Friday, November 07, 2008

The banquet

Today’s Reading: John 17:10b-11 (NIV)

10b [Jesus said,] “And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your name the name You gave me so that they may be one as we are one.”

Good morning!

It was as if I had traveled to a place far away, as I sat last night, admiring the Greek culture and pure ambiance of the Vine CafĂ©, located within the educational wing of St. Matthews United Methodist Church in Belleville, Illinois. A large room had been transformed into a beautiful village restaurant, like one might imagine experiencing in Greece. I could hear the water crashing far below the village inn, overlooking the sea. The walls of the restaurant had been painted in a rough and textured, stucco design. Large pots with flowing flowers and greenery lined the perimeter of the dining hall. Grape vines were growing overhead between lattice fencing with tiny twinkle lights everywhere. It was as if we were sitting under the stars where all of heaven was displayed for our enjoyment. Large, round gathering tables were elegantly appointed and set for dinner. Welcoming eight to each table, I couldn’t help but notice the fine china and glass water goblets brimming with ice. Suddenly, I felt quite thirsty, and found myself looking forward to the meal that was being prepared.

Seventy-five of us gathered together last night. I knew a few of the faces, for I had seen them before. A wonderful thing about a gathering like this is that even as we’ve been surrounded by those whom we may not yet know, we remain secure in the presence of like-minded hearts. There were pastors and spouses and lay people who had come from various parts of Southern Illinois and the regional St. Louis area, to pray, fellowship, share a meal, and encourage each other in matters of faith. It was Good News for so many of us, especially as we gathered together on a night like this.

The food was spectacular! I must confess that at one point, I wondered whether I had somehow been ushered into that heavenly banquet that I have often read about in Scripture. Every detail to the meal had been thoughtfully and lovingly prepared. A small, clear plate adorned with field greens, walnuts and pears, complimented by homemade strawberry dressing, was served first. Hot rolls fresh from the oven and sweet almond butter completed the delightful, festive salad. We could have stopped there, but Hank, the master chef extraordinaire, had only gotten started with his culinary creations. Large buffet trays were filled with the finest foods from fall’s harvest. We feasted upon chicken Florentine, rice pilaf, squash casserole (a rich taste treat), and green peas adorned with tiny pearl onions. I was thinking that I might end up a diabetic coma right there at the table, but I didn’t care. It was as if I had come to the banqueting table, where His banner over me is love. The empty chair to my right was not empty at all, for I knew that my Lord was there.

The dessert was unlike any other I have ever tasted. I should have passed up the homemade apple dumpling with ice cream and caramel sauce, but my resolve to watch carbohydrates and sugar intake had somehow disappeared during the evening. I’ve paid a lot of money for meals in restaurants that didn’t begin to compare with this. I was awestruck when I realized that this dinner was a gift – a free gift for all who came to the feast.

Throughout the evening, the name of Jesus Christ was lifted high. He is our most welcomed and honored guest. Christ’s holy presence was felt through the extravagant generosity we had tasted in the evening meal. We listened and conversed with each other about the importance of keeping Christ first and foremost, not only in our daily lives, and within the life blood of our churches, for He is our life blood. By the end of the evening, there was a renewed sense of unity among us. We had come together as strangers, but left as friends. This is the meaning of true fellowship within the body of Christ. It is what Jesus prayed for on the night He asked His Father to make us one in Him.

Thank you, dear Jesus, for offering Your banqueting table to all who draw near to you in faith.

Bon a petit!

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, November 06, 2008

Deep thoughts

Today’s Reading: John 17:10a (NIV)

10a [Jesus said,] “All I have is yours, and all you have is mine.”

Good morning!

One thing I’ve learned about myself this quarter cluster is that I am NOT a deep thinker. It seems I have been born simple minded. After reading and discussing the deep thoughts of some of the most famous religious philosophers of all time, I truly believe the Lord must have given them bigger brains. I would guess that their IQ was off the charts. I grew up next door to a boy named Tommy who was truly a child genius. He would come by my house every Saturday and get his kicks by beating me at chess in three moves or less, and then he would rub it in by asking me complicated mathematical problems. Of course, he already had the answers in his head. Tommy was so smart that he seemed to not have a lot of common sense. How I wish I could have been a little more like Tommy, especially on a day like today.

