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Devotion.al

Tag: honor

  • Faithfulness Remembered and Expressed

    Psalm 119:9–16; Haggai 2:1–9; John 12:34–50 (read online ⧉)

    Haggai’s message was to encourage people who were feeling worn regarding the temple and its rebuilding. While the people of Israel were rebuilding their lives, the restoration of the temple was not moving as well. There is the political climate regarding the difficulties that would arise with the surrounding powers with the temple rebuilding. For those who were old enough to remember, Haggai reminded them of the glory of the old temple, trying to stir them up so that they could invigorate others. Through Haggai, God reminded them that he was faithful and that things could be great again, should they do their part to honor God through rebuilding his temple. God would then fill his temple with his glory.

    This God’s glory in the temple paradigm was to be cataclysmically changed with Jesus. God could no longer be viewed as distant, but now very much present. Like all huge changes in thinking, it was going to be painful and jarring. The pain of transition would begin with Jesus betrayed and hung on a cross. Jesus foreshadowed what was to occur, but the people seemed to have a sense themselves as they proclaimed that the Messiah would remain forever; a not-so-subtle dig that if Jesus ever died he was not the Messiah.

    Jesus did not allow the nay-sayers to change his story. With his declaration equating denial of him and his words was denying God the Father and his words, Jesus made it clear that their understanding of the Messiah was not complete.

    He ultimately answered their challenge with:”…I know that his commandment [Jesus’ obedience to death] is eternal life.” John 12:50

    In other words, only by dying will Jesus actually become the Messiah who remained forever.

    1. What is your reaction to Jesus’ obedience being death?

    2. When you think of martyrs who also were obedient, what is your response to their choice? Why?

  • Loving Intercession

    Psalm 51:1-12; Exodus 30:1-10; Hebrews 4:14-5:10 (read online ⧉)

    Incense was used as part of the priests’ daily worship of God. It was a prescribed practice. Priests had a number of prescribed practices that they were regularly responsible for. They were constantly doing their tasks before God, both to honor him and be the representative of the Israelites before God.

    Before a priest could do their duties, they had cleansing rituals that had to be completed. By virtue of their post, they didn’t get to be cleansed. They are imperfect beings, too, just like us. This remains the case today, whether they are in the other Christian traditions where the priestly role retains much of the intercessory nature of the Israelite priests, or in ours.

    This is where the author of Hebrews gives us pause and hope. The author informs us that Jesus Christ [perfect, Son of God, Son of Man, Eternal, begotten of the Father] has now taken the role of the ritual priest, and by his very nature and sacrifice is the eternal offeror of the sacrifice he was.

    The author of Hebrews goes so far as to elevate Jesus to the High Priest (highest person of religious authority in both culture and law), and then tie Jesus to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:17-14), who was the first person scripture calls “priest”. The author, then, is tying Jesus into the priestly realm before ever the person called Israel (let alone the tribes) even existed. By doing so, it is being established that how and what Jesus does in regards to priestly things overcomes, is superior to, and is the ultimate expression of the priestly sacrificial system.

    While the author of Hebrews is showing Jesus’ rightful place as (ultimate) priest and intercessor, the author also speaks to Jesus’ humanity. Jesus was fully human. Jesus was and is fully divine. The two natures of Jesus laid bare for all to see. God as fully human. God who knows and lived with all our weaknesses and temptations, stands with us and for us.

    1) How do you understand Jesus as God and human?

    2) If you could avoid punishment, would you?

    3) What does it mean to you that Jesus—who could have chosen not to die—chose to die to take your punishment, death?

  • Smite Me or Hug Me

    2 Kings 17:34–41, Psalm 27 (read online ⧉)

    This passage in 2 Kings is a little odd. To make sense in English, fear is not used in a manner consistent with the Hebrew. In the opening (v34) and closing (v41) verses, fear is actually a descriptor (adjective) of the Israelites. In the rest of the verses, “fear” is something you act out. Now, the trouble is that fear has many layers to it. Another way to think of this passage is, “The Israelites did not fear, honor, or respect God enough to solely obey God’s ways, disregarding the covenants made between God and their ancestors. Instead, Israelites feared the false gods of other nations and tribes that did not rescue them mightily and definitively from slavery in the land of Egypt. They feared those gods and viewed them as being at least equal to God. While they feared God, they did not honor or respect God exclusively as they were called to do.” This is not a perfect translation. It isn’t even really a good one. It does help to better understand what is going one when fear was involved.

