Tag Archives: Loving like God

For What Are We Made?

Lent

March 14, 2023

Scripture Reading:

1 Samuel 16:1-13

When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.’ But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’ Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The Lord has not chosen any of these.’ Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Are all your sons here?’ And he said, ‘There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.’ He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, ‘Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.’ Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah. –1 Samuel 16:6-13

The Hebrew word heart used above is the translation of the Hebrew word “lebab” which has a broader, more encompassing meaning than people in the modern area might consider in describing the word heart. Lebad describes the entire person, including mind, will, and heart*.  We might today think of David as being a person with the right stuff to get the job done; perhaps we would see him as wise, tenacious, and caring about people.

The Bible indicates that God searches for the right person to do a job and then sends the Spirit of the Lord to come upon that person and guide their work—Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Deborah, and even David’s great-grandmother, Ruth. And while we may never make the annals of history like these examples, I believe God calls us all to do jobs that only we can do and provides the spirit’s support to make it happen, if we open our hearts to God’s service.

Prayer: Lord, help us claim our job and work to perfect our delivery of it with the help of your Spirit. Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/hebrew/3824.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.

Love is God’s Strength and Glory

Christmastide

January 4, 2023

Scripture Reading: Psalm 29

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
   ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
   worship the Lord in holy splendor.

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
   the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
May the Lord give strength to his people!
   May the Lord bless his people with peace! –Psalm 29:1-2, 10-11

I think this scripture is simply trying to say: give God, God’s due. We need to recognize God’s strength and glory. Ascribe is a rather formal word in the English language. While it may be technically correct, I fear it loses some of the majesty (?) of the message the Psalmist is trying to describe. The paintings on the Sistine Chapel ceiling are ascribed to Michelangelo, but that acknowledgment does not get the point across regarding the wonder of his work. The verses between the two segments quoted above describe varied examples of God’s power on nature—fire, floods, and trees being swirled about. If we accept God’s strength and glory, we are prepared to face whatever challenges we may face.

One of my favorite songs as a child was It Is No Secret What God Can Do which seems to carry the same message but perhaps more subtly describing that God’s strength and glory are in God’s love.

The chimes of time ring out the news
Another day is through
Someone slipped and fell
Was that someone you?

… You may have longed for added strength
Your courage to renew
Do not be disheartened.
I have news for you

… It is no secret what God can do
What he has done for others
He’ll do for you
With arms wide open
He’ll pardon you
It is no secret what God can do

… There is no night, for in His light
You’ll never walk alone
You’ll always feel at home wherever you may roam
There is no power can conquer you
While God is on your side
Take Him at His promise
Don’t run away and hide

… It is no secret what God can do
What he has done for others
He’ll do for you
With arms wide open
He’ll pardon you
It is no secret what God can do…*

Prayer: Amen.

The song It is No Secret was written by Stuart Hamblen lyrics © Music Corp. Of America, Inc., Chappell Und Co Gmbh Co Kg

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.

Sharing Love

Advent

November 27, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Matthew 24:36-44
‘But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

Cliches abound regarding not being aware of the realities that impact our lives and the lives of others. “They buried their heads in the sand.” “They have blinders on.” “They see through rose-colored glasses.” The truth is that we often see what we want to see, which means we must broaden our outlook to see what the Lord wants us to see. Jesus saw the lepers as ones who needed healing; the people saw them as a group to avoid. Remember the story of the Good Samaritan; the priest avoided the man who lay injured on the side of the road; the Samaritan helped him. When Jesus taught the 5,000, the Disciples wanted to send them away to get food when it came time to eat. Jesus said you give them something to eat.

We are commanded to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. How much do we love ourselves? How much is our reaction to others driven by our lack of self-worth? How much of our view of ourselves is driven by worldly measures, not God’s? Why do we feel unworthy when we were created in the very image of God? Jesus cautions us in Matthew 7:5, You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.

One thing we can do each evening is to take the time to examine ourselves regarding our relationship with God. Where do we see God at work today? Where did we miss the mark? Each morning, we can consider our schedules, identify any activities that make us feel vulnerable, and invite the Holy Spirit to guide our responses in those situations. Also, we can identify something in our day that would allow us to share the love of God with others. I think we will find that the more we practice loving others as God loves them, we will strengthen our love for ourselves.

Prayer: Lord, open my eyes and heart to see ways to love others as I grow in recognizing that I am a person who can love like you. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Being the House of God

Living in the Spirit

October 19, 2022

Scripture Reading: Psalm 84:1-7

How lovely is your dwelling place,
   O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, indeed it faints
   for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy
   to the living God.

