Prayer Now

Stop.

Close your eyes and quiet your mind. Take some deep breaths. As you breathe in say, “Spirit of God.” As you breathe out say, “Intercede for me.” Repeat as many times as you need.

Listen.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. – Romans 8:26-27

Reflect.

Each Sunday in worship, we’re talking about different elements of our worship services and what they mean for our life and faith. We consider how we might renew them in our current context and how they might renew us in what we believe and how we understand God at work among us. This coming Sunday, we’ll talk about prayer. Of all the faith acts, I regularly encounter the most confusion, anxiety, and guilt around prayer. 

It can become a vicious cycle. We feel uninformed or ill-prepared to be in God’s presence through prayer. We avoid it because we feel unworthy or unable. Our lack of prayer leaves us feeling more inexperienced and guilty. The worse we feel, the less we pray, the worse we feel – and the cycle continues on. 

While we’re talking about prayer in worship for our summer series, talking about prayer means addressing corporate (group) prayer, personal prayer, prayer habits, intercessional prayer, and everything in between. But we can’t talk about any of that until we remember that we are always welcome to pray. God invites us into the intimacy of prayer regardless of who we are, what we know, how often we pray, or if we even know what we’re saying. The much-quoted verse from Romans reminds us that in prayer, it’s not even about us – the Spirit takes what we say and makes it what it needs to be. 

As we talk about why we pray in worship and what prayer means for our faith lives, I hope you’ll also take this insight to heart. You’re ready to pray right now. You don’t have to worry if you’re doing it right. There is no right way to pray. There is only direct connection between you and the God who loves you. There is only the will of God and the work of the church. There is only this moment, right now, when God welcomes you exactly as you are.

Pray.

God, I confess that I don’t always know how to pray, what to say, or if you’re listening. Today, I commit to answer your invitation to pray. Send your Spirit to give me the words I need and the space to listen. I praise you for this gift. Amen.

Carry On.

New habits work well when paired with other habits. If you want to pray more regularly, can you add a prayer to some other part of your day? Can you put words for a prayer on your mirror to pray when you brush your teeth? Can you keep a prayer list and put it by your computer so you start your work day with prayer? Try something new this week.

Power

Stop.

Close your eyes and breathe. As you breathe in, say “I honor my God.” As you breathe out, say “I honor all people.” Repeat as many times as you need.

Listen.

As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil. Honor everyone. Love the family of believers. Fear God. Honor the emperor. – 2 Peter 2:16-17

Reflect.

Earlier this week, we talked about how the book of Romans gives one example of a text that can be misused if people want to overemphasize obedience to earthly rulers. This passage from 2 Peter is another one. Remember as well that in this time, kings and emperors were considered appointed by a god. After all, who could argue that the man with the most power in the known world had anyone other than a deity on his side?  

Throughout history, we learn more about the nuances of who has power and why. We know that those in power aren’t always altruistic, are often concerned more with consolidating power than serving the people, and that faithful believers might actually find cause to protest and rise up when leaders serve out-of-keeping with morality and ethics. However, we also know that governments can provide protection, care, and freedom for people and can truly do God’s work. 

So which is it? If 2 Peter tells us to “Fear God. Honor the emperor,” what does a Christian do when she suspects she can’t do both? 

Tomorrow, our country celebrates Independence Day. We recognize that this country, which we treasure especially for its freedoms, came into being because of rebellion, disobedience, and war. We recognize the complex nature of a country which, at its inception, declared that all men were created equal – but denied rights to men who weren’t white or native-born or to women. We recognize that our faith calls us to serve God alone, but that we must also be obedient to the laws of our land, but even worse, that sometimes we can’t do both. 

One of the most helpful things about this short little verse is the instruction, “Live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil.” We know we are free, not merely because of our nationality, but because of our faith in the God who sent Jesus Christ to save all people. Because we are free, we will never, ever abuse our power. We will seek only to ensure the freedom of others, even if they don’t share our faith or nationality. We must never use our faith as an excuse to hurt or oppress others. While our faith and our fealty might sometimes come in conflict, when we return to the command to never do evil and to always love and serve, we begin to find our way. 

May this Fourth of July give you space to love, serve, and seek freedom for all in God’s name so that you, servant of God, might be truly free.

Pray.

I thank you, God, for this country and the people in it you have sent me to serve. Keep me obedient to you so I won’t be tempted to misuse the power and freedom you have granted me. Bless this country, its leaders, and all who serve that together we would make your love known. Amen.

Carry On.

How will you celebrate the Fourth of July this year? How can you make it an expression of your religious faith as well?

Authority

Stop.

Close your eyes and breathe. As you breathe in, say “I obey God.” As you breathe out, say “I remain faithful.” Repeat as many times as you need.

Listen.

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God… For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval. – Romans 13:1, 3

Reflect.

The Bible is a collection of books, letters, poems, and histories covering thousands of years. While they all reveal God to us, they also reflect particular times and situations. Sometimes, when we misread these backgrounds, we are tempted to painfully misuse the text. We read what we want to hear into a passage that was meant for a very different situation. It doesn’t mean that the passage doesn’t have something to say to us now. It just means we must consider what’s going on in the passage and what we know about God’s action in the world in order to answer truthfully: am I listening for what God is up to here and now, or am I making God agree with what I already think? 

Romans 13 is one such passage. In it, the Apostle Paul encourages the church in Rome to be obedient to its political rulers. Knowing that ancient Rome was not typically kind to Christians, this might be a difficult thing to understand. But Paul is trying to protect this early church. He recognizes that the church would absolutely be destroyed if they fought against the powers of Rome. Instead, he hopes that by being good citizens, the Christians can avoid persecution and perhaps even bear witness to their faithfulness. 

You don’t have to look far to understand how this passage can get misused. Tyrants and dictators of all stripes have looked to passages just like this one to confirm what they already believe: that contradicting them means contradicting God. Even the Lutheran church in Nazi Germany mostly capitulated, pointing to texts just like this one to shore up their heresy. Still today, any time someone wants to saint their governing officials, a text like Romans 13 comes up. 

A good test is this: when another political party or ideology comes to power, does this passage still feel true? Or are you more likely to point to stories of God’s people overthrowing oppressors or having no lord but God when you disagree with the political persuasion in power? Then it’s possible you’re prooftexting, which is a way of reading scripture that means you find texts that already confirm what you believe, giving textual proof of your already-held position. 

As we approach Independence Day, we must always be cautious not to seek out in the Bible what we’re already inclined to believe about our country and its leaders. Challenge yourself to find both promise and reproof, consolation and confrontation, argument and agreement in Biblical texts. As Christians living in a free country, we will always live in the tension of who we obey and why. Together, as a faithful community, we hold each other accountable to hearing the many ways God is at work.

Pray.

God, I confess to you all the times I make your word agree with what I already think. Challenge me, God. Show me things that make me wonder and question. Strengthen me to serve both you and my country with faithfulness, honesty, and compassion, because no matter who is in power, you are God. Amen.

Carry On.

Find someone you can safely have a serious conversation with and discuss where an American Christian’s loyalties should be. How do you explain faithful Christians having differing political opinions?

Freedom

Stop.

Close your eyes and breathe. As you breathe in, say “I am free.” As you breathe out, say “I serve all.” Repeat as many times as you need.

Listen.

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” – Galatians 5:13-14

Reflect.

In his hallmark writing “Freedom of a Christian”, Martin Luther famously declared that “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.” He explained that in Jesus Christ, we are made completely free and serve no law, no master. However, because we know Jesus Christ, we likewise know that we’re bound in love to serve God and neighbor faithfully and constantly in all that we do. 

In other words, we’re completely free – but we are freed for not freed from. It’s not about being freed from laws and expectations. It’s about knowing that because we are truly free, we can love and serve our neighbor and our God without any fear or obligation. In our freedom, we serve. 

This week, Americans prepare to celebrate their Independence Day. Since the beginning of this nation, people have debated what our freedom really is and what it really means. Does it mean we can say whatever we like who whomever we don’t like? Does it mean we act only in our self-interest? Does it mean we owe nothing to the state, the community, our neighbors? Especially when that American is a Christian, how are we to understand competing demands on our loyalty? 

These things deserve all of our attention as we approach the Fourth of July. We would do well to start with Luther’s reflection. While we are truly free in Christ, and know that we answer to no one but our Creator, that freedom releases us to truly love and care for others selflessly. We put our faith first and act in freedom, not for our own sakes, but for the sake of our neighbor who needs us.

Pray.

God, I thank you for this country and its freedoms. Hold me accountable to all who call this place home. Send me out in service and compassion so I can use my freedom to ensure all are truly free in Christ’s name. Amen.

Carry On.

Look up the lyrics to popular patriotic songs and hymns. What themes do you notice? What do they say about what we believe about this country? Our faith? Serving others? Which do you like best? Which lyrics would you change?

Songs of Lament

Stop.

Close your eyes. Breathe in and say, “Even in my struggles.” Breathe out and say, “You are with me, God.” Repeat as many times as you need.

Listen.

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me. – Psalm 13:1, 6

Reflect.

In 1986, the now-eminent Old Testament theologian Walter Brueggemann wrote an article called “The Costly Loss of Lament”. In it, he argues that a community of faith loses out when it doesn’t express lament together. When we remove the songs of lament from our worship, from  lament psalms to songs of lament to expressions of grief, we distance ourselves from expectations of God’s action in our lives and the need to act for justice in our communities. When we don’t lament, we lose. 

Indeed, many churches do not include psalms, hymns, or songs of lament in their worship. We offer upbeat songs, wanting people to feel good about church, thereby setting the expectation that worship is something we do to feel better about ourselves and the world. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. The more we avoid lament, the more we create the expectation that we avoid lament. 

However, worship isn’t about feeling good – it’s about telling the truth. Sometimes the truth is that life is hard, events are scary, and justice is hard to find. When we leave these realities out of our worship, we stop telling the truth. Most notably, we fail to tell the truth that God can do something about these struggles and that our suffering matters to God. 

