June 4, 2007

PASTORAL PONDERINGS

John 20: 27Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." 28Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"

Given our preoccupation with trying to maintain youthful and perfect bodies, an insight from Henri Nouwen (who was the commencement speaker at Princeton Seminary when I received my D.Min.) offers a very different perspective.

"Jesus is the Lord who came to save us by dying for us on the Cross. The wounds in Jesus' glorified body remind us of the way in which we are saved. But they also remind us that our own wounds are much more than roadblocks on our way to God. They show us our own unique way to follow the suffering Christ, and they are destined to become glorified in our resurrected life. Just as Jesus was identified by His wounds, so are we."

Something to ponder in our times of weakness.

Attached are two sermons.

Prayer Requests

For Hans Walther: recovering at home

For Amy Appleton: recovering at home

May the presence of the Holy Spirit guide you in this time of Pentecost,

June 14, 2007

PASTORAL PONDERINGS

Phil. 2:

5Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

6 who, though he was in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God

as something to be exploited,

7 but emptied himself,

taking the form of a slave,

being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form,

8 he humbled himself

and became obedient to the point of death—

even death on a cross.

9 Therefore God also highly exalted him

and gave him the name

that is above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bend,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

I am reading some devotions on the wounds of Christ. Here are some additional thoughts by Edward Shillito.

The other gods were strong, but Thou wast weak; they rode, and thou with cross didst stumble to a throne; but, to our wounds, only God's wounds can speak, and no god has wounds but Thou alone!

June 21, 2007

Pastoral Ponderings

Joshua 24:

13I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and towns that you had not built, and you live in them; you eat the fruit of vineyards and oliveyards that you did not plant.

Dear Friends,

As I did my laps in the pool at my beach club, I again realized why we have lived at the Shore these past three decades. I always forget just how wonderful summer can be here. Upon returning home to a great dinner, I happened to see an interview about Darfur featuring a very young child near death by starvation. I could not help but contrast our two positions in life. Why do I have so much and this child is just barely clinging to life? I do not have a good answer or even one that is vaguely satisfactory. I just realized that I along with everyone who is reading this Ponderings is incredibly blessed. And in a newly found sense of the unfathomable grace of God and humility I give thanks to God.

June 28, 2007

PASTORAL PONDERINGS

Job 42: 10And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends; and the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

What an interesting verse. As a commentator pointed out, it is only when Job moves beyond himself and starts praying for his friends that his fortunes are restored. Experience tells me there is a great deal of spiritual truth in this simple verse. As long as we are self centered, joy, peace and love eludes us because these are not found in ourselves, but in God. And how do we draw close to God? Through prayer, but not selfish prayer, but rather prayer for others. It is a spiritual discipline we would do well to practice.