Devotion.al

Tag: peace

  • Sharpening and Armor

    Matthew 15:10–20, Luke 6:39–42, Ephesians 6:12–18

    In our current political and cultural climate, there are plenty of sharp barbs being thrown out. If we wanted to, we could say flaming arrows, which is metaphorically accurate. It’s pretty nuts, and certainly unloving, unpeaceful, impatient (i.e, doesn’t bear), unkind, bad (i.e., not good), unfaithful, ungentle, and lacks a lot of self-control (see Galatians 5:22–23, for what it should be). The sad part? That’s what we see from Christians. Christians are placing themselves firmly in the world on one “side” of the (left/right) political aisle. It’s very sad.

    While much of it is happening over social media (), it really is more akin to (i.e., coming out their/our mouths). calls us to task, saying that these words are coming out from our hearts. Ouch! What you write on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or what you “like” comes from your heart? What does that tell you about what is inside your heart? What about that question that you posed about the other “side” of the political aisle? Was it honesty inquiry, or was it spite-filled rhetoric?

    It is so, so very easy to respond. It makes us feel better. Yet, is that the right response? Sadly, the rush (and rash) response is not conducive to sharpening one another. It actually hardens hearts for all involved. How is this a Christ-filled, -following, -honoring ?

    Of course, the problem often is that those that need to and take the lesson to heart will often use the splinter and plank story to justify disregarding the lesson. There is some wisdom in that. This is why both of these parables should be taken as a pair, to prevent either from being taken too far, one way or the other. The other necessary part of this is community, true community (i.e., not Facebook). Facebook and other social mediums are quick to call their platforms a community, but community is only formed when doing life continually, not just highlights.

    Often the reason we respond the way we do is that we feel threatened. This is where the final tool in this comes out. The Full Armor of God passage can be used in many ways. Why not take it a different way? “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this , against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. For this reason take up the full clothing of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like a strong shirt on your chest, and your feet booted with readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation take up the gloves of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the hat of salvation and the book of the Spirit—which is the word of God. Pray at all times in the Spirit with every and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the .” Ephesians 6:12-18 (CSB with Ian’s revisions).

    We are so accustomed to the war-like clothing that Paul is talking about that we can miss the intimacy of it all. Changing the armor to something we actually wear these days—rather than what the Ephesians were accustomed—may help you better understand the Armor of God. The pieces may be different but have the same result. Imagine as you are putting on your shirt saying, “I am putting on God’s righteousness.” As you put a belt on saying, “I am putting God’s Truth on.” Gloves may not work when it’s not Winter, so choose something else. The Full Armor of God is an allegory. Reframe it in modern terms to help you when you feel attacked, or even better, feel “armored-up” before you walk out the door.

    1) When you trust the armor-maker (yes, armorer), can you calmly trust the armor to take the hit for you? Do you?

    2) How should you respond when someone attacks (whether actual or perceived) a firmly held belief? Do you?

    3) How do you handle people when they honestly come to a different conclusion on what the Scriptures say than you do? What happens when the resulting behavior from those different conclusions appears to be in conflict?

  • Were and Being Sent

    Luke 9:1–6, Luke 10:1–16, Luke 22:35–38

    This series of passages shows a progression of being sent out. The first passage is ‘ immediate 12 disciples being sent out. Their was to tell about the and to heal people. Pretty simple goals. Difficult mission. This seems to be the test run, for Jesus later sends out 72.

    These 72 are told that there are few workers. The 12 didn’t get that “pep-talk”. In both cases, they (whether 12 or 72) are to only preach to those who are open. Jesus tells them to “shake the dust off” if people are not receptive. In our day and where were seek to not offend, this can seem pretty harsh. Yet, often we are called to plant seeds and on so that we can plant more seeds. If you plant one seed, but just stay in one place to make sure it grows, everywhere else you could have gone remain unseeded.

    Even still, there is a balance. While they are directed to move from town to town, while they are in one town, they only stay in one place. This is a not-so-subtle reminder that humans play . The latest prophet (or one sent by that prophet) is the latest “star”. Imagine how far too many people would clamor to host them, creating strife in a where the of God is being preached.

