Wonderings Along the Way

Seeds of Love

2011-02-17T15:25:00.001-05:00

Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves. Psalm 126:6
To love might be described as to plant a seed.

In this sense planting is fairly easy when the ground is soft and the crops are plentiful, for to love those who welcome your love and who share their love with you can be a task done with great ease and filled with much joy.

Being a city boy I don’t know much about farming, but I am told that planting seeds in a time of drought and famine is about as difficult as it gets. Not only is the ground hard to work with, but once planted, you can’t be sure that the seed will grow. Even worse, when famine is involved, the seed that is placed into the hard, dry earth diminishes what is available to be eaten now.

Thus,
Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing…

Sowing LOVE can bring the same sense of weeping and despair when “the ground is hard” (or should we say, the attitude of the other person is hard) and when I don’t feel like I have much more to give nor do I have a guarantee of getting a return. In fact it may seem as though I will be starving myself and doing myself harm if I pour out anymore love in a certain direction.

And yet, the farmer knows that the only true way to make sure you don’t have the fruit of a harvest in the future is to not plant ANY seeds today. But as long as seeds continue to be planted, a hope for harvest still remains.

So also in love. The only true way I can be sure not to have a fruitful relationship with someone is to stop planting seeds of love. But as long as seeds of love continue to be planted, a hope for something new, something blessed, something fruitful still remains.

Pray that HE who along with His love was planted/buried in the cold dark tomb on account of the coldness and darkness of those whom He loved, might also empower our love, once planted, to burst forth as He and His love also did on the Third Day in His glorious resurrection.

Then, those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.

Prayer: O Jesus, may the fruit of your loving relationship with me provide the seed, the water, and the harvest in my relationships with others. In your name. Amen.

Practice, Practice, Practice

2011-02-02T11:03:00.000-05:00

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:9

Both of my sons play the piano.

Their enjoyment level in playing, though, is often determined by which day of the week it is.

The first day after their piano lesson is usually the worst. With newly assigned music before them it is not out of the ordinary to hear such complaints as: This is too hard. I can’t play this. I don’t like this piece. I don’t want to play this. And sometimes even a: I don’t want to play piano anymore.

I wonder how often I have had the same attitude when presented with my “next assignment” from the Lord?

It has taken a few years for me to learn how to have patience with them and to realize what a little practice can accomplish. Not only do the confusing notes on the page begin to make sense to them and to their fingers (and to our ears!), but their frustrations and doubts quickly begin to subside and are replaced with confidence and joy. I love this piece! they finally proclaim, not because the piece is suddenly not hard – but because they have practiced it enough to learn it and enjoy it. They are still learning to recognize that some decent practice along with a little musical giftedness can go a LONG way.

How about you and YOUR next assignment from the Lord?

At first glance it may seem too hard, if not impossible. You want me to do what?!? You expect me to stop speaking badly about who? You would like me to spend more time with you when? You are inviting me to trust you regarding that?

While His assignments can seem overwhelming at times, we tend to forget what some decent practice mixed with a little giftedness can accomplish – and in fact, in Christ we are not merely “a little gifted” – rather we are completely gifted! In us dwells the perfect Son of God through His Holy Spirit!!!

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:7

Only we forget that even the greatest gifts can be meaningless without practice.

And, true, the first few days (or sometimes weeks or longer) of practicing a new assignment can be by far the worst. But in time, as our Giftedness works within us, our doubts and frustrations will subside and be replaced with confidence and joy until what we do makes music to our ears as well as His.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, your resurrected life now dwells in me. May the gift of this new life be seen as I learn to practice the faith you have given me. In your name. Amen.

SHINE!

2011-01-12T15:43:00.000-05:00

Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

What would the church look like in our country (not to mention the world), if each congregation, rather than focusing on filling pews and meeting budgets and making sure everyone “inside the walls” was pleased – if instead we focused on doing good to every person the Lord puts in our lives?

What kind of CRAZY difference would we make if each Christian spent his/her life blessing others!?!

Life in this world is constantly tempting us to focus on ourselves and our own survival, and the church is not immune to such temptations. Nonetheless, the Word of God (who was made flesh and in whom we now live) just as constantly calls us back to join Him in His mission to SHINE.

Read the following verses ALOUD (unless you’re at work and embarrassed to do so, then at least “mouth” them):

Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. 1Cor 10:24
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Gal 6:9
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph 2:10
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Heb 10:24
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. Jam 3:13
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. 1Pe 2:12

Having been baptized in Christ, we have been born “into” the One who has come to love and do good to this world. He has done so (and continues to do so!) for us – and His mercies are new to us every morning (Lam. 3:23) – not because we deserve, but because He has come to serve!

What are some of the ways that you might serve, bless, or otherwise do good to the people around you? Make a quick list: five things; two; just one! However many!

Now list (though maybe don’t write this down) a few of the most UNdeserving people in your life.

What would you need in order to put the two of these together – your blessings and the undeserving people in your life?

Might you even pray for such an opportunity to arise within the next few days??? (hours??, NOW?)

Fear for your own survival in such a scenario? The Lord has this covered too:
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8

May the undeserved love of the LORD both FILL you and overflow from you that this love might indeed FILL all of creation!

Prayer: Only you, Lord Jesus, could love the world like you do. Bless me by doing so through me. In your holy name. Amen.

Managing Mercy

2010-10-13T18:16:00.000-04:00

who will trust you with true riches? Luke 16:11

I want to manage my money so that I don’t spend more than I earn. I want to manage my time in a way where moments aren’t wasted (or overbooked). I want to manage a lot of things. I even want to manage my use of energy and natural resources in a way that helps the environment (though I sometimes forget what goes into recycling and what just gets thrown away, not to mention that I just learned that chicken bones should go in neither, but rather down the sink’s garbage disposal – who would have thought!).

But what about wanting to manage what Jesus calls true riches?

Take mercy for example. Mercy is certainly one of our true riches, isn’t it?

And yet, how often do I think about managing mercy? How many books are written about it? How many seminars teach it? Do any of you iPhone users have an app for that?

What in the world is mercy?

I suppose it is anything from simply helping someone who doesn’t deserve it to actually letting your enemy, who just offended you, off the hook.

How often do you let your enemy off the hook? How often do we let our FRIENDS off the hook?
How often do you help the undeserving? How often do we help those who DO deserve?

Even if we were to stop and think about and intentionally manage our mercy, how generous would we be with it? (I wonder if we aren’t sometimes more merciful when we DON’T intentionally manage it.)

And why don’t we give out mercy more often? And why don’t we give out mercy EVERY TIME an opportunity occurs?

Every time I’m offended – mercy.
Every time someone doesn’t deserve help, but could use it – mercy.
Every day. Every person. Mercy for you and for you and for you.

What? Am I afraid that I’ll run out of it? As though it is like money where I only have so much I can spend before I run out?
Am I fearful that I don’t have the time for it? As though I don’t have room in my schedule for forgiveness today because I have to take my kids to soccer practice?
Do I think that it might not be good for the environment? As though too much mercy will bring about greater global warming (which by the way, it might!)?

Jesus said, Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:36

I am thankful beyond words that our Lord has not noticed all of the good reasons to neglect or intentionally withhold His mercy from us – but rather that His mercies are new each morning (noon and night) and that He so graciously showers them upon me and all – not because we are His friends or because we deserve it, but rather because that is the type of Manager He is.

My prayer is that He might help me manage my mercy in the same way.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, your mercy never fails me. Help me to give out mercy to others in the same way that you have allowed me to receive mercy from you. In your name. Amen.

Wealth

2010-10-13T18:15:00.000-04:00

So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? Luke 16:11
So as I was walking to work the other day, amongst the various pieces of litter along the way (which by the way, now that I’m mentioning such litter in this devotion my conscience is telling me, “why don’t you just bring a plastic bag with you so that you can clean it up every day as you walk?” – which, by the way, again, is only making me hope that my conscience will forget to ask this question tomorrow morning when I walk out of the door and that my wife, having read this devotion – I’m assuming she reads them – will also forget to remind me….nonetheless I digress) – so anyway – among the pieces of litter, one crumbled up ball of trash catches my eye. And in fact I DO pick this one up. Why? Well, because it is a McDonald’s receipt which just happens to be crumbled up and wrapped around two dollar bills.

In light of the above quoted words of Jesus, different questions come to mind about the person who left this for me to discover and add to my small collection of similar bills.

One – how could this person be so careless?
Two – if this person cannot be trusted with worldly wealth, would God EVER trust him (or her) with “true riches”
Three – what are TRUE riches, anyway?
Four – maybe this person already had TRUE riches, and therefore didn’t care about the money
Five – maybe this person had TRUE riches BECAUSE he knew that money was essentially worthless (compared with true riches, of course) and therefore threw the money out of the window on purpose
Six – maybe this was his way of helping the needy
Seven – maybe he simply littered and lost two bucks in the process
Eight – maybe he did it as a test to see who would pick it up and what that person would do with it (did I mention it ended up in my pocket?)

More importantly, I suppose, are questions about me rather than him.

How careless am I with worldly wealth? Whether throwing it out of the window literally or figuratively with what it gets spent on – does it matter? Could I be better? (WILL I be better?)

How often do I think about the spiritual issues at stake each time I make a purchase or make a financial decision???? (Do you?)

In light of my imperfections regarding finances, how could God ever trust ME with “TRUE riches”? What are these true riches? (I think I could name several, though I wouldn’t be surprised if there were many which I missed.)

Which type of riches do we spend more time and energy with – desiring, spending, budgeting, investing, working for….?

And why?

Not that I have all of the answers – which may be okay – as the parable that Jesus gives before this quote does more to provoke thought than it does to clarify the “right answer”. But I suppose that is part of the answer – am I letting my thought be provoked – in the sense that EVERY financial decision is in fact a part of my living out my faith in Him.

Whether He ultimately trusts me (and you) may be questionable, but in His GRACE He still seems to give – TRUE riches even more than worldly! And yet thankfully He doesn’t leave me alone to manage such true riches on my own, but through His Spirit comes to me and teaches me and provokes me and sometimes even succeeds in leading me. And through this shows me once again why He not only gives the riches, but how HE indeed IS the truest and richest Treasure.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, whether it be our change from a fast-food purchase or our salary for a year or the greater treasures of love and friendship and forgiveness and the like, thank you for having patience with us as you guide us to manage such things for good. In your precious name. Amen.

Learning to Love by Learning to Hate

2010-09-09T09:02:00.002-04:00

Jesus said, Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brother and sister, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26, from the 15th Sunday after Pentecost)

I love you so much that I hate you! Okay - that is not the normal way of expressing the depths of our love to those who are important in our lives. And yet, should it be?

It only takes a little bit of investigation to reveal that our normal, generic love for others tends to be on the side of selfish and self-serving. (Yikes, really?)

Quick test: do you in general tend to be more loving to those who ADD to your life OR to those who SUBTRACT from your life? (Ever ask why this is?)

Assuming you are like the rest of us and find yourself attracted to those who ADD to your life, consider this: does what your loved ones ADD to your life ever amount to enough? (And even more, will it be FOREVER enough?)

It is in this context that Jesus shares these powerful (and at times confusing) words, specifically directed toward those of us who "love in order to receive": whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother...

It is His way of saying, you can love them all you want, but they will never satisfy what you are looking for and truly need. Therefore "hate" them (or "reject" might be the better translation), and instead of trying to "receive" from them, receive rather from the One whose love DOES in fact satisfy.

AND THEN, having received HIS LOVE, then turn back to your father and mother, wife and children, brother and sister, and LOVE THEM with a love which is focused completely on giving rather than on receiving.

By the way - this is how HE loves you!

Prayer: O Lord Jesus, you who love me for my sake rather than for your own, may your love in me help me to do the same with those around me. In your loving name. Amen.

Seeing

2009-09-30T14:31:00.002-04:00

Jesus looked at him and loved him. Mark 10:21

Before we can struggle with loving others like Jesus loves them, it might be best to begin by first looking at them. Sometimes our lives have become so self-absorbed that no matter what we might see with our eyes, in reality we are merely looking at ourselves. Jesus looked at him. Truth is, if you read the text you’ll notice that even this man was looking at himself (“what must I do to inherit eternal life?” he asks). Jesus tries to get him to look at the poor around him and yet he went away sad because he was unwilling to look away from the “me” that was him. The love of Jesus is found in this, He looked away to look at us – at you – and in seeing you couldn’t help but love you. Not because you deserved His love – heavens no! But rather because seeing you He noticed how much you needed His love. Jesus, help us to look at others and see the same. Amen.

