 Welcome to the Sunday Devotion.
Let me just put this out there. I love rocks. Big ones, small ones, flat ones, round ones. They are all so unique. Rocks are amazing and beautiful. I have a cherished collection of rocks in my garden. Most of my rocks come from the red clay soil around my house. We discovered them as we dug out new gardens. They came from the same soil, yet all have very different appearances. Some are smooth and some are rough. Some are light and some are dark. Some have streaks of quartz and some have red and gray layers. With so many differences, these rocks obviously didn’t have the same origins, but here they are: together. Their differences are even more obvious and beautiful when they lay together in my rock garden. The patterns of their differences contribute to the overall beauty. I could go on and on about my rocks. I’ve added new ones occasionally that came from different places. These new additions just add to the beauty of my community of rocks. Community of rocks? That is a strange way to put it. As I write this description about my rocks, I find myself thinking more and more about community. For you, this might be a stretch, but let me explain my musings. You see, my pile of rocks is like a community. Within a community there are a diverse and special people who look different, think differently and have their own special characteristics, i.e., gifts and talents. We are all beautiful and unique. Some big, some small, some flat, some round, some smooth, some rough, some light, some dark, some that shine, some with interesting layers. But we are a community, a wonderful, diverse community. We are like my rocks and we experience the blessings of unity and diversity found in communities. You know, in the middle of the rocks in my garden there is a rock carved with the inscription: Jesus is My Rock. “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust…” (Psalm 18:2) For me, it is significant to have this inscribed rock mixed into the collection of rocks. In it I see the rock of God’s strength and everlasting faithfulness. In our communities, we must be rocks because rocks are strong. Rocks hold up to the pelting rain and freezing snow. As a community we face the onslaught of external forces that beat upon us. But as a community, I pray we only shift closer together and be more unified. May we nestle around the rock of God which gives us a stronghold. In Matthew 24-25 we are told, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” Yes, I love rocks and I love how they symbolize so many elements of my faith. Rocks are part of many metaphors in the scriptures, and I’d like to leave you with this one from 1 Corinthians 10:4. “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” So I invite you to join me in finding the connection to God and our community as we gaze upon rocks. May we see the beauty in the diversity; and may we be the rocks of our community, in close communion with God. Amen. Author: Bonnie Barber
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 Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. I have found an energetic peace this last week. In some ways this sounds like opposites: energy and peace. When I tried to resolve these two words in my mind, I did what I always do when faced with a question for which I don’t have the answer. I “googled” it. Surprisingly, I found info on Google that used these 2 words together.
In one search I found a couple of habits that were recommended to protect your peace and energy: 1) Keep your faith larger than your fear. 2) Develop an attitude of gratitude. For the first, I have testimony after testimony of God’s presence when I’m faced with a challenging commitment. With each experience, my faith has grown stronger making it a David vs a Goliath. And that, in turn, has fed my gratitude. Do you have testimony where God has held you up and bolstered you by the faithful act of the Divine? In today’s world, we often define peace as a state of being without internal or external stresses. However, in the biblical world, peace means “to be complete” or “to be sound” and can only be found through God. Numbers 6:26 claims, “The Lord lifts up His countenance upon you, and gives you peace.” When relinquishing control to God, we find a special sense of peace. It isn’t a sleepy, feet-up kind of peace. It is the sense of being whole and complete. Think about when you’ve heard the religious expression, “Peace be with you”. These words are a blessing meaning to “live well”, i.e., “Live well with God.” That is the peace I have been feeling, and it is the greatest, richest sense of well-being. And it is that wonderful sense of well-being in God where I find my energy. When the disciples were behind a locked door after Jesus died on the cross, Jesus appeared to them. In John 20:21 Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” Isn’t it ironic that Jesus said I am giving you peace and as a result, I am sending you out? There, right there, is my peace and energy. Last week I found myself with a multitude of things to do to make our church a warm, welcoming arm of God, ready for visitors from the Interfaith Unity Walk. But then I realized we already were a warm, welcoming arm of God. Peace and energy filled the space around us, mingling with the hosts and the visitors. We were on the path of sharing the peace of Jesus. I leave you now with these words, “Peace be with you.” Go out and be the instrument of love, hope, joy and peace. Amen. (Author - Bonnie Barber)  Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. Well, I’ve done it again. I’m overtired and overwhelmed. I need this opportunity to let go and take a breath. Do you? Join with me and sit a minute. Take a breath – a deep one. And get comfortable. Stretch out the tense muscles of your neck and back. Let go and “Let God”.
