Devotion.al

Tag: favor

  • Fairly Cruci-Formed

    Fairly Cruci-Formed

    Psalm 30; Lamentations 3:22–33; Mark 5:21–43; 2 Corinthians 8:7–15

    . Unmerited favor. Overwhelming love. Not words that would usually be associated with Lamentations. With the content of Lamentations being a result of the fall of Israel (and in particular, Jerusalem), it is peculiar to think of grace.

    Lamentations is poetry, lament, and theology all wrapped into one. In Lamentations, probably more than even in Job, someone (or someones) wrestles with grief, , , the (un)fairness of , and other things that people question when in the throes of significant pain of the .

    Despite all that they have gone through, including their recognition of their sin and transgressions, God hasn’t abandoned them. For a time, they would be wandering in a new kind of wilderness, but God would not let that way remain forever.

    The world really isn’t fair. We often aren’t fair to the ones we love, or even ourselves. One of the biggest and most painful lessons we as children is that the world is not fair. What makes that even more interesting is that no matter how deep that wound is, there is something that we cannot tolerate about things not being fair.

    Even in the verses of Mark, there are “not fair” examples. Some leader gets to ask into his home. Normal people wouldn’t get to do that. Some random woman touches his outer garment and is completely healed. There were probably others touching Jesus’ garment, and they didn’t get healed. It’s not fair.

    Then Paul dares to ask the Corinthians to send money. He doesn’t demand it. He puts it in nice gentle language. He still wants our money. It’s not fair.

    Except, Paul’s point, God’s point isn’t fairness. It’s not even reciprocity. It’s doing right because it is right. Not because it’s fair (or unfair, honestly).

    Fair and right are often at odds. When we add time to the mix, it becomes even more difficult, for the long-term consequences may well change what is truly fair and right.

    With this in mind, it is important for us, as followers of Jesus, to pursue fair and right from the perspective of God. Of course, what that means is up for debate in the current era, which is a problem in and of itself. When we are no longer able to determine fair or right, or we really the children of God?

    ※Reflection※

    • What does fair mean to you? How does “fair” reflect the nature and/or of God? What does a “fair” Christian do that a non-Christian wouldn’t?
    • What does right mean to you? How does “right” reflect the nature and/or character of God? What does a “right” Christian do that a non-Christian wouldn’t?
    • How do you learn and fair and right in your daily life?

    ※Prayer※

    God of judgment, may the Holy shape and form us to be reflections of you in how we see and do fair and right. Amen.

  • Natural Freedom

    Natural Freedom

    Psalm 29; Isaiah 1:1–4, 16–20; Romans 8:1–8

    Psalm 29, without question, is a of God. It observes God’s , strength, and presence. Almost the entire Psalm is about who God is. The last verse, though, is different. It is more of a plea to God about the people of Israel.

    A cynical person could infer that the whole Psalm was intended to curry with God. A more joyful person could infer that the Psalmist did an add-on along the lines of, “if you would be so kind.” A more balanced view could infer that the last verse is a statement of trust, because of who God is, which had just been declared. Regardless, the Psalm was neither a simple praise nor a simple ask.

    What should become startling, but really isn’t when it comes to human nature, is that at the same time they would recite a Psalm such as this, the Israelites were abandoning God. Isaiah’s opening words for today include abandon, despise, and turning their backs. In regards to abandon and despise, the Hebrew implies something as strong as blasphemy. It wasn’t just ignorance or turning away, it was something far deeper.

    The Hebrew for turning their backs is a combination phrase of stranger and back. In other words, the Israelites are no longer (from their hearts’ point of view) God’s people. They might have claimed and proclaimed that they were, but Isaiah’s words say it was so much more. A more poetic way of thinking of it, God was left in a cloud of in a rearview mirror, and the Israelites did what they could to speed away faster and look back in disgust.

    Yet, the verses from Isaiah don’t end there (mercifully). We often try to skip over the ugly verses. It is the ugly verses that the and forgiveness of the last phrases of Isaiah the deepness that they have.

