Devotion.al

Tag: love

  • Hear the Roar

    Hear the Roar

    Psalm 85:8–13; Amos 3:1–12; Colossians 4:2–18

    The Psalm speaks of the land of Israel having God’s blessings. It needed it. God’s blessing was both a protection and a source of bounty. The gist is that if Israel’s people were being blessed by the land, including peace from war, bountiful crops, and growing families, then God should be at the forefront of the list of giving thanks.

    The US has long held itself (with some rationale) as a blessed and fertile land. Yes, there were blips (droughts—including the blight that was part of the Great Depression, blights, pests, etc). As a whole, however, the US continues to have bountifully producing lands. Historically, we have been relatively free from war and conflict. Our families could large if we wanted.

    Yet, a common refrain, especially during any so- culture wars/battles, is that things would get better if we returned to God wholeheartedly. The problem with that is that people see all the blessings, so are confused as to why they should be looking to God. That may have well the same issue with the Israelites.

    The refrain of returning to God is rising again. Most of us think only of the political “right” when it comes to that. It is true that many of the religious folks that are calling for a “ to God” are aligned to the “right” politically. However, there are voices on the political “left” that are also speaking prophetic language. Words such as “reckoning” are coming out. That’s a very Biblical concept. Those aligned politically on the “left” don’t use much religious language because the “right” appears to own it (they don’t), and will delegitimize those on the “left” who use religious language. However, for both “sides”, they actually have a similar vision…things will not work the way they have been.

    The political jostling distracts from the prophetic words coming from both “sides” of the political divide. That both agree (in different words, granted) that this is not as God intended should be something that everyone should be paying attention to…especially in the church. In an era that is becoming more politically rigidly divided, every prophetic bone in every Christian, along with the Spirit present in each one of us is screaming, “LOOK AT THIS!”

    In Amos, we see a picture of Israel that is so loved by God it had been—up to this point—able to avoid the natural punishment that had come to those around it. God’s love had kept them from the consequences. That protection was on its last legs. This is the roaring lion of Judah in Amos. It isn’t the lion that protects. It is the lion that warns.

    The lion is roaring, church! Are you listening?

    Once we listen, if we choose to, what then?

    Paul tells the church to wisely and to make the most of every opportunity to about and the Gospel. If you read that passage, verses 5 and 6 almost don’t seem to fit. In my imagination, I see Paul writing this letter from jail, and one of his jailers comes in and it clicks with Paul as he has been sharing with his jailers about Jesus that the Colossians should, too. That Paul seems to interrupt his chain of thought to mention this should wrap this in neon lights and glitter. All our sharp rhetoric and political bludgeoning aren’t how this is supposed to work…not for the church, at least. Sharp rhetoric and political bludgeoning are the way of the world.

    The lion is roaring, and we claim it’s at the culture, the system, etcetera. The lion is roaring at the church to say, “get to the work of the !”

    ※Reflection※

    • What do you see with your heart when you read the ? Do you take away something different?
    • How can prophetic voices from different political poles still speak prophetically to the church and the world and both be authentic?
    • Is there a particular issue that the lion roars for you? What is the human (not political) person like on the “opposite” side? Is it really opposition rather than perspective? (Advice: don’t let the politics deceive you about people)

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, we of your church have lost our prophetic with far more issues than we have retained. Guide our hearts to seek your will, to be your witnesses, and to be the needed prophetic voice to your bride—the church—and then to the world. Amen.

  • Know Justice. Know Peace.

    Know Justice. Know Peace.

    Psalm 85:8–13; Amos 2:6–16; Colossians 2:1–5

    Speaking to people often seems to be a lost cause. First, many people don’t want peace. Actually, many people don’t want peace. Oh, they want peace from war (most). That often is the most common form of “peace” we use in everyday language. There is another one that is often used in circles, usually used in the context of “being at peace.” Contented may be more accurate, but not always. However, peace is far more than no war.

