Devotion.al

Tag: temple

  • What Holy Ground?

    What Holy Ground?

    Psalm 19; Exodus 19:9b–15; Acts 7:30–40

    “What ground,” isn’t a rhetorical question. It’s a real one. What is Holy ground?

    The land surrounding the “burning bush” was Holy…for a time. Notice that it wasn’t important to God or Moses what happened after that encounter. It was only important during that encounter.

    How about the mountain? Well, we’re pretty certain we know which mountain. There certainly are Muslims who are certain which mountain it was. There is no on it where people worship God or have “Holy” experiences.

    Holy ground isn’t a small question. The people of the church are trying to figure out a whole new reality to that question. Is digital Holy? If so, when? It’s also not that digital is forcing a new question to be asked. It is just so completely different to the understanding of church, , and gathering that it cannot help but be obviously different.

    Small groups have long been a staple in the church. The Wesleyan movement (of which we, the Church of the Nazarene, are a part) has high regard for the place of “” (groups of 8–20) and “” (groups of 3–6) for developing an understanding of being (classes) and as a Christian (bands). Both classes and bands had experiences of Holy encounters. They became Holy places.

    In other words, the church (or the Wesleyan expression of it) already has a place of Holy ground that isn’t “the church” (Sunday morning worship).

    As of late, I have discovered a new Holy ground for me and my encounters with God. Of all places, it’s in my living room. It is next to the gas fireplace I use to disregard as a pathetic excuse for a fireplace (i.e., it doesn’t burn wood). Yet, I have learned that flipping that switch I belittled is now a quickener to focused time with God. I’m already dreading Summer and not turning it on.

    Another Holy place for me is now Google Meets (Google’s answer to Zoom). I meet with my band and I meet with my class on Google Meets. My band used to meet at Starbucks, but now half my band is out-of-state. We still have Holy ground . My class started over Zoom then moved to Google Meets. We didn’t start in person, and probably never will meet as a class in person. We still have Holy ground together.

    Where you find Holy ground is not wholly irrelevant. However, if you are truly encountering God there, even in a garbage dump, then even the garbage dump is Holy Ground.

    Finding Holy ground is not (really) optional. As a follower of , we must find time and place to be with God. If we cannot find one, we must make the effort to do so.

    Susanna Wesley (the mother of John Wesley, the primary founder and of the Wesleyan movement) found her Holy ground underneath her apron in the kitchen. With a large number of children running (if they ran) around, it was there that she encountered God.

    Don’t look for that big or special place to encounter God. Look for that Holy ground in the everyday to encounter God.

  • So Bright

    So Bright

    Psalm 50:1–6; 2 Kings 2:1–12; 2 Corinthians 4:3–6; Mark 9:2–9

    “From the rising of the sun to where it sets,
    God, the Lord God, speaks,
    calling out to the earth.”
    —Psalm 50:1 [CEB]

    God has never stopped calling out to the earth. Even after humanity’s exile from Eden, God has continually sought humanity.

    There are unique stories in the for certain unique people. Elijah was one of them. He had done many miraculous things under God’s auspices. Even his exit from this mortal coil was a miraculous event.

    While we often get “caught up” with Elijah’s being whisked away, it is all that is happening with Elisha that should, perhaps, catch our attention. If you read the story well, you can see that God had let Elijah and Elisha know that “today” was the day.

    Then to make it undeniable, some other prophets were also told (based upon the phrasing, separately from Elijah and Elisha), and they told Elisha. This story may really be less about Elijah than about Elisha. Despite the miraculous, Elijah seems more of the forefather , rather than the main character.

    When Elisha asks for a double portion of the , he is requesting to become Elijah’s inheritor. As Elijah’s “inheritance” is God-imbued and not that of man, it’s hard for Elijah to make that decision. As the story progresses, it becomes abundantly clear that this story is about Elisha’s inheritance from Elijah.

    It may seem that God is not calling out or seeking, yet there is plenty of God moving both from telling Elijah and Elisha that the day is here, to a number of other prophets who also hear the same thing.  We are often blind to God moving because we have expectations of how God is to move. We can see this in our Sunday Services with the varying traditions from to church, from Pentecostal to Eastern Orthodox. We box-in the movement of God…God will break out.

