Tag: honor

And Now What?

Psalm 98; Isaiah 42:5–9; Acts 10:34–43

It is not, by far, unique to American Christianity to be tied to a country. God fought for England, Scotland, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Russia, and plenty of other places supposedly, as leaders quickly pulled God in their plans of military conquest (or defense). God, and in particular the brand (i.e., Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, etc.), was used to support the war (often against other Christians, sadly).

If historians and church critics were honest and while the church often was part of it, most of it was really about politics, power, jealousy, and wealth (maybe some honor). The Israelites were set apart as a nation of God-followers. They were unique as being the nation of God and the People of God. No human could take that away from them. It remained part of their self-identity even as they wandered from God.

Isaiah’s call was transformed from that of an Israelite to the Israelites, to that of an Israelite to the world. That this was in the midst of relocation, the threat of deportation, and the reality of being dominated makes it especially powerful. When one is assaulted, one tends to turn inward. If one turns outward, it is usually on the attack. Isaiah reached outward (in a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ) to restore, reconcile, and call the world to God.

Thus, Peter’s words are really nothing more than the conclusion to the stage that was set with Isaiah all the way back to Abraham. God is for the world to be reconciled to God!

The message of Christ—the message of God—seems to have been lost by the church, who is called to be the messenger, ambassador, and bride of God.

Many of us have not learned the basics of our faith. Many of us have not learned how to speak well of our faith. Many of us have not learned how to be brave in the face of those who do not believe.

We are called to reflect and respond. What God has called us to do, we should be doing, even though we may be very bad at it. While God will praise the results, God cherishes the hearts the pursues the aim of God…reconciliation of the world to the one who created it.

※Reflection※

What are your thoughts about how you will be responding and learning to respond to God’s call on your life?

※Prayer※

Jesus, we are called by your title—Christ. Help us to be called by your mission, that we bring the world to your embrace. Amen.

2021-05-07
Dirty Work
Psalm 80; Isaiah 32:9–20; James 3:17–18

“Tremble, all of you who are at ease;
shudder, all of you who are secure!”
—Isaiah 32:11 (CEB)

Isaiah’s words were directed towards people who were confident that the military might and influence of Egypt would protect them from other enemies. Something along the lines of, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Except that alliances switched all the time. Relying on Egypt—especially Egypt—was not a good long-term plan.

The church, too, often practices the same thing with its Egypt…the government. This is not a new thing. It is not a Democrat or Republican thing. It isn’t a Tory or a Labour thing (political parties in the UK). Whether we gather from history the intertwinings of the church with the later years Roman Empire, to the Roman Catholics ties to many Western European countries, to the Orthodox ties with Eastern European countries.Many critics and critiques of the church claim that the church lost its way when Emperor Constantine. True, the church was blinded by the freedom to be and impose with power. However, that wasn’t the real issue. The real issue was the people of the church.

Slowly, ever so slowly, discipleship became catechism. Passing the catechism test (which could be very stressful) was all that was needed to be a “member”. Catechism faded away too, to a point where many people don’t even know some of the core tenants of the faith they espouse. Then people were baptized into a faith their parents didn’t practice (i.e., the Church of England) or thought they were Christian because of the place they were born (the US).

There were a lot of steps in between. There were even successful attempts to fix the situation (John Wesley’s bands, classes, and societies; the Sunday School movement). However, they lost steam as the world changed. They also lost steam as the church chose to both withdraw from the world and to attack the world.

One cannot be the light to a people one does not know; one cannot be the light to people one acts towards as if hatred were the motivation, rather than love.

“What of the wisdom from above? First, it is pure, and then peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good actions, fair, and genuine. Those who make peace sow the seeds of justice by their peaceful acts.”
—James 3:17–28 (CEB)

Part of the spiritual work that we are called to is creating the healthy spiritual soil from which the green of life. Healthy spiritual soil is pure (and is being purified), gentle, obedient, merciful, acts in the ways of Christ, fair, and genuine. From that healthy spiritual soil, we have the strength, drive, ability, and even natural response to bring peace and justice into the world.

