Tag: death

Little Pieces Together

Psalm 104:24–35; Joel 2:18–29; 1 Corinthians 12:4–11

Before churches had stained glass, there were two ways the church would decorate and—more importantly—tell the stories of the Bible (and the church) in pictures. The first was primarily on the wall and ceilings, and that was paintings. The second was primarily on the floor, but also sometimes on walls, and was mosaics.

Many ancient sites were discovered to be churches often because of the mosaics. As they were made of stone and/or ceramic, they would withstand dirt, mud, and being buried. If you have the chance to check out YouTube, you should be able to find videos where you can watch archaeologists unbury and then restore the beautiful mosaics to their former glory (in time-lapse, of course). Symbolic of we humans restored by the blood of Christ from messy and dirty (and buried in death and sin) to the beauty of God’s child.

As an art form, mosaics are often made from broken pottery and put into a larger picture. Whether it is the church, humanity as a whole, or Creation as a whole, they are made up of smaller pieces that are often broken or damaged and are a beautiful bigger picture. One could even say that each is greater than the sum of its pieces.

Within the respective circles of church, humanity, and Creation, there is a cycle of death, birth, and growth. The psalmist says that God makes the face of the earth new again (Psalm 104:30). The cycle of life is both renewal and change. Nothing is ever quite the same.

Through Joel, God tells the people that things will be good again in regard to land, crops, security. Even so, underlying that is the reality that things will never be exactly the same. Things certainly won’t be as they were in David’s and Solomon’s time (especially as David and Solomon’s time would have grown into mythic proportions).

The relationship between the people and God would be restored. The Promised Land would be restored. The people’s place in the Promised Land would be restored. Still, things would not be exactly the same. Other prophets also told the people that they would be restored, but it would be different and in a good way.

Jesus’ advent was even more so a new way of things that the world needed to adjust to (and is still adjusting to). With Jesus’ departure, the coming Holy Spirit would change things all the more. People had had their roles to play. Some were moved by the Holy Spirit. This new coming, however, was different. Roles were one thing (still are), but gifts were a new thing.

Now everyone had a gift. Each of those gifts had a purpose and place in the kingdom of God here on earth. All the gifts together (the mosaic) make Jesus’ beautiful bride, the church.

※Reflection※

What makes a gift “spiritual” versus “natural” or “trained”? Do you know which spiritual gifts you have? If so, what are they, and what are they doing? If not, ask God to guide you in searching, that you may have a greater effect for the kingdom (Don’t worry. It can take time.)

※Prayer※

Lord, may we be renewed and empowered to do your will. Amen.

2021-05-24
Sackcloth and Ashes

Psalm 115; Ezra 9:5–15; John 16:16–24

Collective guilt has been on the top of many lists in the last year. Regardless of your political, philosophical, or religious perspective of the collective guilt issues, it does allow us to better understand the pressure that Ezra felt…somewhat.

Ezra was trying to make up for generations of sin against God. Granted, with the wages of slavery, it’s not as if the US doesn’t have its own weight to bear. Yet, it is not the same insofar as the US is not Israel (whether ancient or modern). There were expectations of ancient Israel that they chose not to follow. The Scriptures were clear. They forgot God and disregarded God so much that they followed false gods made of metal and/or wood.

Ezra knew that there really was no way to “make up” what had occurred. The order of Ezra’s actions should be noted. Ezra “ended” his penitential acts and THEN prayed to God, asking for forgiveness and acknowledging that it would only be by God’s will, grace, love, mercy, and grace that the Israelites could be forgiven.

While many reject the US guilt-debt, the guilt-debts are really quite small in comparison to all the guilt and shame we bear because of our personal, family, and corporate sin (this is not to belittle them). As an overly individualistic culture, we object to being held to account for something we think we have no responsibility for. Perhaps it is not the US collective guilt that will be the big turning point for the US and the church. Perhaps it will be the recognition that scripturally we do have corporate responsibilities, and it is our individualistic framework that has led us to ignore them.

This continues to be a cultural time of learning. We are learning about ourselves (both good and bad). We are learning about others (again, both good and bad). It’s not as if this is particularly different than how it should be. The exception is that the world is holding a mirror to the church, and the church doesn’t like what it sees. One might argue that the world is holding up a distorted mirror, except that much of the church sees the same distortion as the world.

This pain that we are feeling is one of death and birth. The old self must die. The new one must come alive.

Out of pain, despair, and being overwhelmed, many are understandably asking God, “what next?” It could be regarding finances. It could be about loving and serving your neighbor. It could be about what’s next for “the church”. It could be how to be more like Jesus.