Self Denial

2009-09-24T09:11:00.003-04:00

Here is something to wonder about. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves (Mark 8:34). The problem though is that you can't really deny yourself while you're thinking about self denial. Everytime I focus on denying myself I end up back at thinking about and focusing on me - the very one I'm trying to deny! Rather than trying to and praying for self denial, I find that the call to self denial is really a call to totally and completely (yes, I know these words mean the same thing) have my heart turned AWAY from ME - to the Lord and those whom He so dearly loves.

Lord Jesus, rather than helping me deny myself, I desire to put all of my hope and trust in You and your grace and mercy and love, and to walk with you as you bring that grace and mercy and love to the world around me. In your name. Amen

Wedding Season

2009-06-25T15:26:00.002-04:00

If you have enough time, read Revelation 21.

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. Revelation 21:2

Anyone attending a wedding this summer?

I still remember my own wedding – 15 years ago last month.

I was a lot younger, a lot skinnier, had more hair on my head, and a lot more naïve – scratch that – clueless about life.

While I have several strong memories about the wedding the one that sticks in my head the most is the first moment I saw my bride step toward me from the back of the chapel. Now you have to understand that we were very traditional and hadn’t seen each other all day (granted it was an 11am wedding). You also have to understand that we were married at the chapel of our school (two weeks after graduation, mind you), Valparaiso University – which just happens to be the largest university chapel in the country – and one of the largest in the world!!! (Seriously, it is.)

And so, there she was about to take that first step toward, of all people, me – as I waited, standing there at the altar of my Lord. Because of the length of the chapel she looked miles away (the chapel is actually 193 feet long – glad I didn’t have to walk that far!) – and yet I could see her perfectly and, like many a groom I suppose, I was overcome with the emotion of my love for her and her love for me.

Not in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that my love for her then would actually increase year after year after that first step – and yet this is exactly what has taken place (though I don’t suppose I’m as teary-eyed about it anymore).

Now before you all go “awww, isn’t that sweet” – as sweet as it was for Kathy and me then, this is the image, the picture that the LORD presents us with in regards to His relationship with us!!!

One of the hardest things for people outside of the Church is to comprehend a God who is so head over heels in love with the people of His creation – so much so that He describes us as the bride for whom He so eagerly and excitedly waits. In fact this groom that is Him has gotten so excited that He has run down the aisle to meet us there – and help us Himself to the altar!

I say that this is a very difficult picture for those outside of the Church to comprehend, but even for those who are walking hand in hand with the Groom, on the way to the altar, today – this is difficult to comprehend.

And to think that THIS is the very point of my life (and not everything else that can be so distracting!)!

And even more to imagine that it only gets better after this!!!

Well – if you happen to get to a wedding this summer take a moment to reflect on the one which even now is taking place.

Prayer: Jesus, no matter how many doubts I have about your love, no matter how far I still feel I am from the altar at times, no matter how much fear I have because of the human relationships that have not lived up to hopes and dreams, no matter… help me to learn to appreciate, to recognize, to receive, and by your grace even to reflect your sacrificial, whole hearted love and devotion to me. In your name. Amen.

Little League Lesson

2009-06-11T15:07:00.001-04:00

If you have enough time, read Romans 5.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us….For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Romans 5: 8, 10

I’m not saying what I did was wrong (and I certainly can’t imagine you telling me that it was) – but it sure made me think and wonder.

What did I do, you ask?

What I did was this – I cheered for my son at his baseball game last weekend.

The score was even – 2-2. The fourth of six innings came up and Coach decides to put my son in as pitcher – for not one, but two innings. Might make many a dad proud – but made me stomach-churning nervous. This being his first year with this 9-10 year olds league, and his first year pitching – YIKES – I really didn’t want him to give up the go ahead run and end up losing the game!!!! Go son go! You can do it! You can get them!

Oh, was I ever hoping for him to get that team out!

It wasn’t until afterward that the irony which my vocation beckons me to notice came to light.

Here I am – a father – cheering, hoping, wishing, yearning (was I even praying as well??) for my son to beat all these other kids on the opposing team while at the same time trying to serve a Father who sent His Son to lose so that the opposing team might win.

(…when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son.)

While I was cheering for my son, did I have a single thought about what a homerun, or even a hit might mean to one of the kids coming up to bat? What a win might mean to them, to their team, to their families – to that dad on the other side who was cheering, hoping, wishing, yearning (was he even praying as well?) for his son?

Of course not! I was concerned mainly, if not solely, with my own.

And yet in our Heavenly Father we find a Father who is willing to give up His own for the sake of everyone else – AND a Son who desires the same!

Hey Son, I’ll be so proud of you if you go out there and get creamed.

How strange it seems.

And then the response – absolutely Abba (Dad), Father – that has always been our plan, hasn’t it?

And strangest yet – mainly because it hits home – is when that Son turns to us and says, Now I want you (who have now been made children of God, yourselves) to love others in this same way (John 13:34).

Thankfully I’ll console myself with the thought that Jesus couldn’t possibly have been talking about baseball at the time since it wouldn’t be played for another just less than two thousand years. (Though it does seem that long since the Orioles had a winning season – but I digress.)

Anyhow, living as the son or daughter of God who lives in partnership with the Father and Son in a life of suffering, giving, dying, - losing – for others (yes, even those on the opposing team) might actually be easier on the ball field than in “real life”. And yet that is what we are called to do – for that is what true, real, pure LOVE is.

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those how love them. Luke 6:32

And yet, as I continue to wrestle with my own call to love I can only become that much more amazed at His love for me.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, teach us to trust in your promise that the love we live out by daily dying for the sake of others only leads to resurrection, theirs and ours. And as we don’t have such love within ourselves, give us your love that we might actually live it. In your name. Amen.

OH YEAH – I forgot to tell you – though several batters got on base, no one scored and my son recorded six strikeouts. Then after our ace pitched the last inning the game ended in a tie. This Saturday you’ll find me at our first playoff game – and yes, I’ll still be rooting for my son and his team – but maybe in a little different state of mind.

How Much Longer?

