Reflection

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

With 2020 about to hit the rear view mirror, I must admit this has been a year of reflection and introspection for me.  At times such guilt and shame only to find, see and experience the overwhelming grace and presence of Jesus.  During this last month I have really been drawn to this famous passage in Isaiah and specifically the “For to us a child is born.”

The incarnation is such a...well I don’t really have the words,  but certainly a miracle. B.B. Warfield once said, “The Glory of the incarnation is that it presents to our adoring gaze, a true God-man; one on whose almighty arms we can rest and to whose human sympathy we can appeal.”

Oh, how I love that quote (as you can probably tell by the number of times I’ve used it) and somehow there was even a little more for me this year. I’ve come to realize this incarnation, God coming down from heaven, coming as a God-man to seek and save became even more remarkable. It seems to me the incarnation is the hinge pin for so much...to me it proves the steadfast love of God, it proves that our God pursues us no matter our circumstances, it proves just how amazing grace really is, and for me it is the very basis for our hope and love and joy.

So as we head into 2021, I pray we do it filled with hope and love and joy, I pray we all become a little kinder to one another, I pray we might lend a hand to others and finally I pray we come to know and trust and experience Christ in many new and exciting ways...

Grace and Peace!

Laugh, I Nearly Died

I’m so sick and tired

Trying to turn the tide, yeah

So I’ll say my goodbye

Laugh, laugh, I nearly died

Rolling Stones

Genesis 18:9-15

Big Idea:

 

It is in those times that we are spent, broken, at the end of our rope, when life seems impossible; it is in those times that we might scoff (laugh) in disbelief, and it is in those times that the grace of God becomes crystal clear. And that is also exactly where we come to see that in our weakness, He is strong. It is in our weakness that we come to know the love and mercies of God; and to trust in God’s promises. So, no matter where we find ourselves let’s all trust and believe God when he says; “I will surely return to you (V10).”  To know that we are never abandoned, we are never alone, we are loved and cared for no matter the circumstance, no matter the failure, no matter our weakness. Jesus reminds us in Luke 18:27; "What is impossible with man is possible with God."  Oh, what a promise and what an assurance in these crazy times.  May we all move forward in 2021 with the expectant hope of Christ in our hearts.

Where are you going?

Where are you going? 
With your long face
Pulling down
Don't hide away...
Where are you going?
Where do you go?
Are you looking for answers
To questions under the stars?
Well, if along the way
You are grown weary
You can rest with me until...

Dave Matthews Band

Genesis 16:1-16

Big Idea from me:

Even in the darkest of times, times when we feel abandoned and alone, in times of trouble and despair God sees us, God has compassion for us and there is hope.  May we all turn to God in those trying times, when we feel alone in the wilderness, may we trust and know we have a God that sees us, and as such we can see his tender mercies, his love and compassion. 

Hallelujah, we have a God that rescues us in our time of need; we have a God that will never leave us or forsake us. So, when we find ourselves lost and empty, turn and trust (submit) in our promise keeping God, our living, loving  God that sees us always!

Grace and Peace! 

Angry Eyes

 

You and I must start to realize

Blindness binds us in a false disguise

Can you see me through those angry eyes?

Loggins and Messina

Genesis 4:3-7, 26b

In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?

If  you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it."

At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD.

This passage was the second in a four part series that looks at some questions God asks, it is a powerful passage, a troubling passage, a convicting passage and a hopeful passage.  The Big Idea for me is that because of our broken natures, because of our love of self, we must be aware that sin is lying in wait like a beast of prey waiting to devour and destroy.  Sin is there waiting for us at the intersection of anger and pride. Yet, because of Jesus we have hope, because of Jesus we can “call upon the name of the LORD.”  And when we feel this self-righteous anger or false pride (blinded by our angry eyes)  coming on, we can turn to Jesus, we can think about how Jesus humbled himself for us when we were (and still are) angry and proud, we can be kind because Jesus is so kind to us and with Jesus in our hearts and by the power of the Holy Spirit we too can share this good news in humble and kind ways. 

 Why has our face fallen? Because we look to ourselves instead of looking to, calling upon, trusting in our kind, loving, merciful, grace-filled God. 

May we all call upon the name of the LORD...

Grace and Peace!

Free Fallin

 

I’ve been working through 1 Peter, but our Pastor is taking an Advent excursion through Genesis and I am going to follow along. He is calling the series ‘Questions First’ and looks at questions God asks; specifically questions God asks of Adam, Cain, Hagar and Sara.

