Today’s readings: Ps 55, Josh 23:1-16; Rom 15:25-33; Matt 27:11-23
To date we haven’t focused on any evening readings for our devotionals, but Psalm 139 is one of the most beloved and beautiful, so today we make an exception. The theme of this psalm – that God knows us intimately and in all ways – is both comforting and humbling. What might it mean to us to take this idea seriously?
Too often the concept of an all-knowing God has been used to control or shame people. The psalmist, though, finds great comfort in the idea that God has been and always will be with him, from conception through death. The implication of this presence is that God cares for each of us. As God’s carefully wrought creations, “fearfully and wonderfully made,” (v. 14) we are each of us the most precious works of art in the world. Artists frequently compare their own creations to children; how could we be less to God? Good parents are not judgmental or threatening, not waiting to strike down children who make mistakes. Good parents guide and challenge their children to be their best selves. Jesus assures us God is like a good parent, when he says things like no father, when his child asks for a fish, would hand him a snake (Matt 7:10, Luke 11:11).
If we stay aware of God’s presence in our lives, even when we don’t necessarily “feel” it, we are better able to rise to the challenge of being our best selves. While we don’t want to reduce God to the role of supportive buddy or life coach, we can consider God’s presence as we devise plans, make decisions and take actions. Before we act, reflecting on how God might view our actions can help us transcend our fleeting thoughts and feelings. Such reflection might trigger our conscience, or even guilt, but these can be signposts pointing us to the proper – if difficult – path. Exercising self control is not the same as being shamed by someone else. God’s presence is not a fist knocking us down, but a hand lifting us up.
Psalm 139 provides beautiful images of the relationship God intends to have with us: guide, artist, parent, creator. Jesus used similar metaphors to describe our relationship to God so we might understand the powerful and simultaneously loving nature of God. God’s thoughts are beyond the psalmist’s and our comprehension, yet God still offers an intimate relationship whether we are living in the light or the darkness.
Comfort: God has always and will always know us like no one else.
Challenge: Read Psalm 139:1-18 aloud before going to bed tonight.
Prayer: God of all Creation, thank you for your constant presence.
Evening reading: Ps 138, 139
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Foregoing Forgiving
Today’s readings: Ps 40, 54; Josh 9:22-10:15; Rom 15:14-24; Matt 27:1-10
“[W]oe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.” (Matt 26:24).At the last supper Jesus spoke these words, clearly in reference to the impending betrayal by Judas. When we hear someone say, “So-and-so will wish he’d never been born!” we can generally assume it accompanies a desire for revenge. Should we make the same assumption in this case? If we do, we are declaring Judas as the one person Jesus would refuse to forgive. As our ultimate example of compassion and mercy, does it seem more likely that Jesus’ words were about vengeance, or about profound sadness for his friend’s fate?
Other than the betrayal itself, perhaps Judas’ biggest mistake was asking for forgiveness from no one but the very religious leaders who set him on his wicked purpose. Not knowing Jesus would rise again in three days, he saw no opportunity to ask Jesus directly. Despite his repentance, Judas accepted the idea he was beyond redemption, and his path to suicide was set. In the most immediate possible sense, he was unable to know the forgiveness of Christ.
Knowing the character of Jesus as revealed in the Gospels, how do we imagine he would have responded if Judas had lived long enough to ask forgiveness of him? We’ll never know, because Judas settled for the verdict of the chief priests. There’s a valuable lesson for us in this tragic decision. Sometimes when we do terrible things, our guilt wants us to believe we have committed the one unforgivable sin in all the world. We accept the verdict of our own religious leaders, or of family members, or of our own hearts. We decide we are beyond redemption, and force ourselves onto a path that validates that decision. We believe we are not worthy to even ask for forgiveness. We go through the motions of church and life and love, all the while feeling nothing but filthy and hollow. But what if we did dare to ask Christ to forgive us? More unthinkable yet, what if he forgave us? Then we might have no choice but to forgive ourselves.
What an overblown opinion we would have of ourselves to say to Christ, “My sin is greater than your love and mercy.” We should never refuse to accept Christ’s forgiveness because we are unwilling to forgive ourselves. Sometimes the only thing really standing between Christ and us… is us.
Comfort: It is never too late to experience God’s forgiveness.
Challenge: On one side of a sheet of paper, write down things you have trouble forgiving yourself for. On the other side write “God forgives me.” Burn the paper while offering a prayer of thanks.
Prayer: God of all Creation, thank you for your endless mercy.
Evening reading: Ps 51
“[W]oe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.” (Matt 26:24).At the last supper Jesus spoke these words, clearly in reference to the impending betrayal by Judas. When we hear someone say, “So-and-so will wish he’d never been born!” we can generally assume it accompanies a desire for revenge. Should we make the same assumption in this case? If we do, we are declaring Judas as the one person Jesus would refuse to forgive. As our ultimate example of compassion and mercy, does it seem more likely that Jesus’ words were about vengeance, or about profound sadness for his friend’s fate?
