Tag Archives: Faithfulness

Faithfulness and Righteousness

Living in the Spirit

August 6, 2020

Scripture Reading: Psalm 85:8-13

Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
   for he will speak peace to his people,
   to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,
   that his glory may dwell in our land.

Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
   righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
   and righteousness will look down from the sky.
The Lord will give what is good,
   and our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before him,
   and will make a path for his steps.

This Psalmist longs to hear and see God among the people. God will be recognized when steadfast love and faithfulness meet and when righteousness and peace are joined. Love is the driving force of faithfulness* as righteousness** is of peace. These words we read are the Word we are to live. Our living the Word is the glory of God.

I think of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter as excellent examples of steadfast love and faithfulness. God calls us to love one another with that degree of fidelity. Faithfulness is not limited to marriage. We are called to love our neighbors as we love ourselves faithfully.

Righteousness equals justice, and justice does indeed lead to peace. We live in a time of fear and mistrust dealing with a pandemic amid acts of violence, both disproportionately impacting persons of color.

What do we think the world would be like if we genuinely wanted the absolute best for each person and all people? I saw a story on the news recently of a neighborhood that at one time was primarily populated with people of color. In recent years more and more white people have relocated there. Because of the recent shootings of black people, one of the black residents who once ran every day in the neighborhood became concerned for his safety. Upon establishing positive relationships among a growing group of white and black people, he was joined on his run by a diversity of his neighbors, turning love into faithfulness and righteousness into peace.

Prayer: Faithful and Righteous God, help us reflect your glory in our everyday lives. Amen.

*Faithful–true and constant in affection or allegiance see at https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/faithful

*Righteous– characterized by uprightness or justice see at https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/righteous

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.

On Not Following the Crowd

Living in the Spirit
July 15, 2018

Scripture Reading: Mark 6:14-29

And Herodias had a grudge against [John the Baptist], and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.’ And he solemnly swore to her, ‘Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What should I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the baptizer.’ Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, ‘I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.’ The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. –Mark 6:19-26

How important is our keeping an oath we have made? How much does what we do depend on the opinion of others? How much does our keeping an oath make, if no one else knows we made it? Who are we really? And are we more concerned about what others think than how God assesses our actions?

According to the scripture above Herod knew that John was a righteous and holy man, not guilty of anything deserving jail time much less execution.  Herod jailed John for criticizing Herod for marrying his brother’s wife and executed John because Herod’s wife used his daughter to extract that punishment out of a boisterous promise made before a crowd of witnesses.

None of us want to embarrass ourselves or our families by making a public spectacle of ourselves, but we are all called to do justice in all aspects of our lives. Sometimes doing what is righteous requires us to step outside our comfort zones and perhaps face doing what might seem to others as being foolish in the process. In many instances, it is easier to go along to get along rather than breach wrong-natured cultural norms. Standing up to a bully in the schoolyard in defense of someone one may not even know is an example. Adult bullies are even more challenging. Racism, misogyny, and other disrespect toward people for whatever reason can and have resulted in the injury or deaths of innocent people.

As followers of Christ, we must project our love of others, wanting the best for others, openly and with intentionality if justice is to prevail.

Prayer: Lord, give us the courage to do what is right and what is just in a loving and Christlike manner. 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.

Honor, Faithfulness, Wisdom

Ordinary Time
January 24, 2018

Scripture Reading: Psalm 111
Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
   in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
Great are the works of the Lord,
   studied by all who delight in them.
Full of honor and majesty is his work,
   and his righteousness endures forever.
He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds;
   the Lord is gracious and merciful.
He provides food for those who fear him;
   he is ever mindful of his covenant.
He has shown his people the power of his works,
  in giving them the heritage of the nations.
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
   all his precepts are trustworthy.
They are established forever and ever,
   to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
He sent redemption to his people;
   he has commanded his covenant forever.
   Holy and awesome is his name.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
   all those who practice it have a good understanding.
   His praise endures forever.

The totality of the above scripture could be the bases for a book on the character of God and how we are called to reflect that character in our lives. Today, I will briefly deal with living a life that honors God and ourselves, being faithful, and developing wisdom.

Our culture gives at least lip service to the honor of those in military service, police, and firefighters. I qualify that statement because I believe if we respected what the military does we would pay participants a living wage. The descriptor “honor” regarding other professions has lost its luster. The guys who put a new roof on my house a few years ago after a hail storm obliterated it worked 12 hour-days in 105-degree heat to restore my home. Knowing there were hundreds of other homes awaiting their skills. God sees the work that we do to honor God and respect God’s children. We might work a little harder in emulating that aspect of God’s character also.

After 70+ years of marriage, a husband holds the hand of his wife as she slips away faithful to the end. As my mother aged and lost the capacity to do much of the work she once did in service to God, she never let it stop her from doing something. She was a dedicated card-sender and even after losing the ability to write she dedicated much time to praying for others.

Fear of God recognizes God’s awesomeness exacting reverence in response. Seeking to see the world through the eyes of God better prepares us for serving in the world.

Prayer: God of Love, give us glimpses of your character so we can faithfully honor you through our lives as we grow in wisdom. 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 Big Picture

All things are possibleLiving in the Spirit
August 10, 2015

Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 2:10-12, 3:3-14

Then David slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the city of David. The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned for seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established.

 And Solomon said, ‘You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart towards you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. –1 Kings 2:10-12, 3:6

Upon the death of King David and Solomon’s resulting assent to the throne, Solomon recognizes God’s love for King David and his character in relationship to God. Solomon saw his father as faithful, righteous, and upright in heart toward God. These are the same traits we are called to demonstrate through our lives with God and with one another as children of God. Now history may view David somewhat differently than his youngest son who knew him in the last half of his life. There is no question David was a powerful King whose reign lifted Israel to the status of empire. There is also no question that he got to this position in some instances via any means necessary. While David, like all of us, was certainly not perfect, he never seem to waiver from being faithful to God.

David was gifted with the vision of a better world. The song, The Impossible Dream from the musical Man of La Mancha reminds us that we are all called to work toward a better world. Consider these words today.

To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go 

To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star 

This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far 

To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell
For a heavenly cause 

And I know if I’ll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I’m laid to my rest 

And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star

Prayer: Lord, grant us each the vision to make the world a better place by our constantly striving for what may seem to be an unreachable star but our knowing that all things are possible through you. Amen.

*The Impossible Dream from MAN OF LA MANCHA (1972) music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion see http://www.reelclassics.com/Actors/O’Toole/impossibledream-lyrics.htm
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 American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.