Last Sunday we celebrated the Trinity at church. “O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” ends the collect for the day. The unfathomable, unknowable, ever present and loving God. We practice devotion and know some how that the Trinity is one.
Our Prayers of the People began with: “God who is unknowable and yet as close as our breath, help us to see you. ” Yes, God, open our physical eyes and the eyes of our heart to know and see and experience you.
I have been taken lately by tiny diagrams. The above was on our bulletin cover.
Using the Grateful Living challenge I have noticed that a tiny image is used in the corner of each daily practice. This little line drawing summarizes the challenge of the day. Oh I wish I could draw like that!
Superhero
Sharing joy
One playful joyful way to stand up
Share joy with others
And perhaps that is how our Trinity one God does things. Simple line drawings, opening doors for us to share with others. As humans we complicate almost everything having to do with God. Jesus taught us simplicity. Will we cling to that simple way of knowing, being known, loving and loving others?
May you know the Trinity as One. May you see the path before you as well lit and as something you can follow. Look to the One who loves you best and take the next step!
Our church was gifted with a young priest for about 2-1/2 years. His name is Brad. He did all sorts of things that enlivened our faith and our walk. Recently it was time to tell him good-bye. He was given a job across the river in Northern Kentucky to be head rector at a church there.
On his last Sunday with us our Pastor, Roger, called all the kids up to lay hands on Brad and pray over him as he moves to his new church. Three of the kids are his very own children and one is a family friend.
It was a powerful moment. Have you ever had children pray over you? There is nothing quite like it!
I plan to forward the photos to Brad for his remembrance of that holy moment. By the way, folks at our church know that photos are taken during the service. There is not a problem posting these, especially since I am not naming the children.
Pray for the children. Pray for those moving into a new position of leadership in the churches. Pray for all church leaders. May the Lord bless us, his children and the sheep of his pasture.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands! 2 Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!
3 Know that the Lord is God! It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him, bless his name!
5 For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures for ever, and his faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 100 RSV
Last week at church I kept thinking I could hear his voice among the congregation. Another parishioner told me she expected him to walk around the corner at any moment. We will miss him. We came to love him and that made letting go all the harder.
“When we are grateful, we want to share, to reach out, to tell others of the goodness of our benefactor, to bring hope, healing and happiness to others.” M. Basil Pennington
When I go to the Convent for retreat there is always a card on the bed with quotes and a photo. This was one of the quotes on the card my last visit.
Benefactor is sort of an old fashioned term. Rarely do I think of God as my benefactor. Merriam Webster says a benefactor is someone or something that provides help or an advantage : one that confers a benefit.
Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103: 1-5 RSV
Oh yes, my benefactor has benefits. This is just a partial list. Read it again. Have you known any of these benefits? Do you bless the Lord’s holy name with any regularity? When was teh last time you reviewed the benefits the Lord offers you?
I was weighed down with concern over a few loved ones. The Lord reminded me that the Holy Spirit hovers over them 24/7. My concern is to be first and foremost to bless the Lord. My soul forgot and became entangled in the what-ifs and if-onlys. God reigns over this universe, even the universe of me and my loved ones. My job is to bless and exalt that same God.
How are you doing with recognizing your benefactor? As Pennington wrote, are you bringing ‘hope, healing and happiness to others’?
During Bible study in the room where we do not usually meet I saw a tiny figure of Jesus on a high window sill. I was curious where that came from and who climbed up there to position it.
When we went to the Smoky Mountains the motel we stayed at had the same figures lined up on the computer monitor where we checked in! She told me the story about the man whose idea it was. She said if you read his story online he will send you some for free. I read it, did not find how to get any for free. I did find how to order them from Amazon. I decided, why not?
Recently we went to a liquor store in Northern Kentucky where the selections are much larger than the local stores in Ohio. I put some figures in my pocket.
There was a Banana Pudding man, selling his homemade desserts. I approached him with my hand closed saying, “This is a southern thing.” He put his hand out, palm open saying, ” I’m southern.” I placed the Jesus figure in his palm. I spoke, “We can all use a little Jesus.” He loved it!
When we got to the cash register I told the young man who rang up our order, “I saw your cross.” I gave him one. He turned to his friend as we were walking out and exclaimed with excitement, “Look what she gave me!” His friend took it in his hand and began to walk away with it.
“Hey, that’s mine! Give it back! I’m going to show Susie!!” He was very indignant.
I returned to his register saying, “No need to fight boys. There is enough Jesus to go around.” I gave him 2 more. Now when my computer was letting me type this up it put Hesed in place of Jesus. Yes, there is enough hesed to go around, too! (Hesed: a Hebrew word that encompasses a range of meanings including loving-kindness, mercy, and covenant loyalty, often describing the faithful and generous love that God has for His people and the love that individuals should show to one another. It is not just a feeling but an action that reflects deep commitment and kindness.) Was God using my keyboard there?
In the parking lot was a woman with large cross around her neck. I gave her one saying, “Here is a reminder we all need a little Jesus.” She was enthusiastic about Jesus and told me her Jesus is MUCH larger than this. She declared she needs a lot of Jesus! I assured her my Jesus is much larger than this plastic piece.
