Tag Archives: Oneness

Branches of Justice

wknd-adventure-chasteencascadesLiving in the Spirit
June 14, 2016

Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 19:1-15a

He said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He answered, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.’ Then the Lord said to him, ‘Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. –1 Kings 19:11-15

In the 1980’s I created my own sabbatical. State employees do not get sabbaticals. I had to get special dispensation just to take more than two weeks off, even though I had accumulated enough annual leave to take off three months and was losing leave. I had had it with the earthquakes, wind, and fire of trying to deal with very real human need with very limited resources coupled with the mishmash of varied opinions of what would work and what would not work. I drove east on I-40 with my radio blaring and my mind still dealing with problems I could not solve. In Nashville, after a long hot bath and a good night’s sleep, I started the second day of the journey with the shocking blast of too-loud popular music when I started my car. I quickly quieted the radio and switched to classical sounds. I was soon turning off I-40 and heading toward the Great Smoky Mountain Park. The curving roads forced me to slow down, the beauty called me to roll down my window, and the sound of silence lead me to turn off the radio. I encountered the Holy driving through that forest.

A few weeks later after doing some genealogy and seeing a very good old friend, I headed back home ready, with the help of God, to deal with whatever forces I would meet. The environment I had left had not changed. I had changed. God had reshaped me with a little more patience and a lot more resilience as I continued to answers God’s call to serve others.

The bad things that happen in our world can be our undoing or they can be a catalyst toward even greater action toward doing justice for all God’s children. We are the branches but we must remember, we are together attached to a might vine. (John 15:5)

Prayer: Lord, make us one in your love so that our love grows together exponentially. 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.

Love Like Jesus Loves

Elijah being nurtured by GodLiving in the Spirit
June 13, 2016

Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 19:1-15a

But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: ‘It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.’ Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. The angel of the Lord came a second time, touched him, and said, ‘Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.’ He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food for forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there. –1 Kings 19:4-9

Hard times, hard times. I spent last week viewing the new Roots series. I recorded the first show because I had a conflict and recorded the rest because I could not take the story night after night. Having read the book and seen the previous series, I was well acquainted with the events. I don’t remember if I knew that my ancestors owned slaves the first time I watched it. Don’t think I did. I knew it this time. Topping that off with watching the news while eating before church on Sunday morning, I learned that 20 people had been killed in Orlando, Florida by another senseless shooting. It was just more than I wanted to handle. By the time I got to church the count had risen to 50, the largest mass shooting in modern US history.

In our scripture today, Elijah had reached his breaking point after taking on the priest of Baal. He made the wrong woman mad, and Queen Jezebel wanted him dead. He ran to the hills and hid out alone, ready to give up and just die, when the scene described above occurred, and he experienced the nurture of a loving God. I, too, experienced the nurture of a loving God as I listened in worship today about lives saved from simply providing the means for people to have clean water, heard a Yoda quote: Do. Or do not. There is no try. , and was reminded that Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’ (John 8:12)

I take heart in one of my favorite scriptures in times like these, John 16:33, I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!’

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit and a community of faith working together to let your light shine in the darkness as we Do. 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 American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Comfort Zones

CircleLiving in the Spirit
June 12, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 7:36-8:3

Simon answered, ‘I suppose the one for whom he cancelled the greater debt.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You have judged rightly.’ Then turning towards the woman, he said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.’ Then he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, ‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’ And he said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’ –Luke 7:43-50

I am a horrible card-sender. I currently have two get well cards and a birthday card for the same good friend, not yet sent. I mean well, but apparently not well enough to act. It is not because I did not have a good example. I had the very best example. My mother’s final ministry after she was ninety, primarily consisted of prayer for others and sending cards and notes of encouragement.

What I understand from our scripture today is the woman being condemned was very good at doing the little things that demonstrate compassion and love. I do not think the scripture is suggesting that one must sin greatly to have a closer relationship with God. I think it is saying that perhaps one who has knowledge of their separation from God has a greater appreciation for grace and knows how much a simple act of love can mean when love has not been otherwise forthcoming.

Some of us are experiencing much needed internal conflict dealing with the whole idea that we might be privileged in some way. We think our place in the world, in culture, and in class distinctions is normal and we do not get what this fuss of equality is all about. God is stirring our consciousness to see the world from the vantage point of others upon whom our status of privilege is stacked. It is not an even pyramid. If it were, I think it might be easier to see. There are varying combinations of race and class, gender and race, class and gender and other categories that can be rated in hierarchies of privilege. It is incumbent upon each of us to gain knowledge about how our comfort zones may be separating us from God and let our lives reflect what we have learned.

Prayer: Lord, broaden our awareness of the world about us and enable that widening circle to be reflected in our 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.

