Tag: holy

Choosing the Fruit
Psalm 92:1–4, 12–15; Genesis 3:14–24; Hebrews 2:5–9

There is something odd about the story in the Garden of Eden, and it isn’t the Fall (though that is central to our faith). The story in the Garden of Eden revolves around loving obedience/respect of God (that was a failure) and two trees.

The apple (usually red) is the fruit to represent the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Not being a red apple fan, it can be hard for me to see the attraction (as Eve was attracted to it). It really wasn’t an apple, maybe. We don’t know what it was.

Based upon what was provided in the story of the Fall, neither Adam nor Eve had experienced death or evil. Therefore, even their concepts of life and good were not very deep. Describing a beautiful sight to a person born blind, or beautiful sound to a person born deaf is kind of like trying to explain, good, evil, or eternal life to people who have no experience.

What did the fruit of the Tree of Life have? Some people have created imagery that show that the Tree of Life also produces apples. That similarity is interesting but peculiar.

It is the fruit of the trees, though, that show something about God. Some say that God put the trees as a test for humanity. It might be better to think of them as aspects of God in material form. As Christians, we talk about eternal life as the ultimate gift of following Jesus Christ. Eternal life was originally just a fruit. As Christians (and definitely as Nazarenes/Wesleyans/Methodists/etc), we talk about holiness and believe in it. To be holy, one must know what evil is…perhaps.

This, of course, will immediately cause many to shake or tremble, for by that logic, if God is holy (which God is), God must know evil. The fruit of the trees shows that. Knowing what evil is does not mean one is evil.

The fruits are a foreshadow of what is to come for those of us who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We will receive the “fruit” that remains in the Garden and will know what evil is so that we know what truly Holiness is.

※Reflection※
- How does knowing evil help you know what holiness is?
- Why is knowing holiness important?
- As you think of yourself on the spectrum of 1 (Holy) to 10 (Evil), where are you?
※Prayer※

God, you have made us lower than you and yet love us so much. Help us to know what evil is that we will instead know what it means to seek you. Amen.
2021-06-10
Changing Diapers

Psalm 74; Isaiah 26:16–27:1; Luke 11:14–28

When Joni (my wife) was pregnant with our first (to be born) child, we had an odd conversation with another couple. They told us (almost mockingly) that soon our conversation would change to include the color and consistency of our child’s poop. We chuckled. That was ridiculous. Who would talk about poop so much that a couple would bring that up? A few months after our first was born, we had to laugh at ourselves when we realized that was exactly what had happened.

Before our first was born, we could read lots of books and received lots of advice. Nothing prepared us for being a parent. Conversing about poop was only a minor life change. A weird one, definitely, but only a minor one.

For those of us on the other side of pregnancy, we tend to forget what we were like before it. When Isaiah talks about pregnancy and childbirth, we envision that, but we neglect the before. Just like we could never imagine talking about baby poop as a topic of conversation, we couldn’t understand the life change of having a child…until it happened.

The same really can be said of Israel. They didn’t understand. There were a few who got it, but they were (it seems) very few indeed: Moses, Joshua (mostly), maybe a couple of judges (though most were a mess), Samuel, David, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and the other prophets (major and minor). To round up, that’s maybe 30 over 1500-ish years. Granted, these are the ones written about. So, if we round up even more to 300 people, every 5 years of Israel’s history (prior to Jesus), a single person gets it.

Before someone proverbially smacks me, most of the Israelites are followers (and, yes, the numbers are hyperbole). They followed where the leaders led (sometimes). Sounds kind of like us.

So, when we get to Jesus, we get the testing and questioning and just flat out not believing. Yes, we think we would respond better to Jesus than “those” people obviously did. Except, we are on the other side of the pregnancy.

We have the Holy Spirit. For us, looking back we see where God was moving. The Jews to this day also see where God was moving, as do the Muslims. We, however, see Jesus. That is the gift of the Holy Spirit.

That is the gift that people pre-Pentecost didn’t have (even the disciples). It is the gift of those who know Jesus or who have responded to the nudging of the Holy Spirit through prevenient (that which goes before salvation) grace.

Being aware and recalling what we were like before knowing Jesus through the Holy Spirit will help us reach the world. There is a caveat to this. For those who knew Jesus as a child, this may be very hard, unless there was a significant spiritual crisis of some sort in later years (based on my witness of this). So, if you don’t know the pre-pregnancy (i.e., pre-Holy Spirit) life, that’s okay. God will still use your life and story to reach others.

Many people will question our faith, not because it is unbelievable (though many will use that word), but because the Holy Spirit has not been ignited in them. We are to remember that almost all of humanity was like that. We were no different. We give them grace and love in this, for God did the same for us.

