Devotion.al

  • Expecting or Distracted?

    Psalm 51:1-12; Habakkuk 3:2–13; John 12:1–11

    It is so easy to be distracted from the important things in . Some blame electronics. Others blame the media. Others blame no prayer in school. Others blame a culture that has walked away from its somewhat Christian-ish roots. There is nothing new under the sun when it comes to human behavior.

    O Lord, I have heard of your renown,
    and I stand in awe, O Lord, of your work.
    In our own time revive it;
    in our own time make it known;
    in wrath may you mercy.

    The opening stanza of Habakkuk’s song tells us that our disengagement from God is nothing new. Habakkuk calls us to be in awe of God. If you’ve ever had the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds fly over you in , you’ve had that sense of thunder through the entirety of your body. The jet wash passes over you. The sound overwhelms you. Plus the smell (which you may not like) of burnt jet fuel. There is an almost instinctual resonance to such an experience. Multnomah or Snoqualmie Falls with the spring runoff can do the same with the overwhelming volume of water, both noise and sheer amount.

    All of that pales in comparison to the awe that we ought to feel when we contemplate God. As we wait for Christ’s return we, like Habakkuk, want God to make his undeniably known, and that his overwhelming wrath to and evil, with a lot of mercy. While we may not be overwhelmed by God, there still appears to be that wiring inside of us that is looking for it with hopeful expectation.

    Hopeful expectation.

    The Jews, under Roman occupation, were waiting for something. Some didn’t know what they were waiting for. Some were waiting for a revolution. Some were waiting for a Messiah. Those waiting for a Messiah—a savior—had a hopeful expectation.

        “You came forth to your people, to save your anointed.” [Habakkuk 3:13]

    1. Are you being truthful to yourself when say, “I’m waiting expectantly for to come back”?
      • If not, what is keeping you from seizing the truth that Jesus is coming back?
      • If so, what can you do to build up the expectation in others?
    2. The of (the day Jesus was crucified), is followed by the blessing of the Resurrection. Yet the Resurrection is not the end. It is only the beginning. How is the Resurrection the beginning for you?

  • Loving Intercession

    Psalm 51:1-12; Exodus 30:1-10; Hebrews 4:14-5:10 (read online ⧉)

    Incense was used as part of the priests’ daily of God. It was a prescribed practice. Priests had a number of prescribed practices that they were regularly responsible for. They were constantly doing their tasks before God, both to him and be the representative of the Israelites before God.

    Before a priest could do their duties, they had cleansing rituals that had to be completed. By virtue of their post, they didn’t get to be cleansed. They are imperfect beings, too, just like us. This remains the case today, whether they are in the other traditions where the priestly role retains much of the intercessory nature of the Israelite priests, or in ours.

    This is where the author of Hebrews gives us pause and . The author informs us that Christ [perfect, Son of God, Son of Man, , begotten of the Father] has now taken the role of the ritual priest, and by his very nature and is the eternal offeror of the sacrifice he was.

    The author of Hebrews goes so far as to elevate Jesus to the High Priest (highest person of religious authority in both culture and law), and then tie Jesus to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:17-14), who was the first person scripture calls “priest”. The author, then, is tying Jesus into the priestly realm before ever the person called Israel (let alone the tribes) even existed. By doing so, it is being established that how and what Jesus does in regards to priestly things overcomes, is superior to, and is the ultimate expression of the priestly sacrificial system.

    While the author of Hebrews is showing Jesus’ rightful place as (ultimate) priest and intercessor, the author also speaks to Jesus’ humanity. Jesus was fully . Jesus was and is fully divine. The two natures of Jesus laid bare for all to see. God as fully human. God who knows and lived with all our weaknesses and temptations, stands with us and for us.

    1) How do you understand Jesus as God and human?

    2) If you could avoid punishment, would you?

    3) What does it mean to you that Jesus—who could have not to die—chose to die to take your punishment, ?

  • Lenten Rest

    Psalm 51:1-12; Isaiah 30:15-18; Hebrews 4:1-13 (read online ⧉)

    . That seems to be a dream for many these days. In these odd times of COVID-driven angst, rest can be fleeting. There is currently an emphasis around the world that people are to stay home. Normally, when staying at home (and the chores are done), that means some sort of rest. However, the busyness of the world still remains. In addition to the various forms of media, the , activities of various sorts, all seem to keep us from resting (and can keep us, for a time, sane when stuck inside), people are working from home at a rate never experienced before. If we were “back” to our “” our weekends were almost as full as the workweek.

