Devotion.al

Tag: speak

  • Give It Up

    Give It Up

    Psalm 123; Jeremiah 7:27–34; Matthew 8:18–22

    There was this guy who loved science. He loved nature. He pursued the academics to take care of the wilds. Except he was stubborn. You see, what he loved wasn’t the science, but Creation. In fact, he wasn’t good at it at all. He stuck with that choice for 4 years. Sadly, no one gave him wise advice (not that he would have listened) to it up. It wasn’t meant for him. 4 years of misery and disappointment vanished into smoke. You might know such a stubborn person.

    The basic gist of God’s words to Jeremiah: give it up. No matter what you do, they won’t listen. No matter what acts of penance and remorse they act out…they are acting and their hearts aren’t in it. The people of Judah seemed to revel in their disobedience to God. Blaspheming the Temple of God with idols of false gods. Killing their sons and daughters and them to fires.

    Give it up, Jeremiah. They won’t see the errors of theirs ways until the places of these sacrifices are filled with corpses of war, famine, and pestilence, and these so-called sacred places of are themselves blasphemed. Oh, and maybe not even then. Give it up.

    We are in a time and place where even conversations with friends and acquaintances are “given up” as there can be no discussion or resolution. The hearts are hard and the ears are closed. Sometimes all we can do is give it up. That is until it comes to us.

    Jesus’ words seem somewhat harsh to our ears. Yet, they hold a profound that much of Western Christianity, especially the US iteration, is in the process of rediscovering. Give it up.

    The legal expert would have had a decent home and security. Jesus told him, basically, give it up. The (since unnamed, probably not one of the 12) says, let me bury my father. In other words, let me wait to follow you until my father wouldn’t disown me or be ashamed of me. Jesus responded, who is your father in comparison to me? Give it up.

    We have become far too comfortable. Whether it is being the majority confessed (rather than followed) religion, or the “majority” skin color (if you are), or the nice buildings, or our ties to political , or our ties to monied power, or the practices we hold dear, or the ability to speak openly about Jesus, we’ve been comfortable.

    Jesus’ point to these two was that comfort isn’t the call…Jesus is the call.

    In certain Christian traditions that hold only men may be pastors/priests, they are struggling to find men to fill the roles. Often the response is that they should accept women. Those who that way will often point to those denominations (like the of the Nazarene) that do ordain women. Yet, the real question, the real deficit, is that people don’t want to give it up. They don’t want to give up their lives.

    None of us do, really. Even those denominations that do ordain women still have a problem, and that is the people themselves who don’t want to give it up for Jesus. It is not a matter of men or women. It is not a matter of politics, , , or other things. It is that people don’t want to give it up for Jesus.

  • Getting Down

    Getting Down

    Psalm 130; Deuteronomy 1:34–40; 2 Corinthians 5:1–5

    If you’ve ever purchased a home using a loan, you usually had to come up with some sort of down payment. At least near me, a 10% down payment may be $70K or more. Part of that, of course, is the exceedingly high price of houses (and the prices continue to climb). The other part is the bank.

    The down payment exists to show that you have—so to speak—skin in the game. The bank is making from the loan, yes, but that is also based upon your ability to actually pay off the loan. A loan that cannot be paid back is not really worthwhile, and often even when left with a valuable house from a loan default, the bank will still likely lose money.

    Down payments are usually from the borrower to the lien-holder. Yet, the use the down payment concept in reverse. God is making the down payment. Even in Deuteronomy, the concept is there. It’s buried in the reality that God would “hold onto” the inheritance of the Promised Land until the Israelites that were children could into their inheritance.

    Paul calls the a down payment. God is a down payment. It sounds strange, that’s for sure. However, if we think along the lines of God on the cross for our sins (i.e., ), is the that far out of line?

    ※Reflection※

    • What is the Holy Spirit a down payment for?
    • How does this down payment work in our lives right now?
    • Why does God holding onto the Promised Land for the generation imply to you about your ?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, grant us the ability to see what you have done and what you do for us. Help us to be fully enabled aides to your mission here on earth. Amen.

  • The Right Food

    The Right Food

    Psalm 130; Isaiah 28:9–13; 1 Peter 4:7–19

    The Psalm is a cry to people to hold onto God. Not the “opiate of the masses” that Karl Marx spoke of, but an active holding on that requires us to meet intimately with God, and pay attention to what God says to us. Our whole being is to hope on and wait in God. That is certainly no opiate (dulling of the senses or thought processes) that Karl Marx alluded to.

