Acts 22:19-21
19And I said, “Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. 20And while the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I myself was standing by, approving and keeping the coats of those who killed him.” 21Then he said to me, “Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.”
When Paul was still Saul, he actively persecuted those who believed in Jesus. We say that and it sort of makes it sound pretty -- he persecuted them doesn't always convey exactly what he did. But by his own testimony he held the coats of those who stoned Stephen, which isn't very pretty at all.
Saul's conversion is a powerful story -- a story that highlights redemption for anyone who thinks that they're "too bad" to follow Jesus. Even the one who held the coats of stone-throwers and who cheered them on is hand-picked to do God's work.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Wednesday
Psalm 124:6-8
6Blessed be the Lord,
who has not given us
as prey to their teeth.
7We have escaped like a bird
from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
and we have escaped.
8Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
The psalms are full of examples of ways in which the psalmist turns to the Lord -- not only in times of praise and thanksgiving, but also times of lament and frustration. But over and over again the psalmist affirms that when we need help, our help is in the Lord -- the one who made heaven and earth.
I love the psalms for many reasons, one of which is the way that both danger and help are clearly spelled out. The psalmist doesn't mince words when it comes to the dangers -- real or perceived -- that are felt. There's a reason the psalmist is crying for help. And yet, the trust shown in the Lord is powerful and inspirational. How can we turn to the Lord today, we who have escaped like a bird?
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
ASLC Devotions-- Tuesday
Proverbs 8:6-7
Wisdom says,
6Hear, for I will speak noble things,
and from my lips will come what is right;
7for my mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
We spend a lot of time in our lives trying to figure out what God wants us to do -- trying to hear God speak to us. Proverbs tells us through the voice of Wisdom that the voice will be noble and utter truth. Discerning God's voice from among all the other voices of the world can be difficult, but determining first that the voice should be noble and truthful is helpful.
My prayer, always, is that our own voices are ones of nobility and truth -- not wickedness -- so that we can better listen for what God is saying.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Wisdom says,
6Hear, for I will speak noble things,
and from my lips will come what is right;
7for my mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
We spend a lot of time in our lives trying to figure out what God wants us to do -- trying to hear God speak to us. Proverbs tells us through the voice of Wisdom that the voice will be noble and utter truth. Discerning God's voice from among all the other voices of the world can be difficult, but determining first that the voice should be noble and truthful is helpful.
My prayer, always, is that our own voices are ones of nobility and truth -- not wickedness -- so that we can better listen for what God is saying.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Friday, May 28, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Friday
Paul's words to the church in Ephesus:
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
One of the greatest frustrations in my life as a Christian, let alone as a pastor, is division and divisiveness in the body of Christ. And so I need to remember (maybe you do too) that there IS one body, whether we act like it or not. There IS one Spirit, whether we pray together or not. There IS one God and Father of all.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us for worship this weekend at 5 pm Saturday and 9 am Sunday. Bring all your wheeled toys (bicycles, motorcycles, tricycles, scooters) and helmets/pads to worship on Saturday for a blessing of the bicycles.
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
One of the greatest frustrations in my life as a Christian, let alone as a pastor, is division and divisiveness in the body of Christ. And so I need to remember (maybe you do too) that there IS one body, whether we act like it or not. There IS one Spirit, whether we pray together or not. There IS one God and Father of all.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us for worship this weekend at 5 pm Saturday and 9 am Sunday. Bring all your wheeled toys (bicycles, motorcycles, tricycles, scooters) and helmets/pads to worship on Saturday for a blessing of the bicycles.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Thursday
Ephesians 1:17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him
Paul prays that the Ephesians would receive the gift of the spirit. On Sunday we celebrated the gift of the Holy Spirit to the first church and the gifts that the Holy Spirit continues to bring to the church today. Paul prays though that the spirit, the Holy Spirit, would bring some pretty specific gifts to the people of Ephesus. Paul prays that they would receive not just some nebulous, nice-sounding spirit. Paul prays that they would receive a spirit of wisdom and revelation. Those are pretty specific gifts.
The spirit of revelation is the gift of the spirit that allows things to be revealed to us. I'm not talking about some kind of sci-fi special effects revelation where you see the future. The spirit of revelation is what allows you to see and understand that God is at work when an alcoholic neighbor admits the need for help. The spirit of revelation is what allows you to see and understand that God is at work when people come together to pray for peace in time of war. The spirit of revelation is what allows you to see and understand that God is at work in the world and in your life. So I pray that you would have a spirit of revelation today. May it be so!