I am thankful that even with my simple mind, God has given me the ability to understand and know just how much He loves me. His words to the Father are my words to Him. Jesus knew that everything He is and all that He has is the Father’s, and everything the Father is and all that He has belongs to Jesus. They share every aspect of who they are with whose they are. This is exactly how I feel about the love of my Lord.

I don’t have to understand the secrets of the universe to experience a personal and intimate relationship with the Master Creator. Christ’s brilliance is far beyond anything I could even begin to comprehend. I’m satisfied simply being in His presence each day, knowing that all that I am, and the gifts I have to offer, are given back to the One who gave them to me in the first place. I am wholly His. No matter where I go or what I do, or how much I am able to learn and achieve; all that I am I offer back to the Master. I am His.

He is mine. If there is any good in me at all, it is because of the love of Jesus Christ that courses through my veins. He is my heartbeat, my One true love, the bridegroom that I long for; He is the salvation of my soul. Jesus is my Lord and Savior. He takes my sin and covers it with His blood. Because of Christ’s love for me, I can love others through Him! I whisper His name and immediately He is near. Jesus is with me every minute of every day. I am never alone. I am loved. I will live in the light of His love forever.

Yes, I may be simple-minded; but I know that Jesus Christ loves me. I wonder if all those deep thinkers throughout human history found the One they were seeking, as they wrote their dissertations on the nature and character of God. If God is the author of all thought, then whose thoughts are we expressing? Are they ours or His? Even the most brilliant theodicy pales in stark contrast to the wonder and glory of our Lord.

It is my prayer that you will know who you are and whose you are in Jesus 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, November 05, 2008

Soul authority

Today’s Reading: John 17:8-9 (NIV)

8 [Jesus said,] “For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying to the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.”

Good morning!

Yesterday, the world watched as citizens from the United States lined up in mass numbers to cast a vote for their choice of Presidential candidate. I went to the polls at 6am and stood outside in the brisk, fall air, enjoying a glorious sunrise happening right before my eyes. I waited approximately ninety minutes to exercise my right to vote, along with hundreds of others, who had come for the very same purpose.

As I drove to my polling place, I was overwhelmed when I saw the crowd of people waiting in line at Faith Church. There were long lines of people standing outside, wrapping themselves around the perimeter of the church building. People were parked in the lot, on the yard next to the church, and along the sidewalk by the street. I couldn’t help but wish this were the case every Sunday morning! I wondered, “Why isn’t it like this every weekend? Where were all these people coming from?” One would think that people would want to line up for hours and wait so that they could receive Christ’s healing touch over their lives and the lives of their families. Folks should be flocking to their neighborhood churches to pray every week – every day! I’ve heard that there are Christian congregations in Mozambique where families travel for miles on foot, just to sit outside the walls of the church on Sunday and listen to the worship happening inside the church building. There is not enough room to hold everyone, and so they sit in the dirt outside the walls and worship there, all day long.

Why do we only seem to draw mass crowds of people into our churches on a Presidential election day once every four years? Christianity seems to be the best kept secret in town, and just between you and me, I don’t get it.

There is something truly comforting in the words Jesus prayed to His Father. Christ looks deep into the hearts of men, and He knows who we are and whose we are. He recognizes with certainty His flock, the sheep of His pasture. They follow Him everywhere, longing to draw even closer to their trustworthy Shepherd. Jesus prays for us, because He knows that we belong to Him.

I pray that you followed Christ yesterday to your polling place; that you sought Him out as you waited patiently in line, praying for the people who will lead our nation in the next four years, and for all those who stood around you, waiting to vote. The direction of our nation hinges upon the actions of those whom we have been elected to lead our country. Even more than this, I pray that you have made Jesus Christ your soul authority, trusting Him to lead our leaders, who will in turn, lead us.

Savior, like a Shepherd, lead us.

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.

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

A change of direction

Today’s Reading: John 17:6-7 (NIV)

6 [Jesus said,] “I have revealed You to those whom You gave me out of the world. They were yours; You gave them to me and they have obeyed your Word. 7 Now they know that everything You have given me comes from You.”

Good morning!

Today is the day the United States of America will elect a new President and Vice President to lead our nation in the next four years. It has been a very long campaign, and I am looking forward with eager anticipation to the end of this campaign trail. Democrats, Republicans and Independents have done their best to pass the buck and blame each other for the serious problems we face in our country and world today. Each claim they have the best solution to fix our economy, care for Americans, and save our world in the process. This morning, the American people will make its final decision by casting its vote. We are determined to elect the right people for the right positions right now. Are you ready?

