Not Enough Love In The World

37For nothing will be impossible with God.

(Luke 1:37)

From today's lectionary

Omniscient.

Omnipotent.

Omnipresent.

If I had those three qualities,

nothing would be impossible.

Except for humbling myself

and hang from a cross

for your sins.

Changes (Just gonna have to be a different man)

18Zechariah said to the angel, "How will I know that this is so?

For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years."

19The angel replied, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, 

have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak,

until the day these things occur." (Luke 1:18-20)

From today's lectionary

The angel said to the priest:

“Watch in silence

these events that you

can not comprehend.

Go home to your beloved.

Lie with her

and let God’s story

start to unfold.”

Today‘s meditation:

Can we keep our unbelief as revealed

in thought, word and deed

silent?

Looking for Answers (from above not below)

For my days pass away like smoke,

(Psalm 102:3)

My days are like an evening shadow;

(Psalm 102:11)

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
⁶ my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.

(Psalms 130:5-6)

You show me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness of joy;
in your right hand are pleasures forevermore

(Psalm 16:11)

From today's lectionary

On those days

when life seems dark

and without promise

I wait for You

to give me an answer.

And then when I sense

Your Presence,

There is no great insight,

No enlightenment.

Instead You show me

Your path of life

with a command:

“Follow Me.”

The waiting is the hardest part

the LORD will not forsake his people;

he will not abandon his heritage

(Psalm 94:14)

From today's lectionary

As we wait

for the second Christmas,

Let us not be anxious

in any matter.

For our faith

is placed in

the Provider

 of all good things

who will not leave

the ones He loves.

Miracle (David Wilcox)

David Wilcox is a singer/storyteller

A bright star in the winter sky
Led to Bethlehem that night
But only three traveled there to see
And the rest just wished they might

Few will chose to follow
Out of all the star invites
Most will hide safe inside
With the lantern turned up bright

Waiting for a miracle

The journey was a long one
So the story's told
These three guys
Walking side by side
With their incense and gold

People all along the highway
They just shook their heads
They looked hard at that distant star
And went back to bed

'Cause they were
Waiting for a miracle

The star was dim and distant
To those who stayed at home
But every heart that follows
Behold a light was shone

Hark! The herald angels sing
The song is bright and clear
It's so quiet on this road tonight
As the travelers' star appears

But right outside my window
Quiet as can be
All that time making up my mind
The angels wait for me

Waiting for a miracle

　

There Will Be a Day

Return to us, God Almighty!
Look down from heaven and see!
(Psalm 80:14)

If you do not wake up,

I will come like a thief,

and you will not know

at what hour I will come to you.

(Rev. 3:3b)

from today's lectionary

On the second Christmas,

When He returns.

Not as a baby

But as the King.

No star directing those to see Him

But He who is the Light in the darkness

Not escaping to Egypt

But reclaiming those who kept the faith.

No gifts from the wise men

But reviewing what the faithful and unfaithful

did with theirs.

On the second Christmas,

When He returns.

The Last Adam

(1 Corinthians 15:45)

There’s only one God

whose strength can not be measured

and

whose wisdom is far beyond comprehension.

Who came down from His home

Not to exhibit His mighty power

or show off His knowledge.

But to live a life

like one of His creations -  Adam

As a baby

As a child

As a man

As a Teacher

As a Healer

As the Christ.

I’ll be watching you

18 Truly the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,

(Psalm 33:38)

9 The LORD watches over the strangers;
he upholds the orphan and the widow,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

(Psalm 146:9)

From today's lectionary

Maybe the reason

God’s presence is so unnerving

is that

He can see us

while we can only sense He’s there.

 

 

 

As we meditate on the Magi witnessing

God in the flesh,

let us remember the God of all the universes

is watching you.

Shine

As daylight becomes

shorter and shorter in duration

each day of the Advent season

(until Christmas), ¹

doesn’t mean we should lose our light

during this time of year.

Note 1- Poetically, not meteorologically

Morning Prayer of the Depressed

Turn, O LORD! How long?
Have compassion on your servants!
¹⁴ Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
¹⁵ Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us,
and as many years as we have seen evil.
¹⁶ Let your work be manifest to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
¹⁷ Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us.

(Psalm 90:13-17)

From today's lectionary

Advent is the season of the coming of the Light,

let us remember those who live with darkness.

O God!

When is this gonna end?

When will Your love change the pain

caused by my darkness?

Today, bring the newness that You want for me.

Break open this stone heart.

May each moment of the day be remembered

and kept in the new center You created.

For without You

There is no Amen.

Interesting interpretation of the Wedding Feast Parable

1Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying:
²"The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. ³He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. ⁴Again he sent other slaves, saying, 'Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.' ⁵But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, ⁶while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. ⁷The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. ⁸Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. ⁹Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.' ¹⁰Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.

