Where did the word EASTER come from?

 Feb 14, 2018    Have you ever wondered where the word Easter came from?

Just as there are many denominational traditions surrounding the celebration of Easter, there are many stories and legends surrounding the origin of the word Easter. To some, it is the celebration of spring; for others it is a day to remember deliverance; for many it is the celebration of a new life in Christ.   More important than the question of how the word Easter originated is, what it means to us today.  When you think of the word Easter, what do you see?  If you see bunnies and baskets of chocolate eggs, you are missing out on the richness of this season in our liturgical year, considered by many Christians to be even more significant than Christmas.  Easter, to Christians, is actually Resurrection Day, the day Jesus rose in triumph from the grave, claiming victory over death. Because He lives, so can you and I and it is through a simple faith in Him. The events that led up to the crucifixion of Christ were not yet historical facts nor did they have their names yet, because the early followers were living out the actual events of the day as they happened.  They were in fact living the Easter story.  After the death and resurrection of Jesus the events became part of our Church history.  A name was needed to signify the season and so it was eventually called Easter.  The day Jesus was actually crucified would eventually get a label also, and so we observe it as Good Friday.  Good Friday and Easter Sunday became part of the Christian tradition and its history.  In 325, the Council of Nicea discussed a 40-day Lenten season of fasting, self-examination and penitence.  This 40 days would demonstrate self-denial in preparation for Easter.  As in all religious traditions some would take fasting and penitence it to the extreme.  Growing up Anglican I would receive a small pyramid shaped box on the first Sunday of Lent and was to give up something during the 40 days.  For me it was penny candy and I was to take my pennies and fill the box and turn it back to the church as my Lenten offering.   I have to admit that the candy always seemed to dominate my pennies and so my Nan would fill the pyramid box before East Sunday morning and save the family from the embarrassment of a ¼ or ½ empty pyramid. 

Lent is one of the oldest observations on the Christian calendar. Like all Christian holy days it has changed over the years, but its purpose has always remained the same: It is a time of self-examination and reflection, a checkup if you will, on how your walk with Christ is going.  It is a time to study and be very conscious concerning what Jesus has done for you personally.  In fact for the Christian it should be the most important season of the year, more important than Christmas because it is trusting by faith what you have learned from His birth to death.  The 40 days would not include Sundays and would end on the day of crucifixion, Good Friday as we now call it.   The church also needed a starting point for the 40 day period.  Again a name was chosen and it would be celebrated on the Wednesday just before the first Lenten Sunday and they called it “ASH WEDNEDSAY”.   Because the original Christian Church was established by Rome, many, even to this very day, believe that Ash Wednesday and Lent belong to the Catholic and Anglican traditions.  It used to be true that Catholics and Anglicans made up the lion’s share of people celebrating Ash Wednesday and Lent, but today, most “liturgical churches”  meaning those who follow the calendar-based  lectionary year, include the seasons of Advent, before Christmas and Lent before Easter Sunday.  Some evangelical denominations have even begun the tradition of Ash Wednesday and Lent.   The ash is used as a reminder that our time here is short and that we came from the dust of the earth and there we will return.  The 40 days of lent is for personal reflection, repentance, and a new starting point if that is necessary in your relationship with Christ.  To reflect on what Jesus’ life and death really means to you personally.  As we come to the two stations tonight, let us remember our mortality with the mark of the ash.  At the table of bread and wine let us ponder what Jesus has done for you.    

  

Mythos and Logos

Mythos and Logos

The Judeo-Christian creation story is told in the form of a cosmic poem (Genesis 1). The realm of myth, art, and poetry can heal and create coherence, connection, and deep trust for the human psyche much better than prose that “tells it like it is.” Rather than orient us toward solving a problem, symbolic language and images turn our focus toward being itself, toward meaning, purpose, and inner life forces. They evoke the depths hidden beneath the practical, self-centered ego, and speak to our personal unconscious—as good therapy does—and our collective unconscious too—as story and myth often do.

