Monthly Archives: May 2017

A God Thing

Eastertide
May 21, 2017

Scripture Reading: John 14:15-21

  ‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.’ –John 14:18-21

“ That’s a God thing.” is a phrase I picked up from someone else and I use to explain the obvious presence of the hand of God, in particularly regarding unexpected or at least unpredicted outcomes. We do see God at work in our world today. In little things as well as big. I see it now in people previously reluctant to make their opinions heard speaking out articulately about human need. People with real life experiences are sharing them to raise awareness of the impacts of lack of health care or poor education, and the power of a second-chance justice system to restore wholeness rather than sentencing a person to decay in an overcrowded, understaffed prison.

On a more personal level, the Spirit rescues me from becoming jaded by the negative forces pushing against forming a Kingdom ruled by love. Music is often the balm for my soul, and nothing can replace the satisfaction of the constancy of the Spirit’s presence when I turn to God in prayer. As I pour out my stress and distress, I am cleansed of their residue and refreshed with God’s abiding love.

I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.’—Joshua 1:9

The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!’ –John 16:32-33

Prayer: Lord, help us each to see your hand at work in and through us and others. 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 Fed and Led

Eastertide
May 20, 2017

Scripture Reading: John 14:15-21

‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. –John 14:15-17

Having worked as a social worker for most of my career, I used a business card verifying that I worked for my agency and providing pertinent contact information. When I went to work at a church, I used a business card. After retirement,  I was at a loss for something to take its place as I became independent of a work place and an active volunteer at more than one place. The digital age and card stock allows me to create my own business card,  but what do I include on it? I finally added to my academic identities the title Justice Advocate. It is my favorite job description. It helps shape my understanding of the role of the Holy Spirit as my Advocate.

To whom does the Holy Spirit Advocate on my behalf? Does the Holy Spirit run interference for us when we communicate with God?  According to Romans 8:26, the Spirit does: Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. Mark 12:36 suggests the Holy Spirit protects us from our enemies.  Surely the Spirit is the power that enables us to love our enemies.

As a part of the Body of Christ, we are called to model ourselves after the Spirit advocating for others who either cannot speak for themselves or are never heard when they try.

Prayer: Spirit Divine, I rest my soul in you, free me to serve God without concern for the principalities and powers crowding our world today; strengthen my weaknesses and help me use them to God’s glory; give me the courage to invest the strengths you have graced me with to your justice. 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.

Good Conscience

Eastertide
May 19, 2017

Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 3:13-22

For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight people, were saved through water. And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him. –1 Peter 3:18-22

What constitutes a good conscience? Have you ever done something, perhaps on the spur of the moment, perhaps with good intentions that kept eating at you for days later because you feared it was the wrong approach to something? You might forget it for a while, but it pops back into your mind in a quiet moment. God created us with a conscience to serve as a regulator of our behavior. A good conscience is one that works. It is wonderful when it works in advance of an action, but necessary when it helps us see where we might have gone astray resulting in our responding correctly the next time the same or a similar situation presents itself.

I went to my first Ramadan dinner last year with a friend. We sat at a table with a mixture of other Christians and Muslims. Filled water glasses sat at each place around our table. To a person, while we sat and waited for the dinner to start, the Christians at my table all took a sip of water. I had not paid attention to the fact that none of the Muslims drank from their water glasses. As the leader explained the rituals involved in breaking the Ramadan fast for the day, which included drinking the first sip of water at a specific point, I remembered my mother’s training always to follow the lead of the hosts at any dinner. While my hosts were gracious and ignored my failure to honor their traditions, my conscience recorded the experience for future reference.

The concept of privilege precludes the necessity of engaging one’s conscience fully. As we live into being one with the diversity of God’s people, it is essential that we allow the conscience God gave us to work and not let our cultural programming of privilege override God’s righteousness and justice.

Prayer: Gracious God, clear away the years of programming in my mind that is contrary to your righteousness. Fully engaged my conscience as I listen for your still small voice directing my behavior. 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.

No Fear in Christ

Eastertide
May 18, 2017

Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 3:13-22

Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. –1 Peter 3:13-17

My mother did not like to get her head under water, and apparently, I internalized her fear of water. I would get in the water but never too deep. My college required anyone who could not swim to learn how to swim. I passed the class by being able to hold my breath the length of the pool. Developed great lungs that year. I enjoyed swimming but just would not trust myself enough to breathe during the process. After graduation and getting my first job, I took a “Frady Cat” swimming class after work. The class indeed had several like me suffering from an irrational fear, but there were also a few who had experienced trauma related to water and still others who for some reason of physics could not float. They had to learn to swim without the benefit of the buoyancy provided by the water. I float like a cork.

