Dearest e-votees-
Looking through the appointed scriptures for this Sunday (the 11th Sunday after Pentecost) is like walking through a ripe orchard. There is abundant, tasty and life giving fruit hanging low all around. It seems like no matter what you pick you will end up with something good and life-sustaining.
I would encourage you to spend time with the verses of this abundantly rich orchard as you are able:
1 Kings 3:5-12
Solomon asking for wisdom over riches, honor, long life or vengeance
Psalm 119:129-136
Earnest prayer of thanksgiving for the decrees and laws of the Lord
Romans 8:26-29
Powerful words by Paul carried along by the Holy Spirit about our God who never leaves us as we weather all that this life brings upon us—more on that below
Looking through the appointed scriptures for this Sunday (the 11th Sunday after Pentecost) is like walking through a ripe orchard. There is abundant, tasty and life giving fruit hanging low all around. It seems like no matter what you pick you will end up with something good and life-sustaining.
I would encourage you to spend time with the verses of this abundantly rich orchard as you are able:
1 Kings 3:5-12
Solomon asking for wisdom over riches, honor, long life or vengeance
Psalm 119:129-136
Earnest prayer of thanksgiving for the decrees and laws of the Lord
Romans 8:26-29
Powerful words by Paul carried along by the Holy Spirit about our God who never leaves us as we weather all that this life brings upon us—more on that below
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
An orchard of ripe parables including the mustard seed, the yeast in the batch of dough, the exquisite pearl and the dragnet
May your perusing and picking and feasting on these scriptural delicacies bless you and those who receive them through you as well.
Peace,
Karl
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For today we will look at two portions of the appointed Romans text:
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
An orchard of ripe parables including the mustard seed, the yeast in the batch of dough, the exquisite pearl and the dragnet
May your perusing and picking and feasting on these scriptural delicacies bless you and those who receive them through you as well.
Peace,
Karl
------------
For today we will look at two portions of the appointed Romans text:
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
The gospel isn’t about us being wise or successful or composed or eloquent. The gospel is about God coming into our weakness. Jesus stepped into our sin-stained world and longs to enter into our sin-stained hearts every day. The Spirit comes into our fumbling and feeble prayers. The things that happen to us and through us are also sin-stained. But God can work all things together for good particularly as we grow in our love for God and in embracing the callings God puts on our lives. This isn’t some trite platitude from some sweat shop bumper sticker company far away. This is a deep and abiding promise from our God who bears things like the cross and our persistent sin and our scorn out of deep and abiding love for us. We are reminded that God has not forsaken us.
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:37-39, NRSV
If God was going to say one thing to you today what would you want it to be? Would it be an answer to a lingering question? Would it be a promise for justice or vengeance? Would it be a word of forgiveness or restoration? What would you want to hear? I believe that if God were limited to one statement (which, of course, is purely contrived) God would say “I love you.” God would say your name and God would warm your heart. God said it to Adam and Eve when he fashioned garments for them even after they had to leave the garden. God said it to Noah with the rainbow in the midst of the judgment. God said it to the woman taken in adultery. God said it to Peter and the others over breakfast at the beach. God says to you this day “I love you.” And the Holy Spirit through Paul reminds us that nothing can drive a lasting wedge between us and the love of our God.
Loving and faithful God, help us to abide in your loving and persistent presence this day. Help us walk in the world in a way that pleases you and blesses others. Amen.
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