Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22 NIV For the month of June, we have been reflecting in our Sunday services on the issue of baggage in our lives, emotional or spiritual baggage that we carry around. That weighs us down. That keeps us from having peace in our lives and in our relationships. I was reading in the Upper Room Daily Devotions this past week that fit perfectly with our theme. It was written about a businessman who travelled frequently, mainly going to little towns on small propeller planes. He said that a few times, he had the stressful experience, while waiting on the plane to depart, of seeing luggage being taken off the plane. Including his! There was too much weight on the flight. There was nothing he could do about it. The cabin doors were closed and locked. He would be flying to his destination and his luggage would not. But then he came to his senses. He was being over-focused on himself. It was the best thing to do for the safety of the passengers. So why should he be so upset. The devotion continues: “We sometimes want to hold on to our baggage, as if we can control the burdens, worries, and hurts that life brings our way…Psalm 55 encourages us to unload the burdens that weigh down our spirit and strength because they compromise our ability to effectively navigate life and God’s will for us. Regardless of our circumstances, God is with us and wants to handle the baggage that weighs us down. God wants to take on our cares so that we can live fully for God, serving God’s good purposes.” Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you. #grace #peace

So, he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:20 NIV Remember the comic strip “Calvin and Hobbes?” In one comic, Calvin accosts his father: “Your new polls are in, Dad. A vast majority of household 6 year-olds say you’re not living up to their expectations of fatherhood.” “What were their expectations?” inquires his father. “That you’d be more like an automatic teller machine.” That is the problem with being a father. Fathers may not live up to what is expected of them. We all have had different experiences with fathers, either our own fathers or our experience as a father. Some of you like me have been blessed to have wonderful fathers. Some have had and still have difficult, painful relationships with their fathers. For some, you may not have grown up with a father in your household, or you may have had a father figure in your life, someone other than a biological father. Some of you who are fathers have found it to be a blessing, while others have found it to be a challenge. Or both. Some of you fathers have lost children for which you still have a hole in your life. Yet isn’t it significant that a very special relationship in the Bible and the most endearing relationship of all eternity was and is the relationship between a special Father and his Son – between God the Father and his Beloved son, Jesus. And even if our own experiences with our fathers or your experiences as being a father leave much to be desired, God gives fatherhood a sacred value. It is to be a blessed relationship and that we are to honor the position of fatherhood, regardless of the person behind it. We truly see the ideal of the worth of fatherhood in the story of the Prodigal Son. In the parable we are all the prodigal son, ones who have strayed, who have gone down the wrong path at times in our lives. And in the parable God is the Loving Father, not one who acts with anger, malice, or vindictiveness when his son strays. But a father who is waiting with arms open for the lost son to come home. A father for whom the son knows that even though he has strayed and hurt his father, that he is always approachable, that he is always available and always willing to lend a caring heart. That is the ideal that God intended for fathers. And this is the father that God is. God made us so that we have this innate desire to be loved. And God is always willing to give us his love. God is a father who said to his son Jesus, even before he had made the first step into his ministry, ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’ God the father told His Son, “Son I’m already proud of you.” #grace #love #father #fatherhood

Yesterday, Gary and I headed to Lakeland for the Florida Annual Conference. We were on our way to the Clergy Session which is mandatory, and we were being careful to not be late. (Once the doors close for the session, you cannot enter.) Honestly, there was some trepidation on the way there. Last year’s Clergy Session was deeply divided, and it was a painful process. Like a family gathering that ends with a big fight. Everybody was hurting. During yesterday’s session we heard from various speakers, but one stood out to me. He spoke from chapter six of the Book of Acts. This is a story that occurs shortly after the forming of the church in Jerusalem after Pentecost. There were complaints that the church was not treating everyone equally. Greek speaking widows were not being treated equally to the Aramaic speaking widows when it came to the distribution of food. This is somehow comforting to me. From the beginning of the church, there have been problems. People have not been treated fairly and the church has had to do problem solving to fix what is broken. I think it is comforting to know that problems have always been in the church, and still the church has grown and expanded through the centuries. People have continued to experience the transforming love of Christ despite the problems of the church. In this story in Acts, seven men were appointed as leaders to oversee the distribution of the food. It was an answer that the apostles felt that the Holy Spirit led them to do. That same Holy Spirit continues to help us solve problems. As Gary and I drove home last night, we talked about our faith journey. We don’t tend to have highs and lows of faith as much as we did in our younger years. What we do feel more strongly is the assurance of God’s presence and His Grace. I felt His assurance last night, that God was with the United Methodist Church in all our imperfections. Thankfully, we know that God’s Spirit will continue to be our answer and inspiration. #grace #hope #faith

