As we read today’s scripture, we might tend to fix our minds on how these words apply to the lives of Jeremiah or Jesus. The obvious problem being that we are, none of us, Jeremiah or Jesus. Yet I believe that a similarly important calling belongs to each one of us, important enough to cause us to protest much in the same way that Jeremiah does. As you read this dialogue between Jeremiah and God, imagine that you stand alongside Jeremiah. How would you respond to God’s call? How would God answer you? What would God say was authorized for you in speaking and acting on behalf of the divine? Are we here to make war on evil? Are we here to make peace with victim and violator? Meditate upon the word of God:
Jeremiah 1:4-10
Now the word of the LORD came to me saying,
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations."
Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD!
Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a child."
But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child';
for you shall go to all to whom I send you,
and you shall speak whatever I command you,
Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,
says the LORD."
Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth;
and the LORD said to me,
"Now I have put my words in your mouth.
See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,
to pluck up and to pull down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant."
How are we called to speak for God today?
Grace and peace,
Ron
Showing posts with label calling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label calling. Show all posts
Monday, January 25, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
A graceful commission ...
In today’s text, Paul describes the calling of God in his life, the way that God is acting toward the great purposes of God through one human life. Although we may not feel as significant as Paul, although we may feel that we are “the very least of all the saints,” we are as important to a loving God. As you read this text, think about the calling of God in your life. After you have read it through, go back and recompose these words to describe God’s calling for your own life. Our calling is unlikely to be as dramatic as that of Paul, but nonetheless, we can be sure that God calls us.
Ephesians 3:1-12
This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles -- for surely you have already heard of the commission of God's grace that was given me for you, and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ.
In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God's grace that was given me by the working of his power.
Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.
How do you describe your calling?
Grace and peace,
Ron
Ephesians 3:1-12
This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles -- for surely you have already heard of the commission of God's grace that was given me for you, and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ.
In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God's grace that was given me by the working of his power.
Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.
How do you describe your calling?
Grace and peace,
Ron
Friday, May 1, 2009
For the sake of his people ...
Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said, "Look, we are your bone and flesh. For some time, while Saul was king over us, it was you who led out Israel and brought it in. The Lord said to you: It is you who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you who shall be ruler over Israel." So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.
The king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, "You will not come in here, even the blind and the lame will turn you back" — thinking, "David cannot come in here." Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion, which is now the city of David. David had said on that day, "Whoever would strike down the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack the lame and the blind, those whom David hates." Therefore it is said, "The blind and the lame shall not come into the house." David occupied the stronghold, and named it the city of David. David built the city all around from the Millo inward. And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.
King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar trees, and carpenters and masons who built David a house. David then perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
2 Samuel 5:1-12 – NRSV
After so many years of difficulty, this course of events had to be so affirming to David. First, the civil war ends when the people of Israel come and say, “We are your people. We have always loved you and always longed to have been your people.” This is more than polite politics; remember that the people so loved David, and so sang his praises that it drove Saul insane with jealousy. Literally.
Peace is confirmed with covenant. King David, both people and scriptures call him. That respect had to compensate in some real ways for the years of disrespect spent in the wilderness. Now David is anointed by God and anointed by all of his people to lead.
And lead he does. He attacks a gentile stronghold set in the central highlands of his country, a city that had resisted capture since the days of Joshua, and claims it for his own. Even today, people call Jerusalem the “city of David.” God confirms David’s leadership with victory, victory unparalleled in many years of Israel’s history.
Then there is the palace. King Hiram wishes for peace with his neighbor, this new and aggressive young king. So, as a proactive gesture of goodwill, Hiram helps David feel like a king. The palace is good. Life is good. Being king is good.
Then comes the most interesting statement: “David then perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.” David well understands, as do we, that he is king. From that fact, he makes the most extraordinary leap of logic: God did this for his people.
Somehow David understands that “it’s not all about David.” God doesn’t decide one day that David has won the royal lottery; God has deeper purpose. The people have asked for a king (1 Sam 8), and even though the first king was not an unqualified success, God gives the experiment another chance. God makes David king for the sake of the people.
The people hope for safety. The people seek some unifying symbol, some mark of God’s presence with them. The people need a leader who understands this nation’s unique relationship with one, and only one, God. For the people, David becomes king.
