Devotion.al

Tag: Scriptures

  • To Flourish

    Psalm 52, Colossians 1:3–14, 2 Peter 1:3–15 (read online ⧉)

    “But I am like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God…” Psalm 52:8 (CSB)

    Being and becoming a flourishing olive tree should be our goal. We, of course, are not trees. We are, however, treasured creations of God that God helps to nurture into Christ-like beings. There is that tension, though, about what God to us. The Wesleyan holds that God does not force us, yet without the Holy Spirit working in us, we are doomed to be the same. How it works is a mystery. The theologians of many traditions (not just the Wesleyan) continue to robustly discuss this. This is not bad. It is often distracting though.

    The tree…

    …is in the house of God.
    …quests for water
    …strains against the wind, and grows stronger.
    …reaches for the sun.
    …produces fruit.

    It seems obvious what the house of God is. It’s church. Except that is an incomplete understanding. We often think of house as a building. בַּיִת [bayith /bah·yith/] is also used to describe household, home, family, within, descendants. What if instead of “flourishing in the house of God” we were to read it as “flourishing in the family of God?” If we were to do so, that would mean praying , groups, worship, and other related activities that we do together are covered, as long as that draws us closer to God.

    Water is always life (especially from a wilderness and livestock point of view). With referring to himself as the Water of Life it takes on an important , and it is one that we should take very seriously. Pursuing the Water of Life means that we follow Jesus, and do our best to cast off the world to become more like Jesus, and less like the world. Pursuing the Water (another title) would also cover reading the and praying.

    The wind aspect is a little different. The wind is both the world trying to knock us down and the Holy Spirit. We couldn’t escape some tension here. That would be too easy. The storms (the wind) of the world seek to uproot us from the solid ground that is God. The Holy Spirit pushes and shapes us to be stronger so that we can stand firmer against the world.

    Reaching for the sun would seem to be automatically related to the , yet the sun provides warmth (like ) and nourishment (trees need the sun to breathe and produce energy). The sun and its attributes can be found in things like families and friends.

    Lastly, though, the tree produces fruit which can take many forms (the list is far too long).

    All of this falls under the huge umbrella of spiritual growth. The two passages from Paul’s letter to the Colossians and the second letter Peter are deeply concerned about spiritual growth. Spiritual growth is not optional. In fact, to be a Christ-follower, we are (by definition) seeking to spiritually grow to be closer and closer to Christ. If you are not pursuing spiritual growth the question of being a Christ-followers rears its head.

    1) Looking at the list in Colossians 1:9–12 of spiritual growth, what pops out for you? Which area are you growing in? Which one are you weakest in?

    2) 2 Peter 1:5–7 is a list often used as a list of spiritual fruit. Where do you fall within the list? Do you think the list is exhaustive? Why do you think Peter ties the “fruit” together?

    3) How important do you view your spiritual growth? How about the spiritual growth of others? Why is that your view?

  • Speaking of Children

    Psalm 131, Matthew 18:1–9, Matthew 19:13–15 (read online ⧉)

    As adults, many of us look at the carefree nature of many kids and wish we had that now (especially if it was taken from us). Our general society has increasingly put barriers of protection around children, while at the same time put more burdens on them. It’s rather strange when you think about it. Then the prioritization of those burdens can also be unhealthy. Teenagers are limited to a certain number of hours (and a certain number of days per week) to work and earn a wage. On the other hand, if a teenager is playing a sport, they can spend as much (and often more) time supporting a sport than earning a wage. By and large, most of those children will not play sports professionally or even collegiately, yet there is a preference for certain play versus work. This is not to say sports dedication is necessarily bad, just that there seems to be a level of hypocrisy.