It is amazing to me how history seems to repeat itself. Life was not so different when Jesus walked the earth in human flesh two thousand years ago. Times were tough then. The economy was struggling; people were starving in the streets and slavery had become a way of life. Roman rule was excruciatingly oppressive and many found themselves fighting to survive. Jesus was not like the others, He was perceived to be a great a prophet, speaking God’s Word to the people with wisdom, conviction and love. His care for the people was genuine; something this world had not experienced ever before. Many had hoped He would become a great political leader, overthrowing Roman rule and ushering in a new day, a brand new life. Jesus Christ came to save the world from its sin and reveal the heart of His Father to the world. Why couldn’t the people see Him for who He truly is?

I am convinced that there is only One who can change the direction of our world today. He is not a Democrat, a Republican or an Independent. He carries a message of hope and healing that our nation desperately needs today. His Word is not limited geographically; He is not just for Americans, but for all people everywhere. Change can and will happen IF we are willing to humble our hearts, seek God’s forgiveness for our disobedience, and commit to fully obey His Word. We must elect people whose faith guides them in every aspect of their daily lives. Freedom is not free, it comes at a great cost. Christ paid the premium for all who would believe, turn from sin, and receive Him as their Savior. Our country needs so much more than an economic bailout plan. We need the Lord.

Please pray before you vote.

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, November 03, 2008

Giving glory to the Lord

Today’s Reading: John 17:4-5 (NIV)

4 [Jesus said,] “I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. 5 So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.”

Good morning!

How do we give glory to the Lord we love?

Most weekends are busy, but this weekend was crazy busy. Our grandchildren dressed up in colorful costumes and came to visit Granny Deb and Pa on Thursday evening. Two year old Madison was our sweet pumpkin princess; the prettiest princess ever! Eight year old Jett enjoyed jumping and running in his Batman cape and mask. He scared me half to death as I lifted a hot crock of potatoes from the stove to the counter for our dinner buffet. Jett snuck up behind me and yelled, “Boo!” Fortunately, I didn’t drop the hot dish in my hands; I’m certain it was God’s grace protecting all of us in that moment. Joshua made a fine Darth Vader; I didn’t recognize his sweet face behind the mask. Younger brother Andrew, only eighteen months old, was a Yoda cutie! His goofy smile and silent tongue seemed to fit with Yoda’s personality as he waddled back and forth across our living room in his long, brown robe. The boys posed for their pictures in front of the fireplace, each with a light saber in their hands. I’m not sure Andrew knew exactly what to make of all the fuss, but he certainly enjoyed the attention he received. Our Emily was a beautiful princess bride. She wore sparkly jewels and glitter all over her face; her hair piled on top of her head in a cute little French twist. She was a vision in her flowing white Ariel bridal gown. I love spending time with our family, especially in the fall, when we celebrate Jeff and David’s birthdays and hold our annual pumpkin party at the parsonage.

The fun didn’t stop there. On Saturday morning, Faith Church hosted its annual craft fair for the St. Charles community. I enjoy craft fairs because we celebrate the talents and creative genius of every vendor and volunteer. We sampled the cuisine of delicious homemade soups and breads, enjoying a variety sweet homemade cookies, brownies and chocolate desserts. Tiny treasures were purchased; new friendships were formed, and folks simply enjoyed spending time with each other. The craft fair is a lot of work and it takes an entire village to pull it off. Yet, I find it is always worth the extraordinary effort.

Sunday was a morning filled with Worship and Word. We celebrated Holy Communion together; it is my favorite part of worship each week. I enjoy greeting my Faith family in the receiving line after worship. I met some new folks who worshipped with us, and had the opportunity to greet friends whom I have known for many years. Our family gathered together for Sunday lunch; all four generations enjoying time together around the table and out in our back yard. We held our first Spaulding Soccer camp for the grandbabies, a brand new tradition! It was one amazing afternoon!

Christ-like love is best expressed in the way we choose to lend our time and talents for each other. I saw the risen Christ living large in so many beautiful hearts this weekend. Thank you, for giving glory and honor to the Lord by the way you choose to share His love with the world around you.

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.