Return to the Homepage Home
 Worship Schedules, Education, Fellowship, Outreach Worship & Service
 Sermon Archive Sermons
 A copy of the Sunday Prayers of Intercession Prayers
 Pastor Lynne's monthly newsletter Pastor's Page
 Articles and tidbits from the monthly newsletter Newsletter
 This month's events as well as the monthly calendar Current Events
 Read the Sunday School News Letter! Sunday School News
 Events for grades 7 to 12 Youth
 Other websites of interest Links
  
 Login to Administer this site Admin Login

St. Luke's Zion Lutheran Church
2903 McPhillips Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba
CANADA R2P 0H3
http://www.stlukeszion.ca

Phone: (204) 339-0412
Fax: (204) 339-0412
E-mail: stlukeszionchurch@gmail.com
site design by clayton rumley

 

Have You Seen God Lately?
Monday, November 1st, 2010

click here for past entries

  Sometimes it only takes one simple question in order to view a familiar Bible story in a different way.  Consider, for example, the story of Moses and the burning bush, found in Exodus 3.  Moses, of course, notices this bush that seems to be on fire, but is not burning up.  When he goes over to have a look, God calls him by name and warns Moses to take off his shoes, for he is standing on holy ground.  An entire conversation follows where Moses is called to be the leader who will bring God’s people out of slavery in Egypt.

 In reflecting on this story, Dr. Bruce Epperly asks a simple and yet profound question (from “Feed the Fire” in Sorrento, BC).  He asks, “How many times did Moses walk past this same bush before he noticed it?”  In other words, how many times did Moses come into the presence of God, and not even notice?

 This question is not just for Moses, but for us.  Do we notice when God “shows up”?  Do we recognize when we are standing on holy ground in the presence of God?  Do we notice where God is at work in our lives and in our community?  How many times have we walked past a “burning bush” and not even noticed?

 It seems so easy for us to get all caught up in our busy-ness and worries and miss the times when God is right there, ready to enter our lives and bring healing and wholeness.  It seems so easy for us to close ourselves off and focus only on ourselves, thus missing those times when we might see God at work.

 At a workshop a few years ago, Kelly Fryer handed out newspapers from Winnipeg and asked people to look through them with two questions in mind:  “What is God doing?” and “How can we help?”  She was asking us to look for news that showed us that God was already at work – bringing healing and wholeness where it is needed the most.

 For most of us, this is a whole new way of looking at the news, for we tend to focus on all of the problems, rather than on signs of hope.  Yet, the God who is revealed in the Scriptures is not absent, but is present wherever people of faith are coming to God in prayer.

 And so, where have you seen God lately?  Have you seen God in a hospital room or in a care home?  Have you seen God in an answer to prayer?  Have you seen God in an offer of help or an expression of concern?  Have you seen God in the delicacy of a flower or in one of God’s amazing creatures?  Have you seen God where the hungry are being fed or the homeless are being given shelter?  Have you seen God in Word and Sacrament and worship?  Have you seen God in a follower of Jesus who shares God’s love with others?

 To me, the important question is not if God is present and active but whether we are open or not to noticing God’s presence and responding to it.  You, too, might be standing on holy ground and not even know it.  You, too, might be getting a call from God – or a message from God.  You, too, are known by name and have been earmarked for salvation and renewal and love.

 At the very end of the gospel of Matthew, Jesus sends his followers out to make disciples and to baptize and follows that up with a promise: “Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt. 28:20).  May we see the light of Christ wherever it is found, and may others see Christ in us.

  In Christ,
  Pastor Lynne Hutchison


Previous Pastor's Page
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
July 2021
June 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
December 2001
June 0217