Words from the book of Job

He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end. Job 26:10 

The Body of Christ

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. Acts 20:28

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 1 Corinthians 12:27

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14

My daughter-in-law gave me a five-minute journal for Christmas one year, and at the top of each day is a new quote to appreciate. An example: “When we create peace, harmony, and balance in our minds, we’ll find it in our lives” ~ Louise Hay

Several church members came in to help me move tables and chairs recently, a large task that would have taken me at least an hour and took us only 20 minutes. Time, energy, and effort was the gift, not money. Our church, like most, depends on both volunteerism and financial contributions. I think of the church and the members of its community, how we all have a role to play. Might this create peace, harmony, and balance in the church as well? With grace, it can work that way!

Scripture bears this out:

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Romans 12:4-5

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to seek our part as the body of Christ, looking for ways we can serve you in the larger community of Christ as well as our own church community. Help us to appreciate what others have to offer as well. Amen.

Donna Gustafson

Words from First Corinthians

I planted the seed...but God has been making it grow. 1 Corinthians 3:6 

Words from Matthew 6

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Matthew 6:28-29

Potluck Suppers

For I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me water; I was a stranger and you invited me into your homes; naked and you clothed me; sick and in prison, and you visited me. Then these righteous ones will reply, "Sir, when did we see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you anything to drink? Or a stranger, and help you? Or naked, and clothe you? When did we ever see you sick, or in prison, and visit you?"  And I, the King, will tell them, "When you did it to these my brothers, you were doing it to me." Matthew 25:35-40

In my home church during Lent, we gathered together every Wednesday night for fellowship with a potluck supper and then a time of worship. My daughter and I laugh about the wonderful church ladies' food at these potlucks. They included Mrs. W's Chinese casserole, Mrs. P's meatloaf, Mrs. K's Watergate salad, Mrs. P's green Jello salad with cottage cheese and pineapple, Mrs. H's homemade rolls, and Mrs. L's scalloped potatoes. There was an abundance of meat dishes, creamy vegetables, and fruited muffins, and of course desserts of cookies, cakes, and pies. Many people filled their plates twice and there were always leftovers. The worship service was always a thoughtful time leading up to Easter. Our pastors took turns preaching in the different Presbyterian churches in our community.

Thinking about this, I remembered that our church had a sign outside inviting the community to attend these gatherings, and one family did. They lived in a small run-down house within a block of the church. I remember they had 5 children all under the age of eleven. They were pretty ragged-looking, clothes wrinkled, shoes very worn. The oldest daughter was a year younger than me and they went to my elementary school. They would come to the potluck with a small bowl of Jello salad and would stand at the front of the line for the meal. After they ate they would leave without attending the worship service. I don't remember anybody greeting them warmly, sitting beside them during the meal, or inviting them to join in worship. The church ladies gossiped that all they came for was the food.

Now as I look back at this, I realize they really just came for the food. Their large family was poor and this meal was a blessing in providing a free meal to hungry people. There were no food pantries in my town, no places that regularly served free meals except maybe the mission, and no food trucks that gave away free fruits and vegetables in poor neighborhoods. We did not ask their names or do a follow-up welcoming visit with cookies. Our church just seemed unaware of the poverty of our neighbors, the lost opportunities to interact with them, and the poor hospitality that was shown to them. We were too busy being involved in the lives of our congregation to look around outside.

Thankfully, our eyes have been opened to recognize the needs of our community. May we never return to turning an empty eye to those in need of our food, our fellowship, and our caring.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding us to remember the least of these amongst us. Help us share our bounty and our love with others. Help us be brave in welcoming the community into our midst. Thank you for opening our eyes. Amen

Nancy Hall (reprinted from earlier this year, in consideration of our current Lent sermon series "Meeting Jesus at the Table")

Saying Grace

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with Thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. 1 Timothy 4:4-5

And there you shall eat before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your households, in all that you undertake, in which the Lord your God has blessed you. Deuteronomy 12:7

My daughter's in-laws include me in their family celebrations, and this year we had not one but two Thanksgiving feasts. It was delightful to share food with others, since most of my meals are spent with my cats by my side. My daughter's father-in-law always has a prayer at the ready, and I enjoyed two different graces from him this year.  It made our time together even more special. 

