Spiritual giant, Martin Luther, once wrote about the heart-wrenching disagreement Paul and Barnabas had in the book of Acts. He wrote:

“Such examples are written for our consolation: for it is a great comfort to us to hear that great saints, who have the Spirit of God, also struggle. Those who say that saints do not sin would deprive us of this comfort.

“Samson, David, and many other celebrated men full of the Holy Spirit fell into grievous sins. Job and Jeremiah cursed the day of their birth; Elijah and Jonah were weary of life and desired death. No one has ever fallen so grievously that he may not rise again. Conversely, no one stands so firmly that he may not fall. If Peter (and Paul and Barnabas) fell, I too may fall. If they rose again, I too may rise again.”

And that is our hope. There is more grace in God than there is sin in us. Redemption is possible. Even now.

Let us pray: Loving God, you know how we struggle. You know how we have fallen, how we come up short. Yet you love us still. We thank you for your unending love and amazing grace. Be at work in us again this day. Heal our wounds, our addictions, our destructive ways, and raise us again to new life. For we pray in the name of the One who rose for us. Amen.

Yesterday, my message touched on Jesus’ baptism, and God’s promising words, “This is my Son, the beloved, with whom I am well pleased!”

In a recent sermon, Rev. King Duncan spoke about how he wished every child on earth could hear without equivocation from his or her parents: “You are my son, you are my daughter, whom I love; with you, I am well pleased.”

He said, “What a difference it would make in the world if every parent would affirm his or her child like that. I suspect we would see crime drop, delinquency drop, even terrorism disappear.  Can you imagine a world in which every child knew for certain that he or she was loved? Can you imagine a world where no young person felt the need to act out in destructive ways to gain parental attention or approval? At heart, this is the solution to the world’s deepest and most tragic problem, the emptiness and loneliness that drives people to despair: ‘You are my son, you are my daughter, whom I love; with you, I am well pleased.’”

This coming week, I challenge you to find one younger person – it doesn’t necessarily need to be your child – but one person in your life who could use a lift – and share your love, admiration, and approval of her or him.

Let us pray:  Holy God, we thank you for the acceptance and love we have received from friends and family over the years. And, we are ever grateful for the love we have received from you. Help us this week speak words of encouragement, approval, and love into the lives of people around us. May we be instruments of your grace, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

My friend, Don Custis shared an ancient story with me that was told centuries ago by the Jewish rabbis.

There was once a man who had two sons. He was a successful farmer, and when he died, he left his lands to his two sons. Over time, one of the sons married a young woman and raised a family of six children. The other son remained single. The two young men farmed the land together, and everything they harvested, they divided equally. The grain was placed in two barns, one for each brother.

They grew older. The land was good, and the weather kind. They prospered, and both began to plan for their old age. One night, while going over his accounts, the unmarried brother began thinking to himself, “My brother has seven mouths to feed, and I am all alone. He will need a bigger share of the crops than I need. But he will never agree to accept a bigger share of the harvest.” He thought and thought, and finally decided what to do.

Late one night, long after his brother had fallen asleep, the unmarried brother got out of bed, walked to the barn, and began carrying sacks of grain to his brother’s barn.

Meanwhile, the married brother was planning ahead as well. He said to himself, “My brother and I are getting older. But I have been blessed with a wife and six children to take care of me when I am old. My brother has no one. He will need more than his share to store up against old age. But he will never agree to accept a larger share of the harvest.”

And so this brother too got up in the dead of night while his brother was asleep and went out to the barn and began carrying sacks of grain to his brother’s barn. This went on for several nights, each brother removing some of his grain to his brother’s barn.

Then one night, when the moon was full, the brothers met in the field midway between the two barns. And when they saw each other and realized what the other brother had been doing, they began to weep, dropped their sacks of grain, and embraced.

The rabbis tell us that just then clouds drifted across the face of the shining moon, and it began to rain. Do you know what it was? It was the tears of God, weeping for joy because two of his children had finally – finally – gotten the point.

Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, “Let each of you look not to your own interest, but to the interest of others. In your relationships with others have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had. What a beautiful, beautiful world it would be if we could follow this imperative more often.

Let us pray… Lord God, teach us to live as Jesus lived – looking not to our own interests but to the interests of others. In dying to ourselves and our pride, may we find new and abundant life! Open our hearts that this might be not just an idea – but a way of life.  Amen.

I remember my friend Tasha was telling me about the time when her nephew was trying to learn the Lord’s Prayer. The family would say it together each night before dinner and he would pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. My kingdom come, my will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…”

Tasha said,  “I fully understand how he could make the mistake! I know I have often prayed that God’s will would be done but in my heart, I want my own will to be done.”

Haven’t we all!

My wife tells me that her father would often end his prayer time with the Lord’s prayer – but also with his own addition.  He would pray. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  And let it begin with me…

Jesus prayed, “Not my will, by thy will be done.”

What would it look like if we made that our prayer? If we were steeped in it? What would it look like to understand our deepest identity as God’s servants? How might this affect not only our daily decisions but even our deepest dreams and ambitions? What if we were able to pray each morning, “Here I am Lord, your servant…May your will be done even through me.” I wonder what opportunities God might put in front of us.

This week, I invite you to make that your prayer. See how God might lead you.

Let us pray: God of Grace, Give us eyes to see the need around us. Grant us ears to hear your leading, and a servant’s heart to respond. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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

One of the greatest compliments a person can give is to say, “l need you!” The words melt our hearts and impel us to want to help. We all need to feel needed. A crucial part of friendship is to be able to admit our inadequacies and say to others, “l need you!” We can be sure that if we can’t say that to others, they will probably never say it to us. Actually, confession of our needs is an expression of healthy self-esteem. We value ourselves enough to believe that we are worthy of another’s care. Those who cannot express their needs usually end up unable to help others. Sadly, a man I knew committed suicide; he did not share his needs. What a loss! We were created for fellowship with God. There will be restlessness, an emptiness within us, until we rest in Him and allow Him to fill the God-shaped vacuum.

Let us pray: Loving God, without you, we are truly scared stiff of making mistakes, of being ridiculed or rejected or missing out in our always fumbling uncertainties. So today we pray that your Spirit will hover over us to enable us to separate the light from the darkness. Encourage us to keep getting up and going on no matter how many times we have tripped up and fallen down crying.  So move in among us that we may grow in your Spirit and live with passion in this amazing life.  How wonderful are your ways, O Lord, how marvelous are your gifts of grace. Straighten the backbone of our beliefs and deepen our commitments to your way so that the roots of faith will reach the center of our hearts. God, we need you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.