Both Near and Far
Joe Albright

Both Near and Far

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In the book of Isaiah, the Lord God speaks, “For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with those who are contrite and humble in spirit…”

This is beautiful to me, that God identifies himself as High and Lofty, living far above humanity – transcendent; and yet, at the same time, dwelling with those who are contrite and humble in spirit. God is transcendent, and yet present with those most in need.

We clearly need to be in touch with both sides of this. We need a Savior who is more than what we can see, hear, touch or experience. We need to be reminded that we are not the center of life and all that is. Yet, we also need a Savior who is present with us, who knows us, and who walks with us.

Psalm 34 reminds us that “God is close to the brokenhearted.” Yet, Psalm 61asks, “Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.”

Our prayer today was written by Rev. Roger Kunkel founder of Dial Hope. Let us pray:

Loving God, you come to us in velvet gentleness and surprising strength in your son, Jesus the Christ, whose unconditional love shouts as clearly as a loon’s call across a still lake at midnight. God of song and spirit, as we praise you for the momentous day, speak to us in the symphony of sound, the hope of harmony, the cadence of grace. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

Open Our Hearts
Joe Albright

Open Our Hearts

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From time to time, we all suffer. It’s a very real aspect of life, isn’t it? And it is tempting to try to avoid it – or deny it. It is tempting to try and shield ourselves and our loved ones from it.

I was visiting with some friends several years ago, and she was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s and starting to lose her memory. She said, “Joe, you know the most difficult part of all this is that my friends have stopped calling me. Maybe they are afraid. Maybe they don’t know what to say. But the thing is, I don’t care what they say. I just don’t want to lose them as friends.”

I know other people who when they go through a hard time, it’s almost just the opposite. They won’t allow others in. When they’re suffering they shut down and shut off.

The irony is, just when people need us the most, just when we need them the most, we become uncomfortable and we run from something that actually makes us more human. That suffering and that need get at the root of what it means to be human. It is something we all share in common. It is something that transcends skin color and social-economic status. It’s a deep point of connection.

Jesus once said, “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25)

Part of what he was trying to teach us is that the greatest meaning, joy, and hope come from giving away life for the sake of others, helping others, sharing with others in the most difficult times. And so I pray today that you would have people around you who are willing to share in your brokenness and may you be willing to walk with them through theirs.

Let us pray: God of Hope, even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you are with us. Help us to live out of this promise and this hope even as we share it with others. In Christ’s name. Amen.

The Assignment
Joe Albright

The Assignment

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I remember a pastor talking about how often people will tell him that they feel so blessed. They’ll say things like, “I don’t know what I did to deserve this life – even to have been born in this country – what a blessing! Why is it that I have so much and others so little?” And he said I say to them, “Well, you’ve been given an assignment. You’ve been given a mission to use what you have to bless others….”

I think we all have those moments that cause us to pause and reflect on our lives – and the way in which all along the journey our faith both blesses and summons. It calls out the better side of our humanity. And it raises the question: how are the blessings I have received being passed through me? How are the ripples from my life impacting the people around me… my family… my neighbors… my church? What am I leaving behind in my wake?

All the way back in the book of Genesis, God says to Abraham, “I have blessed you. And through you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” You and I stand in this great tradition.

Let us pray: Loving God, meet us today at the deepest point of our need. We ask for your healing, your mercy, your patience, and your peace. And even as we are being healed, may we in turn find ways to respond by blessing others. We remember today that it is indeed in giving we receive. In Christ’s name. Amen.

RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS
Roger Kunkel

RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS

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

A doctor devoted as much of his spare time as he could to a charity clinic. One day an elderly gentleman was ushered into the physician’s private offices downtown.

“Remember me, Doctor?’ the man asked. “You treated me over at the charity clinic. I’ve come into some money lately, and I can afford to pay for the service of a doctor now.” “But what made you come to me?’ the physician wanted to know. “I wasn’t the only doctor who treated you at the clinic.” “I know,” the old man said quietly, “But you were the only one who helped me with my coat.”

