Tag Archives: Wholeness

Sing a New Song

Advent

December 22, 2021

Scripture Reading: Psalm 98

O sing to the Lord a new song,
   for he has done marvelous things.
His right hand and his holy arm
   have gained him victory.
The Lord has made known his victory;
   he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
   to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
   the victory of our God.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
   break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
   with the lyre and the sound of melody.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
   make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord. –Psalm 98:1-6

I am ready to sing a new song or, for that matter, to sing at all. My church returned to in-person worship in September, and our choir was present in masks and socially distanced, but it was a joy to hear them sing. We are trying to be very diligent about following such precautions because we do not want to go back to our homes and computers. Yet we learned much from experience. We continue to live stream our services because those homebound enjoy the service. We have added hybrid Sunday School with people in the classroom and some on Zoom. Singing a new song has its challenges but is also rather refreshing. I attended a seminar on worship several years ago where the speaker said it was essential to maintain some routine in worship, or people would spend most of their time figuring out what was happening and forgetting to worship. It was equally necessary to insert one change somewhere in each service so people would not go through the motions and forget to worship.

As we move closer to Christmas Day, let us add something each day to our routine to remind us what we are celebrating and why.

Prayer: Lord, teach us a new song as all kinds of challenges overcome our lives. Help us meet each one with the knowledge that You are 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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Peace

Advent

December 20, 2021

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 52:7-10

How beautiful upon the mountains
   are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news,
   who announces salvation,
   who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’
Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices,
   together they sing for joy;
for in plain sight they see
   the return of the Lord to Zion.
Break forth together into singing,
   you ruins of Jerusalem;
for the Lord has comforted his people,
   he has redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord has bared his holy arm
   before the eyes of all the nations;
and all the ends of the earth shall see
   the salvation of our God.

They have treated the wound of my people carelessly,
   saying, ‘Peace, peace’,
   when there is no peace. –Jeremiah 6:14

When we think of the word “peace,” we often consider the lack of war or perhaps peace of mind. The terms used above in Isaiah and Jeremiah’s quotes are translations of the Hebrew word “Shalom*” and have a broader meaning, including completeness, soundness, welfare, (plus) peace*. Recently, we have experienced the withdrawal from a war in Afghanistan that lasted for 20 years and continues today, although our nation is not in the fighting.  Yet, we are experiencing little peace as we deal with violence of all kinds and miss the joy of peace of mind. How do we withdraw from the battles of who is right and wrong and who owns God?

As we approach the celebration of the coming of the Christ child, let us take some time to restore our souls with love that poured forth from God at the birth of a child, an innocent entering a world that was just as messed up as we are now. He, however, brought with him and taught us the ways of shalom, if we are willing to give up those things that divide us and follow the path that Christ set before us.

Prayer: God of Love and Mercy, forgive us when we let the world distract us and lead us off the path you carved for us. Draw us back to the road you set before us, Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7965.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.

Love is a Choice

Advent

December 19, 2021

Scripture Reading: John 1:1-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

And 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.

What does it mean to be born of God? The stories of Jesus’s birth relate the great mystery of one born of God, assumed to be a king. Jesus was born into a world full of gods of all types and purposes. The Roman kings of the first century all claim to be divine. Jesus’s being proclaimed as the Son of God was not unusual in that time and place. The unexpected element of Jesus’s ministry was having been given the power to make everyone children of God.

John reminds us that Jesus was with God at the beginning of the world when all humans were created in God’s image. John then tells us that God wants humans to choose to accept and love God. I do not believe it is possible to make anyone love someone else. Love does not love unless it comes from the heart and soul of the lover. The whole idea of free will is tied to that concept. We often interpret free will as the right to sin or not. I think John may be viewing the free will that God grants us as the right to love God by choice. What accompanies the choice to love God is the commitment and empowerment to love others as we love God. Indeed, separation from God exists when we choose not to love God, and all types of folly can follow. We are experiencing that in our world today.

