Author Archives: WOJ@deborahsdescendants.com

Being Doers of the Word

Ordinary Time

March 1, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, ‘Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.’ When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the Lord your God, you shall make this response before the Lord your God: ‘A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me.’ You shall set it down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house.

Ukraine demonstrating to the USA the importance of democracy is ironic as some factions in the USA are working hard at making us an oligarchy as Russia has become, ruled by the rich. We do not learn from history, yet we fear teaching it in our schools. Ask the Egyptians about how they fell from great power. Divide and concur politics, climate change,

The Ancient Egyptian Empire was one of the oldest and longest ruling empires in history. The empire spanned over 3,000 years. . .. However, history shows that even the mightiest empires can fall and after 1,100 BC, Egypt went into decline. There were several reasons for this including a loss of military power, lack of natural resources, and political conflicts*.

Divide and concur politics along with climate change, both primed by greed now assaults the USA. A periodic report of the progress of climate change was highlighted on the morning news today. The authors continue to say we still have a little time, but less and less, left to curb its worst impacts. How many years have we ignored that advice?

Part of our problem is we view ourselves as the escaping Israelites, not the empirical Egyptians.  Our ancestors in faith also failed to note the transition. We have a little time left, to turn around and follow God’s instruction to love God and one another which requires us to care for the earth and assure that all have enough to survive and thrive.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for burying our heads in the sand, help us to see and do what we need to be the people you desire us to be in the land you provided all your children. Amen.

*https://www.studentsofhistory.com/the-decline-of-egypt#:~:text=However%2C%20history%20shows%20that%20even,natural%20resources%2C%20and%20political%20conflicts.

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.

First Fruits

Ordinary Times

February 28, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

you shall make this response before the Lord your God: ‘A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me.’ You shall set it down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house. –Deuteronomy 26:5-11

Because God loves us so much and cares for us, it is only right that we return to God the first fruits of our labor. As a child, I did not enjoy working in the garden, but I delighted in its first fruits. My dad would cut the first ripe watermelon in the field and share it with the family. My mother was just as fond of the first red ripe tomato. This scripture requires us to assess what our first fruits are. What of our skills and talents do we offer to God? Does God get our leftovers or do we dedicate our whole being to the Lord, starting with serving God with our whole hearts, souls, minds, and spirits?

One of our retired members loved to crochet and she was exceptionally creative and good at it. She spent an entire year making unique tree ornaments, tabletop Christmas trees, Afghans, and lap robes. She donated all of them to our alternative Christmas sale each year that raised money for local service programs and other mission projects. One of my most prized possessions is a beautiful Afghan she made. She indeed gave her first fruits+ to God and blessed each stitch she took with her love.

Prayer: Lord, guide us in identifying our first fruits and lead us to the best way to bless you with their outcomes. 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.

Health Care

Ordinary Time

February 27, 2022

Scripture Reading:
Luke 9:37-43a

On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, ‘Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.’ Jesus answered, ‘You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.’ While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God. –Luke 9:37-43a

Healing stories of Jesus are prevalent in all the gospels. Taking care of the sick is among the actions by which Jesus indicates he will judge the nations. (Mathew 25:36) When I double-checked the reference on this, I noticed my Bible has this section headed with the words The Judgement of the Nations. That took me by surprise, but it is addressed to the nations in Matthew 25:32. I have always considered this listing of actions as personal challenges, but it also requires us to take responsibility for our nation to be judged by how we treat others. No wonder Jesus thought it important that we all need to become one and work together for the welfare of all God’s children. In 2020, Oklahoma ranked 43rd in Overall health care and 48th in health care access. We as a state are clearly not doing our part in caring for the sick. The United States ranks 18th* in best health care in the world while ranking highest in cost of health care**. The higher cost of our care results from complex systems of pricing and profit-making. We can and should do better than that.

Prayer: Lord, make us advocates for the quality of care we provide as a nation. Amen.

*https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/oklahoma

**Health Care Costs by Country 2022 – World Population Review See at https://worldpopulationreview.com › country-rankings

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.

Jesus the Visionary

Ordinary Times

February 26, 2022

Scripture Reading: Luke 9:28-36

Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’—not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’ When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen. –Luke 9:28-43

When I was a child, I had a recurring dream that the school bus did not stop for me, and I ran and ran to catch up with the bus but never did in the dream. I am the youngest child in my family and for two years had to watch my siblings get on the bus when I could not. Some of my other dreams were not that easy to understand. I am not sure I have ever had a vision, but I have experienced anxiety that something bad was going to happen and it did. When my dad died, I called his siblings to let them know of his death. One of my aunts when I identified myself, said “Carl is dead isn’t he.” She had dreamed the night before that she and my dad were playing hide and seek and as hard as she looked, she never found him. I trust that since God knows each of us better than anyone that God communicates in the best way possible for us to receive God’s messages.

I just heard news interviews this morning with Ukrainian citizens both in Ukraine and living in the USA. Even with all the warnings from the US State Department of an imminent attack, the interviewees said they really did not believe it was going to happen. Humans often learn and grow through retrospect. The stories preserved for us in the Bible allow us to look back on the life of Jesus in retrospect and glean the wisdom it has to offer. This story when retold after Jesus’s resurrection reassured Peter, John, James, and the others with whom they shared it that God prepares us for facing the future.

Jesus told us that his plan for us was that we would be one and that he would overcome the world. Let it be so.

Prayer: Thank you for loving us enough to prepare us for the challenges of life. Guide us in being open to your plan and the implementation of our part in 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.

God Gave All Consciences

Ordinary Times

February 25, 2022

Scripture Reading:

2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2

Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God. –2 Corinthians 4:2

Transparency is a word we hear often regarding government particularly but also opening ourselves to the world to test our truth. We are at times amazingly contradictory. While we staunchly hold that each person is an individual with no other like them having individual rights, we continually deny the worth of people who are not like us. Accepting people as they are and as they are becoming including ourselves, is important. We grow together in God’s love when we allow others to see that part of the image of God that rests in us.  

What does Paul mean by we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God? If we profess to be Christ-followers, we open ourselves for others to discern the ways of Christ through us and the truth of his teachings and actions. If we do not live it, we do not believe it and others will surely see that and judge Christ accordingly. The word conscience used here indicates that all people have this God-given capacity to know right from wrong because each is a free moral agent*.

Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’ — John 8:31-32

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we hide behind the filters of the world and judge others. Create in us clean hearts to allow your image to shine through us. Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/greek/4893.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.

Veils and Filters

Ordinary Time

February 24, 2022

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2

Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. –2 Corinthians 3:12-18

I do not identify distractions to wholeness in faith as veils, I call them filters but we all have them. We actually need them for many things. We teach toddlers not to touch hot objects and thus create a filter that should last a lifetime. We create fillers that deal with specific situations. Like black parents having the “talk” with their children about how they are to properly behave when encountering authorities in the hopes that they can avoid bad outcomes. I long for a time when that filter will no longer be necessary.

Some of our filters result in the collision of our faith and our society’s norms when we try to piece them together and they do not fit.  I love the story of the woman who cut about three inches off the end of a ham then put it in a pan to bake. Her daughter ask why she did that and she said her mother taught her how to bake a ham. The girl asked her grandmother why she trimmed the ham, and she gave the same reply as the girl’s mother. Great grandmother was then consulted, and she explained that she cut off the end of the ham because she did not own a pan long enough to hold a whole ham.

We can look back on some of our filters and find them amusing. Others are destructive and it is those others that we need to clear from our system. My faith group was formed partially because the founder broke away from a denomination that required an offering before someone could take communion.

We must routinely review our actions and beliefs to determine what is of God and what is not and adjust our behavior accordingly.

Prayer: Lord, help me clean my filters so that I am in sync with you in spite of what the world dictates.  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.

Holy is Our Lord!

Ordinary Times

February 23, 2022

Scripture Reading: Psalm 99

The Lord is king; let the peoples tremble!
   He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earthquake!
The Lord is great in Zion;
   he is exalted over all the peoples.
Let them praise your great and awesome name.
   Holy is he!

Mighty King, lover of justice,
   you have established equity;
you have executed justice
   and righteousness in Jacob.
Extol the Lord our God;
   worship at his footstool.
   Holy is he!

Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
  Samuel also was among those who called on his name.
   They cried to the Lord, and he answered them.
He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud;
   they kept his decrees,
   and the statutes that he gave them.

O Lord our God, you answered them;
   you were a forgiving God to them,
   but an avenger of their wrongdoings.
Extol the Lord our God,
   and worship at his holy mountain;
   for the Lord our God is holy.

