Views

The views expressed here are those of each individual devotion writer. Thank you to our writers for their contributions to this ministry!

Monday, February 27, 2023

Lent Week One: Poem (Seeking: Who will you listen to?)

who will you listen to?

Twitter or the BBC / the ads on late-night television / the wind as she blows / the echo of children playing / the quiet of snow / the ice bucket challenge / the phone when it rings / your pastor / your mother / your doctor / your gut / the tension in your shoulders / the restaurant singing happy birthday / audio books / TED talks / the rhythm of the music / the coffee drip in the morning / your therapist / the wisdom of the enneagram / the way your heart comes alive when you’re being creative / the man on the corner asking for change / the kid on the subway selling chocolate / the labels on the makeup bottle that promise timeless beauty / the magazines that tell you you need timeless beauty / astrology / the Dow Jones / the hiss of the radiator / the pitter patter of little feet / financial advisors / the top 40 pop / the top 40 country / the New York Times / the rumor mill / the Book of Psalms / your sense of self / Jesus, when he says, “I am with you, always.”

Poem by Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed

*reprinted with permission from A Sanctified Art

Friday, February 24, 2023

Week of Ash Wednesday Art & Reflection: (Seeking: Is this the fast that I choose?)

read Isaiah 58:1-12

from the artist | Rev. T. Denise Anderson

I love portraiture because I believe there is something deeply profound about our faces and what they can communicate. Few things are more beautiful to me than the shapes and shadows created in our faces by directional light. The pieces I have offered for this Lenten series attempt to show the drama that light and darkness create together on the human visage. Because I’m a person of color, I am careful to acknowledge how scripture’s preference for light over darkness has historically been used against darker-skinned peoples. Therefore, I do not subscribe to a light/dark dichotomy that suggests one is preferable to the other. I believe light and dark work together to frame a specific part of the picture that needs our attention the most. In each of my pieces, light is coming from a specific direction and cooperates (not competes) with darkness to spotlight something.

The Isaiah text prophesies to a community preoccupied with religious observance that draws the gaze “upward” to God but neglects the people and matters that are most important to God. God is not calling for fasts and religious rituals that only focus heavenward. As the community has focused on things above, they persist in injustice below. The people have exalted themselves above their kindred and wondered why God has not responded to them. Meanwhile, God is shining light on what they’ve neglected below—that is to say, their own community.

The person depicted here is fixing their gaze upon a light source that is just below and to the side of them. This is an invitation to stop elevating one’s worship and oneself above one’s siblings and peers, for it is there that God may be found.

*reprinted with permission from A Sanctifed Art




Don't Look Up | Rev. T. Denise Anderson

Oil on canvas

Thursday, February 23, 2023

Week of Ash Wednesday Commentary (Seeking: Is this the fast that I choose?)

Read: Isaiah 58:1-12

Commentary Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow

With the beginning of Lent, it will be almost three years to the day when the world was thrust into a global pandemic.¹ Words don’t have the capacity to describe what we have all been through: death, loss, anger, isolation, sorrow, and confusion—but also discovery, introspection, adaptation, and hope.

While it is tempting to try and find “silver linings” that have emerged from the pandemic, I caution us not to do so. There has been far too much pain, suffering, and death to try and negate the suffering with comparatively minimal benefits to the world. Instead, I choose to describe this time as revelatory. The pandemic has revealed much about ourselves, our communities, and the world. We have discovered that adaptation to technology is possible, creativity in curating worship is abundant, and many things that we thought were too important to change about the Church, were, in fact, not. Again, no silver linings, but certainly welcomed revelations about who we can be and become.

This passage from Isaiah does not go easy on us. It poses difficult questions that force each of us to dig deep and ask questions about ourselves and the communities of which we are a part. While it is easy to blame “them” for the problems of the world, we are being asked to explore how we may have played ambivalent witnesses or unintentional accomplices in creating the deep pain that has been brought to the surface of our world.