Christianity is not an explanation but a demonstration of God’s love and kindness living in the human heart. You don’t have to give away great sums of money to show your concern. You don’t have to be eloquent to tell someone you care. Caring is making room in your heart for an individual and their problem. Sometimes simply being available, giving a friendly touch, a smile, a hug, or just listening, is caring.

May God be with you every moment of this day.

Let us pray: Loving God, with each new day your promise of hope is restored, in every sunrise we see your face; in every sunset, we rest in your arms. Each day is like the first day you created with the same invitation – for us to live in your image, to work creatively, to practice random acts of kindness. Sprinkle us with your love so our mustard-seed faith will grow like large elms whose leafy arms stretch to the heavens, and arch in prayer. Give us the faith of the rising sun, the trust of trees, and the hope that springs eternal from constant prayer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Breath Prayers
Joe Albright

Breath Prayers

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Dwight Moody once asked a congregation, “Tell me how I can get the air out of the (glass) I have in my hand?” Someone answered, “Suck it out with a pump.” The evangelist replied, “That would create a vacuum and shatter it.” Finally, after many unworkable suggestions, Moody poured water from a pitcher and filled the glass with water. “There, all the air is now removed.” He went on to explain that our Spiritual growth doesn’t come by working hard to eliminate all destructive thoughts and habits, but rather by letting God’s Spirit fill us to overflowing.

There are several simple prayers that we can pray throughout each day. These are called “breath prayers” and they have been used by people of faith throughout the ages.

Here are just a few examples:

Lord, fill me with your Spirit.
Grant me your peace, O God.
Fill me with your strength.
Come, Lord Jesus.

I invite you to pick one or two and pray them throughout your day – especially during moments of stress, temptation, or anger. They will remind you of God’s presence with you, and remind you to trust and hope in God rather than in yourself.

Let us pray: God of all life, sometimes we feel so distant from you. Stress from work and home overwhelm us. Problems seem to mount up. And, we don’t always cope so well. Prompt us to draw near to you as often as possible. We invite you to fill us again with your Spirit. Grant us your joy and your peace. In Christ’s name. Amen.

Faith as a Resource
Joe Albright

Faith as a Resource

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Comedian Flip Wilson once quipped, “If I had my whole life to live over again, I don’t think I’d have the strength!”

That’s funny to me. I feel as though I’ve had a wonderful life so far, but even if I had the strength, I don’t think I’d want to relive it – especially not the teenage years. Life has been good, and I’m grateful for each moment.

The truth is, life can be exhausting. There are some days when we have to dig deep and summon the strength to get through the day. Work can be challenging and exciting, but it can also be demanding and arduous. Our children and grandchildren are a blessing but require a lot of care and attention. Yard work, dishes, and laundry are a daily fact of life, and we all have to work hard to find a balance.

The prophet Isaiah once said, “Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young fall exhausted, but those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

I pray that your faith would be a resource for you in the midst of everyday life. Even in the face of hectic and demanding schedules, may you set time apart to rest, to pray, and to wait for the Lord.

Let us pray: God of grace, we remember that Jesus said, “Come unto me all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” We accept your invitation, Lord. We bring you our weariness, our worn thin patience, our worries, anxieties, and struggles. We lay them all before you this day, and we ask for your grace, and for your Spirit to work renewal and strength in us and through us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Jesus Weeping
Joe Albright

Jesus Weeping

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Presbyterian poet Ann Weems paints a beautiful picture of redemption with her poetry. She writes out of an experience of significant loss in her own life, and her work touches the deep places of heartache, faith, and hope. She draws heavily on the scriptures. I share with you now a few verses from her book, the Psalms of Lament.

“In the quiet times, this image comes to me: Jesus weeping.
Jesus wept, and in his weeping, he joined himself forever to those who mourn.
‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.’
Someday. Someday God will wipe the tears from Rachael’s eyes.
In the godforsaken, obscene quicksand of life,
there is a deafening alleluia rising from the souls of those who weep,
and of those who weep with those who weep.
If you watch, you will see the hand of God putting the stars back in their skies one by one.”

Let us pray: Sometimes it feels as though life is falling apart, O God. We don’t always understand why things happen the way they do. But we have to trust that you are good. We have to trust that you are present in our pain and suffering. And we have to trust that you are already at work to heal and make whole again.

