Tag Archives: Wholeness

Seeking Greater Heights

Eastertide

May 13, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Revelation 21:1-6

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 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.’

And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ Then he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.

The book of Revelation begins and ends with the statement above, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. Revelation 1:8 adds the phrase who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. The future is ours through Christ. His hope eternal is that we realize the wonder and grace of that and make the most of it. But how do we measure “the most.” Our world seems to value the most power and money. Neither ever seemed important to Jesus when he interned on earth. He possessed ultimate power but used it sparingly usually to help others, probably meant to set an example for us. He paid his taxes out of money taken from the mouth of a fish (Matthew 17:27) and recognized the separation of church and state by saying ‘Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ (Matthew 22.1-21b) Jesus drove the money changers out of the temple (Matthew 21:12) and was betrayed by the price of 30 pieces of silver. (Matthew 26:15) The other gospels share the same or similar stories.

Jesus measured” the most” in faith, hope, and love. His relationship with God fed the hope and love he gifted to us. We seem to be at a crossroads in our world today. Are we going to grow in worshipping power and money or are we going to ascend to greater heights through faith, hope, and love?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the gift Jesus and the example he set for us. Help us to attain his higher ground. 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.

Considering God as our Neighbor

Eastertide

May 12, 2022

Scripture Reading: Revelation 21:1-6

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 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.’

And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ Then he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.

I must confess, that tidying my house is not my priority. I understand the need to maintain cleanliness, but putting litter in its place is lower on my list until I get so much paper stacked around me, that I must deal with it. I have tried to practice putting paper in its place after I have reviewed it, but that rarely lasts for long. Breaking down boxes for the recycle bin is even more challenging. I have grown to appreciate all things electronically stored.

So, when I read the ending of Revelation, I consider the idea that God would live among us in the end times and might be our next-door neighbor. Are we as individuals as open to God as we think we are? Would he be on the list of people we would allow in our personhood and see how we really live? What about our society? Is the way we treat one another, all one another’s, the same way we would treat God if God were our next-door neighbor? I think God wants to move into our space of being after we have figured out what the Kingdom of God is all about and done our very best to institute it in our society. I wonder how much litter I need to clean out of my soul. That is the place to start.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we take you for granted. We know you know our thoughts and ways of representing you to the world. Help us to see ourselves as you see us and correct our actions as your disciples in this 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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

God is Omnipotent

Eastertide

May 11, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Psalm 148

Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
   praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels;
   praise him, all his host!

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
   for he commanded and they were created.
He established them forever and ever;
   he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.

Kings of the earth and all peoples,
   princes and all rulers of the earth!
Young men and women alike,
   old and young together!

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
   for his name alone is exalted;
   his glory is above earth and heaven.
He has raised up a horn for his people,
   praise for all his faithful,
   for the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the Lord! Psalm 148:1-2, 5-6, 11-14

I, in general, do not like campaign ads. They often dwell on issues that rankle emotions but rarely explain a candidate’s plan to address the problem. I particularly pay little attention to ads not sponsored by the candidate and that do not disclose who sponsors them. In one ad I heard recently, the candidate stated he would protect God. An omnipotent, all-powerful God does not need to be protected, an idol might. Therein, perhaps lies the problem within our society. We would need to protect any god we create. We are made in the image of God, not the other way around.

This might be a good time to review Isaiah or some of the other prophets because I fear we are stumbling through life following gods of our own making; we think we must protect like the Jews were doing before they were taken into exile. Our ancestors in faith maintained those prophets’ words so we could learn from them and not make the same mistakes.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for forgetting who we are and whose we are. 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.

Faith Instinct

Eastertide

May 10, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Acts 11:1-18

At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, “Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.” And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?’ When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, ‘Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.’ Acts 11:11-18

The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. Did you ever feel that something came up and you knew instinctually that it was something you needed to take care of that you could feel that need in your bones? I think that would describe Peter’s response to the men who had traveled to bring him back to their community. The spirit not only told him to go but to make no distinction. We are all raised with certain norms, and ways of being that differ from those of others. The line Peter crossed just by going with the visitors took a giant step, but to treat them as he would a fellow Jew was even a greater challenge. We see that kind of behavior in emergencies. A man comes upon a car wreck with a driver in the front seat and a fire under the hood. The first man jumps from his car and pulls the driver out and away from the vehicle just before it explodes. Instinct kicked in. Peter’s faith instinct allowed him to make the journey, share the story of Christ, welcome these strangers, and then return to convince his fellow Jews that he did the right thing. We are called to nurture a vibrant faith instinct where we respond to life situations and people as Jesus would respond.

