Devotion.al

Tag: Jesus

  • The Shepherd’s Care

    The Shepherd’s Care

    Psalm 100; 2 Samuel 5:1–12; Luke 15:1–7

    In case you haven’t noticed, the theme for the week (Thursday through today, plus tomorrow) is sheep. Almost all the Scriptures reference sheep in some form or another. Without question, the sheep are the People of God. Even in Luke, is still using the sheep as a term for the Jews. As Christians, we understand that we have been adopted into the family of the all-loving God (though some of us are more dysfunctional than ).

    We might question being thought of as livestock, especially if you’ve had any experience with Soylent Green, Twilight Zone’s To Serve Man, Silence of the Lambs, Cloud Atlas, Make Room! Make Room! or Tender is the Flesh, or any of the real-life stories such as the Donner Party or Jeffrey Dahmer. While we have dystopian stories and real-life stories of people eating people, there is another type of eating of man that occurs, and that is the spiritual and emotional destruction that we often visit upon one another.

    Despite the philosophy and dreamings of the Ayn Rands of the world, no being can become fully human without being and cared for. This is the heart of the why the imagery of livestock. Not that God looks at us as livestock, but in the same way that humans look at their sheep and goats…unable to see the bigger picture. We cannot see the God-sized picture. The sheep and the goats could barely think beyond the grass in front of them. The sheep and goats had to rely on the .

    The shepherd kept them safe. The shepherd cared for them individually. The shepherd knew them by name.

    Take that concept into the elders of Israel coming to David and saying that he was their shepherd. Now, to be fair, most of them were probably not all that thrilled with David, at that point. Most of them had to follow Saul, who was now dead at the hands of the Philistines. They initially rejected David’s kingship, but then came to him.

    Perhaps, like me, you’ve been twisted into a cynical person. Perhaps, like me, you wonder if these leaders were conveying a slightly different message than, “you’re our shepherd.” Perhaps they were really saying, “we’re Israelites, too. Don’t take it out on us.”These verses in Samuel seemed more of the to justify or solidify David’s kingship. For it was not until Hiram of Tyre acknowledged David that we see that David perceived that the kingship was his.

    What is also interesting is that despite the leaders’ cynical statement (at least from my perspective), there was still . David was their shepherd. Verse 12 then ends with, “…Then David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel, and that his kingship was held in great honor for the sake of his people Israel.” And therein lies the underlying truth. It is for the people. It is for the herd. It is for the sheep.

    As we come to the New Testament, with Jesus as a descendent of the Davidic line, this shepherd and sheep motif takes on a completely different role. Jesus knows each of us by name, even those who hate or avoid him. He knows everyone by name. Jesus is the True Shepherd.

    ※Reflection※

    • From our (particularly) modern perspective, how is it bad to be a sheep? From a Christological perspective, how is it good to be a sheep?
    • How and/or why do you think being a sheep went from positive to negative?
    • What lesson can we from the motives of David and the elders (regarding being sheep and shepherd) in comparison to the Truth of Jesus being the shepherd?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, we like sheep have gone astray time and time again. Guide us into the Truth and of your embrace. Amen.

  • In The Fold

    In The Fold

    Psalm 100; Zechariah 9:14–10:2; Acts 20:17–38

    Psalm 100 is used in some churches as a to . There have been a number of songs that have pulled their chorus and even the lyrics from this Psalm. It sounds so straightforward, but is it really?

    We are God’s people and his sheep. While we really don’t like being compared to sheep, this is the imagery that the people of the time understood. By being his sheep, there is the implication of belonging and being cared for. In this context, however, the next verse has some implications that we often miss.

    The “gate” of the sheepfold (where the sheep slept protected at night) was often the shepherd himself. So much so that the shepherd would often sleep in the entrance of the sheepfold to keep the sheep gathered, and to protect them from predators. As part of their entrance into the sheepfold, the shepherd would check them over.

    First, of course, confirm that the sheep entering are his. While the sheep knew the of “their” shepherd, it didn’t stop the wayward sheep (as they do wander) from joining the flock, especially if it got lost. Second, the shepherd would look for wounds or other signs of poor health. Lastly, the shepherd counted to make sure that all the sheep were there.

