Psalm 3:5-6
5 I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, for the Lord sustains me.
6 I am not afraid of tens of thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around.
On those nights when I cannot sleep because of worry, I am sometimes of clear enough mind to realize the absurdity of worrying late into the night. Not that I'm recommending that we worry during daylight hours, either, mind you, but there are often enough distractions during the day that our obsessive worries get a break. If we truly believe that the Lord sustains us, then we should sleep. If we truly trust in the Lord, we should sleep.
I've had several people tell me over the years that they feel badly about falling asleep in the middle of their bedtime prayers. Now, I don't know many conversation partners who would be appreciative if you fell asleep while talking with them, but I think that's maybe exactly what God wants us to do -- turn your worries over to God at the end of the day, and sleep. You will wake again, for the Lord sustains you. Do not be afraid. Rest.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Tuesday
Habakkuk 2:2-4
2 Then the Lord answered me and said:
Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so that a runner may read it.
3 For there is still a vision for the appointed time;
it speaks of the end, and does not lie.
If it seems to tarry, wait for it;
it will surely come, it will not delay.
Perhaps the most powerful part of our words from Habakkuk today might be: "then the Lord answered me." In some ways it hardly matters exactly what the Lord says, but simply know that there's an answer can bring comfort and relief. Now, I know that's not always the case -- the answer we get or the response that comes can be far from what we hoped we would hear. But God does answer, and to Habakkuk, God says that there's still a vision, and that the task is still to write it -- large and plainly.
Habakkuk was a prophet, and he was hoping for a message from God to bring to the people, the wayward people. And, God assures him that the message is coming -- even if Habakkuk needs to have a little more patience. God has answered, the vision is coming, have patience. Take comfort -- the vision is coming. Have patience.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
2 Then the Lord answered me and said:
Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so that a runner may read it.
3 For there is still a vision for the appointed time;
it speaks of the end, and does not lie.
If it seems to tarry, wait for it;
it will surely come, it will not delay.
Perhaps the most powerful part of our words from Habakkuk today might be: "then the Lord answered me." In some ways it hardly matters exactly what the Lord says, but simply know that there's an answer can bring comfort and relief. Now, I know that's not always the case -- the answer we get or the response that comes can be far from what we hoped we would hear. But God does answer, and to Habakkuk, God says that there's still a vision, and that the task is still to write it -- large and plainly.
Habakkuk was a prophet, and he was hoping for a message from God to bring to the people, the wayward people. And, God assures him that the message is coming -- even if Habakkuk needs to have a little more patience. God has answered, the vision is coming, have patience. Take comfort -- the vision is coming. Have patience.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Monday, October 4, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Monday
Habakkuk 1:12-14
12 Are you not from of old,
O Lord my God, my Holy One?
You shall not die.
O Lord, you have marked them for judgement;
and you, O Rock, have established them for punishment.
13 Your eyes are too pure to behold evil,
and you cannot look on wrongdoing;
why do you look on the treacherous,
and are silent when the wicked swallow
those more righteous than they?
14 You have made people like the fish of the sea,
like crawling things that have no ruler.
Habakkuk seems like a cheeky prophet, like a prophet that got a little bit sassy with God, and somehow lived to tell about it. Some editors of modern translations, the folks who put those descriptive headings into our Bibles, have called this first chapter of Habakkuk "The Prophet's Complaint." Seems pretty accurate, especially when we read verse 13 -- why don't you say something, God, when the wicked eat up the good? Perhaps by my standards, though, we could all be considered a little bit cheeky when we wonder why God doesn't seem to speak a word to situations riddled with injustice.
There are two parts of Habakkuk's scripture that I find beautiful, however. One, the prophet brings a word to God -- a word of complaint, a word seeking justice, a word of information, a feisty word of challenge. Perhaps we sometimes shy away from being sassy with God -- we have lost the art of bringing a word to God, the art of prophetic give and take. And two, God responds. We'll hear that response tomorrow, but for today know that this is not a one-sided conversation that Habakkuk has with God -- and our conversations, our prayers, with God are not one-sided, either.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
12 Are you not from of old,
O Lord my God, my Holy One?
You shall not die.
