Devotion.al

Tag: reflection

  • You Want This?

    You Want This?

    Psalm 62:5–12; Jeremiah 20:7–13; 2 Peter 3:1–7

    I Jeremiah’s response to God. “Lord, you enticed me, and I was taken in.” It can sound weird and somewhat creepy. On the other hand, it is also the sound of being overwhelmed by the love and of another. That’s a pretty neat way to think of God.

    When my and my (to-be) stepmother got , I was a teenager, and the public displays of affections were nauseating (I don’t spare my kids). For whatever reason, the movie Bambi came to me where Friend Owl explains to Thumper that Bambi and Faline are “twitterpated.” I used that for a number of years.

    Imagine being “twitterpated” with God. Just like Bambi who was (momentarily) mocked because of his behavior, you, too can be mocked when you become twitterpated with God.

    You, like Jeremiah, can be quiet for a time. If you’re like me (as Christian, not pastor), however, “there’s an intense in my …” I have found odd and different ways to into people’s lives, and it certainly never falls in line with “traditional” evangelism.

    Just like Jeremiah experienced, and Peter forewarned, a passionate God-follower will be mocked and scorned. Of course, there is a different kind of mocking and scorn when one is rude, belligerent, unloving, unkind, and so forth. That kind of mocking and scorn is earned and should not be a of your relationship with God. That kind is not be worn as a badge of ; it is more of a cone of shame.

    We could, from the last few months, focus on the Christian cone of shame. There have been a few (too many?) devotions covering that. It is time to not be the bumper sticker, “Lord, save me from your followers.” I it’s time to move on.

    ※Reflection※

    • Is there a burn inside of you? Why or why not?
    • Can you imagine not wanting to talk about God? Why would that be? What might you do to change?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, may we be the cold water to the thirsty and the hot and healing water to the hurting. Amen.

  • Wall Fall

    Wall Fall

    Jeremiah 19:1–15; Revelation 18:11–20

    Whether big or small, the demise of a city is no small thing. It could be because of failing to God, or if it’s because of mismanagement, or if it’s because of something out of the city’s control.

    A city is a home to many people, and its demise should never be glossed over. Often, especially in the Scriptures, the fall of the city is the larger picture of the fall of humanity.

    Imagine Jeremiah prophesying the demise of Jerusalem, a city he if for no other reason it was the place God put God’s name. There is a reason why Jeremiah is often called the weeping prophet. He mourned the of Jerusalem.

    The heartbreaking part is that the loss and fall of Jerusalem meant that God was taking God’s name and away. While Jeremiah foretold hope, it wouldn’t be for a long time. It is also quite possible that Jeremiah wondered if Israel would really .

    The fall of Jerusalem was because of the unfaithfulness of the people. That unfaithfulness was in the Promised Land and in the City of God! It is quite possible that he was afraid that they would fall so far when they were in exile, that they would defy God again.

    Babylon could be considered symbolic of that exact scenario. The time for possible had long since passed. Babylon had knowingly and willingly gone against God. It became a place of abandonment. Even those allied to it, and who benefitted from it stayed away as it fell.

    Those around Jerusalem would celebrate its fall as they looked to benefiting from its demise. On the other hand, Babylon was mourned as it fell, not because of the people, the depravity, or the lack of God, but because people would no longer benefit (especially make money) from it.

    The “” of both cities was something mourned by God. God wants Creation to seek redemption and reconciliation. Eventually, Jerusalem (or those who descended from it) did. Babylon is in the last throes of the of times. There is no turnaround for it.

    While time flows, there is always time for redemption and reconciliation. However, at some point, time will end, and redemption and reconciliation are no more.

    ※Reflection※

    • Just as people’s ability to reconcile to God has an end, so does our time on earth (death). Is there some reconciliation and redemption that you need to seek or grant?
    • With the painful throes of politics, economies, lives, and viruses, have perceived the end of time, yet? If so, what has changed in how you approach regarding the Gospel? If not, why do you think you haven’t been impacted?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, may we see the end of things as imminent, no matter how far away they are. Help to feel the urgency and importance of sharing the Gospel. Help us to partner with you to reconcile and redeem the world. Amen.

