Looking for an earlier Watchword?
- A Pure Heart - A Pure Heart: When I was 15, I set me high school record for the half mile. Today at my age, with my health, if I walked 25 yards too quickly, I it would cause me to stop, pull out my rescue inhaler and get myself under control. medical science speaks authoritatively about our physical hearts, God speaks with even greater authority about a heart of another kind, our spiritual heart. Safeguarding our spiritual hearts will help us with our speech, compel us to be discerning with our eyes, and choose the best paths for our feet. Regardless of age or stage of life, when our hearts are guarded, our lives are preserved, our relationships are protected, and God is honored. Continue reading
- Columbus Day - Columbus Day: Christopher Columbus is a somewhat unappreciated hero today. Nonetheless, his accomplishment in history was huge. He himself said, "It was the Lord who put it into my mind to sail to the Indies. The fact that the Gospel must be preached to so many lands—that is what convinced me. Charting the seas is but a necessary requisite for the fulfillment of the Great Commission of our glorious Savior." He attempted great things for God, and he led the path for others to follow into the New World. Columbus also led daily devotions on his ship. Have you ever felt that God put something special on your heart that you should do? How did you or would you respond? “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening?” The way, the path of a follower of Christ, is often a mystery until you are on it, and it takes over your life. Continue reading
- Collect for Purity - Collect for Purity: Almighty God, to You all hearts are open, all desires known, and from You no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit that we may perfectly love You, and worthily magnify Your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen. I think this is beautiful and poetic, reminiscent of scripture passages, such as Psalm 51:10, Create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a right spirit within me. Or perhaps, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8. In the Collect we see all three persons of the Trinity. Continue reading
- Seventy-Three Cents - Seventy-three Cents: Worry. A recent Watchword was entitled ‘Do Not Worry!’, an imperative. In Luke 12:29 the physician repeats Jesus’ words, “Do not worry...” Then Matthew comes along in Chapter 6:31, and tells us Jesus said, “…do not worry.” The command is repeated by both John and Mark. That would suggest that God actually said it, and He probably meant it! That means that you and I need to stop worrying! As believers in Christ we know that his divine power has given us everything we need to live these lives of ours according to his purpose for us. He has promised us that we need not worry, that we need to resist the devil knowing he will flee from us. Let's see, when we worry, are we saying we don't fully trust the Lord in that instance? Something to think about. Continue reading
- Do Not Worry! - Do Not Worry! Worry. We do, despite our Lord telling us “do not worry”, we just go right on worrying. Of course we know that some worry is not really worry, just being cautious? Right? We look both ways, twice, before driving through an intersection. We use caution on stairs. Some of us check the ‘Use by date’ on foods, just to be safe. Is all that evidence of .worry? I rather think not. In this age of viruses and flue, we take great care, get our shots, etc., all in the interest of keeping healthy. Is there a difference between worry, prudence, wisdom, and simply taking care? Of course. We, who are vulnerable due to age, lung and/or heart disease, or other infirmities, work to keep ourselves safe and avoid risk. That is smart. We all know someone who simply ignores all suggested shot and other measures to stay healthy. That may suggest that pride is lurking somewhere in the scheme of things. Wait! How did we get on to pride, and what does that have to do with worry? Well, the root of all worry, fretting, anxiety lies in the belief that what happens is ultimately in our hands. We are in charge! If you think that what happens is ultimately in your hands, that’s pride. Continue reading
- Gotta Breathe - Gotta Breathe: Indeed, we must all breathe in order to sustain life. That is an immutable fact. However, the reality is that we all have those times in the course of a busy day when we have to pause, maybe catch our breath or reorganize our activities in order to move on to the next task. Then I would guess that there would be times when 'Help me, Jesus' goes through your mind when I try to juggle too much, even of good things. David the psalmist expressed this thought in Psalm 16:5-6 when he declared, Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. Continue reading
- Keystones of Our Faith - Keystones of Our Faith: When we consider our faith, and why we believe as we do, what would you say are important events or elements that made the difference in your belief that Jesus is Messiah, Lord, and Savior? I suspect that many of us would answer that the most important event was the resurrection. Someone may say, that is all well and good, but how would I know you’re a follower of Christ?? That question brings us to the heart of how Jesus equipped us. In the sermon on the mount, and related passages, we are given encouragement that gives direction for being a Christian. I call them keystones, they are Jesus’ way of describing the heart of a disciple. Five Keystones of Christ -- Continue reading
