Welcome to the JCPC Daily Reflections Blog. Reflections are daily devotionals authored by JCPC pastors, staff and members and provide insight, guidance and comfort to help you make it through each day. If you’d like to receive Reflections each day via email, provide your email address.
The lyrics of the anthem you will hear in worship this Sunday (both online and drive-in!) were written by Lutheran minister, theologian, and hymnwriter Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676). The music was written by contemporary British composer Richard Shephard (b. 1949). In my opinion, the tune is inspiring, and the lyrics make it even better!
God is my strong salvation, no enemy I fear;
He hears my supplication, Dispelling all my care:
If he, my head and master defend me from above,
What pain or what disaster, can part me from his love?
Pain? Disaster??? Some of us have had quite enough of that this year already!! And here is a reminder that none of it will "part me from his love" because just in this first verse alone, God hears us, God defends us, God saves us. If you miss the rest of the hymn, you've heard the most important part! But since Gerhardt was famous for writing LOTS of stanzas for his hymns, let's read on...
I fully am persuaded and joyfully declare,
I'm never left unaided, my Father hears my prayer;
His comforts never fail me, He stands at my right hand;
When tempests fierce assail me, they're calm at his command.
Tempests?? Hmmm.... where have we heard that before?? Right! Remember back when this whole (pandemic) thing started, and we heard the sermon series about storms? And let's look up "assail." Merriam-Webster defines it as "to attack violently or angrily with blows or words." So we're not talking about how good God is to us when he sends us 4 drops of rain... we're talking about how loving and comforting and present he is with us when the hurricane comes and wipes out our home, family, job... to the point where we can still declare that God hears us, God defends us, God saves us, God calms the storm with his command. Jesus is in the boat with us, remember?
The ground of my profession is Jesus and his blood;
He giveth me possession of everlasting good.
To me his Spirit speaketh full many a precious word
Of rest to him who seeketh, a refuge in the Lord.
This verse brings to my mind every time we refer to Jesus as the solid rock, the firm foundation, the mighty fortress... this "ground" cannot be washed out from under our feet by any tempest. God, our refuge, is always stronger.
My merry heart is springing, it can no more be sad;
With laughter and with singing, in God's own sunshine glad;
For Christ is now preparing his city new and bright,
Where saints his throne are sharing and faith is turned to sight.
So what is our response to God's great love and care for us? Gerhardt's "merry heart" was "springing" with joy! Why?? What were his tempests about?? Well, if you look at his family life alone, only one of his five children lived beyond childhood, and his wife died after a long illness. What an example of being assailed!!!
I believe this last verse is about hope. This is about the new Jerusalem, "coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband." (Revelation 21:2) This is the place Christ is preparing, where "faith is turned to sight!" The end of the storms... where social distancing is not required, and we can all see each other's faces and fearlessly embrace. Of course, these are NOT safe practices anywhere currently on this earth during this pandemic. We can't rush medical progress as much as we want to.
So let's worship together this Sunday... in our parking lot... and/or online... and we will worship God, our refuge and strength, and respond to his great love with our thanks and praise!
Prayer for Today
Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee;
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise. Amen.--
Albert Einstein, brilliant physicist and astrophysicist is famous for saying, "If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't understand it yourself." This is a man who as great a command of science and the universe as anyone who has ever walked the Earth. Science Communicator is a relatively new job in human history, and it wasn't even a term when folks like Einstein and Carl Sagan were in their prime. But now we've all heard of Bill Nye and Neil deGrasse Tyson, and new folks like Emily Calandrelli of Emily's Wonder Lab are appearing. They often quote Einstein's theory. They're people who understand that to teach children and non-experts is to be an expert, and one cannot claim to be an expert if they cannot teach children and non-experts.
So what does this mean for us believers? Can we claim the name of Christ follower if we don't take time to explain and teach our faith to children and non-experts? Does the Great Commission demand that we try? Can pastors and educators take pride in their learning, if we do not bring the same enthusiasm and humility and accessibility to the faith as Nye or Tyson or Calandrelli? One of the benefits of this quarantine has been for many of us parents to watch the dedicated teachers of our students teach them here in our homes through distance learning, seeing their energy and enthusiasm, and yes, their love, for the students and the material. It's a reminder that I would require much more training to do the job they do so well each day. And it's also a reminder that their expert instruction does not become cemented, contextualized, or made important without the time we take as parents to review it, test it, study it, and discuss it. Why do I still remember many of these middle school lessons and concepts? Where have I used them occasionally or daily? Why are they vital?
