Daily devotionals

Walking Through Fire

Posted on by Betsy

Last week was the graduation for the Dare County Firefighters Academy. Seven brave and faithful students received their firefighter certificates after 9 months and 400 hours of classroom and onsite training. That training included 21 weekends of drills. Did I mention that this is a volunteer corps? These new firefighters will serve in Corolla, Kitty Hawk, Southern Shores, Kill Devil Hills, and Roanoke Island. The spirit of camaraderie was tangible as they coordinated both a wonderful cookout for the guests and sported very loud Hawaiian shirts for the celebration.

I am a brand new volunteer chaplain for the fire department and giving the invocation for the graduation was my first official act. Chaplains only get called out when a death occurs, and I truly hope that attending graduating and offering a blessing over a meal will be the extent of my service with them. I sat in awe of their dedication and willingness to go deliberately into harm’s way to help people, and I pray that none of them come to harm either physically or emotionally as a result of their sacrifice.

I read these words from the 43rd chapter of Isaiah to them. I hoped these words would bring comfort to the new firefighters and their families:

Isaiah 43

But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created you, Jacob,
    he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

2 When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.

3 For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. I have two friends who are going through very difficult custody battles and another who may lose her job. I think of them every day and pray this over them. When things like this happen, remember that you are only PASSING THROUGH this time of your life. It won’t always be this way.

When you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. Another friend just lost his wife. Waves of grief will now come on a regular basis for a while. I pray this over him. When someone you love dies, remember that you will not be swept away by the sorrow forever; it will not always feel this way.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned. For all of you undergoing cancer treatments, spending another day of your life in prison, struggling to find work, advocating for your family’s rights, walking in protest, fighting your way out of abuse, overcoming addiction … I pray this for you. I pray this for all of our steadfast first responders, who run directly toward danger to protect their communities. When you are experiencing a time of great trial, remember that you won’t be burned by your journey…just keep walking toward God’s promise for your life.

This passage assures you that God had redeemed you. He has summoned you by name. You are his, so do not be afraid.

Thanks be to God.

Sky Fire by Michelle Robertson

Call the Ball

Posted on by Betsy

I did some research into the Fresnel lens used in lighthouses for a sermon I am writing and it led me down a rabbit hole about these kinds of lenses. I remembered that my husband, when he was a Navy pilot landing on aircraft carriers, used a directional system called the Fresnel Lens Optical Landing System (OLS). The light system is designed to provide a “glide slope” for aviators approaching an aircraft carrier. The lights are projected through the Fresnel lenses in three different colors, telling the aviator when the aircraft is at the desired altitude in the approach at any distance from the ship.

If the aviator sees a red light (at the bottom), it means that the aircraft is dangerously low, and the subsequent flashing red light activated by the landing signal officer (LSO) would indicate a wave-off requiring the pilot to go around for another attempt. Yellow lights means you are approaching the carrier too high and will miss attaching your plane’s tailhook on one of the four arresting wires on the deck. Green lights mean you are in just the right glide slope for a safe landing. As the pilot approaches the carrier, the LSO instructs him to “call the ball” and the pilot has to report what color light he or she sees on “the ball” (actually a nickname for calling this blob of light a meatball) on approach.

This, by the way, is why Navy pilots can’t be colorblind. 

If God, who acts as our Landing Signal Officer, commanded you to “call the ball” in regard to the quality of your discipleship, what color light would you see? God already knows. As David boldly asserted in Psalm 139, God knows when we sit and rise, he knows our thoughts from far away, and he has us hemmed in from behind and before, with his mighty hand upon us.

Psalm 139 (New Revised Standard Version)

1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from far away.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
    O Lord, you know it completely.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
    and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is so high that I cannot attain it.

7 Where can I go from your spirit?
    Or where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
    if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning
    and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
    and your right hand shall hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
    and night wraps itself around me,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
    the night is as bright as the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

13 For it was you who formed my inward parts;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
    Wonderful are your works;
that I know very well.
15     My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.
In your book were written
    all the days that were formed for me,
    when none of them as yet existed.
17 How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
18 I try to count them—they are more than the sand;
    I come to the end—I am still with you.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my thoughts.
24 See if there is any wicked  way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.

Spend some time today thinking about your life and what you would see if God told you to “Call the ball.” The discipline of self examination is not just for Lent, you know! Would you see red, yellow, or green lights? Let’s face it … none of us is getting any younger. As you are descending onto the safety of God’s ship, how are you approaching? Are you too high, living a life of selfishness and luxury, focused on your own needs while neglecting the world’s needs? Are you too low, living a life of sin and separation from God, following the whims of the secular world in pursuit of pleasure, wealth, and greed? Or are you in the green zone of serving, giving, studying God’s work, and doing his will?