    The verses of Romans explain the why. To some theologians, they explain the how. The is that God could never (per God’s nature and ) look in the rearview mirror at his people, and speed away.

    ※Reflection※

    • When you read the Psalm, which kind of person were you (cynical, joyful, balanced)? Why? Is it learned or natural?
    • Why is understanding God’s character crucial to our response to those who turn their backs on God?
    • How might the selfishness of the Israelite (and mentioned in Romans) be reflected in us?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, you gave us so much and yet we give so little in . Thank you for your love. Amen.

  • Throne Encirclement

    Throne Encirclement

    Psalm 95; 1 Chronicles 11:1–9; Revelation 7:13–17

    Thrones are attractive. The concept of a throne involves , wealth, and influence. Depending on “the throne”, it might also have religious and cultural ramifications as well.

    Thrones, or their facsimiles, often draw those who are weak, yet seek . Thrones also draw those who crave power and control over . There, too, are those that seek to use the throne for their own wealth.

    King Saul was dead. The man all these elders surrounded Saul and likely helped keep David away from the throne that God had upon David. To their credit, they recognized that God had indeed bestowed the seat of Israel to David. However, based upon their remarks, they had understood prior to this moment that David was God’s choice, yet it was only now that they approached David.

    We can see similar behavior in our state (or provincial) capitals and our national capitols. While the US (for example) has no throne, Congress and Executive branches have plenty of people surrounding them, brown-nosing and seeking . Washington, D.C., has become the throne.

    This is not to say that all who are around the throne (whether David’s or Washington, D.C.) are bad. In fact, there are more positive, effective, well-meaning, and loyal people than bad ones. It’s just that the bad ones are more capable of doing harm, solely because those that are good don’t even think that way.

    The “throne” of God also attracts many of the same bad kind. Many of these will see their through God, but not recognize that their gain is nothing but vapor.

    On the other hand, those shown in the vision to John were not that kind. Some were likely martyrs. Some had hard lives that brought to God through blood sweat and tears. Others did work where they saw no glory at all, but were and trusted God with their endeavors.

    ※Reflection※

    • What are good reasons to surround the throne of God?
    • What are good reasons to surround the thrones of humanity?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, may we view your throne with hearts of , and may we the thrones of our hearts, souls, and minds to you. 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 Son, 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 to the full. So I would imagine her pregnancy didn’t go as planned as well. I , 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 joy. Babies bring joy. Watching our children up gives us joy. Probably watching Jesus , 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 peace, 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.

  • Clothed in Rags

    Clothed in Rags

    Psalm 94; Luke 6:27–36; 1 Corinthians 4:9–13

    Bless your enemies. Except “bless” means something more than just be nice or even help them. “Bless” means to ask for God’s divine to come on them.

    We all want blessings, but we are being called to ask for God’s blessings for those who make our lives difficult, miserable, or (in some extreme cases) seek to kill us. This is a high bar of expectation. It’s a hard high bar of expectation.

    In many respects, this may be the hardest teaching of . To assuage our own feelings of anger, betrayal, and trespass, we want vengeance! We want victory! We want justice!

    “For [the Most High] is gracious to the ungrateful and .” (Luke 5:35)

    “That is ,” proclaims the world. The world is right, from the world’s . From God’s perspective, however, foolish is following the world.

    Paul declared himself a disgraced spectacle that the world spat upon. Yet, Paul was determined to carry on. He chose a path to bless and to be gracious to others.

    This world could use a lot more of this, don’t you think?

    However, the problem is that we want others to do it first. This isn’t the path that Jesus set out.

    The world has taught us that a win-win scenario is false. Or to put it another way, that life is a zero-sum game. The world is correct. It is their math that this the problem.

    The world’s math does not include God. The world’s math does not include Jesus (unless he can be used to make money). The world’s math is incapable of including the Holy Spirit.

    So, why, as believers…as children of God…do we the world’s math is correct?

    Yet, we do. We say # and live as if the world’s math is correct.

