One spring after a particularly dreary winter during which she helped a family member through a long illness, Emma found encouragement each time she walked past a cherry tree near her home in Cambridge, England. Bursting out at the top of the pink blossoms grew blossoms of white. A clever gardener had grafted into the tree a branch of white flowers. When Emma passed the unusual tree, she thought of Jesus's words about being the Vine and His followers the branches (John 15:1-8).

By calling Himself the Vine, Jesus was speaking of an image familiar to the Israelites in the Old Testament, for there the vine symbolized God's people (Psalm 80:8-9; Hosea 10:1). Jesus extended this symbolism to Himself, saying He was the Vine and that His followers were grafted into Him as branches. And as they remained in Him, receiving His nourishment and strength, they would bear fruit (John 15:5).

As Emma supported her family member, she needed the reminder that she was connected to Jesus. Seeing the white flowers among the pink ones gave her a visual prompt of the truth that as she remained in the Vine, she gained nourishment through Him.

When we who believe in Jesus embrace the idea of being as close to Him as a branch is to a vine, our faith is strengthened and enriched.

Prayer for Today

Jesus, thank You for helping me to remain in You. May I find the peace, hope, and strength I need today. Amen.

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

-Philippians 4:11-12

My niece is easily the cutest ever. This isn't an opinion. It's a fact. I'm her uncle. I would know. She's two. She's the source of endless amusement... perhaps more for me and my wife than my sister and her husband. I get frequent texts with her latest antics captured on video. This week, I got an adorable video from the Goodwill. My niece was in a shopping cart. She was clutching an enormous rubber ducky around the neck, a duck nearly as big as her. She was pleading with every fiber of her little body over and over, "I wannnnnnnnnt it."

Her mother and I found this hysterical - though we disagreed on the necessity of buying this duck. However, as funny as we both found this childish attachment and begging, I couldn't help but think that it's not unique to toddlers. I work primarily with teenagers. But it doesn't stop with them. Adults? We want absurd things too. I sat in front of a woman at a middle school volleyball game last night who could not stop berating the referee or the young girls, and at one point, me for turning to look at her in bewilderment. Based on her comments, she expects her daughter to make the Olympic team one day. Based on my observations, this is an unrealistic goal. But then I found myself driving home and debating buying a late-night burger or shake, something I did not need, but I did want.

How often do we cling to our own rubber duckies? Giant, absurd, impractical, unnecessary, only-a-good-idea-in-the-moment wants that we can't let go of... pleading with our heavenly parent to say yes and clutter up our life with our wants? Simply being realistic isn't the solution. We are all too good at rationalizing for that. It's been said there are two ways to get what you want... acquire more... or want less. Mr. Rogers says that appreciation, gratitude is a holy act. This week, and this weekend, take a moment to ask yourself if what you want most is what you need, and then if what you have is wonderful... and when is the last time you gave thanks for those things, those people? I believe God tells us to give thanks because grateful hearts want less. And maybe your uncle will buy you a rubber duck for Christmas anyway.

Prayer for Today

Lord, help me to see the wonderful things I already have, to focus on the good things I have and only what I need. And help me to want what you long to give me. Amen.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

- Mark 1:35, NIV

There is a rhythm to life. There is the normal day/night rhythm -- though some research suggests the presence of light 24/7 has thrown that off. There are weekly rhythms, monthly rhythms, and even the rhythms based on our Earth making an orbit around the Sun. Life has rhythm. Not following the natural rhythm of life can cause some tension.

Our spiritual lives also have a rhythm. The verse above from the first chapter of Mark's gospel gives us a glimpse into the spiritual rhythms of the life of Jesus. He gets up before dawn to go away by himself and pray. I wonder if that was his daily rhythm? It is mine - most of the time. I get up early, usually when our dogs awaken me, and I begin my day on our screen porch with my coffee. I read scripture and other Christian writings, pray, reflect, and journal. That's my daily spiritual rhythm.

My weekly spiritual rhythm is focused on Sunday worship. However, my Sabbath day of rest is Friday, because Sunday is a work day for me. Over the course of the year, I will take some time off for renewal during vacation or continuing education. About every seven years I take a sabbatical - a few months to renew my spiritual batteries.

This weekend about twenty of us are heading to the mountains of north Georgia for our annual Men's Retreat. (The JCPC Women's Retreat is not that far off, either.) This is a time for us to get away and find renewal. Not only do we have time to experience God's creation, we will also be inspired by a guest speaker. Some unstructured fellowship and Sunday worship are also part of the weekend. Please pray for our group as we seek to draw closer to God and to each other. I encourage you will find your own rhythms of spiritual renewal.

Prayer for Today

Gracious God, Jesus spent time way from the busyness of life in your presence. May we make our time with you a priority so we can enjoy your presence. We pray this in the strong name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.

When you think of community, what are the first couple of images that pop into your mind?