※Reflection※

If you were a teen or adult when you came to know Jesus, what life like before then? If you were a child when you came to know Jesus, what spiritual “desert” or “wilderness” did you experience that transformed your faith into something greater?

※Prayer※

Holy Spirit, help us to recall what transformed our relationship with God through you so that we are able to translate that into the lives of those yet unsaved. Amen.

2021-06-09
Skies and Hearts Aflame
Psalm 74; 1 Kings 18:17–40; Revelation 20:7–15

Being made a fool of for Christ is something that Christians have had to deal with through the ages. Whether it’s because of beliefs and practices that go against the norm, or the reality that Christians are just as fallen as the rest of humanity. There is, however, the question of making a fool of Christ by our actions. Bluntly, do you have the faith of Elijah?

Do you have the strength, resolve, and faith to believe that God will call down fires from Heaven to burn up an offering? You could quickly dissemble this question by saying, we don’t do sacrifices anymore. Except, that isn’t the point.

We say things such as, “lighting strike me…” or “…catch on fire…” (literally, not spiritually) when we say or do things against God. We don’t really believe it, though. If we did, then being more like Elijah would actually be possible.

However, we often mock people as Elijah did. Yes, there is a contextual part to Elijah’s mocking, but there often isn’t for us. We just try to make people beneath us by our responses.

Often we view ourselves as the ones that are suffering the wrath of Gog and Magog, when in fact we are the ones acting like it. We think we are like Elijah, when in fact we are the priests of Baal.

Just so we’re clear, I put myself in that same place. I recognize my own tendencies and failures. I recognize when I put on the clothes of righteousness, but behave in ways that are unrighteous.

We have two paths before us. We can be Elijah, or we can be those deceived (Gog and Magog) and/or destroyed.

Elijah did have a unique relationship with God, and a unique responsibility given to him by God. We cannot, theoretically, call down fires from Heaven. God does not seem to work that way anymore. This also doesn’t mean that God won’t. God does work in many ways far more mysterious and wonderful (think of the Holy Spirit).

Calling upon God for healing of people, hearts, and nations will change more than a few hearts for a short time (the Israelites, unsurprisingly, returned to their old ways). We are indeed to be this era’s Elijah. Instead of the fire of worship (which is really what Elijah called for), we are called to bring the fire of the Holy Spirit to first purify ourselves, then through the furnace of love, bring the fire of God into the lives of others…not to burn them.

※Reflection※
- What other responses do you have to the story of Elijah? Where else do you see yourself in it?
- What are your thoughts regarding the fiery lake in Revelation? How does that fire contrast (if it does) to the fire of Elijah?
※Prayer※

Lord, you have refined us through the fire of the Holy Spirit. Help us to carry that refinement into our lives and into the world. Amen.
2021-06-08
Sighting Evil
Psalm 74; 1 Samuel 16:14–23; Revelation 20:1–6

Evil spirits or the “spirit of evil” has a presence in human culture throughout the ages. Even for those who have no deistic belief, there is an understanding that something is completely evil.

There was nothing positive about the Holocaust. In fact, most people would state that the men and women (for there were both) who created and perpetuated it were evil. There seems to be no question that there was a “spirit of evil” when it came to the Holocaust. The primary spirit of evil took the form of the other. Jews were the others (along with gypsies, we often ignore). Jews were blamed for the punitive consequences of World War I, which destroyed the German economy and culture (in some ways). This allowed a person such as Adolf Hitler to become the leader.

However, the Christian take on Hitler, as hard as it is, was that there was a possibility of redemption for him (along with all the others). How one could, on earth, move beyond what he led takes more than I could comprehend. The spirit of evil takes on many forms. Some of them seem benign. Some of them being obviously harmful. Christians over many years have argued over what makes something evil, or if something is indeed evil. A number of changes in American culture and law in the last few decades have certainly been at the fore.

The spirit of evil that Saul had sounds similar to a split personality. In many places, we read that Saul cared for, respected, and relied upon David. Yet, Saul would try to kill David in many ways, including by chasing him down with an army. The divergence of thinking certainly sounds like modern mental illness. Which leads us back to evil. If someone is mentally ill, is it a spirit of evil or is it something else?

Whatever guise or seeming, until all is over and we are at the throne of God, we will be dealing with a spirit of evil (or many spirits). While the Book of Revelation tells us the end (though God’s victory doesn’t really come as a surprise), what it means that evil is bound for a thousand years, but will have to be released for a time after that is beyond us. We can guess, but it would only be a guess.

