Tag Archives: Righteousness

Wellspring of Joy

fruitosp_joyLiving in the Spirit
November 18, 2015

Scripture Reading: Psalm 132:1-12

Rise up, O Lord, and go to your resting-place,
   you and the ark of your might.
Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
   and let your faithful shout for joy.
For your servant David’s sake
   do not turn away the face of your anointed one. –Psalm 132:8-10

A nomadic people wandering for many years in the wilderness worshipped God in a portable building called the Tabernacle. They arrived in what they knew to be the promised land, settled it, built homes, became a people with a fixed residence. As they grew and their governance evolved they saw the need for more centralized leadership that could deal with their neighbors and so a kingship was established. It did not go well at first but the second king, David, lead the transition of the people of Israel to become the Kingdom of Israel. David wanted to build a permanent house where the people could worship God but it was not to be during his reign. His son Solomon built the first temple.

Our scripture today celebrates that edifice, a final resting place for the Ark of the Covenant. Of course, we today know that was not the end of the story. The ark was lost in battle and has never been recovered. The permanence of God’s promise lies in other words that we must carry in our hearts; we are to clothe ourselves in righteousness and rejoice in the joy of the Lord.

Our scripture today anticipates the coming of the Messiah, the Christ in Greek, the anointed one, the descendant of David. As we draw closer to the season of Advent, we once again turn our faces toward the coming of our Savior. Let us prepare our hearts and minds for the refreshing of our souls.

Prayer: Lord, the world is too much with us as we hear of death and destruction, anger and strife, fear and hopelessness every day. Be our wellspring of joy as we strive to be your Body in this very world today. 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.

Happy/Blessed?

water-living_water-2-2-e1357698477184Living in the Spirit
September 16, 2015

Scripture Reading: Psalm 1

Happy are those
   who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
   or sit in the seat of scoffers;
but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
   and on his law they meditate day and night.
They are like trees
   planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
   and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper. –Psalm 1:1-3

The Hebrew word esher translated as “happy” in English can also be translated “blessed”. It is derived from the root word asher which means to go straight, go on, advance. What does the word “happy” really mean to us? The first meaning given by Merriam Webster for happy is favored by luck or fortune.* The fifth definition indicates the meaning “blessed” is obsolete. So how do we understand this scripture?

The word “blessed” in English means hallowed, consecrated, holy.** It strikes me that our society has rather reversed the transition of meaning. Instead of continuing thinking that happiness was related to our relationship with God, we have turned “blessed” into meaning being prosperous or having good luck.

If we go back to that root word meaning to go straight, we find our way to righteousness, to being aligned well with God’s ways. Perhaps that is best described in the English language as true joy and contentment. The real question we need to ask ourselves is whether we are settling for good luck or fortune as a substitute for right relationship with God.

Prayer: Lord, turn me around let your joy flood my soul and wash away the clutter of lesser gods that claim my life. Amen.

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

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

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.

 

Truth in Justice

Death_Penalty_hi_res_Living in the Spirit
June 15, 2015

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 17:32-49

Saul clothed David with his armor; he put a bronze helmet on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail. David strapped Saul’s sword over the armor, and he tried in vain to walk, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, ‘I cannot walk with these; for I am not used to them.’ So David removed them. Then he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the wadi, and put them in his shepherd’s bag, in the pouch; his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine. –1 Samuel 17:38-40

I believe in taking prudent precautions. I take shelter when a tornado siren is sounded. Lock my doors on my house and car. But I also know that all the precautions in the world will not save me from all that can harm me. In the story of David and Goliath, David knows where his strength lies and it is not in the heavy armor of a warrior. He was a shepherd who had honed his skills at protecting his sheep with the tools available to him.

David also knew as a teenager what Paul instructed us over a thousand years later:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil…. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. (Ephesians 6:10-11, 14-15)

Paul speaks of truth, righteousness, and peace as the armor that will protect us from harm. On April 3, 2015, Anthony Ray Hinton was released from death row after serving 30 years for a crime he did not commit. The truth had finally set him free. He was quoted as saying, “All they had to do was to test the gun, but when you think you’re high and mighty and you’re above the law, you don’t have to answer to nobody,” Hinton told reporters. “But I’ve got news for you — everybody that played a part in sending me to death row, you will answer to God.”* I wonder how many men like Anthony Ray Hinton we have executed.

