Peter Peter Why?

Mark 14:70-72  And after a little while again the bystanders said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them; for you are a Galilean.” But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” And immediately the cock crowed a second time.


You've heard the statements before. "I swear on my babies life." I swear on my mother's grave." or some other words of the same nature followed by a lie. This is an example of a curse coming before a lie. Peter's denial was a similar curse before a lie. Fear is a powerful motivator and although Peter wanted to follow and see what happened to his teacher and friend, he was also petrified at what might happen to Peter himself. Maybe he thought he could be invisible in the background of the drama as it unfolded, but when it was clear he could be involved he panicked and repeatedly denied Jesus.


One of the most telling part of this account is that even with Peter being one of the most revered members of the first century church, they included this description of his behavior. So many parts of the scripture point to the honesty of the writers, and this is just one of many examples. Why would a hero of the church be shown in this light if the authors were not being faithful to the actual events.


The last focus for me falls into this same category, but with another twist. The story ends with Peter breaking down and weeping. Again not a particular aspect of the situation that Peter would make up. You see the story is in the scripture because Peter told the story, not that others were there to know the story and write about it. Peter was sorry that he denied the Lord, and he wept. True sorrow for our sins heals the scars that go with them. 

Abandoned

Mark 14:29-31  Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I say to you, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.” But he said vehemently, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.


We so much want to think that we are completely committed to Jesus. I remember singing that very old worship song "I Surrender All". All to Jesus I surrender, goes the words and my heart would sing as if I really meant it. Perhaps at the moment I really did mean it. I would find myself sometime later on saying the wrong thing or doing the wrong thing, far from a life completely surrendered to Jesus. I can easily see myself in Peter's story, and I'm not claiming to be worthy of being a saint like Peter. 


It seems so easy to abandon Jesus in moments of challenge sometimes. In the immediate circumstance our human minds and hearts see very human choices. I will say even with some humility that with God's help I make the wrong choices less often, but at times it is still too easy to forget my surrender and fall away. Like with Peter Jesus even knows that I will. He sees the limits I have placed even when they are invisible to me. He understands my character with all it's strengths and weaknesses. Even knowing all that, even as I abandon him, he never abandons me. 


I return to the path in humility acknowledging my failure and he welcomes me with open arms, hoping I've learned another lesson to help me avoid the difficulties in my future. Although everyone else may abandon me because of my mistakes, Jesus never will. God is so good to me.

Waiting!!!

Mark 14:22-24  And as they were eating, he took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many.


The words of Jesus frame the instructions about the sacrament of the Eucharist. We say in the Episcopal Church that a sacrament is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. I love the sacramental nature of our church. I can so often know the reality of Jesus love for me in the experience of the sacraments. I always take special notice of the words of Jesus on his last night with the disciples. When Marsha got sick we both knew that our time together was limited. It was not like we knew when it was the last might, but we surely knew our time was limited. I'm not saying I didn't waste any time saying or doind meaningless things during Marsha's last days, but I was clear that I needed to say the important things to her and show my total and complete support for her. I didn't waste time with pretense or unrealistic conversation. I wanted her to know the most important things about my love for her and the blessing she had been for my life. No wasted time and effort.  I'm sure Jesus had even more need to let the disciples know all he needed to share with them. Nothing left out or left behind.


Because the Eucharist was one of those last items that Jesus revealed, I place among the most important. I'm not saying that it is some miracle event. Aa a protestant catholic, I see the sacraments as guaranteed place where we can come directly in contact with Jesus. Th Roman Catholics believe that happens automatically because of the action of jesus in the prayer of consecration. The protestant church believes the Lord's Table is only a memory of the last supper not real contact with Jesus. The protestant catholics believe that real grace is available in the sacrament but this grace is only available as we accept it with faith. If you take the bread and the cup with faith that you are actually receiving the direct presence of God's grace then you will receive it. Approach the sacrament as just a piece of bread and a sip of wine without faith and the grace is unavailable to you. 


I've been so blessed that I know I meet the rel true jesu every Sunday in the Eucharist and other times through the other sacraments. Will you meet Jesus this week? He is there waiting for you to just accept his grace.

Who Leads?

