Category Archives: Daily Devotion

We Can Do All Things in Christ

Ordinary Times

January 13, 2022

Scripture Reading:
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. –1 Corinthians 12:12-13, 27-31a

Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City was a decrepit place when I arrived to work there in 1974. That is, the building and facilities were dilapidated. I was amazed at the quality of work accomplished by a very dedicated staff who cared about children—all children. They provided routine care for the poorest of the poor up to state-of-the-art lifesaving care for any child that needed it within the limitations of its resources. The state legislature could not find the money to improve the facilities until they remembered that the two-cent sales tax could only be used by the Department of Public Welfare. So, they transferred the Children’s hospital to DPW and said fix it, and Lloyd Rader did. He was a powerful man, scary even, but he knew how to get things done.

Much of the social work staff at the hospital left with the transfer to DPW. I was a child welfare supervisor in Payne County and was transferred to supervise social workers at Children’s Hospital. Trailers were set up to house much of the administrative staff while rebuilding was completed. The social work staff officed at the end of a wide hallway. My boss was a wonderful gentleman. Each morning he came by our “office” and emptied all the mouse traps in our desks before we began work. I remember those days when I drive by the beautiful facility in its place today and hear about their various services and accomplishments. Those changes happened because some people saw a need, others joined them, and a state-of-the-art facility became a reality.

As the Body of Christ, we are called to work together for the well-being of all God’s children, whether caring for the sick or assuring that all people have the necessities of life. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us*.

Prayer: Help us see needs and meet them. Amen.

*Derived from Philippians 4:13

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.

Seeking God’s Light

Ordinary Time

January 12, 2022

Scripture Reading: Psalm 36:5-10
Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
   your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
   your judgments are like the great deep;
   you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.

How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
   All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house,
   and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
   in your light we see light.

O continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
   and your salvation to the upright of heart!

The weather in Oklahoma changes often. We can have a high of 80 degrees one day and a high below freezing the next. The wind is rarely still, and cloudy days mix with bright sunny days. I am light sensitive, so I wear regular glasses, often covered with sunglasses. Yesterday, I faced the dilemma of needing to be outside on a freezing day with very bright sunshine. My poor ears did not know what to make of what I thrust on them—glasses stems, sunglass stems, masks loops, and finally earmuffs. My ears hurt from all that weight.

We can carry a lot of weight in our spiritual life that limits our access to God’s light. Nevertheless, the nature of God’s light is not blinding unless, in some circumstances, we shroud ourselves with so much self-righteousness we miss seeing God’s righteousness. Saul had such an experience with God’s light on the road to Damascus*. Saul thought he was doing God’s work, persecuting the Christ-followers. How much work do we do establishing self-righteousness and our justice rather than God’s righteousness and justice?

Prayer:  Lord, free us from the garb of self-righteousness and let your light show us the way to living in your Spirit. Amen.

*See at Acts 9:1-19

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’s Beloved

Ordinary Time

January 11, 2022

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 62:1-5

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
   and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
until her vindication shines out like the dawn,
   and her salvation like a burning torch.
The nations shall see your vindication,
   and all the kings your glory;
and you shall be called by a new name
   that the mouth of the Lord will give.
You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
   and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
You shall no more be termed Forsaken,
   and your land shall no more be termed Desolate;
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,
   and your land Married;
for the Lord delights in you,
   and your land shall be married.
For as a young man marries a young woman,
   so shall your builder marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
   so shall your God rejoice over you.

I just arrived home from attending my brother-in-law’s funeral. He and my sister had been married for 58 years. She and their children carefully crafted a service I think Bill liked. He was a storyteller, and they had compiled short stories that described who he was and who he was not in some instances. Bill was rich in helping and welcoming others but was not much into pomp and circumstances. While he worked at various jobs, he was a farmer at heart. One of his grandsons just posted about the service on social media ending his comments by saying Now he is walking with God in heaven farming and taking care of cattle.

A lot of marriages do not last two years, much less 58. So, Isaiah is talking in the scripture above about the permanence of our relationship with God using as an example the marriage relationship that when well lived, in the good times and the bad, is an eternal source of joy and love to both God and us God’s beloved.

Prayer: Lord, we asked today for special blessings for my sister and her descendants as they grieve the loss of their beloved one. Help us always be a delight to you as we seek to live 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.

God’s Abundance

Ordinary Time

January 10, 2022

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 62:1-5

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
   and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
until her vindication shines out like the dawn,
   and her salvation like a burning torch.
The nations shall see your vindication,
   and all the kings your glory;
and you shall be called by a new name
   that the mouth of the Lord will give.
You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
   and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
You shall no more be termed Forsaken,
   and your land shall no more be termed Desolate;
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,
   and your land Married;
for the Lord delights in you,
   and your land shall be married.
For as a young man marries a young woman,
   so shall your builder marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
   so shall your God rejoice over you.

