SEEING THE EXTRAORDINARY

Month: May 2020

  • Do We Value Life?

    Today, as I seek God’s word, I struggle.  I struggle with the right words – how do I speak in times like these?  What do I say when tragedies continue over and over again?  I understand my words do not matter – but God’s words do.  So I pray that in the myriad of words I will bring to you today, you will hear something from God.

    I can’t help but wonder….Do we value life?  Do we really value life?  Is one person’s life less valuable than another?  Does one person hold more value because of who they are, where they live, their status, their color, their sex, their sexual orientation?  Does this change the value of a life for us?

    Embedded in our society is the belief that some lives hold more value than others.  The events this week of one man killing George Floyd while handcuffed as he pleads for his life, just to simply take a breath, remind us that racism is still as real and alive as ever.  George Floyd’s life held no value to the one that held him down.  Regardless of whether he had a criminal record, what he had been arrested for or anything else, the bottom line is that his value as a person was diminished.  In our recent past, racism was out in the open – where one goes to the bathroom, where one sits in an establishment or on a bus, what access to education and employment – these were all out in the open.  It was apparent that white supremacy was real, obvious and prevalent.  Since that time, it is still prevalent but hidden…it has been taken out of plain sight.  Anyone can go to any bathroom supposedly or sit anywhere in theory – but you could be looked at differently, and potentially treated differently.  You likely won’t be made to move, just a general wish you had not come.  And let’s be honest, the only reason that this racism is in our face now is because someone recorded it.  If it had not been recorded, it would have likely been swept in someone’s drawer as a closed case in favor of the white man.  Racism is held under such a cover that it is only when exposed that we come face to face with reality.  And reality is, in this case, quite ugly.

    We cannot make excuses for what is happening.  We cannot pretend that it doesn’t happen.  When those we love around us are fearful for their lives and the lives of their children, it is way past time to act.  And as the church, we should know better.  We should be the difference.  We should stand out front and fight against racism and sexism.  But we are often the last to say anything – one because we often find racism in ourselves and two because we know those who are racist.  What this really says is that we do not value all life.  We hold that some lives have more value than others.  Because of the color of skin or the lifestyle chosen, there is more value?  I don’t need to hear stories of where white people have been hurt or where black people have done something to be seen differently.  Bottom line…heterosexual white people have privilege because of ingrained white supremacy.

    Yet, church, this isn’t at all what we are taught.  We are not taught a difference in the eyes of God.  We are not taught that one group is superior to another – or even that there are groups.  There are not divisions based on color.  Jesus never gave us an example of division among his created.  Yet, here we are again.   We are not taught to hate.  We are not taught to decide who is worthy.  We are not taught to judge someone based on looks or appearance.  We are not taught that Jesus loves one group more than the other.  We are not even taught that God loves America more than he does any other country or any other peoples.  We have taken that on – and I cannot imagine that God is pleased with hate, bigotry, racism, sexism, or any of the like.  This is God’s world, not simply God’s country.

    It may be that you are saying we don’t know the other part of anyone’s story.  I am saying we don’t need to.  There is never a reason to hate.  There is never a reason to discriminate.  There is never a reason for white supremacy.  There is never a reason to devalue life.  And again…there is never a reason to hate based on the color of someone’s skin, their culture, their background, or their sexual orientation.  Hate is not the answer.

    I hear in the scriptures this:  For God so loved…God created…The Holy Spirit came upon them…Power was given to them.

    For God so loved the world…the whole world.  We know the scripture and verse.  Many of us have said it since we were children.  We have it memorized.  Even if you have not attended a church, you have likely heard of John 3:16.  Yet we are not hearing John 3:16.  For God so loved the whole world that he gave Jesus.  God loved the whole world.  It does not say that God loved white skin – side note, remember Jesus was not white.  It does not say that God loved those that we think should be loved.  It does not say that God loves those who follow the rules.  It says that God loved the whole world…all of it…all of us.  Jesus was sent because of God’s great love for us.  To devalue a life is to devalue someone God loves.  It is to devalue someone that God sent his son to die for.  Money and privilege and skin color do not change God’s love.