There are several levels of knowing and interpreting reality—a “hierarchy of truths,” as Pope Francis calls it. [1] Not all truths are of equal importance, which does not mean the lesser ones are untrue. So don’t fight useless battles against them. Something might be true, for example, on a psychological, historical, or mythological level, but not on a universal level. Fundamentalists think the historical level is the “truest” one, yet in many ways literalism is the least important meaning for the soul. Facts may be fascinating, but they seldom change our lives at any deep level. I do believe the “historical-critical” method of interpreting Scripture is a helpful frame [2], without which fundamentalists create a fantasy that looks a lot like their own culture and preferred class perspective.

Scholars since Mircea Eliade (1907-1986) have been making good use of a distinction between logos, or problem-solving language, and mythos. Logos language includes facts, data, evidence, and precise descriptions. Rob Bell describes how “logos language and thinking got us medicine, got us airplanes. . . . For the past three hundred years we have had an explosion of logos language. . . . But the problem is, there are whole dimensions of our existence that require a different way of thinking.”

Bell rightly says, “The Bible is mostly written in mythos language. . . . Good religion traffics in mythos. . . . Mythos language is for that which is more than literally true. . . . Evolutionary science does an excellent job of explaining why I don’t have a tail. It just doesn’t do so well explaining why I find that interesting!” [3] We need mythos language to express the more-than-factual meaning of experiences like falling in love, grief, and death.

Good religion, art, poetry, and myth point us to the deeper levels of truth that logos can’t fully explain. Early Christians knew this; but the Western Church spent the last five centuries trying to prove that the stories in the Bible really happened just as they are described. For some Christians, it’s imperative that the world was created in six literal days, otherwise their entire belief system falls apart. Christianity came to rely heavily on technique, formula, and certitude instead of the more alluring power of story, myth, and narrative. These give room for the soul, mind, and heart to expand. Ironically, from such an open and creative stance, we can actually solve problems much more effectively.

The whole point of Scripture is the transformation of the soul. But when we stopped understanding myth, we stopped understanding how to read and learn from sacred story or Scripture. Children delight in hearing the same fantastical stories over and over again because they are open to awe, mystery, and discovery. Oh that we could all read the creation story with similar childlike wonder and open-heartedness!

[1] Pope Francis reaffirmed this Vatican II teaching (from the Decree on Ecumenism, 11) in his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), 36, http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium.html#_ftn38.

[2] Marcus J. Borg gives an overview to this method of Scriptural interpretation in Reading the Bible Again for the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously but not Literally(HarperSanFrancisco: 2002). For more immediate access, this entry from Encyclopedia Britannica includes links to some general articles on the topic: https://www.britannica.com/topic/historical-criticism-biblical-criticism

[3] Rob Bell, In the Beginning, disc 3 (Center for Action and Contemplation: 2014), CD, MP3 download.

Adapted from Richard Rohr, Hierarchy of Truths: Jesus’ Use of Scripture (Center for Action and Contemplation: 2013), CD, MP3 download; and an unpublished talk (Center for Action and Contemplation: 2015).

"Transfiguration Sunday"

 The logical way to discern truth using your mind is get the facts straight right?

Why is it then, that this kind of thinking doesn't work the same with faith? 

Well I hope that this story  from the Gospel of Mark will give us a clue!

The Mysterious and miraculous stories of the Bible, where do you Stand?

Today I am going to try and offer you something that many might only learn through personal research on the internet, a bible study group or if you became involved in a theological class of study at one point in your life.  It is a well-known fact that many church going folks have never gone to seminary and many have never regularly attended a progressive weekly bible study group over the years.  Another known fact is this; many of the non-church-ed, through personal interest and research on the internet have become very educated in spirituality and theology.  Often more so than those who attend a regular Sunday morning worship service.  

To get a good grasp of the reading from the gospel of Mark today we first need to hear from Colossians 1: 15-18 these verses are called “The Supremacy of the Son of God”

¹⁵ The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.  Here we need to remember that the early followers did not understand the resurrection .  In fact when Jesus tries to tell them about his death on the cross, they don’t understand what he is talking about let alone believe it.  On the other hand. we know the complete story of His life and death and believe him, so for us, these verses are very important and will help us understand the significance of transfiguration story.   The writer of Colossians describes Jesus as the head of the church, the ruler over all creation, He is Lord of lords and King of kings.  Everything that was made was made for and through Him.  The realm of Christ’s reign covers everything that happens in heaven and on the earth.  No one, not even those who deny His existence can be free of His rule or outside His sphere of love and authority for He is both “Lord of the Living and of the Dead.”  Hold onto those thoughts as you hear the transfiguration story. 

