During the course of a popular home renovation television program, viewers often hear the host say, “Imagine this!” Then she unveils what could be when old things are restored and drab walls and floors are painted or stained. In one episode, after the renovation the homeowner was so overjoyed that, along with other expressions of elation, the words “That’s beautiful!” gushed from her lips three times.

One of the stunning “Imagine this!” passages in the Bible is Isaiah 65:17–25. What a dazzling re-creation scene! The future renovation of heaven and earth is in view (v. 17), and it’s not merely cosmetic. It’s deep and real, life-altering and life-preserving. “They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit” (v. 21). Violence will be a thing of the past: “They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain” (v. 25).

While the reversals envisioned in Isaiah 65 will be realized in the future, the God who will orchestrate universal restoration is in the business of life-change now. The apostle Paul assures us, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). In need of restoration? Has your life been broken by doubt, disobedience, and pain? Life-change through Jesus is real and beautiful and available to those who ask and believe.

Prayer for Today

God of restoration and renovation, You know what changes are needed in my life for me to look more like You. Please work in my heart and life today. Amen.

All of the decisions and plans that happen during the busy seasons of the year can feel like a huge mountain to climb. In an effort to encounter these times with a different mindset, I began to ask myself these questions:

• Do you feel that each day is overscheduled?
• Have you ever had to collect your scattered self so that you could make an important decision?
• Do you ever lay awake at night thinking about all you have to do?
• Do you ever ask why your life is so full?

Simplicity may sound like an oasis in the desert during this time of year. I look forward to days when I can return to the high desert of New Mexico exploring the landscapes and religious communities near Abiqui, New Mexico and Ghost Ranch Presbyterian Retreat Center.

My time there reminded me that living simply is not about deciding to get your life under control but about giving control of your life to God.

I think that in times like these, God calls us to assess our situation and take some time to retreat for a few hours, a day, or a weekend to reflect and prepare for all that the busy seasons of the year require. I would invite you to reflect on when Jesus talks about wealth and worries in Matthew 6, his message is simple: seek God, trust God, and receive God.

How can we live simply in a consumer-focused culture?

In the midst of all of the busyness, how can we focus our lives on seeking God, trusting God and receiving God?

How might these responses effect the way we enter into this day or the next busy season of our lives?

This fall we will offer retreats to Amicalola Falls Lodge in the North Georgia Mountains. Our Men’s Retreat will be September 24-26 and our Women’s Retreat will be November 19-21. Please set aside time to join us for one of these weekends to retreat, recalibrate, and be renewed.

Prayer for Today

Gracious God, may we who have plenty live simply. Guide us so that we will seek you, trust you and receive you each day. Amen.

Cast all your worries and cares to God, for he cares for you.

-I Peter 5:7

God cares about every detail of your life. Take a look at nature. God is there in every detail.

The hymn This Is My Father's World gives us a message of wonder:

This is my Father's world,
And to my list'ning ears,
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world,
I rest me in the thought,
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas—
His hand the wonders wrought.

This spring and early summer, as we return to “normal”, we have been blessed by God with beauty. The flowers, shrubs, and trees have been spectacular, There are various patterns, shapes, sizes, and life cycles of nature. God has placed such beauty in the spaces where we live, in the smallest leaf and bud, in the intricacies of root systems and the earthworm's travel.

The shade of towering trees provide cool refreshment. The different types of leaves, and the tiny, life-bearing veins that run through them—how intricate.

Weather is filled with details from the hand of our God. The Creator sends raindrops (gentle and harsh). He warms us with the sun and cools us with breezes. He fashions each snowflake, each unique, no two alike—the same way He designs His children!!

God cares about the details of your life. He is not too busy to listen. If they matter to you, they matter to God.

Prayer for Today

Thank You, Lord, for caring about the details of our lives. It means so much to know that You are always there for us. Amen.

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

-Galatians 3:26-28 NIV

Our opening hymn in worship this Sunday is In Christ There Is No East or West, one that you may be familiar with. The words for this hymn were written by an English-born, well-traveled businessman, who published the original poem using a pen name. He lived in the U.S. and France during his life, and travelled all the way to South America, which was no small feat in his day. It’s fitting that someone who literally traveled east and west and encountered many different people would write a hymn based off of Galatians 3:28.

But there was a problem. Verse three of the original poem uses masculine language, which was not out of place at the time.

Join hands, then, brothers of the faith, What e’er your race may be!

Who serves my Father as a son Is surely kin to me.

The problem is that this verse sort of misses the point of Galatians 3:28, as it specifically states that in Christ, we are neither male nor female, but one in Christ! As a result, the third verse was re-written in the late 1980’s to be more inclusive and avoid gender-specific language. This updated version appears in our Presbyterian hymnals and is the version we will sing on Sunday.

Join hands, disciples of the faith, what e’er your race may be.

All children of the living God are surely kin to me.

