September 24th Reflection by Bill Lynch

Numbers 11:4-6; 10-16; 24-29 (New Revised Standard)


4 The rabble among them had a strong craving; and the Israelites also wept again, and said, "If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6 but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at."

10 Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, all at the entrances of their tents. Then the Lord became very angry, and Moses was displeased. 11 So Moses said to the Lord, "Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? 12 Did I conceive all this people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, "Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a sucking child,' to the land that you promised on oath to their ancestors? 13 Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they come weeping to me and say, "Give us meat to eat!' 14 I am not able to carry all this people alone, for they are too heavy for me. 15 If this is the way you are going to treat me, put me to death at once—if I have found favor in your sight—and do not let me see my misery." 16 So the Lord said to Moses, "Gather for me seventy of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tent of meeting, and have them take their place there with you.

24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord; and he gathered seventy elders of the people, and placed them all around the tent. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again. 26 Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp." 28 And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, "My lord Moses, stop them!" 29 But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!"

Reflection
"There is nothing around here to eat!"

A complaint commonly heard in my household. Even after going to the grocery store. There is something to eat, not just what the person complaining wants to eat. But this passage goes beyond something to eat, as the Israelites complained to Moses. This passage reaches much deeper.

Moses was a great leader. God had gifted Moses with the gift of administration. The people had become complainers. The rabble had incited the people to complain. Moses was overburdened.

Yes Moses was a great leader and gifted by God. But, enough is enough. This was too much. So God blessed other elders to open their eyes to the teachings and ways of Moses. Moses used his God given gifts, and now, the seventy elders would learn from Moses. They would learn from Moses his skill of administration and the application of that skill. God spreads the gifts around in order that one person can teach many.

Moses the great teacher of administration. A teacher in need and able to recognize his weakness and how much he depended upon God. May the Spirit of God rise up within the leaders past, present and future that all may see God in them.

Prayer
Lord, help me to recognize the gifts you have given to me. Show me how to use those gifts to glorify you and teach me how to teach others the same... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen

September 23rd Reflection by Bill Lynch

Mark 9:30-37 (NRSV)
Prediction of the passion 

They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again." But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.

Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the way?" But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all." Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me."

Reflection

So we start the last journey south towards Jerusalem in this passage. Jesus had now ended the ministry in Galilee. Jesus was closing in on the final moments of his ministry on this earth with these disciples present with him now. It was time to do some teaching. Time to come to an understanding. This was a huge moment in Jesus' call from the Father to fulfill. So Jesus was instructing the disciples of his passion and the cross. 

This message of the passion and the cross didn't match with what the disciples had in their minds of power. Some disciples were privileged to witness the transfiguration. A heavenly sight of the leaders of the faith. Just to be present made one feel chosen. So, to be with Jesus surely meant great things were to come. But Jesus was telling them of something else. Jesus was speaking of suffering and death. The noise of the first gave way to the victory of the resurrection. It's hard to get past such a change in the future from a glorious reunion with God in the transfiguration to suffering and death. You can't get beyond this abrupt change to even hear that Jesus said he will rise again.

So pride got in the way. Let's not pay any attention to this message Jesus has and let's see who will be first in the kingdom. Jesus hears of this argument and teaches a lesson that will be acted out at the last supper in the washing of feet and acted out in the days to follow in Jesus suffering and death on the cross.

We are to give our lives to God. Jesus gave his life and was resurrected to a new life that was granted to all people through Jesus' act. God acts in and through Jesus. God acts in and through each of us when we give our life to God. As a child trusts in the parents that they will be cared for and loved, so too can we trust in God to be cared for and loved. Even and especially children without parents or in any need, God cares for and loves. Each of us come to God in this way. As forgotten children torn from our parents due to our sinful nature we come to God and God runs to us. We give our life to God and God leads and guides us to everlasting life. Our life was once destined to death in the garbage heap but now that we were last of all, God takes us in as first of all and shows us all the love we will ever need now and into eternity.

That's the love Jesus was showing and demonstrating and giving, not only to his disciples, but to all people throughout all time. Thanks be to God!

Prayer

Lord, I take pause to hear your message of salvation. May I be so honored for you to give me the words to say to another that they too may hear your words through me and receive salvation today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen

September 17th Reflection by Bill Lynch

Jeremiah 11:18-20 (New Revised Standard)

18 It was the Lord who made it known to me, and I knew; then you showed me their evil deeds. 19 But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. And I did not know it was against me that they devised schemes, saying, "Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name will no longer be remembered!" 20 But you, O Lord of hosts, who judge righteously, who try the heart and the mind, let me see your retribution upon them, for to you I have committed my cause.