The revelatory nature of the past few years forces us to face questions, not only about whether hate or love will have the last word, but about how we will be part of a different story for the future. This is where we are inviting one another to sit this Lenten season, in and with the questions, no matter where the answers may lead.

Reflect: As you begin the Lenten season, what are you seeking? What is God seeking? What actions or practices will you commit to?

*reprinted with permission from A Sanctified Art

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

At the Start (Seeking: Is this the fast that I choose?)

Is this the fast I choose?

Will I wake with the sun each morning?

Will I start with thank you?

Will I peel back the cage around my frame to let you in

or will I get too busy? Will my Bible collect dust on the shelf,

along with my journal, along with my sense of self,

or will I roll back the stone and wade in?

Every new season beckons something of us—

attention, beauty, the chance to create.

This season is no different.

So, like moths to the light, will we find our way toward God,

or will we hover, circling fake suns?

I am seeking something deeper.

I am kicking off my shoes.

I am starting this season on holy ground.

Poem by

Rev. Sarah Speed

*reprinted with permission from A Sanctified Art

Tuesday, February 21, 2023

Finding Hope Version Two

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us…Hebrews 6:18-19 The Message

What I do, God, is wait for you, wait for my Lord, my God—you will answer! Psalm 38:15 The Message

In The Comfort Book* by Matt Haig, he highlights some of his favorite things (with a concentration on hope and inspiration). I like his essay “Somewhere”: he focuses on hope by considering the song Somewhere Over the Rainbow, sung by Judy Garland in the movie The Wizard of Oz (link below to the song). He describes how the song goes up an octave, an “actual musical rainbow”. He continues: “Hope always involves a soaring and a reaching. Hope flies. The thing with feathers, as Emily Dickinson said.” Matt thinks that it’s almost easier to feel hopeful when times are difficult, because hope is one of the things we can cling to. As a Christian, I would add that hope comes when we trust in God's promises. To be hopeful, he finds, you just “need to understand that things will change. Hope is available for us all.” Again, as Christians, we have hope that God is with us through life's challenges until "things change".

Coincidentally, a few weeks after finishing Matt’s book I started reading the novel Finding Dorothy** by Elizabeth Letts. Letts takes on the true story of the author of The Wizard of Oz, Frank Baum, and his wife, Maud. The book moves between 1938 in Hollywood, when the film was made, and the years that Frank and Maud were together (when he wrote his masterpiece). I loved the book and its message of perseverance and hope in the face of adversity (I won’t add any spoilers here: you’ll just need to read the book or research the lives of Frank and Maud Baum!) Incidentally, one of the defining features of the novel is Maud’s determination that the song Somewhere Over the Rainbow was sung just right…with a sense of hopefulness and earnestness. In the book, Maud believes that Judy Garland did it perfectly. If you listen below (and recall the song from the movie), you'll probably agree. 

Somewhere Over the Rainbow - The Wizard of Oz (1/8) Movie CLIP (1939) HD - YouTube

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for your promise of hope in you. Thank you for being with us in good times and bad, promising your comfort and spiritual presence that we can rely on. Amen.

Donna Gustafson (reprinted from 2022 Advent...edited to omit the advent portion, including scripture adaptations. Reprinted because of our current sermon series on hope!)

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Monday, February 20, 2023

Youth Sunday sermon by Hope Shortridge: Romans 8:18-25

I have spent the last couple of weeks thinking about this passage. Romans chapter eight, verse 18 reads “I believe that the present suffering is nothing compared to the coming glory that is going to be revealed to us.” When I read that, this is what I hear it say. Suffering is inevitable throughout life. Now, some of that is brought upon by sin, but it also points to the broken world we are living in. It also shows how you might be suffering now, but the light at the end of the tunnel is God's unending glory. Verse 24 speaks about hope, and that is intriguing to me, not just because that is my name (haha). Part of the verse reads, “Who hopes for what they already see?” In this, I hear the importance of giving your hopes, wishes, and prayers to God, even through the times of hardship or loss.

