Pathways Press.com

Written by John Mogabgab (1946-2014), founding editor of Weavings: A Journal of the Christian Spiritual Life. This is an excerpt from the Editor’s Introduction of Weavings in 2000.

Tears of grief and tears of joy often mingle together in a single moment of enhanced vision, endowing us with new eyes that discern traces of the God who suffers with us silently in the pure vulnerability and power of divine love. There is comfort in such tears. They bring fresh understanding that God is nearby, sharing to the full our humanity in all its bitterness and blessedness.

Prayer:

Today’s prayer is a collect from the Church of England. A collect is a set form of prayer that brings together our thoughts on a matter.

Lord Jesus Christ,

may the tears shed in your earthly life

be balm for all who weep,

and may the prayers of your pilgrimage

give strength to all who suffer;

for your mercy’s sake. Amen.

Read Full Post »

Written by Sheryl Giesbrech, a contemporary author. This is an excerpt from her book “It’ll Be Okay: Finding God When Doubt Hides the Truth.”

“A soul cannot seek close fellowship with God, or attain the abiding consciousness of waiting on Him all the day, without a very honest and entire surrender to all His will”  [Andrew Murray].  Most of us hate to wait. We can access technology to avoid waiting; we can order our jeans online to avoid the agony of long lines; we can ask Google our questions instead of waiting for an answer from a person; we can even hop on the internet to schedule dinner reservations to skip waiting for a seat at our favorite restaurant. We sometimes think of wait as a four-letter word. And it is, of course, but “wait” is not a cuss word. We must wait in a doctor’s office or for test results…and that makes us feel out of control. And we are. But what if our attitude was adjusted to focus on how we wait? God doesn’t move any swifter in the twenty-first century than he did in the first. We can’t rush God, but we can allow the time we spend in the “waiting room” to be a time of great personal growth. So we all have a choice: how will we wait? It helps to “invite God into the waiting room.” With this step of faith, we are allowing God to have his way and his will while we wait with him, instead of on him. To put it simply, “God’s will be done, no matter how long it takes.” When we invite God to be part of whatever or whomever we are waiting on, our dark fears, clouded doubts, and gloomy impatience can be countered with the light of his word… It helps to invite God into the waiting room with us, but we must remember that although doubt may join us there, too, we will not let it remain. When God waits with us, our faith is strengthened, our hope is renewed.

Prayer:

Written by Augustine of Hippo (354-430), an early Christian theologian and philosopher. He was the bishop of Hippo Regius (modern day Annaba, Algeria) and is viewed as one of the most important church fathers in Western Christianity.

Lord Jesus, let our minds rest in your Word, so that when doubt and grief would overwhelm us, faith will open our eyes to see your hand at work in our life and enable us to turn toward the future with hope and toward each other in perfect charity. Amen.

Read Full Post »

Written by Max Lucado, a contemporary pastor and author.  This is an excerpt from his book “Calm Moments for Anxious Days.”

The Lord is in control. He knows how it all turns out. And He promised it will be for my good. He will give me the courage to keep going and the hope to hold on …The presence of fear does not mean you have no faith. Fear visits everyone. Even Christ was afraid (Mark 14:33). But make your fear a visitor and not a resident. Hasn’t fear taken enough? Enough smiles? Chuckles? Restful nights, exuberant days? Meet your fears with faith… I don’t have to live afraid. Because God cares. He holds my hands and leads me safely to Him.

Prayer:

Written by the author of today’s meditation, Max Lucado.

Father, you are good — so good that you did not leave us alone on this earth. You left us your Spirit to guide us. Because of your Spirit, I never have to feel alone or afraid. You are with me always. Amen.

Read Full Post »

Written by Dawn Wilson, a contemporary author, publisher, and director of Heart Choices today.

God is always with us, but He wants to bring people alongside us to encourage, challenge, and teach us. Brothers and sisters in Christ can help us change our future. We find many of these edifying relationships in church. Seek out and pray for godly mentors, counselors, and teachers within the Body of Christ. To “edify” is to “instruct or improve someone morally or intellectually; to tutor, train and guide.” This is what Paul meant when he wrote, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up.” We need people to pour biblical wisdom into our lives; and we need to find people we can likewise encourage. The Titus 2 model of mentoring and discipleship is often neglected in the church, but it’s one of the best ways to grow a healthy congregation. Outside the church, we can build encouraging relationships too—but be careful! Be choosy about your chums! Close relationships have the power to draw you away from the things of the Lord or toward Him and His ways. Don’t be a “companion of fools.”

