Devotion.al

Tag: action

Devotionals tagged with action.

  • You Can’t Make Me!

    Ephesians 5:19–6:9 (read online ⧉)

    This passage Ephesians, like many other books and verses of the Bible, has often been abused and misconstrued. Of course, the big one is the group of verses about wives. Often abused and misused. Men would use those verses as an attempt to control. They would conveniently disregard the whole husband as Christ who died for the part. Which is really the important part. That made that statement actually elevated women, as they were to be died for. Connect that to the cross and Paul really drives it home. That was ignored. Often men would use the wife verses for their control, but then disregard women as people of value. We’d them hypocrites (yes, and misogynous).

    Though currently one of the big issues is misogyny (with reason), there are other verses that were also used to abuse and control people, and these were the verses regarding slaves. Now, those who used the slave verses were the “masters” or politicians who didn’t want to rock the boat. All disregarding the admonition to the “masters”. It just didn’t apply to them. The irony (sort of) is that women slave owners used the slave verse the same way their husbands used the wives verses. What a mess!

    The bible you read the passage from probably had a little header titled, “Wives and Husbands,” or some such above it. Just as an aside, please start disregarding those. They can be helpful. They can also be very misleading. For example, the verses about wives, husbands, children, parents, slaves, and masters are actually part of the section previous, which is why we started at Ephesians 5:19. Even starting at Ephesians 5:19 is sort of an issue, as it too divides, but hopefully not too much.

    When we start there, we start with hearts oriented toward God. The outpouring of that orientation is . From there it turns into mutual submission. That’s really it. All the of those verses? They were an expansion of an idea. There are certain people that take one concept, trying to use examples to showcase how it works. In Paul’s case, it didn’t happen that way. Part of this has carried on because of “useful” headings. The rest of it is because many times when people are confronted with being wrong, they double-down on whatever it is, even if it is misreading the . We are all guilty of it at some point in our lives.

    Mutual submission is hard. It’s always been hard. Oddly enough, it seems the world might actually be beginning to understand it, just not in a good or healthy way. Many people are obsessed with their “likes” on social media. Really that is a form of submission to . Sadly, it’s been shown to be unhealthy. Yet, seeking approval of others is a form of submission.

    1) What does mutual submission look like in your important ?

    2) How would mutual submission work and look like in a church setting? How about a work setting?

    3) What would it look like if our operated from a point of mutual submission?

    : work on mutual submission in one key relationship

  • The 3 Rs: Regret, Remorse, Repent

    Matthew 27:3–4, Luke 17:1–4, Acts 8:9–25, Acts 16:22–34 (read online ⧉)

    According to Merriam-Webster…

    regret means (1)(a) to mourn the or of, (b) to miss very much; (2) to be very sorry for

    remorse means (1) a gnawing distress arising from a sense of for past wrongs, self-reproach

    repent means (1) to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one’s life; (2)(a) to feel regret or contrition, (b) to one’s mind

    The words we use mean something. We often use regret and repent interchangeably when we talk about sin and forgiveness. How we use these two words really matter. The key to this is ‘ words. If the brother repents, then forgive them (and we won’t talk about the counting piece, as that is merely a distraction for today). We, understandably, question how we can tell that someone has repented. If we were to take Jesus’ words literally, we would especially question it if the person came back 7 times in a day repenting. If we use the understanding of feeling sorrow and changing one’s mind, it seems that the person really didn’t change their mind.

    Yet, if something has been ingrained and habituated, 1 day of repentance isn’t going to make a -, mind-, and behavior-deep change. If that were so effective, the percentage of people “breaking” their New Year’s resolutions wouldn’t be increasing day-by-day. Repentance (sorrow along with change of mind/heart) may not be a short road to walk for many issues. Sometimes the repentance for an action may be jeopardized by other behaviors and habits that resulted in the behavior repented for. For example, one doesn’t just have an adulterous affair one day (with certain psychological issues being the exception). It builds up. Staring at the other sex. Flirting with them. Placing them above your spouse. It all builds on one another. While a person may repent (whole-heartedly) of their adultery, the other behaviors that lead to it still need to be addressed.