Just as God uniquely gifted and prepared David for his time and place, so, I believe, God has uniquely gifted and prepared us for our time and place in his kingdom. Here’s the good news: it’s not all about us either. We have a king, the son of David, but better than David. The good news is about that king, Immanuel, “God is with us.”
Just as David respected all whom God chose to anoint, so ought we. Just as David respected his gift and calling so ought we. Will what we perceive to be our calling always be consistent with how others perceive their calling? Probably not. When that happens, we have to live in the tension of the moment. We do that through an abiding trust in the providence and purpose of God. God will take care of his people. So ought we.
May God give us the strength and wisdom to make it so.
Blessings,
Ron
The king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, "You will not come in here, even the blind and the lame will turn you back" — thinking, "David cannot come in here." Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion, which is now the city of David. David had said on that day, "Whoever would strike down the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack the lame and the blind, those whom David hates." Therefore it is said, "The blind and the lame shall not come into the house." David occupied the stronghold, and named it the city of David. David built the city all around from the Millo inward. And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.
King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar trees, and carpenters and masons who built David a house. David then perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
2 Samuel 5:1-12 – NRSV
After so many years of difficulty, this course of events had to be so affirming to David. First, the civil war ends when the people of Israel come and say, “We are your people. We have always loved you and always longed to have been your people.” This is more than polite politics; remember that the people so loved David, and so sang his praises that it drove Saul insane with jealousy. Literally.
Peace is confirmed with covenant. King David, both people and scriptures call him. That respect had to compensate in some real ways for the years of disrespect spent in the wilderness. Now David is anointed by God and anointed by all of his people to lead.
And lead he does. He attacks a gentile stronghold set in the central highlands of his country, a city that had resisted capture since the days of Joshua, and claims it for his own. Even today, people call Jerusalem the “city of David.” God confirms David’s leadership with victory, victory unparalleled in many years of Israel’s history.
Then there is the palace. King Hiram wishes for peace with his neighbor, this new and aggressive young king. So, as a proactive gesture of goodwill, Hiram helps David feel like a king. The palace is good. Life is good. Being king is good.
Then comes the most interesting statement: “David then perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.” David well understands, as do we, that he is king. From that fact, he makes the most extraordinary leap of logic: God did this for his people.
Somehow David understands that “it’s not all about David.” God doesn’t decide one day that David has won the royal lottery; God has deeper purpose. The people have asked for a king (1 Sam 8), and even though the first king was not an unqualified success, God gives the experiment another chance. God makes David king for the sake of the people.
The people hope for safety. The people seek some unifying symbol, some mark of God’s presence with them. The people need a leader who understands this nation’s unique relationship with one, and only one, God. For the people, David becomes king.
Just as God uniquely gifted and prepared David for his time and place, so, I believe, God has uniquely gifted and prepared us for our time and place in his kingdom. Here’s the good news: it’s not all about us either. We have a king, the son of David, but better than David. The good news is about that king, Immanuel, “God is with us.”
Just as David respected all whom God chose to anoint, so ought we. Just as David respected his gift and calling so ought we. Will what we perceive to be our calling always be consistent with how others perceive their calling? Probably not. When that happens, we have to live in the tension of the moment. We do that through an abiding trust in the providence and purpose of God. God will take care of his people. So ought we.
May God give us the strength and wisdom to make it so.
Blessings,
Ron
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Kingdoms rage ...
Today, a prayer:
Kingdoms rage … and we are called
Kingdoms rage;
Empires tremble;
Cities totter.
You speak assurance;
You designate human agents;
You say, “This is my beloved son”;
You say, “This is my anointed.”
Right in the middle of chaos,
you designate human agents who do your will.
And we are not sure;
We would rather it were you,
directly,
straight on and visible.
But you stay hidden in your holy splendor,
and we are left with human agents
about whom we are never sure.
So we name Jesus, “son of David”;
so human and frail, even if kicked upstairs;
so vulnerable, even if transformed in song and creed.
And then, in a flash, it may dawn on us:
You call and designate people like us, your agents.
Kingdoms rage … and we are called.
Empires tremble … and we are designated.
Cities totter … and we are summoned …
like the first David, like the second David …
us, vulnerable, frail, anxious, your people,
And we are dazzled.
Amen.
Walter Brueggemann
Kingdoms rage … and we are called
Kingdoms rage;
Empires tremble;
Cities totter.
You speak assurance;
You designate human agents;
You say, “This is my beloved son”;
You say, “This is my anointed.”