After reflecting more on it, this is what this passage looks like for me as a Christian.

I think about loss. It is something we all go through and it's an unexplainable feeling. Recovering from loss looks different for everyone. For some, it looks like laughter in a serious setting or it can be uncontrollable anger. For others, it is shutting anyone and everything out. Or, it’s all of the above at different times or different days. Some days are good, others are bad, and some are in between. Some days it’s just a lingering ache, of what once was, and what isn’t anymore. Loss can be around a lot of things. Loss of a loved one, a friendship, a relationship, a pet, or a community member. As I say this list out loud, I realize I have experienced all of these kinds of loss. None of them are easy.

The loss of a pet - it might bring tears to your eyes right now just to hear those words or think about it. Many of us have experienced this. My first dog Frodo was a beloved family member. He was 16, with one eye, a big personality, and he barked all the time. After he passed, I started to miss all that and the cuddles.  And so did Sam, our other dog. 

Next, we might feel loss in our school setting. This can happen in different ways. Whether it be a friend moving away at the start of middle school or leaving a favorite teacher’s classroom as you move on to the next grade or school. Within the past month, my school community has experienced loss three times. As a young person, it can be a lot for my brain to comprehend. Classmates, and friends, who were at school yesterday, but won’t be tomorrow. There is a protocol in place when a crisis happens. But when it happens more than once, in a short period of time, the suffering that occurs happens on another level. As a community of faith within Lincoln and at East, we came together. We came together to pray over our school and our community. To hold each other, and even to cry. Over 150 people coming together to show unity, peace, love and comfort - pastors, teachers, students, parents, even those who don’t go to church on Sunday. We came together as a community, to mourn what was, and what will no longer be. The feeling of everyone surrounding our community in prayer was so powerful. And as hard as it was, it was a crucial step in our journey of healing. 

Now, I think of the church members right here in this community who made an impact on everyone. They graced us with their presence. I feel like some of those people were gone far too soon, and I just wish I could give them one more hug. 

And lastly, for me, last year I experienced one of the hardest things I’ll ever go through. On May 3rd, 2022, my grandpa Harley, went to be with our God. He was suffering and in pain for quite some time. I am happy that he is now pain free. But, even though I am grateful for that, I still mourn the time I had with him. I look back on all the fun memories I had with him throughout my life. I think of how blessed I and all of his grandchildren were. In addition to mourning the past with grandpa, I mourn the future. I mourn that he will not see me graduate from high school and college. He won’t be there to dance with me at my wedding. He won’t be there to meet my future children. And I also see how his passing affects the people I love. I think of my grandmother, who lost the love of her life and the father of her three wonderful children.  I see her trying to continue experiencing a new life, one filled with grief. 

Through all these experiences I share with you here today, I have learned that grief and loss cannot be handled alone. There is support all around, and available in different ways. Whether that is a member from the church that works with grieving, a therapist, or another friend to confide in and to lean on. But also, be available, to be THAT friend that others can lean on as well. 

So…here we are in this conversation about grief and loss. After all that, how do you find hope when you feel like there isn’t any. A complex question, with complex answers and ideas. I don’t think there is a guidebook for this sort of thing. The Bible has some wonderful stories and verses for us to read and study but we have to take those words off the page for them to really help us. I have a few things that I do and I would like to share them with you.  They aren’t an instant fix but they are a step in the right direction. A step towards the light at the end of the tunnel. Find joy in the little moments. At the end of the day, reflect on someone who made your day better.  Maybe they were a bright spot in your day. Be thankful for them, and pray for them. Recognize that things are so tough and hard sometimes. It’s okay NOT to be okay!  Those hard times are going to happen. But remember, there IS a light at the end of the tunnel. 

