Author Archives: WOJ@deborahsdescendants.com

God’s Design

Living in the Spirit

October 17, 2021               

Scripture Reading: Mark 10:46-52

They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Jesus stood still and said, ‘Call him here.’ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart; get up, he is calling you.’ So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man said to him, ‘My teacher, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has made you well.’ Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

Mark reports a straightforward request for healing that was granted. Other gospels in telling this story delve into the politics of the day. I was refreshed reading this version, having grown weary of media reports on issues that matter to me where the press only talks about the politics and not the contents of a bill or the problems being addressed. The media no longer seems to care about “we the people.” It is more concerned about we the political party or we the powermongers. The media cares about what gets them better ratings which translates into better profits. Jesus cared about the people.

How do we, as followers of Christ, turn that around? Getting caught up in greed and power brokering historically always ends badly, not only for commoners but especially for the wealthy and the powerful.  God did not create a world that can sustain being constantly pulled out of balance, regarding the earth itself or its people. Instead, God created a masterpiece where all people are indeed created equal. Where we all must make our contributions to making the world work for everyone in it. We were all created with gifts that must be realized and supported by all for all.

Benjamin Franklin said it this way: We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.

Jesus put it this way: Love God and love your neighbors as you love yourself.

Our country was founded on that premise. The question is, do we have the will to make it work?

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we care more about worldly wealth and power than we do about one another. Turn us around to see and do your better way. 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 Gift of Hope

Living in the Spirit

October 16, 2021

Scripture Reading:

Mark 10:46-52

They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Jesus stood still and said, ‘Call him here.’ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart; get up, he is calling you.’ So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man said to him, ‘My teacher, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has made you well.’ Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

Jesus’s healing stories are all mini-sermons delivering the message that life does not have to be the way of defeat and acceptance of inevitability. In situations that seem hopeless, God always plants a seed of hope. God calls all of us to see the possibilities in each of us. My childhood example of that was Helen Keller and her teacher, Anne Sullivan.   Today we have the story of Temple Grandin* born autistic without speech, she was destined for an institution, but her mother would not accept that. Dr. Grandin now has a Ph.D. and is a leading authority on maximizing the skills and talents of children with autism. Miracles result from seeing higher truths about people, life, love, hope, and faith, all of which we are empowered to use with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: God of Hope, plant the seeds in each of us to always have hope when all seems lost. Amen.

*See her book Navigating Autism: 9 Mindsets for Helping Kids on the Spectrum

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.

Paradox

Living in the Spirit

October 15, 2021

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 5:1-10

In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. –Hebrews 5:7-10

A paradox is a statement or sentiment that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet perhaps true in fact*. The above scripture opens with a paradox. The phrase In the days of his flesh is a beautiful way to share with people the true humanness Jesus experienced those 30 some years he walked this earth. He prayed to God who could save him with prayers and supplications and was heard because of his reverent submission. He was heard and yet submitted to crucifixion. I cannot imagine how either God or Jesus felt about the situation. Was crucifixion a given? Was there a point at which any leader of the day could say, this is just not right? I think the answer is yes. Caiaphas, the High Priest, could have turned the situation around. Pilate, too, certainly could have said we are not doing this rather than washing his hands of the situation.

What would it take for one of our leaders to see the errors of our ways and say no more? What would it take for we, the people, to say no more? We want justice. We want to do what is right. Neither justice nor righteousness is complicated to understand. Making them happen only gets complicated when we view them through the filters of our worldly vices. Will my doing what is right make me lose the next election? Will seeking justice reduce the support of my strongest backers? Will assuring that all people are treated in a just manner reduce my white privilege?

We have limited opportunities to get things right. So we must take them when they appear.

Prayer: Lord, share your courage fueled by love with us when we can be the conduit of justice and righteousness in our world. Amen.

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

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 High Priest

Living in the Spirit

October 14, 2021

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 5:1-10

Every high priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness; and because of this he must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not presume to take this honor, but takes it only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him,
‘You are my Son,
   today I have begotten you’;
as he says also in another place,
‘You are a priest forever,
   according to the order of Melchizedek.’ –Hebrews 5:1-6

Having been raised in a faith system that emphasizes the priesthood of all believers who follow the example of Jesus Christ, I have no problem accepting the description of Christ as the one High Priest. I have always been curious, though, about this character Melchizedek. Did Christ come to earth much earlier in our history of God? The name means something like the King of Righteousness*. John 1:2 does tell us that Jesus was with God at creation.

The first part of this scripture tells us the job description of a high priest. The job includes being the chief executive officer of mortals in their relationship with God, who offers gifts and sacrifices for mortals’ sins while dealing gently with them. The High Priest must know what being weak is like and what it is like to offer sacrifices for oneself. Allowing oneself to be hung on a cross indeed covers these last two requirements. Finally, the High Priest must be selected and appointed by God.

