Food For The Soul
Stories
Object:
Contents
"Food for the Soul" by Keith Wagner
"The Challenges of Being Faithful" by Keith Wagner
* * * * * * *
Food for the Soul
by Keith Wagner
Mark 6:30-44, 53-56
Our story in Mark opens with the recommendation by Jesus that the disciples find a quiet place and rest. They had been working hard, teaching, preaching and doing missionary work. They had been so busy they didn’t have time to eat. In those days they didn’t have the luxury of convenient stores and fast-food restaurants. To make matters worse people were coming and going because of the popularity of Jesus.
Just about everyone I know can relate to this story. Few people build in intentional relaxation time into their busy schedules. Some see "idle" time as wasteful or non-productive. Others just don’t have the time. Unfortunately many of us don’t give ourselves permission to rest and relax.
My summer sailing trip to the Chesapeake Bay always includes a visit to St. Michael’s, Maryland on the Eastern shore. One year we docked at the Maritime Museum. They provide a few docks for transient boaters. During our stay there we had the opportunity to observe some carpenters restoring old sailing ships. They were using methods from the past including antique tools and methods. We were captivated by their skill and dedication. But we also observed that every once in a while they would quit working, drink coffee and have conversations. Instead of being driven by schedules and deadlines and profit margins, they were driven by friendship, history and the value of making a contribution, but at a leisurely pace.
Unfortunately Jesus and his disciples reached their deserted place but it wasn’t deserted. There was a "throng” of people there and they were lost, confused, hopeless and hungry. They needed spiritual nourishment, pastoral care, assurance, hope and love. He then "taught them many things."
Opportunities for rest and relaxation provide "teachable moments." One teachable moment was that the disciples needed to retreat occasionally for a time of inspiration. But their time of seclusion was interrupted by the crowd of people who were demanding their time and resources. The disciples and Jesus couldn’t get a break.
Jesus however had compassion on those who were assembled. He sensed their worried faces and hungry souls. The masses needed comfort and hope. There was no need to send them away to the towns and villages to find food. What he gave them was food for the soul which made them less anxious and that gave them hope.
One time there was a monk who found a precious stone, a precious jewel. A short time later, the monk met a traveler, who said he was hungry and asked the monk if he would share some of his provisions. When the monk opened his bag, the traveler saw the precious stone and, on an impulse, asked the monk if he could have it. Amazingly, the monk gave the traveler the stone. The traveler departed quickly, overjoyed with his new possession. However, a few days later, he came back, searching for the monk. He returned the stone to the monk and made a request: "Please give me something more valuable, more precious than this stone. Please give me that which enabled you to give me this precious stone!"
What the traveler received was the gift of compassion. God is aware of all our hurts, pain and feelings of anxiety. We are no different than the crowd who had gathered to be close to Jesus. As Jesus said, “They were like sheep without a shepherd.” Jesus gave them food for the soul by having compassion on them which gave them reassurance.
When challenged by Jesus to feed the mass of people that had assembled, the disciples argued that there wasn’t enough food on hand to feed such a large crowd. They said, "Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?" But instead of going to the nearest grocery store they were to take inventory and find out what was available.
The disciples gathered up what food they could find but it wasn’t enough to feed everyone. So Jesus took what they had found, blessed it and had the disciples distribute it. Amazingly, everyone was satisfied and there was plenty left over.
In the past I have always believed that what happened here was the domino effect. More importantly Jesus taught that disciples are those who are refreshed and nourished when they are dedicated to helping others.
On the one hand there are times when we need to take breaks and get away from the maddening crowd. On the other hand, feeding the spiritual needs of others can be satisfying.
I recently had a conversation with an elderly woman who visits her husband in a retirement home every day. She also visits other residents who have no relatives or friends. When I asked if the visits drained her she replied, "O no, in fact visiting others refreshes me and nourishes me."
