In the Shade

The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day nor the moon by night. Psalm 121:5-6     

Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice. Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a covert from the tempest, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land. Isaiah 32:1-2

Thus says the Lord God; I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar, and will set it out; I will break off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I myself will plant it, that it may bring forth boughs and bear fruit, and become a noble cedar; and under it will dwell all kinds of beasts in the shade of its branches birds of every sort will nest. Ezekiel 17: 22-24

I recently read an article that said that the shade of a tree can be ten degrees of temperature lower than the area without shade. In a time of increased temperatures with climate change, this can make a lot of difference. Who knew that God loved to plant trees like this one in Ezekiel? I look at the large linden tree in my front yard which provides shade to my house, serves as a wind break, and is home to the squirrels and birds. The lightning bugs love this tree as well. It was probably planted 15 years before I moved into my house by someone who appreciated trees and could see their future worth to the homeowner as well as the neighborhood and the community. Look around you at the trees, the beauty of their spreading limbs, the nature that they support, and the future someone planted to give you shade.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for your generous gift of trees. Thank you for their beauty and all their benefits to the earth. Help us remember that you also planted trees and shade is a gift you give to all of us. Amen

Nancy Hall

Being Thankful

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17 

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Psalm 107:1

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” 1 Chronicles 16:34

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”  Philippians 4:6

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Colossians 4:2

A Willingness to Serve

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

Years ago, when I was a young mom of three small children, I worked part time as a foundation director at our small-town hospital but mostly considered myself a stay-at-home mom.

My husband was serving on the staff-parish relations committee at our church and encouraged me to apply for the children’s ministry position that was becoming available. This encouragement prompted a long-time career in serving churches, both as a children’s ministry coordinator and now as an office manager at Eastridge. My time spent working in churches over 25 years has been very rewarding!

I thought of this as I read a devotion in The Upper Room. The author chose to focus on church volunteers, but I thought of my own years of service, both as an employee AND as a volunteer serving on committees and in other ways.

The Upper Room author says that she had no skills to speak of and didn’t know how she would serve in her church. She prayed, asking God how she could be of service. She did find a role to play, but the point she was making is this, from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians: “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.” It’s the differences in all of us that make the church work as it should.

Prayer: Dear Lord, show me ways that I can be of service in my church. Help me to look beyond what may be a role that requires a special talent to ways that are needed and may be overlooked. Guide us to serving you and your people. Amen.

Donna Gustafson

A Spiritual Cornucopia

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing. John 15: 4-5

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peach, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22, 23

…and beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity. For if all these things be in you, and abound, thy make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:5-8

During the Thanksgiving season the cornucopia filled with fruit and grain is used as a decoration to symbolize the abundance of the harvest. The colorful fruit and bundles of grain spilling out of the horn of plenty” make us mindful of the blessings that we received and remind us to be ever thankful for them.

Consider the scripture selections for today it the context of a spiritual cornucopia. John 15:4, 5 starts us at the pointed end of the cornucopia. Jesus tells us that he is the vine and we are the branches and teaches that when we abide in him and he abides in us much fruit will be brought forth. He also instructs us that we can do nothing without him. In Paul’s letter to the Galatians qualities that constitute the fruit of the Spirit are named. This “fruit” fills the body of the cornucopia. If we want the fruit to grow, we must abide in Jesus and strive to live lives that imitate him. With the selection from 2 Peter 1:5-8 we have reached the large circular opening of the cornucopia and the contents are flowing from it. Peter instructs us to put our faith in action and to develop the character qualities which will help us to live fruitful life of love and serve to God and man. Are we abiding in Christ so the fruit of the Spirit will grow? Are we helping the cornucopia to overflow abundantly by placing our faith in action?

