every room will be blazing with
light,
so i will have no trouble
finding the place
when i arrive, or so i
imagine:
the table covered in fine
lace,
heirloom china
and mirrored silver at each
place
with the feast's aroma
drifting in from the kitchen;
my feather bed will manger
my weary body while
silks sheets swaddle me to sleep
after a relaxing soak
in the jet-streamed tub.
but
what if it is
just a box built out of
river rocks,
the door wind-weathered
and water-buckled,
refusing to stay shut
as if expecting more folks;
a rough-hewn shelf
in one of the corners
holds a clay pitcher brimmed
with cool clear water,
a hand-drawn map to the spring
next to it;
wood has been laid
in the fireplace,
ready to be brought to
life;
a stone shelf is all that keeps
one's body from the ground,
just wide and long enough
for a rough blanket,
a candle and matches
where the pillow would be;
and there's a shovel
by the door for taking care
of the necessaries;
it seemed perfect for
you
when you arrived,
didn't it?
© 2011 Thom M. Shuman
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
Third Friday of Advent
Protect me, O God, for in you I take
refuge.
I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you."
As for the holy ones in the land, they
are the noble,
in whom is all my delight.
Those who choose another god
multiply their sorrows;
The LORD is my chosen portion and
my cup;
you hold my lot.
You show me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness
of joy;
in your right hand are pleasures
evermore.
Psalm 16:1-4a, 5, 11
As I grow older, I seem to come closer and closer to the psalms. Whoever the writers were, they often express a faith I often wish I had. In the midst of terrible pain, suffering unspeakable loss, surrounded by 'enemies' (often those who were once considered to be friends - and we have all known that experience!), worries about the future - no matter the circumstance, the psalmists express a deep and abiding trust in God. Psalm 16 is a great example. Like many of that generation, as well as ours, she could have chosen other gods. Instead, the God who is a refuge, who holds the writer like a mother holds a child, who shows the path to joy, to life, to pleasure - that God is chosen!
The writer doesn't tell us how to do it, that would be too easy, and making choices is never easy. All she can do is tell us what that choice has meant to her. The psalm is unable to give us faith, it can only offer us faith. It can offer us the choice to trust in a God who, yes, is often hidden.
a faith that is confident that God has a new way of life to teach us;
a faith that, despite all the evidence to the contrary, not only believes
that can, but that God will act - in the lives of individuals,
through communities of faith,
in the affairs of nations and rulers,
throughout all of human history.
What a marvelous gift - this choice. Will we open it this year?
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
refuge.
I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you."
As for the holy ones in the land, they
are the noble,
in whom is all my delight.
Those who choose another god
multiply their sorrows;
The LORD is my chosen portion and
my cup;
you hold my lot.
You show me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness
of joy;
in your right hand are pleasures
evermore.
Psalm 16:1-4a, 5, 11
As I grow older, I seem to come closer and closer to the psalms. Whoever the writers were, they often express a faith I often wish I had. In the midst of terrible pain, suffering unspeakable loss, surrounded by 'enemies' (often those who were once considered to be friends - and we have all known that experience!), worries about the future - no matter the circumstance, the psalmists express a deep and abiding trust in God. Psalm 16 is a great example. Like many of that generation, as well as ours, she could have chosen other gods. Instead, the God who is a refuge, who holds the writer like a mother holds a child, who shows the path to joy, to life, to pleasure - that God is chosen!
The writer doesn't tell us how to do it, that would be too easy, and making choices is never easy. All she can do is tell us what that choice has meant to her. The psalm is unable to give us faith, it can only offer us faith. It can offer us the choice to trust in a God who, yes, is often hidden.
a faith that is confident that God has a new way of life to teach us;
a faith that, despite all the evidence to the contrary, not only believes
that can, but that God will act - in the lives of individuals,
through communities of faith,
in the affairs of nations and rulers,
throughout all of human history.
What a marvelous gift - this choice. Will we open it this year?
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Third Thursday of Advent
When the LORD restored the
fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with
laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things
for them."
The LORD has done great things for
us,
and we rejoiced.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the watercourses in the Negeb.
May those who sow in tears
reap with shouts of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
carrying their sheaves.
Psalm 126
Because we are unable to measure up to the world's standards of happiness (determined by one's wealth, looks, success), we no longer believe in joy, no matter how much we sing of it. Because we can find little enjoyment in the days filled with barrages of emails, constant demands on our time, the hurries and hassles imposed upon us by so many, we are so close to tears that we can taste them on the insides of our eyelids. Because life just hasn't turned out like all the experts, the teachers, the books, the prognosticators told us all those years ago, no wonder so many of us have turned to anger as our drug of choice. Things have gotten so out of hand that no one seems to be in control.
But Psalm 126 reminds us that all those things - every thing - that take place in our lives are in God's hands. Whether they be good moments of unexpected laughter, or those storms of struggle, God is with us. When we take those faltering steps into the unknown, or simply walk into our grandchild's school for the music program, God is beside us. If we are lucky, we may discover that, like the psalmist, it is not because of anything we have done, or the church does, or our communities or families, it is simply God's actions which bring about hope and restoration in our lives.
When God acts, then lives are changed;
when God acts, our deepest sighs become peals of laughter;
when God acts, our laments turn into shouts of gladness;
when God acts, our bitter tears become pools of water
refreshing the seeds of joy planted deep within us.
Do you believe it?
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with
laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things
for them."
The LORD has done great things for
us,
and we rejoiced.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the watercourses in the Negeb.
May those who sow in tears
reap with shouts of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
carrying their sheaves.
Psalm 126
Because we are unable to measure up to the world's standards of happiness (determined by one's wealth, looks, success), we no longer believe in joy, no matter how much we sing of it. Because we can find little enjoyment in the days filled with barrages of emails, constant demands on our time, the hurries and hassles imposed upon us by so many, we are so close to tears that we can taste them on the insides of our eyelids. Because life just hasn't turned out like all the experts, the teachers, the books, the prognosticators told us all those years ago, no wonder so many of us have turned to anger as our drug of choice. Things have gotten so out of hand that no one seems to be in control.
But Psalm 126 reminds us that all those things - every thing - that take place in our lives are in God's hands. Whether they be good moments of unexpected laughter, or those storms of struggle, God is with us. When we take those faltering steps into the unknown, or simply walk into our grandchild's school for the music program, God is beside us. If we are lucky, we may discover that, like the psalmist, it is not because of anything we have done, or the church does, or our communities or families, it is simply God's actions which bring about hope and restoration in our lives.
When God acts, then lives are changed;
when God acts, our deepest sighs become peals of laughter;
when God acts, our laments turn into shouts of gladness;
when God acts, our bitter tears become pools of water
refreshing the seeds of joy planted deep within us.
Do you believe it?
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Third Wednesday of Advent
Fools say in their hearts, "There is
no God."
They are corrupt, they commit
abominable acts;
there is no one who does. good.
God looks down from heaven on
humnakind
to see if there are any who are
wise,
who seek after God.
Psalm 53:1-2
In our technologically-driven world with its IMs, iphonepads, 24/7 instant news, it is easy to assume there is no God. After all, where is the evidence. The poverty numbers keep increasing, more and more people die violent deaths, war is still the answer to settling disputes, food pantries are running out of food, soup kitchens are throwing more stones into the pot. Is there anyone, anywhere, who does good anymore?
We would hope, as we should pray, that God would look down and find us doing good, especially in this season of goodness. This is what we are called to do, this is why God became flesh, this is what Jesus challenges us to do. After all
how will the world know that its mourners will be comforted,
if we don't wrap them in shawls of compassion;
how will we show that peacemakers are the children of God,
if we hurl other names at them;
how will folks know that the pure in heart will indeed see God,
if God isn't even reflected in us;
how will those who hunger and thirst for righteousness be fed,
if we are not willing to feed them with justice's hope;
how will people know that there is a God,
that there is not just one person,
but countless throngs of folks willing to do good,
if we are not willing to love, to care, to heal, to forgive?
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
no God."
They are corrupt, they commit
abominable acts;
there is no one who does. good.
God looks down from heaven on
humnakind
to see if there are any who are
wise,
who seek after God.
Psalm 53:1-2
In our technologically-driven world with its IMs, iphonepads, 24/7 instant news, it is easy to assume there is no God. After all, where is the evidence. The poverty numbers keep increasing, more and more people die violent deaths, war is still the answer to settling disputes, food pantries are running out of food, soup kitchens are throwing more stones into the pot. Is there anyone, anywhere, who does good anymore?
