Archives for September 2010

Luke 17:1-2, 5-6

2 Timothy 1:1-14

Psalm 37:1-9

Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4

“Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life,” ELW 719 & LBW 429

"When Peace Like a River," ELW 785 & LBW 346 1 When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

2 Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

3 He lives – oh the bliss of this glorious thought;
My sin, not in part, but the whole,
Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

4 Lord, hasten the day, when our faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trumpet shall sound and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul. Horatio G. Spafford planned a European vacation for his family, only to send his wife and four daughters early. In an ocean accident, November 22, 1873, the four daughters drowned at sea. His wife survived. Spafford wrote this hymn on ship sailing to be reunited. Hence the words, “When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll…”

In the gospel story coming tomorrow we find not a father in agony over loss, but a brother begging Abraham to send someone to his father’s house to tell his five brothers about the bad things that have come to pass tormenting him in a variety of ways. It was not well with his soul and he was thinking, perhaps for the first time, of someone other than himself. Namely he was thinking of his brothers.

Lazarus did not have it easy. So! “Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come…Christ hath regarded my helpless estate.” So with us! We too can know: “It is well with my soul…for He hath shed his own blood for my soul” Amen.
Holy Father, our daily lives bring turmoil to our personal selves, to say nothing of our relationships. We pray that Your Spirit will lead us in such a way that, at the end of the day, it may be well with our soul. Amen. False Harvey Anderson 1961 Master of Divinity Retired, San Clemente, Calif. commoffice 2010-09-09 15:12:53 3103 True True 2010-09-24 00:00:00 Luke 16:19-31 19 There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.

20 "And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,

21 "who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores.

22 "The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.

23 "In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side.

24 "He called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.'

25 "But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony.

26 "'Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.'

27 "He said, 'Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house—

28 "'for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.'

29 "Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.'

30 "He said, 'No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'

31 "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"

Luke 16:19-31

Luke 16:19-31

Ephesians 2:4-10

Psalm 119:33-40