Category Archives: Christian

Christian, devotion, faith, Luke, Gospel of, Prayer, Presbyterian Church (USA), Uncategorized, United Church of Christ (UCC)

Glimpses of Grace for July 1, 2017

Devotional Reading from the Daily Common Lectionary: Luke 22: 39-51

Test; Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from ye; yet not my will but yours be done. (vs. 42, bold is writer’s emphasis)

Many of you are familiar with the ACTS prayer: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication. In teaching new people to take Jesus seriously I add an additional S; Submission. Submission is the most difficult part of the prayer.

It is relatively easy to offer petitions of Adoration to God, especially when we consider the blessings, both great and small, that we have received in a given day or in our lifetime. Confession is a bit harder because, especially in our culture today, we do not like to admit that we did something wrong. We see confession of guilt or error as a sign of weakness. But, if we remember Paul’s insight into the human condition, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Confession becomes a bit easier. Thanksgiving, like Adoration is easy if we just take the time to count our blessings, as the old hymn says, “one by one.” And we are experts at Supplication. We’ve been doing it from childhood and became embolden upon Santa’s knee when he asked, “What do you want for Christmas?” Yes, we are experts at these four petitions.

But Submission, well that is another story. This is the hardest petition because we are asking God to do His will even at our expense. And yet, Submission is at the very heart of Jesus’ prayer in the Garden before His crucifixion.“If it be possible,” He prayed, “let this cup pass from my lips; but not My will but Thy will be done.” 

Can you trust in the Goodness of God even if you do not get what you pray for? Can you trust in God’s Grace even if your dreams, plans and desires go unfulfilled? This is the true test of discipleship, of taking Jesus seriously? It is to pray at Jesus prayed, “not My will but Thy will be done.”

I do not know if your can or can not but I do know this, I continue to struggle. And in the struggle, I’m getting a little better.

Lord, despite all of my wishes and prayers, not my will buy Thy will be done. Amen.

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Christian, devotion, Presbyterian Church (USA), Psalms, Uncategorized, United Church of Christ (UCC)

Glimpses of Grace Daily Devotion for June 30, 2017

Devotional Reading from the Daily Common Lectionary: Psalm 130 (a morning psalm)

Text: My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning.

The movie “Groundhog Day” is about a self-centered reporter who wakes up to the same day over and over and over again until he “gets it right”; until he becomes a truly “nice guy”. Of course he was helped along in this “spiritual” journey by falling in love with a beautiful woman. At some point in the movie, though, he looked forward to the day being over so that he could “start again”.

Sometimes you just can’t wait for a day to be over. Things did not go well, or at least as you had planned and hoped. You watch the clock because all you really want to do is wait until bedtime so that you can put this day in the proverbial “history books”.

I’m not sure what was going on in the psalmist mind when the 130th Psalm was written but the writer began with words of thanksgiving for God willingness to hear our prayers. This is followed by a sense of gratitude for God’s continuing forgiveness of our “iniquities”. The Psalmist closed by reminding himself, and the reader, of God’s hope which is new every morning.

Maybe that is why this was selected as a morning Psalm. Yesterday is a memory from which we can learn. Tomorrow is a hope to lead us forward. But Today is the only thing that is “real”. Make the most of it.

Lord, thank you for Your forgiveness and for loving me enough to listen to my thoughts and prayers. Lead me through this day and when it draws to a close, let me one again confess my iniquities and take comfort in the fact that You watch over me all through the night. Amen.

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Christian, devotion, faith, Presbyterian Church (USA), Uncategorized, United Church of Christ (UCC)

Glimpses of Grace Daily Devotion for June 29, 2017

Devotional Reading from the Daily Common Lectionary: I Samuel 8: 1-22

Text: But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; they said, “No! We are determined to have a king over us, so that we may be like other nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles.” (vs. 19-20)

Be careful what you wish for…you may just get it…in spades!

The people wanted a change. They told the prophet Samuel that he was getting too old and that his sons were corrupt. Well, he knew that latter and resented the former.

The people wanted a king who would fight their battles. They wanted to be like everyone else. Where else have we heard the lament; “Everyone else is doing it!” Ah, yes, from our own mouths and the lips of our children.

God told Samuel not to take it personally. The people were not rejecting him but God. Samuel warned Israel that they did not know what they were asking for. He explained what having a king meant in the starkest of terms but it didn’t make any difference. So God gave them a king, and things went from bad to worse.

Life lessons: It’s not always about leadership; sometimes it’s about followership. Some things can only be learned through experience. No one else can fight your battles. Trusting God’s Providential is hard. Trusting the God knows best is even harder. Be careful that in the pursuit of success that we do not lose our soul…or our heart in the process.

Lord, give me a heart of wisdom and understanding today. Let me not seek easy answers or dangerous shortcuts that cut me off from experiencing Your gracious mercy. Amen.

