God’s Management
Roger Kunkel

God’s Management

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

We often see a sign over stores reading “under new management.” Friend of Dial Hope, when God takes over the management of our lives we may still blunder, and we may still present the same old face to the world, but there is hope of a new beat, a new spirit, a new honesty, a new reality. Wherever we are on our spiritual journey, may we put our lives “under new management – God’s management.” And remember, God has blessed us so we may be a blessing to others. Now make this day a masterpiece… With God’s help. 

Let us pray: “Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to thee. Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise. Let them flow in ceaseless praise. Take my will and make it Thine; It shall be no longer mine. Take my heart, it is Thine own; It shall be Thy royal throne.” Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

When They Cry Out to Me…
Joe Albright

When They Cry Out to Me…

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Not long ago, as I was reading through the Bible for my devotional time, I found myself being drawn to all the places where people cry out to the Lord. It was striking to me that all throughout scripture people cry out to God often – both individuals and the whole community together. They cry out when they are hurting, oppressed, hungry, poor, lost, and when they feel far from God. The beautiful thing is, that whenever the people cry out, God answers. God responds. 

There seems to be something about coming to the point where we know that we are in need of God’s grace and healing, that opens us to receiving it.  When you find yourselves in the fearful and difficult places of life, may you remember the witness of our scriptures – God is faithful. In Exodus chapter 22, God says, “…when they cry out to me, I will surely heed their cry.”

Let us pray: O Lord God, you are our light and our salvation, whom shall we fear? We remember how time and time again, people have reached out to you and you have answered. We have cried and you have saved. Today we cry out to you again. We cry out for those who are lonely, those who feel the weight of the world on their shoulders, for those who are desperate for healing, for love, or even for food and shelter. We cry out to you for those who are in harm’s way. Come save and deliver. Come rescue and heal and comfort. Come and show us the way to new life. Amen.  

Rings of Memory
Joe Albright

Rings of Memory

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The poet and philosopher John O’Donohue says: In a strange way, nothing is ever lost or forgotten; everything that happens to us remains within us….The image in nature… that we can look at, is the tree; all the rings of memory enfold all the years of growing, blossoming, thirsting, thriving, dying… In a similar way, within the clay part of each soul, the rings of memory are there, and you can find them. 

Over the past few days, we’ve been reflecting on the gift of memory, and how it is true that a lot of the experiences that we have in the world are torn, broken, and hard. However, when we visit those places with compassion and with eyes of faith, we begin the process of healing and growth. 

In the Bible, over and over we are called to remember God’s hand at work in our lives in the past. 

In Deuteronomy 4:9, we read, “Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.”

In Psalm 103:2, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits…

In Isaiah 46:9 it is written, “Remember the former things, those of long ago… I am God, and there is none like me.”

And in 2 Timothy, chapter 2:8, “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead… that is my gospel…”

Let us pray. We remember today, O God, how you have carried us through in the past. We remember the love and grace we’ve experienced over the years with friends and loved ones. Grant us the ability to look back with compassion even as we look forward in hope; through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Remember the Promises
Joe Albright

Remember the Promises

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In the Bible, time and time again, we are called on to remember what God has done for us. Remember how God walked with us. Remember how God has carried us in the past. And remember God’s promises to us for the future.  

And this is a gift to us.

I think about standing before a freshly dug grave, hearing the words: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want… Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me…

I think about at the very beginning of the Covid shutdown, reading the words of Psalm 46: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear…though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea…

It is a gift to remember how God has carried us… It is a gift to remember God’s promises. And it is a gift to remember how God has blessed us… 

We do need reminders sometimes…  

I think about how at Thanksgiving, one of the new rituals in our family is as we gather before dinner, we form a circle like many families. And I’ve invited us as we pause a moment, to consciously look around at each face, we silently recall the memories we share with each other – over the course of the decades. And in that reflection, we are able to recognize the beauty of the moment, the gift that it is. When we remember that we have a finite number of these gatherings, we remember the blessing of being together, the blessing of family, the blessing of God’s providence, and the blessing of life itself… 

On the eve of his own death, Jesus gathered with his disciples. He took the bread, blessed it, and broke it. He took the cup and gave it to them. And he said: Do this in remembrance of me…Remember my love for you… remember my life poured out… Remember how I’ve carried you in the past…  Remember how I’ve blessed you…  Remember I am with you in your struggles, even now. Remember.

This is key for people of faith. We come to the table again and again. We hold the memories for each other. We retell the stories. We hand them down from generation to generation. We remember to remember… 

Let us pray. We remember today, O God, how you have carried us through in the past. We remember the love and grace we’ve experienced over the years with friends and loved ones. Grant us the ability to look back with compassion even as we look forward in hope; through Jesus Christ. Amen. 

