Matthew 6:8-15 For God so loved the world that He sent Jesus that through Him the world could be saved!!

 Luke 6:37–7:10

“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”…

Sometimes in the stillness of the night I think of the works of mankind and become afraid. The apathy and disdain that exists for others, like us who are created in the image of God, I fear will extinguish the light that has come into the world. Sometimes words cannot express the sadness that I feel for the marginalized and oppressed in our society. I am overcome. Then in the stillness I can hear the words of our Father  that through His Son the world could be saved. My only prayer is that His Kingdom will come and His mercy and grace will overcome the darkness. In Him, with Him and in the unity of Holy Spirit there is hope. When we love God and  abide in His command to love others in the manner that He loves us we are saved from the sin that threatens to destroy us. The love of God covers a multitude of our sins  in the sacrifice of Jesus. Carla

Matthew 6:8-15 

8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

In this manner, therefore, pray•:

Our Father •in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

10 Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

•On earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

As •we forgive our debtors.

13 And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. NKJV

The prayer is composed of six requests. The first three ask for the kingdom to come (verse 9, 10) and the last three are for God to meet the needs of His people until the kingdom arrives (verses 11–13). Hallowed be Your name is not an ascription of praise to the Father. The verb is an imperative and means “May Your name be hallowed.” This recalls Ezekiel’s prophecy in Ezekiel 36:25–32, where the prophet says Israel has profaned God’s name among the nations. One day God will gather His people from the nations, cleanse them, and by this means vindicate the holiness of His great name. The hallowing of the Father’s name means the arrival of God’s kingdom. The NKJV Study Bible

The focus changes here from hypocrites to Gentiles (ethnikoi). In Graeco-Roman religions, repetition was used to pester the gods so they would grant someone’s request. After describing how not to pray, Jesus gives a positive example.

Matthew 6:9–13 and the parallel passage of Luke 11:1–4 provide a model for prayer. The Gospels make no explicit claims regarding Jesus’ intentions for creating this prayer, but the context indicates that He is teaching people how to pray (Luke 11:1–4).

“Your will be done” Jesus prays similar words as He faces arrest and crucifixion (Matthew 26:39, 42).

The people of rural Galilee were poor and oppressed, and resources such as food were scarce. This prayer reflects the real needs of people living in difficult times. The language used here for debt can reflect an Aramaic idiom referring to sin.

The Greek term used here for the evil one may indicate a specific entity such as the devil; (Ephesians 6:16) or evil in its many forms.

Forgiveness results in forgiveness. Since God has forgiven members of His kingdom, they must forgive others. Faithlife Study Bible

Matthew 3:17–6:2

And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil…

Luke 12:2–12

For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops…

Mark 3:21–6:29

But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub,” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”…

Matthew 2:11–3:4

And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way…

It’s normal to feel disheartened, or discouraged, about our world.

You may have heard this expression: “If you’re not concerned, you’re not paying attention.”

Pain is real. And shock is real. And yet. There is something in our DNA that knows we still have the capacity to choose.

This I know: closing our eyes or shutting down, is not the choice.

Staying informed matters.

Bearing witness matters.

And, making sure our heart and soul are replenished, and refreshed, and grounded, matters.

Today, I was guest preacher at the Interfaith Community Sanctuary in Seattle. My topic, “Walking one another home.” And I began with this quote, from Etty Hillesum. “Ultimately, we have just one moral duty. To reclaim large areas of peace in ourselves, more and more peace, and to reflect it towards others. And the more peace there is in us, the more peace there will also be in our troubled world.”

Yes. That’s the gift.

The space that enables me to see the sufficiency that is already there.

Maya Angelou’s reminder, “Let nothing dim the light that shines from within.”

There are times—it seems more frequent now—when we are not “rested”. We are tired, fatigued, weighed down, troubled, or just plain worn out.

Sometimes it is for good reason. Sometimes it is not.

Add to the mix the reality that we absorb, or consume, many, many times the amount of information and data—daily, hourly—than we did not that long ago. We are, quite literally, bombarded.

So, it's not just about being tired. There's something else going on. Almost like a paralysis, or a disconnect. Those times when we are not present. Those times when we can't even absorb beauty or wonder. Those times when we go through the motions, as if we have lost touch with some of the good stuff: gladness, longing, focus, zest, compassion, appetite, hope and passion.

Yes… making sure our heart and soul are replenished, and refreshed, and grounded, matters.

So, the questions for every one of us are these...

Where do we go to replenish the well?

Where do we go to nourish the soul?

Where do we go to be bathed in peace?

Here's the deal: Sometimes we don't have to go anywhere. We just need to stop. And pay attention.

“I don't deny that there should be priests to remind men that they will one day die. I only say it is necessary to have another kind of priests, called poets, actually to remind men that they are not dead yet.” GK Chesterton

I’ve recently been drawn to the life and writing of Etty Hillesum. At the age of 29, Etty died at Auschwitz, but the last two years of her life led her into a deepening relationship with God. And into great solidarity with those who suffered.

She wrote, “There is a really deep well inside me. And in it dwells God. Sometimes I am there, too... Dear God, these are anxious times... We must help You to help ourselves. And that is all we can manage these days and also all that really matters: that we safeguard that little piece of You, God, in ourselves.” (An Interrupted Life: The Diaries)  SabbathMoments 

Matthew 5:9 Wherever we sow Peace… God is with us.

Matthew 5:44–45

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. NKJV

Blessed are those who seek reconciliation and not division. Blessed are those who seek to unite the world and its people. Blessed are those who seek the good of all and not just a few. Jesus came with angels singing peace, peace to the people on earth. He came to seek all of humanity. Only in the  power of Holy Spirit  can we forgive and bless those who hurt and use us…impossible for us? Probably. But it is possible in Him who has forgiven us. To forgive is Divine. Carla

Matthew 5:9

Blessed are the peacemakers,

For they shall be called sons of God. NKJV

The Beatitudes are comprised of three elements: a pronouncement of blessing, a quality of life, and a reason why the recipient should be considered blessed. The first element is found in the word Blessed (Psalm 1:1), which introduces each beatitude. The second element does not describe different groups of people, but a composite picture of the kind of person who will inherit Christ’s kingdom. The third element looks ahead to some aspect of the coming kingdom. The NKJV Study Bible

blessed (Gk. makarios) (5:3; Luke 6:20–22; Romans  4:7, 8; James 1:12, 25) Strong’s #3107: This Greek word is derived from the root mak, which means “large” or “lengthy,” and means “fortunate” or “happy.” The Greek word was used in Greek literature, in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the OT), and in the NT to describe the kind of happiness that comes from receiving divine favor. The word can be rendered happy. In the NT it is usually passive; God is the One who is blessing or favoring the person.

Jewish literature of the time valued those who worked for peace. For instance, 2 Enoch reads “Blessed is one who gives peace and love” (52:11). Those whose lives reflect the ethics of Jesus will be clearly identified as children of God (Romans 8:14). Faithlife Study Bible.

Romans 8:14

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 

James 3:18

Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Luke 6:35

But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 

Romans 14:19

Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.

I read a statement made in the Irish Times by a Connemara man after he was arrested for a car accident. "There were plenty of onlookers, but no witnesses."
In answering the email exchange question, I’m answering another go-to question I received this week, “What exactly do we do?”
Today, I have an answer. I am a witness. You are a witness.
As a witness, I choose to pay attention—to be present—while I am here.
In a world that rewards “dog eat dog”, I choose mercy.
In a world where demeaning someone is applauded, I choose to honor dignity.
In a world where exclusion and marginalization are real, I choose the Gospel: “You belong. Your humanity is not up for negotiation. Your presence does not require anyone’s permission.”
What does this look like? Oh, it’s the little gifts my friends. It makes a big difference to hug the hurt. To kiss the broken. To bandage the wounded. To hold a hand. To befriend the lost. To love the lonely. To stand up for the humiliated. Little gifts of compassion, connection, dignity, empathy, kindness, generosity, peace that leave people better than we find them.
When people learn that I am a minister, they’re often curious to ask what I “believe”. And when I visit different churches, some people like to ask me. They can’t help themselves.
Okay, here you go:
God has a heart for those who are left out, forgotten, and excluded.
God's grace is bigger than anything which distances and separates and wounds us.
You are God's beloved child, and God's love for you is unconditional.
And when I see acts of exclusion, or acts that disparage inclusion, I feel it, viscerally, and my beliefs matter, and they summon and fuel a choice: I want to be a witness to God’s Mercy and Grace.
And in such moments of heartache, I have the courage to hold a hand the needs to be held.
One friend calls this the Gospel’s marching orders: “take care of the poor, take care of the sick, welcome the stranger and be kind to those in prison.”

