Worship Wednesday with Pastor Edith
April 9, 2025
James 1:19-20

I was having a lively discussion the other day with a young couple who plan to be married later this year. One of the topics that brought the most thought and laughter was the topic of learning how to communicate well. I only know to share from scripture and personal experience when helping someone else, so I shared how I have been told that I use a lot of words, go figure.

The scripture I used is one that is very good to memorize because it is very helpful in our day to day dealings with people. James 1: 19-20 reads: “My dear brothers, take note of this; Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires”. Yep, I should recite that every time I think I have something brilliant to share during any argument, I mean discussion.

Another tidbit I find very helpful would also be good to memorize, though it is not scripture; “In a world of words there is much to say. But, often, when nothing is said, everything can be heard” (adapted from “Jacob’s Ladder by Noah benShea p.156). Suffice it to say (I hear somebody giggling over my many words), it would be a new kind of world if all people chose to follow what James says in being slow to speak and quick to listen. Perhaps that is a major issue right now in my culture. The issue of not really listening. Some counseling techniques call this “active listening”. If I can slow down my thoughts and spend some time listening to the Holy Spirit before jumping to my own conclusions, perhaps my conversations and postings would be more helpful and less divisive.

My song for you today as I close this time with you is “Let there be peace on earth” written by Sy Miller 1955; “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be. With God as our Father, brothers all are we. Let me walk with my brother in perfect harmony…” Why not sing that out loud right where you are and see what happens.

AMEN and PRAY ON!

Worship Wednesday with Pastor Edith
April 2, 2025
Romans 5:8

Happy April! Spring is springing (in some ways very stormy), birds are singing and Easter is on its way. Let’s not run too fast to the resurrection, that we might miss the raw amazement of Christ’s sacrifice.

Our text from Romans 5:8 may very well be very familiar to many of you, still, I love to tell it over and over again in case someone may have missed it; “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. We share this often during our Holy Communion service at church and we remember how this proves God’s love for us. Think about it, God doesn’t wait until we get our act together, he simply waits for us to realize our desperate need of Him and welcomes us to know Him more.

I have a dear departed pastor friend who loved a hymn inspired by this verse. The hymn is entitled “I Stand Amazed in the Presence”; “I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene, and wonder how He could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean. How marvelous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be: How marvelous! How wonderful is my Savior’s love for me”!

AMEN and PRAY ON!

Worship Wednesday with Pastor Edith
March 26, 2025
Hebrews 10:11-18, John 14:6

My husband and I were reading a little article on the meaning of sacrifice as it applies to our preparation for Easter during these forty days of Lent. The article started out in a most unusual way talking about loading a dishwasher. That’s right, loading a dishwasher. That had me hooked, so I paid close attention as we read together, and here’s my summary;

Loading the dishwasher seems pretty basic, but not for everyone. For me, I figure, put the dishes in, load the soap, start the machine and soon we will have clean dishes. My spouse, however believes that their way is better, in fact is the only right way to load a dishwasher.

For the Israelites, however, there was a very specific way of cleansing from sin. No short cuts, no reasoning other ways, one way and it was the way of the burnt offering. This offering consumed all of the unblemished creature being offered on behalf of the people’s sins, which would point to one great sacrifice;

“Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again, and again he offers the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. But when this priest [Jesus] had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time, he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Hebrews 10: 11-15, read the remainder when you can and be thankful).

Jesus told a very confused disciple named Thomas who asked Jesus; “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:5-6).

During this wonderful season of Lent, I offer you an opportunity to bump up you Bible reading and prayer time. It does take sacrifice; time, attention, personal agenda changes, but it is truly worth it. Here’s my closing song for you to the tune of “In the Cross”, this little song is called “Send a Great Revival”; “In my heart, in my heart, send a great revival; teach me how to watch and pray, and to read the Bible” (Heavenly Highway Hymns 1956).

AMEN and PRAY ON!

Worship Wednesday with Pastor Edith
March 12, 2025
Matthew 8:23-27

What a beautiful day in the neighborhood! The sky is blue, the birds are singing happily and the sun brings warm air through my window. What a change from our winter storms not too long ago when we were covered with a foot of snow and ice. Just goes to show: Here in the Midwest if you don’t like the weather, hang around for a bit and it will change.

Today’s scripture is the telling of a time when the weather was not cooperative for the Disciples who were in a boat on a lake. Many of you are already very familiar with this story, but as with all of the stories of Jesus; it’s good to repeat and reflect.

“Then he [Jesus] got into a boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!’ He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!’”

Jesus must have been more than exhausted to sleep through such a storm on a small fishing boat. After all they had experienced with Jesus, the disciples still struggled with their faith that he would care for them. I have been there a time or two, how about you? Have you faced or perhaps you are facing a storm that seems impossible to overcome? Does it feel as if you may not survive this one? I am in conversation with some folks who feel that way. It may not be watery waves threatening, but it definitely appears to be more than they can handle. What can I do? I can pray, I can hold a hand and encourage, I can make soup, I can walk beside them as they walk beside me and we can remember how the Lord brought us through other storms, He will take care of this one.

I will close with the words of an old hymn we rarely hear anymore; “O Sing a Song” by Louis Brown; “O sing a song of Galilee, of lake and woods and hill. Of Him who walked upon the sea and bade the waves be still. For though like waves on Galilee, dark seas of trouble roll, when faith has heard the Master’s word, falls peace upon the soul”.

AMEN and PRAY ON!

Midweek Meditation with Pastor Edith
March 6, 2025
Primary Text: Mark 1:9-12
Premise: The Holy Spirit is willing and able to guide and comfort no matter what we face.

