Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
~ Matthew 5:3

I once had a teacher that shared she was so poor she couldn't pay attention.

Her remark would always make the class laugh. It's not so much what she said, but how she said these words. Most of us lived on farms and understood poverty in varying degrees.

As I have gotten older, and witnessed more, I can identify poverty on many different levels.

However, what does one who is poor in spirit look like?

Being rich in this world takes on many forms, but we are actually told that those who will enter the kingdom of heaven will be poor. I always try to see that what I do on earth impacts eternity. We are reminded to "store up our treasures in heaven."

This is really about being rich in our hearts. Often we discover that in order for us to be wealthy, our heart must shift. Working long hours, competing with others, and finding ways to get ahead is financially rewarded.

While these all help to prove our worth somehow among others, Jesus invites us just as we are to come and realize that without the presence of God in our life, then our life will somehow be left empty.

​Often the richer we are in things, the poorer our heart can appear. While I have seen many people do some amazing things with the wealth they have accumulated, often it is what they feel within that prompts them to share what they have.

The sermon on the mount for Jesus was really about inviting us to consider many things. It was meant to both challenge and reveal what God wants from us.

I am just grateful to know that God's grace is available to all who simply ask, and that God's kingdom is as well.

​"Be ye rich or poor," Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

When did we see You, Lord...

God of the Forsaken - Reflection from under a bridge while thinking of the footsteps of Christ - TODAY

My God! My God, why have you forsaken us –
Forsaken us in the painful groans of the crucified!
In Christ's miserable helplessness,
We are even more helpless,
suffering by the million
and dying
alone.

My God! The nails that pierced my Lord, cruelly
surely also pierced humanity;
The stares from Calvary’s spectators are ours:
The unspoken doubt that all
ends in a silent cry,
empty of light and
love.

My God! That my Lord’s life should end,
watched by crowds filled with rejection.
Loved only by a terrified few
watching in fear,
leaves us all in
shock and
despair.

My God! Into that cold stone tomb
fall our best desires;
The visions of our youth
succumb to dark shadows,
and even in rebellious desperation
in the darkness
sobs.

Dear God! On that darkest of Fridays You did
not forsake us!
Not Jesus, nor any other desolate child of humanity –
That day You entered all our forsakedness,
tasting for Yourself the flavor of death
shaping the valley of the shadow
to become a pathway of
hope.

We praise you, O God! We proclaim You to be Lord!
Hated and rejected, One of sorrow and grief
great and marvelous are Your works!
Wounded for our transgressions,
bruised for our iniquities,
God is with us!
Hallelujah!

Stay in God's grip!

​G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
~ Matthew 11:28 - 30

yoke (yōk)
noun
1. a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plow or cart that they are to pull.

Imagine this. You are walking along and someone says, "Try taking a walk in my shoes..."

I have met many people in my life. The roles that they serve are varied. Hardly ever do I look at someone and proclaim, "I want to be like them!"

You might say that this conclusion has come with age, and that my own personal vision for myself seems to be framed in, and that I feel like I am where God wants me in my life for the time being. However, it doesn't mean that I don't think about what more God requires of me in my life.

The idea of a wooden yoke is not something that we think of often, unless you are viewing a frontier parade and you happen to see oxen pulling a wagon. For the writer of Matthew, the wooden yoke was common place. It was an image that everyone in that society could identify with. So, when I think about wearing a yoke upon my shoulders, it seems to me to be very cumbersome and difficult.

Life is not easy sometimes. There are all kinds of challenges and loads that we carry. Perhaps we don't identify them with a yoke, but some things that we tend to carry are larger than the largest of yokes, and the payload is definitely heavy.

One of the things that I realize is that when Christ invites us to carry this yoke, it is in tandem. It's meant to be shared, not something that is our responsibility only.

It is as if Christ is saying to us, "I know that life is difficult, but if you will just share things with me, I will make it easier."

That's very challenging at times, especially for those of us who are prone to carry everything alone. Sharing our burdens is not something that we are comfortable with. Christ invites us to share not only our burdens, but our lives.

It's as if there is someone standing there, saying, "Let me help."

Sharing the load, or our burdens can provide for all kinds of rest. It is just another way of knowing that God is very real and present, and wanting to help. It's an invitation that is fulfilled by a promise that things will get better. That things will lighten, and that real peace will enter in.

May we all know this peace by allowing Christ to carry with us, that which weights us down.

Stay in God's grip!

