There’s an old story about a boy named Tyler who sat down to write a letter to God asking for a baby sister. He started the letter out:

Dear God, I’ve been a very good boy…

He stopped, thinking, “No, God won’t believe that.” He wadded up the paper, threw it away, and started again:

Dear God, Most of the time I’ve been a good boy…He stopped in the middle of the line, again thinking, “God won’t be moved by this.” So into the trash can went another wad of paper.

The boy went into the bathroom, grabbed a big towel off the bar, brought it into the living room, and laid it on the couch. Then he went to the fireplace mantle, reached up and brought down a statue of the Madonna, the mother of Jesus, that he had eyed many times. Tyler placed the statue in the middle of the towel, gently folded over the edges, and placed a rubber band around the whole thing. He brought it to the table, took another piece of paper, and began writing his third letter to God:

Dear God, If you ever want to see your mother again…

Tyler sounds like he’ll grow up to join the mob!

But in a way, we can identify, can’t we? He wanted God to act, and he wanted God to act NOW!

Waiting is hard because it forces us to admit some things are not under our control. Most of us like to believe that we are in control. If we work hard enough, if we are adequately prepared, if we just concentrate, we can make things happen.

And that is true – but only to a point.  Some things can’t be hurried. Recuperation from surgery, the grief process, a young person learning responsibility are just a few.

Korean American pastor and writer Joshua Kang claims that patience is a prerequisite for peace – in every sense of the word. In his book Deep Rooted in Christ, he writes about spiritual formation, “We learn patience with our enemies, patience with those closest to us, patience with those we don’t know, even patience with ourselves.” Kang then continued, “People who have patience lack nothing. People who have patience have everything.”

Let us pray: Holy God, grant us compassion for ourselves and others. May we learn to patience – and in that patience experience your peace. Amen.

I remember one year when I was serving a church in Sarasota, we hosted a regional gathering of Stephen Ministers. And they sent in an older gentleman to come and speak on grief counseling. Right away it was clear that he was speaking out of a deeply personal experience. He had grown up a nominal Catholic – and for years he did not attend church. But that changed.

He shared with us that 10 years earlier his 21-year-old daughter was killed in an alcohol-related car crash. Of course, it was devastating. Somehow in trying to work through his grief and pain, he reconnected to his faith in a powerful way. In fact, he had joined a Benedictine community – not an ordained monk – but as a lay oblate.  He had taken a set of vows and committed to the daily disciplines. As a part of this, he was volunteering with Stephen ministries – attempting to help others through their pain. He told us, “God met me in my darkest moment, and God continues to meet me as I minister to others in their darkest moments.”

Now, I don’t believe that God brings on the heartbreaking and troubling times in our lives. But I do believe that God meets us there. And I do believe there is an opportunity to come out on the other side of the darkness, deeper, more faithful, stronger, and more courageous.

I pray today that wherever you are on the journey of faith that God would meet you there. I pray for strength and courage and healing.

In the book of Hebrews we read these words of encouragement:

… God has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.” (Hebrews 13:5-6)

Let us pray:  God of grace, in the troubling moments of life, help us to trust that you are with us. Grant us the strength and the courage to face the day. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Yesterday in many churches around the world, we celebrated the baptism of Jesus.  Imagine the scene for just a minute, nearly two thousand years ago. Jesus is standing in the mud with a crowd of sinners. John the Baptizer is wrapped in camel’s hair, eating locust and wild honey. He stands on the bank of the river, clearly a little unnerved. Jesus asks to be baptized, but John thinks it should be the other way around.

Now what’s key, in that culture, there was a strong sense of shame and honor. Jesus humbles himself by giving up his rightful place of honor. And, he humbles himself by completely identifying with people in need.

In his gospel, Matthew tells us that as Jesus comes up out of the water – the heavens open, the Spirit descends down on him, and God speaks, “This is my Son, the beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

We learn a lot from this simple passage: Jesus is God’s Son. And, God’s Son is humble. He stands with those in need. He stands with you and with me.  He shows us the way to salvation, the way through the waters, the way through humility and service and sacrifice and love. May we always be ready to follow.

Let us pray: God of ages past, God of the New Year ahead, God of this moment, thank you for your love, for your grace, for your claim upon our lives. We offer ourselves to your service again this day. Teach us to listen for your word and grant us the humility to follow. We pray in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

There is a story told by Mary Hollingsworth about the acclaimed director, Cecil B. DeMille. When they began working on the movie Ben Hur, DeMille talked to Charlton Heston, the star of the movie, about the chariot race scene. He decided that rather than using a stunt double, Heston should actually learn to drive the chariot himself. Heston agreed to take chariot-driving lessons to make the movie as authentic as possible.

This was no small feat! Learning to drive a chariot pulled by four powerful horses, was an enormous challenge. After extensive work and days of practice, Heston returned to the movie set and reported to DeMille. He said, “I think I can drive the chariot all right, Cecil, but I’m not at all sure I can actually win the race.”

With a slight smile on his face, DeMille said, “Heston, you just stay in the race, and I’ll make sure you win.”

That is God’s promise to us as well: “You just stay in the race, and I’ll make sure you win.”

The Apostle Paul wrote, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. In the future, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

Let us pray. God of hope, we remember the encouragement we receive from the book of Hebrews – that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. Therefore we will run with perseverance the race that is set before us.  We trust that you are with us every step of the way – even unto eternity. Grant us strength and courage, we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

During the Nazi occupation of Paris, a burly storm trooper stepped onto a subway car and tripped headlong over the umbrella of a little old lady sitting next to the door. After picking himself up, the bruised Nazi launched into a tirade of abuse, then bolted from the car at the next station.

When he was gone, the passengers burst into spontaneous applause for the little old woman. “I know it isn’t much,” she said, graciously accepting the compliments, “but he’s the sixth one I’ve brought down today.”

I like this story. I like the courage of the little old woman and her sense that small actions matter – that they add up. I hope you are never in a position where you have to face an occupying army. But, in the face of injustice, poverty, and hopelessness everywhere, may you remember that every small action counts. Every smile, every dollar, every visit, every letter written, every nail banged for Habitat or lunch served in the soup kitchen add up. They make a difference.

Our prayer today was written by William Temple in the early 1900s. Let us pray: Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated unto you; and then use us, we pray, as you will, but always to your glory and the welfare of your people, through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.