Tag Archives: Child of God

Loving God

Living in the Spirit

Scripture Reading:
Mark 12:28-34

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ Then the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that “he is one, and besides him there is no other”; and “to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength”, and “to love one’s neighbor as oneself”,—this is much more important than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.’ When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ After that no one dared to ask him any question.

We probably have a good idea of what it means to love with all our hearts. My spiritual director trainer shared with our class that he had not understood unconditional love until he switched roles and became his mother’s caretaker when she was helpless without voice near the end of her life. I took a test recently to determine how I communed with God and scored highest on being an intellectual, meaning I have to test everything in my mind before I can be comfortable with it. Loving God with all our minds means we can logically accept this mysterious holy one. Loving one with all my strength reminds me of the day I was working through college as a nurse’s aide. One of our patients was fully paralyzed and weighed over 300 pounds. We used a hydraulic lift to remove her from her bed and to lower her into a bathtub.  I was on one end of the lift with another aide on the other end when one of the wheels closest to me fell off. I was left balancing the lift with the patient until several people raised it enough to get the wheel back in place. God gave us adrenaline for such a time as that. I see loving God with all our strength as serving God in whatever way God calls us to act.

I saved loving God with all our souls for last; it puzzled me. The soul is who we are for eternity, but I think Jesus meant more than that. Then I thought loving one’s soul might tie into that second most important commandment of loving oneself. God created us, loves us just as we are and as we are becoming, and wants us to love ourselves as we grow and develop in relationship to God. Loving with our heart is parent love; loving with our soul is a child’s love under the protective wings of a loving parent.

Prayer: Dear Lord, in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy*. Amen.

*See Psalm 63

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.

Peace

Advent
December 8, 2017

Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 3:8-15a

Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given to him, –2 Peter 3:14-15a

Peace is hard to come by these days. I fluctuate between watching the news and not watching the news,  which is most often not a source of peace. Seasoning network news with PBS is helpful particularly when they complement one another.  I also read at three newspapers most days again looking for consistency.  If nothing else, all that news is a great source of fodder for prayers.

Turning to God, the Steadfast is the source of peace. Writing these devotions, whether they are good for anyone else or not, are good for me. They expand my vision and for a brief moment guide me to seek a view of the world through the eyes of God. Examining my thoughts, actions, and attitudes before God each day allows God to remold me and prepare me for the facing of tomorrow.

I encourage journaling and Bible exploration. I follow the lectionary in my Bible study because it does not allow me just to read the parts with which I agree but forces me to ponder parts of the scriptures that takes me out of my comfort zone. I recommend getting out of our comfort zones at times.

Prayer: Help me to be still and know that you are God. (Psalm 46:10) Refocus me to see as you see. Grant me your peace. 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.

A Parent’s Legacy

Child of GodEastertide
April 16, 2015

Scripture Reading: 1 John 3:1-7

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. –1 John 3:1-3

One of the greatest challenges we face as Christian’s is comprehending and accepting that all people are God’s children. Some may not know it yet. None of us have a perfect understanding of what it means.

Years ago when I went to work for the state we had a merit system and my name was the top name on that system for the county in which I lived and wanted to work. I had interviewed for the job, but not heard anything. In contacting the administrator, I was advised to talk to my state senator about it. Apparently, there was someone with political connections who wanted the job and the powers that be were trying to figure out a way to get around me. I was politically naive at the time, but I went to talk with the senator who I had not met and who was an attorney in the county seat. He greeted me politely and when he heard my name he inquired about who my father was and I told him. He said, “I knew your grandfather, he was one of the finest men I have ever know.” I did not know my grandfather. He died when my dad was ten years old, but I had always heard good things about him. The senator told me he would look into the job situation, I thanked him, and drove the 20 miles back to my family’s farm. When I arrived, my mother said that the administrator of the office in which I had applied to work had called and said I was to start to work the next day. Now I do not believe in political patronage, but I gained a great deal of respect for a grandfather I had never known. I actually think I worked harder to uphold that legacy.

Being the child of God carries its privileges and its responsibilities. A part of that responsibility is accepting all of God’s children as our siblings. If they do not know their Parent God then it is also our responsibility to tell them about God.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for parents who introduced me to you as a baby. Help me introduce you to those who do not yet know of your compassion and 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.