Devotion.al

Tag: death

  • You Want Me to do What?

    You Want Me to do What?

    1 Samuel 3:1–21; Acts 9:10–19a

    One of the biggest memes currently floating around is basically “forget 2020”. The gist of it is that it was such an upsetting year (politically, culturally, environmentally, health-wise, etc.) that we should just put it behind us. Is that, though, what we should do?

    Eli was not the head priest that he was called to be. Earlier in 1 Samuel 2, we read that his sons took their place as priests as a license to do as they wished. Their practices regarding the sacrifices and toward the women serving in the temple are noted. We can safely assume that if they were willing to do that, the undocumented part of the lives wasn’t any better.

    Eli’s admonishment of his sons was weak at best. He did not utilize his authority nor exercise his responsibility to “de-frock” (as we would call it today). Eli wasn’t evaluated based upon his sons’ behavior, but based upon how he practiced his role as head priest. There is a strong inference to make that it was the combination of Eli’s lack of effective and his sons’ ongoing behavior that the family would be doomed going forward, as they were mentioned (in 1 Samuel 2) in the resulting consequence.

    To be clear, the character of God, and the Scriptures bear out, that God would have restored Eli’s family had they repented (concluded with action, not just words). Instead, as Eli’s to Samuel shows, they (as a family) took a fatalistic view. “The Lord wills it.”

    The between Eli and God (and probably Eli’s sons and God) seems less of a friend and more of a taskmaster. What is even more telling is something we read in 1 Samuel 1; Eli is more than will to correct the perceived behaviors of others (Samuel’s mother). Eli’s sons, as priests, are left alone without consequences.

    Ananias also received bad news from God. He was to go to the man who lead the uprooting, exiling, and even killing of other followers of The Way (the of the sect prior to being called Christian). Ananias viewed it as a death sentence.

    Ananias’ response was quite different to Eli’s. Ananias was scared. While we could interpret it as a “fatalistic” (i.e., if I die, it’s God’s will), that does not really appear to be Ananias’ heart. Ananias was obedient and that God had a plan. Ananias trusted that he would survive the “” encounter, for God did not send him to die (he believed). That’s not fatalism.

    Ananias chose to face reality. Ananias chose to walk ahead in faith, trust, and . He made this decision while knowing the past.

    Looking back at 2020 and looking toward 2021, we can either be Eli or Ananias.

    ※Reflection※

    The “Joy of the Lord” is part of the mature Christian walk. How could those be expressed through Eli and Ananias?

    Why is “facing reality” as much a part of looking back and looking forward, as faith, hope, and love are?

    Facing reality often includes facing change. What changes are you facing in 2021, and how will you live them out faithfully before God?

    ※Prayer※

    God, as we look to the , while not forgetting the past, help us to be and trusting people. Deepen our understanding of what it means to live out your will in our lives. Amen.

  • Unplanned Joy

    Unplanned Joy

    “The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a , and you will him Jesus.”
    —Luke 1:30-31 (NRSV)

    I was thinking about Mary as I read this passage and her journey after she found out she was pregnant with Jesus. I was thinking of my own pregnancies. Each were different and none of them went exactly as I had planned. I had planned to be super healthy each one. But inevitably I had cravings. I had planned to not get sick each one (not that I am remotely in control of this). Each one I got sick and the last one was the worst! I had plans for how I would birth. Not one of those went as planned as well and were all very different from each other. Adam, my husband, also had plans. He had planned to not get grossed out each time I got sick. He had planned to not break his wrist a week before we had our last baby.

    I if Mary’s pregnancy went as she had planned. Certainly it was not in her plans to have a baby out of wedlock. Certainly it was probably not in her plans to have her first baby be the Son of God who she would eventually watch be put to for all human kind so that we might have life to the full. So I would imagine her pregnancy didn’t go as planned as well. I assume, also, that having this baby in a manger was not in Mary and Joseph’s plans.

    I am a planner. I really am. And so when things don’t go as planned, it throws me off.

    But. God had a plan for Mary. That’s why God sent the angel. To tell her of His plan. Thankfully she said yes! I am so sure that this plan gave Mary a lot of . Babies bring joy. Watching our children up gives us joy. Probably watching Jesus serve , teach, and gave her joy. Ultimately knowing that God had a plan through it all gives joy.

    I am a planner. Lately it’s been really hard to do that. I know you all can relate. I basically didn’t use my fancy planner I bought at the end of 2019 for 2020 for 8 or 9 months. I didn’t like that.

    But. I find a sense of , yes, but joy in the fact that God has a plan here. God didn’t will all of what was 2020 to happen. But God brings good out of bad and hardships. God has a plan here. In that we can find joy. In God you can have joy.

