Thursday evening

While this doesn't look like much,  this is our front room window.... inside... in the living room.  The temperature outside is -30C with windchill of -45C.    Note the frost also at the joints of the window frame. 

Our front screen door is made of aluminum.   It is so frozen that it sounds like an old oak door
when opened.   Creeeeak.   Our next door neighbour dropped in tonight and when I went to open
the screen door (metal),  my fingers stuck to the door handle.     So,  if anyone needs my fingerprints
they are now available on the screen door.  As well as some healthy looking DNA that pulled off of my fingers.

Wednesday - Thursday - Healthy Churches

Prayer:   Holy God,  Holy Mighty,  Holy Immortal One have mercy upon us.  Holy God,  Holy Might.  Holy Immortal One grant us Your love and generosity.  Amen.

Read  St Luke  6:  43 – 45

Each healthy tree is recognized by its own fruit.  And only healthy trees produce good fruit.

Said another way,  Churches are recognized as healthy by the “fruit” that is produced.   Healthy Churches  have worship as their main focus and those who lead worship prepare, practice,  and meet together for prayer.  Worship is not only offered on Sunday but also throughout the week,  in Nursing Homes,   and anywhere else that Worship is needed. Healthy Churches  know that to support worship as a priority,  Biblical knowledge and times of prayer must be provided so that those who lead in worship and those who join together to worship know all about this Great God of ours.    Bible Studies must be offered  for all ages and not just at Church.    Times of prayer must occur.  When people join together for prayer,  the love and enthusiasm of God is spread.

Healthy Churches know that the Christian community must join together and eat together so they can support one another on their Christian journey.

Healthy Churches know that looking outside into the community and helping the community feed the poor, visit the sick,  comfort the needy is what produces good fruit and good Christians.   

Prayer:   Great God,  we pray for the Church universal so that the love of Christ can be shared and lived throughout this world of ours.  Be with those this day who live in times of war – grant them peace and justice.  Be with those this day who live in houses of pain and abuse – grant them peace and love.  Be with those this day who live in Churches that are declining and  discouraged – grant them love and joy.  But in all things,  may Your will be done and may You use us to further Your kingdom here on earth.   This we ask in the name of Your Son.  Amen.

Thursday  31 January

Prayer:  Open our ears so that day by day,  we can hear You calling us by name.  Open our hearts so that day by day,  we can enthusiastically read Your Word and reflect upon Your Word.  Amen. 

Read  St Luke  6:  46 – 49

Oh boy.  Here Jesus is asking the disciples (and us!),  why do we call him Lord and then do not do a single thing he asks us to do.     Oh boy.  How true this is.  It is easy to read the scriptures and agree with all we have read and then meditated upon these scriptures.   It is not as easy to get up out of our chairs and do what Jesus asks of us.  

The disciples also had this very same problem.    They nodded in agreement with all Jesus said but when it came right down to the wire,  they couldn’t do all Jesus asked of them.

So Jesus told them a parable.  The parable of the wise and foolish builder.  The wise builder built his house by digging down and laying a very firm foundation.      The foolish builder build his house without a foundation.  When a flood came along,  the foolish builder’s  house collapsed.

The wise builder dug into the soil and layed down a firm foundation.   The wise Christian digs into the scriptures and prayer and mediation and worship and learns all there is to know about the Christian way of life.    The wise Christian knows the scriptures and makes the scriptures a part of who they are.   When tough times come,  knowing the scriptures and knowing how to pray and knowing how to meditate upon the Word of God and knowing how to worship makes for a good solid Christian.  

Who would you rather be?  The Wise builder/Christian who remains firm in any storm?  Or the foolish builder/Christian that when the first conflict comes along,  falls away in sorrow and despair?  

Now to work!

Prayer:   Great God,  help us this day to work Your Words into our life so that we become wise and filled with Your love.    Inspire us to read Your Word and each day reflect upon what we have read.   We give You thanks and praise that together as the Synod of Manitoba and North Western Ontario,  we can do great things in Your name and for Your glory and share Your love with not only our Church and community but also with the world.   In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

Tuesday - Generosity

Prayer:   Almighty God,  we give You thanks that Your love endures forever.   May we make known Your name around the World so that everyone may know the love of God.  This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Topic #5:  Generosity

Generosity means giving something away with no strings attached and no expectation of anything in return.

