Daily Devotions and Podcasts
Prayer: Lord, help me to see You in every part of my day, even in the places I least expect. Open my eyes to Your presence in the ordinary and the extraordinary moments of life. Amen.
The Cathedral of Hope Devotion Ministry began as an answer to Progressive Christians who wanted to start their days with a little insight, observation, or wisdom about the Christian faith from their own point of view. Conservative internet devotions were abundant, but there was not much out there for liberal thinkers. The need was clear.
Being a large church, we had a generous amount of writing talent available and also a large number of congregants with theological training who were not on the pulpit. In the early days of the ministry, most of the writing was done by the clergy, but gradually the majority of the writers emerged from those lay volunteers.
That dynamic is still in place as new authors are always joining in to keep the ideas fresh. It’s a fitting structure for any center of progressive thought. This particular Body of Christ has many voices and each one has a unique and important story to tell.
SCRIPTURE Psalm 33:18 “God’s eye is on those who show God respect, the ones who have hope for his steadfast love.” WORDS OF HOPE What Will Your Epitaph Be? I can think of no better tribute for one’s memorial service, concluding line for an obituary, or inspiring epitaph for a tombstone than the simple words: “They Brought Hope.” Paul’s words to the early Christian community in Corinth proclaimed: “Now faith, hope and love remain, these three, but the greatest of these is love.” (I Corinthians 13:13). I have made the case that HOPE is the greatest –though I see no need to rank them. Each are magnificent elements, admired qualities and great truths of life. I elevate HOPE because hope still gives us buoyancy when faith and love are not present, or at least not felt. I have often quoted the first stanza of Emily Dickinson’s wonderful poem, “‘Hope’ is the Thing with Feathers”: “Hope” is the thing with feathers - That perches in the soul - And sings the tune without the words - And never stops - at all – (from The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, edited by Thomas H. Johnson, ed., Cambridge, Mass.: The Belknap Press of Harvard University press, Copyright © 1951, 1955, 1979, 1983 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College) Hope looks ahead and anticipates what is not yet, not seen, not realized, not quite fully believed but still possible. From the Christian perspective one might simply say, “God is not yet finished.” That is what the wise mentor said to the young man who had exclaimed in a time of despair, “My life is ruined!” The wise and thoughtful soul calmly replied, “You don’t know that; your life is not over yet.” God is not yet finished. Remember that in your darkest times. It is not an empty promise of everything always resolving as you would like, but an eternal truth of God at work bringing the redemptive out of the seemingly hopeless. However we conceive of God, we can better glimpse the eternal through the Gospel accounts of the divinely human Jesus. Jesus lived and demonstrated that God is at work for good in the world. Jesus’ life proclaims hope both boldly and simply. Whenever you think there is no hope, remember: There is yet the “third day;” there is yet the empty tomb; there is yet more light to be revealed. PRAYER Holy One, give us the tune to sing when we have no words, and may the song crescendo with eternal hope. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Rev. Dr. Gary G. Kindley Pastoral Psychotherapist drgk.org
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Words of Hope Podcast
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SCRIPTURE Psalm 33:18 “God’s eye is on those who show God respect, the ones who have hope for his steadfast love.” WORDS OF HOPE What Will Your Epitaph Be? I can think of no better tribute for one’s memorial service, concluding line for an obituary, or inspiring epitaph for a tombstone than the simple words: “They Brought Hope.” Paul’s words to the early Christian community in Corinth proclaimed: “Now faith, hope and love remain, these three, but the greatest of these is love.” (I Corinthians 13:13). I have made the case that HOPE is the greatest –though I see no need to rank them. Each are magnificent elements, admired qualities and great truths of life. I elevate HOPE because hope still gives us buoyancy when faith and love are not present, or at least not felt. I have often quoted the first stanza of Emily Dickinson’s wonderful poem, “‘Hope’ is the Thing with Feathers”: “Hope” is the thing with feathers - That perches in the soul - And sings the tune without the words - And never stops - at all – (from The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, edited by Thomas H. Johnson, ed., Cambridge, Mass.: The Belknap Press of Harvard University press, Copyright © 1951, 1955, 1979, 1983 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College) Hope looks ahead and anticipates what is not yet, not seen, not