We would hope, as we should pray, that God would look down and find us doing good, especially in this season of goodness. This is what we are called to do, this is why God became flesh, this is what Jesus challenges us to do. After all
how will the world know that its mourners will be comforted,
if we don't wrap them in shawls of compassion;
how will we show that peacemakers are the children of God,
if we hurl other names at them;
how will folks know that the pure in heart will indeed see God,
if God isn't even reflected in us;
how will those who hunger and thirst for righteousness be fed,
if we are not willing to feed them with justice's hope;
how will people know that there is a God,
that there is not just one person,
but countless throngs of folks willing to do good,
if we are not willing to love, to care, to heal, to forgive?
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Third Tuesday of Advent
LORD, you were favorable to your
land,
you restored the fortunes of
Jacob.
You forgave the iniquity of your
people,
you pardoned all their sin. Selah
You withdrew all your wrath;
you turned from your hot anger.
Restore us again, O God, of our
salvation . . .
Psalm 85 1-4a
We could do with a little restoration these days. At one time in lives, this seemed like the best time of the year. We couldn't wait to get the box of Christmas out of storage and decorate the house. We went out and got a real tree, not that artificial thing; we baked, decorated, boxed and delivered dozens of sugar cookies; we sang Christmas carols non-stop.
But it is the middle of December and we are beat down, frazzled beyond words. The cards are scattered on the table unsigned, the gifts clutter the closets, the party invitations are unopened, and stress keeps ringing the doorbell. Why don't we just crawl back into bed and pull the covers over our heads?! We need a delivery of energy, a cuppa energy, a booster shot of restored spirits.
And so, like the psalmist, we wonder, we hope, we pray that God will restore us. Not in the sense of that hot August night, big tent, hellfire and brimstone revival, but simply bringing us back to life, simply giving us life once again. Will God do it?
restore those senses numbed by the songs of commercialism;
restore hearts hardened by too many appeals for help;
restore peace in those who lives are too hurried, too harried;
restore goodness to us - that simple gift so we can survive
the complexities of our lives?
Restore us again, O God, of our salvation, restore us!
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
land,
you restored the fortunes of
Jacob.
You forgave the iniquity of your
people,
you pardoned all their sin. Selah
You withdrew all your wrath;
you turned from your hot anger.
Restore us again, O God, of our
salvation . . .
Psalm 85 1-4a
We could do with a little restoration these days. At one time in lives, this seemed like the best time of the year. We couldn't wait to get the box of Christmas out of storage and decorate the house. We went out and got a real tree, not that artificial thing; we baked, decorated, boxed and delivered dozens of sugar cookies; we sang Christmas carols non-stop.
But it is the middle of December and we are beat down, frazzled beyond words. The cards are scattered on the table unsigned, the gifts clutter the closets, the party invitations are unopened, and stress keeps ringing the doorbell. Why don't we just crawl back into bed and pull the covers over our heads?! We need a delivery of energy, a cuppa energy, a booster shot of restored spirits.
And so, like the psalmist, we wonder, we hope, we pray that God will restore us. Not in the sense of that hot August night, big tent, hellfire and brimstone revival, but simply bringing us back to life, simply giving us life once again. Will God do it?
restore those senses numbed by the songs of commercialism;
restore hearts hardened by too many appeals for help;
restore peace in those who lives are too hurried, too harried;
restore goodness to us - that simple gift so we can survive
the complexities of our lives?
Restore us again, O God, of our salvation, restore us!
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
Monday, December 12, 2011
Third Monday of Advent
All your works shall give thanks to
you, O LORD,
and all your faithful shall bless.
you.
They shall speak of the glory of you
kingdom,
and tell of your power,
to make known to all people your
mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendour of your
kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting
kingdom,
and your dominion endures
throughout all generations.
The LORD is faithful in all his words,
and gracious in all his deeds.
The LORD upholds all who are
falling;
and raises up all who are bowed
down.
Psalm 145:10-14
Psalm 145 is one of those acrostic psalms in its original form, with each verse beginning with a succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet. We can't quite do justice to it in other translations, but you can imagine the work the writer faced! But we can do justice to the challenge offered to us by this lovely song.
The way it begins and ends, it comes across as a psalm of personal praise and worship to Bod. But there, in the middle there are these reminders about what God has done in the world, about God's compassionate and generous love towards all, about God's kingdom which is all around us, about the One who hears, lifts up, watches. The author is so overwhelmed by this God that praise has to be lifted up every day.
What about us - are we able to see those glimpses of God's presence in our world? Do we believe we are in God's kingdom? Why not take some time, today and the next, to look for those signs of the kingdom?
Maybe we will see God reflected in the teacher who faithfully takes extra time with the kids struggling in class.
Perhaps we will know God's surprising grace in the stranger who lets us go ahead of them in the long line at the store.
God's justice might be revealed in that child who asks that her presents this year be given to a homeless child.
You could be God's heart and ears by listening to the loneliness of the neighbor across the hall.
If we just open our eyes, our hearts, our ears, our lives to what God is doing around us, we might just find ourselves standing on the corner of Hope and Wonder in God's kingdom, joining the carolers who are praising God!
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
you, O LORD,
and all your faithful shall bless.
you.
They shall speak of the glory of you
kingdom,
and tell of your power,
to make known to all people your
mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendour of your
kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting
kingdom,
and your dominion endures
throughout all generations.
The LORD is faithful in all his words,
and gracious in all his deeds.
The LORD upholds all who are
falling;
and raises up all who are bowed
down.
Psalm 145:10-14
Psalm 145 is one of those acrostic psalms in its original form, with each verse beginning with a succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet. We can't quite do justice to it in other translations, but you can imagine the work the writer faced! But we can do justice to the challenge offered to us by this lovely song.
The way it begins and ends, it comes across as a psalm of personal praise and worship to Bod. But there, in the middle there are these reminders about what God has done in the world, about God's compassionate and generous love towards all, about God's kingdom which is all around us, about the One who hears, lifts up, watches. The author is so overwhelmed by this God that praise has to be lifted up every day.
What about us - are we able to see those glimpses of God's presence in our world? Do we believe we are in God's kingdom? Why not take some time, today and the next, to look for those signs of the kingdom?
Maybe we will see God reflected in the teacher who faithfully takes extra time with the kids struggling in class.
Perhaps we will know God's surprising grace in the stranger who lets us go ahead of them in the long line at the store.
God's justice might be revealed in that child who asks that her presents this year be given to a homeless child.
You could be God's heart and ears by listening to the loneliness of the neighbor across the hall.
If we just open our eyes, our hearts, our ears, our lives to what God is doing around us, we might just find ourselves standing on the corner of Hope and Wonder in God's kingdom, joining the carolers who are praising God!
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Fourth Sunday of Advent - B
Texts: 2nd Samuel 7:1-11, 16; Luke 1:46b-55; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38
Call to Worship
L: O come, Rest of the righteous:
wrap us in your shawl of hope,
cradling us in your comfort and peace.
P: O come, Servant of salvation:
unlocking the chains of our sin,
sending us to dance in your kingdom's joy.
L: O come, Gospel of graciousness:
so we would welcome the outsider
and embrace the lonely hearts in our midst.
P: O come, Lover of the lowly:
to raise them up until they can look you in the eye,
and kiss your soft cheeks in gratitude.
L: O come, Child of the covenant:
heir of all those promises made so long ago,
and bearer of all the grace flowing from God's heart.
P: O come, Companion of creation:
to transform the mess we have made
into gardens overrun with goodness and beauty.
L: O come to us, Immanuel, come and live with us:
P: this day, and forevermore, come!
Prayer of the Day
You take us by the hand,
Gentle grace,
so we may walk
the paths of your kingdom,
carrying the light of joy,
to find the traveling companions
you give us for our journey
into the holiness of this season.
Adonai's Anointed:
you came among us
to whisper of your hope
above the jingles of these days;
you have been with us,
in every moment of our lives,
disguised as our friends and families,
living among us as the strangers
who welcome us as kin.
You are with us,
Spirit of kindness,
planting seeds of peace
which can bear fruit
for a shattered world;
you send us to sing
the glad tidings of
incomparable joy,
that God has kept every
promise ever made.
God in Community, Holy in One,
you give us the words we need,
even to pray as Jesus teaches us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
If we are to welcome the Child into our hearts, we must speak
of all the ways we have hardened ourselves against the good
news he brings. Let us confess our sins, as we pray together,
saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
How can this be, Holy One of Advent?
We would put the powerful on pedestals,
but you send the lowly to remind us
of our call to be servants.
