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

Discovering real peace in the world today can be somewhat challenging. Jesus' words for us to have peace is both a very human and Divine gesture, meant to be more than words.

​The more we trust in God, the more we can begin to understand these words. Our need to love one another, to serve one another, and embracing the idea that we are to respect one another, especially our neighbors, suddenly allows for the peace that Jesus is speaking of.

Among the words from David in Psalm 23 is that the shepherd, "prepares a table in the presence of my enemies." (Psalm 23:5)

Peace doesn't always focus on those who you are clearly at odds with. There are times when the desire for peace comes when you simply want someone to see an issue from your perspective, or think about something that has been said, or to recognize your effort.

It's easy to let the times when our feelings get hurt to overcome the ability to discover the peace that God desires for us. I can't begin to number the nights I have been awake in bed, staring at the ceiling, sleepless, because I couldn't seem to discover the peace of mind I needed to drift off to sleep once again.

Years ago I had a t-shirt that said, "No Jesus, No Peace. Know Jesus, Know Peace."

​The temptation we face each day is to let peace escape us. When we find our temper rising, become angry, or simply can't let something go. It's in these moments we really need to find a way to stop where we are, and listen intently for these words that Jesus shared, "Peace be with you."

Stay in God's grip!

​G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

"Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together."
​~ John 4: 36

The sea air last night ushered in a thick fog, and so everything seems to be dripping with dew, and the fields around us have taken on a cloudy presence.

We are sowers of fields that are still being cultivated. We sow many things in our lives. While we hope to sow love into our relationships with one another, there can be distractions and other elements that also can be planted.

As people of faith, we are called to reflect, not society, but the power of God's love for self, one another, and grace.

I love the fact that God has uniquely created each of us.

The sower and reaper shall be glad together. Indeed we will.

Our need for one another, to serve, and to be happy and healthy together in community, while supporting each other in covenant with one another, brings a better understanding of who God is.

Our presence in the body of Christ helps others to recognize that we are just part of the many members that help to be God's presence in the world. Our short lives on earth are sowing time.

Because God loves us unconditionally, from eternity to eternity, God cannot allow our lives to simply pass away.

No, life on earth is the time when the seeds of the risen body are planted. Paul says: "What is sown is perishable, but what is raised is imperishable; what is sown is contemptible but what is raised is glorious; what is sown is weak, but what is raised is powerful; what is sown is a natural body, and what is raised is a spiritual body" (1 Corinthians 15:42-44).

This wonderful knowledge that nothing we live in our bodies is lived in vain holds a call for us to live every moment as a seed of eternity.

Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

"Everything goes to the same place, everything comes from the dust, everything returns to the dust"
~ Ecclesiastes 3:20

This morning I am preparing to share in the service of a dear lady who passed away on Thanksgiving day.  While I met with her children yesterday, the stories of her life flowed and there were times when laughter filled the room, while sometimes, the room was very quiet.

We are the embodiment of the Divine meeting dust.  While I look at my hands, I try to imagine them no longer being instruments, and instead, left to return to that dust we have all been created from.

Our bodies are both fragile and so amazingly strong at the same time.  The ability to hold firm our spirit, while living out and working each day, tasks that provide for self and those around.

When I look at my hands I see the reflection of both my parents and grandparents, marked by years of use.  Places where I have had stitches, scarred by a few home improvement projects (no laughing), have provided comfort to those who have cried, and held both my own children and grandchildren.

I believe in the resurrection and sometimes I do think of what life in heaven will be like without this body made of dust. For some reason it's easier for me to imagine what heaven will be like than what I will be like in heaven

I have heard people joke and say that they hope that their body in heaven will mirror some starlet or sports figure, but we really don't know what our bodies will be like.

Paul sees our mortal bodies as the seeds for our resurrected bodies: "What you sow must die before it is given new life; and what you sow is not the body that is to be, but only a bare grain, of wheat I dare say, or some other kind; it is God who gives it the sort of body that he has chosen for it, and for each kind of seed its own kind of body" (1 Corinthians 15:36-38).

I have to believe that our presence in heaven will be as unique as we are in our bodies now. I hope that in that uniqueness, we will be given that which glorifies God.

Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

"Jesus wept."
~ John 11:35


I remember being asked if "God cries?"

​"Of course," I responded.

Humanity is full of moments that point to the Creator shedding tears, and then there is Jesus.

