Where is your safe place?
Where do you go to hide when you feel the need to hide?
To whom do you do to “lick your wounds” from life in the world?
Let’s think about these questions
as we meditate on the word of the Lord:
Psalm 71:1-6
In you, O LORD, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
incline your ear to me and save me.
When we were young, we sought out the safe places, the bases from which we could move to explore our world. Even in our games, we would name a tree or a porch “home” or “base,” and as long as we were touching base, we were safe. Sometimes our cousins or siblings would get so mad that even these places weren’t safe anymore. So we would just happen to wander into Grandma’s kitchen and take a sudden interest in the making of pies. Nobody would mess with us there.
But as you get older, finding safe places becomes more difficult. Teenagers look at you like you’re a fool if you start talking about naming a locker as “home” and Grandma, if she is still alive, is no longer as amused with you hiding at her feet. “Time to grow up!” And so we try to act brave even on days when we don’t exactly feel safe.
Some of us learn the good church answer: “In you, O Lord, I take refuge!” It is a true answer; God is our shelter. As our faith matures, on most days our faith sustains us, our firm belief based on experience that God walks with us and protects us. Yet there are those other days. Days when the invisibility of God to earthly eyes make his omniscience, his omnipotence, and even his omnipresence invisible and intangible to our needy souls. Days when we call for rescue, but don’t immediately feel the strength of a divine response.
On those days we need to remember that God dwells among his people. Surely, if two or more of us are gathered together, God will be there. And God is. Yet there is a problem with this as well. Sometimes we find that our little safe place, our safe community, is not accessible to us. Perhaps they are busy; perhaps they are gone away on business. Maybe we are mad at them for some offense other than our current crisis; maybe they are angry with us. And sometimes, some of the worst times, we feel that they, our safe place, has become no longer safe.
What do we do? Hear the Psalmist:
Be to me a rock of refuge, a strong fortress,
to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.
For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust,
O LORD, from my youth.
Even if our eyes cannot see the rock, it is a refuge. Even if our fingers cannot feel the walls of the fortress, God is that wall about us. Wickedness will come, and not maybe. It will inflict pain, and not perhaps. Yet God will rescue us because his love is steadfast, even when the love of others, and even our own, is not.
Upon you I have leaned from my birth;
it was you who took me from my mother's womb.
My praise is continually of you.
We find comfort as a child in the arms of our parents. As an adult, we find that comfort in the arms of our spouse, or of our children. Yet after the womb, there is no constant sense of physical protection about us. We are called upon to learn to rely upon God as our all-embracing strength. We are called to venture out from our bases, our fortresses, and embrace those who need our love and care. At the same time, I think that God surrounds his children with a community to love, to touch, and embrace them so that our divinely made bodies feel and give the physical comfort of Jesus Christ, God in the flesh.
Be there for each other,
Ron
Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Hopeful truth ...
Meditate on the word of God with me:
Mark 10:46-52
They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Jesus stood still and said, "Call him here."
And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; get up, he is calling you."
So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.
Then Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?"
blind man said to him, "My teacher, let me see again."
Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.
When we read healing stories in the gospels, we often observe that faith on someone’s part is necessary for healing to take place. Which is true. Yet this account at least describes some other actions that led to healing.
First, there is the recognition that we have a problem. Bartimaeus understood that he had a problem. Blindness.
Bartimaeus also understood that there was something other, something different about Jesus. This is where faith operates: God has the power to do that which we as human cannot. Yes, we are amazing imagers of God. Yes, we can think amazing thoughts, and we can do amazing deeds. Yet not everything lies within our power. Faith in the steadfast love and in the healing power of God is necessary.
Yet there is another need. Bartimaeus had to act. No one else was willing to plead the case of Bartimaeus. No one else was willing to carry Bartimaeus over to meet Jesus. It was the responsibility of no one else to name the obvious need for healing: blindness. Thank God, that Bartimaeus did what he needed to do.
One of the most surprising statistics I ever encountered in my professional career had to do with the success rate of counseling and therapy. It didn’t really matter what kind of facility in which the sessions were conducted. There wasn’t a lot of difference in success between varied methods of therapy. The personal attributes of the counselor had a surprisingly limited effect. The number one determinant of the success of any coaching or counseling process was the answer to this question: does the client want to get well?
For many of our boys, these same problems hinder their complete healing. We may be able to help them somewhat, but until they recognize that they have a problem, until they believe that it will take something more than their own power to fix it, until they do something in response to these realities, and until they decide that they want to be well, any real change or healing is stymied.
The trick is to tell the truth in a hopeful way and avoid unhelpful truths. What does the unhelpful truth look like? “Bartimaeus, you are blind and you can’t do anything about it.” We also need to make it clear that we are presenting what appears to be true from our perspective.
What does the hopeful truth, well presented, look like? “Yes, Bartimaeus, it appears to me that you are blind, but Jesus has the power and the desire to heal you.”
May we always work to keep hope and truth connected in our lives and in the lives of those whom we love.
Grace and peace,
Ron
Mark 10:46-52
They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Jesus stood still and said, "Call him here."
And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; get up, he is calling you."
So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.
Then Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?"
blind man said to him, "My teacher, let me see again."
Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.
When we read healing stories in the gospels, we often observe that faith on someone’s part is necessary for healing to take place. Which is true. Yet this account at least describes some other actions that led to healing.
First, there is the recognition that we have a problem. Bartimaeus understood that he had a problem. Blindness.
Bartimaeus also understood that there was something other, something different about Jesus. This is where faith operates: God has the power to do that which we as human cannot. Yes, we are amazing imagers of God. Yes, we can think amazing thoughts, and we can do amazing deeds. Yet not everything lies within our power. Faith in the steadfast love and in the healing power of God is necessary.
Yet there is another need. Bartimaeus had to act. No one else was willing to plead the case of Bartimaeus. No one else was willing to carry Bartimaeus over to meet Jesus. It was the responsibility of no one else to name the obvious need for healing: blindness. Thank God, that Bartimaeus did what he needed to do.
One of the most surprising statistics I ever encountered in my professional career had to do with the success rate of counseling and therapy. It didn’t really matter what kind of facility in which the sessions were conducted. There wasn’t a lot of difference in success between varied methods of therapy. The personal attributes of the counselor had a surprisingly limited effect. The number one determinant of the success of any coaching or counseling process was the answer to this question: does the client want to get well?
For many of our boys, these same problems hinder their complete healing. We may be able to help them somewhat, but until they recognize that they have a problem, until they believe that it will take something more than their own power to fix it, until they do something in response to these realities, and until they decide that they want to be well, any real change or healing is stymied.
The trick is to tell the truth in a hopeful way and avoid unhelpful truths. What does the unhelpful truth look like? “Bartimaeus, you are blind and you can’t do anything about it.” We also need to make it clear that we are presenting what appears to be true from our perspective.
What does the hopeful truth, well presented, look like? “Yes, Bartimaeus, it appears to me that you are blind, but Jesus has the power and the desire to heal you.”
May we always work to keep hope and truth connected in our lives and in the lives of those whom we love.
Grace and peace,
Ron
Friday, August 7, 2009
Food that endures ...
Yesterday I asked the question, ”Is the measure of human faithfulness really the fullness of our stomachs?” Jesus was not unaware of this problem with the behavior of human beings. He spoke about it, as a matter of fact. But just what does his reply mean? What do his words mean in our lives? Meditate on the words of Jesus and see if you can discern their meaning for your life. Hear the word of the Lord:
So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"
Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal."
Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?"
Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."
So they said to him, "What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
Blessings,
Ron
John 6:24-35
So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"
Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal."
Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?"
Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."
So they said to him, "What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
Blessings,
Ron
John 6:24-35
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Complaints about the menu ...
Hear the word of the Lord:
The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."
God hears our cries for help, sends a leader to bring us salvation, exerts his power to break the bonds of our oppression, delivers us from the house of slavery, changes the obstacles that confront us into a pathway, and protects us from the backlash of others who resent and resist our attempt to be a holy people. Then, when we sit at his table, we complain about the menu.
Is the measure of human faithfulness really the fullness of our stomachs?
I wonder if God ever thinks, “I had this wonderful plan to take care of you, but because you’ve complained, just forget it.” Evidently he resists that temptation.
Then the LORD said to Moses, "I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.
Then Moses said to Aaron, "Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, 'Draw near to the LORD, for he has heard your complaining.'" And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.
The LORD spoke to Moses and said, "I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, 'At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.'"
In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground.
When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was.
Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.”
We may not understand what it is that God is giving us, nor may we comprehend exactly how what he gives us provides for our futures. Yet we can know this; the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. He will keep his promises, he will walk with his people, he will care for their needs.
May we have faith in his just-in-time providence.
Blessings,
Ron
Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15
The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."
God hears our cries for help, sends a leader to bring us salvation, exerts his power to break the bonds of our oppression, delivers us from the house of slavery, changes the obstacles that confront us into a pathway, and protects us from the backlash of others who resent and resist our attempt to be a holy people. Then, when we sit at his table, we complain about the menu.
Is the measure of human faithfulness really the fullness of our stomachs?
I wonder if God ever thinks, “I had this wonderful plan to take care of you, but because you’ve complained, just forget it.” Evidently he resists that temptation.
Then the LORD said to Moses, "I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.
Then Moses said to Aaron, "Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, 'Draw near to the LORD, for he has heard your complaining.'" And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.
The LORD spoke to Moses and said, "I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, 'At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.'"
In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground.
When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was.
Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.”
We may not understand what it is that God is giving us, nor may we comprehend exactly how what he gives us provides for our futures. Yet we can know this; the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. He will keep his promises, he will walk with his people, he will care for their needs.
May we have faith in his just-in-time providence.
Blessings,
Ron
Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The joy of the waters
Hear the word of the Lord from Psalm 145:
All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
and all your faithful shall bless you.
They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom,
and tell of your power,
to make known to all people your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
All of God’s works, even the rocks, trees and hills, will praise him. I believe that even the waters will lift their voices in praise of God as they move to do his will. Meditate on this beautiful passage from Hannah Hurnard’s Hind’s Feet on High Places:
At the foot of the cliffs they found themselves standing in cool shadows with a light spray sometimes splashing their faces, and there the Shepherd bade them stand and look up. There stood Much-Afraid, a tiny figure at the foot of the mighty cliffs, looking up at the great, never-ending rush of waters as they cast themselves down from the High Places. . . . As she listened, Much-Afraid realized that she was hearing the full majestic harmonies, the whole orchestra as it were, playing the original of the theme song which all the little streamlets had sung far below in the Valley of Humiliation. Now it was uttered by thousands upon thousands of voices, but with grander harmonies that anything heard down in the valleys, yet still the same song.
From the heights we leap and go
To the valley down below,
Always answering to the call,
To the lowest place of all.
“Much-Afraid,” said the Shepherd’s voice in her ear, “what do you think of this fall of great waters in their abandonment of self-giving?”
She trembled a little as she answered. “I think they are beautiful and terrible beyond anything which I ever saw before.”
“Why terrible?” he asked.
“It is the leap which they have to make, the awful height from which they must cast themselves down to the depths beneath, there to be broken on the rocks. I can hardly bear to watch it”
“Look closer,” he said again. “Let your eye follow just one part of the water from the moment when it leaps over the edge until it reaches the bottom.”
Much-Afraid did so, and then almost gasped with wonder. Once over the edge, the waters were like winged things, alive with joy, so utterly abandoned to the ecstasy of giving themselves that she could almost have supposed that she was looking at a host of angels floating down on rainbow wings, singing with rapture as they went.
She gazed, then said, “It looks as though they think it is the loveliest movement in all the world, as though to cast oneself down is to abandon oneself to ecstasy and joy indescribable.”
“Yes,” answered the Shepherd in a voice vibrant with joy and thanksgiving, “I am glad that you have noticed that, Much Afraid. . . . Does the joy of the waters seem to end when they break on the rock below?”
Again Much-Afraid looked where he pointed, and noticed that the lower the water fell, the lighter it seemed to grow, as though it really were lighting down on wings. On reaching the rocks below, all the waters flowed together in a glorious host, forming an exuberant, rushing torrent which swirled triumphantly around and over the rocks.
Laughing and shouting at the top of their voices, they hurried still lower and lower, down through the meadows to the next precipice and the next glorious crisis of their self-giving. From there they would again cast themselves down to the valleys far below. Far from suffering from the rocks, it seemed as though every obstacle in the bed of the torrent was looked upon as another object to be overcome and another lovely opportunity to find a way over or around it. Everywhere there was the sound of water, laughing, exulting, shouting in jubilation.
Even when the water reaches the sea, its task, its joy is not complete. There the mighty Son lifts the waters up from the depths to heavenly heights, where they soon begin again their joyful descent.
How is it with us? Is the call to go lower too much for us? Is the faith to soar over the abyss too terrifying? Is the demand to flow side by side with the other waters too limiting? How many rocks and limbs cross our path before we lose the joy of serving the purposes of God?
The waters have the power to reshape our world, yet:
The power is not in the drop of water, but in the stream.
The power is not in the still pool, but in the moving current.
Both power and joy are found in submission, in obedience, in love for the sending and love for the sender.
May God help us laugh, exult, and shout at the goodness of serving the purposes of our Creator, and in our finding God’s creative power in our lives.
Blessings,
Ron
Psalm 145:10-13 – NRSV
Hind’s Feet on High Places, 146-148.
All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
and all your faithful shall bless you.
They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom,
and tell of your power,
to make known to all people your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
All of God’s works, even the rocks, trees and hills, will praise him. I believe that even the waters will lift their voices in praise of God as they move to do his will. Meditate on this beautiful passage from Hannah Hurnard’s Hind’s Feet on High Places:
At the foot of the cliffs they found themselves standing in cool shadows with a light spray sometimes splashing their faces, and there the Shepherd bade them stand and look up. There stood Much-Afraid, a tiny figure at the foot of the mighty cliffs, looking up at the great, never-ending rush of waters as they cast themselves down from the High Places. . . . As she listened, Much-Afraid realized that she was hearing the full majestic harmonies, the whole orchestra as it were, playing the original of the theme song which all the little streamlets had sung far below in the Valley of Humiliation. Now it was uttered by thousands upon thousands of voices, but with grander harmonies that anything heard down in the valleys, yet still the same song.
From the heights we leap and go
To the valley down below,
Always answering to the call,
To the lowest place of all.
“Much-Afraid,” said the Shepherd’s voice in her ear, “what do you think of this fall of great waters in their abandonment of self-giving?”
She trembled a little as she answered. “I think they are beautiful and terrible beyond anything which I ever saw before.”
“Why terrible?” he asked.
“It is the leap which they have to make, the awful height from which they must cast themselves down to the depths beneath, there to be broken on the rocks. I can hardly bear to watch it”
“Look closer,” he said again. “Let your eye follow just one part of the water from the moment when it leaps over the edge until it reaches the bottom.”
Much-Afraid did so, and then almost gasped with wonder. Once over the edge, the waters were like winged things, alive with joy, so utterly abandoned to the ecstasy of giving themselves that she could almost have supposed that she was looking at a host of angels floating down on rainbow wings, singing with rapture as they went.
She gazed, then said, “It looks as though they think it is the loveliest movement in all the world, as though to cast oneself down is to abandon oneself to ecstasy and joy indescribable.”
“Yes,” answered the Shepherd in a voice vibrant with joy and thanksgiving, “I am glad that you have noticed that, Much Afraid. . . . Does the joy of the waters seem to end when they break on the rock below?”
Again Much-Afraid looked where he pointed, and noticed that the lower the water fell, the lighter it seemed to grow, as though it really were lighting down on wings. On reaching the rocks below, all the waters flowed together in a glorious host, forming an exuberant, rushing torrent which swirled triumphantly around and over the rocks.
Laughing and shouting at the top of their voices, they hurried still lower and lower, down through the meadows to the next precipice and the next glorious crisis of their self-giving. From there they would again cast themselves down to the valleys far below. Far from suffering from the rocks, it seemed as though every obstacle in the bed of the torrent was looked upon as another object to be overcome and another lovely opportunity to find a way over or around it. Everywhere there was the sound of water, laughing, exulting, shouting in jubilation.
Even when the water reaches the sea, its task, its joy is not complete. There the mighty Son lifts the waters up from the depths to heavenly heights, where they soon begin again their joyful descent.
How is it with us? Is the call to go lower too much for us? Is the faith to soar over the abyss too terrifying? Is the demand to flow side by side with the other waters too limiting? How many rocks and limbs cross our path before we lose the joy of serving the purposes of God?
The waters have the power to reshape our world, yet:
The power is not in the drop of water, but in the stream.
The power is not in the still pool, but in the moving current.
Both power and joy are found in submission, in obedience, in love for the sending and love for the sender.
May God help us laugh, exult, and shout at the goodness of serving the purposes of our Creator, and in our finding God’s creative power in our lives.
Blessings,
Ron
Psalm 145:10-13 – NRSV
Hind’s Feet on High Places, 146-148.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Baptized in tears ...
You’ve heard it before; “Your faith is all pie-in-the-sky religion.”
“I want to live life. I want to live it now!”
Doesn’t that really show how much the Christian faith
Is misunderstood and misrepresented?
Yet don’t we actually behave that way, and
struggle with feeling that way ourselves?
Don’t we forget sometimes that God is here with us.
Now. In the present.
Shouldn’t that change how we live our lives?
Paul thinks so:
Companions as we are in this work with you, we beg you,
please don't squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us.
God reminds us,
I heard your call in the nick of time;
The day you needed me, I was there to help.
Well, now is the right time to listen, the day to be helped.
Don't put it off; don't frustrate God's work by showing up late,
throwing a question mark over everything we're doing.
Our work as God's servants gets validated — or not — in the details.
People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly
. . .
in hard times, tough times, bad times;
when we're beaten up, jailed, and mobbed; working hard,
working late, working without eating;
with pure heart, clear head, steady hand; in gentleness, holiness, and honest love;
when we're telling the truth, and when God's showing his power;
when we're doing our best setting things right;
when we're praised, and when we're blamed; slandered, and honored;
true to our word, though distrusted;
ignored by the world, but recognized by God;
terrifically alive, though rumored to be dead;
beaten within an inch of our lives, but refusing to die;
immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy;
living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having it all.
Dear, dear Corinthians,
I can't tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life.
We didn't fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you.
Your lives aren't small, but you're living them in a small way.
I'm speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection.
Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!
Did you catch what Paul said? I know that there’s a lot, but here
Are some things that I heard:
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be saved in it;
let God redeem this day for us, and us for this day.
Since God is a just-in-time God, we need to be a just-in-time people,
ever alert to what God is doing in our world and seeking to join in.
Others aren’t watching the big things that we do, but the little ones;
And they’re watching our tough days, not just our victories –
by these they measure our virtues, our vices,
our values, and our character.
You can baptize us in tears, but our Joy in God is what fills us up.
God’s boundaries don’t fence us in; our lack of life imagination does.
May God help us all learn how to live life today.
Grace and peace,
Ron
2 Corinthians 6:1-13 - THE MESSAGE
“I want to live life. I want to live it now!”
Doesn’t that really show how much the Christian faith
Is misunderstood and misrepresented?
Yet don’t we actually behave that way, and
struggle with feeling that way ourselves?
Don’t we forget sometimes that God is here with us.
Now. In the present.
Shouldn’t that change how we live our lives?
Paul thinks so:
Companions as we are in this work with you, we beg you,
please don't squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us.
God reminds us,
I heard your call in the nick of time;
The day you needed me, I was there to help.
Well, now is the right time to listen, the day to be helped.
Don't put it off; don't frustrate God's work by showing up late,
throwing a question mark over everything we're doing.
Our work as God's servants gets validated — or not — in the details.
People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly
. . .
in hard times, tough times, bad times;
when we're beaten up, jailed, and mobbed; working hard,
working late, working without eating;
with pure heart, clear head, steady hand; in gentleness, holiness, and honest love;
when we're telling the truth, and when God's showing his power;
when we're doing our best setting things right;
when we're praised, and when we're blamed; slandered, and honored;
true to our word, though distrusted;
ignored by the world, but recognized by God;
terrifically alive, though rumored to be dead;
beaten within an inch of our lives, but refusing to die;
immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy;
living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having it all.
Dear, dear Corinthians,
I can't tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life.
We didn't fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you.
Your lives aren't small, but you're living them in a small way.
I'm speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection.
Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!
Did you catch what Paul said? I know that there’s a lot, but here
Are some things that I heard:
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be saved in it;
let God redeem this day for us, and us for this day.
Since God is a just-in-time God, we need to be a just-in-time people,
ever alert to what God is doing in our world and seeking to join in.
Others aren’t watching the big things that we do, but the little ones;
And they’re watching our tough days, not just our victories –
by these they measure our virtues, our vices,
our values, and our character.
You can baptize us in tears, but our Joy in God is what fills us up.
God’s boundaries don’t fence us in; our lack of life imagination does.
May God help us all learn how to live life today.
Grace and peace,
Ron
2 Corinthians 6:1-13 - THE MESSAGE
Friday, June 5, 2009
In the distance ...
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
(Heb. 11:13-16, NIV)
This is part of the popular "Faith Hall of Fame" in Hebrews 11. Right in the middle of his discussion of Abraham and Sarah, though, the author goes on an excursus about the result of faith. The reason these people are presented as examples of the faith because they held fast to the faith until they died, even though they didn't see the desired results. From their perspective, God was not faithful, because they were faithful to the end but God did not fulfill the promises.
They did see the promises and welcome them from a distance, though. Despite the fact that these faithful women and men did not yet see the reward for their faith, they knew that God would fulfill his promises if only they held on. Whether they saw the outcome of their faithfulness or not, these people kept on "living by faith" until they died, spotting the promises on the far horizon.
Why did those people hold on? If we are supposed to hold on even in the face of exhaustion, pain, and burnout, it might be helpful to know why other people in similar situations have held on. These exemplars held firm because they knew that they were "aliens and strangers in this world." If this world doesn't turn out how you want it to all the time, don't give up - this world (as it is now) isn't built for us anyway. Even if we don't see the promises, we must hold fast - we are aliens and exiles in this world.
People who see things this way show that they are looking for a home to hold on to.
People who hold firm to the faith in spite of the way things look because they understand that this world is passing away show that they have a firm ledge to grab hold of. Even though we feel like we are hanging on by the skin of our teeth, we are hanging onto a firm and secure ledge.
You can let go if you want to, says the author, but if you hold on you will be rewarded in the end. The ledge we hold onto is the doorsill of the heavenly city God has prepared for us. Let us endure, even when do not see the promises fulfilled.
Blessings,
Greg and Tiffany
(Heb. 11:13-16, NIV)
This is part of the popular "Faith Hall of Fame" in Hebrews 11. Right in the middle of his discussion of Abraham and Sarah, though, the author goes on an excursus about the result of faith. The reason these people are presented as examples of the faith because they held fast to the faith until they died, even though they didn't see the desired results. From their perspective, God was not faithful, because they were faithful to the end but God did not fulfill the promises.
They did see the promises and welcome them from a distance, though. Despite the fact that these faithful women and men did not yet see the reward for their faith, they knew that God would fulfill his promises if only they held on. Whether they saw the outcome of their faithfulness or not, these people kept on "living by faith" until they died, spotting the promises on the far horizon.
Why did those people hold on? If we are supposed to hold on even in the face of exhaustion, pain, and burnout, it might be helpful to know why other people in similar situations have held on. These exemplars held firm because they knew that they were "aliens and strangers in this world." If this world doesn't turn out how you want it to all the time, don't give up - this world (as it is now) isn't built for us anyway. Even if we don't see the promises, we must hold fast - we are aliens and exiles in this world.
People who see things this way show that they are looking for a home to hold on to.
People who hold firm to the faith in spite of the way things look because they understand that this world is passing away show that they have a firm ledge to grab hold of. Even though we feel like we are hanging on by the skin of our teeth, we are hanging onto a firm and secure ledge.
You can let go if you want to, says the author, but if you hold on you will be rewarded in the end. The ledge we hold onto is the doorsill of the heavenly city God has prepared for us. Let us endure, even when do not see the promises fulfilled.
Blessings,
Greg and Tiffany
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
It will not come near you ...
God blessed David because he was a hero of the faith. My friend, Charles Siburt, says that the truest synonym for faith is courage. Courage is faith in action. At the beginning of the book of Joshua, for example, both God and the people of God encourage Joshua: “Be strong and courageous!” Don’t just be faithful, Joshua; courageously put your faith to work.
Ministry at Westview requires us to launch out courageously every day. We risk vulnerability. We risk looking like fools. We risk loving without receiving even a sign that our love is reciprocated. We risk safety for our children in order to provide safety to children who have know so little safety in their lives. We send the friends we love out to risk their hearts one more time in order to try to offer rescue to one more child who so desperately it. I’d say that it takes courage to be a part of this team.
On those days when I particularly need to feel courageous, on those days when I particularly feel that God is calling me and empowering me to be courageous, I love to read one particular psalm. Sometimes I even read the words out loud to feel their amazing power:
You who live in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress;
my God, in whom I trust."
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence;
he will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
You will not fear the terror of the night,
or the arrow that flies by day,
or the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
or the destruction that wastes at noonday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only look with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
Because you have made the Lord your refuge,
the Most High your dwelling place,
no evil shall befall you,
no scourge come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder,
the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.
Those who love me, I will deliver;
I will protect those who know my name.
When they call to me, I will answer them;
I will be with them in trouble,
I will rescue them and honor them.
With long life I will satisfy them,
and show them my salvation.
Psalm 91 - NRSV
Be strong and courageous.
Ron
Ministry at Westview requires us to launch out courageously every day. We risk vulnerability. We risk looking like fools. We risk loving without receiving even a sign that our love is reciprocated. We risk safety for our children in order to provide safety to children who have know so little safety in their lives. We send the friends we love out to risk their hearts one more time in order to try to offer rescue to one more child who so desperately it. I’d say that it takes courage to be a part of this team.
On those days when I particularly need to feel courageous, on those days when I particularly feel that God is calling me and empowering me to be courageous, I love to read one particular psalm. Sometimes I even read the words out loud to feel their amazing power:
You who live in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress;
my God, in whom I trust."
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence;
he will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
You will not fear the terror of the night,
or the arrow that flies by day,
or the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
or the destruction that wastes at noonday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only look with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
Because you have made the Lord your refuge,
the Most High your dwelling place,
no evil shall befall you,
no scourge come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder,
the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.
Those who love me, I will deliver;
I will protect those who know my name.
When they call to me, I will answer them;
I will be with them in trouble,
I will rescue them and honor them.
With long life I will satisfy them,
and show them my salvation.
Psalm 91 - NRSV
Be strong and courageous.
Ron
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Only one ...
Hear the word of God:
Ephesians 4
Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all. However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. That is why the Scriptures say,
"When he ascended to the heights,
he led a crowd of captives
and gave gifts to his people."
Notice that it says "he ascended." This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself. Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
With the Lord's authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.
But that isn't what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And "don't sin by letting anger control you." Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Blessings,
Jason
Ephesians 4
Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all. However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. That is why the Scriptures say,
"When he ascended to the heights,
he led a crowd of captives
and gave gifts to his people."
Notice that it says "he ascended." This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself. Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
With the Lord's authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.
But that isn't what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And "don't sin by letting anger control you." Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Blessings,
Jason
Friday, April 10, 2009
Bearing fruit and growing ...
Hear the word of God:
“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints—the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.”
Colossians 1:3-6
Our faith is growing and our love is growing for each other. Can you feel that as we worship together, pray together, and serve together? We are going with our boys this weekend to LTC. This is a time to help them understand how to be a leader in God’s Kingdom. Every practice, every time of worship, and every time of service is a time where they watch us and whether we realize it or not, they begin to imitate us. Our own children are like this and our boys are like this. We will be looking at some of your thoughts over the next few days, as we finish up this project, but I just wanted to remind us all that what is in our hearts and how we act on that will overflow out into the lives of all we know and all we meet. We should be praying for each other as we try to shine our light to this world, beginning with our boys.
You are all in my prayers!
Jason
“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints—the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.”
Colossians 1:3-6
Our faith is growing and our love is growing for each other. Can you feel that as we worship together, pray together, and serve together? We are going with our boys this weekend to LTC. This is a time to help them understand how to be a leader in God’s Kingdom. Every practice, every time of worship, and every time of service is a time where they watch us and whether we realize it or not, they begin to imitate us. Our own children are like this and our boys are like this. We will be looking at some of your thoughts over the next few days, as we finish up this project, but I just wanted to remind us all that what is in our hearts and how we act on that will overflow out into the lives of all we know and all we meet. We should be praying for each other as we try to shine our light to this world, beginning with our boys.
You are all in my prayers!
Jason
Monday, March 2, 2009
They were amazed ...
Hear the word of God:
About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church. He had the apostle James (John's brother) killed with a sword. When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. (This took place during the Passover celebration.) But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him. Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover.
The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, "Quick! Get up!" And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." And he did. "Now put on your coat and follow me," the angel ordered.
So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn't realize it was actually happening. They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him.
Peter finally came to his senses. "It's really true!" he said. "The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!"
When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer. He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it. When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, "Peter is standing at the door!" "You're out of your mind!" they said. When she insisted, they decided, "It must be his angel.”
Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. He motioned for them to quiet down and told them how the Lord had led him out of prison. "Tell James and the other brothers what happened," he said. And then he went to another place."
Acts 12:6-17
There are so many things about this passage that excite me and make me just stand in awe at the glory of the Lord. Peter getting woke up by an angel. The angel walking him out right past the guards. Their long journey out of the compound. So many amazing things that happened to Peter in this exciting experience.
While he was in jail though, there was another story going on in that same city. The church was very earnestly praying for him. What happens? The angel comes, the adventurous journey happens, and then Peter shows up at the door of a prayer meeting. Peter knocks at the door. He is in such anticipation. He is just longing to be able to tell his brothers and sisters what just happened. He hears footsteps coming. He yells out in excitement. Rhoda recognized his voice and what does she do? She turns and runs to tell everyone who is at the door. The praying church thought she was out of her mind and thought that it must be his angel. Did they think that Peter was dead? Did they think that he had become an angel all of a sudden? Why didn't they think that their prayer had been answered?
We all sit here and think the same thing. We all sit here and think, why didn't they believe that it could happen? God has done so many other amazing things in full view of these people. I write all of this and remind us of this story, because I want us to remember that same lesson when we begin our prayers. When our co-worker, friend, family member, neighbor, person we don't even know, asks us to pray for them we should be on the lookout for this prayer to come true. We should wait in eager anticipation to see what amazing things God is going to do.
What's going on in your life right now? What do you need to lay at the feet of Jesus and wait eagerly for? Who should you be praying in anticipation for? I wonder what would happen to our faith if we prayed like this? An overflowing of faith will start pouring out of our lives, because we believe wholeheartedly in the amazing power of our glorious God. Let's give it a try!
Jason
About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church. He had the apostle James (John's brother) killed with a sword. When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. (This took place during the Passover celebration.) But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him. Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover.
The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, "Quick! Get up!" And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." And he did. "Now put on your coat and follow me," the angel ordered.
So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn't realize it was actually happening. They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him.
Peter finally came to his senses. "It's really true!" he said. "The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!"
When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer. He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it. When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, "Peter is standing at the door!" "You're out of your mind!" they said. When she insisted, they decided, "It must be his angel.”
Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. He motioned for them to quiet down and told them how the Lord had led him out of prison. "Tell James and the other brothers what happened," he said. And then he went to another place."
Acts 12:6-17
There are so many things about this passage that excite me and make me just stand in awe at the glory of the Lord. Peter getting woke up by an angel. The angel walking him out right past the guards. Their long journey out of the compound. So many amazing things that happened to Peter in this exciting experience.
While he was in jail though, there was another story going on in that same city. The church was very earnestly praying for him. What happens? The angel comes, the adventurous journey happens, and then Peter shows up at the door of a prayer meeting. Peter knocks at the door. He is in such anticipation. He is just longing to be able to tell his brothers and sisters what just happened. He hears footsteps coming. He yells out in excitement. Rhoda recognized his voice and what does she do? She turns and runs to tell everyone who is at the door. The praying church thought she was out of her mind and thought that it must be his angel. Did they think that Peter was dead? Did they think that he had become an angel all of a sudden? Why didn't they think that their prayer had been answered?
We all sit here and think the same thing. We all sit here and think, why didn't they believe that it could happen? God has done so many other amazing things in full view of these people. I write all of this and remind us of this story, because I want us to remember that same lesson when we begin our prayers. When our co-worker, friend, family member, neighbor, person we don't even know, asks us to pray for them we should be on the lookout for this prayer to come true. We should wait in eager anticipation to see what amazing things God is going to do.
What's going on in your life right now? What do you need to lay at the feet of Jesus and wait eagerly for? Who should you be praying in anticipation for? I wonder what would happen to our faith if we prayed like this? An overflowing of faith will start pouring out of our lives, because we believe wholeheartedly in the amazing power of our glorious God. Let's give it a try!
Jason
Friday, December 19, 2008
A star that does what stars do not ...
This is no natural phenomenon.
These men know and understand nature.
They have traced the arcs of the stars.
They have searched out the eccentricities of the
bright and orbiting planets.
If they were to see a comet,
it would not be their first.
Yet what they see shakes them,
it moves them to leave their ivory towers
to seek out the remarkable person marked
by this bright portent, this luminous omen.
It is a star; a star where once there was none.
A star that does what stars do not:
Stand still.
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.'"
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
Matthew 2:1-12 – NRSV
These learned and wise ones come bringing gifts,
Offering tribute to what must be a great and mighty king.
Somehow the starry signal is so clear,
somehow the child seems so extraordinary,
that the simple shepherds and the simple surroundings
do not distract from the message or its power, but,
instead, make clear just what kind of message
God is sending through this child.
These wise ones come bringing gifts, yet
They leave feeling that they have been out-given.
Now, it is true that wisdom can lead to despair,
much learning can make one too timid to act,
and scholarship too frequently provokes cynicism,
but these wise ones have been given hope.
And courage.
And faith.
A Prayer
Kim Kwan Suk
Give us hope
To look forward
To happy tomorrows.
Give us courage
To face hardships
Without losing hope.
Give us faith
So that the joy of receiving Christ
Will lead us to serve our fellow [human].
Give us appreciation
For the gifts we have received
That we might use them responsibly
Daring to give
Friendship, service, and love.
Give us Christmas throughout the year
Blessings,
Ron
These men know and understand nature.
They have traced the arcs of the stars.
They have searched out the eccentricities of the
bright and orbiting planets.
If they were to see a comet,
it would not be their first.
Yet what they see shakes them,
it moves them to leave their ivory towers
to seek out the remarkable person marked
by this bright portent, this luminous omen.
It is a star; a star where once there was none.
A star that does what stars do not:
Stand still.
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.'"
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
Matthew 2:1-12 – NRSV
These learned and wise ones come bringing gifts,
Offering tribute to what must be a great and mighty king.
Somehow the starry signal is so clear,
somehow the child seems so extraordinary,
that the simple shepherds and the simple surroundings
do not distract from the message or its power, but,
instead, make clear just what kind of message
God is sending through this child.
These wise ones come bringing gifts, yet
They leave feeling that they have been out-given.
Now, it is true that wisdom can lead to despair,
much learning can make one too timid to act,
and scholarship too frequently provokes cynicism,
but these wise ones have been given hope.
And courage.
And faith.
A Prayer
Kim Kwan Suk
Give us hope
To look forward
To happy tomorrows.
Give us courage
To face hardships
Without losing hope.
Give us faith
So that the joy of receiving Christ
Will lead us to serve our fellow [human].
Give us appreciation
For the gifts we have received
That we might use them responsibly
Daring to give
Friendship, service, and love.
Give us Christmas throughout the year
Blessings,
Ron
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
Thursday, September 25, 2008
A litany of why
Sometimes we wonder why things are the way that they are for us. We are, after all, the children of God. Should we not be blessed? Let me voice the litany of “why” questions that I hear my brothers and sisters speak from day to day:
Why does our family struggle with finances, with meeting our bills? It’s not like, after all, that we spend hundreds of dollars each month on cigarettes or alcohol. It’s not as if one of us has a gambling problem. Yes, we probably could be a little more careful with our money, but why do we feel as if we live from day to day? Why are things happening that cause my retirement nest egg to decline, it seems like every day?
Why do I have this pain, why do I experience this personal suffering in my body? Why does this pain distract my spirit, restrain my godly passion, diminish my energy to do the righteousness of God? Since my body affects my spirit, why is this pain allowed to persist?
Why does this world careen from one crisis to another? We know that reporters are honored by their peers when they find the ugly, not the good; crisis, not creativity. Still it seems as if there is enough violence, hate, poverty, and war in our world for several lifetimes, not just ours.
Why are my children suffering? I know that God says that he loves children; why does he allow these challenges to happen in their lives? Aren’t their trials great enough? Haven’t I prayed enough, counseled enough, given enough?
Why does God withhold this desire of my heart from me? Does it not glorify him? Would it not please him? Do I not please him? Surely this is only a small thing in the power of God …
Why? Well, honestly “why” is the natural question in the face of suffering. It leads to lament, which is the moaning of our spirits before the spirit of God. We need to lament, we need to express to God our sorrow because he does understand it. He even understands the sorrow that is too deep for words. Eventually though, on the other side of lament, comes the act of faith, the act of endurance. James says, “My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4 NRSV)
Paul goes further. He says that suffering, that crisis, only serve as contrast to the glory that even now God is bringing to his creation.
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Romans 8:18-30 – NRSV
O God, be righteous; because your righteousness is our righteousness, the righteousness of your frail children.
O God, be glorified; because your glory spills over to bring glory to us, your children oppressed by an arrogant world.
O children of God, be righteous: do justice, show mercy, and walk humbly before your God, and you will demonstrate the righteousness of God.
O children of God, glorify God, humble yourselves, and he will lift you up.
O God hear the sighs of our heart, enact in us the glory of your righteousness, and help us trust that you are the Savior, the one who comes at just the right time. O Lord, expand the borders of your kingdom; please begin in our hearts.
Grace, and peace,
Ron
Why does our family struggle with finances, with meeting our bills? It’s not like, after all, that we spend hundreds of dollars each month on cigarettes or alcohol. It’s not as if one of us has a gambling problem. Yes, we probably could be a little more careful with our money, but why do we feel as if we live from day to day? Why are things happening that cause my retirement nest egg to decline, it seems like every day?
Why do I have this pain, why do I experience this personal suffering in my body? Why does this pain distract my spirit, restrain my godly passion, diminish my energy to do the righteousness of God? Since my body affects my spirit, why is this pain allowed to persist?
Why does this world careen from one crisis to another? We know that reporters are honored by their peers when they find the ugly, not the good; crisis, not creativity. Still it seems as if there is enough violence, hate, poverty, and war in our world for several lifetimes, not just ours.