That's when I think about worship on Sunday, youth group, and our many Bible Studies. When we leave those moments, have we digested the material? Do we seek deeper understanding? And most importantly... have we looked for young people and non-experts to teach and engage? When your student comes home from VBS or youth group or Bible Study, do you take the time to unpack the lesson and review? Do you share stories of how you've struggled with, failed, or triumphed in that area of life and faith? What about after the Sunday sermon? What about with your peers after small groups and studies? Do you share those lessons excitedly with your friends and family who have left church behind during the pandemic or never been before? You don't need a flashy bow-tie or vest or a Wonder Lab to share your story of faith and grace (although I certainly approve of all of the above). Great communicators look for common ground, a shared language, and establish a relationship through love and sincerity. We can all do that. And if you need practice, Allison and I would be happy to connect you with young people and non-experts. They will love having your time and attention.
Prayer for Today
Lord, make me a Faith Communicator. Make my words simple, true, and understandable. Let my enthusiasm and love for the story of your Good News come tumbling out of me. Amen.
When I moved to a new country, one of my first experiences left me feeling unwelcome. After finding a seat in the little church where my husband was preaching that day, a gruff older gentleman startled me when he said, "Move along down." His wife apologized as she explained that I was sitting in the pew they always occupied. Years later I learned that congregations used to rent out pews, which raised money for the church and also ensured no one could take another person's seat. Apparently some of that mentality carried on through the decades.
Later, I reflected on how God instructed the Israelites to welcome foreigners, in contrast to cultural practices such as I encountered. In setting out the laws that would allow His people to flourish, He reminded them to welcome foreigners because they themselves were once foreigners (Leviticus 19:34). Not only were they to treat strangers with kindness (v. 33), but they were also to "love them as [themselves]" (v. 34). God had rescued them from oppression in Egypt, giving them a home in a land "flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:17). He expected His people to love others who also made their home there.
As you encounter strangers in your midst, ask God to reveal any cultural practices that might keep you from sharing His love with them.
Prayer for Today
Father God, You welcome me with open arms, for You love me day after day. Give me Your love to share with others. Amen.
"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it"
- Psalm 24:1
As we enter Stewardship season this year, we ought to first take a step back and think about what it all means. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word stewardship as, "the conducting, supervising, or managing of something, especially: the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care." So stewardship is about being a good "steward" of something that we have been entrusted with.
The psalmist proclaims that the earth and everything in it is God's, and we believe that God has entrusted us with the earth. It's quite a task then to try and be good stewards of everything! I think there are many ways that we can be "good stewards", but I think taking care of the earth - that is, the environment - is right up there towards the top. God says to Moses that, "The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers," (Leviticus 25: 23) and the word of God was revealed to Ezekiel, saying, "Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet?" (Ezekiel 34:18). Some heavy stuff there! How can we be "foreigners" and "strangers" in what we call "our planet" or "our country"? And it's hard to argue with the sentiment from Ezekiel. I'm reminded of rivers that have caught on fire because of all the pollutants emptied into them by nearby factories.
As we begin to discern how we will manage our time, talents, and treasures this Stewardship season, I think it's a great time to think not just about finances but also about all the ways in which we can truly live as good Christian stewards of everything. How do your spending habits impact the earth? How do your daily routines have an impact on your time? Are there ways in which we can make small changes in our lives that will lead towards improvements somewhere else?
Prayer for Today
God of everything, thank you for the incredible abundance you have given each of us and for the variety of that which you have given. Give us a renewed sense of gratitude and center our minds on being good stewards of our own bounty. Be our guide in each and every decision. Amen.
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.
-Isaiah 11:6
It's easy to take a look at the world today and be discouraged. Grown adults in the news and on television argue and scream and talk over each other like toddlers. News programs and debates are chaos. Expert medical folks give advice and grown adults refuse to follow or accept it. People scream for causes in the streets that we hoped had died out decades ago or for causes we hoped were long ago achieved and haven't been yet. It's enough to want to avoid turning on a tv or radio or opening a paper.
And yet, opening scripture to the prophets once more, reminds us that isn't the adults who are meant to give us our best examples for who or how to be in the kingdom. We are not called to be child-ISH, but child-like. Lisa Lucas, the director of the preschool reminds of this regularly with stories of our precious children and daily acts of kindness and love and the wonder they show all over the bulletin boards. And I'm reminded in our youth and young adults each week.
