Journeys

Today Dee and I  are planning a journey to her "ancestral" home of Herman, Minnesota for the celebration of Thanksgiving.  It is a four-hour pilgrimage north to a small, west central farming community of less than 500 residents.  It amazes me how relatively easy the journey can be.  Fill up the tank in the Ford Explorer, plug in Three Dog Night's greatest hits album, grab a hot cup of coffee and a Casey's donut in Redwood Falls, and the next thing you know we are there, pulling into the long lane of my in-laws farmstead. 

Journeys!  Our lives are filled with journeys to places near and far.  During the holiday season our hearts are kindled with the warm memories of journeys we have taken as families over the years.
I find it interesting that we begin our celebration of Christmas with a journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, two relatively tiny towns.

Mary and Joseph grew up in Nazareth, a town of maybe less than 200 at that time - a village in the shadow of the larger, cosmopolitan city of Sepphoris, a town of culture, shopping and prosperity.
Nazareth, on the other hand, was a little burg of farmers, shepherds and laborers who probably walked an hour each way to sell their goods and services in Sepphoris.

As I picture a place like Nazareth today, I think of Herman, Minnesota, and all the other tiny towns in rural America - towns without all the advantages of "big city" living.  These are towns last on the list to get high-speed internet.   These are places where honest, hard-working people live.  This is what I imagine when I think of Mary's hometown.

So what must it have been like for Mary and Joseph to leave Nazareth and journey all the way to Bethlehem for the registration ordered by the Roman authorities?  The journey had few convenient "pit stops" along the way.  The road conditions were terrible and bandits could be encountered along the more remote stretches of highway. 

Mary and Joseph were making a journey of faith.  Their willingness to follow a star was the navigational system that brought them to a place of new beginnings.  Not only did they begin a new family in a manger in Bethlehem, but they set their infant son, Jesus, on a path of new beginnings.  His birth would set in motion a chain of events that would bring healing and salvation for all the nations.

But this great gift of Christmas began with a journey - a story of faith few could have imagined.
May God bless each of us this Christmas season with new adventures.  May we go places in our heart that would more closely connect us to the grace of the infant king Jesus.  May His Spirit be our guiding star that brings us from our "ancestral homes" to a new place - a place where God can use us to deliver hope to a new generation of people.

Merry Christmas!

Pastor Bob

Renew Your Life!

 

 Recently a pastor friend of mine, Kai Nilsen, wrote a book entitled Renew Your Life: Discovering the Wellspring of God’s energy.     Kai begins his book by highlighting the renewing energy of the Holy Spirit as he connects the Spirit with the simple, natural act of breathing. 

His book was inspired by a season in his ministry where “the breath” was knocked out of him.  He writes about his “compassion fatigue” and total lack of energy to serve others.  People would come to him with their problems and he simply didn’t care anymore.  He did not care!

 Years ago this condition was labeled burnout.   Today, we recognize the deeper issues that present themselves in episodes of anxiety, depression, and chronic fatigue.   More and more people seem to be afflicted by these symptoms and the trend doesn’t seem to be reversing.

Pastor Kai shares in his book how he slowly regained his energy and joy for ministry, beginning with a simple practice of breath prayers.   He would find a place of quiet and relaxation and simply breath in and breath out, listening to his own breath and thanking God for the simple gift of life.

Kai writes:  After you feel relaxed in body and quiet in mind, think about something in your day that is causing you stress – maybe a meeting with your board or a confrontation with one of your kids – and name the energy you need for that particular situation.  Then pray this prayer over and over again saying “Spirit of God” as you inhale, and then as you exhale say, “restore my love,” or “give me patience” or “infuse me with energy.”  Breath this prayer over and over again until you feel yourself relax in regard to that particular situation.”

Kai continued to share that this prayer exercise didn’t work miracles overnight.  But little by little his energy was being restored.  He concludes his introduction by saying, “Prayer is as simple as taking an intentional breath and claiming that breath as Spirit energy, giving us what we need for the situation or the day.  Begin stopping, noticing your breath and making it your prayer.”

Throughout the Bible, the Spirit is referred to as the Breath of God.   God created life and humanity by his very breath in Genesis chapter one and two.   Ezekiel the prophet envisioned a time of restoration for the people of Israel as he saw God breathing new life into the dry bones of the slain people.  And finally in the book of Acts, the Spirit breath of God animated the flagging spirits of the early disciples and gave them new energies and courage to share the good news of Jesus with the entire world.

May God bless you with that same Spirit, that same gift of breath.  May you draw deeply from the wellsprings of God’s energy and grace!  The next time you are stressed out and facing a huge obstacle or challenge in your life, just breath.  Breath in the very life of God and be renewed!  

