Happy Wednesday friends,
I hope that this Holy Week is bringing you closer to Christ's cross and showing you something you need to know. One thing I appreciate about fasting is that it gets me out of my head and leads me to worship God with my body. Sometimes my faith gets stuck in my head; I think too much about questions or doctrines or beliefs. God gave us our minds to question and explore, but sometimes we need to trust that God loves us and work from there. Today for our devotion I would like to share a music video with you. It seems like an appropriate word for this week as we walk with Jesus to Calvary.
Now let's pray together:
Lord you have called each of us by name and we are yours. You know us deep down inside: all our hopes and fears, all our scars and sins. You love us and nothing can stop you from loving us. Help us to trust your love, help us to know in our hearts and souls and minds that you are always there for us. From the foundation of your love help us to reach out to others with compassion and care, knowing that we are all forgiven sinners by your grace. In the name of the crucified and risen Christ we pray, amen.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
food and fasting
Good morning all,
I hope this Wednesday finds you well and open to God's Spirit within you. As we fast this lunch time I'd like to invite you to consider your food. A couple of weeks ago we talked about how the global economy has given rise to a global food system. In the US we reap some major benefits from that international situation, fresh fruit year-round, for example. At the same time, the availability of such a wide range of food sometimes keeps us from thinking about where our food comes from and how it gets to us. Someone grew the food on our table; do we know if they are able to support their family by the food they grow? Someone picked the fruit we enjoy; were they paid a just wage for their labor? Do they have access to health care if their child gets sick? Our food had to get from where it was grown to our table; what impact does that have on our world?
In food like in everything we buy we have many choices. Each of our choices can contribute to abundance for others or to hardship and difficulty for our neighbors. How do we bring our life choices and our consumption more in line with our faith? Are we part of the problem or part of the solution? Maybe both? What's the next step for you to eat and live a bit more faithfully?
Let's pray together:
God of font and table, we thank you for the abundance of your earth. We thank you for the rich variety of food to eat and the resources to feed our families. We ask your blessings on our lives as we chose not to eat this lunch. We pray that you would use this time to turn our hearts to you in dependence and love. We pray that when we break our fast you would use that meal to strengthen us for service. Pour out your blessings on all those who are a part of our meals: the farmers and laborers, the animals and fields, the drivers and pilots and salespeople and cooks. Bring us closer by your Spirit and fill us with your love for others. We pray these things in the name of Jesus, whose banquet we await in glory, amen.
I hope this Wednesday finds you well and open to God's Spirit within you. As we fast this lunch time I'd like to invite you to consider your food. A couple of weeks ago we talked about how the global economy has given rise to a global food system. In the US we reap some major benefits from that international situation, fresh fruit year-round, for example. At the same time, the availability of such a wide range of food sometimes keeps us from thinking about where our food comes from and how it gets to us. Someone grew the food on our table; do we know if they are able to support their family by the food they grow? Someone picked the fruit we enjoy; were they paid a just wage for their labor? Do they have access to health care if their child gets sick? Our food had to get from where it was grown to our table; what impact does that have on our world?
In food like in everything we buy we have many choices. Each of our choices can contribute to abundance for others or to hardship and difficulty for our neighbors. How do we bring our life choices and our consumption more in line with our faith? Are we part of the problem or part of the solution? Maybe both? What's the next step for you to eat and live a bit more faithfully?
Let's pray together:
God of font and table, we thank you for the abundance of your earth. We thank you for the rich variety of food to eat and the resources to feed our families. We ask your blessings on our lives as we chose not to eat this lunch. We pray that you would use this time to turn our hearts to you in dependence and love. We pray that when we break our fast you would use that meal to strengthen us for service. Pour out your blessings on all those who are a part of our meals: the farmers and laborers, the animals and fields, the drivers and pilots and salespeople and cooks. Bring us closer by your Spirit and fill us with your love for others. We pray these things in the name of Jesus, whose banquet we await in glory, amen.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
hearth and home
Happy Wednesday friends,
Our Lenten reflection comes today from an article you may have read in some form before. I remember seeing this recently and feeling challenged and inspired:
family sells home for charity
Let's pray together:
Loving God, you call us in many ways: in song and scripture, in the words of others and in the sights of everyday life. Guide us to open our hearts so that you might change us. Guide us to follow you on the road to the cross. Lead us by your Spirit's power in all our decisions every day. In Christ's name we pray, amen.
