Devotion.al

Tag: love

  • Kneel

    Kneel

    Matthew 16:21–28; Mark 14:32–42 (read online ⧉)

    Peter was concerned about the kingdom here on earth, not the kingdom that was ushering in. Jesus would have nothing to do with that thinking. Jesus chose the will of God the over his earthly will. It’s not as if the human side of Jesus wasn’t tempted. Remember, Jesus was tempted in all ways.

    It is not accidental that a few short verses later that Jesus spoke about his disciples (e.g., Peter) having to deny themselves for the cross. By invoking the cross, it isn’t the pretty crosses many of us wear. It was the ugly cross. You died in misery, publicly, naked, and it started with you carrying the very thing upon which you died. It was shameful and for rebels. That was merely the Roman side. For the Jews, a person who died on a tree was cursed by God (Deuteronomy 21:22–23).

    Therefore, Jesus tying the cross to must have come as quite a shock. Jesus was all but promising that his “true” followers would have to willingly pick up their own means of execution and shame, and be cursed. The disciples found that encouraging…right?

    When we gloss over the cross when we read about losing lives then gaining, we can miss the significance of what it means. It isn’t just about the cross. It isn’t just about the humiliation. It isn’t just about the .

    It’s about submission.

    Submission is a hard word, especially for many Americans who value their individual liberties. Submission, or the lack thereof, may be why we are seeing what we are seeing right now. This is not about the submission of one skin color to another. This is not about the submission of one culture to another (though there is a bit of that). This is certainly not about submission to the government (though there is a response to that).

    This is about submission to Jesus Christ and then mutual loving submission to fellow believers in and followers of Jesus Christ.

    How this is to be practiced is hard. It’s really hard to figure out, especially with the focus on individuality and individual liberty that the United States (and Western Culture as a whole) is so obsessed with. We often view our submission as if the “other” person wins and we lose. That isn’t Jesus’ way.

    When we lose, we win. When we submit in Christian love and mutual Christian submission, we submit to Jesus Christ, who submitted to us, by dying for our .

    ※※

    Jesus, as we look to you as our example, help us to surrender ourselves to your authority. As we submit, help our hearts know that the person we submit to already died for us that we might be whole. Amen.

    ※※

    1) As a Christian, who might you have to submit to in Christian love and ?

    2) Can a “worldly” Christian submit to ?

    3) While submitting to Christians should be (relatively) easy, why is it so hard? What about submitting to people of the world?

  • Will You Follow

    Will You Follow

    Matthew 8:5–13; Matthew 8:18–23; 1 Corinthians 12:12–28 (read online ⧉)

    Amazingly…no, really…amazingly…people aren’t perfect.

    Leaders are people. Therefore, leaders aren’t perfect.

    Yet, when we look at our leaders, whether they are political, corporate, or church leaders, we often expect perfection. Political leaders are the most afflicted with this. It often takes only one mistake (or even just a difference in perspective) and a political leader’s career is over. Corporations are somewhat more resilient in that regard, yet with the increasing weight of social media and the 24-hour news cycle, even corporations are behaving in such a way.

    While, mercifully, a lot more grace is shown in church circles, a leader’s failures can tank everything. This is not to say that criminal or unChristian behavior should be allowed, just that the do have a way to deal with that.

    The ultimate danger, though, becomes both fear of failure and fear to try something new. This is often lived out with the infamous phrase, “we’ve never done it that way before.”

    There are several kinds of leaders out there. There are two big ones in the church. One of the big leader types is the manager/maintainer. This is the person that seeks to maintain the status quo. Often portrayed negatively, they are often the ones that keep people from going off the rails.

    There are the visionary leaders. These are the people that break things, all for the right reasons (hopefully), but breaking hurts, because often it is things we’ve (unknowingly) setup as idols that get broken.

    There are 3 other character traits, though, that deeply affect the culture of the church, leaders, and even of our lives. First is the follower. Most of us follow at least somewhat, and followers are for tomorrow. For now, let’s talk about rebels and mavericks. This was great insight provided by Larry Walkemeyer.