    In Psalm 85:8 it is the Hebrew word shalom. The above English uses of peace fit into shalom. Shalom is far broader than that. Shalom includes: peace, well, peaceably, welfare, prosperity, safe, health, peaceable, completeness, soundness (in body), quiet, tranquillity, , , of human with God especially in , peace (from war). Many of the protests over the last year (and more) there were signs and shouted words of, “no , no peace.” There is Truth in that. Yet, because of the context where these words are spoken peace becomes something far less. The implication is that there will be protests (i.e., disruption, anger, more protests) until justice is done. When justice is done, there will be peace (i.e., no disruption, no anger, no protests).

    Except, for Christians and their Jewish “relatives”, the better phrasing should probably be, “know justice; know peace.” Or in more Godly language, “know justice; know shalom.” This is not a small distinction.

    Shalom implies a community unified around God (and often not our pet issues), where harmony and care for one another prevails. As alluded to in the opening paragraph, people often don’t want it. In particular, this is about getting our way and our stuff. Capitalism, Marxism, (Marxism’s altered sibling) Communism, bartering all involve people. Therefore, any of them have issues. There is no perfect economy.

    Abuse and oppression within an economy and community are definitely in contrast to shalom. It is also contrary to God’s intent.

    Amos’ words are an attack on the rich and powerful. They are on an attack on those who are overly comfortable and reliant upon the desecration of the image of God in the poor. There are varying arguments one could have regarding the differences of today and in Amos’ time and what that means in regard to oppression and abuse. It’s that very argument that is the problem.

    We seek our peace and not Shalom.

    In a weekly group that discusses one of the devotionals over the previous week, one of the big discussion points has been the concept of justice. What justice is…is nebulous. We think we know what justice is (and in some circumstances we do). However, what justice is and how it works changes as the group grows larger. Justice between individuals is relatively simple (not easy). When one increases the number of people justice is no longer that way. Then, especially in the context of seeking justice for past harms, justice may actually be diminished into vengeance.

    Thus, when we seek justice, first we must seek shalom.

    ※Reflection※

    • How does shalom affect justice? Why is shalom the critical missing factor in our modern conversations about justice?
    • How and why is “know” an important part of both shalom and peace?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, let shalom inside us and fill us. May we be instruments of your shalom in the world. Amen.

  • Servant Life

    Servant Life

    Psalm 123; Ezekiel 2:1–5; 2 Corinthians 12:2–10; Mark 6:1–13

    In certain cultures, and in certain times, it was not dishonorable to be a . In fact, being a servant could well lead to a different path than what could else be accomplished. One of the most famous servants in US culture is a man named Alfred Pennyworth. He is the butler of Bruce Wayne, whose alter ego is The Batman. Yes, he’s merely a fictional . And, yes, he is one of the few positive US depictions of a servant.

    When working through the , we often try to “soften” the imagery around servants, indentured servants, and slaves. Part of it is our US ethos of rugged individualism. The other part is our darker history of human exploitation through both indentured servitude and slavery.

    To add insult to injury, or misunderstanding to the Scriptures, US culture diminishes waitstaff (a respectable path elsewhere), cooks, or anyone who doesn’t fit certain narratives.

    This becomes crucial when we read passages such as Psalm 123:3. As a servant waits for their master, so our eyes wait upon the mercy of God. Our cultural baggage with both master and servant removes our ‘s ability to see this verse as it is intended. The servant of which the psalmist writes loves their master. They love their master so much that it isn’t a burden; it is an . Their life orbits the master. They wait to do the master’s bidding so that the master is satisfied. The servant’s satisfaction comes from the master’s.

    In our context, we usually then respond, what about the needs of the servant or our needs (if we read ourselves into the role of the servant)? Then, are we really any different than the hardheaded and hardhearted descendants of Israel and Judah that God points to in Ezekiel 2: 4? Or are we more like the braggart that tries not to be in 2 Corinthians 12:6, yet still think that we are greater than being a servant (which Paul didn’t)?

    The cultural shift that would make servants (and the service “industry”) more respectable or honorable may never come. Or, if Gen Z can become effective in many of its ideals, It may dovetail into the conversations around the minimum wage, livable wage, and permanent income.

    As a result of a recent with a Gen-Z-er (~born 1995–2015), I realized that perhaps we are more servants than we realize. As employees, we serve our organization. An organization serves its stakeholders. That’s a little oversimplified, but you get the idea.

