Psalm 33:3 Play his praise on a grand piano! Invent your own new song to him; give him a trumpet fanfare. (The Message)
Psalm 33 is a praise song. It talks about making music with harps, trumpets ten-stringed lyres and choirs. Even the last verse in Psalm 32 says to Celebrate God. Sing together-everyone!
All I can think of is my youngest grandchildren, Natalee and Jacob. They love music of all kinds, they love to dance and sing and sometimes get all silly when they listen to certain songs.
During our praise songs at church, both of them will tilt their heads side to side, wave their arms, turn around in circles, clap their hands and at the end of the song, will yell, yeaaaaa!!!! Then ask for 'more'? They absolutely love the music.
Jacob has a Veggie Tales CD of Easter songs and has two favorites, 'The Easter Cow' and 'Christ the Lord is Risen Today', (totally opposite of each other). What he likes about 'Christ the Lord is Risen Today' is the part where they sing the hallelujah word. That word is stuck to him and on Easter when he heard the congregation start to sing it, he had the biggest smile his face could hold.
He sang the words hallelujah loud, almost yelling and focused on our pastor and followed his lead. Now Jacob can't carry a tune and he doesn't know the words to any songs, but at two, he doesn't care. He sings because he likes to and does it with enthusiasm.
The children in our churchs are watching us, all of us, not just the parents or the grandparents, everyone in the congregation. They watch to see how God is praised, they see if we are excited and belt out our songs or whether we have the mundane, oh well-have to sing-get it over with, attitude.
The Book of Psalms has many places where we are told to 'make a joyful noise unto the Lord'. Our hearts should be filled with songs of praise every day because God is a solid and good and faithful and loving God.
Nancy
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
1 Corinthians 13:11
1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. (NIV)
I was looking at some pictures of my grandchildren earlier this week and thought how quickly they are growing up. I have one in kindergarten all ready and that is hard to believe.
When Rebecca was somewhere between the ages 7-10, she told me she was never going to leave home. She liked her life and was going to stay here forever. Well, that changed as the next phase came into play. She decided she was going to marry Prince William, raise chimps (not children) and live in England with an airstrip in her backyard so she could fly (as the pilot) wherever and whenever she wanted. She even asked me if I minded if she became a resident of England. Life was good. She had it all planned.
Then the last of her childhood aspirations happened. She wanted to become an airline pilot. She knew it wasn't going to be with the Air Force Academy, but it would be directly with British Air.
As a little girl, Bec talked and thought and reasoned like a child. Now she is an adult woman, married, has two children and another on the way. All her childish thoughts have gone by the wayside, all in the past. She has matured and life is good.
As children, we are childish in our thoughts about God as well. The song, 'Jesus Loves Me' is taught to us and some of us never grow beyond that. God wants us to learn more about him so we will walk and talk like the mature person he commands us to be.
The people of Corinth had a reputation as unruly, hard-drinking and sexually promiscuous. Paul spent a year and a half, as their pastor, teaching them the 'good news' and showing them how to live the new life of salvation and holiness as a community of believers. (The Message)
No matter what the past is for each of us, knowing God will change us and we will mature and life will be good.
Nancy
I was looking at some pictures of my grandchildren earlier this week and thought how quickly they are growing up. I have one in kindergarten all ready and that is hard to believe.
When Rebecca was somewhere between the ages 7-10, she told me she was never going to leave home. She liked her life and was going to stay here forever. Well, that changed as the next phase came into play. She decided she was going to marry Prince William, raise chimps (not children) and live in England with an airstrip in her backyard so she could fly (as the pilot) wherever and whenever she wanted. She even asked me if I minded if she became a resident of England. Life was good. She had it all planned.
Then the last of her childhood aspirations happened. She wanted to become an airline pilot. She knew it wasn't going to be with the Air Force Academy, but it would be directly with British Air.
As a little girl, Bec talked and thought and reasoned like a child. Now she is an adult woman, married, has two children and another on the way. All her childish thoughts have gone by the wayside, all in the past. She has matured and life is good.
As children, we are childish in our thoughts about God as well. The song, 'Jesus Loves Me' is taught to us and some of us never grow beyond that. God wants us to learn more about him so we will walk and talk like the mature person he commands us to be.
The people of Corinth had a reputation as unruly, hard-drinking and sexually promiscuous. Paul spent a year and a half, as their pastor, teaching them the 'good news' and showing them how to live the new life of salvation and holiness as a community of believers. (The Message)
No matter what the past is for each of us, knowing God will change us and we will mature and life will be good.
Nancy
Friday, March 21, 2008
The Prayer Labyrinth
The Prayer Labyrinth
I had never heard of the prayer labyrinth, until I read in the church bulletin that we were invited to come to ubc to walk the prayer labyrinth on Maundy Thursday.
Maundy Thursday being a special day, I was very curious as to why this was a special event.
What the whole experience does is to help you relax, get centered and concentrate on God. Everything in the atmosphere said this is something Holy in order to commune and get closer to our Creator. All of it was beautiful; the incense, the candles, the music, the prayers and the labyrinth itself. I'm so glad I didn't miss it.
Part of what the handout that Hannah passed out suggests is: Prayer Walking: Walk through your home/church/community, pray in each room, for each house, on each block. Pray for what happens or just pray as you walk. Love, encourage, bear burdens, care accept, be kind, Live in harmony, forgive, be hospitable, honor, belong, be devoted to speak truthfully, teach, agree, look out, worship, lay down your lives, do not provoke, do not grumble against, do not envy...one another.
Another sentence in the handout says: Imagine you are in the catacombs of Rome in a time when Christianity is not valued. How can you live in it and follow Christ? This sentence struck me because we are able to come to a warm building with comfortable chairs and dont have to hide out in a cold catacomb. We are so blessed to be able to freely and without fear, walk into our church and worship using the Prayer Labyrinth, if we want to, making Maundy Thursday more meaningful.
I looked up some information on the prayer labyrinth for myself. A couple of things that the Wikipedia says are: the Prayer Labyrinth was adopted by the Church across Europe during the medieval times, being often used as a means to meditate, pray and connect with God in a higher spiritual way. Prayer Labyrinths were often viewed and modeled as a journey to Jerusalem and were even called Chemin de Jerusalem (Road of Jerusalem) serving as a spiritual pilgrimage for those who could not afford to travel to Jerusalem, the center of the world.
With the practice of walking the Prayer Labyrinth becoming popular again in contemporary Christianity, many Christian denominations from across the theological spectrum are again adopting the practice of walking the Prayer Labyrinth, with some churches opening their labyrinths to any pilgrim in need of contemplation and prayer, pointing out that the Prayer Labyrinth is not a maze and rather has one path on which one cannot get lost, serving a powerful symbol of individual life journeys and pilgrimage in faith.
Thank you Hannah for introducing us to the Prayer Labyrinth.
Sue
I had never heard of the prayer labyrinth, until I read in the church bulletin that we were invited to come to ubc to walk the prayer labyrinth on Maundy Thursday.
Maundy Thursday being a special day, I was very curious as to why this was a special event.
What the whole experience does is to help you relax, get centered and concentrate on God. Everything in the atmosphere said this is something Holy in order to commune and get closer to our Creator. All of it was beautiful; the incense, the candles, the music, the prayers and the labyrinth itself. I'm so glad I didn't miss it.
Part of what the handout that Hannah passed out suggests is: Prayer Walking: Walk through your home/church/community, pray in each room, for each house, on each block. Pray for what happens or just pray as you walk. Love, encourage, bear burdens, care accept, be kind, Live in harmony, forgive, be hospitable, honor, belong, be devoted to speak truthfully, teach, agree, look out, worship, lay down your lives, do not provoke, do not grumble against, do not envy...one another.
