Tag Archives: Kingdom of God

Advocacy

Living in the Spirit

June 21, 2023

Scripture Reading:

Jeremiah 20:7-13

O Lord, you have enticed me,
   and I was enticed;
you have overpowered me,
   and you have prevailed.
I have become a laughing-stock all day long;
   everyone mocks me.
For whenever I speak, I must cry out,
   I must shout, ‘Violence and destruction!’
For the word of the Lord has become for me
   a reproach and derision all day long.
If I say, ‘I will not mention him,
   or speak any more in his name’,
then within me there is something like a burning fire
   shut up in my bones;
I am weary with holding it in,
   and I cannot. –Jeremiah 20:7-10

I spend much of my time involved in advocacy. I understand the frustration that Jeremiah describes, although I have never experienced the challenges that he faced. What bothers me most is when people vote against their best interests because they are stirred up by issues that have little or no impact on their lives. In Oklahoma, it took ten years and an initiative petition to bring Medicaid expansion to our state. Over 300,000 people who had no health coverage gained it. That does impact all of us. People without good routine health care when they get really sick end up in the emergency room, often in the final stages of cancer, heart disease, or diabetes, which could have been treated if identified earlier at a much lower cost.  According to the CDC, Oklahoma persistently ranks among the states with the worst rates (40th) of maternal deaths in the U.S. Between 2017-2019; the Oklahoma maternal mortality rate was 23.5 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.

Prayer: Lord, open our eyes so that we can see the best ways to love one another as you have called us to do and, in so doing, make a better world for 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.

Time for Reflection

Silent Saturday

April 8, 2023

Scripture Reading:

Matthew 27:57-66 or John 19:38-42
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. –Matthew 27:57-66

A house divided cannot stand. (See Matthew 12:22-28) One leader, Joseph of Arimathea, sought to bury Jesus. In comparison, the chief priests wanted to stifle any further disruptions from this Jesus as he threatened their way of being. A chill ran down my back as I read this scripture. It brought to my mind the Tennessee Legislature expelling two of its members for protesting gun violence. Six people, seven really including the perpetrator, were killed at a Nashville school. The legislature is not willing to address the issue of gun control. Instead, they proposed requiring schools to lock their doors and hire more security staff. The shooter had a history of mental health issues. Still, she was able to purchase several guns legally. The shooter entered the school with an AR-15 military-style rifle, a 9 mm Kel-Tec SUB2000 pistol caliber carbine, and a 9 mm Smith and Wesson M&P Shield EZ 2.0 handgun, according to Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake. (CNN) Several more weapons were found in her home.

God sent Jesus to intercede among all peoples to restore righteousness and justice to a world that was losing or had lost its moral compass. That seems to be a recurring reality. Jesus came to model, champion, and advocate for the rule of love. He challenged each of his followers to carry forth that same mission.

In many church calendars, this day is described as Silent Saturday. The first day of grief for Christ’s followers and perhaps a period of relief for those that crucified Jesus.  Often the first stage of grief is shock. Silent Saturday is the day God gave Christ’s followers to stop for a while, recall their experiences with Jesus, and prepare for what comes next. The world is still with us, and we, too, in working to fulfill Christ’s mission, need to process our next steps in a world in desperate need of the Savior who has already arrived and dwells among us full of grace and truth. (John 1:17)

Prayer:Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope
And my will be lost in Thine*. Amen.

*The second verse of the hymn Draw Me Nearer, by Fanny Crosby. See at https://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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Ending Oppression–Sharing Love

Ordinary Time

January 17, 2023

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 9:1-4
But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
The people who walked in darkness
   have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
   on them light has shined.
You have multiplied the nation,
   you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
   as with joy at the harvest,
   as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the yoke of their burden,
   and the bar across their shoulders,
   the rod of their oppressor,
   you have broken as on the day of Midian.

I am reading the book Horse by Geraldine Brooks. It is very good, and I highly recommend it. It is the story of a champion horse and his trainer, a young slave in the pre-Civil War south, interspersed with the perspective of current-day scientists looking back on that time. The young slave was the son of a well-respected slave who was a valued horse trainer, eventually gaining his freedom. The son was groomed to follow his father’s career and learned well, but he was born into slavery and remained a slave as the story begins. He experienced the rod of the oppressor and learned well the behavior necessary to survive, but survival was not his goal; freedom was.

As I read the above scripture, this young man’s quest for freedom and wholeness sprung to mind. He found the light of God in many places. He learned to read from a preacher who taught him using the Bible as his textbook. Teaching a slave to read was against the law. He learned to look for the helpers as Mr. Rogers recommended and found them along the way. But most importantly, so far as I have read, he cared about others. His owner had a big bet against another man’s horse that was to conclude after two races. The young man’s horse won the first race leaving the older horse well behind. After the first race, the young man saw that the competitor’s horse could not make the second race and tried to warn against that horse running again. No one listened; the horse was forced to run again, was beaten again, and died in the night after the race.