    Regret, on the other hand, is something different. People will often regret their bad actions, but only because they were caught. Or they might regret their actions because they perceive they lost out on something they wanted. Another way to think of it can be found in the current cultural phenomenon called FOMO, which is an acronym of Of Missing Out. FOMO is a fear of the potential regret one might feel for not doing something. The reality is that we all have regrets.

    The difference between regret and repent is different than a similarity in the potential of both, which is often where we confuse them. Regret, by and large, is selfish. This is not always the case, granted. However, if one thinks about when feelings of regret (or conveyed) it usually is not about harm inflicted upon another (that is remorse), it is about how the bad thing affected the person feeling regret. Remorse lies between regret and repent. At least remorse is about another (i.e., less selfish), but there is still selfishness involved.

    Many Christians, probably most of us, the repent until they need to repent. We don’t mind regretting, too much. We’re okay with remorse. The reason why regret and remorse are tolerable is they don’t really require anything of us. Repentance, on the other, requires all of us.

    1) What have you regretted in life? Why?

    2) What have you felt remorse for in life? Why? Did you make amends, or what happened?

    3) Skipping the often ingenuine “I repented of all my sins”, what have you repented of? If you committed the action that you repented of, did you really repent, or was it really regret and/or remorse?

  • Are You Blind?

    Matthew 23:16–22, Luke 18:31–43 (read
    online ⧉    )

    uses the concept of blindness as a teaching point. In the ancient world, blindness was a severe handicap. Over the years we have developed tools and practices to help blind people navigate a world of . This was not the way of things in Jesus’ day. All the blind were good for was consuming food, space, and getting alms. This is not to dismiss their value as beings, but in that , there was little they could do. Today, with help, blind people can read. Blind people can operation manufacturing machines. The blinds can navigate the world, and the world works to help that. That wasn’t so.

    Jesus wasn’t being nice. He was being brutal. He was telling the world that the teachers that people looked up to were useless, at best. In Matthew, he implies that anyone that follows these teachers will not up anyplace good. However, they vaunted religious teachers aren’t the only blind ones. His disciples were often blind too. The prediction of his death was “hidden” from them. In many ways, thought Jesus’ future death wasn’t so much hidden as denied. Why would the disciples want to think about Jesus’ death? Have you ever had a “hilltop” experience? Imagine having them for 3 years. It is likely that it got to a point that they couldn’t see beyond that. Sadly, in at least Judas’ case when he did see beyond it, he likely felt betrayed and thus betrayed Jesus.

    That the future was hidden from them per the , and then we immediately get to a story about a blind man receiving sight does not appear coincidental. In fact, according to Jesus the man’s faith had both saved him and led to his being able to see. In some ways, the 11 disciples that remained (after Judas’s and death) did not see either until they had faith. It’s not to say that they didn’t have faith in God, or even in Jesus, but that their faith matured and transformed so that they were able to look back and look and in .

    1) Have you ever lost any sense (taste, smell, sight, touch) for a time? What was it like? Did it have far-reaching effects?

    2) Blindness of the heart can lead anyone down a false path. What areas of blindness have you had to deal with? How did you deal with them?

    3) The world is often spiritually blind. If the world cannot see without faith, how do we get them to “see”?

  • Work to Death or for Life

    Acts 6:1–7, James 2:14–26

    In his book, With Unveiled Faces, Kieth Drury writes, “Serious Christians get into lifesaving boats and go to sea to people in need, refusing to sit in our warm lighthouses waiting for the shipwrecked to wash up on shore.”
    As we talk this week about connecting with God through the work of our hands, one of the biggest ways the has done this is through serving the poor. Sadly, there has come a time where serving the poor has become business dressed in the clothes of . This does not excuse Christians from serving the poor, but it does require greater discernment than it has in the past.

