Devotion.al

Category: Devotional

All the devotionals written by Ian.

  • Successfully Unsuccessful

    Successfully Unsuccessful

    Psalm 144; Song of Solomon 8:5–14; John 11:45–57 ISV

    ‌⁜Focus⁜

    A great deal of water cannot extinguish love,
    rivers cannot put it out.
    If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love,
    he would surely be viewed with contempt.

    Song of Solomon 8:7 ISV

    “…You don’t realize that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole destroyed.” Now he did not say this on his own initiative. As high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not only for the nation, but that he would also gather into one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

    John 11:50–52 ISV

    When we look at people’s lives and the result of their lives, we ought to be looking from God’s rather than the world’s (or the earthly) perspective.

    ‌⁜Devotion⁜

    ‌The comparison trap is real. Are my kids as successful as yours? Are your kids as well-adjusted as mine? Is your career doing better (financial, influence) than mine?‌

    It is an easy mental and emotional trap to fall into because others are the only way we believe we can measure our lives. There is, of course, a problem with that. Who decides what makes for ?‌

    The world looks at tangible (money and stuff) and intangible (influence and power). God looks beyond even the intangible.‌

    In many respects, God’s baseline measurement is based on nothing we’ve done, nor anything we can do. God’s measurements begin with Jesus.

    ‌The High Priest, Caiaphas, had prophesied the death of Jesus. Not a good marker of success for Jesus, or anyone. Death is rarely a measure of success, but of failure.

    In the Song of Solomon, the bride says, “If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, he would surely be viewed with contempt.” Jesus gave up the wealth of his house for love…his love for us.

    The bride of Christ has long been a term used to describe the (as a whole). It is somewhat ironic, then, that the bride is saying such words, for Jesus is the . According to the bride’s words, then, Jesus is understandably viewed with contempt.

    No one reading this, I hope, views Jesus with contempt, yet it seems that many Christians evaluate success in the lives of others, and in their own lives, based upon what the world views as success.

    We will often hear that history is by the victors, except that isn’t entirely true, for Jesus and those who followed him were the losers. Yes, Christianity did eventually win in the Western World. We can see how the church is growing outside of the Western world, where becoming a Christian is a losing proposition, and should question the definitions of success we’re using.

    ‌⁜Reflection⁜

    ‌What do you think of as success? Do you ever wonder if you are successful? Who/what are you allowing to define success for you?

    ‌‌⁜Act⁜

    ‌Talk to a believing peer and discover how they define success. Talk to a non-believer and discover how they define success.

    ‌⁜Prayer⁜

    Lord Jesus, your birth, life, death, and break every model of success. guide our thoughts to success as you would have us define under the authority and of God, the Father. Amen.

  • Reconciling Fruit

    Reconciling Fruit

    Psalm 144; Isaiah 27:1–6; 2 Corinthians 5:17–21 (ISV)

    In times to come, Jacob will take root,
       and Israel will blossom, sprout shoots,
       and fill the whole world with fruit.

    Isaiah 27:6 ISV

    All of this comes from God, who has reconciled us to himself through the Messiah and has given us the ministry of ,

    2 Corinthians 5:18 ISV

    Reconciliation: the action of reconciling and/or the state of being reconciled.

    ‌Reconcile/reconciled/reconciling
    ‌1a) to restore to friendship or harmony
    ‌1b) settle or resolve (differences)
    ‌2) to make consistent or congruous
    ‌3) to cause to submit to or accept something unpleasant.
    ‌4a) to check (a financial record) against another for accuracy
    ‌4b) to account for

    Merriam-Webster.com

    ⁜Focus⁜

    ‌The (or God’s) fruit of reconciliation should fill the whole world, and we are to be the fruit.

    ⁜Devotion⁜

    ‌Depending how many sermons you’ve listened to, it is likely that you have heard at least one sermon about the Fruits of the Spirit: , joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, , self-control. This list comes from Paul’s letter to the Galatians (Galatians 5:22-23). Depending on the preacher or author, it could be an unordered list, or an ordered list. These fruit, though, are supposed to be increasing in each day-by-day.

    ‌Isaiah’s words are, in particular, about the people of Israel (God’s first chosen people). The concept was that despite their trials, exiles, and spiritual (and physical) wandering, that God would cause them to be plentiful and to fill the earth. Over the years, many Christians have believed (and even preached) that Christians completely replaced the descendants of Israel as the new chosen. Today, most Christians don’t believe that. On the other hand, Christians are spiritual descendants of Israel (through Jesus), so should be accounted for as fruit of the promise in Isaiah.

