Psalm 27:1-9
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked came against me
To eat up my flesh,
My enemies and foes,
They stumbled and fell.
Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.
One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.
For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.
And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.
Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”
Do not hide Your face from me;
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not leave me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation.
An offering from Mercedes Osella
One of the best things about being a parent is the feeling of arms around your neck and a little face pressed into your neck. Usually this action is a result of fear, or pain, or the need for comfort. Of course, as a parent you are never happy that your child is in discomfort, but when a child turns to you in trouble, you are able to offer a physical manifestation of your love. This psalm reminds me of that feeling, except that instead of my child, it is me who is looking for comfort. There are times when the world feels like cold and unwelcome place, when the worries cloud the joys, and I long for a solid hug from a comforting parent. When I put my fears and worries in God's hands, I feel this incredible sense of relief. Sometimes it is hard to release those worries to God. We feel that we can solve anything if we try hard enough. Releasing fears to God is not weakness. God calls us to "seek his face", and let him handle the worrying. When we do so (to paraphrase Mick Jagger), we may not get what we want, but we will get what we need.
Prayer
Thank you, God, for listening to my worries and fears and holding me in your arms as a mother or father would. In drawing closer to you, I release my troubles to you and glory in your love and support. Amen.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
2/27 Wednesday in the Second Week of Lent
Genesis 15:12-18
As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him.
Then the Lord
said to Abram, ‘Know this for certain, that your offspring shall be
aliens in a land that is not theirs, and shall be slaves there, and they
shall be oppressed for four hundred years;
but I will bring judgement on the nation that they serve, and afterwards they shall come out with great possessions.
As for yourself, you shall go to your ancestors in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age.
And they shall come back here in the fourth generation; for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.’
When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire-pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,
When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire-pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,
An offering from Ashley Brandon
"Prayer was a wellspring of strength
and inspiration during the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the movement, we prayed
for greater human understanding. We prayed for the safety of our compatriots in the
freedom struggle. We prayed for victory in our nonviolent protests, for
brotherhood and sisterhood among people of all races, for reconciliation and
the fulfillment of the Beloved Community.
For my husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer was a daily source of courage and strength that gave him the ability to carry on in even the darkest hours of our struggle.
I remember one very difficult day when he came home bone-weary from the stress that came with his leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In the middle of that night, he was awakened by a threatening and abusive phone call, one of many we received throughout the movement. On this particular occasion, however, Martin had had enough.
For my husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer was a daily source of courage and strength that gave him the ability to carry on in even the darkest hours of our struggle.
I remember one very difficult day when he came home bone-weary from the stress that came with his leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In the middle of that night, he was awakened by a threatening and abusive phone call, one of many we received throughout the movement. On this particular occasion, however, Martin had had enough.
After the call, he got up from bed
and made himself some coffee. He began to worry about his family, and all of
the burdens that came with our movement weighed heavily on his soul. With his
head in his hands, Martin bowed over the kitchen table and prayed aloud to God:
"Lord, I am taking a stand for what I believe is right. The people are
looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and
courage, they will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I
have nothing left. I have come to the point where I can't face it alone.
Later he told me, "At that
moment, I experienced the presence of the Divine as I had never experienced Him
before. It seemed as though I could hear a voice saying: 'Stand up for
righteousness; stand up for truth; and God will be at our side forever.'"
When Martin stood up from the table, he was imbued with a new sense of
confidence, and he was ready to face anything.”
--Coretta
Scott King, from "Standing in the Need of Prayer." The
Free Press, a division of Simon & Schuster.
Prayer
God
of justice and truth, we hear your voice calling us to the Promised
Land, and just as Abraham and Martin before us we know that the path
will be hard and long. Grant us the courage to follow their example, to
hand our fears over to you, and to press onward. Amen.
My
parents made sure that prayer would be a regular part of my life, and it
has been to this very day. Prayer is how we open our hearts to God, how
we make that vital connection that empowers us to overcome overwhelming
obstacles and become instruments of God's will. And despite the pain
and suffering that I have experienced and that comes to all of our
lives, I am more convinced than ever before that prayer gives us
strength and hope, a sense of divine companionship, as we struggle for
justice and righteousness.