    However, most of us will immediately respond negatively to this imagery. We don’t want to serve. That should probably us pause when we think of our lives for God.

    ※Reflection※

    • What is your response to being a servant (not serving)? Why? What is the difference between serving and being a servant?
    • Jesus called himself a servant. If God calls himself a servant, and we are his followers, why do we have problems with this concept when it comes to living the Christian life?

    ※Prayer※

    Servant of the World who stepped down into . That you for your servant’s heart and sacrifice which brings us into the light. Amen.

  • Seriously

    Seriously

    Psalm 123; Jeremiah 7:16–26; 2 Corinthians 10:7–11

    The Christian understanding of God is one of , forgiveness, and grace. These are often the primary characteristics on which we focus. If we are honest, it’s because, with such a God, a lot of pressure is off of us. There are many, however, who claim these same three characteristics are God’s and yet talk only about God’s judgment, anger, and destruction. Today’s passages would seem to have that same division.

    In today’s verses, the opening words to Jeremiah are brutal. “Don’t pray…or plead for them…” First, this tells us about Jeremiah. Jeremiah prayed. Jeremiah hurt for the people and the with God that they had lost.

    One could say that God’s words were unloving, except perhaps we have the wrong focus. What if God’s focus (in the opening verse, at least) wasn’t really the Israelites, but Jeremiah. Like a parent or grandparent long praying for the of a child or grandchild, perhaps that was Jeremiah (God did tell him to not pray). Perhaps Jeremiah was deeply upset (he was often called the Weeping Prophet), and God wanted him to let go.

    There is also the high possibility that God knew that the hearts of the Israelites would not be repentant before the time of reckoning. If this is indeed the case, the heart of “don’t pray” would have been, “release your burden, for it is not yours to bear.” That would be in the face of .

    In some ways, Jeremiah is as Paul states, “The Lord gave us that authority to build you up and not to destroy you.” Jeremiah certainly didn’t want the to destroy the Israelites. He wanted to build them up so that they returned to God.

    This is where the hard reality of the hits us, and we don’t like it…at all. We say that we don’t like this God of “meanness” and try to cover up what we think is “wrong” with language that God loves everyone.

    Oh, God does. Without question, God loves all of , even these broken and dysfunctional parts called humans. There does, though, come a point where it all has to .

    We don’t like this point. We don’t like the thought of lost ones not knowing God at the end. GOOD! We’re not supposed to like it! Perhaps, just perhaps, that God is showing us that it is a serious matter (even deadly), and we ought to be serious about it, too.

    ※Reflection※

    • What were your initial thoughts about God when reading Jeremiah? How about Jeremiah? The Israelites?
    • What lessons can you learn from God’s words and actions?
    • What lessons did you learn from Jeremiah’s words and actions?
    • What lessons did you learn from the Israelites?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, loving you is often easy, but your love for us and our betterment is often beyond our understanding. Guide us in your ways. Amen.

  • The God of Where

    The God of Where

    Psalm 123; Jeremiah 7:1–15; 1 Corinthians 4:8–13

    The between Jeremiah and Corinthians cannot be overstated. The clash between law and is right there before us.

    The CEB (the primary translation currently being used to write and to read for this devotional) and NRSV translated Jeremiah 7:7 as, “…only then will I dwell with you in this place, in the land that I gave long ago to your ancestors for all time.” The NIV and CSB translate more like, “… then I will let you live in this place…”These different translations would seem to add something else to this conversation, yet, the understanding from a Jewish standpoint was God was present in the place, thus being allowed to live in this space (NIV/CSB) is very much along the lines of with them (CEB/NRSV).“With” is very particular though. Living with a person is specific. One lives with a spouse. Children (for a time) live with their parents.

    The “with” sounds awesome, but as you look at the verses surrounding it, you can see a lot of requirements. We look at these, and we say, “of course!” Truly reform your ways and actions. Treat each other justly. Don’t take advantage of the immigrant or the orphan or the wide. Don’t shed innocent blood. Don’t follow other gods.