In the psalms, some of the worship songs were songs of lament. They expressed personal and community pain and frustration. These songs were worth singing, not because they made people feel good, but because they let people feel exactly what they were feeling. They claimed those feelings as a worthwhile expression of faith. These songs expressed truths about who God is, what God can do, and that we need God most of all in hard times. 

Consider that all songs – even and especially the sad ones – give us a chance to raise our voices to God and claim the fullness of our lives as an opportunity to express faith.

Pray.

God, I don’t always feel happy, excited, joyful, or full of praise. Thank you for giving me space to bring these emotions and needs to you. As I join with the whole community, help me to support others in their grief, happiness, fear, or hope. Amen.

Carry On.

Read the rest of Psalm 13. How does it feel? What parts of your life connect with this psalm? Is there someone in your life this week who needs this psalm to give voice to their struggle or hurt?

Worship Songs

Stop.

Close your eyes and think of the incredible things God has done in your life. How do they make you feel? What song comes to mind as you think about God’s power in your life?

Listen.

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider he has thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my might, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” – Exodus 15:1-2

Reflect.

Singing has always been part of how believers worship and praise our God. Sometimes it’s planned and choreographed, as we often see in psalms. Sometimes it’s spontaneous and organic, like in this passage from Exodus. In this part of the story, God’s people have just been freed from slavery and cannot help but rejoice and sing to God, celebrating God’s actions, and praising God for these powerful acts.  

It’s possible you’re a more creative person than I am, but I’m going to guess you don’t make up a lot of songs on the spot. That’s okay! Your ability to praise, sing, and rejoice in what God does doesn’t have to be any less authentic and jubilant. If it feels meaningful to your faith and life to have something that can be your go-to song, you can try memorizing something. 

It can be surprisingly meaningful to have a few favorite worship songs ready in your head. Whether it’s something that expresses hope and joy, sadness and lament, or celebration and praise, it feels good to have something to sing. Even if you’re not much of a singer, these songs can act like devotions or meditations, helping you to center your life in praise and trust, bringing you always back to what God has done for you and all people.  

Whether they are your words or someone else’s, try having something to which you can always return. You’ll never be without a way to connect what’s happening in your life with a voice raised to your Creator.

Pray.

I thank you, God, for the gift of music and those who create it. May these songs speak to my heart so that everything I do and say can remain centered in your story of mercy and love. Amen.

Carry On.

Having a few things memorized can be a useful tool in your faith life. If it’s not a hymn or praise song, what about a Bible verse, prayer, or quote? How might you use them daily and weekly to help you stay centered in your faith?

Worship Music?

Stop.

Close your eyes and think of a worship service. What instruments are being played? What kind of music are you singing? What if the music was a different style? How would you still know it was worship?

Listen. 

Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody. With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord. – Psalm 98:5-6

Reflect. 

Each Sunday in worship, we’re talking about different elements of our worship services and what they mean for our life and faith. We consider how we might renew them in our current context and how they might renew us in what we believe and how we understand God at work among us. This coming Sunday, we’ll talk about music. Music is one of the most central, consistent parts of a Lutheran worship service – and one of the most contentious. 

If you haven’t heard of worship wars, consider yourself very fortunate. For years – indeed, for the entirety of the life of the Christian faith – believers have fought with each other about what kind of music was most godly and appropriate. Could it only be in Latin? Could instruments be used? Was organ music appropriate? Or guitars? Or drums? Should we sing hymns? Should they only be hymns from before 1900? Before 1500? Do we need to put the musical score in the song sheets or hymnals? Should songs have a repetitive melody to make them more accessible? Should they have a challenging melody to make them more respectable? Should it sound like what’s on the radio? 

If one of these suggestions made you cringe, it’s possible you’ve got a strong sense of what worship music should sound like. That’s okay. But we must each always remember that worship looks, sounds, and acts different in different places, services, and cultures. It always has. 

One of the things I love about the psalms is how they recognize the variety of musical instruments and styles in worship. Trumpets! Lyres! Melody! Plain old joyful noises! Worship doesn’t necessarily have to look or sound one way. What matters most is that it brings us together as a community, reminds us we’re in the presence of the one true God, gives us space for expression and reflection, and gives us courage to go back out into the world. For different people, at different times, in different gatherings, that will look different. And it should. God is present in all of it.

Pray. 

God, I thank you for the freedom to praise you openly, joyfully, earnestly, and meaningfully. May my worship always express my devotion to you. Challenge me to unite with all fellow Christians in worship, even when our music or format couldn’t be more different. I praise you for this variety. Amen.

Carry On. 

Try out a different worship style! It’s never been easier with so many churches still worshiping online in some form. Try even just listening to one song that isn’t your preferred style. What do you like about it? How did it feel like worship to you?

Revealing Scripture

Stop.