    ‌Yet, if we look around, we can see that Christians are as likely to be reconciling as anyone else. In other words, we Christians appear to be just as unloving and unreconciling as those who do not believe in Jesus. Paul notes that Christians are particularly called to the ministry of reconciliation. While, yes, much of that does have to do with being in a reconciled (or “right”) relationship with God, this does not exclude or diminish the call on the Christian to be a reconciling force in their , , and the world.

    ‌Re-examine the definitions of reconciling. Except for definition 4a, one could actually apply each definition to the life a Christian is to exemplify. 4a would occupy a special place that is that of the price of sin paid, and thus has a place in (or origin for) the conversation of reconciling.

    ‌In the Greek language, there is an imperfect tense, which doesn’t (sadly) exist in English, though reconciling comes close per the Merriam-Webster definition, especially when we say reconciliation is the action of reconciling (the mission or ministry) and being reconciled, which was done through Jesus Christ’s birth, life, death on the cross, and resurrection. It is done, and yet there is more work to be done.

    ⁜Reflection⁜

    ‌Of the five (1a, 1b, 2, 3, 4b) definitions, which do you see as the strongest in your life? How do you see each of these working through your life?

    ⁜Act⁜‌

    What is an (or series of acts) of reconciliation that you can do in your family and community?

    ⁜Prayer⁜

    ‌Father God, you have given us the ministry of reconciliation. Help us not to forget that by giving it to us, you have given us responsibility. Help us to that through this responsibility you have given us the of working alongside you, the Creator, in the world. Jesus, help us to continually examine your life as conveyed in the Scriptures to understand what it means to live a life of reconciliation. , just as you provide each of us “fruit of the Spirit”, so, too, do you provide the ability to be aware of where the world needs reconciliation. Triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), guide us more deeply into your truth to be the light of reconciliation and the people of love to the world. Amen.

  • Perspective and Significance

    Perspective and Significance

    Psalm 144; Ezekiel 19:10–14; 1 Peter 2:4–10 (ISV)

    In the fictional universe housing the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy ( by Douglas Adams), there is a machine called the Total Perspective Vortex. Originally built (per the fictional universe) to provide beings a comparison of themselves to the infinity of , it became a torture device to (effectively) destroy a being’s mind.‌

    ‌It sounds a little extreme, except that much of the religions over the years are concerned with is much about finding our place in the universe.‌

    ‌The (Roman Catholic) Church attacked Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de’ Galilei for proposing that the earth revolved around the sun, rather than the sun (and the other planets) revolving around the earth. While the majority of the (entire ) Church now believes Galileo Galilei, we need to recognize that Galileo Galilei’s hypothesis was, for that era and theological framework, similar in effect to the Total Perspective Vortex.‌

    ‌On the other hand, in contemporary fiction and philosophy, there is a deep concern regarding the Butterfly Effect. This is the theory that if time travel were possible, a person going back in time could catastrophically affect the timeline (including the era from which the time traveler came). Many people have bought into this concept, and yet disparage the one small thing they do today.‌

    ‌Perspective matters deeply to how we function in life and how we treat .‌

    ‌For me one of the most peaceful things is to stare at the night sky at the stars (most effective away from city light pollution). It brings peace to my soul and . It also guides me to have a better perspective of myself. I am tiny compared to the entire of Creation. I am only 1 person among over 8 billion people walking the earth at this moment.‌

    ‌For you, this may be disquieting. We have a need to be significant, but so much around us shows how insignificant we are.‌‌

    Lord, what are human beings, that you should care about them, or mortal man, that you should think about him?

    Psalm 144:3 (ISV)

    ‌‌God cares about us. No matter how insignificant we believe or are told we are, God cares for and thinks about we humans. In comparison to the infiniteness of God, we are not even microscopic, yet God loves us.

    ‌‌If we derive our significance from others, we are often emotionally and spiritually doomed. If we derive our significance from God, however, that is a solid foundation on which to place our and identity.

    ‌‌There is, though, the danger of arrogance. “I’m loved by God, so I can do…” We are all guilty of this to some degree.

    Now it is planted in the desert, in a dry and thirsty land!

