Acts 1:11 They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’
Today is Ascension Day, the day we mark the end of Jesus' earthly presence. Remember to join us for a new and experimental worship experience in the Gathering Space tonight at 6:30. We'll combine a dinner and worship all throughout, being in the Gathering Space for the whole event. It'll be a great time.
But after Jesus ascended into heaven and his disciples and followers sat gawking up after him into the clouds, these angels had a few parting words. "Why do you stand looking up towards heaven?" I love that line. What the heck are you looking for up in the clouds? Get your head out of the clouds and get to being a disciple. Look around you. Look down. Look around and see all that God has for you to do. Get your head out of the clouds. Good advice.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Remember to join us for Ascension supper and worship tonight at 6:30. Visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com for an archive of these messages and to leave comments.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Wednesday
Psalm 93 1The Lord is king, he is robed in majesty;
the Lord is robed, he is girded with strength.
He has established the world; it shall never be moved;
2 your throne is established from of old;
you are from everlasting.
the Lord is robed, he is girded with strength.
He has established the world; it shall never be moved;
2 your throne is established from of old;
you are from everlasting.
3The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
the floods have lifted up their voice;
the floods lift up their roaring.
4More majestic than the thunders of mighty waters,
more majestic than the waves* of the sea,
majestic on high is the Lord!
5Your decrees are very sure;
holiness befits your house,
O Lord, for evermore.
Amen.
Remember to join us for Ascension supper and worship on Thursday at 6:30. Visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com for an archive of these messages and to leave comments.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Tuesday
2 Chronicles 15:3-4 For a long time Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law; but when in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them.
Welcome to the department for the stating of the obvious. I'd like to let you know that God's not hard to find. God's not hard to see. If you look for God, God will be there.
Faith is not like those "Where's Waldo" books or those crazy pictures with a hidden image that you have to hold at just the angle to see the picture of the woman's head or something crazy like that. No... God's easy to find. All you've got to do is look.
All you've got to do is look for love, and you've found God. Look for peace and people working together with one another, and you've found God. Look for broken relationships being restored, look for forgiveness, and you've found God. Have you seen God yet today?
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Remember to join us for Ascension supper and worship on Thursday at 6:30. Visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com for an archive of these messages and to leave comments.
Welcome to the department for the stating of the obvious. I'd like to let you know that God's not hard to find. God's not hard to see. If you look for God, God will be there.
Faith is not like those "Where's Waldo" books or those crazy pictures with a hidden image that you have to hold at just the angle to see the picture of the woman's head or something crazy like that. No... God's easy to find. All you've got to do is look.
All you've got to do is look for love, and you've found God. Look for peace and people working together with one another, and you've found God. Look for broken relationships being restored, look for forgiveness, and you've found God. Have you seen God yet today?
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Remember to join us for Ascension supper and worship on Thursday at 6:30. Visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com for an archive of these messages and to leave comments.
Monday, May 10, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Monday
1 Chronicles 12:17 David went out to meet them and said to them, ‘If you have come to me in friendship, to help me, then my heart will be bound to you; but if you have come to betray me to my adversaries, though my hands have done no wrong, then may the God of our ancestors see and give judgement.’
David found himself in a tough position. He was engaged in a battle with Saul for kingship and was finding it difficult to know who was on his side and who was on Saul's side. So when some leaders and troops came out to where he was hiding, he was apprehensive. Not sure if they came in peace or came to grab him for Saul.
I'm assuming nobody reading this is actively engaged in insurrection or a civil war. You've got slightly different problems than David had. And yet... we'd do well to follow David's example. Those who come to us in friendship should be bound to our hearts. If you are not against me, you are tied to my heart. And those who come as adversaries... let God figure it out. Not bad advice for an insurrection, or a high-school argument, or a workplace conflict, or a neighborhood dispute. Give it a shot!
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Remember to join us for Ascension supper and worship on Thursday at 6:30. Visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com for an archive of these messages and to leave comments.
David found himself in a tough position. He was engaged in a battle with Saul for kingship and was finding it difficult to know who was on his side and who was on Saul's side. So when some leaders and troops came out to where he was hiding, he was apprehensive. Not sure if they came in peace or came to grab him for Saul.
I'm assuming nobody reading this is actively engaged in insurrection or a civil war. You've got slightly different problems than David had. And yet... we'd do well to follow David's example. Those who come to us in friendship should be bound to our hearts. If you are not against me, you are tied to my heart. And those who come as adversaries... let God figure it out. Not bad advice for an insurrection, or a high-school argument, or a workplace conflict, or a neighborhood dispute. Give it a shot!
