ENTERING JERUSALEM ONE MORE TIME

Finally caught up again -- here is today's Holy Monday devotion from www.d365.org with my small additions.


Presence of God
A quick look through the book of Psalms will reveal a theme that repeats itself again and again - the steadfast love of God.
When we look at Jesus we see the reflection of what God is like. In his life, in facing death, and in death itself, Jesus remained faithful in his love towards those he came to save.
As we journey through Holy Week, you will see the steadfast love of God again and again, fully revealed in the face of Jesus.

Word of God
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.
    John 12:1-11

Devotion
The sense of smell can stir up powerful memories. The smell of shoe polish can still take me back to my boyhood, when I used to shine my shoes before church every Sunday. I can remember just where I sat, and how much I hated that job.

What do you think the disciples felt in the years that followed Jesus’ death when they caught a whiff of expensive perfume? Did it take them back to that night in Bethany when Mary anointed Jesus’ feet? If it did, they might remember that Jesus was talking about being anointed for his burial, and it may have brought tears to their eyes.

But they might also remember that Lazarus — who had been raised from the dead — was right there with them. It may have helped them remember that — where Jesus is concerned — death never has the last word.
    Jim Somerville

What memories do you have that are triggered by certain smells? What does death smell like to you? To me, it will ever smell like newly sawn  wood and the dust of remodeling. We were at the last stages of an addition, ready for the carpet, when my mother was killed in the spring of 1983. And ever since, that is what I think of when I encounter that particular smell.

The sense of smell is the strongest memory trigger of all our five senses. I believe Mary’s act was both one of kindness to her beloved Lord AND one of inspired witness that lasted through the years. 

It is truly a sad thing that allergies make it impossible for churches to use scented oils and incense these days (and I am among them), for if exper-ienced from a young age, it can become a strong internalized remembrance of both death and life beyond death. I don’t think Jim intends for us to skip lightly past Thursday and Friday straight to Easter, but in reality we do go through them with a certain knowledge and hope that those followers who originally experienced the events were not privy to. Thanks be to God!
    Norma Prina Murphy

Conversation with God
Lord, in this week when everybody seems to be talking about your death, help me remember that — where you are concerned — death never has the last word. It didn’t have the last word for you, and it won’t have the last word for me. Amen.

Benediction
O that you and I might be,
Like Jesus,
Faithful and true.

God grant us grace
That we might become,
Like Christ,
Steadfast in our love too.

Fresh water from the fountain and the calla beside it on my porch...

smells totally different (and conjures up totally different memories) than the ocean or even .... 

the bay measured in feet and yards from it.

As we continue through this holiest of weeks, may all our senses be on 'high alert' .... for signs of Christ's humble and royal presence with us, leading us through the fullness of our mortality to the reality of new life.

ENTERING JERUSALEM ONE MORE TIME

What can I say? I was just plain pooped out after Saturday and Sunday morning, I caught up on some much needed sleep and  will post both Palm Sunday and Holy Monday today. Again, the full devotion is from www.d365.org with my minor additions.

Presence of God
A quick look through the book of Psalms will reveal a theme that repeats itself again and again - the steadfast love of God.
When we look at Jesus we see the reflection of what God is like. In his life, in facing death, and in death itself, Jesus remained faithful in his love towards those he came to save.
As we journey through Holy Week, you will see the steadfast love of God again and again, fully revealed in the face of Jesus.

Word of God
When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, "Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' just say this, 'The Lord needs it.'" So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?" They said, "The Lord needs it." Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!" Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, order your disciples to stop." He answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out."
    Luke 19:29-40

Devotion
Today is Palm Sunday. We call it that because this is the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and the people got so excited they started stripping branches off palm trees, waving them in the air, and shouting “Hosanna!”

Why did they get so excited? Because of an old prophecy from the book of Zechariah that promised them one day their king would come to them, “Humble, and riding on a donkey” (9:9). Why did Jesus do it? I believe he was giving the people of Jerusalem a chance to receive him as their king. Some of them did. Others, as we will soon learn, did not.

What about you? Will you receive Jesus as your king today? Will you let him rule over your life? Or will you, like those others, reject him?
    Jim Somerville

It’s a pretty stark and uncomfortable question the way Jim puts it. It is VERY either/or.  Let Jesus rule over your life... OR... REJECT HIM?  Isn't there just a little wiggle room for letting him rule most of the time? Like 98% of the time? Just not quite ALL of the time?

And why is it that we want to reserve those few times now and then to be able to rule on our own? To choose what WE want? To NOT be ruled by another, even Jesus our loving, humble savior king who has given his very self for us?

