Today's readings: Ps 37:1-18; Job 16:16-22, 17:1, 13-16; Acts 13:1-12; John 9:1-17
Once there was a devout man who wanted very much to follow Christ. Every Sunday he arrived early for worship, closed his eyes and prayed for a heart full of mercy. One week a family with a four-year-old girl began sitting near him in church. The little girl had never been to church before, and asked many questions in a not very quiet voice. After several weeks the man asked his pastor to talk to the family: the girl was interrupting his prayers to be more patient and forgiving.
The confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees over his healing of a blind man on the Sabbath is essentially a story of the same age-old conflict in the faith community. Jesus was constantly on the move. If he had observed the letter of the Sabbath law, the opportunity to heal the blind man would have passed. Given a choice between mercy and doctrine, Jesus chose mercy. Reaction from the Pharisees was confused: on one hand he’d broken the prohibition against work by kneading spit and mud together, but on the other – how could anyone not from God have performed such a sign? They launched an investigation.
Two thousand years of Christian perspective help us discern the misguided actions of the praying man and the Pharisees. Are we as perceptive about our own lives? Does our sense of propriety ever preempt an attitude of mercy? To some degree, we all rely on a framework of religious, cultural and/or self-imposed doctrine to structure our understanding of the world. Otherwise we’d spend an inordinate amount of time rebuilding that understanding in response to every new situation and piece of information. For example, most of us know whether or not cursing is acceptable in a given social situation without thinking too hard about it. One Sunday minister Tony Campolo told a congregation thousands of children died of starvation every day and nobody seemed to “give a sh*t.” He correctly noted more people were upset by his word choice than the number of starving children. If he got the attention of anyone who then helped a single hungry child, did social doctrine matter? If on Monday morning we are dwelling on the foul-mouthed minister and not the starving children, it’s time to re-examine our hearts.
Comfort: We choose mercy because God chooses mercy.
Challenge: Make a list of doctrines/rules that guide your behaviors.
Prayer: God of life, create in me a heart that is more than a rulebook.
Evening readings: Ps 37:19-42
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 31; Job 19:1-7, 14-27; Acts 13:13-25; John 9:18-41
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Where to Look?
Today's readings: Ps 38; Job 14:1-22; Acts 12:18-25; John 8:47-59
In the musical Fiddler on the Roof, the lead character Tevye is the head of a Jewish family living in Russia during the pogroms. Reflecting upon the suffering of God’s chosen people, he only half-jokingly asks God, “Couldn’t you choose someone else for a while?” Job, reflecting on his own suffering, asks God to look away from short-lived mortals (v 6) – that is, to focus attention on someone or something else for a while – so Job can get some peace. Like Job and Tevye, we can sometimes feel like God is asking more of us than our fair share.
If, as the psalmists claim again and again, the way of the Lord leads to delight, why can it seem burdensome? Partly because it really isn’t fair, not in the worldly sense of balanced shares of reward and responsibility. Doing right in the eyes of God often means assuming burdens others have neglected. More than we’d like, our efforts not only go unappreciated, they are resented. We can grow discouraged and resentful ourselves. Where do we look for happiness in such situations? We can change focus from expectations of others to expectations of ourselves. We can’t count on satisfaction derived from other people because we can’t control how they act or feel. The satisfaction we can count on is what we get from knowing our own actions are just and loving.
As Job protests suffering he perceives as inflicted by God, we must remember the book is a poetic reflection on the philosophy of suffering, not a historic document. In our own lives loss and illness raise entirely differently questions of faith and fairness, but they are not inflicted by God. Nevertheless, the idea that living in the presence of God can be stressful is valid. What are we to make of Jesus’s words, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt 11:30)? If our expectations are set by the world, these words will not seem true to us. But in the “upside-down” truth of God’s realm, the unfairness of the world does not weigh us down even as we resist it. Our burden grows lighter as we learn justice and mercy are not what we collect, but what we give away.
Comfort: God does not seek to inflict burdens, but to ease them.
Challenge: Ask yourself if there is a burden in your life you need to look at from a different perspective.
Prayer: God of life, teach me to be content no matter my burden.
Evening readings: Ps 119:25-48
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 37:1-18; Job 16:16-22, 17:1, 13-16; Acts 13:1-12; John 9:1-17
In the musical Fiddler on the Roof, the lead character Tevye is the head of a Jewish family living in Russia during the pogroms. Reflecting upon the suffering of God’s chosen people, he only half-jokingly asks God, “Couldn’t you choose someone else for a while?” Job, reflecting on his own suffering, asks God to look away from short-lived mortals (v 6) – that is, to focus attention on someone or something else for a while – so Job can get some peace. Like Job and Tevye, we can sometimes feel like God is asking more of us than our fair share.
If, as the psalmists claim again and again, the way of the Lord leads to delight, why can it seem burdensome? Partly because it really isn’t fair, not in the worldly sense of balanced shares of reward and responsibility. Doing right in the eyes of God often means assuming burdens others have neglected. More than we’d like, our efforts not only go unappreciated, they are resented. We can grow discouraged and resentful ourselves. Where do we look for happiness in such situations? We can change focus from expectations of others to expectations of ourselves. We can’t count on satisfaction derived from other people because we can’t control how they act or feel. The satisfaction we can count on is what we get from knowing our own actions are just and loving.
As Job protests suffering he perceives as inflicted by God, we must remember the book is a poetic reflection on the philosophy of suffering, not a historic document. In our own lives loss and illness raise entirely differently questions of faith and fairness, but they are not inflicted by God. Nevertheless, the idea that living in the presence of God can be stressful is valid. What are we to make of Jesus’s words, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt 11:30)? If our expectations are set by the world, these words will not seem true to us. But in the “upside-down” truth of God’s realm, the unfairness of the world does not weigh us down even as we resist it. Our burden grows lighter as we learn justice and mercy are not what we collect, but what we give away.
Comfort: God does not seek to inflict burdens, but to ease them.
Challenge: Ask yourself if there is a burden in your life you need to look at from a different perspective.
Prayer: God of life, teach me to be content no matter my burden.
Evening readings: Ps 119:25-48
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 37:1-18; Job 16:16-22, 17:1, 13-16; Acts 13:1-12; John 9:1-17
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
The Impatience of Job
Today's readings: Ps 26, 28; Job 13:1-17, 21-27; Acts 12:1-17; John 8:33-47
Have you ever heard someone described as having “the patience of Job?” Where do we suppose that came from? Job is not at all patient. He rails against his miserable condition and demands answers from God. He rebukes his friends’ attempts to explain his situation by declaring “What you know, I also know. I am not inferior to you” (v 2). He, God and we readers all know he hasn’t done anything to merit such punishment. Patience may be a virtue, but lazy thinking and theology is not.
Lots of people – televangelists, authors, ministers – make their livings by telling other people what God is all about. Even more people – people like Job’s friends – offer the same service for free. Members of both groups often have the same problem as Job’s friend Zophar: they parrot answers that don’t fit our experience of the world. Jesus taught us about God mostly through parables and questions. We should be wary of any spiritual leaders who offer pat answers, especially when they lean more toward legalism than grace.
We should trust our instincts about God. This doesn’t mean we should create an image of God from scratch, or that we shouldn’t question, modify, and grow in our beliefs as warranted. It doesn’t mean God must want us to do and be exactly what we already are. It does mean when someone, even someone in authority, claims to know something about God, we should test that claim against our own truths. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 tell us “Test everything. Hold on to the good.”
By the same token, neglected instincts can grow dull. We have an ongoing responsibility to educate ourselves and critically evaluate what we learn and experience in matters of God and faith. We can’t say “I am not inferior” in these matters if we haven’t done the work, but any one of us is as capable of a deep relationship with God as anyone else. Keeping our own instincts sharp will help us determine whether someone is speaking the truth, or speaking eloquently and confidently – but falsely.
Comfort: God is more trustworthy than our words and ideas about God.
Challenge: Meet regularly with a group of friends to discuss what you have learned (and unlearned!) about god.
Prayer: God of life, thank you for the mind you have given me.
Evening readings: Ps 36, 39
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 38; Job 14:1-22; Acts 12:18-25; John 8:47-59
Have you ever heard someone described as having “the patience of Job?” Where do we suppose that came from? Job is not at all patient. He rails against his miserable condition and demands answers from God. He rebukes his friends’ attempts to explain his situation by declaring “What you know, I also know. I am not inferior to you” (v 2). He, God and we readers all know he hasn’t done anything to merit such punishment. Patience may be a virtue, but lazy thinking and theology is not.
Lots of people – televangelists, authors, ministers – make their livings by telling other people what God is all about. Even more people – people like Job’s friends – offer the same service for free. Members of both groups often have the same problem as Job’s friend Zophar: they parrot answers that don’t fit our experience of the world. Jesus taught us about God mostly through parables and questions. We should be wary of any spiritual leaders who offer pat answers, especially when they lean more toward legalism than grace.