    However, the last “sending” has a much darker and starker tone. Now, they are to be fully prepared and even armed. As an aside, many commentators struggle with Jesus telling them to have swords while at the same time being the and (to many) a pacifist. That’s actually what makes this third sending so dark and stark. The reality of the world is that being foolish means that you will be destroyed. Now, there is the pacifist route, the self-defense route, and the armed aggressor route. As we look back at history, there is no question that the armed aggressor “evangelism” is against the Kingdom of God. Where the balance between pacifism and self-defense is a discussion that is still going on to this day.

    Regardless, though, we know that the ways and the hows of sharing about the Kingdom of God are always changing. The message does (and must) remain the same, but how we it changes constantly. One of the most common phrases used is, “this is the way we’ve always done it.” While, at the same time, how groceries, tools, gas, cars, and many other things are purchased has massively changed. Modes of communication have expanded. The ability to see across the world in real-time is everywhere. Yet, we want to deliver the message the same way?

    1) Where have you been guilty of saying/thinking/feeling “that’s the way we’ve always done it?” What do you think the underlying emotions are?

    2) Tossing the old just for the new can be just as bad. How can the old inform the past, and how can the new transform the past?

    3) All too often we operate as if it is old versus new. How can we operate old and new?

  • Prophet of Peace

    Jeremiah 28:1–9, Luke 12:49–56, John 14:27–31

    There is something quite jarring in Jeremiah’s to Hananiah. Did you catch it? Only when actually comes true will a prophet who prophesied peace be considered a true prophet. If you war, famine, pestilence, , it’s all good. What?

    Think about that for a moment. The implication of Jeremiah’s words is pretty huge. It could be called a “duh” moment. In other words, it really doesn’t take much to prophesy (and be accurate) that there will be conflict and natural disasters. That pretty much comes with the territory of a fallen world.

    Yet, there was an that the Messiah would bring peace. ‘ words in Luke put that to the question. Not peace, but a sword? It sounds so very warlike. If we think about it, most worldly peace is “won” through blood and death. So, if Jesus is bringing a sword, then what kind of war is it, now?

    The of God is a two-edged sword. It is not just a symbol of war, but it is also a symbol of cutting.

    Separating the followers in word only from those who follow from their hearts. In other words, it is not a “peace” of we’ll all get along, but a peace that separates the ways of the world from the ways of the .

    When Jesus says that he will peace, but not as the world gives peace, we should be grateful. The world’s peace can be torn asunder very quickly, and often only with a spark. God’s peace passes all understanding.

    1) Jeremiah’s words about prophets are disheartening, but they should also be encouraging? Why do you think that is?

    2) We often cling to the image as Jesus as the Prince of Peace, yet the Sword of Truth would seem to be contrary to that. How do you work that out in your mind and heart? How would you explain that to someone else?

    3) How have you seen the Peace of God come into your ?

  • Outdated or Worthwhile

    Numbers 20:1–13, Jeremiah 35:1–19, Matthew 15:1–20

    Traditions are wonderful things. They can bring and order. They can help a person find themselves and understand where they came from, and what has shaped them to this point.

    Traditions can also blind us. While slavery was not a “”, the practices that had to be lived through enforced something very much like the worst instances of tradition, blind adherence. Moses faced the Israelites whose very identities were tied into slavery (perhaps even more than being Israelite). With those tethers severed, the Israelites found themselves wondering who they were. In the midst of trials and fears, they (like us) tried to to what they knew, even if it wasn’t good for them, or was blind (really, all those rich foods weren’t for them).

    Then there are odd and strongly held traditions that seem to be pointless, but result in something positive. The Rechabites did not drink wine, still lived in tents, and did not as farmers. All of that because their ancestor said not to. One could easily draw a line saying that the Rechabites’ tradition tied them to their past. In their case, it certainly did. Yet, something has to be inferred here. God praises their seemingly pointless traditions and their faithfulness in following them. With verse 19 we see the “fruit” of the tradition. The Rechabites appear to not only have followed their ancestor’s traditions, they also were to God. The two, it can be inferred, were deeply tied together.

    According to , the Pharisees and scribes didn’t have their traditions tied so closely with a with God. Jesus was pretty blunt with them. Their traditions blinded them that their relationship with God was damaged, if not non-existent. Which is even more devastating, as the intent of their traditions was to be better Jews, fulfilling the Law perfectly. As we now understand, however, fulfilling the Law perfectly is not quite the same as it perfectly.

    1) What are your most precious traditions? Do they truly draw you closer to God? Setting aside your emotional attachment, do they draw closer to God?

