This week we have been pondering Jesus’ claim that he is the “bread of life.” The idiom challenges us to reflect on whether we come to God seeking something that satisfies our wants or whether we come realizing God is the only source of nutrition for our lives. God originally gave manna to the Israelites for forty years as they journeyed from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. He fed them during times of grumbling and during times of praising. Today he also feeds us daily because he is good, not because we are good. A loaf of bread symbolizes the universal church of all peoples and languages. God is able to speak into all of them and satisfy their challenges even as bread satisfies. Bread is also a bridge builder creating fellowship as we share meals. People come together around bread. Bread, in communion, speaks to the forgiveness and building of our lives that we find in our faith. When Jesus says, “I am the bread of life coming down from heaven,” he says a mouthful. Enjoy this hymn.
“Break Thou the Bread of Life”
January 14, 2024
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We Three Kings of Orient Are
January 6, 2024Today many Christians celebrate Epiphany. January 6 is the annual remembrance of the wise men arriving to worship the baby Jesus. It really is not known if there were three men nor how far East was but the hymn written by John Henry Hopkins Jr. in 1987 honoring the event was the first widely popular Christmas carol coming out of America. Hopkins was in his last year as rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Williamsport, PA.
It seems fitting that we take a moment and listen to the hymn honoring this event. I’ve listed two YouTube versions that are just fun. The first features Hugh Jackman from 17 years ago who became famous as Wolverine and whom I love to see perform in “Les Miserables” as Jean Valjean. The second is more serious, performed at Royal Albert Hall in England. Both are beautiful and express the joy of the Christmas Season. Listen to the one that fits your mood but let us rejoice that the good news that a savior was born was for all people.
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Commit
January 4, 2024Psalm 37:5-6
Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will make your vindication shine like the light,
and the justice of your cause like the noonday.
We are looking at Psalm 37 and pondering its wisdom as guidelines for 2024. Rafiki, the baboon liboni in “Lion King,” hit Simba over the head and agreed that the “past does hurt but the way I see it, you learn from it or you run from it.” We look back on 2023 and lick our wounds from the hard lessons we learned and ponder what 2024 holds, trying not to repeat our mistakes. First, focus on God and don’t fret about the tough times that are temporary and will pass. Next we emotionally and spiritually open our fists that hold on so tight to our problems and trust them into God’s care. He walks with us and holds us. Tough stuff. We are free to do good and to not keep rethinking our problems, leaning on our own insight or the next friend with a new idea. Then delighting in the Lord is opening our hearts to his presence during lament and joy.
Today King David advises us to commit our lives to the Lord. These are not easy ideas to put into practice. Perhaps we can think of how we felt when we made a commitment at a wedding or a decision we made to care for a failing parents during the ups and downs of dementia. I think commitment is not like joining a political party in election year but it goes deeper. The values we commit to are the values we want to be part of our life whether our candidate wins or loses. It is the decision to stick with God when we are happy and when we are crying. It is a resolve of the will and the soul.
Let’s make an acrostic of the word “trust” and choose things we would like to commit to God this year. T is for…time or……, R is for….., U is for ……, T is also for…… Lord, please help me to keep my hands open as I present these things to you this year. Thank you, Lord, for being trustworthy.
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Delight
January 3, 2024Psalm 37: 4
4 Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
This week we are looking at potential guidelines for encountering the challenges that will come in 2024. We are drawing words of advice written by King David in Psalm 37. Verse one encouraged us to not fret about the “bad guys” or even those whom we experience as outshining us. Focus on God and not on our perceived problem. Yesterday he then encouraged us to trust that God is guiding us, walking with us, and freeing us to “do good” and not “lean on our own understanding.” I do not think that denies the need to grieve and lament but it defines the context of our grief. I do not need to be happy that my husband is in heaven and I am here alone. But as I look to God who walks with me unseen and holds my future and me even as he holds my husband, I can relax and have a good cry on his shoulder.
Verse four encourages us to “delight.” That is hard to get our hearts around because we can think of delight like cheering for our football team when it wins. The Internet dictionary defines delight when used as a verb, “to please (someone) greatly.” The scene that comes to mind is my little one-ish son learning to walk. I would hold him and point him to his father a short distance away. We cheered wildly when he crossed the distance and when he fell half way – “good try, let’ do it again.” One day the teenager next door was home from school and offered my son a cookie. That little guy got up and walked across the gravel yard to his hero! Both scenes delighted me – failure but trying and love in motion.