- … And I Grew - ... And I Grew: Every one of us has a life journey. An array of experiences and emotions, broad straight aways and curvy detours. Ups and downs. Times of loss, times of joy. Whether we are aware of it or not, each pause, each bump, each celebration along the way was designed by our Lord, as he fashioned the path that would equip us to follow His will. We make decisions that we regret, we experience the heights of happiness, or we suffer the loss of a loved one, but if we truly believe we're following the Lord, we need to go a little easy on ourselves. These events, these decisions, and even regrets are God's way of preparing us for what's coming next. Continue reading
- Nonagon! - Nonagon! Nonagon? What the heck is a nonagon, you ask? In the early days of Christianity, many of the followers of Jesus became discouraged and drifted away. The disciples were also struggling. Some were impatient for Jesus to emerge as the leader who would over throw Rome and establish a new nation. They had seen no evidence that this was happening. Yet, in the face of dissenting thoughts and actions, Jesus continued this ministry, laying the groundwork in which the seeds of God’s plan would spring forth a growing crop of those who believed. In those early days, the disciples hid away in locked rooms out of fear of the Pharisees and others. Are we still doing that for different reasons? Are you apologetic when it comes to declaring your faith? Perhaps you find 'going to church' more comfortable in your PJs, streaming the service, hiding, as it were, and ignoring the blessed power of fellowship. Continue reading
- Kyrie Eleison! - Kyrie Eleison! We need to see the whole picture of a man blind from birth and his encounter with Jesus. It takes place just outside the city of Jericho, the oldest city in the world, the entrance to the Promised Land, and a place of trade on the Jordan River. On the outskirts of the city is Elisha’s Spring, blessed by the Prophet, and popular. It is a very busy place. Bartimaeus, the blind man, wrapped in his cloak and hiding his face, sits near the Spring, as always, begging for alms and crying out ‘Kyrie Eleison!’ Jesus invites him to come, and Bartimaeus jumps up, throws off his cloak, and runs to Jesus. ‘What do you want?’ ‘I want to see.’ Jesus answers, “Go, your faith has healed you.” Continue reading
- Jesus Stayed - Jesus Stayed: A touch of the Master will change lives. At Jacob’s Well and the nearby town, Jesus’ presence touched many and changed lives. Because Jesus stayed in the town and ministered, the people believed that He was the Messiah. At the wedding in Cana, Jesus and his mother, Mary, came and celebrated. Because He stayed, His miracle of water to wine was known. Because he stayed in Jericho one night at the home of the tax collector, that family was changed, and Salvation has come to this house. Think about your own life and how it has been changed because of the presence of Jesus within you, body and soul. Think of the quality of your life because of what he brings to you through his graces, his gifts and his presence. Continue reading
- The Purpose of Life - The Purpose of Life: What is the purpose of life? More to the point, what is my purpose in God’s plan? I don't know if in our modern day thought processes we can fully understand the question of purpose, and the one that follows, what is my purpose? In my digging into scripture, I could not find where Christ provided a direct answer to that question. However, he did provide us with a direction for how we are to apply these gifts and graces that God has given us; our vitality, and the talents with which we were endowed. He also responded to those who knew in their hearts that this life that we are living was transitory and incomplete and he offered ways to bring value and texture onto that blank canvas of our lives. At the heart of what Jesus said were two main principles of living, on which all true morality, wisdom, and faith depend. Continue reading
- Learning from Dirt - Learning from Dirt: We all have vivid experiences in our life journeys, experiences that have shaped use and formed us, as if we are the clay in the potter's (God's) hand. I've had indelible experiences in my growing years; Korea in the midst of a war, the experience at Heifer Ranch and all they do to end world hunger, to being blessed with children and grandchildren. These are more than vivid experiences, these are graces and gifts from the Lord who knows even before we are born what we would experience and how that experience would prepare us for what we did next. Count your many blessings. Continue reading
