Saturday, January 24, 2015

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Mark 1:14-18

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’  As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Come, know me

Restore to me the excitement and joy of hearing your call, for it is a call to be with you, and there is no place I would rather be.

I want to be with you, to hear your voice, to listen to your heart, to watch what you do … and to learn to do and be what you are--beloved, child of God, always knowing the love who is Love in the depths of my being.

My heart leaps at the sound of your voice … and when I hear you name, even in early morning hours when my head is not yet clear, and I come to this quiet place to find you again. I don’t really come here to find you. I come here to find me, but there is no place I am truly me except in your presence and in the circle of your love.

So I say your name … Jesus, and I know you here with me, your heart to welcome me near once again so I can just simply be.

I don’t really want anything special from you. I just want to be with you, for when I know your nearness … you and are you and I am me and that is all that really matters, at least in that moment.

There is always work to be done, people to care for, papers to push, letters to write, decisions and calls to be made. Of this, there is never an ending; it will go on long after I am gone from this earth.

But this is not life. Life is you, knowing you, entering the circle of grace you are … and just being with you. So, I come here once more because here, more than almost anywhere, I know your presence and welcome. And that is enough for me.

You call me here, don’t you, even as you called fisherman from their boats? The invitation now, as then, is simple, “Come, know me.”

Yes, you teach us to fish for people, to invite and welcome others into this circle where you are known and adored. But first comes the knowing … and that is sweetest of all. It calms and fills the heart with a gentle, patient love … and passion … that moves us to love and welcome others in this circle of knowing where life is transformed.

Some are puzzled why the fisherman immediately left their boats to follow you, but not me. They wanted to know you. It’s that simple.

Pr. David L. Miller








Wednesday, January 21, 2015

January 21, 2015



Mark 1:14-18


Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’  As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Together

Jesus comes and calls, and two brothers leave ... together. They are connected now to Jesus' love and mission and bound to each other. I picture them walking side by side down a dirt path by the lake where they had fished and repaired their nets, Jesus walking slightly ahead.

What strikes me is that they are not alone. They share the journey of learning and revealing the rule of God. They are together, bound to Jesus, bound to his mission, bound to share whatever comes because they are part of something far bigger than themselves.

Together, they will laugh and bask in days of sunlight. They will feel the warmth of God's fullness radiating from Jesus and filling them with a joy and courage they never thought they had. They will be confused and misunderstand Jesus' words and what he does. 

They will make each other angry, and at other times he will scare them.They will glow with the excitement and joy of bringing divine love and freedom to others even as their hearts are filled.Sometimes they will totally fail him, and they will be crushed when the Jesus is crushed.

But they will always have each other, a family of those gathered around Jesus, sharing his mission, knowing they are wanted, knowing there is so much more to themselves and to this world than the eye can see.

This togetherness in mission and care touches me in these morning hours. My heart does not want to be alone but to share love and mission, joys and the sorrows, highest hopes and disappointments with those who know Jesus' love and mission. 

I want to walk with those called to follow and know him, walking just behind, sharing the day, listening for his voice ... together. This fills the heart with blessing beyond measure and brings comfort on days you want to  quickly pass. 

Jesus calls us to share the days and to know him ... in our togetherness.

Pr. David L. Mille

Monday, January 19, 2015

Monday, January 19, 2015



Mark 1:14-18

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’  As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Community of knowing

Eyes meet, glasses are raised,
jokes are made--at my expense.
Smiles of knowing exchanged
in sun light, kitchen light,
office light … even bar light
(where doesn’t matter), and
I know what you want, Jesus,
why you came and the joy
of  it. It’s about connection,
deep belonging, love …
in the community
of the Love you are.

You do not call me that I
might find my personal
fulfillment but to belong to
this imperfect, frustrating,
irritating community …
called church, where the Love
you are pulls us out of ourselves
to know …we are known and
loved in spite of ourselves
because we are we--
not just you and me, a
community of knowing
you as the Love from the
beginning, living this Love
so much as we can.

Moments come we know
the pleasure of being known
and wanted, treasured, belonging
to each other in a community
where you are known; happens
anywhere eyes meet, glasses
are raised and good fun
is poked … at our expense,
by hearts that love because
they are part of you.  

Fish for people you told
your friends, Jesus; call them
all to the kingdom of knowing.

Pr. David L. Miller