Devotional 6-13-08

If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him. --John 14:7

Happy Fathers' Day

When I was a kid, we had a puny magnolia tree which continually dropped its leaves, much to the chagrin of my father. He would pick them up, almost as soon as they hit the ground, and I would make fun of him and his compulsion. Fast forward several decades and now I have two large magnolia trees and every spring as I rake up bag after bag of those big, annoying leaves, I mutter to myself, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14:9).

In the past couple of years, I've reconnected with a high school classmate I hadn't seen in almost 40 years via the Internet. In our catching-up notes to each other she wrote: I've been meaning to let you know something about your dad. . I remember once when we were all going out, me, you and a couple of others (in my dad's 1967 silver and black GTO) I went to your door to get you and saw the most wonderful sight. .. your dad sitting in a chair in a darkened room and feeding your baby brother.. the one who was born during our senior year. I've never forgotten that beautiful sight.. . it has just stayed with me all this time.

I guess that scene stayed with her because my Dad was a hands-on dad in an era when many men bragged that they'd never changed a diaper. He always helped out with us kids and I could volunteer him to drive me and my girlfriends to away football games and he never complained, at least not so I could hear. Today, my younger brothers are wonderful, hands-on fathers, who are totally involved with their children. If you have seen them, you have seen their father.

One of my prized possessions is a letter my Dad sent shortly after I was married which contains these words, "Never forget that houses are just houses, but homes are filled with love." At the Last Supper, Jesus told his followers, "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you with me that you may also be where I am." (John 14: 2-3).

How fortunate are we to have a hands-on savior? One who not only lived with us but goes on ahead to prepare a place for us, and even sent a Counselor, the Holy Spirit, to help us out in the meantime. Jesus told his disciples, "If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." (John 14:23).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us so much you want us to come home and live with you forever. In the name of your Son who showed us the way, amen.

Anita Gardner Farrell

Devotional 6-6-08

Come Follow Me” and “Go Where I Send Thee
Lectionary Readings: Genesis 12:1-9; Psalm 33:1-12; Romans 4: 13-25; Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26.

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” Genesis 9:1-2

I’m not always compliant when someone orders me to do something. I’m much more likely to comply if the situation is explained and the time frame is reasonable. The best approach for me is some sort of request that can be refused if necessary, but God doesn’t often work that way, at least in our Bible stories. It seems that God does a lot of ordering, especially in the Old Testament. I cannot imagine the faith that Abraham had in God to do as God commanded—to leave his homeland and move his entire ‘clan’ to a new land he knew nothing about. I know I could find at least a million excuses for not paying attention to a message like that. Even in the New Testament, the disciples left their jobs and families when Jesus said: “Follow Me.” I’m pretty sure I couldn’t do that, if Jesus walked the earth today. But, what is God calling me to do?

The Bible has many stories of ordinary men complying with God’s commands (Noah, Samuel, etc.). We also have stories of those who tried to ignore God’s wishes at first hearing and the consequences of their actions (Jonah, Jacob, Moses, etc.). I know that God speaks to us through our prayer conversations, through our readings and music. He speaks to us through our leaders (ministers and teachers). God speaks through any number of friends and family members. He speaks through the beauty and wonder of nature. God also speaks to us through ordinary situations and in ordinary circumstances. The point is: ARE WE LISTENING? What is God calling you to do today? What task is on your heart? Where will you be asked to go? And then: WILL YOU DO AS GOD COMMANDS? The hymn below helps put into words my fears and concerns about God’s calling.

The Summons (from the Faith We Sing Hymnal p. 2130)

Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?

Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?

Will you love the “you” you hide if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you’ve found to reshape the world around
Through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?

Lord, your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In your company I’ll go where your love and footsteps show.
Thus I’ll move and live and grow in you and you in me.
by John Bell

Dear God, we come to you asking for the faith to open our lives to your call. We know your gifts are all that we need for any situation or command. We know that you will lead us through any situation with all the necessary skills and knowledge for the task. Be with all of your ministers who have been called to serve new congregations this summer. We know that you are already at work in their lives and in the hearts of those they will serve. Please, help us all to open our hearts and minds to your commands and then send us the courage to follow. Here am I, Send me. Amen

Chyrl Budd

Devotional 5-30-08

A “New” Spiritual Principle
Matthew 7: 21 – 29

I am on somewhat of a rant lately. I see it even in this devotional. Jesus is telling us to build our house on a rock and not the sand. The story of "Three Pigs" tells us to build our house out of bricks and not sticks or straw. We seem to not be following the advice of either lately. We invest in the short term and not the long term. We go for the short gain and not the long gain. We look for the easy way out of difficulty and not the complete way out. We live in an indulgent society and we participate in it. We want church growth, missional opportunities, and vibrant worship services to meet everyone’s needs. We do not want to volunteer our time and energy to make it happen. We want a clean city, paved streets, and a new infrastructure, without paying for it. We want our federal government to take care of the poor, the homele ss, those without healthcare but without increasing taxes. We want to make more money but we want the prices of all goods and services to decrease. We want our Hummers, Ford Excursion, Toyota Sequoia to get 50 miles to the gallon and believe the car manufactures could/should deliver that mileage. We want a safety net of social security but we do not want our social security taxes to increase nor to do we want to extend the level of income which is assessed over $100,000.00. Like a child we want what we want when we want it. We are a society of instant gratification. Delayed gratification is not only a powerful psychological tool we need to learn but it is a spiritual principle as well.

