The Great Plains Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church Daily Devotion for Sunday, 6 September 2015
Today please be in prayer for:
|
Teacher-Bernadine Sitts Intermediate Center
Dodge City District
| 
Altamont UMC
Mound Valley UMC
Parsons District
|
Angola UMC
Valeda UMC
Parsons District
|
Todd Guinn
Ulysses Dodge City District | 
Donald Hasty
District Superintendent Dodge City District | 
James Godbey
Counseling & Mediation Center, Dodge City, KS Dodge City District |
Sublette
Dodge City District
| 
Syracuse
Dodge City District
| 
Towner, CO
Tribune
Dodge City District
|
Richfield
Rolla
Dodge City District
| 
Satanta
Dodge City District
| 
Scott City
Dodge City District
|
|
Offerle
Dodge City District
| 
Kismet
Plains
Dodge City District
| 
Protection
Dodge City District
|
Minneola
Dodge City District
| 
Montezuma
Dodge City District
| 
Moscow
Dodge City District
|
Liberal First
Dodge City Distric
| 
Manter
Dodge City District
| 
Meade
Dodge City District
|
This Week's Lectionary:
14th Sunday after Pentecost/in Kingdomtide – Green
Song of Solomon 2:8-13
Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9 or Psalm 72
James 1:17-27
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
14th Sunday after Pentecost/in Kingdomtide – Green
Song of Solomon 2:8-13
Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9 or Psalm 72
James 1:17-27
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Lectiionsry Scripture:
Song of Solomon 2:8 The voice of the man I love! Here he comes,
bounding over the mountains, skipping over the hills!
9 My darling is like a gazelle or young stag.
There he is, standing outside our wall,
looking in through the windows,
peering in through the lattice.
10 My darling speaks; he is saying to me,
“Get up, my love! My beauty! Come away!
11 For you see that the winter has passed,
the rain is finished and gone,
12 the flowers are appearing in the countryside,
the time has come for [the birds] to sing,
and the cooing of doves can be heard in the land.
13 The fig trees are forming their unripe figs,
and the grapevines in bloom give out their perfume.
Get up, my love, my beauty!
Come away!”
Psalm 45:(0) For the leader. Set to “Lilies.” By the descendants of Korach. A maskil. A lovesong:
2 (1) My heart is stirred by a noble theme;
I address my verses to the king;
My tongue is the pen of an expert scribe.
6 (5) Your arrows are sharp. The people fall under you,
as they penetrate the hearts of the king’s enemies.
7 (6) Your throne, God, will last forever and ever;
you rule your kingdom with a scepter of equity.
8 (7) You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of joy in preference to your companions.
9 (8) Your robes are all fragrant with myrrh, aloes and cassia;
from ivory palaces stringed instruments bring you joy.
Psalm 72:(0) By Shlomo:
(1) God, give the king your fairness in judgment,
endow this son of kings with your righteousness,
2 so that he can govern your people rightly
and your poor with justice.
3 May mountains and hills provide your people
with peace through righteousness.
4 May he defend the oppressed among the people,
save the needy and crush the oppressor.
5 May they fear you as long as the sun endures
and as long as the moon, through all generations.
6 May he be like rain falling on mown grass,
like showers watering the land.
7 In his days, let the righteous flourish
and peace abound, till the moon is no more.
8 May his empire stretch from sea to sea,
from the [Euphrates] River to the ends of the earth.
9 May desert-dwellers bow before him;
may his enemies lick the dust.
10 The kings of Tarshish and the coasts will pay him tribute;
the kings of Sh’va and S’va will offer gifts.
11 Yes, all kings will prostrate themselves before him;
all nations will serve him.
12 For he will rescue the needy when they cry,
the poor too and those with none to help them.
13 He will have pity on the poor and needy;
and the lives of the needy he will save.
14 He will redeem them from oppression and violence;
their blood will be precious in his view.
15 May [the king] live long!
May they give him gold from the land of Sh’va!
May they pray for him continually;
yes, bless him all day long.
16 May there be an abundance of grain in the land,
all the way to the tops of the mountains.
May its crops rustle like the L’vanon.
May people blossom in the city like the grasses in the fields.
17 May his name endure forever,
his name, Yinnon, as long as the sun.[Psalm 72:17 Or: “May his name flourish/propagate as long as the sun.” Jewish tradition considers Yinnon a name of the Messiah.]
May people bless themselves in him,
may all nations call him happy.
18 Blessed be Adonai, God,
the God of Isra’el,
who alone works wonders.
19 Blessed be his glorious name forever,
and may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen. Amen.
20 This completes the prayers of David the son of Yishai.
James 1:17 Every good act of giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father who made the heavenly lights; with him there is neither variation nor darkness caused by turning. 18 Having made his decision, he gave birth to us through a Word that can be relied upon, in order that we should be a kind of firstfruits of all that he created. 19 Therefore, my dear brothers, let every person be quick to listen but slow to speak, slow to get angry; 20 for a person’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness!
21 So rid yourselves of all vulgarity and obvious evil, and receive meekly the Word implanted in you that can save your lives. 22 Don’t deceive yourselves by only hearing what the Word says, but do it! 23 For whoever hears the Word but doesn’t do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror, 24 who looks at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But if a person looks closely into the perfect Torah, which gives freedom, and continues, becoming not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work it requires, then he will be blessed in what he does.
26 Anyone who thinks he is religiously observant but does not control his tongue is deceiving himself, and his observance counts for nothing. 27 The religious observance that God the Father considers pure and faultless is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being contaminated by the world.
Mark 7:1 The P’rushim and some of the Torah-teachers who had come from Yerushalayim gathered together with Yeshua 2 and saw that some of his talmidim ate with ritually unclean hands, that is, without doing n’tilat-yadayim. 3 (For the P’rushim, and indeed all the Judeans, holding fast to the Tradition of the Elders, do not eat unless they have given their hands a ceremonial washing. 4 Also, when they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they have rinsed their hands up to the wrist; and they adhere to many other traditions, such as washing cups, pots and bronze vessels.)
5 The P’rushim and the Torah-teachers asked him, “Why don’t your talmidim live in accordance with the Tradition of the Elders, but instead eat with ritually unclean hands?” 6 Yeshua answered them, “Yesha‘yahu was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites — as it is written,
‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far away from me.
7 Their worship of me is useless,
because they teach man-made rules as if they were doctrines.’[Mark 7:7 Isaiah 29:13]
8 “You depart from God’s command and hold onto human tradition.
14 Then Yeshua called the people to him again and said, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand this! 15 There is nothing outside a person which, by going into him, can make him unclean. Rather, it is the things that come out of a person which make a person unclean!”
21 For from within, out of a person’s heart, come forth wicked thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 greed, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, arrogance, foolishness…. 23 All these wicked things come from within, and they make a person unclean.”
John Wesley's Notes-commentary for Song of Solomon 2:8-13
Verse 8
[8] The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.
The voice — Christ's voice, the word of grace revealed outwardly in the gospel, and inwardly by the Spirit of God.
Leaping — He saith, leaping and skipping, to denote that Christ came readily, and swiftly, with great desire and pleasure and adds, upon the mountains and hills, to signify Christ's resolution to come in spite of all difficulties.
Verse 9
[9] My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.
Like a roe — In swiftness. He is coming to me with all speed and will not tarry a moment beyond the proper season.
He standeth behind — And while he doth for wise reasons forbear to come; he is not far from us. Both this and the following phrases may denote the obscure manner of Christ's manifesting himself to his people, under the law, in comparison of his discoveries in the gospel.
The window — This phrase, and that through the lattess, intimate that the church does indeed see Christ, but, as through a glass, darkly, as it is said even of gospel-revelations,1 Corinthians 13:12, which was much more true of legal administrations.
Verse 10
[10] My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
Spake — Invited me outwardly by his word, and inwardly by his Spirit.
Rise up — Shake off sloth, and disentangle thyself more fully from all the snares of this world.
Come — Unto me, and with me; follow me fully, serve me perfectly, labour for a nearer union, and more satisfying communion with me.
Verse 11
[11] For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
The winter — Spiritual troubles arising from a deep sense of the guilt of sin, the wrath of God, the curse of the law; all which made them afraid to come unto God. But, saith Christ, I have removed these impediments, God is reconciled; therefore cast off all discouragements, and excuses, and come to me.
Verse 12
[12] The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
The flowers — The communications of God's grace, the gifts, and graces, and comforts of the Holy Spirit, are vouchsafed unto, and appear in believers, as buds and blossoms do in the spring.
The turtle — This seems particularly to be mentioned because it not only gives notice of the spring, but aptly represents the Spirit of God, which even the Chaldee paraphrast understands by this turtle, which appeared in the shape of a dove, and which worketh a dove-like meekness, and chastity, and faithfulness, in believers.
Verse 13
{13] The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
Her figs — Which it shoots forth in the spring.
Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9
Verse 1
[1] My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
Enditing — Heb. boileth, or bubbleth up like water over the fire. This denotes that the workings of his heart, were fervent and vehement, kindled by God's grace, and the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.
Made — Have composed.
Pen — He was only the pen or instrument in uttering this song; it was the spirit of God, by whose hand this pen was guided.
Verse 2
[2] Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.
Fairer — Than all other men: which is most true of Christ; but not of Solomon; whom many have excelled, in holiness and righteousness, which is the chief part of the beauty celebrated in this psalm.
Grace — God hath plentifully poured into thy mind and tongue the gift of speaking wisely, eloquently, and acceptably.
Therefore — And because God hath so eminently qualified thee for rule, therefore he hath blessed thee with an everlasting kingdom.
Verse 6
[6] Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
O God — It is evident, that the speech is still continued to the same person whom he calls king, verse 1,11, and here God, to assure us that he doth not speak of Solomon, but a far greater king, who is not only a man, but the mighty God, Isaiah 9:6.
A right scepter — Thou rulest with exact righteousness and equity.
Verse 7
[7] Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Therefore — Therefore God hath exalted thee far above all men and angels, to a state of joy and endless glory at his right hand; which is fitly compared by the oil of gladness.
Thy God — According to thy human nature, John 20:17, though in respect of thy Divine nature, thou art his fellow, Zechariah 13:7, and his equal, Philemon 2:6, and one with him, John 10:30.
Oil — So called, because it was a token of gladness, and used in feasts, and other solemn occasions of rejoicing.
