Bless You, Child of God - Mark 10

Bless You, Child of God

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon Mark 10:13-16, Psalm 8 and Genesis 2:18-24.

Opening prayer

When I was young, my brother and I would stay with one of my aunts. One particular day, I was following her around the house while she was doing things and asking her questions (drilling actually): what this was, where was that and why was this.  She turned to me at one point and asked my why do you ask so many questions?

When my son, Tyler, was 6 years old, his imagination was big and wild - still is.  He could pick up a stick and suddenly he had sword with magical powers. Together, we could go on big adventures looking to stop massive creatures sure to bring doom.  

Children, in nursing homes, will go to people they do not know and sit with them just because that person looked like they could use company. I have witnessed children, in the hospital themselves, speak not of their pain but reach out to console others.

The people are bringing their children to Jesus.  (You can imagine in all sorts of duress and push back.) Jesus gets annoyed by this and tells them to “Stop! Let the children just come to me.” 

Whoever wants to enter the kingdom of God, must do so as a little child - and on their own.

 

Jesus then lays his hands upon the children and blesses them.  

Why does Jesus do this?

In the ancient near east, children are almost invisible - having no rights, no authority, no status. That doesn’t mean that their parents didn’t love them.  (Obviously, they were trying to get Jesus to touch them.)  

A theme in Mark, as we have discussed and will again, is “power” - who has it has and who has favor, specifically with Jesus.  

Thing about children is just because they do not have power or authority (even today), doesn’t mean they are nothing or have nothing.  I often find that like myself, my son and the children I encounter, each of them come full of amazement and wonder!  

So when you find yourself looking at someone and wanting to criticize the way they look, how they dress or judge their positions on issues - maybe instead, be inquisitive again and take off the adult glasses we have worn for so long.  

In fact, consider when was the last time you took off the glasses of adulthood and saw the world as a 6 year old: A child with so many questions, so many interests, and so much compassion, no worries (except for the monster under the bed) and no concern for status and excited about dessert!

A child is willing to each chocolate cake for breakfast while others have your eggs, oatmeal and toast.

We all like to make assumptions about people when we see them. We make assumptions about what must be good for me is good for you and vice versa.  We want to project these ideas upon each other like we have self-made authority to deliver such. 

Adulthood is learning about and living with assumptions.  Assumptions are good at declaring judgments with critical eyes while overlooking obvious pain. They help us create curtains and blinders to the naked truth of the world or witnessing the truly awesome spectacle around us that is Earth, nature and the kingdom of God.  

They prevent us from doing the right things because it might look weird or off. While we are fretting and worrying, a child is looking for something/someone to play with. Maybe we look for that instead of assume.

Beloved, always remember this: that we are children of the One. Psalm 8 and Genesis remind us that we were put in the garden of God with so much potential and wonder - with a mutual task.  We are given stewardship over this great playground called creation.  How do you care for this creation? How do you invite others to play in this playground?

Not by telling them what to do or how to do it, but how we together care for creation and be with each other - yes just because.

Think about this.  Jesus lays hands upon the children and blesses them.  

This isn’t the mockery type of blessing or a pun.  This is a real blessing.  

What is that, you ask?  Blessing someone is to “convey a benefit.”  That is to say “observe who you are, what gifts you have, and what is possible.”  It can be from a Bible verse (1 John 3), Psalm or simpler. 

So too, O child of God,

You, beloved, are blessed this day!  You are awesome and full of hope!  You are worthy of love, questions, imagination, and compassion.  You beloved, are a child of God. You are blessed!

How do you bless children or people?

Simple: “Jesus loves you and so do I.”

Remember as I said last time, it takes practice. Practice on your neighbors around you here.

When you go home, remember to bless each other. Bless your children (young or old).  Why would you do that? Answer: because you are worth it! You, beloved are a blessed child of God. 

This isn’t once and done. This is every day and every person you encounter because they too are a child of God.

So I say again, O child of God,

You, beloved, are blessed this day!  You are full of hope- full of imagination and want to play!  You are worthy of so much love and compassion.  You beloved, are a child of God. You are blessed!

And yes…

Jesus loves you and so do I.

Thanks Be to God.

Who is first - Mark 9

Who is First

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon Mark 9:30-37, Psalm 54 and James 3:13-4:8

Opening Prayer

I read in a devotional , “Sometimes it seems we are all competing for the same spaces. Parking lots are crowded with people rushing for an open spot.” People will drive around a parking lot waiting for people to get out of spots near the front. Why not park more safely and enjoy a nice walk?

