Another prayer from Leaving Ruin:
Poor in Spirit confuses us, and your Son is raking our imaginations with his greatness, and if I see your face I will die, and I must see your face or I will die. Come to us, Lord, gently, and teach, and set us right, and shield us from looking too hard into the core of sin that is too, too much to bear, perhaps even for a God.
Who are the poor in spirit? And how are they blessed? If we understand this Jesus on the mountain, there is a terrible comfort for us, or is it a comforting terror, because there is mystery here, but let us not hide from its simplicity. Reduce us, Lord, let us be as those who do not sow or reap, but who know you will sustain, support, and save.
If I come to the mountain to sit at his feet, let me listen. Strip distraction, and help me hold each thought, each word, each wisdom as tightly as light holds the day, though my breakfast was not what I wanted, and I hate the grime under my fingernails. I long for the blessing of Jesus, but, too often, I’d rather have what I’d rather have.
I am not poor in spirit, but I long to be. Forgive, and make again.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen
What would life look like if we were to let God handle it, all of it?
What would our schedules look like if we truly trusted God to provide?
The Beatitudes are beautiful in their simplicity and complexity. To read them in such a way as to hear the Messiah speaking them to you is deep and lovely and the climate for change on every level. Let’s listen to Him (from the ERV:
Great blessings belong to those who know they are spiritually in need.
God’s kingdom belongs to them.
Great blessings belong to those who are sad now.
God will comfort them.
Great blessings belong to those who are humble.
They will be given the land God promised.
Great blessings belong to those who want to do right
more than anything else. God will fully satisfy them.
Great blessings belong to those who show mercy to others.
Mercy will be given to them.
Great blessings belong o those whose thoughts are pure.
They will be with God.
Great blessings belong to those who work to bring peace.
God will call them his sons and daughters.
Great blessings belong to those who suffer persecution
for doing what is right. God’s kingdom belongs to them.
This list contains aspects of life that happen to a person and some that one chooses. However, the blessing comes in what one does with what happens. I pray you have the courage in the Kingdom to be humble, do right, work to bring peace, etc. May we encourage each other as we do these ourselves.
Blessings,
Shiann
Showing posts with label sin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sin. Show all posts
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
He continues forever ...
Hear the word of the Lord:
Hebrews 7:23-28
Furthermore, the former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office; but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.
Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself.
For the law appoints as high priests those who are subject to weakness, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.
Hebrews 7:23-28
Furthermore, the former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office; but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.
Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself.
For the law appoints as high priests those who are subject to weakness, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
But there is forgiveness ...
Hear the word of the Lord:
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD.
Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!
If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered.
Only God can know the depths of our heart,
the burdens that crush us,
the fears that weaken us,
the mistakes that haunt us.
Only God can really hear this mess that is my message,
yet this holy listener knows my unholiness,
somehow knowing and forgiving and making
holy that which cannot be holy on its own.
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
than those who watch for the morning.
Does he make me wait because he is God
and I am not?
Does he make we wait so that I will understand
that he is not some sort of cosmic clean-up crew
just waiting for me to ring the bell?
Or does the waiting allow me time to contemplate
the ugliness, even horror, of what I have done?
Perhaps the waiting is for me to wake up to
the steadfast nature of his love, the ready power of
his saving arm, so different from my feeble efforts
and easily frustrated love for others.
O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Surely, as difficult as it is for us to imagine,
our God loves us, forgives us, and delivers us
from our hammer-heads, our hard-hearts,
our razor tongues, our careless lips,
our wayward feet, our itching ears,
our insatiable stomachs, and our idle hands.
Through his Spirit, he transforms each one of these
troubled members into an instrument of praise.
Thank God that he is God, and that he loves us.
Blessings,
Ron
Psalm 130
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD.
Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!
If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered.
Only God can know the depths of our heart,
the burdens that crush us,
the fears that weaken us,
the mistakes that haunt us.
Only God can really hear this mess that is my message,
yet this holy listener knows my unholiness,
somehow knowing and forgiving and making
holy that which cannot be holy on its own.
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
than those who watch for the morning.
Does he make me wait because he is God
and I am not?
