Category Archives: Daily Devotion

Types of Love

Advent

November 22, 2021

Scripture Reading:

Jeremiah 33:14-16

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

An abundant life to the prophets is coupled with justice and righteousness, not wealth and power. Life as Jesus modeled it was one of loving and caring for others. Jesus also indicated that we could not love others unless we love ourselves. What does that mean? The word love is tossed about loosely in our culture. We often use the word love to describe what makes us happy. I just love that dress, song, ice cream. But what does loving oneself mean, and how do we apply that same behavior when dealing with others?

The Greek language identifies at least four words to describe what English melds together into the word love. C. S. Lewis describes these in his book The Four Loves as Affection (storge), Friendship (philia), Romantic (eros), Charity (agape).

The most familiar type of love, affection, may stand alone but often complements each of the other three. It’s the familiarity of “the people with whom you are thrown together in the family, the college, the mess, the ship, the religious house,” says Lewis*.

Lewis describes Friendship as the love dismissed. “Friendship must be about something,” Lewis says, “even if it were only an enthusiasm for dominoes or white mice. Those who have nothing can share nothing; those who are going nowhere can have no fellow-travelers.”

Romantic love is challenged by passion and, while significant in itself, can be considered lost if passion is not always present.

Charity is our chief aim, the unconditional love of the Father given to us through his Son. Affection, Friendship, and romantic love are each the training ground for charity to grow. . . we are made to love, and we are in want of it. As the parable says, if we play it safe, we are not living out the Gospel, but burying the coin in the safe ground.

God calls us to radical love, which may mean one ends up on a cross, but it always means that God is the author of life, which is written in the language of love and nothing is greater than God’s love. So we might want to identify the areas we have affection for ourselves–never dismiss friendships, letting romantic love blossom with and without passion, and cherishing the charity of God loving us no matter what. Once we accept these attributes, we need to share them with one another and all others.

Prayer: Lord, open our hearts to loving ourselves so we can love one another. Amen.

All descriptors of the four loves are taken from https://www.cslewis.com/four-types-of-love/

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.

Higher Ground

Living in the Spirit

November 21, 2021

Scripture Reading:

John 18:33-37

Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’ Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’ Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’

Our challenge from Jesus following his death and resurrection was to actualize a kingdom ruled by love for all people. We are called to a partnership with the Holy to plant our efforts, our feet on higher ground, see the bigger picture of justice and mercy, and work to make it real for all people.

The hymn Higher Ground expresses this well:

I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground*.”

The hymn is most liked based on Psalm 40:1-3

I waited patiently for the Lord;
   he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the desolate pit,
   out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
   making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
   a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
   and put their trust in the Lord.

Prayer: “Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.” Amen.

*First verse of hymn Higher Ground written by Johnson Oatman Jr. see at https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/396

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Called to Do Justice

Living in the Spirit

November 20, 2021

Scripture Reading:

John 18:33-37

Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’ Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’ Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’

Politics and faith are strange bedfellows. Pilate’s only concern regarded any threat Jesus might have on Pilate’s power. If the Jews stayed in their place, contributed to the Roman economy, and did not make waves, Pilate did not care what they believed. The Jews were able to enforce their religious laws up to the point of execution. Rome reserved the right to render final punishment. Thus, the Sanhedrin brought Jesus before Pilate, who weighed his options based on what was in it for him. So goes governance today.

Our society seems to have moved closer to “what is in it for me or mine” values rather than what is just. Libraries of books have been written discussing varying ideas about why Jesus was crucified. I, however, have not seen many delving into how his crucifixion focuses a bright light on justice or the lack of justice being one of the major impediments to the wellbeing of all. I am a member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) who strives to be a wholeness movement in a fragmented world*.  We are better at it at some times than other times, but the calling stands. I think this idea recognizes that being followers of Christ means taking responsibility for how our world functions. I fear we long for a god with a magic wand who will solve all our problems and the world’s problems by a simple wave of that wand. From the beginning of time, God gave us the choice of wholeness or fragmentation, righteousness or self-righteousness with the expectation that our doing justice leads to wholeness.