    2) The Rechabites’ traditions echo similar “outdated” traditions of some denominations (like the Nazarenes). How do you think the Rechabites lived it successfully (being called out as faithful by God), while many churches (and denominations) don’t?

  • Journey and Direction

    1 Kings 8:41–53, Ruth 1:7–17, Luke 9:57–10:16

    Where are you going?

    It’s a pretty basic question until we apply it to our lives. It wasn’t long ago, the question was followed with, “…to Heaven or Hell.” However, where are you going isn’t just about the destination, it is also about the journey. In fact, who we and how we live on the journey are what makes (or breaks) the Very Good Life.

    Solomon’s Temple Inaugural talks about the Very Good Live in general terms and one specific one. The general terms are those that are to everyday people. The specific term is focusing on God. The prayer basically revolves around people turning from God (and/or sinning), and people turning to God. Regardless of direction, God is the center.

    When Ruth makes this massive commitment to Naomi, we miss all that she gives up in her attempt to be to her (which now only consists of her mother-in-law). She also willingly surrenders her entire belief structure (and blood family and culture) to God. She turned toward God.

    There were many people who followed . Many of them were unwilling to make a full commitment. Jesus’ rebuke to 3 of them sounds harsh (it is). However, each of us has that same daily decision to make…Jesus, or not. Jesus sent 72 committed disciples out. He did not send them alone. He sent them in pairs. An example of taking the journey with others, for we can never truly walk this journey alone. We aren’t meant to.
    The disciples weren’t directed to make converts, they were sent to build relationships. Staying as a guest in someone’s house for the duration of their time in a village meant they had to get along with their hosts. It also meant they could build relationships—build the —at a more natural pace, and not the “” that was presented (e.g., “Heaven or Hell”) years ago. If the towns were hospitable, stay. Otherwise, leave. Do your best to be at with others, insofar as it depends on you.

    1) Where has your faith journey taken you? Have you been so focused on the destination that you didn’t experience the journey?

    2) How do you know where you are going, and how do you know when to direction?

    3) How does Solomon’s prayer tie into the task that the disciples were given?

  • Sacred Mourning

    Psalm 25, Lamentations 3:22–27, Matthew 27:62–66

    Are your clothes in 1 piece? One of the traditional Jewish responses of extreme or anguish is the tearing of their clothes. Yesterday was . Jesus died on the cross. Are your clothes torn?
    While they were able to put Jesus’ body in the tomb in time, nothing else happened. Everything just stopped. On top of their world being disrupted by Jesus’ , now they had to wait to honor the body of their friend, master, brother, son. In our day and , we don’t have this waiting period. We just get it done.

    Today, people will have egg hunts, parties, gatherings, trips, and so on. This is not to knock such, after all, often they are a way we (as Christians) get to the good news.

    However, perhaps it is time for us to come up with a new tradition, a Sabbath unlike any other that we hold (if we actually observe any). It is probably too late for you this year but put this as something to think about. Perhaps we too busy preparing for Sunday that we stop waiting. Why is this important, you may ask? It is a symptom of our lives and even our religious practices. Hurry up and get it done. When this is how we live our lives, how do we ever have the ability to wait for and on God?

    In the movie, the Passion of the Christ, there is a raindrop from the sky, implying that God the Father mourns. Let us mourn with God the Father, and with all those who lived beside Jesus. Below is the Mourner’s Kaddish, a Jewish usually spoken in Aramaic (not Hebrew, interestingly). While there may be no “leader” (L) to lead you the people (P), think of a congregation together saying this in an annual (for it is done annually in honor of those who have died) service.

    L: May His great Name exalted and sanctified…
    P: Amen
    L: …in the world that He created as He willed. May He give reign to His kingship in your lifetimes and in your days, and in the lifetimes of the entire Family of Israel, swiftly and soon. Now say:
    P: Amen. May His great Name be blessed forever and ever.
    L: Blessed, praised, glorified, exalted, extolled, mighty, upraised, and lauded be the Name of the Holy One.
    P: Blessed is He…
    L: …praise and consolation that are uttered in the world. Now say:
    P: Amen
    L: May there be abundant peace from Heaven and life upon us and upon all Israel. Now say:
    P: Amen
    L: He Who makes peace in His heights, may He make peace, upon us and upon all Israel. Now say:
    P: Amen

  • Spirit of Ashes

    Spirit of Ashes

    Isaiah 58:1–12, Psalm 51:1–17, Matthew 6:19–21

    Ash Wednesday is the start of , the reflective journey to the cross. One of the symbolic pieces are the ashes themselves. The “official” tradition is that the ashes are from last year’s Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday is the day that observes Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem with the pomp and circumstance of a ruler. This jubilation is crushed that same week with his crucifixion. The ashes, therefore, are a somber reminder of earthly pride, , and power crushed. Often they are a reminder of our own prides and joys and their short-term nature.

