Guarded by Grace

"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.  Unless the Lord guards the city, the guard keeps watch in vain." - Psalm 127:1

Happy Memorial Day weekend, everyone!  Memorial Day was first celebrated in 1868, three years after the end of the Civil War.  More than 620,000 people died in that war.  The violence and anguish is unimaginable.

On this weekend, we remember and give thanks for all who have served our country to guard this "city" of America.  We are especially thankful for the sacrificial nature of serving one's country, particularly in warfare.  Our prayers, as people of faith, are always that God guard us from danger, evil and pain.  The grace of being guarded by God is that we trust God's guarding as Jesus described it:  that, like a mother hen, He loves us as children and always is seeking out the safety of all His people.

Today, our awareness of the grace of God is that God is seeking to guard the "city" of the world, not just our nation.  Often, when we pray for God to bless our nation, we forget that that prayer also appears to require an un-blessing for those not in our nation.  It is a prayer for God to be violent against those who are "enemies."  Why would we ask for that?  Why would we stop at only assuming that God sees us as the "un-enemy," but others as the "enemy?"  It doesn't make sense.  And, why would we think that God wants to let life include ongoing battles between perpetual enemies?  Why would we not ask God to bless all nations the same and guard all nations so that dramatically less anguish and pain would be felt by those who had to sacrifice their lives in times of violence?  God wants anything but violence and division for His people and the world He so joyfully created.  He pours out His grace in Jesus to create a bridge of reconciliation and healing love between us and Him.  This is the image of grace, God's freely flowing love to His world and people to renew it and them.

This weekend, thank you for your prayers for and words of thanksgiving for all who have guarded the "city" of our nation.  But thank you, also, for that larger prayer that thanks God for all people around the world who have sacrificed for bringing about peace, not extending hatred and violence.  May your life be so guarded by God's limitless grace that you see it also in all others and seek to guard that countenance about them with all your strength, joy and faith.  Peace in Christ to you!        

Breadth, Length, Height and Depth

"I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." - Ephesians 3:18-19

This is a favorite passage of mine.  Read these words again and then close your eyes.  See God's promise.  Comprehend the breadth...length...height...and depth of God's love and fullness toward us.  I suppose as good a way as any to describe this promise is that its fulfillment comes in

you and me even just stepping into faith that God initiates this kind of goodness toward needy creatures like us.  When we trust it, it begins its filling and fulfilling work in us!

So, with this possibility, here is a wonderful story.  I was serving Holy Communion two Sundays ago.  A line of people awaited receiving the sacrament.  One-by-one, they came and heard again the words of Jesus' promise that unlock the eternal wideness of God for them:  This is the body of Christ given for you.  This is the blood of Christ shed for you.  To those who are young and have not yet participated in Communion preparation, a blessing from me is given them that involves me placing my hand on their head and sharing with them the words, "God's grace is with you in your baptism.  Jesus loves you."  

This day, one little 3-year old came up.  He received the blessing from me as he was sandwiched between his mom and dad, who received the bread and wine.  However, this little guy brought up his favorite stuffed animal, a rabbit named "Bun Bun."  After receiving his blessing and reminder of God's very sufficient grace and Jesus' sure love for him, he lifted Bun Bun up, fully expecting a blessing for him, as well.

What's a pastor to do but bless the bunny?  This 3-year old had imagined in his mind and heart the grace and love of God that had been promised him.  He knew it was good and joyful.  He loves being in church with his parents.  He wanted nothing less than the same thing for his beloved companion, Bun Bun.  And that is what each received that day...and receives every day in the kingdom of God.  Grace is, by definition, free and undeserved.  God pours out His saving and redeeming love for all creation all the time.  We Christians hear it and receive it.  We live by it.  And, hopefully, we rejoice over it and take it so seriously that it fills us and transforms our lives as we live for God, live as faithfully as we possibly can and minister to God's whole world in proclaiming the wide, deep, broad and long grace of God.  Today, I pray that you will comprehend how big God's love and grace are for you as you live for Him.  More than that, allow yourself now to be filled by Him.  Peace in Christ to you!

The Gentle Nudger

If grace is free, undeserved mercy and love from God, I love this example.  Tonight is Confirmation Memory Work Night here at church.  Tonight, the recitations happen.  Who likes memory work, really?  I talk about it from my teenage confirmation years as if it's a battle that I won, a conquest.  I'm pretty proud of having memorized all of Luther's Small Catechism (some of which is still there!), as well as I Corinthians 13, my pastor's choice for at least one key portion of Scripture to know.  But, of course, getting kids to memorize anything is like pulling teeth.  Maybe worse.  In fact, I had one kid call today to tell me he'd scheduled a root canal after he found out when Memory Work Night was.  Just kidding.  I am looking forward to sharing this time with 50 confirmation kids whom I dearly care about and enjoy.

Last Sunday, a parent of one of the kids told me that her child was not going to be ready to recite her memory work.  Reason?  She refused to do it.  She is a great kid, great student, one who is in church every Sunday.  But for some reason, she wasn't going to memorize a chapter of the Bible.  This parent told me to prepare me for this.  I indicated I'd take a shot at a last-ditch encouragement effort with the student.  However, even before I could do that (which would have carried only minimal weight anyway; as the pastor I "have to" bear this message), one of the parent's friends gently started to work on this student.  Her way was masterful:  a happy shepherd, a joyful encourager, a gentle nudger.  Wisdom came wrapped in this package between a teenager and someone 35 years her senior.  It came in love-  undeserved, free, joyful, encouraging, nudging-  reminding that child how good God is and how loved she is.  I learned today that this student is looking forward to tonight, ready to recite.  Grace is great.  It lives in God's people.

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete:  be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.  Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.  Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.  -  Philippians 2:1-4