Tag Archives: Kingdom of God

Tired of Being Sick and Tired

Eastertide

May 22, 2022

Scripture Reading: John 5:1-9

After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’ The sick man answered him, ‘Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Stand up, take your mat and walk.’ At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.
Now that day was a sabbath.

I am sick and tired of being sick and tired* When I read ‘Do you want to be made well?’ from the scripture above, the quote from Fannie Lou Hamer’s speech describing events in 1962 when she deigned to register to vote flashed through my mind. There are physical and mental illnesses from which individuals want and need to be healed, but there are societal illnesses that do much harm that must be healed if we are to transition our world from its current situation to Christ’s ideal of the kingdom of God. There are two sides to the situation described in the scripture above. First, we are all often blind to the needs of others around us as we scurry to grab hold of what we feel is ours to win. Some take the time to reach back guiding others to healing while they experience healing themselves. The other side of the story is the need for all of us to seek wholeness understanding our individual shortcomings and our societal shortcomings which will only improve if we invest ourselves in making the changes necessary to bring the world into sync with God’s will. We are indeed partners in God’s service.

Called as partners in Christ’s service
Called to ministries of grace
We respond with deep commitment
Fresh new lines of faith to trace
May we learn the art of sharing
Side by side and friend with friend
Equal partners in our caring
To fulfil God’s chosen end**

Prayer: Lord, guide us in being partners in your service. Amen.

*Taken from a speech made by Fannie Lou Hamer describing her treatment resulting from registering to vote in Indianola, Mississippi August 31, 1962.  See full transcript at https://awpc.cattcenter.iastate.edu/2019/08/09/im-sick-and-tired-of-being-sick-and-tired-dec-20-1964/

**First verse of hymn Called as partners in Christ’s service by Jane Parker Huber and John Zundel see at https://digitalsongsandhymns.com/songs/6113

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.

Deepening Faith

Eastertide

May 17, 2022

Scripture Reading: Acts 16:9-15

On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. A certain woman named Lydia, a worshipper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.’ And she prevailed upon us. –Acts 16:13-16

How open are we to deepening our faith? Lydia described as a worshipper of God apparently practiced the Jewish faith as she observed the sabbath, whether she was a Jew by birth, or a convert is unclear. When she heard Paul preach, she readily accepted the Lord and offered hospitality to Paul and his companion. Did she appreciate the advancement of God’s order from her Jewish training through the one called Christ? How are we advancing God’s order in our time and space? Faith is not frozen in form. Hebrews 4:12 describes it as living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

I am a strong supporter of following spiritual disciplines, prayer, study, meditation, and service, for example, because they empower faith. Celebrating the Lord’s Supper is my opportunity to review my faith walk for the previous week and open a new door for the next. Faith is alive and propels us toward building that Kingdom of God Jesus sent us forth to actualize.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the example of Lydia who open her heart and her home as she deepened her faith. 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.

Considering God as our Neighbor

Eastertide

May 12, 2022

Scripture Reading: Revelation 21:1-6

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.’

And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ Then he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.

I must confess, that tidying my house is not my priority. I understand the need to maintain cleanliness, but putting litter in its place is lower on my list until I get so much paper stacked around me, that I must deal with it. I have tried to practice putting paper in its place after I have reviewed it, but that rarely lasts for long. Breaking down boxes for the recycle bin is even more challenging. I have grown to appreciate all things electronically stored.

So, when I read the ending of Revelation, I consider the idea that God would live among us in the end times and might be our next-door neighbor. Are we as individuals as open to God as we think we are? Would he be on the list of people we would allow in our personhood and see how we really live? What about our society? Is the way we treat one another, all one another’s, the same way we would treat God if God were our next-door neighbor? I think God wants to move into our space of being after we have figured out what the Kingdom of God is all about and done our very best to institute it in our society. I wonder how much litter I need to clean out of my soul. That is the place to start.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we take you for granted. We know you know our thoughts and ways of representing you to the world. Help us to see ourselves as you see us and correct our actions as your disciples in this world today. 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.

Bread of Life

Eastertide

May 7, 2022

Scripture Reading: John 10:22-30

At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.’ Jesus answered, ‘I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.’

During our spring session, my Bible study group studied the Apocrypha*, which we discovered most of us had barely even read. Though it was not canonized in the Hebrew Bible, it fills a gap of understanding between the exile and the coming of Jesus, who had read at least some of the Apocrypha even quoting it.

The Feast of Dedication mentioned in the scripture above is another name for Hanukkah, an eight-day Jewish festival that commemorates the rededication of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd-century BCE. It is a happy celebration of God’s care for God’s people when their situation seemed hopeless. I thought of that today as I watched a few people being rescued from the Mariupol steel plant in Ukraine. Still, others remain.