    Entering the gates, therefore, is not so simple.

    The sheep have to hear, recognize, and follow the voice of the shepherd. This can be quite difficult, especially in our day and age of so much noise. Definitely through , worship, and God’s (the Bible) we can hear the voice of the shepherd. Sometimes it can be something else. Regardless, if we are struggling hearing the voice of the shepherd, we need to work on that.

    The sheep also enter the gates with . Now, some artistic license may be here, but I imagine the sheep being not much different than cattle. Most cattle will low as they approach “home”. I imaging the sheep are bleating as the approach the sheepfold and as they enter. They are glad and relieved to be home and secure.

    In his translation of the , The Message, Eugene Peterson phrases it this way, “Enter with the password: ‘Thank you!’ Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him.” (Psalm 100:4, The Message)

    The concept of “Thank You” as a password through the gates is intriguing. It may imply that if we enter the gates without thanks, maybe we didn’t really enter in at all. Physically, maybe, but not in our hearts, where it truly matters.

    As much as it might seem wrong for there to be a password, at the same time we have all experienced a time of lackluster praise and/or worship because our hearts just weren’t there. Peterson’s words may not be so wrong.

    ※Reflection※

    • How often do you enter the “gates of praise” (whether , car, home, wherever) with “Thank you”? Why does “thank you” matter for your ‘s orientation?
    • How do you think God “checks” you as you enter the gates of praise? What report was God’s last check on you? How about last month?
    • What is your Godly health like? What are you doing to improve it?

    ※Prayer※

    Be our shepherd,  O Lord, and bless us with all good things that we may be refreshed with your overflowing cup and dwell in your house forever; through Christ our Lord. [Amen]

    Ludolph of Saxony, d. 1378

  • Undivide

    Psalm 23; Jeremiah 23:1–6; Ephesians 2:11–22; Mark 6:30–34, 53–56

    The words from Jeremiah were primarily aimed at the priests and religious leaders. They are hard words for we clergy, as they should be. Yet, they are no longer words solely for the clergy. As a part of the priesthood of believers, they are for you, too. It might seem odd though as you may not be aware of even having a flock.

    First, of course, is your family. However, for Christians, it expands far beyond the family. In fact, focusing too much on the family may blind us to our flock. Our flock may consist of coworkers, neighbors, even the staff of the restaurants you patronage.

    The flock of your care is much like the Ephesians that Paul wrote to. He noted that at one point they were alien to the and alien to God. They were not in with the Creator of the universe. In the current era, we need Jesus to break down the barrier of hatred that has been building up between the and the world. This is not to say that we have to crucify Christ once more. It does signify the importance of the sacrifice, and just how important this wall is, along with our responsibility to tear down as far as is in our power and capability.

    Our ability to work through this is similar to how Jesus saw the people who surrounded him. They had no shepherd. The world is much the same. Hence the tossing to and fro between this idea and that one.

    We cannot be the True Shepherd, but we can lead people to Him.

    One of the biggest ways is to be the healer. The world needs a lot of . The of politics is a big one. Yet, there is the reckoning with the failures and (yes) sins of those that went before us. There are many things that need to be healed, and many of them are not on the evening news or the 24-hour news channels because they are not dramatically bad.

    It is the little things in everyday lives that build up into large wounds that need healing. We see the big ones, but the reality is that the big ones were usually built on a bunch of little ones. Whether they were wounds in everyday or wounds made in the church, it doesn’t matter. Because of who the husband of the church is (Jesus), we the church have the ability, , and responsibility to heal the world.

    ※Reflection※

    • Why do you think each person of the church is called to be a shepherd?
    • Why is important for us to recognize our responsibility to help to heal the world?
    • What is one wound that you have that you see in the world, too? How might you help the world heal that wound? Would help through that wound help your own healing?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, we the of you, Our Shepherd. May we obediently follow your voice and your will. Amen.