Prayer:

Written by Candace Crabtree, a contemporary writer.

God, help our church body to walk in a manner worthy of the calling You have given us. Help us in all our interactions with one another to have humble and gentle hearts. Grant us patience for one another, bearing with one another in love. Grant the Body of Christ unity. May we walk humbly with You, God, allowing You to show us our wrongs. Amen.

Read Full Post »

Written by Beth Patch, a contemporary author and Internet producer/editor.

Memorial Day – to some it’s merely the beginning of summer and to others it’s a solemn day to remember those who have passed from this life. However, to the war veteran and to the families of fallen soldiers, Memorial Day carries significance so deep that words cannot express their hearts. When we look into the eyes of those who still mourn these once vibrant men and women, we often sense their loneliness and pain. We hear them choke back tears as they simply say the ranks and names of their military brothers and sisters at a Memorial Day service. White gloves, dress uniforms, rigid posture, and perfectly precisioned salutes represent the reverence and respect flowing from within. Those who have been personally affected by war understand and appreciate this day of remembrance. What should we say to those who sincerely honor this day? “Happy Memorial Day” doesn’t seem fitting. “I’m sorry for your loss” may be closer to appropriate. What would the fallen soldier want from their comrades and the rest of the country on this day?

In an often quoted Memorial Day speech given in 1884 by Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., the speaker ended his address with these words, “Our dead brothers still live for us, and bid us think of life, not death — of life to which in their youth they lent the passion and joy of the spring. As I listen, the great chorus of life and joy begins again, and amid the awful orchestra of seen and unseen powers and destinies of good and evil our trumpets sound once more a note of daring, hope, and will.” The American soldier who gave his or her life for U.S. citizens to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness won’t be telling us how to observe the holiday. But I believe that Holmes’ proposition to “think of life, not death” would honor the fallen soldier. Their sacrifice follows the example of Jesus Christ laying down His life for our freedom. It’s selfless love for others – not so others can mourn forever, but live!

Prayer:

The author of this prayer is unknown.

Gracious God, on this Memorial Day, we pray for those who courageously laid down their lives for the cause of freedom. May the examples of their sacrifice inspire in us the selfless love of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Bless the families of our fallen troops, and fill their homes and their lives with Your strength and peace. In union with people of goodwill of every nation, embolden us to answer the call to work for peace and justice, and thus, seek an end to violence and conflict around the globe. We ask this through your name. Amen.

Read Full Post »

Written by Ben Tertin, a contemporary pastor and podcast editor.  This is an excerpt from his article “When is Pentecost? And How Does It Relate to God’s Kingdom.”

Pentecost is a long-standing Jewish harvest party, a Christian celebration as old as Jesus’ Church, and a Greek word that means “fiftieth.” And the Pentecost moment described in the New Testament is a 1st-century event in Jerusalem where people’s heads caught fire (sort of). At this event, an indoor windstorm swirled through a packed house party, and everyone was baffled—some panicked. And then the guys with fiery heads became spontaneously multilingual… In the Hebrew Bible, mysterious windstorms with fire or lightning are consistently associated with two things: God’s presence and the formation of a temple.  The stories of Moses and the burning bush, Mount Sinai, the tabernacle, and the temple all include fire that shows up when God’s presence arrives and marks his dwelling space or temple. In Acts 2. Luke is hyperlinking to these previous divine-fire scenes to give a background to the Pentecost story. The divine fire has previously rested on Yahweh’s temple spaces, so where does it rest in this scene?… It’s a temple made out of “each one of them.” It’s made of people. People will meet with God not in a geographic place or constructed space but in connection with those who choose to trust and follow Jesus. God’s fire shines with power and harms nobody, and it ignites a cosmic revolution, the Church. The story tells us that God now dwells within the community of Jesus followers. This living temple is made of people who operate like Jesus, ending fear and oppression with love and peacefully teaching humanity how to love and bless one another. In this sense, Pentecost marks the beginning of a new world… So what is Pentecost Sunday all about? It’s about this unexpected (yet expected) moment in 1st-century Jerusalem when the apostles’ heads caught fire, when a strange indoor windstorm swirled through a packed party filled with international travelers. It is the day foreshadowed by every wind-and-fire episode in the Old Testament and the day Jesus promised would happen as he quoted the prophet Isaiah. It’s the moment his loving Church began, and it’s the beginning of a new, peaceful world.