Reflection

"You were half asleep when you tried to take those pills!" 

Words spoken to me when late in the night I stumbled to the medicine shelf to find some pain pills for a kidney stone that was bothering me. My wife, Sue, knows to watch over me when I get up in the middle of the night. I don't watch closely what I am doing and the pain overtakes my brain in deciding what is the correct thing to do. Sue, makes sure the dosage is correct before I take the pills. Sue, also gets upset with me and warns me out of love.

In this passage we read of plots against Jeremiah. Jeremiah didn't know that the people were leading him to the slaughter by their schemes. So, Jeremiah turns to God and depends on God because, Jeremiah has committed his life to God.

This is how we must act when confused. We turn to God and listen to God's Word and will and way. We can turn to Scripture, to a Christian friend and even listen carefully to hear God speaking through other people. We listen to God and depend on the love God speaks through the Word of the Bible and the Word of the Church and the words of Christian friends and groups. We pray and discern God's will for us. It's important to take the time to follow God's command in your life through the love God has shown us through Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Lord, I turn to you in the decisions of life and look for your guidance and love... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen

September 16th Reflection by Bill Lynch

16th Sunday After Pentecost 
Mark 8:27-38 (NRSV)
Peter's confession of faith 

Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah." And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."

He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

Reflection Story
The team had heard the coach so many times talk about working together as a team. This time during half-time the coach asked for so much more. Coach James had learned lately that his life was about to take on a huge change. The coach really knew about this all along, but now was the time to come forward with the news. The coaches wife, Sally, was sick with cancer. Coach knew a couple of years ago that the time he would need to care for his wife would escalate to the point that Coach would have to give up his way of living and work full time caring for Sally. In some ways, Coach would have to give himself completely to his wife.

During the half-time talk, Coach told the team about how Jesus gave his life completely for all people. Jesus knew what he had to do and when Jesus told his disciples that he would suffer and die at the hands of the religious leaders of the day, the people, and the government; his disciples refused to listen and were in denial of all that Jesus had to say during that moment. Jesus knew that to gain life you must forfeit life.

It was with this in mind that the team discovered one of the most valuable lessons ever. They were behind at half-time 28-3. A change needed to occur during the second half of this game. The team was a team gifted with talent, but the talent was an individual type of talent. The quarterback was good but tried to do it all by himself. The receivers and the line and so many others on this team had great talent but nothing came together. Coach told the guys that it was time to give it up. Give up themselves to one another. Instead of playing for the glory of pulling the team to a win, to instead give it up for one another. And with this the second half was to start.

A change took place that second half. In the huddle the quarterback, Joe, told the guys let's give it up for one another. No one plays for himself. We intend to give ourselves up for the other. So when Joe handed off the ball to Pete the running back, he gave it up for Pete. When Brian needed to block for Pete he gave it up. All on the team began to give the ball up, the block up, the pass up, the run up and even the kick and snap up for the other guy. They gave their lives to each other in some respect.

As this new attitude took on shape, the team began to work different than ever before. No longer did it seem that one person had to carry another person in the play. All were carrying each other. All were giving it up for one another. They began to move the ball and drive for scores. The defense began to hold the opposing team to three downs and out. All gave it up for the other and they came back to win the game.

After the game the crowd, the coach and the team were all united one with another in this attitude of giving it up for one another. In the coming week the community came together around Coach James and gave it up for Sally and all of the care she needed. They were united in the love that Jesus was speaking of when he told his disciples the awful mission that he was about to go through on his approach to the cross. A love that gives up life to gain life. A complete change in attitude. A work of God.

Prayer
Lord, show me the times and help me to recognize all the ways this week that I can give it up in the love you have shown to all people in the way you gave it up... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen

September 15th Reflection by Bill Lynch

Mark 8:27-38 (New Revised Standard)
27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" 28 And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." 29 He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah." 30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him. 31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." 34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

Reflection
Jesus was about as far north as he would go during his ministry travels. Jesus posed a couple of questions to his disciples. Who do people say he is and who do you say he is? A generic question and then a personal question. Peter replied with the personal answer... "You are the Messiah."

The disciples were beginning to see who Jesus was and what Jesus was about. Beginning to see... there is so much more to Jesus that we don't see or understand. There is a part of me that rejoices in this concept with my own faith and a part of me that fears a misunderstanding in my own mind. I suppose the disciples had many of these same feelings.

