pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!


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One Person at a Time

Reading: Exodus 1:15-22 and 2:1-10

Exodus 1:17 – “Now the two midwives respected God so they didn’t obey the Egyptian king’s order.”

Coming back to Exodus 1, we read the rest of the story today. The Israelites continue to grow in number, in spite of Pharaoh’s attempts to lessen them. In today’s reading Pharaoh calls in two Hebrew midwives and tells them to kill all babies born male. They do not follow orders: “Now the two midwives respected God so they didn’t obey the Egyptian king’s order.” Called back in and questioned, Shiphrah and Puah outsmart Pharaoh. They trusted in God’s power and God made a way.

Pharaoh comes up with a new plan: incite the Egyptians against the Israelites. He instructs his people to throw every Hebrew boy baby into the river. Pharaoh counts on those feelings of disgust and dread, stirring them up and giving them an outlet with his cruel edict. For at least one Hebrew baby boy, this plan fails too.

At the start of chapter 2 a boy is born. His mother hid him for three months. No longer able to do so, she places him in a tar-coated basket and puts it in the river. His sister watches over it and when Pharaoh’s own daughter sees the baby, Miriam offers to find someone to nurse the baby. She risks much, offering a plan that goes against the edict. The princess, moved by compassion, agrees to the plan, also risking much. Moses’ life is saved. These women who used the power available to them stood for life. Through their bold actions, they thwarted Pharaoh’s plan – at least for one boy. In most of our lives, this is how we use our power too. With our words and actions we can make a great difference – one person at a time. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for these examples of women who risked much for what was right and good. Give us the same faith, the same compassion. Help us to see the opportunities you give us to stand and speak for all that is good and right and just. Empower us just as you empowered these women. Amen.


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Shaping and Reshaping

Romans 12:2 – “Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.”

Reading: Romans 12:1-2

As we begin in Romans 12, today we read what I would consider a “Top 10” verse for our time. Paul’s argument, however, begins back in chapter 11, where he writes of God’s great mercy. It is so great, he writes, that even Israel will be saved one day. At that point in time, the Jews felt like and were acting like the “enemies” of Jesus and his newly forming church. Even so, God’s mercy is great enough to one day draw Israel into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

With that in mind, Paul writes, “So… I encourage you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God.” Paul encourages the believers in Rome to live like they have been saved. He is inviting them to serve God and others even if there is a personal cost. Paul deems this “appropriate priestly service” for the great love and mercy that they have received from God.

Next we turn to the key verse: “Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” Another translation writes of not being so well-adjusted to the culture that we fit right in without even thinking about it. The patterns and ways of this world are tempting and powerful. They are portrayed as “success.” They promise us “happiness.” Greed, want, the desire for power, the need to satisfy self – these things are endless cycles that only draw us downward. There is no rest or peace or contentment. We only find these blessings when we confirm our hearts and minds to Christ. Jesus then renews and transforms our hearts and minds, shaping and reshaping us into someone who is “good and pleasing and mature.” This is where we want to be. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, the call of the world is constant – a neighbor’s new side by side, a friend’s new cell phone, a coworker’s stories of their amazing vacation… These things tug at us, pulling us towards the ways of the world. In our moments of temptation and trial, O God, draw us into your love and care. Remind us of the peace, contentment, and rest that we find in you alone. Hold us in that place, changing our focus, renewing our hearts and minds, drawing us deeper into our relationship with you. Amen.


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The Promises

Reading: Psalm 124:1-5

Psalm 124:1 – “If the Lord hadn’t been for us…”

Psalm 124 is a song of praise for God’s deliverance. The song is a call for the community of faith to thank God for saving them when all was on the brink of being lost. The psalmist described the “enemy” using imagery of water. In the ancient world, the “waters” were the place of chaos, of the unknown, of creatures huge and dangerous. One tried to stay close to land. Water is also hard to control. Think of floods or of that spilled glass of water. It goes here and there, wherever it wants, seemingly with a mind of its own. Once loosed, it cannot be controlled or easily contained.

While the psalmist is likely writing about a specific event, about a time when a vast army was about to overwhelm Israel, the feelings of anxiety or worry or dread are emotions that many of us feel in our day to day lives. Because of our connected world, struggles and issues big and small, local and global, communal and individual are ever before us. A bit too much attention to these and we can feel anxiety… beginning to rise up within us. In addition, we all have our own battles and trials in this life. These are both very common human experiences.

