Tag Archives: Oneness

Filling the World with Love

Life in the Spirit

June 2, 2020

Scripture Reading:
Acts 2:1-21 or Numbers 11:24-30

So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord; and he gathered seventy elders of the people, and placed them all around the tent. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again.

Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, ‘Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.’ And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, ‘My lord Moses, stop them!’ But Moses said to him, ‘Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!’ And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

God, the Creator, Jesus the Christ, and the Holy Spirit have been engaged in growing us and guiding us since the beginning of the world. Made in the very image of God, we are fully capable of loving like God. We were provided a role model in Jesus and salvation in his death and resurrection so that we can love and be loved as we strive to develop the Kingdom God envisioned in creation. We, like are ancestors in faith worshipping God in a tent in the desert, are gifted with the Holy Spirit serving as our advocate and our guide.

If the world is going to be that Kingdom, we are the ones who must make it happen. We can no longer let the lesser gods of the world rule our world. The idols of greed and lust for power are the root causes of the strife and divisiveness pandemic among us today. They rear their ugly heads in racism and classism and violence. Mighty armies cannot rid us of such evil. Only God can do that. God has chosen repeatedly to deliver the message to God’s followers that we must be a part of the overthrow of evil. Today let us renew our commitment to that calling.

Prayer: Lord, strengthen our feeble arms and weak knees* as we move out into the world spreading so much love there is no longer space for evil. Amen.

*See Hebrews 12:12

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.

Hungry Souls

Eastertide

May 28, 2020

Scripture Reading: Romans 12:9-16b
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.

I usually do not pay attention to those section headings in my Bible. The one for today’s scripture above, however, caught my eye, and I thought it was spot-on: Marks of the True Christian. I also today forwarded a Facebook message that listed one by one many of the problems and issues with which we are dealing right now. Each one was followed by the same solution: Love Your Neighbor.

Of course, loving our neighbors gets all caught up in how we feel about ourselves, the environment in which we were raised, and the propaganda we must separate from the truth. The one thing I might add is we must let God’s Love flow through us before we can transmit it to our neighbors.

I eat healthy food, but one can overdo eating even healthy food. I held out reasonably well through the first few weeks of sheltering at home, eating within my limits. I found a couple of weeks ago that I was grabbing a few almonds in between meals, and I realized I was developing a bad habit. My go-to scripture for reconnecting with God is Psalm 63:1-8. I cannot tell you how many times I have recited it in my head, but a few days ago, the phrase, My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast, jumped out to me. My soul was hungry, not my body. So, now when I get the urge for some extra almonds, I recite that phrase and move on to more productive activities.

How often is our inability to love our neighbors driven by the unfulfilled hungering of our souls for God’s Love? God has not moved, nor does God ever stop loving us. We, however, are totally capable of turning to lesser gods to feed our basic needs, particularly when we are caught in stressful situations beyond our control. All we need to do is turn away from those temptations and turn toward our Creator God who is Love.

Over governments at all levels face significant challenges in dealing with the multiple evils that are befalling us. People of faith, including the whole Body of Christ, have an even greater mission to model and share the Love of God to all people so that as one with God, we can live without fear loving one another because Christ has indeed overcome the world. (See John 16:33)

Prayer:
Fill my cup, Lord;
I lift it up Lord;
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of Heaven, feed me till I want no more.
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole*. Amen

Chorus from Fill My Cup, Lord by Richard Blanchard see at https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/ns/340

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.

Tiptoeing Around the Edge

Eastertide

May 24, 2020

Scripture Reading: John 17:1-11

‘I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. –John 17:6-11

I often find myself pondering: Why has the church, the Body of Christ, failed in becoming one? Where are we failing to Love God and be God’s conduit to share God’s love throughout the world? How have we failed at creating a world ruled by love?

Christ called us to do precisely that. And yes, there are those pesky principalities and powers* as the King James Version of the Bible names them that get in our way. But we do serve an awesome God who sent Jesus to model a way of life that, if lived, will result in the fulfillment of the goal of oneness in the whole world ruled by love. J. B. Phillips published his book, Your God is Too Small in 1953. It is still available today and a good book to read, but I think the titled says it all. We only dance around the edges of being the Body of Christ.

Occasionally when a tornado hits or a 100-year flood occurs or an out of control virus strikes, we see both the positive forces of God’s love and the opposing forces of greed battling for dominance. We desperately need to learn to discipline ourselves to love God and love others all the time as we welcome all to become a part of the Body of Christ as God defines it not as we want it to be.

Prayer: God, who is Love, forgive us for tiptoeing around the edges of being the Body of Christ. Help us join your cause with our whole beings. Amen.

*For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)

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.