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Remember to join us for Ascension supper and worship on Thursday at 6:30. Visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com for an archive of these messages and to leave comments.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Thursday
Acts 15:39-41
39The disagreement became so sharp that they parted company; Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. 40But Paul chose Silas and set out, the believers* commending him to the grace of the Lord. 41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
The disagreement that's referenced in verse 39 was over who should accompany Paul and Barnabas -- Paul did not want to take someone who had abandoned them and not accompanied them in their work. We don't hear Barnabas' argument for bringing this person -- what redeemable qualities did he have? It's not uncommon for disagreements to happen -- today or in the early church.
39The disagreement became so sharp that they parted company; Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. 40But Paul chose Silas and set out, the believers* commending him to the grace of the Lord. 41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
The disagreement that's referenced in verse 39 was over who should accompany Paul and Barnabas -- Paul did not want to take someone who had abandoned them and not accompanied them in their work. We don't hear Barnabas' argument for bringing this person -- what redeemable qualities did he have? It's not uncommon for disagreements to happen -- today or in the early church.
We don't really get to know what happened with Barnabas and Mark (who was really named John), but we learn that Paul and Silas strengthened the church. I imagine that the other team did the same, even if their process and strategy differed. What can we do to strengthen the church (not just our local congregations) in the midst of disagreement?
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Tuesday
2 Samuel 1:11-12
11Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them; and all the men who were with him did the same. 12They mourned and wept, and fasted until evening for Saul and for his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
Yesterday's scripture told of the deep love and friendship between David and Jonathan, a friendship that drove David to send Jonathan away for safety. Today, though, we learn that Jonathan and his father Saul have died in war. How do we respond when we learn of the death of a loved one? There is, of course, a range of emotions and reactions -- some determined by circumstance and some by culture. Few people today tear their clothing in grief, but in some times and places that was a common response to deep grief.
While our responses to grief vary, our mourning and weeping, our anger and relief are all normal. What becomes important is that we do grieve -- in whatever way we are able -- to the losses in our lives. May God's presence bring comfort to us all in our times of grief.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
11Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them; and all the men who were with him did the same. 12They mourned and wept, and fasted until evening for Saul and for his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
Yesterday's scripture told of the deep love and friendship between David and Jonathan, a friendship that drove David to send Jonathan away for safety. Today, though, we learn that Jonathan and his father Saul have died in war. How do we respond when we learn of the death of a loved one? There is, of course, a range of emotions and reactions -- some determined by circumstance and some by culture. Few people today tear their clothing in grief, but in some times and places that was a common response to deep grief.
While our responses to grief vary, our mourning and weeping, our anger and relief are all normal. What becomes important is that we do grieve -- in whatever way we are able -- to the losses in our lives. May God's presence bring comfort to us all in our times of grief.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Monday, May 3, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Monday
1 Samuel 20:1-23, 35-42
Part of the style of these devotions has been to take a verse or two or three from the lessons appointed for the day. We then reflect on these verses for a couple of paragraphs and hopefully raise either a point or a question for you to think about throughout the day. Our hope is always to connect scripture with daily life -- beyond Sunday morning. Occasionally, though, the scripture appointed for the day shares a message that doesn't come from a verse or two (at least easily!). Such is the case with today's scripture.
From 1 Samuel 20, we hear the story of the friendship between Jonathan and David, and how David protected Jonathan. I invite you to read the passage referenced at the top of the devotion, and to think about the gifts of relationship that God has given to all of us. We are called to be in relationship with one another, and to care for each other other. Few of us will travel to a field and shoot arrows as a signal of safety or departure, but we show one another signs of care and compassion -- or, sadly, we set off signs that we don't care for one another. Let our goal and our hope be that the signs we show to one another are those of care and compassion.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
If you don't have your Bible handy, you can find daily Bible reading at: http://www2.elca.org/scriptLib/CO/bible/tbrBibleView.asp
Part of the style of these devotions has been to take a verse or two or three from the lessons appointed for the day. We then reflect on these verses for a couple of paragraphs and hopefully raise either a point or a question for you to think about throughout the day. Our hope is always to connect scripture with daily life -- beyond Sunday morning. Occasionally, though, the scripture appointed for the day shares a message that doesn't come from a verse or two (at least easily!). Such is the case with today's scripture.
From 1 Samuel 20, we hear the story of the friendship between Jonathan and David, and how David protected Jonathan. I invite you to read the passage referenced at the top of the devotion, and to think about the gifts of relationship that God has given to all of us. We are called to be in relationship with one another, and to care for each other other. Few of us will travel to a field and shoot arrows as a signal of safety or departure, but we show one another signs of care and compassion -- or, sadly, we set off signs that we don't care for one another. Let our goal and our hope be that the signs we show to one another are those of care and compassion.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
If you don't have your Bible handy, you can find daily Bible reading at: http://www2.elca.org/scriptLib/CO/bible/tbrBibleView.asp
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