We would stock our pantries with more and more,
but you send our friends to our door,
collecting for those who hunger and thirst for hope.
We would listen to seasonal sounds of sales,
but you send the angels to carol to us
of the promises made to all.
Forgive us, Hope of the world.
As we watch for your coming,
may we see the need around us;
as we prepare to celebrate your birth,
may we live with open hearts;
as we long for healing and hope,
may we discover it in the Babe of Bethlehem,
Jesus the Christ, sent for us.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
L: The good news is not just announced to all people,
it is indeed, for all people. For the proud, as well
as the humble; for the rich, and for the poor; for
those who have found faith, and those who long for it.
P: Our hearts rejoice in the promises, and our souls
rejoice in the One who has come to us, bringing
hope, joy, and peace into our lives. Thanks be to
God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: Favored ones, the Lord is with you!
P: And also with you!
L: Children of God, lift your hearts to the One
who brings good news to you.
P: Our hearts glorify God, who strengthens us in every way.
L: Beloved of the Lord, sing glad songs of praise.
P: We rejoice in God our Savior, who looks with joy upon us.
Architect of the Universe:
like a mist over a lake,
your Spirit moved above creation,
so your peace could walk gently
through the fields of goodness,
so your hope could tiptoe quietly
into our lives to dwell forever.
You created us in your image,
so we could rest in your gentleness.
But we decided to warm ourselves
by the fireside of sin and death.
You asked the prophets
to come and remind us
of your everlasting covenant,
but we scattered their words
into the empty hollows of our hearts.
So, looking favorably upon us,
you sent Jesus to come,
appointing him to bring salvation
to us once and for all.
So, with those who waited on sheep-strewn hillsides,
and those who endured the pains of labor,
with all our sisters and brothers in every time and place,
we sing of your great joy forever:
P: Holy, Holy, Holy, God of Advent Joy.
Heaven and earth sing your praises as you reach down
to heal and comfort your creation.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who welcomes all people into your grace.
Hosanna in the highest!
Your name is Holy, God of Grace,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Your Child, our Savior.
when we were chilled
to the bone by despair,
he came to warm us with your hope;
when we huddled against
the cold winds of fear,
he wrapped us in the shawl
woven from your hopes and dreams;
when we could find no life,
he walked to a cross-strewn hillside,
scattering sin's power with your grace,
sending the grave away empty-handed
as he greeted us with the promise
of the resurrection for all your children.
As we prepare to celebrate his birth once again,
as we await the songs of the angels on that holy night,
we would proclaim that mystery revealed as faith:
P: Christ came, to humble the proud
and to raise up the lowly;
Christ is in our midst,
feeding the hungry
and filling the emptiness of all;
Christ will come again,
to bring us home into the kingdom of heaven.
Send your Spirit to move over your people,
and to fill the bread and the cup
with your presence and power.
May the bread we break and share
become the healing we need
and the hope we carry to a world
shattered by fears and doubts.
May the cup we bless
and pass to one another
be the grace for which we have yearned,
and the joy we can offer
to everyone we meet.
And, when the Spirit gathers us up
and brings us to the Table in the kingdom,
we will join our hearts and songs
with your family from all time and places,
who forever sing your praises,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
L: O come, Rest of the righteous:
wrap us in your shawl of hope,
cradling us in your comfort and peace.
P: O come, Servant of salvation:
unlocking the chains of our sin,
sending us to dance in your kingdom's joy.
L: O come, Gospel of graciousness:
so we would welcome the outsider
and embrace the lonely hearts in our midst.
P: O come, Lover of the lowly:
to raise them up until they can look you in the eye,
and kiss your soft cheeks in gratitude.
L: O come, Child of the covenant:
heir of all those promises made so long ago,
and bearer of all the grace flowing from God's heart.
P: O come, Companion of creation:
to transform the mess we have made
into gardens overrun with goodness and beauty.
L: O come to us, Immanuel, come and live with us:
P: this day, and forevermore, come!
Prayer of the Day
You take us by the hand,
Gentle grace,
so we may walk
the paths of your kingdom,
carrying the light of joy,
to find the traveling companions
you give us for our journey
into the holiness of this season.
Adonai's Anointed:
you came among us
to whisper of your hope
above the jingles of these days;
you have been with us,
in every moment of our lives,
disguised as our friends and families,
living among us as the strangers
who welcome us as kin.
You are with us,
Spirit of kindness,
planting seeds of peace
which can bear fruit
for a shattered world;
you send us to sing
the glad tidings of
incomparable joy,
that God has kept every
promise ever made.
God in Community, Holy in One,
you give us the words we need,
even to pray as Jesus teaches us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
If we are to welcome the Child into our hearts, we must speak
of all the ways we have hardened ourselves against the good
news he brings. Let us confess our sins, as we pray together,
saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
How can this be, Holy One of Advent?
We would put the powerful on pedestals,
but you send the lowly to remind us
of our call to be servants.
We would stock our pantries with more and more,
but you send our friends to our door,
collecting for those who hunger and thirst for hope.
We would listen to seasonal sounds of sales,
but you send the angels to carol to us
of the promises made to all.
Forgive us, Hope of the world.
As we watch for your coming,
may we see the need around us;
as we prepare to celebrate your birth,
may we live with open hearts;
as we long for healing and hope,
may we discover it in the Babe of Bethlehem,
Jesus the Christ, sent for us.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
L: The good news is not just announced to all people,
it is indeed, for all people. For the proud, as well
as the humble; for the rich, and for the poor; for
those who have found faith, and those who long for it.
P: Our hearts rejoice in the promises, and our souls
rejoice in the One who has come to us, bringing
hope, joy, and peace into our lives. Thanks be to
God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: Favored ones, the Lord is with you!
P: And also with you!
L: Children of God, lift your hearts to the One
who brings good news to you.
P: Our hearts glorify God, who strengthens us in every way.
L: Beloved of the Lord, sing glad songs of praise.
P: We rejoice in God our Savior, who looks with joy upon us.
Architect of the Universe:
like a mist over a lake,
your Spirit moved above creation,
so your peace could walk gently
through the fields of goodness,
so your hope could tiptoe quietly
into our lives to dwell forever.
You created us in your image,
so we could rest in your gentleness.
But we decided to warm ourselves
by the fireside of sin and death.
You asked the prophets
to come and remind us
of your everlasting covenant,
but we scattered their words
into the empty hollows of our hearts.
So, looking favorably upon us,
you sent Jesus to come,
appointing him to bring salvation
to us once and for all.
So, with those who waited on sheep-strewn hillsides,
and those who endured the pains of labor,
with all our sisters and brothers in every time and place,
we sing of your great joy forever:
P: Holy, Holy, Holy, God of Advent Joy.
Heaven and earth sing your praises as you reach down
to heal and comfort your creation.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who welcomes all people into your grace.
Hosanna in the highest!
Your name is Holy, God of Grace,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Your Child, our Savior.
when we were chilled
to the bone by despair,
he came to warm us with your hope;
when we huddled against
the cold winds of fear,
he wrapped us in the shawl
woven from your hopes and dreams;
when we could find no life,
he walked to a cross-strewn hillside,
scattering sin's power with your grace,
sending the grave away empty-handed
as he greeted us with the promise
of the resurrection for all your children.
As we prepare to celebrate his birth once again,
as we await the songs of the angels on that holy night,
we would proclaim that mystery revealed as faith:
P: Christ came, to humble the proud
and to raise up the lowly;
Christ is in our midst,
feeding the hungry
and filling the emptiness of all;
Christ will come again,
to bring us home into the kingdom of heaven.
Send your Spirit to move over your people,
and to fill the bread and the cup
with your presence and power.
May the bread we break and share
become the healing we need
and the hope we carry to a world
shattered by fears and doubts.
May the cup we bless
and pass to one another
be the grace for which we have yearned,
and the joy we can offer
to everyone we meet.
And, when the Spirit gathers us up
and brings us to the Table in the kingdom,
we will join our hearts and songs
with your family from all time and places,
who forever sing your praises,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
Third Sunday of Advent
The LORD says to my lord,
"Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your
footstool."
The LORD is at your right hand;
he will shatter kings on the day of
his wrath.
He will execute judgment among the
nations,
filling them with corpses;
he will shatter heads
over the wide earth.
He will drink from the stream by the
path;
therefore he will lift up his head.
Psalm 110:1, 5-7
Even David, that great exemplar of Hebrew expectations, believed that God would send someone who would be even greater than he (and hopefully without the frailties and failings). That seems clear in this psalm which is attributed to him. Early Christians accepted this tradition, which may account for it being quoted several times in the New Testament. While many folks may still hope that God will knock the heads of leaders together to get their attention or rain down fire upon all those nations we don't like, there are those believers who have trouble with this language of judgment, retribution, violence. No wonder this psalm is not quoted on Christmas cards, or is the scriptural basis for carols of the season!