I also heard on the news that the cost of bread around the world will go up because Ukraine and Russia are primary providers of the grains needed to make bread. Neither country can to the degree necessary farm and fight a war simultaneously.

I do not think Jesus was just talking about the Jews present when he answered the question of whether he was the Messiah, and he said he had already told them.  I think he is talking to all of us today telling us that we need to get our act together and become one, not just in our houses of worship but all people worldwide are called to be One, assuring that no one’s bread bin is ever empty.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for not recognizing that your abundance is for everyone. Amen.

*We used the book The Apocrypha by David A. deSilva

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.

Celebrate Love

Eastertide

May 6, 2022

Scripture Reading: Revelation 7:9-17

After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying,
‘Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!’
And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, singing,
‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor
and power and might
be to our God forever and ever! Amen.’ –Revelation 7:9-12

With the state of the world today, I find it hard to imagine a world ruled by love where everyone has experienced salvation for hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth goodwill to men*. Government officials play games of divide and conquer jumping on the bandwagon of the latest divisive issue that has little or nothing to do with providing for the Common Good, the purpose of government. It may get them more votes and once elected they can continue to wheel and deal in greed and power, which often hurts their constituents. I was writing a report recently on poverty in Oklahoma. We rank very badly in most of the categories reported on the American Health Ranking**.  Our Greatest Challenges were listed as a high premature death rate, a high prevalence of non-medical drug use, and a high percentage of households with food insecurity. The only one of those three I have heard any public official address recently is drug abuse.

Jesus’s birth, death, and resurrection had a purpose. We are called to help shepherd in a world where love rules not greed or power. We should never take that for granted and we should always live our lives in thanksgiving by fulfilling Christ’s vision.  

Prayer: Open our hearts, spirits, and minds to serving you by doing our part to create a world ruled by love. Amen.

*From the hymn, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

**Data from https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/annual/measure/Overall_a/state/OK see also https://www.kff.org/statedata/?state=OK

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.

Judgment of the Nations

Eastertide

April 22, 2022

Scripture Reading: Revelation 1:4-8

John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Look! He is coming with the clouds;
   every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
   and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail.
So it is to be. Amen.

‘I am the Alpha and the Omega’, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

I love this phrase particularly, To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom. Personally, I cannot hear enough that God loves us and freed us from our sins. The bold statement that we, you and I, and everyone else were created to be the populace of God’s kingdom is even more powerful.  Our challenge of being members of God’s kingdom is living into the perfection of God’s kingdom. At times we get it so right but at other times we pull against the grain and join those who work against a kingdom ruled by God’s love.

This summer I am going to explore the gospels particularly the Sermon on the Mount and Matthew 25 paying special attention to verses 31-46 titled in my Bible, The Judgement of the Nations. We are blessed to live in a country established of the people, by the people, for the people. I am a strong believer in the separation of church and state, but I am also a strong advocate of all the people’s best interests being the priority of our government, not just the interest of the principalities and powers. Jesus identifies the most basic needs of the people in Matthew 25 and says we and the nations will be judged by whether these priorities are met. Yet many of our leaders invest most of their time and our tax dollars trying to divide and conquer us by distracting us with issues that do not impact our lives when they should be searching for common grounds to provide for the Common Good which is fundamentally the purpose of any government. You are invited to join me in this search for how Jesus defines the Common Good.

Prayer: Lord, guide us in our decision-making as we choose the leaders of all our various levels of governance.  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.

A New Thing

Lent

March 28, 2022

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 43:16-21

Thus says the Lord,
   who makes a way in the sea,
   a path in the mighty waters,
who brings out chariot and horse,
   army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
   they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
Do not remember the former things,
  or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing;
   now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
   and rivers in the desert.
The wild animals will honor me,
   the jackals and the ostriches;
for I give water in the wilderness,
   rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
   the people whom I formed for myself
so that they might declare my praise.

Over the past few years, I have had a sense that we are living in a time that is as consequential as the Reformation, the Renaissance, or the Industrial Revolution all woven together. Religion is in chaos, digital communication surpasses the printing press, and travel has made the world more accessible. How we deal with such change will pave our path for the future. Where is our faith amid such change? How do we discern God’s way in the anger and divisiveness that flows through our systems of faith, government, and culture?

Isaiah tells us in 700 BCE that God is about to do a new thing in us, and God still is today. God will not rest until God’s Kingdom is fulfilled and neither should we.

Prayer: Here we are open to doing whatever you call us to do as we work toward the actualization of your Kingdom on earth, show us the way, and help us follow your path. 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.

