You were bought with a price – An offering from Rev. Lil Smith

Lil Smith
March 3, 2018
0

21 Were you a slave when called? Do not be concerned about it. Even if you can gain your freedom, make use of your present condition now more than ever.[a] 22 For whoever was called in the Lord as a slave is a freed person belonging to the Lord, just as whoever was free when called is a slave of Christ. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of human masters. 24 In whatever condition you were called, brothers and sisters,[b] there remain with God.  1 Corinthians 7:21-24

I visited the Holy Land this time last year, and now, I  often envision Paul by the sea…in prison…at Caesarea.  What strikes me is that Paul is in chains.  Yet, Paul’s letters don’t sound like Paul is in chains.  Paul has freedom despite the chains.  Despite the chains, Paul is free.

Friends, this is the true freedom that is the gift of God.  It is not the false freedom the world wants to possess. True freedom, despite our circumstance in the world, allows us to take a deep breath and choose to follow the One who creates, the One who redeems, and the One who encourages.

Holy God, may we embrace this precious freedom that comes at such a price.  Send us the gift of your freedom and Holy Peace that sets us free…even when we live in the chains of the world.

(c) 2018 Rev. Lil Smith
Spiritual Director and Supervisor
Retreat House Spirituality Center

Read More
in Faith, Journey, Lent, Medidation, Ministry, Pilgrimage, Prayer, Spirituality, Uncategorized

Grace falls like seed – An offering from Shawn Ashmore

Lil Smith
February 28, 2018
0

Mark 4:3-9 (NRSV)

3 “Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” 9 And he said, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!”

 

Grace falls like seed,
Scattered across terrain—

Some on wide roads,
Some between piles of gravel,
Some amongst thistle and thorn,
Some under sun-scorched beams,
Some with little to sprout,
And some in fertile earth.

How easy it is to be deceived,

More preoccupied about the quality of ground
Than the generous hands that cast life,
Drawing from a seed bag that never runs empty.

(c) 2018 Shawn Ashmore

Read More
in Journey, Lent, Medidation, Pilgrimage, Prayer, Spirituality

Comfort, O Comfort My People: An Offering from Lil Smith

Lil Smith
December 8, 2017
0

Reflecting on Isaiah 40:1-11

I wonder who will speak tenderly in the crowd when the tear gas is launched.

I wonder who will cry with the mother of the gunman when the penalty is paid.

I wonder whose voice cries out, “Prepare the way of the Lord”!

I wonder who will have the courage to create the first tracks in the desert.

I wonder what captive message will find freedom from within me to cry out.

I wonder how I will be able to make the journey to the high mountain to see God.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Come, Lord.

Come.

(c) 2017 Rev. Lil Smith

Spiritual Director and Supervisor

 

 

Read More
in Advent, Christian, Faith, Grace, Journey, Pilgrimage, Prayer, Spirituality

An offering from Lil: Hope that we choose real life

Lil Smith
November 28, 2016
0

 17 You will be hated by all because of my name. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish.  Luke 21: 17-18

(c) Bonnie Oden
(c) Bonnie Oden

I can’t remember a time when the coming of Advent has been so welcome.  Hope for a world in chaos.  Hope that God is creating something new in the midst of hatred, despair and judgment.  Hope that our pointing fingers at one another will be replaced with open arms to embrace a new peace that we have never known before.  Hope that those with ears to hear and eyes to see will not be deceived and will hear your voice and see your face in the stranger.  Hope that we choose real life.

O Holy One of hope, we pray that this time of waiting will prepare us for the new creation you have for the world.  We pray that we are wide awake to recognize you in the midst of the chaos around us.  In the name of the Coming One we pray.  AMEN

Rev. Lil Smith

SMI Seminary Liaison

Spiritual Director and Supervisor

(c) 2015 Rev. Lil Smith

Read More
in Advent, Christian, Faith, Grace, Journey, Pilgrimage, Spirituality

An offering from Jeanene: Let love be…

Lil Smith
July 27, 2015
0

28 One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?”29 Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:12-31

(c) Bonnie Oden
(c) Bonnie Oden

Fifteen years ago at the end of a retreat I was invited to write a note to myself.   My note said simply, “Let love be.”  I had no idea what it meant.  I recently reflected on the picture and Scripture shown above.   I wondered, how does a commandment of the law to love God, self and neighbor go from head to heart; from lofty ideal to humble flesh?  And then I remembered recently sitting face to face with my 11 month old granddaughter.  Delighted at her sweet, searching gaze, part of me was thinking, “Don’t you see what time, gravity, and being human has done to this face – – doesn’t it make you want to look away?”  Gratefully, in an instant I was lost in an eternal moment; defenses down; captured by surprising, irresistible innocent love.  And then I remembered that note to myself so long ago, “Let love be.” 

(c) Jeanene McIntyre

Read More
in Christian, Faith, Grace, Journey, Ministry, Pilgrimage, Prayer, Spirituality, Uncategorized

An offering from Amy:

Lil Smith
April 20, 2015
1

I am created new.

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?” Luke 24:5

How slow I am to embrace new life in Christ.Untitled

I’ve spent time wrestling in the Lenten desert with who I am called to be. I’ve waited painful hours from the garden to the cross to carry that, which needs to die, to the tomb…reluctance to serve as I am called, impatience with God’s timing, pride, my desire to control. And in pre-dawn prayer I have known Christ’s renewal. I have been amazed, as I’ve experienced God’s love in and through me. Yet, I want to return to the tomb to retrieve my old ways in disbelief that I’ve actually been made new. I keep looking for the dead to see if it’s really dead rather than rejoicing in the living.

