Devotion.al

Tag: God

  • Prayer Signs

    Prayer Signs

    Psalm 65; Exodus 7:14–24; Acts 27:13–38

    Do the right thing! Then, do the next right thing! If there is a question of what the right thing is? You’ll just know. Right? Sounds completely rational. You’ll just know.

    Except it doesn’t always (or even often for many) work that way. Many times awe-inspiring stories are told of how God answered prayers or provided guidance. If it hasn’t worked for you, yes, perhaps your life needs some work. On the other hand, perhaps God is expecting you to work it through yourself.

    Moses and are great examples to look at. They are also not.

    Both Moses and Paul are powerfully connected to God. Although the tell us all the high and powerful points. They also don’t tell us the times between.

    Were Moses and Paul always deeply and intimately connected to God? No. While we can be sure that Moses learned about the God of the Israelites from his biological mother, his life in the court of the Pharaoh would have definitely tempered some of that (though likely there was some warmth for the faith of his mother).

    Paul was a strict observer of the Jewish Law. So strictly did he follow the Law, that he vigorously attacked the fledgling faith community of the Way (that became later identified as ). We could easily say he was an observant Jew. However, his pre-conversion life would not have had the same connection to God based upon his conversion.

    This is not to say that your with God is not significant or deep. It is to say that each of us lives different lives, and how that affects our relationship with God may be significant.

    What we can do is to temper ourselves by reading the Scriptures, prayer, and a group of fellow believers that we can be fully open with all our flaws and failures. As we become more shaped by the Scriptures, prayer, and the lives of , we can begin to expect to understand the guidance that God has been providing to this point, but we were unable to grasp it.

    Lastly, though, is the hardest part…and it’s all ours. It is our free will. We can choose to pursue God and God’s will. We still may choose our own.

    ※Reflection※

    • What is the one thing you are looking for an answer from God about?
    • What about it is something that you cannot determine yourself?
    • What have you done in finding wise Christian counsel to work through this?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, we pray and for answers. Yet, while we wait, you still call us to walk forward day by day in you. Guide us into your will, and mold our hearts to to it.

  • Moving Pain

    Moving Pain

    Psalm 107:1–3, 23–32; Job 38:1–11; 2 Corinthians 6:1–13; Mark 4:35–41

    The right time. God moved at the right time. God’s timing is perfect.

    From a purely intellectual standpoint, these are easy to say. It is much harder to say this in the midst of trial and be at peace with that . We will often tell ourselves that we trust God, but that doesn’t mean we are at peace with it.

    Sometimes we aren’t called to be at peace with it.

    , whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, is God’s gift to us that something is wrong. One of the biggest ones is the pain of , particularly . Death is the ultimate indicator that something is wrong in Creation.

    Pain also often indicates that you need to do something. Just sitting in your pain, because you trust God’s timing or are “at peace” about, is not always the right or righteous .

    Pain, oddly enough, can also be disguised in positive events and positive moments, as these moments of transition mean letting go of the past.

    The disciples didn’t just sit in their pain (fear). They woke up. That was wise.

    (and Timothy) didn’t just sit in their pain that the Corinthians appeared to be abandoning them or letting their (of Paul and Timothy and/or God) grow cold. A letter was and delivered. It was said aloud and shared among the Corinthians (and other churches).

    Job didn’t just sit. He carthartically released his pain. We often think of the Book of Job as Job mostly sitting with the others. While he is, Job is also doing what a lot of us try to do when we are in pain (spiritual and emotional, especially)…we process.

    ※Reflection※

    • What pain are you working through right now? What is the biggest obstacle for you in it?
    • How is your pain impacting those around you, particularly those who are closest to you?
    • How is your pain impacting your daily and choices?

    ※Prayer※

    God, you gave us pain to guide us. Help us to look at the pain we are dealing with to see how you can use it to transform us. Amen.

