WATCHWORD:
God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I’m not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd’s crook makes me feel secure. You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing. Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I’m back home in the house of God for the rest of my life. Psalm 23, Message.
Meditation:
Wish You Were Here
These days, how do you pray? Do you pray as Jesus did: “If it be thy will, take this cup from me”, or do you skip the first part, about ‘thy will, and go right to the second? Take this cup, these stresses, this fear, this uncertainty from me. Lord, it’s uncomfortable. Help me! Is that your ‘fall-back’? When you are in over your head, when you have made one poor choice after another, do you cry out, ‘Help me, Jesus’?
A couple of years ago shared a good story by Murray Bodo entitled The Widows Son. It tells the story of a young boy who is left alone each day by his working mother. Each day, after the mother goes to work, the boy, fascinated by the ocean, gets closer and closer to the cliff that drops down to the water. The story goes: “Then, one day, the boy reaches the bottom of the rocks and stands facing the sea with his large brown eyes. He undresses and jumps into the shallow water letting the gentle waves play with him”.
But, as the tide begins to come in, and the boy’s fun changes into worry, then, as the waves get higher the boy begins to panic. He searches, without success, the way he had come down. He finds no handhold, no foothold, no way to rescue himself from the tide that now washes over his legs. In desperation, he throws himself against the cliff face crying out. He was surrounded by water now, in his mind the boy knew that in a few minutes he would be swept off his feet and carried out to sea. He made one last desperate plunge through the water and stretched out his hands for something, anything to cling to. And his hand met the warm hand of a fisherman reaching down to him.”
Is that us? In our feeling of being overwhelmed, in desperation, in our confusion, do we make one last desperate plea to the fisherman? Of course, we do. He is our Father, our Lord and Savior, the One we trust, the One we place all of our faith upon. And, it is right and proper that we do that. How often have we lifted up our hearts, seeking reassurance and restated the basis of our own security: He makes me to lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” That is the foundation of our security: Our Crucified and Resurrected Jesus Christ, Yahweh, Holy God, is the Rock of our faith and our security. So, Precious Savior, if it be thy will…” Amen.
My View from the Pew:
Our Days: Tomorrow is Sunday. Some of us will gather in fellowship, and our numbers will probably be down, way down. Some of us will stream our worship, with family or alone, and it will feel like we are missing an important piece of worship. Maybe it was a piece that we took for granted, back in the day, before the pandemic forced a change. I believe that piece, that void called ‘Church’, is the Voice of God, reminding us to be more committed in our worship, and our praise of the Holy One. In other words, be there, join the fellowship of discipleship. It will feel like you have been to ‘Church’.
— Stan
Closing Prayer:
Oh, Lord, our heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: If it be thy Will, defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin or run into danger. We need the fullness of your presence, lead us in the way you would have us go and, guided by your spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