Even the sparrow finds a home,
   and the swallow a nest for herself,
   where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
   my King and my God.
Happy are those who live in your house,
   ever singing your praise. –Psalm 84:1-4

On a trip that had taken me to Switzerland, I climbed up a hill early in the morning to investigate a tiny church I had spotted on my walk. As I arrived at its entrance, I met a local woman who did not speak English but greeted me with a wonderful smile as she welcomed me with a sweeping hand motioning me to enter. The trip was a choir tour, and we had sung in some very beautiful European sanctuaries, small and large, ornate, and simple. This little sanctuary which could only seat maybe eight people was designed for prayer and meditation. I slipped into one of the little pews and felt a wonderful closeness to God. I do like the influence of places dedicated to God to encourage my communion with God, but I also now understand that we are all houses of God. Jeremiah speaks to God writing God’s laws on our hearts:

But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. –Jeremiah 31:33

It is humbling to think that our hearts are tiny chapels where God abides and enables our loving others as God loves us.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for planting the seeds of your love in our beings so that we may spread your love to the world. 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.

Love Dispels Greed

Living in the Spirit

September 18, 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.

As a people, we cannot seem to accept progress without growing greedy. Society appears to follow a pattern from the beginning of recorded history, to move from bad times like war, slavery, or famine, for example, to a short-lived state of Common Good, which transforms gradually into greed leading to war, slavery, or famine. How do we end this pattern? How do we learn to value the Common Good being better than greed while continuing progress?

The reference to Moses dealing with the serpents in the wilderness describes the Israelites being plagued by snakes and Moses’ interceding to solve the problem*.  Moses’ pattern involved a close and communal relationship with God. One in which he understood God as being all-powerful along with being accessible. Later in history, God went the extra mile in demonstrating accessibility by dwelling with humans as fully human while also being fully divine. God proved his love for us by the death of God’s human self, Jesus, being crucified on a cross for the good of all people.

We must, also, practice and build a close and communal relationship with God like Moses knew. A relationship that fosters God’s love overtaking anything that might be tempting about greed.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we stray from our relationship with you toward the idol of greed. Take us to the higher ground of love. Amen.

*See Numbers 21

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.

Satisfied

Living in the Spirit

September 16, 2022

Scripture Reading:

1 Corinthians 1:18-24
For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,
‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
   and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.
’Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

I just watched a short clip of a speech, a rant actually, with the speaker pounding his fist on the lectern. He was apparently speaking at a meeting of people who shared the view that white people are better than other people. The speaker was demanding that white people must take back control of our society. His speech was met with loud applause. He reminded me of films I have seen of Hitler making speeches. I also was reminded of the song titled A Satisfied Mind*, which describes the disappointment that having money does not provide life satisfaction, and neither does being white.

Social scientists have a word for this, ethnocentricity. It means characterized by or based on the attitude that one’s own group is superior**. We all have a touch of ethnocentricity. Having healthy self-esteem is important for everyone. Measuring our worth by comparing ourselves to anyone else is self-destructive. We each need to work at being the best person we can be and if we need to compete our best competitor is ourselves.

God created each human in God’s image, a spiritual core in our beings. God also created an interdependent world where to attain maximum satisfaction we must learn to work together and thrive through sharing all our talents and skills in one great beloved community described in the Bible as the Kingdom of God.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we get caught up in the values, we create ourselves rather than striving to live your values. Amen.

See lyrics of A Satisfied Mind at *https://www.google.com/search?q=who+wrote+a+satisfied+mind&rlz=1C1VDKB_enUS987US987&oq=Who+wrote+a+satisfied+mind&aqs=chrome.0.0i512j0i390l3.7893j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

**https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethnocentric#:~:text=Definition%20of%20ethnocentric,one’s%20own%20group%20is%20superior

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.

Love God First

Living in the Spirit

September 3, 2022

Scripture Reading: Luke 14:25-33

Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to them, ‘Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, “This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.” Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.

I wonder sometimes why translators pick the English word they want to use to help us understand the Hebrew or Greek language used in scripture. Hate is a very strong word, and I think that must have been what the translators were trying to portray, strength not despising someone. Jesus instructed us saying, ‘“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” That is strong language. (Matthew 22:37). The word miseó, translated here as hate, also means to love less or to esteem less. These definitions fit nicely with the commandment that we are to have no other gods before us. (Exodus 20:3-5) I was taught that loving God fully and first makes our love for one another even better than it would be if we did not love God at all. God’s love is as good as it gets. God’s love for us models our love for others.