  • So Say The Skies

    So Say The Skies

    Psalm 107:1–3, 23–32; Job 37:1–13; Luke 21:25–28

    One of the most useful tools invented, and also one of the most irritating is the clock. Humanity has long felt the need to measure time. Multiple cultures used some iteration of a sundial to divide the day. The Egyptians invented a “clock” that used water drops to measure time (both day and night). Even in the beginning, God marked the boundary of day and night with the sun and moon (and stars). The Jewish calendar was built around the cycle of the moon, and the sun set the day. The Jews were not unique in that.

    Looking to the skies was also important, since having an idea of weather (even if only a few hours ahead) provide some idea of which tasks needed to be done immediately. Rain, snow, hail, lightning, all come from the skies. The dreaded locusts came by sky, too (granted, by flying). There were and sand storms. When everything is subsistence, and even now, watching the skies is important.

    Then, there were the astrological signs. We’re not talking about the “signs of the Zodiac”, per se. We’re talking about comets, eclipses (solar and lunar), the planets (as they appeared and disappeared based upon their respective orbits). We admire eclipses, for example, because they are pretty cool. We also understand them. In ancient days, most people didn’t have the to understand them, and those that did often used it for their and advantage.

    Thus, when we read the Scriptures with all their weather and astrological signs, we have to understand this is about human awareness of how much they didn’t know and understanding that there was a bigger picture beyond them (a lesson many more highly “learned” people need to re-). We may think it strange that ancient cultures attributed to God (or gods) weather and astrological signs that we “know” are “merely” systems with a structure, rules, and logic.

    For Job, these were signs of God’s majesty and control. They showed that God was in control. This is also Job’s acknowledgment that God has a plan and that he (Job) doesn’t understand it. Job actually points to all the signs as proof of God’s existence, and that he (Job) is merely a finite person in the eyes of the infinite God.

    Even points to astrological signs. Yes, Jesus also points to more “earthly” signs, which are equally out of the hands of humanity. Jesus then combines the Godly with the earthly to make the point of unification between God and .

    Will Jesus really come back on a cloud, or is this just a figure of speech? Depends on who you ask. The underlying point isn’t how Jesus comes back. The point is that Jesus does come back. Even in the ancient creeds, the important part was that Jesus was coming back, not how.

    ※Reflection※

    • Do you believe that Jesus is coming back? Why or why not?
    • Do you think that the return to Jesus an important part of being a ? Why or why not?
    • Is Jesus’ return an important part of your Christian ? If so, how is that expressed through your life? If not, how do you understand Jesus’ return as being part of your faith, if it is?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord Jesus, many of us long for your return to end the of the world. Many of us want your return delayed to assure we can bring more into your kingdom. Help us to grasp emotionally, mentally, and spiritually that there is an end that is coming, and that you will be there. Amen.

  • Light It Up

    Light It Up

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

    Life 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 . 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 death, it is still filled with stories of , caring, loyalty, and .

    The world is indeed a dark place. Often, the only thing that can keep us sane and even happy is hope. 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 light, , 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 to you. Amen.

  • Defining Justice

    Defining Justice

    Psalm 52; Jeremiah 21:11–14; Revelation 21:22–22:5

    “This then is how you should live, begin your morning by administering . All those who know and follow the will of God will rescue people from their oppressor, particularly for those whose God promised has been stolen from them.” [A paraphrase by Ian]

    There is no question that oppression, justice, and theft are phrases that are repeatedly thrown around right now. How they change from place to place and culture to culture also cannot be ignored. There is also a historical aspect to this as the time of Judah and Israel what was meant by this was pretty clear cut.

    Today, it isn’t so clear-cut. There are several possible reasons: (1) we’ve made it too complicated, (2) our understanding has matured, (3) we are applying worldly concepts and understandings to Biblical ones. There are probably a couple of more.

