Tag Archives: Kingdom of God

A New Beginning

Acts 4Eastertide
April 6, 2015

Scripture Reading: Acts 4:32-35

Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

Our immediate reactions to radical changes in our lives whether it is a disaster or the blessings of a new child, often is to just respond in any way that might help. This is what Jesus’ followers did following the resurrection. The results are often two much of one thing, like infant size onesies, and too little of other things like clothing for a six month old or a nine month old. Babies do grow fast and new ways of following God move from the exuberance of the change itself to the planning and work necessary to make a new beginning a lasting one. In the Book of Acts we have the history of the initiation of the Kingdom of God that Jesus taught. It is a history of people, like you and me, stumbling at times, but ever moving forward toward the purpose Jesus set out for all of us.

God created all of us with differing skills and talents because the world needs all those skills and talents, but it requires a level of interdependence that can sometimes be challenging because of our diversity in ways of being. The creation of the Myers Briggs* personality types is an attempt to categorize the various combinations of traits that people have and how they fit together. I have found it helpful in my understanding of working with people.

Beyond these pyscho-social aspects of personal interchange we also must deal with interacting within the framework of our own wholeness and the wholeness of others. We do live in a world of fragmented people and thus we live in a fragmented world. John Ortberg in his book Soul Keeping encourages us to care of the most important part of our being, our soul. I think that is good advice. Because unless we can get pasts the hurts that have engrained themselves into our souls we will not be whole and we will be less successful in helping others become whole.

Prayer: Lord, help me to be sensitive to the differences in personalities that my hamper quality communications but more importantly, heal my soul, Lord, heal my soul. Amen.

*http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/

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.

 

Conduits of God’s love

Go and tellEaster
April 5, 2015

Scripture Reading: Mark 16:1-8

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.’ So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

We serve a risen Savior. He is in the world today and we are the conduits of his love.

I might too have been scared silent had I been with the women that morning. It was a lot to take in. The world had radically changed in the blink of an eye. The lives of all would never be the same again.

I had dinner yesterday evening with a group of advocates striving to move a major mountain. Most think it cannot be done. The fire that stirred once more among that gathering said this mountain can be moved. I believe, and the other gospels tell us that when these women got their wits about then, they did go and tell and we have heard their message today. We have been empowered by this wind of change to go forth and move mountains, to make people whole, to make people one, and to implement justice throughout our land. Let the Kingdom come, let God’s will be done.

Prayer: Praise God from whom all blessings flow. 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.

Coming to Fruition

The Day of the LordLent
Holy Week
March 30, 2015

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.

“That day”, the Day of the Lord or the Great Day all refer to a time when God’s way is our way. It is used by the prophets and by people who are writing about end times. It is used by Jesus at his Last Supper in Matthew 26.29: I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’

The waiting described by Isaiah is expectant waiting like a couple preparing for the birth of a child. It is the waiting that the Israelites did on the night the angel of death passed over Egypt and the Israelites prepared to leave slavery. It is the waiting Jesus foretells when he assures the disciples they will drink again with him.

In this post-resurrection time we recognize that Jesus’ coming was the coming of God’s Kingdom into the world and we now wait with expectation for its full fruition.  Our work has really just begun.

Prayer: God of Love and Justice, enable our work toward the fruition of your Kingdom. 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.

Wandering in the Wilderness

Rough placesAdvent
December 2, 2014

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 40:1-10

A voice cries out:
‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
   make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up,
   and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
   and the rough places a plain.
Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
   and all people shall see it together,
   for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’ — Isaiah 40:3-5

When I read the above quoted part of our scripture today, I began to wonder what it would be like if we had no mountains to climb and no sharp rocks or hidden holes in our paths. What is it we are working toward in this Kingdom of God anyway?

We are called to prepare the way for God to be revealed and realized among us. We, after all, are often the creators of the mountains and the rough plains that separate us from God. If not the creators ourselves, we are the ones who accept the presence of the mountains and rough places that get between us and God and do not work to smooth them out. In many instances these mountains and rough places are found in interpersonal relationships and international relationships that require us to deal not only with our individual dependence on God, but also with our interdependence on God and each other. God calls us to a higher ground where our interactions with God and with each other creates synergy not available without God. The Kingdom of God is now and is becoming a whole new way of being. And it is good.

I wonder as I wander out under the sky,
 How Jesus the Savior did come for to die.
 For poor on’ry people like you and like I…
 I wonder as I wander out under the sky.*

Prayer: Lord, help us clear the clutter from our lives that separate us from you and from each other as we journey once again toward the realization of the meaning of your coming to us. Amen.

* Words and Music collected by John Jacob Niles
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.

 

Reaping God’s Kingdom

PlantingLiving in the Spirit
November 16, 2014

Scripture Reading: Matthew 25:14-30

Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” But his master replied, “You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” — Matthew 25:24-30

Paul says in Galatians 6:7: Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. Jesus is saying that this is not true regarding the master in our story. He reaps what he does not sow and harvests what he did not plant and he apparently expected the same from his staff. Paul also says: I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. (1 Corinthians 3:6)

I don’t particularly like the Master in our story today. Harsh is a good descriptor of him but I bet he would do well in the business world today. I worked under a very powerful director in the first half of my career as a social worker. He was tough as nails and frankly most people were a little afraid of him. He had been recruited from the business world to oversee the state Department of Public Welfare, of all things, and he built an empire within it. He played politics as well as anyone. His power far exceeded the boundaries of Oklahoma.

