I was with my friend James one day when we spotted a bumper sticker that read: "America Bless God."

James looked at it for a moment and said, "Is that biblical? Isn't that getting it backward?"

It's a fair question. We are used to asking God to bless us — not the other way around. And it seems a little audacious, even absurd, to talk about blessing God when we are the ones in need of help.

But many of the psalms — including Psalm 115 — end exactly there. The congregation, in the middle of their own desperate situation, is called to bless God. To praise. To give thanks. Even now. Even here.

How do we bless God from a place of need?

Maybe it looks like giving to hurricane relief when what we can offer feels like a drop in the bucket. Maybe it looks like showing up to serve even when our own lives feel far from together. Maybe it looks like standing up for someone who is being treated unjustly, even when we feel we have nothing left to give.

The act of blessing God shifts something in us. It moves the focus from what we lack to what we have been given. It is, in itself, an act of trust — a declaration that even here, even now, even in this, God is worthy.

And maybe that act of trust brings its own blessing in return.

Prayer: Lord, we come to you today not only with our needs but with our praise. Even in the hard seasons — perhaps especially then — you are worthy of our blessing. Shift our focus from what we lack to what we have received. May our praise be its own act of trust. Amen.

‍

Harry Emerson Fosdick was one of the great preachers of the twentieth century. Later in his career he was called to pastor Riverside Church in New York City — a prestigious pulpit backed by the Rockefeller family. The weight of it eventually broke him. Fosdick suffered a complete nervous breakdown.

He later wrote: "It was the most terrifying wilderness I ever traveled through. I dreadfully wanted to commit suicide — but instead made some of the most vital discoveries of my life. My little book, The Meaning of Prayer, would never have been written without that breakdown. I found God in a desert."

I found God in a desert.

That phrase has stayed with me. Because I have heard versions of that same testimony from so many people over the years — that the hardest seasons of their lives became, in some unexpected way, the most formative ones.

Pastor and scholar Joshua Kang writes, "The wilderness is a place where God blesses and trains his people. In the desert, those who have trusted only in themselves learn to put their trust in God. We all face suffering, confusion, shattering, failure. But that's where servants of God are made — and on the other side, they find themselves persons of prayer, the Word, and the Holy Spirit."

The prophet Isaiah heard God say, "I am about to do a new thing... in the wilderness I will make a way." (Isaiah 43:19) That has been true for God's people across the centuries. And it may be true for you, right now.

If you find yourself in a wilderness season — hold on. Don't give in to bitterness or despair.  The desert has a way of becoming, against all odds, holy ground.

Prayer: Loving God, you watch over us in the restlessness of the night, and your arms are around us when we feel alone, unworthy, and without hope. Teach us to trust you in the wilderness — to look for you there, and to find you. Mold us in the image of your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen.

‍

My neighbor is a shark tooth collecting enthusiast. He loves combing the beach scouting out these small treasures — and he's found some big ones, really nice. We were comparing notes the other day, and I shared that I only ever find small to medium shark teeth, nothing really significant. He said, "That's strange. I only ever find the bigger ones, never the small or medium." We walk the same stretch of beach. Then he added, "I guess we only see what we are expecting to see."

Hmmm.

I wonder if that applies to other aspects of life. Do our eyes get attuned to our expectations? When we expect others to let us down, when we expect the world to be hard and the cards stacked against us, is that what we inevitably find? On the other hand, when our eyes grow accustomed to noticing God's hand at work, when we expect to find blessing upon blessing — is that in turn what we discover?

This isn't just positive thinking. It is, I think, a spiritual practice — a deliberate turning of our attention toward what is true and good and worth noticing.

The Apostle Paul wrote, "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable — if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." (Philippians 4:8)

And then he adds: "And the God of peace will be with you."

The question is simply this: what are you looking for?

Let us pray: Loving God, give us eyes to see your hand at work — even in the small things we have been walking right past. Attune our hearts to the goodness and beauty around us. May we greet each day with new expectations. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

‍

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

A few years ago, the Special Olympics were held in Seattle, and a beautiful thing happened. Nine contestants, all with physical or mental disabilities, stood at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. As the gun sounded, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. But as they ran, one boy slipped and fell. He tumbled over a couple of times and began to cry. The other eight runners heard the boy crying. They all stopped, turned around, and went back, every one of them. One girl with Down's syndrome bent down and kissed him on top of his head, and said, "This will make it all better." The other runners helped the fallen boy up, and all nine of them linked arms and walked together, side by side, to the finish line. They all won! They all came in first! Everyone in the stadium stood, and cheering went on for ten minutes. People who were there are still telling the story. People who weren’t even there, say they were. 

You see, as a Christian, you don’t have to win. Maybe you need to slow yourself down and change your course to help someone, to partner with someone, to reconcile with someone, to encourage someone. When you do that you will have peace within and peace with God. 

Let us pray: God of love, we thank you for this day. Forgive us when we lash out at others and at you. Forgive us and make us whole, with the capacity to sense your presence, your strength, your grace, and your love. By sensing your unconditional love, make us able to uphold others in their grief and pain, and loneliness. We ask these things in the name of your son, our redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen. 

‍

Several years ago, at a Dial Hope Event, we had astronaut and artist Nicole Stott come to speak. She was absolutely inspiring! In addition to flying on the Space Shuttle, Nicole spent 3 months onboard the International Space Station. She told us that looking back at the view of our planet from outer space was breathtaking. This view also made it clear that in so many ways, our life as human beings is shared… We are tied together in more ways than we can ever begin to imagine. And before we are any other label, truly we are all earthlings.  

I love that. Earthlings. Whatever else divides us, we share this one beautiful, fragile home.

All of this reminds me of that beloved passage of scripture from John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son…” Notice John did not write, “For God so loved the Presbyterians…” Nor did he write, “For God so loved the liberals.” Or, for God so loved the conservatives.” No. John writes, for God so loved… the world…. 

As those who follow Jesus, may we find ways to love the world as he loved it.  

Let us pray: We thank you, Loving God, for creating this beautiful planet on which we live and make our way through life together. We thank you for science and the ability to glimpse our world from your perspective. Above all, we thank you for your love for each and every one of us. Help us to accept that love and share it. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

‍