Reading: Matthew 13: 1-9 and 18-23 Verses 3 and 4: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed…” Today’s parable is one of my favorites. The parable of the sower is one of my favorites because of the underlying message and directive. On a surface, practical level, it is the story of a farmer who probably wasn’t very successful – at least be farming standards. No farmer worth his weight in seeds would plant seeds in shallow soil or amongst rocks, nevermin

Reading: Psalm 13 Verse 3: “Look on me and answer, O Lord, my God”. When David wrote this Psalm he must have been in a pretty tough spot. He begins by asking, “How long, O Lord”? David feels as if his bad situation has gone on long enough. He even asks if God will forget him or let this go on forever. At times I too have felt like David feels. We can all relate to the emotional and spiritual valley that David finds himself in. Then, in verse three, David gets really direct wi

Reading: Psalm 13 Verse 3: “Look on me and answer, O Lord, my God”. When David wrote this Psalm he must have been in a pretty tough spot. He begins by asking, “How long, O Lord”? David feels as if his bad situation has gone on long enough. He even asks if God will forget him or let this go on forever. At times I too have felt like David feels. We can all relate to the emotional and spiritual valley that David finds himself in. Then, in verse three, David gets really direct wi

Reading: Genesis 1:26 – 2:4a Verse 28: “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it”. Our passage today begins with God creating humanity in “our image, in our likeness”. This description says we are to be like God in how we look and act, in how we think and feel. God is loving and kind, merciful and forgiving, compassionate and slow to anger, creative and life giving. While this is just a partial list of God’s qualities it begins to inform how we should

Reading: Genesis 1:1 to 2:4a Verse 25: “And God saw that it was good”. Today we read the story of creation. It is a summary of how our world was created. Within the account there is a beauty and an order. These two enduring characteristics of God leap out of his creative acts. One thing at a time is created – night and day; sky, land, and seas; vegetation and trees; sun, moon, and stars; sea and air creatures; and, land creatures. Once all the groundwork is created, God makes

Reading: Psalm 104: 24-34 and 35b Verse 30: “When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth”. The Psalm speaks of God’s creative power. It reminds us that the creatures that fill the sea and that cover the land are all created, birthed, and cared for by God. Even the air they breathe is a gift from God. When the breath of God is taken away, “they die and return to dust”. We and all of humanity fit within these truths. We too gain life when Go

Reading: Psalm 68: 1-10 and 32-35 Verse 9: “You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance”. Reading the first few verses of Psalm 68, one gets a sense of God’s powers. God can scatter the enemies and can make the wicked perish before him. David has experienced these things happening and has a confidence that God remains capable. When these things have happened, the righteous have been made glad, they have rejoiced. In our own lives we experience this

Reading: 1st Peter 2: 2-3 Verse 2: “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation”. Today’s short passage is a powerful metaphor that is packed with meaning. On the surface level our faith must be fed if we are to grow in our faith. We must nourish our faith with practices such as worship, prayer, meditation, and study. Investing in our relationship with God leads us to “grow up into our salvation”. There are two roles in toda

Reading: Psalm 23 Verse 1: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want”. Psalm 23 is probably the best known Psalm. Simply reading verse one triggers our memories and, for some, we can recite the remaining words. It is like saying, “Our Father who art…”. Like the Lord’s Prayer, Psalm 23 is a powerful reminder of God’s love and care for us. David uses a metaphor that was very familiar to his audience: God as shepherd and us as sheep. As this metaphor is used throughout th

Reading: Acts 2: 42-47 Verse 44: “All the believers were together and had everything in common”. The book of Acts records the early history of the church. In our passage today Luke writes about what makes the church the church. It remains true today. The early Christians learned about Jesus and God. They spent time together in fellowship meals (that included what we call communion) and in times of prayer. The Holy Spirit was present, filling them with awe and empowering the a