When life happens, things can get hard. Those hard times can make us angry at God. When this happens, it can be easy to forget our “why” or our reason for being HERE this Sunday morning. That reason is Jesus. Jesus died and rose again for our sins, so that we could live the way we do today. As the scripture reads, we believe that Jesus will one day come back, and that our belief in him leads to eternal life. It is important to try and remember this as we walk through life. How ever it looks for you, whether that’s taking a breath, going for a walk, talking to a friend, or just prioritizing some quiet time alone, try and implement these habits into your life. 

We all feel the suffering, in one way or another. Days can be long and feel full of uncertainty. The truth today is this. God sees and hears our struggles. God knows we are struggling before we do. That means that through all of the uncertainty in our lives, God will be the constant comfort. Our unending and unwavering love. But being part of this community, I have come to recognize something else. In addition to the unwavering love of God, I also have the unwavering love of my family, my friends, and THIS community. ALL those who love you will carry you through when you feel like you cannot. I charge you with this; be there for your neighbor. Check in on all your friends, neighbors, and acquaintances. Be kind, always! You never know what struggles someone is dealing with. Hold the door open for people, say please and thank you, help others take steps towards that light at the end of the tunnel, and in return, they will do the same to you. Most of all, cherish every moment, because you never know how much time you have left. God be with you all. 

Friday, February 17, 2023

Youth Sunday Sermon by Nyakuar Kuon: Romans 8:18-25

The Youth Group has spent the last few weeks looking at and reflecting on the passage that you just heard. We looked at more than one version to help us try and understand what Paul is sharing here.  Within the first few words, the word “suffering” appears. It can be overwhelming to think about all the ways that suffering and struggles show up in our lives.  But as we kept reading, the words glory and hope appear. So…I would like to share with you how those three words are part of my faith. 

Suffering is a part of life. It’s something we all will go through at some point. Suffering comes in all different kinds of levels. We suffer not because we deserve it, but because we live in a broken world. It might seem like God’s not there with you but that’s where you have to keep hope. No matter how much we’re suffering we should still keep our faith strong and alive. We shouldn’t let the pain and suffering take away our hope. 

We suffer for a reason. I like to think that after our suffering we might see a different view or that there is something we can learn.  This puts the image of a storm in my mind. Oftentimes, at the end of one, we see a rainbow. That rainbow is a sign for us that God’s love is there for us. At the end of our suffering, there are things that we can learn. In verse 18, we see that our suffering is nothing compared to the coming glory. Sometimes, we have to walk in the path of suffering before seeing that glory. 

Suffering is defined as the state of undergoing pain, distress, or hardship. Last month my little cousin passed away in an accident in Egypt. I had not met her but this was still very hard for me. Not only her passing, but also because I saw what this did to the rest of my family. My family that did meet her and know her. Not only did I feel suffering from her death but also for the grief this caused for my extended family. Through this suffering, I kept wondering why something terrible like this would happen but worked very hard not to question God or lose faith. 

I read something in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 that said “When Jesus returns, many who believe in him will have died already. We believe that God will bring them back with Jesus.” I tried to remember this suffering wasn’t permanent.  I know this because of Jesus' death and resurrection. She will have eternal life. 

What I hope you will take from this passage is that during your hard times, have hope. It’s important not to lose hope. Without hope and faith your suffering and struggles will feel like it’s never ending. Be patient because God won’t fail on us. One way I remember to have hope is thinking about all the great things God has done for me in the past. Not that long ago God blessed my family with a new house, but it wasn’t easy. My mom had looked at a lot of houses, I want to say basically every house in Lincoln because that’s what it felt like. We kept hoping that we would find one, after several months went by, we bought our house. 

I like to think about the story of Jonah. Jonah had hope - in the BELLY OF A WHALE! He prayed to God and asked for help. He didn’t lose faith. So when you feel like you’re in the belly of a whale, have hope. God didn’t abandon Jonah. God doesn’t abandon us during our suffering. Although it may feel like he left us, he’s closest to us while we suffer. If you have hope while you suffer, nothing in this world can defeat you.  Amen. 