    Much of ‘ ministry was God breaking out of the box that Jewish worship had turned into. The trip up the mountain turned into another “break out” moment.

    For the 3 disciples, they had their own “Moses” moment. Instead of a burning bush, they were next to a cloud filled with God’s glory. It might have even reminded them of the story of God’s glory filling the Tent of Meeting in the time between leaving Egypt and entering the Promised Land. It might have reminded them of the story of God’s glory filling the (at the time, newly consecrated) Temple after Solomon’s opening .

    The 3 disciples had plenty that they could associate with this experience. While we might consider them naive in their , at the same time, they understood that this was not the “same old” experience. They were blessed to “pierce through” the veil, as Paul calls the “gap” between God and humanity’s perception of God.

    “…He is the same one who shone in our hearts to give us the of the of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.” — 2 Corinthians 4:6 [CEB]

    ※Reflection※

    • When are you guilty of “putting God in a box”?
    • What is (or would be) your response were someone to say to you, “God does not move that way”? Have you ever said something similar to someone else?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, may we be and willing to meet you where you choose to meet us. Amen.

  • Funny Smelling

    Funny Smelling

    Exodus 30:22–38; Acts 22:2–16

    Have you ever had the experience of a particular smell, either good or bad, that triggers memories? There are a number of smells that will trigger memories of my grandparents’ house. My daughter has also shared experiences where certain smells trigger her memories, and they are often of her grandma’s house (my mom).In many respects, the smells from my childhood create almost a homesickness. There was something deeply contentful about those smells and the feelings invoked. I can’t imagine not having them.

    God provided a recipe for a very special—a holy—incense. So special that it’s only time of use was in the . It was just incense. Incense is nothing special.

    God made it so. Likely, it was set apart so that the smell became associated with the God and being in God’s presence.

    Imagine a rough, horrible day that you found nothing good in. Because you have to, and only because you have to culturally, you go to the temple. You smell the incense. If you’re like me, that smell would trigger the response, God is here.

    Because incense was a familiar thing, this special recipe had to be set aside, so that even the common could be holy.

    Sometimes things, sometimes odd things, sometimes even people who are the “enemy” are set aside to do God’s will.

    was the enemy, until he wasn’t. Paul was going about his normal business, and then Jesus came to him in a .

    While it might seem strange to combine the Law of incense with the story of Paul’s , the reality is that God often defies our human logic. God sees beyond the human vision that we have. Paul, in many respects, was transformed from the “common” (the Law abiding Jew) to the “uncommon” (called by Jesus). Paul’s very life became the startling transformation from persecutor to proclaimer.

    Just as being set aside, the “common” incense became uncommon, and thus a testimony of God and to God’s presence. So, too, Paul’s life became the transformative testimony (even without words) of what God can do for the world, if the world chooses to .

    ※Reflection※

    In your life, has there been any common thing that has become a symbol of God (or God’s presence) for you? Why?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, you have called to follow you. Help us to be willing to be uncomfortable in that call. You have not called us to an easy life. You have called us to a life in you. Give us your , , grace, and most of all, courage, to be the . Amen.

  • Path of Strength

    Path of Strength

    Psalm 29; 1 Kings 2:1–4, 1 Kings 2:10–12; Luke 5:1–11

    In their younger days (and sometimes in their later ones), would flex their muscles, and show off the bulge (even if it was small) of their biceps to their friends. Males, as a general rule, spend much of their lives trying to show their strength. The reality is that for many men, strength is where they find their validity.

    Females may not understand that, and that’s okay. Sometimes, guys look at other guys and just shake their heads.

    We have carried one of those displays as a -image: saber-rattlers. The basic understanding is that an army would stand before another army, and rattle their sabers in the sheath. As sabers (or swords) did not fit snugly in their sheaths, the gathered rattle of hundreds or even thousands of sabers all at once would make a loud noise.

    This display was meant to…avoid battle. Much of the flexing and such that men display is to not fight (physically, at least). The goal is for the other to decide that it’s not it. As we all know, strength is not everything. Often it is not your strength, but the strength of the ones around you that truly decides the next steps. This is much of the effect of saber-rattling.