You might think of your neighborhood or your co-workers or your church. I believe that being in community is something that God calls us to do. We cannot meet life alone. It's easy to shut others out, but when times are difficult, we need support from our communities. When it's time to celebrate, we need someone to join in the festivities. Whether we like it or not, we have been called to be in community with one another.

Hebrews 10: 24-25 reminds us: let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

We are never truly alone with God, but having someone's physical presence that you can see, touch, and hear is a gift. We are lucky enough to have people placed in our lives that are embarking on this journey we call life together. In life we face challenges and experience celebrations. We face mistakes and experience victories. We face tragedy and experience joy.

In a world with so many ways to connect, many times we can feel disconnected. Electronic media connections can fill our days and we may be longing for a face to face encounter with someone who cares for us.

Don't isolate yourself from developing relationships. Don't run away from community. Consider each of the communities that you are a part of and dive right into them. Find ways to be present each day. You are a member of the Christian family here at JCPC. What are some ways that you can connect with that community today and this week?

Prayer for Today

Gracious God, you gather us together in our faith journey
Trusting in you, we join one another as a community
A community of faith on a journey
A journey to grow ever deeper in our faith
Along the way, remind us of your Love
Of your sacrifice for us
Of your ever mindful presence
Guide us as we go out and share your love with all those in our community.
In Christ's Name, Amen.

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 

-Matthew 13:44

What a peculiar parable Jesus tells us to illustrate God's activity in our lives. It may not seem so peculiar at first glance because most of us have harbored a fantasy of finding buried treasure. Perhaps it would be treasure buried in the ground, submerged underwater, or perhaps a painting bought at a flea market that turns out to be a classic. Found treasure captures our imaginations and it's meant to do so in this parable.

In Jesus' time, treasure was a common metaphor for the reward for moral behavior. If you practiced sacrificial love and gave of yourself unselfishly there would be a reward; a treasure awaiting you. I think most of us can relate to this belief that there will be a pay-out for good behavior. We wonder what the treasure will be as our reward.

What makes this parable peculiar is that the treasure is the first thing found when Jesus illustrates the kingdom of God in this parable. The treasure has a quality to it that is both surprising and baffling. Rather than a reward at the end, the treasure is found at the beginning of the story and then buried again. What can this possibly mean for us?

This coming Sunday, I'm going to be preaching on this peculiar parable through a sermon entitled, "Amends and Amens." The sermon will be the most personal sermon I have preached in 33 years as it's related to a phone call I received in August that was a follow up to one of the most tragic experiences in my family's life which happened 20 years ago. This phone call has allowed me to understand Jesus' parable in such a manner that I believe I was able to get Jesus' teaching on a most personal level. I trust when you hear this sermon, you will too.

Prayer for Today

Open our eyes to the treasure of your kingdom, O Most High, so that in the tragedies of life we can experience your grace in down-to-earth experiences offered to us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

In Surprised by Joy, C. S. Lewis confessed he came to Christianity at the age of thirty-three, "kicking, struggling, resentful, and darting his eyes in every direction for a chance to escape." Despite Lewis's own personal resistance, his shortcomings, and the obstacles he faced, the Lord transformed him into a courageous and creative defender of the faith. Lewis proclaimed God's truth and love through writing powerful essays and novels that are still being read, studied, and shared more than fifty-five years after his death. His life reflected his belief that a person is "never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream."

As we make plans and follow dreams, God can purify our motives and empower us to devote whatever we do to Him (Proverbs 16:1-3). From the most ordinary tasks to the greatest challenges, we can live for the glory of our almighty Maker, who "works out everything to its proper end" (v. 4). Every action, every word, and every thought can become an expression of heartfelt worship, a sacrificial gift to honor our Lord, as He watches over us (v. 7).

God can't be limited by our limitations, our reservations, or our tendencies to settle or dream small. As we choose to live for Him-dedicated to and dependent on Him-He will bring about His plans for us. Whatever we do can be done with Him, for Him, and only because of Him.

Prayer for Today

God, thank You for reminding us that no jobs are too small and no dreams are too big in Your great kingdom.  Amen.

O Lord, I remember your name in the night, and keep your law.

-Psalm 119:55

Forgetting is an easy thing to do; much harder than remembering. When events of significance happen, especially tragedies, someone always says, "Remember!" It's been said about the Alamo, Pearl Harbor, 

D-Day, and countless other dates of infamy, including September 11th, 2001. But remembering is hard to do. Our brains are hardwired to forget as much as possible most days, in order for us to be able to try to remember what we deem important.

In order to remember, we create holidays, memorials, stories, and movies. We write songs and teach our children, and we recall our memories annually. Because otherwise, the busyness of our lives gets in the way, and memories fade. And sometimes, the very places we live make it easy to forget that the rest of the country or world experiences life differently. It would be easy to forget in most of the U.S. that war goes on in other countries, including a war that started on September 11th. We now have children born that day who are old enough to be deployed to that war, a generation of war. And in our bubble of Johns Creek, it would be easy to forget that the diversity and relative peace we enjoy is not common to even our whole country and that there have been shootings at houses of worship and white power rallies in other cities.