Prayer was a wellspring of strength and inspiration during the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the movement, we prayed for greater human understanding. We prayed for the safety of our compatriots in the freedom struggle. We prayed for victory in our nonviolent protests, for brotherhood and sisterhood among people of all races, for reconciliation and the fulfillment of the Beloved Community.
For my husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer was a daily source of courage and strength that gave him the ability to carry on in even the darkest hours of our struggle. I remember one very difficult day when he came home bone-weary from the stress that came with his leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In the middle of that night, he was awakened by a threatening and abusive phone call, one of many we received throughout the movement. On this particular occasion, however, Martin had had enough.
After the call, he got up from bed and made himself some coffee. He began to worry about his family, and all of the burdens that came with our movement weighed heavily on his soul. With his head in his hands, Martin bowed over the kitchen table and prayed aloud to God: "Lord, I am taking a stand for what I believe is right. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I have nothing left. I have come to the point where I can't face it alone.
Later he told me, "At that moment, I experienced the presence of the Divine as I had never experienced Him before. It seemed as though I could hear a voice saying: 'Stand up for righteousness; stand up for truth; and God will be at our side forever.'" When Martin stood up from the table, he was imbued with a new sense of confidence, and he was ready to face anything.
- See more at: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2004/01/How-We-Open-Our-Hearts-To-God.aspx#sthash.nzcSUx9b.dpuf
Prayer was a wellspring of strength and inspiration during the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the movement, we prayed for greater human understanding. We prayed for the safety of our compatriots in the freedom struggle. We prayed for victory in our nonviolent protests, for brotherhood and sisterhood among people of all races, for reconciliation and the fulfillment of the Beloved Community.
For my husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer was a daily source of courage and strength that gave him the ability to carry on in even the darkest hours of our struggle. I remember one very difficult day when he came home bone-weary from the stress that came with his leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In the middle of that night, he was awakened by a threatening and abusive phone call, one of many we received throughout the movement. On this particular occasion, however, Martin had had enough.
After the call, he got up from bed and made himself some coffee. He began to worry about his family, and all of the burdens that came with our movement weighed heavily on his soul. With his head in his hands, Martin bowed over the kitchen table and prayed aloud to God: "Lord, I am taking a stand for what I believe is right. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I have nothing left. I have come to the point where I can't face it alone.
Later he told me, "At that moment, I experienced the presence of the Divine as I had never experienced Him before. It seemed as though I could hear a voice saying: 'Stand up for righteousness; stand up for truth; and God will be at our side forever.'" When Martin stood up from the table, he was imbued with a new sense of confidence, and he was ready to face anything.
- See more at: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2004/01/How-We-Open-Our-Hearts-To-God.aspx#sthash.nzcSUx9b.dpuf
My
parents made sure that prayer would be a regular part of my life, and it
has been to this very day. Prayer is how we open our hearts to God, how
we make that vital connection that empowers us to overcome overwhelming
obstacles and become instruments of God's will. And despite the pain
and suffering that I have experienced and that comes to all of our
lives, I am more convinced than ever before that prayer gives us
strength and hope, a sense of divine companionship, as we struggle for
justice and righteousness.
Prayer was a wellspring of strength and inspiration during the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the movement, we prayed for greater human understanding. We prayed for the safety of our compatriots in the freedom struggle. We prayed for victory in our nonviolent protests, for brotherhood and sisterhood among people of all races, for reconciliation and the fulfillment of the Beloved Community.
For my husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer was a daily source of courage and strength that gave him the ability to carry on in even the darkest hours of our struggle. I remember one very difficult day when he came home bone-weary from the stress that came with his leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In the middle of that night, he was awakened by a threatening and abusive phone call, one of many we received throughout the movement. On this particular occasion, however, Martin had had enough.
After the call, he got up from bed and made himself some coffee. He began to worry about his family, and all of the burdens that came with our movement weighed heavily on his soul. With his head in his hands, Martin bowed over the kitchen table and prayed aloud to God: "Lord, I am taking a stand for what I believe is right. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I have nothing left. I have come to the point where I can't face it alone.
