Tag Archives: God’s Love

Unnatural Disaster

Living in the Spirit
May 23, 2018

Scripture Reading: Psalm 29:7-11

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! –Psalm 29

The Psalmist writes using what we call natural disaster metaphors to describe the power of God. We who live on the Great Plains are well acquainted with wind uprooting trees and floods. This year we have particularly been besieged by fire. Draught has left our earth very vulnerable. When the earth is vulnerable so are the people who inhabit it.

Yet it is this All-Powerful God that gives us the strength to recover, rebuild, replant. We also learn from such experiences to practice prudent prevention. After seven children were killed by a gigantic tornado in one of our public schools five years ago, many districts have taken steps to improve their storm readiness.

God is also with us in the unnatural disasters as we once again hear of a young man shooting classmates and teachers. This time in Santa Fe, Texas. The TV showed pictures of him performing in a church program just a few weeks ago. What are we not getting? How do we reach our children to make them feel safe? How do we instill the love of God throughout our communities so that no one finds killing a way to self-worth? What kinds of prudent prevention do we need to practice regarding unnatural disaster?

What are we so angry about? What are we so fearful of? We turn to God when there is nowhere else to go but we seem to leave God there when the TV cameras are gone, and we have buried the dead. We return to futile pursuits targeted at definitions of success that are void of the love of God. Until we turn that around we will continue picking up the pieces of unnatural disasters.

Prayer: Holy One, forgive us for turning away from you. Help us to see your will and follow your way until we learn to live in the light of 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.

How do I Love Thee, O God?

Eastertide
May 5, 2018

Scripture Reading: John 15:9-17

As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. –John 15:9-11

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem, How do I Love Thee? popped into my head when I read our scripture for today. Her poem most likely was written about her husband Robert Browning but I think it is interesting to read regarding our love relationship with God as the poem flows with Ms. Barrett Browning’s faith.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death*.

A very successful 19th-century poet, Miss Barrett was an abolitionist and a strong supporter of ending child labor. She did justice with a pen. Her marriage to Robert Browning, also a poet, grew secretly from their common careers for fear her father would not approve. When she married Mr. Browning anyway, she was disinherited. Perhaps that is a testament to the level of her love for Robert.

God is the very essence of love. Accepting the wholeness of God’s love enables our ability to love in all circumstances whether the love of parents, family, spouse, the folks next door or our neighbors at the ends of the earth. We meet them where they are, and where we are and grow together in the bonds of God’s love.

Prayer: Gracious Lord,
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace. Amen.

*How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43) by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. See at https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/how-do-i-love-thee-sonnet-43

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.

Gut-Level Compassion

Eastertide
April 19, 2018

Scripture Reading: 1 John 3:16-24

We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?

 Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God; and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.
–1 John 3:16-22

The term hearts used here refers more broadly to our gut-level compassion*. In our heart of hearts, we know what is right or wrong. Sometimes we throw up barriers that blind us from accepting what is right and what is wrong which at the least complicates our consciences and at its worst leads us down a spiral toward evil. Recognizing that God is greater than our hearts and God can break down whatever barriers are holding us back from practicing God’s love is key to our spiritual growth as well as our acting toward the development of the Kingdom of God.

Great joy results from having God love us completely without regard to any of our missteps. God sent his Son to model his love and provides the gift of the Holy Spirit who guides us back into right paths. Such a Holy One is worthy of our love and worship. Praise God forever!

Prayer:
O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
   you discern my thoughts from far away.
You search out my path and my lying down,
   and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
   O Lord, you know it completely.
You hem me in, behind and before,
   and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
   it is so high that I cannot attain it. (Psalm 139:1-6) Amen.

*http://biblehub.com/greek/4698.htm

Lover of All

Lent
March 27, 2018

 Scripture Reading: Isaiah 25:6-9
On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
   a feast of rich food, a feast of well-matured wines,
   of rich food filled with marrow, of well-matured wines strained clear.
And he will destroy on this mountain
   the shroud that is cast over all peoples,
   the sheet that is spread over all nations;
he will swallow up death for ever.
Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces,
   and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth,
   for the Lord has spoken.
It will be said on that day,
   Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us.
   This is the Lord for whom we have waited;
   let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

What is that shroud of death that is spread over all nations? Is it our inability to love one another? Some ancients knew Christ’s message well as they waited for his coming Kingdom. Food enough for all sustained by a well-tended earth is mentioned here. Our tears of pain and fear and frustration are wiped away. Our tears of joy are shared with all who wait upon the Lord. Salvation is at hand.

Christ’s came to earth as both a teacher and role model for the development of his envisioned Kingdom. The price asked of us is to be willing to share it with all peoples throughout the earth, a price we collectively perhaps even individually have never willingly paid. Two things he asked, love God and love your neighbor as yourself. When we cannot love our neighbors, we are not loving God. We always want to give our love conditionally. Loving unconditionally is not easy.

