Devotion.al

Tag: normal

  • Resurrecting Hope

    Psalm 39; Luke 24:8–35; Acts 26:1–8 (read online ⧉)

    Brian Sanders (Executive Director of Tampa Underground) shared some very interesting thoughts regarding the Emmaus Road story.

    Cleopas and the unnamed hadn’t yet seen the Resurrected Jesus. Like any of the “outer circle” disciples, they didn’t see Jesus immediately, and many of the inner circle missed him too. So, they were “stuck” on the outside. They knew of the wrongful conviction, abuse, and . They’d heard this impossible to belief story—from people they trusted—that Jesus had died, but was now risen!

    Sanders suggests that our 2 Emmaus Road disciples were running away from the confusing situation in Jerusalem. They were feeling overwhelmed. They were probably hurting. They were probably confused. Sanders also suggests that they were “packing” their “escape route”. The day we just celebrated, possibly people were trying to escape it.

    Sanders’ suggestion just seems wrong in so many ways. How could these disciples be so confused and hope destroyed that they were trying to escape? Yet, Sanders makes a good point in that they were leaving Jerusalem. Leaving. They weren’t joining the other disciples. They were leaving.

    They didn’t understand, not really. How many of us ourselves have been at the point where there was an internal disconnect between what we thought we knew/believed, and what we think we should have known? That point in our lives that we started to run away in some small way: , drugs, partying, gambling, videos, gaming, even reading.

    Then Jesus shows up. That’s a pretty common story in the Christian world. It’s a pretty common story in the world outside of Christians, but far too many people are self-blinding and cannot (or will not) see Jesus. Sometimes that is us, too. Then Jesus shows up and is changed.

    Paul went from accuser and abuser of Christians to defender of the faith. He stood before people who could, at their whim, cause him to live or die. Instead of renouncing Christianity, he wouldn’t just defend, he tried to convert! Unlike the Emmaus Road disciples, Paul wasn’t hopeless or lost when he met Jesus. Quite the contrary. Paul was a rising star in the Jewish world. He was going to fix this minor annoying Nazarene sect, and get them back on the right path of the Law. Paul’s conversion story is the opposite of many’s conversion stories. He is in . He has had—to our —no qualms seeking to fix the wrong-thinking of this new sect. It on his way with even more power in his hand, that Jesus turns the script. While many convert on their knees and in desperation with nothing to lose, Paul converted when he only had something to lose, a lot of something.

    It really is the question Paul asks in Acts 26:8 that is Resurrection of hope that the Jewish people, and the world, really needed. “Why is it thought incredible by you people that God raises the dead?” Today we are told that this Resurrection is a fairy tale. In Paul’s day, it may have been far fetched, but it wasn’t unbelievable. In a time when people believed that gods could raise the dead, Paul still had to defend Jesus’ Resurrection. This should tell us something. Jesus’ Resurrection was something far greater than just a dead person coming to life! A dead person “just” coming to life wasn’t the greatest concern. It was Jesus’ Resurrection that was. The Jewish leaders knew and understood (no matter how much they opposed it), that this was no come-back-to-life tale.

    This means that this Resurrection is something greater. Perhaps its the kind of thing that causes those who have lost hope or who have run away from their confusion, become empowered and full of hope and faith. When those who have a Resurrection hope and faith not only turn toward what almost destroyed them; they walk (or even run) to it with the ability to overcome it with a power that comes through the restoring power of God.

    God of all mercies, grant us the power, faith, and hope to look at all the troubles of the world, whether they be distant or near, and know that through you the world can have the hope it seeks. Give us the eyes and hearts to see where we are called to be the agents of restoration, so that the hopes of the world may find true hope through the Resurrection of Jesus. This we pray in the of the Father, , and . Amen.

    1) Was your conversion at a height or at a low? Why do you think it was there, rather than the opposite? If you’ve known no other life than life with Jesus (i.e., from childhood), what cemented your faith in Jesus Christ?

    2) What are some characteristics of “Resurrection” hope versus “normal” hope? What could be the difference between Resurrection hope and Saving hope?

    3) Often we look at the weaknesses of people in the Scriptures and respond with, “glad that’s not me.” Except it is. When were you like the Emmaus Road disciples? When were you like Paul?

  • Power of Resurrection

    Power of Resurrection

    1 Corinthians 15:1–11; John 5:24–30 (read online ⧉)

    is deeply concerned that the Corinthians have already set aside the . He is right to be. Without the Resurrection, all Christians should be pitied.