Yet, it is a pretty accurate description of what Jesus did, it seems to me.
Didn't he shatter all the expectations of who the Messiah would be, and what the Messiah would do?
Didn't he put to death all those assumptions of how God acts in the world, telling us of the God who longs to love us, forgive us, save us?
Didn't he fill the world with people who were, and are today, willing to let their old lives die (becoming 'corpses' in a sense) so that the new life in Christ might emerge in them?
Didn't he continually invite us to drink from the living waters which are all around us?
The writer of Ephesians (2:11-22), perhaps with this psalm in mind, speaks about Christ as the One who shattered the barriers which we put up between us and otehrs; as the One who breaks down the hostility between human beings; as the One who takes those considered to be dead by the world (all the outsiders, the aliens, the strangers) and makes us all members of God's household.
May God continue to shatter our frozen hearts with that love and hope which came down at Bethlehem.
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
"Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your
footstool."
The LORD is at your right hand;
he will shatter kings on the day of
his wrath.
He will execute judgment among the
nations,
filling them with corpses;
he will shatter heads
over the wide earth.
He will drink from the stream by the
path;
therefore he will lift up his head.
Psalm 110:1, 5-7
Even David, that great exemplar of Hebrew expectations, believed that God would send someone who would be even greater than he (and hopefully without the frailties and failings). That seems clear in this psalm which is attributed to him. Early Christians accepted this tradition, which may account for it being quoted several times in the New Testament. While many folks may still hope that God will knock the heads of leaders together to get their attention or rain down fire upon all those nations we don't like, there are those believers who have trouble with this language of judgment, retribution, violence. No wonder this psalm is not quoted on Christmas cards, or is the scriptural basis for carols of the season!
Yet, it is a pretty accurate description of what Jesus did, it seems to me.
Didn't he shatter all the expectations of who the Messiah would be, and what the Messiah would do?
Didn't he put to death all those assumptions of how God acts in the world, telling us of the God who longs to love us, forgive us, save us?
Didn't he fill the world with people who were, and are today, willing to let their old lives die (becoming 'corpses' in a sense) so that the new life in Christ might emerge in them?
Didn't he continually invite us to drink from the living waters which are all around us?
The writer of Ephesians (2:11-22), perhaps with this psalm in mind, speaks about Christ as the One who shattered the barriers which we put up between us and otehrs; as the One who breaks down the hostility between human beings; as the One who takes those considered to be dead by the world (all the outsiders, the aliens, the strangers) and makes us all members of God's household.
May God continue to shatter our frozen hearts with that love and hope which came down at Bethlehem.
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Second Saturday of Advent
Praise the LORD!
Sing to the LORD a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the
faithful.
Let Israel be glad in its Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in
their King.
Let them praise his name with
dancing,
making melody to him with
tambourine and lyre.
Psalm 149:1-3
So what is on your list for today?
Is it filled with all those home improvement jobs you've been putting off for weeks, but now that the weather is blustery, it seems like a good day for them? Are you going to be getting into the car, going from place to place, dashing from store to store marking off each gift as you purchase them? Will you simply be the driver for the kids, as they first get to dance class, then off to athletic practices, and then to their friends' houses for a sleepover? Our lists are endless this time of year, and even with a Saturday open before us, the hours are filled before we even pull ourselves out of bed.
Will you be doing any singing today?
I know you will hear lots of singing - in every store and each mall walkway, the sounds of the season will be blaring. In the car, every radio station seems to be playing the same song no matter which one you turn to. The runners, the walkers, the exercisers are all plugged into their mp3 players, letting Bono, Beyonce, Justin serenade them along their way. But, will you be adding your voice to the chorus?
Probably not, is my guess. We're too busy, we're too overwhelmed, we're too stressed, we're too embarassed to sing out loud these days. Even in our own homes, we rarely sing, do we? Oh, maybe in the shower, but even there, we have a list going on in our minds, and we are in a rush to get going.
But in that tradition which predates our own, today is Sabbath. Today is that one chance to rest, to relax, to set aside time for God, for family, for worship, for self. Sabbath is the gift that the busy God gives to us in the midst of all our business. Psalm 149 reminds us that this is the moment to sing, to praise God for this opportunity for renewal of spirits, of praise for the glory of creation, to worship God not just with our mouths, but with our hearts and souls. It is the opportunity as one young Jewish writer said, to distinguish 'between minutes and hours not to regiment them but to set aside moments of holiness.
And in that tradition, on this day of Sabbath rest and joy, there is to be singing. So, sing today:
sing to your children of how they delight you;
gather up all your love and sing to your partner;
sing to God, not just those old familiar songs you love,
but ones which you think God might enjoy!
Sing, sing, sing of the gift of Sabbath.
Who knows, maybe it will become a daily habit.
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
Sing to the LORD a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the
faithful.
Let Israel be glad in its Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in
their King.
Let them praise his name with
dancing,
making melody to him with
tambourine and lyre.
Psalm 149:1-3
So what is on your list for today?
Is it filled with all those home improvement jobs you've been putting off for weeks, but now that the weather is blustery, it seems like a good day for them? Are you going to be getting into the car, going from place to place, dashing from store to store marking off each gift as you purchase them? Will you simply be the driver for the kids, as they first get to dance class, then off to athletic practices, and then to their friends' houses for a sleepover? Our lists are endless this time of year, and even with a Saturday open before us, the hours are filled before we even pull ourselves out of bed.
Will you be doing any singing today?
I know you will hear lots of singing - in every store and each mall walkway, the sounds of the season will be blaring. In the car, every radio station seems to be playing the same song no matter which one you turn to. The runners, the walkers, the exercisers are all plugged into their mp3 players, letting Bono, Beyonce, Justin serenade them along their way. But, will you be adding your voice to the chorus?
Probably not, is my guess. We're too busy, we're too overwhelmed, we're too stressed, we're too embarassed to sing out loud these days. Even in our own homes, we rarely sing, do we? Oh, maybe in the shower, but even there, we have a list going on in our minds, and we are in a rush to get going.
But in that tradition which predates our own, today is Sabbath. Today is that one chance to rest, to relax, to set aside time for God, for family, for worship, for self. Sabbath is the gift that the busy God gives to us in the midst of all our business. Psalm 149 reminds us that this is the moment to sing, to praise God for this opportunity for renewal of spirits, of praise for the glory of creation, to worship God not just with our mouths, but with our hearts and souls. It is the opportunity as one young Jewish writer said, to distinguish 'between minutes and hours not to regiment them but to set aside moments of holiness.
And in that tradition, on this day of Sabbath rest and joy, there is to be singing. So, sing today:
sing to your children of how they delight you;
gather up all your love and sing to your partner;
sing to God, not just those old familiar songs you love,
but ones which you think God might enjoy!
Sing, sing, sing of the gift of Sabbath.
Who knows, maybe it will become a daily habit.
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
Friday, December 09, 2011
Second Friday of Advent
Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his host!
Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars!
Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
Psaklm 148:1-4
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his host!
Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars!
Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
Psaklm 148:1-4
Can you hear it?
All creation is praising God!
From angelic host preparing for opening night
to geese honking their way south;
from a grandmother singing as she puts sprinkles on sugar cookies,
to a newborn gurgling in joy at the lights onthe tree:
all creation is praise God!
From kittens sleeping in the winter sun
to lions and tigers growling at the zoo's festive lights;
from rivers groaning as ice forms on their skin,
to pine trees cracking in the frozen dawn:
all creation is praising God!
From the singing stars in distant galaxies,
to carolers huddling around wind-whipped candles;
from wooly-woolies crawling in silence
to the powerless crying for hope:
all creation is praising God!
Can you hear it?
(c) Thom M. Shuman
Thursday, December 08, 2011
Second Thursday of Advent
I love you, O LORD, my
strength.
The LORD is my rock, my
fortress, and my
deliverer,
my God, my rock in whom
I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of
my salvation, my
stronghold.
I will call upon the LORD, who is
worthy to be praised,
so I shall be saved from
my enemies.
Psalm 18:1-3
When you pray, when you 'call upon the Lord,' what do names, titles, honorifics do you use to address God? One of the early phrases I can remember hearing is 'omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God.' Or how about 'Ground of All Being'? How about 'Ineffable Majesty'? Pretty theological, aren't they (and I mean that in the heaviest sense)!