Our Lenten reflection comes today from an article you may have read in some form before. I remember seeing this recently and feeling challenged and inspired:
family sells home for charity
Let's pray together:
Loving God, you call us in many ways: in song and scripture, in the words of others and in the sights of everyday life. Guide us to open our hearts so that you might change us. Guide us to follow you on the road to the cross. Lead us by your Spirit's power in all our decisions every day. In Christ's name we pray, amen.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
What does it mean to fast?
The voice of God speaking through Jeremiah says:
"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
"Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday. The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail. Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in."
What's the next step for you in sharing your bread with the hungry?
What's the next step to let the oppressed go free?
What is our role in restoring the streets of our cities?
How does fasting help us discern our way forward?
Now let us pray slowly and contemplatively (with Rachel again):
http://faithandwater.blogspot.com/
"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
"Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday. The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail. Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in."
What's the next step for you in sharing your bread with the hungry?
What's the next step to let the oppressed go free?
What is our role in restoring the streets of our cities?
How does fasting help us discern our way forward?
Now let us pray slowly and contemplatively (with Rachel again):
http://faithandwater.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Hunger and need
Happy Wednesday friends,
One of the goals I have in mind for our Lenten fast is engaging with issues of hunger in our nation and worldwide. To that end I'm including a link to a PDF from the Presbyterian Church on the world food crisis. It's more cerebral than our previous reflections, and I'm hesitant about throwing a big piece of reading at you. At the same time food is such a part of our everyday lives that we often don't think about it beyond what to eat for dinner or what we shouldn't be eating if we want to watch our diets. But whether we think about it or not, we are part of a global economy in which some (especially in the US) struggle with too much food while others (40% of the world's population lives on $2 or less per day) struggle to have enough to eat. At the same time more of the world's food in controlled by large corporation making ever growing profits. It's easy to think that the problem is too big to tackle, and it is alone. But God never leaves us alone and even small steps together by the Spirit's guidance can make a difference. So take a look at this link: http://www.pcusa.org/foodcrisis/global-food-crisis0908.pdf and let us consider what God might be saying to us in this moment.
Let's pray together:
Loving God we thank you for the abundance of the earth and the joy of sharing food. In this time of fasting let us listen to your voice in the growling of our stomachs. Let us hear you in the emptiness of the fast. Help us remember our sisters and brothers around the world for whom this is everyday life, for those whose fast is seldom broken. Guide us to be grateful and thoughtful about what you have given us and show us how to reach out to others with your abundant love. In Christ's name we pray, amen
One of the goals I have in mind for our Lenten fast is engaging with issues of hunger in our nation and worldwide. To that end I'm including a link to a PDF from the Presbyterian Church on the world food crisis. It's more cerebral than our previous reflections, and I'm hesitant about throwing a big piece of reading at you. At the same time food is such a part of our everyday lives that we often don't think about it beyond what to eat for dinner or what we shouldn't be eating if we want to watch our diets. But whether we think about it or not, we are part of a global economy in which some (especially in the US) struggle with too much food while others (40% of the world's population lives on $2 or less per day) struggle to have enough to eat. At the same time more of the world's food in controlled by large corporation making ever growing profits. It's easy to think that the problem is too big to tackle, and it is alone. But God never leaves us alone and even small steps together by the Spirit's guidance can make a difference. So take a look at this link: http://www.pcusa.org/foodcrisis/global-food-crisis0908.pdf and let us consider what God might be saying to us in this moment.
Let's pray together:
Loving God we thank you for the abundance of the earth and the joy of sharing food. In this time of fasting let us listen to your voice in the growling of our stomachs. Let us hear you in the emptiness of the fast. Help us remember our sisters and brothers around the world for whom this is everyday life, for those whose fast is seldom broken. Guide us to be grateful and thoughtful about what you have given us and show us how to reach out to others with your abundant love. In Christ's name we pray, amen
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