Later he told me, "At that moment, I experienced the presence of the Divine as I had never experienced Him before. It seemed as though I could hear a voice saying: 'Stand up for righteousness; stand up for truth; and God will be at our side forever.'" When Martin stood up from the table, he was imbued with a new sense of confidence, and he was ready to face anything.
- See more at: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2004/01/How-We-Open-Our-Hearts-To-God.aspx#sthash.nzcSUx9b.dpuf
Prayer was a wellspring of strength and inspiration during the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the movement, we prayed for greater human understanding. We prayed for the safety of our compatriots in the freedom struggle. We prayed for victory in our nonviolent protests, for brotherhood and sisterhood among people of all races, for reconciliation and the fulfillment of the Beloved Community.
For my husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer was a daily source of courage and strength that gave him the ability to carry on in even the darkest hours of our struggle. I remember one very difficult day when he came home bone-weary from the stress that came with his leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In the middle of that night, he was awakened by a threatening and abusive phone call, one of many we received throughout the movement. On this particular occasion, however, Martin had had enough.
After the call, he got up from bed and made himself some coffee. He began to worry about his family, and all of the burdens that came with our movement weighed heavily on his soul. With his head in his hands, Martin bowed over the kitchen table and prayed aloud to God: "Lord, I am taking a stand for what I believe is right. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I have nothing left. I have come to the point where I can't face it alone.
Later he told me, "At that moment, I experienced the presence of the Divine as I had never experienced Him before. It seemed as though I could hear a voice saying: 'Stand up for righteousness; stand up for truth; and God will be at our side forever.'" When Martin stood up from the table, he was imbued with a new sense of confidence, and he was ready to face anything.
- See more at: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2004/01/How-We-Open-Our-Hearts-To-God.aspx#sthash.nzcSUx9b.dpuf
My
parents made sure that prayer would be a regular part of my life, and it
has been to this very day. Prayer is how we open our hearts to God, how
we make that vital connection that empowers us to overcome overwhelming
obstacles and become instruments of God's will. And despite the pain
and suffering that I have experienced and that comes to all of our
lives, I am more convinced than ever before that prayer gives us
strength and hope, a sense of divine companionship, as we struggle for
justice and righteousness.
Prayer was a wellspring of strength and inspiration during the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the movement, we prayed for greater human understanding. We prayed for the safety of our compatriots in the freedom struggle. We prayed for victory in our nonviolent protests, for brotherhood and sisterhood among people of all races, for reconciliation and the fulfillment of the Beloved Community.
For my husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer was a daily source of courage and strength that gave him the ability to carry on in even the darkest hours of our struggle. I remember one very difficult day when he came home bone-weary from the stress that came with his leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In the middle of that night, he was awakened by a threatening and abusive phone call, one of many we received throughout the movement. On this particular occasion, however, Martin had had enough.
After the call, he got up from bed and made himself some coffee. He began to worry about his family, and all of the burdens that came with our movement weighed heavily on his soul. With his head in his hands, Martin bowed over the kitchen table and prayed aloud to God: "Lord, I am taking a stand for what I believe is right. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I have nothing left. I have come to the point where I can't face it alone.
Later he told me, "At that moment, I experienced the presence of the Divine as I had never experienced Him before. It seemed as though I could hear a voice saying: 'Stand up for righteousness; stand up for truth; and God will be at our side forever.'" When Martin stood up from the table, he was imbued with a new sense of confidence, and he was ready to face anything.
- See more at: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2004/01/How-We-Open-Our-Hearts-To-God.aspx#sthash.nzcSUx9b.dpuf
Prayer was a wellspring of strength and inspiration during the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the movement, we prayed for greater human understanding. We prayed for the safety of our compatriots in the freedom struggle. We prayed for victory in our nonviolent protests, for brotherhood and sisterhood among people of all races, for reconciliation and the fulfillment of the Beloved Community.
For my husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer was a daily source of courage and strength that gave him the ability to carry on in even the darkest hours of our struggle. I remember one very difficult day when he came home bone-weary from the stress that came with his leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In the middle of that night, he was awakened by a threatening and abusive phone call, one of many we received throughout the movement. On this particular occasion, however, Martin had had enough.