But the psalmists don't usually by into that sort of language. A lot of times it is simply Lord, or God, or O God. But then they go on with a pretty rich and diverse vocabulary to speak of God. In this psalm alone, God is praised for being one's rock, a fortress, deliverer. Words from everyday language, words which describe things we see (or don't see because we are not paying attention) every day. Words which spoke of God being as close as that rock you sat on while resting, so strong that the greatest force cannot tear it down.
We have a real poverty of God-language these days, it seems to me. Much of the way we talk about God, or use to pray to God, is tasteless, anemic, saltless. We could use new words, new images, new metaphors to speak of God, just as the psalmists did so long ago.
What about God as Breadmaker, taking those simple items found in creation (and in our pantries) to shape the bread of hope, of life? What about God as Dog Walker, noticing all we notice, listening to our conversation with a neighbor, laughing as we chase after things blown in the wind, gently correcting us and showing us the paths that are safest for us? Ever think of God as Creation's Witness, Jesus as Wave Walker, the Spirit as Dancing Flames?
Why not spend some time thinking about what imaginative, new words you might use as you pray to God and call upon the Lord?
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
strength.
The LORD is my rock, my
fortress, and my
deliverer,
my God, my rock in whom
I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of
my salvation, my
stronghold.
I will call upon the LORD, who is
worthy to be praised,
so I shall be saved from
my enemies.
Psalm 18:1-3
When you pray, when you 'call upon the Lord,' what do names, titles, honorifics do you use to address God? One of the early phrases I can remember hearing is 'omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God.' Or how about 'Ground of All Being'? How about 'Ineffable Majesty'? Pretty theological, aren't they (and I mean that in the heaviest sense)!
But the psalmists don't usually by into that sort of language. A lot of times it is simply Lord, or God, or O God. But then they go on with a pretty rich and diverse vocabulary to speak of God. In this psalm alone, God is praised for being one's rock, a fortress, deliverer. Words from everyday language, words which describe things we see (or don't see because we are not paying attention) every day. Words which spoke of God being as close as that rock you sat on while resting, so strong that the greatest force cannot tear it down.
We have a real poverty of God-language these days, it seems to me. Much of the way we talk about God, or use to pray to God, is tasteless, anemic, saltless. We could use new words, new images, new metaphors to speak of God, just as the psalmists did so long ago.
What about God as Breadmaker, taking those simple items found in creation (and in our pantries) to shape the bread of hope, of life? What about God as Dog Walker, noticing all we notice, listening to our conversation with a neighbor, laughing as we chase after things blown in the wind, gently correcting us and showing us the paths that are safest for us? Ever think of God as Creation's Witness, Jesus as Wave Walker, the Spirit as Dancing Flames?
Why not spend some time thinking about what imaginative, new words you might use as you pray to God and call upon the Lord?
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Second Wednesday of Advent
Hear this, you that trample
on the needy,
and bring to ruin the poor
of the land,
saying, "When will the new
moon be over
so that we may sell grain;
and the sabbath,
so that we may offer wheat
for sale?
We will make the ephah
small and the shekel
great,
and practice deceit with
false balances,
buying the poor for silver
and the needy for a pair of
sandals,
and selling the sweepings
of the wheat."
The LORD has sworn by the
pride of Jacob;
Surely I will neve forget
any of their deeds.
Amos 8:4-7
Pretty harsh words, aren't they? They are harsh, because they are true. They are harsh, because when the prophet speaks of 'their deeds,' he's talking about us. We see the ads on TV for the diamond encrusted gift, and don't think about at what human cost they are mined. We look at the gold jewelry in the slick flyers, and never wonder about the little children who go into dangerous, unregulated places to get the gold out of the ground. We want the newest, fastest, fanciest technologies and don't want to be told of the depleted resources which are used to make our lives so fast, so fancy. They are harsh words directed at people who are not so much evil, as we are uncaring. We are more concerned about our wants, our needs, our desire for the latest thing, without taking notice as to who we may trample, or bring to ruin, or simply ignore.
But if it is clear in scripture that God has a long memory when it comes to the foolish choices we make (because we think it is all about us), it is equally clear that God has a longer memory when it comes to those wise practices we can learn, when it comes to those willful decisions we can make, when it comes to reaching down and picking someone up rather than trampling them when they are down. Yes, we are told over and over, Advent is the season of anticipation and expectation, but it is also a season of action as well, especially as God anticipates that we will finally catch on to what is expected of us.
And it's really so simple, these decisions, these wise practices which can cause God such joy, and bring others such hope. What would it be like
if for every dollar we spent on gifts, we gave another dollar away;
if we gave children, simple long-lasting gifts and made donations in the names of adults;
if we paid for a meal for a family through a social service agency,
while we are planning our big family feast;
if we gave away all those warm coats/scarves/gloves just hanging in the back of our closets.
if . . .
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
on the needy,
and bring to ruin the poor
of the land,
saying, "When will the new
moon be over
so that we may sell grain;
and the sabbath,
so that we may offer wheat
for sale?
We will make the ephah
small and the shekel
great,
and practice deceit with
false balances,
buying the poor for silver
and the needy for a pair of
sandals,
and selling the sweepings
of the wheat."
The LORD has sworn by the
pride of Jacob;
Surely I will neve forget
any of their deeds.
Amos 8:4-7
Pretty harsh words, aren't they? They are harsh, because they are true. They are harsh, because when the prophet speaks of 'their deeds,' he's talking about us. We see the ads on TV for the diamond encrusted gift, and don't think about at what human cost they are mined. We look at the gold jewelry in the slick flyers, and never wonder about the little children who go into dangerous, unregulated places to get the gold out of the ground. We want the newest, fastest, fanciest technologies and don't want to be told of the depleted resources which are used to make our lives so fast, so fancy. They are harsh words directed at people who are not so much evil, as we are uncaring. We are more concerned about our wants, our needs, our desire for the latest thing, without taking notice as to who we may trample, or bring to ruin, or simply ignore.
But if it is clear in scripture that God has a long memory when it comes to the foolish choices we make (because we think it is all about us), it is equally clear that God has a longer memory when it comes to those wise practices we can learn, when it comes to those willful decisions we can make, when it comes to reaching down and picking someone up rather than trampling them when they are down. Yes, we are told over and over, Advent is the season of anticipation and expectation, but it is also a season of action as well, especially as God anticipates that we will finally catch on to what is expected of us.
And it's really so simple, these decisions, these wise practices which can cause God such joy, and bring others such hope. What would it be like
if for every dollar we spent on gifts, we gave another dollar away;
if we gave children, simple long-lasting gifts and made donations in the names of adults;
if we paid for a meal for a family through a social service agency,
while we are planning our big family feast;
if we gave away all those warm coats/scarves/gloves just hanging in the back of our closets.
if . . .
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
Second Tuesday of Advent
Rejoice in the LORD, O you
righteous.
Praise befits the upright.
Praise the LORD with the
lyre;
make melody to him with
the harp of ten strings.
Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully on the
strings, with loud
shouts.
For the word of the LORD is
upright,
and all his work is done in
faithfulness.
He loves righteousness and
justice;
the earth is full of the
steadfast love of the
LORD.
By the word of the LORD the
heavens were made,
and all their host by the
the breath of his mouth.
He gathered the waters of
the sea as in a bottle;
he put the deeps in
storehouses.
Psalm 33:1-7
Here, the leaves have stopped dancing across the lawns and are curling up trying to keep warm against the first bite of winter's wind. In another part of the world, plants are spring up, birds are singing people awake, stars shoot across summer skies, breezes tease through the trees. Some of us prepare ourselves for the bleak midwinter blahs (physical and emotional), while others are looking forward to all the blues concerts they can attend in their shorts and sandals. What a gift God has given to us in this marvelous creation in which we are blessed to live!
The psalmist reminds us that in whatever season we find ourselves, God watches over all of us. And in every season, God's steadfast love, God's steadfast justice, God's steadfast watchfullness are with us, because God is such a lover of righteousness and justice. It's not a mater of whether or not God is in our midst, according to the psalmist, it's a matter of whether or not we pay attention to this Presence!
So, take a moment from worrying about when the first snow/ice storm of the year will come, and watch the child, with tongue placed firmly into the cheek of her mouth, patiently making a gift for her little brother. Stop packing the car for the trip to the beach, and notice the family across the street who, as they do every Saturday, is heading down to volunteer at the soup kitchen. Pull over to the side of the road on your race to the mall, and watch the pierced and tattooed young man helping an elderly driver change the flat on their car.