As followers of Christ, we are called to speak the truth, live righteously, and be at peace. Just as importantly we are compelled by the love of God to demand the truth for others, hold our public officials accountable for righteous action, and in all things seek peace.

Prayer: We pray for the future of Anthony Ray Hinton as he returns to a society that failed him. We also pray for your guidance and strength to do everything we possibly can to assure truth in justice throughout our land. Amen.

*http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/03/us/alabama-death-row-inmate/

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.

Christ Pitching His Tent among Us

God loves worldLiving in the Spirit
May 30, 2015

Scripture Reading: John 3:1-17

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. –John 3:16

This may have been the first memory verse I learned. I use to love to sing it. I don’t know if children continue singing it today. The song I learned may not pass the Theologically Correct test, but here are the words, I still like them:

 For God so loved the World,
 He gave His only Son,
 To die on Calvary’s tree,
 From sin to set me free;
 Some day He’s coming back,
 What glory that will be!
 Wonderful His love to me.*

“Second Coming” was the phrase used in my childhood to name the phenomenon described in the Bible as Jesus’ return to earth at the end of ages. We use a classier word, eschatology, now. I, for one, think God intends for us to work toward God’s righteousness right here and right now and the end of time will take care of itself.

In a bit of fancy, it cross my mind recently Christ may be waiting to return because we are so far from getting it right we would not be able to handle his full presence living among us. Pure love would not fit comfortably in our five or seven point plan for success. Perhaps world calamities, wars, and rumors of wars must die from lack of the nourishment of hate, greed, and hunger for power before we will be able to welcome Christ as an event of glory. It is something to think about.

Prayer: God of Grace and God of Glory on thy people pour thy power** so that right here and right now we may work toward your righteousness. Amen.

*Words by Frances Townsend see at http://www.smallchurchmusic3.com/Lyrics/D02/S02343.php
**First line of hymn God of Grace and God of Glory words by Harry E Fosdick see at: http://www.hymnary.org/text/god_of_grace_and_god_of_glory
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.

Justice for All

jesus-weeps-over-jerusalemEastertide
May 5, 2015

Scripture Reading: Acts 10:44-48

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, ‘Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.

So what are some of our “circumcision” issues today? Race, marriage, and gender all have surfaced recently to challenge the church’s inclusiveness. We, Christians, do not like to include race on this list. We think we have grown past that. But I must ask is there any relationship  between the continuing fact that the church is one of the most segregated places in America and the continuing discrimination in our country based on race? We who are called to do justice are living in an environment where there is little or no justice for people of color. The private prison industry gets rich off our taxes paying for prisoners serving sentences for non-violent crimes who are disproportionally persons of color. The only winners in that situation are the fat cats raking in the profits. Our sins of omission in dealing with racism at every level enables that.

It has been interesting tracking the Supreme Court arguments about what marriage is or is not. Ruth Bader Ginsburg was quick to point out that the definition of marriage has always been in flux. It is interesting to me that we hold our definition of marriage as one man and one woman as a sacred standard when about 40 to 50 percent of married couples in the United States divorce. The divorce rate for subsequent marriages is even higher.* As a purely governmental issue, it would seem to me that all people should have the equal rights to determine rights of inheritance, rights to make decision about health care and children, and rights of holding property in common. The question the church must grapple with is how we determine what God has joined together.

Equal pay for equal work seems to me also to be and equal rights issues as far as the government is concerns. What role, if any, has the church played in fostering the undervaluing of women? What is it that undergirds a society’s will to accept that the pay of $00.78** for women is equal to the pay of $1.00 for men? This issue has been on the table forever, but the church seems to ignore it as a justice issue they are called to address.