Does he make we wait so that I will understand
that he is not some sort of cosmic clean-up crew
just waiting for me to ring the bell?
Or does the waiting allow me time to contemplate
the ugliness, even horror, of what I have done?
Perhaps the waiting is for me to wake up to
the steadfast nature of his love, the ready power of
his saving arm, so different from my feeble efforts
and easily frustrated love for others.
O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Surely, as difficult as it is for us to imagine,
our God loves us, forgives us, and delivers us
from our hammer-heads, our hard-hearts,
our razor tongues, our careless lips,
our wayward feet, our itching ears,
our insatiable stomachs, and our idle hands.
Through his Spirit, he transforms each one of these
troubled members into an instrument of praise.
Thank God that he is God, and that he loves us.
Blessings,
Ron
Psalm 130
Monday, August 3, 2009
The complexity of our humanity ...
We return this week to texts from the lectionary.
First, a prayer:
O God,
sustain us in the complexity of our humanity
as you sustained David--
playing the harp of youth,
throwing stones at giant problems,
loving our friends beyond wisdom,
dancing worship,
mourning children,
breaking our hearts in psalms, and
longing for warmth in our old bones. Amen.
- The Vanderbilt Lectionary Project
Hear the word of the Lord:
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
and blameless when you pass judgment.
Indeed, I was born guilty,
a sinner when my mother conceived me.
You desire truth in the inward being;
therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.
- Psalm 51:1-12
These words lead us to remember the words of John:
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins,
he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say that we have not sinned,
we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
My little children,
I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.
But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous;
and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins,
and not for ours only
but also for the sins of the whole world.
- 1 John 1:8-2:2 – NRSV
This prayer, this psalm, and this scripture
Remind us of the complexity of our relationship with God.
That’s why I ask us to remember the prayer: “O God,
sustain us in the complexity of our humanity
as you sustained David” — it may serve us well
in our relationship with God this week.
Blessings,
Ron
First, a prayer:
O God,
sustain us in the complexity of our humanity
as you sustained David--
playing the harp of youth,
throwing stones at giant problems,
loving our friends beyond wisdom,
dancing worship,
mourning children,
breaking our hearts in psalms, and
longing for warmth in our old bones. Amen.
- The Vanderbilt Lectionary Project
Hear the word of the Lord:
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
and blameless when you pass judgment.
Indeed, I was born guilty,
a sinner when my mother conceived me.
You desire truth in the inward being;
therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.
- Psalm 51:1-12
These words lead us to remember the words of John:
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins,
he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say that we have not sinned,
we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
My little children,
I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.
But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous;
and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins,
and not for ours only
but also for the sins of the whole world.
- 1 John 1:8-2:2 – NRSV
This prayer, this psalm, and this scripture
Remind us of the complexity of our relationship with God.
That’s why I ask us to remember the prayer: “O God,
sustain us in the complexity of our humanity
as you sustained David” — it may serve us well
in our relationship with God this week.
Blessings,
Ron
Monday, July 27, 2009
The nature of tragedy ...
As has been our habit over the last couple of months,
We continue to look at texts from the lectionary
For each week.
Hear the word of the Lord:
Fools say in their hearts, "There is no God."
They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
there is no one who does good.
The Lord looks down from heaven on humankind
to see if there are any who are wise,
who seek after God.
They have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse;
there is no one who does good,
no, not one.
Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers
who eat up my people as they eat bread,
and do not call upon the Lord?
There they shall be in great terror,
for God is with the company of the righteous.
You would confound the plans of the poor,
but the Lord is their refuge.
O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!
When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,
Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.
Some have said, “Sin is no tragedy.”
Yet, is that true?
From the perspective of the psalmist, sin is tragedy.
“Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers?”
Their foolishness causes grief in the lives of others,
grief for which these others didn’t ask,
grief for which they did no wrong. Is that not tragedy?
Their foolishness brings upon them “great terror”
which comes from the consequences of their sin.
terror that comes from being separated from others,
from any community, separated from God himself.
Can terror ever be far from tragedy?
From the perspective of God, sin is tragedy.
