Monthly Archives: December 2016

Fear Not and Sing a New Song

sing-a-new-songAdvent
December 21, 2016

Scripture Reading: Psalm 96

O sing to the Lord a new song;
   sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
   tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
   his marvelous works among all the peoples.
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
   he is to be revered above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
   but the Lord made the heavens.
Honor and majesty are before him;
   strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. –Psalm 96:1-6

Can pure love feel pain? I wonder how God feels when God sees his creation in chaos with people doing horrible things in God’s name. How do we sing at all much less a new song when the whole world seems to be crumbling under our feet? We are all so caught up in our image of God that we cannot tolerate another perspective. Though we are called to work toward perfection, can any human fully comprehend God? How much is our image of God based on our idols? How do we know the difference?

Advent brings lots of questions. World events that dash hope add questions. Human life has become an expendable commodity to some. Fear is epidemic. How do we sing a new song in such circumstances? Perhaps we should consider that the very circumstances that make us lose hope are writing the melody and the words to a new song. The new song we need to sing is an ancient song apparently lost to some over the years. God created the world out of chaos. Is God calling us to be creators of love out of the chaos that surrounds us? How would that look? What role must each of us play in making God’s love real to all?

Prayer: Lord, in many situations through the Bible your messengers tell us to fear not. Help us hear those words and make our fears catalyst for loving even more. 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.

Telling the Incarnation Story

junkmailAdvent
December 20, 2016

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 9:2-7

For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
   and he is named
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually,
   and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
   He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
   from this time onwards and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. –Isaiah 9:6-7

How do we as followers of Christ show people, tell people, love people out of putting Jesus into nice little sentimental, traditional, new age, whatever niches and welcome him into our world as the incarnation of God with Us? I recently completed a spreadsheet of faith information about the members of the Oklahoma Legislature. I must confess I was surprised by what I found. Most no longer list their religious affiliation on their official state website, which required me to search their personal websites or campaign websites. I did not count them but probably a majority listed on those websites the name of the church they attended and some included roles they filled at those churches, deacon, Sunday school teacher, youth leader. A few went to great lengths to describe their faith-based stances on some hot button issues but did not list a church. Several indicated that they were “Christian.” I wondered what that meant. Where they raised in Christian homes and thus still identify with that tradition? Are they actively engaged but just not wanting to share the name of the group? While I do not believe that church involvement is mandatory for professing Christianity, the history of its development is rich in people working together as communities of faith. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.’ (Matthew 18:20) There were more than I expected who listed no religious connections. I sent a couple of emails to people from the latter two categories and inquired about their religious affiliations but did not receive responses.

I bored you with this listing because I think we do have a representative government and this information should be a red flag to congregations that we may not be telling Christ’s story well. In fact, we may be so caught up in those niches; we are not telling his story at all.

Prayer: Lord, guide us in this season of Advent to clear our hearts and minds of the faith junk mail that clutters our actions. Enable us to share the Good News of your incarnation. 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.

Light in a Dark World

light-of-the-world Advent
December 19, 2016

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 9:2-7

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined. –Isaiah 9:2

I cleaned out my purse this afternoon. It was stuffed with the many receipts from Christmas shopping and the many other sundry pieces of paper that end up in my purse because there is nowhere to throw them away at the time I need to dispose of them. In my digging, I found a tiny little flashlight, don’t remember when I got it. It is just slightly bigger than a double A battery, has an advertisement on the side, a very bright LED light bulb, and a key chain on the opposite end. Such a light would be very useful in an emergency but is of no use in the clutter of my purse.

Did the people Isaiah describes profit from seeing the great light? I wonder how often God shines a great light on dark situations and the people who see it fail to comprehend what it illuminates?

Advent is a time to follow the beams of light that God shines showing paths of peace and justice that lead to God’s love being manifested. Seeing the light requires us to remove the logs from our eyes that blind us to God’s truth. Often, we may already know God’s truth but are unwilling to accept it because it does not fit our perfect plan for ourselves. Sharing our fears and feelings through prayer with God is a great way to start toward finding the common ground upon which together with God through Christ, we can find our way.

Prayer: God, grant us the vision to see our way through the light of your love and the courage to step out in faith and follow it. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, by permission. All rights reserved.

Sharing the Love of God with Us

prophetsAdvent
December 18, 2016

Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:18-25

All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
 and they shall name him Emmanuel’, which means, ‘God is with us.’ When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus. –Matthew 1:22-25

The message conveyed by the consistent referral to the prophets of old in the New Testament tells us today that God is God, has always been, and will always be. Simple as this statement is to make, it is the most comforting message we can receive. Running around crying out the sky is falling is not helpful. The prophets in much more poetic language tell us to keep being God’s people no matter what.

