​https://www.disasterreliefeffort.org/donate - With Hurricane Helene devastating a large portion of southeastern U.S., Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Effort, Inc. (CCDRE) is really ramping up and sending out truckloads of relief to area churches. The best way to help is sending money. Click and check it out.

(Exert from Bobby Valentine via Facebook, Restoration Community, 9/27/2024)
     Hallel HaGadol is Hebrew for "the great praise." Our reading concludes with the the explosion of thanksgiving for HESED. 
     The apostle Paul explicitly tells us to use the Book of Psalms in our worship to God so as to "discern the will of God" (Eph 5.17). They obviously are among those things that makes us wise unto salvation, instruct us in doctrine and equip us to every good work (Eph 5.18f; 2 Tim 3.15-17). The words "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs" (as they are translated in most English Bibles) come straight out of the headings used in the Greek Septuagint of the Psalms. Paul literally tells the Ephesian church that one way we know the Holy Spirit is flowing in us is when we sing the Book of Psalms.
 . . . . .This morning's lection of Psalms 131-136, is full of the blessedness and gratitude of being counted by grace among the people of God. Images of Pilgrims longing - aching - to be included in the procession of worship in Zion.
          "Zion" evokes our hope. "Lift up your hands toward the sanctuary and bless the LORD" (134.2).
          We sing "psalms to his name for that is pleasing" to the Lord (135.3).
     Here in this place, and at this time, we are reminded of God's incredible love for his people, "Israel his treasured possession" (135.4). Such HESED issues not in condescension or arrogance but in gratitude on the part of the saints.
     When we see the word "Hesed" we are encountering one of the most important words in the entire Bible. It is an exceedingly difficult word to translate because its meaning is so deep and profound. Scholars have suggested: grace, mercy, steadfast love, unfailing love (NIV) unending commitment, even "hell will freeze over before I give you up." The very word is praised in the Hebrew Bible (cf. Pss 103, 107, etc).

Psalm 133 
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to live together in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
Running down upon the beard,
As on Aaron’s beard,
The oil which ran down upon the edge of his robes.
It is like the dew of Hermon
Coming down upon the mountains of Zion;
For the Lord commanded the blessing there—life forever.

A Song of Ascents.
​Psalm 134 
Behold, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
Who serve by night in the house of the Lord!
Lift up your hands to the sanctuary
And bless the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion,
He who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 136:1-9
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
For His faithfulness is everlasting.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
For His faithfulness is everlasting.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
For His faithfulness is everlasting.
To Him who alone does great wonders,
For His faithfulness is everlasting;
To Him who made the heavens with skill,
For His faithfulness is everlasting;
To Him who spread out the earth above the waters,
For His faithfulness is everlasting;
To Him who made the great lights,
For His faithfulness is everlasting:
The sun to rule by day,
For His faithfulness is everlasting,
The moon and stars to rule by night,
For His faithfulness is everlasting.


​

Were you alive on September 11, 2001? I was. I was 33 years old, owned my own fairly successful small business (a bakery). It was about 8:30 a.m. and I was just waiting for some bread to get done and take it out of the oven and getting ready to go onto the next thing needing doing. Just a normal Tuesday baking day. Then, a good friend came into the bakery, we exchanged greetings, and he said, "I've got bad news. Two planes were flown into the World Trade Towers in New York City. The towers have collapsed; people were seen jumping out of the windows. There was a plane flown into the Pentagon; another crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. All flights into or out of the U.S. have been grounded." Even now, 23 years later, I remember exactly how I felt. Shock. Horror. Clutching my stomach in nausea. Tears welling up. Oh, God. No. Why? Why?!

We always say, "Never Forget." But we so often do. Unless you yourself were physically impacted -- lost a close loved one, actually knew a person killed, personally knew someone who gave their life -- we forget. The loss is so overwhelming, so immense, so long-ago and. . .we forget. This is why we have memorials, physical mementos, solemn gatherings and tributes; it helps us to mourn and to remember and to, hopefully, come together and give peace and comfort to one another. Remember that our Father God has given us the avenue of prayer to talk to Him, to give us comfort and a release for anguish.

​On this day of remembrance remember to pray.

A Prayer for Hope 
From: 5 Prayers for America on 9/11 - 9/11 Anniversary (crosswalk.com)
A fifth prayer for America on 9/11 is a prayer for hope. Hope is something that we all need. Especially for major tragic events, such as the terrorist attacks on 9/11, we need a reason to have hope. We can always trust in Jesus because He is our hope.
There are terrible things that happen in the world, but they are not God’s fault. Terrible things happen in the world because of sin being in the world. Despite these bad things happening, God can work out bad things for His good (Romans 8:28).
Dear God, please give us hope during these times. There have been many devastating events to happen, and the anniversary of 9/11 reminds us of the terrible things that can happen. Please fill our hearts with hope and be our sturdy foundation. Our hope is found in You alone, Lord, and we know we can always trust You. Please give all people hope and give America the hope we need to continue on. We thank you always. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

​Then she said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” But Ruth said, “Do not plead with me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you sleep, I will sleep. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord do so to me, and worse, if anything but death separates me from you.” When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her about it.
So they both went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was stirred because of them, and the women said, “Is this Naomi?” But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has afflicted me?”
So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.

​Now Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he stopped, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” So he said to them, “When you pray, say:
Father, may your name be honored;
may your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And do not lead us into temptation.”
Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine has stopped here while on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.’ Then he will reply from inside, ‘Do not bother me. The door is already shut, and my children and I are in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though the man inside will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of the first man’s sheer persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.
“So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, although you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

​

(From a post on Facebook)
​​
It's okay to pray.
Pray out loud, pray in your head,
pray in a whisper. Pray on your knees,
pray in the car, pray in the shower.
Just pray!