Devotional 11-20-15

We have a dog.  She is a beagle, and her name is Molly.  She is quite possibly the sweetest animal I have ever known. We met her when she was about two weeks old; she joined our family at six weeks old, and has been here ever since.  She is beloved.

Molly is not without flaws, and one of them is that she pretends, when it suits her, that she does not understand English.  She can't fool me; I know she understands me when I speak.  I say, "Back," and she turns around and walks the other way.  I say, "Let's go downstairs," and she runs full speed down the stairs.  If I say, "Treat," well, you can imagine her reaction.  But when it's time for bed, and I say, "Let's go upstairs," she just stares at me as if I am speaking Portuguese or Cat.

She knows my voice, she understands the words, but she doesn't like them.  So she ignores me.

This Sunday is Christ the King Sunday. Like any seeker of knowledge, I googled it this evening. The Feast of Christ the King was established in 1925 by Pope Pious XI.  He wrote in December of that year that even though World War I was over, there was still no true peace. He believed that true peace could only be found in the recognition of the Christ as King.

John 18:37, from this Sunday's lectionary, says, "Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

"Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

Do we listen to Christ's voice?  Or are we as stubborn as our family's beagle, ignoring words we understand but choose not to obey?  When Christ says to feed the poor, do we?  When he says, "Forgive that person so many times that you can't keep count," do we? When he says that the most important action we can do with our lives is to love God and love each other, do we?

Or do we stare at our savior as if we don't understand him at all because it's not the words we want to hear?

Kim Matthews

Devotional 11-13-15

Recently, my husband Tim and I were at the doctor’s office. There was a little blue-eyed blond boy sitting in the waiting room. He was about 6 years old. I wondered why he was there alone. Suddenly the door between the waiting room and the examining room flew open. An even smaller, younger boy with exactly the same blond hair and blue eyes came sailing through.

He ran to the first little boy waiting in the chairs. “I have to get a shot!” he said, as tears welled up in his eyes. They were clearly brothers.   As difficult as it must have been, the older boy took the younger into his arms. “Well,” he said. “You’ll be OK. Do you want me to come with you?” The younger one nodded. Holding hands, they started for the door. As soon as it door opened, I saw their mother. She showed no surprise at the way they interacted. The boys relied on one another.

Their relationship made me reflect on some of mine. It takes courage to ask for help. Sometimes it takes great love and understanding to offer it. No one is every really sure how help will be received.

I thought of the time Jesus said that if we want to inherit the kingdom, we have to become like a little child, perhaps like these two boys. Sometimes, we have to be vulnerable and willing to let our fears show.  We have to be unafraid to show other people we love them. We have to risk a willingness to help and be helped. We have to walk with people, even into tough situations.

Dear God, help us always to be willing to give and to receive your love, however you send it to us. Amen.

Rev. Dorcas Linger Conrad