​G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

"I am the Parent to the orphan, and tbe One who will watch over the widow."
~ Psalm 68:5

We live less than ten miles from the NASA Johnson Space Center, and have several friends that work for the space program, including those who are astronauts.

I am still one of "those kids" from the 1960's who grew up watching a man take his first step on the face of the moon, and still dreams of the day when someone from earth will step onto another planet.

Like many of us, we rememeber the successes, as well as, the times when lives have been lost while reaching for the heavens.

I had the honor of meeting Laura Husband, the daughter of Rick Husband, Commander of the Columbia Space Shuttle a few years ago. She shared with me about the day that the Columbia failed to return. As she and her family, and the families of the crew members stood and watched for the shuttle to appear, the clock had reached zero, and all became very silent. The families didn't know what everyone already knew. The shuttle had exploded.

Over the previous year, Laura's father had introduced her to his love for the Bible. The two had spent many hours reading and talking about the Bible and God's promises for each of us.

She said that the first words that came to her as she learned of her father's death were, "I am the God to the fatherless."

It doesn't matter what your age. The loss of a parent can be difficult.

The experience of loss creates a tapestry that is worn from knees that have fallen to the ground, and stained by salty tears that have come from deep places within.

We are God's most precious gift for one another when we have experienced loss.

Sometimes that most precious gift is simply our presence. Even when that is all we have to offer.

So often we miss the importance of being present, until the invite is so incredible that the Holy captures us and we surrender to the sacred.

God never abandons, and that is why we are found In God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

"And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You."
~ Psalm 39: 7

One of the things that I often encounter when I meet people is that there seems to be such a need for hope.

So many people seem to have lost hope that things can get better. The reasons are many. Corporations seem to no longer be a place of security. Friends and families seem to be at odds about one subject or another.

Still in Houston and surrounding communities, entire neighborhoods remain in a state of recovery following a hurricane a few months ago. The news seems to remind us what is wrong with the world. It simply seems to go on and on.

I don't think that the loss of hope is all that uncommon. It is simply a part of life. It is a reminder to each of us that our faith and our faith that things will get better is also an invitation for us to get involved.

Recently a friend shared of some difficult decisions she was being forced to make, and I responded, "You must remember to have hope."

While remaining hopeful can be challenging, our hope must remain found within the promises of God.

Did you know the two most common words found in the Old Testament, or Hebrew Scriptures of the Bible, have to do with "turning away from God," and "returning to God?"

It is our nature to turn from God and return. There is nothing new about experiencing this feeling of hopelessness, however, it's new because we are another generation and it effects us directly. People throughout time seem to loose hope, only to discover that God has never left their side.

Today, as many days, my hope is in the Lord. We must remain hopeful that things will always get better, and pray that we remain hopeful for one another.

Stay in God's grip!

​G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

"I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."
~ I Corinthians 9:23

She said to me, "I don't go to church because they are the most 'non-Christian-like people' I have ever met."

It was a very real conversation I had with someone who had been hurt so deeply by a group of people at a church a woman had left. The entire conversation left me feeling very sad.

The body of Christ, no matter how wonderful it can and should be, is sometimes flawed by folks with "good intentions" and "theology!"

The incorporation of God's children into hands and feet can sometimes produce fists and kicks. Brutal tongues for mouths and eyes with blinders that prevent the bigger picture.

The love of God is marred in human experiences and conditioned by interpretations and teaching.

So the body is not perfect!

I'm not defending the church, there are plenty out there who already attempt that enough. However, I am saying this, the body of Christ exists for ALL, and because it is, there has to be healing and forgiveness also available to all!

How do any of us forgive when the hurt comes from some form of the church?

One of the greatest lessons we must learn is that God loves each of us the same! This understanding can be difficult within itself, but while we argue with our neighbor, God continues to look at both of us and loves both of us the same.

In our families there can be favorites, but for God, each of us are seen as God's favorite. I don't mean to burst anyone's righteous bubble, but God's grace and mercy follows each of us!

So back to the thought, "How DO WE forgive someone when that someone happens to be THE CHURCH?"

The Church is the living body of Christ. When we are harmed by the body, then it keeps us at a distance from Christ. I have met many folks who claim to dislike or not trust religion, but claim to be Christian. In these situations not only does the person miss out on community, but also Christ.

This challenge is especially great because the Church seldom asks us for forgiveness, at least not officially. But the Church as an often fallible human organization needs our forgiveness, while the Church as the living Christ among us continues to offer us forgiveness.

