Pieces of the Puzzle

It’s not an enemy that is insulting me— I could handle that. It’s not someone who hates me who is exalted over me— I could hide from them. No. It’s you, my equal, my close companion, my good friend! ~Psalm 55:12-13 (CEB)

There is nothing worse in the world than to be betrayed by a friend. A friend, a close friend is someone you trust, someone you expect to be there for you in good times and bad. No one can hurt you more than a dear friend. When you have been betrayed by a friend the hurt goes so deep that you feel like you could never trust anyone ever again. You feel so alone with your feelings of hurt and betrayal. No one could ever know what you are going through.

But you are not alone. Jesus was sold out by a kiss. His betrayal led him to the cross. Peter, one of his closest friends, denied him not just once but three times. All the disciples fled in fear. Jesus was left alone. At the moment he needed a friend the most he found himself without even the dearest friends. They were all gone.

I don’t think I have ever been in a place where I have felt such complete abandonment. I have felt the sting of losing a friend that I thought I could trust but once the pain subsided some I realize that I was not as alone as I thought. But for Jesus, there was no one. The hardest thing for me about this story of betrayal and abandonment is that Jesus foreknew what was to come. He did not walk into this situation blindly. He chose to die on the cross to save me even when those dearest to him had left him to fend for himself. If I had been in his shoes I imagine I would have said well if even my closest friends can’t appreciate what I am about to do for the world then why bother! But thankfully I am not the Messiah.

It brings great comfort to me when I realize that there is nothing in the world that Jesus hasn’t been through. If I need an understanding ear he is the best choice. Jesus will never abandon me. Romans 8: 38-39 says, “I’m convinced that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord: not death or life, not angels or rulers, not present things or future things, not powers or height or depth, or any other thing that is created.” There is NOTHING that can separate me from the love of God. Even though I might find myself alone, Jesus will always be with me. The Bible tells me so.

I am thankful that I have a friend in You Jesus. There is nothing that I go through that You have not also been through as well. I know I can trust You and turn to You for guidance in all I do this day. Amen

O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever! ~Psalm 118:1

For many people of faith, one of the first things we want to do in uncertain times is to gather together to pray. As orders to shelter at home and for the doors of the church building to close for the health safety of its members we are left wondering where God is in all of this. With each passing day, things feel more uncertain, more and more fearful, causing tensions to rise. In our panic, we begin trying to seek out things that we can control in a time that everything feels so out of our control. One thing I keep hearing is that none of us have ever seen anything like this in our lifetime. We have to look back into history to the Spanish flu in the 1920s and Choera of the 1800s to find anything of comparison.

I read a post this morning where a question was asked of a Rabbi during a natural disaster to explain such a tragic act of God. The rabbi answered that the disaster was an act of nature. The act of God happened when people stepped us to help each other.

Where is God in all of this? What is the Good News in the midst of all our uncertainties? Where is the Light of God in the Midst of our Darkness?

The answer comes to us through the words of Psalm 118. “Hosanna! Save us! Blessed is the one that comes in the name of the Lord!” This is a reminder that God has acted in the past, has saved us from ourselves in the past, and God will save us again!

Even in our distance from each other, we can still come together as a community united in prayer. We can find comfort, peace and even moments of joy.

In its ancient context, Psalm 118 was most likely an entrance liturgy to the Temple, used at the festival of the Passover. It proclaimed God’s deliverance from Egypt and, later on, from the Exile.

Sine New Testament times, Psalm 118 evokes for Christians the story of Easter.

“Out of my distress I called on the Lord;
the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.
With the Lord on my side I do not fear.
What can mortals do to me?” (118:5-6).

New Testament writers used Psalm 118 “as a means of understanding and articulating the significance of Jesus.” (See Matthew 21:42; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:7.) Christians have long read this Psalm with Jesus in mind.

“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

Today, the words of Psalm 118 gives us hope as people of faith to celebrate God’s faithfulness. God was with us in the beginning. God is with us now. God will be with us always. The words in this Psalm remind us that God’s love is steadfast and endures forever. They remind us that God gave us God’s Light to shine in and through the darkness and that God’s light will never go away! The very words of Psalm 118 give us hope and stir our hearts and our souls to celebrate! They unify us! They remind us that we are God’s children! And remember being God’s children means that we are never alone.

