Devotion.al

Tag: human

  • Stirring

    Stirring

    Isaiah 43:8–13; Romans 11:13–29

    What or who are you fighting for? If you are not fighting for God, then are you fighting for an idol?

    Often Christians dismiss the Israelites of the Old Testament as the clueless. They were the people that didn’t get it. This view seems to be reinforced by Jesus’ words, yet were they really that clueless?

    They valued the word of God. They valued traditions. They valued theology. They valued being Jewish. These values, it seems, were more a barrier between them and God, rather than

    How much are we just like them? Would we really recognize Jesus on the street or the ?

    Christians have been accused of being blind and deaf to Jesus. This has come from Christians and it has come from the world. We are often quick to dismiss these words, rather than contemplate them.

    We are . We will be blind. We will be deaf. In many ways, that is how we are able to go through life without losing our minds or succumbing to .

    There really isn’t a prescription so that we all know and can all be certified to be Christians. That would be nice. It takes practice. It takes a lot of practice.

    The statistics are showing that many churches will not recover post-COVID. Some are saying that only 30% will . Imagine your church only having 30% of its people.

    Perhaps this will be the winnowing that the church needs.

    This is along the same line of thought, though different, that had regarding his fellow Jews. He knew they were passionate about the word of God, , theology. They still had a heart problem.

    Paul wanted the Jews to look at the and want what they have, freedom in grace and mercy. In addition, the Gentiles (along with the Jews that became ) began to develop a community of faith and that transcended culture and blood.

    We Christians, though, have now been around long enough that we have developed tradition, a of God’s word that doesn’t necessarily include reading it, and we have theology.

    We are likely now at the point where we need a Paul to get us stirred up. We need to be what Paul wanted the Jews to be…jealous for God.

    ※Prayer※

    Holy Spirit, may we be stirred up for your plan and glory. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) What does it mean to be jealous for God?

    2) Why can love for God’s word an incomplete understanding of the word of God in our lives?

    3) Why do you think people won’t return? What can we change to encourage people to stay and return?

  • Internal Sweep

    Internal Sweep

    Judges 17:1–13; 1 Samuel 8:1–9; Ezekiel 14:1–11

    Judges 17:6 sums up the problem, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever seemed right to him.”

    Not that long ago, the US would use the term “wild west.” Depending on the historian, the “wild west” lasted around 10-40 years. On the other hand, what was going on in Israel was over hundreds of years. Many generations learned to do things their way, and not God’s.

    Samuel was, in most respects, the last judge. Samuel may have been one of the few judges that lamented and was angry over the choice of the Israelites to have a king. While God understood that they were rejecting God as king, at the same time the Israelites seemed to recognize the pattern of the judges wasn’t working for them either.

    Despite all the burdens that having a king would bring, they perceived an advantage…stability. A king and the succession would seem to provide a greater stability than the judge system. They weren’t wrong, but they were focusing on the wrong thing.

    Even while complaining about Samuel’s sons doing their own thing, they were seeking their own thing. They could not see that their actions were the same.

    Much later, after all of that, the kings of Israel and Judah (the tribes had separated by the time of Ezekiel) had done far worse than the time of judges. In addition, they took the people with them on their journey away from God.

    Ezekiel was just before the total fall of Israel and its subsequent disappearance from history.* Despite his words, and the words of before and alongside him, the leaders (let alone the people) did not listen to the words from God.

    They chose to continue to go their own way. And yet, they approached Ezekiel to get something from God. God was pretty clear. They were estranged from God because of their idols.

    All the bad stuff that was coming would go away with repentant hearts that were determined not to .

    The question for us is are we like the mother who made an of silver coins, or are we the elders who despised her and yet put idols up in their hearts? There are far too many things that can become idols. In fact, in this unsettled time, it seems that there are even more idols today then there were last year.

    Who of us will acknowledge our idol ? That’s an extremely hard question to deal with. We often use the phrasing of an idol being something that you put before God, but that may actually be too narrow of a focus.

    Many of us don’t believe we put something before God in our lives, yet most of us do something that we put before God. What your idol may be could very well be different than another person’s. That is also what makes it hard.

    Only by have a deep abiding with God, and pursuing it, do we begin to see the idols that we have.

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, you told about graven images and idols of the . Help us to break those idols so that our relationship with you is pure. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) By changing the focus of what might be an idol, what thing or activity comes to mind?

