Tag: God’s presence

Maundy Thurs (or Resurrection Promises) a prayer

Jesus

You promised to show up

Whenever we feed one another

In your name…

You promise that we can celebrate

Communion

With one another and you

Whenever we want/need to

How is this possible?

Jesus let me hang onto your promises,

And remind me,

Even if I let go—your promises remain

They are better than time or borders

Or any other human invention

God, I’m going to stand on your promises,

Or hide in them

Or even if I lose them—

I’m going to wait for them to find me again

Like Ruth and Naomi,

Like Joseph in Egypt,

Like Paul

Your promises don’t find us because we are perfect

Or deserving

They find us simple because we are loved.

May we feel beloved today.

Amen.

Feel free use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta

Why do we have these buildings for God?

Solomon built a temple, because he knew he couldn’t contain God.

Ironic as it is….

The Temple is empty, except for the 10 commandments, so that all the priest, and elders and leaders and everyone important can come into the temple for its dedication.

And the moment they call on God (we would call this the Prayer of Illumination) God’s Cloud fills the entire temple

And when the priests came out of the Holy Place,a cloud filled the house of the Lord, 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. 1 Kings 8:10-11

God is all that is in the temple! The temple wasn’t big enough to hold God, yet God filled it! That’s why it wasn’t about limiting God, but noticing how infinite God is.

This is (one) story of how God came to dwell on Earth.

Another is Jesus

Another is Communion

Another is baptism

Another is us–the people, the body of Christ, Christ’s promise that whenever we gather in his name, he’ll be present.

With Christ, God was invited to be present in church, but not just in the building but in our very relationships.