Tag Archives: Love

Merciful Justice

hateEpiphany
Celebration of God
Manifested in the World
January 14, 2015

 

Scripture Reading: Psalm 139: 1-6, 13-18

O that you would kill the wicked, O God,
   and that the bloodthirsty would depart from me—
those who speak of you maliciously,
   and lift themselves up against you for evil!
Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?
   And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
I hate them with perfect hatred;
   I count them my enemies.  — Psalm 139:19-22

Psalm 139 is one of my favorites. It reminds me of God’s vigilance for each and all of God’s children including me. It makes me feel good until I get to verses 19-22 quoted above. Why did the author have to stick those verses into my meditation?

The word hate or hatred is defined by Merriam Webster as a general attitude of prejudiced hostility :  group animosity.* I suppose the author of this Psalm wanted us to each remember that even with the attentiveness of God to our care and guidance we are still capable of hatred. It probably starts with hating those parts of ourselves that we know are not a part of God’s plan. Our hatred can then blossom into exaggerated surveillance of others to see where they too may be missing the mark. We may search out likeminded disciples to coalesce our hatreds and even give them the credence of community so that what we hate together becomes a self-defined righteousness. When our cup runs over with self-righteousness, there is little if any room left for God’s justice and righteousness.

I for one do not believe we can ever hate the sin but not the sinner. God calls us to all inclusive love that Merriam Webster defines as unselfish and benevolent concern for the good of others**. All of us stand in need of the healing of our souls at one time or another and the balm for that healing is always love, God’s love and our love for each other.

Prayer: Lord, overcome us with your merciful love so that we can live and model your merciful justice. Amen.

*http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/hatred
**http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/love

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.

 

Magnifying Love

magnificatAdvent
December 17, 2014

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:46b-55

 And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
   and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
   Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
   and holy is his name.
 His mercy is for those who fear him
   from generation to generation. — 1:46-50

Mary’s song, named the Magnificat, has been set to music by many composers from 17th century, Claudio Monteverdi to 18th century Bach, and 20th century John Rutter. It follows Luke’s theme of Christ’s ministry for the oppressed. One of the earliest songs or hymns of the church, it speaks to the heart of our call to love.

Mary identified her too-early pregnancy as the means of magnifying God. How do we magnify God? How do our lives open the eyes of others to the love of God? When I think back on the people who have impacted my life, I remember all those teachers who probably have not a clue how much their belief in me gave me strength throughout my life. Most of them I knew for only a year or so. The wisdom I gained from caring for patients in nursing homes not only from their words but from their total vulnerability wrapped in trust that all would be well. There are also many clients with whom I worked, where technically I was the one who was supposed to be helping them, but they magnified the love of God for me as they faced impossibly difficult life situations with dignity and peace.

I don’t think we can set a goal of magnifying God. Like with Mary any insight of our magnifying God comes in hindsight. We are called to love in all that we say and do and at the right time and right place our love will glow with God’s love and the people whose lives we touch may get a small glimpse of God.

Prayer: Lord, help me to live a life worthy of magnifying 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 American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

FigsAdvent
November 30, 2014

Scripture Reading: Mark 13:24-37

‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. — Mark 13:28-31

I ate my first fresh fig ever this summer while touring Turkey and thought of Jesus’ lesson of the fig tree. Our tour bus pulled over next to a farmer’s fruit and vegetable stand by the side of the road. The farmer knew we were coming for he had already set aside more than enough figs for our group to each get one or two. It was delicious.

I recently volunteered to bring a fruit plate for the after-church reception we have each year on the first Sunday of Advent following our Hanging of the Green service. I looked for fresh figs but in Oklahoma in late November, I did not find any fresh figs so I got dried ones. I wanted others to experience the taste of new fruit, but I realized that the dried figs, like Christ’s words are just as nurturing and always available.

It is hard to know how to mark the church year in the midst of now Gray Thursday, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. I know it is important that our economy and all of the economies of the world remain stable so that all peoples can thrive. We have a long way to go in realizing such abundance throughout the world and a long way to go in setting our own houses in order regarding material wealth. It is, thus, important for us to remember that those things do pass away but the love of God through Jesus Christ never ends.