In the crucified Christ I am forgiven. In the risen Christ, I am a new creation. I surrender, Holy Spirit, to live in trust and joy among the living.

(c) 2015 Amy Moore

Read More
in Christian, Easter, Faith, Grace, Journey, Pilgrimage, Prayer, Spirituality, Uncategorized

An Offering from Kathy: Whisper

September 11, 2014
0

Last week I spent several days immersing myself in the news, something I usually try not to do.  As a result, I noticed a feeling of helplessness and despair settling upon me that I was having trouble shaking.  During my prayer time, I pictured myself one lone voice whispering in the midst of thousands of voices raised loudly in chaos.

 

I shared this feeling of being a “whisper” with my pastor.  It’s interesting that you use the word ‘whisper’, he said.  “That’s exactly how Elijah experienced God.”

 

I carried this encounter with me all day and then came the revelation:  If the whole intent of my spiritual journey is to be transformed into God’s image, then it is inevitable that I will become a “whisper” too.  Being a “whisper” is a good thing, because after all, I am my Father’s daughter.

I Kings 19:11-12 So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.  After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing.

Read More
in Christian

An Offering from PJ– The Trap

May 27, 2014
1

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32

Our worried ranch neighbor called and asked us to search for Blue Boy, her precious but curious Blue Heeler, who had gone missing. Because of coyotes and bobcats we sadly expected to discover only a collar or patches of fur, but wanted to offer our friend peace of mind. After hunting through brush, in the oak grove, by the pond, around the house and near the pole barn, we found him trapped but alive! He had survived two days on apples used to bait a 4 by 8 foot wild hog trap. What a pleasure to witness a joyful reunion between relieved ‘mom’ and one happy dog.

Has refusal to forgive trapped you? You venture out each day, trot along in the sunshine of regular routines, sniff out new experiences blissfully unaware of dangers when suddenly you encounter a person or situation that slams you to the ground.

Feelings hurt. “Why would they say that?” You grow angry. “That was incredibly heartless and rude!” Resentment increases. “How dare they! Who do they think they are?” A sense of betrayal rushes in. “How could they treat me like this?! I don’t deserve this!” And thick bitterness blankets and begins to smother. “I’ll get them back! They’ll pay!!”

We’re lured by sweet fruit of revenge, but quickly become trapped in bitterness within a cage of anger and resentment. We enter emotional bondage and find ourselves chained to the offender and bolted to the past. That is until we loosen strangle-holds of destructive thought and release all to God. Forgiveness opens cages and lifts trap doors. Forgiveness enables us to run out and into the open arms of a loving Heavenly Father. Forgiveness ushers in freedom.

God handles life’s injustices far better than you and I ever could. I’m learning to allow Him to do just that.

“Then Peter came and said to Him (Jesus), “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” Matthew 18:20-22

Who needs your forgiveness today? Will you forgive?

Springing All Traps Only with God, PJ

COPYRIGHT ©2014 PJ Gover

www.PJGover.com

Read More
in Christian, Grace

An Offering from Eunice: Creating All Things New

March 31, 2014
0

“I am about to create new heavens and a new earth.” Isaiah 65:17
 

For me, there are some of the most hopeful words in Scripture. They are echoed in second Peter, “according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth” and in Revelation 21, “then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.” I like to think of the “Kingdom coming” as all of humankind each day becoming a little more like the vision Jesus expressed in the Beatitudes.

The hopefulness of “a new heaven and a new earth” seems so much more attractive than the fatalism expressed in some parts of our society today. We hear things like: “Well, I have always been impatient (or short-tempered, moody, etc.), that’s just the way I am.” Or “there have always been wars and there always will be.”   Why do we let fatalism cast such a dark shadow over us?

Henri Nouwen wrote, “Faith is the deep trust that God’s love is stronger than all the anonymous powers of the world and can transform us from victims of darkness into servants of light.”

DSCN0013

I become excited when I think of myself and the world being transformed little by little each day and evolving into the fulfillment of the “new heaven and new earth.”

Read More
in Lent

An Offering from Regina: We are enough…

reginahunt2013
March 28, 2014
0

“Jesus is making and baptizing more disciples than John” opens the story about Jesus meeting the woman at the well. (John 4:1)

The words jumped off the page at me.  Keeping score??  How silly that is, I thought. There was no competition between Jesus and John to see who could baptize more people.  Yet, we ourselves tend to make life into a competition, often with ourselves and often with others.  We are either winning or losing in so many areas of our lives. We check off all the items on our to-do list and we’ve had a good day.  We fall short of getting it done and feel as if we’ve failed.  Competition, always, competition, and mostly against ourselves.

Do we fear we are “not enough?”  Do we fear God doesn’t approve of us if we don’t meet the expectations we set for ourselves – perfection in some cases?  There is no competition in God’s unconditional love and forgiveness.  It is there for each of us.  God asks us to be who we are, a beloved child of God.  That’s all.  Nothing more, nothing less.  It’s enough for God, so surely it is enough for us.

“You are precious in my eyes, you are honored, and I love you.” (Isaiah 43:4).

Read More
in Lent