Prayer

Monday morning check in

/ The Pastor / 5 Comments

A tough couple days and a prayer request
Good morning!  A very short and busy week is upon me (and many of you as well).  For me I have a heavy pastoral care load with a parishioner in hospice (Gordon) and another parishioner, who I just found out, has cancer (Lois).  It has been a tough couple days.  Please pray for Gordon and Lois as they deal with their present "suffering".  My hope is that they can look beyond this to their promised New Life in Jesus Christ and receive strength and courage to endure.  The road won’t be easy, but they are never alone.

Sermon
The sermon I preached yesterday (Nov. 18) hit home for me more than others.  The text from Luke 21:5-19 talked about the signs of the end.  The way I took this is that we are not to focus and dwell on the signs now, but put our hope in what they point to.  Suffering must and will happen in this life, but if we only focus on the now, we miss the Good News.  It is looking ahead that gives us strength.  I found myself thinking about Gordon and Lois as I preached this sermon.  Gordon didn’t hear this sermon but Lois did.  I hope she finds strength in the promise God has made to her in Jesus Christ.  It is going to be a tough road for her. 

I have just posted this sermon on my sermons blog at:  Sermons by Eric.

Personal stewardship update
My weight loss is still going well.  I have finally hit the 20 pound mark.  I had been sitting at around 17-18 pounds for a couple weeks but now I finally moved past it.  My goal is to lose another 10 pounds and then re-evaluate.  It is so nice to wear clothes I haven’t been able to wear for years.

As for my running, that has been put on hold.  I still plan to run the Twin Cities Marathon next October but right now I am waiting on some shoe inserts.  Both of my heal bones are crocked thus causing me to experience shin splints.  These inserts should help and then I can start running…hopefully next week.  In the mean time I will continue with weight lifting and stationary bike workouts.

Scripture
"For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:6-8)

This is one of the texts the family wants to use for Gordon’s Celebration of New Life service.  Knowing Gordon the way I do, this is very appropriate.  But it is still hard talking about this.  Gordon is going to be missed.

But knowing where our hope comes from:  Praise be to God, always and forever…AMEN!!!

-edh-

Sunday morning prayer – 11/18/07

/ The Pastor

Wow…two more weeks and Advent is here; the start of the Christmas season.  The only thing we need now is a little snow.  Yesterday I thought my wish was coming true as I saw snow flurries flying furiously (try saying that 5 times fast).  But unfortunately the fast flying flurries did not last long.  In the matter of minutes the only evidence that something happened was some wet roads and sidewalks.  Oh well, at least I got to see some snow.

On a personal note:  I have a parishioner here at Salem slowly dying.  Gordon (80-some years old) had a stroke a couple weeks back.  At first things looked O.K.  The doctors at first were talking about a long road of rehab.  Gordon would go to a nursing home to get stronger then return to Sioux Falls for the rehab.  The very next day, after I got the nursing home news, I got news that Gordon was now in hospice care (and as most of you know hospice means less than 6 months to live).  Yesterday I got a call from the family that the time is close.  As of now, Gordon is still alive, but it won’t be much longer.  Please remember Jean (Gordon’s wife) and his family in your prayers.  Gordon has done a lot for this church AND community.  Gordon is going to be greatly missed by many, many people.  Gordon has been like a grandpa to Connie and I.

Let us pray…
Loving God, the signs of the times are among us.  There are wars around the world.  There is suffering among us.  There is conflict all around; nations arising against nations.  And even in some cases neighbors rising up against neighbors.  Sometimes we don’t know what to say, what to do or even how to respond.  But in a quick moment of grace we are reminded that this life is not all there is.  The stuff happening around us are only signs…events reminding us of something greater.  You said we would experience suffering, but also that this suffering would last only for a moment.  I pray that Gordon’s suffering is short, but I also know that the life Gordon, and all of us will experience (thanks to Jesus) is a life like no other.  No suffering, pain or death, but only joy, happiness and peace.  Thank you for that gift.  Help us to look past the signs and to your promise…for that is where our strength comes from.  To you be all honor and praise and glory forever and ever.  Amen! (Scripture reference: Luke 21:5-19)

God bless you this day and always as we live in and with the signs of the times knowing that life eternal awaits us.  God bless and take care!

