WATCHWORD:
I will praise the Lord at all times.
I will constantly speak his praises.
2 I will boast only in the Lord;
let all who are helpless take heart.
3 Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness;
let us exalt his name together.
4 I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.
He freed me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
6 In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;
he saved me from all my troubles.
7 For the angel of the Lord is a guard;
he surrounds and defends all who fear him.
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
Psalm 39:1-8
Meditation:
Ice Cream and Faith
When I was a child, it seemed that the only time we would have ice cream would be on birthdays. As I think back on those times, it was like a ritual. Father would leave on a ‘mystery errand’ to Isalys Ice Creamery, down the hill in Steubenville, OH. My two sisters and I always knew what was coming, but our parents treated it like it was a big surprise. And, in truth, it was, because as rarely as we had ice cream, that first taste was a surprise and a reward.
Taste and see that the Lord is good happens to each us along this road of faith that we follow, in the footsteps of the Carpenter/Lord. Maybe that first amazing taste of radiant joy came when we first met Jesus the Christ in the midst of a born-again experience and realized that we were cleansed, and our sins forgiven. Maybe your first taste came during a Curisillo weekend, and you left those few days walking on air. Maybe your awareness of joy followed seamlessly, from childhood to adulthood, embracing the faith you saw in your parents.
I suspect that each one of us treasures the taste of God as we live our lives. Sometimes the taste is bitter sweet, the flavor of grief and loss, softened with the sweetness of blessed memories. Sometimes the taste is new, a change in direction, unexpected, as God’s plan for our lives overrides of our own plans, and we discover a shiny and new direction.
That first taste of ice cream we experienced as a child, is often repeated in our faith journey, with the realization that He is here, and He responds to our cry of “Lord, help me!” and we taste the flavor of peace.
But, the scripture passage for the day is more than taste and see. It’s taste and see and tell. This Psalm by David reveals his own caution of not speaking in ways that challenge God, yet asking God’s help in not speaking and acting foolishly. It’s as if David is calling upon God to help him communicate to others this blessed experience of embracing God Himself. A witness. A call that every follower of Jesus receives to tell, to pass on, to share our taste of spiritual presence.
The taste of ice cream is sweet, but not as sweet as the knowledge of eternal assurance. Amen.
From past to resent:
The more we change and more we stay the same.
Forwarded by Robin — Came across this prose written in 1869, then reprinted in 1919 during the Spanish Flu epidemic. It could have been written yesterday!
This is Timeless…1869.
And people stayed at home
And read books
And listened
And they rested
And did exercises
And made art and played
And learned new ways of being
And stopped and listened more deeply.
Someone meditated, someone prayed,
Someone met their shadow
And people began to think differently
And people healed
And in the absence of people who
Lived in ignorant ways
Dangerous, meaningless and heartless
The earth also began to heal
And when the danger ended and
People found themselves
They grieved for the dead
And made new choices
And dreamed of new visions
And created new ways of living
And completely healed the earth
Just as they were healed.
Comment: 1896, 1917, 2020, what have we learned, or better yet, why do we have to keep on re-learning the same lessons, over and over again? Could it be that the answer is all around us, if we will but see, listen and follow the will of Him who set the stars in place and created ice cream?
Trivia fact: In 1940 Isalys Dairy Stores were as numerous as Olive Gardens are today. Now there are just three such stores, all in Pennsylvania.
Bulletin Board:
Continued prayers are needed for Nancy and Larry Jamerson. Difficulties continue. Also for Becky Oden as she deals with the pain of her surgery.
Smiles for today – Well, another day passed, and I didn’t use algebra!
I hate it when I go to the kitchen looking for food and all I find are ingredients.
Morning Prayers:
Precious heavenly Father, we come before you this morning in the full knowledge that you are the creator God and the day that stretches out before us is planned by You. We pray that You will watch over us, and keep us focused on your Will throughout this day. There are so many in our circle of friends and family and need the touch of your hand. We know that you know each of their needs. So, we pray that You will touch of us in our needs. We Pray for our country, to heavenly Father, for Your help in restoring this nation under You, God. Guide us to continue to follow Your will, individually and collectively. Lord as we begin this day help us to keep our focus on Your will and move us through each moment with ears that hear, eyes that see and a willingness to reach out and be your hands and your voice. Thank you Father for the graces that flood us and lift us up. All these prayers we offer in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen