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." 2 Cor. 14:7-9 NIV In this passage, it is the “jars of clay” phrase that always intrigues me. When Paul speaks of these jars of clay, he is referring to us, specifically our bodies. At the time this Scripture was written, clay vessels were very plentiful in that part of the world. They were used as containers to hold water or food. Yet sometimes these clay pots were used to hold things of greater worth, such as money, jewels, or even parchments. All of these pottery vessels were easy to purchase and broke just as easily. Paul is making a contrast between the carrier and the content of the Christian message. The message of the gospel is precious and valuable like a treasure of jewels or light, but it is purposely contained in common and ordinary-looking human "vessels of clay." Like us. Not super humans but simple "clay jars". And we all take a battering in our lives at times. As Paul says, we are “hard pressed on every side”, “perplexed”, “persecuted”, “struck down.” Can you relate to any of these words; either now or at some point in your life? Living the Christian life doesn’t make you immune to such battering. Yet with Christ in our life, even though we endure these, we will not be “crushed”, “in despair”, “abandoned”, or “destroyed.” And in order for the treasure in our lives, the Christ who lives in us, to be revealed, the jar of clay must be broken. We may be broken but we are promised that we will never be destroyed or abandoned. That is the great hope that we can rest in. #grace #hope

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves," Phil. 2:3 NIV This Sunday is a day that happens every so often. This year, Pentecost Sunday falls on Memorial Day weekend. So, as we commemorate the founding of the Church on that first Pentecost, we must not forget that it is also a time to commemorate those men and women who have given their lives during their service in the military. We honor and recognize those who have given the ultimate sacrifice, their lives, for which we all benefit from today. Yet, it is not too much of a stretch to be commemorating Pentecost at the same time as Memorial Day. For many in the early chapter of the Church lost their lives for a greater cause, the cause of the Gospel. And according to church tradition all but one of the remaining disciples after the Resurrection were martyred for their effort in bringing the message of Christ to the world. All except John, who died of old age. I guess God had to show that it wasn’t entirely necessary to become a martyr to spread the news of Jesus to the world. Letting others know about Jesus, starting places of worship, spreading the message of Christ’s offer of abundant and eternal life, and showing the love and grace of God through Jesus by their example was much more important than anything they had to live for. And for those in military service who fought and paid the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms that we enjoy today had the same spirit for their cause. That all would do so, even if it meant their death. We stop this weekend to remember and honor those who have lived their lives with the realization that there are ideals and causes that are right and true and just. That there are ideals and causes that are greater than one’s own individual needs. As Paul writes in Phil. 2:1-4, “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." These things we do for a greater cause, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. #love

After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 1 Kings 19:12-13 NIV In this passage we find Elijah hiding away in a cave, frozen in fear after facing a death threat from Queen Jezebel. God speaks to Elijah in the cave and asks him why he is there. God tells Elijah to stand at the mouth of the cave and Elijah will feel God’s presence. First there was a mighty wind, then a great earthquake, and finally a huge inferno. But Elijah could not feel God’s presence in them. Then there was a gentle whisper. And Elijah knew that God was in the whisper, enough so that he covered his face with his cloak. God in this whisper tells him, no more hiding away in the cave, God has a mission for him. It was the quiet voice that wouldn’t let him remain where he was. It’s the same voice that won’t let us remain as we are as well. The voice that tells us to take the blinders off. There is a great big world out there. There is an awesome and powerful God who created this wondrous universe that gives our life purpose. Left to ourselves we settle for less. Just what we want. We adapt and adjust to the world around us just enough to get what we want. We look at the world as what it can do for me. Yet God makes us yearn for something more. God speaks to us with more. There is more - more life, more blessing, more abundance of the things in life that truly matter. Eternal things. Our attention may be diverted somewhere else. But God persists. His voice will never leave us alone. #faith