    ‌Ezekiel 19:13 (ISV)

    ‌When we get too full of ourselves, or when we look too much to others, we can be in the desert of and with God. It’s not that God ceases to care, quite the contrary. We can be chasing after things that we think will water and feed us, but we up in a desert, where receive the bare minimum to live.‌

    ‌The desert experience isn’t necessarily bad, ultimately. It can teach what is really important if we let it. On the other hand, far too many people stubbornly refuse to from the desert, and so end up dry and withered. That doesn’t have to be the end.‌

    Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God. Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

    ‌1 Peter 2:10 (ISV)

    ‌God is merciful. Yes, we’ve done stuff that doesn’t please God. We could even say that because we are fallible and fragile creatures, we will never measure up to God’s holiness and love. God is merciful.

    ‌⁜Reflection⁜‌

    ‌To whom are you significant? Why?‌
    ‌How do you think significance and mercy are related?‌

    ‌⁜Act⁜‌

    ‌Share with someone what makes them significant to you.‌

    ‌⁜Prayer⁜‌

    ‌God, it is often so hard to see my significance to you. Help me to be understand my significance to you, and help me focus on you defining my significance, rather than leaving it to others. Amen.

    ‌

  • Untrashed

    Untrashed

    Malachi 1:6-9

    Perhaps you’ve heard an acquaintance, a friend, a member say, “God won’t accept me until I clean myself up.” Or perhaps, “if I enter the church, lightning will come down and/or the church will catch on .”

    Behave, believe, belong has long been the order in the church. That’s likely where these saddening responses likely come from. Even worse, some church-type folks might have said to clean up their so that God loves them.

    It’s strange. Long after the Reformation brought us back to saved through faith, it amazes and horrifies me that people who claim “the faith” still believe and (even worse) tell others that they must behave first before belief can kick in.

    The don’t, I think, lead us that direction. God has long pursued those who left God behind and does so today. Which leads me to Malachi.

    Malachi’s oracle is about people claiming to worship God, which was (per the rules, the Law) including a healthy animal and viable grain. Instead, people were God anything besides the “good stuff”. Set aside the whole part (that does tend to trip up we modern folks) and recognize the intent behind the actions. The people claimed to love God and worship God, but deliberately chose not to, because the sacrifice of the good animal and good grain was too much.

    It could be tempting to equate the broken animals and rotten food to the people we see in the opening paragraph, but we must not. Such a person is bringing the best to God, themselves. If they are lame, God will love them. If they are blind, God will love them. If they are diseased, God will love them.

    God accepts broken people. I know this because I too am broken and was more broken still when I began my true with God.

    The sacrifices that are condemned in Malachi reflect the people who brought them. They were blind, lame, and diseased. Yet, they chose to neither acknowledge it nor repent of it. In fact, it seems they took pride in it.

    The blind, lame, diseased person who comes to God saying, “here I am, broken and all.” God says, “welcome, beloved.”

    ⁜ Reflection ⁜

    • How do you see yourself in this? Do you see yourself in this?
    • Does this challenge or how you view those whose decisions (including lifestyles) and their place before God?
    • How often do we see the blindness, lameness, and illnesses of others rather than our own? Why does that matter?

    ⁜ Prayer ⁜

    Gracious God, help us to how to be gracious and welcoming to others, just as you have been to us, and because you have been to us. Amen.

  • Too Busy To Live

    Too Busy To Live

    Exodus 5:7-9; Romans 8:5-8, 12-17

    Recently, there was a song going around the internet called the “Rich Men North of Richmond”. It mostly speaks to the anguish of a working man who is striving and working and is not making ends , and, yes, there are some digs that many are questioning, and sometimes just questioning those who are supporting the song.

    There seems a lot of truth, or a lot of perception of that this is the truth, that below middle-class wage earners (and many middle-class ones, too) are working their fingers, bodies, souls, minds off to make ends meet. How many are the like the Hebrews at this point in Exodus, who are trying to make ends meet without a basic component previously supplied, and now not.

    In a culture that has idolized working hard to the nth degree, why are we surprised that and are viewed as a measure of luxury and a of laziness. There is, of course, too much rest, but our culture, at this point, does not value rest.

    COVID seemed to have reset the rest aspect, but we are now watching it fade away. Mindfulness and meditation apps were all the rage during COVID. It doesn’t seem so now. As worship, especially the type depicted in the Pentateuch of no work (arguments over what defines normal, aside), is not normal work (which, of course, is the point), it must be rest, and rest is not to be trusted.

    As the culture turns away from organized , it appears to diminish and deride worship as well. We can see this among people who used to call the church a home. We know that the human body itself cannot function without rest. Neither can the human mind. Binge-watching television, youtube, or tiktok, isn’t resting, or relaxing. It is, in so many words, medicating. It is helping us bury our lack of rest.