We should trust our instincts about God. This doesn’t mean we should create an image of God from scratch, or that we shouldn’t question, modify, and grow in our beliefs as warranted. It doesn’t mean God must want us to do and be exactly what we already are. It does mean when someone, even someone in authority, claims to know something about God, we should test that claim against our own truths. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 tell us “Test everything. Hold on to the good.”
By the same token, neglected instincts can grow dull. We have an ongoing responsibility to educate ourselves and critically evaluate what we learn and experience in matters of God and faith. We can’t say “I am not inferior” in these matters if we haven’t done the work, but any one of us is as capable of a deep relationship with God as anyone else. Keeping our own instincts sharp will help us determine whether someone is speaking the truth, or speaking eloquently and confidently – but falsely.
Comfort: God is more trustworthy than our words and ideas about God.
Challenge: Meet regularly with a group of friends to discuss what you have learned (and unlearned!) about god.
Prayer: God of life, thank you for the mind you have given me.
Evening readings: Ps 36, 39
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 38; Job 14:1-22; Acts 12:18-25; John 8:47-59
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Blessed are those...
Today's readings: Ps 148, 149, 150; Job 11:1-9, 13-20; Rev 5:1-14; Matt 5:1-12
Today’s passage from Matthew is commonly called The Beatitudes. The word “beatitude” means supreme blessedness or happiness. Jesus is describing the blessings God has in store for those who are oppressed yet living in faithfulness.
The words of The Beatitudes are famous well beyond Christian circles. “Blessed are the meek” (v 5) and “Blessed are the peacemakers” (v 9) would be clichés if they weren’t still radical statements. The Beatitudes describe a world where an oppressive imperial society (Roman or otherwise) is turned upside down by God’s love. For those enjoying power in any age, they are a threatening idea.
Critics of Christianity can use texts like The Beatitudes to paint Christians as passive and long-suffering. The meek, the mournful, the poor, and the hungry – not anyone most of us would aspire to be. Even the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers can be caricatured as mere do-gooders or pacifiers.
The truth is, each of these states represents an active engagement in the world and a refusal to accept less than the fullness of God. Mourning is not mere sadness, but grappling with a world steeped in pain. Meekness is a choice of community over self. Peacemaking is a dangerous profession – ask any police officer called to a domestic dispute. No wonder Jesus warns us those who benefit from the status quo or flat out fear change will revile and persecute and slander the faithful (v 11). We represent the upset of an unjust way of life.
The beatitudes spell out how we are to be in the world but not of it. We are not called to suffer for suffering’s sake, but may be called to do so when life in the kingdom of God clashes with the expectations of the world. How such persecution can be a blessing is a mystery, but no more a mystery than how the world can turn a deaf ear to God’s call to justice and love. Which of these mysteries do we want to live in?
Comfort: God blesses us always.
Challenge: Over the next week, pray The Beatitudes once a day.
Prayer: God of truth, I will trust you always.
Evening readings: Ps 114, 115
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 25, Job 12:1-6, 13-25; Acts 11:19-30; John 8:21-32
Today’s passage from Matthew is commonly called The Beatitudes. The word “beatitude” means supreme blessedness or happiness. Jesus is describing the blessings God has in store for those who are oppressed yet living in faithfulness.
The words of The Beatitudes are famous well beyond Christian circles. “Blessed are the meek” (v 5) and “Blessed are the peacemakers” (v 9) would be clichés if they weren’t still radical statements. The Beatitudes describe a world where an oppressive imperial society (Roman or otherwise) is turned upside down by God’s love. For those enjoying power in any age, they are a threatening idea.
Critics of Christianity can use texts like The Beatitudes to paint Christians as passive and long-suffering. The meek, the mournful, the poor, and the hungry – not anyone most of us would aspire to be. Even the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers can be caricatured as mere do-gooders or pacifiers.
The truth is, each of these states represents an active engagement in the world and a refusal to accept less than the fullness of God. Mourning is not mere sadness, but grappling with a world steeped in pain. Meekness is a choice of community over self. Peacemaking is a dangerous profession – ask any police officer called to a domestic dispute. No wonder Jesus warns us those who benefit from the status quo or flat out fear change will revile and persecute and slander the faithful (v 11). We represent the upset of an unjust way of life.
The beatitudes spell out how we are to be in the world but not of it. We are not called to suffer for suffering’s sake, but may be called to do so when life in the kingdom of God clashes with the expectations of the world. How such persecution can be a blessing is a mystery, but no more a mystery than how the world can turn a deaf ear to God’s call to justice and love. Which of these mysteries do we want to live in?
Comfort: God blesses us always.
Challenge: Over the next week, pray The Beatitudes once a day.
Prayer: God of truth, I will trust you always.
Evening readings: Ps 114, 115
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 25, Job 12:1-6, 13-25; Acts 11:19-30; John 8:21-32
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Holy Arguments
Today's readings: Ps 20, 21; Job 10:1-9, 16-22; Acts 11:1-18; John 8:12-20
I kept my faith, even when I said, “I am greatly afflicted”
- Psalm 116:10 (from this evening’s readings)
On Wednesday we considered the importance of being silent and listening for God. True spiritual silence is an achievement that doesn’t always come easily, especially when we are upset. Sometimes we first need to clear our heads by venting our anger and negativity. Even anger at God needs to be expressed. The psalmist knew this, and Job knew it when he said “I will give free utterance to my complaint” (Job 10:1).
Job accuses God of setting him up with a great life so his fall will be even harder. Do we ever feel like God has set us up to fail? Or like God is testing us? A popular cliché says “God never gives you more than you can handle.” Job would certainly seem to disagree. With its framing narrative of a wager between God and Ha’Satan, the Book of Job can easily be misunderstood to promote the theology of a God who is constantly testing us, a God who virtually hunts us, “bold as a lion” (v 16). Rather, it is a poetic exploration of our relationship with God and suffering. At one time or another we all feel we’ve been treated unfairly by life or God, and Job says the things we think at those times.
Arguing with God has a long tradition among the faithful. Jacob/Israel literally wrestled with God, and a nation was named for him. Every year during the Jewish High Holy Days from Rosh Hashanah (sometimes called Jewish New Year) to Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), people of great faith are held accountable for their actions during the year – and they also hold God accountable. Only by speaking the truths held most deeply in our hearts can we fully express our faithfulness. God already knows what is in our hearts, so doing this is a matter of showing trust in a God loving and great enough to handle whatever we have to dish out.
We tend to think of arguments as negative events, but they are inevitable when we are building any deep relationship. Sometimes an argument is a sign that a relationship is worth fighting for.
Comfort: God accepts our whole hearts, not just the happy parts.
Challenge: Find and read some articles on having healthy arguments.
Prayer: God of truth, I open my whole heart to you.
Evening readings: Ps 110, 116, 117
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 148, 149, 150; Job 11:1-9, 13-20; Rev 5:1-14; Matt 5;1-12
I kept my faith, even when I said, “I am greatly afflicted”
- Psalm 116:10 (from this evening’s readings)
On Wednesday we considered the importance of being silent and listening for God. True spiritual silence is an achievement that doesn’t always come easily, especially when we are upset. Sometimes we first need to clear our heads by venting our anger and negativity. Even anger at God needs to be expressed. The psalmist knew this, and Job knew it when he said “I will give free utterance to my complaint” (Job 10:1).
Job accuses God of setting him up with a great life so his fall will be even harder. Do we ever feel like God has set us up to fail? Or like God is testing us? A popular cliché says “God never gives you more than you can handle.” Job would certainly seem to disagree. With its framing narrative of a wager between God and Ha’Satan, the Book of Job can easily be misunderstood to promote the theology of a God who is constantly testing us, a God who virtually hunts us, “bold as a lion” (v 16). Rather, it is a poetic exploration of our relationship with God and suffering. At one time or another we all feel we’ve been treated unfairly by life or God, and Job says the things we think at those times.
Arguing with God has a long tradition among the faithful. Jacob/Israel literally wrestled with God, and a nation was named for him. Every year during the Jewish High Holy Days from Rosh Hashanah (sometimes called Jewish New Year) to Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), people of great faith are held accountable for their actions during the year – and they also hold God accountable. Only by speaking the truths held most deeply in our hearts can we fully express our faithfulness. God already knows what is in our hearts, so doing this is a matter of showing trust in a God loving and great enough to handle whatever we have to dish out.
We tend to think of arguments as negative events, but they are inevitable when we are building any deep relationship. Sometimes an argument is a sign that a relationship is worth fighting for.
Comfort: God accepts our whole hearts, not just the happy parts.
Challenge: Find and read some articles on having healthy arguments.
Prayer: God of truth, I open my whole heart to you.
Evening readings: Ps 110, 116, 117
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 148, 149, 150; Job 11:1-9, 13-20; Rev 5:1-14; Matt 5;1-12
Friday, August 27, 2010
Astounding Gifts
Today's readings: Ps 16, 17; Job 9:1-15, 32-35; Acts 10:34-48; John 7:37-52
“The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.” (Acts 10:45)
This verse points out the difference between accepting someone superficially and truly including them, a distinction sometimes lost on even the most well-meaning individuals. While sitting at a table with Gentiles was a major step for the Jewish Christians, this sentence tells us they were not yet accepting the Gentiles as equals. Not until the Spirit poured out gifts upon the Gentiles did the Jews recognize they were deserving of the same baptism.
