Daily Encourager – June 30, 2020

Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. – Psalm 124:8

The songs of ascent are particular psalms that are typically only a few verses long, and they are meant to help the worshipers get into the right headspace, as it were, while coming into the temple complex to worship. The idea is if we remind ourselves of the wonders of God, the majesty of God, the help that God has proved before, then when we arrive in the presence of the assembly to worship God, we enter with thanksgiving and joy. Remember that other song – I will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart, I will enter his courts with praise, I will say this is the day, that the Lord has made, I will rejoice for he has made me glad.

The songs of ascent are to aid in getting our hearts and minds focused on the main thing, God and his glory.  It is with great joy that we can then enter into the assembly, to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, and know that we have been in the presence of the Holy Spirit, energized to make it through the days ahead.  It is part of what I have missed as we have not gathered together in worship. I bring this up, as we prepare for our first in-person worship service, wondering how we each might be preparing for worship.

A friend of mine, who once served at one of our larger congregations as an associate pastor, told me, his favorite place to be on Sunday morning was in his office. His office had a window that overlooked the parking lot. What he loved about sitting there in his office was watching couples and families pull in a park their cars, and seeing how they had prepared themselves for to come to worship. The reality of what he saw, was that most pulled in having arguments, or yelling at the teenage kids, or even coming in stoically silent, not conversing at all. However, the moment they would get of the car and walk in the door, it was all smiles, “God bless you,” “what a joy it is to be here, today,” “I couldn’t be more blessed.” They put on their “praise- faces” for worship, but we would  talk about what might really be going on in their lives below the surface.

The songs of ascent help us to understand that there may be a lot going on under the surface, under the “praise-face.” However, God meets us where we are, and lifts us to something better.

This coming Sunday, July 5, we will gather for the first time in the assembly at St. Mark since March 8. Sixteen weeks since we last gathered as a church family, and I know it will be longer for some of us.  Some of us will remain apart, and that is okay because we know you are being cautious. We know that the care of our hearts for you extends beyond a building, or seeing each other face-to-face.  But for those who do join us, how will you prepare you hearts to ascend into the assembly of the Lord? Will you come with thanksgiving in your hearts? With joy? With praise? May the cries of our hearts be always to praise the Lord even in the midst of sorrow and pain, to lift His holy name higher and higher each day. Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – June 29, 2020

Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, to make his mighty power known. = Psalm 106:8

There are several of the psalms that recount stories of the people of Israel. Psalm 106 is one of them.  In this psalm the people sing of the ways in which their ancestors had failed God time and time again.  Yet, as verse eight reminds them, God still saves them, for God’s names sake.

When we think about the goodness of God, we are ever reminded that God is a God of salvation, and that the salvation of God comes because God is continuously merciful. It is certainly and help for us when times seem tough, or when we have personally experienced a time when we have made a mistake or fallen short.  It is good, as it was for the people of Israel to know that God saves for God’s names sake.

It is believed that the psalms were especially helpful to the people of God during times of exile, to help them remember that their ancestors, had been through times of trial before, and their God had saved them then, and God, they believed, would save them again. 

People are always waiting on a savior. It gives us something in which to focus our hope, Even now, we await for a saving vaccine, or the perfect treatment plan.  Others are waiting on an economic savior, and often we try to make a savior out people who don’t quite have that power.  Those whom we place our trust, they might help us for a while, or do something that temporarily makes life better, but nothing is more powerful to save than our God. through his Son Jesus Christ. 

We know that it true, but like our ancestors before us we fall short again. However, I do not lose hope in humanity, nor in any person who might call on the name of the Lord, who by his name we shall be saved, and God will again restore us to make his mighty power known. May we make his name known, and share the glory of praising His great name now, and always. Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – June 28, 2020

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Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. – Psalm 118:1

There are some themes throughout the Scriptures that ring true for our lives no matter where we are on the journey of faith.  One such statement; as seen above, doesn’t just run as a theme, but as a call to how we should live.  We see this phrase repeated again and again throughout the history of the people of Israel - the people of God.  It is a common phrase we see in the psalms as well as something people would sing or shout as they enter into the sanctuary, or they would shout it out in hopes to survive as they went out to battle.  The understanding the people had was that in all things we should give thanks to the Lord because of His goodness and His enduring love that has no end. Even if life on this earth would end, God’s love does not end, but endures forever.

Can we imagine a world in which we gave constant praise to God? Could we imagine a world where we could join this wonderful theme of constant praise?  Perhaps we could live in such world, at least in our inner selves because we are grateful for all that the Lord has done to bless us.  However, I don’t think we have yet to contemplate being thankful in all things, or in all situations. We still forget, lose track, and stray from allowing us to be immersed in the goodness of God at times.

Yet, in God’s enduring love, He calls to us, forgives us,  brings us into the loving arms of our Savior, and again we give thanks.  Honestly, I don’t think there is anything we have that we can offer God besides thankfulness.  There is no possible way we can repay God for the all the great things He has done for us, therefore we can only humble ourselves in gratitude to His majestic and enduring love that has no end; for God is good!

