Devotion.al

Tag: Lent

  • To Live As Sacrifice

    To Live As Sacrifice

    Psalm 105:1–11, 37–45 Genesis 22:1–19; Hebrews 11:1–3, 13–19

    Post-traumatic stress is a real thing. There are many sources of trauma. We generally think of violence as the only source of trauma, but damaged relationships are equally the source of trauma for many individuals. Just like other forms of emotional scars, trauma may take years to heal if it ever does.

    Some people have been miraculously cured of the various issues of trauma. They are not the norm. Many of those that still suffer from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) don’t even recognize that they have it as they have not been taught how to perceive it.

    Often, we don’t recognize potential PTSD in the scriptures. We often put it aside or dismiss any possibilities because “they were real ‘men’” then. Reminds me of the stories of the ’50s, and how great everything was with families and gatherings. The dark side of that being the mass amount of that was consumed not so obviously. One could easily conclude that the mass consumption of alcohol was a “tool” to numb the of World War II’s PTSD.

    Imagine Isaac—the recipient of Abraham’s and expectation —when his ties him up and puts him on the woodpile intended for the sacrifice. The sole inheritor of Abraham and Sarah must have been shocked. He must have also felt betrayed. We can only imagine the effects that had on Isaac’s and Abraham’s .

    There may well have also been an impact on Isaac’s relationship with God. Many people feel betrayed by God because a loved one died, or because their isn’t what they want or imagined. Being a literal sacrifice to God didn’t seem to affect Isaac’s faith in God overall, but it’s hard to see how that didn’t color Isaac’s view of God either.

    Walking through life as “the almost sacrifice”. What a strange feeling, even at the end, that must have been.

    As Christians, we continually observe the sacrifice that Jesus Christ was for us and for all of humanity (and Creation). If Jesus Christ sacrificed his life for us, we too are almost a sacrifice.

    The Nation of Almost Sacrifices. What a fabulous ring it has to it! How could anyone not want to be part of that? Right? You just can’t to go there!

    Except the author of Hebrews notes that plenty of people died before the fulfillment of the Messiah. Many of them waited for the Messiah. Many of them were waiting for the first Nation of Israel. Others were waiting for the next Holy Nation of Israel. Some even today wait for the next Holy Nation of Israel.

    Waiting for God’s timing is indeed often a sacrifice. Sometimes it can be our pride (of nation, gender, profession, race, wealth) that needs to be sacrificed. Other times it is our assumptions that need to be sacrificed.

    The Walk often seems to be one of constant almost sacrifice. However, the almost isn’t one of, “I almost did it.” It is one of, “I surrendered it, and God gave it back.” So, no, we are not to be a nation of almost sacrifices. We are to be a nation that has sacrificed and sacrifices continually. This not a sacrifice of misery, but a sacrifice of to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords who sacrificed for us.

    ※Reflection※

    • What does sacrifice mean to you?
    • What does it mean to live as an almost sacrifice? What about an actual sacrifice? What about living a life of sacrifice?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, we often don’t know what it means to live sacrificially or to live a life of sacrifice. Help us to know the cross that is ours to pick up. Amen.

  • Before and After

    Before and After

    Psalm 105:1–11, 37–45; Genesis 21:1–7; Hebrews 1:8–12

    “Remember the wondrous works he has done…”

    It would be nice to say that part of the culture and religious practices of the Jews made them different than others. Christians don’t have that luxury. We are the spiritual descendants of Abraham. The wondrous works of God did not begin with the Cross, or even Jesus’ birth in the manger, they began with, “Let there .”

    Christianity, or perhaps we should say the Western European iteration of it (including the US and Canada), has broken much of that lineage. As the evangelical church “discovers” church traditions such as , it is starting to learn a little bit about church history.

    Most Western Christians probably know more about their respective country’s history (and other Western European countries’) history than they know of history except for where the two crossed. The history of the church around the world is as varied as the nations and the peoples it has impacted.

    All of history is filled with the “wondrous works he has done.” Too often, however, we think more about rather than God. We also forget that so many things (the sun rising, the full moon, the wind, our very ) are wondrous things, no matter how small and simple they appear to be.