Before the school year began, several of our college kids asked me about forming a Zoom Bible study. Years of me pushing them to seek worshipping communities and small groups in college led them to do just that. Except those are hard to find or join in this current quarantine. So they asked for one. I was happy to organize it and nearly a dozen showed up this week for our first meeting, including some new roommates. I find hope not in the adults who should be setting a finer example, but the children who have heard God's word because or in spite of us. And they inspire me. I hope you'll be inspired too.
Prayer for Today
Lord, give me opportunities to watch children and young people. Inspire me by their example of how they delight in and follow you. Amen.
So, what do these people have in common? Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, and Samuel. Maybe you recognized that these are all names from the Bible, which is a good start. You may also have figured out that they are all from our Old Testament -- which is true! However, all of these names are also mentioned in our New Testament, in the book of Hebrews. The writer of Hebrews lists all of these names in the eleventh chapter. But before listing each of these names and telling a little about what they did, the author of Hebrews uses two simple but profound words to describe each one of these individuals: "By faith . . ." For example, when it talks about Abraham it says, "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going." (Hebrews 11:8, NIV)
Again and again, the book of Hebrews talks about these individuals who acted "by faith." The heading for this eleventh chapter of Hebrews calls this section "Faith in Action." The amazing thing is that these examples of faith in action are not perfect - in fact, they are far from it. Noah did embarrassing things. Abraham lied about Sarah being his wife because he was afraid. Moses committed murder. Rahab was a prostitute. David had the husband of Bathsheba killed in battle because he wanted her for himself. Not a perfect crew by far!
And yet . . . God chooses these imperfect persons to live "by faith." And in the end, they each act in ways that God blesses. They persevere in hope, trusting that God will see them through - even if they themselves do not see the final outcomes of their efforts in their lifetimes here on earth.
I find great hope in knowing we don't have to be perfect to be used by God - we simply have to be willing to act in faith. As we enter Stewardship season, may God help us show our "faith in action" by sharing our time, talents, and treasure to do God's work here and now!
Prayer for Today
Thank you, God, for your willingness to use imperfect persons, like all of us, to live by faith and to do your work here and now. Use all that we have and all that we are to serve others in the name of Christ. We pray this in his strong name. Amen.
"We cannot delight and despair at the same time. So we must do all we can to make delight part of our very fiber, notice it, document it, memorize it, and tell others about it. Delight in something right now and take a temporary reprieve from despair." (Rachel Macy Stafford)
This quote was followed by a reflection from an author I appreciate. She shared it recently and it has continued to be repeated in my mind since. There are many times during recent days or in earlier seasons of this year when we can feel despair. 2020 has not been the year any of us planned for or predicted. In the midst of the heavy things we are processing that may cause despair, I was grateful to hear these words from Rachel to turn my eyes towards the God sightings and blessings in each day, month or season and to not just notice, but delight in them.
"Keep company with God, get in on the best. Open up before God, keep nothing back; he'll do whatever needs to be done: He'll validate your life in the light of day and stamp you with approval at high noon." Psalm 37:4-6 The Message
You may be familiar with the translation of this passage starting with "delight yourself in the Lord..."
I want to invite you to name those things in your day that bring you delight. Share them with God and another person. You may also find that writing them down on good or challenging days is particularly meaningful and helps to ground you in God's truth and presence in your life.
We are living through a season where lots of voices are trying to ignite anger, division, hurt and despair. I would invite you as the church to find delight and joy around you and share it.
Where did you find delight today?
Prayer for Today
Gracious God, open our hearts and mind to delight in your presence and in the blessings of each day. Guide us to be a light in the darkness and share your Word in this world. In Christ's Name, Amen.
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" I was often asked that question as a child. And the answers changed like the wind. A doctor. A firefighter. A missionary. A worship leader. A physicist-or actually, MacGyver (a favorite TV character)! Now, as a dad of four kids, I think of how difficult it must be for them to be asked that question. There are times when I want to say, "I know what you'll be great at!" Parents can sometimes see more in their children than the children can see in themselves.
This resonates with what Paul saw in the Philippian believers-those he loved and prayed for (Philippians 1:3). He could see the end; he knew what they'd be when all was said and done. The Bible gives us a grand vision of the end of the story-resurrection and the renewal of all things (see 1 Corinthians 15 and Revelation 21). But it also tells us who's writing the story.