Even in our anxiety and fear, we can celebrate that our God is still working.

We celebrate the hope, the security, the trust that we have as people of faith because we know that in the midst of our darkness, we find the Light of God. Because the Light of God never goes away.

If you listen to the news, they tell us to brace for a rough week ahead. I want to remind you that the churches may stand empty today, they may stand empty on Easter morning, but remember so is Christ’s tomb. This epidemic will not cancel Easter. Easter has already happened.

So we still celebrate because our God’s saving grace is steadfast and endures forever. The Light of God shines in this darkness, giving us strength and courage for the journey ahead. The Light of God is for all of God’s children, bringing peace, bringing hope, bringing grace. The Light of God fills us, renews us, lifts us up, and connects as one. Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Our God has answered our pleas and has given us salvation!

Dear God, even in these days, help us to remember your promises. Help us be unified in our prayers, even when COVID-19 seems to keep us separated. Fill our homes with your Holy Spirit in such a way that we know you are near. Restore us to health, God, restore us to life and give us hope. Amen.

Let’s not get tired of doing good, because in time we’ll have a harvest if we don’t give up. ~Galatians 6:9 (CEB)

No matter what is going on in our lives we must never give up. In the scripture on God’s Armor (Eph 6:10-18) it ends the section with “no matter what, persevere.” This is easy to throw around but how do you even begin to persevere in a world that we have never seen before? How do we persevere when each day seems to be darker than the last?

I persevere by my diligence in prayer, resolving to stay the course, unwavering faith, and determination to stand firmly on God’s Words and His promises for me.

Even so, it gets frustrating how slowly things seem to be moving sometimes. Every time I turn on the news, I feel like our “safer at home orders” get extended even further out. I no longer know what to say to my son when he asks me how much longer do you think COVID-19 will disrupt our lives? My heart breaks for him as this should be one of his golden times as a senior in High School. There should be celebrations, rewards for a good job done, a senior trip to Disney, a musical production with his high school theater group… and who knows yet about graduation ceremonies? Instead, he meets with his friends online as they try to distract each other between their lessons at home.

It is easy to think that God isn’t dealing with the situation, but I have to remember that God is doing some of his greatest work even if I can’t see what He is doing. This pandemic did not catch him off guard. Also, I need to keep in mind if the problem didn’t occur overnight it also will take time to correctly resolve it. There may be more going on than the “virus” we see.

No matter what is going on in our lives the victory is in not giving up. I think that is a good definition of perseverance. Not giving up. When the road ahead is full of bumps and I feel like I am acting out one of my son’s ninja shows he watched when he was little as I try to dodge trouble, I need to keep assured that the good that I am trying to do is noticed by God and time will bring fruition to my diligence.

Sometimes God, I get tired of doing the right thing. Give me courage to stay the course give me strength to do your will. Most especially God, help me to remember that as I child of God, I do not walk this journey alone. Amen.

I can’t bear these people on my own. They’re too heavy for me. ~Numbers 11:14

Sometimes life is just more than I can handle. Some days it is all I can do to manage what I need to do for that day. In reading Numbers chapter 11 we read where Moses is feeling overwhelmed with leading the Israelites. They aren’t happy with the fact that God has been providing them just manna to eat. Now they are complaining that they want meat to eat too. Moses cries out to God in verse 13, “Where am I to get meat for all these people? They are crying before me and saying, ‘Give us meat, so we can eat’.”

The first thing Moses did when he realized he had come to the end of his rope in this situation was to admit, “I can’t bear these people on my own. They’re too heavy for me.” This allowed God to say, “I can!” The problem was bigger than Moses but once he allowed God into the situation it allowed God to go to work.

I often forget that God is waiting on the sidelines for me to call out to Him for my needs. God wants to work in my life but He isn’t going to come into the situation without my invitation. I first need to call out to God, “Help, this is more than me!” I need to realize Who can get the job done and then I need to let Him.

