Saturday, May 3

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 11; Ezekiel 3:4-17; Matthew 14:13-21; 1 Corinthians 15:35-44; Psalm 139

I remember one Christmas when I was about 5. I was working with my mother as we decorated the Christmas tree. My mom tried to get me to work with the more durable ornaments on the lower portion of the tree (we had 2 cats and a dog so the durable ornaments HAD to be hung on the lower portion of the tree). I insisted, however, that I was old enough to work with the glass ornaments that were hung higher. When my mom stepped out of the room for a few minutes, I dove into the box with the glass ornaments and proceeded to try to hang one ornament up high. Wouldn’t you know the ornament slipped through my fingers and broke on the floor. That ornament was one of my mother’s favorite ornaments. So what did I do to rectify the situation? I did what any five year old would do: I grabbed a broom in the kitchen and swept the broken parts under the refrigerator. My mom came back into the room and we finished decorating the tree. Nothing was said about what happened. Several years later - when my family was decorating another tree - I remember what I had done many years earlier. I decided it was time to come clean, so I nervously told my mom what happened. She smiled and said, “I already knew that.” That day I learned an important lesson. It wasn’t that my mother’s love for me changed that day. No, her love for me was constant. What changed was my awareness of - and understanding of the depths of that love. I learned that she loved me for who I was - not for who I pretended to me. That same sentiment was captured by the psalmist in Psalm 139. In that passage the psalmist beings by acknowledging God’s role in his life: “I’m an open book to you”. The psalmist continues by observing “You know when I leave and when I get back, I’m never out of your sight.” So many individuals lead lives of hopelessness and fear as they struggle to come to terms with parts of themselves. They spend much time trying to prove or earn the love and respect of God and others. Today’s psalm calls us to realize that there is no reason to try to be anything other than yourself; for God already knows and accepts who you are. The only person left struggling to accept you is most often you. Today, I would encourage you to take time celebrating a God who knows and loves us: not for who God thinks us to be, but rather for exactly who we are. Til next time…

Friday, May 2

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 10; Ezekiel 1:28-3:3; Matthew 14:1-12; 1 Corinthians 15:29-34; Psalm 7

There are many roles that spiritual leaders of faith communities are called to play. At times, for instance, spiritual leaders are called to serve in administrative roles; at other times, they are called to provide pastoral care. One of the most important roles they are called to play is the role of the prophet. In my first few years of ministry I’ve found that the prophetic role is perhaps the least understood role of all the roles we pastors play. When most folks hear the word “prophet” spoken, they assume a prophet is merely someone who points toward, or predicts the future. Others hear the word and think of a prophet as someone who heralds gloom and doom for a community. Neither of those descriptions really get at what I feel is the heart of the call to be a prophet. The way I think of the prophetic role is to be someone who names things for a community. Through that naming process greater clarity is introduced into the situation. In today’s passage from Matthew, for instance, we hear a bit of John the Baptist’s history recounted. In that recounting, we are reminded of John’s courageous ability to name something of great important. You see in John’s day there were lots of folks who looked around and saw the nature of Herod’s relationship with Herodias (Herod‘s sister-in-law). And while they knew the situation was problematic, most folks were willing to simply look the other way. John was the one who finally stepped forward and named what was happening. Of course things didn’t turn out well for John personally (as they often don’t for those who claim their prophetic voice). And yet despite the personal outcome for John, greater clarity was introduced into the situation because of John’s courage to name what was happening. John’s community was strengthened in the long run. Perhaps there are ways in which God is calling you to assume a prophetic voice - to name some things that are happening around you in order to restore a sense of health and balance. If that is your call, take courage in knowing that while the ramifications of finding your voice might be difficult in the short term; the long-term health and well-being of your community (and your own peace of mind) just might rest upon your ability to do so. Til next time…

Thursday, May 1

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 96; Acts 1:1-11; Luke 24:46-53; Ephesians 1:15-23; Psalm 29

Today is known as Ascension Day in the Christian church. It’s observed as the day when Jesus finally ascended following his resurrection. The notion of the Ascension is important in my life for the following reason. Let me set its importance up for you. You see I can’t imagine how crushed the disciples were when they had to face their first time of separation from Jesus in the time following his crucifixion and burial. In fact they were probably surprised at how unprepared they were for living into the next stage of their individual and collective lives. The disciples were lucky, however. They received an additional 40 days of time “together” in order to do two things: heal and prepare themselves for the days ahead. The Ascension, then, represents for me an amazing expression of God‘s grace. The 40 days that lie between Jesus’ resurrection and final departure suggest that God doesn’t just throw things on our plate without regard to our circumstance or ability to carry them out; God often provides the time and space we need to process them. As we look back and scan the horizon of our lives, let us give thanks for those times when we too were given the space and time we have been given to deal with the challenges we have faced. Then, let us go forth with the healing and sense of vision we gained and live the lives God’s grace has empowered us to live. Til next time…

