Month: February 2011 (Page 2 of 3)

Devotions based on Macrina Wiederkehr’s book, Gold in Your Memories

All of us need to discover the gold in our lives by mining the memories that have been lost and forgotten. These memories need to be received, accepted and integrated into our lives so healing can take place. They come all mixed up and not just “Joyful Memories only” or “Painful memories only?”  It is even possible to have happy and sad ones at the same moment. As we gather our memories we will feel alive, renewed, fulfilled, and full of hope. As we remember the gold, it can continue to bless us today. Our souls are the keeper of our memories and even the painful memories can work for our good when we are in touch with our souls. Memories matter and they are a part of who we are. We don’t live our lives in the past, but we need to gather all the pieces and “like beads of life gathered together to create a beautiful necklace of experience.” Hidden in even our painful history are lessons waiting to be learned as they contain seeds of wisdom. As we return to these remembrances they can be for us as a school of life. We learn from both pain and joy. “In the underground river of our unconscious all of these memories wait for us. “

A friend wrote a book of her life and in it she quoted Joyce Rupp. I would like to share what she wrote on Gratitude.
                            Gratitude

        “To be grateful for what is,

    instead of underscoring what is not.

To find good amid the unwanted aspects of life,

 without denying the presence of the unwanted.

   To focus on beauty in the little things of life,

 as well as being deliberate about the great beauties

     of art, literature, music, and nature.

To be present to one’s own small space of life,

 while stretching to the wide world beyond it.

To find something to laugh about in every day,

even when there seems nothing to laugh about.

   To search for and to see the good in others,

rather than remembering their faults and weaknesses.

To be thankful for each loving deed done by another,

    no matter how insignificant it might appear.

       To taste life to the fullest,

    and not take any part of it for granted.

  To seek to forgive others for their wrongdoings,

  even immense ones, and to put the past behind.

To find ways to reach out and help the disenfranchised,

    while also preserving their dignity and self-worth.

        To be loving and caring as possible,

   in a culture that consistently challenges these virtues.

          To remember to say or send “thank you”

          for whatever comes as a gift from another.

                      To be at peace

             with what cannot be changed.
                         ——————————–

                                   Joyce Rupp

Devotions based on James Smith book, The Good and Beautiful Community

From James’ book, we are made aware of how much we need community on our spiritual journeys. It is within community that we can share the excitement  of discovering God’s kingdom at work in our lives.  It is within community that we can celebrate the new insights we receive and challenge one another.” It is within community that we realize the gifts God has given to us personally and to our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is also within community that we uncover the wounds and issues the Holy Spirit is bringing to light. What a wonderful gift community really is!”  May we all be blessed with a loving community in which to belong and to see His kingdom in our midst!

Devotions based on James Smith’s book, The Good and Beautiful Community
The author gives some practical ways of making our worship experience more meaningful. So often we may be running late or get distracted or frustrated with our worship experience. But it is good to remember that it isn’t all about meeting my needs as much as shaping our souls.

One way is to create some margin in terms of time and begin with the right attitude. Instead of rushing into church at the last minute, it is helpful to arrive before the service starts and become fully attentive, lifting our heart up to Him!

Come with holy expectancy. It may be something as simple as offering a prayer that the Lord would speak to us. We might start with focusing on one particular aspect of worship this week. For example if we choose singing, pay attention to the words and notice what is happening to us as a community as we sing.  Another way is to apply one thing.  Worship transforms us and leads us into new patterns of living. We need to pay attention to what God might be asking us to do this week. “Just as worship begins with holy expectancy it ends with holy obedience.” Let us try to discern what one thing God may be asking of us and put it into practice this week.

Devotions based on James Smith’s book, The Good a

Devotions based on James Smith’s book, The Good and Beautiful Community

There is great freedom when it comes to forms of worship and I will just mention a few basic elements that have been found useful in the development of our relationship with God and others.

1.Greeting. Doesn’t it feel great to go to a place that greets us and seems to really want us?  What is important is that we acknowledge each other’s presence, to know and be known.

2. Confession and forgiveness. If we are honest with ourselves and God we need a time and a place to confess our failures since we are not perfect.  We may do this formally in written prayers or informally, allowing a time of silent         reflection. How good it is to hear the wonderful words that we are forgiven.

3. Creeds, commandments and the Lord’s prayer. Creeds come from the Latin word meaning, “This I Believe”, and as we recite what we believe  it establishes us as Christians and connects us to the body of Christ through the ages. They are statements the church was founded on.

4.  Scripture and the sermon.  The Bible is our common text and it unites us. When we hear preaching based on the scriptures it is a way God uses to bring comfort or conviction.

5.  Communion.  The meal is a reminder of the death of Jesus and all if its implications. We are unified for we are One Body and partake of the one loaf. We are reminded of the forgiveness made possible by Jesus death and that we are a reconciling community.

6. Singing. God has designed us in such a way that sound and rhythm inspire and motivate us. Music touches us at an emotional level and when it us used to offer praise to God it connects us to the Trinity and each other in deep ways. 

7. Silence.  We can sense the leading of the Spirit when we are still and pausing for a few moment of reflection so the Word of God sinks into our hearts and minds.

8. Offering gifts. Giving itself is an act of worship. We offer up our gifts to God and let go of the need to store up treasures for ourselves.