The psalmist repeats a line twice at the start of the Psalm. In a functional sense, it is a liturgical instruction. In the practical sense, it is a great reminder – twice! “If the Lord hadn’t been for us…” But God was for Israel. Again. God delivered Israel. Again. The reminder applies to us yet today. God is for us. Again and again. God will deliver us. Over and over. The promises remain true. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, anxiety, worry, dread… They can rise up so quickly in our heart and mind. Sometimes it comes from without, sometimes from within. In all cases, O God, whisper into our hearts, slow our minds. Remind us of your presence. Center us there with you. Touch us with your powerful love and constant care. Strengthen us for the day ahead. Thank you, O God. Amen.


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Faith Over Fear

Reading: Exodus 1:8-14

Exodus 1:13 – “The Egyptians enslaved the Israelites. They made their lives miserable.”

Today’s passage of power is one where fear guides the new Pharaoh’s thoughts and actions. This is not an uncommon reaction. Fear often distorts our perception of reality and leads us to think and do things we would not do otherwise. In today’s passage, this is the case with the new king. There is no personal connection to Joseph or to the Israelites. Therefore they have no value or worth as a people. This allows Pharaoh to treat them as things or as property: “The Egyptians enslaved the Israelites. They made their lives miserable.” While we do not literally enslave people we fear, we as a society can treat those that we see as “less than” in similar ways, making life miserable. Even though their life became miserable, God remained with the Israelites. The same is true for people groups today who are negatively impacted by our fears.

As the story of God’s people continues to unfold, fear and its cousins – anger, doubt, worry, anxiety… – continue to impact their story. Moses’ anger leads to murder. Fear leads him to flee. Jumping forward, Saul’s fear of David leads to attempted murder. Fast forward again. The Pharisees’ fear of Jesus leads to his death. These are but a few of the Biblical stories where fear alters perception and leads to people using power over others in evil and harmful ways.

Fear is not an uncommon visitor to our lives. Our own fears affect us and others’ fears can impact us. Fear can come from an unexpected diagnosis or from another unwanted change. Fear can rise up from misunderstandings and stereotypes. Fear can rise up when we feel threatened or in danger. Faith is the antidote to fear. Faith allows us to hear God’s voice in the unknown. Faith leads us to see the true reality and to trust it to God. Faith keeps us in the present moment, grounded in love and hope. We have the power to choose. May we choose faith over fear.

Prayer: Lord God, faith is a choice. When fear rises, our human nature wants to jump to fight or flight. Instead, Lord, bring us to a place of trust and faith, to a place of peace and presence. From there, walk us through the hard moment. Guide us to lean into your love for us. Amen.


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Faith and Persistence

Reading: Matthew 15:21-28

Matthew 15:25 – “But she knelt before him and said, ‘Lord, help me.'”

Photo credit: Ben White

After clashing with the religious leaders, as our passage continues in Matthew 15, Jesus travels to the region of Tyre and Sidon. This is in Phoenicia, along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Jesus is west of Mount Hermon, a site in Psalm 133. Given the way Jesus initially interacts with the woman, perhaps this trip was intended for some time set apart. But even outside of Israel, Jesus’ reputation proceeds him.

A Canaanite woman from this area shouts out to the “Son of David,” seeking mercy. Her daughter is possessed by a demon. The title she uses for Jesus is a traditional Jewish confession of faith. Jesus is silent. She persists. The disciples want Jesus to address her – so that he can send her away. Maybe directed to the disciples, but certainly loud enough for the woman to hear, Jesus declares that he was sent “only to the lost sheep” – to Israel. Remaining persistent, she kneels right in front of Jesus. From this position of humility, she pleads, “Lord, help me.”

Insulting and/or testing her faith and persistence, Jesus says, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” Acknowledging the insult – “Yes, Lord” – she persists: “But even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” She acknowledges Jesus as “master,” as her Lord. Because of her great faith and persistence, Jesus is moved and he heals her daughter from afar. May we have such great faith and may we be so persistent with our trust in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Lord God, you alone are Lord. You alone have the power to meet all of our needs. To you alone may we turn. To you alone may we look to be our all in all. Amen.


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What Truly Contaminates

Reading: Matthew 15:10-20

Matthew 15:18 – “What goes out of the mouth comes from the heart. And that’s what contaminates a person in God’s sight.”

Heart in Fire and Water Isolated on Black Background. Computer Graphics.

