Judges 5:12 ‘Awake, awake, Deborah!
Awake, awake, utter a song!
Arise, Barak, lead away your captives,
O son of Abinoam.
After the victory of God's people I wrote about yesterday, a song of victory is sung. Deborah (a judge, a tribal ruler of ancient Israel - and a woman, notice!!) is called up on to awake and to utter a song. Deborah sings a song of victory, a song praising God for mercy and for salvation.
Awake, awake, O people of All Saints!
Awake, awake, utter a song!
Arise, People of God, arise and proclaim God's mercy to all you meet.
My effort may not be so good, but I'm not the Bible! Anyway, sing a song today - if not aloud, at least in your heart. Let God's love fill your heart with song and with praise. That is not bad advice for any day.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us for worship next Sunday at 8:30 and 11 with Education Hour at 9:45. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Monday, January 14, 2013
ASLC Devotions - Monday
Judges 4:1-3 The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, after Ehud died. So the Lord sold them into the hand of King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-ha-goiim. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and had oppressed the Israelites cruelly for twenty years.
There's this pattern that repeats itself over and over in the Old Testament: God's people forget about loyalty and doing the right things and faithful living. They get in trouble. They cry out to God for help, wondering why God abandoned them. Like I said, this pattern repeats itself over and over in the Old Testament. That's because the Old Testament covers a lot of ground historically and contains a great deal of the history of Israel. This pattern would repeat itself over and over in the New Testament as well if the New Testament contained information about the history of the Christian church in the same way.
I also have a feeling that if the story of my life (or our lives) were written in the pattern of the Bible, it would look a lot like the pattern above: the names and details would change but the pattern would hold. We forget faithful living. The consequences come. We blame God.
But of course, the pattern doesn't end there. And neither does this story from the fourth chapter of Judges. After some battle details, we get verse 15: "And the Lord threw Sisera and all his chariots and all his army into a panic before Barak." God saves the people. Verse 15 always comes. God always saves. Watch for your verse 5 today. It will happen.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar. See you in worship next Sunday at 8:30 and 11 with Education Hour at 9:45
There's this pattern that repeats itself over and over in the Old Testament: God's people forget about loyalty and doing the right things and faithful living. They get in trouble. They cry out to God for help, wondering why God abandoned them. Like I said, this pattern repeats itself over and over in the Old Testament. That's because the Old Testament covers a lot of ground historically and contains a great deal of the history of Israel. This pattern would repeat itself over and over in the New Testament as well if the New Testament contained information about the history of the Christian church in the same way.
I also have a feeling that if the story of my life (or our lives) were written in the pattern of the Bible, it would look a lot like the pattern above: the names and details would change but the pattern would hold. We forget faithful living. The consequences come. We blame God.
But of course, the pattern doesn't end there. And neither does this story from the fourth chapter of Judges. After some battle details, we get verse 15: "And the Lord threw Sisera and all his chariots and all his army into a panic before Barak." God saves the people. Verse 15 always comes. God always saves. Watch for your verse 5 today. It will happen.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar. See you in worship next Sunday at 8:30 and 11 with Education Hour at 9:45
Friday, January 4, 2013
ASLC Devotions - Friday
Acts 7:48-50 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says,
49 “Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,
or what is the place of my rest?
50 Did not my hand make all these things?”
One of the lessons of Christmas is that we should probably be expecting to be surprised by God. God came into the world in a very surprising way: as a child born to unwed parents. God comes to us and exists in the world in surprising ways. God cannot be contained. We may build beautiful church buildings and temples, we may be build powerful church institutions and congregations. And consistently, God says "Yep, I'm there, but I'm also over here where you didn't expect."
Expect the unexpected. Expect God to surprise you. The minute you think you understand God and how God is working in the world is the minute you'll be surprised to find something new. And it will be more wonderful and greater than whatever you could have imagined. I promise.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This Sunday we will once again have only one worship service at 10 am as we celebrate Epiphany, the end of the Christmas season and the visit of the Magi. Bring Christmas goodies for a post-worship potluck as well. http://www.allsaintspalatine.org
49 “Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,
or what is the place of my rest?
50 Did not my hand make all these things?”
One of the lessons of Christmas is that we should probably be expecting to be surprised by God. God came into the world in a very surprising way: as a child born to unwed parents. God comes to us and exists in the world in surprising ways. God cannot be contained. We may build beautiful church buildings and temples, we may be build powerful church institutions and congregations. And consistently, God says "Yep, I'm there, but I'm also over here where you didn't expect."
