Monthly Archives: October 2016

Discerning God’s Will

will-of-godLiving in the Spirit
October 21, 2016

Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

At my first defense no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
                                                                                                                                     –2 Timothy 4:16-18

One of the greatest challenges in life for all people of faith is balancing discernment on the three-legged stool of God’s will, our predispositions, and input from others, both fellow believers and culture. Most of us want to claim a position on the single pedestal of God’s will. What are the checks and balances to assure that we are not projecting our will as God’s will? We could strengthen our discernment by checking it out with other believers, but we must deal with the possibility that they share our predispositions. We do tend to flock with those who are like us. Think KKK.

The author of 2 Timothy finds himself in just such a situation. We do not know what the issues were that caused him to lose all support. There are times when each of us may take the lonely stance of standing against either our fellow believers, our culture, or both when we attempt to stand with God. People of faith must train like a good athlete. We must work to maintain a constant relationship with God, which includes turning all those personal predispositions over to God. God’s healing mercies can and will return us to wholeness when events of the past cloud our perceptions.

I am so glad those who canonized the Bible included the story of Gideon. (Judges 6) Gideon, who was not a warrior, felt called by God to lead and army. Gideon asked for a specific sign from God to assure that leading an army was in his future. He received the assurance. He then practiced the philosophy of believe but verify and asked for a backup sign and got it also. Gideon led the army to a successful conclusion. We all need to hear this story and understand that when our perceptions of ourselves or situations are getting in the way of our doing what we are called to do, God will help us through the dilemma as long as we trust the Lord to guide us.

Prayer: Lord of Mercy, strengthen our weak knees and give us the courage to do the things you are calling us to do. 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.

Justice is Blowing in the Wind

a-fresh-wind-blowingLiving in the Spirit
October 20, 2016

Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing. –2 Timothy 4:6-7

The writer of 2 Timothy suggests that our tasks are not finished until we are done. I might be arguing semantics, but finished has the connotation of ending. Done implies completing. The writer seems to sense that his lifespan will soon end and he is satisfied he has done his best but knows the job is not complete. All of us, called by God to make God’s kingdom a reality, must do everything we can to fulfill that vision with the full knowledge that in this life we may not see the completed work. We recently celebrated the life of a respected leader and teacher in my church as his life was cut short by disease. He touched the life of many people, and his legacy will continue through future generations.

It is important that we acknowledge we are living by choice through God’s plan on God’s timeline. Such acknowledgment is particularly relevant in a volatile political environment. Turmoil in the faith community often stirs change when change is needed. Jesus created turmoil in his incarnation, his ministry, and in his death and resurrection. The challenge for Christ’s followers is synchronizing our work with God’s plan. We can neither run away in fear and self-protection or devise plans of our own making.

The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’ (John 3:8) The winds of justice are stirring across our nation. They are not to be feared but actualized.

Prayer: God of Justice, show us the way to turn fear and hate into positive forces for peace and justice. While it sounds impossible to us, we acknowledge that all things are possible through 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.

Satisfaction

satisfactionLiving in the Spirit
October 19, 2016

Scripture Reading: Psalm 65

Praise is due to you,
   O God, in Zion;
and to you shall vows be performed,
O you who answer prayer!
To you all flesh shall come.
When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us,
   you forgive our transgressions.
Happy are those whom you choose and bring near
   to live in your courts.
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
   your holy temple. –Psalm 65:1-4

Is it in human nature to be satisfied ever? Are we not constantly searching for something better, something more? Think about the last time you truly felt satisfied. Was it holding your newborn baby as it nursed for the first time? Was it after a good meal with loved ones? Was it upon the positive completion of a major project? Was it when you finally crossed the finish line of a marathon? How do your moments of satisfaction correlate with your goals and desires in life? Is satisfaction a side dish on your table of life choices?

