Advent/Christmas 2009

“Let us give thanks for unknown blessings already on the way.” – a mealtime blessing at Pendle Hill, a Quaker retreat center.

I wonder what the shepherds were thinking a minute before they heard the angels announce the birth of Christ. Scary job being a shepherd, alone in the dead of a cold, black night, on the alert for wild animals that could carry off a lamb and frighten or scatter the flock they were charged to protect. Probably the last thing they’d ever imagined was the imminent birth of a Savior.

Just before the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, what do you suppose was on her mind? She might have been praying, but she could just as well have been sweeping the floor while dreaming about her upcoming marriage to Joseph.

We could go through both the Old and New Testament speculating on characters and stories. We can imagine the terror experienced by Moses and the Israelites when their backs were to the Red Sea and Egyptian chariots were speeding toward them, the despair the lepers felt as they were forced to hang back while the crowd surged forward to meet Jesus, the tears shed by Mary and Martha when they greeted Jesus four days after their brother’s death.

So, what’s on your mind today?

Why not use this Advent season to practice waiting in hope and confidence? We are told in Philippians 4:5, “The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and by petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

He is near—to calm the storm of financial worries at this critical time. He is near—to wipe away tears of pain and sorrow. He is near to remind us that we belong to Him and can never be taken from Him.

Picture the Infant, lying in a manger. Bend in close and reach toward Him. Let the tiny fingers of the Holy child curl around your own and know that at that instant you have touched the hand of God. Have a blessed Advent and a Merry Christmas!

Lent and a Failing Economy

Forty days of Lent, forty days of trial and sacrifice for Christ, days of hunger and thirst, of praying to the Father, of readying Himself to begin His ministry, of asking for strength and complete submission to the Divine Will for the difficult days ahead.

Lent may be the perfect time to ready ourselves for the extreme financial situation our country is facing. The news is full of layoffs and homes being lost. In our small congregation alone, I’ve already learned of a job loss and a mortgage that went up $400 along with a cut in pay.

How are we to make it through this “wilderness” that will last far longer than the time of Lent, by tightening our belts and hanging onto our money at all cost? Being prudent and avoiding unnecessary spending is good, but if it leads to fear and an “every man for himself” type of thinking, we may be selling our souls for a loaf of bread.

“Three things will last forever,” Corinthians 13 (NLT)tells us, “faith, hope, and love (charity)—and the greatest of these is love.” This combination may be what God is asking of Christians right now. Charity not just of money, but of goods long tucked away or items acquired but not needed, sharing of our excess, refraining from extras.

Goods and money diminish in hard times, but love can grow larger, fuller and stronger. God refills our cup of love again and again, the instant we give it away. Declaring our faith that God will provide will be met with skepticism by non-believers if we show no sign of charity, but if our words are accompanied by an action, no matter how small, God’s message will get through.

Dear Lord, hope will be in short supply in the days ahead, but the need for it will be great. Let the Good News of the Bible, faith-based articles, books and hymns, help us all to overcome the news and statistics leading us to the brink of despair. Instill a spirit of charity within our hearts so we may help those less fortunate. Protect us and our loved ones, their homes and jobs. Remind us how blessed we are to be able to share your infinite supply of love Amen.

*Turn to Philippians 4:8-9 when the news media and the people you know have only bad tidings to predict.

Prayer “Cards”

Have you ever noticed those little plastic boxes for index cards in supermarkets or stationery stores? They can be a great way to add both order and creativity to your prayer and spiritual life. Usually they’re plain black, but you can decorate and name yours, if you like. I have a tiny dove cut from a Christmas card on the front of mine and a sticker with the title Creative Christianity (and Dandy Ideas) on the top.

So, what can you use it for? First, Bible verses. Keep a few cards in your Bible to use as bookmarks. Whenever a verse calls to you, write it on the card. Pop the card in your box for reference right away or memorize it before you file it away. Copy short prayers or poems (one to a card), or glue a prayer or poem you’ve cut from Grove’s Sunday bulletin or elsewhere.