Leviticus 11 through 15 contain the laws of Moses that deal with being clean (or unclean if you break a law.) Many of the laws in these five chapters were concerned with keeping healthy. Eating certain foods, for example, in a time without refrigeration often led to illness. So… do not eat pork. Since five chapters worth of dietary and other cleanliness laws were not enough, the religious leaders added more over time.

“Wash your hands before eating” was one of them. This rule is not found anywhere in the Law. But this manmade rule had power in Jesus’ day. His disciples had just eaten without washing their hands, breaking “the elder’s rules handed down to us.” Jesus responds to the Pharisees’ criticism by quoting from Isaiah 29, where the prophet speaks about “empty worship.”

In verses 10-20 Jesus addresses and explains what truly contaminates or makes a person “unclean.” To be unclean is to be separated from God. He declares that it is NOT what we put into our mouth that matters. Food just comes out and goes into the sewer. However, “What goes out of the mouth comes from the heart. And that’s what contaminates a person in God’s sight.” What comes out of our mouth matters. And that all comes from the heart. It is in the heart that one finds the sources of sin: “evil thoughts… sexual sins… false testimony… insults.” These are some of the things that have the power to “contaminate” or to make us unclean before God.

Jesus is talking about what John Wesley would later call “personal holiness.” If we practice personal holiness (or holiness of the heart,) then we walk in right relationship with God. And if we walk in a right relationship with God, then we tend to walk in right relationships with one another. Living out our social holiness, we do not harm others. Instead, we do good and practice love, mercy, grace, compassion… And what flows from the mouth is good and pleasing to the Lord our God. May it be so for us all.

Prayer: Lord God, empower us to look deep within our own hearts. Give us the strength and the courage to root out those things that can separate us from you, leading us to then treat others as “less than.” Transform our hearts and lives, O Lord, filling us with love and grace and compassion and mercy. Then, may these flow from our hearts and may they be upon our lips. Amen.


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Stories of Mercy

Reading: Romans 11:29-32

Romans 11:31 – “In the same way, they have also been disobedient [and] because of the mercy you received, now they can receive mercy too.”

As we conclude our time in this week’s Epistle reading, the main idea is that God’s mercy extends to all people. This is a common theme in the New Testament and in Paul’s writings in particular. In many ways, Paul reminds us that we all fall short. Because of our human nature, we are tempted and we sin. Yet this is not our fate. Because of God’s great love revealed in Jesus Christ, we receive mercy. Our sins are forgiven and through repentance we become closer to the image of God. This is a process we experience again and again – hopefully with less and less frequency as we mature in our faith!

As it is with all aspects of our faith, mercy is meant to be shared with others. Because we receive mercy, we are to help others to receive mercy. This begins by being people who practice mercy in our lives and in the relationships that we keep. It extends by sharing our stories of redemption, and perhaps of rescue. By sharing our stories of mercy, we open other’s eyes and hearts to the possibility of them receiving God’s mercy. Because God’s mercy knows no bounds, our stories vary greatly. Some of us were saved from an addiction – alcohol, drugs, pornography, sex. Some of us were rescued from a vice – greed, pride, sloth, judging, control. Some of us were redeemed from a poor decision – theft, cheating, abuse, dishonesty. We each have our story of mercy. We are called to be conduits of God’s mercy. Who do you know that needs to hear your story of mercy?

Prayer: Lord God, help us to know and to develop our stories of mercy so that we can be articulate about your boundless mercy. Use us like prevenient grace – that which goes before and opens doors, inviting others to experience your mercy for themselves. Thank you, Lord. Amen.


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Redeeming the Lost

Reading: Romans 11:1-2

Romans 11:1a – “So I ask you, has God rejected his people?”

Photo credit: Mitchel Lensink

As we begin two days in Romans 11, we begin with the first two verses. These verses continue Paul’s argument against salvation through the Law. Instead, Paul sees grace as the saving agent. In our two verses today, Paul touches on when God’s people (or us) are not faithful to God. Verse 1 begins, “So I ask you, has God rejected his people?” When I first read this verse, to be honest, my mind said, “Maybe.” I thought of the policies and things done today by those claiming to be Christian, and thought, surely God is at least deeply grieved by this. But upon more reflection, I realized that this has been going on since the actual time of Jesus. In his day it was the Pharisees who used the Law for their own purposes. Later it was those who led and funded the Crusades. There have always been folks who have used “faith” as a weapon.