This not a suggestion for fatalism. If we believe that God is good, Jesus died for us, and that we have the Holy Spirit in us, then evil’s presence is not pre-determined to lead to evil. It is our own thoughts and actions. Our actions, though, cannot be limited to our circle, but must also be part of our community.

※Reflection※
- What do you think the difference is between evil, sin, and mistakes? How might understanding these 3 things adjust our interactions with the world?
- When was the last time you used “evil” in conversation? Was the context actually that of evil, or was it something different? If it was evil, what made it so? If it wasn’t truly evil, what might have been a better way to phrase it?
※Prayer※

Lord, help us to guard our hearts against evil. Help us to understand your view of evil and to be those that bring light upon it. Amen.
2021-06-07
Getting Down
Psalm 130; Deuteronomy 1:34–40; 2 Corinthians 5:1–5

If you’ve ever purchased a home using a loan, you usually had to come up with some sort of down payment. At least near me, a 10% down payment may be $70K or more. Part of that, of course, is the exceedingly high price of houses (and the prices continue to climb). The other part is the bank.

The down payment exists to show that you have—so to speak—skin in the game. The bank is making money from the loan, yes, but that is also based upon your ability to actually pay off the loan. A loan that cannot be paid back is not really worthwhile, and often even when left with a valuable house from a loan default, the bank will still likely lose money.

Down payments are usually from the borrower to the lien-holder. Yet, the Scriptures use the down payment concept in reverse. God is making the down payment. Even in Deuteronomy, the concept is there. It’s buried in the reality that God would “hold onto” the inheritance of the Promised Land until the Israelites that were children could grow into their inheritance.

Paul calls the Holy Spirit a down payment. God is a down payment. It sounds strange, that’s for sure. However, if we think along the lines of God dying on the cross for our sins (i.e., Jesus), is the Holy Spirit that far out of line?

※Reflection※
- What is the Holy Spirit a down payment for?
- How does this down payment work in our lives right now?
- Why does God holding onto the Promised Land for the future generation imply to you about your life?
※Prayer※

Lord, grant us the ability to see what you have done and what you do for us. Help us to be fully enabled aides to your mission here on earth. Amen.
2021-06-04
Worship Even Here
Psalm 20; Numbers 9:15–23; Revelation 4:1–8

Trusting God is hard. Trusting that all things work for good is hard. How can COVID be good? How can a bad economy be good? How can not being able to be with our loved ones be good? A lot of this hasn’t been good.

For the psalmist, that isn’t the question. For the psalmist, it is that God hears, answers, and remembers. This doesn’t mean that everything will be easy going forward. It means that God is with you.

Assuming that this written by or about David, note that there really isn’t a mention of rescue. Not really. David had experienced many hard times (some as a consequence of his own actions). God didn’t spare him hard times. God was with David and responded to David in the hard times. Much of this would seem to come from David’s rhythm of worship and communion with God. From what we can gather (which is, granted, limited), David had a regular practice of seeking God.

The pattern that the Israelites had wandering in the wilderness was different. Most of us cannot imagine being wanderers, whether the Bedouins of the Arabian Peninsula or the homeless around the corner. The Israelites had a wandering pattern for 40 years.

The pattern wasn’t fully predictable. For those of you have traveled with children, or been in the military, the ability to gather everyone and their stuff in a short amount of time is trying. Imagine trying to do that every day. Most nomadic cultures move about seasonally, but the Scriptures imply that more than once they got settled down for the night, and had to pack the next day.

During pauses between travel time, the Tabernacle (or The Tent of Meeting) would be assembled, and worship would begin. While we can read the takedown and set up, what we miss is the worship that goes along with it. The cloud was the presence of God. We can assume that on the Sabbath that they would not travel (it’s a safe assumption, at least).

While this seems strange to us—especially for those that worship at the same building week after week—we can read in Revelation worship that is beyond our comprehension. 24 people praising God day and night, and saying the same thing. While this is really a vision, thus not necessarily exactly how it will work, the difference between the Israelites wandering and the people praising would seem to be stark.

It is. It is, that is, only if you focus on the how. Worship of God is not limited to a building one day a week. Communion with God is not necessarily in that perfect time. Both can happen at any time. We just need to be looking for it.

※Reflection※
- What do you think these different visions of worship and life rhythms tell us about God?
- What do you think these different visions of worship and life rhythms tell us about ourselves?
- Do any of these cause to reflect on any changes that are possible for you worship rhythms?
※Prayer※

Holy Spirit, guide the worship rhythm’s of our hearts. Help us to find ways and places to worship God in the face of all circumstances. Amen.
2021-05-31
Unity of Three
Isaiah 6:1–8; Psalm 29; Romans 8:12–17; John 3:1–17

In the current age, the concept of the Trinity has been attempted to be explained by books such as “The Shack” (which acknowledges itself as an allegory and not as doctrine, a key response to those who decry it), or an egg (shell, white, yolk), water (which, under special circumstances, can exist as solid, liquid, and gas at the same time).

