Looking for an earlier Watchword?
- Self-Confession - Self-Confession: This morning, in the midst of my morning readings, meditation, and conversation with Jesus, this thought occurred to me: how do I deepen my knowledge and understanding of my Lord and savior? How do I get to know Him better? As I thought about this, another thought came to mind, maybe I would know Him better by knowing myself better. Maybe I would know Him at a deeper level if I were to understand better my own frailties, my own sinful nature, my own tendency not to follow His word. In his book, Give It All to Him, Max Lucado makes a convincing argument that Jesus wants all of those burdens that weigh us down, that separate us from Him. So, how do I get to know Him better? Lay all that junk of ours at the foot of Jesus, and say, “Here, Lord and Savior, please take these away from me, and help me walk closer to you. Thank you. Continue reading
- Invisible Spiritual Presence - Invisible Spiritual Presence: Some time ago, in an issue of The Evangel, a publication of the Association of Lutheran Churches, I read an article by James Hoefer, entitled The Invisible Enemy. We may immediately think of Covid and how it had upended our lives and created a time of isolation in our usually socialized existence. It would be hard to argue about that. In his article, Dr. Hoefer speaks of the power of darkness. He makes this statement: “A deeper dive into the Biblical portrayal of darkness brings some surprises! There we find that everything we see in the visible, physical realm is caused, provoked, or at least influenced by something in the invisible, spiritual realm.” You may say, Spirits? Humbug! Everything can be answered with science or our five senses. Everything? Really? And so we doubt. In point of fact, I believe that the creative work of writer, painter, sculptor, composer, or singer, these are all the result of inspiration or gifts given by the Creator, King of the Universe. Continue reading
- One Christmas Day - A Longfellow poem, I heard the Bells on Christmas Day, and an original story, Ezbon and the Lamb, gifts to you on this, Christmas Day. Stan Escott Continue reading
- A Small Town Wedding - A Small Town Wedding: Cana: A week long wedding celebration. Jesus, his mother, and four of his disciples have been invited and are enjoying their time celebrating. You know the story, by the 3rd or 4th day of the celebration the wine has run out. People would be leaving. Mary, Jesus’s mother, knows full well who her son is. The message from the Angel 30 years before made it very clear. She had no full understanding of the power of that moment only that her son was special. So she tells the stewards, “Do whatever he tells you.” We need not wait for a miracle to define the purpose of Jesus, God's son, being sent to save us. For Mary, the defining moment may very well have been those first few moments when being greeted by Elizabeth after her arduous journey. We need not wait for a miracle to define the purpose of Jesus, God's son, being sent to save us. For Mary, the defining moment may very well have been those first few moments when being greeted by Elizabeth after her arduous journey. Continue reading
- The Greatest of These… - The Greatest of These is Love: Wouldn’t you agree that the most common theme at this sacred time of year is love. Love in all its forms, settings, worship, family. Love. A gift, a grace, a blessing, a joy.We love our husband or wife, or that special person in our life. We love our children, and our grandchildren, and our great-grandchildren, and our dog and our cats and other pets, and all our family, extended beyond blood. God has given us an enormous capacity to love. We add to it, but none of it diminishes. The love that God has given us is like loving arms that embrace and hold as dear, then reaches out for more, more love. Unquenchable. When this physical life ends for someone close to us, love that we hold for that person remains. Continue reading
- Imagine - Imagine: I have said many times that a good round of golf, sets me up for disappointment for the next round. That makes sense, doesn’t it. We get our expectations pretty high at times, and that sets us up for a bit of disappointment when those expectations aren’t met. But dreams, and goals, and expectations are good. We draw a lot from the “way it was” when life was good, the kids were great, the sun was shining, God was in His Heaven and all was right with the world. Right? So, there is your touch point, there is that image of what you wish to experience now. Does that set us up for disappointment? Impatient for the “way it was”? Yes, it probably does, to a certain extent. much of our worry and stress results from wanting things to happen now, before their times have come. In a recent Jesus Calling, He tells us to “ask Him to show you the path forward, moment by moment. Slow down and enjoy the journey in My Presence.” Continue reading
- Calm Yourself - Calm Yourself: In frustration, I stood up from my desk and started to leave my little office, to pack my bag in anticipation of my trip to Illinois. It was getting late and I had to leave soon. This Watchword meditation had not been written and I did not know what I would do. I took about three steps, when God spoke to me and brought me back to my Mac. In essence, I heard Him say “My peace is sufficient, calm yourself and write what comes to mind.” So, I sat and nothing came to my mind. I struggled and struggled with the meditation. There are times when I wish I had a background in theology, maybe that would help, but, mostly, I wish I had a more consistent creative spirit. I think there are times when I count too much on the spur of the moment inspiration from God and just sit down and put words together. There are times I feel like I’m tricking the Almighty, but how can that be? Continue reading
- Values in Conflict - Values in Conflict: There are times in our lives where we are in conflict with another over matters that may be now seem too simplistic or too unimportant, yet at the time it may have fractured a relationship. In retrospect, you may have thought, “what was I thinking?” Father William of St. Gregory’s Abbey in Three Rivers, Michigan, recalls, with humor, one of the great theological conundrums of his childhood: What was the real, the true tune for “Away in a Manger”? There ways of singing the story of Jesus, which may not fit exactly the words we read in the Bible. In fact may seem to be a departures from basic truths, but all praise and give glory to the Lord in our own way, with the gifts we have been given. Continue reading
