Sermon June 7, 2020 – Pastor Gary
Pastor Gary’s full sermon from June 7,2020 based on Isaiah 11:1-10.
This is part one in our 6 week series that explores the liturgical seasons of the church. We begin with the season of Advent
The other day, I was at my desk and I noticed my Bible, perched on top of a pile of books– collecting dust. Seeing this, I said to myself, “wow, I’ve been really busy lately.” Then I said to myself, “when’s the last time I just read my Bible? Not in preparation for a sermon or Bible Study, but when’s the last time I just read the Bible and allowed the words of scripture to speak to me?” And then I said to myself, “I should stop talking to myself, people are going to think I’m crazy.”
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”
– Psalms 119:105
All of this reminded me of when i worked at a summer camp. Everyday after breakfast the campers would go back to their cabins to clean, in hopes of winning The Cleanest Cabin Award, which was handed out at dinner each night. Most of the time, my campers wouldn’t try that hard to win the award. However, every now and then I would have a group of campers that would really want to win that Clean Cabin Award. And so, they would make their beds and put away their dirty socks, and sweep the floors, and put their duffel backs neatly under their bunks.
And then, the campers would put the cherry on top of their entire cleaning effort. After all, this was a Church Camp that I was working at, and so the campers would dig out their Bibles from the bottom of their duffel bags and they would place them on their pillows, for all the world to see. Apparently, to 10 year old campers, cleanliness and godliness went hand in hand.
I’m pretty sure that this was the only time the kids touched their Bibles all year, with the exception being those moments when a Pastor, Sunday School teacher, or me (their camp counselor) asked them to crack the book open.
I find it rather sad, that we, myself included, so often neglect the Bible and use it as a paper weight, or decoration. The Reality is that the Bible is a living document where God speaks to us, and from which real wisdom flows.
I believe that taking time to slow down and allow scripture to speak to us is a daily practice that can change us. Taking time to allow the ancient stories, prayers, and writings of scripture to wash over us puts us more closely in touch with God. Many times in my life, I have found comfort, and inspiration, and wisdom in the Scriptures that seemed as if it was written specifically for me. To use the Bible as nothing more than a decoration is a missed opportunity. In our world where we are overrun with competing messages, putting ourselves in touch with The Message is vital.
May the Word of God guide, challenge, and renew us this day and always. Amen.
Sermon for 5/10/20 – Pastor Gary
Pastor Gary’s full sermon for 5/10/20 is based on Jeremiah 29:1;4-14 and John 14:1-7.
Affirmations have been proven to provide great emotional and psychological benefit. The Bible is filled with hundreds of powerful passages that can be read as God’s affirmation of you. Take a quiet moment to read the above passage several times. Imagine God sitting with you and speaking the words directly to you. Let this affirmation rest in your heart and mind today. Return to these words from God again and again throughout your week.
Jack Lindsey is the current “Past-President” at Bethany. He has graciously agreed to share some of his past devotional writings on this site.
Author’s Note: Hopefully by now we are no longer having to hunker down at home as much. This last offering for this series is one of my favorite columns, I hope you enjoy it too!
“Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.”– (Philippians 3:17)
There appears to be a revival in porch sitting these days. The front porch is a uniquely American architectural element, developed originally to distinguish American homes from British architecture. For generations raised without a front porch or with television as the dominant evening activity the idea of sitting out in front of your house on summer evenings may seem quaint beyond belief, but as I drive through our neighborhood I have noticed more comfortable chairs appearing on porches, even small ones. It is noteworthy, considering that since the middle of last century we in the United States have become more and more people who withdraw to the back yard, if we get out of the house at all.
Porch sitting, according to Wikipedia, is “a leisure activity that can be a direct or indirect form of social interaction.” It was once considered a status symbol. Porch sitting was even advocated in the cure of TB. In addition to bringing couples and families together in the fresh air in a relatively quiet activity that promotes conversation, it provides an opportunity to observe your neighbors and interact with them as well. Its utility as a community building and security enterprise has even led to it being purposefully incorporated into some modern “planned” communities.
And, really, you don’t even need a front porch to do it. People “porch sit” on stoops, steps, grass, low walls, and there are some who have incorporated lovely landscape areas in their front yards that feature what is still called lawn furniture. As one report broadcast on National Public Radio noted, it’s not a place, but a state of mind.
