Monthly Archives: March 2017

The Tenacious Spirit

Lent
March 31, 2017

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:6-11

But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. –Romans 8:9-11

The Spirit is tenacious. I once had a tenacious dog.  I got him when he was barely six weeks old. He fit in the palm of my hand when he first came to live with me, and only weighed eight pounds when fully grown. He was the runt of the litter and his other siblings were picking on him. He had places chewed off his little ear from their mischief. I soon found he had epilepsy and was allergic to flee bites. Starting with several strikes against him, he became one of the sweetest dogs I ever knew, smartest too. He never met a stranger, loved everyone. He stayed in the kitchen during the day and had for a bed an old electric blanket that had outlived its usefulness. It was queen-sized and still had the metal elements for transmitting heat. Thus, it was very heavy. One evening, he disappeared from my side. I heard a strange noise and discovered him trying to pull the blanket with his tiny body and tinier teeth.  He would not give it up so I just left him to wear himself out and returned to the living room. Sometime later he rounded the end of my sofa with blanket in tow pulling it up next to my chair. Turning around on it a couple of times, he laid down and went to sleep. He had pulled the blanket some 40 feet because he is by nature a creature of community, wanted his own bed but longed for the presence of others. Much like we long for God and a community of faith.

The Spirit continuously works to be in us and work through us. We only need open the door and welcome the Spirit. And yes, from the day of the blanket pull, my little guy used my lap for napping and his bed was moved to my bedroom for the night.

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Life in the Spirit

Lent
March 30, 2017

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:6-11

To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. –Romans 8:6-11

The Greek word for flesh used here is sarx* and means merely of human origin or empowerment*.

4561 /sárks (“flesh”) is not always evil in Scripture. Indeed, it is used positively in relation to sexual intercourse in marriage (Eph 5:31) – as well as for the sinless human body of Jesus (Jn 1:14; 1 Jn 4:2,3). Indeed, flesh (what is physical) is necessary for the body to live out the faith the Lord works in (Gal 2:20)*

Flesh is a technical word in Paul’s writings, referring not primarily to physical acts (i.e., sex or eating) but to the fallen nature of Adam, thus humanity apart from grace. The old written code refers to observance of Torah divorced from the intentions and Spirit of God.**

We let ourselves off too easily when we limit Paul’s discussions of flesh to misuse of sex or overeating or things like these. Humans tend to gravitate toward the world of “what’s in it for me”. If obeying a series of laws gets us a better seat at the table, then we are in the game. The Hebrew Bible calls us to obey a series of laws out of our desire to demonstrate our love of God and God’s desire for us to live in community with God and all his children. His rules provide guidance for such a way of being.

God continued this quest by sending Jesus Christ into the world not only to model the life God envisioned but ultimately to enable us through grace to become whole and partners in building the Kingdom God desires. Why is it so hard for humans to grasp the truth that what is good for me is good for you and what is good for you is good for me. God is glorified when we can accept and live God’s truth.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we rely on our human nature more than we rely on you. Makes us whole, make us one. Amen.

*http://biblehub.com/greek/4561.htm

**The New Interpreter’s Study Bible, New Revised Standard Version with the Apocrypha, Abington Press 2003, page 2019

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Wait on the Lord

Lent
March 29, 2017

Scripture Reading: Psalm 130

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
   to the voice of my supplications!

 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
   and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
   more than those who watch for the morning,
   more than those who watch for the morning. Psalm 130:1-2, 5-6

I inadvertently did something recently that caused some hardship to a woman for whom I hold the highest regard. Part of the reason I respect her so much is she does not sweat the small stuff. When I apologized to her she was more than gracious, a good role model to be sure. She has learned the art of waiting for the Lord. She has been a justice advocate for years with a primary interest in the environment. I wonder if her years of working the soil led to her steely forbearance.

We waste a lot of time and energy being vexed by the small stuff, in the church and in government. Such diversions serve the purpose of draining us from attaining our real purpose. Some may be out of our control, like storms that knock out utilities. Others, I fear, are intentional. The religious leaders of the first century were constantly accosting Jesus about issues such as what constitutes working on the Sabbath to distract him from his peace through justice teachings. He insists we love people we do not want to love and share power when we would rather be in control.

Lifting our concerns to God, particularly the petty ones, before we throw them in another’s face is the beginning of patience. Crying out of our depths to God, those things that are vexing us might give us light on how silly some of them really are and thus are best left with God. However, in those times when the world seems truly to be spinning out of control, God will reflect to us any actions we are called to take and be with us throughout any ordeal. I love the ending of John 16 when Jesus says, But take courage; I have conquered the world! It not only indicates his commitment to guiding the world, but each of us as individuals. He can and will make us each whole in a fragmented world.

