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| ps from ps… Grace changes everything! We say it. Most times, we believe it. But what tangible difference does it make in our day-to-day lifestyle. Enjoy some reflections from Ryan, one of our new missionaries at St. Paul’s, as he reflects on the grace he has received and how it’s shaping his days. You can see his video HERE. Lord, help me to let the grace you give me impact the dailyness of my life. Amen Still in One Peace ps |
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| ps from ps… So this week’s text in church is from Mark 10 and it involves Jesus speaking about divorce. It’s a tough text to preach on. Then I got home from my run this morning and found last week’s “Refresh” section of the Buffalo News opened to this article laying on the counter. “Uh-oh!” I thought. The article is titled “Unhappy During Uncertain Times”. “Is Michelle subtly trying to tell me something??” Turns out she was going to share it with a client of hers and she’ll allow me to keep living in the house. So it’s all going to work out. But between Jesus bringing it up and me seeing this article on the counter, it was a clear reminder to me that marriage take a lot of work! And sometimes the gift that marriage is can be put on the back burner and that’s just one way that this gift can start to go south. Michelle and I have told one another multiple times that we have been guilty of letting that happen. Kids. Jobs. Health. Other fun stuff. Other hard stuff. Other people. All of those things and more can get in the way. I believe it’s why Jesus is speaking about it. Not to condemn but to remind and redirect. Not to quote rules and laws for the sake of guilting, but instead for the opportunity to inspire change, renewal and grace. I know I needed this reminder again today. Maybe you did too. May we hear Jesus speaking about marriage as a gift: one to invest into, a promise to nourish, a pair of imperfect people to be graceful with and a place for forgiveness and grace to become tangible. Lord, help all of us to invest into our relationships of love, especially our marriages. Amen Still in One Peace ps |
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| ps from ps… Happy Fall! It’s a season. It’s a situation. It’s an opportunity. It’s a change. For our devotional space today, I give you a couple options for reflection. You may click on the video of Devo’s on the Go to watch the devotions. Or you may take some time of reflection on fall and faith. Fall the Season – What do you enjoy most about his transition we make today? How is God blessing you right here and now? How does your schedule change and shift to help you see, feel and experience those blessings? Fall the Situation. The Fall. The Original One. In the Garden of Eden. Two naked people, a snake and an apple didn’t work out so good. Left us open to pain, imperfection and loss instead of the utopia we were originally designed for. What’s going on in your broken situation right now? What is God calling you away from? What is God encouraging you not to “eat.” What pivot do you need to make for a more faithful, life-full future? Fall the Opportunity – We trip. And we fall. And it hurts. Unless someone catches us! Who is tripping around you right now? Who’s hurt that you can reach out to? Who/what needs you to catch them? And how can you do that? Fall the Change – Leaves and colors change every moment now. Even in the death of the leaves, beauty is revealed. Their change is a moment of blessing for us. How can you take some time to enjoy that change in creation and in life? What changes that you are in the midst of might also be releasing blessings? Let us enter into fall today: the season, the situation, the opportunity and the change. And feel God’s blessing the whole way. Still in One Peace ps |
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| ps from ps… Well, What Would Jesus UnDo? Probably more than we think! At St. Paul’s and through WNY Church Unleashed in the month of September, we’ve been reflecting on the idea that Jesus doesn’t want us to just “add” things to our lives. Jesus also gives clear directives that we’re supposed to “undo” some things as well. In the past couple weeks, he’s spoke pretty clearly about undoing stigmas, stereotypes and faint hearted discipleship. And now we’ll hear this weekend that he wants us to undo the world’s understanding of greatness. See in Mark’s gospel (chapter 9), just after telling the disciples that he’s going to give his life for the sake of the world, they start arguing among themselves about who is the greatest. I just read a professor say that “Jesus’ disciples are so dense the light actually bends around them.” Yeah, they don’t get it sometimes. And if we’re honest, neither do we. So he grabs a child and puts that child in the highest point of honor. One