God has always wanted the best for all God’s people. However, problems arise when trying to discern God’s best from the world’s definition of best. So, how does God describe the best—being loved and loving others. Jesus explains that at John 10:10b, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” “More abundantly” means beyond what is anticipated, exceeding expectation; “more abundant,” going past the expected limit*. How do we measure abundance–how the world measures abundance with more excellent salaries, bigger homes, and fancy cars? Or do we perceive the abundant life as abounding fullness of joy and strength for spirits, souls, and healthy bodies? Jesus set the minimum in Mathew 25:34b-36, Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick, and you took care of me I was in prison, and you visited me. Abundance is not measured by wealth but starts when all have enough of the necessities to grow and flourish as God created them become.

Prayer: Lord, as we work toward a world where all have enough, let us also celebrate the advancement of our ability to strengthen our spirits and souls. Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/greek/4053.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.

Endorsed

Ordinary Time

January 9, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’—Luke 3:21-22

Being hired by the State of Oklahoma in 1969 required political patronage, not by law but by politics. To my knowledge, I had none. The state also used a merit system, and my name was on the top of the list for the county and job title I was pursuing. A more politically astute person advised me to talk to my State Senator. So I did. I had never met him, but he was very friendly and received me well. When he heard my name, he asked if I was related to his friend Tiny Knott, and I said he was my uncle. His following comment left me speechless. The Senator said your grandfather was one of the finest men I ever knew. My grandfather died in 1928, years before I was born. The Senator and I  chatted briefly about my qualifications. He said he would see what he could do. I Ieft his office and drove the 20 miles from Stillwater to our farm. When I walked in the door, my mother said that a state official had just called and said I should report for work the next day.

Jesus’s baptism was his introduction to his ministry, and it required the public endorsement of God to get the attention of the people he was called to serve. I am a staunch supporter of the separation of church and state. However, Christ-followers would be naive if we did not recognize that politics is present in all forms of governments and organizations. We need to understand that being the Body of Christ in the world requires us to get and keep our priorities as outlined in the gospels and never to let greed or lust for power become our driving force. Those are hard temptations to resist, and thus, establishing a solid relationship with our God is the only way we can succeed.

Prayer: Lord, help all your followers stand and view the world from your higher ground. 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.

Distraction

Ordinary Time

January 8, 2022

Scripture Reading: Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’ –Luke 3:15-17

One of the advantages of having grown up on a farm is understanding what things like chaff are. Chaff is all the stuff that engulfs seeds or the fruits of harvesting grain that must be removed to take full advantage of those fruits. In ancient times, crops harvested from the fields were processed to remove all that clutter no longer used. Often that meant tossing the seeds into the air where the winds blew the lighter chaff away. Threshing machines and combines eventually were invented to clear it out. It was considered waste and was often burned where it was collected.

The above scripture leaves the impression that this activity is a one-time venture, and it is regarding wheat seeds at each harvest. However, we humans tend to gather the trash of life like dust being removed one day and reappearing the next. Therefore, we must be very intentional about removing the distractions from our lives that keep us from fulfilling our calling and purpose.

Distraction has become a mainstay of modern politics. I recently posted some information about poverty on a social media site, starting with quoting the low unemployment rate that had just been announced for Oklahoma. The remainder of the piece described how full employment would not end poverty in our world today. Though superfluous, the arguments discredited my knowledge, even though what I had written was correct and probably stopped readers from seeing the data on poverty. I heard political analyst John Dickerson on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (1-6-2022) saying that this distraction process was an intentional assault of those who want us to question everything while driving home unsubstantiated information.

Jesus cautioned us in Matthew 10:16, ‘See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Wise words for the world we live in today.

Prayer: Lord, give us the courage and strength to be your Body in the world today. 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.

Noxious Foe

Ordinary Time

January 7, 2022

Scripture Reading: Acts 8:14-17

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

While I value the Holy Spirit greatly, I never know how to share my thoughts about the Spirit with others. John 3:8 states my dilemma well, The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’

I searched for other references to the Holy Spirit and stumbled on an old hymn with no other reference than 5 L. M. and the title Creator Spirit. I laughed when I read the last verse because it expressed well my immediate feelings about the world these days, although I never thought I might sing the word “noxious.” Here is that verse

Chase from our path each noxious foe,
And peace, the fruit of love, bestow;
And, lest our feet should go astray,
Protect and guide us on our way*.

Noxious foe may be a better descriptor than evil for what is afoot in our world today. We are being besieged on all sides by unnecessary and unmeaningful distractions. That refocuses us on issues that have little to do with the problems being addressed. The goal, I think, is to cast doubt on all information about subjects some people do not want to be brought to the forefront. Therefore, we must be diligent in our advocacy while not getting pulled into the nets of our noxious foes.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the gift of the Spirit, who will guide us not to go astray if we see such guidance. Amen.

*https://hymnary.org/hymn/HoS1864/page/14 (number 5)

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 a Neighbor

Epiphany

January 6, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Acts 8:14-17

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Remember the story of the Good Samaritan. Jesus used it to illustration the answer to the question, “who is my neighbor?” The Jewish people did not consider Samaritans as their equal and certainly not their neighbor, recognizing that neighbor means more than living on adjoining property. So Jesus was essentially saying that all people are to be treated like a good neighbors.