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of your son Jesus Christ.  Empower and enable us to grow in the fruit of the Spirit and to share these qualities by our actions so others may also live the abundant life. Amen

Gail Keown (reprinted from 2008)

Rain

Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime; it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone. Zechariah 10:1

May he be like rain falling on a mown field; like showers watering the earth. Psalms 72:6

There is such delight in being able to listen to a gentle rain, with only faint grumbles of thunder. The sound of drops pattering on horizontal surfaces and trickling down vertical ones is like a soothing lullaby. Seeing the mistiness making lights waver and bright spring greens shimmer is like enjoying a moving work of art, shifting in the changing cloud light. Birds send out their most joyful songs and seem to chuckle softly to themselves. Puddles reflect the white sky and seem to boil with bubbles as drops bounce into them. The freshness of the air and the smells of the wet earth make everything feel clean and rinsed of dusty weariness.  Spring's growth is nourished just as the soul's thirst for comfort and healing is tended. Memories of other times and places in this hypnotic kind of soft rainfall arise and pull this moment into a thread of continuity.  

Rain has many associations for Christians; in the Bible - and in agricultural states like the one where I live - rain is an important part of the planting and growing seasons. Crops and livestock depend on adequate rain, and ultimately everyone's food supply is tied to it. God provides all this, and it is a testament of his care when the rain falls; it is a gift that feeds all people. 

The rain can be threatening, and floods are a fearful event in Biblical lore. Rain is sometimes symbolic of God's righteousness showering down on the earth.  

But the beneficial rain is inclusive; it falls on everyone and everything. If we choose to shower blessings like this, we share them without exception to all within reach. God is in the water that baptizes us, the water that cleans us and everything we use and touch and see, the water that is a habitat for countless amazing beings, the water that nourishes our food and the trees and plants that give us shade and joy.

The rain I am enjoying at this moment is one of the ways I can experience God's peace that surpasses understanding. This same rain is making someone else feel soggy and chilled, so I have to hope that somehow God's comfort is felt by that person in some way as well. I often work in the evenings, and I am fortunate enough to be home by an open door for this rainfall. Someone else who planned an outdoor event for this evening has had to make a change in plans and isn't feeling as fortunate.  

There is a Jewish prayer recited at the start of the rainy season in Israel. This is an excerpt.  

May He send rain from the heavenly towers,

To soften the earth with its crystal showers.

You have named water the symbol of Your might,

All that breathes life in its drops to delight. 

O revive those who praise Your powers of rain....

For you are God, who causes the wind to blow 

and the rain to fall; 

for a blessing and not for a curse - Amen!

For life, and not for death - Amen!

For plenty, and not for scarcity - Amen!

Mollie Manner (reprinted from 2018)  

Why Go to Church?

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10: 23-25  

“If going to church makes you a Christian, does going to the garage make you a car?”  I recently saw this question on a vehicle’s bumper sticker and found it intriguing to consider what kind of person was asking this nonsensical question.  Is he a “nonbeliever” with animosity toward Christians for some reason?  Could he be a “believer” who attends worship services regularly but questions the sincerity of the others who occupy the pews around him?  Could he be a “believer” who thinks his personal relationship with Christ is adequate and attending church is unnecessary? 

No, going to church does not make me a Christian. It is my faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior that makes me a Christian. But attending worship services at church on Sundays makes me a better Christian…and I don’t mean better than other Christians. I mean that it makes me a better follower of Christ than I would be without the encouragement and support of others in my congregation.

Prayer: Father God, you have provided an awesome plan for the spiritual nourishment of Your people through the church. Thank You for the privilege of coming near to You through church attendance and fellowship with others who believe in You and Your Son.

Judith Keller (reprinted from July 2011)

An Election Day Prayer

A prayer for Election Day

Holy God, we come to you today in prayer, full of emotions. Election seasons always seem to bring that out in us - worry and hope, fear and frustration. The list could go on. So today we bow our heads and ask for guidance, open our ears to hear the groans of creation. Open our eyes to see the needs of others. Open our hearts to make room for empathy. Give us the wisdom to navigate challenging conversations. Give us the compassion to make decisions for the greater good. And when all else fails, bring us back to love. Bring our hearts and our hands, our dreams and our hopes, our anger and our frustration, our hurt and our fear all back to love. With hope we pray, with hope we are sustained. Amen. 

reprinted with permission from A Sanctified Art