I am sick of watching cities burn one more time and cannot image what God must be thinking about it. The image of Jesus weeping over Jerusalem comes to mind. Why do we have to have major crises before we fix anything? The same injustice was going on all the way back to Isaiah and Amos. Are we being called to finally get it right?

Prayer: Lord, order our lives to work toward your system of justice and righteousness. Meld our definitions of what is right with yours. Cleanse our hearts and plant the seeds of new life in Christ in each of us. Amen.

*http://www.apa.org/topics/divorce/

**http://www.dol.gov/wb/stats/Women-to-men-earnings-ratio-wage%20gap-txt.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 Plumb Line

Plumb LIneLent
March 24, 2015

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

 Open to me the gates of righteousness,
   that I may enter through them
   and give thanks to the Lord. 

This is the gate of the Lord;
   the righteous shall enter through it.— Psalm 118:19-20

One of the greatest challenges facing Christians today is living righteousness. Sin, in one of its most potent forms, is distortion of what is right. These are most often very subtle variations on a theme but they can lead to great evil. I watched the movie The Book Thief* recently. It documents the rise of Hitler in Germany through the lives of a family striving to do what is right when all about them are ever so slowly being beguiled into lives of self-righteousness.

The prophet Amos describes righteousness as being like a plumb line used in building.  And the Lord said to me, ‘Amos, what do you see?’ And I said, ‘A plumb-line.’ Then the Lord said,
‘See, I am setting a plumb-line
   in the midst of my people Israel;
   I will never again pass them by; (Amos 7:8)

A plumb line is a simple cord with a weight on its end. Hung from the top of a building project, it becomes a true straight line by which bricklayers can determine the exact position to place each break to assure a strong and sturdy structure. The plumb line is totally dependent on the power of gravity to keep it accurate. The line must be strong and the weight must be heavy enough to keep the line straight even in fierce winds.

I believe that Jesus Christ is the plumb line that God set in our midst. He came to show us the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Our tasks is to continually set our sights for living based on that line and not let the prevailing winds distort our vision.

Prayer: Lord, we have had your teachings now for 2000 years. The prophets that came before you showed the way. Yet we continue to miss the mark and not do what is right in accordance with your love. Forgive us and strengthen our sight. Amen.

*Based on the book with the same title by Markus Zusak

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.

 

God’s Law

images8PY7HK9HLent March 4, 2015

Scripture Reading: Psalm 19

The law of the Lord is perfect,
   reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
   making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right,
   rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
   enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is pure,
   enduring for ever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.— Psalm 19:7-9

Perfect, sure, right, clear, pure, and true are the words used to describe the law of the Lord. These words are a far cry from the status of our laws today. I once wrote policy regarding a program being implemented to help the unemployed gain work skills. In the law and in the regulations that resulted from the law there was a laundry list of services that could be provided. I honestly cannot remember much more about the actual program, but we implemented all of the items in the laundry list. When the federal auditors came to review our program, they cited us for being out of compliance because we should have only picked one service. The key word about which we wrangled for months was the word “or”. The auditors interpreted the word as meaning we could only implement one of the services, my counter was that the word “or” can also mean “and” and it certainly does not mean only one unless it is combined with the word “either”.  I was banking my response on my 7th and 8th grade teacher, Mrs. Gehring, who was a stickler for grammar. They were pulling out books of case law. As it turned out Mrs. Gehring was right.

While we do need rules and regulations to maintain order in society, we must recognize that they are not infallible and even God’s laws are opened to our very human interpretation. We must continually work toward being in touch with God so that our interpretations are guided by God and all of God’s laws are overlaid with love.

Prayer: Lord, teach me your way, help me always to try to understand the viewpoint of others from the point of your love for them. 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.

Setting Our Minds on Divine Things

Hunger for righteousnessLent March 1, 2015

Scripture Reading: Mark 8:31-38 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’—Mark 8:31-33

The word, “exceptional” has been tossed about recently by politicians as being the word of choice to describe the history of the United States. It bothered me the first time I heard it, but I could not tell you why. And then it came to me. I think our founders started something to some extent based on the teachings of Jesus that is better viewed as the standard for all not the exception for the elite. To me that translates into more responsibility regarding our neighbors whom Jesus expanded to include even those living at the ends of the earth. Our founders declared that All men are created equal and are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights.* All are God’s children and God wants the very best for each of us.