9. Benediction. These parting words encourage us to go forth with the blessing of God into the world and be His light.
All these elements of worship remind us that gathered worship is special, sacred and necessary in our lives.

nd Beautiful Community There is great freedom when it comes to forms of worship and I will just mention a few basic elements that have been found useful in the development of our relationship with God and others. 1.Greeting. Doesn’t it feel great to go to a place that greets us and seems to really want us? What is important is that we acknowledge each other’s presence, to know and be known. 2. Confession and forgiveness. If we are honest with ourselves and God we need a time and a place to confess our failures since we are not perfect. We may do this formally in written prayers or informally, allowing a time of silent reflection. How good it is to hear the wonderful words that we are forgiven. 3. Creeds, commandments and the Lord’s prayer. Creeds come from the Latin word meaning, “This I Believe”, and as we recite what we believe it establishes us as Christians and connects us to the body of Christ through the ages. They are statements the church was founded on. 4. Scripture and the sermon. The Bible is our common text and it unites us. When we hear preaching based on the scriptures it is a way God uses to bring comfort or conviction. 5. Communion. The meal is a reminder of the death of Jesus and all if its implications. We are unified for we are One Body and partake of the one loaf. We are reminded of the forgiveness made possible by Jesus death and that we are a reconciling community. 6. Singing. God has designed us in such a way that sound and rhythm inspire and motivate us. Music touches us at an emotional level and when it us used to offer praise to God it connects us to the Trinity and each other in deep ways. 7. Silence. We can sense the leading of the Spirit when we are still and pausing for a few moment of reflection so the Word of God sinks into our hearts and minds. 8. Offering gifts. Giving itself is an act of worship. We offer up our gifts to God and let go of the need to store up treasures for ourselves. 9. Benediction. These parting words encourage us to go forth with the blessing of God into the world and be His light. All these elements of worship remind us that gathered worship is special, sacred and necessary in our lives.

Devotions from James Smith’s book, the Good and Beautiful Community

Worship is more than a private matter meant just to inspire the individual and to create an emotional sensation. It is bigger than the person, and while inspiration is a by- product of worship it is not the central aim. Worship is a communal activity that is meant to instruct us. We tell our stories and find our life in the presence of other followers of Christ. It is not a matter of going to church to be entertained but to be trained. We hear the true story of who He is and what our lives are about. Worship is an invitation, not an obligation, from our gracious God who desires that we come and enjoy him.  God does not need our worship but we need to worship. When we worship we are aligned with the truth, and we respond to the Father’s love. “Worship is not about the quality of the performance but the heart of those who worship.”  May we moved , not by the aesthetic performance, but by the pulsing love of God.

Devotions based on James Smith’s book, The Good and Beautiful Community

The good and beautiful community is not based on the prosperity gospel or the poverty gospel, but the gospel of abundance. We have what we need when we need it and it is enough. We look at our assets in a new light and want to share in ways that God leads. This includes not only our money, but our time, our gifts, our abilities etc. We need to be reminded again and again the joys of giving.  This may mean creating a margin in order to give out, as we can’t give what we do not have. As we are frugal we will have more to give. “Frugality means buying what we need, but not necessarily what we want.”  It doesn’t mean cheap or stingy but staying within the bounds of what is necessary for the kind of life to which God has led us. It’s important that our faith find expression in our actions.  As we are grateful and thankful for what we have been given, we will naturally give of our time and treasures to others in need. God loves a cheerful giver! The author’s church makes it a policy to give 10% of their income to be used directly to those in need, regardless if they go to their church. So many lives have been touched and changed as a result and their congregation is blessed in return.  Let us not miss opportunities to give in the ways the Lord may direct each of us… even giving time to encourage another or and just listening is a gift!

Devotions from James Smith’s book, The Good and Beautiful Community

The good and beautiful community is prevented from generosity by the false narrative that: what I have is mine to use for my own pleasure. Mine. Mine. Mine! This makes us feel entitled and teaches us that what we possess, money, time or abilities, are ours to use for our own gain and not for the benefit of others. We may think we deserve it and earned it, so we can use it any way we feel like it. We get to choose because our possessions are ours. The true narrative is” What appears to be mine is really God’s.  Nothing we have is really ours. It is all a gift from God. He has given us each a little kingdom and he wants us to be stewards of it and use our body, talents, and money to produce good things,

What is ours is really God’s and we need to ask Him how we can use the gifts He has given us.

Generosity is other-centered and greed is self-centered. Let us not think of ourselves first but be kingdom focused.  Then we can be conduits of His connecting what we have with those in need.

Devotions based on James Smith’s book, The Good and Beautiful Community

Another false narrative that prevents us from being generous is: If I give it away, I have less. This assumes that what we give away and share is now lost and that now it contributes to my lack. But the true narrative is that if we all share we all have enough. Like the children of Israel, they gathered an omer of manna which was exactly what they needed daily and all had enough. We have a tendency to hoard. Why do we consume far more than we need? Do we not believe there will be enough for us? Hunger experts tell us there would be enough food for everyone on the planet to end world hunger if we each took our fair share. How sad we can spend hundreds of dollars on dieting when for $3 a day we could prevent a child from dying of hunger. May we be led by the Spirit to give where He directs and buy what we need. There is enough for all if we practiced this.