God has been good to us, and kept us connected while we have been unable to gather in the Lord’s house at our St. Mark campus.  I am eager and excited to be back with some of you next week, but in preparing, I am praying for each of us. I’m praying that we remain free from illness. I’m praying that we understand our personal situation, and know that some of our lovely church family may not gather and that is okay.  I’m praying for those who do choose to remain sheltered in place.  I am praying for you and the situations you may find yourselves. I am hopeful that God’s love is overflowing in your life, and hope for his grace to overflow into the lives of many in our nation and our world, that we might one day be able to give thanks to Lord, together, knowing his enduring love that continues forever.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – June 27, 2020

And if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer -  Matthew 21:22

How often I’ve prayed for so many things in life, and, truly, I have been amazed at the way God responds to my prayer.  However, what about those prayers that haven’t yet been answered?  Do you have any of those “unanswered” prayers? Most notedly might be a prayer for the world to finally be at peace, or for an assurance that it is safe to get out and get back to life without fear. It may seem a bit awkward for me to say this, but I don’t believe in unanswered prayer.  I believe that God hears what we ask for, knows what we desire, and responds.  The truth is more often than not, when I think about those “unanswered” prayers, they are answered, but the answer was or is something unexpected.

Perhaps I didn’t need to get out of that tough situation, perhaps that tough situation was meant to make me stronger.  Perhaps I didn’t get the money I needed all at once, but over time I was able to pay for the things that were needed.  Perhaps I didn’t need to be healed from that illness, but God used that illness to get me to slow down a few days.  If we think about it, everything we have overcome in this life is an answered prayer. 

Sure, God still works miracles in our lives, and we see them every day if we just look around us.  However, God also answers our prayers in ways that seem conventional, and was that seems to be the ordinary course of life.  I truly believe, it is when we see God working in ordinary, in the mundane, and especially in the unexpected that our eyes are opened to have a stronger faith in His presence that is with us every day.  So keep praying, strengthen your faith, and know that God will hear and respond.

As we wait for God to respond, let’s also remember that God is waiting on us.  God is waiting on us the make the changes, or do the things that God would have us do to bring about the change in the world we seek.  If we are in need of patience, God may be giving us opportunity to learn such patience. If we are in need of forgiveness, God may be giving us an opportunity to forgive someone else. If we are need of a stronger relationship with our spouse or family, God may be waiting for us to choose to do something that would create that stronger bond. 

No doubt about it, God is a miracle worker, yet God believes in us, as we believe in Him. Sometimes we need to believe in the goodness that comes from within, and express the love that we have known in faith to others.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – June 26, 2020

But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem… - Acts 9:10-19

At some point in our faith we have probably heard the story of Saul’s Damascus road conversion. This former Pharisee persecutor of Jesus disciples, who meets the risen Lord in a bright light and all of a sudden we find him switching sides, and writing a good portion of the New Testament.

Ok, so maybe that’s not exactly how fast everything happens, but when we look back at ancient history, we like to sum things up to make them tidy.  Truth is, any of us who have had to make a change in lifestyle, in belief system, know that change is difficult, and it takes time to get used to it.  We know that change is something that doesn’t happen overnight, but take time.  Especially when we are talking about behaviors that have been a big part of who we believe we are.  The hardest part of change, however, may be convincing others that it has happened.

This portion of the story that I’ve listed above from Acts 9, I think is very interesting. We meet for the first and only time a man by the name of Ananias.  We know that he is faithful unto God, that he lives in Damascus, and that he was a disciples of Jesus, but that’s about it. 

We get this one little bit of Scripture about him, and what we find is this disciple of Jesus was praying when God spoke to him, and told him to go up to the "street wich is called Straight", and ask "in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus". (Acts 9:11). Ananias objected that Saul had been persecuting "thy saints", but the Lord told him that Saul was "a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel". (Acts 9:15). When Ananias went in to Saul and laid his hands on him, the "scales" of dead tissue on the surface of his eyes fell off, and he looked up at Ananias. After additional instruction, Saul was baptized. (Acts 9:18).  After that Paul stays in Damascus for a while, learning from the disciples.

Even though a change has happened, later, when Paul moves on to Jerusalem, the other disciples still fear him because he has been persecuting them.  Even the one whom the Lord sends to him, Ananias, has a hard time believing the Lord, and even questions God about the transformation before trusting the Lord enough to rise and go.  I imagine even in his going, Ananias was very cautious before simply announcing to Paul who he was and why he had come.

Ananias, though faithful to God’s call remained cautious.  That is something that is key for us as Christians in the world today. As we are faithful to serve God, to gather in places to share our faith, we need to remain cautious in keeping ourselves and others safe.  We face a different world, that is changed because of a virus that has proven very difficult to treat and navigate. We are getting back into an ever-opening society, and need to remember to be cautious. We can be both faithful and cautious. May God grant us the strength to understand how to love and care for others while remaining cautions in our faithfulness.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – June 25, 2020

…Peter replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” 34 Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.” 35 Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing,” they answered. 36 Jesus said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. 37 It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.”38 The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.” “That’s enough!” he replied. – Luke 22:33-38

There is this interesting conversation that happens during the Last Supper. Jesus and the disciples have shared their meal and Jesus is trying to give the disciples instructions as to what will happen next.  Judas, at this point has already been dismissed, and Peter makes another bold proclamation, he is ready to go with Jesus even unto death.