The word “holy” used in this scripture describes a physical presentation or personal manifestation of a deity on a throne*. In ancient times, people who sat on thrones were deemed the highest of the high. Thrones are symbolic of power. The word “holy” when applied here sets God even further apart from the kings and queens of our world. In a news interview with Senator Marco Rubio, he was asked something to the effect what should we in the USA think about the current situation in Ukraine. and he said he was praying, we all should be. He was dead serious. I understand that politicians rolling the words thoughts and prayers off their tongues in response to tragedies has grown old. Particularly when the same actions occurred over and over and are never addressed and yes, we still should pray about them. I think the Senator was expressing the severity of the events in eastern Europe and recognizing that God is better at dealing with evil than any or all of us. We still need to do our part and work for a world where people matter more than power or wealth.

Prayer: Lord, be with our leaders as they struggle to find non-violent means of addressing the problems in Ukraine.  Make our world whole, make us one, make us just. 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.

Prayer

Ordinary Time

February 22, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Exodus 34:29-35

Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. Afterwards all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; but whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Moses came down from Mount Sinai after spending time with God and receiving the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 34:29) Elijah drained of all strength, burnout we would call it today, He was nourished by God’s angels and then traveled to Mount Horeb and entered a Cave to find renewal. (1 Kings 19) Jesus went out to the mountain to pray; and he spent the night in prayer to God. (Luke 6:12) and the next day he called the 12 disciples. The pattern of prayer between God and God’s followers flows through the entire Bible. We are called to follow that pattern today. When trying to organize a people from living in slavery to becoming a nation, to fighting against the evils of out-of-control power, to selecting the right people for a mission that eventually led to changing the whole world. God is there on the mountaintop or in the church basement. Be attentive to God’s presence as you lay before God whatever is stirring in your soul to gain strength in its accomplishment.

Prayer: Lord, as we travel the path of service, let your love be our strength to carry on in simple and dynamic situations.  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.

Ray of Light

Ordinary Time

February 21, 2022

Scripture Reading: Exodus 34:29-35

Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. Afterwards all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; but whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

The Hebrew word translated shining is from a primitive root; to push or gore; used only as denominative [give a name] from qeren, to shoot out horns; figuratively, rays — have horns, shine*. You may have seen ancient paintings or statues where Moses is portrayed with horns. I envision something like the rays of the rising sun appearing in the sky. Could the tongues of fire in Acts 2 describing the coming of the Holy Spirit be similar? How does one name or illustrate something indescribable? The witnesses seem to innately know they were seeing something holy, something that set Moses apart, something validating his relationship with God.

How do we understand our relationship with God in this modern era where unexplained phenomenon becomes the subject of scientific research until we can explain it completely? God created us with curiosity. Perhaps such exploration brings us closer to God if we let it. Shakespeare puts it this way in Hamlet, “And therefore as a stranger give it welcome. There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”

The scripture above describes a turning point in the Israelites escape from Egypt. They had been wandering in the wilderness long enough to stop and take stalk of who they were and what their next steps would be. The two tablets Moses carried down the mountain contained the new rules that would lead them into becoming a society preparing them for the next phase of their life out of bondage and into taking responsibility for their behavior. We, too, are amid a transition from a world overcome by a pandemic where all are trying to understand where we are and what we are to do next. We, too, need to be reminded that we serve a mighty God that is willing to show us the way if we are ready to turn to the One who can light our path.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for growing so weary of struggling with pandemics and threats of war, and false gods. Lead us to the brighter tomorrow that you desire for all your children. Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7160.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.

Judging Others

Ordinary Time

February 20, 2022

Scripture Reading: Luke 6:27-38

‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.’ –Luke 6:37-38.

The Greek word translated judge here is krínō which means to pick out (choose) by separating*. I saw a story on the news recently where a man who had served more than 40 years in prison was freed because new evidence was discovered that proved he was not guilty of the crime. We never know all the details of any action. We have a criminal justice system to protect the public, and to restore people to wholeness who have behaved in a way that was detrimental to the well-being of society. Our system of justice is limited by the facts that are missing. That is true in our criminal justice system, but it is also true in our everyday interactions with others. We never know all the facts about why something happened or why someone behaves the way they do. God knows all the facts, but we never do, and we need to be cognizant of that when we feel the need to judge others.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the gift of your grace that restores us to wholeness when we have strayed from following your path. Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/greek/2919.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.