And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. ~ Matthew 9:35 (ESV)

The previous CP post included this commentary:

As those trying to FULLY follow Christ’s example, we can hope to soothe the soul even if we can’t provide complete physical healing! Healing balms are available for us today in various forms – words of scripture; inspirational books like Jesus, Man of Joy; preaching; music; loving examples and many, many more.

Does a song spring to your mind while reading this?

After typing those words, the tune that seems a logical choice is There is a Balm in Gilead. The musical stylings can be soothing and so can the words:

• HERE is an inspiring musical version
• HERE are the lyrics

Very freeing are the song lyrics, reminding us that there’s no need to compare our Christ-exampling abilities:

If you cannot preach like Peter,
if you cannot pray like Paul,
you can tell the love of Jesus

PRAYER:  Dear God, help us to be your people in what we do and say, being healing balms on earth, brightening the day…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit…

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, August 1, 2021:

• 2 Samuel 11:26 – 12:13a and Psalm 51:1-12 
• Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15 and Psalm 78:23-29 
• Ephesians 4:1-16 
• John 6:24-35
•  

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And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. ~ Matthew 9:35 (ESV)

In the passage above, what do you think Christ’s “healing” involved?

About the book Jesus, Man of Joy, Bruce Marchiano says “Jesus was a man of joy. This is the most liberating secret in all of Christianity. Through the pages of this book the Lord revealed to me for the first time His reality and absolute loveliness. Rejoice and be glad!”

Could Jesus’ joyful example of living life provide “healing” through soothing of the soul without a complete physical healing?

As those trying to FULLY follow Christ’s example, we can hope to soothe the soul even if we can’t provide complete physical healing! Healing balms are available for us today in various forms – words of scripture; inspirational books like Jesus, Man of Joy; preaching; music; loving examples and many, many more.

Inspiring us are examples of people world-wide in the past and today such as this account describes:

“he exulted in the free grace of God. His joy was contagious. Men leaped out of darkness into light, and lived a Christian life afterwards.”   ~ Jesus, Man of Joy, p. 19 (English pastor describing Dwight L. Moody)

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REFLECTION AND ACTION:  Who in your experience has provided moments that spurred you into the light? Are there elements of those efforts that you can share with others in your journey this week?

PRAYER:  Dear God, this we do pray, that on this day, carpe diem we say, while healing and ‘ripening lives’ along the way…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit…

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, August 1, 2021:

• 2 Samuel 11:26 – 12:13a and Psalm 51:1-12 
• Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15 and Psalm 78:23-29 
• Ephesians 4:1-16 
• John 6:24-35
•  

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I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.

~ Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

This fits nicely with a family motto: carpe diem!  According to wikipedia.com, “… a more literal translation of carpe diem would … be ‘pluck the day [as it is ripe]’—that is, enjoy the moment.”

“As it is ripe.” Wonderful!

One of the blessings of a Christian community is having folks in our lives who help to ripen our days and help us recognize the ripened moments. Who are the people who help ripen experiences in your life today? How do they do that?

ACTION: Perhaps today we will seek out opportunity(ies) to ripen lives all around us, including our own. May we adopt new approaches as we see fit, plus continue in the ways that already work so well for us and others!

PRAYER:  Dear God, this we do pray, that on this day, carpe diem we say, and ‘ripen lives’ along the way…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit…

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, July 25, 2021:

• 2 Samuel 11:1-15 and Psalm 14 
• 2 Kings 4:42-44 and Psalm 145:10-18 
• Ephesians 3:14-21 
• John 6:1-21

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Weekends periodically provide a little space and time for innovation. Perhaps your reading of Meeting the Lord in Imaginative Prayer (midway through the post HERE) will result in some energizing moments while placing yourself in a biblical moment?