    Fearing God as the punishing master was never the point. While obedience was required, it was to be out of devotion, admiration, awe, and love. This is one of those cultural pieces that often get lost for us, especially when using the word fear. The other one is the perception of many believers that God is capricious and vicious. What is truly sad is that the gods of the surrounding nations were truly capricious and vicious. How God ended up being cast in that light is a peculiarity of human nature.

    We know that by this point that the descendants of Israel had walked away from God in their hearts if not solely in their actions. This is an important concept to understand as when we read Psalm 27 we get a completely different image of God. If one was truly afraid, why would one view God as a protector? In addition, the psalmist says that his heart will not be afraid. So, fearing (as in terror) God is not a solid image of God.

    Where does this come from? Sure, some of it comes from the Israelites. However, much of it comes from Christianity. There are many old (centuries) and new sermons that abused the concept of fearing (awe) God, turning it into something truly terrifying. You may be one of those who was terrified by sermons delivering a concept of an angry God who was looking for some reason to smite you.

    1) Why would fear and awe get confused? How do you differentiate them when it comes to God?

    2) Why is the concept of overly fearing other gods still relevant today?

  • What Kind of Light is That?

    Psalm 89:4–37, Matthew 5:13–16, Philippians 4:4–9 (read online ⧉)

    Psalm 89 talks about people who walk in the light of the face of God. This is somewhat associated with both Moses having to wear a veil (Exodus 34:29–35 ⧉) and the Levitical blessing (Numbers 6:22–27 ⧉). The light of the face of God is transformative for those who seek to honor, value and glorify God. The psalm talks about the particular people rejoicing in God’s name and being “lifted up” due to God’s righteousness (not their own). God also becomes their strength and protection.

    The Christian thinking that goes along with light, especially when we read the passage in Matthew, is often sloppy. Perhaps it comes from simple, joyous, and fun songs such as, “This Little Light of Mine.” It is partially the individualistic salvation story that we are familiar and comfortable with as Westerners (especially, Americans). It is also this generic term that is often said without really thinking about exactly what “light” means. The Scriptures use light in many ways, so if we are going to be using such a generic “light”, we’d better define it. Yet, we often leave it to, “oh, you know what I mean.” And that, dear Framily, is exactly the problem. In the Western world, religious familiarity (of the useful kind, not antagonism) is fading. We can’t say, “oh, you know what I mean,” anymore, because most people don’t know what you mean!

    Jesus’ City on a Hill parable is based on a historical white stone city on a hill. It shined brightly when it reflected the sun. It couldn’t be hidden. Something so white and on a hill could only hide at night when the moon was covered (clouds, cycle, or orbit). If it has been a long time since you’ve been (or if you have never been) away from city lights, the light of the moon shines on many things. A white city on a hill would shine even in the night, as long as the moon itself was shining. Jesus then commands us to “shine our light” before all humanity! The light we are to shine is not “the light of Jesus”. It is the light of lives transformed by Jesus.

    How does someone show that their life was transformed by Jesus? The passage from Paul’s letter to the Philippians provides some ideas. Some of them might even be counter-Christian-cultural! Rejoice in God always, even when society appears to be going against you. Be gracious to others (just as God was gracious to you). Don’t worry about anything. When you bring requests to God, first be thankful. Oh, and God will give you peace that makes no sense. Then think about and dwell upon good things: truth, honor, just, pure, lovely, commendable. Having a life with these characteristics would definitely make you counter-cultural, often even in the church.

    1) What would be your definition of “being the light,” if you had to explain it to an unbeliever who has never heard from Jesus? Now, think about what you said. Would somebody even listen to it?

    2) What are some other habits/characteristics that you think “shine the light”? Are they your characteristics?

    3) Paul’s list about what to dwell on is often missed by the church. Why do you think that is?

