Sometime back I heard a story about a Buddhist monk who was visiting New York. He was told by his Western host that they could save ten minutes by making a transfer in the subway at Grand Central Station. When they came up from the subway in Central Park, the monk sat down on a bench. His host, who was in a hurry, wanted to know what he was doing. “Why are you just sitting there?” ”I thought we should enjoy the ten minutes,” the monk replied.

In a fast-paced hectic world, how often do we stop to sit on a park bench and just be for ten minutes? Even if we have the time, do we intentionally stop and enjoy our surroundings? It really is not a long time, but it is long enough to gather our thoughts and remember the many gifts God has placed all around us.

At one of the busiest times in their ministry, Jesus instructs the disciples, “Come away to a deserted place and rest awhile…” (Mark 6:31)

Let us pray: Gracious God, we thank you for the gift of this day – and indeed for the gift of life itself. Remind us to occasionally stop and enjoy life’s simple pleasures. I ask you today to remove any worry or anxiety we may be feeling. Fill us instead with hope. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today’s message was written by my friend, Roger Kunkel, founder of Dial Hope.

There is only one thing more costly than caring and that is not caring. It must break God’s heart when we are calloused, unfeeling, selfish, and uncaring. How do you treat other people? In the parable of the Good Samaritan, found in the 10th chapter in the gospel of Luke, the Samaritan is called good because he cared enough to do something good for someone in need. I have a physician friend who advises his patients to treat every person they meet each day, as if he or she were the most important person in the world. I like that! But, friend of Dial Hope, the Christian faith takes it a step further, a giant step further. We are urged to relate to every single person we meet as if that person were Christ in disguise. Wow! Try that for one day; it will change your life forever.

Let us pray: The world must have begun in silence, so God then moved to a crescendo of joyful music with a heavenly symphony crashing in rhythmic applause. Let there be light where there is shadow and joy where there is pain or depression. The blooming flowers, the gentle breezes remind us of hope for the renewing of our lives. Help us to think kindly of one another, to speak gently, to be creative listeners, and to behave with compassion. Transform our hum-drum lives into TA-DA! moments fueled by perpetual gratitude. Keep us laughing and caring because they are neglected on our agenda. Through the amazing grace of Jesus. Amen.

In a Charlie Brown comic, Linus asks his big sister Lucy, “Why are you always so anxious to criticize me?” Lucy, looking very self-righteous, replies, “I just think I have a knack for seeing other people’s faults.” Linus looks indignant. “What about your own faults?” he asks. “I have a knack for overlooking them,” says Lucy.

Isn’t that the way it is sometimes? We get so familiar with each other, especially with people we love, that we take each other for granted. And we forget…. We forget… that our words make an impact.

On the other hand, our words have the potential for building up. At the weddings in which my friend Roger Kunkel officiated, he would always tell couples to be each other’s best cheerleaders. He would go on to remind them that there is already so much out there in the world that will try to pull them down. Roger would say, “So make the effort to encourage each other and build each other up.”

Roger’s words are echoes of the Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “Encourage each other and build each other up…” In Ephesians 4:29 he writes, speak “only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.”

I love the idea that our words can give grace to those who hear…

Grace comes from the Greek word Charis – meaning gift. Scholars tell us the word can be translated: joy, pleasure, acceptance, undeserved favor.

I wonder who you know who needs to hear words that bring joy, acceptance, encouragement, or unmerited favor… In other words, I wonder who needs to hear words of grace from you today…

Let us pray: Loving God, we thank you for friends and family. May your grace flow through us to them. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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

Friend of Dial Hope, Life is difficult; it gets bumpy sometimes. Things don’t always go just as we want them to go. Sometimes the winds blow against us. Sometimes we feel crushed and confused and weighed down. It’s enough to make Norman Vincent Peale a pessimist! In the 14th chapter of Matthew, Simon Peter looked at Christ, and he walked on water. When he took his eyes off Christ and looked at the waves, he became scared and began to sink (Matthew 14:22-33).

There is a story about a little girl who was so excited because her father was going to take her to see the movie “Snow White.” Someone said to the little girl, “But won’t you be scared of the wicked witch?” “No,” she said. “When the witch comes on, I won’t look at her. I’ll just look at my father!” That’s the way it works, isn’t it? When we fix our eyes on God, we can do incredible things.

In Charlene Anderson’s poem, Dialog with God, God speaks first, insisting but with patient reassurance. And the poet answers, timid and afraid in the beginning, but with ultimate confidence and unconditional trust in the Lord:

“Come out into the deep…”

“But Lord, I’ll sink to the bottom.”

“I am with you…”

“Okay, Lord, here I come!”

Let us pray: Loving God, Shepherd of all that lives, we come to you with joy and thanksgiving for the gift of this day, which is an unrepeatable miracle. Be with those who are afraid, who wonder why there is no safety to be found anywhere. Be with those who are lonely, who wonder if there will ever be a time when there will be someone to turn to in the night. Guide us to a place of strength and courage where we can pick up the pieces of our lives, and begin to build a Kingdom of justice and care that is free from hostility and terror but filled with the roses of righteousness. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd. Amen.

One of the images for the Holy Spirit in the Bible is that of the flame. The Holy Spirit melts cold hearts and ignites a spark of hope in us – a spark that can be contagious.

I recently heard a parable that makes the point: Once upon a time there was a piece of iron, which was very strong and very hard. Many attempts had been made to break it, but all had failed.

“I’ll master it,” said the ax… and his blows fell heavily upon the piece of iron, but every blow only made the ax’s edge blunter, until it finally ceased to strike and gave up in frustration.

“Leave it to me,” said the saw… and it worked back and forth on the iron’s surface until its jagged teeth were all worn and broken. Then in despair, the saw quit trying and fell to the side.

“Ah!” said the hammer, “I knew you two wouldn’t succeed. I’ll show you how to do this!” But at the first fierce blow, off flew its head and the piece of iron remained just as before, proud and hard and unchanged.

“Shall I try?” asked the small soft flame. “Forget it,” everyone else said. “What can you do? You’re too small and you have no strength.” But the small soft flame curled around the piece of iron, embraced it… and never left it until it melted under its warm irresistible influence.

Pastor James Moore picks up on this parable and writes, “There’s a sermon there somewhere. Perhaps it means that God’s way is not the way of force but love. God’s way is not to break hearts but to melt them. Perhaps it means that that is our calling – to melt hearts… under the irresistible warmth of God’s gracious love.”

The truth is, we live in a world with tremendous needs all around us. Think about all the lonely and hurting people in our cafeterias and classrooms at school, in our neighborhoods, and even places of work. All around us, there are tremendous opportunities for us to listen, to give, to care, and to show Christ’s love.

In your own life, I wonder how you might demonstrate the irresistible warmth of God’s gracious love.

Let us pray: Loving and Gracious God, fill us again with your Holy Spirit. Melt our cold hearts and set us afire with hope – hope that leads us to make a difference in your name. Amen.