* * *
The Challenges of Being Faithful
by Keith Wagner
Psalm 89:19-37
Psalm 89 is a psalm of lament that praises God for God’s faithfulness. God’s covenant with David included God’s love for David and at the same time God’s expectations of David as God’s servant. God promised that David would be strong, wise, steadfast and loving. David reciprocated by making sure his followers would be dedicated to God’s ways and commandments. That being said, David would not be accountable when “his children” disobeyed because God’s love for His anointed leader would last forever.
I believe that Psalm 89 gave the faith community assurance that God was in charge. As followers we are to trust our leaders and live out our faith in love and faithfulness.
We are faithful when we realize that we are not in control. An old poem tells of a woman who was walking through a meadow one day. As she strolled along, meditating on nature, she came upon a field of golden pumpkins. In the corner of the field there stood a majestic, huge oak tree. The woman sat under the oak tree and began musing about the strange twists in nature. She said to herself, “Why would tiny acorns grow on huge branches and huge pumpkins on tiny vines?” She thought, perhaps God had blundered with creation.
Before long the woman dozed off in the warmth of the late autumn sunshine. She was awakened when a tiny acorn bounced off her nose. Chuckling to herself, she amended her previous thinking. Maybe God was right after all! There are simply some things we will never understand.
Sometimes we are asked to do things that are beneath us. Being faithful is about humbling ourselves and following God even when we can’t see the outcome.
A group of businessmen went to a remote mountain retreat for a weekend of leadership training. Expecting graphs, statistics, and pep talks, they were more than a little wary when they were asked to trade their notebooks in for shovels. Next, their boss, Mr. Clarkson, gave them their assignment for the weekend. “I want you to dig a ditch two feet wide and ten inches deep around the perimeter of the cabin.” With those words he walked back to the cabin and disappeared inside.
At first the group was silent, stunned by the ridiculous task that lay ahead. But soon the silence turned into questioning the purpose of the exercise, arguing that nine inches was close enough to ten. They were also complaining about having risen to the top of the corporate ladder only to be forced to do manual labor. Finally, Bill, a newcomer to the group, turned to the others and said, “Who cares why we have to do this. Let’s just do it and get it over with.” With those words the cabin door opened and Mr. Clarkson reappeared. “Gentlemen,” he said as he grabbed Bill’s hand, “I’d like you to meet your new vice-president.”
The psalm also reminded David and his followers that sin was a powerful and persistent reality. Nevertheless, God’s grace was more powerful. What truly matters is how we respond to that grace that is given.
In his book, When All You’ve Ever Wanted Isn’t Enough, Rabbi Harold Kushner tells about an incident that happened at a funeral home. A business associate of his father had died under tragic circumstances. He accompanied his father to the funeral. The man’s widow and children were surrounded by clergy and psychiatrists, all trying to ease their grief and make them feel better. They knew all the right words, but nothing helped. They were beyond being comforted. The widow kept saying, “You’re right, I know you’re right, but it doesn’t make a difference.”
During the viewing a man walked in, a big burly man in his eighties, who was a legend in the toy and game industry. He had come to the country illiterate and penniless but had built up an immensely successful company. He was known as a hard bargainer and ruthless competitor. Despite his success he had never learned to read or write. He had been ill lately and his face and his body posture showed it. He walked over to the widow and started to cry and she cried with him.
The atmosphere in the funeral home completely changed. The man was speaking the language of the heart. He opened up the gates of mercy where clergy and professionals could not. He was sorry for the woman’s loss and expressed it with a genuine response.
Rev. Dr. Keith Wagner is the pastor of St. John's UCC in Troy, Ohio. He has served churches in Southwest Ohio for over three decades. He is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ and has an M.Div. from Methodist Theological School, Delaware, Ohio, and a D.Min. from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He has also been an adjunct professor at Edison Community College, Piqua, Ohio. He and his wife, Lin, live in Springfield, Ohio.
*****************************************
StoryShare, July 19, 2015, issue.