How widespread is this? If you search the internet you find the Professional Porch Sitters Union, which has locals in all fifty states and twenty countries. They claim to be the fastest growing union in the U.S. We are members (Denver Local 321).
Jean and I have found that just spending an hour together on the porch as the day cools provides a lovely opportunity to catch up with each other after a hectic day. Both of us have fond memories of sitting out front with our grandparents, and the sense of comfort and family unity it brought us. And we are meeting more of our neighbors this way. People wave, smile, or even stop briefly and exchange pleasantries with us. One neighbor we met through our porch sitting even stopped to gift us some extra tomato plants she had to give us a head start on our container gardening.
Being out front as the neighborhood children bike and play gives us a feeling of connection with that generation, and has even given us an increased awareness of opportunities for service through our conversations with others. As the Porch Sitter’s union founder, Claude Stephens in Louisville, says, “When you are on your front porch you are part of your community. When you are in your house you aren’t.”
The idea of porch sitting embodies many of the discussions we have had in this column on physical, emotional and spiritual health. As an activity that promotes balance it provides connection with others and time to slow down from the busy pace of lives full of activity, schedules and obligations. Time out provides spiritual succor. We are, after all, commanded from earliest tradition to keep some time holy and unscheduled. So the health benefits of an activity such as porch sitting are numerous.
It is about finding time. And we all need that. So give it a try. If I see you on the porch I’ll wave so you will know it’s me. – Peace and health, Jack Lindsey.
© 2010 Jack Lindsey, Denver, Colorado – Used with permission
Affirmations have been proven to provide great emotional and psychological benefit. The Bible is filled with hundreds of powerful passages that can be read as God’s affirmation of you. Take a quiet moment to read the above passage several times. Imagine God sitting with you and speaking the words directly to you. Let this affirmation rest in your heart and mind today. Return to these words from God again and again throughout your week.
Justin March leads the Bethany Lutheran Church Men’s Ministry and sends a weekly email message to the Men’s group every week. Justin has generously permitted us to post his weekly reflections here.
Excerpts from “In the Garden” by
Charles A. Miles“I come to the garden
alone.” There are times I just
need to be alone. It does not mean I am irritated with the people around me,
upset about my current conditions, or even angry at what the world has thrown
my way. Sometimes, I just need the quiet, the stillness, and the peace that comes
from being alone. And as I heard this song the other day, it made me realize
that the outdoors is my favorite place to be alone.
So, I often head
outside and spend time in our yard. I find solace in watering the grass, mowing
the lawn, and picking the weeds. I find strength in trimming the bushes,
shaping the trees, and cutting the edges. And I find rest in watching the
birds, lounging in my favorite chair, and breathing in that mountain air. Yes,
there is something healing in the beauty that surrounds our humble abode, but
as I listened to the lyrics of this beautiful hymn, I realized that these
precious gifts were never about being alone.
“And He walks with me,
and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own.”
When I am outside, without the distractions of
my phone, my computer, and my television, I become open to what Jesus wants to
show me. As the water quenches the thirst of the lawn, I feel the cool mist
that sprays back at me, I see the rainbows that dance in the spray, and I see
the shimmer of those droplets as they begin to work their way into the grass. I
see the butterflies that enjoy the flowers, I see the birds that enjoy the
trees, and I see the squirrels that run the fence line. And most of all, I feel
His presence as He slows my world down and makes me appreciate the simple
things in life.
You see, I think that
being alone in the garden is what heals my anxiety and erases the pressure. But
what truly happens, is that Jesus walks with me, talks with me, and reminds me
that I am His own. He spends time with me in the garden, he opens my eyes to
the beauty around me, and he softens my heart, so I am ready to be accepting,
forgiving, and loving to those around me. It is a precious time to be with
Jesus, and I feel like I never want to leave His garden.
“I’d stay in the
garden with Him, though the night around me be falling, but He bids me go;
through the voice of woe, His voice to me is calling.”
