There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1 - 8 Ecclesiastes opens with these words, "For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven."
Have you ever looked back at your life and asked yourself, "Why did this happen?" I don't feel like it's something that any of us has not experienced. A relationship ends. A job comes to a close. Another month of the calendar is torn from the wall. We are filled with Ecclesiastical moments. We seem to be in a constant state of change at this time. Each new day seems to bring a new chapter. As someone shared in church yesterday, "We are just all exhausted about now." Years ago I sat in the office of a dear friend, she reminded me of this verse in scripture and said, "Okay, so this chapter of your life is over. It was specific for a time and purpose and now it is complete." I must have looked lost, but then she said, "But don't worry. Don't ever think that your life is over. You have a new chapter that hasn't begun to be written." I know I felt relieved, but also overwhelmed at the same time. For me it meant I would have to rely on God to lead, for me to follow, but most of all, be willing to step out and start creating the new chapter. I wonder if the tree of the field feels sad when winter begins to approach and it must watch as the leaves change color and fall to the ground, exposing itself to the harsh reality of winter? Then in the spring, feeling the warmth of the sun, stirring something from deep within, that brings forth buds and a burst of life that once again creates shade and new limbs that the birds of the field may rest upon. Each day is an unwritten page in the chapter of life. If you have experienced loss, or simply can't imagine another day like yesterday, then perhaps a new chapter is in order. I'm grateful for the words my friend shared. It really helped me to know that God was not done, and that better things were definitely awaiting. Have a great week living out this season, or chapter, of your life. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2020
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“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” ~ John 16:33 Peace, for me, is the emotion I identify with faith.
Sometimes I wonder if we consider peace to be an adjective to describe our faith, or as the manifestation of how God is present and watching over us. It seems that these days require disturbance, anxiety, or uncertainty. It seems as if there are demands on us that then begin to characterize our life. It brings about anything but peace. Sometimes I long to hear the words, "I've got a peaceful, easy feeling," playing again on the radio. But Christ reminds us that peace is an important factor in our faith. It is the very thing he proclaims is left for us. Stay in God's grip! "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." ~ John 14:27 "Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
I have come face to face with the reality that my heart is both troubled, and I am afraid. While the verse begins with Jesus sharing his peace with us, I am surrounded by my own troubles and fears. Somewhere in the midst of our chaotic world, there still exists this peace. I am reminded that peace still exists. We must be willing to allow the place for it to appear. Peace, for me, is the emotion I identify with faith. Sometimes I wonder if we consider peace to be an adjective to describe our faith, or as the manifestation of how God is present and watching over us? It seems that the days we now encounter require disturbance, anxiety, or uncertainty. It seems as if there are demands on us that then begin to characterize our life. It brings about anything but peace. But Christ reminds us that peace is an important factor in our faith. It is the very thing he proclaims is left for us. How different would our life be if we proclaimed peace instead of spending all our time seeking answers? How different would our life be if we practiced peace, rather than trying to find a new way to get even? Or how different would our life be if we simply allowed that peace of Christ to move us to extend it to others? May the peace of Christ, along with the understanding of just how that peace can make your faith visible to others, while calming your life, fill you today and always. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2020 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ~ Ephesians 2:10 I awoke early this morning, returned to bed, and woke up a few hours later, still struggling with the idea of, "How do I love my neighbor when we have encountered great pain," and, "If I fail to ask for forgiveness, or I am not asked for forgiveness, do I then enter into sin against my neighbor?"
