Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Posts tagged ‘pain’

Looking for Tranquility?

Sermon by Pastor Jean Johnson
Madison Valley Presbyterian Church
Ennis, Montana
Based on scripture – Mark 10:35-45
Notes by JanBeek –  October 21, 2012

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Are you looking for tranquility?
Is the church your source of peaceful speech?
Is Jesus Christ the answer to all your troubles, friend?
If you itch or hurt, can the church’s arms reach?

Jesus’ disciples, James and John, believed
Sitting at Christ’s side was their goal.
Rubbing elbows with God would produce
Peace and comfort to fill every hole.

Jesus told His disciples they were clueless.
They didn’t understand the pain He’d endure.
They told Him, “Yes, we can drink of Your cup.
We can be baptized with You, oh sure!”

Were they really able to share it all?
Like them, we need to understand:
Following requires sharing the suffering,
Living with the pain discipleship demands.

To proclaim the Good News is to tell
The Truth of what God’s message includes.
Walking and talking like Jesus means
Nails and the cross, as well as the love He exudes.

Are you looking for tranquility?
Is the Peace of Christ what you need?
Remember that path is rough and tough.
But the pain is worth the cost –  indeed!

Category:

Faith, Living in Christ's Family, Sharing

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God Shares

God cares! I know God cares for you and for me. So, when I read the sermon title this morning, “God’s Problem,” I listened carefully to discern what our reverend thought God’s problem might be. Immediately, my mind went to, “Hmm… maybe it’s me!” Then, I remembered that even though I may be a problem to God because God cares so much for me, ultimately, it’s not all about me. God has much larger cares than me and my problems! I know God hears my prayers and understands my burdens… so, with that mind-set, I took pen in hand and wrote my typical sermon notes – in poetry. The reverend had read Job 1:1 and Job 2:1-10. Her sermon was in that Job context. Through my filter, this is the message I gleaned from today’s sermon:

God Shares

I cast all of my burdens upon God.
I see all of the troubles around –
The suffering, the pain, the sin –
I hear the tragic cry, the sad sound.

I question why there needs to be pain.
I ask God why it has to be this way.
He doesn’t say; I hear no word –
I see too much suffering today.

So, what am I to do with this pain?
How can I alleviate suffering for you?
God doesn’t say that’s mine to do –
He says, “Relax, the suffering’s there. I see it, too.”

I cast all of your cares upon God.
I can’t control what happens to you.
I see your trouble; I feel your pain –
I realize that God feels it, too.

So what can you do with your pain?
How can you stand the suffering? Unfair!
Submit to God. Let God alone
Do what the Almighty does:  SHARE.

He takes all your cares.  Welcome Home!

 

OK, the question remains: What is God’s Problem? I may have changed the sermon title to fit my filter, but the reverend read the Job passages and decided God had a problem. Did God have a problem? DOES God have a problem today? I think God’s problem comes when we don’t know how much God cares and we don’t share our troubles with Him. We don’t cast all our burdens on God. We think He has “much larger cares than me and my problems,” and so we don’t want to burden Him. That becomes a problem for God, don’t you think? How can He share if we don’t? What do you think? Does God have a problem?

 

 

Category:

Sharing

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