Scripture Reading:  Psalm 91:1   You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my stronghold; my God, in whom I  trust.”

My dear friends,

I chant this psalm almost every evening.  I sing it from a different translation and change it from the second person to the first person plural. It personalizes it.  It makes it real for me. The hymn, On Eagle’s Wings is based on this Psalm.  This is one of the most cherished Psalms in the Bible. It is obvious that the writer of this Psalm knows God intimately.  God is no stranger.  God is his cherished friend.  A few weeks ago, I visited a woman whose husband had died recently.  She was grieving, to be sure.  This woman also had a deep and abiding faith.  She told me that despite her grief, she was at peace because, “I know where my husband is. And I know where God is
in my life.”  The God in whom she abides is her refuge and the shadow in which she rests shades her from the burning sun of hopelessness.

Our God is not a far off God.  God is present, active, and trustworthy. Indeed, God is our refuge in whom we can trust,

God bless you,
Pastor Tom

Scripture Reading:     Mark 10:35-39   James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him,“Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink?

My dear friends,

We like to think that we are able to know who is worth listening to and who is not. Moreover, we tend to think that if we have enough authority we will be heard.  Occasionally we are humbled. When I was a kid, my Dad took me to visit an old man who lived in what I considered a shack. Dad told me all kinds of stories about the man and what a good Christian he was. His brother was a famous professor, but if that brother needed advice about Jesus, he would come to his brother. I was not inclined to think much about this man because his house was unpainted, his porch had boards missing, his yard was dirt, and he had no running water inside. Nevertheless, my Dad took me aside and led me into a little building that I thought was a smokehouse. It was really the old man's prayer room. It had a cement floor.  Over on one side was a long furrow that looked like it had worn through the concrete and into
the dirt.  “What's that?” I asked. “That is where the old man walks back and forth as he reads his bible,” I was told.  Sometimes we find truth in the most unusual places and from the least likely people.

God bless you,
Pastor Tom

Scripture Reading:   Mark 10:35-45   James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him,“Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one
at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

My dear friends,

It is just a tad arrogant, self centered, and self-serving to ask Jesus,“Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” Jesus tells them they do not know what they are asking. Jesus must have been disappointed in James and John who measured greatness in status and authority.  Jesus has a different measuring rod.  Greatness is measured in service.

When I was an intern at Christ Lutheran Church in 1970 one of my supervisors was Dr. Ed Goetz.  Dr Goetz had been a pastor for some thirty-five years. He was only in his 60’s but he was dying of cancer.  One day I was visiting him in the hospital.  A nurse came in and was very abrupt with him.  I looked at her and said that she and I were in the presence of greatness.  I went on to explain Dr. Goetz’s life of service. Her attitude and demeanor changed.

If we truly want to be great, if we truly want to sit at the right and left hands of Jesus put on you walking shoes, for they will take you to a life of service.’

God bless you,
Pastor Tom