Tag Archives: Wholeness

God With Us

Advent

December 5, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Isaiah 7:10-16

Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. Then Isaiah said: ‘Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.

Moses tells us–Jesus tells us–that we must not put God to the test. To test God means much more than trying to get Him to do a miracle; to test God is to insist that He prove that He is trustworthy. To test God is to look at today’s difficulties and say, “A loving God would never let me suffer in this way*.

Isaiah above is saying the Lord told Ahaz to ask a sign of the Lord your God. I am a fan of Gideon, who could not believe God was sending him to lead a battle in which he had no experience.  So, he asked for a sign and got one, then repeated the request just to be sure, and he got that one too. There is a difference between questioning whether God is trustworthy and questioning one’s own ability to carry out what God is calling us to accomplish. Any time we sense a call to do something beyond what we think is our ability, we will no doubt struggle with doubt about ourselves. My hope, faith, and love are that we can go to God with anything when we are sincere. God will hear our fear and grant us the assurance that he gave in Matthew 19:26:

But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.’

Prayer: Lord, as we struggle to build your Beloved Community and we sometimes wonder if what seems impossible is possible, send the Spirit to shore up our strength and courage to answer your call, to remind us that we are never alone. Amen.

*See at https://gutenberg.edu/2001/02/testing-god/#:~:text=Moses%20tells%20us%E2%80%93Jesus%20tells,me%20suffer%20in%20this%20way.

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.

Growing in Love

Advent

December 3, 2022

Scripture Reading: Matthew 3:1-12

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,
‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
   make his paths straight.” ’
Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

‘I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’ –Matthew 3:1-6, 11-12

John the Baptist is saying that all need repentance. We, indeed, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) The one who is coming demands more. He demands that we learn to live together and care for each other as we grow in wisdom and truth.

Humans stumble through progress. Sometimes we take two steps back and one step forward. Repentance can lead to self-righteousness rather than a quest for justice.  We are drawn to measuring our worth by needing to be better than others. The only person we are challenged to improve is ourselves. By interacting, however, we may learn from others as they learn from us.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for coming to us in human form as a role model in sharing God’s 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.

Living for Jesus

Advent

December 1, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Romans 15:4-13

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. –Romans 15:4-6

Paul was a dedicated student of scripture, and what he knew of scripture was the Hebrew Bible. He probably was also well acquainted with the Apocrypha. The gospels we are familiar with were all written after his death. Perhaps that is why his writing is always looking forward to something better. His letters are full of preparation for the return of Christ in his fulness.

I wonder if we today view the gospels as the end of the story, not the continuation of God’s creative longing for a world ruled by love. Do we stir together the laws of the Hebrew Bible and the grace of the Gospels and call our work done? If we live a good life following the rules and accepting God’s gracious gift of sending God’s son to redeem us from our sins, do we think we can rest on our laurels?

The gospels mark the progression of God’s mission. If anything. it increases our responsibility:

And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. Mark 16:15

And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’ Matthew 28:18-20

The Kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is! ‘ or ‘There it is! ‘ For, in fact, the Kingdom of God is among you” (Luke 17:20-21

Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. John 20:21-22

Prayer: Lord, empower us to live your love as we progress toward a world ruled by your love. Amen.

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

Preventive Love

Advent

November 29, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Isaiah 11:1-10

The wolf shall live with the lamb,
   the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
   and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze,
   their young shall lie down together;
   and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
   and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
They will not hurt or destroy
   on all my holy mountain;
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
   as the waters cover the sea.

On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious. –Isaiah 11:6-10

I watched a segment of a TV program recently that showed natural enemy animals living together without harming each other. That phenomenon happened because they had been raised together and had enough food, shelter, and care. I would add love to that list because of the behavior of their caretakers. There is a lesson for us humans in this story. If we humans ensure that all people have enough food, shelter, and care our crime level will dissipate. Making sure that all children grew up in a loving atmosphere and experience love throughout their lives would help too.