Fellows — Above all them who partake with thee in this unction: above all that ever were anointed for priests or prophets, or kings.
Verse 8
[8] All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.
Myrrh — Wherewith they used to perfume their garments: this may denote those glorious and sweet smelling virtues, which, as they were treasured up in Christ's heart, so did they manifest themselves outwardly, and give forth a grateful smell, in the whole course of his life and actions.
Palaces — The king is here supposed to reside in his ivory palaces, and his garments are so fragrant, that they not only perfume the whole palace in which he is; but the sweet favour is perceived by those that pass by them, all which is poetically said, and with allusion to Solomon's glorious garments and palaces. The heavenly mansions, may not unfitly be called ivory palaces, as elsewhere in the same figurative manner they are said to be adorned with gold and precious stones, from which mansions Christ came into the world, into which Christ went, and where he settled his abode after he went out of the world, and from whence he poured forth all the fragrant gifts and graces of his spirit, although there is no necessity to strain every particular circumstance in such poetical descriptions; for some expressions may be used, only as ornaments, as they are in parables; and it may suffice to know, that the excellencies of the king Christ are described by things which earthly potentates place their glory.
Whereby — By the sweet smell of thy garments out of those ivory palaces, or the effusion of the gifts and graces of thy spirit from heaven; which as it is a great blessing to those who receive them, so doth it rejoice the heart of Christ, both as it is a demonstration of his own power and glory, and as it is the instrument of bringing souls to God.
Made thee — Thou art made glad.
Verse 9
[9] Kings' daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.
Among — Among them that attend upon thy spouse, as the manner was in nuptial solemnities. As the queen is the church in general, and so these honourable women are particular believers, who are daily added to the church, Acts 2:47. And although the church is made up of particular believers, yet she is distinguished from them, for the decency of the parable. And these believers may be said to be Kings daughters, because among others, many persons of royal race embraced the faith, and because they are in a spiritual sense, Kings unto God, Revelation 1:6.
Right hand — The most honourable place.
Ophir — Clothed in garments made of the choicest gold. By which he designs the graces wherewith the church is accomplished.
Psalm 72
Verse 1
[1] Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.
Judgments — He saith judgments in the plural number, because though the office of judging and ruling was but one, yet there were divers parts and branches, of it; in all which he begs that Solomon may be directed to do as God would have him to do.
Verse 2
[2] He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
Thy afflicted ones — For such are thine in a special manner, thou art their judge and patron.
Verse 3
[3] The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.
The mountains — Which are so dangerous to passengers, in regard of robbers and wild beasts. Hereby it is implied, that other places should do so too, and that it should be common and universal.
Verse 4
[4] He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
Judge — Vindicate them from their oppressors.
Verse 5
[5] They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
Thee — Thee, O God, this shall be another blessed fruit of this righteous government, that together with peace, true religion shall be established, and that throughout all generations, which was begun in Solomon's days, but not fully accomplished 'till Christ came.
Verse 6
[6] He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.
He shall come — Christ did come down from heaven, and brought or sent down from heaven his doctrine, (which is often compared to rain) and the sweet and powerful influences of his spirit.
Verse 8
[8] He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
Dominion — From one sea to another, or in all the parts of the habitable world. This was accomplished in Christ, and in him only.
The river — Euphrates: which was the eastern border of the kingdom of Canaan, allotted by God, but enjoyed only by David, Solomon, and Christ. Of whose kingdom this may be mentioned, as one of the borders; because the kingdom of Christ is described under the shadow of Solomon's kingdom.
Verse 10
[10] The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
The sea — Of remote countries, to which they used to go from Canaan by sea; which are frequently called isles in scripture; the kings that rule by sea or by land.
Verse 11
[11] Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
All nations — Which cannot be said of Solomon with any truth or colour, but was unquestionably verified in Christ,
Verse 14
[14] He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
Deceit and violence — The two ways whereby the lives of men are usually destroyed.
Precious — He will not be prodigal of the lives of his subjects, but like a true father of his people, will tenderly preserve them, and severely avenge their blood upon those who shall shed it.
Verse 15
[15] And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.
Live — Long and prosperous, as Solomon: yea, eternally as Christ.
Gold — This was done to Solomon, 1 Kings 10:15, and to Christ, Matthew 2:11. But such expressions as these being used of Christ and his kingdom, are commonly understood in a spiritual sense.
Verse 16
[16] There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
A handful — This intimates the small beginnings of his kingdom; and therefore does not agree to Solomon, whose kingdom was in a manner as large at the beginning of his reign, as at the end, but it exactly agrees to Christ.
The earth — Sown in the earth.
Mountains — In the most barren grounds.
Shake — It shall yield such abundance of corn, that the ears being thick and high, shall, when they are shaken with the wind, make a noise not unlike that which the tops of the trees of Lebanon, sometimes make.
Of the city — The citizens of Jerusalem, which are here put for the subjects of this kingdom.
Verse 20
[20] The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
The prayer — This psalm is the last which David composed: for this was wrote but a little before his death.James 1:17-27
Verse 17
[17] Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
No evil, but every good gift - Whatever tends to holiness.
And every perfect gift — Whatever tends to glory.
Descendeth from the Father of lights — The appellation of Father is here used with peculiar propriety. It follows, "he begat us." He is the Father of all light, material or spiritual, in the kingdom of grace and of glory.
With whom is no variableness — No change in his understanding.
Or shadow of turning — in his will. He infallibly discerns all good and evil; and invariably loves one, and hates the other. There is, in both the Greek words, a metaphor taken from the stars, particularly proper where the Father of lights is mentioned. Both are applicable to any celestial body, which has a daily vicissitude of day and night, and sometimes longer days, sometimes longer nights. In God is nothing of this kind. He is mere light. If there Is any such vicissitude, it is in ourselves, not in him.
Verse 18
[18] Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Of his own will — Most loving, most free, most pure, just opposite to our evil desire, James 1:15.
Begat he us — Who believe.
By the word of truth — The true word, emphatically so termed; the gospel.
That we might be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures — Christians are the chief and most excellent of his visible creatures; and sanctify the rest. Yet he says, A kind of - For Christ alone is absolutely the first - fruits.
Verse 19
[19] Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
Let every man be swift to hear — This is treated of from James 1:21 to the end of the next chapter.
Slow to speak — Which is treated of in he third chapter.
Slow to wrath — Neither murmuring at God, nor angry at his neighbour. This is treated of in the third, and throughout the fourth and fifth chapters.
Verse 20
[20] For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
The righteousness of God here includes all duties prescribed by him, and pleasing to him.
Verse 21
[21] Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Therefore laying aside — As a dirty garment.
All the filthiness and superfluity of wickedness — For however specious or necessary it may appear to worldly wisdom, all wickedness is both vile, hateful, contemptible, and really superfluous. Every reasonable end may be effectually answered without any kind or degree of it. Lay this, every known sin, aside, or all your hearing is vain.
With meekness — Constant evenness and serenity of mind.
Receive — Into your ears, your heart, your life.
The word — Of the gospel.
Ingrafted — In believers, by regeneration, James 1:18 and by habit, Hebrews 5:14.
Which is able to save your souls — The hope of salvation nourishes meekness.
Verse 23
[23] For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Beholding his face in a glass — How exactly does the scripture glass show a man the face of his soul!
Verse 24
[24] For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
He beheld himself, and went away — To other business.
And forgot — But such forgetting does not excuse.
Verse 25
[25] But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
But he that looketh diligently — Not with a transient glance, but bending down, fixing his eyes, and searching all to the bottom.
Into the perfect law — Of love as established by faith. St. James here guards us against misunderstanding what St. Paul says concerning the "yoke and bondage of the law." He who keeps the law of love is free, John 8:31, etc. He that does not, is not free, but a slave to sin, and a criminal before God, James 2:10.
And continueth therein — Not like him who forgot it, and went away.
This man — There is a peculiar force in the repetition of the word.
Shall be happy — Not barely in hearing, but doing the will of God.
Verse 26
[26] If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
If any one be ever so religious — Exact in the outward offices of religion.
And bridleth not his tongue — From backbiting, talebearing, evilspeaking, he only deceiveth his own heart, if he fancies he has any true religion at all.
Verse 27
[27] Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
The only true religion in the sight of God, is this, to visit - With counsel, comfort, and relief.
The fatherless and widows — Those who need it most.
In their affliction — In their most helpless and hopeless state.
And to keep himself unspotted from the world — From the maxims, tempers, and customs of it. But this cannot be done, till we have given our hearts to God, and love our neighbour as ourselves.
bounding over the mountains, skipping over the hills!
9 My darling is like a gazelle or young stag.
There he is, standing outside our wall,
looking in through the windows,
peering in through the lattice.
10 My darling speaks; he is saying to me,
“Get up, my love! My beauty! Come away!
11 For you see that the winter has passed,
the rain is finished and gone,
12 the flowers are appearing in the countryside,
the time has come for [the birds] to sing,
and the cooing of doves can be heard in the land.
13 The fig trees are forming their unripe figs,
and the grapevines in bloom give out their perfume.
Get up, my love, my beauty!
Come away!”
Psalm 45:(0) For the leader. Set to “Lilies.” By the descendants of Korach. A maskil. A lovesong:
2 (1) My heart is stirred by a noble theme;
I address my verses to the king;
My tongue is the pen of an expert scribe.
6 (5) Your arrows are sharp. The people fall under you,
as they penetrate the hearts of the king’s enemies.
7 (6) Your throne, God, will last forever and ever;
you rule your kingdom with a scepter of equity.
8 (7) You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of joy in preference to your companions.
9 (8) Your robes are all fragrant with myrrh, aloes and cassia;
from ivory palaces stringed instruments bring you joy.
Psalm 72:(0) By Shlomo:
(1) God, give the king your fairness in judgment,
endow this son of kings with your righteousness,
2 so that he can govern your people rightly
and your poor with justice.
3 May mountains and hills provide your people
with peace through righteousness.
4 May he defend the oppressed among the people,
save the needy and crush the oppressor.
5 May they fear you as long as the sun endures
and as long as the moon, through all generations.
6 May he be like rain falling on mown grass,
like showers watering the land.
7 In his days, let the righteous flourish
and peace abound, till the moon is no more.
8 May his empire stretch from sea to sea,
from the [Euphrates] River to the ends of the earth.
