Author Archives: WOJ@deborahsdescendants.com

Growing In Faith

Lent

April 1, 2023

Scripture Reading: Matthew 26:14-27
Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What will you give me if I betray him to you?’ They paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.

On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?’ He said, ‘Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, “The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.” ’ So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal.

When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating, he said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.’ And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, ‘Surely not I, Lord?’ He answered, ‘The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.’ Judas, who betrayed him, said, ‘Surely not I, Rabbi?’ He replied, ‘You have said so.’

While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you;

Oklahoma farmland has pockets of destruction resulting from the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, where the winds took more than the topsoil but gouged out three-sided gullies. There was one on our farm that was eventually delegated as the junk pile filled with old equipment that had served its purpose. I do not know if that was the case with one of our neighbor’s farms. There was an interesting rock and valley formation that may have been there forever but also could have been eroded into an area that would never be used to plant anything. The owner, however, had a vision of how that land could be useful. With a little rearrangement of some of the areas, he created an outdoor arena that was perfect for an annual Easter pageant.  The churches in my small hometown came together each year to present the story of the last week of Jesus’s life. I am not sure how old I was when I first waved palms and shouted Hosanna as the actor playing, Jesus rode by on a donkey. In junior high, I was one of the people crying out Crucify him! Crucify him! Eventually, I played Solome walking with my sister playing Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the other women who went to anoint Jesus and discovered the tomb was empty.

That experience left an indelible impression on me. I have watched professional reenactments of these same events, but nothing could impress me more than at one moment waving palms of exaltation and just a short time later crying out Crucify him!

I encourage us all this Easter to ponder on the happenings of the coming week and use what we discern as a catalyst for growth in our faith commitment.

Prayer: Lord, open our hearts to the tremendous love you shared with us in sending your Son to be our Savior. 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.

Loving Like Jesus

Lent

March 31, 2023

Scripture Reading:

Philippians 2:5-11

Therefore God also highly exalted him
   and gave him the name
   that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
   every knee should bend,
   in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
   that Jesus Christ is Lord,
   to the glory of God the Father. –Philippians 2:9-11

This is a beautiful recognition of Jesus as the chosen Christ. He certainly is worthy of our praise, but I cannot help but think he takes greater pride in his work when he sees his followers following his example. That starts with loving God and spreads to loving all God’s creation, which is a whole lot easier to say than do. Jesus even got frustrated with leaders who get too caught up in amassing wealth and prestige rather than caring for the least of these. He chased the money changers out of the temple.

I like the definition that love is wanting the very best for another, which has nothing to do with what the other can do for us. We then must struggle with the idea that we do not get to define what is best for others. The hard part comes when we see the ones we love getting involved in behavior that is self-destructive. How do we love them? We need to seek professional help as needed. We must also invest more time and energy in sharing our concerns and seeking God’s support and help. I like the example of airline instructions when an emergency arises, and all passengers must use the oxygen tubes that drop down from above our seats. The steward always says if you are traveling with someone who will need help with using oxygen, put your oxygen on first so you will be able to help your companion.  Staying in sync with God is our best way of helping others.

Prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference, living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; taking this world as it is and not as I would have it; trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will; so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next.− Reinhold Niebuhr 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.

Being in the Same Mind in Christ

Lent

March 30, 2023

Scripture Reading:

Philippians 2:5-11

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
   did not regard equality with God
   as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
   taking the form of a slave,
   being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
   he humbled himself
   and became obedient to the point of death—
   even death on a cross. –Philippians 2:5-8

If you read these devotions regularly, you have probably figured out that I believe that God created each person with unique skills and talents and tasked us to each work to become the best person we can be within that framework. God also was generous enough to allow a wide spectrum of opportunities to develop our avocation. Growing to be seven feet tall does not destine one to play basketball. You might be the scientist that finds the cure for cancer. It also does not mean that you could not be a basketball star if your adult height is five foot three like Tyrone Curtis “Muggsy” Bogues. He survived the challenges of poverty, a dangerous neighborhood, and an imprisoned father. After being an all-star in the NBA, he worked in several successful ventures. He founded the Muggsy Bogues Family Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization “organized to assist vocationally bound students with scholarships and develop community outreach programs for at-risk families that address the most basic necessities” and “encourage youth and families by providing resources that emphasize stability and empower youth and families to reach their full potential, becoming well-rounded students and productive adult citizens.”**

Avocation is a subordinate occupation pursued in addition to one’s regular work, especially for enjoyment*. However, the best of all possible careers is when your purpose in life is your vocation fulfilling your avocation. It is rather like being in love with someone you love.