-edh-

Sunday morning prayer – 11/11/07

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

Wow…here I am again.  So much for me slowing down a little bit.  I guess I have been infused with a new dose of the Holy Spirit.  I have no clue.  Either way I feel like I have more energy and more drive to write.  Good or bad, I will let you decide.  But let’s move on…

Today at Salem is Stewardship Sunday and I am doing something today that I don’t normally do…I am setting aside the Gospel text assigned for today.  Instead I will be preaching on Matthew 25:14-30 – the Parable of the Talents.  As I wrote the sermon this past Thursday something was not sitting right with me.  All day Friday I pondered what I wrote.  Then today, Saturday, I was slapped in the face with Matthew 25…so…I re-wrote most of the sermon and included this text.  The Holy Spirit works in wonderful ways.  This is just another reason why I don’t wait until Saturday to write sermons.

Anyway, as we pray, know that stewardship was floating around in my mind and heart as this prayer was prayed and written.  Let us pray…
Gracious, loving and generous God, you have given us everything we have.  You created this world.  You gave us life.  You provide us with "daily bread’.  Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ you have given us salvation; you have given us hope; and you have given us a "job".  Because of your love we are stewards.  We are caretakers.  We are your hands and feet.  Strengthen, encourage and empower us to be caretakers of all we have; knowing that everything we say and do is for your glory.  Thank you, God, for your love through Jesus Christ and in whose name we pray…Amen!

God bless you as you live as stewards.

-edh-

Sunday morning prayer – 11/04/07

/ The Pastor

Today is All Saints Sunday.  Today we remember those who have gone before.  Those who have set an example for us to follow.  Those who have taught us life lessons, taught us the faith; and showed God’s love through their actions, words and deeds.  But most importantly, we celebrate, worship and praise the one who made us saints, Jesus Christ – without whom we would have no hope.  Remember, celebrate and laugh, for this life is just the beginning.

Let us pray…
Tender and merciful God, we have mourned the death of many loved ones; ones who have gone prematurely and those who have passed after great suffering and/or struggling.  And in a lot of cases we still mourn and shed tears over their absence in our lives.  These saints have taught us many lessons about life and about faith.  They showed your love through their words and deeds.  They set an example for us to follow.  But in the midst of this mourning there is joy.  In the midst of the tears there is laughter.  In the midst of the pain there is hope.  Through Jesus Christ we have been given the promise of New Life through the forgiveness of our sins.  And because of this…this life is just the beginning.  Thank, O God, that because of Jesus, weeping only lasts the night, but joy comes in the morning (reference to Psalm 30).  Through Christ’s name we pray…Amen.

God bless you this day and always.

-edh-

Sunday morning prayer – 10/28/07

/ The Pastor

HAPPY REFORMATION SUNDAY!!!  Unfortunately, my Reformation Sunday started a little latter than planned.  Back in April I wrote a post titled April Fools Joke.  It was about my "smart" clock that set itself for day light savings time a couple weeks early because the government changed the date of day light savings time without sending my "smart" clock a memo.  Well…it happened again today.  This time I got an extra hour of sleep.  But luckily for me I am an early riser so I had some time to spare this morning but I was still rushed.  It is nice to know I can get up, shower, get dressed, eat and get to my office in 15 minutes.  Not too bad.  Now I will have to pay attention when the "real" day light savings time does come.  So once again…kudos to the federal government on a good "Reformation Sunday Joke".

Anyway, let’s begin this day on a good note and pray together.