Today is the birthday of Florence Nightingale, born in 1820. When she was young, she received a call from God that she shared with a trusted friend, “God called me in the morning and asked me would I do good for him alone without reputation.” She answered that call and pursued medical training. What she is most known for is introducing sanitary reforms in British military hospitals that reduced the death rate from 42 percent to less than 3 percent. I can only imagine the pushback she would have received as she lived out her calling. Male doctors would have not trusted her. People in general would have resisted her leadership. The wealthy society from which she came would have really preferred she remained home and raised kids. Yet, she felt God’s call and as a result, she changed the face of nursing. The reality of calling is that if you claim the Lordship of Christ, you are called. You have an identity as a member of God’s family that you are different. 1 Peter 2:9 CEB says, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people who are God’s own possession. You have become this people so that you may speak of the wonderful acts of the one who called you out of darkness into his amazing light.” You are given this identity to remind us that what we have in terms of faith is for others. Yes, we benefit from this relationship, but we are given this identity for others to hear the truth and the hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ. So, what are you called to do? Are you feeling the resistance of your family, the resistance of those you feel called to serve, or the resistance inside of you that says you’re not ready or you don’t have the time? Resistance is always a part of calling that we must tackle. There will never be a good time to serve. At times it will be inconvenient, or you will feel too tired to follow through. I am sure that Florence Nightingale often felt discouraged by the resistance she received. Yet she was relentless. Often after the hospital was closed for the night, she would roam the halls with a lantern, talking and connecting to the wounded. Her heart was fully invested, and I believe that is what pushed her forward. If you don’t feel fully invested in your place in the kingdom of God, start telling God you need clarity. Where does He want you to invest your time and energy? Don’t be afraid to have that honest conversation with Him and don’t be afraid of what He tells you. God’s calling aways brings you more joy and fulfilment than you can ever imagine. #calling

"Therefore, as God’s choice, holy and loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Be tolerant with each other and, if someone has a complaint against anyone, forgive each other. As the Lord forgave you, so also forgive each other. And over all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. The peace of Christ must control your hearts—a peace into which you were called in one body. And be thankful people." Col. 3:12-15 CEB John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, had three general or simple rules for life, taken from his interpretations of Scripture. They are: “Do no harm, Do good, Stay in love with God.” All the rules seem like no-brainers, common-sense, who-could-disagree-with-these statements. Especially the first one. We all learned this as kids. I guess it is true that everything we always needed to know, we learned in kindergarten. The “Do no harm” rule is quite challenging. “Do no harm” is painless when we are talking about our friends and family. Yet, this “Do no harm” rule challenges us to look at how we are dealing with conflict in our lives. Retired UM Bishop Reuben Job wrote a book in 2007 based on Wesley’s rules titled “Three Simple Rules: A Wesleyan Way of Living.” Here is what Job writes concerning conflict when looking through the lens of “Do no harm”: “If ... all who are involved [in the conflict] can agree to do no harm, the climate in which the conflict is going on is immediately changed. How is it changed? Well, if I am to do no harm, I can no longer gossip about the conflict. I can no longer speak disparagingly about those involved in the conflict. I can no longer manipulate the facts of the conflict. I can no longer diminish those who do not agree with me and must honor each as a child of God. I will guard my lips, my mind and my heart so that my language will not disparage, injure, or wound another child of God. I must do no harm, even while I seek a common good.” We need to hear and live out these words now more than ever. Do no harm. Makes you appreciate John Wesley even more as one who followed the example of Christ. #love

"After he took his seat at the table with them, he took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he disappeared from their sight." Luke 24:30-31 CEB Since we are still in the season of Eastertide, I think another Easter story is worth a few moments of our consideration. While I mentioned on Easter Day that Matthew is my favorite telling of the Easter narrative for all the rich details that are given, I must admit that the book of Matthew ends quickly after Jesus is resurrected. The book of Luke gives us more stories of what happened after the resurrection. On the same day Jesus is resurrected we hear about an odd story of two men, minor characters in general, who sadly walk to their home feeling defeated by Jesus’ crucifixion on Friday. To read the full story you will find it in Luke 24:13-35. The first thing that jumps out at me is that the men are walking along when a stranger joins them. It turns out to be Jesus, but they do not recognize him. There is a lot of speculation about why they do not recognize him, but I don’t struggle with this detail. When life is going sideways, I often do not see Jesus amid life. I see all the trouble and not much else. Eventually the men recognize Jesus when he serves them the bread and the wine. He does it as only Jesus does it, as an extraordinary act of love. Then their eyes are open, and they see Jesus in their midst. That is also when I usually finally see Jesus in the middle of my struggles. When I see Grace at work, I see something unexpected and clearly a loving gift from God. Then I remember Jesus is with me, he was always there. I was never alone. I just felt alone, but I was wrong. Jesus is always by my side no matter how hard the day is or how disappointed I am by circumstances. I understand those two men and their disillusionment. I understand feeling overwhelmed by life. I am deeply grateful when Jesus catches my attention and reminds me to stop worrying. To stop being afraid. He is there. He always was, and he will always be there. #grace