    Often the church views the mavericks and the rebels as the same. On the surface, that may well be true. It certainly would seem to fit with the things they often break.

    However, the rebel (such as the family leaders from yesterday’s readings) is in it to achieve something for themselves, almost always at a cost to , and importantly will neither report nor submit to authority. For the church, whose Savior submitted unto death, a lack of submission is often a sign of spiritual immaturity.

    The maverick, on the other hand, is there to achieve something, and it might even be gratifying. However, if the cost is others, then they are open to correction. Mavericks also, despite their independent and solo tendencies, will submit to authority. The church needs a lot more mavericks. However, mavericks, oddly enough, need to put themselves within a framework so that there are limits and responsibilities. However, as their spiritual maturity deepens, the limits are removed, and they can shake the world.

    Lastly, though, is the part where there are two problems. Those in authority often like neither rebels (which is understandable) or mavericks. Thus they limit the catalyst for change. In addition, leaders also must be able to admit that they were wrong regularly and openly, and church culture doesn’t like that much, let alone the leaders. Thus the mavericks are turned into rebels by those who dislike challenge and/or change.

    Church and Christian leadership starts with submission to Jesus Christ, the , and God the Father (not necessarily in that order). Without that submission, one of the biggest points is missed.

    ※Prayer※

    Oh, God, you have called us to be humble, and we often fail at that. You us to yield our will to yours, and we often fail at that. You us despite our failings, and for that, we you . As we walk through this with our fellow Christians, help us to submit to you and to one another in love. Amen.

    ※※

    1) Have you ever seen a “rebel” leader? What was the context? What was the result?

    2) Have you ever seen a “maverick” leader? What was the context? What was the result?

    3) Why is perfection the enemy of leadership? How does that apply to our lives?

  • Dividing Teaching

    Dividing Teaching

    Galatians 4:12–20; 2 Peter 1:16–2:3; 1 John 4:1–6 (read online ⧉)

    While yesterday’s devotional was about the doctrine (and reality) of the Trinity, this isn’t the only issues that face Christians as they try to True teaching versus false. While many divisions in the church have been over interpretation and out of certain pieces of the Christian life, most (over time) have been discovered to not be heretical. While there are heretical tendencies in some denominations, by-and-large there are core beliefs that we hold in common.

    While the Trinity certainly is a crucial one, it is a doctrinal one, meaning that for most people it is not part of the rubber-meets-the-road of their daily life. It is usually the daily life parts that will affect a person’s Christian walk more than other things.

    In his letter to the Galatians, Paul is addressing the constant battle going on with people trying to bring into force the Law of the Jews. This is not a fight against teaching and helpful traditions, but the thought that only proper execution of the Law will result in salvation. In other words, the free and -filled gift of Jesus’ death and was null-and-void. Paul didn’t want the Galatians to fall into that trap.

    Except they did. It was so bad that the Galatians who used to honor (or “bless”) Paul now—according to Paul—viewed Paul as an enemy. What a ! A man they honored was now an adversary in their hearts.

    Peter knew that this was an issue, and not just with the Galatians. He warned the church that there have always been and will continue to be false teachers. Amazingly and similarly to Paul’s concerns, one of the concerns is that Christians would begin to deny Jesus Christ. As Peter continues, I’m sure many of us have seen things that would seem to fall within his list.

    This leads us to John, who urges us to test the spirits. First and foremost, we have God (the Father), Jesus, and the Holy [all 3 being the Trinity]. Then Jesus died for all on the cross and was resurrected, to free us from sin (including the Law). There is also the spirit of love and unity. Truly, when we are confronted with someone whose path is in opposition to these (and a few excluded for simplicity and brevity), we are indeed able to discern where the false teachers are.

    We are blessed that those that went before us went through the pain and of false teachers, for we can learn from them. As the church begins to head (very slowly) toward a form of reunification, there will continue to be people that will seek to divide the church further and try to keep it separated. Jesus calls us to be one.

    ※Prayer※

    God, you gifted us the Holy Spirit, so that we would not be led astray. Lord, help us to trust your Word over our desires, that we might finish strong to the . Amen.