We know that is not how the story ends, and here Jesus predicts it, Peter though willing in that moment, though energized by Jesus message, and ready to face even death; will deny Jesus before dawn. When the time comes he isn’t able to live, yet, into the calling of an apostle and martyr.  Later, however he will.

Just after that moment Jesus gives a little more instruction. He tells them they are going to be sent out again, like they were before, but this time it will be different.  This time, Jesus knows that those who are out to stop him, will be out to stop them as well.  Jesus knows that those in power are going to hunt them down, and apocalyptically, Jesus tells them to be prepared.  But there is more to. this message than being prepared, Jesus is also fulfilling something spoken long ago. It is said of God’s chosen one that “he will be numbered with the transgressors, or the “outlaws.” We know that Jesus was crucified with two other criminals, but we don’t think of the disciples as transgressors. The disciples’ were young men, called out by Jesus, and the beginning point of an oncoming revolution.  Their youth perhaps made them timid (hence the hiding until the day of Pentecost). They were common folks, fishermen mostly. They were not violent, yet Jesus told them to get a sword; out of all 12 there in the upper room only 2 swords were currently available, they were probably small as well, as would have been common for that time, something we would consider a dagger, and akin to what we might even think of as a large pocket knife. 

Why would they need this tool? Each one of them? Was Jesus calling them to violence? When we get to the heart of Jesus purpose on earth, and the call of disciples to carry the message of grace, hope, and love into the world; what we should understand is that Jesus doesn’t call the disciples to violence. In contrast with the rest of the story, Jesus shows that violence is coming against them, violence comes against the message of God’s peace. The world and it’s ways seems to be in love with turmoil, with violence, and with oppression.  However, Jesus overcomes the world, the message of the gospel is needed, we say it’s needed now more than ever, but that has almost become cliché to every bad situation we have found ourselves in.  The truth, I know is that the gospel message is needed. Period. We who know the peace of God who live like it, we should share it, and we should stand against those who oppress others, however, not with violence.  The message of the gospel, is that oppression will happen, persecution will happen, but the gospel offers hope that life doesn’t have to be that way, and this world’s ways are not God’s ways. May we learn to live in God’s ways finding peace, sharing love, knowing joy.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – June 24, 2020

33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. – Luke 21:33

Jesus tells the disciples a parable using a fig tree.  He has been talking to them, and preparing them for the time that would be coming, when he would no longer be with them, but also about the day in which he shall return. Jesus speaks is what is called apocalyptic language talking about signs and wonders.

The disciples are curious as to when they will see such signs, and so Jesus has them look at a fig tree. When it and the other trees sprout new leaves you know when it is.  Jesus use the depiction of new leaves because he is talking about new growth.  He is talking about a renewal of things that once might have been considered dead.  When we think about this in comparison to what happened on that faithful resurrection day, we know that he disciples finally got all the Jesus had said to him.

What was dead, is no alive again, and we have a something to live for, we have something to be excited about, we have no fear now in death, because death is defeated in God has raise our Lord to live forevermore.

These weeks of quarantine of being out of routine, or not being able to see one another, have been trying in many regards.  I’m amazed that the new skills I have learned, the ways I have found to keep my kids entertained, and myself busy.  It has felt like we were living into some of these signs and wonders of Jesus apocalyptic language.  We feel as though we are trying to survive a literal plague.  However, I’m reminded each and every day, as I spend time in prayer, or as I read through the scriptures, that this world has felt dead before. The world and its people have seen times of trial and tribulation, yet we are still here.  The words of God that have brought forth life before, will bring them forth again, and in those words that will not pass away, we remain hopeful. 

May the God of the greatest hope, lift your heart today.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – June 23, 2020

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. – Psalm 94:19

This passed Sunday’s message dealt with Jesus teaching about anxiety from Matthew 6, understanding that God has us, and there is nothing to worry about while wrapped in his arms.  It is wonderful to know those moments. It is pure joy to be carefree, to know that the things of earth grow strangely dim, when we focus on the things above.  I wish I could say that it removes all anxiety over every issue we face in our world on a daily basis, but that wouldn’t be truthful.

We all face anxious moments in life. Even now as the summer season has come, and many people have become fatigued with waiting for society to “get back to normal;” we face issues of reported increases in COVID-19 cases.  It makes many anxious to think about what life might be like in the near future. We know that things are opening up, slowly and steadily, we are working to be able to offer in-person worship services.  But I’ll be honest, that makes me anxious.  I care for each one who would enter the doors of our church campus, and want everyone to feel welcomed and safe.  I also want people to feel engaged and energized by worship, but as you can probably understand from the survey that went out a couple of weeks ago, even when we get back to church in-person, it’s going to feel different, it’s going to be different.

I trust that you will be patient with your church leadership as we explore what coming to church looks like for the next little bit, and as we navigate with great care and caution the ways we will order the service, have to be seated in the sanctuary, making sure to offer Christ with great care and concern for the well-being of everyone present.