There have been moments in my life where the only response was to cry.

A mother lies unconscious as a nurse holds a phone next to her ear so that a daughter might tell her, "I love you" for the last time.

A man lays silent, staring at the ceiling, as a doctor tells him he is going to never walk again.

A woman with two children is told she is no longer needed at her job.

A bomb goes off in a distant land, and the father of a soldier learns his son was just killed.

A neighborhood comes together, holding candles and praying when a gunman enters a church, killing half of its members.

Yes, God cries.

We are never alone in our joy, or in a valley of darkness.

For me, the ocean is not just a reminder of God's power, but it is filled with the salty tears of the One who has loved each of us unconditionally. Who watches and cries when we harm one another. When we fight, and when we seem to believe that no one is around.

The power of God's tears wash over shorelines, and reaches to the depths of the deepest oceans.

Each day I launch prayers, like a note within a bottle, that floats among those tears, and is discovered by the One who already knew my needs before the first drop of ink left my pen.

Yes, our God cries. For each one of us.

Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
​~ Romans 15:5 - 6
​

Peace and harmony are two words that we often think of when we describe the Kingdom of God. For some reason, we seem to have lost the ability to believe that these are possible in the world today.

​Just as we are to be the visible presence of the living Christ in the world today, similarly, we are the instruments of creating peace and harmony.

In a world so hungry for healing, forgiveness, reconciliation, and most of all, unconditional love, we must also consider peace and harmony.

Whenever we feed the hungry, visit those who are lonely, provide clothing for those who have been rejected, while striving to unite and bring peace to those who are divided, we provide a glimpse of what peace and harmony can look like.

​If we are to be the bearers of peace and harmony to the world, we should remember that we are not alone. Christ is always with us.

Stay in God's grip!

​G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

Have you ever really considered how different things would be if all people saw God the same way? That's like saying, "What if every single person looked exactly alike?"

I love the time I get to spend in the mountains. It always amazes me how the same mountain can look so different throughout the day, depending on how the light hits, the clouds hang, and the time of year.

It's the same mountain.

The way God is revealed to us is like that mountain. While God is the same, each of us seem to see God with our own eyes, from our own life experiences, and our own perspective.

It's interesting how God's perspective in our own life also changes with time.

The experience of God's fullness comes to us in each glimpse we take!

While sometimes we can hardly believe that everyone does not see God as we do, perhaps like that mountain we've come to know so well, our experiences together can deepen that understanding.

It's as if we are invited on the journey together, so that we can all proclaim who God is!

Seeing God in others, deepening our relationship together, brings God into view for others to see.

Stay in God's grip!

​G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

​

"As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love."
~ 2 John 6b


One thing that I can share is that I'm very thankful to be where I am in my life at this point. While I still struggle to understand why some things are the way they are in this world, I have such a better understanding of what love is. Love is never over-rated in my mind. It far exceeds hate!

The love that we hold for one another is both unconditional and uplifting. Love is at the center of reconciliation and restoration. Love is that which keeps us moving forward when all hope is gone. Love is both everlasting and life-giving.

Being created in the image of God has got to be one of the most loving examples of the Creation story.

Remembering to love one another as God has loved us is both a hope, and a promise.

There is never a time in our life when there isn't at least one person loving us. Think about it.

What a wonderful reality!

Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
~ Isaiah 40:31


I don't know how many of us ever truly learn to wait. Growing up, I learned that in the church there were three correct answers, "Yes", "No", and "Jesus."

Little did I realize there was a fourth, "Wait."

Our ability to wait on the Lord has been changed to reflect the world's desire for things to happen now. We have become a society where instant gratification has changed us from working to fulfill a goal, to basking in the prize immediately.

I can remember my grandparents working to save for something they wanted. They didn't just go out and purchase the item.

It makes me wonder what they would truly think of Black Friday, or Cyber Monday that we get a lot of pressure from advertisers to participate in?

One thing is for sure, they would have only purchased something after the research was done, at least one family discussion would have taken place, and only when there was the money saved, would the item been purchased.

Waiting on the Lord is something that requires discipline. It's allowing time for God to respond.

What if God doesn't seem to answer?

The fact of the matter is, so many of us haven't waited... EVER! We probably wouldn't recognize the voice of God if God were sitting right on front of us! (I know that is not necessarily the case, but the world is full of sounds these days. The voice of God and God's presence is hard to hear and see.)