The transfiguration story can be found in three of the Gospels.  Matthew 17 and Mark 9 and Luke 9.  Why John didn’t write about it is also a mystery.  This is one of those stories that would bring up the conversation, fact or fiction because the miraculous is clearly front and center here.  But, we are not trying to prove the story as fact,  what we need to do is to be looking for gold, we should be always mining the scriptures for a truth that we can take home personally.  A key to comprehending this story’s significance can also be found in the verse just prior to the account of the transfiguration and you will find this same verse in all three gospels accounts.  Jesus spoke these words 6 days before these three men are led up the mountain by Jesus.    

 In Mark it is the 1^st verse of chapter 9, and I quote it:   And He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.”    

Shortly after, 6 days this scripture said, Jesus takes Peter, James and John up to a mountain top.  There, Jesus is transfigured.  They no longer see just the physical Jesus, but a shining white light transforms Him into something greater, something greater than just a physical being.   This transformation is just for a moment and seems to take them to another place and time.  This place and time is visible to Peter, James and John and includes two of the most significant figures from the Old Testament who are dead, yet they to are present to this experience.   We have Peter, James and John, the living and Moses and Elijah who have long passed on.  No one know for sure what these men were getting a glimpse of.   Was it heaven or was it a dimension in space and time somewhere between life and death?  All we know for sure is that both the living and the dead find themselves in the presence of "Jesus" and what He had said prior to the event has now become a reality. Mark 9: 1.   In this place both the living and the dead are able to see Jesus in His glory and in His power just as He said.  This story is not about facts, it’s all about the truth, a truth that can only be believed by the faithful whose faith is overflowing with hope, and the assurance that Jesus is Lord of both the living and the dead.  Let the faithful be reminded by Romans 14: 8.   If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.  And again from Isaiah 26: 19.    But those who die in the Lord will live; their bodies will rise again!  Those who sleep in the earth will rise up and sing for joy! For your life-giving light will fall like dew on your people in the place of the dead!    Isn't faith great!!    Thanks be to God.   

The Destination or The Journey?

 Who likes travelling?  We all have our way of planning a trip.  For some we look for the shortest route to get where we are going. For others the shortest route is secondary to the journey.  What was the preference in your family when you were growing up?  Has that changed?  If so, what changed it?  

Feb, 2018   Readings:  1 Corth  9: 16-23 Mark 1: 29-39

Good morning Folks:   Has anyone ever suggested to you that everything your parents, your peers, teacher, even your clergy have taught you might not be right?  

The great architect Frank Lloyd Wright tells the story of an incident that may have seemed insignificant at the time, but had a profound influence on the rest of his life.  When he was 9 years old, he went walking across the freshly washed sand at the shore with his reserved, no- nonsense uncle.   As the two of them reached the far end of the beach, his uncle stopped him.  He pointed out his own tracks in the sand, “look son” he said, “straight and true as an arrow's flight” and then pointed out to young Frank. “Your tracks are wondering all over the sand, aimlessly from one side to the other, first over to the rocks, then to the ocean and back again.  See how straight my tracks lead me directly to my goal. There is an important lesson for you to be learn from our walk hear, Frank.”  Said the Uncle. 

Years later the world-famous architect liked to tell how the experience had contributed to his philosophy in life.   "I was determined right then” said Frank, “not to get distracted by focusing on a goal in life while missing out on the importance of the journey,  as my uncle had done."

