God of all creation – Guide our steps into this day Ground our feet in your peace Set our eyes on eternity Wash away our anxieties.
For you, Holy God, are the great redeemer The healer, the justice maker You – the restorer of all things To the way you created life to be.
Guard us from our own distractions Judgments against our neighbors Public slander of strangers Untended wounds within us Flowing out into your streets.
Lift us to your higher rock Fill us with mercy and justice Spirit of compassion and love Wisdom that resides in the deepest Silence where our hearts Come. Help us
Listen Rest Listen
And wait for you to show us The way of faithfulness now.
We love you, Lord, and we trust you completely. In your presence, we are full of your joy. You are the creator of this day; you have given this time in history the blessing of your presence. We yield ourselves into your hands, in the name of the resurrected Christ, Amen.
“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” – Mark 11:22-25
Jesus was responding to his disciples’ amazement when they realized his words had true power. He cursed the fig tree when it had no fruit to offer and the next day it was withered! (Mark 11:20) They cannot fathom this uncontainable spiritual power. Maybe we can’t comprehend it either.
We are a people that value preparation and proof. We forgive after we see repentance. We strike before someone strikes us. We are preemptive, proactive, decisive, and “powerful”. Or are we? Sometimes we even call this active way of being ahead of the game being “faithful”. Jesus describes faith differently.
Faith is not belief in ourselves. Faith is believing in God. Faith is not dependent on our taking matters into our own hands. Faith is yielding matters into God’s hands. Letting go of our limited way of getting things done, and acting with faith that God is the one who actually moves the mountains. Our spiritual power is found in prayer. It is a profound act of faith. It is a vulnerable place to be.
Jesus seems pretty powerful even when he is rejected. When faced with public scrutiny and accusation, he simply continues. His mission was not to please the crowds or the authorities. It was to do what God gave him to do. That meant showing up in places that “faithful people” didn’t typically go. It meant offering mercy to those with stones in their hands, and to those crouched in shame and fear as condemnation is hurled against them. It meant teaching what God wanted people to hear. Humbly. Boldly. With Love. And a lot of prayer.
My grandfather Lester was a farmer. A man of great faith. He believed God was faithful most of all. He planted and tended the land. There were good years and hard years. Sometimes a field failed to produce a crop for unknown reasons. Occasionally weather and disease ruined entire harvests. P.E. Lester farmed and tended the land in all of those seasons. When resources were lacking, he and Grandma made sacrifices so the family had what they needed for the basics in life. They shared with their neighbors.
Grandaddy was certain of a greater vision. He knew his faithful tending would change the land and thus the harvest over time. He knew that most of it would be seen in other generations. His days were filled standing in the context he was given, and serving faithfully from that place. All the while, trusting that God was doing what he could not. He believed every seed would produce when it was given the right soil and the right environment. Grandaddy’s part was farming. The harvest, however and whenever it came, was in God’s hands. That faith grounded all of his work.
It is no surprise that his favorite chapter of the Bible was Hebrews 11. It begins like this: Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.This is what the ancients were commended for. – Hebrews 11:1-2
A wise person who I only knew as a partner in prayer once shared with us, “we are not held accountable for what good things we do in the world. We can do many ‘good things’ in the world. We are held accountable, however, only for what God gives us to do.” That is what Jesus did. (John 5:19-20; John 12:49)
I’m accountable to do what God has given me to do. Moses was to lead a people out of slavery. Joseph was to marry Mary and raise a family. Paul was to plant churches and write. Martha was to show hospitality. Mary Magdalene was to proclaim the resurrection. Lydia was to provide financial support. The stories go on and on. Yours too. How are you standing in faith while you do what God has given you to do today?
These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. – Hebrews 11:39-40
Lord, thank you for the ways you bring forth your fulfillment in due time. Forgive us when we march ahead of you. We are so eager that sometimes we forget to trust that you are working all things for good. Stir us when we become complacent or fearful. We do trust you, Lord; and we love you. Help us today to simply move steady on with you. Thank you for not giving up on us! Amen.
Psalm 15 Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?
The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart;
whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others;
who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind;
who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things will never be shaken. (NIV)
At a time when it often feels like everything is being “shaken”, the words of this ancient prayer land differently for me. I’m reading it silently and then out loud. My pen is underlining words to sear the wisdom a little deeper.
No slander. No slur. No wrong to a neighbor. Speaking truth from the heart. Keeping an oath even when it hurts. What a different experience we would all have if we intentionally practice what is contained in the five verses of this prayer! But not just a “different experience” …
The Scripture says there will be dwelling in the holy space.
