Devotion.al

Tag: darkness

  • Happiness and Joy…or Not

    Happiness and Joy…or Not

    Psalm 44; Isaiah 22:8b–14; James 4:4–10

    ‌‌🔎 Focus

    ‌Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?

    James 4:4 NRSVue

    ‌…you did not look at the One who did it, nor did you see the One who planned it…

    Isaiah 22:11 NRSVue

    We don’t like or suffering. We often do anything to avoid it. We can also do anything in an attempt to make it feel better, when we’re suffering from it.

    ‌It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the of everyone, and the living will lay it to heart.

    Ecclesiastes 7:2 NRSVue

    Often sitting in our mourning and pain is more honest and healing than living and striving for revelry and happiness. When we do not confront and deal well with our pain, our wrongs, our being wronged, we react in ways that can be unhealthy for us and for others.

    ‌‌✟ Devotion

    ‌The full passage in Isaiah talks about how Jerusalem’s vulnerabilities were uncovered (or unhidden) by God. Why? Because of iniquity. What does iniquity have to do with pain and suffering? Well, by this point, the people of Jerusalem (and by extension Judah), had ignored the of prophets by the words, and of God by many means.

    ‌Instead, they chose to tear down homes (and likely the homes of the poor and powerless) to fill the holes in their walls. Were they literal holes in the walls, or is this a more figurative imagery indicating that there was a wrong focus? Probably both.

    ‌It would be completely within expectations for Isaiah (as inspired by God) to use a practical and example to examine the spiritual life of the People of God. Instead of doing the hard (and sometimes painful) work of self-, they chose to do the easier, more worldly thing, find something to dull the pain.

    ‌They forgot the One.

    ‌This is James’ starting point with his tirade against Christians who have forgotten whose they are and have reverted to the ways of the world. Instead of putting cooperative and mutually humble care for one another—the called for characteristics of Christians—first, they chose to be no different than behavior in the world. Instead of being God’s and reflecting God’s love, they were reflecting the world’s .

    ‌What ought to catch our attention is that James equates worldly behavior among Christians to adultery. The ultimate betrayal of marital union is equated to worldly behavior.

    ‌We, as Christians, aren’t paragons of what we are supposed to be. Per James, we are adulterers. Perhaps not individually (but how do we contribute), but collectively we are. This is something we need to do the hard work on and not skip it. This covers politics, church theology, even pastors and leaders.

    ‌We forget the One.

    ‌‌🤔 Reflection

    ‌What do you think of non- behavior as adultery? Does it change your view of non-Christian behavior? How do you work through disagreements on things, even what defines non-Christian behavior, with other Christians?

    ‌‌⏏️ Act

    ‌Choose a light topic that you know a fellow Christian disagrees with you on. Discuss it with and love. The goal is not to change minds, but to understand the other.

    ‌🙏 Prayer

    ‌Gracious God, while we might know intellectually that you are gracious, help us to believe it to the depths of our souls, so that we are gracious to one another. Help us to see our faults, failures, even our love affair with the ways of the world, in light of your gracious love. Guide us to see where we have placed the world and its ways ahead of you and your ways. 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 chosen 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 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 …”

    There is a reason for the “priesthood of all believers.” It is to be the priesthood for the world. In a number of 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 stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus 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, prayer, 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 love 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 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 power 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 of the holy city where the true and inextinguishable light of Jesus Christ our Lord shines. Amen.
    — a modified prayer of Columbanus

  • 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 darkness and against , 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 Temple” (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 giving 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 , 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 and in Christ Jesus for all generations, forever and always. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20, CEB)

  • Servant Life

    Servant Life

    Psalm 123; Ezekiel 2:1–5; 2 Corinthians 12:2–10; Mark 6:1–13

    In certain cultures, and in certain times, it was not dishonorable to be a . In fact, being a servant could well lead to a different path than what could else be accomplished. One of the most famous servants in US culture is a man named Alfred Pennyworth. He is the butler of Bruce Wayne, whose alter ego is The Batman. Yes, he’s merely a fictional character. And, yes, he is one of the few positive US depictions of a servant.

    When working through the Scriptures, we often try to “soften” the imagery around servants, indentured servants, and slaves. Part of it is our US ethos of rugged individualism. The other part is our darker history of exploitation through both indentured servitude and slavery.

    To add insult to injury, or misunderstanding to the Scriptures, US culture diminishes waitstaff (a respectable path elsewhere), cooks, or anyone who doesn’t fit certain narratives.

    This becomes crucial when we read passages such as Psalm 123:3. As a servant waits for their master, so our eyes upon the mercy of God. Our cultural baggage with both master and servant removes our ‘s ability to see this verse as it is intended. The servant of which the psalmist writes loves their master. They love their master so much that it isn’t a burden; it is an honor. Their orbits the master. They wait to do the master’s bidding so that the master is satisfied. The servant’s satisfaction comes from the master’s.