The first passage is Genesis 3:6-13 and I must admit I read beyond verse 13.  As I was reading, a song came on (did I mention that our Pastor has this gift of using music, song titles, or lyrics in what seems like every sermon?), it was Tom Petty’s ‘Free Fallin’ and some of the lyrics just hit me. 

And all the bad boys are standing in the shadows

And the good girls are home with broken hearts

And I'm free, free fallin'

Yeah I'm free, free fallin'

So I read the passage over and over, used some resources and it lead to a big idea, a key takeaway from the passage, something that will stick with me for a while.

Big Idea:

Even though we are ‘free fallin’, broken, bad boys (Adams and Eves), God graciously pursues us in our brokenness. Even though we hide our brokenness and our shame, God graciously and gracefully confronts (Where are you? Who told you?). Even though there are consequences for our brokenness, God graciously restores. And through it all God does not forsake us or leave us, he loves us and provides for us still…

 We all can fall for the pretty shiny things of this world, the things we think might fulfill our every desire, when nothing can bring us true fulfillment, nothing except for Jesus. And the good, even better news is that Jesus is there for us – always, no matter what!

Grace and Peace!

Grace - Food for the Soul

 1 Peter 1:22-2:3

As we taste the grace of God, as we experience the undeserved favor and love and kindness and goodness of God, as we begin to truly see the radical grace of God, we can put away the “crappy" things of this world - deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander (and the list goes on). We can put away our brokenness and start to move. The grace, goodness and love of God empowers us to begin (imperfectly) loving others with a pure heart - a heart filled with Jesus.  It allows us to see our broken natures through the lens of forgiveness and eternal salvation so much so that we can reach out to others, not from a critical or self-righteous position, but from a position of compassion and love knowing ours is an imperishable faith. 

Grace and Peace!

Holy

1 Peter 1:13-25

 

My Takeaway:

 

Gotta be honest, this is a passage I struggle with; I struggle with a command to be holy and obedient. It’s different now, I used to struggle with these commands with a rebellious attitude, but now it is from knowing I will never be perfectly holy or obedient (or even near perfect, or even half way perfect…oh you get the picture and even if I could somehow rise to this level I would probably be self-righteous about it).  So I prayed that God’s amazing grace and mercy would shine through during this passage.  I will also admit that while studying this passage, I was amazed to see the grace shining through and was somehow encouraged as I set my hope fully on the grace that will brought to me at the revelation of Jesus Christ!

 

Going forward, as I try to be an obedient child of God, I can no longer claim ignorance as an excuse - but here is another point where I got a little encouraged - while I can no longer claim ignorance, I can claim Christ and his finished work, I can trust in the amazing grace and tender mercies of God. In fact, it is the only thing that truly offers hope to me.  So, I will strive to be holy (set apart for God), I will strive to be noticeable different knowing the price that was paid on my behalf, knowing all that Jesus had to endure for me (because of me). 

 

And knowing that precious sacrifice, knowing that love for me a sinner, I will remain thankful for the beautiful truths of God, I will keep trying to love others with a pure heart - especially those different, those that are not easy for me to love and I will do it because Jesus loved me when I was not easy to love, I will keep trying not in any effort to earn, but because I have been born again.  I will be thankful that no matter the trial, no matter the problems I invent, no matter the mistakes of my heart that I can turn to the living and abiding word of God, the word of the Lord that remains forever, that speaks of love, forgiveness and mercy, that is more than good advice, that is good news!

 

Grace and Peace!

Endurance

1 Peter is a book in the Bible that I have read through a few times, but I have never really dwelled in it.  I have never dug deep and immersed myself in this letter.  Since our church is doing a series on this, I thought I would take the opportunity to do just that. I will post some thoughts, big ideas or takeaways...things I learn or things that make an impact on me.

1 Peter 1:1-12 

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, ² according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

Born Again to a Living Hope

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, ⁷ so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, ⁹ obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

¹⁰ Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully,¹¹ inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. ¹² It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

My Takeaway...

In this fallen world we will experience storms, hurricanes, pandemics, trouble, illness, divisions and strife…all kinds of trials, but as believers, as elect exiles, as the chosen children of God, we can endure because of all Christ endured for us. We can endure because of the living hope we have in Christ, We can endure with love and we can endure even though we cannot see him now, knowing we will see him again. We can press on in the wondrous grace of God filled with and inexpressible and glorious joy, filled with confidence in the knowledge and assurance of our eternal salvation.

 

Hey everyone, in this world we will have trouble, but take heart!  Jesus has overcome the world…

Grace and Peace!

