Rest for the Weary

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:26 

Stillness

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14

“He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” Mark 4:39

“After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” 1 Kings 19:12

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

Happy Mother's Day

 

Words from Second Peter

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3 

A Better Life

Pray diligently. Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude. Colossians 4:1-3 (The Message) 

It's criminal to ignore a neighbor in need, but compassion for the poor-what a blessing! Proverbs 14:21 (The Message)

And then take on an entirely new way of life-a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you. Ephesians 4:19-21 (The Message)

In Christ's body we're all connected to each other, after all. Ephesians 4:24 (The Message)  

I recently heard a speaker who suggested four components that can help each of us live a better life. First, live with gratitude. Second, live with compassion. Third, try to do something in a new or novel way. And fourth, connect deeply.

All of these concepts are included in the Bible, as noted above. And they're all ideas that can help make us better Christians. If we live with gratitude, we become more aware of all the blessings we have received from God. And if we focus on the things we can be grateful for, maybe we can turn away from some of the negative thinking we often carry with us.

Living with compassion means caring for others around us. Just as Jesus did. There are a number of ways we can demonstrate compassion--by donating money to charities or by volunteering to help those in need. But we can also show concern in our everyday interactions with those around us. It only requires that we stop to listen to a friend's problem or that we say hello to a stranger on the street.

Taking action in a new way can also be simple. Read a nonfiction book rather than a mystery. Attend a documentary instead of a violent action movie. Talk to someone new at church. Or it can be more involved: like learning to speak a different language.

The most important, but also the most difficult, of the suggestions for how to live a better life may be the final one: connect deeply. We need human interaction, but it needs to be more than just saying "How are you?" Friendships are vital to good mental and physical health. And faith can help us develop deeper connections with others. Sharing our faith with friends builds stronger friendships. And as stated in 2 Corinthians 5:20 of The Message, we should become friends with God because he's already a friend with us. We can lead better lives with God's help.

Prayer: Dear God, We're often looking for ways to make our lives better. These four notions may help us. But we know, Lord, that our lives will definitely be improved if we strive to be your friend, as you are our friend. Please be with us as we try to be grateful, compassionate, brave enough to try new things, and connected. Amen.

Robin Hadfield (reprinted from 2016)

My Personal Image of Jesus

“When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

When I was a child, my mother hung a picture of Jesus standing by a heavy wooden door with a little lamb cradled in his arms. I would sit on the back of the sofa so I could look Jesus in the eye and talk to him. I told him everything and I had complete confidence that he heard me and understood how I felt. I had three brothers who often didn’t want to play with me and being a farm family other children were not close. So I made Jesus my best friend. However, my father was hurt in a farm accident and we sold the farm and moved to Salida, Colorado. Here father healed and after four years we moved to a ranch in southeastern Colorado. It was twenty-five miles to town so at the age of 13, I again felt alone. My oldest brother started dating a Baptist girl who took him to church each Sunday. Mother insisted that he take his siblings, too. The Jesus I met at the Baptist church was very stern and had very strict rules to follow if one were to ever see heaven. Then graduation came and I was off to college. I left the Baptist Jesus behind and did not attend any church. After college, I accepted a job at the hospital where I had trained as a Med Tech. There I met Noel who was serving a year-long internship with the hospital chaplain. The Jesus Noel worshiped was like the Jesus I knew as a child, warm and loving. However, it took almost ten years for my image of Jesus to become a reality.  That happened when I finally understood the role of the Holy Spirit. I believe that Jesus was born human but he always knew God had called him to be the person who would bring about God’s new covenant with mankind, i.e. he was to be the sacrificial lamb, without sin, who that would offer himself to God for the sins of each of us. Yes, I see Jesus as the person who died so that when I die I will take a seat behind Him and enjoy his fellowship forever. I see Jesus as my traveling companion through life. Jesus is the father who kept me safe as a child and the mother who taught me the meaning of life and how to live it. I am his willing servant.

Prayer: Thank you for giving us a “thirst” for you and setting us on our journey to claim the prize you made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus. We recognize that the prize of salvation and companionship was given at a great cost we cannot repay even if required of us. We know and willingly accept our responsibilities as your children. Help us to remain committed to this relationship throughout life. When we stray bring us back for the only life we want is a life shared with you. Amen.

Noel and Jane DeKalb (reprinted from the 2017 Eastridge Lenten Devotional)

Waiting

Wait with confidence. The Lord is faithful to lead you forward. 

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Psalm 27:14 

“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31 

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!”  Psalm 37:7

Rejoice and Be Glad

The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. Psalm 118:24 NIV

This is the day the Lord acted; we will rejoice and celebrate in it! Psalm 118:24 Common English Bible

This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 Living Bible

Thank you for responding to me; you’ve truly become my salvation! The stone the masons discarded as flawed is now the capstone! This is God’s work. We rub our eyes—we can hardly believe it! This is the very day God acted—let’s celebrate and be festive! Salvation now, God. Salvation now! Oh yes, God—a free and full life! Psalm 118:24-25 The Message

Words from the book of Isaiah

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21 

Lily

 ...Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them....Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.   Matthew 6:25-34

I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily; he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon....    Hosea 14:5

His cheeks are like beds of spices, mounds of sweet-smelling herbs; his lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh.   Song of Solomon 5:13

My gardening efforts are more as an editor than as a creator; or perhaps I could claim that my gardening artistry is more as a sculptor than a painter.  Besides watering a few pots of herbs and flowers, my primary outdoor pursuits are weeding, mowing, and trimming.  

