St. Luke's Blogs

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.”

This past week our state enjoyed a large amount of rain. It was a welcomed rain, especially because it was a significant amount of rain without severe storms. The rain helped to bring new life to the dry land. It helped to fill ponds, lakes, water fields, and yards. I am so thankful for the rain as we approach what is sure to be a hot summer.

I must confess that when the rain was pouring from the sky, I was not always thinking the same thoughts of gratitude. In fact, on Monday, as the rain was pouring from the sky, I was unloading supplies for a worship service we were hosting at St. Luke’s from my truck. My suit was soaked as I grabbed as many bags as I could to run back to the building.

As I shut the door to my truck, a wonderful angel, a member of St. Luke’s, appeared as a gift from God…

As Jesus went from community to community, he encountered a great variety of people. He was often welcomed with open arms by those who wanted to hear his teaching. They had heard of the signs and wonders he performed, and they hoped to experience it for themselves. Jesus was not always confronted with excitement and joy. Often Jesus encountered skeptics and adversaries who challenged him and the good news he was sharing with the world.

The group that most often confronted Jesus was the Pharisees. The Pharisees were a group who separated themselves for study and interpretation of the law. They believed that it was more important to focus on the law than the sacrificial work that was done in the temple. They believed that the way to connection with God was through obedience to the Law. Their opposition to Jesus was because he did not join them in their interpretation and teaching of the law. Jesus honored the law, but not the oral tradition that had been expanded and created by the Pharisees.

The Pharisees teaching of the law was a burden to the people. No matter how hard a person tried, it was never good enough…

On average, research shows that we have over 20 conversations every day. We have multiple interactions at work, home, and in public places like the grocery store and restaurants. These conversations can be positive or negative. I have recently been thinking about the many interactions I have with children, parents, staff, and so many more people throughout the day.

One concern I have, of late, is about the growing amount of criticism there seems to be in our culture. Have you ever found yourself criticizing a person because of something they are doing or have done? Have you stopped and thought about the fact that you probably do the same thing? People who are constantly putting people down see you as a mirror. They are criticizing things they don’t like about themselves, in other words, projecting…

The summer after Aimee and I were married, we decided to see how green our thumbs were. We spent a little time in the flower beds. We pulled the weeds, trimmed back the hedges, and prepared the dirt for planting.  One thing we wanted to try was growing our own tomatoes.  Neither of us claimed to be gardeners, but it seemed like something fun to try for the first time.

We went to the store and selected a few small tomato plants. We brought them back home and planted them with great anticipation of the fruit that we would soon see. Weeks passed, and the plants grew. We watered them with great love and care. The little tomato plants were growing big and strong. There was only one problem.  No tomatoes!

The summer months marched on, and our little plants continued to grow, but not produce. I began to seek advice from more experienced gardeners…

Emma Lyon is a recent recipient of compassion and grace that truly brought joy to her life. Emma had joined many of the members of her community in England to watch a spring regatta on the river Ouse. As she stood on the bank of the river, clapping and cheering on the rowing teams, the 100-year-old wedding ring that belonged to her grandmother fell off her finger and dropped into the river. Emma was devastated. She thought the ring was lost forever…

Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for edifying, as fits the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;
    he heard my cry for mercy.
Because he turned his ear to me,
    I will call on him as long as I live.
The cords of death entangled me,
    the anguish of the grave came over me;
    I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the Lord:
   “Lord, save me!”
The Lord is gracious and righteous;
    our God is full of compassion.
The Lord protects the unwary;
    when I was brought low, he saved me.
Return to your rest, my soul,
    for the Lord has been good to you.