    I wonder if many people are so leery of rest and so leery of a set time of difference, that times of gathered singing, praise, prayer, and thoughts (i.e., sermon or homily), are to be avoided. It may be that we are watching even many of whom were thought to be Christian walk away from gathered worship because it is different. And we avoid the different, and different includes worship and rest.

    Whether it is the drive to make money, for person or corporation, would have fill our lives with activity without rest, we can see that we do not value rest, and that we are no different than pharaoh and looking at rest and worship it’s nothing more than laziness.

    We can see it in the old (in internet ) FOMO (fear of missing out) and YOLO (you only live once). FOMO has fear in its name. YOLO is really the same, just with a positive twist. It seems we almost might fear rest.

    Whether we’re looking at the world or reading the Word, fear is not always fully understood (or desired to be understood). The fear noted in Romans may seem different that the fear of FOMO and YOLK, but the fear is still fear. The paarticular type of fear of YOLO and FOMO can lead to parents, meaning well, burying their children in activities so that they don’t miss out on something. What if my child is a hidden talent? What if my child is the greatest to humanity in something? They must know!

    However, perhaps they are missing out on what is most needed, us. What if, too, we keep them busy because we are to fearful of rest? True rest.

    ⁜ Reflection ⁜

    • How do you view and experience rest? How does worship (gathered singing, praise, prayer, and thoughts) fit into that?
    • Who in your circle of influence do you see as needing rest? How can you encourage them to take rest?
    • What activities in yourself and others do you see as attempting to be rest, but actually aren’t?

    ⁜ Prayer ⁜

    Jesus, you didn’t call us to work to the bone. You called yourself the Lord of the while telling your disciples that Sabbath was made for humanity. Help us to continue to recover what it means to rest as was intended for us, not for how we see it. us the courage to say, “no” and help us not self-condemn when we seek rest. Amen.

  • Beautiful Words and Songs

    Beautiful Words and Songs

    20“Now as for you, Son of Man, your ‘s children keep gathering to talk about you beside the walls and at the doorway to their houses. Everyone tells one another, ‘Please come! Let’s go hear what the Lord has to say.’ 31Then they come to you as a group, down right in front of you as if they were my people, hear your words—and then they don’t do what you say—because they’re seeking only their own desires, they pursue ill-gotten profits, and they keep following their own self-interests. 32As far as they are concerned, you sing romantic songs with a beautiful and play a musical instrument well. They’ll listen to what you have to say, but they won’t put it into practice! 33When all of this comes about—and you can be sure that it will!—they’ll that a prophet has been in their midst.”

    Ezekiel 33:30-33 (ISV)

    If you’ve been a for a length of time, you’ve probably experienced heated discussions (or just overheard) on the appropriateness of certain songs or instruments (or for some any instruments or songs). There has been an ongoing focus on paid performance worthy worship, which isn’t the reality for most churches.

    Most churches do not have recording artists (or recording artist worthy) musicians or singers. Some do, and are blessed.

    It’s not just the music and songs. In the Protestant circles—even in the Lutheran, Anglican, Presbyterian, and Methodist traditions—there has been a sometimes pathological (hyperbole) hatred of anything even vaguely resembling stereotypical Roman Catholic services; whether it is , garments, candles, colors, keeling (or kneelers), crossing oneself, and so on.

    Read the words from Ezekiel again. What is your perception of what worship is? Is “seeking only (your) own desires”? Are they romantic (like much of Christian music, these days) with great voices and well played instruments?

    I have nothing against good playing and singing. I am my own worst critic in regard to that. Partially, I think, because I am my own worst critic, I have to ask myself, what is the purpose of our gatherings (in particular, on Sundays)?

    Is it romance? I can be caught up in it, too. Yet, we aren’t called to only enjoy well played and sung songs. We aren’t only called to have a few songs, a (or even ten!), a sermon, a remembrance meal (i.e., Communion/Eucharist), and a benediction.

    We are called…perhaps, better said, commanded to put it into practice. If you go to a weekly (Sunday or whenever) gathering, a Bible study or discussion group, sing a dozen Christians songs a day…and don’t put it into practice…then Ezekiel’s words are for you. If think Ezekiel’s words don’t apply to you, then you still need them as a warning, to make sure that the words continue to not apply to you.