Ever had a great idea followed immediately by a slew of excuses why you couldn’t attempt it? Pop it into the box for a future look-see. Things change, you change, maybe you’ll have more time, more courage, or more opportunity to do it in the future. Perhaps you’ll like the idea so much you will pray about it. Maybe God will like it too and send you a partner to help!

Global Day of Prayer

“If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chron.7:14)

May 11th, Pentecost Sunday and Mother’s Day, is also Global Day of Prayer,(GDOP). The movement began in Cape Town,South Africa in 2001, when 45,000 people met in a stadium to pray. Within three years all of Africa was praying and by 2007, 204 out of 220 nations of the world were participating. The last “people” count listed was over 200,000,000. Many more are expected this year.

In preparation for the event, Grove Church’s prayer group, three couples and six individuals, will connect with other Christians around the world by praying 2 Chronicles 7:14 for ten days, from Ascension Day, May first, to May tenth. We’ll be following in the footsteps of the disciples as they prayed while awaiting the gift of the Holy Spirit and we’ll be using very inspiring materials from the Global Day of Prayer Web site.

Let me tell you a little about our at home prayer group. Some have moved away, others attend church only when they are physically able and some come regularly. These prayer warriors devote themselves to Grove’s monthly list of joys and concerns, which they receive through the mail. A second mailing each month brings a letter or card with Bible verses or inspirational quotes and, on occasion, they pray using a guided program such as the current GDOP or this year’s special Lenten devotions.

The People of Prayer group is open to anyone who would like to join; just ask. We are also considering extending this to include on-site prayer,or house prayer hosted by different individuals. We could learn centering prayer, or Lectio Divina, or read and discuss a spiritual book. Starting a small group of this kind takes some work and finding a common time frame can be tricky, but groups are a wonderful way to further spiritual development and connect with other Christians. If you feel a longing to deepen your faith and prayer life, if you’d like to go beyond Sunday worship to “church family,” leave a message with our church secretary, Ruth Aimee, 201-863-7030 and we’ll get back to you and work on it together.

Faith Triggers

I said a prayer this morning for the members of Grove. I prayed that you would each discover the things in your life that bring you close to God

To do that, I’d like to suggest that you spend as much time choosing the perfect gift for yourself as you would for a friend. Make a Christmas gift list to determine what triggers that moment of perfect faith when you know you are loved by God, when you love Him back, when you connect with everyone and everything else in His creation. There are times, places, situations unique to each of us that expand our hearts enough for God’s love to enter. It’s a blessing when they occur unexpectedly, but if you want to encourage them to happen more frequently, you need to know yourself.

Open wide your five senses and begin to write. What do you see that brings you to Him? Sunsets, grandchildren, fine artwork? What do you hear? Chirping sparrows? Music by the Gaithers? Touch? The miracle of cat fur, the softness of flower petals? Don’t forget smell and taste. True gratitude for a sweet, juicy orange or a memory evoked by the scent of pine needles may lead you straight to His side.

God has already given us the perfect gift, His infinite love come down to us in Jesus Christ. We know it, we believe it, but to live it, we need to remember. And to remember His love we need to notice daily the things that trigger our love.

So make your list, find those people, situations, books, memories and dreams, and surround yourself with them. Make a favorite chair your sanctuary, gift yourself this Christmas with a spiritual book from the Upper Room, immerse yourself in the glory of God’s creation through nature, art, music, friendship, pour your heart into kindness and generosity, encircle yourself with loved ones, rejoice in memories, and dive headfirst into a prayer of thanksgiving for your past, present and future with the Lord God Almighty, the King of Kings, the One who loved you first, and who will forever love you more than the world can ever know!

Merry Christmas!