Light a candle. Take moment and quietly reflect on its flame. Breathe in and say, “Your light, God.” Breathe out and say, “Guide my path.” Repeat as often as you need.

Listen.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to observe your righteous ordinances. – Psalm 119:105-106

Reflect.

It’s easy to focus on reading the Bible more so you can know more about the Bible. Memorizing verses, remembering major people and places, keeping track of the history, understanding the references – sometimes, we get focused on knowing these things as an end in themselves. It’s easy to forget that the Bible is not God. We don’t worship the Bible. The Bible reveals the God we worship to us. We read the Bible more so we can better understand and engage with the God at work in the world. 

The Psalmist refers to God’s word as a light that guides him through life. It’s not a way to gain knowledge and control, or to have moral superiority, or to be seen as better and more powerful. It’s a way to enlighten us and show us what God is up to. When we see what God is doing, we can come alongside God in that holy work. 

It’s true that we might see and hear God at work in our lives in many ways. However, we know we can see and hear God at work in the scriptures. God’s word is a reliable, trustworthy place to hear what God has done before and what God promises to do again in our lives. With that light of truth on our paths, we can trust that no matter what happens, we go with God. 

As you grow in your study of scripture, don’t mark your success by how many more facts and details you know. Go ahead and celebrate them as a way to indicate your growing confidence in engaging God’s word. But notice that your real growth comes in seeing God at work in your life. Because you’ve taken the time and effort to engage God’s word, you have peace as you walk through your life and listen for where God leads you.

Pray.

God, your word lights my way. Draw me deeper into your scriptures so I can carry them with me in my heart and mind. Enlightened by your good news, call me out into your good world for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Carry On.

Try picking a different psalm to read each week. Pick any psalm! Read it each day of the week and let its words inform your decisions and actions throughout the day. How does it change the way you think about God’s action in your life?

Surprising Scripture

Stop.

Think about one time a Bible verse surprised you. What did you learn from it? What resources did you wish you had to understand it better?

Listen.

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. – 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Reflect.

Okay, I’ll admit it: the Bible can be intimidating. It seems like anything you learn just points you to more things you need to learn. We’ve all been in a class or study where we thought we had things right, only to have someone else hit us with a, “Well, actually…” and make us feel absolutely worthless in our knowledge of scripture. Rather than being motivated, we’re intimidated. Yes, it even happens to pastors. 

I want to take that fear and shame away from you. Trust me, no matter how much you learn about the Bible, you’ll always find more to learn. Yes, that’s even true for pastors. Instead of focusing on how much you know, consider why you’re learning. 

In 2 Timothy, we hear three truths about why it’s vital to keep coming back to scripture and learning more. First: “All scripture is inspired by God.” In other words, everything we read in scripture is a true reflection of God’s action in the world. That doesn’t have to mean that what you’re reading is infallible. It simply means that God is at work in the words of the Bible. The more we read and interact with it, the more we learn about God, God’s action in the world, and what faith means for us. 

Second, we hear that the Bible is good for teaching, training, and redirecting. Learning about the Bible isn’t just for personal superiority. It’s for life. It’s for being a community in conversation and accountability. It’s for discerning what God wants of us individually and as a congregation. It’s for growing in faith constantly, a work that never ends.  

And finally, we keep coming back to scripture and learning more because it is for everyone. It is so that all believers might learn more and do more to God’s glory. The Bible isn’t just for scholars – it’s for all of us. Especially you.

Pray.

Fill me with the love of your word, God. Grant me confidence as I read and engage the scripture.  Help me to grow in learning so I might grow in acts of service and words of praise to the glory of your Son. Amen.

Carry On.

Can you find three resources that will help you answer questions about the Bible? Ask your friends or a church leader what they use. Do some research on your own.

Reading Scripture

Stop.

What’s your favorite Bible verse? Why? What memories do you have of that verse?

Listen. 

This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful. – Joshua 1:8

Reflect. 

This summer, our worship series is called “Renewing Worship”. We’re considering all the ways that we are renewed by what we do in worship – and for that matter, why we do what we do in worship. As we make the transition to a renewed worship life at Easter Lutheran Church, we can learn more about what worship is and how to make it have the biggest possible effect on our faith lives.

On Sunday, we’ll talk about reading scripture in worship. It’s one element of worship that’s most common across denominations and worship styles. Whether you find scripture in the sermon, the liturgy, in a hymn, or simply being read, the Bible plays a major role in our rhythm of weekly worship. This week, our devotions will focus on what scripture says about itself – in other words, how does the Bible help us understand the place of the Bible in our worship and faith? 

In the reading you’ll hear in worship on Sunday, Joshua 1, God gives the people clear instructions. They’re about to enter the land God promised them for the first time. God tells them the boundaries not only of the geographic area but of the way they should behave. Most importantly, they’re to keep the law of Moses close on their minds and hearts. It’s not something they see or hear sometimes, but all the time. Their success as God’s people depends on it. 

When we center ourselves in God’s word, hearing what God has done and being reminded of God’s promises, when we share those words with each other and repeat them to ourselves, we can only gain. We receive hope, encouragement, challenge, and a basis for our community. Whenever you can, however you can, center yourself in the words of scripture.