We will trust in God, that he will guide us and bless us though the steps we take as we prepare for gathering again.  We will trust that God will guide us in thinking about the others we will be around, and follow the guidelines to keep one another safe.  We will trust God will continue to bless those who do not yet feel comfortable getting out.  We will need to learn how to trust God more and more and maybe someday we will get to that place where we trust God completely.

The consolation of the Lord that brings joy, is knowing that even if things go awry, God’s mercy and grace remain.  Even in our most anxious moments, we can trust that God will see us through, but we will need to trust. More and more, oh for grace to trust him, more.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – June 22, 2020

15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
    who walk in the light of your presence, Lord. – Psalm 89:15

Ever meet someone who looks like they have it all together, who is kind to everyone?  Those people seem to never be in a bad mood.  They always have something positive to say, and usually we would see them treat the janitor with as much respect as they would the CEO. 

Yes, those type of people do exist, even the world in which we find ourselves today.  We might not find them speaking out on social media, or at a rally of some kind; but we would find them helping others.  We would find them going about their business, not oblivious to what is going on, but offering kind words, helping others see a bigger picture, and always spreading positivity.

The psalmist says, blessed are those who have learned to acclaim the Lord. Typically, when we think of offering acclaim it is a matter of those who speak for the Lord, speak blessings to others, and are constantly telling us how we should act before God.  We would see pastors and preachers, potentially as those who acclaim the Lord. I, however, disagree.  It isn’t always those speaking the “word of the Lord,” who I see acclaiming the Lord.  Instead, I see those who help in the background, who aren’t the loud voices, but the still quiet workers, those who don’t complain but keep it positive, who seek to offer all that they can in love. It is in those mentioned above where truly the Lord is acclaimed.

The Lord is acclaimed in the actions of his people, who seek to do all they can in love. Who hear that Wesleyan call to: “Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.” We truly are called to proclaim the Lord’s presence and goodness, but let us know our proclamation isn’t in words alone, but in our actions, the way we treat others, in the way we treat our neighbor.

Let us move forward in life, sharing God’s blessing is deed, in word, in everything that they will know we are in the light of the Lord.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – June 21, 2020

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1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
    and make his face shine on us—
2 so that your ways may be known on earth,
    your salvation among all nations.

3 May the peoples praise you, God;
    may all the peoples praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
    for you rule the peoples with equity
    and guide the nations of the earth.
5 May the peoples praise you, God;
    may all the peoples praise you.

6 The land yields its harvest;
    God, our God, blesses us.
7 May God bless us still,
    so that all the ends of the earth will fear him. – Psalm 67

Happy Father’s Day to everyone! Many of you know the joy of being a parent, to know that you have been a part of creating someone that loves you in return, that perhaps knows you mistakes, and shortcoming, but loves you the same.  There is some real truth in knowing the loving relationship between a parent and child. Seeing it as a reflection of the type of relationship that Jesus has between him and our heavenly Father. 

It took me a long time to realize it, but Jesus teachings on how God is the heavenly Father, how Jesus desires that his followers would have a relationship with the Heavenly as he does, and Jesus expressions of how it is we can talk to our Heavenly Father are astonishing.

In every regard, God is the Almighty, God is ethereal, and human kind is so under God that we should not dare to look towards the face of God.  Even in the old testament of our Bible, those who have an encounter with God cover their faces, are afraid, feel that they are unworthy of being acknowledged by the divine.  Yet, Jesus teaches us to have the type of relationship with God, that we would have with an earthly father.

We can turn to God with all our emotions, when happy, sad, irritated, angry, and God wants to hear how our (us little individual humans) day has gone.  God wants us to come to him in the morning, with a hug, and hope for a spectacular day.  God wants to laugh with us, cry with us, and be with us through the hardships of life, as well as rejoice with us through the good stuff.

God, makes “his face shine upon us,” and that is a huge deal!

Today, for those who still have a father around, or have a child in which we are a father (or a mother) think about the love you have for your child, and that love that extended back towards your father.  We might remember hard times, or mistakes made either way, but it doesn’t  - at least I hope is doesn’t - neglect the love that is there.  The love that is a reflection of our relationship with the divine.  Our Heavenly Father, who loves us, blesses us, and want to have a relationship with us through Jesus Christ, His Son, our Lord.

May the face of God truly shine on us and bless us this Father’s Day! Happy Father’s Day!

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – June 20, 2020

He saved us— not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. - Titus 3:5

Renewal is something that comes around quite often, but not typically how we would like.  Most often when we think of renal that occurs regularly it’s something like our insurance premiums, or driver’s license, or car tag renewal that often mean money out of our pocket whether we like it or not. 

However, there is a greater renewal that happens all the time.  As we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, we are renewing the covenant between us and God.  When the Holy Spirit calls us to love where we once had not loved, we are renewed.  When we realize that something greater is happening in our lives than we could make for ourselves then our spiritual strength is being renewed, by God’s great mercy and grace. 

I am always perplexed and amazed by the might power of God’s work, in my life and the lives of others.  Because I truly know when something great is happening, it is only by the power of the Holy Spirit work to build us up in community as the body of Christ.