※Reflection※
- What is the condition of your spiritual soil?
- What does your soil need more of? Fertilizer, minerals, water, sand, loam?
- Why does ignoring the state of your soil endanger your continued spiritual health and growth?
※Prayer※

Holy Spirit, guide us to nourish the soil that will bring honor and glory to you, the Father and the Son through our lives. Amen.
2021-05-04
A Different Movement
Psalm 22:25–31; Amos 8:11–13; Acts 8:9–25

The diminished place in American society that the American church is finally beginning to truly wrestle with is where the church was in many other Western countries many decades ago. As it processes what this means, the American church what it means when “its place” is not the one of honor nor power.

God, however, isn’t as concerned about the church, per se, but about its people. The people (e.g., the future descendants of Psalm 22:30) will still proclaim the glory, mercy, and love of God. How it’s done, however, will be changing rapidly over the next few years. This isn’t the first time.

Much of what Jesus opposed during his time of ministry developed when God was quiet (the time between Malachi and John the Baptist). God was very quiet. Yes, there were pious and spirit-led people during those times. They led the people and helped the people. Sadly, over that same time period, others developed ways to “meet the mark” that resulted in broken hearts and spirits, and not in a good way.

The Western church may be in such a place. On the other hand, some of the Western churches aren’t experiencing decline; they are experiencing revival! While they are the exception, it just shows that God is moving.

There are plenty of Simons in the world. They are successful. They have influence. They have money. Yet, there will be those who, like Simon, will find the message about Jesus to be irresistible and abandon it all.

Like Peter, though, we will still need to disciple them so that they understand what it means to follow Christ. Even in the church today, there are people who bargain with God. Some will give so that God will give them what they think they want. There are a lot of Simons even in the church.

How God will speak, how God will move, how people will respond are all in question at this point. We cannot make any assumptions. Nor can we remain comfortable or complacent. God will act, let’s hope we’re beside God as it happens.

※Reflection※
- What changes in church do you see?
- What changes in you do you see toward God’s movement?
- How do you see how you will share about Jesus changing?
- What are your expectations for how God will move?
※Prayer※

Lord, as we wait for your movement, help us to be aware of the little movements all around us, so that we may be present when the big movements come. Amen.
2021-04-30
Unlimited

Psalm 4; Daniel 10:2–19; 1 John 2:26–28

Relationships are very important to us. Sometimes relationships can seem to be invisible or even not related to us. The invisible and “unrelated” ones will often have impacts beyond our imaginings or expectations.

Daniel had a relationship with God. It was very solid and sound. Daniel trusted God implicitly and explicitly. God provided wisdom and mystical visions to Daniel.

Some of those visions were…unsettling. Daniel often struggled with those he received. He even needed supernatural support to recover, at least this time.

Daniel had times where he had to choose God or ease, and chose God. Daniel was secure in God.

Daniel’s relationship is often called, “anointed.” John refers to anointing, well. While it may seem to be different, it is not, and yet is.

It is the same insofar as the Holy Spirit empowered Daniel, just as the Holy Spirit empowers us. It is different insofar as most of us don’t have the gifts of wisdom and mystical visions. There are some that have one or the other, but very rarely both.

Our empowerment by the Holy Spirit is also not limited to that. Think about that. What we know of Daniel is beyond imagining. We are not limited to Daniel. The church—The Bride of Christ—is not so limited.

※Reflection※

Do you think the church is limited? Do you think you are limited? What does being empowered by the Holy Spirit mean to you?

※Prayer※

Lord, give us your power to do your will in honor, grace, truth, and love. Amen.

2021-04-16
God’s Earthly Love
Psalm 118:1–2, 14–24; Song of Solomon 3:1–11

If there ever was a book of the Bible that was inappropriate for younger audiences it would be the Song of Solomon (or the Song of Songs). In some traditions, the Song of Solomon is not permitted to be read until adulthood. That should tell you something, indeed.

