W.I.S.E. Bible Study

 Summer evenings provide time for stargazing, campfires, and the patio. Stars, planets, and the moon seem so close, and a person can feel so small. Psalm 8:3-4 states: When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? I am reminded of this Psalm when gazing at the heavens. When going north, the heavens seem brighter and larger, and one can feel smaller. The author of the Psalms asks why God cares for humans as they are insignificant compared to the vastness of the world. God does care for humans. God cares so much that God has asked us to help in the care of the world. The world and heavens are vast and will take all of us to care for it. As heatwaves plague Europe, and summer heat will return to Wisconsin, talk of global warming escalates. Each of us must help with the care of our part of the world so that the beauty and vastness will be the...

 Did you ever want to do something only to have a friend or parent caution against it? Today’s Our Father’s verse is “lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” Even if we went headlong into doing something that we were warned against, note that God will deliver us. “Lead us not into temptation,” isn’t about God testing us but about God advising us not to do something that will lead us astray.  In the Our Father, we learn to address whom we are praying to, and to acknowledge our belief through praise. We then give our petitions, along with the note that we must come to God in prayer without impediments. I think in many ways this is an example of how to communicate. We address the person as a person, not “dude” or “brah,” but by name. We acknowledge the good in them. We ask for or address what is needed, but only if there are no “impediments” between you and the person. True forgiveness leads to action of true love and respect for another. Today, more than praying t...

“And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” These words of the Our Father remind us of a loving, forgiving Father we have. Happy Father’s Day to all the Fathers out there and in heaven. The forgiveness of God is a wiping away of the trespass; it is forgiven, forgotten as if it didn’t happen. The remnant lies within the transgressor that allows the transgression to shape one. If we believe in the forgiveness of God, then we let it shape us in positive ways, never going down that path again. The intimate remnant that we carry will prevent us because we have received true forgiveness. Something then we are called to pay forward by forgiving those who have trespassed against us. On this Father’s Day, let us dwell on true love, seeing the best in a person and not lingering on past hurts or dwelling on negative aspects of a person. Shine love this day on the path..

 In the book of Exodus 16, we find the Israelites in the desert and hungry. God provides them with manna. The people are to gather only the amount to be used for the day, except on Saturday, when they have to gather for Sunday also. The instructions were a test to see if the people would follow directions. These verses point to what Jesus will say later on in the desert when being tempted by Satan: “Man can not live on bread alone but must by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” The point of these Exodus verses is to show trust in God’s provision; guard against self-reliance; set aside time for rest and receiving of blessings from God. Also, remember that manna is temporary, but our true bread, which is forever, comes from heaven. Eucharist. Why do I talk about Exodus when I was talking about the Our Father? Today’s verse is “Give us this day our daily bread.” When we pray this, Jesus takes us back to the Old Testament, threading through to his time. He reminds us to be th...

  Today I’d like to talk about two lines from the Our Father prayer: thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. These lines are a petition and a statement. A petition for God’s kingdom here on earth, which will only happen if we allow God’s work, “thy will be done,” through us. The most humbling thing for me is God’s love for me and God’s confidence in me to be part of his co-creator here on earth. God is always greater than me, but God's work through me will allow God’s kingdom here on earth to shine through. Great responsibility. Something we need to use our ability to respond by asking for God’s will for us. Sometimes, I sit on my patio looking at the flowers, kids' toys strewn all over, and feel like this is a slice of heaven. Looking at the face of a loved one, remembering those who have gone before me, reminds me of “as in heaven.” Spend some time thinking about your respond-ability towards God and God’s will for you to help create heaven on earth for...

 Today’s Gospel reading is Matthew 6:7-15. This reading is where Jesus gives us the prayer: The Our Father. If you need to know where to begin your prayer life, start here. Jesus mentions that God doesn’t want us to babble on, so he gives us the Our Father, which is a very succinct prayer. Don’t know where to begin in prayer? Start with the Our Father. A friend needs prayer? Say the Our Father. This prayer is universal, and because Jesus gave it to us, it is one we know will be listened to. So, what are we saying when we pray this prayer? We start with specifically who we are praying to: Our Father; that is right, a universal father for all. Our links us together forever. Where is this God we pray to: “who art in heaven”. God is above us in the sense that we acknowledge God is where all stems from… Next, we give praise and reverence, knowing it is God’s name that is “hallowed,” that is sacred. To call upon God’s name is to acknowledge God’s all-powerfulness and worthiness of our su...