The result is not that challenges and difficulty cease. The result is not being shaken by the difficulties that are part of this life. “Whoever does these things will never be shaken.”
Jesus urged his disciples to “abide” in him. Stay connected. Let’s dwell together. “Apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) That is the way that leads us into the holy space.
A practice that may assist when we feel the desire to say or do what we know is harmful, is simply to name that with the Lord, and ask for help to not act in destructive ways. If the slurs and slander of another are not acted upon, the harm is not spread. Speaking to God or a trusted spiritual friend about our feelings allows us a holy space of confession. A space where Christ meets us and works on our hearts. We work it together. We clear what doesn’t need to set up dwelling; we let go so we can receive what is good.
The blessing in the holy space of confession is found in another prayer, Psalm 32. Read it here: https://bit.ly/holyspace
Keeping an oath may hurt, breaking covenant destroys. The LORD is the one who redeems. If life is shaking you right now, reach out for the one whose hand is already reaching for you. Your Creator can be trusted.
Lord, as we pray this prayer together with the words of Psalm 15, give us grace to live with you and in you. Thank you for receiving us as we are and restoring us to the wholeness you gave your life for us to have. We love you, Lord, and we trust you completely. Amen.
Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. – Acts 8:4
Have you have been scattered? You begin somewhere and then everyone disperses? It often begins when we graduate high school and everyone moves along to their “next chapter”, whatever and wherever that may be. We all have different experiences; some being scattered many times, others finding a solid landing place that serves well for a lifetime.
When we are scattered, we carry something within us wherever we go. That’s what happened to Philip. It was in the early days of the church. Stephen had just been publicly stoned to death because he proclaimed the resurrection of Christ. All the people except the apostles, were scattered.
The people who killed Stephen were quite confident in their judgement of Stephen. They believed they were “protecting” God’s people and the faith. Saul, a devout and deeply faithful Pharisee, began strategically moving home to home condemning people for believing in Jesus. He placed them in prison. He was certain he was God’s messenger and agent; he justified these destructive actions. Saul was being “faithful”.
Philip was among the many who were scattered during this hard season in the early life of the church. He carries within him the faith and story of a Savior who came to earth to redeem, restore, and fulfill God’s kingdom on earth. It was a radical proclamation, and it was a story with tangible love and grace that many had never experienced.
This story was a personal transformation that Philip lived every day. People were healed in encounters with him. The Spirit led him to random strangers who were seeking for what they did not know. He had no campaigns, videos, or internet to spread what God had given him; he just had what was within, what had been given by Christ.
In our modern and widely accessible world of the 21st century, it may help us to pause and remember how powerfully God moves in the one-to-one conversations, when all you have is what you carry within your heart, mind, and spirit. You may even be scattered today. My work often takes me to other communities; sometimes it is like being scattered. It often feels like a holy scattering.
When the Pharisees asked Jesus about when the kingdom of God would come, he replied that it is not something that comes with your observation; “the kingdom is within you”. And then he turned to his disciples:
He went on to say to his disciples, “The days are coming when you are going to be desperately homesick for just a glimpse of one of the days of the Son of Man, and you won’t see a thing. And they’ll say to you, ‘Look over there!’ or, ‘Look here!’ Don’t fall for any of that nonsense. The arrival of the Son of Man is not something you go out to see. He simply comes. (THE MESSAGE – Luke 17:22-24)
Wherever you go today, I pray you carry within you the redemptive love and grace of Christ. Whether offered with words, actions, or the sheer gift of presence, may you be scattered to bless all who you meet upon the path. And may there be love however and whenever you return “home”.
Lord, we don’t always comprehend the fullness of your mysterious grace. We don’t have to understand it all. We walk by faith because we believe in you. Keep us humble enough to follow where you lead us today, and courageous enough to joyfully share whatever you have given us to offer. Thank you for the scattering that blesses. Thank you for the landing places that help us experience love as “home”. We love you, Lord. We trust you completely. Bless your people who are on the move today. Amen.
Someone’s walking beside you One you cannot always see They arrived before you made your steps They’ll be there when you continue you on your journey You are not alone. Sometimes it’s the person in the grocery store Reminding you of something you’ve forgotten – the story of BREAD.
Another day it’s the vulture waiting on the roof To alert you: every death is followed by new birth Or the neighbors who pause to see what you cannot and share it. An old friend; a very new friend Someone is walking up beside you Offering peace Offering hope Offering love Wait for it.