^{11"But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, 12and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?' And he was speechless. 13Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 14For many are called, but few are chosen." (Matthew 22:1-14)}
From today's lectionary readings

When we read about a king in the parables,

we think God.

But what if the king in this parable is evil?

So evil that the invited one per centers (those who usually back the empire)

send their excuses regrets.

A king so evil he kills them for not RSVP-ing.

So in order to keep up appearances he invites the townspeople to the party.

And what if Jesus (not one for appearances)

is the One who defies the evil king by not wearing a wedding robe?

In a foretelling of Good Friday,

He is speechless in his defense

and the king orders Him out to the darkness

to His death.

The question is: Are the few that are chosen

the ones opposed to the power of the world/empire?

As we meditate on Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus headed toward Egypt

and away from the evil king,

it is an interesting interpretation to think about.

You think you've seen the sun, (but you ain't seen it shine)

Make me to know your ways, O LORD;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.

Psalm 25:4-5

From today's lectionary

O Lord,

You are the Creator of all things.

But of all the objects You designed,

the ones You treasure

weren’t in place on Genesis week.

Your ways.

Your path.

Your truth.

Salvation.

Those take time, patience, understanding.

Therefore, I will wait for You

all day

a week

a year

the rest of my days.

Prepare

I also withheld the rain from you

….yet you did not return to me

I laid waste your gardens and your vineyards;

….yet you did not return to me

I killed your young men with the sword

…yet you did not return to me,

Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel;

because I will do this to you,

prepare to meet your God, O Israel!

(Amos 4:7-9;12)

From today's lectionary

Prepare to meet your God!

Can we hear the choirs as the shepherds?

Can we see the light of the stars as the astrologers?

Can we wait as Simeon and Anna in the Temple?

May this be the theme of your Christmas -

Prepare to meet your God!

And no one dared disturb the sound of silence

A king is not saved by his great army; (Psalm 33:16)

[So,] do not put your trust in princes, (Psalm 146:3)

They do not know how to do right, says the LORD,

those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds.

(Amos 3:10)

The children crying out in the temple,

"Hosanna to the Son of David,"

the scribes became angry and said to him,

"Do you hear what these are saying?"

Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read,

'Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies

you have prepared praise for yourself'?" (Matthew 21:15b-16)

From today's lectionary reading

God tells the world:

Force can not save.

Politics can not redeem.

Nor corruption or evil.

But the world tries to hush,

(and wants to crush)

the little children singing, “Hosanna!”

to the One

that is to overcome.

What a Wonderful World

(Genesis 1)

The noise of the animals is a low roar.

The waves continually kissing the shore.

The breezes making the trees dance.

The humans are inventing romance.

There’s no such thing as zombies.

Creation is a just a big ole party.

The light of the stars are set on low.

The night creatures come late to the show.

The birds are singing with Eve.

God looks at all He achieved.

That’s the first Saturday night story.

Creation is a just a big ole party.

Waiting on the world to change

Do as I do

Meditation on Matthew 25:35-36

For I was hungry

and you fed Me

as I provided manna in the desert.

 

 

For I was thirsty

and you gave Me something to drink

as I showed the abandoned Hagar a well in the desert.

 

 

I was naked

and you gave Me clothes

as I did with Adam and Eve.

 

 

I was sick

and you looked after Me

as I took care of a faithful Job.

 

 

I was in prison

and you came to see Me

as I heard the cries of My exodus people.

 

 

The King said

Follow My example

and do the same.

Notes:

Verse 1- Exodus 16

Verse 2- Genesis 21:19

Verse 3- Genesis 3:21

Verse 4- Job 2:6

Verse 5- Exodus 2:23-24

You can't walk away from the price you pay

(Matthew 14:45-46)

The Kingdom of God is like a pearl

That you would pay everything you had in the world.

Would you show off your treasure every day?

Or keep it safe knowing the price you paid?

Or would you wait for the time

When you could buy it on sale?

“He will quiet you with His love”

(Zephaniah 3:17c)

I walked into this empty church I had no place else to go
When the sweetest voice I ever heard, whispered to my soul
I don't need to be forgiven for loving you so much
It's written in the scriptures
It's written there in blood
I even heard the angels declare it from above
There ain't no cure,
There ain't no cure,
There ain't no cure for love.

**Leonard Cohen

 

Slow down.

Shut it off.

Be still.

He will quiet you with His love.

 

 

Listen.

Learn.

Be open.

He will quiet you with His love.

 

 

Forgive others.

As well as yourself.

Be a blessing.

He will quiet you with His love.

 

 

All the Marthas.

Look at the Marys.

Come.

He will quiet you with His love.

Dealing the Authentic

Buy the truth and do not sell it.