 

Thursday, February 16, 2023

Youth Sunday sermon by Nyaluak Dak: Romans 8:18-25

Our passage from the book of Romans gives us a lot to think about this morning.  We hear Paul’s message about suffering.  He tells us that even though there is suffering, we should look beyond that because that’s when the good stuff comes.  As a young person, that feels like something that is far easier to say than it is do put into practice.  But, our passage doesn’t say anything about easy.  Sometimes we have to get through the hard stuff in order to see or recognize the good.  We have to put our faith in the HOPE. 

Suffering is being in the state of distress, pain, or hardships.  This is something all of us can say we have experienced.  They ways in which it has happened are probably different for all of us, but I am certain that some of the feelings might be similar.  When I think about suffering, there are different ways that we can think about it - mentally, physically, or even emotionally.  

As I started to think about what I might say to you today, a time during my freshman year came to mind.  But, before I get to that, I want to share a little background.  I have played basketball since I was 9 years old.  It is something I really enjoy doing.  As I kept playing, I discovered that I was pretty good at it.  I started joining more teams and as I got older, I started playing select basketball.  The teams I have been on have been pretty good and good enough to win the tournaments we were in.  As I entered my sophomore year of high school, I started to hear from coaches, friends, and family that I most likely would be able to play in college.  This past fall, I began to hear from some of those college coaches and I have already been offered a scholarship to play at a division one school. 

But there was a time that my basketball career was not what I wanted it to be.  During my freshman season at Southeast, I suffered an injury where I bruised a bone in my knee, and I was not able to finish the season.  I no longer suited up with the team, but I still attended every practice and game.  There were times when I was that person at the end of the bench in my street clothes.  This was very difficult for me because it is my get-away to everything.  And by that, I mean basketball, and all that comes with it, is a stress release for me.  When I am done with practice or a game, I feel like I have accomplished something.  When I had to take the bench and just watch, I felt like I couldn’t help my team and that I wasn’t able to care for myself. 

During this time, I struggled mentally and noticed that I had trouble focusing on schoolwork.  The motivation to do it just wasn’t there.  This feeling held over and some of my schoolwork was turned in late.  Which then becomes overwhelming in a different way because now my schoolwork is late. 

I struggled physically because walking itself was painful.  I had trouble getting around school during the day.  And not being able to walk made it really hard to work out and stay in shape for basketball.  Because of this, it took some extra conditioning over the summer and fall in order to get back into shape and ready to play again. 

I struggled emotionally because I didn’t know if I would be back before the season was over.  Basketball is such an outlet for me that it was hard to stay positive.  It was hard to watch my team and know that I would not be able to help them and encourage my teammates when they were out on the court. 

But even though all of this was going on, I still kept hope.  Hope that I would be back and better than ever.  I didn’t give up after that even though I really wanted to.  My faith kept me strong. 

This community is part of what helped me in that strength.  To have hope! Coming to church every Sunday and youth group every Wednesday.  Being able to share my thoughts and struggles with people who would listen and give me advice.  I trusted the advice because I knew that these people, you, loved and cared for me.  Having people from different schools was helpful too.  It was good to be able to talk and vent to my peers that I knew were a safe space. 

What I would hope that you would hear is, that if you are struggling, the church is here for you too.  It is a safe space.  Reach out to someone.  Your church community is an extension for God’s love and care.  They are the people that will pat you on the back, hug you, and love you no matter what.  So, don’t be afraid to speak out when you need it.  Remember, that when we don’t know how we are going to get through it, God is the HOPE that will be with us.  Amen.

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

God's Promises

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whom so ever believes in him, should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 

We stood by the window watching huge ice chunks slide from the roof and hit the deck below. We were in awe until our daughter reminded us that that probably happened every winter. We had just not been home in the winter for 22 years.  Oh, we said, of course. Then the miracles began to happen. The green grass appeared and the coral bells lifted their heads and amid the brown leaves, the strawberries are still alive. How could you not believe in a life after death when you can see it happening right before your eyes as the sun shines down on us? 