    In our context, we usually then , what about the needs of the servant or our needs (if we read ourselves into the role of the servant)? Then, are we really any different than the hardheaded and hardhearted descendants of Israel and Judah that God points to in Ezekiel 2: 4? Or are we more like the braggart that Paul tries not to be in 2 Corinthians 12:6, yet still think that we are greater than being a servant (which Paul didn’t)?

    The cultural shift that would make servants (and the service “industry”) more respectable or honorable may never come. Or, if Gen Z can become effective in many of its ideals, It may dovetail into the conversations around the minimum wage, livable wage, and permanent income.

    As a result of a recent conversation with a Gen-Z-er (~born 1995–2015), I realized that perhaps we are more servants than we realize. As employees, we serve our organization. An organization serves its stakeholders. That’s a little oversimplified, but you get the idea.

    However, most of us will immediately respond negatively to this imagery. We don’t want to serve. That should probably give us pause when we think of our lives for God.

    ※Reflection※

    • What is your to being a servant (not serving)? Why? What is the difference between serving and being a servant?
    • Jesus called himself a servant. If God calls himself a servant, and we are his followers, why do we have problems with this concept when it comes to living the Christian life?

    ※Prayer※

    Servant of the World who stepped down into . That you for your servant’s heart and which brings us into the light. Amen.

  • Light It Up

    Light It Up

    Psalm 107:1–3, 23–32; Job 29:21–30:15; Acts 21:1–16

    is full of ups and downs. Psalm 107 starts with such a positive tone. Then mishaps and adventures and trials occur. Then back to rejoicing in God. It doesn’t seem to really matter your place, station, or in life, there are ups and downs. Even in some of the harshest conditions, people will find positive things. Part of that is just how we maintain some sort of sanity (even if it’s by our fingernails).

    This certainly is not to belittle anyone’s trials and tribulations. Even in midst of grieving over the of a loved one, people might see God’s beautiful Creation. They might laugh at a really bad Dad joke (yes, a dad joke and a bad joke are the same thing). They might have an enjoyable meal or a great time with friends. The remains, but something can still be good.

    Job was respected. He cared for . He honored God. He led others.

    Job fell. He was despised. He was rejected. Others sought to lead him. Yet, he honored God.

    All of Acts is a series of ups and downs. While this part of ‘s journey is really the foreshadowing of his journey to Rome and to his , it is still filled with stories of love, caring, loyalty, and faith.

    The world is indeed a dark place. Often, the only thing that can keep us sane and even happy is . Only hope in Jesus Christ will endure through time.

    ※Reflection※

    • Thinking of a dark time in your life, what were high points in the darkness? What made them that way?
    • Have you ever questioned a joyful or happy moment in the midst of darkness? Did you feel as if you disrespected the time of darkness?
    • What are ways that you have found to invoke , , and hope in the midst of your darkness and the darkness of others?

    ※Prayer※

    Jesus, you are the light to the world. Help us to be the smaller lights that bring hope to the world, and glory to you. Amen.

  • Joy to Tears

    Joy to Tears

    Psalm 22:25–31; Amos 8:1–7; Acts 8:1b–8

    For many people, singing in worship of God is a significant part of their of . They love the -filled worship of God.

    The image provided in Amos takes those joy-filled songs and turns them into songs of pain, sorrow, and lament. The misery of the people of Israel (as conveyed by Amos) is that even their praise and worship had become crying and wailing. Think of a service where all the joy was gone.

    In many respects, after a number of incidents (9/11, Oklahoma City, and ) people would come to the church and . Their feelings of pride and courage buried in the ashes of . Yet, now, people don’t. We’ve had horrific things happen in our society and people aren’t looking to the church.

    Perhaps we need a Saul. Perhaps COVID or Trump or Biden is our Saul. Perhaps it will be something else.

    Saul persecuted the church. The members of the church left Jerusalem. The faith spread. The number of people who came to Christ grew.

    We are in a state of discomfort. We, the church, are no longer sure of where we belong. We look at ourselves (the church) and what’s wrong. We look at the world and wonder what’s wrong.

    ※Reflection※

    • It can be hard to in the dark, when we want to be in the of Jesus. Why is part of our purpose to be in (not of) the dark?
    • What can the darkness teach us about the light?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, you called from the darkness into your light. You sent us back into the darkness to share your light. May we do your will. Amen.

  • Gōdspel

    Gōdspel

    Psalm 135; Daniel 6:1–28; 1 John 2:12–17

    If all things were equal, it should be very easy to tell people about Jesus, and what Jesus did for them even when they opposed God (Romans 5:6–8). However, in the Western world, and especially in the US/Canada region, it has become difficult for a myriad of reasons. While the enemy of God may have a hand in it and did probably provide some nudges here and there, much of the of Jesus has to do with Jesus’ followers.