Prayer: Order our lives, O Lord, during this Advent season so that our love for you drives all that we are and do. 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.

 

Helpless

Fruits of the SpiritAdvent
November 27, 2014

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. — 1 Corinthians 1:3-7

It is appropriate that on this Thanksgiving Day in the United States of America the lectionary provides us with Paul’s oft used salutation, I give thanks to my God always for you…so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. As I write this, yesterday Ferguson, Missouri was rent asunder in anger and frustration following a Missouri Grand Jury decision that there was no probable cause to indict the policeman who killed a young black man accused of stealing a handful of cigars. Today, I do not feel anyone should be thankful for me as I feel so terribly helpless to respond.

While, I am sure, there will never be consensus on what actually happened in Ferguson a couple of months ago, I am sure that an indictment was issued by God yesterday in Ferguson against this entire great nation and all our people. This indictment found more than probable cause to show that we are a broken nation torn apart by hunger for power and greed fueled by fear. We have lost sight of the fact that our most valuable resource is our wonderfully diverse people all blessed by our creator with gifts of which all are necessary for our country to thrive. It is our job as citizens to remove any barriers to the fruition of each of those gifts being fully realized.

It is our job as Christians to follow the example of Jesus Christ in living our love of God fully among all peoples, welcoming all people as our neighbors, and loving our neighbors as we love ourselves. And whether we feel like it today or not, God has already equipped us to do that very job through the gifts of the Spirit in each of our lives and in our combined lives as the Body of Christ in the world today and for that let us all be thankful and let it be so.

Prayer: Lord forgive us for feeling so inadequate to respond in such a time as this. Please turn our inadequacies into inspiration for finding your way, your truth, and your life in each step we take over the coming months toward wholeness, oneness, and justice. 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.

Faith, Love, and Hope

suicideRatesByAgeLiving in the Spirit
November 14, 2014

Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.
— 1 Thessalonians 5:8-11

I heard a radio interview with one of our wounded warriors this week in which he spoke of despair and a close-call with suicide, one of the leading causes of death among returning soldiers in the USA. The chart above illustrates that except for the very young, suicide is no respecter of ages. The young veteran went on to say that with the help of other soldiers, he had gotten his act together. Putting a serious drinking problem in its place, he has been sober for over a year now. With God’s help, he will continue to keep his sobriety one day at a time. It is not easy, but being a soldier was not easy either.

This all ran together for me as I considered Paul’s analogy of putting on the armor of faith, love, and hope with this young man’s interview as background. Indeed, what I heard in his voice was exactly that: faith, love, and hope. He found faith in himself through the supportive love of fellow soldiers and gained hope for the future.

We have been given a precious gift in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. A gift we may take for granted at times, but a gift too valuable to hold tight to ourselves and not share with others. In having the courage to tell his story, this young veteran probably saved someone else’s life. I know he gave me a greater sense of faith, love, and hope.

Prayer: God of faith, deepen our faith
               so we may bear witness to Christ in the world;
              God of hope, strengthen our hope
              so we may be signposts to your transforming presence;
              God of love, kindle our love
              so that, in a fragile and divided world,
             we may be signs of the faith, hope, love
             which we share in Jesus Christ. Amen**

*The chart above was copied from https://www.afsp.org/understanding-suicide/facts-and-figures
**Bishop Christopher’s Call to Mission, http://www.southwark.anglican.org/FaithHopeLove/fhl-prayer

 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.

 

Does God Know You?

God knows YOuLiving in the Spirit
November 9, 2014

Scripture Reading: Matthew 25:1-13

But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.” Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. –Matthew 25:12-13

This quote from scripture is probably the saddest words we could ever hear. God created each of us, knew every atom in our being from our start, and sent us forth into the world with the freedom to take advantage of the talents and skills God invested in us for good or evil, or not use them at all. So, how is it that we could reach a point in life when God could truly say I do not know you? The best definition of sin with which I can identify is that sin is being separated from God whether on purpose or by neglect.

