Category Archives: Uncategorized

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

Glimpses of Grace Daily Devotion for July 5, 2017

Devotional Text: Luke 23: 1-12

Text:  And when (Pilate) learned that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was in fact in Jerusalem at that time. (v. 7)

Passing the buck. Not taking responsibility. Letting someone else do it. All far too common occurrences today.  In another gospel Pilate ceremonially washes his hands when he’s afraid to do what he believes to be right. He was afraid of the crowd, of being unpopular. (Matthew 27:24)

Buck passing is as old as Eden. When God asked Adam if he ate of the forbidden fruit, Adam answered by passing the buck to Eve saying, “The woman YOU gave me, made me do it.” In other words, it was God’s fault! Eve, in turn, blamed the serpent. And so it went and goes today.

In what we refer to as The Sermon on the Mount Jesus said “let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no’.” (Matthew 5:37) Take responsibility. Admit when you are wrong. Confess your sin because by not doing any of these things we are simply fooling ourselves, “and the truth is not in us.” (I John 1:8)

When we live into our call, though, we become truer reflections of the image of God.

Lord God, give me the courage to take responsibility and not make excuses. When I am tempted to “fudge” the truth or “pass the buck”, remind me of Jesus’ example and teachings. Amen. 

Standard
Christian, devotion, faith, Humble Humility, Presbyterian Church (USA), Psalms, Uncategorized, United Church of Christ (UCC)

Glimpses of Grace Daily Devotion for July 4, 2017

Devotional Reading from the Daily Common Lectionary: Psalm 46

Text: Put not your trust in princes, in whom there is no help. When they die and return to earth, their dreams die with them. (vvs. 3&4)

An international company in the city where I grew up started to build a new factory but a year or two into the project the global economy changed. Construction halted and only a steel skeleton stood against the sky, a silent witness to a plan that never came to life.

This text has been one of my guiding principles in life. It applies to me and to others. It keeps me humble and helps me avoid putting too much hope in any one individual or having too much confidence in myself. It has reminded me that I do not truly own anything in this life. No one or thing is truly “mine”. It reminds me that there is only one Savior, and it isn’t you or me. These are good things for us to keep in mind.

On this national holiday as we commemorate the “birth” of a nation, we can celebrate and, at times mourn, our collective history, but we must also remember that it is “in God we trust.”

Lord, thank you for all that You have given to us. Make us responsible trustees of this portion of Your estate during our short time in this world. Show us how to pass on to those who follow us a better world than the one we inherited. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

reminds me who God is and who I am.

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

Glimpses of Grace Daily Devotion for July 3, 2017

Devotional Reading: Luke 22: 52-62

Text: …but Peter was following at a distance. (vs. 54b)

I once read that the problem with many Christians is that they have been inoculated with the faith; they have been exposed to Christianity just enough not to catch a full-blown case. I refer to these people as “cultural Christians”. In either case, we follow Jesus up to a point; up to the point of finding Jesus hard.

In that way we are a lot like Peter, following Jesus from a distance. When getting too close to Jesus is uncomfortable, we back away. We keep silent in the face of jokes that denigrate others, let alone abuse them. We look the other way and pretend that we do not see the injustice in our midst.  We hope that someone else will do something because we are afraid to do anything. We use prayer as a shield against involvement. In a thousand and one different ways, like Peter, we deny Jesus.

The story of Peter does not end with his following at a distance. Jesus knew that Peter’s faith was weak or less than mature, to be kind. He came to Peter again after the Resurrection. He continues to come to us again and again, always calling, always encouraging and always prodding through the circumstances of our lives to become stronger disciples.

Lord, do not give up on me even when I give up on You. Let me hear Your Voice continually in my faith journey until at the very end I hear your whisper saying “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Amen.

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

Glimpses of Grace Daily Devotion for July 2, 2017

Devotional Reading: Matthew 21: 23-32

Text: “Which of the two sons did the will of his father?” (v. 31)

What drives your crazier; a person who says that they will do something but never gets around to doing it OR, someone who says that they won’t do something but does it anyway?

Years ago I read a short essay that said the neighborhood bar is often more “Christian” than the neighborhood church. Go into any neighborhood bar and you will probably see somewhere a can for donations that will go to someone in need. Go to most neighborhood churches and will you find that before any special offering can be taken it first has to go through a committee or two and a board.  The neighborhood bar just wants to know if anyone knows the person needing assistance but the church wants to do a background check to make sure that the person is worthy.

Jesus’ in today’s reading is to those who questioned His authority to do the things that He did. He replied with a common situation. A father asks his two sons to do something. One son says he will but never gets around to it and other son says that he won’t but actually does what the father asked.  Which one did the will of the father?

To say that we are a follower of Jesus or to say that we will take Jesus seriously but not to use His teachings as our North Star is to be like the first brother. The neighborhood bar makes no pretense of following Jesus. The church, though, sings about Jesus and hears talks about how Jesus wants us to live but often there is little evidence that anything ever comes of it.

Taking Jesus seriously means, taking Jesus seriously. In the New Testament Letter of James the writer said that faith without works is dead. In other words, don’t tell me what you believe; show me what you believe. Your actions speak louder than all of your words.

Lord, show me Your will but more importantly move me to do it for I am weak. Let me be a light of Your Love revealed in Jesus in this world that has way too much darkness in it. Amen.

Standard
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.

Standard
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.

Standard
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.

Standard
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.

Standard
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.

Standard
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.

Standard