    Solomon took over the throne of Israel. The military, political, and economic strength he started with wasn’t his. His , David, had built up the mostly with the sword. God determined that the of the Lord could not built by such a person, despite David’s heart orientation toward God.

    Solomon had the option to take the same path, but even without the wisdom God , it seemed that there was an underlying truth that Solomon wasn’t the warlike person that his father was.

    Often we model those that appear successful. This is why males tend to continue saber-rattling and flexing…it works.

    We often choose to model the behavior that appears successful, or model what we think is the behavior that achieved . Other times, we are confronted with the fact that we are not that person. Their way of success is not ours.

    Solomon did not follows his father’s way of success. He chose a different path.

    Peter, James, and John changed their lives, and followed . They couldn’t recreate the miracle of a fishing trip so successful that it threatened to break the nets.

    As part of their following of Jesus, they even lost their way and ran away. Yes, they came back, and then…they chose their path.

    Following the heart of Jesus, rather than trying to replicate Jesus. Granted, no one wanted to be crucified. Certainly, though, the miracles they experienced post-Jesus…wouldn’t that be great?

    Through those 3, and others, we know who Jesus is. Through those 3, we have the church. Were they alone? No! Yet, in many respects their story is our story…or it should be.

    ※Reflection※

    • When have you followed a bad (for you) path of success or acknowledgement?
    • How do you balance the modes of success that we have been trained and nurtured in with what your heart, soul, and skills provide?
    • How we succeed deeply affects those that follow us. What are ways we as both church and culture need to improve our paths of success to aide those that follow?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, in far too many respects, the signs of your success are beyond are capabilities. Thank you for not calling us to that, but instead to the ways you have designed us for. Help us to honor both the call and the path that you have put before us. Amen.

  • You Want Me to do What?

    You Want Me to do What?

    1 Samuel 3:1–21; Acts 9:10–19a

    One of the biggest memes currently floating around is basically “forget 2020”. The gist of it is that it was such an upsetting year (politically, culturally, environmentally, health-wise, etc.) that we should just put it behind us. Is that, though, what we should do?

    Eli was not the head priest that he was called to be. Earlier in 1 Samuel 2, we read that his sons took their place as priests as a license to do as they wished. Their practices regarding the sacrifices and toward the women serving in the are noted. We can safely assume that if they were willing to do that, the undocumented part of the lives wasn’t any better.

    Eli’s admonishment of his sons was weak at best. He did not utilize his authority nor exercise his responsibility to “de-frock” (as we would call it today). Eli wasn’t evaluated based upon his sons’ behavior, but based upon how he practiced his role as head priest. There is a strong inference to make that it was the combination of Eli’s lack of effective action and his sons’ ongoing behavior that the family would be doomed going forward, as they were mentioned together (in 1 Samuel 2) in the resulting consequence.

    To be clear, the character of God, and the Scriptures bear out, that God would have restored Eli’s family had they repented (concluded with action, not just words). Instead, as Eli’s response to Samuel shows, they (as a family) took a fatalistic view. “The Lord wills it.”

    The relationship between Eli and God (and probably Eli’s sons and God) seems less of a friend and more of a taskmaster. What is even more telling is something we read in 1 Samuel 1; Eli is more than will to correct the perceived behaviors of (Samuel’s mother). Eli’s sons, as priests, are left alone without consequences.

    Ananias also received bad news from God. He was to go to the man who lead the uprooting, exiling, and even killing of other followers of The Way (the of the sect prior to being called ). Ananias viewed it as a sentence.

    Ananias’ response was quite different to Eli’s. Ananias was scared. While we could interpret it as a “fatalistic” (i.e., if I die, it’s God’s will), that does not really appear to be Ananias’ heart. Ananias was obedient and that God had a plan. Ananias trusted that he would survive the “” encounter, for God did not send him to die (he believed). That’s not fatalism.

    Ananias chose to face reality. Ananias chose to walk ahead in faith, trust, and . He made this decision while knowing the past.

    Looking back at 2020 and looking toward 2021, we can either be Eli or Ananias.

