Claimed, gathered and sent

This is the message I shared at the Midweek Lenten Service at First Lutheran in Jamestown. The text is Isaiah 50:4-5.  I am going to start out today by referencing two songs—one Christian   and one secular. We probably all know the Christian song, written by Rich Mullins, "Our God Is an Awesome God", don't we? Not only is God awesome, but God is wise and has a sense of humor. Did you ever wonder why God created us to look and function, the way we are as human beings? In their recording of the song, "One", the rock group Three Dog Night, said that "One is the loneliest number.”  But God said in creating the human body, two is a popular number. We have two of a lot of things... two eyes, two ears, two arms, two hands, two legs, two feet,(and sometimes some of us have two left feet....). I could go on, but you get the idea. And then, God in His infinite wisdom gave us only one of certain things... one head, one nose, one mouth. Did you ...

Throughout the past two years of seminary, we have been challenged to "think theologically." And sometimes one can't help but wonder how that really plays out in daily life. I like to think that I go through my day with an open heart and ears to the needs of those around me, to what God is saying, and to what I should/should not say or do. Sometimes God just wants me to listen to what someone is going through and not try to fix it. And it is so very tempting to try to fix things in people's lives. That's not always our job though. This is not to say that we ignore the needs of those around us. God help us if we do that.  My supervisor told me that at the end of each day he goes back over it, examining it theologically. What it boils down to for him is where did he see God throughout the day? That is what it means to think theologically. Where is God? Pr. Larry, my supervisor, keeps reminding me that we know where we expect to find God: church, in the fellow...