    It isn’t just COVID-19. It is a growing need to fill an emptiness. Yet, emptiness is not always what it seems. Is the glass half full, or half-empty? This is the question of optimism versus pessimism. What if the better question is, what is the glass full of? In normal circumstances, a glass is always full. If it filled halfway with water, then the remainder is filled with air. The glass is full, we just are blind to what it is full of.

    People look at a glass that is not 100% filled and feel the need to fill it. Some feel such a drive to fill the glass, that they keep pouring into it until it overflows. There is no rest there. Imagine trying to pick up a glass completely full to the top with water to try to drink from it. Most of the time, you’re going to spill some water. The gap—the so-called unfilled part—allows the water to with the glass, and you don’t spill.
    When people keep going, and going, and going, and going, and going, at some point, everything turns to chaos or the breakdown, or they get sick. God did not intend us to keep going. Even the earth was supposed to be given a break from growing food. COVID-19 is creating another type of going that is as unhealthy (potentially more unhealthy) as the busyness as it is often laced with .

    can as a disruptor of our busy lives—not so that we cannot do things, or get things done—but so that we are jolted out of our busy habits, in hopes that we might reflect upon what is important. In this particular season of COVID-19, rest seems even further out of reach than it often is with our busyness.
    Sabbath (rest) is critical for our , mental, and spiritual well-being. As many people are now in tight quarters, finding a way to get a Sabbath (rest) can be even more difficult and conversely is even more important.

    When entering the Sabbath Rest, it is different than taking a nap or a vacation. It is a place and time where we are fully present with God so that God fills as we need, and as he wants us to be. This rest is where we release our expectations to God. When we allow God to outline his expectations, we will often find that his expectations are far less than ours, but that his fulfill our needs, desires, and wants far more than our finite understanding.

    1) Do you time each day, week, month, year to “” with God? If not, why not?

    2) If you do, does it include a place (like a room, corner, or even a special place away)? Do you find places helpful in finding rest?

    3) Why do you think we struggle in resting?

    4) While the world tries to create more labor-saving things and techniques, it seems that there is less time. Why do you think that is?

  • Redemption in the Darkness

    Psalm 107:1–16; Isaiah 60:15-22; John 8:12-20 (read online ⧉)

    Psalm 107:2–3
    Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
    those he redeemed from trouble
    and gathered in from the lands,
    from the east and from the west,
    from the north and from the south.

    Isaiah’s stirring for Jerusalem is that not only of restoration but also claiming a prominent and dominant role in the world. The nations that dominated Jerusalem would then nourish and protect it. This revitalized and restored Jerusalem would have the lost and exiled returning. A city full of woe and misery would become full of and joy.

    Isaiah’s vision continued where the basics, bronze, and iron, would be replaced by gold and silver. This is not just a of wealth, but where what was once the sign of wealth would be commonplace. In the midst of all of this is God. This new vision of Jerusalem has God at the center, and not just as the center of , but the center of all life, replacing the sun and the moon. The ebb and flow of life would be fully guided by God. The ultimate crown of , children, would be so numerous that even the smallest group would become a clan. This is hope to a people lost. This is hope to a people who feel that they have nothing left.”I am the of the world,” said.Often we can find ourselves stuck in . The gift of darkness is being able to see the smallest light. The spark of faith, in the darkness, can feel as if the sun is there.

    1) Have you ever experienced an inescapable (real/) darkness? What happened when you saw a light?

    2) How does Christ fit into your idea and/or experience of darkness?

  • Firmly Wrong

    Psalm 107:1–16; Numbers 20:1-13; 1 Corinthians 10:6-13 (read online ⧉)

    The Israelites were out of water…again. They complained…again. Yet, there is something different here. It’s subtle. There seemed to be a stronger issue with the leaders (Moses and Aaron), rather than God. Oddly, despite an expressed desire to already be dead, God did not seem to take offense at their words. God then gave a simple instruction to Moses and Aaron…and they did not follow it.

