Archives: Watchword

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

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

Feeling Safe

WATCHWORD

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. 3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. 4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.  Psalm 91:1-4 Continue reading

Anger? Hope?

WATCHWORD:

29b “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[e] 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 10:29b-37 Continue reading

Conflict Resolution

WATCHWORD:

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. Proverbs 15:1

Confuse them, Lord, and frustrate their plans, for I see violence and conflict in the city. Psalm 55:9

Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.  Proverbs 13:10

Is there a conflict, then, between God’s law and God’s promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it.  Galatians 3:21 Continue reading

Giant Slayer

WATCHWORD:

8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” 1 Samuel 17:8-9

45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. 48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. 50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.  1 Samuel 17:45-50 Continue reading

Saying Grace

WATCHWORD:

4 I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. 5 Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. 6 This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. 7 Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 9 God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:4-9

20 God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. 21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:20-21 Continue reading

Wait for It!

WATCHWORD:

I do not consider that I have laid hold of it, but one thing I have laid hold of: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal, toward the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14

 

Meditation:

Wait for It!

Maybe it was the time I spent in Korea during that conflict, that I’m a fan the old TV comedy show M*A*S*H,  and it’s array of characters, each one adding to the fun and drama of the story. Granted, my time in Korea on the DMZ, during a time of war was not fun, was not a comedy act, but there was something about the camaraderie with my fellow soldiers  that has persisted.

Ah, yes, I can remember those M*A*S*H characters clearly: Radar, Hawkeye, Trapper, Bruce and Stan, what a group! Wait a minute, Bruce and Stan?  Oh, sorry, I mixed the comedy series with my actual experience. Bruce and I met in basic training and against our prayers and our hopes ended up in Korea serving together. Bruce would have been a vivid character on that show, based on the size of his personality, while Stan would be the quiet one. In real life, our friendship, forged during that time of war, has persisted, over the generations, through weddings, funerals, children, and sporadic visits.

“Wait for it,” the character Radar would say, as he would sense helicopters bringing the wounded to the M*A*S*H medical unit. We are often urged to wait!  Many Psalms entreat us to wait on the Lord. Such waiting is expectant. Such waiting is hopeful. Such waiting is the movement of faith.

In a devotional, Henri J. M. Nouwen makes this statement: “Whenever you pray, you profess that you are not God nor do you want to be God, that you haven’t reached your goal yet, that you never will reach it in this life, that you must constantly stretch out your hands and wait for the gift of life“. Wait for it.

Our ultimate goal, toward which Christ has aimed us, is the heart of the Father. Christ has restored us to the Father. We will come to know his heart of love for us, more and more, as we live by faith. Ultimately, our waiting in faith will deliver us to the very presence of the Father, and so to his heart.

Now, as we wait, our waiting in faith takes place in how we live our lives as children of God. We do not sit idle. Wait as you pray, as you love, as you create, as you worship, as you live. Stretch out your hands and wait for the gift of life that is the prize of heaven. Wait for it.

 

Prayer:

Holy Spirit help and strengthen my prayer for waiting. Amen