  • Companion of Peace

    Companion of Peace

    “I have said this to you, so that in me you may have . In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!”
    —John 16:33 (NRSV)

    I think it’s interesting that we see the “persecution” in this translation. Persecution at its base is ill treatment or harassment. We have seen this for many in our world and especially in the US this last year. Maybe you have even felt persecuted in some way or another in this last year or at some point in your .

    It’s not a great feeling. In fact it downright feels terrible. It feels pretty disheartening to see it happen to as well. I’m betting, like me, over the last year you have wondered where the peace was in our world.

    The reality? Our peace doesn’t come in or from this world. Our peace comes from . Even when our world is in shambles – our peace and the peace that everyone needs comes from Jesus. That is why it’s so important to tell everyone about the peace that Jesus can bring and already has brought us. That’s why it’s so important to tell everyone about Jesus. What He is doing in your life!

    That’s right! Yes, Jesus can bring us peace. But we have to that Jesus has already brought the peace. Jesus conquered the world. Jesus defeated . For us! For you, for me, for our neighbor. We don’t have to be afraid, or disheartened, or face persecution alone because of what Jesus did for us. And this brings peace.

    Take courage. Find peace in the fact that Jesus came so that we might have life and have it to the full. So that we might have peace in the face of some really tough circumstances where we see persecution around us or in our own lives. Take courage. Take peace. And then that peace to someone else that needs it just as much! We all need Jesus. We all need peace – especially now.

  • Peace Bringer

    Peace Bringer

    “In that region there were shepherds in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing you of great for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”
    —Luke 2:8-12 (NRSV)

    I am betting that you have felt . The longer you have lived the more life you have lived and the more fear you probably have experienced.

    Fear after losing a job. Fear of being able to provide for your . Fear in regards to your children or grandchildren or family members. Fear of . Fear of having your freedoms stripped away. Fear can grip us. Fear can hold us down. If we let it.

    But God says. Do not be afraid. God sent to be with us. Emmanuel. Because of Jesus and the dwelling in us we don’t have be to be afraid. We don’t have to succumb to fear in any moment of our lives.

    I have to be honest with you all. In this past year. I have felt fear a handful of times. I still feel it a little thinking about what might be ahead for us. Are you, possibly, in the same boat? Do you need the that surpasses any and all understanding? Do you need to be reminded in this season of the peace that Jesus coming to this world gives to us? Be still. The angel brought good news to all people. Not just the shepherds. That good news was for you, your family, your friends, even the people you might not like…that news brings us peace.

  • A Promise

    A Promise

    Isaiah 44:21–28; Ezekiel 34:25–31; Mark 14:22–26

    . We are called on to remember things every day. Some have become so ingrained (putting undergarments, I ) that we don’t actually remember them; we just do them.

    Like many things that are ingrained, aren’t. We might take them for granted, but that doesn’t make them ingrained.

    Isaiah’s to the descendants of Jacob was REMEMBER! Remember God, who formed them, called them and redeemed them. They needed to be reminded…again.

    This time, they are called to celebrate. Celebrate freedom. Celebrate redemption. Celebrate a with God.

    The unfolding of their redemption, eventually, results in a new of peace. This new covenant was to the very face of the Promised Land.

    The promise of this covenant was delivered while talking about their return from captivity and exile. This makes the promise sure, as they were indeed delivered. So, where was the fulfillment of this new covenant?

    We Christians say that of course, it is Jesus. Jesus’ and death personified the concepts of relationship and redemption. The Resurrection is the exclamation point of the promise in Ezekiel.

    In the Kingdom of God, the lion and the lamb lie down together.

    ※Reflection※

    For you, what is the most important fact about God’s promises? Why?

    ※Prayer※

    God, you have been faithful to us, even when we wander. We give you , , and thanks for your grace-filled love. Amen.

  • Thieving Glory

    Thieving Glory

    Matthew 24:42–44; 1 Thessalonians 5:2–6; Revelation 16:12–16

    Calling God a thief seems more than just a little ridiculous. Yet, uses the imagery of a thief to talk about the Day of the Lord.

    The Day of the Lord is an ambiguous phrase. Many (perhaps even most) Christians, think of the “Day of the Lord” as the day that Jesus will . From a Jewish , this is not the case.

    The Day of the Lord is a phrase used to indicate an occasion where/when the earthly way of things (the status quo) will be shaken. There are two primary uses of this phrase. The first is the impending consequences of unfaithful behavior by the Israelites. The second is when God restores Israel by throwing down those that oppressed them.

    This is not to say that the “Day of the Lord” is not Jesus’ return (for that is the penultimate Day of the Lord). It is better to say that there will be many Days of the Lord.