I’ve seen that phrase – Let God – a number of times and it never really sunk in. But at this moment it speaks volumes. These last few weeks life has been a mix of memorable moments visiting family amidst a world still experiencing various levels of COVID. I’ve traveled by car for over 2000 total miles in the last 2 weeks, almost all of it masked and sitting in the back seat, taking utmost precautions because I had been exposed to COVID (but feeling fine). First stop was to visit my sister who had fallen in her home and not been found for 32 hours. She was in the hospital so as a precaution I took a COVID test. I was truly shocked - it was positive. Staying distanced from my husband, I felt alone and rather lost in my personal entry into the unknown world of COVID. I hunkered down in a hotel and my husband was taken in by family until I tested negative. I’m fully vaccinated and boostered, and I fared through COVID better than I had imagined. But the stress of it took its own toll. I tell all this because it is part of my saga of being overtired. Once I was COVID free, we continued our travels, stopping 3 more times to visit friends and family, one of which included 3 small grandchildren. I tried to bolster up my energy but I struggled. On our return trip home, we stopped at my sister’s because this time I really did get to visit her. Then we drove the 13 hours home and I hit the ground running getting ready for the Interfaith Unity Walk in DC, a 9/11 commemorative activity involving 11 faith traditions along a 2 mile walk. Now I am at the overwhelmed to go with the overtired. And a few hours ago I began to Let God. Do you relate to times when you had so much to do that even your lists had sub lists? Lol. Let God. Let God seep into your aching muscles and overtired brain. Let God help you take a deep breath. Let God relax your mind so you can review, reduce and reassign the To-Do lists. Let God be part of the decision making. Let God have your focus and give in to the power and strength of the Divine. I realize that I only “Let God” when I have exhausted my personal store of energy. Why do so many of us do that? Why do we think we’re supposed to do it all by ourselves? Let God take control. Begin the “Let God” immediately; don’t wait until you are overtired and overwhelmed. Breath in God’s power, strength and wisdom. Let God be part of every decision. Be compassionate to others, but also be compassionate to yourself. Be kind to others but also be kind to yourself. When you believe in the Worth of All Persons, remember, that includes you. Let Go and Let God. Author: Bonnie Barber  Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. I’m attending a wonderful craft fair currently. It’s amazing to see what the artists have created. There are paintings, leather work, jewelry and more, and one of my favorites is seeing the clay creations. I have a very artistic daughter who did some amazing clay art in high school and she wanted to try clay on the potter’s wheel, so I signed us up for a class. I was instantly in love and intrigued with the potter’s wheel. When working at the wheel, the scriptures that come to mind describe God as the Potter and we are the clay.
We are clay in the Potter’s Hands. This fits into my image of every one of us being unique, handcrafted by God. As I sit on a bench and watch people go by, I am fascinated by each one. I wonder what they love to do. Do they have hobbies that really interest them? Are they shy or do they love to interact with people? What are their struggles? Do they feel loved? How would you answer those questions? In this week’s scripture in Jeremiah 18:1-11, God is the potter. On a potter’s wheel if the clay is not forming well, the potter removes it and starts again. The clay is reformed into a better vessel. As the potter, how does God react to us? If we remain in his hands, do we let him continue to remold us and guide us to be the best person we can be? In what ways has God been shaping and forming you? In one favorite campfire song we sing “mold me, fill me, use me...”. Do you give yourself to God? Are you a solid vessel? Are you filled or empty? How are you being used? Are you allowing God to remold and reshape you? Dear God, We come to you today, recognizing you as the Potter and we as the clay. We thank you for your guiding hands and pray that we remain moldable to be what you would like us to be. Forgive us those times when we need to be reworked. May we be vessels of love and compassion, seeing the worth of all persons and the blessings of community. May we all remain as clay in the potter’s hand, allowing God to mold and shape us, making us into a vessel to be used. Amen.  Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. In Community of Christ, we say a Prayer for Peace each day at our Temple in Independence, MO. Special prayers are offered for countries across the world or for special situations and awareness. Today we will offer a Prayer for Peace using the prayer offered in the Worship Resources and written by Yvonne Donald. But as we offer this prayer, I challenge you to let the thoughts go deeper and personalize the prayer from you, remembering we are each called to be an instrument of peace. As we begin, take a deep breath and center your thoughts on peace for you, for me, for our communities and for our world.