Think of the last time when the Church you belong to was called generous.     We read in the news of people who give money – they are called philantropists.   But when was the last time a Church was called a philanthropist Church?  Or even a generous Church?

Generosity was the characteristic of the early Church.  They held all things in common and there were no needy people among them.  Humm!  Some thing for you to meditate upon today ---  how has our Church changed from being a generous Church to a Church that is no longer generous?  

Henri Nouwen once said, “…..generosity has many levels. We have to think generously, speak generously, and act generously. Thinking well of others and speaking well of others is the basis for generous giving. It means that we relate to others as part of our 'gen' or 'kin' and treat them as family. Generosity cannot come from guilt or pity. It has to come from hearts that are fearless and free and are willing to share abundantly all that is given to us." (Nouwen,  Henri.    Sabbatical Journey  Crossroad Publishing, 2000)

Prayer:  Great God,  we thank You that You are loving to all people and all that You have made.   Watch over us as we begin on a new journey in generosity.  Guide us as we begin to give generously in Your name so that others will say, “This is a Church and Peoples of Generosity”.    This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen. 

Many month's work

Medals in process of being Court Mounted.... if I could only find the measurements for Canadian Medals to be court mounted.     Our Museum has an exhibit opening soon and these medals need to be court mounted for the display.  Yikes.    For some reason Canadian Court Mounted medals seem to use cardboard backing that is 4 inches in height.   And of course,  I don't have enough ribbon for two of the medals.  Desparation is the mother of all headaches,  er inventions.  :)

A baby quilt for the wee little lad who is our next wall neighbour.  The wee little lad was born in August... so this will most likely be a one year old wee lttle lad quilt.    The squares have a compliment of animals and their names in english as well as the sounds that each animal makes.     The Canadian flag fabric is to celebrate that this wee little lad is a Canadian.    Our next wall neighbours asked us to name the wee little lad.  What an honour.  We had four names picked out and Mom and Dad chose Nathan.     He is a real cutie and indeed is a wonderful gift!

Monday - giving

Prayer:  Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world,  have mercy upon us.  Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world,  grant us Your peace.  Amen.

  Topic #4:  Give and give and give.

Just as God gave his Son Jesus Christ as a sacrifice so that we can have eternal life,  giving is the core of Christianity.       Giving is a positive response.  The more we give – whether it be our time,  our talents,  our prayers,  or our money – the fuller our life in God becomes.   

With Christmas just last month,  we remember what it means to give.   Some people probably gave extra money to various charities.  Some people probably helped with Christmas Hampers for those in need.  Some people probably gave away their winter coats so that others could be warm.

Yet even with this act of giving,  it is interesting in our Church this day,  our Church has forgotten the art of giving.  Especially this time of year when Annual General Meetings cometh…..our Sessions and Boards get so wrapped up with issues of money – how will we afford to keep up the Church,  how will we afford to provide the Minister and Lay Preachers with a stipend – that we have forgotten the art of giving.      We have turned inward and forgot that God didn’t say, “Build a big Church building that costs more in Insurance and Heating that it does to feed ten families”.     

God said,  “Come with me and follow me and we will live together feeding the poor,  healing the sick,  and comforting the broken-hearted”.  

Statement of Faith and Prayer:

I believe in God the Father Almighty,  Maker of heaven and earth.  And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord,  who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,  born of the Virgin Mary,  suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried.  He descended into hell.  The third day He rose again from the dead.  He ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Ghost,  the Holy Catholic  Church,  the communion of saints,  the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body,  and the life everlasting.  Amen.

 

Saturday and Sunday - times of prayer

Saturday  26 January

Centring for Prayer.   Often we rush into prayer because we have a list of people we need to bring to God in prayer.    But prayer should never be rushed.   Today,  we will be making time to centre ourselves and to slow our prayers down.

Sit in a comfortable place.    Breath in and breath out.  Focus on your breathing.    Think of each breath as bringing in God’s love when you breath in.   Think of each breath as expelling God’s peace when you breath out.   

Focus upon your breathing for a few minutes.    Breath in God’s  love.   Breath out God’s peace.

Before you begin praying,  think back over last week and ask yourself the following questions: 

*What was one thing that was a great joy in your life. 

