Devotion.al

Tag: peace

  • 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 . 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 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 grow large if we wanted.

    Yet, a common refrain, especially during any so-call 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 “return to God” are aligned to the “right” politically. However, there are voices on the political “left” that are also speaking 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 . In an era that is becoming more politically rigidly divided, every prophetic bone in every Christian, along with the Holy 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 Jesus and the . 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 Scriptures? 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 deceive you about people)

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, we of your church have lost our prophetic voice 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 —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 . 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, contentment, , of relationships with God especially in covenant , 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.

  • Moving Pain

    Moving Pain

    Psalm 107:1–3, 23–32; Job 38:1–11; 2 Corinthians 6:1–13; Mark 4:35–41

    The right time. God moved at the right time. God’s timing is perfect.

    From a purely intellectual standpoint, these are easy to say. It is much harder to say this in the midst of trial and be at peace with that truth. We will often tell ourselves that we God, but that doesn’t mean we are at peace with it.

    Sometimes we aren’t called to be at peace with it.

    Pain, whether , emotional, or spiritual, is God’s to us that something is wrong. One of the biggest ones is the pain of , particularly death. Death is the ultimate indicator that something is wrong in .

    Pain also often indicates that you need to do something. Just sitting in your pain, because you trust God’s timing or are “at peace” about, is not always the right or righteous .

    Pain, oddly enough, can also be disguised in positive events and positive moments, as these moments of transition mean letting go of the past.

    The disciples didn’t just sit in their pain (fear). They woke Jesus up. That was wise.

    (and Timothy) didn’t just sit in their pain that the Corinthians appeared to be abandoning them or letting their (of Paul and Timothy and/or God) cold. A letter was written and delivered. It was said aloud and shared among the Corinthians (and other churches).

    Job didn’t just sit. He carthartically released his pain. We often think of the Book of Job as Job mostly sitting with the others. While he is, Job is also doing what a lot of us try to do when we are in pain (spiritual and emotional, especially)…we process.

    ※Reflection※

    • What pain are you working through right now? What is the biggest obstacle for you in it?
    • How is your pain impacting those around you, particularly those who are closest to you?
    • How is your pain impacting your daily and choices?

    ※Prayer※

    God, you gave us pain to guide us. Help us to look at the pain we are dealing with to see how you can use it to transform us. Amen.

  • No or Many Blessings

    No or Many Blessings

    Psalm 20; Numbers 6:22–27; Mark 4:21–25

    You may know the song, “Count your , one by one…”

    The “Aaronic” blessing outlined in Numbers is one of my favorites. As a pastor, I will default to it at appropriate times (such as the of a service). First, of course, it is the one used to bless the People of God. The way it ends with the blessing…putting the of God on the people warms my .

    Think of all those blessings: protection, God’s glory, God’s grace, God’s watchfulness, God’s . Those are pretty mighty blessings. If we really understood and experienced these blessings, perhaps we might actually be able and willing to tell the world about .

    Yet, we seem to be inclined to put the blessings under a basket. We keep the blessings behind closed doors. Perhaps, we don’t really believe in the blessings we say we do.

    ※Reflection※

    Review the blessings as noted in the Aaronic . Can or do you see any or all of them in your ? Do you them with anyone?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, help us to not just see our blessings. Help us to share them with one another and especially the world that does not yet know you. Amen.

  • Utopia Maybe

    Utopia Maybe

    Psalm 29; Isaiah 2:1–5; Romans 8:9–11

    The statistics don’t seem promising. The percentage of regular church-goers has been falling generation by generation for the last four generations. While the percentage of Americans that say they are Christian is high (relatively), a very high percentage of them say isn’t that important to them, and all religions are the same.

    The usual accusation is that it is a significant cultural shift that is at fault. There is truth in that. There is also a denial of reality. Culture is always shifting. Sometimes it is slow. Sometimes it is . As we look around the world in places like China and India, there are fast and slow cultural shifts. The problem with this accusation is that it ignores the self. Without introspection and honest self-evaluation, the church will see the number decline.

    This sounds depressing. It is, and it should be. We are called to be the light to the world as ambassadors of Christ. In many, perhaps even most, respects, the church has been (culture) warrior first and ambassador a distant last.

    The good news is that God isn’t done—not with the world and not with us.

