Ants

By Rev. Tyger Penson

Acts 1:12-14

Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

I am learning to see and experience life in a new way. I look at the sights around me, not to see how fast I can get around them, but with eyes that are learning to dissect what I see. For instance, today I watched ants hurrying to and fro, with one ant slowly making her way along the pavement carrying what was obviously a huge, almost unmanageable treasure. I found myself reflecting back upon times when I’ve felt like that ant—just too much to carry and no one seeming to care, certainly not helping me.

Outside my window I watched a bird land on some bamboo sticks which suddenly moved apart, causing him to do the splits before he flew away. I too have been in difficult situations where I felt like where I was standing was giving way.

As I am growing closer to nature and taking time to contemplate and pray in new ways, I think back to a gospel/children’s song, “Into My Heart,” that I have sung over the decades.

Into my heart, into my heart,
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.
Come in today, come in to stay;
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.

It acknowledges that when we meditate and pray, something happens to us.  In Acts 1, before Mathias is chosen to replace Judas as an apostle, Luke writes, “All these [the 11 remaining apostles] were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.” Those early followers of The Way had seen Jesus so often in prayer and had learned how valuable it was for them too, allowing God to dwell within them. They knew that seeking God’s guidance was paramount to making a crucial decision.

If someone asks you, “Why pray?” consider this.
               To acknowledge God as the One who created you and loves you
               To confess your wrongdoings and to change what needs to be changed
               To bring peace and rest to body, mind, and soul
               To be in the presence of God
               To acknowledge God as giver of all that you need
               To tell God that you love God with all that you have
               To anticipate what God will do for you, in you, and through you

Prayer: Lord, slow me down, silence my anxieties, and help me allow you to come into my heart. Amen.

Song:  “More Love to Thee, O Christ” by Elizabeth P. Prentiss

Deep Cleaning

By Rev. Tyger Penson

Luke 3:7-14

7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10 “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.

11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”

12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”

13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.

14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”

He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”

Included in my spring cleaning this year is the sorting through of old treasures. I have boxes of scrapbooks and photo albums, oodles of loose pictures, and volumes of cards and pictures created by my children over the years. So, I’m sorting through them. Part of the joy of this tedious task is the memories they unfold. But there are also many items that seemed valuable at the time, but let’s face it, a cartoon from the 1960s is not so funny anymore and a “timeless” article about space travel is hardly “news” today.

So, I have chosen to throw away all the clutter that is of no value. At times it is a painful experience as I would love to keep it, just for the sake of history. Sometimes, I wonder if I throw it away, will I miss it next year. Then I remember that these things have been in my possession for forty, fifty, sixty years (or so). I have not missed them in the past ten, twenty, or thirty years, so I probably will be okay in disposing of them today!

We do this kind of deep cleaning in our homes. We move out furniture, wash window blinds, and check carefully for the year’s dirt in various crooks and crannies. Then we wash, scrub, and sanitize our homes until they sparkle.

I wonder if we are as diligent in cleaning out our spiritual and emotional closets. We like to store all kinds of hurts and troubles there. We tuck them away as material we can use against others just in case they should shoot a smart remark or unkind word at us. We have sort of “fallen in love” with the dark side of our pasts. What might it be like if we just got rid of those ugly but potentially useful memories and hatreds?

Maybe it is time to do a spiritual and emotional cleaning this month as well. To do that, we let go of all that restrains us from being the person God intends for us to be. We rid ourselves of the negativity that surrounds and defines us. We let God’s Spirit cleanse and heal us. We will discover new space to put in new positive experiences and people, and room for God to dwell.

The story about John the Baptist gives his suggestions of what to put into our souls after we have “deep cleaned our soul house.” John says we should share what we have with those who have little, we should be honest and considerate, and we should be satisfied with what we have.

Prayer: God, I need your help to clean my soul and my thoughts of that which is harmful and useless. Take my life and let it be repurposed for good. Amen

Mother's Day

by Rev. Tyger Penson

In Psalm 139, the Psalmist reflects upon God’s creative power—each of us is “knit together in our mother’s womb” and is “fearfully and wonderfully made!” God chose the woman to carry that child in her “womb,” her innermost being. It is hard work (I can vouch to that) but such a privilege.

