Claimed, gathered and sent

Psalm 27 is a powerful testimony to the faithfulness and protection of God. Today I was meditating on verse 5, "For in the day of trouble God will give me shelter, hide me in the hidden places of the sanctuary, and raise me high upon a rock." That's good news. Now comes the hard part. Last Friday a co-worker was let go. I was told tonight by her that the boss said I was next on the list. Why, I don't know and it really bothered me because of my work ethic. But God says, that in the day of trouble he will give me shelter, hide me, raise me up. Even though I fully intend to give my resignation in the near future to go to school full time, the duplicity bothered me nonetheless. This is where the rubber meets the road, so to speak. Now to go to work in the coming weeks and love with the love of Christ in spite of lies. I have never been fired before and I have worked since was 14 years old. I guess it's a pride thing that needs working out. Lent is a...

Today's readings are powerful and interesting. Psalm 27 portrays the God of light, salvation, a stronghold who delivers us from trouble. The gospel shows Jesus' missional orientation. He will not depart from his calling in spite of the threats of Herod. So far, so good. Jesus as a mother hen? We don't consider hens that strong or powerful, certainly unlike the imagery of Psalm 27. As a hen gathers her young chicks to protect them from danger, she leaves herself most vulnerable, exposing her breast. She gives her own life for the chicks. Even so, Jesus, arms open wide in love upon the cross gave himself for us. The Jerusalem chicks were rebellious, refused to be gathered. What about us? We are offered protection and shelter, salvation. Willful rebellion brings on a desolate house, void of God's presence. Rather, let us be gathered together and declare, "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord."

Good Work In this process work does not cease to be work; but the severity and rigor of labor is sought all the more by those who know what good it does them. The continuing conflict with the It remains. But at the same time the breakthrough has been made. The unity of prayer and work, the unity of the day, is found because finding the You of God behind the It of the day's work is what Paul means by his admonition to "pray without ceasing" (I Thess. 5:17). The prayer of the Christian reaches, therefore, beyond the time allocated to it and extends into the midst of the work. It surrounds the whole day, and in so doing it does not hinder work; it promotes work, affirms work, gives work great significance and joyfulness. Thus every word, every deed, every piece of work of the Christian becomes a prayer.... - Dietrich Bonhoeffer - from Life Together 75-76 from A Year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer Carla Barnhill, Ed., HarperSan Francisco, 2005

From a website that sends daily meditations by Henri Nouwen. God's faithfulness and ours When God makes a covenant with us, God says: "I will love you with an everlasting love. I will be faithful to you, even when you run away from me, reject me, or betray me." In our society we don't speak much about covenants; we speak about contracts. When we make a contract with a person, we say: "I will fulfill my part as long as you fulfill yours. When you don't live up to your promises, I no longer have to live up to mine." Contracts are often broken because the partners are unwilling or unable to be faithful to their terms. But God didn't make a contract with us; God made a covenant with us, and God wants our relationships with one another to reflect that covenant. That's why marriage, friendship, life in community are all ways to give visibility to God's faithfulness in our lives together.

Strength for the Day Prayer offered in early morning is decisive for the day. The wasted time we are ashamed of, the temptations we succumb to, the weakness and discouragement in our work, the disorder and lack of discipline in our thinking and in our dealings with other people - all these very frequently have their cause in our neglect of morning prayer. The ordering and scheduling of our time will become more secure when it comes from prayer. The temptations of the working day will be overcome by this breakthrough to God. The decisions that are demanded by our work will become simpler and easier when they are made not in fear of other people, but solely before the face of God. "Whatever you do, do it from your hearts, as done for the Lord and not done for human beings" (Col. 3:23). Even routine mechanical work will be performed more patiently when it comes from the knowledge of God and God's command. Our strength and energy for work increase when we have asked God t...