These Days

Father God,

Once again, we humbly come before you...but Father, this time it is different and I know you let us lament, to cry out, to question and I am so thankful. But Father, in these unique times, I am coming before you with such a range of emotions.

These days I find myself cycling through periods of confusion with all that is going on, with biased and distorted data and where we tend to turn opinion into fact. I then move on to frustration with the lack of answers, the lack of listening and understanding and most certainly the lack of progress, then I end up just simply disappointed. Oh Father, I can be so disappointed. Disappointed in the circumstances of life, disappointed with our government, disappointed with people and I can be so disappointed with myself. And Father, as I work through this cycle it seems as if I simply start the cycle over. Oh how we, how I need your grace.

Father, recently I have had this thought of something called the perfect storm and as I recall the perfect storm is when 2 or more fronts converge and become something overwhelming. Father, in this time it seems as if we are living in a perfect storm facing the fronts of a pandemic, an economic crisis, and most sadly even a crisis of equality, discrimination and issues of social justice and it seems that in our imperfect ways during this perfect storm we are doing nothing but creating sides – division is everywhere. Yet Father God, I still say thank you, thank you that in our imperfections you sent us a perfect savior to walk with us in this perfect storm.

Lord, it reminds me of King Jehoshaphat’s prayer in 2 Chronicles. When he was faced with a perfect storm he cried out to you, “we do not know what to do” which is how I feel a lot of the time. But there is more and it is the important part – he cried out ‘we do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.’ Oh Father, what comfort that brings. Forgive us, forgive me for my imperfect actions, for my imperfect inaction, for taking my eyes off of you.

And the most amazing thing about Jehoshaphat’s prayer, is that you respond. You tell Jehoshaphat, you tell us, to stand firm, to see the salvation of the Lord that is on us, you tell us to not be afraid or dismayed, you tell us that no matter the storm you are with us. Father God, Lord Almighty, the Great I Am, thank you many times over.

At the end of the passage the people begin to sing out saying Give thanks to the Lord for his steadfast love endures forever and that is my prayer for us today. That we might keep our eyes on you, that we might stand firm in trying times, that we fear not and that we never lose the great and eternal hope that we have in you. Father, there are so many times when I do not know what to do, but this I know, we have a God we can trust and we have a God that loves us. Father, as we move forward, I pray for your guidance, I pray for the right steps to take, I pray for your protection. Father, this morning I pray for relief and healing for those sick, those suffering, those lonely and left out, I pray for an end to systemic racism, brutality and violence and I pray we all come out of this perfect storm and into the perfectly loving arms of Jesus Christ.

And Father, I also pray that Churches and Pastors and people everywhere would move forward proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel, that loving our neighbors, that loving those different from us, that loving those we disagree with would be our path forward, that we as your children will move forward with grace and compassion and kindness. Father, start with me...

Abba Father, we believe, help our unbelief, we love you so much and pray all these things in the perfectly loving and heroic name of Jesus Christ. Amen and Amen!

Favorites

I don’t know about you but I kind of bristle when asked what is my favorite Bible verse or passage.  Don’t get me wrong I do have them, but since it is all the Word of God I sometimes think, well the whole Bible should be my favorite.  It’s just some passages speak more loudly to me at times. 

There is a passage that tends to remind, encourage, and give me hope. It is a passage that makes me thankful, even joyful; it is a passage that shows me just how much I am loved.  The passage is Colossians 1:13-14:

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

This passage reminds me that I was/am in desperate need of rescue, it encourages me that I have been and will continue to be rescued, it give me the eternal hope that I have been brought; by the complete and finished work of Christ and not by any effort of mine, into the Kingdom of the Son he loves. It makes me thankful that in Christ I have been redeemed, it makes me joyful that my sins – past, present and future have been forgiven…and above all it shows me just how much I am loved…loved to the point of sharing that love with others!

Grace and Peace!

Psalm 9 Prayer

Father God, in Psalm 9 King David wrote:

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

Oh Father, as we find ourselves getting maybe just a little frustrated, sad, lonely, maybe even confused help us to recount your wonderful deeds...so many blessings. Father, In the words of John Prine, most of us experience “more blessings than one man can stand.” This day help us to remember that, to remember your great faithfulness, your amazing grace, your tender mercies new each day and help us remember your steadfast love for us. Help us remember deep in our hearts and with that as our foundation help us move forward with grateful hearts, that we might each morning sing praises to your name, O Most High.

We continue to pray for an end to this virus, we continue to lift up those leading, those on the front lines, those serving, and certainly those suffering and struggling. Father, we pray for your protection, your guidance, your encouragement, your healing, we pray for your very presence and we pray to know and experience your love through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ all by the power of the Holy Spirit.