Right in the middle of chaos,
you designate human agents who do your will.
And we are not sure;
We would rather it were you,
directly,
straight on and visible.
But you stay hidden in your holy splendor,
and we are left with human agents
about whom we are never sure.
So we name Jesus, “son of David”;
so human and frail, even if kicked upstairs;
so vulnerable, even if transformed in song and creed.
And then, in a flash, it may dawn on us:
You call and designate people like us, your agents.
Kingdoms rage … and we are called.
Empires tremble … and we are designated.
Cities totter … and we are summoned …
like the first David, like the second David …
us, vulnerable, frail, anxious, your people,
And we are dazzled.
Amen.
Walter Brueggemann
Monday, February 2, 2009
The humidity of fleeces ...
Hear the word of God:
Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro,
the priest of Midian;
he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb,
the mountain of God.
There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a
flame of fire out of a bush;
he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed.
Then Moses said,
"I must turn aside and look at this great sight,
and see why the bush is not burned up."
When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see,
God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!"
And he said, "Here I am."
Then he said, "Come no closer!
Remove the sandals from your feet,
for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."
He said further, "I am the God of your father, the God
of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
Then the Lord said, "I have observed the misery of
my people who are in Egypt;
I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters.
Indeed, I know their sufferings,
and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians,
and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land,
a land flowing with milk and honey,
to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites,
the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
The cry of the Israelites has now come to me;
I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them.
So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people,
the Israelites, out of Egypt."
But Moses said to God,
"Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh,
and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"
He said, "I will be with you; and this shall be the sign
for you that it is I who sent you:
when you have brought the people out of Egypt,
you shall worship God on this mountain."
Exodus 3:1-12 – NRSV
This story is famous as God’s calling of Moses as the leader of the Israelites. Unlike most callings (even most biblical callings), God speaks directly to Moses. Is it any wonder in this case? After all, Moses barely believes the calling, even when God confronts him with it personally. For Moses, even the personal invitation is not enough, he wants evidence of success before he even starts: “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh … ?”
Should we be surprised that this mysterious God, revealing himself in this mysterious way, gives an answer that is a little disconcerting? “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.” You will know that you were supposed to do this thing when you have done this thing. So was this reply more about God, or more about Moses? I think it shows God’s insight into the heart of Moses. “I’ll believe it when I see it.” “The proof is in the pudding.” Moses is going to believe a little and doubt a lot until he returns to the foot of this mount to worship with a people.
Are we any different? Most of us can’t say that we have seen a burning bush. Although some of us may have been called to serve God in some interesting ways, few can claim such a clear call as Moses can. Nor should we expect our calling to be so clear, because Moses is the exception. So we feel called, yet struggle with doubt. Did God call? Did God really call me to do this? Did God really call me to do this here? Did God really call me to do this here now? You get the drift.
When our life’s experience and preparation line up with our passions and expectations for a different world, we can know what we hope to do. When opportunity opens in front of this hope, then we can feel called to act. But if we’re waiting for proof, it’s not going to come until the job is done. Gideon could check the humidity of fleeces every day for an eternity, but until he believed enough to act, it didn’t really matter.
At this place, our experience and preparation have met our passion and expectation for God’s kingdom. God has filled our little world with opportunity for these things to work together as our calling. Let’s act today on that calling. Let’s realize that this is going to take some time (Moses didn’t have Israel at Sinai in a couple of months, after all). Let’s realize that some people will reject our vision of a better world, because they have free will, after all. But let’s act!
Blessings on our callings,
Ron
Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro,
the priest of Midian;
he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb,
the mountain of God.
There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a
flame of fire out of a bush;
he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed.
Then Moses said,
"I must turn aside and look at this great sight,
and see why the bush is not burned up."
When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see,
God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!"
And he said, "Here I am."
Then he said, "Come no closer!
Remove the sandals from your feet,
for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."
He said further, "I am the God of your father, the God
of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
Then the Lord said, "I have observed the misery of
my people who are in Egypt;
I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters.
Indeed, I know their sufferings,
and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians,
and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land,
a land flowing with milk and honey,
to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites,
the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
The cry of the Israelites has now come to me;
I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them.
So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people,
the Israelites, out of Egypt."
But Moses said to God,
"Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh,
and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"
He said, "I will be with you; and this shall be the sign
for you that it is I who sent you:
when you have brought the people out of Egypt,
you shall worship God on this mountain."