    The opiate that Karl Marx alluded to was more along the lines of “the people” dulling their pain through the “opium” of , dulling the senses and dulling the pain of . Within the context of his writings, it made sense (and was in many ways correct) insofar as often the aristocracy (though now just as much elected leaders) used religion to suppress . Hence many progressive Christians declaration that Jesus was a revolutionary that intended to overthrow organized religion.

    In many respects, Marx was correct. Religion “dulls” the pain of a senseless world. Religion provides a framework from which to view the world. Where Marx fell short, from a Christian view, is that he still looked to people to solve the issue. For someone of Jewish descent who converted to Christianity, we might be able to grasp that perhaps Marx’s perspective of religion might not be as insightful as many would like it to be.

    Truly, though, as we read in Isaiah, it’s not as if the Israelites were much better. Basically, Isaiah was calling the Israelites unweaned babies who couldn’t even coherently. “Tsav letsav, tsav letsav; qav leqav, qav leqav” is idiomatic wording for baby talk. Even by the time of Isaiah, from God’s point of view, it seems the Israelites hadn’t even gotten onto solid food (also see 1 Corinthians 3:1–23).

    God’s response seems more to be, “okay, if you want to throw your childish temper tantrum because you don’t want to grow up in your faith and trust; so be it.”

    Right now, in the current , it seems we are surrounded by people throwing temper tantrums…and some of them bear Christ’s ! Peter’s words that judgment is upon God’s own household…that’s us! You may feel that God’s choosing the issue on your heart. You may be right. You may feel that God is not choosing the issue that someone else sees. You may be wrong.

    The words from Peter that should catch us, “…if the righteous are barely rescued…” Those words should take your away. Maybe they should cause you to fall on your knees in .

    ※Reflection※

    • What do you think is religious baby food or milk? What makes it that?
    • What do you think is religious solid (“adult”) food? What makes it that?
    • Reading Peter’s and Isaiah’s words, what are signs of spiritual adulthood? Which ones are you displaying in your life?

    ※Prayer※

    God, sometimes we succumb to our frailties. Sometimes we just want to be kids again, and up all responsibility. Help us to lead those around us, and those that follow us to be weaned followers of Christ. Amen.

  • Moved To Change It Up

    Moved To Change It Up

    Psalm 104:24–34; Ezekiel 37:1–14; John 15:26–27; John 16:4b–15; Acts 2:1–21

    The Christian music artist Mandisa has a song, “”. It’s a pretty simple song (and catchy, of course). It talks about “you” (the listener) being an overcomer by the and power of God. It’s a cross-genre song (crossing into the pop-commercial genre) where people who are not believers hear the message, but probably don’t get it.

    The way Mandisa uses overcomer is slightly different than Ezekiel’s by the Spirit, but there is a commonality…God. Mandisa’s overcomer is how a Christian has the ability to overcome the emotional and spiritual battles of life through the power of God and the Spirit. Ezekiel is overcome (perhaps, taken over) by the Spirit and through this brings life (in vision) to bones that are dead, dry, and useless.

    Pentecost (the coming of the Holy Spirit onto the disciples) is that same sort of thing. The dry spiritual bones of the People of God imbued by the Holy Spirit revitalizes, changes, and reconciles the People of God to God. Just like in the Old Testament, however, not all the dry bones want to be alive again. Yet, here the disciples (as promised by ) stand publically (in contrast to hiding away as they had been) declaring the of God.

    We do have to understand that it is Peter that is the frontman. While the were with him (or he with them), they were not the focus. Does that mean they had no place? Of course not, for the Holy Spirit “fell” upon them, too! Did they have some sort of impassioned impressive speech? The don’t say they do, except that they were saying something, for they were recognized by others.

    You are probably not, in this context, Peter. Most of us aren’t. However, you are like one of the other disciples. As a believer in Jesus Christ, you have the Holy Spirit. You have the right, ability, and responsibility to to others about the redemptive work of God. You have been gifted to speak to at least one person in a “tongue” they understand, what it means to follow Jesus.

    ※Reflection※

    • Who is your “one” that your hearts burns for, whom you are stirred to talk about Jesus with? How are you specially prepared or placed to speak to that person that others aren’t?
    • How will you commit yourself to God’s and your commission to tell a person, people, or even the world about Jesus in a way they will understand?

    ※Prayer※

    Jesus, thank you for sending us the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, the Son told us that we would be empowered by you to do more amazing things than He had done. While we cannot understand how that can be, we know that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit do not let the Truth fail. Amen.