We pray for our worship that it might be reflective and Spirit filled, that we might be glad and that we, in gratitude would exalt you and sing your praises. We pray for this thing called online worship, that this style of worship might move into new places, new homes and spark new relationships all while bringing fame to Jesus and glory to you. Oh Father, we pray for Pastors everywhere that you would give them strength, joy and that your spirit would be with each of them as they bring your precious Word.

Abba Father, we love you and pray all these thing in the most encouraging and wonderful and heroic name of Jesus Christ; Amen and Amen!!!

Easter 2020

Father God,

On this so, so very special and wonderful day, we humbly come before you and somehow it is a little different this year.  While so much is going on with nothing going on, this Easter seems a little more personal, a little more contemplative to me.  Maybe it is fewer distractions.  Father in John 19 we read:

Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Almighty God, how emotional, how unsettling, yet also one of the most impactful, powerful, meaningful and amazing statements for us as children of God.  It means everything, it means as many theologians have said that there is nothing we can do to make you love us anymore than you do right now and that there is nothing we can do to make you love us any less. It means that because Jesus paid it all, our debt is paid forever and ever, it means our relationship with you as our Abba Father is eternally sealed. It means that despite the circumstances of this broken world we have the only living and eternal hope, the confidence that it will be so much better farther on!

So Father, it is with thankful hearts we come before you this Easter morning. It is with thanksgiving that we will worship this morning.  It is with hearts overflowing with love for you, who first loved us.

Oh Father, these are trying times, uncertain and never been through anything like this times, so Father, we do ask for you to help us press on because we know that Christ pressed on for us all the way to Mount Calvary.  As we are told in Philippians:

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  

Father God, help us press on toward your upward call in Christ, help us trust you in the circumstances of this world as we press on.  We pray this morning that we might press on to better know you, that we might press on helping others, that we might press on even if pressing on means staying away for a time, that we might press on because Christ Jesus has made us his own.  Halleluiah many times over and thank you Lord Jesus.  

Father we do continue to pray for an end to this pandemic, we continue to lift up those on the front lines of this fight, for those serving by working, for those serving by distancing.  We pray for your strength, wisdom, and encouragement.

Father, we also continue to pray for all those impacted by these crazy days, praying for your provision, healing, comfort and hope!  Finally Father, we pray for your people everywhere this morning, praying for joyful, thankful and spirit-filled worship.  We pray for pastors everywhere, praying for the good news to be proclaimed and praying for your Spirit to be with them.

Father, we pray using Peter’s words saying blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for each of us.

Abba Father, we love you and pray these many things in the most loving and heroic and amazing, and beautiful name of our living Savior; Jesus Christ! Amen and Amen! He is risen indeed!

Crying Out

Father God, in Lamentations 3:21-23 we are told; But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Oh Father, I am praying this morning in what might be a very mixed,  maybe even confused and rambling way...praying a prayer of lament; Father God hear my prayer, Oh Father how long, Lord God, I pray for your grace in dealing with me, with each of us. I pray for your miraculous healing and an end to the Coronavirus. And I pray that the day would come quickly so that families can gather, grandkids can visit, and church families might come together in person and in true community once again.  

I pray a prayer of thanksgiving as I am so thankful that most everyone I know is ok, and I confess my pity party as I suffer nothing more than a little inconvenience.  Father, forgive me and thank you for your steadfast love, your amazing grace and your oh so tender mercies.  Thank you for your daily blessings, for provisions, for sunshine, for blue skies, for air to breath and water to drink and food to eat. And Father in this trying time, I pray with a grateful heart for your Son, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that he would come to seek and save, that he would take on my, our transgressions so that we might be eternally healed, that he would overcome the world. And thank you for your Spirit, your Spirit that is with us that we might be guided and comforted in these crazy days. Oh Lord, May we all take heart.

Father God, I also pray a prayer of petition that more and more and more would turn to you, to know you, to hear the good news of the gospel in many different ways, yes even online.  I pray for first responders, medical professionals, others that can’t stay home, praying that your protection, strength and encouragement would be with them, I pray for the sick and those suffering, for those in need, those out of work, praying that your provision, your healing touch, your comfort and most wonderful peace would be with them all, I pray for those in authority and scientist focused on this virus, praying for wisdom and new breakthroughs.  