Even as I shared my journey, two friends that I would consider theologians because they have both devoted their lives to the study of their faith, began to argue about what is "sin." Oh, the times that we live in! What I discerned from their conversation is that somewhere we seem to disconnect from what God wants for us, and we begin to spiral into what we want for ourselves. I will admit, I have been both baited, and offered bait, in order to draw in discussions that I knew would end badly. In the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology we read: "In the biblical perspective, sin is not only an act of wrongdoing but a state of alienation from God… It signifies the rupture of a personal relationship with God, a betrayal of the trust God places in us…sin (harmartia) is not just a conscious transgression of [God’s] law but a [weakening] ongoing state of [hatred of] God…sin…can be thought of as [an evil], personal power that holds [all of] humanity in its grasp. (1103) I seem to be finding some comfort in also acknowledging the struggle between the inward journey that God is calling us to take, while the world seems to want our undivided attention. I don't know whether it is the actual lack of being present with others, or weighing too much emphasis on Facebook and the definition of "friend." (That could be the subject of an entire Sunday morning sermon!) I think that what I am discovering is that many of us are simply not comfortable in our own skins. The world challenges us to look for ourselves, while all along, we are being reminded to look to God. I recognize this, even within my own self. Again, I hear Jesus praying to God and reminding God that, "They are still in the world. You gave them to me..." but then we seem to have lost sight of the "Word." I am reminded of the opening words of the Gospel of John, "And the word became flesh." This morning, I am face to face with my own failure to become those words, but then, I turn and look in the mirror and realize that there is still hope. We still are all created in the image of God, who first loves each of us equally. Beyond the color of our skin. Our struggles in poverty and wealth. When we fail to see one another as brothers and sisters. We need to remember that as long as we have breath within us, we still carry the word in us as well. We no longer need to search, because the words have been placed in our hearts. We simply need to remember to speak from our heart and allow them to become our flesh. When we fail to speak out of love, that is why we fail one another. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2020 “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” ~ Jeremiah 31:3 I have encountered many ups and downs in my lifetime, including relationships, jobs, and with myself. Many times in my life I have seen myself as useless, and unloved. We all have experienced moments where we have needed a sense of "belonging," of "being loved."
I am drawn to the day that Jesus was baptized, and as the water fell from his face, the sky opened and a voice proclaimed that he was indeed, God's "beloved." We too, seek similar moments. Where we are washed over by feelings of that love, and have a need to hear these words. We long for that "inner voice," to remind us of our worth, and that we are not alone. A year ago I was busy caring for my cousin, John, who had suffered many years with addiction. Often homeless, or incarcerated, John carried with him many childlike qualities. Even this morning, I can hear his scruffy voice reminding me, "You know cuz, I love you." It's hard to believe that a year ago we would be starting our final week together, and what the coming days would bring before he died. I suppose that I am grieving him this morning, while also celebrating the anniversary of my ordination and six years of marriage. The impact of all these milestones leaves me filled with mixed emotions as I write these words. I am reminded that we are invited to be vulnerable people. John, in his final days, found a place where he could honestly share his fears, the deep pains of his addictions, and the losses he had encountered, while also finally finding a place where he knew and felt loved. I think that what I have discovered this morning, is that voice, reminding me that I am also "beloved." Each of us have a deep longing in our heart to find this place. The place where we are able to hear this voice, and to know of our worth. To encounter grace, and to be brought to a place where we can experience healing and wholeness. Acknowledging our pain and losses, while also facing the times that we have done harm to others, while doubting ourselves. Finding our true home is a journey of not just faith. It is about surrendering ourselves to be guided as well. We must find ways to be directed by our heart, so that we can emerge from where we are and discover our sacred home. Each day we must find ways to take, even the smallest steps, towards the life that God has for us, while avoiding bitter and resentful moments. I consider the years and times that God's people have lived in exile, and I recognize their words they have left for us. They say that, "some things never change." I have to believe that it is God that never changes. We just have to remember this each day as we make our way home. I am reminded of two things... not to get too absorbed and distracted by the past, that I fail to see the blessings that today has to offer. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2020 We love because he first loved us. ~ 1 John 4:19 I got married six years ago this week. It was a very interesting time in my life. My children were now adults, and after going through some difficult milestones in my life, I suddenly found myself just a few days away from getting married and sitting in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D. C., thinking about love while surrounded by images that illustrated just how much God loves each of us.