    God created…God created humanity with his own breath.  He breathed life into us.  To take that breath away is to take life away.  To stop breath is to stop life that God has given.  To not see someone as God’s beloved is to take God’s creation and tell God he doesn’t love this life as much.  I don’t see that in God’s word.  But I sure see it in our world.  If we truly believe that God created, then we will work to have equal value for all of God’s creation.  No life is less valuable.

    Today is Pentecost Sunday.  This is the Sunday that we remember the day that the Holy Spirit fell on God’s people – something promised by Jesus as a guide and a comforter.  I want to direct your attention to the scripture where Jesus describes the Holy Spirit.

    John 14:25-29

    25 “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.

    This is a portion of the description that Jesus offers about the Holy Spirit that is being given to the believers.  In Acts 2 we see the fulfillment of this promise.  As believers, we hold that Jesus offers us the Holy Spirit.  We understand that when we choose to follow Christ, we are given the Holy Spirit to live in us and through us and around us as we seek to fulfill God’s will.  I think that most of us could agree.  But what does the Holy Spirit do?  If the Holy Spirit is living in us, we are guided, helped, taught, courageous, loved, and given peace.  If we are led by Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit, I cannot see where we can be anything but love.  I cannot find where we can be anything but peacemakers.  I cannot see where there is room for hate or judgment.  I cannot find a place for racism or hatred or devaluing life.

    Christians, if we truly believe that God so loved the world…if we believe that God created…if we accept that the Holy Spirit is living in us…how can we tolerate hatred, racism, or the devaluing of any life?  I don’t see how those can be together.  I do not believe that God has filled us with his presence to make us feel superior or full of hatred or supreme to any other human being.  I cannot see how we cannot stand with our black and brown sisters and brothers in a time when there is struggle.  We should be standing with those that are hurting.  We should be fighting for justice.  This should be a time when we are showing that the world may be acting like fools, but the church stands with you, supports you, loves you.  The church should be leading the way.  Where are we church?  What are we doing in times like these?  Do we really value all life?  God created…God loves.

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  • For a Moment – Devotion 42

    This morning’s view was spectacular.  I wasn’t at a popular vacation destination.  I didn’t wake up in a new town or new venue.  I didn’t hear the sounds of waves crashing.  It was a quiet, rural road I have traveled many times.  It was an ordinary morning.  But for a moment, the view was remarkable.  It was a painted sky that was pulled together by traveling clouds on a windy morning topped by a slowly rising sun.  This time I was paying attention and I caught it.  I am sure I have missed similar on many occasions.  But today, I caught it and it was beautiful.

    I find that when I see views painted in the sky, my best option is to stop.  When I stop, I can take it all in.  I can allow the Artist to speak to me from his work.  I don’t need to do anything else, just stop.  Since photography is not my gift, it is never helpful for me to try and capture the painting in a snapshot.  It ends up looking like trees, skies and clouds.  And later I wonder why I took such a picture.  Instead of pulling out my phone to take the picture, I am better able to absorb the message when I stop.  It is unique and it was meant for that time and that place.  I can see the magnificence when I accept that it is only for right this moment.  It is better than trying to hold on to something that will soon pass.

    Life is like that.  We are given what seems like small fleeting moments that are really changing and shaping our lives.  We see milestones and we want to capture them.  We want them to last forever.  But they are given to us for just a moment – and wow is that moment life changing.  We want to hold on to people, times, events, experiences…we want them to last longer.  God has given them to us for right this moment, though.  So instead of wishing they would last forever, why not just stop…and allow the magnificence of this moment to wash over you?  Why not just enjoy this moment as if it may never come again?  We just might find ourselves extremely thankful for this day…moment by moment.

    Focus Scripture:

    Psalm 46:9-11

    9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire.
    10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
    I am exalted among the nations,
    I am exalted in the earth.”
    11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our refuge.

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    Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

     

  • No Words – Devotion 41

    For someone that writes a blog and speaks publicly, it is difficult to say that there are times when there are no words.  Words are used to describe beauty and strength, nature and awe inspiring views.  We use words to relay feelings of hurt and anger, along with excitement and joy.  Words can destroy another or can lift others.  But sometimes, words are simply not sufficient. There are times when there really are no words.