It's not just for a moment, of a day, or a season, but it is in all our moments, all our days, all the seasons we have been given that we see God's love shown in creation and through the created.
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
righteous.
Praise befits the upright.
Praise the LORD with the
lyre;
make melody to him with
the harp of ten strings.
Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully on the
strings, with loud
shouts.
For the word of the LORD is
upright,
and all his work is done in
faithfulness.
He loves righteousness and
justice;
the earth is full of the
steadfast love of the
LORD.
By the word of the LORD the
heavens were made,
and all their host by the
the breath of his mouth.
He gathered the waters of
the sea as in a bottle;
he put the deeps in
storehouses.
Psalm 33:1-7
Here, the leaves have stopped dancing across the lawns and are curling up trying to keep warm against the first bite of winter's wind. In another part of the world, plants are spring up, birds are singing people awake, stars shoot across summer skies, breezes tease through the trees. Some of us prepare ourselves for the bleak midwinter blahs (physical and emotional), while others are looking forward to all the blues concerts they can attend in their shorts and sandals. What a gift God has given to us in this marvelous creation in which we are blessed to live!
The psalmist reminds us that in whatever season we find ourselves, God watches over all of us. And in every season, God's steadfast love, God's steadfast justice, God's steadfast watchfullness are with us, because God is such a lover of righteousness and justice. It's not a mater of whether or not God is in our midst, according to the psalmist, it's a matter of whether or not we pay attention to this Presence!
So, take a moment from worrying about when the first snow/ice storm of the year will come, and watch the child, with tongue placed firmly into the cheek of her mouth, patiently making a gift for her little brother. Stop packing the car for the trip to the beach, and notice the family across the street who, as they do every Saturday, is heading down to volunteer at the soup kitchen. Pull over to the side of the road on your race to the mall, and watch the pierced and tattooed young man helping an elderly driver change the flat on their car.
It's not just for a moment, of a day, or a season, but it is in all our moments, all our days, all the seasons we have been given that we see God's love shown in creation and through the created.
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
Second Monday of Advent
Jesus answered them, "You are wrong, because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is God not of the dead, but of the living."
Matthew 22:29-32
On most days, I believe that in that time we call resurrection, that Teddy will be whole and normal, and we will be (finally) the family we always have longed to be. But I might be disappointed. If folks ask me what I think heaven will be like, I usually tell them I don't know, but I hope that it is a library with lots of chocolate allowed in the reading room. But I might be disappointed. And the folks that think that heaven (or resurrected life or whatever you want to call it) is paved with gold, and we will all have houses beyond compare, and that all the folks we don't like or at least believe aren't as good as us won't be there to bother us anymore? I think they might be disappointed as well.
We can imagine, or believe, or hope, or pray a lot of different things when it comes to whatever lies on the other side of death. But the truth is, we just don't know for certain. I am convinced that in this life, not even Jesus knew for certain whether, if, what would await him after death. I think that's why he told the religious leaders that they were asking the wrong questions and worrying about the wrong things.
But what Jesus was absolutely convinced of was God. The God of Abraham will also be the God of Alan, Annie, and Alex; the God of Isaac will also be the God of Irene, of Ivan, of Iain; the God of Jacob will also be the God of Jesus, of Jose, of Jane. The God of the living will welcome all children into the time beyond this moment, the God of the living will provide a place beyond our imagination (and based on all the wonders
and surprises in creation, God has a pretty good imagination), the God of the living will continue to be our God even when the world says good-bye to us and relegates us to the ranks of the dead.
And the God of the living will never, ever disappoint us.
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
Matthew 22:29-32
On most days, I believe that in that time we call resurrection, that Teddy will be whole and normal, and we will be (finally) the family we always have longed to be. But I might be disappointed. If folks ask me what I think heaven will be like, I usually tell them I don't know, but I hope that it is a library with lots of chocolate allowed in the reading room. But I might be disappointed. And the folks that think that heaven (or resurrected life or whatever you want to call it) is paved with gold, and we will all have houses beyond compare, and that all the folks we don't like or at least believe aren't as good as us won't be there to bother us anymore? I think they might be disappointed as well.
We can imagine, or believe, or hope, or pray a lot of different things when it comes to whatever lies on the other side of death. But the truth is, we just don't know for certain. I am convinced that in this life, not even Jesus knew for certain whether, if, what would await him after death. I think that's why he told the religious leaders that they were asking the wrong questions and worrying about the wrong things.
But what Jesus was absolutely convinced of was God. The God of Abraham will also be the God of Alan, Annie, and Alex; the God of Isaac will also be the God of Irene, of Ivan, of Iain; the God of Jacob will also be the God of Jesus, of Jose, of Jane. The God of the living will welcome all children into the time beyond this moment, the God of the living will provide a place beyond our imagination (and based on all the wonders
and surprises in creation, God has a pretty good imagination), the God of the living will continue to be our God even when the world says good-bye to us and relegates us to the ranks of the dead.
And the God of the living will never, ever disappoint us.
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
Second Sunday of Advent
But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.
Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God...?
2nd Peter 3:8-12a
eusebia*
it's tempting to think
that morality
is about pointing one's
finger at others,
showing them the
errors they have made,
but it's really about
crooking your finger
to invite the least
into your home,
tracing words in a
book, so a little
one can learn,
testing the wind
so you know where
Spirit wants you to
go;
it's simple to act as if
piety
allows you to walk around
with your nose up in the air,
but you need to stick
your nose in other
people's problems,
so you can help solve them,
you need to smell the
ordure of injustice
so you can help clean it
up,
you want to lean down
and rub noses with a little
kid
and be filled with laughter;
it's easy to develop
the attitude that
it is all about my journey,
of my personal relationship
with the divine,
of what has been done for
me . . .
but faith
is God-ward,
and them-ward
before it's ever
me-ward.
© 2011 Thom M. Shuman
*eusebia is the Greek word translated 'godliness' in 2nd Peter 3:11
Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God...?
2nd Peter 3:8-12a
eusebia*
it's tempting to think
that morality
is about pointing one's
finger at others,
showing them the
errors they have made,
but it's really about
crooking your finger
to invite the least
into your home,
tracing words in a
book, so a little
one can learn,
testing the wind
so you know where
Spirit wants you to
go;
it's simple to act as if
piety
allows you to walk around
with your nose up in the air,
but you need to stick
your nose in other
people's problems,
so you can help solve them,
you need to smell the
ordure of injustice
so you can help clean it
up,
you want to lean down
and rub noses with a little
kid
and be filled with laughter;
it's easy to develop
the attitude that
it is all about my journey,
of my personal relationship
with the divine,
of what has been done for
me . . .
but faith
is God-ward,
and them-ward
before it's ever
me-ward.
© 2011 Thom M. Shuman
*eusebia is the Greek word translated 'godliness' in 2nd Peter 3:11
First Saturday of Advent
Even though you offer me
your burnt offerings
and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
and the offerings of
well-being of your
fatted animals
I will not look upon.
Take away from me the
noise of your songs;
I will not listen to the
melody of your harps.
But let justice roll down like
waters,
and righteousness like an
everflowing stream.
Amos 5:22-24
For a good part of my life (with occasional backsliding still), I believed that I had to get people gifts. Not just a gift, but gifts; not just any gift, but the right gift; not just for a birthday, or Christmas, but both of those days and some in between. I was convinced that it was the number of gifts, the quantity not the quality if you will, which would demonstrate how I felt about any particular person. It didn't matter how close we were, it didn't matter how deep our relationship ran, the day-to-day relationship didn't matter, it all came down to gifts. Thank goodness that our society has created so many special days, so that someone like me could give a gift, or at the very least a card.
Our ancestors fell into the trap of thinking that it was the number of offerings which they made to God which would convince God how they felt. And so, festivals were created so offerings could be made (sound familiar?), assemblies were held so a loud noise could be made, folks took every opportunity to try to demonstrate to God the depth of their feelings.
But God doesn't want a bunch of gifts (after all, if anyone has everything they need, it's God!), God wants a bunch of people who will offer themselves in service to the world which is hurting, which is hateful, which is violent. God doesn't want a lot of words spoken or sung, God wants those whose lives have been transformed by the Word, to go out and speak tenderly, compassionately, hopefully to those who hear only the sounds of rejection, of exclusion. God doesn't want a lot of special days hallmarked by cards, or knickknacks, or presents. God wants us to spend every day keeping our eyes open for those who have lost their way, picking up those who have been knocked down by society, listening to those whose cries have been ignored, speaking up for those whose voices are drowned out by greed and apathy.
