Hebrews 10:35-36
35Do not, therefore, abandon that confidence of yours; it brings a great reward. 36For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.
Often scripture talks about faith as a race to be run and won, or a fight to be fought. Endurance is lifted up as something of value, and I don't disagree. Sometimes living a life of faith can be difficult, though that statement feels horribly trite from a middle-American perspective. When, really, have we ever been persecuted because of our faith?
But there are still times in our lives when we must draw from the deep well of confidence, not in ourselves, but the confidence that we have in our Lord, and the promises that God has made to us.
Peace, and confidence, to you.
Pastor Jenn
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Wednesday
Psalm 89:1-2
I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever;
with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.
I declare that your steadfast love is established forever;
your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.
One of the (many) things that I love about worship is that we sing together as a congregation, all of us. Whether our voice is sure and strong, or it warbles a bit and strays from the tune, our voices rise, praising the Lord. The psalms are the songs of scripture, and the steadfast love of God that Psalm 89 references carries many of the songs that we sing.
This summer at All Saints we have had the opportunity for "hymn sings," and I have enjoyed hearing the favorite hymns that people have requested. The next time you're in worship, sing out, sing loud, sing with the passion that comes from praising God. Our song is proclamation, and our song is our witness to God's faithfulness and work in our lives.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever;
with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.
I declare that your steadfast love is established forever;
your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.
One of the (many) things that I love about worship is that we sing together as a congregation, all of us. Whether our voice is sure and strong, or it warbles a bit and strays from the tune, our voices rise, praising the Lord. The psalms are the songs of scripture, and the steadfast love of God that Psalm 89 references carries many of the songs that we sing.
This summer at All Saints we have had the opportunity for "hymn sings," and I have enjoyed hearing the favorite hymns that people have requested. The next time you're in worship, sing out, sing loud, sing with the passion that comes from praising God. Our song is proclamation, and our song is our witness to God's faithfulness and work in our lives.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
ASLC Devotions-- Tuesday
2 Chronicles 34: 22-23
22 So Hilkiah and those whom the king had sent went to the prophet Huldah, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe (who lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter) and spoke to her to that effect. 23She declared to them, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Tell the man who sent you to me,
There is, of course, a larger story present her that continues after the declaration, "Thus says the Lord..." The prophet Huldah continues that the Lord will send all sorts of calamities upon the people, but because you have had a penitent heart, you and your people will die in peace and not see the distress brought upon the people. Of course that story is important.
However, because it is also important (I think) to see the occasions when women have a voice in scripture, these words come from the Lord's prophet, Huldah, the wife of Shallum, keeper of the wardrobe.
Preach it, Huldah, preach it.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
22 So Hilkiah and those whom the king had sent went to the prophet Huldah, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe (who lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter) and spoke to her to that effect. 23She declared to them, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Tell the man who sent you to me,
There is, of course, a larger story present her that continues after the declaration, "Thus says the Lord..." The prophet Huldah continues that the Lord will send all sorts of calamities upon the people, but because you have had a penitent heart, you and your people will die in peace and not see the distress brought upon the people. Of course that story is important.
However, because it is also important (I think) to see the occasions when women have a voice in scripture, these words come from the Lord's prophet, Huldah, the wife of Shallum, keeper of the wardrobe.
Preach it, Huldah, preach it.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Monday, August 9, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Monday
2 Chronicles 33:12-13
12While [Manasseh] was in distress he entreated the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. 13He prayed to him, and God received his entreaty, heard his plea, and restored him again to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord indeed was God.
The earlier verses in chapter 33 tell us that Manasseh ruled for 55 years and that during that time he did much evil. He built altars for foreign gods within the temple of the Lord, and he misled the nations. And when the Lord tells him to stop, he does not heed the advice. Generally, I've discovered, that's a bad idea. So, the story continues that the armies advanced and then there was some distress, which is where these verses pick up.
There are many occasions in our scriptures when God hears the pleas of people who have done evil and restores them. And, like a child who doesn't see the obvious plot, nearly every time I think to myself, "Seriously, God? Did you not just read the same verses that I read? This character Manasseh has been messing with your world for 55 years condensed into 11 verses, and it only takes one entreaty for you to reverse and restore the whole thing? I mean, really, God, where is the justice?"
O, Lord, hear the entreaties of our hearts that have been hardened. Restore us daily to your kingdom. Remind us that you, indeed, are God.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
12While [Manasseh] was in distress he entreated the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. 13He prayed to him, and God received his entreaty, heard his plea, and restored him again to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord indeed was God.
The earlier verses in chapter 33 tell us that Manasseh ruled for 55 years and that during that time he did much evil. He built altars for foreign gods within the temple of the Lord, and he misled the nations. And when the Lord tells him to stop, he does not heed the advice. Generally, I've discovered, that's a bad idea. So, the story continues that the armies advanced and then there was some distress, which is where these verses pick up.
There are many occasions in our scriptures when God hears the pleas of people who have done evil and restores them. And, like a child who doesn't see the obvious plot, nearly every time I think to myself, "Seriously, God? Did you not just read the same verses that I read? This character Manasseh has been messing with your world for 55 years condensed into 11 verses, and it only takes one entreaty for you to reverse and restore the whole thing? I mean, really, God, where is the justice?"
