Devotion.al

Tag: physical

  • Sacrifice of Living

    Isaiah 1:10–18, Psalm 50, Romans 5:20–6:11

    The problem with the Law was the human ability to think out the payment schedule, particularly the wealthy. What the wealthy did, it seems, was to commit the , then pay the penalty. In other words, the payment for the sin was considered as part of the “cost of doing business.” Part of the point of the law was to show the cost of sin in a way that was significant. However, in the midst of great wealth, everything became distorted.

    While we could draw some parallels to the modern day when it comes to extreme wealth, it is the other aspects of this which should give us pause. As we read the passage from Isaiah, it is not just the rich who are at fault. While they may have led the vanguard, the rest followed. There appears to be a universal condemnation of the population of Israel.

    It would seem, on the outset, that the Psalm is a little different. Yet, God seems to disregard the offerings as pointless. That’s really not much better. The reality is, as the Psalm continues, the Israelites are truly lost, wandering away from God. They are not living in with one another. The reality is that sometimes we all do not live well in community. Yet, we try…mostly.

    One of the deepest truths is that we all fail to live perfectly in community. Sometimes we disguise it behind pithy statements such as, “a is a hospital; we’re all wounded.” There is in the words, but there is also a strong tendency to categorize the wounds we have inflicted as, “just a sad reality.” This is not the way to live!

    Yes, absolutely, we will wound people and will be wounded by people. We are not, however, supposed to leave it like that. Yes! abounds. We are supposed to give it to one another! Yes! God heals. God often heals through . Being dead to sin is not doing “the right” sacrifice, it is living to give , love, , and grace.

    1) Who have you wounded recently? How will you when someone comes to you saying that you wounded them?

    2) Who has wounded you recently? How will you approach them? How will you show them grace?*

    3) What is the difference between grace and forgiveness?

    *In certain situations regarding , emotional, or spiritual abuse, this is not being blind to the others’ behavior. Never put yourself in harm’s way.

  • Power of Service

    Mark 10:42–45, John 21:15–17, 1 Peter 4:7–11

    Power to control. That’s what is talking about in the passage in Mark. The Gentile “rulers” (though the same applied to many of the Pharisees and scribes, as well) lorded their power, influence, and wealth over , and controlled them. When this passage is used, often we get “stuck” on our part, rather than seeing the underlying relational . Those with power, influence, and wealth are held at a distance (even by those with power, influence, and wealth themselves). Servants are close at hand. In a place of , servants are able to influence and nurture others. One really can’t say that about those with power, influence, and wealth.

    Service is strongly implied in Jesus’ words of the restoration of Peter: Feed (twice) and shepherd. Used twice, βόσκω (boskō) can mean feed, take to pasture, or take care of. Used only once, ποιμαίνω (poimainō) means shepherd, take care of, and guide. Feed appears to be more of the immediate concern, while shepherd is more along the line of long-term thriving. This is a great picture for pastors to concern themselves with. It is also the picture every one of us should be using as a lens to look at others with. We are called to “feed” their immediate need twice as much as their thriving. Many of us concern ourselves with the thriving, and neglect the immediate.

    Service isn’t an option. How you serve is your expression of service as . Peter passed along the call to serve, “…as good stewards of the varied grace of God.” That is an interesting concept. Often we talk about stewardship in regards to money. Peter talks about being stewards of God’s grace. God’s grace is poured out on the just and unjust, just as it is poured out on the saved and unsaved. Just because there’s plenty, does not mean we are not responsible to steward it.

    1) Our culture claims to value servants. It doesn’t. The seems to reflect the culture. How can we improve how we value the servants of the church? Who are the servants of the church? Who aren’t the servants of the church?

    2) Why do you think there is that 2-to-1 ratio between feeding and shepherding? How should that inform your ?

    3) How will you serve tomorrow? How will you serve today? How will you serve next month? Does the service always have to be the same?

  • Blind to the Signs

    Ezekiel 12:21–28, Jeremiah 32:17–23, Matthew 16:1–4

    In the Post-Enlightenment or Scientific (depending on how you want to define either or both), evidence has been crucial. It’s not as if we are all that different than the Israelites.

    Ezekiel’s words come at a time when there have been many Men of God who, by God’s direction, preached repentance and warned of impending doom. Yet, instead of taking such to , the people hardened their hearts away from God. They thought that the so-called Men of God must have been delusional because the doom hasn’t come. This is instead of seeing it as God’s (conveyed) mercy, grace, and forbearance. The lack of doom caused them to think that those that were promising were more-likely from God than those preaching doom.