My time in the garden is precious, and
although I want to be walking and talking with Jesus forever, he blesses me,
bids me goodbye, and sends me out. He shows me the path that leaves His garden,
and after seeing the beauty He surrounds me with, the journey becomes clear. My
time on Earth is short, the people I love will one day be gone, and my mission
must be fulfilled. So, I take His hand, I leave the garden, and I allow Him to
lead the way. I listen to those He surrounds me with, I enjoy the beauty He
bestows upon me, and I help Him brings others closer to knowing His love.
My friends, it is okay
to spend time alone. It is necessary to slow down so you are open to what Jesus
wants to show you. And walking with Him and talking with Him, will help you
understand what He wants you to do with your life. Enter the garden, breathe in
all the beauty Jesus will bless you with, and leave with the understanding
there is a lot of work to be done. You may come to the garden alone, but you
will leave knowing that others need to hear those words He spoke to you, they
need to walk the path He has created for them, and they need to feel the love
that only He can provide. Invite others to the garden, so they can experience “the joy we share as we tarry there,
none other has ever known!”
We continue on our journey through the liturgical seasons. This week is Christmas! And so we read together “He’s Here!” a story based on Luke 1&2 (the Christmas story) from the Jesus Storybook Bible.
Affirmations have been proven to provide great emotional and psychological benefit. The Bible is filled with hundreds of powerful passages that can be read as God’s affirmation of you. Take a quiet moment to read the above passage several times. Imagine God sitting with you and speaking the words directly to you. Let this affirmation rest in your heart and mind today. Return to these words from God again and again throughout your week.
Back in High School I went to camp at Lake Chautauqua Lutheran Center. I would attend the yearly Senior High Camp and enjoy a week with new and old friends on beautiful Lake Chautauqua. I loved all of the fun and goofy things we got to do at camp, but my favorite part of each day was the closing devos. Each night, we would gather together as a cabin and our counselor would lead us in some sort of activity that would help us to reflect on a passage of scripture and the day’s theme.
I still remember, vividly, the devo that my counselor led during the summer after my Junior year. It was the very first night of camp, the entire cabin had just arrived earlier that day and we were all still getting to know one another. For devos that night our counselor had us walk into the woods where he gave each of us a small piece of paper and a pen. We were all asked to write down our expectations for the week– what we were hoping for, what we thought would happen, what we wanted to get out of the week.
Next, our counselor passed around an empty glass bottle. He asked us to share what we had written on the paper, and then place the paper into the bottle. After all the “expectations” had been placed in the bottle, our counselor took it, and without saying anything, he walked a few paces away from the group, and placed the glass bottle, filled with all our written expectations into a bag, then he placed that bag on a stump.
Then, still saying nothing, he took a large rock at the foot of the stump and smashed the bottle to pieces.
The sound of shattering glass and the sheer volume of the event in the quiet of the woods caused a hushed silence to fall over the entire cabin group. After a long pause, our counselor explained his actions:
“All of us have a lot of expectations about this week. We all expect this week at camp to be a certain way, or for certain things to happen, but we need to remember that God is in the business of shattering our expectations.”
If nothing else, this was a good devo because I still remember it today. But not only that, I think there is some real wisdom in my camp counselor’s words: that God completely shatters our expectations.
“For the Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and gentiles, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” I Corinthians 1:22-24
Paul’s words from his letter to the Corinthian church remind us of just how unexpected God’s actions were on the cross. When Jesus died on the cross it seemed as if all hope was lost, as if the entire Jesus movement was ended– crushed by the Roman authorities. But instead, God shattered everyone’s expectations by using the crucifixion to defeat death once and for all.
As Christians we have a faith that is grounded in the idea that God will use the most unexpected ways and people to accomplish God’s Will. And so, when you’re expecting the worse, or things seem hopeless , remember that God is more than capable of shattering your expectations.
May God shatter our expectations, again and again. Amen.
Affirmations have been proven to provide great emotional and psychological benefit. The Bible is filled with hundreds of powerful passages that can be read as God’s affirmation of you. Take a quiet moment to read the above passage several times. Imagine God sitting with you and speaking the words directly to you. Let this affirmation rest in your heart and mind today. Return to these words from God again and again throughout your week.
Jack Lindsey is the current “Past-President” at Bethany. He has graciously agreed to share some of his past devotional writings on this site.
