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Devotion.al

Tag: identity

  • Starting at Home

    Psalm 2, Colossians 3:1–17, Acts 11:19–26

    One of the blessings and one of the curses of being American is the freedom to decide who we are. One of the biggest struggles between immigrants and their children is the change of identity. As much as most immigrants truly seek to join their new country, there are things that just don’t work for them. Their children walk the line between new and old, along with all the stress that goes along with that (think differences over worship music but over everything).

    The church was that second generation, and then some. A way to think of it is the child of a Tibetan immigrant and the child of an Argentinian getting married. The strains of their parents’ cultures, plus their new adopted (American) culture, plus the different culture of their spouse. That was the church.

    The “children” of Judaism, Greece, Asia Minor, Rome were, by-and-large, no longer part of their “native” culture, and could not really be part of a “different” culture. The Followers of the Way (the name prior to Christian) were following a weaving and winding path between multiple cultures, nations, and languages. They lived in between. Even their identity as “Followers of the Way” was still deeply tied to Judaism, so even that was not particularly solid.

    The key to identity was made in Antioch. Only God knows who coined the term Christians. They could have been called Nazarenes, but Christians became the label. Even with a “formal” label, it still took years, and even today it seems that while the label is active, there is not a unified Christian culture. If there were a truly united Christian culture, the hour on Sunday would not be the most segregated hour of the week. If there were a truly united Christian culture, Facebook, Twitter, and other places wouldn’t be in the state they are in.

    If the church were united, as Christ calls us to be, we really could be the healer for a culture and country in pain. Instead, we are just as miserable, angry, bitter, and pained as everyone else. We are not perfect, we just need to be better in how we treat people especially fellow Christians for it starts “at home”.

    1) As people are quick to jump on bandwagons, praying for the hurting (good), questioning violence (good), discussing freedom (good), trying to be the light (good), be even quicker to pray and discern prior to posting. What witness are you presenting to your fellow Christian? How about the world?

    2) As the country, and world, seems to be tearing apart, we Christians are still to be Followers of the Way, winding our way between people, cultures, and perspectives. What skills and practices do you need to develop to be better walking on the Way?

    Why do the nations rage
    and the peoples plot in vain?
    The kings of the earth take their stand,
    and the rulers conspire together
    against the LORD and his Anointed One,
    Let’s tear off their chains
    and throw their ropes off of us.
    —Psalm 2:1–3

  • Isle Crossing

    2 Corinthians 5:14–21

    There are many things that are worshipped. Most have supplanted God with something man-made or of human origin: science, politics, identity, work, family. Even the fundamental nature of God—love—has been corrupted by humanity.

    We are all familiar with 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” It is often used as an encouraging verse for the new and struggling believer. We are made new in Christ. However, the verse is placed within the context of a larger picture…a larger mission.

    We are to be messengers of reconciliation and ambassadors for restoration. If we are honest with ourselves, we have been doing the best we can, but it still hasn’t been very good. We—as the church—have put family first in an unhealthy way. It is not that family is unimportant, but that the church family is our family, too, and we often neglect it.

    The church allowed itself to be drawn into politics, and we need to stop. Politics are human, but they are often of greater priority to “Christians” than Jesus. We need to be the ones on the forefront reconciling differences and parties, rather than being on side of the aisle or the other.

    Our world is in desperate need of something different, let us be something different. Let us be new in Christ Jesus.

    1) Have you questioned someone’s faith or spiritual maturity based upon their political disagreement with you?

    2) Have you done the same if they raise(d) their children differently?

    3) What have you done to help people be reconciled to one another as an ambassador of Christ?

