St. Luke's Blogs

“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer…,” Jesus told his disciples. I’ve always been intrigued by the Last Supper. One of my favorite Christian songs is Come to the Table by Michael Card. He wrote the song in 1983, but the best version is a 1996 duet with Oklahoma City native John Michael Talbot on their album “Brother to Brother.”

Lent is a season of reflection for Christians as we prepare our hearts and minds to celebrate the resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday. For me, reflecting on Christ’s life, love, and ultimate sacrifice causes me to look at the ever-changing seasons of nature around me. My heart can sometimes feel heavy when the Christmas festivities are over, and the weather remains cold and dreary. When I see empty fields, leafless trees, and empty gardens; I look to God for peace and comfort. It is in these moments that God speaks so clearly: “I am still working in you and through you. Even though you may not feel or see it, my Spirit is still working in your life and in those around you.”

And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that he thus breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome, who, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered to him; and also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.

“Forgive our sins as we forgive,”
You taught us, Lord, to pray;
but You alone can grant us grace
to live the words we say.

Almost every worship service at St. Luke’s includes a sermon as part of the order of worship. The exception to that is the Good Friday service. Of course, a message is delivered, but it is proclaimed through the voiced scripture from the moments leading up to the Crucifixion. It allows me to engage with the worship at a deeper level since my focus doesn’t have to be on the sermon I’m to deliver.

In the spring of 2023, we had a guest author, Natalee Creech, come to the Edmond Campus to read her book, Nothing Can Separate You From God’s Love! The wonderfully illustrated book goes through various scenarios to teach young children that there isn’t anything that would make God not love them.

I grew up in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and Muskogee First United Methodist Church felt like a second home to me. Our youth group headed to Camp Egan in Tahlequah, Oklahoma every summer. The best part? The closing worship on the last night. We’d have awesome speakers and great music that left a lasting impression. One summer evening during closing worship, surrounded by nature’s beauty in the Tabernacle, I felt God’s presence in a powerful way. It was a life-changing moment when I truly felt God’s love embracing me.

One of the most important things in my life has been going to camp. Whether it is a summer camp or a mission trip, time away with God has always been special to me. I have found that my favorite moments are during worship, and over the years, one song has helped form my faith. The song is, Reckless Love by Cory Asbury. The chorus says, O’ the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless Love of God! Oh, it chases me down, fights ‘till I’m found, leaves the ninety-nine.

When my son, Ian, was part of St. Luke’s youth group many years ago, I was a chaperone for the summer Youth Force mission trip to Altus, OK. My group, or God Squad as they referred to us, was assigned a house that needed a tremendous amount of cleaning and exterior work. The youth worked incredibly hard that week in the sweltering summer temperatures.

After this Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfil the scripture), “I thirst.” A bowl full of vinegar stood there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished”; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

(John 19:28 – 30)