It definitely dances around avoiding certain specifics. On the other hand, it is quite open about the intimacy between the male and female main characters.

This is one of those books that both Jewish and Christian interpreters actually interpret mostly the same thing…this is about the intimacy between God and God’s people. Some people struggle with this (self included). It seems a little odd to think of our relationship with God in this manner.

The gift that both Jewish and Christian interpreters think the same allows us to strip (pun intended) us of our American Puritanism. American Puritanism isn’t all bad, but when it conflicts with the plain reading and even allegorical reading of the Scriptures, it needs to be confronted and removed. Wrestling with the Scriptures is not a bad thing. Often we Christians look at the words of Jesus as challenging and life-changing (they are). We will dismiss (unwisely) the books that discuss the violent mess that birthed the Promised Land. We will also avoid the books of Law and Purity, even though they provide insight into the heart of God once we look beyond the words of the Law.

What does this have to do with the Song of Solomon? A lot. The Jews view this book as the love story of God for his people (the Jews). Christians view it as the love story of Jesus and his bride (the church). The intimacy of husband and wife should be embraced as the view of God’s love for us. We, on the other hand, seem to be more of the wandering away type.

What would our Christian lives be like if this described us…
```
     I will rise now
          and go all around the city,
          through the streets and the squares.
     I will look for the one whom I love
          with all my heart…
     I held on to him
          and now I won’t let him go,
```
On the Evangelical side, we’ve largely dismissed a whole group of people whose life is defined by being “married” to God, the monks, and (more often) nuns of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. It seems that we evangelicals are finally maturing to the point where we are able to honor those who walk this path willingly or not.

One of the side-effects of this is that we can remove the pressure to “get married” (for solely getting married, not talking about other moral issues). This means we can open our concept of a faithful and fulfilling Christian life. Married and single life both provide valuable reflections on this loving God that called the Jewish people his wife, and the self-sacrificing Son who calls his church his bride.

※Reflection※
- What do these verses in the Song of Solomon tell us about God? How do the words from Psalm 118 affect your thoughts in comparison to the Song of Solomon?
- What have you learned about love from Christian singles in your life? What have you learned about love from Christian married couples in your life? If the same questions are asked in regards to non-Christians, do any answers change?
- The Song of Solomon isn’t the only Scripture that challenges our remote/separate/pure view of God. Which other verses or stories in the Scriptures do that? How do they affect your view of and relationship with God?
※Prayer※

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in the fullness of his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen [Wednesday of Easter Week Collect, Book of Common Prayer 2019]
2021-04-07
Stingless

Psalm 118:1–2, 14–24; Genesis 1:20–2:4a; 1 Corinthians 15:50–58

God created humanity in God’s own image. When we read Paul, it may be easy to conclude that this is only a spiritual image. In many respects, it is indeed a spiritual image. On the other hand, as God made us even our physical being is an expression of God.

Through sin, however, death and decay were brought into the world. One could argue that Adam and Eve’s sin began the decay and from the decay came death. Decay and death…consequences of sin.

Yet, before we give decay and death all the “glory”, let us recall the real issue…sin. Decay and death are symbolic of what occurs with us spiritually in regard to our relationship to God.

The ways of the world are to draw everything to its decay and death. This includes, and often even focuses upon, our relationship with God. If the innocence of a newborn child was the starting point, then the decay would begin immediately. Just as with all things rates of decay depend on environment, nutrition, love, guidance.

However, if we were to strictly rely on the world to reduce the rate of decay, then there still would be no hope for anything except death. That isn’t much to hope for.

The hope we have is that death’s power has ultimately been broken. Thanks to the cross, we have something beyond to look forward to. While death causes us pain in the here and now, ultimately we understand that death is merely a stage for us. The pain we feel can be attributed to the “God-shaped” place in our beings that understands that death is not the way things ought to be. It is our reality that we will miss those we love. Our hope is the hope we in the midst of and in the face of what would otherwise be the hopelessness of death.

