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Glimpses of Grace Daily Devotion for November 14,2017

” Whenever I come into this place I feel the Presence of God,” someone said to me a few years ago as she walked to a yoga class. Often she would quietly sit in the sanctuary after class.

We need a sense of Awe in our lives. Especially in times like now. We need a sense of the Holy to keep us grounded, to remind us that we are the creature not the Creator.

Sometimes this sense of the Holy, this sense of Awe comes at seemingly serendipitous times like the first time a new parent feels the breath of their child upon the cheek or when we see a loved one pass peacefully from this Existence into the next. One moment they are here and the next, they are somewhere where we have yet to go. Such moments are a glimpse of grace if only we had the eyes to see.

Lord, I am surrounded by Your grace. Awaken me to a sense of Wonder and Awe so that I can see the Holy in my midst. Amen.

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Glimpses of Grace Daily Devotion for November 12,2017

My 8 year old grandson recently asked if he could light one of our scented candles. As I went to get a lighter he stopped me. “I want to use a match.” “Have you ever used a match?” I asked. “No.” “Well you cannot light a candle or a match without some adult around.” “I know.” 

Remembering when I was 8 years old, I retrieved a book of matches. “You have to be careful because you can easily burn yourself. If you do, it’ll sting for a couple of days.” He nodded and tried to strike the match. On his fourth try and third match, success! As he brought the match to the candle wick he burnt his finger. He quickly blew out the match and set it down. A couple of seconds later I heard water running in a sink. I went to investigate what was happening and saw him holding his finger under the water. 

“Using cold water?” I asked. He nodded. “Let me see your finger.” No mark or redness but I could tell that he wanted to cry. “It’s okay to cry, you know. If something hurts you can cry.” And he did. 

In his first letter to the Thessalonians Paul wrote to a grieving community of faith, “We would not have you ignorant, brothers and sister, lest you should grieve for your loved ones who have died as those who have no hope…” Paul did not tell the community not to grieve. If something hurts, it’s okay to cry. But our tears are not those of hopelessness for Death cannot have the last word for we who take Jesus seriously. We are an Easter people! 

“Tears may tarry for the night,” the Psalmist wrote, “but joy comes in the morning.” In your night of tears may you look forward to the morning and see a glimpse of grace. 

Lord God, sometime life simply hurts. Bless my tears and the tears of those who weep, no matter what the cause. Give us a vision that sees beyond this world of sight and sound so that we can catch glimpses of the eternal. Amen. 

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Glimpses of Grace Daily Devotion for November 12,2017

My 8 year old grandson recently asked if he could light one of our scented candles. As I went to get a lighter he stopped me. “I want to use a match.” “Have you ever used a match?” I asked. “No.” “Well you cannot light a candle or a match without some adult around.” “I know.” 

Remembering when I was 8 years old, I retrieved a book of matches. “You have to be careful because you can easily burn yourself. If you do, it’ll sting for a couple of days.” He nodded and tried to strike the match. On his fourth try and third match, success! As he brought the match to the candle wick he burnt his finger. He quickly blew out the match and set it down. A couple of seconds later I heard water running in a sink. I went to investigate what was happening and saw him holding his finger under the water. 

“Using cold water?” I asked. He nodded. “Let me see your finger.” No mark or redness but I could tell that he wanted to cry. “It’s okay to cry, you know. If something hurts you can cry.” And he did. 

In his first letter to the Thessalonians Paul wrote to a grieving community of faith, “We would not have you ignorant, brothers and sister, lest you should grieve for your loved ones who have died as those who have no hope…” Paul did not tell the community not to grieve. If something hurts, it’s okay to cry. But our tears are not those of hopelessness for Death cannot have the last word for we who take Jesus seriously. We are an Easter people! 

“Tears may tarry for the night,” the Psalmist wrote, “but joy comes in the morning.” In your night of tears may you look forward to the morning and see a glimpse of grace. 

Lord God, sometime life simply hurts. Bless my tears and the tears of those who weep, no matter what the cause. Give us a vision that sees beyond this world of sight and sound so that we can catch glimpses of the eternal. Amen. 

