2020 Archives - Page 29 of 37

A Resource for Life

March 26, 2020/in 2020, Daily Messages/by Joe Albright

Many years ago, we had two foster children join our family for a short time down in Sarasota – two sisters ages 4 and 6. These were children who came from a very rough home, and church was not a big part of their lives by any stretch. The first night they came to our house it was traumatic – you can only imagine – a lot of tears. I remember when we finally got them settled down in their bedroom I heard these two little voices in there together praying the Lord’s prayer – in the old King James Version.

Somewhere along the line, somebody had taught them this prayer. And it was for them a life-line in time of incredible stress. Do you have prayers or scripture that you have memorized and that you say in times of need? For some people it is the Lord’s prayer, for others, it is the twenty-third Psalm, for others still it is a short passage from a Gospel or letter.

When you find yourself in a troubled time, may you draw upon the tradition of prayer and the promise of scripture as a source of comfort and hope.

Our prayer today is the Lord’s prayer. Feel free to say it along with me. Let us pray:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. And, forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Enter the River of Faith

March 25, 2020/in 2020, Daily Messages/by Roger Kunkel

“Today’s message was written by Dial Hope found, the Rev. Dr. Roger Kunkel.” -Joe

What are the three most difficult tasks in life to perform? When asked this question, the late Winston Churchill answered as follows:

To climb a high wall which is leaning toward you.
To kiss a girl who is leaning away from you.
To speak before a group on a subject which they know more about than I.

The noted newspaper syndicated columnist, Sydney Harris, brings another perspective in his response to that question. He said that the three most difficult tasks in life are neither physical feats nor are they intellectual achievements. Rather, they are moral acts:

To return love for hate.
To include the excluded.
To say, “I was wrong.”

In the movie, “A River Runs Through It,” there is this poignant line, “In the end, all things merge into one…and a river runs through it.” Today, as you follow Jesus, remember that faith is something you need to keep doing. It is like riding a bicycle. The only safety there is, lies in riding. Otherwise, you can’t even stay on. You have to enter the river of faith to experience it. It means trusting God. It means getting your feet wet.

Let us pray: Loving God, bless us this day so we may be a blessing to others. And now, may the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rain fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again… May God hold you in the palm of his hand. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Trust

March 24, 2020/in 2020, Daily Messages/by Joe Albright

Presbyterian pastor and writer Frederick Buechner once wrote about a particularly low time in his life. “I remember sitting parked by the roadside once,” Buechner wrote, “terribly depressed and afraid about my daughter’s illness and what was going on in our family.” As he was sitting and reflecting on his daughter’s illness, he noticed a car that seemed to come from nowhere. The license plate on that car “bore on it the one word out of all the words in the dictionary that I needed most to see exactly then,” Buechner wrote. “The word was TRUST.”

Sitting in his car on the side of the road, it was almost as if God spoke to him through a word on the license plate of a passing car. “Was the experience something to laugh off as the kind of joke life plays on us every once in a while?” Or was it the word of God? “I am willing to believe that maybe it was something of both,” Buechner wrote, “but for me, it was an epiphany.”

Trust. I wonder how many of us need to hear that word today. And, I wonder how many of us need to follow that advice. Trust.

My friend Roger Kunkel used to encourage us to pray Psalm 31:15: My times are in your hands, O God… My times are in your hands. Remembering that our situation and life are in God’s hands is the first step in being able to trust.

Our prayer today is one that Roger wrote. Let us pray: O Lord, our Shepherd, who leads us by still waters and into green pastures, we thank you for the times in our lives when life is strong and good. Teach us to remember, though, that you are with us at all times, even when the waters are not still and the pastures are not green, when the way is fraught with danger or difficulty. Your loving-kindness surpasses all our imagination, and your faithfulness is to all generations. Now let the joy of your presence break upon us like a gentle, cloudless sunrise with birds singing, that our spirits may soar to you in simple wonder. Through Christ our Redeemer. Amen.

Power of Prayer

March 23, 2020/in 2020, Daily Messages/by Joe Albright

You may have heard the apocryphal story about a small town where there were no liquor stores, until one day a nightclub was built right on the main street. The churches in the town were so upset that they held several prayer vigils. They prayed God would burn the sinful place down. Sure enough, a few days later lighting struck the nightclub and the fire completely destroyed it!

