From A Pastor Prays for His People by Wendell C. Hawley

Eternal God, everlasting Father,
Great and marvelous are your works.
When we really contemplate you as Creator and sustainer of all things,
we are overawed by your greatness.
The flowers of the field are of greater beauty than Solomon in all his glory,
The sparrow is the recipient of your provision,
the object of your watch and care.
Nations and rulers are in place at your will and by your decree.
Events totally beyond our control
are subject to your purpose and determined will.
And in between sparrows and nations,
you extend your providential care to your children.

You, O God, asked Abraham: "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"
We need to have such truth reinforced in our thinking--
for the enemy of our souls besieges us with doubts
about your involvement in our lives.
We are overwhelmed with contrary circumstances,
and we are sometimes almost drowning in despair.
We confess that we have almost made security and money our idols,
thinking that investments and governments would see us through.
Now we need to realize there is absolutely no security except in you.
You, Father God, are our secure provision.

We need to pray and praise like Mary,
The Lord took notice of his servant and has done great things for me.

May that be our testimony this day.

Amen.

Sleight of Hand by Lorraine Triggs

I have a friend who is an avid birder. When I am at her house, we look out her kitchen window as she explains what birds are attracted to what feeders and flowers. I point out the antics of the crazy squirrel dangling from the green feeder that looks like a lantern.

I thought of her when I glanced at a recent feature in the New York Times titled, “Magic Tricks May Fool You, but These Birds Can See Through Them.” Even if I didn’t read it, I could send her the link.

Turns out, I read the article and now have a newly found respect for Eurasian jay birds. Researchers discovered that these jay birds are not fooled by the sleight of hand tricks that typically trick humans, even the old standby of the coin is in the left hand, now it’s in the right.

The researcher featured in the article performed three hand-to-hand tricks using worms for his feathered friends. One trick—the palm transfer—didn’t fool the jays at all. However, the human audiences were deceived by the trick.

What made the difference?

Humans focused on the human and his hands; the birds focused on the worm and picked whichever hand they had last seen it in. The birds weren’t fooled; they kept their eyes on the prize—the worm. The humans? Well, the humans did what humans do—they keep their eyes on each other, not the worm—which, according to the writer, was not the intended prize for the humans.

Perhaps another worm, the one humans mocked and scorned, is the prize.

I would do better to keep my eyes on that worm of a man, a dying man, one who had no reason to be in trouble yet loved me enough to give me the greatest prize ever.

Instead of zeroing in on this prize, I so easily turn life into an endless palm transfer magic trick, and keep my eyes on the human hands of magician-like siblings, neighbors, celebrities, politicians or friends. And then I do what humans do—compare myself to them—look at what they have that I don’t or I'm glad I don't have to face whatever. It’s either self-pity or pride. It’s about self-love that isn’t all that original of a sin.

I wonder if Psalm 22:6 was running through Jesus’ mind (“But I am a worm . . .”) when he told his disciples to “Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:26) If those birds were Eurasian jays, you better believe they happily received food from the heavenly Father. Why would they look anywhere else? He held the prized food in his hands.

For us, the prized food is his hands, the nail-scarred rough carpenter hands, the shepherd's. hands that rescue the wayward sheep. Human comparisons fall away. The good news is that life is not an endless game involving sleight of hand. I can entrust myself to hands that hold the universe in place, hands that were held in place on a cross with nails, and hands that lavishly give me all I need: satisfying water, bread and wine, what I need for today and a feast to come.

Memorial Day Prayer

from Wendell C. Hawley’s book, A Pastor Prays for His People.

Gracious God, eternal Father,

Who has created us in your image and whose glory was revealed

in the face of Jesus Christ,

grant us to know Christ and his life,

that the same mind which was in him may be in us.

By your abundant mercy,

we have been born anew to a living hope

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,

kept in heaven for us

where neither rust can corrupt nor thieves break in and steal.

We praise you for such redemption.

You rescued us from the broad road that leads to destruction—

and turned our hearts toward the narrow path that leads heavenward.

Though heaven is our home, we don’t always manifest a heavenly spirit.

For such failures in speech, attitudes, and actions,

we fervently ask for your forgiveness.

Thank you, Father, for forgiveness—full and free.

Now may we heed the Lord’s words:

“Go and sin no more.”

Lord, there are many needs represented in this congregation—

needs greater than our ability to alleviate,

but they are no challenge to you.

This day, may you provide, out of your abundance, sustaining grace

to the grieving,

the lonely,

the financially burdened,

the unemployed,

those who suffer broken relationships,

those in troubling circumstances,

those facing secret battles against almost overwhelming temptations.

Many face debilitating health issues.

Lord, have mercy and grant a healing touch to them.

Father God, we thank you for those of yesteryear who left home and family

to defend our country;

we enjoy the fruit of their sacrifice—we worship you in freedom.

Remember your children worldwide who want to worship you openly,

but dare not.

Grant openness to the gospel in those places of satanic oppression.

Remember those of our extended family required to be in harm’s way

and all our military family.

Keep them from hurt and destruction.

Shield them from all harm.

Enable them to boldly and faithfully live a Christian life,

and may their testimony before fellow soldiers bear eternal fruit.

We pray all conflicts will end speedily

and the gospel’s power will permeate all those troubled lands.

Give divine wisdom to our national leaders

that they may govern in ways that honor you.

Amen.