Tag: relationships

Freely Walking
1 Samuel 2:1–10, John 8:31–36

Hannah’s joy-filled prayer of praise for her son Samuel is the wonderful response of a woman who had been denied the (cultural) gift children…and then was gifted Samuel. In her case, it was the rival wife (Peninnah) who continually taunted her. Hannah’s (and Peninnah’s) husband, Elkanah, loved her despite her childlessness, and during the special festivals, gave her a double portion, giving her honor above Peninnah. Elkanah did his best to make Hannah feel worthy and loved, but her heart wasn’t on the same page. She went to the Lord in prayer, and the Lord answered her.

Samuel was born, and Hannah’s shame was done away with. This prayer is amazing. There is joy, praise, thanksgiving…and bittersweetness.

In faith and faithfulness, Hannah gave her son to the Lord. There is an echo here of the firstborn belonging to God. Hannah did not perform an animal sacrifice. She gave her son. While her heart was full of finally being a mother, her heart was hurting.

However, just as she was faithful to God, God was gracious to her. She had more children and was now the mother she longed to be. She had been freed to be who she wanted to be.

One of the greatest promises of Jesus is to be free of the chains that bind us. We can be like Hannah, bound by both societal/cultural chains, by the chains we set upon ourselves, or by the chains that our mistakes become.

The Jews, for example, had chains of blood. They believed their salvation was tied to their bloodline. By that understanding, they had chained themselves to rigors that God had not intended. Instead of being children of God, they had become “slaves” of the rules in the house of God.

Jesus wanted to break them free of their chains. The sad truth is that we often become so comfortable in our chains that we do not want them to go away. The weight, while still weighing us down, is comfortable.

Transformation of our relationship with God is the fulfillment of the Christian life. When we follow our understanding of God’s desires for us, it is not about rules. It is about a loving response to God the Father who loved us before we knew him.

When we cannot step beyond the rules to relationship, we do not get the true power of living free in Jesus Christ. When we don’t invest in our relationship with God, we are just statues in the house of God that cannot sing the praise and glory of God.
- 1) What thoughts and habits are still keeping your walk with Christ empty or shallow?
- 2) Can you relate to Hannah’s freedom? How is it different than we often think of freedom?
- 3) We often tie our self-worth to others’ perceptions and values of us. How does looking at the freedom that Jesus offers challenge that?
- FD) How do rules create and limit relationships?
2019-02-02
Embracing Difference

Genesis 29:18-35, Deuteronomy 10:12-22, Psalm 5

Jacob found himself in a strange situation. The wife he thought he had spent 7 years of his life to earn the right to marry was not the one his father-in-law had presented to him. Laban set up a dysfunctional marriage (two, actually) by doing this. The sisters would be competing for their husband’s affections. Children became trophies over the other sister. Yet, God chose these children born in a family of broken relationships to become (eventually) the leaders of a tribe that changed the world.

All of us have experiences of family brokenness, whether it was our immediate family, extended family, spouse’s family, the family of a friend, or the family that we have in the church. Sadly, the majority of human relationships involve brokenness, whether ours or someone else’s.

In the midst of his last commission to the Israelites, Moses brings in two forms of brokenness. The first is in the form of family: fatherless and widowed. This truly would be a sign of familial brokenness, as there were no family to take care of: children with no parents, and widows with no children. In a culture that valued family, and relied upon family to function, this was catastrophic. The orphaned and widowed could be viewed as cursed. Being so alone without family was inconceivable. Then Moses goes a step further and brings in the foreigner. This person, whether by war, slavery, abandonment, fleeing, was not only not with family, they were among people of completely different families.

The orphan, the widow and the foreigner were the ultimate example of broken family connections, as they had none. Even today, we avoid those that are different than we are. There is something in the case of orphaned, widowed and foreigner (even in the U.S., a country of immigrants) that triggers some of our deepest fears and insecurities.

Moses calls on the Israelites to love them anyways. As we are called through the love of God, we are also called to live this life of love.

1) How can we show love to others?

2) Orphaned, widowed and foreigner are relational terms. Think beyond their immediate definition. For example, the foreigner may be the new person in the neighborhood, at work or at church. Who are the orphaned, widowed and foreigner that God has placed in your lives?

3) Why do we often get so obsessed with the differences between ourselves and others, rather than focus on the similarities?

KD) How do welcome and love people different from you?

2018-12-21
Joy in Redemption

Genesis 25:25-34, Exodus 15:12-18, Psalm 23

The family life of Isaac and Jacob—the patriarchs of the tribes of Israel—is not ideal. Favoritism of love is shown. Despising of family and property is displayed through hunger. This is not a family form to follow. God’s Word often shows that the people that God chose to carry his name and blessing weren’t perfect. In fact, some of them seem to have very few redeeming qualities. In other words, God chose to carry his name and blessing through people just like us.

Moses’ exultation of God in Exodus can seem overbearing toward people who don’t follow God. The entire purpose of that overbearingness is to show God’s power and glory through a people despised and rejected. In fact, this is an echo of the passage in Genesis, for some of the people who are opposing of the Israelites return (coming into their inheritance) are the descendants of Esau who despised his inheritance. God leads and loves those on the outside.

Psalm 23 is probably the best-known Psalm, even outside of Christian and Jewish circles. In it, God’s care of his people is first presented in the role of a shepherd. As the shepherd, God makes the sheep lie down and rest. When the shepherd (God) does lead the sheep, they are so confident and trusting in God, that they followed through darkness and fear.

The Psalm then transforms from sheep to a person for whom the table is set. In other words, the sheep has now become the guest. That is not a small transformation, to go from stubborn (won’t rest), to following (through fear and death), to guest.

1) The family in Genesis is not great. How are the relationships shown between people: Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, Jacob? Think of how scripture shows and doesn’t show those relationships.

2) Redemption is one of the biggest ways God shows his love. How is redemption shown in each of today’s passages?

3) What imagery attracts you most in Psalm 23? What do you think that shows you about a need in your life that should be filled by God, rather than the world?

KD) Why do you think that God uses the image of sheep when he talks about his people?

2018-12-20
Peace and Holiness

Ezekiel 37:24-28, Romans 12:9-18, Hebrews 12:7-15

“I will make a covenant of peace with them…”
Ezekiel 37:26

“Live in harmony with one another…”
Romans 12:16

“If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peach with everyone.”
Romans 12:18

“Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness—without it no one will see the Lord.”
Hebrews 12:14

When God speaks to Ezekiel, the consequences of living a life outside of and away from God are showing up to the Israelites, and it is not a pretty picture. Something to understand throughout Ezekiel is that while the consequences of not living life with God is bad, God promises hope. Especially a hope which cannot be earned. God makes the new covenant of peace.

We, too, have a covenant with peace to live out. It is the covenant of peace with others. In Romans 12, Paul is talking specifically about the peace between members of the Christian framily. However, this peace is supposed to also spill out into our relationships outside of the church framily.

The author of Hebrews, however, makes what can be chilling ties to peace with others: holiness and divine life. Mercifully, the author of Hebrews uses the word “pursue.” Other translations have it as “strive for” or “chase after.” As we read yesterday, peace requires effort.

Peace and holiness are tied together by the author of the Hebrews. This is not unreasonable, as the ultimate peace is given by God who is holy. The importance of living at peace with one another—especially, but not exclusively, in the church framily—cannot be overstated. If the Children of God are not at peace with one another, what kind of peace can they share with others?

1) What does it mean to you that “no one will see the Lord” when it comes to being at peace with one another and holiness?

2) Is being at peace with one another important to you? Why or why not?

KD) We all struggle with being at peace with one another. Are you pursuing peace with others? What are you willing to give up to have peace?

2018-12-12
Light Walking

Psalm 4, Isaiah 26:1-13, Matthew 5:13-16

“Many are asking, ‘Who can show us anything good?’ Let the light of your face shine on us LORD.”
Psalm 4:6

“I long for you in the night; yes, my spirit within me diligently seeks you…”
Isaiah 26:9

Yesterday, we read about being the light of Christ. In the context of yesterday’s reading, it is the light of Christ that shines peace onto and into a world of darkness. Today is Monday. People went to work or school or out into the public. Did you? Did you remember that you are a bearer of Christ’s light of peace? Or were you the person that hid the light underneath the basket.

Have you ever walked around with a lit candle (or candles, if we’re talking birthday cakes)? Think about walking and the flame. If you walk too fast, the candle goes out. If you put your hand in front of the candle, the light going ahead of you is blocked. Lastly, if you stare at the candle while walking to watch and make sure the candle doesn’t go out, your eyes begin to hurt, and you can temporarily blind yourself.

Too fast? In this day and age, it is far too easy to go too fast. Too fast driving, too fast living, and, most importantly, too fast to have deep relationships.

Hand in front? If you prevent the light from guiding and informing your path, you will end up someplace other than Jesus wants you.

Staring at the candle? Too focused on doing “all the right things” (the light is good) causes one to focus not so much on something bad. It also blinds us to what is around us and the need to do something about it. What’s the point of bringing the light without sharing the peace?

1) We each have one of those areas where we are focused on doing stuff and forget people. Where are you being too fast in your life?

2) We all struggle with weakness and temptation, and so try to protect the light of Christ we have. Yet, if we spend all our efforts protecting it, it does not serve its purpose. How are you trying to control things that is keeping God from working through you?

3) Focusing on the flame? Being like Jesus, is not staring at the light that he gives, but doing what he did. You are not Jesus, however, you’re going to make a mistake. You’re going to make a mess. Focus on carrying the light into the mess of your life and the lives of others. Where do you need to spread the light, rather than focusing on your understanding of the light?

2018-12-10