Week 27 Wednesday

Passing the Word Along

Today’s scripture selection: Psalms 78-80

Key verse: Psalm 78:4

     Have you ever had a bit of good news that was so good you just had to pass it on?

     I know I have felt that way about wedding plans; birth announcements; employment changes; things large and small – having to do with me – or someone I care about.

     But how often do we get that excited about sharing the news of God’s love?  How often do we grab the phone or get on the internet to let someone know that we have found spiritual answers to life’s problems?

     The more “evangelical” among us do that on a pretty regular basis.

     But others of us, well, we are a little more reserved – a little hesitant to “talk religion” – lest we offend in some way.

     When that happens maybe we should take a lesson from the Psalmist.

     “I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old – things we have heard and known; things are ancestors have told us.  We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation…”

     Tell them what?

     “…the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.”

     They are worth sharing: the divine guidance; the helpful counsel; the answer to prayer; the word of comfort.

     Our world is a confusing, frightening place at times.

     And we have the answer – “hidden” in our faith.

     How about sharing?

Prayer: Lord, open my mouth; open my heart, so I can share the good news of your love with someone who needs to hear it.  AMEN.

 

By Paul Simrell

The Reverend Paul W. Simrell has served for over thirty years in a variety of congregational and institutional settings. He is a recognized minister with standing in the Virginia region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada and is nationally endorsed by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for specialized ministry in both pastoral counseling and chaplaincy. Ordained in 1982, he has served congregations in Kentucky, Texas, Florida, and Virginia. He currently serves as the pastor of Elpis Christian Church, a small, historic congregation located just a few miles west of Richmond, Virginia. Elpis is the Greek word meaning “expectant hope.” He also serves on the associate clinical staff of the Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care, Richmond, Virginia, both as a pastoral counselor and a ministerial assessment specialist, specializing in executive, clergy and relationship coaching. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and Lexington Theological Seminary and has done advanced clinical training in chaplaincy and pastoral counseling at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, Children’s Medical Center and Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas and the Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care in Richmond, Virginia. He is a Certified Pastoral Counselor, an ACPE Practitioner, and a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. He is a Certified Facilitator of the Prepare-Enrich relationship assessment and skills-building program and served as a volunteer chaplain for over twenty years with the CJW Medical Center campuses in Richmond, Virginia. His avocational interests include playing the piano and drawing. He is very happily married to his wife Elizabeth Yeamans Simrell, a free-lance writer, who is also a Certified Facilitator for the Prepare-Enrich program. Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton

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