Prayer:

Written by Pete Briscoe, a contemporary pastor, radio host, and author.

Come Holy Spirit dance in our souls.

Come as the fire of love and burn in our hearts.

Come, O Breath of God blow through our lives.

Come, O come, Dove of peace and beat your strong wings

above all that we do in Jesus’ name.

Amen

Read Full Post »

Today’s meditation is from the group “Lead Like Jesus,” a group founded by author Ken Blanchard with the mission of glorifying God by inspiring and equipping people to lead like Jesus.

How effective are you at influencing others through your words? The wise person considers how to share their knowledge in ways that will draw people’s interest and attention. Considering what to say, how much to say and when to say it, are all elements of wise speech. Talking with God about the matter before we talk with others is always a good idea. Asking Him to sort through our words and anoint them so that they are appealing will infuse our words with appropriate humility and confidence.

Prayer:

Written by Scott Cairns, a contemporary American poet, professor, librettist, and spiritual essayist.

Lamb of God and Good Shepherd, Holy Servant and Holy King, Infant Child and Eternal Lord Whom the Heavens Cannot Contain, teach us what we are to cry aloud. Bless our tongues with words that lead us and others truly to the Word. Now and ever, and unto the ages. Amen.

Read Full Post »

Written by Christine Perry, a contemporary author.

A recent Pew Research Center poll of the frequency of prayer among Christians showed 68% of Christians pray daily. Living in an instant gratification society, we are not very patient and often give up when we don’t see the results we want. In DL Moody’s book Prevailing Prayer, he shares this story, “About 1,500 gathered for two hours of lively, focused prayer. Later, I asked Pastor Jim Cymbala why so many were attending the Brooklyn Tab prayer meetings when many other churches have canceled their prayer meetings for lack of interest. He answered, ‘You would also have a full church on prayer meeting night if your people actually believed that God answers prayer!'”  When we face delayed answers, we tend to grow weary of praying. But, remember, the God we are praying to is the same God who: gave Sarah a son past child-bearing years, parted the Red Sea, brought forth water from a rock and manna from heaven, shut the mouths of lions, rescued three men from the fiery furnace, healed the lame, gave sight to the blind, and paid for the penalty of sin so we could spend eternity with Him. Is there anything too hard for God? No! When we pray, the power does not rest on our abilities. Instead, it rests on the character of who God is. And lest we forget, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). St. Augustine said, “If God seems slow in responding, it is because He is preparing a better gift. He will not deny us. God withholds what you are not yet ready for. He wants you to have a lively desire for His greatest gifts. That is to say, pray always and do not lose heart.” If you feel battle-worn and tired of prayer, take heart, it happens to us all. Scripture recorded when Jesus kept waking his disciples to ask them to pray. I don’t know about you, but I have been guilty of falling asleep instead of praying. Where do we find the strength to pray when we don’t see answers? Hebrews 4:14-16 says Jesus is a sympathetic High Priest who tells us to come boldly to the throne of grace. Friends, Jesus knows we will grow weary and tired. He doesn’t condemn us; instead, He prays for us and lives to make intercession (Hebrew 7:25). We are not alone in praying. 

Prayer:

Written by Rebecca Barlow Jordan, a contemporary author.

I remember your great faithfulness in the past and am so grateful that you shower fresh mercy and grace on me each morning. I rehearse your goodness through answered prayer and personal reminders to me daily of your love for me. Even when I feel alone or distant from you, you draw me back into your presence when I purposely slow down and draw close to you. I treasure your Word and want to chew on the truths you reveal to me today. As I pull apart each piece and reflect on every principle and word of instruction, I’m asking you to guide me and teach me what you want me to know. Amen.

Read Full Post »

Written by Phil Rehberg, a former pastor and attorney. He is currently an author and director of Road to New Life Ministries.