Highways are full of people trying to get ahead of others. When someone gets in the fast lane (and is in fact not being fast), we get annoyed and frustrated that someone is making us slow down.  From schools, housing, jobs - we’re often trying to beat others to get a spot.” We hurry ourselves from one moment to the next and never stop and to think why.  

That is not to say competition is bad for us, but what is in the competition that gains our attention so much?  What and perhaps who are we forgetting? Or when does that competition becomes dangerous - like an unhealthy Iowa-Iowa State rivalry? Some people express an extreme position - wishing complete ill and harm to their opponents rather than realizing we are all Iowans - we are neighbors.

The disciples do what they and what people always do. They want to make sure they have a spot not just at the table but at the top.  Is that really where we ought to be? Jesus is in their presence; yet, some want to be even closer than others.  You can imagine what family dinner looks like with everyone playing musical chairs around Jesus.

We spend inordinate amount of time and energy and putting claims upon position, power and wealth, but we all die and we all get to face judgment. Is all that energy spent on those things really going to help me when I meet God in the afterlife? (For None of that follows you into the afterlife.)

Jesus calls out the disciples arguing over status and “the greatest.” Jesus calls us out for focusing importance upon the wrong things. Jesus calls them and us out for putting themselves first.  

It might be because the more Jesus talks about imminent death, the more people get confused.  Do they wonder if this is odd, morbid fascination with death or recognizing that even Jesus will not escape the pain of death? Despite that, through faith in God, Jesus will fulfill the plan. 

Human authority is going to get what it wants, but Christ submits to God and challenges us as followers.

Jesus challenges us. “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Jesus wants them and us to pursue a different way through life because Jesus isn’t concerned with status of a broken world - Neither should we. 

Jesus picks up a child (one who has no position or power) and says “whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me…” 

Jesus wants us to purse a different way: through serving others by humbly making room in our lives and in the community for others to have a place too.  Much in the way parents welcome a child into the world, we are asked to be extravagantly welcoming. Jesus challenges us to welcome not just one child but all God’s children. 

This does not mean we don’t have place in the kingdom; it means that our place is found making room for others. Some of us are used to having spaces that include us. Some have organized clubs and events that are meant only for certain kinds of people. For what purpose, do we exclude? That is not what God wants.

Then, of course, there are many that rarely have a place left for them or even allowed. Sins of segregation and slavery are all about exclusion and happen still. Why are people so afraid to share their abundance?  This is a reminder that, when we exclude, we exclude children of God.  Instead, we are to welcome. 

Our society shows us values and power structures, but what do we embody of those? James 3, “Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. [God’s wisdom.] …Harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.”

Thus, the mission of UBFM is to provide, yes meals, but it is a way for us to demonstrate and more importantly practice “radical hospitality one burrito at a time.” We welcome without judgment. If you have time, you are welcome to join us Thursday evenings. We don’t have to wait until Thursdays. The question is how can you make room in your life for someone else’s need. How can you practice welcoming?

Yes we all need practice. Question who hasn’t been included in our spaces that should be.  Practice welcoming people - practice welcoming God.

Instead of wrestling for position and pushing people out of the way, make room for people. When you do, you make room for God to work in your life. 

Sit and have conversations - even with people you disagree. That is not to say for arguments or to boast our egos, but have conversations so that we can learn from each other. Invite God to be with you and watch something spectacular happen. When we give up pushing people out of our way, we can discover that God’s grace makes room for us all.

Finally, we ought to thank God for making room for us through Jesus Christ because we find we have so much more than broken status. With God as our partner, we have wholeness, grace and love. 

So pray and ask God, help us make room for all God's children. Find that you are where you are supposed to be. 

Thanks Be to God.

Taking Up Your Cross - Mark 8

Take Up Your Cross

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon Mark 8:27-38, Psalm 19, James 3:1-12 and Proverbs 1:20-33

Opening Prayer.

This week’s passage from Mark comes to us in two parts 1) Peter’s declaration of Jesus and 2) Jesus challenging us to take up our cross.

These are core to understanding Mark’s Christology. 

Jesus asks the disciples “who do people say I am” but more importantly “who do you say I am?” We ask this of confirmation students.  Who do you say Jesus is? What did Jesus do and why is that important to us today?

Let us shift a bit and think this a different way.

Last time we met, we talked about how different hats and clothing we wear can change the way people see us.  Peter’s debate with Jesus is a challenge for us to ask what do our actions and words say about us.  