In older ages, the three-leaf clover, the sun (sun, light, heat), and the Triquetra and triples circles (the symbol on the featured image) were used in an attempt to explain the Trinity. All of these are allegorical (whether current or older). While, if used wrongly, they may lead to false theology, there is no adequate way to really describe the Trinity.

The Athanasian Creed is an attempt to define the Trinity, but honestly is a theologian’s way to describe and cover all the bases and is really (overly) complicated. It is traditional in liturgical churches to read it today, as today is Trinity Sunday. It is long, so I will not include it in the devotion itself (you can read it here). While it is complicated, it is essential. Even in its complication and desire to cover the entirety of the Trinity, it cannot explain the Trinity fully.

The reality is that the Trinity is indeed one of the hardest things to understand, and on this side of life barring perhaps someone at the theoretical physics level and higher plane theological level (there’s an interesting combination), none of us will fully get it. It is truly a matter of faith.

It is also an important one. If you have been baptized, the baptizer should have said, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Though in some churches they may eschew “the Father” for “the Mother” (which is an issue, but probably not one that is salvational, though that is up for discussion), or use “God” (which is definitely an issue, as Jesus is God, and the Holy Spirit is God), the Trinitarian form is still followed.

Much of the theology of the church (and thus orthodox Christianity) is built upon the Trinity. We can see glimpses of the Trinity in the Scriptures, but it is (when we’re honest) threads woven through the tapestry of Creation and the Scriptures that we, as humans, try to codify and define in our constant attempt to understand God, Creation, and ourselves.

Even devotionals (like today) get stuck in theology when talking about the Trinity, for we just want to understand.

※Reflection※
- How would you explain the Trinity to others?
- How do you explain to yourself, or understand for yourself, the Trinity?
- Why do you think it could be an important part of your Christian faith?
※Prayer※

Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity: Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. —Book of Common Prayer, 2019
2021-05-30
Pridefully Divine
Psalm 29; Isaiah 5:15–24; John 15:18–20, 15:26–27

When we read about “divine beings” we, understandably, think about angels. What, however, makes a divine being…divine? Apart from God, there is no divine being that isn’t of God. Which becomes a little daunting theologically when we recognize we have the Imago Dei in us.

To be clear, we are not gods (except, perhaps in our deluded fallen minds). We a created beings with the spark of divinity inside of us. It may be a fine line to some. It is a line as large as Creation itself to others. Yet, part of the divine spark responds to God, and God completes us. So, it’s not wrong (totally) to think in terms of the divine beings in Psalm 29:1. Just like those divine beings, we are called and made to glorify God.

This seems contrary, in some ways, to the initial verses of Isaiah. Humanity will be brought low. Yet, it is often the arrogance of humanity that results in wars, animosity, and the general inability of getting along. It is also that particular thing, that when brought low, places humanity in the position of accepting God. One cannot truly accept God through arrogance.

Even as we read further, the arrogance continues with demanding that God hurry up and accomplish God’s work. This all merely so humanity can understand it. Perhaps arrogance is the wrong word. Self-absorbed is probably closer, while arrogance remains part of it.

There there is a lot of doom.

The last of today’s verses in Isaiah though starts with purifying. If you catch the wording, “tongues of fire”, might it remind you of Pentecost when tongues of fire appeared? In this case, the tongues of fire are more of purification rather than empowerment. But that God and the “holy one” are tied into the same verse as “tongues of fire” really do seem to be somehow tied to Pentecost. Then again, that very well be reading too much into it (but it’s fun).

And, while it doesn’t seem to be related when we understand the pride and arrogance of humanity as observed in Isaiah, Jesus’ words to his disciples (and thus to us) make more sense. The fallen nature of humanity has striven against God. For far too many, it evolved into hate. To be, once again, more along the lines of a divine being rather than fallen creation would indeed cause striving fallen humanity to hate and lash out at those who have been touched by God in such a way.

If we take all of today’s Scriptures into the picture, it makes perfect sense why Jesus warns the disciples that no matter how much they now have (or will have after Pentecost), they are still not greater than God. A good warning, as not too long after Pentecost, Peter performed his first miracle. The Companion (Comforter, Counselor) would come, and they would be tempted to think more of themselves, and even be called gods (Paul and Barnabas).