How long do we wait until we truly include new people in our community, church or life? We almost always let them in the door, and can see them as additional help for the bake sales and nursery duty, but when do we stop thinking of them as the “new” people? Do we wait until they somehow earn our approval, like the apostles did, or do we start treating them as equal members of the body of Christ ASAP? Each person brings their own astounding gifts, so it is to our benefit to truly integrate them as lovingly and efficiently as possible. Beyond that, it is simply the Christian thing to do.
On the other hand, sometimes we withhold our own gifts until we are confident a community has fully embraced us. While it’s natural to be cautious when entering a new group, being too reserved slows down the process of acceptance and inclusion. We should work to be aware of our own gifts, because life in a Christian community is a two- (and twenty- and two hundred-) way street. We are to use our gifts to support a community as much as the community is to support us.
We all have gifts to offer. Sometimes we don’t even know what they are until we are called upon to try something new. As part of a community, we should always be eager to offer and accept each other’s gifts.
Comfort: As Christians we are truly accepted and truly accepting.
Challenge: Look for opportunities to share your gifts. Don’t be shy.
Prayer: God of truth, thank you for revealing the gifts of your people.
Evening readings: Ps 22
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 20, 21; Job 10:1-9, 16-22; Acts 11:1-18; John 8:12-20
“The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.” (Acts 10:45)
This verse points out the difference between accepting someone superficially and truly including them, a distinction sometimes lost on even the most well-meaning individuals. While sitting at a table with Gentiles was a major step for the Jewish Christians, this sentence tells us they were not yet accepting the Gentiles as equals. Not until the Spirit poured out gifts upon the Gentiles did the Jews recognize they were deserving of the same baptism.
How long do we wait until we truly include new people in our community, church or life? We almost always let them in the door, and can see them as additional help for the bake sales and nursery duty, but when do we stop thinking of them as the “new” people? Do we wait until they somehow earn our approval, like the apostles did, or do we start treating them as equal members of the body of Christ ASAP? Each person brings their own astounding gifts, so it is to our benefit to truly integrate them as lovingly and efficiently as possible. Beyond that, it is simply the Christian thing to do.
On the other hand, sometimes we withhold our own gifts until we are confident a community has fully embraced us. While it’s natural to be cautious when entering a new group, being too reserved slows down the process of acceptance and inclusion. We should work to be aware of our own gifts, because life in a Christian community is a two- (and twenty- and two hundred-) way street. We are to use our gifts to support a community as much as the community is to support us.
We all have gifts to offer. Sometimes we don’t even know what they are until we are called upon to try something new. As part of a community, we should always be eager to offer and accept each other’s gifts.
Comfort: As Christians we are truly accepted and truly accepting.
Challenge: Look for opportunities to share your gifts. Don’t be shy.
Prayer: God of truth, thank you for revealing the gifts of your people.
Evening readings: Ps 22
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 20, 21; Job 10:1-9, 16-22; Acts 11:1-18; John 8:12-20
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Enjoy the Silence
Today's readings: Ps 119:1-24; Job 7:1-21; Acts 10:1-16; John 7:1-13
Last week we considered the importance of simply listening to people in need. What about the times when we are the people in need? During those times, we still need to listen - for God. This might sound like a simple idea, but our brains are usually so busy that listening for God can sometimes be tougher than listening to people. Today’s readings from Job and Acts demonstrate the importance of learning to listen.
Even if you’ve never read Job before, by now you realize it is full of conversation – if you define conversation as one speech following another. The speeches not only serve the purpose of the book by commenting on different philosophies of suffering and justice, they also represent a common impediment to listening to God (or anyone else): thinking of what we want to say next when we should be listening. This is a poor enough habit when conversing with people, let alone with God. Sometimes we just need to close our mouths and open our ears and minds. If we never allow some physical and spiritual silence, how can we hear anything?
At other times, we can simply be thick-headed. When Peter meets Cornelius – the first Gentile convert – he is unsure of how to proceed. So far the biggest difference between Christians is that some of them are Hellenist Jews (Greek in speech and culture) while most are not. A Gentile who has never followed Jewish customs introduces a host of potential conflicts, including dietary practices. God sends Peter a vision to let him know all foods can now be considered clean. God sends this vision three times yet Peter remains puzzled by it. Still, Peter acts wisely by asking God to repeat the vision, rather than giving up after the first try. When God’s answers seem slow or confusing, like Peter we should make the effort to work it out rather than abandon the conversation.
Reporter Dan Rather once asked Mother Theresa what she said when she prayed. She replied, “I don’t say anything; I listen.” Mr. Rather asked what God said while prayed. She replied God said nothing. “God listens,” she said, “and if you don’t understand that I can’t explain it to you.” True listening is a mystery in which great truths can be revealed.
Comfort: God always listens.
Challenge: Read about the practice of lectio divina.
Prayer: God of truth, I will meet you in the silence.
Evening readings: Ps 12, 13, 14
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 18:1-20; Job 8:1-7, 11-19; Acts 10:17-33; John 7:14-36
Last week we considered the importance of simply listening to people in need. What about the times when we are the people in need? During those times, we still need to listen - for God. This might sound like a simple idea, but our brains are usually so busy that listening for God can sometimes be tougher than listening to people. Today’s readings from Job and Acts demonstrate the importance of learning to listen.
Even if you’ve never read Job before, by now you realize it is full of conversation – if you define conversation as one speech following another. The speeches not only serve the purpose of the book by commenting on different philosophies of suffering and justice, they also represent a common impediment to listening to God (or anyone else): thinking of what we want to say next when we should be listening. This is a poor enough habit when conversing with people, let alone with God. Sometimes we just need to close our mouths and open our ears and minds. If we never allow some physical and spiritual silence, how can we hear anything?
At other times, we can simply be thick-headed. When Peter meets Cornelius – the first Gentile convert – he is unsure of how to proceed. So far the biggest difference between Christians is that some of them are Hellenist Jews (Greek in speech and culture) while most are not. A Gentile who has never followed Jewish customs introduces a host of potential conflicts, including dietary practices. God sends Peter a vision to let him know all foods can now be considered clean. God sends this vision three times yet Peter remains puzzled by it. Still, Peter acts wisely by asking God to repeat the vision, rather than giving up after the first try. When God’s answers seem slow or confusing, like Peter we should make the effort to work it out rather than abandon the conversation.
Reporter Dan Rather once asked Mother Theresa what she said when she prayed. She replied, “I don’t say anything; I listen.” Mr. Rather asked what God said while prayed. She replied God said nothing. “God listens,” she said, “and if you don’t understand that I can’t explain it to you.” True listening is a mystery in which great truths can be revealed.
Comfort: God always listens.
Challenge: Read about the practice of lectio divina.
Prayer: God of truth, I will meet you in the silence.
Evening readings: Ps 12, 13, 14
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 18:1-20; Job 8:1-7, 11-19; Acts 10:17-33; John 7:14-36
Monday, August 23, 2010
If Paul could do it...
Today's readings: Ps 1, 2, 3; Job 5:1-11, 17-21, 26-27; Acts 9:19b-31; John 6:52-59
Real change is difficult. Even after we’ve worked up the proper inner motivation to make a positive change, we must struggle with a world inclined to keep us as we were. If we leave behind bad habits, friends who shared those habits with us may try to drag us back to our old ways for any number of reasons. If we’ve repeatedly promised change only to let down our friends and family, they may view new declarations of change with understandable suspicion. Real change can’t depend on how other people perceive us, but on how we perceive ourselves.
Prior to his conversion, Paul was a Pharisee infamous for his ruthless persecution of Christians on behalf of the Jerusalem Temple. When he started to preach in Jesus’ name, people who knew him were “amazed” (Acts 9:21) at his radical change. Those in Jerusalem who did not doubt his sincerity attempted to kill him. On the other hand, when he joined the disciples “they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple” (v. 26). Many of them had been evading him for some time, and only the testimony of Barnabas on Paul’s behalf swayed them.
Paul’s old friends wanted him to stay the same, and the people he hoped would become his new friends weren’t ready to accept him. Despite the attitudes around him, Paul persevered because God had changed his heart. To a lesser degree, we may experience the same thing when we make a change. For example, if we decide to give up gossip, the friends we used to gossip with will undoubtedly feel snubbed when we decline to participate. Given our history, other people will find it difficult to trust us. The same would be true of addictions, lying, spitefulness or any host of vices. A truly penitent heart will persevere in change whether other people accept the change or not; our relationship with God will sustain us.
We can’t change any mind but our own. When we know we need to make a positive change, we must be prepared to endure and overcome resistance, and not let that resistance discourage us. God doesn’t promise us ease, but to be with us through everything.
Comfort: When we change our hearts, God knows and accepts.
Challenge: Be supportive to someone who is trying to change.
