Tag Archives: Building the Kingdom of God

Tenting with God

Advent

November 24, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Romans 13:11-14
Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

I do not think that Paul envisioned that we would still be searching for universal salvation 2,000 or so years after he wrote these words. God did not create us to sit around and wait for the good life in whatever way we define that. God creates us to emulate God’s work in pursuit of life in love that is fulfilling for all. Indeed, God is actively creating us each day if we open our hearts to God’s guidance in living our love until, as the book of Revelation says, God pitches his tent among us.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
‘See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.’ –Revelation 21:3-4

Sometimes I think translators try too hard to be culturally accommodating for current times. The word translated dwell in this scripture in Greek is skēnóō (also meant tabernacled in Moses’s day).

637 skēnóō – properly, to pitch or live in a tent, “denoting much more than the mere general notion of dwelling” (M. Vincent). For the Christian, 4637 (skēnóō) is dwelling in intimate communion with the resurrected Christ – even as He who Himself lived in unbroken communion with the Father during the days of His flesh (Jn 1:14)*

I am not a good camper; give me a motel room any time. I have, however, relented with friends and shared a tent at times. It is indeed a place of intimate communion not just an experience of dwelling with others. It does better describe our relationship with God.

Prayer: Thank you for pitching your tent and sharing it with me. Help me to be present to you in our communion. Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/greek/4637.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.

The Lord’s Hands and Feet

Living in the Spirit

Living in the Spirit

November 7, 2022

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 65:17-25
For I am about to create new heavens
   and a new earth;
the former things shall not be remembered
   or come to mind.
But be glad and rejoice forever
   in what I am creating;
for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy,
   and its people as a delight.
I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
   and delight in my people;
no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it,
   or the cry of distress.
No more shall there be in it
   an infant that lives but a few days,
   or an old person who does not live out a lifetime;
for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth,
   and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed.
They shall build houses and inhabit them;
   they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
They shall not build and another inhabit;
   they shall not plant and another eat;
for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,
   and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
They shall not labor in vain,
   or bear children for calamity;
for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord—
   and their descendants as well.
Before they call I will answer,
   while they are yet speaking I will hear.
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,
   the lion shall eat straw like the ox;
   but the serpent—its food shall be dust!
They shall not hurt or destroy
   on all my holy mountain,
says the Lord.

We are the hands and feet of the Lord. Our goal is to develop the beautiful community God envisions today in everything we do. I truly think the Lord would love to return and find that we had gotten our act together and saved the Lord a lot of work on creating that new heaven and new earth maybe even just invite The Lord to join us all in a wonderful Sabbath.

Prayer: Lord, makes us doers of the Word and not just wait on you to come and clean up our messes. 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.

Unsealing the Tomb

Easter

April 17, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Matthew 27:57-66

When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, ‘Sir, we remember what that impostor said while he was still alive, “After three days I will rise again.” Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day; otherwise his disciples may go and steal him away, and tell the people, “He has been raised from the dead”, and the last deception would be worse than the first.’ Pilate said to them, ‘You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can.’ So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.

Seal the tomb so Jesus’s body could not be removed and, thus, his followers would be unable to say he had risen from the grave. In what tombs do we lock Jesus? If he had not been resurrected what of his message would we still follow? We now pick and chose the things he taught with which we agree, we ignore or explain away things with which we do not agree, and finally, we put words in his mouth that we do not have a record of him saying. As followers of God one of our greatest challenges is not recreating God in the image, we desire God to be.

God is calling us this Easter morning to unseal the tomb we place around Jesus. Studying the scriptures is a good place to start, but they, too, are limited to space and time that no longer apply to all our situations. We must also spend time in prayer and meditation seeking God’s guidance in understanding the world around us and how its systems work together for the fruition of the Kingdom of God or pull apart to stop its coming to reality. We must allow God to grow our faith trusting in God’s wisdom as it is given to us. Today we must step out in faith and let go of one thing that is holding us back from being fully the persons God created us to be. If it is a big step we may need to break it down into smaller parts, changing one at a time. If it is a small venture. We must finish it and move to the next. Make Easter your starting place for newness in faith.

Prayer: Lord, lead us into seeking and implementing your plan for the Kingdom of God. 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.

Work of Love

Advent

December 21, 2021

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 52:7-10

How beautiful upon the mountains
   are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news,
   who announces salvation,
   who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’
Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices,
   together they sing for joy;
for in plain sight they see
   the return of the Lord to Zion.
Break forth together into singing,
   you ruins of Jerusalem;
for the Lord has comforted his people,
   he has redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord has bared his holy arm
   before the eyes of all the nations;
and all the ends of the earth shall see
   the salvation of our God.

A wood stove heated our home when I was a child. One of my first jobs on the farm was to carry an arm full of kindling to the house while my Dad had an armload of heavy wood cut to the size that would fit in the stove. I remember well my Dad unbuttoning the sleeves of his shirt and rolling them up his arm to give him more power to cut the long logs into stove-size fuel. He had muscular arms and raised the ax high above his head, bringing it down in a swift and powerful chop. The phrase to roll up one’s sleeves and get busy stems from such work. Isaiah may be using that analogy when he writes that The Lord has bared his holy arm, indicating he has done, is doing God’s work and perhaps raising the question, are we?

