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I'm sharing this journal entry from one of our sheep / shepherds for your encouragement and invite you to share your stories to keep us connected David
Thursday April 2, 2020: A journal entry:
JESUS WEPT.
A Morning mist of low cloud wrapped soft around the hills.
I read John 6 and tried to ponder on Jesus the living bread. But the mist beckoned and drew me outside, quickly enfolding me in its clammy embrace.
There was no pausing to choose direction. I headed straight up the hill blanketed in the foggy stillness, only birdcall echoing the inner certainty – she’s coming to pray.
Pray up the hill. I haven’t prayed up there for a while. I’ve prayed. But not there on God’s hill, my place of retreat.
At the summit, as cloud drifted and lifted, it was my heart that rained out its anguished plea, the cry for help with COVID19: LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER. Help us Jesus.
That was it. No wordy waffle. I perched on the rim of the damp bench, poised in grief and need; heart, mind and spirit turned to God, “Yet still do I praise you Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Living God.”
A lull then settled over me, like a mute button had been pressed to hush the turmoil of my distressed thoughts and wretched emotions concerning the plight of the world’s people. Wait. Be quiet!
Jesus wept. The words from last Sunday’s reading came to mind loud and clear.
33 When Jesus saw her crying, and the Judaeans who had come with her crying, he was deeply stirred in his spirit, and very troubled. 34 ‘Where have you laid him?’ he asked. ‘Master,’ they said, ‘come and see.’ 35 Jesus burst into tears. (John 11:33-35 NTE)
I too burst into tears, and as I wept, there at the top of the hill, I knew he was weeping with me. Weeping with all the world. Weeping for us all.
Turn to me. And I, turning, vision all awash, could see clearly, he was there. Feed my sheep. To this I shook my head, and thought, I’m no pastor. You are a minister of my word. Therefore, speak my word to others. Speak my word to one another. And suddenly understanding dawned. “You aren’t just saying this to me, are you? It’s your call to all of us: Feed your sheep. The responsibility is ours collectively.” And I pictured the scattered sheep, isolated from one another but belonging together and needing creative new ways of being church and speaking grace and hope to one another and others.
I plunged, then, down the hill, not following the worn paths but winding down the steeper slope, weaving through knee high weeds, around rocky mounds and patches of slippery flattened grass, to emerge at the wider base track.
Now is the time to forge new paths. Jesus is still the Way, the “base track” of my faith remains the same. It’s the network of familiar paths that represent how we have lived out our faith, that have fallen away, not God’s word or his kingdom, or his love.
I am thankful for this love that comes to us where we are: scattered sheep weeping in the mist of uncertainty. I’m thankful that Jesus wept and that his way isn’t set in stone. That he comes and calls us to discover a new and living way, today and tomorrow and the next day. Hallelujah! This is a new day! And the Jesus who weeps with us in our distress will renew us and lead us on beyond COVID19.
JESUS WEPT.
The autumn sun filtered a pale ray through the drifting grey. A reminder that the God who weeps, also sheds light as well as tears.
by Dianne Eckermann
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds among mortals (Psalm 66:5).
Read Psalm 66:1–9
The word ‘awesome’ is used so frequently in everyday life that its meaning could well become tired. All kinds of things are described as awesome. It might be a completely unexpected victory in a game of football, a wonderful holiday or a stunning sunset. It might also refer to something super exciting or amazingly beautiful. In short, ‘awesome’ sums up all sorts of human experiences that we find hard to put into words.
The psalmist uses the word ‘awesome’ twice in today’s reading to praise what God has done. God’s amazing deeds are so profound that the psalmist cannot help but shout for joy. He recognises how much God has done and continues to do for all people. God’s awesome deeds and his great power invoke a deep emotional response in the psalmist.
Essentially, this is what ‘awesome’ means. It is not a particularly biblical word. In fact, in the original King James translation of this psalm, the word ‘terrible’ is used instead. That no longer translates in the same way in Modern English. However, in context, both words attempt to capture the reverence, majesty and awe of trying to comprehend the full completeness of God’s love and care for all people. It is no wonder the psalmist sings and praises God, as there is nothing on Earth that can compare with God and his awesome deeds.