※Reflection※
- When has your pride hampered your relationships with others?
- When has your pride hampered your relationship with God?
※Prayer※

Lord, guard our hearts against the pride of the world. Let our pride be that you save us and that you work through us recognizing that it is for you and for ourselves that we move about the world. Amen.
2021-05-29
Just Breathe
Psalm 104:24–34; Ezekiel 37:1–14; John 20:19–23

In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, there is a simple practice performed by many, where they say, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God…” while breathing in and then “…have mercy on me, a sinner,” while exhaling.

The Jesus Prayer (as it is called in the Orthodox tradition) is a prayer practice, of course. However, it is also a breath practice. As we, in the larger Christian tradition, consider that the Holy Spirit was breathed into dirt to make humanity, it makes sense to develop a prayer based upon spiritual life and the sacrificial life of Christ.

This same breath is also the breath that God directs Ezekiel to prophesy to. This vision of breath “breathing” life into the dead makes perfect sense as dead bones are just as empty of spiritual life as dirt.

This leads us to Jesus. His disciples weren’t dead. Their bones weren’t dry (or in an ossuary). In some ways, though, they were dead. They were dead in fear. They were dead to knowing what was next. They were dead to what God was really doing.

Then Jesus breathed on them. Some commentators view this as a blessing of sorts. Others more directly tie this to the Spirit as given to humanity to begin with and the Spirit that brought the bones back to life. Within the context, Christians would generally choose the latter (it goes well with Pentecost, after all, and that is how John explains it). Yet, blessing also makes perfect sense, as part of this short passage is about Jesus telling the disciples to be…at peace, which as “Shalom” (Hebrew for all-encompassing wholistic peace and unity) also makes perfect sense.

The leads us back to the Jesus Prayer. Breathe in the Breath of Life (the Holy Spirit). Breathe out the deathly breath of sin, despair, and alienation.

※Reflection※
- Do you think much about breathing? Why or why not?
- What would it mean to you if you thought of breathing as breathing in the Holy Spirit, and breathing out all your sin (and the wages of sin, death)?
- Why do you think fire (a symbol of Pentecost) and the Holy Spirit (wind) complement each other as a blessing of God for the Church?
※Prayer※

Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior of the World, have mercy on us, we humble sinners. Amen.
2021-05-26
Divided Beauty Multiplied
Psalm 104:24–34; Genesis 11:1–9; 1 Corinthians 12:12–27

The US is not the biggest country in the world, not by landmass, not by population. Just like other countries our size and bigger, there are some weird things that happen as you change states, regions, and sometimes even counties. There is a certain section of Washington that adds an “r” so that Washington becomes Warshington or washing becomes warshing. It’s an oddity that has even others of those born and raised in Washington confused.

There are certain things one can say in the Western states that one avoids saying in the Eastern states. There is definitely a divide between the Northern states and the Southern states in regards to language. Sometimes the differences are functional, sometimes they are just some differences that bubbled up as languages and peoples came together or divided.

Sometimes, even more strangely, is that when a number of people come together and form a new language, that becomes even more confused and nuanced. The internet, and all things connected through it, is like that now. New ways of communicating (emojis and abbreviations) are being used and often very misunderstood. There are even manufactured languages (Esperanto, Klingon, for example). We are constantly looking for new ways to communicate.

The fall of the Tower of Babel echoes this need but in reverse. Humanity had this universal language. Humanity could communicate apparently quite well. Humanity, however, had lost its praising of God and now wanted to become God. Perhaps, even more than the story of the Fall in the Garden of Eden, this short story of the Tower of Babel illuminates the fallen human heart.

As with many things in the Scriptures, though, redemption still breaks through. Paul comments that the church (the Body and Bride of Christ) is made of many parts. Humanity is made of many parts and many languages. God is not limited by “the many”.

Arguably, God is actually more glorified by the many differences that make up humanity and its languages. There are a few (sadly, too few) Christian worship songs that can cross language barriers, where one can translate the original language into a different one, and still keep the meter and rhythm. Hearing a song you know sung in a different language and still being able to sing along is a beautiful sign of what God can do.

It is humanity that is divided by language, people, skin color, nation, or ideology. The Holy Spirit speaks through all of God’s people that they can sing praises to God from the depths of their hearts the best way they know how.

※Reflection※
- Where are places you have seen the division of humanity bring glory to God?
- How do you see divided humanity overcome its divisions?
- Do you think artistic activities are better able to overcome the differences than non-artistic? Why are why not?
※Prayer※

Lord, we recognize that we are divided. Through the Holy Spirit we are not called to be united, we are united through. Transform our lives so that they match what the Spirit has done. Amen.
2021-05-25