John 8:12  Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”


Amazing claim is it not. I am the light of the world. Clearly the sun is the light of the world. Then again isn't it kind of funny that the sun is the light of the physical world and the Son is the light of the spiritual world. We had the second of our leadership training sessions this late afternoon. I spoke in my group briefly about the way I could suddenly see when Jesus was revealed to me. Clearly it was the dawn of Son shine in my life and I had new eyes and a new heart with which to experience the world.


I have actually known people who have experienced this Son shine and have chosen to walk back at least into the shade if not the darkness. We are not forced to follow Jesus even after a first experience of His spectacular light. We often have trouble with the follow. It's like a dance where people actually touch one another; only one person can lead or toes get mashed and stumbling becomes all too common. We refuse to let Jesus lead even when we say we are following Him. Inevitably that leads to the dark or at least the shade.


A song you might no has the line, "I want to walk as a child of the light." but do we really? I wonder?

Guard Yourself

Mark 13:1-4  And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another, that will not be thrown down.”
And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign when these things are all to be accomplished?”


Throughout this section as Jesus answers these questions from the disciples, the response goes far beyond the simple physical destruction of Herod's temple which was the Romans accomplished in 70 AD. Jesus speaks of the time when all will be accomplished. Sitting here in the midst of history we tend to think that everything was accomplished by Jesus death on the cross and his resurrection. Jesus however points to a time yet to come when these things (plural) all will be accomplished. 


I'm not a focus on the second coming person. I live in the moment most of the time, and try to keep my focus on Jesus there in the present moment. At the ascension the angels affirmed that Jesus would return and I believe that a day is coming when he will return and perhaps all will be accomplished on that day or begin to be accomplished on that day. It's not my concern to know, it is just my concern to be ready. Even now I hear people with their focus on the signs that Jesus may return soon in bodily form, but it is more important to be ready by knowing that he is here now by his Holy Spirit. I'm not waiting for Him, he's already here, I am expecting at some point that he will come to accomplish all things, but I affirm that truth without setting any focus upon waiting for it. I stand guard against distracted less the thief in the night steel my treasure, and that treasure is that Jesus is mine in the moment, the greatest treasure of all.

Powerless People

Mark 12:38-40  And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to go about in long robes, and to have salutations in the market places and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”


Warren Buffet, the second richest American, recently said that the rich should pay higher taxes. It matters not what you think of his idea for this discussion. The most important part of his disclosure was that he paid an average of only 17% tax rate on his income while middle and upper middle class Americans pay an average tax rate higher than that. I think Jesus talking about devouring widow's houses is speaking to a similar issue in his day. The rich and powerful had extra that they could use to cheaply buy the resources of the poor and powerless. The wealthy can hide income in tax free funds that provide tax credits instead of tax responsibility. The poor and middle class have trouble paying their bills.


Jesus warns his listeners to beware of those who dress in finery because they will manipulate the system for their own gain. This a response to his understanding of human nature. Those who have the power and resources will do all they can to assure they stay in that privileged position.

You're Right Jesus

Mark 12:32-35  And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that he is one, and there is no other but he; and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any question.


From my angle it seems pretty arrogant to think you should tell Jesus he got something right. It's like correcting the exam given to God about how he created everything. Well you got two wrong God but it's still and A-. It sounds funny doesn't it, but I'm afraid people are often doing that very thing. I hear God being judged all over the place like he's the student and people are his teachers. In the gospel example above the scribe actually adds the part about being better than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. 


I spent years in church in my years as a perhaps seeking participant critical of how God had done things. I especially fought with the notion that Jesus died for me. I wanted no part of that. He would have definitely received a bad grade in church planning for that decision. Leaving the spread of the faith to a few mostly uneducated people also seemed like a bad idea. Not keeping more control of human decisions another flaw. I was a tough grader at every turn. I'm smart you know and at one point clearly thought I was smarter than God.


Life works better now. My typical response, "You're right Jesus!"

What Do You Really Think

Mark 11:29-32  Jesus said to them, “I will ask you a question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men? Answer me.” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But shall we say, ‘From men’?”—they were afraid of the people, for all held that John was a real prophet. 


The debate is on. What answer will fit with the crowd. They know what they think, but that doesn't even seem to be in the discussion. Their concern is that their power or popularity will be hurt by the wrong answer even if it is what they firmly believe. Jesus knows they will be paralyzed by this simple question and he was right. 


It makes me think of Washington and the election or re-election agenda. Everything seems to be a poll for this and a poll for that. It might be nice to care what the voters think, but it might be even more important to really know what the candidates think. We might find out that they will answer any way they need to get elected and then serve the ones with the money that bought their election campaign. 