    We often tie everlasting to the Resurrection, but the reality is that without the Resurrection, Jesus’ life and death are merely interesting points in history. The Resurrection is proof that Jesus was/is who he said he was. The Resurrection proves that death brought through the Fall of can be overcomed (and is being overcomed). The Resurrection proves that Jesus did live a sinless life that that was qualified to be the necessary for all of humanity’s .

    So, yes, the Resurrection is kind of important.

    Also tied to the Resurrection is the Final Judgement that comes with it. At the Resurrection of humanity, Jesus will be the judge. Jesus died. If Jesus did not live again, then the judgment is just an empty threat. If judgment is an empty threat, then the necessity of Jesus’ death on the cross becomes cruelly needless bloodshed.

    The Resurrection is proof that God did, does, and will continue to turn the world upside down.

    The Resurrection is also what should be empowering us to bring the Light of the World (Jesus Christ) to . It is the power of Resurrection that brings new life to people. It is the power of the Resurrection that restores people from a place of death. In other words, if you don’t believe in the Resurrection, why would you share about Jesus? Why would you believe a murderer, adulterer, thief (like the one Jesus said would be with him in Paradise) could be by God and be transformed into Christ-likeness. Oh, and why would you think Jesus matters to you, or that Jesus made a difference in your life?

    Today is Easter Monday (it’s actually a holiday in some places). Last year it was a workday for many, who would just set aside the Resurrection and go to work. In today’s COVID climate none of us (even those of us going to work remotely or on-site) is looking at Easter Monday as “normal”. COVID-19 shows us our need—in fact, the need of humanity—for Resurrection. Economies, societies, cultures will all need Resurrection power to restore things that are now dead. It’s not as if we all didn’t need Resurrection power as it was, it’s that we are aware of just how much we need it.

    Giving , self-sacrificing Jesus, all-empowering Holy Spirit, we give you thanks for the ever-present and ever-working power of the Resurrection. Help us to keep in our hearts, souls, and minds that Resurrection power is not something we had or will have. Help us to understand and believe to the core of our beings that Resurrection power is something we have right now, and to live lives that show we know it to be true. Amen.

    1) How does Resurrection power affect you? How do you think about it?

    2) If there was no Resurrection, would you believe that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior? Why or why not?

    3) While Easter Monday is uncommonly used in the USA, it is incredibly important. Why is the concept of Easter Monday important for our daily lives?

  • HE IS RISEN!

    Psalm 118:1–24; John 20:1–23; Colossians 3:1–12 (read online ⧉)

    What a day!

    Most of us have lost a one. It is hard. Sometimes we have been present when they died, sometimes we weren’t. How deep the ache depends on the relationship. Even with people we barely knew or lost touch with, there is still a feeling of loss when they die.

    All of them were still in shock. The women had a (culturally assigned) task to do, and that was perfume Jesus’ body so that his body wouldn’t smell as bad as it decomposed (yes, it is that basic and gruesome). They had a task which, as hard as it was, provided something to do and help process their loss. The male disciples didn’t have that. They got to and stare at each other, with each one probably more at a loss than the others.

    And then their whole world got turned upside down…again!

    HE IS NOT HERE!

    HE IS RISEN!

    Shock. . Shock. Disbelief.

    And then…now what? What does this mean?

    We often skip verses 19–23 on Easter. However, note the timing of the commissioning of the disciples. It’s still the Day of Resurrection. Still. The day is not yet over. Doing something is not in the . It is now.

    , sent, receive, forgive. Not quite the order that we think of when it comes to the disciples being commissioned, and perhaps the order isn’t quite as important as when they were commissioned. Everything thing has just been turned upside down…go and do likewise!

    This immediacy even translates later when writes to the Colossians. He calls on them to forego their ways of old, because they are saved (and with Christ) now. It’s not that we wait to be saved, or wait to go tell others, when we have it down, when we’re perfect. There is no step beyond our at which point we are free or commissioned to about Jesus. At the point of our salvation, no later, are we to start talking about Jesus.

    No matter how you feel about yourself, whether you are worthy of Christ (you aren’t), or whether he loves you fully (he does), go and talk about Jesus.

    1) Why do you think Jesus commissioned the disciples so soon after his resurrection? In today’s world we often provide “space” to “process”. Jesus didn’t do that. What does that tell us?

    2) Paul tells the Colossians that they are being renewed in according to the image of God they already have. Why is that an important concept and awareness for us?

    3) Jesus was killed by Jew and Gentile. Jesus came to save both Jew and Gentile. If there really is a both/and, why did the church divide then, and why does it divide now?