Prayer: God of truth, teach me how I need to change.
Evening readings: Ps 4, 7
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 5, 6; Job 6:1-4, 8-15, 21; Acts 9:32-43; John 6:60-71
Real change is difficult. Even after we’ve worked up the proper inner motivation to make a positive change, we must struggle with a world inclined to keep us as we were. If we leave behind bad habits, friends who shared those habits with us may try to drag us back to our old ways for any number of reasons. If we’ve repeatedly promised change only to let down our friends and family, they may view new declarations of change with understandable suspicion. Real change can’t depend on how other people perceive us, but on how we perceive ourselves.
Prior to his conversion, Paul was a Pharisee infamous for his ruthless persecution of Christians on behalf of the Jerusalem Temple. When he started to preach in Jesus’ name, people who knew him were “amazed” (Acts 9:21) at his radical change. Those in Jerusalem who did not doubt his sincerity attempted to kill him. On the other hand, when he joined the disciples “they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple” (v. 26). Many of them had been evading him for some time, and only the testimony of Barnabas on Paul’s behalf swayed them.
Paul’s old friends wanted him to stay the same, and the people he hoped would become his new friends weren’t ready to accept him. Despite the attitudes around him, Paul persevered because God had changed his heart. To a lesser degree, we may experience the same thing when we make a change. For example, if we decide to give up gossip, the friends we used to gossip with will undoubtedly feel snubbed when we decline to participate. Given our history, other people will find it difficult to trust us. The same would be true of addictions, lying, spitefulness or any host of vices. A truly penitent heart will persevere in change whether other people accept the change or not; our relationship with God will sustain us.
We can’t change any mind but our own. When we know we need to make a positive change, we must be prepared to endure and overcome resistance, and not let that resistance discourage us. God doesn’t promise us ease, but to be with us through everything.
Comfort: When we change our hearts, God knows and accepts.
Challenge: Be supportive to someone who is trying to change.
Prayer: God of truth, teach me how I need to change.
Evening readings: Ps 4, 7
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 5, 6; Job 6:1-4, 8-15, 21; Acts 9:32-43; John 6:60-71
Saturday, August 21, 2010
A Song of Anger
Today's readings: Ps 137, 144; Job 3:1-26; Acts 9:10-19a; John 6:41-51
Psalm 137 is a difficult text. Its violent images and sentiments arose from a people suffering in oppressive exile. Jewish faith and identity were inseparable from the land delivered to them by God. When the Babylonians forcibly removed them from that land and placed them into slavery, their faith and identity were in unimaginable crisis. When the psalmist asks “How could we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?” (v 4) he is responding to his captors’ demands for the Israelites to perform holy songs as crude entertainment.
Instead, the Israelites compose a song about the revenge they would seek on the Edomites, a people who captured escaped Israelites and sold them to the Babylonians. Of course the Israelites are really using the Edomites as a cover to curse the Babylonians. Used in nursery rhymes, African-American spirituals, and other songs, such coded language is common when a people can’t safely express themselves openly.
Sadly, the description of the Israelites happily dashing the enemy’s infants against the rocks is not code for anything. We may find this image shocking, but an honest look at world news reveals similar atrocities every day. The oppressed becoming the oppressor is an old, old story.
In this psalm – unlike some of the passages in Joshua – God is not commanding cruelty against innocents. The psalmist and his people are turning a degrading demand into a revenge fantasy. Oppressed people need a way to vent their rage, and a song or poem is a safe way to do so. Modern artistic expressions from rap to slam poetry to screamcore often portray violence as a reaction to oppression. We are not required to advocate or agree with a position to understand or consider it.
This psalm warns us about who we may become when oppressed, and what we may reap when we oppress. Let’s take heed.
Comfort: God understands our anger.
Challenge: Compare and contrast the lyrics of “When Will We Be Paid For The Work We’ve Done?” by the Staples Singers to Psalm 137
Prayer: God of renewal, I trust you even with my anger.
Evening readings: Ps 104
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 146, 147; Job 4:1-6, 12-21; Rev 4:1-11; Mark 6:1-6a
Psalm 137 is a difficult text. Its violent images and sentiments arose from a people suffering in oppressive exile. Jewish faith and identity were inseparable from the land delivered to them by God. When the Babylonians forcibly removed them from that land and placed them into slavery, their faith and identity were in unimaginable crisis. When the psalmist asks “How could we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?” (v 4) he is responding to his captors’ demands for the Israelites to perform holy songs as crude entertainment.
Instead, the Israelites compose a song about the revenge they would seek on the Edomites, a people who captured escaped Israelites and sold them to the Babylonians. Of course the Israelites are really using the Edomites as a cover to curse the Babylonians. Used in nursery rhymes, African-American spirituals, and other songs, such coded language is common when a people can’t safely express themselves openly.
Sadly, the description of the Israelites happily dashing the enemy’s infants against the rocks is not code for anything. We may find this image shocking, but an honest look at world news reveals similar atrocities every day. The oppressed becoming the oppressor is an old, old story.
In this psalm – unlike some of the passages in Joshua – God is not commanding cruelty against innocents. The psalmist and his people are turning a degrading demand into a revenge fantasy. Oppressed people need a way to vent their rage, and a song or poem is a safe way to do so. Modern artistic expressions from rap to slam poetry to screamcore often portray violence as a reaction to oppression. We are not required to advocate or agree with a position to understand or consider it.
This psalm warns us about who we may become when oppressed, and what we may reap when we oppress. Let’s take heed.
Comfort: God understands our anger.
Challenge: Compare and contrast the lyrics of “When Will We Be Paid For The Work We’ve Done?” by the Staples Singers to Psalm 137
Prayer: God of renewal, I trust you even with my anger.
Evening readings: Ps 104
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 146, 147; Job 4:1-6, 12-21; Rev 4:1-11; Mark 6:1-6a
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Whiz! Boom! Bang!
Today's readings: Ps 121, 122, 123; Jud 18:1-15; Acts 8:1-13; John 5:30-47
Not surprisingly, the Book of Acts is full of action. The apostles add “great numbers of believers” day after day. No time at all seems to pass between Stephen’s appointment to deacon and his subsequent arrest. So far conversations (with the exception of Stephen’s speech to the council) have been short, to the point, and effective. In today’s reading, Philip converts Simon the magician with one unbelievably believable speech. In John, Jesus performs another sign and gathers new disciples every time he turns a corner. Christianity is a never-ending parade of wonders!
Except when it isn’t. The gospels and Acts are testimonies. Almost by definition, they are favorably biased toward their subject matter. The authors compressed time to keep the stories moving. While they aren’t some sales pitch representing Christianity as painless or without risk, they were written for the purpose of attracting converts. The reality of day-to-day Christianity can suffer by comparison.
Without delving into the theology of miracles, it is safe to say most of us don’t experience them with the same frequency portrayed in the gospels and Acts. If our expectations are not tempered with realism, our own faith experience can be disappointing. We must learn to balance our conviction that God can do anything, with the truth that he doesn’t do everything. Must we resign ourselves to a lackluster faith?
Of course not. We don’t have to host regular healing revivals to be part of a Spirit-filled community. Miracles are nice, but the stories in Judges tell us their effects are not long lasting. We need to learn to recognize the many ways God works through us in the world. A church food pantry that’s taken years to get off the ground, and a village well dug through hard work and mission donations, also point to God’s continued presence in the world. Could it be actually more exciting to see God everywhere, than in discrete miraculous moments?
If we spend our time looking for miracles, we may just be missing them.
Comfort: God can work through us in our daily lives.
Challenge: Each evening ask yourself: “Where did I see God today?”
Prayer: God of renewal, open my eyes to your daily presence.
Evening readings: Ps 124, 125, 126
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 119:145-176; Jud 18:16-31; Acts 8:14-25; John 6:1-15
Not surprisingly, the Book of Acts is full of action. The apostles add “great numbers of believers” day after day. No time at all seems to pass between Stephen’s appointment to deacon and his subsequent arrest. So far conversations (with the exception of Stephen’s speech to the council) have been short, to the point, and effective. In today’s reading, Philip converts Simon the magician with one unbelievably believable speech. In John, Jesus performs another sign and gathers new disciples every time he turns a corner. Christianity is a never-ending parade of wonders!
Except when it isn’t. The gospels and Acts are testimonies. Almost by definition, they are favorably biased toward their subject matter. The authors compressed time to keep the stories moving. While they aren’t some sales pitch representing Christianity as painless or without risk, they were written for the purpose of attracting converts. The reality of day-to-day Christianity can suffer by comparison.
Without delving into the theology of miracles, it is safe to say most of us don’t experience them with the same frequency portrayed in the gospels and Acts. If our expectations are not tempered with realism, our own faith experience can be disappointing. We must learn to balance our conviction that God can do anything, with the truth that he doesn’t do everything. Must we resign ourselves to a lackluster faith?