I'm not sure we are any better when it comes to religion. We speak or don't speak based too often on the fear of the reactions of others. So what do you really think? Integrity is important.

Barriers & Debts

Mark 11:25  And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against any one; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”


Echoes of the Lord's prayer are found in this verse as well. As with many of Jesus teachings we can find similar lessons in a number of places. At the core of our spiritual and emotional health you find the subject of forgiveness. We need the forgiveness of others, but even more important that we know we forgiven by God. At the same time resentments and hoarded anger keep us from being free in relationships with others. Every incident we refuse to forgive places another board in the wall we build between our lives and others. We can spend time and even in enjoyable moments but we diminish the impact on our lives with the barriers that keep us from being free with others.

I like the word trespasses. In some versions of the Lord's Prayer that word is translated debts. We are talking about forgiveness which I usually associate with sins and yet Jesus avoids that word in these situations. I think he certainly would want us to forgive sins and to have our sins forgiven, but here he seems to be talking about intrusions into someone else's life situation. The words point to things we owe to others. I wonder who the trespasses are against? Does Jesus means intrusions into God's territory or are the trespasses against other people? If he means against God then the debt is clearly huge, and I know I have nothing that could pay such a debt. Even my whole life should be of little value to the God who created me. And yet he acts as if I am of immeasurable value through the gift of his son. He forgives my debt when I am brancrupt, completely unable to pay. What a God.

Prophesy

Mark 11:8-11  And many spread their garments on the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming! Hosanna in the highest!”
And he entered Jerusalem, and went into the temple; and when he had looked round at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.


Most of the prophesies that existed for the Messiah that Israel was waiting for were outside the ability of Jesus to control. His life death and resurrection all fit into the prophesies so neatly and most  required the unsolicited actions of others even those who hated him. Jesus himself however chose to fulfill this prophesy. Scripture said that the messiah would come ride on a donkey the foal of a donkey on which no other rode. It also spoke of branches and cloaks being plced before him like a royal entry, while Hossanna were proclaimed. It is clear that Jesus wanted people to know who he was claiming to be at this point. The one who had frequently asked people to keep secret who he was, now wanted it shouted out boldly on the outskirts of Jerusalem. He knew he was stirring up those who held power in the city, but he knew his time was at hand. He entered the temple and left again for the country almost immediately. Why enter at all if he was just going to turn around and leave you might ask? He knew that this was the day that the passover lambs were entering the city through the sheep gate at the same time the He the Lamb of God was entering through the opposite gate. The drama was now being framed in unmistakeable form. He could not control those who wanted to eliminate him, but he could agitate them. Jesus wanted to give everyone the clearest message he could about his identity. He knew some would understand and accept following him. So many people make decisions about Jesus without giving any effort at all to understand the threads of the story and how they fit into human history. They make life choices saying Christianity is unreasonable but most without looking at any of the facts needed to make a reasonable decision. I guess I'm just unreasonable that I want to make reasonable choices with the facts not without them.

More Than A Nice Guy

Mark 10:47  “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”


This phrase composes most of the Jesus prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ Son of God have mercy on me a sinner." Many things brought me to the point of really feeling God's mercy. I think I had a head start because I knew I was a sinner. I had no problem with that concept at all. I will admit that I was a comparative shopper. I would look for bad people that I was convinced were worse than me and then I might feel better for a little while. Mercy, however, was temporary at best because it had nothing to do with God. I came to see that I needed to view all of us in comparison to Jesus, and we all fell far short of meeting that standard, even the best of us. He is the measure but also the remedy. 


The second point was this Son of God piece. I had approached Jesus as a good guy and a great example to be followed. I could not get to the God thing. After some time I could see that those who did really get the God thing were in a better place than me. I guess I would say I kind of began to see and believe who Jesus was and is. I half believed and I wanted to believe but I had trouble making that transition. Even as I met him in a "I believe help my unbelief" kind of prayer he moved within me to convince me he was indeed God. My eyes were openned. Like blind Bartimaeus I could see clearly. I want to tell you how everything looked different to me. My family, my job, my church, my friends, and most especially my God all fit into a new and positive world view because I understood who God is. All creation began to create a new picture of God's loving and merciful hand. That Jesus prayer continues to be a cornerstone of my relationship with God. I continue to need my Lord jesus Christ who is the Son of God and who mercifully continues to take away my sins so I can be free and grow more fully into the image of the very one who has shown me great mercy. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner!!"