The club owner, knowing that the church people had been praying for something like this to happen, took the church to court and sued for damages. His lawyer claimed that their prayers had caused the loss. Of course, the church also hired an attorney who fought the claim. After much deliberation, the judge declared, ‘It is the opinion of the court that wherever the guilt may lie, the nightclub owner is the one who really believes in prayer, while the church members evidently do not!”

In my own life, I have continually been surprised by the power of prayer. It is not that I haven’t experienced prayers that seem to to be un-answered. I have. And, I’ve noticed that other prayers are not answered exactly according to our wishes – or on our timeline. Sometimes looking back, it is hard to understand why. Other times on reflection, we can see great wisdom and grace in God’s response – or unresponsiveness.

On the whole, I’ve come to trust that God’s love is at work – even during those times when I don’t understand God’s answer. And over the years, I’ve come to believe very deeply that our prayers matter. They draw us more closely into the very Source of life and love and hope. I’ve seen too many prayers answered, lives changed, situations turned around, to not believe that God is good.

Let us pray: Awesome God, there are moments in each of our lives when we realize that we have nowhere else to turn. You are our hope and our salvation. We love you, Lord, and we trust you. Hear our prayers, we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

When We Are Knocked Down

March 22, 2020/in 2020, Daily Messages/by Roger Kunkel

Years ago, on one of the Monday night football telecasts, the sportscasters were discussing the great running backs of professional football history. When they came to the late Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears, they pointed out that he was the all-time leading ground gainer in the National Football League. Then Frank Gifford said, “What a runner! Do you realize that all together, Walter Payton gained more than nine miles rushing in his career? Just imagine that, more than nine miles!” To which to other sportscaster, Dan Dierdorff responded, “And to think that every 4.6 yards of the way, someone was knocking him down!”

My special thanks to good friend, Don Yaeger, who authored NEVER DIE EASY, Walter Payton’s autobiography. Don and his beautiful wife, Jeanette, live in Tallahassee, Florida.

Well, it happens not just in football. It’s true also in life. We do get knocked down a lot. The truth is that every now and then life will break our hearts! And the question is, how do we respond to that? How do we handle the defeats, the problems, the knock-downs, the pain, and endangering ourselves too much? We should follow the model of these men, who carried their friend to the feet of Jesus without accepting any alternatives.

God can do amazing things. We know this, and we trust in it. And until there is no hope left, we should continue to commend those whom we love into God’s care. We should continue to await a miracle. God loves you, and God loves those whom you love.

Prayer: Holy God, today I pray for my friends. I am worried about them, and I ask that you be with them. I ask that you bring healing to the damaging situation in their lives. I pray for you to help them, and I ask that you help me to stay with them, and care for them. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

When in the Presence…

March 21, 2020/in 2020, Daily Messages/by Joe Albright

There is a Peanuts Comic where Lucy and Linus are getting ready for Church. Lucy asks, “Have you studied your Sunday school lesson?” Linus responds, “I’m working on it. I”m practicing doing three things at once” – he says as he tries to get dressed. “All it takes is balance and coordination of which I happen to have plenty of both!” He continues, “See? I can read the lesson, button my shirt and slip my feet into my shoes all at the same time…” Just as he says this, he slips and falls – shoes and Sunday school lesson all go flying. In the last frame, Lucy says, “Lesson for today.. Second Samuel, First chapter, Verse 19, ‘How the mighty have fallen.’”

In today’s world, we try to multi-task all the more. Our smartphones, ipads, and tablets allow us to connect with friends and colleagues all over the world at any given moment. There is a lot of blessing in this – however, we have to be careful. While it is completely possible to work or socialize online while we’re on vacation or at the dinner table or while hanging out with other friends and family, it can be detrimental to those relationships.

I am constantly reminded that one of the best gifts we can give people that we love is to listen to them. But it is impossible to be present to them and with them if we are at the same time, somewhere else online. There are times when multitasking may work well for us. But no matter how well we think we do it, there are other times for the sake of our relationships, when it may be best to set it aside.

Let us pray: Loving God, we thank you today for the gift of technology. But, even more importantly, we thank you for the gift of family and friends. We know we couldn’t make it for very long in life without them. When in their presence, help us to be present, and to show them our love by our attention. Amen.

Be Still And Know

March 20, 2020/in 2020, Daily Messages/by Joe Albright

Psalm 46 ends with a powerful mediation and today, I want to invite you to pray into this with me. I’m going to read a verse a few times through and leave some silence in-between. In the silence return to the words that I just read. Allow God to speak into your life. Before I read, I invite you now to close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Just become aware of what’s stirring inside you right now. Pay attention to the emotions your might be feeling, any fear or anxiety. As you breath in, breath in God’s Spirit. Breath out any fear or anxiety. Now become aware of Christ’s presence in you and around you – as close as your next breath….

