Author: Cindy Lee

When we read the Gospels we discover that Jesus was moved with compassion. To Jesus, the crowds were “sheep without a shepherd.” Compassion comes from perception. How do you see the people around you? What do you see when you are in traffic, at the ballpark, or in the grocery store? This week, pay attention to how you see another. What do you see? What do you perceive? 

Some will say, “I see thieves, liars, adulterers, gossipers, back-stabbers, and people who are no good.” Honestly, so did Jesus. Actually when you think about it, we all are to some degree; yet, Jesus was moved with compassion when he looked at us. Maybe Jesus was able to see pass the exterior and perceive something worth having compassion. How about you?

This week’s reading:

• Monday –  John 1
• Tuesday – John 2, John 3, John 4
• Wednesday – John 5, John 6
• Thursday – John 7, John 8
• Friday –  John 9, John 10, John 11

• St. Paul children and youth ministries.
• The Ukraine Mission Team.
• Ongoing Building Renovations, Modifications.
• Our families, homes, workplace, church, and community.
• Those who are unwillingly absent.
• Those who are grieving and depressed.
• The United Methodist Church.
• Our nation and our leaders.

Lately I’ve been thinking about genealogies. Don’t worry this is not a plug for Ancestry.com. In the depths of our identity, we want to know our origin, our make-up, our community, and all those things that make us who we are. Something is adrift until we know. When we know who we are, it gives meaning and purpose.

For a 1st Century Jew, their uniqueness stemmed from their origin—their beginning. When they read the Holy Scriptures, it was like reading a family album. One of the great tragedies in Judeo-Christian History was the destruction of the Temple in 70AD. Because the Temple housed many genealogies, when it was destroyed, all those records were lost to history.

Interestingly enough, The Gospels of Matthew and Luke spend a great amount of time around the genealogy of Jesus. What they say to the reader is “regardless of what you know about Jesus, he is genealogically qualified to be the Messiah.” Once you know who Jesus is, you can better understand his purpose. Next time you want to gloss over all those biblical genealogies, stop for a moment, and see the purpose behind them. They give us a starting point, an origin.

This week’s reading:

• Monday – Heb 5, Heb 6, Heb 7, Heb 8
• Tuesday – Heb 9, Heb 10, Heb 11
• Wednesday – Heb 12, Heb 13
• Thursday – James 1, James 2, James 3, James 4, James 5
• Friday – 1 Peter 1, 1 Peter 2, 1 Peter 3, 1 Peter 4, 1 Peter 5

• St. Paul children and youth ministries.
• The Ukraine Mission Team.
• Ongoing Building Renovations, Modifications.
• Our families, homes, workplace, church, and community.
• Those who are unwillingly absent.
• Those who are grieving and depressed.
• The United Methodist Church.
• Our nation and our leaders.

While packing up my office, I found two Bibles: One was a Beginner’s Bible that is often given to small children. Filled with pictures, it gives an outline of the most well known biblical passages. Though it doesn’t contain the entire bible, it is highly valuable because it helps a small child begin to develop a Biblical Worldview. It plants the pillars of a foundation where the child can know that God loves them and Jesus died for them. Granted, other parts of the Bible will be learned and greater understanding will come, but one has to start somewhere. Sometimes, knowing the basics is all one needs.

The other Bible was a well-used Kings James Version that belonged to my grandmother. The leather edges are frayed from use. There are many verses highlighted and underlined. There are even some personal notes written in the margins. I can still remember images of her clutching it as she traveled to and from church. There were many mornings and evenings where I saw her face down reading every single word. For her, it was her life.

If you are a small child or an elderly woman or somewhere in-between, the Bible is still useful today. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

This week’s reading:

• Monday – Col 1, Col 2, Col 3, Col 4
• Tuesday – 1 Tim 1, 1 Tim 2, 1 Tim 3, 1 Tim 4
• Wednesday – 1 Tim 5, 1 Tim 6; Titus 1, Titus 2, Titus 3
• Thursday – 2 Tim 1, 2 Tim 2, 2 Tim 3, 2 Tim 4
• Friday – Heb 1, Heb 2, Heb 3, Heb 4
  
  
  Please Pray for:
• The Ukraine Mission Team as they travel and all the lives they touch while travelling abroad.
• Ongoing Building Renovations, Modifications.
• Our families, homes, workplace, church, and community.
• Those who are unwillingly absent.
• Those who are grieving and depressed.
• The United Methodist Church.
• Our nation and our leaders.

“When Jesus told us to love God with all out heart, soul and mind, he gave us a challenging task, impossible for any of us earthlings to accomplish. Nevertheless, our Lord did tell us to love this way. His purpose is that we should admit our weakness and seek mercy.