Pray. 

God, your word is holy and a joy in my life. Keep my heart and mind centered in your scripture. Give me wisdom to understand it, devotion to return to it, and renewal to rejoice in it, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Carry On. 

Don’t just think about your own favorite verses – ask others about their favorites! Ask them why it’s important to them. Engage them in the stories of their favorite verses. Try memorizing those verses, too.

Worship!

Stop.

As you breathe in, say: “God, you are my God.” As you exhale, say: “God, you alone.” Repeat as many times as you need.

Listen.

O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! – Psalm 95:6

Reflect.

Starting this week, our Sunday services will be about all the elements of worship and what makes them so important to our faith and life. While there may indeed be different worship styles, and not all services will always have all the same pieces, the pieces nonetheless point us back to our God who is the center of our lives.  

When we say that God is the center of our lives, it means that God is most important and valuable, most life-giving and holy. But it also means one other thing: God is God, and you are not. You can’t worship yourself. God isn’t you. God is something other entirely. 

I can hear you now: “Um, Pastor Megan, isn’t that obvious?” Unfortunately, no, it isn’t. If we’re going to talk about how worship rightly orients us to a God who is greater than all things, then that means worship points out to us that God is greater than us, because we are not God. 

It’s an easy mistake to make. None of us can really think or see past our own experiences so we start to assume our perspective is definitive. My way must be the best way. Better yet: my way must be God’s preferred way. It’s a small step from that to confusing our own likes and dislikes, opinions and insights, desires and disappointments are the same as God’s. It’s an even smaller step from that to thinking God and I are essentially the same. 

In worship, we encounter something mysterious, big, other, unknowable. We praise a God we cannot fully know, will never predict, must not limit. In worship, we are surrounded by believers unlike us who hold us accountable to the variety of God’s work in the world and the ways we’re sometimes wrong. In worship, we kneel before our Maker, acknowledging that we are the creation, not the Creator.

Pray.

Reveal your power to me, God, so I can be reminded that you are God, not me. I praise you, I honor you, I worship you. It is an honor to be your beloved creation. Amen.

Carry On.

Write yourself a note: “God is God. I am not.” Put it someplace you’ll see it each day. Reflect on what it means that God is your God, who can be trusted, who isn’t you. How does that change your day?

Worship?

Stop.

As you breathe in, say: “God, you first.” As you exhale, say: “God, you always.” Repeat as many times as you need.

Listen.

For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. – Psalm 95:3

Reflect.

It’s hard to talk about what worship is without talking about what worship is for. All summer, we’ll be talking about the different pieces of worship and what they mean for our faith and life. But it’s always good to back that up even further. These pieces of worship – confession, prayer, music, communion, sermons, scripture, and more – they mean something in worship because they help us center us in the truth that God always comes first. 

In Psalm 95, it can be troubling to hear God exalted as a king above all gods. After all, isn’t our God the only god? But when we think about how we live our lives, we realize it’s not entirely true. Humans always add to the list of that which is most important, first, most valuable, most powerful, a god. Maybe it’s money. Maybe it’s success. Maybe it’s your job, or your social status, or your political views, or any other thing that you center your life around. That to which you give your money, time, and attention is your god. 

In worship, we get a chance to reorient. We intentionally take time from our week to give focused worship to God and God only. We lift our voices to praise God. We bring ourselves before God and admit the ways we’ve messed up. We hear the stories of God’s people throughout history to remember what God has done and has promised to do. We share our money in our faith community, not only to support the church, but to show that even our money can be used to worship God first.  

When we remember that worship is for centering God as first and most valuable in our lives, we come to see that the pieces of a worship service help us do that in meaningful, powerful, accountable, community-centered ways – and it is good indeed.

Pray.

God, I repent of all the ways I’ve made other things in my life into gods. Take their power away. Guide me as I center my heart in you. Help me to use all you’ve given me for your service. Amen.

Carry On.

Look at your credit card statement and your calendar. Would anyone be able to tell what you believe based on those two documents? What’s one thing you can change this week to stay centered in God first?

Spirit of God

Stop.

As you breathe in, say: “Spirit of God, fill my heart.” As you exhale, say: “Spirit of God, I worship you.” Repeat as many times as you need.

Listen.

O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! – Psalm 95:1

Reflect.

The way we think of worship has changed in the past year and a half. Distancing, digital options, abbreviated services, and liturgy sung from our cars have all been part of our lives. Without the common refrain of “the way we’ve always done it”, what should worship even look like now? Knowing what’s possible (for better and for worse), what do we want to continue and what do we want to leave behind? 

Starting Sunday (June 6), our services will focus on the many elements of worship. Sermons, prayer, music, a creed, sacraments, confession and forgiveness – some of the parts of worship will be familiar to you, others less familiar, some completely unknown. All summer, we’ll go deeper into what these elements of worship mean for us as Christians, Lutherans, and worshipers at Easter. Together, this community can listen for what the Spirit is up to among us as we return to and reimagine worship post-pandemic. 