The Lord looks down from heaven, seeking the wise,
seeking the righteous souls with love and purpose
in their lives. Yet all have gone astray,
all have eventually chosen drama and tragedy
for their lives at some point in time.
If it grieves God, is sin not tragedy?
Yes, the future can be different.
If, by the grace of God we accept his grace
and allow him to change our story, he will
change tragedy into history, which puts our
grief behind us in history and connects our
lives with the everlasting story of God.
Or the tragedy can be made permanent
by our refusal to let go of the drama.
Don’t tell me that sin is no big deal,
don’t tell me that sin is no tragedy.
If it grieves my sister or brother,
if it grieves my God,
That is tragedy.
Blessings,
Ron
Psalm 14 – NRSV
We continue to look at texts from the lectionary
For each week.
Hear the word of the Lord:
Fools say in their hearts, "There is no God."
They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
there is no one who does good.
The Lord looks down from heaven on humankind
to see if there are any who are wise,
who seek after God.
They have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse;
there is no one who does good,
no, not one.
Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers
who eat up my people as they eat bread,
and do not call upon the Lord?
There they shall be in great terror,
for God is with the company of the righteous.
You would confound the plans of the poor,
but the Lord is their refuge.
O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!
When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,
Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.
Some have said, “Sin is no tragedy.”
Yet, is that true?
From the perspective of the psalmist, sin is tragedy.
“Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers?”
Their foolishness causes grief in the lives of others,
grief for which these others didn’t ask,
grief for which they did no wrong. Is that not tragedy?
Their foolishness brings upon them “great terror”
which comes from the consequences of their sin.
terror that comes from being separated from others,
from any community, separated from God himself.
Can terror ever be far from tragedy?
From the perspective of God, sin is tragedy.
The Lord looks down from heaven, seeking the wise,
seeking the righteous souls with love and purpose
in their lives. Yet all have gone astray,
all have eventually chosen drama and tragedy
for their lives at some point in time.
If it grieves God, is sin not tragedy?
Yes, the future can be different.
If, by the grace of God we accept his grace
and allow him to change our story, he will
change tragedy into history, which puts our
grief behind us in history and connects our
lives with the everlasting story of God.
Or the tragedy can be made permanent
by our refusal to let go of the drama.
Don’t tell me that sin is no big deal,
don’t tell me that sin is no tragedy.
If it grieves my sister or brother,
if it grieves my God,
That is tragedy.
Blessings,
Ron
Psalm 14 – NRSV
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Who could stand?
Hear the word of the Lord:
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications!
To be down in the depths is to be in over your head,
Buried in things to do, responsibilities to cover,
Jobs that get missed, commitments that fall short.
Anyone with any sense would cry out to God;
plead with him for help,
pray for his undivided attention.
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you,
so that you may be revered.
If God really were a cosmic traffic cop,
there would be so many warrants for our arrest
that Dillinger would blush for looking the amateur.
If God were the kind of judge some of my brethren
expect to meet “on the day”, then I would advise
that they go stock up on barbecue sauce, because
they’ll be on the rotisserie soon enough. Yet,
Somehow God knows of our iniquities, and
We’re still standing as if nothing happened.
Something significant has happened, though;
God has been true to his real identity:
He cleans up messes that Hercules wouldn’t touch.
He is helper of the certifiably helpless.
He is the redeemer of those who have indebted
themselves into a slick pit of slavery.
He is the savior of lost people in lost causes,
and the praise of our lips, our lives,
is all that we can hope to offer him.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.
That is not to say that this Holy One, this Other,
will jump to our whim, our whistle, or our whining.
Sometimes he seems even to miss when we’re
really in need, really victims, really righteous.
We had best understand that we don’t understand
how he works, or when he works, at all.
We are not told to understand, though,
but to be found faithful, to be found waiting.
Sometimes the wait is long, as long as the night
watch in the hours before dawn: dark, dark,
and dark until a soul is dizzy with the dark.
Yet no matter how dark the dark, or deep the dark,
or long the dark, we must not lose hope.
O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
It is he who will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities.
His steadfast love will save his people;
that is why I want to be found waiting among
his people, today, and in the day.
Blessings,
Ron
Psalm 130 – NRSV
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications!