The Disciples, in shock, no doubt, stumbled around for several weeks after the resurrection until, as Acts 1 describes, they realized the needed to get their act together. Thus, they held a board meeting, elected a replacement for Judas, and said, “OK God, what do we do next.” Immediately, Acts 2 described the arrival of the Holy Spirit. I envision Jesus saying, “It is about time. Let’s go.” With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, those twelve people, along with many converts, change the world. We are called to follow their example.

Prayer: Lord, enable us to do justice as your followers. Amen.

*https://disciples.org/our-identity/our-mission-vision-and-confession/

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 as Judge

Living in the Spirit

November 19, 2021

Scripture Reading: Revelation 1:4b-8
John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Look! He is coming with the clouds;
   every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
   and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail.
So it is to be. Amen.

‘I am the Alpha and the Omega’, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

As I write this, I do not know whether Julius Darius Jones is alive or dead. He is scheduled to be executed at 4:00 pm this afternoon. There is much doubt regarding his guilt for the crime for which he was convicted. I wondered why a carjacking gone wrong resulted in a charge of first-degree murder anyway. However, District Attorney Robert Macy was well known for death penalty prosecutions. The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board recommended clemency, but the Oklahoma Governor has the final say. He has been silent to this point. Julius Jones is black; the victim is white. I wondered what the results had been if the race of those involved had been unknown or if a white man had been accused of the same crime.

I understand that all involved will face final judgment by the one who freed us from our sins by his blood, one who was not guilty but was executed anyway.

Prayer: Lord, no matter what the results of this horrible reality are, let it be the stimulus to end the use of the death penalty in Oklahoma in recognition that final judgment does not lay in human hands. 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 vs Chaos

Living in the Spirit

November 18, 2021

Scripture Reading: Psalm 93

The Lord is king, he is robed in majesty;
   the Lord is robed, he is girded with strength.
He has established the world; it shall never be moved;
   your throne is established from of old;
   you are from everlasting.

The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
   the floods have lifted up their voice;
   the floods lift up their roaring.
More majestic than the thunders of mighty waters,
   more majestic than the waves of the sea,
   majestic on high is the Lord!

Your decrees are very sure;
   holiness befits your house,
   O Lord, forevermore.

Making order out of chaos was God’s first task in creation. Order out of chaos is what we need today. We have had floods on the east coast, hurricanes in the south, tornados in mid-America, and fires on the west coast causing chaos. COVID has also taken its toll across the world. At the root of much of our chaos are greed and self-righteousness. Climate change is connected to our unusual weather, which is predicted to get even worse if we do not take prudent steps to prevent it. Trimming our carbon footprint threatens major sources of wealth. We couple that with the attitude that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness exist without responsibility and forget our Pledge of Allegiance includes assuring justice for all.

Creation in the ancient Near East was often viewed as a battle between God and the forces of chaos– the sea or the waters of the deep. In this battle, God has proven victorious; so chaos is ordered, and the world is “established” as solid and immovable*.

The Psalm above tells us that chaos challenges us always, but we can take comfort in knowing that God is the victor over chaos. God, I am sure would appreciate some help and cooperation from us.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we are participants in the chaos of our world rather than practitioners of your order.  Amen.

*The New Interpreter’s Bible, Volume IV page 1054

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.

Due to COVID

Living in the Spirit

November 16, 2021

Scripture Reading: Psalm 132:1-12, (13-18)

The Lord swore to David a sure oath
   from which he will not turn back:
‘One of the sons of your body
   I will set on your throne.
If your sons keep my covenant
   and my decrees that I shall teach them,
their sons also, for evermore,
   shall sit on your throne.’

For the Lord has chosen Zion;
   he has desired it for his habitation:
‘This is my resting-place forever;
   here I will reside, for I have desired it.
I will abundantly bless its provisions;
   I will satisfy its poor with bread.
Its priests I will clothe with salvation,
   and its faithful will shout for joy.
There I will cause a horn to sprout up for David;
   I have prepared a lamp for my anointed one.
His enemies I will clothe with disgrace,
   but on him, his crown will gleam.’ –Psalm 132:11-18

The rich history of God’s people carefully carried forward in scripture is a blessing to all who read it. The stories carefully blend God’s personal relationship with each of God’s children while encompassing the oneness God desires for all creation, from loving our near neighbors to those found at the ends of the earth. Most Christians see the above scripture as foretelling the coming of Christ, God with us. The One who sees clearly by the light of God’s lamp and thus is the One we can follow without fear. His light guides us.