2009-05-28T10:54:00.002-04:00

If you have enough time, read Psalm 6

How long, O Lord, how long? Psalm 6:3

Ten days – normally not considered a “long time” – can seem to never end, depending on the situation. Looking for a missing child. Waiting for a diagnosis. Suffering under the symptoms of the swine flu (alright, I don’t know if the swine flu is that bad or not).

There were ten days between Jesus ascending up into heaven, having just told his disciples to wait for the “gift”, and the actual giving of the “gift” on the day of Pentecost. (Did you know that Pentecost, the day on which the Holy Spirit was given to ALL believers, will be celebrated this Sunday, May 31?)

I wonder how long those days seemed to them. Maybe they went by like a breeze. Maybe they seemed like an eternity.

I don’t know about you, but “waiting on the Lord” is not something I normally look forward to. And yet it sometimes seems as though so much of life involves just this.

How long, O Lord, how long? (Are you still here? Have you forgotten me? Are you EVER going to do anything about this?)

And yet as trying and painful as the waiting can be, to put the wait aside and try to “fix” things myself – well, even in my short life thus far I have become disappointingly aware of how well my fixing fixes things.

How many years, generations, centuries, millennia did the Israelites (not to mention the world) wait for the Messiah?

And yet, at just the right time, in just the right way – He came.

How long, O Lord? I ask.

Until the time is right - of course! He answers (with a SMILE!). And then to add insult to injury, He adds, Would you really want it any other way?

Prayer: O Lord, if we have to wait, at least use our waiting to draw us closer to, to give us a greater yearning and desire for, to turn our trust and our hope ever more so to YOU. In your name, Jesus. Amen.

Blameless Love

2009-05-19T14:43:00.003-04:00

If you have enough time, read 1 John 4:7-21.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:10

I didn’t tell anyone at the time, but for Lent this year I gave up “blaming others” – both blaming others in front of someone else as well as even in my own thoughts (this latter part obviously being the more difficult of the two).

I don’t know how well I did overall, but when I was able to catch myself it really made an impact on me. On the one hand, this was no easy task as I have always enjoyed and been good at coming up with excuses for things gone wrong – and quite often the fault would lie with someone else. And yet, as much as others may have been involved in the problems around me, without letting myself blame them, I became that much more aware of my own role – and the blame that I rightly deserve. (Sometimes so much that I thought: boy, what a stupid thing this was to give up for Lent!)

Love can be this way.

When I have trouble loving someone, how easy it is to place the blame on them?

The argument is that they are just not “lovable” (or at least not to me).

Rather than recognizing my own problem with being “able to love”.

Our Lord Jesus could come up with endless reasons why we don’t deserve His love. (And He would be right!) And yet He has shown us that love is never “deserved” – rather it is merely “given”.

I don’t love them because they hurt me…
I don’t love them because they bug me…
I don’t love them because they are so different from me…
I don’t love them because they….

Or maybe it is because of me.

And if it is because of me (it is), then I need the change, rather than them.

Prayer: O Lord Jesus, thank you for not using me as an excuse to keep your love from me. May your undeserved love have its way in my relationships with others as well. In your name, Jesus. Amen.

Daily Bread

2009-05-14T09:04:00.002-04:00

If you have enough time, read Matthew 6:5-15.

Give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6:11

If you are one who prays the Lord’s Prayer regularly, you’ve been praying this line from this prayer for years. If not, be careful before you start, without first knowing what you’ll be asking for.

While we’ve always understood the “bread” to mean all the basic necessities of life (everything that has to do with the support and needs of the body, Luther), and this part of the prayer as not only asking for these provisions but also as a reminder to us that these things (which at times seem SOOOO important to us) are in fact ALSO important to the Lord (otherwise, why would Jesus have us pray about them?) … WELL, it was the “daily” that put me into a bit of a shock not too long ago.

Had the good Lord been tricking me into praying this prayer this way?

Since when have I wanted merely my daily bread? What about planning for tomorrow, next month, year, - heck, is it too soon to start counting down toward retirement?? If all I’m getting is my daily bread, how can I ever trust that I’ll have enough in the future???

Unless of course, His point is that our trust rests not on the bread, but on the One who gives it. (Ouch! That sounds something like “faith”.)

When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me. Hosea 13:6

Could it actually be better at times to only receive my daily bread – and no more??? I’ll keep praying the prayer the way the Lord gave it to us even if I’m not sure if I agree with it – just in case He knows best.

Prayer: Truth is Lord, you do give us well beyond our daily bread. Let what you give us, though, never take us away from the One who gives it – the same One who gave Himself – YOU, Lord Jesus. In your name. Amen.

Running to the Tomb

2009-04-16T09:19:00.003-04:00

If you have enough time read John 20.

Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. John 20:4

It is not a question of whether or not your life is a race. We’re all racing. We’re all running. We’re all go, go, go-ing.

The question is what are we racing to?

Where are YOU running to? Look at the course you are on right now – if you continue on this course, what will be at the end – the finish line, so to speak?

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7

The course can be rough, while at other times it can be smooth. It can go uphill and downhill. We can receive from the crowds cheers and jeers. Sometimes it is hard to take even the tiniest of steps. Other times it seems as though someone has picked us up and is carrying us along the way (Way). Sometimes the scenery along the Way is tremendous and wonderful. Other times it moves me to pain and tears. Sometimes the only reason I keep going is because I know there is an empty tomb up ahead (and it’s not just His). Other times I can recognize that in many ways, I’ve already left the empty tomb and living the new life today!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to finish the race, knowing that because of you the victory is already mine. In your name. Amen.

Holy Week

2009-04-08T12:27:00.002-04:00

If you have enough time read Isaiah 53.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

My middle child shocked me the other day. He told me that he was going to have a lot of tears on Good Friday. I asked him how come? – guessing that thinking about someone suffering and dying, and especially Jesus, must just be too much for him to hold in. I should have known better, for it is my oldest who is much more sensitive to physical pain, suffering, and death (tears can come forth from him at just the mentioning of “Old Yeller”).

No, contrary to what I had anticipated from this one, he merely answered (spoken as if I already knew the answer): “Well you know, because of all my sins.”

Because of all my sins?

Did I mention this is the child who hardly ever gets in trouble?

I mean, of course, he is right – but is he really grasping what many of us often miss?

The idea of someone who has come to “die for us” is moving, touching, and a story we like to hold onto.

The story of someone whom we killed (directly or indirectly – does it really matter?) on the other hand can seem a little more uncomfortable to hold.

