Looking for an earlier Watchword?
- Jesus Speaks, Part 2 - Jesus Speaks, Part 2: I am sitting in my office, at my MacBook, writing deathless prose, of course, when Jesus walks in! I knew it was Him, now standing right there, beside me, smiling. I am shaken…I am awed…I am speechless. I fall from my chair onto my knees. He reaches out…lifts me to my feet and says: ‘Do you love Me?’ I stammer out ‘Yes, Lord’. Then He utters those awful words: ‘Follow Me’. My mind, turns to Peter who got the same invitation, and he left his nets and boats, friends and family and followed. I try hard to do as Peter did, in my own meager way. I leave my nets, my boat, my busy work, try to separate myself from my preoccupation with comfort, things that seem were so important, which take me away from Him. And, again, Jesus says to me; ‘Come, follow me.’ Yes, Lord, I will follow, as I take one step away from my 'nets'. Continue reading
- Jesus Speaks, Part 1 - Jesus Speaks, Part 1: What would you say to a person at the beginning of their faith journey? What advice? How would you communicate spiritual wisdom? How would you share that pearl of great price? The truth is, the greatest theologians, all the TV televangelists with their 'just as I am' invitation, all the wonderful working pastors with great sermons, and all the best-selling books, have failed to convert one single solitary human being. Great thought and knowledge is valuable but that’s not what changes lives. Dietrich Bonhoeffer says, “Each man is called separately and must (by their own decision) follow alone.” Peter had to take that first step, away from his nets, to become Peter. The choice is ours. Continue reading
- Knocking on Heaven’s Door - Knocking on Heaven’s Door: One of Bob Dylan's hit songs is ‘Knock Knock Knockin’ on Heaven's Door. I pulled up the lyrics hoping something would inspire a meditation that I could use in a Watchword. When I looked at the words, I found them dark, the words of someone at the end of their options, desperate. How often have we reached the point where we don't know what to do, we don't know what to say, we are discouraged, and the anxiety is beginning to build. We need an answer, we need a way out, we need a solution to this puzzle that is tearing us up. And in our desperation, we call on Jesus. We are knocking on heaven's door and praying that he will save us. Continue reading
- I Want to See - I Want to See: This story is about healing. In the scripture passage it's about restoring sight and the role that faith plays in that process. In many of Jesus’ parables someone has a problem, and there is a factor that seems to complicate what's happening. Jesus resolves the problem which he attributes to faith, and the result is a confirmation of a solution, which we sometimes refer to as miracles. In the exchange between doubting Thomas and Jesus (John 20:24-29), Thomas says, “unless I see I will not believe,” and when he does, he exclaims “my Lord and my God”. To which Jesus replies, “Because you have seen me you have believed, blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”. Our own healing occurred when we answered God's call, in faith. Continue reading
- I Can Do Everything - I Can Do Everything: Many of us have adopted Philippians 4:13 as one of our favorite Bible passages. I wonder if we read it exclusive of verse 12. There is nothing wrong with that as long as we don't consider “our verse” as giving us the strength and power to do whatever we want to do, rather than what God may direct us toward. Whatever situation we find ourselves in, what trial or temptation, whatever opportunity the Lord places before us to share his love, remember that Jesus is the source of our strength and he will give us the strength and the power to follow, to overcome. It doesn't matter if what we are facing is trying to overwhelm us, to bring us down, He is up for the battle. Continue reading
- Do Whatever He Tells You - Do Whatever He Tells You: Recently I heard a theologian talking about the first miracle that is recorded and credited to Jesus, the wedding at Cana where water was turned into wine, high quality wine. The pastor went on to explain that in his research, and in the mind of many highly respected theologians, the wedding was likely a family affair, possibly for John, the Apostle, the self-proclaimed disciple that Jesus loved. We could conclude that Mary wanted the wedding feast to go without a hitch. To run out of wine would be a major faux pas for the family. Think about these lives of ours, lives in Christ, symbolized by the water turned into wine. Continue reading
- You Say We’re Perfect? - You Say We're Perfect? Recently, my family had a birthday celebration and as part of the festivities we gathered at the Indianapolis Museum of Art and there we experienced the van Gogh Immersion exhibit. If you have never had this experience and you have the opportunity, don’t miss it! Van Gogh was hardly a perfect person. He had many flaws in his interaction with others, in his war with himself, and his own declaration that he was a failure. But he was not a failure, he was, in fact, perfect for God’s purpose of his life.We, too, are perfect. We have been fashioned out of dust, been made in the perfect image for God’s purpose for our life. Continue reading
- Check the Weather - Check the Weather: When we think of Jesus we often think of his walking on the wind-swept waters of the Sea of Galilee. Or we think of him asleep in the boat with the disciples in the midst of a terrible storm. The fact that we are reminded time after time that he comes in the midst of a storm, should give us a measure of confidence. Do we sometimes feel that Jesus is nowhere to be found in the midst of a crisis that is threatening. Sometimes we are brought to the very edge and we see no future and we wonder if we're going to leave the hospital alive, or get through this situation with any stability? Where, Lord, are you? Continue reading
- God’s Megaphone - God’s Megaphone: This morning I heard with clarity the voice of God. It came to me in my recall of circumstances I have experienced over the years, but only now realize those circumstances were the direction, advice, and wisdom of God, which I chose to ignore. I believe that if you, the reader, were honest with yourselves you would probably make a similar statement. Too often when we think of the nudges or the murmurs of the Holy Spirit within us, we think in terms of words, vocal renderings of some kind, we don't think of our circumstances so much, or the voice of a friend, or the choices made by others close to us, detours in the road. I think these are all ways in which God speaks to us and guides us on our own individual life paths. Continue reading