    ※Reflection※

    The “Joy of the Lord” is part of the mature Christian walk. How could those be expressed through Eli and Ananias?

    Why is “facing reality” as much a part of looking back and looking forward, as faith, , and love are?

    Facing reality often includes facing change. What changes are you facing in 2021, and how will you live them out faithfully before God?

    ※Prayer※

    God, as we look to the , while not forgetting the past, help us to be faithful and trusting people. Deepen our understanding of what it means to live out your will in our lives. Amen.

  • Prepare to Prepare

    Prepare to Prepare

    Psalm 80; Zechariah 13:1–9; Revelation 14:6–13

    If you’ve ever watched a professional chef (besides the competition ones), they will often have pre-cut and -measured ingredients so that when a customer orders a dish, most of the time-consuming work is completed. If you’ve ever ordered a sandwich at Subway, the meat and cheese are already pre-portioned. Ingredients have been prepared to better prepare your meal when you want it.

    Today is Thanksgiving (in the US, at least). A holiday that is culturally identified as involving overeating and gatherings. COVID has changed that. Many, if not most, families will not be having extended family gatherings.

    Thanksgiving has also been the “gateway” to the Christmas season. It used to be that mere hours after people recovered from overeating, all the malls would turn everything over, and the Christmas (shopping) season would begin.

    Not every Thanksgiving, but this Thanksgiving is the beginning of the Advent season. In the church year, one prepares for the Sunday to come. As this Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent, so it is time to prepare for Advent.

    What is Advent? We often shortcut it to mean the days before Christmas. This is certainly true. It is also incomplete. For the ancient church, Advent wasn’t just about the birth of Jesus; it was about the of Christ. Depending on the era, there would even be an emphasis on the Return rather than the birth.

    There hasn’t been a year like 2020 in decades. This might be the time to look at Advent as something far more than Christmas.

    Asaph (the Psalmist) wants God to come back (not that God really left). Asaph is looking for a restoration of the between the people and God. Asaph recognizes that it really is that the people turned their backs on God, and yet he has faith in the faithful God. As Asaph was part of David’s retinue, we can imagine what must have still been going on around David, as David chose to follow God, and not the unknown gods.

    Zechariah’s words are strong, too. In them we see that the place of prophets and seers is nothing when it does not honor God. In fact, the implication being that the prophets and seers might even be “living” idols, rather than faithful followers of and speakers for God.

    Zechariah’s and Asaph’s words still trust in God and expect God’s restoration of the people.

    While the Asaph’s and Zechariah’s words are full of trust in God, neither avoid a harsh reality. The people need . They needed to be the people of God again. In Zechariah’s time, the was being rebuilt. However, the people whose ancestors had lost their way (with God) were just as lost and needed something greater.

    Regardless of your perspective of who the Beast is, the in Revelation is that the people of God, the church, will go through trying times. The implication is of pain, being outcast, and even dying. All because they believe in Jesus.

    Whether you believe that Jesus is coming back tomorrow, or you are just waiting for 2020 to end, is part of that. Advent is the anticipation of something new, whether it is the birth of a child or the return of the King.

    ※Reflection※

    How do you prepare your and for Advent? If you knew Jesus would come back on Christmas Day, what would you do?

    ※Prayer※

    Jesus, as we prepare our hearts for this Advent season, may we look to the innocence of a baby and to the of the King. Amen.

  • Gather Where

    Gather Where

    Exodus 3:1–6; Ezra 3:8–13; Matthew 23:37–24:8

    I visited Rome many years ago. I have never been so overwhelmed by the sheer number of buildings. It seemed that there wasn’t a block that didn’t have one. There is a Roman Catholic church building dedicated to every country in the world, and that’s not even half of the Roman Catholic church buildings in Rome. There are also plenty of non-Roman Catholic churches and house churches.

    If one based faith on the number of buildings, then Rome would be bursting with faith. It isn’t. This certainly isn’t just a Roman Catholic issue.

    There are plenty of communities in the US that have a high number of church buildings, but the number of Christians is just not significant (population-count-wise). Just as in Rome, all the church buildings could indicate a place bursting with faith. Instead, the buildings are just withering on the vine.

    Moses found a burning bush. God was there. The ground was holy.