    What has also become increasingly clear is that the has long been dressed-up in the world. Now the world is handing us filthy rags to wear, and we are offended. We took the nice clothes from the world already, if the world is done with us, why would they want to give us nice things?

    So, what are we to do with the rags of the world? Realize they are the rags of a world that is passing away. We still have our “clothing of white”. Even in its “not yet” state (i.e., we don’t have it yet), it is still better than the finest clothes of the world.

    ※Prayer※

    Father God, help us to look at the world as you do…a place that is passing away. Help us recall where we are called to live eternally and to look at the world through your eyes. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) What is something that you need to surrender to the world?

    2) What is something that you need to surrender to God?

    3) How are these two things the opposite side of the same coin?

  • The Universal Call

    The Universal Call

    Matthew 4:18–22; Matthew 9:35–10:1 (read online ⧉)

    Are you working for ? Yes. As a , you are called to.

    The real question is, how well are you working for Jesus?

    The calling of the fishermen to be disciples is a great example of how to to Jesus’ on our lives. You, however, might be looking at that calling as if it doesn’t apply to you. You’re not one of the great Apostles.

    Sometimes we see the prompt as a conviction. We believe that we are supposed to drop whatever we’re doing and follow Jesus. We are. That does not mean—unlike the disciples—we are supposed to stop our career, stop our family, stop our schooling. What it does mean is that we are to now dedicate whatever it is to Jesus. Our goal is that whatever we do, we do it for Jesus.

    As Christianity continues to decline in Western Civilizations, it continues to grow elsewhere. The estimate is that almost 1-in-3 people are Christians worldwide. It doesn’t feel that way here.

    Jesus called on his disciples to be laborers in the harvest of the world. The responds to that call usually via missionaries. We are all missionaries. We are all laborers. We are often blind to it.

    The Global South (where Christianity is growing) is looking at the Western World to the of being led to Jesus. Yes. The Global South is sending missionaries to the United States and Europe.

    This doesn’t excuse us from sending and supporting missionaries. This should actually encourage us to do so. Missionaries provide us a better lens to view our biases and cultural blindness. This teaches us how to better missionaries to our own cultures, and to be better laborers.

    Whether we are water-carriers, swinging the scythe, bundling the sheathes, carrying the sheathes, threshing the wheat, or gathering the final wheat, each of us has a task and purpose. We cannot leave it to .

    ※Prayer※

    Jesus, as the Lord of the Harvest, guide our actions to make sure that the entire harvest is brought to Heaven. Help to not look at ourselves as unqualified on not required. You have called us to your harvest. Amen.

    ※※

    1) What are your thoughts about being a missionary? Did you ever confuse the mission field with “someplace else”?

    2) What is one of the hardest parts of being a laborer? What is one of the easiest?

    3) Of the list of task orientations in the last paragraph, which one is yours? Why do you say that? Do you think there is a task missing?

  • Shear Time

    Shear Time

    Psalm 122; Isaiah 61:1–9; John 15:1–8 (read online ⧉)

    The year of the Lord’s is probably not this year. The ever-changing nature of this year, and all the odd and bad things that are going on would in no way seem to be the harbinger of the Lord’s favor.

    What if, however, we are looking at it wrong? Perhaps instead of looking at the disasters and troubles, we should be looking for God. Who or what is God stirring around us? If we become too obsessed with the world, we could miss God.

    This is not to say don’t pay attention to the world. In fact, part of the words of Isaiah is exactly why we should be looking for God in : , heal, liberty, , (even) vengeance, comfort, crown, festive.

    This is not to say that God desires bad things. God will use the bad things (whether natural or human depravity) to mold and if we seek God. If we are not seeking God in these things and through these things, we are far more likely to have hearts that become harder and more resistant to love, whether it is being or loving .

    Isaiah’s words aren’t necessarily comfortable, either, especially to those who are in power or who have advantages (even if they are unaware). God doesn’t seek, necessarily, to make us comfortable (though God will comfort us). God seeks to change us from the inside out. Often, though, we only change (or seek change) under stress. Well, there’s plenty of stress now.

