Meditation Journey

Meditation Journey by Carol Wilcox

Happy New Year!

This is a new year, all right. But happy? Depends on the meaning of the word. Or the person experiencing happiness. Many are cold, hungry, have lost homes, jobs and are scared or depressed. To some, it may seem like God has forsaken them.

But Psalm 128: v.1, 2 says, “Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in His ways. For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands; happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. And Psalm 144; v.15 sings out, ‘Yea, happy is that people whose God is the Lord.”

I recently watched the old T.V. movie Fiddler on the Roof. What a timely story to hear and see! We experience the hero and his family and fellow villagers struggling to exist under Czarist Russia, but keeping their strong faith in God. Tevya maintains a

constant dialogue with his God, which you see by his eyes raised heavenward. (“Would it be too much to ask…?) Indeed, the whole village celebrates with joy as they dance and sing and humbly pray at their traditional rites.

We read Psalms 118:v.6: “With the Lord on my side, I do not fear. What can mortals do to me?” God does walk with us to steady us in fearful times and gives us courage, strength and wisdom to face the challenges that lie before us.

Let us all celebrate and sing and shout our thanks to God for all our blessings!

Happy New Year!

For further reading, go to: Isaiah 43: v.1 – 7

Luke 12: v.22 -34

(Note: Next week, what can we do for each other?)

MEDITATION Psalm 100

“Shout Praises to the Lord, everyone on this earth. Be joyful and sing as you come in to worship the Lord! …His love and faithfulness will last forever.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his only son.

 MEDITATION

Malachi 3;1-6 & Phillipians 4:4-9

“The messenger for desire is coming with my promise. And he is on his way.”

Do not let us be disturbed by commercialism, hard to please people; all that “stuff” that is not Christmas.

“Be glad, always be gentle with others. The Lord willsoon be here. Do not worry about anything, but pray about everything!”

PAGEANT DAY by Cynthia Hankins

Waiting is hard, isn’t it? Waiting in a doctor’s office, or in a line.

Sometimes waiting for something exciting, the anticipation is even harder. Waiting for a vacation, a party, a baby being born.

Think about Joseph and Mary waiting for their baby to come. Worried, scared, excited… And all they could do is wait and trust in God.

“Don’t be afraid, Just Believe”.

 MEDITATION

“Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you’re alive, it isn’t!”

What an interesting thought to remember as we head into this Advent season, and are thinking, pondering and hoping for all good things. As we look forward to, not only the holidays ahead, but also the uncharted New Year beyond them – in our church, our community, our country and our world – where do we fit into the picture?

What part will you and I play in the events that lie ahead of us? Will we be active participants? Will we be hypercritical observers and bystanders? Will we wait to see the way things are going before we jump in, or will we be the “determiners” of the direction?

Here’s another thought to ponder: “We are never given a wish without also being given the Power to make it true. We may have to work for it however.”

God, as we prepare for the celebrations ahead, let us remember that we have a role to play. We have wishes to work for and missions to accomplish. Walk with us, please, and be our guide. Amen

Shopping for words that Feed …

I started a new book recently, which, although it isn’t the Bible, and it didn’t even come from the Religion section of the bookstore, IS deep and spiritual and thought provoking. It’s feeding me. I was struck by an image of Buehler’s (maybe I was thinking of Thanksgiving dinner) and some questions came to mind:

Do I shop in only ONE aisle or department at the grocery store for the foods I will eat?

Do I limit my thinking to the same products and the same choices over and over?

Do I pick the most nourishing items for my health?

Do I ever make wrong choices that simply look or taste good, but are actually “empty”?

Have I ever found a tasty treasure in an aisle I hadn’t expected to look in?

I think that God puts His Word and Messages and Lessons for us in all the different aisles and sections and products of our earthly supermarket. It’s our job to be willing to look for nourishment and sustenance in every one of them. It’s also our job to be discerning in our choices and avoid those “empty” calories!

God, Thank you for putting your Word and your Messages and your Lessons for me in so many rich and varied places. Help me to make sumptuous choices and to always take in that which nourishes and supports and sustains according to Your will.

In Jesus’ name … Amen.

SEARCHING FOR SAINTS

God is on a saint search, and it’s not only perfect people who are going to be found. Sure, there may be some who are born with the natural ability to love the Lord with the totality of heart, soul, mind and strength, nonstop. But for most of us, this passion and power come only after we discover that God has always loved us, and that his love precedes our own.

Fact is, most of us find the Lord only after we have been found by him.And all God asks is that we respond with that same level of passion … loving him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength … and showing a willingness to love our neighbors as ourselves.

MEDITIATION by Carl Skorepa

God’s Unlikely Economics

            With the economic problems looming over us the following story from God’s word give us guidance on how to react and in turn be blessed:

So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. As he came to the entrance of the village, he met a woman, a widow, gathering firewood. He asked her, “Please, would you bring me a little water in a jug? I need a drink.” As she went to get it, he called out, “And while you’re at it, would you bring me something to eat?”

She said, “I swear, as surely as your God lives, I don’t have so much as a biscuit. I have a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a bottle; you found me scratching together just enough firewood to make a last meal for my son and me. After we eat it, we’ll die.”

Elijah said to her, “Don’t worry about a thing. Go ahead and do what you’ve said. But first make a small biscuit for me and bring it back here. Then go ahead and make a meal from what’s left for you and your son. This is the word of the God of Israel: ‘The jar of flour will not run out and the bottle of oil will not become empty before God sends rain on the land and ends this drought.’”

And she went right off and did it, did just as Elijah asked. And it turned out as he said—daily food for her and her family. The jar of meal didn’t run out and the bottle of oil didn’t become empty: God’s promise fulfilled to the letter, exactly as Elijah had delivered it! (I King 17:10-16)

Here are some other examples of God’s Unlikely Economics: Mark 12:41-44; Luke 21:2-4; Matthew 26:7-13; Mark 14:3-9.

 The Paradoxes of Life

When I spend myself — body, soul and strength — I find replenishment within.

When I feel at peace with God, I discover I am at peace with the world.
—Charles Ferrell

MEDITATION by Carl Skorepa

“Don’t give up; even Moses was a basket case.” This saying posted on a church marquee caught my attention and the play on words caused a chuckle. Remember as a baby Moses’ mother placed him in a wicker basket and floated it down the Nile River to protect him. Yet in God’s providence Moses was miraculously return to his mother by pharaoh’s daughter who found the basket.

We have all gone through periods of great discouragement or frustration during our lives. In some cases there are ongoing discouragements that last for years. Often these challenges relate to job, relationship, and/or health issues that cause us to feel like basket-cases. How do we cope with life’s challenges that make us feel like we are floating down a river in a basket?

We are implored through out God’s word to press on. Paul shares these words of encouragement to the church in Corinth. “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.” II Corinthians 4:8-9.

Recently, I heard a sermon which implored the listeners to reach out to others when we ourselves are perplexed and confused and in turn serve them. This is so contrary to what we think is correct or logical to help ourselves. Paul once again offered these words of encouragement to the Galatians: “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.” Galatians 6:9-10