※Prayer※

O God, who by the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light: Grant that we, who have been raised with him, may abide in his presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen. [Tuesday of Easter week collect, Book of Common Prayer 2019]

2021-04-06
Chosen
Psalm 107:1–3, 17–22; Genesis 9:8–17; Ephesians 1:3–6

I don’t remember elementary school sports very much. I do know that while I was never picked first, I was rarely picked last. I was neither particularly good nor bad at sports, hence being a middle pick. I did have preferences for whose team I wanted to be on, though. While I didn’t, therefore, have the angst of being picked last, I certainly didn’t want to be on just any team. I wanted to be on my choice of team.

In some ways, I think of both passages as God saying, “I choose you!”

God chose you, too!

In team sports, there is some sort of expectation of performance. Every year, professional teams hold a draft, competing with each other for the “next best” young player. Big-name colleges will scout and try to recruit high school players.

The difference between God’s selection and a draft is God isn’t looking at performance (we already blew it), God is looking at the heart. God calls everyone. However, just like a draft, one can refuse.

We often try to justify ourselves. Sometimes we try to justify our very existence. God just said, “I chose you. I love you. That is the justification of your existence.”

※Reflection※
- What does being chosen by God mean to you?
- Why is it hard to understand why a person would not want to be chosen by God?
- Is being chosen by God a gift, a sacrifice, both?
※Prayer※

Thank you, Lord, for choosing me. May I continue to strive to honor the gift. Amen.
2021-03-11
Before and After

Psalm 105:1–11, 37–45; Genesis 21:1–7; Hebrews 1:8–12

“Remember the wondrous works he has done…”

It would be nice to say that part of the culture and religious practices of the Jews made them different than others. Christians don’t have that luxury. We are the spiritual descendants of Abraham. The wondrous works of God did not begin with the Cross, or even Jesus’ birth in the manger, they began with, “Let there light.”

Christianity, or perhaps we should say the Western European iteration of it (including the US and Canada), has broken much of that lineage. As the evangelical church “discovers” church traditions such as Lent, it is starting to learn a little bit about church history.

Most Western Christians probably know more about their respective country’s history (and other Western European countries’) history than they know of Christian history except for where the two crossed. The history of the church around the world is as varied as the nations and the peoples it has impacted.

All of history is filled with the “wondrous works he has done.” Too often, however, we think more about human action rather than God. We also forget that so many things (the sun rising, the full moon, the wind, our very breath) are wondrous things, no matter how small and simple they appear to be.

Isaac was Abraham’s and Sarah’s proof of God’s wondrous works (just as any child is). Sarah was held to account when she laughed when God’s messenger promised that Sarah would be pregnant. Abraham probably laughed when Sarah became pregnant and a son was born. Maybe, just maybe, they named Isaac (he laughed) because they thought God had “the last laugh.”

How we look to the past influences the future. As the author of Hebrews quoted from Psalms, God is everlasting. The author of Hebrews (I cannot wait to confirm who wrote it) affirms that God is everlasting. Long after our history disappears, God will be there. Yet, that doesn’t absolve us from continually remembering what God has done.

※Reflection※

What has God been doing in your life recently? Are any doors closing? Are any doors opening?

※Prayer※

Lord, we don’t know the future, and we are far too tied to the past we think we know, keeping the future bound to misunderstanding. Help us to open our eyes and heart to the future that you have for us while helping honor the past. Amen.

2021-03-01
What’s In A Name?
Genesis 16:7–15; Mark 8:27–30

Relational abuse is not something we should tolerate. This is with the understanding that abuse is the regular, deliberate intent to harm or diminish another. It’s important to address this based on Hagar’s statement to the Lord’s messenger.