After the call, he got up from bed and made himself some coffee. He began to worry about his family, and all of the burdens that came with our movement weighed heavily on his soul. With his head in his hands, Martin bowed over the kitchen table and prayed aloud to God: "Lord, I am taking a stand for what I believe is right. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I have nothing left. I have come to the point where I can't face it alone.
Later he told me, "At that moment, I experienced the presence of the Divine as I had never experienced Him before. It seemed as though I could hear a voice saying: 'Stand up for righteousness; stand up for truth; and God will be at our side forever.'" When Martin stood up from the table, he was imbued with a new sense of confidence, and he was ready to face anything.
- See more at: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2004/01/How-We-Open-Our-Hearts-To-God.aspx#sthash.nzcSUx9b.dpuf
My
parents made sure that prayer would be a regular part of my life, and it
has been to this very day. Prayer is how we open our hearts to God, how
we make that vital connection that empowers us to overcome overwhelming
obstacles and become instruments of God's will. And despite the pain
and suffering that I have experienced and that comes to all of our
lives, I am more convinced than ever before that prayer gives us
strength and hope, a sense of divine companionship, as we struggle for
justice and righteousness.
Prayer was a wellspring of strength and inspiration during the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the movement, we prayed for greater human understanding. We prayed for the safety of our compatriots in the freedom struggle. We prayed for victory in our nonviolent protests, for brotherhood and sisterhood among people of all races, for reconciliation and the fulfillment of the Beloved Community.
For my husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer was a daily source of courage and strength that gave him the ability to carry on in even the darkest hours of our struggle. I remember one very difficult day when he came home bone-weary from the stress that came with his leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In the middle of that night, he was awakened by a threatening and abusive phone call, one of many we received throughout the movement. On this particular occasion, however, Martin had had enough.
After the call, he got up from bed and made himself some coffee. He began to worry about his family, and all of the burdens that came with our movement weighed heavily on his soul. With his head in his hands, Martin bowed over the kitchen table and prayed aloud to God: "Lord, I am taking a stand for what I believe is right. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I have nothing left. I have come to the point where I can't face it alone.
Later he told me, "At that moment, I experienced the presence of the Divine as I had never experienced Him before. It seemed as though I could hear a voice saying: 'Stand up for righteousness; stand up for truth; and God will be at our side forever.'" When Martin stood up from the table, he was imbued with a new sense of confidence, and he was ready to face anything.
- See more at: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2004/01/How-We-Open-Our-Hearts-To-God.aspx#sthash.nzcSUx9b.dpuf
Prayer was a wellspring of strength and inspiration during the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the movement, we prayed for greater human understanding. We prayed for the safety of our compatriots in the freedom struggle. We prayed for victory in our nonviolent protests, for brotherhood and sisterhood among people of all races, for reconciliation and the fulfillment of the Beloved Community.
For my husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer was a daily source of courage and strength that gave him the ability to carry on in even the darkest hours of our struggle. I remember one very difficult day when he came home bone-weary from the stress that came with his leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In the middle of that night, he was awakened by a threatening and abusive phone call, one of many we received throughout the movement. On this particular occasion, however, Martin had had enough.
After the call, he got up from bed and made himself some coffee. He began to worry about his family, and all of the burdens that came with our movement weighed heavily on his soul. With his head in his hands, Martin bowed over the kitchen table and prayed aloud to God: "Lord, I am taking a stand for what I believe is right. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I have nothing left. I have come to the point where I can't face it alone.
Later he told me, "At that moment, I experienced the presence of the Divine as I had never experienced Him before. It seemed as though I could hear a voice saying: 'Stand up for righteousness; stand up for truth; and God will be at our side forever.'" When Martin stood up from the table, he was imbued with a new sense of confidence, and he was ready to face anything.
- See more at: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2004/01/How-We-Open-Our-Hearts-To-God.aspx#sthash.nzcSUx9b.dpuf
My
parents made sure that prayer would be a regular part of my life, and it
has been to this very day. Prayer is how we open our hearts to God, how
we make that vital connection that empowers us to overcome overwhelming
obstacles and become instruments of God's will. And despite the pain
and suffering that I have experienced and that comes to all of our
lives, I am more convinced than ever before that prayer gives us
strength and hope, a sense of divine companionship, as we struggle for
justice and righteousness.
