Dear Friends in Christ,
I was sitting at a stoplight, fingering my way through the Psalms. I was going to be
right on time for Confirmation Class and Psalm 91 was the basis for our opening
prayer. I had thought I’d have plenty of time, but was instead called back to the
nursing home where one of Salem’s saints had just died. We had prayed for God’s
blessing on her, on all those gathered in that circle, and on all those traveling to join
them. And then, for me, I found I had to get back to the usual Wednesday routine.
So I sat at the stoplight and opened to Psalm 91 and found myself more surprised
than I should have been at how the words spoke to me in that moment. I was
especially struck by this:
“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all
your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not
dash your foot against a stone.” (Psalm 91:11-12)
I shook my head to think that no more fitting words had ever been spoken than those
for a family who had walked the journey they had in those hours. God’s promise of
God’s protection is a wondrous one.
It happens more often than not. God’s Holy Word comes to us --- not always by our
own planning, but rather by God’s design. It seems as though Gods’ Word chooses
us, rather than our doing the choosing.
Over these next several weeks, Salem members and friends are invited to experience
the wonder of this first hand. Those who choose to sign up to contribute to our
summer daily devotional (to be shared with the congregation) will choose a date
between June 15th and August 15th. Then you will be given the ‘assigned’ scripture
passages for that day. You will be encouraged to read through them, settling on one
that especially seems to speak to you, your life situation, or the world as you see it.
Next you would carry it with you for a few days, pulling it out at various time,
always asking what it says to you now. Finally, you would be asked to put those
thoughts down on paper and returned by May 16th. It could be in the form of a
story, a few sentences of comments, or even some questions. All sixty ‘devotions’
will be compiled by Darlene Orth (d.orth@mchsi.com) and distributed to the
congregation to be shared over the coming months.
It sounds risky, doesn’t it? To be asked to write something about a passage you
haven’t chosen? Still, I would encourage you to allow yourself to be surprised by
how God will speak to you in unexpected ways. For God always does…
Peace to you and many blessings,
Pastor Janet