He was pierced for our transgressions.
He was crushed for our iniquities.

Might it be that the more honest I am with the profanities in my life, the more I can understand the sacredness of this week?

Might it be that as I understand that “for me” begins first with “because of me”, that I too, if not moved to tears, might at least be moved to greater repentance? That the healing which his wounds bring might not just seem like some distant kind act of God, but that these wounds are the means by which my transgressions, iniquities, sins might actually be healed?

Before looking at the cross, might I be brave enough to look in the mirror? If so, the cross will certainly become more clear.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you proved your love for us in that while we were still sinners – sinners not just against each other, but against YOU! – nonetheless, you died for us. My sins indeed added to your death. May I recognize all the more how much your life is meant to take away my sins. In your name. Amen.

Even as Chickens (no offense to poultry)

2009-03-31T15:19:00.003-04:00

If you have enough time read Psalm 27.

The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1

It seems strange how “scary” taking our faith seriously can seem at times.

Anything from growing in our spiritual disciplines (prayer, worship, bible reading, fasting, etc.) to being a more faithful steward of what we have been given to living a holier life – each one of these can bring with it a certain amount of fear – a reaction within us that says WHOA – I don’t know if I am ready to go there!

And yet why is this? Will adding on 15 minutes of prayer time really kill the rest of our day/week/year/life? Will letting go of a grudge cause us personal harm? Will tithing (giving 10% back to the Lord) really destroy us financially? (Okay – maybe this can be a more “legitimate” fear – but does tithing now mean I’m signing a 5 year can’t-get-out-of contract to do the same?) Will letting go of lust, gossiping, and coveting; facing my other addictions; repenting of my wayward ways really ruin who I am and what I hope to get out of life? (Not that fear is the only thing that gets in the way of these things, but it is often what gets in the way of even beginning to let the Lord work changes in these areas of our lives.)

The truth is that even though chances are pretty good that my life will only get better as I let the Lord better my life, nonetheless that fear often remains. Am I wrong in this??? What is the Lord urging you to do? Are you afraid?

When faced with the road before Him, Jesus said, “Now my heart is troubled…” John 12:27.

Did He not also fear that which was before Him?

Faith isn’t necessarily the absence of fear, but rather going forward even in the midst of it.

Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.

And if I can’t let go of the fear, at least, Lord, don’t let go of me as you walk me right through my fear in order to bring me out safely on the other side.

So, fine – we can be a scared people, but is that any reason to stay right here?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, if it were up to me I’d be too chicken to go or grow. By your grace shepherd me beyond my fears right to where you know I should be. In your name, Jesus. Amen.

Feeling Judged?

2009-03-25T14:07:00.001-04:00

If you have enough time read Matthew 7.

‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.’ Matthew 7:1-2

I used take these words as a warning that if you judge someone else then God is going to judge you, so you’d better watch out how rough you are in your labeling of everyone else – unless of course you want God to be “rough” with you as well.

While there certainly is some truth in this (Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us), there is yet another truth that is also worth noting – the more (and rougher) I judge others, the more (and rougher) THEY judge me.

OR, maybe the MORE I feel and notice and am hurt by their judgments.

Do a personal experiment. Do you feel judged, criticized – do you feel watched, as though people are waiting for you to mess up? Well – if so, honestly (can we even be honest with ourselves in something like this?) look at how much you “notice” others and “their shortcomings”.

Instead of “waiting” for others to be less critical of me, what if I went first and just started, not just being “less critical”, but actually showering the praises and thanksgivings on everyone else – even and including the worst of those on “my list”?

Yikes! But who would hold them accountable for being a “screw-up” in life? Maybe we could allow the ONE who ultimately holds us accountable for the same – and by His grace marks us as innocent.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, as you did not come into the world to condemn the world but to save it, help me to know the difference and live it out in my own life as well. In your name. Amen.

Money Speaks?

2009-03-18T09:05:00.002-04:00

If you have enough time read Acts 20.

‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Acts 20:35

The mere “coincidence” that a feeling of uncomfortableness comes up when someone talks about how we should spend our money – and especially “the church” – in many ways bears witness to the hold we seem to let finances have on our lives.

A devotion about the “need to give” just doesn’t seem to ring as spiritual or even as practical as so many other possible topics for meditation. On the contrary many of us might like to try to read through such a devotion quickly (if at all), convince ourselves that no behavior change is necessary (or desired), and look forward to next week’s devotion about something more worth wrestling with – like, maybe, judging others.

Add on to this the fact that for married people the “need to give” is usually a joint decision and “since I’m already convinced that even if I wanted to change in this area my spouse would never go for it” a devotion on giving might seem to have as much hope as an electronic slice of canned ham (that would be spam for those who didn’t get my attempt at humor).

Nonetheless – here goes – and here goes bluntly:

For those of us who are waiting for our money to tell us it is okay to be generous – both in our giving of at least a tithe (10%) back to the Lord as well as our giving to others – it simply will never, ever, EVER happen.

Wait, wait, wait as we may, our money will NEVER (guaranteed!) say it is okay to give it away.

Why is this, you ask? Is it because our money always wants more, is never satisfied, always wanting to grow, grow, grow? Absolutely NOT! Not even close.

Rather the reason why our money will never give us the okay to let go of it is simply this: our money can’t talk. It has no mouth, no mind, no will.

Another attempt at corny humor you ask? Maybe, but not without pointing out an extremely important truth.

The truth is that the decision to give or not give cannot be blamed on our money. The Lord doesn’t call our money to be generous; He calls US.

If we are not giving, it would seem lunacy to turn to our money and blame it.

I share this not to shame us into generosity – for each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7) and shame rarely if ever brings forth cheerfulness.

But rather the knowledge of this point is important so that we can recognize that if a change is to occur that change will not happen in our money, but in us.

WE are the ones He has come to change – and may we be ever changed until the image of the perfect God (the perfect Giver, Lover, Friend) is made perfect in us.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you died and rose for me – not for my money or my stuff – but for me. May your death and resurrection put the old me to death and rise me up anew in You – always. In your name. Amen.

Carpe Diem!

2009-03-10T16:03:00.002-04:00

If you have enough time read Lamentations 1 (it’s hiding between Jeremiah and Ezekiel) and/or Hebrews 12.