Prayer was a wellspring of strength and inspiration during the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the movement, we prayed for greater human understanding. We prayed for the safety of our compatriots in the freedom struggle. We prayed for victory in our nonviolent protests, for brotherhood and sisterhood among people of all races, for reconciliation and the fulfillment of the Beloved Community.
For my husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer was a daily source of courage and strength that gave him the ability to carry on in even the darkest hours of our struggle. I remember one very difficult day when he came home bone-weary from the stress that came with his leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In the middle of that night, he was awakened by a threatening and abusive phone call, one of many we received throughout the movement. On this particular occasion, however, Martin had had enough.
After the call, he got up from bed and made himself some coffee. He began to worry about his family, and all of the burdens that came with our movement weighed heavily on his soul. With his head in his hands, Martin bowed over the kitchen table and prayed aloud to God: "Lord, I am taking a stand for what I believe is right. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I have nothing left. I have come to the point where I can't face it alone.
Later he told me, "At that moment, I experienced the presence of the Divine as I had never experienced Him before. It seemed as though I could hear a voice saying: 'Stand up for righteousness; stand up for truth; and God will be at our side forever.'" When Martin stood up from the table, he was imbued with a new sense of confidence, and he was ready to face anything.
- See more at: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2004/01/How-We-Open-Our-Hearts-To-God.aspx#sthash.nzcSUx9b.dpuf
Prayer was a wellspring of strength and inspiration during the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the movement, we prayed for greater human understanding. We prayed for the safety of our compatriots in the freedom struggle. We prayed for victory in our nonviolent protests, for brotherhood and sisterhood among people of all races, for reconciliation and the fulfillment of the Beloved Community.
For my husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer was a daily source of courage and strength that gave him the ability to carry on in even the darkest hours of our struggle. I remember one very difficult day when he came home bone-weary from the stress that came with his leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In the middle of that night, he was awakened by a threatening and abusive phone call, one of many we received throughout the movement. On this particular occasion, however, Martin had had enough.
After the call, he got up from bed and made himself some coffee. He began to worry about his family, and all of the burdens that came with our movement weighed heavily on his soul. With his head in his hands, Martin bowed over the kitchen table and prayed aloud to God: "Lord, I am taking a stand for what I believe is right. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I have nothing left. I have come to the point where I can't face it alone.
Later he told me, "At that moment, I experienced the presence of the Divine as I had never experienced Him before. It seemed as though I could hear a voice saying: 'Stand up for righteousness; stand up for truth; and God will be at our side forever.'" When Martin stood up from the table, he was imbued with a new sense of confidence, and he was ready to face anything.
- See more at: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2004/01/How-We-Open-Our-Hearts-To-God.aspx#sthash.nzcSUx9b.dpuf
My
parents made sure that prayer would be a regular part of my life, and it
has been to this very day. Prayer is how we open our hearts to God, how
we make that vital connection that empowers us to overcome overwhelming
obstacles and become instruments of God's will. And despite the pain
and suffering that I have experienced and that comes to all of our
lives, I am more convinced than ever before that prayer gives us
strength and hope, a sense of divine companionship, as we struggle for
justice and righteousness.
Prayer was a wellspring of strength and inspiration during the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the movement, we prayed for greater human understanding. We prayed for the safety of our compatriots in the freedom struggle. We prayed for victory in our nonviolent protests, for brotherhood and sisterhood among people of all races, for reconciliation and the fulfillment of the Beloved Community.
For my husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer was a daily source of courage and strength that gave him the ability to carry on in even the darkest hours of our struggle. I remember one very difficult day when he came home bone-weary from the stress that came with his leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In the middle of that night, he was awakened by a threatening and abusive phone call, one of many we received throughout the movement. On this particular occasion, however, Martin had had enough.
After the call, he got up from bed and made himself some coffee. He began to worry about his family, and all of the burdens that came with our movement weighed heavily on his soul. With his head in his hands, Martin bowed over the kitchen table and prayed aloud to God: "Lord, I am taking a stand for what I believe is right. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I have nothing left. I have come to the point where I can't face it alone.