We have been waiting for a renewal of sorts for many weeks.  Waiting to hear that it is safe to return to life as normal. Yet, the continued information says it’s not yet safe.  We want to see our friends, we want to come to church, we want to do so many things, but we do not yet know if we can.  We have now entered the first day of a new season – welcome to summer – but we are still awaiting our salvation.  However, the God of salvation has kept us safe thus far, and according to his mercy, as Paul writes to Titus, he will see us through washing and renewing us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

We, at church, are working on plans, and seeking the conference permission to hold in-person worship soon.  However, it may not feel the same, there will be some changes, and restrictions, but these first steps will hopefully allow us to experience some of the joy of gathering.  Please know that in the process, what we are offering online will continue.  We know some of congregation will choose to remain at home, and we understand. We love and miss all of you, and the most important thing we can do in our faith is to keep each other safe.

May God’s mercy renew us today, with a hope that soon, someday soon, we may be washed and renewed again for the purpose of living for His Kingdom.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – June 19, 2020

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
    to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
    and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp,
    to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
    at the works of your hands I sing for joy. – Psalm 92:1-4

I strive to be professional in my work, and in the way that I relate to others. I treat others with respect, and work to be relational in all that I do.  It amazes me when new people ask where I’m from, because I wonder if I am able to hide the fact that at heart I’m a country boy.

I was born and raised, here in East Tennessee, and by country boy, what I mean is this. I have grown and picked a garden with family, I’ve broke beans on grandma’s porch, I’ve stacked hay in a barn on a hot summer day, I’ve walked barefoot in the creek, drove a 4x4 off road in the mud, you probably get the picture. 

Part of that southern, country heritage is also found in the church, and most of it has to do with singing.  I can remember going to church events on summer evenings when all we did was sing.  I grew up singing in the church, and to this day, I love to sing in the church.  Many of us feel the same way. The music of our faith connects us to God and to that great cloud of witness in which we want to be a part.  Some of the songs we have sung our whole lives have great meaning for us, and when we sing them we fell like little children, wrapped up in our heavenly Father’s arms.

Singing is a huge part of our worship.  However, as we look to being able to come back to worship in person again, singing is one of the things that we are NOT going to be able to do.  It hurts my soul a little to think of not hearing the congregation sing together.  However, this country boy has learned a couple things over the years.

1. There are plenty of people in the church who don’t like to sing, or don’t think they can sing.

2. There are others ways to engage in worship without singing.

The great part about those two things, is that as we come back together for in-person worship, we can still engage and participate, even though it might be different than we are accustomed.  We have a wealth of liturgy, psalms, calls and responses, and even opportunities to learn new ways of responding in worship with our voices.  So for those in the first category above, you might feel even more a part of worship than before, and for those like me, who love to sing, we can learn these ancient ways, that may be new to us.

Regardless of how we may feel, the truth is even if we can’t sing out loud, or in the congregation, our hearts will continue to sing because the steadfast love of God meets us day and night, has each day we have been apart, and will continue to do so, for God’s steadfast love endures forever.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – June 18, 2020

Will you not revive us again, so that your people may rejoice in you? – Psalm 85:6

Sometimes the days seems long. It seems as though we haven’t gone anywhere, or done much of anything.  Those days, I wonder if we might ever know what it’s like to be back in a society where there is no fear, where we feel free to engage in social activity.  I long for days of social gatherings at church, and among friends.  It is days like that I feel very disconnected from ministry and sometimes life in general.

I still know that my family is there, and I am glad to have them with me safe and sound, especially after a health scare with our middle child a little over a week ago.  However, I begin to feel the need to cry out, when, Lord, when will this be over and we can get back to life? Then I turn on the news (I know, big mistake), and just yesterday I heard someone say, that about wearing masks in public that “we need to continue this behavior, and the behavior of social distancing, even more now, as we create this habit into the future.”  Upon hearing this, I have to wonder, will it really become normalized to wear a mask when out in public?

More and more each day we become fatigued with thoughts of quarantine and self-isolation. We keep hoping for better news, and a better world.  and we hear the words of the psalmist, and realize people have been waiting for such news, forever.  There are always those who seek to hear of a better world, always those who seek salvation, and the restoration of life.

God sometimes seems distant, sometimes feels distant form what is going on in our life, or in the world, but I assure you, in faith, God is the midst of it all.  God is there speaking peace where there is no peace, God is there offering healing and insight to those on the front lines of healthcare. God is there with you, even now, offering comfort and companionship with His Holy Spirit.  When those days seem long, take a deep breath, and be still, know that God is there. God’s steadfast love surrounds you, as it does me and all of us.  God is preparing us for something greater.  Verse 9 of the psalm says “surely his salvation is at hand…that his glory may dwell in our land.” 