Another sentence in the handout says: Imagine you are in the catacombs of Rome in a time when Christianity is not valued. How can you live in it and follow Christ? This sentence struck me because we are able to come to a warm building with comfortable chairs and dont have to hide out in a cold catacomb. We are so blessed to be able to freely and without fear, walk into our church and worship using the Prayer Labyrinth, if we want to, making Maundy Thursday more meaningful.
I looked up some information on the prayer labyrinth for myself. A couple of things that the Wikipedia says are: the Prayer Labyrinth was adopted by the Church across Europe during the medieval times, being often used as a means to meditate, pray and connect with God in a higher spiritual way. Prayer Labyrinths were often viewed and modeled as a journey to Jerusalem and were even called Chemin de Jerusalem (Road of Jerusalem) serving as a spiritual pilgrimage for those who could not afford to travel to Jerusalem, the center of the world.
With the practice of walking the Prayer Labyrinth becoming popular again in contemporary Christianity, many Christian denominations from across the theological spectrum are again adopting the practice of walking the Prayer Labyrinth, with some churches opening their labyrinths to any pilgrim in need of contemplation and prayer, pointing out that the Prayer Labyrinth is not a maze and rather has one path on which one cannot get lost, serving a powerful symbol of individual life journeys and pilgrimage in faith.
Thank you Hannah for introducing us to the Prayer Labyrinth.
Sue
Mark 16:15
Mark 16:15 Go into the world. Go everywhere and announce the Message of God's good news to one and all. (The Message)
I've learned a couple of things this morning when I read this Scripture. First I learned that Mark 16:9-20 are only in later manuscripts and not the earlier Greek ones. I learned that when Jesus was speaking to his disciples in chapter 16:14-18, he was only speaking to 11 of them as Judas had committed suicide.
From a web site, I learned about St Patrick. I didn't know he was a missionary to Ireland and who went from being a slave to a person who preached God's Word.
His story starts at age 16 when he and a large number of his father's slaves were captured by Irish raiders and sold as slaves. He was forced to work as a shepherd in Ireland and suffered from hunger, cold, fear and loneliness. But as his fears increased, his faith increased.
Six years later, he escaped and returned to his family in Britain where he decided to devote himself to God. He entered the church and became both a deacon and a Bishop. He then went back to Ireland at age 22 (a missionary) because his greatest desire was to tell the Good News to the Irish.
Anyway, all this got me thinking. How many people suffer today? How many of them will continue to keep their faith during those times? How many of them will turn to God because of others witnessing to them?
Maybe the person whose hunger was taken care of by Mike at the bus station or the person who needed money and got some from Brian outside the store, are suffering like Patrick in the respect of being hungry, cold, lonely and fearful. Through Mike and Brian, God laid his hand on those men and I pray the men will see that somehow.
Mike and Brian were in the world and spread God's Word like Mark 16:15 says.
Nancy
I've learned a couple of things this morning when I read this Scripture. First I learned that Mark 16:9-20 are only in later manuscripts and not the earlier Greek ones. I learned that when Jesus was speaking to his disciples in chapter 16:14-18, he was only speaking to 11 of them as Judas had committed suicide.
From a web site, I learned about St Patrick. I didn't know he was a missionary to Ireland and who went from being a slave to a person who preached God's Word.
His story starts at age 16 when he and a large number of his father's slaves were captured by Irish raiders and sold as slaves. He was forced to work as a shepherd in Ireland and suffered from hunger, cold, fear and loneliness. But as his fears increased, his faith increased.
Six years later, he escaped and returned to his family in Britain where he decided to devote himself to God. He entered the church and became both a deacon and a Bishop. He then went back to Ireland at age 22 (a missionary) because his greatest desire was to tell the Good News to the Irish.
Anyway, all this got me thinking. How many people suffer today? How many of them will continue to keep their faith during those times? How many of them will turn to God because of others witnessing to them?