Later he told me, "At that moment, I experienced the presence of the Divine as I had never experienced Him before. It seemed as though I could hear a voice saying: 'Stand up for righteousness; stand up for truth; and God will be at our side forever.'" When Martin stood up from the table, he was imbued with a new sense of confidence, and he was ready to face anything.
- See more at: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2004/01/How-We-Open-Our-Hearts-To-God.aspx#sthash.nzcSUx9b.dpuf
Prayer was a wellspring of strength and inspiration during the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the movement, we prayed for greater human understanding. We prayed for the safety of our compatriots in the freedom struggle. We prayed for victory in our nonviolent protests, for brotherhood and sisterhood among people of all races, for reconciliation and the fulfillment of the Beloved Community.
For my husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer was a daily source of courage and strength that gave him the ability to carry on in even the darkest hours of our struggle. I remember one very difficult day when he came home bone-weary from the stress that came with his leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In the middle of that night, he was awakened by a threatening and abusive phone call, one of many we received throughout the movement. On this particular occasion, however, Martin had had enough.
After the call, he got up from bed and made himself some coffee. He began to worry about his family, and all of the burdens that came with our movement weighed heavily on his soul. With his head in his hands, Martin bowed over the kitchen table and prayed aloud to God: "Lord, I am taking a stand for what I believe is right. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I have nothing left. I have come to the point where I can't face it alone.
Later he told me, "At that moment, I experienced the presence of the Divine as I had never experienced Him before. It seemed as though I could hear a voice saying: 'Stand up for righteousness; stand up for truth; and God will be at our side forever.'" When Martin stood up from the table, he was imbued with a new sense of confidence, and he was ready to face anything.
- See more at: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2004/01/How-We-Open-Our-Hearts-To-God.aspx#sthash.nzcSUx9b.dpuf
My
parents made sure that prayer would be a regular part of my life, and it
has been to this very day. Prayer is how we open our hearts to God, how
we make that vital connection that empowers us to overcome overwhelming
obstacles and become instruments of God's will. And despite the pain
and suffering that I have experienced and that comes to all of our
lives, I am more convinced than ever before that prayer gives us
strength and hope, a sense of divine companionship, as we struggle for
justice and righteousness.
Prayer was a wellspring of strength and inspiration during the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the movement, we prayed for greater human understanding. We prayed for the safety of our compatriots in the freedom struggle. We prayed for victory in our nonviolent protests, for brotherhood and sisterhood among people of all races, for reconciliation and the fulfillment of the Beloved Community.
For my husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer was a daily source of courage and strength that gave him the ability to carry on in even the darkest hours of our struggle. I remember one very difficult day when he came home bone-weary from the stress that came with his leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In the middle of that night, he was awakened by a threatening and abusive phone call, one of many we received throughout the movement. On this particular occasion, however, Martin had had enough.
After the call, he got up from bed and made himself some coffee. He began to worry about his family, and all of the burdens that came with our movement weighed heavily on his soul. With his head in his hands, Martin bowed over the kitchen table and prayed aloud to God: "Lord, I am taking a stand for what I believe is right. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I have nothing left. I have come to the point where I can't face it alone.
Later he told me, "At that moment, I experienced the presence of the Divine as I had never experienced Him before. It seemed as though I could hear a voice saying: 'Stand up for righteousness; stand up for truth; and God will be at our side forever.'" When Martin stood up from the table, he was imbued with a new sense of confidence, and he was ready to face anything.
- See more at: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2004/01/How-We-Open-Our-Hearts-To-God.aspx#sthash.nzcSUx9b.dpuf
Prayer was a wellspring of strength and inspiration during the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the movement, we prayed for greater human understanding. We prayed for the safety of our compatriots in the freedom struggle. We prayed for victory in our nonviolent protests, for brotherhood and sisterhood among people of all races, for reconciliation and the fulfillment of the Beloved Community.
For my husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer was a daily source of courage and strength that gave him the ability to carry on in even the darkest hours of our struggle. I remember one very difficult day when he came home bone-weary from the stress that came with his leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In the middle of that night, he was awakened by a threatening and abusive phone call, one of many we received throughout the movement. On this particular occasion, however, Martin had had enough.