Inclusive language aside, I think this updated verse is better, because I like the phrase, “the living God”. But I think it’s important to recognize that inclusivity is something we continue to struggle with as Christians and as a society as a whole still today. We’ve come a long way, but there’s still room for growth. If we are to truly accept what Paul is saying in his letter to the Galatians, then we have to work towards treating all people with Christian love. That means treating men and women equally, but it also means showing Christian love even to those you don’t like or who live in a way you don’t agree with. This is no easy task but with help from the living God, we can all grow to be more inclusive.

Prayer for Today

Creator of the Universe, remind us again that we are all your children. Give us hearts of overflowing love for all those we encounter, and help us to show that we are Christians through our love. Amen.

If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

-I Corinthians 12:26-27

As I write this, I’m at Montreat. We took 11 of our youth and one college student for work crew. It’s a joy after a year away to come back. These kids and adults have been starved for connection, which is the theme for this week... called to connect. It’s invaluable for us as created people to connect. And for growing believers, especially, to connect with other believers and with God’s word daily. They have so many opportunities to connect through arts and sports and social groups, but nothing that comes close to the depth and importance of faith connection and formation. There is not one single work day, school day, or activity that can be of the same importance to our eternal existence as tending to our spiritual needs by being in worship on Sunday or taking a week with other teen believers.

Even as we develop more ways to connect through technology, the options simultaneously allow us more competing options to not connect... spiritually. It is easier to skip worship and Christian fellowship. It is more difficult to prioritize serving others with our faith community and to carve out time for our kids to go to camps, conferences, retreats, and worship. They need it as surely as they need good nutrition, education, life skills, opportunities, and love. They need it even more.

If you’ve struggled to keep faith at the center of your life in the quarantine, I hope you’ll take this summer to reconnect, to ask for your faith family’s help. If you have young people in your life that you’re responsible for or have influence over, commit to online weekly worship or bring them. Help send them to conferences and camps like Montreat. It’s vital to their growth and their spiritual life. And it’s vital that as part of our Church body, their spiritual health be a priority for us. If we are all part of the body - and we are - we must take our spiritual health seriously for the good of the whole. I’ll see you in worship.

Prayer for Today

Lord, make me a good part of the body. Embolden me to make my own spiritual connections and health a priority and to extend that to the young people I help to nurture. Amen.

When my friend Marge met Tami at a Bible study meeting, she noticed that they seemed to have little in common. But Marge befriended her, and she learned a valuable lesson from her new friend.

Tami had never been to a Bible study, and she was having a hard time understanding something the other women in the study talked about: that God communicated with them—something she’d never experienced.

She so desired to hear from God that she took action. Later, she told Marge. “I set aside an old wooden chair, and every time I study my Bible, I ask Jesus to come sit in it.” Then Tami explained that whenever a verse stood out to her, she would write out the verse in chalk on the chair. It’s become her special “Jesus chair,” and she’s filled it up with God’s messages to her directly from the Bible.

Marge says, “[The Jesus Chair] has changed [Tami’s] life. She’s growing spiritually because Scripture is becoming personal.”

While speaking to Jewish believers, Jesus said, If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:31–32)

Let’s hold to His teaching, whether it means writing His words on a chair, memorizing them, or seeking to put them into action. The truth and wisdom of Christ’s messages help us grow in Him and set us free.

Prayer for Today

Help me, God, to connect with You more and more through the wisdom You’ve given me in the Bible. And then help me apply what I learn to help me grow more and more like Jesus. Amen.

And he will prepare the way for the Lord. He will have the same spirit and power that Elijah had. He will bring peace between parents and their children. He will teach people who don’t obey to be wise and do what is right. In this way, he will prepare a people who are ready for the Lord. -Luke 1:17

These words from Luke’s account share part of the message the angel shared with Zechariah about his son, John and the special role he would have in preparing the way for Christ to live among us. I believe that John was the first of many who prepared a people to be ready for the Lord. Before John there were prophets that God called and since Christ’s death and resurrection, we continue to see people God calls to make space for the gospel in this world.

As we navigate significant shifts in the relationship between communities, individuals and churches we are noticing the paths where we have prepared the way and other paths where connection has been more difficult. This pandemic and the events over the past year and a half has caused many to go deeper into their life of faith, caused others to find other paths for connection and still others to question their beliefs.

I believe God calls each of us as believers to help prepare people who are ready for the Lord. What does that look like for you? Who has helped prepare a place for you in a church community? As our communities and church continue to transition into new ways of being, look for the places where God is calling you to open a door, walk alongside and help someone connect with the Lord.

Prayer for Today

Gracious God, Help us continue to live into our calling as believers to prepare the way. In Christ’s Name, Amen.

O Lord, thou hast searched me and known me. Thou dost know when I sit down and when I rise up; Thou dost understand my thought from afar. Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down. And art intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue. Behold, O Lord, Thou dost know it all. Thou has enclosed me behind and before. And laid thy hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high I cannot attain to it. Where can I go from Thy Spirit? Or where can I flee from thy presence? If I ascend to heaven Thou art there; if I make my bed Sheol, behold, Thou art there. -Psalm 139:1-8

This is scripture from which one of my favorite songs in chorus was written - the scripture tells us that our God is with us wherever we are. He knows what we are going to say before we say a word! That is so reassuring to me, and I hope it is to you as well.