Delight in God takes different forms. I did not delight in the decline of my husband but I focused my mind on thanking God for the 47 years I never expected to have and the peace of just sitting by his side as he struggled with the disease. Perhaps delight is not always laughing and clapping. Perhaps there can even be delight during times of lament by focusing on God, the blessings, and then trusting that we are not alone!
Eric Liddell, in “Chariots of Fire” to questions about the rigor of training for the Olympics, responds to his sister, “I believe that God made me for a purpose. But He also made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure.” God delighted in Liddell even when he was dealing with a challenge.
Ponder Psalm 22:8 ‘Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver—let him rescue the one in whom he delights!’ Lord, let me delight in you and may I be a delight to you, even on tough days!
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“Trust”
January 2, 2024Psalm 37: 3-4
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.
Psalm 37 written by King David gives us some good principles to guide our lives in 2024. Yesterday we looked at verses one and two. We were challenged to keep our focus on God and not to worry about the “bad guys” whom ever that may be. So often a bad day is a passing thing. The phone rings and a friend calls and suddenly the fog lifts. Other difficulties are what most people face also. We are not alone because misery loves company but because we can focus on a God who holds our hand.
Today let’s add “trust” to our focus. Trust is hard. We like to be in control and we like to know we will succeed or did it right. No one likes pain and failure. When we are sick, we want to know the medicine will work and the doctor cares. Facing discomfort like a broken bone that will last for six weeks of healing, is easier to manage than a diagnosis of cancer where the outcome is not so certain.
Psalm 37 encourages us to not only trust but also “do good.” Trust reminds me to keep my focus on God and not on the problem AND David adds, “do good.” My physical therapist has me winding through a line of cones on the floor while going through the alphabet saying girls’ names. The theory is that we cannot focus on two things at once so if I can keep my stride regular while focusing on names, success! It reminds me of Lamaze that taught the same principle that if I focus on a good thought and breathe slowly, I’ll weather the pain, errr labor, better. When I go down the rabbit hole of wondering if the medicine is working or just when I can pay off that debt then worry grabs my heart.
David also writes in Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
When I don’t trust on a God who is more able than I and who has more power than I, then my path becomes crooked. I debate within my mind and I loose peace. I have focused on my own insights or understanding of a situation and stopped trusting either God or the doctor or my financial advisors. All sorts of doubt scramble my peace.
As we face into 2024, may we focus on our relationship with God first and then trust that his plans for us are the best so we can relax, do good, and not lean on our own understanding. We can be free to bless others. Tough stuff. Blessings as you strengthen your spiritual muscels as you practice trusting this year.
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“Don’t fret”
January 1, 2024Psalm 37:1-2
1 Do not fret because of the wicked;
do not be envious of wrongdoers,
2 for they will soon fade like the grass,
and wither like the green herb.
Today we start the year 2024. Perhaps some of you were alive at the turn of the century and can remember fearing that all our electronic gadgets would not be able to function when we went from 1999 to 2000. On June 8, 1949, George Orwell published his famous book 1984. It was his last book, written during the time of Stalin and predicting that by 1984 government would be like “Big Brother,” able to electronically watch everyone and impact minds. Theories about “end times” have sold books and been the basis for movies for decades now. The future can be pondered through eyes of fear.
Today on January 1 many will reflect and write goals for 2024. We hope to loose weight, exercise more, meet that special person, maybe change jobs or move. But we do not know what 2024 will bring us. This week as we build up to Epiphany or Three Kings Day we will look at Psalm 37. Psalm 37 does not deal with the childhood of Jesus which the theme of the Christmas season but it does give us good advice for dealing with the “new.”
King David opens with the words, “Don’t fret.” “Don’t worry.” Those words challenge me to think about where I am focusing as I start the year. Am I focusing on my wants, my fears and my hopes or am I focusing on the God who walks with me every day.
13 No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone.
God is faithful,
and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength,
but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it. 1Corinthians 10:13
Our first word of wisdom is not to fret but to focus on God. God is faithful. Any trial we encounter, someone else is dealing with also. God is not trying to punish us for our mistakes but he desires to comfort us and he knows how much we can endure. We may not believe that but he knows more than we do. Comfort does come in unexpected ways – from friends, from music, from nature, and from Scripture. #1 Focus on God.
I also often need to remind myself that life is not random.
2 My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; 4 and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4,
Dear Lord, help to focus on you this year and remember you are walking with us, know us, and that life is not random. Blessings as you start 2024!