God apparently wants us to know satisfaction as a routine part of our life. Just as apparent is our need to work toward satisfaction. Our Psalmist today invites us to seek satisfaction through praising God. He then suggests that fulfilling vows is a route to satisfaction. I fear we relegate vows to history. About the only time, we hear the word vow today is regarding marriage. The Hebrew word interpreted vow* is a votive offering, service pledged to God in the presence of a light source like a candle. What vows have we made to God? To what ministries have we pledged our hearts? Are we fulfilling those vows to our satisfaction?

Prayer is another path toward satisfaction. Does discussion of problems and issues with God lead to peace, which is a part of satisfaction? Do we share our joys with God recognizing God’s presence in answered prayer?

Forgiveness empowers us to learn from our mistakes and return to our journey of faith with a new energy that is a source of satisfaction. As we enter God’s gates with praise and thanksgiving, satisfaction is always waiting for us.

Prayer: Lord, in our ever-hectic world, help us to see the moments of satisfaction you bring to our lives. They make us whole again. Amen.

*http://biblehub.com/hebrew/5088.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.

 

 

Pitching Tents

tent-camping-imageLiving in the Spirit
October 18, 2016

Scripture Reading: Joel 2:23-32

You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,    and praise the name of the Lord your God,    who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,    and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other. And my people shall never again    be put to shame. –Joel 2:26-27

I confess I do not have an easy working relationship with the Book of Revelation for a lot of reasons, but I learned to glean positive thoughts from it over time from a good teacher. One such idea are words similar to the ones written in Joel. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals, He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself with be with them; .. (Revelation 21:3) The word translated home here is actually the word tabernacle which is a tent. I rather like the thought of God living among us.

Has God become so far removed from us that we lose a sense of God’s presence? What difference would it make in our lives if God were our next door neighbor? It would be great in times of trouble. God most likely would share a storm shelter or allow us to run an extension cord to an outdoor plug if our electricity were off. Is this how we perceive God now?

It occurs to me that God longs to be a part of every aspect of our lives. For that to happen, we must recognize God’s presence continually. A lot of hate speak spews through our airways in the midst of a, particularly ugly election year. How much of that is going to continue after the election? What does a God who is love think of hate speak or actual hate actions? How does God feel about our wasting the talents invested in us on unproductive interactions that result in gridlock or worse? I wonder at times if God has not taken the tent out of the package yet because our growth in love as the source of a better world is not ready for God living next door.

Prayer: Lord, if ever we have needed you we need you now*. Forgive us for getting caught up in fear of change, fear of strangers, fear of loving the other. Embolden us to pitch our tents among all your children so that we can find you. Amen.

*See Hymn I Need Thee Every Hour lyrics by Annie Sherwood Hawks with chorus by Robert Lowry see at https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/371

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.

Fulfilling Righteousness

he-has-the-whole-worldLiving in the Spirit
October 17, 2016

Scripture Reading: Joel 2:23-32

O children of Zion, be glad
   and rejoice in the Lord your God;
for he has given the early rain for your vindication,
   he has poured down for you abundant rain,
   the early and the later rain, as before.
The threshing-floors shall be full of grain,
   the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. 

I will repay you for the years
   that the swarming locust has eaten,
the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,
   my great army, which I sent against you. –Joel 2:23-25

Agrarian cultures have a unique relationship with the weather. At my house as a child dinner was at noon as was the mid-day news on television. I doubt that was a coincidence. While my family did keep up with current events, our purpose in having the TV on at noon was to get an update on the weather. In Oklahoma, the weather can change very quickly. While driving a tracker in a field, my paternal grandmother’s first husband was killed by a strike of lightening. The storm may have been a total surprise, or her husband may have been tenaciously trying to get his work done before it rained.

It is not a far jump from dealing with the reality of the weather to an understanding that God might be in some way working through the weather in a punishing response to human actions or lack of action. While I do believe it rains on the just and the unjust*, God does seem to let us suffer the consequences of our actions. Global warming and its devastation may be a good example of that.