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Christian, devotion, Luke, Gospel of, Presbyterian Church (USA), Uncategorized, United Church of Christ (UCC)

Glimpses of Grace Daily Devotion for June 28, 2017

Devotional Reading from the Daily Common Lectionary: Luke 22: 14-23

Text: Then the disciples began to ask one another which one of them it could be who would betray Jesus. (v. 23)

I learned a long time ago not to say in a judgmental tone, “I’d never do that!” or “That’s the one thing that I’d avoid!” God, you see, has a deliciously humbling sense of humor that always places me in a position of doing that which I say I wouldn’t do or wish to avoid.

Today’s reading is from Jesus’ “Last Supper” with the disciples. He breaks the bread and lifts the cup before telling the 12 that one of them will betray Him. They begin to ask each other who it is. I can imagine the scene. Can’t you?

The most fascinating thing about this story is that none of the disciples don’t know who it is! In other words, each of them was capable of betrayal! No one were sure of either their faith or their loyalty!

I believe that that is true of us, too. Each one of us can betray Jesus in a thousand little way by the things that we say or think, do or fail to do. We can be very poor reflections of the Master.

When we become so confident of our ability to follow the teachings of Jesus we need to remember to be a little humble–or very humble, for that matter. After all, we have a lot to be humble about!

Lord God, give me a humble heart and a teachable spirit. You are the Creator and I am but the creature. May I always remember that distinction. Amen.

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Christian, devotion, Prayer, Presbyterian Church (USA), Uncategorized, United Church of Christ (UCC)

Glimpses of Grace Daily Devotion for June 27, 2017

Devotional Text: Psalm 30 (an evening Psalm)

Text: I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up, and did not let my foes rejoice over me. (v. 1)

Sometimes the day simply gets away from you. The night before you set your plans but then … then the proverbial train goes off of the track. So as I write today’s entry my day is drawing to a close. On my To Do list for today, THIS is the only thing that I will be able to complete. That is not to say that my day was not a good day. I did not get to do what I planned but I did what God planned. Of that I am certain because in my morning prayer I gave today to God.

So often we view the unscheduled occurrences of the day as “interruptions”. But they are not interruptions, at all. They are “God Moments”. I think that it was Thomas Aquinas who once observed that “Man proposes; God disposes”.

So, after I say my prayers tonight, I will praise God for bringing me safely through another day. There will be a tomorrow, and I cannot help but wonder what surprises God has in store for me.

May that be true of you, too.

Lord, I praise you for you led me through another day. Complete what I left undone, repair whatever I did in error and bless me sleep. Amen.

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Christian, devotion, Luke, Gospel of, Presbyterian Church (USA), Uncategorized, United Church of Christ (UCC)

Glimpses of Grace Daily Devotion for June, 26, 2017

Devotional Reading from the Daily Common Lectionary: Luke 21: 29-36

Text: Guard your hearts lest you be weighed down with busy work and worry. (v. 34)

Often someone I am asked if I’ve had a “busy” day. My standard reply is “Yes, but I’m just not sure if it was productive!” Frankly, that statement is truer than I wish to admit. We can become so busy with the “urgent” matters of life that we neglect the truly “important” things.

Jesus cautioned His disciples to learn a lesson from nature. When they saw leaves sprout they knew that summer was near. We recognize the changing of seasons by what is going on around us in nature. How is it that we miscalculate the changing seasons of life?

The Master went on to tell His disciples to “be alert” and to pray for strength so that they could avoid getting sucked into dancing to other people’s tunes or fall into the trap of being unproductive.

I find it helpful to begin the day with a time of prayer, asking for God’s guidance in all of the day’s planning and decisions.  Then I ask myself throughout the day if what I am about to do is the best use of the limited time that God has given to me.  This is not an effective tool, but it does help me recognize life’s traps.

Lord God, throughout today, help me to avoid the water-weight of “busyness” so that I may focus on the truly important things of this life. Amen.

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Christian, devotion, Luke, Gospel of, Presbyterian Church (USA), Uncategorized, United Church of Christ (UCC)

Glimpses of Grace Daily Devotion for June 25, 2017

Devotional Reading from the Daily Common Lectionary: James 1: 1-18

Text: If any of you lacks wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given to you. (v. 5)

On a wall in my office there is a print given to me by my brother-in-law nearly ten years ago. It is entitled “Wise Angel” and on the back of the print he wrote, “To our family’s wise angel”. Of course it touched my heart and found a place on my wall.blog picture

Through years of leading bible studies and preparing sermons I have come to the realization that prayer, conscious or unconscious, intentional or unintentional, is at the center of life. And I have learned that there are five prayers which will always be answered. They are prayers for the Holy Spirit, for Courage, for God’s will, for Strength and for Wisdom.