This week we began the Holy Season of Lent, for those of us who follow a traditional church calendar. For those of you who don’t, I invite you to join me on this biblical journey toward the cross and the empty tomb.

It is a common practice, starting with Ash Wednesday, to make a commitment to “give up something” during these 40 days of Lent; the time between Ash Wednesday, yesterday, and Easter Sunday. The 40-day count does not include Sundays because, for Christ followers, every Sunday is a little Easter (think back to the resurrection story and the context and time in which it occurred; “After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb…He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. (Matthew 28:1-6). In that time, it would have been what we now call Sunday, as the Jewish week started on Sunday and ended on Saturday (Sabbath).

With that said, let’s go back and focus now on our primary scripture text; “At that time [when John was baptizing for repentance of sins in the Jordan river] Jesus came from Nazareth to Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being opened and the Spirit [Holy Spirit] descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven; ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased’. At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him”.

Here we see our sinless Savior willingly coming for baptism by John, not because he needed cleansing from sin, but to align himself with the ministry of John and allow John to acknowledge and inaugurate the ministry of Jesus. It’s a beautiful, humbling moment for both men. This can be a beautiful and humbling moment for anyone who chooses to repent of sin and follow Christ. Hence, the season of Lent is a marvelous time to reflect on the 40 days Jesus, the very Son of God, fasted and prayed to prepare himself for the ministry for which God had sent him, and then consider how each of us may fast and pray throughout these 40 days to discover how we might draw closer to what God wants and closer to the people He has called us to love. I will leave you with beautiful words from a hymn I love; “Lord, who through-out these forty days for us didst fast and pray, teach us with thee to mourn our sins and close by thee to stay…Abide with us, that so, this life of suffering over past, an Easter of unending joy we may attain at last” (“Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days” vs. 1 and 4, by Claudia Hernaman 1873).

AMEN and PRAY ON!

Worship Wednesday with Pastor Edith
February 26, 2025
2 Corinthians 4:4-8

God is with us every day, all day, all the way home.

Today’s meditation is inspired by a beautiful hymn that I stumbled upon today during my devotional time. The title of the hymn is “Day by Day” and it was written by a very talented young writer shortly after the loss of her dear father. It seems she and her pastor papa were on a voyage when the boat lurched and her father fell overboard. The crew was unable to rescue him before he drowned. She was mentored well by her dad and her faith led her through this tragedy. This made me think; how many difficulties we face from day to day, some of them feel as if they will crush us, and yet our heavenly Father God is still at work with and through us.

2 Corinthians 4:4-8; “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed”.

You may not know the tune to this hymn, but nonetheless, I invite you to read the words out loud as a poem prayer for anything you or your loved ones are facing today; “Day by day and with each passing moment, strength I find to meet my trials here; Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment, I’ve no cause for worry or for fear. He whose heart is kind beyond all measure, gives unto each day what He deems best—Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure, mingling toil with peace and rest” (Carolina Sandell Berg 1832-1903).

AMEN and PRAY ON!

Worship Wednesday with Pastor Edith
February 19, 2025
Deuteronomy 31:8, Isaiah 41:10 & Proverbs 17:22

The Proverb 17:22 says; “A cheerful heart is good medicine”. I would say that is a good prescription, but where can we get it filled? I can hear someone say, “here it comes, some quote from somebody who doesn’t have a clue what I am going through”, but hold on, keep reading, it won’t take long and if you aren’t encouraged even a little bit, then read it again (smile).

It seems part of the illness for which we need this special prescription is the condition of fear. It is something everyone experiences, but many experience it more often and more profoundly than many others. What to do? Go to the pharmacy of Scripture and look up the verses I have listed, and don’t just read those verses, read what comes before and after. What you will find are God’s people facing seemingly impossible situations, some of which they put themselves in and others they simply landed upon. The thing these verses have in common is God’s reassurance that He is with them through it all; “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deut. 31:8). The prophet Isaiah in chapter 41:10 writes, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Are you afraid today? Do you know someone who is frightened by something? Pray; for yourself and them. Maybe just sit and listen quietly. Be near to those who have invited you to know what is frightening and let them have permission to express what they are feeling without handing them the prescription. Perhaps they, will discover, through your love and prayers, the pharmacist Himself.

I love this quote from a little book that has brought me such comfort and peace. I’ve shared before from Noah benShea, I will share again from his book “Jacob’s Ladder”; “Fear is a realization that we are not all-powerful. It is a recognition that there is a force beyond us in the universe. Fear, not fear of fear, is a door to humility. And humility is the door to prayer (pg. 126).

A closing hymn might be in order. How about “His eye is on the Sparrow” and verse two; “Let not your heart be troubled, His tender words I hear; And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubt and fear. Tho’ by the path He leadeth but one step I may see: His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me”.

AMEN and PRAY ON!

Worship Wednesday with Pastor Edith
February 12, 2025
1 John 4:10-12 & Jeremiah 31:3

I have heard it said that the Gospel in one word is Love. I believe that and I long to be a better example of that love. 1 John 4:10-12 says this about the love of God; “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us”.

God’s way of love is Agape love. This Greek word means to have an eternal commitment to care for others without requiring anything in return. The only way humans can love like that is to be in a growing relationship with the wonderful God who created us to be in relationship with one another. When I struggle to love like Agape, I find singing about it helps.

There is a wonderful old hymn that I haven’t sung in quite a while. It is inspired by the prophet Jeremiah in chapter 31 and verse 3; “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness”. The Hymn is titled; “O Love that Will Not Let Me Go” and here is the 1st verse that I am singing; “O Love that will not let me go, I rest my weary soul in Thee. I give Thee back the life I owe, That in Thine ocean depths its flow May richer, fuller be”.

AMEN and PRAY ON!