Tag Archives: Love

Absolutes

Living in the Spirit

September 17, 2022

Scripture Reading:
John 3:13-17
No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

I do not remember when I memorized John 3:16. My guess is before I could read. The words written above were not the words I memorized. Mine came from the King James translation: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. When reading the above translation, I got stuck on the word “may”. It seemed to make a less powerful statement than should, but I think the original leans more toward the word “shall”, not present in either translation. Shall is an absolute word.

Indeed, we must be very careful when we use absolute words. We are hearing a lot of them in this election system in promises to keep and in defining the worth of an opponent. I hate all the emails and texts I am not getting asking me if I approve of a specified candidate. Ask me if I agree with a candidate’s stance on issues. I do not even know what they mean when they ask if I approve of the office seeker.

I trust the absolute nature of a loving God whose word is a lamp unto my feet and a light into my path (Psalm 119:105). And I do trust that everyone who believes in Jesus Christ shall not perish but shall have eternal life.

Prayer: Lord, help us remember that where humans may fail you never will. 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.

Choosing the Right Road

Kingdom Building

November 2, 2019

Scripture Reading: Luke 19:1-10

He entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax-collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. –Luke 19:1-4

What is in it for me?  Zacchaeus worked at being a shrewd businessman. He had risen to the level of chief tax collector and was rich. My guess is that he always had his eyes opened for the next best way to make money. I cannot help but think the popularity of this man called Jesus was just another potential scheme to work. Of course, I may be misjudging Zacchaeus. I think we all were created with the potential to be drawn to God and even behind the lust for riches, Zacchaeus was wondering is this all there is?

Our world seems to be tilting toward being drawn in search of what is in it for me. As followers of Christ we are called to draw forth the search for as M. Scott Peck* would say, echoing Robert Frost**, The Road Less Traveled finding a richer and fuller life through the practice of discipline and acts of love.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference**.

Prayer: Lord, grant us the courage to seek and find the road less traveled. Amen.

*See The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck, Arrow Books (1978;1992)
**See The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost at https://www.sparknotes.com/poetry/frost/section7/

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.

Faith and Wholeness

Kingdom Building

October 5, 2019

Scripture Reading: Luke 17:5-10

The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ The Lord replied, ‘If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea”, and it would obey you. –Luke 17:5-6

I think Jesus is saying either we have faith, or we do not. The problem with faith is not whether we can proclaim it; that is easy enough. The problem with faith is whether we can live it. How do we separate the ways of the world from the ways of faith and follow where faith guides us?

Faith (4102/pistis) is always a gift from God, and never something that can be produced by people*. Just as love is not something we can earn; faith is a gift from God granted to all. Our challenge is to accept this awesome gift. The world “awe” perhaps has lost some of its potency over the years, but its meaning spans the dichotomy of   terrific, extraordinary and dreadful, awful. Tears came to my eyes a few days ago when I watched a three-year-old immigrant from Central America be reunited with his father after being separated from his dad at the border. It took some weeks for the confusion that caused the separation to be cleared. Finally, they were reunited, and the little boy pushed away and turned his head from his father screaming. His trust system had been violated and it took some time for trust to be re-established. Love eventually won. My guess, he will be sensitive to his father’s normal absences for some time to come. When we experience trust as a negative, it impacts our future abilities to trust others and to have faith in God.  While none of us can ever be perfect we need to work at perfecting both faith and love.

Learning and growing in faith with God transcends human experience. God’s gift of faith is always available. Trusting in God can heal souls damaged by the failures of humans.

There is a balm in Gilead
to make the wounded whole,
there is a balm in Gilead
to heal the sin-sick soul**.

Prayer: God of Love, we live in a world that seems to be growing more and more distrustful. Heal our sin-sick souls. Make us whole; make us one. Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/greek/4102.htm

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.

Belonging to the Truth

Living in the Spirit
November 25, 2018

Scripture Reading: John 18:33-37
Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’ Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’ Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’

There are no borders in the Kingdom of God. It is a singular, diverse society welcoming to all. Some of our founders foresaw that vision for the USA. As I drive down the street passing a Mexican restaurant here and an East Indian one across the street, I can see glimpses of that vision. I was somewhat surprised the first time I ate authentic Mexican food and realized what I had been eating was similar but not the same. It was changed by the ingredients that were available and the taste desires of the community in which it was being served. Does finding common cultural ground make us better through our sharing or do we dilute heritages? Is there one better way of being human? What is the lowest common denominator shared by all people that is the sinew holding all God’s children together as one while allowing each to fulfill his or her potential and being respected for who he or she is and who he or she is becoming? What does it mean to belong to the truth?

