There are many things about the Church here in Southeast Asia that are surprising to me, and quite different from my Northeast United States of American context back home. I expected that. I did not expect what those things would be.
Author: Aaron
Today we thank you, O God, for the gift of electrical fuses. As you know, I was awakened by the sound of one breaking in my CPAP machine’s power supply. I suspect it will be a week of miserable sleep as I wait for a replacement to arrive. But better to lose sleep than to be in the middle of an electrical fire. So thanks for that. Amen.
Ordinary Days After Easter
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
[He is risen indeed! Alleluia!]
Good. Now that’s over with. I mean, sure. It’s still the Easter season, and it’s Good News, sure. But it is worth taking a moment to notice that Easter isn’t always full of joy for everyone. Alleluia, we say. Christ is risen, we say. And so he is. But not everybody feels like resurrection.
Continue readingToday we thank you, O God, that the generic brand at the grocery store seems to think it is appropriate to put “smooth milk chocolate curls” in with my “honey nut clusters” breakfast cereal. Because seriously, the only thing better than having dessert for breakfast is pretending, with some legitimacy, that it’s not dessert. Amen.
Today we thank you, O God, for the resurrection dawn, which makes all things new. To me, even the lizards seem to sing your praise today. And why not? I somehow suspect that they know, even better than we do, that Jesus lives. After all, we need the revelation of scripture to know it; but they just know. And even on earth, it gives them wings. May we come to know you so deeply, O God, that we too might see our own resurrection wings. Amen.
God is in His Holy Temple
Sermon for Maundy Thursday on Ezekiel 1 and John 13:1–17, 31b–35. Proclaimed at Semenari Theoloji Malaysia.
Bear Creek Camp is the largest of the Lutheran Outdoor Ministries in America. Over twelve square kilometers of forest are there, with rivers, swampland, mountains, and incredible wildlife. Starting when I was just six years old, I spent eleven joyful summers there, playing games and going on hikes and falling in love with God’s creation. It is the place I first learned about God’s unconditional love for each person and thing that He made, and not just from studies and good talk. In my group, I was always the one in the back. The fat kid who never exercised and couldn’t keep up with everyone else. The distracted kid who was too busy looking at the bugs and rocks and ferns to realize that the rest of the campers were hundreds of meters ahead. In any other place, the other children would have hated me. But here, I never felt like a burden, and I always felt like I mattered. Like I really was the beloved child of God that they said I became when I was Baptized.
Today I was going to thank you for something silly, O God. But then I spent the afternoon and evening with some wonderful people. I didn’t know how badly I needed some social time until I saw how wonderful it was. So instead, O God, we thank you for them, and for surrounding us with people of love who labor for the wellbeing of your Church and your creation. I am grateful to have them in my life. Amen.
Today we thank you, O God, for the almost daily thunderstorms. They are truly beautiful. (Even if my clothes on the line were almost dry before this last one.) Amen.
Today we thank you, O God, for the persistence and strength of people who want to serve You. Particularly I think of some Lutheran pastors in this country, who must undergo two seminary degrees and two long interim pastorates before their ordination. I think most Americans wouldn’t tolerate twelve years of pastoral formation before the institutional church allowed them to approach the sacrament. Their patient, hardworking faith knocks me over. Thank you for their witness to the value of your ministry. Amen.
Today we thank you, O God, for the Grab (Uber) driver who let me speak Malay with him. First time I had a real conversation and I did pretty well! Seronoknya! Amen.