I know of a program for the mentally ill homeless that starts the program by placing the persons in a fully furnished apartment supplied with the necessities of life, clothing, food, soap, etc. They provide close, supportive care. It is amazing how the formerly homeless person adapts to having enough and regaining their self-worth, which allows them to respond to treatment. Can you imagine living on the streets, never knowing from where your next meal will come, and being avoided by others as they pass you on the street? Can you imagine moving from that to an apartment of your own with a door that locks, a clean bathroom, and a kitchen fully stocked?

I drove into the Walmart parking lot yesterday. Just as I stopped and opened the door of my car, I heard the noise of a five-alarm fire to my west. The first thought that flew through my mind was, is there a mass shooting going on here? Everything seemed all right so I went about my shopping and there was no problem there. I learned on the news that evening that a fire in the kitchen of a restaurant in a large nearby shopping mall had caused a massive response because of the danger if the fire got out of control at that location. I did not like learning that the fear of mass shootings is now buried in my memory banks. My reaction resulted in the fact that three mass killings had happened in grocery stores across the country in just a few months. It is time we understand that taking care of others is one of our prime directives from Christ and it also protects the innocents caught in the crossfire.

Prayer: Lord, guide us in spreading your love throughout the world to all people so that everyone has enough of everything required for a healthy life.  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.

God Incarnate, Jesus Christ

Advent

November 28, 2022

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10

A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse,
   and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
   the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
   the spirit of counsel and might,
   the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.

He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
   or decide by what his ears hear;
but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
   and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
   and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist,
   and faithfulness the belt around his loins. –Isaiah 11:1-5

Jesse was King David’s father. He was the son of Ohed who was the son of Boaz and Ruth. Matthew 1 tells us that Jesus comes from that line. When I have the time, I dive into my genealogy. I can see traces of both my mother and father in my siblings and me. Our dad gave us a love of music. I often describe my mother as the world’s greatest egalitarian.  She did believe that all people are created equal and should be treated that way.

I have wondered if God incarnate came to us in human form so that God could better understand we humans whom God created. From that experience, we receive redemption and the grace that enables us to become the people we were created to be as we move and have our being, choosing to build a world ruled by love based on learning from our past successes and failures.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for creating humans who can grow in faith and pass it on to the next generation.  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.

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.

Tenting with God

Advent

November 24, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Romans 13:11-14
Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

I do not think that Paul envisioned that we would still be searching for universal salvation 2,000 or so years after he wrote these words. God did not create us to sit around and wait for the good life in whatever way we define that. God creates us to emulate God’s work in pursuit of life in love that is fulfilling for all. Indeed, God is actively creating us each day if we open our hearts to God’s guidance in living our love until, as the book of Revelation says, God pitches his tent among us.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
‘See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.’ –Revelation 21:3-4

Sometimes I think translators try too hard to be culturally accommodating for current times. The word translated dwell in this scripture in Greek is skēnóō (also meant tabernacled in Moses’s day).

637 skēnóō – properly, to pitch or live in a tent, “denoting much more than the mere general notion of dwelling” (M. Vincent). For the Christian, 4637 (skēnóō) is dwelling in intimate communion with the resurrected Christ – even as He who Himself lived in unbroken communion with the Father during the days of His flesh (Jn 1:14)*

I am not a good camper; give me a motel room any time. I have, however, relented with friends and shared a tent at times. It is indeed a place of intimate communion not just an experience of dwelling with others. It does better describe our relationship with God.

Prayer: Thank you for pitching your tent and sharing it with me. Help me to be present to you in our communion. Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/greek/4637.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.

The Reign of Christ

Living in the Spirit

November 19, 2022

Scripture Reading: Luke 23:33-43

When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. [[ Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’ –Luke 23:33-37

Christmas is everywhere—decorations, stores overflowing with all kinds of gifts, and Black Friday enticements. So, I experienced some shock when I read the lectionary scripture for today. Jesus dying on the cross seemed out of place. The last Sunday in the liturgical year is designated as the Reign of Christ by some; others call it Christ the King Sunday. It marks the full realization of Jesus’s incarnation and our redemption. Christ did, indeed, save others and us by giving his life in the ultimate act of love. However, the cross marked a beginning, not an ending. Celebrating that is the most appropriate way to complete the cycle of praise leading into Advent. Advent reminds us how we got to the incarnation and offers a new opportunity for us to be renewed in Christ as we work to spread his love throughout the world in anticipation of the full fruition of the Kingdom of God—The Beloved Community.