The good news is, as you call the ball, it’s never too late to adjust your altitude … and maybe your attitude.

My Frame Was Not Hidden by Michelle Robertson

Dem Bones

Posted on by Betsy

Sometimes we experience a death of something that seems impossible to revive. The death of hope, the death of a career, the death of a marriage, the death of a church, the death of a dream … life if full of little deaths that leave us feeling bereft and alone. It is good in those moments to remember that the prophet Ezekiel was once commanded to prophesy to a Death Valley filled deep with dead bones.

The fact that these bodies had not received a proper burial in the ground tells us that they died in disgrace. Their bodies had been left for the buzzards to consume. Nobody said words of comfort over them as they were lowered into the ground. No one stood beside a grave pit and mourned. No, these corpses were deliberately scattered across the desert and had been left there for a long time. We see this as a statement regarding the disgrace the Israelites had brought to their nation through their disobedience and apostasy. In his vision, Ezekiel sees the long lost nation of Israel lying in bones and ruin in a waterless expanse of desert. There was no hope anymore.

Then something completely unexpected happened. God commanded him to prophesy over the bones, telling them that God will put breath in them, and they will live again.

Ezekiel 37 (Common English Bible)

37 The Lord’s power overcame me, and while I was in the Lord’s spirit, he led me out and set me down in the middle of a certain valley. It was full of bones. 2 He led me through them all around, and I saw that there were a great many of them on the valley floor, and they were very dry.

3 He asked me, “Human one, can these bones live again?”

I said, “Lord God, only you know.”

4 He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, Dry bones, hear the Lord’s word! 5 The Lord God proclaims to these bones: I am about to put breath in you, and you will live again. 6 I will put sinews on you, place flesh on you, and cover you with skin. When I put breath in you, and you come to life, you will know that I am the Lord.”

This is certainly a statement of the power of God. Not a resurrection of the dead, but a complete reversal of the decomposing of a corpse. The bones came together, bone by bone, sinew by sinew, skin on skin. Not surprisingly, God put each body back together in a right and orderly manner.

Just as God does.

7 I prophesied just as I was commanded. There was a great noise as I was prophesying, then a great quaking, and the bones came together, bone by bone. 8 When I looked, suddenly there were sinews on them. The flesh appeared, and then they were covered over with skin. But there was still no breath in them.

9 He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, human one! Say to the breath, The Lord God proclaims: Come from the four winds, breath! Breathe into these dead bodies and let them live.”

10 I prophesied just as he commanded me. When the breath entered them, they came to life and stood on their feet, an extraordinarily large company.

Dead bones rise again to become a huge army. With the breath of God in them, they are empowered to become the house of Israel once again.

11 He said to me, “Human one, these bones are the entire house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished. We are completely finished.’ 12 So now, prophesy and say to them, The Lord God proclaims: I’m opening your graves! I will raise you up from your graves, my people, and I will bring you to Israel’s fertile land. 13 You will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you up from your graves, my people. 14 I will put my breath in you, and you will live. I will plant you on your fertile land, and you will know that I am the Lord. I’ve spoken, and I will do it. This is what the Lord says.”

We will be celebrating Pentecost this Sunday. This is a time when we commemorate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples who were gathered in Jerusalem, waiting for this gift that Jesus had promised. The Spirit of God was delivered in tongues of flame and a mighty wind. Could you use a mighty wind right now?

What are you waiting for? Do you need the power of God’s Spirit to come and revive some aspect of your life? Have you experienced the death of hope or a dream?

If God can make a new nation of Israel out of old, dusty desert bones, surely he can revive you, too.

After the storm.

Resting in God’s Timing

Posted on by Betsy

Do you have a favorite prayer? I do. It goes like this: “God, give me patience. AND GIVE IT TO ME RIGHT NOW.” I remember my grandmother quietly reminding my fidgeting self that patience is a virtue. One that I apparently never got!

One of the spiritual practices we all tend to forget is the one that is made for folks just like me. We are invited to rest in God’s timing, taking time to allow his word to take root in us before taking action. It is an invitation to let Scripture “marinate” in our souls as we deliberately watch and wait for an appropriate time to act.  