Other than the betrayal itself, perhaps Judas’ biggest mistake was asking for forgiveness from no one but the very religious leaders who set him on his wicked purpose. Not knowing Jesus would rise again in three days, he saw no opportunity to ask Jesus directly. Despite his repentance, Judas accepted the idea he was beyond redemption, and his path to suicide was set. In the most immediate possible sense, he was unable to know the forgiveness of Christ.
Knowing the character of Jesus as revealed in the Gospels, how do we imagine he would have responded if Judas had lived long enough to ask forgiveness of him? We’ll never know, because Judas settled for the verdict of the chief priests. There’s a valuable lesson for us in this tragic decision. Sometimes when we do terrible things, our guilt wants us to believe we have committed the one unforgivable sin in all the world. We accept the verdict of our own religious leaders, or of family members, or of our own hearts. We decide we are beyond redemption, and force ourselves onto a path that validates that decision. We believe we are not worthy to even ask for forgiveness. We go through the motions of church and life and love, all the while feeling nothing but filthy and hollow. But what if we did dare to ask Christ to forgive us? More unthinkable yet, what if he forgave us? Then we might have no choice but to forgive ourselves.
What an overblown opinion we would have of ourselves to say to Christ, “My sin is greater than your love and mercy.” We should never refuse to accept Christ’s forgiveness because we are unwilling to forgive ourselves. Sometimes the only thing really standing between Christ and us… is us.
Comfort: It is never too late to experience God’s forgiveness.
Challenge: On one side of a sheet of paper, write down things you have trouble forgiving yourself for. On the other side write “God forgives me.” Burn the paper while offering a prayer of thanks.
Prayer: God of all Creation, thank you for your endless mercy.
Evening reading: Ps 51
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Extrapolation
Today’s readings: Ps 119:49-72; Josh 8:30-35; Rom 14:13-23; Matt 26:57-68
“Let us therefore no longer pass judgment on one another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of another.” (Rom 14:13).
Yesterday we began to read Paul’s response to Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome regarding dietary laws. In simplest terms, he says: 1) Gentiles saved by faith are not bound by the laws, but Jews who abstain from meat and wine to honor the Lord can continue to abstain, and 2) neither group should judge the other. Today, we read his conclusion. He instructs the Gentiles not to cause the Jews to stumble, for if they believe they are committing a sin and dishonoring the Lord, they are doing just that. All parties should act in a spirit of love.
How far should we take this line of thought? Yesterday I mentioned my own congregation’s decision to use juice rather than wine at communion so the many people in our congregation who are in recovery might fully participate. When I mentioned this once in a discussion, someone responded it wasn’t our job to keep people away from their temptations. Though his tone didn’t lead me to believe he was interested in exploring this topic further, I thought he raised a point worth considering.
In light of today’s reading from Paul, was the congregation’s decision justified? (For Catholics the whole point may be moot, but I invite you at least to consider this as a philosophical exercise.) Is a table trying to accommodate everyone who follows Christ removing a stumbling block, or engaging in politically correct coddling? Is an insistence on actual wine a matter of faith or of culture? My own opinion is probably obvious, but your mileage may vary.
Many of Paul’s writings are answers to specific questions, but we can extrapolate them to other situations because he so eloquently describes his underlying principles. As his answer about food is about “peace and mutual upbuilding” (v. 19) more than diet, his other writings usually address more than the simple question. Because his answers are based on principles rather than situations, is it possible the specific applications of the principles may look different across cultures and times? Consider how we show love to the children in our lives: some require leeway, and some require strict guidance. Either method may be correct depending on the needs of the child. Let us be prayerful and thoughtful as we apply the principle of love in our own lives.
Comfort: No one can judge us but our merciful God.
Challenge: Find a flat rock. Write “stepping stone” on one side and “stumbling block” on the other. Meditate on it when you have to make tough decisions.
Prayer: God of all Creation, help me be a stepping stone, not a stumbling block.
Evening reading: Ps 49, 53
“Let us therefore no longer pass judgment on one another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of another.” (Rom 14:13).
Yesterday we began to read Paul’s response to Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome regarding dietary laws. In simplest terms, he says: 1) Gentiles saved by faith are not bound by the laws, but Jews who abstain from meat and wine to honor the Lord can continue to abstain, and 2) neither group should judge the other. Today, we read his conclusion. He instructs the Gentiles not to cause the Jews to stumble, for if they believe they are committing a sin and dishonoring the Lord, they are doing just that. All parties should act in a spirit of love.