    Isaac was Abraham’s and Sarah’s proof of God’s wondrous works (just as any child is). Sarah was held to account when she laughed when God’s messenger promised that Sarah would be pregnant. Abraham probably laughed when Sarah became pregnant and a was born. Maybe, just maybe, they named Isaac (he laughed) because they thought God had “the last laugh.”

    How we look to the past influences the . As the author of Hebrews quoted from Psalms, God is everlasting. The author of Hebrews (I cannot wait to confirm who wrote it) affirms that God is everlasting. Long after our history disappears, God will be there. Yet, that doesn’t absolve us from continually remembering what God has done.

    ※Reflection※

    What has God been doing in your life recently? Are any doors closing? Are any doors opening?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, we don’t know the future, and we are far too tied to the past we think we know, keeping the future bound to misunderstanding. Help us to open our eyes and to the future that you have for us while helping the past. Amen.

  • Passing It Off

    Genesis 17:1–7, 15–16; Romans 4:13–25; Mark 8:31–38

    I grew up with Richard Scarry books. One of my favorite stories was about the Bunny going to bed. As Daddy Bunny put each child to bed, each child shared their “” dream job. The last child said, “I’ll be what I’ll be,” and he dreamed to be a Daddy Bunny. Of course, my dad that I identified with that last child. One of my greatest honors is the fact that I am a dad.

    My wasn’t that my kids would be my (not the thought pattern of a child), but Abraham’s was. Culturally, a person without a legacy (and the legacy being children than other things) was close to worthless. Ishmael ( with a ) and Isaac (son with the wife) were it (at this point).  Not much of a legacy for the era.

    Yet, Abraham’s imputed was because he believed (trusted) God when God said that Abraham would be the of nations. This is why Paul centers on our inheritance through .

    Paul notes that we are Abraham’s legacy. We are Abraham’s children through faith, not (necessarily) by blood. While Paul is here dealing with the “inheritance” aspect of Jew versus Gentile, there are other aspects that we can examine.

    An inheritance is not “earned”. An inheritance is given. It is given by the person whose it is to the person (or people) whose it isn’t. Even when dealing with the how (blood or faith) of the inheritance, Paul overrides it all with the grace of the inheritance.

    ※Reflection※

    • Have you ever had an inheritance? Were you surprised by it?
    • What does having an inheritance from God mean to you? How is an inheritance from God different from an inheritance from a family member or someone else?

    ※Prayer※

    Gracious God, may we never view the inheritance we’ve been given as something we’ve earned or deserve. Amen.

  • What’s In A Name?

    What’s In A Name?

    Genesis 16:7–15; Mark 8:27–30

    Relational abuse is not something we should tolerate. This is with the understanding that abuse is the regular, deliberate intent to harm or diminish another. It’s important to address this based on Hagar’s statement to the Lord’s messenger.

    Based upon the Scriptures, Hagar presumed too much. As the first (Sarah being the other) person to conceive a child of Abraham, Hagar no longer viewed Sarah as deserving her . Culturally, this would be the “second wife” taking over the place of “the first” wife in the family. That would have been a move of significant dishonor. In a culture that highly values , it’s almost like killing Sarah (yes, that would be the significance of dishonoring). Sarah would not have taken that well.

    Hagar, on the other hand, would have likely viewed her (Hagar’s) place as being of greater honor due to conception. From Hagar’s viewpoint (honor and respect being integral), anything that Sarah did that “kept” Hagar in “her place” as second wife (even though a servant) would be insulting and harsh. From her , Hagar “earned” her new place as first wife.

    We have a hard time understanding this, as our enculturation includes monogamy.  It is critical when reading the Scriptures to understand where our culture (and thus understanding) doesn’t mesh with the culture(s) portrayed in the Scriptures.

    From a cultural standpoint, Hagar had betrayed the family. The messenger made no such accusation. The messenger just said, go back. The messenger also gave a to the son to be born…Ishmael (he hears). God heard Hagar and the son was named to bear witness to this .

    Assigning names is not a small thing. Names are both a beginning and an . Multiple times in the Scriptures, a person gains a new name after a significant (God) event. Thus, when asks his disciples (his friends) who do they say he is, Jesus is being vulnerable.