 When we focus on God’s timing (and not our own), we recognize that God is actively working in our situation, which means we don’t have to respond in anger or frustration. It is a way of hitting a “pause” button that allows our minds to regroup and reconsider. It also allows for hope and assurance to find their way back into our troubled hearts because we gave space for their presence.

 There probably is no better example in the Bible of someone who rested in God’s timing than Job. When he lost everything important to him and found himself sitting on an ash heap, scraping his sores and wounds, he had no choice but to wait. But when his wife taunts him to curse the God who took everything away, he replied,

 “Don’t talk like a fool! If we accept blessings from God, we must accept trouble as well.” In all that happened, Job never once said anything against God” (Job 2:10, Contemporary English Version).

There is a “silence” component of resting in God’s timing that may involve some tongue-biting. Have you ever regretted an outburst? I have. Had I waiting on God to lead me to a better response, I would have had a better result. Remember, everything was restored to Job in the end. Job’s story is a good reminder of why this spiritual practice is important.

Resting in God’s timing is an act of submission. It draws us deeper into our Lord’s call to deny ourselves, pick up our crosses, and follow him (Mark 8:34). As we lay down our selfish need to act in haste, waiting on God’s timing will surely teach us new ways to allow God’s will to be done in our lives. Try it today, and see!

Come Unto Me, And I Will Give You Rest by Kathy Schumacher

Clothed

Posted on by Betsy

It is that time of year in the Outer Banks when you need every season of clothing accessible to you. You may wear all seasons in one day. A week ago we left the house with the heat turned on, wearing jackets and boots. A week later, we’re in sandals and short sleeves. Who knows what next week might hold?

If you’re like me, you give your clothing selections serious consideration. Things need to be appropriate, flattering, cost-effective. comfortable, and like Goldilocks’ porridge, not too hot and not too cold. Clothing is how we armor ourselves for the world. It says who we are before we say who we are. Clothing can make or break an interview, a first date, or your credibility. Mama was right to counsel us on the fact that clothes not only should fit, but they should also fit the occasion. If you’ve ever misjudged an outfit and wore something way too casual for what turned out to be a formal occasion, you know what I’m talking about.

In this beautiful passage from Luke, we continue the Easter story by exploring what happened during the 40 days after the resurrection. Jesus met with his eleven disciples to give them some last instructions and marching orders. Notice in verse 44, he almost says, “I told you so” without really saying “I told you so.” Good restraint, Jesus!

Luke 24 (New International Version)

44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you:Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

So, in this important moment, he reminds them of what he had already told them regarding the prophecies from the Pentateuch through the Psalms. He was the fulfillment of it all.

45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Jesus gives them the startling news that they will be clothed with power from on high. I’m sure that just as they had no idea what his messiahship would entail, they had no idea what this would mean, either. But the gift that our Lord promised enabled them to take the Gospel and go into the world and form a new church. And here we are today, recipients of that gift as well.

The Ascension of Jesus

50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

The clothing of the power of the Holy Spirit brought the world the good news of forgiveness of sins and the promise of the resurrection of the dead. This is a good reminder to us today as we sometimes get frustrated with the politics and policies of our churches. When we remember the main purpose of the church and by whom the church is powered, it helps us stay focused on our mission, and we can then continue to clothe ourselves in other things, as Paul suggests:

Colossians 3 (New Living Translation)

14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Above all, clothe yourselves in love.

What are you wearing today?

Clothed in Glory by Michelle Robertson

Let All

Posted on by Betsy

I listened to a friend lament recently about her teenage years and how she felt completely excluded from her high school’s social life. Let’s face it; kids at that age can be viciously mean. It can be a dog-eat-dog world for four years, and we feel lucky to survive it through graduation. I suspect even the popular kids feel the tension and pressure of constant scrutiny and criticism. I’m pretty sure that the “mean girls” learned it from somewhere.

And of course, there are mean teens who remain mean through their adult years. We live in a society that elevates bullying. If you think I’m wrong consider the popularity of the “Real Housewife” franchise. Exclusion of one cast member is the goal of every episode. We are living in a world where put-downs and bullying are experienced from the top tiers of government to the kindergarten playground. What can we do? Surely this is not God’s plan.

The lectionary this week seems to be focused on the inclusive nature of the kingdom of God. From the psalm we will read today to the birth of the church in Acts to the later writings of John, the emphasis is on the church of “Jesus the Open Gate.” See if you can spot all the inclusive words and phrases in Psalm 22:

Psalm 22 (Common English Bible)

I offer praise in the great congregation
    because of you;
    I will fulfill my promises
    in the presence of those who honor God.
26 Let all those who are suffering eat and be full!
    Let all who seek the Lord praise him!
        I pray your hearts live forever!
27 Every part of the earth
    will remember and come back to the Lord;
    every family among all the nations will worship you.