“When you pray, intend to make your prayer as complete and honest as you can. If you are dissatisfied with the results of your effort, do not be too angry with yourself. Do not complain that God has not given you the kind of devotion he gives others. Instead, acknowledge your weakness, consider it a valid prayer, and trust that in his mercy God will make it good. Do your part and allow our Lord to give you what he will. You are not praying to teach God anything.” – (Walter Hilton: The Scale of Perfection)

I like the last two sentences: “Do your part and allow our Lord to give you what he will. You are not praying to teach God anything.” Often we see prayer as a dictation to God or a means to conform God into something we desire or want. Prayer is the means for our conformity to God.

Over the next few weeks, begin each prayer with, “Lord, what is it that you want me to learn or do?” Then sit for a few moments and listen to the thoughts that enter your mind. Then bring your requests to him AFTER you have made yourself available to him.

This Week’s Reading:

• Monday – Rom 9, Rom 10, Rom 11, Rom 12
• Tuesday – Rom 13, Rom 14, Rom 15, Rom 16
• Wednesday – Eph 1, Eph 2, Eph 3, Eph 4
• Thursday – Eph 5, Eph 6
• Friday – Phil 1, Phil 2, Phil 3, Phil 4

  Please Pray for:

• Ongoing Building Renovations, Modifications.
• Our families, homes, workplace, church, and community.
• Those who are unwillingly absent.
• Those who are grieving and depressed.
• The United Methodist Church.
• Our nation and our leaders.
•  

Catherine Parr, the 6th and only surviving wife of Henry VIII, published her prayers. This one is my favorite:

“Lord Jesus, help me to want what is most pleasant to you. You know what is best for me. Give what you will, when the right time comes, and in the quantity you prefer. Do with me as you please. Put me where you will. I am in your hands. I am your servant. I am ready to do whatever you command. You are the true peace of my heart and the perfect rest of my soul.

If you want me to be in light, I will praise you. If you want me to be in darkness, I will also praise you. If you comfort me, I will bless you. If you allow me to be troubled, I will bless you.

O Lord, make possible by your grace that which is impossible by my nature. Sometimes I think I am going to hold together, but when a little trouble comes it tears me apart. Good Lord, you know my weakness, my frailness. Have mercy on me. Amen.”

Try this:
1. Pray this prayer out loud.
2. What words stand out to you?
3. In silent refection, focus on those words.
4. Spend a few minutes with your eyes closed, take deep breaths, and listen to what is going on around you.

This week’s reading:

• Monday – Matthew 26, Matthew 27
• Tuesday – Matthew 28, 1 Thes 1, 1 Thes 2, 1 Thes 3
• Wednesday – 1 Thes 4, 1 Thes 5, 2 Thes 1, 2 Thes 2, 2 Thes 3
• Thursday – Rom 1, Rom 2, Rom 3, Rom 4
• Friday – Rom 5, Rom 6, Rom 7, Rom 8
  
  
  Please Pray for:
  • Ongoing Building Renovations, Modifications.
  • Our families, homes, workplace, church, and community.
  • Those who are unwillingly absent.
  • Those who are grieving and depressed.
  • The United Methodist Church.
  • Our nation and our leaders.

I hate moving! I can think of 1,000 things I would rather do than pack boxes for relocation. Where I serve, we are moving our administrative offices so they can be renovated.  Though I will be delighted when the project is completed, the process is not my favorite.  Actually, it is far from it. 

However, there is one exception, the move provides an opportunity for a “clear out.”  In order to move, I had to go through every drawer, cabinet, and folder.  Things I haven’t touched in years, things I have acquired, and things that I have collected only to forget I had them resurfaced. Preparing for the move provided me the perfect opportunity to get rid of things that are not useful.  Not only will it provide me more space when I move back in, it also made me prioritize what is important to me.

Strange as it may sound, life is like my office.  Over time, we collect things; acquire things, pick-up things both good and bad. Without a stimulus, most people will let it lie only to take up space.  We collect or form habits and have a tendency to hold on to them.  The key is to keep the good and let go of the bad which requires effort; often, the effort of moving. Every so often our souls need a “clear out” where we get rid of the things that hold us down and prioritize what is important.

On second thought, maybe I need to reevaluate my thoughts on moving. How about you?

This week’s reading:

• Monday – Matthew 11, Matthew 12, Matthew 13
• Tuesday – Matthew 14, Matthew 15, Matthew 16
• Wednesday – Matthew 17, Matthew 18, Matthew 19
• Thursday – Matthew 20, Matthew 21, Matthew 22
• Friday – Matthew 23, Matthew 24, Matthew 25

Please Pray for:

• Ongoing Building Renovations, Modifications.
• Our families, homes, workplace, church, and community.
• Those who are unwillingly absent.
• Those who are grieving and depressed.
  The United Methodist Church.
• Our nation and our leaders.