Promised Land after Moses had freed them from slavery. These times were tough and the Israelites did a lot of complaining. Through the whining the Israelites could not see the beauty of the manna.  They could not see that God had provided for them. They only could see how it used to be.  

We like the Israelites are also in the wilderness. Somewhere between the “old norm” and the “new norm”.  We too have voiced our complaints of being stuck in our homes, wanting human,  face-to-face contact. We have complained how our glasses fog up when we wear our masks.  We cannot go to our beaches, parks, or our favorite restaurants. 

The familiarity of the “old norm” brings us comfort, so it makes sense that we look to the past. But looking to the past can hinder our ability to find the “manna” that God is providing for us in the now.  Where is the “manna” that God has provided for you?  For me it was working with my compost and marveling at the wonder of how vegetable scraps can decompose into fertile soil.  I found the “manna” in the collaboration at our staff meeting.  The “manna” was the song that was sung at the SSP town hall meeting I attended today, and it is knowing that I have enough food in my cupboards that I will be able to eat a meal this evening with people that I love. 

We all complain sometimes and are missing our meats, cucumbers and melons but perhaps we can challenge ourselves to stay in the present and look for the “manna” that God has provided for each of us.  I wonder what your “manna” is?

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8

Gracious and generous God, you know our needs and you provide for us. Even when we don’t notice all that you have given us and we forget to say thank you, you continue to provide for us.  Thank you for the birds that sing, the sun that shines, the friends that surround us, the many scientists who are working to keep us safe and your constant unwavering love. You have truly blessed us.  Amen.

Marty

Gee, it feels like all we get about this virus is bad news! Last night someone shared a story on Facebook about how singing is as effective at spreading the virus as coughing, and that churches in Germany are contemplating reopening without choirs and without congregational singing!  Oh, and laughing is just as bad!  So I started thinking about how we could possibly do church without vocal music, and how I could preach without makingpeople laugh! (I mean, sometimes I even intend to cause laughter). 

We keep looking for persons to blame. Or at least people upon whom we can direct our frustration and anger. I have decided to be angry at the virus. It is almost as though this virus is the work of the devil, out to get the church. Think about it: all the things Christians love to do, all the things we do well, all the ways we make a difference in the world, seem to be in the crosshairs of this virus.

We bring loving embraces and healing touches. Nope, gotta stay six feet apart!
We gather in groups to share our burdens (“Wherever two or three are gathered…”). Not in person!
We visit the lonely, imprisoned, and ill.  Not right now!
We turn strangers into friends with a smile. Can’t see it behind a mask.
We shout to the Lord!
We sing songs of praise!
We laugh and cry with each other.

It does seem devilish, doesn’t it? And what should we as believers do? We who are Easter people, confident that God has already given us the victory over death and the powers of evil? We laugh. We laugh in the face of the devil.

Going against the wise directives of health professionals and leaders isn’t going to change anything. 

But showing the forces of darkness that they won’t prevail will change things.

And I have seen you laugh in the face of this virus:

When you learn how to communicate and share love and healing in new ways!
When you help others to learn these ways.
When you call a friend and pray together.
When you share of your bounty so that strangers can eat.
When you bring your own bread and juice to communion, and allow the power of the Holy Spirit to turn you into the body of Christ, redeemed by the blood of Jesus.
When you make space for your neighbor at the grocery store.
When you drive by someone’s home and honk your horn in celebration of their birth.
When you stay home as much as possible.
When you wash your hands and wear your mask.

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:37-39

So may it be. Amen.

Pastor George

Recently a friend posted a note about what is happening in the world while we are staying “safer at home.” The air and water appear more clean and clear. Wild animals are coming back to the places where they once freely roamed. Families are spending more time together. We are taking time to listen to each other. We are actually getting some rest.

The meme suggested a 10-20 day period each year where all the world just shuts down. This would be a time for the earth to heal, and for people to rest.

I couldn’t help myself. I had to make a snarky comment.

“Hey, instead of only 20 days each year, why not make it once each week? Perhaps on the last day of each week. It would be a day of rest. No one would work. We’d have to come up with a catchy name, though. Why not call it ‘Sabbath’?”

We all need time to rest and heal. Even in this time – especially in this time – when we have found ways to keep ourselves busy. I don’t know about you, but for me, much of that busy-ness is fretting about the things I can’t do or worrying about the fact that I am not doing enough!

What if we did take the sabbath seriously?  We could get some practice now, and then it would be a built-in habit once we get back to “normal” life. We might even begin to heal.

“For six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.”
Exodus 20: 9-11

God who took time to rest, remind us that we, too, need the opportunity to recover from our labor and reflect upon our place in your world. Help us to take time to pause and listen to those around us. Help us to find you in the quiet moment. And invigorate us for all that lies ahead. Through the love and in the name of our precious Savior we pray. Amen.

Pastor George