    The last few years have seen Christians, as a whole and around the world, fail each one of these. Many of these failures were very visible in the eyes of the world, and each damaged the witness of the church. In other words, Christians of all types, nations, political leanings, and so on would have failed to meet these “easy” requirements outlined in Jeremiah.

    In contrast, “You’ve been filled already!” Filled with what? Filled with the Holy . Filled with God! God isn’t with. God is in! Perhaps we might better combine the ways of the Jews “with” and the way “in” to “within”, for God is both with us and in us. That is a great as we Christians have not been the givers of cold water (refreshing, live-) as we should be, as we are called to be.

    Unlike the list in Jeremiah (which is a very short version of the Law, with much removed), God within calls for a change of , rather than obedience to rules. This does not spare us from obedience. It changes (or should change) our perception and motivation from to love.

    Much of what has occurred over the last few years, but really over history, is that fear often motivates us far more than love. The fear that the orphan may lie, cheat and steal. In my family history, there was an adoption that indeed went horribly wrong in exactly that way. It was used as a lesson to fear the orphan. The stories of witches (the classic, not the modern neo-pagan) often revolved around the widow, who became maligned, unknown, and eventually feared. Immigration, especially during the era of the modern state (last 300 years or so), has also grown to a place of fear.

    Fear over love.

    When we fear, we become powerless. When we love (with God’s love), only God’s power is greater.

    ※Reflection※

    • How do you “with”, “in” and “within” your , both in the past and today?
    • How does fear impact who you love and how you love them? (It may not be fear of them, FWIW)
    • How does love become interpreted as fear?
    • How might (or should) the “with”, “in”, and “within” of God affect your fears and love?

    ※Prayer※

    God, may we deepen our awareness of you being with us, in us, and within us. Amen.

  • Knowing Limits

    Knowing Limits

    Psalm 88; Leviticus 21:1–15; 2 Corinthians 8:16–24

    What is your limit? Or, perhaps, who is your limit? Republicans? Democrats? Communists? Libertarians? Capitalists? Roman Catholics? The homeless? The hungry? A different skin color? A different nationality? A different religion? Neighbors? Friends? Family? Children? Spouse?

    Relations and are some of the biggest variables in existence. One child may sacrifice everything to take care of their parent. Another child may do nothing at all. The driver of the car in front of you may to a panhandler, and you may not (a description, not a judgment).

    For early and non-Western cultures, the family was a critical relationship. Not having a family was risky. The family was what defined and supported you. Unless that is, you were the High Priest of Israel.

    Commentators come to different conclusions about what was meant by leaving the temple. Some commentators interpret verse 12 as only apply when family died to keep them safe from defilement. Other commentators propose that the High Priest never left, though none of those commentators could figure out ultimately how that worked.

    Regardless, the COVID-era gave us an idea of the kind of sacrifice required by the High Priest. People lost loved ones they could never visit. Loved ones died and funerals and memorial services didn’t happen. Many people were angry, sad, and hurting for they lost the opportunity for closure. A taste of the High Priest’s sacrifice for us all.

    It may be a stretch, but there is a similarity between the passage of Leviticus and 2 Corinthians; doing right in the eyes of God.

    Paul definitely was concerned about “doing right” in the eyes of others. It was, though, secondary to doing right in the eyes of God. What is the point of being right in the eyes of men, if you will be wrong in the eyes of God? Of course, one has to be careful about that.

    In our era, a person such as the High Priest would be looked down upon for abandoning his family to serve God in such a way. Granted, our understanding of things has somewhat changed, both in regards to family, priests, and ritual . If we were to such a man today, we would probably think there was something wrong with him.

    ※Reflection※

    • Where have you found conflict in your in pursuing God’s versus the acclaim of man?
    • Have you experienced what you thought was following God’s plan and then discovered it was not?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, help us to know your will. , guide us to the right things before you and our fellow humanity. Amen.

  • Fairly Cruci-Formed

    Fairly Cruci-Formed

    Psalm 30; Lamentations 3:22–33; Mark 5:21–43; 2 Corinthians 8:7–15

    Grace. Unmerited favor. Overwhelming . Not words that would usually be associated with Lamentations. With the content of Lamentations being a result of the fall of Israel (and in particular, Jerusalem), it is peculiar to think of grace.