    Part of that is our understanding of children and childhood. We can see some of this very tension within the . Depending on how one defines weened, a weened child was anywhere from 2 to 4 years old. However, as the child aged, we start to see an odd tension. Around the of 13, a male went through the Bar Mitzvah and females the Bat Mitzvah. We see an allusion to this in Luke 2:41–52 (though was 12). At that point, a child became responsible in regards to the Law and theoretically had attained majority status. Yet, “men” were not counted in the Old Testament until they were 20. As Judaism (and the Law, and Israelite custom) are the ancestor of Christianity, these ages are important to consider when we look at the Scriptures when children are involved, as these are the background of the writers of both New and Old Testaments.

    From a Greek , a child is anyone prior to puberty (or that what the general use of the ). While the Greek was the language used to write Matthew, Jewish and thinking would still deeply affect the intent of and influence the writer.

    This is a very long way of saying, no one knows how old the child in question was, but likely it was up to 5 or 6. In other words, weened but not “there” yet insofar as being a teenager.

    When Jesus presents the child as a perspective example, it is likely that the perspective (if not the words) of Psalm 131 were in play, and would certainly fit a pre-adolescent person. The child, as defined by Psalm 131, does “…not get involved with things too great or too wondrous…” What could that mean? It could mean many things. However, if we look at (for example) the English language, some counts put its vocabulary at over 1 million words, but when the King James Bible was the estimate was 20-40 thousand. The reason this is brought up is that our language, just in words, is complicated, and only growing more so. We add words in an attempt to provide nuance. Not a particular surprise as written language does not succinctly communicate emotion, background, and overtone well.

    In other words, we are making our language seemingly “great and wondrous”, and really making a mess of it. The Great Commandments (summarized: God; love ) is simple. We make it so complicated.

    1) Do you think complicated thinking is why Jesus presented a child as an example? Do you think it might be another reason?

    2) Why does complicated thinking make it hard to the Gospel about Jesus?

    3) What do you think of the 2 versions of adult presented above? Can you think of similar examples in our society? Why do you think these differences in “adult” are trying to achieve?

  • Servant and Service

    Isaiah 44:21-23, Matthew 20:22–28, John 12:26 (read online ⧉)

    What is a servant? That isn’t a small question. In fact, in our culture, it is a huge thing.

    The cultural implications are generally demeaning (Alfred notwithstanding). That probably has a lot to do with the cultural wound of slavery, when humans claimed ownership of others. In addition, servants were often the poor or undereducated or uneducated for whom being a servant was actually an improvement from their previous circumstances. We see much of this in waitstaff or clerks or other “service industry” people. Many young people work in so-called service industries and their parents have been guilty of saying, “so you’ll know why you want a better job.” It sounds harsh, doesn’t it? On the other hand, in other cultures, servants or service industries are not so demeaned. In some European countries, for example, tipping a waiter is an insult. They are professionals and should be treated as such.

    This is incredibly important as we read the verses from Isaiah. Jacob/Israel is God’s servant. This is not intended to be a demeaning title, but one that bestows great . Only the Israelites had the gift of being in relationship with God. In our culture, this “gets to be a servant” has serious overtones that damage the God-honoring view of serving God as worship. Our culture of individuality along with our history of service jobs and slavery looks at this as condescension and power, rather than what it is…a blessed arrangement. This is God’s and it is the long-held view of Israelite and (now) Jewish thought.

    When we read Jesus’ words to his disciples, we can see (especially in the of Isaiah’s words) just how shocking Jesus’ words actually were. Jesus was switching up the “rules”. Jesus (the Son of God) surrendered his divinity to . Jesus served as teacher, example (for a life that honored God), and sacrifice. In his words to his disciples, he noted the problem had with servants (sounds familiar). It was a power issue. Servants—those that serve others—are not to be dismissed due to their role or position. In fact, it would seem that servants are to actually be honored.

    We get that to some degree. As part of our life, there are many who serve both as a calling and as an outpouring of worship (worship of God). John gives us some context that ties it all . If we serve God, we follow God. Perhaps the next time you see servant or serve in the , it to follow or follower and see how your responds.

    1) What is your initial response to being a servant? Why? How do you think that response was formed?

    2) We often intellectually (i.e., unemotionally) assent or agree that God calls us to serve. Why, then, does the church lack servants? What can be done to change the culture?