Like the disciples in Mark, I am sometimes without understanding. I feel the depth of despair as my friends of over 40 years leave this earth one by one. My sisters either are 90 or approaching that age. All three of us are finding it difficult to remain upright day after day but the promise of life after death is a promise we hope God will keep. Would I have asked Jesus for more than I deserve as I am prone to do in this life? Can I do as our visiting pastor said the last of February - can I ask others what can I do for you? 

The days of Lent drift by quickly and the cross looms on the horizon. But also comes the promise of melting ice, growing flowers and neighbors once again visiting over the fence. 

Prayer: Thank you God for the return of sunshine and the promise of a new season. Thank you also for the friends and neighbors that remain unseen but are still there. In your son's name we pray. Amen

Carolyn Olsen (reprinted from 2021)


Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Happy Valentine's Day


Let all that you do be done in love ~1 Corinthians 16:14

(click on this cute photo to view it larger!)

Monday, February 13, 2023

Words from Lamentations


"The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in Him." Lamentations 3:24

Friday, February 10, 2023

Whispering Hope

"We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters the inner shrine behind the curtain." Hebrews 6:19

"In hope of eternal life, that God, who never lies, promised before the ages began." Titus 1:2

In the country church where I grew up, each fall we celebrated the harvest season with a church supper and bazaar. Youth were invited to share music during the meal. One year, I played "Whispering Hope" on my clarinet. Septimus Winner wrote the hymn inspired by Hebrews 6:19. (You can Google "Whispering Hope" to learn more.)

On Sunday, August 28, 2016, we sang the hymn, "God is Calling Through the Whisper." Note: God calls us with a whisper - not loudly and demanding. Yet, God's hope is sure and steadfast.

Everywhere I look, the word "hope" jumps out at me. The college football preview, Husker Extra, Lincoln Journal Star is simply titled "Hope." In part, the sub-title states, "loyal fans remain constant in their belief of better days." A "Guideposts" magazine headline proclaims, "Embracing Hope - in Troubled Times." Perhaps it is because we are bombarded with messages of troubled times that we hunger for words of hope. We are reassured by the words in Hebrew 6:19 and Titus 1:2 and other scriptures.

Prayer: God, we need your promises of hope today more than ever. Be with us in our daily lives and as we seek your hope of eternal life. Amen.

Lois Poppe (reprinted from 2016)

Thursday, February 9, 2023

Hope and Prayer

I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer. Psalm 17:6.

When we are late, often all the lights ahead are red. If you have planned a fun event after a medical appointment, the waiting time will be long but if you have hours to kill the appointment will speed by. Sometimes planning for a long wait, you fortify yourself with a book, crosswords, or a phone. You sit down and they call you in for the appointment.

You cannot expect the unexpected so when it looms on your horizon, you may not be prepared. When the storm rose on the sea, the disciples were not prepared. Jesus calmed the waters. But still they didn't know who he really was. They expected the sea to be rough but didn't expect that Jesus could solve the problem. We really don't know what tomorrow brings. Of course we have plans and we always have hope. William Sloane Coffin, Jr writes "For like nothing else in the world, hope arouses passion for the possible".

But along with hope, we also have prayer. Prayer gives us a foundation on which to build our hopes for today and tomorrow. Prayer often builds our faith so when hope dies and the unexpected happens we are sort of prepared.

Prayer: Hope comes hard for me and maybe for others. So dear God, help us to be more open to others and learn from their hopes and prayers. Amen.

