Tag: praise

Throne Encirclement
Psalm 95; 1 Chronicles 11:1–9; Revelation 7:13–17

Thrones are attractive. The concept of a throne involves power, wealth, and influence. Depending on “the throne”, it might also have religious and cultural ramifications as well.

Thrones, or their facsimiles, often draw those who are weak, yet seek strength. Thrones also draw those who crave power and control over others. There, too, are those that seek to use the throne for their own wealth.

King Saul was dead. The man all these elders surrounded Saul and likely helped keep David away from the throne that God had bestowed upon David. To their credit, they recognized that God had indeed bestowed the seat of Israel to David. However, based upon their remarks, they had understood prior to this moment that David was God’s choice, yet it was only now that they approached David.

We can see similar behavior in our state (or provincial) capitals and our national capitols. While the US (for example) has no throne, Congress and Executive branches have plenty of people surrounding them, brown-nosing and seeking favor. Washington, D.C., has become the throne.

This is not to say that all who are around the throne (whether David’s or Washington, D.C.) are bad. In fact, there are more positive, effective, well-meaning, and loyal people than bad ones. It’s just that the bad ones are more capable of doing harm, solely because those that are good don’t even think that way.

The “throne” of God also attracts many of the same bad kind. Many of these will see their gain through God, but not recognize that their gain is nothing but vapor.

On the other hand, those shown in the vision to John were not that kind. Some were likely martyrs. Some had hard lives that brought glory to God through blood sweat and tears. Others did work where they saw no glory at all, but were faithful and trusted God with their endeavors.

※Reflection※
- What are good reasons to surround the throne of God?
- What are good reasons to surround the thrones of humanity?
※Prayer※

Lord, may we view your throne with hearts of righteousness, and may we surrender the thrones of our hearts, souls, and minds to you. Amen.
2021 04 27
Blessing of Blessings
Psalm 23; Genesis 30:25–43; Acts 3:17–26

“You’ve been such a blessing in my life!”

Hopefully, you have said that to at least one person in your life. Even more so, would be for someone to say that to you. In both cases…and mean it.

Laban and Jacob were the perfect foils for one another. Both seemed to have issues with straightforwardness (Jacob has been nicknamed the usurper and trickster, with some justification). It’s hard to believe that the first issue pops up more than 7 years into their relationship when Laban deceives Jacob into marrying Leah instead of Rachel. If personality issues such as this only show up every seven years, then that’s not too bad (though, really, over marriage?). It seems unlikely.

Through a parable, Jesus said that a person who could be trusted with a small task could be trusted with a larger one. There are people who can be trusted with big things but need a lot of people around them to keep from failing with all the little things. There was just something (okay, a lot of things) wrong in this family.

Throughout this, Laban seemed to care little for his daughters, other than how to tie Jacob to him. It is not unreasonable that if it hadn’t have been Jacob, Laban would have tried to hoodwink someone else. The only time Laban appeared to care for his daughters was when Jacob left (Genesis 31), but as Jacob may have been the sharer of the story, he may have left out the positive sides of Laban. Maybe.

The reason Laban’s care (or lack thereof) for his daughters is important is that this was his justification to chase after Jacob when he left after the events of today’s passage in Genesis. However, If we look at Laban’s words, was Laban really worried about his daughters, or was he concerned about the lost blessing.

That Laban felt this so powerfully indicates that the blessing was huge, and Laban knew it. It would just like someone who bought Apple stock during its first IPO ($22) and then threw it in the shredder (valued at more than $15,000) today. Laban wanted to seize the blessing, and it makes sense.

Except the purpose of true blessing isn’t to be seized or owned by one person. True blessing is to be shared with others, so that they may be blessed.

When Peter talks about Abraham’s blessing there is a difference. The Jews didn’t really try to hold onto the blessing, per se, they merely thought that their bloodline along with the Law was the blessing. Some scholars point to Israel’s physical location in ancient times. Much of the commerce of that part of the world went through it. They had the opportunity to be a blessing to others by sharing God’s blessings.

One of the easiest ways to think of blessings and blessing is to think of water in a cup and in a pipe. A cup is a fixed point with a fixed volume. A pipe carries the water to others. A cup of water either evaporates or stagnates.