How far should we take this line of thought? Yesterday I mentioned my own congregation’s decision to use juice rather than wine at communion so the many people in our congregation who are in recovery might fully participate. When I mentioned this once in a discussion, someone responded it wasn’t our job to keep people away from their temptations. Though his tone didn’t lead me to believe he was interested in exploring this topic further, I thought he raised a point worth considering.
In light of today’s reading from Paul, was the congregation’s decision justified? (For Catholics the whole point may be moot, but I invite you at least to consider this as a philosophical exercise.) Is a table trying to accommodate everyone who follows Christ removing a stumbling block, or engaging in politically correct coddling? Is an insistence on actual wine a matter of faith or of culture? My own opinion is probably obvious, but your mileage may vary.
Many of Paul’s writings are answers to specific questions, but we can extrapolate them to other situations because he so eloquently describes his underlying principles. As his answer about food is about “peace and mutual upbuilding” (v. 19) more than diet, his other writings usually address more than the simple question. Because his answers are based on principles rather than situations, is it possible the specific applications of the principles may look different across cultures and times? Consider how we show love to the children in our lives: some require leeway, and some require strict guidance. Either method may be correct depending on the needs of the child. Let us be prayerful and thoughtful as we apply the principle of love in our own lives.
Comfort: No one can judge us but our merciful God.
Challenge: Find a flat rock. Write “stepping stone” on one side and “stumbling block” on the other. Meditate on it when you have to make tough decisions.
Prayer: God of all Creation, help me be a stepping stone, not a stumbling block.
Evening reading: Ps 49, 53
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Observing the Day
Today’s readings: Ps 45; Josh 8:1-22; Rom 14:1-12; Matt 26:36-46
Today’s reading from Paul addresses a specific issue in a specific community, but his response to that issue provides a basis for building Christian unity. For several years Jewish Christians were forced to live outside of Rome. During that time, Gentiles became the dominant influence on Christian culture. Unlike the Jews, Gentiles had no specific dietary laws and as a people living under grace saw no need for them. Many Jews, on the other hand, still followed their traditions and heritage. This lack of unified practice caused much friction between the two communities.
Paul counseled the two groups not to judge each other, because those who abstained from meat believed they were doing so in service to the Lord, and those who ate meat gave thanks so they were also serving the Lord. Consistent with his earlier claims that in Christ all are equal (Rom 10:12), he affirms that judging one another on the basis of anything other than faith in Christ is unacceptable. As long as “[t]hose who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord” (v. 6a), that day is acceptable.
All manner of similarly divisive issues plague us today. Do we serve wine or juice with the communion meal? What positions in the church may be held by women? Can a divorced person be a minister or even an elder? These and other questions keep whole segments of Christians from truly accepting each other. While each of us must make our own decisions, we are clearly not to judge one another about decisions made in good faith and conscience. Without serious contemplation, it can be difficult to discern how much we have mingled faith with culture, and we can mistakenly assume our own cultural practices are faith- or even biblically-based. We also should not pre-suppose the motives of others. For example, I have heard criticisms that my congregation uses juice instead of wine. The assumption was that we have a legalistic prohibition against alcohol; the truth is we have become a haven for many people in recovery. After prayerfully considering several solutions, our congregation elected to serve only juice. This does not mean we negatively view Catholic services that offer wine.
Judging others never makes us better Christians, and it never makes anyone else a better Christian either. A skilled diplomat like Paul struggled constantly to unify the Jewish and Gentile Christians. Let us honor his efforts and achievements by reaching for that same unity today.
Comfort: “Whether we live or whether we die we are the Lord’s” (Rom 14:8)
Challenge: Make plans to attend a worship service of a denomination other than your own.
Prayer: God of all Creation, unite all Christians as one body.
Evening reading: Ps 47, 48
Today’s reading from Paul addresses a specific issue in a specific community, but his response to that issue provides a basis for building Christian unity. For several years Jewish Christians were forced to live outside of Rome. During that time, Gentiles became the dominant influence on Christian culture. Unlike the Jews, Gentiles had no specific dietary laws and as a people living under grace saw no need for them. Many Jews, on the other hand, still followed their traditions and heritage. This lack of unified practice caused much friction between the two communities.
Paul counseled the two groups not to judge each other, because those who abstained from meat believed they were doing so in service to the Lord, and those who ate meat gave thanks so they were also serving the Lord. Consistent with his earlier claims that in Christ all are equal (Rom 10:12), he affirms that judging one another on the basis of anything other than faith in Christ is unacceptable. As long as “[t]hose who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord” (v. 6a), that day is acceptable.