*What was one thing you wish you could do over again (either to correct or enjoy)

*What was one thing you wished you could have done

*What is one church or charity organization that needs prayer

*What is one area of the world that needs prayer

Begin a time of prayer…. pray slowly and concentrate on your breathing after each prayer sentence…..

Holy God,  Holy Mighty,  Holy Immortal One  thank You that You are love and share Your love with us through Your Son,  Our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Lord Jesus Christ,  this past week,  my one great joy in my life was………..

Lord,  hear my prayer.

Lord Jesus Christ,  this past week,  one thing I wish I could do over again is…….

Lord,  hear my prayer.

Lord Jesus Christ,  this past week,  the one thing that I wished I could have accomplished for You is……..

Lord,  hear my prayer.

Lord Jesus Christ,  I bring before You  (church or charity)……..   Uplift them in the work that they do in Your name.

Lord, hear my prayer.

Lord Jesus Christ,  I bring before You  this area of the world that needs prayer……..

Lord, hear my prayer.

Great God,  grant my requests and petitions knowing that in all things may Your will be done.     Great God of love,  I  give You thanks and praise that I can be Your hands and Your voice and Your feet in this world.    In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Sunday  27 January

Prayer:   Enkindle in our hearts, O God, Your peace and justice. Open our hearts and our minds to Your glorious love.  Open our ears as You speak Your word to us.  Be with us now as we turn our attention,  our minds and our hearts, to You, in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Friday - Forgiveness

Prayer:   O Lord,  Mighty God,  Our Father who art in heaven.  Hallowed by Your name.  Your kingdom come.  Your will be done this day on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.  Lead us not into temptation,  but deliver us from evil.  For Thine is the kingdom,  the power, and the glory.  Forever. Amen.

Topic #3:  Forgive

Forgiveness is so important as a Christian.  While we have already been forgiven through the death of Jesus Christ,  being able to come into the presence of God and say, “Forgive me”  is extremely healing for us.     In order for each of us to be able to say “thank you God”, we need to forgive ourselves and others.   The Forgiveness Prayer exercise today is an easy one but a thorough exercise.

On the left hand side of the chart below,  write the name of the person and  what they have done to you.  Add anyone you can think of on this list…. From the driver who didn’t stop to let you cross the road to the new comer that sat in your pew last Sunday to the irate phone call you received from a friend.

The more we forgive the more healing can be done. 

Name of Person                                                    Forgiveness

When you are done writing the names on the left hand side of your paper, start writing on the right hand side this phrase

 Dear _________, I do forgive you for _____________ and I set you free.  I do forgive myself for feeling hurt/ angry/  violated and I do set myself free.

Wait until you feel different in anyway when you think about that person.  Then go to the next name on your list.  Sometimes the list is a few names and sometimes the list is pages long.   But remember,  the more we forgive the more of God’s love we share.  Forgiveness means gratitude.  And the more gratitude we hold in our hearts, the easier it is to share the love of God with others.  

End your  Forgiveness Prayer exercise with this  prayer: 

God of all Graciousness,  I thank you that I can come to you with heavy burdens and You take all my burdens  from me.  Thank you Great God that you have taken my sorrows and anger and replace them with Your forgiveness and love.   May I too be the love of God to all those that I meet this day.  Assist me as you assisted the early Apostles and Church leaders to find blessings and opportunities even in the most challenging experiences.  In Jesus’ Name I pray.   Amen.

Thursday - do not condemn

Prayer:   Divine Healer,  help us not to carry grudges in our hearts.  Help us to give You these grudges so that our hearts and souls can be filled with Your glory and love.  Amen.

Topic #2:  Do not condemn

 

In the New Testament Greek,  “do not condemn” means a judgement that is bordering on fanatical.  An example  would be two neighbours who have argued over a  land dispute for years and years and will not talk to each other nor will not allow their families to talk to the neighbours because of sheer anger. 

Most of us would look at this example and think what a bunch of fruity nut bars the neighbours are to get this angry and to carry around this much anger.     But,  unfortunately,  even in the Church this type of anger is present.   This type of anger or grudge festers and grows like a weed choking out the glory and goodness of God.

