Devotion.al

  • Your Contentment

    Your Contentment

    Psalm 111; Genesis 18:1–15; Philippians 4:10–20

    One of the harder things about being a Christian is that God often doesn’t give our ‘s desires. We describe God as good, loving, , and many other positive traits. Yet, the giving (or lack thereof) often gets in the way of our understanding of God’s goodness, loving, and giving nature.

    Abraham and Sarah are the case in point. Do we really think that Abraham and Sarah haven’t been praying and pleading for a child up until now? Of course not! By this point, though, all common sense of being able to have a child has been . Perhaps (though the Bible doesn’t say) Sarah had already completed menopause. What , from a , could there be?

    Yet, Abraham didn’t stop himself from having God at the center of his life (which also doesn’t mean that he stopped making mistakes). We have all known people, perhaps even ourselves, who longed for a child of their own but may have had a long road of sadness and heartbreak. Some may have ended up with children of their own. Some may have adopted. may have to invest in the children of others.

    Contentedness, however, is something altogether different…maybe.

    Paul was content. His heart was focused on something different, and that’s okay. There is often a focus on Paul’s content that is not in line with…Paul’s content. Paul’s focus was his testimony and the Christian communities he left behind. He was content that he had done his best, and content in his place in God’s plan.

    It is possible to be content while striving for something. Even Paul continued to strive for the and dealt with the heartache for his distant communities as they struggled.

    There is another way to view “content”, accepting circumstances with an open and loving heart. It includes God. This understanding of content allows recognition that not everything is as it should be, so that there is room for improvement. This could also be understood as not allowing the circumstances to poison your heart against God or others.

    ※Reflection※

    • How have you understood content in the context of a Christian life? How does the world understand content?
    • How do we often allow circumstances to poison our hearts against God?
    • What has been (or is) the biggest issue in your life that caused (or causes) struggles in your content?

    ※Prayer※

    As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness. Amen. (Psalm 17:15, NIV)

  • Laying The Bread Down

    Laying The Bread Down

    Psalm 145:10–18; 2 Kings 4:42–44; Ephesians 3:14–21; John 6:1–21

    It is tempting to throw the baby out with the bathwater. We can look at society and even many churches (in particular, their leaders), and just up. There is such a struggle against the and against sin, that it can be overwhelming.

    At the time of Elisha, Israel had a God-worshipping heritage, but it was set up for failure at the beginning with golden calves being placed as the place of . Israel had been the stronghold of Baal and Asherah. God worship had struggled to be strong in the face of royal opposition. It could have been given up. The doesn’t die.

    An unnamed man brings his offering to the prophets of God. There is no place of God to worship in Israel, so the man brought it to the prophets. While it was not “at the ” (a no-go place for the Israelites), it was still a matter of the . The man couldn’t bring it to the temple, so he brought it to the next best place.

    Then, there wasn’t enough to feed them. That should cause us to conclude that they were not doing particularly well. If there was such great concern that there wasn’t enough bread, bread was probably an issue, showing that faithful was an issue.

    Their situation was much like the people who were following . There was not nearly enough food to feed all those people. While we might question Andrew’s faith, there does seem to be something behind that. Andrew apparently knew Jesus well enough to go search the crowd for food. Then, bringing what was found, he concluded that there wasn’t enough for the crowd.

    In both the stories of Elisha and Jesus, logically there wasn’t enough food. God still did something. God did so much that there were leftovers.

    ※Reflection※

    • What does the bread-making miracle of Elisha have to do with Jesus’? Does it matter about Elisha’s when it comes to Jesus’?
    • What situations can you think of that are similar to the man who doesn’t bring his offering to the “right” place, but to the “best” place for him? Do you think God honors that?

    ※Prayer※

    to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could or imagine by his power at work within us; glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus for all generations, forever and always. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20, CEB)

  • Field Placement

    Field Placement

    Psalm 145:10–18; 2 Kings 4:38–41; John 4:31–38

    Flour has become a no-go for many people these days. The fight against gluten and carbohydrates is quite prevalent. Much of this has to do with how much our surroundings have changed. Most of us don’t need many carbohydrates. Those whose bodies are still their primary focus for work, still need them, but the of us…not so much.

    Where Elisha kept and why he kept flour is kind of a . Perhaps that was a thing. If you had oil, flour, water, and , you could make bread (you know, that carbohydrate).