Expect the unexpected. Expect God to surprise you. The minute you think you understand God and how God is working in the world is the minute you'll be surprised to find something new. And it will be more wonderful and greater than whatever you could have imagined. I promise.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This Sunday we will once again have only one worship service at 10 am as we celebrate Epiphany, the end of the Christmas season and the visit of the Magi. Bring Christmas goodies for a post-worship potluck as well. http://www.allsaintspalatine.org
Thursday, January 3, 2013
ASLC Devotions - Thursday
Luke 8:21 But Jesus said to them, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.’
It's good to be part of a family. At their best, families give us a sense of belonging, families give us a sense of identity as well. In the best of circumstances, a family helps to shape who you are in a positive way - I know what kind of person I am and what kind of person I aspire to be because of the shaping and molding I receive in my family.
This is what it means that you and I are the mother and brothers (and sisters and whatever else) of Jesus. We belong to Jesus. That belonging can never be taken from us. Also, we are shaped by our presence and our identity in this family. Just as your parents may have said "This is how we do things in this family" Jesus also shows us how we do things in his family: with love and mercy.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This Sunday we will once again have only one worship service at 10 am as we celebrate Epiphany, the end of the Christmas season and the visit of the Magi. Bring Christmas goodies for a post-worship potluck as well. http://www.allsaintspalatine.org
It's good to be part of a family. At their best, families give us a sense of belonging, families give us a sense of identity as well. In the best of circumstances, a family helps to shape who you are in a positive way - I know what kind of person I am and what kind of person I aspire to be because of the shaping and molding I receive in my family.
This is what it means that you and I are the mother and brothers (and sisters and whatever else) of Jesus. We belong to Jesus. That belonging can never be taken from us. Also, we are shaped by our presence and our identity in this family. Just as your parents may have said "This is how we do things in this family" Jesus also shows us how we do things in his family: with love and mercy.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This Sunday we will once again have only one worship service at 10 am as we celebrate Epiphany, the end of the Christmas season and the visit of the Magi. Bring Christmas goodies for a post-worship potluck as well. http://www.allsaintspalatine.org
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Lenten Devotional
Once again this year, we will be preparing a daily Lenten devotional written by YOU! If you would like to share your thoughts about a particular assigned Bible passage (about 200-250 words) please let Pastor Seth know (pastorseth@allsaintspalatine.org) for inclusion on our writer's list. The pastors and others will be available to help and consult. You have something to say.
ASLC Devotions - Wednesday
James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.
I've never been much for New Year's Resolutions. I have made them at times in the past, but it's not something that I do yearly. And generally, I don't live up to them that well. In that respect, I'd suspect that I'm pretty similar to the most of the rest of you.
If I were inclined to make a New Year's Resolution this year, I might look for inspiration to this passage from James. Martin Luther might not be proud (he didn't like the book of James) but it's a good place to start. "Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom." Gentleness, wisdom, good life. If I could aspire to anything this year, that is what I aspire for my life to be marked by. Maybe you too?
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This Sunday we will once again have only one worship service at 10 am as we celebrate Epiphany, the end of the Christmas season and the visit of the Magi. Bring Christmas goodies for a post-worship potluck as well. http://www.allsaintspalatine.org
I've never been much for New Year's Resolutions. I have made them at times in the past, but it's not something that I do yearly. And generally, I don't live up to them that well. In that respect, I'd suspect that I'm pretty similar to the most of the rest of you.
If I were inclined to make a New Year's Resolution this year, I might look for inspiration to this passage from James. Martin Luther might not be proud (he didn't like the book of James) but it's a good place to start. "Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom." Gentleness, wisdom, good life. If I could aspire to anything this year, that is what I aspire for my life to be marked by. Maybe you too?
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This Sunday we will once again have only one worship service at 10 am as we celebrate Epiphany, the end of the Christmas season and the visit of the Magi. Bring Christmas goodies for a post-worship potluck as well. http://www.allsaintspalatine.org
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
ASLC Devotions - Tuesday
Today is liturgically the celebration of the Name of Jesus, because it's the eighth day of Christmas. Traditionally, Jewish children received their names on the 8th day. So we celebrate this name of salvation. Our text for today is the blessing whose words might be familiar, and I offer them to you today as a blessing for this next year of your life:
Numbers 6:22-27 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them,
The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
the LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.
This Sunday we will once again have only one worship service at 10 am as we celebrate Epiphany, the end of the Christmas season and the visit of the Magi. Bring Christmas goodies for a post-worship potluck as well. http://www.allsaintspalatine.org
Numbers 6:22-27 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them,
The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
the LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.
This Sunday we will once again have only one worship service at 10 am as we celebrate Epiphany, the end of the Christmas season and the visit of the Magi. Bring Christmas goodies for a post-worship potluck as well. http://www.allsaintspalatine.org
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