That’s the human conundrum we live with and fight against every single day simply because we are human ... broken ... flawed ... independence-cravers ....

I hope (and pray!) that you did indeed welcome Jesus as your king and invite him once more to rule over your life as much as you are able to let him. And that you pray daily that you can let him rule over you again just for today.
     Norma Prina Murphy

Conversation with God
King Jesus, ride into my life today. Enter the throne room of my heart. Reign there forever. Amen.

Benediction
O that you and I might be,
Like Jesus,
Faithful and true.

God grant us grace
That we might become,
Like Christ,
Steadfast in our love too. 

How apt is the 'foreshadowing' of events this royal procession will ignite?

ENTERING JERUSALEM ONE MORE TIME

Today's full installment of the devotional found at www.d365.org with a few comments of my own thrown in.Sorry it's so late -- my great-niece skated a competition today (the one I go to each year) and took 2 2nd places and a 1st place .... it's her first year out of basic skating and into the bottom ranks of the skating federation rules, so please excuse a very happy 'Aunt Noah' (all she could make of Norma as a toddler!)

Presence of God
It's very easy to complain. It's easy to imagine that our sufferings, our struggles, are unlike any that others have experienced.
It's harder to see, especially in the tough times, that God's blessings are still around, that God remains faithful.
Look now to see what blessings God has in store for you today, especially if you are finding that hard to do.

Word of God
Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
    Philippians 3:12-14

Devotion
Have you heard today's verses before? You belong to Christ. You are beloved. You can leave the past behind and go forward into the future. Your prize is not only heaven, it is God’s calling to you. This is why these verses are so useful for every single goal God calls you to throughout your life.

God cares about the whole journey of your life – not just the grace of your eternal nature, but the act of straining forward and pressing on towards your goals. This call pulling you into your own life is the Lord’s plan and hope for you. When you listen, follow, and choose how to express your unique life, you are pleasing God. Forgetting, pressing, and straining – it may not always be easy, but following your path will bless you and those around you. What is your goal now? Can you hear God’s call?
            by Denise Nickerson-Caudéran

And the tragic kicker here is: how few people actually DO leave the past behind in order to press and strain into the future God is calling them into? In my experience – at least in ministry – it would seem to be a lot more like being dragged kicking and screaming into the future, heels dug in .....

Is it because we don’t hear it as an invitation from God to pick up and go to this new place or do this new thing? Is it because we have become so fearful of the unknown ... lost that adventurous spirit with which our nation was founded? Is it because we are too wrapped up in our own goals to take a detour in life and try achieving God’s goals?

Whatever the reason, it is one of the key factors of why the church is stagnating and dying out in the western world these days. And figuring out how to grow people into imitators of Paul is one of the key factors in allowing the Spirit to make it grow again. Not to mention individual’s faith lives.
             by Norma Prina Murphy

Conversation with God
God, you will lead me to the prize. Let me hear your calling. Give me the focus and perseverance to forge ahead. Through Christ I am yours. I give you the glory of my aspirations. Amen.

Benediction
God's blessings are raining down.
Walk with your face lifted up;
Lift your hands also to receive
The gift of God's presence,
The embrace of the One who is near. 

For my Keira, the goal is crystal clear ... and definitely out in front of her!

No heels dug in here ....

Just LAUNCHING forward toward it!

Oh, what joy in heaven if all God's precious children pressed toward God's goal for them...of growing more and more into the persons God created them to be!

ENTERING JERUSALEM ONE MORE TIME

Here's today's d365 daily devotion with my addition. For a full explanation, scroll back to March 21, 2013.

Presence of God
It's very easy to complain. It's easy to imagine that our sufferings, our struggles, are unlike any that others have experienced.
It's harder to see, especially in the tough times, that God's blessings are still around, that God remains faithful.
Look now to see what blessings God has in store for you today, especially if you are finding that hard to do.

Word of God
Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith.
    Philippians 3:7-9

Devotion
We are thankful for the blessings that God has showered upon us, but we are not supposed to mistake those blessings for some kind of evaluation of our worth or value. We are valuable because we are children of God and we are loved. The “rubbish” Paul is casting aside here is any status he may have been accorded by society because of his birthright and even his honorable behavior. He wants to clear away his ego in order to make room for salvation. He wants to clear out pride to make room for faith.