    Words often fail us when we are overjoyed.  The birth of a child is one of those moments.  We may use words, but there really are none to express the birth of another living being.  Words also fail us when we are grieving.  There are none adequate for the feelings we have when we lose someone we love deeply.

    The problem is not that there are no words for these times of our lives.  The problem is more often that we try to use them when we should not.  When we are supporting someone in their grief, it is often better to say nothing at all.  Simple expressions to let them know you are with them can be sufficient.  Presence means more than anything spoken.  Prayers that are offered are powerful.  But these do not require words.  Even our prayers can be offered in silent moments as we commune with God.  Sometimes there are no words.

    The events of these past few months and especially this past week leave me speechless.  I try to write and do my best to express my support and solidarity to those that are suffering.  I do my best to let others know that they are not alone.  I know that there are many that are struggling with sickness, grief, hurt, anger and pain.  I hear you.  Ultimately, I have no words that are adequate.  I simply offer love.

    Focus Scripture:

    Philippians 1 (selected scriptures)

    3 I thank my God every time I remember you, 4 constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, 5 because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.

    9 And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight 10 to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, 11 having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

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    Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

  • A Peek of Hope – Devotion 40

    Hope can appear as a peek in the clouds on an otherwise dreary day.  It doesn’t need to be spectacular.  Just one open spot can shine promise of better times.  It may be all that is needed to survive the day that is otherwise weightier than a hundred rainy clouds.  It just might be the needed reminder that God has not left us to fight these fears alone.  This moment can sing a song with perfect harmony when all our chords are mired in tears.

    This glimmer of hope comes in the form of an ‘I love you’ note.  It is seen in a phone call to check on someone.  It is felt in dropping off money to someone struggling to pay the bills.  It is encouragement when no encouragement could be found elsewhere.  Hope is a reminder that you are God’s child, his beloved.  It is a smile, acknowledging someone’s presence that is often forgotten or ignored.  It really can be the smallest light that brings the brightest hope.

    You may be the vehicle for bringing hope to someone else today.  There may be a person on your mind today that needs to be reminded that there is still hope.  Take the time to help others see what God sees.  Encourage rather than tear down.  Love rather than judge.

    If you are struggling today, hear that you are not alone.  God has not left you in this fight.  There is a light shining in the distance, don’t give up looking for it.  May you feel the warmth of his presence, become wrapped in his love, and realize that you are a valued gift.  May hope appear to you today.

    Focus Scripture:

    Romans 15:13

    13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

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    Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

     

  • Help My Unbelief  – Devotion 39

    We all struggle with unbelief.  Even the most faithful, lifelong Christians will confess to moments where they have struggled with belief.  It isn’t always easy to believe.  We may read that God is good and faithful and just.  And then we look around and wonder why our experience does not often match the goodness of God’s creation.  We may hear that God loves us but not feel all that loved.  We may see that God is at work in other people and feel as though he is not at work in us.  To struggle with unbelief is okay.  It means that we are not taking what someone else has told us and making it our own.  We are seeking God ourselves.  We are searching and aching for something more.

    In the Bible, there is a story which resonates with me.  A father is struggling with an illness that has debilitated his son since birth.  I can only imagine this father has spent days, weeks, months, years watching his son battle.  It must have been devastating each time he had an episode, never knowing if this is will be what ends his life.  I hear in his words desperation and fear.  He just wants to see his son healed.  To see his son in such torment is more than he can take.  He begs for help from the disciples.  They try.  They really do give it their every effort.  They do all they know to do.  It doesn’t work.  The wind had to be knocked out of the father, hearing one more time it was impossible.  He could not be healed.  The father meets Jesus and simply begs for mercy.  He is fine with pity.  He just wants help.  He just wants hope.  Jesus tells him belief is the key.  What comes next shouts from a place of genuine despair with a glimmer of hope.

