Tag Archives: Guidance

Practicing Oneness

Eastertide

June 8, 2019

Scripture Reading: John 14:8-17, 25-27

Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it. –John 14:8-17

I do not know about others but when I read scripture, I tend to read it mostly from a personal, individual perspective. In the book of John, Jesus is quoted as talking a lot about oneness. What happens when I read the same scripture from the perspective of all of God’s people being one? The reason I ponder this today is how I was struck by my reading of the phrase, If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it. What does God do when all of God’s people ask for different “anythings” that may be counter to each other. I had a head on conversation-collision with a man once regarding the use of the death penalty, which I am strongly against. He said, “the Bible ordains capital punishment and no matter what you say you cannot get around that.” which ended the conversation. What does God do when I pray to find a way to end capital punishment and he prays that my efforts be unsuccessful. I use this example because it is concise and easy to understand. Our world is very complex.

Perhaps, part of the answer to this conundrum lies in always praying first for oneness and guidance. That may require us to view the world from the other’s perspective, which might help the dialogue, if we know something of the back story that led to any differences of opinion.  Self-examining why we are asking God for what we are asking might be helpful too. How tightly we hold on to idea and ways of being that may have lost their relevance in our world today and may be in the way of ushering in the Kingdom of God. People believed the world was flat until they discovered it was round. Letting go of long held beliefs and attitudes that no longer apply, does not reduce anyone’s worth, particularly when our prayers are guided by God.

Prayer: Lord, open our eyes that we may see glimpses of your truth* as we work to become one in your love. Amen.

*Derived from the hymn Open Our Eyes that I May See by Clara H. Scott see at https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/807

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.

Help is on the Way

Epiphany
January 6, 2018

Scripture Reading: Mark 1:4-11

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’
–Mark 1:4-8

“Help is on the way!” are precious words to those who are in distress with seemingly no control of what life is dishing out to them. Most of us know the feeling. I wonder what it was about the first century that made God decide humans needed more knowledge/awareness of the consistent, constant help God offers. Is that why God came to us in human form?

God created a very complex world capable of working well together like a fine-tuned instrument and capable of chaos. Parents know what that is like watching an infant striving to move across the floor on hands and tummies and knees until one day they lift themselves up on hands and knees and crawl. Next, they take that first tentative step. Parents are torn between letting them develop and protecting them from the dangers of their development. At times we all need a hand to hold whether we are learning to walk, learning to work, learning to love, or learning to die. Immanuel, God with us, came among us for just such a purpose.

John the Baptist suggests that people particularly need fresh starts recognizing when the path they chose was not the right path. He could help them by guiding them to confess their sins and start again, but he foresaw one coming who could lead them, us to the path of righteousness for God needs all God’s children to work and love together to actualize God’s plan.  Jesus Christ came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10b)

Prayer: Thank you God for sharing yourself with us through Jesus Christ. Help us grow in your wisdom and truth. 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.