    It would seem that Moses and Aaron had finally reached a breaking point. As Aaron generally had speaking duties, it is not unreasonable to think that he called the Israelites rebels. Note that as far as we know—and for this moment—God did not them rebels. Then there is a sense of self-importance when speaking, “…shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” Perhaps leadership (with a whole lot of miracles to go with it) had finally taken its toll. Lastly, Moses struck the rock…twice. Why twice? Probably a whole lot of irritation flowing out. Yet, God had only told them to, “… to the rock.” Aaron had already made plenty of errors regarding God, as had Moses. On the threshold of entering the Promised Land, they were blocked.

    Just as Moses and Aaron felt firm in things before God’s pronouncement of not entering the Promised Land, it seems many people in the of Corinth also felt firm and sure. wanted them to not be so assured of themselves, that they knew it all, and were thus safe from judgment. Paul makes it clear that we will be tested, and that everyone goes through . Paul also throws out a lifeline…God. God will not allow us to be tested beyond our faithful . That doesn’t mean we won’t fall—which is Paul’s point—but that God knows we can handle it if we rely on him.

    1) Has there been a time in your or “regular” life where you were very sure of yourself and/or your standing…and all of a sudden fell down?

    2) What, do you think, is the difference between the fall of Moses and Aaron, and your own falling, or the falling of , including leaders?

    3) Often the biggest temptations that we fall to are not the ones of sin, but the ones that are not sins unless they lead us to not or rely on God. Can you think of anything like that in your life?

  • Flawed and Honored Vessels

    Psalm 107:1–16; Exodus 15:22–27; Hebrews 3:1–6 (read online ⧉)

    Water is essential to survival. Not having water was a sentence. What made the waters of Marah too bitter to drink can only be guessed. It would have been horrible to be thirsty (3 days in the desert) and find the saving source of water undrinkable.

    They had just experienced God doing a miracle by saving them from the Egyptians. Yet, here they were, 3 days later, complaining. There is a reasonable question, “what shall we drink?” However, it seems that it didn’t start there. It started with complaining.Much of Moses’ journey with the Israelites seemed to involve the Israelites complaining. They complained against God. They complained against Aaron. They complained against Moses. As their cultural history developed, Moses (rightfully) was granted a position of significance. The developed a hearty for God’s rescuing prophet. The first generation complained. The succeeding generations honored.

    By the time of , Moses was just below God in some ways. Not that they worshipped Moses, but that he was used as the measuring rod of the of God. In Luke 16:29, we read, “they have Moses and the prophets….” Moses is raised above the other prophets, even above King David, a man after God’s own . The writer of Hebrews resets things, by raising up Jesus as the of God, not “just” a servant (as Moses was).

    The writer of Hebrews was incorporating Jewish understanding of God and faith (including Moses’ role) into a fuller understanding of who Jesus Christ should be to faithful Jews.As Paul did regarding we being the dwelling of God, the writer of Hebrews says that Jesus Christ is building us into his house. The author of Hebrews equates us, amazingly, to Moses. Both (all) were houses built by God.

    1) Have you ever compared yourself to another, and said, “I could never be like that?”

    2) Have you ever heard someone another a lot and think, “how can I measure up to this?”

    3) What are your thoughts on being a house made by God, and being made just as you are, flaws and all?

  • What Say You?

    Numbers 21:4–9; Ephesians 2:1–10; John 3:14–21 (read online ⧉)

    You may recognize the description of the snake on a stick. This is almost identical to the Rod of Asclepius, which is often used (along with, erroneously, the caduceus) to symbolize medical organizations or people. Asclepius was the Greek god of , so it makes sense. It is quite interesting that the making of this staff, though instructed by God, would seem to be a violation of the commandment against idols (Exodus 20:4). Yet, as it was intended, it was to be a physical and symbolic reminder that it was their (speaking against God) that brought the curse of the snakes upon them and the of God by which they were healed.

    We can readily tie the passage of Ephesians to this story. We (like the Israelites) lived life according to the flesh. We often allowed our desires and the world’s influence guides our decisions. We may even have spoken against God. Yet, as points out, God still held out the hand and of grace through Jesus Christ. Through the life of Jesus, and his on the cross, we have the opportunity to accept a gift we could never make or work for on our own. By accepting the gift, we accept Christ as our way of life, and the of the Living God dwells in us.

