Monthly Archives: September 2016

Fear, Faith, Love

woven-together-in-loveLiving in the Spirit
September 20, 2016

Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15

Jeremiah said, The word of the Lord came to me: Hanamel son of your uncle Shallum is going to come to you and say, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours.’ Then my cousin Hanamel came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the Lord, and said to me, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of possession and redemption is yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord. –Jeremiah 6-8

The history of the church I attend stunned me when I first heard it. Located in Oklahoma City, the church was founded in 1931. Who would start a new church in the midst of the Great Depression, in a state that three years later dealt with the disaster of the first of three waves of the Dust Bowl? Crown Heights Christian Church was built on faith and the fortitude of its founders. I was privileged to worship with a few of those charter members and several of their children. I learned this history after becoming a member. I joined because of a good minister, friendly members, dedicated mission work, and great music, the legacy of those early leaders.

Jeremiah had the audacity to claim property in his native land when he knew for certain that his country would soon be taken over by the Babylonians. He had planned his return before he left. Do we live that kind of faith? Do we trust God more than anything else?

Fear is our number one sin; faith is its cure. Love is the tool faith uses to extend its reach to the whole world.

Prayer: Lord, forgive my knocking knees when I give in to fear. Strengthen me in answering your call to love. Weave me together with all your children to form a bond so loving it overcomes fear. 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.

Following Christ’s Game Plan

stay-the-courseLiving in the Spirit
September 19, 2016

Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of King Zedekiah of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar. At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and the prophet Jeremiah was confined in the court of the guard that was in the palace of the king of Judah, where King Zedekiah of Judah had confined him. Zedekiah had said, ‘Why do you prophesy and say: Thus says the Lord: I am going to give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it; –Jeremiah 32:1-3a

Today’s scripture is a rather ominous reading in the face of people on all sides of the political system in the USA thinking catastrophe will result if one of the other sides win. Outside forces reigning terror on Jerusalem surely resulted in internal divisions. We, too, are under the influence of fear from outside forces, and not just external political foes. Our world is changing quicker than we can buy new cell phones. The world gets smaller and smaller as we know where every earthquake or bombing occurs.  What role does a follower of Christ have in such a time as this? Jeremiah knew if Judah continued its current course it would fall.

Jesus commanded us to Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’ (Matthew 28:18b-20)

I watched a football game yesterday where the offense of one team played in such a way that the defense of the other team lost track of the action opening gaps for running backs to shoot through and score. The defensive coach advised his players that even if staying in their position went against their best instincts, they should not follow the action; they needed to stay the course, play the planned scheme. They heard his advice, and they won.

If I may take the metaphor a bit further even if you are not into football, we must remember that Christ is our coach, and we need to follow his plan.

Prayer: Lord, grant us your peace to enable us to take in your ways and make them our ways no matter what. 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.

Serving God Not Wealth

influence-worldLiving in the Spirit
September 18, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 16:1-13

No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.’ –Luke 16:13

Pretty straightforward, don’t you think? It is a lot easier said than done. “The wide world is all about you: you can fence yourselves in, but you cannot for ever fence it out.” J.R.R. Tolkien wrote in The Fellowship of the Ring. We must live in the world but not be of the world. Jesus prayed in John 17:15-17, I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

Who or what rules our lives? How many decisions do we make just to get alone? When does that matter? At what point do we slip over that invisible line from being in the world to being of the world? And what is this “world” anyway? The Greek word translated as “world” in John 17 is kosmos meaning something ordered*. Our physical world is “ordered” by gravity, by the alignment of the planets, stars, and the moon and God said that it was good (Genesis 1). There are social, cultural orders to the world that may be good, bad, or even neutral. Strong’s calls them worldly affairs*. Making our way through these orders requires us to discern what is and is not of God. Jesus prays that we be protected from being led into evil. Here the Greek is described as evil, bad, wicked, malicious, slothful**. I think of evil as not being in synch with God, anti-love.

We have to love ourselves enough not to get caught up in evil, and that shows forth in our lives through our love of our neighbor.

Prayer: Order our lives, Lord, make us whole make us one as we partner with you to overcome the world. Amen.

*From Strong’s Concordance see at http://biblehub.com/greek/2889.htm
**From Strong’s Concordance see at http://biblehub.com/greek/4190.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.

Mired by Greed

miredLiving in the Spirit
September 17, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 16:1-13

‘Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? –Luke 16:10-11

You are probably sick of me saying it, but I do believe that greed, which includes lust for power, is the major sin of our times and perhaps all times. We like to ignore that truth. We like to think we are immune from such a grievous sin. We talk about eliminating racism and misogyny. We express remorse at our failure to welcome the stranger. We do not go back to their root cause. Jesus is quoted as saying: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21) First Timothy 6:10 further describes the nature of greed: For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. The so-called prosperity gospel gives credence to 1 Timothy.