    Imagine having enough in God that you would simple flour to turn a poisonous stew into something safe and nutritious (no one said tasty). That is the faith of Elisha. This is the kind of faith that it would be nice to have, but we all are too educated and smart to believe that flour would cure poisonous stew. And, yes, that is something to mourn.

    , on the other hand, wasn’t looking for stew. He wasn’t looking for food at all. At least, that’s the image he gives. Jesus was fully . Jesus needed food. Jesus also used examples that were in front of him.

    It is quite likely that the disciples had brought food. Perhaps even freshly made bread from freshly harvested grain. Or perhaps there was grain harvesting happening around them right now. While watching a single human harvest grain may not be impressive. Which may be the point.

    A harvester would have been in the middle of a field. Over time the harvester makes a difference, but in the beginning, that single person gets lost in a sea of grain. Using that imagery, Jesus was telling his disciples that the work of the is now and tomorrow.

    ※Reflection※

    • Why is the image of a single harvester lost in a sea of grain important for our kingdom work?
    • Thinking of the grain that Jesus used as an example, how might the Elisha’s flour fit into telling something about the kingdom of God?
    • Do you think of yourself has a harvester, worker, planter, plower in the kingdom of God?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, you bring the harvest. Help us to be the faith- and -filled people that you want for your kingdom. Amen.

  • Let ‘Em Fight

    Let ‘Em Fight

    Psalm 145:10–18; 2 Kings 3:4–20; Colossians 3:12–17

    It can be hard to be rid of wounds. Many physical ones heal with scars, though the deeper body ones may not heal well. For most of us, the emotional and spiritual wounds are the ones with deep and lasting effects. These are the ones that can hold us back; they can also be the ones that drive us forward. When our loved ones are wounded, often our response is heightened due to our desire to protect them and our subsequent failure to do so. We, then, may react toward them in ways that may seem unwise or over the top.

    Elisha’s response to Joram (or Jehoram) may have been a bit harsh. Elisha was the spiritual of Elijah as the inheritor of the prophetic position. Joram was the son of Ahab. Elijah and Ahab had a poor relationship. Horrible relationship might be more appropriate. Elijah lived much of his life in fear of Ahab. That likely deeply affected Elisha’s response to Joram. Even prophetic people are .

    Although it often seems impossible to live beyond our pains or the pains of our loved ones, we are still called to do it. Will we fail? More often than not. Yet, often it is only through the striving to move beyond the that we can begin to heal and new perspectives.

    We bring our hurts with us everywhere we go, including church. In fact, one of the biggest reasons people leave a church (or the church or the faith) is because people at church hurt them. The reality is that the church proportionally contains as many hurt people as the world…100%. How we deal with the hurts should be what separates Christian behavior from the world’s behavior.

    We should be honest…Christian behavior in this regard is often worse than the world’s. The world has put systems into place to mitigate some of it. It still misses a lot of it. Across the denominational landscape (i.e., in no way limited to a single tradition or denomination), the church has done a horrible job. Whether it is the burying and hiding of failures or the annihilation of the failed, the church has left a large body count in its wake.

    ‘s words to the Colossians aren’t just to a “church”, it is to individuals. One of the biggest mistakes we in/of the church make is thinking in institutional terms, rather than terms. This is very peculiar as the primary Western expression of Christianity is all about individual salvation, individual sin (for repentance and salvation). Yet, we are quick to move to an institutional framework when it (even just) might require us to deal with the failures of another.

    There is a huge piece of personal responsibility. There is a huge piece of institutional responsibility. Institutions are made of individuals, so it still comes down to individuals. How we are formed by each other and the Scriptures will play a significant part of how we deal with things. Though, the hardest part is not running away every time, and yet—after doing the hard work—there is a time to leave.

    The peace of one body is hard to achieve. Paul commends sing psalms and worship songs to one another. That “to” is interesting. Our worship songs are “to” God (as they should be as reflections of , adoration, and thanksgiving). It would be nice to know which songs and psalms Paul meant. It does mean though that we are to work on one another in the love of Christ. It also means, that we are to allow ourselves to be worked on, which often means our pains and hurts come out. What we do with ours and those of may well reflect how much we really let the Spirit renovate our hearts.