It's not about gifts when it comes to God, it's about justice, about righteousness, about peace and reconciliation, of joy and wonder, all the gifts God has poured into our lives like an overflowing river, simply hoping we won't dam them up for ourselves alone.
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
your burnt offerings
and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
and the offerings of
well-being of your
fatted animals
I will not look upon.
Take away from me the
noise of your songs;
I will not listen to the
melody of your harps.
But let justice roll down like
waters,
and righteousness like an
everflowing stream.
Amos 5:22-24
For a good part of my life (with occasional backsliding still), I believed that I had to get people gifts. Not just a gift, but gifts; not just any gift, but the right gift; not just for a birthday, or Christmas, but both of those days and some in between. I was convinced that it was the number of gifts, the quantity not the quality if you will, which would demonstrate how I felt about any particular person. It didn't matter how close we were, it didn't matter how deep our relationship ran, the day-to-day relationship didn't matter, it all came down to gifts. Thank goodness that our society has created so many special days, so that someone like me could give a gift, or at the very least a card.
Our ancestors fell into the trap of thinking that it was the number of offerings which they made to God which would convince God how they felt. And so, festivals were created so offerings could be made (sound familiar?), assemblies were held so a loud noise could be made, folks took every opportunity to try to demonstrate to God the depth of their feelings.
But God doesn't want a bunch of gifts (after all, if anyone has everything they need, it's God!), God wants a bunch of people who will offer themselves in service to the world which is hurting, which is hateful, which is violent. God doesn't want a lot of words spoken or sung, God wants those whose lives have been transformed by the Word, to go out and speak tenderly, compassionately, hopefully to those who hear only the sounds of rejection, of exclusion. God doesn't want a lot of special days hallmarked by cards, or knickknacks, or presents. God wants us to spend every day keeping our eyes open for those who have lost their way, picking up those who have been knocked down by society, listening to those whose cries have been ignored, speaking up for those whose voices are drowned out by greed and apathy.
It's not about gifts when it comes to God, it's about justice, about righteousness, about peace and reconciliation, of joy and wonder, all the gifts God has poured into our lives like an overflowing river, simply hoping we won't dam them up for ourselves alone.
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
First Friday of Advent
Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James,
To those who are called, who are beloved in God the Father and kept safe for Jesus Christ:
May mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance.
Jude 1-2
not for fortune or fame,
not for success and power,
not to do great things (though
they may happen),
not to take on tasks for which you are not prepared,
but
called
to serve wherever you are
and whoever comes along;
to trust that God does indeed
have the desire to use you
(and will, if you get out of the way);
not because you are so handsome or beautiful,
not due to your athletic prowess,
and it's not your education or wealth or pedigree,
but you are
beloved
because God has a bigger heart
than all the hurts you cause,
because God desires you
more than you dare imagine,
because God's forgiveness is able
to cover any and all mistakes you make;
not from things that go bump in the night,
not from those difficult words the doctor speaks,
not from stresses that crumple your kness
not from nights that seem to last an eternity,
not days which pass all too quickly,
you are
kept safe
in that grace which has no expiration date,
in that hope which knows no boundaries,
in that love which will never end.
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
To those who are called, who are beloved in God the Father and kept safe for Jesus Christ:
May mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance.
Jude 1-2
not for fortune or fame,
not for success and power,
not to do great things (though
they may happen),
not to take on tasks for which you are not prepared,
but
called
to serve wherever you are
and whoever comes along;
to trust that God does indeed
have the desire to use you
(and will, if you get out of the way);
not because you are so handsome or beautiful,
not due to your athletic prowess,
and it's not your education or wealth or pedigree,
but you are
beloved
because God has a bigger heart
than all the hurts you cause,
because God desires you
more than you dare imagine,
because God's forgiveness is able
to cover any and all mistakes you make;
not from things that go bump in the night,
not from those difficult words the doctor speaks,
not from stresses that crumple your kness
not from nights that seem to last an eternity,
not days which pass all too quickly,
you are
kept safe
in that grace which has no expiration date,
in that hope which knows no boundaries,
in that love which will never end.
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
First Thursday of Advent
For God alone my soul watist
in silence;
from him comes my
salvation.
He alone is my rock and my
salvation,
my fortress; I shall never
be shaken.
Psalm 62:1-2
Whenever I am with Teddy, I am reminded of how noise is such a normal part of our lives. One of the ways in which he is 'typical' is his love for music - but it has to be beyond loud, and the bass has to be cranked up (or would it be down?) so that the doors of the car shake. Meanwhile, he is on his cell phone, and it is constantly chirping, chiming, tuning, ringing, loud enough to be heard over the radio or CD, of course. Noise is all around us - revving engines, computers dinging with new emails, the TV carrying on a constant monologue with us, the air brakes of the big trucks hissing outside our offices.
It's become so noisy, that we rarely notice the noise . . .
. . . until someone turns it off. And we discover how abnormal silence is for us.
Yet the author of this psalm of confidence challenges us to enter this unknown territory, for it is there in the silence that we find God waiting for us, to speak to us, to be with us. And what is our normal response to this invitation? 'right. When should I be silent; where; how?'
Why not right now?
Wherever you are, turn off the noise - the electronics, the people around you, the stress. Turn off all the questions about process; turn away from the computer or phone or pad, and simply look in the other direction; turn off that fear switch that tells you not to go down that road
and just wait
in silence
tens seconds, thirty, a minute or more
just wait
for God.
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
in silence;
from him comes my
salvation.
He alone is my rock and my
salvation,
my fortress; I shall never
be shaken.
Psalm 62:1-2
Whenever I am with Teddy, I am reminded of how noise is such a normal part of our lives. One of the ways in which he is 'typical' is his love for music - but it has to be beyond loud, and the bass has to be cranked up (or would it be down?) so that the doors of the car shake. Meanwhile, he is on his cell phone, and it is constantly chirping, chiming, tuning, ringing, loud enough to be heard over the radio or CD, of course. Noise is all around us - revving engines, computers dinging with new emails, the TV carrying on a constant monologue with us, the air brakes of the big trucks hissing outside our offices.
It's become so noisy, that we rarely notice the noise . . .
. . . until someone turns it off. And we discover how abnormal silence is for us.
Yet the author of this psalm of confidence challenges us to enter this unknown territory, for it is there in the silence that we find God waiting for us, to speak to us, to be with us. And what is our normal response to this invitation? 'right. When should I be silent; where; how?'
Why not right now?
Wherever you are, turn off the noise - the electronics, the people around you, the stress. Turn off all the questions about process; turn away from the computer or phone or pad, and simply look in the other direction; turn off that fear switch that tells you not to go down that road
and just wait
in silence
tens seconds, thirty, a minute or more
just wait
for God.
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
First Wednesday of Advent
Praise the Lord!
How good it is to sing praises to our God;
for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.
The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the broken-hearted,
and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars;
he gives to all of them their names.
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.
The Lord lifts up the downtrodden;
he casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
Psalm 147:1-7a
Travel, packing, long lines at the ticket counter, waiting for an overdue plane or train, wondering when the phone will ring and we will hear the words, 'we're here!' This is the time of year when folks travel, when we go to someone's house or they come to ours, when families get together for their annual holiday reunion.
For many, as hectic as it is, we look forward to such gatherings. We love to decorate, to cook, to get the guest rooms ready. We enjoy the old stories being told (for the umpteenth time), the same old jokes, getting a chance to see who has gotten more grey hair or who has lost more, who has traveled the furthest. Getting together with as many people as possible is what makes the season so wonderful for us (though to be honest, most of us subscribe to the old bromide that relatives are like fish - after three days, throw them out!).
But for others of us, we would rather undergo root canal than gather with our families. We know we will sit around tables talking superficially, while the painful stories lie just under the table licking at our feet. We will have to 'make nice' with the one who delighted in ridiculing us when we were growing up, with the one who has always made sure to let us know how worthless we are, to be in the same room with that relative who made life so unbearable for us. No wonder we can come up with so many creative excuses as to why we can't go home this year.
But there is One who is coming who is gracious to all of us who have been treated with contempt. There is One who, with the tools of hope and peace, comes to rebuild our lives. There is One who, despite everything the experts tell us, has the gifts of compassion, of healing, of reconciliation to mend every broken place in our soul, who wraps us in the gentle swaddling cloths of love and cradles us in wonder. There is One who comes to pick us up and carry us, however far, until we have regained the strength to walk on our own.
And we can sing with thanksgiving to this One, who not only comes, but who chooses to stay with us.
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
How good it is to sing praises to our God;
for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.
The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the broken-hearted,
and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars;
he gives to all of them their names.
