Tag Archives: In Synch with God

Getting on the Wrong Road

saul-learns-about-jesus-peter-brings-tabitha-back-to-life-episode-38-2011-10-18Eastertide
April 4, 2016

Scripture Reading: Acts 9:1-6

Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ He asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The reply came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’

I left the general assembly of my church held in Charlotte, North Carolina several years ago heading northwest toward the intersection to I-40 to take me back home. At least that is what I thought I had done. After driving for several miles, I saw a big sign that said, “Welcome to South Carolina.” I had to drive deeper into South Carolina before I found a service station that could put me on the right track home. The only good that came out of that little detour was I could add South Carolina to the list of states that I had visited.

Have you ever taken the wrong road to the right thing? Saul did. He was by all accounts a dedicated participant in his faith had given his whole life to its work. He even was ridding it of what he considered to be heretics, the followers of Jesus. Apparently Jesus saw the potential in this dedicated man, if Saul could just find the right road.

Of course, Jesus sees the potential in all of us. We were created each to be a player in the actualization of the Kingdom of God on this earth. It is imperative that we each stay in close communion with God checking out not only our actions but our attitudes making God’s purpose our purpose.

It does not take a long trip back in history to see where the church has veered off course. It usually happens when we, the followers of God, try to recreate God in an image that is more fitting with our own purposes, rather than God’s. It starts in individuals but it quickly expands to the multitudes. There is a lesson for all of us in the experience of Saul who changed his name to Paul and furthered the purpose of God.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we try to redefine your purposes to outcomes of our own desires. Help us to see that our wholeness is linked to our desires being in synch with yours. 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.

Righteousness Sown in Peace

Draw me nearerLiving in the Spirit
September 17, 2015

Scripture Reading: James 3:3:13-4:3, 7-8a

Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace. –James 3:13-18

Change our attitudes and we change our lives. Our world is caught up in an epidemic of envy and selfish ambition. When I watch the evening news, or morning, I see adults, whether they are our leaders or just common people, acting like two year olds throwing tantrums trying to establish their individuality. What has made us so restless, so self-engaged? Why do we feel so powerless when we claim to serve the omnipotent and omnipresent God? A quote I find most compelling is this statement by Stanley Hauerwas:

Never think that you need to protect God. Because anytime you think you need to protect God, you can be sure you are worshipping an idol.*

 I do not know about you, but I can tell you that I am incapable of being the person God wants me to be without God’s wisdom from above talked about in this scripture. The love of Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit are essential to that wisdom from above. It is when I take my life out of synch with God, I find myself wanting to kick and scream like a two year old’s tantrum. For us adults such tantrums usually come out as bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts.

 I would encourage you this morning to mediate on the last two sentences of this scripture.

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.

 Claim them and incorporate them into your way of being. I promise, you will experience that harvest of righteousness sown in peace. Actually it doesn’t matter what I promise you. God promises you such peace.

Prayer: Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord, To Thy precious, bleeding side.** Amen.

*http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/310763-never-think-that-you-need-to-protect-god-because-anytime

**From the Chorus of Draw Me Nearer by Fanny Crosby found at http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Draw_Me_Nearer_Crosby/

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

Guard My Tongue

Living in the Spirit
July 3, 2014

 Scripture Reading: Romans 7:15-25a 

I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. — Romans 7:15-18

What is maddening to me is that I know that making the response that pops into my mind will not help the situation at all and will most likely make it worse. I know that, but the comment that has irritated me seems to develop a life of its own. I must volley my bullets of words back at it to what—Make me feel better, give me the upper hand, make me whole? It never works. I always feel worse afterward. God provides a scripture lesson for this experience it is in the first chapter of James chapter 1 verse 26: If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless.

We must work every day at staying in synch with God. Whether we spend time in prayer, meditation, study, worship, or solitude, we must make sure that our source of wholeness is God not the lesser gods of self-righteousness or self-control. Paul uses the analogy of an athlete to describe our life in Christ. Athletes work out on a planned schedule, intensively practice their sport, eat food that supports their bodies, and get appropriate rest. They do these things so that when on the field of play their bodies and their minds are so well tuned that their instinctive responses are most often right. Actually some highly skilled athletes mess up the most when they do not have faith in their preparation.

We do have a Savior and an Advocate who run the race with us every step of the way. We just have to get out of ourselves enough to notice that he is there.

Prayer: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
              be acceptable to you,
             O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.(Psalm 19:14) 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.