Several years ago, back when I was doing some continuing education up in Atlanta, I ran into an old friend who had been the chaplain at Columbia when I was in seminary. She was there in the hospital the day my daughter Marley was born, and it was so good to see her.

When I ran into her she was retired, and I asked her what she was doing these days. And she said, “You know Joe. I’m 72 years old. I don’t have any mountains to climb. I’m thinking a lot less these days about doing, and I’m focusing a lot more on being. I want to be centered. I want to be grounded. I want to be generous and kind. I want to be at peace in my soul. I want to be present to my children and grandchildren. I’m working on being.”

How do you do that?

“Well, I sit in Jesus’ presence and let him work on me.”

It reminded me of something John O’Donohue said quoting the 14th-century Christian mystic, Meister Eckhart, “So many people come to me asking how I should pray, how I should think, what I should do; and the whole time, they neglect the most important question, which is, how should I be?

O’Donohue later went on to reflect on Eckhard’s teachings: “There is a place in the soul that neither time nor space nor no created thing can touch. There is a place within you where you have never been wounded, where there is still a sureness in you, where there’s a seamlessness in you, where there is a confidence and tranquility in you. And I think the intention of prayer… is now and again to visit that inner kind of sanctuary.”

We are at a time when there is an immense need in our nation, in our neighborhoods, our communities, and in our families. And sometimes it feels overwhelming. What do we do?

But I’m more and more aware that the one gift we all can offer if we are willing to go deeper, is the gift of our inner peace and well-being, the groundedness which is the well-spring of the compassion, generosity, and grace which the world so desperately needs. Your peace and well-being are a gift – not only to you – but to the world.

May we turn to Jesus. And let Him work on us.

Let us pray: We pause even for a moment in your presence right now, O God, asking for your healing, life-giving Spirit to fill us and renew us. Help us carve out time and space to meet with you so that we might be people of compassion and centers of peace. Amen.

You know, when trouble comes into our lives or when tragedy strikes, we ask, “Where is God?” And the answer is – God is in the same place he was when his son was on the cross. God does not abandon us; God is with us every step of the way. He is with us even closer than our hands and feet. And as we keep moving forward, living one day at a time, trusting in God, and doing the best we can, he moves with us; he brings us through the valley.

In the fiftieth chapter of Genesis, this is what Joseph referred to when he said to his brothers, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” (Genesis 50:20) What had happened was bad, but God brought good out of those terrible events. That is the good news of our faith. God is with us, and nothing, not even death, can separate us from Him. “Lo, I am with you always,” – this is God’s most significant promise, and when we claim that promise, it changes our lives. Now make this day a masterpiece for you are blessed to be a blessing to others.

Let us pray: God of all time, come into our lives and make us whole. As you entered time in Jesus the Christ, be born in us today and lead us to the light of your love. Be with all those in need of warmth and life and hope. Be with those who grieve. Be with those who are sick. Be with those who are afraid, that they may find themselves held in your strong arms. Lead us to your light, for we pray in the name of the light of the world, Jesus Christ. Amen.

There is a Peanuts comic in which Lucy comes up to Charlie Brown and says, “I love you.” This is so out of character for Lucy that Charlie Brown replies, “No, you don’t.” Lucy repeats herself this time a little louder, “Yes I do, I really love you.” But Charley Brown has been rejected so many times he responds again and again, “It can’t be true.” In the last slide, Lucy has reached the limit of her patience and she screams, “HEY STUPID, I LOVE YOU!”

Sometimes I wonder if that’s what God has to do with us!

It is true that some people have a hard time believing that they are loved. For various reasons, they have a hard time feeling accepted, chosen, and valued.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells a series of parables: about a lost coin, a lost sheep, and finally about a prodigal son. These stories illustrate the lengths God will go to seek us, find us, and bless us with grace and love. Even when we are stubborn or hard-headed, God’s love is relentless.

Let us pray: We come before you with open hearts today. Some of us are full of joy, some of us are depressed and hurting, some of us are celebrating, and some of us feel so far from you. But we all have this in common – we need your love to fall afresh on us today. I pray that you would rest your Spirit on each one of us – open us again to your amazing grace. Amen.

Rev. Keith Wagner once wrote about an old legend: A man stumbled upon a great red barn after wandering for days through a forest in the dark. He was seeking refuge from the howling winds of a storm. As he entered the barn, his eyes grew accustomed to the dark. To his astonishment, he discovered that this was the barn where the devil kept his storehouse of seeds. These were the seeds that were to be sown in the hearts of humans. The man became curious and lit a match. He began exploring the bins of seeds all around him. He couldn’t help but notice that the great majority of them were labeled, “Seeds of Discouragement.”

About that time one of Satan’s helpers arrived to pick up a load of seeds. The man asked, “Why the abundance of discouragement seeds?” The helper laughed and replied, “Because they are so effective and they take root so quickly.” “Do they grow everywhere?” the man asked. Satan’s helper became very sullen and glared at the man. “No,” He responded. “They seem to have a hard time growing in the heart of a person who is grateful.”

There is no doubt that seeds of discouragement are indeed everywhere. But it also seems to be true that when we reflect even for a short while on our blessings, it is hard to feel discouraged for long.

Today, I call to mind those whom I love and hold dear. I hear the songs of the birds and I feel the cool morning breeze. I remember the smile of a friend, the laughter of my children, and the promises of our faith. And I feel deep gratitude.

The 14th Century Christian Mystic, Meister Eckhart once wrote, “If the only prayer you ever say is ‘thank you,’ that will suffice.”

Our prayer today was written by Ambrose of Milan – sometime in the late fourth century. Let us pray: O Lord God, you are medicine for me when I am sick. You are my strength when I need help. You are life itself when I fear death. you are the way when I long for heaven. You are light when all is dark. You are my food when I need nourishment! Thank you! Amen.

A few weeks back, I raised the question: Why do you believe? If you were to make a case, even a “self-interested” case, for following Jesus, what would you say?

When I truly reflect on it, almost nowhere else have I experienced God’s movement in such a powerful way as I have in the community into which Christ calls us. It has been integral to my faith – watching hearts and lives change as people come together to worship and to make an impact on those who are most in need.

I think about working side-by-side with fellow church members on Habitat for Humanity projects. I can picture impoverished children opening the Angel Tree gifts at Christmas, Easter baskets, and the backpacks full of food that we buy and put tougher. I think about quilts full of prayers given to those who have been sick or in the hospital… And I think about the hospitality in the bountiful receptions our deacons put together for families after a memorial service.

When I think about the impact Christ has had on my life, no doubt the community aspect has been one of the most profound. In my teenage years and early 20’s, I resisted and really steered clear of the church. I said things like: I believe in God, but I don’t believe in an institution. (You’ve never heard that before, have you? So original.) And on Sunday mornings, I would have much rather been on the beach surfing, or on the water fishing.

But now, when I look back on how my life has been shaped, and when I think about the people (and not just the saints – but even the most difficult people) how they have enriched my life, how they have loved me through some of the most heart-wrenching moments of my life, and how they have challenged me to practice what I preach and taught me what it means to be generous, and forgiving, and how to overcome great obstacles and preserver, I can’t believe that I might have gone through this life and missed this gift!

When I think about why I follow Christ, I am grateful for the family of faith.

Let us pray: Today, O God, I am deeply grateful for a community of people to walk with me along this journey of life. I thank you for meeting us as we join our lives together in your name. May you continue to bless us that we would in turn bless others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.