Keeping Memories Alive!

     

One week ago I preached the sermon at my Aunt Linda’s funeral at Trinity Lutheran in Mason City, Iowa.  My aunt had been fighting a battle with Pulmonary Fibrosis for over three years and she requested that I preach at her funeral.  This was not an easy assignment, but I considered it a great honor since she was like a second mother to me growing up. 

Because I loved her and knew her so well, I found it difficult to condense everything I wanted to say in just a 20 minute sermon.   I mean, how can you possibly capture the essence of a person and tell that person’s life story in one short sermon?   It’s impossible. 

But something needed to be spoken.  Family and friends traveled great distances to be present at her funeral service and they came to remember.  They came to reflect and give thanks to God for the special memories and to recount the many ways Linda touched our lives.

And so I shared some stories in my message.  Some stories made us laugh and others made us cry.  But after each one, we could all say, “yes, that was Linda.”  I also said that Linda will remain alive in our hearts as we remember together and share many of the stories that reflect her values, her convictions and the things that were most important to her.

This funeral service for my beloved aunt helped me to reflect more seriously on the power of remembering.  In the Bible, there are 63 verses that speak to the value of remembering and/or not forgetting the many great things God has done for us throughout the centuries.  I love those words from I Chronicles 16:15:  “Remember His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations.”   

This passage reminds us that each generation waits eagerly to hear a word about God.  Each generation looks to the one that came before to tell the stories and share the memories.   This is the work of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus promised his disciples that the Holy Spirit would come after his death and resurrection to help the new born Church remember.  In  John 14 Jesus said,  “the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.”

The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost to keep Jesus’ memory alive.  The Holy Spirit’s work among us today is to help us remember what Jesus taught and to inspire us to live His life in this time and place.  Jesus no longer walks around like he did on the shores of Galilee, but he is alive and well, speaking to us through his promise and His Spirit.

May this Pentecost season be a time to remember! May God’s Holy Spirit enlighten our minds to better understand all the many promises Jesus gave to us and to tell his story to anyone willing to listen.  It may be hard to share everything that needs to be said about Jesus, but let’s say something.  Let’s begin to tell his story and in the process, let the people around us better understand his great love for all people.

 

 

Don't Stop Thinking about Tomorrow!

I love the story of Simeon and Anna! It is one of the best Christmas stories of all and is usually told from Luke's Gospel on the second Sunday of the Christmas season.  Unfortunately,  it's a story  that gets overlooked because most people stop thinking about Christmas the minute the clock strikes midnight on December 25th.  Whatever happened to the 12 days of Christmas leading up to Epiphany, the day we celebrate the coming of the Magi and the gifts they came to share with Jesus in Bethlehem?

What I like about Simeon and Anna is their hope for the future.  Even though they are both elderly, they each have a vision for a better tomorrow.  They are both looking for the consolation of Israel and a day when God's Messiah will make things right again in the world.   Many old people live in the past.  They talk about the past.  They idolize the past. Unfortunately, too many get stuck in the past. 

Simeon and Anna were different.  They dreamed God-sized dreams.  They were open to the Spirit and willing to imagine a new kind of future.  If they had Facebook back then and took the quick test called "Which 70s Rock Song Best Describes Your Life"  it would have been for Simeon and Anna   Fleetwood Mac's hit "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow."

That was certainly their word of wisdom to Mary and Joseph.  "God has plans for this little one you are holding in your arms.  This one is special.  This one is destined to turn the entire world on its head and bring in the reign of God's justice and love."

Simeon and Anna came up to Mary and Joseph as they brought baby Jesus to the temple for his naming ceremony.  They were like many older people in our own lives who came along at just the right time.  Can you recall a time when someone older shared a word of wisdom to help you put some perspective on your life.  Did you have a Simeon or an Anna who helped you "start thinking about tomorrow" in a new way?

I love the Christmas story of Simeon and Anna!  It's about hope!  It's a reminder that Christmas is closely connected to our future and a promise that one day all things will be made right again.  God's up to something in the world and we are called to be a part of God's Kingdom activity.

2014 is over.  There is no going back to the past.  We can only move forward into 2015.  So"don't stop thinking about tomorrow...it will soon be here!  Yesterday's gone...yesterday's gone!"
Be like a Simeon or an Anna.  Stay open to the Spirit!  Look for Jesus, not only in the temple, but in the homes and back alleys of the towns and cities we live in.  And then, help others better understand the true message of Christmas - that Jesus came to renew, restore and reconcile a broken, sinful and hurting world. 

"Don't stop thinking about tomorrow!"  You might be surprised what a difference that makes!