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Christmas 1B December 31, 2023
December 31, 2023First Reading: Isaiah 61:10—62:3
10I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
my whole being shall exult in my God;
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11For as the earth brings forth its shoots,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to spring up before all the nations.
62:1For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
until her vindication shines out like the dawn,
and her salvation like a burning torch.
2The nations shall see your vindication,
and all the kings your glory;
and you shall be called by a new name
that the mouth of the Lord will give.
3You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
Psalm: Psalm 148
The splendor of the Lord is over earth and heaven. (Ps. 148:13)
1Hallelujah! Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise God in the heights.
2Praise the Lord, all you angels;
sing praise, all you hosts of heaven.
3Praise the Lord, sun and moon;
sing praise, all you shining stars.
4Praise the Lord, heaven of heavens,
and you waters above the heavens.
5Let them praise the name of the Lord,
who commanded, and they were created,
6who made them stand fast forever and ever,
giving them a law that shall not pass away.
7Praise the Lord from the earth,
you sea monsters and all deeps;
8fire and hail and snow and fog,
tempestuous wind, doing God’s will;
9mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars;
10wild beasts and all cattle,
creeping things and flying birds;
11sovereigns of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the world;
12young men and maidens,
old and young together.
13Let them praise the name of the Lord,
whose name only is exalted, whose splendor is over earth and heaven.
14The Lord has raised up strength for the people and praise for all faithful servants,
the children of Israel, a people who are near
Lord. Hallelujah!
Second Reading: Galatians 4:4-7
4When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. 6And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.
Gospel: Luke 2:22-40
22When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, [Joseph and Mary] brought [Jesus] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), 24and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
25Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, 28Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
29“Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word;
30for my eyes have seen your salvation,
31which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.”
33And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
36There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 38At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
39When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
CHILDREN’S SERMON: Tonight many of us will sit by our TVs and watch the big ball drop in Time’s Square in New York City. Fireworks are being sold all over here in Florida. Many will sing the song “Auld Lang Syne”. The song begins by posing a rhetorical question: Is it right that old times be forgotten? The answer encourages us to remember the blessings of friendship through this last year. Think of someone who has blessed you this year with presence.
Auld Lang Syne
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?
Chorus
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
Let us pray. Lord, may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, my Rock and my Redeemer.
SERMON
Today is Christmas 1 and we step into the church’s Christmas season. We turn our hearts from celebration of the birth of Christ to contemplate his childhood. The Christmas season goes from Christmas Eve to January 6th, the start of Epiphany, and the celebration of the arrival of the wise men. Today is Christmas 1 but today is also December 31st and tonight we will step into a new calendar year. At midnight many will pause to sing, “Auld Lang Syne.” AND today is also today, our present, when we stand surrounded by past and future that colors the meaning we make of our present. The past, the present, and the future are heavy with meaning today.
Our text takes us from Bethlehem to Jerusalem and the circumcision of baby Jesus. Joseph and Mary were quietly following Jewish rituals defined by the laws of Moses. In the midst of this ordinary routine of life, two other ordinary people, Simeon and Anna, walk into the Temple and our couple is amazed at what they hear. Today we too are returning to the ordinary routines of our lives after Christmas celebrations and New Year’s celebrations. As we come to God’s house today may our eyes be amazed as we lay our past, our present, and our future before God.
Simeon
29“Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word;
30for my eyes have seen your salvation,
31which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.”
None of the people we have met so far in the Christmas story have totally understood what was happening much beyond their present moment in history. Certainly Herod was looking for a Messiah whom there was a past prophecy about and whom he thought he could kill if he identified him. He thought he could end the threat to his future leadership and defeat the prophecy. Certainly Zechariah and Elizabeth had seen an angel and bore a miracle son they called John whom they thought would rally their people to return to faith. Faith for the Jews, though, was lived out in obedience to the law and its rules. John called people to repentance for breaking the law to prepare the way for the future Messiah. Certainly Joseph and Mary had seen angels and knew their baby was of God and would be the Messiah, but the popular belief was that the Messiah would bring political salvation from the Romans and return the Jews to the glory of King David and King Solomon. They may have been thinking their son would make Israel “great again.” The shepherds, well, they visited and returned to their ordinary existence in the fields. None anticipated what the adult life of Jesus would be like. And for sure, none anticipated the cross and the resurrection
Simeon is different. He has been waiting “for the consolation of Israel” for years. Simeon sees baby Jesus and sees salvation. Simeon sees baby Jesus and sees “light for revelation to the Gentiles.” Simeon sees baby Jesus and predicts glory for Israel. Simeon is able to understand present reality from the perspective of his past experiences and then predict future potential. He allows his past experience of God’s faithfulness and the future promises of God help him define his present reality.