Glorifying God

Eastertide

May 23, 2020

Scripture Reading: John 17:1-11

After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed. –John 17:1-5

Glorify or honor means to value something or someone for what it really is. Our work in the name of God glorifies God before others. We do much more at introducing God to others by our actions than our words. We, too, are called to finish the work that God gave us to do. We first have to discern what that work is. Our work calling can change over time as we mature and develop new skills.

Blogs did not exist 25 years ago.  I can remember punching holes in cards used to run programs through mainframe computers 45 years ago. Federal law required the permanent maintenance of all records in some instances. My staff created a footstool for me out of those cards we could not destroy. We transferred the data years before to other devices. We also had nothing available that could even read them, but we still had to keep them.

Knowing the only true God, and Jesus Christ is an honor to us. Our returning that honor in all that we do and say is the best way we have of glorifying God. Even last year, I would not have imagined that I would now be glorifying God by wearing a mask or keeping a distance from others. Recently as I become frustrated at taking recommended precautions about COVID 19, I remind myself that taking those precautions is one way I can glorify God working together to protect all of God’s children from the pandemic.

Prayer:  Lord, grant us the will to do your will in loving 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.

Never Alone

Eastertide

May 17, 2020

Scripture Reading:
John 14:15-21

‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.’ –John 14:18-21

Where do we see Christ in the world today? The news is so bad right now I understand why the various news sources have broadened or added good news stories to their output. We see or hear about people singing together from adjoining balconies in Italy. A grade-school boy secretly delivered hand sanitizer and toilet paper to his elderly neighbors. Nurses sit by dying patients because their families cannot be with them. Such behavior is undergirded by the knowledge that we are not left alone.

There are also stories about people building and stocking bunkers with food and other necessities plus weapons. I find it ironic that people willing to escape to a bunker are unwilling to wear a mask and practice physical distancing because it somehow shackles their personal freedoms. We do not like to deal with a force we cannot control. At this time, there is little we can do to contain the coronavirus. We do have control over how we respond to it and all of the side effects it is having on our society.

A friend sent me an article about how many people are dying alone. She commented that she wondered about that too and particularly about those who have no one routinely checking on them. I responded that we do need to identify those who are alone and let them know people care about them. I then added that I do not believe anyone ever dies alone because God is always with them. God does not leave us orphaned.

Prayer: Lord, help us to see the opportunities we have to be present with those who feel alone. 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.

Putting the Puzzle Together

Eastertide

May 9, 2020

Scripture Reading:
John 14:1-14

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’ –John 14:1-7

We are created as unique individuals with equally diverse life experiences that mold us into the persons we are and are becoming. The most miraculous aspect of that idea is like a puzzle, we are all crafted to become one beautiful picture reflecting the love of God. For some reason, I have little or no concern about what happens after death. Scriptures like the one above, assure me that I will be with God, and in my way of thinking that is all that matters. Our energies as people of faith need to be focused on doing our part in putting God’s great mosaic together. In times like these, such a commission is imperative.

Evil thrives in dividing and conquering; Christ invites us to sit at his table and break bread together. It is an opportunity to learn we have far more in common than that which divides us. Calling a  moratorium on divisiveness seems appropriate. What if we designated one day and challenged ourselves to politely and graciously introduce a new outlook when we are confronted by that which divides us? What if we identify those issues for which no common ground seems possible and set them aside while we invest our energies in solving common interests? Finding success in addressing less volatile concerns could pave the way for identifying creative methods of dealing with more challenging differences.

Prayer: Lord, broaden our vision of how to address the problems we face so that our solutions reflect your way of 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.

Being Chosen Being Privileged

Eastertide

May 8, 2020

Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 2:2-10

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Once you were not a people,
   but now you are God’s people;
once you had not received mercy,
   but now you have received mercy.—1 Peter 2:9-10

What does it mean to be chosen?

Typically, 1588 /eklektós (“select, chosen”) describes people who choose to follow the Lord, i.e. become God’s choice by freely receiving faith (4102 /pístis) from Him. Accordingly, these two terms are directly connected (see Tit 1:1; Lk 18:7,8).*

When we make the choice to follow the Lord, we freely receive God’s grace. Grace is a gift not payment in return for anything we have done.  It is in Biblical terms a privilege available to all who chose to accept it.

Privilege: a right or immunity granted as a peculiar benefit, advantage, or favor :  special enjoyment of a good or exemption from an evil or burden**

While grace is mentioned 126 times in the New Testament the word privilege is only used twice:

begging us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints—2 Corinthians 8.4

For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well— Philippians 1.29

The words chosen and privilege have become muddled in our world resulting in the perception that they express an hierarchy of worth rather than a calling to serve. All are worthy in the sight of God who created all and implanted God’s image in each of us. As we struggle to adapt to the new normal of a pandemic, we need to revisit these terms and understand the responsibility they involve. Wearing a mask and social distancing are not a breaches of our freedom. They are ways to protect our neighbors and outward signs that we love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for your give us grace sustain us as we answer your call to serve. Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/greek/1588.htm
**https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/privilege

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.

