Devotion.al

Tag: chosen

  • 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 reconciliation,

    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, , gentleness, 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 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 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”) with God, this does not exclude or diminish the call on the Christian to be a reconciling force in their family, community, and the world.

    ‌Re-examine the definitions of reconciling. Except for definition 4a, one could actually apply each definition to the 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, on the cross, and . 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 act (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 it to us, you have given us responsibility. Help us to remember that through this responsibility you have given us the honor 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. Holy Spirit, 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.

  • A Movement: Of Priest and Temple

    A Movement: Of Priest and Temple

    1 Peter 2:1–12

    We, self-included, often focus on “…But you are a generation, a royal priesthood…” (1 Peter 2:9). This is a very Protestant focus. However, it is not solely one, as both the Roman Catholic church and Eastern Orthodox also focus on it.

    Much of the focus is from the “pulpit”. In other words, the pastor/priest is talking to the believers listening that they, too, are part of the priesthood of all believers. Hence, why the second half of verse 9 is as important as the first half, “…that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…”

    There is a reason for the “priesthood of all believers.” It is to be the priesthood for the world. In a number of Christian traditions, the pastor/priest has a certain role, and that is to equip the priesthood of all believers to “…proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

    What is helpful here is to go back a few verses to “…you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5, NKJV)

    In 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, Paul tells the Corinthians that they are a to God. With Peter’s words, too, we come away with this strange duality. We are both temple and priest. Yes, it is symbolism.

    On the other hand, for a people far more reverent and religious than ours, this is significant.

    As a temple, first, we are to be clean. Unless your house, for example, is miraculous, you have to clean it regularly. We “track” the world into our physical house. Whether it’s sweeping, vacuuming, scrubbing, or something more, we must clean our homes.

    How much more so do we track the world into ourselves, a temple of God? So, therefore, we must clean ourselves as befitting a temple of God. There are plenty of ways that clean the temple. Personally, I have found the practice of Bible reading, , and small group (in my case, 3 other guys spread across the country) to be the best cleansing (doesn’t make it easy). You may find other practices to be better. Just make sure the cleaning gets done regularly.

    This isn’t just an “inside” job, either. The outside aspect of the temple is important, too. The world sees the outside of the temple. The peculiarity of being the temple is that we are very aware of the crevices that aren’t clean on the inside. If we focus too much on the inside, however, the outside is a mess. However, if we (like so many of us do) focus too much on the outside, the temple comes crumbling down, for the internal structure cannot hold up the facade (or false front) shown to the world, and we then dishonor God by our fallen temple.

    This is not about tattoos, piercings, dyed hair, or something like that. This is about how we treat others, care for others, or even others. This is about the behaviors we allow ourselves to do, and allow others to do. As the culture has made us all too aware, we have not done a particularly good job regarding the behaviors of others.

    Nor can we forget about being “the priest”. You may have experienced this, too, where someone says that all they need to do is God in their car or online or even at church and that’s all that matters. It’s as if the priestly aspect of worshipping God with song is the “goal” of being a priest.

    If we were to look at one of the tasks of priests (the ones in the temple), we could draw that conclusion. Except…they weren’t the only priests. The majority of priests (from an Old Testament point of view) didn’t work at the temple. They were among the people.

    Much of the Christian view has been twisted (with significant reason) to view that the entirety of the priestly class was the leadership that as described in the New Testament that followed and harassed and challenged Jesus. Yet, while the Scribes and the Pharisees were the loud obnoxious ones we read about, we know that they weren’t the only ones out there (think of John the Baptist’s dad).

    The priestly act isn’t only the roles and tasks at temple that need doing. It is the and guiding of the world. With even a little bit of introspection, we know that we need the of, and to be changed by, God to do either of those well.

    ※Reflection※

    • What does it mean for you to be a priest?
    • What are some of the ways that you are a temple to and of God?
    • How does you being a priest affect your understanding of also being a temple?

    ※Prayer※

    God, grant us the lamp of love that never grows dim,
    that it may shine in us and warm our hearts,
    light to others through our love for them,
    by its brightness provide a vision of the holy city where the true and inextinguishable light of Jesus Christ our Lord shines. Amen.
    — a modified prayer of Columbanus

  • 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 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 hope, from a human , could there be?

    Yet, Abraham didn’t stop himself from having God at the center of his (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 chosen 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)

  • 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 sheep. Almost all the reference sheep in some form or another. Without question, the sheep are the People of God. Even in Luke, 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- 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 human being can become fully human without being and cared for. This is the 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 shepherd.

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

    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 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 truth. 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.

  • Beyond Sight/Site

    Beyond Sight/Site

    Psalm 119:9–16; Haggai 2:1–9, 20–23; John 12:34–50

    Haggai and Zechariah were the two prophets that accompanied the Israelites from exile to home. Their primary focus was the restoration of Israel, not so much as a powerhouse, but as a people and nation of God, including both worship and the Davidic kingly line. Later on down the chronological line (beyond today’s readings), the temple is completed. However, the temple that was completed did not have the glory of the old one in physical status.

    As Haggai’s words are considered canonical (i.e., verified as the of God), then the Jews saw something much different than the literal word (often our temptation when we are reading). From a Jewish standpoint (especially Haggai’s traditionalist perspective), the temple isn’t so much the point as a people faithfully pursuing God with one of the signs being faithful worship as prescribed in the Old Testament. What does it matter what it looked like today (remember the original Temple was David’s plan, inspired by God, but not prescribed) when faithful worship and a God-fearing king were what was required?

    That Haggai was seeing beyond the immediate temple and even beyond the immediate kingly line tells us that ‘ words were not without historical precedence (as some have claimed). As we look beyond Jesus’ time on earth, we can see the fulfillment of Haggai’s words, as in Jesus Christ has changed the world. Though, sadly, many of those who cried, “Lord, Lord,” were liars, murderers, and power-grabbers beyond the average struggling .