If we say we are a follower of Jesus, what does that mean?

Who is Jesus to us - to you? Mark leaves no wiggle room in this idea. 

Is Jesus some person walking around Palestine with a circle friends making exorbitant claims or is Jesus part of the divine? I submit to you “yes”. Jesus gives us path to salvation - to God. 

So is it the teaching or who Jesus was? Some follow Jesus for who he was and some for what he taught. I submit to you “yes.” (a revolutionary rabbi with God inside him - the Messiah teaching simple empowering ways for all to live, grow and connect to God and to each other.)

Jesus goes further and explains the path of God is not one paved with full acceptance and lavish fortunes, but in fact, rejection and suffering.  

Some look for a savior to rid all our problems, slavery, oppression and tyrants of the world, but Jesus answers this as one who endures suffering, betrayal and violent murder.  

Further, Jesus turns to his people - Jesus turns to us and declares “those who want to save their life for my sake and for the gospel will have it” 

For what is wealth and earthly status but measures of a broken and troubled world. If you want to “profit” from the world, go ahead, but you measure against brokenness. 

Thus, the true measure of discipleship is living Jesus in our lives.  

That is to say “take up your cross.”

Not as a status symbol but how we pray behind closed doors and how we take care of our community - God’s world here. 

Can you feel the weight of the cross?

1) We have many obstacles and burdens in our lives.  Some people like to think their burdens are so immense they cling to them as a status, but that is not what Jesus is saying here either.  

Jesus isn’t saying to wear your suffering like badges or medals. That is actually a form of idolatry. Indeed, suffering happens, but if we focus only upon our suffering, then we become negative, resentful, spiteful and hateful. 

Why because we don’t let the love of God enter our hearts - there is no room unless you empty your hearts of suffering.

Rather, what if when obstacles get in our way, or even, if good things in our lives get taken away, maybe our response isn’t to focus upon the suffering but find opportunities.

In moments of crisis, with Jesus, we will find possibilities and conversation. So invite conversation with God and invite others into that conversation so that together we lift each other. 

2) Crosses aren’t meant just for church either.  Showing up is great, but what about the rest of our week? As I mentioned from Ephesians 6, why would you ever take off the clothing of God? Wear the good we learn in church about Jesus. When you go into the world, don’t leave God at the church; bring God home and into your lives.

Think of the ways, especially in the midst of this pandemic, have we found ways to experience God and share that experience with others. What other ways are there? 

3) Taking up your cross also does not mean that our efforts are the only good ones.  People like to be fixers and helpers. There are places for that. Yet, it is not my way or the highway. People will come to God in their own ways as a child of God in their own right.

We could almost think about this like our efforts around the world to bring democracy. While noble intention, we cannot force people to like us (or be like us), especially at the end of a rifle. Violence begets violence and has great cost to everyone.

Maybe instead of “fixing”, we walk with people on their journeys and encourage with our love and let God work. Maybe then you can say who Jesus is because you let Jesus be Jesus.

Recognize the kingdom of God here in all people. That is part of our role in the cross.  It is the way you live and not just how big your wallet or what your status is. 

Further by doing this, we recognize that we don’t do this alone.  We have each other (and God) to challenge and to teach each other - through our own suffering about the love and compassion of God that is revealed through us. That is church and that is God working in us.

So if you feel the weight of the cross, pray a moment and realize that God is one who helps us.

 

Jesus is helping you carry your cross. Let God be with you.

Thanks Be to God.

Dressing Up - Ephesians 6

Dressing Up

Tony E Dillon-Hansen

Sermon based upon Ephesians 6: 10-20, Psalm 84 and 1 Thessalonians 5:8

Opening Prayer

This text from Ephesians 6 tells us about putting on the “armor of God.” In a world full of struggles and worries, we are told that we can put on divine protection like a holy suit.  This scripture encourages us to use our imaginations to wear the protection of God around us like the “armor of God…fasten the belt of truth” and put on a breastplate of righteousness…” “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit.”  

We read something similar to this in 1 Thessalonians 5:8 “put on a breastplate of faith and love; ..helmet of salvation”.

I am reminded of times in my youth when we would dress in costumes. There is some fun in this text. So let God guide us. 

October 31 does not need to be the only time we can have fun with costumes and hats. As mentioned last Sunday, this feels like an opportunity to feel God in our unique ways. As someone who loves to wear different hats, let me show you some of them! 

