Facing Covid 19: Daily Words of Grace – June 24

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

The Word

The Weeds

and Us

Anti-Creation

Isaiah 61:11

For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.

James 3:18

A harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.

Words of Grace For Today

Dandelions spring up everywhere, showing their pretty yellow faces. Their beauty is often appreciated by children who pick them as bouquets for their mothers or fathers. Their potential is realized by those who dare make wine of them.

Otherwise they are a foreign species with not enough natural deterrents, so that they overwhelm any piece of ground they grow in and they become an infestation that is difficult to remove without actions approaching ‘scorched earth’ results.

There is enough evil evident in the police. The real root is in the courts, which allow the tactics of the police to go unchecked. It is a pervasive hatred, a racism, a bigotry, a bias that can exist only as it is supported by the courts. The courts uphold this attitude in the practice of law and prosecution, which upholds this attitude in the police from top to bottom: it is an attitude of zero-sum thinking. If we are not holding the hoards in check they will take everything we have from us. It is the wealthy protecting themselves and the courts protecting the wealthy.

Against this powerful and destructive evil, God brings us, like dandelions, those that bear righteousness into this world where righteousness is so foreign an idea (except to be beaten down) yet alone a thing to comprehend, realize or nurture.

In the grass of God’s good creation, the dandelions of righteousness are not an invasive species out of their natural ecosystem.

God’s righteousness is the proper species of every part of creation, which always behaves in those areas where evil has flourished, as an invader, a conqueror, a re-claimer of life back to it’s creator.

We pray, may we choose today, no matter the challenges, risk or sure loss to ourselves, that we would be the agents, supporters, and advocates of God’s righteousness.

Covid 19 is real, really deadly to some, pervasively spread before the carrier is symptomatic; but Covid 19 is only a small attention-getter and warning, compared to God’s Word of righteousness that awaits us all. Be safe. Act wisely. Protect others,

from Covid 19 which can kill or maim the body, but even more so from the Evil that kills the soul, the light, the awareness of God’s Good Creation all around us, and therewith our hope of responding well to God’s awesome Grace.

Facing Covid 19: Daily Words of Grace – June 23

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Fire of God

Word of God

Both spread like Wildfire!

Psalm 147:15

He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.

2 Timothy 2:8-9

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel, for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained.

Words of Grace For Today

People’s responses to God’s Grace can all too often be rejection and attack of the messengers.

God’s Word is not affected or restricted or limited or stopped. God’s Word permeates the universe like the strings that physicists theorize may make up the universe.

The Word, like subspace transmissions, travels faster than light, travels instantaneously everywhere.

Jesus Christ lives. Not even death can stop God!

God’s Word will where it wants, makes what it will.

We know, it wills not that we are enslaved, but that we remain free in God’s own good creation: free to choose to love instead of hate; free to choose to do righteousness for others instead of harm others striving for our own self realizations; free to choose to sacrifice ourselves in order that others may live, as Christ did for us; free to choose to live an abundant life, measured not by comfort, things, privilege or power, but measured by how many other people benefit from us reflecting God’s free, gracious, generous forgiveness, renewed life, and spirit (sometimes called chutzpah or gumption or nerve) to reflect the Light of Christ instead of our meagre attempts to shine.

The Word

travels instantaneously to where it is needed,

to strengthen the defences against the Devil and his evil perversions of good creation.

to heal our every ill

to renew life.

There is nothing else that is trustworthy other than God’s Word.

Facing Covid 19: Daily Words of Grace – June 22

Monday, June 22, 2020

The root of all evil

is Cut-off by Christ’s

Resurrection

Psalm 65:12

The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy

James 1:17

Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Words of Grace For Today

Pastures of wilderness, hills of joy …

God’s unchanging Light gives all perfect gifts we receive and every act that is generous giving.

It is said since times of old ‘The root of X is Y.’

it is said since time of old ‘The root of all Evil is Money.’

Since before time the truth is the root of all everything is God, God is good, and God created everything good.

The root of everything is that it is good … until it is perverted to something else.

The force of evil is strong, the evil empires’ forces are large and powerful … and small and effective. It is all the way of the Devil, no matter the images we use to comprehend it and communicate it to others.

Hoards of powerful people carry this virus, the virus of the Devil’s empty promises. Those empty promises seem to be powerful for they have taken over the economies of all lands, some worse than others, where everything is described as freedom and equal human rights, but in reality hatred, racism, misogyny and misandry, and bigotry are used to slam down great numbers of people so that a few can pretend they reign at the top. They appear to reign with, riches, comfort, pleasure, and power. But they are more unhappy than any others, for their achievements are empty, requiring more and more sacrifice of their souls, their being, in order to fool themselves into continuing to believe that they have succeeded in life.