※Reflection※
- What does it mean to be a blessing?
- What qualifies something or someone as a blessing?
- Why do people seize blessings and not let go?
- Why might a blessing be greater when it is given away rather than held?
※Prayer※

With the blessings we have received we bless the Lord.
With the gifts in our hands we praise his name;
with our hearts and hands and voices we give thanks to the Lord,
calling on all his creation to bless and praise his holy name. Amen.
Clowes, David. 500 More Prayers for All Occasions. Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook, 2015. Print.
2021 04 22
Missed A Spot
Psalm 84; Ezra 6:1–16; Mark 11:15–19

If you are unaccustomed to the lectionary (again, what is being used this year for the passages), it can seem odd, annoying, and definitely repetitious to see the same Psalm for multiple days. As I, too, am reading it each day, I try to glean something new from it each time. This time I thought of a mess.

I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. There is a light rail system there (that was supposed to be for Seattle) called BART. As it was close, I could walk to the BART station and get to many places in the area.

One of the things I didn’t like was all the pigeons. They had found hard to reach (for humans) places to nest and congregate. BART did try to put up barbs to keep them from landing there, but it didn’t really work. So, it could be a hazardous trip to get your ticket or even wait for the train. You had to learn to look on the pavement for the telltale droppings of pigeons so that you could usually avoid being hit.

Even the sparrow found a place in the Temple. If you’ve seen sparrow colonies, they’re not much better than pigeons. The sparrow lays eggs beside the altar.

We read about temple purity laws. They were significant and had severe penalties for violation. The laws were almost impossible to bear. Yet the sparrow found rest and security in the Temple of God.

Jesus cleansed the Temple, not because of sparrow dropping, but because the hearts of humanity had turned from God to gain, and from God’s praise to humanity’s power. Although, if we think about it, if they were selling animals in the temple, it was probably much worse than a few sparrows.

Of course, the Psalmist might be taking some poetic liberty. On the other hand, if you read the Law, the rules almost all apply to people. This means that there may have not been a “purity” concern regarding sparrows in the Temple.

Sometimes our house is a mess. It could be your house. It could be God’s house. Truly, all of us recognize that at least something in our life is not as it should be, and it may be something completely out of our control…such as a sparrow in the Temple.

This shouldn’t discourage us, however. We are called to come to God in good times and bad. We are called to come dirty and clean, with both being relative. Was there something about ritual purity? Yes. However, as Jesus displays through his actions, ritual purity is not necessarily the heart.

※Reflection※
- What things/thoughts/so-called “dirtiness” keep you from approaching God?
- How does being ritually pure (usually outside performance) differ from purity of heart regarding our relationship with God? How do we confuse them?
- What “sparrows” are nesting in your house?
※Prayer※

Lord, all of Creation praises you. Let us not be distracted from praising you and seeking fellowship with you, no matter what the world throws at us. Amen.
2021 03 10
All Are Called
Psalm 22:23–31; Genesis 15:1–6, 12–18; Romans 3:21–31

You are loved by God. Yes, you. If you are reading this, and are not a believer in Jesus Christ, you are loved by God. If you are Jewish, and not a believer in Jesus Christ, you are part of God’s Chosen People. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you are a child of God.

Whether non-Christian Jew, Messianic Jew, or Christian, we are called to praise, honor, and stand in awe of God. Actually, we are all (believer or not) called to praise, honor, and stand in awe of God.

All too often, though, modern people make judgments about God when they do not understand the significance of the stories. The story of Abraham and the smoking pot is a story of vast significance, especially when we talk about this passage in Romans.

The symbolism of everything surrounding the smoking pot can be summarized. God made a covenant with Abraham. Abraham made a covenant with God. The penalty for breaking the covenant: death. God took the place of Abraham and God as the covenanter who would pay the price upon violation of the covenant.

“…God displayed Jesus as the place of sacrifice…”—Romans 3:25

Sometimes writing too much takes away from the Scriptures. This is one of those times. Read again the passage from Romans with the knowledge or reminder that God had promised to die long before Israel (Jacob) was even born.

※Reflection※
- What does this tell you about God?
- What does this tell you about us?
- What are you going to do with this?
※Prayer※

Lord, let us not forget that you knew the price of loving us while maintaining your holiness. Thank you for your unending grace, mercy, and love. Amen.
2021 02 25
Freely
Psalm 147:1–11; 1 Corinthians 9:16–23

Psalm 147 opens up powerfully. It really is good to sing praise to God. Every worship leader hopes that it is the pleasure of everyone who attends church (whether physically or online) finds it a pleasure to praise God through singing.