O God, may we remember your first gift to us is life itself. When we understand this truth it becomes easy to see beauty and worth in others who have been blessed with this same gift. We ask that your Spirit fill us, melt us, mold us, and use us. May we hear many times the affirmation from others, “I believe what you say because I know who you are!” I pray for peace on Earth and that I will be an instrument of that peace. (Who has blessed you, making you feel worthy and blessed? How can you help others feel worthy? Pray for insight and guidance.) When we truly experience your grace, we want to share our ministries for the sake of others. Help us to pay attention to the moment and to see people for who they truly are. I pray for peace on Earth, and that I will be an instrument of that peace. (What ministries were you able to offer this past week? How can you minister to those whom you work with, or as you perform your daily tasks (driving to work, providing meals, calling friends, etc.)? Make a list of the small things you can do and asking God to help bring those to mind as you go through your day.) We pray for your guidance as we immerse ourselves in the life of our larger community. May we show that blessings of tolerance, reconciliation, and unity in diversity are possible because of the power of pure love. May we be known as a people of humility—extending ourselves in service to others regardless of race, gender, religion, or social status. (Thank God for those who have shown examples of tolerance, reconciliation, and unity of diversity around you? Pray that you might be such a person.) We need your guidance to become more fully a blessed community so we may be more effectively a blessing to our extended community. Help us to witness the power of together! Let there be peace on Earth, and let it include all the children of God. (Identify those opportunities where you can be part of your community in reaching out in peace. Pray for guidance for groups involved in peaceful resolution. Speak peace. Be peace. Peace is not always the presence of quiet. Sometimes it must be loud.) In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. Author: Bonnie Barber  Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. What do you think of when you hear “Blessings of Community”? This is one of Community of Christ’s Enduring Principles by which we strive to live. I’ve been face to face with differences that together make the world, and I find myself calling to mind “Blessings of Community”. What does Blessings of Community mean to you?
There are many aspects to consider as part of blessings of community. My first response today would be that it expresses the peaceful existence within our community that benefits from the combined gifts we bring. Community of Christ offers this statement, “We value our connections and share a strong sense of trust in and belonging with one another—even if we never have met.” I value this connection and the sense of community it brings. However, I also recognize that we are all so different and it is in those differences where we bring our together the blessings of community. When, for you, have the blessings of community felt like the workings of cogs in a machine, well-oiled and working in synchronization with each other? For many years our church community in Washington, DC, has invested our collective effort to organize a yard sale where the proceeds go to a local organization that provides services and housing for the homeless. It requires many hands to sort through the items, price them, organize a support staff, and add a bake sale and luncheon. The last yard sale was pre-COVID and I can remember pausing as we prepared for the sale to notice our multiple “cogs” (aka, “people”) working together to put together this event. Even more importantly, there was a moment during the yard sale where I also observed the people who were milling around looking at the merchandise. I loved seeing us reach out to the community. People came through the doors of the church and met us, talked with us, and had an opportunity to work with us to help serve the homeless. As we are told in Philippians 2:4, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Together as a community, there is so much we can accomplish. And while we are working as a community, we are creating relationships with one another. We are blessings of community. I challenge all of us to stop a moment and look around and see the blessings of community each day. We belong to one another – even if we never have met. Dear God, We come in gratitude for the many people in our lives, those we know well and those whom we have never met. Help us to see how much you love each and every person. Help us acknowledge the intrinsic value of those who bring different gifts and talents to our world. May we pursue a life that sees beyond the boundaries that separate us, and sees beyond the cultures and economics that make up the differences in the way we live. May we have open hearts and open arms so we may be part of the blessings of community. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen Author: Bonnie Barber  Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. How much time have you devoted to God this week? If you are like me, my assessment looks pretty dismal. It’s just that every day I face so many things to do. But I have to ask myself – what things eat up my time and snatch away my focus.? Have you ever felt your life needs decluttering? That is what I have faced this week. As I prepare for bed, I list those things that I need to prioritize when I wake. But my morning to-do list often dissolves due to the clutter. Can you think of what clutter is in your life? While we are in this moment together, take a deep breath and let’s examine the ways we add clutter to our lives.
