Devotion.al

Tag: questions

  • Dripping Prayer

    Dripping Prayer

    Proverbs 27:15–16; Luke 11:5–14; Luke 18:1–8

    Persistence is often a good thing. However, blind persistence can also be incredibly limiting. As my younger children are about to begin their college journey (yes, still a few months to go), I look back to my time in college. I chose a major I wasn’t skilled at. I chose a major that I would not be successful at.

    I chose the wrong major for a dream. For 4 years I pursued that major. The result? Another school, another (bad) major, and finally dropping out of college.

    But I was persistent, and I was a fool.*

    There is no doubt that some people find great in being persistent. What is often not recognized in that is their innate skill, , or support, which can make all the difference.

    Sometimes the persistence can be like a drip on a rainy day. You can’t get the sound out of your head, even though you “know” your roof is good. It beats on your head and in your heart. Sometimes it tricks you into thinking that your roof really is leaking.

    While the nagging wife could be considered persistent. That kind of persistence (whether it be wife, husband, mother, , whomever) is generally destructive. It destroys hearts, souls, minds, relationships, lives. That’s not good persistence.

    Persistent is different. Whether it’s the story of the friend or the story of the widow, the goal may originate with the self, but there are positive forces at play. In the case of the friend, hospitality is actually center stage. In the case of the widow, is at the center.

    We often focus on the people in the stories, and not the greater “ethos” that the story surrounds.

    Persistent prayer is not nagging prayer. Nagging God to get you a Rolls Royce would not be positive persistence. Persistent prayer for justice for our neighbors? Persistent prayer for their finances and spiritual health?

    Often, we will dress up our persistent prayer in “Godly” language, such as, “ me wealth that I may be more generous.” This can be positive. It is often quite negative, as the person is operating from a scarcity mindset, rather than generosity mindset

    Other times it could be, “Lord, let them get a speeding ticket.” The justice might be correct; the heart motivation might well be revenge or desire for their punishment.

    Persistent prayer may involve the self. even tells us that we are to bring our cares and needs to the Father.

    ※Questions※

    1) How would you define the difference between stubbornness, nagging, and persistence? How do you know when you are being one or the other?

    2) What are some signs or language that you can use to determine the intent behind our prayer (i.e., justice versus vengeance)?

    3) If God is in answering prayer, why do we not always get what we want?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, may our prayers be full of your – water rather than torrential waters of destruction; to lift up your people and the world to you. Amen.

    *Just for clarity, the fool part is my stubbornness regarding my major pursuit. Without that second college, I wouldn’t have found my wife; so, that part is a win. I did eventually go back to college and complete a degree. It just took a bit longer.

  • Cast Off

    Cast Off

    Matthew 23:13-15; Acts 15:1–22; Colossians 2:4–13 

    There is no question about ‘ attitude toward the scribes and the Pharisees in this verse. It seems pretty straightforward. What if it isn’t? What if Jesus was instead using their language in a way so as to make a point? 

    The Pharisees, with their belief in the afterlife, would certainly not want to be headed for Hell. They intended to go to Heaven. Jesus told them that while they think they are the bouncers for God, they’re not getting in either. There was probably some dismay there. 

    Jesus piled on with the various traditions (versus Biblical law) that the Pharisees and the scribes held everyone accountable for. Frankly, it was unbearable. That was Jesus’ point. They held onto traditions that made their lives Hell on earth. Jesus made it clear that it also prevented them from Heaven.  

    Jesus knew their hearts were stubborn. His greater concern was not them, but all those they dragged along with them. The concern for people who were now burdened with more than their hearts could bear. What if they decided they would rather be Hell-bound than bound with all the rules and traditions that made the they were living hellish? 

    Sounds extreme, but this was exactly Peter’s point to the elders of the Jerusalem church. They and their ancestors could not withstand the misery. The people that were being drawn to the and grace of Jesus Christ were being threatened with rules and traditions! Most of them the same that they (of Jewish descent) wanted to be freed from, and who believed that Jesus had done so! 

    often had to deal with the Judaizers who kept trying to bring Jewish customs into the and imposing them on . It made Paul quite angry at times. 

    You may have run across Christians who try to follow some of the Jewish law (particularly the dietary ones). They were free of the Law before they were born yet seek to be bound by laws that were not theirs to bear. 

    This is also something we need to be careful of ourselves. One of the big lessons of many missionaries was trying to impose Western thinking on non-Westerners. Western thinking got tied into the message of Jesus Christ, often putting burdens (things we would think of as burdens) on people that the Scriptures did not call them to bear. 

    The church in the Western world is fading. Ultimately, it must rediscover what it means to evangelize and be missional. Of course, the biggest group to which we must be missional are the people we are already comfortable with. We do not look at them with missionary eyes. We are too close. Even more than the Jews had to cast of their traditions, we may have to cast off much of what “makes” us Westerners so that we can be the messengers of salvation to our neighbors. 

    ※Questions※

    1) What might be your cultural blind spots that weaken your ability to evangelize? 

    2) How does our Western culture in ways similar to the Jewish laws of old? 

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, soften our hearts and open our minds. May we feel your for others and to set aside ourselves for the sake of others’ salvation. Amen. 

  • Wall Repair

    Wall Repair

    Ezekiel 13:1–16; 2 Peter 2:1–3

    If you ever lived in a dorm or rented an apartment (especially a college one), you may have been “enlightened” by friends or acquaintances about tricks to get your deposit back. One of the biggest items has always been holes in the walls, whether nails, tacks, pushpins, or anchors.

    The “great” suggestion is to use toothpaste instead of spackle (because spackle is expensive?). Toothpaste is definitely not spackle. Spackle bonds to drywall, almost (sort of) like new.

    Toothpaste and spackle may seem strange to bring up. Toothpaste holds up for a time, but ultimately it will not last; just like whitewash lasts only for a time on a broken wall.

    Ezekiel’s words to the people of Israel were pointed straight at the prophets and priests. The imagery of a broken wall was specifically not the walls of a house, but the defensive walls of the entire city. In other words, the walls may have looked pretty, but the plaster and whitewash just covered over the cracks and holes.

    The is that the people of the city were deceived by the apparent “protection” of the pristine walls. They thought they were safe from enemies.

    The city’s walls were symbolic of the people’s , understanding, and with God. Perhaps, we ought to say the prophets and priests have done nothing except deceive the people so that they thought they had the “right” faith and that they were following the “right” god.

    God disagreed.

    By the time Peter wrote this letter (2 Peter), the false teachers had already started showing up. He was warning the people that they needed to be aware and . They couldn’t be like the people that Ezekiel spoke to that had already been led astray toward destruction.

    Peter was concerned not just about any kind of false doctrine/teaching. He was concerned about destructive false teaching. Peter seemed to divide between two types of false teaching, the kind that is wrong/unhelpful and the kind that will lead to false gods or false understanding of God.

    What heresies Peter was concerned about exactly is unknown. It may have been a general concern or just a reality of the experience and of the Israelite experience.

    The deepest issue is that the implication in the text is that the false teachers would come in knowingly with false teaching. Most of us would be puzzled were a pastor, for example, were to do that. It has been known to happen. It is where the pastor or other influencer changes their mind/understanding about critical issues. We aren’t just talking about knowingly false doctrine. We are also talking about presumed that is false when it comes to God.

    ※Questions※

    1) Peter wasn’t just talking to leaders. He was talking to everyone. What does this mean for you?

    2) What kind of plaster and whitewash are you seeing around you?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, open our eyes to see your Truth and not ours. Amen.

  • Incomplete Armor

    Incomplete Armor

    Psalm 27; Zechariah 10:12; Ephesians 6:10–18

    This passage from Ephesians is one of those common favorites. Building and putting on the armor of God is still a popular activity for children. As a tool, it was and remains powerful.

    From the point of the Ephesians, they were very familiar with the attire of the Roman soldiers. Ephesus was an important city in the region. The Roman soldiers would be stationed there. With its importance, many military excursions would start and in Ephesus.

    However, while Paul grasped a powerful visual (and, for modern children, a reinforcing activity), it wasn’t complete. As far as Paul was concerned, he delivered what he needed for conveying deep truths to the Ephesians.

    Yet, there is still something missing. When I was younger, people often thought I was an “Army brat”. Even to this day, some I’m ex-military. Most of this is a childhood affection (with, yes, a lot of military in the ). So, when I look at Paul’s list, I’m a bit bothered.

    There are 2 significant pieces that are missing from Paul’s list: the javelin (or bow, depending on the unit) and the kilt. Also, certain Roman ensembles had shin guards, too (that makes 3).

    What does that matter, you might ask? The javelin (again, or bow) was used for long-ranged attack; the javelin could also be used as a defensive tool against cavalry. We could use the long-range aspect as a “look ahead” and “” for what is coming. In other words, don’t just react to the world; be prepared to confront it.

    Regarding defense, the javelin would need to be set against the ground to be effective. Again, be ready for what is coming toward you.

    The kilt? Other than cultural Scottish attire, it protected the lower area of the body. It may not seem like a kilt could protect much, but much of the strength of the lower body is centered in that area. Wounds would deeply affect effectiveness. From a modesty sense, well, that’s probably obvious. That could represent purity.

    Purity in this day and is hard. Putting on the armor of purity may be more essential than we realize.

    The shin guards are a little harder. They do keep you from getting kicked, and they would protect you from ramming your leg into a coffee table (you winced, didn’t you?). So, perhaps we could look at the shin guards at that which protects us (somewhat) from our own stumbling.

    There is a fun addition to the helmet. Normally, the helmet was unadorned. However, during parades, the higher one’s rank the crest on the helmet would be brightly colored. Kind of similar to the flames of Pentecost, perhaps?

    ※Questions※

    1) Which armor piece is most significant for you? Why?

    2) If you were to choose aspects of the spiritual that the 3 additional pieces would represent, what would they be? Why?

    ※Prayer※

    God, thank you for the and of your servant Paul whose words, inspired by you, guide us today. Amen.

  • Foundational

    Foundational

    Matthew 19:16–26; Hebrews 9:1–14; Romans 10:8–13

    The story of the rich young ruler, in my experience, has always been presented in one way…he cared too much for his stuff. This is true…to a point. Is the conclusion that we have often been led to actually correct? Or perhaps we, too, are missing which point was trying to make.

    The opening question by the man was about . Jesus gives the Great Commandments as the response, plus a few ones that had been problematic with the religious elite. We could question the truth of the man’s statement but note that Jesus didn’t.

    Yes, Jesus could have just been condescending, however, Jesus’ words were not particularly sharp, which tells us that he accepted the man’s words. There was likely a have-been/continue-to-do-so tension, meaning that it was an ongoing practice, not just a past one.

    This is significant as by straight reading the man had lived in such a way as to have eternal life. We who follow Jesus might question that, but that Jesus gave such a response is critical. For those who might conclude that this is a universalist response, the man was still a Jews, and thus one of the chosen.

    However, was eternal life really the question? The man believed that despite the seemingly positive response he still lacked something. Jesus let him have it. Yet was that really the answer? We conclude so because the man walked away. It could be truly a matter of the heart.

    Our earthly responses often seem to affect our response to the security of our . The writer of Hebrews noted that much had to be done on a regular basis by the Temple priests to keep things “okay” between God and man (this is by the Law, not relationship). The writer of Hebrews goes on to explain that Jesus is the perfection of restorative relationship. Jesus’ mere presence in Heaven (and as part of the ) is a perpetual “offering” on our behalf.

    In the heart of the man is a question I from many people, and in my darker moments, I myself. “How do I (really) know that I am saved?”

    It is through the author of Hebrews and the words of Paul that we get this answer. These words are first laid upon the solid foundation that is Jesus Christ, whose grace, mercy, love, and are truer than we are capable of understanding.

    ※Questions※

    1) What do you understand from our passage in Hebrews that applies to the sureness of (y)our salvation?

    2) What do you understand from our passage in Romans that applies to the sureness of (y)our salvation?

    3) Why do you think it is so hard for us to accept the truth revealed by the regarding our salvation?

    ※Prayer※

    Triune God, you created us. You gave us life. You gifted us salvation. You graced us with eternal life. Help us to seek that it is not our works that us, but you alone. Amen.

  • Following

    Following

    Matthew 10:21–22; Matthew 12:46–50; Luke 11:27–28

    Have you ever been in a …and it’s going well…and then it’s really digging in…and then someone interrupts? That feeling of…really? Couldn’t you have held out just a bit longer?

    Really? What was so important?

    . Except, in comparison to the of God, what is family? That might sound a bit harsh, yet for those who chose to follow when he was walking on earth and especially those that followed him after the , that was reality. For many, it was versus family on earth.

    In the 2 later passages (Matthew 12 and Luke 11), Jesus is teaching about the . Then people interrupt with the family on earth. In Matthew 12, it is a combination of those listening and his earthly family that interrupt the teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven.

    Jesus’ to that is to include all those around him as mother and brothers, as long as they do the will of God.

    Another time, a stranger interrupts Jesus to bless his mother, Mary. Not that her is a bad thing, but what does this have to do with the Kingdom of God?

    His response is similar to before. Blessed are those who follow God.

    ※Questions※

    1) Have you ever had a situation where the path before you appeared to be God or (earthly) family? If so, what regrets do you have for whichever path you chose? If not, why do you think you were spared that choice?

    2) How can the Kingdom of God replace our earthly families? What does the Kingdom of God seem to be missing (sometimes?) versus earthly families?

    ※Prayer※

    , you have called us to be your children. We are still children in the world, too. Help us to look to you for guidance as we navigate the earthly family around us. Amen.

  • Rumble

    Rumble

    Exodus 19:17–20; Haggai 2:5–9; Hebrews 12:25–27

    We are often skeptical about God making the mountains tremble and the oceans roar. Our deeper understanding of the natural world makes us a little arrogant about things. We “know” that it’s really tectonic plate movement that causes that. The heavens don’t really shake, so we think. We “know” all about stars and gas giants and planets.

    While the often turn to (what was to them) mysterious events beyond their understanding, their underlying understanding matches our own. God created everything.

    The writer of Hebrews understood and shared that created things are not permanent. They will not last. The writer of Hebrews presents this in contrast to the which is .

    Often, we judge our lives, their successes, and failures, upon the frailties of created things. Sometimes we value our lives based upon career, , gathered things. Sometimes we value our lives upon people. Regardless, in the face of the of Heaven, they are only temporary.

    In a time such as this, when society seems so unstable, it is good to understand that the Kingdom of God is stable, everlasting, and unshakable.

    ※Questions※

    1) What is something created or temporary you find really important? Why?

    2) Even when science gives a mechanism or way to understand the natural world, why is it still critically important to who created it all?

    3) What’s “shaking” you right now? How can you put that on the sure foundation of the Kingdom of God?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, help us be assured that we are firmed rooted on your foundation. Amen.

  • You|Me and Us

    You|Me and Us

    Matthew 18:15–20; Luke 5:23–32

    There is nobody beyond God’s redemptive reach. No one. No matter what a person has done or how “unclean” they may be, God is still there waiting.

    Tax collectors were not well appreciated. We generally are scornful of the IRS. The tax collectors of the of were despised in general. Any Gentile was supposed to be sidelined from a Jewish . The gentile tax collector even more so.

    From a cultural, political, , and wealth standpoint, the Gentile tax collector represented everything the Jewish people feared and hated. The Jewish tax collector, such as Levi (in the reading from Luke), wasn’t much better. Their only redemptive feature was that they were Jewish.

    God’s extends far beyond our ability to comprehend. This is a good thing, as we are often too petty and malicious to redeem .

    However, Jesus’ words also bring something else to the fore, . The US modern , as a whole, avoids the concept of church discipline. There are a number of reasons, some of them cultural, some of them missiological, some of them evangelical, some of them just a general lack of training and understanding.

    Church discipline requires a balance of individual and . In white US populations, that is rather difficult. Whites, by and large, idealize individuality. In other US populations, community has a much greater strength and pull.

    In most white populations, church discipline as a community is difficult, as the individual will often “go their own way”, severing their ties with the community. On the other hand, in non-white and isolated white communities, the community can be destructive to the individual.

    For the church to be the church, we will have to work together to find the balance between individual and community. As the church finds its way in a world that wants to push it aside even more, the church needs to learn and embrace the community and the individual, including the roles and responsibilities of each.

    ※Questions※

    1) What value do you find in being part of a community? What value do you find in being an individual?

    2) What are ways you can think of that would allow and encourage people to be part of community and still individuality?

    3) What do you think God’s perspective on community and individuality is?

    ※Prayer※

    God, you have made us similar to each other…yet different. Help us to embrace what makes us different and embrace what makes us the same. Amen.