O, Lord, hear the entreaties of our hearts that have been hardened. Restore us daily to your kingdom. Remind us that you, indeed, are God.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Friday, August 6, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Friday
Acts 7:2 Brothers* and fathers, listen to me. The God of glory appeared to our ancestor Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran.
God, the God of glory, the God who created the heavens and the earth, appeared and spoke to Abraham.
Stephen, who's giving a speech I've excerpted here, thinks it's important to point out that God spoke to Abraham when Abraham was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. I think it's important too. Because God spoke to Abraham when he was a long way from the promised land. God started this whole project with someone who was outside. God didn't wait for Abraham to move before God appeared to him. God likes to start thing with outsiders. God likes to talk to those who are outside what people would normally expect. God seems to prefer to deal with those who are in some way surprising for their involvement. People like you, perhaps!?
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday or 9 am Sunday.
God, the God of glory, the God who created the heavens and the earth, appeared and spoke to Abraham.
Stephen, who's giving a speech I've excerpted here, thinks it's important to point out that God spoke to Abraham when Abraham was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. I think it's important too. Because God spoke to Abraham when he was a long way from the promised land. God started this whole project with someone who was outside. God didn't wait for Abraham to move before God appeared to him. God likes to start thing with outsiders. God likes to talk to those who are outside what people would normally expect. God seems to prefer to deal with those who are in some way surprising for their involvement. People like you, perhaps!?
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday or 9 am Sunday.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Thursday
Romans 9:4-5 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah,* who is over all, God blessed for ever.* Amen.
God's promises are always true. God always keeps God's promises. Thousands of years ago, thousands of years before Christ, God promised to Abraham that his descendants would be God's people. God promised that Israel would be God's chosen people, and that God's promises of life and hope would be for them. Those promises still hold true after Christ. Christianity doesn't mean that Jewish people need anything else. They've got the promise. They've got God's presence with them as their God. It was promised by God thousands of years ago and the promise is still alive today.
So why am I telling you this? Why does it matter for most of the people reading this message who are not Jewish. It matters for lots of reasons, for how we Christians relate to our Jewish sisters and brothers. But most of all, it matters because we need to know and to be reminded that God's promises are always true. God always keeps God's promises. Amen.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday or 9 am Sunday.
God's promises are always true. God always keeps God's promises. Thousands of years ago, thousands of years before Christ, God promised to Abraham that his descendants would be God's people. God promised that Israel would be God's chosen people, and that God's promises of life and hope would be for them. Those promises still hold true after Christ. Christianity doesn't mean that Jewish people need anything else. They've got the promise. They've got God's presence with them as their God. It was promised by God thousands of years ago and the promise is still alive today.
So why am I telling you this? Why does it matter for most of the people reading this message who are not Jewish. It matters for lots of reasons, for how we Christians relate to our Jewish sisters and brothers. But most of all, it matters because we need to know and to be reminded that God's promises are always true. God always keeps God's promises. Amen.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday or 9 am Sunday.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Wednesday
Psalm 127:1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labour in vain.
Unless the Lord guards the city,
the guard keeps watch in vain.
I love lists. Give me a good checklist and an hour to work with it and I'm a happy guy. I love to make lists, I love to work lists. I love to make plans, I love to work plans. Good stuff happens when I have a list and when I have a plan. I don't think I'm alone. There's something innate in us humans that causes us to plan. It's one of the gifts of being human. My dog doesn't make many plans. He looks around for food droppings and barks at anything that passes. That's his life, and I don't want it. To be human is to be able to plan and do complex things.
To be human in relationship to God is to be able to plan and do complex things and to know that God might just have a different plan in mind than we do. To be human in relationship to God is to have your daily checklist and to know that God might put a person in your path who wasn't on your list but who needs your help. That's what it means to me to allow the Lord to build the house so I don't build it in vain. I do my plans, I do my lists. And i Know that God's got other lists in mind. I pray that my list looks a little bit like God's list. Then we're really cooking.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday or 9 am Sunday.
those who build it labour in vain.
Unless the Lord guards the city,
the guard keeps watch in vain.
I love lists. Give me a good checklist and an hour to work with it and I'm a happy guy. I love to make lists, I love to work lists. I love to make plans, I love to work plans. Good stuff happens when I have a list and when I have a plan. I don't think I'm alone. There's something innate in us humans that causes us to plan. It's one of the gifts of being human. My dog doesn't make many plans. He looks around for food droppings and barks at anything that passes. That's his life, and I don't want it. To be human is to be able to plan and do complex things.
To be human in relationship to God is to be able to plan and do complex things and to know that God might just have a different plan in mind than we do. To be human in relationship to God is to have your daily checklist and to know that God might put a person in your path who wasn't on your list but who needs your help. That's what it means to me to allow the Lord to build the house so I don't build it in vain. I do my plans, I do my lists. And i Know that God's got other lists in mind. I pray that my list looks a little bit like God's list. Then we're really cooking.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday or 9 am Sunday.
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