“Desert!”

February 26, 2008
Tuesday

Psalm 42

It was absolutely amazing to me As we drove from Adana to Konya, two beautiful places, we traveled through an extremely barren and desolate area. The ground was dusty, the grass was thin, and the trees were sparse. Yet people lived there. It was certainly not a place that I would want to live. And then I began to think about my spiritual journey. How many times had I taken up residency in a place that was desolate and barren with very little life or hope? How many times had I decided that I could live in that place though I knew that God was waiting beyond to quench my thirst with water that springs eternal within us?
As a pastor, I wish I could say that I always live in the lush paradise of my faith where fruit, water, and beautiful flowers grow, but that wouldn’t be the truth. Do you know what I am talking about?
There were times in my life when I distanced myself from God for a variety of reasons. It may have been wanting my way, that dealing with God might be too much work, that life just seemed hopeless...so why not live in my misery? But each time God would find me and bring me to the water where I would drink and be restored.
Where are you on your spiritual journey? Stopped in the desert? Need a ride? Our driver never stopped until we were on the other side of the desert. Might I suggest turning the keys of your life over to God who wants to be your pilot (not co-pilot!) and ask God to take you on to the a land of abundance and plenty. I will never forget that barren area and I pray the next time I am in the desert of my spiritual journey I’ll let God drive!

“Salty Salt”

February 25, 2008
Monday

Matthew 5:13-16

Our guide said we’d be going past a salt lake. I’d never seen one up close but assumed it was filled with saltwater. Wrong! As we began to go around the lake I wondered if I was seeing a mirage. It looked like water but at the same time it didn’t. I asked and was told that the salt lake was just that, salt! We asked if we could stop and though we could tell the guide was nervous about keeping the schedule, he gave us ten minutes. We parked at a little tourist-type area and then walked out onto the lake. It was amazing. We were walking on salt, as all of the water had evaporated. We took pictures standing “in” the lake and then headed back to the shore. As we did so I reached down and picked up a granule of salt. What would it taste like, if anything? One moment in my mouth and I knew, this was salty salt! It wasn’t finally granulated like we use at the table, but it was salty salt.
What amazed me was that despite the intensity of weather and the length of time it had been there, it still had the salty flavor. It still had value and use. Do we still have our flavor for life, family, living, God? When we are added into the mix does everything take on a God flavor or are things tasteless? God does not abandon us in such times but rather restores, redeems, and revives us so that we can again add God’s divine flavor to every part of our day and our life. Amen!

“Praise God”

February 24, 2008
Sunday

As on every Sunday, I invite you to attend worship and to share in the celebration of God’s grace and love given to you through God’s Son, Jesus the Christ. If your church is following the Revised Common Lectionary, the readings for this day are:
Exodus 17:1-7 Psalm 95
Romans 5:1-11 John 4:5-42

Interesting facts about Easter

Do you realize how early Easter is this year? As you may know, Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20). This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.

A couple of things you might be interested in. Based on the above, Easter can actually be one day earlier (March 22) but that is pretty rare. This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above!). And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier! Here's the facts:

1) The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you're 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that!).

2) The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818.

So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!

“To the Angel of the church in Smyrna”

February 23, 2008
Saturday

Revelation 2:8-11

Smyrna is now known as Izmir. It is the third largest city in Turkey, located on the shore of the Aegean Sea, and it’s port is second only to Istanbul. We saw a hustling place. The water views were beautiful. Our only real stop was at the Church of Polycarp of which I’ll speak to later.
In the words of God for this community we hear a call to faith. Though they believe in God there will be struggle, there will be testing, there will be persecution. Yet God, through John, calls them to be faithful. Why? Because there is a greater glory, a greater reason for living, than that which we see around us. The crown of life is like a wreath awarded to the winner of a race and we remember the words from Hebrews 12 “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Whatever suffering or testing we are facing today is but for a short time. God says, “hold on”, “keep the faith” and we will receive eternal life as the final victory. AMEN!!!

"Genuine Fake Watches"

February 22, 2008
Friday

First John 2

In the midst of one of the shop areas at an attraction we saw this sign, “Genuine Fake Watches”!! They weren’t trying to fool anyone or be dishonest, they were telling it like it is...if you buy from us you’ll look great but it’ll be a fake!
It got me to thinking about how honest we are in our lives with others, and most importantly, with God. Sure, God knows and sees everything, but that doesn’t seem to stop us from trying to “fake” God out or hoping that God isn’t paying attention at certain times in our lives. As I further thought about the sign I realized how freeing it is. People know what they are getting at that shop!!
What would happen if we were as honest in our lives? What would happen if we were able to label the different areas of our life. “I’m not good at math”, “I don’t like boring sermons”, “I sneak pizza when no one is looking”, “I don’t really pray everyday”, “I don’t know the names of the books of the Bible”. Sure, society has taught us that to admit things can cause us to look weak, but I would offer that in reality, it will give us freedom because we can be who we are and that will be a great foundation from which to work, to strengthen our lives. What signs can we make to let people know who we really are and thereby enjoy the freedom God gives us in that truth?