"I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.“ – (Romans 9:17)
Does being healthy and well have a purpose other than feeling good? Depending on your experience you may already have an idea of what its purpose is for you. The question of the purpose of health and wellness is certainly worth some thought – if nothing else it helps answer the question of whether pursuing health and wellness is worth our effort. And if we get into the question, there are a number of other questions that go along with one as deceptively simple as “What is its purpose?” Questions such as “What is it for?” or “Who is it for?”
There is very much a growing awareness that health and wellness is more than just not being sick. I asked a health care professional recently to tell me what the purpose of health is. Her reply was wonderful. “Health,” she said “ensures an optimal life experience within the choices for health that are given to us.” In other words, health gives us power within the limitations of our physical beings.
Although we may envision health as a worthy pursuit in its own right, health makes other things possible. It enables us. Granger Westberg, author of the book The Parish Nurse, wrote, “In the Christian tradition … good health is not an end in itself, but rather it is an enabler. It gives us the energy and vitality to serve and love others, and thus good health is seen in the context of purpose. It is a liberator.”
If you search the Internet these days for the purpose of wellness you will find a myriad of definitions and the concept of balance figures prominently in many of them. Balance in many discussions of wellness involves the recognition that health and wellness includes not just physical health but also emotional health. And, as we have seen, those are two aspects of health and wellness that bring us purpose.
The question of who health and wellness is for brings us to consider a third aspect of health and wellness. It seems to have an obvious answer at first, because health is about us first, with family coming in a close second, right? And of course good health enables us to have the resources to reach out to others in the world that are less fortunate.
But to make any answer about the purpose of health and wellness truly meaningful we also have to ask what spiritual purpose health and wellness brings to us as people and family members who are Christians. And considering the question in that light brings us to a deeper understanding of the question of who health and wellness serves. Westberg’s daughter, Jill McNamara, writes, “Health enables us to respond to the lure of God, to act on possibilities that are open to us and that lead to fulfillment.” (Health and Wellness)
Wellness enables wonder for and service to the world that God has given us, and fulfills our purpose. So you might say that health gives us the power to act, and wellness liberates our hope and faith – thus enabling us to act to God’s purpose. Health and wellness liberate us to be agents of God. As health and wellness are gifts from God for which we have responsibility, we are blessed with the opportunity to pursue them and use them to His purpose. – JL
© 2010 Jack Lindsey, Denver, Colorado – Used with permission
Affirmations have been proven to provide great emotional and psychological benefit. The Bible is filled with hundreds of powerful passages that can be read as God’s affirmation of you. Take a quiet moment to read the above passage several times. Imagine God sitting with you and speaking the words directly to you. Let this affirmation rest in your heart and mind today. Return to these words from God again and again throughout your week.
Shortly after my
first child was born, my wife and I started binge watching the television show
House. I knew that we would be spending
a lot of time at home with our new born daughter, so on the day that she was
born I ordered the first 3 season of the show off of Amazon for our hospital
room.
And over the next
several weeks, my wife, newborn daughter and I watched episode upon episode of
House M.D. For those of you not familiar
with the show, House is a medical drama about Dr. Gregory House, a surly yet
genius doctor. Its a lot like Sherlock
Holmes, only if Sherlock Holmes had been a doctor solving medical mysteries.
There’s one episode
of House that I’ve been thinking about a lot this week. During the episode, Doctor House is shot by a
deranged patient and yet he keeps working on the medical cases assigned to
him. It becomes clear during the course
of the episode that the gunshot wound is not only affecting House’s livelihood
but also his ability to properly care for patients.
And then…. the
episode ends and the viewer is left wondering if Dr. House and his patient are
going to survive!
Usually, when
you’re binge watching a television show, cliffhangers like this aren’t that big
a deal. All you have to do is press the
play button to find out what happens next.
However, when I originally watched this episode, it must have been the
third or fourth episode my wife and I had watched that night because I know
that we turned the show off and went to bed, despite the cliffhanger. And so that night, every time I woke up to
take care of my infant daughter; I had these weird questions running through my
head bout whether Dr. Gregory House was going to survive.
At some point the
next morning, when I was thinking a bit more clearly, I remembered that the
cliffhanger episode I had just watched was from season 2….and then I remembered
that I had just seen a commercial advertising the premiere episode of House
season 9.