As we wait for God to unfold our future, I wonder if our hearts are open for seeing how God can use the potential hidden within a situation we face today and realize God is fulfilling a promise from the past? Today many people will sit down to say goodbye to 2023. For some, emotions of “Whew, made it through 2023 and hope I don’t have to repeat those trials again” will fill their thinking. They may look back with gratitude that they survived Coved, divorce, cancer or perhaps even death of a loved one. 2023 memories will be deeply impacted by stories of survival from trauma. Simeon challenges us as we reflect tonight to put those hard experiences that come to mind, not in a survival story, but a story that seeks to see how God is fulfilling his promise for our future, a story of potential. Waiting is hard because often we wait for the answer we want. Simeon saw a baby and envisioned a savior. He saw a baby and realized that child would spread light into his world as he grew. He saw a baby and believed he would be used to bring glory to God. His heart was open to the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Simeon was waiting for the “consolation of Israel.” Consolation means comfort. Simeon believed God speaks into reality, comforting his suffering people. What am I waiting for as I anticipate 2024? As we set aside a time to reflect on 2023 tonight, let us try to identify the hand of God comforting us. When all the events of the world surrounding Simeon were confusing, Simeon looked and listened. God has been involved with ordinary people like Simeon and us today. We call it inspiration. There are those “aha” moments when we wrestled with the direction of life and suddenly the “light dawned,” as we say, and we knew in our gut which way to go. God speaks through nature, through music, through friends, through Scripture and through experience as he journeys with us. He speaks into our reality as we wait. God wants to comfort us today. Simeon saw through God’s eyes a babe that would bring salvation, light, and glory to God. We can ask ourselves tonight where we saw God fulfilling his promises this past year.
Anna
38At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Let us not forget Anna, a widow of many years, perhaps as much as sixty, who also was an ordinary person, and came to the Temple that day. She has a sad story of widowhood at a young age. She could certainly see herself as the victim of a cruel past. But she steps into our text today not as bitter and cynical but praising. Her waiting for God’s consolation is not passive, victim mentality that sees her life as the result of some disengaged God but she waits for God’s consolation actively.
Anna had committed her time to prayer and fasting. She has spent many years waiting for an answer! We have trouble waiting through commercials. We now have instacart so we do not need to leave our TV to go get a snack but can have it delivered to our door. Prayer and fasting are not passively waiting but active waiting.
A deep skepticism seems to have settled on us these days, I believe. So many experts with so many opinions, it is easy to turn off and tune out. What will be, will be, “que sera.” Let us take a moment and reflect on our spiritual disciplines that help us actively listen for God’s voice for comfort. Spiritual disciplines often involve habits of reading Scripture, journaling, prayer, fasting, meditation, fellowship and even stewardship. We may be willing to receive a revelation but is our cell phone charged, our antenna connected? Anna was an ordinary person like us, listening and investing energy in her relationship with God through prayer and fasting. How are we investing as we wait?
Amazement
Joseph and Mary were amazed. As we come to the end of this year and look back to our past and forward to our future, what will amaze us about our present? The song “Auld Lang Syne” helps us think about the giftedness of today.
Verse one reminds us to remember the friends who have blessed this last year in our lives and who will walk into the future with us. As we reflect, may we not only remember old friends but a God who has walked with us and blessed us this past year.
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?
Chorus
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
Verse two encourages us to share fellowship with those friends. May we thank God for the gift of prayer that also allows us to “share a cup” with him at any time.
And surely you’ll buy your pint cup!
and surely I’ll buy mine!
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
Verse three encourages us to remember the good times we had with those friends. May we not be victims of our bad times but people who survived because of God’s presence.
We two have run about the hills,
and picked the daisies fine;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.
Verse 4 encourages us not to forget friends even though we are divided by miles. May we not become discouraged and dispair because we do not see God but may we see his love in life around us.
We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.
Verse 5 celebrates the trustworthiness of friends. As we look back at 2023 we see God’s faithfulness that we can trust will go with us into 2024. That blesses my life with hope that I am not alone. I do have a friend!
And there’s a hand my trusty friend!
And give me a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.
Our text ends.