We, who call ourselves Christian, try really hard to define sin as behaviors, most often someone else’s, or specific beliefs that do not pass our judgment of what it means to follow Christ or live a moral life. Indeed, there is no question that Jesus called on us to love one another and share our experiences and knowledge of God with others. He never said we got to select the ones we are to love by their behaviors or cram what we believe down another’s throat. In fact, it seems to me we may have created some role reversal in our attempt to make disciples. We somehow turned that into a theme of advancing personal salvation based on our standards when it was God all along who longed for a personal relationship with each of God’s children and we were actually called to be a community of faith, helping each other grow and flourish in the all-inclusive family of God.

I walked into my mother’s room and took her hand as she lay in her hospital bed. She smiled at me and said, “Marilynn is coming to see me today.” In fact, I was the one who told her that just a few days earlier. I replied, “Mom, I am Marilynn.” She studied me hard and finally said, “No you are not; you are too old.” I said, “I am sorry to have to tell you this but you have a daughter that is as old as me.” She looked again, and kind of grinned, while she had not recognized this old woman setting in front of her, she knew that personality. God wants us to live our lives in such a way that although we may have white hair and wrinkles, when God sees our hearts, God can say, “Welcome home my child.”

Prayer: Just a closer walk with Thee,
              Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
              Daily walking close to Thee,
              Let it be, dear Lord, let it be. Amen.

* http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Just_a_Closer_Walk_with_Thee/

 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.

 

Christian Nation or Not

Reflecting GodLiving in the Spirit
October 28, 2014

Scripture Reading: Joshua 3:7-17

While all Israel were crossing over on dry ground, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, until the entire nation finished crossing over the Jordan. — Joshua 3:17

When our hearts and minds are in sync with God, amazing things can happen. When entire nations’ hearts and minds are in sync with God, amazing things can happen, also. There has been much debate recently about whether the United States of America is a Christian nation. I really do not know what that means. Does it mean that if we took a vote on what kind of nation we are, those who identify themselves as Christians won or lost? Voting outcomes do not mean much in our country anymore. Less than half the eligible voters actually even vote in most elections. We are a democracy, so being a Christian nation surely does not mean that people of other faiths or no faith at all have no say in our system of government. Does being a Christian nation mean that as a nation we reflect the values of Jesus Christ? We cannot agree on what those values are among the various churches that identify as Christian. How could we expect a nation as diverse as ours to identify its values in that chaos?

On the other hand, if all people are created by one God then surely we have the capacity for creating the common good, the purpose of government, in the midst of our diversity. If we, as individuals, are each striving to be in sync with God then shouldn’t that shine forth from our governmental system whether we intend for it to or not? What I see happening in the USA today is government at all levels placing too much emphasis on what can only be classified as personal behavior. I do have faith that I will have to account to God at some point for being out of sync regarding my personal behaviors as will we all, but my government is not accountable for my personal behaviors unless they impinge on the rights of others. Thus, citizens have the right to smoke all they want but they cannot do it in places where others will reap its dangerous results. The first is a privacy issues the second is about the common good and justice. However, our failure to provide for the common good is often the result of the common sins from which most of us can be found guilty at one time or another: greed and miss use of power. I haven’t seen legislation about either of those recently?

Our country was founded on the basis of freedom of religion. This is a precious right that we should never take for granted. It does not mean that our faith should not shape how we vote. It also does not mean that our vote should take away the freedom of religion of another person. Jesus never, ever instructed us to force anyone to follow him or to behave in any way that does not embody love. It is not important whether we identify ourselves as a Christian nation. What matters is whether God does and God judges by our love, our justice, and our humility.

 

Prayer: O Lord, help us be protector of justice and purveyors of love as we fulfill our civic responsibly. 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.

 

The Way of God

Way of GodLiving in the Spirit
Light a Candle for Children
October 18, 2014

 Scripture Reading: Matthew 22:15-22

 Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality.— Matthew 22:15-16

I like to call the Pharisees and the other from the temple that continuously challenged Jesus the “religious leaders”. Although the stories recorded in the Gospels refer to the Jewish leaders, I think the moral lessons these stories bring to us refer to “religious leaders” of all ilk, including those of us who call ourselves Christian. The interesting thing about our story today is it starts with the Pharisees basically recognizing that what Jesus lived and taught was the way of God. Isn’t that interesting?