Jesus told his disciples that they wouldn’t ask for anything from God when Jesus left. This is the true gift of the Holy Spirit. When we are fully in tune with God through the Holy Spirit (rather than wants, desires, and even needs), then we don’t need to ask for anything for we will already be in the midst of God’s will, plan, and action.

The most dangerous thing to both our individualistic notions and our corporate notions is when we pray to be in God’s will. When we ask that in Jesus’ name and mean it from the heart, we begin to surrender our will to God’s…and that truly is only the beginning.

※Reflection※

What is your perspective of collective guilt? What brings you to that?How are collective and personal guilt different? How are they the same?

※Prayer※

Lord, our initial turn to you included our repentance. We know that as fallible beings, repentance needs to be a constant companion. Guide us into perseverance and humility to be people who pursue your righteousness in the face of our unrighteousness. Amen.

2021-05-19
Up and Away

Psalm 47; Ephesians 1:15–23; Luke 24:44–53; Acts 1:1–11

If you’re of a certain age, you’ll probably know the source of, “Up! Up! And away!” (Superman). If you’re of another age or particular family/church origin, you’ll probably know the song, “I’ll Fly Away”. Then there is the airline advertising slogan, “Wanna’ get away?” If none of these strike a chord, then perhaps Prince Hamlet’s soliloquy from Shakespeare’s Hamlet that talks about escaping the “mortal coil”.

Regardless, there is a constant human desire to “escape” or “get away.” Sometimes it’s couched in heroic language (Superman). Sometimes it’s couched in resonative religious language (“I’ll Fly Away”). Sometimes it’s couched in depressing or dismal language (the soliloquy of Prince Hamlet).

Often, that desire to escape is the outpouring of emotions that seem to have no place to go when massive change comes. It might be only with a larger emotional event that we can move beyond our desire to fly away.

No matter what, the disciples knew that the tension between Jesus’ resurrection and whatever was coming next (as Jesus promised) would end, somehow. They were still living in that uncomfortable and awkward in-between. Then Jesus takes them out to the mountain…and up he went.

While Jesus’ Ascension is an important part of the story in the Scriptures, Jesus’ Ascension is also the sign that the disciples must go forward.“…why are you standing here, looking toward heaven?” In other words, Jesus is gone. Time to do your end of the mission.

Sometimes, even if the tension is uncomfortable, we rather stay with it, because moving forward means leaving something behind, and emotionally it may feel like death. We can see this in the seasons (at least in the less temperate climates). Fall has these bursts of beauty, but the tension is that the bursts are leading to endings.

Then winter comes and the land is not-so lively anymore. The question for us is do we want to remain in a spiritual winter? Whether the disciples were in a spiritual Fall or Winter is probably more for the poets to determine. Spring is coming, however. As Paul says, “I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God’s call…”I don’t know what spiritual season of life you are in. In fact, different aspects of your life may have different spiritual seasons, so you may not even be able to tell.

※Reflection※

What endings are you seeing that you need Paul’s prayer for your life?

※Prayer※

Lord, many of us feel completely out of sorts, and we can’t figure out why. We try to name and analyze, but we will likely fail. Help us to stop looking back, and help us to look forward, and that our hearts will seek, see, and embrace the light that is you. Amen.

2021-05-13
Enter In
Psalm 80; Isaiah 65:17–25: John 14:18–31

I might be a nerd (okay, “might” should be replaced by “am”). When I was young I was fascinated by the stories of elves. In particular, I grew up with the Pinis’ Elf Quest. As I got older, I learned about the “real” elves of The Silmarillion (Tolkien’s Elves). I was fascinated by their mythic slowness. Life, death, marriage, war, and all those things that define much of human life changed in such strange ways.

This came to mind as I read the passage of Isaiah. A person who dies at a hundred will be as if cursed. These days, we celebrate those who live beyond one hundred, trying to learn their secret (there doesn’t seem to be one).

As Isaiah continues, he shares how God will provide the life essentials to everyone. God will provide a way where everyone need not fear for their well-being. The implication of no orphans or widows (the weakest and most vulnerable) is there too.

How these verses end is also interesting. The serpent is definitely an allusion to the serpent in the Garden of Eden, whose food continues to be dust. On the other hand, the life and death (and the taking of life to live) of Creation and its creatures ends, too. It indeed would be a new creation, or perhaps Creation as intended before the Fall.

The totality of this promise of warmth and belonging won’t be experienced on this side of life. The Father does still love us, however, and that is ours to hold onto.

Remaining “in” the Father and “in” Jesus though is a little more than just sitting. It is an active pursuit of a relationship with God, through the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that remains to teach and guide us, even today.

Yet, just because the Holy Spirit is here and present, does not mean that we do nothing. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would teach us. Teaching, though, requires students. Until we die (and maybe even after), we are all, to be constantly learning about God.

