Animals

Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! Psalm 8:6-9 

I was raised with all types of animals in my childhood. Horses, pigs, cows, chickens (Indian, Silkie, Polish, etc). We sold green and pink eggs. We raised fryers and so we cleaned many a chicken coop and chickens. We had lambs, rabbits, peacocks, etc. We always had our dogs and cats. It built a love and companionship of animals. The bond between man and animals is the learning process of taking care of, loving, and, unfortunately, the grieving of the loss. 

My nephew and his family just lost their faithful companion Rebel. He was a rough collie. My nephew got him when he was still a bachelor and now he is married with three kids. When their first son was born Rebel took upon himself to guard the baby. He loved to sleep under the crib, or go and nudge mom or dad when baby needed them. He had an instinct of how to deal with children, he was a calm, forgiving dog when the little ones may have pulled a little too hard on his hair or when they tried to ride him. He would run circles around with their kids almost everyday.  

I always think of the Paul Harvey [essay], So God made a Dog. 

“And on the ninth day, God looked down on his children and said they need a companion. So God made a dog. ....”

Prayer: Thank you Father for the wonderful array of animals you have blessed us with, your creative hands in making animals with breathtaking colors, with all the different characteristics that amaze us. Each is created with uniqueness and purpose. Thank you Father for our many blessings. Amen

Lori Hood

The Workers Are Few

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:35-38

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.

“Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

God's Creation

God created humanity in God’s own image, in the divine image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27

We received this photo from our grandson after his youngest boy was born this June. What an awesome God we have. My husband and I are amazed each time a new child is born into our family. The imagination God must have to give each of them so many specific talents is amazing. And we get to see those talents blossom as they grow.

Of course, this peaceful picture doesn’t represent the rest of the day. We also have a granddaughter with eleven-month-old twins and see how busy those parents are each day. We know this mother and father need to be attentive twenty-four hours a day. It is good to be the great grandparent because we can see so much of the joy children give us without having the daily duties.

Prayer: Thank you God for creating the human beings in your image and breathing life into us. We see the love of this little boy for his new brother and understand God’s love for us through his continuing creation. Thank you Lord for loaning us these precious children to love for our time on earth. Amen.

Sandra Hilsabeck

What Does the Bible Say About Refugees?

LOVE REFUGEES AS YOURSELF

When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. (Leviticus 19:33-34)

LEAVE FOOD FOR THE POOR AND THE FOREIGNER

When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. (Leviticus 19:9-10)

GOD LOVES THE FOREIGNER RESIDING AMONG YOU

He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. (Deuteronomy 10:18-19)

THE SIN OF SODOM: THEY DID NOT HELP THE POOR AND NEEDY

Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. (Ezekiel 16:49)

DO NOT OPPRESS A FOREIGNER

Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt. (Exodus 23:9)

DO NOT DEPRIVE FOREIGNERS AMONG YOU OF JUSTICE

“So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the Lord Almighty. (Malachi 3:5)

DO WHATEVER THE FOREIGNER ASKS OF YOU

“As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name— for they will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple, then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name. (1 Kings 8:41-44)

LEAVE YOUR DOOR OPEN TO THE TRAVELER

No stranger had to spend the night in the street, for my door was always open to the traveler (Job, discussing his devotion to God) (Job 31:32)

INVITE THE STRANGER IN

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ (Matthew 25:25-36)

WE WERE ALL BAPTIZED BY ONE SPIRIT

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14)

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF

For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 5:14)

HAVE MERCY ON YOUR NEIGHBOR

He asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:29-37)

Let Us Learn from Our Children

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said:  "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:1-4 

There are some frightening things happening with immigrant children these days in our country and they are on my mind almost constantly. I am praying for their safety and well being and that they be reunited with their parents.   They are innocent children, children of parents who want to give them a better life and take them away from war, persecution, poverty, starvation, even death. Children depend on adults to take care of them and they need to remain bonded with their parents. 

Children are often on my mind. I adore children and young people. My career as a teacher brought me such joy and fulfillment. And my own children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, other people's grandchildren, children in church or at the grocery store, children everywhere all are gifts of joy to me. And they are undoubtedly tools of learning for me. They teach me to be better. 

Children are full of joy and laughter, spontaneous. I certainly could use more of all of those most days. Children are happy, they strive to have fun. They are resilient; they emote when something happens that does not feel good, and then get over it, move on down the road. My Dad used to encourage his children and grandchildren to "holler their head off" and then be done. They are energetic and active. They are eager to learn and try and grasp new things.  They are adventurous. They are wise. My granddaughter, at 3, watched me try to shape too dry cookie dough over and over, and responded.  "Grams, this isn't working. Can we try something different?" And we moistened the dough with a little milk, and it worked! A grandchild of my sisters always assertively says, "I think, no thanks!" when he knows he does not want what a parent is offering (maybe a nap, more veggies, to come inside). Children are honest and assertive. They say what they mean.

And they are not at the top of the pecking order, they are instead humble.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, please help me to be more child-like, more humble, honest, joyful, playful, resilient.  We ask you to guide us to take care of and protect all children, as they are closest to you in nature.  May we love and nurture them just as you do all of your children.  Thank you for the gift of children.  Amen.

Connie Barry

Jesus is Tested in the Wilderness: Matthew 4

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil.  After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.  “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,

    and they will lift you up in their hands,

    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.  “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. Matthew 4:1-11