God did not send Jesus to save God’s people to sit on our laurels—to be satisfied with past success and do nothing to achieve further success. God had a definite plan when the world was created based on love and interdependence. When God’s people resist doing their part, God sent prophets to remind us who we are and what our purpose is. God finally sent God’s Son as the ultimate gift of grace and salvation.

I like the imagery of rolling up one’s sleeves and getting to work for those who want to rest on laurels. The Lord set the example for us when he bared his holy arm. Isaiah might not have known how prophetic he was when he wrote this poem, but one cannot help but envision Jesus’s bare arms stretched on a cross on our behalf. Jesus called us as disciples to continue the work that God expected for us. As we celebrate such a gift as this, let us roll up our sleeves and love the world into becoming the Kingdom God desired.

Prayer: Lord, help us see where love is needed and guide us in filling the gaps.  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.

Making Progress not Marching in Place

Living in the Spirit

October 10, 2020

Scripture Reading: Matthew 22:1-14

Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, “Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.” But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, maltreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, “The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests .—Matthew 22:1-10

“If You Always Do What You’ve Always Done, You’ll Always Get What You’ve Always Got.” ~ Henry Ford

God did not create a stagnant world. if it were stagnant, we would all be dead. Nor did God populate the world with inert people. As the world is organic and alive, so our we.  God also created us with purpose and possibilities.

Genesis 9:7– And you, be fruitful and multiply, abound on the earth and multiply in it.’

Genesis 12:1–Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’

Exodus 3:10–God said to Moses, So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.’

God still invites us to be active and engaged in God’s wondrous vision of a world ruled by love, filled with tremendous potential for good. We are not always called to do what we have always done. We are called to grow and prosper in love, do justice, and walk humbly with God* as we dedicate ourselves to implementing God’s purpose.

Prayer: Creator God Still Creating, give us the courage to remove oppression and be conduits of living love throughout our world. Amen.

*See Micah 6:8

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.

Dark Truths

Living in the Spirit

September 23, 2020

Scripture Reading: Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16

Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
   incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable;
   I will utter dark sayings from of old,
things that we have heard and known,
   that our ancestors have told us.
We will not hide them from their children;
   we will tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
   and the wonders that he has done.

The question of what history to teach children has been debated at the state and local level for some time on many subjects.  It has cropped up again at the federal level. The main driving factor for this emergence is the 1619 Project* regarding slavery in the USA.

I enjoy studying history and particularly how it applies to my genealogy. History is recorded subjectively from the eye of the beholder to the scribe of the script. It is also shaped by the translators. When I was in grade school, the indigenous peoples of Mexico and South American were described as regal and smart, while the indigenous peoples in the eastern part of the USA were savages to fear and kill or chase away. Current information indicates that the indigenous tribes in the USA were as advanced as those to the South.  Planting the seeds of curiosity about history in children and youth is probably more important than wasting time trying to whitewash the stories we tell. History is organic, needing to be routinely updated with new findings and understandings of culture. The Psalmist above writes that dark sayings of old are essential to our development and the futures of generations to come.

The Hebrew Bible fits the description of being told and written as influenced by sources, but it does not avoid dark truths. We could have jumped right over Cain killing Abel, Abram telling a ruler his wife was his sister, kings that did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and those who did not, and Elijah’s being ready to give up and run away. These stories provide people of faith the opportunity to learn from their ancestors. We know we do not always apply what we learn from these records. History did and continues to repeat itself even when we know our ancestors’ successes and failures. But imagine what the world would be like if we never had any history from which to learn.

Prayer: Lord, help us learn from history and discern carefully how to apply those lessons to our work of developing your Kingdom. Amen.

*https://pulitzercenter.org/lesson-plan-grouping/1619-project-curriculum

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.

Unity

Living in the Spirit

September 18, 2020

Scripture Reading: Philippians 1:21-30

For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.

Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well— since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Paul may have been in prison in Ephesus when he wrote the letter to the Philippians. Feeling threatened by his foes, he had every reason to consider his mortality. Many did not survive in prison in those days because of starvation or disease. Paul was also a candidate for execution. While my situation is not so dire, being in the at-risk old-folk group who are more susceptible to COVID-19, I, too, am more attuned to my mortality when I hear on the news each day how many have died. One of my more philosophical friends, 25 years my senior, said we all had to die sometime. Of course, he is right. While Paul identified dying as gain, we must not overlook his words living is Christ.

I think most of us would agree that the world is in a big mess, but we are very divided on what we consider constitutes “a mess” and how to fix the problems. I thus was surprised and pleased to know that there is a bipartisan group of congress members called the Problem Solvers Caucus, who are seeking common ground for the Common Good. My Congresswoman, Kendra Horn, is one of them. It is a tough job as it not only involves bringing people together but doing that among those principalities and powers*, mentioned in the King James Version of the Bible, whose success is often based on divide and conquer tactics.