“Is indifference really a sin, some might ask?  Well, only if you take seriously the weight of God’s instructions to be kind and tenderhearted towards one another, to love one another fervently, to listen and bear with another, to speak the truth in love, to confess our sins to one another so that we may be healed, to forgive as we have been forgiven, to welcome the stranger, to share our bread with the hungry. To do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God. Only if you believe that in Christ there is no longer Greek nor Jew, slave nor free, male nor female for all of us are one in Christ.” Thank you, Ruth Haley Barton. “Sabbath Moments”

Matthew 5:38-42 Jesus is our example of how to live in the New Covenant

 Deuteronomy 15:7–11

“If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs…

We who have been forgiven  much  need to forgive others the same. In our hurt and disappointment we need to seek the guidance of Holy Spirit to love others and see them through the lens of God. He  loves all of His creation and doesn’t want anyone to live without Him in their lives. Knowing what is impossible for us in the flesh is possible in Christ. The Word was made flesh, all God- all man, He showed us the way of the Father, in the unity of Holy Spirit, to live. The life of Jesus exemplifies how we are to live in the New Covenant with God. Carla

Matthew 5:38-42

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 •If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. NKJV

The Lord seems to be speaking in hyperbolic terms to teach the lesson of non-retaliation. Generally He commands us to have a generous and compassionate attitude toward the needy. He makes this application in four areas: physical attacks (verse 39), legal suits (verse 40), government demands (verse 41), and financial requests (verse 42). Compels is a technical term that refers to the law of impressment. The Roman government could press anyone into its service to carry a load as far as one mile. Matthew records a Roman officer doing this to Simon of Cyrene in 27:32.

Hate your enemy is not found in Moses’ writings. This was a principle drawn by the scribes and Pharisees from Leviticus 19:18. The NKJV Study Bible

An eye for an eye This principle, often referred to as lex talionis or the “law of retaliation” (Exodus 21–24) contrasts with the unexpected generosity that a member of the kingdom of heaven should display.

Jesus is speaking of someone who does wrong to another person. He encourages His followers to return good when someone else intends evil. The Roman military occupied Israel during this time, and soldiers could require bystanders to carry a load for a mile.

Members of God’s kingdom should be characterized by overwhelming generosity. “Love your neighbor” Jesus is quoting Leviticus 19:18. Hate your enemy  does not appear in the law (or anywhere else in the Hebrew Bible). It could be just be a colloquialism of the time. Faithlife Study Bible

Exodus 21:24

eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 

Leviticus 24:20

fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he has caused disfigurement of a man, so shall it be done to him. 

Deuteronomy 19:21

Your eye shall not pity: life shall be for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Luke 6:29–35

To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back…

Today, I can choose to Be kind.

And here’s the deal: it is the little things—the smile, the kind word, the helping hand—that are the difference makers. They are the building blocks for healing.

They are the building blocks for “re-humanizing”. They are the building blocks for restoring dignity. 

This we know: With the storms of life, it is tempting to live reactively. Which means that we forget that sound and life-giving choices come from the inside, from the ground of mindfulness and well-being and self-care, where they have taken root.

Ahhh yes, when life feels heavy, we forget that we are all wired to be replenished. And, remembering… care of any kind, begins with self-care.

I do stand by that, more than ever. Depletion and exhaustion, and being parched, may feel rampant, but there is healing grace in receiving the gift of self-care.

Another good reminder that, without even knowing it—for every single one of us—there are times when we need space to be (and stay) emotionally and spiritually hydrated. Especially in a world that can quite easily, daily, feel like an emotional storm.

So. This week, let us embrace the power of pause. In other words, the permission be gentle with yourself.

And the permission to make (and honor) space(s) that can replenish and heal.

The permission to honor the healing power of sanctuary. Parker Palmer’s reflection, “Sanctuary is wherever I find safe space to regain my bearings, reclaim my soul, heal my wounds, and return to the world as a wounded healer. It’s not merely about finding shelter from the storm: it’s about spiritual survival. Today, seeking sanctuary is no more optional for me than church attendance was as a child.”

This will change the questions we ask.

Not, “What did you do (accomplish) today?”

Instead, we ask, “Today, where did you find sanctuary, to regain your bearings?”

And remember; this affirmation is not an assignment to achieve, but a gift to embrace. Sabbath Moments