After the call, he got up from bed and made himself some coffee. He began to worry about his family, and all of the burdens that came with our movement weighed heavily on his soul. With his head in his hands, Martin bowed over the kitchen table and prayed aloud to God: "Lord, I am taking a stand for what I believe is right. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I have nothing left. I have come to the point where I can't face it alone.
Later he told me, "At that moment, I experienced the presence of the Divine as I had never experienced Him before. It seemed as though I could hear a voice saying: 'Stand up for righteousness; stand up for truth; and God will be at our side forever.'" When Martin stood up from the table, he was imbued with a new sense of confidence, and he was ready to face anything.
- See more at: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2004/01/How-We-Open-Our-Hearts-To-God.aspx#sthash.nzcSUx9b.dpuf
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
2/26 Tuesday in the Second Week of Lent
Luke 13:34-35
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that
kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I
desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her
wings, and you were not willing! See,
your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time
comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of
the Lord.’”
An offering from Rob Leacock
About five years ago, I participated in the consecration of
a bishop. It was a pretty big deal, and
I had been put in charge of some of the logistics including shepherding a
rather large group of clergy including a few bishops who were participating in
the service. On the day itself, the time
for the service to start, and the procession was so absurdly long that it
snaked through the church building down several long halls. Slowly, the line of the procession started to
move. I was very near the back of the
line, and we couldn’t even hear a hint of the processional hymn, but we
gathered that the procession had started.
As we turned the corner down a long hallway an affable retired bishop
turned to me and said, “Rob, where the devil are we going?!”
In Lent we sometimes ask, where are we going? And sometimes we know the answer. Sometimes we think we know the answer. And sometimes we hardly know, though we may
do a good job of pretending. In this
passage, Jesus has his eyes and his feet set on Jerusalem. Like the disciples and others who were
following Jesus, we sometimes think we know how the story will unfold. Even Jesus himself seems conflicted about
going to Jerusalem in how he expresses his feelings about the city and her
people and the Temple. Does he know what
will happen once we get there? Does he
want to go, and do we want to follow him?
Prayer
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see
the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I
really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to
please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I
am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I
know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know
nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be
lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and
you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
-Thomas Merton
Monday, February 25, 2013
2/25 Monday in the Second Week of Lent
Philippians 3:20-4:1
But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation so that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.
An Offering from Ashley Brandon:
A few years ago I read a book by Rebecca Solnit called, "A Paradise Built in Hell." Solnit chronicles some of the world's major natural disasters, and points out the way that communities of hope rise up in the midst of destruction. After these tragic events, such as the San Francisco fire of 1906, Hurrican Katrina, and 9/11, Solnit found that the barriers that normally existed were broken down and people joined together to feed one another, care for one another, meet the basic needs of neighbors, and rebuild their lives together. She found stories of radical human kindness, solidarity, altruism, heroism, courage, and community in the aftermath of these disasters. She points to a kind of Utopia that temporarily rises up in these dark times, what I might call a glimpse of the kingdom of Heaven. She says,
"Few speak of paradise now, except as something remote enough to be impossible. The ideal societies we hear of are mostly far away or long ago, or both, situated in m in a remote some primordial society before the Fall or a spiritual kingdom Himalayan vastness. The implication is that we here and nw are far from capable of living such ideals. But what if paradise flashed up among us from time to time - at the worst of times? What if we glimpsed it in the jaws of hell? These flashed give us, as the long ago and far away do not, a glimpse of who else we ourselves bay be and what else our society may become. This is a paradise of rising to the occasion that points out by contrast how the rest of the time most of us fall down from the heights of possibility, down into diminished selves and dismal societies. [...] The door to this era's potential paradises is in hell."
Undoubtedly, we live in a world that is broken. Pain, suffering, injustice, and oppression exist all around us, and it is easy to feel as though the Promised Land, the kingdom that God describes for us, is out of sight and out of reach. But our journey toward the cross leads us to the discovery that through love darkness is transformed into light, pain is transformed into healing, and as Paul says in his letter to the Philippians, our humiliation is transformed into glory. During the season of Lent, we do not forget the Resurrection, but we are called to remember that it took place in the midst of a cruel, unjust, scary, and painful time and place, not in some distant realm of the heavens. We are called to take part in God's story of redemption here and now, to be His hands and feet in this world, to do His transforming work of love.
Prayer
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us;
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.