  • Community for Others

    Psalm 118:19–29; Deuteronomy 16:1–8; Philippians 2:1–11 (read online ⧉)

    The brief summary of Passover reminds the Israelites of how, as a community, they are to celebrate it. When Passover was established (Exodus 12) there was a strong community aspect to it insofar as sharing the sacrificial lamb. If a was too small, they were to with other households. Not partaking wasn’t an option. Sharing the lamb (and wasting less) was a communal support for Passover. Passover was not a single observer, but a community that observed.

    The kind of community that shared a lamb (looking out for one another for the shared observation) is the kind of community that loves one another and is of (at least in this) one mind. The kind of community where a lamb would be shared would be the kind of community where one would not feel superior to , but treat others in kindness and , looking out for their interests.

    This looking out for the interests of others is not the way of the world. Someone willing to share their lamb with another was sacrificial, and probably (sadly) was not done often, except in those very small communities where they shared the same poor circumstances.

    encourages Christians to be like insofar as looking for the welfare of others, knowing that Jesus looked to other’s welfare while some hated him, some ignored him, some didn’t know they needed him.

    1. How does this kind of community (sacrificing self for others) work when they with each other?

    2. It is important to understand that it is the in us that empowers us. Knowing that to be the case, how can you look to the interests of others?

    3. What are a number of ways that can look when dealing with normal and routines, and in extreme situations such as natural disasters and pandemics?

  • Lenten Rest

    Psalm 51:1-12; Isaiah 30:15-18; Hebrews 4:1-13 (read online ⧉)

    . That seems to be a dream for many these days. In these odd times of COVID-driven angst, rest can be fleeting. There is currently an emphasis around the world that people are to stay home. Normally, when staying at home (and the chores are done), that means some sort of rest. However, the busyness of the world still remains. In addition to the various forms of media, the internet, activities of various sorts, all seem to keep us from resting (and can keep us, for a time, sane when stuck inside), people are working from home at a rate never experienced before. If we were “back” to our “” our weekends were almost as full as the workweek.

    It isn’t just COVID-19. It is a growing need to fill an emptiness. Yet, emptiness is not always what it seems. Is the glass half full, or half-empty? This is the question of optimism versus pessimism. What if the better question is, what is the glass full of? In normal circumstances, a glass is always full. If it filled halfway with water, then the remainder is filled with air. The glass is full, we just are blind to what it is full of.

    People look at a glass that is not 100% filled and feel the need to fill it. Some feel such a drive to fill the glass, that they keep pouring into it until it overflows. There is no rest there. Imagine trying to pick up a glass completely full to the top with water to try to drink from it. Most of the time, you’re going to spill some water. The gap—the so-called unfilled part—allows the water to with the glass, and you don’t spill.
    When people keep going, and going, and going, and going, and going, at some point, everything turns to chaos or the breakdown, or they get sick. God did not intend us to keep going. Even the earth was supposed to be given a break from growing food. COVID-19 is creating another type of going that is as unhealthy (potentially more unhealthy) as the busyness as it is often laced with .

    can as a disruptor of our busy lives—not so that we cannot do things, or get things done—but so that we are jolted out of our busy habits, in hopes that we might reflect upon what is important. In this particular season of COVID-19, rest seems even further out of reach than it often is with our busyness.
    (rest) is critical for our , mental, and spiritual well-being. As many people are now in tight quarters, finding a way to get a Sabbath (rest) can be even more difficult and conversely is even more important.

    When entering the Sabbath Rest, it is different than taking a nap or a vacation. It is a place and time where we are fully present with God so that God fills as we need, and as he wants us to be. This rest is where we release our expectations to God. When we allow God to outline his expectations, we will often find that his expectations are far less than ours, but that his fulfill our needs, desires, and wants far more than our finite understanding.

    1) Do you time each day, week, month, year to “” with God? If not, why not?

    2) If you do, does it include a place (like a room, corner, or even a special place away)? Do you find places helpful in finding rest?

    3) Why do you think we struggle in resting?

    4) While the world tries to create more labor-saving things and techniques, it seems that there is less time. Why do you think that is?

  • Is It All About the Experience?

    Psalm 19; Exodus 19:16–25; Mark 9:2–8 (read online ⧉)

    Spend enough time in (at least) circles, and you will likely the phrase, “mountain-top experience.” This is usually described as a deeply powerful encounter with God that emotionally and spiritually separates someone from the “real” world.

    Moses, the Israelites, and Aaron have different experiences with the same event. Moses is personally interacting with God. The Israelites are repeatedly told to stay away during this time. Aaron, after a time, is called up the mountain to be with Moses and God. This event is not the same kind of mountain-top experience that we usually of. Moses was there because God told him to be, and this was also God’s testimony to the Israelites that Moses was God’s of the Israelites.

