I had one of those “ah-ha” moments when reading Genesis recently. In the opening verses about creation, it tells of God’s creation of man. And then it says, “the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make a helper as his partner.’ So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air” (Genesis 2:18 & 19). I don’t know why it never dawned on me before, but in the scheme of creation, animals were created to be our companions . To be fair, in the end people are deemed better companions and helpers, but make no mistake about it, our sacred text views our fuzzy little friends as God's companions for us.
In some ways, this articulates what we already know through our experiences. Since we took two cats into our home (Tabitha and Miss Kitty), we never come home to an empty house. There are always two cats waiting at the door. When I sit down on the sofa I am never alone. There is always at least one cat next to me or on me. When we take pets into our homes we know that we will never be alone. There will always be a companion waiting at the door.
This Sunday we will celebrate God’s marvelous creation as experienced through our beloved pets, so bring your pet to church on Sunday! All pets are welcome and all pets will be offered a blessing.
Posted by westend_admin, Thursday, October 13, 2011
Our past affects our present and future, especially when it comes to creating positive momentum. If we cling to the difficulties of the past, it can feel as if we are carrying the weight of the world with us. If we hold onto the successes of the past, they encourage and propel us forward. The Israelites experienced this phenomenon when they became weighed down by their past. They had two memories from which to draw: being in slavery and being free. Unfortunately, rather than focus on how their faith in God had led them from slavery to freedom, they clung to the memories of being enslaved.
Scripture counsels us to never forget God, which is another way of saying not to forget the good things we have experienced through our faith and God’s grace. In Psalm 106, it says the Israelites “forgot God… who had done great things” (v. 21). Because of this, the weight of their past prevented them from moving forward. Instead we are reminded that “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8).
Posted by westend_admin, Wednesday, October 5, 2011
When we speak of momentum, it is that invisible, intangible force that charts the trajectory of our lives. We seem to know little about what creates it, but we certainly feel its effects. Sometimes it feels like it is pulling us towards the good life. At other times, it is as if we’re on a river heading for a waterfall and don’t know how to get off! One important aspect of momentum is our attitude. When we are negative, momentum takes a turn for the worse. If we are positive, momentum pulls us forward. As Bryant McGill said, “Enthusiasm is the energy and force that builds literal momentum of the human soul and mind.” And in a much older source it says, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). Everyday we need to find ways to rejoice, celebrate, and be enthused about something or someone. It is more than enjoying the moment. It creates momentum for our future.
Posted by westend_admin, Tuesday, October 4, 2011
No one likes to be told what to do. And because we think of ourselves as highly evolved, rational and intelligent beings, we do not like the idea of religion telling us what is right or wrong. Even as a pastor I find myself recoiling from the moral strictures that many religious types seek to impose on others. However, there is another way to think about religious law. Instead of a list of dos and don’ts, I think it is far better to think of it as a guide to reach the potential for which God created us. And if ignored, you may never know what is possible, we may settle for less than what God offers in this life. The intersection of religion and morality represents the pathway to reaching the potential within us and between us. Every time we turn to our Scriptures and tradition, we are seeking the wisdom of God as it has been experienced over thousands of years. And with prayer and discernment in our communities of faith, God’s wisdom continues to guide us.
Posted by westend_admin, Friday, September 30, 2011
One of people’s major complaints about the Ten Commandments is that they are overly negative. They are ten ways of saying, “don’t do this” or “don’t do that.” While it is true they are expressed using a negative form, this does not mean they have a negative meaning. The commandments are not about restricting behavior but are about guiding people so that they may experience what it means to be free. The prelude to the commandments highlights this emphasis. It begins by saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Exodus 20:2). It reminds the Israelites that once they were slaves, but now they are free. And the Ten Commandments represent a way to continue in that freedom so that they do not move from one form of slavery to another. They could easily become enslaved by greed, corruption, or enmity with others. And the only way to avoid this is to live in a way that keeps one free. The Ten Commandments prompt us to consider whether our actions are liberating us or enslaving us. Something worth considering!