I have been surprised to find lexicon-driven scriptures regarding the coming of Christ before Advent. Maybe I have not been paying attention in the past. Perhaps, due to COVID, we are all anxious for good news. I grow weary of that phrase “due to COVID.” We are now being told COViD will most likely become endemic, with us forever ranked in severity somewhere between the common cold and the flu, adding another annual booster shot. Evil, too, is endemic, never going away and always being in the way to distract us from fulfilling God’s vision for all. We build up antibodies to evil by maintaining a close, loving relationship with God.  We reduce the impact of evil in our world by spreading the good news of God’s love and grace provided through Jesus Christ.

Prayer: O Come, O Come Emanual and ransom the whole world. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Politics and Justice

Living in the Spirit

November 15, 2021

Scripture Reading:
2 Samuel 23:2-7

The spirit of the Lord speaks through me,
   his word is upon my tongue.
The God of Israel has spoken,
   the Rock of Israel has said to me:
One who rules over people justly,
   ruling in the fear of God,
is like the light of morning,
   like the sun rising on a cloudless morning,
   gleaming from the rain on the grassy land.

Is not my house like this with God?
   For he has made with me an everlasting covenant,
   ordered in all things and secure.
Will he not cause to prosper
   all my help and my desire?
But the godless are all like thorns that are thrown away;
   for they cannot be picked up with the hand;
to touch them one uses an iron bar
   or the shaft of a spear.
   And they are entirely consumed in fire on the spot. –2 Samuel 23:2-7

Politics has crossed the line into jurisprudence– practical wisdom about the law. In Oklahoma last week, we legally executed a man for murder who was possibly mentally ill.  According to witnesses, he suffered numerous convulsions after he was administered the first drug and vomited twice while tethered to a gurney with arms outstretched. A federal court hearing is scheduled in February to determine once again whether Oklahoma’s method of execution is cruel and unusual punishment. Thirty men were on death row when this hearing was called who would be impacted by it. They were each required to choose the method of execution they would prefer, to be a party in the case. The man executed last week said making such a choice would be the equivalent of suicide, and his faith forbids suicide. Thus, he was removed from the case and immediately moved into execution protocols. This week our Governor will decide whether to execute a man for which there is compelling evidence that he did not commit the crime for which he was given the death penalty. Will the Governor decide based on the facts of the case or the point that 61% of Oklahoma’s support the death penalty?

David is the identified author of the above scripture, written at the end of his reign as king. Thus, the advice comes from an experienced politician. Yes, politics exist in a monarchy. David’s sage observation is to be a successful leader; one must do justice. Sometimes leaders need to be teachers also. They need to share with their constituents the broader picture of issues they may not know or understand.

Prayer: God of Justice and Mercy, open our hearts and minds to considering all aspects of justice and as we strive to do what is right as citizens of a nation and state where justice is defined by people we elect. 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 Bigger Picture

Living in the Spirit

November 13, 2021

Scripture Reading: Mark 13:1-8

As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’ Then Jesus asked him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’

When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, ‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?’ Then Jesus began to say to them, ‘Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

Living in what is dubbed “Tornado Alley” all my life, I have learned that all buildings are vulnerable. While I have never seen the temple wall in Jerusalem, I have seen the ruins of other great cities. Jesus cautioned his disciples against putting their faith in stones and what they represent. Instead, he called us to trust in the God who created the earth and all that is in it. The tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma, on May 3, 1999, was classified as an F5 (greater than 200 mph) and 8/10th of a mile wide. Driving by the devastation in its wake brought close the impact on all involved. However, seeing the view from the air was unbelievable. There was nothing left on a broad span of the neighborhood hit, except lengths of concrete driveways and parts of foundations. The Jerusalem temple was destroyed by war, which most likely occurred about the same time the book of Mark was written.

Jesus shared the big picture with his disciples. He wants us to grasp that the challenges of everyday life are impacted by the decisions we made in the past and daily. Yes, we need to feed the hungry now, clothe the naked, provide water for the thirsty, care for the sick, restore the prisoner, and welcome the stranger in real-time. However, it is just as vital that we address the ways of our world that cause systemic problems. For example, ending poverty would allow those who are hungry to buy their food. Removing the lead from water pipes makes water safe to drink and prevents severe impacts on children. Improving our immigration laws would make routine the hiring of needed seasonal workers. Working to stabilize countries in economic distress would allow people to thrive in their homeland, reducing refugees’ influx.