Finding Common Ground

feeding_the_homeless_810_500_55_s_c1Living in the Spirit
May 24, 2016

Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 18:20-39

At the time of the offering of the oblation, the prophet Elijah came near and said, ‘O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your bidding. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.’ Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt-offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and even licked up the water that was in the trench. When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, ‘The Lord indeed is God; the Lord indeed is God.’ –1 Kings 18:36-39

Elijah had created a situation that looked impossible, trying to burn an offering to the Lord on a waterlogged altar with no flame. He wanted to show those who cast their hope on imitations of power that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel was the one true source of power and God did not forsake him.

We are caught up in world settling for many lesser gods, playing faith groups against each other driving wedges among God’s people. It is time that we who believe there is one God desperately need to become one in God. How do we do that? We certainly, individually and collectively need to pray for God’s guidance and open our hearts to the truth the Lord will provide. We also need to find the few things we proclaim that are similar and worked from those points to find oneness.

The big argument that took place in Jerusalem to deal with issues of what is right and what is wrong in worship and beliefs was very heated. On most issues it seems they agreed to disagree. But they did come to one area of solidarity, the need to feed the poor—not a bad place for any of us to start.

Prayer: Lord love us to oneness. Forgive us when our foolish pride to be right creates wrong actions. Help us find common ground on which to build your kingdom. Amen.

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

Do not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled

Eastertide
May 15, 2016

Scripture Reading: John 14:25-27
‘I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

I am sometimes sorry about the only time we hear the words of our scripture today is at a funeral or memorial service. While I do find the words appropriate for the grieving and we who are reminded of our mortality at each such service, the words are actually spoken to disciples who are about to go on the adventure of a lifetime spreading the good news of a man who would very soon after speaking these words be killed for the very good news he has commanded us to share.

With all the fear and confusion present in our world today we desperately need to be reminded that God’s peace comes to us through a holy comforter. It is somewhat like the comforting partners in birth settings, allowing the birthing mothers to gripe hands while the partners whisper encouraging words. They are joining together for a very good thing that has already and will continue to challenge them to use every piece of knowledge, skill, and talent they possess.

The Holy Spirit is our comforter as we work to birth the Kingdom of God on this earth.

Prayer: We thank you God for the gift of the Holy Spirit and pray that our lives may be made one through the shared nature of such a gift as this. 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.

Living in the Spirit

 easter-4-i-am-the-way-9-638Eastertide
May 14, 2016

Scripture Reading: John 14:8-17

Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it. –John 14:8-14

Do others see the image of God projecting from us? Scary question isn’t it? I do not think we need to see such a phenomenon in ourselves that is what it means to walk humbly with the Lord (Micah 6:8). We do not even need to be assured by others that they see the image of God in us. I do believe we are called to open ourselves to being a conduit for others to see the image of God in each of us. Jesus of course set a standard for doing so that far surpasses our abilities. Yet we can illuminate the love of God to others rarely in grand and great ways but routinely in small beams of love giving light. And together as the Body of Christ on earth today we can move mountains.

Before such light can get out we must seek God’s help in clearing its way by removing all the clutter we allow to bog down our streaming of living love. Fear is often the greatest barrier. Fear of the stranger, fear of those different than ourselves, fear of failure or ridicule or shame. Lack of self-worth may also clog the way. Who am I to get involved to make a difference? Those principalities and powers sure seem to be overwhelmingly in control.

Jesus did not leave us defenseless. The gift of the Holy Spirit as our advocate and guide is real and certain, our ever present help. It is also the sinew that holds us together as one in Christ.

Prayer: Lord, strengthen our weakened knees and give us courage to reflect your love as a light throughout 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 American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Loving without Judging

Love not judgeEastertide
May 13, 2016

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:1-21

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? –Acts 2:5-8

How often do we hear what we want to hear? Some politicians, or at least someone on their staff, become very skilled at saying what they think people want to hear rather than the reality that they face. We think we want the truth but often we do not. It is the reason I prick my ears to hear more clearly the latest and greatest way to keep weight off while not having to exercise. What is being pushed might even be dangerous but I listen anyway. This also applies to cross cultural communication. Our understanding of the world is carefully drawn from our values and culture.

Jesus understood this phenomenon well and that is why he taught in parables to help his disciples understand by giving them a different perspective from which to comprehend their world. He quotes from Isaiah when he explains this to those same disciples.

And he said, ‘Go and say to this people:
“Keep listening, but do not comprehend;
keep looking, but do not understand.” (Isaiah 6:9)

The scripture above from Acts tells us that at Pentecost the disciples begin to get it: And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? The Holy Spirit brings this gift of understanding.

We desperately need that gift in our world today as we deal with differing life styles and ways of being and try to parse from them what is of God and what is not. We are not called to judge things differing that is Jesus’ job; we are called to understand such diversity so that we can love appropriately as ambassadors of Christ.

Prayer: Come Holy Spirit open our hearts and minds to see the ways our love can heal a broken world and give us the courage to love without judging. 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.