- Without Ceasing? - Without Ceasing? Here are three different versions of the same passage, each saying basically the same thing, but with slightly different twists. The emphasis is on prayer, of course, but is there a difference between “all the time”, “continually” and “never stop”? It does seem like the Apostle Paul is telling us to never stop praying. How do we do that? What is it that you do all the time? The Message version gives us a clue to Paul’s meaning: “you who belong to Christ Jesus”. Do we understand how inclusive that state of affairs is when we “belong to Christ Jesus”? We are not always conscious of Jesus keeping us in perfect oneness with God, but if we are obeying Him, He always is, constantly, unceasingly. Continue reading
- Doubting Peter - Doubting Peter: “Lord, if it’s really you..." Do we have moments of doubt? Have there have been times during our life journey when we've been in a fragile little boat called our circumstances, battling the waves of health or relationships, and we struggle and we wonder, and in desperation we call out to Jesus for help. Were there elements of doubt in that call to him? Was it a cry of panic or was it a statement of love and belief? May we have no fear, as we walk in faith through the storm of life holding on to the hand of our Lord. Continue reading
- In Memoriam - In Memoriam: Not so much a celebration as a commemoration, the remembering and honoring those men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Since the Revolutionary War, America has been involved in more than 60 wars, not counting expeditions and campaigns, and conflicts with strange names such as Sheepeater, or White River, or Pine Ridge, Gaza, Ukraine, and the list goes on. But it is the price of war that should be of concern to us. Casualties in the millions. Casualties is such a dehumanizing word...instead think of the blood of our young people, maybe your son or daughter! How many generations lost? How much talent lost? How much creativity lost? Continue reading
- Deny Yourself - Deny Yourself: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” That's exactly what Jesus said -- deny self. So, how does one do that? How do I deny myself? Does that mean putting others first? Hmm. How does one do that? Self. From the time we were small the emphasis was on building our self-esteem, our character, being who we are. As individuality develops it shoves others aside, separating, and isolating people. When we place our individuality over our spiritual life, our Spirit will become isolated, or misled, and we've lost something of value we didn't even know we had. Continue reading
- Love Everyone? - Love Everyone? “Love is an indefinite thing to most of us; we don't know what we mean when we talk about love.” Is that true? Do we still believe that love is the loftiest preference of one person for another? Read again the commandment: Love others as I have loved you. His command is not hard to understand. This is the true work of a Christian and it is not always easy. Continue reading
- More Than Enough - More Than Enough: When has God blessed you beyond what you imagined? Did you express your gratitude and recognize that it was the Lord moving in your life? Did you share that information with anyone, talk about how Jesus is more than enough for you? Isn't it true that we tend to keep things a secret, that we are shy in sharing our faith with others. Continue reading
- Missing Watchwords, But Not Lost - Missing Watchwords, But Not Lost: The errors and the disruptions of humans are no match for our Lord. A little inconvenience, maybe, but nothing that cannot be set right. He tells us, "My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness." Continue reading
- A Conversation with God - A Conversation with God: Life is filled with unexpected pits and twists. What has been happening to you over these past two years ? Some of you put on weight – blaming it that on the Covid. Some have drawn closer to family, loved ones, friends – crediting your own need and your common sense. It seems that most of us have drawn closer to God and our faith – Thank you, Lord. Truth – During this time, God matured us in our faith, in ways we could not have anticipated. We have drawn closer to the Word. We have changed in ways that bless the lives of others, and ourselves, even today. Continue reading
- Conversation with a Friend - Conversation with a friend, struggling with health issues, and his relationship with the Lord. Friend: I believe in God but sometimes I wonder, if God no longer believes in me. Me: You raise a very interesting question but I think the answer is right there within the question. If it is true that you believe in God, then the second part of your question could not be true, that God no longer believes in you, loves you. We all go through these moments of doubt when we're confronted with something that takes us out of our comfort zone, or threatens our health, or the health of a loved one. We must rely upon the truth that we find in the statement that God loves us. Continue reading
- The Spirit of Truth - The Spirit of Truth: Historic fact: In 1842 there were approximately 25 worshipers in the vast and beautiful St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. In 1843, one year later, they were forced to add chairs in the outer lobby to accommodate all who came to worship. The difference? The book, A Christmas Carol. What is there about ghosts and spirits that cause us anxiety? How often during our growing up years did we hear ghost stories and spirits entertaining us in a variety of ways, maybe at night, around a campfire? For the disciples in His day, this was coming from the Master who had been walking with them for the past three years. They resisted His leaving and pleaded with Him to stay. Are we still resisting? Continue reading
- WPF - WPF: There are multiple instances in the scripture where Jesus has initiated a healing, a miracle. Where He provided a banquet for thousands out of a single young boy's lunch, raised a little girl from a death-bed, or a friend, long buried. Those are called miracles, and rightfully so. You may be wondering what WPF means. My daughter gave me this little figure of a pig with wings. It stands 2 inches by 2 inches, heavy, like it is made of bronze, signifying When Pigs Fly, something unexplainable, difficult, maybe impossible, that happened. Over the years she and I have often laughed and marveled at what the Lord has done in our lives. Things beyond our plans, or even our imaginations. That is true for you as well. Continue reading