realized, not quite fully believed but still possible. From the Christian perspective one might simply say, “God is not yet finished.” That is what the wise mentor said to the young man who had exclaimed in a time of despair, “My life is ruined!” The wise and thoughtful soul calmly replied, “You don’t know that; your life is not over yet.” God is not yet finished. Remember that in your darkest times. It is not an empty promise of everything always resolving as you would like, but an eternal truth of God at work bringing the redemptive out of the seemingly hopeless. However we conceive of God, we can better glimpse the eternal through the Gospel accounts of the divinely human Jesus. Jesus lived and demonstrated that God is at work for good in the world. Jesus’ life proclaims hope both boldly and simply. Whenever you think there is no hope, remember: There is yet the “third day;” there is yet the empty tomb; there is yet more light to be revealed. PRAYER Holy One, give us the tune to sing when we have no words, and may the song crescendo with eternal hope. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Rev. Dr. Gary G. Kindley Pastoral Psychotherapist drgk.org
SCRIPTURE Psalm 73.26 My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. WORDS OF HOPE The Waters We Carry Moments, times, but especially, people. We wish we could hold onto them all. And we feel emptier, like a piece of us missing, when they’re taken away. Though we feel their absence, we aren’t lighter because of it. Because loss is the heavier emotion you only begin to notice when there’s something you’re carrying, something you’re holding onto. These have always been the rules of the wheel of fortune. Like a waterwheel, loss rises to the top when it’s full. Carried by the momentum of the river, the waterwheel is both giving and taking away. Fortune, like the river, baptizes everyone. However, some carry more of this indiscriminate force. Each barrel will have a time of great weight, when one’s loss is full–because the child cannot stay a child, stay at home, or go the whole way with the parents they have. The wheel of fortune turns as do we, from children to full grown. But it is only by falling that the waterwheel turns, the bird flies, and people fall in love. When we release ourselves of our loss, when we let go of what we’re carrying, when the wheel continues to spin carried by the Spirit of the river–life begins again… Life always begins again, somewhere. And we all return to the river in time. PRAYER May we always remember that nothing can separate us from the Love of God. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Jonathon McClellan Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
READING "Worry is like a rocking chair, it keeps you moving but doesn't get you anywhere." -Corrie Ten Boom WORDS OF HOPE In today’s world, we seem surrounded by worry and some worry much more than others. Haven't all of us known a person who seems to worry constantly and tends to talk something to death? They get an idea fixed in their head and then can't let it go; chewing on it both night and day, but never able to "spit or swallow". If truth be known, haven't each of us done that, and where did it ever get us? No resolution, no peace, no action or settlement of the matter...it only leads to distress and lost opportunity to be truly effective. It's easy to tell that worried person to get over it and stop the rocking chair of worry. But that rarely slows the hurtful process for those who worry. For Christians, we still have things which enter our lives and can cause worry. However, a solution is available. Quiet down and take a few minutes to talk to Christ, not necessarily a formal prayer, just a little conversation with Christ. Ask for guidance in the matter, for wisdom and strength...and the patience to wait for the divine solution. I guess that when we become followers of Jesus, he could have demanded that we saw off the rockers on our chairs; however, with the rocking chair intact we still can exercise our legs a bit while we seek his guidance and help in these troubling matters. A common matter about which Christians worry is their failure to do all that they assume God wants from them. They hang onto their past and allow its weight to distance themselves from God's presence. But ours is a forgiving God. If you can't trust God's mercy, the problem really is a failure to accept divine forgiveness. So, the worry goes on, sometimes for years, and with it grows a greater gap in one's relationship with God. We all need to give God credit for being far more loving and merciful and allow God to forgive us. Corrie Ten Boom stated the matter this way. "God takes our sins, our failures, past, present and future, and dumps them into the sea. Then God posts a sign for us which says, NO FISHING ALLOWED PRAYER Merciful God, guide us to worry not excessively and to pray for Christ's help incessantly! Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Donald (Luke) Day Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
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