I believer God’s steadfast love will see us through, even in this prolonged time apart, and one day we shall rejoice in His presence, together, again.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – June 17, 2020

God has taken his place in the divine council;
    in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
2 “How long will you judge unjustly
    and show partiality to the wicked?
3 Give justice to the weak and the orphan;
    maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy;
    deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” – Psalm 82:1-4

A little bit of Biblical history, today. Most of us don’t realize that the Bible is almost exclusively written from the perspective of the underdog.  The people of God, Israel, are always under attack from some other power, that seeks to subdue, enslave, or rule over them.  This also follows true for the New Testament, as its contents were written during a time of Rome as the world’s super-power, and we have all heard about the martyrdom of essentially every one of the apostles, those who weren’t martyred, were exiled, which might have been worse. 

The reality that we have the scriptures as all, is in the opinion of most, a miracle.  Yet, so often we don’t really think about that lowly position when we read the scriptures.  Today, we read from a psalm that is attributed to Asaph.  There are three biblical figures named Asaph, but there were also a guild of musicians during the first temple period known as Asaphites. It is not clear whether this song is sung in the particular style of the Asaphites, or if it is attributed to one of the biblical figures, one of whom was appointed by David to be set aside to sing praises to God.

What we can understand from the psalm, however, is that at the time it was written, those who were weak, orphaned, lowly, needy, destitute, etc. were in need to God’s divine help.  Those who were the outcast of the underdogs did not receive the justice that the writer believed God should give them, instead they were still in the hands of the wicked. 

These are hard words for us rationalize within a modern context. We, the church, want to help, offer what we can for others, but we don't always know that to do.  We rationalize the help we offer to others, the missions in which we participate, as good and helpful, and they are. Yet, sometimes I wonder if we could use our status in the world to truly help others? Let me offer a small parable.

A person is stuck in a hole, they are lonely, hungry, tired, and they don’t know how to get out.  Someone walks along and has some leftover food, and says the one in the hole; “would you like something to eat? And gives them their leftover. The one in the hole is grateful for the offering, the one who gave the food feels confident they have helped, and moves on.  A second person walks past the hole, hears someone crying.  They stop, sit, and talk with the person offering words of hope and compassion.  At some point this person’s phone rings and they need to move on, but they feel good that they have helped the person stuck in the hole feel connected to another human being. Finally, a day or so later, another person sees this one who has been stuck in the hole, and asks, “would you like to get out?” “Yes!” the one in the hole replies, “but I don’t know how.”  This person reaches a hand down, and does all within their power to help the stuck person out of the hole.  Together, they work to see that hole is filled, so that no one else will fall in and become stuck.

Which of the three “helpers” exemplifies Jesus teaching on love for neighbor?

Yes, I know an argument could be made for all three, however, it is the one who stays by the side, who offers a hand of deliverance, and works to bring justice by filling in the hole that truly does what Jesus has done for us. 

The injustice we see in the world around us is that person stuck in hole of which they know not how to get out.  What can we do with our positions to offer help, and bring justice, and create a world with no hole in which to fall?  May God’s Holy Spirit give us the courage and understanding to do what is right in the eyes of God, and in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – June 16, 2020

5 [God] established a decree in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our ancestors to teach to their children; 6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and rise up and tell them to their children, 7so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; 8 and that they should not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God. – Psalm 78:5-8

Every once in a while, when reading the psalms, we come across one like today. One that gives a little bit of the history of God’s grace and mercy to the people of God’s choosing, namely Israel.  Within these psalms, what we learn is that God continues to be gracious, God continues to be merciful, God has done everything, but the people continue to lack gratitude.

In the short section of the passage above, we hear that God established for his people a law, that they should follow.  The understanding is that this law might be difficult for those who have lived against it, for those, who are adults hearing this law for the first time.  However, they are to teach this law to their children, who are to teach this law to their children, and so on, and the hope is that one day a generation will actually click with these concepts and start to live according to God’s command.

After several thousand years of this not happening, God finally sends us Jesus. Jesus comes and live in such a way that embodied the grace of God, the essence of the law, and the ways of God’s kingdom, that we are simply asked to follow that example.  That generation, the one of the apostles, were asked to be witnesses to all that had been done by Jesus, and through the power of the Holy Spirit to live as examples of what Jesus embodied.  In doing so, those who learn from the disciples would also imitate them as they imitate Christ (the apostles Paul says exactly those words in several of his letters; 1 Cor. 11:1, Eph. 5:1, 1 Thes. 1:6). The idea here, is that we have a living example of how we should live, and our task to is to follow that example.

Flash forward a few decades, and the church is already debating what Christ really means by some of his teachings, the work of the apostles is refuted, and many are executed or excommunicated.  If we continue this thread on until today’s time, what we find is a world with hundreds of denominations, none of which can agree on certain aspects of faith, yet all claim to know God’s truth.  At the same time, in society, we can’t even agree on what it is to treat another human with love and respect, and argue about which lives matter.  

The truth of the matter is that we need to learn how to be a generation that “sets our hope in God.” We cannot forget the work that God has done in our lives, and we should treat others with the love in which God has treated others.  We should offer forgiveness like that which God has offered us, and we should be accepting of others as God has accepted us. 

I know we can read those words, and quickly agree, but the real point is when we actually put words into action, and choose to live in a way that reflects what we believe. When I think about the things I see in our world today, I hear in my heart, loudly the words of the psalmist: “that they should not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.” I believe we can be better, we can choose to do better, we can be a people who are faithful to love God in word, in deed, and especially in our relationships with others.