Exodus 3:1-12 – NRSV
This story is famous as God’s calling of Moses as the leader of the Israelites. Unlike most callings (even most biblical callings), God speaks directly to Moses. Is it any wonder in this case? After all, Moses barely believes the calling, even when God confronts him with it personally. For Moses, even the personal invitation is not enough, he wants evidence of success before he even starts: “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh … ?”
Should we be surprised that this mysterious God, revealing himself in this mysterious way, gives an answer that is a little disconcerting? “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.” You will know that you were supposed to do this thing when you have done this thing. So was this reply more about God, or more about Moses? I think it shows God’s insight into the heart of Moses. “I’ll believe it when I see it.” “The proof is in the pudding.” Moses is going to believe a little and doubt a lot until he returns to the foot of this mount to worship with a people.
Are we any different? Most of us can’t say that we have seen a burning bush. Although some of us may have been called to serve God in some interesting ways, few can claim such a clear call as Moses can. Nor should we expect our calling to be so clear, because Moses is the exception. So we feel called, yet struggle with doubt. Did God call? Did God really call me to do this? Did God really call me to do this here? Did God really call me to do this here now? You get the drift.
When our life’s experience and preparation line up with our passions and expectations for a different world, we can know what we hope to do. When opportunity opens in front of this hope, then we can feel called to act. But if we’re waiting for proof, it’s not going to come until the job is done. Gideon could check the humidity of fleeces every day for an eternity, but until he believed enough to act, it didn’t really matter.
At this place, our experience and preparation have met our passion and expectation for God’s kingdom. God has filled our little world with opportunity for these things to work together as our calling. Let’s act today on that calling. Let’s realize that this is going to take some time (Moses didn’t have Israel at Sinai in a couple of months, after all). Let’s realize that some people will reject our vision of a better world, because they have free will, after all. But let’s act!
Blessings on our callings,
Ron
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Angels we have heard on low ...
It has been a while, as far as we know, since any of the “sent out” have been sent out. Angels haven’t appeared to much of anybody for quite a while, and then all of a sudden they are popping up everywhere. Not just any angels; the legendary ones. The angel of the Lord appears to Zechariah in the temple in Jerusalem. Gabriel shows up at Nazareth to see Mary. And then the angel of the Lord makes another appearance to Joseph.
These angelic visitors have amazing credentials, impressive resumes, and direct access to God, and yet God sends them to unknown people, living insignificant lives in insignificant towns with insignificant assets and insignificant political power. Although they come from families with interesting histories, nothing in any of their stories sets them apart. They are unknowns. Nobodies. Nearly invisible.
Hear the word of God describe one of these visits:
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you."
But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."
Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"
The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God."
Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.
With this knowledge, can we imagine how Mary took care of herself during this pregnancy? Do we understand the care with which these humble people delivered these God-promised children, John and Jesus, into this world? Have we ever thought about how these called-out parents measured every word that they used to comfort, nurture, direct, and discipline these babies with such huge destinies? If it were our calling, how would we raise the prophet and herald of the King, and the King himself?
That is a sobering question, isn’t it? And yet it is not as irrelevant as it might seem at first. No, in fact, we have not been called to raise John or Jesus in our homes. Yet, despite the fact that we may be nobodies, too, might God have placed a child with an extraordinary calling in our care? Who knows? We might have a Sarah or a Samuel, a Mary or a Micaiah, an Elizabeth or an Elijah, an Abigail or an Amos, a Joanna or a Josiah or a Joshua … mightn’t we?
Remember the words of Jesus? “Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.”
Because of the amount of time that God may choose for our children to be in this world, they have, according to Jesus, the potential to lay at the feet of Jesus a larger body of work than that which Jesus had time to do. More significant? Certainly not. Important in the eyes of Jesus Christ? Absolutely. Through the power of Jesus? That’s what he said.
Every one of the children born to our care, and every one of the young men placed in our care, has this kind of potential. If God made a good creation when he made humanity, if Jesus spoke the truth, if we can trust his promises, then that potential belongs to all of these children. We can take the “if” out of all of those phrases, can’t we, because they’re all true. Now the “Ifs” are all in our court: if we will teach our children when we rise up and lie down, if we will show a child the way that is right when they are young, if we will not provoke a child to wrath, then we will have the possibilities that go with those practices. Will we take the “if” out of those? Will we try?
