Daily Guide grow. pray. study. from The Resurrection United Methodist Church for Monday, 1 June 2015 - “The joy from the Lord is your strength!”
Daily Scripture: Nehemiah 8:8 They read clearly from the scroll, in the Torah of God, translated it, and enabled them to understand the sense of what was being read.
9 Nechemyah the Tirshata, ‘Ezra the cohen and Torah-teacher and the L’vi’im who taught the people said to all the people, “Today is consecrated to Adonai your God; don’t be mournful, don’t weep.” For all the people had been weeping when they heard the words of the Torah. 10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat rich food, drink sweet drinks, and send portions to those who can’t provide for themselves; for today is consecrated to our Lord. Don’t be sad, because the joy of Adonai is your strength.” 11 In this way the L’vi’im quieted the people, as they said, “Be quiet, for today is holy; don’t be sad.” 12 Then the people went off to eat, drink, send portions and celebrate; because they had understood the words that had been proclaimed to them.
Reflection Questions:
Baseball has always thrived on the spirit of people like Kansas Citian Satchel Paige, who said, “I ain't ever had a job, I just always played baseball.” Slugger Willie Stargell observed, “When they start the game, they don't yell, ‘Work ball.’ They say, ‘Play ball.’” When Israel returned from exile and God’s law was read, some people wept, seeing just rules and work. “No,” said Nehemiah. Following God only works when we live in “the joy of the Lord.”
- Since Israel had been in exile in Babylon for a generation or two, Ezra and Nehemiah believed a public reading of God’s law (possibly the book of Deuteronomy) would help get everybody “on the same page.” But at first “all the people wept when they heard the words of the Instruction”—they seem to have heard only rules and condemnation. Have you ever felt, or known anyone who felt, that following God was cause for weeping?
- When Persia first let Israel’s exiles return, it brought dizzying joy (cf. Psalm 126:1-3). But, apparently, many Israelites didn’t connect that joy with faithfulness to God. So Nehemiah had to remind them: “Don’t mourn or weep….This day is holy to our Lord. Don’t be sad, because the joy from the Lord is your strength!” What has helped you to see following God not as hard work, but as a joyous privilege?
Lord Jesus, I want to love as you love. I want to experience joy in whatever life brings my way. I want you in the center of my life. Help me to make choices that keep me open to your presence in me. Amen.
Insights from Celicia Hiatt
Celicia Hiatt is in the Guest Services Ministry at The Church of the Resurrection, serving as a crucial member of the team that helps visitors and members of the church get plugged into the life of the church.
I love baseball; I love everything about the game from the anticipation of watching the batter make contact with his bat to the ball, to the outfielder diving for the fly ball before it touches the ground. Every piece of the game excites me with a childlike joy. I grew up watching the game with my father, now I share my passion for the sport with my five year old son who reignites my elation for what a new season brings with it.
Pastor Scott spoke last night about the key of this amazing game, and how at the end of the day all the complicated rules and strategies drive the players to fight to get everyone home. You see, if you don’t understand a single rule or play call, you just need to know that the object of the game is to get everyone home and not to leave them stranded. This is our call as Christians, to get everyone home and the most important rule we need to follow is to do it with love. I imagine the joy God feels each time one of his children rounds the bases and makes it back where they started, home plate.
Last year I was lucky enough to go to what I thought was going to be the Royals last game of the season. I was excited to just to be at a post-season game and enjoy the exhilaration as Kansas City celebrated their first post-season appearance in 29 years. The energy in that place was unbelievable as a stadium full of people hoped, wished and prayed that we could extend the season past the Wild Card game. My hope started to dwindle as I made my way back to my seat after a quick popcorn run, and was startled when I saw that we were behind. I never lost hope; the people around me wouldn’t let me. The cheering never stopped, the excitement never waned and we weren’t going to give up. The players never showed any sign of walking away without a fight and the look of determination never left their faces.
Then Salvador Perez came up and hit the most amazing hit I have ever seen, in the most amazing night in baseball I have ever lived. The cheers that erupted in the 12th inning that night at Kaufman Stadium gave me a glimpse of the unfettered joy and excitement God feels when each of His children find their way home. The childlike joy I could see on Salvador Perez’s face as he rounded the bases reminded me of the delight I feel when I’m on the path and running towards God. The adoration and excitement of the fans that night showed me just the smallest sliver of what God feels for each of His children. Kaufman Stadium celebrated that night with cheers of jubilation and excitement, but a stadium full of Royals fans cannot compare with the love and excitement God feels each time one of His children rounds all the bases and makes it all the way home.
I love baseball; I love everything about the game from the anticipation of watching the batter make contact with his bat to the ball, to the outfielder diving for the fly ball before it touches the ground. Every piece of the game excites me with a childlike joy. I grew up watching the game with my father, now I share my passion for the sport with my five year old son who reignites my elation for what a new season brings with it.
Pastor Scott spoke last night about the key of this amazing game, and how at the end of the day all the complicated rules and strategies drive the players to fight to get everyone home. You see, if you don’t understand a single rule or play call, you just need to know that the object of the game is to get everyone home and not to leave them stranded. This is our call as Christians, to get everyone home and the most important rule we need to follow is to do it with love. I imagine the joy God feels each time one of his children rounds the bases and makes it back where they started, home plate.
Last year I was lucky enough to go to what I thought was going to be the Royals last game of the season. I was excited to just to be at a post-season game and enjoy the exhilaration as Kansas City celebrated their first post-season appearance in 29 years. The energy in that place was unbelievable as a stadium full of people hoped, wished and prayed that we could extend the season past the Wild Card game. My hope started to dwindle as I made my way back to my seat after a quick popcorn run, and was startled when I saw that we were behind. I never lost hope; the people around me wouldn’t let me. The cheering never stopped, the excitement never waned and we weren’t going to give up. The players never showed any sign of walking away without a fight and the look of determination never left their faces.
Then Salvador Perez came up and hit the most amazing hit I have ever seen, in the most amazing night in baseball I have ever lived. The cheers that erupted in the 12th inning that night at Kaufman Stadium gave me a glimpse of the unfettered joy and excitement God feels when each of His children find their way home. The childlike joy I could see on Salvador Perez’s face as he rounded the bases reminded me of the delight I feel when I’m on the path and running towards God. The adoration and excitement of the fans that night showed me just the smallest sliver of what God feels for each of His children. Kaufman Stadium celebrated that night with cheers of jubilation and excitement, but a stadium full of Royals fans cannot compare with the love and excitement God feels each time one of His children rounds all the bases and makes it all the way home.
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
913.897.0120
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