Rev Steve Haughland of  The Buffalo Trail Cluster Congregations in Alberta frequently sends out an e-mail to family and friends on his ministry with the Buffalo Trail Cluster as well as the work at Jam Tarts Restaurant that he and his wife, Trudy,  own in Killiam Alberta.    This week,  Rev Steve Haughland found an awesome quote that illumines this Topic.      The quote is taken from Michael Josephson’s blog  What will Matter (www.whatwillmatter.com)

“As we are at the start of the New Year ,  it's a good time to clean out the clutter in our lives. That means disposing of useless papers and unused stuff but also throwing away old grudges.   The prevalence and durability of grudges proves Maya Angelou's observation that people don't always remember what you said or did, but they do remember how you made them feel.  Grudges are nothing more than toxic memories of how someone made us feel.    But Confucius taught that "To be wronged is nothing unless we continue to remember it." So why do so many of us choose to consciously preserve and revisit toxic feelings that detract from our happiness?   Perhaps we fool ourselves into thinking we can inflict some sort of pain on the person who wronged us. In fact, holding on to a grudge is like holding on to a hot stone. It doesn't hurt the stone or the person who gave it to us; it only hurts the one holding it. Carrying a grudge is like being stung to death by one bee.    It doesn't matter how justified the bitter feelings are or how right we are. Holding on to a grievance turns pain into suffering. In a peculiar way it empowers the wrongdoer to hurt us again and again.   So start out this New Year  by giving yourself a great gift. Muster the good sense and strength to root out and release deep-seated and long-held resentments.  Forgive and forget. But all that's really necessary is a firm decision to let go of your grudges so you can move forward and free yourself of the chains of resentment”.  (Michael Josephson    www.whatwillmatter.com)

Thanks Rev Steve Haugland for your wisdom and for the depth of inspiration that you read, do, and share.   And if anyone is ever in Killiam Alberta,  drop into the Jam Tarts Restaurant and say Hi!

Prayer:  Great God,  we thank You that we are able to come to You at any time and anywhere and unburden our hearts.   You accept our burdens and grudges and make us whole.    Continue to heal us each and everyday O Lord.   As we come and pray before You we know that You continue to heal us and give us Your Strength, Your love,  Your healing,  and Your wisdom so that we can share You with others this day.  Amen.

Wednesday - seeing others through the eyes of Love

Prayer:  Great God,  You have told us that now is the hour for us to awake from sleep.  Enable us to open our eyes to Your Divine Light and attentively hear Your Divine voice calling and exhorting us daily.   Amen.

These next five days,  we will look at and meditate upon the five topics from St Luke 6: 37 – 38.      These topics are extremely important in our Christian life and not something to just read and then go on to some other learning.   In order to be whole Christians,  we need to reflect and really look at these five topics.

Topic #1:  Do not judge

Oh boy.  This is a difficult topic.  Do not judge.   In the Old Testament Hebrew there is no single word for what we have today when we talk about judging as a concept of justice.    So Jesus was not talking about getting rid of all Judges but a different kind of judging.   Jesus was warning the disciples (and us)   against assuming the role of judge and judging others.  Jesus states that our judgement of others is the measure of the judgement which we shall receive.     Think about that for a moment.

We judge people and their actions every day.     Often we stand in line at the grocery store and automatically judge people by how they are dressed or what they have in their grocery carts or how many swear words we hear coming from their mouth.    Jesus says to the disciples (and us) that if we judge people by how they are dressed or what they have in their grocery carts or what comes out of their mouth’s,  we in turn will be judged by God on our attitude.   Now, the great thing is that we have already been forgiven.  But seeking to be whole People of God  means we must work on not judging others.     And this will not be something that we can work on only once and we get good at it…..  we need to daily work on not judging others….   This is a life’s time worth of work.

Next time we are standing in a grocery line up and start to judge someone,  stop immediately and say in your mind,  “Lord, help me to see this person through Your eyes of love”.     

Prayer:  Divine God,  with our hearts open and rejoicing in Your love may we hear the teaching of Jesus and apply them to our own lives.  Make us ready to accept Your teachings and ever faithful to follow You all the days of our lives so that through the labour of learning we may return to You with love, peace, and justice.  Amen.

Tuesday - the way of Christ

Prayer:    Lord Jesus Christ,  Son of God  let Your healing flow down upon us.  Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God  let Your healing spring up within us.  Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,  let Your healing love enfold us.  Lord Jesus Christ,  Son of God,  let Your healing power flow through us  so that we can serve You all the days of our lives.  Amen.  