    Action: Add a daily practice to find something positive to dwell on particularly in your family or church.

  • Healing Purpose

    Mark 5:1–20, Mark 7:31–36, Luke 17:11–19 (read online ⧉)

    Jesus produced miracle after miracle. Usually, people are pretty grateful when miraculous healing has occurred. The first healing we read today is a man who is not right in the head. Whether we stick with the surface Biblical understanding of possession or go with the postmodern view of schizophrenia it doesn’t really matter. Either way, we see that Jesus performed a miracle. The man was healed and he wanted everyone to know. Jesus directed him to return home. He went to the place he was likely cast-out from and talked about and displayed his healing. He wanted to let people know what Jesus had done for him.

    The next story of healing is the deaf man, whose poor hearing had also affected his ability to speak. Jesus healed him, he could now hear and speak normally. What’s interesting here is that while only one person appeared to have been healed, there were either more people that were healed that Mark doesn’t talk about here, or the people were so excited for the man’s healing that they all couldn’t keep quiet about Jesus, and this was after he directed them to remain quiet. They couldn’t help themselves.

    The last story is probably the saddest. Jesus healed 10 men of their skin disease. 9 of them did not return to honor Jesus, nor (we can infer) did they do anything that honored God (perhaps not even seeing the priests?) in return. Only 1 man did, and he was an unclean awful Samaritan (Jewish perspective). While the gratitude of 1 out 10 is depressing, there is something else here worth looking at. Nowhere do the Scriptures tell us that the 9 men who appeared to not be thankful regained their skin diseases. Yet, only the 1 man who was thankful (or at least returned to glorify God) was told by Jesus that his faith had saved him.

    This last story shows us an important fact about the nature of God. Even when we are ungrateful, God is still loving and faithful. This also shows something else, just because we received miraculous healing, it does not mean we’re saved. That requires something else from us.

    1) What is the difference between saving faith, being saved, and being healed?

    2) What do you think God’s purpose(s) is(are) for miraculous healings?

    3) Where do you see Christians acting like the 9? Where do you see Christians acting like those healed? Where do you see Christians acting like the witnesses of the healings?

    Action: Figure out a miracle God has done in your life that you haven’t given him glory for, and share it.

  • Servant and Service

    Isaiah 44:21-23, Matthew 20:22–28, John 12:26 (read online ⧉)

    What is a servant? That isn’t a small question. In fact, in our culture, it is a huge thing.

    The cultural implications are generally demeaning (Alfred notwithstanding). That probably has a lot to do with the cultural wound of slavery, when humans claimed ownership of others. In addition, servants were often the poor or undereducated or uneducated for whom being a servant was actually an improvement from their previous circumstances. We see much of this in waitstaff or clerks or other “service industry” people. Many young people work in so-called service industries and their parents have been guilty of saying, “so you’ll know why you want a better job.” It sounds harsh, doesn’t it? On the other hand, in other cultures, servants or service industries are not so demeaned. In some European countries, for example, tipping a waiter is an insult. They are professionals and should be treated as such.

    This is incredibly important as we read the verses from Isaiah. Jacob/Israel is God’s servant. This is not intended to be a demeaning title, but one that bestows great honor. Only the Israelites had the gift of being in relationship with God. In our culture, this “gets to be a servant” has serious overtones that damage the God-honoring view of serving God as worship. Our culture of individuality along with our history of service jobs and slavery looks at this as condescension and power, rather than what it is…a blessed arrangement. This is God’s perspective and it is the long-held view of Israelite and (now) Jewish thought.

    When we read Jesus’ words to his disciples, we can see (especially in the light of Isaiah’s words) just how shocking Jesus’ words actually were. Jesus was switching up the “rules”. Jesus (the Son of God) surrendered his divinity to serve. Jesus served as teacher, example (for a life that honored God), and sacrifice. In his words to his disciples, he noted the problem Gentiles had with servants (sounds familiar). It was a power issue. Servants—those that serve others—are not to be dismissed due to their role or position. In fact, it would seem that servants are to actually be honored.