As I visited the many altars within the Basilica, each one with their own reflection of Mary and Jesus, I noted different nationalities and colors, but that the message of God's love transcended throughout it all. Often we speak about love as if it is a feeling. But if we wait for a feeling of love before loving, we may never learn to love well. It had been a long time since I had actually "been" in love. The feeling of love is beautiful and life-giving, but our loving cannot be based in that feeling. To love is to think, speak, and act according to the spiritual knowledge that we are infinitely loved by God and called to make that love visible in this world. Mostly we know what the loving thing to do is. When we "do" love, even if others are not able to respond with love, we will discover that our feelings catch up with our acts. How do we know that we are infinitely loved by God when our immediate surroundings keep telling us that we'd better prove our right to exist? The knowledge of being loved in an unconditional way, before the world presents us with its conditions, cannot come from books, lectures, television programs, or workshops. This spiritual knowledge comes from people who witness to God's love for us through their words and deeds. These people can be close to us but they can also live far away or may even have lived long ago. Their witness announces the truth of God's love and calls us to act in accordance with it. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2020 "I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints." ~ Philemon 4 How do we know that we are infinitely loved by God when our immediate surroundings keep telling us that we'd better prove our right to exist?
The knowledge of being loved in an unconditional way, before the world presents us with its conditions, cannot be taught. It is something that comes from above and from within. It's like looking into a mirror, and going past the initial reflection. It means looking within and seeing God's love manifested in a great way, while making itself known through our words and actions. When I think of those that live around me, I witness what unconditional love is. When I think of my grandparents, and some of the other saints that taught me so much about the love of God, I witness unconditional love. We are called to be that witness. A reflection, that announces the truth of God's love and calls us to act in accordance with it. Be the reflection of God's unconditional love and give thanks! Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2020 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ~ Matthew 11:28 - 29 This morning I woke up with the thought that I seem to be "carrying" a lot of things on my shoulders right now. Some of the things I am carrying are actually weighing me down, both physically and spiritually. A few of the these things are also quite painful.
As I sort through everything, I realize that some are strictly my own pain, but many are the pain that I can identify as being something that God struggles with me to understand. In the gospel of Matthew we are reminded to, "Come unto me, all who labor and are heavy laden." Matthew continues with the words of Jesus, declaring that by doing so we shall find "rest," for our souls. I am uneasy, and many others who surround my life are uneasy as well. When I think of Jesus, I realize that the burdens that Jesus bears at this point involves the weight of all humanity. And then I realize, Jesus has carried the weight of humanity's burdens since the very beginning. Even as the world has grown in population, Jesus has allowed for the weight of all humanity. Within the text, we are invited to bear this weight with Jesus as well. Somehow it is described as being "light," in weight, or somehow it is meant to make things better for us. I am challenged to think that I should cast more weight on the shoulders of Jesus, while somehow, reaching out and inviting the weight of all humanity to be added to what I have known, witnessed, and experienced. I feel both sorrow and gratefulness for a Savior who has yet to proclaim, "I can't take this any longer." There exists a great mystery of how this relationship bears fruit. I am reminded that a yoke requires balance, and strength. That carrying the weight of others must be distributed in a way that I can both hold it steady and move at the same time. A yoke is about being able to carry something from one place to another. It is not merely taking hold and just standing still. Perhaps that is why in the sharing there is finally the surrendering that does take place. Taking on the yoke of Jesus is also about surrendering that which we carry. I am reminded that I am met with God's love every time that I find that I am no longer able to carry these things alone. I am also reminded time and time again that I must surrender inwardly, where Christ dwells, and in doing so, I relinquish myself and embrace the embodiment of Christ within. It is then that I suddenly realize that "rest to the soul," is about finding a place of peace. It's not always about relinquishing the problem, but finding a peaceful way of working through it. It's no longer "just my burden." It is a shared understanding of what the "burden," or "problem," is and that with the help of Christ, I might find a way to move forward while taking the yoke of Christ with me. It is not always about ignoring the load, it is about finding a way to carry the load in a way that it no longer has power, heaviness, or a paralyzing presence in our life. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2020 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long. ~ Psalm 146:1 -2 When I first went to work in the corporate world after college, I realized within the first few years that I was a complete micro manager! Not just a little. A whole lot!I
