I love the book of Jonah. I especially love how real and human Jonah comes across. He runs from God. He repents only when he finds himself in deep deep trouble. And, he gets mad when God forgives his enemies! Jonah claims that he is mad enough to die!

Not that Jonah is the kind of character we want to emulate. In most cases, he’s not. But, if we are honest, at some point in life, we can all relate to him. The best part about the book is that God never gives up on Jonah. God continues to love him and work through him, in spite of his obstinacy.  I take that as a good sign!

Let us pray: God of grace, we do fall short. From time to time we run from you. Like Jonah, we also nurse grudges. We don’t like to forgive. We’re human. So today, we thank you for your grace. We thank you for your relentless love. We thank you that you can and do work through us in spite of our imperfections. I pray especially today for those who need to hear your gentle, loving voice, calling them back once again. Amen.

Once upon a time, two brothers who lived on neighboring farms fell into conflict. One morning, a young carpenter stopped by the older brother’s farm, wanting to know if the farmer had a little work. Yes,” he replied. “I do have a job for you. Look across the creek. That’s my younger brother’s farm. Last week, there was a meadow between us, but he took his bulldozer and dug a small river. Well, I’m going to do him one better. I want you to build an eight-foot-high fence between us. The carpenter said, “Show me the material, and I’ll do a good job for you.”

The older brother had to go to town, so he left for the day. At sunset, when he returned, his eyes opened wide, and his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. The carpenter had instead built a bridge that stretched from one side of the river to the other! As he peered across, he noticed his younger brother coming toward them, his arms outstretched. 

The two brothers met in the middle, and tears were shed. They turned around just in time to see the carpenter leaving. “No, wait! Stay a few days. I have a lot of other projects for you,” said the older brother. “I’d love to,” the carpenter said, “but I have many more bridges to build.”

Friends of Dial Hope, the carpenter’s job is our job too! We are called to be bridge builders.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.”

Let us pray: Loving God, in our own lives, help us to build bridges. Help us to be instruments of your peace and reconciliation. And as we do, may we experience anew your peace, your comfort, and your amazing grace. Amen.

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

One of the greatest truths of the Bible is … We – you and I – are made in the image of God. Talk about a miracle! God made cats and dogs, hummingbirds, red cardinals, squirrels, elephants, giraffes, pelicans, dolphins, and the duck-billed platypus. God made the trees, the flowers, and skies. God made all of it and said, “That’s good! Now, that’s good!” And to cap it all off, God said, “Now, for the masterpiece: I am going to create something like myself!” And God made you! You see, it is a sin for us to say, “Well, I’m only human.” If you want to see one of God’s miracles, don’t gather pine cones, don’t look at the Milky Way, don’t capture a squirrel, and don’t find a picture of a trout stream, just look at the person next to you. There is God’s miracle! There is the crown of God’s creation! 

Let us pray: Creator God, we marvel at your small wonders and your overarching grandeur. We crouch down to examine a centipede and we stand on a mountaintop to try to take in the Milky Way. We listen to the tiny cry of a newborn kitten and we cringe in the face of the roar of the thunderstorm. We are small indeed in the scheme of the universe, but we are grateful that you have made us in your image. When we are weary, give us energy. When we are sad, give us comfort. For all those who are suffering loss, who wonder what will happen next, we pray that you will walk before them and enable us to be companions along the way. Now “raise us up on eagle’s wings, bear us on the breath of dawn, make us to shine like the sun, and hold us in the palm of your hand.” (On Eagles Wings, based on Psalm 91). We ask this in Jesus’ name, the friend of all. Amen. 

We don’t have many rights of passage these days. But in old times, and in other cultures, there were many. There’s an old story from an indigenous culture passed on to me about the right of passage from boyhood to manhood. A father took his boy into the forest, blindfolded him and left him alone. The boy was required to sit on a stump all night without removing the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shone through it, The boy could not cry out for help. However, once he survived the night, he would be considered a man by his tribe.

Of course, naturally terrified, the boy could hear all kinds of noises. He knew that wild beasts must surely be all around him. The wind blew through the trees, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. Finally, after a long scary night, the sun appeared and the boy removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father was sitting on the stump next to him.  He had been there the entire night, protecting his son from harm. 

There are times for each of us in life when we must survive the darkness of night. We face illness and loss, heartache and suffering. However, the truth is, we are never alone either. 

There is an old African proverb, No matter how dark the night, the dawn will always break. The proverb is true. It is also true that God is with us – not only in the morning dawn – but also in the night.

Let us pray:  God of Hope, we pray today for those who find themselves in the darkness of night. We pray for those who have recently lost loved ones, and for those who are in the midst of illness or depression. We ask that whatever the situation, they would know your comforting presence and your healing grace. May they also be assured by the promises of the gospel, that with you all things are possible, things will change and the dawn will break. We pray in the name of the Light of the World. Amen.

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

A famous writer once said, “I owe much to my friends, but all things considered, it strikes me that I owe even more to my enemies.”

Critics are thorns in our sides. In fact, most of the time they are a real pain. They prick and puncture. They bruise us. They hurt us. Yet, as we heal from the wounds, we grow to appreciate their barbs. We learn quickly that we are only humans, imperfect and flawed. The trouble with friends is that they let us get away with too much. Instead of a shove, they may pass us syrup. Foes have no need to tell us anything but the truth. The question is – are we listening? 

Let us pray: Faithful and forgiving God, who loves us as we are as well as for whom we can become, who sees through our imperfections, and our problems and envisions our potential; thank you for enabling us both to be and to become. For our past and present sins of commission and omission, we ask your pardon. Enabled by your amazing grace, may we become more the person you want us to be. Let this day be filled with joy and hope and laughter. Though Jesus Christ. Amen.