    Lamentations is poetry, lament, and theology all wrapped into one. In Lamentations, probably more than even in Job, someone (or someones) wrestles with grief, loss, , the (un)fairness of life, and other things that people question when in the throes of significant of the .

    Despite all that they have gone through, including their recognition of their sin and transgressions, God hasn’t abandoned them. For a time, they would be wandering in a new kind of wilderness, but God would not let that way remain forever.

    The world really isn’t fair. We often aren’t fair to the ones we love, or even ourselves. One of the biggest and most painful lessons we learn as children is that the world is not fair. What makes that even more interesting is that no matter how deep that wound is, there is something that we cannot tolerate about things not being fair.

    Even in the verses of Mark, there are “not fair” examples. Some gets to ask into his home. people wouldn’t get to do that. Some random woman touches his outer garment and is completely healed. There were probably others touching Jesus’ garment, and they didn’t get healed. It’s not fair.

    Then dares to ask the Corinthians to send . He doesn’t demand it. He puts it in nice gentle language. He still wants our money. It’s not fair.

    Except, Paul’s point, God’s point isn’t fairness. It’s not even reciprocity. It’s doing right because it is right. Not because it’s fair (or unfair, honestly).

    Fair and right are often at odds. When we add time to the mix, it becomes even more difficult, for the long-term consequences may well change what is truly fair and right.

    With this in mind, it is important for us, as followers of Jesus, to pursue fair and right from the perspective of God. Of course, what that means is up for debate in the current era, which is a problem in and of itself. When we are no longer able to determine fair or right, or we really the children of God?

    ※Reflection※

    • What does fair mean to you? How does “fair” reflect the nature and/or character of God? What does a “fair” Christian do that a non-Christian wouldn’t?
    • What does right mean to you? How does “right” reflect the nature and/or character of God? What does a “right” Christian do that a non-Christian wouldn’t?
    • How do you learn and fair and right in your daily life?

    ※Prayer※

    God of judgment, may the Holy Spirit shape and form us to be reflections of you in how we see and do fair and right. Amen.

  • Our Warring Hearts

    Our Warring Hearts

    Psalm 30; Lamentations 2:18–22; Luke 4:31–37

    In the science fiction series, Babylon 5, we about the “great” war. The great war was between two sides fighting for the benefit (or the evolution) of the “lesser” species. Each side has a different method to initiate and improvement. One side (“the ”) seeks to change people through peaceful means. The other side (“the shadows”) seeks to change people through fear, pain, and, most importantly, war. The sad part about this is the ultimate conclusion from the series is that both sides are right and wrong. It really does echo history.

    For those who have grown up in these last few decades and for those who seek the of God, passages of destruction and penalty are often emotionally hard to read and more difficult to understand the seeming conflict between the God of love and the apparent God of wrath.

    When we read Lamentations it should, if we have our empathy intact, lead our hearts to ache for the loss and pain of Israel. It’s not that we do not understand that this is a consequence of Israel’s abandonment of God. We are human. We are called to empathize with others, even while we understand that these were consequences. Part of the struggle is that we long for and security. We want our God to protect our understanding of our comfort and security. Whenever God even appears to challenge our comfort and security (even if it is for our own good), we cry out to and at God.

    We will often sound like that man in Capernaum. “What have you do with us, of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?”

    Our earthly minds will often disregard the man either because of his possession, or (if we don’t believe in literal possession) because he is a mentally ill man (the modern view). Regardless of which choice, the man still sounds like many of us. “Don’t change us. We like the way we are living.”

    Change often ends up being a little and a little mourning. We either have the courage to face and embrace it, or we respond in fear and anger when it comes upon us.

    ※Reflection※

    • Have you ever had a personal change that felt a little like death (not talking about the death of a one)?
    • Why do we often reject war (of many kinds) and pain, pursue and desire change, and yet often only change when thrust into the middle of war and pain?

    ※Prayer※

    Help pursue a life of holy change. Train our hearts to see you and not the trials that temper us. Amen.