    We get that to some degree. As part of our church life, there are many who serve both as a calling and as an outpouring of worship (worship of God). John gives us some context that ties it all together. If we serve God, we follow God. Perhaps the next time you see servant or serve in the Scriptures, change it to follow or follower and see how your heart responds.

    1) What is your initial response to being a servant? Why? How do you think that response was formed?

    2) We often intellectually (i.e., unemotionally) assent or agree that God calls us to serve. Why, then, does the church lack servants? What can be done to change the culture?

    3) Have you ever been to a restaurant where the waitstaff were professionals? What was it like compared to places where the waitstaff are only in “starting” jobs?

  • Valuing the Heart

    Psalm 6, Mark 5:24–34, Luke 7:36–50 (read online ⧉)

    We greatly honor our doctors and nurses who nurse ourselves and our loved ones to health. However, what we do today is different than it used to be. Science and medicine have provided us information that is beyond ancient knowledge. Even we untrained people have a far greater knowledge of healing than was available to the normal person many years ago. Thus when the scriptures ask for healing, and when healing occurs it is a miracle. This is not to diminish the healing received then or now. However, there is something here in Scripture that is only recently coming into mainstream thinking…peace.

    The woman who touched Jesus’ cloak was both desperate and had faith. An interesting combination to say the least. Suffering from an injury/illness for 12 years and bankrupt because of it. We’ve heard stories of or known people who may have not suffered as long but certainly lost everything. Healing was great. Peace was needed too with all that she had gone through.

    Then there was the woman who poured perfume on and washed Jesus’ feet. Obviously infamous among the “clean” and “appropriate” people, she was probably a societal outcast in some form or another. Her entire life was not likely to be a gentle one. She needed peace.

    Neither woman, at the point we meet them, are doing well in life. Based on context, we can reasonably say that they were the downtrodden of the downtrodden, and they were women. All of this piled together in that time meant that even being healed or being defended by Jesus would not necessarily make their lives easier.

    What Jesus did is justify their existence. He saw them for what they were…children of God. He valued them. By valuing them, and publically doing so no less, he gave them an opportunity to have something they may have never had, or hadn’t had in a very long time…peace.

    Our medicine and science are great. We are doing so well on the “mechanical” side of healing. We aren’t, however, doing as well in healing hearts. In cases of severe health issues, just being healed is only the beginning. There are some forms of emotional trauma that go along with that. Those that have suffered need peace.

    1) The “mechanical” nature of medicine resembles other “mechanical” areas of our society. Why do we avoid dealing with emotions? What does it mean to you that Jesus brings peace in those situations?

    2) Societal healing is painful. Currently, there are a lot of scabs being peeled off and oozing sores finally being treated. Thinking of the above stories, what does that tell us about how Jesus would respond today?

    3) Christians regularly pray for physical healing. Why? What do we miss when we pray for physical healing alone?

  • Season’s Traditions

    Mark 7:1–13, Galatians 1:13–17, 2 Thessalonians 3:3–15 (read online ⧉)

    We are rapidly coming (or for some already entered) into some of the heaviest time of tradition in the calendar year. For many, it starts with October observations. For others, it starts with Thanksgiving. For others still, there is Christmas. The list of Christian and non-Christian observations is pretty long. A “high-altitude list”: Yom Kippur, All Hallow’s Eve, Halloween, All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day, Day of the Dead, Reformation Day, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, sometimes Ramadan, and many others. Oh, then New Year’s.

    Sometimes observing one of these out of sequence (i.e., starting Christmas decorating and music on November 1st) creates a little bit of tension. This is actually a good thing. One of the problems that Jesus was confronting was how traditions had become disconnected from intent. Sometimes the tradition, such as washing 7 times, is a minor issue. Other times, such as when “dedicating” one’s wealth to the temple (corban) rather than taking care of one’s family, tradition becomes a problem.

    For many centuries, the “mainstream” church has had a church year. The church year begins with the 1st Sunday of Advent. Advent ends with Christmas. Christmas (the “season”) ends with Epiphany (The visit of the Magi). Then we have some Ordinary (i.e., numbered weeks) time. Then Lent, Holy Week, Good Friday, Easter, the Easter season, which ends in with Pentecost. Anyway, each of these is intended to provide some Christian and spiritual formation, which is why much of the church has maintained it. The more Evangelical molded church has begun adopting some of these “seasonal” periods. This is a good thing, for these are good traditions…as long as they are not disconnected from the why.

