Thursday, June 18, 2020                    (today’s lectionary)
No way we cannot see your glory
Nothing like fire to herald the coming and going of a prophet. And this man Elijah came and conquered, in spite of himself, in spite of his self-perceived failures and doubt, in spite of his self-righteousness and rage.
His words were a flaming furnace!
He shut the heavens down and three times brought down fire.
Oh, what a man!
And after all the hard work of your ministry, the climax,
A whirlwind of fire, a chariot of fiery horses!
In all this fire, through all this wrath, “you were destined to put an END to wrath.”
To restore the place of love in relationships between men,
Turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons.
O Lord, may I see Elijah and fall asleep in his friendship,
The great Elijah enveloped, whirlwind surrounding, all fired up forever.
And after Elijah, Elisha, twofold of everything Elijah had been given
Just a word, and great things happened on Elisha’s watch
He feared no one and nothing was beyond his power
In life and even after death
Such marvelous deeds.
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Clouds and darkness swirl around Yahweh
Justice and judgment are the foundation of His throne
Before the Lord mountains melt like wax
Lightning flies off rock-hard skies
To break the crust of earth
No way we cannot see your glory!
Stop this slavery, stop this servanthood. You will be a child before settling down as servant. Cry out, “Abba, Father!” Know how you are loved.
And knowing, stop that horsey babble you call prayer. Let your words be few. You can simply say the “Our Father,” can’t you? Didn’t you learn that in catechism class? Don’t you say those words each and every service? The peace of the Lord be with you!
Our Father
Who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name
Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done on earth
As it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those
Who trespass against us!
Please, Lord,
Lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil.
Not over yet, this prayer. Wait for it …
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Savior  Jesus Christ.
And now the end of the prayer …
For the kingdom and the power
And the glory are yours now and forever.
The peace of the Lord be with you always
And with your spirit.
Be at peace. Offer the sign of peace to each other.
Only say the word, O Lord,
and my soul shall be healed.
Jesus is tough with us, here and now, in our daily times with him …
IF you forgive others, your heavenly Father WILL forgive you.
And if you DO NOT forgive others, you too WILL NOT be forgiven.
Straight up. No chaser.
What did Jesus say a day or two ago? First go and be reconciled with your brother, then come back and take your chance with me. I am telling you the rules, now go and follow them. Sin. No. More.
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