Be still and know that I am God….

Be still and know that I am….

Be still and know….

Be still….

Be

Let us pray: God you are our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea. You are in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; you will help it when the morning dawns. You will help us… Even though, the nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter. O Lord of hosts, you are with us; O God of Jacob be our refuge. We ask in Jesus name. Amen.

God is Our Refuge

March 19, 2020/in 2020, Daily Messages/by Joe Albright

On Saturday morning I went to the grocery to grab a box of cereal for breakfast. I got there around 7:15. The store opened at 7 and I was 15 minutes late to the party! The store was jammed packed. In fact, as I was walking in there was an elderly gentleman leaving and we made eye contact. He said, “Son, your late!… It’s crazy town in the there!” And it was – total panic shopping!

It reminds me of that story about how one summer evening during a violent thunderstorm, a mother was tucking her small boy into bed. She was about to turn off the light when he asked with a tremor in his voice, “Mommy, will you sleep with in here with me tonight?’ The mother smiled and gave him a reassuring hug. “I can’t dear,” she said, “I have to sleep in there with your daddy.” A long silence was broken at last by a shaky little voice saying, “Oh. That big baby.”

Like the boy in the story, so often we find ourselves afraid. Often afraid of the unknown. What will the diagnosis be? Will my loved one be alright? What’s happening to the stock market? What’s going to happen to our country? How many people is this virus going to touch? Will there be food?

Do you know what the most frequent command is in the Bible? You would think it would be Love God or Love your neighbor. According to Jesus, those are the greatest commandments, but, they are not the most frequent. The most frequent command is, “Fear not!” Far more than any other command, over and over we read the words, “Fear not.” Fear not. I think it’s the most frequent because being human, we do fear… being human, we are so easily unsettled.

Psalm 46, which we read yesterday is one of my favorites because it brings us back. It moves us from the arena of fear to the arena of trust and faith. It reminds us of God’s presence in the midst of what feels like a crumbling world.

God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,

though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;

I pray that in the midst of all that it is happening in the world around us, you would know Christ’s presence; that you would feel God’s love.

Let us pray: Holy Spirit, calm our hearts and our minds. Assure us again that we, and this world, rest securely in your hands. Amen.

Uncertain times

March 18, 2020/in 2020, Daily Messages/by Joe Albright

Today, I want to acknowledge that we are in the midst of uncertain times to say the least. You may very well know people who are affected by the Coronavirus. You most certainly have been impacted by it. There is a tremendous amount of fear in the world around us right now.

I pray that in the midst of all that it is happening, you would know Christ’s presence; that you would feel God’s love.

In these difficult days, I turn again to Psalm 46 – which I would like to share with you today as our message and prayer.

Let us pray:

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;

though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.

God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;
God will help it when the morning dawns.

The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.

The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Come, behold the works of the Lord;
see what desolations he has brought on the earth.

He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;

he burns the shields with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God!

I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth.”

The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Amen.

Each New Day

March 17, 2020/in 2020, Daily Messages/by Joe Albright

In an old Winnie the Pooh comic strip, Pooh and Piglet take an evening walk. They mostly walk in silence. Finally, Piglet asks, “When you wake up in the morning, Pooh, what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”

“What’s for breakfast?” answers Pooh. And then Pooh asks, “And what do you say, Piglet?” Piglet responds, “I say, I wonder what exciting thing is going to happen today?”

I wonder what you say first thing in the morning.

I once heard it said that there are two kinds of people in the world, those who either wake up and say, “Good morning, Lord!” Or, those by saying, “Good Lord, it’s morning.”

Whether you are a morning person or not, in those first few moments of the day you have an opportunity to set the tone and attitude for the entire day ahead. Spiritual leader Thich Nhat Hahn suggests we start each day with a smile. He claims, “Smiling helps you approach the day with gentleness and understanding.” Others recommend beginning with a prayer – or recalling a short gratitude list.

In any case, I hope you begin each day more like Piglet than Pooh. Approach each new day with wonder and expectation and joy.

Let us pray: Loving God, no matter how we started out this morning, no matter what stress or burdens we may be carrying, help us to remember our blessings and to smile. Grant us a new beginning to this day. From this point on, we will expect to see your hand at work in our lives and in the world around us. Amen.