If we’re raising our children differently than we would Jesus, why?
Blessings,
Ron
Luke 1:26-38; John 14:12-14 – NRSV
These angelic visitors have amazing credentials, impressive resumes, and direct access to God, and yet God sends them to unknown people, living insignificant lives in insignificant towns with insignificant assets and insignificant political power. Although they come from families with interesting histories, nothing in any of their stories sets them apart. They are unknowns. Nobodies. Nearly invisible.
Hear the word of God describe one of these visits:
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you."
But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."
Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"
The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God."
Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.
With this knowledge, can we imagine how Mary took care of herself during this pregnancy? Do we understand the care with which these humble people delivered these God-promised children, John and Jesus, into this world? Have we ever thought about how these called-out parents measured every word that they used to comfort, nurture, direct, and discipline these babies with such huge destinies? If it were our calling, how would we raise the prophet and herald of the King, and the King himself?
That is a sobering question, isn’t it? And yet it is not as irrelevant as it might seem at first. No, in fact, we have not been called to raise John or Jesus in our homes. Yet, despite the fact that we may be nobodies, too, might God have placed a child with an extraordinary calling in our care? Who knows? We might have a Sarah or a Samuel, a Mary or a Micaiah, an Elizabeth or an Elijah, an Abigail or an Amos, a Joanna or a Josiah or a Joshua … mightn’t we?
Remember the words of Jesus? “Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.”
Because of the amount of time that God may choose for our children to be in this world, they have, according to Jesus, the potential to lay at the feet of Jesus a larger body of work than that which Jesus had time to do. More significant? Certainly not. Important in the eyes of Jesus Christ? Absolutely. Through the power of Jesus? That’s what he said.
Every one of the children born to our care, and every one of the young men placed in our care, has this kind of potential. If God made a good creation when he made humanity, if Jesus spoke the truth, if we can trust his promises, then that potential belongs to all of these children. We can take the “if” out of all of those phrases, can’t we, because they’re all true. Now the “Ifs” are all in our court: if we will teach our children when we rise up and lie down, if we will show a child the way that is right when they are young, if we will not provoke a child to wrath, then we will have the possibilities that go with those practices. Will we take the “if” out of those? Will we try?
If we’re raising our children differently than we would Jesus, why?
Blessings,
Ron
Luke 1:26-38; John 14:12-14 – NRSV
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Walking like Abram
There has been a new phrase among the Christian community over the past few years. “God is not my co-pilot, he is my pilot.” This is coming off of the many bumper stickers that say, "God is my co-pilot." The more you think about it, the clearer it becomes. If God is our co-pilot, then who is in control? Who is flying the plane? I feel like so often I have been fighting for the control of my life. I have been trying to grab hold with both hands and refusing to let go. Who doesn’t want to have some sort of control over their own lives? Where they will be going, what they will be doing, what they will be eating, who they will be going with? God has a plan for all of us and he lets us know a piece of that plan at a time. The call happens and off we go, or we choose to plant our feet firmly in the dirt and say, no I will not be moved. Hear this call from scripture:
The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.”
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
So Abram left, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him, Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.
Genesis 12:1-5
Could you imagine that? One minute you think everything is going great. You have a great wife, you have servants, you have a lot of things, and then you hear the voice of God telling you to go. Go where? To a land I will show you. The planner and organized person in me is screaming at this point. Where am I going, how much food should we take? Get me a map of the area so I know what to expect. It just says he got up and left. He took his wife and their belongings, and Lot and his family and belongings.
Abram could have said no and that he was going to stay right where he was. He could have said no, I am in control of my life here and if I leave here, I will lose that control. That is where having God as your pilot comes in. That is where the faith is built. That is where the dependence on yourself gives way to the dependence on God. God tells us he has a land and a road to show us. We just need to ask where and go! If Abram would not have done this and chosen to stay, then we never would have had an Abraham. Are you ready for an adventure? Hold on tight to the Father and let him guide you through the wonderful life he has planned for you!
Blessings!
Jason
The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.”
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
So Abram left, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him, Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.
Genesis 12:1-5
Could you imagine that? One minute you think everything is going great. You have a great wife, you have servants, you have a lot of things, and then you hear the voice of God telling you to go. Go where? To a land I will show you. The planner and organized person in me is screaming at this point. Where am I going, how much food should we take? Get me a map of the area so I know what to expect. It just says he got up and left. He took his wife and their belongings, and Lot and his family and belongings.