    2) What do you think are the primary root issues that people “put up” idols?

    3) Do you think unsettled times or easy times “create” more idols?

    *The of Israel, or the Northern Kingdom consisted of 9 of the 12 tribes (the Levite tribe isn’t counted in either Northern or Southern Kingdoms). The Kingdom of Judah, or the Southern Kingdom, was primary of Judah, but also included the remnants of Simeon and Benjamin ( was of Benjamin lineage). The Levites were mixed into both kingdoms, and it gets hard to neatly define how many tribes and of how much were in each kingdom.

  • I Hate You

    I Hate You

    Luke 14:25–35; 1 John 3:14–18

    So, who do YOU hate? Your mom, dad, husband, wife, significant other, son, daughter, brother, sister, cousin, aunt, uncle…Really, who do you hate?

    Trump, Clinton, Bin Laden, and many others have been (or are) hated. It could be because of politics. It could be because they murdered people. It might be something that you think they may have done.

    This passage in Luke is a hard passage for many. Except in cases of abuse or other mistreatment, hating one’s is out of the question. A that has long considered itself (especially in the West) a “family-centered” religion will struggle that which it says it is based upon. “Family values”, a decades-old purportedly Christian value, are questionable if we are to hate our family.

    Then John, a disciple of writes that we are to love our brothers and sisters, and that anyone who hates their brother or system is a murderer (even if said brother or sister still lives), and because of that they don’t have eternal life. Confused, yet?

    So, how does this work, exactly? Well, we’re back to the age-old problem of English versus Greek. Just like there are more words for love in Greek than in English, there’s the same problem with hate. Hate isn’t quite hate, sort of.

    When Jesus talks about hate, it refers more to loyalty that like, dislike, love, or hate. Jesus sought to shock people into an understanding that they may have to choose where their loyalty lay. Was their loyalty with family, or was their loyalty with Jesus?

    Hate may seem overly dramatic, however, in the cultural context, hate was the understanding. Only a hateful child, parent, spouse, and so forth would choose Jesus over family. In that time, the time shortly thereafter, and it appears now, family loyalty is against Jesus.

    Which brings us to John’s words. His hate is more along the lines of what we think of when we the word hate. The kind of hate that blindly rages and cares more about hurting another than blessing the . This is the context of John’s hate.

    We are called to pray for the of our adversaries. Even more so are we to seek the benefit of our brothers and sisters in Christ. John’s primary concern is not the family ties of blood and culture that Jesus brought to . John’s concern was what we at Generations (friends who are like family).

    This framily is found within the body of Christ. Because of its place within the body of Christ, it should not have divided loyalties. Of course, when it comes to human frailty, we all know that isn’t the case.

    As we work through our hopes and fears of COVID and elections, we will often be tempted to hate our brothers and sisters in Christ. We must strive against that, for a house divided against itself will not stand, and then what would we say to Jesus?

    ※Prayer※

    Jesus, you prayed to the that we would be one. Help us to be united in you, while we yet still remain individuals with different thoughts and experiences. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) Is there someone in the body of Christ with whom you are angry? Pray for them. Ask for the peace of the to fall upon and fill both them and you.

    2) How can you work to be one with your brothers and sisters in Christ while you have differing opinions?

    3) How does the concept of Jesus before family still cause you and others trials?

  • Whose Crown?

    Whose Crown?

    1 Samuel 8:1–22; Mark 10:35–45; 1 Corinthians 1:20–25

    One cannot say the beginning of the fall of Israel was at the point they demanded a king. God pointed this out to disappointed Samuel. Israel’s “desire” for a king showed that Israel’s continued to not focus on God.

    Samuel’s sons were a mess. In no way did they honor God or their father. Just like many of us, and the world, the Israelites were looking at humanity rather than God.

    The failure of the Israelites wasn’t that they didn’t want Samuel’s sons in charge. That was actually . What they didn’t want, apparently, was a spiritual leader like Samuel. They wanted a “” king.

    When God tells Samuel that the Israelites were against God, God makes it clear that it isn’t Samuel’s fault. The hearts of the Israelites are at fault. What happens, though, is that while they get want, they want, it does eventually become a “be careful what you wish for.”

    The path of king never really ends for the Israelites. Eventually, the splits into 2. The Northern Kingdom (confusingly also called, Israel) eventually disappears. The Southern Kingdom (called Judah) remains, but over the years of exile and conquest never really stops having a king.