    The comparison between the dramatic Day of the Lord the Jews were expecting at the time of Jesus and the thief in the night is not incidental. In many respects, the impending Day of the Lord was Good Friday, followed by Easter, followed by Pentecost.

    To Christians, we don’t view these as “thief in the night” moments. General history, however, only finds them important due to Christianity. The of Jesus was just another day of Roman “justice” and fearmongering. The was only witnessed by a few.

    Pentecost, by far, was the biggest event (people-wise) of the three, and yet it was relatively insignificant to an Empire, and only “another” sect to deal with for the Jews. Yes, this sect became troublesome for the Jews and the Romans, but it didn’t start that way.

    One of the biggest struggles that Christians have about the “Day of the Lord” is that they continue to look for big signs. They want drama. They want action.

    Jesus’ return may indeed be on clouds of (he says it, but is it literal or imagery), but Jesus didn’t say how many would it.

    ※Questions※

    1) In the US, we often look to elections or wars as “the Day of the Lord”. What other events come to mind?

    2) Why is it important to keep the “thief” motif in mind when thinking about Jesus’ return?

    3) Why do you think Paul uses dark and sleep to talk about “the thief” (think beyond the obvious)?

    ※Prayer※

    Father, as we for your Son’s return, let your Spirit burn inside of us, and keep the of your love and glory shining, that we are ready for such a time as that. Amen.

  • Saintly Ones

    Saintly Ones

    Matthew 5:1–16; Revelation 7:1–17

    ※ Q: What is a Saint? ※

    You would think that this question is easy. However, the meaning of depends on the context and even timeframe.

    Chasid (חָסִיד) and Kaddish (קַדִּישׁ) are the Hebrew words that are most often translated as saint (not always, though). Chasid (חָסִיד) means faithful or devout ones (with the implication being toward the ).  Kaddish (קַדִּישׁ) means ones or people of the holy ones (yes, we could, but perhaps shouldn’t, infer the there).

    Hagioi (ἅγιος) is first seen in Matthew 27:52 and used to talk about those who rose from the dead upon Jesus’ death. It is most used by Paul to refer to the (what became) Christians in his letters. It became generally used that way by the other New Testament writers and the . In Revelation, the word becomes expressly tied to those who died as martyrs.

    ※ Q: What does it mean to be a saint? ※

    If you’ve been in the church any length of time, saint can be applied to a person of significant . It is also applied to many that have been in the for a long time and have gray or white hair (the hair color, of course, is important 😉). However, that is probably a bad way of thinking about it.

    If we were to tie both the Hebrew and the Greek , we would probably get an approximation of people whose relationship is with God through faith in Jesus Christ and for whom this is their primary .

    ※ Q: Are you a saint? ※

    ※Prayer※

    , guide into a relational identity with the Father, through the Son. Amen.

  • Rooftop Shenanigans

    Rooftop Shenanigans

    Jeremiah 17:9–11; Luke 12:1–12

    If you have a smartphone, you are probably aware of this little program installed on it, which is supposedly an assistant. “Hello, Google, Siri, Bixby, Alexa.” This program can be helpful.

    Yet, there is often weirdness associated with it. There have been plenty of experiences where Facebook suddenly shows stuff in a person’s feed that they were just talking about. There have even been acknowledged failures where the microphones sent sounds to headquarters when the devices were not being interacted with by their “owners”.

    This was not the way Jesus likely intended, “whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in an ear in private rooms will be proclaimed on housetops.”

    People don’t really want their private lives splayed out on anybody’s hard drive, whether it be the government or corporation. This holds true even when they have nothing to hide. There is a feeling of violation.

    The implication of Jesus’ words is that those that seek evil and the downfall of will eventually receive their reward. Whether it is on the tabloids at the supermarket, the internet entertainment blogs, or the roofs of Heaven itself one’s darkest secrets are fair game when in conflict with the .

    It might sound harsh. However, for many proud hearts it was only when their secrets and shames came out did repentant hearts blossom. Others steadfastly continued their ways and made the way for those who followed easier without compensation.

    What many people is how they look to their fellow humans. They don’t want their secrets out. They don’t want to be belittled. We all have in us, some more than others.

    People will sometimes go to stupid extremes to maintain their secrets, for they fear those who can bring (whether it be death of , popularity, riches, or life itself). Often, far too often, they do not fear (enough) the one they will see after their time here on earth is done.

    A person of integrity, it is said, does the same in the dark as in the light. It’s a good general rule. It’s probably not 100%.

    Just like the world, the is filled with those who lurk in the dark. Sometimes those who have the greatest darkness hide in the places of greatest light, thinking to hid in plain . For who would look for them there?

    ※Prayer※

    Father, you know and judge the hearts of all. , shape and mold us into hearts of light. Amen.