Still we have to wonder if this text is just for us to have fun or are they reminding us of something else.  

There are a few points to raise here. 1) Dress with God! 

We know that what we wear is a part of out identity - revealing to people some measure of who we are. You might see a sports fan, cowboy, rivalry, colorfulness and yes even goofy. So yes there is also that perception of us - whether fair or not. When others wear something that expresses themselves - do we look upon it with welcome or with judgment? 

The question then for us - if we put on an outfit of God, what does that look like, what does it feel like? How would it change us? For me, I imagine that I feel comfort of a nice blanket on a cold night or flow of cooling fabric in heat - especially on a bike. If we put on clothes of love and faith, I bet that would that lift and fill our spirits too.

2) This really is saying instead - feel God around you. It’s not just outfits.

We know there are many things in this world that are just not right, chaotic, and feel broken. With hats, you could draw the hat lower to hide your eyes from the world, but when we do that, we lose perspective. God is right there for us to keep perspective.

We know that God is love. Thus, if God is love, wearing God’s armor is not necessarily metal plates of armor but “breastplate [made] of faith and love.”  We are asked to wear God’s love. Remember from earlier in Ephesians to put away malice and bitterness and “live in love.”  Put away those stressing things, make the most of time (aka “carpe diem”) and turn towards the love of God. Be kind to people and wear that love as your favorite outfit.

3) The next point to raise with this image of us putting on God like clothing also begs the question is why would we ever take it off - that we are reminded to feel God around us or we leave God somewhere instead of letting God be with us.    

Paul is reassuring churches (then and now) that we are not just people who meet once a week, but that we meet to feel God’s presence in Church and to take the presence with us into our whole lives. 

When we go home after worship, do we just leave God at the church - all packed up neatly and waiting for next Sunday… or do we bring God home with us? Wear this holy clothing with you into life and community.  

I have seen this so many times when people pray good prayers and sing good hymns in church and then as soon as they step out the door, its like instant forgetfulness.  

That isn’t to say be boastful and prideful. (Matthew 6 tells us, those that do, they will have their reward.)  

4) God wants us to share this gift and for us to recognize that others also have this gift. Wearing that love of God and feeling the love around us like a blanket can do so much for us - but so much for others.  

Loving God and loving neighbor takes practice and effort.  It is why Jesus says this is a struggle, but a struggle with so much reward.

We want to show up for church. Be filled with the Spirit and wear that love into our community. When you do, when you fill yourself with that love and let love embrace you, then the world is a much different place, less scary, less toxic, less arguing because we have made room for grace and the love of God. We transform into something bigger than us because we allow ourselves to feel God.  

Let God be in us and with us. See the blessed in and around messy, broken me and you see the blessed in and around messy, broken you. Amazingly with God’s help, we together achieve so many things with the different ways we feel and wear God’s love. 

Feel the amazing in you and around you.

So how do you dress up with God? how do you feel the love of God?

Thanks Be to God.

What is Wisdom - Ephesians 5

What is Wisdom

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon Proverbs 9, Psalm 34, and Ephesians 5:15-20

Opening Prayer:

Bret and I enjoy watching some Netflix and 80s/90s TV because we get to see a lot of stuff from growing up. From those shows in the past, I have a few favorite characters like Mr Miyagi, Yoda, Col. Sherman Potter from Mash, and the Golden Girls quartet. 

Miyagi would teach lessons by revealing the power of simplicity by turning the washing a car into lesson and having respect for all living things. Yoda would reveal ways that we share great energy and spirit. Col. Potter would share nuggets with fellow service people. The Golden Girls would expand horizons to teach us how each of us have our strengths and weaknesses; That when times are tough, through friends and family, we can achieve and grow on our own journey - especially with cheesecake. 

Each of these teach the power of listening and power of compassion for people and life. Each of these share wisdom that invites connection and listening to stories because that is how we grow and how we as community thrive. 

Wisdom is not just rhetorical words, but how we dive into messy issues and learn to get up. Wisdom is learning to use the gifts we have right in front of us and then sharing that insight through teaching, guiding, and patient listening. As a master myself, I gained more from my students than my own training.

Proverbs presents a banquet hosted by divine wisdom, and Ephesians opens the treasure chest of God’s gifts for us to see (not just for me-me-me but) for you and me and everyone in our community.  Wisdom is the gift of sharing. 