Frank saw in those tracks what his uncle could not:   It is so easy to let the demands of an organized, orderly life, keep him from living and experiencing the journey.   He believed that the focus should not be the destination or the goal, but the most important thing was to learn from the journey along the way.  Unfortunately for most of western Christianity the teaching has been mainly focused on a destination, heaven and their understanding of salvation, or how to get there.
If you look closely at the life and times of Jesus you will find His teaching is all about the journey. There was one specific Goal for Jesus to accomplish to do His heavenly Fathers will, but to do that, it wasn’t straight to the cross, no it took his life on a wondering journey outside the norms of life and it shock the foundations of the status quo.  Jesus needed to experience everything we would.  As we have discovered in our bibles, Jesus was not only a divine and special person, but he was also fully human.   His journey would take him well off the straight and narrow, Oh the goal would eventually be achieved, but it certainly wouldn’t be a straight pathway from point A to point B.  Don’t let anyone tell you they have found all the answers to the stories in the bible, for all the rocks have yet to be turned over. 

He would experience the wonder of human birth, love, warmth, hugs, kisses, pleasure, but he also would have endure hunger, hardships, disappointments, setbacks, feel the cold, become lonely, experience emptiness, rejection by his own religion, elders, and in the end, even his own family.   Jesus would be abandonment by his closest friends and then endure the agonizing of death on a cross.  All this to fulfill his goal in life.   His journey would show us a much deeper understanding of justice and love.   A just-world where the least are, just as if not more important, than those who contained the most.  He would show us a love that the world still does not know, a love that is completely forgiving and free from condition.  Jesus would also caution us that our goal in life cannot not be accomplished without the full experience of the journey to include both joy and suffering.    His example shows us that it is through our interactions with people, our response to our human condition with its pain and sorrow, the building up and the termination of personal relationships, and in serving others along the way.   That is how we will find the fullness of life and complete our goal, which is to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

  

I think we all recognize that any goal in life worth achieving demands a great journey.  If you are a doctor you must spend vast hours studying to learn about disease and the human body.  The life of your patient demands it.   If you are a teacher you must give countless hours to research and preparation for your lectures. The mind of your student demands it. If you are a carpenter you must patiently spend countless hours learning to craft your skills often before you drive your first professional nail. The integrity of the structure depends on it. If you are a mother you must sacrifice much of your life for another. Your child requires it.   We could not live if we did not set goals and work to fulfill them, no sane person would argue otherwise.   But here's what young Frank Wright discovered at the tender age of 9, and what some don't learn until later in life and others never.  The objective in life is not the goal, as important as goals are, but the journey on the way to the goal.   In other words what kind of footprint do we leave when achieving our goals?  Many misunderstand that achieving the goal is so important that they even compromise their own values, run over or even crush others in their achieving.   Countries have even been known to gone to war over a specific goal.   In the Second World War the goal was to exterminate an entire race of people and rule over all others as the supreme race.  Many today are still struggling with that goal.  

If profit becomes the ultimate goal, we again run the risk of compromising ethical and ecological values.  This is why it is so important that we fellowship and teach each other in the ways of Jesus.  This is why the example of Jesus is so important in the lives of individuals and families today.   We need not only to take the message in, but then we need to take the message out, outside this box.  We need to become the examples for all others to see, not by speaking of what we know, but by actually doing  what we say we know.   As followers of Christ it is our mission, it is our calling.     
Listen to the words in this song:  

"Who Has The Authority"

When I was growing up my mom would most often call for me using my shortened name Sim.  “Sim, come here” she would say.  But when she was upset with me she would call out “Simpson”.  This was her voice of authority and when she used It, I knew I was in deep doggie do do!  Who commanded a voice of authority when you were growing up?  

Mark 1:21- The voice of Authority 

²¹ They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. ²² The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.²³ 

Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, ²⁴ “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

²⁵ “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” ²⁶ The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

²⁷ The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” ²⁸ News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

What I need you to do is ponder on the comments from the reading which stated that he taught them as one with authority but not as the teachers of the law did.  And that it was for them a new teaching that emphasized a new sense of authority.     

When we first hear the word authority we often associate it with the voice from a pretty stern strict or angered parent.  In your upbringing you may have associated the voice of authority coming from a relative, a school principal, a policeman or the drill sergeant in your cadet core.    We often think of a courtroom judge and its jury as the final voice of authority for some people.    The higher hierarchy of an organized church or its religion is usually a recognized voice of authority for them.   