Of course not. We don’t have to host regular healing revivals to be part of a Spirit-filled community. Miracles are nice, but the stories in Judges tell us their effects are not long lasting. We need to learn to recognize the many ways God works through us in the world. A church food pantry that’s taken years to get off the ground, and a village well dug through hard work and mission donations, also point to God’s continued presence in the world. Could it be actually more exciting to see God everywhere, than in discrete miraculous moments?
If we spend our time looking for miracles, we may just be missing them.
Comfort: God can work through us in our daily lives.
Challenge: Each evening ask yourself: “Where did I see God today?”
Prayer: God of renewal, open my eyes to your daily presence.
Evening readings: Ps 124, 125, 126
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 119:145-176; Jud 18:16-31; Acts 8:14-25; John 6:1-15
Monday, August 16, 2010
But what has God done for me lately?
Today's readings: Ps 106:1-18; Jud 17:1-13; Acts 7:44-8:1a; John 5:19-29
New relationships are exciting. We learn new things. We feel new things. We expect new things. But as a relationship matures, we realize we can’t depend on things being constantly new. Deep relationships are based on established expectations. If we are wise, we confide more in someone we’ve grown to trust over time than in our most recent acquaintance. Unfortunately, we can become almost addicted to the excitement of new relationships because they raise immediately gratifying emotions. In the worst cases, we never learn to value depth over novelty.
Psalm 106 recounts the many times the Hebrews fell in love with God because he delivered them, and how in time the lure of new and exciting local gods repeatedly pulled them away. In Judges 17, the people resume the practice of creating idols after their memory of God’s deliverance begins to fade. Even though they separate themselves from God and lose his favor, God ultimately remains faithful to his people.
In what ways can we be like the Hebrews? When people first find their faith, or have a faith-renewing experience, it’s like the beginning of a new relationship. They are wrapped up in feelings. They see God everywhere. They can be practically giddy. But the novelty eventually fades. If the relationship ages but does not mature, they need new experiences – like new “signs” – of God’s love and presence. An immature relationship demands constant reassurance because it values feeling over faith.
What a mature relationship with God may lack in flash, it makes up in substance. Like lifelong friends who are content simply to be in each other’s presence, our relationship with God may be punctuated with long periods of silence. We should not confuse this silence with absence or boredom. Like a fallow field, it may seem dormant, but below the surface its very structure is constantly renewed. While the steady maintenance of a good relationship, especially when it seems “dull,” may not produce the high of something new, an enduring relationship built on faith and trust is infinitely more rewarding.
Comfort: In times of God’s silence, we still build our relationship.
Challenge: This week, devote 10 minutes a day to silent meditation.
Prayer: God of renewal, I seek a mature and confident relationship with you.
Evening readings: Ps 108:19-48
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 121, 122, 123; Jud 18:1-15; Acts 8:1-13; John 5:30-47
New relationships are exciting. We learn new things. We feel new things. We expect new things. But as a relationship matures, we realize we can’t depend on things being constantly new. Deep relationships are based on established expectations. If we are wise, we confide more in someone we’ve grown to trust over time than in our most recent acquaintance. Unfortunately, we can become almost addicted to the excitement of new relationships because they raise immediately gratifying emotions. In the worst cases, we never learn to value depth over novelty.
Psalm 106 recounts the many times the Hebrews fell in love with God because he delivered them, and how in time the lure of new and exciting local gods repeatedly pulled them away. In Judges 17, the people resume the practice of creating idols after their memory of God’s deliverance begins to fade. Even though they separate themselves from God and lose his favor, God ultimately remains faithful to his people.
In what ways can we be like the Hebrews? When people first find their faith, or have a faith-renewing experience, it’s like the beginning of a new relationship. They are wrapped up in feelings. They see God everywhere. They can be practically giddy. But the novelty eventually fades. If the relationship ages but does not mature, they need new experiences – like new “signs” – of God’s love and presence. An immature relationship demands constant reassurance because it values feeling over faith.
What a mature relationship with God may lack in flash, it makes up in substance. Like lifelong friends who are content simply to be in each other’s presence, our relationship with God may be punctuated with long periods of silence. We should not confuse this silence with absence or boredom. Like a fallow field, it may seem dormant, but below the surface its very structure is constantly renewed. While the steady maintenance of a good relationship, especially when it seems “dull,” may not produce the high of something new, an enduring relationship built on faith and trust is infinitely more rewarding.
Comfort: In times of God’s silence, we still build our relationship.
Challenge: This week, devote 10 minutes a day to silent meditation.
Prayer: God of renewal, I seek a mature and confident relationship with you.
Evening readings: Ps 108:19-48
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 121, 122, 123; Jud 18:1-15; Acts 8:1-13; John 5:30-47
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Authority
Today's readings: Ps 107:33-43, 108; Jud 16:1-14; Acts 7:30-43; John 5:1-18
Question: What is the relationship of a Christian to worldly authority?
Answer: Good question! Few topics of debate demonstrate how clearly we can use scripture to justify completely opposing positions.
Some people believe scripture (Romans, Daniel, Peter, etc.) tells us to yield to secular authority because God establishes it. Some go so far as to declare voting unchristian because voting for the loser puts one at odds with God’s purposes. Authority is to be obeyed unless such authority is counter to God’s will. Of course, despite different understandings of God’s will among Christians of good faith, most groups who embrace this position are confident their understanding is the correct one. It’s too easy to credit God when we like an outcome, and blame sin when we don't.
The actions of the prophets, Christ and the apostles seem to tell a different story. In the reading from John, Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath, then instructs him to carry his mat away – thus breaking Jewish laws against work on the Sabbath, and setting himself in opposition to the authorities. In Acts, Stephen must defend himself against authority because he preaches Jesus as the Messiah. Most Old Testament prophets were outlaws because they spoke against the status quo to proclaim God’s desire for love and mercy above law and sacrifice. We can choose to follow them as examples, but one could argue these people were prompted to disobedience directly by God, and we are not.
So what do we do? Our first allegiance is to our faith. We live out that faith regardless of whatever government or other worldly authority holds power. Rebelliousness for its own sake is not a virtue, but we must always evaluate the demands of authority against God’s will (as we faithfully understand it) and act accordingly. Whether we believe God’s kingdom is yet to be realized by a second coming of Christ, or has a present aspect, we are clearly called to serve the poor, the ill, and the hungry. If systems and processes prevent us from doing so, we must oppose them. We may not be of the world, but we are living in it.
Comfort: Our faith is constant, despite our circumstances.
Challenge: Pray for authorities, whether you support or oppose them.
Prayer: God of healing, grant me wisdom as I move through the world.
Evening readings: Ps 33
Question: What is the relationship of a Christian to worldly authority?
Answer: Good question! Few topics of debate demonstrate how clearly we can use scripture to justify completely opposing positions.
Some people believe scripture (Romans, Daniel, Peter, etc.) tells us to yield to secular authority because God establishes it. Some go so far as to declare voting unchristian because voting for the loser puts one at odds with God’s purposes. Authority is to be obeyed unless such authority is counter to God’s will. Of course, despite different understandings of God’s will among Christians of good faith, most groups who embrace this position are confident their understanding is the correct one. It’s too easy to credit God when we like an outcome, and blame sin when we don't.
The actions of the prophets, Christ and the apostles seem to tell a different story. In the reading from John, Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath, then instructs him to carry his mat away – thus breaking Jewish laws against work on the Sabbath, and setting himself in opposition to the authorities. In Acts, Stephen must defend himself against authority because he preaches Jesus as the Messiah. Most Old Testament prophets were outlaws because they spoke against the status quo to proclaim God’s desire for love and mercy above law and sacrifice. We can choose to follow them as examples, but one could argue these people were prompted to disobedience directly by God, and we are not.
So what do we do? Our first allegiance is to our faith. We live out that faith regardless of whatever government or other worldly authority holds power. Rebelliousness for its own sake is not a virtue, but we must always evaluate the demands of authority against God’s will (as we faithfully understand it) and act accordingly. Whether we believe God’s kingdom is yet to be realized by a second coming of Christ, or has a present aspect, we are clearly called to serve the poor, the ill, and the hungry. If systems and processes prevent us from doing so, we must oppose them. We may not be of the world, but we are living in it.
Comfort: Our faith is constant, despite our circumstances.
Challenge: Pray for authorities, whether you support or oppose them.
Prayer: God of healing, grant me wisdom as I move through the world.
Evening readings: Ps 33
Friday, August 13, 2010
The Poetry of Prayer
Today's Readings: Ps 102; Jud 41:20-15:20; Acts 7:17-29; John 4:43-54
Art teaches truths beyond the reach of simple facts. Psalm 102 contains some of the most abundant imagery of any work in the psalter. The psalmist invokes vivid images because the facts do not adequately communicate the depths of his despair or his awe of the Lord. “I am terribly sad” would tell us something, but it can’t compare to the exquisite anguish expressed by “I eat ashes with my food and mingle my drink with tears” (v 9). While “God is eternal” might be useful statement for an academic theology discussion, it doesn’t say much about God’s relationship to the mortal world. Describing the heavens and earth as garments that will eventually wear out and that God will change like clothing (vv 26-27) helps listeners and readers sink their teeth into the concept of eternity. Burning bones, withering grass, a little bird on a roof – these densely packed imagines don’t just impart knowledge but help us experience the emotional state of the psalmist.