Our motivations matter to God. The next time you do the right thing, consider your driving force – is it pure love for God, or is it to preserve an image of yourself as a good person? Can you let go of your status in exchange for your true nature as someone who is eternally saved?
    By Denise Nickerson-Caudéran



 
Oh, how I DO LOVE the HUMOR and IRONY of our God! Just last night I shared a beautiful ‘poster’ on facebook of a dove and the words “Faith is seeing light when all you eyes see is darkness” – which I had immediately associated with the first verse from Hebrews 11 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  It was created by a page called ‘Positive Inspirational Quotes’. So of course, I shared it. Only to notice an hour later, when a parishioner reposted it from me, that there was one of those links below it to the full story about how Jane and John Doe made $50+ in 3 months...

Well, I was steamed at myself for not noticing and felt I had to put a disclaimer up about THAT part of the post. Here’s part of it (edited for brevity):

I abhor this so-called 'prosperity gospel' that is simply a way of letting people believe that those who have more wealth are being rewarded for having a stronger or better faith than those with less monetary wealth. That is bull-'stuff' and no more biblical than thinking people who get cancer (or leprosy) are being punished by God for their 'extra-bad' sins. Much of Jesus' ministry was to counter these false notions.

If we do something because we think it will show our great faith in God we will be disappointed. Faith is pure grace – unadorned love. Knowing that, our only motivation for any action in our lives should be a response of equally unadorned love. Nuff said.
    By Norma Prina Murphy

Conversation with God
Lord, you have blessed me with an eternal spirit through salvation. Cleanse me of attachment to my position and ambitions on earth. Open my heart to receive your most precious blessing so that I may live through your righteousness. Amen.


Benediction
God's blessings are raining down.
Walk with your face lifted up;
Lift your hands also to receive
The gift of God's presence,
The embrace of the One who is near. 

And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, 
 if you have faith and do not doubt, 
you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, 
but even if you say to this mountain, 
‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 
And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”      
 Matthew 21:21-22

 

“Faith expects from God what is beyond all expectation.” ~ Andrew Murray

 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9

  

 

ENTERING JERUSALEM ONE MORE TIME

The Lord be with you!

For the next week and a half I am going to repost each day's 'Journey to the Cross' devotions (otherwise known as www.d365.org). The reason for posting them here and not just a link? I will be adding some comments to the devotions portion each day (and maybe a photo or two!). 

The theme for the rest of this week is: God Rains Blessings

I pray you are uplifted, as I am, by these brief but 'right on' and connected to real life daily devotions.
 

Presence of God
It's very easy to complain. It's easy to imagine that our sufferings,  our struggles, are unlike any that others have experienced.

It's harder to see, especially in the tough times, that God's blessings are still around, that God remains faithful.

Look now to see what blessings God has in store for you today, especially if you are finding that hard to do.

Word of God
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”
    John 12:1-8

Devotion
Each day, we have the chance to pay attention, to be fully present. This dinner was a very special event for the people together there. Lazarus, Jesus’ friend, had the distinct honor of being raised from the dead. I’m sure he was happy to be alive, to have dinner with the Lord. Mary marked the sacred moment with a gift of expensive perfumed oil for Jesus’ feet.

Judas was counting pennies with what seemed like a valid point; but we are reminded of God’s all-seeing knowledge. Judas was really worried about what he might steal. Jesus was concerned for his friends who would soon have to let him go. In any situation, there is always more going on than meets the eye. Leaving God’s work to God, we can be authentic and attentive without the whole story. Today, can you make those you are with feel blessed by being present?
    Denise Nickerson-Caudéran

This really calls for a large dose of trust — that there IS a bigger picture that we can’t see AND that it is in God’s hands. What I hear Denise saying is that we have just so much time and energy each day; will we spend it worrying about all the little things that don’t seem to make perfect sense or have a logical, scientific answer? For when God is at work (and we don’t get in the way!) that’s when really great things happen! AND it is only when we focus on our one task at hand — and the person(s) placed in our path at that moment that we fulfill our calling at that time, and the Kingdom of heaven becomes real. That can’t happen when we are dwelling in the past, nor living only in visions and dreams of the future. The Kingdom of heaven is real on earth only when we are fully present (that connection of being authentically present to others), even just for a moment. And that leaves all who are involved in the experience feeling a deep joy and a kind of peace that is beyond explanation. Feeling blessed!
    Norma Prina Murphy

Conversation with God

When I give my attention, time, and gifts to others, I am blessed with connection. Let me connect to you and to my family and friends, following your example. God, make me fully present. Amen.

Benediction
God's blessings are raining down.
Walk with your face lifted up;
Lift your hands also to receive
The gift of God's presence,
The embrace of the One who is near. 

 

How better to be fully present to another than to pray together?

