Tuesday, June 30, 2020

day 183


“For he has delivered me
         from every trouble,
   and my eye has looked in
         triumph on my
         enemies.”  Psalm 54:7

running down the street,
the bullies Worry and Fear
close at my heels, i
run faith first into you,
and you scoop me up
in your arms, like a little
child, and as we head
down the street to the
ice cream parlor, i look
back over your shoulder
at my tormentors,
and
give them a big wink

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

Monday, June 29, 2020

day 182


“Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.”
Matthew 21:12

oh, how we love this story!
it justifies all our hubris
and self- justification to
get all bent out of shape
at whoever we think has
a grip on us (but only does
because we let them),
but
do you laugh or cry
when we fail to realize
that we are not you
in this story,
but the money changers?

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman


Sunday, June 28, 2020

day 181


“She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are set free from your ailment.’”  Luke 13:11b-12

we could lift the grudges
others carry around,
we could take off all
the prejudices we
lay upon another’s life,
we could surround them
with our arms and straighten
them up with our love, but
we just can’t keep
from piling on other people.

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 180


“If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’”  Matthew 21:3a 

when you wear a mask
and someone gives
you grief about it,
tell them it is what
Jesus needs you to do.
when people mock you
for standing 6 feet
(or more) from others,
remind them it is what
Jesus hopes we will do.
if people think you are silly
to care so much about
others instead of your
‘rights’, simply ask them
if they think Jesus needs
them to be so callous

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman



Friday, June 26, 2020

day 179


“Jesus stood still and called them, saying, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’  They said to him, ‘lord, let our eyes be opened.’”  Matthew 20:32-33

we should be very,
very careful for
Jesus might just
open our eyes
to all those around us
so that instead of
looking inward, we
see all the vulnerable
and know we need
to ask them,
‘what can we do for you?’

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

Thursday, June 25, 2020

day 178

"Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God."  Romans 5:1-2

we are so convinced
that we have placed
the most secure firewall
protection around our
bitter and angry hearts
so that they cannot be
hacked and transformed,
but when asked for the
password,
God simply types
g-r-a-c-e
and is in

(c) 2020 Thom M. Shuman

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

day 177

"There are many who say
         "O that we might see
         some good!
   Let the light of your face
         shine on us, O LORD!"  Psalm 4:6

we spend so much
time longing to see
goodness around us,
that we miss the chalk
art by the kids,
the folks sewing masks
for all their neighbors,
the teachers who are
figuring out how to connect
with their kids in these times
of distancing rules . . .

. . . and your face
beaming in delight

(c) 2020 Thom M. Shuman

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

day 176


“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’”  Matthew 19:23-24

the good news
(of course) is that
when you say “rich”
you mean all those folks
who have so much
more than we do,
even though we have
far more than most
folk

right???

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

Monday, June 22, 2020

day 175


“they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” Romans 3:24

we keep thinking
(foolishly, but we still
keep thinking) that
the more letters we
put after our names,
the more bars we
add to our robes,
the more awards and
photos with bigshots
we nail to our walls,
we prove how special
we are to you, Lord, but
you simply want us to
help a young child learn
her letters, for us
to clean out our closets
for those who wear
threadbare garments,
to notice the lives of those
little ones to whom no one
pays any attention

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

Sunday, June 21, 2020

day 174


“The whole assembly kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told of all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles.” Acts 15:12

sometimes,
the wisest choice
we can make is
to close our mouths,
fold our hands,
open our hearts
and listen to those
who are usually
not heard from, so
we can learn of
your grace, your hope,
your justice, your peace
from those we normally
ignore

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman


Saturday, June 20, 2020

day 173


“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
    your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
    Do not forsake the work of your hands.” Psalm 138:8

while we are
so busy wondering
where God is
in this situation, or
why isn’t God doing
something about that issue,
maybe God is saying to us,
‘either join in the
messy work of love,
hope, justice, and grace—
or get out of the way’

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

Friday, June 19, 2020

day 172


"I pour out my complaint
         before him; 
   I tell my trouble before
         him." Psalm 142:2

you take off your
coat, hang it up,
straighten up the desk,
putting yesterday's files
in the bottom drawer.
pouring yourself a cup
of tea, with extra sugar,
you set it on the coaster,
then go open the door
with 'Complaints' written
on the front, you invite us
in to have a chat

(c) 2020 Thom M. Shuman

Thursday, June 18, 2020

day 171


“What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?” Romans 18:12

when we whine
that you should be
paying more attention
to those of us who are
safe, privileged, healthy,
we show we are more
utilitarians
than we are
people of your name,
Jesus, who is always
searching for the lost
(because we stubbornly
refuse to look)

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

day 170


“Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? Romans 2:4

when everyone else
wants us to pass a test,
memorize a bazillion
verses,
tear our clothes
and rend our souls,
you simply put
your shawl of kindness
around our shoulders,
take us by the hand,
and together
we walk home.