Here is my count so far: “Let all” is mentioned twice; “Every part” and “Every family among ALL nations” follows.

28 Because the right to rule belongs to the Lord,
    he rules all nations.
29 Indeed, all the earth’s powerful
    will worship him;
    all who are descending to the dust
    will kneel before him;
    my being also lives for him.
30 Future descendants will serve him;
    generations to come will be told about my Lord.
31 They will proclaim God’s righteousness
        to those not yet born,
        telling them what God has done.

In this section, the psalmist talked about ALL nations, ALL the earth, ALL who are descending to the dust (some of us faster than others …), future descendants, generations, and even mentions those not yet born. That pretty much covers everyone! God’s kingdom will not be like high school, thank the Lord. All will be welcome to enter … even real housewives.

Wouldn’t it be lovely if we started living God’s kingdom here on earth today? I think the choice is completely up to us.

Kingdom Rise by Michelle Robertson

You Made it Disappear

Posted on by Betsy

Have you ever lain awake at night with your mind spinning over an insult or rejection? I sure have. I wish I was as strong as I apparently look when it comes to taking hits from people who are displeased with me. If you are a people pleaser, you know what I’m talking about. It is hard to come to the reality that someone simply doesn’t like you if you are that type of person. People pleasers suffer from any kind of rejection and the pain of a direct assault can last for months. Truth be told, part of the problem is that we keep poking at the injury like a sore spot in your mouth that you just can’t stop touching with your tongue. If you are also a people pleaser, my prayers go out to you! Sometimes I just wish I didn’t care so much.

The flip side of this personality type is that because we do care, we often feel and respond to other people’s pain in an effort to mitigate their suffering. I bet if you put people pleasers in a room, you would find that they volunteer in care ministries in their churches, donate to the food pantry, go on mission trips, and extend Christ ‘s compassion to hurting people in the world. So here’s a thought, people pleasers: When you’re sleepless over an injury get up and do something good for someone. That will mitigate your own pain, too.

Our Scripture today talks about practicing real love. It succinctly makes a connection between Christ’s sacrifice for us and how we are called to live sacrificially for others. In our Message translation, Eugene Peterson contends that when we see a need and do nothing, God’s love disappears, and we are the ones who made it disappear.

1 John 3:16-24

16-17 This is how we’ve come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear.

This should be something we practice daily in everything we do. When you post negative things about someone on social media, you are making God’s love disappear. When you speak out with anger when you could have held your tongue, you make God’s love disappear. When a disagreement causes you to leave a relationship and you burn the house down on your way out, you make God’s love disappear.

When We Practice Real Love

18-20 My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.

When people pleasers like me get attacked, it’s not just the initial injury that keeps us awake. It is our incessant need to review the situation over and over and over again, criticizing our own actions and condemning our behavior. Our worried hearts get stuck on replay, and even when we try to repair the relationship, we fail to shut down the internal turmoil that the bad encounter has brought. It is hard for us to accept that there are some people and situations where resolution isn’t possible, and truthfully, the other party doesn’t care. They have moved on to criticize someone else while we allow them to live rent free in our heads.

That’s when it’s time to let go and give it over to God. God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.

21-24 And friends, once that’s taken care of and we’re no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we’re bold and free before God! We’re able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we’re doing what he said, doing what pleases him. Again, this is God’s command: to believe in his personally named Son, Jesus Christ. He told us to love each other, in line with the original command. As we keep his commands, we live deeply and surely in him, and he lives in us. And this is how we experience his deep and abiding presence in us: by the Spirit he gave us.

This last section is the real goal for everyone, people pleasers or not. God invites us to please him, not others. He invites us to love one another, keep his commands, live deeply and surely in him, and experience his abiding is us through the Sprit that he gave on. So if you are still feeling the sting of someone’s negativity, let it go.

God has set you free.

Bold and Set Free by Michelle Robertson

How Can I, Without Some Help?

Posted on by Betsy

Name something that is easier to do with help. My mind goes to things like setting up tables and chairs, wallpapering a room, opening a pickle jar, or washing the car. Our grandmothers used to say that “many hands make light work,” and it is true. Not only can you work faster and more efficiently with help, but you will also probably enjoy having company for the task. Well, except for wallpapering. There is no way for two people to enjoy wallpapering.