It is more difficult to build a house upon the rock. It takes time to drive in the stakes that will hold the walls up. It is hard to smooth out and flatten the ground. It is much easier to build a house on the sand. The stakes go in easily and the ground is smoothed with nothing more than a stroke of a brush or broom. If you build your house on the sand you will have more time to play but it will fail you in the storm. If you build your house on the rocks you will have less time for play but when the storms come you will survive.

We need to delay our need for instant gratification and build our spiritual house upon the rock of our Lord and Savior. Jesus knew and understood what it meant to go the distance. He also understood that when we practice the art and spiritual principle of delayed gratification, we would find ourselves at odds with our world. We are so co-opted by our culture that we find it difficult to build upon the rock. That is the rock of prayer, meditation, reflection, and inspiration. They will last a long time and wear well.

Rev. David Johnson

Devotional 5-23-08

Matthew 6: 24-34

My wife buys my clothes for me! She does this in self-defense! For you see, if it were up to me, I would still be wearing wide ties, bell-bottoms and madras! Once, when jogging in Ritter Park, a friend saw me coming and laughing asked “Who dresses you?”

Yet- I worry. I worry about my job, my finances, old age, etc., knowing there is only so much I can do about these things that are outside of my control!

Therefore, this scripture speaks to me. It serves to remind me once again that God cares for ME! Why is it we sometimes find this hard to accept? I think in part, it is because we lose sight of what is truly important. A new car, nice home or great job may appeal to us for many reasons. But- after acquiring “things” it can not change how we feel on the inside. The power of God-thru Jesus Christ- can CHANGE us! Christ points out in this scripture that each day will bring troubles of its own. But- should we elect to “Seek his kingdom and his Righteousness” then we can be satisfied and unworried by the daily trials and tribulations in life.

During this time of spring, may we be reminded of this promise when we see flowers in bloom or hear birds singing outside our window!

This is God speaking to us thru true beauty!

Prayer: Heavenly father, thank you for the beauty each day brings and help us to turn our life over to you and put you in control. Amen

Marv Jones

Devotional 5-15-09

In the Garden

If you are a man, think about the first time that you drove your date to the prom. If you are like my husband, I imagine that you paid special attention to the car. You made sure that it was spotless, perhaps waxed, swept inside. The car needed to look perfect. Now imagine if you did all of that work – paid all of that attention to the car – and then forgot to pick up your date.

Years ago, I was in a bible study class. One of the guidelines we were taught to follow as we explored the Bible was to think of it as a cart carrying cargo. God’s message – the cargo – is much more important than the cart which carries it. The prom date is (hopefully) more important than the car.

Consider one of this week’s lectionary readings – Genesis 1:1-2:4a. It’s the first creation story in the Bible. Our society often gets trapped in arguing about the cart. We engage in court action to make sure that intelligent design is taught in our schools. We argue over the existence of dinosaurs and the age of the earth. We buy bumper stickers which portray a large Christian fish eating a small Darwin fish. We debate the validity of evolution.

But none of that is God’s message. Concentrate on the message, because the message will change your life.

In the beginning, God – The first four words of the Bible are hugely humbling. “In the beginning, God…” tells us that we are NOT God. God existed before anything else. When I consider all the ways in life that I attempt to be God, I find enormous relief in the truth that I AM NOT GOD, and neither are you.

God created – What more do we really need to know? God created. He imagined the world and spoke it into being. His methods are the cart. His action of creation is the message. God created the world and everything in it. It is His. We are His.

God created humankind in his own image – We are not God, but we are His children, created in His own image. Has anyone ever said to you, “I knew your parents before you were a twinkle in your father’s eye”? When God breathed life into the first man and woman, you became a twinkle in his eye. When Eve’s heart started beating, God could hear the echo of your heartbeat in his mind. When Adam stood in the garden, staring at awesome wonder at all that God had created, God took joy in it, and dreamed of the day that you and He would stand together, as you held your daughter for the first time, amazed at her existence.

You are a child of God, created in His image, and loved beyond description by the God who dreamed you into existence. Don’t miss the message, because it will change your life.