    Think about it, though. Moses wasn’t the first herdsman of Israel. In fact, the lineage of Israel consisted of herdsmen. Did all the herdsmen not God while they were in the fields?

    Many people do, in fact, their greatest God connection when amid God’s unspoiled . For some, it might be mountains, or lakes, or seashores, or deserts. Others will find it in cathedrals build by man. It doesn’t matter. God is there.

    The new in the midst of its rebuild, and even after it was completed, was not the impressive piece of architecture as the original. In comparison, it was a block of wood in comparison to a shining jewel. Ultimately, though, it was a place to worship God, and to provide a focal point of faith practices.

    Despite the second temple being nothing in comparison to its predecessor, the people of ‘ day still viewed it as sacred. Jesus pointed out that it was only a building. It too would fall. While people took great offense at his statement, it was only . The world is perishing; so too would the temple.

    According to some recent numbers, 30% of churches pre-COVID will not to their building post-COVID. For them, the building is done. For some congregations, this means that the congregation is done, and the people will join other congregations or none at all. For others, this means a new expression of the gathering: Cafe Church, Circle Church, Church in a Bar (yes, this is a non-Nazarene thing), and who knows what else people will discover as they seek to be the gathered .

    How buildings of worship will , remain, and how they will be part of our faith life is still to be seen. Without question, place is very important. It can be under a tree (as many African Church of the Nazarene congregations do). It can be in a sheet metal building. It can be in a building of concrete. It can be in a house. It can be in a yard.

    ※Questions※

    1) Can you see yourself worshiping (well) in a “place” different than the “church” building? What “calls” to you?

    2) Do you think a “place” to gather in community is important? Why or why not?

    ※Prayer※

    God, you have called us to gather in community. Help us, as the world drastically changes, continue to seek ways to gather to build up one another and bring praise and worship to you. Amen.

  • Foundational

    Foundational

    Matthew 19:16–26; Hebrews 9:1–14; Romans 10:8–13

    The story of the rich young ruler, in my experience, has always been presented in one way…he cared too much for his stuff. This is true…to a point. Is the conclusion that we have often been led to actually correct? Or perhaps we, too, are missing which point Jesus was trying to make.

    The opening question by the man was about life. Jesus gives the Great Commandments as the , plus a few ones that had been problematic with the religious elite. We could question the truth of the man’s statement but note that Jesus didn’t.

    Yes, Jesus could have just been condescending, however, Jesus’ words were not particularly sharp, which tells us that he accepted the man’s words. There was likely a have-been/continue-to-do-so tension, meaning that it was an ongoing practice, not just a past one.

    This is significant as by straight reading the man had lived in such a way as to have eternal life. We who follow Jesus might question that, but that Jesus gave such a response is critical. For those who might conclude that this is a universalist response, the man was still a Jews, and thus one of the .

    However, was eternal life really the question? The man believed that despite the seemingly positive response he still lacked something. Jesus let him have it. Yet was that really the answer? We conclude so because the man walked away. It could be truly a matter of the heart.

    Our earthly responses often seem to affect our response to the security of our . The writer of Hebrews noted that much had to be done on a regular basis by the Temple priests to keep things “okay” between God and man (this is by the Law, not relationship). The writer of Hebrews goes on to explain that Jesus is the perfection of restorative relationship. Jesus’ mere presence in Heaven (and as part of the Trinity) is a perpetual “offering” on our behalf.

    In the heart of the man is a question I hear from many people, and in my darker moments, I myself. “How do I (really) know that I am saved?”

    It is through the author of Hebrews and the words of Paul that we get this answer. These words are first laid upon the solid foundation that is Jesus Christ, whose , , , and faithfulness are truer than we are capable of understanding.

    ※Questions※

    1) What do you understand from our passage in Hebrews that applies to the sureness of (y)our salvation?

    2) What do you understand from our passage in Romans that applies to the sureness of (y)our salvation?

    3) Why do you think it is so hard for us to accept the truth revealed by the regarding our salvation?

    ※Prayer※

    Triune God, you created us. You gave us life. You gifted us salvation. You graced us with eternal life. Help us to seek that it is not our works that us, but you alone. Amen.