  • Kick or Lift

    Kick or Lift

    Psalm 23; Jeremiah 12:1–13; Luke 18:35–43

    Understanding that we don’t know the whys and wherefores of is one step. Accepting it is another. Then the biggest step is not blaming God. Often blaming God is the easiest as it means we have no responsibility. It also means we have no control, so we are “spared”.Yet, deep down inside we feel the disconnect. That’s why we, even in our modern enlightened era are constantly trying to find the next “right” (and leaders). We strive against our hopes and fears that the next one will be the “right” one.

    Jeremiah summarizes all of these emotions with his anguished words to God. Jeremiah acknowledges that he (just like us) has no place to judge God. That doesn’t mean that Jeremiah doesn’t want to understand (just like us).

    Although it is not stated, God seems to starting with verse 5, asking Jeremiah how long he will strive against all that is coming. Then the verses continue about an inheritance that has been abandoned because of the it had committed. There is no in God’s words. There is heartbreak.

    A decision was made to turn against God; to go their own way.If they had been the blind man, calling for the mercy of God and meaning it. All things would have changed. The blind man was persistent in the face of contrary opinion. He asked for mercy. He received mercy. said it was his faith.

    If the inheritors had begged in faith for such mercy, they, too, could have been healed.

    ※Reflection※

    • Where in your life do you identify with Jeremiah?
    • Have you had any experience in your life similar to God’s in Jeremiah?
    • Have you experienced or witnessed a similar movement of faith, , and healing as the blind man?

    ※Prayer※

    God, we don’t see all the pieces. We know by faith that you are moving in the world. Help us to see your moving and the ability to it with . Amen.

  • Road Inheritance

    Road Inheritance

    Psalm 23; Jeremiah 10:1–16; Colossians 1:15–23

    Psalm 23:3 reads, in effect, “God helps and guides me along the paths that are best for me.” Note that it doesn’t say, “God will make me…” We choose to follow the guide, or we choose not to. That isn’t all that comforting, especially as we look around us. Free will is the ability to choose the wrong path.

    said, “Go in through the narrow gate. The gate that leads to destruction is broad and the road wide, so many people enter through it. 14 But the gate that leads to is narrow and the road difficult, so few people find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14) In today’s plethora of choice, it might be rewritten to say, “there are plenty of roads to choose, many of which are attractive, fun, enjoyable, and scratch our itches. However, the road to True Life is hard to find among all the options, and there is very little on the road that makes it attractive for the world to follow.” Or you could say that the “narrow road” is a one-lane road, and the broad road is an 8-billion+ lane one.

    The and its people, however, still remain too attracted to the “ways of the nations” and the “signs in the sky” (Jeremiah 10:2). Regardless of political affiliation or social issues or a myriad of other things, the Church gets distracted very easily. Now, this is not to say that the issues that the world face are not our concern. Quite the contrary. We are to look to Christ first so that we are equipped to bring , , , and reconciliation. Instead, we look to and the talking heads that of the issues of the world to guide us. This crosses (pun intended) all political and other ideological lines.

    What also comes of this is our inheritance. There just might be a reason why God speaks through Jeremiah of the unique inheritance of the descendants of Jacob. We are those spiritual descendants (not necessarily of blood), so we should be paying attention, too. Our inheritance is not the world’s, and for that, we should be thankful! If our inheritance is from God, it seems reasonable to not want any other inheritance.

    The deception is that in the world we see a “shadow” of Jesus. All of was made through him and for him (Colossians 1:16). This means that it is easy to be deceived, or deceive ourselves, that we are following the right path for even the wrong paths have a shadow of Jesus. The skeptic (or the hopeful) might suggest this means that all paths lead to Jesus. Your shadow is an imperfect image of you that changes depending on the direction of the light source and the type of light source. It isn’t really you, just as the shadows of the world might look at times like Jesus, they really aren’t.

    ※Reflection※

    • What tensions do you see with Jesus loving the world, and the shadows of the world that may appear to look like Jesus?
    • What are some current issues/concerns of the world that appear to look like Jesus? How might those same issues not be like Jesus?

    ※Prayer※

    Jesus, stir in our hearts to claim and to share the inheritance that rust and moths cannot destroy. Amen.

