Monthly Archives: February 2016

Help us Accept Each Other

ZikaLent
February 20, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 9:28-43

On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, ‘Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.’ Jesus answered, ‘You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.’ While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

 There are many stories of Jesus’ healing people. Children, like the boy described here, may have been outcast in their communities because many believed that such illness, or all illness for that matter, were caused by evil spirits that had taken over the person. This child apparently had epilepsy, which probably is still fraught with society’s judgment even though we now have a clearer picture of causes and much better treatments.

Currently we are seeing an increase in babies born with microcephaly, a birth defect that results in a small head as its main identifier but includes other challenges. Its cause has been traced to a mosquito bite carrying a virus the mother experienced during pregnancy. She may never have had any symptoms. Yet the children will live with the stigma of a small head forever.

Jesus loved them all no questions asked. He is a tough model to emulate unless we can let go of all those fears and prejudgments that cause us to identify people as something lesser than we are. All of us suffer from some traits deemed to be imperfection by someone. Jesus calls us to see each persons as a child of God made perfect by God’s love that is our goal for life also.

Help us accept each other As Christ accepted us;
Teach us as sister, brother, Each person to embrace.
Be present, Lord, among us And bring us to believe
We are ourselves accepted And meant to love and live.*

Prayer: God erase the fears and prejudices from our hearts and minds that cause us to be unwelcoming to anyone. Let your love for all be ours in our times of weakness. Amen.

First verse of hymn Help Us Accept Each Other words by Fred Kaan see at http://www.hymnary.org/text/help_us_accept_each_other

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.

Open-my-EyesLent
February 9, 2016

Scripture Reading: Philippians 3:17-4:1

But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation so that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. –Philippians 3:20-4:1

Following the Christ, the Promised One of God, is our chosen task right now, every minute of every day. While we seek to walk in his way, we are actively being reformed and transformed in ways small and great. It is interesting to look back, say five years ago, and recollect the subtle changes in our ways. Take a few minutes to seek with God’s help how you are different today than you were then.

The United States is in the midst of a mighty population shift already present in most of our major cities but coming to small towns and rural areas too. For the first time in our history the number of persons of color is surpassing the number of persons who identify as being white. That demographic is forcing those of us who are white to recognize whiteness as having a culture of its own. When one lives in the culture that dominates a space of land, whether by sheer numbers or by power as in South Africa that culture is accepted or at least acknowledged as being the culture that all others must accommodate. It is not necessarily either good or bad, it can be either, or just neutral. It exists and it is very hard to see and it is thus even harder to change when it needs to change. It became glaringly obvious recently when the Academy Awards had few if any persons of color winning anything even when some of the best movies of the year included persons of color in all aspects of their making.

Our acknowledging our need for help in making this journey to equality in diversity is the first step in being reformed and transformed. Our placing that acknowledgement before God enlists God’s help.

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 hymn Open my Eyes words 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 American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Having Enough

DroughtLent
February 18, 2016

Scripture Reading: Philippians 3:17-4:1

Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. –Philippians 3:17-19

The very thought of anyone imitating me as an example of following Christ is frightening. Even Paul himself, the author of the letter to the Philippians, said, I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. (Romans 7:15) Yet I long for the day when my life has been fulfilled in the image of Christ. In the meantime, we all struggle to be Christ-like while asking for forgiveness when we fail and diligently pursuing wholeness in our relationship with God in response to the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

My god has indeed been my belly at times, literally in over indulgences and figuratively as I live out the greed that is epidemic in our world every day in my actions and reactions. I live in a small house in comparison to many, so I was shocked when my five-year-old nephew asked me, “Why do you live in this big old house all by yourself?” My niece, his mother, was struggling to make ends meet as a single mom with two children living on the salary of a preschool teacher in a house that was about two thirds the size of mine. By the way she succeeded in raising two wonderful young adults.

I saw an interview on the news yesterday with a grandmother raising three grandchildren in South Africa. The drought there is so bad there is not enough food to meet basic needs. She sent the children to school with no breakfast knowing that they would get a small bowl of porridge at school, their only meal of the day. She and a younger child, who stayed home with her, shared some fruit she plucked from a withering tree.

Our weather is wreaking havoc around the world as is income inequity because for too many our god is our belly. The God of Adam and Jesus created a world capable of sustaining its inhabitants once we learn God’s way of practicing dominion over it.