We all have or had mothers. Sometimes a mother is not able to be the kind of mother she wishes she could be. Sometimes mothers fail in the parenting department or in love. But they are our mothers who want and need our love and respect. Sometimes, mothers are not able to care for a child, so a grandmother, sister, or foster mother gives the love and nurturing necessary for a child/youth’s growth and well-being. And, some mothers just get it! A woman, connected to God, is very special. Abraham Lincoln once said: “I remember my mother’s prayers. . .and they have always followed me. They have clung to me throughout life.”

A major memory of my mother, Julianne, is sitting in her chair, Bible on her lap, and her hands folded as she prays for a long list of people, events, and concerns. This was always her pattern to start the day before she had breakfast. Nobody bothered her during this time.

Similarly, there was a young woman in our church in Wilsonville. She had three small children who knew that when mommy was sitting in her rocker, they were to play quietly because mommy was praying! What a great example she was to her children and a blessing to all. I remember Todd’s mother, Vanja, going to the nursing homes to pray with the residents there.

A woman, mother or not, will feel honored to be remembered as a woman of prayer: a woman who knows her Bible, one who can sit quietly at early dawn or before bed with a Bible on her lap and her hands together in prayer and meditation.

Herb Brokering wrote a song that I’ve sung often and have taught to so many children through the years. I first met him at Holden Village in Washington State. At the time he was a pastor in Windsor. The song is

“Love, love, love”

Love, love, love. That’s what it’s all about.

’Cause God loves us we love each other,

Mother, Father, Sister, Brother.

Everybody sing and shout ’cause that’s what it’s all about.

It’s about love, love, love; it’s about love, love, love.

Prayer: Thank you God for my mother and all the mothers who care for us the best they can. Thank you for your abundant love. May we all, male or female, be people of prayer. Amen.

Baptized!

by Rev. Tyger Penson

Those who accepted Peter’s message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day (Acts 2:41).

It began on Saturday. I’ll never forget the sequence of events that took place over the next two weeks. Clarice, Candi’s mother, had been admitted to the hospital with a serious illness. Candi called and asked if I would visit her mom at Providence Hospital. “Of course” I replied and that afternoon made my way into downtown Portland. Candi was there and introduced her mom to me.

It was the beginning of an almost daily trip to see this 81 year old loved mother. And on those visits Clarice and I talked about our families, the challenges of the times, and life’s difficulties for her. I discovered that Clarice had attended Sunday school at a Baptist church as a child but had dropped out. Her husband was not “religious” and so she had stayed away from the church except to bring her children to Sunday school and attend the occasional funeral or wedding.

It was the perfect lead-in for sharing my own faith story and telling her about God’s love for her. One day she lamented, “I never got baptized. Guess I’m just too old for that now.” My response: “You’re never too old for that, Clarice. Would you like to be baptized?”

And that is why two days later, Candi and her five year old daughter, Karley, met me at the hospital. Clarice was too weak to leave her bed so the nurse brought us a pitcher of water and there in her bed and using a clean bed pan, Clarice heard again the mystery and wonder of God’s gift of baptism. Karley sang “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” And then while tears flowed out of the eyes of mother and daughter and to the wonderment of a small five year old child, Clarice was baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Baptism is a gift of water and love that is beyond fathoming but the beauty of the new hope that came to Clarice cannot be underestimated. Two days later, Clarice left this earth to be with her newfound friend, God.  Baptized and Renewed.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, baptized, we live in you. May we never forget or ignore the miracle that comes when we live anew with your mark forever upon us. Amen.

Song: “Jesus Loves Me” by Anna B. Warner

Jesus loves me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong; They are weak, but He is strong.

Refrain:                                     
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He who died Heaven’s gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin, Let His little child come in. (Refrain)

Jesus loves me! He will stay close beside me all the way;
When at last I come to die, he will take me home on high. (Refrain)

We Are the Church

By Rev. Tyger Penson

I Peter 1:3-7

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Last Sunday I went to “church!” I worshiped and experienced the love of God. Wow! But, you say, how? We are in the midst of stay-at-home orders—away from people. We are social distancing. Yet, here is how it happened.

