From the Pastor's Pen

Pastor Sally’s Devotional 2/19

| February 19, 2021

Dear Friends,

 

I listened to a TED talk earlier in the week entitled 12 things I know for sure by Anne Lamott.  Some of you will recognize Ann Lamott’s name.  She is a novelist and non-fiction writer who is known for her insightfulness, humor and directness.  She doesn’t sugar coat things, but always seems to find hope. 
Ann is a recovering alcoholic who turned to God in recovery.  She is also a Presbyterian.  We in the Presbyterian church like to claim her.  She is so talented.  Ann’s Ted talk is delightful and I recommend it to you.  You can find it by clicking on this link:  https://www.ted.com/talks/anne_lamott_12_truths_i_learned_from_life_and_writing

 

I particularly liked what she had to say about God.  Here’s a short summary.  “God isn’t that scary.” Rather than getting trapped in the mundanity of our own lives, she tells us to “go look up. Now.”  She continues, “My pastor says you can trap bees on the floor of a Mason jar without a lid, because they don’t look up. If they did, they could fly to freedom. Instead, they walk around bitterly, bumping into glass walls.”

 

The psalmist also recommends looking up in Psalm 8.  Clearly the psalmist has gone out into night to gaze at the night sky and ponder the meaning of his life.  He writes: 

 

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,

    the moon and the stars that you have established;

what are human beings that you are mindful of them,

    mortals that you care for them?  Psalm 8:3-4

 

The psalmist has looked up at the glory of the heavens and has realize that God is so much more that he – a simple human being.  The psalmist has looked outside himself and has found God to be pretty impressive.  Another thing Ann said in her TED talk was that “Not me” was a good name for God.  It was a throw away line, but it caught my attention.  Looking up to behold the glory of God, or recognizing there was something more important, more eternal than “me” is, I believe, I great way to live. When life begins to feel burdensome, it’s good to remember that one who holds the universe in his hand is “not me.”

 

Peace,

Pr. Sally

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