Friday, February 26, 2016

Devotional 2-26-16

I can honestly say that I've never experienced a time when I've witnessed, firsthand, so much sickness and death. I've watched as people have grappled with medical diagnoses or unexpected illnesses. My heart has been broken for families who have had to say goodbye to loved ones much earlier than they ever expected. Through it all, here's what I've been reminded of over the past four months...

God is as near to us during the times when we feel the loneliest as God is during ti...mes when we feel the power of God's presence right beside of us.

God is standing watch in hospital rooms and funeral chapels, ensuring that we never lose sight of just how close God is- closer than the very breath we breathe.

God is doing something strangely beautiful as we near our final moments on Earth. God is holding tight to our hand, whether we're the one taking our final breath or the one saying our tearful goodbye. 

God is there. Holding us. Comforting us. Loving us.

God is always with us. In the best of days. In the worst of days. When we feel like we have it all together. When we feel like everything is falling apart. God is always with us.

Though we experience heartache and pain and grief, the promise of Scripture, the assurance of the Christian faith, is that God is here. Among us. Within us. Beside us. I don't know exactly what you're going through, but I do know this- God is going through it with you.

Look for God's glory. Listen for God's goodness. Experience God's grace. And through it all, find hope and assurance in the reality that you are precious and treasured in God's sight. You are loved. And you are not alone.

Rev. Jarrod Caltrider
Sandyville United Methodist Church

Saturday, February 20, 2016

Devotional 2-19-16

Sacrifice

In June of 2013 I had the honor, for the second year in a row, to bicycle from Huntington, WV to Washington DC for the purpose of raising money and awareness for a cause near and dear to my heart – Homeless Veterans.

The trip began with great fan fair on Veterans Memorial Boulevard. As a ‘thank you’ to all of the cyclists who had supported the effort, Day 1 was a police escorted ride all the way to Charleston. It was a spectacular day. We rode and talked and laughed – with no traffic worries. One couldn’t help but feel good.

Day 2 had the nine Tri State Cyclists for Veterans on the move 66 miles towards Sutton. We were within five miles of this day’s destination when it became apparent to me and to anyone riding near me (especially behind me) that something was VERY wrong with my back wheel. I ‘limped’ along to the church where we would spend the night. One of our riders happened to be a super bike mechanic. After he had spent some time with the wheel, I knew from the look on his face – and the grease on his fingers – that the news was NOT good. I could not continue on the trip with this wheel. Thanks to the generosity of the local bike shops in Huntington we had a great many spare parts with us. They wanted us to go prepared. But a replacement wheel was not part of our gear.  
                                                                        
  I knew that I had a set of wheels – at home – in Huntington – two hours away…

I pulled my cell phone from pocket and made a call. It was Sunday afternoon, and I knew Kim would be out of church by now. She was at home. I explained what had happened. I told of the spare wheel at the house. I don’t think I ever really got around to asking her to bring it – she said, “I walked to the garage while we’ve been talking. I’m here now. Where is it?” I guided her to the cubby hole where it would be and without a moment’s hesitation she said, “I have it. I’m on my way.”  After nearly 30 years together, she could no doubt hear the despair in my voice. I had trained for months. I had helped raise money for the Center. I had my heart set on this trip. And now it was over, two days in. But such is the nature of my wonderful wife. Kim is a giver-er. Spare time is not an abundant resource in our lives. This trip to help me was going to pull no fewer than four hours out of a Sunday afternoon when there were a million things I’m sure she would rather be doing.  The phone had disconnected and two hours later she was pulling up in front of Christ United Methodist Church in Sutton.

When other members of group were quizzing about my plan for repair, I said that Kim was on her way with a wheel. The responses were priceless. “Where is she?” “Huntington.”  “Wha…?” (you know how that sounds – Wha…, we don’t even give it its full measure. No ’t’. Wha…? You mean she’s driving all the way up here for JUST that? “Yes.” “Wha…?” Heads shook in amazement. Some muttered as they turned,  “My wife would never do that.”

After greeting the group, a far too inadequate Thank You from me and a kiss, she was back in the car headed to Huntington. Her sacrifice that day will remain in my heart forever.


Tell someone who is broken and grieving that there’s this guy named Jesus. It’s Easter and he is about to knowingly ride into a city where the residents are going to kill him. “Wha…?” Why would he do that? Because he loves you! Wha…?  He knows when you hurt. He knows when you stray. He knows when you have a broken wheel and can’t go on. And he loves you all the same. It is never “Wha…? I should sacrifice myself for THAT one?” It’s, “I’m on my way.” He is here.

Steve Matthews

Friday, February 12, 2016

Devotional 2-12-16

Standing on the edge of Lent
Standing on the edge of a journey.

Jesus stood at the edge of his journey
From ministry to sacrifice
From freedom to torture
On the edge of pain and humiliation
On the edge of the beginning of the end.
Jesus stood, looking forward
Peering around the path,
seeing the future
and knowing what it held.

He stood on the edge of his future
In full knowledge of the outcome
and yet
He took the step,
beginning his walk to Jerusalem
His path to the cross, the nails, and death.
He chose the pain,
the sacrifice
the humiliation
For us.

We stand on the edge of Lent
On the edge of service.
We can't see around the corner
We don't know what the future holds.
We just can't predict the consequences
of letting go.
Of leaving control behind.

And yet, we stand on the edge of Lent,
God calling us into service
with the poor, the downtrodden, the lost.
Do we count the cost?
Do we wonder if the cross is too heavy,
or if the path is too dark?
Do we question if we travel with God
or alone?
Do we take the step through the portal into Lent?
Or do we stay at the edge?

Standing on the edge of Lent.

(Thanks to Bill Wilson, many years ago, for the phrase "on the edge of Lent.")

Kim Matthews