Prayer has many forms. When we pray from our deepest pains or joys, stating the facts may not be adequate to share our experiences. Could we consider writing God a poem? The idea may sound new-age or like something to do when Vacation Bible School is rained out, but the Bible is loaded with prayerful poems. Its 150 psalms and numerous canticles (hymns) tell us poetry is an integral part of the language of faith. Songs we sing in church are other people’s poems set to music. We don’t have to be as skilled as the psalmists or the great composers to express our feelings. Any honest attempt at prayer can only bring us closer to God.
Considering the Bible, prayer or God from a poetic or other artistic perspective can deepen our religious experience. Because modern culture tends to equate truth only with facts, we may feel like doing so negates the truth of the Bible, but this is not so. Picasso’s Guernica tells truths about war no history book can convey. Likewise, poetry and art can open new avenues in our relationship with God
Comfort: God can reach our hearts in many ways.
Challenge: Write a poem to God about your needs and joys. If you are not comfortable with a poem, try a letter or other artistic expression.
Prayer: God of healing, teach me to recognize truth in all its forms.
Evening readings: Ps 105:23-45
Art teaches truths beyond the reach of simple facts. Psalm 102 contains some of the most abundant imagery of any work in the psalter. The psalmist invokes vivid images because the facts do not adequately communicate the depths of his despair or his awe of the Lord. “I am terribly sad” would tell us something, but it can’t compare to the exquisite anguish expressed by “I eat ashes with my food and mingle my drink with tears” (v 9). While “God is eternal” might be useful statement for an academic theology discussion, it doesn’t say much about God’s relationship to the mortal world. Describing the heavens and earth as garments that will eventually wear out and that God will change like clothing (vv 26-27) helps listeners and readers sink their teeth into the concept of eternity. Burning bones, withering grass, a little bird on a roof – these densely packed imagines don’t just impart knowledge but help us experience the emotional state of the psalmist.
Prayer has many forms. When we pray from our deepest pains or joys, stating the facts may not be adequate to share our experiences. Could we consider writing God a poem? The idea may sound new-age or like something to do when Vacation Bible School is rained out, but the Bible is loaded with prayerful poems. Its 150 psalms and numerous canticles (hymns) tell us poetry is an integral part of the language of faith. Songs we sing in church are other people’s poems set to music. We don’t have to be as skilled as the psalmists or the great composers to express our feelings. Any honest attempt at prayer can only bring us closer to God.
Considering the Bible, prayer or God from a poetic or other artistic perspective can deepen our religious experience. Because modern culture tends to equate truth only with facts, we may feel like doing so negates the truth of the Bible, but this is not so. Picasso’s Guernica tells truths about war no history book can convey. Likewise, poetry and art can open new avenues in our relationship with God
Comfort: God can reach our hearts in many ways.
Challenge: Write a poem to God about your needs and joys. If you are not comfortable with a poem, try a letter or other artistic expression.
Prayer: God of healing, teach me to recognize truth in all its forms.
Evening readings: Ps 105:23-45
Monday, August 9, 2010
At the Center is Healing
Today's readings: Ps 89:1-18; Jud 12:1-71; Acts 5:12-26; John 3:1-21
Jesus often told the people he healed, “tell no one.” Of course they always did. If instead he had granted them riches, would they have been as likely to spread the word? Human nature does not tend toward sharing the wealth. But newfound healing and wholeness? You can’t hide them if you try. Bodies, minds, spirits, relationships with other people, relationships with God – Christ’s healing presence was felt everywhere. Yet healing was not merely a public relations stunt to reach the widest market. Healing was at the center of his ministry.
Christians are meant to offer the world a continued spirit of healing. The Book of Acts tells us the apostles won many new believers through a ministry of miraculous healing. Presumably the Holy Spirit could have empowered them to perform any manner of miraculous signs to get the people’s attention, but the apostles stayed true to the mission.
As Christians we are still called to heal the world. Our efforts may not seem miraculous in an obvious, walk-on-water sort of way, but God can use us to accomplish truly miraculous things. As a member of an open and affirming congregation, I have been privileged to witness people who had been abused and rejected by other churches rediscover the love of God. They will tell you it is a miracle of the Spirit moving through a loving Christian community. As an employee of a Catholic health system, I am privileged to contribute in my own small way to a ministry that heals people daily, people who otherwise might be without help. This effort reveals the Spirit moving through another type of Christian community.
Let’s each ask ourselves: “Am I a healing presence in the world?” If we are following Christ, we should be. If our Christian experience is limited to following the rules, are we healing anyone? Christ didn’t heal people by enforcing the law – he loved them. We need to actively engage with the world, especially with the people who are the most broken, and often the most difficult. As Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick” (Matt 9:12, Mark 2:17 Luke 5:31). We are privileged to heal!
Comfort: God is always ready with the remedy we need.
Challenge: Meditate on how you can be a healing presence in the world.
Prayer: God of healing, thank you for the privilege of serving.
Evening readings: Ps 89:19-52
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Looking Backward, Looking Forward
Readings: Ps 87, 90; Jud 9:22-25, 50-57; Acts 4:32-5:11; John 2:13-25
Psalm 90 – the only psalm attributed to Moses – is written from the perspective of someone who has lived a long life and is trying to make sense of it all. The psalmist doesn’t sugar coat life’s difficulties. He prays that the good days might at least outnumber the bad, and acknowledges that the lucky get 80 years of toil and trouble. Yet he prays for God’s work and its meaning to be manifest in the community.
We would be wise not to wait until the end of our lives to contemplate the meaning of our work and suffering, nor should we wait until suffering is upon us. Praying and meditating over hard truths prepares us for hard times. I have known more than one person who has been able to see the suffering of others as part of God’s plan, then lost faith when God did not exempt them from disease, infidelity, the loss of a loved one, or other tragedy. I can only pray that when suffering comes to me, I will have spent enough time contemplating “why them?” and “how would you have me respond?” that “why me?” becomes a moot question.
The psalmist doesn’t offer concrete answers to the questions he raises, but the context in which he raises them might give us some clues. The questions he asks are universal, and he asks them not about anyone in particular, but about the community. The work is not the work of any one person, but that of the community. The meaning of the work transcends any single life or generation. Remember that God did not permit Moses, despite all he did to lead the Israelites, to enter the promised land. Any satisfaction Moses gained from his efforts he gained from the knowledge he had played his role in the greater plan.
When it’s our turn to suffer – and we’ll all have our turn – the question “Why me?” overwhelms us if we can’t see ourselves as one part of the whole of creation. Like words chosen by a skillful poet, each of is complete, important and beloved by God, but part of a greater work.
Comfort: God is with us, even in suffering.
Challenge: Read The Red Wheelbarrow by William Carlos Williams. Imagine how different it would be if any one of the words was missing.
Prayer: God of hope, thank you for my place in creation.
Evening readings: Ps 136
Psalm 90 – the only psalm attributed to Moses – is written from the perspective of someone who has lived a long life and is trying to make sense of it all. The psalmist doesn’t sugar coat life’s difficulties. He prays that the good days might at least outnumber the bad, and acknowledges that the lucky get 80 years of toil and trouble. Yet he prays for God’s work and its meaning to be manifest in the community.
We would be wise not to wait until the end of our lives to contemplate the meaning of our work and suffering, nor should we wait until suffering is upon us. Praying and meditating over hard truths prepares us for hard times. I have known more than one person who has been able to see the suffering of others as part of God’s plan, then lost faith when God did not exempt them from disease, infidelity, the loss of a loved one, or other tragedy. I can only pray that when suffering comes to me, I will have spent enough time contemplating “why them?” and “how would you have me respond?” that “why me?” becomes a moot question.
The psalmist doesn’t offer concrete answers to the questions he raises, but the context in which he raises them might give us some clues. The questions he asks are universal, and he asks them not about anyone in particular, but about the community. The work is not the work of any one person, but that of the community. The meaning of the work transcends any single life or generation. Remember that God did not permit Moses, despite all he did to lead the Israelites, to enter the promised land. Any satisfaction Moses gained from his efforts he gained from the knowledge he had played his role in the greater plan.
When it’s our turn to suffer – and we’ll all have our turn – the question “Why me?” overwhelms us if we can’t see ourselves as one part of the whole of creation. Like words chosen by a skillful poet, each of is complete, important and beloved by God, but part of a greater work.
Comfort: God is with us, even in suffering.
Challenge: Read The Red Wheelbarrow by William Carlos Williams. Imagine how different it would be if any one of the words was missing.
Prayer: God of hope, thank you for my place in creation.