    Jesus was explaining this to Nicodemus and brought into his explanation the story of the bronze snake, relating the lifting of the snake on a stick, to his own crucifixion. The crucifixion, just like the bronze snake was God’s grace in . The difference between the two was that one preserved life here on earth, and one gave life here on earth and life .

    1) Are you too focus on the here and now to look for the eternal?

    2) Have you ever done something where God brought you back into focus on him in a way that was unpleasant or painful?

    In many respects, we can see COVID as a plague. While it is not a same situation, there is a single similarity. We can look around and be consumed, or we can look to and and in God to be free. Which will you choose?

  • Control or Trust?

    Psalm 107:1–3, 17–22; Daniel 12:5–13; Ephesians 1:7–14 (read online ⧉)

    Many of Daniel’s visions are held up in the today as applying to today. There are fundamental truths in Daniel’s visions (and the visions of other prophets), but we all must be very cautious when trying to apply them to today. Daniel, himself, didn’t know how to interpret his visions, so he had to ask for assistance, in the middle of his . The vision was interpreting the vision.

    Daniel 12:10 reads, “Many shall be purified, cleansed, and refined, but the wicked shall continue to wickedly. None of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.” This is as true today as the day Daniel had the vision, as it is today. The words (vision) of Daniel were to be, “…secret and sealed until the time of the .” Daniel was told to, “…go your way, and ….”

    Paul provides much the same guidance, “…he has made known to us the mystery of his will…as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”

    We yearn to know all the and have a fixed understanding. We yearn to know what will happen today and tomorrow. We want a safe and predictable life. We also want “the right” answers. The day-to-day is always full of pieces of chaos and unpredictability. Yet the assurance that it is all in God’s hands, and that we can fully rely on him, should us the ability to not be tossed about in our anxieties and .

    As the time was approaching for his final walk, , too, had questions and concerns. It is not wrong to and be concerned. If we allow our lack of confidence in God to ground us, the winds and waves of the world will continue to overtake us.

    1) Do you ever let your concerns and/or worries overtake your confidence in God?

    2) Have you ever tried to comfort someone or yourself by saying God has it all under control?

    3) How did that work? Did it really bring comfort?

Devotion.al

Expecting or Distracted?

Psalm 51:1-12; Habakkuk 3:2–13; John 12:1–11

It is so easy to be distracted from the important things in . Some blame electronics. Others blame the media. Others blame no in school. Others blame a culture that has walked away from its somewhat -ish roots. There is nothing new under the sun when it comes to behavior.

O Lord, I have heard of your renown,
and I stand in awe, O Lord, of your work.
In our own time revive it;
in our own time make it known;
in wrath may you mercy.

The opening stanza of Habakkuk’s song tells us that our disengagement from God is nothing new. Habakkuk calls us to be in awe of God. If you’ve ever had the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds fly over you in formation, you’ve had that sense of thunder through the entirety of your body. The jet wash passes over you. The sound overwhelms you. Plus the smell (which you may not like) of burnt jet fuel. There is an almost instinctual resonance to such an experience. Multnomah or Snoqualmie Falls with the spring runoff can do the same with the overwhelming volume of water, both noise and sheer amount.

All of that pales in comparison to the awe that we ought to feel when we contemplate God. As we wait for Christ’s return we, like Habakkuk, want God to make his undeniably known, and that his overwhelming wrath to overcome and evil, with a lot of mercy. While we may not be overwhelmed by God, there still appears to be that wiring inside of us that is looking for it with hopeful expectation.

Hopeful expectation.

The Jews, under Roman occupation, were waiting for something. Some didn’t know what they were waiting for. Some were waiting for a revolution. Some were waiting for a Messiah. Those waiting for a Messiah—a savior—had a hopeful expectation.

    “You came forth to your people, to save your anointed.” [Habakkuk 3:13]

  1. Are you being truthful to yourself when say, “I’m waiting expectantly for Jesus to come back”?
    • If not, what is keeping you from seizing the that Jesus is coming back?
    • If so, what can you do to build up the expectation in others?
  2. The power of Good Friday (the day Jesus was crucified), is followed by the blessing of the . Yet the Resurrection is not the end. It is only the beginning. How is the Resurrection the beginning for you?