(Proverbs 23:12a)

Where can you find truth?

Real truth

not that packaged crap - Trooth.®

I heard there was one guy

who said He was the truth.

The competition came down on Him hard,

but I heard He’s still dealing

the authentic.

He brags that it’s

so good it will set you free.

Baptism

The little saint

comes forward to become

a citizen

of the Kingdom.

The little saint

raises her face

to the empty cross

of salvation and grace

The little saint

knows no wisdom

only love --

the passport to the Kingdom.

O little saint!

For the rest of your days,

worship the LORD for

He is holy.

And

please believe it

precious one -

you are too.

Amen.

Tabitha

(Acts 9:36-42)

There was a female Lazarus named Tabitha

But hardly anyone knows of her story

So when October 25th comes up on the calendar

Let’s remember her part for God’s glory.

Without Love, where would you be now?

(Luke 7:1-10)

　

I am not worthy

to share in Your glory.

Yet You slaughter

the fatted heifer

for us prodigal sons and daughters.

　

I am not worthy

to share in Your glory.

As I hammer the nails in

For my sin.

　

I am not worthy

to share in Your glory.

But say the word

And my soul shall be healed.

When talking around God’s table

Link to ten rules for christian conversation

 

When talking around God’s table
Let’s not act like Cain and Abel.
Your argument should not be a big drama

and please don’t end it with, “Yo mama!”

When discussing around God’s table,

Let your heart and soul be graceful.

In order to be God’s spokesman

Your mind must be faithful and open.

When responding to someone at God’s table

Let not your words be wasteful.

There is a time for your statement.

So be patient, be patient, be patient.

When listening at God’s table

Let your attitude be charitable.

Everyone hasn’t traveled the same road as you,

Listen to the route taken by the girl with the tattoo.

When sitting around God’s table

Understand everyone’s position if you’re able.

Don’t be on Facebook with your iPhone

When someone is making their thoughts known.

When talking around God’s table

Let not your speech be hateful.

And the point you’re trying to sell

Doesn’t improve when you yell.

When debating around God’s table

Do not use stories from your crazy uncle.

If you want the question to have closure

Unite the facts with Scripture.

Have a leader at God’s table.

Someone who can discern fact from fable.

Someone who will let everyone be heard.

Someone who believes:

God first, everyone else second, and he or she third.

At end of the session at God’s table

Does our business return to usual?

Maybe God’s purpose in the end

Was for you to make a new friend.

A place Mapquest can't find

(1 Kings 19)

God saw Elijah‘s little world falling apart,

and asked

“What are you doing here?"

And

God in His mercy

fed and sheltered Elijah

and

waited as a breeze

waited as a tremor

waited as an inferno

then

repeated His question

in a small voice

“What are you doing here?”

And today

God in His infinite mercy

feeds and shelters His children

who are worrying about

their little worlds falling apart.

And He waits

sometimes as a brook

sometimes as a cloud

sometimes as a flood

and

repeats His question

in a small voice

“What are you doing here?”

How do you sleep while your bed is burning?

(Deuteronomy 28)

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you

that I have set before you

life and death, blessings and curses. (Deut. 30:19)

God gave his answer

to his people:

Follow me and be peaceful.

(14 verses of peace, love and understanding.)

or

Be ready to inflicted with My cancer.

(54 verses of pain, hate and misunderstanding.)

There will be blessings when you go in.

There will be blessings when you go out.

There will be blessings for your next of kin.

There will be blessings for all of the devout.

But woe to the one

who places anything ahead of Me or My Son.

This is not a theological abstraction.

This is the real fatal attraction.

You will build your dream house

However, the contractor will move in with your spouse.

Your children will leave the nation.

Your broken heart will lack medication.

You will turn to the gods of the moment.

However, none of them are potent

against My wrath.

Please child, do the math -

I AM the One.

You will borrow from your foes

It’s a matter of time before they foreclose.

In your world, they are the new boss,

They ain’t the same as the old Boss.

First comes drought,

Then follows famine without a doubt.

In a while, you and the old lady

fight to see who eats the baby.

For the rest of your lives

The goal is to survive.

The total strangers you beg from

give you the finger.

(And it ain’t the thumb.)

WELCOME TO THE EXILE!

Only drowning men can see Him

(Matthew 14:22-33)

　

Peter asked:

“If it’s You,

can I do this too?”

“Come,” He said as the wind blew

And

Out of the boat came apostle from Judah

And ending up standing on aqua firma.

Peter so much wanted to be the ally

of his beloved Rabbi.

Anything the Teacher excelled

was something he wanted do as well.

But the Eleven screamed

“This must a dream!”

Peter heard them through the gales

and realized one little detail:

“I think I’m going to fail!”

Jesus pulled him out

and asked, “Why did you doubt?”