(Father Simeon Weare,  Society of the Common Life)

Read  St. Luke  6: 39 – 42

Yesterday  we read about the five topics that we must achieve.  Do not judge,  do not condemn,  forgive always,  give, and generosity above all else.   As Jesus was instructing his disciples on the way of Christianity,  they too must have had troubles with what Jesus was saying as  Jesus expanded on the five topics by telling them a parable.

Jesus told parables not only to illustrate an instruction but frequently to enhance the listeners understanding of what he was teaching.  

Jesus tells the disciples (and us)  three parables.  The first parable is – can a blind man lead a blind man?  The answer is no because both men are blind and can not see and will probably end up falling into a pit.    Jesus is saying to the disciples (and us)  if we don’t work on being whole believers who take the five topics (judging, condemning, forgiving, giving, and generosity)  seriously,  then how can we guide others into the love of God.

The second parable is – a student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.   In order to spread the Good News,  we must have training and instruction on this life in Christ.     If we begin preaching and teaching without training  then we risk loosing people of all ages from the Kingdom of God because we don’t know any better.      

The third parable is – why do we look at the speck in our brothers eye and ask to take out the speck,  but miss the log that sitting in our own eye.  Jesus instructs the disciples to take the log out of their own eye first.   Take out the bad behaviour,  take out the bad attitude,  take out the judging others,  take out the condemning others,  take out not forgiving,  take out the lack of giving of yourself to others,  take out the lack of sharing the Good News of Jesus to others.   

This is a lot to work upon – good thing there is no time limit to the learning of the way of  Christ J

 Prayer:  Lord Jesus Christ,  Son of God,  as we learn more about You through the readings of Scripture  may our hearts expand with love for Your world.  Lord Jesus Christ,  Son of God,  as we meditate more upon Your Words,  may our eyes be open to those who need Your care and Your love in this world.   Amen.

Monday - List to work upon

Prayer:  Holy God,  our minds are ready to hear Your words this day.   Our hearts are open to receiving Your call to be a follower of Christ.   Help us to readily accept Your will and faithfully follow You all the days of our lives.  Amen.

Read  St. Luke 6:  37 – 38

+Do not judge. 

+Do not condemn.  

+Forgive always. 

+Give and give and give. 

+Generosity above all else.   

No matter what translation of the Bible you read,  these two verses continue in Jesus’ teaching to the disciples of how to live in God’s  love. 

None of the above five topics are easy for us to do but are essential in our lives as Christians.  We strive to meet these five topics because we love Jesus.    As we continue to study and meditate upon the scriptures,  we learn to think and act in a Christian way.     And even when we fail and do not meet these five topics,  we pick ourselves back up and try again.  And why?  Because by striving to live a Christian life,  we become complete in God and are equipped by God to do the work that needs to be done in this world to bring about justice, peace, and love.

This week,  each day ask yourself how you will not judge today,  how you will not condemn today,  how you will forgive,  how you will give and give and give,  and how you will be generous above all else.       

 Prayer:  Almighty God,  encompass us with Your love so that we can be guided by the Gospel and tread the path of Christ who has cleared the way for us.   You have called us into Your kingdom and with great joy we say, “Yes Lord”.  Amen.

Sunday - time of prayer

Prayer:   Enkindle in our hearts, O God, Your peace and justice. Open our hearts and our minds to Your glorious love.  Open our ears as You speak Your Word to us.  Be with us now as we turn our attention,  our minds and our hearts, to You, in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Inspire those who lead in worship this day to always follow You and may we all share Your love with Your world. Amen.

Saturday - Centering Prayer

Centring for Prayer.   Often we rush into prayer because we have a list of people we need to bring to God in prayer.    But prayer should never be rushed.   Today,  we will be making time to centre ourselves and to slow our prayers down.

Sit in a comfortable place.    Breath in and breath out.  Focus on your breathing.    Think of each breath as bringing in God’s love when you breath in.   Think of each breath as expelling God’s peace when you breath out.   

Focus upon your breathing for a few minutes.    Breath in God’s  love.   Breath out God’s peace.

Before you begin praying,  think back over last week and ask yourself the following questions: 

*What was one thing that was a great joy in your life. 

*What was one thing you wish you could do over again (either to correct or enjoy)

*What was one thing you wished you could have done

*What is one church or charity organization that needs prayer

*What is one area of the world that needs prayer

Begin a time of prayer…. pray slowly and concentrate on your breathing after each prayer sentence…..