  • Seeing It Coming, Or Not

    Seeing It Coming, Or Not

    Psalm 33:12–22; Exodus 15:6–11; John 7:37–39

    Watching sports commentators is almost as entertaining as watching meteorologists predict the next day’s weather. “Hey, (person), what are the key things the team has to do today.” Then another commentator says something that really every team has to do. If the team does whatever it was well (and wins), then the commentator was “right on”. If the team didn’t do it well and lose, then the commentator was “right on”. The commentator, of course, determines if they were right on.

    The meteorologist has to predict what all the contributing aspects (moisture, wind, cloud, geography) will do for tomorrow’s weather, which is impacted by the weather in other places. They have to be kind of close to keep their jobs, but while we may jest at often they get it wrong, hopefully, most of us understand that there are so many variables that it’s pretty hard to be spot on.

    Jesus told his hearers (not just his disciples) to anticipate the () . He might as well been speaking in tongues or English (which didn’t yet exist). They didn’t get it. How can you really understand getting something that has been “gotten” for everyone…ever?

    Jesus had presence. We often dismiss it as, “of course, he’s God.” Yet, one of the verses applied to the Messiah was that he wasn’t much to look at. He was of average appearance. His words, though, felt like they meant something.

    When you don’t have the framework, however, to understand the words, they may impress you with their seeming importance, but you still don’t get it. You may a Nobel prize-winning scientist speak, and you may well understand that whatever it is might be important, but that doesn’t mean you’ll understand it.

    Imagine being foreward that something world-overturning was coming, and having no clue what any of it meant. Imagine looking back and wondering, “why didn’t I understand then?” Sometimes the experience so that we understand is more important than the one could also have to understand, for experience will often affect us to the depths of our soul.

    ※Reflection※

    • When was the last time you had an “I should have seen that” experience? What did you from it? What might you have not learned had you had the knowledge?
    • How do you interact with people you don’t understand, whether you think they are smarter than you, or too different from you? How do you still interact and treat them as equals?
    • What do you expect of the in your ? Why?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, just as the wind we cannot see, so comes the promised Holy Spirit. Let us be prepared for the flames of to us for your will. Amen.

  • Writings Valued

    Writings Valued

    Psalm 47; Exodus 24:15–18; Revelation 1:9–18

    Holy scriptures have always been important. Note that the “s” wasn’t capitalized. This isn’t just the Holy Scriptures we define as the Bible (the 66 books of the Old and New Testament). This could include many things.

    The Apocrypha, for example, is a collection of books of Jewish origin that are significant but are not held at the same revealed stature as the other books. Certain traditions (both Jewish and ) look a the books as and guidance, but not something one bases one’s theology on. There is the Qur’an (Islam), the Kangyur (Tibetan Buddhists), and the Vidas (Hindu).

    Then there are the other holy scriptures, the secular ones. They are “holy” insofar as people seem to venerate them as if they were truly inspired by God. This list may be off-putting, but bear with me: the Communist Manifesto, Mein Kampf, the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution.

    Before you think of tar-and-feathering me, think about how many people (from fully atheist to devout religious followers) put many of the so-called secular “scriptures” in the place, it seems, of idols. Often when we of “holy” things, we what we think of as holy (religious) things from non-holy (secular) things. However, many secular texts are elevated to a point of religious fervor. So, it behooves us to recognize that there are Holy and not-so holy scriptures and they can be held in a fervent way.

    Moses and John wrote stuff down as directed. Their words became part of what we recognize and the Holy Scriptures (the Bible). They, along with other writers, contributed to the Bible under the auspices (or under the spiritual influence/directive) of God. We often this God-breathed or plenary inspiration.

    This means that, to us, the Bible is not just a collection of stories, poems, visions, or rules. It is so much more than that. It is, as some would say, the letter of God to his people, or the story of God for his people.

    To many people, though, Moses’ time in the clouds on the mountain and John’s Spirit-inspired trance are just empty stories. They put more weight in the Communist Manifesto or the US Constitution than the Bible.

    As we interact with the world around us, it is critically important to understand that there are writings that people hold as holy scriptures that are not the Bible. Our first step to sharing Christ is to understand that, for this begins to tell us what they value. If our first is to dismiss their holy scriptures, their response is that they (the people in question) are not valued.

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, as we your Word, for you are the Word of Life, help us to honor so that we can bring your light of love and into their lives. Amen.

  • Places for Scripture

    Places for Scripture

    Psalm 93; Deuteronomy 11:18–21; Mark 16:19–20

    “Place these words…on your heart” and then to “…they went out and proclaimed the message everywhere.”One of the little truths about this passage in Deuteronomy is the very simple tool given that many turned into a soulless rule or merely room decor. God directed that God’s word be placed everywhere in our lives, even on door frames! You can go to places like Michael’s and Hobby Lobby and find the available for room decor. You can do it simply with a piece of paper and tape.

    Honestly, I used to disparage the use of Scripture as decor, mostly because I saw it in too many homes and places that seemed anything but filled with God’s love. However, it is certainly not fair to God’s Word that I should be that way. As we read, it’s actually bad that I thought that way. I have found peace and redemptive actions in simply reading a verse of Scripture or that which reminds me of the Scriptures as I walk around my home.

    At my paying job (purchasing manager in manufacturing), I’ve been told that my workspace is too white (white walls, no decor). Over the last few days (before this devotion), I’ve been thinking that I need some of the Scriptures in my work . Will it be visible? Yes. Will it be there for others to see? If they wish. I’m going to put it there for me so that I —when that really irritating person walks through my door for the umpteenth time that day—whose I am, and who I am to reflect. It won’t be there to provide the appearance of a warm and cozy home. It is for me to remember.

    Remember. The whole point of Moses’ directive is so that the Israelites (and we) remember. For a number of years, I heard the same passage from 1 John 1 read at the beginning of every Sunday service as part of the opening corporate confession of sin. Then we left that church , we stopped hearing it. I can still quote it. It gives me great peace, too, and gives direction to give to others. It’s a whopping four verses.

    So, if you remember and share the words, what about the signs? That is a great question! How do you know a ? How they speak? How they dress? How they spend? How they give? How they receive? Yes, to all of these and more! It’s not very easy. That is one of the pitfalls of our post-Enlightenment world. The world, and we, want an easy answer to determine who is in and who is out.

    Except, as we read the Scriptures when can that when we “know” who is in and who is out we stop loving God and loving others…which may mean we’re out.

    ※Reflection※

    • What ways are you open to bring the Scriptures regularly into your life? What ways are you currently using? Which ones are you thinking about adding?
    • What are some reasons that we should have some of the Scriptures deep within us as we share the of Jesus?

    ※Prayer※

    Holy Spirit, quicken our hearts and mind to want more of you and the Word inside of us, that we may be emboldened and encouraged to go into the world seeking to transform it by your love coming through us. Amen.

  • And Now What?

    And Now What?

    Psalm 98; Isaiah 42:5–9; Acts 10:34–43

    It is not, by far, unique to American Christianity to be tied to a country. God fought for England, Scotland, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Russia, and plenty of other places supposedly, as leaders quickly pulled God in their plans of military conquest (or defense). God, and in particular the brand (i.e., Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, etc.), was used to support the war (often against other Christians, sadly).

    If historians and church critics were honest and while the church often was part of it, most of it was really about politics, , , and wealth (maybe some honor). The Israelites were set apart as a nation of God-followers. They were unique as being the nation of God and the People of God. No could take that away from them. It remained part of their self-identity even as they wandered from God.

    Isaiah’s was transformed from that of an Israelite to the Israelites, to that of an Israelite to the world. That this was in the midst of relocation, the threat of deportation, and the reality of being dominated makes it especially powerful. When one is assaulted, one tends to turn inward. If one turns outward, it is usually on the attack. Isaiah reached outward (in a foreshadowing of Christ) to restore, reconcile, and call the world to God.

    Thus, Peter’s words are really nothing more than the conclusion to the stage that was set with Isaiah all the way back to Abraham. God is for the world to be to God!

    The message of Christ—the message of God—seems to have been lost by the church, who is called to be the messenger, ambassador, and bride of God.

    Many of us have not learned the basics of our faith. Many of us have not learned how to well of our faith. Many of us have not learned how to be brave in the face of those who do not believe.

    We are called to reflect and respond. What God has called us to do, we should be doing, even though we may be very bad at it. While God will the results, God cherishes the hearts the pursues the aim of God…reconciliation of the world to the one who created it.

    ※Reflection※

    What are your thoughts about how you will be responding and learning to respond to God’s call on your ?

    ※Prayer※

    Jesus, we are called by your title—Christ. Help us to be called by your , that we bring the world to your embrace. Amen.