But the Rabbi also learned something that night,

Shortcuts never work out exactly right.

　

　

Love’s Choice

This bread is light, dissolving, almost air,
A little visitation on my tongue,
A wafer-thin sensation, hardly there.
This taste of wine is brief in flavour, flung
A moment to the palate’s roof and fled,
Even its aftertaste a memory.
Yet this is how He comes. Through wine and bread
Love chooses to be emptied into me.
He does not come in unimagined light
Too bright to be denied, too absolute
For consciousness, too strong for sight,
Leaving the seer blind, the poet mute,
Chooses instead to seep into each sense,
To dye himself into experience.

*** Malcolm Guite

The Nativity and Adoration of the Shepherds

Meditation on the painting in the Sugar Land FUMC chapel

(first painting)

Who’s that lurking

around the Christmas stage set?

The crosses of Death

meeting their Executioner.

Paintings by John Passaro

　

Where's the love we once knew?

(Revelation 4:9-11)

The God of love sat at His table

with coffee and a bagel.

He started a meditation

on His favorite creation.

Oh man,

Why can’t you follow the plan?

Instead of the Song of Solomon

a booty call.

Instead of My will be done

Everyone’s at the shopping mall.

Instead of the cross being My signature

it’s jewelry.

Instead of the Kingdom being the purpose singular

You invent a culture of fantasy.

Instead of forgiving those in our debt,

You demand your pound of flesh.

Instead of being living water wet

Your idol is Jesus Cash.

The God of love got up from His table

Left the bagel and gulped His coffee cold.

Walked over to a table of angels,

And asked, “Wanna go bowl?”

This is the worst trip I've ever been on

(Numbers 21:4-9)

Numbers 21:4-9

They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea,[

c] to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”

6 Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

8 The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

John 3:14-15

[Jesus said: ]“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

By Numbers 21

Yahweh was undone.

“I AM NOT A CHEF!

I AM DEAF

TO THEIR CRIES

FOR BURGERS AND FRIES!”

THE LORD IS SLOW TO ANGER

AND RICH IN LOVE

BUT IF YOU DECLARE HIS CUISINE MUNDANE

THERE WILL BE SNAKES ON THE PLAIN!

THIS CAUSED THE GRIPING TO CEASE

“MOSES, WE NEED SOME PEACE !

GO THE DIVINE ONE

AND

ASK FOR MERCY OR ELSE WE’RE DONE!”

Moses asked

and God gave him the task

of fashioning a crucifix

of a bronze snake attached to the sticks.

God advised:

“Those who are struck with venom

and look at this creation

Will escape death’s condemnation.

And by the way - You’re welcome.”

Ain’t never been there,but the brochure looks nice

(Numbers chapters 13 and 14)

They selected one from each clan

to achieve Yahweh’s plan

to go locate the Promise Land.

After forty nights and days

They returned amazed.

They returned surprised.

This place was better than advertised.

However, there was one problem.

“Oh we hate to be contrarians

BUT … BUT …. BUT

When we stand next to the barbarians

We’re barely as tall as their left nut.”

From the Judah tribe,

Caleb said, “Let’s go in! I feel God’s vibe.”

Instead the former slaves had a fit,

“We’re going back to Egypt!”

Joshua and Caleb appealed one more time.

“Stop acting like being brave is a crime.

Stop being afraid.

With God, this will be a parade.”

The minority report was rejected.

Rocks suitable for stoning were selected.

Then guess who busts in to meet the nation?

Yes, the original Godfather doesn’t need an invitation.

“You made Me come down from My Kingdom,

Because you don’t understand the concept of freedom.

Moses, I ain’t joking!

I AM ready to some serious smoting!”

Moses said to the Omnipotent,

“Yahweh, The infidels will shout:

“That god of Israel is incompetent!

Freed his people and then let everything go south!””

The Supreme Being reconsidered.

“ OK. This is My command:

No one

except the kin of Caleb and the son of Nun

will enter Graceland.

They will all die in the wilderness.

For 40 years

Lost will be their address.”

Moses relayed the announcement.

After hearing this, the refugees began to lament,

“We’re the Chosen, not the Exiled,

God can’t treat us like a red headed stepchild!”

And before the sunrise

Much to Moses’ surprise.

Some of them got on the plateau

and said “We ready to go!”

“You just don’t get it, don’t you?

God is not with you!

I’m not coming aboard,

You are all gonna die by the sword!”

They ignored the advice

They left saying,

“We’ll call you when we reach Paradise.”

You know the rest of the tale.

It was worse than being in the belly of a whale.

Blood spilled from

Jarmath

to

Lachich

to

Eglon

to

Gezer

to

Debir

to

Geder

and finally stopping

at exit 45

in Hormah.