Yes, Jesus is my Lord and Savior. Yes Jesus is God... but what did I miss? I don't think that I can fully understand Jesus and what he has done in this frail flesh of mine. I can't do this on my own. I fully depend on God to reveal himself through Jesus, through the gifts and actions of the Spirit and through the Word. I can't understand God on my own. So, I look to God. I follow Jesus. I search the Word. I listen to God's Word spoken and acted out through fellow Christians. I come to the Sacraments and witness God active in the lives of all of us.

Jesus knows the mission. I know only part of the whole. It's hard to come to grips with the understanding of a love that would take God to the cross for me and all people. I could mean well, like Peter, and say all of the "right" and "churchy" things. I could act goody two shoes and church lady like, yet become a tool of Satan. A well meaning, yet unspiritual person could take it all and be twisted all ways possible. I can go to self-realization and self-denial, yet be all wrong as a disciple.

Jesus asks us to deny ourselves, our wants and our desires and give ourselves, our life and our actions over to God. Just as Jesus came in mission to save the world, he gave himself to the world. It's not about how we appear or even how we appear to act. It's about giving ourselves to God to follow God's plan in God's way and through God's will. To save your life is not up to you or me. But to give your life is the will of God. To give your life to God. That's a disciple. That's one with faith. That's one that lives for and in the will of God. In the giving comes the life. A radical life in God. A wild ride with the Spirit. But a life that makes all the difference. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, open my eyes to your will and your way as I live my life in and through what you have done... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen

September 14th Reflection by Bill Lynch

Hymn of the Day
"All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name!"
Text:Edward Perronet, 1726-1792, sts. 1-4; J. Rippon, A Selection of Hymns 1787, sts. 5-6

Verse 6
Oh, that with yonder sacred throng
we at his feet may fall!
We'll join the everlasting song
and crown him Lord of all.

Hymn by Bill Lynch

Yes, when we approach that sacred cross
we humbly knee. and stare.
We'll raise our eyes to your glory
We sing continual praise.

For, you have given each of us
a love beyond compare.
You show your grace and take us in.
We sing continual praise.

September 11th Reflection by Bill Lynch - in honor of Speedy my Father-in-law

Speedy- September 6th 2012 Celebration of Life

So many names fly through the air here:
 Speedy
 Chandler
 Dad
 Grandpa
 Dadoo
 Gackaw
 Chan Jr.
 Friend
 Neighbor


All names I have heard for my Father-in-law since 1972 when I first met Speedy while courting his oldest daughter Sue.


And names spoken from Speedy’s lips:
 Doodlebug
 Doll
 Little monkey
 Easy money

Can’t forget the animals… 
 Scardy cat (for a dog)
 Beggar
 Poor ol hound

Speedy always used names to demonstrate life.

If you notice the names he was called are all affectionate names.

Likewise the names that Speedy used for others demonstrated affection and love.

Speedy used names that demonstrated a joy for life and a love for living.

And then memories of loving actions fill the air here:
 Running through the sprinkler after a day of work in the heat…
 The Giraffe ride
 The Elephant ride
 The Horsey ride on the foot
 Lunch bucket candy and snacks
 Generous amounts of ice cream money for the kids… I mean generous.
 Flowers to his wife Pat on any and every kind of situation or event.
 Always making sure that even I got enough to eat at cook-outs.

And you can’t forget the animals:
His adopted dog Midnight and the 10% -
Speedy would make sure Midnight got his 10%
Every breakfast 3 sausage patties – 2 for Speedy and 1 for Midnight --- a generous 10%

Speedy demonstrated love in affectionate names and love in affectionate actions.

---

It was Sunday September 2nd that Pastor Lamar came to visit. Pastor visited with Speedy and family.

We briefly reflected on an article that I had just read about the “death bed” in the middle of the family room.

As we all gathered by Speedy’s side to witness the life of one great man;

The “death bed” in the middle of the room was the center yet---
 not the center of attention.

The real center of attention was the life and love that Speedy had brought into his presence on this day and the days to follow.

How many years had family and friends gathered in this room to sit and talk to Speedy, to celebrate special dates and to eat food together?

So much time in this same family room spent talking about history, movies, watching TV, and listening to Speedy reflect upon Scripture

And, one of his favorites, “The End times.”

The Family Room on this Sunday September 2nd with family and Pastor gathered.

Signs of life and signs of death, all gathered in one place.

It was flesh and spirit together.
---

The names of Speedy and the names he used hovered in the air that day.

And then in the prayer, Pastor Lamar, used the one name for Speedy that will always stick… “Child of God.”

With all of the names past, present, and future, the one name that most needs repeated is that Speedy was a Child of God.