Paul’s response to his opening question is this: “Absolutely not!” God always remains faithful. Paul offers himself as proof. He is an Israelite through and through – and he loves and follows Jesus. Paul invites us to remember Elijah. He felt like he was the only faithful person left. But the faithful were actually down to a small fragment – 7,000 who had not turned to idols. Through the faithful, God redeemed the lost. God continues to do so today. You and I – we are living examples. Through our sin and failures, God has not rejected us once. Through grace we are redeemed again and again. Like the story of Elijah and God’s faithfulness, our story of grace and redemption has power. Our story can change lives. Who do you know that needs to hear the story of how Jesus changed your life?

Prayer: Lord God, today many worship idols. They aren’t carved of stone or wood but are found in the mirror, parked in driveways, stashed in bank accounts, put forth in social media. These folks are as lost as most in Elijah’s day. So, Lord, use us to turn people to you – some back to you, many encountering you for the first time. Fill our stories with a Holy Spirit power – with the power to change lives. Amen.


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Good and Pleasing

Reading: Psalm 133

Psalm 133:1 – “Look at how good and pleasing it is when families live together as one!”

Psalm 133 is short – only three verses long. But it lifts up one of the most important aspects of faith: unity. This song celebrates the community of faith and the ultimate blessing of living in a community of faith: “everlasting life.” In verse one we read, “Look at how good and pleasing it is when families live together as one!” Step back and look at your community of faith. Is it good and pleasing to God and to the world around it? Does it reflect unity in the body of Christ?

We must be careful not to mistake unity for conformity. That is a common mistake. Our unity is centered on Jesus Christ and following his teachings and example. Around this, yes, there is conformity. But Jesus certainly did not minister to and include only people like him. He included fishermen and a tax collector and a zealot. And that was just in his “church.” Jesus welcomed children and women and outcasts and even “sinners.” To one and all, Jesus extended love and created a sense of belonging. He found sacred worth in everyone he met. This fostered unity and community in the early church.

In the Psalm, this is described as anointing oil and life-giving dew. The psalmist envisions both flowing freely, pouring down. There is a joy and an abundance in these images. It should be this way in our lives and in our communities of faith. Love and grace should flow freely. Mercy and forgiveness should pour down. Sharing life and what we have should bring joy. These things should be the primary marks of a Christian community. May it be so as our communities of faith – our “families” – strive to be good and pleasing to the Lord and to the world around us.

Prayer: Lord God, our world tends to separate us into categories. It feels like the natural thing to do is to label – so we can divide and define. May it not be so in our churches and lives, O God. All are created in your image. All have sacred worth. All have a place at the table of grace. Shape and form us into people who see you in others, who draw others into our communities of faith so that they can know love, mercy, grace, belonging – both ours and yours. Amen.


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Genuine and True

Reading: Genesis 45:9-15

Genesis 45:9-10 – “Come down to me. Don’t delay. You may live in the land of Goshen, so you will be near me.”

Photo credit: Milo Weiler

Finishing up this week’s Genesis 45 text, Joseph gives his brothers instructions. He is once again the man in power. This is the main message to his father, Israel: “Come down to me. Don’t delay. You may live in the land of Goshen, so you will be near me.” Joseph adds that he will support the whole family and all that they own. This will last at least as long as the famine – five more years. Believing that he was sent ahead for this purpose, Joseph is stepping into God’s plans and purposes for his life.

Joseph then embraces and weeps over Benjamin – his younger brother that he had never met. He then turns to his other brothers. Kisses and hugs and tears draw them in. Fear subsided, they are able to talk with Joseph. Joseph’s honesty and compassion led them to accept his offer of forgiveness and reconciliation. Yes, he spoke the words of forgiveness, but the brothers were wary. These additional assurances allowed them to know that the forgiveness was genuine and true.

As a kid, every once in a while I heard these words from my mom or dad: “Say ‘I’m sorry. ‘” And often, after a mumbled “I’m sorry,” I would hear these words: “Say it like you mean it.” At times we forgive or are forgiven because it is expected or because it is the “right” thing to do. But it does not come from the heart. There is no grace. There is hard work yet to be done. When within our power, may we truly forgive from the heart, bringing reconciliation with our forgiveness. Then healing can begin. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, sometimes we just go through the motions. But hurt and anger still reside, just below the surface. Lead us to practice true forgiveness, full of grace. Guide us then to a place of reconciliation, where the relationship can be restored. Thank you, Lord. Amen.