I have experienced living next door to a person who made it difficult to be neighborly at times. My house was being reroofed after a significant storm. My house is old and has an exceptionally steep roof, so it was no easy job. It was also over 100 degrees every day they worked. My doorbell rang and I met the roofing company manager who came to apologize to me for his workers’ throwing the old shingles on the ground in front of my house. I must have looked curious when I responded, asking him how else they could have gotten them down. It was his turn to look at me curiously. He said his office had gotten a call complaining about it, and he assumed it was from me. I assured him I had not made that call, but I was sure who did. I apologized for my neighbor’s inappropriate interference. I assured him I was very impressed with his staff. They were very polite and worked very hard, doing their best to be as tidy as possible.

People have not changed much in 2000 years. The story in Acts recorded above tells us that people can change if they are intentional, and their hearts are opened to the teachings of One, who called us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. We need to emphasize both parts of that advice. I believe much of the discord in today’s world results from not loving ourselves enough to love our neighbors. Somehow, most of us are taught directly or indirectly that we must be better than others to be people of worth. That is simply not true. All God expects of us is to be the best at being us when we do that, we can learn to understand others better and welcome them into our neighborhood ruled by God.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we fail to love ourselves so that we can love others without prejudice or privilege. 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.

Blowing in the Wind

Christmastide

January 5, 2022

Scripture Reading: Psalm 29

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
   ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
   worship the Lord in holy splendor.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
   the God of glory thunders,
   the Lord, over mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
   the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
   the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
   and Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
   the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl,
   and strips the forest bare;
   and in his temple all say, ‘Glory!’

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
   the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
May the Lord give strength to his people!
   May the Lord bless his people with peace!

A year ago today, I got my first COVID vaccination. A few days later, a friend asked if I had had any reaction, and I had to stop and think about it. The answer was no, I did not believe I had any response to the shot, but I really would not know. The next day was January 6, 2021, the day a crowd of people stormed the US Capitol and tried to stop the certification of our recent election. I spent the day watching it all unfold on TV, and yes, I was sick, sick at heart, and sick for our country. Since that time, I have tried to understand why that happened and what was going on across our land.

I do not have the answer, but I have paid a lot more attention to the prophets’ writings because they saw the same reactions among the peoples of the land of Israel. They eventually split and were overrun by other countries. The House of Israel was dispersed, and the House of Judah was ultimately taken into exile. I do not think anyone wants that to happen to us. I honestly do not think we know what we want. We seek wealth and power and privilege and try to out-religion each other. Yet our needs are not met.

Bob Dylan wrote a song that addressed this issue, The Answer My Friend is Blowing in the Wind. Jesus put it this way, The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.‘—John 3:8. We, indeed, are looking in all the wrong places when the answer has been with us since creation. Perhaps the time has come when we must ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for looking in all the wrong places for what you provided from the being. 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.

Gather Us In

Christmastide

Christmastide

January 4, 2022

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 43:1-7

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life. Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you; I will say to the north, “Give them up,” and to the south, “Do not withhold; bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the end of the earth-everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

We who identify as the Body of Christ at work in the world today should identify with Isaiah’s message from God. We see a divided country, a divided world. Even the Body of Christ is splintered and broken. That is not new. Paul was negotiating the various beliefs about Christ within 20 years of his resurrection. Of one thing, I am sure God will prevail. Jesus called us to oneness, just as Isaiah was seeing the return of the Israelites to be one again. As we begin a new year, let each of us set goals to work toward Christ’s oneness among all people. An excellent place to start is with the hymn Gather Us In by Marty Haugen.

Here in this place new light is streaming
Now is the darkness vanished away
See in this space our fears and our dreamings
Brought here to you in the light of this day
Gather us in, the lost and forsaken
Gather us in, the blind and the lame
Call to us now and we shall awaken
We shall arise at the sound of our name
We are the young, our lives are a mystery
We are the old who yearn for your face
We have been sung throughout all of history
Called to be light to the whole human race
Gather us in, the rich and the haughty
Gather us in, the proud and the strong
Give us a heart so meek and so lowly
Give us the courage to enter the song
Here we will take the wine and the water
Here we will take the bread of new birth
Here you shall call your sons and your daughters
Call us anew to be salt for the earth
Give us to drink the wine of compassion
Give us to eat the bread that is you
Nourish us well and teach us to fashion
Lives that are holy and hearts that are true
Not in the dark of buildings confining
Not in some heaven light years away
But here in this place the new light is shining
Now is the kingdom, now is the day
Gather us in and hold us forever
Gather us in and make us your own
Gather us in, all peoples together
Fire of love in our flesh and our bones
Fire of love in our flesh and our bones

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!– Luke 13:34

Prayer: Gather us in, Lord, before it is too late. 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.