Evening readings: Ps 136
Friday, August 6, 2010
A Quiet Kind of Loud
Readings: Ps 88; Jud 9:1-16, 19-21; Acts 4:13-31; John 2:2-12
What might Peter and the disciples have meant when they prayed for God to help them ”speak his word with all boldness?” The most predictable meaning of “bold” might be “courageous and daring,” a stance the disciples had struggled with in the past. It also means “impudent.” Following Jesus required the disciples to buck convention, especially when religious authorities tried to maintain the oppressive status quo. No matter how truly a servant speaks, if the master doesn’t like the truth it sounds like insubordination. Another definition is “beyond the limits of convention.” The disciples were asking Israel and eventually the Gentiles to turn their thinking upside down and embrace a paradoxical theology. If the first are last and the last become first… who exactly is on first?
While we are still called to speak God’s word boldly, we must also be humble. For many people, boldness means loudness, intimidation and arrogance. Sheer volume can become the conversational equivalent of might making right. This is not the way to effectively spread God’s word. When someone yells or is overly forceful, the natural instinct of their target is usually either to retreat or to respond in kind. We can’t alienate someone and hope to communicate with them at the same time.
Companies with good customer service train their representatives to respond to angry customers by listening first, reflecting the customer’s feelings back to them, and then responding positively, firmly and calmly without ever raising their voices. This is bold in the sense that it goes against the natural impulses of the representative and redirects the customer. A good customer service agent defuses a tense situation and leaves the customer feeling satisfied – even when the customer is wrong.
We are not called simply to placate, but if we are to serve to the world, our attitude must be one of service. We do not need anger and hostility to validate a just cause. A quiet truth, spoken boldly and persistently, overcomes the loudest empty noise.
Comfort: Truth speaks louder than anything.
Challenge: The next time you are in an argument, don’t raise your voice.
Prayer: God of hope, teach me to be bold and humble.
Evening readings: Ps 91, 92
What might Peter and the disciples have meant when they prayed for God to help them ”speak his word with all boldness?” The most predictable meaning of “bold” might be “courageous and daring,” a stance the disciples had struggled with in the past. It also means “impudent.” Following Jesus required the disciples to buck convention, especially when religious authorities tried to maintain the oppressive status quo. No matter how truly a servant speaks, if the master doesn’t like the truth it sounds like insubordination. Another definition is “beyond the limits of convention.” The disciples were asking Israel and eventually the Gentiles to turn their thinking upside down and embrace a paradoxical theology. If the first are last and the last become first… who exactly is on first?
While we are still called to speak God’s word boldly, we must also be humble. For many people, boldness means loudness, intimidation and arrogance. Sheer volume can become the conversational equivalent of might making right. This is not the way to effectively spread God’s word. When someone yells or is overly forceful, the natural instinct of their target is usually either to retreat or to respond in kind. We can’t alienate someone and hope to communicate with them at the same time.
Companies with good customer service train their representatives to respond to angry customers by listening first, reflecting the customer’s feelings back to them, and then responding positively, firmly and calmly without ever raising their voices. This is bold in the sense that it goes against the natural impulses of the representative and redirects the customer. A good customer service agent defuses a tense situation and leaves the customer feeling satisfied – even when the customer is wrong.
We are not called simply to placate, but if we are to serve to the world, our attitude must be one of service. We do not need anger and hostility to validate a just cause. A quiet truth, spoken boldly and persistently, overcomes the loudest empty noise.
Comfort: Truth speaks louder than anything.
Challenge: The next time you are in an argument, don’t raise your voice.
Prayer: God of hope, teach me to be bold and humble.
Evening readings: Ps 91, 92
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Wait a second...
Today's readings: Ps 83; Jud 8:22-35; Acts 4:1-12; John 1:43-51
If you’re paying attention, you may notice the Lectionary readings skipped from Judges 8:12 to 8:22. You may also have noticed when we skipped from Joshua 8:22 to 8:30. Sometimes the Lectionary skips passages because they are redundant or do not add to our understanding. In these two cases, however, it skips them because the content is too violent and portrays God in a sadistic light. Our modern sensibilities tell us these passages, portraying revenge killings, are not in our true nature nor in God’s.
Personally, I feel this omission is a mistake. What happens if we are unwilling to wrestle with the dark side of our own natures? We like to distance ourselves from behaviors that offend or frighten us because we want to believe we are better or have more control. When we are unable to admit we may be capable of terrible things, we may also be
unprepared to effectively resist the temptation to do those things. How often we have heard someone defend themselves by saying “I didn’t mean for it to happen; it just did!” The excuse that our choices are somehow beyond our control is the flip side of the illusion that we are different from “bad people.” We may not like it, but a good deal of our character is circumstance. To exercise control and be responsible for our own actions, we must confess to ourselves—and others if need be—our weaknesses and temptations. We do this not to punish or humiliate ourselves, but to deal with them effectively as they arise. There’s a reason the famous first step of Alcoholics Anonymous is admitting you have a problem.
The good news is we are forgiven and we are called to a higher path. “Judging not” isn’t just about the person we forgive—it’s also about examining our own hearts and recognizing the kindred struggle within us. We are all capable of great evil and great love. Christ understands and accepts this about us. A decision to follow Christ is a decision to embrace our complete selves so we can love completely.
Comfort: God knows our hearts, and loves us as we are.
Challenge: Go back and read Joshua 8:23-29 and Judges 8:13-21, then re-read Psalm 83:11-12 for a better understanding.
Prayer: God of hope, help me be honest with myself.
Evening reading: Ps 85, 86
If you’re paying attention, you may notice the Lectionary readings skipped from Judges 8:12 to 8:22. You may also have noticed when we skipped from Joshua 8:22 to 8:30. Sometimes the Lectionary skips passages because they are redundant or do not add to our understanding. In these two cases, however, it skips them because the content is too violent and portrays God in a sadistic light. Our modern sensibilities tell us these passages, portraying revenge killings, are not in our true nature nor in God’s.
Personally, I feel this omission is a mistake. What happens if we are unwilling to wrestle with the dark side of our own natures? We like to distance ourselves from behaviors that offend or frighten us because we want to believe we are better or have more control. When we are unable to admit we may be capable of terrible things, we may also be
unprepared to effectively resist the temptation to do those things. How often we have heard someone defend themselves by saying “I didn’t mean for it to happen; it just did!” The excuse that our choices are somehow beyond our control is the flip side of the illusion that we are different from “bad people.” We may not like it, but a good deal of our character is circumstance. To exercise control and be responsible for our own actions, we must confess to ourselves—and others if need be—our weaknesses and temptations. We do this not to punish or humiliate ourselves, but to deal with them effectively as they arise. There’s a reason the famous first step of Alcoholics Anonymous is admitting you have a problem.
The good news is we are forgiven and we are called to a higher path. “Judging not” isn’t just about the person we forgive—it’s also about examining our own hearts and recognizing the kindred struggle within us. We are all capable of great evil and great love. Christ understands and accepts this about us. A decision to follow Christ is a decision to embrace our complete selves so we can love completely.
Comfort: God knows our hearts, and loves us as we are.
Challenge: Go back and read Joshua 8:23-29 and Judges 8:13-21, then re-read Psalm 83:11-12 for a better understanding.
Prayer: God of hope, help me be honest with myself.
Evening reading: Ps 85, 86
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
A New Name
Today's readings: Ps 119:97-120; Jud 7:19-8:12; Acts 3:12-26; John 1:29-42
Many rites of passage include a name change. In western culture, marriage traditionally involved a new last name for the bride. As gender roles develop, some people modify this custom by making no name change, creating a new hyphenated name, or changing the name of the groom. Such choices make statements about how people view their identities. Roman Catholics going through the sacrament of Confirmation take on an additional name. Traditionally, this is the name of a saint whom the candidate admires. When taken seriously, this choice also makes a statement about the person’s values and identity.
Gideon, our current protagonist in Judges, becomes Jerub-Baal after he destroys the altar to Baal. “Jerub-Baal” functions as a nickname, given by others recognizing a personal accomplishment or quality. Nicknames can be welcome or unwelcome, and are generally beyond the recipient’s control. When Jesus meets Simon, he gives him a new name: Cephas, translated as Peter or “rock.” This change signifies Peter’s new role – the rock upon which Christ intends to found his church (Matt 16:18). Peter doesn’t always act like a rock, but given time he grows into his role. If we compare Jerub-Baal and Peter, we see one name describes the person’s past, and the other describes the person’s potential.
The names of many Biblical figures (Abram/Abraham, Sarai/Sarah, Jacob/Israel, Saul/Paul, etc.) changed to reflect their new relationship with God, reflecting both past and future. While these name changes have a mythic quality, they also teach us that a relationship with God can transform us so completely that even our names no longer describe us.
Has your relationship with God defined or redefined your identity? If Jesus gave you a name to describe your journey so far, what might it be? What name might he give you to unlock your potential? God, knowing who we’ve been and who we can be, has a new name ready for all of us. Through prayer and reflection we can claim it and grow into it.
Comfort: No matter your name, God knows how to call you.
Challenge: Try to determine what name God might give (or has given) you.
Prayer: God of hope, help me live up to the name you would give me.
