Archives: Watchword

A bit of scripture, short meditations and stories, prayers, news and maybe a touch of humor.

Together or Apart

WATCHWORD:

9 Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. 10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. 11 Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? 12 A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Continue reading

Glob of Clay?

WATCHWORD:

Yet, Lord, you are our father. We are the clay, you are the Potter; we are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8.

My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek. Psalm 27:8

 

Meditation:

A Glob of Clay?

I recently turned a certain age, plus one. I considered my life: I’m a scholarly sort, I have a PhD, after all. I have been a teacher, a college administrator, counselor, an author. I’m pretty hot stuff. I have aged, like fine wine.

Then another voice, “Oh, yes, you are hot stuff, a hot glob of clay, my child. Nothing more nothing less, just what I created you to be. I’m the Potter, you are My clay. Before you were even born, I designed you. Every event, every difficulty, every accomplishment, was arranged to form you into who you are, standing there before Me. And it was through love that every element of your forming was put in place. Sure, you are ‘hot stuff’, My hot stuff! Do something with that pride…put it in my garden with the rest of the fertilizer.

Over some of those ‘certain years’, as you put it, your will and My will flowed together smoothly. You thought you were in full control of your life and that was because our wills were in harmony. And then there were those times when you wandered off, and I just smiled for I knew that you had drifted away against My will and against My purposes, and you would return when you feel that distance, that separation, and you would stop, and would seek My Face.

Can you relate to that dialogue? That’s my story, but it’s your story, as well. Once we have surrendered our lives to the Lord, occasionally we draw back, and in the drawing we find ourselves separated from the Almighty, lost. We want to be in charge of our lives, in fact, we brag about that to others. Yet, down deep we know that God is truly in charge. Yes, He is the Potter to this life we know, that at its core, simply a glob of spiritual clay. But, we are His Clay, and that makes all the difference. True?

 

One Life To Live:

This is the only life I have, this is this is one in my head, the one that travels along the surface of my body singing the low-voltage song of the ego, the one that feels like a ball between my ears sometimes and other times feels absolutely galactic, the life that my feet carry around like two blind scholars working together on a troublesome manuscript.

This is the only life I have, and I am standing dead in the center of it like a man doing a rope trek in a rodeo, passing the lasso over his body, smiling inside a twirling of ovals and eclipses.

This is the only life I have and I never step out of it except to follow a character down the alleys of a novel or when love makes me want to remove my clothes and ssle classical records off a cliff.

Otherwise you can always find me within this group of myself, the rope flying around me, moving up to encircle my head like an equator or a halo or a zero.

—Billy Collins

Prayer:

Look, Lord, on an empty vessel that needs to be filled. In faith I am weak—strengthen me. In love I am cold—warm me and make me fervent so that my love may go out to my neighbour. I doubt and am unable to trust you completely. Lord, strengthen my faith and trust in you. You are all the treasure I possess. I am poor, you are rich, and you came to have mercy on the poor. I am a sinner, you are goodness. From you I can receive goodness, but I can give you nothing. Therefore I shall stay with you.

—Martin Luther

 

Were You There?

WATCHWORD:

12 Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “Men of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why look at us as though we by our own power and godliness had made this man walk? 13 For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and of all our ancestors who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. I refer to the Jesus whom you rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s determination to release him. 14 You didn’t want him freed—this holy, righteous one. Instead you demanded the release of a murderer. 15 You killed the author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And John and I are witnesses of this fact, for after you killed him we saw him alive!  Acts 3:12-15

 

Meditation:

Were You There?

Witness statements are critical to any important event. As we read the gospel accounts of Jesus passion, we can almost hear these eyewitness reports.