When we hear the name Child of God we think of our humanity in the flesh and our salvation in the spirit.

We remember the Father’s Son, Jesus and his life, ministry, healing, suffering, death, resurrection and ascension.

We begin to realize the reality of God’s presence in the Family Room of life.

Yes, here in this room with the deathbed present, we witness to the life that God has graciously given us through Speedy.

A life made special through Jesus living and through Speedy’s strong and firm belief of his salvation through Jesus alone.

Pastor Lamar hit the name on the head…

The one name that mattered…

That was connected to that source of eternal life through Jesus…

“Child of God.”
---


Speedy loved to talk.

If you visited, I could imagine 80% of the time you would be listening.

Speedy’s mind was amazing to me.

God gifted Speedy with a memory and wisdom that reminded me of King Solomon.

He could talk and talk and talk.

I would sit there and listen and listen and listen and wonder how someone could retain so much information about history, wars, airplanes, ships, movies, museums and the Bible.

I just couldn’t imagine a mind able to hold so much without letting something else go.

But Speedy’s mind held it and he could talk about it.

His voice may go quiet for a while but his conversations will go on in the lives of so many people.

Life with Speedy will go on and on.
---


Life not only demonstrated in conversation but also in compassion and giving.

Speedy exhibited a giving heart.

Not just a contribution, but a gift from much deeper within.

Giving that came with the caring of the love and the names that you would hear from his lips.

Giving with the action of love behind it.

As a Child of God, Speedy lived the life that he was called to live by God.

He lived in service to his country,

In service to his many years at Armco,

And in service to his family, friends, neighbors

And even all the animals that would stray his way.

Speedy lived a life of love and compassion that God had led him to live.
---


On the evening that Speedy died…

Pastor Clark and I remained with Speedy for the family to get away for a while

This Church is blessed with wonderful pastoral leadership and love

I stayed to attend to the affairs of the necessary needs of moving his body…

Afterwards I locked the house went home.

I paused for a moment with the last section of the Journal that I hadn’t read due to all of the activity of the day.

The funnies and my favorite the Jumble puzzle.

While solving the Jumble’s four words I discovered the four words for September 6th puzzle

The first word was “Uncle”

Speedy was a caring and loving Uncle to many there that evening.

Nieces and nephews were gathered together that evening and at this moment were off eating as I attended those final needs.

The second word was “Octet”

I felt a part of Speedy’s family ---

I was the youngest by three or four years to his youngest daughter Amy.

Not the youngest in age by far but the youngest growing up in the family.

4-daughters
1-Son
1-Son-in-law
1-Wife
1-Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ

An Octet

The third word was “Liquid”

Now all of you Baptists here just settle down and hear me out…

I’m a Lutheran and Speedy and I shared so many times together in Biblical conversation.

But Speedy would always welcome me to share a beer with him.

So… on one of the evenings while Speedy lay in the bed in the Family Room

I shared with Speedy spongefulls of Odoul’s with him.

And he enjoyed it…

And I enjoyed it…

The fourth and final word was “Speedy”

How about that!

It’s as if Speedy had given me a chance to continue the conversation

A conversation of Spirit and love

But the best of all came with the Answer to the Jumble

Speedy loves his daughters

The Jumble puzzle pictured a couple of girls playing with a Barbie doll.

One girl said, “Barbie, time to get ready.”

The other girl said, “She should wear this fancy dress to the dance.”

The caption read “When Barbie would go out on a date, she’d get this.”

And the puzzle answer?

“Dolled Up”

Doll the very name Speedy would use for his wife, daughters and grand-daughters!
---


 Names
 Conversations
 Loving Actions
 Living as a Child of God


Yes, since I met Speedy I was gifted with the time to see God active in his life and living.

I was gifted with time to see love and compassion lived for another.

I was gifted to see life even in death.

A life that reaches beyond the failure of our decaying flesh
to a demonstration of life in heaven.

A life given to you and to me through Jesus.

Life that Speedy let live in and through him.
---

Speedy,
When it’s all been said and done
You lived your life for truth
You lived your life for Christ
You knew what real treasure was
You lived a life that will stand the test of time

Speedy,
You saw beyond weak flesh
You saw the gold that God saw in miry clay
You lived a sinner and a saint

Speedy,
You praised God’s name
Here in this place
And now in heaven forever

Speedy,
You’re home now
And you know that Jesus was your life

And, I’m not the only one to witness life in Speedy.

Life that lives on in the spirit of love lived.

Speedy, thanks for the gift… “Child of God” …

example of a life lived in faith… yesterday… today… tomorrow… and forever.

Thanks be to God!