After an early morning walk through a golf course, my husband and I took a freshly baked roll and a cup of McDonald’s coffee to the campus of the Methodist Church near-by. There we found a bench in the Meditation Garden surrounded by a labyrinth. We had our “communion” of sweet roll and coffee in this quiet, peaceful setting. I walked the labyrinth reflecting upon Psalm 23 word by word as my prayer. Then we returned to our home and watched, listened, prayed and worshiped on-line with the help of Faith’s broadcast. We were part of a worshiping community even if we were hundreds of miles away.

In preparation for the worship, we read I Peter 1. It seemed particularly apropos for our time. We can sing out with joy with the knowledge of hope in God: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!” We can be relevant also in acknowledging that we are at a time when we “suffer various trials.” What has affirmed my belief that the church is “people” more than a building is your witnessing of being  God’s helping hands toward others—calling friends or family to check out how they are doing, dropping off groceries to those in need, being a smiling face to neighbors. It represents the “genuineness of your faith.” That is what God needs from us these days.

An old saying goes, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” The Faith Lutheran Church building will be waiting for you with open doors one day soon. I can’t wait to be greeted with those six foot long words, “Welcome Home!” In the meantime, keep safe and well. God bless you.

Song:     I am the church!
               You are the church!
               We are the church together!
               All who follow Jesus,
               all around the world!
               Yes, we’re the church together!

Quail Not!

By Rev. Todd Penson

Matthew 28:1-10

28:1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Our home, when we lived in Wenatchee, Washington and our home here in Tucson are both blessed with the presence of quail. Sometimes they run in front of our car or next to our fence.

We were trimming our grapefruit tree (in Tucson) today when we heard the familiar voice of our neighbor Don calling to us from our side fence. We stopped trimming and had a pleasant conversation, observing the current social distancing rules as we did so. Last week we had noticed he had his motion-activated camera in his front yard and we asked him what he was photographing there. He said that quail were getting into his bushes and he was deciding how to get rid of them.

Tyger and I actually enjoy having quail around, especially when a new brood has hatched, and we see a mother quail running across the street followed by six to ten tiny new-born quail running in tempo with “mamma.” Often we see adult quails run with great elegance, their heads held up high.

During our lunch on the patio, our conversation turned to quail and Tyger said she wondered if the word quail was ever used as a verb. She pulled out her smart phone, and discovered that yes, it did have an historic verb form. A fifteenth century usage of middle-English origin meant “to fear.”

During this Easter season, when Christians hear the Easter stories from the Gospels, or wish we could, in celebrative Easter worship services, I recall Matthew’s account of the empty tomb and Jesus’ words to the women who came to that tomb the first Easter. “Fear not,” he said (Matthew 28:5, 10).

I think of our current national and international situation with the coronavirus and all the side difficulties that are accompanying it. We wake up each day cautious to not do something that will endanger us or our family, neighbors, and friends.

So I invite you to add to your sigh of comfort at Jesus words, “Fear not,” the words, “QUAIL NOT!” Then every time you see a Quail, repeat those words, “Quail not!” Hopefully, this will add a smile on your face to the heart-calming words of Jesus, FEAR NOT!

Prayer: God of love, you cast out our fears. Your love expands to fill all available space, so no room for fear is left! Fill the “social distance” spaces between us, our family members and our friends with your presence. Help us, O God, to QUAIL NOT! Amen.              

Song: “Be Not Afraid”     (ELW 388, a Taizé Community Song based on Matthew 28:5)

Be not afraid, sing out for joy!
Christ is risen, alleluia!
Be not afraid, sing out for joy!
Christ is risen, alleluia!

HE WENT AWAY AND PRAYED (Matthew 26:36-46)

By Rev. Tyger Penson

Matthew 26:36-46

36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

These words from the Gospel of Matthew are speaking of Jesus on that fateful night just prior to his arrest and ultimate crucifixion. Jesus knew things were on a downward spiral. His words and actions had created major discontent with him by Jewish leaders. At the “Last Supper” in the upper room, Jesus had been with his disciples where they shared the Passover Meal. Judas was plotting with the Chief Priests to betray Jesus and Jesus knew it! Now, the meal is over; it is night and Jesus leaves for Gethsemane with his disciples. “Sit here while I go over there and pray,” says Jesus.

The prayer of Jesus is an agonizing one—one that rises up out of the very center of his being, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me…” Over and over he cries out to God.