    The triumph and of the passage of Isaiah is palpable. All nations would (willingly, longingly) submit to God. God would judge between nations echoes how the Israelite priests were to judge between the Israelite tribes and members. It foreshadows that all of humanity, not just the Israelites, would be equal before God.

    The last piece always catches my attention in this passage. When I was a child, my mom had a button that said, “swords into plowshares.” She had joined (?) an arms reduction organization of some sort and explained weapons (tools of death) being transformed into agricultural tools (tools of life). Regardless of one feels about war (just war or not) or policing (or its abolishment), the concept of sword into plowshare is powerful. Humanity would no longer feel the need for war, for their deepest needs were being filled by God.

    The selflessness that Paul alludes to comes from this same basic concept…the fallen nature of humanity to strive upon the backs of is contrary to God’s desire for his creation. It isn’t merely weapons of war. This can include anything from cars to homes, to stuff, to . It covers that which we seek to fill needs that ultimately will be filled by God.

    While we can look at Isaiah’s passage as a utopia, that isn’t it. We can look at Paul’s compliments of the Romans as , it isn’t that (it is, but it isn’t). What we see in both passages is that being by God leads to us being fulfilled by others and seeking to fulfill others. Sounds pretty nice.

    ※Reflection※

    • Where do you see the vision of Isaiah being fulfilled in your life?
    • Where do you see the vision of Paul being fulfilled in your life?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, help us to bring “your come” in the one area we can with your help…ourselves. Amen.

  • Just Breathe

    Just Breathe

    Psalm 104:24–34; Ezekiel 37:1–14; John 20:19–23

    In the Eastern Orthodox , there is a simple practice performed by many, where they say, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God…” while breathing in and then “…have mercy on me, a sinner,” while exhaling.

    The Jesus Prayer (as it is called in the Orthodox tradition) is a prayer practice, of course. However, it is also a practice. As we, in the larger tradition, consider that the Spirit was breathed into dirt to make humanity, it makes sense to develop a prayer based upon spiritual and the sacrificial life of Christ.

    This same breath is also the breath that God directs Ezekiel to prophesy to. This vision of breath “breathing” life into the dead makes perfect sense as dead bones are just as empty of spiritual life as dirt.

    This leads us to Jesus. His disciples weren’t dead. Their bones weren’t dry (or in an ossuary). In some ways, though, they were dead. They were dead in . They were dead to knowing what was next. They were dead to what God was really doing.

    Then Jesus breathed on them. Some commentators view this as a blessing of sorts. Others more directly tie this to the Spirit as given to humanity to begin with and the Spirit that brought the bones back to life. Within the context, Christians would generally choose the latter (it goes well with , after all, and that is how John explains it). Yet, blessing also makes perfect sense, as part of this short passage is about Jesus telling the disciples to be…at , which as “Shalom” (Hebrew for all-encompassing wholistic peace and unity) also makes perfect sense.

    The leads us back to the Jesus Prayer. Breathe in the Breath of Life (the ). Breathe out the deathly breath of , despair, and alienation.

    ※Reflection※

    • Do you think much about breathing? Why or why not?
    • What would it mean to you if you thought of breathing as breathing in the Holy Spirit, and breathing out all your sin (and the wages of sin, death)?
    • Why do you think fire (a symbol of Pentecost) and the Holy Spirit (wind) complement each other as a blessing of God for the Church?

    ※Prayer※

    Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior of the World, have mercy on us, we humble sinners. Amen.

  • Places for Scripture

    Places for Scripture

    Psalm 93; Deuteronomy 11:18–21; Mark 16:19–20

    “Place these words…on your heart” and then to “…they went out and proclaimed the message everywhere.”One of the little truths about this passage in Deuteronomy is the very simple tool given that many turned into a soulless rule or merely room decor. God directed that God’s word be placed everywhere in our lives, even on door frames! You can go to places like Michael’s and Hobby Lobby and find the Scriptures available for room decor. You can do it simply with a piece of paper and tape.

    Honestly, I used to disparage the use of Scripture as decor, mostly because I saw it in too many homes and places that seemed anything but filled with God’s love. However, it is certainly not fair to God’s Word that I should be that way. As we read, it’s actually bad that I thought that way. I have found and redemptive actions in simply reading a verse of Scripture or that which reminds me of the Scriptures as I walk around my home.

