Monday, April 21, 2014
Ps 98 John 14:1-14
So now we emerge into a fresh view of new life and hope. As for me, I yearn to discover new things and to open my eyes, ears, and touch to the wonders of our beautiful daily experience as my small grandchildren do. Will I suspend my lifelong habit of feeling that I must account for each hour in a tangible way, always crossing tasks from my list? Will I say that I just don’t know how to do this or that or that I just don’t have the time? My hope is that I will respond openly to new opportunities in the everyday.
And here I sit, preparing my thoughts about selections from our sacred stories, encountering a similar conundrum. Will I say to myself that I do not have experience in Aramaic or in ancient Greek to understand the original, intended meaning, or will I search in faith for Truth that may be imbedded there just for me, just for today?
Upon reading Psalm 98, with one glance outside, I think of our springtime Texas, seeing all of nature “clap its hands” with a lavish array of new color in flower and tree, buzz of insect, and song of bird. Likewise, in this psalm, I celebrate the beautiful offerings of music and song which we experience at Sunday worship services. All of this: the lavish beauty of Nature in springtime and also our inspiring church music lift me from the mundane, to possibilities beyond myself, to the Divine. As a matter of fact, our faith community is my spiritual Heaven on Earth, a place that has been “prepared for me.” In today’s John 14 passage, Jesus promised to prepare a place for us. So here I am!
What about the scripture reading that says, “No one can come to the Father except by Me.” Once again, I choose to look for a simple truth: my view is that God is even larger than my own Christian perspective, that God is Love, within myself and also within others. Surely I am not to judge another’s sacred faith journey as insufficient to my own!
And greater things than these will you do.” “Ask anything in My Name and I will do it.” Wow… Greater things? Ask anything? My ordinary life gives me challenges which can be “do-able.” That person is standing alone, this woman’s father died a few days ago. a friend needs someone to listen to her problem, my grandchild wants someone to play with her. I can let these moments pass unaddressed. But NO! What if the little things ARE the big things…? These may be some of those “ greater things” that I can decide to do. I don’t really have the words or the skills. Yet, what I do just might make a difference…. My response will be a heart-felt offering of my self, my Self with a spark of God inside of me. Will I let each need open me, so that I may grow?
-Nancy Preston
Ps 98 John 14:1-14
So now we emerge into a fresh view of new life and hope. As for me, I yearn to discover new things and to open my eyes, ears, and touch to the wonders of our beautiful daily experience as my small grandchildren do. Will I suspend my lifelong habit of feeling that I must account for each hour in a tangible way, always crossing tasks from my list? Will I say that I just don’t know how to do this or that or that I just don’t have the time? My hope is that I will respond openly to new opportunities in the everyday.
And here I sit, preparing my thoughts about selections from our sacred stories, encountering a similar conundrum. Will I say to myself that I do not have experience in Aramaic or in ancient Greek to understand the original, intended meaning, or will I search in faith for Truth that may be imbedded there just for me, just for today?
Upon reading Psalm 98, with one glance outside, I think of our springtime Texas, seeing all of nature “clap its hands” with a lavish array of new color in flower and tree, buzz of insect, and song of bird. Likewise, in this psalm, I celebrate the beautiful offerings of music and song which we experience at Sunday worship services. All of this: the lavish beauty of Nature in springtime and also our inspiring church music lift me from the mundane, to possibilities beyond myself, to the Divine. As a matter of fact, our faith community is my spiritual Heaven on Earth, a place that has been “prepared for me.” In today’s John 14 passage, Jesus promised to prepare a place for us. So here I am!
What about the scripture reading that says, “No one can come to the Father except by Me.” Once again, I choose to look for a simple truth: my view is that God is even larger than my own Christian perspective, that God is Love, within myself and also within others. Surely I am not to judge another’s sacred faith journey as insufficient to my own!
And greater things than these will you do.” “Ask anything in My Name and I will do it.” Wow… Greater things? Ask anything? My ordinary life gives me challenges which can be “do-able.” That person is standing alone, this woman’s father died a few days ago. a friend needs someone to listen to her problem, my grandchild wants someone to play with her. I can let these moments pass unaddressed. But NO! What if the little things ARE the big things…? These may be some of those “ greater things” that I can decide to do. I don’t really have the words or the skills. Yet, what I do just might make a difference…. My response will be a heart-felt offering of my self, my Self with a spark of God inside of me. Will I let each need open me, so that I may grow?
-Nancy Preston
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