None of the prophets who correctly predicted the failure of nations wanted their predictions to come true, including Jesus. Just the opposite, they hoped to prevent what was evident to them. That is still true today.

Prayer: God of Justice, open our hearts and minds to see the harm we do to ourselves and others as the idols of our world distract us from following your warnings. 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 God by Loving Each Other

Living in the Spirit

November 12, 2021

Scripture Reading:
Hebrews 10:11-14, (15-18), 19-25

Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. –Hebrews 10:11-14.

And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds

The Greek word translated as “provoke” in the above scripture is paroksysmós – a provocation which literally jabs (cuts) someone so they “must” respond*. I am not into jabbing or cutting anyone, but I do not understand how people who claim to worship the same God can have such markedly different understandings of God’s will for God’s people. There are many aspects of faith we could debate, but the Hebrew Bible and the teachings of Jesus are very clear we are all called to love God and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Yet, we are being split asunder, one from the other, by the divide and conquer methods of evil in almost every aspect of life. Our actions are driving people away from churches and, I fear, from God. I wonder if the author of Hebrews was facing the same challenges within a hundred years of Jesus’s sojourn on earth. How fickle we can be.

Everything we do or say needs to be influenced by our love of God, everything. Charles Wesley may have said it best:

Help us to help each other, Lord,
each other’s cross to bear;
let each his friendly aid afford,
and feel another’s care.

Up into thee, our living head,
let us in all things grow,
and by thy sacrifice be led
the fruits of love to show.

Touched by the lodestone of thy love
let all our hearts agree;
and ever towards each other move,
and ever move towards thee.

This is the bond of perfectness,
thy spotless charity.
O let us still, we pray, possess
the mind that was in thee**.

Prayer: Father, forgive us, for we do not know what we are doing***.  Turn us around and teach us how to love each other and, in so doing, demonstrate our love for you. Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/greek/3948.htm

**See at https://hymnary.org/text/help_us_to_help_each_other_lord

***Taken from Luke 23:34

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.

Maturing in Love

Living in the Spirit

November 11, 2021

Scripture Reading:
Hebrews 10:11-14, (15-18), 19-25

And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, ‘he sat down at the right hand of God’, and since then has been waiting ‘until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.’ For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy
Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,
‘This is the covenant that I will make with them
   after those days, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
   and I will write them on their minds’,
he also adds,
‘I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.’
Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.—Hebrews 10:11-14

Love is not something anyone can command. Love of self, love of family, love of God must be a choice. The words “free will” are not included in the above scripture, but they are present between the lines. The greatest gift God gave us in creating us was the right to choose who and how we love. That gift was given from the One who is love and, in creating humans in that One’s image, freely chose to love each of us no matter what. God’s love and Christ were present at the creation and continued through the many acts of rescuing and reframing of God’s people described in the Hebrew Bible. God enabled those who chose to love him, Abraham, Moses, Ruth, Esther, and many prophets, to provide guidance and opportunities to live the better way of life ruled by love. God even wrote those laws on human hearts, making them readily accessible. Humans, however, proved to be malleable to the temptations of other gods, drawing away from the One who created them. God never gives up. God came to dwell among us in the person of Jesus, who taught us by his life and his words and ultimately gave his life for our salvation. However, God is God, and crucifixion was not the last word. Jesus, the Christ, arose and dwells with us still in the Holy Spirit. His act of love granted us the grace we needed to live in God’s house forever as we strive toward perfecting our ability to love.

At times our growing pains are palpable. We now, unfortunately, live in such a time as this. In many ways, we are acting like a two-year-old transitioning from infancy to childhood. Greed, lust for power, and self-righteousness have replaced justice and God’s righteousness, as we worship gods of our design. Continuing down this path has never worked before and will not work this time. Our world was created to function at its best when it is ruled by love, and we are suffering from not accepting that reality. The time is now to turn around and refocus our lives on God’s way of being, individually and collectively, until we are all one in God.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for our foolish ways. We invite your Spirit into our lives to restore our souls individually and collectively as we strive to become one in 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.