A friend was telling me that when he first came back to the church as a young adult after he married, he and his wife weren’t sure about this church thing.  He was especially skeptical. He used to say things like, “I believe in God, not an institution.” But he was having a hard time in his marriage, so he agreed to go – just to test the waters.  By no means did he intend to get heavily involved.

There was a problem, however. They were trying to do this in a small church, and it’s kind of hard to hide out in a small church. When one of the youth asked them to come help with the youth group, they couldn’t say no. 

Later, he told me, looking back on those moments – hanging out on Friday nights eating pizza with a bunch of teenagers – helping them think about dating, and colleges, and sports and how God fits into all of that – made him think about his life – how God fit into his marriage, his work and relationships. 

Over the course of time, through these young people who he grew to know and love, he came to realize that the church is so much more than an institution. It is people – people who love God and who are trying to love this world God made. 

Let us pray: Loving God, we realize that we can’t make it alone for very long in life. We need you, and we need others. We also realize that relationships are often demanding. They require forgiveness and love. So today we ask for an extra measure of your grace. Help us do the hard work of connecting deeply with other people who are also on the journey of faith. Grant us patience, and open hearts. Through them, may we experience your compassion, your hope, and your joy. Amen.

In the book of Isaiah, chapter 43, verse 15, there is this beautiful line where God says, “I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your Sovereign…”  

Take a minute and let that sink in… Do we trust that Holy One we worship is Sovereign?  

With all that is going on in the world around us right now, sometimes that is hard to believe.

Isaiah himself was writing to a community in exile. Israel had experienced one of the most devastating and defining events in their history. Babylon – the major superpower of that day – had swept in and laid siege to Jerusalem. They destroyed the city, burned the temple, and carted off many of the citizens to live in Babylon.  To say that it was a dark time for Israel would be a huge understatement.

But here in verse 19, into the despair, God speaks further, “I will make a way in the wilderness…”

Notice what God does not say. God does not say, I will take away the wilderness. God does not say, “I am going to remove the challenges and the trials and the heartache of life.” No. But God does say, “I will make a way…”

I will make a way in the wilderness.

I pray that even in the midst of these uncertain and difficult times, you would trust that the Holy One we worship is sovereign.  And may you come to see that God will indeed make a way forward.

Let us pray: You are the God of new beginnings, new life, new possibilities. You are also the God who makes all things new – even us. We trust you with our situations, with our deepest concerns and anxieties. Meet each of us where we are this day. Lead us and guide us even through the wilderness; in Jesus’ name. Amen.

A couple of days ago, I shared a little about a podcast interview I heard with the author Sylvia Boorstein. She was talking about dealing with anger, and at one point, she brought up the old-school GPS in her car. You may remember when you missed a turn, the GPS would say,  “Recalculating.” Then it would direct you to the next turn.

Recalculating.

She said, “I thought to myself, I should write a book and call it: Recalculating. Because I think that that’s what we’re doing all the time: something happens, it challenges us, and the challenge is, OK, so do you want to get mad now? You could get mad, you could go home, you could make some phone calls, (you could fire off that email) you could tell a few people you can’t believe what this person said or that person said — and you know, indignation is tremendously seductive.… So to not do it, and to say to yourself instead, wait a minute, this is not the right road. Literally, this is not the right road. There’s a fork in the road here. I could become indignant, I could flame up this flame of negativity and anger, or I could say: Recalculating. And no matter how many times I don’t make that turn, it will continue to say, Recalculating.” 

I love that. It’s very practical spirituality. When we feel that indignation, that anger build, if we could just take a breath and pay attention to what’s happening inside. And then, figure out what the next right thing to do really is.  

She went on to share an old story, about a wise grandfather saying to his grandson, “I have two wolves in my heart. The one wolf is loving, and patient, and kind, and generous.  The other wolf is fearful, greedy, angry, bitter, and full of hate. And they’re at war with each other.” And the grandson says, “Which is going to win?”  And the grandfather answers, “The one I feed.”

The truth is, we live in a world that is often contentious. We face outside pressures that are often enormous. We live with people who can be difficult. And there are indeed things that should make us angry. 

In his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul writes: “Be angry, but do not sin.”

May we be the kind oof people who are quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. (James 1:19).  May we pause to recalculate. And may we be the kind of people who do not add to the anger and hostility of the world around us, or to the anger and hostility of the world within us.

Let us pray:  God of Grace, we thank you for your love for us, and your love for the world around us.  We don’t have to look far to see tremendous need. We pray today for healing for ourselves and for others. When anger arises within us, help us to pause, and give us the wisdom to respond with grace.  May we ever reflect your love in all we do, and in all we say. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

In Ephesians, chapter 4: 25-5:1, Paul writes, “Be angry but do not sin…

It’s a fine line, isn’t it?

I was listening to a podcast interview with Sylvia Boorstein the other day and she said, “I remember my father, who is now long gone, hearing me teach about transforming anger into work in the world; doing something. And he’d say, ‘I need my anger, Sylvia. It motivates me to do all the activism that I do.’ And I’d say, ‘Well, you do need it, Dad. You need it just to alert you to what needs attention. But you don’t need to carry it along with you…  And as a matter of fact, if you keep nurturing the flame of anger, it confuses the mind and… you won’t respond as wisely as you ought to.’”

There are indeed times when we should be angry. And, there are indeed some things we should be angry about. (The fact that there are hungry children in our wealthy country would be one.)  Anger is a God given emotion and even Jesus got angry.  But how we channel our anger, makes all the difference. 

Viktor Frankl has this great quote. He said, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” 

In between the time something happens, and the time we respond, there is a space. The longer we pause, the greater the space. In that space is our power to choose. The longer the pause, the greater our power… the greater our capacity to decide, is this something worth engaging in? Or is this something I should simply let go of? And if I do want to wisely engage, how should I do so – without making matters worse?    

May we be the kind of people who are quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. (James 1:19). May we be the kind of people who pause in order to see more clearly when to let go, and when to wisely engage. 

Let us pray:  God of Grace, we thank you for your love for us, and your love for the world around us.  We don’t have to look far to see tremendous need. We pray today for healing for ourselves and for others. When anger arises within us, help us to pause, and give us the wisdom to respond with grace.  May we ever reflect your love in all we do, and in all we say. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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

Friend of Dial Hope, do you sometimes feel like your problems are so overwhelming that you can barely keep your head above water? In the Bible, God tells you to cast “all your care upon him,” knowing he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7) 

One of the most dramatic examples in the Bible of casting yourself upon God is Peter’s attempt to walk on water. It was liquid pavement beneath his feet. When Jesus bid Peter to come to him, Peter quickly stepped out of the boat, and, with his eyes on the Lord, he began to walk. But then he looked around at the heavy seas. Terrified, he began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Immediately, Jesus was beside Peter. And, arm in arm, they walked on the water to the boat. Like Peter, if you get your eyes off your source and onto your impossible situation, you’re sunk. But, if you keep your eyes on Jesus and walk arm in arm with him, you’ll be safe…because Jesus specializes in meeting human needs. Whatever is over your head in the way of problems is already under his feet. It’s in his control! Remember: “Cast all your anxiety, your care on him, because he cares for you.” (l Peter 5:7) 

Let us pray: God of love, who came into the world clothed in our garment of flesh and who willingly gave yourself to the cross, clothe us in your Spirit that persons will recognize you in us and receive your great gift of unconditional love and amazing grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.