  • Why So Serious?

    Why So Serious?

    Luke 18:15–17

    Faith is a serious business. It’s true. From an orthodox Christian perspective, it has an impact. So, it is serious.

    Serious, though, doesn’t mean solemn.

    A few years ago, I experienced a life-changing question: what is your first experience of God? I was flummoxed. I had no idea. I knew my (relatively) more recent experiences, but my first?

    I was grateful that I would be answering the question last. I sat and prayed. “God, when was it the first time I encountered you?”

    God responded (to my /mind), “remember the scar?”

    The scar is right below my right eyebrow. After so many years, it wasn’t important.

    God reintroduced me to the memory of a hike with my and some of his acquaintances.   I was 4 or 5, I think, and the only kid. We were walking up a hill on a trail/road. I had looked out to the valley below and “it” hit me. I then tripped and fell. I now had a bleeding gash. My dad cleaned me up, put a butterfly bandage on it, and off we went.

    The people in my group were a little puzzled. How could that possibly be a God encounter? Part of my spiritual wiring is trees and mountains. For me that’s almost an automatic …God is here.

    That feeling of awe and isn’t so solemn. Thanks be to God!

    Awe and wonder are indeed a from God. The of children is that they can still have simple awe and wonder.

    If we cannot wonder, then what kind of do we have with God? If we have no awe, we are often only filled with fear. That isn’t a good relationship either.

    This passage is often brought up as an encouragement to raise children in the faith. I wonder (I had to), though, if this was the first or only time this happened.

    Children often know a person who authentically loves them. They like hanging around such a person. Often, they are louder, more -filled, and just want to have fun!

    What if the adults were so solemn, they saw a prophet and were afraid? What if the children saw a friend, and were full of joy?

    ※Reflection※

    When was the last time you just wondered at, with, and about God?

    ※Prayer※

    God, may we wonder in your and see all of Creation through your eyes. Amen.

  • We Love Talking About It

    We Love Talking About It

    1 Samuel 15:7–15; Acts 5:1–11

    Every pastor’s favorite sermon topic is tithing/giving. Every pastor absolutely loves talking about you are to give freely to God by giving to the church and other missional activities.

    In case you’re wondering, that was sarcasm. Most pastor’s hate it. And, most people hate hearing it, because they often feel guilty about it. Hatred of the topic may be a veneer over the fear of Christianly dealing with .

    John Wesley had a famous sermon on money. From it was gained a saying, “…Gain all you can…Save all you can…Give all you can….” Part of the problem with this saying is all the “…” that are part of it. They show that there is far more than just these 12 words. The context of each set of 4 words makes a lot of difference in how one interprets them.

    “All you can” is the real crux of the issue. “All you can” at what cost? John Wesley had a distinct moral code regarding “Gain all you can.” Some of today’s business owners might be okay. Others might not. Still others would not be able to figure it out.

    John Wesley was concerned that people who sought to gain would do it at the expense of others. In many respects, we could capitalism with a . On the other hand, we could view it as capitalism with a long view for the benefit of humanity.

    If the long view of a business, and its profit, is for the benefit of humanity, that’s a good start. Destroying the environment would be harming God’s creation, so it would fail Wesley’s test, too. Much of our modern profiting, though, is a lot grayer.

    Saving is the next thing. Saving is not hoarding. Saving is more along the lines of protection of the wellbeing of one’s and self. Hoarding is gathering as much as one can and preventing others from gaining.

    In John Wesley’s era, far too many people owed money. It was a way of . For some, it was the only way to feed their families. Today we think of credit card debt, home mortgages, student loans, and car loans. The amount of most of those loans could have been greatly reduced with good planning and a willingness to delay gratification. This is (for example) one area that the Church could be both a better of action and of .

    “Give all you can” can be a trip. Often, even those of us in the Wesley tradition use it or perceive it as more of a guilt scale. Wesley, while big on charity, didn’t seem to be particularly guilt-driven. However, by some accounts, he failed the “save all you can” for his family, for he gave all he could.

    Gain(earn)/save/give is a balancing act.

    Many Christians are like Saul. “Oh, I’ll give the difficult or unwanted stuff to God.” Sounds like many people who give broken stuff to a church. The church then often must pay to dispose of it. Saul turned a commandment from God into we’ll benefit, oh, and maybe God will like a little bit, too.

    The path of Ananias and Sapphira was “look at what we did. We gave everything (oh, except that part we kept back).” They wanted the accolades about the total sacrifice, rather than just giving freely and joyfully. If they’d given 90% and kept 10% and were honest about it, everything would have been fine.

    Far too many preachers (and non-profit type) folks speak about a person’s checkbook as the litmus test. It isn’t. It would be nice if the 10% rule (from the time of Israel) had been sufficient. It wasn’t. When a person has a rule (10%), the heart doesn’t have to go along.

     It is the motive behind our use of money that is the point of tithing and giving.

    God created the world. God already has the money (as if God needed it). God wants our heart.

    ※Reflection※

    • When a church or non-profit person starts talking about money, what’s your first response? How about an entrepreneur, investor, banker, or politician?
    • What is so captivating about money and stuff?

    ※Prayer※

    , may you be the Lord of our heart. May the of mammon in us be overwhelmed and transformed by the sanctification of Holy Spirit. Amen.

  • Breaking Ties

    Breaking Ties

    Psalm 86; 2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1

    “But thank God, who is always leading us around through Christ as if we were in a parade. He releases the fragrance of the of him everywhere through us.” —2 Corinthians 2:14 (CEB)

    I have to admit, I tried to be optimistic that I would be able to stop alluding and directly addressing US politics after the election. Bluntly, it gets rather tiring. However, as I see my brothers and sisters in Christ responding to the world, it may well be that politics is the greatest worldly vice that the needs to confront. As a pastor, I cannot help but believe that addressing church politics may be a for a while.

    Much of the reason is that the church is hurting. As much as certain people would like to blame the current president for the situation, that is really denying reality. The (yes, blessing) of the current (yes, soon to be former) president’s time in office is that the church, in particular the white evangelical brand, has had to confront how much it has been in the pocket of politics.

    What has followed quickly behind, is the awareness that the so-called liberal (not sure the label applies) “side” of the church (universal) is equally in the pocket of politics, just a different side’s. We, as the church, need to confess that we are in bondage to sin…political power.

    The Corinthians have been turning away (or withdrawing their affection) from Paul, as local influencers are successfully convincing them that Paul is a sham. Who these influencers are exactly is open to interpretation, but much of the challenge is due to the apparent difference in Paul’s tone and “presence” when he is away versus when he is physically present. Paul calls out the Corinthian church for being “yoked” to these unbelievers, rather than Jesus Christ.

    The church has been unequally yoked with US politics and has seemed to cast off the yoke of Jesus Christ.

    To be clear, I follow many Christians on both “sides” (which in and of itself is a sad witness of the church) of politics. The general lack of given to Christians and leaders of opposing political views breaks the heart of God. Whether we’re talking about splinters and logs (Matthew 7:2–4), abortion, the death penalty, homelessness, unemployment, COVID, we are called to love one another…ESPECIALLY our brothers and sisters in Christ.

    In a republic, but even in a dictatorship, the church should use what influence it has to make the world look just a little bit more like the of God. That can be a tall order. The world, however, has been successful in turning the Church into a loyal voting block rather than a witness against the ills of the world.

    Being “unequally” yoked is an odd turn of phrase in this context. Yet, it is due to one thing…the world’s power is not the Church’s. The Church’s powers are not the world’s. The world seems to know that its power is not the same, so tries to convince the Church that the world’s power is the best way to “reach” the world. The ? The Church cannot successfully wield the world’s power and remain the Church.

    Paul’s admonition to the Church of Corinth is regarding the church allowing unbelievers to tell the church how to treat and behave toward fellow believers. That admonition stands today.

    ※Reflection※

    • What do politics and politicians tempt you (personally) with? How might that interfere with Jesus’ call on your ?
    • As harsh as it sounds, why might political power be a sin? How might it not be?
    • As Christians, we are called to God’s Kingdom. As earthly citizens, we are called to exercise our right/responsibility to vote. How do we balance the 2 powers, and be faithful to being salt and light?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, forgive us. Help us have the , endurance, love, and grace to be healers of our homes. Amen.

  • Live Freely

    Live Freely

    1 Corinthians 6:12–20; John 1:43–51

    In the US, freedom is a significant cultural . Often, we use language such as “free country”. The Declaration of Independence is quoted most often with, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are , Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

    The problem with such an ideology has been shown in the context of individual liberty. We are currently watching political extremes play out in the public “square” where one person’s pursuit of happiness in in direct conflict with another’s.

    The US Constitution is an imperfect document. It cannot deal with the myriad of people who want to rewrite it in their own image (equally an issue in the 2 primary political parties).

    The US Constitution is, in many respects, a contract. Far too many people read it just like the read the terms and conditions on credit cards, mobile phones, agreements, account usages, etc.. In other words, there are too many people (politicians, media hosts, regular people) who haven’t read the constitution.

    Yet, many people believe they have “rights” based on the tendency to misunderstand that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are not the same document and have completely different intents.

    So, what do “rights” and “freedom” have to do with Christ? A whole lot and very little.

    As a Roman citizen, Paul had rights and privileges that many people didn’t. Since he was born a citizen (see Acts 22:28) and was a Jew (a Benjaminite), at a minimum his had bought rights or was granted them. Thus, at birth, Paul was a citizen.

    Paul’s privilege may have well put him in a place of societal and political superiority of the Jewish world. He was an official part of Roman society and had special legal protection. From a legal standpoint, Paul’s privilege was not “white privilege” (as we today). From a functional viewpoint, however, it may not be far off.

    When Paul talks about freedom, therefore, we must understand that he knew quite well what his freedom was in comparison to many (even most) Christians. He could do things, own things, influence things in ways others could not.

    Recently, an acquaintance—George Holleway—wrote, “Christians, you may have freedom of constitutionally, but you don’t have it biblically.”

    The immediate response was an argument that combined scripture with US culture and politics (and the constitution fits into both). It showed an ignorance of scripture and a presumption of culture that should deeply concern the .

    Paul’s words are slightly different than George’s, but both Paul and George have the same presumption…Christ comes first. Even the secular constitution has something with Paul’s words, others are important to our freedom.

    For the constitution, it was to protect the people from the overreach of government (, we elected them). For the church, and Christ, it is to protect people from Hell.

    Christians, we aren’t free to do whatever we want. We are free to do the will of Jesus Christ who came to earth to live and die, that we might be children of God.

    ※Reflection※

    • Why is it important to understand the difference between constitutional freedom and freedom in Jesus Christ?
    • To you, what does “freedom in Jesus Christ” allow you to do? What does it—if anything—prevent you from doing?
    • What is the difference between “freedom of” and “freedom in”?

    ※Prayer※

    Jesus, we you Lord and Savior. In our world, Lord doesn’t have the impact it should. Help us to truly understand what it means that you are the Lord of our lives. Amen.

  • Change of Plans

    Change of Plans

    Judges 2:16–23; Acts 13:16–25

    There is a saying that you are probably familiar with: repeating the same thing and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. When it comes to practice, that isn’t the case. When it comes to many other things in , though, it is very true.

    In manufacturing (where I work for pay), there is an expectation that we will always strive for continuous improvement. Continuing the same process, material size, tooling size, program configuration will not result in improvements after the first few runs. It is only when one analyzes and changes things there are improvements (and plenty of failures, too).