I have learned to look at the church in this way, "The Church is often made up of people who at the heart, are often struggling with their own weaknesses and brokenness, who also are seeking forgiveness from a God who lives each and every one just the same."

Don't ever believe that any of you dont belong. The truth is that God sent Christ so that ALL may have everlasting life. Not the "Frozen Chosen" or whatever names may be used. YOU have the same inheritance as that child. Live knowing that forgiveness exists, and you are loved.

Oh, and be ready, there are going to be some jaw dropping moments in heaven!

Stay in God's grip!

​G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children, and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
~ Ephesians 5: 1,2

"Stay in God's grip!"

As many folks know, I will often sign my letters and emails with this phrase, and now have a website and daily blog that I remind others to "Stay in God's grip!"

It is a reminder that being held by the hands of God is a very special place to be, and that what a blessing it is to know that we are loved by such an amazing God.

For many of us, being present with God involves many different images. Some of us are held in God's hands, others at the footstool of God, perhaps some find walking in the doors of a church and being present at the altar as places where the touch of God's hands may be realized.

We hunger for God's presence. There is such an enormous need for meaning in life, for comfort and consolation, for forgiveness and reconciliation, for restoration and healing, and to exhibit compassion.

While many of these things can often make us feel as if we are slipping from God's hands, we are reminded that God's presence in our lives begins within.

We are called to be imitators of Christ, living our faith out as someone in a relationship so intimate that we become not just the hands, but the body of Christ for others.

Stay in God's grip!

​G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
~ Jeremiah 29:13

​The acceptance and understanding of unconditional love can and does have so many effects upon each of us and those persons in our lives.

While I realize that the church is the first place that many of us think of when it comes to developing a deeper relationship with God, that relationship actually begins within each of us as being bearers of Christ's living presence in the world today.

One of my favorite songs is, "Seek ye First." It's simple melody prompts harmony when sung, and when sung in any size group, I often discover Christ.

Identifying Christ can be done in so many ways. Within the walls of beautiful cathedrals, and among the outstretched arms of forest canopies. Within the tiny ripple of a stream, and among cheering baseball fans. In the words shared in the Psalms, and in waiting rooms where a doctor shares the results of a surgery.

While we seek Christ in the church, finding Christ in one another is what gives presence of that love for others.

As the Divine and dust merged through God's breath of creation, so it is with the creation and the world when the love of Christ is shared with others. We are the fruitful presence of that love to the world, who seems to be seeking all kinds of things.

When we are present, allowing the love of Christ to dwell and live in us, then we make that journey for others easier. In their seeking they will soon find the love they seek!

In a thought process shared by Gandhi, "Be the change you wish to see," we must, "love as Christ in order to be the change the world needs!"

Love one another, because you are loved!

Stay in God's grip!

​G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

"Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus."
~ John 21:4

The shoreline can often be a place of great beauty, mystery, and unfortunately, storms.

Often when I walk along the beach, I think of the many stories of Jesus along the shoreline. In this passage, the disciples did not recognize him, as he inquired as to whether they had any fish?

He instructs them to throw out their nets, and they draw in so much fish that they can hardly pull the nets in. He then eats with them, and they suddenly realize it is Jesus.

There's something about not recognizing Christ, even when there has been such a close relationship. It is a reminder to me that God is so very real and present that even those who have a close relationship with the Creator fail to recognize God's presence at times.

Knowing that God is present is sometimes hard to notice when so much destruction is present. It's usually not until you hear the stories of being kept safe do you then begin to focus on the blessing.

Still though, it can be trying.

Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd WIlliams (c) 2017

"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised."
~ Hebrews 10: 35,36

​This past week I noticed two large church buildings sitting along the side of the road. Both with "For Sale" signs in the front yard. Once thriving communities of faith, over time, having lost the ability to sustain themselves for various reasons, have closed their doors.

Often we think of churches as symbols of faith. The simple truth is this. We will always be the symbol of God's faith in the world.

One of the lessons I learned early in life is that as a Christian we are to be in the world without being of the world. Lately I have heard people make remarks that may be translated, "we are to be in the church, but not of the church."

Churches seem to have become a place where events of the world seem to be played out as well. Shootings, theft, political protests and even hecklers have made the world take note that the church is no longer a sacred place.

More and more I hear people say that they are one faith tradition but that they don't attend because they don't like organized religion. I have to admit, there are times that I completely understand.

