1 Thessalonians 5:5 “for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness.”

Yesterday evening my son and I walked over to the neighbor’s house to retrieve one of his toys he had left.  When we went out the front door a sliver of the moon and the bright glow of Venus were there to greet us.  The stars were all beginning to pop out and reveal their light in the darkening sky.  This is how I see us, the children of light.  We may be surrounded by darkness but we are not of the darkness.  We may be in the night but we are not of the night.  Just as the stars, the moon and the planets glow all of the time so does our light, it is just more noticed in the darkness.  There will be a day when darkness is banished forever and the light will prevail over it completely.  Until then we are beacons of light, we shine our light, the light of Love as a comfort, as a guide, as a testimony to our God.  Today the forecast is for sun in the morning and some clouds to roll in later.  I hope the sun will remind us all of the eternal light and love of God and that the clouds will remind us that the light and love of God always shines, even if we cannot clearly see it. Let us shine on with Him!

Lord,

Thank you for the heavens that are so beautiful to gaze at.  Thank you for the sunshine and the azure sky during the day and for the bright points of light that come from the stars at night.  Let them remind us of the light you have placed in us so we can shine on for you just as stars in the night.  Amen.

Ruth 1:1 “In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife and two sons.”

Thus a new journey begins... I am certain Naomi and Elimelech never saw what was going to unfold when they started this leg of their journey.  They were simply trying to find a place where they could survive the famine.  Who knew that things would get worse before they got better?  As I review the story of Ruth in my head I remember the struggles that Naomi experienced in the land of Moab but even in her struggles and terrible times she was never alone.  She had Ruth who became her companion through thick and through thin.  When I step back and think about the journeys I have been on both physical and spiritual I can see many blessings I received through them.  Even when I think I took a wrong turn or must have heard wrong because things couldn't possibly go this badly, God has redeemed the road and blessings have been poured out.  I do not know where my road leads but I take courage in the story of Ruth.  I continue on knowing that the Lord guides my steps and He will lead me home.

Lord,

As we embark on our journeys for today, I lift our steps into your hands.  Guide us, lead us and open our eyes to see you in every moment.  Just as you cared for Naomi and Ruth I know you care for us.  Thank you, Lord.  Amen.

Ephesians 5:20 “giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

As we approach the national day of Thanksgiving I know several people to write about being thankful each day this month on their Facebook pages.  I have seen thanks for warm houses and shelter on these c old nights and thanks for love of family and friends.  There has been thanks given for health and healing as well.  I am thankful for songs and music, the laughter of children and warmth of their hugs.  I am thankful for my family and the love we share with each other.  I could go on and on about the blessings I am thankful for.  Where I struggle is in the phrase “at all times and for everything”.  When my day is filled with strife and my heart is heavy it is difficult to give thanks but this is what Paul says we are to do.  When tears of despair or the pain of illness overtakes us we are to give thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  When I look back at past trials I am able to be thankful but I confess, when I am in the midst of it all, there is room to grow in this for me.  This morning I lift a prayer to the Lord for those who struggle with giving thanks.

Lord,

I thank you for all you give to us; you are gracious beyond understanding.  Please lift the hearts and heads of your children who suffer.  Help them feel your love and peace filling them so they are able to give thanks to you wherever they are and whatever they go through.  I come and ask all these things through Christ, our Lord.   Amen.

2 Timothy 2:16-17 “Avoid profane chatter for it will lead people into more and more impiety, and their talk will spread like gangrene...”

The picture this paints in my mind is powerful and not pleasant at all.  Gangrene is the dying of our bodily tissue and if not stopped it will kill us.  Paul pulls no punches, as usual, in this text.  I stop to think about what my chatter consists of when I am having coffee with friends, sitting and visiting after church or catching up at the mailbox.  Do I fall into the trap of profane or ungodly chatter?  Do I gossip or whisper about others behind their backs or say things that would cause others to judge without knowledge?  Do my words cut people down or build them up?  I hear the words in Psalm 19:14 echoing in my heart...”let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”  As we prepare to dive into another day let these verses in 2 Timothy call us to pause before we speak.  Let our words be words of love, healing, building up, restoration and encouragement.  Let our words be words of truth.  In this way we can spread life and banish death.

