Faith, Grace, and Hope

  “Be still, and know that I am God!   I am exalted among the nations,   I am exalted in the earth.” - Psalm 46:10 In discussing this verse with a friend today, it occurs to me how undervalued stillness is in many Christian traditions. In my experience, stillness can be a struggle because people find it difficult to quiet their minds from racing thoughts, pressing needs, and clamoring desires. The inability to be still or have a quiet mind then becomes a source of shame or guilt, instead of its own reflection point.  In the Lutheran tradition, we value the tension that plays between positive and negative construction. This is most clearly evident in our interpretation of the 10 Commandments. While the written word is in the negative construction, " do not do this ", the interpretation includes a positive construction, "Instead, do this". Is there a way to put both positive and negative construction on stillness?  Positive: Being still will help me draw closer to...

All Saints 2020 Readings: Revelation 7:9-17; Matthew 5:1-12 Revelation 6:15-17   Then the kings of the earth, the officials and the generals, the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in caves and in the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one seated on the throne and from the Lamb’s wrath! The great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”   Who is able to stand?    It’s a fair question. In the vision of the Revelator, six of the seven seals have been opened. Famine, war, pestilence, and death have spread through the earth. All of the natural worlds are acting unnaturally. And then- the kings of the earth, the officials and the generals, the rich and the powerful, and everyone else- enslaved and free- hides from what is happening, and they cry out to the mountains and the rocks- who is able to stand?     They cry out to the mountains an...