This past year has been hard on all of us. Our usual routines have been disrupted and we have been isolated from our friends and family - from normal life. Getting back into activities, may be harder than we anticipated. Even joining friends for a meal or participating in a book club might present challenges.

If you are struggling with sadness, dealing with difficult circumstances, having a hard time coping with a medical problem, or need someone to talk to, consider asking for a Stephen Minister to come along side you to assist you with whatever difficulty you have. The Stephen Minister will consult with you confidentially and continue to visit with you until your concern is resolved. There is no charge for Stephen Ministry.

Prayer for Today

If you would like to speak with a Stephen Minister, one is available after every service at the church. Or you can ask a Pastor to refer you to David Lee or Rebecca Eldridge who will assist you with having a Stephen Minister meet with you individually.

O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there, living things both small and great. -Psalm 104:24-25 NRSV

This Sunday, we are singing All Things Bright and Beautiful, a favorite hymn of the church! It was written by Mrs. Cecil Frances Alexander, who wrote several well-known hymns, including Once in Royal David’s City, There is a Green Hill Far Away, and I Bind Unto Myself Today. 

Mrs. Alexander was trying to find a way to teach the Apostles’ Creed to children. This hymn focuses on describing God as “Maker of heaven and earth.”

All things bright and beautiful,

all creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful,

the Lord God made them all.

How amazing it is to think of everything God has created! From the intricate designs on the wings of one butterfly, to the number of galaxies in the universe… what are we up to now… two trillion? From a cell seen under a microscope to a star seen through a telescope! And then there’s the mustard seed…

It’s a tiny little thing!! But apparently parable-worthy! Only 2-3 millimeters wide, yet one little seed can grow 5-6 feet, produce greens, more seeds, and a perch for birds! The seeds themselves can be ground into mustard, added into salads, dressings, and other foods, and this summer, we’ll probably consume quite a few of those seeds!

Just as the tiniest seed grows into a great big plant, there are many places in the Bible where God surprises us with a paradox. Little David wins the battle against Goliath. Mary sings that the mighty are brought low, and the humble and meek are exalted. And the ultimate paradox: God comes to earth in the form of a man and pays with his life for the wrongs we have committed, conquering death through resurrection, and as a result, we have eternal life.

Knowing that our God works in paradoxes should comfort us. What this world views as strong and powerful could never be as powerful as God. And no matter how small we feel, we are part of God’s marvelous and abundant creation, and we are loved lavishly by God, as his children.

Prayer for Today

Holy God, open our eyes. Help us to see you more clearly. Open our minds. Help us to better understand how much you love us. Open our hearts. Move us to share that love with those around us. In your holy name we pray. Amen.

“The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

God said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”

-Exodus 3:9-12

I’m something of a cinephile. I enjoy a good deleted scene as much as any good film. Unlike books, more gets cut for time than quality. I recently found a gem from the first Marvel Avengers movie. In it, Bruce Banner, the mild-mannered scientist who sometimes becomes the huge green monster known as The Hulk (think Jekyll and Hyde) wakes up in a warehouse after returning to his human state. A kindly old security guard finds him just before the climax of the film, asking him where he needs or wants to go. The audience is meant to hope he will join the other heroes in New York City and save the world.

Bruce ruefully replies, “I know where I can do the most good. But, unfortunately, it’s also where I can do the most damage.” The old man’s deadpan response is simple. “That’s true for just about anyone, son.” It is. Most of us, if we are at all thoughtful and aware, have experienced just such a quandary. It’s what Dr. Seuss calls The Waiting place. If we go on a mission trip, do we risk injury and illness? If we visit a friend in mourning, do we risk saying the wrong thing? If we volunteer with youth or VBS, do we risk being a bad example or not having the right answers? Who are we to help? Anywhere we go carries risk. Mercy is always a risk. Love is always a risk. We cannot afford to stay in the warehouse. We are called to be where the action is.

The security guard can see in Bruce’s face that he’s hesitant, but that he knows what’s right. He tells Bruce his body will follow what his mind has decided. The body, the Church, will follow where we know we ought to go. If you’re worried you won’t be perfect or good enough, you’ll never head where you’re needed most. In the end, Bruce heads into danger because he’s needed and because he remembers he’s not alone. The other heroes, the rest of his unlikely team of misfits, they’ll be there too. And your ragtag team will be there when you enter the fray. I hope when you are called, you’ll join us. The body is only a body, ready to do the work, when it is fully... Assembled.

Prayer for Today

Lord, make me a ready and eager part of the body, by your spirit. When I am overconfident or blind, make me humble. When I am anxious, make me prepared. Here I am. Send me. Amen.