Some of you might object to the tiny dolls that say Jesus loves you. I would have to say that anything that sparks this much positive conversation about the Savior is just fine with me.
What have you done lately to share your faith in the Savior? Was it this pleasant for all?
Simply put mahalo means thank you. We saw it on the flap of garbage cans, seeming to say thanks for putting your trash here.
When we were in Hawaii I bought a sticker to remind me of this word. Recently I set up a new keyboard case for my iPad. When I affixed the sticker to the outside I noticed the wrapper said, “Mahalo means to be in the presence of the Divine.”
WAIT! That means so much more than a trash receptacle!!
“Mahalo predates Western contact with Hawai’i. The word appears in the earliest Hawaiian-language dictionaries compiled by missionaries in the 1830s. Its roots connect to the broader Polynesian language family. In Maori (New Zealand), the cognate “maaharo” means to think or wonder. In Tahitian, “maharo” means to think or reflect.
“This linguistic connection reveals something about the original depth of mahalo. It is not just a transactional “thanks for the coffee.” It carries an element of reflection, of pausing to recognize what was given. The Hawaiian value of gratitude runs deep. In traditional Hawaiian culture, reciprocity was a core social principle. Receiving something obligated you to give back, and mahalo was the verbal acknowledgment of that cycle.
“The word also appears in the Hawaiian translation of Christian hymns and prayers, where it took on the additional meaning of praise and admiration. Missionaries translated “Give thanks to God” as expressions using mahalo, reinforcing the word’s association with reverence.” https://www.hawaii-guide.com/mahalo-meaning
“The word mahalo is more than just a thank you in Hawaiian thinking. It is a divine blessing on a spiritual level with a deeper meaning. This is used in everyday life and also on special occasions like the birthday of an elder or for sacredness like prayers or single-word blessings. Use this word respectfully.” https://thewordcounter.com/meaning-of-mahalo/
“A divine blessing on a spiritual level with a deeper meaning.”
So I utter, “Mahalo,” to you the readers of this blog. Your comments and encouragements promote me to write more. If it were not for you my writing might just be entombed in my private journals.
Mostly, Mahalo to our creator who does wondrous things beyond my imagining!
This has become to me a perennial song. Perennial typically describes things that are permanent, constant, or repeated. At times I am compelled to sing it. Sometimes multiple times in a row.
Me, too, Lord! I want what these lyrics speak. Here is the video followed by the lyrics (in case you don’t like jumpy words.)
Abandoned
Benjamin William Hastings
Somethin’ isn’t adding up This wild exchange You offer us I gave my worst, You gave Your blood Seems hard to believe You’re tellin’ me You chose the Cross? You’re tellin’ me I’m worth that much? Well, if that’s the measure of Your love How else would I sing?
But completely, deeply, sold-out, sincerely abandoned I’m completely, freely, hands-to-the-ceiling enamored My one-life endeavor to match Your surrender To mirror not my will, but Yours Oh, I’m completely, deeply, don’t-care-who-sees-me abandoned
Oh, I surrender all
I just can’t get over it What kind of self-control is this? When You had angels at Your fingertips But on the Cross You remained And I can’t repay that kind of love But I can praise with everything I’ve got Since death had all of it’s power robbed Then just like the grave
I’m completely, deeply, sold-out, sincerely abandoned I’m completely, freely, hands-to-the-ceiling enamored Oh, my one-life endeavor to match Your surrender To mirror not my will, but Yours Oh, I’m completely, deeply, don’t-care-who-sees-me abandoned
Oh, I surrender all I surrender all I surrender all
The whole of my heart, the best of my soul Each phase of my life, each breath in my lungs Consider it Yours, Lord Consider it Yours, Lord The failures I hide, the victories I don’t The battles I fight, each crown that I hoard
Consider it Yours, Lord Consider it Yours, Lord All the glory forever, the grave that You won The praise of the Heavens, the kingdom to come Oh, consider it Yours, Lord Consider it Yours
I’m completely, deeply, sold-out, sincerely abandoned (hey!) I’m completely, freely, hands-to-the-ceiling enamored Oh, my one-life endeavor to match Your surrender To mirror not my will, but Yours I’m completely, deeply, don’t-care-who-sees-me abandoned
Oh, I surrender all
No, You’ll never leave me abandoned I surrender all
Written by: Cody Carnes, Benjamin William Hastings, Brandon Lake, Christopher Michael Davenport
I had to ask who is Christopher Michael Davenport?
“Grammy-nominated songwriter and worship leader Chris Davenport has been a quiet fixture within worship music for years.
“Through his contributions with UNITED like “Another In The Fire,” “Grace To Grace,” and “Seasons,” as well as collaborations with artists like Phil Wickham (Hymn Of Heaven), Brandon Lake (Too Good To Not Believe), and Cody Carnes (Be Glad), Chris has established himself as a unique, authentic, and influential voice within the worship community.” Now we all know more about him.
Make sure we never abandon God! “My one life endeavor to match your surrender…”
I was wondering aloud to Bob the other day about the stars when the sun rises and we can no longer see them. I am still pondering the wonders of the heavens several days later as I write this.
