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.
Yesterday I attended my first "Zoom" funeral. The service was for Rena Richardson, a member of another church I had served. Rena was a sweetheart and she exemplified all that was good about being "a southern lady." As a part of the service, friends had been asked to share memories which the pastor presiding over the service read. The pastor then shared some comforting words -- honoring Rena's life and proclaiming the hope we have in Jesus Christ. Now, I know Rena was not perfect, none of us are, but it was not hard for her pastor to say good things about Rena's life.
A few years ago, I was asked by Rob Lawrence, one of our church members, to preside over the funeral service for his mother. She had lived in a town in the mountains of north Georgia, right next to the Tennessee state line. It was to be a graveside service at a beautiful cemetery outside of town where many members of her family had been buried. I arrived about an hour before the service and stopped in town. Across from where I parked my car was a gift shop. It had a wide range of items, but what caught my eye was a display of small signs - the kind you might hang from a doorknob or place on a bookshelf. One sign which had a green and tan background with black stenciled letters said this: "Live your life so that the preacher won't have to lie at your funeral."
Now as far I can remember I have never had to lie at a funeral about the life of the person who has died. On a few rare occasions I chose to leave out some things that were true, but I have not had to lie. Actually, one of the blessings of being a pastor and walking with a family who has lost a loved one is hearing stories about the life of the person who has died. It is a real privilege to listen and share those remembrances with others later at the service. So, may we all "practice righteousness" and live our lives in ways that honor God!
Prayer for Today
Thank you, God, for the gift of life. Thank you for those whose lives have meant so much to each one of us. Bless those of us who mourn when we lose a loved one. Help us to remember the hope we have in Christ and, as Paul reminds us, that nothing can separate us from your love in Christ Jesus - not even death! Amen.
In any other year, this time of year from spring break to the end of May tends to be filled with special events each week. Maybe it's tests at school, school celebrations, preparing gifts for Moms, wrapping up a sports season, or preparing for graduation. That is not this year and for that I experience both sorrow and peace.
For me change is hard to acclimate to, but I am taking time to acknowledge all of the emotions and hardships these changes bring to my family and so many of you. Two years ago around this time, we were celebrating the arrival of my nephew, Mark. New life brings a sense of peace and gratitude to many.
I remember this familiar passage from Psalm 139: You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! -Psalm 139:13-14
As we move a little slower into a different season, we may be overwhelmed by all the changes that we are acclimating to and need a moment to stop and appreciate the intricate work that happens when God creates a human being. Each finger and toe, mouth and nose are so small and precious when we are born. All of our organs that work together to help us to take each breath, are a real gift. I would invite you to look around at those people that are most precious to you and thank God for the blessing of their life. What a wonderfully complex gift it is for us to experience life here on earth!
God knit you together in your mother's womb, each and every intricate detail. Take a moment to find a way to express your gratitude for this amazing gift of life.
Prayer for Today
Gracious God, Thank you for making us so wonderfully complex. Guide us as we seek to appreciate the gift of life you have blessed us with here on earth. May we glorify you each step on our journey. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
The movie The Free State of Jones tells the US Civil War story of Newton Knight and some Confederate deserters and slaves who aided the Union Army and then resisted slaveholders after the war. Many herald Knight as the hero, but two slaves first saved his life after his desertion. They carried him deep into a secluded swampland and tended a leg wound he suffered while fleeing Confederate forces. If they'd abandoned him, he would have died.
The people of Judah were wounded and desperate, facing enemies and feeling helpless. Israel had been overtaken by Assyria, and Isaiah prophesied that one day they (Judah) would also be overcome by an enemy-Babylonia. Judah needed a God who would help, who would rescue and not forsake them. Imagine, then, the surging hope when the people heard God's assurance: "Do not be afraid, for I am with you" (Isaiah 43:5). Whatever calamity they faced or trouble they would endure, He would be with them. He would "pass through the waters" with them, leading them to safety (v. 2). He would "walk through the fire" with them, helping them through the scorching flames (v. 2).
Throughout Scripture, God promises to be with His people, to care for us, guide us, and never abandon us-whether in life or death. Even when you find yourself in difficult places, God is with you. He'll help you pass through the waters.