    ※※

    1) Why is unity hard? What is your responsibility in maintain and seeking unity?

    2) Why is unity significant in regard to false teachers and prophets?

    3) Have you ever met or dealt with people whose teachings divided the Body over either false doctrine or teachings that are not essential for salvation?

  • Humble Feasting

    Humble Feasting

    Mark 7:1–8; Mark 12:38–40; Luke 14:7–14 (read online ⧉)

    To some degree, we all have a desire to be needed, acknowledged, valued, and heard. Often these are decried as pride. Yet, research (and life) consistently show that a child who is acknowledged, valued, and heard (and even needed to a degree) will grow up emotionally healthier than those who lack these things. Yet, if they are over-acknowledged, -valued, -heard, -needed (helicopter-parents, anyone?), they also grow up unhealthy emotionally. There is a balance.

    One of the biggest indicators of a healthy measure of need, acknowledgment, value, and being heard is whether a person is satisfied at the cost of others or not. This isn’t a zero-sum game. It is quite possible to be valued and not devalue others.

    When the Pharisees and scribes challenged Jesus’ disciples’ lack of washing, they were elevating their understanding of the Scriptures and traditions of the elders over God and the people. God had set the boundaries, but the elders put a bigger “fence” around the original Law in an attempt to “protect” the Law and the of God as if either the Law or God needed it. The larger issue was that the fence was a huge burden to people, and wore down their hearts and souls. This was, in effect, bullying of the weak.

    Jesus’ perspective becomes more apparent later on when Jesus’ assault on the behavioral patterns towards widows, and toward others. Their expectations of how they were to be treated were over and above what they should be expecting, especially as their expectations would often happen to the detriment of others, especially those for whom they were supposed to care for. Their desires and expectations were certainly unhealthy for everyone, even themselves.

    In the parable of the feast, Jesus notes that people will often rate themselves higher than they ought. It wasn’t just a matter of wealth or privilege, it was who was valued by their with the host. It was, honestly, also who could do the most for the host. Which is why Jesus addressed that, too.

    The reality is that we are all in places where we could overvalue ourselves, and place ourselves in our own harm’s way. There is also the chance that we do not value ourselves as highly as others (though we have to be careful about false humility, too).

    In the conversations of today, whether we are talking about race, gender, equality (of varying sorts), politics, humility is where the begins. None of us is the Savior. There is only one person in that role.

    ※ [Cheryce Rampersad]※

    Heavenly Father, I come before Your throne of and to ask that You bring humility into my life. Allow me to not be filled with pride, , or boastful gestures toward those around me. Let my heart be filled with , , peace, and happiness for my fellow men. [Amen]

    ※Questions※

    1) Have you ever had the experience of publically being knocked down a peg or two? Was it justified? Does that matter? How did you feel?

    2) Were you ever honored or valued publically beyond what you thought you deserved or expected? What was that like?

    3) Why is it important to be humble (maybe even pray for humility) before having a deep or significant conversation with a person with whom you believe you or have had different experiences than?

  • Shear Time

    Shear Time

    Psalm 122; Isaiah 61:1–9; John 15:1–8 (read online ⧉)

    The year of the Lord’s is probably not this year. The ever-changing nature of this year, and all the odd and bad things that are going on would in no way seem to be the harbinger of the Lord’s favor.

    What if, however, we are looking at it wrong? Perhaps instead of looking at the disasters and troubles, we should be looking for God. Who or what is God stirring around us? If we become too obsessed with the world, we could miss God.

    This is not to say don’t pay attention to the world. In fact, part of the words of Isaiah is exactly why we should be looking for God in : good news, heal, liberty, , (even) vengeance, comfort, crown, festive.

    This is not to say that God desires bad things. God will use the bad things (whether natural or human depravity) to mold and if we seek God. If we are not seeking God in these things and through these things, we are far more likely to have hearts that become harder and more resistant to , whether it is being or loving .

    Isaiah’s words aren’t necessarily comfortable, either, especially to those who are in or who have advantages (even if they are unaware). God doesn’t seek, necessarily, to make us comfortable (though God will comfort us). God seeks to us from the inside out. Often, though, we only change (or seek change) under stress. Well, there’s plenty of stress now.

