A PERSONAL NOTE

I made it to church this morning! First time since my hip surgery. And our daughters & grand-children were with us. Was church a drudgery for you when you were growing up? It kind of was for me, but it's a highpoint of my week now. When you add my loved ones into the mix, it becomes even more special.

TODAY'S OT VERSE

Ezekiel 33:10-12.  “”O people of Israel, you are saying:  ‘Our sins are heavy upon us; we pine away with guilt. How can we live?’ Tell them:  As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; I desire that the wicked turn from his evil ways & live. Turn, turn from your wickedness, for why will you die, O Israel? For the good works of a righteous man will not save him if he turns to sin; & the sins of an evil man will not destroy him if he repents & turns from his sins.” The Living Bible

UNFORGIVENESS

"A person who harbors unforgiveness always loses. Regardless of how wrong the other person may have been, refusing to forgive means reaping corruption in life. And that corruption begins in one relationship including the relationship with God, & works its way into all the rest." Charles Stanley, Men's Devotional Bible

FAITH FORMATION & THE FAMILY

"The absence of parent-led faith formation, the decline of the traditional nuclear family, the increasing non-participation in organized religion--these all signal that the church cannot idly watch on the sidelines before bringing faith formation back to the center of family life. Congregations should seek to train parents, guardians & members to be active teachers & lifelong learners of the faith.

"Churches & families need to partner together to offer holistic education training to build & enrich Christ-centered relationships for their youth. We need to enable parents to become primary in faith formation in the home so families can thrive for the Gospel's sake. We need to equip, enable & encourage Christ-centered marriages; equip parent or guardians wit knowledge & skills in faith formation; & equip those who are in non-nuclear families with the appropriate resourses for those special needs." The Lutheran Reporter, July 2022

PSALM 33 *

* This was our Introit in church this morning. Given what's going on in our country & world, I thought it was very relevant.

The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, & by its great might it cannot rescue. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His steadfast love, that He may deliver their soul from death & keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help & our shield.

A CHRISTIAN'S RESPONSE TO UKRAINE

"As Christians, wars do not surprise us. Christ told His disciples, 'And you will hear of wars & rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet' (Matt. 24:6). The war in Ukraine reverberates through various aspects of life; we see regular news updates portraying the horrors of the war, including pictures that in previous eras would have been hidden from view. The costs of war have crossed the ocean to affect our daily lives. And this has not even touched on the cost of war counted in the lives of soldiers & civilians.

"Before all else, the church prays, 'Lord, have mercy.' We pray for peace in the world, a peace that comes only from reconciliation with God through Christ's suffering & death. As the world faces conflict & disaster, as nations war against nations, the only lasting peace comes through the preaching of God's Word & the administration of His Sacraments. There, reconciled to God, we can move forward in service to one another. But only from that place. Apart from God's peace in Christ, we cannot know peace." The Lutheran Witness, June/July 2022

A PRAYER FOR PEACE

"Heavenly Father, God of all concord, it is Your gracious will that Your children on earth live together in harmony & peace. Defeat the plans of all those who would stir up violence & strife, destroy the weapons of those who delight in war & bloodshed, &, according to Your will, end all conflicts in the world. Teach us to examine our hearts that we may recognize our own inclination toward envy, malice, hatred, & enmity. Help us, by Your Word & Spirit, to search our hearts & to root out the evil that would lead to strife & discord, so that in our lives we may be at peace with all people. Fill us with zeal for the work of Your Church & the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which alone can bring that peace which is beyond all understanding; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen." Lutheran Service Book

I AM Forever Who I AM *

* Composer:  Kurt Von Kampen

Though mountains slide into the sea, And waters run where fields should be, Though monuments & nations fall, Your holy city stands through all When nothing seems to stay the same, You teach us Your eternal name.

(Refrain) I AM forever Who I Am. Above you, beneath you, Around you & within you, Be still & know that I Am God.

We buy & sell, we lose or gain; Our fortunes shift like sun & rain. Sustain our lives, reward our toil, With bread & honey, wine & oil. Save us & others from our greed; You always give us what we need. (Refrain)

Our lust for power, wealth, & land Diminishes the earth you planned. Prevent our crimes & futile wars; Convince us that all things are yours. We rage & burn & kill & steal, But You redeem, restore, & heal. (Refrain)

Like shepherds watching for the light, Aware of dangers in the night, We hear the angle: "Do not fear, The Savior of the world is near." We run, we see, we touch, we laugh; You came to earth on our behalf. (Refrain)

Each generation looks for truth And doubt can trouble age or youth. I other gods would take Your place, Remember us with love & grace. Reclaim us if we go astray; You are the Truth, the Life, the Way. (Refrain)

Some days seem long, though life is brief, And death is waiting like a thief. When vision fades & dreams go dry, We will on unseen things rely. Our stories take up but a page, But Yours goes on from age to age.

I AM forever Who I Am. Above you, beneath you, Around you & within you, Be still & know that I Am God.