The first reading we’ll use in this sermon series come from Psalm 95. Many psalms are about worship as they were used for worship, whether personal or corporate. This verse reminds us of the important role of song in worship. It’s one thing I’ve missed greatly in worship experiences since singing first drew me into worship as a child. I’m looking forward to making some joyful noise together! 

Whether spoken or sung, together or alone, liturgical or spontaneous, choreographed or casual, we give thanks for worship’s place in our faith lives and pledge to think seriously about what it means for us today.

Pray.

I lift my voice to you, God – in prayer, in lament, in conversation, and in worship. Thank you for the opportunity to come to you. Make me wise and faithful in my worship, now and always. Amen.

Carry On.

What’s your earliest memory of Christian worship? Share that story with someone this week – and ask them the same question.

Fire or Dove?

Stop.

In church art, the Holy Spirit is often represented as fire or a dove. Reflect on how you’ve seen those images in worship or church life. How would you portray the Spirit?

Listen.

You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. – Romans 8:9a, 11

Reflect.

Tomorrow is Pentecost! Tomorrow, Christians around the world will celebrate that God sent the Spirit into our lives to guide us, teach us, and strengthen us for service. Because of this vibrant gift, we are never alone. We are constantly in God’s holy presence. We have what we need. 

The Holy Spirit can be overlooked in our tradition. We hear in the gospels about Jesus and his earthly ministry, giving us conversations and relationships that help us understand who he was for us. Throughout scripture, and especially in the Old Testament, we hear about revelations of God who created all things and guided the people. However, we never hear words quoted directly from the Holy Spirit. It is ephemeral, mysterious, hard to consider, and therefore, something that might be more difficult for us to consider in our faith. What could Pentecost mean for us? 

Maybe it’s enough to trust, as Paul writes in Romans, that the Spirit works through us. If God’s Spirit worked to bring Jesus from death to life – and the Spirit did! – then we can trust that the same Spirit brings us life, too.  

That gift of life will look different for everyone. Maybe that Spirit-born life guides you in your profession or relationships, calling you to service with and for others to God’s glory. Maybe that gift of life gives you the energy and endurance to face each day with compassion and grace for yourself and others. Maybe that gift of life is quite literal, sustaining your body through any suffering and granting wholeness. This is the Spirit’s work. It is real, it is present, and it is truly for you. 

When we celebrate Pentecost tomorrow, don’t let it be a recollection of an event from thousands of years ago. Let it be a reminder that that same Spirit which came to the disciples comes to you, today, tomorrow, and always.

Pray.

Spirit of life, be at work in me now. Grant me what I need. Challenge me to greater love and service. Inspire me to preach the gospel faithfully. Remind me of your constant presence. Fill me with gratitude for your enduring gift of everlasting life in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Carry On.

Try making some Holy Spirit art. Whether it’s a collage, sketch, poem, or photo, make some representation of what the Spirit means for your life. Keep it someplace where it can remind you of the Spirit’s gift of life.

Spirit at Work

Stop.

Take a few minutes to reflect on a time when you felt God’s guidance in a strong way. How did you experience God’s presence? Did you recognize it at the time? Why or why not?

Listen.

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him — the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord — and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. – Isaiah 11:2-4a

Reflect.

Faithful believers and church traditions have fought for generations about where the Holy Spirit comes from, how it originated, and if it pre-existed eternally with God the Father and God the Son. While it might seem like splitting hairs today, it has mattered enough in the life of the church that whole traditions have broken off and formed completely new expressions of faith based on it. 

Without unpacking that whole debate, it’s worth noting that the Spirit does not only get mentioned in the New Testament. The Old Testament also bears references to the Spirit at work in the world. For me, it’s just a reminder that the Triune God has been at work throughout history in creation, salvation, redemption, revelation, wisdom, and compassion.  

In this passage from Isaiah, Christians have often heard a reference to Jesus. However, it more likely refers to an idealized earthly ruler, something God’s people desperately hoped for in the time of Isaiah. In that light, we hear what kind of leader the people needed: someone full of God’s Spirit, made known in wisdom, strength, respect of God, righteousness, and justice. These gifts of the Holy Spirit could be at work in a person so that God’s will could work not only in an individual but in a whole nation.  

The Holy Spirit was at work not only on Pentecost, or in the life of the early Christian church. The Holy Spirit has been at work from the beginning of God’s creation. The Spirit works in your life, too. Sometimes it takes hindsight to recognize it. When you look back at your life, pay attention to those places where you truly felt God’s presence, received wisdom, had strength you didn’t know you had, were able to walk in faith, or could truly serve others with compassion. When we look for those moments, we begin to reflect on the Spirit’s action in our lives. When we can see them in hindsight, we become better at seeing them here and now.

Pray.

Holy Spirit, be at work in my life. Fill me with what I need: wisdom, strength, righteousness, justice, peace, and hope. Sharpen my vision to recognize you at work. Calm my heart to trust in your action. Send me into the world to preach in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Carry On.