- Get Back to Work - Get Back to Work: In my current manuscript, there is a scene where Stacy, one of the main characters, has suffered a loss in her marriage, and that has shaken her. She is surrounded by many sympathetic friends, but one in particular touches her real strength. She tells Ben, my main character: “Your Dad never mentioned the word ‘sorry’. He just picked me up, brushed me off, and told me, in no uncertain terms, ‘get back to work!’ He knew that I love my work, and this place, and how it makes me feel, like I was a person of value”. I wonder if God is telling us the same thing when he says to us ‘Come, follow me’. Regardless of where you live, we are challenged in our belief as Joshua was, to overcome the obstacle in front of us, the river we must cross, the mountain there before us, whatever the crisis is in our lives. Maybe it's time for us to get back to work as well, and follow our Lord and savior in all that we do. Continue reading
- Believe and Receive - Believe and Receive: Remember the tent meetings, with an over-active pastor, loudly screaming out about “fire and brimstone”. What a downer of a message, and many believed it. But that is not the message from God. It's hard for us to read that kind of condemnation in the face of our belief that God is love. It's hard for us to read that kind of condemnation in the face of our belief that God is love. We know that he prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies, a calm period which tells us that God loves us and he showers us with his graces through the simple act of believing, and our grateful act of receiving. Continue reading
- After the Darkness - After the Darkness: Darkness does not break-down hope, it reveals the depth of our faith and builds something within us, a strength beyond our understanding. Oswald Chambers writes about “God’s training grounds” which he refers to as those times when we seem to be at wits end. When we trust what God has engineered into our lives, into our character, so that overcoming that rough spot, that obstacle reveals whose we are. Eighty-three years ago, we discovered whose we were, and now, in this day and age, that is being tested. Over the year, this nation has gone through crises and threats, the latest being, the Pandemic, still fresh in our minds. . We found ourselves prepared, and we responded. We presume that we would be ready for battle if confronted with a great crisis, but it is not the crisis that builds something within us— it simply reveals what we are made of already. Do you tell yourself that if God calls you to suffer, then, of course, you will rise to that occasion”? We may soon be tested. Continue reading
- Advent House Cleaning - Advent House Cleaning: David is saying, “create in me a clean heart, oh, God, speaking for all of us. Me and you, with our cluttered minds filled with concerns and pressures, and the fatigue of recent political scene. Create me a clean heart, a nonjudgmental heart, a heart that believes in Jesus as Lord and Savior, a heart that trusts him. We pray that, but are we doing our part? Continue reading
- Advent - Advent: ""The celebration of Advent is possible only to those who are troubled in soul, who know themselves to be poor and imperfect, and who look forward to something greater to come." -- Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I believe that Bonhoeffer was an exceptional theologian and Pastor, and a man of great courage and depth. So much of his writings have broadened our understanding of Christianity. But his statement on Advent, well, that requires some honest, self-evaluation. Do you consider yourself poor and imperfect? I do and, may I be so bold as to assume that you do, too? I guess that makes us troubled souls. Continue reading
- If and But - If and But: Oh, those connecting words scattered throughout the scripture. Words that imply optional choice. If you love me... If you want to be perfect… I could not do that on my own, but... No one can heal a leper, but... Our Lord never insists on our obedience. He puts the emphasis very definitely on what we ought to do, but he never forces us to do it. We have a choice, we have to obey him out of a oneness of spirit with him. That's why whenever our Lord talked about discipleship he prefaced it with an ‘if’, meaning you need not do this unless you desire to do so. The power of change that Jesus can make in all of us is remarkable. If we trust Him. Continue reading
- Giving Thanks - The Love of God: Have you thought about this – Thanksgiving is an action, it is giving thanks for all that we received. It is also a testimony to generosity, sharing what we have been graced with to those who have less than we. Today's devotional is a short collection of writings on God's work within us on this a day of gratitude. Continue reading
- Cockeyed with Gratitude - Cockeyed with Gratitude: Have you ever been cockeyed with gratitude? You know, when thankfulness fills your eyes with tears, and your heart is so full that it fair will burst, and all of your words are adjectives of grace and joy. Have you ever been that cockeyed with gratitude? You know in a very real sense, I think that deep feeling of God’s presence produces all of that, so that even the smallest things in your life take on a shine, a glistening polish of newness even though it’s old, as old as you are, yet its new. Continue reading
- Maturity - Maturity: Imagine this: The first-time father stood in the hospital room cradling his newborn daughter for the first time. The feelings that flooded him were overwhelming. Then he looked at the joyful look on his wife's face, and it made him cry with some of his tears dropping on the baby in his arms. He looked down at her. Was she looking at him? Was that a smile? Overwhelming! Continue reading
- Be Still and Know - Be Still and Know: How do you cope with the constant busy-ness that is our world? How do you juggle so many things on your calendar, that it sometimes feels like something has got to change? Think what the psalmist is telling us. “Be still.” Quiet your mind, force yourself to find a corner, somewhere, away from your calendar and the demands of work or home. It is not easy to give in and do things differently, but it is easier than being upset and miserable. The creator of the universe wants a word with you and he can't talk to you if you are always on the go. Continue reading
- Philippians 4:13 - WATCHWORD: I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power. Philippians 4:13 NTL Then Job replied to the Lord: 2 “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. 3 You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my... Continue reading
- Second City? - Second City?: Do we really study the scripture? I'm part of a men's bible study and we dig into books of the Bible chapter by chapter verse by verse but I wonder if we understand fully the context in which God has given us His Word? For example, Isaiah chapter 26 is one of four chapters in the book of Isaiah that center around the Lord's ultimate judgment of wickedness. In Isaiah we see a contrast between two cities. One strong city, the rock eternal and salvation from God, and a second city, humbled, vulnerable, the result of pride graphically depicted along with the consequences that await those who trust in anything other than the living God. I wonder if we're entering into the second city. Continue reading