The author of Hebrews describes the Christ who is above all and yet lowers himself to understand humans. The description highlights the one and only God that loves us enough to come and dwell among us. God with us experienced the way we feel, saw the world through the eyes of a regular person, understood personal temptation and human hypocrisy, and was willing to die on a cross to fill the gap between our striving to follow God and our missteps along the way. We call that amazing grace. And for that, we are eternally thankful.

Prayer:
Thank You Lord For Saving My Soul,
Thank You Lord For Making Me Whole,
Thank You Lord For Giving To Me,
Thy Great Salvation So Full And Free. Amen.

*The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible Volume 3 page 34, Abingdon Press, 12th Edition 1981

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.

Too Good for God

Living in the Spirit

October 13, 2021

Scripture Reading: Psalm 91:9-16
Because you have made the Lord your refuge,
   the Most High your dwelling-place,
no evil shall befall you,
   no scourge come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you
   to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
   so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder,
   the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.

Those who love me, I will deliver;
   I will protect those who know my name.
When they call to me, I will answer them;
   I will be with them in trouble,
   I will rescue them and honor them.
With long life I will satisfy them,
   and show them my salvation.

God is dependable. We who call ourselves Christian have failed to take the message in this Psalm to the ends of the earth. The percentage of people who identify as Christian in the U.S.A. is on a freefall. Many of those who identify as Christian treat it only as a positive item to add to their resume’.  Many of our European counterparts recognize the church as a place for Baptism, Weddings, and Funerals. In the U.S.A., these folks are also identified as Christmas and Easter attenders. The downturn started in the 1960s but has increased at a rapid rate in the 21st Century. Millennials are particularly turned off by what I think they perceive as a lack of substance. When people achieve wealth and power, they no longer feel they need a refuge or a guard or deliverance—they no longer need God. The prophet Amos ungraciously described the women of Israel as the cows of Bashan when he confronted the Israelites about their failure to follow God.

Hear this word, you cows of Bashan
   who are on Mount Samaria,
who oppress the poor, who crush the needy,
   who say to their husbands, ‘Bring something to drink!’ –Amos 4:1

Amos brought his warnings around 800 BC.  Assyrians invaded Israel in 732 BC, and the ten tribes that made up Israel were dispersed across the world.

What I just described is a typical pattern among empires throughout history. We need to ask ourselves if we want to break that cycle and turn back to the inclusive God who loves all and provided in creation enough for all to flourish.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we think we have outgrown you or reached a point of development where we attempt to define you in our desired image. Guide us to love like you, practicing your righteousness and 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.

Restore Righteousness

Living in the Spirit

October 12, 2021

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 53:4-12

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain.
When you make his life an offering for sin,
   he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days;
through him the will of the Lord shall prosper.
   Out of his anguish he shall see light;
he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge.
   The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous,
   and he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great,
   and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;
because he poured out himself to death,
   and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
   and made intercession for the transgressors.  –Isaiah 53:10-12

I just saw a man interviewed on T.V. who has spent 42 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. There is no question in the current prosecuting attorney’s mind from the town he was tried. Clear evidence was presented. The man did not commit the crime. Yet the State Attorney General does not want to overturn the original verdict, for what reason I do not know, and thinks the prisoner should serve out his life without parole sentence. Being tough on crime gets votes. But, justice is the job of any judicial system, and keeping an innocent man in prison is not justice.

The person identified in the above scripture went far being setting a mistaken judgment right. Instead, he made people righteous who were guilty of transgressions. That is restorative justice, which offers people who committed crimes opportunities to turn their lives around and become members of society, making a positive contribution to their communities. Drug courts are an excellent example of restorative justice. Rather than sending someone convicted of drug possession, a restorative plan is developed, including treatment, getting and keeping a job, and not being charged again for similar actions. Once all the requirements are completed, participants return to society with righteousness restored.

A program for people who committed severe crimes sentenced to life without payroll allows them to train service dogs. They will never get out of prison, but they have been restored to righteousness. One observer noted that the dogs’ unconditional love was probably the only unconditional love some prisoners had ever received.

Prayer: Lord, make us all restorers of righteousness, whether in hands-on acts with others in need or through advocacy for restorative justice in all our court systems. 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.

Ruled by Love

Living in the Spirit

October 11, 2021

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 53:4-12

Surely he has borne our infirmities
   and carried our diseases;
yet we accounted him stricken,
   struck down by God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions,
   crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the punishment that made us whole,
   and by his bruises we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
   we have all turned to our own way,
and the Lord has laid on him
   the iniquity of us all. –Isaiah 53:4-6

The above scripture, written most likely in the 6th century B.C.E., is often interpreted by Christians as describing the death of Jesus. That said, sin seems to rear its ugly head cyclically as humans start going astray often when greed and power overcome their worldly desires to base their lives on their relationship with God.

Our greatest challenge in maturing our faith is accepting that the love of God, our loving God, and loving our neighbors as we love ourselves are more precious than worldly riches and more satisfying than being a powerbroker.  