Prayer: Lord, grant us each the courage to trust you to lead us in the way we should go and grant us the patience to wait for those instructions. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Spirit Within

Lent
March 28, 2017

Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-14

Then he said to me, ‘Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.” Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.’ –Ezekiel 37:11-14

Life in the Spirit is life with God engaged. It is easy to get down on life, down on politics, down on the church. Life is hard at times and always a challenge. Living in community involves the give and take of humans striving together when each takes in the world around them in ways differing. I recently saw two pictures of the same thing one depicting the items as they are perceived by most and the other illustrating what the world looks like to the color blind. I was surprised to see the perception of what I would call blue instead of yellow. For some reason, I thought being color blind meant everything was black and white or shades of gray.

God created us in community and thus surely intended that communities of variances result in greater hope, faith and love. Let us celebrate our differences as we claim our roles living in the Spirit of the living God with all of God’s other critters.

Prayer: We thank you God for the gift of your Spirit and for the life-giving strength is provides. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States . of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

The Pursuit of Meaninglessness

Lent
March 27, 2017

Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-14

The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all round them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, ‘Mortal, can these bones live?’ I answered, ‘O Lord God, you know.’ Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.’                                                                                                                                               –Ezekiel 37:1-6

Dry bones equal no hope. I am sure the Hebrews felt like dry bones while living as slaves in Babylon. We seem to be traveling the same path that led Israel and Judah into exile. Greed and selfish motivations are the driving forces ruling our country, perhaps the whole world. Forming alliances with bad neighbors made matters worse also.

In the USA, we want quality education for children but we do not want to pay for it. Women do not need maternity care or at least men should not have to pay for it. Profits are all that matter. The elderly doesn’t need to eat if they are shut-in and unable to purchase or prepare food for themselves. Cancer patients will feel better when they die.

Jesus Christ came some two thousand years ago to show us the better way. He talked of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, helping the sick, restoring the prisoner, and welcoming the stranger. (Matthew 25). He said it was these things on which we would be finally judged. The Hebrews’ experience tells us that we will face the consequences of our actions far before any final judgment. We weaken ourselves by not seeing the power of loving and caring for one another.

Prayer: Lord forgive us for foolishly chasing after meaninglessness. Guide us back to the way you have already shown us. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Using Our Judgment

Lent
March 26, 2017

Scripture Reading: John 9:1-41

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, ‘He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.’ Some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.’ But others said, ‘How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?’ And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, ‘What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.’ He said, ‘He is a prophet.’ –John 9:13-17

How do we judge others? We do it all the time. Whether we like to admit it or not, we have little categories nicely arranged in our brains in which we can quickly slot situations or people. Most of us were probably taught not to be judgmental in the negative sense of the word characterized by a tendency to judge people harshly*.  Using our judgment is essential in all aspects of life. For example, we make a judgment call when we try to discern how to help someone.

Our scripture today illustrates judgment based on strict rules regarding working on the Sabbath. If one did not observe the Sabbath in the way taught by the religious leaders of the day, one was not from God. Strict rules, I guess, make decision making easier but are opened to interpretation. It is always interesting to me how rules apply to some but not to all. Jesus came to show a different way, a new way, and a very old way, a way that promoted wanting the very best for others as we want for ourselves. I do not know which is harder.

Who would not want a person born blind to gain the gift of sight whether it was the Sabbath or not? Apparently, those who base their personal worth on their ability to obey laws. Their self-image results from what others think of them. It does not result from their being a child of God. Perhaps we just do not want to accept that all humans are children of God, made in God’s image. We denigrate ourselves when we denigrate any other, and we denigrate our Creator.

Prayer: Lord, help us to see your image in the other as well as in our mirror. Amen.

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

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Spiritual Vision


Lent
March 25, 2017

Scripture Reading: John 9:1-41

As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’ When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, ‘Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some were saying, ‘It is he.’ Others were saying, ‘No, but it is someone like him.’ He kept saying, ‘I am the man.’ But they kept asking him, ‘Then how were your eyes opened?’ He answered, ‘The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, “Go to Siloam and wash.” Then I went and washed and received my sight.’ They said to him, ‘Where is he?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ –John 9:1-12

The book of John reports the story of Jesus’ addressing physical blindness, perhaps to help us see more clearly the ramifications of spiritual blindness. Spiritual blindness occurs when the seductions of the world become cataracts prohibiting us from perceiving the world as God’s kingdom which God gifted us and recruited us to nurture and protect.

I must confess, I am utterly astounded by the values, perhaps theology, that drives our civic governance. Maternity care is not viewed as an essential health provision. There are others but this one floored me most. Preventive services are far more cost effective, not only in health care but also in criminal justice. Yet we do not fund them and pay the price, in the case of prenatal care for the lifetime services needed for a child born with major medical problems, that are often avoidable with quality prenatal care. Businesses are clamoring for a better educated workforce while we cut spending for public schools. Greed seems to be the primary driving force in our world today. Profit making is our purpose. My mother would call it cutting off your nose to spite your face.

