John says, “He showed them his hands and his side” (John 20:20). In other words, he showed them his scars, and then, and only then, did they rejoice.

A Grandpa and granddaughter were sitting talking when she asked, “Did God make you, Grandpa?”
“Yes, God made me,” said Grandpa.
“Did God make me, too?”
“Yes, God made you.”

There was a long pause while the child looked at her granddad. “You know, Grandpa,” she said, “God’s doing a lot better job lately.”

Children tend to have fewer scars than older people. Scars are the marks of experience. Scars are the evidence of wounds, of pain, of suffering, loss and brokenness over time. Scars are wounds that eventually healed, but we always remember how they were inflicted and the pain that surrounded them.

Carlyle Marney, the great 20th century Baptist preacher, once said “God often uses people who are deeply wounded. On the last day, Jesus will look us over not for medals, diplomas, or honors, but for scars.”
Jesus’ scars are part of His story, part of what He suffered on our behalf. His wounds matter to us and to God. Our scars are part of our story, hopefully part of the story of what God is doing in our lives. Our wounds matter to us and to God.

If we recognize each other by the scars that we bear, may those marks become reminders not of our weakness, but of God’s resurrection power and grace.

Pray with me. Thank you, loving God, for being present with us when we are wounded and for your comfort and strength to bear the pain. Our emotional and physical scars remind us of your amazing grace at work in our lives. Thank you God. Amen

Today I would like to say a special word of thanks to those of you who have supported the Dial Hope Foundation with a financial donation. Your gifts make this ministry possible!

A few years ago, I ran into my friend Ernestine at a continuing education event outside of Atlanta. Ernestine was the Dean of Students at my seminary and served as my pastor there for three years. She came to the hospital the day my daughter Marley was born. Today she is retired.

At the conference I asked Ernestine what she was doing in her retirement. She said something along the lines of: Well, I’m 75 years old. I’ve stopped thinking about doing and instead I’m thinking a lot more about being… I don’t have any mountains to climb, so this year I really just want to be:

I want to be still.
I want to be centered.
I want to be grateful.
I want to be thoughtful and kind.

How beautiful. In life we are so often process focused. We often think: what next? what’s on the agenda? what are the next steps? Ernestine’s comments made me reflect on how we would be more healthy if, from time to time, we would think about just being….

Psalm 46 reads, “Be still and know that I am God.”

Let us pray: Loving and Gracious God, today we pause just a moment in your presence. Calm our spirits. Renew us. Heal us. Fill us. Restore us. Amen.

Ingratitude is a serious shortcoming. I agree with Martin Luther that “unthankfulness is
theft.” In his Inferno, Dante placed in the center of his hell not those guilty of fleshy
sins, but morose, gloomy, ungrateful men and women. Shakespeare wrote in “As You
Like It,”

“Blow, blow, thou winter wind,
Thou art not so unkind
As man’s ingratitude.”

An elderly mother was bedridden with her final illness. The three married children, two sons and a daughter, were called to her bedside. Conscious but weak, the mother smiled weakly at their presence. One of the sons bent over and said, “You’ve been a good mother.” With a sigh the mother whispered, “Do you mean that?” “Of course, you have,” all three children joined in. The mother’s voice came again very faintly, “I didn’t know. You never said it before, and I didn’t know.” Unfortunately, some live a long time before they ever say thanks to God or to another person for blessings of human kindness. Sometimes the expression of gratitude comes as a surprise, yes, even a shock. A lady boarded a crowded commuter train. A man rose to give her his seat. She was so surprised, she fainted. When she came to, she thanked him for the seat. Then he fainted. Remember, the apostle Paul reminds us, “Give thanks in all circumstances.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Let us pray: Loving God, we thank you for grateful people who care; a friendly visit, a listening ear, a funny card, a warm letter, a long-distance call, an e-mail, a bouquet of flowers, a book of inspiration. Thank you, Lord, for the ordinary days of simple pleasures and quiet charm; and for those extraordinary days of laughing and weeping when the drama and depth of life touch and warm our hearts. May gratitude for your amazing grace and unconditional love fall frequently from our lips. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

There is a funny story about a man who always brought donuts to work. Every day, he stopped at the store to pick up a dozen donuts. Every day was the same. Every day he would eat one or two on the way in and shared the rest with his co-workers. One day, after the first of the year, he told his colleagues he had sworn off donuts. “I’ve got to take better care of myself,” he said, “No more donuts.” The co-workers all gave him a hard time – “No way. You’ll give in. Just give it a week.”

Sure enough, for weeks on end, he arrived at work with no donuts. The co-workers were impressed. But, sure enough, one day he arrived with a box of half-eaten donuts. “What happened?,” asked his fellow office workers, “I thought you were done with donuts.” The man responded, “When I was driving to work today, I felt God say to me, today you deserve a donut. I wasn’t sure it was God but I thought I’d just drive by the donut shop, and if there happened to be a parking place right up front, I would know that was a sign from God that he wanted me to have a donut. Well wouldn’t you know it, the eighth time I circled the donut shop….”

Change is hard, isn’t it? We get set in our routines and habits. We get comfortable with our lives. But sometimes there are changes we need to make to better our lives. Sometimes there are changes or sacrifices we need to make for the sake of others.

Recognizing the need for change is the first step towards a new future. Tell others about the decided change – they can help with resolve. Keep the end result in mind. Then, commit to prayer and trust God to give you the strength.

Let us pray: Today Loving God, I pray for all of those who desire to make changes in their lives – big or small. If this desire is truly from you, give them a glimpse of a new future. Surround them with the right people. Grant them courage and strength to take the first steps. We ask in Jesus name. Amen.

“Today’s message was written by my friend, Rev. Roger Kunkel, founder of Dial Hope.” – Joe

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). We have all read about those astounding night goggles that help military personnel see in the dark. For instance, in a totally black room you can see other persons, pictures on the wall, other objects in the room. Something in those goggles picks up the unseen light in the room so you can see.

What a marvelous parable for the church. There is some light in all darkness. We are the power that is able to pick up the beacon of unseen Light and enable the world to behold it more clearly. We know and trust a God who calls us out of darkness into his marvelous Light. Space scientists have long posited a theory about black holes in space. Black holes are dark cavities in which there appears to be no light whatsoever. The theory says that the force of gravity is so powerful that even the photons of light collapse in upon themselves under the pull. All light is gone.

Epiphany is the season in which we boldly proclaim that the Light of Jesus Christ can outshine even the black holes of space! The darkness of hopelessness, grief, illness, pain and depression do not have the last word. The Light has come. The Light shines in the deepest darkness and the darkness cannot, will not overcome it. That is the TA-DA! of the gospel. We have been touched by the Light.

Let us pray: O Lord of our hearts and minds, we know you are always with us and you love us. Grant us the peace that comes from that reassurance that whether we walk through fields of flowers or stumble along the streets of sadness, we will walk beside you. Though Jesus Christ, the Light of the world. Amen.