Gratitude for a Renewed Heart

I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
    With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
    my body also will rest secure,
because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
    nor will you let your faithful one see decay.

(Psalm 16:8-10)

I praise you, good and loving Lord,

for the ways that you have filled my heart

during these forty days.

Your presence has

  strengthened me,

  comforted me,

  encouraged me,

  filled me with hope,

  convicted me of my sin 

          (and that’s not a bad thing),

  inspired compassion, mercy, and grace within me.

  given me peace.

Oh, that wonderful peace that only you can give!

And in this past week, as my heart has

meditated on your passion,

I am humbled by the magnitude of your love.

"Love so amazing, so divine,

demands my life, my soul, my all!"

I thank you for these forty days of Lent.

I have needed them.

But then again, you knew that long before Lent began.

Sometime last year, you began to whisper to me,

"My child, you need prayer. 

You need to open your heart to Me."

I offer this prayer in the shadow of the cross.

I have left the tomb, with you wrapped in burial cloths.

I know how this ends, so I cannot spend my Saturday 

in mourning and fear.

I know that Sunday is coming.

I know that death cannot hold you in the tomb.

And because death did not hold you in the tomb,

then I also know that death will not hold me there, either.

For you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,

     nor will you let your faithful one see decay.

Over these forty days

you have shown me once again

that you are God,

  and that you are gracious and compassionate,

  and that you are forgiving,

  and that you are always with me,

  and that your blessings are more than I can count,

  and that though I cannot know the future,

        I can know you.

And that is enough.

That will always be enough.

You, Lord, will always be enough.

I love you, Lord. I really do.

My heart is glad, my tongue rejoices,

and my body will rest secure,

in You.

Amen.

And Yet...

In peace I will lie down and sleep,
    for you alone, Lord,
    make me dwell in safety.

(Psalm 4:8)

Another day has passed, O God.

Another sunrise and sunset in the books.

Another day in the world of pandemic:

  To date, more than one million cases of COVID-19

    worldwide – and that just includes confirmed cases.*

  To date, nearly 53,000 people – your children – 

    have died. Again, that just includes confirmed cases.

  6.6 million people filed unemployment claims

    last week in the United States, 

    double from the previous week.

  The models predicting death tolls project more and more 

    every day.

Another day in the new normal:

  terrifying

  confusing

  mind-boggling

  overwhelming

  lonely

  numbing

  frustrating

  …

And yet.

My faith always includes these words: And yet.

Because my faith is in you.

It has been another day in the pandemic.

It has been another day of roller-coaster emotions.

It has been another day of unbearable uncertainty.

And yet, 

I have been filled with your peace;

I have witnessed your goodness; 

I have been assured of your presence;

I have a deep, abiding sense of hope;

I have felt your compassion, and mercy, and love.

Because I can say “And yet...”

and you are the subject of the verbs

  of hope,

  and comfort,

  and assurance,

then I will rest in peace tonight.

The chaos and troubles of the day

will always meet their match in you.

No matter what comes my way,

no matter the obstacles I face,

no matter the challenges that confront me,

I will say, “And yet, God...”

And I know all will be well.

In peace I will lie down in sleep,

     for you alone, Lord,

     make me dwell in safety.

Because at the end of the day,

I can always confess my faith:

“And yet, God...”

And therein I will find peace.

Your peace.

Amen. And good night.

*Figures cited from statistics posted on April 2, 2020. They are changing daily, and not for the better at the time of this blog post.

During the season of Lent, I am "Praying with David," using prayers found in the psalms as inspiration for personal prayers.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,
    and my mouth praises you with joyful lips
when I think of you on my bed,
    and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help,
    and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.
My soul clings to you;
    your right hand upholds me.

(Psalm 63:5-8, NRSV)

"Now I lay me down to sleep,” I pray to you, O God.

But before I go to sleep, 

I take a look back on the day

that you gave to me.

And my heart wells up with gratitude.

Indeed, “My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,”

because I can see how your goodness and mercy

have followed me – indeed, even led me – 

all the day long:

  in the people I have met,

    in the ways you have protected me from evil,

      in the ways you have strengthened me to

      be faithful to you,

        in the new things I have learned,

          in the successes and, yes, 

          even in the failures I have experienced – 

indeed, all of these things and so many more

point to your blessing upon my day.

Now I lay me down to sleep with a full and grateful heart,

for I have reviewed the events of this day,

and I am convinced that you have been my help.

Now I lay me down to sleep,

and my soul is at peace.

For as you have blessed me faithfully

by your providence through this day;

and so I rest in confidence 

that I will experience your faithfulness

again tomorrow.

Now I lay me down to sleep,

embracing you with all my being,

knowing that it is you who sustains me.

When I am asleep, as well as when I’m awake,

I belong to you; I am yours.

And because of that,

tonight I will truly rest in peace.