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

day 169

"How good and pleasant it is
   when kindred live together in unity!" Psalm 133:1

we believe it
to be good,
we know it 
to be good,
we trust it
to be good,
but when it
comes to living
as one with others,
we just end up
doing it so
badly

(c) 2020 Thom M. Shuman

Monday, June 15, 2020

day 168


“He said to them, ‘Because of your little faith.  For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.’” Matthew 17:20

convinced
whatever we need
to do or believe or say
when it comes to life
requires a barrel full of faith
(or at least a cup),
we stay at the foot
of the mountain
waiting
for you to do something

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

Sunday, June 14, 2020

day 167


“The Lord bless you
   and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you,
   and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you,
   and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26

when we curse folk
instead of blessing,
when we are not willing
to don a mask
as an act of grace,
when we turn our back
on those around us
and offer them pain,
we are offering
the
ironic blessing

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 166


“Lord, you have been our dwelling place
    in all generations.”  Psalm 90:1

when we needed
a heart, you broke
yours for us,
when we needed
a place to rest, you
slept on the floor,
giving us the big
soft feather bed,
when we needed
grace, you decanted
the best year and
poured us a cup,
when we need
anything,
you give us everything

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

Friday, June 12, 2020

day 165


"Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2

we have learned something
about burdens these months,
the weariness of each day,
that big heavy rock called loneliness,
the oppressive breath of fears,
the struggle to just get out of bed,
yet
as you have sent those
family members, neighbors,
strangers, to shoulder
the burdens, the weight with us,
make us willing
to yoke ourselves
to those around us

(c) 2020 Thom M. Shuman

Thursday, June 11, 2020

day 164


"By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Galatians 5:22-23

far too often,
we let the fruit 
sit out on the table
or on the kitchen counter,
until it turns all sorts of shades,
wrinkles and shrinks, and
begins to smell just
bad enough that we have
to toss it in the bin, 
hoping we will do a
better job with the 
next batch you deliver

(c) 2020 Thom M. Shuman

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

day 163


“For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”  Galatians 5:1

Jesus comes, eager
to grease the shackles
of stupidity,
of political idolatry,
of economic confinement,
even theological rigidity
and religious polity, and
all we need to do
is pull loose our souls
and live in
freedom

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman


Tuesday, June 09, 2020

day 162


“The disciples said to him, ‘Where are we to get enough bread in the desert to feed so great a crowd?’ Jesus asked them, ‘How many loaves have you?’ They said, ‘Seven, and a few small fish.’”  Matthew 15:33-34

we keep waiting for
just the right moment,
the right amount of
whatever is needed,
the right people to serve,
the right conditions to speak
and
you keep nudging us,
“what you have
(right now),
who you are
(right now)
the situation
(right now)
is more than enough,
get on with feeding
hope
grace
justice
life

right now”

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

Monday, June 08, 2020

day 161

“Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.”  Matthew 15:28

if
even Jesus
can have the prejudices,
the attitudes towards
someone changed by
their faith, their witness,
their protest,
why
in the world do we think
it is okay to keep dragging
our feet

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman       

Sunday, June 07, 2020

trinity sunday


“I had heard of you by the
         hearing of the ear,
   but now my eye sees you;” Job 2:5

i have taken
all the courses,
read the books,
aced the exams, but
do i see you
in the little girl
hugging the kitten,
in the paper-thin hands
cradling their loved
one in hospice,
in the forgotten who
simply asking that
someone
anyone
notice them as
being made in your image
just like us

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman



eve of trinity sunday


“Lord, you have been our dwelling place
    in all generations.” Psalm 90:1

we try to turn
y’all
into a mystery
trapped in an enigma
to be put together
like a puzzle with missing pieces,
but
you
are the dad creating
recipes from dwindling pantries,
the sister showing
us how to repair a car,
the teacher preparing
for (however) next year
might appear

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman





Saturday, June 06, 2020

day 158


For the sake of my relatives and friends
    I will say, ‘Peace be within you.’”  Psalm 122:8

for our sisters and brothers
who are overlooked,
for our neighborhoods
in need of healing,
for grieving hearts
which need grace,
for all who long for
justice, for hope, for kindness:

peace!

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman