Monthly Archives: June 2017

Of God and Idols

Living in the Spirit
June 30, 2017

Scripture Reading: Romans 6:12-23

What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification.

  When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. So what advantage did you then get from the things of which you now are ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. –Romans 6:15-23

Paul presumes in this writing that all humans must be slaves to something. The word slave brings on negative connotations for most of us who understand slavery as out of the slave’s control. Perhaps we need to look more closely at the words if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves. Paul is describing a person who is a slave by choice. I have ancestors who worked as indentured slaves, often called servants, as a youth to learn a viable trade. Such arrangements included binding legal contracts. I think this is what Paul has in mind. While it applies to our relationship with God, it clearly states that we also choose to make ourselves slaves to sin.

Choosing to place our faith in things that separate us from God is idolatry. One of the most insidious forms of idolatry is the prescription drug epidemic laying waste of many across our land. It starts so innocently but clings ever tighter and tighter. The same is true for illegal drugs. Greed and lust for power fit well into the pit of idolatry too. We are surely separated from God when we perceive ourselves as better than others because of the color of our skins or our gender or any other reason. I do not believe God loves any one of his children more than any other. Why do we have a need to establish such standards?

Before we acknowledged the presence of God in God’s righteousness and justice, we did not understand the significance of idolatry. We do now.

Prayer: Lord, free us from our need for lesser gods. Be present with us each step we take closer to you and away from them. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Living in the Spirit
June 29, 2017

Scripture Reading: Romans 6:12-23

Therefore, do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. No longer present your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments of righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. –Romans 6:12-14

Civility starts with me. We choose whether we get caught up in the improprieties of our society even in the heat of the moment. I find myself ignoring articles that not only express a different way of thinking from mine but are peppered with words that denigrated people, like me, who share my opinions. I must say regarding any materials; I am disappointed when I see offensive labeling and descriptors that shed no light on the subject under discussion but disparaged those with a different viewpoint. Personal attacks deliver the message that the speaker does not have evidence to support his or her ideas. I now filter out material with which I probably agree, if the author feels it necessary to destroy the source rather than address the content.

Paul speaks to this issue in our scripture today. We are responsible for self-examining our hearts and minds so that we do not get caught in the hurtful and non-productive ways of the world that reduce our ability to be good disciples of Christ, following his way.

Prayer: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. –Psalm 51:10

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Doers of Justice

Living in the Spirit
June 28, 2017

Scripture Reading: Psalm 13
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
   How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I bear pain in my soul,
   and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
   Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
and my enemy will say, ‘I have prevailed’;
   my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.

 But I trusted in your steadfast love;
   my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
   because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Futility is a dangerous state of mind. Futility results when one feels ineffective, unfruitful. The population of the futile in our country is growing. Most work and still may go to bed hungry at night. The rate of low or very low food insecurity is 16.5% of the Oklahoma population*. Many of the working poor rely on food stamps to supplement their low wages facing the denigration that accompanies paying for groceries with a food stamp card. Many service industry jobs limit hours of work by whether the employee is needed making it impossible to know what income to expect. Most such jobs offer no sick leave and certainly no leave for parents to stay home with sick children. The vast majority of child care facilities do not take sick children and could call a parent in the middle of the day to pick their child up if he or she becomes ill. Too many of those incidences can get one fired. Two many firings listed on a job application can restrict one’s employ-ability. Living from one paycheck to the next is the only option. This first verse of this hymn is their song.

Our call as followers of Christ is to pave the way for the futile to learn about God’s steadfast love. One introduction to God’s love results from the example of our steadfast love exemplified in working together to form a just society where all earn a living wage and businesses flourish because all our citizens are a part of a vibrant economy.

Prayer: Lord, makes us each doers of justice for all your children.

*http://okpolicy.org/fact-sheet-hunger-in-oklahoma/

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

We Have a Savior

Living in the Spirit
June 27, 2017

Scripture Reading: Genesis 22:1-14

When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’ And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt-offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’ –Genesis 22:9-14

‘The Lord will provide.’ The Lord did provide the earth and all that is in it, our very lives, and knowledge and talents to use the resources wisely if we so choose. Some believed over the centuries that after creation God stepped back to observe how we humans handle such gifts. Abraham, I think, felt a partnership with God and  from the beginning, sought and received God’s guidance through all of his life as did Moses, David, and the prophets. Jesus introduced a more particular understanding of God with us. Jesus’ followers seek to fulfill the vision of a Kingdom, the world, ruled by love, as a calling to be a part of his purpose.

‘The Lord will provide.’ Abraham speaks in the future tense. Was this event the point at which Abraham realized that the Lord’s provision is eternal? I must say in times like these when the world teems with fear and hate and divisiveness; we need a touch of such faith. We need the provision of hope when our personal and communal resources feel stretched to the breaking point. We need a Savior. Thank God, almighty, we have one.

Prayer: We thank you God for the gift of Jesus Christ who dwelt among us and dwells with us today and forever. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Journey of Faith

Living in the Spirit
June 26, 2017

Scripture Reading: Genesis 22:1-14

After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt-offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.’ So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt-offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.’ Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘Father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ He said, ‘The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?’ Abraham said, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.’ So the two of them walked on together. –Genesis 22:1-8

Several years ago, I toured Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello, in Virginia. One of the things I saw was his Bible from which he had extracted all the parts with which he did not agree or like. I do not recall how he treated the above scripture, but if I were to edit a Bible, it would be one scripture I would leave out. I, however, do not see that as an option so I must deal with it. I have read several viewpoints and heard a fair number of sermons on Abraham’s willingness to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. One I recall suggested that God’s stopping Abraham from committing the act was the example that leads to ending child sacrifice prevalent in ancient times. Others build on Abraham’s passing God’s test, while some are sure that God does not put people to such tests.

As a former child welfare worker who encountered a parent who held her toddler’s legs and feet in boiling water to make her mind causing permanent damage and another parent who drown her child trying to wash the devil out of her, I have visceral, preconceived opinions related to such stories. Most related to mental health issues for which our society is not well prepared and does not seem to have the willingness to address.

That said, here is my take: Faith for most is a journey with low valleys and straight plains and high mountains. Our relationship with the Holy on that journey increases our ability to love one another, not only our neighbors but our parents, children, and spouses. Sometimes we have to prove our faith to ourselves. Sometimes we do have to change cultural norms. I take great hope in Abraham’s from the beginning having faith that ‘God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.’

Prayer: Lord, we live in a complex world filled with pain and suffering. Help us create a society where our love commingled with your love enables wholeness. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Aligning with God

Living in the Spirit
June 25, 2017

Scripture Reading: Matthew 10:24-39

‘Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. –Matthew 10:34-39

I think God spends a lot of time figuring out how to work with what we give God when sometimes it’s not pretty. God’s work is always restorative. Even Abraham seeing all the stars in the heavens never saw the whole picture, nor do we who live where artificial light obscures the night sky. As humans, we have little bursts of insight of God’s purpose for this world and our roles in it. We praise God for patience with our blindsides and thank God for the few Aha! moments that bring new insights.

Jesus came to us to stir us out of our complacency and focus us toward being change agents in a world capable of self-destruction as well as fulfillment for all. While we may seek peace and escape from the realities of our world, Jesus modeled living in the world while restoring it to its full potential of light and life and love.

The poem Wind by Wind, wind – a reflection on the Spirit* by William Loader speaks to the varied roles of the Spirit as it works and wields its way into our beings. It is a scary poem, not for the faint of heart, but certainly worth the read. As we watch the principalities and powers of this world stumble through shaping the world to their favor, we would do well to remember that we follow a risen Savior who has overcome the world**. Our challenge is to let go of our priorities and align with God’s.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for your loving patience with us. Prepare us for such a time as these. Amen.

*http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/wind.htm
** See John 16.32-33

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Trust in God

Living in the Spirit
June 24, 2017

Scripture Reading: Matthew 10:24-39

‘A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!

 ‘So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground unperceived by your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. –Matthew 10:24-31

I do accept this teaching intellectually, but my inner-most being sometimes has trouble living into it. I read the book of Amos and see the similarities between those ancient times and now and understand that little has changed in human nature. Our weapons are more dangerous than theirs. Information travels much faster now. Our world is a universe, not some tribal settlements scattered about with a few strangers wandering through at times. Our idols are more abstract than theirs but, no, they too worshiped at the feet of greed and power.

How do we align so closely with God that we have no fear of Beelzebul (the chief evil spirit) or any of his minions? From where does trust come–experience perhaps? Having the fortitude to step out in faith to live and love the way Jesus taught us will be met with a full measure of God’s love. God had already taken the first step when God created us and loved us. We are next-step people. God never forces God’s self on anyone, but when we take our first step in his service, God is fully engaged in leading us out of the dark into the light.

