Carl DeLine

Driving back from Austin last night I saw a billboard. It caused me to think about the grace of God. There have been so many times when my life was in jeopardy, doctors were saying we will not say he is going to die, but if I were you I would start making plans. There were so many times this happened I thought this can’t be real, it must all be in my head. In reality it did affect my head. The nerve endings, the grey matter, all of it was affected. The brain fog, the medications, everything went straight to the head. It started in the head and then went everywhere else.

Think about the grace of God. Think about life itself. Find the pulse on your wrist, feel it beat. The beat is not life, but it says life dwells in this body.

I woke up singing a chorus I learned as a child. This is the day… listen in…

This Is the Day That the Lord Has Made

Prayer: Use the concept of sentence prayer. This is a spot for others to add their words.

-Lord, lead us in worship. We recognize this becomes an opportunity to turn to you and appreciate learning of and about you. Guide us. Please.

-Lord, as I read the scripture it says they gathered together. I pray for all who are gathering together today wherever they are. Please be with them in a way I don’t always understand. Touch them with your Spirit, give them not just an awareness about the future but an awareness about today.

-Lord, we have a way of segmenting people, we classify them as “them.” Allow us to see your uniqueness, neither male nor female, neither this race or that race, neither rich or poor, neither lamb or whole, allow us to celebrate you as you reveal your uniqueness to us.

-Give us joy. As we climb to the top of our lives may we see the expanse, the filling in of wisdom and knowledge. Let us get excited. Help us to see the flower rise in the sand.

-Give us an understanding of how you restore us.

-Give us strength to withstand evil.

-Give us freedom to look in the face of evil and speak of your love.

-Give us freedom to be one with each other, give us freedom to be one with you.

Amen.

Scripture:

Year A – Easter – Seventh Sunday of Easter : Revised Common Lectionary
Acts 1:6-14 • Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35 • 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 • John 17:1-11

Music:

• “Send Us Your Spirit”
• “Open the Eyes of My Heart”
• “El Shaddai”

Meditation:

A Morning Thought

Last Sunday, I think it was last Sunday, I wrote about laughing when I woke up. There are times I wake up and I am crying, my life has known seasons of darkness only to be overwhelmed by the light around me. Today I woke up singing. I looked at the floor, a huge brown spider with yellow stripes was sitting there. I decided not to alarm him. I continued to sing. He then took off toward the window, the window was open slightly. He ran up the wall, out the window. He was gone. I was happy until I saw this herd of rabbits, deer, skunks, snakes, birds all running away as fast as they could. They obviously did not recognize talent when they heard it. I have learned not everyone/thing understands God, celebrates the pureness of sound.

Years ago I read a book by an Orthodox theologian, For the Life of the World. He talked about life as liturgy. I grew up in no- liturgical churches, so liturgy had little meaning for me. Then this book came across my path. The author talked about life as an act of worship. When you wake up in the morning, the very opening of yours eyes is an act of celebration, an act of worship. You go for a shower, you put your clothes on, or, or, or…  all acts of worship.

On this site you are being asked to participate in worship. You are asked to add your prayers to others. You are not alone. You can add your agreement to others.

You are asked to think about music, music that has been a part of your life, your journey through life. The music that often picks you up to face today, yesterday and even tomorrow. Choose wisely, your music may become the choice of someone else. It may lift them up, it may linger in their thoughts and at the least expected moment out it comes.

I was preaching one morning. The pianist and I had rehearsed a moment when she would walk to the piano and begin to play Andre Crouch’s version of “To God Be The Glory.” She brought the message to a crescendo, to a point people were ready to rise and be the people of God.

Liturgy becomes your way to walk with God. It is not only limited to a church worship service, it breaks out into all aspects of your life. Your step has an added bounce, your smile starts in your heart. You greet others in that you respect they are a part of your life.

As I sit here I smile, I sing along because in the midst of the darkness there is light. There is a tugging that pulls the best out of me. It tugs me, lifts me from the bed and gives freedom to start again. Laughingly, I sit here realizing I am working on a computer that is on its last leg. All I want is one more meditation, one more moment to say we can overcome. We can take the next step not into oblivion but into purpose.

How is the subject for the meditation chosen for each Sunday? The scripture is read. The prayer is written. One word that arises as a word to me becomes the focus? What supporting thoughts come to mind. At what point does the meditation stop? It stops when the thought ends, when others stop commenting, or when it is right.

And now may the love of God encompass you, may your awareness reveal to others the presence of God and may each step give you a bounce dancing freely in the joy of the Lord.

Closing thoughts:

There are times when I like to sit and meditate. At times it is to listen to others. Here is a concert titled: “The Power and Glory of God.”