  • And Now We Worship

    And Now We Worship

    Psalm 142; Amos 9:11–15; Luke 7:31–35

    As mentioned previously, Amos’ prophetic was to the Israelites, the nation of the 10 tribes that separated from Judah and Benjamin. As part of the “rebellion” the leader of the Israelites, Jeroboam, made 2 golden calves for local to protect his “kingship” from reverting to Judah and Jerusalem should the people of Israel choose to faithfully worship at the temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 12:26–33). He was quite successful.

    As the Temple had remained in Jerusalem, and the false worship at Bethel (gold calf), it seems strange to mentions the “tent of David”. The original Tent of Meeting was replaced by the Temple. The Temple in Jerusalem wasn’t destroyed. The temple of false worship in Bethel would fall in a few years due to an earthquake. The people of Israel no longer claimed David as one of their own (1 Kings 12:16–17).

    The best way to explain this is to understand the underlying message of Amos: false worship was separating the people of Israel permanently (by their actions, not God’s) from God. True/pure/heartfelt worship would reunite the people of Israel with God. In other words, the false temple won’t help you (and the implication that even the Temple in Jerusalem wouldn’t). Only being someone “after” God’s own would restore things as they ought to be. The message to the Israelites was, be David, a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).

    However, no matter how we slice it or define it, we will often worship that which isn’t God, thinking that it will bring us closer to God. Quite often it is behavior. And, while certain behaviors (repentance, love of God, worship of God) will, we all too often confuse which behaviors.

    Take ‘ words as shared by Luke. John the Baptist and Jesus the Prophet (yes, the Messiah, but for this point, we’ll leave it as prophet) didn’t fit into idealized behaviors that were expected. John wore uncomfortable clothing (a type worn by ascetics as a form of penance or self-denial), and ate “cakes” of dried honey and locusts (yum?). They said he had a demon. John the Baptist, for the record, was unique in his ministry, not his “taste” in clothing and food.

    The same people that questioned John the Baptist’s sanity, purity, and , used a completely different measurement tool for Jesus. Jesus dared to drink a lot (whether it was high alcohol or not was never the argument of his contemporaries), eat a lot (he was probably a popular guest), and spend time with the less socially advantaged.

    Bluntly, these almost word-for-word statements have been used by far too many Evangelicals (even the demon-one) against Christians of other traditions (and sometimes even within). Far too many worship (yes, worship) forms of worship and obedience far more than they worship God.

    There is, of course, a slippery slope. That, too, is an issue worth pointing out. If everything is allowed, then the holiness and of God are impinged upon. The freedom to do “whatever” is also often worshiped and causes its own troubles (Romans 5:20–6:14).

    Who, what, how we worship are all critical considerations for our lives of . We just need to be careful that which we call unrighteous (or otherwise inappropriate) worship is not because of the way we see it, rather than how God sees it.

    ※Reflection※

    • What does worshiping as a person after God’s own heart look like? How might it be different than your current practices? How might it be the same?
    • Why do we often overcomplicate the worship of God? What kind of actions have you experienced that have hampered your worship of God? Have those same actions been a vital part of another’s worship experience?
    • How does the worship in our hearts work with or against the worship of our actions (i.e., body)?

    ※Prayer※

    Glory to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could or imagine by his at work within us; glory to him in the and in Christ Jesus for all generations, forever and always. Amen. [Ephesians 3:20–21]

  • Rubble and Ruin

    Rubble and Ruin

    Psalm 142; Amos 9:1–4; Acts 23:12–35

    I don’t know about you, but I’m a little jaundiced about earthquakes. I grew up in Northern California. Earthquakes were… isn’t the word…to be expected. So much so, that the first earthquake my wife experiences was in the middle of the night. She woke me up in a panic, “Was that an earthquake!?” “Yes,” I responded sleepily and went back to sleep. The biggest earthquake I experienced was the Loma Prieta one. It was big. Things fell off shelves, but it was just an earthquake. Finally, my mom convinced me to turn on the radio. Then I figured it out. It was big.

