There is a Peanuts Comic where Lucy and Linus are getting ready for Church. Lucy asks, “Have you studied your Sunday school lesson?” Linus responds, “I’m working on it. I”m practicing doing three things at once” – he says as he tries to get dressed. “All it takes is balance and coordination of which I happen to have plenty of both!” He continues, “See? I can read the lesson, button my shirt and slip my feet into my shoes all at the same time…” Just as he says this, he slips and falls – shoes and Sunday school lesson all go flying. In the last frame, Lucy says, “Lesson for today.. Second Samuel, First chapter, Verse 19, ‘How the mighty have fallen.’”

In today’s world, we try to multi-task all the more. Our smartphones, ipads, and tablets allow us to connect with friends and colleagues all over the world at any given moment. There is a lot of blessing in this – however, we have to be careful. While it is completely possible to work or socialize online while we’re on vacation or at the dinner table or while hanging out with other friends and family, it can be detrimental to those relationships.

I am constantly reminded that one of the best gifts we can give people that we love is to listen to them. But it is impossible to be present to them and with them if we are at the same time, somewhere else online. There are times when multitasking may work well for us. But no matter how well we think we do it, there are other times for the sake of our relationships, when it may be best to set it aside.

Let us pray: Loving God, we thank you today for the gift of technology. But, even more importantly, we thank you for the gift of family and friends. We know we couldn’t make it for very long in life without them. When in their presence, help us to be present, and to show them our love by our attention. Amen.

On Saturday morning I went to the grocery to grab a box of cereal for breakfast. I got there around 7:15. The store opened at 7 and I was 15 minutes late to the party!  The store was jammed packed. In fact, as I was walking in there was an elderly gentleman leaving and we made eye contact. He said, “Son, your late!… It’s crazy town in the there!”  And it was – total panic shopping!

It reminds me of that story about how one summer evening during a violent thunderstorm, a mother was tucking her small boy into bed. She was about to turn off the light when he asked with a tremor in his voice, “Mommy, will you sleep with in here with me tonight?’  The mother smiled and gave him a reassuring hug. “I can’t dear,” she said, “I have to sleep in there with your daddy.” A long silence was broken at last by a shaky little voice saying, “Oh. That big baby.”

Like the boy in the story, so often we find ourselves afraid. Often afraid of the unknown. What will the diagnosis be? Will my loved one be alright? What’s happening to the stock market? What’s going to happen to our country? How many people is this virus going to touch? Will there be food?

Do you know what the most frequent command is in the Bible? You would think it would be Love God or Love your neighbor. According to Jesus, those are the greatest commandments, but, they are not the most frequent. The most frequent command is, “Fear not!” Far more than any other command, over and over we read the words, “Fear not.”   Fear not.  I think it’s the most frequent because being human, we do fear… being human, we are so easily unsettled.

Psalm 46, which we read yesterday is one of my favorites because it brings us back. It moves us from the arena of fear to the arena of trust and faith. It reminds us of God’s presence in the midst of what feels like a crumbling world.

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;

I pray that in the midst of all that it is happening in the world around us, you would know Christ’s presence; that you would feel God’s love.

Let us pray: Holy Spirit, calm our hearts and our minds. Assure us again that we, and this world, rest securely in your hands.  Amen.

In an old Winnie the Pooh comic strip, Pooh and Piglet take an evening walk. They mostly walk in silence. Finally, Piglet asks, “When you wake up in the morning, Pooh, what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”

“What’s for breakfast?” answers Pooh. And then Pooh asks, “And what do you say, Piglet?” Piglet responds, “I say, I wonder what exciting thing is going to happen today?”

I wonder what you say first thing in the morning.

I once heard it said that there are two kinds of people in the world, those who either wake up and say, “Good morning, Lord!” Or, those by saying, “Good Lord, it’s morning.”

Whether you are a morning person or not, in those first few moments of the day you have an opportunity to set the tone and attitude for the entire day ahead. Spiritual leader Thich Nhat Hahn suggests we start each day with a smile. He claims, “Smiling helps you approach the day with gentleness and understanding.” Others recommend beginning with a prayer – or recalling a short gratitude list.

In any case, I hope you begin each day more like Piglet than Pooh. Approach each new day with wonder and expectation and joy.

Let us pray: Loving God, no matter how we started out this morning, no matter what stress or burdens we may be carrying, help us to remember our blessings and to smile. Grant us a new beginning to this day. From this point on, we will expect to see your hand at work in our lives and in the world around us. Amen.

I remember an old story about a family who had twin boys. One son grew up and became an alcoholic. When someone asked him why, he said, “Because of my father.” The other son grew up and became a minister, and he dedicated his ministry to working with and helping alcoholics. When someone asked him why, he said, “Because of my father.” The two sons grew up in exactly the same environment. One was trapped, shackled, paralyzed, pulled down by his situation. The other turned to God and rose above it all.

Sometimes we hear people say, “I’m doing the best I can under the circumstances.” Well, friend of Dial Hope, we don’t have to live under the circumstances. By the grace of God, we can rise above them. We don’t need to remain victims. God can make us victors. We know that with the help of God, we can rise above our circumstances. The Apostle Paul said, “l can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13).

Lord, thank you for keeping us moving and growing and alive, but Lord, life can seem so complicated. We pray that in dealing with all the complexities of life, that you would help us to learn the steps and the timing that will make us your effective workers and lead us each to develop his or her own choreography.

Let us pray: Loving God,

Help us to know when to embrace and when to let go;
When to lean, when to stand alone;
When to rest and when to dance;
When to sit back and when to take a chance;
When to follow and when to lead;
When to doubt and when to believe;
When to push and when to pull;
When to take charge, when to flow;
When to reflect and when to react;
When to think and when to act.
Thank you, Lord.

Thank you, Lord, thank you so much for the gift of this day. Help us to make it a masterpiece. Now let love and hope break out like an epidemic. In Jesus’ name. Amen.