    By the time of Jesus, the “king” (Herod) really is just a governmental flunky of Rome. The and their quests for (a constant theme of the Roman Empire) are what Jesus is likely referring to when he talks to the disciples. His point being who wants to live like that. Jesus had a better way.

    The better way was the way of God’s love (not just generic human love) of both sacrifice and discipline. What need of worldly government and power would such a person have?

    When we focus too much on worldly power, we miss the reality that Jesus turned power upside down. If we focus on the world’s ways, we succumb to the foolishness of the world, rather than in and through the wisdom of God.

    When we rely on the world, we make the same mistake the Israelites did…we choose a king (even if it’s only for 4 years).

    ※Prayer※

    Lord Jesus, as we try to live out being citizens of this world, help us to our deeper and truer citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) What are some reasons you think the Israelites wanted a king “like the other nations”?

    2) In what ways does the US political scene look at the president as King? What does that teach us about our (and our ‘s) heart?

    3) How might you live out the upside-down kingdom that Jesus brought to us?

  • Did You Fail?

    Did You Fail?

    1 Kings 18:19–19:5; Malachi 4:5–6; Matthew 17:10–13

    This is a famous story. It really is very impressive how the priests of Baal were humiliated in their bloody ritual, and how God delivered magnificently and undeniable. In a quick turnaround, they went from following the Baal priests to killing them.

    This actually doesn’t say much about the Israelites that’s particularly positive. They just follow the flow and the show. Really, though, that’s often the way we are, too.

    After the show, it appears that the Israelites are all on God’s side, even Ahab…except that really isn’t the case. Ahab runs home to his wife, who promptly threatens Elijah.

    The drought is over. Things are looking up. So, let’s kill that guy!

    No thanks or . No real recognition that God was in this. From Jezebel’s response she is both an enemy of God and is more about her than even her husband’s (who power she really is supplanting).

    Nothing really changed. After that, nothing really changed.

    We tell this tale. We are excited for the good guy (Elijah and God). Yet, nothing really changed.

    What should us and courage, however, is that even Elijah got scared. That huge public event where God shows up…and Elijah runs away.

    Yes, Elijah was threatened. Yet, God had just shown up in such a huge way…and Elijah runs away.

    Many people have had a defining experience with God and then “run away”.  Or, they may have a powerful healing or and then appear to not believe that God is capable of the next thing. It is a pretty normal behavior.

    Elijah was normal. He heard from God and he spoke through the . He was still normal.

    You’re normal, too. You were called by God. You were claimed by God. You just may be in a difficult place. You could be wondering if God even cares.

    Often, we question our faith when we struggle. We question our salvation. We question the depth of our with .

    Yes, we are weak. Yes, we are normal. Yes, God loves us.

    Many people think they would want to have such a powerful experience of God as Elijah did. Through it all, Elijah still feared. Through it all, God still him…just as God loves you.

  • Whatcha Doing?

    Whatcha Doing?

    Psalm 46; Luke 10:38–42

    It’s a crazy world. There is so much going on. If you live in the States, you know the next election is just around the corner. Although, it seems all of 2020 has been an election year.

    If you are on social media, your “stream” may be flooded with this and that. People arguing over things worth discussing, just not worth hating. The amount of content created by the of this year will likely be quadruple the amount of the previous five years.

    There isn’t much that is settled at the moment. In fact, as far as the world around us goes, it seems to get more unsettled every day.

    “God is our refuge…Stop fighting (be still).” Psalm 46 may well be the mantra for 2020. God is our refuge. We just have to stop fighting in our own .

    We also cannot allow the world to distract us. It isn’t the government that’s the problem (which everyone, or ones, you don’t like). It isn’t the rioters that are the problem (though many are destructive, while others are not). It isn’t even COVID or terrorism or (insert some “global” issue here).

    It’s the . In the story of Mary and Martha, we see the struggle firsthand. Martha is busy. It’s not even that she is busy with bad or wrong things. It’s that Mary chose to be busy with the better “thing”.

    We’re all busy with things. Right now, it would seem that we are best situated to be like Mary. It doesn’t seem to be the case for far too many.

    They are distracted by the bad news, filled with anxiety, filled with anger, feeling the need to (just to do something). They are busy.

    However, many are busy not because they are doing good/right things at the wrong time. They are busy doing non--following things right now.

    ※Prayer※

    As we watch the world seem to spin further into chaos, remind us, God, that you are God, and we are not. Help us to work on being still in your . Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) What struck you about you in this? Why are “you” more important in this than others?