Posted by westend_admin, Friday, September 30, 2011
This week’s theme focuses on the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17). Unfortunately, they have fallen on hard times. First, few people know what they are. Second, many see them as too negative in orientation—don’t do this and don’t do that! And third, an increasing number of people think we no longer need moral postulates to guide our behavior.
Over the next few days I will be examining these three issues. For today, let’s begin by making sure we all know the Ten Commandments. To test your knowledge,
click here. You’ll quickly discover how many commandments you know. And there is a series of bonus questions based on the commandments to find out if you are a saint or sinner—remember, it is all in good fun. Good luck!
Posted by westend_admin, Monday, September 26, 2011
Traditionally it has been thought taboo to question God. I guess it was seen as a sign of weak faith. But could it not be the beginning of faith? James Nathan Miller said, “There is no such thing as a worthless conversation, provided you know what to listen for. And questions are the breath of life for a conversation.” Our questions are an indispensable element in the way we come to know one another. Our questions are what open us to God. They are part of our spiritual quest, and no one can be on a quest without questioning. It is the way we learn and grow. And it is also a way we reveal ourselves to others. Every question contains a hint of vulnerability because it displays something about which we do not know or are uncertain. When it comes to faith, with every question we are communicating something significant to God. This is essential because faith cannot touch those parts of ourselves that we hide from God.
Posted by westend_admin, Wednesday, September 21, 2011
This week’s text (Philippians 1:21-30) poses the question, what do we do when we are opposed by others and in an apparent place of weakness? Although the Apostle Paul does not use the term “character,” Paul’s answer is this: make sure to resist the impulse to compromise our character because of what we are facing. The Philippians were in a tough situation. Their leader, Paul, was in prison. And others saw this as an opening to raise their profile as bearers of the gospel (even then some evangelists had questionable motives!). This meant that a competitive spirit, along with a little envy, caused people to resort to less than noble means to advance their position. Paul’s concern was that the Philippians may do the same when faced with such opposition.
When hard pressed, we all face the temptation to lower our standards to see our way through. When we are facing difficult times, it is good to pause and remind ourselves of who we want to be and who God created us to be. Otherwise it is all too easy to compromise our character for the expediency of the moment rather than build a character that will endure for the future.
Posted by westend_admin, Friday, September 16, 2011
Too often we categorize people by their situation in life. If good fortune follows them, then they must be good. If bad things surround them, then they must be bad. This basic idea has crept into our faith. Some preach that if you have a strong faith in God, you will experience health and wealth. Though I agree that faith helps us through troubled times--and even avoid some of them--I have a problem with this line of thinking and here is why. If we believe this yet still experience trying times, we are left with the conclusion that either our faith is not good enough, or that we simply are not good.
Faith does not eliminate our problems, but it does remind us that even in difficult times, our worth is not diminished. No matter what our station or circumstances in life, we will always be a wonderful creation of God (Psalm 139:14). We need to remind each other of this, because it can be very hard to believe this about ourselves when we are in the middle of a mess. Remember to affirm others when they are experiencing hard times. It may just be the encouragement they need to make it through the day.
Posted by westend_admin, Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Being an avid tennis fan, I am still mourning Federer’s loss to Djokovic at the US Open this weekend. He was up 5-3 in the fifth set, had two match points, and yet he still lost! For those who are not tennis fans, this means there was no way he should have lost that match. Immediately after, the pundits were less than charitable towards him--some evening predicting his demise. Because he is the one and only Roger Federer, these things are not supposed to happen to him.
Interestingly, the Apostle Paul found himself in a similar situation. He was a super apostle. Pearls of wisdom and incredible feats seemed to abound when he was present. Yet somehow he found himself in prison, which is something that tends to diminish the aura of someone in his business! His motto and advice to all who suffered opposition: don’t respond in fear or hatred. Simply “live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27).
Whether we are Federer, the Apostle Paul, or just plain old us, the comments of others, especially when in a difficult situation, can easily impact the possibilities we see for ourselves. Paul knew this, and so he used his own situation of hardship to remind us to stay true to our values and allow our faith to elevate us above the fray. As he said later in Philippians, “I have strength for anything through Christ who gives me power” (4:13). May our faith strengthen us for the journey ahead.
Posted by westend_admin, Monday, September 12, 2011