    Yet, Jeremiah and Ezekiel were almost (plus or minus a few years) contemporaries. Jeremiah comments on God’s past and present (implied of ) signs and wonders. What different perspectives these 2 Men of God have compared to the people! It is definitely a case of at work in the world, rather closing one’s eyes to it.

    It’s not as if didn’t have the same issues. When it came to physical signs (the weather), the “great” leaders had no problems interpreting the signs. However, when it came to God acting they were blind!

    1) While the world can claim ignorance of God working, we cannot. Where are you seeing God working both miraculously and in the mundane?

    2) Signs of significance continue to be an issue. What signs do people demand in the world (i.e., corporations, , environmental, people, etc.)?

    3) Acts of forbearance are often seen as , rather than and grace. Why do you think that is? With the results of the demise of Jerusalem, and the exile of the Jews, why do you think God acted that way?

  • Sheltering Wings

    Exodus 37:1–9, Ruth 2:10–3:9, Psalm 61, Luke 13:34–35

    The wings of God are an interesting image, and it is well considering. While God may not have literal wings, wings being part of the comprehension of God cannot and should not be ignored.

    The Ark of the was a reminder of God’s among the people of Israel. The lid of the Ark of the Covenant was called the Seat. Think about that. Beneath the seat were the stones of the Commandments, a container of mana, and (later) a blossoming branch. Mercy was the capstone of it all. Surrounding the Mercy Seat were wings. Were they God’s wings? No, but as they were directed by God to be there, they were indeed a manifestation of God’s will.

    In the story of Ruth, wings come up twice in actually a short time, and both have the same concept surrounding their appearance. In the first, Boaz declares that Ruth has placed herself underneath the wings of God as a refuge. As the story progresses, she then places herself under the wings of Boaz for refuge.

    Wings and refuge often go hand-in-hand in the . We see it yet again in Psalm 61 (and it is also in other Psalms). God has wings of refuge.

    ‘ sad cry against and on behalf of Jerusalem (representing the past and present Israelites and Jews) shows a refusal to be underneath the wings of God, a refusal to be in the refuge of God. Jesus’ words of how a mother hen guards her chicks with her wings, how her wings are the chicks’ refuge from the world…they are nothing short of amazing.

    God wants to shelter us underneath his wings.

    1) Shelter and refuge are things we often seek in things, , and even people. How are you doing seeking shelter under God’s wings?

    2) What do you feel in your , knowing that God wants to gather YOU underneath his wings?

    3) Why would people NOT want to be under God’s refuge? How do you think that might affect how they view, feel, and interact with the world around them?

  • Joy in Demise

    Habakkuk 3:16–19, Zephaniah 2:1–3

    Imagine how Habakkuk is feeling. He understands the impending doom. He knows that Israel can no longer avoid the consequences of generations of bad behavior.

    Habakkuk uses the imagery of rottenness in his bones. It’s a weird statement. Yet, most of us understand it if we’ve ever had the flu, broken bones, bone surgery, or (the ultimate) bone cancer.

    This is a deep ache that is beyond mere flesh. Habakkuk probably did have a more spiritual intent, yet there is something in that phrase that makes many uncomfortable.

    This is the feeling of utter and complete exhaustion, , mental, and spiritual. Most of us have been there a time or two (or more) in our lives.

    While Habakkuk is not celebrating his (or the people’s) misery, at the same he understands that there is a difference between the immediate and the infinite. Habakkuk does not stand down on worshipping God. Bones that are rotten, yet walking on mountain heights like a deer? That is often the difference of a truly lived in the embrace of God.

    Zephaniah, too, sees impending doom. While Habakkuk still worships God in the midst of it, Zephaniah foresees an opportunity, an opportunity of repentance. Zephaniah understands that the impending doom is only impending when hearts are not yielded to God.

    Seek the Lord. It sounds simple, but after years and generations of bad habits and practices, plus the taking on of foreign gods, the people of Judah are at a point that any path they chose would probably be wrong. In their case, they would have to truly start at the beginning. They would have to become like children. Who could teach them anymore, however? The priests and leaders were much of (but not only) the problem.

    1) In the midst of struggles, especially of the , it is incredibly difficult to be like Habakkuk. What do see in Habakkuk’s words and attitudes, which may be different than yours?

    2) Zephaniah’s conviction of God’s ever-present and willingness to forgive can be hard to understand. How can you this with who cannot understand?

  • Empathize and Build

    Philippians 2:19–30, Romans 15:1–7

    empathy: the of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner [Merriam-Webster.com]

    Imprisoned is concerned about the Philippians. More correctly, he is deeply concerned for the Philippians. Paul’s empathy is such that he appears to viscerally feel the emotional distress of the Philippians for their emissary/friend/missionary Epaphroditus. The Philippians’ distress for Epaphroditus’ health tells us how significant Epaphroditus was to the Philippians. It also shows Paul’s importance to them for them to send such a significant person.