Holy God,  Holy Mighty,  Holy Immortal One  thank You that You are love and share Your love with us through Your Son,  Our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Lord Jesus Christ,  this past week,  my one great joy in my life was………..

Lord,  hear my prayer.

Lord Jesus Christ,  this past week,  one thing I wish I could do over again is…….

Lord,  hear my prayer.

Lord Jesus Christ,  this past week,  the one thing that I wished I could have accomplished for You is……..

Lord,  hear my prayer.

Lord Jesus Christ,  I bring before You  (church or charity)……..   Uplift them in the work that they do in Your name.

Lord, hear my prayer.

Lord Jesus Christ,  I bring before You  this area of the world that needs prayer……..

Lord, hear my prayer.

Great God,  grant my requests and petitions knowing that in all things may Your will be done.     Great God of love,   I give You thanks and praise that I can be Your hands and Your voice and Your feet in this world.    In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Friday - seeking the best for others

Prayer:   Great God,  we bow before Your mystery of love.  From Your love came our creation.  By Your love we are daily nourished.  Through Your love  we find salvation.  Your love is a consuming fire of purity, yet warm and gentle in compassion.  We respond to You O God. You are love and we love You in return.  Amen.    (Living Faith  Wood Lake Books Publishing,  1988  pg 24)

Read  St. Luke  6:  35 – 36

The Message (Navpress  2005)  “I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You’ll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we’re at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind.”

Expecting nothing in return.   Phew!   A tall order.    When we do something special we always like to get something in return,  whether it be a pat on the back or some recognition. Our culture is conditioned on reward for good behaviour.     But here Jesus is saying to love your enemies… those people that you despise and to help them out AND expect nothing in return.  
 
This takes a lot of generosity and graciousness.    But you know,  it does get easier to help those you despise and expect nothing in return each time you help them.  
       
Sometimes we say we don’t have any enemies so these verses don’t apply to us.  These verses apply to everyone.  We all have people we don’t like  or we don’t have time for  or when we see them we end up hearing all about their struggles and they don’t ask us anything about ourselves.  The word “enemy”  that Jesus uses here isn’t just a person we despise in our lifetime,  but people who are families to the third and fourth generations past have hated.   Wow!     That is a lot of hate.  Yet Jesus asks us to love with our whole hearts.  Amazing.

 Read these two verses again.  And yes,  they apply to you!

 Prayer:  Great God,  Your love means seeking the best for others and is our mark as a Christian.  We cannot claim to love You,  whom we do not see,  if we hate those about us, whom we do see.   Love of You and of our neighbour means fulfilling Your law.  We love and accept ourselves as we are because You have already loved us fully and accepted us in Christ.  For this and all things,  we give You our love and our thanks.  Amen.  (Living Faith  Wood Lake Books Publishing,  1988  pg 24)

Thursday - Living in the Way

Prayer:   Great God,  open my eyes to Your word,   open my heart to Your Good news,  open my soul to Your great love.    Help me to focus upon Your Holy Word and to act upon it with great enthusiasm.   Amen.

Read  St. Luke  6: 32 – 34

The Message (Navpress  2005)  “Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that’s charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.”

Eugene Peterson in his translation of the Bible (The Message) really puts these verses into perspective.   He translates Jesus words as  “A simple rule of thumb for behaviour”.   Jesus provided the disciples (and us) with many rules of thumb for behaviour,  but we frequently disregard them.  And why?  Because we don’t like to be told what to do.  Because we don’t like anything that is called a rule.  Because being a Christian  is a lot of work.    

Being a Christian doesn’t mean just attending Church each Sunday or writing the Sermon and prayers and that is it.  Being a Christian means living the way Jesus asks us to live.  This is not easy.   

One of the greatest things a Minister and Session can do is to get out into the community and see where to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ.   Roll up your sleeves and go help the local foot ball team  or the local food bank  or the local planning event group.    And why do we need to get out into the community?  So the community gets to know us and learns that we are more than just do-gooders….. we are of God.    We are to bring the Good News of Christ into the world by our actions… and the world is right at your door step.  