    Traditions do not have to be bad. In fact, we hope they are not. Yet, the tension of introducing, maintaining, and even abandoning traditions needs to always be there so that we don’t lose touch with the why.

    Paul notes that he was heavily invested in traditions. All of his traditions were an attempt to honor God, but God was often lost among the rules. Yet, that does not mean all the traditions were bad. In fact, many of the traditions (and rules) give us guidance as to how to appropriately walk with God and others. Many of these traditions also teach us theology and about what God has revealed to us about God.

    As you begin your seasonal traditions (even the food choices for Thanksgiving), give some deeper thoughts as to the “whys” of your traditions. You may discover something far deeper than you expected.

    1) How do you keep the “whys” of your traditions alive?

    2) What are important aspects of traditions for and to you?

    3) Is it unreasonable to seek God in all our traditions?

  • Remember the Gone

    Matthew 22:23–33, 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, Romans 8:26–30

    All Saints Day was established to honor the saints of the church. As we talked about yesterday, it is also a good time to reflect upon those that helped shape your faith. By so doing these people were doing the work of saints. Now, let us be clear, over the years, the church (whether it be the church universal, Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Protestant) has put saints on a pedestal that the saints themselves knew they didn’t belong. It is normal human behavior to do this. The saints are a “class” of people that when we think about it, we don’t believe we belong to that class. It is only by the grace of God that any could be called saint, for it is the work of the Holy Spirit in them that shaped them.

    One of the biggest common characteristics of saints is that they are dead. We have all lost people we loved to the ultimate consequence (on the finite side of things) of sin…death. Death is a fact of life. The reason to bring in All Saints Day is that some in the church lost the understanding of saint. So, the Saints (especially, those without their own named day) had this day to cover all of the Saints of the church. As a consequence, some traditions have a day for the (dearly) departed after All Saints Day. This day is called All Souls Day or Commemoration of the Faithful Departed. Really, it’s about all those day-to-day Christians that had more to do with your faith journey than the Saints seemed to have.

    We have inherited the legacies of the Saints and the everyday saints. What will we do with it? What is a saint? Well, the way Paul puts it, it seems we are all saints. It seems that Paul perceives all of the children of God as saints.

    1) Whose death do you mourn most at this moment? Were they a believer in Jesus as Lord and Savior?

    2) Why do we mourn those that knew Jesus as Lord and Savior?

    3) What is the difference, if any, between a saint and a perfect Christian?

  • Strong Protecting Love

    Isaiah 26:1–6, Psalm 18:1–9, Nehemiah 6:15–16

    Strength is measured in many ways. When you’re the one being attached, often it is by fists (or equivalent). Another way is deterrent. In other words, what will be the cost to attack? When a strong city is called out, it is a city that, yes, can defend itself. It is also a city that others would not want to attack. This particular city, Jerusalem, had God as its ultimate defense.

    What country or military power would want to attack God? This was the hope of the Israelites, that God would protect them.

    God does want to protect those who love God, and worship and honor God. The phrasing, however, gets odd when we talk about jealousy. Jealousy always seems to be bad. Even when we say God has a jealous love for us, it sounds bad.

    Rev. George Harrison calls jealousy the shadow of love. That doesn’t sound much better. However, he notes that what we often call jealousy is actually love corrupted by envy. True jealousy—or righteous jealousy—is when wholesome love and devotion are denied, betrayed, or destroyed.

    God, then, is jealous when the love due by right (as Creator) and relationship (whether Israelite, Christian or the not quite) is no longer. God’s jealous love is the heart of one betrayed. As the one whose love is faithful and never-changing, God would do just about anything for those God loves.

    1) Re-read the last paragraph. What sign do we have of this?

    2) Re-read the scriptures with this understanding of God’s jealous love. Does your understanding change?

    3) What is important to understand God’s jealous love and our lives, and how we live them?