As I have witnessed churches become politically involved in local issues, or struggle to proclaim vision, or simply must decide what the church will be, I have to sit back and just ask myself, "is this really the expression of Christ?"

The Spirit of the living God came so that we may have a comforter. Something that would bring peace, while infusing life. Much of what I have witnessed over the last decade is the dismembering of the hands and feet of Christ, and the paralyzing of our ability to live out our faith.

Somewhere along the way, the church has become so much like the world that it's hard to distinguish what is of Christ, and what is of humanity.

I love my faith tradition. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is both affirming and challenging. It is both embracing and embarking. At times, however, it becomes complacent and compromising. Our earliest leaders reminded us to speak where scripture speaks, and to be silent where scripture is silent.

The challenge for any of us today is to remember that we are created by God and called by God for a greater purpose. We have been created by God to be a witness to the world. Somehow we seem to have lost sight that being a witness doesn't mean that we make examples out of one another.

I hope that today each of us can find strength to love one another as God has loved us. That we boldly be hands and feet, and give life to our faith.

Trust that you can walk. Trust that you can speak and be a voice. Trust that you are not alone. Simply be Christ.

Stay in God's grip!

​G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

"You who dwell in the gardens with friends in attendance, let me hear your voice!"
~ Song of Songs 8:13

Years ago I lived among corn fields, rolling hills, and valleys that often had small streams fed by underground cave systems.

My idea of a garden was the side pasture where we would raise vegetables and where our barn and an old corn crib stood.

Every now and then I can become nostalgic thinking about those days, especially as fall approaches. It was a lot of work to take care of the few head of cattle we kept, chickens, and cats and dogs that seemed to come and go.

Our winters seemed to last forever at times. During that time, the garden would lie frozen, until the spring thaw would once again allow the black dirt to be turned, new lines for crops drawn, and rows planted.

But it was during the winter that we enjoyed the rewards of working hard all summer. Canned green beans, frozen fresh corn, onions, and potatoes would become part of stews and casseroles.

It is no wonder that God decided to create a garden first for humanity to dwell in. I guess in many ways, we were part of God's first harvest, creating us from dust, and bringing us to life with God's own breath.

While much of the time I spent as a young person was weeding the rows in the garden, God spends so much time pouring hope and dreams into all that God creates.

It's so important to remember that we are still part of that garden. While we know the Garden of Eden was a paradise until humanity made the choice to do what God had asked the original inhabitants not to, there still is a sense that perhaps if we try hard enough, we might see a glimpse of that garden today.

It's about being reminded that what we sow creates the world around us. It's about being good stewards with our blessings, and seeking to be what God has placed in us for one another.

While some want to worry about those who might be seen as weeds among the garden, our call is to belp one another, so that when we experience times of drought, floods, or the days of winter, we may sustain one another.

Today walk with God in the garden, and stay in God's grip!

​G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
~ Luke 24: 36

Have you ever reached a point in your life where you simply need peace?

The ability to be vulnerable while facing adversity can create moments of anxiety. More and more I hear people share that they can't sleep. They can't seem to shut their brain off. Or because there is so much anxiety in the world that they seem to feel paralyzed or unable to do anything to change it for the better.

Christ tells the disciples to have peace.

Simple. Right? Jesus and his disciples were traveling throughout Israel. The area was occupied by Rome. Everywhere they turned there seemed to be unrest. Each day there were people seeking help, while around every corner there were others watching, and reporting every move. As Jesus' reports of miracles and parables spread, the pressures of each day must have been overwhelming.

But yet, he says these words to his disciples, "Peace I give you. My peace I leave with you."

The challenge is not the idea of peace. The challenge is allowing that peace to enter in and take hold.

For those of us living today, we have a real need for peace, and not the idea of peace. We need actual, tangible, real peace! By realizing the peace of Christ exists, it then becomes possible to be everywhere.

Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

"My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people." 
~ Ezekiel 37: 27
​
One thing is for certain, I was never chosen to be on any kind of sports team because I was good at the sport. It was generally because I was great entertainment.

I'm so glad to know that God picked me long before this example of my abilities hit the front page of the paper.  We forget that God is very unconditional about each of us. I remember hearing that God does not call the equipped, but equips the called.

We all have a purpose, with many gifts. Sometimes we have to strike out a few times before we refine the gift, or before we completely grasp what that gift is.

It's easy for me to look at the photo now and smile. At the time it was a bit devastating, even though it made me famous for my poor sports skills.