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.
The Lord lifts up the downtrodden;
he casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
Psalm 147:1-7a
Travel, packing, long lines at the ticket counter, waiting for an overdue plane or train, wondering when the phone will ring and we will hear the words, 'we're here!' This is the time of year when folks travel, when we go to someone's house or they come to ours, when families get together for their annual holiday reunion.
For many, as hectic as it is, we look forward to such gatherings. We love to decorate, to cook, to get the guest rooms ready. We enjoy the old stories being told (for the umpteenth time), the same old jokes, getting a chance to see who has gotten more grey hair or who has lost more, who has traveled the furthest. Getting together with as many people as possible is what makes the season so wonderful for us (though to be honest, most of us subscribe to the old bromide that relatives are like fish - after three days, throw them out!).
But for others of us, we would rather undergo root canal than gather with our families. We know we will sit around tables talking superficially, while the painful stories lie just under the table licking at our feet. We will have to 'make nice' with the one who delighted in ridiculing us when we were growing up, with the one who has always made sure to let us know how worthless we are, to be in the same room with that relative who made life so unbearable for us. No wonder we can come up with so many creative excuses as to why we can't go home this year.
But there is One who is coming who is gracious to all of us who have been treated with contempt. There is One who, with the tools of hope and peace, comes to rebuild our lives. There is One who, despite everything the experts tell us, has the gifts of compassion, of healing, of reconciliation to mend every broken place in our soul, who wraps us in the gentle swaddling cloths of love and cradles us in wonder. There is One who comes to pick us up and carry us, however far, until we have regained the strength to walk on our own.
And we can sing with thanksgiving to this One, who not only comes, but who chooses to stay with us.
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
First Tuesday of Advent
Happy are those whose help
is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD
their God,
who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in
them;
who keeps faith forever;
who executes justice for
the oppressed;
who gives food to the
hungry.
The LORD sets the prisoners
free;
the LORD opens the eyes of
the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who
are bowed down;
the LORD loves the
righteous.
The LORD watches over the
strangers;
he upholds the orphan and
the widow,
but the way of the wicked
he brings to ruin.
The LORD will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, for all
generations.
Praise the LORD!
They stand there, all dressed up in their best clothes, hair neatly combed, faces scrubbed, all ready to participate in the schools Christmas program; snuggled under the covers, their faces unlined with worry or fears, their breath gently stirring the room; seated at the table, their eyes wide with wonder and joy as the holiday feast is brought into the room - there are those moments when we gaze at our children or grandchildren and silently whisper to ourselves, 'this moment! Let them stay like they are in this moment. I wish they didn't have to grow up to face the world as it really is.'
That's the way, all too often, we want to treat Jesus. Let him stay just as he is in that pageant moment - small, helpless, innocent, adorable, so cuddly. Let him stay just as he looks on all the cards we get in this holiest of seasons, that halo of light surrounding his beauty. Let him stay there in that manger in that barn (cleaned up and sanitized, of course) where we will always be able to find him.
But the psalmist reminds us of that One who grows up to make sure the oppressed have that burden lifted off their lives, and to keep the food pantries stocked for the hungry. We are told of the baby who will pick the locks of the cells, and set us from from all that imprisons us. This song promises that our blinded eyes will be open to the hope that is right there before us, of those who have been tripped up by the indifference of the world being picked up and dusted off, of strangers who have that best Friend imaginable, of orphans who find their home, of those who find that love they thought had died away.
Perhaps we need to stop wanting to freeze Jesus in a particular moment of time and pray that he grows up (and fast!) so he will be with us in all the moments of our lives.
Praise the LORD!
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD
their God,
who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in
them;
who keeps faith forever;
who executes justice for
the oppressed;
who gives food to the
hungry.
The LORD sets the prisoners
free;
the LORD opens the eyes of
the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who
are bowed down;
the LORD loves the
righteous.
The LORD watches over the
strangers;
he upholds the orphan and
the widow,
but the way of the wicked
he brings to ruin.
The LORD will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, for all
generations.
Praise the LORD!
They stand there, all dressed up in their best clothes, hair neatly combed, faces scrubbed, all ready to participate in the schools Christmas program; snuggled under the covers, their faces unlined with worry or fears, their breath gently stirring the room; seated at the table, their eyes wide with wonder and joy as the holiday feast is brought into the room - there are those moments when we gaze at our children or grandchildren and silently whisper to ourselves, 'this moment! Let them stay like they are in this moment. I wish they didn't have to grow up to face the world as it really is.'
That's the way, all too often, we want to treat Jesus. Let him stay just as he is in that pageant moment - small, helpless, innocent, adorable, so cuddly. Let him stay just as he looks on all the cards we get in this holiest of seasons, that halo of light surrounding his beauty. Let him stay there in that manger in that barn (cleaned up and sanitized, of course) where we will always be able to find him.
But the psalmist reminds us of that One who grows up to make sure the oppressed have that burden lifted off their lives, and to keep the food pantries stocked for the hungry. We are told of the baby who will pick the locks of the cells, and set us from from all that imprisons us. This song promises that our blinded eyes will be open to the hope that is right there before us, of those who have been tripped up by the indifference of the world being picked up and dusted off, of strangers who have that best Friend imaginable, of orphans who find their home, of those who find that love they thought had died away.
Perhaps we need to stop wanting to freeze Jesus in a particular moment of time and pray that he grows up (and fast!) so he will be with us in all the moments of our lives.
Praise the LORD!
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
Monday, December 05, 2011
First Monday of Advent
I waited patiently for the LORD;
he inclined to me and heard my
cry;
He drew my p from the desolate
pit,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the LORD.
(Psalm 40:1-3)
While you are at the stores this season, watch. Take note of the people: some are tapping their feet, wishing the person in front of them would stop asking so many questions of the clerk; others are looking at their mobile phones, wondering how much longer it will take to buy the items in their cart. Some are shuffling along, burdened by the trappings of the culture, all the wrappings of the season; others are simply muttering under their breath (and it's probably not carols!)
Now, while you are standing line, wait. Wait for the One who gently nudges your feet, until you are set on that solid rock of grace; wait for the One who puts the detour sign up, so you have to turn down the path of patience; wait for the One who takes all those muttered imprecations, and rewrites them as songs of hope and comfort.
And while you are waiting, listen. Listen for the One who can open our ears to the carols children sing as they make snow angels; listen for that angel who is asking you (yes, you!) to become the handmaiden of God's love to the world; listen to the faltering memories of the person sitting out in the hall of the nursing home; listen to the echos of joy which were placed in your heart as a child, which you have buried deep in that place you rarely visit.
Watch, wait, listen - for there is One who has watched over you forever, who listens to your every sigh, and who can no longer wait to be with you.
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
First Sunday of Advent
boots (Isaiah 64:1-9)
so shiny you can see
your glory in them
as you pull them on,
the perfect accoutrement
to your beribboned uniform
with medals from the Roman,
Babylonian, Egyptian campaigns,
your two-edged sword grasped
tightly in your hand . . .
. . .so tear open the heavens
and come storming down, to plant
those boots precisely
where we are convinced they
are needed;
but instead, once again,
(to our embarrassment? disgust?)
you pull on your waders,
towing that rowboat behind you,
picking up all those folks
left behind when the
stock market dams burst
open;
you take your wellies
out of the mudroom,
heading out to the barn
to feed all those
we forget in our frenzied
gorging on more,
mucking out the floors
of our hearts to make room
for the little One;
your faded and scuffed slippers
fit comfortably around your
feet,
as you get up and put
the kettle on,
putting a plate
of cookies on the table,
pointing us to the chair,
whispering,
'why don't you sit
down and tell me
all about it?'
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
so shiny you can see
your glory in them
as you pull them on,
the perfect accoutrement
to your beribboned uniform
with medals from the Roman,
Babylonian, Egyptian campaigns,
your two-edged sword grasped
tightly in your hand . . .
. . .so tear open the heavens
and come storming down, to plant
those boots precisely
where we are convinced they
are needed;
but instead, once again,
(to our embarrassment? disgust?)
you pull on your waders,
towing that rowboat behind you,
picking up all those folks
left behind when the
stock market dams burst
open;
you take your wellies
out of the mudroom,
heading out to the barn
to feed all those
we forget in our frenzied
gorging on more,
mucking out the floors
of our hearts to make room
for the little One;
your faded and scuffed slippers
fit comfortably around your
feet,
as you get up and put
the kettle on,
putting a plate
of cookies on the table,
pointing us to the chair,
whispering,
'why don't you sit
down and tell me
all about it?'
(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman
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