Prayer:    Great God,  help us to bring the Good News of Christ into our community this day.    May our actions reflect Your glory and love.    And may we always remember the needs of others.  This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Wednesday - The Golden Rule

Prayer:  Great God,  the prophet Isaiah foretold that the Messiah would come and be a light to lighten our dark world.   Jesus Christ,  Light of the World,  grant us Your light.  Great God,  You guided the Wisemen from the east by a star so that they would bend down and worship Your Son.  Jesus Christ,  Lord of the World,  grant that we may worship You with awe and delight.    Holy Spirit,  guide us light the Wisemen who brought precious gifts to the Infant King.  Jesus Christ,  Saviour of the World,  grant that we may  bring our most precious gifts to You this day.    Amen.

Read  St. Luke  6:  30 - 31

The Golden Rule.   Do unto others as you would have done unto them.   Verse 31 is often called “the Golden Rule”.     We used to learn about this rule in Sunday School.   While we call this “the Golden Rule”,  no where in the Bible does it state that this verse is a rule.   In St Luke,  this is the section where Jesus is instructing the disciples on how to love their enemies.    So,  how did St Luke 6: 31  get the name of “The Golden Rule”?

“Do to others as you would have them do to you”   has been a statement of ethics for over 4000 years from the Egyptians to Aristotle to most world religions.    It was in the early 1800’s  that the title “Golden RULE”  began in literature in England and USA.   The Golden Rule in literature was primarily used in the USA with the ‘get rid of slavery’ movement.

Yet,  what about this portion of scripture is important for us as Christians today?   It is important because as Christians,  Jesus instructs us to love our enemies… or to love those who don’t like us… or to love those who tick us off… or to love those who just aren’t loveable just like we want to be loved.     Love is God and if we don’t reach out to others in love,  then our hearts will be hardened.   Keep your life focussed upon the love of God.  Then you will be happy and blessed of God.

We have a friend who is 87 years old.  Mary has been a lively part of the Church since her birth but now she is no longer able to get out into the community.  She is no longer able to get to Church.   Most of her days are spent in her room.    Yet,  when ever we talk to her,  she is happy and joyous.   When we asked how come she is still happy and joyous and filled with love she replies, “Because now I can spend all day every day in prayer. God has given me time to just be in prayer.   And what is better than spending time in God’s presence praying for friends,  the Church,  the community, world situations, and especially for those who hate!”   

Do to others as you would have them do to you.    

Prayer:  Wonderous God,  in all that we do and live and say this day  may we reflect Your love and Your glory.     Help us to share Your love with others so that Your people who are in need,  or poor,  or hungry may see You this day and be comforted.  But in everything and always,  may Your will be done.    This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Tuesday - a servant life

Prayer:  We come hurrying from far and wide to worship You.  Allelulia.    We bring our gifts of love and peace and justice.  Allelulia.   Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.  Allelulia.

Read  St. Luke  6: 29

The Message translates this passage as “If someone slaps you in the face,  stand there and take it.  If someone grabs your shirt, gift wrap your best coat and make a present of it.”   (The Message,  Navpress).    Is this passage of scripture talking about abuse and as Christians we have to live in a life of abuse?  No,  not at all.  What Jesus is telling the disciples here is that they (and we) must live a servant life.  We must always be serving others.    Even when we get discouraged and frustrated,  we must continue to serve others.     

But we are not alone in serving others.   For us alone,  this would be impossible – we would get deeply discouraged and frustrated – but nothing is impossible for God.     Remember that God created us to live in community.  Our community is the Church.    These days we look upon the Church as that big building we have to keep up (and that gets discouraging!).    We must remember that the Church is not a building.  The Church is you and me,  loving and serving Christ in our community.

How will you serve others this day?

 

Prayer:  “With joy let us pray to our Saviour,  the Son of God made man,  and say to him:  the grace of God be with us all.   O Christ,  sow everywhere Your word of life:  draw every creature to yourself.  The grace of God be with us all.  O Christ,  Saviour and Lord,  extend Your Church on every side;  make us a place of welcome for all mankind.  The grace of God be with us all.   Sun of Justice,  direct the working and thinking of leaders and rulers everywhere;  give peace and freedom to every nation.  The grace of God be with us all.  Master of all,  courage for the weak and comfort for the distressed,  strengthen and lift us up,  watch over all who are lonely or threatened;  sustain the faith and hope of those persecuted.  The grace of God be with us all.  May Your eternal light shine upon us all.  The grace of God be with us all.    Amen. “  (Taize  “Praise in all our Days”  Mowbray,  pg. 171).