f there was a problem in the company I worked for, and it was within the area that I had been assigned, it wasn't solved with just a phone call. No! I got into my car and often went to where the issue was located to fix it, and living in Wyoming at the time, I sometimes drove hundreds of miles to solve it. The end result wasn't always the best solution. Many times it left me tired, and with no time to do the real job that I had effectively. I think that is the gift of youth. I had the energy to do all of that! Even as I aged it didn't necessarily get any better. I soon wanted to know exactly what my kids were up to. I monitored computer use, made sure I met friends, and even made sure clothing was appropriate. Yes, I was ONE OF THOSE dads! It wasn't until I found myself in a bad relationship, in a health crisis, and unable to care for myself that I suddenly had a real dose of reality. There are simply things in this world that I cannot control. As I look back, I ask God, "So, you think that you could have found an easier way for me to learn this fact?" You see, it wasn't so much God's doing. I'm part of the human race, and to put it simply, sometimes we mess up and we must learn to live with what has happened. It's an imperfect world, filled with imperfect people, and sometimes that imperfection can really control our lives. We can't fix everything. I would learn that as a chaplain. I was paged to the labor and delivery area of the hospital I was working one day. The page was in response to a code that was in progress. An infant girl, just two days old, was experiencing cardiac arrest. As I watched the team work on the tiny baby, I stood beside the young parents. The father was only 18 and the mother 16. As they watched, the doctor looked at me. I will never forget her eyes. We had worked together for some time, and the look that she gave me let me know that there was nothing in our control. I turned to the young father and said, "Your daughter needs you to be her daddy right now. I'm so sorry, but you need to make a decision. The team is going to keep trying, but this is not going to turn out well, or the way you hoped." Her father responded, "I thought that we would have her longer." "Every father hopes that he will have his daughter longer, but every father, at some point, must learn to let go." We must learn that the only real thing that we have control of is the love that we have for one another and for God. The rest, well let me just say, and even to remind myself, sometimes we simply can't do anything about. I can't tell you how many times when our hospice team discusses a patient and the patient's family that we share, "There is nothing we can do to put this in a box and tie it up with a pretty bow." I wish that I had some words of faith, or encouragement that would somehow make sense, or restore some ability to make the changes that we hope for, but sometimes, we must learn to let it go. Years ago someone told me to, "Let go and let God." As much as I would like to partner with God to still have some control, the response time and time again, is this... "I am with you always... even unto the ends of the earth." Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2020 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." ~ John 21:15 I sat with a young woman earlier this week. She is a special needs person who has struggled her entire life with health issues, and now is on hospice. There is something about being with people who, even as an adult, possess the faith of a child.
Her younger sister has cared for her for twenty years since their mother died, and has devoted her entire life to making sure that her sister has been cared for. Laughter erupted as the two shared that because of the pandemic, the younger sister has been "forced," into the kitchen and has begun to work on the recipes that their mother taught them. "I bought five pounds of corn flour. I decided that if I didn't find a way to make corn tortillas like our mother by the end of the bag, then I just wasn't going to get it right." I asked her sister, "So, how did she do?" Her sister closed her eyes, pulled her lips in, and then laughed out, "They were awful! They just fell apart!" We laughed so hard that we all had tears in our eyes, "But then I got it," the one sister shared. "It was as if I could hear our mother's voice, and before long, I could remember the 'feel,' and could hear her saying, 'You've got it.'" It got quiet, and the two sisters looked at one another, and the young woman who is my patient looked at me and said, "and mom told me I get to come to heaven with her soon." Her bed, up against the wall of the bedroom, lined with various Sesame Street stuffed characters, seem to look at us as we talked. "So, what do you think that will be like?" I asked. The young woman was out of breath from laughter, and she slowly began to share, "It's going to be beautiful, but I am going to be sad. I'm going to miss my sister." In just a few words, our tears of laughter, managed to turn to tears of grief, and they hugged one another. The depth of love the two have for one another reminds me of the extent that we can actually love one another. Their love is the presence of God's love for us. Unselfish, unconditional, and unwavering. In a world that is filled with conditional relationships, I am reminded that love can exist. Their relationship and love for one another is honest. The two shared about a time as children when they would fight with one another. "Our