    Rejoice in suffering because God is with us. Not because it’s fun.

    When we are part of the vine (Jesus Christ), we’re going to be pruned. Whether it’s our biases, our fears, our (non-Godly) allegiances, God will prune them. We will often try to graft them back on, and in so doing we are susceptible to diseases of the soul. A diseased branch will be tossed into the .

    It is beyond our capabilities to see what fruit we could bear once God is done pruning us. God, though, is the great vinedresser and will seek the maximization of fruit, not our destruction. We just feel that way sometimes.

    There is a running joke out there…what was the worst purchase in 2019? A 2020 planner. There is so much going on that is unexpected, and for which we are unprepared. Instead of groaning or burying our head in the sand, let us embrace the opportunity to be formed by God into his image of us (our unique expression of the Imago Dei).

    ※Prayer [Billy Graham]※

    Lord, whatever I have to face, through it let me learn more of Your love and compassion. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) Is anything new being added to God’s pruning list for you? If not, why do you think that is?

    2) What is the best side-effect when looking for God’s movement in times of suffering and trial?

    3) How does suffering lead to a “Year of the Lord’s Favor”?

  • Despairing Flames of Joy

    Despairing Flames of Joy

    Ecclesiastes 3:16–4:3; Job 3:1–26 (read online ⧉)

    Let’s be honest, Ecclesiastes is not the most uplifting book of the bible. In many respects, it can be a bigger downer than the story of Job. Both books are generally put under (along with Proverbs) the category of wisdom literature.

    Wisdom literature often doesn’t seek (though people search wisdom literature for it). Wisdom literature seeks understanding. That would seem to be the same thing, yet if we look at all the clicks a person makes on their computers or on Facebook, we know things about them, but it does not mean we understand them.

    The hard thing about Ecclesiastes is that the writer (“the Teacher”) is quite willing to confront the darkness of the world, facing it head-on. Most of us would prefer to avoid the darkness of the world, and so such writers make us uncomfortable. This is a good thing.

    It is for times such as this, that wisdom literature may help us. Wisdom literature won’t hand us the cure (whether for disease or depravity). Wisdom literature can help us step back from our immediate responses and reactions, and help us to develop a framework with which to handle reality.

    Ecclesiastes 3:16 begins with the presence of wickedness where and are supposed to prevail. It is not just with police brutality. It is not just with racism. It is not just with the distribution of wealth. It is not just with misogyny. It is with humanity.

    This is not a paean to make us feel better about ourselves or to deaden anyone’s anger, frustration, , or fear in the drama that is 2020. This might, might, be the straw that finally breaks the camels back, and brings Christianity where it needs to be, on our knees in , supplication, confession, remorse, celebration, and reverence.

    Seems to be an odd mix? That is the beauty of wisdom literature. Conclusions drawn from it, just like in life, are not always easy to put in a .

    As the Teacher seems to envy the dead and the neverborn, Job wishes that the day of his birth had never come. Similar to George in It’s a Wonderful Life, Job believed that it would have been better were he never to have been born. This is often the of in our lives, as it was in Job’s.

    “When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: fear God and keep his commands, because this is for all humanity.” —Ecclesiastes 12:13

    “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.” —Acts 4:12

    Often, it is these two verses that can keep despair at bay. The passage from Ecclesiastes is the conclusion of this book of wisdom. The passage from Acts was Peter’s first public sermon and strong proclamation of the Gospel.

    When lost in despair, or tending toward despair, God remains steadfast.

    ※Prayer※

    God, thank you for your steadfast love for all Creation. Help us rely and trust in that. May we look at our fellow humans as people who are looking (whether they know it or not) for the wisdom that only you can provide. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) How is your soul in this turmoil?

    2) How do you view your fellow humans at this point?

    3) How do you attempt to redeem the darkness of yourself and your fellow humans?