Send Me

Ordinary Time

February 16, 2022

Scripture Reading:
Psalm 37:1-11, 39-40

Do not fret because of the wicked;
   do not be envious of wrongdoers,
for they will soon fade like the grass,
   and wither like the green herb.

Trust in the Lord, and do good;
   so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.
Take delight in the Lord,
   and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;
   trust in him, and he will act.
He will make your vindication shine like the light,
   and the justice of your cause like the noonday.

Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him;
   do not fret over those who prosper in their way,
   over those who carry out evil devices.

Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath.
   Do not fret—it leads only to evil.
For the wicked shall be cut off,
   but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more;
   though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there.
But the meek shall inherit the land,
   and delight in abundant prosperity.

The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
   he is their refuge in the time of trouble.
The Lord helps them and rescues them;
   he rescues them from the wicked, and saves them,
   because they take refuge in him.

I usually do not quote some longer scriptures like the one above. Rather I pick out the key verses that catch my attention. This morning as I read this scripture, I thought the whole world needs to read this as we seem caught in the chaos of fear and anger regarding the COVID pandemic, warmongers rattling their swords, greed, and lust for power running amok, and people, in general, trying to make sense of our changing world. Indeed, I believe we are at a crossroads of either getting stuck in our own mud and floundering or turning to God and saying Here am I send me with the same trembling voice of Isaiah as God calls us to partner with God to bring about the fruition of God’s Kingdom on this earth. Let it be so.

Prayer: Lord, free us from whatever holds up back from answering your call to service. Guide us through these troubled seas and bring us safely to your promised 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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Make Me a Blessing

Ordinary Times

January 21, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Romans 12:9-21

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ No, ‘if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. –Romans 12:9-21

To bless means to confer what is beneficial*. Confer means 1) to hold conversation or conference now typically on important, difficult, or complex matters: to compare views: to take counsel,  2) to grant or bestow (something) from or as if from a position of authority, 3) to give or yield (a property, characteristic, or quality, especially an advantageous one) to someone or something**.

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
   and all that is within me,
   bless his holy name. (Psalm 103:1)

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them (Romans 12:14a)

While it may seem contradictory in terms, God calls us both to bless the Lord and bless those who persecute us. They are not contradictory. When we do what is beneficial for others, we benefit God. Behaving in such a manner is a habit we must cultivate requiring us to see others as Christ would see them through the pain and fears that are causing them to persecute. How can we turn a negative encounter with another into something that dispels their vulnerabilities and moves them a step closer to wholeness without damaging them further and without compromising what is just and merciful? Maintaining a close relationship with God and staying in tune with the Holy Spirit are the drivers of our ability to be a blessing to others. It is in God’s blessings including those sent through us and others, that the Kingdom of God will be realized.

Prayer: Lord, strengthen each of your servants to be a blessing especially when it is the very last thing we want to do. Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/greek/2127.htm

** https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/confer

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.

Oneness not Sameness

Christmastide

December 29, 2021

Scripture Reading:
Psalm 147:12-20

Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
   Praise your God, O Zion!
For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
   he blesses your children within you.
He grants peace within your borders;
   he fills you with the finest of wheat.
He sends out his command to the Earth;
   his word runs swiftly.
He gives snow like wool;
   he scatters frost like ashes.
He hurls down hail like crumbs—
   who can stand before his cold?
He sends out his word, and melts them;
   he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow.
He declares his word to Jacob,
   his statutes and ordinances to Israel.
He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
   they do not know his ordinances.
Praise the Lord!

I learned the word ethnocentric in my first semester of college Sociology 103 course. The Greek word ethnos means “nation” or “people.” So, ethnocentricity shows itself in a lack of respect for other ways of life, and an ethnocentric person feels that his or her own nation or group is the cultural center of the world*. The above Psalm reeks with ethnocentricity from gated communities to expecting all who enter our nation must know and follow our laws. The challenge for those of us who live in the United States is that we are an amalgamation of every nation in the world to lesser and greater degrees. I was amazed the first year I lived in Colorado. I went to buy black-eyed peas for New Year’s dinner only to find out, I thought, they were sold out. When I inquired if there were any in the back, they assured me they did not stock them at all. What kind of year do they have if they do not eat black-eyed peas on New Year’s day?

I know that this is heresy for some, but I do not accept either the Doctrine of Discovery or Manifest Destiny as carried out in our country. God may well have allowed us to develop to demonstrate for the world that people can live together in diversity, even learn from each other’s traditions and values. Sameness is not Christ’s Oneness. The people of the United States need to take this role very seriously, for it is a fundamental value of God’s Kingdom on Earth.

Prayer: Gracious God, forgive us when we presume superiority, shine your light on our relationships with others so we can see how your Oneness works and strive to follow it. Amen.

* https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethnocentric

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.