Rest for the weary soul

Have you ever noticed both pain and worry save their best shots for the middle of the night? Even when you start out sleeping soundly, you can awaken and find yourself hurting or mulling over problems you’ve been unable to cope with during the day. What do you do? Count sheep? Toss and turn? Read or turn on the TV and try to zone out?

In the inspiring classic What Happens When Women Pray by Evelyn Christenson she urges, “If at night you can’t sleep, don’t count sheep, talk to the Shepherd”. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you should pray about the very problems or pains that are plaguing you, especially if this repetition will only serve to reinforce your own misery. You can use this time to pray for others, friends, family of even strangers, but this is better done earlier in the day or evening, because one prayer of intercession often brings forth another and then another as we think of people we love and their problems in the world.

Instead, sit quietly with eyes closed just before you retire (all chores done, pajamas on) and wait for that sleepy feeling, then read one of the following and repeat it a few times as you lie down. Don’t force words or thoughts, just go with the drowsy feeling and let the sleep come. You are a child of God and He loves you. Rest in his love and sleep.

Psalm 4:8 says, “I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
Paul in Philippians 4:8 “Finally Brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Matthew 11:28 “Come unto me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”
Psalm 107:1 “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
Colossians 1;15 “He (Jesus)is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.”
Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?”
Psalm 103 “Bless the Lord, O, my soul.
”Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.”

Seek God for the City

“In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul.” Psalm 94:19 KJ

I’m finding it difficult settle on a single subject today so I invite you listen to my brainwaves as they flow past.

First, if you were in church today (Dec. 28, 2008) you received an insert in your bulletin from the Synod of The Mid-Atlantics concerning a proposed monthly day of fasting, prayer, and alms, which would begin, on or about, the 15th of January and continue for six months. “On those days we pray for the growth of the body of Christ, as well as the courage to share the Good News every time the urge to break the fast arises.” I doubt if we have the lead time to do this as a congregation, but I would like to encourage you individually to consider it. That little bit of hunger can work as an excellent reminder to pray for something specific, in this case, the courage to share the Good News.

Secondly, an upcoming Lenten prayer program is Seek God for the City 2009, which will run from Feb. 25 to April 5, 2009. Grove’s at-home prayer group used this book last year and found it very inspiring. I am hoping we can do it again and invite them and you to join us. Books should be ordered by Feb. 1st, so please let me know if you are interested. The book is small, similar to an old fashioned TV Guide, and there is a page for each of the 40 days.

Lastly, I was also thinking about St.Peter today. I’ve always loved Peter’s enthusiasm and whole-heartedness. He made mistakes, he failed, but his love for Jesus was always apparent. His sadness when he disappointed Christ was apparent, too. Such an imperfect man. Such a saint. I pray today that we may we all mirror Peter’s joy in Christ to those around us in 2009. Have a blessed New Year!

Journalling Hymns

If I were to take a survey, I suspect many of you would admit that hymn singing is one of your favorite aspects of a worship service. There’s something wonderful about singing a familiar hymn and letting our imperfect voices soar toward heaven. Individually we may not sound too great, but together we make a joyful noise!

When Kevin changes the pace or does that little bent-note thing he does, we sing in a brand new way with our feet tapping and smiles on our faces, but new hymns make us nervous. We’re unsure of the melody and stumble along tentatively until the final chorus when we finally get it together and go out in style.

So what’s this got to do with prayer? Everything! Hymn singing is simply a different form of prayer and there’s a great deal you can do with it to further your spiritual life. Notice which verses “popcorn” out at you. Write the phrase in your bulletin, or if you own a hymnal(got any extras left, Pastor?) or have Internet access, reread the hymn when you get home. Pay particular attention to your emotional reaction when you get to the specific verse that called to you at church.

Here’s where last week’s suggestion to keep a prayer journal comes in handy. The verse that called to you is God’s whisper that you have work to do. Copy it down and let it tumble about in your mind for a moment, then write whatever you’re thinking. You never know where this will lead and it’s not for you to say. Is God asking you to trust Him more, confide in Him, repent, rest in His care? Maybe He just longs for a little more of your time. Don’t worry about grammar, spelling or penmanship. If thoughts come too fast for full sentences, write fragments. Don’t censor your thoughts or your words. This is called “free-writing” and your inner critic gets the day off.

