Words from Psalm 64

Let the righteous one rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him! Let all the upright in heart exult! Psalm 64:10
 

Glimpses of Heaven

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died." I Thessalonians 4:13-14

It has been three years since my husband died as a result of COVID and heart disease; it’s been a long time, but I can’t believe it’s been three years. I talk to him and feel him near me; I hear movement in the next room and have to remind myself that it can’t be him. When I talk to him, I find myself beginning with, “What did you do today?” Then I realize that where he is as a believer has no time, no “today.“

Stumped by this realization, I find myself at a loss for words to tell him about what I have been doing. Then again, do I really need to tell him or does he already know everything that’s happened? But if he’s with the believers who have died, how will he manage knowing about the occurrences on earth as well as interact with other heavenly dwellers? As a human, he was not good at multitasking or keeping up with a large group conversation. On the other hand, he loved reading and watching biographies, so he would be delighted to meet significant and ordinary people from all eras of existence. 

Befuddled by these quandaries, I did what every computer-user would do, I googled, “What happens after you die?” - everyone, from Bible scholars to non-believers, chimed in. Citing both Old and New Testament sources, one academic wrote that we are only human bodies, but filled with soul that is released on death. Death is a temporary sleep that ends when our souls are released upon the second coming. Well, that didn’t answer my questions, so I restated it, “What do people do in heaven?” One blogger prepared a list of “The 10 Things You’ll Probably Do in Heaven.” The Eternal Perspective Ministries’ response was to distinguish between Present Heaven, a place where those who loved Jesus wait for his return to earth, and Eternal Heaven, the state where believers will feel nothing but joy and pleasure. This still leaves much to the imagination. So what will I do next?

I’m going to keep pondering my questions about what my husband does with his time; keep believing that the Bible brings glimpses of Heaven; and I’ll keep talking to him, just as I always have.

Carol McClain

That Tree I Knew (in honor of National Love a Tree Day, May 16)

  

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  John 3:16

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

“To everything there is a season,

A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born,

And a time to die;

A time to plant,

And a time to pluck what is planted;

A time to kill,

And a time to heal;

A time to break down,

And a time to build up;

A time to weep,

And a time to laugh;

A time to mourn,

And a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones,

And a time to gather stones;

A time to embrace,

And a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to gain,

And a time to lose;

A time to keep,

And a time to throw away;

A time to tear,

And a time to sew;

A time to keep silence,

And a time to speak;

A time to love,

And a time to hate;

A time of war,

And a time of peace.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Recently our neighborhood lost a great tree. What I mean when I say “great”: old, tall, healthy, spectacular-looking. Since it was still healthy, I was saddened to hear that it was going to be cut down. The reasons behind it being cut down are not important here; but I do want to say that cutting down a healthy tree is different from cutting down an unhealthy tree.

The morning it was to be cut down, I was at home. The tree's owners advised us that there would be a crane and large trucks preventing us from using our driveways and the end of the street. I was interested in how they would cut down such a tall tree, but also just wanted to watch its end. I’ve noticed this tree for the nine years we have lived on this block and have always marveled at its beauty and uniqueness. Sometimes it was a quick glance before getting in my car and seeing the morning sun hit it in just the right way. Or maybe it was studying its beauty and waiting for the perfect photo opportunity. I KNEW this tree.

As I watched it come down, piece by piece (kind of like taking apart an artificial Christmas tree), I thought of all this tree had “seen”. It had been standing during the first World War (maybe), the second (certainly), surviving through our current age of technology. It had likely sheltered countless species of birds, as well as squirrels and raccoons.

While admiring the skill of the man who operated the chainsaw (not to mention the crane operator), I watched it come down faster than I had expected. Despite the difficulty of removing such a large tree, they were done by noon. It seemed wrong that something that had grown to this towering height over so many years came down in just a few hours. I thought of the approximately 100 years of growing from a tiny seed...it was sobering, sad. The loud, violent sound of the chainsaw seemed appropriate to what was happening. The smell of the ground stump still lingered over a week later, a clean pine scent I enjoyed, despite its reminder of what was no longer there. 

The tree is/was a world unto itself, as many large trees are. I am not sure what sort of analogy I want to make, but what stands out to me has been the fact that all living things must die eventually. For humans that means eternal life. For this tree, I guess, it just means that its time on earth has come to an end. BUT: there are parts of this tree that will go on forever. We are all connected to the earth in one way or another as living beings. In Diana Butler Bass’s book, Grounded, she shares thoughts from Paul Tillich (a German-American Christian existentialist philosopher, religious socialist, and Lutheran Protestant theologian): “Human life may be finite, destined for dirt and death; but the ground and all that came from it and was connected to it was drenched with the divine, the source of infinite holiness.” She shares that Tillich didn’t mean that God was literally dirt, but that He is the “numinous presence at the center of all things”. 