Prayer for Today
God, the water is deep, and I don't see how I'm going to make it through. Thank You for promising to be with me and to carry me through! Amen.
A few years ago, Readers Digest published an article entitled, What Good Is a Tree? The article explained that when the roots of trees touch, there is a substance present which reduces competition. In fact, the unknown fungus helps link roots of different trees, even of dissimilar species. A whole forest may be linked together. If one tree has access to water, another to nutrients, and a third to sunlight, the trees have the means to share with one another.
Today we live in a world in which genuine unity seems to be fading fast. It seems like we are being torn apart. In William Butler Yeats' poem, The Second Coming, we find his description of the world which almost seems prophetic: "Things fall apart; The center cannot hold." Like pieces of a flywheel which is spinning too fast, the centrifugal forces of our world seem to be ripping apart whatever fragile unity there is.
A Gallup poll reported that some 70% of Americans believe that most churches and synagogues today are not effective in helping people find meaning in life. Gallup goes on to list six "needs" of Americans:
The need to believe that life is meaningful and has a purpose.
The need for a sense of community and deeper relationships.
The need to be appreciated and respected.
The need to be listened to and heard.
The need to feel that one was growing in the faith.
The need for practical help in developing mature faith.
The second item on that list grabbed my attention: The need for a sense of community and deeper relationships. My sense is that people want and need a sense of community. While "sheltering in place" is very much needed, it also puts limits on our ability to connect with each other. But one day soon, I hope we will not only gather with each other - but that we will appreciate what a gift that connection is. Until then, may we be connected and held together by the Spirit of the Risen Christ!
Prayer for Today
Gracious God, we find our unity as believers in Jesus the Christ. Help us to bring unity and community to our world - especially in these times when we are physically apart. We pray this in the strong name of the Risen Christ. Amen.
Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He answered, "I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away."
He said, "Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by." Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mask and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
-1 Kings 19:9.5-13
"The world is quieter now. You just have to listen. You can hear God speaking." These are the words of a nurse named Anna in a Will Smith film from several years ago after a virus ravaged the world. Smith's character, Dr. Neville cannot hear God's voice. He's experienced too much loss and pain. The tragedy claims his family, his city, his career. And while he's worked hard to find himself a new normal, he's lost his ability to see beauty, to find hope, to hear God speaking.
In the passage above, Elijah is seeking the Lord, enthusiastically, zealously, in fear of his life, as Dr. Neville was seeking a cure, as well as a sense of normalcy, fearing for his life and the survivors. Elijah is so intent on his search he almost misses the Lord. God was not speaking in the big calamities, but I'm the stillness that followed. Some people were quick to assume God was speaking in the pandemic or that God was speaking in the quarantine. Perhaps God was punishing us or testing us. I think it's more likely that God is there in the stillness as we shelter in place. God is appearing in quiet hospital rooms with the sick and dying. God is in the family gatherings for online worship. God is in the backyards that have been empty for the busyness of schedules before now. God is in the kitchens and dens where teachers prepare lessons. God is speaking to us about our hectic and poorly prioritized former lives.
Like Elijah, we don our masks and follow God into the stillness, and we each seem to be learning lessons about ourselves, our families, our society. We are learning that we have the time to pursue better things when we slow down. We are learning school is better left to the creativity of our teachers than the pressure of our testing. Learning that many jobs are better done from homes than offices. Learning that the closeness of worship was the bread of life for our week. Learning that the health and healthcare of our neighbor is deeply entangled in our own health and care and our responsibility that all might share that access. We are learning that because the world is quieter now, God is speaking and we just have to listen. What have you heard in the stillness? How will it change your life and priorities and commitments going forward?
Prayer for Today
Lord, speak. I am listening in the stillness. Help me to see my loved ones and neighbors with new eyes, to live with new direction and purpose and compassion. Amen.
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:"
-Ecclesiastes 3:1, NIV
In last Sunday's sermon on "truth" - I talked about the importance of telling the truth at the right time. I mentioned the adage, "Timing is Everything." Monday evening, your Session spent a long time discussing when was the right time to reopen our church for worship, given the recent guidelines and decisions on both a national and a state level.
There are two Greek words in our Bible for "time" -- chronos and kairos. Chronos is about minutes and seconds - the things we measure with a watch. Kairos is about timing - as in when is the right time to do something. It is the word we find in scripture when it says something took place "in the fullness of time." It indicates that God's plans were being fulfilled by the timing of the event.