The young woman who taught the class had the patience of Job and the persistence of Paul. I learned how to swim so did all the others. She carefully analyzed each of her students and implemented unique plans and goals for each. I envision the Holy Spirit having the same traits. Being right with God and working to maintain that homeostasis, that steady state, is our task. From that point, we can do all we are called to do with the knowledge that God will enable our work if we need a little help along the way.

Prayer: God, let my fears be a catalyst for courage not a stumbling block to service. 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.

Put to the Test, Now What?

Eastertide
May 17, 2017

Scripture Reading: Psalm 66:8-20

Bless our God, O peoples,
   let the sound of his praise be heard,
who has kept us among the living,
   and has not let our feet slip.
For you, O God, have tested us;
   you have tried us as silver is tried.
You brought us into the net;
   you laid burdens on our backs;
you let people ride over our heads;
   we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a spacious place. –Psalm 66:8-12

Every child is different, but the tests are similar from encouraging that first step to taking off the training wheels. Babies plop on their diaper draped bottoms more times than not learning to walk. Parents watch for signs when their child is ready for each milestone in their growth and development. The Psalmist tells us that God, our Parent, does the same. Parents must discern when a child develops to the point of knowing the difference between right and wrong and the ability to choose right.  My paternal grandmother died when I was five, so I must have been very young when she discovered me turning the gas knobs on her kitchen range. Her gentle fear wrapping her arm around me and pulling me away while readjusting the knobs probably cured me of playing with the range more than anything she said. As young as I was I remember the incident well.

Milestones do not end with infancy. We face them at each stage of our lives. I recently attended a retreat on Aging and Sage-ing dealing with the continuation of ministry in the fourth quarter of life. The Psalmists gives us assurance that God is actively engaged in our growth and development throughout our lives. What is God nurturing in us currently? Are we being called to the next progression of our faith work?

Prayer: God we thank you that you have brought us out to a spacious place which indicates the opportunities for our service are varied and many. Guide us to where we are most needed and can best help. 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.

What is Just?

Eastertide
May 16, 2017

Scripture Reading: Acts 17:22-31

For “In him we live and move and have our being”;[*] as even some of your own poets have said,
“For we too are his offspring.”

Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.’ –Acts 17:28-31

The coming of Jesus initiated a season of human responsibility. At least that seems to be what Paul is saying. The time has passed when humans can blame gods of metal or stone for good or bad. We are responsible for our well-being and the well-being of one another. We are after all God’s offspring endowed by our Creator with abilities the Creator expects us to use but not use in any namby-pamby way. God sent prophets and teachers and finally sent Jesus Christ to share with us God’s vision of righteousness. We do not judge our work results ourselves nor are we assigned the task of judging others. Jesus drew the assignment of judge. The risen Lord enables our work toward righteousness or justice through the acts of the Holy Spirit. After reading our scripture today, we perhaps should sing Called as Partners in Christ’s Service with a little more seriousness if not fear and trembling.

Righteousness and justice are threatened all around us. In the first place, we cannot even agree on what is right and what is just. I fear in many instances our disagreements stem from the desire to reshape God’s definition of justice to fit our lifestyles. Thus each group has its particular set which they defend in discord with the other.

How do we bring God back into the picture?

Prayer: God of Justice, plant seeds of righteousness in each of our hearts make them flourish enabling our discernment of justice and making us seekers of its fruition. Amen.

*Quote from Aratus, (flourished c. 315–c. 245 bc, Macedonia), Greek poet of Soli in Cilicia

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.

Serving God is Serving Others

Eastertide
May 15, 2017

Scripture Reading: Acts 17:22-31

Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, ‘Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, “To an unknown god.” What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. –Acts 17:22-27

How many times do we use language describing ourselves as serving God? Today I stumble over Paul’s sentence (emphasis added): The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. I am amazed that I had not seen this before or  at how much sense Paul makes. God loves us and wants the very best for us. Thus, it stands to reason that the service we do for and with each other is the extension of God’s love through us to one another. Following the way of being  Jesus modeled and taught shows us the how of living into God’s love by serving one another.

Recently, I was stunned by a leader in the Oklahoma legislature who refused to put forward a change in our state gaming laws, which included more revenue for the state, because gambling was against his personal moral values based, I assume, on his faith. While he apparently sees no moral issues in increasing state revenues by adding regressive taxes that impact the poor disproportionately. He clearly does not understand that a 6 cent per gallon gasoline tax increase causes extreme hardship for someone living on $7.50 an hour while it would barely impact someone making $50 an hour. It seems we confuse the responsibility to follow our personal moral beliefs by projecting them onto others as addressing the Common Good. We fail to provide for the Common Good through finding our collective moral center in concern for our fellow citizens, which is the Common Good.