As I think about this deep, soul-wrenching prayer of Jesus, I also realize that we too have prayed with such intensity. It happens when we are at the end of our wits. It occurs when the evil around us is so great, we are not sure where to go or what to do. Usually it transpires when I realize there is nothing I can do and must leave it all in God’s hands.

As we face an unprecedented experience of social distancing, or voluntary social isolation, or lay gravely sick in our bed during this coronavirus pandemic, the gift of prayer—a crying out to God for help, for healing, for hope—is a tool we all need. God is present in our deepest needs.

Rev. Dr. Daniel J. Simundson, in his small book, Where Is God in my Suffering, writes, “We [Christians] cannot promise people that suffering will go away—not in this life, anyway. It may happen, but it may not…How much can we hope for in this life? Surely, in most cases, the suffering does go away. People do get well. We work through the unpleasant experiences of grief, separation, loneliness, and depression, and often we are stronger for our ordeal.” And if the suffering is not quick to go away, look to Jesus. Simundson writes, “In Jesus we have a God who is willing to bear suffering with us and for us. Jesus could not avoid the cross, just as we cannot avoid all the sufferings of life. As Jesus found hope in the presence of a God who was with him in that ordeal, we can find hope in the caring and suffering God who accompanies us in our moments of suffering that, for one reason or other, cannot be avoided.”

As I find hope when I read of Jesus’ deep, heart-centered prayer just before his arrest, or when I read the encouraging words of Simundson and others, I pray that you may draw strength from such reflections for your Holy Week at home. 

Prayer:  God, I need hope today; our communities need the light of hope in the midst of the darkness we are facing. I trust you God. Hear my prayer. Amen.

Song: “Go to Dark Gethsemane”                               ELW 347

Go to dark Gethsemane, all who feel the tempter’s power;
Your Redeemer’s conflict see. What with him one bitter hour;
Turn not from his griefs away; learn from Jesus Christ to pray.

God Will Lift You Up

God Will Lift You Up (Psalm 91:1-4)

by Rev. Tyger Penson

Psalm 91:1-4 (NRSV)

You who live in the shelter of the Most High,
    who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
2 will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress;
    my God, in whom I trust.”
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
    and from the deadly pestilence;
4 he will cover you with his pinions,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

A Christian hymn has been written based on these words of Psalm 91:1-4. We know it as “On Eagle’s Wings.” As you read these words in your Bible, your heart may be singing the song. It is a song of trust in God when everything seems off kilter. It is a Bible passage to remind you that no matter what is going on, God is with you.

We are currently in the cloudy waters of a pandemic—the coronavirus. This is a new experience for everyone. It is so easy to get caught up in the prevalent fear mode. Advertising, stock markets, and media images do little to calm the anxiety of people’s souls.  What is this “thing” that is intruding our lives? Will I or my loved ones die? These kind of questions invade our minds and activities. When everyone is hoarding toilet paper (the coronavirus is a respiratory ailment) and sweeping food off the shelves of the local stores, what I do or say is so critical.

There does not seem to be a quick fix to the problem. It is difficult for leaders to put the issue into proper perspective. Christians, like all people, live in a world that is not perfect and includes evil as in pandemics. However, God calls us, and all who call upon God’s name, to work for good for those who are hurting and fearful.

What we can declare with total confidence is that in the midst of the chaos and uncertainty, God is there to lift up those who fear, including you. God will surround you with God’s love and care. God, like an eagle, will “cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.” And in verse 11 comes the assurance that God “will command his angels …to guard you in all your ways.”

What a wonderful God of Hope we have. What a privilege we have to share that hope with others. Whether it be a pandemic, an economic disaster, a horrific tornado, or an unbelievable hurricane, or…well, you name it, this word of hope remains. “You will not fear the terror of the night, or the arrow that flies by day, or the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or the destruction that wastes at noonday. God is with you…always. 

Prayer: God of Hope, protect and hold us close. Thank you for loving me, my neighbors, and your entire creation so much.  Amen.