It is not hard to figure out the time (chronos) by looking at our watch or cell phone. But discerning the right timing to do something can be much more complex. Some folks try to "time the market" - hoping to buy and sell stocks for the greatest profit. Trapeze artists must learn the right timing to let go while flying through the air, in order for another person to catch them.
Your Session used its best wisdom, knowledge, and discernment this past Monday evening, in trying to figure out the right time to reopen our church campus for worship and other events. They considered many factors, but their primary concern was for our church members and how to keep them safe in the midst of this pandemic. While everyone is really, really ready for this to be over - your elders were not willing to rush something that was not right - especially for those in our church family of all ages who might be at risk. With that in mind, your Session has decided to wait until May 18, which is the date of our next called Session meeting, to gather more information before making our next decision about when to reopen. So, please continue to bear with us and watch our Online Worship, practice "Church@Home" and fellowship via Zoom until then. Thank you for your prayers and patience!
Prayer for Today
Gracious God, we believe that you are not confined by the limits of time, as we are. You know the right timing for everything. Guide us as we seek your will. In the meantime, bring healing to those who are struggling and strengthen those who care for them. We pray this in the strong name Jesus the Christ. Amen.
What does self-care mean for you? In the midst of our current circumstances, we are still managing some everyday responsibilities as well as facing new challenges each day. Most of us may have found new routines or each day has its own rhythm. As we continue to navigate this unusual time, I would invite you to consider the question, how can I find rest in the Lord? Mentally? Physically? Emotionally? Spiritually?
For me I am connecting with an old rhythm from my childhood years of dance and taking barre classes virtually. I am taking walks with my dog through our neighborhood. I am talking to friends by phone or video chat. I am finding space (even if it's brief) for quiet time and prayer. I am joining with a group of JCPC women for six weeks in an online Bible study about women who encountered Jesus. I'm not sure what works well for you, but I wanted to share a few resources that are available and may be meaningful for you.
Great Shepherd, help me to let go of the lead for a bit and to actively follow where you lead me. I trust you, God, to care for me and lead me to the right place, down the right path, in the right time. Amen.
During our weekly Solace Zoom meetings we have been exploring what is called the 6th stage of grief. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross popularized the 5 stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance in her groundbreaking work. Of course, anyone of us knows through our own personal grief the stages don't proceed smoothly or seamlessly. Recently grief counselor David Kessler suggested a sixth stage of grief; meaning to help us develop hopefulness within the grieving process.
One of the quandaries we face with Covid 19 is what to make of it all. We live in a peculiar dimension where we experience that everything has changed while each day seems like Groundhog days so that each day seems to resemble the other. What a strange paradox; everything has changed and nothing seems to change!
In order to cope with our current new normal of sheltering in place our Solace groups have explored how to make meaning in our daily activities. Not everything is terrible, the Solace participants are finding. More family time, parent and children less rushed and looking forward to phone calls, Zooming or Facetiming are spawning a sense of hopefulness. Sharon Shuler mentioned that on Easter she and Rich Zoomed with their family members who live in a different state and country. Without the pandemic this Easter reunion wouldn't have taken place. New meaning arose within our crisis.
How we think about life's challenges makes all the difference. Victor Frankl who was a Holocaust survivor and one of the great minds of the 20th century teaches us "everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."
When we make hopeful meaning in our circumstances, we often discover our why in our daily living. Frankl says, "those who have a 'why' to live, can bear with almost any 'how'."
For Christians the resurrection brings meaning to our grief. For the disciples, their sense of awe brought new meaning to lives. Yesterday, I shared this picture to bring awe to life. Enjoy!
Prayer for Today
In the light of resurrection bring new meaning into the darkness of our days, O God of new life, so that as we sense the awe and wonder of the good news that Christ is risen, our days will be filled with joy, peace, and the assurance of faith that stands firm in the belief that you work for the good for all who love you. Amen.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist . . .
- Ephesians 6:13-14a, NIV
Have you ever tried to stand firm in the ocean when the current is strong and the waves are high? As a kid I can remember vacationing at the beach. Every now and then, there would be a storm at sea and the waves would be unusually large. We created a game where we would dig our toes deep into the sand on the ocean floor, so we could try to stand in the same place when the waves tried to knock us over. Sometimes it feels that way now as we are knocked around by the storms of this pandemic.