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Glimpses of Grace Daily Devotion for November 11, 2017

A World War One Monument in a Church of Scotland churchyard, Melrose, Scotland. 

11.11.11

For one generation those numbers are as memorable as 11.22.63 for another and 9.11 are to still new generations. 

11.11.11 stands for the 11th hour of the 11th day in the 11th month; the time when an armistice ended “the war to end all wars”.  Unfortunately that hope was not realized as lessons from the past we’re not taken to heart and new generations had to learn again for themselves. 

On a recent trip to Scotland I was struck by the silent monuments that rose from the earth in nearly every church yard and town square, silent remembrances of those who died in The Great War. It is said that a whole generation was lost.  The world was forever changed as humanity began to see, really see, the depth of humanity’s inhumanity. 

When I was a school-child November 11th was still called “Armistice Day”, marking the end of that great conflict. That is no longer the case. Poppies are still worn, but with new generations the date has slowly morphed into “Veterans’ Day”. There are still parades, but they are much smaller now. 

Today I will remember not only the veterans who served with honor as well as the active duty military personnel and their families. But I will also prayerfully read and reflect upon the vision of the ancient prophet Isaiah.

And God shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:4). Amen. 

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Glimpses of Grace Daily Devotion for November 11, 2017

The Church is like a lighthouse in shining in the dark. 


257 steps from ground to balcony. This is equivalent to climbing a 12 story building. The guidebooks say that it is a strenuous climb. 

I’m talking about the Cape Hatteras lighthouse on the outer banks of North Carolina. A few years ago I climbed to the balcony of the lighthouse. The view was amazing. There is a picture of the lighthouse, painted by an aunt, hanging above the desk in my office. I have it there to remind me what it means to be a group of people who decide to take Jesus seriously, to encourage each other to live Another way, the Jesus Way. 

Lighthouses warn ships of danger in the night. Jesus called those who would walk in His Way—the way of Truth and Life—to be a light to the world warning people of the dangers inherent in the world’s values. He never called His followers to be comfortable in their homes, church buildings or country clubs.  

Jesus continuously challenges us to go where He went and to touch those whom He touched. We “give themselves away” and in order to find “our very selves”. 

Only the Church is called the Body of Christ here on earth. When we live into our call we become tiny glimpses of Grace. 

Lord, make me Your instrument. Send me where You will to do what You would have me do. May I find my true self in serving You. Amen. 

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Glimpses of Grace Daily Devotion for November 11, 2017

The Church is like a lighthouse shining in the dark. 


257 steps from ground to balcony. This is equivalent to climbing a 12 story building. The guidebooks say that it is a strenuous climb. 

I’m talking about the Cape Hatteras lighthouse on the outer banks of North Carolina. A few years ago I climbed to the balcony of the lighthouse. The view was amazing. There is a picture of the lighthouse, painted by an aunt, hanging above the desk in my office. I have it there to remind me what it means to be a group of people who decide to take Jesus seriously, to encourage each other to live Another way, the Jesus Way. 

Lighthouses warn ships of danger in the night. Jesus called those who would walk in His Way–the way of Truth and Life–to be a light to the world warning people of the dangers inherent in the world’s values. He never called His followers to be comfortable in their homes, church buildings or country clubs.  

Jesus continuously challenges us to go where He went and to touch those whom He touched. We “give themselves away” and in order to find “our very selves”. 

Only the Church is called the Body of Christ here on earth. When we live into our call we become tiny glimpses of Grace. 

Lord, make me Your instrument. Send me where You will to do what You would have me do. May I find my true self in serving You. Amen. 

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Glimpses of Grace Daily Devotion for November 7, 2017

“Forrest in his element…back at the Williamsburg church”


It’s nice to be remembered. 

Over 20 years ago I served as the minister of a smaller church in eastern Iowa. As a part of their 100th anniversary celebration I was humbled to be invited to deliver the morning message and to co-officiate at the sacrament of communion. 

