Romans 8:26-27 Holy Spirit is the heart of God for His creation!

 John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—

Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son and together with the Father and Son is worshipped and glorified. You have spoken in the past through Your Prophets and now we listen for Your still, small voice to guide us and direct us in our lives here on earth. He is the lover of our souls. He wants nothing more than to transform us into the character of His Son, Jesus. Thank You for loving us! Carla

Romans 8:26-27

26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (NKJV)

Though more may be involved in the concept of weaknesses, the primary reference here is to mental ignorance. The contrast offered by Paul in this verse is between our inability to know how to pray and the effective prayers of the Spirit Himself. The emphasis indicates that the Spirit Himself prays for us. He intercedes on our behalf before the throne of God   (1 John 2:1). But His intercession cannot be uttered, which means it is “unexpressed, unspoken.” No language is in view here, only the inner groanings of the Spirit.

As children of God, we do not always know what to pray for or how best to pray but we can know the purpose of God which the Holy Spirit desires to accomplish. The primary reference of all things is the “sufferings of this present time” (verse 18). All circumstances will work together in cooperation for the believer’s good—that is, the believer will be conformed to Jesus Christ now and reign with Him later. 

Those who love God are in fact those who are the called by God. Our love is our response to the work of the Holy Spirit in us. We are called according to His purpose. God does everything, including redemption, in order to accomplish His overarching plan. The NKJV Study Bible

Our weakness refers to people’s limited capacity and susceptibility to sin and death. Paul encourages the Roman believers that the Spirit does not condemn them in their weakness. Spirit himself intercedes. Even with the assurance of future hope, believers who patiently endure suffering may, at times, face troubles that exhaust their strength and try their faith. Paul urges such believers to find encouragement in the intercession the Holy Spirit makes on their behalf in these circumstances. This is one aspect of how the Holy Spirit serves as an advocate (paraklētos) for followers of Christ. Unexpressed groanings may refer to the groaning of the Holy Spirit or the groaning of the believer.  The one who searches our hearts is an expression of God’s omniscience (Acts 1:24; 2:23; 15:8). Paul tells the believers that God continues to work on their behalf, especially when they do not know what to pray for.  Faithlife Study Bible

Ephesians  6:18

praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

Matthew 20:22

But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”They said to Him, “We are able.”

Romans 8:15–16

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 

Romans 8:34

Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

This week, we’re telling—and embracing—stories about what it means to say, “No”, to indifference.
Gratefully, throughout history, people, very ordinary people have taken exception to scripts (and stories) of hopelessness and exclusion. Exception to stories of hate. And violence.
Very ordinary people have taken on “the impossible” time and time again.
And the good news? It comes from who we are.
It spills from the inside out.
Because here's the deal: This capacity—for love, compassion, kindness, truth, forgiveness, justice, restoration—is within. Every one of us. These are the armaments of the Spirit.

Nelson Mandela reminded us that “No one is born hating another person... People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”

Let us pause, and digest that: We are hardwired to not hurt each other. Which means that if we hate, we have to dehumanize one another. (Now we’re back to the power of choice.)

And yes, we know that “it is wiser to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”
But let's be honest. Sometimes life is dark and not fun. Adversity is real. Life can be cruel. (People can be crueler.) Suffering happens. Suffering hurts. We reach a tipping point. And finding a candle is not always easy, let alone the motivation to light it. 

And today, we can take a bite out of apathy.

We can take a bite out of intolerance. Out of small-mindedness. Out of unkindness. Out of cruelty. Out of shame. And out of fear. Sabbath Moments

Lord of life and love.

We pray for the world

in all its brokenness.

May peace overcome war,

may love overcome hate,

may generosity overcome greed,

may gentleness overcome pride,

that the earth may be filled

with your glory, and peace.

Amen

Words by Jenny Child

Isaiah 41:12-13. God holds us in His hands!

 Isaiah  41:10

Fear not, for I am with you;

Be not dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you,

Yes, I will help you,

I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

“The refusal to take sides on great moral issues is itself a decision. It is a silent acquiescence to evil. The Tragedy of our time is that those who still believe in honesty lack fire and conviction, while those who believe in dishonesty are full of passionate conviction.” Fr. Fulton J. Sheen

The only thing we need to fear is fear itself. Our future is  in the hands of God. He never leaves us or turns His back on us. He cares for us! We are safe in His hands to do good works and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We can do small things with great love. Peace, His peace, He gives to us. Not the peace that this world offers us but His peace which is beyond our understanding in times of turmoil. God cares for us!. Blessed is He who takes away the sins of the world. Carla

Isaiah 41:12-13

12 You shall seek them and not find them—

Those who contended with you.

Those who war against you

Shall be as nothing,

As a nonexistent thing.

13 For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand,

Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’ (NKJV)

The Lord will hold the exile’s right hand (42:6) just as He held the hand of Moses (63:12). The Lord is with them; they have nothing to fear. The NKV Study Bible

God is behind their power. Having God at your right hand assured victory.  Faithlife Study Bible

Isaiah 42:6

“I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness,

And will hold Your hand;

I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people,

As a light to the Gentiles,

Psalm 73:23

Nevertheless I am continually with You;

You hold me by my right hand.