    In almost all societies in history, there is a gap between those who “have” and those who “have not”. How “having” is just or not is part of the question. For many, medical care is a matter of justice (and they have a lot of unjust things to point to). For , medical care is a personal matter of responsibility (and they can point to a lot of unjust things, too).

    Matters of justice include (depending on ) skin color, national origin, first language, career, order, social standing, economics. From the standpoint of the Law, what was oppression and stealing was very clear cut. That doesn’t mean that the Law was followed, hence Jeremiah’s statement about starting the morning with justice. Where it gets really difficult for many of us is beyond the Law version of justice. A great many Christians from the early to today believe that went beyond the Law to Love God and Love Others. Yes, that is the summation of the Law and the Prophets provided by Jesus. Yet, Jesus also commands to not , and he expanded (yes, expanded) the concept of sin from actions to relations.

    Administering justice is easy when it is written down and defined sharply, though some of the gymnastics lawyers and judges go to redefine things gets interesting at times. So, what happens when it is relationships? If you want a simple answer, I’m sure someone sells a book on it.

    Justice is not the same across all situations. It would be nice. Different people, different contexts, different histories, create different justice. Yep, there. A different justice.

    ※Reflection※

    • How do you emotionally to different justice issues?
    • How do you think through the Law and Jesus when you think about justice issues?
    • Why is it , and why is it essential, to wrestle with justice, especially in the of the City of God from Revelation?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, help us to live, love, learn, heal, and reconcile all things and peoples justly; where you define just. Amen.

  • Wrong Thing Vision

    Wrong Thing Vision

    Psalm 52; Ezekiel 31:1–12; Galatians 6:11–18

    “When a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound?”

    That philosophical question is designed around the of a human being. “Sound” being a human word, the implication is that the tree wouldn’t make a sound, as there is no one around to . From a purely scientific standpoint, of course, the tree makes a sound. We understand that even when we are not present, there still will be sound waves. The animals will certainly hear it and try to out of the way.

    Yesterday, when we read about the cedar, it was referring to the David line. In today’s passage, is refers to kings and leaders, just not the Davidic ones. The cultural awareness that the cedar represented royalty helps us understand that the cedar might be used in multiple contexts to represent the kingly leaders.

    The difference here is that the tree representing Assyria goes down and has no legacy. Yesterday, the Davidic cedar had a bough taken off and replanted. Here, there is no legacy. In fact, the land animals resting on it show that it is nothing more than dirt.

    The tree, oddly enough, goes down not necessarily for Judah and Israel’s benefit, but to show Egypt who God is. Or perhaps we should say, remind Egypt who God is (reminding Judah and Israel, too).

    Governments, as they are a gathering of people, look to other governments and other people to get an idea of how to succeed, and often how to beat the other guy. Governments too busy looking at the other “guy” aren’t looking to God.

    Often when we are busy looking at the “other” (whether people, governments, and many ), we are not looking at the right things, let alone the things we can control.

    Paul refers to the new creation. When we look too much to the world we lose of the new creation that is inside of us. It’s not that we corrupt it, but we can avoid it. As we look to others to define us or oppose us—instead of God—we miss out on the new creation. As the “others” look to unGodly things, they are often looking at the unGodly things of others, creating a vicious cycle.

    We need to break the cycle. How we break the cycle will be a very thing. We, like Paul, may end up bearing marks like Christ on our bodies. We almost definitely will bear them on our souls.

    ※Reflection※

    • How much do you reflect on the new creation inside of you?
    • Do you ever see when the world tries to this new creation?
    • Are you more driven by leaders, governments, or people within your circle? How do you try to influence them for Christ?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, us the to recognize that we have been freed from the ways of the world. Help us to look to you first, so that we may transform the world through your love for us. Amen.

  • Green Majesty

    Green Majesty

    Psalm 92:1–4, 12–15; Ezekiel 17:22–24; 2 Corinthians 5:11–17; Mark 4:26–34

    If you’ve ever walked in a forest, particularly a rain forest (like the one on the Olympic Peninsula), you might see a fallen and dead tree. On that dead tree, or from even its stump, there is a new tree or trees growing. While the “big one” is gone, new comes.