  • Forward

    Forward

    Job 1:1–5; 2 Corinthians 1:8–14 (read online ⧉)

    The story of Job is a famous story. It seems to be a story of a man going through unjust trials and misery. Job is often used in times of trial as a sort of encouragement, as if to say, if it could happen to Job, it can happen to you.

    Job, depending on translation, was a person of complete integrity or blameless and upright. Either one is hard for us to measure up to. How many of us, truly, would think of ourselves as being of complete integrity?

    During an interview, the question was asked of the interviewee, “are you honest?” The interviewee said, “yes.” The interviewer then asked, “have you ever lied or stolen?” The interviewee answered, “yes.” The interviewer then asked, “are you honest?” The interviewee again answered, “yes.”

    The test was not whether the person was honest, per se. Rather, it was if they had the integrity to answer the “ever lied or stolen” question with a “yes.” If they had answered, “no” to that question, the interview would have been over, for no one (other than , and perhaps Job) was that good of a person.

    When we read the story of Job, the story isn’t about Job’s “greatness” or “”. The story is about Job’s faithfulness to God. Despite all his troubles, he never gave up on God, even when his wife told him to.

    While God is always faithful, we often are not. It is our faithfulness, though, that intimately affects our individual life. When and Timothy were going through a period of affliction, Paul noted that they received from God. Note the language that Paul used; overwhelmed beyond their own strength. By whose strength, then, could they succeed? God’s, of course.

    Paul’s faithfulness to God was rewarded with the strength to carry on. Except, reward is not exactly correct. We all have this exact strength available to us, too. Through our trials and tribulations, through COVID-19 and riots, we have the strength to persevere.

    However, many Christians do not believe they have that power. That is the work of the adversary. The adversary isn’t necessarily the Devil either. The world, in this instance, can be the adversary, too. As the world (all of Creation) languishes in the results of broken (), it cannot understand how to overcome. It is lost in despair.

    Christians often succumb to that despair. Instead of faithfulness to God, they attribute to themselves (and often to God) the faithlessness of broken .

    ※Prayer※

    As a mother bird gathers her young in her wings, so you do for us, oh, God. May we trust the warmth and of your wings, as they gather us , and help us to trust that you are for us. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) What are symptoms of despair that you see in the world? How about yourself?

    2) What are ways that we can help strengthen their hearts against despair?

    3) How does despair affect things like hatred, discord, and the like?

  • NIMBY

    NIMBY

    Zechariah 7:8–12; Matthew 4:25–5:13; Luke 10:25–29 (read online ⧉)

    was only 2 days ago. We should be being filled with the Holy eager to do God’s will and speak with God’s . With what has been happening, however, God’s voice may indeed be being spoken. It is being drowned out with violence, anger, hatred, , mourning, apathy.

    It is easy for many to cast aside those who are destroying places. There are many among them that are truly those who seek to stir up trouble. On the other hand, there are many among them that feel that the only way they will be listened to is through destruction. While many might decry that, the reality is that destruction is what sells.

    The Word that God gave Zechariah, “…make fair decisions…show faithful love…show …” We honestly fail at all of these, perhaps even on a daily basis. Due to cultural conditioning what is fair or faithful or compassion may be drastically different person to person. It wouldn’t seem so, yet it is.

    The observation that God delivered to Zechariah is a warning to us all, “[they] turned a stubborn shoulder…closed their ears…hearts like a rock…”

    If we read the Beatitudes in the of Zechariah, they can take on the perspective of blessed are and of. In other words, being blessed is not enough. We must also bless . As we read the Beatitudes, we cannot just think of ourselves. We must also think of that which we are to do for others.

    This is, sadly, why the “expert in the law” asked a simple question, “who is my neighbor?” It is a simple question. It is also a simple answer. The answer isn’t, “my neighbor is…” The answer is, “I am a neighbor by…”

    ※Moravian prayer※

    Savior, with you we know good and evil. Help us do what we know as good and avoid evil, for with you, good will prevail. In your we pray. Amen.

    ※※

    1) Everyone you see on television and the internet is your neighbor. How will you be their neighbor?

    2) Why do we not want to be neighbors to others?

    3) What is the difference between being a Christian and being a neighbor?