Righteousness throughout the Bible has to do with the fulfillment of the demands of a relationship, and [in our scripture today] God promises to fulfill the covenant relation with the people by restoring yearly rains**. Weather is just one part of our relationship with God. War or peace, feast or famine, health or sickness, all aspects of our lives directly relate to whether we are in sync with God. If nothing else, this current election cycle in the USA should send all peoples of faith to a time of prayerful rebuilding our individual relationships with God which surely impact or collective responses to dealing with such issues.

Prayer: Forgive us, O God, as we have slipped further and further away from fulfilling our relationship with you. We recognize that you have not moved from us. We are confused about the future. As we deal with a more diverse global community, give us the strength and the courage to live our love of both you and our neighbor in new and positive ways. Amen.

*Matthew 5:45
**The New Interpreter’s Bible: a Commentary in Twelve Volumes, Volume VII, page 324. Abingdon Press, 1996

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 Faith

faith-and-justiceLiving in the Spirit
October 16, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 18:1-8

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, “Grant me justice against my opponent.” For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, “Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.”’ And the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?’

When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?’ Strong’s concordance indicates that faith is always a gift from God*. It is a gift given to all. I doubt if many perceive of faith as a gift from God to accept or not. I wonder if faith in God appears on most of our wish lists. If it were possible to post the gift of faith on a resale site, would we see if we can sell it for something better? Is that rather like what we do as we search for gods of our own making?

Faith includes the attribute of confidence necessary for our successful journeying through life. I am a basketball fan. It is not unusual to hear a commentator talking about a rookie player having to gain the confidence of his playing before he fully develops as a seasoned professional. How much of our flailing through life results from our failure to engage God’s gift of confidence included in the package of faith?

Faith is the source of God’s divine persuasion* that channels us through rough waters as well as seemingly harmless stagnant pools. God brings together our desires with God’s insights to strengthen our growth and development as we strive to attain God’s purpose and our own which somehow become the same.

On Jesus’ return if justice is not the rule of the land, he surely might wonder what happened to all the faith he gave us.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your gift of faith that enables us to be sources of justice in our world now. Amen.

*http://biblehub.com/greek/4102.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.

Common Blame

blameLiving in the Spirit
October 15, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 18:1-8

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, “Grant me justice against my opponent.” For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, “Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.”’ And the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?’

An Oklahoma state senator staffer told me once that it, in general, took ten years to get a needed piece of legislation passed. The staffer and I were working on vital changes that would upgrade our child care system. It did take at least ten years. The need for universal health care was recognized when Medicaid and Medicare were enacted in the mid-1960’s. Monumental steps, these two programs were just a beginning. Lots of vested interests create the environment for extensive negotiations. Gridlock result when we the people do not encourage our elected officials to compromise. Sometimes I wonder if gridlock is a goal as maintaining the status quo leaves expensive, inefficient systems in place which continue to produce healthy profits, not healthy people.

We all share common blame as we fail to meet the Common Good. We want the government to be there when we need it and provide fast effective responses. We do not necessarily want to pay for the services we demand or we do not want to pay for services someone else might need.

No matter who is elected on November 8, our job does not end with our vote. We need to emulate the widow in our scripture today and demand justice until we get it. Such work requires us to understand what is just and what is not. It demands that we try to see issues from the eyes of the others involved and search along with our elected officials for new and innovative ways of meeting the Common Good.

Prayer: God of Justice, Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the facing of this hour*. Amen.

*Phrase from hymn God of Grace and God of Glory by Harry E. Fosdick see at http://www.hymnary.org/text/god_of_grace_and_god_of_glory

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.

Repent

matthew-25-40Living in the Spirit
October 14, 2016

Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5

For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.
–2 Timothy 4:3-5

Does it seem like the time of not putting up with sound doctrine is now? We want to hear what we want to hear and if what we want is not being spoken we tune out. What causes this moral decay in our society? Why are we so intent on worshipping empty vessels? At least part of the problem is the co-opting of voices of faith. Some by divide and conquer processes shredded the oneness for which Christ longed. Some did it by identifying righteousness with wealth rather than justice. Both practices, as old as time itself, stem from evil, not love.