Reading on you will see that these religious leaders apparently thought Jesus was naïve to the ways of the world and that life was a whole lot more complicated than his simple message of showing deference to no one could address. These Jewish people had to deal with the big bad Romans. Little did they know that three hundred years later those big bad Romans would be having to deal with the influence of those who then called themselves Christians.

Power and greed, evil of all sorts, have existed since the beginning of the world. We do battle with them on every step of our journey on the way of God. Faith groups throughout history, too, have gotten caught up in them. Jesus said the way was simple; he never said it would be easy. He did say, if we choose to follow it, we will never be alone.

 Oklahoma Fact: 35,000 Children or 3% were affected by foreclosure from 2007-2009*

Prayer: Lord, we know your way is the better way, give us the courage to live it every day. Amen

http://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/6520-children-affected-by-foreclosure-since-2007?loc=38&loct=2#detailed/2/38/false/757/any/13486,13487

 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.

 

Love is an Obligation

choose-loveLiving in the Spirit
September 4, 2014

 Scripture Reading: Romans 13:8-14

 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet’; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. —Romans 13:8-10

What is a debt? According to Merriam-Webster*, a debt is a neglect or violation of duty. Think fault, sin, or trespass. This is the meaning that is used in the Lord’s Prayer in some translations. We probably most often think of the word “debt” in association with money or barter. It is something that one person is bound to pay to another or perform for his or her benefit an obligation. A debt is something we owe.

Paul is saying the only thing we owe to anyone is to love them. The bank that holds our mortgages might take umbrage with that statement. Paul would respond that fulfilling an obligation is love. In my book Houses Divided, I spend some time talking about what love is because I think we have love all mixed up with emotions and our lack of understanding about what love is thus becomes a source of division.  If we want the very best for another no matter what the consequences are for us, we love them. Parents demonstrate this everyday as they strive to nurture a child to become self-reliant, knowing full well that at some point that child will leave home and begin a separate life with perhaps children of their own. Jesus demonstrated the fullness of his love for us by going to the cross.

I perhaps hammer on intentionality too much because it is so important. We need to own our own behaviors. The way we don’t commit adultery is to intentionally remember the obligation to our spouse. The way we do not commit murder is to intentionally remember that no matter how angry or hurt or frightened we may be the target of our emotions is also a child of God and we have made an obligation to God to love them as much as we love ourselves. In extreme circumstances, that is the basis of self-defense, but only after all other options for safety have been attempted. The rule of being intentional in our application of love plays out in all the other commandments.

Prayer: Your intentional love of me, O Lord, sustains me and gives me the strength to love intentionally also. Forgive me for the times I fail to love as you would have me love. Amen.

*http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/debt

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.

Death be not proud

Death be not proudLiving in the Spirit
September 2, 2014

 

Scripture Reading: Exodus 12:1-14

 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. — Exodus 12:12

A truck transporting a boxcar sized container hit a too-low bridge knocking the container off onto a pickup truck whose driver was killed instantly. A doctor doing his life’s work in Africa contracts the deadly Ebola virus and dies. A plague moves over Egypt killing all the first born even among the animal. John Donne perhaps said it best in his Holy Sonnets: Death, be not proud

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.
Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell’st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.

Good or evil, we all face the same reality of death and the same uncertainty of time and circumstance. Those of us who call ourselves Christian face it with a different perspective than those without a relationship with God. For we know that our redeemer lives even though he died on a cross. It disturbs me to think that God would kill all those Egyptians even though they had ample opportunity to free the Israelites and did not. I certainly do not believe that God wants the children of Gaza or Israel to die in onslaughts of mortars and missiles or for that matter the children of Syria or Ukraine or anyplace else. I do know that God wants us to do all that we can to introduce the entire world to his ways of love and to live those ways ourselves. When Love ultimately rules, death will die.

Prayer: Lord make us instruments of 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 American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.