Wednesday - July 17, 2024

SCRIPTURE  Exodus 3: 1-4. Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness and came to Mount Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight and see why the bush is not burned up.” When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” WORDS OF HOPE This morning Sage did her famous “flop” on the lawn of one of her favorite neighbors to give her aching legs a rest. While she lay sniffing the vibrant spring grass, my eyes turned upward, captured by the family of Mississippi Kites who have been roosting in the high branches of our oak trees. Their dove grey bodies wheeled in arcs, catching the wind currents, light in their flight. The adult male and female approached each other, then swept off into separate curves, and all three came to circular formation again and again. I stayed to watch for some time, honoring a voice which sounded days ago: ATTEND. Delight and awe were the gifts of this sacred pause. I am coming to believe that attending, being in full presence with nature or another person or in contemplation is an important spiritual practice—particularly in our habitually distracted world. In fact, Simone Weil, French philosopher, mystic, and political activist, asserted that “absolutely unhurried attention is the same thing as prayer.” Terry Tempest Williams, award winning writer and naturalist, concurs, and in a recent speech, she illustrates “attending” through an experience in her Utah red desert home. After a series of floods had swept through the former drought-stricken landscape, they carved out a new canyon 30 feet long, 12 feet high, 10 feet across. Following a path through the shadows toward the new formation for about 30 minutes, she saw cutaway portions of the earth—like the slice of a geod—and black specks from a distance. Coming closer, she discerned that it was a cross section of an anthill and the ants were disposing of their dead. Following on their action, stink beetles came to make a meal of them, only for them to become sustenance for ravens. Was this a scene of destruction or transformation? Witnessing it, absorbed fully in the experience, Williams felt like she was in a sacred room for the holy ordinary. Relationally, attending is crucial in establishing real connection and care. Too often in our encounters with others we are not fully present—absorbed in our own thoughts or our phones or impending responsibilities or worries or thinking about what we will say next. When on the receiving end of this unengaged posture, it is easy to feel dismissed, unimportant, hurt. In contrast, our whole presence with another is an act of generosity, authentic recognition, and respect. And oh what holy ground we walk when we meet in that space. Moses turned away from what he was doing and truly beheld the burning bush, witnessing its beauty and mystery. In doing so he hears the voice of God calling. May we too remember that every day the sacred is calling if only we take time to see and hear. PRAYER Open us, O God, to the sacredness of all life and let us come alive witnessing it with full presence. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Dr. Pat Saxon

SCRIPTURE Matthew 19:14 NKJV But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” WORDS OF HOPE The Wisdom of a Child Most people would say that Tabitha was too young to understand. She was three, and a three-year-old is not expected to understand the hardness of life yet. Tabitha’s mother was a single parent who worked three jobs just to afford the daycare and a small apartment in the ghetto. Every day, despite the five hours of sleep on weekdays and seven hours of sleep on weekends, Tabitha’s mother woke up tired. The only toy that Tabitha had to play with was an old brown baby doll. Her mother was embarrassed that she could not get her a real toy and not some mud-stained doll with tears on the fringes of its dress. Yet even though the makeup on the doll was fading and one could hardly make out its smile anymore, Tabitha loved the doll so much that her mother could not tell whether Tabitha knew it was not a real baby. Tabitha liked to hold the baby doll close to her little chest and sing it the same lullaby her mother sang to her. Then, she would tuck the doll into bed, whisper, “I love you baby,” and kiss it on the forehead before getting tucked into bed herself. That Christmas, Tabitha’s mother had planned something very special. She had saved up enough money to get her daughter a beautiful new doll. It was the best that money could buy and could easily be mistaken for a real baby from a distance. When Christmastime came around, Tabitha woke up and immediately looked for her baby, but she could not find it anywhere. Her mother was holding the new doll in shiny apple red wrapping paper. “Here’s your baby!” she explained and handed the present to her daughter. Tabitha eagerly unwrapped her gift, but when she saw that the doll was not the same doll that she had tucked into bed every night for a year, she was confused.  With tears in her eyes, Tabitha started pleading for her baby. Confused, her mom began to wonder where she went wrong. That was when she searched her heart and came to a conclusion. How would she feel if someone took Tabitha away and tried to give her someone else, telling her that this little girl was better? She went to the closet and pulled out Tabitha’s old torn doll and gave it back to her. Again, Tabitha held her baby doll close to her chest, and with joy in her heart, sang mommy’s favorite lullaby. In the end, Tabitha’s mother just laughed realizing that at some point she began measuring worth, something her daughter had not yet learned to do...and perhaps, it was Tabitha who really understood all along. PRAYER Loving God, Teach us that joy is valuable but does not have to be expensive. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Jonathon McClellan Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

