The Shepherd’s Vigil, 12/1/21
Make your ways known to me, Lord; teach me your path. Psalm 25:4 How many times have we cried out this prayer? Life is full of moments that are confusing and mysterious. In the gospel of John, the disciples, who have been with Jesus, still respond with “Lord show us the way”. All too often […]
The Shepherd’s Vigil, 11/24/21
Don’t fear, rejoice and be glad, the Lord is about to do great things! Joel 2:21 The future is always a mystery, and our natural response is fear and anxiety. Particularly in our current context as we emerge from the pandemic. We hear and experience insecurities in our economics, labor issues, supply chain. We are […]
The Shepherd’s Vigil, 11/17/21
Grace and peace to you from the one who is and was and is coming. Rev. 1:4b “Hey”, “how you doing”, “good to see you”. These are just a few of the ways we great each other but do they really mean anything? How would we respond if we greeted an acquaintance with “how […]
The Shepherd’s Vigil, 11/10/21
“The spirit of the Lord rushed on him…..” Judges 14:6 The other day, in a staff meeting, we got to talking about the story of Samson. I think we were discussing the myth that I use to have hair. As I reviewed this story of one the Old Testament heroes I was taken by the repeated phrase “the spirit […]
The Shepherd’s Vigil, 11/03/21
“But Thomas was not with them when Jesus came” John 20:24 We often refer to Thomas, the disciple of Jesus, as Doubting Thomas. He wanted some tangible evidence that Jesus had risen from the dead, not just the stories. The reason Thomas had concerns is because he was not with the others when Jesus appeared in the room with them. […]
The Shepherd’s Vigil, 10/27/21
Everyone should give whatever they have decided in their heart. They shouldn’t give with hesitation or because of pressure. God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7 I think I know why God loves a cheerful giver. It is because that is what God is; the very essence of the heart of God’s love is generosity. Many of the parables of Jesus […]
The Shepherd’s Vigil, 10/20/21
“Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness” Joshua 24:14 For some reason I have always been drawn to the book of Joshua. It is a story of a people who are blessed after generations of struggle and roaming the desert. The issue facing them is how they will now […]
The Shepherd’s Vigil, 10/13/2021
“What do you want me to do for you?” Mark 10:36 These are words of Jesus to the disciples James and John. I wonder how we might respond if we heard Jesus ask us this question. “What do you want me to do for you?” I bet we would respond with a request that would ease a […]
The Shepherd’s Vigil, 10/06/21
“Let the Children come”, Mark 10:14 The heart of a child is a central part of Jesus’ message about the Kingdom of God. This is how the gospel writer of Mark sets up the wonderful teachings of Jesus in chapter 10. The “heart of a child” is how we come to and receive the gift of the […]
The Shepherd’s Vigil, 9/29/2021
“Get ready: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you”, Joshua 3:5 This past Sunday was a great 40th anniversary celebration. Thank you to all who worked to make the weekend happen. It was filled with joy, love, and laughter. We not only remembered the blessings of the past but were challenged and motivated for […]