It’s not reasonable to expect unbelievers to act like believers. Therefore, it is not appropriate to have an accusatory attitude toward them or express forms of accusation to them. We are in this world as lights, not as adversaries to the world. We love our enemies as well as those who are not our enemies (which I think covers everyone.) If we should reach the point of discussing the way of salvation with them, then we need to say words to convict them of sin. Until then, we should try to understand unbelievers and convey God’s goodness and blessings for them. If we change our expectations, we won’t be so discouraged when our culture is destructive. In America, our dominant culture has become narcissistic and hedonistic. Self-righteousness abounds, reminding us of the Pharisees that Jesus faced; but American Pharisees are secular activists who condemn anyone who does not follow their preferred rules for social engagement, which conflict with Jesus’ teachings. This is very disturbing and sad for believers, but we need to respond in a Christlike way. Instead of thinking we have a right to live in the kind of place we want, it might help to think of ourselves as missionaries in our community and our world. As missionaries, we need to understand the culture around us. We need to understand how the people around us think and live. Since there is such a diversity of views wherever we go, our lives are a constant cross-cultural experience. Even talking to our neighbor is often a cross-cultural experience. Once we get to know someone and understand them a little, then we can think about finding the right words and actions that will draw them to God. This is what Jesus did, and what Paul did when he went to Athens and Corinth which had a tremendous variety of philosophies. Paul didn’t condemn them; instead, he used a poem from one of their poets to reach them… It’s a matter of loving people enough to put the effort into discovering how to connect with their hearts. Have you been getting to know and understand an unbeliever around you? Do you know about their beliefs, hopes, fears, pains, and joys?

Prayer:

Written by Megan Bailey, a contemporary writer and content producer.

Lord, I know it is my duty to spread the Word of God and show others the glory that can be found within You. Many people come to faith after seeing Christ’s loved displayed through the ministry of Christians. So today, I pray for opportunities to minister to unbelievers. Help me to spread Your ministry effectively to those who do not know you. I pray that You work through other Christians, so that they have the ability to minister to nonbelievers too. Lead us all to opportunities to encounter those who do not know Jesus. Let us all be an example of Christian living. Amen. 

Read Full Post »

Written by Mark D. Roberts, a contemporary author and speaker.

In Genesis 1 God creates the universe out of nothing. God doesn’t base creation on any existing model or universe. Rather, the cosmos is a physical expression of God’s imagination. What God sees God speaks into being. The creation of human beings is like the creation of everything else in that it is an expression of God’s imagination. But God’s vision of humankind is different from everything else in the universe because people are created in God’s image and likeness. Human beings are uniquely like God. Part of this uniqueness is expressed through the authority people have over everything else on earth.  Now, if we were created in God’s image, and imagination is part of this image, then part of our human DNA includes the imagination. The human imagination is not only a great gift of God; it is also an aspect of the image of God.” [Matthew Ristuccia and Gene Veith, Jr., “Imagination is a facet of the image of God”]. Why has God given us this special gift? Genesis implies that this is part of God’s plan for human beings. After creating the man and the woman, “God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth’” (Genesis 1:28). In order to do the work God assigned to humanity, we need many gifts and abilities, including imagination. We need to be able to see what does not yet exist so that we might labor to bring it into existence. We might call this sort of imagination “creative imagination.” Even as God’s imagination contributed to creation, so it is with us, though on a very different level and in a very different way. When a sculptor imagines a new sculpture, they can’t simply speak it into existence as God did in the first creation. Rather, their imagination leads to weeks, months, or even years of work. (It took Michelangelo three years to sculpt David.)  Genesis 1 reminds us that imagination is not only for people like Michelangelo, unusually gifted artists. Sometimes we think that way, thereby devaluing our own creative gifting and calling. To be sure, some people have extraordinary imaginary ability, whether in art (Michelangelo), literature (Tolkien), music (Beethoven), cooking (Child), or technology (Jobs). But every human being created in God’s image reflects God’s imagination. If you stop to think about it, many “ordinary” human tasks actually require extraordinary imagination—things like raising children, managing a staff, designing a product, or leading a church. 

Prayer:

Written by Mark D. Roberts, the author of today’s meditation.

Gracious God, it is truly a wonder to think that you created us in your own image. Right from the start, we are special to you, special in all of your creation.  Thank you for creating us with the capacity for imagination. Thank you for giving us this gift so that we might effectively and imaginatively do what you have given us to do: being fruitful, multiplying, filling the earth, and exercising authority over it. Help me, I pray, to learn to be more imaginative in the work of my life, whether I’m in the office, the study, the workshop, the classroom, or the store. May I be creative in my core relationships, with family, friends, neighbors, and folks from church. May I learn to use my imagination to serve people in the world, whether by painting murals, feeding the hungry, freeing the captives, or embodying the love of Christ. Amen.

Read Full Post »