"Running in Faith" is an electronic devotional guide written by members of Abiding Presence Lutheran Church. Each week, writers use their personal interpretation of scripture to write an inspirational message they hope will help readers take their Sunday faith into weekday lives. Your comments are appreciated and, when related to a particular devotion, passed to the writer. We hope you will share these devotions with friends and coworkers. We are always happy to add new names to our e-mail list. Please contact us if you wish your name to be added.

Devotion for the week of April 3, 2005
Submitted by Michael S.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; ... A time to kill and a time to heal; ... Ecclesiastes 3: 1, 2a and 3a

The events, so much in the very recent news, brought my most favorite bible verses to mind. Two very different, yet similar, situations: The Terri Schiavo and the John Paul II stories.

In both, the quality of life and the death with dignity issues have been in the minds, hearts and souls of many throughout the world. There are other issues involved that bear consideration but I will not address them here.

The quality of life is an ephemeral human concept that eludes exact and concise definition. It is meaningful in a different way to each individual person and corporate church entity is vigorously debated by many. Jesus gave what I consider to be the simplest dictum: "Thou should love thy neighbor as thyself." He took the sins of the many upon Himself and died for His beliefs. He arose from the dead for us also.

The death with dignity issue is also an ephemeral human concept. It also means different things to many people and corporate church entities. Scripture tells us that we will find a home in heaven in the company of all the saints who have died in the faith. Very little is noted about how to die, just the hope of residing on the bosom of the Lord evermore.

The Scripture passage I chose says what I feel in the most elegant and clear way. "There is a time to be born and a time to die;" and "A time to kill and a time to heal." This tells me it is beyond our control for our birth and our death. It is for us to live our lives as best we can in faith, hope and love

When there were no such fantastic and marvelous medical capabilities for heroic measures to maintain life beyond the normal human capabilities, life and death were more uncomplicated.

My mother took seven years to die as a result of the then used high doses of hard radiation to eliminate breast cancer. It was not pretty or happy. In my opinion, her death was a blessing and release from excruciating pain and agony. I remember it vividly. I was also there when my father died in hospital of heart failure. It was very quick. This time there was no lingering pain or suffering. I remember this vividly also. And, again, it was a release and blessing. Two very different experiences and yet the same feeling for both of them.

I find strength and support in my faith and my understanding of the way things happen. I know it is simplistic but it is comforting to have the hope of joining in the eternal glory and to know my life has had some meaning.

Devotion for the week of April 10, 2005
Submitted by Pastor Dan

Some give freely, yet grow all the richer; others withhold what is due, and only suffer want. A generous person will be enriched, and one who gives water will get water. ... Proverbs 11:24-25 NRSV

Andy Rooney on 60 Minutes once told a story of a woman who looked out the window of a commuter train and saw one of her gloves. So she pulled down the window and threw out the other glove so there would be at least a pair for someone.

Each and every day, even today, we have quick and passing opportunities to be generous with our selves, our time, our expertise, and our resources. Generosity doesn't come naturally in a society that misconstrues gifts as "entitlements." Yet God calls us into that kind of lifestyle through the promise given to us in the scripture verses above. And what is this promise? In God's kingdom, generosity breeds generosity.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, join me today in doing something recklessly kind or crazily generous. In so doing, we may be echoing the very nature of a generous, providential Lord.

Let us pray. . . Lord, all that we are and all that has been entrusted to us is generous gift. Help us to be channels and not stagnant reservoirs for your generous goodness today, in the name of Jesus Christ who withheld nothing for our sake. Amen

Devotion for the week of April 17, 2005
Submitted by Helen Y.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. ... Corinthians 13:11

In order to prepare children for the future, we send them to school, give them religious instruction, allow them to make mistakes, give encouragement, and so much more!

This seems to take a long time and we are proud when they do well, but often feel we have "not quite done the job" when they fail.

The wise words of Jesus tell us there is a time to learn, then to become an adult, but always treat others with forgiveness and kindness. When we have taught our children the basics of life, we need to trust that our children have absorbed enough to make decisions on their own. Our love needs to be unconditional.

Often we teach by example even though we do not realize this at the time.

During my junior and senior years in college, I roomed with a girl named Kathy. She was to become a close friend. I also attended the Lutheran Church in town each Sunday I was on campus. Kathy soon asked me if she could walk with me and attend the service. We walked together for the next two years. Then I graduated, and she had one year left. I came back for her graduation. We wrote letters at first; then Christmas letters, but I did not see her for twenty years.

One day Kathy called me and invited my husband and me to her home in York, Pennsylvania. During our conversation she said, "Guess what? My husband and I have been Lutherans for the past twenty years. All that walking together and talking drew me to the church which has sustained me ever since." I was really humbled and delighted. Kathy had found peace despite her difficult life before college.

Easter Day 2005 has passed and the light of the resurrected Lord shines as brightly as the rays of the sun. We need only remember this is God's plan to redeem each of us, whether we stumble or walk straight and tall.

Lord of light, You always show us the way, if we follow. Teach us to keep growing even though we feel we have completed our learning. Help us to remember there is always more to learn. Help us to be good examples of our faith. Amen

Devotion for the week of April 24, 2005
Submitted by Pastor Tracie

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. ... Peter 2: 9-10

I am saddened to read in the newspapers stories of horrific acts committed by seemingly ordinary people. I am especially saddened when the crimes are committed by young people. Often in reading through stories of murders, school shootings, bullying and other crimes, the young people involved talk about a sense of being the outsider, of not belonging or fitting in. We all need to belong.

The passage from 1 Peter, read on Sunday, is a powerful reminder that we do belong. We are chosen, holy, set apart by God. We belong to God and we belong for a purpose, to proclaim what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. Remind yourself that you are part of God's precious people. Now remind someone else of the great love poured out for them.

Thank you God for claiming me as your own. Help me to tell others of your great love and to show that love through what I say and do this week. Through Jesus Christ, Amen.