Prayer: Thank you God for loving us and for modeling how to love one another. Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/greek/3404.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.

Loving God

Living in the Spirit

August 29, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Jeremiah 2:4-13

Therefore once more I accuse you,
says the Lord,
   and I accuse your children’s children.
Cross to the coasts of Cyprus and look,
   send to Kedar and examine with care;
   see if there has ever been such a thing.
Has a nation changed its gods,
   even though they are no gods?
But my people have changed their glory
   for something that does not profit.
Be appalled, O heavens, at this,
   be shocked, be utterly desolate,

says the Lord,
for my people have committed two evils:
   they have forsaken me,
the fountain of living water,
   and dug out cisterns for themselves,
cracked cisterns
   that can hold no water. –Jeremiah 2:9-13

The Creator God does not force God’s ways on us. We must choose to follow God. That decision is made most often because we seek the relationship of pure love that God gives freely. God always has our best interest at heart and following God opens more doors to more choices we can make as we strive to be the person God created us to be. God does expect us to love God and love one another. Most of the problems we encounter when we chose other gods, is that we turn our backs on God’s love resulting in failure to love others. Most of the problems in our world today are the result of actions that hurt other people, like greed and lust for power, the idols of our times. The Ukrainian War is an excellent example of greed and power running amok destroying innocent people like cracked cisterns that can hold no water. Life cannot survive without water or without love. As Christ-followers we are called to love until love rules the world.

Prayer: God, so fill us with your love that we learn to love one another. 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.

Godlike

Living in the Spirit

August 17, 2022

Scripture Reading:
 Psalm 103:1-8
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
   and all that is within me,
   bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
   and do not forget all his benefits—
who forgives all your iniquity,
   who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the Pit,
   who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good as long as you live
   so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The Lord works vindication
   and justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses,
   his acts to the people of Israel.
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
   slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

We serve a mighty God, a loving God. Like a parent, God watches us mature and struggle with good and bad choices. We need to learn from our mistakes and our successes. We need to recognize God in the work we do. I shared a story in my Sunday school class recently. How I withdrew from a club when I thought it had mistreated my sister. My sister continued in the club until she graduated from high school.  I then added something that even surprised me. I said I guess I am more like my mother than I thought. I often describe my mother as the great egalitarian. I pale in comparison. Loving everyone was buried deep in the marrow of her bones. My sister is actually more like my mother than me. They both loved to work in the garden and sew. As we are all somewhat like our human parents, we all have been gifted by God with Godly traits that God expects us to develop and use to God’s glory. This Psalm invites us to recognize that and also that God is always with us in all situations.

Prayer: Lord, help us to grow and develop the art of loving others you imprinted in each of us. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Garden of Love and Caring

Living in the Spirit

August 8, 2022

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 5:1-7

Let me sing for my beloved
   my love-song concerning his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
   on a very fertile hill.
He dug it and cleared it of stones,
   and planted it with choice vines;
he built a watch-tower in the midst of it,
   and hewed out a wine vat in it;
he expected it to yield grapes,
   but it yielded wild grapes.

And now I will tell you
   what I will do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge,
   and it shall be devoured;
I will break down its wall,
   and it shall be trampled down.
I will make it a waste;
   it shall not be pruned or hoed,
   and it shall be overgrown with briers and thorns;
I will also command the clouds
   that they rain no rain upon it.  –Isaiah5:1-2, 5-6

I must confess I like wild grapes. They grew on the trees that skirted the creek running through our farm. I have a taste for sour and they are indeed sour. My memory is fuzzy, but I think we only gathered and ate them once a year and I do not remember my mother making preserves of them. Don’t think I inherited my taste for sour from her. My mother was a dedicated gardener. The first verse of the above scripture describes my mother well, although she had a garden, not a vineyard and she canned and froze produce rather than making wine.  

This scripture is an allegory. Isaiah is warning the people that God created and provided us with not only the good earth but also a way of being that required us to care for and cherish the gifts of God’s earth but also his love which sets an example for the way we could thrive if we followed the path of God’s love and righteousness.

During the summer in the cool of the morning, my mother would most often be found planting seeds and then hoeing weeds from the garden and gathering ripe vegetables. While for me the wild grapes were a treat for a few days, mom’s garden fed us year-round.

Prayer: Lord, teach us to love and care for one another as a way of being. 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.