Copyright 2015 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
"Food for the Soul" by Keith Wagner
"The Challenges of Being Faithful" by Keith Wagner
* * * * * * *
Food for the Soul
by Keith Wagner
Mark 6:30-44, 53-56
Our story in Mark opens with the recommendation by Jesus that the disciples find a quiet place and rest. They had been working hard, teaching, preaching and doing missionary work. They had been so busy they didn’t have time to eat. In those days they didn’t have the luxury of convenient stores and fast-food restaurants. To make matters worse people were coming and going because of the popularity of Jesus.
Just about everyone I know can relate to this story. Few people build in intentional relaxation time into their busy schedules. Some see "idle" time as wasteful or non-productive. Others just don’t have the time. Unfortunately many of us don’t give ourselves permission to rest and relax.
My summer sailing trip to the Chesapeake Bay always includes a visit to St. Michael’s, Maryland on the Eastern shore. One year we docked at the Maritime Museum. They provide a few docks for transient boaters. During our stay there we had the opportunity to observe some carpenters restoring old sailing ships. They were using methods from the past including antique tools and methods. We were captivated by their skill and dedication. But we also observed that every once in a while they would quit working, drink coffee and have conversations. Instead of being driven by schedules and deadlines and profit margins, they were driven by friendship, history and the value of making a contribution, but at a leisurely pace.
Unfortunately Jesus and his disciples reached their deserted place but it wasn’t deserted. There was a "throng” of people there and they were lost, confused, hopeless and hungry. They needed spiritual nourishment, pastoral care, assurance, hope and love. He then "taught them many things."
Opportunities for rest and relaxation provide "teachable moments." One teachable moment was that the disciples needed to retreat occasionally for a time of inspiration. But their time of seclusion was interrupted by the crowd of people who were demanding their time and resources. The disciples and Jesus couldn’t get a break.
Jesus however had compassion on those who were assembled. He sensed their worried faces and hungry souls. The masses needed comfort and hope. There was no need to send them away to the towns and villages to find food. What he gave them was food for the soul which made them less anxious and that gave them hope.
One time there was a monk who found a precious stone, a precious jewel. A short time later, the monk met a traveler, who said he was hungry and asked the monk if he would share some of his provisions. When the monk opened his bag, the traveler saw the precious stone and, on an impulse, asked the monk if he could have it. Amazingly, the monk gave the traveler the stone. The traveler departed quickly, overjoyed with his new possession. However, a few days later, he came back, searching for the monk. He returned the stone to the monk and made a request: "Please give me something more valuable, more precious than this stone. Please give me that which enabled you to give me this precious stone!"
What the traveler received was the gift of compassion. God is aware of all our hurts, pain and feelings of anxiety. We are no different than the crowd who had gathered to be close to Jesus. As Jesus said, “They were like sheep without a shepherd.” Jesus gave them food for the soul by having compassion on them which gave them reassurance.
When challenged by Jesus to feed the mass of people that had assembled, the disciples argued that there wasn’t enough food on hand to feed such a large crowd. They said, "Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?" But instead of going to the nearest grocery store they were to take inventory and find out what was available.
The disciples gathered up what food they could find but it wasn’t enough to feed everyone. So Jesus took what they had found, blessed it and had the disciples distribute it. Amazingly, everyone was satisfied and there was plenty left over.
In the past I have always believed that what happened here was the domino effect. More importantly Jesus taught that disciples are those who are refreshed and nourished when they are dedicated to helping others.
On the one hand there are times when we need to take breaks and get away from the maddening crowd. On the other hand, feeding the spiritual needs of others can be satisfying.
I recently had a conversation with an elderly woman who visits her husband in a retirement home every day. She also visits other residents who have no relatives or friends. When I asked if the visits drained her she replied, "O no, in fact visiting others refreshes me and nourishes me."