    ※Reflection※

    • What worship songs (of any era) or psalms would you think of to sing to others to help form them in the image of Christ?
    • When it comes to conflict how do you deal with it at home, at work, extended family, socially, at church? How do you when you witness conflict at each of these places?
    • How do Paul’s words affect your responses, or your future responses, to conflict?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, we wrestle with one another, often out of pain. Blessed Healer, heal our hearts so that we do not hurt the hearts of others.

  • Burning Call

    Burning Call

    Psalm 145:10–18; 1 Kings 19:19–21; Colossians 1:9–14

    One of the issues that has come up in the last year in church-ish circles is the ordination of women. Saddleback took a bold step and ordained women which went against the predominant grain of their partner body (SBC). There was an unexpected explosion in certain circles against Beth Moore. Along with misogynistic proclamations and male misconduct issues in the SBC, Moore left that body that she had grown up in.

    One of the claims against women being ordained are some contextually misused verses and the traditions of the Israelites. The Church of the Nazarene has ordained women since its founding, but over the years has struggled to fulfill that promise. It’s on the right track, but there is work to be done, still.

    There is often a wringing of hands in Christian Complementarianism (where only men can be leaders/pastors/elders) circles that there aren’t enough faithful men to fulfill empty roles. The Roman Catholic church, on top of its complementarian issues also requires celibacy, is also experiencing this problem. Some churches in both groups are finding creative ways around their limitations, but the reality is that there aren’t the faithful men needed.

    For me, there were two transformative experiences in this regard. The first was experiencing the preaching of Dr. Nina Gunter. Any person with any spiritual sense and without theological blinders could experience her spirit-led preaching. The second was during my “Discovery” weekend of my pastoral journey, where I had to preach to my peers, senior pastor, and District Superintendent. I preached from Luke 19:38–40, where Jesus was told to rebuke his disciples. He responded, then the rocks will cry out. When I was praying over the words to preach, it came to me; God will not wait for us to proclaim God’s glory.

    In other words, in the tradition of the Church of the Nazarene (and our sibling denominations) already assumed there were faithful women (and, yes, there are deeper theological reasons). I came to realize that complementarianism may actually already have its answer. If the men won’t rise, perhaps the women will (see Judges 4:4–9). Not the most Nazarene answer, at the time, but it resonated with my (and its implications went far beyond the ordination of women).

    Faithfully responding to God has long been an issue. It goes beyond gender. It goes beyond status. It goes beyond wealth. It is a reflection of sin.

    To understand, Elisha was, at minimum, plowing in a , where people worked fields (theirs and each others’). Some commentators believe that Elisha owned (or was the son of the owner of) all the oxen. That would be 24 oxen, so that would have been a lot of wealth (kind of like having 24 Jaguar cars). Elisha (and/or his family) owning 2 seems much more likely. That would still put him (in modern terms) in a very comfortable middle class.

    Then some famous guy comes and puts his mantle (Elijah’s symbol of the prophetic office) on Elisha’s shoulders. Elisha understands that Elijah is declaring him the heir of the prophetic office, which was an unusual example in the . Elisha’s response was (basically), “let me show respect and love to my parents.” Done. Then Elisha burns the equipment required for a yoke of oxen, then kills same oxen for a celebration.

    Elisha opening, publically, severs himself from his old . That is a lot of to just be burning. It’s a great party, but there is no financial way of coming back from it easily. It’s similar to “burning the ships”. Hernán Cortés was famously said to have done this (he really just sank them) to keep his men from trying to home or mutiny (there is a lot more to the story, and much of it not so positive). Elisha did it for himself.

    One of the challenges that the Western Church faces is trying to return. This isn’t just buildings (So, let’s not burn them or just sell them). Actually, it’s more of a way of thinking. Looking back for guidance and encouragement? Yes. Looking back for the plan to navigate this new world? No.

    You, too, have a call on your life. You, too, have oxen to burn and ships to sink.

    ※Reflection※

    • What items/events/fears of your past or present are keeping you from an on life for God? (Yes, that is a question worth asking daily)
    • If there was one “thing” in your life that would indicate that your are moving on, what would it be?
    • Why are we so attracted to stories like that of Cortés or Elisaha, but don’t put it into practice? What other cultural icons (generic or specific) are similar to Cortés and Elisha?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, there is no question that we are called to live for you. Let our lives be the bonfires that bring people into your light. Amen.