Of course, the psalmist is a songwriter/performer, so is obviously a tad biased towards this form of praise. There is indeed something powerful about music. On the other hand, there are plenty of people who find their best time of worship and praise through prayer or stillness.

The heart of worship is honoring God. A heart that honors God, worships God. Those people faithfully wait for the next experience of God’s faithful love.

The expectation of experiencing God’s faithful love produces a response that can seem odd to a person who does not believe the same. Paul has such an expectation. That is part of what motivates his approach to his (Christ directed) mission to share the Good News.

Paul’s response to God’s faithful love? Share the Good News freely. Not only freely in regard to cost, but also freely to whomever, and freely however.

In many respects, the whomever and however continue to be a problem in regard to sharing the gospel. In some church somewhere, someone is saying, “Let’s not share the Good News with those people.” In another church (or maybe the same one), someone is saying, “We just can’t do it that way.”

It’s easy to say, “Paul would…,” but the reality is that we don’t know what Paul would have done. We can only at the “heart” of Paul as seen through his words.

We are often quite ready to put boundaries on many things in our lives. With whom and how (granted, without changing the Truth) however, the fewer boundaries we place the more likely we are to be where God already is.

※Reflection※
- What surprising/unexpected ways have you seen the Good News shared/spread?
- How should honoring/praising/worshiping God lead to sharing the Good News of the Gospel?
※Prayer※

Lord, may we find ways to share the Gospel that builds bridges of faith and love. Amen.
2021 02 07
Purple Vision

Numbers 27:15–23; 2 Timothy 2:8–13

Having worked for family-owned and -run businesses, I know that one of the business’ concerns is, who’s next? Perhaps it might be better to say that the success of a family-owned and -run business is who will successfully lead it with vision and tenacity once the current leadership steps down.

I have seen it work well. I have seen it work not-so-well. One business had a plan, and the other business made laissez-faire assumptions.

Moses had spent a lot of time getting the Israelites to the Promised Land. He had been frustrated, belittled, and probably cursed by the same Israelites. He still wanted them to succeed in the Promised Land. So, Moses asked God for the next leader.

God selected Joshua. Now, it could be said that this was obvious, as other than Aaron, only Joshua is noted as Moses’ aide, and even accompanied Moses when he received the Ten Commandments. Joshua, as Moses’ aide, indeed saw the dark side of leading the Israelites.

I think it is appropriate to presume that God had guided Moses’ selection of Joshua, thus make Joshua the “obvious” choice. On the other hand, we could also presume that Moses’ experience in Pharaoh’s house would have taught Moses how to choose a leader, and then God used that.

Who was next to lead would set the Israelites for success or failure in the Promised Land.

In some respects, that is the same view many people have of the incoming Presidential administration and the Congressional seating. Success or failure. In a republic, it’s a little harder to really hit that success or failure button (though pundits try).

As we look at the days, months, and years to follow this election, we all need to ask ourselves about a few things. For the last few election cycles, the country has been color-coded with red and blue. The animosity between red and blue is approaching that of the Bloods and Crypts from decades ago, who differentiate themselves by red or blue.

Wearing the wrong colors in the wrong neighborhood was a recipe for being harmed by the other gang’s members. Now people are being assaulted by the “opposing” group just for wearing t-shirts, hats, or participating in their constitutionally protected right to protest.

There has been a centrist movement calling itself “purple”. However, there is something ironic in that. This mix of red and blue representation of republic political alignment has a completely different meaning…royalty.

Theoretically, the War of Independence was intended to “free” the American colonies from the oppression of British royalty. Instead, we developed an elected aristocracy.

There is one good thing, though, about the purple. Who we recognize as royalty, who we recognize as king makes all the difference. When we recognize and believe the Jesus Christ is King, we can gladly declare ourselves purple, for we seek to follow the True King.

※Reflection※

What will it take, do you think, for Christian conversations on politics to be purple first, rather than last? What is one behavior or conversation of yours was not purple during this recent political season? How can you develop a practice of purple thoughts and speech, rather than red or blue?