How do we mesh our culture with God’s or do we? Is the question better phrased how do we make God’s way our culture? I think most of us had hoped that that is what we have been doing for most of our lives. Is it time to take another look? Is it time to hang God’s plumb line* of justice next to our lives and measure how skewed we are from it? Is it time that we let go of our limited perceptions of the narrow way of God and seek with all our hearts to follow the example of Jesus?

Prayer: God of Justice and Mercy, lift us from the mire of greed, wash it from our being, and lead us down the path you have carved before us. Amen

*See Amos 7

**Art Credit <!– HTML Credit Code for Can Stock Photo–>
<a href=”http://www.canstockphoto.com”>(c) Can Stock Photo</a>

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 Sky is Not Falling

right-pathLiving in the Spirit
September 16, 2016

Scripture Reading: 1 Timothy 2:1-7

For there is one God;
   there is also one mediator between God and humankind,
Christ Jesus, himself human,
who gave himself a ransom for all —this was attested at the right time. For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. –1 Timothy 2:4-7

Have we not all been appointed as heralds spreading the news of the awesome love of God coming to us in human form? Jesus came modeling for us God’s love. He even gave his life to demonstrate the level of God’s love. I find myself occasionally clucking around like Chicken Little*, “The Sky is falling, the sky is falling.” When I should be doing everything I can to reassure the world that fear has no place in the Kingdom of God. And I should be doing everything a can to assure love rules our world.

Remember the story, Chicken Little and her friends, in all their panic caused by an acorn falling on her head, rush to find the king to save them. They eventually run right into the den of Foxy Loxy never to be seen again.

Kingdom building may not be glamorous or thrilling in the eyes of the world. It demands everything we have. Remember Jesus described it as the Pearl of Great Price. (Matthew 13:45-46) I guess we all need to evaluate our priorities.

Prayer: Lord, forgive me when I get caught up in the frenzy of the news cycles. Order my life, help me synch my priorities with yours for I know Whom I have believed, And am persuaded that He is able To keep that which I’ve committed Unto Him against that day**. Amen.

 

*Folktale read at http://eleaston.com/chicken.html
**From the chorus of I Know Whom I Have Believed by Daniel W. Whittle. See at http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/I_Know_Whom_I_Have_Believed/

Photo credit <!– HTML Credit Code for Can Stock Photo–>
<a href=”http://www.canstockphoto.com”>(c) Can Stock Photo</a>

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 Season of Prayer for Candidates and Voters

vote3Living in the Spirit
September 15, 2016

Scripture Reading: 1 Timothy 2:1-7

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings should be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. –1 Timothy 2:1-4

Many theologians are vexed by exactly what Paul means in Romans 3:1, Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. We once again find ourselves in the midst of a political campaign with one side or many sides assuring us that not only is their side far better than the other side but that the other side is wrong. So what happens when we do not get our way? Gridlock seems to be the answer. Very little gets done and we the people suffer for it.

Our scripture today perhaps suggests a better way: first, pray for everyone in high positions, and I would add everyone running for any office. We have just over 50 days until the election. It is a good time to pray for all candidates running for office and for all citizens discerning how to vote. God is not a Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, or member of the Green party. God wants the very best for all God’s people and can work with and through anyone who seeks to love like Jesus loves and work for the Common Good.

Prayer: God of Justice and Mercy, hear our prayers. We have chosen a form of governance that demands our full participation, which involves a lot of responsibility we sometimes want to pass to others. Help us each to own our own role in the success of this country. Clear our minds for purely selfish interests. Help us find ways to reach the greater good for all your children impacted by our decisions. 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.

Finding Common Ground

slavesLiving in the Spirit
September 14, 2016

Scripture Reading: Psalm 79:1-9

Do not remember against us the iniquities of our ancestors;
   let your compassion come speedily to meet us,
   for we are brought very low.
Help us, O God of our salvation,
   for the glory of your name;
deliver us, and forgive our sins,
   for your name’s sake. –Psalm 79:8-9

I have been following with great interest the preparations for opening the new Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History. The museum opens at an apt time, occurring during a volatile election year in a country awkwardly trying to deal with its history of bigotry and amidst a faith system trying to make sense of it all. Need for a whole lot of healing exists. While on all sides of the issue, most of us do not even recognize that overzealous quest for power and greed is sin.

I cannot adequately describe how I felt when in my genealogy quest, I found the will of one of my ancestors whose name was Isaac. In it, he had left his house servants by name, listed along with horses and cows, to his various children. I knew that side of my family’s Civil War history and knew they had owned slaves, but that last will and testament forever changed my true understanding of the situation. My hope is that the new National Museum of African American History will provide similar clarity to its visitors. I also know that force-feeding understanding never works. We can only facilitate God’s Aha! moments.

On the other side of my family, in 1834 my ancestors migrated from Pennsylvania to Illinois to homestead on land ceded to the US government in the 1804 Treaty of St. Louis by the French. Sauk leader Blackhawk fought mightily against the ceding, crossing the river from Iowa to reclaim his tribal land. He apparently felt very cheated.