    We look at this passage knowing that Jesus is the Messiah, but when we think about it, when Jesus puts this question before the disciples, he is opening himself up to many things. The names/identities that the disciples say are saying would not have the full effect or import.

    One of the things that any of the identities/names that the disciples had put forth would, in some respects, diminish Jesus’ ministry. All of them were those that came before Jesus, so Jesus would have been “just” a repeat. They even brought up John the Baptist! Talk about a misunderstanding of God!

    Jesus’ vulnerability to being misnamed is significant on multiple fronts. It showed his effectiveness. The disciples (or at least Peter) correctly identified Jesus. This provides a greater perspective regarding what Jesus did before, and what he did after.

    “You are the Christ,” is similar to getting a new name. Something happened. In at least one ‘s eyes, Jesus wasn’t just a good religious man. Jesus went from friend to the hope for change and rescue. For Peter, it may have also been one of the hardest things. His friend became someone undeniably more than ordinary.

    ※Reflection※

    • What does your name mean to you? What did your name mean to your parents (if you know)?
    • What nicknames do you have for people you know? How about for people you don’t know (like that driver who encroached or cut you off)? What do these names mean?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, we have many names and titles in this world. Thank you for the one the surpasses them all, Child of God. Amen.

  • Is It Yours?

    Is It Yours?

    Genesis 16:1–6; Romans 4:1–12

    Abraham (Abram) did as his wife asked of him (the Hebrew translates to “beseech” or “pray”) and went to Hagar. Unlike Sarah (Sarai), Hagar becomes pregnant. As Sarah was focused on Abraham having children (perhaps more so than Abraham, it seems), you would think she would be satisfied. Of course, with a being the focus of the entire arrangement, it altered the relational structures. Now Sarah’s desires became in conflict with the implicit of Hagar and the son.

    Abraham would, of course, treat Hagar differently. He’d had intimate contact with her, and she was the mother of his son. Based on Abraham’s to Sarah, though, there was still a recognition that this was still not alright.

    In many respects, Abraham (even though he was honoring his wife’s plea) was unrighteous in what he did, at least from our . It was common at the time, though the do say, one man and one woman.

    Yet, Genesis records God considering Abraham as . brings it up, too. The key is that Abraham is credited as righteous (or as Paul states, made righteous). That doesn’t make Abraham righteous in one sense. God “made” or “considered” Abraham righteous, so Abraham was now righteous.

    Paul’s point is that we, like Abraham, are now righteous not because we are, but because we believe in Jesus Christ. It’s humbling—or it should be—that the that we (should) cling to is not ours. It is a of grace.

    ※Reflection※

    What is YOUR definition of righteousness? Is your definition of righteousness different for worldly “things” than it is for “Heavenly” things?

    ※Prayer※

    God, thank you for calling us righteous while we are still unrighteous. Thank you, , for working in us to make us more like we ought to be like…Jesus Christ. Amen.

  • All Are Called

    All Are Called

    Psalm 22:23–31; Genesis 15:1–6, 12–18; Romans 3:21–31

    You are by God. Yes, you. If you are reading this, and are not a believer in Jesus Christ, you are loved by God. If you are Jewish, and not a believer in Jesus Christ, you are part of God’s People. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you are a child of God.

    Whether non- Jew, Messianic Jew, or Christian, we are called to praise, , and stand in awe of God. Actually, we are all (believer or not) called to praise, honor, and stand in awe of God.

    All too often, though, modern people make judgments about God when they do not understand the significance of the stories. The story of Abraham and the smoking pot is a story of vast significance, especially when we talk about this passage in Romans.

    The symbolism of everything surrounding the smoking pot can be summarized. God made a with Abraham. Abraham made a covenant with God. The penalty for breaking the covenant: death. God took the place of Abraham and God as the covenanter who would pay the price upon violation of the covenant.

    “…God displayed Jesus as the place of sacrifice…”—Romans 3:25

    Sometimes writing too much takes away from the Scriptures. This is one of those times. Read again the passage from Romans with the or reminder that God had promised to die long before Israel (Jacob) was even born.