※Prayer※

Lord, you are the King of the Universe. Through you, Creation came into being. Only you are worthy of our worship and praise. Thank you for giving us the freedom to choose. Thank you for loving us enough so that through the Holy Spirit, we can become wise. Amen.

2020 11 22
A Promise

Isaiah 44:21–28; Ezekiel 34:25–31; Mark 14:22–26

Remember. We are called on to remember things every day. Some have become so ingrained (putting undergarments, I hope) that we don’t actually remember them; we just do them.

Like many things that are ingrained, relationships aren’t. We might take them for granted, but that doesn’t make them ingrained.

Isaiah’s call to the descendants of Jacob was REMEMBER! Remember God, who formed them, called them and redeemed them. They needed to be reminded…again.

This time, they are called to celebrate. Celebrate freedom. Celebrate redemption. Celebrate a relationship with God.

The unfolding of their redemption, eventually, results in a new covenant of peace. This new covenant was to change the very face of the Promised Land.

The promise of this covenant was delivered while talking about their return from captivity and exile. This makes the promise sure, as they were indeed delivered. So, where was the fulfillment of this new covenant?

We Christians say that of course, it is Jesus. Jesus’ life and death personified the concepts of relationship and redemption. The Resurrection is the exclamation point of the promise in Ezekiel.

In the Kingdom of God, the lion and the lamb lie down together.

※Reflection※

For you, what is the most important fact about God’s promises? Why?

※Prayer※

God, you have been faithful to us, even when we wander. We give you praise, glory, and thanks for your grace-filled love. Amen.

2020 11 20
Gather Where

Exodus 3:1–6; Ezra 3:8–13; Matthew 23:37–24:8

I visited Rome many years ago. I have never been so overwhelmed by the sheer number of church buildings. It seemed that there wasn’t a block that didn’t have one. There is a Roman Catholic church building dedicated to every country in the world, and that’s not even half of the Roman Catholic church buildings in Rome. There are also plenty of non-Roman Catholic churches and house churches.

If one based faith on the number of buildings, then Rome would be bursting with faith. It isn’t. This certainly isn’t just a Roman Catholic issue.

There are plenty of communities in the US that have a high number of church buildings, but the number of Christians is just not significant (population-count-wise). Just as in Rome, all the church buildings could indicate a place bursting with faith. Instead, the buildings are just withering on the vine.

Moses found a burning bush. God was there. The ground was holy.

Think about it, though. Moses wasn’t the first herdsman of Israel. In fact, the lineage of Israel consisted of herdsmen. Did all the herdsmen not worship God while they were in the fields?

Many people do, in fact, their greatest God connection when amid God’s unspoiled Creation. For some, it might be mountains, or lakes, or seashores, or deserts. Others will find it in cathedrals build by man. It doesn’t matter. God is there.

The new temple in the midst of its rebuild, and even after it was completed, was not the impressive piece of architecture as the original. In comparison, it was a block of wood in comparison to a shining jewel. Ultimately, though, it was a place set aside to worship God, and to provide a focal point of faith practices.

Despite the second temple being nothing in comparison to its predecessor, the people of Jesus’ day still viewed it as sacred. Jesus pointed out that it was only a building. It too would fall. While people took great offense at his statement, it was only truth. The world is perishing; so too would the temple.

According to some recent numbers, 30% of churches pre-COVID will not return to their building post-COVID. For them, the building is done. For some congregations, this means that the congregation is done, and the people will join other congregations or none at all. For others, this means a new expression of the gathering: Cafe Church, Circle Church, Church in a Bar (yes, this is a non-Nazarene thing), and who knows what else people will discover as they seek to be the gathered community.

How buildings of worship will change, remain, and how they will be part of our faith life is still to be seen. Without question, place is very important. It can be under a tree (as many African Church of the Nazarene congregations do). It can be in a sheet metal building. It can be in a building of concrete. It can be in a house. It can be in a yard.

※Questions※

1) Can you see yourself worshiping (well) in a “place” different than the “church” building? What “calls” to you?

2) Do you think a “place” to gather in community is important? Why or why not?

※Prayer※

God, you have called us to gather in community. Help us, as the world drastically changes, continue to seek ways to gather to build up one another and bring praise and worship to you. Amen.

2020 11 06