9 May desert-dwellers bow before him;
may his enemies lick the dust.
10 The kings of Tarshish and the coasts will pay him tribute;
the kings of Sh’va and S’va will offer gifts.
11 Yes, all kings will prostrate themselves before him;
all nations will serve him.
12 For he will rescue the needy when they cry,
the poor too and those with none to help them.
13 He will have pity on the poor and needy;
and the lives of the needy he will save.
14 He will redeem them from oppression and violence;
their blood will be precious in his view.
15 May [the king] live long!
May they give him gold from the land of Sh’va!
May they pray for him continually;
yes, bless him all day long.
16 May there be an abundance of grain in the land,
all the way to the tops of the mountains.
May its crops rustle like the L’vanon.
May people blossom in the city like the grasses in the fields.
17 May his name endure forever,
his name, Yinnon, as long as the sun.[Psalm 72:17 Or: “May his name flourish/propagate as long as the sun.” Jewish tradition considers Yinnon a name of the Messiah.]
May people bless themselves in him,
may all nations call him happy.
18 Blessed be Adonai, God,
the God of Isra’el,
who alone works wonders.
19 Blessed be his glorious name forever,
and may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen. Amen.
20 This completes the prayers of David the son of Yishai.
James 1:17 Every good act of giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father who made the heavenly lights; with him there is neither variation nor darkness caused by turning. 18 Having made his decision, he gave birth to us through a Word that can be relied upon, in order that we should be a kind of firstfruits of all that he created. 19 Therefore, my dear brothers, let every person be quick to listen but slow to speak, slow to get angry; 20 for a person’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness!
21 So rid yourselves of all vulgarity and obvious evil, and receive meekly the Word implanted in you that can save your lives. 22 Don’t deceive yourselves by only hearing what the Word says, but do it! 23 For whoever hears the Word but doesn’t do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror, 24 who looks at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But if a person looks closely into the perfect Torah, which gives freedom, and continues, becoming not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work it requires, then he will be blessed in what he does.
26 Anyone who thinks he is religiously observant but does not control his tongue is deceiving himself, and his observance counts for nothing. 27 The religious observance that God the Father considers pure and faultless is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being contaminated by the world.
Mark 7:1 The P’rushim and some of the Torah-teachers who had come from Yerushalayim gathered together with Yeshua 2 and saw that some of his talmidim ate with ritually unclean hands, that is, without doing n’tilat-yadayim. 3 (For the P’rushim, and indeed all the Judeans, holding fast to the Tradition of the Elders, do not eat unless they have given their hands a ceremonial washing. 4 Also, when they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they have rinsed their hands up to the wrist; and they adhere to many other traditions, such as washing cups, pots and bronze vessels.)
5 The P’rushim and the Torah-teachers asked him, “Why don’t your talmidim live in accordance with the Tradition of the Elders, but instead eat with ritually unclean hands?” 6 Yeshua answered them, “Yesha‘yahu was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites — as it is written,
‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far away from me.
7 Their worship of me is useless,
because they teach man-made rules as if they were doctrines.’[Mark 7:7 Isaiah 29:13]
8 “You depart from God’s command and hold onto human tradition.
14 Then Yeshua called the people to him again and said, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand this! 15 There is nothing outside a person which, by going into him, can make him unclean. Rather, it is the things that come out of a person which make a person unclean!”
21 For from within, out of a person’s heart, come forth wicked thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 greed, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, arrogance, foolishness…. 23 All these wicked things come from within, and they make a person unclean.”
John Wesley's Notes-commentary for Song of Solomon 2:8-13
Verse 8
[8] The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.
The voice — Christ's voice, the word of grace revealed outwardly in the gospel, and inwardly by the Spirit of God.
Leaping — He saith, leaping and skipping, to denote that Christ came readily, and swiftly, with great desire and pleasure and adds, upon the mountains and hills, to signify Christ's resolution to come in spite of all difficulties.
Verse 9
[9] My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.
Like a roe — In swiftness. He is coming to me with all speed and will not tarry a moment beyond the proper season.
He standeth behind — And while he doth for wise reasons forbear to come; he is not far from us. Both this and the following phrases may denote the obscure manner of Christ's manifesting himself to his people, under the law, in comparison of his discoveries in the gospel.
The window — This phrase, and that through the lattess, intimate that the church does indeed see Christ, but, as through a glass, darkly, as it is said even of gospel-revelations,1 Corinthians 13:12, which was much more true of legal administrations.
Verse 10
[10] My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
Spake — Invited me outwardly by his word, and inwardly by his Spirit.
Rise up — Shake off sloth, and disentangle thyself more fully from all the snares of this world.
Come — Unto me, and with me; follow me fully, serve me perfectly, labour for a nearer union, and more satisfying communion with me.
Verse 11
[11] For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
The winter — Spiritual troubles arising from a deep sense of the guilt of sin, the wrath of God, the curse of the law; all which made them afraid to come unto God. But, saith Christ, I have removed these impediments, God is reconciled; therefore cast off all discouragements, and excuses, and come to me.
Verse 12
[12] The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
The flowers — The communications of God's grace, the gifts, and graces, and comforts of the Holy Spirit, are vouchsafed unto, and appear in believers, as buds and blossoms do in the spring.
The turtle — This seems particularly to be mentioned because it not only gives notice of the spring, but aptly represents the Spirit of God, which even the Chaldee paraphrast understands by this turtle, which appeared in the shape of a dove, and which worketh a dove-like meekness, and chastity, and faithfulness, in believers.
Verse 13
{13] The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
Her figs — Which it shoots forth in the spring.
Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9
Verse 1
[1] My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
Enditing — Heb. boileth, or bubbleth up like water over the fire. This denotes that the workings of his heart, were fervent and vehement, kindled by God's grace, and the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.
Made — Have composed.
Pen — He was only the pen or instrument in uttering this song; it was the spirit of God, by whose hand this pen was guided.
Verse 2
[2] Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.
Fairer — Than all other men: which is most true of Christ; but not of Solomon; whom many have excelled, in holiness and righteousness, which is the chief part of the beauty celebrated in this psalm.
Grace — God hath plentifully poured into thy mind and tongue the gift of speaking wisely, eloquently, and acceptably.
Therefore — And because God hath so eminently qualified thee for rule, therefore he hath blessed thee with an everlasting kingdom.
Verse 6
[6] Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
O God — It is evident, that the speech is still continued to the same person whom he calls king, verse 1,11, and here God, to assure us that he doth not speak of Solomon, but a far greater king, who is not only a man, but the mighty God, Isaiah 9:6.
A right scepter — Thou rulest with exact righteousness and equity.
Verse 7
[7] Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Therefore — Therefore God hath exalted thee far above all men and angels, to a state of joy and endless glory at his right hand; which is fitly compared by the oil of gladness.
Thy God — According to thy human nature, John 20:17, though in respect of thy Divine nature, thou art his fellow, Zechariah 13:7, and his equal, Philemon 2:6, and one with him, John 10:30.
Oil — So called, because it was a token of gladness, and used in feasts, and other solemn occasions of rejoicing.
Fellows — Above all them who partake with thee in this unction: above all that ever were anointed for priests or prophets, or kings.
Verse 8
[8] All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.
Myrrh — Wherewith they used to perfume their garments: this may denote those glorious and sweet smelling virtues, which, as they were treasured up in Christ's heart, so did they manifest themselves outwardly, and give forth a grateful smell, in the whole course of his life and actions.
Palaces — The king is here supposed to reside in his ivory palaces, and his garments are so fragrant, that they not only perfume the whole palace in which he is; but the sweet favour is perceived by those that pass by them, all which is poetically said, and with allusion to Solomon's glorious garments and palaces. The heavenly mansions, may not unfitly be called ivory palaces, as elsewhere in the same figurative manner they are said to be adorned with gold and precious stones, from which mansions Christ came into the world, into which Christ went, and where he settled his abode after he went out of the world, and from whence he poured forth all the fragrant gifts and graces of his spirit, although there is no necessity to strain every particular circumstance in such poetical descriptions; for some expressions may be used, only as ornaments, as they are in parables; and it may suffice to know, that the excellencies of the king Christ are described by things which earthly potentates place their glory.
Whereby — By the sweet smell of thy garments out of those ivory palaces, or the effusion of the gifts and graces of thy spirit from heaven; which as it is a great blessing to those who receive them, so doth it rejoice the heart of Christ, both as it is a demonstration of his own power and glory, and as it is the instrument of bringing souls to God.
Made thee — Thou art made glad.
Verse 9
[9] Kings' daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.
Among — Among them that attend upon thy spouse, as the manner was in nuptial solemnities. As the queen is the church in general, and so these honourable women are particular believers, who are daily added to the church, Acts 2:47. And although the church is made up of particular believers, yet she is distinguished from them, for the decency of the parable. And these believers may be said to be Kings daughters, because among others, many persons of royal race embraced the faith, and because they are in a spiritual sense, Kings unto God, Revelation 1:6.
Right hand — The most honourable place.
Ophir — Clothed in garments made of the choicest gold. By which he designs the graces wherewith the church is accomplished.
Psalm 72
Verse 1
[1] Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.
Judgments — He saith judgments in the plural number, because though the office of judging and ruling was but one, yet there were divers parts and branches, of it; in all which he begs that Solomon may be directed to do as God would have him to do.
Verse 2
[2] He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
Thy afflicted ones — For such are thine in a special manner, thou art their judge and patron.
Verse 3
[3] The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.
The mountains — Which are so dangerous to passengers, in regard of robbers and wild beasts. Hereby it is implied, that other places should do so too, and that it should be common and universal.
Verse 4
[4] He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
Judge — Vindicate them from their oppressors.
Verse 5
[5] They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
Thee — Thee, O God, this shall be another blessed fruit of this righteous government, that together with peace, true religion shall be established, and that throughout all generations, which was begun in Solomon's days, but not fully accomplished 'till Christ came.
Verse 6
[6] He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.
He shall come — Christ did come down from heaven, and brought or sent down from heaven his doctrine, (which is often compared to rain) and the sweet and powerful influences of his spirit.
Verse 8
[8] He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
Dominion — From one sea to another, or in all the parts of the habitable world. This was accomplished in Christ, and in him only.
The river — Euphrates: which was the eastern border of the kingdom of Canaan, allotted by God, but enjoyed only by David, Solomon, and Christ. Of whose kingdom this may be mentioned, as one of the borders; because the kingdom of Christ is described under the shadow of Solomon's kingdom.
