Devotion.al

Tag: incense

  • Beautiful Words and Songs

    Beautiful Words and Songs

    20“Now as for you, of Man, your ‘s children keep gathering together to talk about you beside the walls and at the doorway to their houses. Everyone tells one another, ‘Please come! Let’s go what the Lord has to say.’ 31Then they come to you as a group, sit down right in front of you as if they were my people, hear your words—and then they don’t do what you say—because they’re seeking only their own desires, they pursue ill-gotten profits, and they keep following their own self-interests. 32As far as they are concerned, you sing romantic songs with a beautiful voice and play a musical instrument well. They’ll listen to what you have to say, but they won’t put it into practice! 33When all of this comes about—and you can be sure that it will!—they’ll that a prophet has been in their midst.”

    Ezekiel 33:30-33 (ISV)

    If you’ve been a Christian for a length of time, you’ve probably experienced heated discussions (or just overheard) on the appropriateness of certain songs or instruments (or for some any instruments or songs). There has been an ongoing focus on paid performance worship, which isn’t the reality for most churches.

    Most churches do not have recording artists (or recording artist worthy) musicians or singers. Some do, and are blessed.

    It’s not just the music and songs. In the Protestant circles—even in the Lutheran, Anglican, Presbyterian, and Methodist traditions—there has been a sometimes pathological (hyperbole) hatred of anything even vaguely resembling stereotypical Roman Catholic services; whether it is incense, garments, candles, colors, keeling (or kneelers), crossing oneself, and so on.

    Read the words from Ezekiel again. What is your perception of what worship is? Is “seeking only (your) own desires”? Are they romantic (like much of Christian music, these days) with great voices and well played instruments?

    I have nothing against good playing and singing. I am my own worst critic in regard to that. Partially, I think, because I am my own worst critic, I have to myself, what is the purpose of our gatherings (in particular, on Sundays)?

    Is it romance? I can be caught up in it, too. Yet, we aren’t called to only enjoy well played and sung songs. We aren’t only called to have a few songs, a (or even ten!), a sermon, a remembrance meal (i.e., Communion/Eucharist), and a benediction.

    We are called…perhaps, better said, commanded to put it into practice. If you go to a weekly (Sunday or whenever) gathering, a Bible study or discussion group, sing a dozen Christians songs a day…and don’t put it into practice…then Ezekiel’s words are for you. If think Ezekiel’s words don’t apply to you, then you still need them as a warning, to make sure that the words continue to not apply to you.

    ※Reflection※

    • What is an essential for you (This is your personal answer, not a test.) to experience proper worship? Why do you think that is? How does that fit (or not) into Ezekiel’s words?
    • Do you think that there is a disconnect between what you hear and participate in for your weekly (e.g., Sunday) gathering, and what you do the remaining 167 hours (approximately) of the week?

    ※Prayer※

    God, as we ponder what it means to rightly worship and you, please guide our thoughts and that we might be better today than yesterday at putting our actions at the center of worship. Amen.

  • You Stink!

    You Stink!

    Psalm 50:1–6; 1 Kings 11:26–40; 2 Corinthians 2:12–17

    “You stink,” is not a compliment. In an era when most people bathe daily, human body odor has become almost offensive (exceptions being hard labor and workouts).

    It is quite probable that you have smelled a skunk long before you saw it (if you saw it). The burning sensation is…unique. You could also have driven behind an older car that is burning too much gas or oil, or behind a diesel with its distinctive smell. You know what is coming (or what you’re following) by the smell.

    ‘s evocative imagery was meant to remind all of those in the Corinthian of . Whether they were Gentile or Jew, incense was used in religious observances. Such a smell was always intended to incite religious fervor. The smell was to “remind” people that God is (or gods were) near.

    • As we think of ourselves as the incense of Christ, what might/should happen around us as we walk in the world?

    Asking that question is important, as Paul then leaps to someplace uncomfortable. We want to be the “pleasing” incense that humanity finds enjoyable, and wants to partake in. Paul reminds us that the greatest smell to us may smell like to others.

    It is startling to think that if we truly are the incense of Christ (the Living One, the Living Water, the of the World), we smell like…death. We should smell like life! We do…just not to the dying.

    Paul isn’t talking about our corporeal death. He’s talking about spiritual death. In other words, to those whose current path is aimed toward Hell, we smell like death. To those whose current path is aimed toward Heaven, we smell like life.

    Where this gets interesting (and raises questions) is when we get to passages such as this one in 1 Kings. Solomon was following other gods (granted, at the behest of his too many wives/concubines). Jeroboam was going down the insurrection road. While Jeroboam was by God, it seems, on the other hand, Jeroboam followed God just long enough to take control of “his” 10 tribes, and then did worse than Solomon or Rehoboam (Solomon’s son).

    While Solomon is still revered as a wise man, he didn’t follow God wholeheartedly. We don’t if God smelled of death or life to Solomon. We can say the same about Jeroboam and Rehoboam.

    On a slightly darker train of thought is whether God smells like death or life to us. This may seem to be an easy answer but look at Solomon. Look also at the Corinthian church. They had lots of troubles. We don’t know which people “smelled” God as life or death.

    ※Further Reflection※

    • How does one know (versus ) one “smells” God as life?
    • How might a man whose wisdom was supernaturally gifted by God get so confused? What does that teach (or warn) us?

    ※Prayer※

    God, you are the very of our lives. Let us breathe in your grace and breathe out your . Amen.

  • Funny Smelling

    Funny Smelling

    Exodus 30:22–38; Acts 22:2–16

    Have you ever had the experience of a particular smell, either good or bad, that triggers memories? There are a number of smells that will trigger memories of my grandparents’ house. My daughter has also shared experiences where certain smells trigger her memories, and they are often of her grandma’s house (my mom).In many respects, the smells from my childhood create almost a homesickness. There was something deeply contentful about those smells and the feelings invoked. I can’t imagine not having them.