As the light arrives When you are given the gift to see Receive and be grateful These are blessings of our Creator. For all the days we do not see Or hear the footsteps No presence felt or known Even still… someone is walking up beside you. Wait for it and keep moving forward.
Before I begin – You have created Before I brush my teeth – You have established the day I watch your sun rise It changes every moment The beauty is too great for me to capture You are creating, moving, establishing I stand in wonder.
Forgive me when I begin the day with dread or fear or arrogance instead of gratitude and awe. Thank you for the sun rise that reminds me: “All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being“.
Forgive us when we enter life’s moments with condemnation, pointing fingers at our neighbors; many of whom we do not know, and judging those we do. Forgive us when we want so much to be on the side of whatever is “right” that we have no more space to love. Or learn. Or listen for what you may be saying.
Your sunrise reminds me how quickly you create and establish new things. Every second of every moment moving mountains, changing minds bringing spirit, removing idols crumbling, building, shedding, breaking, healing, restoring, transforming…. And we stand in awe of You.
Help us position ourselves for humble following however and wherever you lead today. We love you, Lord. We trust you, Christ. Thank you for not giving up on us. We welcome your new day! Amen.
The crowd must have been intrigued when Jesus started speaking words of blessing. Many of them had come to know of a God that is all condemning. Grace and mercy were in short supply in the 1st century. Rhetoric and false proclamations were rampant. Fear, greed, and the need to be in “control”, were everywhere.
In the middle of great tension and chaos – Jesus, the Messiah, shows up with a different message. He, himself, shows up with an attitude and countenance that people have not seen or experienced. Jesus shows up with good news for many who are ready and in need of good news. The Christ comes to offer truth:
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. – Matthew 5:3-11
These blessings are still true today. Where mercy is given, mercy will be received. The hunger and thirst for holiness, will be filled. Where grief is heavy and raw, the Lord will bring comfort in just the way it is needed. When a person comes with peace among you, they are present as a child of God. Even when insults and falseness are spread about those following Christ, these words are no hindrance to the fulfillment of the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.
Where do you find yourself today? As one in need of a blessing, or one who is equipped to offer it to someone else? Perhaps both; or maybe to simply remember these words that Jesus wanted the people to hear. Words of truth and blessing that Christ wants us to hear again today.
Lord, we forget how different your ways are in our world. The other voices around us are so loud! Thank you for speaking into our lives with truth that brings peace. Thank you for reminding us of how you bring grace and justice; it is so different from the ways we expect it to come. Today, where there is need of blessing, please bring it with abundance. Enter into those crevices and corners of our pain and despair; make yourself known to the brokenhearted. And Father, where you have equipped us to be an avenue of your blessing, we surrender ourselves into your hands for that purpose and for your glory. We love you Lord, and we trust you completely. Thank you for the blessings that Jesus continues to offer our lives. Amen.
Sunrise and sunset Your rhythms offered for all every morning, every evening without fail.
Breathe in and out Sight, sound, touch, taste, smell every day, every night without fail.
As long as we are here we are still together every moment, every hour without fail.
Attentive to work or rest laughing or crying Your words remain faithful without fail.
Celebrations and sorrows Ordinary and miraculous Life here and there; profound gifts without fail.
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made and all their host by the breath of his mouth. He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle; he put the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him, for he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. – Psalm 33:6-9
God, as we embark on our Monday beginnings, we welcome your assistance and presence. Let our steps be ordered by your Spirit even when we are unaware. Where work is started, let it bring good to our lives…the “good” that honors the life you give us today. Where rest is embraced, may it bring peace. When tears of sorrow or joy need release today, let them flow like fountains; watering our souls and reminding us how wonderfully you’ve created the world. Every beginning is an offering from you. We are grateful; we receive. Thank you for loving us. We need you, Lord, and we trust you completely. Amen.
Central Station is just three minutes away from the Lorraine Hotel and the National Civil Rights Museum. I’m as close as I can be right now. The music of this city is pouring out of every speaker I pass by; it’s rolling out of the entrance of my room and flowing through the gathering spaces. Music washes over you…over me; it begs me pause…just let it flow over me like water. Let it soak, inspire, remind me…and speak in the remembering.
I came to Memphis on “business” but I’ve stayed by necessity of heart. My friend and colleague, Rev. Dr. Autura Eason-Williams, was murdered here in Memphis on July 18, 2022. She was not “mine” per se – she was all of ours. We loved her. We appreciated her. We were inspired by her courageous leadership and certain call. Her husband and children were encouraged and bolstered by her love every day. I’m in her “district”; I’m in her city.