Verse 10
[10] The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
The sea — Of remote countries, to which they used to go from Canaan by sea; which are frequently called isles in scripture; the kings that rule by sea or by land.
Verse 11
[11] Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
All nations — Which cannot be said of Solomon with any truth or colour, but was unquestionably verified in Christ,
Verse 14
[14] He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
Deceit and violence — The two ways whereby the lives of men are usually destroyed.
Precious — He will not be prodigal of the lives of his subjects, but like a true father of his people, will tenderly preserve them, and severely avenge their blood upon those who shall shed it.
Verse 15
[15] And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.
Live — Long and prosperous, as Solomon: yea, eternally as Christ.
Gold — This was done to Solomon, 1 Kings 10:15, and to Christ, Matthew 2:11. But such expressions as these being used of Christ and his kingdom, are commonly understood in a spiritual sense.
Verse 16
[16] There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
A handful — This intimates the small beginnings of his kingdom; and therefore does not agree to Solomon, whose kingdom was in a manner as large at the beginning of his reign, as at the end, but it exactly agrees to Christ.
The earth — Sown in the earth.
Mountains — In the most barren grounds.
Shake — It shall yield such abundance of corn, that the ears being thick and high, shall, when they are shaken with the wind, make a noise not unlike that which the tops of the trees of Lebanon, sometimes make.
Of the city — The citizens of Jerusalem, which are here put for the subjects of this kingdom.
Verse 20
[20] The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
The prayer — This psalm is the last which David composed: for this was wrote but a little before his death.James 1:17-27
Verse 17
[17] Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
No evil, but every good gift - Whatever tends to holiness.
And every perfect gift — Whatever tends to glory.
Descendeth from the Father of lights — The appellation of Father is here used with peculiar propriety. It follows, "he begat us." He is the Father of all light, material or spiritual, in the kingdom of grace and of glory.
With whom is no variableness — No change in his understanding.
Or shadow of turning — in his will. He infallibly discerns all good and evil; and invariably loves one, and hates the other. There is, in both the Greek words, a metaphor taken from the stars, particularly proper where the Father of lights is mentioned. Both are applicable to any celestial body, which has a daily vicissitude of day and night, and sometimes longer days, sometimes longer nights. In God is nothing of this kind. He is mere light. If there Is any such vicissitude, it is in ourselves, not in him.
Verse 18
[18] Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Of his own will — Most loving, most free, most pure, just opposite to our evil desire, James 1:15.
Begat he us — Who believe.
By the word of truth — The true word, emphatically so termed; the gospel.
That we might be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures — Christians are the chief and most excellent of his visible creatures; and sanctify the rest. Yet he says, A kind of - For Christ alone is absolutely the first - fruits.
Verse 19
[19] Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
Let every man be swift to hear — This is treated of from James 1:21 to the end of the next chapter.
Slow to speak — Which is treated of in he third chapter.
Slow to wrath — Neither murmuring at God, nor angry at his neighbour. This is treated of in the third, and throughout the fourth and fifth chapters.
Verse 20
[20] For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
The righteousness of God here includes all duties prescribed by him, and pleasing to him.
Verse 21
[21] Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Therefore laying aside — As a dirty garment.
All the filthiness and superfluity of wickedness — For however specious or necessary it may appear to worldly wisdom, all wickedness is both vile, hateful, contemptible, and really superfluous. Every reasonable end may be effectually answered without any kind or degree of it. Lay this, every known sin, aside, or all your hearing is vain.
With meekness — Constant evenness and serenity of mind.
Receive — Into your ears, your heart, your life.
The word — Of the gospel.
Ingrafted — In believers, by regeneration, James 1:18 and by habit, Hebrews 5:14.
Which is able to save your souls — The hope of salvation nourishes meekness.
Verse 23
[23] For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Beholding his face in a glass — How exactly does the scripture glass show a man the face of his soul!
Verse 24
[24] For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
He beheld himself, and went away — To other business.
And forgot — But such forgetting does not excuse.
Verse 25
[25] But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
But he that looketh diligently — Not with a transient glance, but bending down, fixing his eyes, and searching all to the bottom.
Into the perfect law — Of love as established by faith. St. James here guards us against misunderstanding what St. Paul says concerning the "yoke and bondage of the law." He who keeps the law of love is free, John 8:31, etc. He that does not, is not free, but a slave to sin, and a criminal before God, James 2:10.
And continueth therein — Not like him who forgot it, and went away.
This man — There is a peculiar force in the repetition of the word.
Shall be happy — Not barely in hearing, but doing the will of God.
Verse 26
[26] If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
If any one be ever so religious — Exact in the outward offices of religion.
And bridleth not his tongue — From backbiting, talebearing, evilspeaking, he only deceiveth his own heart, if he fancies he has any true religion at all.
Verse 27
[27] Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
The only true religion in the sight of God, is this, to visit - With counsel, comfort, and relief.
The fatherless and widows — Those who need it most.
In their affliction — In their most helpless and hopeless state.
And to keep himself unspotted from the world — From the maxims, tempers, and customs of it. But this cannot be done, till we have given our hearts to God, and love our neighbour as ourselves.
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Verse 4
[4] And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.
Washing of cups and pots and brazen vessels and couches — The Greek word (baptisms) means indifferently either washing or sprinkling. The cups, pots, and vessels were washed; the couches sprinkled.
Verse 5
[5] Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?
The tradition of the elders — The rule delivered down from your forefathers.
Verse 6
[6] He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
Isaiah 29:13.
Verse 15
[15] There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.
There is nothing entering into a man from without which can defile him — Though it is very true, a man may bring guilt, which is moral defilement, upon himself by eating what hurts his health, or by excess either in meat or drink yet even here the pollution arises from the wickedness of the heart, and is just proportionable to it. And this is all that our Lord asserts.
Verse 22
[22] Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
Wickedness — The word means ill natured, cruelty, inhumanity, and all malevolent affections.
Foolishness — Directly contrary to sobriety of thought and discourse: all kind of wild imaginations and extravagant passions.____________________________
Verse 4
[4] And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.
Washing of cups and pots and brazen vessels and couches — The Greek word (baptisms) means indifferently either washing or sprinkling. The cups, pots, and vessels were washed; the couches sprinkled.
Verse 5
[5] Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?
The tradition of the elders — The rule delivered down from your forefathers.
Verse 6
[6] He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
Isaiah 29:13.
Verse 15
[15] There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.
There is nothing entering into a man from without which can defile him — Though it is very true, a man may bring guilt, which is moral defilement, upon himself by eating what hurts his health, or by excess either in meat or drink yet even here the pollution arises from the wickedness of the heart, and is just proportionable to it. And this is all that our Lord asserts.
Verse 22
[22] Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
Wickedness — The word means ill natured, cruelty, inhumanity, and all malevolent affections.
Foolishness — Directly contrary to sobriety of thought and discourse: all kind of wild imaginations and extravagant passions.____________________________
Upper Room Ministries, a ministry of Discipleship Ministries
PO Box 340004
Nashville, Tennessee 37203-0004 United States
____________________________
____________________________
Sermon Story "True Intimacy" by Gary Lee Parker for Sunday, 30 August 2015 with Scripture: Song of Solomon 2:8 The voice of the man I love! Here he comes,
bounding over the mountains, skipping over the hills!
9 My darling is like a gazelle or young stag.
There he is, standing outside our wall,
looking in through the windows,
peering in through the lattice.
10 My darling speaks; he is saying to me,
“Get up, my love! My beauty! Come away!
11 For you see that the winter has passed,
the rain is finished and gone,
12 the flowers are appearing in the countryside,
the time has come for [the birds] to sing,
and the cooing of doves can be heard in the land.
13 The fig trees are forming their unripe figs,
and the grapevines in bloom give out their perfume.
Get up, my love, my beauty!
Come away!”
It has been said from people that you would never hear a sermon on Sunday morning from the Book of the song of Solomon. Could this be cause we too often misunderstand these passages to be between a husband and wife and not from God t His creation? Maybe, it could be that we do not really understand what true initimacy really means. I have heard that intimacy is really the sexual expression between two people who have committed their lives to a lifelong committment to each other, but what happens if true initmacy has nothing to do with sexual expression but is about relating to each other from the inside out. We go back to the Garden of Eden and reaie that Adam and Eve had a very intimate relationship with God until they chose to disobey His word. Then we realie that King Solomon had an intimate relationship with his mother, Bathsheba, because he built a second throne for his mother next to his throne. We hqave the promise for David's son to build the Temple and for David's family to reign forever as King of Israel, but the promise continued to exist even after Solomon's death. We have these Songs about the love between two people as being beloved by the one, but we realise that we, the human race is the beloved of God. Yes, it is great for married couples to know that they re beloved my each other, but just maybe the writings which have been attributed to Solomon is about the love for God and His people, us, to let us know that we are truly beloved by God as Father Henri Nouwen has written and spoken about as in these quote:
“Aren't you, like me, hoping that some person, thing, or event will come along to give you that final feeling of inner well-being you desire? Don't you often hope: 'May this book, idea, course, trip, job, country or relationship fulfill my deepest desire.' But as long as you are waiting for that mysterious moment you will go on running helter-skelter, always anxious and restless, always lustful and angry, never fully satisfied. You know that this is the compulsiveness that keeps us going and busy, but at the same time makes us wonder whether we are getting anywhere in the long run. This is the way to spiritual exhaustion and burn-out. This is the way to spiritual death.”[Henri J.M. Nouwen, Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World]
“I kept running around it in large or small circles, always looking for someone or something able to convince me of my Belovedness.
Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the "Beloved". Being the Beloved expresses the core truth of our existence.”[Henri J.M. Nouwen, Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World]
Truly, this intiacy that God has for us in telling us we are His beloved is what existed between Adam and Eve and Himself as well as many people who remained close to God through prayer and actions as Jesus showed in His life as the Beloved Only Son of God the Father as God the Father told Him at His baptism and on the Mount where He was Transfigured. God has called each of us His Beleoved even those who society does not count as having value like the people who are Diferently Abled. There are many people who have discovered this in relating to either their family members who are differently abled or people who work and live in community with people who are differently abled. There has been tow people who have written about this sense of Belovedness who are Father Nouwen in his book about Adam simply called Adam and Jean Vanier in his experience in L'Arche at an invitation from a French Catholic Priest in 1964 which developed in L'Arche International (1964) and Faith and Light (1965). He has written several books from the philospher point of view with his experiences, but is first one Community and Growth has him compare his students in his philosphy class who picked his brain to get rich while the people who were differently abled would pick his heart to find God's love in finding each of us are the Beloved Children of God. How do you react to the knowledge that you are a bleoved Child of God? How do you respond to other people in letting each of the people whether they are like you or not that each of us are beloved children of God? How would our churched be looked upon by outsiders that we are a Beloved commnity of God and react to all people as Beloved children of God? Just maybe as Beloved children of God, the people who happen to be differently abled are able to teach us to live out God's Belovedness to all the people of the world. Will each of suearch our hearts and minds to see where we have sinned against God and other people in not treating ourselves and others a bleoved children of God as we come forward to eath the Body of Jesus and drink His Blood in the Holy Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. We come to reconfirm our Belovedness singing the Hymn "The Love Of God" by Merch Me:
1. The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell
The guilty pair, bowed down with care
God gave His Son to win
His erring child He reconciled
And pardoned from his sin
2. Could we with ink the ocean fil
And were the skies of parchment made
Were every stalk on earth a quill
And every man a scribe by trade
3. To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry
Nor could the scroll contain the whol
Though stretched from sky to sky
Chorus:
Hallelujah [3x]
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints' and angels' song
____________________________
bounding over the mountains, skipping over the hills!
9 My darling is like a gazelle or young stag.
There he is, standing outside our wall,
looking in through the windows,
peering in through the lattice.
10 My darling speaks; he is saying to me,
“Get up, my love! My beauty! Come away!
11 For you see that the winter has passed,
the rain is finished and gone,
12 the flowers are appearing in the countryside,
the time has come for [the birds] to sing,
and the cooing of doves can be heard in the land.
13 The fig trees are forming their unripe figs,
and the grapevines in bloom give out their perfume.
Get up, my love, my beauty!
Come away!”
It has been said from people that you would never hear a sermon on Sunday morning from the Book of the song of Solomon. Could this be cause we too often misunderstand these passages to be between a husband and wife and not from God t His creation? Maybe, it could be that we do not really understand what true initimacy really means. I have heard that intimacy is really the sexual expression between two people who have committed their lives to a lifelong committment to each other, but what happens if true initmacy has nothing to do with sexual expression but is about relating to each other from the inside out. We go back to the Garden of Eden and reaie that Adam and Eve had a very intimate relationship with God until they chose to disobey His word. Then we realie that King Solomon had an intimate relationship with his mother, Bathsheba, because he built a second throne for his mother next to his throne. We hqave the promise for David's son to build the Temple and for David's family to reign forever as King of Israel, but the promise continued to exist even after Solomon's death. We have these Songs about the love between two people as being beloved by the one, but we realise that we, the human race is the beloved of God. Yes, it is great for married couples to know that they re beloved my each other, but just maybe the writings which have been attributed to Solomon is about the love for God and His people, us, to let us know that we are truly beloved by God as Father Henri Nouwen has written and spoken about as in these quote:
“Aren't you, like me, hoping that some person, thing, or event will come along to give you that final feeling of inner well-being you desire? Don't you often hope: 'May this book, idea, course, trip, job, country or relationship fulfill my deepest desire.' But as long as you are waiting for that mysterious moment you will go on running helter-skelter, always anxious and restless, always lustful and angry, never fully satisfied. You know that this is the compulsiveness that keeps us going and busy, but at the same time makes us wonder whether we are getting anywhere in the long run. This is the way to spiritual exhaustion and burn-out. This is the way to spiritual death.”[Henri J.M. Nouwen, Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World]
“I kept running around it in large or small circles, always looking for someone or something able to convince me of my Belovedness.
Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the "Beloved". Being the Beloved expresses the core truth of our existence.”[Henri J.M. Nouwen, Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World]
Truly, this intiacy that God has for us in telling us we are His beloved is what existed between Adam and Eve and Himself as well as many people who remained close to God through prayer and actions as Jesus showed in His life as the Beloved Only Son of God the Father as God the Father told Him at His baptism and on the Mount where He was Transfigured. God has called each of us His Beleoved even those who society does not count as having value like the people who are Diferently Abled. There are many people who have discovered this in relating to either their family members who are differently abled or people who work and live in community with people who are differently abled. There has been tow people who have written about this sense of Belovedness who are Father Nouwen in his book about Adam simply called Adam and Jean Vanier in his experience in L'Arche at an invitation from a French Catholic Priest in 1964 which developed in L'Arche International (1964) and Faith and Light (1965). He has written several books from the philospher point of view with his experiences, but is first one Community and Growth has him compare his students in his philosphy class who picked his brain to get rich while the people who were differently abled would pick his heart to find God's love in finding each of us are the Beloved Children of God. How do you react to the knowledge that you are a bleoved Child of God? How do you respond to other people in letting each of the people whether they are like you or not that each of us are beloved children of God? How would our churched be looked upon by outsiders that we are a Beloved commnity of God and react to all people as Beloved children of God? Just maybe as Beloved children of God, the people who happen to be differently abled are able to teach us to live out God's Belovedness to all the people of the world. Will each of suearch our hearts and minds to see where we have sinned against God and other people in not treating ourselves and others a bleoved children of God as we come forward to eath the Body of Jesus and drink His Blood in the Holy Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. We come to reconfirm our Belovedness singing the Hymn "The Love Of God" by Merch Me:
1. The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell
The guilty pair, bowed down with care
God gave His Son to win
His erring child He reconciled
And pardoned from his sin
2. Could we with ink the ocean fil
And were the skies of parchment made
Were every stalk on earth a quill
And every man a scribe by trade
3. To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry
Nor could the scroll contain the whol
Though stretched from sky to sky
Chorus:
Hallelujah [3x]
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints' and angels' song
____________________________
Gary Lee Parker
4147 Idaho Street, Apt. 1
San Diego, California 92104-1844, United States
____________________________
Today's Devotional:
The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Loving the 'Unlovely'" for Sunday, 6 September 2015 - Scripture: Galatians 3:26 For in union with the Messiah, you are all children of God through this trusting faithfulness; 27 because as many of you as were immersed into the Messiah have clothed yourselves with the Messiah, in whom 28 there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor freeman, neither male nor female; for in union with the Messiah Yeshua, you are all one. 29 Also, if you belong to the Messiah, you are seed of Avraham and heirs according to the promise.
In Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.[Galatians 3:26 (NRSV)]
As a school principal I used to unconsciously place children into two categories: “lovely” children (those who were no trouble) and “unlovely” (difficult) children. One particular first grade student was sent to my office nearly every day because his behavior was so out of control. I began to dislike this child because he spent so much time in my office disrupting my routine. One day his mother failed to pick him up from school, so I drove him home. As we pulled into a rundown trailer park, he pointed to a windowless trailer where garbage littered the yard and the door was wide open on a freezing cold day. This was his home. His mother appeared at the door and ushered him in. Stunned, I drove away.
How could I discount this child who did not have the comfort of a dry, warm place to live? Doesn’t he need me more than others? From that day forward, I considered all children to be God’s children — not “lovely” or “unlovely.” God holds us responsible to take care of each one of his children. When I treat any child carelessly, I am treating Christ carelessly. When I treat each child as a beloved child of God, I am honoring Christ.
The Author: Matt Stephen (Arkansas, USA)
Thought for the Day: God calls us to love those who are not easy to love.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your unconditional love. Forgive us when we fail to love your children as you love them. Amen.
Prayer focus: Children living in poverty_____________________________
Today's Devotional:____________________________
Today's Devotional:
The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Loving the 'Unlovely'" for Sunday, 6 September 2015 - Scripture: Galatians 3:26 For in union with the Messiah, you are all children of God through this trusting faithfulness; 27 because as many of you as were immersed into the Messiah have clothed yourselves with the Messiah, in whom 28 there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor freeman, neither male nor female; for in union with the Messiah Yeshua, you are all one. 29 Also, if you belong to the Messiah, you are seed of Avraham and heirs according to the promise.In Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.[Galatians 3:26 (NRSV)]
As a school principal I used to unconsciously place children into two categories: “lovely” children (those who were no trouble) and “unlovely” (difficult) children. One particular first grade student was sent to my office nearly every day because his behavior was so out of control. I began to dislike this child because he spent so much time in my office disrupting my routine. One day his mother failed to pick him up from school, so I drove him home. As we pulled into a rundown trailer park, he pointed to a windowless trailer where garbage littered the yard and the door was wide open on a freezing cold day. This was his home. His mother appeared at the door and ushered him in. Stunned, I drove away.
How could I discount this child who did not have the comfort of a dry, warm place to live? Doesn’t he need me more than others? From that day forward, I considered all children to be God’s children — not “lovely” or “unlovely.” God holds us responsible to take care of each one of his children. When I treat any child carelessly, I am treating Christ carelessly. When I treat each child as a beloved child of God, I am honoring Christ.
The Author: Matt Stephen (Arkansas, USA)
Thought for the Day: God calls us to love those who are not easy to love.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your unconditional love. Forgive us when we fail to love your children as you love them. Amen.
Prayer focus: Children living in poverty_____________________________
The Upper Room Daily Devotional "The Frugal Life" for Saturday, 5 September 2015 - Scripture: Matthew 6:24 No one can be slave to two masters; for he will either hate the first and love the second, or scorn the second and be loyal to the first. You can’t be a slave to both God and money.25 “Therefore, I tell you, don’t worry about your life — what you will eat or drink; or about your body — what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds flying about! They neither plant nor harvest, nor do they gather food into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they are? 27 Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to his life?
28 “And why be anxious about clothing? Think about the fields of wild irises, and how they grow. They neither work nor spin thread, 29 yet I tell you that not even Shlomo in all his glory was clothed as beautifully as one of these. 30 If this is how God clothes grass in the field — which is here today and gone tomorrow, thrown in an oven — won’t he much more clothe you? What little trust you have!
31 “So don’t be anxious, asking, ‘What will we eat?,’ ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘How will we be clothed?’ 32 For it is the pagans who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all. 33 But seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Don’t worry about tomorrow — tomorrow will worry about itself! Today has enough tsuris already!