In his study on the book of John, N. T. Wright talks about the ancient’s idea of heaven and earth varying from ours today.  Our ancestors in faith viewed heaven not as someplace off somewhere but as intersecting with the earth particularly in the tabernacle in the Holy of Holies. Wright sees Jesus as serving at the crossroads of that connection linking us through the love of God to one another. When we share in that love with Jesus Christ, we are enabled to share the love with others. Maintaining that connection is vital.

Prayer: Lord, you said that you are the vine and we are the branches, nourish us so that we can grow in spirit and in truth as we work toward the oneness you envisioned. 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 Love?

Living in the Spirit
September 14, 2018

Scripture Reading: James 3:1-12

How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh. –James 3:5b-12

The scripture above was, of course, written before the advent of social media where tweets and posts of all shorts can easily do good as well as harm to millions of people in 250 words or less. Thirty-second sound bites on radio and TV accomplish the same thing. Such voices are bolstered by pictures, perhaps doctored, and other digital devices designed to manipulate our thinking, casting stones at some, raising others to lofty heights undeserved. How do we discern truth in such a world as this?

There are several websites solely dedicated to fact-checking words and that is important, but facts do not encompass the whole of truth. The question we must add regarding all information transmitted to us regarding our relationships with others is: Does it pass the test of love? If it does not pass the test of love it is not of God. This question forces us to delve deeply into discerning what love really is. We toss the word around rather loosely in our society. We say we love chocolate and bright sunny days and traveling the world when we mean that we really enjoy these things. The Greeks had at least three words for love all regarding relationships with God or other people. I like M. Scott Peck’s definition of love: wanting the very best for another. It is predicated on the idea though that we are not responsible for determining what is right for another. God determines what is righteous. We must discern our own righteousness from our relationship with God as do all other people. We can journey with each other as we strive for God’s righteousness.

Prayer: Teach us to love as you would have us, 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.

Accepting Grace

Living in the Spirit
June 22, 2018

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 6:1-13

As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says,
‘At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
   and on a day of salvation I have helped you.’
See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way:

 We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours. In return—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also.
–2 Corinthians 6:1-4a, 11-13

Grace in both the Greek and Hebrew refers to God freely extending Godself reaching (inclining) to people because God is disposed to bless (be near) them*.

We celebrate the gift of God’s grace, but have we ever explored why it was given? If we accept the grace of God, what does it mean to do so in vain: empty, void, hence, worthless (“null”), amounting to zero (of no value or profit) **?

My pastor’s preschool-aged son made him a paper tie for Father’s Day which he proudly wore over his regular tie and called the congregation’s attention to it. It was cute but that did not really matter. What mattered was the recognition by a child of his father’s love, which was going to be their unconditionally, but which is far richer for both the father and the son when it is reciprocated. When we shun God’s desire to be near us, we render God’s gift of grace as worthless.

We live in a time of great dis-ease never knowing what the next news report will bring. Our society seems to be spiraling out of control and leaders nor followers seem able to remove themselves from the force of the spiral. This force is not of God. Paul assures us that there are no real obstacles. Now is the acceptable time for us to recognize the nearness of God and grab hold of God’s grace not turn our backs on it. We may be in for a rough ride, but our driver is unconditionally dependable.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we get caught up in the madness of our world and forget that you are near and with your love intact, we can face anything. Amen.

*http://biblehub.com/greek/5485.htm
**http://biblehub.com/greek/2756.htm

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.

Hearing The Call

Eastertide
April 23, 2018

Scripture Reading: Acts 8:26-40

Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Get up and go towards the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ (This is a wilderness road.) So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go over to this chariot and join it.’ So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ He replied, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:
‘Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
   and like a lamb silent before its shearer,
     so he does not open his mouth.
 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
   Who can describe his generation?
     For his life is taken away from the earth.’ –Acts 8:26-33

Are we open to being led by the Spirit? How do we discern the Spirit from other voices whispering in our minds and hearts? My pat answer is that if we are called to do something that is not an act of love it is not of God. In our world where the word love is tossed around loosely regarding everything from our sneakers to ice cream, it is hard to identify what love is. More particularly we sometimes get caught up in identifying lust and greed with love. The prosperity gospel has a whole theology supporting that effort. Women and men end up in dire circumstances having been led astray by a pledge of love that had nothing to do with love.

1 Corinthians 13 provides the best faith-related definition of love that I know.

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (verses 4-7)

Greed an lust never have these traits continuously. Evil cannot remain evil if it adopts these behaviors.

Prayer: Lord, help me to love as described in 1 Corinthians 13 and guide me in discerning your call to serve based on the measure of your love in the response needed. 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.

Who Was This Man Jesus?