My soul clings to you, for you are my Savior.

Amen.

During the season of Lent I am “Praying with David,” using prayers found in the psalms as inspiration for personal prayers.

Make Me a Bridge

We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.2 Corinthians 5:19b-20, The Message

Banner at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Make Me a Bridge

Good and loving God,
our world is broken and divided.
We let our differences drive a wedge between us.
Race, creed, gender,
political persuasion, age, class,
nationality, sexual orientation, culture,
neighborhood, mental health, hatred...
The list is endless in the ways we isolate ourselves
from one another,
and prevent people from knowing you.

Yet in Christ you have dissolved the differences
and have embraced us as your children.
All you want is a heart willing to embrace you.

Make me a bridge, Lord.
Use me to help others cross the Great Divide
we have erected. 
Use me to "persuade men and women
to drop their differences" 
so that we may make things right with you
and with one another.

Make me a bridge, Lord.
Use me to help others experience your love,
your grace,
your mercy.

Make me a bridge, Lord,
overcoming the divisions that separate us,
and uniting with fellow sinners
seeking redemption.

You have given me -- given us --
your ministry of reconciliation.
Make me a bridge, Lord.

Make me a bridge for others to find you. And to know you.
And to love you.

A Prayer

The thought of my affliction and my [bitterness]
    is wormwood and gall!
My soul continually thinks of it
    and is bowed down within me.
But this I call to mind,
    and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
    his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
    “therefore I will hope in him."

- Lamentations 3:19-24, NRSV

A Prayer

Shock.

Terror.

Sickened.

Numb.

Grieving.

Confused.

Heartbroken.

Angry.

What words are there, O God, to describe how we feel?

How can we possibly wrap our minds around the slaughter in Las Vegas?

     One man and his guns.

     Over 50 dead, hundreds wounded or injured.

     A city reeling in the aftermath.

     A nation in shock, mourning, grief.

Is there no limit to the evil that people are capable of perpetrating on one another?

Can we not put a cap on the human capacity for evil?

Our hearts ache.

Our hearts groan.

But before we ask you to tend to the tumult in our hearts, O Lord, we direct your compassion and your mercy upon those whose lives have most acutely felt the wrath of this evil act:

     The families of the dead

     The injured and the wounded

     The first responders and medical professionals who must

     still perform their duties in the face of unspeakable horror

     The city of Las Vegas

     The pastors, rabbis, clerics, counselors, and caregivers

          who will be providing comfort and care

          in the days, weeks, months ahead.

In the midst of the evil and chaos, we pause to give thanks for

     the law enforcement officials who acted with speed and

          precision

     the civilians who administered care to the wounded

     the emergency personnel whose actions saved lives.

And now, O Lord, also tend to our hearts.

Grant us peace, we pray.

     Not simply absence of hostility,

     but peace in our hearts;

     peace that comes from the assurance of

          your love which is from everlasting to everlasting

          your righteousness that always prevails

          your providence by which you work all things toward

               your purpose of redemption.

Grant us peace.

Let this truth fill our hearts:

     that nothing in all of creation

     will ever be able to separate us from your love

     in Christ Jesus our Lord.

          Nothing.

          Not ever.

As a world grapples with a response to this senseless slaughter of innocent human beings, help us to show the way of Christ:

     trusting in you and your faithfulness

     manifesting your grace

     working for reconciliation and justice.

After the shock wears off

and the blame game begins

(because we know it will)

make us the voice of Christ who said,

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted...”

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled...”

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God...”

“Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you...”

“Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword...”

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing...”

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,

and with all your mind,

and with all your strength.

And you shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Make us the voice of Christ.

Saving God,

     All creation groans for the redemption that awaits us.

     We are groaning today, for the need for redemption

     is as great as ever.

In our groaning, we wait for you.

We look for you.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Heal us.

Comfort us.

Strengthen us.

Amen.

Cats and Dogs, Wolves and Lambs, Donkeys and Elephants

“The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat,...They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain...”
Isaiah 11:6, 9

I have a confession to make: I'm not a cat person. That might surprise those who visit our house, because we do have three cats (only one of which is an “indoor” cat). So, you can imagine my demeanor after Carol and Ben came home recently with... a kitten.

Granted, she is adorable, but still... She's a cat. And I'm not a cat person.

It turns out that we're only kitty-sitting while the kitten's owners are out of town for a couple of weeks. That makes it more bearable. I can enjoy the adorable-ness of the kitten, all the while remembering that the frequent feedings and supervised explorations of the family room will soon be a memory.

Truth be told, our dogs have had a much harder time than I have with the adjustment. I'm not sure you know this, but dogs and cats aren't natural friends; in fact, dogs have been known to act a bit aggressively toward cats. Our dogs were not happy when the kitten came to reside with us. The dogs don't understand when we tell them, “It's only for a couple of weeks.”