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?[Matthew 6:26 (NIV)]
I was standing in a slow-moving supermarket line, leaning wearily on my shopping cart as I edged toward the cashier. My eyes fell on the contents of my cart — piled high with things that weren’t really necessary: crisps, sweets, the latest magazine, a pre-prepared meal.
I venture to suggest that many of us can live more frugally. What prompts us to buy so much? Is it simple carelessness, or do we like to stockpile? Or perhaps we buy what advertisers tell us we need.
In scripture, Jesus teaches us not to worry about our daily needs, to choose instead to seek God’s kingdom above all else. I believe that if our focus were indeed on seeking the righteousness of God, we wouldn’t spend so much on ourselves. Perhaps the money we would have spent could be used to help someone in need rather than to line our own cupboards. And we may well discover that as we give, our own lives are enriched as well.
The Author: Caryl Moll (Gauteng, South Africa)
Thought for the Day: How do I honor God in the way I use my resources?
Prayer: Help us, O God, to trust in your promise to provide for us as we seek to obey your calling on our lives. Amen.
Prayer focus: Those without enough food
____________________________
Today's Devotional:
The Upper Room Daily Devotional "God's Grace Is Sufficient" for Friday, 4 September 2015 - Scripture: Exodus 18:7 Moshe went out to meet his father-in-law, prostrated himself and kissed him. Then, after inquiring of each other’s welfare, they entered the tent. 8 Moshe told his father-in-law all that Adonai had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Isra’el’s sake, all the hardships they had suffered while traveling and how Adonai had rescued them. 9 Yitro rejoiced over all the good that Adonai had done for Isra’el by rescuing them from the Egyptians. 10 Yitro said, “Blessed be Adonai, who has rescued you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh, who has rescued the people from the harsh hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that Adonai is greater than all other gods, because he rescued those who were treated so arrogantly.” 12 Yitro Moshe’s father-in-law brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aharon came with all the leaders of Isra’el to share the meal before God with Moshe’s father-in-law.
(ii) 13 The following day Moshe sat to settle disputes for the people, while the people stood around Moshe from morning till evening. 14 When Moshe’s father-in-law saw all that he was doing to the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing to the people? Why do you sit there alone, with all the people standing around you from morning till evening?” 15 Moshe answered his father-in-law, “It’s because the people come to me seeking God’s guidance. 16 Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me; I judge between one person and another, and I explain to them God’s laws and teachings.”
17 Moshe’s father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing isn’t good. 18 You will certainly wear yourself out — and not only yourself, but these people here with you as well. It’s too much for you — you can’t do it alone, by yourself. 19 So listen now to what I have to say. I will give you some advice, and God will be with you. You should represent the people before God, and you should bring their cases to God. 20 You should also teach them the laws and the teachings, and show them how to live their lives and what work they should do. 21 But you should choose from among all the people competent men who are God-fearing, honest and incorruptible to be their leaders, in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Normally, they will settle the people’s disputes. They should bring you the difficult cases; but ordinary matters they should decide themselves. In this way, they will make it easier for you and share the load with you. 23 If you do this — and God is directing you to do it — you will be able to endure; and all these people too will arrive at their destination peacefully.”
[The Lord] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”[2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)]
After a family dinner, I sat at the table with my father-in-law, Darrell, drinking coffee. He rarely talked about his own father; but this afternoon, he told a humorous and touching story about football, a marching band, rain, mud, car heaters, and the love of his father. We laughed. I told a similar story about my late father.
The next day, it occurred to me that Darrell has been a father to me for 30 years. When I need help or advice, I turn to him.
Like Jethro, who influenced his son-in-law, Moses, Darrell has influenced me through his caring encouragement and gentle guidance. He is an example of God’s grace in my life, and I am learning that God’s grace is more than sufficient for me.
God sends people into our lives to bless us and to strengthen us. When we listen for God’s voice speaking through them, we can grow into the children of God we were meant to be.
Read more from the author, here."Journeying Together"
Today's Devotional:
The Upper Room Daily Devotional "God's Grace Is Sufficient" for Friday, 4 September 2015 - Scripture: Exodus 18:7 Moshe went out to meet his father-in-law, prostrated himself and kissed him. Then, after inquiring of each other’s welfare, they entered the tent. 8 Moshe told his father-in-law all that Adonai had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Isra’el’s sake, all the hardships they had suffered while traveling and how Adonai had rescued them. 9 Yitro rejoiced over all the good that Adonai had done for Isra’el by rescuing them from the Egyptians. 10 Yitro said, “Blessed be Adonai, who has rescued you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh, who has rescued the people from the harsh hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that Adonai is greater than all other gods, because he rescued those who were treated so arrogantly.” 12 Yitro Moshe’s father-in-law brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aharon came with all the leaders of Isra’el to share the meal before God with Moshe’s father-in-law.(ii) 13 The following day Moshe sat to settle disputes for the people, while the people stood around Moshe from morning till evening. 14 When Moshe’s father-in-law saw all that he was doing to the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing to the people? Why do you sit there alone, with all the people standing around you from morning till evening?” 15 Moshe answered his father-in-law, “It’s because the people come to me seeking God’s guidance. 16 Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me; I judge between one person and another, and I explain to them God’s laws and teachings.”
17 Moshe’s father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing isn’t good. 18 You will certainly wear yourself out — and not only yourself, but these people here with you as well. It’s too much for you — you can’t do it alone, by yourself. 19 So listen now to what I have to say. I will give you some advice, and God will be with you. You should represent the people before God, and you should bring their cases to God. 20 You should also teach them the laws and the teachings, and show them how to live their lives and what work they should do. 21 But you should choose from among all the people competent men who are God-fearing, honest and incorruptible to be their leaders, in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Normally, they will settle the people’s disputes. They should bring you the difficult cases; but ordinary matters they should decide themselves. In this way, they will make it easier for you and share the load with you. 23 If you do this — and God is directing you to do it — you will be able to endure; and all these people too will arrive at their destination peacefully.”
[The Lord] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”[2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)]
After a family dinner, I sat at the table with my father-in-law, Darrell, drinking coffee. He rarely talked about his own father; but this afternoon, he told a humorous and touching story about football, a marching band, rain, mud, car heaters, and the love of his father. We laughed. I told a similar story about my late father.
The next day, it occurred to me that Darrell has been a father to me for 30 years. When I need help or advice, I turn to him.
Like Jethro, who influenced his son-in-law, Moses, Darrell has influenced me through his caring encouragement and gentle guidance. He is an example of God’s grace in my life, and I am learning that God’s grace is more than sufficient for me.
God sends people into our lives to bless us and to strengthen us. When we listen for God’s voice speaking through them, we can grow into the children of God we were meant to be.
Read more from the author, here."Journeying Together"
When I picked up a copy of the September-October 2015 Upper Room edition, I was both honored and humbled that my devotional and photo would be included.
But let’s face it, part of me said, “I need to get 10 copies for my Mom!”
Only problem with that is that my Mom, Agnes, a saintly lady who loved her children and grandchildren dearly, passed away 18 months ago.
She also loved the Lord and that is who I firmly believe she is seeing now, face-to-face. (I Corinthians 13:12.)
The devotional I wrote for September 4 mentions that my father has also passed away. So in the published story, I am sitting at the table after Thanksgiving dinner, having coffee with my father-in-law, Darrell. Both his parents have long since passed away as well. We share some good tales about our fathers. We laugh. We remember. We reflect.
So there we are: two men who are without earthly parents. And then it occurs to me: we have each other. Just as Moses had his father-in-law, Jethro. Darrell and I have been journeying together on this Earth for 32 years as father-in-law and son-in-law. Sometimes I have not fully appreciated the partnership. Granted, he’s not my Dad, but he is a child of God and he is my wife’s Dad.
I have been striving since that Thanksgiving Day to more fully appreciate my relationship with Darrell. He is a reminder that God brings people into our paths for a season and for a reason. We journey together, sometimes for a short time and sometimes for a long time.
Jesus commands us to (1) Love God and (2) Love Neighbor. Sometimes the neighbor is a stranger like in the Good Samaritan story. Other times, the neighbor may be a relative like in the story of Jethro and Moses. Either way, we fulfill the greatest commandments of Christ by intentionally showing His love to those God brings into our paths. And by being thankful that we have each other.[Peter McNabb]
Peter with his father-in-law, Darrell
The Author: Peter Hyer McNabb (Texas, USA)
Thought for the Day: Whom is God sending into my life to bless me?
Prayer: Dear God, speak to us through the people we love, as we pray, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matt. 6:9-13, NIV). Amen.
Prayer focus: Fathers-in-law____________________________
Today's Devotional:
The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Shaken" for Thursday, 3 September 2015 - Scripture: Isaiah 40:4 Let every valley be filled in,
every mountain and hill lowered,
the bumpy places made level
and the crags become a plain.
5 Then the glory of Adonai will be revealed;
all humankind together will see it,
for the mouth of Adonai has spoken.”
Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.[Luke 3:5-6 (NRSV)]
The shaking woke us. First a lurch, then a shift — our house and all within began to sway in the powerful earthquake. When it stopped, we waited with the rest of the city for the radio announcer’s comforting words, “All is well. The worst is over.” We didn’t stop to wonder why there had been an earthquake because we knew that living in California meant that we would experience earthquakes once in a while.
Around the same time, our family suffered a devastating job loss that shook our sense of security. And this time, no announcer was there to tell us the worst was over. All we could do was hang on to God’s promises with each lurch and shift.
“Why?” is often our first response when our world is shaken. Why did this happen to me? Why can’t I find a job? Why am I sick? Why? But can we really expect our valleys to fill, our mountains and hills to bow low, and our crooked places to be straight and smooth without some shaking?
Instead of asking “why?” in life’s earthquakes, a better response might be, “Help me see the salvation of God during the shaking.”
Read more from the author, here."More about Dana Williams"
But let’s face it, part of me said, “I need to get 10 copies for my Mom!”
Only problem with that is that my Mom, Agnes, a saintly lady who loved her children and grandchildren dearly, passed away 18 months ago.
She also loved the Lord and that is who I firmly believe she is seeing now, face-to-face. (I Corinthians 13:12.)
The devotional I wrote for September 4 mentions that my father has also passed away. So in the published story, I am sitting at the table after Thanksgiving dinner, having coffee with my father-in-law, Darrell. Both his parents have long since passed away as well. We share some good tales about our fathers. We laugh. We remember. We reflect.