※Reflection※
- How can the finite (us) not continue to learn more about God (infinite) day-by-day?
- What are you doing to learn more about God?
- Who are you bringing with you as you learn?
- Is anyone bring you along with them as they learn?
※Prayer※

Holy Spirit, nudge our hearts and minds to pursue relationship with you that we know God better than we did yesterday. Amen.
2021-05-05
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 life of faith. They love the joy-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 church service where all the joy was gone.

In many respects, after a number of incidents (9/11, Oklahoma City, and others) people would come to the church and grieve. Their feelings of pride and courage buried in the ashes of death. 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 wonder what’s wrong. We look at the world and wonder what’s wrong.

※Reflection※
- It can be hard to sit in the dark, when we want to be in the light 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.
2021-04-29
Be Sent
Psalm 150; Proverbs 9:1–6; Mark 16:9–18

One of the great truisms of the Christian faith is, “Jesus loves me, this I know; for the bible tells me so.” It is that simple. It is, however, much more than that.

It would be nice were it only that, and it was that simple. As most of us understand, yes, Jesus us loves us, and Jesus showed it through his sinless life and his death. That isn’t it, though.

We like to keep our faith simple. Simple is good. Often, though, we keep our faith simply foolish. The foolishness is not presenting the love of Christ first. Nor is it foolish to be authentic and transparent about your failings.

The “woman of wisdom” sends people out to call and invite people into a feast. She calls on people to walk in knowledge, leaving the simplistic ways they know.

We could say that the “woman of wisdom” is talking about our faith maturing, and that isn’t a bad thing. However, the biggest danger is making our faith so complicated that we cannot share it, while still make sure that we don’t make it so simple that others get a false understanding of what it means to call Jesus Lord and Savior.

Despite the oddity of the verses in Mark, there is an obvious message of going out into the world, evangelizing, and discipling. This is part of our mission. This is where we are called to be the servants of the “woman of wisdom” calling and inviting others to the feast at the table.

※Reflection※
- What are your thoughts about the “woman of wisdom”? Who might the “woman of wisdom” be?
- What does it mean to you to call and invite people to the table? Which table or tables?
※Prayer※

Lord, send us. Amen.
2021-04-21
We Ought To Love
Psalm 4; Luke 22:24–30; Acts 3:1–10

The argument that occurred between the disciples is a warning to us all. This is the worldly and fallen condition of man. The worldly/fallen person thinks of self (and even family can be self) above others.

There is often a belief that life, money, success, are all part of a zero-sum game. In other words, for one to get more, another will get less. God’s ways are not the same, yet we often apply this thinking to our lives, even how we “walk out” our Christian life.

Many of the discussions and even arguments that are happening even among Christians is based upon “who wins” even while it is dressed up in caring for others, the country, the faith, the world, etcetera. As you read that you may have said to yourself, “God won!” Yes, while that certainly was and remains true. We often don’t act that way.

As we walk in the world, how we treat others (and even ourselves) is very much part of our witness to who Jesus Christ is. There is always the tension within the Scriptures of what the God-ly direction is as they can change depending on context. There is, however, absolutely no denial of the motivation of all…self-sacrificing love.

Self-sacrificing love is not a bottomless well, nor is blind endless sacrifice holy. Death-to-self needs to be embraced, as uncomfortable as it often is. If our first reflection on issues was, “what is the best way to give myself in love,” that would be huge. Yes, it certainly can be tempered by discernment. It’s just been that too much of our language is how we can get the “other” to do something that makes us feel better.

Peter couldn’t really do much for the beggar financially. He could have just walked on and said nothing. He could have just said that he had nothing and moved on. Maybe even John wouldn’t have said anything had they passed by. Then the man would not have been healed.

※Reflection※
- What reasons may Peter have had to do what he did?
- How might Peter’s response alter our response to the world?
- If there isn’t a winner or loser, will that change how you interact with others or think about others?
- How does God’s love influence your thinking?
※Prayer※

Lord, guide our walk in the world so that we are worthy bearers of your light. Amen.
2021-04-17
End of Ends
Psalm 4; Daniel 9:1–19; 1 John 2:18–25

Eschatology. It is a fabulous theological word. It means the study of the End Times. You can watch plenty of End Times theology on TV. It usually involves zombies, nuclear weapons, or (my personal favorite) large reptilian creatures that like to stomp cities.

Less the actual Eschatological part, that was all tongue-in-cheek. Sort of. How we view the End Times says a lot about our perspective of the world, our personal struggles, and even our cultural struggles.

