Saturday, July 26, 2008

How much is enough?

Today’s Reading: John 14:8 (NIV)

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

Good morning!

How much is enough and will we recognize it when we have it? This is the burning question I find myself asking this morning. Because I live in the “Show-Me” state, it is no wonder that this Missourian would entertain such a thought. I remember the famous slogan that emerged in the 1996 film entitled, Jerry Maguire: “Show me the money!” After its release into theatres, people began touting this expression, which I have coined an American euphemism. Living in a struggling US economy that appears to be stretching itself to the absolute breaking point, people are daily praying for God to show them the money simply to put food on their tables and gasoline in their cars. How much is enough and how far will we reach to get it? Are we willing to share our gifts and resources with each other so that all of us can survive through this difficult time together? Would I be willing to put my own comfortable life on hold long enough to reach out and help a neighbor in need? How much is enough and will I know it when I have it?

Philip asks a great question. The disciples longed to see the Father. Just like you and me, they were seeking God out in their lives, putting their families and futures aside, just to know the Master Creator in a deeper way. They thought if they could just see His face, it would be enough. Their longing for the Lord had trumped all earthly desires. And yet, God was right there in the midst of them, and they did not recognize Him! How is it that the Father can be right in front of our very eyes and we somehow miss seeing Him, even when we’re looking! The Lord has given us the evidence we need to know Him fully, yet somehow, we’ve danced around His everlasting gift of life, leaving the pretty wrapping paper untouched and the gift box unopened. The Father was with Philip, standing right next to Him, and after three years of walking together in the flesh, Philip still didn’t recognize His face.

Father, help me see You today in a brand new way. Please do not let me walk by You this morning and not recognize You. My deepest longing is forever satisfied in knowing that You are here with me right now. In Your holy presence, I know I have received the greatest gift of all: Your unconditional love for me. You are all I need from now to eternity. Help me share the overwhelming abundance of Your rich mercy and grace with the people you’ve placed in my life. There is plenty for all. I ask this today in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Friday, July 25, 2008

The Way Home

Today’s Reading: John 14:6-7 (NIV)

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.”

Good morning!

Jeff and I sat on the edge of the twin bed together, enjoying the picturesque view from the window of the Windsor Nursing Home in Terrell, Texas. We were visiting our friend Hollis, whom we had not seen for many years. We have fond memories of the time we spent with Hollis and his wife Lillian, who has now entered into life eternal. Hollis had lots of trouble hearing our voices, and his fading vision did not permit him to see our faces clearly. Yet, even in his advanced years, Hollis had not changed all that much. He was obviously thinner, with a few more wrinkles and age spots. I would have recognized his extraordinary voice anywhere.

My eyes were immediately drawn to the many pictures that decorated Hollis’ room. We knew his children and many of his grandchildren. Hollis caught us up on the news of his family; his words conveyed a deep appreciation and love for each of them. As I admired the photographs, I was amazed by the striking resemblance of his family. Daughter Linda looks so much like Lillian now, that she could have passed for her twin sister. The boys resembled their papa, not just in height; they had inherited their father’s kind and loving eyes. Young Natalie is as beautiful as a young mother as she was a young child. Her face radiates her grandparents’ unconditional love, which is now being passed along to her own babies. The pictures remind me of the strong ties that bind us together as a family. No matter our age or stage along life’s journey, we are part of a generational thread that links us together to the past, present and future.

In every human heart, there is a deep yearning to know who you are and whose you are. Jesus knew His Father. He knew that when the people saw Him as the Son of God, they would then recognize their Father for who He truly is. Jesus came to show the world the way home to our heavenly Father, who loves us so. He is the tie that binds us together as family. No one can know the Father unless they know the Son.

The Father loves you so much that He sent Jesus, His Only Son, to show you the way home. You are precious, priceless, cherished and loved. Come to Jesus today, and meet your Father. He is waiting to love on you right now.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Where are you going?

Today’s Reading: John 14:5 (NIV)

5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Good morning!