Just like the ancient Israelites when times seem good, we too get lulled into states of complacency. We do not want anyone to rock the boat but that is not the way of progress. Such attitudes slow the development of a society to follow God’s plan of love and reconciliation.

As we deepen our spiritual quest toward fuller appreciation of “God with Us” let us consider how God is leading us to greater love for all God’s children so that each human on this earth can attain the full measure of God-based contentment.

Prayer: Lover of all Souls, as we celebrate your coming in human form, grant us the courage to step out in faith to demonstrate your love in action to the world. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, by permission. All rights reserved.

Priorities

angel-appears-to-josephAdvent
December 17, 2016

Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:18-25

But just when [Joseph] had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’–Matthew 1:20-21

We really have no idea how old Joseph was. He possibly was many years older than Mary. He apparently died sometime between the trip to the temple when Jesus was twelve and the beginning of Jesus public ministry. At least he is never mentioned after the trip. Having made the decision to undo his betrothal to Mary, Joseph is brought up to speed with what is really going on by an angel, no less. It is hard to image being in the predicament this couple faced, trying times.

When we consider what some people are dealing with around the world today, it is interesting how bent out of shape we can become over small things. I had a well mapped out Christmas shopping trip one day this week. I was going to Barnes and Noble then to Bath and Body Works and end up a Cabela’s. I knew exactly what I was going to get at each place. Did not think it would take more than an hour. Had to wait in line for a while at Barnes and Noble, got into a terrible traffic jam heading toward Bath and Body Works, stood in an even longer line there. While in that line I decided, I was going straight home on back roads if necessary. I got home in time to watch the noon news reporting on the citizens of Aleppo once again not being rescued from the devastation there.

I enjoy buying gifts for family and friends but that is not the priority at this season. Preparing ourselves for the coming of Christ into our lives is our primary tasks during Advent. Jesus came to save us. Perhaps the primary thing some of us need is to be saved from ourselves.

Take a few minutes to consider where your priorities are in life. Do you need to reorganize them?

Prayer: God of Mercy and Justice, order our lives to put us in sync with your priorities. 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.

Spiritual Readiness

spiritualdisciplinescollage1-300x240Advent
December 16, 2016

Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:18-25

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. –Matthew 1:18-19

By all accounts, Joseph was a good man, apparently, a devout Jew. We can see that in these two verses. His wife-to-be was disgraced but he was not willing to put her to shame. He was obviously well acquainted with Micah 6:8 and tried to live by it:

 He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
   and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
   and to walk humbly with your God?

Women were routinely raped in the Roman siege of Galilee. Perhaps Joseph’s kindness stemmed from that reality. We can only speculate. Whatever the circumstances, Joseph was well prepared for the role he soon would be called to do. All followers of God are called to keep faith, to be ready. We may never be called to do the extraordinary as Joseph was but we are all called to do our part.

During this week of Advent, inventory your readiness to serve. There are many guides to spiritual disciplines. I like Richard Foster’s*, which is straight forward.

  1. The inward disciplines: Meditation, Prayer, Fasting, and Study
  2. The outward disciplines (inward realities resulting in outward lifestyles): Simplicity, Solitude, Submission, and Service
  3. The corporate disciplines: Confession, Worship, Guidance, and Celebration

You may want to explore others or modify one to fit your needs, but routinely considering the spiritual disciplines is a great way to stay ready to answer any call you may receive.

Prayer:
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
   test me and know my thoughts.
See if there is any wicked way in me,
   and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24). Amen.

*http://www.albministry.org/pdf/List%20of%20Disciplines.pdf

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.

Apostles

careerAdvent
December 15, 2016

Scripture Reading: Romans 1:1-7

Paul, a servant* of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit* of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

What is an apostle? Per Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible an apostle is

A messenger, envoy, delegate, one commissioned by another to represent him in some way, especially a [person] sent out by Jesus Christ Himself to preach the Gospel. Paul felt strongly about his commissioning and relates back to his encounter with the resurrected Christ on his trip to Damascus to document his calling. He lists his credentials in most of his writings not only taking the role very seriously himself but also using it to explain why people should pay heed to what he says. It is the career objective on his resume’.

What is our career objective as it relates to our choosing to follow Jesus Christ? Do we have one? Are we doing the things we are doing because in our work for Christ because that is what we have always done? Is what we are doing necessary and important? Within his career objective, Paul routinely consulted in prayer to identify his next steps. He remained ever vigilant and appeared to work at being efficient in the use of his time and talents even to the point of seeming rude at times. If we have a Christ related Career Objective how well defined is our plan toward attaining it?

As you await the coming of God with Us once again, pull out your Christ-related resume’ and see if it needs to be updated. Don’t have a Christ related Career Objective? Try developing one. Know what you feel your calling is but are not sure how to make it a reality? Map out a plan with steps to complete. One step might be contacting the leaders in your congregations to find others with similar objectives, work within a team.