Try keeping a journal where you write about times and places you felt God at work in your life. Let it guide you into recognizing where the Spirit is at work and how the Spirit might be leading you today.

The Holy Spirit

Stop.

Get a piece of paper and something to write with. Take five minutes and write or draw everything you can think of for the Holy Spirit. What is it, what does it do, and what does it mean for your life?

Listen.

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. – John 14:26-27

Reflect.

This coming Sunday, the 23rd, we celebrate the church festival of Pentecost. In the church, Easter is the highest holiday and Christmas Day comes second. Pentecost is in third place. On Pentecost, we celebrate the Holy Spirit coming to Jesus’ believers, just as Jesus promised, and that the Spirit continues to guide, inspire, and teach us today. 

Many believers can speak readily to the first two persons of the Trinity. God, traditionally known as the Father, is expression of God that is most associated with creation. God, traditionally known as the Son, came to live among us as Jesus Christ and save us from sin and death. But what about God the Spirit, sometimes called the Sanctifier? What is the Holy Spirit all about? 

One way to think about what the Spirit is and does comes from this passage in John 14. In this chapter, Jesus speaks to his disciples to comfort and prepare them for the end of his time with them on earth. He promises that “the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things”.  

The word translated in the NRSV translation of the Bible as “advocate” is parakletos, or Paraklete. The word typically has legal implications, as one who makes a case on behalf of another. The word can also be translated as helper or comforter. With this word choice, Jesus tells us more about what the Spirit is and will do. The Spirit will guide us, care for us, and continue to teach and guide us as Jesus did. The Spirit will continue to make the case for faith as well us teach us to make the case in our own lives.  

On Pentecost, the church celebrates the gift of this advocate, helper, and comforter. The fullness of God is made known in the church so that we can have God’s continued guidance and wisdom with us as we discern God’s will, preach God’s word, and live as Jesus has called us to live.

Pray.

Holy Spirt, come to us today. Comfort us in any fear or confusion. Help us as we make faithful decisions in our daily lives. Advocate for the faith, that your teaching would guide us as we share that same faith with the world. Amen.

Carry On.

Consider how you’ve heard the Holy Spirit talked about, whether in scripture, hymns, devotions, or faith conversations. What do you know about what the Spirit does? What would you like to learn more about? How will you learn those things?

Heaven?

Stop.

Close your eyes and quiet your mind. What do you think heaven is like? Reflect on this vision for a while. Let your breath center you in God’s gift of life now and in the life to come.

Listen.

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” – Revelation 7:9-10

Reflect.

While many think of the book of Revelation as something scary, threatening, mysterious, and impossible to read, Revelation mostly contains a promise of hope and protection from God through difficult times. Revelation bears a promise of a life to come where we can be in God’s presence and free from any sorrow or suffering. Yes, it uses some frightening and sometimes confusing imagery to do it. Still, the message remains: through anything we might endure, God will be present and call us home. 

Better yet, Revelation gets that the promise of life and hope isn’t for just one kind of people or a single nation. The final vision of joy in God’s presence requires the fullness of humanity. In fact, in this passage from chapter 7, there’s no mention of everyone suddenly looking the same or acting the same or even speaking the same language (even if they are all wearing white robes). All people are fully who God made them to be after living a life authentic to their culture or society. In the end, this diversity doesn’t disappear. It is part of the fullness of heaven. 

Why does this vision have to wait for the life to come? Churches are among the most segregated groups in America, sorted out by skin color, cultural background, socioeconomic status, and political stance. While we often want to feel most comfortable and understood in our places of worship, we must also understand that it’s not representative of all that God is up to in the world. We miss out on the fullness of God’s action when we only worship with people just like us. 

Perhaps we’ll never really realize this vision of a diverse worshiping body. It’s still worth it to reach out, build bridges, share stories, and continue to cry out together with a loud voice that salvation belongs to our God – no matter what language we cry out in.

Pray.

Bring us together with all your people, God. Join us with all races, cultures, languages, and nations. Make us partners with those who don’t look, act, speak, and believe like us. May our diversity bear witness to the fullness of your goodness here on earth and in heaven. Amen.

Carry On.

Consider again that image of heaven. What do you find most life-giving and beautiful about it? How can you make that possible in some small way right now? Today, commit yourself to one act this week that will live into this vision for the joy of heaven.

Be Yourself

Stop.

How would you describe your culture? What are your standards, taboos, values, behaviors, and assumptions? In what ways does your culture and its practices welcome or exclude others?

Listen.

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. – Romans 12:4-5

Reflect.

“Oh, Pastor, I wish I could be like you. You get to spend your whole day praying and reading scripture. I could never do that, but I wish I could.” 

I hear things like this a lot. Many people have expressed regret that they can’t be pastors, but with a nuance that has a more disheartened undertone. It’s not that these people wanted to be pastors – they love being teachers, bankers, technicians, and farmers. Instead, they have come to believe that being a pastor is somehow a superior profession. Pastors have the best jobs, but only some people can have it, so everyone else just has to make do. 