Dear God, help us this day to reach out to You when things feel more than we can bear. Come into the circumstances we are dealing with today and help us feel assured that You will make a way for us through this day and the days ahead. Amen.

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. ~Isaiah 43:30

One of my jobs at church is our social media pages. I scroll through feeds a couple of times a day looking for items to pass along to the church. As I was scrolling one morning, trying to not look too closely at all the COVID-19 bombardment of articles out there, I stumbled across this photo. I was so struck by this image. This little guy fits so securely in its parent’s hand. She is not struggling to get out of the parent’s grasp but resting and even drawing comfort for being there. This made me think of God holding me!

Whether we are on the front lines of this pandemic or sheltered at home, we can rest assured of God going with us through these times. Psalm 139:10-12 says, “Even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me and the light around me become night, even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.”

One of my favorite verses in scripture is Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.” After seeing this image, I will forever connect this verse and this picture together. Before I always envisioned myself being still among whatever I was going through and trusting that God was taking care of things I couldn’t see. Now, when I need that verse to calm my anxiety (I often use it as a breath prayer) I will see myself sheltered in God’s hand as he carries me through not just this present time but in all the times ahead.

Dear God, Help me to find solace in the stillness you provide. Calm my anxieties so that I can know that You are God and that You will lead us through ALL our days ahead. Amen. 

*I could not find the original post of this picture. Since in my search I found thousands of pages using it, I believe it to be an open stock picture. If anyone finds the original photographer I would love to give credit.

So then, let’s work for the good of all whenever we have an opportunity, and especially for those in the household of faith. ~Galatians 6:10 (CEB)

A smile and a kind word, I would say that this is my mother’s ministry. I grew up with my mother always smiling to those she met and giving a smile. It seems like such a simple thing. It seems that it couldn’t really make a difference, but I have seen many eye light up when my mother smiles.

Often I forget that we are called even in the little things of life to serve Christ. If I put on God’s eyes and look around, His ears and listen, He is calling me to reach out every day even in the little things. Acknowledging a cashier and asking them about their day, holding open the door for someone, letting someone ahead of me in line who only has a couple of items, a smile, these are all things that I can do to serve Christ. Sometimes these “small things” can impact someone greatly. I will probably never know how my small actions may impact someone’s life this day but I am called to be Christ even in the small things that I do.

Lord may I not be so caught up with my own life that I forget to look out beyond myself. May I notice those around me with a smile and a kind word today. Amen.

A joyful heart helps healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones ~Proverbs 17:22 (CEB)

Sometimes I get caught up in looking at the big picture. The worries and stress of the day seem to steal all joy and I forget to live in the moment. When I forget to live in the moment, I forget to take joy in things like the melodies my son picks out on his guitar or the texts I get from my husband. When I get caught up in my worries I forget to see my flowers pushing up from the ground getting ready to bloom. I forget to laugh at my dog as she takes serious her task of chasing the rabbits. I forget to listen to the bird’s songs or listen as the wind rustles the wind chimes on my back porch.

Seeing things piece by piece and searching for the joy in the moment helps to lighten my day. When I get to worrying about all the things that I have no power to fix at this moment, those things that are out of my control, I allow those things to steal the simple joys from my heart. Missing out on these simple things soon finds my spirit hurting.

God doesn’t want me to live with the weight of the world on my shoulders. He has put things in my path to help me enjoy life. He created flowers and bird songs for my enjoyment. He gave me friends and family for comfort and love. May I remember each day to appreciate all that he has blessed me with down to the simplest and smallest of details.

Heavenly Father, help me to remember to stop and smell the flowers, to hear the birds sing, to hug my family. May I not take any of these joys for granted. May they ever be fresh on my heart. Amen.

The commandment is a lamp and instruction a light; corrective teaching is the path of life. ~Proverbs 6:23

One day my dog was barking for all she was worth. I knew that bark. It was the type of bark that told me she had found some creature. When my son went out to see what Daisy was barking at, he found that it was a red-eared glider, a turtle whose shell was at least 18 inches long, bigger than what we were used to seeing migrate out of the small lake in our subdivision.