Maybe the person whose hunger was taken care of by Mike at the bus station or the person who needed money and got some from Brian outside the store, are suffering like Patrick in the respect of being hungry, cold, lonely and fearful. Through Mike and Brian, God laid his hand on those men and I pray the men will see that somehow.
Mike and Brian were in the world and spread God's Word like Mark 16:15 says.
Nancy
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Some Further Reflections
Nancy sent me this email following her devotion yesterday. I thought it was really important and asked for her permission to share it with you all. She agreed. So, if you haven't read her devotion of March 12, 2008 "John 15:12-13" scroll down to read that first.
David,
I've been thinking a lot about what I wrote for my devotion this morning and I think I've come to an understanding of what God wants me to do with this situation.
I know I can't separate my emotions from others and consequently I need to realize just how much I can help these people and to realize that my idea of 'reaching out' and God's probably are 100% not the same.
But I think he knows my limitations and will put others into their lives (as well as me) to help. I think I need to challenge myself in reaching out, but do it in stages. Not jumping in and ending up like where I am now, a confused mess.
I think I need to start with prayer for the both of them and go from there. I also pray starting with prayer will fulfill God's command for me to reach out and my desire to reach out. I know God understands my heart and will still love me and not leave me and I pray too that this relieves the pressure I've been struggling with for the past week and I can get above the line of where I am.
Like I said to Donna, I'm glad I'm not a counselor, I'd be no good at it. And I'm glad I'm not God as I'm no good at that either.
Nancy
David,
I've been thinking a lot about what I wrote for my devotion this morning and I think I've come to an understanding of what God wants me to do with this situation.
I know I can't separate my emotions from others and consequently I need to realize just how much I can help these people and to realize that my idea of 'reaching out' and God's probably are 100% not the same.
But I think he knows my limitations and will put others into their lives (as well as me) to help. I think I need to challenge myself in reaching out, but do it in stages. Not jumping in and ending up like where I am now, a confused mess.
I think I need to start with prayer for the both of them and go from there. I also pray starting with prayer will fulfill God's command for me to reach out and my desire to reach out. I know God understands my heart and will still love me and not leave me and I pray too that this relieves the pressure I've been struggling with for the past week and I can get above the line of where I am.
Like I said to Donna, I'm glad I'm not a counselor, I'd be no good at it. And I'm glad I'm not God as I'm no good at that either.
Nancy
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
John 15:12-13
John 15: 12-13 This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. (The Message)
Jesus was teaching this message to his disciples on his last night. Chapter 15 goes from a believers relationship with Jesus to the relationship with other believers and then to the relationship with nonbelievers in the world.
I thought about those three relationships and I think I do ok with the first two, but that third one is not an easy one. How many people do we meet every day who are hurting or needing someone to listen to them or just be there for them in some way? How many times do we stop to make a difference in their lives? Are we too busy to reach out?
Two women I know are examples for me. Both work at the same place and they don't like each other. One is a Christian and one claims there is no God. Both are seriously hurting for different reasons and both have different ways of coping with those hurts. I know in God's eyes they both count and so the saying, "What would Jesus do", comes to my mind when I'm around them. How should I act? What should I say? Do I mind my own business?
It shouldn't be a tough call. But, it is for me. I am commanded by God to love both of them and to reach out in that love to both of them. My struggle right now isn't that I am incapable of reaching out, but how the reaching out to them will affect me (because of my depression) emotionally and I'm afraid of getting in over my head. Then I think, do I trust God? I think I do, but those fears I've talked about before are in the forefront. Should they be? No, but they are.
I am praying that God will show me the way to reach out to them and yet allow me to stay strong emotionally. Maybe the way I'm thinking of reaching out isn't the way God wants me to. God has given me some close friends who love me, who have wisdom and who pray for me and who I know will help me discern this situation I'm in.
Nancy
Jesus was teaching this message to his disciples on his last night. Chapter 15 goes from a believers relationship with Jesus to the relationship with other believers and then to the relationship with nonbelievers in the world.