May God give us guidance to be his people, obedient to his law of love, now and always. Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – June 14, 2020

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 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. – Matthew 5:48 

What does perfection look like?  We honestly, could say that depends. It depends on what we are talking about. Perfection in school might be an “A+” or a 4.0 grade, however, with advanced courses offered now in many schools, the grading scale pushed beyond the 4.0. If we were talking about Olympic sports, we would consider “10” the perfect score. And there are many other rankings we might put on various things; the perfect cookie, the perfect meal, the perfect afternoon, etc.

Yet, as we come to the close of chapter 5, the opening chapter of the sermon on the mount, we hear Jesus use this word “perfect,” and says we must be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect.  We have to be perfectly like God.  But how is that possible?

In the Jewish culture, and especially among the pharisees, they would have known exactly what Jesus was referring to.  In the books of the Law, and especially in what we know as the book of Leviticus, we see something similar to the phrase used over and over again.  Except, the translation we see says that we are to “be hoy, as God is holy.”  In the context of what Jesus is teaching, perfection is all about holiness.  The holiness that restores in us the image of our creator.  As you will hear in the sermon, Jesus takes a bunch of laws that are part of the society in which the Jews are living, and takes them a little further, pushes them to realize that actions, and intent; faith and deed both matter in the way we interact with one another, and with God. The point ending with the above verse, reminding the people that God’s intent was that we would know and live the perfect love of God in the grace we have received, and the grace that we offer.

Our holiness, our perfection, is not perfect in the sense of getting everything right, or in any worldly idea of perfection. Our true perfection is in recognizing the face of God in one another, and drawing closer to God, close to our neighbor, and uniting in the love of Christ for all creation, in doing so, we begin to understand what it truly is to holy, and to see holiness in all that God has made.

May you have a wonderfully blessed Sunday!

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – June 13, 2020

I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! – Psalm 27:13-14

When we think of everything that has happened in our world this year, we begin to wonder if the psalmist is correct in saying verse 13, above.  I know I have read the psalm before in the midst of trial and strife, and questioned, “will we really see the goodness of the lord in the land of living?”  Again, now, we might wonder is it possible given our world’s seemingly endless list of problems.

However, the key to understanding how we get to see the goodness of God, is found much earlier in the psalm.  This Psalm attribute to king David is a call for confidence; a confidence that is only found in God. The psalmist first remarks that it is the Lord who is light and salvation. When we are going through dark times, it is sometimes difficult to see the light, but we know, deep down that Jesus is the light of the world.

The same Jesus that brought us out of the pit, who gave us life eternal, the same Jesus who shed his own blood that the world, through him, might be saved. He is our light, he is our salvation, and he is one with God the Father, and has given us the Holy Spirit to ignite a light within us that can shine in those dark times, that can bring joy to our own being, as well as be a help to others.

We know that the majority of folks agree that the darkness we see in the world is wrong, and they want it to get better. They themselves choose to do better, speak better, and treat others as they wish to be treated.  What we miss sometimes, is the reality that when someone else is going through such darkness, we have to shine our light even brighter that they might find a way out. When we see evil and injustice in the world, we have to stand and shine our light by speaking up. When we join the voices that speak against evil, God gives us the confidence of which the psalmists speaks, God teaches us and gives us a voice that joins with others, and shines a light brighter and brighter until the darkness disappears.

We may be far from seeing our worlds darkness disappear, but I believe, if we wait for the Lord, if we speak with the Lord asks us, and use the language of light and love, we will truly one day see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Until then, keep shining, my friends.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – June 12, 2020

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace… ~ Ephesians 4:1-3

In class one day a young boy looked up from his work, and whispered to one of his classmates; “psst, what’s the difference between ignorance and apathy?”  The classmate responded, “I don’t know, I don’t care.”  Confused, the young lad went back to what he was doing.

Sometimes, the answers are right in front of us. They are given so directly and distinctly, yet they fly right over our head. Even when the answers are right in front of us, we still can’t quite understand how to get it right, and by “it”, I mean life.  When do we start to get right in life?

Paul, in his many epistles, teaches a great deal of theology, and the theology that Paul teaches is based on his understanding of God, and his relationship with Christ, who he fully believes and was witness that Christ died and was raised again to bring all people into relationship together. 

This is a big deal for someone like Paul, who would have believed that his people (the Jewish people) are the only people that mattered to God.  But something changed in Paul, something happened. No longer was he apathetic towards the Gentiles, or the nations of other peoples’ different from him.  Part of his change comes the revelation of Jesus Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  Paul was never an ignorant person, in fact, he was very well educated.  More so than many of the disciples who followed Jesus.  Paul was ignorant, however, of the resurrection, as in, until Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus, he did not believe it to be true.

I don’t know how each of you came to faith, but sometimes it isn’t through the “bright-light” experience.  Sometimes ignorance is cured through meticulous study.  Apathy, on the other hand, is only cured by one thing; love. We need a love that causes us to care for one another, and with such care we can begin to love beyond ourselves and our close acquaintances. In many instances in our world, we might say  “I don’t know what’s right, so I don’t care what you think;” however the better response might be “I don’t know what’s right, could you help me understand.”