Prayer: Lord, write on my heart your objectives for my work as a part of your body. Show me how to make them a reality. Amen.

*http://biblehub.com/greek/652.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.

God’s Memory Loss

restoresAdvent
December 14, 2016

Scripture Reading: Psalm 80:1-7, 17-18

Restore us, O God of hosts;
   let your face shine, that we may be saved.

But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand,
   the one whom you made strong for yourself.
Then we will never turn back from you;
   give us life, and we will call on your name. –Psalm 80:7, 17-18

I am a strong supporter of restorative justice but when do we recognize that someone is restored? One of the big sports news issues over the past two years in Oklahoma relates to a college football player from one of our state colleges who was arrested for an altercation that happened before he ever played a single game. I suppose, to get on with his life, he entered no plea but accepted a sentence of community service, was banned from the football team for one year, and attended anger management classes. He completed all these requirements. He is an outstanding football player, and I read in the paper this morning that he would be a top draft pick but will probably lose points for the incident I just described. If he were not a top athlete, we would most likely never have known this event occurred. For many with the same crime when they were 18, their records might have already been expunged. In the same paper, I read about another player who was arrested in pre-college days twice for alleged family violence, not convicted either time. I wondered why if these were juvenile offenses the records were even open for scrutiny. And yes, I do think athletes are held to a higher standard and yes I, do think because they are natural role models for children that can be a good thing. Isn’t being restored a good and important example too?

The greater issue in restorative justice is the disenfranchisement in many states of persons convicted of a felony who will never be able to vote again in this country, although they have successfully served their terms or not be considered for many jobs. During Advent let us consider the quote from Isaiah 43:25

I, I am He
   who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,
   and I will not remember your sins. –Isaiah 43:25

And let us contemplate what that might mean for our justice system.

Prayer: Lord, grant us the gift of the same memory loss God experiences once God blots out our transgressions. 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.

A Mystery to Behold

mysteryAdvent
December 13, 2016

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 7:10-16

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted. –Isaiah 7:14-16

It always seems a bit of a cop out to explain God’s acts by calling them mysteries. While many of us like to read a good mystery now and then, we want the ending to tie up all the loose ends. God’s mysteries that bugged those who followed God thousands of years ago remain enigmas today. The word mystery means a religious truth revealed by God that man cannot know by reason alone and that once it has been revealed cannot be completely understood*. I must confess, I did not know that the word mystery had its origin from religion. There is a non-religious definition something that has not been or cannot be explained, that is unknown to all or concealed from some and therefore exciting curiosity or wonder, or that is incomprehensible or uncomprehended*. It Sounds much the same without the religious overtones.

Isaiah’s discussion of Immanuel regarding Isaiah’s time and place could easily stand alone as words of warning to a king or words of comfort to people suffering the ineptitude of a king. Two and a half millennia later, Isaiah’s words speak to us of a Savior, a promised one, God with us whom we know as Jesus, the Christ. That is a mystery implying that there is some entity with a worldview older than time and newer than all tomorrows. Practical, rational being that I am, I take great solace in that.

Prayer: Lord, as we contemplate your coming to us during this Advent season, renew in us the sense of mystery that gives us hope for all that is good, right, and just because you came to be with us in wonder and love. Amen.

*http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/mystery

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-and-motivational-quotes-thoughtsAdvent
December 12, 2016

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 7:10-16
Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. Then Isaiah said: ‘Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.

One needs a course in Hebrew history to understand our scripture today. At first read, it seems it was placed in the lectionary because it refers to the prophet Isaiah referencing the birth of a child to a young woman. The child is to be named Immanuel, which means God with us and is the name Christians ascribe to Jesus. I guess that makes it an appropriate scripture for Advent.

Ahaz is the king of Israel besieged by the threat of other nations. He does not know what to do. God’s guidance is to ask for a sign but Ahaz refuses to put the Lord to the test falling back on a familiar scripture,
Deuteronomy 6:16. Jesus quotes this same scripture in the story of his temptations (Luke 4:12) in a response to Satan. In Hebrew history (see Judges 6-8) we know that Gideon not only asked God for a sign but asked twice and God seemed to be patient with his fear of misunderstanding. Fast forward to the New Testament (Luke 11:29-32) where Jesus tells the evil generation they do not deserve a sign when they ask for it.

What are we to make of all of this? The story of Gideon tells of a sincere man asked to do an extraordinary task. He needed fortification to step out and faith and God gave it. God encourages Ahaz to ask for a sign and Ahaz quotes Hebrew law back to God as his reason for not asking for a sign. Do we ever let out piousness get in the way of our relationship with God?

Prayer: Lord, as we once again prepare for your coming, forgive us when we get so caught up in being right that we fail to be one 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 American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.