I thought about those three relationships and I think I do ok with the first two, but that third one is not an easy one. How many people do we meet every day who are hurting or needing someone to listen to them or just be there for them in some way? How many times do we stop to make a difference in their lives? Are we too busy to reach out?
Two women I know are examples for me. Both work at the same place and they don't like each other. One is a Christian and one claims there is no God. Both are seriously hurting for different reasons and both have different ways of coping with those hurts. I know in God's eyes they both count and so the saying, "What would Jesus do", comes to my mind when I'm around them. How should I act? What should I say? Do I mind my own business?
It shouldn't be a tough call. But, it is for me. I am commanded by God to love both of them and to reach out in that love to both of them. My struggle right now isn't that I am incapable of reaching out, but how the reaching out to them will affect me (because of my depression) emotionally and I'm afraid of getting in over my head. Then I think, do I trust God? I think I do, but those fears I've talked about before are in the forefront. Should they be? No, but they are.
I am praying that God will show me the way to reach out to them and yet allow me to stay strong emotionally. Maybe the way I'm thinking of reaching out isn't the way God wants me to. God has given me some close friends who love me, who have wisdom and who pray for me and who I know will help me discern this situation I'm in.
Nancy
Friday, March 7, 2008
Matthew 17:8
Matthew 17:6-8 When the disciples heard it (God's voice), they fell flat on their faces, scared to death. But Jesus came over and touched them. "Don't be afraid." When they opened their eyes and looked around all the saw was Jesus, only Jesus. (The Message)
In this story, Jesus led Peter and brothers, John and James up on a high mountain. Jesus wanted to show them who he was and was transfigured. Sunlight poured from his face, his clothes were filled with light. Jesus was changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. Then when God spoke, they fell to the ground, terrified.
At the condo where we were staying on vacation, there were stairs going up to the two bedrooms. Jacob doesn't have any experience with stairs, for the most part, so Bec had to show him how to go down by sliding on his belly, feet first. He could slide down those stairs at an amazing clip - what I swear had to be record speeds.
At two years old, you don't always think and one particular day, he decided he could go down big boy style. He even chose not to hang on to the railing to walk down. Bec quickly noticed him doing this and told him to get onto his belly. As he was turning around getting to his knees, thinking all was funny, he promptly lost his balance and did a log roll down the last 10 stairs and went right into the wall.
Bec, who immediately thought he had smacked his head on the ceramic tiles at the bottom, raced down the stairs and picked him up. He was crying hard, but thankfully he was more scared than hurt. She started saying,"Jake, Mama's here, shhhhh, it's ok." He calmed down and was back to being Jacob again after a few minutes.
The NIV foot note says 'this was a beneficial experience for the disciples who were discouraged after having been reminded so recently of Jesus' impending suffering and death. (I hope this was a beneficial experience for Jacob as well)
I think about how John, James and Peter must have felt when they saw Jesus' face and when he touched them and said, "Don't be afraid". Sort of how Jacob must have felt when he saw his mama's face.
When we fall as a child, we need our mama's words and loving face for comfort and as children of God, we not only need, but have Jesus' words and loving face for comfort.
Nancy
In this story, Jesus led Peter and brothers, John and James up on a high mountain. Jesus wanted to show them who he was and was transfigured. Sunlight poured from his face, his clothes were filled with light. Jesus was changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. Then when God spoke, they fell to the ground, terrified.
At the condo where we were staying on vacation, there were stairs going up to the two bedrooms. Jacob doesn't have any experience with stairs, for the most part, so Bec had to show him how to go down by sliding on his belly, feet first. He could slide down those stairs at an amazing clip - what I swear had to be record speeds.
At two years old, you don't always think and one particular day, he decided he could go down big boy style. He even chose not to hang on to the railing to walk down. Bec quickly noticed him doing this and told him to get onto his belly. As he was turning around getting to his knees, thinking all was funny, he promptly lost his balance and did a log roll down the last 10 stairs and went right into the wall.