So, how do we try to stand firm in the storms of life? The words above are from one of Paul's letters to the early church. As we can see, trying to stand firm in life is not a new challenge -- nor is it easy. But Paul's words from scripture may give us some practical wisdom and encouragement to do just that. This Sunday we are starting a new series of messages called "Stand Firm" which are based on these words of Paul. Each week we will look at one pillar of the Christian life that helps us to stand firm. This week we will be looking at truth. What is truth? And what is the best way to speak the truth?So, plan to join us this Sunday online as we go deeper into these questions and discover God's word of grace and love for us all!
P.S. - This past week someone told me they liked everything about the online service except the small picture. While you cannot go full screen from the JCPC website, you can click to the top of the picture where it says "Johns Creek Presbyterian Worship 4/19/20" and it will send you to the YouTube page where you can go full screen by clicking the lower right corner. Also, by connecting an HDMI cable from your TV to your laptop -- you can make it even bigger!
Prayer for Today
Gracious God, help us to stand firm as we face the storms of life. Thank you for Jesus - the solid rock on which we can build the foundation for our lives. In the strong name of Jesus the Christ we pray. Amen.
For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
-Galatians 3:26
Identity is important. Psychologists tell us that our identity influences everything from our mental and emotional health to our physical health, our decision making, and our actions in the world. But people identify themselves in interesting ways. When asked to do so, many people reach for their wallet to show their driver's license. We identify by our ability to drive and what we drive. When asked at a party who we are, the first question is almost always, what do you do? Meaning - what is your profession or occupation? For younger people, where do you go to school? If we delve deeper, there are questions of group affiliations... who do you cheer for in sports? What's your political persuasion? Where are you from? Your family?
I often do an exercise with young people, having them write the words "I AM" in the center of a page and listing all their personal identifiers around it, whatever comes to mind first. I ask them to write as big as possible to start, going smaller and smaller as they have to squeeze more in. It's fascinating to see how many start with the obvious and how often they all write the same things... boy/girl, American, Falcons fan, teenager, athlete, thespian, singer, funny, smart, tall, fast, left-handed. Then, like any good youth pastor, I tease them... What about American? Southerner? Presbyterian? Christian? Son/daughter? Brother/sister? Friend? Child of God? Loved? Why didn't these jump out first? Are they less important? Less obvious? What does your list look like? I often have them use the back of the paper to do it again, making the most important ones the biggest. Those papers usually look quite different. Hung on a clothesline, it's a glaring difference between what first came to mind and what they believe really identifies them.
I've been thinking about this question of identity all week. As you probably know, the census is now out and much of it and its most controversial aspects revolve around how people identify themselves, including questions of race and religion. An article today in the New York Times suggests the disappearance of milestone events like Prom and Graduation may not just be disappointing for seniors this year, but damaging to their very identities and their formation. I'd like to think that's less true for our young people. I'd like to believe that young people who are nurtured in the Christian faith all come to stake their identity in being children of God, brother and sister to anyone in need, neighbor to those who suffer, and a part of nuclear and faith families, primarily. Such young people grow to be adults who identify that way first and foremost, rather than by profession, lack of profession, success in a profession, by what they have or own, or by their social status, health, or group.
It's worth asking as parents, grandparents, adults, teachers, mentors, leaders, elders, and those who have promised to raise our young people in the faith... where do we claim our identity? Is it in Christ, right off the bat? Is that how we relate to and introduce ourselves to others? And if not, how will we teach that to young people? I'm challenged this week to think foremost of who I am and not just what I do or have. In quarantine, how well am I doing as husband, father, and neighbor and not just as pastor? How are we all? When you speak with a senior or college student this year, this summer, stop before you ask how the year went or their grades or what they're studying. Ask them how they are doing as a child of God and remind them that you love them and miss them and care for them. Ask them instead what you can do to support them as a beloved part of our faith family. We are in this together, in the Body of Christ.
Prayer for Today
Lord, remind me powerfully that I am yours and in you, I have purpose and value, and that I find my identity in you and serving you. Amen.