Isaiah  41:14

“Fear not, you worm Jacob,

You men of Israel!

I will help you,” says the LORDAnd your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

In his book, “A Pretty Good Person”, Lewis Smedes wrote: “A federal judge had ordered New Orleans to open its public school to African-American children. The white parents decided that, if they had to let black children in, they would keep their children out. They let it be known that any black children who came to school would be in for trouble. So the black children stayed home, too.
Except Ruby Bridges. Her parents sent her to school all by herself, six years old.
Every morning she walked alone through a heckling crowd to an empty school. White people lined up on both sides of the way and shook their fists at her. They threatened to do terrible things to her if she kept coming to their school. But every morning at ten minutes to eight Ruby walked, head up, eyes ahead, straight through the mob.
Two U.S. marshals walked ahead of her and two walked behind her. Then she spent the day alone with her teachers inside that big, silent school building.

Harvard professor Robert Coles was curious about what went into the making of courageous children like Ruby Bridges. He talked to Ruby's mother and reported what she said. ‘There's a lot of people who talk about doing good, and a lot of people who argue about what's good and what's not good,’ but there are other folks who ‘just put their lives on the line for what's right.’”
And I say, “Amen”.

I am also telling this story today, because September 8th was Ruby’s 72nd birthday. Happy Birthday Ruby, and thank you, for the light you continue to spill as a peacemaker and healer.

Whether we recognize it or not, all of us are born with moral courage. True, it does get buried in stuff, and noise, and fear. But it is there. It is the willingness to stand up for what is right, even when it is uncomfortable, unpopular, or risky. It is speaking out against injustice, challenging unethical behavior, and refusing to compromise our values—even when silence feels safer. “Sabbath Moments”

Lamentations 3:22-24 Great is Gods’ faithfulness and His mercies are new everyday.

 Psalm 73:26

My flesh and my heart fail;

But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

I am so very thankful for the grace that is offered to the world in Jesus. Without the love that God has for His creation we would be without hope. Joy in His love protects us and allows us to live with a grateful heart for the  good that is within us. Holy Spirit the giver of life who proceeds from the Father and the Son is our teacher, He offers the guidance of God to all who  listen to  Him. He is the very heart of God who lovingly shows us the way home. Because of the Father’s compassion  and  mercy  we are not consumed. Carla

Lamentations 3:22-24

22Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not.

23They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

24“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

“Therefore I hope in Him!” (NKJV)

This verse seems to contradict all that had been written up to this point (2:1–5). Yet the very fact that there was a prophet left to write these words and a remnant left to read them show that not every person in Jerusalem had been consumed. The fact that there was a remnant at all was due to the mercies and compassions of God. 

Even in His wrath (2:1–4), God remembers to be merciful.

Every day presents us with a new opportunity to discover and experience more of God’s love. 

Even in the midst of terrible sorrow, Jeremiah looked for signs of mercy. 

Great is Your faithfulness: Here is the heart of the Book of Lamentations. The comforting, compassionate character of God dominates the wreckage of every other institution and office. God remains “full of grace and truth” in every situation (Exodus 34:6, 7; John 1:14).

The Lord is my portion: This expression is based on Numbers 18:20, in which Aaron was denied an inheritance in the land but was told instead that the Lord Himself was his portion and inheritance. The same idea is also found in Psalm 16:5; 73:26; 119:57; 142:5. 

Hope is not a wishful thought, but a confident expectation in the Lord. The NKJV Study Bible

The loyal love of Yahweh does not cease, The speaker appeals to Yahweh’s covenant love to justify his hope.

The Hebrew term used here for Yahweh’s covenant love is chesed. This phrase could be referring to the eternal nature of Yahweh’s chesed or to chesed as the essential quality of Yahweh’s nature that allows Him to restrain His wrath and justice from bringing a total end. Some English translations follow the ancient Aramaic versions here, which read “The kindnesses of Yahweh never cease”; others follow the traditional Hebrew text, which says “Because of Yahweh’s mercies [or great love], we are not consumed.” Deciding which reading to follow is part of the task of a field of study known as textual criticism. The difference between what the Hebrew reads and what the Aramaic translators may have read is only one letter. The poetic parallelism with the rest of the line (which reads literally, “His mercies never come to an end”) supports following the Aramaic reading.

Yahweh is my portion refers to the Israelite’s land allotment. The priests and Levites had no land portion because Yahweh was their portion (Numbers 18:20).  Faithlife Study Bible

Psalm 16:5

O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;

You maintain my lot.

Psalm 78:38

But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity,

And did not destroy them.

Yes, many a time He turned His anger away,

And did not stir up all His wrath;

Zephaniah 3:5

The LORD is righteous in her midst,

He will do no unrighteousness.

Every morning He brings His justice to light;

He never fails,

But the unjust knows no shame

Where do we go—what choices do we make—in a world fractured, or frightened, or empty?
In what ways can I say, “No”, to indifference?

On the anniversary of 9-11, I am so grateful for the stories. Or ordinary people stepping up, stepping in, making a difference.