The Gift of Memory
Joe Albright

The Gift of Memory

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Yesterday we reflected on the gift of our memories.  When we look back, often even troubled times can often be seen in a new light. With the gift of a little time, we are often able to gain a new perspective on the past. Perhaps we can see it through the lens of humor, and laugh about it, or draw meaning from it in ways we could never have done when we were too close to it. 

I think about those teenage years that were so hard. And often looking back now I can see, well, maybe I needed something to push against. And in that pushing, there was a growth that happened and an opening of the world in new ways. (Of course, my parents may not look back at it so fondly!) 

And yes, of course, there are some things we’d rather forget. Things that happened to us. Or things we said or did. Or failed to say… or do.  We’ve probably all had our share of those. While the memories can be painful, they can remind us of our intentions to live better. Or more importantly, they can be reminders of how God has brought us through in the past. And that gives us hope for the future…

I think about one of my friends, who is a carpenter. Years ago he fell off a roof while on a job, and he broke both of his ankles. Like many in that profession who are self-employed – he had no health insurance. There was no workman’s comp. And he wasn’t able to work for almost a year. And he lost his house – couldn’t keep up with the mortgage.  He felt like Job because not long after that, his marriage dissolved. His wife left him. I was talking to him about this fairly recently and he said, you know a lot of that is just a blur to me now. I don’t remember a lot of it… But I do know, and I never forget it, if God can carry me through that, God can carry me through anything.

As I mentioned yesterday, it is true that a lot of the experiences that we have in the world are torn, broken, and hard. But when we visit those places with compassion and with eyes of faith, we begin the process of healing and growth.  Look how God carried me through… Look what God did… Look at the grace, the strength I was given…

Today, as you look back over your life, I pray that God would give you eyes to see his hand at work throughout the entire journey. May you remember the grace and the blessings all along the way.

Let us pray. We remember today, O God, how you have carried us through in the past. We remember the love and grace we’ve experienced over the years with friends and loved ones. Grant us the ability to look back with compassion even as we look forward in hope; through Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Harvesting Our Memories
Joe Albright

Harvesting Our Memories

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In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul shares with the church that on the night he was betrayed, Jesus took a loaf of bread, blessed and broke it, and said, “This is my body, that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me… And then he took the cup, and he also said: Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me…”

In other words, there is going to be something about this act, something about this ritual, that triggers a memory, that serves as a reminder… Remember me. Remember my way of life.  Remember my love for you.  Remember my promises to you… Remember my life poured out.

In so many ways, memory is a gift.  

Jesus said, “Do this – Do this – in remembrance of me…”

Sometimes we do need reminders, don’t we? I’ve gotten so I love my Remind App on my phone. I set it for all kinds of things…. Don’t forget to go by the store on your way home.  Don’t forget to give my daughter a hug at night. (It sounds silly, but if it reminds you every single night, you never forget to do it.)  Don’t forget to pray for Tim’s surgery on Monday morning. The little timer goes off. I get an alert… Oh yeah! I got to do that – now!

I also think about looking back over old journals I’ve written or pictures I’ve taken. You know when you are looking back at that, it stirs something deep inside! Ah, I remember when my girls were that age! Look at the mess she is making with that ice cream!  I remember that princess dress!  Sometimes it is in conversations with old friends: Remember that time…? Remember when we took that trip and he missed the plane? 

More and more I have come to see what a blessing it is to look back. 

The poet and philosopher John O’Donohue writes about the importance of what he calls “harvesting our memories.” He says, “Every human heart seeks meaning… and meaning is the sister of experience. Everything that happens to you is an act of sowing a seed of experience. (But) It is equally important to be able to harvest that experience. 

As T.S. Elliot said, many of us have, ‘had the experience, but missed the meaning.’”

It is true that a lot of the experiences that we have in the world are torn, broken, and hard. But what I’ve come to see is that we begin the process of healing, when we visit those places with compassion and with eyes of faith. 

Let us pray. We remember today, O God, how you have carried us through in the past. We remember the love and grace we’ve experienced over the years with friends and loved ones. Grant us the ability to look back with compassion even as we look forward in hope; through Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Harnessing the Energies of Love
Joe Albright

Harnessing the Energies of Love

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Famous anthropologist Margaret Meed was once asked about the earliest sign of civilization in any given culture. Surprisingly, the answer was not a clay pot, a fish hook, or even a grinding stone. Instead, she said it was a healed femur, the leg bone above the knee. 

Mead explained that one would not find a femur that had been healed where a survival of the fittest mentality reigns. A healed femur shows that someone cared. Someone had to hunt and gather on behalf of the injured person until the leg healed. The evidence of this type of compassion, she said, is the first sign of civilization.

While we have come along, we don’t have to look far to see tremendous need. 

French geologist, philosopher, and Jesuit priest Pierre Teilhard de Chardin once wrote, “Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.”

Let us pray: We want to harness the energies of love for you, O God. In our own lives, we pray for healing and wholeness. Meet us at the deepest point of our need today. And then even as we are being healed, help us to be compassionate, merciful, and loving to others; for we remember that it is in giving that we receive. Amen.

Assurance of Help
Roger Kunkel

Assurance of Help

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

Psalm 121 is one of my favorites. “l will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord who made heaven and earth.” In THE MESSAGE, Eugene Peterson translates Psalm 121 this way: “l look up to the mountains. Does my strength come from the mountains? No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven and earth, and mountains.” 

The young boy sat in the waiting lounge of the airport. When the flight was called the boy was ushered on first. When I boarded the plane I was pleased to discover that he had the seat next to mine. He was polite in his greeting and then went on coloring one of those coloring books airlines provide for child passengers. Humming happily, he didn’t seem to have a care in the world. During the flight, we ran into some turbulence that bounced the jetliner around like a kite in the wind. A woman seated across the aisle from the young man became very frightened. When she spoke to the boy, her voice was agitated. “Little boy, aren’t you scared?” “No, Ma’am,” he replied, briefly looking up from his coloring book. “My dad’s the pilot.” I leaned back in my seat and thought about this little boy who trusted his dad. Did I trust God that way to get me through the storms of life? Yes, and I silently thanked him. He’ll get you through today and onto his plan for you. Trust him. Trust his plan for your life. E. Stanley Jones reminds us, “l don’t know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.” Friend of Dial Hope, that is the good news for today. TA-DA! 

Let us pray: God of love, help us to say with the Psalmist, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” In times of need, you are always there. Thank you. We love you. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Life Is a Gift
Joe Albright

Life Is a Gift

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Today, I am deeply grateful for those of you who have supported the Dial Hope Foundation with a financial donation. Hope reaches others because of you. Thank you!

In an old PEANUTS comic strip, Lucy is set up in her psychiatric booth, and Charlie Brown comes to share his problems with her. “Sometimes I ask myself questions,” he begins. “Sometimes I ask myself, ‘Is this your real life, or is this just a pilot film? Is my life a thirty-nine-week series, or is it a special?'”

Lucy quickly analyzed his problem. “Whatever it is,” she says, “your ratings are down. Five cents, please!”

Sometimes like Charlie Brown, we may wonder about life. Does my life matter? Is there more to life than just daily routine – going through the motions? Is there anything special about it?

We only get one life and this is it. In God’s eyes, each and every person is precious, each life matters. Life is a sheer gift. And the challenge for us is to accept it as such and live it as such. 

Let us pray: God of Grace, meet us this day in our daily struggles. Remind us of your grace. Open our eyes to our many blessings, fill us with your Spirit, and empower us to be your light and hope for a world that is desperately in need. Amen.

Listen, So That You May Live
Joe Albright

Listen, So That You May Live

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A few days ago, we reflected on the passage in the book of 1 Samuel, where the boy Samuel is training under an elderly priest named Eli. One night, God calls to him, but Samuel doesn’t know what he’s hearing. He goes in to wake up Eli. And once Eli clues in on what’s happening, he gives Samuel a model prayer. He says Samuel, when you hear the nudge again, say: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening…”

The message to Samuel turns out to be bad news for Eli. Apparently, Eli and his sons had a lot of power – and we find out that while Eli was a good man – his sons were totally corrupt and had been using their power to take advantage of people. God asks Samuel to confront Eli.

And it is true, sometimes God’s words to us are words of promise and comfort, and sometimes they are words of challenge. 

God says to Samuel, “Samuel, the old religious order is over. You’re going to confront Eli about his sons…” “Moses, I want you to go to Pharaoh…” “Paul, I want you to turn your life around… and give it back to me.  

And maybe even you have sensed that nudge, God saying to you: “See these people who are hurting?  I want you to help… Or, this might be out of your comfort zone, but I need you to serve in this way… Or, I want you to give… Or, other times maybe: Let go of that…let go of that anger….  Let go of that resentment… Let go of that worry. 

In Isaiah, chapter 55 (verses 2-3), God says: “Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live.”

In other words, there is a fullness of life that God wants for us – a peace and depth that comes only when we listen…

Let us pray: God of hope, we pause even now for just a moment in your presence. Help us to carve out time apart with you. Grant us open ears, and open hearts, that we would be attuned to your peace and guidance; through Christ our Lord. Amen.