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The Trouble Tree

Focus Scripture – Matthew 6:25-34

Reflections on Today’s Scripture

While taking a class in Pastoral Care, one of my classmates shared this story. He told me it would be all right if I shared it with others for the good of the order. Thanks, Elbert!

“The Trouble Tree”

The carpenter who was hired to help a man restore an old farmhouse had just finished his first day on the job, and everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong. First of all, on his way to work, he had a flat tire that cost him an hour’s worth of pay. Then his electric saw broke, and after work, his old pickup truck refused to start.

His new boss volunteered to give him a lift home, and the whole way to his house the carpenter sat in stone silence as he stared out his window. Yet on arriving, he invited his boss in for a few minutes to meet his family. As they walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. When he opened the door, he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was one big smile as he hugged his two small children and kissed his wife.

Afterward, the man walked his boss to his car to say thank you. Now on their way out of the house, the boss’s curiosity got the best of him. So, he had to ask the man about the tree on the front porch.

He said, “I noticed when you came up onto the porch before going into your house you stopped and touched the tree, why?”

“Oh, that’s my trouble tree,” the man replied. “I know I can’t stop from having troubles out on the job, but one thing’s for sure – my troubles don’t belong in the house with my wife and children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home. Then, in the morning, I pick them up again. Funny thing is,” he smiled, “when I come out in the morning to pick ‘em up, they aren’t nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.”

Prayer Response

Awesome God, thank you for reminding us that there is no need to worry. You’ve got this! Amen.

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Paths of Righteousness

Focus Scripture – Psalm 23:1-3

Reflections on Today’s Word

As the psalmist states, the Lord is our shepherd who guides us down the paths of righteousness for the sake of the Beloved. If we listen carefully, the shepherd’s voice will lead us over mountains, through valleys, and across rough terrain. All for the sake of love – a critical variable in the equation of right relationships.  There’s something about equations — they tend to need balance.

Did you know that love is positively correlated with a whole range of other virtues? The greater the love, the greater the peace. The greater the love, the greater the hope. The greater the love, the greater the justice. When Love, Peace, Hope, and Justice exist in right relationship with one another, we have arrived at a place of righteousness.

But wait! It is true; these variables contribute to Righteousness, but they don’t make up the whole of it. You see, the equation is not yet balanced unless we add Grace as the unknown variable. Grace accounts for all the things we cannot know. Our troubled waters become still. Our bodies are refreshed. Our souls are restored. We thrive in the presence of Love. And Justice becomes a real possibility.

When the unknowns are accounted for by Grace, we can dwell in a state of wholeness and balance forever.

Prayer Response

God, thank you for leading us down paths of righteousness because you love us. Thank you for balancing life’s equations with your Grace. Amen.

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The Power At Work

Scripture Focus for Today

Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

 Psalm 18:16-17  16 He reached down from on high, he took me; he drew me out of mighty waters. 17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.

Reflections on Scripture

The phrase that jumped off the page for me as I read today’s scripture was “he delivered me from those who were too mighty for me.” Many people are apprehensive about the current situation being played out in the Middle East. We find ourselves in a situation of uncertainty about the consequences that might accrue when one nation initiates an act of aggression against another nation that has little tolerance for our ideologies and policies. We’re asking ourselves, “Will there be war?” “How long will this back-and-forth retaliation go on?” “How long will the political leaders continue to disregard the broad implications of their actions?”

Some people believe that we have only a few physical options at our disposal, including our capacity to vote and raise our voices in dissent. Both of these options are critical. Even so, these people are on the verge of a panic about the destructive potential of superpowers who threaten to destroy us.

Then, there are those of us who believe in exercising our spiritual options. We believe that God is greater than the “powers that be” on this earth. We believe that God will move in God’s own way and time to deal with this turbulence. God is our deliverer who will speak stillness into our spiritual unrest. Our God will reach down from on high and draw us out of mighty waters.

Prayer Response

Almighty God, nothing is too hard for you. We believe that You will move in this situation with Your powerful hand. You will act exceedingly and abundantly beyond what we could ask or even imagine. You are in control. And we give you all the glory. Amen.