    ※Reflection※

    • What does this tell you about God?
    • What does this tell you about us?
    • What are you going to do with this?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, let us not forget that you knew the price of loving us while maintaining your . Thank you for your unending , , and . Amen.

  • Just the Right Size

    Just the Right Size

    Psalm 77; Proverbs 30:1–9; Matthew 4:1–11

    In Through the Looking Glass, Alice comes to a mushroom. Eating from one part of the mushroom causes her to turn into a giant. Eating from a different part she turns smaller than . She finally ate from the “right” part and returned to her normal size. Often our image of ourselves is too big or too small, and far too rarely (or for long enough) just right.

    The proper perspective of God and man is critical to our Christian walk. The improper perspective of God and man all too often leads to misunderstandings and walking (or running) from a saving with God.

    The rhetorical questions asked in Psalm 77:7–9 are often asked by people in trouble. They may not put “God” in the equation, but the question remains the same. God does not reject forever. God does not forget to be gracious. God’s faithful love never ends.

    Sometimes we these questions because we have lost perspective of ourselves in comparison to God. In such cases, we have also lost perspective of ourselves in comparison to the world. This does not mean that we are not allowed to have feelings. It is just that we must keep them in perspective.

    Then there is the other version of out of perspective. Agur calls himself the most stupid (or ) person in the world. Agur then also belittled himself. This view of being so little is just as bad as being too big.

    There is a balance, though we all vacillate from one extreme to another. It is part of our emotional condition. We just need to aim for the center (the balance), but accept that we will not maintain it, and to give ourselves when we can’t.

    often comes when we think too much or too little of ourselves. It is usually in those times of weakness (that we sometimes wrongly view as strength) that we have the greatest likelihood to succumb.

    As we read the Temptations of (which were not the only ones; they were just significant as it was the Tempter, the , who was doing it directly), we can see that if Jesus had had an out of balance perspective on his view of himself, he could have fallen. It could be argued that as Jesus is God, Jesus wouldn’t, but that doesn’t deny the reality of temptation.

    ※Reflection※

    • In whose words do you see more of yourself, the Psalmist or Agur?
    • Balance is a powerful and yet dangerous . How do you pursue balance without the pursuit harming or even destroying you?
    • What do you think of temptation being strongest when your perspective of yourself is wrong?

    ※Prayer※

    , guide our minds and hearts to keep ourselves “just the right size” as we look at your majesty, glory, and creations. Amen.

  • Shun To Death

    Shun To Death

    Psalm 77; Job 5:8–27; 1 Peter 3:8–18a

    evil. That seems straightforward. However, we beings often make it far too complicated. Or, even worse, we make it about .

    The life is not about others; it is about us. What we do, as the household of God, matters. Far too many people have taken words like Peter’s and turned them into bludgeons and daggers. People have taken these words and applied them to a world that is perishing. Instead, these words apply to us so that we do not continue down the road of the perishing.

    Part of the Lenten “” is the awareness of our mortality. In the COVID era, we are probably a bit more aware of it than we would “normally” be. Barring wartime, there isn’t as much of a focus on our imminent demise as there is now.

    Perhaps the church ought to be praising God for a whole year of , though that doesn’t make it easy. Our mortality, organization mortality, operational mortality, the of have all come. Small Businesses had struggled. Some have died. This is not something to be happy about. Many (but not all) big companies have become stronger. Again, though, Lent isn’t about business (though businesses like to sell it).

    Shunning evil and facing mortality (Lent) is for us.

    Yes, we want the world to come to know and follow ! Much of our worldliness needs to die for that to happen. Perhaps the deepest and hardest struggle we Christians have is, what of our worldliness needs to die?

    ※Reflection※

    • What worldliness of yours needs to die?
    • If you are on social media, look at what you share and like. Is it Christ-honoring/following, or is it worldly?
    • How do evaluate what is worldliness and what isn’t? Does your understanding match that of others? Why does it matter? Why doesn’t it matter?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, we know that our was nailed upon the cross. Help us discern the worldliness in our lives that needs to go with our sin. Amen.