    ※Reflection※

    • What is an essential for you (This is your personal answer, not a test.) to experience proper worship? Why do you think that is? How does that fit (or not) into Ezekiel’s words?
    • Do you think that there is a disconnect between what you hear and participate in for your weekly (e.g., Sunday) gathering, and what you do the remaining 167 hours (approximately) of the week?

    ※Prayer※

    God, as we ponder what it means to rightly worship and you, please guide our thoughts and heart that we might be better today than yesterday at putting our actions at the center of worship. Amen.

  • Wise in Whose Eyes

    Wise in Whose Eyes

    Psalm 119:121–128, 1 Kings 4:29–34, Ephesians 6:10–18

    ‌We are often presented with the wisdom of Solomon. The Scriptures seem convinced that Solomon was gifted wisdom beyond humans by God. Yet, Solomon retained his freedom to make choices contrary to God revealed instructions.

    ‌We cannot know the of Solomon. Perhaps he believed he was doing the wise thing (and he was politically) by marrying many foreign women for the protection of the nation. However, elsewhere, the Scriptures tell us that Solomon got a bit lost later in and would worship gods other than God with his foreign wives.

    ‌If you read the passage from the psalm, you can get either the mental image of a truly and humble or the image of one who thinks they are.

    ‌Every time I read these verses, I ask myself if I (at the time of reading) am being the true servant or the self-deceiving one. I have learned, over time, that depending on where I am spiritually, I can be either or even both.

    ‌There is a to automatically think one’s perspective of self is correct, and that even includes the question of being a true servant or a self-deceiving one.

    ‌There are many Christians who have been deceived (and self-deceive) that they are not faithful servants because they have not lived up to the archetypal perfect Christian. Thus, they are accused of, or self-accuse, being hypocrites. While the “perfect” Christian is often thought to be only a legalistic issue with denominations (such as my own, the Church of the Nazarene), I have spoken to many people who have internalized this who were raised in completely different Christian traditions.

    ‌The Western World, with its history, has also internalized this to both its and the Christian ‘s detriment. I have met very few Christians (only 1, I think) who believed they had become the perfect Christian. The rest, well, the more they perceive that they have been shaped by Jesus Christ, the more they realize they have further to go.

    ‌At least for today, read ‘s words to the Ephesians in the context of realizing that we have allowed the world to falsely define what it means to be a Christian, and we ourselves, have created the ideal Christian in the mold of unachievable perfectionism, which is (really) legalism that destroys the spirit.

    ‌Freedom in Christ is not truly possible when we are held in bondage to perfectionism or legalism. The external behavior may be seen as correct, but God wants the heart.

    ‌※Reflection※

    ‌What is your reaction to the psalmist’s words? Why do you think that is?

    ‌How does the wisdom the world differ from the wisdom of God? How are the two similar?

    ‌※Prayer※

    ‌Lord, as we ask for wisdom, help us to be able to tell the difference between the wisdom of the world and your wisdom. Help us not be discouraged as the world tries to define for us what it means to follow you, while we diligently and humbly seek you. Amen.

  • Wise Wisdom

    Wise Wisdom

    Psalm 119:121–128, 1 Kings 3:16–28, James 3:13–18

    ‌James’ words should deeply with us. His words should our conversations and even our thoughts. Let’s also be clear, and in and is rarely celebrated. Most celebrities, from actors to CEOs to politicians, are not generally known for their humility and wisdom. Humility, especially, is actually contrary to their functioning in their roles, and especially gaining their roles. It often takes a fair amount of (dishonest?) arrogance to persuade that the person in question is right for the position.

    ‌Theoretically, each should should be evaluated by their past successes and failures, yet, it just doesn’t seem to actually work that way. We Christians are often complicit in this. While we are called—whether by James, the wisdom of Solomon, or the Psalmist—to be wise, we often succumb to the world’s to follow the arrogant.

    ‌, rivalry, slander, partiality, hypocrisy are all things James brings to mind as contrary to pure, -loving, gentile, willingness to yield, compassionate, and good deeds.

    ‌The Psalmist reminds us that we are to seek God, especially in regard to getting rid of those patterns of behavior contrary to godly wisdom. We ought to keep asking for that; this includes not getting frustrated when it doesn’t happen immediately.

    ‌※Reflection※

    ‌Of James’ list, which one seems the easiest? Which one feels like it’s aimed at you?

    ‌※Prayer※

    ‌God, grant us the godly wisdom you want us to have so that we can draw people to you, and to make our lives into conformance with yours. Amen.