Today’s Message was written by my friend Rev. Andy Odom.

In my ministry, whenever I’ve talked about being busy, or being stressed out, or anxious, I’ve usually had something to suggest that might simplify things or help try to reduce the anxiety others are feeling. But I do know, that sometimes life just gets so restless, anxious, and crazy, that there’s really not much you can do about it except try your best to plow through it.

At our church, we have just launched a capital campaign to address some building issues that are affecting our ability to do ministry. It’s an absolutely needed thing, and we have to do it. It’s the right thing to do. But… It’s busy. It would already be busy if that’s all we were doing, but when it’s on top of everything else we’re already doing, it’s super crazy, anxious, restless, nutty busy. The people in our church who are involved, including myself, are busy people already. And yet, we’ve all agreed to put our effort behind it. 

One of the things I’ve had to do is lower the expectations I have of myself. And I have been learning to say that that’s OK. Something else I’m doing is reminding myself that this temporary business is exactly that, temporary.

There are those times in life when we simply have to put our heads down and plow forward as best we can, hoping that we will get through it in sound mind. And, of course, God’s great promise to us is to be present with us even in those times. 

When we just have to take each step as best we can, whether we’ve been able to remember to put shoes on our feet or not, God is still right there with us, holding us close, and lifting us up. It is, perhaps, during the times when we feel most lost, that we rely on the steady hand of God more than any other.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed this week, I’m with you. I’m praying for you. Take care of yourself. And trust that God is with you.

Let us pray: God of Grace, help us to find our rest in you. Center us. Ground us. And grant us your peace. Amen. 

In my last year of seminary, I took an administrative class. It covered the basics: how to make a budget, how to run a session meeting, carry out a stewardship campaign. Just the kinds of things a pastor needs to know before they get out of school and go into a church. 

At the very end of the class, the professor brought in a retired minister who had years of experience. He was in his 70s at that time and carried a lot of wisdom. He emphasized the need to persevere and the need to be out visiting people. He shared with us all the ins and outs, the good, the bad, and the difficult. And at the very end, he said: Here is the most important thing. If you remember nothing else, please don’t ever forget the power of Jesus Christ to change lives – even yours.

I have never forgotten it. In fact, in the 23 years since, I have seen it happen again and again and again. I have seen lives changed, prayers answered, situations turned around, and redemption happen. So much so that today, no matter what the situation, no matter what the person might have done, no matter what happened, I always hold out for redemption. I hold on to the possibility of change. And, I hold on to hope.

I don’t know what you might be going through in your life, but I pray that you would never forget the power of Jesus Christ to change lives – even yours.

Let us pray: Loving God, today we lift up to you our anxious, worried hearts. Calm our spirits and help us to trust that your love will prevail. And may your peace which surpasses all understanding guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Today I want to suggest an exciting idea – I want you to try giving yourself away. 

I once knew a man who suffered a nervous breakdown, during which he sat for months in gloom and mental darkness. One day I suggested he try to turn off his dark, depressing thoughts by practicing thanksgiving. I said, “Start thinking of people who greatly helped you in your life.”

So, he wrote an elderly school teacher, a Miss Elaine Smith, who had been a positive influence on his life. A reply came, written in the shaky handwriting of an aged lady. “Dear Willy,” she wrote, “When I read your letter I was blinded by tears, for I remember you as a boy, and as I think of you now I see you as a little fellow in my class. You have warmed my old heart. I taught school for fifty years. Yours is the first letter of thanks I ever received from a student, and I shall cherish it until I die.” 

Friend of Dial Hope, writing a letter of thanks – a project like that – may involve taking a little time – but it’s an opportunity to give a little of yourself, and really that’s the best you can give. Strangely, when you give yourself, you find yourself. 

Let us pray: God of hope, we come to you when our hope is vanquished, and our faith is small. We come to you when the promise of the “good life” has been found lacking when clothes and cuisine, cars, and cappuccinos become insufficient nourishment for the hunger of the human spirit. We come to you because we have nowhere else to go. O God, save us from ourselves; from self-indulgence, and self-idolization. Heal us from the sickness of the body but even more from the sickness of the soul. May we get caught up in the current of your compassion, the flood of your forgiveness and so lose ourselves in the wide ocean of your love. In the name of the risen Christ. Amen. 

Yesterday, we reflected on two master artists from the book of Exodus, Bezalel and Oholiab. 

In my congregation, we have quite a few really talented artists; not only musicians – but also painters, quilt-makers, chefs, gardeners, and skilled carpenters. And I am ever grateful whenever artists feel compelled to share their gifts to make our church or our worship more beautiful. 

But what about those of us who might feel we don’t have an ounce of artistic talent? 

I think back to Genesis 1, right within the very story of creation, God says, “Let us make humankind in our image. In the image of God, he created them: male and female.”  

There has always been a question of why God speaks in the plural: Let us make humankind in our image. Some Christians believe this reflects the nature of the Trinity. Many of the ancient rabbis believed that God was talking to the animals and that we were created like the rest of the animals in many respects – but also like God in our ability to imagine and to create.

It’s interesting. Something seems to happen in many of us between the time of kindergarten and fifth grade. In Kindergarten everybody can sing and draw and dance. But by about 5th grade, we start to compare ourselves and many of us decide we’re not good enough. We stop creating.

I don’t know. But I have to believe that creative ability is indeed deep within each one of us.

Today, I wonder how you might cultivate that artistic spirit within yourself. I wonder what creative outlet you might nurture or even develop. And, I wonder how using that gift might draw you closer to God, and even touch the lives of others. 

Let us pray: You are the Master Artist, O God. You must truly love us to dazzle us with your handiwork on a daily basis: lofty snow-covered mountains, florescent pink sunsets, flowing cascades In all of this, and in the myriad of plants and animals across the face of the globe, we glimpse something of your creative spirit, a spirit that you have placed in each of us. We give you thanks and praise. Amen.

You may have heard the apocryphal story about a small town where there were no liquor stores until one day a nightclub was built right on the main street. The churches in the town were so upset that they held several prayer vigils. They prayed God would burn the sinful place down. Sure enough, a few days later lighting struck the nightclub and the fire completely destroyed it!

The club owner, knowing that the church people had been praying for something like this to happen, took the church to court and sued for damages. His lawyer claimed that their prayers had caused the loss. Of course, the church also hired an attorney who fought the claim. After much deliberation, the judge declared, “It is the opinion of the court that wherever the guilt may lie, the nightclub owner is the one who really believes in prayer, while the church members evidently do not!”

In my own life, I have continually been surprised by the power of prayer. It is not that I haven’t experienced prayers that seem to be un-answered. I have. And, I’ve noticed that other prayers are not answered exactly according to our wishes – or on our timeline. Sometimes looking back, it is hard to understand why. Other times on reflection, we can see great wisdom and grace in God’s response – or unresponsiveness.

On the whole, I’ve come to trust that God’s love is at work – even during those times when I don’t understand God’s answer. And over the years, I’ve come to believe very deeply that our prayers matter. They draw us more closely into the very Source of life, love, and hope. I’ve seen too many prayers answered, lives changed, and situations turned around, to not believe that God is good.

Let us pray: Awesome God, there are moments in each of our lives when we realize that we have nowhere else to turn. You are our hope and our salvation. We love you, Lord, and we trust you. Hear our prayers, we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.