One of the greatest challenges of forming the kingdom of God, the Beloved Community, is understanding that God’s love is not just for some but for all. When we experience that love, we must also share it without distinction.

Prayer: Lord, as you guide us from any oppression we may experience, enrich our lives to love without judgment. 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.

Baptism

Ordinary Time

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January 7, 2023

Scripture Reading: Matthew 3:13-17
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’

Water purification was practiced in Judaism before Jesus’s birth. Proselyte baptism was common. Beyond purification, it was also an act of dedicating one’s life to God. John, however, offered a baptism of repentance. He linked the rite to prepare for the coming Kingdom of God*. John’s hesitancy to baptize Jesus was also his recognition that Jesus was the source of the Kingdom of God. Purification and repentance carry the same connotation as we recognize we are not in alignment with God and need to correct our course.

For me, baptism was the beginning of my journey in service to God, which requires continuous self-examination and rededication to maintain my alignment with God.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for setting the example for our life with God and our commitment to fulfilling all righteousness. Amen.

*See The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible–Baptism

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.

Tenting with God

Advent

December 12, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Isaiah 7:10-16
Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. Then Isaiah said: ‘Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.

The Hebrew Bible is filled with references to the coming of Immanuel in human form, which means God with Us. God is always with us, but sometimes, we must be reminded of God’s presence. I am not much of a social media person. I enjoy seeing reports and pictures of the adventures of my family and friends and reading pithy statements that go to the heart of living our love. I also like quirky cartoons and the adventures of pets. I could make a much longer list of the things I ignore. One thing I have noticed recently is the quest for stability in a fractured world.

While Christmas is said to be full of hope, peace, love, and joy, for some reason, it is also the source of great anxiety, depression, and a sense of loss. Some of these feelings are easy to identify, for example, losing a loved one. In other instances, our reactions are harder to understand and may take some self-examination. While the world invests much energy in celebration during this time, the story of Advent is more solemn. We recognize the need for hope, peace, love, and joy in our lives, which seem to be missing in large measure. We recall the gift of Immanuel, God with us, in the birth of a tiny baby, and we look forward to the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God when, as the book of Revelation 21:3 tells us, God will tabernacle with us, in other words, pitch God’s tent among us. Our job is to address the world’s needs so that when Christ returns to earth, he can celebrate Sabbath with us when he arrives because we, with the Spirit’s help, have finished our work toward being that beloved community.

Prayer: Lord, grant us your peace and joy as we live in hope while perfecting our ability to love as you 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.

Living for Jesus

Advent

December 1, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Romans 15:4-13

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. –Romans 15:4-6

Paul was a dedicated student of scripture, and what he knew of scripture was the Hebrew Bible. He probably was also well acquainted with the Apocrypha. The gospels we are familiar with were all written after his death. Perhaps that is why his writing is always looking forward to something better. His letters are full of preparation for the return of Christ in his fulness.

I wonder if we today view the gospels as the end of the story, not the continuation of God’s creative longing for a world ruled by love. Do we stir together the laws of the Hebrew Bible and the grace of the Gospels and call our work done? If we live a good life following the rules and accepting God’s gracious gift of sending God’s son to redeem us from our sins, do we think we can rest on our laurels?

The gospels mark the progression of God’s mission. If anything. it increases our responsibility:

And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. Mark 16:15

And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’ Matthew 28:18-20

The Kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is! ‘ or ‘There it is! ‘ For, in fact, the Kingdom of God is among you” (Luke 17:20-21

Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. John 20:21-22

Prayer: Lord, empower us to live your love as we progress toward a world ruled by 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.

Being a Person of Faith and a Citizen

Living in the Spirit

July 19, 2022

Scripture Reading: Genesis 18:20-32

Then the Lord said, ‘How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know.’

So the men turned from there, and went towards Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the Lord. Then Abraham came near and said, ‘Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?’ And the Lord said, ‘If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.’ Abraham answered, ‘Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?’ And he said, ‘I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.’ Again he spoke to him, ‘Suppose forty are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of forty I will not do it.’ Then he said, ‘Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there.’ He answered, ‘I will not do it, if I find thirty there.’ He said, ‘Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.’ Then he said, ‘Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.’

I have observed that religions identify hierarchies of sins and find that the worst sins are behaviors they would never do. I have learned that in many instances, the ones raving the most against some sins are the practitioners of those sins behind closed doors. I was thus surprised that the lectionary writers chose to leave out the description of the sins that caused the discussion in the above scripture. They carefully opened the door that all of us must consider all aspects of our lives that may separate us from God and address those issues.

