Devotion.al

Tag: rest

  • Rest or Death?

    Psalm 23 (read online ⧉)

    Psalm 23 is that one Psalm that even many non-Christians appreciate (if not ), and even those who have walked away from the faith still hold onto. Even with people who do not fully understand the imagery of a sheep and grasp some of the very important pieces from it, even when they don’t believe in God.

    God loves them. Yep. That’s part of what makes this Psalm so amazing. People understand the caring and cherishing love that is conveyed in this Psalm. Those who don’t believe in God or have long struggled with the concept of a loving God versus a harsh God still get it! They want it!

    God cares about them. Making people . Places of calming. Places of healing. Who doesn’t want that? And it calls to the unbeliever too!

    Yes, there is a lot more in this Psalm that has called, drawn, nourished, healed people for generations. That is part of the problem. This Psalm is peaceful. It draws into a place of peace. That’s all good. However, it’s supposed to be a place of rest. If it is a place of rest, that means one needs to rest from something. Too often, though, we just want to rest. Rest is good. God built us that way. Too much rest is bad. We become more and more lethargic. We don’t want to /go. We want to remain at rest.

    At the risk of taking too much out of context, let’s look at the מְנֻחֹות [mânuchah /men·oo·khaw]. Depending on the translation it means still (KJV, ESV) or quiet (NIV, CSB). When applied to water, there is a concept of the water’s being relaxing. In a culture that did not view water as particularly relaxing (there was more ), this is very important. We, on the other hand, have a more relaxed view of the water.

    Still or quiet does not mean stagnant. While the water is still or quiet, it is still “alive”. It moves. It has in it. Too often we believe we want still or quiet, but we up with stagnation. Water that is not stagnant has a cycle of its own. Stagnant water evaporates into nothingness. It ends up being nothing. It ends up being useless.
    Resting in God is essential. It is important. It needs to be regular. The purpose of God-based rest is to do God’s work. Far too many people rest and are resting too long.

    1) What does it mean to be stagnant in God’s ?

    2) People, programs, ministries, facilities, thought processes, and so on can all become stagnant, even the ones we love. Where do you see stagnation?

    3) What is the difference between stagnation and building up over a long period of time? How can you tell the difference?

  • Eternal Clay

    2 Corinthians 4:7–13, James 4:13–17 (read online ⧉)

    What are you for? Who are you living for? These are not simple . They can be difficult thoughts. They can actually be kind of depressing. They can be quite depressing really. For when we talk about what we are living for, we acknowledge that the we are living now will come to end.

    This is why ‘s words can actually be encouraging. You’re a clay pot! Wow! Sounds great! I’m fragile. I’m breakable. Yep, that really encouraging.

    The tale goes like this (how much , who knows), a boy was throwing rocks into random caves. He heard a shattering noise. When he got to the cave, he found parchment inside a clay jar. What he found, we now the Dead Sea Scrolls. What was in many clay jars in a series of caves were books from the Bible. Phrased a different way, the Word of God was in jars of clay. Scripture in jars of clay that lasted (in some cases) more than 1500 years.

    We often look down on ourselves for we often see our and our mortality. Yet a fragile person (or group of them) managed to preserve delicate parchment in breakable jars of clay, and it survived 1500 years. All too often we look at ourselves and limit what we can do. Yet, look at what people who were just trying to do their best could do. The Essenes (the ones responsible for the Dead Sea Scrolls) were people who simply lived their best lives for God. We have been blessed because they did.

    Our fragile beings, which suffer along with the rest of humanity, have the opportunity, however, to carry something much greater than we ought to be able to. We get to carry inside of us. When the image of God was placed into humanity, who could have imagined that we would also be able to receive so much more than the image.

    It’s odd, if you think about it, that by living in these bodies we have, we get to identify with the incarnation of God in Jesus, and we also identify with his . In other words, by identifying with our jars of clay, we identify with eternity.

    1) What do you say about yourself about what you are not able to do for the Kingdom of God?

