"Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30, NRSV)

When I was young heard this scripture I thought of a yoke as a decoration.  We would wear a necklace for Jesus and wouldn't have any work to do.  What fun!  I finally got it when I saw a picture of a woman using a yoke to carry buckets of water.  A yoke makes it easier to carry a load by spreading out and balancing the weight or by allowing more than one to share a load or task.  Now I know that Jesus is not offering a life of ease free of all problems.  Better than that, he's offering to teach us how to more easily carry the burdens we have in life and he's willing to share the load.  And I've found that when we're yoked with Jesus, helping someone else carry their load sometimes makes our load seem lighter.

Blessings!
Marilyn

A cup of water

Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.  Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple -- truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward."  (Matthew 10:40-42 NRSV)

The low desert of Arizona is a hot dry place.  With temperatures nearing and exceeding 110F water can be very important.  This year various communities in the area are collecting bottled water to pass out to people with little or no shelter from the heat.  Our church will be participating in the Mesa Hydration campaign.  A bottle of cool water can be liquid salvation to someone who is hot and thirsty and overheated. So this week, buy a case of water.  Take it to church, or a shelter, or a fire station, or a city park.  Before you pass it on say a blessing over it that the water will refresh not only the body but also spirit of those who drink it.  And then say a prayer of thanksgiving that we can be part of God's plan of grace.

Blessings!
Marilyn

Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.  2 Corinthians 13:11 (NRSV)

Paul has been writing to the church at Corinth, not the most peaceful church in the world, and is now ending his letter.  He reminds the Corinthians, and us, that it is hard to see God in the midst of chaos.  When we take some responsibility to put and keep things in order instead of waiting for God or someone else to do it for us, when we are willing to stop trying to always be "the winner and still champion," then we find the God of love and peace is already with us helping us live in peace.


Blessings!
Marilyn

Happy Pentecost!

1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.  2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.  3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.  4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit .... (Acts 2:1-4a, NRSV)

This coming Sunday will be Pentecost.  More than just the day the church was "born" Pentecost is the day when God's spirit was poured out on many and changed the world.  Those fearful followers hiding in a locked room became so filled with God's spirit they didn't have room for fear.  They were no longer afraid of ridicule, of soldiers, of poverty, or even death.  In these days when many people 'make wrongful use of the name of Lord' (Exodus 20:7, NRSV) to justify behavior of which God would not approve let us pray that we, and all those who call upon the name of the Lord, will be so filled with God's spirit that there will be no more room for fear, greed, or distrust, and we can truly mean the words we say each Sunday "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth ...."

Blessings!
Marilyn