The simple and pure act of giving, giving generously, self-sacrificially, to another human symbolizes all that God does for us, for all of creation.

Every act of generous giving has it’s root in God’s goodness.

Therefore, where humans have not yet dominated, domesticated, exploited, in the wildernesses of creation the pastures and the hills overflow with God’s Goodness, and with all creation know they joy they were created to contain and share.

Let us pray that we may also be those who generously, self-sacrificially, participate in the simple and pure acts of giving others an abundant life.

The Readings for Next Sunday

As part of my preparation for next Sunday’s worship, I read the Lessons.

So I decided I would post them, recorded, as I read them.

Enjoy.

Jeremiah 28:5-9

The prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord; and the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord fulfill the words that you have prophesied, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the exiles. But listen now to this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes true, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.”

Romans 6:12-23

Do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. No longer present your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments of righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification.
When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. So what advantage did you then get from the things of which you now are ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Matthew 10:40-42

[Jesus said to the twelve:] “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”

The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Note that a congregation which I attend or am a member may ask to use these audio recordings in an online worship, as if I were any other reader. The answer will be (after the request is made) yes, just give credit as usual.

Others may request permission and use the recordings if they ask in writing describing in detail how they will be used, and receive permission from me in writing. Thanks for being respectful.

Facing Covid 19: Daily Words of Grace – June 21

Sunday, June 21, 2020

Bow to the One who Creates, Redeems, and Equips Us.

Psalm 92:2-3

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night,

Romans 15:5-6

May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Words of Grace For Today

Discord is easy to pursue.

It is very difficult to create harmony when and where so many people strive for their own great advantage, at other’s cost.

One could think that great advantage is won by years of practice:

If we were to give God thanks and sing God’s praise, declaring God’s steadfast love in the morning and God’s faithfulness by night, then perhaps we would know better how to live in harmony.

Not at all. Only the goodness of God, extended to us by the Holy Spirit, can enable us to do anything good, find any harmony, no matter how small or fleeting, or even sacrifice of ourselves so that others will know they live in God’s Grace.

Hold on to your hats, though, for what the Holy Spirit will bring us to, will be an adventure of our lives beyond all imagination.

Hang on to your hats, for the Holy Spirit will bring us to know joy, as we have never before.

Facing Covid 19: Daily Words of Grace – June 20

Saturday, June 20, 2020

The Majesty of God

Is visible

Every day

We can live with and for God

or we die even as we yet stay above the ground.

Psalm 111:3

Full of honour and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures for ever.

2 Timothy 2:19

God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are his’, and, ‘Let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness.’

Words of Grace For Today

The Lord knows those who are His.

Are you one of God’s, one of Hers or one of His?

Do you know that even those who call on the Lord’s name need, desperately need, to turn away from wickedness?

If you do not, where have you lived? Have you lived with blinders on? For those who gather in Jesus’ churches think, say and do as much wickedness as anyone else.

Where are you living your days? Wherever it is and with whomever you keep company, God’s work is full of honour and majesty. It is not cheap or deceptive. It stands clear in the open and those who keep secrets to develop schemes and cheap lies cannot stand with those who do God’s will. The righteousness of God endures, no matter the cheap tricks, secrets, and schemes that supposed good people pursue, as if theirs could ever be the work of God.

May we and our loved ones turn from the wickedness that tempts each of us. May we turn instead toward the goodness that we should all remember from at least a fog tinged memory. For God has not left any of us without an idea of goodness.

Let us enjoy and trust all that God does, in righteousness, honour, and majesty.

Washed in the waters of baptism we know God’s work is righteous.

The challenges of Covid 19 raise the background tensions so high that people are behaving madly, and still we know God’s work is righteous.

The challenges of Covid 19 are not the restrictions, lock-downs, and new practices we must follow. The challenges of Covid 19 are the mental-health-deficit-craziness that good people jump into without a sane reflection of what it will cost them, and us all.

Still we know that God’s work is righteousness, honour and majesty.

Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will keep us from this madness, and firmly rooted, humbly in God’s Grace, so that God can work through us … to bring righteousness, honour, and majesty to be also here, today.

Facing Covid 19: Daily Words of Grace – June 19

Friday, June 19, 2020

Is This Our Road?

