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

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.

A pastor was trying to explain to a Sunday school class that God is all around us. “God is everywhere!,” said the pastor. “Everywhere?” asked one little boy. “Everywhere!” answered the pastor.

The boy went home and told his mother, “God is everywhere! The pastor said so.” “Yes, I know,” replied the mother. The little boy continued, ”You mean he is even in the cupboard?” “Yes,” said the mother. “In the refrigerator, even when we close the door and the light goes out?” “Yes,” said the mother. “Even in the sugar bowl?” the boy asked as he took the lid off. “Yes,” said the mother, “even in the sugar bowl.” The boy slammed the lid down and said, “Now I’ve got him.”

The story is funny. And, it captures the truth that God is bigger than even we can ever imagine.

In the book of 1 Kings (chapter 8) at the dedication of the first temple, the author tells us that the glory of the Lord filled the temple so that the priests could not stand to minister… At that time, Solomon prayed, “Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you – much less this house that I have built!”

There is a recognition very early on in our faith that God is at work beyond the walls of the sanctuary – beyond our denominations – beyond our understanding, beyond our grasp. You cannot contain the God we worship. God is bigger than we can ever begin to imagine.

Sometimes I want to have all the answers. I want to know why people see the world differently than I do. I want to know why there is poverty and violence. I want to know why people I love suffer. I want to know how and when God will answer my prayers.

Being human, we have to ask the questions. We have to seek to understand. But, being human also means that there may be things that we will never understand. And so here and now, with great humility, we have to trust. We have to trust that God is as good as Jesus told us that he is – merciful, forgiving, loving – with grace extending far beyond our wildest imaginations.

Let us pray: Almighty God, you are holy and majestic. We thank you for your unstoppable, uncontainable love – that reaches out and embraces even us. With all of our strength, in all of our weakness, with all of our faith, and in all of our doubt, help us to respond to you. Amen.

Yesterday, we reflected on Paul’s encouragement to the Romans (12:2): “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds…:

How do we do that?

Well, a few thoughts. Many years ago now, a good friend suggested I find a good counselor and get into therapy. It was a huge blessing! I has made a huge difference for me personally. Highly recommended.

Of course, I’m also a big proponent of prayer, meditation, and journaling. I believe it is very important to take a little bit of time each day to sit in God’s healing presence, to pay attention to all that is stirring inside, and to hand that back over to God in prayer.

Jack Kornfield talks about how the great Vietnamese zen master Thich Hat Han put it this way: He said, “In the heart and mind, there are all kinds of seeds. There are seeds of joy and love of connection, seeds of creativity, peace and well-being, seeds of caring, of strength. But there’s also a whole set of seeds of fear and anxiety of anger or rage, greed or grasping, and so forth. How you live depends on which seeds you water. If you water and tend those healthy seeds, those are what will grow in you. And those become who you are in your response to the world.”

But it doesn’t happen by accident. We all have our history, our sufferings, and our struggles. At the same time, we all have gifts, blessings, and capabilities.

Paul seems to be saying, that if we want to change the world for the better, which with God’s help, we can, it starts with these inner capacities.

He begins with the statement: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice…”(12:1)

Richard Foster once said, “The problem with a living sacrifice is that it always wants to get off the altar!”

May you and I stay on the altar. May we tend to our inner worlds. May we water the seeds of generosity, compassion and, hope. And may our whole lives, body, mind, and soul, be an offering of thanksgiving, gratitude for Christ’s love and generosity to us.

Let us pray: We give you our hearts, our minds, our hands, O God. Help us to love others as Jesus has loved us, to care for others as Jesus has cared for us, and to forgive others, as Jesus has forgiven us. We ask in his name. Amen.

In his letter to the Romans, chapter 12, the Apostle Paul writes, “I appeal to you… brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice…”

In Paul’s day, most religions including Judaism would offer burnt animal sacrifices: goats, birds, bulls. From a clergy standpoint, I am so glad they don’t do that anymore!

However, it was an act of worship. The animals given were not to be hunted – not found lame, but to come from a person’s own possessions. The offering had to be valuable to them. They were sometimes given as an atonement for sin, but other times they were offered simply as an act of gratitude.

Throughout his letters, Paul makes it clear: Jesus is now the atonement for sin. We don’t have to make that type of offering anymore, for by grace we have been saved. That’s done. However, there still is a kind of offering that is due. Out of deep gratitude for all that God has already done, present your body, your whole self, all that you have, all that you are, as a living sacrifice…

What does that mean? Well, over the next few chapters Paul spells that out very concretely. I’ll share just a few lines with you, beginning in verse 10:

Love one another…Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; offer hospitality to strangers….Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be arrogant, but associate with the lowly… Do not repay anyone evil for evil…

He goes on from there. Not that easy.

Richard Foster once said, “The problem with a living sacrifice is that it always wants to get off the altar!”

May you and I stay on the altar. May our whole lives, the way that we live, the way we speak, the way we treat others, may we be an offering of thanksgiving, gratitude for Christ’s love and generosity to us.

Let us pray: We give you our hearts, our minds, our hands, O God. Help us to love others as Jesus has loved us, to care for others as Jesus has cared for us, and to forgive others, as Jesus has forgiven us. We ask in his name. Amen.

Today, I am deeply grateful for those of you who have supported the Dial Hope Foundation with a financial donation. So many people benefit from your giving!

Francis de Sales was one of the most revered saints of French history. Back in his day, there was a bishop who planned to write a biography of de Sales. In preparation, the bishop planned an extended visit. Wanting to know what this man was really like, he went so far as to drill a hole in the wall so he could spy on his conduct. What he discovered was that de Sales was the same in private as in public. He was a man of integrity.

I once heard the scholar Martin Marty talk about why he liked a friend so much. He said, “Her inside matches her outside.” It makes me smile to think about his statement.

I have to believe that’s something worth striving for.

Let us pray: Loving God, you know our hearts. You know we want to live lives that are more integrated, more whole, more in tune with you. Give us eyes to see where we come up short, but give us grace so we don’t get stuck in despair. And then, give us the will and the help we need to refine, readjust, and renew our lives; through Jesus Christ. Amen.