  • The Shepherd’s Care

    The Shepherd’s Care

    Psalm 100; 2 Samuel 5:1–12; Luke 15:1–7

    In case you haven’t noticed, the theme for the week (Thursday through today, plus tomorrow) is . Almost all the reference sheep in some form or another. Without question, the sheep are the People of God. Even in Luke, Jesus is still using the sheep as a term for the Jews. As Christians, we understand that we have been adopted into the of the all-loving God (though some of us are more dysfunctional than ).

    We might question being thought of as livestock, especially if you’ve had any experience with Soylent Green, Twilight Zone’s To Serve Man, Silence of the Lambs, Cloud Atlas, Make Room! Make Room! or Tender is the Flesh, or any of the real-life stories such as the Donner Party or Jeffrey Dahmer. While we have dystopian stories and real-life stories of people eating people, there is another type of eating of man that occurs, and that is the spiritual and emotional destruction that we often visit upon one another.

    Despite the philosophy and dreamings of the Ayn Rands of the world, no being can become fully human without being loved and cared for. This is the heart of the why the imagery of livestock. Not that God looks at us as livestock, but in the same way that humans look at their sheep and goats…unable to see the bigger picture. We cannot see the God-sized picture. The sheep and the goats could barely think beyond the grass in front of them. The sheep and goats had to rely on the .

    The shepherd kept them safe. The shepherd cared for them individually. The shepherd knew them by .

    Take that concept into the elders of Israel coming to David and saying that he was their shepherd. Now, to be fair, most of them were probably not all that thrilled with David, at that point. Most of them had to follow Saul, who was now dead at the hands of the Philistines. They initially rejected David’s kingship, but then came to him.

    Perhaps, like me, you’ve been twisted into a cynical person. Perhaps, like me, you wonder if these leaders were conveying a slightly different message than, “you’re our shepherd.” Perhaps they were really saying, “we’re Israelites, too. Don’t take it out on us.”These verses in Samuel seemed more of the perspective to justify or solidify David’s kingship. For it was not until Hiram of Tyre acknowledged David that we see that David perceived that the kingship was his.

    What is also interesting is that despite the leaders’ cynical statement (at least from my perspective), there was still . David was their shepherd. Verse 12 then ends with, “…Then David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel, and that his kingship was held in great honor for the sake of his people Israel.” And therein lies the underlying truth. It is for the people. It is for the herd. It is for the sheep.

    As we come to the New Testament, with Jesus as a descendent of the Davidic line, this shepherd and sheep motif takes on a completely different role. Jesus knows each of us by name, even those who hate or avoid him. He knows everyone by name. Jesus is the True Shepherd.

    ※Reflection※

    • From our (particularly) modern perspective, how is it bad to be a sheep? From a Christological perspective, how is it good to be a sheep?
    • How and/or why do you think being a sheep went from positive to negative?
    • What lesson can we learn from the motives of David and the elders (regarding being sheep and shepherd) in comparison to the Truth of Jesus being the shepherd?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, we like sheep have gone astray time and time again. Guide us into the Truth and of your embrace. Amen.

  • In The Fold

    In The Fold

    Psalm 100; Zechariah 9:14–10:2; Acts 20:17–38

    Psalm 100 is used in some churches as a to . There have been a number of songs that have pulled their chorus and even the lyrics from this Psalm. It sounds so straightforward, but is it really?

    We are God’s people and his . While we really don’t like being compared to sheep, this is the imagery that the people of the time understood. By being his sheep, there is the implication of belonging and being cared for. In this context, however, the next verse has some implications that we often miss.

    The “gate” of the sheepfold (where the sheep slept protected at night) was often the himself. So much so that the shepherd would often sleep in the entrance of the sheepfold to keep the sheep gathered, and to protect them from predators. As part of their entrance into the sheepfold, the shepherd would check them over.

    First, of course, confirm that the sheep entering are his. While the sheep knew the of “their” shepherd, it didn’t stop the wayward sheep (as they do wander) from joining the flock, especially if it got lost. Second, the shepherd would look for wounds or other signs of poor health. Lastly, the shepherd counted to make sure that all the sheep were there.

    Entering the gates, therefore, is not so simple.

    The sheep have to hear, recognize, and follow the voice of the shepherd. This can be quite difficult, especially in our day and of so much noise. Definitely through , worship, and God’s word (the Bible) we can hear the voice of the shepherd. Sometimes it can be something else. Regardless, if we are struggling hearing the voice of the shepherd, we need to work on that.

