Devotion.al

Tag: pain

  • The Truth of Lies

    Proverbs 29:22–25, Philippians 2:5–11, Galatians 6:1–5

    Tell the . That is a maxim for . However, often we succumb to the temptation to lie. We can be surprised when it pops out, or we could plan for it. There are times where lying is appropriate (as many Germans, for example, lied to the Nazis to protect Jews). Most lying, however, is not such.

    Lying can come from anger. It can come from pride. It can come from . An angry person may lie to inflict upon the person they feel is hurting them. A person of pride may make their story bigger to make themselves feel superior. They might also lie to preserve their way of life or gain. Fearing mankind, however, is probably the biggest root cause of lying. The of Proverbs is that fear men before fearing God is not a good prioritization of things.

    ‘s train of thought regarding Jesus submitting himself to all (really, by he did), Jesus provides the example of selflessness. We are often taught a selflessness that is mindless and without self. Yet, that is not Jesus’ example. Did Jesus at any point forget who he was? Did Jesus stop being who he was? Of course not!

    The humble and aware obedience that Jesus displayed is the example. Jesus was angry at times (think the temple). He did not lie or seek to hurt others. He sought to correct others in a way that some (not all) would understand. Jesus could have made himself out to be the King of Kings.

    Instead, he would escape the crown of an Earthly . Jesus consistently shared the Truth in the face of people who not only didn’t want the Truth, they also wanted him dead.

    The biggest temptation when it comes to lying is catching the other person in it. We feel so much better about ourselves. “…if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing…restore…with a gentle .” The gentle spirit is why Christ’s humility is so essential. We’ve all been there.

    What makes that lie we told better than theirs? Nothing. We need to submit ourselves to our fellow Christians, not just because we are called to, but because when humbly submit ourselves, we are able to correct in .

    We don’t like this submit, humbleness, nor truth. It makes us uncomfortable when we make it a way of life. We don’t mind doing it when it costs us nothing. If it costs nothing, of what value is it?

  • God’s Broken People

    2 Samuel 13:11–39, Ephesians 4:13–19

    Parenting is hard. Parents struggle with their own failures personally and with their children. For the deeply afflicted parent (and child), parenting is not just brutal, but it is unending pain. For a parent, having children is a and one of the hardest jobs ever (there is a harder one, but that is for another time).

    David—the so-called man after God’s own heart—was actually a pretty bad at times, maybe even a lot of the times. This story is actually heartbreaking. Quite heartbreaking. Disgusting, nauseating, and so on. It is also another example that the Scriptures don’t hide the brutal failure of humanity to live up to its potential.

    What was David thinking to just things remain? Why did he do nothing? Doing nothing may have been David’s greatest fault. Maybe. That his children, less Solomon, had gotten to the states they were in says much about the guidance he provided to the next generation. If there had been one “bad apple”, perhaps there wouldn’t such a disastrous tale. On the other hand, we cannot pin the sins of the sons on the father. They chose their path.

    It is hard as a parent to not blame oneself for the resulting lives of one’s children. Parents may try to harden their hearts as their children make -altering decisions, but the hardened heart is only on the outside as their hearts ache on the inside. It’s not that David’s heart didn’t ache. As we look at his story, how would we have behaved?

    Would Paul’s “speaking the in love” made a difference here? How about building each other up? Unity? Promoting the growth for building up in love? These are all questions that the —you—needs to wrestle with. The reality is that the world is full of broken people. Lots of them. In fact, there are probably a few such broken people in our . There might be some in your family. You might be broken. It’s not whether you know, , interact with people who are broken…it’s how many.

    1) Brokenness equals hurt. We are all hurting. Thinking about Paul, what can we do help our fellow broken human beings?

    2) We evaluate people and their stories by our story. How can that help us help them? How can it keep us from helping them?

    3) Paul’s words about building up are especially true when talking about our hurts and the hurts of . What do Paul’s words teach about walking with others in the midst of their (and our) brokenness?

  • Called Me To…

    Esther 4, Jeremiah 29:4–14

    “Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this” Ester 4:14

    “The LORD called me before I was born. He named me while I was in my mother’s womb.” Isaiah 49:1

    “I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5

    It sounds so wonderful, at times, to know that God as set a plan in place for us. The problem is that most people who such a setting apart are few and far between. For whatever reason, God speaks to some, and not to . God sometimes speaks once, and then nothing.

    On the other hand, often the dreams and desires of our earthly parents feel more like a dead weight than helpful. Perhaps it’s that, “they don’t really know me” feeling is part of it. We don’t have that excuse with God.
    However, if we look at those in the who had that God “called me to” experience, it generally didn’t include gentle and warm stories. It often involved heartache, courage, , , slavery, exclusion. It wasn’t fun. A lot of us understand that , and yet still ache to God us.

    1) Do you think the desire for God’s call is our God-ly wiring, or do you think is because of the distortion we experience because of ?

    2) Even people who have “heard” from God often still seek it. Why do you think that is?