Psalm 32:8

I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

Ephesians 5:17

So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Words of Grace For Today

The myriad of choices that we make each day, determine what choices come our way for the rest of our day, and years.

Sometimes this is remarkably clear.

If we choose to marry someone we have fallen in love with, with no regard for what kind of a person they are, there may be hell to pay, especially if they are not a kind person.

If, on the other hand, you choose to marry someone you have not fallen in love with, even if they are a kind person, you may certainly not be. For there are good motives to marry not for love, though there are many more evil motives.

Who you marry, or choose to live with, makes and breaks all sorts of future options. There is not much good in the greed, jealousy, and pride that drives one’s spouse to abuse you for all you’ve got to give.

If you choose to lie, cheat, and break others of hope in order to get ahead, no matter the cost to others, your choices will sooner than later be hemmed in by the record you make for yourself. With little to no good choices left you feel obliged to continue to find your own way toward a future that ruins all who it will touch.

Sometimes this is remarkably clear.

More often it simply is not clear at all. In those times as we attempt to move toward a future that offers life to some, if not many, or maybe just one’s own greedy self, we need some guidance.

That is all foolishness, for God keeps His eyes on all that we think, say and do.

You can also say God keeps Her eyes on all that we think, say and do. We cannot apply gender to God, though our speech limitations often lead us to do exactly that. The foolishness is to think our limitations determine God’s being! Blimey foolishness!

If we are so inspired by the Holy Spirit to be righteous beyond normal days, and we seek a choice in each fork in our roads, that will bring life to people, all people, even if it costs us in the process, then …

Then where does one turn to find such abnormal choices forward?

One can find all sorts of supposed wisdom, how to make life better for oneself and a few others. One can find all sorts of supposed wisdom, how to make oneself better.

That is all foolishness.

Where can one turn to find the purpose of life fulfilled in one’s choices, so that the Will of God through oneself, if it be so granted by God, will be pursued?

Where does one turn to find truth and real wisdom, instead of foolishness?

Where else can one turn, than to God? And where does one find God, other than in the story of Jesus?

This we trust, that the Holy Spirit will guide us, and we will not be led astray. We will not find ourselves doing what is illegal, nor what is plain stupid. We will not need to do what is foolish by any standard or meaning of the word, like blatantly flaunt a constitution that governs our ways and means.

I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

God help those who continue to walk down ways that are foolish.

God help us as we choose today what forks we will follow, God help us and those we love.

May they be all of God’s creatures, even our enemies.

What Is Energy?

Energy is Something, eh?

Is energy what God stores, in places we’ve found, to extract to use to warm, power, and run our lives of greater and greater comfort.

…

Can we store up energy, in a pile, or in tanks, in order to stay alive?

…

Does God Store Energy in Beauty?

Does God Store Up Energy in the White and Red Clouds?

…

Can We See the Energy That is There?

…

Branch and Light

Certainly There is Great Energy in a Little Branch and Great Beauty

…

Sometimes Swirls of Clouds Reflected in the Greatest Reservoir of Energy is God’s Clue

…

See the Light? Fear the Light as the Wicked, Or Rejoice in the Light?

The Light of the Sun has the Greatest Energy, other than its Maker

…

It is the Maker that we reflect with hope and faith.

Facing Covid 19: Daily Words of Grace – June 18

Thursday, June 18, 2020

Storms a coming!

OR a Beautiful Night? OR

Waiting for the stars?

Genesis 6:22

Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Words of Grace For Today

People say that there is no reason to hope that … and then they go on to say what they have no hope for.

Everyday language would use the word ‘hope’ that way. But hope is really something much different.

It may help to put the word hope in a few wider contexts with comparisons to other words.

Pessimism is looking at all the evidence available and drawing a conclusion that gives the bad evidence more importance. So the glass is half empty and going down. The world is in the worst shape it’s ever been. Humans are the worst species and are quick capable of destroying the whole earth. That’s pessimism for you, always coming up with the trajectory straight into trouble and deeper.

Optimism is looking at all the evidence available and drawing a conclusion that gives the good evidence more importance. So the glass is half full and getting fuller. The world is in the best shape it’s ever been. Humans are the best species with the greatest chance of saving planet earth. That’s optimism for you, always coming up with the trajectory straight into a wonderful world and beyond.

Realism what people use to say their view of optimism and pessimism is right, not skewed like the other views.

Hope looks at all the evidence available, finds none that indicates God’s will is being done, and yet with no evidence to support this belief, lays everything on the line, trusting that God’s will is being done, God’s will is what we are supposed to be cooperating with, and in the end God will provide all that we need, even if that means all we get is a room prepared for us in the city of light, in life eternal.