Jesus came into this world as God Incarnate, showing us how to fulfill our life purpose within our called avocation of doing our part in building the Beloved Community, which God initiated at creation. We can best accomplish that by [Letting] the same mind be in [us] that was in Christ Jesus.

How do we gain the same mind that was in Christ Jesus?

  • Do not exploit God for our own purposes.
  • Empty ourselves taking the form of a slave, thus allowing the Spirit to guide us.
  • Be humble.
  • Be obedient to the point of death.

Prayer: God, fill us with your Spirit as we strive to gain the same mind that was in Christ Jesus. Amen.

*https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/avocation

**https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muggsy_Bogues

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.

Loving all Neighbors

Lent

March 29, 2023

Scripture Reading: Psalm 31:9-16
Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
   my eye wastes away from grief,
   my soul and body also.
For my life is spent with sorrow,
   and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my misery,
   and my bones waste away.

I am the scorn of all my adversaries,
   a horror to my neighbors,
an object of dread to my acquaintances;
   those who see me in the street flee from me.
I have passed out of mind like one who is dead;
   I have become like a broken vessel.
For I hear the whispering of many—
   terror all around!—
as they scheme together against me,
   as they plot to take my life.

But I trust in you, O Lord;
   I say, ‘You are my God.’
My times are in your hand;
  deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
   save me in your steadfast love.

I read the first segment of the Psalm and identified with it somewhat. I must use pliers to open tight lids, and both my knees have wasted away to the extent that they have been replaced. In general, those realities have made me appreciate that someone invented pliers and titanium knees. I have learned in public to pass bottled water containers to ask even strangers sitting near me to remove too-tight lids. I generally ask only people whom I observed could open their own lids. Doing that has provided opportunities for pleasant conversation.

The second segment made me sad. I thought of the people who are homeless and often in need of physical or mental health care. I just heard, once more, the reports of another school shooting where a now adult former student had returned to the school they attended to carry out some vendetta. I also grow weary of the public officials and others who foster such reactions by castigating people for being different.

The third segment is a beautiful and appropriate prayer for all people who feel the sting of societal exclusion and a call to all people to love their neighbors as they would like to be loved given the same circumstances.  

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the helpers who open lids for and their hearts to others. Help us all fill that void whenever it is in our capacity.  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.

Created to be Me

Lent

March 28, 2023

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9a

The Lord God helps me;
   therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
   and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
   he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
   Let us stand up together.
Who are my adversaries?
   Let them confront me.
It is the Lord God who helps me;
   who will declare me guilty?
All of them will wear out like a garment;
   the moth will eat them up. –Isaiah 50:7-9

The more I listen to news reports and see the anger on social media of discrimination and other verbal and violent attacks on people because of who they are, the more I become concerned about people’s sense of self-worth. I can only think that running down other people makes them feel better about themselves. It doesn’t. Such behavior leaves an emptier place in one’s soul that drives us to work harder at diminishing the self-worth of others so we can feel better about ourselves. Indeed, Isaiah describes well the result of such behavior All of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for creating all people in your image, so we can love one another as all people, including ourselves, were declared good at their creation. Enable us to work together to ensure everyone knows your love as we support each other to become who you created us to be. 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.

Listening First

Lent

March 27, 2023

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9a

The Lord God has given me
   the tongue of a teacher,
that I may know how to sustain
   the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens—
   wakens my ear
   to listen as those who are taught.
The Lord God has opened my ear,
   and I was not rebellious,
   I did not turn backwards.
I gave my back to those who struck me,
   and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face
   from insult and spitting. –Isaiah 50:4-6

Education is a big deal in Oklahoma right now as the legislature tries to tackle ways to improve our public education system so that our children are prepared for bright futures realizing their full potential. They are our future.

The above scripture starts off with the recognition that teaching requires special skills. I especially l that the part about listening as those who are taught. If we pay attention, children will tell us how they learn through their actions and responses. Standardized tests are oxymorons. People are not standardized. Animals are not either. I have had the joy of raising two dogs. Hefner, understood words, If I said do you need to go outside, he would run to the back door. He had a very broad vocabulary. A few months after his death, I got another dog, Micah. He frustrated me at first because he did not respond to spoken instructions as Hef did. One day I pointed to the door, and he immediately ran to it, eager to go outside. I started experimenting with hand signals and soon learned that he understood them. I listened to those who were taught.

Prayer: Lord, guide us in finding the best ways to communicate with one another as we grow together 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.