If you look closely you will see that the above assumptions about where we see authority have been reinforced within society and religions by something called dualistic thinking, or a clear cut approach to right and wrong, good and evil.    For example within religion we have been taught to think in terms of the sinner and the saved, the righteous and the unrighteous, those who are in or heaven bound and those who are not.   I would like to suggest here that this dualistic approach to authority is based on and influenced by early Geek mythology and does not come to us via our Jewish roots.  The God of the Hebrew Scriptures was seen by the Israelites as a God of love, rescue, mercy and grace as illustrated in the story of Jonah and his whale of a tale story.  The God of the Old Testament, or Hebrew Scriptures is a God who offers a merciful change of mind when people or nations change their ways.    If you did your home work from last week you may have gleaned that truth from the story.   Here Jesus is offering a new teaching about authority where authority is not based on the sinner or the saved, right or wrong, good or evil, but on compassion, acceptance, forgiveness and Love regardless of who you are, where you have come from or what your past might be.  The ultimate authority is shown and presented in love, which was given to the world in the person of Jesus.   Jesus is the authority and has now bestowed this authority upon us to represent His love, truth, compassion, humility, and forgiveness which we are to extend to others on His behalf.  This authority not only came into the world but was entrusted to us and is to be cried into the next generation.   An authority that commands us to be the last, so we can be first in the eyes of our creator.    We may have to learn once again that the rule of law both inside and outside the church does not contain the authority we seek nor should it be where we look for it.  If that were the case, we would no longer look to doctrine or dogma for our authority but to the life and times of our Lord Jesus Christ realizing that the unity or oneness we seek can only be found there for all humanity. 

We all know that the Law is only a guideline but has no authority 

over God’s love for his children.  That God’s love always wins and

contains the ultimate authority over evil as taught by Christ Jesus, and is 

contained in unconditional love and forgiveness for all.   

"Jonah and His Whale of A Tale"??

The headline reads “Jonah and His Whale of a Tale” fact or fiction?  Regardless of how you see it, when you hear the name “Jonah” what’s the first thing that comes to your mind from the story.   

Jan 21, 2018 Readings:  Jonah 3:1-5, 3:10-4:1  Mark 1:14-20

Jonah is one of the shortest books found in the Old Testament but it is also probably one of its most well-known and misunderstood texts.  If we have the ears to hear, it is packed with wisdom tips for the modern day Christian.  Because of the debate or in some cases the argument, over trying to prove or disprove the story as fact, its wisdom teaching has been either lost or ignored to most church and non- church going folk.  

I believe if you were to ask almost any Joe public, he or she could tell you something about the biblical Jonah and his “whale of a tale” story.  They might even tell you he was the character who got swallowed by the whale and lived to tell the story.  According to Scripture Jonah was three days in the belly of the whale before the whale ends up spitting him out.  We might call this his time of reflection and repentance because after this ordeal, Jonah has a change of heart. 

Now the story always seems to bring up this question doesn’t it:  Is the story of Jonah fact or fiction?  May I suggest here, that too much time has been spent by Christians and non-Christians alike on proving or disproving the miracle stories of the bible as fact or fiction.  All the while missing the gold nuggets, wisdom tips, the real truths, that are hidden within the stories. So much more cooperation and mutual understanding could be achieved if Christian denominations and other religions of our world would honor this approach to these ancient writings.   Not fact finding but truth finding. 

This has been an Achilles Heel for many a miracle story {fact or fiction} not to mention the burning bush that could not be consumed, the parting of the Red Sea, Noah’s arch, the virgin birth, water into wine, all the way up to the resurrection of Christ.  You see faith is not about proving these stories to be factual, faith is trusting that God inspired these writings and laces the stories not with literal facts, but with literal truths.  Now you think about the for a moment.  The stories are like gold mines and we are to be miners, not scientists looking to prove a particular version or interpretation of the book to be the right one or that it is all about literal facts.   May I suggest that was never God purpose in inspiring this manual to guide us through life?  The gold nuggets are truths and they are hiding within the pages of the book.   You are not required to prove their existence.  You are to put them into action.  The gold is wisdom, wisdom for living and for dying, and it is there waiting for you to dig it out or uncover it and begin to use this perfect knowledge to live out your life.  When you do the preciousness of finding these wisdom tips or truths, makes proving how it got there irrelevant in the first place, fact or fiction should no longer be the agreement.  In the end it should not even be about their stories!  It should be all about your story and the wisdom that the text offers you or I, on how to live and die a righteous life.   We were given both the seed of life and the seed of death during our conception and our time here has it limits, so let us not lose out.   