Prayer: Lord forgive us for our inability to see how the way we live impacts all your other children. Help us to understand your way, as you demonstrated with the manna in the dessert, of assuring that each of us have enough. 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 American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

 

Hear my Cry

magic_mushroomsLent
February 15, 2016

Scripture Reading: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

Then he said to him, ‘I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess.’ But he said, ‘O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?’ He said to him, ‘Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.’ He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

 As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him. –Genesis 15:7-12

How do we know that God will do what God says? First, we might want to consider how do we hear God’s voice? How do we discern among the whisperings in our ears that voice which is truly God’s? Abram had sensed God’s presence in Ur, followed God’s call to leave Abram’s home, travel to a far land, and he obeyed that call. Now that he had arrived that age old questions haunts him. “Have I done the right thing?” In a culture where having children was as much an economic necessity as it was a way of continuing one’s heritage, not being able to have children was a particularly powerful loss.

I was an adoption worker for a while many years ago. I have heard the pain of parents longing for offspring that never arrived. I do not know whether it was worse for those who knew the reason they could not conceive or for those for which there was no known reason. I always thought it was harder for the latter, if there were no reason, then surely they must have done something wrong for which they were being punished.

Abram faced the dark night of the soul in our scripture today. He is questioning the very validity of the faith he had been so sure of many miles ago. Jesus put this experience into words from the cross by quoting Psalm 22:1, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? In reality neither Abram or Jesus had given up on God, they both still called on the Lord, fully expecting a response and so should we.

 Prayer:
Hear my cry, hear my call
Hold my hand lest I fall
Take my hand, precious Lord
Lead me on*. Amen.

*Words from the hymn Take my Hand, Precious Lord. See the full lyrics at https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=&oq=Precious+Lord&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4WQIB_enUS519US519&q=precious+lord+take+my+hand+lyrics&gs_l=hp..0.0l5.0.0.1.255730………..0.4dgmVf3nwz4

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.

A God of Grace

cropped-my-grace-is-sufficient-wordpress-blog-header-06-04-2013Lent
February 16, 2016

Scripture Reading: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

Then he said to him, ‘I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess.’ But he said, ‘O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?’ He said to him, ‘Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.’ He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

 As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him….

 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire-pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, –Genesis 15:7-12, 17-18

The image of Abram working frantically to keep the birds of prey from eating his burnt offering reminds me of my futile attempts to stop something I deemed to be an offense to God and could not. Abram tried his best to honor God in the way that God had instructed and outside forces threatened to destroy all his work. We do not know what happened, because Abram, being a human, fell asleep. God spoke to Abram in his sleep, in a dream perhaps, telling him that he would have many offspring and that they would eventually become slaves for 400 years and they would escape and prosper in the land that God was giving Abram at that time and place. Did Abram want his descendants to face such oppression? He appears to have no choice. From where did the smoking fire-pot and flaming torch come? Were they also a part of a dream? Is this story a Hebrew taste of God’s grace?

Truth is we cannot predict the outcomes of any of our offspring. We can only give them the best that we have to offer and trust then to God’s loving mercy. God’s grace is sufficient.

Most of my lost efforts relate to justice issues and the impact is still the same. Outside forces seem to win the day despite my best efforts. Where would we be today, if Abram had not opened himself to a relationship with God, if Joseph had not overcome adversity to save his people from famine, if Moses had not led those same people out of slavery into the promise land, if Jesus had not come to show us what justice looks like? These are names we remember well, but God’s work requires the best from all of us.

Prayer: Help us discern the difference between faith and fate. Grow our trust in you to help us be the tools we can be to hasten your dominion over all the earth. 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 American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Applying the Way of the Lord

directionLent
February 17, 2016

Scripture Reading: Psalm 27

Teach me your way, O Lord,
   and lead me on a level path
   because of my enemies.
Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries,
   for false witnesses have risen against me,
   and they are breathing out violence.

 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord
   in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
   be strong, and let your heart take courage;
   wait for the Lord! –Psalm 27:11-14

The wisdom of this scripture lies in its plea for the Lord to teach us his way. While studying scripture is important, how we apply it is what really matters. Paul realized this is his words in
1 Corinthians 13:1-13:

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

I believe if we just do two things, we fulfill our call from the Lord: Love God and Love One Another. Of course, it helps to have the stories of our ancestors in the faith telling us how they did or did not do this and yes, I value the teaching of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount to his parables. Yet they all condense to these two actions, loving God and loving one another.

How did Jesus love? He did not judge, he usually responded to people by asking “What do you want?” or “What do you need?”. He did not determine what was best for others, he helped them to see that for themselves. This was his way.