“This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
The Christ child revealed “the inner thoughts of many” and still challenges me today. Waiting reveals if I listen with human ears or spiritual ears. Waiting calls me to faith in a mysterious God who is acting in history – yours and mine, past-present-future. God acts for salvation. God sheds light. And the story when finished will glorify God.
Waiting is not just about waiting for a happy-ever-after ending and often acts as “a sword that pierces our soul.” We are afraid to hear we will die. Yes, I want to go to heaven. Yes, I want the Romans conquered. Yes, I want the Messiah to come but recognizing what that looks like is difficult. My inner thoughts and desires are revealed and I am challenged to trust God.
Like Anna, may we praise and speak to others as we wait and see God’s hand at work. Anna could not be quiet when she met the Christ child in the temple. Her prayers and fasting had been answered! Anna sees the bigger picture, not the baby from God but the God in the baby. Anna bursts into praise. God is not defeated by Rome. God is not defeated by poverty. God is not defeated by our lack of understanding. God is active in our world today and THAT, my dear friends, is grounds for praise and sharing. May we see with the eyes of our hearts this week and may we find time to practice spiritual disciplines and listen to a God who reveals to ordinary people like us, his mysterious love.
Let the people of God say, “AMEN!”
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Auld Lang Syne
December 30, 2023Tomorrow night we will watch our TVs as the clock strikes midnight around the world and a new year is welcomed. Some American TVs will focus on programs at Times Square in New York City. At midnight a huge ball drops and the crowd sings Auld Lang Syne.
The song was written in Scottish English by Robert Burns in 1788. “Auld Lang Syne” can be loosely translated “for the sake of old times.” So the author asks, should old friendships be forgotten? The answer is no because as we can think back on those friendships and we can remember the trials we went through together, the loyalty and the support friends bring to us through the year.
As we come to the end of 2023, we can think of the gift our friends have been to us this year but let us also identify the blessings our faith has brought us this year. God has not been silent but has walked with us through thick and thin, good days and bad. Let us thank God for his goodness to us.
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Enough to Plenty
December 29, 20239 ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?’ John 6:9
One of the fun stories in the Bible about children, who remain often unseen and nameless, perhaps considered a nuisance, is about Jesus as an adult preaching to a mass of people on a mountainside. The people had been listening for a long time and were hungry. There were no shops near by for so huge a gathering. Disciple Andrew found the only resource available, an unnamed boy with five barley loaves and two fish. The child had enough for himself and his importance was doubted. It is easy to dismiss children. “What are they?” We could skip over Jesus’ childhood as unimportant, a preparation time for the accomplishments of adulthood. But Luke points out that Jesus was a child like you and me. He did not just pop onto the world stage. Sunday we will take a moment and ponder the circumcision of Jesus as an infant as our point story for his childhood. Let’s be amazed as Joseph and Mary were when they hear Simeon and Anna speak.
The little boy we read about today by sharing his lunch enabled Jesus and the disciples to feed a multitude. Children are a blessing. Children that need attention when we come home from work give us opportunities to unwind. Children who tell us silly stories that require us to slow down and listen, teach us patience and help us see life through their eyes. Children who break things challenge us to generosity. We like to focus on the fish and bread and the miracle of being fed, but perhaps sitting in the innocence and simple generosity of the child today will help us face the complicated challenges of adults we face. Blessings as you connect with a child today.
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Speaking Truth to Power
December 28, 20235 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favour with his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy. 2 Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, ‘If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.’ 2 Samuel 5:1-3
One of the stories about Jesus as a child, about age 12, tells of his parents going to Jerusalem with him. Coming home his parents think he is playing with the other children only to discover him missing. They return to Jerusalem and search for him for three days only to find him in the Temple talking with the priests and elders. The story about Jesus made me think of an Old Testament story that tells of a nameless young girl, captured by Aramean raiders. Her master has leprosy. Despite all the girl has been through, the young girl speaks up and tells of a prophet in Israel who could heal her captor. Jesus and the young girl have the courage to share their faith with elders. These young people spoke truth to power.
It is so easy to belittle ourselves and downplay our experiences. We do not have to master the whole Bible to justify sharing. The girl just shared what she knew. Jesus spoke with the elders about what he knew. We can share our experiences. Perhaps age or education is not as important as awareness of how God is working in the world around us and a willingness to engage others with the truth we know. Let’s try to be braver in the coming year and no be scared to share our faith. Blessings.
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On the Way to Wonder 