    2) If we have eternity inside of us, why are we so worried about that which disappears like a vapor?

    3) If you couldn’t fail, what would you do for the Kingdom of God?

  • Really Seeing. Really Caring

    John 1:29–42, Luke 4:16–30, 1 Corinthians 15:1–11 (read online ⧉)

    “Sunday Christians” may be a term you are familiar with. It is a term that conveys that a person who looks all clean on the outside on Sunday, is filthy inside the of the week. Often “Sunday Christians” is equated to hypocrisy, which is mostly true (not always). “Sunday Christians” is also often equated to wearing masks. This too is true, yet it should not be viewed as negatively as we portray it.

    The prevailing theme of the wider culture is “authenticity”. The truth is that none of us are 100% authentic all the time. Of course, what does authentic mean? Well, the thought appears to be that we don’t wear masks. Yet, what if we are always wearing masks? What if the mask we’re wearing isn’t one we’ve put on?

    John the Baptist—Jesus’ cousin—says “…I don’t know him…”. Well, that’s how it’s usually translated. It doesn’t make sense that way. While they may not have been in close proximity often, it is highly unlikely that they didn’t know each other. However, what does make more sense, and still matched the gist of the Greek, is that John knew him as his cousin Jesus. He didn’t recognize him, until that moment, as the Messiah…the one that he was sent to baptize then testify about. Imagine the feeling knowing that there were all the tales about yourself and your cousin…and then realizing the pieces were already there, and you never put it .

    It’s not as if John was alone in his blindness. Look at the people of Jesus’ home town. Once he stepped into his role as Messiah, they no longer “knew” him. They denied him. Again, it is probable that they knew some of the stories about young Jesus. Yet, like many small towns, it probably entered into the realm of or legend. In other words, Jesus was no prophet, and certainly no Messiah. He was only a carpenter.

    The truth is that for many of us, we will always judged by the masks that people place on us that are not our own. It could be your background. It could be the color of your skin. It could be the language or dialect you . It could be the country you’re from. It could be the you attend. It could be the place you live.

    had a certain idea about the Messiah. He certainly had an idea about the “lost” Jews who believed that Jesus was the Messiah. He put the mask of the “traditional” Messiah on and stepped onto his pedestal. Paul then launched his persecution fo the church. Then he was met by Jesus. The scales that were on his eyes symbolized the mask he put on about the Messiah. Along with his awareness and belief, the scales came off, and Paul understood who the Messiah truly was.

    We must be careful of the “masks” we put on . What if we’re wrong? We also must do our best (we won’t always succeed) to understand the masks people put on us, as they make assumptions about what we believe. As the wider culture changes around us, we must be especially careful, as the masks people have regarding Christianity, the church, and (most importantly) about Jesus will inhibit our ability to spread the of God.

    1) How does Jesus’ and friends being blind to Jesus being the Messiah inform how we are to interact with the world when it comes to Jesus?

    2) What do you think your biggest issue is when dealing with people who make assumptions about you? What are peoples’ assumptions about you that you have had to deal with?

    3) How do people false things about others? What does this tell you regarding your responsibility when talking about and to others?

  • Prayer Fighting

    Exodus 3:1–10, Psalm 4, Isaiah 56:7, 1 Timothy 2:1–4 (read online ⧉)

    Phrases such as“fight your battles on your knees” and “win your battles on your knees”, along with terms such as warrior, along with movies such as “War Room” all have an underlying …prayer is a battle.

    There is far too much in it. First, the battle is against the powers of . Now, to be blunt, we often give those same powers too much credence. Yet, from our limited and weak perspective, the darkness seems powerful.

    Battle is also applicable when it comes to ourselves. Sometimes it is weariness. Sometimes it is despair. We fight our desire to do something more. We get distracted (even before phones that was a problem). We fight ourselves when we pray.

    This leads to the next part of this battle…never go it alone. The greatest strength we have is when we pray . We can lift one another up when we fall. Together (as we are called to be, anyway) we can bring each other rest when we’re tired, encouragement when we tend toward despair. We can even hold each other accountable regarding transactions.

    The biggest struggle when it comes to prayer is the length of time to receive and the answers themselves. Think of the Israelites. Their prayer wasn’t answered for generations, and by a guy who was (effectively) cast out of his Egyptian and Israelite relations. Their prayer was answered…eventually. How many prayed for liberation, and died not seeing it.
    Whether we are praying for healing, spiritual healing, or relational healing, it can be demoralizing to receive an answer we didn’t actually want. There are so many reasons why prayer may or may not be answered, but remaining in our prayers is what we are called to be.

    1) What is the biggest prayer you making and being ?

    2) What is the biggest prayer you remember making and not being fulfilled?

    3) What is currently the biggest item on your prayer list?

  • Receiving Peace

    Luke 12:49–53, Luke 14:31–35, Luke 19:32–38 (read online ⧉)

    has the title of , yet our first passage today from Luke certainly causes one to question that. Some scholars align this with the Jewish zealot party, which sought the overthrow of the Roman Empire in Israel by (primarily) violent methods. However, it is prefaced by fire. Again, it sounds strange, unless we recognize that this is a cleansing and purifying fire. The sad truth is that many will be confronted with Jesus’ words and make a decision that has the potential to destroy . This is the that Jesus brings. Some will follow Jesus, the rest will follow the world.

    The title of Prince of Peace should probably be more properly, the Prince (of the people who live by and on and believe in the of the Lord) of Peace (knowing that the Creator of the Universe is overall). It’s a lot wordier, but it helps us understand the seeming conflict between Jesus’ title and the first words we read.

    Certainly, war would not be the function of the Prince of Peace, would it? Yet, here Jesus uses that analogy. It’s not because Jesus desires war, but because the people were surrounded by war and its legends, meaning that this was an effective way to to people. On the other hand, we could look at it as the weaker party (us) seeking peace with the stronger party (God), and, oddly enough, the negotiation and sealing of that agreement is through Jesus Christ.

    The reality is that the ultimate culmination of peace will not happen here. Peace is in Heaven. However, when we spend time meditating on God’s about peace, and meditating on who Jesus is (the Prince of Peace), we receive God’s peace here on earth.

    1) What are your thoughts about flame being a purifying image? What concept, if any, in Christianity is symbolized by a flame? How do they work ?

    2) Does it bother you that Jesus uses war imagery to make a point? Why or why not?

    3) If the ultimate peace only happens in Heaven, why pursue it here on earth?

  • Peace is in Heaven

    Luke 12:49–53, Luke 14:31–35, Luke 19:32–38

    ‌Jesus has the title of , yet our first passage today from Luke certainly causes one to question that. Some scholars align this with the Jewish zealot party, which sought the overthrow of the Roman Empire in Israel by (primarily) violent methods. However, it is prefaced by fire. Again, it sounds strange, unless we recognize that this is a cleansing and purifying fire. The sad is that many will be confronted with Jesus’ words and make a decision that has the potential to destroy . This is the that Jesus brings. Some will follow Jesus, the will follow the world.

    ‌The title of Prince of should probably be written more properly, the Prince (of the people who live by and on and believe in the of the Lord) of Peace (knowing that the Creator of the Universe is over all). It’s a lot wordier, but it helps us understand the seeming conflict between Jesus’ title and these first words we read.

    ‌Certainly war would not be the function of the Prince of Peace, would it? Yet, here Jesus uses that analogy. It’s not because Jesus desires war, but because the people were surrounded by war and its legends, meaning that this was an effective way to to people. On the other hand, we could look at it as the weaker party (us) seeking peace with the stronger party (God), and, oddly enough, the negotiation and sealing of that agreement is through Jesus Christ.

    ‌The reality is that the ultimate culmination of peace will not happen here. Peace is in Heaven. However, when we spend time meditating on God’s word about peace, and meditating on who Jesus is (the Prince of Peace), we receive God’s peace here on earth.

    1) What are your thoughts about flame being a purifying image? What concept, if any, in Christianity is symbolized by a flame? How do they work ?

    2) Does it bother you that Jesus uses war imagery to make a point? Why or why not?

    3) If the ultimate peace only happens in Heaven, why pursue it here on earth?

  • From the Heart

    Colossians 3:12–17

    οἰκτιρμοῦ (oiktirmou) :: and concern with sensitivity and compassion

    χρηστότητα (chrēstotēta) :: giving to or providing for a person as an act of kindness

    ταπεινοφροσύνην (tapeinophrosynē) :: humble attitude and without arrogance

    πραΰτητα (prautēta) :: gentleness of attitude and behavior / not harsh with

    μακροθυμίαν (makrothymian) :: emotional calm despite provocation or misfortune, and without complaint or irritation.

    So, why the Greek lesson? English misses so much. The one that triggered this particular Greek lesson is οἰκτιρμοῦ (oiktirmou). In the most used translations, this is only translated as compassion. A few translations (e.g., HCSB, ESV, and NASB) add in some form. This is an important qualifier.

    Compassion can be an act of obedience (with or without being a loving response). For many people, that is exactly what it is. Almsgiving (giving and/or aid to the poor) is common in a number of religions. It is, for example, 1 of the 5 pillars of Islam (called Zakat). In the , it is titled Compassionate Ministries (Church of the Nazarene organization). It is Blue Bucket Sundays at Generations Community Church. People out of obligation, too. It’s not that obedience or obligation is bad, but what about the heart.

    Think of χρηστότητα (chrēstotēta). Giving to give is fine, sort of. If we were to give a poor the best birthday party for the youngest child or feed the family for the month (and, based on the bills of some birthday parties, that isn’t a stretch), which would we choose? Both are giving as kindness, but which has the potential for the greatest kindness.

    Why is this important? It’s about our lives with one another. Our lives with one another are to exemplify love…and compassion of the heart.

    1)Taking the of the Greek, how do they each apply to your walk, whether for yourself or for others?

    2) In Churches, compassion is often the of a ministry. That is not how we are called to live. How can you deepen the compassion in your Christian walk? How can you help others to deepen theirs?

  • Sacrifice of Living

    Isaiah 1:10–18, Psalm 50, Romans 5:20–6:11

    The problem with the Law was the human ability to think out the payment schedule, particularly the wealthy. What the wealthy did, it seems, was to commit the , then pay the penalty. In other words, the payment for the sin was considered as part of the “cost of doing business.” Part of the point of the law was to show the cost of sin in a way that was significant. However, in the midst of great wealth, everything became distorted.

    While we could draw some parallels to the modern day when it comes to extreme wealth, it is the other aspects of this which should us pause. As we read the passage from Isaiah, it is not just the rich who are at fault. While they may have led the vanguard, the followed. There appears to be a universal condemnation of the population of Israel.

    It would seem, on the outset, that the Psalm is a little different. Yet, God seems to disregard the offerings as pointless. That’s really not much better. The reality is, as the Psalm continues, the Israelites are truly lost, wandering away from God. They are not living in with one another. The reality is that sometimes we all do not live well in community. Yet, we try…mostly.

    One of the deepest truths is that we all fail to live perfectly in community. Sometimes we disguise it behind pithy statements such as, “a church is a hospital; we’re all wounded.” There is truth in the words, but there is also a strong tendency to categorize the wounds we have inflicted as, “just a sad reality.” This is not the way to live!

    Yes, absolutely, we will wound people and will be wounded by people. We are not, however, supposed to leave it like that. Yes! abounds. We are supposed to give it to one another! Yes! God heals. God often heals through others. Being dead to sin is not doing “the right” , it is living to give , , healing, and grace.

    1) Who have you wounded recently? How will you when someone comes to you saying that you wounded them?

    2) Who has wounded you recently? How will you approach them? How will you show them grace?*

    3) What is the difference between grace and forgiveness?

    *In certain situations regarding , emotional, or spiritual abuse, this is not being blind to the others’ behavior. Never put yourself in harm’s way.