All manner of similarly divisive issues plague us today. Do we serve wine or juice with the communion meal? What positions in the church may be held by women? Can a divorced person be a minister or even an elder? These and other questions keep whole segments of Christians from truly accepting each other. While each of us must make our own decisions, we are clearly not to judge one another about decisions made in good faith and conscience. Without serious contemplation, it can be difficult to discern how much we have mingled faith with culture, and we can mistakenly assume our own cultural practices are faith- or even biblically-based. We also should not pre-suppose the motives of others. For example, I have heard criticisms that my congregation uses juice instead of wine. The assumption was that we have a legalistic prohibition against alcohol; the truth is we have become a haven for many people in recovery. After prayerfully considering several solutions, our congregation elected to serve only juice. This does not mean we negatively view Catholic services that offer wine.
Judging others never makes us better Christians, and it never makes anyone else a better Christian either. A skilled diplomat like Paul struggled constantly to unify the Jewish and Gentile Christians. Let us honor his efforts and achievements by reaching for that same unity today.
Comfort: “Whether we live or whether we die we are the Lord’s” (Rom 14:8)
Challenge: Make plans to attend a worship service of a denomination other than your own.
Prayer: God of all Creation, unite all Christians as one body.
Evening reading: Ps 47, 48
Sunday, July 18, 2010
"Drink from it, all of you"
Today's readings: Psalms 63, 98; Joshua 6:15-27; Acts 22:30-23:11; Mark 2:1-12
[Today we reflect further on Matthew 26:26-35. A blog named Approaching the Table can't ignore the Lord's Supper!]
If you've read the introductory material prior to the the daily devotionals, you know my church has an open communion table, and that table is a central part of my faith practice. The reading from Matthew, for me, solidifies this practice.
Why? Because Jesus knowingly breaks bread with his betrayer. And not just any bread, but the bread of the Passover supper, one of the most sacred Jewish rituals. We all like to be the heroes in our own stories, to believe we are not Judas the betrayer, or even Peter the denier. If we are completely honest, none of us can say with one hundred percent certainty we would have acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah - or that we would recognize him if he returned. To deny this possibility is to deny our flawed humanity, which Jesus accepted.
On Sundays I approach the communion table with many people I love and who love me. That's the easy part. I will also be with some people I don't like and who don't like me; some people I think are wrongheaded and who believe the same of me. That's the important part. Christ instructs his followers not to love only those who love them (Matt 5:46-48). When we pass the peace it isn't meant for greeting our friends - it is an opportunity to set things right when we are angry or quarrelsome (Matt 5:21-24). In Jesus' culture, sharing a table created a bond; this made the revelation of Judas' betrayal at that table all the more poignant. While we are remembering Jesus' sacrifice and drawing closer to God, we are also making a bond with our fellow Christians. This bond does not depend on love the feeling, but on love the action described by Jesus. In the face of betrayal, Jesus acted in love. How can we do less? If Jesus broke bread with Judas, whom could we ask to leave the table?
Comfort: God welcomes each of us to the table.
Challenge: In the coming week, make peace with someone who has wronged you.
Prayer: God of the Known and Unknown, make my table your table.
Evening reading: Psalm 103
[Today we reflect further on Matthew 26:26-35. A blog named Approaching the Table can't ignore the Lord's Supper!]
If you've read the introductory material prior to the the daily devotionals, you know my church has an open communion table, and that table is a central part of my faith practice. The reading from Matthew, for me, solidifies this practice.
Why? Because Jesus knowingly breaks bread with his betrayer. And not just any bread, but the bread of the Passover supper, one of the most sacred Jewish rituals. We all like to be the heroes in our own stories, to believe we are not Judas the betrayer, or even Peter the denier. If we are completely honest, none of us can say with one hundred percent certainty we would have acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah - or that we would recognize him if he returned. To deny this possibility is to deny our flawed humanity, which Jesus accepted.
On Sundays I approach the communion table with many people I love and who love me. That's the easy part. I will also be with some people I don't like and who don't like me; some people I think are wrongheaded and who believe the same of me. That's the important part. Christ instructs his followers not to love only those who love them (Matt 5:46-48). When we pass the peace it isn't meant for greeting our friends - it is an opportunity to set things right when we are angry or quarrelsome (Matt 5:21-24). In Jesus' culture, sharing a table created a bond; this made the revelation of Judas' betrayal at that table all the more poignant. While we are remembering Jesus' sacrifice and drawing closer to God, we are also making a bond with our fellow Christians. This bond does not depend on love the feeling, but on love the action described by Jesus. In the face of betrayal, Jesus acted in love. How can we do less? If Jesus broke bread with Judas, whom could we ask to leave the table?
Comfort: God welcomes each of us to the table.
Challenge: In the coming week, make peace with someone who has wronged you.
Prayer: God of the Known and Unknown, make my table your table.
Evening reading: Psalm 103
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