Prayer: Creator God, You designed a world that functions at its most excellent efficiency when love rules, help us let go of anything that distracts us from living in 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.

Immersed in God’s Ways

Advent

December 18, 2021

Scripture Reading: John 1:1-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

And 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.

We are each a combination of our genetics, life experiences, cultural influences, as was Jesus when he came to dwell among us. The Scripture above describes his beginning present at the creation of the world. The book of John delves into the mystery, might, and majesty of Jesus, the Christ. Matthew, Mark, and Luke shared more about his human experiences and dwelling with other humans. Star Trek may have borrowed from those scenarios when it had a series of shows that place the ominous Q in the experience of being a human without his supernatural powers. It was very tough for him. His reactions were more like those of Moses, raised in the Pharaoh’s palace when he struggled to accept his identity as an Israelite, having been raised as a royal. He killed a man and ran for his life. Moses spent some time as a shepherd trying to find himself until he found the burning bush. Jesus had the advantage of being born and raised in human form. He knew what it meant to work hard and perhaps be hungry. He knew who held power and who did not. Jesus’s trip to the wilderness with John the Baptist was designed to immerse him into life as the Son of God.

During Advent, let us consider how well our humanness meshes with our faith. Does our genetics, culture, or life experiences define our faith, or have we immersed ourselves in the ways of the living God? One of the greatest gifts God gave us was a baby born in a manger who, from the beginning, knew personally the struggles we face, who taught us how to love one another because of or despite our genetics, life experiences, and cultural influences.

Prayer: God of Grace, we thank you for the gift of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Open our hearts and minds to life as he taught 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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Sanctified

Advent

December 17, 2021

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 10:5-10

Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
   but a body you have prepared for me;
in burnt-offerings and sin-offerings
   you have taken no pleasure.
Then I said, “See, God, I have come to do your will, O God”
   (in the scroll of the book it is written of me).’
When he said above, ‘You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt-offerings and sin-offerings’ (these are offered according to the law), then he added, ‘See, I have come to do your will.’ He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The definition of the word sanctify has two meanings* that I believe are inseparable.

a: made holy: made free of sin or free from the bondage of sin

b: set apart to sacred duty or use

Hebrews tells us that we have been made holy through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

I grew up when the phrase, once saved always saved, was in vogue. I had never heard that phrase before I went to church camp with my best friend one summer. My family attended a different denomination church than hers did, although I did not know what a denomination was at the time. I, never having enough sense to keep my mouth shut, disagreed with the teacher when she expressed that tenet of faith in class. I said something to the effect that we also had to follow Jesus once we were saved. If we did not, we had to ask for forgiveness. I do not think a student had ever disagreed with her before.  She called my mother and recommended that she chat with me not only about my misled beliefs but also about my disrespect for authority. My mother did ask me if I had been polite and stressed that I always should be. She suggested that the next time something like that happened; I might not want to make a big deal because people did have different ways of expressing themselves.  Mom did not think the teacher meant we no longer had to ask for forgiveness.

I do not consider myself an expert on the absolutes of salvation, but I still understand Jesus’s teachings as saying if you do not live it, you do not believe it.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we stray from the path you have set before us, and for folks like me, put a guard over our mouths** as we try to live our faith. Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you***. Amen.

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

**Psalm 141:3

***Psalm 19:14

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’s Grace

Advent

December 16, 2021

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 10:5-10

Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
   but a body you have prepared for me;
in burnt-offerings and sin-offerings
   you have taken no pleasure.
Then I said, “See, God, I have come to do your will, O God”
   (in the scroll of the book it is written of me).’
When he said above, ‘You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt-offerings and sin-offerings’ (these are offered according to the law), then he added, ‘See, I have come to do your will.’ He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Civilization from its inception seemed to intuitively understand that there was something more powerful than individuals and even clusters of people, so they identified gods for all occasions.  Our ancestors in faith were among the first to recognize that there was one supreme God who created them and set the ways for them to live successfully. Yet, they struggled to know God more nearly as they discerned their imperfections in following God’s ways and sought a means to rectify their failure by offering what was of value to them. Eventually, the prophets helped them understand that they were valuable to God. God did not want their perfect sheep or even a turtle dove. God wants loving relationships with each and all of God’s children, and among them, in a world, God created to meet their every need. He made that clear in accepting the utmost offering of Jesus in his death on the cross.