When things die, they return to the earth and atmosphere in different ways. 

Unlike trees, as human beings we are promised eternal life with God when our earthly bodies perish. 

Scripture tells us:

For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:40

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish—ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. John 10:28-29

For You granted Him authority over all humanity, so that He may give eternal life to all those You have given Him. John 17:2

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for your promise of eternal Life with You. Help us to turn to you when we are grieving the loss of something that was once living, whether it is a part of nature or a beloved being with whom we have shared life. We know that all living things must die; we turn to you for understanding and comfort when these losses hurt us. Thank you for the connectedness of living things on this earth. Be with us on our journey. Amen.

Donna Gustafson (reprinted from 2022)

(photos of the white pine referred to in this devotion are shown above. Click on photos to view larger.)

A Foundation

"Everybody who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise builder who built a house on bedrock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the wind blew and beat against that house. It didn’t fall because it was firmly set on bedrock. But everybody who hears these words of mine and doesn’t put them into practice will be like a fool who built a house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came and the wind blew and beat against that house.  It fell and was completely destroyed” Matthew 7:24-28. (Common English Bible) 

When hearing of catastrophic natural disasters, it can prompt thoughts of these verses. News reports provide an all-to-clear picture of rains, floods, and winds beating against the homes of rich and poor, young and old, stranger and friend. As we have endured difficulties of our own, these verses have provided a spiritual path toward a stronger and closer relationship with Christ. As we act on that relationship, how do we respond to feelings of helplessness in the face of recent events? As Christians, the bedrock foundation of faith guides our response to both the spiritual and physical storms we encounter. It is inspiring to know how differences and judgments that often so painfully divide us from our neighbors can be quickly set aside to reach out in love and concern. Even if we are not part of a team of literal first responders, we can be attentive to opportunities to help. 

 

Prayer: Heavenly creator and sustainer, we pray for those persons affected by recent natural disasters and perhaps other storms in life. We give thanks for individuals who step in to assist those in need and ask for their safety and strength. Help us to listen and respond to Your message. We ask for guidance and discernment in seeing ways to help those who are buffeted by the storms of life. Amen

 

Barry & Alinda Stelk (reprinted from 2017)

Your Servant is Listening

Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening. 1 Samuel 3:10  

Pastor Thomas’s sermon was on 1 Samuel Chapter 3. Samuel’s fourth response to the Lord’s calling was “Speak, for your servant is listening.”  Eli, Samuel’s mentor, told him that was the correct response when the Lord spoke. That phrase has been on my mind. So I changed a few of my prayer times to saying that exact phrase—“Speak, for your servant is listening.” It is actually very peaceful to just be with God during those few minutes when I can practice pushing back all of the thoughts in my head and just simply listen. Practice is the optimal word! 

Prayer: Dear Father, Forgive us for the many times we come to you in prayer with our thoughts and requests and yet you desire a two-way communication which requires us to listen. Help us to be still and listen to you and others each day. Amen.

Cathy Schapmann (reprinted from 2017)

Words from Psalm 44

In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name forever. Psalm 44:8 

An Act of Contrition

Forgive me my sins, O Lord, forgive me my sins; the sins of my youth, the sins of my age, the sins of my soul, the sins of my body; my idle sins, the sins I know, the sins I do not know; the sins I have concealed so long, and which are now hidden from my memory. I am truly sorry for every sin, mortal and venial, and for all the sins of my childhood up to the present time. I know my sins have wounded Thy most Tender Heart, O my Saviour, let me be free from the bonds of evil through the most bitter Passion of my Redeemer. Amen. O my Jesus, forget and forgive what I have been.  

This Act of Contrition was given me by my mother who said it daily. It was given to her by her mother who said it daily. A few years back, Reverend Duling shared that he always begins his daily prayers with a confession. That struck a very meaningful chord with me, and I try to remember to begin my daily prayers with this Act of Contrition. You have to admit that it’s a pretty thorough listing of most possible sins. 

I try to feel honestly and sincerely sorry for my transgressions but at times I wonder if I truly am. I wonder that because I keep repeating some of them. If I soul search, they are my “knee jerk” sins, personality flaws like impatience, self-righteousness, being annoyed by others. They keep showing up and I really do not like those parts of me.   

I think if I confess daily, God will use his never-ending Mercy to help me overcome these issues. And that being aware of them will help me weed them out of my behaviors. I need God’s help and I know He is always there for me. 

Prayer: Father God, I do want to be a better person. Please guide me towards a more purer form of loving others.  You are the Ultimate example of love, humility, and selflessness. May I strive with your guidance to be more like you.  

Connie Barry