Jonah’ story is not about fact or fiction, it is about him getting his own way rather than listening and obeying that still small voice that was speaking to him.  Many of us do the same thing when we hide or run away from the truth about ourselves our circumstances or about the world around us.  We try with stimulus to mask over the circumstances of our lives rather than face up to them, not trusting that God offers us a better way, we avoid mining to find new ways to deal with the bitterness of life.  So, fact or fiction becomes irrelevant with all the biblical stories if you didn’t dig out a nugget for yourself.  I have home work for you.  Read Jonah's story for yourself at home.  It is only 4 short chapters and will only take you 10 to 15 minutes out of your day.  Listen for what Jonah has to offer you.  
Here is a nugget I personally dug out for me, from the story.  Jonah’s anger with God invited me to take a hard look at anger within myself.   I, like Jonah, believe in a God of unconditional love, forgiveness and mercy and I have often been heard quoting 1 John 1:9 “God’s forgiveness and love is sufficient for all.”  But, and this is a big BUT for me and maybe for you to.  On the other hand I also want justice and punishment to be served upon those who deserve it, especially if I or some innocent  bystander or child is the victim of their evil doing.  There should be no mercy here right?  But and this is a big but for me, would I be angry if God were to have a merciful change of heart when I didn't think God should?  As a Christian, if God were to show instant unconditional forgiveness and mercy to a person I didn’t think deserved it, would I not get angry just like Jonah did with God?  

May I suggest that none of us want evil to get off Scott free yet Christ' way teaches us that we don’t have "the" choice here.    The question I had to consider was ; do I favor punishment over mercy, but the deeper  and even more critical reality is: do I sometimes favor hate over love?  We as Christians should understand that Christ gives us no choice, Matthew 5:43-48 for we are to: Love and pray for your enemies doing good to those who persecute you. 
God is judge and jury not just only over those we think are evil, but over us who may mistakenly think of ourselves as the righteous.  It certainly appears to be the case with Jonah and is this not the root of many of the world problems today, watering the seeds of hate over love.   I have gotten angry with God many times in the past, because I wanted those who had harmed me personally to get theirs.  I too often want it my way.  Jonah’ story offered me some insight about my own anger.  As you read his story at home this week, see where wisdom mining, will take you.  

   

"Have You Heard The Call"

Have any of you ever experienced an urge or a feeling that you needed to do something or that you needed go to someplace, or just the opposite you had a nudge or feeling that you shouldn’t?  Has that ever happened to you?    Some would call that listening to “The Still Small Voice” from within!!

Sunday Jan 14 2018 

Readings:   1 Samuel 3: 1-20 Psalm 139 John 1: 43-51

A man distraught by all the pain and suffering going on all around him broke down banging his fists into the dirt.   His head turns upward as he yells at his God. "Look at this mess God.  Look at all the pain and suffering around us.  WHY DON'T YOU DO SOMETHING!!  "Suddenly the havens opened, a light shown down illuminating the man and voice from the heavens spoke.   "I did do something. I sent you."    Did you hear that, God has sent YOU!   It’s that simple but often not heard, felt or payed attention to.  It’s not about somebody else, it is about you, Gods is calling upon you, and it’s you who must step forth and answer your calling: “It is I Lord, send me” do you know the lyrics for “I The Lord Of Sea and Sky” ----- listen to the song at the end of the blog today. 

Did any you hear that still small voice from within this week; directing you to a particular book, nudging you to look up a scripture or maybe offered yourself to be a volunteer somewhere?  Maybe you were prompted to make a visit to the hospital, make a phone call, or send an email to someone whose name was placed upon your heart.  How many of us here today have felt the nudge or heard that still small voice and responded in some way? 