By Faith–Love Wins

Lent

March 26, 2023

Scripture Reading: John 11:1-45

Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, ‘Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead for four days.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upwards and said, ‘Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.’ When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’

Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. –John 11:28-45

How much do we still expect the Lord to prove that he is who he says he is? In Luke 4, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:16 Do not put the Lord your God to the test. This is in the story of Jesus’s wilderness quest, where the devil presented Jesus with three temptations.  The final one essentially asked Jesus to prove that he was the Son of God by throwing himself off the mountainside and seeing if God would send angels to save him. From the very beginning of his ministry, Jesus knew by faith his calling and accepted the challenges of his assignment, perhaps not the details but the possible consequences of achieving his mission.

Hebrews 11:1-3 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

We are called to continue that mission and vision to this day, and it is, by faith, that we will accomplish God’s vision of a world ruled by love.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we let the world’s challenges try to redirect our mission. Grant us the courage that faith requires. 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.

Dealing with Dispare

Lent

March 25, 2023

Scripture Reading: John 11:1-45

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.’ –John 11:17-27

Did you catch the twist of a phrase in the last sentence above? The one coming into the world is the person Martha speaks to.  Martha was reared in the Jewish tradition; the one coming is referred to in the Hebrew Bible 41 times as the Messiah, translated in Greek as Christ. The one coming is to bring unification among the tribes of Israel plus universal peace and to announce what the world to come would be like. Martha acknowledged who Jesus really was. She also demonstrates her faith in him regarding her brother Lazarus. She was confident Jesus could have healed Lazarus. Her trust in Jesus and her faith said she would recognize as right whatever his actions would beknow that Lazarus was dead.

In the direst of situations, Martha’s faith remains. I must confess I get discouraged with the world today and wonder what more I can do to foster the love God commands us to share with all. Lent is a good time to rekindle our faith and renew our trust in the God of Love. William Wordsworth may have said it best; the irony of our despair in giving up on the God of Love is that we turn to the powerless pagan gods of the world.

The World Is Too Much With Us

BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTH

The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;—
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
his Sea that bares her bosom to the moon;
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not. Great God! I’d rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we allow the world’s ills to encroach upon our trust in 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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Loving Self

Lent

March 24, 2023

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.

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.

I read an article yesterday about the physical signs of depression. I had never realized that depression had physical symptoms. I wondered which came first the depression or the physical symptoms.  As one who has had osteoarthritis since I was 24, random physical pain is just a part of my life. I have a close relationship with capsaicin. None of us knows when we are going to be infected with Strep A which will impact the rest of our lives. Paul talks about the thorn in his flesh and there is a lot of speculation about what it was. One thing about thorns in our flesh, they serve as a constant reminder that we are all human.

Our relationship with the Spirit is a choice.  We choose to be righteous and just; we choose to love God and our neighbor as we love ourselves. Indeed, we choose to love ourselves. I think many of the problems in our world today are that people do not love themselves and thus they cannot love their neighbors. The cultural wars we are experiencing now are a very strong expression of people not being comfortable in their own selves.  Many apparently have not understood that we are all created in the image of God and that we are all good. My guess is all of us eventually experience a thorn in our flesh that at times disrupts our lives, but it does not remove us from the love of God and it may provide us with more empathy for others if we allow the Spirit to guide.

Prayer: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. (Reinhold Niebuhr) 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.

Out of Sync with God

Lent

March 23, 2023

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.

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.

 I wanted to share the expanded definition of this word because I do not think I have given it enough attention. It is used throughout the Bible. 171 times in the Hebrew Bible and 117 in the New Testament. The Hebrew uses relate to our bodies and primarily that the flesh results in death.

The Greek word for flesh used in the New Testament is “sárks”.

4561 sárks properly, flesh (“carnal”), 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).]

4561 (sarks) is generally negative, referring to making decisions (actions) according to self – i.e. done apart from faith (independent from God’s inworking). Thus what is “of the flesh (carnal)” is by definition displeasing to the Lord – even things that seem “respectable!” In short, flesh generally relates to unaided human effort, i.e. decisions (actions) that originate from self or are empowered by self. This is carnal (“of the flesh”) and proceeds out of the untouched (unchanged) part of us – i.e. what is not transformed by God*.

The word flesh is used primarily in the New Testament to describe that which is not in sync with God or is done outside the guidance of God.  The story that comes to mind is in Luke 12:16-21, Then [Jesus] told them a parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’

Prayer: Lord, as we move ever closer to Holy Week, let us examine ourselves to measure where we might not be in sync with God and work to restore that relationship. Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/greek/4561.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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.