Hope beyond hope is just hyperbole. Properly said one might mean: hope beyond all evidence, which is hope in it self anyway.

If we need to remember how great hope can be, remember Noah building the ark and ridiculed by all around … until the water starts pouring down, and keeps pouring down.

We may face challenges, on top of Covid 19, someone we most trusted has broken that trust by doing something blatantly illegal; of cancer has returned; or your lies in court have been noticed by the police; or your cheating on your taxes is being investigated, or (fill in your favourite sin) has been noticed by someone close to us and we have gravely disappointed them, or … the kids are just getting on your nerves too much … or the idiots are running their unlicensed motorcycles and quads all over the place, set off fireworks every night, and party until 3 and 4 in the morning so that it’s terrific when it storms at night to shut it down.

Pessimists would say: it’s just going to get worse.

Optimists would say: it’s just people blowing off steam. It will get better soon.

The person of Hope would say: God’s creation will withstand also these assaults on good sensibilities, and God provide all enough sleep, despite the neighbours late hours.

Perhaps Noah would like to take the fireworks, motorcycles and quads, and the party-ers on the ark for a little ride … somewhere far away. But that’s just hope beyond hope.

Perhaps God has other plans?

Perhaps there is hope yet, that some sense, respect and common decency will enter into these people’s lives …

or more likely I will gain an understanding of how helpful and beneficial all these late hour activities are for other people, so I will smile, instead of grimace, at their occurrences, waking me from my sleep.

There’s always hope.

Here’s hoping.

I Hope.

Faith is beyond hope. It is a gift of trusting when there is no reason to trust, or to hope.

Faith is a gift that the Holy Spirit continually renews in us, since we wear it thin so quickly.

Faith is the most powerful thing we will ever know in our lives.

Love comes in almost tied with Faith.

Some have said Love comes in first.

Regardless, there are these three: Faith, Hope and Love.

There is nothing like them in all the universe.

Facing Covid 19: Daily Words of Grace – June 17

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

The Light of Christ Sets

The Basis of Our Hope

Which Has No Other Basis in Experience

The Light of Christ Will Rise Again

Psalm 100:2

Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing.

Colossians 1:12

Give thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.

Words of Grace For Today

The Movie “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” portrays a hero who can with compassion, listening and friendship transform us from angry, cynical realists who doubt anyone is or can be really good, into kind, compassionate, loving spouses and fathers (or mothers, not to leave anyone out.)

The movie’s byline is We Could All Use a Little Kindness. Today’s polarized political worlds, the echo chamber of self absorbed opinions available on line, and the falsehoods presented as truths by those we previously would have respected, leave us needing kindness, compassion, and a renewed hope in humanity. We need a few new heroes to inspire us to be better people, especially with those people who are different than us.

We need a bit of truth to prevail, and decency: Hope Lutheran Edmonton’s council just voted and distributed material to the members: They know it is against their constitution, but they have, without proper process to leave the ELCIC voted to hold a mail-in vote to call a non-ELCIC pastor. It is blatant breach of trust.

The Bishop or the Bishop’s representation must be present at the meeting for it to be legal.

But if the council will vote to act against the constitution, and blatantly so, who can trust that any of the rest of the process will be anything close to fair or even decent.

That, and many stories like it, leave us knowing we need a LOT more kindness, compassion, and a renewed hope in humanity. We need a few new heroes to inspire us to be better people, especially with those people who are different than us. We need a few good people, a new kind of hero, to stand up to blatant evil and put it in it’s place.

There is nothing to support this hope, or to fill this need.

Instead we worship the Lord with gladness and come into his presence with singing. We give thanks to the Father, who has enabled us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.

For no matter what or who assaults us in this life, we know who transforms us from wretched sinners into saints, who can only share God’s sacrificial Grace with all people, even those who exercise such blatant, and raw evil against the little ones of Christ.

We know that our very breath relies not on the goodness of other sinners. Neither does the terribleness of others’ sins take our breath, our spirit, our faith, our gratitude, our love for all people, nor our hope from us. For nothing can separate us from the love of God, and the love of God is what gives us life, no matter what else we face.

Thanks be to God.

Covid 19, you have got nothing on the sin and hurt that people are capable of causing others. We are thankful for all the people who are kinder, more compassionate, and more loving, having grown through the challenges of Covid 19.

Stay safe, for yourself, but even more so for those around you! We are in this together, this entire journey on the good creation earth.