Then there is another kind of help which is essential because you are completely incapable of doing the thing yourself. I am grateful for lawyers, financial advisors, and car repairmen for the work they have done for me in areas where I am completely unequipped. Not to mention wallpaper hangers.

In our lectionary passage today, we see a beautiful example of help coming along at just the right time. Take note of Philip’s approach to a stranger as he obediently listens to the leading of the Holy Spirit:

Acts 8 (Common English Bible)

26-28 Later God’s angel spoke to Philip: “At noon today I want you to walk over to that desolate road that goes from Jerusalem down to Gaza.” He got up and went. He met an Ethiopian eunuch coming down the road. The eunuch had been on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and was returning to Ethiopia, where he was minister in charge of all the finances of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He was riding in a chariot and reading the prophet Isaiah.

29-30 The Spirit told Philip, “Climb into the chariot.” Running up alongside, Philip heard the eunuch reading Isaiah and asked, “Do you understand what you’re reading?”

The image of Philip happily running alongside the chariot of a very important diplomat is a charming picture to me. I love the innocence of that moment. It’s somewhat akin to a new puppy running out the front door to greet you when you come home from work.

31-33 He answered, “How can I without some help?” and invited Philip into the chariot with him.

Here is the message for us today. How can the unknowing people around us understand the impact of the gift of salvation if nobody happily comes alongside of them to explain it? How can new believers understand if nobody explains things?

The passage he was reading was this:

As a sheep led to slaughter,
    and quiet as a lamb being sheared,
He was silent, saying nothing.
    He was mocked and put down, never got a fair trial.
But who now can count his kin
    since he’s been taken from the earth?

34-35 The eunuch said, “Tell me, who is the prophet talking about: himself or some other?” Philip grabbed his chance. Using this passage as his text, he preached Jesus to him.

How many times do you think you’ve had that same chance to preach Jesus to someone but missed it? Sometimes we are tired, distracted, or too busy to realize someone needs help understanding and we miss being Philip to someone.

And then it gets better:

36-39 As they continued down the road, they came to a stream of water. The eunuch said, “Here’s water. Why can’t I be baptized?” He ordered the chariot to stop. They both went down to the water, and Philip baptized him on the spot. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of God suddenly took Philip off, and that was the last the eunuch saw of him. But he didn’t mind. He had what he’d come for and went on down the road as happy as he could be.

The offer of help, the preaching moment it provided, and the companionship they established resulted in Philip baptizing the man on the spot. And after Philip was taken away, the man went down the road “as happy as he could be”.

Listen, here’s the thing. There is a child in your neighborhood who doesn’t understand. There is a teenager in your church who needs your help to sort things out. There are people in the homeless shelters and the addiction centers who would benefit from your companionship. Everyone, at some point, just needs a helper to come alongside and offer their assistance. You might even know someone who needs some wallpapering done. Are you willing?

Be a Philip to someone today.

Isaiah’s Fountain by Kathy Schumacher

When all Hallel Breaks Loose

Posted on by Betsy

Last evening our dear friends returned to their home next door, and we spent several minutes hugging and talking in our adjoining backyards. We caught up on happy and sad news and made plans to do things together while they are here. In the midst of that joy, my husband suddenly looked past me with a startled look on his face. I followed his gaze and was shocked to see that an entire section of railing and glass slats had fallen from our bedroom balcony onto the middle deck. It was laying across chairs. My heart skipped a beat, remembering that I had let our dog out on that balcony only hours earlier. I had watched her from the bedroom as I put laundry away but could not see the missing panel from that vantage point. I am so glad she plopped down for a rest in her normal sunny spot in the middle and did not try to explore the new opening! We have no idea when it fell and never heard anything. Luckily nobody was sitting in the chairs when it did. Even more surprising is that none of the glass slats broke on impact. Praise the Lord for that!

It is good to praise God in good times and bad. In times of sudden disaster, praising God might not be the first thing that comes to mind, but it is a healthy habit to get into. Praising God in the storms reminds us that God is in the storm with us, and that is something for which to be thankful.

Psalm 113 (Common English Bible)
Praise the Lord!
    You who serve the Lord—praise!
    Praise the Lord’s name!
2 Let the Lord’s name be blessed
    from now until forever from now!
3 From sunrise to sunset,
    let the Lord’s name be praised!
4 The Lord is high over all the nations;
    God’s glory is higher than the skies!