* * *
The Challenges of Being Faithful
by Keith Wagner
Psalm 89:19-37
Psalm 89 is a psalm of lament that praises God for God’s faithfulness. God’s covenant with David included God’s love for David and at the same time God’s expectations of David as God’s servant. God promised that David would be strong, wise, steadfast and loving. David reciprocated by making sure his followers would be dedicated to God’s ways and commandments. That being said, David would not be accountable when “his children” disobeyed because God’s love for His anointed leader would last forever.
I believe that Psalm 89 gave the faith community assurance that God was in charge. As followers we are to trust our leaders and live out our faith in love and faithfulness.
We are faithful when we realize that we are not in control. An old poem tells of a woman who was walking through a meadow one day. As she strolled along, meditating on nature, she came upon a field of golden pumpkins. In the corner of the field there stood a majestic, huge oak tree. The woman sat under the oak tree and began musing about the strange twists in nature. She said to herself, “Why would tiny acorns grow on huge branches and huge pumpkins on tiny vines?” She thought, perhaps God had blundered with creation.
Before long the woman dozed off in the warmth of the late autumn sunshine. She was awakened when a tiny acorn bounced off her nose. Chuckling to herself, she amended her previous thinking. Maybe God was right after all! There are simply some things we will never understand.
Sometimes we are asked to do things that are beneath us. Being faithful is about humbling ourselves and following God even when we can’t see the outcome.
A group of businessmen went to a remote mountain retreat for a weekend of leadership training. Expecting graphs, statistics, and pep talks, they were more than a little wary when they were asked to trade their notebooks in for shovels. Next, their boss, Mr. Clarkson, gave them their assignment for the weekend. “I want you to dig a ditch two feet wide and ten inches deep around the perimeter of the cabin.” With those words he walked back to the cabin and disappeared inside.
At first the group was silent, stunned by the ridiculous task that lay ahead. But soon the silence turned into questioning the purpose of the exercise, arguing that nine inches was close enough to ten. They were also complaining about having risen to the top of the corporate ladder only to be forced to do manual labor. Finally, Bill, a newcomer to the group, turned to the others and said, “Who cares why we have to do this. Let’s just do it and get it over with.” With those words the cabin door opened and Mr. Clarkson reappeared. “Gentlemen,” he said as he grabbed Bill’s hand, “I’d like you to meet your new vice-president.”
The psalm also reminded David and his followers that sin was a powerful and persistent reality. Nevertheless, God’s grace was more powerful. What truly matters is how we respond to that grace that is given.
In his book, When All You’ve Ever Wanted Isn’t Enough, Rabbi Harold Kushner tells about an incident that happened at a funeral home. A business associate of his father had died under tragic circumstances. He accompanied his father to the funeral. The man’s widow and children were surrounded by clergy and psychiatrists, all trying to ease their grief and make them feel better. They knew all the right words, but nothing helped. They were beyond being comforted. The widow kept saying, “You’re right, I know you’re right, but it doesn’t make a difference.”
During the viewing a man walked in, a big burly man in his eighties, who was a legend in the toy and game industry. He had come to the country illiterate and penniless but had built up an immensely successful company. He was known as a hard bargainer and ruthless competitor. Despite his success he had never learned to read or write. He had been ill lately and his face and his body posture showed it. He walked over to the widow and started to cry and she cried with him.
The atmosphere in the funeral home completely changed. The man was speaking the language of the heart. He opened up the gates of mercy where clergy and professionals could not. He was sorry for the woman’s loss and expressed it with a genuine response.
Rev. Dr. Keith Wagner is the pastor of St. John's UCC in Troy, Ohio. He has served churches in Southwest Ohio for over three decades. He is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ and has an M.Div. from Methodist Theological School, Delaware, Ohio, and a D.Min. from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He has also been an adjunct professor at Edison Community College, Piqua, Ohio. He and his wife, Lin, live in Springfield, Ohio.
*****************************************
StoryShare, July 19, 2015, issue.
Copyright 2015 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