Caiaphas: “it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.” John 18:14

Judas: “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.”  Matthew 27:4

Peter:  “I do not know the man,” followed by bitter weeping.  Matthew 26:75

Pontius Pilate:  “I am innocent of this man’s blood.”  Matthew 27:24

The crowd:  “His blood is on us and on our children!: Matthew 27:25

The Centurion:  “Truly this was the Son of God!”  Matthew 27:54

These witnesses were there, were you? Like Peter and Judas, we have denied and betrayed our Lord and savior Jesus. Like Caiaphas and Pilate, we have prioritized our own welfare. By grace, it is Jesus’s blood on us and our children that gives forgiveness and eternal life. So be it.

 

Closing Prayer:

I was there, too, Lord, as you suffered and died for me. Have mercy and forgive my sins, precious Heavenly Father. In Jesus name.  Amen.

 

(NOTE: This devotional was written by Eileen Ritter of Byron Center, MI, for A Season of Grace, lenten devotionals for seniors.)

 

Because He Lives

WATCHWORD:

“Dear Theophilus, in the first volume of this book I wrote on everything that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he said good-bye to the apostles, the ones he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. After his death, he presented himself alive to them in many different settings over a period of forty days. In face-to-face meetings, he talked to them about things concerning the kingdom of God. As they met and ate meals together, he told them that they were on no account to leave Jerusalem but “must wait for what the Father promised: the promise you heard from me. John baptized in water; you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. And soon.” Acts 1:1-5 The Message Continue reading

Empty Egg – A True Easter Story

WATCHWORD:

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” Matthew 28:1-10 Continue reading

Mary’s Story

WATCHWORD:

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:8-12, 16-19 Continue reading

Life and Death: Yours and Mine

WATCHWORD:

Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. John 12:24

Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. John 12:26

 

Meditation:

Life and Death: Yours and Mine

Good Friday, A day of death in order to give us life. And the people cried, “Crucify Him!”

In a recent Our Daily Bread, Kenneth Peterson reminded us of a moment in the life of Fyodor Dostoevsky, one of the greatest writers of literature. He stood before a firing squad, ‘ready…aim…” at that moment a letter arrived from the Czar granting him a reprieve. From death to life. An act of God?  Perhaps.

Kishle Prison, The Citadel, Jerusalem. Barabbas sat in prison waiting for his execution on a cross on a hill called Calvary. His fate was decided by a crowd who made a choice, and called for the crucifixion of Jesus. An act of God? Yes.

Jesus, speaking of his own execution, tells us of the eternal value of life and death when He said, “The hour has come”. The image is a seed, representing our life, which produces a great harvest through its own sacrifice. How?  Jesus tells us not to love this life of ours too much, for it is those who are willing to turn away from our own life to the one with Jesus that will find eternal life.  (John 12:25)

How does your faith and mine affect our view of life and death? A question worth considering for the answer brings us closer to our own thoughts of eternal life. May it be so with you and with me.  Amen.

 

Origins of Good Friday:

Good Friday is the day Jesus Christ was crucified on Calvary, giving his life for the forgiveness of humankind’s trespasses. This day serves as a reminder that Christ’s death was not an end in itself, but a divine plan for humankind’s salvation. Scholars believe that the term “Good” in Good Friday has come from “God’s Friday” or from the old usage of “holy.” To believers, the “good” is derived from the good news that ensued – the resurrection of Christ and the promise of everlasting life.

 

Prayer:

Help me Heavenly Father, to draw closer to You and accept the challenge of being a disciple, of being a follower of Jesus my Lord and savior, and to understand the true meaning of life through death. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

 

 

My One and Precious Life

WATCHWORD:

For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him. Colossians 1:16 Continue reading

The Shepherd’s Touch

WATCHWORD:

1 Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm? 2 My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. 3 He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried, it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! 5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. 6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all  7 He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. 8 Unjustly condemned, he was led away. Isaiah 53:1-8a  Continue reading

Roads: Part II

WATCHWORD:

14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” 17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” Luke 22:14-19

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” John 13:34 Continue reading

Roads: Part I

WATCHWORD:

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” 28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”  Luke 10:25-37 Continue reading