Happy weekend and enjoy! I plan to do some baking today and cleaning our apartment as we have a few busy days ahead. We are excited as we anticipate taking a trip to Michigan to see Al’s sister next week. 

We live in a culture that everyone wants something right now. But we need to be patient and learn to wait. Instead of irreverence, disrespect, and impatience we learn to wait and to relate to others in respectful ways that don’t violate them. In essence we are to see others as God sees them. Jesus said in the sermon on the mount, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matt. 5:8) We will be pure in heart as we are respectful and honoring of others, and even our sexual energy flows in a life-giving way. We bless people rather than exploit them and we help others flourish and not harass them.

There are people today that don’t believe they have a soul. Today love and sex are described more in terms of chemistry rather than terms of a soul. Songs are all about desiring someone’s body and not listening to the soul, and we see the result as more and more people become broken and suicidal. So often our need for a soulmate is brushed aside and it’s more about the chemistry and that bing feeling! It shows us our society is basically soulless and it is evident with the acceptance of pornography and sex with no ties.

But Rolheiser goes on to say that our souls want to be protected, honored for their sacredness and listened to. We must take care not to lose our souls but when we sense we are reverenced and respected, it gives us the feeling of being home. It’s a place of belonging and we sense that we are in union with each other. We find what we do either connects with others or divides us, and even our private lives impact the whole body for good or for evil. In Rolheiser’s own words, “The ideal of chastity embeds sex within romance, sacredness, commitment, community and soul.

Recently while I was waiting in an examining room for my dermatologist to come in, I was thinking of situations of concern and praying. There was a high set window in the room and sitting where I was, I could not see what was happening on the ground level but only the tree tops above. All of sudden it occurred to me that I don’t need to know all the answers to what is happening below, only to keep my attention on what the Lord is doing above the circumstances. As I was looking at the trees gently blowing in the breeze, I was blanketed in peace and felt like the Lord speaking a word to  me.

We have so many examples in the Word of people who didn’t shrink back when in trouble but trusted and had hope. Like David or Moses or Paul or Esther, they committed everything to the Lord. We also have scripture verses to strengthen us, and when we have memorized some key verses, the Holy Spirit brings them to our remembrance when we have need. I can’t tell you how many times I have prayed Psalm 121 and found strength. “I will lift my eyes to the hills, from where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep…The Lord will keep you from all evil’ He will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this day forth and forevermore.”

Happy weekend to you! Take some time to enjoy it and get refreshed. Today I am going to clean the apartment and make Blackberry cobbler with berries that were brought to our door last night by a friend who just finished picking them.  What a wonderful surprise!

Even though we may know may scripture verses by heart, it is important that it isn’t just informational but that we have a relationship with the One whose story it is. And of course, it is super important that we listen to what the story is saying to us. We may find ourselves in one of the characters, like Martha who is so busy serving and not giving attention to just being at Jesus feet. Or maybe we identify with Job whose friends misread him and tell him it is because of his sin that he has so many problems, making him feel worse rather than better.

We also don’t want to read scripture to see only what we will get out of it to improve our lives and be in control, but rather that we see how our story fits into God’s story. We ask how would He like to use me and how might I can fit into His larger story? This may draw us into community as well for we begin to see how important relationships are in the larger story of how God loves the world and wants all to be saved.

 Al and I use to meet with a group of half Lutheran’s and half Catholics for Lectio Devina, the scripture for Sunday was read 3 times. Each time we paused and spent time reflecting on what stood out to us, then what was God saying to us and followed with how we needed to change in some area of our life.

It’s important to know what God is saying to each of us in His Word. Commentaries and other means can help us know the details and meaning of things that may puzzle us and also give us what a word is in the Greek etc. Let us use all means to help us get the story right and to grow and find our place in God’s story.

Right now, as I am writing this, I am in need of His wisdom as to which way I need to go in a decision I have to make. I want to hear His voice and know what is His best and to obey but I am unsure of that is right now as there are 3 possibilities. Al will be making the decision with me, and we both want to seek His will and have the Lord teach us.  When decisions come, I try to put myself in neutral with a willingness to wait to know which way the Lord is directing. He is pleased when we obey and do what brings glory to Him. We don’t want to make things happen but believe God to make things happen His way. In the night I woke and thought maybe the Lord gave me the first step to take, and I will do that. The rest I don’t know at this point but want to have an open heart.

I’d like to share Robert’s prayer and perhaps it will be one to pray when you are unsure of how the Lord would lead you.

“Gracious God, thank you for teaching me what is best for me. Left to my own devices, I quickly mess up my life. But when I seek you, when I shape my life according to your Word, when I heed the quiet whisper of your Spirit, when I listen to your voice through my brothers and sisters, then I live in the best possible way. Thank you!

Help me, dear Lord, to pay even closer attention to your teaching. May your words echo in my mind and conscience. In every part of life, may I choose to do what honors you, knowing that living for your glory is the very best life there is. Amen.”

Words like these said in love will encourage men to open up and share their feelings and like Paul said in Eph 4:29 that we should speak what is helpful for building one another up according to their needs and that may benefit those who listen.