She did not consider her future. Lamentations 1:9

Carpe Diem! Seize the day! So the saying goes.

And I suppose I agree – only – I have a question – which day are we supposed to seize?

Am I to live life as though today is all there is? This can sound great – until of course I wake up tomorrow and find out it wasn’t. This is what the people of Jerusalem did – always pretending that their future would not be affected by the way they lived in their present. And of course Lamentations isn’t called Lamentations because that future turned out the way they had hoped for.

At the same time, others of us can find ourselves living as though yesterday is all there is – as we find ourselves stuck in the pain others have caused us or in the guilt we’ve brought on ourselves. Instead of seizing the day we tend to be seized by the day instead.

Then there is Carpe Diem Cras – or seize the day tomorrow – which isn’t really about seizing the day at all but only putting off the seizing for another time.

But what if the day to seize now is our final day? What if I could reach out my hand far enough into the future and pick out that last day, whenever it might be, and bring it into the present – not to hasten its coming – but rather to live now in the light of what that day reveals? To seize that day today?

Granted the words are true that if the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.’ 1 Corinthians 15:32

But if the dead are raised.

And not only raised but raised in and with and through the glory of the Son … would this not allow us to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us[?] Let[ting] us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God[?] Hebrews 12:1-2

Wherever I am, whomever I am with, whatever surrounds me – the good, the bad, and the ugly – to live today as though the promised day of victory in Jesus is already mine (it is, by the way) – and that this day of victory, in the end, is all that matters – how might considering my future affect my present? How might seizing that day affect my now on this day – and all that I do and say alone and with others and with HIM???

Seize it – for it is already yours!

Prayer: O Lord Jesus, help me to seize the day – that day – today, even as you have come to seize me. In your name. Amen.

Anticipating or Waiting

2009-03-03T14:21:00.003-05:00

If you have enough time, read Psalm 130.

My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. Psalm 130:6

I happened to be at Lutheran World Relief offices (www.lwr.org) this morning for a meeting and stayed for their daily devotion time. In the devotion the leader mentioned a difference between anticipating and waiting.

Expanding on what she talked about, anticipating is something we do when we know what is coming and maybe even when it will arrive. I may not have it yet but I am certain that it is on its way without delay. Anticipating gives us a growing sense of excitement as we look forward to that which we know is nearer and nearer to us each day. We anticipate the return of a loved one. We anticipate the celebration of our birthday and the presents we will get. We anticipate that vacation that will take us away from our daily hardships.

Waiting, on the other hand, seems something deeper and at times maybe even darker. Waiting might be what we do when we don’t know what is coming or when it would if it did. And yet we know that what is now cannot be the end – O please Lord, let it not be the end. Waiting, rather than giving us a growing sense of excitement, will often provide a growing sense of anxiety and maybe worry and fear, if not despair. We wait for the results from the test. We wait for the forgiveness of a loved one or the ability to give this forgiveness to someone else. We wait for life to finally turn around in our favor.

If I knew for certain that the Lord would make things good for me next month, or even next year – or even 10 years from now – if I knew this for certain – then I could much easier spend my time between now and then eagerly anticipating its arrival.

But if I have no sure and certain promise that my life then will be any better off than it is today – and indeed might even seem worse – without fully giving into despair – all I can do is wait. Wait. And wait.

Faith is tested in waiting. Trust is lived out in waiting.

Indeed, waiting is at times all we can do when what we thought were our faith and trust has run out.

Waiting (and maybe this is the key point) forces me back to HIM – not knowing what He might bring or when – whereas anticipating might often direct me to that which is coming, rather than to the ONE who brings it.

This season of Lent is a season of waiting – a season to remind us that much of life is lived in waiting – but also that our waiting, as hopeless as it might at different times seem, will not be in vain. For our waiting is not about looking forward to a specific event or happening or break in life (which may or may not happen) – our waiting is a reliance on the LORD – and the LORD lives!

Prayer: O Lord, help me in my waiting, to focus less on the life I would like to live and more on the ONE who is life – you, my Lord. In your name, Amen.

Unworthily Worthy

2009-02-26T12:39:00.003-05:00

If you have enough time read 2 Corinthians 5.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21

Don’t know how many of you made it to worship yesterday or not. I had my ashes placed on my forehead by a kindergartener during our school chapel service. Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

Some might say that every day should be an “Ash Wednesday-like day” – a day where we take a real and hard look at ourselves and our shortcomings, our faults, our sins – a day where we take seriously our unworthiness – both in our relationship with the Lord but even in our relationships with one another. I know for certain that I do not deserve what the Lord so graciously gives me as I turn away from Him time and time again. But at the same time, do I really deserve even what my “loved ones” give me? I’m certainly no perfect husband or father or friend (and certainly not a perfect pastor either – and yet not only do they love me (most of the time) but they even pay me!).

No, the truth is I don’t want what I deserve and Ash Wednesday is a great reminder of this. I am a sinner – plain and simple – and what a sinner should get is not what I want. Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time! If only life were truly that easy. I have done the crime, I still do the crime, and I will do the crime – and yet O my Lord, what can I do?

Yes, Ash Wednesday is a great day to stop and recognize and fess up to the fact that this person who is “me” is often broken, misguided, misused, overused, underused, abused, and just plain wrong – and the fault of this sinfulness rests squarely upon this same “me”.

AND YET, thanks be to God everyday is NOT Ash Wednesday. For God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

The journey which begins on Ash Wednesday always leads us to the cross of Good Friday and the cross always leads us to the empty tomb. And the empty tomb is empty because the crime has been paid for – and thanks be to God it wasn’t paid for by me!

But now that it has been paid for, I become the righteousness of God! Go figure that one out!!! He becomes my sin so that I can become HIS righteousness. (This by the way is called “love”.)

So, no – I probably won’t be treating every day as though it is another Ash Wednesday – even if it is good to reflect upon my sinfulness and unworthiness from time to time - I don’t know if I would be able to stand up under all of that guilt all of the time – even knowing He comes to take it away. Rather I like to spend most of my days as another Easter – basking in the freedom of what it means to now be the righteousness of God – and seeking to live this out with Him and one another.

What I refuse to do (though of course failure comes here at times as well), and this is the point of Ash Wednesday more than anything else, is to look at my sins and try to “take care of them” myself – through denial, blaming others (including HIM), and making excuses. For it is here that freedom is lost and our sins gain the greatest control over our lives.