So there we are: two men who are without earthly parents. And then it occurs to me: we have each other. Just as Moses had his father-in-law, Jethro. Darrell and I have been journeying together on this Earth for 32 years as father-in-law and son-in-law. Sometimes I have not fully appreciated the partnership. Granted, he’s not my Dad, but he is a child of God and he is my wife’s Dad.
I have been striving since that Thanksgiving Day to more fully appreciate my relationship with Darrell. He is a reminder that God brings people into our paths for a season and for a reason. We journey together, sometimes for a short time and sometimes for a long time.
Jesus commands us to (1) Love God and (2) Love Neighbor. Sometimes the neighbor is a stranger like in the Good Samaritan story. Other times, the neighbor may be a relative like in the story of Jethro and Moses. Either way, we fulfill the greatest commandments of Christ by intentionally showing His love to those God brings into our paths. And by being thankful that we have each other.[Peter McNabb]
Peter with his father-in-law, Darrell
The Author: Peter Hyer McNabb (Texas, USA)
Thought for the Day: Whom is God sending into my life to bless me?
Prayer: Dear God, speak to us through the people we love, as we pray, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matt. 6:9-13, NIV). Amen.
Prayer focus: Fathers-in-law____________________________
Today's Devotional:
The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Shaken" for Thursday, 3 September 2015 - Scripture: Isaiah 40:4 Let every valley be filled in,every mountain and hill lowered,
the bumpy places made level
and the crags become a plain.
5 Then the glory of Adonai will be revealed;
all humankind together will see it,
for the mouth of Adonai has spoken.”
Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.[Luke 3:5-6 (NRSV)]
The shaking woke us. First a lurch, then a shift — our house and all within began to sway in the powerful earthquake. When it stopped, we waited with the rest of the city for the radio announcer’s comforting words, “All is well. The worst is over.” We didn’t stop to wonder why there had been an earthquake because we knew that living in California meant that we would experience earthquakes once in a while.
Around the same time, our family suffered a devastating job loss that shook our sense of security. And this time, no announcer was there to tell us the worst was over. All we could do was hang on to God’s promises with each lurch and shift.
“Why?” is often our first response when our world is shaken. Why did this happen to me? Why can’t I find a job? Why am I sick? Why? But can we really expect our valleys to fill, our mountains and hills to bow low, and our crooked places to be straight and smooth without some shaking?
Instead of asking “why?” in life’s earthquakes, a better response might be, “Help me see the salvation of God during the shaking.”
Read more from the author, here."More about Dana Williams"
Since I first wrote this devotional ten years ago, I have seen more shaking than I care to admit. Chronic health issues, divorce, my children leaving the nest, living alone for the first time in 30 years; all have left me in a constant state of shaking and rebuilding. You see, that is what happens when earthquakes invade our safety bubble, we have to rebuild.
And what your heart clings to is the substance of all your building materials.
Bitterness - this material is brittle and compromises the foundation; so toss that one aside for the Trash Collector. Anxiousness - this one is just as unstable, but masks itself as fear, worry, fretting, and loss of sleep. Again, it is unstable material so leave that one by the curb, too. Hopelessness - this one turns to sand in the foundation so it is useless, put it in the recycle bin to be rolled into the Faith compost pile.
Dear one, we serve a mighty God who authored the heavens and the earth. Unfortunately, this includes earthquakes. Choose to look for - and cling to - His presence and salvation amidst the shaking. If you do, you will have strong materials for restoration.
For more encouragement, check out my blog at: http://sheddingtitlesforatestimony.blogspot.com/[ Dana Williams]
The Author: Dana L. Williams (Washington, USA)
Thought for the Day: How can I reflect the glory of God in unsettling times?
Prayer: Dear God, help us to see your salvation and feel your presence in each moment of each day. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Prayer focus: Families struggling financially____________________________
Today's Devotional:
The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Other's First" for Wednesday, 2 September 2015 - Scripture: Philippians 2:1 Therefore, if you have any encouragement for me from your being in union with the Messiah, any comfort flowing from love, any fellowship with me in the Spirit, or any compassion and sympathy, 2 then complete my joy by having a common purpose and a common love, by being one in heart and mind. 3 Do nothing out of rivalry or vanity; but, in humility, regard each other as better than yourselves — 4 look out for each other’s interests and not just for your own.
Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.[Philippians 2:4 (NRSV)]
Recently while strolling home from work, I encountered one of my friends. As I saw her coming, I felt compelled to offer her a business suit of mine that I had been meaning to give away. When I told her about it, she replied that she had been jobless for a while, that the next day she was scheduled for the last in a series of job interviews, and that she needed a suit for the interview.
I could brush this off as a coincidence. But I strongly believe that God used me in that moment as an answer to this sister’s immediate need. God relies on us to touch the lives of others and be a blessing to them.
When we are sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit that dwells in us and are willing to be used by God, we can respond positively and with love to those around us. Our help need not be a big gesture or gift of something material. A warm smile, a comforting touch, a hug, or an encouraging word can meet a person’s immediate need by strengthening his or her will to persevere.
The Author: Veronica Kamidi (Nairobi, Kenya)
Thought for the Day: Today I will be willing and ready to be used by God to help others.
Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to be aware of opportunities to be an answer to other people’s prayers. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Prayer focus: Someone interviewing for a job____________________________
Today's Devotional:
The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Chosen" for Tuesday, 1 September 2015 - Scripture: Ephesians 1:3 Praised be Adonai, Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who in the Messiah has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heaven. 4 In the Messiah he chose us in love before the creation of the universe to be holy and without defect in his presence. 5 He determined in advance that through Yeshua the Messiah we would be his sons — in keeping with his pleasure and purpose — 6 so that we would bring him praise commensurate with the glory of the grace he gave us through the Beloved One.
7 In union with him, through the shedding of his blood, we are set free — our sins are forgiven; this accords with the wealth of the grace 8 he has lavished on us. In all his wisdom and insight 9 he has made known to us his secret plan, which by his own will he designed beforehand in connection with the Messiah 10 and will put into effect when the time is ripe — his plan to place everything in heaven and on earth under the Messiah’s headship.
11 Also in union with him we were given an inheritance, we who were picked in advance according to the purpose of the One who effects everything in keeping with the decision of his will, 12 so that we who earlier had put our hope in the Messiah would bring him praise commensurate with his glory.
13 Furthermore, you who heard the message of the truth, the Good News offering you deliverance, and put your trust in the Messiah were sealed by him with the promised Ruach HaKodesh, 14 who guarantees our inheritance until we come into possession of it and thus bring him praise commensurate with his glory.
God chose us in Christ to be holy and blameless in God’s presence before the creation of the world.[Ephesians 1:4 (CEB)]
I wasn’t brought up going to church. My family didn’t discuss God, but Mom sang hymns as she went about her chores. As I listened to her sing, “He walks with me, and he talks with me” and “Precious Lord, take my hand,” I began to know a heavenly Father who loved me. I began to talk to God daily and to pray when I was afraid or needed help. When I was in my twenties, I kneeled in front of the TV during a Billy Graham crusade and gave my life to Christ.
In a household in which five children grew up without the benefit of Sunday school or conversations about God, our heavenly Father was made known to us. How much the Lord wants a relationship with us! God pursues us in many ways — in church, yes, and sometimes through television and music. The Lord is patient with us. God gives us every opportunity to respond to the call of faith.
Read more from the author, here.
Thought for the Day: God's love is made known to us in a variety of ways.
Prayer: Faithful God, thank you for knowing us, loving us, and pursuing us long before we recognize our need for you. Amen.
Prayer focus: Those who worship through music____________________________
Today's Devotional:
The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Stopping To Listen" for Monday, 31 August 2015 - Scripture: Psalm 32:(0) By David. A maskil:
(1) How blessed are those whose offense is forgiven,
those whose sin is covered!
2 How blessed those to whom Adonai imputes no guilt,
in whose spirit is no deceit!
3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away
because of my groaning all day long;
4 day and night your hand was heavy on me;
the sap in me dried up as in a summer drought. (Selah)
5 When I acknowledged my sin to you,
when I stopped concealing my guilt,
and said, “I will confess my offenses to Adonai”;
then you, you forgave the guilt of my sin. (Selah)
6 This is what everyone faithful should pray
at a time when you can be found.
Then, when the floodwaters are raging,
they will not reach to him.
7 You are a hiding-place for me,
you will keep me from distress;
you will surround me
with songs of deliverance. (Selah)
8 “I will instruct and teach you
in this way that you are to go;
I will give you counsel;
my eyes will be watching you.”
9 Don’t be like a horse or mule
that has no understanding,
that has to be curbed with bit and bridle,
or else it won’t come near you.
10 Many are the torments of the wicked,
but grace surrounds those who trust in Adonai.
11 Be glad in Adonai; rejoice, you righteous!
Shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.[Psalm 46:10 (NRSV)]
I have a friend who speaks slowly, pausing before she answers a question, or even in the middle of a sentence. She stops to chuckle when she’s retelling a funny story. Sometimes when listening to her I have felt impatient, wanting to jump in and finish a sentence for her. But I dislike it when people do that to me, which reminds me not to treat her that way either. I just have to remember when we’re talking to relax and let her say things in her own way.
I have realized that slowing down to listen is a good habit for me in my prayer time, too. I tend to tell God my concerns and requests at high speed before running off to the rest of my day. I know God wants to hear all these things from me, and I can’t think faster than God can listen. But I don’t hear very well while I’m thinking; so unless I quiet my brain during some of my time with God, I probably won’t hear all the things God wants to tell me. Since I have the assurance that God wants to teach and counsel me, the least I can do is take time to listen.
Read more from the author, here.
Thought for the Day: Do I listen to God the way God listens to me?
Prayer: Forgive us, Lord, for letting our speaking and listening be out of balance during our time with you. Thank you for your patience and your love that never ends. Amen.
Prayer focus: IMPATIENT LISTENERS
____________________________
And what your heart clings to is the substance of all your building materials.
Bitterness - this material is brittle and compromises the foundation; so toss that one aside for the Trash Collector. Anxiousness - this one is just as unstable, but masks itself as fear, worry, fretting, and loss of sleep. Again, it is unstable material so leave that one by the curb, too. Hopelessness - this one turns to sand in the foundation so it is useless, put it in the recycle bin to be rolled into the Faith compost pile.