Once we learn that we cannot buy God’s grace, that it is a gift, we are forced to deal with living a life of loving God and loving others in times when we may not want to love some of those others at all. God indicates, however, that the best way to show our love for God is to love all others just as they are. People we encounter who, in our opinion, are harming themselves and others need even more of our love. I do not think we can individually change anyone, but we can plant seeds to open their minds to new ideas and their hearts to receiving love by walking beside them as we all grow toward the perfection Paul describes in his writings. The hard part for us is that we must follow Jesus’s instruction in Luke 6:42, how can you say to your neighbor, “Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye”, when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? 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.

Prayer: Lord, forgive me when I am more self-righteous than righteous. Help me to see the image of God in each of my brothers and sisters in Christ. 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.

Forever Together

Advent

December 13, 2021

Scripture Reading: Micah 5:2-5a

But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,
   who are one of the little clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
   one who is to rule in Israel,
whose origin is from of old,
   from ancient days.
Therefore he shall give them up until the time
   when she who is in labor has brought forth;
then the rest of his kindred shall return
   to the people of Israel.
And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord,
   in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great
   to the ends of the earth;
and he shall be the one of peace.

Keeping a relationship with the One Supreme God is necessary to meet basic needs, live securely in the world, and be at peace. As described by Micah in the above Scripture, the manifestation of the one to come will lead all God’s people in forming such a relationship. However, problems arise throughout the history of God when people become distracted and led away from the ways of God. Our greatest temptation as we reach places of comfort and abundance is no longer to feel the need for such a relationship. It is the story of the self-made billionaire. None of us were self-made; none of us pulled ourselves up from our bootstraps. Where did the boots come from in the first place? God created all people and endowed them with skills and talents nourished along the way by a hug, an example, or a cup of water. Most of us were blest with various mentors and enablers along the way. And yes, many of us put in long hours of hard work to succeed. God created us for a purpose. 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 12:48)

We, as Christ-followers, now identify the one the prophet foretold as Jesus, who came to us as an infant, was nurtured by loving parents, and grew into the one who paved the road for us to follow toward forming a sustaining relationship with the One Supreme God. We call him by many names; one is God with Us.

Prayer: Lord of all, forgive us when we think we no longer need to be in a relationship with you. As we move closer and closer to celebrating the birth of God with Us, kindle in us the fire of your love forever. 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.

The Habit of Loving

Advent

Scripture Reading: Philippians 1:3-11

I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that on the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

In all things, always start with love and see where it leads you. We often think of habits as bad things. Developing good habits will help you live longer and be more competent. However, I am not sure that I ever thought of love as a habit to cultivate. I believe that is what Paul is describing above.

To make love the driving force in our lives, we must understand love. The word “love” used in this Scripture is translated from the Greek agápē – properly, love which centers in moral preference. In the NT, 26 (agápē) typically refers to divine love (= what God prefers). Other words describing love are benevolence, goodwill, esteem. God’s love is given with no strings attached unconditionally.

How do we love unconditionally? How do we love without letting the influences of the world define how we see and deal with others? I just saw on the news a report of a black family living in a lovely home in a good neighborhood, having the home’s value appraised. They thought the appraisal was far too low and wondered if their race impacted the estimate. So they removed any pictures or other indicators that the home might be owned by African Americans and had a white friend acting the part of the owner greet the next appraiser and show them around the house. The second appraisal was $500,000 more than the first appraisal.