Politicians have recognized this tendency and instead of campaigning on their vision for the wellbeing of their constituents, they work to get your vote by highlighting divisive issues repugnant to many. As with our Supreme Court Justices, these same politicians soon forget what they promised regarding real problems in our society after they take office. I recommend we each take some time to identify the issues impacting our lives or the life of our friends and find out how candidates plan to address them. Can you afford the medication you or a loved one is prescribed? Do you have the internet access your children need to succeed in school? Have you lost a home or suffered other ill effects from the weird weather that we are experiencing due to climate change? Does your family’s income add up to a living wage (see https://livingwage.mit.edu/)? After you complete your list find out who the candidates are running for office where you live. See what you can find out about each candidate’s positions regarding your concerns. Your local library might be a good place to start. Make a list of the candidates you pick and take the list to the polls with you. Now, ensure you are registered to vote and learn where you can vote. Plan on how you will get to the polls or access absentee voting. Oklahoma City in the past has not charged bus fees for people going to vote. Many groups offer rides to vote if you need help reach out for it. Finally, vote. Your vote matters.

Prayer: Lord, open our hearts and minds to assuring that we are loving you and our neighbors as ourselves in our role as citizens. 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 to Pray

Living in the Spirit

July 16, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Luke 11:1-13

He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’ He said to them, ‘When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name.
   Your kingdom come.
   Give us each day our daily bread.
   And forgive us our sins,
     for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
   And do not bring us to the time of trial.’ –Luke 11:1-4

Luke simplifies Jesus’s instructions on how to pray compared to Matthew’s version—the one most of us memorized. The message is the same. It recognizes God’s supremacy and the great desire for his kingdom to become the standard for the world. He stresses the need for all people to be fed while forgiving those who are indebted to us.

Matthew writes the next line, lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13). Luke asked to not bring us to the time of trial or put us to the test in some versions. Theologians have long struggled with this, asking whether God could lead us into temptation or put us to the test. I have never gotten caught up in that fray as I think the world does enough to lead us astray that God does not need to waste time in that manner. I tend to sin more in areas of omission than commission, although I am capable of that also. My battles are pushing myself to do what is right when what is right is not accepted well in our culture. Going along to get along is the easy way out, and, anyway, how could my meager actions make a difference. I am then reminded of Margaret Mead’s quote, Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. I am reminded of those all too human twelve disciples who followed Jesus’s instructions and changed the world.

Prayer: Lord, grant us the courage to do what is right. 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.

Using Our Wisdom

Living in the Spirit

June 7, 2022

Scripture Reading: Proverbs 8:22-31

The Lord created me at the beginning of his work,
   the first of his acts of long ago.
Ages ago I was set up,
   at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
When there were no depths I was brought forth,
   when there were no springs abounding with water.
Before the mountains had been shaped,
   before the hills, I was brought forth—
when he had not yet made earth and fields,
   or the world’s first bits of soil.
When he established the heavens, I was there,
   when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
when he made firm the skies above,
   when he established the fountains of the deep,
when he assigned to the sea its limit,
   so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
   then I was beside him, like a master worker;
and I was daily his delight,
   rejoicing before him always,
rejoicing in his inhabited world
   and delighting in the human race.

Wisdom was present at the beginning of the creation as wisdom is the personification of God’s will and creation was God’s will. I have always found it fascinating that every culture of which I am aware recognizes a creator. Even the Big Bang Theory started from something. That tells me that we have and are the resources needed to choose the ways that support and nurture the whole creation whether it be dealing with climate change or poverty. For some reason, humans have a hard time accepting both that gift and the responsibility that goes with it. We tend to want our cake and to eat it too. 

The COVID virus is a wake-up call for us to see the world and its people in the reality we now recognize and use our wisdom to work together in building the Kingdom Jesus visualized in his ministry.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for gifting us with the wisdom to care for your creation in all its forms. Grant us the will to use it and not let it go the waste. 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.

What is Truth

Eastertide

May 31, 2022

Scripture Reading: Genesis 11:1-9

Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, ‘Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.’ And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.’ The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. And the Lord said, ‘Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.’ So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

I recall being taught as a child that the people involved in the above story did something wrong in the eyes of God by trying to build a tower all the way to heaven and God did not like that, so he split them up and gave them different languages. That meant to me, in my vernacular of the day, that they had gotten too big for their britches and God was putting them in their place. Later, I learned that chapter 10 indicates that the people from Babal were already encountering people from other places speaking different languages. I later learned that the Hebrew Bible includes stories about similar events told from differing perspectives. Specifically priestly authors, whose work scholars designate as “P” and “D”—for Deuteronomist. Thus, the difference between the interpretation of history between Genesis 10 and 11.

We face the same challenges today. We view all of life through the filters we inherited at our birth through our culture and the ones we add through life experiences and what we are taught. I have long valued the quote cited as Pilate’s question to Jesus in John 18:38, Pilate asked him, ‘What is truth?’ I interpret that comment to be made sarcastically meaning truth is what people make it. I hear viewpoints quoted by professed Christians that are foreign to me and I am sure those people think I am way off base in my understanding of following Christ. I am just as sure that Jesus meant it when he called us to be one. How do we do that? I think we start by finding the practices, beliefs, and ways of being on which we can agree and build the Kingdom Jesus called us to champion from that point forward.

Prayer: Lord, help us put the things that divide your followers away for a time and guide us in working together on the things we can find agreement in your example of 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.