To be down in the depths is to be in over your head,
Buried in things to do, responsibilities to cover,
Jobs that get missed, commitments that fall short.
Anyone with any sense would cry out to God;
plead with him for help,
pray for his undivided attention.
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you,
so that you may be revered.
If God really were a cosmic traffic cop,
there would be so many warrants for our arrest
that Dillinger would blush for looking the amateur.
If God were the kind of judge some of my brethren
expect to meet “on the day”, then I would advise
that they go stock up on barbecue sauce, because
they’ll be on the rotisserie soon enough. Yet,
Somehow God knows of our iniquities, and
We’re still standing as if nothing happened.
Something significant has happened, though;
God has been true to his real identity:
He cleans up messes that Hercules wouldn’t touch.
He is helper of the certifiably helpless.
He is the redeemer of those who have indebted
themselves into a slick pit of slavery.
He is the savior of lost people in lost causes,
and the praise of our lips, our lives,
is all that we can hope to offer him.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.
That is not to say that this Holy One, this Other,
will jump to our whim, our whistle, or our whining.
Sometimes he seems even to miss when we’re
really in need, really victims, really righteous.
We had best understand that we don’t understand
how he works, or when he works, at all.
We are not told to understand, though,
but to be found faithful, to be found waiting.
Sometimes the wait is long, as long as the night
watch in the hours before dawn: dark, dark,
and dark until a soul is dizzy with the dark.
Yet no matter how dark the dark, or deep the dark,
or long the dark, we must not lose hope.
O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
It is he who will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities.
His steadfast love will save his people;
that is why I want to be found waiting among
his people, today, and in the day.
Blessings,
Ron
Psalm 130 – NRSV
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Because of what you told us ...
Hear the word of God:
“Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, "He told me everything I ever did!" When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world."
John 4:39-42
This story is such an amazing story of faith-sharing and personal spiritual growth. We have looked at a woman who was living a sinful life. Which one of us does not have this as a part of our resume? We have the meeting of Jesus and the woman, where he totally convicts her of her wrong lifestyle. This is also something that many of us have gone through. We have the woman trying to change the subject because she doesn’t want things to be that personal in her life. Am I hitting a nerve in your life yet? We are the woman. We are the person who has been stuck in the rut for so many years. We feel like we can never be more than what we have always been. Jesus comes along and challenges us to be so much more.
The story becomes even cooler. The woman was so convicted that she couldn’t help but go out and tell everyone she knew. The apostles stand around, clueless as to what is going on as the woman brings back so many from the village. They believed because of what the woman said, but after Jesus had spent some time with them, it says, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves.” They had the faith of the woman in the beginning, but after spending some time with Jesus, they have acquired ownership of their own faith. They spent so much time with Jesus that they couldn’t help but fall in love with him. But it all started with the woman.
As we have gone through this passage, I want you to realize that the story begins with you. We have people that we come in contact with every day who are hurting and need our Savior to come into their lives and make them whole. It begins with you though. I can’t say that enough. What are you doing to grow in your faith? Are your sharing these growth spurts with anyone else? The woman did and look what happened.
Jason
“Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, "He told me everything I ever did!" When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world."
John 4:39-42
This story is such an amazing story of faith-sharing and personal spiritual growth. We have looked at a woman who was living a sinful life. Which one of us does not have this as a part of our resume? We have the meeting of Jesus and the woman, where he totally convicts her of her wrong lifestyle. This is also something that many of us have gone through. We have the woman trying to change the subject because she doesn’t want things to be that personal in her life. Am I hitting a nerve in your life yet? We are the woman. We are the person who has been stuck in the rut for so many years. We feel like we can never be more than what we have always been. Jesus comes along and challenges us to be so much more.
The story becomes even cooler. The woman was so convicted that she couldn’t help but go out and tell everyone she knew. The apostles stand around, clueless as to what is going on as the woman brings back so many from the village. They believed because of what the woman said, but after Jesus had spent some time with them, it says, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves.” They had the faith of the woman in the beginning, but after spending some time with Jesus, they have acquired ownership of their own faith. They spent so much time with Jesus that they couldn’t help but fall in love with him. But it all started with the woman.
