When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.” ~ John 21:15 - 19 Having been blessed to know most of my great grandparents and grandparents, I have to say, I learned a lot about living, growing old, and dying. Our ability to grow old gracefully involves many factors. Our health of course, but also, the circumstances that meet us each day. While physical abilities are something we all worry about, the mind is also something we can focus on. Questions like, "Will I remember, or know others?" "Will I still be independent enough to take care of myself?" are just a few of many. Jesus first begins asking Simon Peter a basic question, "Do you love me?" While he declares his love for Jesus, Jesus then tells him things that he must do. Feed and to tend his sheep. He then tells him to "follow me." But first, he describes something that most of us would describe as aging. I think we all realize that when we were younger, we were capable of many things. Tying our own shoes. Fastening our own belt. Deciding what our own choices were for the day, and striking out on our own. I watched my grandparents as they aged, these things become more difficult. It's not just tying your shoes as fingers find their way to fashion shoe strings, it's also about bending over to tie them. Deciding what to wear, and will it be appropriate for the weather? Things that once never entered our mind, consciously, now possess time in our day. Jesus seems to touch on this very process, sharing that at some point, someone else will fasten our belt and will lead us. This was true in the case of nearly all my grandparents. While this is something to consider, Jesus is more concerned about something else. BUT FOR NOW... will you follow me? No matter what our circumstances, ultimately our decision to follow Christ is ours to make. What does this mean? Well it means something different for every single one of us! While scripture shares how this worked for Jesus and his Disciples years ago, and the communities they resided in, it serves to help us see what some of these relationships looked like. As a chaplain I always found it interesting that when I would introduce myself to a patient, the patient would often begin to tell me about the church, or faith, that he or she belonged. Whether Jesus was part of the faith tradition, or no tradition at all. Whether the person prayed, or experienced faith. Often these all seemed to encompass some kind of Biblical understanding. Many times I would listen to a list of things that described their faith, but ultimately, if the person was Christian, I would respond, "So you follow Christ." It is not always about what you do, how you worship, or for that matter, what others believe. It is the words that Jesus shared with Simon Peter that day, "If you love me, follow me." While there are many things within my faith tradition that I cherish, as these are the things I do to practice my faith, ultimately my life is about a choice to follow Jesus. That is the one choice all of us must make, and how that looks, will be different for each of us! Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, today I will follow Christ. Amen. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff — they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. ~ Psalm 23 One of my favorite Psalms is the 23rd. While it is often read at the bedside of a patient, or the solemn closing of a funeral, sometimes for me, just going to this Psalm is a reminder that I just need these words. Years ago I was experiencing a very difficult time. I was in my final semester of seminary. Preparing to defend my Statement of Faith among professors that had seen me nearly every day for three years, while also preparing for my ordination, meeting with church leaders who had known me even longer than that, and preparing to move from the seminary campus where I had called home for the last few years. I was also completing my first unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at Baptist Hospital East in Louisville, Kentucky, working on Heart Unit. It was there that I encountered my moments of stopping and listening, while learning more about myself. Each week I was required to submit a verbatim of a discussion that I had with a patient, bring it to my supervisor, and then it was discussed among my peers. There would then be a discussion to review my interaction with the patient, ask questions as to "Why?" I responded a certain way, and to make comments on the overall visit. These were not always pleasant. It's not that what I may have done or not done was wrong, it really made me look at myself and try to see what I was thinking and feeling while taking a journey with a patient that they had invited me to be present for. The most important question during each visit was this, "Were you a non-anxious presence, fully engaged with the person, and did you let that person lead?" Surrendering yourself to follow someone as the person shares of their life experiences through telling their story can sometimes be challenging, especially if it leads to beliefs that are not yours, or perhaps, may be too close to your own struggles. The important part is remaining that presence, and not getting too involved, while not seeming distant or uncaring. There was one patient in particular I remember. He wasn't much older than I was, and had a young daughter about my daughter's age at the time. He was only 39 and needed a new heart. His insurance company had finally approved the surgery, however, refused to pay for the service that would ultimately harvest a heart and bring the organ to the hospital. It was absolutely devastating to him. I just remember him looking at me, crying, and asking, "Why is God doing this to me?" It was difficult for me not to cry out with him, and want to call every administrator, along with every person who worked for his insurance company and show them a picture of his daughter that he kept next to his hospital bed. His anger was hard not to get involved with, and his pain... let's just say I hugged my daughter and son a whole lot more when I would come home from