The first time I read Matthew Henry’s prayer, I was a little lost, and so I needed to read it again, but more slowly.

"I thank Thee first, because I was never robbed before; second, because although they took my money, they did not take my life; third, although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed and not I who robbed."

The second time I read these words, I was struck by the fact that—unlike Henry—we overlook many of the blessings that come into our lives every day.

As we enter into Advent—a time which mixes past memories with future hopes—my prayer is that we open our eyes and remember to give thanks in the present.

With blessings,

Craig

“Be joyful always; pray continually;

give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”  

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

When we experience physical, emotional, mental, or psychological pain, we may become self-absorbed or bitter.  It is difficult to not see it as a burden.  

At the same time, each of us experiences pain differently.  Sometimes it causes me to turn inward.  All I want to do is get rid of it.  In the process, I generally don’t think of others, nor  do I imagine that the pain—like my time, money, or talents—is something that I am called to steward.

However, during this last week of stewardship season, we ask—in the words of Laura Story—what if God’s “blessings come through raindrops” and God’s “healing comes through tears?”  What if our pain gives us insight or empathy?  What if our scars make us stronger servants in God’s kingdom?  What if we are called to be “wounded healers” in a pain-filled world?

Jesus’ own life and stewardship didn’t involve time, talents, and treasures alone.  In the Garden of Gethsemane, even as he said, "Take this cup from me," he saw a greater call.  

My prayer is that each of us might come to see more clearly what it means for us to be stewards of the pain we experience.

With blessings,

Pastor Craig

Maybe it means that we check our cynicism and sarcasm.  Maybe we recognize ways in which we complain.  Maybe we recognize how cursing or inappropriate words have found pleasant homes in some aspects of our lives.

I like the expression that “A mature Christian is one who would not hesitate to sell their talking parrot to the town gossip.”

Bob Shackleford reworded “I Love to the Tell the Story.”  Here is the second verse:

I love to tell the story, ‘tis pleasant to repeat,
What seems, each time I tell it, a rumor more complete.
I love to tell the story, for some have never heard
The things that I could tell them, each vile and juicy word.
I love to the story, but if I want to go to glory,
I’d better tell the story of Jesus and His love.

What we say matters.  As Luke 6:45 says :“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

May our hearts and our mouths be full of that which is good.

It is a good prayer every day of the week:  “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)

With blessings,
Pastor Craig

As we read the story in Mark 10:17-27, we are repeatedly indicted. Sometimes I like to imagine what would have happened . . . if the man actually HAD followed Jesus’ command.

What if he recognized his call and—as Jesus said—he went and sold his possessions?  What if he withdrew his money from the temple, and sold his fine clothing, and took all that money and gave it to the poor.  What if he then returned to Jesus to follow him, but by the time he returned to Jerusalem, by the time he came down the road to enter into the city, he saw Jesus hanging on the cross . . .  crucified?

Would he have been clueless as to what was next in his own life?

As Frederick Buechner writes:   “Jesus says that it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.  Maybe the reason is not that the rich are so wicked they’re kept out of the place but that they’re so out of touch with reality that they can’t see it’s a place worth getting into.”

Pastor Craig

In Matthew 28: 19 - 20, we hear the words of The Great Commission as Jesus tells his eleven disciples to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you…”

While these words provide a clear call for Christians of all times and ages to share the Good News with people all over the world, it’s not expected that each and every one of us would pack up all of our belongings and head to another continent to do so. We all are capable of doing Christ work somewhere in the world but only a very small percentage of us actually makes the journey overseas. 

Shelley Klein Jung is a long time member of Second Presbyterian Church. She is also the daughter of Roz and John Klein and the granddaughter of Bob Baird. Shelley grew up at SPC, which makes us especially proud of her mission service. Shelley serves with her wonderful husband, Jarred Jung.  

Shelley and Jarred do a fabulous job of keeping our congregation involved in their activities through consistent communication and creative opportunities to work together to share God’s Word.

 The following prayers are worth reading and re-reading.

O God,

Give me strength to live another day;


Let me not turn coward before its difficulties


  or prove recreant to its duties;


Let me not lose faith in other people;


Keep me sweet and sound of heart, in spite of


  ingratitude, treachery, or meanness;


Preserve me from minding little stings or


  giving them;


Help me to keep my heart clean, and to live so


  honestly and fearlessly that no outward


  failure can dishearten me or take away the 


  joy of conscious integrity;


Open wide the eyes of my soul that I may see


  good in all things;


Grant me this day some new vision of thy truth;


Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness;


And make me the cup of strength to suffering


  souls; in the name of the strong deliverer, our

  only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

 -----------------------------------------

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.

