¹³Happy are those who find wisdom, and those who get understanding, ¹⁴for her income is better than silver, and her revenue better than gold. ¹⁵She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. ¹⁶Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. ¹⁷Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. ¹⁸She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called happy.  ¹⁹The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; ²⁰by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew. Proverbs 3:13-20

Who in your life is the epitome of wisdom?  Was there a special person that you sought out for advice, or you knew would help you find the answer?  Who just exuded wisdom?

My maternal Grandmother was wise.  Whether it was an old Irish saying or just plain words, she could sum up situations and give guidance. 

While I was too young to remember anything he said, my paternal Grandfather showed wisdom as he walked across town visiting all of his grandchildren.  My memories are of a wizened face bringing a feeling of security (and Circus Peanuts candy!).

Throughout my life I’ve sought wisdom.  I try to look at all situations through different lenses and make decisions based on wisdom.  And I try to offer that same wisdom to those I encounter.

James 1:5 says If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.  It is worthy prayer for us all.

As you journey through this week, seek wisdom.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 
1 Cor. 13:1-13

Today is Valentine’s Day – a day that is dedicated to love and so I chose one of the most well known love passages in the bible.

But we need to really look hard at this passage to understand it.  Paul is not talking about the Disney Princess Lovey Dovey stuff, rather he is talking about servant love.  The Greek language gives us many different words for love, indicating different meanings.  We have Philos, referring to friendship (Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love), Eros, the love between partners (yes, we get the word erotic from this) and Agape, meaning servant love.  This is the love Paul speaks of, and this is the love Jesus often speaks of – the love of a servant. It is the love that guides us to do wonderful things for others.  It is the love that took our sin on the cross.

Today, celebrate all the different loves in your life.  Celebrate friends, partners, children, parents and everyone else.  And consider this:  How can you show servant love to someone else this week?

Peace,

Pastor Bill

¹I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.
²Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever.
³Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable.

⁴One generation shall laud your works to another and shall declare your mighty acts.
⁵On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
⁶The might of your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed, and I will declare your greatness.
⁷They shall celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

⁸The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
⁹The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.

¹⁰All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your faithful shall bless you.
¹¹They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, and tell of your power,
¹²to make known to all people your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
¹³Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations.

Psalm 145

Today is a new day.  For what are you thankful?  Today is a new day, what one thing will you bless the Lord for?  It is Monday morning, the traditional day of “Ugh” as we begin a new week.  It is easy to complain.  It’s cold, it is the beginning of a new work week – a time of drudgery for many.  For kids, the new school week and if your household was like mine, getting up was difficult this morning.

I can sit here and tell you all the bad stuff about today, all the work, all the frustrations of not getting things done over the weekend, all the problems in the nation and the world – and I’m sure you can do the same.

But what works of the Lord shall we proclaim today?  What shall we say of the glory of the Kingdom?

As you begin your day and a new work/school week, consider these questions.  Ponder these questions.  Take a couple of minutes and just think about these questions.  Then make known to all people God’s mighty deeds – or even the little things God has done for you just today.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

Luke 1:26-38

²⁶In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” ²⁹But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. ³²He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. ³³He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” ³⁴Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” ³⁵The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. ³⁶And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. ³⁷For nothing will be impossible with God.” ³⁸Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

            Mary’s story is perhaps one of the most astonishing in the bible.  There are many stories of people who said yes to God, but not like this.  Many were called to move from one place to another for God’s purposes.  David was called to slay Goliath – and received accolades for that act.  But Mary could face shunning from her family and village, or even death by stoning.  Yet Mary said “yes”.

            Has God asked something of you?  Did the request mean a significant change in your life?  If so, how did you respond?  What about those little things God asks of us daily, such as helping those in need, caring for the poor, sheltering the homeless and many other things?

            In this season of giving, let us all consider the words of Mary and see if we can respond the same way.  “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

Peace,

Pastor Bill

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

It is the first week of Advent, the week of Hope.

This morning’s message on Hope comes from Kiran. Click HERE for the Video

This is an excerpt from her 8th grade chapel entitled “Five Words”.  The full message can be found here

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

It is the first week of Advent, the week of Hope.

This morning’s message on Hope comes from Kiran. Click HERE for the Video

This is an excerpt from her 8th grade chapel entitled “Five Words”.  The full message can be found here

Psalm 62:1-2

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.
He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken.

It is Monday of Thanksgiving week.  Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  I get up, make breakfast and start preparing for the meal.  We turn on the Thanksgiving Day parade and spend a quiet morning together. 

Whether it is just us or we have family over, it is a wonderful day.  Friday (black Friday according to the retailers), we purchase a tree from a local tree farm, and start to decorate for Christmas.  It again is a wonderful day of family life. 

Before any of this happens, however, is anything but peaceful.  As my wife and I are both clergy we each have multiple services to prepare before we can take time off and, of course, our daughter has homework to finish.  The days before a holiday can be quite hectic.

I’m sure things are similar for many of you, no matter what your occupation.  In today’s world, taking time off comes with a price, and that is unfortunate.

However, we can find those moments, and that is the point of Monday Morning Meditation – to take a moment before everything gets crazy and sit in silence before the Lord.

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.
He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken.

I pray you have a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration, and that you can give yourself a moment for your soul to wait in silence.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

¹Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD. Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications! ³If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? ⁴But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered. ⁵I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; ⁶my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning. ⁷O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem. ⁸It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

Are you in the depths?  In a way, we all are right now, with conditions constantly in flux, the holidays fast approaching, supply lines disrupted, prices rising, and the rest.  Honestly, you do not need me to remind you, do you?

This morning, listen to the Psalmist.  In the depths, he cries out to the Lord, his soul waits for the Lord.  And, he remembers the most important part – “For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem.”

Steadfast love – a love that never changes (even if we mess up), a love that is consistent, constant and overwhelming.  You are loved.  Remember that.

As you enter into this new week remember these things.  Hope in the Lord, for God loves you and will redeem you.  Even if you are in the depths.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

Our utmost thanks to all who have honorably served the United States military.

Thank you for sacrificing part of your life to defend our freedom.

Thank you to your families who shared your gifts with us as you served.

Thank you for all you have done for our nation, our communities and our lives.

May God bless you abundantly!