“Where am I going?” This is a question I ask myself more often than I’d like to admit. If you are “directionally challenged” like me, then maybe you will understand what I’m talking about here. Once I manage to locate the car keys in the bottom of my big white purse and connect them to the automobile ignition switch, I pause to ask myself a very important question: “Where am I going, and which is the most fuel-efficient, expedient way to get there?” All of us need to have some sense of direction before we pull out of our driveways, especially if we are planning to arrive at the appointed destination on time.

I’ve learned to laugh at myself through the years. And my husband Jeff and I make quite the pair. Talk about two peas in a pod! He likes to drive, yet he constantly asks me which way to turn, as if I know! We get so turned around out there on the highway of life – it’s amazing we find our way anywhere! Brothers and sisters, I can testify that divine intervention is alive and well and at work in our lives - Praise God!

My heart resonates with Thomas’ timeless question. He was totally confused by Jesus’ words. He had absolutely no idea where His Lord was going and wondered how in the world he could possibly know the way. Thank God I’m not alone. The Good News is that Jesus doesn’t want us to plan out our life’s journey, or head off trusting in our own sense of direction. All we have to do is follow the Master, and we’ll get to where we need to be! Jesus is the way and the truth and the life, and no one finds the Father except through Him. So, if we know the Savior, we know the way!

A global positioning system, a dash full of city maps, and a compass on the front of our windshield will not help us one little bit when it comes to finding the kingdom of God. We only need to know our Savior, Jesus Christ, and He will get us to our destination at the appointed time.

Where are you going today? My friends, I pray you will choose to follow Christ.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Willing to go?

Today’s Reading: John 14:3-4(NIV)

3 [Jesus said,] “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. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Good morning!

I was thankful to be seated in the upper balcony of First United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday morning, July 19, 2008. We had the perfect place to see the service of consecration of our newly elected Bishops to the South Central Jurisdiction. From the balcony, we could see the mass youth choir seated on both sides of the balcony and in the front of the sanctuary. We looked down upon the altar area, where Bishops would gather to lay hands upon and pray for our newly elected and appointed shepherds.

As I listened to the Gathering Music, “Living Water of Life” sung by two hundred voices of the North Texas Annual Conference High School Youth Choir, tears of joy began to slide down my face, dripping off my chin and onto the bulletin and Bible sitting in my lap. With no Kleenex in sight, I was wishing for my grandmother’s hankie, the one with the crocheted edging. I saw a future with hope as I gazed upon the faces of our future, singing praise to God Almighty. Jeff and I knew the choir director well - he was a member of our youth group at Stephan Memorial United Methodist Church in Overland, Missouri, thirty years ago. I saw how the Lord was working in his life as he willingly leads youth to Christ through pastoral service in the church. I thought about the history that was unfolding before me. Here I was, sitting in a worship service that was steeped in historical and time-honored tradition. Bishops are appointed to help lead people into a personal and lifelong relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and we are participating in covenant ministry as part of this holy observance.

How awesome, that God could take a humble human heart and raise him up for servant leadership within the church of Jesus Christ! How awesome that God could use all of us for His plan and purpose in the world! How awesome is the awesome One who forgives, heals, and loves unconditionally! What kind of love would lay His life down so that we might live forever?

I was struck by the power of new life within the sanctuary. I felt the Holy Spirit dance throughout the body, touching every heart in a new way. In this moment, I was acutely aware that Jesus Christ Himself has prepared a special place for every one of us, in this world and in the world to come. A unique and extraordinary gift mix, we are the body of Christ, led by His Spirit. Jesus said that we know the way to the place where He is going.

Where will He lead us? Are we willing to go?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Perfect Place

Today’s Reading: John 14:2(NIV)

2 [Jesus said,] “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.”

Good morning!

There are many rooms to enjoy at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas. This five-star facility offers 344,638 sq. ft. of meeting and banquet room space, including 77 meeting rooms and an additional 128,000 sq. ft. of dedicated exhibit space. There are 1,606 guest rooms, including 130 beautifully appointed suites. When Jeff finished his master’s degree at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in 1981, we celebrated his achievement by taking a mini-vacation at the Anatole. What a treat it was for us to return to this hotel last week for the South Central Jurisdictional Conference. We were surprised by the hotel’s expansion, which included a new atrium, colorful boutiques and pretty indoor garden restaurants.

The centerpiece of our guest room was an oversized king bed, decorated with soft pillows and plush sheets. Two comfortable chairs were perfectly positioned in the sitting area just across from the floor to ceiling entertainment center. Even with all its amenities, I was ready to leave the hotel and come home. There’s just something truly special about being in your own space, sleeping in your own bed, and knowing you can find your way around in the dark night.

Jesus knew what it would be like to return home to the Father and He was more than ready to go. I know that my Father’s house must be bigger than anything I can possibly imagine; even larger than the Hilton Anatole! Jesus was going home to prepare rooms for all of us to join Him one day. And soon, we will all make that final trip home and experience God’s perfect love in ways we cannot comprehend. Our heavenly home will be a place of perfect beauty and peace, where we can rest in the shadow of God’s amazing grace.

Jesus was returning home, to prepare a place for us here and now. Like a diamond sitting snugly in a tiny jewelry box, every heart is precious and loved by God. Christ lived, died and rose again so that we could be in relationship with Him here and now. He has made a sacred space for each of us where we can run to Him, enter into His holy presence, and live in relationship with Him. We do not have to make the journey home alone.

If you’re looking for that perfect space, a place you can call home, look no further. Jesus is only a prayer away, and He has prepared the perfect place just for you. Are you ready to follow Him there?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Worship Central


Today’s Reading: John 14:1(NIV)

1 [Jesus said,] “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”

Good morning!

Early Saturday morning, one of the jurisdictional delegates from Texas spoke to me as I stood at the concierge desk of the Hilton Anatole hotel in Dallas, Texas. “Are you going to worship?” she inquired, noticing I had my Bible tucked under one arm. “Yes, I am,” I replied, smiling back at the face of my new friend. She said, “It looks to me as if you are already in worship.” I understood exactly what she meant.

The entire conference began with a celebratory worship service and Holy Communion. Today, we would gather once again in the sanctuary of the First United Methodist Church of Dallas, Texas, to celebrate the consecration of three newly elected Bishops. Every session of conference had been bathed in all kinds of prayer: intercessory prayers for the delegates, many breath prayers uttered by our Bishops; in songs of praise, in silent prayer time, waiting with expectation to hear the voice of God speak. There were group prayers breaking out everywhere. Delegations around the room conducted prayer huddles, circling up together with arms reaching around the shoulders of each other. Some delegations held hands together and prayed, and one delegation in particular dropped to its knees with heads bowed out of reverence for the Lord. Worship was a continuum throughout this conference. It is unique and sets us apart from the other business conventions taking place in the hotel. People were being prayed for constantly, and the presence of the Holy Spirit could be sensed, even in the atrium lobby of the Hilton Anatole. At this very moment, we are standing in worship central, right here and now.

We gathered at the appointed time to elect three new Bishops to fill the vacant slots of two retirees and one dear Episcopal leader who had crossed over from the church into the church triumphant. We heard many good reports, and conducted the business of this jurisdiction, spending our time in fellowship with each other. Many of the delegates had been here before, but I was brand spanking new. As a first-time delegate to this conference, every moment was special to me. I realized that even amid the business and busyness of this event, we had continued to worship outside the walls, even as we stood in line in the hotel lobby, waiting to speak with the concierge on duty.

Jesus saw His disciples struggling to understand what was coming, and longed to offer a word of encouragement and hope. Jesus did not want His followers to be troubled by the things happening around them; He longed for His redeemed ones to simply place full trust in the Father, and also in the Son.

How do you incorporate holy worship moments into your day-to-day life? How can you take a rather ordinary moment and transform it into a worship experience? It all begins and ends with prayer. Today, I am praying especially for you, that you will find time to pray at every possible moment, during the day. Let Jesus become your sweet security as you begin to experience His awesome love in a brand new way.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.