    The Israelites, post-Joshua, were not continuously improving their with God. They were a wrecking crew. God’s , however, was significant.

    When things were really bad, God would send a judge. Just as when Joshua was alive, they would be “good” God-followers (somewhat)…until that judge died. The process repeated itself, again and again. Sounds a bit like insanity.

    God changed it up. He let them succumb to the external forces (and internal ones, too). He wasn’t done with them. He just let them be free.

    Then God called Samuel. Samuel was, in many respects, the next judge. However, his was definitely a different kind. There really wasn’t a military side to Samuel.

    This time, the people might have learned something. They seemed to understand that they needed someone. With Samuel’s , they would be right back to where they were.

    God was mad (and hurt). Yet, God used this tiny turn in the hearts of Israelites, to bring, ultimately, the line of David into preeminence. From that line of David, Jesus the Savior came.

    ※Reflection※

    Have you ever had a big struggle trying to solve a problem or meet a goal, and continued to fight it? And, then, taken a pause (even a nap!) and the solution came?

    The rudder of a ship is small in comparison to the ship. Yet, this small thing guides the ship’s direction. What small thing, that seemed so small in comparison to the big things, changed your life completely? If you can’t think of anything, pray to God for a revelation (it’s amazing what that little can do).

    Is there anything in your life right now that seems to be on an endless loop that’s driving you crazy? Have you asked God for clarity/ in the situation? Have you sought wise and/or different council to ?

    ※Prayer※

    God, you have done big and small miracles in our lives, whether we see them or not. Even some of the smallest have changed our lives. Help us to be responsive to your nudge to be the agents of in the lives of . Amen.

  • Mighty

    Mighty

    Judges 2:6–15; 2 Corinthians 10:1–11

    At this point, there are a lot of stirred up people. You might even be one of them. The question is, what really is stirring you?

    Is it a belief that the current president is a lunatic and must be destroyed (metaphorically or in reality)? Is it a belief that the current president is the righteous that will lead the country to some sort of ?

    In the middle of this mess are Christians. Some are confused. Many are disgusted. Some champion the president. Some champion the president-elect. Theoretically, all treasure Jesus Christ as Lord.

    That’s the rub.

    One of the constant mutterings of the church (on myriad “sides” of many issues) is about a . A real Christian nation wouldn’t [fill in the blank]. What if we never knew what a Christian nation was? What if, there has never been a “true” Christian nation in history?

    When we look at what happens after the death of Joshua, it’s easy (and understandable) to put much of the blame on Joshua and that’s generations’ leaders. On the other hand, no one forced the Israelites to pick up the patterns of the defeated people, especially the Baal and Astarte’s .

    In far too many respects, the mythos of a Christian nation is as spiritually deadly as the mythos of an Israelite nation upon the death of Joshua (and his peers). “We are a/the [religion] nation.” It can become a great deceit.

    Thus, God’s word is sharper than any sword. ‘s words in letters were far sharper than his . Why? Often a letter is missing so much of the feeling and emotion of presence.

    There is a reason why emojis and emoticons have become such a part of the digital world…text only goes so far. However, sometimes the lack of emotion in the text makes it the very thing we need.

    Just as Paul’s letter to the Corinthians was one of love, his previous letter(s) had apparently earned him a reputation.

    God’s letter, the Bible, is much the same. It is God’s story to us. We do miss a lot of God’s emotions. Yet perhaps we need a lot of sharpening.

    It was my that we would be beyond this. It was my hope that we would be stepping toward . That is not the case.

    While it will be easy to point at one president or one political party, the is that we are as much the issue as anyone else. The truth is that we are in as great a need of God’s word shaping and sharpening us as anyone else.

    ※Reflection※

    What is something in your life that needs sharpening by God’s word?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, let your word shape us, and your love strengthen to be your hands, feet, and words in this world. Amen.