    In the “spirit” of ashes, the following is a modified form of the Book of Common ‘s Burial liturgy:
    In sure and certain hope of the to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to Almighty God oursleves—our very beings; and we commit our bodies and lives to serve your on earth; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The Lord bless us and keep us, the Lord make his face to shine upon us and be gracious to us, the Lord lift up his countenance upon us and us peace.

    It seems strange and morbid to a passage from a burial rite, yet an integral part of Ash Wednesday is our mortality. Another part, the part which we often focus on during Lent, is our frailty. By frailty, we mean sin and the weaknesses inherent to the condition. What we may “give up” during Lent is a upon what we believe is one of our biggest “frailties” at the moment, meaning it can change.
    The importance of understanding our finiteness, our mortality, is summed up in Jesus’ words regarding the storage of treasures. The earthly stuff is stolen or rots. It doesn’t last. Only treasures that we store in Heaven last forever. Those treasures are people.

    1) We are all “given” treasures that we are responsible for that are not our children, grandchildren, or other family members. Who are those treasures in your life?

    2) Why is important to remember the quickness of life when as we approach the cross in our spiritual journey?

    3) What do you value: time, money, things, people? All of these have value. Which has priority?

    FD) On Ash Wednesday a cross of ashes is put on our forehead. Why ashes? Why a cross?

  • How Do We Look?

    Psalm 120, Mark 13:9-13, 2 Peter 1:20-2:9

    Psalm 120 is a lament. The psalmist is among those who live a life of lies. These same people are warmongers, seeking strife and conflict. The psalmist is living in foreign lands that seek no , but the cry of the psalmist’s heart is for peace. The psalm begins with the end. God answered him, the rest of the psalm is about what the problem was. The truth is that while the psalmist was referring to a specific people, we all know the type. There are those that do not seem happy unless there is conflict. There are those who do not peace. When one does not have peace, one resorts to force fairly quickly. We are all guilty of this to some degree. Sometimes the response is yelling, crying, ambivalence, disregard. These all are violent to the heart and soul of others, and often to ourselves. We quickly think that all violence is physical. The truth is that violence is the outward sign of an inward pain.

    Jesus’ words in Mark are certainly not comforting. They can be terrifying. The internal strife of families torn apart. Neighbors calling out neighbors. the Second Great Commandment? Love your neighbor as yourself. This is the outward sign of it not being so. Jesus is warning that his peace is not the peace of this world. All too often, the peace of this world is bought and paid for by blood and . The peace of God is not so. The psalmist understood this. The response of the psalmist to those around him was, “God save me!” It wasn’t a slap to the face, or something more. It was prayer. As Jesus continues, he refers to the . The Spirit is the source of the peace of God. When the Holy Spirit resides in us, we can to those around us with a grace and wisdom that is not ours.

    The God-ly wisdom of the Holy Spirit requires our humility. Peter has to confront people already who say that they have a new revelation from God. Peter is quick to point out that the prophets themselves did not understand their prophecies (unless granted so by God). It was only after the fact that it was proven that their prophecies were true. This is an important thing as the , and groups that masquerade as the church, often have those that themselves prophets or revealers or divine actors of some sort that are bringing a new truth from God. Often these new truths are then used in ways that are violent to the hearts and souls of the innocent (and even not-so innocent). These people use the power of media, , society, anything at all to crush the hearts of the people of God. We too can be guilty of using God in this same way. God’s ways are the ways of peace. God’s ways are the ways that sooth and heal.

    1) Has some “religious” person ever said something to you that was hurtful? How did that make you feel toward the religious they claimed to follow?

    2) Often (and rightly) people are told that if they are abandoning religion because of people, then they are looking at the people not God. What does that mean, then, when we also say, “we may be the only Jesus they every see?”

    3/FD) Being a peace-lover or peace-maker does not mean being a pushover. How does one make peace without violence?