    The Israelites, on the other hand, were a ways away. Culturally, they didn’t want to be anywhere near any god, let alone the God that was in and cloud. This was on top of the warning they also received to not step foot on the mountain or they would die. This is definitely not the mountain-top experience we would think of positively.

    Lastly, Aaron was called up. Partially, this is to set the groundwork for his role as head priest. With Moses, he would stand before God. Yet, it was Moses who was first. While Aaron was still called up, it wasn’t quite the same.

    The disciples had a different experience altogether. They saw transformed into something wholly, then they saw Moses and Elijah, the two traditional great prophets of the Jews. They wanted to capture the experience and to maintain it by building lodging for Moses and Elijah, but it was not to be. Jesus was restored to , the two prophets vanished.

    1) Have you ever had your own mountain-top experience? Have you ever shared it with someone?

    2) If you, or someone you know, has had a mountain-top experience, how did that affect you (them) a day, week, a month, a year later?

    3) Was that experience a springboard to a deeper and more fulfilling spiritual , or did it become just another event (even though powerful) in life?

  • Separation Anxiety

    Psalm 19; Acts 7:30-40; Exodus 19:9-15 (read online ⧉)

    When we talk about holiness or being , we have to start with God. We talk about each of us being unique, yet God is even more so. God was not created. God did the creating. All of us are created.
    The Hebrew for Holy can be interpreted as sanctify and consecrate. Ultimately, though, the pervading feeling of the word is separateness. This is not a bad separation. In the case of the separation between God and man, it is the natural separation between created and creator. In the case of the world and the Israelites (and later Christians), it is the separation from the world that does not know or follow God.

    God, through Moses, is preparing the Israelites for the separation from the world, and even from their past (especially their time in Egypt). Symbolically, they are physically clean (bathing), their clothes are clean, abstaining from certain relations, and staying away from the mountain. This is all to set the stage for what is to come.

    Similarly, in some wedding traditions on the day of their wedding, the and groom don’t see each other before the ceremony (or sometimes longer). They also dress differently than normal. It is a preparation for what is to come.

    Holiness—or being set apart for God’s work—can happen slowly and subtly, or it can happen in a huge way. There are people whose experience is so quiet that it takes to tell they have changed. Others have experiences that are amazingly (sometimes unbelievable) huge: instantly (and successfully) up or cigarettes; instant in appropriate language or behavior.

    God works on us differently, just as we are different people. The first step is to prepare ourselves. The second step is to be and willing.

    1) Using our passage in Exodus and our reading above as a guide, have you ever had a spiritual experience where you felt “set aside” for something?

    2) If you had such an experience, what was the thing that was different?

    3) If you haven’t had such an experience, would you God to guide to it?

  • Giving and Moving

    Genesis 22:1-19; Hebrews 11:13-19; Psalm 105-37-45

    The almost of Isaac is, for many, one of the hardest passages of scripture to read. Those who are parents cannot imagine being God asking Abraham to do this. Those who are parents cannot imagine being Abraham and being asked to do this. Note the “ask”. In English translations, we often lose a Hebrew grammar article, נָא (na’). It makes the “take” into, “please take.” Then God says, “…your , your only son, Isaac, whom you …”.

    As the child of God’s , Isaac is Abraham’s “true” son. There is no other child of the promise. Isaac is not just a child of the promise to Abraham, but also to God. And God knows how much Abraham loves Isaac.

    Isaac. We don’t know much about either’s thoughts during their trip to Moriah. Isaac trusted his . At this point, too, Abraham was quite old—his prime behind him—and Isaac was probably an older teenager—entering his prime. Scripture doesn’t say that Isaac fought his father. Isaac trusted his father and allowed (it seems) himself to be bound and placed on the pile of sticks. Culturally, this was not abnormal. Child sacrifices to harsh and unpredictable gods was .

    As Christians, looking back, we cannot help but see Abraham as a vision of God the Father, and Isaac as God the Son (). The loving father sacrificing his son; the loving son his father.

    As the author of Hebrews notes, Abraham was promised that his descendants of the promise would come from Isaac. Abraham probably didn’t understand, but he had walked long enough with God, that even in the time of trial, , and confusion, he still trusted.

    1) Have you, or someone you know, had a crisis of belief, where your choice was to follow God or up on your dreams or hopes?

    2) What did that crisis teach you about God?

    3) What did that crisis teach you about others?

    4) What did that crisis teach you about yourself?