Category: God

Life is a Challenge

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In the past two years plus I have had many challenges. Life has not been easy. In reality the whole world has faced much pain, grief and fear. Yet, through all of this I have felt a support holding me. For God promises that through everything that we face we can know that his support is there. He reminds us of this in one of the most favorite Psalms.

Psalm 23: 4

Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

Listen

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There are so many times a day that I am planning, thinking about what is next, reading, watching TV and many more things. I am not listening. Only in silence can I hear the voice of God. Only when I LISTEN can I hear!

I have always been a talker and for many years while someone was speaking was thinking about what I would say next. I have gotten better over the years but I will never be perfect. Someone says we have two ears and one mouth for a reason.

Don’t forget to sit silent and wait. God will speak.

God gave us tears

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I have purchased a wonderful little book called The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse. It has wonderful pieces of wisdom and today I read “Tears fall for a reason and they are your strength not weakness.”

The way our world is today many tears are falling. Sometimes all the pain becomes more than we can bear. However, our loving God gave us the ability to cry. Those tears rolling down our cheeks can cleanse some of the pain. God did not promise that life would be without pain. Only that he would be there with us…and to help….he gave us tears.

A loving God

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Sometimes I wonder about how ideas about Jesus and his way are interpreted. While my youngest child was in elementary school and got sick the teacher told her to ask herself what she had done wrong to bring on the illness. When I picked her up from school and she told me about this we went back to discuss this with the teacher and our minister. (the school was renting a building from our church)

That kind of thinking pictures a stern God who is just waiting to punish us for our sins. I am sorry that some people see God this way. Instead I see a loving God who wants the best for us. This God helps us to find our way through the bad things in life and stands with us when we struggle. I could not survive if I did not have God with each and every day.

Prayer: God, I know that you are with me and will hold my hand through all of my fears. You give me strength when I have none. Continue to give me your loving presence each and every day. AMEN

God hears

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Matthew 7:7-8 (New International Version) 

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

This was the scripture today from Bible Gateway. It resonates with me. Sometimes we do ask but the things we ask for are not important. Sometimes we ask for important things and don’t get the answer we want.

That makes it easy to think that prayer doesn’t matter. It seems as if no one is listening. However, God is always listening. His love and caring are with us every moment. He hears the prayers and understands our fears and pains.

Prayer matters. Don’t give up because you things it doesn’t matter. Don’t stop because you think it has to be a formal kind of prayer. Just speak your heart. God hears.

God is more than a name

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We need to remember that God is our Father and our Mother. He is all things. Our simple minds form God in ways that we can understand and we don’t have any word to encompass all that God is. That may go some way to explain why God’s name was never spoken….there was more there than could be grasped. Think about the many images and ideas about who God is during this season of advent.

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Lately I have been thinking about the word grace. It is one we don’t often talk about but it is an important word.

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

So what is this grace? It is an example of God’s love for us. By grace he accepts us as the flawed human beings that we are. He understands how we can go astray and be unkind toward one another. He understands the hatred and the violence. He understands the discrimination toward others not like us.

God gets it all. But there is that word “grace.” The word that holds his love and understanding of all that we do. With faith we have been saved from ourselves.

Yes, grace matters.

God never leaves us

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Things have been so difficult for me since February. My husband was ill, in the hospital in March, no better at home until he was diagnosed at the Mayo Clinic this month. At last we have answers and healing. Add covid and it became unbearable. During this time the only thing holding me together has been knowing that I am held in the arms of God. There were days when I couldn’t pray but could feel the prayers of others supporting me and lifting me up.

God never leaves us. Sometimes we may not be able to feel his presence but he is there. God never leaves us.

Isaiah 41:10 (New International Version) 

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Psalm 94:19

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.

Silence

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Today I realized that I haven’t written in quite a while and need to get back to posting. I have been thinking about this quote.

Pause
To know the guidance of God’s Spirit, you need to be still and silent. In the cadence of your day, create some enclosures of silence where you pause and breathe and are really present to God’s presence.

-Br. Curtis Almquist
Society of Saint John the Evangelist

It is important to take that time to rest in silence with God. Don’t expect for something to always come to you. It doesn’t matter. Just sitting silent and turning toward God is enough. Some people like to use the name “Jesus” over and over to focus their thoughts. Sometimes music helps. The music from the Taize community is particularly helpful. Here is one that could be used. Watch the beautiful scenes or close your eyes and just move into the song.