visiting him. Each day I watched as he became weaker, while he stared at the picture of his daughter, and worked through the fact that this was not God's will, but poor policies created by a business. While he continued to fight the decision, he did finally achieve some peace about his situation in his final days. On one of my visits we had a moment that he realized he wanted to be present some how for his daughter on important days. I helped him write letters to his daughter for each birthday through age 21. We used these letters to discuss what his life was like growing up, and what he remembered about each year. A letter she would be given on her wedding day, and at the birth of her first child. These were precious gifts. Words from a father to his daughter, letting her know just how precious life is, and that while he knew he was not going to be with her physically, she was to look to heavens and know he was with her. It became part of our visit over the next few days before his death that we would recite this Psalm together and pray as our visit would end. It made me realize that despite how unfair so much of this experience felt, there was a sense that God knew about everything, and that within these words, a promise was made.... "And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." While our struggles may be very real, there is some comfort in knowing that the presence of God will always serve as our guide and comfort, even unto the end. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, today I will let You lead. Amen. O sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples. ~ Psalm 96:1 - 3 Today I woke up just feeling several things. There is of course the whole getting up, getting ready to start the day, and then trying to figure out what I've missed since I turned my phone off and climbed into bed. Along the Gulf Coast, it can be 91 degrees one day, 78 degrees the next, and then 90 plus again the following day. That pretty much describes our week THIS week! While we would like to think that we can predict things like the weather, the simple truth is, we can't. Our world is filled with many unpredictabilities. Although Christ had told his followers that he must die and then rise again in order to fulfill God's glory, I doubt seriously that they could fully relate and predict what would happen when this occurred. While I would like to think that the world would have stopped everything to turn their attentions to Jesus' return, of course, life continued on. I have often wondered in our own human capacity knowing that once again the world will know the presence of Christ among us physically, that our knowing that we cannot predict his return causes us to put it in the back of our minds, rather than something we think of each day. When we encounter something we have no control over, there are times that we just simply leave it behind. It's kinda like the world tuning in to watch a giraffe give birth, and 40 days later were still looking. When the giraffe finally gave birth, some people were like, "I quit looking weeks ago." I find that my day can become pretty predictable based on the way I feel inside. The Psalmist reminds us to "Sing a new song unto the Lord," with each new day. For some, this may be a real challenge, when you wake up feeling the way you did the day before. These feelings may not be bad for some, but for others, worries, over-commitments, stress, debt, hurt, and on and on, minimize our ability to find joy, none the less, a new song! I shared that years ago I had a good friend remind me that there is reason to sing each day. It is up to us to seek and find it. No matter how great or small, claim it! And sing about it. Singing is not always about a tune. It's also about acknowledging that God has provided a reason to carry that joy through the whole day. Today, as unpredictable life may be, may we all find a reason to sing a new song unto the Lord! Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Today Lord, may I find a reason to sing! Lead me and direct me, pointing me to that which will provide the joy I need for this day, tomorrow, and days to come. Amen. And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.” ~ Luke 3:10 - 14 It's been a while since Jesus' cousin John has been thought about. John, this curiously different man who ate locusts and honey, and dressed in camel hair. Looking all a mess, this wanderer attracted crowds out in the country and he baptized them, including Jesus. For those surrounding the resurrected Jesus, John's message was a whole lot more easier to understand about now. Reminding everyone that the "Kingdom of God was at hand," might be a little clearer in the eyes of the Disciples who are now seeing the risen Jesus first-hand. John's message was about doing what's right. We don't think too much of John after the crucifixion. John, his head the birthday gift on a silver platter at the request of Herodias's daughter, had been gone from the scene for some time now. However, with the resurrection of Jesus and his time now with his Disciples, I'm sure that there were those who were beginning to wonder if John might be next to return. Just imagine what the people might have been thinking. "I wonder what messenger of God will rise next? What profit? Could it be John the one who was baptizing in the wilderness? What might he be wearing now, and what would his message be?" Have you ever thought what the message of John, or for that matter, Jesus might be today if they were to show up, and if so, would the world listen? Would they be two men in a new wilderness, dealing with a new generation who, like the Hebrew people who just generations earlier were freed from slavery and brought out of Egypt had forgotten the power of God? Would John's message to be satisfied in your life's work, and to not take advantage of others, be echoed once again? Would we be rushing home to empty our closets of extra clothes to ensure that others were not naked on the street corner asking for help? We are reminded it does not take supernatural encounters with God to live this life, or to do these things. Christ dwells within us. That's reason enough to sing, "It is well with my soul," while finding ways to help one another. We live in a world that is filled with opportunities to be the Kingdom of God being ushered in. It begins with us. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, today help to remind me of Your message to love one another, and John's message that Your Kingdom is near and to help one another. Amen. “Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” ~ John 17:25 - 26 Have you ever been part of something bigger than you realized, and it wasn't until it was completed that you realized just how amazing that involvement was? We all have these moments in our lives. A local food pantry sets a goal to fill a semi-truck load with food to take out into the community. A teacher starts a "Go Fund Me" project to buy a rug for her room that children will sit and listen to stories of greatness. A volunteer offers to go and sit with a hospice patient so that the patient's family can go to the grocery store. No matter how large or small the project may seem, these are the things that are done out of the love for something that is within us. Jesus is trying hard to explain just how this all works now with the Disciples before he is to leave. It's almost as if he is saying, "I'm leaving, but you've got this!" What is it that is instilled within your heart that you are so passionate about? There is a real purpose to our loving Christ, and Christ loving us, that doesn't just create a relationship. It is also recognizing that we are part of something much greater. It is that relationship which gives each of us purpose. It is that relationship that reminds us that we belong to something much greater. And finally, it is that relationship which we are called to share through the love of one another. I always find that when we truly love something, then our passion cannot help but be brought to light and it become a priority. It's when the project is complete, or after time has passed, that the fullness of that passion can be realized. Our love for one another and Christ, is complete through God. What an amazing gift this relationship has become! Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear God, may I realize Your love for me through my love for others and what I am passionate about doing for others. Thank You for loving me so completely! Amen. “While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.” ~ John 17:12 - 19 Have you ever read a piece of scripture and just felt absolutely hopeful? Today's text does that for me. Jesus seems to be encapsulating his ministry to God, letting God know that these friends of his, who have been following him, are no longer the same. They are no longer a part of the world, but of something much different. Because they have been with Jesus, he has been able to protect them from a variety of things, except for one of them, which had a role that had to be played out, they are part of a very special group. Jesus talks of how special they are, and because they are special, he speaks of them as being sanctified. One of the things that we often forget is that we ARE different than the world, but yet, it is a fine line that each of us must walk. To balance ourselves, and to remain hopeful, especially when we just can't seem to understand why some things are the way that they are. Even Jesus asks God to protect this sanctified group from evil, noting that this would be a challenge. It's Jesus reminding each of us that we are indeed sanctified, and that being truthful, and speaking the truth, while remaining focused on what we have been called to do is what sets us apart. Years ago I served on a committee that helped with the licensing of clergy within my faith tradition. I always loved hearing about what it was that caused the person to respond to the call of ministry. I always reminded folks that our role was not to judge whether the person deserved to be licensed, or for that matter, had some particular gift for ministry. It was our opportunity to watch as God sanctified the person for ministry, while the person found his or her way, and how we, as fellow followers could serve with and help to affirm their journey. Our entire journey is about hope, while being reminded that we are God's children, sanctified and called to serve a higher purpose. I love knowing that we belong to God! Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, today as I pray, may I be reminded that I am embraced and surrounded by Your love. That I shall remain hopeful in my faith, while I seek to find ways to affirm those I travel with. Amen. After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed." ~ John 17:1 - 5 About this time in the life of the Disciples, there has to be a new sense of reality starting to creep into their lives. If there was any doubt prior to Jesus' death of who he was, that surely has been wiped away. However, humanity being humanity, is still going to have it's moments to figure things out. John is sharing an intimate moment Jesus is having with God, and records Jesus basically reminding God, it is now YOUR time. I love that there is this type of relationship between God and Jesus. Their relationship is a reminder that there is a balance within the Trinity. That when One portion of the Trinity does something, each part of God is glorified. While we may not always understand how this works, it is okay. The glory of God seeks to reach out to us. Jesus has fulfilled one part of God's plan. Because of what Jesus has experienced, even though there was great pain and suffering, the relationship of God with us has been fulfilled and our life lived in eternity will be complete because even through our own difficult life experiences, we have remained faithful. The presence of Christ following the resurrection among the Disciples just goes to show to what great lengths God is willing to go in order to ensure our faith remains firm and that we continue to seek to have a relationship with God each day. The words, "It is finished," have been turned into a great "Amen" at the end of a life that was lived to help each of us better understand our faith. To have moments in time where we can look and proclaim that Jesus is real, and the life of Jesus was part of God's great plan for each of us! While the Disciples surely were beginning to realize that there was another change about to enter their lives, this next change would involve a presence of God they had yet to experience. This next chapter would invoke the Spirit within each of them that would take them to a new place in their faith journey. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, help me to live each moment glorifying You and what you have done in my life, so that others may learn more of faith, and have more faith in YOU! “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” ~ John 14:1 - 7 Recently I typed in "Where is heaven?" into my google search engine, just to see what I would find. At the top of the list, the Billy Graham Society shares that no where in the Bible does a literal map location of where heaven actually exist. Next is a response from a website, "Got Questions" where the writers share that there is "definitely" a place called heaven and that the Bible and Jesus speak of the existence of heaven. Of course, I grew up on John Denver singing "Country Roads," and he sang that West Virginia was "almost heaven." I think for most of us when we are asked where heaven is located, our eyes tend to focus upward, and perhaps we seem to point "out there." That's the funny thing about heaven, isn't it? We all seem to declare the existence of a place where we will no longer know death. Where streets seem to contain dust of gold, where we will find those who have died before us, and where a mansion with many rooms that Jesus keeps sharing about, will hold all of us. I've heard the arguments that heaven, or the Kingdom of God, exists all around us. That when we take our last breath on earth that our next will be in heaven with God. I've listened as people have shared that they believe that we go to sleep, and won't actually see heaven unto the resurrection of the dead when Jesus returns. I believe more than anything, that we would agree there is "something" out there for us after we die. I love how Thomas tries to get a better understanding of just where heaven is, only to have Jesus explain that "he is the way." While our presence on earth can be pinned to a map, the location of heaven begins with our faith within each of us, and our belief in Christ. For me, it just seems pretty strange for someone to have a belief that when we die we venture to some place other than here, without some kind of understanding of who God is, or why such a place would exist without it being created for a purpose. In the meantime, Jesus shares that there is a place where we will all gather, and that for us, even today, our ability to follow Christ brings us closer to the place where eternity exists. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, we have been taught to pray that until Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. May I come to understand that will for me in my life, and how You made a plan for me. Today, I seek to know more. Amen. “A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me.” Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying to us, ‘A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” They said, “What does he mean by this ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you discussing among yourselves what I meant when I said, ‘A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’? Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. When a woman is in labor, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete." ~ John 16:16 - 24 Have you ever had an experience where you thought to yourself, "If I can just manage this for another 20 minutes?" Over the years while serving as a chaplain, I have heard people tell me time and time again, "If I can just make it through the next day" when talking about treatment, or a surgery. There is something about knowing that something is about to come to an end that brings some kind of relief. It's all about goals, reaching them, and the process. Jesus tries to once again share with his followers that he would once again be leaving them. "In a little while" doesn't give an exact time frame, now does it? It's not like him telling them that he would be with them always, although that does seem to come up. No, this has to do with physical presence. Jesus has died, he has risen, and very soon he will ascend to heaven. There is something about the framework of time that tends to keep all of us just a little anxious. The whole idea, of course, seems to be a human construct. We confine the idea of creation to 7 literal days, but just how long were those days actually? For me, it doesn't really matter. I am comfortable in recognizing that God has a plan, and that Jesus is trying to convey that plan to those around him. He is literally telling them, "Look, I am with you now, but I will not always be physically with you. I must leave, however, at some point, I will see you face to face again when you come to join me in my Father's house." I'm not sure if those around him were comfortable with this, because he also tells them that there will be sadness, mourning, and pain. The world seems to already be full of these things, and Jesus just seems to acknowledge that those around him will continue to experience these circumstances. Why would I want to endure this as well? He then talks about joy. I am all about that! I have been blessed to be present for the birth of both of my children. I must admit, the process was not joyful, however, within moments after giving birth, the pain was behind their mother, and there was real joy that entered. Although we will endure the things that Jesus shared, the end result will leave us joyful. It's more than just "getting through this," though. It's about living our life, through all times, and carrying the love of Christ to others. No matter how difficult our life may seem, there is already a glimpse of the joy that we will experience. Just knowing that this life, and our experiences, will last "a while," the idea that there is more once this life is complete, that will bring us great joy, makes each day something that we can experience. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, You showed us that life can be full of struggles, however, Your presence and words remind us that there is to also be great joy. May the joy of the Lord not just give us strength through these moments, but fill our entire life. Amen. “I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me. But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them." ~ John 16:1 - 4 Sometimes I truly wonder what Jesus was thinking when it came to organized religion about now after his resurrection? He obviously already had it all figured out. The betrayal, the money, the holy kiss, and of course, those pious leaders. But now, he is back, and obviously his return is surely causing all the players that placed him in the tomb to think as well. I've often wondered what this all may have looked like had the events of Jesus' life taken place today. While thousands of viewers awaited the birth of a giraffe to stream live on the world wide web, would there have been live streaming of Jesus' life? Would Peter have pulled out his phone to catch the initial steps of the brave Disciple stepping out of the boat onto the sea? What about at the tomb of Lazarus, would a news crew been present with minute by minute commentary of how Jesus first met this man, and his sisters. Would there have been filmed segments from earlier times in their lives, and how this friendship was different than any other? Would an expert been on hand to explain why Jesus wept, and what they may or may not have meant? What of the woman at the well? Would they have gone out and interviewed her previous husbands, and the wife of the current husband she was now in a relationship with? And then, the day Christ came into town upon a colt? The thoughts of the crowds? Would there have been a YouTube video on how to choose the perfect palm and how to wave the palm in sync to the sound of the yelling crowd? The night of the betrayal would surely have been a scene straight out of a reality television show, and of course, the arrest, the trial, and painfully, the execution. A "Behind the Man, Herod, the REAL STORY" would have had sponsors lined up to buy ads. What is it about our love for human tragedy and the need to somehow orchestrate a way to be included, whether present or from a distance? Jesus has now experienced it all, and he is conveying to his followers that they are "next!" He is explaining that at some point, even they will be turned away from the synagogue, and that there would be those who will purposely harm and even kill them in the name of religion! No longer is Jesus just talking about loving one another. There is more. There are those out there that no matter what you do, are going to persecute you, and some of them may even be the people you sit next to in church! This was not meant to cause a sense of distrust or paranoia within the synagogue or with one another. For Jesus, it was a followup with what he had just encountered, and that if this did happen to any of those he shared this message with, that somehow God would still be glorified. On this day, Jesus was trying to prepare those with him that he would be leaving again, and he simply wants them to be ready. The same goes for us today. We all know that there will be times when we find that we may struggle, and that others may turn away, or say things that may hurt us because we may think or say something different. Jesus didn't tell those around him that it was going to get any easier, however, he does reassure that God will be present and find a way to lay claim to each of us, even on our worst of days. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear God, for I know that You are with me always. Help me to remain strong when I feel like I am alone. Thank You for loving me through all the circumstances of my life. Amen. “If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world — therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘Servants are not greater than their master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not have sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. It was to fulfill the word that is written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’” “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.” ~ John 15:18 - 27 When I was a kid, one of my best friends and I would create goofy songs to make our mothers laugh and to sometimes cause embarrassment. One song that we didn't create, but loved to sing, was a nursery rhyme that had to do with worms and the garden. "Nobody likes me, everybody hates me, going to the garden to eat worms." Being liked, even as a child, was something that I knew early in life I enjoyed a whole lot more that being disliked. I couldn't even imagine really being hated at that point. Hate is something we all learn from someone or something. I have watched over the years as children have grown into adults, and for some, I see them now and have to ask myself, where did you learn to hate something so much? Christ reminds us that there were those who hated him. For me, it is somewhat hard to understand how someone could hate a God who is always is seeking to love me. But that is how I perceive my relationship with Jesus. Not everyone has that same experience and understanding. Years ago I met a very bitter man living on the street who absolutely hated God. As a child his parents had basically abandoned him. His first love died at a very young age, and he became an alcoholic by the time he was 22 years old. He had lost job after job, and friends and family turned away from him. I met him one day while serving sandwiches on the street. I soon realized that he really didn't care for me either, because as a pastor, and I was part of the church that represented a God he also felt had wronged him, and that he hated. Although he managed to show up each week for nearly two years, accepting food and some