One-Word Check-In

Moses asks God to see God's face, but God tells Moses that it's impossible. Yet, God makes a different way to provide a similar presence. God puts Moses in a cleft, a special place, so that Moses can get a glimpse of God.

Moses "enters into the thick darkness where God was" (Exodus 19:21). Scripture tells us that God is in thick darkness as well as light. We all have to enter our own deep darkness when we enter into a covenant with God.

The Israelites moved on to another stage in the wilderness when they are thirsty. God provides them water from a rock, a hard place, that satisfies their thirst.

The Israelites accuse Moses and Aaron for trying to kill them with hunger. Physical hunger can be a very real experience for many, and we are all spiritually hungry for God. God satisfies them physically and spiritually because God is present in the bread.

Many people have heard the well-known verse spoken by Jesus: "When two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them" (Matt. 18:2). What does Jesus really mean by that? How is Christ's presence present among the people?

God meets Moses on the mountain of God and sends Moses to bring the Israelites back to this holy place. Do you have a holy place where you meet God?

According to Acts 10:9-16, Peter falls into a trance and receives a vision from God. God's vision expands the good news to Gentiles, and the whole chapter shows that God gives visions to Gentiles as well. God uses all people to bring about God's dream of inclusive grace to the world.

Pilate's wife has a dream about Jesus that causes great suffering. We don't know what she saw in the dream, but it troubled her enough that she was compelled to act.

An angel delivers a message to Joseph, the father of Jesus, four times. In the first dream, the angel said, "Don't be afraid." Fear can prevent us from answering God's call.

After Joseph shares his dreams, his brothers plot to get rid of this dreamer. Joseph is sent to find his brothers and doesn't know he is walking into danger. He even gets lost and wanders in the fields until a nameless stranger helps him along the way.

Joseph receives a symbolic gift from his father, Jacob, that sets him apart from his siblings. How does this gift play into his future?

Jacob left home and found himself in a liminal space, an in-between place, between his past and his future. God comes to Jacob in a dream and assures him that God will be with him. God will go with him to the next place.

Isaac and Rebekah both pray to God, and both receive answers to their prayers. Isaac was probably happy with the answer to his prayer, but it caused great difficulty for Rebekah. Rebekah was probably not happy with her answered prayer. She did not seem comforted by knowing the answer that she could not quite understand. The Lord will answer our prayers, but we may not always get the answer we want...

Abraham's servant experiences God in a big way. He prays to a God he doesn't know, and God responds boldly. Have you ever experienced God in a big way, especially if you weren't sure who you were praying to?

God calls Abraham, and Abraham responds by saying, "Here I am." The Message Bible translates that as, "I'm listening." When God calls us, do we respond by saying, "I'm listening?" How can you show God that you are listening?

In Pastor Kristie's final sermon at Foothills UMC, she challenges us to the Great Co-mission with Christ as we are all called to make disciples by teaching others about Christ's love.

In Acts 2:1-21 the image of smoky mist describes the Holy Spirit and its movement in our lives. What are your favorite images of the Holy Spirit?

In John 17:1-11, Jesus prays for his disciples before his Ascension. In his prayer, he said, "I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do" (v.4). Is there work that you need to finish? How can you glorify God by finishing this work?

The exchange between Mary and Jesus shows us their mutual devotion for one another in John 2:1-11. Pastor Kristie reminds us that God nudges us through our loved ones. May we all listen for the nudge of God.

Jesus performs his first miracle, turning water into wine, by saying, "Fill the jars." What are the jars in our lives that Jesus invites us to fill?

Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one come to the Father except through me." Pastor Kristie explores how we might read this verse differently if we understood Jesus as love, that Jesus' way is love, the truth is love, and our lives are meant for love.

Pastor Kristie explores the next journey for the disciples as Jesus joins them on the road to Emmaus. What is our next journey with Jesus?

Guest Contributor, Susan Naslund, Director of the Good Shepherd Ministry Center, brings this reflection about her favorite image of Jesus.

On the Walk to Emmaus, Cleopas called Jesus a stranger. He didn't recognize Jesus after the resurrection. It wasn't until Jesus broke the bread that their eyes were opened to who Jesus is.

On Jesus' last night, the disciples encountered Jesus in ways they had never encountered him. Jesus gives them a new commandment to love as he demonstrates it by washing their feet and feeding them grace.