In fact, one such “placing yourself in a biblical moment” comes from this Sunday’s gospel reading, HERE (and listed below in the weekly readings.) One can feel harried just reading such passages. Perhaps this is one reason for the wisdom “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while” ? (Mark 6:31b)

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit…

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, July 18, 2021:

• 2 Samuel 7:1-14a and Psalm 89:20-37 
• Jeremiah 23:1-6 and Psalm 23 
• Ephesians 2:11-22 
• Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

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The past two weeks have been filled with plenty of “pivoting” – originally moving in one direction and then needing/choosing to move in another. Almost anyone living through the 2020/2021 experience can relate to this pivot exercise … most of us doing so on more than a few occasions!

Sadly, one pivot this month took us away from 40+ relatives at a family reunion (the potential of illness from gathering at the Covid-19 hotspot of Branson, MO was too much to fathom.) Happily, the pivot brought us together with almost 20 relatives over the same time period.

It was yet another nice reminder of Fraulein Maria’s commentary about God opening up a window when the door closes (Sound of Music reference.) Sometimes we need to allow the Spirit to move us in mysterious ways at some times, though that can be tougher for some of us who are “Type A” personalities.

After enjoying the Sandusky River kayaking the day before, worship at Grace Lutheran Church in Fremont, OH became even more vivid with the singing of two songs in particular, Let Justice Flow Like Streams & Let Streams of Living Justice. Thinking about the flowing streams for justice is a reminder: we can pivot in numerous ways to help our neighbors and those in need.

Let’s each pivot – – finding new and varied opportunities to stream justice in our land!!!

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit…

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, July 18, 2021:

• 2 Samuel 7:1-14a and Psalm 89:20-37 
• Jeremiah 23:1-6 and Psalm 23 
• Ephesians 2:11-22 
• Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

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The CAC article HERE titled An Evolving Faith Includes Doubt is uplifting.  Brian McLaren encourages a transition from “fear of doubt” to an active embrace of the same. To summarize would be a disservice. Instead we’ll share this closing paragraph with a recommendation to spend a few minutes reading the entire article

“Doubt need not be the death of faith. It can be, instead, the birth of a new kind of faith, a faith beyond beliefs, a faith that expresses itself in love, a deepening and expanding faith that can save your life and save the world.”  ~ Brian McLaren

We doubt you’ll regret reading the full text of the CAC post…  🙂

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit…

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, July 11, 2021:

• 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 and Psalm 24 
• Amos 7:7-15 and Psalm 85:8-13 
• Ephesians 1:3-14 
• Mark 6:14-29
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After discussion of additional perspectives and Hawaiian prayer practices the other day, what a joy to read “down under” wisdom from this 7/3 Matthew Fox post!

The wisdom like this (along with the visual artistry) from Eddie Kneebone are wonderful:

“What is ‘Dreamtime’?  Says Eddie: The aspect of being at one with the universe—not just the little piece of land that we stand on, not simply the environment around us, or the country that we live in—but the universe.”

“The Aboriginals looked up at night and they didn’t see the stars—they never saw stars.  They only saw the campfires of their ancestors on their journey.  The bright stars were the ancestors who were not long gone; the dimmer stars were the ancestors further on the journey….”

Thanks for the perspective, Eddie, as one of the important ancestors…

Perhaps with this in mind, near the close of this day you’ll find yourself gazing up at the sky and witnessing the ancestors on their journey?

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit…

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, July 11, 2021:

• 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 and Psalm 24 
• Amos 7:7-15 and Psalm 85:8-13 
• Ephesians 1:3-14 
• Mark 6:14-29
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Setting perspective based on another culture can provide great reminders.

This “Take a Breath” post is just such an example. Visual images of Hawaii alone can provide “be still” moments.

Can you appreciate this not rushing prayer approach?

• using our surroundings to deliberately prepare for prayer
• carefully engaging in prayer
• breathing life into prayers by departing the area and allowing time for the prayers to marinate?

WOW. Having done that just now for a dear friend, it was powerful! Thanks be to God.

Even if you don’t have Hawaiian surroundings to enjoy, what adaptations might make this approach work for you? Lighting a candle? Taking a walk? [In case you’re interested, here’s one person’s take on stillness practices]

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit…

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, July 4, 2021:

• 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 and Psalm 48 
• Ezekiel 2:1-5 and Psalm 123 
• 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 
• Mark 6:1-13
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