PSALM
1Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.
2Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
3They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.
4Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.
5O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!
6Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
7I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.
8I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.
9Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
10With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
11Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
12Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.
13With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
14I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.
15I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
16I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
(Psalm 119:1-16, King James Version)
SCRIPTURE READING
53-57When Jesus finished telling these stories, he left there, returned to his hometown, and gave a lecture in the meetinghouse. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. "We had no idea he was this good!" they said. "How did he get so wise, get such ability?" But in the next breath they were cutting him down: "We've known him since he was a kid; he's the carpenter's son. We know his mother, Mary. We know his brothers James and Joseph, Simon and Judas. All his sisters live here. Who does he think he is?" They got their noses all out of joint.
58But Jesus said, "A prophet is taken for granted in his hometown and his family." He didn't do many miracles there because of their hostile indifference.
(Matthew 13:54-58, The Message)
HYMN Wellspring of Wisdom
Tune: Wellspring
Wellspring of wisdom, hear our cry. The way ahead is parched and ry. We seek a source to satisfy, our thirst for sanctifying waters, wisdom for your faith-filled sons and daughters.
Dawn of a New Day, put to flight the terrors of a nuclear night. As bearers of your loving light, we huddle closer to your fire, lift the lamp of hope a little higher.
Garden of Grace, your gifts abound, the sacred signs are all around, the whole of earth is holy ground. We learn, from all of life expressing, how to grow in sowing seeds of blessing.
Call to Compassion, help us bring our burning need for nurturing, the emptiness of everything, to your embrace, as we endeavor to proclaim your holy name forever.
Not quite the way I had planned to start the morning. Thursday mornings begin with a quiet breakfast with friends at a local café. This was one of those mornings when I really didn’t want to get going. Maybe it was the rain coming down with the promise of yet another winter storm tonight. Maybe it was all the running scheduled for the day – two visits in the office with folks, final day for sermon prep and turning in hymns for the bulletin, a trip to Ashland, and a trip to Canton. Maybe it was just nice to be at home with a nice warm ‘banky’ and a cuddle cat. At any rate, I was 10 minutes late for breakfast when the phone rang. One of my breakfast partners was walking into the restaurant when she fell. Her husband had taken her to the emergency room. Bad enough – but her husband is battling cancer, so it’s even worse. Off to the ER. She didn’t look too bad this morning, but a broken nose and a goose egg on her head will translate into all kinds of lovely colors of bruising in about 24-hours. And Monday is their 57th wedding anniversary! And I thought my plans were off!!!!
So many times in our lives we don’t realize how nice it is for things to be like they are. We always think when we are able to take a vacation, or when the weather breaks, or fill in the blank things will be good. Just like the hearers of Jesus we often don’t realize just how good things are and we begin to take them for granted or even run down the things that are a part of our daily existence.
Maybe on this first full day of the Lenten journey it’s good to reflect on the mornings when we don’t fall when we’re walking into the restaurant. Maybe it’s a good time to think about all the blessings in our life that sometimes we don’t recognize as blessings. Maybe on this day as those of us in north-east Ohio are getting ready for another 10 to 12 inches of snow it’s a good day to remember how blessed we are – even though some days it doesn’t quite feel that way.
Maybe if we begin to recognize our blessings then more will come our way.
Not the way I had planned to start my day – but is that really the most important thing???
Blessings on your journey,
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