I have long believed that our government, for good or bad, is a direct reflection of we, the people. We are the ones who want to have our cake and eat it too. We are the ones who measure our worth by comparing it to others. We are the ones who want to bury our heads in the sand and not notice the earth is hurting too. So, rather than sit around considering our mortality, it is time that we make the changes in our lives that will then be reflected in our lawmakers’ actions–like loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. Please join me in supporting our lawmakers who are seeking common ground for the Common Good. That includes examining our own lives to see where we may be a part of the divisiveness and work to become a part of the unity Christ envisions for us**. Join Christ in that prayer that we may all be one and mean it.

Prayer: Lord of all, weave us together in love. Amen.

*Ephesians 6:12
**See John 17

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 Serve

Living in the Spirit

June 4, 2020

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. –1 Corinthians 12:4-11

None of us are called to do everything; all of us are called to do something. It all starts with loving God and allowing God through the Holy Spirit to show us where we are needed most in whatever circumstances we find ourselves.

I spent many years working in a male-dominated state agency that, in a study done in the 1980s, was paying women executives on average $20,000 less per year than their male counterparts who, for the most part, had fewer years of experience and less education. At the same time, I was able to advance because of a couple of male leaders who fostered my growth and development, and I am forever grateful to them. I remember in one meeting when my supervisor brought me along to present a new program that I developed to the executive committee. I was the only woman in the room and was ignored until my boss said, “Marilynn is going to have to explain that to you. I have not had time to review it all.” That was a baldfaced lie. He had given me feedback throughout the process and chose to open the door for my making the presentation.

I jokingly say that I was called to do the jobs that no one else wanted to do, which was true. The result was that I worked on a broad range of new projects, learned how to work with a diversity of people, and developed new skills I never dreamed I would gain. The Holy Spirit helps us become all that we can be and never leaves us as we strive to serve God.

We live in tumultuous times. God needs all God’s people to step up and say, “Use me where you need me.” And then go forth and do what God is calling us to do.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the enablers. Help us all to be doers of the word and enablers too. 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.

Powered by the Spirit

Advent 
December 24, 2017

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:26-38

Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’ Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her. –Luke 1:34-38

Mary mirrors most of us in her response to the angel’s message. Our assignments may differ markedly, but her response is most likely similar to ours: How can this be since I am so young, so old, so tongue-tied like Moses, or not a trained soldier like Gideon called to lead an army? Do we have the courage to say Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word?

Each of us and all of us, created with unique skills and talents, are needed for God’s Kingdom coming to fruition. I worked at a large city teaching hospital some time ago where highly skilled surgeons performed many surgeries each day. The success of their work was dependent on the dedication of the crews that cleaned the operating theaters before and after each procedure to assure a safe and sterile environment. All members of any team must be fully committed to their duties as all other members are. All members of any team also must be willing to stretch their skills and talents when working for excellence in outcomes.

There is nothing more vital in our world today than moving toward a Kingdom ruled by love. When we are the one expected to take a courageous role in building that Kingdom, we can trust that the Holy Spirit will be with us each step of the way. When we are called to clear the way for the courageous work the Spirit is with us also.

Prayer: Lord, lead me to do your work whatever you are calling me to do. Help me accept the Spirits guidance in all that I do. 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.

Streams of Living Water

ocean of loveLiving in the Spirit
October 22, 2014

Scripture Reading: Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17

Turn, O Lord! How long?
   Have compassion on your servants!
Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
   so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
   and for as many years as we have seen evil.
Let your work be manifest to your servants,
   and your glorious power to their children.
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
   and prosper for us the work of our hands—
   O prosper the work of our hands! — Psalm 90:13-17

This scripture is introduced by the heading, A Prayer of Moses, the man of God. I could certainly understand Moses praying: Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. Of course, we should remember that Moses grew up in the lap of luxury—the House of Pharaoh. We do not know exactly when he learned he was a Hebrew. Perhaps he remembered from the time his biological mother weaned him. Perhaps he discovered it by accident as a young man. When he came upon an Egyptian beating one of the Hebrew slaves, Moses killed the Egyptian and then ran for his life. I am sure as he fled he had many more questions than answers with all that history ruminating in the back of his mind. He spent several years in the employee of the man who became his father-in-law. Until one day he saw a burning bush as sacred ground, took of his shoes, and approached it. He made the conscious decision to turn his life over to God.

As the prayer continues we see that finding God does not equal an escape from all of life’s woes into some type of never, never land. It equates to a lot of hard work and in Moses’ case dangerous work. Finding and following God means that we have signed on to be the workforce that is building God’s kingdom here on earth right now. Based on the laws that Moses later receives at Mount Sinai the tools we have to work with involve loving God and letting God’s love channel through us to all of God’s children until eventually opening ourselves to receive God’s love channels back through them.

Prayer: God of rivers flowing to oceans, help us build channels of love throughout the world that merge with the paths of love streaming from all your people until the whole earth is abundantly awash 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 American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.