Prayer: Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path. 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 American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Getting in Shape Spiritually

Mind Body Spirit fitnessLent
February 14, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 4:1-13

Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, ‘To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written,
“Worship the Lord your God,
   and serve only him.”’ –Luke 4:5-7

Worship and serve are two active verbs requiring action not lip service. Yet lip service is what I am hearing a lot of lately. I think it would be really hard to be faithful to a commitment to Jesus Christ when one is on the front page of the paper as a politician or sports figure or other celebrity. Some of them are made idols themselves by others. This is particularly true in this season of campaigning where one’s faith becomes a  card used to win voters.

One doesn’t have to be well known to become caught in this struggle. We all deal with putting God first in our lives. We sometimes reduce God to a being that supports our own viewpoints, thus creating God in our desired image. We, too, can serve God to our own interest. Believing our church activities might look good on a resume’.

Like athletes we need to hone our skills at being God followers before we step onto the playing court or field. We must be so in tune with God that our worship and service is the right automatic response because many times in the game of life we do not have time to ponder situations. Lent is a time designed to prepare us for the game of life with all its challenges. We must devote time in study and prayer getting ourselves in the best spiritual shape possible.

Prayer: Lord, walk with me throughout Lent as I strive to improve my readiness for service to 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 American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Vision Quest

Vision QuestLent
February 13, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 4:1-13

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.”’ –Luke 4:1-3

I can crave food even while I am eating. At that point of understanding, I realized it was not food in general that I wanted. Being the good social worker that I am, I immediately assumed that I was projecting other needs onto food and those needs were not being met. I have since discovered that my biology is as complex as my psychology and my cravings may be my body saying I am not getting some nutrient that I need. It is also possible that my psychological needs are what is draining my nutrient needs. I will leave that to the scientist. Our scripture today, however, substantiates human need is greater than what we eat. Our quest for wholeness must encompass our total being, including the spiritual component.

Jesus’ vision quest into the wilderness was the point in his life when he searched for wholeness in a world filled with temptation and empty promises. We still live in that kind of world today. Actually, we may be bombarded with even more than our first century counterparts because of our advances in technology and communications. Wholeness is a fragile gift that only God can provide.

As we enter this Lenten season, we are called to our own vision quest to seek our own wholeness and to reclaim our gift of grace given by God in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6). Let it be so.

Prayer: Lord, we do hunger and thirst for righteousness, show us the path to it. 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 American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

The Light Burden

He aint heavyLent
February 12, 2016

Scripture Reading: Romans 10:8b-13

because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ –Romans 9-13

What does it mean to be saved? We have a whole nation, world as far as that is concerned, that wants to be “saved”. What is it we want to be saved from? Certainly we want to be saved from death and destruction. All want to be saved from hunger, poverty, lack of shelter, not having their basic needs met. What may be more important is what is it we want to be saved for. All want to live at peace with one another, even enjoy each other’s company. All people want to reach their fullest potential and for their children to do the same.

We sometimes have an unrealistic desire to be saved by some magical act. Jesus did not die on a cross to save us by magic. He died on a cross to show us the better way of living, the way of peace and love, not power and violence. Peace and love gives birth to life, to resurrection. Power and violence is designed for death and destruction.

We have been called by God to partner with Christ in turning this world upside down. Nobody said it would be easy when much of the world is pulling in the opposite direction. Jesus, however, declared his yoke is easy and his burden is light, (Matthew 11:30) if we join him in his mission. The phrase “he ain’t heavy he’s my brother”* might explain that attitude best.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us from turning our backs on the greatest gift we could ever receive, your loving salvation. We do want to share your burden, continue to show us the way. Amen.

*See the Hollies Lyrics of this song at http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/hollies/heaintheavyhesmybrother.html

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.

God is Love

Lent
February 11, 2016

Scripture Reading: RomaLiveLoveALns 10:8b-13

because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ –Romans 9-13

The basic tenet of faith stated in today’s scripture was taught to me as a child. It is the doctrine, if you will, of the faith system in which I was raised. I actually believe it even today as an adult surrounded by so many people pushing for differing tests of Christianity including some in my own faith system. It basically says that Jesus Christ is the only one who truly knows who believes in him.

I also believe there is only one God whose name was not uttered by the Hebrews out of respect and is known by many names today. I have no problem with God having many names as there is only one word that can capture the whole essence of God: Love. It is not a name at all but an action.

While I enjoy a good theological discussion as much as anyone and truly enjoy studying the Bible and other writings about God, the true reflection of Jesus Christ is in how we live our lives through our love. We live in a complex world and, I think, we like to keep it complex so we can throw up our hands and say, “I give up” rather than simply loving one another, wanting the very best for another, and letting Jesus judge what that very best is.

Prayer: Lord, help us be lovers of one another not judges. 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 American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.