    While there has been much talk about it is because the White Evangelical was predominately (by appearances, at least) pro-Trump, it has more to do with the empty lives that Christians have been living. This also isn’t strictly a white Evangelical issue, either. Our brothers and sisters in Christ in the “mainline” denominations have been experiencing decline, for they often watered down Christ for other goals (many of which were worthwhile).

    The Gospel of Jesus Christ hasn’t lost its or . Western Christians have lost it themselves. Whether it was power or grace, Western chose one or the other and ended up losing the .

    All of this sounds harsh, and it is. It hurts to read (and write) it. This also is nothing new. On the other hand, living in the power and grace of God doesn’t necessarily mean anything either, and that can get particularly depressing.

    Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were undeniable witnesses of/to God. By their faith and of God lived out, their relationship with God was known and acknowledged. In today’s story of Daniel, this was used against Daniel.

    What is troubling is not that people conspired against Daniel. It wasn’t that Darius was deceived by his advisors. It wasn’t even that Daniel was thrown into the den of lions. The most deeply troubling thing was that this witness was not particularly effective. It wasn’t effective at all, really.

    Yes, the witness of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah was ineffective. Their faith was acknowledged. God was acknowledged and even given great accolades. Yet, time and again the Babylonian leaders went against God.

    By the measure of Christian Evangelism, they were failures. It is entirely possible (and even probable) that seeds of faith were planted in Babylon at that time. Certainly, seeds that led to the restoration of Jerusalem (under Nehemiah) were planted. Without the faithfulness of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah along with their honorable fealty to Babylon, Jerusalem may not have been restored.

    So, why bring up Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah as evangelism failures? We often look at the great ones of the Bible (which these four were) for what they did successfully. We often fail to see what they didn’t do well.

    The opening statements of today’s devotion are about what we haven’t been doing—and continue to not be doing—well. Opening our eyes and hearts and looking at them is fine. We shouldn’t feel bound or weighed down by them. In fact, they should instead provide us the initiative and determination to break these bonds so that we can do as we are commanded, “Go…make disciples…”

    ※Reflection※

    • What other Bible characters can you think of that you only look at one side (good or bad) of their lives? Why do you think that is?
    • Does one’s success at evangelism impact one’s witness? Does one’s witness mean that one will successfully ?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, we are to be your into the world. Help us to be the light and to not just light the darkness, but draw people to you. Amen.

  • Together Time

    Together Time

    Exodus 12:1–4, 5–10, 11–14; Psalm 116:1–2, 12–19; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26; John 13:1–17, 31b–35

    The tie between Passover and the Last Supper is obvious just based on the fact that the Last Supper was in the context of Passover. Part of the first Passover was the blood of the Lamb that was placed upon doorjambs in obedience to God so that the plague of the death of the firstborn male would Passover the Jewish people. The sacrifice for the firstborn remained part of the Law, insofar as a blood sacrifice being needed to atone for the firstborn .

    The road that ends on the cross tomorrow is the sacrifice of the firstborn of God, God’s only Son.

    Just as it appears that the of Egypt was in the place of the sacrifice of the firstborn (many outweighing the few), so too was God (the infinite) in the place of his Creation (us).

    Maundy Thursday (as this day is called) is, for me, the second hardest day of the Christian Year. Meals are special. Especially as my kids are at the point of being so busy working and with activities and at school, meals together are even more special. For Jesus, this special meal may well have been the most important of his life. I cannot imagine having this high holy day overshadowed by betrayal, torture, and death. Then knowing that all but one would run away.

    Jesus still embraced the of that meal. Oddly, I think there was , too. Despite the human failings of the 11 that would remain, there is something comforting being with people that you care for deeply, especially when confronting the darkness head-on. The 11 would carry-on the that you and I have inherited.

    Paul reminds the Corinthians that they were inheritors, too. The Last Supper was really the first supper. Just as I treasure the time around the table with my , we should all treasure our time around the table of (the ). This is the place where the boundaries of time and space are thinned that all of the people of the Body of Christ can be joined together in this fateful and binding meal of love.

    ※Reflection※

    • What does Communion (the Eucharist) mean to you? If you missed it, would it bother you? Would you go without it? Why?
    • What is your favorite meal experience? A restaurant? Thanksgiving? New Year’s? St. Patrick’s Day? Are any of these traditions for you and/or your family? Why?

    ※Prayer※

    Almighty , whose most dear Son, on the night before he suffered, instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may receive it in thankful remembrance of Jesus Christ our Savior, who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal life; and who lives and reigns with you and the , one God, for ever and ever. Amen. [Maundy Thursday Collect, Book of Common Prayer 2019]