    3) What are ways you should be looking to hear from God?

  • Starting at Home

    Psalm 2, Colossians 3:1–17, Acts 11:19–26

    One of the and one of the curses of being American is the freedom to decide who we are. One of the biggest struggles between immigrants and their children is the of . As much as most immigrants truly seek to join their new country, there are things that just don’t work for them. Their children walk the line between new and old, along with all the stress that goes along with that (think differences over worship music but over everything).

    The was that second generation, and then some. A way to think of it is the child of a Tibetan immigrant and the child of an Argentinian getting married. The strains of their parents’ cultures, plus their new adopted (American) culture, plus the different culture of their spouse. That was the church.

    The “children” of Judaism, Greece, Asia Minor, Rome were, by-and-large, no longer part of their “native” culture, and could not really be part of a “different” culture. The Followers of the Way (the prior to ) were following a weaving and winding path between multiple cultures, nations, and languages. They lived in between. Even their identity as “Followers of the Way” was still deeply tied to Judaism, so even that was not particularly solid.

    The key to identity was made in Antioch. Only God knows who coined the term Christians. They could have been called Nazarenes, but Christians became the label. Even with a “formal” label, it still took years, and even today it seems that while the label is active, there is not a unified Christian culture. If there were a truly Christian culture, the hour on Sunday would not be the most segregated hour of the week. If there were a truly united Christian culture, Facebook, Twitter, and other places wouldn’t be in the state they are in.

    If the church were united, as Christ calls us to be, we really could be the healer for a culture and country in pain. Instead, we are just as miserable, angry, bitter, and pained as everyone else. We are not perfect, we just need to be better in how we treat people especially fellow Christians for it starts “at home”.

    1) As people are quick to jump on bandwagons, praying for the hurting (good), questioning violence (good), discussing freedom (good), trying to be the light (good), be even quicker to pray and prior to posting. What are you presenting to your fellow Christian? How about the world?

    2) As the country, and world, seems to be tearing apart, we Christians are still to be Followers of the Way, winding our way between people, cultures, and perspectives. What skills and practices do you need to develop to be better walking on the Way?

    Why do the nations rage
    and the peoples plot in vain?
    The kings of the earth take their stand,
    and the rulers conspire
    against the LORD and his Anointed One,
    Let’s tear off their chains
    and throw their ropes off of us.
    —Psalm 2:1–3

  • Seeking Reliably

    Psalm 24, Isaiah 55:1–13, Romans 11:33–36

    Many folks are obsessed with picking apart the to find any issues or incongruities. Some do this out honest inquiry, some do it in an attempt to discredit the Scriptures. The reality is that we have to look at the Scriptures as the writers intended (which can be difficult) and literary type. Often people view the Scriptures as something they are not.

    This is an important concept to understand, especially in of the last couple of days discussing the Spirit and . The Scriptures are the starting point to understand God and our relationship with God.

    Psalm 24 is a victorious Psalm. Yet, God is no mere victorious general entering the city of Jerusalem. God is so much more. Tucked in the Psalm is “Such is the generation of those who inquire of him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.” This seeking is the next step. We are called to seek God and we start with the Scriptures. As we seek God and read the Scriptures, only then can begin to grasp just what it means to know the “King of .”

    Isaiah’s is the of God to each and every one to seek Him. In the midst of trials, exile, and destruction, God is still calling people to turn to Him. Will they all escape the judgement? No. That isn’t the point, and never was. The purpose of seeking God—to have our hearts turned to Him—is not to escape the pain, misery, and fallenness of this world, it is to place it all into the redeeming of God.

    and reconciliation are very much a part of ‘s message. When Paul speaks about the depth of the riches, it is not—again—to escape, but to put into perspective our experiences in the world. In comparison to God, what we think is small. In comparison to God, we are insignificant; from a human perspective, that is. God cares for us all. It is not that God diminishes our troubles or joys. It is that while what revolves around us is hugely important, there is still a larger picture.

    Knowing God means not just the Holy Spirit or Jesus or God the Father, but seeking God fully and doing our best to understand God. We have the tools and gifts: the Scriptures, the (framily and tradition), our minds, our experience.

    1) What is one area of the 4 (Scriptures, church, mind, experience) that you rely or focus most on? Why? How might that be disadvantageous?

    2) What is the one area you are the weakest in? Why? How could you strengthen that area?

    3) As inheritors of the Protestant tradition, we often hold the Scriptures extraordinarily high to the detriment of the other 3. Yes, holding the Scriptures highly is a good thing. However, balance is required, so why is that a bad thing?

  • Grace for the Askers

    Luke 24:36–49, Matthew 28:16–20, James 1:2–18, Jude 20–25

    So, this guy you’ve been hanging out with for three years dies a brutal . A few days later, he’s alive. He was dead and buried, and now alive. Must be a ghost…except they could touch the wounds and he ate. They doubted. After some more time, they Jesus on a mountain. They worshipped Jesus, yet they still doubted.

