January 24, 2010
Suncook United Methodist Church
Genesis 6:5-8, 11-13 NIV Bible
Genesis 8:21b-22, 12-16 Message Bible
“I Shall Not Be Moved”
The Lord Be With You
And Also With You
Let Us Pray. . .
Loving, Compassionate, Creator God, we have come into your house as a family to worship you this day in spirit and in truth. We pray for your Spirit here with us gathered here this day. We pray that you would illuminate our hearts, illuminate our minds and illuminate souls, so that we may hear and understand the word you have for us today. We pray that we would understand more fully how you would have us respond to the world around us. Speak Lord; your ambassadors are listening. . .
Over the past week, I have been hearing a lot about the disaster in Haiti. I have heard how people have been saved even though they should have died, I heard about the death toll going up, I have heard about some of the rescue efforts for the people of Haiti. But I have also heard some disturbing things, I have heard some people saying that Haiti has gotten what they deserved, that these people made a deal with the devil and that they are getting the judgment that they had coming to them because of it. Now tell me. . . where is the hope, where is the grace, in that statement? Where is God’s love for all of His creation in that way of thinking? Why would the God of Noah do this to this country? Have they all really sinned, is there no hope for these people?
Hope. . . we all need hope in our lives. Without hope life would be futile, not worth living. Hope. . . I love it when at the end of a rain storm there is a rainbow. I just love rainbows. As a matter of fact, after rain, I actually go outside and try to find a rainbow. I may not see one every time but I know there is one the. . . somewhere. . . and that reminds me of hope. You see. . . when I see a rainbow it reminds me of hope, it reminds me of the covenant that God gave Noah so long ago, it reminds me of the love that God has for humankind, it reminds me of new beginnings. I just love the story of Noah and the floating zoo.
The story, this first natural disaster, is found in Genesis. We have heard the first part of the story this morning, about how God was angry and sad that he made humans; but it is in the other part of the story that I find hope. . . it is how it ends that tells me about God’s love for all of creation. The part I’m going to read to you this morning is from Genesis 8:21b-22 and 9:12-16 (I have decided to go to 16 instead of 13 because it gives the whole picture). Listen and see if you can hear the hope in these verses. . . (Read the Scripture)
The wind and the rain were fierce outside but all was safe inside, protected by God Calm within the storm, peace and security amidst the death and destruction) God is my refuge. . . I shall not be moved.
God didn’t save just one kind of creature but all kinds of creatures God is not just for one people and give security and hope just for them. God loves all of His creation and wants it to be secure in Him. God is my Maker. . . I shall not be moved.
They had that quiet time in the Ark when everything was hushed but God was with them even in that quiet time. God did not forget the floating zoo. Even in the quiet time after the earthquake in Haiti, God is there with them, not forgetting this devastated people, this country known as Haiti. God is my peace. . . I shall not be moved.
Noah, the righteous human, was flawed, like all of us, but God decided to accept this human, to accept all humankind, with all of its faults and limitations. God decided right then and there He would never do this again, never cause the waters to rise and cover the earth and His creation. God is my redeemer. . . I shall not be moved.
God wanted life to continue, God told the animals and humankind to be fruitful and multiply. It is a true now as it was then. Not only for Noah and the residents of the Ark but also for all that are their descendents. God is my hope. . . I shall not be moved.
Noah, this ordinary man who followed God’s ways to the best of his ability, much like you and me, made an impact on the world as we know it today. Without his following God’s commands, without him doing as God told him, all would be lost. We too can make an impact on the lives of the people of Haiti. One way that we are trying to make that impact is the health kits we are putting together to be sent to those in need in Haiti. We can lift up prayers for the people of Haiti. We can volunteer to go to Haiti and help or send money so that others can go. There are so many ways that we can help these people devastated by these earth quakes.
Beloved. . . Haiti did nothing to cause this disaster as some have been saying. There is a fault line under this country, there are millions of people living in this small area, there is a human greed factor going on here as well. There is so many other things that are at the root of this disaster let’s stop pointing fingers and put our hand to good use instead of judgment and condemnation. God is with those who mourn. . . God is with those who have lost everything. . . God is with those who are devastated. . . God is with those who cry. . . whatever God’s creation goes through, God is there. . . right beside it. . . feeling it’s pain. . . it’s loss. . . it’s devastation. . . crying right along with it. God is my joy and salvation, my help that is ever present. . . I shall not be moved.
AMEN.
Genesis 8:21b-22,
Genesis 9:12-16
Genesis 6:5-8, 11-13
Psalm 20:1-3 (Call to Worship)
Psalm 46:1-11
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
Worship Theme: There is Hope in God
Children’s Message
by Reverend Huntley Halvorson
and sermon, “I Shall Not Be Moved”
by
Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
“God’s
Whisper” blog
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
January 24, 2010
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