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. Describes the dilemma we face when responding to our call to serve God. The KJV uses the word darkly rather the dimly in its translation. Either word illustrates that we are not necessarily seeing the whole picture. We must learn to trust in God when we serve in the dark. To do that we must maintain a lasting, deep relationship with the Lord, through prayers, communion, and study.

Prayer: Lord, strengthen our faith instinct as we work toward realizing the Kingdom of God.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.

Send Your Bread Forth

Eastertide

May 5, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Revelation 7:9-17

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, ‘Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?’ I said to him, ‘Sir, you are the one that knows.’ Then he said to me, ‘These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
For this reason they are before the throne of God,
   and worship him day and night within his temple,
   and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;
   the sun will not strike them,
   nor any scorching heat;
for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,
   and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ –Revelation 7:13-17

Even as a child I wondered about these words, they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. How could that be? A few months ago, after my church had returned to onsite services, I sat the prescribed three feet from a friend in the worship service. She wore white slacks and a white blouse topped off with a pretty necklace. We had not returned to serving communion but used the little prepackaged thimble-like cups containing grape juice with a foil seal and a little wafer tucked on top with a plastic cover. As my friend tried to get into the grape juice the foil was very stubborn, and she finally gave a stronger tug on it and spilled grape juice all over her white slacks. She quickly grabbed a tissue and wiped it up leaving not a trace of purple. She truly had been washed in the blood and came out whiter than snow. We look at each other in total surprise.

The English word used to describe such an event is paradox, a statement or sentiment that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet perhaps true in fact*. Ecclesiastes 11:1 shares another such paradox: Send out your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will get it back. Jesus gave generously of his life in love and hope that we would be made whole from his sacrifice. Everybody knows that if you throw a piece of bread in the water it will either be eaten quickly by a bird or sink and disintegrate. Generosity is void of what is in it for me; yet filled with faith generosity breeds greater and greater love and hope.  That was Jesus’s purpose in his incarnation, and we inherited that same mission to give of ourselves generously.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for cleansing our souls, and making us whole in your service. Amen.

*https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/Paradox

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.

Advocacy

Eastertide

May 4, 2022

Scripture Reading: Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
   He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
   he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
  for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
   I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
   your rod and your staff—
   they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
   my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
   all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
   my whole life long.

I tossed and turned when I went to bed last night because a bill in the Oklahoma legislature that would capitate Medicaid health care payments appears to be headed for passage despite all efforts, mine, and others, to stop it.  I kept running over and over in my head what else I could have done to prevent its passage. I should note that the final version was much improved over the initial draft.  My primary mentor in legislative advocacy had sent me an email that simply said Keep up the fight. I read it again this morning. Then I read my church’s newsletter where my Pastor’s article talked about being barraged with all kinds of communications that are often meaningless and hard to keep straight. He encouraged his readers to stop and take the time to read Psalm 23 and let it guide us through the challenges of our day.

And then there on my computer screen Psalm 23 was listed as the scripture for today.

I, who memorized Psalm 23 early in life from the King James Version, have trouble reading it in the RSVP or any other version for that matter. This morning I did carefully read it as quoted above. I thought that would be helpful as I turn one page of advocacy and start a new chapter.

Prayer: Thank you, God, for mentors and pastors that say what I need to hear whether they knew I needed to hear it at that moment or not. 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.

Known by our Love

Eastertide

April 30, 2022

Scripture Reading: John 21:1-19

After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, ‘I am going fishing.’ They said to him, ‘We will go with you.’ They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, ‘Children, you have no fish, have you?’ They answered him, ‘No.’ He said to them, ‘Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.’ So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the lake. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.

When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.’ So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. —John 21:1-14

How do we make faith real to ourselves and to others? I am already growing weary of hearing politicians stating they are Christians as a reason we should vote for them. The chorus I learned as a child, They’ll know we are Christians by our Love, flashes through my memory every time I hear those ads. Actions do speak louder than words.

The disciples in this story had returned to their previous occupations. They seem to be portraying a response to the last few years of their lives that it had been a great ride, but it now was over.  In the scripture above Christ once again presented himself to the disciples as he continued to initiate their role in furthering his vision of a world ruled by love.