Someone else was murdered the morning of my arrival. A runner. A mother, a wife, a teacher, a woman. Eliza Fletcher. I did not know her, but her disappearance changed my weekend. The tenseness in my body increased. I altered the plans I had for walking. When a man pulled up, rolled down his window and hollered at me as I walked down the street, “hey pretty lady what are you doing?”, I wanted to scream. I kept my cool and kept on walking. He drove on and I turned around for yet another route. I hate not feeling “safe”.
The museum walks me through history as I read through and get a taste of someone else’s experience. Someone I didn’t know, though I read some of his writing and particularly his letter to his pastor colleagues; written from the Birmingham jail. I am moved by the history I’m walking through but I am undone by the sobbing of the young man who is next to me. He must have been 11 or 12 years old. An older woman was with him; a grandmother, perhaps. She doesn’t try to stop him from crying, but she’s right by his side as he takes in this part of our history.
Something catches my eye: “Don’t stop now. Keep moving. Don’t get weary. We will wear them down with our capacity to suffer.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. addressing a rally at Shiloh Baptist Church December 15, 1961. It’s “the capacity to suffer” that won’t leave my spirit. So many people have gone before us that had the “capacity to suffer”. I do wonder…do we have that capacity now?
Memphis is not a city of murder and violence. There is more. Music is here. Amazing blues music. Rock n Roll. Country. Incredible scores of musicians found their deep rhythms in this city. I walked over to the Arcade and got a window seat looking out at South Main Street. The lady sitting next to me has a story. She’s going to tell me a little, but not much. Memphis is “home” for her. I explain that I’m not from here; I came to town to officiate a funeral, but I stayed to take in the museum and a bit of culture. I stayed to remember my friend. She tells me she’s “sorry for my loss”, but I tell her how it’s OK, because I’m a pastor and this is what we do; we do funerals. We want to honor and celebrate people’s lives. We think it’s important.
The Arcade: The Oldest Cafe in Memphis; Established 1919
She has generational connections to the Arcade. We cover a lot of conversational ground in a few short minutes. It occurs to me as we sit and chat in what is the “oldest Café in Memphis”, that Reggie surely ate here many times. And maybe Elvis and surely Aretha Franklin. It also occurs to me that the woman I’m talking to in this moment is just as important as all of them. For all I know, which is very little, she is probably famous herself. The chances that I would recognize her are slim to none, unless she belts out a song I know. She kind of looked famous, but doesn’t everyone? https://arcaderestaurant.com/history/
As she gets up to leave, she looks at me and says, “you said you are a pastor; you are a pastor; right?” And I said, “yes; I am”. She said, “I’ve been needing to talk to a pastor but not a pastor from Memphis. I’m really glad I got to talk to you today.”
Of course, I was glad too; to have a true “local” to chat with and laugh a little; share a bit of history; say some things you might only say to a stranger. Of all the things we talked about (and I met her son in the middle of it all), I don’t know what one thing she needed to say to a pastor, whether it was “content” or just the experience she was seeking. Whatever we both needed, we seemed to get it sitting at the window seat looking out at South Main. Saturday afternoon in Memphis, Tennessee.
“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.” – Psalm 4:8
God, please be near to anyone who needs to feel “safe” right now. We love you and we trust you completely. Amen.
If you don’t know Reggie, you’ve missed something that will bless your life. Start here and just keep listening. Peace.
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. – Lamentations 3:22-26
I often think of how gracious God was in giving us something new every morning. The new expression of sunrise, while the rhythm remains steadfast. The new song of the birds, though the familiar melodies. The new breath in our lungs and the new beats of our hearts…that have never before been expressed!
Every moment of every day is an unfolding of something new God is creating. While that “new” is being discovered and lived one hour at a time, there is also a steadfast presence that does not change. The love and grace of God is always available and ready to be offered. The peace that only God can give, is accessible in the humble asking.
However we come into this Monday, God is right here with us. On game or not; feeling it or not; scared to death or celebrating your greatest accomplishments…the presence of the Creator is standing at your side. Listen for that voice as you walk through this week. It is far beyond the opinions and noise that swirls around with hope of distracting us from God’s wisdom that comes in the pause. Listen.
God, this morning we pause to reconnect and remember your presence and faithfulness. We embrace the mercies you give for this day. We give thanks for the compassion and love you hold; ready to come quickly and abundantly as we seek. It is our desire to honor you with the gift of life you have provided today. Help us, Holy Spirit, to do it well. We welcome your JOY into our lives. We love you, LORD, and we trust you completely. Amen.
I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. – Jesus in the Gospel of John 15:11
Life in the Deep End 