    God provided a recipe for a very special—a —. So special that it’s only time of use was in the temple. It was just incense. Incense is nothing special.

    God made it so. Likely, it was set apart so that the smell became associated with the God and being in God’s .

    Imagine a rough, horrible day that you found nothing good in. Because you have to, and only because you have to culturally, you go to the temple. You smell the incense. If you’re like me, that smell would trigger the response, God is here.

    Because incense was a familiar thing, this special recipe had to be , so that even the common could be holy.

    Sometimes normal things, sometimes odd things, sometimes even people who are the “enemy” are set aside to do God’s will.

    was the enemy, until he wasn’t. Paul was going about his normal business, and then Jesus came to him in a vision.

    While it might seem strange to combine the Law of incense with the story of Paul’s call, the reality is that God often defies our logic. God sees beyond the human vision that we have. Paul, in many respects, was transformed from the “common” (the Law abiding Jew) to the “uncommon” (called by Jesus). Paul’s very life became the startling transformation from persecutor to proclaimer.

    Just as being set aside, the “common” incense became uncommon, and thus a testimony of God and to God’s presence. So, too, Paul’s life became the transformative testimony (even without words) of what God can do for the world, if the world chooses to .

    ※Reflection※

    In your life, has there been any common thing that has become a symbol of God (or God’s presence) for you? Why?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, you have called to follow you. Help us to be willing to be uncomfortable in that call. You have not called us to an easy life. You have called us to a life in you. Give us your , , grace, and most of all, courage, to be the light. Amen.

  • Loving Intercession

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

    was used as part of the priests’ daily 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 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 . The author informs us that Jesus Christ [perfect, of God, Son of Man, , begotten of the ] has now taken the role of the ritual priest, and by his very nature and 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 . 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 not to die—chose to die to take your punishment, death?

  • Let Them Loose

    Psalm 105:1-22, Romans 1:18–32, Ezekiel 20:39–44

    They were given over. God let them loose. Whether it was the Israelites or , God let them loose.

    The world is a very bad place. People hate. People steal. People lie. All sorts of things and behaviors are just wrong. God let it be.

    When writes to the Romans there is obviously an echo of God’s words to the Israelites (via Ezekiel). “Okay. Have it your way. There is an open offer of the good , just come with me.”

    In our current culture, there is a heightened to Romans 1:26—27. However, the True and harsh reality is that this is only a piece of the puzzle. It only a square on the twisted and -filled quilt that makes up humanity. Look at all the other issues. Are you guilty of none of these?

    Yet, despite being freed to do wrong (to ourselves, , and God), there is still an open door. Even when God tells the Israelites, “fine, go,” there is something more. They—not bulls, not goats, not , not lamps, not doves, not wheat, not wine, not —will be God’s pleasing aroma. So much of the sacrificial system had “pleasing aroma” attached to it that this is not insignificant.

    The Israelites would one day to God in , even though they willingly walked away. God calls each of us, too, the same way.

    1) Why did God let people go do what they wanted?

    2) Most parents would not willingly allow their children to go astray. Why do you think God appears to? Does God really willingly allow this?

    3) In general, freedom is poorly misunderstood and poorly used. How do you see that reality around you?

  • Bringing Gifts

    Matthew 2:1–12, John 12:1–11

    The Magi’s visiting presented 3 gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh. Often they are respectively tied to Jesus’ roles as king, prophet/priest, sacrifice/savior. How accurate that is may be questioned. That they were costly and significant gifts is not questionable. Gold is gold. We all have a pretty good idea about it. Frankincense is an aromatic plant often used in , including Jewish incense (Exodus 30:34-38). It is also used in perfumes. The fact that it was a key component of the temple incense is what leads many to conclude that its gifting is symbolic of Jesus’ priestly and prophetic role. Myrrh is another plant. It was used as a perfume and incense (too), stimulant, anointing oil, and embalming. The last two uses are where the sacrifice/savior symbology is assumed. Whether this was intended symbology is not the issue at hand. These magi would have had important positions at home. They would have not brought a small amount of any of these things. Providing these gifts was expected, and being stingy in those gifts was not culturally or politically practiced. We should think of the magi as representatives (or ambassadors). Put on a good show to increase the prestige of your home country.

    Why the focus on the magi and their gifts? To show just how significant Mary’s was. We don’t know a lot about Lazarus and his sisters, other than Jesus was likely a more common visitor than the convey. We also know that Lazarus—due to his rising from the dead—was a person of concern (John 12:9–11) for the religious leaders, as his continued presence was apparently adding to Jesus’ stature as prophet and Messiah.

    Let’s look at Judas, too. John gives him a good poke, but let’s be honest with ourselves, we have a bit of Judas in us, especially when it comes to “church” money. The expectation that the church does not spend frivolously is a strong tendency in us all, with the Puritan expectation ingrained in us of financially barebones ministry. The “wastefulness” of Mary’s “” would definitely cause some trouble in today’s churches.

    Mary wasn’t worried about the wastefulness. What motivated her is her of Jesus. Her love was reflected in Jesus’ response. Jesus’ followers made sure that her story is still told after almost 2000 years. Maybe that gift wasn’t a waste?

    1) Thinking about what is to come (Holy Week), what aspects in this story do you see played out?

    2) Poking the bear…what are your thoughts of Judas versus Mary (taking Judas’ out of it) and how churches and ministries spend money?

    3) We often don’t think of the ongoing presence of those touched by Jesus’ miracles (e.g., Lazarus) as adding to the validation of his ministry, and what the impact was on their lives. What do you think their lives were like during Jesus’ ministry and after his /?