If you tire of writing or just stop, rest in the thoughts you’ve been given and ponder them. Frequently this is where prayer begins. It may be mental, verbal, or you may wish to continue writing if it doesn’t distract you too much. You will know when you are finished. A simple prayer of thanksgiving or praise is in order if you haven’t already done this, then you can reread what you’ve written or close your journal and save it for another day.

Keeping a Prayer Journal

Do you keep a prayer or faith journal? I can see many of you putting this down right now. “Don’t have time.” “Hate to write.” “Not creative.” “Can’t bare to mess up a journal with my atrocious handwriting.” “Tried once; couldn’t do it every day.” “Don’t see the point.”

Well, you don’t have to like to write, be creative, do it every day, have beautiful handwriting, or lots of time. As for not seeing the point, let me try to explain.

Your thinking determines what you believe; it’s what forms your faith in God, and it certainly determines how often you think about Him. Thinking is how you tackle life’s problems. The trouble is your mind often has a mind of its own and chugs along without you, like a printer churning out pages no one bothers to read.

To know what you think and believe, it’s necessary to examine your thoughts and mull them over. Is the idea you had when you were twenty still valid? Are you making any spiritual progress? Is that annoying relative always wrong?

Store bought journals unnerve me. They’re perfect—and I’m not. I have a picture from a magazine glued on a wirebound school notebook. Dates show gaps of weeks with no entries. I paste in prayers from worship bulletins or snips from the Internet. It’s a mishmash of Bible studies, random verses, and quotations. A Christmas card proclaims the names of God in calligraphy. My journal contains questions and plenty of complaints. It’s repetitive, badly written and seldom profound. It’s proof that I’m not a very nice person.

But once in the while the “aha!” moment arrives when God opens the door and something clicks, His Word becomes clear, a secret sin is revealed or a problem is solved. I understand why someone irritates me. I acknowledge my anger. I stop making excuses. I accept His forgiveness.

Prayer comes in many forms; a journal is just one. It helps you get unstuck. You reread it and discover answered prayers, reminders of God’s infinite love and forgiveness. You find the best of yourself in the midst of all the messy bits that make you want to hide or run away.

Christmas 2008

“Let us give thanks for unknown blessings already on the way.” – a mealtime blessing at Pendle Hill, a Quaker retreat center.

I wonder what the shepherds were thinking a minute before they heard the angels announce the birth of Christ. Scary job being a shepherd, alone in the dead of a cold, black night, on the alert for wild animals that could carry off a lamb and frighten or scatter the flock they were charged to protect. Probably the last thing they’d ever imagined was the imminent birth of a Savior.

Just before the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, what do you suppose was on her mind? She might have been praying, but she could just as well have been sweeping the floor while dreaming about her upcoming marriage to Joseph.

We could go through both the Old and New Testament speculating on characters and stories. We can imagine the terror experienced by Moses and the Israelites when their backs were to the Red Sea and Egyptian chariots were speeding toward them, the despair the lepers felt as they were forced to hang back while the crowd surged forward to meet Jesus, the tears shed by Mary and Martha when they greeted Jesus four days after their brother’s death.

So, what’s on your mind today?

Why not use this Advent season to practice waiting in hope and confidence? We are told in Philippians 4:5, “The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and by petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

He is near—to calm the storm of financial worries at this critical time. He is near—to wipe away tears of pain and sorrow. He is near to remind us that we belong to Him and can never be taken from Him.

Picture the Infant, lying in a manger. Bend in close and reach toward Him. Let the tiny fingers of the Holy child curl around your own and know that at that instant you have touched the hand of God. Have a blessed Advent and a Merry Christmas!