Memory still remains a powerful tool for learning lessons and working for peace. I was reminded of that this week. Yesterday, on September 11th, as I walked through the preschool, I heard the lyrical voice of one of our teachers, a beautiful British accent, articulating the words of our pledge of allegiance with a chorus of children. I peeked in to see a beautiful display of a small child holding a tiny flag proudly and his classmates, a true representation of the diversity of our community, God's kingdom, and likely, those in the towers and planes that day. They spoke the words that they were one nation and indivisible. They will remember those words for a lifetime, as most of us do. And the country and world they inherit will depend on how we choose to remember and live as a unified people, or choose to be divided. I pray we leave them a world of hope.

Prayer for Today

Lord, God of all nations, help us to remember from our history that we are stronger together and stronger united for peace. Help us remember to choose peace, to seek common ground, and to love one another as you loved us first, remembering we are yours. Amen.

Today is 9/11. When I realized I would be writing my Reflections on this date, I was reminded of what it has come to symbolize. In the same way that July 4, 1776 means something to Americans, so does 9/11. Some have suggested that it changed us forever in a number of ways. Maybe it did. I remember being at church when it happened and finally going down to our Youth Lounge in time to watch on TV the Twin Towers fall. I was stunned at what I was seeing. Today you will probably hear some reference to that event. When I think about words from Scripture that may speak to us, Psalm 46 comes to mind. It reminds us of God's presence, even in the chaos of life. God promises that one day, it will be better than this. Until then, we wait, we hope, and we work to make this world as God created it to be.

God is our refuge and strength,

   an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

   and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam

   and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

   the holy place where the Most High dwells.

God is within her, she will not fall;

   God will help her at break of day.

Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;

   he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

The Lord Almighty is with us;

   the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come and see what the Lord has done,

   the desolations he has brought on the earth.

He makes wars cease

   to the ends of the earth.

He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

   he burns the shields with fire.

He says, "Be still, and know that I am God;

   I will be exalted among the nations,

   I will be exalted in the earth."

The Lord Almighty is with us;

   the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Prayer for Today

God, help us to know when to be still and trust you. Help us also to know when to work to make this world as you created it to be. Thank you for being "our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." Amen.

One recent morning, Will found his binoculars laying on the table. They had been put away from summer travels and were found when unpacking a backpack. He immediately took the binoculars outside on our deck said he was going to do some bird watching. He heard birds, but didn't see any. So then he noticed the sun was starting to rise and directed his binoculars through the trees to get a closer look. He called me out to join him and we stopped for a few moments to enjoy the sound of birds and the view in front of us. It was so nice to have our busy morning rhythm interrupted. Our mornings are not always so calm and peaceful. Some include unexpected bugs or spiders who have made a web blocking the exit to the deck. These we often pass by quickly.

It's funny to me how sometimes interruptions in our day can bring moments of calmness and appreciation. While others we avoid like the plague. The same situation would have likely brought about a different reaction from any number of people.

I realize that these two encounters are not earth shattering in comparison to some of the challenging experiences that we face in life. They just reminded me that when we face situations that are unexpected, our response to them often shapes our faith in a significant way. So then, how do your reactions to life's interruptions or unexpected circumstances, shape your faith? Sometimes I find when life is a little bit unpredictable, I realize my need to live by faith and depend upon God's guidance.

Take some time to you consider the ways that life's interruptions shape your faith.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. -Hebrews 11:1

Prayer for Today

Gracious God, Help me to be more aware of your presence with me each day. Guide me as I seek to walk in faith, even when I cannot see the outcome. In Christ's Name, Amen.

My supervisor is a huge fan of a certain college basketball team. This year, they won the national championship, so another coworker texted him congratulations. The only problem was my boss hadn't yet had a chance to watch the final game! He was frustrated, he said, knowing the outcome beforehand. But, he admitted, at least when he watched the game he wasn't nervous when the score stayed close to the end. He knew who won!

We never really know what tomorrow will hold. Some days can feel mundane and tedious, while other days are filled with joy. Still other times, life can be grueling, agonizing even, for long periods of time.

But despite life's unpredictable ups and downs, we can still be securely grounded in God's peace. Because, like my supervisor, we know the end of the story. We know who "wins."

Revelation, the Bible's final book, lifts the curtain on that spectacular finale. After the final defeat of death and evil (20:10, 14), John describes a beautiful victory scene (21:1-3) where God makes His home with His people (v. 3) and wipes "every tear from their eyes" in a world with "no more death or mourning or crying or pain" (v. 4).

On difficult days, we can cling to this promise. No more loss or weeping. No more what-ifs or broken hearts. Instead, we'll spend eternity together with our Savior. What a glorious celebration that will be!

Prayer for Today

Dear God, we are thankful the hope of heaven gives us strength and that one day God will soothe every hurt, heal every wound, and wipe away every tear.  Amen.