O Lord, you have marked them for judgement;
and you, O Rock, have established them for punishment.
13 Your eyes are too pure to behold evil,
and you cannot look on wrongdoing;
why do you look on the treacherous,
and are silent when the wicked swallow
those more righteous than they?
14 You have made people like the fish of the sea,
like crawling things that have no ruler.
Habakkuk seems like a cheeky prophet, like a prophet that got a little bit sassy with God, and somehow lived to tell about it. Some editors of modern translations, the folks who put those descriptive headings into our Bibles, have called this first chapter of Habakkuk "The Prophet's Complaint." Seems pretty accurate, especially when we read verse 13 -- why don't you say something, God, when the wicked eat up the good? Perhaps by my standards, though, we could all be considered a little bit cheeky when we wonder why God doesn't seem to speak a word to situations riddled with injustice.
There are two parts of Habakkuk's scripture that I find beautiful, however. One, the prophet brings a word to God -- a word of complaint, a word seeking justice, a word of information, a feisty word of challenge. Perhaps we sometimes shy away from being sassy with God -- we have lost the art of bringing a word to God, the art of prophetic give and take. And two, God responds. We'll hear that response tomorrow, but for today know that this is not a one-sided conversation that Habakkuk has with God -- and our conversations, our prayers, with God are not one-sided, either.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Friday, October 1, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Friday
Revelation 2:17 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give a white stone, and on the white stone is written a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it.
To those of us who conquer (through our baptism and the death and resurrection of Jesus), God promises to give us a white stone with a new name written on it. God says that nobody knows what the name is. God sent this message and seemed to want to promise us a new name but tell us not to bother trying to figure out the name.
Risking getting in trouble for even guessing, I've got a guess. I've got a guess of the new name that will be given to all of us at the end. I think it's "Christian." We've been marked. We've been claimed. Our sinful selves have been covered over in the purest white. We are now called not sinful Seth, but Christian.
That's my guess, and someday we'll all find out!
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
See http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for information about all of our ministries and a full calendar. Bring your pets for a service of blessing Saturday morning in the church parking lot at 9. Worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11.
To those of us who conquer (through our baptism and the death and resurrection of Jesus), God promises to give us a white stone with a new name written on it. God says that nobody knows what the name is. God sent this message and seemed to want to promise us a new name but tell us not to bother trying to figure out the name.
Risking getting in trouble for even guessing, I've got a guess. I've got a guess of the new name that will be given to all of us at the end. I think it's "Christian." We've been marked. We've been claimed. Our sinful selves have been covered over in the purest white. We are now called not sinful Seth, but Christian.
That's my guess, and someday we'll all find out!
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
See http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for information about all of our ministries and a full calendar. Bring your pets for a service of blessing Saturday morning in the church parking lot at 9. Worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Thursday
Revelation 2:11 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Whoever conquers will not be harmed by the second death.
John, the author of Revelation uses this refrain throughout the book and I love it: "Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches." Do you hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches? To the church? To you? How can you tell that you know? How can you be sure?
One thing John is sure that the Spirit is saying to the churches... to you... is that "whoever conquers will not be harmed by the second death." And I'm telling you that you've conquered. In your baptism you've been joined to the conquering of Jesus. He conquered on your behalf. You will not be harmed by the second death.
Religion today is really concerned with the here and now. Most of us are concerned with the here and now. And there's good reason for that. But I think sometimes we forget that eternity awaits us. Eternity will be a lot longer than the 60-90 or more years of our life on earth. And eternity has been assured for us. Thanks be to God!
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
See http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for information about all of our ministries and a full calendar. Bring your pets for a service of blessing Saturday morning in the church parking lot at 9. Worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11.
John, the author of Revelation uses this refrain throughout the book and I love it: "Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches." Do you hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches? To the church? To you? How can you tell that you know? How can you be sure?
One thing John is sure that the Spirit is saying to the churches... to you... is that "whoever conquers will not be harmed by the second death." And I'm telling you that you've conquered. In your baptism you've been joined to the conquering of Jesus. He conquered on your behalf. You will not be harmed by the second death.
