Word for Today

From Revelation 21:

 ⁵And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true."  ⁶Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.

The artwork here is titled "Liminal Air" by Shinji Ohmakidi Shinji. 

I think this is a good opportunity to talk about "liminality." 

Today is All Hallows Eve, a night that some talk about as if there is a crack in the border between the spirit world and the world we know better. This coming Sunday is All Saints Sunday, an opportunity to remember those who came before us and who also entered eternal rest before us. These are occasions when we recognize that we are on the edge of something. The threshold.

What is "liminality?" Surely not a word we use every day (but I challenge you to find an opportunity to use it today, tonight or tomorrow!), this is the concept of being on the threshold between. Between familiarity and un-familiarity.

How many times have you thought to yourself, "I'm not sure how this is going to go, but here I go"? How many times do you think nervously into the future, spinning scenarios until you're dizzy? There  is something inside us that detects we are on the edge, the edge of what? We don't yet know. I believe people and organizations, when they take on risk, can realize there is something energizing about that openness. Liminality. We are at a liminal moment.

Scripture here from Revelation 21 points to Jesus Christ, the one who has passed through the threshold. "I am the start and the stop, the 'A' and 'Z', the beginning and the end," he says to us. Quite a bold statement, but one I sorely need to hear! When I don't know what's past the threshold, Jesus is there. When I review where I've been, Jesus is there. When I notice I'm having a liminal moment, I would do well remembering that the threshold IS the very throne of Jesus.

Blessings! Let's stand at the threshold together.

Pastor James Aalgaard

St. Paul Lutheran Church

Word for Today

Words can at times Inhibit the Word

From Isaiah 53,

  ⁷He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,

yet he did not open his mouth;

like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,

and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,

so he did not open his mouth.

There are portions of the books of Isaiah that are called the "Servant Songs." This is one of the most well-known among Christians. We wear Jesus-Lenses throughout life, and so we see this described servant as a match for our Lord. 

How striking it is, that when the servant gave himself up, he spoke not a word, he did not even open his mouth.

When we hear something very startling, we too at times can't even open our mouths. Or we open them, but nothing comes out. Isaiah's suffering servant doesn't open his mouth because in part he needed to give himself entirely to the sacrifice. The experience of the sacrifice was too intense for words. The noise of no sound was louder than any word spoken.

There are times when silence is necessary, and there are times when we cannot be silent. In the moment the Lamb of God went to the Shearer, there needed to be silence, so the Good News could be heard loud and clear. In the quietness there, we can hear the very voice of God:

I love you.

James Aalgaard, pastor, St. Paul Lutheran Church

Word for Today

From Hebrews 4

¹⁴Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.  ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.  ¹⁶Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Disney Pixar's "Up"

Dear friends, what happens when dreams change? What happens to your dream when the one who dreamt it with you is gone?

This was the situation for Mr. Carl Fredriksen. He is the best animated grumpy old man ever. Carl had one love, and that was his energetic wife Ellie. They had created a dream together, to travel to a certain point in South America when they had saved enough pennies. It was going to be an adventure. An adventure for two. They even started a book of adventures that had plenty of extra pages.

But as time went on, the car needed new tires. The house needed a new roof. Their dream was nickeled-and-dimed away. Finally, sadly, Ellie dies. (Carl's grumpiness really kicks in here, and for good reason). By the way, I triple-dog dare you to watch that opening sequence of the movie "Up" and come out of it with dry eyes.

In his lingering grief, Carl's world narrows around him, squeezes his understanding of self and neighbor until finally instead of cracking, he elevates. Carl and his house flee the stresses of life. He has attached hundreds of balloons filled with helium to his house, and literally floats away. He is on his way toward the adventure he and Ellie had spent their life planning.

Un-planned-for companions along the way make his adventure more complicated, and to make a long story very very short, Carl learns that he can create new adventures, especially since the first one wasn't going to work out. In fact his cherished book of Adventures had more entries than he knew. Before she died, Ellie had written there that she was thankful for every moment of that adventure of their life together. Now, she wrote, go make some of your own.

The writer of Hebrews lets us know there is One who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Christ. In EVERY respect, Jesus is able to sympathize with the death of our dreams, adventures never taken. In so doing, his death and resurrection become an adventure inside each of us. The wonder of it all, is the amazing array of unlikely companions we have now, with whom we dream.

Pastor James Aalgaard
St. Paul Lutheran Church

"Joy is a net of love that can catch souls" (Mother Teresa)

Word for Today

From Hebrews 4

¹⁴Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.  ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.  ¹⁶Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Disney Pixar's "Up"

Dear friends, what happens when dreams change? What happens to your dream when the one who dreamt it with you is gone?

This was the situation for Mr. Carl Fredriksen. He is the best animated grumpy old man ever. Carl had one love, and that was his energetic wife Ellie. They had created a dream together, to travel to a certain point in South America when they had saved enough pennies. It was going to be an adventure. An adventure for two. They even started a book of adventures that had plenty of extra pages.

But as time went on, the car needed new tires. The house needed a new roof. Their dream was nickeled-and-dimed away. Finally, sadly, Ellie dies. (Carl's grumpiness really kicks in here, and for good reason). By the way, I triple-dog dare you to watch that opening sequence of the movie "Up" and come out of it with dry eyes.

In his lingering grief, Carl's world narrows around him, squeezes his understanding of self and neighbor until finally instead of cracking, he elevates. Carl and his house flee the stresses of life. He has attached hundreds of balloons filled with helium to his house, and literally floats away. He is on his way toward the adventure he and Ellie had spent their life planning.

Un-planned-for companions along the way make his adventure more complicated, and to make a long story very very short, Carl learns that he can create new adventures, especially since the first one wasn't going to work out. In fact his cherished book of Adventures had more entries than he knew. Before she died, Ellie had written there that she was thankful for every moment of that adventure of their life together. Now, she wrote, go make some of your own.

The writer of Hebrews lets us know there is One who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Christ. In EVERY respect, Jesus is able to sympathize with the death of our dreams, adventures never taken. In so doing, his death and resurrection become an adventure inside each of us. The wonder of it all, is the amazing array of unlikely companions we have now, with whom we dream.

Pastor James Aalgaard
St. Paul Lutheran Church

"Joy is a net of love that can catch souls" (Mother Teresa)

Word for Today

From "Evangelical Lutheran Worship": Let us pray... Sovereign God, you have created us to live in loving community with one another. Form us for life that is faithful and steadfast, and teach us to trust like little children, that we may reflect the image of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

from Psalm 8:

¹O LORD our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!—

²you whose glory is chanted above the heavens

 out of the mouths of infants and children;

you have set up a fortress against your enemies,

to silence the foe and avenger.

From Mark 10

¹³People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them.  ¹⁴But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.  ¹⁵Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it."  ¹⁶And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

What are the characteristics of a child that YOU would like to have toward your Lord? Let me know what you come up with!

I would like  to assume that Jesus is a friend of mine.

Pastor James Aalgaard
St. Paul Lutheran Church