I am but dust and while I can’t bring myself to life, there is ONE whose breath upon me will – and it is in Him whom I must place my trust.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for the love you give me – the crazy, undeserved, don’t-know-why-in-the-world-you’d-even-want-to-give-it love. And forgive me when I turn to the one in my reflection to accomplish that which you have already done. In your name, Jesus. Amen.

More than Conquerors

2009-02-17T15:46:00.000-05:00

If you have enough time read Romans 8.

If God is for us, who is against us? Romans 8:31
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37

Many of us have a hard time trusting in Jesus, and the victory which he promises, in relation to the “attacks” we receive from the world around us – the people, the events, the circumstances (whether these are intentionally against us or not). (You know what attacks I’m talking about – all those people – sometimes even those closest to us – and things that hit us hard in one way or another.)

How much simpler life would seem if I knew that in the end all of these attacks would cause me no harm (“no harm” and “no pain” are two different things) – that my victory over them was assured.

It wouldn’t mean that I could just go about life ignoring all of these things, assuming that they would just “take care of themselves” (that would be nice, right?!) – but it would mean, wouldn’t it, that I could face these things (or people) with a renewed confidence and hope and strength – and maybe even eliminate some of that fear and anger and need for revenge and anxiety that can come up otherwise.

Granted, most of us would probably wish that these “attacks” just weren’t part of life in the first place.

But remember, A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you. John 15:20.

The question if God is for us, who is against us? does not mean that there is no one against us. On the contrary, I think we can assume that what is against us is the same as what is against HIM! And if we look it won’t take very long to see SO MUCH that is against HIM – at times even including ourselves.

Rather this question is meant to recognize that even if we had the whole world against us (which, by the way, we don’t), HE is for us and with HIM for us, --- well, if even our greatest enemies of sin and death couldn’t have their way with HIM, what can?

More than conquerors. It is a growing process for us as HIS followers to recognize that this is in fact what we are – more than conquerors. In fact, we have trouble seeing ourselves as “conquerors” at all, much less “more than”.

What battle are you facing today – without or within? HE is for you. Now – who do you think will win?

Prayer: O Lord Jesus, help me to recognize that in you there is always victory – and that always means always. Give me perseverance and patience and trust as you bring this victory about. In your name, Jesus. Amen.

Needed or Not

2009-02-16T21:24:00.002-05:00

It seems very popular these days to "not need God" (though it will be interesting to see if new "needers" arise out of the present economic crisis). But here is a question: do we follow our Lord because we need Him? Or is there another, weightier reason? Whether or not we need God (yes, I admit that I think we do - but I think this is beside the point) is not the reason for following Him the truth that He wants to be our God and He wants us to be His people? Whether I want my sins forgiven or not, whether I want the joy, peace, hope, etc. which He can bring or not, whether I want to "get to heaven" or not - this Creator of ours calls us to Himself - that He may be with us and that we may be with Him. Is this not enough in itself for me to go and to spend my days in His presence?

More than a Feeling

2009-02-11T12:26:00.001-05:00

If you have enough time read Matthew 18.

The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. Matthew 18:27

Have you ever tried controlling your feelings? When you do – what is your rate of success?

Emotions can be an extremely slippery item to put in check (not impossible, but certainly difficult).

In last week’s devotion on Crazy Love (past devos can be found below) we talked about how one of the ways to love someone else (especially those who might not be very good at showing love toward us) is through forgiveness.

One definition of forgiveness that I came across states that forgiveness is losing the feeling of the need for revenge because of another’s wrongdoing. Another is ceasing to feel angry against someone who has wronged you.

While these changes in feelings may certainly accompany, or follow, forgiveness, if this manipulation of our feelings is what actual forgiveness is – well then my guess is that many of us aren’t going to get very far when it comes to actually forgiving someone.

Personally I like the parable presented by Jesus as recorded in Matthew 18. In this parable, in order to illustrate forgiveness, Jesus uses the image of a king canceling the debt of his servant.

To me this is very helpful (and not just because we’re in an economy where lots of us could use our “debts” cancelled).

It is helpful because of this – on the one hand it recognizes that there IS an actual debt to be paid. My job isn’t to trick myself into feeling or thinking that what the person did really wasn’t wrong OR that they shouldn’t have to pay to make it up to me.

Rather forgiveness recognizes the reality of the wrong that was committed AND recognizes that they indeed should make up for it BUT then cancels this requirement that they make up for it. The debt – a REAL debt brought on by a REAL wrong – gets cancelled. I no longer am holding you accountable (“your account has been cleared”) for the wrong you have done. Payback is no longer necessary – indeed it is not accepted, for your debt is now gone.

At the same time, on the other hand, forgiveness as “canceling the debt” recognizes that there is still a cost involved. The king in the parable took a real loss by canceling the debt of his servant. He didn’t just feel differently toward the servant – he suffered a loss on his servant’s behalf. The king in essence paid the price to let the servant go free.

For us too, it would be foolish and unrealistic to think that forgiveness is something we can give away without cost. In fact the price we pay to forgive others is exactly the reason why in some cases we hesitate and even refuse to forgive. And yet – (and this is the key to it all, isn’t it?) – there is One who is willing to pay that price for them even when we can’t pay it ourselves. The One who pays the price so that we might have our debt cancelled is also the One who is willing to pay the price to free us to cancel the debt of those who owe us.

Having trouble forgiving someone – or forgiving them yet again? Go ahead – charge their debt to HIM this time – that is why He is here.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you came both to reconcile us with our Creator AND to reconcile us with each other. Even as you draw us nearer to yourself, may your grace also wipe away the debts, the trespasses, the sins which we hold against one another – as you continue to show us what love truly is. In your name. Amen.

Lovin' grace.

2009-02-06T14:35:00.004-05:00

One of the greatest things about messing up (did you even know there was anything great about messing up? And by the way I'll call it "messing up" only because it sounds more gentle than "sin" which of course is what it is) - anyhow - one of the greatest things about messing up has got to be - and yes, unfortunately I had to witness this first hand this week - has got to be how great is the grace of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good... (Romans 8:28) - but He wouldn't have to work all things for the good if we were already working the good ourselves, would He? It is only because our good doesn't always work, that He has to work all things for the good himself. And in His grace (yes, we'll call it amazing grace) He often works things even better than what our good - which we didn't do anyway - would have done on its own. I love grace!

e-devo: Crazy Love

2009-02-04T10:59:00.002-05:00

If you have enough time read John 13.