Put yourself in Jesus’ shoes when the boat he is on pulls into shore and the first person you encounter is Legion*, the town’s crazy man. He lives in the tombs, is so strong he broke out of chains and shackles, howls from the mountains, and bruises himself with stones. What would your first reaction be? How long do you think it took Jesus to get Legion to trust him? Do you think that would be a good use of your time? What do you think the crowds think of you dealing with this crazy man? Does their opinion matter?

Practicing regularly God’s extraordinary love is our task. It took his death on the cross and his resurrection for us to figure that out. It takes our full acknowledgment of his loving support for us to live it.

Prayer:
O Love, that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in Thee;
I give Thee back the life I owe,
That in Thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be**. Amen.

*See Mark 5:1-20, Luke 8:26-39
**First verse of hymn O Love that Wilt Not Let Me Go by George Matheson see at https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/432

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.

Together in Love

Lent
March 2, 2018

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. –I Corinthians 1:22-25

My childhood bedroom had a window on the east side of our home. When I learned my directions, I related east to the sun coming in my window early in the morning. I can still close my eyes and think of my sun-filled bedroom window and usually, correctly orient myself to the east. I cannot explain that. God is our spiritual built-in compass. When we are aligned with God, we can get our bearings no matter how chaotic the world is around us. The power of God lies in God’s steadfast love to always be present with us guiding us as we pursue our purposes in life, always wanting the best for each of us and for all of us in community.

Christ being crucified is the apex of God’s power in love. Nothing more is needed. We all look for signs of the times. Today’s media parses every word and deed of people in places of power trying to ascertain what it all means and how it might affect us. While I must confess to being a news junky, I know in my heart that none of the foolishness we observe matters, if we stay at one with our Creator. When and if we ever learn to do that in oneness with all our siblings as children of God, we will realize the fullness of God’s Kingdom.

For some reason, humans have a hard time accepting the rule of love. We seem to gravitate toward needing to have levels of worth, not being able to accept that God is powerful enough and wise enough to love each and all of us exactly, individually and collectively right. God can, and God does. God proved it in Christ crucified.

Prayer: Lord, make us whole, make us one. Be our guiding light bringing us together in 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.

Evil and the God of Love

Ordinary Time
January 28, 2018

Scripture Reading: Mark 1:21-28
They went to Capernaum; and when the Sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, ‘What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be silent, and come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit, throwing him into convulsions and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, ‘What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.’ At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

I do not have a great understanding of what were dubbed demons in the first century or the people who display similar behavior today with symptoms now given a psychological tag. I did read M. Scott Pecks book People of the Lie: The Hope for Healing Human Evil several years ago, which explored similar situations.

I remember well sitting on suicide watch all night in a general hospital with a young teen awaiting his transfer to a psychiatric facility. Although heavily sedated, he cycled through stages of agitation looking at me wildly declaring he was Jesus Christ and he was to save the world, eventually wearing himself out until he collapsed on the bed and fell into a deep sleep. He would later awake proclaiming he had committed blasphemy by declaring himself the Christ and he needed to die for his sin. I even remember thinking this is like the demons in some of Jesus’ stories. There is so much we do not know.

I no longer question that evil takes many forms, and I am not sure if some type of mental illness is one of them. I am sure that humans can get so caught up in layers of self-deceit colored by many descriptors such as envy, greed, lust, hunger for power, violence that they alone cannot escape the chains those manifestations have on them. Jesus Christ can and does return people to wholeness when we let him.

Prayer: Spirit of the Living God protect us from evil, lead us to the empowerment of your love that heals the sin-sick soul. 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.

Priorities

Christmas
December 30, 2017

Scripture Reading: Luke 2:22-40

When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord’), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.’ –Luke 2:22-24

After an extraordinary trip and birth experience, Joseph and Mary went about the business of adapting to a new normal, parents with a child. What better way to begin that journey than to return to the ancient familiar, the practices of their faith. I find that true in my life. Writing these daily devotions is a test of my ability to mine the lectionary’s daily challenges requiring me to reach beyond my comfort zone of favorite scriptures. The lectionary makes me deal with uncomfortable truths at times. At other times I find a scripture I have read many times brings new insight, understandings. The beauty of the scriptures is how it molds to its reader’s needs as we move through the various stages of life. The same scripture so meaningful to me at the age of ten provides different truths that are just as vital to me now.

A new year brings new opportunities for growth and development. Funny, I seem to set similar goals each year, ones I did not attain the previous year. My stated priorities include decluttering my home and getting bids to get the house painted. The decluttering goal is years old. The painting goal started last year. My unspoken but controlling priorities win out.

I also think I have a strong priority of doing my part in creating a world ruled by love. I certainly give lip service to that goal but do my actions support my stated mission? Is my mission only a lofty goal I state each year but relegate it to the same level as my decluttering goal?