My obvious clutter often starts with the kitchen countertop. It usually collects a bit at a time. There is the flour canister that used to be stored in the pantry, but since it was being used often for a series of days when I cooked, it stayed out. Now in its place in the pantry stands a box of Bisquick, so the flour canister stays on the counter. Also on the countertop sits the recently purchased jar of garlic stuffed olives that hasn’t found a home and a towel on which set several pans, air-drying after being washed by hand. So the clutter grows and soon it needs a focused stretch of time to get everything in order. And there are other ways we add clutter to our lives. Why do my morning plans dissolve and the to-do list suffer? Because I turn on the news to see what is happening and scroll on my phone to check news links. It’s amazing how I can be distracted by not-so-news-worthy items, like “50 Kitchen Hacks You Never Thought Of”. This seems like a worthy pursuit; however, when I check the time, I wonder how an hour (or more) could have possibly passed already. Has this ever happened to you? It is far too easy to get distracted and let the clutter take over. When the flat surfaces in my home start to gather miscellaneous items, so do the spare moments when I react to things to do, read or research. Have you discovered Google? It is an amazing tool for the easily distracted mind. I’ve gotten to the point where any casual conversation can bring up a question where I must instantly turn to Google for an answer. It doesn’t matter if the answer is all that important, there are numerous answers, and then I also find other suggested queries that lead me down more Google “rabbit holes”. Although it’s embarrassing to admit to the clutter in my life, I bring it up to show it’s a powerful force. The clutter of material things and the clutter or distractions for my mind detracts from the time I could be focusing on my relationship and communication with God. But how can I declutter? How do you eliminate the clutter so your focus on God is intentional and uninterrupted? I’ve mentioned before that I find it easier to focus when I write prayers and thoughts in a journal. But the clutter of to-do lists distracts me. Here’s a thought! I should add journaling to my To-Do list. That is one way to be more intentional. I also find that if I don’t have the right kind of place in my house to get away from it all, I get in my car and drive to a nearby park. I have discovered multiple paths in the county parks. I appreciate the time that I’ve just taken to examine the clutter in my life. It helps me understand it and, hopefully, control it instead of it controlling me. I pray the same for you. Look at your time and how you’ve spent it. How do you manage the physical and mental clutter in your life? This is a sincere question and I appreciate any suggestions that you may have. Dear God, I thank you for your listening ear. Help me to declutter my mind so I can focus on the praise and prayer that I need to express. Hear my voice and help me be quiet and hear yours. Help me be released from the clutter of material things and the attention-seeking thoughts crowded in my head. I praise you for your power and strength and thank you for your never-ending grace. Amen. Author: Bonnie Barber  Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. The lectionary theme this week is about prayer, using Luke 11: 1-13 where Jesus provided instructions about praying and offered a part of what we call The Lord’s Prayer as an example. This caused me to reflect on prayer life, in general, and mine specifically. What draws us to prayer? Joy, love, repentance, worries, sadness? What provides us with the best prayer experiences? Let’s take a deep, cleansing breath together, open our inner selves, and listen for the whispers of the Holy Spirit as we prepare for our conversations with God.