The Epistle of James, which I call “Practical Christianity 101”, begins by encouraging us to pray for Wisdom. Wisdom is not the same thing as knowledge or I.Q. Wisdom looks below the surface of a situation. Wisdom is humble enough to know what we do not know. Wisdom is that sudden seemingly serendipitous insight that Solomon had in the story of the two mothers. (See I Kings 3: 16-28 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+3%3A16-28&version=CEV)

I do not know who will read this Glimpse but I do know this; I pray that whoever reads it will be given the gift of Wisdom.

Lord God, of all the things that we could ask for You to bestow upon us, we ask for wise and discerning hearts. To Your glory forever and ever. Amen.

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Christian, devotion, Presbyterian Church (USA), Uncategorized, United Church of Christ (UCC)

Glimpses of Grace Daily Devotion for June 24, 2017

Devotional Reading from the Daily Common Lectionary: Acts 4: 32-5:11

Text: There was not a needy person among them, … (v. 34a)

Years ago Robert Fulghum wrote a little poem and then a book of essays entitled “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.” The first two lessons are, “Share everything” and “Play fair.” Very basic. Very simple. Very hard.

Taking Jesus seriously is paradoxically very simple and very hard. C. K. Chesterton once wrote that “It’s not that Christianity has been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.” 

Today’s devotional reading is the story of how hard it is to live in a Jesus community.  The earliest followers of Jesus  took Him seriously and shared everything that they had so that no one was without. And those who received were not deceptive. They, too, shared  and did their fair share. Greed and selfishness had not yet entered the picture. The community knew the difference between “enough” and “more.” There is a difference between “want” and “need”. The latter is the child of Greed.

But all of that came to an end with Ananias and his wife Sapphira. Like Israel in the wilderness they did not trust God to provide. They did not really believe that God could provide “daily bread.” So they lied. They hid assets and passed themselves off as “holier than thou.” They didn’t have to do this. Nor do we.

Our challenge challenge is to learn the apostle Paul’s secret. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing.  I am able to do all things through the One who strengthens me. (Philippians 4: 11-13)

Lord, teach me to the secret of contentment in You. Let me be a blessing to others and to You. Amen.

 

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Christian, devotion, faith, Love, Luke, Gospel of, Presbyterian Church (USA), Uncategorized, United Church of Christ (UCC)

Glimpses of Grace Daily Devotion for June 23, 2017

Devotional Reading from the Daily Common Lectionary: Luke 21: 5-19

Text: (Jesus said to the disciples as they admired the beauty and permanence of the Temple) “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.” (v. 6)

I slipped though a cautionary gate and step inside the old church. The windows were broken. The pews and chancel furniture were gone. Weather and neglect allowed to plaster and paint fall from the walls. It was a shell of its former glory, yet I could sense that it was a holy place, sanctified through years of prayer and sacrament.  And still, it would soon be gone.

Jesus words to the disciples reflected a reality that would ultimately contribute to His crucifixion. The things of this world, even the biggest and strongest and most beautiful, do not last forever. Eventually everything that we hold on so tightly in life will be in an estate sale or carried out with the trash. The grandest of monuments eventually weather and are forgotten before passing into dust.

So what is forever? Love. Only God’s love is eternal. Only the love that we give and receive live into eternity. So tell someone that you love them. Cut someone a little slack. Forgive the one who hurt you. Do not let yourself be captive to the Past or drawn to a Future that is not yet. Live in this Moment for this is the only true moment that we have. Maybe that is why the Present is precious.

Lord, this is a day that You have made. Let me be glad and rejoice in it. Teach me to love and to forgive and celebrate the present moment. And when this day draws to a close, grant to me a restful sleep. Amen.

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Christian, devotion, Luke, Gospel of, Presbyterian Church (USA), Uncategorized, United Church of Christ (UCC)

Glimpses of Grace for June 22, 2017

Devotional Reading from the Daily Common Lectionary: Luke 20: 41-21:4

Text: (Jesus said), “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them” (v.4)

In considering a call to a particular church someone asked me, “If this church didn’t have their building, would they still be a church?” The question behind the question was simple: “Does this congregation worship the edifice more than the Savior?”

The story of the “widow’s mite” in today’s reading is really about misplaced spiritual loyalties. Jesus had just criticized the teachers in the Jerusalem Temple for being in love with their positions of honor and privilege and being keepers of the Temple at the expense of fulfilling their true purpose. They were so in love with the status quo that they willingly and knowingly took advantage of the poorest among them, like the poor widow.

On a different occasion Jesus told His disciples that no one can serve two masters. We can only have one North Star, one guiding principle, one ultimate loyalty. We have to be careful not to confuse our positions or possessions with the One who owns all things and in Whose Hands all positions are ultimately held.

Lord, give me a wise heart and a discerning mind, lest I lose sight of you and the things that are really important in this world. Amen. 

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