Wednesday, April 30

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 130; Deuteronomy 19:1-7; Matthew 28:16-20; Ephesians 1:1-10; Psalm 8

There were many books I read and conversations that I had that stayed with me from my sabbatical last summer. One of the most important was a book titled “The Contemplative Pastor” by Eugene Peterson. While there were several nuggets of wisdom I mined from the book, one thing in particular stayed with me and helped redefine my entire approach toward ministry. Let me share that with you. In the book, Peterson stated there are three words that should be used to describe an effective pastor. The first two (prophetic and apocalyptic) were within my current practice of ministry at the time so I didn’t think too much about them. The third adjective, however, bowled me over. The adjective was “unbusy”. By this Peterson meant that an effective pastor should schedule his or her life in such a way that there is time to respond to spontaneously emerging needs. I remember thinking, “How is that possible with the countless demands that pull a pastor in a thousand directions?” Despite my initial skepticism, I decided to try scheduling myself differently when I returned from my sabbatical last fall. I began to prioritize my commitments (actually getting rid of some of the less important ones) and found that it was possible to create a more flexible schedule that would allow myself to be there more for others AND myself. I was reminded of this process when I read today’s words from Ephesians . Portions of Ephesians 1:7-9 read: “Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah … we’re a free people…And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything…He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him” (The Message). That language reminds me of the way the various threads of our lives that threaten to pull us in a thousand directions can be woven into one tapestry where we have a true sense of perspective. By integrating those streams we can actually do the unthinkable in the fast-paced world in which we live: we can lead “unbusy” lives that exude a sense of freedom! If you are feeling overwhelmed by the many demands of your life today, I invite you to take a moment and step back . Look at those many competing threads. Then remember the One who can take those various threads and seamlessly weave them together into a beautiful new tapestry you might call your life. Til next time…

Tuesday, April 29

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 128; Deuteronomy 8:11-20; Matthew 28:1-15; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; Psalm 127

Every time I return to the area in which I was born and raised, I have conflicting emotions. The positive things about my return primarily center around the many people I spend my time reconnecting with: people who in so many ways helped me become the person I am today. That part of my return experience is amazingly positive. Of course I have other emotions during my return trips as well. You see I grew up in a region that had little - if any - diversity present. Consequently, if you were a member of a white family household (1 mom, 1 dad & 2.4 kids) or were a white retired person then my community had much to offer. But if you fell outside of these two categories in any way, shape, or form; then the area had little to offer. Consequently, I grew up thinking that because I was outside the “norm” that I would never have many of the things that all of the others I knew came to expect - things like a long-term, loving relationship; a house of my own; and a vocation where I could do what God had truly called me to do. Each time I return “home” for a visit, I am reminded of the amazing things I have been blessed with since I left the region nine years ago - things that I grew up thinking would never be possible for me. And it would be easy on some level to think to myself, “Well, Craig, you’ve worked hard and deserve the things that have come into your life.” Thankfully, I have the words from Deuteronomy 8:11-20 to ground me this morning as I begin my first full day back “home” on my vacation this week. Those words in part read: “If you start thinking to yourself, ‘I did this all. And all by myself. I’m rich. It’s all mine!’ - well, think again” (Deuteronomy 8:17 - The Message). Are there aspects of your life where you find yourself more than ready to claim credit: aspects like a career move, a new relationship or a sense of renewal in an existing relationship, a recovery from an addiction, and so on? Today I would invite you to consider an area of your life that perhaps you’ve been a little quick to claim credit. Now stop give credit where credit is due. Til next time…

Monday, April 28

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 78; Deuteronomy 8:1-10; John 14:22-31; 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

One of the themes that struck me in today’s passages from the Psalms and Deuteronomy is our human tendency to focus on the difficult things we face in life and forget the blessings. I think, for instance, of how quickly the Israelites forget their years of servitude in Egypt after they left; and how soon they started complaining about their new “accommodations” in the desert. Of course I can’t be too hard on the Israelites for there have been many, many, many times when I too have quickly forgotten the many blessings in my life and instead have chosen to clutch my fists in the midst of adversity and cried out, “Why me!!!!” It’s so easy to lose a sense of perspective in our lives. I loved the simplicity of the concluding words of today’s passage from Deuteronomy – for they helped me regain my sense of perspective today. Those words read: “After a meal, satisfied, bless God, your God, for the good land God has given you” (Deuteronomy 8:10 – The Message). I would encourage you to take an inventory of your attitude toward life recently and see if there is a discernable pattern. Do you find yourself more frequently lifting words of thanks; or are you more likely to raise a litany of complaints? No matter what that ratio of thanksgiving to complaint currently looks like, realize that it’s never too late to restore a sense of balance in your attitude toward life. Til next time…