What Do You Want to Say

•October 15, 2014 • Leave a Comment

Singing is often a way of expressing what you could not otherwise put into words.  If you were going to write a song today, what would it say?  If you wanted to tell God how you felt about him, what would you want to tell him?

The Psalms are often just that, an expression of people’s feelings towards and experiences of God.

This one is upbeat and joyful, some are quite the opposite, but all are an outpouring of experience.

Psalm 96  (CEV)

Sing a New Song to the Lord

96 Sing a new song to the Lord!
Everyone on this earth,
    sing praises to the Lord,
2     sing and praise his name.

Day after day announce,
    “The Lord has saved us!”
3 Tell every nation on earth,
“The Lord is wonderful
    and does marvelous things!
4 The Lord is great and deserves
    our greatest praise!
    He is the only God
    worthy of our worship.
5 Other nations worship idols,
    but the Lord created
    the heavens.
6 Give honor and praise
    to the Lord,
    whose power and beauty
    fill his holy temple.”

7 Tell everyone of every nation,
    “Praise the glorious power
    of the Lord.
8 He is wonderful! Praise him
    and bring an offering
    into his temple.
9 Everyone on earth, now tremble
    and worship the Lord,
    majestic and holy.”

10 Announce to the nations,
    “The Lord is King!
The world stands firm,
    never to be shaken,
    and he will judge its people
    with fairness.”

11 Tell the heavens and the earth
    to be glad and celebrate!
Command the ocean to roar
    with all of its creatures
12     and the fields to rejoice
    with all of their crops.
Then every tree in the forest
    will sing joyful songs
13     to the Lord.
He is coming to judge
all people on earth
    with fairness and truth.

Why not take some time today telling God about how you are feeling, where you are, whatever you need to say to him?  What would be your song?  Your poem?  Your piece of art?  How would you say what words cannot easily?

Posted in bible, church, faith, God, Lectionary, Religion, theology
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I Know Your Name

•October 14, 2014 • Leave a Comment

When I go to the hospital or another formal setting, they always call be by my full name, or Mrs Webster; those who know me well will call me Pam.  What somebody calls you is often a give away of how much they know you or the kind of relationship you have; whether someone knows you and your name, or are just reading it from a piece of paper.  Someone taking the trouble to know, and remember, your name is powerful and meaningful. I always feel much more predisposed to someone who has taken the trouble to do that.

God knows Cyrus‘ name, and uses it as he calls him.

Isaiah 45:1-7 (CEV)

Cyrus Obeys the Lord’s Commands

45 The Lord said to Cyrus, his chosen one:

I have taken hold
    of your right hand
to help you capture nations
    and remove kings from power.
City gates will open for you;
    not one will stay closed.
2 As I lead you,
    I will level mountains
and break the iron bars
    on bronze gates of cities.

3 I will give you treasures
hidden in dark
    and secret places.
Then you will know that I,
the Lord God of Israel,
    have called you by name.
4 Cyrus, you don’t even know me!
But I have called you by name
    and highly honored you
because of Israel,
    my chosen servant.

5 Only I am the Lord!
    There are no other gods.
I have made you strong,
    though you don’t know me.
6 Now everyone from east to west
will learn that I am the Lord.
    No other gods are real.
7 I create light and darkness,
happiness and sorrow.
    I, the Lord, do all of this.

Cyrus didn’t know God, but that didn’t stop God knowing him and calling to him. God is going to do great things, through Cyrus, for his people, but it all begins with God knowing him and calling him.

I believe this is not just for Cyrus.  It is for us all.  This is a personal God, who hasn’t just heard of us, but knows about us.  He knows our name, the one we call ourselves, and uses it.  God knows us, intimately; cares about us; loves us; and calls us.  He has something for each one of us to do.  Whoever we are, wherever we are coming from, God calls to each one of us, by our name, and leads us on to the task he has for us.

Our job may not, or may, be as big as rescuing a whole nation, but it is what God is asking of us.  As he calls us, he equips us for it, and leads us.

I am precious to God.  He knows me, calls me and leads me.

You are precious to him too, and he calls and leads you.

Thank you Lord,
that you have not just heard about me,
but know my name.
You know
what I am truly capable of,
and you have a task,
just for me,
that you call me to.

As I hear your call,
may I hear
and respond
to what you ask of me,
not in my strength,
but yours

Posted in bible, calling, faith, God, Lectionary, Religion, theology
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You’re Welcome

•October 11, 2014 • Leave a Comment

You’re invited,
do come.
It will be a great feast,
with much rejoicing,
delicious food,
great entertainment,
the best you can imagine.

Do come.

Actually,
I’m busy,
so much to do.

I’m not sure it is my thing.

I’d rather be doing something else.

It might be too much effort,
all that dressing up,
getting there,
so much fuss.

Excuses,
excuses…

So you don’t want to come?

There are plenty who will,
people that you might not look twice at,
the disreputable,
the difficult,
the unsavoury
– in your eyes anyway;
to me
they are loved
and valued
and welcome

Matthew 22:1-14 (CEV)

The Great Banquet

22 Once again Jesus used stories to teach the people:

2 The kingdom of heaven is like what happened when a king gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3 The king sent some servants to tell the invited guests to come to the banquet, but the guests refused. 4 He sent other servants to say to the guests, “The banquet is ready! My cattle and prize calves have all been prepared. Everything is ready. Come to the banquet!”

5 But the guests did not pay any attention. Some of them left for their farms, and some went to their places of business. 6 Others grabbed the servants, then beat them up and killed them.

7 This made the king so furious that he sent an army to kill those murderers and burn down their city. 8 Then he said to the servants, “It is time for the wedding banquet, and the invited guests don’t deserve to come. 9 Go out to the street corners and tell everyone you meet to come to the banquet.” 10 They went out on the streets and brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike. And the banquet room was filled with guests.

11 When the king went in to meet the guests, he found that one of them wasn’t wearing the right kind of clothes for the wedding. 12 The king asked, “Friend, why didn’t you wear proper clothes for the wedding?” But the guest had no excuse. 13 So the king gave orders for that person to be tied hand and foot and to be thrown outside into the dark. That’s where people will cry and grit their teeth in pain.14 Many are invited, but only a few are chosen.

Posted in bible, faith, God, Lectionary, life, Religion, theology
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