Prayer:
Open my eyes that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready, my God, Thy will to see;
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit Divine*! Amen

*First verse and chorus of Open My Eyes by Clara H. Scott see at https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/807

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Nourished Souls

Living in the Spirit
June 23, 2017

Scripture Reading: Romans 6:1b-11

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. –Romans 6:5-11

Some of us have more “old self” to deal with than others, some because of the passage of time, and some from excessive misuse of time. At my six-month dental check, the dentist noted to the hygienist that my teeth showed a lot of wear. He wasn’t talking to me, but I responded, “They’ve had a lot of years of use.”  I did not mean to embarrass the young dentist, but he tried to soothe over any thought that he was suggesting I was old. His concern wasn’t necessary; I am comfortable with my age, and I do try to take good care of my teeth, but they have had a lot of use.

If we could examine our souls, we most likely would see wear, some more than others. The healing of the soul through the love of God and the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ restores our wholeness to a new life. God continues to nourish our souls in our continuing relationship with God through the Holy Spirit. Maintaining any relationship requires a commitment on both sides. Bad habits of life are hard to erase. Good habits are often hard to initiate. Being intentional about letting go of those “old self” characteristics and taking on the way of Christ will help.

Prayer: Lord, nurture our souls as we grow in our faith and our relationship with you. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Newness of Life

Living in the Spirit
June 22, 2017

Scripture Reading: Romans 6:1b-11

What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. –Romans 6:1b-4

The first time I walked after having my left knee replaced nine years ago, I was assisted by a young hospital staffer, I have no idea his job title. My immediate reaction was to say that my leg felt like it was turning inside-out. He patted my shoulder and said, “your leg has not been straight for a long time, you just do not remember what it feels like to walk with a fully functional leg.” He was right.

Life experiences, right or wrong, can change how we think, view others, and establish the belief systems with which we ground our faith. Changing the course of our life from poorly substantiated belief systems is hard whether those systems relate to faith or not. The strong arm of a patient young man enabled me to take one step at a time until I accepted the fact that my stainless steel knee worked.

Paul is telling us in Romans that we can walk in newness of life because Christ rose from the dead. There are libraries full of theology packed in that simple statement. My guess is Paul was very capable of explaining it in depth, but he invites us to accept it on faith. I think he is saying try it and see how it feels and fits. Walking in newness of life for most of us means major change. Learning to love all people no matter what takes time and practice and a large dose of Holy Support. Living justice in all aspects of our lives, including going the extra mile to assure someone else’s justice, constantly challenges us. Resting securely in the love of God should not be difficult but it is. I do not know about you, I am stubborn and keep thinking I got this when I don’t. Practicing the presence of God is fundamental to newness of life.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for showing us the way to live in harmony with you and the world in which we find ourselves. Be present with us as we struggle to walk in this newness of life. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

The Bondage of other gods

Living in the Spirit
June 21, 2017

Scripture Reading: Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17

Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
   for I am poor and needy.
Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you;
   save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; be gracious to me, O Lord,
   for to you do I cry all day long.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
   for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
   abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.
Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
   listen to my cry of supplication.
In the day of my trouble I call on you,
   for you will answer me.
There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
   nor are there any works like yours. –Psalm 86:1-8

What other gods do we have? When we can identify them, we most likely will find the source of interference with our relationship with God. The ancients shaped gods from clay and stone and other materials. They were tangible representations of their desires such as fertility gods, war gods, and agriculture gods. The hope was that homage paid to these gods brought children, victory, and good crops. The desires of life are neither good nor bad unless our emphasis on them overshadows their worth. Children are the future, war disrupts everything, food is a necessity for life.

Whether we have a graven image before us or not, we do have other gods. I write a lot about the gods of power and greed as I see them as the primary evils of our times. We all can find ourselves caught up in either or both. Legislators in Oklahoma ended important criminal justice legislation by protocol not votes because they could. Democracy is still in its infancy in providing equal justice for all.

How do we as individuals and collectively order our lives toward our commitment to serve God first and foremost and use the skills and talents with which God gifted us to actualize God’s vision for the world? How do we speak truth to comfortable culture that does not mesh well with God’s intent? How do we resist the drive to project our desires as God’s? How do we discern the difference?

Prayer: Struggle with us as we consider what gods are crowding our service to you. Free us from the bondage of other gods. Order our lives. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.