- I Did It His Way - I Did It His Way: Let’s start the new week off with something different, and maybe fun. In 1969,Paul Anka released his hit song, I Did It My Way. Eight years later Frank Sinatra recorded it and it became his theme song. Initially, I liked the melody and lyrics. Then I listened more carefully to what he was saying; that he didn’t need any help, didn’t need a Lord and savior. He could do it all on his own, his way. I don't buy that, not for a moment. That song does not express the sentiment of a believer. So, here is my re-write of the lyrics. Sing along, think about what the words say, and enjoy. My title: I Did It His Way. Continue reading
- The Prayer II - The Prayer II: How about those times when you are not plummeting to the earth from 14,000 feet, or on the verge of a medical crisis, or on that roller coaster wishing you weren’t, and things are good and you’re not scared, confused or lost? You know, when things are going smoothly, and you’re enjoying life. Or, maybe you have a decision that you must make, A or B, two good choices, but simply cannot make up your mind. While either is good, which is better? Do we believe that with His help we could make good choices or better choices or wiser choices, even in the face of confusion, chaos, and conflicting voices? Choices that are right, even if they are unpopular? We pray that we will always keep our focus on the Will of God. Continue reading
- The Prayer I - The Prayer I: You stand at the open hatch of the of the Cirrus SR20. You had packed your own parachute, under the watchful eye of your instructor, and you are ready for your first solo jump. You enjoy the ride, then your focus shifts to the altimeter, waiting for that magic number of 4,500 feet to click. You reach for the ring that would release the pilot chute. The ring comes off in your hand! A panic thought, dear God, what do I do? We all have these moments during the course of our lives when we are vulnerable. We don’t know what’s next and we worry and we fret. In time, we turn to our Higher Power, and symbolically, we pull the release for our pilot chute: “God, I need help for me!” and His grace, and our faith, responds. Continue reading
- Choose Forgiveness - Choose Forgiveness: Do you need to forgive someone? Seriously, think about that. Someone you need to forgive, or perhaps it’s yourself? Ah-ha, is that the problem? However the hurt was inflicted, whether by yourself or by someone close to you, and it doesn't have to be a violent or abusive situation maybe you just felt like you were left out or put down, or perhaps they didn't understand you. It matters little because of whatever it was, addressing it is the only way you're going to get over your brokenness. Forgiveness? Do we have a choice? Jesus reminds us that if we do not forgive others their sins, our heavenly Father will not forgive ours our sins. Continue reading
- Who or What Do You Worship? - Who or What Do You Worship?: Sometime ago I was digging into commentaries on the Sermon on the Mount, and came across counter-values to the Beatitudes that I found interesting and I think something that we can, to a degree, relate to. Try this one and see what you think: Blessed are those who are poor in spirit. CV --self-confident, competent, self-reliant. You get the point. On the 'Blessed' side of the equation we have those who follow the Lord's admonition to love others and to love God. While the Counter-Value (CV) side suggests that the tangibles that the world holds dear, worshipping the idols of wealth, domination, and self-confidence. Who do you love, who do you worship? We on this side of the resurrection we may have a better understanding of the point that Jesus is making. When we lift up our bank account, our herds of animals, our property, the stock market, whatever the focus of our life happens to be, and worship these, we aren't fit to worship the Lord. Continue reading
- Much-Afraid and the Shepherd - Much-Afraid and the Shepherd: I am reading, again, the book Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hunnard. It is an allegory of the Shepherd Psalm, where the main character is called Much-Afraid. Have you ever wondered away, looking for...something, or avoided doing what the Lord was leading you to do? Ever been defeated? Fired from your job? Divorced from the one you loved? Alienated from a beloved friend? Did you ever become Little Much-Afraid, dwelling in fear? How does a shepherd restore the soul of a sheep, or, for that matter, leads sheep along paths of righteousness? We live in the divine confidence that after every storm there is a rainbow, no matter how long it takes to show up. The lesson learned by Much-Afraid, that transformed her into Grace and Glory. Continue reading
- Who Packed Your Parachute? - Who Packed Your Parachute? On this Labor Day we honor all those responsible for the comfort and ease of our lives.Charles Plumb was a US Navy jet pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent 6 years in a communist Vietnamese prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience! One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!" "How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb. "I packed your parachute," the man replied. This is a message for all of us. In this life, there are so many who have touched our lives in a variety of ways, that guided us to where we are now. Angels, unaware? Thank you, parachute packers! You are Angels. Continue reading
