Young Americans Losing Their Religion
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Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Be Glorified...
Sunday morning we sang the song "Lord Be Glorified" (TFWS #2150). It's a very simple song, but it has been running through my head ever since. "In my life, Lord, be glorified, be glorified today. In your church, Lord, be glorified, be glorified today. In my heart, Lord, be glorified, be glorified today. In my praise, Lord, be glorified, be glorified today." I can't help but wonder if I am doing everything I can possibly do to glorify God in everything I do - in my life, in God's church, in my heart, and in my praise. Am I setting the best possible example for my parishioners? Am I teaching them how to glorify God every day in every way? I wonder.
Today I pray that I am doing these things and I ask that God will be with me as I try so hard to keep God as my center. To glorify God means to make decisions that are aligned with "Love God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength; and love your neighbor as yourself." If I am about to do or say anything that runs contrary to these values, then I need to stop and re-evaluate what I am about to do or say. This seems so simple and yet it trips us up all the time. To glorify God means to glorify God's creation; this means caring for everything and everyone that God has made, even when this is challenging or inconvenient. It means that gossip, meanness, discourtesy, and neglect are all out of the picture. Wow! That can be tough for all of us, can't it! I am thankful for John Wesley's reminder that we are "going on to perfection." Perfection is our goal and we're not there yet!
It's really helpful to keep this tune running through my head; it reminds me to glorify God at all times. I remember a course in Celtic Sprituality that I took in seminary. We talked about the peasant traditions of using every action, no matter how menial, as a form of prayer. Making the bed, folding laundry, cooking, cleaning, plowing, harvesting - all things were done for the glory of God and offered as prayer. This is an ancient lesson that speaks to us today. In the busy-ness of our lives, we can find calm in the thought that everything we do is for God's glory. When we offer all of ourselves as prayer, we can see those things that are pleasing to God and those things that are not. It seems to me that this is a great way to improve our relationship with God and to awaken awareness in ourselves about who and whose we are.
Today I pray that I am doing these things and I ask that God will be with me as I try so hard to keep God as my center. To glorify God means to make decisions that are aligned with "Love God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength; and love your neighbor as yourself." If I am about to do or say anything that runs contrary to these values, then I need to stop and re-evaluate what I am about to do or say. This seems so simple and yet it trips us up all the time. To glorify God means to glorify God's creation; this means caring for everything and everyone that God has made, even when this is challenging or inconvenient. It means that gossip, meanness, discourtesy, and neglect are all out of the picture. Wow! That can be tough for all of us, can't it! I am thankful for John Wesley's reminder that we are "going on to perfection." Perfection is our goal and we're not there yet!
It's really helpful to keep this tune running through my head; it reminds me to glorify God at all times. I remember a course in Celtic Sprituality that I took in seminary. We talked about the peasant traditions of using every action, no matter how menial, as a form of prayer. Making the bed, folding laundry, cooking, cleaning, plowing, harvesting - all things were done for the glory of God and offered as prayer. This is an ancient lesson that speaks to us today. In the busy-ness of our lives, we can find calm in the thought that everything we do is for God's glory. When we offer all of ourselves as prayer, we can see those things that are pleasing to God and those things that are not. It seems to me that this is a great way to improve our relationship with God and to awaken awareness in ourselves about who and whose we are.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Sharing...
Yesterday I took my sermon from John's gospel, 6:1-15. You remember the story: A bunch of people are following Jesus and it's time to eat. The problem is - no food for this large crowd. Jesus has a plan, but he tests the folks on how big their minds can expand around this concept of feeding so many with so little. Five loaves, two fish, and we've got dinner for 5,000...it's an amazing miracle.
Greg Tolle reminds us of a 2003 editorial by Gretchen Hakola that posits the idea that maybe this is less about a miracle of multiplication and more about a miracle of sharing. I mean, who among us sets out for a long day's outing with the kids and doesn't pack a few drinks, a bag of Cheerios, and some crackers? Surely these folks had the same concerns for their families; surely they brought a little something along for the day in the country with Jesus. But, when it came time to eat, maybe these well-prepared folks hesitated to show what they had with them for fear they might have to share some of theirs with somebody else. It took the action of one little boy who was willing to share what he had to open the hearts and hands of everyone else to share what they had. Jesus used this as a great teaching moment and everyone had plenty to eat. With no biblical basis, it's impossible to know if Gretchen is right; but, she sure makes a lot of sense to me.
I wonder how different our world would be if more people had this same sense of sharing. I wonder how the current economic crisis might be different if people were more willing to share the wealth. I wonder what a sharing miracle could do for our culture today. It seems to me that sharing is one of those things we learn in kindergarten that we're supposed to remember all our lives. It seems to me that everyone would be better off with a little more sharing going on. Sharing material possessions, natural resources, and ideas might go a long way to solving some of this world's most serious problems.
On a smaller scale, sharing can change the life of just one person forever and help them find hope within their hopelessness and love within their despair. Sharing can truly change a person forever. It can be the beginning of a relationship with God that will transform someone into a faithful disciple. We talk so much about sharing the Good News - the Gospel - with others; we talk about sharing God's love with others. The real questions is: Do we understand what that means? It often means taking a risk; it means putting yourself out; it means thinking of somebody else before you; it means some inconvenience. Hmmm...Sharing sounds challenging.
Greg Tolle reminds us of a 2003 editorial by Gretchen Hakola that posits the idea that maybe this is less about a miracle of multiplication and more about a miracle of sharing. I mean, who among us sets out for a long day's outing with the kids and doesn't pack a few drinks, a bag of Cheerios, and some crackers? Surely these folks had the same concerns for their families; surely they brought a little something along for the day in the country with Jesus. But, when it came time to eat, maybe these well-prepared folks hesitated to show what they had with them for fear they might have to share some of theirs with somebody else. It took the action of one little boy who was willing to share what he had to open the hearts and hands of everyone else to share what they had. Jesus used this as a great teaching moment and everyone had plenty to eat. With no biblical basis, it's impossible to know if Gretchen is right; but, she sure makes a lot of sense to me.
I wonder how different our world would be if more people had this same sense of sharing. I wonder how the current economic crisis might be different if people were more willing to share the wealth. I wonder what a sharing miracle could do for our culture today. It seems to me that sharing is one of those things we learn in kindergarten that we're supposed to remember all our lives. It seems to me that everyone would be better off with a little more sharing going on. Sharing material possessions, natural resources, and ideas might go a long way to solving some of this world's most serious problems.
On a smaller scale, sharing can change the life of just one person forever and help them find hope within their hopelessness and love within their despair. Sharing can truly change a person forever. It can be the beginning of a relationship with God that will transform someone into a faithful disciple. We talk so much about sharing the Good News - the Gospel - with others; we talk about sharing God's love with others. The real questions is: Do we understand what that means? It often means taking a risk; it means putting yourself out; it means thinking of somebody else before you; it means some inconvenience. Hmmm...Sharing sounds challenging.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
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