    At my paying job (purchasing manager in manufacturing), I’ve been told that my workspace is too white (white walls, no decor). Over the last few days (before this devotion), I’ve been thinking that I need some of the Scriptures in my work life. Will it be visible? Yes. Will it be there for to see? If they wish. I’m going to put it there for me so that I remember—when that really irritating person walks through my door for the umpteenth time that day—whose I am, and who I am to reflect. It won’t be there to provide the appearance of a warm and cozy home. It is for me to remember.

    Remember. The whole point of Moses’ directive is so that the Israelites (and we) remember. For a number of years, I heard the same passage from 1 John 1 read at the beginning of every Sunday church service as part of the opening corporate confession of . Then we left that church tradition, we stopped hearing it. I can still quote it. It gives me great peace, too, and gives direction to grace to others. It’s a whopping four verses.

    So, if you remember and the words, what about the signs? That is a great question! How do you know a Christian? How they speak? How they dress? How they spend? How they give? How they receive? Yes, to all of these and more! It’s not very easy. That is one of the pitfalls of our post-Enlightenment world. The world, and we, want an easy answer to determine who is in and who is out.

    Except, as we read the Scriptures when can that when we “know” who is in and who is out we stop loving God and loving others…which may mean we’re out.

    ※Reflection※

    • What ways are you open to bring the Scriptures regularly into your life? What ways are you currently using? Which ones are you thinking about adding?
    • What are some reasons that we should have some of the Scriptures deep within us as we share the of Jesus?

    ※Prayer※

    , quicken our hearts and mind to want more of you and the Word inside of us, that we may be emboldened and encouraged to go into the world seeking to transform it by your love coming through us. Amen.

  • Dirty Work

    Dirty Work

    Psalm 80; Isaiah 32:9–20; James 3:17–18

    “Tremble, all of you who are at ease;
    shudder, all of you who are secure!”
    —Isaiah 32:11 (CEB)

    Isaiah’s words were directed towards people who were confident that the military might and influence of Egypt would protect them from other enemies. Something along the lines of, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Except that alliances switched all the time. Relying on Egypt—especially Egypt—was not a good long-term plan.

    The church, too, often practices the same thing with its Egypt…the government. This is not a new thing. It is not a Democrat or Republican thing. It isn’t a Tory or a Labour thing (political parties in the UK). Whether we gather from history the intertwinings of the church with the later years Roman Empire, to the Roman Catholics ties to many Western European countries, to the Orthodox ties with Eastern European countries.Many critics and critiques of the church claim that the church lost its way when Emperor Constantine. True, the church was blinded by the freedom to be and impose with power. However, that wasn’t the real issue. The real issue was the people of the church.

    Slowly, ever so slowly, discipleship became catechism. Passing the catechism test (which could be very stressful) was all that was needed to be a “member”. Catechism faded away too, to a point where many people don’t even know some of the core tenants of the they espouse. Then people were baptized into a faith their parents didn’t practice (i.e., the Church of England) or thought they were because of the place they were born (the US).

    There were a lot of steps in between. There were even successful attempts to fix the situation (John Wesley’s , classes, and societies; the Sunday School movement). However, they lost steam as the world changed. They also lost steam as the church chose to both withdraw from the world and to attack the world.

    One cannot be the light to a people one does not know; one cannot be the light to people one acts towards as if hatred were the motivation, rather than love.

    “What of the from above? First, it is pure, and then peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good actions, fair, and genuine. Those who make peace sow the seeds of by their peaceful acts.”
    —James 3:17–28 (CEB)

    Part of the spiritual work that we are called to is creating the healthy spiritual soil from which the green of . Healthy spiritual soil is pure (and is being purified), gentle, obedient, merciful, acts in the ways of Christ, fair, and genuine. From that healthy spiritual soil, we have the , drive, ability, and even natural response to bring peace and justice into the world.

    ※Reflection※

    • What is the condition of your spiritual soil?
    • What does your soil need more of? Fertilizer, minerals, water, sand, loam?
    • Why does ignoring the state of your soil endanger your continued spiritual health and growth?

    ※Prayer※

    Spirit, guide us to nourish the soil that will bring honor and glory to you, the and the through our lives. Amen.