Don’t get me wrong: I love being a pastor. But I’m under no illusion that it’s the best job. It’s just one job of many that builds community, serves those in need, and does God’s work. Those things can also be true for teachers, bankers, technicians, and farmers. There is no subordinate in God’s kingdom. We all work together for the good of each other and the gospel. 

In Romans, Paul speaks to a similar sentiment. Some have given the idea that there are better positions in the community. Some are obviously of higher value and others of lower value. Paul speaks against that very clearly. While some body parts serve very important functions, all body parts work to keep a body functioning and healthy. In the body of Christ, we won’t all serve the same roles – and we shouldn’t. No matter the part we play, we work to keep the community functioning and healthy. 

The same applies to the full expression of humanity. We don’t all need to act one way – it would be like a knee trying to be an ear. It just doesn’t work like that. We all have different ways of functioning in the world. We all come from different cultures and practices. That is good and of God. Not one of us needs to try harder to be more like someone else. We need only work to be authentic to who God created us to be for the good of the community we’re in, the people around us, and the gospel we all serve.

Pray.

I thank you, God, for making all your people different and beautiful. Help me to better understand who and what you have made me to be. Grant me appreciation for the fullness of what you have made others to be. Let all your people work together in many ways for the good of your gospel. Amen.

Carry On.

What’s one way you can learn about another culture or ethnicity today? Can you watch a movie, read a book, see a lecture, or look at art that comes from another community, country, faith tradition, or era? How do you see God’s inspiration at work in it?

Tradition

Stop.

Consider the churches and places of worship from your life and history. Did people in those places look and act mostly like you? How has it felt to be in an unfamiliar place of worship? What did you learn about your faith when you worshiped someplace new or different? If you can’t answer these questions, find someone who can.

Listen.

Save us, Lord our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise. Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the Lord. – Psalm 106:47-48

Reflect.

In his sermon on Sunday, May 9, Pastor Steve reflected on chapter 2 of Galatians. He talked about the church and its expansion into Gentile (non-Jewish in ethnicity and practice) communities. As Jesus and his disciples were Jewish, that had been the limit to the faith in its earliest days. However, the Spirit made it clear that all were welcome into faith as more and more Gentiles came to faith.  

Some believers from Jewish culture didn’t think this could work. They insisted that Gentiles had to follow Jewish cultural and religious expectations, even if that might make it impossible for Gentiles to follow Jesus. As Pastor Steve said, they told the Gentiles, “You have to be like us to be considered a true disciple of Jesus”. 

The diversity of faith expression is as old as the insistence that you can only worship God one way. People of faith have constantly wondered who is welcome and how should we act. Unfortunately, our own tendency towards what is familiar and compatible often leads us to insist that others need to change to be part of our church. 

The Psalms regularly reflect on the praise of God coming from all nations. There’s no caveat that the nations have to become something they’re not to join in worship. While the Lord is the God of Israel, it’s not a limit to God’s love. God is for all people, God made all people as they are, and all faithful expressions of worship and praise are welcome in God’s house.

Pray.

Open my eyes and ears, God, to the wide diversity of expression and practice among your people. Help me to value them as they are and readily share my own traditions to your glory. Together, may our many languages, beliefs, backgrounds, and styles bear witness to the fullness of your love for all people. Amen.

Carry On.

Visit https://www.easter.org/justice and read more about what Easter Lutheran Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the St. Paul Area Synod are doing to promote equity and full inclusion in our communities.

Spirit In Me?

Stop.

Close your eyes and think about the most important moments in your faith life. How did you hear about Jesus? When did you most feel the presence of the Spirit?

Listen.

For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin; for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. – Galatians 1:11-12

Reflect.

In the book of Galatians, Paul tries to encourage the believers in Galatia to stick to the truth of the gospel that he shared with them. He’s frustrated that they’re spending more time listening to folks who want to put restrictions on the good news than they should be simply listening to the Spirit’s guidance among them. He reinforces this by reminding them that he doesn’t speak or teach out of a desire for power, but simply because God’s word came to him and he is compelled to share it. 

When we reflect on our faith lives, we can probably think of the people that were most influential. Parents, pastors, teachers, mentors, friends, and so many others taught us about who God is and what God does. And when we think about it, we’re likely to realize that they didn’t teach or lead by force, or to exert power, or because they wanted us to be something we’re not. They were simply full of God’s grace and couldn’t help but share it. 

As you consider how you teach in faith – and who teaches you – consider this truth. How can God’s wisdom flow through you? How can you recognize the Spirit’s guidance beyond a human desire for power? And how will you point others to the liberating good news of Jesus Christ? 

Pray.

God, your power is unlike human power. Your Spirit’s guidance frees us and brings us new life. Let me be one who communicates your grace openly in my words and actions that others might see you at work. Amen.

Carry On.

Reach out to someone whose life and witness have inspired you. Thank them for being a natural, grace-filled instrument of the good news.