Archives: Watchword

WATCHWORD

⁵ Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. ² Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. ³ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. ⁴ And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. ⁵ And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. ⁶ When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. ⁷ Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. ⁸ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.  Romans 5:1-8

Meditation:

Almost There?

[This Watchword was posted December 21, two years ago. Still it fits this Christmas season.]

Over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house we go…for Christmas. We’re all excited because visiting grandpa and grandma was the highest spot of any travel we do with these kids. I should keep track of all the times I’ve heard the cry from the back seat, ‘Are we almost there, daddy, are we almost there?’ and most of the time we weren’t ‘almost there’ but we were getting closer.

Maybe in years past you’re the one making that call from the backseat, wondering how much longer it will be till we get where we want to be. Well, here we are, all of us are in the backseat, we are all calling out ‘how much longer…will be be dealing with variants? Are we getting closer to back to normal? We don’t want to wait much longer.

We are all anxious to get back to what was our old normal, kind of, but in the back of our minds I think we are all hoping that this new version of our normal is going to be better than the old version of our normal. We’ve had quite a stretch this year, and we have learned a lot from these past months. But we want this class to be over, we want to take what we have learned, and maybe apply it so as we go beyond the RSV, the variants, the need for still another booster. Are we better people, stronger people, people whose time with the Lord is stronger for all of this testing we’ve gone through? That’s the question.

We have had this question before, but what have we learned? I talked to friend of mine not too long ago, who is in the depths of fatigue, feels a sense of depression. While he didn’t use these words, what he seemed to be telling me was he wasn’t sure he could take anymore. But I know that his faith is strong and he will get beyond this, but for him, it’s been a long, painful, hard slog.

It calls to mind the question I had asked in an earlier Watchword: What could I say to you that would bring you comfort, that would encourage you, that would strengthen you as you go through this adversity? That is still an appropriate question, but one that we need to grapple with. What is better than an encouraging word? Our presence in their lives. True, but maybe that is not an option. So, the next best thing, is letting them know that you there and thinking of them. You know, the “Just touching base” telephone call, text or email goes a long way toward encouragement.

Are we almost there? Getting much closer, so let us praise the Lord for health and for science. We can almost see the new normal, up there, in the light, at the end of this tunnel.  Amen.

Bulletin Board:

Over the river and through the woods,
To grandmother’s house we go;
The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh,
Through (the) white and drifted snow!

Over the river and through the woods,
Oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes and bites the nose,
As over the ground we go.

Closing Prayer:

Let Your goodness, Lord, appear to us, that we, made in your image, conform ourselves to it. In our own strength, we cannot imitate Your majesty, power, and wonder nor is it fitting for us to try. But Your mercy reaches from the heavens through the clouds to the earth below. You have come to us as a small child, but you have brought us the greatest of all gifts, the gift of eternal love. Caress us with Your tiny hands, embrace us with Your tiny arms and pierce our hearts with Your soft, sweet cries.”  Amen.      –St. Bernard of Clairvaux

WATCHWORD:

²² Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. ²³ After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. ²⁴ Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. ²⁵ About three o’clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”²⁷ But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Continue reading

WATCHWORD:

¹ David sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. ² He sang: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; ³my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. He is my refuge, my savior, the one who saves me from violence. ⁴ I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies. ⁵ “The waves of death overwhelmed me; floods of destruction swept over me. ⁶ The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path. ⁷ But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I cried to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry reached his ears.          2 Samuel 22:1-7 Continue reading

WATCHWORD:

¹ A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. ² This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. ³ So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.” ⁴ But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” ⁵ So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, ⁶ he stayed where he was for the next two days. ⁷ Finally, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.” John 11:1-7 Continue reading

WATCHWORD:

Teaching about Prayer and Fasting

⁵ “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. ⁶ But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. ⁷ “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. ⁸ Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!  Matthew 6:5-8 Continue reading