Jesus came to remove the spiritual cataracts blocking our vision. His is a distributive form of justice. One that does not toss us into the pool and if we by nature came swim and save ourselves, that is great. If we sink and drown, well that just life. In Jesus’ world peace and prosperity coexist when everyone has enough, and each matter to the other.

Prayer: Lord laser off the film covering our spiritual eyes. Forgive us from our greed. Help us to seek your vision in spirit and in truth. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Wake Up!

Lent
March 24, 2017

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 5:8-14

For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
‘Sleeper, awake!
   Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.’

The last phrase in this scripture is most likely a quote from an ancient hymn now otherwise lost. It made me wonder how numb have I become to the world about me. Does anything I do make a difference? At times, I identify with Don Quixote who did battle with windmills. What seems so right to me is deemed wrong by many.  How do we ever define what the common good is, if our values are so different?

Perhaps we all need to exchange places for a time and view the world from another’s perspective. I worked in human services for 35 years and was aware of the tremendous lack of services for the mentally ill during that time. It was through my church that I experienced the reality of the life for many persons with mental illness. I was serving in a soup kitchen line one evening. A local pie company had donated some pies whose shelf life was ending soon. The ones I was handing out were packaged in wrappers displaying ninja turtles in various stances. The next man in line stepping before me picked up one of the packages of fried pie and studied it intently. He was a giant of a man. At least a head taller than me. A Native American, his skin was bronzed deeply from the sun. I could not guess his age but he wore dog tags, I supposed he was a Vietnam War veteran. He asked, “What kind of pie is green?” Realizing he could not read, I explained the pictures were of cartoon like characters; the pie crust was filled with vanilla pudding. He took one and proceeded down the line. My dad and uncle were veterans of World War II; they both received excellent follow-up care from the Veterans Administration. I stood stung by the reality that, not just this one, but many of our veterans struggle daily to survive on the street.

We all need to wake up to the world around us and see the reality of it, and only then attempt to define and provide for the Common Good.

Prayer: Lord rescue us from the barriers we build each day that keeps us from seeing the needs of our neighbors near and far. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Privacy and Transparency

Lent
March 23, 2017

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 5:8-14

For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
‘Sleeper, awake!
   Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.’

What an interesting scripture! My first impression on reading it was that I never read it before. I know that is not true because I have read the entire Bible more than once, taught the book of Ephesians where every verse was considered, and followed the lectionary, from which this was selected, in daily devotions for many years. God plants seed for thought as we need them.

Two things greatly debated in our society these days are, the protection of privacy and the need for transparency creating a contraction or at least a bit of a conundrum, wouldn’t you say? At least 20 years ago, something happened at the state agency where I worked resulting from an inappropriate email that was sent. I do not remember what the email contained; it did make the evening news. While the controversy happened in a totally different area of the agency, we were all advised to take notice. At a follow-up staff meeting, I remember telling my staff they should not put anything in an email they would not want their mother to read on the front page of the local paper. Government employees live in glass houses so do Christians. Our lives interpret the story of Jesus to others, right or wrong.

Just like everyone else, I do not want my identify stolen, but keeping those pesky passwords up to date and remembering them is not the subject of our scripture today. Psalm 51:10 (Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me) guides us to an openness enabling us to let our light shine. When that happens, others can see the love of God present and engaged in the world today. Psalm 139 is a good reminder that God knows our every move, our every thought, our every action and when we fail to act. If we live with that in mine and hone our lives to please God, we need not fear the darkness surrounding us or being the light of the world Jesus called us to be.

Prayer: Psalm 139: 1-6
O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
   you discern my thoughts from far away.
You search out my path and my lying down,
   and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
   O Lord, you know it completely.
You hem me in, behind and before,
   and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
   it is so high that I cannot attain 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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved

Part of the Solution

Lent
March 22, 2017

Scripture Reading: Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
   He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
   he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
   for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
   I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
   your rod and your staff—
comfort me. –Psalm 23:1-4

In tangles, that is how I sometimes feel, like the picture of a cat wound up in a long cord with no apparent beginning or ending. Change is a constant in our society. Our cellphones and laptops are out of date as we carry them across the exit of the store after buying them. The upgrading of one gadget renders another one obsolete. They do not play well with each other without a systems upgrade. Truth is not truth, facts do not matter, people do not matter. There is an edginess to all our interactions. I long for God to make the crooked path straight*.

God is not a magic wane waver. God works in and through us to create a world that makes sense. Even the splitting of the Red Sea making an escape route for the Hebrews fleeing Egypt was facilitated by Moses raising his staff*.

The wonderful, beautiful promise of the Twenty Third Psalm is that God is always leading us down the right path when and if we are willing to let God. Sometimes our Good Shepherd even leads us to a green meadow and still waters to untangle us from life’s challenges.

Prayer: Lord, clip the cords of the world that tie us in knots keeping us from fully following you. Keep a glimpse of your vision for our world in our minds eyes. Give us hope. Amen.

*See Isaiah 45:2

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.