day 184

day 184

“Hear my prayer, O God;
    give ear to the words of my mouth.” Psalm 54:2

i wet my lips

and people get nervous,

i open my mouth

and they begin to

move away,

i start to speak

and they put their

fingers in their ears,

but you,

you edge closer

and closer

to catch every syllable

i utter

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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