I have to give some credit to one of our dogs, Bella. Bella has been more curious than aggressive toward Kitty-Kitty (I am not giving the kitten a name, lest she become ours). Carol and/or I are always close by when Kitty-Kitty and Bella are in the same room. Kitty-Kitty prances around, climbing on the furniture, scampering underneath the couch, and pouncing on ribbons, toys, shoes, and anything else we leave out for her. Bella, for her part, follows closely everywhere Kitty-Kitty goes, her ears perking up in that “something strange is going on” way that dogs have about them. Occasionally, Bella will lick her lips, which makes us worry that maybe she wants to eat Kitty-Kitty, a fate even a non-cat-person such as I would not wish upon the cute little ball of fur.

After a week and a half, Bella got up on the same chair where Kitty-Kitty was playing. They both kind of froze in place and stared each other down for a few moments. Then Bella settled down, and before we knew it, Kitty-Kitty had laid herself down right on top of Bella.

The Peaceable Kingdom

Alright, even I let out an audible “Awwwww”. I mean, who wouldn't? Look how cute they are together!

It is a cute picture, indeed. But it is also, at another level, profoundly meaningful.

Almost immediately my mind went to a familiar passage in the Old Testament book of Isaiah. In the 11^th chapter we find a prophecy of the coming of the Messiah from the line of King David. In that chapter there is a description of the kind of kingdom the Messiah will usher in:

“The spirit of the Lord will rest on him (the Messiah) –

     the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

     the Spirit of counsel and might,

     the Spirit of the knowledge and the fear of the Lord...

“...with righteousness he will judge the needy,

     with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth...

...Righteousness will be his belt

     and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

“The wolf will live with the lamb,

     the leopard will lie down with the goat,

the calf and the lion and the yearling together;

     and a little child will lead them...

...they will neither harm nor destroy

     on all my holy mountain,

for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord

     as the waters cover the sea.”

Isn't that a beautiful picture of what our world will be like in the kingdom of God?! Can you imagine a world where all is good and equitable for everyone? A world where natural enemies actually come together in peace and harmony?

Come to think of it, I like to think that we have the opportunity to move toward that reality even now. We don't have to wait until the ultimate arrival of the Kingdom, for the truth is we are called to live into kingdom reality even now. I truly believe that Christ has already begun an amazing transformation in the hearts of all who believe in him. It is a transformation that empowers us to overcome the hostilities of our world and work for reconciliation, and peace. Even a superficial reading of the New Testament will draw us to conclude that, in Christ, the things that separate and divide and create hostility between people are no match for the grace, mercy, and forgiveness that are ours in Christ (see, for example, Ephesians 2:11-20, Galatians 3:26-29, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Colossians 3:12-17, Matthew 6:9-15, Matthew 5:9, Acts 9).

I say this because my heart is heavy over the spirit of violence, vengeance, and enmity that is pervasive in nearly every area of life and in our world. Just last week a man opened fire on a group of Republican members of congress practicing for a baseball game, wounding five people before being killed by heroic action from the Capitol Police. In the aftermath people from both sides of the political aisle noted that the vitriolic rhetoric we hear 24/7 coming from politicians, activists, protesters, and alternative news outlets probably fed into the hatred of the man who pulled the trigger on the politicians. I just read a story on the internet (which means it must be true), that cited a Pew research poll indicating that "78 million Americans actually hate the other political party."* 

As followers of the Prince of Peace in whom the vision of Isaiah is fulfilled, we should expect better than the current political climate, especially as we claim a Judeo-Christian influence on our country's great history. Enmity and divisiveness should not be the default in our society. It's okay to disagree. Passionate people will disagree. Christ-followers of good conscience will disagree on any number of important issues.

But when our disagreements result in the demonization of those who disagree with us, we have crossed a line. No longer are we being driven by the spirit of Christ, which calls for understanding and reconciliation and mutual respect; instead, we have succumbed to a spirit far beneath the spirit of Christ. Enmity and divisiveness are deeds of the flesh (to put it in Paul's terms), not the spirit of Christ.

Leadership from both the Democrats and Republicans called for a more civil discourse. I hope and pray that their words are not empty.

Folks, if a dog and a cat can learn to get along (it is a learned behavior, an intentional act of the heart), then don't you think the elephants and donkeys can find a way to get along? I think we can. In Christ, we have the wherewithal to break down divisions and barriers instead of erecting them; we have the means by which to set aside enmity, and foster peace. 

Learn a lesson from Bella and Kitty-Kitty. Find a way to overcome the urge to hate and hurt. Find a way to come together, in peace, forgiveness, and mercy. 

That is, after all, the vision of the world where Jesus Christ reigns.


*http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/analysis-how-many-americans-truly-hate-the-other-political-party-about-78-million/ar-BBCUjHr?li=BBnb7Kz%C2%A0