    Rejoice in suffering because God is with us. Not because it’s fun.

    When we are part of the vine (Jesus Christ), we’re going to be pruned. Whether it’s our biases, our fears, our (non-Godly) allegiances, God will prune them. We will often try to graft them back on, and in so doing we are susceptible to diseases of the soul. A diseased branch will be tossed into the fire.

    It is beyond our capabilities to see what fruit we could bear once God is done pruning us. God, though, is the great vinedresser and will seek the maximization of fruit, not our destruction. We just feel that way sometimes.

    There is a running joke out there…what was the worst purchase in 2019? A 2020 planner. There is so much going on that is unexpected, and for which we are unprepared. Instead of groaning or burying our head in the sand, let us embrace the opportunity to be formed by God into his image of us (our unique expression of the ).

    ※ [Billy Graham]※

    Lord, whatever I have to face, through it let me more of Your love and compassion. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) Is anything new being added to God’s pruning list for you? If not, why do you think that is?

    2) What is the best side-effect when looking for God’s movement in times of suffering and trial?

    3) How does suffering lead to a “Year of the Lord’s Favor”?

  • The Aha Pilgrimage

    1 Kings 10:23–24, Isaiah 60:1–6, Micah 4:1–5, Matthew 2:1–12, Revelation 21:22–24 (read online ⧉)

    People approaching another country’s king with respect, almost as a pilgrimage, was not uncommon. We read the passages and often are lacking the context that kingdoms would often send delegations to a new leader, just to set a good basis for relationships. They would travel long miles to do so. Sometimes it’s even questionable if it was “worth it”. Part of it was to gather information, but much of it really was to build relations. When you didn’t know who would be your next , it was wise to plant positive seeds of the as far as one could. The other part of this was also a showing of and wealth. If such-and-such a country could send this much and this person (usually a person of theoretical importance), then perhaps currying was smart.

    The Queen of Sheba visiting Solomon was a little outside the norm. According to the writer(s) of Kings, it seemed pretty natural, for the whole world wanted to talk to Solomon. While it was to send delegations, the author(s) of Kings seems to be emphasizing it, almost as if there was something far greater at work.

    The concept of people coming to Israel because of what God was doing was by no means new. And the writer(s) of Kings knew it. However, what was a “nice” thing, became an important piece of the prophetic narrative in regards to exile. Isaiah and Micah both indicate that the nations will come to Israel. It takes on a deeper role than just earthly kingdoms. The spiritual aspect was implicit in this vision. It was a calling of Israel to its role…a light to the world.

    When was born, there was no great fanfare in the larger world. Sure, some shepherds saw and heard some angels, but they were only shepherds. The so-called wise and powerful of Israel certainly didn’t care for some poor child born during the census, especially since the child’s importance was only witnessed by some (dirty, disgusting, untrustworthy, worthless) shepherds. And, really, what does it matter that some crazy prophet and prophetess announced Jesus, or any of the crazy story about some old priest (Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist). The so-called wise and powerful received, just like in days of old, dignitaries from foreign places. It echoed the “glory days” of Solomon. They probably celebrated their seeming rising importance.

    Yet, these dignitaries weren’t looking for this particular court of man. Instead, they were looking for the “court” of the new king. The witness these dignitaries followed was a star! They didn’t receive a notice of a new king by messenger, they looked to a star! This is another piece of the story. The nation from and for whom the Messiah would come didn’t even notice. In many respects, this was the first case of reverse evangelism, where the ones that missionaries used to send people to, now send people back to restore the .

    1) When it comes to the “”, who had it? The Israelites, the Romans, the foreigners?

    2) Epiphany is supposedly proof that Jesus calls non-Israelites (i.e., non-Jews) to him. Do you think the story of the Magi shows that? Is so, how? If not, why not?

    3) If Christians are the Jews and powerful people in the story of Epiphany, who are the Magi? What might these Magi have to show us what it means to be followers of Jesus?