When we interact with others, do we first see the image of God by which they were created, or do we cast the world’s judgment on them? If that is the case, we need to develop the habit of looking for the image of God in each person we meet.

Finally, we must apply this same system to loving ourselves. Our problems of not loving like God result from our inability to love ourselves as a child of God.

Prayer: Lord, enable us to follow your instruction to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/greek/26.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.

Father Forgive Us

Advent

December 10, 2021

Scripture Reading:
Philippians 4:4-7

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

As I write, the second man in an Oklahoma prison to be executed in the last month is being fastened onto a gurney with legs bound and arms outstretched in a cross-like manner. Oklahoma stopped executions in 2015 because the drugs being used were deemed to cause unnecessary suffering. Our current Governor and Attorney General disagreed with that decision and reinstated executions using the same drugs. The first man executed experienced over two dozen convulsions and vomited twice before dying. The second man scheduled for execution had his sentence changed to life in prison without parole because there are serious questions regarding whether he committed the crime for which he was found guilty. The third man on the list is being killed today. There are 30 more people on death row, but a hearing has been set in February in federal court to determine whether the drugs being used cause unnecessary suffering. I do not believe that the death penalty is ever appropriate. The hearing in February will not end the death penalty; it will only change the method used to kill the people.

The Scripture quoted above is one of my favorites, and in theory, I attest to its validity, but today in real life, where the death penalty is real, I am finding it hard to rejoice in the Lord always. I then remember that much of Philippians was written by Paul while he was in prison when he, too, could have been executed. Later, he probably was beheaded for spreading the love of Jesus Christ. The man being executed today said he was at peace and will be the first person executed in Oklahoma to have his spiritual advisor in the room with him, praying for him while touching him in the process. He indeed has chosen to rejoice in the Lord always. So, I rejoice with his ability to rejoice while I pledge even more to advocate for the end of the death penalty and remember the words of Jesus from the cross, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do, Luke 23:34.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for our failure to love all your children. Guide us to restore the wholeness of all who have committed crimes.  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.

The Way of Love

Advent

December 8, 2021

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 12:2-6

Surely God is my salvation;
   I will trust, and will not be afraid,
for the Lord God is my strength and my might;
   he has become my salvation.

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say on that day:
Give thanks to the Lord,
   call on his name;
make known his deeds among the nations;
   proclaim that his name is exalted.

Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;
   let this be known in all the earth.
Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion,
   for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

The song Where is Love from the movie Oliver played in my head has I read this Scripture. The singer is a little boy who runs away from an orphanage in search of something better, in search of his mother. All alone and afraid in the darkness he sings:

Where is love?
Does it fall from skies above?
Is it underneath the willow tree
That I’ve been dreaming of?
Where is she
Who I close my eyes to see?
Will I ever know the sweet hello
That’s meant for only me*?

Surely my brain, or perhaps my heart, thought that Isaiah’s Scripture above answered Oliver’s questions. Recently, I have been thinking that we have pushed God to the back of the pantry as we sit alone in the dark, hopeless and helpless. We are neither. We serve a mighty God who loves us deeply and thoroughly and wants the very best for all God’s children.   Jesus, the Christ, came to show us the way, the truth, and the life*. Part of our problem is that we get distracted by life’s complications and have difficulty accepting that the solutions are straightforward as the love God expects of us. We are like toddlers fighting sleep when sleep is what they need.  We readily respond to challenges with strong emotions such as hate, anger, bigotry, and others when love is the required response. We cannot love like Jesus until we clear the clutter of what stands in our way of doing what is right, what is just.

Prayer: Lord, clear the clutter of selfishness and self-righteousness that limits our ability to love ourselves and others as you love. Amen.

*First verse of Where is Love by Lionel Bart see at https://genius.com/Oliver-musical-cast-recording-where-is-love-lyrics

**See John 14:6

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.