Even stories like some Rose Nylon stories - imperfect as they might be - are nuggets of sharing grace. That is why I like fellowship time, and thank you for sharing your insights. May I be reminded to sit calmly and have the patience to listen because we all know that listening takes patience. Not so I can respond to whatever is said but to take in and understand perspectives, acknowledge the gifts of each other, and grow in our mutual sharing.

Proverbs gives us wisdom as a host of a banquet; come eat the bread and drink of God’s wine. God as host prepares a table for us to live life and experience life through Christ - the bread of life. God prepares a banquet so that we might share these gifts.

“Lay aside immaturity and live with insight of God.”

How do we do that?  I am so glad you asked because Ephesians gives us several suggestions for this.  

Ephesians narrates a cosmic picture of God’s plans - with Christ as head of our great Church and us the body - a community of prayer - a community blessed with redemption, forgiveness, the honor of encountering God.  Ephesians opens up for us the treasure chest that God gives us because 1) we are “no longer strangers and aliens but citizens … members in the household of God.” (2:19)

If you were looking for how to live wisely, you can look in Ephesians 4:25-32

“Let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another… work honestly with our own hands. Let no evil talk come out of our mouths. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander together with all malice…. Be kind to one another forgiving one another as God in Christ has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children. And live in love.”  

We can read that feel-good wisdom all day long.

I can regurgitate facts and read verses but knowing and reading is only half the battle. 

Those are the tools, but what we do with those blessings and knowledge is where we see wisdom born in the world and through us - Shared through us and patient listening through us. 

If you leave the lessons in the book, then the knowledge given to you does nothing more.

If you however let the verses guide your heart, you will find ways to Christ through our thoughts, our words and our actions.  

Do you welcome like God welcomes?  Do you speak the truth? Do you forgive like how God forgives? Or do you let bitterness, anger and slander rule your day? Do you let others define that for you or do you let God define that grace - that good in you? 

Yes we fail at times, but there is never a better time than now for God’s grace!

The debate around COVID vaccines and masking is perfect example. We could choose to ignore the actual facts and believe disinformation instead. OR, we could do the correct thing - the sensible thing- and be examples of how not to spread COVID.

Wisdom is understanding there are paths of disinformation and illusions that hide and look “easier” - paths that separate us from the way of God. God’s way is not always easy - maybe even tough at times - but needful. So put away the angers and bitterness as they distract us.

Col Potter told one that if you gonna love someone, it isn’t easy. When things are difficult, you learn to love them a whole lot more. Miyagi would say “no matter what, always breathe.”

Wisdom is witnessing God’s cosmic plans for us in us - in our breath. It is living in the truth and sharing that truth to those around us in our compassion and empathy. 

Yes the fierce lions will have hunger, but those who seek God’s way will have all we need (Ps 34).

To our original point, wisdom is understanding that we are not the only ones harboring wisdom.  All God’s children have these gifts, and thus, we must make space for God and for our neighbors so that we can learn the many ways people come to God.

Loving God and loving neighbor are not always easy, but these are divine ways to have a better life and better community.  Loving and imitating God as children of God may not be easy, and Jesus tells us this. Yet, if we choose Jesus, we choose to walk a path with so much potential - a path that leads to rewards for us. 

That is wisdom. Open your heart to life, the bread of life, connect with people. The compassion of God is poured out for you and for you to share. Speak with truth and from your heart! Pour out your forgiveness and blessings. Then watch the whole community flourish and grow together because we connect to something much bigger than ourselves. 

We are part of the beloved children of God with all those gifts shared with us. So sit down with some cheesecake and friends. We don’t have to worry about our brokenness because God forgives our sins with an “ocean of forgiveness” every morning. We don’t have to wonder if there is enough because God replenishes our souls every morning with grace. That is not our doing but wisdom from God. Find that wisdom in your heart and see all you need in God. 

That, my friends, is real wisdom.

Thanks Be to God

Bread of Life - John 6

Bread of Life

Tony E Dillon-Hansen

1 Aug 2021

Reflection based upon John 6:24-35, John 4, Psalm 78, and  Ephesians 4:1-16

Opening prayer

Beloved, I have told somethings about my grandmother, and today, I will share one more with you  My grandmother used to make an awesome bread that had to eat the crust and all- was great with her homemade jam and butter .. oh it could be described as “bread to die for.” 

I remember the flour drawer, how quickly she could take water and yeast and within a few minutes have a pan in the oven.  The whole house would fill with aroma of baking - even on a hot day, you knew something good was coming.

