Rejected but not Abandoned – Genesis 37:1-28

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Rejected but not Abandoned – Genesis 37:1-28

When you feel rejected by family or friends, know that God is still with you.
When you lose your social status or prized possessions, know that God is still with you.
When your wellbeing is threatened by others, know that God is still with you.
When your life dramatically changes from what you had expected or hoped for, know that God is still with you.

And when we begin to get a grasp of how much God loves us, of how God will never reject us, of how God’s arms are always reaching out to us, of how God is working in and through us, we may well ask, “God, why me?”

And God replies, “Because I made you; you are my child; I love you, I adore you, and I will do whatever it takes to share the journey of life with you. That’s why!”

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Face to Face with God – Genesis 32:22-32

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Face to Face with God – Genesis 32:22-32

Look for God’s nature. Look in the likely and unlikely places and people.
Look with anticipation and with a receptive heart.
Look with a desire to engage with the Divine Presence.
It’s human nature to find what we’re looking for. Every single one of us, has the opportunity to encounter God’s presence face-to-face, essence-to-essence, in our families, in our friends, and in the people of Susanville and beyond.
When we look at people – including ourselves – anticipating the possibility of seeing God’s presence through them, we are more likely to see God’s presence in them – and in us.

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Broken Together – Genesis 29:15-30

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Broken Together – Genesis 29:15-30

Left to our own devices, we remain broken, unable to function to our fullest abilities, unable to find a way to move from where we are to where we want to be, to being the people we want to be.
But when we invite our relationship with God into our human relationships, then we give God the freedom to work in us, with us, and through us to change our hearts and minds. That’s the Good News of our faith – that we are not broken and without hope. Rather, we are broken with hope and with direction.

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Waiting, Hoping, Anticipating – Genesis 28:10-22

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Waiting, Hoping, Anticipating – Genesis 28:10-22

What was true 4,000 years ago was true again 2,000 years ago and is true today. God knows each of us by name, knows what’s going on in our lives, knows our joys and stresses… in every way, God is ever-present in our lives and reaches out to us. But how should we respond?
Today’s story reminds us that God can and will use anyone. We are reminded that our past should not define our future. And we are reminded that if God continues to love and see potential in the imperfect, the shattered, the selfish people around us, we too must work to do the same.

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Conflict and Character – Genesis 25:19-34

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Conflict and Character – Genesis 25:19-34

If you remember nothing else from today’s text and my comments, remember how verse 21 starts: “Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife…” Married or not, we are all in relationships with people – family, friends, and acquaintances. Prayer connects us with God and with each other. When we pray for each other – including our enemies – we create opportunities for forgiveness, for healing, and for growth.

Each week our worship service starts with a “Peace Quote” to encourage us to have peace in our lives and create peace for others. Prayer is where that peace starts, grows, and bears fruit – first within us, and then for others.

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