It was at this
precise moment that I realized, Dr. Gregory House was going to be fine.
I’m embarrassed to
admit how comforted I was when I realized that everything would be ok, but I
bet many of you can understand that sense of relief that I had when I figured
out how the story was going to end.
I’ve been thinking
about this phenomenon a lot this week—this strange sense of comfort and
security that we get when the end of the story comes into focus because I think
it’s a feeling that our faith should cultivate in us again and again. When
we’re met with the tension and uncertainty of the moment, we can take a deep
breath and remember that God has already told us the end of the story.
There’s a lot of uncertainty in our world these
days. Questions about the ongoing
pandemic. Questions about the
Presidential election. Questions about
schools and businesses and family gatherings and how any of that can work
during a pandemic. Questions about how
long this will all last.
If you watch the news or read the headlines its
all enough to leave you feeling really uneasy and even downright scared.
But our faith tells us that we know how the story
is going to end. No matter what might
happen, we know that God is in control and that God will not rest until all of
creation is put back together.
Fear not, because we know how the story is going
to end! Whatever uncertainty you feel today, whatever
fear and struggle you are currently encountering know that God is with you and
that the story will not end until all the world rests in the arms of our loving
God.
Justin March leads the Bethany Lutheran Church Men’s Ministry and sends a weekly email message to the Men’s group every week. Justin has generously permitted us to post his weekly reflections here.
“If you carry one thing throughout your entire life, let it be
hope. Let it be hope that better things are always ahead. Let it be hope that
you can get through even the toughest of times. Let it be hope that you are
stronger than any challenge that comes your way. Let it be hope that you are
exactly where you are meant to be right now, and that you are on the path to
where you are meant to be. Because during these times, hope will be the very
thing that carries you through.” Nikki Banas
I woke up angry this morning. Angry that the coronavirus
continues to disrupt the lifestyle I want to live. Angry that the racial
tensions, violence, and hatred dominate our media. And to top it all off, angry
that my neighbor’s 40’ pine tree was uprooted during yesterday’s storms and now
lies in our backyard.
So, I sat down at this computer and tried to find some
inspiration. I searched for something positive. But the more I looked, the more
I was bombarded with headlines about racial tension, violence, destruction, and
hatred. That was, until I found this article about hope. An article that
reminded me to hold on, change my perspective, and accept that where I am at
right now, is exactly where God wants me to be.
Hope. Hope that the coronavirus has made us appreciate the
people we are able to stay close to. Hope that the racial tensions bring
awareness to those that need it. Hope that we can see another’s perspective,
understand ideas contrary to our own, and appreciate one another for who we
are. Hope that the violence and destruction we are currently experiencing
erases an old way of life and brings forth a blossoming future. And hope that a
morning full of anger allows my feelings to escape so my heart can be open to
what God wants to show me next.
My friends, 2020 has already been one wild ride. But as I read
the message Nikki states again, there is always hope. Hope that God will get us
through the toughest of times. Hope that God makes us stronger than any
challenge this world wants to throw our way. Hope that God teaches us to
forgive, encourage, and love one another. And hope that God’s plan for our
lives has us exactly where we are supposed to be. It is hope that will make us
stand up for justice. It is hope that will erase my anger. And it is hope that
will allow us to be God’s hands and feet in these unprecedented times!
Over the next 6 weeks, Bethany will be journeying through the different liturgical seasons of the church year.
We begin with Advent and so our children’s message focuses on getting ready for the birth of Jesus.
Affirmations have been proven to provide great emotional and psychological benefit. The Bible is filled with hundreds of powerful passages that can be read as God’s affirmation of you. Take a quiet moment to read the above passage several times. Imagine God sitting with you and speaking the words directly to you. Let this affirmation rest in your heart and mind today. Return to these words from God again and again throughout your week.
I heard a story the other day about a 7 year old boy, let’s call him Alex, who was eating a bag of chips when his friend joined him at the lunch table. Alex had grown up in a home that always taught him to share, to be generous, and to not be selfish. With this in mind, Alex knew that the right thing to do was to offer some of his chips to his friend who had just sat down with him. One problem: Alex really wanted to eat all of his chips. They were his favorite– sour cream and onion potato chips– but Alex knew that the right thing to do was to offer some chips to his friend. So, Alex held out the chips and said to his friend, “you don’t want any of this chips, right? That’s what I thought.”