    3) Have you ever been to a restaurant where the waitstaff were professionals? What was it like compared to places where the waitstaff are only in “starting” jobs?

  • Whose Will

    Genesis 12:1-7, Hebrews 11:1–12 (read online ⧉)

    “I will” is a major component in God’s sending statement for Abram. God will be doing a lot. It’s not, though, as if Abram will be doing nothing. He’ll be doing a lot of traveling, caring for his herds, caring for his people. In fact, much of his daily life was caring and leading .

    There have been 2 major trains of thought when it comes to God’s sovereignty. The first (overly simplified) view is that God sets everything in motion, and we are effectively puppets. The other (again, overs simplified view) is that God gave free will to humankind with God’s will (i.e., “I will”) still very much in play. How this later view works out is somewhat of a , which is why many oppose it. On the other hand, with what we know of God through the , this understanding (despite the mystery) is the most harmonious with God’s nature/.

    The balance between I did and God did is not always a hard line. For example, if the doubled in attenders next week, would it be God or would it be of mouth or would it be advertising? Or would it be a combination of them all? That’s the rub for many. People want a cause and effect so they know the path they are and will be walking on. Yet, that’s the whole point of Abram’s story, including how the author of Hebrews refers to it.

    We are called to walk by faith in the direction that we have discerned (for few have had that “God encounter” that can provide some guidance). We have to walk the best we are able, including reading the Scriptures, talking to friends, and talking to those who are also on their own walk to follow .

    Whether we a looking to the next decade, year, month, week, day, hour, or even second, all we possibly do is to step in faith, one step at a time.

    1) What things in your life are you having to “ in faith” right now? Why?

    2) What can you do to make sure that you are doing your part to follow the path of faith? Why do you think that is your part? Are you sure you have no other part? How?

  • Drift Away

    Isaiah 49:8–13, John 4:3–14, Hebrews 2:1–4

    Has the so-called Christmas euphoria finally died down for you? If this was more of a “blue” (i.e., one of mourning, , or depression), are you relieved that you don’t feel the pressure of “keeping up” appearances?

    Christmas, as with many other family occasions (weddings, baptisms, birthdays, funerals, etc.), always comes with a mixture of emotions. No single emotion could ever completely cover our experiences for Christmas. This is not to deny that it is God’s love that is the overarching ultimate emotion, but that we beings experience more than just love.

    The conveyed in Isaiah is that God’s coming and salvation is so much more than just the immediate. This is why accepting and embracing (not necessarily enjoying) all the emotions that come with this time of year is important. For without all the emotions—especially the negative ones—the grace and magnificence of God’s grace misses much of the transformative power.

    Isaiah’s words do lead to some , though. How are pastures possible on barren heights? How do people not starve or thirst under scorching sun? As in the case with much of the , it can be easy to over-spiritualize the Scriptures, especially when we don’t understand them. Yet, when taken in the context with salvation and covenant, the spiritual aspects seem to be the focus, rather than our needs.

    It is not a great stretch, especially when we take into account Jesus’ words to the woman at the Well of Jacob. In fact, it is Jesus’ words that guide us to equate not being hungry and not thirsting to the spiritual gift of the Water. Never thirsting? At the well that gave water for generations of Israelites the physical has been and is being fulfilled, only the spiritual remains. We all understand that the immediate, “earthly”, “worldly”, “physical” impact us significantly. It is the spiritual that outlasts, but we often overlook or neglect it.

    The writer of Hebrews wants to make sure that people do forget or “drift away”. The imagery is that of things that were originally floating next to (or with) each other, but just sort of drifted away. In other words, the author of Hebrews is here more concerned about the incidental, accidental, careless, negligent and other “not deliberate” actions away from the faith and the .

    Regardless of our emotional state or the emotional states of those around us, we are not to allow ourselves to drift away from the life- nature and our understanding of God, no matter how far the world and our emotions want to pull us away from God.

