Lenten Reflections – March 13, 2013 by Jeanne Speanburg

Isaiah 49: 8-15 (All of today’s readings can be found here.)

Sometimes we are so involved in our own problems that we cannot see beyond them. Our struggles become our only reality and nothing else seems to exist. Today’s scripture from Isaiah is like this. The first part of the scripture relates all the ways that God will help and comfort his people. He promises to restore their land, provide for their needs, free the prisoners, and bring into the light those in darkness. He even says he will cut a road through the mountains and make the highways level to ease their journey.

The people respond by saying “The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.” It is almost as if they were not listening, or perhaps could not believe the promises the Lord had just made to them. They are mired in their own problems and have lost hope. God’s response is one of such gentleness and affection that it must awaken them from their negative reality.

“Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb?

Even should she forget, I will never forget you.”

What a beautiful maternal image of God. God is so often portrayed as our father that we may overlook this maternal image. Like a mother, God is tender, comforting and merciful. God is always with us, will never forsake us, is always on our side and wants only the best for us. How blessed we are to have a God who loves us unconditionally!

Advent Reflections – Friday, December 21, 2013 by Jeanne Speanburg

Song of Songs 2:10-13

My lover speaks; he says to me,
“Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one,
and come!
“For see, the winter is past,
the rains are over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth,
the time of pruning the vines has come,
and the song of the dove is heard in our land.
The fig tree puts forth its figs,
and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance.
Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one,
and come!

These words are beautiful to read, but difficult for me to imagine God saying to me.  They are so personal, so intimate, and yet I know they are words that God speaks to each one of us.  Words we long to hear; words we need to hear even if they may embarrass us with their intimacy.

Our community and our nation have recently experienced the deaths of so many innocent, young victims and we are grieving.  Grief can be all consuming and it is hard to see an end to the pain.  This scripture offers us hope that the winter of our grief will pass and we will heal so we can go on with life.  It gives us a picture that life will someday be beautiful again.  In the midst of our grief, the hope of God can be our lifeline during the difficult days ahead.   Hope will sustain us during the slow, painful process of healing and someday we will again see beauty in our world.