My Faith Pondering
Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Week 6 of Easter – Year 1
AM Psalm 119:97-120 Baruch 3:24-37; James 5:13-18; Luke 12:22-31
“Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.” (James 5: 13 – 14)
Truthfully, I like all of James’s letter. Today’s reading of James is timely for me as it falls on a Wednesday, our healing day at St. Paul’s. While I’m not using the Daily Office for today it still resonates within my mind as I conduct the anointing of oil and the prayers. I also like the instruction to pray when suffering and to sing songs of praise when cheerful. I asked people, clergy and lay, if they could point out someone in the Bible to me that they saw as cheerful. Most of scripture is dreadful, at least to me. Yes, I know Jesus reclined at table on many occasions. But most of the biblical persons are prophets who warn of the “wrath to come” or of the impending dread about to fall on us.
Joseph, son of Jacob/Israel and Rachel, was a cheerful person. Of course it almost got him killed by his brothers, whose ancestors will represent the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph wound up being the salvation of his brothers (Gen. 30 – 50) by making a space for them in Egypt. Joseph appears to be an optimist and a cheerful person who brought good news to the people of his day including the advice to store up provisions for the future. In the end, he received his father and brothers with loving arms and tears. Yes, he was a trickster too, but he was a joyful person.
My Fitness Pondering
This morning was one of those “make myself do it” mornings. Now that it’s done I am pretty proud of myself. I meet people all the time who say they admire and respect the way I get up and work out but will not respect themselves the same way. I have found that when we have an appointment with a doctor or job interview, or just a lunch date, we will keep it. We need to put ourselves on our own calendar to exercise and keep this all important appointment. When you do it and keep the appointment to exercise you too will be pretty proud of yourself.
My Music Pondering
Sometimes it is boring playing the piano. But it is during these times that I must press on to play anyway. When I make myself play, it winds up being a good practice. It just takes perseverance. I find that when my mind says that’s enough, my fingers learn new stuff. I think I am developing a type of muscle memory in my fingers as they relate to the keyboard. Go Me!
Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through (and to) the people of the Creating Word and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty can do.” John Thomas Frazier Sr.