Loving and merciful God, you sent your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord to set us free, but this is freedom we often take for granted.  Even though many faithful saints, that have come before us, have proclaimed this freedom, we still cling to the bondage we have been freed from.  We still listen to the lies Satan tell us.  We still think we need to "do something" in order to earn your love.  But it is by grace that you have set us free.  Thank you God for this freedom.  Continue to proclaim this freedom to us through the faithful saints in our lives today.  Remind us of this awesome love so we can be witnesses to the world around us.  Through your Son, Jesus Christ, we pray…AMEN!

God bless your day!

-edh-

Sunday morning prayer – 10/21/07

/ The Pastor / 1 Comment

Wow…this has been a wild week for me.  My sermon prep routine was totally thrown off and my to-do list has been modified way too many times.  Now it is Sunday and amazingly enough, I am ready to go. 

Later this afternoon I head out of town for the SW MN Synod Fall Theological Conference in Mankato, MN.  Every fall the synod hosts this conference (a "required" event for all rostered leaders) and brings in a couple speakers on a specific theme.  This year our theme is, "Stewards of the Gospel".  Should be pretty interesting.  But maybe more than that, I am looking forward to getting out of the office for a few days (but not looking forward to time away from my wife).  I will be home Wednesday afternoon.  Hopefully I have Internet access where I am going, otherwise you will have to wait for any updates from me.  I know, I know…that will be tough, but you will survive 🙂

Anyway, let’s pray together…

Almighty and gracious God, you persistently love us and pursue us.  I don’t understand that but you do.  Since the dawn of creation, creation has rebelled against you, but you remained faithful.  Your chosen people often times went their own way, but you remained faithful.  We have way too often turned our backs on you, but you remain faithful.  You persistently pursue us through the love on your Son, Jesus Christ.  But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?  I certainly hope so.  Please strengthen our faith and our resolve to follow you each and everyday.  Help us be persistent in our prayer life; knowing that you will indeed grant justice.  Grant us vision to see your mighty works in the world so we may be reminded that you are not distant, but close by…in our hearts.  Dear God, thank you for hearing our prayers.  Through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord we pray…Amen!
(Prayer based on Luke 18:1-8)

Have an awesome day basking in the glow of God’s love for you.

-edh-

Sunday morning prayer – 10/14/07

/ The Pastor / 7 Comments

I find myself in unfamiliar territory with mixed emotions.  On Thursday afternoon we had a power outage here…while I was working on my computer.  It lasted about 1/2 hour.  On Saturday morning when I arrived in my office the power light on my computer was blinking and would not turn on. 

Oh by the way, I hadn’t printed my sermon off yet.

Needless to say I was not a happy camper.  Then I started to think, "Maybe this is God’s way of telling me that the sermon that I wrote is not the sermon God wants me to preach on Sunday."  Then I thought "Well God, there are easier (and cheaper) ways to tell me that".  Either way, I got another sermon prepared that is completely different from what I wrote before.  And you know something…I feel better about this sermon.

Normally the prayer I write here is the prayer I pray during the sermon.  Since I lost that prayer on Thursday, this is a new/different one.  I guess that is alright.  Besides…can you actually lose a prayer?

Anyway…Let us pray…
Gracious Lord God…you work in mysterious ways.  Sometimes things happen that cause us to be angry and sometimes with you.  We don’t understand.  Maybe that’s because we get so locked in OUR ways that we fail to see you working in our lives and the world around us.  Open our eyes to see your glory.  Open our ears to hear your loving word.  Open our hands to serve our neighbor.  Open our mouths to preach the Good News and open our noses to smell the richness of the life you give us.  Through Jesus Christ you love us beyond measure.  Use each of us to your glory and give us patience to follow wherever you may lead.  Through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, we pray, Amen!

May your computers always turn on and your hard drives keep spinning 🙂  Have a glorious day praising our Lord and Savior.

-edh-

Sunday morning prayer – 10-07-07

/ The Pastor / 6 Comments

The prayer this morning is based on the Old Testament text for today (19th Sunday after Pentecost) from Habakkuk.  It is also the text I am preaching on this morning. 