If ever we needed a world ruled by love we need it now. Only God can make that happen and we who call ourselves disciples signed on to be a part of the Body of Christ to make the rule of love a reality. More than ever we first need to work to be in synch with God and then work with all our hearts, minds, souls and strength with God’s help to create a just world.

Prayer: Prod me forward, O Lord, to work for the rule of love this year as I attempt to do 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.

Loving Work

Advent
December 3, 2017

Scripture Reading: Mark 13:24-37

‘But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.’ –Mark 13:32-37

Mark continues his end-time theme as he tells us to stay alert. My Mom attended summer school one year to pick up a couple of courses she needed to get her Oklahoma teaching credential. I had just finished the first grade, my sister the third grade, and my brother the fifth grade. Since my Dad farmed, he was never too far away, but Mom carefully planned our work and left us instructions each day based on our capabilities at each age. The most important thing we soon understood was getting everything done by the time her car turned into the driveway. I do not remember using any grand plan to have our work done on time, and she certainly allowed plenty of time for us to play, practice the piano, and read. I do remember scampering to finish some tasks at the last minute.

I do not think Jesus envisioned his followers sitting on the front porch shaking each other to keep us all awake until he arrives. Nor do I think he expects us to put all the work he assigned off until we see him round the bend. We have been called to fulfill each of the tasks he set before us through his earthly ministry in our every waking moment. We are literally to shape our lives around his call to love and to spread his love.

I know not why God’s wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own. 

I know not when my Lord may come,
At night or noonday fair,
Nor if I walk the vale with Him,
Or meet Him in the air.*

 Refrain:
But “I know Whom I have believed,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.”*

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we idle our lives away from sharing the love of God with all of God’s children. Amen

*First and last verse with refrain of I Know Whom I Have Believed by Daniel W. Whittle see at http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/I_Know_Whom_I_Have_Believed/

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 Wonder of God

Living in the Spirit
September 13, 2017

Scripture Reading: Psalm 114
When Israel went out from Egypt,
   the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
Judah became God’s sanctuary,
   Israel his dominion. 

The sea looked and fled;
   Jordan turned back.
The mountains skipped like rams,
   the hills like lambs.

 Why is it, O sea, that you flee?
   O Jordan, that you turn back?
O mountains, that you skip like rams?
   O hills, like lambs?

 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
   at the presence of the God of Jacob,
who turns the rock into a pool of water,
   the flint into a spring of water.

I thought of Pippa’s Song by Robert Browning when I read Psalm 114. Poetry or other artistic forms may be the only way even to begin to express the power and majesty and, yes, love of God.

THE year ‘s at the spring,
And day ‘s at the morn;
Morning ‘s at seven;
The hill-side ‘s dew-pearl’d;
The lark ‘s on the wing;
The snail ‘s on the thorn;
God ‘s in His heaven—
All ‘s right with the world!

The people recently rescued from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey might begin to understand the wonder of the Israelites as they stood on the safe side of the Red Sea. Cecil B. Demille’s notwithstanding, we have no clue what really happened as the Israelites fled the oppression of the Egyptians. Getting the facts right is not nearly as important as understanding God love them, desired for them to be freed, and they were.

What we need to comprehend is that God loves us, desires the very best for us, and is actively engaged in working with us when we are willing to work with God.

Prayer: Thank you for poets who give us a glimpse of your wonder. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your continuing presence. 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.

Taking Sides

Living in the Spirit
August 23, 2017

Scripture Reading: Psalm 124

If it had not been the Lord who was on our side
   —let Israel now say—
if it had not been the Lord who was on our side,
   when our enemies attacked us,
then they would have swallowed us up alive,
   when their anger was kindled against us;
then the flood would have swept us away,
   the torrent would have gone over us;
then over us would have gone
   the raging waters.

 Our help is in the name of the Lord,
   who made heaven and earth. –Psalm 124:1-5, 8

Rabbi Harold Kushner explores well the issue of faith in the midst of tragedy in his book When Bad Things Happen to Good People. We are called to pray for all kinds of disasters and illness, and we do. As much as we try to grapple with God’s presence in the face of tragedy, it remains a mystery cloaked in our very human reactions.

I believe that God is love and is present with us in all of life’s challenges. I also believe that God does not favor any of God’s children over any of God’s other children. I do not remember who said it, but someone was reported to say something to the effect that God was the first one to cry following the Oklahoma City bombing. I believe that to be true.

Matthew quotes Jesus as saying

 ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:43-45)

The last phrase of this scripture is the most familiar. I think it important that we read the full saying. The Lord is always present and is always on the side of love no matter what. Our faith in that plays out in our worldview and our response to others. As part of the Body of Christ we are called to be instrumental in refocusing our world toward the rule of love.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for your patient love. Let it flow through each of us to all of us. 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.