    We all have doubts. Sadly, however, when verses such as James 1:6 are badly used, we can question our . Some even go so far as to lose their faith. People take such passages and twist them so that a person cannot question or be perceived to doubt. James’ warning is sound in so far as being about requesting things (such as wisdom) from God, but false expectations of God. In other words, don’t be surprised when God doesn’t answer your prayer and walk away from the faith.

    The grave danger is that if we take James’ words without a large measure of grace and love, people will truly walk away. Jude’s words are to be gentle with doubters. Imagine a person who suffers with depression, and in the depths of depression doubts. Would you cast them out? What about a person in the midst of who is crying out to God? Will you shame them for doubt in the midst of their pain?

    What about the person who was raised as a non-believer and/or strict secular scientist? If they struggle with believing as it conflicts with their growing up, will you them and tell them they are unbelievers and should disappear?

    In our world, we should actually be encouraging doubt, or perhaps a better phrasing would be questioning. The world as it is needs a lot more questions asked. There may not be , but often when we ask questions aloud, the doubt and that can go with them loses much of its power.

    Last, but not least, often those that seek to silence the doubt and questions of are those who have the deepest fears. When those fears remain buried, faith, love, and can easily be lost in a flash.

    1) Do you ever doubt or question your faith? Do you feel ashamed? Why?

    2) What can other Christians do to support you when you question? What can you do when Christians their own doubts?

    3) Jesus asked his followers about the why of their doubts but did not seem to diminish them because of it. Why does it appear that James does? How do you balance that with Jude?

  • Heart and Purpose

    Psalm 20, Isaiah 50:7–11, John 3:16–21

    “May he give you what your desires and fulfill your whole purpose.” Psalm 20:4

    What does your heart desire?

    What is your WHOLE purpose?

    Those are two that humanity has wrestled with since the eyes/hearts/minds of Adam and Eve were opened in the Garden of Eden.

    What we often do, however, is try to fill our hearts’ desires with things and activities that do not fulfill our whole purpose. In so doing, we are confused and disillusioned. We look to other people (who are just as confused and disillusioned) and try to find fulfillment based on what they say is the “right” way to be fulfilled.
    Isaiah could have the easy road, and probably had an easier time of it. However, he understood that often even while the heart is in pain (as his was), his heart desired God and Isaiah was fulfilled by following and obeying God.

    “…people the rather than the because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19)

    This is the harshness of trying to be fulfilled by our own efforts.

    “But anyone who lives by the comes to the light, so that his works may be showed to be accomplished by God.” In the Greek, accomplished strongly implies comprehensive, or fulfilled.

    Chasing the light can be hard, but if fulfillment is truly what we seek, it is worth it.

    As the world’s state generally improving, the immediate need and drive of survival come against purpose. As the awareness of purpose comes out, the lack of fulfillment becomes a threat to : drugs, addictions, suicide, theft, violence. While throughout existence, some of this has always existed, the levels are increasing rapidly.

    We are called not just to walk in the light. We are called to be the light, and to carry the light of Christ into the darkness.

    1) Why do you think suicide and addiction are often a person’s to purposelessness?

    2) What are new ways (or old ways in a new costume) that can bring hope and purpose to a world that doesn’t believe?

  • Harvest Days

    Genesis 8:20–22, Haggai 1:3–6, Matthew 9:35–38

    If you have been reading these devotions with any regularity, you might have noticed that I generally do not put myself into them (e.g., I, me, my). I am making an exception today.

    I was driving home, and passed a at an espresso stand that seeing, “The first 5 days after the weekend are the harvest.” I processed that for a moment, thinking what a cool sign.

    Then I re-read it, and changed my mind about the sign. It actually read, “the first 5 days after the weekend are the hardest.” That was depressingly pessimistic. What I initially “saw”, however, stuck with me.

    I Sundays. I love coming/going to . I feel “off” if I’m not there. Your when you read this is I’m a pastor. My role as “pastor” doesn’t really that. Church is often more “home” than my house. Church with all its angst, emotions, and (we bring it all in with us), may not be the most joyous thing for you. I feel bad if that is the case with you (though I can sympathize).

    The reality is that church should be the spiritual and emotional recharge for the next 5 days (really, the next 6). Yet, it is not supposed to be a recharge so you can “just” go back to work. Those next days are “harvest” days. We are the laborers that speaks of and there are very few of us (proportionally). We are to be recharged to do the work of the by bringing people into it.

    I’ll be real. You may think I’m pointing a finger at you. I too struggle with being the laborer. I am far too aware that I am pointing far more fingers at myself. I want to focus on my job and get it done (including at church). I am wired that way, and you may be too. To Jesus—Our Lord and Savior—our real job is not the tasks of the job. It is the people.

    1) What excuses do (or did) you use to not be a laborer?

    2) What habits can you develop (it will take time) to focus on the goal of the harvest, saved/reconciled souls?

    3) If you are part of a small group or group (i.e., “band”), add this to your agenda. When was the last you were held accountable for this? When was the last time you held accountable?