SCRIPTURE 1 Peter 3:8-12 Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse, but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing. For: “Those who desire to love life and to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit; let them turn away from evil and do good; let them seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and God’s ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” WORDS OF HOPE The words of Peter in the above passage are particularly poignant today. Today is often referred to as Native American Rights Day. On this day in history, May 12, 1879, the landmark case Standing Bear v. Crook granted Native Americans civil rights under U.S. law. This particular case involved the movement of Native Americans by the federal government. Essentially it had been ruled that Standing Bear did not enjoy the rights of American citizens. He had applied for writ of habeas corpus and had been denied based on his lack of rights. The court ruled in his favor, and he was granted the writ of habeas corpus. So, while we celebrate Native Americans generally in September and October, this date is particularly significant. It is a simple truth that the Native American peoples have always been treated as savages, and totally unworthy of being considered equal, since the arrival of Europeans. Indeed, for a long part of American history, what was done to Native Americans by Europeans has no name other than genocide. The idea of Manifest Destiny, that Europeans were intended by God to spread across the North American continent is still around as part of the outlook of Christian Nationalists. That somehow Europeans have been granted by God, special privileges is a part of both of those philosophies. Those who hold those beliefs would do well to reread Peter’s words. It is a simple fact that the colonizers of the Americas did not show love, did not keep their tongues from evil, did not seek peace and pursue peace. And we still don’t. PRAYER God of all people, help us to live into the words of Peter sent through him by Jesus. Help us to see that all people are entitled to the love, respect, and peace that you wish all your Creation to enjoy. Help us to be instruments of your love and peace. Bring your blessings upon all. DEVOTION AUTHOR  Weber Baker Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare

SCRIPTURE Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. WORDS OF HOPE It’s now been years since the lockdown days of the pandemic when the calendar on my bedroom wall seemed to have "uncertain" written for every day's activities. Even though those lockdown days are behind us, so much uncertainty remains. In such times, life can get really weird with everything turned upside down. The threats of a war-torn world and economic storm clouds still look menacing. Through the years, I have learned, that in such times of uncertainty, to look out for God's unexpected "drop-in" opportunities. When we focus on God’s presence in our lives, our usual routine is less congested and there is more time for new experiences with the Divine One. We are veterans of living in troubled times and always should be prepared to take shelter from more of life’s storms that are coming our way. If the pandemic taught us anything it’s that there are many degrees of uncertainty that we can endure. When I lived in San Francisco, I had a friend, Giancarlo, who told me: "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass; it's about learning how to dance in the rain". The presence of God's Spirit in your life makes a wonderful dance partner! Venture forth into this life even with its uncertainties. The old hymn, How Firm a Foundation, based on the words of Matthew 11.28-30 comes to mind: "The soul that on Jesus still leans for repose, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I'll never, no never, no never forsake. In the days ahead, may our confidence in the trustworthiness of God's care be expressed in all our daily activities. PRAYER "To you, O God, I lift up my soul, in you I put my trust! I know you will not let me be humiliated or triumphed over by these adversities and fears." Even in times of uncertainty, "teach me your way and show me your path" to follow... "For you are the God of my salvation and in you I have placed my trust all the day long." Amen. (Psalm 25:1-4) DEVOTION AUTHOR  Donald (Luke) Day Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

SCRIPTURE  Psalm 66:8-9 Praise our God, all peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard; he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping. WORDS OF HOPE There is an ongoing debate among sociologists and psychologists about generational trauma—as if it were a contest over whether the Silent Generation endured more than Gen Z, or Baby Boomers more than Millennials. The Silent Generation experienced the Cold War and geopolitical anxiety. Boomers faced Vietnam, assassinations, and deep internal conflict. Millennials encountered repeated systemic shocks after September 11 and the Great Recession. Gen Z’s story is still unfolding, marked by COVID-19, climate anxiety, and the advent of AI. Last Sunday night, my spouse and I went to the Bruno Mars concert, and the evening opened with pure joy. DJ Pee Wee—actually Anderson Paak—took the stage, spinning funk, soul, and hip-hop while dancing with infectious energy and pulling the entire stadium into the moment. He called out “Where are my ’70s babies?” and dropped a Whitney Houston track, then shouted, “How about my 80s babies?” and then moved through the decades, each one met with louder singing and laughter. From 60-year-olds like us to teenagers, everyone knew the songs. It was shared, unfiltered happiness. The Psalmist writes in Psalm 66 a communal and personal song of thanksgiving, praising God for delivering His people through intense trials into a place of abundance. The passage highlights God's protection of life and a call to share how God hears prayers and remains steadfast. Each generation has had their trials in their formative years. Be it during under the desk in Cold War drills or school shooting drills. We’ve been locked up during COVID when we were supposed to be in classrooms, and we’ve had our number selected at the end of high school to go to fight a war in Southeast Asia. We saw the planes fly into buildings and Gaza practically bombed out of existence. Yet every generation has found a way to sing, to dance, to laugh—despite all we’ve carried and endured. The Psalmist reminds us that God has delivered us and continues to rescue us still. The life and teachings of Jesus inspire and guide us forward, and the Holy Spirit moves among us, leading us through and bringing us out into hope. PRAYER Gracious God, You have carried every generation through trial and joy. When burdens feel heavy, remind us that you are still delivering and restoring. Fill us with your Spirit, that we may live with hope, unity, and joy. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Thomas Riggs