"After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the tomb." Matt. 28:1 CEB Before we conclude our Lenten journey through the Gospel of Matthew, I would like to make one last devotional observational. Chapter 28 tells of the story of the very first Easter, in which Matthew’s version shares that two women, Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” journeyed very early in the morning to the tomb where Jesus was buried. They went to anoint his body with spices because there was no time to do so when he was laid in the tomb. According to Matthew, they went “at dawn.” John’s version of that morning in his Gospel states that they journeyed “while it was still dark.” You can only imagine what was going through their minds as they made that journey. Jesus had given them such great hope in their despair. He had spoken to them like no one else had. Words of comfort, love mercy, and confident expectations for the future. Words that promised forgiveness of their sins, of healing for their ailments and hurts, of a love that transcends any love that is of the world. Many had claimed that he was the long-awaited Messiah that the prophets of old had foretold would come to save and deliver them. But now he was gone. Endured a very public and painful death. Their hopes were dashed. So, they made this journey to his resting place while it was still dark. Yet, when they arrived it was clear that God had been at work in the darkness. An angel appears to roll away the stone and declared that the tomb is empty. Hope was found in the darkness of an empty tomb. He is alive! It is a reminder to us all, that when our lives seem to be filled with despair, when darkness surrounds our souls, to be assured, that God is still at work. There is hope, even when we cannot perceive it. Just like God was in the days leading up to that glorious first Easter Sunday, God is working through our darkest moments. To give us hope of resurrection and new life to come. #hope

“How terrible it will be for you legal experts and Pharisees! Hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and plate, but inside they are full of violence and pleasure seeking. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup so that the outside of the cup will be clean too." Matt. 23:25-26 CEB In this passage Jesus was tough on the Pharisees. Yet they needed to be challenged. A mirror needed to be reflected straight at them to show them they needed to clean up their act. Reading these words, you may wonder if Jesus could have done this in a kinder and gentler way. Yet Jesus didn’t come just to bring us comfort in our lives. He did. But he also came to make us squirm. To make us uncomfortable as he thrusts the mirror in our face and shows us where we need to clean up our act. The season of Lent should be renamed the season of squirming. Because if we take it seriously, we will genuinely ask Jesus to take his spotlight and search our hearts, minds, souls, and spirit to find all the dinginess, wickedness, hypocrisy, and blight that needs to be cleaned out. The season of Lent is a reminder that if you are looking for a nice, comfortable religion that doesn't call for too many demands on your life, then you probably shouldn't try to be one of Jesus' disciples. He is demanding. He has the crazy notion that his followers should serve others rather than themselves. He expects them to show integrity even when no one is looking. And he expects them to love. Even your enemies. Don't follow him unless you're ready to experience some discomfort. And discomfort brings change. For Jesus is challenging not so that we can feel bad about ourselves. Or to crush our self-esteem because we can never measure up to Jesus’ demands. Nor should we just shrug off his teachings, to walk away from them and think “Well nobody’s perfect.” The intent of these teachings is to spur us on for transformation. To be ready for that Easter Sunday when Jesus was raised from the dead to life, so that we too can say in our own way, that we have been raised from the dead to new life. #cleanheart

I recently read an article that descripted Holy Week as a “symphony with distinct movements unfolding.” I thought that was a beautiful description of the week and why each day of the week is so meaningful. I did not grow up United Methodist. I attended a church that approached Holy Week very differently. Good Friday was a day of celebration because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. I understand that way of thinking, but I prefer the United Methodist approach to Holy Week. During Holy Week we offer two additional services on Thursday and Friday to help us better appreciate all the events of the week. The distinct movements that rapidly change throughout the week beginning with “Hosanna in the highest” as Jesus enters Jerusalem to “Let him be crucified” on Friday of the very same week. First, we will have a Maundy Thursday service at 7pm to celebrate communion as a church just as Jesus spent his last Thursday eating with his disciples. It was during that meal that Judas uttered, “Surely not I, Lord?” when Jesus said one of his disciples would betray him. In that same meal Jesus teaches us to take communion as a body of believers when he said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” Later that night, shortly before Jesus was arrested, we hear him pray, “Let this cup pass from me” as he anticipates what suffering he will have to endure. The Good Friday service, also at 7pm will help us remember the suffering Christ did for us as we hear him say, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” and give us a deep appreciation of the grace he has extended to us through the cross. Of course, on Easter Sunday we will remember again the words in Matthew, “He is not here; for he has been raised.” Each movement throughout the week needs time and space to reflect on the events of this symphony that leads to our salvation. I am deeply grateful that St. Andrews will have those opportunities to reflect on the week as we move to Easter. I hope you will also make time this week and join us for these special services to prepare your hearts for Easter morning. #symphonyofsalvation