    1) What recently has “encouraged” you to drift away from God?

    2) What are areas that regularly lead you to drift away?

    3) Life can throw a lot of things at you, and many of them unpleasant (at best). How do you keep yourself focused on God, on not on other things?

  • Hearts of Innocence

    Jeremiah 31:15–20, Matthew 2:13–23, Hebrews 2:11–18 (read online ⧉)

    In the Evangelical , and even in the so-called mainstream American Denominations, the day of Innocents is often skipped over. It’s uncomfortable. It’s weird. To our sensibilities, it just makes no sense. Like so many of the stories in the , we have a hard time wrapping our heads around it.

    When spoken in Jeremiah, it is the of the people of Israel to exile and the loss of the Promised Land. In times of war and exile, children were often the first victims, just as it in many cases today. Lamenting wasn’t just sorrow. It was God-led , a ripping of the fabric of those that God had called. It was tinged with horror at what was lost, and how far away God seemed to be.

    As with many other Old Testament passages, this was called up by Jesus’ followers as a foreshadowing of Herod’s great crime…sacrificing the (children) for the sake of his and pride. While Herod’s Jewish ancestors were condemned for killing their children to appease demonic gods, Herod went so far as to kill God’s children to prevent anyone, including God’s Messiah, from taking “his” power.
    As an innocent baby, God became one of us. God dared, and the world dared bigger.

    With every political cycle, there is a cynical pulling of our heartstrings for the future (the children). Whether the issue is abortion, adoption, food, education, healthcare, politicians use our hearts to pull our votes. This is not to deny the importance of the issues. In fact, it is quite the opposite. By making political hay using children, the politicians belittle our hearts, our future, and our children.

    The sad part is that our culture has place children in this odd place. While we may not be Herod, children and the satisfaction of political, cultural, and personal power remains an issue. If one analyzes the political, cultural, and religious language often used, one can (not God) language used with and for children (through no fault or initiative of their own). Children are therefore set up to fail as they are not gods. Children, to this day, are used for power and pride. They are still Holy Innocents.

    1) We often compare our childhood to the “current” childhood. How does that cause us to miss bad (i.e., “god”) language spoken of us when we were children? Why is it both bad and good to compare language used about children?

    2) Why do you think children up in discussions of power?

    3) Holy Innocents is a recognition that children often have no say, yet bear the consequences. How should that affect conversation about the Next Generation?

  • Back To The Dark

    2 Chronicles 24:17–22, Matthew 10:17–22, Acts 6:8–15, Acts 7:51–59 (read online ⧉)

    Yesterday was only Christmas and here we are back into the of the world. How true to life that is. A baby is born and a family feels . In the midst of that joy, there are concerns about food, shelter, relationships. There can even be concerns such as disease or college. While a new life begins, other lives continue. In some respects, it is dishonest to always talk about the baby, because everyone else is just as important. When we are talking about , things are a little different, but the reality is that Mary and Joseph still had their lives to deal with. For example, the whole reason they were in Bethlehem was to be registered. Once they were registered, the Roman government was going to tax them accordingly. Sounds great, doesn’t it? It does sound like real life. That doesn’t mean we have to enjoy the darkness, nor does it mean we have to accept it as inevitable. It is however reality.

    Joash had been a good king with a singularly great and God-honoring advisor, Chief Priest Jehoida. Despite Joash’s obedience and Jehoida’s piety, the followers of other gods jumped into an advisory role with Jehoida’s death. As with much of Scripture, we don’t have the entire story. There was likely family and politics in the midst of it. There was also some hopeful and blind optimism which lead to thinking that all would be well. It wasn’t. Who knows how quickly Judah fell back into apostasy: days, months, years. God sent prophets to guide the people (especially the king) back to the right road, but they all failed. That God sent Zechariah—who would have likely had a significant place in Joash’s life—as a prophet tells us how serious God was. Joash, for whatever reason, sealed his apostasy and the fate of Judah by stoning him at the temple of God. The act that was to be used upon those opposed to God was instead used by them against a man of God.