    2) How will you help be the light of Christ’s in a time of anxiety, anger, and ?

  • Washing Branches

    Washing Branches

    John 13:1–11;  John 15:1–10

    Just in case you didn’t catch it before, John 13–17 is all during the Last Supper. It certainly does beat Moses’ Book of Deuteronomy in length. These chapters do, however, us a deep insight into as his final hours are approaching (The Jewish day started at Sunset, so the “day” of the Last Supper was the “day” of Crucifixion).

    The washing of the feet has long been a symbol of Jesus’ (which it was), intimacy, and vulnerability. He put aside his seniority to his disciples. Yet, this emphasis also misses other important pieces of the story.

    Feet were dirty (no closed shoes, no socks, no pavement). They were the most visibly dirty part of the body. Dirty feet could well imply status in society.

    Therefore, when Jesus washes their feet and says that they are entirely clean (which we all know that isn’t the case), there is something else going on. A tidbit might be “The Way”. A person “walks” in the . If one walks in the light, one walks on dirty ground (i.e., the world). One will again need to be clean.

    The parable of the vine, interestingly, provides a different point of view. Almost tossed into this little parable is the declaration, “…you are already clean…” They are already clean, and yet they need to stay connected to the true vine…Jesus.

    In both cases, they are clean from a ritualistic standpoint (important from a Jewish ) and still continue to need refreshment. Whether the refreshment is regularly having the dirt of the world washed off or gaining the nutrients and nourishment from the true vine, Jesus is the source.

    Whether it is the feet being cleaned, or the branches being nourished, it is Jesus doing it.

    Confession (washing) is essential. Absolution (declaration of being clean) is done by Jesus. The entirety of the process, however, is in Jesus’ will and command.

    While we can do our best to produce fruit, we can only be open to receiving the nutrients of Jesus.

    ※Prayer※

    Lord Jesus, help us to view you to be, believe you to be, and as if you really are the Lord of our lives. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) What are you doing regularly to be washed?

    2) What do you think would be nourishment?

    3) In what way(s) is it important that we are declared clean, and yet still require regular washing? How does that apply to nourishment?

  • Want

    Want

    Exodus 20:1–21; 1 Kings 3:16–28; 1 Corinthians 13:1–13

    The tale of envy and spite in the story relayed in 1 Kings is abominable to most of us. How could any person ever do that, even if it is not their child?

    Yet, there are far too many tragic stories of people treating their children—their —with something beyond contempt. The children don’t a “need”, or even worse, the of the child meets the “need”.

    The amazing depravity of humanity is often overwhelming.

    In the story in 1 Kings, there is probably much more than the visible story. Why it was significant to the writer that the women were prostitutes was significant is a matter of conjecture. With something like that we can only guess what else might have been going on.

    One possibility is that the “wise men” didn’t want to deal with the “dirty” prostitutes on a case with no evidence or witnesses (like those who might have been present at the birth or circumcision). So, they handed it off to the new king to test him. This would be well within the norm even today when new figures come into power, they are tested by ally and alike.

    To our ears, Solomon’s solution is over the top. Kill the child? However, some commentators believe that Solomon had discerned who the real mother was and was looking for a justifiable pretext of giving her to her.

    The story also shines a on one of the big human issues: envy. There is a reason that this was on the list of Commandments. It can often be one of the most destructive emotions in human relationships.

    Envy drove a grieving woman to grasp for another’s baby and then be open to the child’s death instead of “losing”.  Envy drove a person to a child to hurt another person.

    Envy drives people to do things that are often not rational. Sometimes people will put themselves into so much debt so that they can be just like others. Other times they will hurt themselves, as long as they can hurt others.

    No one is immune to the pull of envy. We often think envy is only for big things, but envy is even more dangerous regarding small things. It is easy to excuse or justify the envy of little things. However, once we succumb, envy gains momentum, and our hearts turn toward , and away from love.

    —prayer—

    Holy Spirit, guard our hearts against envy. If the shadow of envy had taken hold, we ask for your saving work to preserve your love in our hearts. Amen.

    ——

    1) What is the first “don’t” of love, according to ? Why do you think Paul mentioned that first?

    2) What was the strongest feeling of envy you’ve ever had? What happened?

    3) What is the “flip” side of envy? Or, how is one driven to envy? (hint: see Paul’s list)