Dear one, we serve a mighty God who authored the heavens and the earth. Unfortunately, this includes earthquakes. Choose to look for - and cling to - His presence and salvation amidst the shaking. If you do, you will have strong materials for restoration.
For more encouragement, check out my blog at: http://sheddingtitlesforatestimony.blogspot.com/[ Dana Williams]
The Author: Dana L. Williams (Washington, USA)
Thought for the Day: How can I reflect the glory of God in unsettling times?
Prayer: Dear God, help us to see your salvation and feel your presence in each moment of each day. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Prayer focus: Families struggling financially____________________________
Today's Devotional:
The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Other's First" for Wednesday, 2 September 2015 - Scripture: Philippians 2:1 Therefore, if you have any encouragement for me from your being in union with the Messiah, any comfort flowing from love, any fellowship with me in the Spirit, or any compassion and sympathy, 2 then complete my joy by having a common purpose and a common love, by being one in heart and mind. 3 Do nothing out of rivalry or vanity; but, in humility, regard each other as better than yourselves — 4 look out for each other’s interests and not just for your own.Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.[Philippians 2:4 (NRSV)]
Recently while strolling home from work, I encountered one of my friends. As I saw her coming, I felt compelled to offer her a business suit of mine that I had been meaning to give away. When I told her about it, she replied that she had been jobless for a while, that the next day she was scheduled for the last in a series of job interviews, and that she needed a suit for the interview.
I could brush this off as a coincidence. But I strongly believe that God used me in that moment as an answer to this sister’s immediate need. God relies on us to touch the lives of others and be a blessing to them.
When we are sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit that dwells in us and are willing to be used by God, we can respond positively and with love to those around us. Our help need not be a big gesture or gift of something material. A warm smile, a comforting touch, a hug, or an encouraging word can meet a person’s immediate need by strengthening his or her will to persevere.
The Author: Veronica Kamidi (Nairobi, Kenya)
Thought for the Day: Today I will be willing and ready to be used by God to help others.
Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to be aware of opportunities to be an answer to other people’s prayers. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Prayer focus: Someone interviewing for a job____________________________
Today's Devotional:
The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Chosen" for Tuesday, 1 September 2015 - Scripture: Ephesians 1:3 Praised be Adonai, Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who in the Messiah has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heaven. 4 In the Messiah he chose us in love before the creation of the universe to be holy and without defect in his presence. 5 He determined in advance that through Yeshua the Messiah we would be his sons — in keeping with his pleasure and purpose — 6 so that we would bring him praise commensurate with the glory of the grace he gave us through the Beloved One.7 In union with him, through the shedding of his blood, we are set free — our sins are forgiven; this accords with the wealth of the grace 8 he has lavished on us. In all his wisdom and insight 9 he has made known to us his secret plan, which by his own will he designed beforehand in connection with the Messiah 10 and will put into effect when the time is ripe — his plan to place everything in heaven and on earth under the Messiah’s headship.
11 Also in union with him we were given an inheritance, we who were picked in advance according to the purpose of the One who effects everything in keeping with the decision of his will, 12 so that we who earlier had put our hope in the Messiah would bring him praise commensurate with his glory.
13 Furthermore, you who heard the message of the truth, the Good News offering you deliverance, and put your trust in the Messiah were sealed by him with the promised Ruach HaKodesh, 14 who guarantees our inheritance until we come into possession of it and thus bring him praise commensurate with his glory.
God chose us in Christ to be holy and blameless in God’s presence before the creation of the world.[Ephesians 1:4 (CEB)]
I wasn’t brought up going to church. My family didn’t discuss God, but Mom sang hymns as she went about her chores. As I listened to her sing, “He walks with me, and he talks with me” and “Precious Lord, take my hand,” I began to know a heavenly Father who loved me. I began to talk to God daily and to pray when I was afraid or needed help. When I was in my twenties, I kneeled in front of the TV during a Billy Graham crusade and gave my life to Christ.
In a household in which five children grew up without the benefit of Sunday school or conversations about God, our heavenly Father was made known to us. How much the Lord wants a relationship with us! God pursues us in many ways — in church, yes, and sometimes through television and music. The Lord is patient with us. God gives us every opportunity to respond to the call of faith.
Read more from the author, here.
"More about Diana Walters"
I was delighted to have my meditation chosen for publication. It is a privilege to share a bit of my faith story with others.
In both my paid work, as director of an assisted living unit, and my church ministry, I have had the opportunity to help other people share their faith stories. The spiritual journey of individuals who have Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia is often overlooked. Or worse yet, the person with dementia cannot express their faith because they need help remembering God’s amazing love.
I help people with dementia remember their faith walk by providing multi-sensory “tools” to uncover their memories. These tools come in the form of books and cards that stimulate the sense of touch, sight, and smell. The idea is based on work by Maria Montessori, who engaged the senses of cognitively challenged children, allowing them to learn. In the case of people with Alzheimer’s disease, engaging several of the senses and pairing them with symbols of faith can spark memories of God’s love. This may allow them to feel a sense of peace.
I am also involved in a church ministry that provides a twice-monthly day of respite for family caregivers. I believe church members are called to help those in need and anyone caring for a loved one with dementia knows that it is a 24/7 job.
For ten years I’ve taught church groups how to minister to those with cognitive deficits. Remember, you are never too young or too old to be a blessing to others.
You can find out more about me and my ministry projects at www.touchinggrace.org.[Diana Walters]
The Author: Diana L. Walters (Tennessee, USA)Thought for the Day: God's love is made known to us in a variety of ways.
Prayer: Faithful God, thank you for knowing us, loving us, and pursuing us long before we recognize our need for you. Amen.
Prayer focus: Those who worship through music____________________________
Today's Devotional:
The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Stopping To Listen" for Monday, 31 August 2015 - Scripture: Psalm 32:(0) By David. A maskil:(1) How blessed are those whose offense is forgiven,
those whose sin is covered!
2 How blessed those to whom Adonai imputes no guilt,
in whose spirit is no deceit!
3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away
because of my groaning all day long;
4 day and night your hand was heavy on me;
the sap in me dried up as in a summer drought. (Selah)
5 When I acknowledged my sin to you,
when I stopped concealing my guilt,
and said, “I will confess my offenses to Adonai”;
then you, you forgave the guilt of my sin. (Selah)
6 This is what everyone faithful should pray
at a time when you can be found.
Then, when the floodwaters are raging,
they will not reach to him.
7 You are a hiding-place for me,
you will keep me from distress;
you will surround me
with songs of deliverance. (Selah)
8 “I will instruct and teach you
in this way that you are to go;
I will give you counsel;
my eyes will be watching you.”
9 Don’t be like a horse or mule
that has no understanding,
that has to be curbed with bit and bridle,
or else it won’t come near you.
10 Many are the torments of the wicked,
but grace surrounds those who trust in Adonai.
11 Be glad in Adonai; rejoice, you righteous!
Shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.[Psalm 46:10 (NRSV)]
I have a friend who speaks slowly, pausing before she answers a question, or even in the middle of a sentence. She stops to chuckle when she’s retelling a funny story. Sometimes when listening to her I have felt impatient, wanting to jump in and finish a sentence for her. But I dislike it when people do that to me, which reminds me not to treat her that way either. I just have to remember when we’re talking to relax and let her say things in her own way.
I have realized that slowing down to listen is a good habit for me in my prayer time, too. I tend to tell God my concerns and requests at high speed before running off to the rest of my day. I know God wants to hear all these things from me, and I can’t think faster than God can listen. But I don’t hear very well while I’m thinking; so unless I quiet my brain during some of my time with God, I probably won’t hear all the things God wants to tell me. Since I have the assurance that God wants to teach and counsel me, the least I can do is take time to listen.
Read more from the author, here.
"Bowing to the Truth"
When someone has grown up saturated in truth, has lived out the truth, and has succeeded as a result, what would make him turn away to lies? I asked this question this morning as I studied the life of Joash, king of Judah. He grew up in the temple, hidden from his wicked grandmother, who wanted the throne for herself. When he was crowned as a child, he almost certainly continued to be advised by his uncle the priest, Jehoiada. Joash began as one of Judah’s good kings, cleaning up the temple and encouraging the people to bring offerings to God. As soon as Jehoiada died, however, Joash became an idolator and even murdered his cousin for standing up for truth. What got into him?
I think the answer may lie in two little verbs in 2 Chronicles 24:17: “After Jehoiada’s death, the leaders of Judah came and bowed before King Joash and persuaded him to listen to their advice.” These leaders bowed to Joash, and then they persuaded him. Surely he was used to people bowing to him, since he had been king for many years by this time. But Jehoiada, whose advice he was used to taking, had probably not offered much persuasion. He had authority over Joash as his uncle, as a priest, and as the person who had saved his life and given him the crown. The combination of bowing and persuading in this verse builds a picture of men making Joash feel important and in charge, even as they sought influence over him. The next person named in this passage, Joash’s cousin Zechariah, speaks with authority rather than persuasion, denouncing the people’s idolatry. “Then the leaders plotted to kill Zechariah, and King Joash ordered that they stone him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s Temple” (2 Chronicles 24:21).
I am not a queen, but voices try to influence me every day. To whom do I listen? Is it someone who’s speaking honestly, or someone with ulterior motives? Clearly Judah’s leaders wanted to get out from under the authority of God and His priests, and they wanted a king who would respond to their wishes. Am I susceptible to flattery? How do I respond to correction? Of course it’s more pleasant to be around someone who’s as buttery and sweet as a chocolate croissant, but the pleasure will hardly be worth the cost if that person is leading me astray. As Americans, we value independence, but not one of us is truly independent of what others think and say. We need to accept that truth first, then choose our advisors very carefully, whether they are friends, media sources, or viewing choices.[Jennifer Aaron]
The Author: Jennifer Aaron (Washington, USA)Thought for the Day: Do I listen to God the way God listens to me?
Prayer: Forgive us, Lord, for letting our speaking and listening be out of balance during our time with you. Thank you for your patience and your love that never ends. Amen.
Prayer focus: IMPATIENT LISTENERS
____________________________
Contact Information
Great Plains Episcopal Office
9440 E Boston, Suite 160
Wichita KS 67207
316-686-0600
800-745-2350
info@greatplainsumc.org
____________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment