More than veracity ...

Hear the word of God:

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."

Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

(John 14:1-7, NIV)

Much of who a person's character is revealed in what they say before they leave. A harsh word at the end of an argument, a loving word to a spouse on the way out the door, a cheerful farewell at the conclusion of a friendly greeting - all these instances reveal who we are. On the eve of Jesus' final departure, he tells his followers simply, "Do not let your hearts be troubled ... I am going away, but you know the way to where I am going."

Thomas flatly disagrees with Jesus, protesting that the disciples do not know the way to where Jesus is going. Jesus engages him more deeply, though:

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Often in the Gospel of John when Jesus speaks of his impending death he says that he is "going to the Father," a thread which he picks up again here. Jesus clarifies that his destination is the Father, and so the disciples do know the way - through Jesus. If the disciples understand that Jesus is about to leave, then they are sorely in need of a path at this point. They have left home, family, jobs, and all hope of security in order to follow Jesus. Now their teacher is leaving and they don't know which way to go. Jesus reassures them with the words, "I am the way."

You see, the disciples' abandonment of their former lives was not simply a rash, impulsive decision, nor was it merely a journey of self-realization. In fact, it was quite the opposite: the point of their journey had been to come to the Father, a purpose which Jesus affirmed they could continue even in his absence. Jesus showed humanity the nature of God, and so he told his disciples to continue following his way even in his absence because that path still leads to the Father.

The purpose of Jesus' mission was to give life to all. In fact, yesterday we heard Jesus say, "I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly." The way leading to the Father is life, like food and drink. It is a life that reaches beyond the grasp of death. He who declares himself to be the bread of life, the resurrection and the life, and the giver of life makes an unequivocal statement: "Continue to follow my way, and you will have the life that I give and embody, the life which is through and is me."

Sometimes truth means something more than veracity or even reliability. Sometimes truth needs to be more than simply correct. Sometimes, when it really matters, truth needs to be sturdy enough to build your life on. This is one of those times. Jesus' testimony is absolutely true, including his testimony about his own identity. If what he says about himself is true, he knows that it will change everything. Thus, before he leaves Jesus tells his disciples that he is the truth. They can and must hold to all his teachings and all his commands, because he is the truth. Later on, Pilate will ask Jesus, "What is truth?" If he had heard these words, perhaps Pilate would have understood. Jesus and his life-giving way are truth.

Here, then, is the word of Christ: "I am the way to the Father, I am the truest testimony of all, and I am the real abundant life that everyone wants."

Blessings,

Greg

Multiplying forgiveness

Once again we come to the end of the week. Tomorrow, being Sunday, will be our regular Sabbath from this daily enterprise. Then, for the next week, Greg Steele will be writing the daily devotional thoughts and I will be forwarding them on to you. Greg has kindly consented to give me a break so that I can prepare for the board meeting next week, and rethink exactly how I want to continue with the devotional thought project. I think that it has some value. I know that some of you do, too, but also probably a few of you wish I would spend my time doing something else. I’m open to suggestions. I do think that maintaining a spiritual focus in our work is job one.

Now today’s thoughts.

To My Mother
by Wendell Berry

I was your rebellious son,
do you remember? Sometimes
I wonder if you do remember,
so complete has your forgiveness been.

So complete has your forgiveness been
I wonder sometimes if it did not
precede my wrong, and I erred,
safe found, within your love,

prepared ahead of me, the way home,
or my bed at night, so that almost
I should forgive you, who perhaps
foresaw the worst that I might do,

and forgave before I could act,
causing me to smile now, looking back,
to see how paltry was my worst,
compared to your forgiveness of it

already given. And this, then,
is the vision of that Heaven of which
we have heard, where those who love
each other have forgiven each other,

where, for that, the leaves are green,
the light a music in the air,
and all is unentangled,
and all is undismayed.

An imaginary dialogue
(You’ll have to guess who the speakers are)

Forgive.
OK, I will.

Forgive. Forgive.
Why should I? I already did.
I know; do it anyway.

Forgive. Forgive. Forgive.
But they’re not even saying that they’re sorry!
Do you confess everything to me?
. . .
I guess that would be a “no.” Forgive.
OK.

Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive.
Isn’t this solution just a bit simplistic?
It appears to be working in our relationship.
. . . Sometimes I just don’t know how to answer you.
Try saying, “Yes.”
Yes.

Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive.
This has got to stop; they’re not repenting.
So how are you coming along with your . . .
OK, OK, let’s not go there. I’ll try . . .
Do you want me to try, or to forgive?

Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive.
Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive.
Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive.
Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive.
Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive.
Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive.
Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive.
OK, I get that this is the seventy times seven thing, but
do you not see what this is doing to me?
Yes, I do.
But this is abusive.
It is my job to deal with impenitent abuse, not yours;
do you think you can cure abuse with abuse?
But this is killing me.
Do you really want to go there? It has already killed me.
You’re sounding pretty healthy now.
I will forgive the sarcasm and note that perhaps my good health
is connected to my ability to forgive.
It’s just that you don’t sound too broken up to me.
Every time a soul rebels against my Father it breaks my heart.
I understand.
I don’t mean this in a mean way, but there is no way
that you ever have, that you ever will understand
the depth or breadth or intensity of the pain in
the heart of God.
I’m sorry. It’s just that this is so painful.
Growth can be painful.
What does that mean?
Forgiveness is one of the disciplines that shapes
your character with the virtue of forgiving,
And shapes you into an image of me.
I will do what I can.
And I will help.

------
Jesus, forgive me for putting my words into your mouth,
but for millennia, my sisters and brothers have done this;
imagining what you might say, thinking about how
the conversation would go.
We search for answers knowing that you are the Truth.
May we know you well enough to speak the truth, to
speak a word of peace, on your behalf.
May that word of peace always imitate
Your grace and your forgiveness.

Show grace, discover peace.

Ron

Live by the Spirit

Our character is made up of virtues and vices.
The events of the day, and our disposition toward the Spirit,
tend to lean us toward either our virtues or vices.
If we yield our body and soul to chasing physical desires,
then we will become more animal than truly human.
If we live by the Spirit, practicing spiritual disciplines with our body and soul,
then God can work in us to replace our vices with virtues,
and shape our character to conform more closely
to that of Jesus Christ.

Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh.
For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit,
and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh;
for these are opposed to each other,
to prevent you from doing what you want.

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law.
Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness,
idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions,
envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these.
I am warning you, as I warned you before:
those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.
And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.
Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another
Galatians 5:16-26 (NRSV)

Here is a prayer to turn our minds to the virtues:

Teach me, O God, so to use all the circumstances of my life today
that they may bring forth in me the fruits of holiness
rather than the fruits of sin.
Let me use disappointments as material for patience;
Let me use success as material for thankfulness;
Let me use suspense as material for perseverance;
Let me use danger as material for courage;
Let me use reproach as material for longsuffering;
Let me use praise as material for humility;
Let me use pleasure as material for temperance;
Let me use pains as material for endurance.
John Baillie

I pray for you two of the great virtues:

Grace and peace,

Ron