He Knows Already

Mark 10:17-22  And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said tohim, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth.” And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.


I love this passage for so many reasons. First I have heard similar kinds of self approval over and over. The young man claiming he had done all this since he was young is a perfect example. I have said in my own life and listened to so many others say "I'm a good person, I'm not perfect but I'm a good person". It appears that Jesus is saying that is just not good enough if we are holding back. What we hold back creates an obstacle for Jesus blessings for our lives. He seeks to remove them all. A good person is just not good enough.


The second ingredient of the account that captures my attention is that Jesus knew enough about the young man to find the obstacle. We often act as if God did not know what is going on with us. We pretend that we can keep little secrets from God, little pieces of our lives that we can hide away so God won't see them. Jesus saw every flaw and weakness in the rich young man and picked what might catch his attention. At least at that moment he rejected Jesus invitation, the obstacle was to important to him to remove.


Another focus for me and the last for today is that Jesus looked at him and loved him. My Lord who knows all my baggage, and from time to time points it out, loves me. He doesn't point out my weaknesses to hurt me, but rather because he knows that those very things I resist giving up hurt me. He doesn't stop loving me if the obstacles remain. Jesus will look for another opportunity to convict me of my flaws so I can get rid of them and the bondage that goes with them. You see Jesus knew that the rich young man would never be free as long as he was in bondage to his possessions, and he knows what binds me. He will help us to be set free if we let him.

Marriage

Mark 10:2-8  And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” ⁴They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to put her away.” But Jesus said to them, “For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.”


I can't say I know for sure what Marsha thought when we were married. The circumstances were not according to the normal plan for those things. We didn't have anything really and it seemed to be an end to possibilities not a beginning. I do know this much for sure; in my own heart and mind marriage was forever. It was not a religious thing, I was not at all religious, but rather a belief that a family stays together. I left no room for our marriage to end. I think Marsha had that same belief and it helped us during some tough times in our marriage. We held on because of our belief through those few difficult times when we were not sure that our love was enough. 


I look back at my life and I'm sure I would not be the man I am without having married Marsha. I'm not saying that God could not use some other relationship to mold me in some way. I am saying that our unique histories and circumstances played off each other in such a unique way that I would not be the same without her. I think that's what the two become one flesh means. I don't like the she completes me language you hear so often. I was complete without Marsha and she was complete without me. At the same time when we became on flesh, a new organic creation emerged that was a weirdly ever growing reality that was us. I don't say it completed us, rather I would say this strange variety produced after a lot of growth, two beautiful but very different blossoms from the same plant. My uniqueness did not get lost when we became one flesh it flourished. and I saw the same for Marsha.


I frequently say that God is not finished with me yet. I would never have thought that one of my grandadults would come to live with me, and yet that has been a gift. I retired and did not know if God's purpose for my ordained ministry was over, but clearly it is not. I'm still finding life and watching for God's hand day by day. What came out of all those years with Marsha is still moving through life and discovering what's next, and God is still in charge, and God is good always.

Cement Shoes

Mark 9:42  Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea.


Jesus insists that bad things will happen to people who cause a little one to sin. In some similar accounts he uses the word for children instead of little ones. Little ones could be children but is more likely to be used for the poor or the outcast. We always hear about organized crime sending people to the deep with cement shoes. Jesus instead uses the weight of a millstone but the result would be the same. In Jesus time the sea or the deep was the place where satan dwelled.


As I read and study scripture I become convinced again and again that the Lord of my life will hold me responsible if I do not do everything in my power to take care of the poor, the widows and orphans and the outcast. He looks at me personally, but even more important spoke collectively about the Pharisees, Sadducees, Levites and Herodians. If whole groups holding power deprive those they know are in need Jesus has spoken the same way about the consequences. 


I am satisfied with my personal response to the poor, but I wonder how much I neglect my obligation as a Christian to influence the power structures of my day. I want to avoid my cement shoes.

Proper Perspective

John 3:28-30  You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him. He who has the bride is the bridegroom; the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice; therefore this joy of mine is now full. He must increase, but I must decrease.” 