I do not see the road ahead of me.

I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself,

and the fact that I think that I am following your will

does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please you does, in fact, please you.

And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.

I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.

And I know that if I do this you

will lead me by the right road

though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore will I trust you always

though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.

I will not fear, for you are ever with me,

and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

          --Thomas Merton

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

Flood the path with light, we beseech thee;

turn our eyes to where the skies are full of promise;

turn our hearts to brave music;

give us the sense of comradeship with heroes and saints of every age;

and so quicken our spirits that we may be able to encourage the souls of all who journey with us on the road of life, to thy honor and glory.

--Augustine

Take the full possession of my heart, raise there your throne, and command there as you do in heaven.  Being created by you, let me live to you.  Being created for you, let me ever act for your glory. Being redeemed by you, let me render unto you what is yours, and let my spirit ever cleave to you alone.

--John Wesley

Almighty God, since by our dullness we are so intent upon the earth, even when you stretch forth your hand to us, we cannot attain you. Grant that being attracted upwards by your Spirit, we may learn to raise our senses heavenward and to strive against our sluggishness, until you may be so perfectly known to us, that at length we may attain to the full and perfect glory, laid up for us in heaven by Christ our Lord.  Amen.

--John Calvin

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.

May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.

And the Blessing of God, who Creates, Redeems and Sanctifies, be upon you and all you love this day, and forever more. Amen.

            --Adapted from a Franciscan Blessing

One of the most beautiful prayers, or reflections on prayer, comes from  an unknown Confederate soldier.  He writes:

"I asked for strength, that I might achieve; I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey. 

I asked for health, that I might do greater things; I was given infirmity, that I might do better things. 

I asked for riches, that I might be happy; I was given poverty, that I might be wise. 

I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men; I was given weakness that I might feel the need for God. 

I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life; I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.  I got nothing that I had asked for, but everything that I had hoped for. 

Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered;

I am, among all men, most richly blessed."

In Sunday's text (Jonah 3:10 - 4:11), Jonah became angry with God when God didn't punish the Ninevites. In our lives, the same thing often happens when we think that God may have broken a promise to us (when he lets someone that we love die; when he lets us we lose our job; or when he doesn't give us what we pray for). The truth is that God never breaks promises! The reality... God never promised to deliver us from life's circumstances. He promised to deliver us through them.  

This week, let’s rethink our prayer lives. Let’s get away from pulling God out of the little box that we keep him in only when we need something. Let’s try trusting Him completely. Know that he will ALWAYS respond to our bold and honest prayers with mercy and grace. Just trust Him. He will always deliver us THROUGH life’s difficult circumstances – if we simply… trust Him.

Do one heroic thing today; big or small doesn't matter because it defines who you are and what you really believe.

Spread love like it's grass seed in a big wind; we don't need to pick where the lawn grows.

What thieves take at night isn’t stuff, it’s our ability to know the difference between what matters and what doesn’t.

Love like there's no tomorrow; live like there's no yesterday. We're forgiven; now go love people like we believe it.

Stand up like a mountain; have faith like a rock; love like an avalanche.

The parochialism that Jonah shows—and God’s response—reminds me of an incident a few decades ago that happened during a flight from Johannesburg, South Africa, to London, England. 

A woman with a thick European accent got on the plane. She came down the aisle to the tourist section and discovered her seat assignment put her right next to a black African man. She looked at her seat assignment; she saw it was correct. She asked her seatmate, "I'm sorry, are you in the right seat?" He smiled and nodded yes. She turned around to see if there were any other empty seats in the section but she didn't see any so she tugged on the sleeve of the flight attendant. "Excuse me," she said, "as you can see, I'm sitting next to a person whose skin color is different from mine." "Yes, ma'am, I can see that." "Well," she said, "this is simply unacceptable. Is there another available seat?" The flight attendant looked at her strangely and said, "I'm sorry, ma'am, it's against our policy to move people unnecessarily." "You don't understand," said the wealthy woman, "this arrangement will not do. I have funds in my purse to arrange an alternative." The flight attendant said, "You do?" "Yes, I do. Would you please go up to first class and see if there is an available seat? I simply cannot sit next to this person." 

The flight attendant shrugged her shoulders, walked up the aisle. A few minutes later she returned. She leaned over the European woman, tapped on the shoulder the man with the African accent, and said, "I'm sorry, sir, I hate to do this. I must make a seating change. If you follow me, we have a place for you in first class."