Let all mortal flesh keep silence
and with fear and trembling stand;
ponder nothing earthly-minded,
for with blessing in his hand
Christ, our God, to earth descending,
comes our homage to command.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
as of old on earth he stood,
Lord of lords in human likeness,
in the body and the blood
he will give to all the faithful
his own self for heav’nly food*.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the gift of your Son coming to show us the way to encountering you fully in the Beloved Community.  Amen.

*The first and second verses of the hymn Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence Paraphrased by Gerard Moultrie by from Habakkuk 2:20. See at https://hymnary.org/text/let_all_mortal_flesh_keep_silence

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.

Christ, Our Role Model

November 18, 2022

Living in the Spirit

Scripture Reading:

Colossians 1:11-20

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. –Colossians 1:15-20

Christ is our ultimate role model. He sets a very high standard, and yet he indicates that his yoke is easy, and his burden is light*.  I fear most of us are guilty of thinking that everyone else thinks as we do, or at least should.  We all perceive the world through the perspective we have cultivated over time. I grew up on a farm; people raised away from that environment may never have the same sense that I do regarding the source of their food. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:12: For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.

A part of accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior is accepting him as our ultimate role model, which requires us to examine our thinking and ways of relating to others through the lenses of his example. We do that primarily through the teachings that have been passed down to us from the information captured by those who shared it with us via scriptures. We are all parts of the Body of Christ, we are not Christ, but we can learn from him and live our lives in such a way that others can get some sense of Christ through our attitudes and behavior.

Day by day
Day by day
Oh Dear Lord
Three things I pray
To see thee more clearly
Love thee more dearly
Follow thee more nearly
Day by day**

Prayer: Lord, open our minds and our wills to see more clearly and live more nearly the way you love.  Help us revamp our lives to follow that example. Amen.

*See Matthew 11:30

**Song from the musical Godspell Written By Stephen Schwartz see at https://genius.com/Godspell-day-by-day-lyrics

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.

Doing a New Thing

Living in the Spirit

November 11, 2022

Scripture Reading:

2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.

N. T. Wright has written extensively on the impact of worldview on our faith practices. You might want to check his work out. Going against cultural norms is hard. I find myself intellectually, even spiritually, agreeing about the changes in our society that are needed for all to prosper well. At the same time, it is hard to divorce myself from the “way we have always done it.” My mother was open to change, however, when she was in her nineties, I remember her saying she liked the newer songs being sung at church but wished they would occasionally sing some of the old ones. I also remember a program in the Star Trek series where one of the staff actually cooked a meal for the others because all they had ever known about food preparation was to order a machine to produce their meals.

Paul, in Thessalonians, is attempting to help these new Christ’s followers in the move from their old worldview to a new one.  We face similar challenges as our world progresses and we learn to move out of our exclusive communities into the Beloved Community Christ foretold as a constant. Isaiah 43:18-19 put it this way:
Do not remember the former things,
   or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing;
   now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
   and rivers in the desert.

We would not have the Bible if God did not intend for us to learn from God’s followers in history. The Bible offers us the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and their successes. There is nothing wrong with making a pie from scratch in celebration of a family’s history. There also is nothing wrong with driving by the fast-food window to pick up dinner for the evening because it grants more time for the family to eat together.

People are still people. We work in different ways; our idols are unique to us; our neighborhood is the world and becoming the universe, not our clan; women are no longer simply incubators; and all people are made in the image of God, not just the ones that are the same color or gender as us. Paul sums up his point in this way: Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.

Prayer: Lord, help us use all the tools you provide us to determine what is right.  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.