Object lessons right outside my door.

… For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul. Psalm 59:3

“Then all the trees said to the bramble,
‘You come and reign over us!’ Judges 9:14

And he (Apollo) began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. Acts 18:26

However late, then, it may seem, let us rouse ourselves from lethargy. That is what scripture urges. Let us open our eyes to the light that can change us into the likeness of God. Let our ears be alert to the stirring call of His voice crying to us every day: today, if you should hear His voice, do not harden your hearts. -Benedict of Nursia

It was pretty difficult to see how the folks at Common Prayer were going to tie together this morning’s scriptures: the disasters after Gideon’s death, the training of Apollo, and a lot of stuff about dogs who go round about the city, wandering up and down for meat.

I do know something about stray dogs in the Middle East because there is a small pack who lives outside my front gate and greets me every morning. They are friendly enough, but I put my hands on top of my head when I walk by because they are stinky and belch outside of their mouths. Today I got to see exactly what ol' Psalmist was talking about, because they were pretty satisfied with today’s meat. ;(

We did reflect on the life of Benedict; after he returned home after an extended time alone in a desolate cave, he created his rule, a simple way of life of praying the daily office, studying Scripture, engaging in common labor for the good of the community and performing works of charity.

Check, check, check. I even have signed up for my act of charity, housing a dog for a month for a student of mine who is publicly struggling with life on Facebook. I hope Scott is okay with caring for ol’ Sam. Or maybe they can be friends.

It’s difficult to measure change and growth.

It can be done. For instance, I did not start a single sentence this morning with the word “And.” 

That was something great about Jim the Swim Coach; he stopwatched any improvement to the hundredth of a second, which is always heartening. This morning I noticed that it was pretty dang easy to do twenty push-up thingies after every single lap, when less than a month ago doing just ten would leave me breathing hard and sweaty.

Just a few weeks ago I opened my first lesson with an exercise on qualitative and quantitative data and how both are important.

The question has been framed and explored. The systematic investigations have been carried out. Certainly the variables have been manipulated. Now it is time to draw conclusions and consider application, including the limitations, in relationship to human impact in the local environment.

God, make us bold enough to question tyranny, impassioned enough to submit ourselves to good teachers, and discerning enough to know when it is our turn to lead.

Amen.

Wrapped around my wrists.

O Lord, make me know my end
    and what is the measure of my days;
    let me know how fleeting I am!
Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
    and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah
    Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Psalm 39:4-6

So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Deuteronomy 11:18

But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29

The first step of humility is to cherish at all times the sense of awe with which we should turn to God. –Benedict of Nursia

For God alone my soul in silence waits; truly, my hope is in Him.  Psalm 62:6

Sue the prayer warrior and I sat on her back patio with bowls of cereal and granola heaped with fresh fruits. A perfectly crafted elegant bespeaking-of-royalty quail hopped along the back wall standing between our rocking chairs and the soaring Catalinas.

Cherish the sense of awe with which we should turn to God.

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

And yet we are but a mere breath before Him.

It is a joy to just set with Sue. The so very many cares of this world seamlessly roll into prayers, laying down our burdens at the feet of His outstretched arms.

Unconditional love that stops at nothing to bring restoration to the wayfaring stranger that is each of us. As it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen.

Amen.

And as we moved along her daily prayer walk winding through the foothills, we paused on a hill that overlooked the city. This is where she pauses every morning to lift up this city and her people, her leaders. The leaders of our state, our country, our world. Our big fat crazy messy beloved world.

Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

So as I continue to consider the prayers of Jesus, I am struck by “Not my will, but Yours, be done.”

Dear LORD God, today as I walk the path of a wayfaring stranger, may I pause and listen to Your voice, Your will, and may I obey. May I as my first step turn to You before I think or say or do.

Speak LORD, for your servant is listening.