As I began to greet people before the severice I found myself chocking with emotion. This surprised me. I’m not a very emotional person. And I began to fear that it would happen again when I began to speak. It did. Those people

Came into my life at the right time and touched me in ways that still resonate today.  It is good to be remembered. It is better to be well thought of, too, especially as a person who invested fully in others. 

Every day we are writing the pages of how we will be remembered, our obituary,  if you will. When we touch the life of another without guile or thought of self, we make a deposit into Eternity’s bank. I speak a lot about love and service and respect and kindness because I believe those things to be the building blocks of God’s Kingdom. Each are a glimpse of grace.

Lord God, help me invest my life wisely in those things that are eternal significance. Amen. 

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Glimpes of Grace Daily Devotion for November 3, 2017

A couple of days ago was my mother’s 89th birthday. She joined the Church Triumphant some twelve years ago. 

The apostle John wrote on the island of Patmos,  Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. (Revelation 14:13)

Prudence Gourguechon, from the American Psychoanalytic Association, observed that  “What we sometimes call an ordinary, devoted mother” establishes a foundation on which critical personal and emotional architecture can be built. “The capacity to trust. A sense of security versus insecurity. Knowing what’s real and what’s not real. Your mother helps you identify your feelings and develop a cognitive structure …. I think it’s fair to say that the capacity for empathy develops through your maternal relationship.”

I’ve often said that the difference between the way a mother and a father see their child is that a mother sees the possibilities of who we can become while a father sees the reality of who we are. We need both, a Dream and Reality, Roots and Wings. 

As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted*, the prophet told Jerusalem. A promise given to us, too. A promise that is a glimpse of grace. 

Lord, for all of our mothers and those so treated us as a precious child, we say, “Thank you”. Amen. 

*Isaiah 66:13

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Glimpes of Grace Daily Devotion for November 3, 2017

A couple of days ago was my mother’s 89th birthday. She joined the Church Triumphant some twelve years ago. 

The apostle John wrote on the island of Patmos,  Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. (Revelation 14:13)

Prudence Gourguechon, from the American Psychoanalytic Association, observed that  “What we sometimes call an ordinary, devoted mother” establishes a foundation on which critical personal and emotional architecture can be built. “The capacity to trust. A sense of security versus insecurity. Knowing what’s real and what’s not real. Your mother helps you identify your feelings and develop a cognitive structure …. I think it’s fair to say that the capacity for empathy develops through your maternal relationship.”

I’ve often said that the difference between the way a mother and a father see their child is that a mother sees the possibilities of who we can become while a father sees the reality of who we are. We need both, a Dream and Reality, Roots and Wings. 

As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted*, the prophet told Jerusalem. A promise given to us, too. A promise that is a glimpse of grace. 

Lord, for all of our mothers and those so treated us as a precious child, we say, “Thank you”. Amen. 

*Isaiah 66:13

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Glimpses of Grace Daily Devotion for November 1, 2017

For All the Saints 


“For all the saints who from their labors rest, Who Thee by faith before the world confess, Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest, Alleluia! Alleluia”

For many followers of Jesus, today is “All Saints’ Day”, a day set aside to remember the faithful who went before us. For me it is a day of reflection as I think of the individuals know longer with us; those who touched my life and helped mold me into the person I am today. 

There was, of course, my parents who sacrificed much, said prayers with me every night of my childhood, and gave me unconditional love. A grandfather who chewed Day’s Work plug tobacco as he pushed me on a swing and another who would sneak chocolate covered raisins to me as we laid down for a nap. A coach who challenged me, Sunday school teachers who didn’t laugh at me when I stuttered as well as a minister who prayed for me and once spoke about a “vision.” 

There were so many others. Each was a glimpse of grace. I know that you had them, too. Pause for a moment today, in the spirit of gratitude, and remember their touch–God’s touch–on your life. 

“O blest communion, fellowship divine, We feebly struggle, they in glory shine; Yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine.” Thank you for showing me the way. Amen. 

From the hymn, “For All the Saints” 

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