The Times We Live In

Eastertide

May 6, 2020

Scripture Reading: Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16

You are indeed my rock and my fortress;
   for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,
take me out of the net that is hidden for me,
   for you are my refuge.
Into your hand I commit my spirit;
   You have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

My times are in your hand;
   Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
   save me in your steadfast love. –Psalm 31:3-5, 15-16

While I have questioned at times my reasoning in basing these daily devotions on the lectionary, I realize it forces me to read scriptures I might not have otherwise. I am continually amazed at finding how often Jesus quoted from the Psalms. Into your hand I commit my spirit.

The negative side of using the lectionary is that it does not include all the scriptures, and a group of some others determined what is important and what is not. Just as I chose not to quote the entire Psalm above designated for this week.

Those thoughts lead me to deal with the words: My times are in your hand. I note that he Psalmist used the plural form of the word “time.” The Psalmist is not talking about my efficient use of time but rather is addressing what is going on in the world that impacts my life. Everyone must deal with the world we inherit; everyone is charged with creating the world we leave our descendants. We do not get to start with a clean slate.

Hard times over which we are trying to gain some kind of control offer opportunities for positive change and opportunities as with the Israelites for exile. What if the phrase read, God’s times are in our hands. As Christ-followers we are called to create with the Lord a world ruled by God’s love. We need to take that opportunity now.

Prayer:
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us.
Melt us, mold us, fill us, use us,
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us*. Amen.

*http://gospelyrics.blogspot.com/2007/09/spirit-of-living-god.html

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.

Patience in a Time of Fear

Eastertide

Lifestyle, Leisure, Hobby

May 5, 2020

Scripture Reading:
Acts 7:55-60
But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’ But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he died.

Stephen prayed Lord, do not hold this sin against them. Jesus prayed, Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34) The above scripture and Jesus’ words from the cross came to mind while I watched news reports of people protesting requirements to follow the rules meant to protect their lives and the lives of others. There is no way to make anybody follow regulations or laws if they choose to break them. That includes the Ten Commandments and even Jesus’ call for us to Love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves. All must pay the consequences of their choices. God’s guiding laws were designed to show people the better way of being that will make their lives physically, mentally, and spiritually healthier.

Stephen was preaching things others did not want to hear, and when they could not control him, they gathered others to join them and brought him before the Temple council, which led to his being stoned to death.

Fear does terrible things to people. We particularly fear the things over which we have no control.  I think it is human nature to want to do something, anything to avoid negative impacts. Thus, to most not doing anything except staying home and wearing masks and washing our hands is not a productive response.  The problem with that is it works. These are truly acts of loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. Since staying home go against our basic norms, it may be the hardest thing we have ever done.

Prayer: Lord, who routinely counseled us not to fear, give us the courage to love our neighbors as we love ourselves like we have never done before. 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.

Gleanings from COVID 19

Eastertide

May 1, 2020

Scripture Reading:
1 Peter 2:19-25

When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls. –1 Peter 2:23-25

We keep hearing calls to listen to the scientist and listen to the doctors, but when they are not saying what we want to hear we listen to the people who are speaking to our desires more than our common sense. Jesus spoke of love and community when power and greed spoke to fear and division. How do we change the fiber of our beings to turn around from the lesser gods in our world to see our wellbeing lies in the ways of love and community? What can we learn from the COVID 19 pandemic? How can we live the best of what we learn and not move back to the control of lesser gods?

  • Everyone needs to have enough of the ingredients of well being to sustain life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness*. This is not an insult to our economic system. It is a list of inalienable rights that are crucial for our economic system to thrive. No economy can be sustained when the rich get richer and more get poorer.
  •  Health care is a right not a privilege. The health well being of each if us is dependent on the health well being of all of us.
  • All workers deserve to be paid a living wage. I found it interesting that we propped up the economy by adding $600 per week to unemployment, giving some more income than they were making in full time jobs. We then got upset thinking these people may not want to return to work. Unemployment services are time limited and require recipients to return to work as soon as work is available or they lose their eligibility. It does illustrate the problem that many workers face who are not receiving a living wage. If higher incomes are good for the stock market in a pandemic; paying a living wage should also be good for the stock market all the time.
  • Faith communities need to recognize that the prosperity gospel is not good news.
  • People are fundamentally able to love one another and enjoy loving one another when unrestrained by the distractions of the world. We need to create and support more opportunities to love, wanting the absolute best for one another, without restraint.

Prayer: Lord, guide us through these troubled times and make us better prepared to love like you, once the pandemic is over. Amen.

*From the US Declaration of Independence

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.