    “I believe…help my unbelief” – I believe this can be better but I have tried everything and I’m so broken.  I believe there can be a better day but I haven’t seen a better day in so long I don’t know if it is still possible.  I believe this is my son and I love him but I’ve loved him since birth and this hasn’t changed anything.  I want to see a new day, a new life, a new opportunity…help me as I wrestle with this unbelief that has overwhelmed me for so many years.

    Help me with my unbelief.  This is my prayer.  When we see tragedies happen…when we see loved ones struggle…when we find ourselves without words and searching for an ounce of hope…help me with my unbelief.  When we don’t know where God is through it all…help me with my unbelief.  When we just need a word to remind us we are not alone in this…help me with my unbelief.  When we simply do not see that anything will ever get better…I believe, help me with my unbelief.  Help me…Help.

    May God answer our prayer…with hope, love, and healing.

    Focus Scripture:

    Mark 9:21-24

    21 Jesus asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.” 23 Jesus said to him, “If you are able!—All things can be done for the one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

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    Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

  • Ordinary People – Devotion 38

    Do you ever feel like you just don’t belong?  Ever find yourself lost in the crowd with the idea that you should not be there?  Most of us can relate to feeling quite ordinary, even unworthy.  We can feel unworthy of God’s love.  We can feel unworthy in the church or around church people.  We can feel as though we have no place even despite the search.  We can even feel that way when we read the Bible.  When we read about the faith of Moses (although not as great as we want to make it – just read it)…or we hear about the heart of David (also not as strong when we read his whole story)…or we consider the patience of Job (he didn’t endure without great struggle and never fully got answers to his questions) – we think we are unworthy.  We can’t be like any of them.  I would say we are more like them than we want to believe.  But, even if they seem out of reach, I find myself at the table with Jesus.

    Jesus spent time with ordinary folks, people like me.  He spent time with the people who knew they were not perfect and struggled to get it right, a lot.  He ate with people who needed more than a meal.  He loved people who didn’t realize God would ever see them, much less love them.  He invited people in who thought the invitation was only for the righteous (or self-righteous as many who thought they were invited were).

    In the focus scripture today, I find myself.  I realize that Jesus does have a place for me at the table.  Despite what the world thinks of me, I have a place.  Regardless of my past or how many times I have struggled, the chair is there for me.  And it is there for you too!  Here it is: “And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples.”

    Do you see?  The sinners that were invited – those were sinners from everyone else’s perspective.  Jesus saw more.  He sat down to dinner with many people that would have been considered invaluable.  He saw value where the world did not.  He welcomed ordinary people.  He welcomes me.  And he welcomes you as well!  Come, sit down at the table – ordinary people invited.

    Focus Scripture:

    Matthew 9:9-13

    9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.

    10 And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”

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    Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

  • Love THAT neighbor – Devotion 37

    When we consider loving others, our minds can easily be drawn to loving those around us.  We may find our focus on loving those we come in contact with on a regular basis.  They are the people in our circle, so to speak.  And some of those people, even though they are around us, can be really challenging to love.  It could take all you have to simply tolerate them, much less love them.  And we hear Jesus teaching us to love one another.  So we think he is probably pushing us to consider loving this person that really grates on our last nerve.  But what if that is only scratching the surface of the type of love he is describing?  What if that is just the beginning and we have considered that the ultimate?  What if we are missing what it really means to love our neighbor because we get hung up on the people that we struggle to spend five minutes with.

    One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the one of the woman at the well.  She is struggling.  She is seeking, even if she doesn’t realize it.  She is searching to be seen and loved.  She meets Jesus.  Jesus isn’t like her.  He isn’t from her group, her tribe.  He is a man.  He is a religious teacher.  He is everything that she is not.  And so there is no good reason for Jesus to see her, much less talk to her.  But Jesus goes beyond both – he sees her, he talks to her, he loves her.  He sees her value and her worth. He offers her all she is seeking and more.   He offers her life.

    The key for me is this woman is not at all in Jesus’ circle.  She is from a different region.  She is among the despised.  She is a woman with a questionable reputation.  She would be anything but his neighbor.  We might think that Jesus should worry about loving the 12 knuckleheads he called to follow him, and that would be challenging enough.  But Jesus sees this woman and loves her.  Oh, he loves the 12, but doesn’t stop there.  So why should we?