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear, falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses
And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known. (Austin Miles)

Kim Matthews

Devotional 5-9-08

One day as I was driving to work, I heard a new song on my favorite country music station. As I listened to the lyrics, I felt tears trickle down my cheeks. I wasn't crying because I was sad. On the contrary, I was weeping because the song brought back so many joyful memories of blessings I'd been given.
In the song, the writer illustrated the frustrations of a young teen as she made the transition from girlhood to womanhood. The adults in her life tried to get her to slow down and "be in the moment," if you'll excuse the cliché. After the singer told about each stage of her life, the chorus was sung as follows:

You're gonna' miss this
You're gonna' want this back
You're gonna' wish these days
Hadn't gone by so fast

These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna' miss this

I thought of those words as I read today's scripture, Acts 2:1-21. It tells the familiar story of Pentecost. I could just imagine the disciples in the upper room, remembering all of the wonderful experiences they had shared with Jesus and reliving the miracles they had witnessed. Then, the scripture says, they "saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. "

As I read this passage, I imagined how much the disciples must have missed Jesus, and how this experience would have renewed them. They had watched their savior die. And even though they knew that he had risen from the dead and had ascended to his father, there must have been an emptiness that only the Holy Spirit could fill.

If you're feeling that kind of emptiness now, ask Jesus to fill your heart with the love of the Holy Spirit. If you're feeling that emptiness now, start listing your blessings. If you're feeling that emptiness now, join us this Sunday as we celebrate Pentecost. Everyone will be wearing red, and though they may not be speaking in tongues, they will be speaking to your heart. You don't want to miss this!

Heavenly Father, thank you for the many blessings you've given me. Continue to fill me to overflowing with a love that only a parent can give to his child. Give me the courage to witness to others so that they, too, will know that they are loved unconditionally. In your name I pray. Amen

Becky Warren

Devotional 5-2-08

Acts 1:6-14 (with a nod to Acts 9:36-43)

To Joseph, my dear brother in Christ,

It seems like such a long time since we were young together and just beginning to learn about Jesus and what it meant to follow him, to be his disciples. We were inexperienced and hoped that we could do great things for the Lord. I trust that with God's help we have.

I have heard through the other disciples that you are leaving the church which you serve as pastor to go to another one, and that another brother is coming. I thought you, and the church, might need a bit of a reminder of the presence of Christ as you go through these changes. So I have laid aside my needle and picked up a pen instead. Maybe these words will be a help to anyone who is going through changes or times when the future is uncertain, or when we simply have to wait and see what God will do next.

Can you remember those first uncertain days after Jesus left us for the second time? I don't mean the time he died on the Cross. We know that God raised him up again on the third day. No, I'm remembering the uncertainty of all the disciples, both women and men, following His ascension into heaven. He always did exactly what he promised us he would do, but we had a hard time trusting the future and the leading of God.

We didn't know what to do after he truly left us. We returned to Jerusalem to the place where we had been meeting to remember what had happened. It was good to be someplace familiar. This was one thing that had not changed. In the safety of that place, we could meet together to think about the future and our place in it. Do you remember how afraid we were because things were changing so quickly? All we could do in that time of transition was to pray for one another. It seems as I look back, that besides eating and remembering Jesus, all we did was pray. How important the support of friends and family is when we go through any changes big or small

We remembered all of the times when we had been afraid in the past. There were so many times it was hard to wait to see what God would accomplish. We recalled with joy how Jesus appeared to so many of us over the period of 40 days after His resurrection. He even ate with us! Surely since God had accomplished all of this, we could trust God with the future. So over time, we learned to wait in hope. We remembered that the angel who had appeared at the time of Jesus' ascension instructed us to pray and tell people about what we had seen and experienced. That gave us something concrete to do. And God sent the Holy Spirit; the gift that Jesus promised us would come.

All that was long ago and much has happened. I myself am very ill and waiting to see what kind of work God might have for me even during this illness and even my death if I do not get better. But I am learning to trust. God has been with me in the past even when I could not see it. God acted in ways in my life that it took me awhile to understand. Sometimes things seem to make more sense a while after the event has passed. And so I wait.

I am sure that the church which you serve will miss you. I am also sure that they have many question, concerns and fears about the future. Change is so hard. "What will Brother John be like when he comes and in what direction will he lead us?" I can hear them prayerfully asking those questions now.

What I have learned as I continue through life, and as I struggle with so much still, is to trust that God is present in my life and in the lives of us all. That is my prayer for you and your church. Let us remember that we can trust God through the changes that are coming. As we wait, let us do so hopefully and with confidence, not in ourselves, but in the risen Lord.

Your sister in Christ,
Dorcas


Rev. Dorcas Conrad
Dillion Chapel UMC

(Special note -- for those who are not members of Johnson Memorial, our minister, Dr. Joe Shreve, will be appointed to Chapel Hill UMC)