People of faith do need to repent, turn around. Those of us who call ourselves Christian need to recognize that the answers to our issues are available to us in the life and example of Jesus Christ. We seem to leave him out of our paradigms of life. The gospels never record Jesus as even addressing the major issues that divide us. He does admonish us about greed and the misuse of power.

Perhaps if we simplified our purpose for the next several years limiting our work only to those items Jesus named in Matthew 25, we could find Christ’s way again.

  • Feed the hungry
  • Provide clean water for the thirsty
  • Welcome the stranger
  • Cloth the naked
  • Care for the sick
  • Restore those in prison to productive lives

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for our foolish ways. Guide us to be your Body active in this world today. 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.

Persistent Empathy

persistenceLiving in the Spirit
October 13, 2016

Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. –2 Timothy 4: 1-2

I struggle with the title teacher. Jesus was a teacher whose lessons changed my life and the lives of all whose paths he crosses. In describing myself, I prefer to use the word facilitator. Now I enjoy good discourse as much as anyone and like to dig into materials to see what I can find. My gleanings are always enriched by what my fellow seekers see that I do not. No two people experience life the same.

We do tend to group together by common experiences, I as a white woman can empathize with other women, some but not totally. I can never fully understand the realities of being a person of color. I served in the workforce for over 50 years. Gender notwithstanding, I know the realities of holding down a job and supporting myself, but my work experience does not match exactly the work experience of men or those in other professions. I wonder if God appointed Christ Jesus as the ultimate judge because none of us has the perfect knowledge of another like he does.

I am not sure I agree with the advice in our scripture today to be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable. When stranded with a flat tire a long way from anywhere, I would not take too kindly to someone sharing their love of God for several minutes and then leaving me with my flat tire so they can go and be persistent with someone else. I do agree with practicing patience which probably does include picking one’s moments to address some issues.

Perhaps I do not understand the author’s use of the word persistent. Maybe the writer is trying to say love others enough to let them know how much God loves them no matter what. If that is the persistence described, I get the need for it.

Prayer: God grant us the gift of persistent empathy so that we can share your love without bounds. 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.

Purpose

loveisthepurposeLiving in the Spirit
October 12, 2016

Scripture Reading: Psalm 119:97-104

Oh, how I love your law!
   It is my meditation all day long.
Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,
   for it is always with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers,
   for your decrees are my meditation.
I understand more than the aged,
   for I keep your precepts. –Psalm 119:97-100

On first reading, I thought the writer of this Psalm was pretty full of himself, rather audacious in self-righteousness. He at least gives credit to God as the source of the writer’s perfection. Jesus encounters a similar attitude when confronted by the one dubbed the Rich Young Ruler. (Mark 10:17-27) I think Jesus saw great potential in the young man. Jesus did not roll his eyes at the man and walk away. Jesus seemed to hone in on what salvation, redemption could make of the one who stood before him no matter what. Such redemption is a source of great hope.

I recognize that all the ways of being and living described in our scripture today are good. We need to study the scriptures, we must learn to deal with enemies, most teachers hope that their students will succeed and exceed their mentors, and elders hope their descendants have enough sense to learn from some of the elder’s mistakes and not repeat them. But does the writer understand the ultimate purpose of his accomplishments?

For some, I suppose, being good is an end in itself. Jesus called us to so much more. Our gifts and talents serve as a witness to God’s love. It takes every ounce of our beings to live into the vision of a world ruled by love. God created us for this purpose.

Prayer: Lord, when you were made flesh and dwelt among us, you forever changed the trajectory of our lives. Please mold our behavior to help us more productively attain your goal of a world ruled by love. 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.