It's okay! God always has a way of making God's own self be known!

Waiting, listening, praying, and knowing are all things to consider each day. Each day we are all given opportunities to do just that.

Today I shall wait on the Lord... allowing God to renew my strength... so that I may rise up... and seek to spread my wings like a bird about to take flight, demonstrating confidence in the things I set out to do... and because I have waited, prayed, and I am confident in what it is that God desires for me in my life, I shall be able to go about my day, and not be tired, because the Lord is with me every step of the way... even when I seem to be running!


Stay in God's grip!

​G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

"For where your heart is, there also will be your treasure."
​~ Psalm 6:21
​

Years ago someone shared with me, "When you think about your relationship with God, do you say that God is in my heart, or are you in the heart of God?"

So much of the time we get hung up on the need to claim that God is within our heart. For some, it is the marked sign that a person is a Christian. What we forget is that each of us already reside within the heart of God.

​God has known us, watched us, and loved us, even while we were still being shaped in the womb of our mother. That love endures for all time. For us, recognizing that love helps us to draw nearer to our Creator, can cause that love to grow into a deeper relationship.

Thomas Merton years ago wrote about getting off a bus in downtown Louisville, Kentucky and suddenly saw everyone as his brother and sister and that he "loved each one."

Imagine how different our lives would be if we suddenly could love one another as God does?

Knowing that I am within the heart of God helps me to know truly how much God loves each of us.

Stay in God's grip!

​G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

A little thing called "faith."  

I'm not sure if I have ever heard anyone say that they had "too much faith."  In fact, I know I have never heard those words said about anyone!

The idea of faith is something that we all know a little about.  During the time that Jesus was walking with the disciples, they watched him time and time again, change the lives of those with just the smallest amount of faith.  Scripture even notes, "When Jesus saw their faith, he said, 'friend, your sins are forgiven.'" (Luke 5:20)

In the Book of Hebrews, we are told that faith is the substance of things. Faith is believing in things that you cannot see.

Whatever we know about God and God's love; whatever we know about Jesus' life, death and resurrection, and our belief in life everlasting is the reality of our faith at work.

Making that faith into a reality is brought to life with each of us.  Remember, one of the names for Jesus is Emmanuel, "God is with us."  Our faith begins when we first begin to believe.

Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

Enter the gates with thanksgiving and courts with praise.
~ Psalm 100:4
​

I have just completed a "mini-sabbatical" for myself away from writing the last two days. I love writing. For me it is often a spiritual and sacred practice, but even on a pilgrimage, taking time to rest is important.

As I take time out to think about a new week, a trip we will be taking to go be with family and meet our new granddaughter over Thanksgiving, as well as the beginning of Advent, I need to pause.

I often have to remind myself that our spiritual journey is meant to be easy. Sometimes when life's circumstances seem to overwhelm, or the journey becomes difficult, our spiritual self must also rest.

Like our minds, our spiritual self can become restless. Seeking a divine presence sometimes has to take a conscious effort, and isn't always revealed easily. Faith is meant to be easy, but I must admit, sometimes I over-think it!

If we spend a few moments each day being with God, our over-thinking, and all the things that seem to distract us will slowly fade away.

Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2017
​

I always seem to enjoy the "A ha Moments" in the Bible.  Those are the times when someone discovers the bigger picture and suddenly their life is changed forever. When Jesus gets to have some one on one time with the disciples and then begins to review the things of the day, then there is a whole new level of discussions that take place.  Sometimes I wonder how the disciples slept at all.  Really?  All the people approaching them during the day, and then when they finally settle in for the evening, then there are more moments.

For the Hebrew people, the appearance of the Messiah was something that they had waited many years to appear.  While they often thought the Messiah would come through common methods, the immaculate birth, a star in the heavens, and then this man Jesus and his disciples really must have been amazing for those living at the time.

One evening after a long day, one of the Disciples is asked, "Who do you say that I am?"

I think in a way we have all been there.  You are with a group of friends and you begin to talk about life, and the topic moves to those outside of the group.  It's like asking, "So what do you think of Jane?"

"People say she is a nice girl."

"I heard she is really smart and outgoing."

And then your friends look you in the eyes and ask, "What do YOU think of her?"

That's pretty much what Jesus does in this moment when he asks the question, "Who do you say that I am?" 

The response, "Some say..."