5 Who could possibly compare to the Lord our God?
    God rules from on high;
6     he has to come down to even see heaven and earth!
7 God lifts up the poor from the dirt
    and raises up the needy from the garbage pile
8         to seat them with leaders—
        with the leaders of his own people!
9     God nests the once barren woman at home—
        now a joyful mother with children!

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 113 is the first of the “Egyptian Hallel” psalms. These were so named for their references to God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt during the exodus, and the people’s response of praise (as in “Hallel-uyah”, meaning praise the Lord). Indeed, the word “praise” occurs three times in the first verse. This collection of psalms includes Psalm 113 through 118 and is used by Jews at all major festivals, but especially at the beginning and the conclusion of the Passover. For Christians, Psalm 113 is used for the celebration of Easter. Mark 14:26 tells us that Jesus and his disciples went to the Mount of Olives after “singing songs of praise” at the Last Supper, since it was a traditional Passover meal. It is very likely that Psalm 113 was one of those songs.

Our despair over the inequities of earthly life are answered beautifully with the promise of salvation in the verses 7 and 8: “God lifts up the poor from the dirt and raises up the needy from the garbage pile to seat them with the leaders”. We can almost feel the anticipation of Christ’s Second Coming, when he will return and level out every top-heavy system humanity has created. On days when we despair over what is happening (and not happening) in our own government, we can remember to praise God, even when it seems that all “Hallel” is breaking out. God is still in control, praise be! The promise of redemption is offered to all of God’s people … and that is reason to praise, indeed!

So, take heart. God is with us in every moment. Thanks be to God.

Yikes!

Rejected

Posted on by Betsy

Nothing hurts like rejection. Whether it happens on the playground, the boardroom, the marriage bed, or the church, rejection is a bitter pill to swallow. Even those who understand that God is always working for the good of those who love him suffer when a relationship is severed and someone they love turns their face and walks away. Part of the deepest pain I have felt over my church’s schism is the feeling of rejection by those who left my church. Family estrangements are always filled with hurt, confusion, and a feeling of “just not being good enough” for the one who departed.

When we are in those phases of waning relationships, we can find comfort in remembering that even our Lord felt the pangs of rejection, albeit on a much larger scale. He spent his entire life loving and caring for people and suffered a horrible rejection for it. Peter describes him as a cornerstone, and it is an apt description. A cornerstone is a large stone placed at the intersection of two masonry walls that form the foundation of a building. As such, it has come to mean something vitally important to a group or an idea, without which the system would fail.

Peter’s cornerstone reference comes from Psalm 118:22, a passage that these Jewish religious leaders would certainly have recognized:

The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
23 the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 The Lord has done it this very day;
    let us rejoice today and be glad.

Does your church building have a cornerstone? It probably has a date engraved on it that indicates the year of construction. That engraving celebrates not only the year, but the people in the congregation at that time who were vitally essential in the church’s construction. We talk about things being the “cornerstone” of democracy, the “cornerstone” of our budget, and the “cornerstone” of our faith. Are you a cornerstone? It can be challenging to hold up heavy walls. Jesus knew this.

Acts 4 (Common English Bible)

5 The next day the leaders, elders, and legal experts gathered in Jerusalem,6 along with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and others from the high priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and asked, “By what power or in what name did you do this?”

8 Then Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, answered, “Leaders of the people and elders, 9 are we being examined today because something good was done for a sick person, a good deed that healed him? 10 If so, then you and all the people of Israel need to know that this man stands healthy before you because of the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. 11 This Jesus is the stone you builders rejected; he has become the cornerstone! 12 Salvation can be found in no one else. Throughout the whole world, no other name has been given among humans through which we must be saved.”

I have to wonder what was going on in the minds of Annas the high priest and Caiaphas. These men, who were so instrumental in Jesus’ crucifixion, are now first-hand witnesses to the power of the risen Lord. We have all been in situations where new information comes to light and we have to second guess our original assessment of an event, but can you imagine how they felt when they saw with their own eyes that you just can’t kill the Son of God?? You just can’t kill the power of the Holy Spirit! You just can’t kill a movement of disciples and followers who are about to take on the ministry that Jesus started and go to the ends of the known world proclaiming his good news.

Perhaps it is good for us today to acknowledge that Jesus’ rejection was necessary for the healing of the world. As I look back on times when I have suffered a rejection, I can find some good there. Rejections forced me to move on, to be more realistic in my expectations, and to seek out more stable and healthy relationships. If you are struggling today with feelings of being rejected, take heart. Jesus will indeed work it out someday for your own good, too.

Bloom Where You’re Planted by Kathy Schumacher