to be welcomed. When one of our important friends come over to our homes, we clean up, buy food, throw a party and make sure everything is solid. But if the kids are having one of their friends over, nothing really changes and maybe we break out some frozen pizza bites. But that’s not the way Jesus wants it. The least should/shall be welcomed. The greatest are the ones that no one at that time would expect. You want to be great? Then clean up the house and kill the fatted calf for the least, little, lonely, lost and left behind. That’s what greatness looks like in Jesus’ eyes. Take time this week to look around at what “greatness” is highlighted in our everyday culture. Who is ordained to be the most important and what “child” is cast aside? And as you notice those misunderstandings of greatness (from Jesus’ perspective), how can you UnDo them? How can you welcome someone differently than the world does? Next week on Monday, we will restart God on Tap. It’s an hour of great conversation, prayer, discussions, disagreements and usually accompanied by a pint or two if that’s your thing. This month, we’ll start to take more time to name more of the things that Jesus would UnDo and see the Biblical stories where he spoke to it. Bring yours with you! What do you think Jesus would UnDo and have you heard/read a Bible story that speaks to that? Enjoy your week of looking at greatness through Jesus’ eyes. May you see another piece of daily life that Jesus just might UnDo! Lord, help me see what Jesus needs me to see. Amen Still in One Peace ps |
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| ps from ps… Well you had to know that my first written Devo’s back in the fall would have some sort of tie in to the soon to be Super Bowl Champion Buffalo Bills. If you didn’t, let me introduce myself: I’m Steve Biegner, Bills fans. Been one for life. Fairly passionate about this team and region. Was thrilled to restart going to games when I returned to the city in 2002, after taking a brief nine year break while living in other parts of the country (SC, NC, Adirondacks…known as distant suburbs of Buffalo). My sister Chris has been in a tough spot though. After college, she went right from Buffalo to Boston and has lived there for a whole pile of years. Boston is the home of the dreaded New England Patriots. Whom I passionately dislike. A lot. The Bills and Patriots play one another twice a year. And on those two Sundays, my sister has a choice to make. For whom do I root? Now she tells me on the phone that it’s clearly for the Bills. HOWEVER, on at least one occasion I was blown away to find that under her Bills jersey…..should would wear a Patriots shirt. Incredible. Hurtful. Sinful. (OK, some may disagree with me on one out of the last three words.) Was she all in or not? Just a few years before the Bills/Patriots rivalry began, Jesus said to his disciples: “Those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, will save it!” (Matthew 8:27-38) Were they all in or not? He invited them to “Follow me.” Get behind me and learn from me. Watch what I do. See where I go. Experience what I conquer through giving my life for you. Were they all-in on that? Or did they have their “Amen Jesus” jersey on top and a “I’m not so sure of this” t-shirt underneath? Do I? Do you? If I’m honest with you, I’ve worn the “two shirts” more than I care to admit. I have a cross around my neck, and then have acted life a jerk to my family. I’m holding the “Jesus is #1” foam finger, and then not sharing my financial resources enough. I’m preaching on Sundays about welcoming the stranger, and then not preparing the church enough on Monday-Saturday to potentially help Afghan refuges coming into 716. How many shirts am I wearing?? And yet the grace-filled, forgiving Savior continues to say to me: “Follow me Steve.” I’ve been invited to follow this all-in Savior. And I’ve been invited to an all-in lifestyle. And that type of “all-in-ness” doesn’t match the way our culture normally does stuff now. So it’s hard. But it is possible. So let me invite you to take some time of reflection this week asking yourself: am I wearing multiple shirts? Am I ready to bail at a moment’s notice? Where is faith easy and am I ready when it’s hard? And do I fully realize how “all-in” Jesus was for me? This might be hard. But it’s possible. Lord, thank you for the invitation. Help me fully live into it. Amen 2 PPS’s from PS 9/11 – My guess is that you will see an increased amount of media this week on the coverage of 9/11/2001. Please be smart and know what is healthy for you and what level will bring up challenging emotions. Surround yourself with love this week. Remember with me the 343 and the thousands of others that died and their families that were changed forever. And shut media off if it’s too much! |
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