Carolyn Olsen (reprinted from 2021)

Wednesday, February 8, 2023

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, 2022)

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

Some Thoughts on Hope

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12: 1-3

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. Romans 15:4

Keeping in theme with our current sermon series (plus two church studies) on hope, I gathered some ideas to write a devotion. But the more I thought about hope and read about hope, the more uncertain I became about writing this devotion. The first section of the book we’re studying is titled “What Hope Isn’t”. Right away, I felt I needed to make revisions. On the other hand, Mary McKibben Dana also gives us a subjective activity in the beginning: to write a poem using prompts based on our thoughts of “hope”. 

I sometimes think of hope as an attitude. I also think that hope can be like a muscle that improves with use*. I realize that isn’t necessarily the same as spiritual hope, or the hope we find in Jesus, but let’s call it another version of hope for the sake of this devotion.

While writing, I realized some of my impressions of hope were tied to my love of nature.

They are:

  •  I think of how I hope to see creatures to photograph when I head out to “the field”. Sometimes I come up short, sometimes I see creatures that are normally elusive, sometimes I capture a “common” creature in the perfect pose, sometimes I don’t find a single living thing to capture. But the hope of the discovery is what drives me to bundle up (or apply massive amounts of bug spray, depending on the season!) and head out, camera in hand.
  •  The famous Emily Dickinson poem that we’ve used in our artwork for this sermon series says:

Hope” is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of me.   - Emily Dickinson

  • From the children’s book “Owl Moon”: “when you go owling you don’t need words or warm or anything but hope. The kind of hope that flies on silent wings under a shining Owl Moon.” What I like about this is what it says about only needing hope...in many situations, it can sustain on its own.
  • This morning I stopped in the church sanctuary and heard the birds chirping along the south side of the building. It seemed that, like me, they were excited about the warmer temperatures coming today and the rest of the week. What does hope sound like? Those birds!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the hope that keeps us going! Let us turn to you when we feel hopeless and be grateful for the hope that makes life sustainable. Amen.

Donna Gustafson

*Yes, reader, I know Mary McKibben Dana says something similar in her book…but I didn’t realize our similar phrasing until after starting this devotion!

shown below is the artwork we've used for our sermon series, plus the versions that didn't make the final cut!





Monday, February 6, 2023

Storing Treasures

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

Jesus teaches about the orientation we must endeavor to achieve, directing our hearts toward the things of heaven, rather than worldly possessions and desires. He speaks of moths, rust and thieves as threats to the material goods we strive to attain. Of course, Jesus is also addressing more broadly the many agents ready and waiting to erode the worldly wealth we are so inclined to try and possess.  

I am inclined to be a saver, or as we sometimes joke, an “archivist,” following in the footsteps of my parents and grandparents. My more minimalist adult children often respond with a polite “no thank you” when I offer “treasures” that I see as important elements of the history of our family. Their arguably more scriptural perspective prompts me to contemplate how I might direct my heart more faithfully in sharing the worldly possessions—from financial assets to antique china—with which I have been endowed. This is especially true during the season of stewardship.  

The poet Ralph Waldo Emerson puts it another way: “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” 

Prayer: Heavenly Creator, thank you for the many ways you care for us as we navigate this physical world. We ask for your direction in turning our hearts toward heaven. Guide us in using and sharing the worldly possessions for which we are responsible in ways that bring glory to you and your light to those we encounter. Amen 

Barry and Alinda Stelk (reprinted from 2017)

Friday, February 3, 2023

Think of Spring

Think of Spring. During these cold winter months as we shuffle in the snow to our cars in the pitch-black morning. The winter solstice is past us. The days are going to start sooner and last longer. I long to wake up with the sunrise to see to the dew on the grass and flowers. Rebirth is coming, spring will be here. “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12. Warmer days will come. 

Prayer: Dear Lord, give us strength during the winter. Remind us of hope and the many blessings of spring. Help us to think of spring even as the cold wind blows around us. In your name we pray, amen.

Charles Kendeigh

Thursday, February 2, 2023

Asking in Faith


But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. James 1:6 


Editor's note: this is intentionally posted on Groundhog Day!

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Words from the book of Joel


Turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness. Joel 2:13