John was so happy to have seen the one to come after him; the one he calls the bridegroom. John puts himself in the role of best man, the one who stands and hears the bridegroom. The best man has a nice important role but once the marriage is is complete he fades away and his importance diminishes. I admire John because he had the popularity to have claimed the lead role. He could have left off that he was there to prepare the way for the one whose sandals he was not fit to untie. He could have claimed he was the one to baptize with the Holy Spirit and power. Claiming to be first and best is more common than the opposite.


You can even take that attitude one more step. He not only accepted that he was not intended to be the best and highest, but he saw that his importance must decrease while Jesus importance was to increase. 


We can fall prey to two equal and opposite flaws. One is to accept an identity that is less than God intended. We are the brothers and sisters of Christ adopted into the family by life death and resurrection of Jesus and our belief in him. Seeing ourselves as less than that denies God's will for us. The other is to elevate our identity to the point that we pretend we have no need of God. We become God of the domain by denying God his proper place. 


I'd rather be like John the Baptist and know who I am and where I fit in God's plan.

Servant Of All

Mark 9:30-35  They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have anyone know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to ask him. And they came to Caperna-um; and when he was in the house he asked them,“What were you discussing on the way?” But they were silent; for on the way they had discussed with one another who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” 

Before the resurrection you can imagine the disciples being taught by their master that the unimaginable was going to happen. They had seen wonders and miracles including Jesus raising the dead, but to have a dead person rise from the dead on their own, that was impossible to comprehend. These people had put all their marbles in Jesus camp and they were afraid of some of his teaching. We read elsewhere that his family came to get him because they were told he was talking crazy. What would you have thought if someone told you they would rise from the dead? They couldn't deny everything they had seen and heard while following Jesus, but what could they do with this? I'm not sure about the disciples discussion about who was the greatest, but many have thought they were talking about the greatest among them. The word was in who was the greatest makes me think they were talking about the other leaders and prophets of Israel.

Jesus doesn't follow with a convincing discussion of his future rising from the dead. I think he knew that was not going to help. He instead takes up the topic of the greatest. He responds that the greatest must be servant of all. All the other leaders were servants of those that were their contemporaries, but Jesus in his dying and rising again was to be the servant of all. Jesus provided the possibility of salvation for all humanity through his willing surrender to his death upon the cross. He is the only one who has been or will be servant of all. Jesus is unique in history, the one and only servant of all.

My Life, My Cross

Mark 8:36-37  For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life?


My life? What can I give for my life? The gospel account does not seem to refer to biological life. It hits me as if Jesus is referring strictly to eternal life. The passage has within it that element of self-sacrifice in the portion before my pick he speaks of our need to daily pick up our cross and follow him. At times my focus is on the purpose of the cross as an instrument of death, but we could only do that once not daily. I've found that life, the good life, happens more when I am looking at caring for others than it does when I'm looking to take care of me. I prefer that quality of life even if at moments it feels very heavy with the burdens I share with others. I'm not looking for profit at those moments but rather trying to live out my purpose. 


It was Jesus who gave for my life. I can claim my own salvation in some self-focused life, even if that is a life serving others, and I will miss the point. My true life is found in my focus on Jesus. It is when I am not trying to look out for me, but when I'm clearly taking up my cross through the grace of the Holy Spirit and continuing the work of Jesus in spreading his love to the needy. Daily the opportunities are there before me to gain the world and lose my life, or deny myself and find abundant life. 

Once More Please

Mark 8:23-25  And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the village; and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands upon him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” And he looked up and said, “I see men; but they look like trees, walking.” Then again he laid his hands upon his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and saw everything clearly. 


I always loved this particular gospel account. Jesus laid hands upon this guy twice to achieve a complete healing. It gives me hreat encouragement when I pray for the Holy Spirit to heal someone that the goal may not be achieved at least not instantly or at least as I had pictured it. I'm not saying that the issue in this healing has to do with Jesus. I'm sure the problem was a blockage in the blind man. I have known in my own case of times when God wanted to heal me and I became the block. Some of those had to do with my character and how it impacted relationships. God knew I needed some radical adjustments but I was resistant. Maybe in some areas I still resist. 


Really this account makes me know that Jesus will not give up on me even if it takes many attempts to make me whole. Like the blind man I can depend on Jesus meeting me again and again at my points of need and he will achieve as much of the goal as I allow. He then will patiently wait for the next opportunity to touch me with his blessings and grace. 


I pray we can all let the Lord work for us again and again.