One time, when Jesus was talking to a rich man who was wondering how to inherit eternal life. This is what he told the man:
“Go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven” – Mark 10:21
I bet that many people have heard these words before and I bet that when these words get brought up in churches and Bible Studies and in blog posts most people hear these instructions and then try and find a way around Jesus’ directions.
I’m guessing that most of us hear these words from Jesus and we treat it like Alex with his bag of chips. “Jesus doesn’t really want me to sell everything, right?” This seems to be how we always react when Jesus starts to talk about money. We know exactly what Christ is asking of us, but we find ways to only half-follow the expectations.
Jesus asks us to completely let go of our attachment to money, to give it all away in order to help others. When we hear this, most of us will be filled with anxiety because we can’t even imagine giving away even a little bit more money. And yet, doesn’t this reaction illustrate just how much trust we put in money? Jesus asks us to let go of this attachment and we’re immediately terrified because we find security in our money.
And that’s why Jesus asks us to let go of it; because we think that our security is based on having money. But Jesus knows that this type of relationship with money will always disappoint us. Jesus wants us to find security and to put our faith in him over and above everything else.
So let’s stop making excuses, let’s stop trying to find ways around Jesus’ words and instead let’s simply embrace the new way of life Jesus is inviting us into. A new way of life where our faith, security and well-being rests not in money, but in Jesus.
May we learn to let go and trust Christ more. Amen.
Affirmations have been proven to provide great emotional and psychological benefit. The Bible is filled with hundreds of powerful passages that can be read as God’s affirmation of you. Take a quiet moment to read the above passage several times. Imagine God sitting with you and speaking the words directly to you. Let this affirmation rest in your heart and mind today. Return to these words from God again and again throughout your week.
Jack Lindsey is the current “Past-President” at Bethany. He has graciously agreed to share some of his past devotional writings on this site.
“The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” – (Isaiah 58:11)
Volumes have been written about the joys of gardening. As a wellness activity, it is hard to beat, and you don’t even need acreage to participate. Many have found that just tending potted flowers or herbs in a window garden can have health benefits. Gardening allows you to …
1) Exercise. Gardening increases joint flexibility and strength, and uses all the major muscle groups. One hour of gardening has been shown to burn the same amount of calories as a brisk 3-½ mile walk (I’m sure this involves doing more than sitting in the shade and picking at the weeds).
2) Improve your diet. As our First Lady has modeled, gardening is one way to increase nutrition. Vegetables and fruits that are grown from your own garden taste better so you and your kids will be more likely to eat them. And if you are growing more than a single plant your neighbors and friends become beneficiaries to the extra nutrition as well. As a side benefit, being in the sun increases vitamin D production (don’t overdo it, use your sunscreen!).
3) Be creative. Planning a flower bed, or deciding which vegetable seeds you will use, where you will plant them, and how you want your garden to look exercises your imagination and can give you a nice sense of control in a generally uncontrollable world. And what better way than to participate in an act of creation!
4) Calm your mind. Gardening gets you outside and away from the more artificial stimulants of life (like television). Gardening can be very meditative and calms your spirit. Watching and tending your garden as it grows brings a sense of the perspective of time and can foster patience.
5) Connect with the earth. Humans have a deep need to connect with nature. Even with our beautiful Colorado mountains and urban parks many of us have jobs that require more of a connection with technology than God’s earth. Even a few minutes spent in our small or large patch of nature can remind us that we are God’s creatures, and of the earth.
6) Participate with your family. To teach our children of the miracles found in God’s creation is an opportunity we are given. And what better activity to share with your spouse than creating beauty or sustenance? It sends a strong message that we believe in the value of a future harvest.
7) Connect with your childhood. Many of us have agricultural roots – it has not been that many generations since the dominant landscape of America was rural. At the very least, working in the dirt connects us with our childhoods, when staying clean was the least of our concerns.
And finally, gardening is good practice for the future. As Isaiah says in his vision of the Glorious New Creation, “They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands.” (Isaiah 65:21-22)
Peace and health – JL
© 2010 Jack Lindsey, Denver, Colorado – Used with permission