Getting Lost in the Woods

Have you ever been on vacation, or on your way to a retreat, or even simply looking forward to a quiet day at home when something unexpected disrupts everything? Maybe a pipe bursts and you find yourself calling plumbers.  A phone call from a loved one that they’ve just received a difficult diagnosis. A loved one dies.  An emergency at work. Or maybe you are just sitting down for some quiet time, when a young child wakes up from what was supposed to be a nap, and demands your attention. We’ve all experienced unexpected disruptions, often just as we were getting ready to take some precious time for self care. It probably happens far more often than we would like to think about.  Let’s face it, our lives are complex; our relationships matter; our work and ministries provide a sense of purpose, and so we do what we need to do.  So you can imagine what it must have been like for Jesus and the disciples when we meet them in today’s gospel.  E...

  In today’s lesson from Mark’s gospel we see Jesus teaching the gathered people about the kindom of God. (1 & 2)  The first parable compares the kindom of God to a seed, which someone has scattered on the ground, and after several days notices that the seed has sprouted and seems to grow more every day.  The one who scatters the seed has no idea how this seed is transforming.  It would seem the earth herself is producing the stalk, then the grain, and then the full grain head.  With time, the grain becomes ripe and is harvested.  The second parable compares the kindom of God to a mustard seed,  which when scattered on the ground grows somewhere between 6-20 feet tall, and with branches stretching as wide as 20 feet. (3)  How incredible that such a tiny seed could grow into such a massive plant, as well as become a habitat for area birds. So what is Jesus getting at with all this talk of seeds?  It would seem he is trying to tell the gat...

In today’s lesson from 1 Samuel, the elders of Israel have called the prophet Samuel to meet with them at Ramah.  These elders are the senior, male members of the community.  They had an agenda, with some real concerns to discuss.  Samuel was old.   While his sons had been appointed judges, they were corrupt, and were not interested in continuing in the way of their father.   It left the leaders feeling uncertain about the future of their community.  The elders informed Samuel they would like a king to govern them. Yet the driving force behind this request was really  a desire to be like other nations . Israel was a tribal confederacy, made up of twelve tribes, led by religious leaders whom God raises up to guide people-- such as Deborah and Samuel.   This style of government was unlike their neighboring nations- Ammon, Moab, and the Philistines, who were governed by kings and lords. When the elders looked to the...

Last Sunday,  Molly  talked to us about gratitude.  She reminded us that for the author of John’s Gospel, it was critical for listeners to understand the truly generous nature of our God.  n fact, the author uses the phrase,  “given by God”,  75 times.   God’s generosity is extravagant, radical, and abundant.  And the only possible response on our part, is gratitude for such humbling, life-changing generosity.  To that end, Molly encouraged us to make a list of  100 things we are grateful for .  If you haven’t made your list yet, take ten minutes and do it today.  You will be glad you did.  These lists proclaim the breadth and depth of God’s abundant generosity, as well as our call to live a life of gratitude.  Today’s psalm (104) reminds us that God’s generosity is not limited to humanity.  In fact, God gives to every living thing, and   all   that has life   is called to take a posture of gr...