  • Legacy of Faith

    Psalm 27, Genesis 13:14-18, Philippians 3:2-12

    David was no saint insofar as not always being a good example to follow: thuggery, adultery, murder, failure to lead and/or protect his family. On the other hand, David wrote God-inspired psalms, designed the Great Temple, outline the rules and families for worship (who did what), and was—by and large—a faithful follower of and champion for God. When we read Psalm 27, we see a person’s heart open to God. In the psalm, David declares that God is pretty much everything. David’s statement regarding his parents abandoning him (something that would be especially painful and cruel in a family driven culture), but that God would still be there is also an identifying thing. David was declaring that without his family, his identity would still be found in God. It was a worthy legacy to pass on, but as noted earlier, David didn’t do so well with his family. Other than Solomon, we know nothing about the faith of David’s children, and Solomon’s faith became troubled as he got older. Is it David’s fault that his legacy was not passed on well? To some degree it was. However, at some point, those who follow have to keep nourishing the flame of faith they were given.

    While even most non-church folks recognize Adam and Eve, and Noah (who are important characters), from a religious standpoint none may be more important than Abram (Abraham). In this passage, Abram gives Lot the choice of direction. Lot chooses what seems to be the better land. Yet, after he made that choice, God tells Abram that his offspring will equal the amount of dust in the world. Is that an overstatement? Perhaps, however, we have to look at how the Israelites viewed it as a promise fulfilled. They would know. Then look and Christianity, a child faith of Abraham. They (we) are also the progeny of Abram. Abram’s legacy of faith has been passed down to us. And it is the legacy of faith that truly matters.

    Paul, until his conversion, had received a legacy of duties, tasks, rituals, that did not give life, or at least no full life. While Christians may be quick to accuse the Jews of lifeless rituals that they though saved them, many of those same rituals developed a deep and ground faith in God. It all really depended on the individual and what they did with the flame of faith pass on to them.

    1) Who passed on the flame of faith to you? What are you doing to make sure that the flame of faith you pass on will be as strong or stronger?

    2) Paul states that he cares more about knowing Jesus (God) than doing stuff, and relying on stuff. Can you say the same of yourself?

    3) The beauty of David’s life is that it is honest. David’s life was not perfect, just as yours or mine are not. Why does acknowledging not having a perfect life important when passing on the faith?

    FD) Did you know that you have a responsibility to accept faith and nourish (feed) it?

  • A Day Off Or A Day For

    Psalm 99, Deuteronomy 16:1–17, 1 Corinthians 10:23–11:2

    If you look at the calendar of any country, you will find a number of secular (i.e, non-religious) observances. Sometimes these to get mixed into religion, and some are just odd. Today, for example, has the following “observations”: Day of Unplugging; Pig Day; Employee Appreciation Day; Salesperson Day; Horse Protection Day; Fruit Compote Day; Plan A Solo Vacation Day; World Compliment Day; Refired, Not Retired Day; Dress in Blue Day; Wedding Planning Day. Whew! Did you know so many things/people were “observed” today? That doesn’t even include the week or month observances that March 1st occurs in. Yikes!

    Our word holiday—as you might have guessed—is a conjoining of holy and day. Just the conjoining of the two words creates a problem. In the British Commonwealth (the UK, Australia, New Zealand, India, Canada, etc.), holiday has come to mean vacation. That came into being as holy days were the days people didn’t work. It became associated with leisure rather than God. Even in the US, we use the word holiday to note a day off (except for Holidays, when we mean all the observances starting with Thanksgiving through New Year).

    As the Israelites are about to enter the Promised Land, certain days are being set aside as Holy Days. Some of these Holy Days are non-working (Sabbath) days, but they are not all required to be. What is common across all of them is that God is part of the day. In fact, God is the focus of each of these days. What elevates them over the “normal” Sabbath day is the purpose of their observances, whether it be Passover (salvation/escape from Egypt), bounty of the harvest (that God blessed them), or remembering the wilderness wandering (God lead and took care of them in the wilderness for 40 years).