    It just might be that Jesus is calling us beyond our circle.  To love others may be a call to love those not like us.  It might be that loving others is a call to love those that don’t look, behave or believe like us.  These might be just the people we are called to love.  Who is outside your circle that you can begin to love?

    Focus Scripture:

    John 4:5-9

    5 So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon.7 A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.)

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    Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

  • Be Kind – Devotion 36

    What comes to mind when you think about being kind?  Do you think of giving something to someone else?  Does it bring to mind someone you know that exudes kindness?  Do you consider ways that you can scroll past the things on social media that make you angry?  Does kindness mean not getting angry?  Does kindness mean always smiling?  Is being kind even a thing?

    It seems to be a phrase that is written and spoken quite a bit lately.  I have a sticker on my computer that Kelli created that is a reminder to be kind.  I try to post kind things on social media, hoping to counter some of the negative.  I think that kindness is more than words or feelings.  I think that to be kind, we find ways to intentionally live without letting anger or hatred fuel our being.  I think that to be kind means we seek out ways to give even when it doesn’t make sense.  I think to be kind is to forgive when it is counterintuitive.  I think to be kind is to not post our anger because it is not helpful or advantageous.

    Being kind is, at least for me, a way of life.  It is intentional.  It is thought out and seeks to love others.  Being kind is looking for ways to point to the good in the world (and yes, there is always good).  In other words, being kind starts with some work on me.  I have to begin to find what is holding me back.  What is it that is eating away at me that doesn’t allow me to be kind?  What barriers do I need to take care of in order to spread kindness?

    In today’s focus scripture, the author is teaching that kindness comes after unloading some things.  We let go of those things that are poisoning us.  We release the things which are toxic in our lives.  Let go of anger, bitterness, gossip, and hatred.  Those poisons are killing us.  Instead, allow kindness and forgiveness to take hold.  If we do this, we may begin to heal.  And that just might be the key in helping someone else.  Be kind.

    Focus Scripture:

    Ephesians 4:31-32

    31 Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, 32 and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.

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    Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

  • Called Out

    We have heard a lot about the church in the last few weeks.  Lengthy discussions have been carried out over locking up the church.  Many are angry that they cannot come to church in person.  As churches begin to reopen their doors, many changes must be made that will make church services unlike anything in the past.  It will not be the same, at least for now.  That makes many upset.  Singing carries issues farther than talking.  Shared hymnals can cause problems.  Even something as simple as opening a door can be potentially serious.

    All of this has certainly caused us to rethink church.  What is the church?  Why do we go to church?  How do we worship as a church in a way that is safe and protected for everyone?  What does the church even do?  Is the church necessary?

    Today’s scripture helps me to begin in the search for these answers, and I hope it begins to help you as well.

    Ephesians 1:15-23

    1:15 I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason
    1:16 I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.
    1:17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him,
    1:18 so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints,
    1:19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.
    1:20 God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
    1:21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.
    1:22 And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church,
    1:23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

    Do you hear anything about the church?  I do hear an intent and purpose.  Look closer.  Listen to what is being said.

    Christ is above all – ruler, guide, all powerful.  He has immeasurable greatness of his power that is given to those who follow him.  And his power changes things.  He is the head of it all, and that includes the church. The church is his body – his vehicle for doing his work.  The church is about wisdom and growth and seeking but it is also about going and living and loving.

    Maybe we have been shut up in the walls of a building too long and have forgotten that to be the church is to live for Christ.  Maybe we have gotten so comfortable in our pews that we haven’t allowed ourselves to follow Christ when we leave those pews.  It could be that we have grown so accustomed to the way things have always been that comfort was all we were seeking.  Could it be that we have made the church more about us than about Christ?  Could it be that we have made church what we wanted it to be – comfortable for us to sit with a group of people that look like us and agree with us?  Maybe, just maybe this is our time to be the church.

    IF we are the body of Christ, that seems to be a movement forward – a carrying out into the world.  It seems to me that this would be living out the vision and mission that Jesus lived as an example.  I do remember him gathering in the place of worship, but I don’t remember that being the only place he went.  Actually it seems like he spent more time with those that were discarded and forgotten than those that claimed to be devout.  He spent more time loving those on the outside that had never experienced love before.