We pray today especially for those who have recently lost a loved one, and for all those who mourn a loss in life. May your peace which passes all understanding rest gently on each of them, and on each of us today. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Love Never Ends
Joe Albright

Love Never Ends

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One of the most beloved passages in all of scripture is Paul’s statement on love:

“Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends (1 Corinthians 13).”

We often read this passage at weddings, and it is beautiful and fitting. It should be noted, however, that Paul was actually writing to address a church. In the Spiritual Formation Bible, scholar Catherine Taylor comments, “Though (Paul) presents an ideal seldom attained by any community, his very words uplift and inspire. The love outlined here is what Paul wants the Corinthians to show toward one another in all their behavior, that they might experience such love themselves. We too experience and are sustained by the love we are able to show others.”

This is so true – whether it is in our own marriage or family relationships, or whether within our family of faith. Today, let us continue to strive to show the kind of love that God shows us – the kind of love that endures forever!

Let us pray: God you are patient; you are kind; you are not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. You do not insist on your own way. You are not irritable or resentful; You do not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoice in the truth. You bear all things, hope all things, endure all things. You never end. Loving God, teach us to love as you love. Amen.

So Great a Cloud of Witnesses
Joe Albright

So Great a Cloud of Witnesses

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Hebrews chapter 12 begins: “Therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses… let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us…”

I love this imagery of being surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses… a group of people who have been touched by God’s grace. They are those who have been already run the race. They have been through tough times and made it. They are now here to support us, to encourage us, and to inspire us.

In my limited experience with running races, a crowd around you can definitely pull you forward. They give you energy you didn’t know you had. It is well documented that runners are able to go farther and faster than if they were running without the crowd. And of course, you can think about how this works in football. With the crowd behind them, the home team definitely has a competitive edge.

When I think about this crowd behind me, this great cloud of witnesses, I think about those who have nurtured me in the faith: My grandfather Popsi, Herb Meza, my pastor… my friend Billy who came alongside me early on… Roger and Carol Thompkins, Yenwith Witney, Jim Pellot – and I could go on and on…

And it is not just those who have gone on before us. There are other witnesses here and now. We, humans, have the capacity to encourage, inspire and empower others – when we tell what we have seen; when we tell our own stories and other people’s stories…

My prayer for you today is that you would give some thought as to the witnesses that surround you. What voices are with you along the journey of life? What voices give you energy, inspiration, and strength? And then, may you give thanks to God for them.

Let us pray: Gracious God, We thank you for the community of faith – for this great cloud of witnesses that spans history and time. And we thank you for our part in it; for the way that you have been so faithful to us. We are indeed grateful for those who have inspired and nurtured us along the way. Empower us in turn, to share our own stories of hope and grace. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Easter Promise
Joe Albright

Easter Promise

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Pastor Phil Callaway tells of driving his five-year-old son past a local cemetery. Of course, five-year-olds sometimes have an interesting perspective on things. Noticing a large pile of earth beside a newly dug grave, the boy pointed and said: “Look, Dad, one got out!”

Calloway laughed at the time. But, he writes, “. . . every time I pass a graveyard, I’m reminded of the One who did get out.” And that would be Jesus.

It’s a pretty bold claim, isn’t it? It is the claim of Easter that we celebrate this time of year. It is a claim that has implications far beyond that first morning when the disciples found the tomb empty.

As we find ourselves on the outer edge of what has been a terrible pandemic, with all the social unrest, the violence, the horrible divisiveness that we have experienced over this past year, I am reminded that Easter is not a promise that our lives or the church or the world will ever go back to being like it used to be. It is not a promise that the darkness and uncertainty will be taken away.

But Easter is a promise that the Power that raised Jesus from the dead – is still at work in you and in the church and in the world! That same power is calling you by name – and will never abandon you. It is the same power that holds you even into eternity; and that even now is seeking to make all things new.

Let us pray: Gracious God, as we continue through this season of Easter, we ask you to raise again the places in this world and in our lives that still cling to death. Move deep within us that we may experience your peace, your grace, and your love. Empower us then to live in such a way that we would bring hope to others. We ask in the name of our risen Lord. Amen.