(Prayer for the Human Family, BCP 815)
Sunday, February 24, 2013
2/24 Second Sunday in Lent
Genesis 15:1-6
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’ But Abram said, ‘O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’ And Abram said, ‘You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.’ But the word of the Lord came to him, ‘This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.’ He brought him outside and said, ‘Look towards heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.
An offering from Rebecca Kyriakides
http://blog.ted.com/2011/04/08/watch-sleep-eric-whitacres-new-work-with-2000-voices/
Prayer
Let us remember, O God, your mercy and beauty. We know only you can number the stars. We thank you for your sacrifice for us in this Lenten season. Give us the peace to pause and reflect on all your gifts to us. Amen.
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’ But Abram said, ‘O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’ And Abram said, ‘You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.’ But the word of the Lord came to him, ‘This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.’ He brought him outside and said, ‘Look towards heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.
An offering from Rebecca Kyriakides
http://blog.ted.com/2011/04/08/watch-sleep-eric-whitacres-new-work-with-2000-voices/
Prayer
Let us remember, O God, your mercy and beauty. We know only you can number the stars. We thank you for your sacrifice for us in this Lenten season. Give us the peace to pause and reflect on all your gifts to us. Amen.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
2/23 Saturday in the First Week of Lent
Psalm 91:9-16
If you say, “The Lord is my
refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
An Offering from Danny Schmidt
To me, this passage means that those who put their trust in
the Lord will always have refuge and sanctuary in him. If you trust in him that he always has your
best interests in mind, even though you, yourself may not know it or understand
it, he will take care of you and protect you always.
It also states that because we love him, he will be our
protector, our rescuer, and will answer our prayers. He will care for us in our time of need and
will give us a long, satisfying life along with his salvation. Trust in him, and he will lead you down the
path of righteousness and fulfillment.
Prayer
Dear Lord,
I take comfort in the fact that you are in control of all
things. I know that I can always put my
trust in you and that you will always lead me down the correct path, giving me
fulfillment in everything I do, and protecting me from harm. When I am afraid, I know I can always trust
you to be my protector. If I feel I have
lost my way, I know that you are there with me to continue to guide me. Perhaps I have not lost my way, because it
may be the path you have intended for me.
For this, I am grateful and will always trust you in all things.
In your most holy name,
Amen
Friday, February 22, 2013
2/22 Friday in the First Week of Lent
Deuteronomy 26:1-3
When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, ‘Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.’
An offering from Clint Hagen
"Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take
with you nothing that have received--only what you have given."
-- St. Francis of Assisi
-- St. Francis of Assisi
When I was little, my parents gave me an allowance. It came
with a lot of strings attached, though. First, I was required to put 10% of it
into "savings" -- a piggy bank that would eventually become my first
bank account. And second, I was required to give 10% of it to the church. I
resented both of those practices at the time; and, honestly, I'm still not that
great at saving money. But I do believe in the importance of generosity --
generosity of wealth, of time, and of spirit.
In this passage from Deuteronomy, the Hebrew people are
commanded to put aside a portion of their wealth for God's use. And it's not
supposed to be whatever's left after they've taken care of everything else.
It's supposed to be a portion of the first fruits, the first harvest.
If you're like me, here's what probably happens when you get
your paycheck. You take care of the bills -- the mortgage, the credit card
payment, electricity, water, insurance, the car payment -- and then you see
what's left. Out of that, you estimate what you're going to need for groceries
and gas and whatever else. And then, if there's something left, maybe some of
that can go to charity.
That seems pretty sensible, right? Why, then, does God
command the Hebrew people to give out of the first harvest, rather than the
last, after the granary is full? Perhaps because it's really important in life
to keep the main thing the main thing. It's really important to remember that
all that we have comes from God. The gifts God has given us in teaching, or
administration, or intellect, or vision, or passion -- those things have
enabled us to do what we do; and so, when we are paid for those things, it's
important to recognize God's hand in that paycheck.
Prayer
Lord, teach me to be generous,
to serve you as you deserve,
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to look for any reward,
save that of knowing that I do your holy will.
to serve you as you deserve,
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to look for any reward,
save that of knowing that I do your holy will.
- St. Ignatius of Loyola
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