Eating fish and bread with the resurrected Lord would be a life-changing experience. The gospels writers could have told the story of Jesus without recounting these very real episodes of interaction. They shared them with us because the fine details add to authenticity but also take each of us to the seashore or the boat or eating fish. Perhaps the lesson in this scripture is that we grow and share our faith best by sharing ourselves in loving action.

Prayer: Lord, help us to be readily identified as your followers by our love. Amen.

*They’ll Know We Are Christians written by Peter Scholtes

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

Loving Like Jesus

Eastertide

May 1, 2022

Scripture Reading: John 21:1-19

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.’ (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ –John 21:15-19

The dialogue between Peter is one we all must have with Jesus Christ. The first time Jesus asked Peter the question do you love me Jesus is using the Greek word, agapas, which is translated here as the English word love. Peter responds with the Greek word, philō, which is also translated in English as love. Jesus then commands Peter to feed Jesus’s lambs.  The same translations are recorded the second time Jesus asked the question, and Jesus commands Peter to Shepherd Jesus’s sheep. The third time Jesus asked the question using the word, phileis, which is a derivative of philō, but expresses something closer to Do you dearly love me, perhaps suggesting what we often imply about philō* the love of siblings.

I am not a Greek translator of any sort, but I do not think the varied use of the Greek words for love was not an accident. Jesus asked as the son of God for Peter to love all God’s children if they love the Lamb of God who died on the cross. That love carries over to assuming the assignment of Shepherding God’s children, taking on Jesus’s work in our world today.  As we serve in the name of Jesus Christ, in answering his call to be one and love all, we are likened as a sibling to him.

You may read it with another emphasis, but I think the questions were asked to all of Jesus’s disciples Including us. Please note, that all the instructions involved active caring for one another, all one another(s).

Prayer: Lord, help us demonstrate with our lives our love for you. Guide our service. Amen.

See https://biblehub.com/interlinear/john/21-17.htm for the source of all Greek words quoted.

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.

His Eye is on the Sparrow

Eastertide

Eastertide

April 29, 2022

Scripture Reading: Revelation 5:11-14

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice,
‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!’

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,
‘To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might
forever and ever!’
And the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ And the elders fell down and worshipped.

This is one of those mornings when I wake up with too much to do and not enough time to do it. When I do not know all the ends and outs of issues that bother me but I cannot ascertain my best response. These are the times I most need to take time with God. I often read the scripture for the day and then walk my ten minutes. I try to walk 10 minutes each hour until I have walked 10,000 steps. The scripture above was just a little too vibrant for my mood but following my routine, I read it and then walked my 10 minutes. Three steps into my exercise the song lyric, I sing because I am happy played through my mind. I then began to remember what the other words of the song were until I rolled it all the way back to Why should I feel discouraged. If you are at a point of discouragement try thinking, singing His Eye Is On the Sparrow and I know He watches me.

Why should I feel discouraged,
Why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely,
And long for heav’n and home;
When Jesus is my portion?
My constant Friend is he;
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know he watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know he watches me.

Refrain:
I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free;
For his eye is on the sparrow,
And I know he watches me*.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for your ever-present comfort and inspiration. Amen.

*First verse and refrain of His Eye Is on the Sparrow by Civilla D. Martin see at  https://hymnary.org/text/why_should_i_feel_discouraged

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.

Higher Ground

Eastertide

April 28, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Revelation 5:11-14

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice,
‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!’

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,
‘To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might
forever and ever!’
And the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ And the elders fell down and worshipped.

I confess when I read scriptures sometimes the most irrelevant things pop into my head. Today, as I read Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered, I lost and missed the melody of Handel’s Messiah which started playing in my head the minute I read Worthy is the Lamb. Why did the NRSV translators choose slaughter instead of the more archaic slain, the word that is musically welded into many of our brains?  

Two lessons came to me from this experience. One, reading different translations of the Bible is helpful in preventing our becoming complacent in our understanding of the scriptures. The whole thought that the bible says it I believe it that settles it (original source unknown) fades as we delve deeper into the understanding of scripture that was written in ancient languages that, too, have changed over time. The other lesson is that music remains a wonderful, spiritual way to take in the Word of God whether in scripture or as we attempt to model our lives after the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) Music lifts us to higher ground and greater depths of spiritual communion.

Prayer:

I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground*. Amen.

*Chorus of I’m pressing on the upward way by Johnson Oatman Jr. see at https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/396

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.