Love

“I want that”

/ The Pastor

I had a neat thing happen to me while serving Communion this past Sunday.  As people come forward I typically serve the bread and one of my deacons serves the wine.  For those who have not been instructed or for those who choose not to receive the bread and wine, I offer a blessing.  In this case it is typically children younger than 5th grade.

On Sunday I was serving communion as usual and offering a word of blessing for the children.  For the blessing I place my hand on the person’s forehead and say, “The Lord guides you as a sheep of his own pasture.”  And while making the sign of the cross on their forehead I say, “You are a beloved child of God“.  On Sunday I gave this blessing to a child but when the adult behind this certain child approached me to receive the bread she said, “I want that” (referring to the blessing).  She wasn’t refusing the bread…she just wanted both.  So I gave her the bread and then gave her the blessing.  She walked away with a big smile on her face.

I will never forget that phrase…”I want that“…it still makes smile 🙂 …and gives me hope.  There are still people that desire to have God’s blessing on their lives.  There are still people that value the words of promise that Jesus offers us.  There are still people that want God’s guidance.  Watching the news I sometimes wonder if allegiances are shifting from a dependence on God to a dependence on government.  I don’t want to politicize a beautiful moment from worship but these are things that are weighing heavy on my heart recently.

Let’s, as a people of God, announce and proclaim a blessing upon all our leaders, hoping they are faithful to God’s call and responsive to God’s guidance. Let’s announce and proclaim a blessing upon ALL people who are searching for meaning.

I look forward to our next communion service.  I look forward to inviting people to receive a blessing and I look forward to seeing how many people respond.  In the mean time…I hold my hand out and say “The Lord guides YOU as a sheep of his own pasture” <making the sign of the cross> “YOU are a beloved child of God, Amen”

-edh-

Coffee shop ponderings — hospitality

/ The Pastor / 6 Comments

Many of you know that I spend a lot of time at my favorite coffee place, Coffee Choices.  Part of the reason is because I really like coffee, especially the variety of flavors that Coffee Choices offers (Black Raspberry and Blueberry Cinnamon Swirl are my favorites).  Another part of the reason I spend so much time there is the hospitality that they practice.  When I set up camp at my favorite table by the front window on Thursdays to eat lunch and write my sermon, I never have to get up.  They always make sure my cup is full and that I have everything I need (they treat all the customers that way…not just me).  The hospitality keeps me coming back.

In the Romans text for Sunday, Paul urges the church in Rome to “practice hospitality”.  And this is more than making friends and family feel welcome in your home.  But practicing hospitality is making people feel welcome, valued, special, etc when ever and where ever you are.  If, upon my first visit to Coffee Choices, they were not hospitable, I probably would not have returned again, but because they make me feel like a valued customer I have no problem giving them my business.  And because I have developed relationships with many people down there through hospitality, I have had many fruitful and inspiring conversations.

Imagine the impact we could have on people if we showed that same hospitality to all people at all times and in all places.  What if we made people feel like they are to most valued and special person in the world.  People would stop and take notice and want to be around you.  And the more people are around you, the more opportunities you have to show the sincere love of Christ to them.  But don’t let your hospitality be for selfish reasons, as Paul says in Romans 12:9 “Love must be sincere“.  And when love is sincere, people will notice.

The people down at Coffee Choices are not putting on an act to get people to come back again, their hospitality is sincere, and THAT brings me back again and again.  Let YOUR love be sincere for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

-edh-

Expensive pants

/ The Pastor / 7 Comments

54 MILLION DOLLARS!!!  What is this world coming to?

A judge in Washington D.C. is suing his dry cleaner for 54 million dollars for losing his pants.  Check out the story here.  I know this post probably doesn’t exactly fit the flow of what I have been writing on this blog, but I need to say something…because seriously…is a pair of pants really worth 54 million dollars?  I guess if they were gold plated with diamond studs running down the seams with a solid gold belt bucket then I could begin to understand.  But at last check…they were a pair of suit pants.  Sort of looked like a pair that I have (and mine are not gold plated with diamonds).

The judge here is claiming that this mom and pop business is engaging in deceptive business practices with two signs that say: "Satisfaction guaranteed" and "Same day service".  Seriously…if you are not satisfied with the service most places will make it right — if they don’t is the "damage" really worth 54 million dollars (unless of course we are dealing with gold plated pants with diamond studs and a solid gold belt buckle — hmmm…I better be careful here…this judge might sue me for 54 million dollars for writing this. <UPDATED> "God, forgive me…I need to be nice here").

Anyway…to my point:  Where does forgiveness play in this case?  I am not saying this judge should just ignore the fact that his pants were lost but at what point do you "turn the other cheek"?  In 2 Samuel (the Old Testament text for Sunday June 17) king David committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed to cover it up.  Of course God was not too pleased and sent Nathan to confront him.  After David learned of his sin and was caught red handed he pleaded to God for forgiveness.  God spared David’s life when the sentence should have been death, but God DID punish David by killing his son with Bathsheba…seems like an appropriate punishment.  God did not go overboard.  There was forgiveness and there were also consequences.

In our legal system AND in our world there needs to be some grace but there also needs to be accountability and punishment when deserved.  In the case of the missing pants isn’t grace deserved somewhere?  Isn’t a more lenient punishment justified (if indeed the dry cleaner is guilty)?  At what point do we cross the line and go too far?

I don’t know all the facts in this case so I will stop short at passing judgment on this judge (even through my rant at the beginning may communicate otherwise).  What I want to do is pray that this man experiences God’s forgiveness in his life.  For when we understand how much God forgives us through Jesus Christ (see the woman from Luke 7:36-8:3) then we are able to show much love.

