By: Pastor Karen Brau Readings: Genesis 17:15-22, Galatians 4:8-20, 1 Samuel 2:1-10 Longing… If we expand the Genesis scriptures to include Chapter 17, we read the earlier story of Abraham and Sarah and their family in relationship to God. In this part of the story, Abraham and Sarah have been longing for a...
By: Justin Fitch Readings: Isaiah 7:10-16, Matthew 1:18-25, Romans 1:1-7, Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 (7) Verses 7 and 19 of today’s Psalm are the exact same text: “Restore us, O God!” To restore is “to repair or renovate so as to return it to its original condition,” which causes me to immediately consider...
By: Hannah Wright Osborn Readings: 1 Samuel 7:23-29 John 3:31-36 Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 I struggle with today’s reading from 2 Samuel about God making one nation for the people of Israel and how this passage is interpreted so widely by people today. Before learning about present day Israel and Palestine and having any...
By: Emma Northcott Readings: 2 Samuel 7:18-22 Galatians 4:1-7 Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 These three readings cast us – the people of God – as servants, children, and a flock longing for salvation of the great Shepherd. It is not difficult to imagine the longings of children, in particular. From our own experiences, we...
By: Rosemary Winslow Readings: Zechariah 8:1-17, Matthew 8:14-17, 28-34, Psalm 42 Psalm 42 is a prayer-song of longing to return from exile: “I long for you as a deer longs for a stream of cool water … I thirst for you … Here in exile my heart is breaking and so I...
By: Sarah Johnson Readings: Ezekiel 47:1-12, Jude 1:7-25, Psalm 42 I love the imagery of the passage from Ezekiel 47- the trickling water from the temple that collects and builds into a river. It reminds me of the patience required in slow, trickling starts that can build and lead to great, rushing results....
By: Mary Virgina Abe Readings: Isaiah 29:17-24, Acts 5:12-16, Psalm 42 The Old Testament tells us about God’s people looking forward to a time of great rejoicing when God Himself would make all things right. God would take away leprosy, take away hunger, take away poverty, take away all evil AND everyone would...
By: Rosemary Winslow Readings: Isaiah 35:1-10, Matthew 11:2-11, James 5:7-10, Psalm 146:5-10 I grew up on a farm in the North near Canada. Winters were long. Day by day we watched the granary and hay mow regain space. Likewise, the jars of fruits and vegetables and the root vegetable bins in the cellar...
By: Judy Floy Readings: 1 Samuel 2:1-8, Luke 3:1-18, Psalm 146:5-10 As it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness. Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight”. If a tree falls in the forest and...