Abram could have said no and that he was going to stay right where he was. He could have said no, I am in control of my life here and if I leave here, I will lose that control. That is where having God as your pilot comes in. That is where the faith is built. That is where the dependence on yourself gives way to the dependence on God. God tells us he has a land and a road to show us. We just need to ask where and go! If Abram would not have done this and chosen to stay, then we never would have had an Abraham. Are you ready for an adventure? Hold on tight to the Father and let him guide you through the wonderful life he has planned for you!
Blessings!
Jason
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
You threw me into the deep
Another of the stories from my time in Bible Class as a youth that seemed to change its power in adulthood is the story of Jonah. When I read the story with more experienced eyes, the lessons opened up more fully. Let us look at the Word:
The LORD sent a big fish to swallow Jonah. Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.
From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God.
Jonah prayed:
“I called to the LORD in my distress,
and he answered me.
From the depths of my «watery» grave I cried for help,
and you heard my cry.
You threw me into the deep, into the depths of the sea,
and water surrounded me.
All the whitecaps on your waves have swept over me.
“Then I thought,
‘I have been banished from your sight.
Will I ever see your holy temple again?’
“Water surrounded me, threatening my life.
The deep «sea» covered me completely.
Seaweed was wrapped around my head.
I sank to the foot of the mountains.
I sank to the bottom,
where bars held me forever.
But you brought me back from the pit, O LORD, my God.
“As my life was slipping away, I remembered the LORD.
My prayer came to you in your holy temple.
Those who hold on to worthless idols abandon their loyalty «to you».
But I will sacrifice to you with songs of thanksgiving.
I will keep my vow.
Victory belongs to the LORD!”
Then the LORD spoke to the fish, and it spit Jonah out onto the shore.
Jonah 1:17-2:10
This is no silly story of a man gone swimming. It is no story simply of another person running from God's call. There are other places in the Word where God says His plans will be carried out, regardless; He doesn't necessarily require our human assistance (Esther, et al).
This is a great story of God calling a person to a task that is MUCH bigger than what any person could accomplish and then God equips and empowers the man so that he could see it through. The fish was not part of the punishment; it was part of his provision/salvation.
Jonah likely could have written his own sermon prior to his brush with death and God's provision. How much more powerful would a sermon be, however, with Jonah telling them of his person experience with God’s power? Also, how much more powerful is our story to others if we can see God’s work in our lives and share that? Look for the things that have taught you the most about how much God loves you and how He has carried you through in unique situations. Then share those things with others.
Blessings,
Shiann
The LORD sent a big fish to swallow Jonah. Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.
From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God.
Jonah prayed:
“I called to the LORD in my distress,
and he answered me.
From the depths of my «watery» grave I cried for help,
and you heard my cry.
You threw me into the deep, into the depths of the sea,
and water surrounded me.
All the whitecaps on your waves have swept over me.
“Then I thought,
‘I have been banished from your sight.
Will I ever see your holy temple again?’
“Water surrounded me, threatening my life.
The deep «sea» covered me completely.
Seaweed was wrapped around my head.
I sank to the foot of the mountains.
I sank to the bottom,
where bars held me forever.
But you brought me back from the pit, O LORD, my God.
“As my life was slipping away, I remembered the LORD.
My prayer came to you in your holy temple.
Those who hold on to worthless idols abandon their loyalty «to you».
But I will sacrifice to you with songs of thanksgiving.
I will keep my vow.
Victory belongs to the LORD!”
Then the LORD spoke to the fish, and it spit Jonah out onto the shore.
Jonah 1:17-2:10
This is no silly story of a man gone swimming. It is no story simply of another person running from God's call. There are other places in the Word where God says His plans will be carried out, regardless; He doesn't necessarily require our human assistance (Esther, et al).
This is a great story of God calling a person to a task that is MUCH bigger than what any person could accomplish and then God equips and empowers the man so that he could see it through. The fish was not part of the punishment; it was part of his provision/salvation.
Jonah likely could have written his own sermon prior to his brush with death and God's provision. How much more powerful would a sermon be, however, with Jonah telling them of his person experience with God’s power? Also, how much more powerful is our story to others if we can see God’s work in our lives and share that? Look for the things that have taught you the most about how much God loves you and how He has carried you through in unique situations. Then share those things with others.
Blessings,
Shiann
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