    Haggai’s understanding of a God-honoring revolved around the temple. That is what and the Scriptures taught. Haggai understood quite well, as he was coming from exile, that empty actions were not what was needed. It was actions that were firmly grounded in who God is, and that the Israelites were God’s people.

    While Jesus’ words may have seemed revolutionary at the time, Jesus did answer the “Christ will be with us forever” in a way unexpected, though by pure reason, it probably should have been an idea. The Christ was with the Children of God forever…in their souls, their temple to God. Thus a relationship through the temple was now very personal, and the Christ was with them.

    Would Haggai have been able to recognize that Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of his in only a way that God could make it happen? Perhaps. We can only look at Haggai’s words and see Christ in retrospect.

    ※Reflection※

    • What practices do you fulfill in relationship with God? How about in regards to the temple, both body and ?
    • What do you think is comparable to the Davidic kingly line in regards to lively rightly before God?
    • When was the last time you evaluated your habits through the lens of habit or “because you need to”? Why is it important?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, guide us ever deeper into meaningful and life-changing relationship with you. Amen.

  • Chosen

    Chosen

    Psalm 107:1–3, 17–22; Genesis 9:8–17; Ephesians 1:3–6

    I don’t elementary school sports very much. I do know that while I was never picked first, I was rarely picked last. I was neither particularly good nor bad at sports, hence being a middle pick. I did have preferences for whose team I wanted to be on, though. While I didn’t, therefore, have the angst of being picked last, I certainly didn’t want to be on just any team. I wanted to be on my choice of team.

    In some ways, I think of both passages as God saying, “I choose you!”

    God chose you, too!

    In team sports, there is some sort of of performance. Every year, professional teams hold a draft, competing with each other for the “next best” young player. Big- colleges will scout and try to recruit high school players.

    The difference between God’s selection and a draft is God isn’t looking at performance (we already blew it), God is looking at the . God calls everyone. However, just like a draft, one can refuse.

    We often try to justify ourselves. Sometimes we try to justify our very existence. God just said, “I chose you. I you. That is the justification of your existence.”

    ※Reflection※

    • What does being by God mean to you?
    • Why is it hard to understand why a person would not want to be chosen by God?
    • Is being chosen by God a , a , both?

    ※Prayer※

    Thank you, Lord, for choosing me. May I continue to strive to the gift. Amen.

  • All Are Called

    All Are Called

    Psalm 22:23–31; Genesis 15:1–6, 12–18; Romans 3:21–31

    You are by God. Yes, you. If you are reading this, and are not a believer in Christ, you are loved by God. If you are Jewish, and not a believer in Jesus Christ, you are part of God’s People. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you are a child of God.

    Whether non-Christian Jew, Messianic Jew, or Christian, we are called to , , and stand in awe of God. Actually, we are all (believer or not) called to praise, honor, and stand in awe of God.

    All too often, though, modern people make judgments about God when they do not understand the significance of the stories. The story of Abraham and the smoking pot is a story of vast significance, especially when we talk about this passage in Romans.

    The symbolism of everything surrounding the smoking pot can be summarized. God made a with Abraham. Abraham made a covenant with God. The penalty for breaking the covenant: . God took the place of Abraham and God as the covenanter who would pay the price upon violation of the covenant.

    “…God displayed Jesus as the place of sacrifice…”—Romans 3:25

    Sometimes writing too much takes away from the Scriptures. This is one of those times. Read again the passage from Romans with the or reminder that God had promised to die long before Israel (Jacob) was even born.

    ※Reflection※

    • What does this tell you about God?
    • What does this tell you about us?
    • What are you going to do with this?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, let us not forget that you knew the price of loving us while maintaining your . Thank you for your unending grace, , and love. Amen.

  • Storms in Store

    Storms in Store

    Psalm 77; Job 4:1–21; Ephesians 2:1–10

    I recently l read a pointed quip (one could call it an insult) at a man who had to remain celibate rather than have a with another man. The person wrote, “…This guy needs [religion] as an emotional crutch. Pity.”

    Eliphaz is not accusing Job of this. Yet, at the same time “religion” is being used as a bludgeon. “Your religion,” is indicative of Eliphaz. Is Eliphaz not an Israelite? Or is it the dismissal of Job’s consistent acts?

    Eliphaz is what many Christians experience from other Christians during hard times, harshness. There is a form of condemnation delivered to Christians going through hard times. Often Christians are the worst about it. We can try to encourage when they are going through rough times, but then be judged as lacking when we meet our own struggles.

    Eliphaz is the metaphorical voice of experience of far too many people. Sometimes, even more sadly, it may be the “voice” in our heads (and hearts) that attacks us and leaves us breathless.

    The tragedies that Job’s had suddenly gone through would be traumatic for anyone. No matter what we think of the last year or four…no, they aren’t Job’s life. Yes, many of us have experienced great , , , and anger. Job got it all.

    Christians have been given the antidote to this. The and grace of God and salvation. While these may often seem “just words” they can also be the life preserver when we are in a storm.

    It might seem strange to bring this in when Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is about disobedience and doing what feels good. Oddly, standing strong in God’s grace, mercy, and salvation is often harder when all we want to do is and stew in misery.

    Perhaps, just perhaps, Eliphaz was a shot of cold water that each of us needs to jar us out of our whirlpool of misery. However, most of the time such a person just pushes us deeper into the .

    We are called to pull people out of the maelstroms of life, not shove them further, no matter who they are.

    ※Reflection※

    Are you a person to pull or to push? Does it depend on the person? Does it depend on the reason?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, make in us a resolution to follow through relationship to pull people out and not shove them in. Amen.