Song:  “On Eagle’s Wings”     (ELW 787)

Hope (Romans 15:13)

Hope (Romans 15:13)

By Rev. Tyger Penson

Susan Mellon, convicted of murder, a crime she did not commit, was exonerated, released and set free on Friday, October 10, 2014. She told Katie Couric, “If it wasn’t for God, I would never have made it.” While in prison, she prayed that the truth would be discovered. She believed that God would bring a miracle. That miracle came in the human form of attorney Deidre O’Connor who runs an organization called “Innocence Matters.” The attorney said that after months of looking into the case, she met Susan’s children. Deidre saw in them the same strengths and beauty she had seen in Susan: “Hope.”

HOPE….

·        It is the strength God gives to us when we reach bottom, wondering if there will ever be a chance that things will get better.

·        It is the intervention of a professional to help bring justice or to right a wrong.

·        It is the gift of a neighbor who drops by just because she cares—and she listens to us. 

·        It is the smile and outstretched hand of a child who wants to cheer us up—even when the child has no idea where the hurt is.

·        It is the conviction of truth that lies deep within us when everyone else walks away or questions the validity of the truth we know.

·         It is hearing God’s promise, “Lo, I am with you always.”

HOPE. It is what we want and need so desperately today in the midst of social distancing, coronavirus threats, illnesses, deaths, uncertainty, and economic disaster. We need the assurance that God is present and with us when all seems “hopeless.” God, the giver of miracles, is also the God of hope.

HOPE. It is a gift we can give to others.  It happens in a phone call, a text message, a prayer, a card, a trip to the store for a neighbor, dropping off medication for a shut-in.

Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope, fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of God’s Holy Spirit.” God of Hope, fill us, move us, and strengthen us with your hope today and each day. Amen.

Song: “O God, Our Help in Ages Past”      (ELW 632)

O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

REFRESHED BY THE DESERT

Matthew 4:1-11

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written,

'One does not live by bread alone,
 but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,
 'He will command his angels concerning you,'
 and 'On their hands they will bear you up,
 so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.'"
Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.'"
Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

In each of the Gospel writings, the story of Jesus in the wilderness is recorded. Mark’s account is very short, the others are much longer and more detailed. When we read of this event, we often think of “the wilderness” as an awful place—a barren, forsaken place—where there is nothing. The story of Jesus sets the atmosphere: The Spirit drives Jesus there, he is alone for 40 days and nights, he is tempted by the devil (yuk!), and he is hungry—nothing seems to grow in the wilderness. The picture conjured up in the mind is an awful, waterless, foodless, lonely place.

I just returned from a hike in the desert at Linda Vista Trail in Tucson. It is spring-time (March) and there was a good rain a few days ago. The desert is green—grass covers the sandy, rocky ground; the flowers are beginning to bloom, the cactus are deep green with buds beginning to pop out, and the air is fresh and clean. The sun shines warm during the day with cool evenings. The wash has become a river flowing over walkways and is cruising along at a rapid rate. Rabbits hop, roadrunners cross our path, the birds are going about their business allowing us to listen in on their conversations, and lurking in darker spots are deer and javelinas, bob cats and snakes.

I imagine Jesus being driven here to pray, to meditate and search his heart to identify the best way to go about the mission God has for him. It would be a rich time of communion. And, as always happens when we are seeking out the better way of God, distractions and dreams that define the world’s way can get in the way. Jesus demonstrates to us that “the devil” can be rebuked—set aside—in the wilderness—in our daily living—for doing God’s way.

I find peace and comfort as I walk or hike the hills and plains of the desert—the wilderness where I can breathe in the freshness of God’s creation and re-connect with God.  Find your desert spot—that special place where you can touch the goodness of God and be reminded of God’s re-creative spirit.

Prayer: I come, O God, to my desert place where I can meet you again and again. Let my heart be open to your word of direction and hope.  Amen.

Song: “Lord, Be Glorified”     (ELW 744)

Verse 1

In my life Lord
Be glorified be glorified
In my life Lord
Be glorified today

Verse 2

In my song Lord
Be glorified be glorified
In my song Lord
Be glorified today

Verse 3

In Your church Lord
Be glorified be glorified
In Your church Lord
Be glorified today

Verse 4

In our home Lord
Be glorified be glorified
In our home Lord
Be glorified today

CCLI Song # 26368

Bob Kilpatrick

© 1978 The Lorenz Corporation (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)

For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com

CCLI License # 328963