    In the Roman era, if you did not have or friends to take care of you, you were not going to last long. The primary care of a prisoner would be performed by those same family and friends. Epaphroditus was one of Paul’s care-givers. He was a key part of Paul’s survival. Yet, Paul viewed the Philippians’ worries of higher importance than his own. So much so, that he put their emotional welfare ahead of his own and emotional welfare. He also, therefore, took on their coming as his own.

    Paul echoes much of this in his earlier letter to the Romans. He talks about bearing the weaknesses of so as to not please oneself. He talks about pleasing our neighbor, especially to build them up. He also says that this also means that when these people are insulted, he (or we) are also insulted.

    This is not the way of the world. The way of the world is to . Even as Christians, the world tries to separate us from each other, and we let the world do it.

    1) How can you build-up your empathy muscle? Why should you?

    2) How do you think empathy helps build the ?

    3) Why do you think we avoid feeling empathy toward others?

  • Faithfully Blind Together

    Leviticus 21:16–24, Matthew 20:29–34, 1 Corinthians 1:26–29

    Even today people struggle with blindness. Granted, today those who are blind have legal protections, braille, technology, and acceptance that wasn’t part of other cultures. In the New Testament era, the only “job” the blind could get was begging. Doesn’t sound very fulfilling or enjoyable.

    Our story in Matthew takes place on ‘ last journey to Jerusalem. Whether the large crowd was only because of Jesus or also because of the approaching Days is somewhat up for discussion. Regardless, though, the blind men were probably looking to having a more successful attempt at begging, due to the emotional high that people would have had, and the affiliation of almsgiving with Holy Days.

    Instead, they Jesus is coming. They probably had already heard the stories of the miracles he performed. That Jesus would be near them would be exciting and would be -filled. They cried out, but the crowd tried to silence them. Some commentators take a symbolic view of this. The crowd is the world (and Satan) trying to drown out the coming of Jesus. The blind men, like Christians, have to the world to meet Jesus. It might be taking a few too many liberties, but the reality is these men overcame the crowd.

    In all likelihood, this was not normal behavior for them. They would generally be meek so as to not be bullied. Yet, they went for it. They took the risk. Opposed the crowd. They could now see.

    The weak. desires. The despised. Yet, Jesus heard their cries and healed them. Paul notes that the world has a different form of evaluation and valuing people than the .

    1) What have your thoughts been (whether now or in the past) of people who were not fully as capable ( or mental) as you?

    2) People are quick to value people based upon their physical bodies. Why do you think that is?

    3) Why do you think Paul concludes with, “…so that no one may boast in his presence…”?

  • Evaluating Value

    John 8:2–12, 2 Corinthians 5:10–15

    Before we go any further, this story in John is an odd one. It does not show up in the earliest manuscripts that we currently have, however, the story does show up soon (time-wise) after the earliest manuscript. What is also unusual (in comparison to others stories) is that it doesn’t show up in exactly the same places. The very early attested to the accuracy of the story, as do most scholars. However, because of its appearance later, there is probably a note in your bible about it. Again, this does not put the story in dispute.

    The story is interesting, as many people have put their own spin on what was writing in the dirt. Could it have been a line? Was it a list of sins the men committed? Maybe it was as simple as, “love God; love others.” Many creative sermons have been delivered over what was in the dirt, but not written in the . The real question is judgment. Based on the context (setting Jesus up) and the lack of a male participant (who should have been stoned, too), there was no following the Law in Truth or . Even literally the law wasn’t followed (again, the lack of the man).

    The Law, or the law (as in US jurisprudence) can be judged insofar as being evaluated and found regarding the preponderance of evidence as guilty or innocent of the charge. That is not the judgment in this instance. It is a judgment of value. This woman was judged to be less valued for she was a woman and an adulteress. The man involved was skipped over. Why was one granted and (presumptive), while another was not?

    Paul reminds us that we all will stand before the throne. Yes, if we’ve accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior we will be spared the judgment. However, what if we stood before the throne and experienced the entirety of the emotional, spiritual, and pain of our sins (including what we have caused others). This would not be out of a desire to inflict pain, but for us to Truly understand the grace and mercy given to us.

    1) Have you ever judged and/or condemned a person, then found out you were wrong? What was that like? Did you make amends? If not, why not?

    2) We may be quick to judge the sins of others. What should we from the lesson of Jesus?

    3) Paul speaks of the “ of God”. How should that affect our views of judging others?