Spiritual Sounding Board – This is your place to gather and share in an open format.
by Kathi
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Luke 2: 41-52
Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. After the feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.
Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. The they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When he parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
Psalm 36
An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect of hate his sin. The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and to do good. Even on his bed he plots evil; he commits himself to a sinful course and does not reject what is wrong.
Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O Lord, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.
Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart. May the foot of the proud not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. See how the evildoers lie fallen – thrown down, not able to rise!
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May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness: protect you from the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing: at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing: once again into our doors.
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Feel free to join the discussion.
You can share your church struggles and concerns.
Let’s also use it as a time to encourage one another spiritually.
What have you found spiritually encouraging lately?
Do you have any special Bible verses to share, any YouTube songs that you have found uplifting?
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photo credit: Kathi – cactus from Peru
Spiritual Sounding Board 
Just sitting here with a chamomile tea (I’ve got a cold- boo hoo)!
Reading 1 Thessalonians and chapter 5:8-11 stood out to me.
In particular verse 10 where it says, ‘… Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him’.
The past few months I’ve felt drawn to pray more in a ‘real sense’ and pursue God through conversation.
This verse clarifies for me that the Lord wants us to ‘live together with him’ in a real way.
The next verse tells us we should comfort and edify one another.
I find these passages comforting.
Religion is so confusing.
God is ‘not far from any one of us’ – acts 17:27
(A bonus verse for the Calvinists in the house, whom I love) – 😉😊
God is so good.
Back to my tea. 👍
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Thank you Kathi, Good word, good music. How great is our God who sent his son that ALL who believe will have everlasting life. (My version of course.) I’d really like to do play “What a Day That Will Be, When My Jesus I Shall See” on my piano right now, but the neighbors may still be sleeping and not too happy about that. I have a tendency to want it heard above the mountain tops and straight to the throne of God. So I will let the words roll around in my head a while.
LWP, I hope your cold doesn’t last long. A good cup of tea is always good. I’ll have a cup of green tea with dried mango after I finish my coffee.
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2015 was a wonderful year of prayer and connection with God.
2014 was a crisis year for me, and spending time in silence before the Lord made a big difference. I’ve got huge changes — including a leap into the unknown — ahead of me for 2016, but I think I may be ready because I know I am not alone.
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Thank you for this lovely blessing today.
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I hope you all had a nice Sunday. We got out this morning to get coffee and found snow on the ground! My daughter went back to college today and I worried about her until I heard she was back safe (Oregonians are not the best at driving in the snow, and we tend to get more ice on the road than snow). Then I got to go home from work early because of the weather.
I’m glad that these Sunday posts are helpful to many here. I’ll admit that I struggle a bit myself over reading the Bible and prayer. I do find a moment of peace in putting these posts together, though.
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Anonymous2 – Thanks for sharing about your journey. It’s so good to know that YOU know you are not alone for the leap into the unknown. Keep us posted on how you are doing. We care.
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Thank you, once again, Kathi, for putting together this post today. I’m glad to know it is encouraging to you.
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Kathi, I am glad you are all safe. We have snow and ice here in MI on a regular basis and many that should know how to drive here, don’t. I have to remind myself that reading my Bible and prayer are top priority. Morning, afternoon and when I lay down at night, He should be on my mind and in my heart. I get filled up on Sunday and have to get filled back up throughout the week. God bless you for your faithfulness.
Anon2, You are never alone. God uses those valleys to get you to the mountain tops. Isn’t he wonderful.
I found I had a fork in the road this past few months and need to get back to the path that leads to Christ. Not spending enough time with Him, my best friend, leads me into darkness and bondage. It may mean parting company with someone I find very dear, but chooses unbelief.
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