    Do not misunderstand me – there is great value in gathering.  Jesus did it.  He taught in the place of worship and spent time there.  We gather to gain knowledge, we gather to seek wisdom, we gather to pray together, we gather to worship.  All of those are vital for our spiritual lives.  We gather in community.  We gather in resources and gifts to carry further the cause of Christ.  But this is a gathering.  This is not the end all, be all.  Gathering is only part of the equation.  And I think that we have gotten comfortable with gathering only because it makes us feel like we are doing what we should do – it is a box to check off on our holy list.

    But what if gathering is to prepare us for something more?  What if we have been taught how to worship and now we are being called out to worship in the world?  What if we have been given what we need to go out and serve?  What if we are being called to live for Christ as a unified body that isn’t in a building right this moment?  What if we are so worried about not gathering in a building because it is the only time we serve?   Could it be that we have been called out for times like these?  Could it be that we have been equipped to be God’s people right here and right now?  Could it be that we are to serve faithfully until we gather again?  And might we be changed when we do gather to value serving in and out of the building?  Maybe it will make us uncomfortable enough that we don’t get too comfortable when we return to the building.  That might just be an important gift in it all.

    The writer of Ephesians helps us to understand that in knowing Christ better, our heart is enlightened, we are given hope, and we are given a spirit of revelation and wisdom.  We have been given what we need.  Are we serving with a heart for Christ?  Are we filled with hope?  Do we live in wisdom?

    We are in this together, church.  And I mean more than Trinity.  I mean THE church.  We are all in this together.  We have been given all the gifts we need.  We have been strengthened for service.  We have been given courage to do as Christ calls.  Until we can safely gather in this building, it does not mean you are free from being the church – unless you feel that being in this building is the only time you are a follower of Christ.  You are actually given a great responsibility to seek to serve in this time.  You are called to encourage, pray, study, and above all else – love like never before – not from a comfy pew but out in a world that is starving for Christ.

    We will gather again in a building…and when we do, I pray that God has so filled us with his power that we are even more eager to go back out.  I pray that our pews are no longer comfortable and our worship reminds us that we are in this together, for Christ.  When we return, I pray we return changed, challenged, and called.

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  • In Secret – Devotion 35

    Do good in secret.  Don’t let anyone know what you are doing.  Keep it to yourself.  Not even the recipient needs to know what you are doing.  Just go about doing good.  The point is not the recognition, it is the love that is shared – secretly.  Just do good.

    These are the lessons I receive as I read Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 6.  These sound so easy.  Just do good.  But for some many, these are really challenging words.  It isn’t the fact of doing good.  Most of us want to help others.  We want to do what we can to lift someone else up.  The issue isn’t the giving so much as it is the secret part.  We are not accustomed to this.  We are taught to put tags on gifts with the ‘from’ and ‘to’ sections filled out.  We are brought up to put our names on things that we donate.  It is important for us to have recognition for the good things that we do.  It helps us to feel better about what we have done.  If nobody knows what we have done, why do we do it?  Some even give so that they can receive recognition.  So the thought of doing this in secret is mind blowing.

    Yet, Jesus calls us to live differently.  He calls us to do things without any fanfare.  He asks us to give because we have been given so much.  He asks us to love our neighbor because it is an outpouring of love from God.  We are called to release the treasures of this earth for treasures that mean so much more.  Jesus calls us to give and the reward will be from him.  Nothing else needed.  No one has to know.  You give from the heart as he taught and only he has to know.

    Things might look a little different if we begin to live this out.  We might even find that there is so much more joy in giving secretly than we would have ever realized.  It just might be that giving secretly brings us closer to Jesus.  And, who knows, it might loosen our grip on this world’s treasures.

    Today, find a way to give in secret.  It doesn’t have to be big or extravagant.  It only has to be from your heart.  Give in such a way that only God knows it was you that gave.  It just might change the life of someone else (and you).

    Focus Scripture:

    Matthew 6:1-4

    6 “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

    2 “So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

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    Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery