Devotion.al

Tag: reflection

  • Can’t Wait to Wait

    Can’t Wait to Wait

    Job 14:1–14; Lamentations 3:1–9, 19–24; Psalm 31:1–4, 15–16

    “Jesus, 33, son of Joseph and Mary, was crucified and died yesterday. Survived by mother Mary. Wandering prophet who proclaimed the Kingdom of God was near. Performed miracles. Challenged the status quo. Caused the leaders heartache.”

    Even in our days, in one’s 30s is sad, but doesn’t have the same resonance as dying in one’s 20s or younger. There is something about age that leads us to directly evaluate a person’s . If they lived to 90 or 100 or beyond, no one really it. As our modern lifespan increases, we may begin to push at that, but not by much.

    By measurements such as children (Jesus had none), wealth (Jesus had none), or influence (he was crucified), Jesus was a failure. It’s jarring to think that way. We look beyond Good Friday and Holy Saturday. We know what is next.

    In many respects, Saturday is the hardest day of waiting in the year. The tragedy and horror of Good Friday. The promise and of Resurrection Sunday. No one wants to sit in the in-between time and . On Holy Saturday, our lives are often filled with activity. It is a “standard” day off from the 5-day work week. It is also the day we prepare for Easter celebrations. We don’t wait very well.

    Even the lectionary (the set of Scripture readings for each day) doesn’t wait very well. In there are 3 readings that were skipped as part of today’s devotional (1 Peter 4:1–8; Matthew 27:57–66; John 19:38–42) as there couldn’t “rest” between Good Friday and Easter when one includes them. In particular, is the shock, grieving, despair, and even the feeling of abandonment that is so central to Holy Saturday.

    I wish that the Church (and even I) could treat Holy Saturday as a pre-Sabbath. Saturday for Jesus’ followers was a rest day, no matter how much they had to do to complete Jesus’ burial rites and process. Perhaps it may be time to have a 2-day Holy Day time, each with its own purpose.

    The one unique part of Holy Saturday that I have personally continued to come back to is how much it resembles our lives right now. We have been saved and reconciled to God: Good Friday and Salvation (no matter when our salvation occurred). We are in a state of hopeful : Easter, the return of the Messiah, our resurrection, and life. Our lives, our very living, are between the two.

    ※Reflection※

    • We are all waiting for something in our lives, often in different aspects. What are you waiting for in regards to career, education, faith, , or other areas?
    • What your reflections on waiting? Are you good about waiting? What do you do with your waiting time?

    ※Prayer※

    O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.[Holy Saturday Collect, Book of Common Prayer 2019]

  • Wood and Metal

    Wood and Metal

    Psalm 22; Isaiah 52:13–53:12; Hebrews 10:16–24; John 19:16–30

    Perhaps instead of Good Friday, it should be Great Friday. The greatness of God succumbed willingly to the , sin, and hatred of humanity. The purpose was to provide a path for humanity to to God that humanity had abandoned.

    We could talk about all the theology of the cross. We could talk about the theology of atonement. There’s the Justification Theory. There’s the Penal Theory. There’s the Ransom theory. There’s the Relational Theory. There’s the theory.

    They are all great theories. All of them have an aspect of the Truth in them. Until we God face-to-face, the mystery of the cross is not something to be understood by the mind of humanity. The mystery of the cross is…a mystery.

    All the theories are about “how” it works as if that really matters. That God did it. That is what matters.

    Good Friday is that time where we have to face the Truth. We are the reason for the cross. We are the reason that the only blameless human died on a cross.

    The cross is morbid. It is brutal. It is in the midst of life on earth.

    I used to lead a Good Friday service. As part of the service, I drove 3 big nails into a wooden cross: BANG, BANG, BANG for each nail. Three hits each for 3 nails. The cross was on a hollow wooden floor. Each hit on a nail could be felt by everyone. That I drove the nails into the cross, into the symbolic representation of the sacrifice of my Savior, affected me deeply.

    After I was done with the teaching, each person was invited to write something on a piece of paper and nail it to the cross. I never read any of them. Not even my kids’ or my wife’s. That was their “thing” to nail to the cross.

    Oddly, there was something meaningful to many during that service. It wasn’t publicized, but it grew. I don’t know if it was the Savior Himself that drew them or the of being rid of a weight that drew them. I do know that people let me know that it was their “favorite” service.

    Sounds weird, doesn’t it? Yet, we all seem to know that there is always something else that we need to leave at the cross.

    ※Reflection※

    • What does Good Friday tell you about God? What does Good Friday tell you about how God feels about you?
    • What is something that you need to put at/on the cross, and leave there with your Savior?

    ※Prayer※

    Almighty God, we beseech you graciously to behold this your , for whom our Lord Christ was willing to be betrayed and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the Cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the , one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

  • Together Time

    Together Time

    Exodus 12:1–4, 5–10, 11–14; Psalm 116:1–2, 12–19; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26; John 13:1–17, 31b–35

    The tie between Passover and the Last Supper is obvious just based on the fact that the Last Supper was in the context of Passover. Part of the first Passover was the blood of the Lamb that was placed upon doorjambs in obedience to God so that the plague of the of the firstborn male would Passover the Jewish people. The for the firstborn remained part of the Law, insofar as a blood sacrifice being needed to atone for the firstborn son.

    The road that ends on the cross tomorrow is the sacrifice of the firstborn of God, God’s only Son.

    Just as it appears that the of Egypt was in the place of the sacrifice of the firstborn (many outweighing the few), so too was God (the infinite) in the place of his Creation (us).

    Maundy Thursday (as this day is called) is, for me, the second hardest day of the Christian Year. Meals are special. Especially as my kids are at the point of being so busy working and with activities and at school, meals together are even more special. For Jesus, this special meal may well have been the most important of his . I cannot imagine having this high holy day overshadowed by betrayal, torture, and death. Then knowing that all but one would run away.

    Jesus still embraced the pain of that meal. Oddly, I think there was joy, too. Despite the failings of the 11 that would remain, there is something comforting being with people that you care for deeply, especially when confronting the head-on. The 11 would carry-on the that you and I have inherited.

    Paul reminds the Corinthians that they were inheritors, too. The Last Supper was really the first supper. Just as I treasure the time around the table with my family, we should all treasure our time around the table of Communion (the Eucharist). This is the place where the boundaries of time and space are thinned that all of the people of the Body of Christ can be joined together in this fateful and binding meal of love.

    ※Reflection※

    • What does Communion (the Eucharist) mean to you? If you missed it, would it bother you? Would you go without it? Why?
    • What is your favorite meal experience? A restaurant? Thanksgiving? New Year’s? St. Patrick’s Day? Are any of these traditions for you and/or your family? Why?

    ※Prayer※

    Almighty , whose most dear Son, on the night before he suffered, instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may receive it in thankful remembrance of Jesus Christ our Savior, who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of life; and who lives and reigns with you and the , one God, for ever and ever. Amen. [Maundy Thursday Collect, Book of Common Prayer 2019]

  • Poison Pills

    Poison Pills

    Psalm 70; Isaiah 50:4–9a; Hebrews 12:1–3; John 13:21–32

    Taking insults is hard. Taking insults in today’s culture is reality…especially on social media. It’s not just social media, though, not by far. It is pervasive.

    Isaiah faced plenty of insults. He was spat upon. People physically pulled the hair from his beard (Ouch!). He did not hide from them. Yes, we attribute these descriptions (rightly) to . They are also Isaiah. They aren’t descriptive of many Christians.

    Even among Christians, the willingness (sometimes, it seems, eagerness) to verbally rip another person into shreds is appalling. The willingness to question another’s faith-based upon what you think the other person believes all too often means that a has put themself in the place of God. Even Jesus avoided that while on earth. If we’re Christ-followers, we should probably do the same.

    The writer of Hebrews talks about the sin that trips us up. Truthfully, much of the slander, belittling, and (well) judging falls under the simplified “don’t gossip” in regards to the Ten Commandments. It’s sinful. Before you state something about another, perhaps there out to be a litmus test that you put before God.

    I’ve been party/witness to far too many statements from fellow Christians that really don’t pass my litmus test of Godly truth (and I hold my litmus test lightly). I wish taking the red or blue pill would fix the problem (an allusion to both the movie the Matrix, and the Democrat/Republican color-coding). Maybe a purple pill will fix it (purple alluding to Christ’s royalty as king).

    There is no quick pill. It’s a long walk toward the and purity that is in Christ Jesus. That’s the endurance part of the run.

    We will have to endure the shame for not choosing a political party first, and instead choosing Christ. Most Christians when given the choice between their political ideology and Christ will say, “Christ”, but live differently. Instead of living for Christ and eschewing politics, we choose our politics and try to shove God in the ballot .

    We condemn Judas Iscariot for selling Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver. We’ve probably sold Jesus out for a seat at the political table. Insults? You’re not a Christian if you voted for or supported __________! That’s not just judging, that is betraying Jesus.

    Judas Iscariot, despite all his faults and betrayal, seems to have been a friend of Jesus. I have a hard time understanding that, too. He wasn’t one of the close ones, but that he remained for 3 years? We condemn Judas (understandably), but Jesus loved him. For that, we should be grateful.

    If Jesus could someone who betrayed him, that means he loves us, too. Jesus loves us despite our dabbling with worldly powers. Jesus loves us when we hurt fellow Christians. Jesus loves us when we drive others from his presence. Jesus loves us every time we him.

    ※Reflection※

    • Why is demeaning or belittling of other Christians bordering on a betrayal of Jesus?
    • Why do we allow our politics to come between us and Jesus, and between us and other Christians?
    • How can we be mutual witnesses to Jesus when our politics and even worldviews are different?

    ※Prayer※

    Assist us mercifully with your , Lord God of our salvation, that we may enter with joy upon the meditation of those mighty acts by which you have promised us and immortality; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the , one God, for ever and ever. Amen. [Holy Tuesday Collect, Book of Common Prayer 2019]

  • In the Shadows of Triumph

    In the Shadows of Triumph

    Isaiah 42:1–9; Psalm 36:5–11; Hebrews 9:11–15; John 12:1–11

    Yesterday, we celebrated Palm Sunday. The Messiah, no, the King, no, God (!) entered Jerusalem! At churches around the world, children paraded waving palm branches. The triumphant entry is a big thing!

    I being part of a multi-church parade on Palm Sunday. We walked from one church to another. It was different. It provided some emotional and experiential context, but just as we read yesterday, the triumphal resulted in a quiet departure.

    Traditionally, there are a couple of events that are “assigned” to Monday. One of them is the anointing of Jesus by Mary. As Judas so kindly (sarcasm) pointed out, what she did was expensive. It could be seen as a waste. It was something used with a dead body, and Jesus wasn’t dead.

    It was, however, a foreshadowing of what would happen in a few days (granted, no one understood that). It was a beautiful teaching point. In the midst of the smell of death (for the perfume was associated with that), Jesus lived!

    This not-so-insignificant event was at the home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. A household that was already a place of significant events. This household seemed to have a pretty significant relationship with Jesus. The anointing of Jesus is also very intimate (which is telling, too) for only the immediate family would anoint the dead.

    That Jesus went from the triumphal entry to quiet to the home of this family probably has lessons for us if we knew more. We can only presume and . As Jesus understood his time was short, he wanted to spend some extra time with this family that was significant to him.

    Perhaps that is the lesson for us. We have spent the last year in a strange “space”. Time with was limited. Extend family was discouraged. We have learned some valuable lessons. Others are important, even for us introverts. As our times and interactions became limited, they became more valuable, and we began to choose which was the most significant to us.

    It’s probably a good time to contemplate the quiet, the time before the ; the contrast between the triumph and the quiet. The time to celebrate, and the time to take a breath…and hear the voice of the .

    ※Reflection※

    • Where do you “” Jesus most, in the triumph or in the quiet? Why do you think that is?
    • What do you see happening this week that will echo the emotional ups and downs of Holy Week?

    ※Prayer※

    Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to but first he suffered , and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the Cross, may find it none other than the way of and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. [Monday of Holy Week Collect, Book of Common Prayer, 2019]

  • Acclaim or Quiet

    Acclaim or Quiet

    Psalm 118:1–2, 19–29; Mark 11:1–11; John 12:12–16

    ! The cry of the people before the gates of Jerusalem was filled with this . Hosanna is a Hebrew contraction meaning, “, we pray,” which you just read in Psalm 118:25. Hosanna is used as part of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, which was a commemoration of Israel’s 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Part of the commemoration even involves going around the altar waving palm branches.

    ‘ entry into Jerusalem was more than the coming King sitting on a donkey, which represented conquering in . By using hosanna, the people were putting Jesus where we understand he belongs (as God), but the religious leaders saw it as blasphemous. The palm leaves were part of a celebration. From the perspective of those in the religious seats of and influence, this was completely wrong.

    John was a little harsh on the Disciples, John described them as clueless. They seemed unable to see all the symbolism that Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem included, and what it portended.

    We could dismiss the disciples as ignorant. They were. John notes something significant, though, once they witnessed Jesus glorified, the pieces came together. The difference between the well-educated and those who were not is very apparent. Those that had the education saw the signs, put the puzzle together, and denied the in front of them, and then denied the greater Truth. Those that had the lesser education (if any at all), saw the signs, couldn’t put the puzzle together, yet, in the end believed the Truth.

    This is not about the education, but the blindness of that often goes along with it. There is a dark reality to the , and that is an answer is only a search away. Similar to education, the internet often blinds us to the Truth, even Christians. Savior and King (and God) entered Jerusalem. The Truth would set them free, eventually, if they accepted it. That’s where this story continues to be told with imagery. Entering on a donkey, meant that Jesus was coming in as the King in peace. Jesus then left the city. There was a mass celebration, but no similar acceptance. Jesus came in but left in quiet.

    ※Reflection※

    • Palm Sunday (Liturgy of the Palms) usually focuses on the triumphant entry. Why do we not talk about Jesus’ much quieter exit that same day?
    • How does education and/or knowledge often blind us to the presence and handiwork of God?
    • Do you think Jesus’ loud entry contradicts Jesus’ quiet departure?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, we are drawn to the dramatic. Help us to be sensitive to your quiet workings that we all too often are blind to. Amen.

  • At The Gates

    At The Gates

    Psalm 118:1–2, 19–29; Jeremiah 33:10–16; Mark 10:32–34, 46–52

    When we read the “barren” in Jeremiah, we often think it is talking about the land, in particular the environment. The barrenness is in regard to people, in particular, God’s people (and their herds). They will soon no longer reside in the Promised Land, praising and worshiping God.

    Poor decisions made by the People of God led to the barrenness and their exile. In response to their of exile, God promises them . They have not even repented and God already promises their . God spoke into the darkness. God spoke hope in the face of the people’s .

    Fear is often a response to the unknown. Fear is also a response when we think we know what bad will come to pass. Those that followed Jesus behind the Disciples likely presumed the demise of this Messiah (self-declared Messiahs weren’t unknown, and they all died). They weren’t wrong.

    This particular journey of Jesus to Jerusalem would indeed end in Jesus’ death. Those that feared weren’t wrong. Without being too specific (we have to remember that we often read the end into Jesus’ words, and the Disciples weren’t there, yet), Jesus spoke hope to the fear. Even while describing what would happen to him, Jesus spoke hope into the darkness.

    The story of blind Bartimaeus seems to be just one of those stories of Jesus, but don’t overlook its placement within the context of Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem. Bartimaeus was physically blind. Bartimaeus, on the other hand, had spiritual vision. We could just dismiss his cries to Jesus as pure desperation. Jesus, though, doesn’t seem to respond to sole desperation at other points in the Scriptures. Bartimaeus was something more. It seems quite reasonable that Bartimaeus’ place in the was to represent a counterpoint to the physically sighted who were spiritually blind.

    The particularly glaring issue with the spiritually blind was how much vision they thought they had regarding spiritual issues, and definitely someone as significant as the Messiah. The so-called enlightened being compared to the least (a physically impaired person whose only source of income was through begging) would have been quite insulting.

    Mark’s intent likely was that jarring comparison. As Mark wrote after the life, death, and of Jesus, Mark (along with other followers of Jesus) would be striving to confront those that thought they were spiritually enlightened with the world-changing Jesus.

    ※Reflection※

    • Which is your strongest tendency? (1) Seeing the bad that can/will happen and being overwhelmed with your fear of it (i.e., like those who followed the Disciples), (2) So consumed with the spectacle that your are blind to the darkness around or ahead of you (i.e., the Disciples), (3) Are sure you know that bad or darkness ahead but face it with the and strength of God (i.e., like Jesus)?
    • Are you quick to assume you have Godly spiritual vision, or do you if you are spiritually blind?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, each of us have different responses to the world and its struggles. Help us to build Godly responses to the darkness. Amen.

  • Love Surrendered

    Love Surrendered

    Psalm 118:1–2, 19–29; Deuteronomy 16:1–8; Philippians 2:1–11

    Passover begins very shortly. In fact, there is a great symmetry in this. Passover starts with Israel’s rescue from Egypt (sin), passing through the Red Sea (baptism), and in more modern understandings of Passover, the last day (or the last 2, depending on ), is the “future looking” meal with the Messiah as the center (the /).

    Confused, yet? Amazed? The Jewish aspects of theology and symbolism are there in plain sight.

    One of the interesting pieces is that there remains an that the Messiah will come in power, , and might. This was the expectation of any person claiming to be the Messiah in Jesus’ day. Thus, when Jesus didn’t fulfill that, most Jews disregarded Jesus as Messiah.

    It is this quest for earthly which continues to haunt all of humanity. The constant pursuit of power, glory, wealth, continually seems to be against following God. It isn’t that power, glory, wealth, and gain are against God, but that the means and hearts of people are. Much of this is the desire to be above others, so that others look up to you, and you have those you can look down upon.

    Paul’s observation that Jesus total divinity and became man is one of the linchpins of Christian theology and faith. That Jesus did this shows two things, that God loves those Created, and this love is so profound that God became not just identified with humanity, but actually became human. That is not a quest for power, glory, wealth, or gain, at least in the sense.

    Only God could turn becoming nothing into something beyond understanding.

    ※Reflection※

    • What else does this tell you about God?
    • What does this make you reflect on when comparing your actions to God’s?
    • Who has the harder comparison, a person of Christ or a person of the world?

    ※Prayer※

    God, you have called us to follow your example, and it’s hard. Help us, in our pride, to yield our will to yours. Amen.