    Why we remember is as important as what we remember. As we quickly approach the season of Lent (Ash Wednesday is March 6th), it is easy to dismiss holy days as either a mindless or fruitless activity. This is especially true with Lent, as many people use Lent to stop/pause an activity (Facebook, certain foods, etc.) that they need a healthier relationship with anyway. This is not to dismiss these actions (for they can be very good), but to understand the why. Lent is a time of reflection intended to identify with Jesus’ 40 days in the desert, to set our minds to look to the cross, and Good Friday. In other words, it’s about Jesus, Jesus, and Jesus (respectively).

    Why do we remember Holy Days? For the same reason the Israelites were to…God. What do we remember? What God has done, and how God has done it. As a Jew, Paul was very much aware of the power of Holy Days and traditions (Lent is both a group of Holy Days and a tradition, for example). Paul valued them as part of his identity, and also part of his formation. While Gentile Holy Days were minimal (versus Jewish ones), there were still plenty of secular days of observation, and they all mattered.

    1) Have you ever been bored by a holiday? If not, how do you stay excited and engage with a holiday? If you have, how will you become engaged again?

    2) Does recalling or focusing on the fact that a Holy Day (holiday) is about God change how you view them?

    3) Holy Days and their rituals can be empty of any value or meaning if you let them. What will you do to maintain or put value and meaning back into them?

    FD) What is you favorite Holy Day? Why?

  • Remembrance, Power and Identity

    Genesis 9:8–17, Psalm 8

    Remembering is an essential part of the human condition. The philosopher George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Through technology, humanity is creating nearly 50 billion GB of data a day. At most, the Bible as written is 10 megabytes. This means that if the bible is rewritten everyday, it is only .00001 of the data made in a day. It is quite easy to see that it takes effort to keep the Bible from drowning in the mass amount of data created everyday.

    ‌In the early days, when humankind was still relatively simple there was still a barrier between humanity and God. Through poor judgement and pride, humanity had separated itself from God.

    ‌As a result, humankind received punishment…the flood. While there are many arguments regarding the depth and extent of the flood, the truth that a majority of religions around the world have a flood story. There is something there that cannot be ignored. A story that is almost universal even today, and yet to many it is exactly that. A story.

    ‌Story is what binds humanity together. Story helps humanity know who it is, where it has been, and were it is going. So, why does God need to remember? After Noah, God set the rainbow to remember, or did he? Sometimes a parent has to say something like, “I’m doing this for me,” so that their children will remember. That is what God is doing here.

    ‌Think of the rain as sin. As it continues, it soaks us to the bone. It gets inside of us. Then the sun comes out and dries the rain. In the midst of change from soaked with sin the Son comes to warmth us. The beauty/sign of that change is the rainbow.

    ‌Another way to tell the same story. The flood was the result of the mass of sin that humanity had committed. The rescue of Noah and the promise of the rainbow are the salvation and restoration of us all.

    ‌Remembrance is power. Remembrance is identity.‌‌

    • 1) What family stories do you tell, share, or repeat? What do they tell you about your family and your identity?
    • ‌2) Our salvation stories can differ from person to person. Each is unique. Do you remember your story? Tell it to someone.
    • ‌3) In an attempt to share the story, we sometimes focus on the wrong parts. What elements of the story do you think of? How do they expand or limit the story?
    • ‌FD) What is/was you favorite bedtime story? Why?

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  • Salvation of Becoming

    Psalm 2; Isaiah 2:1-4; Isaiah 56:1-8; Luke 2:41-52

    Many people have taught and believed that once a person prays the Sinner’s Prayer that they are safe from Hell. The most famous one was used by Billy Graham to lead people to Christ. It is:

    Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name.

    Campus Crusade for Christ (now Cru) has a slightly different version, which is:

    Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.

    And there are plenty more. While Billy Graham led people to Christ through this prayer, something is missing. The Cru version both simplifies and expands on the famous Billy Graham version. Do you see the biggest difference? Look to the end. The Billy Graham version goes, “…I want to…” The Cru version says, “…Take control…Make me…” Billy Graham firmly believed that relationship with Jesus was not, “say the prayer, and you are done.” Yet, many Christians, using Billy Graham’s prayer, believed exactly that. Many responded (related) to Jesus and lived (or live) a life of daily transformation. Others, sadly, said the prayer, did not change (nor submit to being changed), went on the way they already lived, but assumed they were saved.