Father, I pray for churches everywhere that they might press on in new ways, with technology and with heartfelt love and concern for church families, for friends, for neighbors and the communities in which we live, serving even if serving means staying away for a while. Father I pray for pastors everywhere as they share the good news that is Jesus. I pray your Spirit would be with them! Oh Lord, I pray for people everywhere that might “tune-in”, that there might be spirit filled and joyful worship.

Finally Father, I pray a prayer of great hope, knowing our hope is in you. Father, Billy Graham once said; “I've read the last page of the Bible, it's all going to turn out all right.” Oh Father, like Reverend Graham, help us know and trust in the love you have for us and help us know with every fiber of our being that it’s all going to turn out all right!

Abba Father, I pray this all in the mighty and wonderful and loving and amazing name of Jesus Christ! Amen and Amen!!!

Grace and Peace!

A Little Time On My Hands

While I intellectually understand the need and necessity of social distancing and the need to stay isolated, this can be unsettling in our culture of crazy busy, 24/7 access to anything. And after what seems like a month in this essential period of social distancing, isolation, and self-quarantine, you might find yourself getting a little antsy.  I know I am and I also know how wonderful I have it, still there is this uneasiness, this underlying frustration. Yet, when I can get past those feelings, I am so thankful; thankful that so far everyone in my world seems to be ok.  I am without true struggle and so blessed – I have shelter, food, music, technology, health, freedom and so much more.  

Also, there has been a personal benefit, I find myself crying out, turning toward, praying more.  It has caused me to think deeply about how to and what to do with this time.  You know I used to blog quite a bit, but haven’t written or posted anything since March 7, 2018 – you guessed it I have been too busy.  So, I thought I might capture some of my thinking, my struggles, my journey.  

When I can get past the clutter in my mind, when I can slow down enough, you know when I am not so busy, I sometimes ask what is God teaching me?  I try to see what passages in the Bible come before me, and I try to think and pray it through.  Recently, Psalm 46:10 has come up in several different ways.  

Psalm 46:10 ESV

“Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

It is said that this was Martin Luther’s favorite Psalm, that he turned to it in trying times.  In fact, he wrote the words and melody to the famous hymn, “Our God is a Mighty Fortress” based on this Psalm. Scholar H. C. Leupold once wrote, “Few psalms breathe the spirit of sturdy confidence in the Lord in the midst of very real dangers as strongly as does this one.”  And couldn’t we all use some “sturdy confidence” right now? That’s the real point of this psalm, that we have a God that conquers all so we can relax, we can know and trust that our great God has got this and he will never leave nor forsake us.  For me it means I can be still, that it is ok not to be so busy; from the Greek this is translated to cease striving and know, it means to stop so that you can see and perceive, so you can find out, so you can get to know, so you can be acquainted with (see Strong’s H3045).

But how do we do this?  Well in this time of a little time on our hands, maybe a little contemplative time.  I read somewhere that contemplative prayer has the key elements of silence, repose (rest and tranquility) and beholding.  Isaiah 30:15 says “For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, In returning and rest you shall be saved: in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”

So, what am I saying, what is the big idea…the idea; at least for me, is that perhaps with this time on my hands, in this time when I can’t come and go and be in crowds, that I can spend some of it with Jesus.  That I can be still, silent, tranquil and behold the Savior of the world; my Savior, my rescuer, my all in all.  That I can strive a little less so that I can see and perceive, that I can get to better know and be better acquainted with the one that loves me like no other.

To conclude, I have been reading a book written by Brian Zahnd called “The Unvarnished Jesus.” It is a series of daily reflections or devotionals to be used during Lent.  One of the daily reflections focuses on busyness and in it Zahnd writes, “Without some form of contemplative practice we will spend too much time in one of three undesirable mental states: drifting back into the painful past, flitting about in the distracted present, or rushing ahead into the anxious future.”  He continues, “In liturgical and personal prayer we use words to become properly formed and to present our petitions. But in contemplative prayer we sit silently acknowledging the presence of Christ. Each morning I initiate a time of sitting with Jesus with this prayer: Christ I acknowledge you. Christ above me, very God of very God. Christ below me, incarnate of the earth, Christ before me when seen. Christ behind me when unseen.  Christ at my right hand in my strength. Christ on my left in my weakness. Christ all around me filling all things everywhere with himself. Christ within me, formed by faith. Then I simply sit with Jesus for Jesus himself is salvation, peace, and healing.  I pray that you too can find the transcendent peace that comes from learning to quietly sit with Jesus on a daily basis.”

Everyone, by all means connect with others, help neighbors, serve, exercise, read more but maybe just maybe we can use some of this time to connect with Jesus in a transforming, exciting, deep and personal way!

Grace and Peace!