mom would braid our hair, and she would only do it every other day, so those braids were so tight that it would pull our face back," they laughed again as the one sister took both hands and pulled her face back to illustrate just how tight the braids were. "When we would fight, we would grab one another's braids and pull as hard as we could, because we already knew they hurt, and that it would just hurt more." I asked, "So, how would you make up?" They shared, "We slept in the same bed. There was no choice but just to forgive each other." Again, their relationship reminded me that we are to love one another deeply, just as God loves each of us. None of us are immune from the power of God's love. Those who have turned away, or been angry, or struggled to do "what's right," are never beyond the love of God. I shared, "You are so fortunate. There is not a single day that the two of you have shared where you haven't felt some form of love for one another." None of us should hold back from loving deeply. There will be great pain when the one sister dies, but that does not prevent them from loving one another. Their relationship is the visual reminder for those who struggle to have faith, to believe, or to know just how deeply we can love, and be loved. It is the reminder of just how deeply God loves us, and makes me realize why it is that God sent Jesus. We are called to love one another, just as God has loved us. I'm grateful for these two sisters who have embodied this love. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2020 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” ~ John 13:34 - 35 During an interview yesterday, the person interviewing me asked, "How do you want to be remembered?"
It's the first time in my life that someone has ever asked me that question. It made me realize I have moved beyond the youthful question of, "Where do you see yourself in five years," and into the role as an older person entering the later years of life. It caused me to stop, catch my breath, and wonder. I thought of the many times that I have thought less of myself. How I struggled for years to understand when Jesus calls to us as, "beloved." Instead, I thought of the times when I struggled with my own identity, the times that I have been depressed, and bought into an identity that someone else created for me. All I could think about was a man who was both wounded and broken who tried to recognize the same in those whom I have met, and that through my own life, perhaps there was healing for those I encountered. Even when there were moments filled with doubt. We seem to be living in a place and time in history where what we say and do are impacting so many people. I want to express how I really feel about things, but know that I risk persecution and comments noting how "disappointed," the person may be if they truly knew how I felt about something. For most of us, our own brokenness and woundedness comes with an element of shame, and affirmed by a voice that is not our own, or the loving voice of the One who created us. A dear friend of mine this morning shared that she could not accept the death of George Floyd as a martyr because he has a past that included the convictions of criminal acts. All I could think about was a man that I call "Savior," who was also publicly murdered, and included a statement about his mother as well as he hung dying. I question whether it was right of me to associate the death of Jesus with one of my brothers? My soul is restless. This woundedness and brokenness is both paralyzing and dividing us. We fail to hear God's voice, calling us all "beloved," because we believe the voice must accompany a preconceived understanding of who God is. There are scriptural verses that remind us that the kingdom of God came with Jesus but that the fullness of the kingdom won’t come until Christ comes again. I am also reminded that we must continue to work to recognize the "beloved community," with us, while acknowledging that it won’t reach its full completion until the end of time. For each of us, when we fail to recognize the "beloved," in one another, we are inviting self-rejection of the spiritual life. As Jesus reminds, the shepherd was worried about the one sheep that strayed, while the other ninety-nine remained safe. We must have empathy and compassion for those who have lost their way, and a sense of gratefulness when we have been kept safe. We all seem to be struggling to make sense of so many things right now, and as we do, these things are undermining our ability to experience and accept the spiritual life that God has for us. We seem to be living in a fearful land, and that the bulk of nativism, elitism, racism, and discrimination is fueled by fear. Fear has infiltrated the society and the church, as well as, my own ability to share how I am feeling. If we are to be the humans we are created to be and the Christians we are called to be, we must confess our fear and pray for grace to overcome it. We must lower the walls of self-imposed isolation and dropping the rhetoric of supremacy. We must allow for God to move us from fear, to empathy, and eventually a place where love can exist. While it may be a lot to expect, it is not more than what God can do. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2020 "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." ~ 2 Corinthians 3: 17-18 In each of our lives we have moments when we "know" that something really important is happening within us. Often it is related to a new direction in our life or a significant re-commitment to a path that we are already on. We have a deep sense that the new step we are taking matters very much.