    The Cru version is better in that there is an identification that God will be doing the work, and the person will be doing the submission/inviting/surrendering. The Cru version gets closer to the heart of the matter. Salvation isn’t just a series of words, it is a relationship with Jesus Christ.

    In Psalm 2 we read, “You are my son; today I have become your Father.” This a relational transformation. This is the next step of salvation. Both passages of Isaiah consist of relational transformation, you were this, you are now this. Relational transformation is not new to Christ. Through the prophets, God was saying it constantly. It is not the rules, it is the living.

    This past Sunday, we heard about Jesus having difficulties of being a 12-year old boy, and doing things as a 12-year old boy would do. Part of the teaching was how after the event of being lost (okay, left behind) and found (at the Temple), Jesus was obedient, and increased in wisdom and stature. This too is relational transformation. There is a tidbit that wasn’t discussed, as it would have distracted from the message: the question of Jesus’ response.

    There are 2 common translations of Jesus’ words, “…being about my Father’s business…,” and “…be in my Father’s house…” There is a continuity in Jesus’ words, and that is the relationship to God the Father. While we might take it for granted (especially, since it’s Jesus), in the context of the day, Jesus was connecting his identity (and his inheritance) to God the Father, not Joseph his father. Culturally, this is similar to saying, “you’re dead to me,” to Joseph. While this, of course, wasn’t Jesus’ intent, we can take a lesson from it.

    When we pray the sinner’s prayer, make the commitment to allow ourselves to be transformed, and choose to be in relationship with God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), we are telling the death, the powers of darkness, the world, and our sin, “you are dead to me.” We then take on the mantle of a child of God.

    1. If Jesus is the Savior, the Lord, why is the temptation so strong to just “get it done” with a prayer? How should the knowledge of that temptation inform your life with Jesus?
    2. Regarding your spiritual life (church, life groups, devotional reading, bible reading, prayer), are you tempted to just, “get it done,” so that you can check it off the list?
    3. Why does “get it done” work against a relationship?
    4. [FD] Why do you want a relationship with Jesus? What is a relationship?

  • Knowing Whose

    2 Chronicles 6:32–42; Jeremiah 31:7–14

    Solomon was ceremoniously blessing the newly constructed Temple. There is a lot of political pomp and circumstance that is part of the ceremony. It would have been expected, and much of the political speech dressed up in religious language had the firm foundation of the people and Solomon being very much aware that all of this was possible only underneath the protective wings of God. Solomon had completed a huge number of projects that were large and public. This is the height of national pride. In the midst of this national event, there is a humble recognition that the people will fall away from God (including Solomon), and a request that God be gracious and forgiving to those that repent.

    This wasn’t just a request of God, but a reminder to the people (the political and religious leaders would have had a “front-row” seat to the speech/prayer) to remember whose they were. They were God’s chosen people, and yet, Solomon included the God-following people that weren’t Israelites. He included them in this prayer. In the prayer of national importance, displaying national and tribal glory, Solomon included those outside of “the people.” Solomon, whose ancestors includes a prostitute (citizen of an enemy city), a foreign widow (from the ancestral enemies), and a mother who had a potentially coerced adulterous relationship with his father, who had had his mother’s husband killed. Solomon, as he was praying, very likely had his own family story in mind as he prayed. He was living proof that God called and blessed people outside of the traditional boundaries.

    National boundaries will not prevent God from acting, calling, and redeeming. Even in exile, Jeremiah’s words are saying that the Jews will be called back to their ancestral lands, regardless of national boundaries. National boundaries are the works and rules of men. Though far away from home and culturally their identity, God still knew who they were, and was calling them home. The promise to shout for joy on the heights of Zion would be a public statement of their restoration, and their security in God.