    Jesus knowing his future and knowing the past history of Judah wasn’t really predicting much. If Jesus’ disciples were , they would be persecuted. When Jesus talks about the fracturing of the family perhaps he had in mind Jehoida, Joash, and Zechariah, who were (from our ) . At least, they should have been, and that is what the Scriptures guide us to concluding. The framily of king and prophet that should have been , were divided and ultimately destroyed.

    Not too much later, Stephen was killed. As he was in his community, it is possible that some of those who stoned him had been Jewish friends or family. For what was he brought to trial? Performing signs and winning arguments. So, he was falsely accused of blasphemy. Why was he killed? Because he claimed to see Jesus sitting at the right hand of God. The right and wrong lines between Joash and Zechariah are much firmer and better defined than those between Stephen and his accusers. We know that the Jewish (especially at that time) understanding of what it meant to follow God was wrong. However, unlike Joash they were not advocating for a different God. It was an understanding of God that was the issue.

    This difference of understanding applies to us today. The Western church is going through a series of upheavals. Sadly, the world watches and laughs. These upheavals are necessary, though. The church needs to discover (in some cases) and rediscover (in other ones) what it means to be a Christian in a non-Christian world. Much of these upheavals will allow us to understand ourselves better. The reason this is critical for the church is that we will be returning to the times of persecution in the Western world. No, we are not quite there, but it will come. The church needs to be , and a lot of being ready will require the shedding of a lot of ancient weight. It also will probably require us to pick-up ancient ways long discarded. Lastly, it will require us to learn a new language with which to share the . The message doesn’t change, just the method and the language.

    1) Do you think Joseph and Mary were concerned the day after Jesus’ birth, or were they still enjoying the moment? Why?

    2) Today’s passages are actually historical church decision (i.e., the lectionary). Why do you think the observation of Stephen’s martyrdom follows Christmas Day?

    3) Family and framily squabbles and fights are usually the ones that hurt the most. Why is that? How does impact the Gospel?

  • Unmade To Become Whole

    Deuteronomy 7:7–12, Deuteronomy 8:5–6, 2 Samuel 7:11–16, Hebrews 12:3–11 (read
    online ⧉    )

    The way Deuteronomy 7:10 is often interpreted is as “…[God]…destroys those who hate him…” However, אָבַד (“awbad”) is also translated elsewhere in the as broken or unmade. The concept of unmade or broken, so as to be re-made or “fixed”, is much more consistent in the continuing context of Deuteronomy. It is a matter of being disciplined (and discipled), not or annihilation. Why is this important?

    Disciplining (not punishing) and discipling are acts of . The intent is to remake or reform into something new. As God is doing the remaking and reform, it is into God’s own image (unmarred by ) that Israel would be shaped. However, for disciplining and discipling to be truly effective the person (or people) being reformed and reshaped must be willing and responsive. Israel, as a whole, often was neither.

    When God tells David that Solomon will be God’s , we see a foreshadowing of the adoption that we all receive through Christ. As a son, God promised that Solomon would be disciplined when he walks out of bounds. This is not God seeking to punish, but to form. This also becomes part of the Messianic lineage that is part of Jesus. Jesus a descendant of David, whose “throne” is established forever.

    When today is when we the candle representing love, why are we talking about and discipling? The world’s concept of love cannot take into account God’s intense desire to restore us to the way we were intended to be. God knows that even at our best we will still and fall. When the author of Hebrews wrote his letter, he understood this deeply. God’s love is so deep and true that he loves us just as we are. God also loves us so much that he doesn’t want us to stay as we are.

    God’s love isn’t some weak romantic love. God’s love is deep and strong. Through Christ, we see how strong and how sacrificial God’s love is. When it is God’s love that lights the candle, no amount of will quench it.

    1) Why is it important to acknowledge discipline and discipling as part of love, especially God’s love?

    2) What is discipline? What is discipling?

    3) What are your thoughts on the concept of transformative love?