A number of years ago I read a summary (only the summary) of research regarding End Times (also called the Apocalypse, not the mutant—comic book reference). There was a cross-section of media stories and fiction that would get a bigger presence depending on the general cultural gestalt. Japan, for example, is still dealing with the cultural scars of the nuclear bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Godzilla, in particular, is a cultural image representing nuclear power running amok, and the underlying fear of the results.

Even as we read about the “Four Horsemen” of the Apocalypse (famine, war, pestilence, death) we can see (with the first 3) some things that were constant companions of fear regarding the end. Death, of course, comes to us all.

Death is a pretty universal fear. There are very few people in history that do not fear dying (death is “merely” the result). The power of death over the living is significant, and when added to an eschatological framework (see, I used it later) those “things” that we fear most in regards to dying and death become part of our End Times thinking.

Sometimes death of the self is mixed into the perceived death of culture, identity, and other things. In the case of Daniel, the End Times includes the concept of the death of Israel as a people and a nation.

Other times death can be overridden.

As a result of the Resurrection, the sting of death has been removed. It is no longer permanent for the believers in Christ. What this also allows for is the ability (should we so choose) to separate our fears of death, End Times, and pretty much everything else.

With the Resurrection before us, the End Times, or more correctly the fear of the End Times, loses much of its weight for the End Times are merely the opening act to eternity.

※Reflection※
- What are your thoughts about End Times? Have you thought about them recently?
- What emotions do End Times thoughts evoke in you?
- Why might understanding that End Times are not the end times for believers in Christ be important?
※Prayer※

Lord, help us to deepen our trust in you so that the anxieties of the world do not shake our foundation based upon your love. Amen.
2021-04-15
How Far Do We Go
Psalm 135; Daniel 3:1–30; 1 John 2:3–11

The fiery furnace story with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Hebrew names: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) is one of those ever-present Sunday School stories. It is a great story of faith, trust, and most importantly…love.

Love. Yes. Faith and trust really only go so far, especially when it comes to one’s death. Love conquers all. If we were to use the phrase used to King David, perhaps that will help. “A man [in this case, men] after the Lord’s own heart.”Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were men after the Lord’s own heart. Their faith and trust in God had transformed into love. This may seem like a stretch, and that is understandable. Love, though, would seem to be the only movement that would the 3 men to say what they said in response to the king.

The letter from John provides some insight into this conclusion, “But the love of God is truly perfected in whoever keeps his word.” Keeping God’s word (i.e., “not worshiping other gods”) was definitely what the 3 men did, and in a way that is both legend and example.

While a miracle did occur, they did not hold a lack of one against God. As many of us are going through hard times and harder losses, there is a strong temptation to hold the lack of miracles against God. We often want our belief to buy us something with God.

That is not love. That is bargaining. That is not trust. That is exchange. That is not faith.

※Reflection※
- How should this understanding of love affect our interactions with others? How should this affect our understanding of church?
- What are lessons that you have learned about the fiery furnace in you life? How did you apply them?
※Prayer※

Lord, you have have given us the gift of faith and love. May we continue to deepen our trust in you that we truly able to trust you fully in all things. Amen.
2021-04-12
Living Speech
Psalm 133; Daniel 2:24–49; John 12:44–50

One of the gifts of being human is speech. One of the curses of being human is speech.

Perhaps the whole reason for the King of Babylon’s test of all the magi and wise men was that they all talked too much. Perhaps (as many paid consultants today) they were more than happy to share all their words (with some being wise, maybe) with the king. Perhaps the king was done with all the words and just wanted an answer.

Of course, his demand for the wise men and magi to know the dream without being told it was pretty harsh. Yet, perhaps the desire to no longer having to listen to empty words created the opportunity to hear words of weight. Daniel spoke God’s word to the King of Babylon. By faithfully delivering God’s word to the King of Babylon, Daniel was obedient. Daniel also used the human gift of speech as a vector of grace and blessing. This doesn’t mean that it would be listened to, or that it would be transformative in any long-term way. That wasn’t Daniel’s responsibility.

Even as the Son of God—part of the Trinity—Jesus spoke as God directed. Jesus spoke with Truth, grace, and love. Jesus’ summary of his words (no judgment, not his words, people won’t necessarily listen).

What is interesting is how Jesus says all this is really just a result of God’s commanded speech, which is eternal life.

Eternal life. Jesus’ speaking was eternal life.

※Reflection※
- Is your speech of God? Is your speech produce eternal life?
- As a follower of Jesus, how do you temper your speech so that is more of God and less of you?
- What makes human speech of “eternal life”
※Prayer※

Heavenly Father, you have delivered us from the dominion of sin and death, and brought us into the kingdom of your beloved Son: Grant that, as by his death he has called us to life, so by his love he may raise us to eternal joys; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. [Easter Saturday Collect, Book of Common Prayer 2019]
2021-04-10