    Cultural and national boundaries still do not prevent God from acting, calling, and redeeming. As Epiphany comes, most of us need to recall that we are God’s children not because of who we were born to or where we born, but because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. That sacrifice crossed boundaries of nation, “race”, age, gender, and even time itself to bring us into God’s family.

    1. Even before Jesus was born, God moved among the Gentiles. Why do you think that this is important?
    2. If God sets asides human barriers for relationship with him, why do we make so many? What barriers have you put between people and a relationship with God? What barriers have people put between you and your relationship with God?
    3. [KD] Why is it important to you that God ignores barriers between people?

  • Guilty and Free

    Psalm 103, 1 Samuel 4:1-22, Isaiah 43:14-25

    Imagine being someplace you’ve never been and driving down the road only looking at the rear-view mirror. Your peripheral vision would catch some of the more dangerous things, but you would miss a lot. All too often we go through life this way. You may not have escaped your past, but you cannot embrace the future without looking forward.

    Much of life is common among people. We live and die. We love and hurt. We fail and succeed. We have regrets and we have gratitude.

    For many people, this year has been very hard: huge changes; life-changing events; lives lost; lives gained; big mistakes; new jobs; loss of jobs; moving; being forced to move. There are many that are looking to set aside this year, and so very ready to start the new one, yet many will be filled with fear, unsure of what will come.

    In 1 Samuel, we read of a very bad time. The Ark of the Covenant, a Godly object—that many staked their identity and security on—was lost to a powerful enemy. Their leader (judge) and his sons have died. All seemed lost. The Israelites were fearfully looking toward the future.

    By the time of Isaiah, the people were again looking to the future with fear. There had just been a declaration of guilt (Isaiah 42) and failure. The so-called People of God had been reminded of their failure to fulfill their role. The judge of the universe had declared their guilt. Just as many are fearfully looking to the new year, so, too, were the People of God fearful of what came after their conviction.

    “Do not remember the past events, pay no attention to the things of old. Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming…” (Isaiah 43:18-19)

    1) Be deeply honest with yourself. What do you fear in regards to the coming year?

    2) One can fear what is coming and still trust God. It is the type of fear that is the key. How can fear be good or bad?

    3/KD) What is the one thing you are most worried will happen next year? What is the one thing you are most looking forward to next year?

  • Listening for Peace

    Listening for Peace

    Psalm 7, Isaiah 36:13-20, Luke 14:31-33

    Peace is fleeting. We look around the world and cannot help but recognize that a lack of conflict only lasts for a short time. World leaders are speaking well of one another, then the next day attacking one another. People at work or school say positive or encouraging things to us, then say horrible and damaging things to others about us.

    As editors and news-writers know, bad news, wars and bad behavior sells. It seems that we are conditioned to seek out the bad stuff. Good or heart-warming stories often don’t get the eyeballs or the clicks, at least in comparison to the bad.

    When trying to convince the people of Jerusalem to surrender, King Sennacherib has his messenger make huge promises that after taking a moment, one realizes is impossible for the King to do without devastating the other countries he has already dominated (and probably made similar promises to). This is similar to politicians and leaders who make wild promises to those already in their camp, and then even more to those outside their camp in an attempt to draw them in. This is often the promised peace of the world.

    King Sennacherib promises peace, his peace. His peace is the surrendering of self, property and even national identity to be pulled into his sphere of influence, and be controlled. Even in the United States we have people who express themselves in the same way as King Sennacherib.

    All too often, we allow ourselves to believe that everything will be alright (we’ll be “at peace”) when have an item, prosperity, land, or health. We can deceive ourselves and put too much emphasis on what will pass away, rather than what is eternal.

    1) If you listen to a person, such as a politician, talk in a peaceful way or in a warlike way, which are you more likely to respect? Is one perspective more realistic than the other?

    2) How do you think that is different than how Jesus speaks of peace?

    KD) How do you talk about peace with your friends? How can you help adults in your life learn (or re-learn) about peace?