Don't ever think that God is not doing "something" in your life. Each of us matters to God. The manifestation of Christ takes many forms. Within the womb of a Hebrew girl. On the steps of our Nation's Capitol where justice seekers stand and hold signs. On the playground where a bully's words have brought out strength unseen before in his victim. Or in the silent moment of prayer where peace seems to roll in like the evening tide. I could go on and on about what God is doing in our lives, but it is up to each of us to seek out the Spirit and allow it to rise up and recognize by living out the manifestation. I'm praying that today others see the manifestation of the amazing Trinity in each of us, and that we allow that new direction, or re-commitment, be allowed to take complete control in our life. May the Lord bless and keep the Spirit within moving towards the light of day. To evoke change in you. And for YOU to be forever changed. Amen. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2020 "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds" ~ James 1:2 Today I was on the phone with the mother of one my hospice patients. Because of COVID and her age, she cannot travel, and lives nearly 2,000 miles away. She called me, and was so excited because her son had, "a good day," and was able to talk to her for almost five minutes.
As I sat and listened to her joy, I found myself filled with her happiness. Even though she cannot be present with him, she talked about how, "today was such a gift." There is something about how one moment of joy can overwhelm the sadness. While her son is still declining and dying, for five minutes she knew joy, and it took over all the pain and sadness she had been feeling. "Even if for one minute I know my son is happy, I can be happy all day," she shared. This intimate experience in which every bit of her life was touched by happiness, she was reminded that joy extends beyond our existence. After I hung up the phone, I couldn't help but look forward to the day, with expectation, when our hearts will be filled with perfect joy. A joy that no one, and nothing, will be taken from us. May joy find its way to each of us. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2020 "Be still and know that I am God." ~ Psalm 46:10 "He leadeth me beside still waters..."
Even the water understands stillness. There is something about rest, or becoming still, that makes us both comfortable and uneasy. For those of you who have experienced a tornado, the stillness of the air just moments before destruction is uncanny. In the eye of the hurricane, there is an uneasy calm that allows for moments of sunlight, before the winds rise up from the opposite direction. The stillness, or calmness, that I have shared describes great events. What I experience when I find myself beside still waters of the bay is simply peace. Why is it that we always seem to expect the worst when we experience peace? The proverbial waiting on the "other shoe to drop" mentality when chaos finds the end and peace is ushered in. We seem to experience more moments of calamity than that of ceaseless silence. At some point we must know peace. At some point the calmness that we experience beside still waters must become reality. And at some point, the seeking out for solace must become a priority. Christ calms the literal storm when the Disciples find their boat beginning to take on water. Christ chastised the men. "Be still and know that I am God." Stillness is necessary. We live in a world that seems to be overwhelmed by chaos. Remember peace still exists. It is up to us to recognize the steps necessary to reach it. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2020 “And instruct them to keep everything whatever I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you every day, even unto the end of time. Amen” ~ Matthew 28:20 You are not alone.
One of the first trips I made out towards the Texas City Dike after Hurricane Ike, there was a single pole along the shoreline that was left. It had been a part of a dock that had washed away during the storm. Although it stood alone it still served a purpose. A single bird was perched on it. To the bird, it was a place of rest and a place to watch the ships go by. It was still useful. Helen Keller wrote, "so often we stare at the closed door that we miss the open window." So often after a tragic loss or change in our life we don't see that there are still many things we are useful for. There are many things that occur in our life. The important thing is to recognize that when something comes to an end, it is like the closing of a chapter of a book. It's time to write the next chapter. God is always a God of new beginnings. God assures each of us that God will always be present. With each new beginning, and at each moment where something may be an end or a transition is encountered, God is very real and present. Have faith, you are never alone, and it is never truly the end! Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2020 |
AuthorRev. G. Todd Williams lives in the Houston metro area and is a Hospice Chaplain at Essential Hospice, Webster, Texas, and is an ordained Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) pastor. Archives
May 2023
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