Reading through the entire book of Habakkuk (all 3 chapters) I discovered a richness of faith that was inspiring and encouraging.  Habakkuk lived in a time where the people had turned away from God and it seemed that God had turned His eyes from the depravity.  I look around in the world today and see all kinds of "crap" as well and sometimes wonder why God doesn’t just end it all and take home his faithful (placing my trust in Jesus and hoping that I am among the faithful).  But "hearing" God’s response to Habakkuk, I am reminded that God is up to something special in the world.  I need to be patient and trust in God’s faithfulness.  God has not let me down and God never will.

Let us pray…
Gracious God…we look all around us and see nothing but "Violence!"  We cry out to you to take control and "fix" our ailing world.  We wonder why fighting, conflict and chaos still exist.  We ponder, to no avail, why sin, evil and Satan are still having their days.  In the words of Habakkuk we cry, "O Lord how long shall we cry for help, and you will not listen?"  But you have not abandoned us to this world.  Rather you are doing something special in this world that we cannot comprehend.  Through Jesus Christ you are reconciling this creation to yourself.  Thank you God for hearing us and loving us.  Thank you God for showing us mercy and forgiveness.  O God, we give you thanks through Jesus Christ your dear Son; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever, Amen!

Remember that God is faithful…always and forever.  Look around and be reminded of that faithfulness through creation.  Praise God and Amen!

-edh-

Sunday morning prayer – 9/30/07

/ The Pastor / 1 Comment

Today (Sept. 30) is Bible Sunday at Salem and Belmont Lutheran Churches.  We are presenting Bibles to two 3rd graders at Salem and one 3rd grader at Belmont.  In addition to these presentations we are presenting and dedicating new pew Bibles at Salem.  I have been looking forward to this day for some time now.  Hopefully people will receive them joyfully but I am sure there will be some reservations at first – we will see.  I will write more about this presentation later. 

In the mean time let us join together in a word of prayer.  I wrote this prayer with the Gospel text from Luke 16:19-31 in mind.  I also make reference to "the great divide".  That reference is from a song by one of my favorite contemporary Christian groups, Point of Grace.  The song is called, "The Great Divide".

Let us pray…
Loving, forgiving, healing and merciful God…through the cross of Jesus Christ you carry us from this life to the next.  You created a "bridge" that spans the "great divide"; destroying the power of sin, death and the devil.  You love the "unlovable"; you forgive the greatest of sins; you heal all hurts; and you show mercy though we do not deserve it.  Though we create "chasms" that separate us from the fullness of communion with you; continue to: open our hearts to experience love through the proclamation of forgiveness; heal our hurts and show us mercy.  And through this proclamation may we see that "bridge" that crosses the "great divide" – the love of Jesus Christ our Lord, in whom we pray.  Amen.

God bless your day and guide your comings and goings.

-edh-

Sunday morning prayer — 9/23/07

/ The Pastor

Good morning (or good afternoon/evening — depending on when you are reading this) — before we pray together allow me to give you a short explanation.  In my sermon this morning I am using a story I found about St. Francis of Assisi (before he was a saint).  You can read the full story on my sermons blog when I post the sermon on Monday or Tuesday. 

Basically, Francis was traveling down a road, during a time he was struggling with a call from God, when he came a across a leper (someone deemed unlovable).  In a tremendous show of compassion (and love) he gets off his horse and gives this person some "charity" and kisses him.  The "unlovable" are also children of God.  Let us pray…

Lord of heaven and earth, you lead us down a road that is winding and difficult.  It’s a path where we encounter people that scare us; for they exist outside our comfort zones.  But then we see you stop.  You love them and tell us its O.K….these are also children of God.  Grant us courage and strength, O God, to continue on this path; loving those who have been called unlovable.  Give us understanding to see that there is more to this life than earthly pursuits of wealth and pleasure; and gently nudge us in the right direction when we stray.  O God, Lord of heaven and earth, we give you thanks for saving us through the cross.  Strengthen us in that love so we can live for others…through Jesus Christ our Lord we pray, Amen.

God bless your day in hope and love.  Take care.

-edh-