Early spring is the time of year turtles are restless from their winter “hibernation.” This restlessness puts turtles in places they don’t belong to. Sometimes it is just in the wrong back yard or in a neighborhood street. Sometimes their restlessness finds them on a busy highway which for many that try to cross does not end well. That spring restlessness drives them to be places that are not safe for turtles.

I can get restless like those turtles. Despite barking dogs, unknown territory and even dangerous circumstances I can feel driven to go places that I know I should not go. Against the instincts God has placed deep within me I can push past the natural boundaries He would have in place for me.

The good news is God’s word says, “I will instruct you and teach you about the direction you should go. I’ll advise you and keep My eye on you” (Psalms 32:8) If I allow God’s word to penetrate deep within this hard shell of mine, I only have to listen to the guidance He has placed within me and I can find my way home, away from the busy highways which are so dangerous, back to the beautiful lake He has provided. I just need to listen to my God-given instincts.

Dear God, especially today, may we ever be listening for that guidance you place deep within us. Help us take the steps needed in this time to protect ourselves and others from this virus that plagues us. And God, most especially send your spirit to go with us in this time of isolation so we remember that we are beloved children of God, therefore, we are never truly alone. Amen.

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings, you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. ~Psalm 91:4 and 5.

There have been times that I have found myself in a place where I have had to rely on someone’s mercy for my basic needs. I have found myself relying on someone to provide a place for my stuff, food to eat and a space to lay my head for sleep. It can be awkward and uncomfortable being left to someone else’s discretion for meeting these basic needs. I may not get to eat the type of food I like to eat. I may have to share a small space with my whole family that normally would accommodate just one. There may be no guarantee of when I will get to take a shower and even then I may be rushed through it because others need to use the same bathroom. Staying in someone else’s home can cause moments of discomfort, like when I am hungry, tired or frustrated at having to do things a different way than I would normally do them. In this particular situation, I was simply visiting family for a short time where the minor discomforts were countered with joyous times.

It has occurred to me that with Covid-19 we are facing many discomforts and uncertainties. We don’t always know when or IF our basic needs will be met. Some of the things that brought us joy among life’s hardships seem to be on hold. It can be easy to blame someone for our circumstances and lose our patience with how things are. We don’t know what tomorrow holds.

But Psalm 91 reminds us that God is our shelter, verses 4 and 5 say “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings, you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” and verse 14 says “Because he loves me, says the Lord, I will rescue him; I will protect him for he acknowledges my name.

Dear God, you see us all wherever we may be. You see our anxieties and our concerns. You know our deepest needs. Thank you for your faithfulness. Help us to find small joys in unexpected places. Send us your Spirit to calm our fears and to remind us that we are your beloved children. Amen.

My favorite service during advent is the Longest Night Service we have at Broadway United Methodist Church every year. We always hold it on or near the “Longest Night of the year” which is December 21^st, the winter solstice. The purpose of this service is to remind us of the light that Jesus brings in the midst of grief, depression, uncertainty, loneliness, stress or anything else that we experience as “darkness.”

I feel that this service is the most authentic moment we have leading up to the season we call Christmas because sometimes this time of year can seem to hold a lot of darkness, not just because the days are shorter, and that winter has just settled in and spring seems so far away. Maybe the days seem longer because you are missing loved ones, or things have not been going the way you had hoped or expected. Maybe what you thought gave your life meaning –your activities, your achievements, things you considered important, and the meaning that you had given your life feels gone now.

This “dark night of the soul,” as it is sometimes called, can occur if something happens that you can’t explain away anymore, some disaster which seems to invalidate the meaning that your life had before.  Really what has collapsed then is the whole conceptual framework for your life, the meaning that your mind had given it. So what results is a dark place which in some cases is very close to what is conventionally called depression.

Against all the glitz and cheerful songs, we hear being played everywhere we go, our personal struggles can seem even darker during the Christmas season. In its place, we come face to face with how unwonderful life can be.