"Who do YOU think that I am?"

A disciple responds, "You are the Messiah."

All at once the reality is out in the open air, and I'm sure that there were others already thinking that, but NOW someone has said it out loud!  

Jesus looks, and suddenly, this disciple has a new name, "Peter."  Not only that, he is commended for listening to the Spirit of God speaking to his heart and told, "You shall be the rock that my church is built upon."

I can't even begin to know what that feeling must have been like in that moment, but I think we all understand what that meant in that moment.  The real identity of Jesus was realized.  Jesus IS the Messiah.  The Son of God.

For each of us living today, there is still that opportunity to identify Jesus as the Messiah.  It is just as important today as it was for the disciples all those years ago, and when we do, suddenly there is the reality that there is now something real within us.  While Peter may have been the rock, we are the living instruments of Jesus in the world today.

Now that is something to talk about!

Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

I wonder how many of us could go through life with outstretched hands?  Life can be so complicated.  We are taught from an early age to "Hold on tight" and to "Not let go."

It is hard for us to live the life of Christ if our hands are not available to reach out to one another.

I remember years ago seeing a picture with two men side by side.  One with his hands clenched as fists, the other, with his hands open and reaching out.  It is a mental image that I try to remember when I encounter conflict or difficult times.  My first thought has often created initially anger, but after some time, I realize that unless I open my heart, and my hands, then I will never be able to join hands with the person I am angry with and make an effort to resolve our differences.

Think how different Christ's ministry would have been had he spent all his time with his hands unavailable?

Have you ever gone to hold someone's hand, only to have it withdrawn?  What does that feel like?

It's exactly what God feels every time we withdraw from God's reach.

Living our life, available to others, can sometimes cause hurt or distrust when we discover that we have been taken advantage of or mislead.  

When I worked on the street with the homeless, I would often be asked, "How do you know the person you are helping is telling the truth?"

Often I didn't, and so I would have to trust that what I was doing would actually benefit.  Over time, I got to know people better, and would then know if what they were telling me was true.

Unlike God, we don't always know the hearts of those we are trying to help, but making ourselves available is all that God is asking.

Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

One of the things I realize about Jesus when I read passages like the one from Matthew, is that Jesus knew his true identity.  While it must have been exhausting, even for Jesus, to spend each day curing those that were brought to him, never did he turn them away.

When I read about the life of Christ, I recognize how broken, wounded, and vulnerable the people were that Christ met.  In many ways it makes these stories relevant, even for us today.  Each day we meet people who mirror those that Jesus saw as he walked the dusty roads and entered village after village.  With each new day, Jesus found himself open to receive and give love to each person that he met.

The stark reality that we must face is that God created each of us, and knows us.  There is not a single person in this world that doesn't have something to offer to someone else.

We strive to be the vessel carrying the living Christ to others, knowing that God loves us not because of what we do or accomplish, but because God did create us.  God has rescued us in God's love and has chosen each of us to be the bearers of that love!

I think that today too many churches are trying too hard to make themselves relevant.  Flashy displays, loud bands and productions seem to echo the words, "turn these stones into bread," rather than, go and love one another and make disciples.

I'm reminded that "One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).

The thing we must remember is that each of us have the ability to make an impact in the life of someone else.  Sometimes I think that we don't see ourselves as someone who can make a difference, and so we don't try.

There is a completely different story to tell, and it begins with each of us!

It's more than being relevant.  It's having the capacity to meet people where they are and to bring hope to the hopeless, faith to those who have lost their faith, and love to those who fail to see that they are deserving of love.

Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2017

Our Uniting God

In this strange but wonderful union of people
that we call America,
Black, gold, white and red
are closely woven tapestries
That cannot be separated by pain
nor undone by joy.

Diverse religions,
each seeking their own truth,
Pours out division in their daily lives,
and beckons sweetness,
but leaves barely at
times the bitter remnant of peace.

Not so is it with God,
who embraces all
without hesitation,
Affirming both the creation and Creator
as all loving –
And salvation as natural to both the shed blood and a broken body,
as God unites us to one another
and the Creator.

In the unfolding of God's greatest purpose for each of us,
I find my Lord giving to me the breath of life,
while always providing tears to wash over me,
joy that uplifts me,
and love that completely fills me.

YOU are loved, and YOU have a right to be here!

Stay in God's grip!

​G. Todd Williams (c) 2017