It was so good you ate the crust, especially paired with her awesome jams. It’s not like whole crowds would come to share in the bread (although with our family size, you might describe that as a crowd).  

I never learned Grandma’s recipe, and as much as I rave about her cooking, she would not compare her bread to that which Jesus gives.

Her bread is brief sustenance or may go bad (e.g. perish), but maybe the focus is upon the wrong things. Her awesome cooking lasted us couple hours; Jesus gives us bread of life. Jesus gives life.

First Jesus challenges the crowd “you are looking for me, not because you saw signs but because you ate your fill of the loaves.”  Grandma or I can bake wonderful, but I don’t have a crowd running after me for them.  That is what Jesus observes here. There are misunderstandings that Jesus means to clear up.

To help us understand this misunderstanding, let’s look at another text.  Today, I invite you to see the parallels from John 4 with the woman at the well.

I love this dialog between Jesus and the woman that comes out to draw water from the well.  Jesus is just sitting there, he tells her to “give me a drink,” and they have curious conversation about faith.  She challenges how can you ask me to draw water for you. Jesus says if you knew God, you would ask for living water instead. She inquires about this “living water” - where do you get it?

Jesus tells the woman, that everyone who drinks of the water from the well will be thirsty again, but the water I give will bring “a spring of water gushing up to eternal life” (4:13-14).  

The woman beckons “…give me this water so that I may never be thirsty …” (4:15)  

After this conversation, she questions how we find God, and Jesus tells her “God is spirit and those who worship [God] must worship in spirit and truth.”  There it is.

She lets Jesus fill her heart and proceeds to tell everyone to come witness Jesus for themselves.  “You gotta see this.”

Similarly, Jesus answers in this in the Bread of Life discourse “Do not work for the food that perishes.” (6:27) The crowd asks Jesus to give this bread always. (6:34)

Jesus reminds us that the bread we eat is perishable, but the bread from Heaven is much more than just grain meld.  Jesus says, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry and … will never be thirsty.”  Jesus answers the people in the crowd and the woman at the well with reflexive - “I am.” 

The uniqueness of Jesus is the presence of God embodied. Jesus’s whole life in John institutes the Eucharist.

Throughout John’s Gospel, Jesus invites us to use our senses to help find the spirit working - in tasting the great wines at the wedding (2:10), quenching our thirsts from living waters (4:10), blind gaining sight (9:11), the fragrant perfumes used by Mary to anoint Jesus’s feet (12:3), and hearing difficult teachings about the truth and life “..for I came not to judge the world but to save [it]” (12:47). Jesus reminds us that feeling is ok - just like a woman giving birth, the hour comes when the child is born, anguish turns into joy. (16:21)

Jesus helps us to use our senses to find God’s spirit in many ways. We may not always get God, but God gets us.

God answered Moses’s question by saying “YHWH” or “I am.” Jesus directly references this, but moreso, Jesus helps us to find God inside of us. Jesus reminds us that great presence is intimately inside us. Let God tickle your heart.

We all look for explanations.  In everything there is a season, you can witness God right there all along - teaching and guiding us. In some things, it is difficult to witness something so great, but when we give time and space, we can witness God when we let God flourish in us. We can search and find there is so much revealed for us.

Let that majesty be what you feel -right here. When you sip beverage, taste the presence that is there.  When you share a meal (or bread) with people, witness the spirit moving among you. When you smell aromas, let your nose help you find God in the space between the spaces.  When you see grace, don’t avert your eyes. Let God reveal to you how beautiful this world is. When you hug your spouse and children, witness God’s presence in the touch of compassion, love and grace.

When the crowd and the woman asks, give us this bread always (or this water). Jesus responds God already has. We may feel flawed, broken and messy but you see beloved, God has perfect recipes and made you!

God has given you life, all the joys to answer your struggles, and all that you need to quench your thirsts. 

Yes God made us in her image as her children. And together we make God’s community. “God in me recognizes God in you.”

Every day you wake, God is there. God is life, the bread of life - our daily bread - Not just words we say in prayer but life. The question for you is do you believe it, and will you let God’s bread be yours?

These are the necessary ingredients that you have been looking for, and Grandma doesn’t need to slave over hot ovens for it. This does not have a shelf life. You dont have to be in hurry or worry to get your share because God gives the bread of life for all of us. That is all you need. You, made from the perfect recipe!

Let your soul be nourished and fulfilled. 

Let God be your living waters and bread of life!

Let God be with you and sustain you.

Thanks Be to God.