Lent
March 21, 2018

 Scripture Reading: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
   We bless you from the house of the Lord.
The Lord is God,
   and he has given us light.
Bind the festal procession with branches,
   up to the horns of the altar. 

You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
   you are my God, I will extol you. 

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
   for his steadfast love endures forever. –Psalm 118:26-29

Being a crowd favorite is hard. Always being recognized, having your every word noted, having people pushing in to get even a touch of your clothing. As heady as it may be, it must get old at times. I have always thought Jesus saw the innocence of it as well as the irony. Perhaps that is why he rode a lowly donkey on his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. His fans reached back into their history and pulled forth the words of this Psalm to welcome him. Did they think they were welcoming a savior like the mighty King David returning from battle? As far as I know, Jesus never dressed the part of a soldier, never gave robust speeches calling followers to arms. Did they view him as a politician someone who could outsmart Pontius Pilate? Or was he truly the Messiah? What do you suppose was in the hearts and minds of those who waved palms and cried out: Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord? I am confident that most had no idea what was coming next. Even his disciples who he had warned were not prepared.

Who is this man called Jesus to you? What kind of Savior is he? Role model, teacher, friend, healer, comforter are some possibilities. Today, I leave you with the second verse of Charles Wesley’s hymn, Jesus, Lover of my Soul to ponder as you envision what Jesus means to you:

Other refuge have I none;
Hangs my helpless soul on thee.
Leave, oh, leave me not alone;
Still support and comfort me.
All my trust on thee is stayed;
All my help from thee I bring.
Cover my defenseless head*

 Prayer: Jesus, Lover of My Soul, guide me to love like you. Amen.

*See at https://www.lds.org/music/library/hymns/jesus-lover-of-my-soul?lang=eng&_r=1

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.

Choose Love

Christmas
January 3, 2019

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 1:1-4, (5-12)

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. –Hebrews 1:1-4

The start of a new year is a great time to consider the purification of sins. In the tradition of animal sacrifice for sin forgiveness routine offerings needed to be made of various types. What God did for God’s children through Christ is offer one purification process: asking for and accepting Christ’s forgiveness.  As humans with free will, however, that first forgiveness cleansed us of the sin we had committed along with the promise that such forgiveness is ours for the asking and repentance forever, but it did not render us incapable of sin. Thus, in our continuing relationship with God, we review our lives, identify instances when we have missed the mark or separated ourselves from God through our behavior, and repent asking for forgiveness as needed.

I have a hunch God wants us to love God and love one another through our free will. If free will were taken away from us, we would lose the ability to sin but also the ability to choose to love. The ability to love is a great gift for which Jesus was willing to sacrifice his life. We must never take it for granted.

We live in a world where some seem to get, I do not the word to describe it, fulfillment maybe, out of hate or greed or lust for power rather than love. Seeking fulfillment from such lesser gods rob robs us the true wholeness that only comes from God’s pure love.

Prayer: Lord, as we start a new year purify me of my sins, awaken me to see clearly the lesser gods I pursue an lead to let them go for the sake of true 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.

Obedience of Faith

Advent
December 22, 2017

Scripture Reading: Romans 16:25-27
Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.

And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’ He said to them, ‘Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there”, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.’’—Matthew 17:18-20

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. –Hebrews 11:1

What does Paul mean by the obedience of faith in the Romans scripture above? Other meanings of the Greek word, hupakoé, translated obedience here are submissiveness and compliance. We are not only called to have faith but are called to live our faith every moment of every day.

We may say in the current world’s chaos that we know God will take care of us, or perhaps note he will win out in the end, but Christ asks us what are we doing about changing the world into a Kingdom ruled by love, ruled by God, right now? Even tiny steps toward wholeness, oneness, and justice make a big difference, if not for others perhaps for ourselves.

This was my church’s week to serve dinner on Monday at a church geared for people living on the street. My family is coming to my house to celebrate Christmas on Saturday. My work as part of the team preparing and serving this meal was solely an act of obedience. We had committed in the summer to serve this week and knew we would all be very busy. We served the easiest but best meal we could prepare.

During the worship, service participants are encouraged to witness something of hope happening in their lives. No one responded for a few minutes finally one man said he was celebrating his eighth year of sobriety that day. A short time later a woman reported after being released from jail a few weeks earlier she found herself homeless with no income. She now has an apartment and a part-time job with the help of the staff of the church and other local services. Finally, one young woman indicated that her drug tests were clean for the past three months and thus she was going to be allowed to see her seven-year-old daughter who was removed from her care some years ago. My hope and faith were renewed as I joined with the Whole congregation in praising God for these miracles of faith.

Prayer: Lord, make us instruments of your peace and love and hope and faith. Amen.

*http://biblehub.com/greek/5218.htm

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.