When I was little, my family did not say grace except at holiday meals. I never understood grace, or many other prayers for that matter. We were taught to be grateful for our food, and for our mother's valiant efforts to make it something a child might actually want to eat.  I figured we should be blessing her, as well as congratulating ourselves for taking the three required bites of each item. But I was careful to wait for grace to be said when I was visiting other people for meals, since I realized it had meaning for them.  

It is so easy to clink glasses with someone before drinking, especially when celebrating something. It should feel just that easy to thank the source of all our nourishment in body and spirit. I like to think of different ways of expressing gratitude now. I recently watched a cooking show where the chef demonstrated how to turn humble vegetables and grains into special dishes by cooking them thoughtfully. It made so much sense, because we often take for granted the foods most easily available to us regardless of season or finances. I like to think of being creative and resourceful with simple ingredients. Sometimes I will come home late from work, and all I really want is a hot potato to nibble on. It completely satisfies a need. 

I am a vegetarian, and after I stopped eating meat a few years ago I realized I had always wanted to be a vegetarian. It is fun to explore new foods, but limiting the diet is also gratifying. My friend who is trying to cut out sugar has discovered she feels better and has more energy. I am trying to make some substitutions in that area, but I am not ready to give up all sugar. 

We spent a fair amount of time in the car when my kids were growing up. Quite often we would end up having Car Picnics because we didn't have time to go home for meals. 

I like to think that those meals brought a little of home to our car, and the conversation was freer because we weren't facing each other. 

Wherever and whatever I eat, I now understand the reason for stopping to give thanks for everything that brings food to my body. It is a way of beginning again. Our food is a gift, and the work that provides it is a gift. I love that there are many ways to be mindful of that gratefulness.  

We can ask that our food fuel us to do God's work; we can remember someone missing from us who used to pour that cup of tea for us; we can bless an old family recipe that reminds us of the people who used to share it with us; we can ask for others to enjoy the same privilege of being fed; we can ask for the food to nourish and heal us and others who aren't well; we can ask that the meal bring us together as family; and we can ask that the transforming power of Communion be present in our meal.  

This a grace from jesuitresource.org: May this food restore our strength, giving new energy to tired limbs, new thoughts to weary minds. May this drink restore our souls, giving new vision to dry spirits, new warmth to cold hearts. And once refreshed, may we give new pleasure to you, who gives us all. Amen.

Mollie Manner (reprinted from 2018, sharing again in consideration of our current Lent sermon series, "Meeting Jesus at the Table")

Just, Right, Fair, Equal & Needed

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8  

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard: 

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

“About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went.

“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’

“‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.

“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’

“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’

“The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’

“But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” Matthew 20: 1-16

On Saturday nights after we three siblings had a bath, warm jammies and settled in to watch Emergency on TV, mom would make popcorn on the stove. Apple slices accompanied the popcorn and we waited anxiously for mom to split a 16-oz bottle of RC Cola between the three of us, always equally. What a treat! 

A few Sundays ago, Kris Adler-Brammer showed illustrations in the children’s Worship Connection about fairness which has stuck with me. She graciously shared them for this devotion.  

In this first picture, the boxes are distributed equally—one each for dad and the two boys.  

But being fair to everyone is not what was needed.  Sometimes what is needed is also fair, just, or right as depicted in the second picture. Now everyone can see the ball game! 

Prayer: Gracious God, sometimes we look at situations as to what is fair or right or just; when what you want us to see is what is needed. Thank you for the vineyard parable and these vivid pictures as reminders of the difference in this complicated world.  Amen. 

Cathy Schapmann