  

.... and pray for one another, ....      James 5:16

] 

 

These photos were taken at the First Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania during the 220th General Assembly of the PC(USA) held in our city last summer (July, 2012). These 2 plus myself were working a 4-hour prayer team session in the sanctuary and had prayed through pages (20+!) of prayer requests turned in at worship the day before.  Kay and David prayed, knowing I would be taking some pictures just as David and I had also prayed, knowing Kay would be shooting us. It is hard to find a situation when you feel comfortable about photographing people actually in prayer, not just posing.

Stewardship 3 (October 21, 2012) Romans 12: 1-8

                  For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, 
                  so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. 
                  We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; 
                  ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; 
                  the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.                                       Romans 12:4-8


Have you ever heard of the '80/20 rule'? The 80/20 rule or the law of the vital few' or the Pareto Principle states that, for many events, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes (Bunkley, Nick (March 3, 2008), "Joseph Juran, 103, Pioneer in Quality Control, Dies", New York Times).  In basic terms, it is the natural reason why you wear 20% of your clothes 80% of the time, use 20% of your yard tools or cooking utensils 80% of the time .... you get the idea.

Unfortunately the 80/20 rule also plays out in businesses and organizations: usually about 20% of the people generate about 80% of the results. In a church the size of the one I serve, that means everyone on the session and board of deacons plus another handful of folks are doing most of the work. Unless Paul is right and we take it to heart.

Because Paul also tells everyone not to think more highly of themselves than they ought to think, but to know each and every one gains their meaning from life from their being connected to and part of the whole ---the whole which is the body of Christ as it is still incarnate and at work on earth right now in the world. Because we all have one piece of the puzzle of gifts needed to just begin to add up to a portion of who and what Christ is and does.

       + what are your greatest 2 or 3 spiritual gifts and how are you using them to serve God in and through your faith community?

       +  how are you using those spiritual gifts in and through your family? community? school? workplace? organizations you belong to and participate actively in?

       +  what are your greatest 2 or 3 spiritual weaknesses and who do you know that you are able to team up with to 'make up' for your deficit? What deficit does s/he have that you might be able to 'make up' for?

    

The ability to get children to play an Easter song on tone chimes so that it is actually recognizable with only a handful of short rehearsals --- now that's a gift!

These may have grown up the railings of the manse front porch, but I did not 'grow' them! God and a custodian named Sandy did that all by themselves (and good thing , too -- I have a deadly thumb!)

but some have a true gift

 

Anyone who has ever done a major renovation knows that most of us muddle along to do it,

 

 

 

To do these jobs well requires both
 a calling and the gifts to be a crew 
together to help people in distress or  trouble

 

 

At Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, New Mexico (see what I see on the mesa?)

"HEART AND ROOTS" by Sarah Caldwell of Morgantown, WV, a budding young artist and granddaughter of a late parishioner (used by permission)

Self-portrait at district pastor's picnic lunch after a rainfall

     

STEWARDSHIP WEEK 2 : (Sept. 30, 2012) 2 Cor 8: 1-7

            We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to 
            the churches of Macedonia; ²for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy 
            and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.³For, as I 
            can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means, and even beyond their means, ⁴
               begging us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints— 2 Cor. 8:1-4


I zeroed right in on v.3 last week to help bring home the fact that there is a difference between 'tithes' and 'offerings'. That what we pledge and give intentionally, regularly, and proportionally to our income is our tithe, and it is what we give 'according to our means' (biblical tithing ranges from 4-20%; we have adopted 10% because it is the most common and has nice symbolism!). This is what we give to pay the expenses of the church and its tithe (benevolence) on to the broader layers of the national church. 

It i the giving that is 'even beyond our means' that is the sacrificial giving, that digs into the money we had earmarked for .... something quite different. This is what we put into the special offerings, the sacrificial giving that is 'above and beyond'. 

        +do you practice the spiritual discipline of tithing? why or why not?

        +what was the last thing you 'gave up' getting in order to give to an 'extra commitment opportunity'? how did it make you feel?

Giving an intentional and regular amount in proportion to my income for the basic expenses, maintenance, and benevolence of the church is my TITHE .... 'OTHER' giving is extra commitment giving, sacrificial offerings, 'BEYOND my means' giving

Next Sunday we come to the Lord's Table with Christians all around the world. We will receive and dedicate our Peacemaking Offering --- an 'OTHER' kind of offering More examples: Feed the Flock Ministry, Gifts and Memorials, Deacons Fund/ Enchanted Tree, buying a Lily in honor of N., the Organ Fund, and so on.(photo of 2012 PCUSA Peacemaking Offering worship materials).