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Remember our summer worship schedule begins this weekend with worship at 5 pm on Saturday and 9 am on Sunday. Also, remember to bring bicycles, scooters, motorcycles, tricycles, helmets and pads to worship on Saturday for a blessing of the bicycles.
Paul prays that the Ephesians would receive the gift of the spirit. On Sunday we celebrated the gift of the Holy Spirit to the first church and the gifts that the Holy Spirit continues to bring to the church today. Paul prays though that the spirit, the Holy Spirit, would bring some pretty specific gifts to the people of Ephesus. Paul prays that they would receive not just some nebulous, nice-sounding spirit. Paul prays that they would receive a spirit of wisdom and revelation. Those are pretty specific gifts.
The spirit of revelation is the gift of the spirit that allows things to be revealed to us. I'm not talking about some kind of sci-fi special effects revelation where you see the future. The spirit of revelation is what allows you to see and understand that God is at work when an alcoholic neighbor admits the need for help. The spirit of revelation is what allows you to see and understand that God is at work when people come together to pray for peace in time of war. The spirit of revelation is what allows you to see and understand that God is at work in the world and in your life. So I pray that you would have a spirit of revelation today. May it be so!
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Remember our summer worship schedule begins this weekend with worship at 5 pm on Saturday and 9 am on Sunday. Also, remember to bring bicycles, scooters, motorcycles, tricycles, helmets and pads to worship on Saturday for a blessing of the bicycles.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Wednesday
Psalm 48:12-14 Walk about Zion, go all around it,
count its towers,
consider well its ramparts;
go through its citadels,
that you may tell the next generation
that this is God,
our God for ever and ever.
He will be our guide for ever.
Telling the story is what the life of faith is all about. The psalmist wants the people to walk around and take a good look at Zion (Jerusalem) and take in all the fortifications, take in all the strength of the holy city. Why? So they can tell the next generation about how good and strong and faithful God is. Encounters with God in the Bible are riddled with this justification and this call to tell people about it. God saved the people from slavery so they could tell the nations about God. Jesus healed the blind man so that his (Jesus') glory would be revealed. We exist to tell the story. We are saved to tell the story. We are healed to tell the story.
What story is your life telling today?
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Visit http://www.allsaitnspalatine.org for more information on all of our story-telling ministries. Remember that our summer worship schedule begins this weekend: Saturday at 5 pm and Sunday at 9 am. Bring your bicycles, tricycles, scooters, and motorcycles (or helmets) to worship on Saturday evening for a blessing of bicycles!
count its towers,
consider well its ramparts;
go through its citadels,
that you may tell the next generation
that this is God,
our God for ever and ever.
He will be our guide for ever.
Telling the story is what the life of faith is all about. The psalmist wants the people to walk around and take a good look at Zion (Jerusalem) and take in all the fortifications, take in all the strength of the holy city. Why? So they can tell the next generation about how good and strong and faithful God is. Encounters with God in the Bible are riddled with this justification and this call to tell people about it. God saved the people from slavery so they could tell the nations about God. Jesus healed the blind man so that his (Jesus') glory would be revealed. We exist to tell the story. We are saved to tell the story. We are healed to tell the story.
What story is your life telling today?
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Visit http://www.allsaitnspalatine.org for more information on all of our story-telling ministries. Remember that our summer worship schedule begins this weekend: Saturday at 5 pm and Sunday at 9 am. Bring your bicycles, tricycles, scooters, and motorcycles (or helmets) to worship on Saturday evening for a blessing of bicycles!
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
ASLC Devotions - Tuesday
Ezekiel 11:16 Therefore say: Thus says the Lord God: Though I removed them far away among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a little while* in the countries where they have gone.
It's hard for us to understand and we don't like to think about it, but the Bible is pretty clear that when the Israelites were defeated and conquered and led off to slavery, God was in control. God let it happen or God planned for it to happen, or God worked it into God's plan. Whatever. But Ezekiel bears witness to the enduring faithfulness and love of God, even in the midst of that horrible situation. Even when the people are in exile, even when the people are far from everything comfortable, even when it seems (rationally so) that God has left the people for dead, God is still there.
The people may have had to leave their home for a while. The people may have had to have been distant from the place where God promised to dwell with them for a while. But God's flexible. God went with them. "I have been a sanctuary to them for a little while in the countries where they have gone." If the people couldn't be in God's house, God was in their house. Or tent. Or prison cell. It's nothing we'd want. It's nothing we'd wish for. But wherever you go, God will be with you. As a sanctuary for you.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Remember we move to our summer schedule this weekend. Saturday at 5 pm or Sunday at 9 am. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for more information
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)