Daily Devotion

Psalm 103:1 – Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless God’s holy name

Weekly the staff gathers via ZOOM to meet.  As we met last Tuesday, I felt a great sadness knowing I would not be sharing Holy Week and Easter with the people of GSLC and the staff like I had for the last 30 years.  On Maundy Thursday, Steve and I celebrated meagerly because we, like many Cincinnatians were without power.  Good Friday came and still no power, but I felt a nudge from God to acknowledge my sadness and lean into the invitation to experience Good Friday in a new way.  Once again Steve and I worshipped using the GSLC service for Good Friday but then I “walked” the stations of the cross on the island of Iona in Scotland where I spent part of my Sabbatical.  It was very meaningful experience.

            Finally, Easter arrived.  I did not get up early and I felt blessed by many things that day such as making Easter Breakfast, worshipping using ALL the Good Shepherd resources,  seeing all the posts of members, family and friends celebrating Easter  and acknowledging Christ is risen, and eating Easter dinner with Charissa over FaceTime.   Yes, what I thought would be difficult turned out to be a blessing after all. 

            Barbara Brown Taylor, in her book, An Altar in the World, writes about pronouncing blessings.  She says the first thing we need to do to pronounce a blessing is to pay attention. Next she writes, the key to blessing things is to know that they beat us to it.  The key to blessings things is to first receive their blessing.  And finally, she writes that to pronounce a blessing also requires of us to ease up on holding the line between what is bad and what is good.  We may not always be smart enough to tell the difference between the two.  So, blessing something may just cover our ignorance and seed our curiosity all at the same time and help us lean into what life has brought our way.

             So, on this side of Easter I realize, there are truly 10,000 reasons to bless the Lord each every day.

Question:
What was one unexpected blessing you or your family received this Easter?  How did it help you bless the LORD?

In Christ,

Pastor Pat
 

2 comments on article "Daily Devotion"

LeeAnn Wilton

I am blessed that none of my extended family and friends have the virus, truest blessed

LeeAnn Wilton

4/14/2020 11:43 AM

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Laurie Boisclair

I invited all 5 of our boys, daughter in-laws, family & grandkids to join our 1st Zoom Meeting. So Blessed to bring family together from Rhode Island to San Francisco..so blessed for family!.

4/14/2020 9:31 PM

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