support, he never opened himself up. He had become a true cynic, and he eventually disappeared, carrying with him that same hate, but also, I had hoped, another view of what the love of God might look like. While I had hoped that he would eventually realize that God was not responsible for his parents leaving, or the death of his first love, or even his own alcoholism. God was, however, still present, and seeking to have a relationship with him. So often we hinge our own relationship with God to our own experiences, good and bad, and those experiences directly impact how we view God. Jesus acknowledges that there are simply those who hate him. Let's face it, there was a lot of hate involved in the torture and death of Christ. There is no denying that what Jesus saw first hand was just how hateful humanity can be. Our love for God can sometimes be met by someone like the man I met on the street years ago. Our love for God should never be something that we be ashamed of or question. When we feel that perhaps there is no one who likes us, or that everybody hates us, a garden of worms is not the next step. There is no comfort found there! Seek the wisdom of your heart where God has placed a love that no amount of hate can ever destroy and remain in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear God, while I may not understand how others might hate You, may I never loose sight of Your faithfulness to having a relationship with me. Help me to continue to share that love with others, even when they may hate You and perhaps even me, because of that love I have for You. Amen. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit." ~ John 14:1 - 2 There resides in each of us things that are not healthy for us. We live in an imperfect world, and because we do, we can tend to develop habits that magnify those things that can sometimes serve as a stumbling block for any of us. Oh, I think most of us have something that immediately comes to mind. If we are truly being honest with ourselves, the ability to make excuses for why we do something outnumber the actual things we do! Jesus continues to share with the Disciples how this new resurrected relationship is going to work. Like the Trinity talk yesterday, he continues on to share just how his relationship with God and us is going to work. God is this great vineyard developer, and Jesus, well, Jesus is a great vine. While you would think that Jesus would be the perfect vine, even God needs to create a more perfect vine, and so God trims off that which does produce an abundant harvest, and tends to the areas that produce great fruit. So often this is just where some folks jump to the conclusion that those who do not produce good fruit will be cut off from the glory of God. For me, I know that I am not perfect, but like a truly good farmer, my God, like Jesus explains, is the ideal farmer. I know that I am being shaped. Not like some topiary at the front door of the King's mansion! No! God utilizes every gift that I have to make sure that I am always putting my best forward. God is not in the business of throwing away God's children. So often we read into this scripture as God somehow cutting off those who seem to have fallen away, or who lack something. Even among farmers, they know that even the pieces that are cut away still have a purpose. They can be used to create mulch that prevent weeds and keep the plant moist, or even fertilizer, that makes the plant healthy and stronger. Our God is always about redemption, hope and resurrection. Jesus invites us to be part of the healthy vine, that grows, blooms, and provides for the harvest. God wants the excellence of creation to flourish, and for each of us to be part of the beautiful garden being created. We shall abide in Christ, and Christ in us, who is with God our Creator! You are God's most precious of all creation! Grow and bloom! Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, while I may not understand when things seem to fall away, I hope that my response will make me stronger and able to have a more fruitful life. Thank you for caring so much for me and my life. Amen. “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me. ~ John 14:18 - 24 It's been two days since the Lord has risen. About now the Disciples have to be looking at one another, and perhaps pinching each other to see if this is real, and Jesus begins telling them that He is never going to fully leave them ever again. If I were in their sandals, I really don't know what I would be thinking at this point. Relief? Amazement? Worry for self? Going crazy? Seriously, have you considered what you would be thinking had you been part of the group that had walked with him, watched him die, and now... THIS! It's not that this is even a test of faith. Faith has always been believing in something that you cannot see. The Disciples are not just seeing, but they are eating with him, talking with him, and learning from him. Jesus begins to expand his conversations, and talk more of God and now the Holy Spirit. As a youth pastor years ago, it was always a challenge for me, and perhaps even as an adult now, to fully explain how the Trinity exists. The Easter Egg from Sunday morning is still a great illustration. Eggs are made up of a yolk, the white part, and the shell. Although each are different, they are part of the same egg. It is what makes the egg complete. Years later it still makes me stop and think, "Did I just explain the the Trinity like an egg off the shelf?" While we may not fully understand the relationship, the understanding that God is many things, Parent, Child and Holy Spirit, helps to remind us that we have a God that is focused on making sure that God is not just relational in some way to and for each of us, but that we also experience God in many ways. While people cannot be all things to all people, we serve a God who is all things for every person! Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear God, in Your effort to reach out to humanity, You have reached out to us in many ways. May we embrace Your presence and learn what it is that You desire for each of us. Amen. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” ~ John 14:1 -7 It's hard to believe how time continues to move on, and when we have lost someone close to us, how time changes. My stepmother was a dedicated elementary teacher, fun loving, and an organizational queen. She would often leave notes for us, letting us know what she had planned for dinner, what to pick up from the store if she needed something, and even notes on notes about when bills needed to be placed in the mail. She absolutely loved her grandchildren. It was so funny, for someone who had never given birth, the number of children through her years of teaching, two stepchildren, and then grandchildren, seemed to complete her life. Over a decade ago now, she learned that she had a rare blood disease that seemed to change without any real notice into leukemia, and she died. It was an absolute shock for many, including me. Although I had made several trips to see her during her treatments, nothing really prepared me for the phone call I received from my dad letting me know that she had died. To this day I can tell you exactly where I was, and what I was doing at that moment. When events in our lives happen that change us, we remember them. It's strange how the mind can sometimes team up with the heart to work through our grief. For the next year, when one of our children would do something interesting, or say something that made me want to share with her, I would even catch myself starting to pick up the phone and dial the number to home. Slowly over time, I realized that she was never going to answer the phone again. I can't imagine what it must have been like for those who watched Jesus die, be placed into the tomb, and then be told that he was gone. Not just gone, but on his way to Galilee where many would see and talk to him! I can't even begin to wonder what I would ask if I had been part of this history. I mean really, what would you ask, say, or do? Being who Jesus is, he tries to comfort those that he sees. Jesus has just been publicly beaten and crucified right in front of everyone! There is no denying, these people have just gone through a terrible experience, and the first thing Jesus says is not to let their hearts be troubled. It's like a friend saying, "It is okay" when your own world seems to be falling apart. He then tells those present that he has seen heaven, and that there is a great mansion, with many rooms. So many rooms that there is one for each of them... in fact, for all of humanity. Not just then, but even now, and in the future! I always seemed to be challenged after Easter as a pastor, because the "big day" had occurred. On Easter we told one another "He is Risen!" Well that is true, but Easter doesn't end there. There is more ministry, more lessons, and so much more to the story! He returns with the message of hope. Don't let your heart be troubled. You are going to be with me in heaven, and it is so much more than I can even begin to explain. While the Easter story is about the ONE who rose from the dead; the Easter story is also about our story with the ONE who came so we might experience life eternally. I cannot deny that I still experience grief when I have lost someone I love, I do embrace the risen Christ in the days following resurrection. Those, are perhaps the most important of all the days of Jesus' ministry, because those are the ones that teach us that there is so much more than just living and dying. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, help me to understand that Easter doesn't end with You rising from the dead. It is also a promise that there is so much more. Help me to take the excitement of Easter with me each day when I think of the Kingdom that has been prepared for all of us. Amen. After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow. The guards were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men. Then the angel said to the women in reply, "Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.' Behold, I have told you." Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me." ~ Matthew 28:1 - 10 Just days before, the Disciples, close friends and family watched as the one they knew looked to heaven upon a cross and declared "It is finished." It's weird how just three words seem to change everything. Today, the three words that are traveling throughout the world are, "He is risen!" The consequences of both statements are the cornerstone of what the Christian faith is all about. With Christ, a new ecclesiastical chapter has begun, and the news to those who saw and heard the news is that they had better get busy and get on the road to Galilee. So many people forget that Christ was always on the move. The presence of God is within each of us, but our mission with God is not to sit back. We are the presence of living Christ and we have been called to go out and to share the good news with others that indeed, "He is Risen." The living Christ's announcement is a verb, denoting action! It is filled with excitement and also new expectations. In many ways I have felt over the years that as many have become traditional Christmas and Easter patrons of the church (those that we lovingly call C & E'er's), we have forgotten that as the church, we don't sit back and wait for others to hear the news and then find their way to us. We must arise and go forth! We are called to be the risen body of Christ, and like Christ years ago, we are being asked to go out into the world. Easter remains an exciting time for me. I think of the journey that has been made through the season of Lent, and I hope that somewhere along this journey, I have once again sensed God's call and presence, while finding my faith being renewed. May our living God keep YOU in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Today I rejoice with You, Lord, because today I am reminded that You cannot be held, even by death! Amen! |
AuthorRev. G. Todd Williams is the author of the book, "Remember Me When..." and is a former hospice chaplain and pastor. Archives
February 2024
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