    The sheep also enter the gates with . Now, some artistic license may be here, but I imagine the sheep being not much different than cattle. Most cattle will low as they approach “home”. I imaging the sheep are bleating as the approach the sheepfold and as they enter. They are glad and relieved to be home and secure.

    In his translation of the , The Message, Eugene Peterson phrases it this way, “Enter with the password: ‘Thank you!’ Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him.” (Psalm 100:4, The Message)

    The concept of “Thank You” as a password through the gates is intriguing. It may imply that if we enter the gates without thanks, maybe we didn’t really enter in at all. Physically, maybe, but not in our hearts, where it truly matters.

    As much as it might seem wrong for there to be a password, at the same time we have all experienced a time of lackluster praise and/or worship because our hearts just weren’t there. Peterson’s words may not be so wrong.

    ※Reflection※

    • How often do you enter the “gates of praise” (whether , car, home, wherever) with “Thank you”? Why does “thank you” matter for your heart’s orientation?
    • How do you think God “checks” you as you enter the gates of praise? What report was God’s last check on you? How about last month?
    • What is your Godly health like? What are you doing to improve it?

    ※Prayer※

    Be our shepherd,  O Lord, and bless us with all good things that we may be refreshed with your overflowing cup and dwell in your house forever; through Jesus Christ our Lord. [Amen]

    Ludolph of Saxony, d. 1378
  • Not Quite Yet

    Not Quite Yet

    Psalm 100; Jeremiah 50:1–7; Hebrews 13:17–25

    Babylon was the of Jerusalem and Jews at the time of Jeremiah. It makes sense, as Babylon had destroyed much of Jerusalem, and taken a majority of the population into exile. It was the big with the biggest might. For the Jews, there was no bigger enemy.

    While God had allowed Jerusalem to fall as part of the consequence of the Jews’ turning their back on God, this didn’t spare Babylon from the consequences of its own actions. It’s not as if the Jews were the only ones that Babylon conquered. God was not going to leave them be.

    This is where Jeremiah’s oracle comes in. Babylon indeed would receive punishment for its actions. This must have provided some to the Jews, at the same time they were still dealing with their own pains. They heard that God would bring consequences upon Babylon, yet they were still dealing with the consequences of their own actions.

    The are filled with places where people were promised that there would be a deliverer. All too often, the deliverer was in the . So, people still had to deal with oppression, slavery, exile, and other issues. This can be much like our lives. As we are dealing with troubles, pains, losses, it can seem that such a is only a bittersweet wish. Yet, God is and will fulfill all the promises made.

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, help us to have the , the , do know that you watch over us and care for us. See us through the trials. Amen.

Devotion.al

Your Contentment

Psalm 111; Genesis 18:1–15; Philippians 4:10–20

One of the harder things about being a is that God often doesn’t our heart’s desires. We describe God as good, loving, , and many other positive traits. Yet, the giving (or lack thereof) often gets in the way of our understanding of God’s goodness, loving, and giving nature.

Abraham and Sarah are the case in point. Do we really think that Abraham and Sarah haven’t been praying and pleading for a child up until now? Of course not! By this point, though, all common sense of being able to have a child has been . Perhaps (though the Bible doesn’t say) Sarah had already completed menopause. What hope, from a human , could there be?

Yet, Abraham didn’t stop himself from having God at the center of his life (which also doesn’t mean that he stopped making mistakes). We have all known people, perhaps even ourselves, who longed for a child of their own but may have had a long road of sadness and heartbreak. Some may have ended up with children of their own. Some may have adopted. may have to invest in the children of others.

Contentedness, however, is something altogether different…maybe.

was content. His heart was focused on something different, and that’s okay. There is often a focus on Paul’s content that is not in line with…Paul’s content. Paul’s focus was his testimony and the Christian communities he left behind. He was content that he had done his best, and content in his place in God’s plan.

It is possible to be content while striving for something. Even Paul continued to strive for the and dealt with the heartache for his distant communities as they struggled.

There is another way to view “content”, accepting circumstances with an open and loving heart. It includes God. This understanding of content allows recognition that not everything is as it should be, so that there is room for improvement. This could also be understood as not allowing the circumstances to poison your heart against God or others.

※Reflection※

  • How have you understood content in the context of a Christian life? How does the world understand content?
  • How do we often allow circumstances to poison our hearts against God?
  • What has been (or is) the biggest issue in your life that caused (or causes) struggles in your content?

※Prayer※

As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness. Amen. (Psalm 17:15, NIV)