Based upon the Scriptures, Hagar presumed too much. As the first (Sarah being the other) person to conceive a child of Abraham, Hagar no longer viewed Sarah as deserving her respect. Culturally, this would be the “second wife” taking over the place of “the first” wife in the family. That would have been a move of significant dishonor. In a culture that highly values honor, it’s almost like killing Sarah (yes, that would be the significance of dishonoring). Sarah would not have taken that well.

Hagar, on the other hand, would have likely viewed her (Hagar’s) place as being of greater honor due to conception. From Hagar’s viewpoint (honor and respect being integral), anything that Sarah did that “kept” Hagar in “her place” as second wife (even though a servant) would be insulting and harsh. From her perspective, Hagar “earned” her new place as first wife.

We have a hard time understanding this, as our enculturation includes monogamy. It is critical when reading the Scriptures to understand where our culture (and thus understanding) doesn’t mesh with the culture(s) portrayed in the Scriptures.

From a cultural standpoint, Hagar had betrayed the family. The messenger made no such accusation. The messenger just said, go back. The messenger also gave a name to the son to be born…Ishmael (he hears). God heard Hagar and the son was named to bear witness to this truth.

Assigning names is not a small thing. Names are both a beginning and an end. Multiple times in the Scriptures, a person gains a new name after a significant (God) event. Thus, when Jesus asks his disciples (his friends) who do they say he is, Jesus is being vulnerable.

We look at this passage knowing that Jesus is the Messiah, but when we think about it, when Jesus puts this question before the disciples, he is opening himself up to many things. The names/identities that the disciples say others are saying would not have the full effect or import.

One of the things that any of the identities/names that the disciples had put forth would, in some respects, diminish Jesus’ ministry. All of them were those that came before Jesus, so Jesus would have been “just” a repeat. They even brought up John the Baptist! Talk about a misunderstanding of God!

Jesus’ vulnerability to being misnamed is significant on multiple fronts. It showed his effectiveness. The disciples (or at least Peter) correctly identified Jesus. This provides a greater perspective regarding what Jesus did before, and what he did after.

“You are the Christ,” is similar to getting a new name. Something happened. In at least one disciple’s eyes, Jesus wasn’t just a good religious man. Jesus went from prophetic friend to the hope for change and rescue. For Peter, it may have also been one of the hardest things. His friend became someone undeniably more than ordinary.

※Reflection※
- What does your name mean to you? What did your name mean to your parents (if you know)?
- What nicknames do you have for people you know? How about for people you don’t know (like that driver who encroached or cut you off)? What do these names mean?
※Prayer※

Lord, we have many names and titles in this world. Thank you for the one the surpasses them all, Child of God. Amen.
2021-02-27
All Are Called
Psalm 22:23–31; Genesis 15:1–6, 12–18; Romans 3:21–31

You are loved by God. Yes, you. If you are reading this, and are not a believer in Jesus Christ, you are loved by God. If you are Jewish, and not a believer in Jesus Christ, you are part of God’s Chosen People. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you are a child of God.

Whether non-Christian Jew, Messianic Jew, or Christian, we are called to praise, honor, and stand in awe of God. Actually, we are all (believer or not) called to praise, honor, and stand in awe of God.

All too often, though, modern people make judgments about God when they do not understand the significance of the stories. The story of Abraham and the smoking pot is a story of vast significance, especially when we talk about this passage in Romans.

The symbolism of everything surrounding the smoking pot can be summarized. God made a covenant with Abraham. Abraham made a covenant with God. The penalty for breaking the covenant: death. God took the place of Abraham and God as the covenanter who would pay the price upon violation of the covenant.

“…God displayed Jesus as the place of sacrifice…”—Romans 3:25

Sometimes writing too much takes away from the Scriptures. This is one of those times. Read again the passage from Romans with the knowledge or reminder that God had promised to die long before Israel (Jacob) was even born.

※Reflection※
- What does this tell you about God?
- What does this tell you about us?
- What are you going to do with this?
※Prayer※

Lord, let us not forget that you knew the price of loving us while maintaining your holiness. Thank you for your unending grace, mercy, and love. Amen.
2021-02-25