Distracted by all the glitz and glamor that we have missed is the true meaning and purpose of Christmas.

The true meaning of Christmas isn’t found in the quaint symbolic manger scenes with Mary and the baby Jesus surrounded by wise men, camels, shepherds, and cute fluffy lambs…

Instead, think back to when we first meet Mary and Joseph. When we are introduced to Mary and Joseph in the gospel story, they have just gotten engaged. According to Jewish tradition, they are essentially married- but not living together yet. A promise has been made. This promise may have been made by their parents for them, but it is binding.

I am sure Mary and Joseph, like most of us, had hopes and plans about what the future would look like, to dream about their life together.

But the dream gets interrupted.

Mary gets a visit from Gabriel and he tells her that she has been chosen to give birth to a baby that will bring salvation to the world. There is a snag to this revelation. She isn’t married yet. This circumstance Mary finds herself in is a bigger scandal than we can envision today.

Can you imagine the turmoil that Mary must have felt? There isn’t just the public humiliation she will have to endure, there is also Hebrew Law that she will have to face. A passage in Jewish scriptures says that if a woman is with child before she does go to live with her husband, she is guilty of adultery, and as a punishment for adultery she could be stoned to death.

So even if she survives having to tell Joseph of her situation, if Joseph decides to divorce her – she and the baby still might not survive.

To not have the support of a husband is a problem because when and where Mary lived, men were the ones who were allowed to make money. It was very difficult for women to make money on their own.

So, without someone who would have money and not being able to make her own money, it would be very difficult for Mary to obtain the things that she would need to raise her baby if she had to raise Jesus on her own.

I am sure that this was not part of the dreams Mary had as a young woman planning for her future.

The news that Mary brings of her pregnancy is a shock to Joseph as well.

Joseph does not want to expose her to public disgrace that would bring upon Mary the harshest religious penalty. He wrestles with what is the right thing to do. He doesn’t want harm to come to her so maybe a quiet divorce to legally break the engagement without any public fuss would be the best thing.

Imagine Joseph’s emotions when he goes to bed that night, as this whole horrible scenario comes crashing down around him. His plans have been pulled out from under him. His dream has been torn apart.

It is into this kind of darkness that our scripture for today declares its message. God speaks to Joseph in a dream using an angel to tell Joseph that he is to wed Mary and help her take care of and help raise Jesus.

The story doesn’t end here. It isn’t the happily ever after ending yet. We know that even though Mary and Joseph listen to and accepted God’s will for their life…. Things don’t get any easier.

There are more trials ahead… like having to travel to Bethlehem while Mary was so close to the birth of Jesus. And when her time came, there was no place for her to go, no family to gather around and support them. It seems as the story goes, they were barely able to have found a stable for shelter.

Even doing the right thing can leave you feeling frightened, alone with a sense of vulnerability.

You would have to agree, that this had to be a dark and desperate time for Mary and Joseph.

It is into this darkest point of the story that Jesus is born.

Scripture tells us that Joseph was told by the angel to call the baby, Emmanuel, which means, “God is with us.”

This is the promise of Christmas.

We were never promised that if we have faith and believe in God then we will be protected from problems and hardships.

No, what we are promised is that in the trials of life, God will be with us.

And God IS with us, but we have to be looking for the signs. Mary encountered Gabriel, Joseph, and the Shepherds had an angel, the wise man saw a star…

God is indeed with us, but he comes to us at times, in ways and through people we might not expect.

As we prepare to celebrate again the first coming of Christ on that first Christmas morning 2000 years ago, we need to ask ourselves if we are being truly open to the signs that point out that God is with us through the trials we are facing.

Are we too afraid of what God may have to say to us to look for angels? Are we too frightened of the journey to follow a star?

Or are we blocking out the signs because we harbor grudges, resentment, bitterness or anger in our hearts?

Advent is the time we are reminded to watch and wait for Jesus, Emmanuel, “God with us.” We are to expect to see him.

What is Christmas?

For God so loved the world… he took on human flesh in the form of a helpless baby… so that he could be with us.

The one who has called goes with us. You are not alone.