As we have gone through this passage, I want you to realize that the story begins with you. We have people that we come in contact with every day who are hurting and need our Savior to come into their lives and make them whole. It begins with you though. I can’t say that enough. What are you doing to grow in your faith? Are your sharing these growth spurts with anyone else? The woman did and look what happened.
Jason
Sunday, March 1, 2009
I'm sorry ...
God, be merciful to me because you are loving. Because you are always ready to be merciful, wipe out all my wrongs. Wash away all my guilt and make me clean again. I know about my wrongs, and I can't forget my sin. You are the only one I have sinned against; I have done what you say is wrong. You are right when you speak and fair when you judge. I was brought into this world in sin. In sin my mother gave birth to me.You want me to be completely truthful, so teach me wisdom.
Take away my sin, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Make me hear sounds of joy and gladness; let the bones you crushed be happy again. Turn your face from my sins and wipe out all my guilt. Create in me a pure heart, God, and make my spirit right again. Do not send me away from you or take your Holy Spirit away from me. Give me back the joy of your salvation. Keep me strong by giving me a willing spirit. Then I will teach your ways to those who do wrong, and sinners will turn back to you. God, save me from the guilt of murder, God of my salvation, and I will sing about your goodness. Lord, let me speak so I may praise you. You are not pleased by sacrifices, or I would give them. You don't want burnt offerings. The sacrifice God wants is a broken spirit. God, you will not reject a heart that is broken and sorry for sin.
Psalm 51:1-17
New Century Version
Jason
Take away my sin, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Make me hear sounds of joy and gladness; let the bones you crushed be happy again. Turn your face from my sins and wipe out all my guilt. Create in me a pure heart, God, and make my spirit right again. Do not send me away from you or take your Holy Spirit away from me. Give me back the joy of your salvation. Keep me strong by giving me a willing spirit. Then I will teach your ways to those who do wrong, and sinners will turn back to you. God, save me from the guilt of murder, God of my salvation, and I will sing about your goodness. Lord, let me speak so I may praise you. You are not pleased by sacrifices, or I would give them. You don't want burnt offerings. The sacrifice God wants is a broken spirit. God, you will not reject a heart that is broken and sorry for sin.
Psalm 51:1-17
New Century Version
Jason
Friday, July 11, 2008
Restoration at homecoming
Greg sends these devotional thoughts for today:
The joy of restoration may show up in our loves in many different ways. We may be restored to health, our relationship with another person may be restored, or we may be restored into communion with God. Knowing God as our restorer, as the one who sets things right in our lives, reveals this joy to us. Hear a psalm about the restoration of homecoming:
It seemed like a dream, too good to be true,
when God returned Zion's exiles.
We laughed, we sang,
we couldn't believe our good fortune.
We were the talk of nations -
"GOD was wonderful to them!"
GOD was wonderful to us;
we are one happy people.
And now, GOD do it again -
bring rains to our drought-stricken lives
so those who planted their crops in despair
will shout hurrahs at the harvest,
So those who went off with heavy hearts
will come home laughing, with armloads of blessing.
- Psalm 126, The Message
What about God's restoration of our lives, giving us fresh starts? We often miss the joy, and opportunity to praise God, for the second chances we are afforded.
Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went into the temple courts, walking, and jumping, and praising God.
- Acts 3:6-8 (italics added)
Yesterday we contemplated the joy that accompanies God's forgiveness of our sins and transformation of our hearts. We noted that this transformation erases the distance between us and God, bringing us closer to the joy of Heaven. Today we will focus on the joy we find in the process of restoration by which the gap between God and us is bridged.
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace,
according to thy word;
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
which thou hast prepared before the face of all people,
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles,
and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
- The Song of Simeon
Simeon speaks these words in Scripture when he sees Jesus for the first time (as a baby). Simeon has such joy because he has seen God's restoration of all mankind to Himself, saying "my eyes have seen your salvation".
God's restoration is good news, joyful news, because it signifies that things have been set right. Disability, disease, captivity, broken relationships, and sin may threaten to overwhelm us, but God will restore us. We may walk through the valley now for a time, but we will be restored to God, and thus completely restored when we pass from this world to the next. None of these factors has the last word on our lives, because God is a fixer, someone who makes things whole again. We cannot ruin our lives forever, because God will take us back, and will restore us if we depend on him whole-heartedly.