Why are my children suffering? I know that God says that he loves children; why does he allow these challenges to happen in their lives? Aren’t their trials great enough? Haven’t I prayed enough, counseled enough, given enough?
Why does God withhold this desire of my heart from me? Does it not glorify him? Would it not please him? Do I not please him? Surely this is only a small thing in the power of God …
Why? Well, honestly “why” is the natural question in the face of suffering. It leads to lament, which is the moaning of our spirits before the spirit of God. We need to lament, we need to express to God our sorrow because he does understand it. He even understands the sorrow that is too deep for words. Eventually though, on the other side of lament, comes the act of faith, the act of endurance. James says, “My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4 NRSV)
Paul goes further. He says that suffering, that crisis, only serve as contrast to the glory that even now God is bringing to his creation.
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Romans 8:18-30 – NRSV
O God, be righteous; because your righteousness is our righteousness, the righteousness of your frail children.
O God, be glorified; because your glory spills over to bring glory to us, your children oppressed by an arrogant world.
O children of God, be righteous: do justice, show mercy, and walk humbly before your God, and you will demonstrate the righteousness of God.
O children of God, glorify God, humble yourselves, and he will lift you up.
O God hear the sighs of our heart, enact in us the glory of your righteousness, and help us trust that you are the Savior, the one who comes at just the right time. O Lord, expand the borders of your kingdom; please begin in our hearts.
Grace, and peace,
Ron
Monday, September 22, 2008
The gospel according to Paul and Leroy
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, asking that by God's will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you — or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as I have among the rest of the Gentiles. I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish — hence my eagerness to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, "The one who is righteous will live by faith."
Romans 1:8-17 - NRSV
Last night, Troy and I listened as Leroy Garrett preached this great text. Our brother in Christ reminded us that the gospel is, after all, a very simple and powerful thing. It is a word about God. It is, in sum, three things: the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This, as he reminded us, brings about the threefold response described by our forebears in the Restoration Movement: faith, repentance, and baptism. Our obedience brings us into the blessing of three powerful promises: forgiveness of sin, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and eternal life.
There it is, in one paragraph, the simplicity of the gospel. That is the preaching, the kerygma, to those who are not yet in Christ. Yet for those who become Christians there yet remains learning the teachings (didache) of the church, our doctrine. Now teaching is an enterprise not accomplished in one paragraph. Actually a lifetime of study would not complete the task; the teachings of the church continue to grow as the world changes and new challenges require new responses.
How is the gospel alive and well in our lives today? How does it affect our world view, our actions, our words? How does it shape our interactions with one another and with those who have yet to claim it? As Leroy put it, “Let us treat others as Jesus Christ has treated us.” That is enough of a challenge for any of us on this good day, this day that God has given us.
Grace, and peace,
Ron
For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, "The one who is righteous will live by faith."
Romans 1:8-17 - NRSV
Last night, Troy and I listened as Leroy Garrett preached this great text. Our brother in Christ reminded us that the gospel is, after all, a very simple and powerful thing. It is a word about God. It is, in sum, three things: the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This, as he reminded us, brings about the threefold response described by our forebears in the Restoration Movement: faith, repentance, and baptism. Our obedience brings us into the blessing of three powerful promises: forgiveness of sin, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and eternal life.
There it is, in one paragraph, the simplicity of the gospel. That is the preaching, the kerygma, to those who are not yet in Christ. Yet for those who become Christians there yet remains learning the teachings (didache) of the church, our doctrine. Now teaching is an enterprise not accomplished in one paragraph. Actually a lifetime of study would not complete the task; the teachings of the church continue to grow as the world changes and new challenges require new responses.
How is the gospel alive and well in our lives today? How does it affect our world view, our actions, our words? How does it shape our interactions with one another and with those who have yet to claim it? As Leroy put it, “Let us treat others as Jesus Christ has treated us.” That is enough of a challenge for any of us on this good day, this day that God has given us.
Grace, and peace,
Ron
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Where there's no smoke, is there still fire?
"By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people." - Exodus 13:21-22 (NIV)
When the Exodus began, God gave his people a tangible vision of his presence (although he chose not to reveal himself as he really is). This continued all the way through the wilderness wanderings and all the way up to Moses' parting from his people:
"Then the LORD appeared at the Tent in a pillar of cloud, and the cloud stood over the entrance to the Tent." - Deuteronomy 31:15-16 (NIV)
This was not a small matter to the Israelites, because centuries later, it still remained a symbol of God's compassion for his people:
"Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. By day the pillar of cloud did not cease to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take." - Nehemiah 9:19-21
What is remarkable to me is that you don't read about the pillar in the story of Joshua. When did the pillar of cloud leave? When God makes his exit, it is frequently a big deal (just look at his exit in Ezekiel 10 or Acts 1). But the scriptures never tell us when the pillar of cloud left. Don't you imagine that God's people had to wonder where God was? Don't you think that their children would be asking about it? I personally think that the pillar may have ceased to appear when the manna and quail stopped. After that, God's providence through the land became the symbol of his continual presence.
I believe that since then God has required incrementally more faith of his people. It was easier for those who had seen the mighty acts of God in the wilderness and the taking of Canaan than it would be for those who came later. The prophets, despite the things that they heard and saw looked forward to the things that would happen in the time of the Messiah: "For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it" Luke 10.24 (NIV). And finally, Jesus made it clear that "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" John 20:29 (NIV).
Yet, at the same time, God has given his written word as evidence and the Spirit as a Comforter to allow us to maintain a faith that glorify him as surely (if not as largely) as Joshua's did. God grant us a childlike faith in his presence: simple, loving, and dependent.
Grace and peace,
Ron
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