Mr. Judge person…Jesus Christ died for you.  Jesus Christ loves you beyond measure.  Jesus Christ offers forgiveness to you.  Can you show this love to your neighbor (including your dry cleaner)?  Won’t you please live in peace?

We have an awesome God!  Love as if you have been forgiven much (and you have).  Praise be to God, always and forever.  Amen!
-edh-

A Prayer of Martin Luther

/ The Pastor / 3 Comments

"Behold, Lord, an empty vessel that needs to be filled.  My Lord,fill it.  I am weak in the faith; strengthen me.  I am cold in love; warm me and make me fervent, that my love may go out to my neighbor.  I do not have a strong and firm faith; at times I doubt and I am unable to trust you altogether.  O Lord, help me.  Strengthen my faith and trust in you.  In you I have sealed the treasure of all I have.  I am poor; you are rich and came to be merciful to the poor.  I am a sinner; you are upright.  With me, there is an abundance of sin; in you is the fullness of righteousness.  Therefore I will remain with you, of whom I can receive, but to whom I may not give. Amen" (ELW – pg. 87)

I stumbled across this prayer as I was paging through a copy of the ELW (Evangelical Lutheran Worship).  We are in the process of exploring this new worship resource.  I am not sure why I was paging through the prayers at 7:30 on this Sunday morning, but I was.  As my eyes glossed over the various prayers, my eyes stopped at this prayer.  My eyes did not stop because I saw it was by Martin Luther (maybe that caught my attention) but what held me was the opening sentence –"Behold, Lord, an empty vessel that needs to be filled." 

I am always amazed at the humility of Luther.  He never thought himself worthy of the calling to preach, teach or lead worship.  And as he says in his sacristy prayer – one I use every time I prepare to preach, teach or lead worship – "if it were left up to me, I would surely bring it all to ruin."  And even more than that, Luther never felt himself worthy to call himself a Christian.  I can definitely relate to that – not his humility, but not feeling worthy to be called a Christian.  I sometimes feel weak in faith and cold in love.  I need God to strengthen me and warm me with his love.  I need God to speak to me.

Then this morning a 3 year old showed me love that energized me for worship.  As I was greeting people before worship, a 3 year old from my congregation came running out of the sanctuary to show me her Scooby Doo fruit snacks.  I bent over to speak to her face to face and showed her my genuine excitement because I love Scooby Doo fruit snacks — something I told her.  She immediately ran back into the sanctuary.  A couple minutes late she came running back out and handed me a pack of fruit snacks.  I looked up and her mom smiled at me in approval.  My heart was filled with love by a tiny act of love by a 3 year old little girl who hides behind mom’s leg when I come to greet her.  Who knew a 3 year old and Scooby Doo could prepare me for worship.

"Thank you God for warming my heart with love, for filling this ’empty vessel’ and for strengthening my faith through a simple act by a 3 year old"

When we need it, God provides.  I am indeed not worthy to be a pastor in his church, but God empowers me to lead his people through the Holy Spirit.  Thank you, God and Amen. -edh-

Thursday morning tid bits with a dose of Love

/ The Pastor / 3 Comments

National Day of Prayer

Today is the National Day of Prayer.  A colleague of mine and I lead the prayer service at the Elementary School next door.  The four schools in the Jackson Country Central school district all had short prayer services around their flag poles (of course not sponsored by them but by the Kiwanis group and the ministerial).  The event took place before school so the students could attend along with the community.  The only group of people that COULD NOT attend were the teachers.  They are on "contract time" so they could not participate in praying for our nation, community, our leaders and for our schools. I understand this whole separation of church and state thing — I understand but don’t like it — but come on, 10 measly minutes.  School is not even in session at 8am.  Next year I will talk to the Kiwanis group about starting this event earlier to allow teachers to participate and pray with the community. 

Car seat mania

Confused?  Check out this out:

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This picture represents 67 children who are now riding in safe car seats thanks to my loving and caring wife.  She works for community health and one of her passions is car seats.  My wife is a state certified car seat technician.  Most of these car seats came from two drive through car seat clinics she organized.  Last weekend Connie and her crew checked 51 vehicles and only three had car seats that were installed correctly or that were up-to-date.  People with defective or expired car seats got a new one for free thanks to a grant she received.  Unfortunately the local newspaper was not there covering this event, so this is me, giving Connie some "press".  This is also me super excited that these car seats are out of the garage…FINALLY!

A dose of Love

The Gospel text for this Sunday (The 5th Sunday after Easter) is from John 13: 31-35.  Here Jesus talks about this "new commandment" to love one another.  New commandment?  God gives the Israelites a law in the Old Testament to love another, so Jesus is not saying anything new…right?  Well, actually He is.  Unlikely Conversation: A Lectionary Blog talks about the four Greek words for love.  The "Love" Jesus is referring to is a "self sacrificing" type of Love — a kind of love Jesus shows.  This is "new" and different.  So maybe I need to preach on love and talk about what it means to truly "love one another".  I am also thinking that maybe I will refer back to Maundy Thursday where Jesus gives this "new commandment".  How are you doing with "loving your neighbor"?  On Easter Sunday a number of CEOs (Christmas Easter Only) came to worship — how are you doing in showing THEM love?   How can we love people better? 

Hmmm…I have some things to think and pray about.  I am excited to find out what the Holy Spirit places on my heart today to preach to the people on Sunday.  This sermon prep thing is awesome.

Well…it is time to chat with God and see what is up for Sunday.  God bless you and have a most wonderful day.  Take care.  -edh-