In fact, the joy of restoration is, at is heart, the joy of being made whole. God makes us whole again by healing relationships, mending broken hearts, saving from sin. He brings us back to what we originally were - what we were intended to be. This is causing for rejoicing!
May you know the joy of healing and of restoration today.
The joy of restoration may show up in our loves in many different ways. We may be restored to health, our relationship with another person may be restored, or we may be restored into communion with God. Knowing God as our restorer, as the one who sets things right in our lives, reveals this joy to us. Hear a psalm about the restoration of homecoming:
It seemed like a dream, too good to be true,
when God returned Zion's exiles.
We laughed, we sang,
we couldn't believe our good fortune.
We were the talk of nations -
"GOD was wonderful to them!"
GOD was wonderful to us;
we are one happy people.
And now, GOD do it again -
bring rains to our drought-stricken lives
so those who planted their crops in despair
will shout hurrahs at the harvest,
So those who went off with heavy hearts
will come home laughing, with armloads of blessing.
- Psalm 126, The Message
What about God's restoration of our lives, giving us fresh starts? We often miss the joy, and opportunity to praise God, for the second chances we are afforded.
Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went into the temple courts, walking, and jumping, and praising God.
- Acts 3:6-8 (italics added)
Yesterday we contemplated the joy that accompanies God's forgiveness of our sins and transformation of our hearts. We noted that this transformation erases the distance between us and God, bringing us closer to the joy of Heaven. Today we will focus on the joy we find in the process of restoration by which the gap between God and us is bridged.
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace,
according to thy word;
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
which thou hast prepared before the face of all people,
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles,
and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
- The Song of Simeon
Simeon speaks these words in Scripture when he sees Jesus for the first time (as a baby). Simeon has such joy because he has seen God's restoration of all mankind to Himself, saying "my eyes have seen your salvation".
God's restoration is good news, joyful news, because it signifies that things have been set right. Disability, disease, captivity, broken relationships, and sin may threaten to overwhelm us, but God will restore us. We may walk through the valley now for a time, but we will be restored to God, and thus completely restored when we pass from this world to the next. None of these factors has the last word on our lives, because God is a fixer, someone who makes things whole again. We cannot ruin our lives forever, because God will take us back, and will restore us if we depend on him whole-heartedly.
In fact, the joy of restoration is, at is heart, the joy of being made whole. God makes us whole again by healing relationships, mending broken hearts, saving from sin. He brings us back to what we originally were - what we were intended to be. This is causing for rejoicing!
May you know the joy of healing and of restoration today.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
The joy of forgiveness
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me
- Psalm 51:7-12
One of the deepest sources of joy in this life is God's forgiveness, and the work that He does in our hearts to purify us. This joy is unquenchable, insatiable, all-consuming. We experience joy and thankfulness because God's transformation of our souls changes us. It permeates us completely, down to the very fabric of who we are. Our identity becomes one of joy and gratitude to Him who makes us pure, clean, and holy.
Lord and Source of All Gifts,
we rejoice in the fullness of your holy generosity.
We thank you especially now
for the gift of change,
the gift of newness
that opens doors closed by habit and routine.
...
We thank you, O End of all Longing,
for the capacity for change in our lives
for without change
there can be no real growth
and no true life.
- excerpt from Edward Hays
God's process of remaking us into new people is a fountain of joy and hope. This transformation brings us into a closer relationship with Christ, which brings us nearer to the greatest joy of all: dancing in the presence of our Father for eternity in Heaven.
There's nowhere else that I'd rather be
than dancing with you as you sing over me
There's nothing else that I'd rather do,
Lord, than to worship you
- song of worship
What joy is evident in these words! Having cleansed us and made us pure, God welcomes us to His home, where we find our ultimate fulfillment. There is nothing else I'd rather do ... Just think on that.
Thank you Lord
for shaping and molding us
for refining us by fire
into what you made us to be
Thank you for washing us
with your blood
in order to renew our hearts
so that we may spend eternity with you
knowing joy without end
We rejoice because you have saved us
We sing for joy because you have rescued us out of our pit
We shout jubilantly in thanks for your awesome works
Thank you for changing us, O Lord,
Our Rock and our Redeemer
Smile and be glad today, because you are not who you once were. God has purified our hearts, so that He could wrap us in His arms forever. May you have joy in the knowledge that God has remade you!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Confession and renewal
Today’s thoughts from Greg:
- 1 John 1:8-9
Confession of our guilt makes space for God to operate in our lives. God will act faithfully according to His covenant love, which He sealed with Jesus' blood, if we will only confess our sin and offer our hearts up to Him. What work does this confession make room for God to do? The work of renewal.
Repentance is the restoration of baptism. It is a covenant made with God for a second life. Repentance is the purchasing of humility. Repentance is always distrustful of bodily enchantment. It is self-critical reasoning and solicitude for ones' carelessness. Repentance is the daughter of hope and the denial of hopelessness. Repentance is being guilty but not put to shame. Repentance is reconciliation with the Lord through the performance of good works that are the opposite of one’s faults. Repentance is the purification of conscience.- John Climacus, Ladder of Paradise 5
Confession leads to repentance, the commitment live differently than we have before. When our repentance meets God's promise of grace and mercy, new life happens. This transformation, the renewal of our souls, is the essence of salvation; having been drawn to God, this renewal of our inner being makes us more like God, and less like the sinful nature we have identified and repented of. Confession and restoration are two sides of the same coin. Hear a prayer of confession and rebirth by Kenneth Slack:
God of mercy and forgiveness, For the times when our love of indulgence and ease have weakened our hold on spiritual things; pardon us.
For when we have not held our bodies in subjection, and have forgotten that they were meant to be temples of your Holy Spirit; pardon us.
For the times we have failed those who have trusted us,and have been concerned with ourselves when they needed our concern; pardon us.
For the times when we have failed in courage, when we have failed to take a stand for righteousness, when we have come to terms with evil in our own lives; pardon us.
And make us new, in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Let us kneel before God's throne, so that we may be forgiven and transformed according to God's image. May God's Spirit be with you today, and always.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Wickedness and holiness
This week, Greg Steele has prepared our devotional thoughts.
I wish now to review in memory my past wickedness and the carnal corruptions of my soul--not because I still love them, but that I may love thee, O my God. For love of thy love I do this, recalling in the bitterness of self-examination my wicked ways, that thou mayest grow sweet to me, thou sweetness without deception! Thou sweetness happy and assured! Thus thou mayest gather me up out of those fragments in which I was torn to pieces, while I turned away from thee, O Unity, and lost myself among "the many."
- Augustine, Confessions
Guilt, and the confession which it brings forth, are means by which we come to understand God's commitment to us in the context of our sin. Admitting and examining our own iniquity points us directly to God's long-suffering love, which welcomes us back in spite of our wrong-doing.
Now therefore, O our God, the great, mighty, and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes - the hardship that has come upon us, upon our kings and leaders, upon our priests and prophets, upon our fathers and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today. In all that has happened to us, you have been just; you have acted faithfully, while we did wrong.
- Nehemiah 9:32-33
Confession, the admission of guilt, draws us to God. Recognizing our stains pulls us toward the only one who can wash them. Rather than trying to avoid or downplay our guilt, we identify it and call out to God to rectify it. Being drawn to God, we depend on the faithfulness of His commitment to us. We have done wrong, but His word still stands.
Guilt is not something to be afraid, but rather an integral part of the transformative process of salvation. Guilt, articulated in confession, recognizes who God is and who we are in relation. Confessing the sin that separates us draws us closer to our Savior, and enables us to become more like Him.
Lord, we have sinned, and betrayed you
We have wandered from you, but you have never left us
Forgive us, Lord
We have dug our own graves, apart from you
But please remember your covenant of forgiveness and of love
Do not leave us to our mistakes
Rather, please rescue us, that we may know your love
Your love, which is greater than all our mistakes Amen
Let us be drawn to God even in our struggles, that we may also participate in His holiness. May Christ move you today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)