that there is not enough to go around
we are going to run shortof money
of love
of grades
of publications
of sex
of beer
of members
of years
of life
we should seize the day…
seize the goods…
seize our neighbor’s goods
because there is not enough to go around
and in the midst of our perceived deficit;
You come
You come giving bread in the wilderness
You come giving children at the 11th hour
You come giving homes to the exiles
You come giving futures to the shut-down
You come giving Easter joy to the dead
You come … fleshed … in Jesus
And we watch while
the blind receive their sight
the lame walk
the lepers are cleansed
the deaf hear
the dead are raised
the poor dance and sing.
We watch … and we take
food we did not grow and
life we did not invent and
future that is gift and gift and gift and
families and neighbors who sustain us
when we do not deserve it.
It dawns on us, late rather than soon, that
You give food in due season
you open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
By your giving,
break our cycles of imagined scarcity
override our presumed deficits
quiet our anxieties of lack
transform our perceptual field to see
the abundance…mercy upon mercy
blessing upon blessing.
Sink your generosity deep into our lives
that your much-ness may expose our false lack
that endlessly receiving, we may endlessly give,
so that the world may be made Easter new,
without greedy lack, but only wonder
without coercive need, but only love
without destructive greed, but only praise
without aggression and evasiveness…
all things Easter new…
all around us, toward us and by us
all things Easter new.
Finish your creation…
in wonder, love and praise. Amen.
Collect for Easter:
Almighty God, through Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, You overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life. We humbly pray that we may live before You in righteousness and purity forever; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, on God, now and forever. Amen.
Remember in prayer
JTK – banned from local collage , review is pending
Michael- recovering from colonoscopy. waiting results
Scooter Jones- son is suicidal , not doing well
Lurkie Loo -I have a dear friend who was just diagnosed on Valentine’s day with inoperable Stage 4 glioblastoma (brain cancer). She is 44.
Captain Kevin – a childhood friend who unfriended me on FB for my conservative views. This was after referring to me and some of my friends as scum of the earth along with other names I wouldn’t repeat here. I appealed on the basis of an almost lifelong friendship and that I not only respected him for holding well-reasoned views but that we had much more in common than not. He would have none of it. I grieve over a lost friendship as well as my part in the destruction.
Captain Kevin – Strep, sinus infection, inflamed ear canal, and the pain that comes when the fibromyalgia flares up in response.
surfer51 (david) “stage four” prostate cancer.
John 20:29 – cousin Jerry has prostate cancer
Erunner- mom has blocked arteries and COPD
Michael- upcoming surgery, tumor on his thyroid and spot on his lung, very ill,
Lennea- sister salvation and cancer My sister has asked me to not contact her anymore as I brought her information about a pending lawsuit against her (from the school district she teaches in). I pray that she would draw near to the Lord and confess her own sins.
filbertz – nephew’s 16-year-old son who evidently accidentally shot himself new year’s eve, still in pain over drew’s death.
JD – young step nephew shot himself in the head the day after Christmas 2016.
Linnea – Dannie is out of her back brace and is starting to move normally. I know as she ages, all these broken bones could cause her trouble. Thank you for your prayers for her recovery. Would you pray that the Lord would minimize the lifelong affects of this skiing accident to her 16 year old body?
Erunner- wife RA
Paige- 4 boys to be pleasing to God
Captain kevin – new direction for he and hit wife, work load, health
Dan -new direction for he and wife
E munro- sadness,concern and confusion over major changes at cccm and seemingly lack of concern on pastors part
UnCCed- still hurting over treatment from her church
Luisa- hurt by church
the least of these-hurt by church
Disillusioned-hurt by church
Bart- hurt by church
Amen