Presbymom

  2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 (NIV) We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.  21  God made him who had no sin to be sin   for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  6  As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.  2  For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.  3  We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.  4  Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses;  5  in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;  6  in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;  7  in truthful speech and in the power of God...

  My phone blurts at me at an ungodly hour – I am annoyed. I roll over to make sure my loved ones are okay then fall back to sleep. Today, upon waking the emotions pour in – that I could have the comfort and privilege of assumed safety while others do not rocks me with feelings of guilt and great sadness. That I can be annoyed by my mostly-grown children and worried only about the simple steps in learning to adult is a gift that I appreciate today.   My heart aches for the children. God’s beautiful children are assured God is with us, but what does that look like from a basement turned fallout shelter surrounded by death and wailing? In the valleys that we dig in our worldly power games and the hate we sow between nations, it is too often the children dumped in the middle without voice or recourse.   An inordinate number of the refugees around the world are the children. Those caught in the crossfire of our battles are the children. Children on the cusp of adulthood are a...

  As we hear the word proclaimed from the book of James together for a few weeks, I try to classify and describe this book. Maybe it is a letter, some say not. Maybe it is prophecy, some say not. Maybe it is wisdom literature – the only wisdom book in the new testament – some say not. Maybe it’s prophecy or even eschatology or apocalyptic – maybe not. Even with all the disagreement, we do know what it IS – Listen to the living Word in scripture from   James 3:1-12 3  Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2  We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. 3  When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.  4  Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a v...

  I find lectionary a bit confusing reading this gospel lesson the week before Palm Sunday because in the gospel, it actually comes right after Jesus has triumphantly entered Jerusalem. He raised Lazarus from the dead and had his feet anointed by the costly perfume of Mary. The mood of the people is divided – crowds flock to his miracles while others look for ways to separate him from the crowd plotting to destroy him. The words today are Jesus final public discourse. John 12:20-33 20  Now there were some Greeks   among those who went up to worship at the festival.   21  They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida   in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”   22  Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. 23  Jesus replied,   “The hour   has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.   24  Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, ...

John 3:14-21 14 “ Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,  15  that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” 16  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  17  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  18  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.  19  This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20  Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.  21  But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may...