And you shall be my people, and I will be your God. ~ Jeremiah 30:22 The reading for today could just as easily be Exodus 6:7 or Leviticus 26:12 or Ezekiel 36:28. It's a recurring theme in scripture. You shall be my people. And I will be your God. Over and over again. God is relentless in wanting us to know that. What does it mean to be God's people? What does it mean for your life as an individual: parent? child? sister? brother? co-worker? citizen? What does it mea

Unless a grain of wheat shall fall. Here is a song that reminds us how we truly live. (note however - the close captions aren't alway correct)

You shall put these words of mine in your heart and soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and fix them as an emblem on your forehead. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the Lord swore to your ancestors to give them, as long as

Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality. ~ Acts 10:34 This comes from one of my favorite New Testament stories: the story of Cornelius the centurion who, along with his family, is baptized by Peter. In fact, I think one of the most important stories of our Christian heritage. It is on this story that really everything turns. It's in this story that the trajectory of "the people of the Way" moved toward global event. There is no way

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. ~ Philippians 2:1-4 As I read through this passage again and again

Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ~ John 12:24-25 For a long time, the word I focused on in this passage was "hate." As if: "Really, Jesus? You want me to hate my life?" The previous verse really helps here. What good is a grain of wheat on it's own? Sa

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn ~ Isaiah 61:1-2 When you try your best, but you don't succeed When you get what you want, but not what you need When you feel so tired, b

Wait for the Lord, be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! ~ Psalm 27:14 "Well I came home Like a stone And I fell heavy into your arms These days of dust Which we've known Will blow away with this new sun But I'll kneel down Wait for now And I'll kneel down Know my ground And I will wait, I will wait for you And I will wait, I will wait for you" I am not a patient person. Maybe it's my ADHD, or maybe it's something I haven't worked on enough. T

Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. Who are you to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand. Some judg

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” ~ I Corinthians 1:18-19 As a kid, I remember watching the (apparently much maligned) cartoon movie of the Beatles' "Magical Mystery Tour." My favorite song when I saw the movie was Paul McCartney's "The Fool on the Hill. Day after day

How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! ~ Psalm 133:1 "I had a dream when I was young A dream of sweet illusion A glimpse of hope and unity And visions of one sweet union..." It's always fun for me on Fridays to find videos of songs (usually songs anyway) that tie in with one or more of the devotions for the week. This week I want to share videos each day that speak to a particular scripture passage - an not necessarily songs we are used to h

A little more about Mary Magdalene this Friday. This is a very interesting and entertaining video about some of the legends and traditions about her. (despite its title, I wouldn't say this is all "truth').

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit." ~ Matthew 7:15-17 How do you know if a leader - spiritual, political, or business, is a leader who tells the truth? Who is honest? Who cares? Who will be someone you can follow? And how do you know if a lea

Soon afterward he went on through one town and village after another, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out...~ Luke 8:1-2 Today is the feast day of Mary Magdalene (of Mary of Magdala as she is sometimes referred). In the gospels, Luke is the only one who mentions her in a context other than reg

For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. ~ Galatians 5:1 In my previous congregation, their fellowship hall was filled with the farming tools from the building when it had been a barn. Some would joke that it looked like a bunch of torture instruments (not everyone loved having those tools of labor on the walls). Yesterday, the prophet Nahum told the Jewish people they would be free from being yoked to their oppr

Thus says the Lord: Though they are at full strength and many, they will be cut off and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more. And now I will break off his yoke from you and snap the bonds that bind you. ~ Nahum 12-13 Have you ever been yoked? Through yoking, partners can succeed together in ways that they can't alone. But sometimes the yoking isn't an act that brings success. Empires and other systems can yoke the people they oppress

A gorgeous bluesy gospel version of Psalm 103.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. ~ Psalm 103:1 Do you have a favorite childhood memory? Or perhaps a recurring one that gives you great pleasure to return to over and over again? A memory maybe of someone who isn't with you any longer, but when they were, helped you find joy? For me, that memory is of my Grandma Lindstrom. My mother's mother. As a child, I have vivid memories of her reciting the opening lines to Psalm 103

Jesus answered them, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done. Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.” ~ Matthew 21:21-22 These two verses come at the end of one of the most difficult stories about Jesus. He has just cursed a fig tree because it wouldn't bear fruit. It withered and died, an

Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. ~ Romans 13:8-10 One of the truisms I've learned over time is that faith is, like life, "Simpl