    Does this mean that everyone is called to directly serve the poor? No. That’s why there were certain people tasked with doing it, as shown in Acts. However, the “greater” church was behind them both in moral support, but also with the resources necessary.

    One of the big (and valid, to a point) arguments against the church helping those outside of “the church” is that “charity starts at home.” This was actually written by Charles Dickens. There is a great amount of in that statement, and it should be the case within the . However, “start” is the operative . It must start at home, for that is where the groundwork is laid. It is groundwork. It is foundational. Yet, just like for a home, a foundation is only the beginning.

    Martin Luther struggled with the book of James, in particular this passage. Luther struggled with the concept of works as faith. James’ words were too similar to earning one’s way to Heaven, one of the issues that was at the root of his separation from the Roman Catholic church. James’ point was not that works would earn , but works were the evidence of faith and grace poured out.

    1) Many Christians have been taught to avoid “works ”. What are they? What is the difference between that and “faith and grace” poured out?

    2) Why are actions so important in regards to our faith?

    3) Why do we struggle so much with ?

  • The Mission Vocation

    Matthew 10:5–15, 1 Corinthians 15:1–8, Ephesians 3:8–14

    What is your ? What is your calling?

    In the Christian world, these can be powerful questions. If we let ourselves get wrapped up in them, they can bring us down. However, if we don’t see, or choose not to see that we have a calling, then we have a different issue. There are two words that are almost used interchangeably: vocation and calling.

    Merriam-Webster defines them as:
    vocation: (1) a summons or strong inclination to a particular state or course of , especially a divine call to the religious life; (2) the work in which a person is employed [occupation]
    calling: (1) a strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action especially when accompanied by conviction of divine influence; (2) the vocation or profession in which one customarily engages

    We can see that dividing them, by definition, is difficult. Part of it is, oddly, religious . will say that one receives (or discerns) a calling and then joins as a vocation.
    Perhaps (not to confuse the issue), we should think of the calling as God’s nudge in our life with certain parameters. Then vocation becomes the occupation by which we fulfill the calling. Defining vocation and calling this way allows us to recognize our giftings, while not (necessarily) defining how we use them.

    The 11 original Apostles were called. Some became religious/organization leaders (vocation), while others were…actually, we don’t know. The starting point of their vocation was to reach the descendants of Israel. They were not to go to the . It seemed, on the outset, that this was exclusionary.

    had a calling to teach and lead. His initial vocation was to harass the young . Then he had a transforming encounter with Christ, and his vocation was transformed. The call was the same.
    We are all called to be children of God. We are all called to be bearers of the light into the world of . The vocation is ours to live the call out.

    1) We often confuse vocation with career. Why do you think that is?

    2) What do you think the difference is between career and vocation?

    3) Why is it important to call from vocation?

    4) Paul’s story shows that vocations can . Is it time for you to find or change your vocation?

  • Who Restores

    Deuteronomy 30:1–5, Jonah 2:2–9, Isaiah 44:24–28

    Have you ever recognized that there is an implied title and of God that gets missed? Restorer.

    We use Healer, often, which is close. Another word could be Reconciler. We don’t use Restorer or Reconciler, because in most cases of their use (restore and reconcile), they are verbs, not nouns.

    Yet, and reconciliation are at the of . Think of it this way. Through Jesus’ sinless walk on Earth and his sacrificial on the cross, we are to God (). Through and Jesus’ resurrection, we are restored (position) to the “place” we would have had prior to the Fall (Adam and Eve).

    It can be easy to fall into the reconciliation way of thinking, because while on Earth that is both our and our experience.

    We get a taste of restoration in baptism, but it really is a poor experience in comparison to the full restoration once we are in Heaven.

    1) What do you think of restoration and reconciliation?

    2) How do you think restoration and reconciliation work with other people?