    The cedar tree represented the David line. By taking “a tender sprig”, the main (or empowered/enthroned) line (Jehoiachin) would be ultimately replaced by the line of David that God chose. There seems to be a Messianic tone to this passage, implying that the Messiah may not come from “the main branch” of the Davidic line.

    Depending on how one reads it, “birds of every kind” may represent the nations and peoples of the world. This Messianic tree would shade and nourish the birds, with the implication also being one of the birds raising their young (the next generation) under the protection and in the company of the Messiah.

    You might have noticed the green tree and the dry tree. Neither is set “in stone”. The green tree may wither away and the dry tree may bloom. In the realm of , this means that we must always continue to pursue God (green tree), and that even the dry tree (unbeliever, former believer, etc.) can go from withered and almost dead to fully alive.

    We often find ourselves in places where we are green. We also find ourselves, too often, in places where we are dry and withered. Part of the underlying , , and of ‘s words to the Corinthians was that God was not done with them. We all are made new and being made new daily. Just as the green tree can wither and die when not fed by water, so will we when we do not pursue the Water of Life. Then there is the parable of the mustard seed. It starts very small. It then grows beyond and becomes the plant in the garden that is the resting place of birds.

    Did you catch the parallel to the passage in Ezekiel? We often talk about the mustard seed of faith. If we think of the Messiah as the mustard seed, then the tree grows in the garden of Israel, and the birds (the nations) again in its shade.

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, trees surround us. They us shade. Many give us food. All provide places of refuge for the birds, and the trees even lose themselves to be the wood that forms our daily shelter. While the trees had no say in their , you still chose to walk the road to die on the cross—a dead tree—to bring me new life. Thank you for what you have created for and what you have given to us. Amen.

  • Finer or Better Things

    Finer or Better Things

    Psalm 92:1–4, 12–15; 2 Kings 14:1–14; Mark 4:1–20

    Every generation is in danger of not being as faithful as the one(s) that preceded it. There is, of course, the huge possibility that “this” generation (whichever generation “this” is) will restart a journey of renewed . The in the US—and so-called Culture—is experiencing a diminishment of significance (whether perceived or real). The US is about 4 decades behind Europe in this.

    While Jesus taught in parables (such as in today’s passage in Mark), the Old Testament is mixed between , history, poetry, and realistic/poetic history. The story of Amaziah is historical, and yet there is something there for us as a parable.

    In many respects, the church has been Amaziah. We haven’t dealt with our shrines (see yesterday’s devotional) and our blind spots. We were proud of our significance and we struck out against the world…and we lost.

    In , the gold, silver, and holy objects that we held so dear as vital to our well-being were taken away. We have been stripped of much of our glory. In fact, much of the church is drenched in mud and other filth that will take years to clean off and even more years to remove the aroma.

    Like Amaziah, we confused our title (king, or Judah, or “the church” or “the kingdom on earth”) with authority and worldly . We also confused the title with a right to certain outcomes. We have been deeply disappointed.

    This is a good thing.

    Perhaps it is my pastoral and “church” circles, and not yours. I the constant refrain of “back to ” and I don’t want that. I want a church and a people that care more about planting the seeds of the saving of Jesus Christ than are worried about Washington, D.C., COVID, and so forth.

    It is not to say that we should not be concerned about Washington, D.C., or COVID (or whatever else). It is to say that they have become gods and idols that we turn to while still saying we are God’s.

    ※Reflection※

    • Where in your life do you see yourself following the trappings rather than God?
    • What is missing in the message from/to Amaziah and Joash, and why is that important?
    • How and where are you casting seeds? Are you casting sparingly or generously?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, help us to release everything of the world so that we are free to only grab onto you. Amen.