    The coming earthquake in Amos was big. Unlike us who have a larger grasp of earthquakes and their reasons, ancient peoples had no such framework. Earthquakes were generational memories (and they didn’t live on the Rim of Fire, either). An earthquake was a momentous, God-sized event. According to scholars, the earthquake predicted in Amos happened around 2 years later and is mentioned in literature elsewhere in the region. The earthquake leveled a temple dedicated to gods other than God.

    The Israelites by this point were the 10 tribes of Israel that had separated from Judah and Benjamin. They had developed their own worship. While maintaining some concept of their original identity, during this particular era, they were a power of their own. The lowly southern tribes were nothing to them.

    Many years before near Bethel, a man had a dream. He dreamed of a “ladder of angels.” He had received a from God and a promise of descendants. He called the place Bethel. God called the man Israel (granted, that happened later). Where Jacob had the vision and received a promise to become a father of nations, now his descendants turned away from God. The dream was broken.

    The vision (that came true) of the destruction of the temple at Bethel sounds pretty severe. It was. That Amos’ call was to this showed that God was not truly done with Israel. God still wanted these descendants of Israel and Abraham. Abandoning of the dream, the , and the hope.

    was no Amos. For the Jews, he was something far worse. He destined change within the confines of their . Paul had no plan to be part of some new , but to be part of the ultimate fulfillment of the faith in which he was raised and trained. an assassination is the move of people who do not wish to be seen, or fear the strength of someone stronger (the Roman empire). The sad is that, yet again, the religious leaders were knowingly allowing, abetting, and therefore approving the murder of another. They could claim that they did not murder (and be truthful), but they could have stopped it. They chose not to.

    Whether Amos or Paul, speaking the words of God to people who don’t want to hear them (especially those that say they believe in the word of God) can be dangerous. Our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world deal with that very issue on a daily basis. While we dispute the (un)righteousness of a political party, president, or even nation, there are people that truly suffer for Jesus. This is not to say that our woes are minor, it is just a matter of .

    ※Reflection※

    • What “earthquakes” (life shattering events) have you experienced? These can be both good and bad.
    • Why do “bad things” happen to believing people? What makes Amos’ Israelites similar to the church (Christians)? What makes them different (besides Jesus)?
    • What actions (or inactions) have you committed (or omitted) that resembles the religious leaders who countenanced Paul’s assassination?

    ※Prayer※

    God, you move mountains. Often it is easier to move mountains than the hearts of humanity. Forgive our hearts of stone. Give us, day by day, new hearts that beat only for you. Amen.

  • Who Is For You

    Amos 7:7–15; Psalm 85:8–13; Ephesians 1:3–14; Mark 6:14–29

    There are many people in the world who have a person they focus on. That person could be an they look up to. That person could also be a person who was the source of a lot of or conflict. When there is such a person in our lives, we will often not see as important as that person, even when that person is more significant to others.

    There was very little to commend Herod. He wasn’t known as the best ruler. He definitely had some difficulties seeing the next step. Herodias probably wasn’t the only one who had Herod wrapped around her finger.

    Herod’s to was to claim that John the Baptist was raised from the dead. That’s more than a little weird unless John the Baptist was that singular person for Herod.

    It makes sense. John the Baptist apparently spoke to Herod quite a bit. Herod liked listening to him, but couldn’t understand him. Knowing the language that John used (“you brood of vipers” comes to mind), either Herod was clueless or John spoke to him differently, which seems unlikely.

    Herod also didn’t seem to understand what was going on in his territory. John the Baptist? He knew John. Jesus? Nope. We know later Herod got a clue, but at this point, it was John over Jesus.

    There are times where one person is “the” person. For a time and a place, they are the person to lead or to influence. Then their time is over. Generally, we that the next person will be younger, but not always.

    Whose time and place will have the greatest impact upon us will usually not be figured out until the time has passed.

    Often the person we think was the most influential is not the person we think it should be. For each of us, we often think it is Jesus. We have a hard time imagining John the Baptist outshining John the Baptist. Yet, for Herod—at that time—it was John the Baptist.

    ※Reflection※

    Who have been the influential people in your ? Were they the “important” people of the world? How did they influence you?