There is a wonderful John Singer Sargent painting of two girls in white dresses lighting paper lanterns among luxuriant blossoms, called "Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose". It has always reminded me of summer gardens at dusk; even more so because I spent many a summer twilight watching my two daughters chasing fireflies. The lilies in the painting are white and pink, and very trumpet-like. They seem to gather around the girls, focused on the lanterns. They echo the ruffles on the girls' white dresses. I have never seen lilies blooming like that; they show up in beautiful florist shop bouquets, but they are far more exotic than the day-lilies that show up in gardens I have tended.

The lily referred to in Biblical writings could have been any variety of flowering plants similar to what we know as lilies, including tulips and irises. It was probably any brilliantly colored, somewhat cup-shaped blossom that would have been noticeably elegant in order to be compared to Solomon's robes. It was also one of the symbols for Christ.  

Myrrh is an aromatic oil from a resin that does not come from lily pollen, but the reference in Song of Solomon refers to the sweetness of the lily-like lips of the beloved. Myrrh was a prized, so it can be assumed that the lily too was a symbol for something very desirable.

The rains of late June coaxed all sorts of jungle-like greenery to take over half of my back yard. By the time I was able to get to it, it looked like a tangle of vines from Sleeping Beauty's castle, or some malevolent botanical species from Harry Potter stories.  

When I cleared a section of the garden of these epic monsters, I was rewarded with a lovely area full of day-lilies, with strong stalks and bursting buds. Two of them broke heroically into bloom later in the day, shaking out layers of bright orange ruffles that were easily visible from inside the house. They gave me the courage to keep attacking the suffocating overgrowth, and for the moment I have restored some measure of peace to the garden.  

Anyone with an appreciation for nature's glories is moved by the splendid variety of blooming things. We should look at ourselves with the same wonder, appreciating the miracles that make us what we are.  

I tend to be overloaded with clutter and the noise of the world. I try to tend the garden of my life so I can breathe and reveal what God is making of me. It requires powerful resistance in this world to simply be the beautiful creatures we are. It seems that anxiety is always making a fresh attack on us. I try to keep those triumphant lilies in my mind as I fight what I hope is the good fight.  

As usual, when a symbol or metaphor takes root in my consciousness, I become aware of other references from day to day. I have recently been re-reading a Harry Potter book, and his dead mother Lily is always revered in Harry's and other characters' memories. Her sister Petunia, who was a vain and punitive character, is aptly named as the more common, less revered flower.   

Recently I worked with a voice student in some musical theatre workshops. She was trying to prepare a good cut for an audition piece, and she needed a lot of assistance from the workshop presenters. I accompanied her on the piano as they worked with her, and we talked afterwards about her music. She was so grateful, and asked if she could hug me. It was so touching - not just to receive that sincere appreciation, but to watch her blossom as we all worked with her.  I was tickled that her name was Lillian. 

My grown daughter has a close friend she met in grade school named Lily. I saw her recently and was struck again by her radiant smile and energy. I am aware of powerful community activities she is involved in. She has come through some immense personal challenges in her life, to be a person who guides and leads others with respect and a nurturing, positive attitude.  

Prayer: Wondrous Gardener, your lily is a beautiful reminder of your stunning creation and your ardent care for all of it; for all of us. Help me to revere your work, which is creating your world day after day. Help me to accept the care and nourishment that will make me continue to grow. When there is anxiety or other antagonists threatening the flourishing of your work, help me to prune those things from my life and my world. Thank you for the lily, and for the eyes to appreciate its infinite beauty. Amen.

Mollie Manner (reprinted from 2018)

Words from the book of Mark

And Jesus said "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how." Mark 4: 26-27 

Love, Serve, Care

Recently on Facebook, someone posted the following (in italics) by Jon Gordon. 

Focus on three things today and everything else will take care of itself. Three Keys to a Happier Life:

      Love without expectation.

      Serve without wanting recognition.

      Care even if others don't.

     

Love: John 15:17 This is my command: Love each other. Love is reflected in human relations of brotherly concern. Jesus commands that you love each other and Jesus gives you strength to love. How can you show love today? You can smile and say hello to people you see today. You can call a friend.

Serve: Galatians 5:13 For you have been called to live in freedom...to serve one another in love. How can you serve? You could take a meal to someone. You could volunteer for an organization. You could help in Eastridge's Food Pantry.

Care: James 1:27 … we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles. Caring is showing concern to others in a positive way. How can you care? Send a card to someone for their Birthday, Get Well, etc. Talk to others and ask how they are.

Think daily about the Keys of Happier Life. Love, Serve, and Care and make them a part of your life.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to show us how to Love, Serve, and Care. Give us encouragement to Love, Serve, and Care. Amen

Susan Taylor (reprinted from 2019, edited for clarity)

Words from First John

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:12 NIV