“Modern astronomy has mapped the position of every visible star with extraordinary precision. We know, down to the arc-second, where each star sits at any given moment from any point on Earth. This isn’t guesswork — it’s celestial mechanics, the same science that lets us predict eclipses centuries in advance.
“When you give us a date, time, and location, our software calculates the exact arrangement of stars above that place at that moment. It doesn’t matter whether it was noon or midnight, overcast or clear. The math doesn’t care about the weather or the sunlight. It cares about the geometry of Earth’s rotation and the stars’ positions — and those are always known.
Isn’t it amazing that even though we cannot see them the stars are there, above us, as we circulate around the sun.
“New research led by Sarah Caddy, a PhD candidate at Macquarie University, shows that this is possible. Caddy and her team have successfully captured one of the brightest stars during daytime observations, opening up new possibilities for astronomy.
“The first time I saw stars during the day was actually whilst hosting a group of primary school students at Sydney observatory,” said Caddy. “The kids really wanted to look through the telescope, so despite it being midday, we pointed it at the brightest star in the sky – Sirius. You can imagine my astonishment – and their excitement – when we could actually see it!”
So I tried to read up about the movement of stars and other celestial things like planets. To tell the truth, the science is WAY beyond my comprehension. I do know that when ever I am able to stay awake past dark and the sky is clear I am fascinated with the stars and planets I see. I can only imagine how tremendous those creations appeared when there was no light noise created by mankind. One night in the mountains of Colorado we were able to see the Milky Way in its glory. Wow!
The book of Common Prayer says:
At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home. By your will they were created and have their being.
All glory to you, our mighty God! Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest!
I may have told you previously that my friend, Debby, gave me a copy of a book entitled Amazing Grace: A Morning and Evening Devotional by Stephanie Sample. I have been thoroughly enjoying this book. On May 17 the entry called Fathom His Glory reminded me of our recent trip to GSMNP.
It begins with Psalm 19:1-2 NIV
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
Imagine my joy reading this verse and then almost simultaneously remembering this sight!
Look into those woods. Saplings and full grown trees. See the many layers of creation there? The mountains are also layered. And the clouds; such a wondrous creation we live in! Part of me wonders why some creature did not eat the brown stalks during the winter. The green is soon going to outgrow those brown stalks. Declaration! Proclamation! Speech and knowledge without words.
If we lived in Tennessee I would want to return to this very spot in all four seasons to try to capture the glorious creativity of God.
What calls to your soul to notice the vast creativity of the Lord?
This prayer has been on Lectio 365 for several weeks. It’s impact hits me only occasionally. And then WHAM! it hits me just what we are praying.
Lord Jesus Christ, alive though you died, meet with me now, speak to me now, and grant me your peace, both here in these moments of prayer, and throughout the day to come. Amen
“Alive though you died.” Revelation 1:18 Did you catch that? We are speaking in prayer to the risen King. He died. He rose again. He dwells with us and lives in us through the Holy Spirit.
“Meet with me now.” Christ is able to do that.
“Speak with me now.” Nothing is too difficult for the King of kings. Jeremiah 32:17 Open my ears to hear you I pray.
“Grant me your peace.” Regardless of what this day or hour or week may bring, your peace please. That peace that is beyond all understanding. Philippians 4:7
Lord Jesus Christ, alive though you died. Yes, I truly believe this prayer and the outrageous claims of Jesus. After three days dead he did rebuild the temple of his body. Complete with scars inflicted by man upon his hands and feet and side. He came and was seen by the disciples. He ate meals with them, even cooked a meal for them on the beach! He showed them his scars beautified by the Father. And this same Savior is with us today, decades and centuries later.
The Collect for this past week at church read:
O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Certainly gives us plenty of meat to ponder for our journey this week! “Loving you in all things and above all things.”Help me do just that Lord.
God is so good and wants to give good things to us. Matthew 7:11 NRSVUE
Seek him and you will find him when you seek for him with all of your heart. Jeremiah 29:13 NRSVUE He will not disappoint us.
Holy God, the source and giver of all wisdom, in your love, give to each of us a hearing heart and the will to listen deeply for your guidance, that the decisions we make will honor you, and our life together give you joy as we serve, praying in your Name. Amen.
I heard this at my most recent retreat and was arrested by the sentiment of a hearing heart. If you are a frequent reader of this blog you know I have been writing about listening and ears and the whole concept for a couple of months now.
A hearing heart.
The will to listen deeply for guidance.
Oh yes, and the strength to trust and obey what we hear!
Many religious institutions are in transition as fewer men and women seek to follow and serve God through ordination or monastic life. So I ask that you pray for these friends who have been so crucial and instrumental in my formation as a follower of Christ. You can meet them at the link below.
Almighty and everlasting God, we pray you, bless your servants, the Associates of the Community of the Transfiguration. Pour your grace into our hearts, O Lord, that we may know and do your will. Guide, strengthen and protect us by your Holy Spirit, that we may walk in your ways all the days of our life and in the end be brought to life eternal, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Treasures in Plain Sight, A Christian Blog 