And this one comes to mind.
I can tell you this; showing up—and saying “No” to indifference—is a choice that would have been celebrated by Fr. Mychal Judge. When the towers were hit, FDNY Chaplain Father Mychal Judge, chose to suit up, and go where he was needed. He went into the upheaval. To save a life, it cost him his life.

Knowing his sacrifice, it is worth reading these excerpts from his Last Homily, delivered at a Mass for Firefighters on Sept. 10, 2001. “You do what God has called you to do. You get on that rig, you go out and do the job. No matter how big the call, no matter how small, you have no idea of what God is calling you to do, but God needs you. He needs me. He needs all of us. God needs us to keep supporting each other, to be kind to each other, to love each other... We love this job, we all do. What a blessing it is! It's a difficult, difficult job, but God calls you to do it, and indeed, He gives you a love for it so that a difficult job will be well done... Turn to God each day—put your faith, your trust, your hope, and your life in His hands. He'll take care of you, and you'll have a good life. And this firehouse will be a great blessing to this neighborhood and to this city. Amen.” Thank you, Fr. Judge.

Parker Palmer talks about retaining a sense of meaning in our later final years. “I no longer ask, what do I want to let go of, and what do I want to hang on to? Instead, I ask, what do I want to let go of, and what do I want to give myself to. The desire to hang on comes from a sense of scarcity and fear. The desire to give myself comes from a sense of abundance and generosity. Those are the kinds of truths I want to wither into.” Amen. Sabbath Moments

Deuteronomy 31:8 We do not walk alone!

 Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

It is  hard to live without fear in a world that seems to have lost its way. Our trust in God and  joy in our salvation is our strength.  Through the power of Holy Spirit we are strong for good in our families, in our communities and in our nation. We were created for these good works which He has prepared for us. In the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we need to trust that they can do what we cannot. In prayer and supplication to God, who hears our prayers, we are safe and can walk without fear. The battle for good has already been won. We do not walk alone! Carla

Deuteronomy 31:8

And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” (NKJV)

The principal reason for God’s judgment on His people was their continual idolatry. They abandoned His grace and willingly embraced the evil religious practices of the Canaanites. The NKJV Study Bible

Biblical Law—Public Law

In many nations of the ancient Middle East, the king carried the laws in his head, as they were his personal possession. He did not publish them until he was ready to give up his throne. Thus a person could be arrested for breaking a law he had never known. The laws were kept secret, even when a person was put on trial for breaking them. Other peoples of the ancient Middle East obeyed laws because they were enforced by the royal establishment; disobedience meant punishment. But God’s people were to obey His Law because they loved Him. The NKJV Study Bible

Holding to the covenant means nothing less than exclusive loyalty and devotion to Yahweh as Israel’s only God. Faithlife Study Bible

Exodus 13:21

And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. 

Joshua 1:5

No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 

Hebrews 13:5

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 

Genesis 28:15

Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.”

When I’m weary in my spirit, I confess that I click my ruby heels, hoping to be transported to a gentler and saner OZ. And in the past, I’ve talked about wrestling with depression, which only exacerbates this notion that we need to make sense of everything before we care, assuming that the job is to find answers or solutions. When life is uncertain it is easy to live inconvenienced. (Making matters worse because we assume that uncertainty is a bad thing. Meaning that we don’t trust our internal resources.)
You see, this is where we go off the rails. When we focus only on what we’ve lost (scarcity), we are unable to access what we have (sufficiency). And when I see only scarcity, I miss the fact that every single one of us has been gifted with the “music” of creativity, abundance, heart, love, passion, gentleness, helpfulness, caring, kindness, tenderness, restoration, and a shoulder to lean on. This is the paradigm of internal sufficiency.

When you meet someone new, the preferred starting question is, “What do you do?” Which is—ironically—not really about walking your dog or tending your garden, but about your “job”, or your “career”. As if that’s our tether.
So. Let’s pause here. It is worth noting that in the context of our work (or job), to live wholehearted, authentic and from the inside out, is about the difference between a career, and a vocation. A vocation is a calling; a service, or ministry, or passion that spills from what is already inside, regardless of mood, or pleasant circumstances, or the need to avoid struggle.

So, what’s the secret?

Remember that in every encounter with people, Jesus helped change the paradigm. “You are more than the sum of your circumstances. He saw the music—the artist—inside.”

I do know this: it is easy to lose sight of the artist that resides inside every one of us. Whether lost or buried or stuck or forgotten or dismissed or ignored... or “stolen.”

When we tag or label or describe ourselves, “artist” is seldom used.

Where I was raised, artist was a phase you went through (a dream), you know, to grow out of, to move on to something more useful and sensible—in order to get a “real job”.

What is this artist? It is the place in our spirit that births… creativity and enchantment, imagination and play and wonder, and attention and risk and investment, with a whole heart.

My friends, thank you for the gift of being you. Thank you for the small and gentle ways you spill that gift—yes, the music—with the people and in world around you.

More than ever, we need sanity and restoration. Be gentle with yourself this week, and let your music—and your compassion—spill. Sabbath Moments