Koselig

On our recent trip to Norway, Dee and I discovered a new cultural concept called “koselig.”  This word is similar to our word cozy or comfy, but it has an even deeper dimension – it is not easy to translate into English.

Koselig might be similar to Perry Como’s Christmas Song.  Do you remember the lyrics:  “Chestnuts roasting on the open hearth, Jack Frost nipping at your nose.  Yule tide carols being sung by a choir, and folks dressed up like Eskimos…tiny tots with their eyes all aglow, will find it hard to sleep tonight.”

This holiday favorite creates a warm, cozy feeling.  Or how about that Christmas number that goes like this, “The weather outside is frightful, but inside it’s so delightful…”   All of these verses come close to capturing the essence of koselig, but not quite. 

Norwegians call Koselig “inner summer.”  It is a mood, an attitude that keeps them happy and content through the long, dark days of winter.  In some parts of Norway, the sun only shows itself for a few hours during the winter season.  But Norwegians light candles, play music, drink a little wine, create a warm and cozy atmosphere where good friends can sing and laugh together. That’s koselig.

Recently I read a devotional by Herb Chilstrom, a former bishop of the ELCA.  He wrote about his trip with his wife Corinne to several of the Scandinavian countries during the season of Advent.  It was there that he experienced what the Norwegians call koselig, but on a deeper, spiritual level.

He writes: “I recall visiting a church in Denmark.  In the near pitch darkness of the early evening we stepped into a nave that was bathed in white.  Every wall, the pews, the altar – everything was painted in brilliant white.  I could feel my spirits rise just standing there.

The same was true in every city in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland.  Candles glowed in nearly every window.  It was as though each residence was sending out a message.  “It may be dark outdoors, but in this home there is light and warmth.”

That sounds like koselig to me!  It’s an inner light that cannot be overcome by darkness.  It is a light, the light of Christ that shines out for all to see. 

Jesus spoke of his followers being “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14).  This raises some good questions for us to ponder this Advent season:  Do others see me as a light in their world?  Do those who wander in doubt and confusion see me as a source of comfort, hope and stability?

As Herb Chilstrom writes in his devotional, “If we are to be light we must first realize that the illumination does not originate with us.  Rather, the light we have to share with others is reflected from the grace we have received from God.  God lights up our lives in order that we might light up the lives of others.”

That’s an Advent kind of koselig!  May the fires of God’s love and the warmth of Christ’s presence illuminate your soul and give you great contentment and peace in this Christmas season.

Blessings,

Pastor Bob

 

Spring has Come!

Spring has Come!

This has been a long hard winter.  The cold came early and the snow came late to northwest Iowa.  I lost track of the number of days the wind chill was under -20.  And the number of potential thawing days could easily be counted on one hand. 

 The only way I was able to cope with the dark and the cold days of January and February was to start looking to the future, looking carefully for signs that perhaps spring is on the way.    Here is my short list of indicators that new life is soon to spring forth:

·        People start filling out their March Madness tournament brackets.

·        The Taco House is open for business!

·        The robins start strutting around my front lawn, despite a late season snow storm.

·        The five foot snow bank by my driveway is now down to two feet.

·        The sun is setting after 7pm!

·        Easter is coming!!!

Perhaps this last indicator of springtime is the best of all.  Easter is the celebration of Christ’s victory over the grave; it is a beautiful celebration that the cold chill of winter is now overcome by the warmth of God’s power to create new life for all people.   And there are signs of this victory all around us!

When I see two people talking to each other after a long period of silence, I shout out inside, “spring has come!” 

When I see someone beginning to heal from a broken relationship and they are starting to smile again, I sing out, “spring has come!”

When I see a family hurt by unemployment, continue to find ways to give to their church, I hum to myself, “spring has come!”

When I see that young “twenty something” worshiping with us when many of his friends are sleeping in on Sundays, I laugh out loud, “spring has come.”

Can you add to this list?  Can you count all the indicators that winter is now in the rear view mirror? Go ahead!   Use all of your senses and take in the amazing signs of hope and resurrection?   Look for the green shoots bursting through the hard crust!   Listen for the sounds of joy and good cheer!  Feel the embrace of new friends and old coming together!  

The winter is over.  Springtime is here!   Let the Holy Spirit open you up to all the possibilities for spiritual growth and new beginnings.   May the glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus change and transform the way you look at the world.  May the Spirit give you the eyes of faith to celebrate even the small victories, the tiny indicators that God is up to something Big!

Friends in Christ, may God truly bless your Easter celebrations!  And if you are in town this Easter, come join us for one of our many special Holy Week and Easter services.  Come and join the chorus:

 Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!   Spring has come!