A new command I give you: Love one another. John 13:34

Want to do something crazy today? Want to do something a little nutty?

Try this: love someone.

Really! Love someone.

But not just anyone. Some people are easy to love. You were probably already loving them before you began reading this devotion. Rather, we’re talking about those other people or that other person. The one you can’t stand. Or the one you simply try to ignore. The one who has a great gift at annoying you, whether they are trying to or not. Maybe even the one who turned against you or caused you pain. Maybe you can see them right now, maybe you haven’t seen them in years, maybe you might not have a chance to see them again.

Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

Jesus spoke these words a couple hours after He had showed a token of His love by washing the feet of His twelve disciples – including the two feet which belonged to the man whom He knew was about to leave in order come back with others and to betray Him with a kiss.

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. … But love your enemies… Luke 6:32, 35

On that night (and the following day!), Jesus showed them what true love really is. And since then, the crazy thing (the miraculous thing, the relationship changing, the history making thing) is that, by faith, He helps us to do the same.

If a good part of our walk with Jesus (whom we can’t see) is lived out in our lives with people (whom we can see) [see last week’s e-devo below for more on this] then loving them is not some extra little thing that would be nice to do if we could or if we ever got around to it. Rather, this is what life is about! And the difference which faith in Christ makes. This is why we are here – and why He has come.

Want some ideas to share some of this crazy love today?

Maybe washing their feet isn’t the best plan (though if you choose this option let me know how it goes).

Rather, how about seeing them differently – to see them as the image of God they are, even if that image can be hidden at times? (Listen here for more on this: http://www.emmanuelbaltimore.org/sermon/19.)

Or how about actually liking them (I’m still fully convinced that truly loving someone always includes liking them, and that denying this only gets in the way of our love)?

Or how about caring about what is going on in their life – both the good and the bad and lifting this up in prayer (even daily, perhaps)?

And, here is the winner: if they have wronged you, how about forgiving them? Radical thought right! Thank the Lord that He has done and continues to do the same with us. Should we tell them that we forgive them? Maybe or maybe not – but my guess is that it will at least show.

What other ways can you come up with sharing this – His – love today?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, at times the call you give me is too great to follow. In these times O Lord help me to deny myself and let the One who now lives in me – your Spirit – lead me to where you would have me go – especially in my relations with the pinnacle of your creation – people – even as flawed as we may be. In your name, Jesus. Amen.

reflecting on Augustine

2009-01-30T21:44:00.003-05:00

I realized that I was far away from you. I was in the land where all is different from You, and I heard Your voice calling: 'I am the Food of full-grown men. Grow and you shall feed on me. But you shall not change me into yourself. ... Instead, you shall be changed into me.' Augustine, Confessions VII, x, 16. Is this not such a sign that we are on the way or at least traveling in the direction of spiritual maturity - when we stop trying to change God into us - defining Him as we define ourselves - seeing Him as we see ourselves - pretending that He thinks like we think - trying to mold Him into our image - and instead take note that He stands ready to mold us ever more into His image (as was our intended design) - to make us look more like Him? And is this not one of the most key mile-markers along the Way - and not only so - but also one of the most liberating? Or if not liberating - for maybe this comes a bit farther down the Road - at least enlightening?

Gearing up for Sunday's Battle with the Demons

2009-01-29T13:48:00.000-05:00

He taught them as one having authority...just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit... Jesus said, "Be silent, and come out of him!" Thinking about Sunday's sermon, very easily could talk about the "authority" of Jesus - the voice which in the beginning made all things still has authority over all things... But what about the fact that Jesus wasn't turned off by this demon-possessed man - that in fact he in a way refused to even acknowledge the demon, because he was so focused on the man? Be silent he says - as if to say don't bother me, don't waste my time, don't distract me from the one - the person - the bearer of my image - in whom you have taken up residence. Just shut up and get out! That this one - my one - might be made whole again. Question: what does Jesus notice when he looks at us? Our demons? (Many of which we see when we look at ourselves.) Or is his plan to cast these out and away because what he sees is us - as we truly are - as we were designed to be?

e-devo: People

2009-01-28T14:21:00.000-05:00

If you have enough time, read Luke 10:25-37.

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Luke 10:29

How simple life would be if living out our faith only included our relationship with the “guy upstairs” and nothing else (and especially if that relationship could be shallow and mainly one-sided, with Him catering to most of my wishes and desires).

Shallow and one-side or deep and genuine – it still seems that for many of us our faith is easier lived out between us and God without including everyone else.

Don’t get me wrong, I still want other people around (or at least some of them) and I want relationships with them – but just don’t ask me to live out my faith in these relationships, and especially in the relationships (or non-relationships) I have with people I don’t like or people who don’t like me.

And yet Jesus of course tells us that the two greatest commandments are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and to love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39

The first of these might be the most important but the second follows right out of the first and cannot be separated from it.

The apostle John even puts it this way: For anyone who does not love his brother or sister, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 1 John 4:20

Whether we like it or not the truth of the matter is this: what would be the point of our faith if it didn’t have anything to do with the people around us?

We are presently living in a world where we see people, we talk to people, we spend time with people, we listen to people, we are confronted with people well beyond what we can physically recognize doing all of these things with God. Certainly God is here, present in every moment of our lives, but He has opened our eyes, indeed all of our senses, to notice, in a concrete way, in a constant way, in a daily, hourly, probably almost every minute way - people.

Call them the good, the bad, and the ugly if you want, but there is no avoiding the truth that our lives are consumed with people.

And so – to try to keep our faith as something primarily lived out between God and me is to keep our faith from the bulk of what God has made my life at present about.

What would be the point of denying myself, taking my cross, and following Jesus if it is not for the same reason that He denied Himself and took up His cross – that is – for people?

Which people, you ask? Does it include him/her? Well – it wouldn’t be living out your faith if it didn’t, would it?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you did what you did and you do what you do for people – for all people – your enemies and your friends and me. What are we people that you care so much for us? What are we people that you even notice us? And yet you have made us the apple of your eye and the focus of your salvation. Give me this same attitude, O Lord, as I strive to live out my faith in you. In your name, Jesus. Amen.