Sometimes our gifts aren't so obvious, but that's when we need to listen. There is one thing to remember that I learned several years ago, and that is, God will never lead us where God's grace, purpose, and gifts will not sustain.

God dwells within each of us. If we seek that presence, and listen to our heart, there are many things that we can accomplish.

God has picked you for God's team.  Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

I will love You, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."
~ Psalm 18:1-2

It never ceases to amaze me how weakness can be seen as something bad. A person cries while sharing a story and begins to apologize. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to cry."

I have a confession. I can be a real "cry baby" at times.

Recently I spent the afternoon with a man who has two children. He is suffering from a very rare form of cancer. As he shared with me all of the things he has done to prepare for his death, including letters he has written to his children until age 25, video messages he has created on such subjects like dating and falling in love, he then shared how he went to a wedding venue over the summer and video taped him dancing with his teenage daughter so that she would have their first dance to play at her wedding one day.

As he shared, I could feel the emotions building within. As he finished, we both looked at one another and simply cried.

"This isn't supposed to happen this way. I am supposed to be there. And so we decided I would be there in a memory. Even if I looked weak and unsteady. I am supposed to be there."

Our ability to talk about our weaknesses only proves just how amazingly strong we actually are.

"The hardest thing I have had to do is to surrender," someone shared once with me.

When I meet folks who become vulnerable in my presence, and as we share, the song many of us learned growing up comes to mind, "when I am weak, He is strong. Yes Jesus loves me."

We are invited to be weak. It is not something to be ashamed of, and in fact, it is when we allow God to be strong in us!

​Admitting our weaknesses shoukd never be about shame.

"Yes, Jesus loves me," reminds us that we have nothing to be ashamed of. The goodness of the Lord, and God's mercies will prevail, even when being weak means that we find that we are sorry for when we need to seek forgiveness.

Don't see yourself as weak. See yourself as the dwelling place of God, and in that weakness, God will be strong... in YOU!

Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

"And tho I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil."
~ Psalm 23

This morning as I was getting ready to get on the road, I typed in the first address, and for a moment thought, "I'm entering the valley of the shadow of death."

Rarely do I let things like this effect me, but for some reason, I realized just how dark the valley may be for some.

While my role as a hospice chaplain is to journey with those who are dying, I'm also often asked where God is during the journey.

I supoose I could talk of sin, and the original humans who decided to make a choice one day to go against God's wishes, and since that time death has existed.

Perhaps I might consider stories of heaven, and promises that were shared by Jesus years ago that there will be a mansion with many rooms, and there will exist one for each of us.

But so often it's the 23rd Psalm that is requested. We read the words at funerals, at bedsides, and recite them to ourselves when we are distress.

For some reason today, as I looked at my calendar and began to pray for those I will see, I realized that each person has entered that valley, and understands what the shadow of death looks like.

Years ago I met Elie Wiesel, the author of several books, including "Night."

During the conversation at lunch with several seminary students and Wiesel, the topic of death and his experience of living in a Nazi Concentration Camp caused all of us to become silent as he spoke.

As he described life in the camp, the image of his daily encounter of the valley of the shadow of death became overwhelmingly dark.

It was as if God had poured God's entire presence into a single being, but Elie would be the first to recognize and point out that he, himself, was merely a man.

This morning I rememeber Wiesel asking us "Where do you see God when there is darkness and death?"

Wiesel would share images of what he saw daily while a prisoner.

It's a painful reflection of people starving in a concentration camp. An air raid prompts people living in the camp to attempt to get some food during the chaos.

A man, so weak, literally crawls to reach soup, only to be shot as he lifts himself to reach for the soup.

Later gallows are constructed and men are hung for attempting such things, and then a child, who is not heavy enough to break his neck when dropped. Instead he hangs, dangling, choking.

As onlookers gaze, the crowd watches and wonders, "Where is God?"

From within, Elie writes, “Where is He? Here He is — He is hanging here on this gallows. . . .”

God does not possess the ability not to be present. God is with each of us always. When we sin. When we express love as well as hate. What we live in darkness is as if pure light has filled the space.

​Today as I prepare to leave and drive directly into someone's shadowed valley, I realize that we all are making that journey together. We are called to be the instruments of the living Christ that helps remove fear by being a positive reminder of hope, love and of peace.

We all have times where we may surrender to the consumption of fear and doubt.

We all may ask "Where is God?"

We are God's presence and it is important that we be that presence more than ever today....


Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2017