“Spices of the Spirit”

February 21, 2008
Thursday

Galatians 5:16-25

There is a place in Istanbul called the Spice Market. Inside this area are many merchants who are selling a wide variety of spices. It was in the Spice Market that I purchased the frankincense and myrrh that we talked about on Epiphany Sunday, In many shops one can find white pepper, saffron, red pepper, curry, paprika, and so many more. Some shops sell perfumes and ointments and depending on which part of the market you are in, the smells can be quite different. Each of these spices, when added correctly, can really bring out the flavor of the meal. I don’t know how it all works but I certainly love tasting the great results!
Today’s reading reminds us of the spices that God adds to our lives when we live in the Spirit. I know...they are called the Fruit of the Spirit but I think of them as adding a great flavor to our lives. How much better is our life when we experience patience, kindness, joy, and peace? If we live in the way of the Spirit, if we allow the Spirit to live and work within us, just as the right spice brings out the full taste of the meal, so too do the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. They bring out the fullness of a life lived in faith. Why settle for the bland when we can spice up our lives with self-control, love, faithfulness, and gentleness? I agree they may not sound as exciting as crushed red pepper, but I will testify that they are all of that and more! Let us spice up our life by living in the Spirit and experiencing the fruit of such faith.

“Creating a Rug”

February 20, 2008
Wednesday

Genesis 1:1-2:2

I used to think a “Persian” rug was just a carpet from Turkey that cost lots of money. One day we journeyed to a co-op where women from all over Turkey made rugs to be sold. These women represented just a few of the many who chose to work at home or other facilities in order to make a living for their families. We found out that each rug was hand-woven. That means that it takes upwards of 9-10 months to make one rug and because of the strain on their eyes and body, working more than four hours a day is very difficult. Imagine, sitting down and working on something for that long. Imagine running one thread through many in order to create a very specific design. In a world that requires immediate satisfaction, it’s a difficult thing to do. Besides the detailed designs, these rugs are built to last. They laid out a number of completed rugs and invited us to take off our shoes and walk on them. They looked like they should be only on the wall, for people to admire. Yet these rugs are found on the floors of homes throughout Turkey. They are passed down through generations! Grandmother to grandson! Amazing!
God created a masterpiece in six days upon which we walk. It is built to last and it is our responsibility to make sure we treat it in such a way that we can pass it on. It’s not just to be admired, but also enjoyed. As we walk through the day, may we admire the detail and beauty of what God has created, and give thanks!

“Wall of Prayer”

February 19, 2008
Tuesday

Matthew 6:5-11

We visited the House of the Virgin Mary above on a mountain that overlooked the remains of Ephesus. It is purported to be the place where the beloved disciple John and Mary moved at a point after Jesus had been crucified. It is a place of pilgrimage for many of the Catholic faith. On this site is a wall of prayers. It’s a place where people write their prayers and then stick them to a covering over the face of the wall. A variety of sizes and types of paper are used, including an “Orbit Gum” box, to leave these petitions. They also are written in many different languages. Honoring the privacy of these written prayers, I did not look to see if they were to God, Jesus, or Mary. What amazed me though was the length and depth of this wall of prayer which had to measure 30 feet long and 5 feet high . When we share our joys and concerns in Sunday morning worship, we hear many voices lifting up names and events but there were thousands of prayers on this wall.
I recognize that prayer is a conversation with God but part of prayer is lifting up petitions to God—for others, for guidance, for strength, for hope, for healing, you know what I mean. As I looked at the wall I was reminded of how God hears each of our prayers and answers them as though we are the only ones who matter. It then got me to thinking of just how full or empty our individual prayer walls are. Do we only speak with the right words of whatever we can find? What do we place before God? Do we leave all of our requests there or just some? God wants to see them all!
Let us pray...

“Mold me, Make Me”

February 18, 2008
Monday

Jeremiah 18:1-10

One of the places we went during our Turkey tour was the Galip Pottery Shop. Mr. Galip is considered a treasure in Turkey and is known in Europe for his beautiful work. The visit included watching one of his potters take a glob of clay and turn it into a beautiful pot, including the top, all within 10-15 minutes. It was amazing to see how he took what looked like nothing and made it into something of great beauty.
As we continue our journey through Lent, let us remember how God took us, with all of our imperfections, with all of our feelings of low self-worth, and created us into something of beauty. We are children of God! Not perfect, but forgiven and reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.
The man who created the pot while we were there obviously had done it many times before and yet he still took great joy in showing us what he could do. I also imagine that more than once something didn’t work out and he simply took the clay and re-formed it into a breathtaking creation.
God takes great joy in creating each of us. God also understands that sometimes we mess up what God has created and is therefore more than ready, if we will but ask, to remold us, to remake us, into a breathtaking creation. The pot the man made was usable, and so should we be, to help pour out God’s grace upon the world!