Religion today is really concerned with the here and now. Most of us are concerned with the here and now. And there's good reason for that. But I think sometimes we forget that eternity awaits us. Eternity will be a lot longer than the 60-90 or more years of our life on earth. And eternity has been assured for us. Thanks be to God!
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
See http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for information about all of our ministries and a full calendar. Bring your pets for a service of blessing Saturday morning in the church parking lot at 9. Worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Wednesday
Daniel 12:1 At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book.
Today is the feast day of Michael and All Angels. The reading for the day is from Daniel's vision of the future and of Michael's role in the protection of God's people in that future.
I've never been a big angel guy. I'm not sure what I believe about angels and their existence and their role in the world and in God's plan for us. I'm fairly sure they don't look like Michael Landon or John Travolta. I say I'm fairly sure but I've been surprised before.
But there is one thing of which my faith is sure. God will protect God's people. God will save us. In fact, God has already saved us through Jesus' death and resurrection. And so today at least I'll give thanks for Michael, a protector of God's people. And most importantly, I'll give thanks for the God who protects and saves and defends us from all evil.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
See http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for information about all of our ministries and a full calendar. Bring your pets for a service of blessing Saturday morning in the church parking lot at 9. Worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11.
Today is the feast day of Michael and All Angels. The reading for the day is from Daniel's vision of the future and of Michael's role in the protection of God's people in that future.
I've never been a big angel guy. I'm not sure what I believe about angels and their existence and their role in the world and in God's plan for us. I'm fairly sure they don't look like Michael Landon or John Travolta. I say I'm fairly sure but I've been surprised before.
But there is one thing of which my faith is sure. God will protect God's people. God will save us. In fact, God has already saved us through Jesus' death and resurrection. And so today at least I'll give thanks for Michael, a protector of God's people. And most importantly, I'll give thanks for the God who protects and saves and defends us from all evil.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
See http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for information about all of our ministries and a full calendar. Bring your pets for a service of blessing Saturday morning in the church parking lot at 9. Worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Tuesday
Hosea 10:12 Sow for yourselves righteousness;
reap steadfast love;
break up your fallow ground;
for it is time to seek the Lord,
that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.
I joined a congregation in Washington, DC during the tail end of my college years. Just before I began worshiping there, the congregation had experienced the death and funeral of Miss Judy, one of the shining light matriarchs of the congregation. From the way people talked, I gathered that she had touched a lot of lives with her faithfulness, with her kind words, with birthday cards and with an offer of a glass of lemonade on her front stoop. I also heard more people than I can remember say "I wish I had told her how much all that meant."
We all have people who mean a lot to us and we never tell them. We never say "I love you" or "Thank you." Or we don't say it as often as we should. It's like our faithfulness ground is lying fallow. It's just dirt. Nothing can grow in ungrateful soil. Nothing can grow in soil that isn't worked and turned. So...Hosea would say that we need to start sowing some righteousness and reaping some love. I'm going to make it simple: tell someone that you're grateful they're in your life today. Start with that. You never know what you might reap.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
See http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for information about all of our ministries and a full calendar. Bring your pets for a service of blessing Saturday morning in the church parking lot at 9. Worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11.
reap steadfast love;
break up your fallow ground;
for it is time to seek the Lord,
that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.
I joined a congregation in Washington, DC during the tail end of my college years. Just before I began worshiping there, the congregation had experienced the death and funeral of Miss Judy, one of the shining light matriarchs of the congregation. From the way people talked, I gathered that she had touched a lot of lives with her faithfulness, with her kind words, with birthday cards and with an offer of a glass of lemonade on her front stoop. I also heard more people than I can remember say "I wish I had told her how much all that meant."
We all have people who mean a lot to us and we never tell them. We never say "I love you" or "Thank you." Or we don't say it as often as we should. It's like our faithfulness ground is lying fallow. It's just dirt. Nothing can grow in ungrateful soil. Nothing can grow in soil that isn't worked and turned. So...Hosea would say that we need to start sowing some righteousness and reaping some love. I'm going to make it simple: tell someone that you're grateful they're in your life today. Start with that. You never know what you might reap.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
See http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for information about all of our ministries and a full calendar. Bring your pets for a service of blessing Saturday morning in the church parking lot at 9. Worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11.
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