Perhaps if we hear someone say they had an awesome day, or if we feel we had an awesome experience, we can take that emotion and identify it as just a fraction of the awesomeness that is God. We can remind ourselves again of his continual presence in our everyday lives.
Lord, we shout for joy when we consider all you have done for us. We praise and thank you for your awesome love for all people and ask that you help us share that love with one another. Amen.
Dianne has served in Lutheran education as a teacher, school leader and system leader at Lutheran Education Australia. Now retired from full-time work, she continues to volunteer on several committees and as a school board member. She lives in the Adelaide Hills with her husband, Robert, and is in strong demand as a babysitter for her three grandchildren.
by Dianne Eckermann
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:21)
Read Matthew 25:14–30
Like the other parables in the two chapters of Matthew we have been reading this week, this parable about the three servants tells us about how people have behaved while waiting. This parable appears to be about a demanding master, which sounds strange to our modern ears. Similarly, the treatment of the third servant seems unduly harsh in our world, with employment laws intended to protect workers.
The parable also seems to justify giving even more to those who already have a lot and punishing those who have little; however, we know this is not at all how Jesus works. The master going on a journey and promising to return sounds much like Jesus promising to return. Jesus is not harsh or unjust, so this message is not so much about judgement but about using the gifts we have.
When the master in the parable goes away on a long journey, promising to return, he entrusts a great deal to his servants. Each servant is given an amount according to their ability, so the master is not expecting more from the servants than they can deliver. He trusts each of them. What he offers to the first two servants, who use what they have been given for his benefit, is a share in his happiness. The trust the master has given them has been nothing to be afraid of, but an opportunity to share in his joy.
In contrast, the third servant buries his gift from the master. He does not even attempt to use what he has been given, apparently because he fears what has been entrusted to him. In doing so, he is not responding to a share in the happiness his master is willing to share with him.
This parable, therefore, is about looking for opportunities to use what we have been given wisely and effectively for the sake of Jesus, who loved us so much he gave all for us.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the individual gifts you have entrusted to us, and we ask you to help us to use what we have been given in your service and for your glory. Amen.
Dianne has served in Lutheran education as a teacher, school leader and system leader at Lutheran Education Australia. Now retired from full-time work, she continues to volunteer on several committees and as a school board member. She lives in the Adelaide Hills with her husband, Robert, and is in strong demand as a babysitter for her three grandchildren.
by Dianne Eckermann
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour (Matthew 25:13).
Read Matthew 25:1–13
The parable of the 10 young women reminds us of just how human we are, even the most organised people among us. We can identify with the young women who did not have enough oil for their lamps because we all, at some time, will have forgotten something crucial. We might have remembered the birthday candles but forgotten the matches, gone on holiday with the mobile phone but forgotten the charger, or arrived at the airport and left the passport at home.
This parable also continues the theme of the readings for this week, namely the need to be prepared and to keep watch because there is much we do not know. Let’s examine the parable in more detail. We realise the young women waiting to light the way for the bridegroom did not have a particularly onerous task. Their role during the whole complex wedding celebration was clear and simple. All they had to do was be prepared with their welcoming lamps to light the darkness. It didn’t matter that they had fallen asleep because they were all awoken in time for the delayed arrival of the groom.
They really only had one task: to light the way to the celebration. And this task only required two things: a lamp and some lamp oil. The arrival of the bridegroom was delayed, but it was certain that he would eventually arrive; therefore, it was important to be prepared when the big arrival finally happened.
The parable tells us that those who were prepared were included, and those who were not prepared were excluded. The bridegroom is Christ; the wedding feast is the promise of his kingdom. This parable is not just about the certainty of Christ’s arrival; it is also about recognising he might be delayed. To be prepared is to anticipate the arrival of Jesus, even though the world has been waiting a long time. It is for this reason that we live our lives knowing the certainty of Jesus’ promise to return.
Dear Jesus, we hope for your return and ask that you keep us strong in faith as we pray, ‘Come, Lord Jesus.’ Amen.
Dianne has served in Lutheran education as a teacher, school leader and system leader at Lutheran Education Australia. Now retired from full-time work, she continues to volunteer on several committees and as a school board member. She lives in the Adelaide Hills with her husband, Robert, and is in strong demand as a babysitter for her three grandchildren.