Bec, who immediately thought he had smacked his head on the ceramic tiles at the bottom, raced down the stairs and picked him up. He was crying hard, but thankfully he was more scared than hurt. She started saying,"Jake, Mama's here, shhhhh, it's ok." He calmed down and was back to being Jacob again after a few minutes.
The NIV foot note says 'this was a beneficial experience for the disciples who were discouraged after having been reminded so recently of Jesus' impending suffering and death. (I hope this was a beneficial experience for Jacob as well)
I think about how John, James and Peter must have felt when they saw Jesus' face and when he touched them and said, "Don't be afraid". Sort of how Jacob must have felt when he saw his mama's face.
When we fall as a child, we need our mama's words and loving face for comfort and as children of God, we not only need, but have Jesus' words and loving face for comfort.
Nancy
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Joshua 1:9
Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (NIV)
On the 28th of February, all I heard was Nicholas saying, 'Come on Grammie, it will be fun.' Well, Grammie didn't think riding an aerial tramway up over 6,000 feet of jagged, jagged rocks and 5 towers while the tram was going in circles would be fun. But it was - in the end, after the fact - fun.
Everyone wanted to ride the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway up Mt. San Jacinto (where there was 2 ft of snow and ice and leaving the 85 degree temps at the base) and I kept thinking, 'no way' as all the what ifs came to mind. Nicholas and Jacob were ecstatic and slightly wound up when it came time to enter the tram. Me, I wasn't so much. I have to admit I was scared.
I'm scared of a lot of things. Silly and stupid things for the most part and if I'm not careful I can let those fears keep me from experiencing things.
And here's Joshua getting orders from God to cross the River Jordan and get all the land he sets foot in - from the desert to Lebanon, from the Euphrates river, all the Hittite county to the Great Sea. I'm sure he was scared and thought about all the what ifs. But God said the same thing to him as he did to Moses - 'In the same way I was with Moses, I'll be with you, I won't give up on you; I won't leave you.' (vs 6)
God promised Joshua he wouldn't be alone as he traveled and God has promised me I won't be alone as I travel. Whether it be something as simple as riding an aerial tram up the side of a mountain or any of the ups and downs of life. He keeps telling me (as he did Joshua) to be strong and courageous, not to be afraid, not to be discouraged because he will be with me at every step.
Nancy
On the 28th of February, all I heard was Nicholas saying, 'Come on Grammie, it will be fun.' Well, Grammie didn't think riding an aerial tramway up over 6,000 feet of jagged, jagged rocks and 5 towers while the tram was going in circles would be fun. But it was - in the end, after the fact - fun.
Everyone wanted to ride the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway up Mt. San Jacinto (where there was 2 ft of snow and ice and leaving the 85 degree temps at the base) and I kept thinking, 'no way' as all the what ifs came to mind. Nicholas and Jacob were ecstatic and slightly wound up when it came time to enter the tram. Me, I wasn't so much. I have to admit I was scared.
I'm scared of a lot of things. Silly and stupid things for the most part and if I'm not careful I can let those fears keep me from experiencing things.
And here's Joshua getting orders from God to cross the River Jordan and get all the land he sets foot in - from the desert to Lebanon, from the Euphrates river, all the Hittite county to the Great Sea. I'm sure he was scared and thought about all the what ifs. But God said the same thing to him as he did to Moses - 'In the same way I was with Moses, I'll be with you, I won't give up on you; I won't leave you.' (vs 6)
God promised Joshua he wouldn't be alone as he traveled and God has promised me I won't be alone as I travel. Whether it be something as simple as riding an aerial tram up the side of a mountain or any of the ups and downs of life. He keeps telling me (as he did Joshua) to be strong and courageous, not to be afraid, not to be discouraged because he will be with me at every step.
Nancy
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