Lord,

Please forgive any words I have spoken that have spread lies or death to others.  Bring healing to our hearts and souls so that we are restored in you once more.  Guide our thoughts and words so that we speak only life giving words and in this, we spread your truth and love around the world.  Through Jesus, our rock and redeemer we pray.  Amen.

1 Corinthians 3:3 “for you are still of the flesh.  For as long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations?”

Yesterday morning and again this morning my four year old was up before the sun and it took me a few minutes each time to remember that he is waking up at the same time he always does, my clock is what has changed.  I could feel the grumbling in my heart for those of us who have small children and animals that are not benefiting at all from this daylight savings thing.  It is easy to look at others and wish for what they have instead of what we have.  It is easy to look at others and condemn what they do or what they believe rather than to love them regardless of their actions or beliefs.  Paul calls the church to set aside our human inclinations and to seek relationship with God.  Their arguing with each other may not be the same argument we hold but both arguments are of the flesh.  If we can set aside our selfish human nature we are better able to embrace the holy presence and guidance of our Lord.  He will help us move from flesh to spirit if we will strive to live in his spirit.  As I sip my coffee, I feel the warmth of it and remember the warmth of the spirit of the Lord.

Lord,

Thank you for the sunrise to signal a new day.  As it comes over the horizon let it remind us to banish human selfishness and seek your love and light.  In this way we can live in your spirit and grow in your ways.  Amen.

Proverbs 17:22 “A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.”

Whew, a rough night of sleep often gives me a downcast spirit and last night was one of those.  A movie I just saw was running through my mind, concerns I hold in my heart about my young daughter and the many tasks I have to do were just a few of the things keeping me from sleeping soundly.  When I woke up my son was already awake and so my quiet time was less than quiet and I was less than cheerful.  I struggled to hear the Lord or find a scripture reading that would work for me so I stepped away for a few minutes.  When I practically tripped over this verse I knew the Lord was nudging me.  I could choose to feel tired and grumpy or I can choose to look for the sunshine in the day.  I can choose to allow every little annoyance to push me or I can choose to let the grace of God flow into and through me.  It is only the love of the Lord that will give me a cheerful heart under any circumstance.  Allow a cheerful heart to fill your chest and bring that good medicine to your soul.  Only then can you spread that love to others and bring the medicine of cheer to them as well.

Lord,

Lift the sleep from my eyes and allow me to bask in your love and light.  Remove the clouds of downcast spirit and fill my heart with the medicine of good cheer from your Spirit.  I ask these things so I can remain your faithful disciple and so I can bring that good medicine to others.  Amen.

1 Thessalonians 3:12 “And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you.”

There are certain people that just rub me the wrong way, you know what I mean?  Generally speaking I let things roll off of me but once in a while a person comes along and I just have to step away.  When I read scripture like this passage in Thessalonians I am convicted.  I have not read anywhere in scripture that I am called to love those I like and ignore those I don’t.  It is easy to love the people we like and get along with.  How on earth can I move beyond the annoyances and love others, those who are abrasive to me, those who wish harm on me, those who harm this world and the kingdom of God?  Paul hit the nail on the head: may the Lord make me increase and abound in love.  It is only His love that can change my heart and soul to love others as he asks me to.  Stepping away may not be a bad thing but stepping forward in love would be better.  In this season of giving thanks I seek to be thankful for the thorns in my side and the annoyances that get my attention.  Those things keep me alert and draw me out of the fog of complacency.  With God’s help maybe they will help me increase and abound in love.

Lord,

Your wisdom humbles my heart this morning.  Open my heart to receive your love in abundance and strengthen me to share your love with all other people.  Through Christ I pray, Amen.