What would such a world look like? First, each person would be loved and encouraged to realize their full potential.  All people would be appropriately educated, well-nourished and healthy, and capable of self-sufficiency. Servant leaders would measure their worth by the accomplishments of their team members. All would strive for the oneness Jesus called us to in John 17.  Such a world might actually have a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

Prayer: Lord, guide us in self-awareness before we fall into the traps of greed and lust for power. Show us the better way. 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.

Money Rules

Living in the Spirit

October 10, 2021

Scripture Reading: Mark 10:17-31

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’ And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, ‘Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’ They were greatly astounded and said to one another, ‘Then who can be saved?’ Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.’

Peter began to say to him, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.’ –Mark 10:23-31

I was born in tornado alley and lived in it most of my life. Over and over, I hear people who have lost their homes and vehicles say when interviewed by media, everyone in the family survived that is all that is important. We can rebuild. Roll that scene back and consider what was important in our lives before the storm. In the above scripture, Jesus is telling us to get our priorities right in real-time. He states it this way in Matthew 16:26, For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

Individuals being snared by greed grow into a society driven by greed. Every day, I get between 20 or 30 emails asking me for money to support various candidates when we do not have another election until next year. The sad fact is that the person with the most financial backing usually wins. Worse still, raising money is necessary even to get a bill passed in Congress. We the people, no longer have a say in our governance, which now could be described as government of the rich, by the rich, and for the rich. The only way to address this problem is the vote. Every effort is now being made to take that away from us.

Money deciding our elections would not happen if we, the people, did not also worship wealth. Do we envy the rich? What are our priorities? Where does loving God and loving as Jesus fit into our priorities?

Prayer: Lord, cleanse us of lusting after the ways of the world and help us set priorities that lead to a world ruled by your love. 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.

Grace Not Greed

Living in the Spirit

Living in the Spirit

October 9, 2021

Scripture Reading: Mark 10:17-31

As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.”‘ He said to him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’ Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions. –Mark 10:17-22

The story of greed is what’s in it for me. Jesus recognized greed when he saw it and dealt with it. Life is not driven by love if we follow the rules only to inherit eternal life. I am glad the writer of Mark noted that Jesus loved the man that knelt before him. Jesus was pleased that he obeyed the laws and norms of his culture. Yet, Jesus does not include the first commandments in the list of desired behavior. We halt at stop signs at best to protect our safety, at least to avoid getting a ticket. The Commandments outlined in the above scripture fall mainly in the category of maintaining order.

The primary Commandments Jesus did not list were the first ones, how we respect and relate to God. In summary*, they are

I am the LORD your God you shall

  • Have no other gods before me
  • Have no graven images or likenesses
  • Not take the LORD’s name in vain
  • Remember the sabbath day

Possessions were this young man’s God perhaps exemplified by graven images. Greed spreads in pandemic proportions faster and more profound than COVID. Greed quickly mutates as people begin to rein it in. Christ’s gift of grace elimenates the temptation of greed targeted at winning eternal life. Eternal life with God is ours for the accepting. That gift opens our lives to the fullness of loving God and loving like Jesus as we work to build the world Jesus died to actualize.

Prayer: Lord, we love you and worship you and thank you for the gift of grace, help us use it wisely. Amen.

*See Exodus 20 for the complete listing.

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.

Empathy

Living in the Spirit

October 8, 2021

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 4:12-16

Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. –Hebrews 4:14-16

God with Us coming to earth in the person of Jesus is something we should never take for granted. Empathy is necessary for loving one another. The song, Walk a mile in My Shoes* by Joe South most likely was influenced by the poem Judge Softly** written in 1895 by Mary T. Lathrap. Here is the first verse:

Pray, don’t find fault with the man that limps,
Or stumbles along the road.
Unless you have worn the moccasins he wears,
Or stumbled beneath the same load.

The refrain for Joe South song reads:

Walk a mile in my shoes, walk a mile in my shoes
Hey, before you abuse, criticize and accuse
Walk a mile in my shoes

Jesus experienced being human from his first trip to the temple as a child, his sojourn in the desert being tempted by Satan to dying on a cross. He loved and was loved but also knew rejection and betrayal while never losing his connectedness to God. Our faith in God stems from trusting in Jesus’ witness to God’s amazing grace and total commitment to each of God’s children to remain in a relationship with God. Do we choose to live in a relationship with God?

Maintaining our relationship with God requires us to let Christ help us have empathy for ourselves. When we see the person God created us to be through the empathetic eyes of Christ, we are enabled to revise our ways to love ourselves, and loving ourselves is the first step to loving our neighbors.

Prayer: Lord, allow us each to see that you created us to be one with you and one with all your children. Grant us the courage to step out and live as you are calling us to live. Amen.

*See at https://www.lyricsfreak.com/j/joe+south/walk+a+mile+in+my+shoes_20343302.html

**https://jamesmilson.com/about-the-blog/judge-softly-or-walk-a-mile-in-his-moccasins-by-mary-t-lathrap/

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.