Prayer: Lord, guide us in serving you more nearly by considering and serving all your offspring in your name. Amen.

Credit for Slide: https://www.slideshare.net/ValuesCentre/cultural-transformation-vs-change-richard-barrett

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.

 

Called to Action

Eastertide
May 14, 2017

Scripture Reading: John 14:1-14

Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it. –John 14:8-14

I cannot decide whether social media is a good thing or a bad thing. I hate the fake news but the stories of regular people doing the right thing at the right time are inspirational. I rarely post anything and routinely check social media because it is a great place to keep up with my family members and friends in their everyday pursuits and pictures. A friend mused to me recently that she decided to quit watching the news it was so disturbing. She immediately changed her mind realizing the news’ disturbing messages were the very reason she needed to keep up with it. Reading the newspaper is a source for prayer concerns.

In the midst of all the chaos that surrounds us often described in the news of the day, Christ thinks that we will do greater works than he did. I guess if that is are calling we better get out of our recliners and get with the program. I wear another gadget of modernity that tells me when I need to move, tracks what I eat, and even measures the amount of sleep I get each night.  My only task to take advantage of this tool is to recharge it at regular intervals. That is a good practice in doing the work of God. Jesus outlined in broad terms how to live.We are wise to plug routinely into our relationship with God recharging our love and touching base with the ultimate guide to our work.

Prayer: God of Love and Grace, energize us to work toward your justice throughout our world. 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.

Peace through Violence

Living in the Spirit
June 13, 2017

Scripture Reading: Genesis 21:1-7

The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. Now Sarah said, ‘God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.’ And she said, ‘Who would ever have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.’

 Sarah named her newborn “He laughs” for that is what Isaac* means. Perhap she was recognizing that God got the last laugh enjoying Sarah’s being dumbfounded that what the messengers had promised came true. Life does not always come out the way we want it as it did in Sarah’s case. As Paul says in Romans 28:8, We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

The USA is critical of our fellow NATO members who have not yet reached their goal due in 2024 of spending 2% of their gross national product on defense. The USA contributes 3.6% of its GNP to NATO. Our total defense budget in 2015 was $598 or 54% of our total budget far exceeding the expenditures of other nations. While I think we all could agree that a good defense is necessary, perhaps we should look at what those NATO countries are doing that works not related to defense. The homicide rate in the USA is 16.3 per 100,000 in Europe it is 3**. Most of these countries assure an adequate level of health and mental health care for their citizens, most provide excellent public education system to prepare their children for work. If the USA had even an adequate mental health system would we have lost the 9 killed in a Bible study at church in Charleston; would all those children and teachers have died at Sandy Hook?

Peace through power enforced by violence was the ancient Roman way. When greed and power get entangled even great empires fall. The man called Jesus, born near Sepphoris, one of the cities overrun by Rome about the time of his birth, had a front row seat to seeing the results of peace through power and taught a different way. Those of us who follow him today need to consider carefully the wisdom of his way. Perhaps our NATO partners have something to teach us.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when our lust for power and greed overtake our way of being. Teach us how to love each other. Amen.

*http://biblehub.com/hebrew/3327.htm
**https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate

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.

A Child’s Faith

Eastertide
May 13, 2017

Scripture Reading: John 14:1-14

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’ –John 14:1-7

I was a weird kid. My two favorite hymns as a child were Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone and Near to the Heart of God. Often at our Sunday evening service, the hymns we sang were selected by participants calling out a number from the hymn book. I was early on cautioned by my parents to give others a chance to select their favorite hymns. Individuals were not allowed to pick more than one a night, so I rarely got to sing my two favorites at the same service. My faith group excluded Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone its last hymn book revision. I guess it was deemed no longer relevant.

Funny though, those two songs still define my theology. The story of Simon of Cyrene found in Mark 15:21 indicates that he was compelled to carry Jesus’ cross after Jesus fell from the weight of it. I wonder if this image inspired the hymn’s author, Thomas Shepherd. Are we not still compelled to help Christ usher in the Kingdom of God? A formidable task indeed, but Christ would not have set the challenge before us had he not thought it possible. He also very eloquently promised that we are never without his abiding presence, sustaining strength, and nurturing love.

This scripture is a funeral favorite, but it also needs to be read and received regarding our lives in building God’s Kingdom each moment of each day. Being held Near to the Heart of God is what sustains and nurtures us in our labors.

Prayer:
O Jesus, blest Redeemer
sent from the heart of God,
hold us, who wait before thee,
near to the heart of God *. Amen

*Refrain from Near to the Heart of God see at http://hymnary.org/text/there_is_a_place_of_quiet_rest

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.