Jesus did say: From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded. (Luke 12:48b) I do think that we citizens of the United States who are Christians need to take this to heart when we are practicing our citizenship, because there are millions of people throughout the world who do not have the opportunity to experience life as one who was created equal. Many of them live right here in the USA.

Perhaps our scripture today is telling us that we need to set our minds on divine things, too.

Prayer: Lord, remove the temptation from our lives that leads us away from your way. Guide us in applying the many resources that you have made available to us to help those who hunger for either food or righteousness or both. Amen.

*The Declaration of Independence, See at: http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/ 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.

Staying Focused

prayerEpiphany
Celebration of God
Manifested in the World
February 8, 2015

 Scripture Reading: Mark 1:29-39

In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, ‘Everyone is searching for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.’ And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.  — Mark 1:35-39

 Jesus never lost sight of his focus. While he was constantly barraged by people wanting healing, wanting to hear him, wanting to be his student, he was able to address such needs within the path of his purpose. I think he was able to do this because he always found time to resynchronize with God. From the stories of him related in the gospels, he never particularly seemed rushed. He took time with beggars and rich young rulers, women and children, leaders of the synagogue and widows who gave their mite. He set a good example for us all.

Jesus also was wise in identifying the time to plant faith and move to the next neighbor toward his goal of bringing God’s message to all. He was recruiting workers for the harvest of justice. Of course, the building of community was important to this work, but community was a means to an end not the end itself. One of the great challenges of the Body of Christ today is to retain a thirst for righteousness like that which seemed to drive Jesus while maintaining the community of faith that undergirds the quests. I think it is particularly challenging for those of us who are somewhat removed from the plights of our brothers and sisters in Christ who live in oppression and poverty or the ones in prison or the ones around whose homes the waters of global warming are moving quickly to erode their land.

We, too, need to find our deserted places and communicate with God so that our time, and talent, and treasure is dedicated to spreading the love of God throughout the world as a means to God’s justice being reality for all.

Prayer: Lead me, guide me, along the way,
              for if you lead me, I cannot stray.
             Lord, let me walk each day with you;
             lead me my whole life through. Amen.

*Chorus from the hymn, Lead Me, Guide Me by Doris Akers
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

Come in, Have a Seat

RighteousnessAdvent
December 4, 2014

Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 3:8-15a

But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed….But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. — 2 Peter 3:8-10, 13

The earth grows dormant now, at least in Oklahoma. Leaves are everywhere but are always on the move because the wind is a constant here on the plains.  We have had our first snow and now live through one beautiful day of mild temperatures and bright sunshine and the next a day of fridge cold. Much of the land has been sown with winter wheat that will lay quietly beneath the topsoil until spring rains and rising temperatures signal the wheat’s time of fruition. Make no mistake, much is happening between that seed of wheat and God’s good earth. The cycle of life continues as autumn fads to winter.  These verses from Second Peter tell us not to get too complacent in our lives. We need to remember why we are here and what we have been assigned to do.

God wants all of God’s children, to not only succeed, but to thrive, to bear fruit, and to be conduits of God’s own love. God wants this so much that God sent his only Son to dwell with us on earth showing us the way to make God’s plan a reality and when the Son returned to God, the Son asked that we his sisters and brothers in faith continue the work to fulfill God’s desired outcome for the Lord wanted no one to perish.

Yet as the cycle of life continues, all of God’s children are not thriving, all have not experienced abundant life, and, thus, our work is not done. I think Second Peter is suggesting that in our world today “righteousness” would not feel at home even if it were invited in. Our job is to set our world’s home in order, so fill it with love that when “righteousness” arrives, it will recognize our world as its home.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we grow complacent. Inspire us to nurture this world you have given us until it and all its people can be at home with righteousness and righteousness can be at home with 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 American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.