Evening reading: Ps 81, 82
Many rites of passage include a name change. In western culture, marriage traditionally involved a new last name for the bride. As gender roles develop, some people modify this custom by making no name change, creating a new hyphenated name, or changing the name of the groom. Such choices make statements about how people view their identities. Roman Catholics going through the sacrament of Confirmation take on an additional name. Traditionally, this is the name of a saint whom the candidate admires. When taken seriously, this choice also makes a statement about the person’s values and identity.
Gideon, our current protagonist in Judges, becomes Jerub-Baal after he destroys the altar to Baal. “Jerub-Baal” functions as a nickname, given by others recognizing a personal accomplishment or quality. Nicknames can be welcome or unwelcome, and are generally beyond the recipient’s control. When Jesus meets Simon, he gives him a new name: Cephas, translated as Peter or “rock.” This change signifies Peter’s new role – the rock upon which Christ intends to found his church (Matt 16:18). Peter doesn’t always act like a rock, but given time he grows into his role. If we compare Jerub-Baal and Peter, we see one name describes the person’s past, and the other describes the person’s potential.
The names of many Biblical figures (Abram/Abraham, Sarai/Sarah, Jacob/Israel, Saul/Paul, etc.) changed to reflect their new relationship with God, reflecting both past and future. While these name changes have a mythic quality, they also teach us that a relationship with God can transform us so completely that even our names no longer describe us.
Has your relationship with God defined or redefined your identity? If Jesus gave you a name to describe your journey so far, what might it be? What name might he give you to unlock your potential? God, knowing who we’ve been and who we can be, has a new name ready for all of us. Through prayer and reflection we can claim it and grow into it.
Comfort: No matter your name, God knows how to call you.
Challenge: Try to determine what name God might give (or has given) you.
Prayer: God of hope, help me live up to the name you would give me.
Evening reading: Ps 81, 82
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Don't Get Too Comfortable
Today’s readings: Ps 78:1-39; Jud 7:1-18; Acts 3:1-11; John 1:19-28
As we follow Christ, we always need to remember we are not blazing a new trail, but traveling a well-worn path. Christianity has a rich history that did not begin with our own denomination, congregation or conversion. Many ways were once little more than ruts in the ground, and we can thank the people who first braved the frontiers for the smooth travel we enjoy today. The same can be said of our spiritual predecessors.
When things get too easy, we can take them for granted. During the period of Judges, each new generation of Israelites became complacent and forgot the foundation of its faith. Young people tend to think they are the first to experience anything, when in truth “there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecc 1:9). Awareness of our faith heritage is a step toward mature thought and growth. To this end, Psalm 78 reminded the Israelites of the triumphs and failures of their relationship with God.
What might we in the modern Western world take for granted about Christianity? We safely zip down the Christian highway, but our role models Peter and John the Baptist entered uncharted and dangerous territory. We don’t have to seek martyrdom to live authentic Christian lives, but we do have to be willing to take risks to carry on Christ’s ministry of healing, forgiveness and love. Where Peter laid hands on the crippled beggar, we support faith-based hospitals and the charity care they provide. Where John the Baptist made straight the way of the Lord in the face of religious authority, we raise our voices for Christ’s justice in the secular world and in the church itself. Where Jesus multiplied loaves and fish, we open food banks and work for a just economy. If necessary, we do these things and more despite risk to personal comfort and safety.
Merely identifying ourselves as Christians carries little risk these days. Is a life spent in Christian bookstores and like-minded company worthy of our heritage? Following a set of rules is easy and safe. Sticking our necks out for the ministry we have inherited is another matter entirely. God calls us not to safety, but to faithfulness. We are up to the challenge.
Comfort: Our Christian heritage is a source of wisdom and courage.
Challenge: Choose to act on a spiritual challenge you have avoided.
Prayer: God of hope, thank you for the foundations you have laid.
Evening reading: Ps 78:40-72
As we follow Christ, we always need to remember we are not blazing a new trail, but traveling a well-worn path. Christianity has a rich history that did not begin with our own denomination, congregation or conversion. Many ways were once little more than ruts in the ground, and we can thank the people who first braved the frontiers for the smooth travel we enjoy today. The same can be said of our spiritual predecessors.
When things get too easy, we can take them for granted. During the period of Judges, each new generation of Israelites became complacent and forgot the foundation of its faith. Young people tend to think they are the first to experience anything, when in truth “there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecc 1:9). Awareness of our faith heritage is a step toward mature thought and growth. To this end, Psalm 78 reminded the Israelites of the triumphs and failures of their relationship with God.
What might we in the modern Western world take for granted about Christianity? We safely zip down the Christian highway, but our role models Peter and John the Baptist entered uncharted and dangerous territory. We don’t have to seek martyrdom to live authentic Christian lives, but we do have to be willing to take risks to carry on Christ’s ministry of healing, forgiveness and love. Where Peter laid hands on the crippled beggar, we support faith-based hospitals and the charity care they provide. Where John the Baptist made straight the way of the Lord in the face of religious authority, we raise our voices for Christ’s justice in the secular world and in the church itself. Where Jesus multiplied loaves and fish, we open food banks and work for a just economy. If necessary, we do these things and more despite risk to personal comfort and safety.
Merely identifying ourselves as Christians carries little risk these days. Is a life spent in Christian bookstores and like-minded company worthy of our heritage? Following a set of rules is easy and safe. Sticking our necks out for the ministry we have inherited is another matter entirely. God calls us not to safety, but to faithfulness. We are up to the challenge.
Comfort: Our Christian heritage is a source of wisdom and courage.
Challenge: Choose to act on a spiritual challenge you have avoided.
Prayer: God of hope, thank you for the foundations you have laid.
Evening reading: Ps 78:40-72
Monday, August 2, 2010
Christian Community
Today's readings: Ps 80; Jud 6:25-40; Acts 2:37-47; John 1:1-18
How would we react if our pastor suggested we take all our money to church, throw it into a big pile with everyone else’s money, and let people take what they needed when they needed it? In most churches, we’d start the search for a new pastor. However, today’s reading from Acts tells us that’s exactly how the earliest Christians chose to shape their community.
When our church plans a mission trip, our preparation includes reflection on Acts 2:43-47. We do indeed pool our resources, eat and pray together, and gain the good will of the people by serving them. So far we haven’t sold all our possessions, but members of some Christian communities – often called the New Monastics – have done just that to better serve each other and their neighbors. Some commit to this way of life permanently, and others do it for a season. Mission trips usually last for a short season, but living this way only for a little while can have a profound impact.
The Christian community of Acts functions very differently than today’s mainstream Christian communities. When we hear from people who want to define American as a “Christian nation,” how often do they suggest we divest ourselves of possessions and pool our resources? When someone expresses a desire to do so, do we take them seriously or counsel them to reconsider? American culture is based on capitalism and democracy. As Christians, we recognize these are not ends in themselves, but means for building a just society. When they are used as tools for injustice and exploitation, as any government or economy will be, we must be the voice of justice – the voice of Christ. When we value ideologies above the values taught by Christ, we must examine and adjust our priorities.
Should we all sell everything and live in communes? Probably not. But we should embrace the underlying values of the early Christians: community is more important than personal wealth; trust is more important than certainty; and time spent in service transforms us in positive ways. What changes can we make to reflect those values in our own lives?
Comfort: Each small step toward community make the next one easier.
Challenge: For each ten dollars you spend on food this week, spend one on donations to a food bank.
Prayer: God of hope, thank you for the gift of community.
Evening readings: Ps 77, 19
How would we react if our pastor suggested we take all our money to church, throw it into a big pile with everyone else’s money, and let people take what they needed when they needed it? In most churches, we’d start the search for a new pastor. However, today’s reading from Acts tells us that’s exactly how the earliest Christians chose to shape their community.
When our church plans a mission trip, our preparation includes reflection on Acts 2:43-47. We do indeed pool our resources, eat and pray together, and gain the good will of the people by serving them. So far we haven’t sold all our possessions, but members of some Christian communities – often called the New Monastics – have done just that to better serve each other and their neighbors. Some commit to this way of life permanently, and others do it for a season. Mission trips usually last for a short season, but living this way only for a little while can have a profound impact.
The Christian community of Acts functions very differently than today’s mainstream Christian communities. When we hear from people who want to define American as a “Christian nation,” how often do they suggest we divest ourselves of possessions and pool our resources? When someone expresses a desire to do so, do we take them seriously or counsel them to reconsider? American culture is based on capitalism and democracy. As Christians, we recognize these are not ends in themselves, but means for building a just society. When they are used as tools for injustice and exploitation, as any government or economy will be, we must be the voice of justice – the voice of Christ. When we value ideologies above the values taught by Christ, we must examine and adjust our priorities.
Should we all sell everything and live in communes? Probably not. But we should embrace the underlying values of the early Christians: community is more important than personal wealth; trust is more important than certainty; and time spent in service transforms us in positive ways. What changes can we make to reflect those values in our own lives?
Comfort: Each small step toward community make the next one easier.
Challenge: For each ten dollars you spend on food this week, spend one on donations to a food bank.
Prayer: God of hope, thank you for the gift of community.
Evening readings: Ps 77, 19
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