I have also traced the faith histories of my family’s various lines back for several generations. All good Protestants, so far, striving to do their best probably as oblivious as we are today about who wins and who loses when we seek to fulfill our Manifest Destiny regardless of who gets hurt. Some proclaim that this was all God’s will. Others seek God’s forgiveness. We are all called to learn from our history and avoid new ways of repeating it.

Prayer: Forgive us when we lose sight of the good you desire for all of your children and sacrifice it on the altar of what is good for a few but not for all. Open our hearts to the justice you desire for all and guide us in making it a reality. 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 Great Physician

jesus-the-healerLiving in the Spirit
September 13, 2016

Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 8:18-9:1

Is there no balm in Gilead?
   Is there no physician there?
Why then has the health of my poor people
   not been restored? –Jeremiah 8:22

The Great Physician* was one of my mother’s favorite songs. I haven’t heard it sung for years, and it is not in current hymnals. It still carries an important message.

 The Great Physician now is near,
The sympathizing Jesus;
He speaks the drooping heart to cheer,
Oh, hear the voice of Jesus! 

Sweetest note in seraph song;
Sweetest name on mortal tongue;
Sweetest carol ever sung:
   Jesus, blessed Jesus!*

My mom was one of the healthiest people I have ever known. Following my father’s death, she lived alone until she was 95 dying at 98. She did have a mastectomy at 85. I sat and listened to the discussion with the doctor when she wondered whether at her age surgery was wise since she probably would not live much longer. I am glad she had the surgery. When that same doctor took her health history, she indicated she had had a tonsillectomy as a youth and she had had three children. When she stopped speaking, the doctor looked up asking what else and she said that was about it. I assured him that was true. Because of her good health, I wondered why this song meant so much to her and decided she practiced preventive health, taking everything in her life to the Great Physician many times throughout the day.

While the words may seem archaic and the tune simplistic, the songs wisdom of preventive medicine is as good for the soul as it is for the body.

Prayer: Lord, you are the Balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole and heal the sin sick soul. Be our Great Physician guiding us toward wholeness. Amen.

*First verse and refrain from The Great Physician, Lyrics by William Hunter. See at https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/990

** From There Is a Balm in Gilead an African American Spiritual. See at http://www.lutheran-hymnal.com/lyrics/hs889.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.

Much Ado About Nothing

tvLiving in the Spirit
September 12, 2016

Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 8:18-9:1

My joy is gone, grief is upon me,
   my heart is sick.
Hark, the cry of my poor people
   from far and wide in the land:
‘Is the Lord not in Zion?
   Is her King not in her?’ –Jeremiah 8:18-19

William Shakespeare wrote Much Ado About Nothing in 1598-99, a comedy about court politics. It seems not much has changed. We live in serious times needing serious attention. In search of information on which to base our judgments, we seem to thrive on character assassination. A larger than life reality show has taken over our media. I fear it will continue as long as it makes the large media companies money.

Jeremiah’s lament relates to serious times ignored for reasons of power and greed. We live in a nation proclaimed as having a Government of the people, by the people, for the people about which Abraham Lincoln proclaimed shall not perish from the Earth*.

 The privilege of participative government depends on our willingness to take responsibility for it. We are not living in a reality show where at the end we can push the off button and not worry about the outcome. What we do matters not just for us but for the generations to come.

Prayer: Lord, give us the wisdom of a Jeremiah. Help us perceive the difference between information and manipulation. Guide us not to back away from our civic duties but to search for the truth and demand governance targeted at assuring the Common Good for all. Amen.

*From the Gettysburg Address. See at http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm

Picture credit <!-- HTML Credit Code for Can Stock Photo-->
<a href="http://www.canstockphoto.com">(c) Can Stock Photo</a>
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.

Poor in Spirit

statueoflibertyLiving in the Spirit
September 11, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 15:1-10

‘Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.” Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.’ –Luke 15:8-10

The poor have always been with me as Jesus predicted. (Mark 4:7) My mother always held the poor close to her heart. She helped them in any way she could. Her empathy played a part in my becoming a social worker and an advocate for justice. So, I understand the message Jesus brings in his story of the woman with ten silver coins. The loss of one coin could mean disaster for her family. Jesus also said to provide food and clothing for those in need. (Matthew 25:35-40) and Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. (Luke 6:20) Matthew quotes a similar speech saying poor in spirit, which probably has a broader scope, but I guess the woman who lost the coin felt both poor and poor in spirit from the loss.

We do not pay much attention to the poor of any kind. Our society cares more about wealth. The difference in being poor in spirit because you do not know where your evening meal will come from and have no food for your children, and being poor in spirit because your stocks lost ground are not the same. The promised kingdom of God assures enough for everyone, and calls us to partner in its realization.

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!“*

Prayer: Lord, make your priorities our priorities as we week to make your vision a reality. Amen.

*Lines from the poem The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus engraved on the Statue of Liberty. See at http://www.libertystatepark.com/emma.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.