I believe the Christ-centered life happens when we begin to care so deeply for one another, that it is for the glory of God that we work together, that we reconcile, that we listen to one another, that we love and serve one another.  Paul says, “bear one another in love.” And this is the start to keeping the unity, to getting past the “I don’t cares,” and learning to overcome the “I don’t knows.” Then we might start getting life right, together.

As we begin to explore how we might re-open church for in-person worship services, we are have to learn through many of the “I don’t knows." But please know we care deeply for everyone who might want to attend, and want to make worship at St. Mark a safe place for all to come and experience the overwhelming love of God.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – June 11, 2020

Truly God is good to the upright, to those who are pure in heart. – Psalm 73:1

I truly hope you will take time to read Psalm 73 in its entirety, today.  The psalm is one that gets to the heart of one who truly desires God above the ways of the world, in my opinion.

The world is constantly finding new ways to distract us from what matters most. In these past months where the world was shut down, turned upside down, we found a ton of new distractions.  We might have found that we spent more time on social media, more time watching tv, more time eating snacks, more snacks that we like to eat.  Yes, I meant to say that both ways. 

Truth is, we found that we had more time on our hands and no place to go, I remember one day seeing something come across my screen that said: “after quarantine will you emerge a monk, a hunk, a drunk, or a chunk, the choice is yours.”

I chuckled when I saw it, but there was some serious truth behind the choice. What we choose to do, to focus on, and how we live each day, matters.

This time could have been spent doing exercise, and getting into a more healthy lifestyle. I’ll be honest, we tried this, and for a little bit of time, I was down a few pounds. Between daily walks around the neighborhood, working in the yard, I felt pretty good. But I’m still far from any “goal weight.”  Yet, there are others who may have done better treating their body as a temple (hunk).

I have heard from some friends, who have let stress get to them, and have moved in a negative direction, increasing their alcohol intake, finding new drinks to mix, or discovering that the wine opener works just as well in morning as it does in the evening. After all, even Jesus turned water into wine, when the wine ran out (drunk). And of course there are those who have lost all self-control (chunk), and have found themselves constantly in the pantry, my children among them.

This time apart could have drawn us closer to God, spending more time reading and studying, it could have been a time to do deep research, or spend in prayer drawing closer to God (monk). 

Sometimes, however it is easy for us to get distracted by the other things of this world, and even begin to wish or idolize those who seemingly have it better than we do.  The psalmist says “21 When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, 22 I was stupid and ignorant; I was like a brute beast toward you.”

Yet, then the psalmist is reminded that even at our worst, God still holds us fast.  So no matter how you have spent this time apart, or continue to do so, please know that God holds you fast and I pray the divine presence is ever present in your mind and heart, today and always. Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – June 10, 2020

…Out of Christ fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. – John 1:16

What is grace?  Is it the belief that we have the free and unmerited favor of God?  Is it the manifestation of salvation in the sinner’s life?  Is grace the blessing we receive, whether expected or not?  Yes, grace is all of these things.  Grace is the very essence of knowing the honor and glory of God, having been in the presence of God, even unaware, and knowing that it is all going to be okay.

In his memoir book, All is Grace, Bennan Manning says this:

“My message, unchanged for more than fifty years, is this: God loves 
you unconditionally, as you are and not as you should be, because 
nobody is as they should be. It is the message of grace…A grace 
that pays the eager beaver who works all day long the same wages 
as the grinning drunk who shows up at ten till five…A grace that 
hikes up the robe and runs breakneck toward the prodigal reeking 
of sin and wraps him up and decides to throw a party no ifs, ands, 
or buts…This grace is indiscriminate compassion. It works without 
asking anything of us…Grace is sufficient even though we huff and 
puff with all our might to try to find something or someone it cannot 
cover. Grace is enough…Jesus is enough.”

All is grace, Manning would say, it’s there is every breath in the lungs of every person who needs it, and the truth is we all need it.  Nothing is too big for grace, nor is anything too small for grace.  Grace can be found each and every day as we look into the eyes of someone who needs to know they are loved by God, or in the voice telling us we are loved.  From birth till final breath, and everything we may do in between this is what we need most in this life; grace and the understanding that it is already given freely and openly. 

Just as God has given grace unto us, we are also called to share it in the same way with others.  Truth is, however, grace is something much easier received than given.  We all have moments that we are not proud, and grace is what gets us through.  In the climate in which we live, it seems as though grace is far from us, but assure you it is not. Grace is as close as offering an apology, understanding someone’s anger, caring about someone’s well-being no matter the situation.  Grace is the ability to offer forgiveness for words that may have been misspoken or misunderstood. Grace if found in the patients we have with leaders who are navigating unchartered waters to reopen church, businesses, society. Grace is understanding that God has loved us as flawed as we all are, and asked us to see not the flaw, but the creator in each face, for we are all made in his image of love.

May the grace of God give you peace today, and always.

Grace & Peace,
Sam