Have you ever pondered this question for yourself!  Why do I exist, why was I sent here?  What’s my purpose?    Are you aware that in order for you to be here, in order for your conception to have taken place, everything had to be just the way God intended it to be?  You might even say it required a moment of perfection otherwise you really would be here.  We might not see ourselves as being perfect, but in the eyes of God, we are all unique, perfectly created and have been blessed with the God given gift of great potential.   Did you hear that, we are all unique, born with great potential!  Now I will admit that we had no control over where we were born or who our parents were going to be; nor did we have any control over our conception, or how it happened, and for some of us, that might not have been under the best of circumstances; but, we are all born full of potential, and our potential is the essence of life itself.  Essence meaning our intrinsic {inborn} human  nature, that indispensable quality that determines our character.   We can choose to grow it or allow it go stagnant.  Now think about that for moment folks because without life there is no potential, nothing can happen.    We can see this as a common thread among all the biblical characters both in the Old and New Testaments.  Let us look at the man named Noah.  Noah was a common man, a boat builder who loved God, but he also liked his liquor, Oh Yes. Scripture tells us that Noah had a bit of a drinking problem and that often embarrassed his family, yet this didn’t stop him from hearing God’s call nor did it stop him from fulfilling his God given potential.  You see God is not distracted by our frailties of our weakness.  In fact this is where God really shines in our world.   What does Paul have to say about our weakness: 2 Corinthians 12:9  But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 

 In fact Noah is one of the most important figures found in the bible stories.   God doesn’t reject us because of our human struggle, if that were so I personally would not be standing here in the pulpit speaking to you today,  God uses us for good in all situations and under all kinds of  circumstances.  Nothing is lost everybody and everything was meant for good.  Genesis 1:  Are you listening, for God is speaking to you!   Are you willing to fulfill your God given potential? 

God Loves and calls children, adults, seniors and He gives us great examples of His love for us throughout the bible.  God calls to a stuttering murderous Moses, to Abraham, Sara and Elizabeth in their so called over the hill golden years.  He calls to John the Baptizer, Ruth, and Naomi Martha, Mary, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and the notorious Apostle Paul. He called the child Samuel in the first reading today.  Samuel the boy would become one of Israel’s greatest prophets.  He was a man of prayer, he began the school of the prophets in Israel, and anointed many of Israel’s first kings.   And what about Moses?   He was abandoned by his natural mother.  She placed in basket and set a float in the Nile River.  He should have ended up as a street kid.  With great reluctance Moses finally listens to God’s call and would become the great and most recognized Prophet within the Jewish Religion.    

Throughout the bible we are given examples covering every situation and every set of circumstances imaginable.  Women, men and children of every race, both religious and non-religion, have been able to transcend family circumstances, bad teachings, illness, disabilities, poverty, sinfulness even wealth by listening and responding to their call.      None of us can fulfill our God given potential without realizing our need for God in our lives.  Jesus makes it clear, that if we are left to our own, as we see in the biblical stories, we are doomed.   By being obedient to the Gods nudging, and listing to that still small voice within, you will discover your full potential.  In all the biblical examples, they were able to move out beyond themselves and their circumstances by trusting in God which is to be found in Christ.   God loves you right where you are, but, He doesn't want to leave you there.   Wherever you are is and always will be, just a beginning point.   Like the biblical characters, you too must be able to reach beyond your circumstances.  Think about it folks, it was a young pregnant unwed girl who birth our Lord Jesus.   It was a prostitute who proclaimed him Messiah.  The blind followed him, the poor loved him, the common man turn to him, the tax collectors, beggars, fisherman, and even some notorious killers.  Ironic as it may sound, these were the people who forged the faith we follow today.  A key note here is that each and every one heard that still small voice that began a new chapter in their lives as they began to forge their potential, each unique in their own way.  I am assured that God is speaking to someone listening here today. 

Every human being on this planet is unique and special and there is only 

one of you.   You were created by God to love one another and to grow

the potential that God placed in you on the day of your conception.  God

is calling, are you listening.