Let me ask you – what is your prayer life like? When did you first experience prayer? When has your prayer life been strongest? What impacts your prayer life? These last couple of weeks have brought me face to face with a full spectrum of absolute joy to deep sadness, and all of this has impacted my prayer life. My emotions overflowed in both directions, and, truthfully, rarely resulted in voiced full sentences to God. My prayers were, at times, unvoiced words and thoughts. But prayers don’t need to be worded in flowery phrases. Jesus taught, “When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words” (Matthew 6:7). This last week I experienced friendships, some were newly formed and others were deeply-rooted and developed over the years, even decades. I offered my thankful praise to God in popcorn-type moments for the great joy that filled my heart. I was especially thankful for those moments because they helped me turn to God when my heart felt broken or scared. I took those feelings and requests to God, also, sometimes in sentences, sometimes in broken thoughts and concerns. Often my prayers are quick reactions to moments of happiness or periods of need. But prayer life is incomplete if it is not given intentional and devoted time. Where do you find your intentional prayers best expressed? My drive to work or my walk from the parking lot to my office provided me with a time to pray. Now that I am retired, I seek out a quiet walk in the morning along one of the paths in a nearby park. How about you? I also appreciate the shared prayers and guided meditations in our worship services, at retreat campfires, and in any group experiences where we have intentionally sought the presence of the Holy Spirit as a faith community. Sometimes I struggle to set the intentional time aside, but I never regret it. Where and when are your best prayer opportunities? What do you include in your prayers? Have you included praise, thankfulness, repentance, and supplication? In the scripture from Luke, we are told to pray using all these aspects. As I reflect on my prayer life, I am reminded that I must slow down; pray in the moment, but also pray intentionally; pray in private and in community; pray for myself and pray intercessory prayers for others. I must designate intentional prayer time and remember the guidance that Jesus taught. Now is an intentional moment for each of us to pray. Don’t worry about the smoothness of your words. Pray your heart. That is my prayer for you. Open your mind to communicate to God and allow the presence of the Holy Spirit to flow from your mind to your heart and from your heart back to the Holy Spirit. Author: Bonnie Barber  Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. Have you ever had a week where life seems to overwhelm your plans and schedules? Personally, I’ve raced to clinic visits, doctor appointments and trips to the lab and found little solace in the potentiality of solutions, because that is all we got – potential answers. So join me as I take a deep breath, close my eyes for a moment and just breathe in and out, cleansing my anxiety and removing the worries. Let’s turn our minds to the Holy Spirit to refresh and refuel. Let’s explore a Spiritual Practice where we center our thoughts, hopes and prayers on blessings for ourselves and others.
Today we will experience a blessing of Loving Kindness. Take a few moments to quiet yourself and find a comfortable position. Allow the following words of blessing to resonate in your heart and mind. Pause at the end of each phrase and give yourself time to repeat it again. May I be blessed with loving kindness. Pause. Repeat. May I be blessed with health. Pause. Repeat. May I be blessed with true happiness. Pause. Repeat. May I be blessed with peace. Pause. Repeat. Think of someone who is beloved to you. Visualize the person as you pray. Insert the person’s name into the prayer in your mind: May my beloved __________be blessed with loving kindness. Pause. Repeat. May my beloved __________be blessed with health. Pause. Repeat. May my beloved __________be blessed with true happiness. Pause. Repeat. May my beloved __________be blessed with peace. Pause. Repeat. Now think of a close friend. Visualize the person as you pray: May my friend be blessed with loving kindness. Pause. Repeat May my friend be blessed with health. Pause. Repeat May my friend be blessed with true happiness. Pause. Repeat May my friend be blessed with peace. Pause. Repeat Think of someone with whom you are in conflict or someone who has harmed you. Visualize this person. Breathe deeply and lovingly pray this blessing: May the one who harmed me be blessed with loving kindness. Pause. Repeat May the one who harmed me be blessed with health. Pause. Repeat May the one who harmed me be blessed with true happiness. Pause. Repeat May the one who harmed me be blessed with peace. Pause. Repeat Praying for blessings for yourself and others, loved ones or your “enemies”, strengthens your own peacefulness and compassion. As your soul seeks contentment with a thankful heart, may you go forth filled with the spirit of loving kindness, thankfulness and peace. Amen Author: Bonnie Barber |
AuthorVarious authors throughout the Chesapeake Bay Mission Center and beyond provide these thought-provoking weekly devotions. Archives
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