Fear Not

Fear-NotEastertide
May 12, 2016

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:14-17

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Franklin Roosevelt’s famous words need to be heard again in our world: The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. It seems we are afraid of our own shadows.

When I was a child polio was a big unknown, untamable killer. I remember my mother holding me over public toilet seats to prevent me from picking up this germ. Way back in the early 1980’s when AIDS was an untreatable killer there existed a lot of real fear about its contagion as well as irrational fear largely tied to the population most affected by it. My boss, a wonderful man, was diagnosed with AIDS during that time. I worked in a large public agency. In planning for his return to work after his first hospitalization and this resulting diagnosis, we had medical staff come in and explain to the staff that AIDS could not be transferred through casual contact or even sneezing. Most of the staff were more concerned about their dear friend and understood any precautions that might need to be taken in the rare possibility that a cut or fall or something resulted in possible contact with his blood. I had one staff member who was not dissuaded and was sharing the views of her church that this information was not true. When I called her in to see if I could lessen her fears. She assured me that I could not but that she had nothing to fear because she was the apple of God’s eye and thus fully protected by God. Totally stunned by this comment I said, “Well, OK, I guess you have no fears about him returning to work.” She assured me that she did not.

Shortly after he came back to work, I walked into a large staff meeting with him when the nurse who supervised our home care program and who is a rather imposing black women, jumped up from her seat moved quickly to smother him with the biggest hug anyone could give saying something about how glad she was to see him. Her actions set the tone for the whole meeting and the remainder of his tenure with the agency. She lived her love in the recognition that he too, was the apple of God’s eye. The words “fear not” appear 365 times in the Bible. We should heed them.

Prayer: Lord forgive us when we get caught up in irrational fears that not only limit our ability to love like you but are destructive to others. 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

Forgiveness

redemption-is-reconnection-with-godEastertide
May 11, 2016

Scripture Reading: Psalm 104:24-35b

May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
   may the Lord rejoice in his works—
who looks on the earth and it trembles,
   who touches the mountains and they smoke.
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
   I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
May my meditation be pleasing to him,
   for I rejoice in the Lord.
Let sinners be consumed from the earth,
   and let the wicked be no more.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Praise the Lord! –Psalm 104:24-35

It struck me as I read our scripture for today that if we apply Paul’s view of sin, this Psalm is praying for eradicating all peoples on the earth: since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23) where sin is defined as missing the mark or making a mistake perhaps impacting others. * The Hebrew word translated in this Psalm as sinner refers to one who offends. ** I assume that may mean primarily God, but it could imply that when we offend others we offend God also. I am probably out of my league here not being either a scholar in Hebrew or Greek.

In any case, this is not a prayer one should pray lightly. I must admit though that I do like the visceral nature of the prayers in the Psalms. They were written by real people who had real struggles in life with one another and with God. We must all deal with the outcomes of every one of our missing the mark, making a mistake.

The Hebrew people understood the need for forgiveness. They routinely presenting offerings to be sacrificed at the tabernacle in the wilderness and later at the temples. We who call ourselves Christian value highly the role of forgiveness in the life of Jesus and the subsequent journey he set forth for us. It is in fact because we all miss the mark and make mistakes that we are called to love one another and be redeemed together as we fulfill God’s call.

Prayer: Lord forgive us when we individually and collectively miss the mark and strengthen our ability to be your body in this world today through such redemptive love. Amen.

 

*Strong’s Concordance http://biblehub.com/greek/264.htm
**Strong’s Concordance http://biblehub.com/hebrew/2400.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 American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Language of Love

Language of the heartEastertide
May 9, 2016

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:1-22

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.’ All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ –Acts 2:5-12

Several years ago while traveling in Switzerland, the group I was with stayed in Andermatt, a small mountain village. On our arrival I had noticed a very small, inviting chapel nestled into one of the mountains. Since I am a morning person and since I had been starting my mornings with a walk on this trip, I climbed up the incline to that chapel. It was  beautiful yet simple and I spent some time meditating and inhaling the clean mountain air. As I got up to leave stepping out of the little building, I met a local woman, I suspect, coming for her morning prayers also. She did not speak a word of English and I did not know any greeting for her except the German “good day”, which I am sure I butchered enough in my saying that she readily knew it was not my native language. I saw a moment of hesitation in her eyes as to what her appropriate response might be. She spread her arms apart and patted me gently on both of my arms then pointed to the cross on the tiny altar at the front of the chapel. I gave her an affirmative nod and we both went on our ways having communicating volumes in our lack of words.

I do not know what happened on the day of Pentecost but I do know that it was a day that marked love, as demonstrated in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, as a universal language. It is the language in which we are all called to become fluent.

Prayer: Lord, even in those situations when our words fail us, let the light of your love shine through us brightly. 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.