    3) We can understand how reconciliation works with our interpersonal relationships. How does restoration work? Thinking about restoration as God restores, is it possible for a damaged relationship to be restored? Why or why not?

  • Empathize and Build

    Philippians 2:19–30, Romans 15:1–7

    empathy: the of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner [Merriam-Webster.com]

    Imprisoned is concerned about the Philippians. More correctly, he is deeply concerned for the Philippians. Paul’s empathy is such that he appears to viscerally feel the emotional distress of the Philippians for their emissary/friend/missionary Epaphroditus. The Philippians’ distress for Epaphroditus’ health tells us how significant Epaphroditus was to the Philippians. It also shows Paul’s importance to them for them to send such a significant person.

    In the Roman era, if you did not have or friends to take care of you, you were not going to last long. The primary care of a prisoner would be performed by those same family and friends. Epaphroditus was one of Paul’s care-givers. He was a key part of Paul’s survival. Yet, Paul viewed the Philippians’ worries of higher importance than his own. So much so, that he put their emotional welfare ahead of his own and emotional welfare. He also, therefore, took on their coming as his own.

    Paul echoes much of this in his earlier letter to the Romans. He talks about bearing the weaknesses of so as to not please oneself. He talks about pleasing our neighbor, especially to build them up. He also says that this also means that when these people are insulted, he (or we) are also insulted.

    This is not the way of the world. The way of the world is to . Even as Christians, the world tries to separate us from each other, and we let the world do it.

    1) How can you build-up your empathy muscle? Why should you?

    2) How do you think empathy helps build the ?

    3) Why do you think we avoid feeling empathy toward others?

  • Separating Works

    Deuteronomy 18:9–14, 1 Samuel 28:3–25, Galatians 5:16–26

    The list of people not to listen to is interesting. As part of the Israelites’ preparation to enter the Promised Land, these people were to not be sought out. From a cultural standpoint, this is not a small thing. These people were the ones that were sought for and guidance. For many leaders, they were (so-to-) the power behind the throne. In our modern-day, we tie these practices to Satan, yet there is much more than that in this. If one gets rid of the diviners, fortune tellers, omen interpreters, sorcerers, magicians, mediums, spiritualists, and dead relatives, who do you listen to? God.

    The of these practices is more about human selfishness, pride, , and disobedience than it is about the Adversary. This is not to say that the does not use these to deceive, it’s just that it is human behavior and choices that make it these things effective in separating humanity from God.

    Saul’s own pride (and disobedience) resulted in God pulling favor from him. Saul mostly appeared to follow the visible laws, but it seems that his heart wasn’t there. When Saul finally seeks God (in desperation, not adoration), God does not . Saul decides to invoke the practices that God said were detestable. Saul, who had gotten rid of mediums and spiritualists (exile or ), goes to one to talk to…Samuel? That Saul would knowingly break the Law, go against his own actions, and want to talk to Samuel (a God-fearing prophet, leader, and deliverer of the news regarding the of God’s favor) all shows that Saul was not thinking well.

    Saul could have probably avoided the resulting disaster by abdicating to his sons or to David (God’s chosen one). Saul’s pride resulted in a disastrous defeat of Israel, and the beginning of the end of his family line. Saul had a number of paths he could have taken after being told of the loss of God’s favor. He probably chose the worst.

    When we get to Paul’s list of “works of the flesh”, idolatry and sorcery appear to be the only things in common with the Old Testament prohibitions. That isn’t so. The Old Testament prohibitions are, again, expressions of humanity’s desire to wrest control and authority from God. While the signs of what that is had changed, the underlying was still there. Today with New Age (which isn’t new anymore), (neo-)paganism, and occult practices on the rise in both practice and acceptance we now have both Old Testament and New Testament.

    1) Instead of wringing our hands and saying empty words, what can we do?

    2) Thinking of why people turn to such things, how can we show the better way (in , without lectures)?