Paul, in the opening lines of a letter he wrote from prison, reminded the Philippian church that "he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6). Jesus started the work and He'll complete it. The word completion is particularly important-the story doesn't just end, for God leaves nothing unfinished.
Prayer for Today
Dear Jesus, You're in charge of my story. It's not up to me to make it happen. I surrender my life to You. Help me to trust You. Amen.
This Sunday is World Communion Sunday, first celebrated at Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, PA, in 1933 where Dr. Hugh Thompson Kerr served as pastor.
"Dr. Kerr first conceived the notion of World Communion Sunday during his year as moderator of the General Assembly (1930). Dr. Kerr's younger son, the Rev. Dr. Donald Craig Kerr, who is pastor emeritus of the Roland Park Presbyterian Church in Baltimore, was sixteen in 1933. He has related that World Communion Sunday grew out of the Division of Stewardship at Shadyside. It was their attempt to bring churches together in a service of Christian unity-in which everyone might receive both inspiration and information, and above all, to know how important the Church of Jesus Christ is, and how each congregation is interconnected one with another. When Donald Kerr was asked how the idea of World Communion Sunday spread from that first service to the world wide practice of today, this is what he replied:
"The concept spread very slowly at the start. People did not give it a whole lot of thought. It was during the Second World War that the spirit caught hold, because we were trying to hold the world together. World Wide Communion symbolized the effort to hold things together, in a spiritual sense. It emphasized that we are one in the Spirit and the Gospel of Jesus Christ."
Well, here we are 90 years later, about to celebrate World Communion Sunday! And it seems the world is still trying to hold things together during this tumultuous time... how blessed we are to know that we can still be one in the Spirit and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, even though socially distanced.
Remember, this is not just a Presbyterian celebration! Although it began with a Presbyterian pastor in a Presbyterian church, a few years later in 1940, the Department of Evangelism of the Federal Council of Churches (a predecessor body of the National Council of Churches) promoted extending the celebration to a number of churches around the world, and the celebration became widespread! Now our other church neighbors (of many denominations) near (in Johns Creek) and far (worldwide), celebrate this special day on the first Sunday in October every year!
And what makes this so exciting is that every communion celebration points us to the ultimate gathering where "people will come from East and West, and from North and South, and take their places at the banquet in the Kingdom of God." (Luke 13:29) On World Communion Sunday, we get a priceless glimpse of that feast!! So wherever you are this Sunday, whether in your living room, or our parking lot, or anywhere else in the world, join us in celebrating this foretaste of the feast to come!
Prayer for Today
Lord Jesus, as we remember your sacrifice that unites us, may we also focus on the joyful feast that lies ahead. In your holy name we pray, Amen.
I have a unique opportunity this week to teach with JCPC. I led both the pastor bible study and our youth bible study on the same passage I'm preaching this week, so I've done a deep dive on that passage. That passage, which you'll see Sunday is from Matthew. In it, Jesus is likely referencing all the prophets in his parable, and specifically these verses from Isaiah 5.
Reading this now, you'll be able to hear the parable like the original crowd with Jesus or the first Jewish converts reading Matthew. The words of this prophet will be in your ears and mind as you hear about the vineyard in the parable and the prophets/servants of the Master in that story. When God tells a story of a garden or vineyard or farm, it often stands for all of creation. The Master is often God and the servants or children are often us or God's people. Would this chapter be hard to hear? Do you think God's people would want to hear about possible invaders? As it turns out, they didn't. Isaiah was killed. He's considered one of the great major prophets by Jews today and in the day of Jesus. But in his own day, he was reviled. Just like Jesus. Hard messages are hard to hear.
That's a message that seemed to come through this week from Isaiah and Matthew. The words of the prophets and Jesus are hard to hear. They're challenging. They're good news to the homeless and hungry and poor and widows and orphans and prisoners and refugees. But for those of us with many blessings, they call us to serve more and give up a lot. What a privilege to be so blessed that the words of the gospel compel us to be generous. What words from the prophets and Jesus are challenging you right now? What will you do next? Please share those ideas and conversations with me. The work is great, but we have each other to work the vineyard and help produce the fruit.
Prayer for Today
Lord, make me an eager and hard worker who produces good fruit in your vineyard, entrusted o us to be plentiful and a blessing. Amen.