My only direct interaction with him was in the wee hours of the morning on one of winter’s ice-stormed ravaged day when a newborn in a town about 80 miles south of Oklahoma City was brought to Children’s hospital near death. Surgery was needed and a blood sample from the mother who remained at the local hospital was an absolute necessity. The road for all intents and purposes was closed and air traffic was impossible. We arranged for the blood to be drawn and taken to the local bus station. A few treacherous hours on iced packed I-35 later, the bus driver handed the box with the blood in it to us and we transported it to the hospital. I have no idea what the Director was doing at the hospital at 1:00 am in the morning but he had been there when we made the arrangements and after the blood arrived he stuck his head in the door and asked, “Did we get it?” and I replied, “Yes”. “Good” was his response. The baby meant as much or more to him at that moment than anything else. I thought of Jesus in search of the lost lamb (Luke 15:1-7).

The lesson I take from this parable and my story is that God expects us to do all that we can using whatever we have at hand to move toward God’s kingdom here on earth, because that is exactly what God is doing all the time.

Prayer: Lord, make us all facilitators of the realization of your Kingdom here on earth. 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.

Striving for the Kingdom of God

PoliticsLiving in the Spirit
Light a Candle for Children
September 28, 2014

 Scripture Reading: Matthew 21:23-32

 When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?’ And they argued with one another, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say to us, “Why then did you not believe him?” But if we say, “Of human origin”, we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.’ So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And he said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. — Matthew 21:23-27

Recognize this dialogue? You should for it is the norm anymore in our political system. This is, of course, a theological discourse, but it is not too different from our discussions about how our government should function. The primary purpose of the chief priests and elders as presented here was to maintain their seats of power, not to serve God. This theme presents itself over and over again among our elected officials. Often their primary purpose is to retain their seats of power not serve their constitutions. Even the ones who do understand their call think they must play the game or fail. Now in either case, whether church or state, church leaders and politicians justify such a stance by the belief that they have the best interest at heart of God, in the first case, or their constituents, in the second. There is truth in the justification to a degree. We want to be served by people dedicated to their calling. The problem arises when our leaders cross that thin line between appropriate leadership and greed. What has resulted is that the church has been splintered into divisive parts who fight each other and our government is tangled in gridlock. In neither case is the purpose of their work fulfilled. The people who pay the price for the inertia that results are those whose needs are not being met, neither spiritual in the case of the church, nor provisions for their common good, in the case of the government.

The most vulnerable are the ones who suffer the most in either situation and in most cases the most vulnerable are our children for they are totally dependent on adults to protect and provide for them. We adults are the ones who can stop this vicious cycle. We are the ones who need to support our church leaders who strive for the wholeness, oneness, and justice Jesus calls us to be and do. We are the ones who can vote and can hold our elected leaders accountable for the work they do. In Oklahoma we have actually seen that happen regarding pre-school education, but there is so much more that needs to be done.

Oklahoma Fact: State mandated pre-school has markedly increased test scores for young children. Study findings show that Tulsa pre-K program increases cognitive/knowledge scores by approximately 0.39 standard deviation, motor skills scores by approximately 0.24 standard deviation, and language scores by approximately 0.38 standard deviation.*

Prayer: God of mercy and justice, convict us of any contributions we are making to the dysfunction of our society whether by omission or commission. Show us a better way. Help us see how we can work together toward the realization of your kingdom on earth. Amen.

*http://rachaelrobinsonedsi.wiki.westga.edu/file/view/Oklahoma+pre-K+-+Copy.pd

 

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.

‘Who Do You Say that I Am?’

Who do you say that I amLiving in the Spirit
August 23, 2014

 Scripture Reading: Matthew 16:13-20

 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ —Matthew 11:23

One of the reasons I write these daily devotions is that it makes me delve into scripture in ways I would not have considered without having to face the public scrutiny of my interpretation. It forces me to be honest with myself and makes me be as honest as I possibly can be with the reader. We intuitive-introverts aren’t particularly comfortable with such openness and sometimes find it challenging to explain what we feel in our guts. Doing something outside of our comfort zone is good for us though, right?

The disciples in our scripture today clearly recognized that Jesus was someone special. He is in really good company being compared to John the Baptist and Jeremiah, but especially Elijah. Elijah was taken up to heaven and did not die. He was projected as being the forerunner of the Messiah. The disciples probably were experiencing some of those gut level reactions that said, “This man is more than that.”

Today, who do we say that Jesus is? A great role model, he is put forth by many as the example of how we all should live. A great teacher, he helped all with whom he came into contact understand better what life was all about and still helps us today. The Savior, he came to free us from our chains of separation from God and be the link that would forever bind us to God. I believe that is all well and good and accurate. But Jesus the Christ is so much more than that. He is the one who has ushered in a whole new form of governance with a foundation of love that is the hope of the whole world.

Prayer: Thank you God for a great role model, a great teacher, a Savior and most of all we thank you for the One who is ushering in your Kingdom now and forevermore. 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.